Welcome to Gospel-Spotlight.com!! GS NEWS ROOM, #1 FIRST WITH REAL NEWS April 26, 2024 UPDATE!!... Another actor was hired to dub Jeffrey Wright’s voice ...... Columbus Short said Cedric The Entertainer is “b— made” kinda man ....... Gay influencer Christian Walker is urging straight women to stop dating feminine males .......... April 26, 2024 UPDATE!!... Morris Chestnut will star in the new CBS drama series “Watson” ........... News News News News News News News News News _______________________________________ Gospel music sensations Anthony Brown, Bri Babineaux, Deitrick Haddon and Pastor Mike Jr., are set to tour across the nation on the all-new concert series, I GOT AWAY, in partnership with McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration® Gospel Tour. Kicking off April 26th, the tour will make stops in 30 cities across the United States, including Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Queens, Chicago and more before wrapping up in Atlanta on June 29th. Through this first-of-its-kind partnership, general admission tickets are FREE for this nearly sold-out concert experience, courtesy of McDonald’s USA. Fans can get in on the action by registering now for limited general admission or paid VIP tickets at IGotAwayTour.com. According to former bank teller and financial planner Michael Ashlet, there are three times you should avoid asking for $100 bills at the bank. First, Ashley advises avoiding visiting banks at peak hours. “I would advise against requesting $100 bills at a bank branch during peak hours, particularly during busy mornings or lunch rushes,” he said, gobankingrates.com reports. “Such times typically witness a high volume of transactions and customer inquiries, leading to longer wait times and potential frustration for both customers and staff.” Ashley, founder of the personal finance site Richiest, spent years working as a bank employee at Wells Fargo and Citi. He suggests avoiding banks on Saturday mornings and paydays on the first and last of the month. Secondly, Ashley said avoiding banks with low cash supply is best. Former professional athlete Shannon Sharpe will receive the Webby Advocate of the Year Award at the 28th annual Webby Awards for his contributions to the digital landscape. According to a press release, the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) announced the Winners for the 28th Annual Webby Awards, which include: Adam Driver, Apple, Barbie The Movie, Bowen Yang & Matt Rogers, Conan O’Brien, Emerson Collective, First We Feast, GLAAD, Google, Gretchen Whitmer, Gucci, Jason and Travis Kelce, Jay-Z, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Batiste, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Laverne Cox, Letterboxd, Megan Thee Stallion, Michelle Obama, NASA, National Geographic, Netflix, New York Times, NPR, Notion, Olivia Rodrigo, ŌURA, Reddit, Runway, Ryan Gosling, Saturday Night Live, The Sphere, Shopify, Spotify, Snoop Dogg, Sydney Sweeney, Taylor Swift, Timothée Chalamet, TLDR, Trixie Mattel, UNICEF, Vote.org and Yoko Ono. These honorees will be celebrated for excellence on the Internet. Sharpe, 55, is recognized for his significant impact in sports commentary, advocacy for racial equality, education and health, and his wildly successful podcast, Club Shay Shay. The Webby Advocate of the Year Award is a recognition chosen by a committee led by the NAACP and IADAS. Sharpe’s Katt Williams episode won the Webby Award for Featured Guest, Individual Episodes (Podcasts). Additionally, the interview on “Club Shay Shay” is nearing a record as the most-watched YouTube video interview ever. Claire Graves, president of the Webby Awards, explained, “This year’s Webby Winners represent work at the cutting edge of creativity and innovation.” https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs Check out an exclusive clip from the premiere season two episode of the empowering makeover docuseries “My Mane Problem.” The show chronicles celebrity stylist Dr. Boogie, who is back giving renewed hope and self-confidence to real people confronting very personal hair journeys, per the press release. Here’s the series synopsis: My Mane Problem A bad hairstyle can look, feel and be life-ruining, but celebrity stylist Dr. Boogie is back giving renewed hope and self-confidence to real people confronting very personal hair journeys. Season two features even more inspiring transformations, as the industry vet rescues clients struggling with deeply affecting hair trauma. These eight new, half-hour episodes chronicle real people confronting challenges such as chemical burns, traction alopecia, balding due to extensions and wigs, and much more. From empowering individuals to embrace their natural hair to restoring confidence in those struggling with hair-related trauma, every episode promises to be a testament to the transformative power of self-love and acceptance. https://youtu.be/gwWFggh6s0g Dr. Boogie is an industry veteran whose clients include Taraji P. Henson, Eve, and Vivica Fox. “My Mane Problem” showcases him working with individuals to offer real solutions, hair care treatment, and, ultimately, a new lease on life through his empathetic consultations. In our preview of tonight’s debut episode, Dr. Boogie tells a client that hair needs to be shaved for a fresh, new start. Season 2 of “My Mane Problem” kicks off Thursday, April 25 on Allblk. https://youtu.be/70ENzo160lE GSN-Sean “Diddy” Combs may have lost allies amid his current legal troubles, but the hip-hop mogul has found one artist who wants to work with him. Citing a new interview with Fox 5 New York, Complex revealed that former Bad Boy Records artist G. Dep is ready to enter the studio with Combs. So much so that he’s throwing a cloud of doubt over his former boss’ situation. “I’m like, ‘When? When did that happen?’ You know what I mean?” G. Dep voiced about Combs’ alleged misconduct. “We were in the studio for months on end with each other. So I don’t know where this is coming from.” “People should give people the benefit of the doubt,” he continued. If somebody just saying that you did something, you know, people can say anything.” Despite being locked up, Complex notes G. Dep has remained active musically with writing hundreds of songs. As a result, he is not shy about reigniting the hitmaking magic he had with Combs. https://youtu.be/-i1DP2Dx7YY In the first interview since his release, the rapper confided that he never received a visit from Combs while serving time. “He reached out to me inadvertently,” the Harlem native told The Art of Dialogue. “Like videos, a couple of interviews, I heard him shout me out. … I couldn’t expect too much from anybody—that wasn’t what type of time that was. I went in there with my own volition.” https://youtu.be/OKaVUOZBQ1U Travelers are increasingly switching their flights to avoid flying on Boeing aircraft following a series of recent safety incidents connected to the aircraft maker. This trend is becoming apparent through various social media posts. Following these accidents, individuals are resorting to taking anti-anxiety medication for their flights, as reported by NBC News, and some are restructuring their traveling plans and sharing their tips on TikTok. One TikTok user, Christian Grossi, with over 1.4 million followers, uploaded a video on March 14 explaining how to specifically avoid Boeing planes when making flight bookings online. Grossi walked his audience through the steps, highlighting how he avoids Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, notably the model involved in two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. By utilizing filters on flight search websites like Kayak, travelers can opt out of flying on those particular planes. The video has since garnered tens of thousands of views. The avoidance of Boeing aircraft also coincides with recent incidents, including one on March 15 when a United Airlines Boeing 737-824 had to ground because of the loss of a panel midflight. This event closely follows another incident where a Boeing 787 Dreamliner suffered a malfunction, injuring passengers, and both follow an episode in January where an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-MAX 9 lost a panel mid-flight, triggering a national investigation. https://www.tiktok.com/tag/boeing?refer=embed Get ready to turn up the heat this spring as celebrated R&B singer and songwriter Tanya Nolan announces the release of her highly anticipated single, “Like Water” (click HERE to listen), accompanied by a scintillating music video. With its captivating water-themed visuals and irresistibly sultry sound, “Like Water” is poised to make waves across the music scene and set the standard for seductive summer anthems. Known for her ability to captivate audiences with her smooth vocals and provocative lyrics, Tanya Nolan is no stranger to pushing boundaries and creating buzz-worthy moments. With “Like Water,” she takes her artistry to new heights, delivering a track that is as infectious as it is alluring. “We wanted to create something that would really grab people’s attention and leave a lasting impression,” says Tanya Nolan. “With ‘Like Water,’ we’ve crafted a song and video that are both visually stunning and musically compelling. It’s a perfect blend of sensuality and sophistication, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience it.” The 9th annual Black Music Honors is back for another year. The event showcases revolutionary artists and musicians who have made a significant impact on African American music. As in previous years, Central City Productions, a Black-owned television programming, production, sales, and distribution company, will produce the show. This year’s celebration will take place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA, on Friday, May 18th, and will be co-hosted by LeToya Luckett and DeRay Davis. The event honors urban music achievements, with the first wave of honorees including Johnny Gill, Patrice Rushen, Bootsy Collins, and Bishop Hezekiah Walker. “Black Music Honors has supported talented artists for 9 years. This year’s honorees are trailblazers deserving of recognition. We are proud to highlight these icons whose impact on black music has resonated globally,” expressed founder and Executive Producer Don Jackson. We (The Glenn Miller Orchestra) have this album…been working on it for a while,” said Erik Stabnau, music director of The Glenn Miller Orchestra, about their latest recorded project “The Glenn Miller Orchestra: 80th Anniversary of The Army Air Force Band” (Hindsight Records) featuring Grammy-winning Crystal Gayle (Grand Ole Opry member). “The Glenn Miller Orchestra…” project offers 15 classic tracks which include “Sentimental Journey” featuring Crystal Gayle (“Brown Eyes”). The Glenn Miller Orchestra reached a milestone when awarded a Gold Record in 1942 for “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Miller’s orchestra is the only Big Band-era orchestra still on tour. The orchestra performs over 100 dates a year. “The producer got in touch,” Erick said when I asked how they came to have the Hollywood Walk of Famer Crystal Gayle on the album. “He has some kind of connection or relationship. They are both based in Nashville.” Miller was an American patriot who brought the country together during the darkest hours of World War II. He was a well-known big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist at the time (Glenn Miller and His Orchestra from 1939 – 1942) when he decided to serve in World War II as an officer of the US Army Air Forces. While serving Glenn Miller formed the Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra. Just two years later in 1944, he disappears when his transport plane to Paris never arrives. A year later in 1945, he was declared dead.“It took a little over a year or more in the studio,” Erik said about the making of the 80th anniversary album. “We recorded Crystal’s vocals on top. She sang beautifully!” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CI36xyazlgo?feature=share Keke Palmer is set to drop a new memoir, “Master of Me” – noting in an Instagram post that this seems “like the right time to put my thoughts to paper.” “Oh yes, the Virgo speaks. I’m not sure the next time I’ll write a book but this seemed like the right time to put my thoughts to paper,” Palmer captioned the unveiling of the book cover. She also admitted… “Writing this book scares me.” “When you write a book you are sharing who you are and what you are going through at that time. I’ve learned so much about myself this past year and though we don’t know each other and live unique lives, I feel we experience more of the same themes than we know.” Palmer added, “Our life doesn’t always work out the way we think it will. I’m excited to share the next chapter of my ever-growing journey in life with you all. I get real; the pain, the joy, the triumph, I’m not the same person anymore. I look at everything differently and that’s okay, we are the first generation with documented evidence of us growing in real time. The fear and awareness of that can be quite crippling, but I’m not afraid to check the temperature in every era.” https://www.instagram.com/keke/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8379e7f2-a764-4fbc-84b6-6af3301dcbfa Actress/comedian Amanda Seales dropped by Club Shay Shay this week and chopped it up with host Shannon Sharpe about a myriad of hot topics, including her long-rumored beef with Issa Rae. In the interview, Seales explained that Rae’s publicist, Vanessa Anderson, provoked the perceived issues with Issa. Seales also noted that she has always felt compelled to “protect” Issa while the feeling wasn’t reciprocal. “So I’ve never talked about this publicly because it has always been incredibly important to me to protect Issa. Because I know that Issa is doing something within this business that so few people get to do. And it’s not something I desire to do,” she said. “I’m not interested in getting a $100 million production deal. That’s not a life that I want for myself. But I know that her role is very important.” https://youtu.be/Q9fRHyEidvY Julez Smith, the 19-year-old son of Solange Knowles, is speaking out about loving fashion and navigating the modeling industry in a new interview with Vogue. The profile comes two months after he made his New York Fashion Week debut. In the issue, Smith describes his mother as “one of the best-dressed people in the world.” “Growing up, my grandma was doing costumes for my auntie (Beyoncé) and my mom, and I think my mom is one of the best-dressed people in the world. I just wanted to be fly and keep up with them—but I wanted to be on the modeling side,” Smith told the publication. Before joining Next Management, Smith disclosed that he initially harbored aspirations of becoming a professional athlete in the NBA. “I played basketball growing up, so that was always a big factor when picking a school. I always wanted to play for the school that had the best team. I was really a hooper—I thought I was going to the NBA,” he explained. https://www.instagram.com/iamjulezjsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5a51990f-e7ee-4b1f-9ba3-dd109d265216 According to Julez, his road to fashion came “naturally.” His breakthrough came in February 2024, with his Luar debut. “I was actually interning with them for a couple of months, and maybe like a week before the show they were just like, ‘Come to the casting.’ So I went to the casting and I got it,” Smith recalled. “I’ve been wanting to model for a couple of years, it just never really worked out. Luar was really my breakthrough. I was actually interning with them for a couple of months, and maybe like a week before the show they were just like, ‘Come to the casting.’ So I went to the casting and I got it.” https://www.instagram.com/iamjulezjsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1ee4d663-a267-414c-9c82-53e4a0737520 He attributed his unwavering dedication to modeling to observing the work ethic of Solange and Beyoncé. “Growing up, my mom and aunt were doing photo shoots every other week, and I saw how jam-packed and busy it was. It’s good to already understand, ‘Okay, you’re going to have to get up early, be on time, and work long hours.’ And everything moves really fast. It’s work, but I like it,” said Smith. https://www.instagram.com/iamjulezjsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2b8d9c67-db41-418b-be4e-2ccf550b35e7 Following her selection by the Chicago Sky as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Angel Reese swiftly acquired a new Mercedes-Benz. The former LSU All-American forward showcased her AMG G-Class SUV on her Instagram Story Tuesday. The New York Post reports that the luxury vehicles have a starting price of $183,000. “New city. New beginnings. New big body Barbie Benz,” Reese captioned the post. As The Post reports, Reese signed an NIL deal with Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge and received her first Benz for her 21st birthday in May 2023. Her current NIL valuation is $1.8 million. We reported earlier that after LSU’s NCAA champion win, Reese became among the highest-paid women’s college basketball players. WNBA star Brittney Griner is opening up about her harrowing detainment in a Russian prison in a new interview with GMA’s Robin Roberts. Griner’s 2022 arrest in Russia on drug charges sparked diplomatic drama between the US and the Kremlin that played out alongside Russia’s war in Ukraine. She was sentenced to nine years in prison and was moved to a penal colony before being released in a prisoner swap four months later. “I was just so scared for everything, cause it’s just so much unknown,” a tearful Griner tells Roberts in the GMA interview set to air on ABC May 1. “I didn’t think I could get through what I needed to get through,” she added. Watch the teaser via the YouTube clip. https://youtu.be/ovmtrgsjwYA Griner triumphantly returned to the WNBA last year after being released from a Russian penal colony in December 2022. Brittney and her wife, Cherelle Griner, most recently announced they are expecting their first child together. The same-sex couple announced the news on Saturday (April 13) via Instagram, sharing a photo of them holding hands next to an ultrasound image of their baby. The caption on the post reads, “Can’t believe we’re less than three months away from meeting our favorite human being🤍 #BabyGrinerComingSoon #July2024”. This will be Griner’s third child. In 2015, she welcomed twin girls with her ex-wife, Glory Johnson. After they separated, Griner said she had no responsibility to the twins, Ice Cream Convos reports. She was ultimately ordered to pay child support but it’s unclear if the WNBA star is actively involved in their lives. https://twitter.com/i/status/1782753226476904816 Check out an exclusive clip of this week’s episode of the new reality series, “The Barnes Bunch,” airing on Friday at 10 pm ET on WE tv. Per the news release: “The full-court series follows NBA champion and successful Podcaster, Matt Barnes, alongside his fiancée, model and reality personality, Anansa Sims, as they navigate love, forgiveness, and personal growth while reconciling their past. Both incredibly active and supportive parents, they are often aided by Sims’ mother, supermodel and New York Times Bestselling author, Beverly Johnson. Amid their chaotic lives with a blended family of six kids, now they confront the challenge of conquering their complex history to forge a future together and build a lasting union. The stakes are even higher as they navigate co-parenting, family dynamics, fame, and their growing empire.” https://youtu.be/1nKtNkseSy4 Sports commentator and all-around clown, Jason Whitlock, unleashed a scathing critique on Simone Biles after her candid revelations regarding her decision to step back from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics spotlight. The I-wish-I-was-white writer somehow came to the twisted conclusion that the gymnastic GOAT is “pretending” to be as famous as new WNBA star Caitlin Clark. Diving deep into her psyche on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Biles reflected on the harsh limelight of social media and its role in her Olympic intermission. “America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,” Biles confided. “Usually if you go to the Olympics and flop or whatever it is, you get people on their couch eating those little chips. “I thought I was going to be banned from America, ‘cause that’s what they tell you: ‘Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back.'” Taking no prisoners, Whitlock disparaged the gymnastic powerhouse’s notoriety by juxtaposing it with Caitlin Clark’s, who soared to the zenith of the WNBA Draft as Indiana Fever’s premier choice. https://twitter.com/i/status/1781352059536658756 “So they build up this importance of themselves. And then they start doing things to make themselves appear important. “But in the grand scheme of things she is not important. She didn’t cut through the way Caitlin Clark goes anywhere, people recognize her. That’s not the same for Simone Biles. “It is a by-product of these young people and this new era we are living in where Twitter is their reality. It distorts reality.” In the universe of gymnastics, Biles is tipped to grace the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut with her presence next month.As for the Parisian Olympics with its inaugural fanfare slated for July 26, the jury’s still out on Biles’ participation. https://youtu.be/IJowDyEHuWs You won’t be surprised to know that Simone Biles’ fans and just plain ol’ people with functioning brains had a lot to say about Whitlock’s comments. https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/1781352059536658756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1781671830580863308%7Ctwgr%5Ea1fe3475ccdde829ce7823649a395c6a3d79774c%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fjason-whitlock-claims-simone-biles-is-a-caitlin-clark-pretender%2F Last week, a charming TikTok video featuring a 2-year-old boy from the Philippines went viral as he affectionately referred to Beyoncé as his friend and inquired if he could visit her, tugging at the heartstrings of viewers worldwide. In the clip, the boy’s mother, Bea Fabregas, tells her son Tyler that it’s impossible to visit the superstar singer because she doesn’t know Bey personally and is “not her friend.” “She’s our friend,” Tyler insisted. “Beyoncé is my friend … I want to meet her.” The adorable video has received over 11 million views and caught the attention of the music icon. https://www.tiktok.com/@beafabregas/video/7358714761829190918?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fbeyonce-sends-flowers-to-boy-2-who-wants-to-visit-her%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7358714761829190918 “For the record @beyonce and Tyler are now actually, officially friends!” wrote Fabregas on IG. “Through the power of Queen B’s internet (millions of views and likes it’s crazy!) she saw the video and sent over some of her favorite blue flowers, a new animal best friend for Tyler and the sweetest message that our family will now always treasure.” “In her note (which she started out with ‘To my friend Tyler’ ) she said, ‘I see your halo, Tyler,’” the proud mom added. “Thank you so much for thinking of our little family @yvettenoelschure @beyonce 🥹 I mean with the amount of mentions and videos Beyonce gets everyday, it still blows our mind to know time was set aside to send this sweet gift over.” Fabregas continued, “My mama heart😭 Thank you to everyone who shared it, commented, liked it. Tyler maybe (sic) too young to remember all this, but i’ll always remind him to dream big and shoot for the stars!! BEYONCE SENT MY BABY FLOWERS!!!!” https://www.instagram.com/beafabregas/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=52ae5d42-7fa9-4986-93a3-03aad1090985 The industry was surprised when independent white rapper, Skitz Kraven, a name not known to many hip hop fans, dropped his new album “Do You Hear Them Too.” Kraven is known for his horrror-core rap, a subgenre of hip hop based on horror themed and often dark lyrical content and imagery. The shock was over Kraven pushing popular artists Metro Boomin and Future down to number 3 on the iTunes Hip Hop Charts. “Do You Hear Them Too” came in number two! The Wisconsin-born rapper whose unique macabre aesthetic has attracted a loyal fan base describes himself as “A mix of Eminem, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, and Stephen King, with a little bit of Tim Burton.” Many of his songs have drawn upwards of 7 million streams. Skitz chopped it up with radio/TV personally Jazmyn Summers about his dark horror movie style brand, white privilege, and his mental health journey. https://youtu.be/aR1DXjxe7P0 Just a few years ago if you were independent, people wouldn’t even want to give you attention. The media wouldn’t even want to talk to you. But when they start seeing the cult following, I’ve been steadily building since 2015, and when I hit tours, I’m doing numbers like major label artists, they start to notice. For me it’s not flashy outfits, flashy cars, it’s not the fun music videos, it’s really how does music help people get through certain things in their life, whether it’s physical injuries or mental health injuries. I’m an open book since day one., I talk about all the issues I deal with, and I think a lot of people on this earth deal with similar issues and think similar things. https://youtu.be/olfjUfxk8tA I was diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder, depression, bipolar, and anxiety. It was very hard to control my emotions. It was tough dealing with but I found music and writing as the most healthy lifesaving therapy. I felt like the medication always made things worse, and that’s why I truly try to push people to, if they don’t have to go on medication, find healthy outlets naturally that will help like writing music or finding a hobby and you won’t need to depend on a psych medicine to help you. https://youtu.be/cCnXwqic-M8 I feel like it’s the opposite for me. It’s easier for Harlow than me because he’s talking about some sweet stuff to the ladies. I’m talking about chopping up bodies. I feel like I got to prove myself in hip-hop specifically. But white privilege might help me be able to sell tickets a little easier to certain demographics because I’m a white rapper. I used to get laughed out of the f***ing cafeteria when I would join these freestyle sessions, but I don’t have a chip on my shoulder for that. I just am who I am. Whoever gravitates towards my music gravitates towards it. https://youtu.be/aR1DXjxe7P0 White nationalist Nick Fuentes claims Kanye West turns up his “blackness” when he’s around other Black people. Fuentes made the remarks during a recent Rumble livestream, noting that Ye is the opposite of the typical “gang banger” persona in the rap game. He described the hip-hop star as having the “soul of a white autist.” “He would have to kind of tone up the Blackness when he was with other Black people. I noticed this. When he was with the Black people, he would kind of tone up how Black he was acting,” Fuentes said during the Runble broadcast. https://twitter.com/i/status/1782224312109506745 “When he knew he was safe when he knew it was a judgment-free zone, and he could be himself, that’s when he realized his mom was a professor. And he didn’t come from Chicago, he came from Hyde Park. Big difference. “He came from the campus of [the] University of Chicago. He liked art, he liked poetry. You know, he’s like a white autist in many ways. He’s got the soul of a white autist,” Fuentes continued. “That’s what fuels his genius; not playing into this gang banger, ‘I f**ked your bi**h’ or whatever.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1782310338089697370 CeCe Winans, the unstoppable, multiple award-winning gospel artist, is once again ready to captivate audiences with her unparalleled talent and devotion to worship. Her latest offering, More Than This, is set to release on Friday, April 26th, through PureSprings Gospel/Fair Trade Services, LLC. This live album promises to continue the wave of worship initiated by her previous record, Believe for It. With her track record of success, Winans’ newest release is highly anticipated by fans and critics alike. The first single from More Than This – “That’s My King,” is gaining traction at radio and is seeing streaming popularity along with two other new songs from the album, “Come Jesus Come” & “Holy Forever.” “I pray that this new album, More Than This, will remind people of God’s greatness, not just his goodness. I want God to give us more of Himself and in return we give Him all He deserves,” says Winans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB-3Av8RYo8 Get ready for all new episodes of TV One’s original and longest-running series "UNSUNG" and "UNCENSORED" this Sunday, April 21 at 9 PM ET/8 PM C. "UNSUNG" leads with a DJ Special at 9 PM ET / 8C followed by "UNCENSORED", which features Irv Gotti, at 10 PM ET / 9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t46pu2M9OHA "UNCENSORED" explores the lives of some of today’s most notable personalities as they provide first-hand accounts of their success and the obstacles they faced throughout their careers. This week's episode highlights Irv Gotti. He rose from Hollis DJ to A&R at Def Jam and founder of his own record label. Tune in as he details his journey creating Murder Inc., launching hip-hop stars, and becoming a force in music, film, and television. Don’t miss an all-new episode of Uncensored on Sunday, April 28 at 10 PM / 9C only on TV One. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9qazt6rq9E Sony Pictures’ AFFIRM Films, Provident Films and the beloved Kendrick Brothers release their official trailer today as they gear up to launch their newest film, THE FORGE, exclusively in theaters nationwide beginning August 23rd. THE FORGE is a bold, inspirational drama about the power of mentorship that takes place in the same cinematic world as WAR ROOM, their 2015 hit film that claimed the #1 spot on the North American box office charts. The cast of THE FORGE includes familiar faces such as Priscilla Shirer (WAR ROOM), Cameron Arnett (OVERCOMER), Karen Abercrombie (WAR ROOM) and newcomer Aspen Kennedy. Also starring T.C. Stallings (WAR ROOM), BJ Arnett, Ken Bevel (COURAGEOUS), Former NFL star Benjamin Watson, Jonathan Evans, Jerry Shirer and Tommy Woodard (FAMILY CAMP). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4aCsaDvagw Vanessa Bell Armstrong is a Gospel legend who for four decades has scored gospel hits, won Stellar Awards and earned multiple Grammy nominations. The dynamic artist has also garnered crossover success and appeared on Broadway. A vocal powerhouse, Vanessa Bell Armstrong has managed to bridge the gap between “old school” Gospel and contemporary music. Shanachie Entertainment is pleased to release, “Today,” the first single from her forthcoming album Today, scheduled for release on June 21, 2024. Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s highly-anticipated new and fourteenth album (not including compilations), is her first in more than a decade. It captures all facets of Vanessa’s artistry, ranging from classic Gospel song to praise and worship and inspirational message music. "This new album is so special to me because it’s a long time coming," confides Vanessa. "God allowed me to finish it just before my father passed and went to heaven. I dedicate this album to him.” Johnson” is a dramedy on Hulu in its fourth season and has had a slow burn of acclaim. Its popularity is on the verge of exploding on the cusp of its new season. The show stars Dejai LaRay, Thomas Q. Jones, Phillip Smithey, Derrex Brady, comedians Earthquake, D.L. Hughley, and a multitude of familiar household names. “Johnson” takes an honest look at four lifelong friends who share the same last name. The story follows the main characters as they deal with the myriad of issues that Black men face in their daily lives; love, financial, mental health, and fatherhood. “These are four different guys,” said Jones. “Typically, there are stereotypes around Black men in general, and there are stereotypes around individual Black men. A specific type of Black men and also plays a part in the culture and how Black men are seen and how certain men are respected or disrespected. You see four different Black men, four different essences, four different complexions, four different energies, four different life ambitions. You see how they all fuse. The name Johnson is synonymous with the Black male experience. That’s why all the characters have the last name Johnson.” President Joe Biden signed a bill Wednesday that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban, escalating a massive threat to the company’s US operations. Congress passed the bill this week as part of a wide-ranging foreign aid package meant to support Israel and Ukraine. It was approved by the House on Saturday, and by the Senate on Tuesday. The legislation poses the most serious risk to TikTok since US officials began raising concerns about the app in 2020. Under what is now US law, TikTok is forced to find a new owner within months or be banned from the United States entirely. https://youtu.be/44a5BXQ0ig8 OWN’s new reality dating series, “The Never Ever Mets,” brings online love into reality. Per OWN, “This 10-episode series features seven couples who have been virtually dating for some time and believe they may have found lasting love – only they have never met each other in person! Now, they’re meeting face-to-face for the very first time and sharing a house together for three weeks to see if their internet love can survive off the screen and in real life.” The “couples in-person connections are put to the test as the group participates in a series of fun and flirty relationship activities, couples therapy and for some, a trip to the “boom boom room.” Viists from discerning loved ones, meddling opinions and tension from others in the house will challenge the couples’ bonds even further. At the end of their stay, some will go home together…and some will be signing off for good,” the description continues. Per OWN, Jones is a voice of reason for the group, checking in with the couples week to week to see how their time together is going, addressing relationship concerns and facilitating fun team exercises. https://youtu.be/GzUmWzK1bRo Reggie Bush is reclaiming his Heisman Trophy almost 14 years after relinquishing the coveted prize, according to a report by ESPN on Wednesday. The former USC running back, who clinched college football’s most prestigious accolade in 2005, surrendered the honor in 2010 amidst university sanctions, stemming from an extensive investigation that concluded he had received impermissible benefits as a student-athlete. “Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family,” Bush remarked in a statement to ESPN. “I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.” The dynamic shifts within college athletics played a pivotal role in the deliberations of the Heisman Trust. https://youtu.be/bHyv8CFynHw “We are thrilled to welcome Reggie Bush back to the Heisman family in recognition of his collegiate accomplishments,” expressed Michael Comerford, president of The Heisman Trophy Trust, in a statement. “We considered the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years in deciding that now is the right time to reinstate the trophy for Reggie. We are so happy to welcome him back.” The decision comes approximately three years after the NCAA granted student-athletes the ability to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Bush showcased his talents at USC from 2003-05 before being drafted as the No. 2 overall pick by the Saints in the 2006 NFL Draft. Now 39, Bush expressed his gratitude on Wednesday for being “honored to return to the Heisman family.” https://youtu.be/WSPN87SjkA8 Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Sam Pollard received this year’s Trailblazer Award during Black Public Media’s PitchBLACK forum on Wednesday, April 24 and 25, at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in New York. Per the news release, Black Public Media’s PitchBLACK is the nation’s largest pitch competition for independent filmmakers and creative technologists focused on works about the Black experience will be held next week. Sponsored by Netflix and PBS, the event draws a who’s who of public media, commercial television, documentary filmmaking, immersive technologies and funders to see creatives compete for up to $150,000 in film project funding and up to $75,000 in immersive project funding. This year all film projects are about climate. Winners will be announced at the PitchBLACK Awards on Thursday, April 25, at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center, where Pollard will be presented the BPM Trailblazer Award. The acclaimed director-producer-editor and educator is known for his work on films and series like Eyes on the Prize, MLK/FBI, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power and Mr. SOUL! and his editing of several iconic Spike Lee films. Baltimore comedian Sir Alex will host the awards ceremony, which will see Pollard in conversation with radio personality and journalist Brittany Luse of NPR. https://www.instagram.com/blackpublicmedia/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8c32a02f-cc3b-4212-967d-679bfc67bf43 Stephen A. Smith apologized for offending Black people with his recent commentary on Donald Trump. We reported earlier that when Smith appeared recently on Fox News alongside Sean Hannity, he came to Trump‘s defense following the ex-president’s assertion that Black Americans empathize with him because of his legal troubles. The NAACP slammed Smith after his comments on Trump’s legal troubles, and Smith clapped back at the organization on social media. “This is absolutely, positively, sad that you — @NAACP — would misrepresent my comments like this. I was asked what Blacks WHO SUPPORT TRUMP are thinking as to why they support him. I answer THAT question. Sad! But you’re entitled. Good luck. Maybe that will beat Trump, since little else seems to be working — which was my overall point. We shall see,” Smith wrote on X/Twitter. On Monday (April 22), Smith apologized on his YouTube channel while claiming that the Black community misinterpreted his words. https://twitter.com/i/status/1782549415246315978 Seventeen-year-old Christian Miller, a senior at Creekside High School in Florida, has made headlines with his astonishing performance at the Pure Athletics Invitational in Clermont, Florida. Miller clocked an impressive time of 9.93 seconds in the 100 meters, marking not only a personal best but also a world-leading time for his age category. “I feel great, it feels like all the work I put in finally came together,” Miller said post-race in an interview with FitzRoy Dunkley. In a remarkable feat, Miller surpassed Trayvon Bromell’s U.S. U20 100m record, solidifying his position as one of the country’s most promising sprinters. Miller now claims the third spot on the all-time world U20 list, trailing only behind Issam Asinga and Letsile Tebogo. https://www.instagram.com/fitzdunk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=860f01c7-71f7-4671-924a-f09c3ada4604 Today, the 28th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced its lineup of the narrative and documentary features. This year’s festival, which takes place live in Miami Beach June 12-16, followed by an online segment June 17-24 on ABFF PLAY (abffplay.com), spotlights incredible emerging creatives in the film-making space. ABFF has become a cornerstone for diversity in Hollywood showcasing Black creativity and stories through a one of a kind platform for mainstream audiences and beyond. The 2024 festival will encompass diverse narrative and documentary filmmakers from the USA, Nigeria, France and Canada. In addition, the narrative features lineup includes an array of programming across genres – action, psychological thriller, romance, biography, drama, comedy, and coming-of-age stories that also depict culturally relevant themes such as mental health, trafficking, homelessness, gang violence, gentrification and LGBT advocacy. Marvel Studios released a new trailer for the highly anticipated “DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. The superhero actioner, directed by Shawn Levy, features Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen. Reynolds co-wrote the script and also serves as producer along with Levy, MCU boss Kevin Feige. The synopsis states: “In Marvel Studios ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, Wade Wilson is confronted by the TVA, which pulls him from a seemingly quiet life and results in Deadpool being unleashed.” “DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE” opens in U.S. & Canadian movie theaters on July 26 and will be available in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD, and premium screens everywhere. https://youtu.be/73_1biulkYk The Philadelphia City Council’s ban on ski masks is doing more harm than good for Black and brown youth, with troubling consequences on the way, according to a recent op-ed from Teen Vogue. Weighing in on the issue, writers Kristin Henning and Vic Wiener cite comments made by youth advocates who labeled the ban as an attack on culture. “In stark contrast, there have been no similar efforts to ban the neck gaiters, khaki pants, and polo shirts prominently worn by far-right neo-fascist groups like the Proud Boys and the Patriot Front,” the pair voiced. “Whatever the justification, by dictating what young people can wear, fashion bans may violate the First Amendment right to freedom of expression. The op-ed comes months after the ban was made official after the City Council passed a bill in December 2023 prohibiting the use of ski masks in parks, schools, public transit or other city-owned buildings, according to CNN. Although the move was praised for helping police solve crimes, it has come under fire from Philadelphia teens and civil rights advocates who feel it will criminalize people of color. Under the bill, which was signed into law by Mayor Jim Kenney, offenders will be fined $250 for each offense, and up to $2,000 if a mask is worn during the commission of a crime, CNN noted. https://youtu.be/CnkF-6zuYcU “Even though Philadelphia’s ban carries a civil fine rather than a criminal penalty, it allows police to stop, question, and frisk youth without reasonable suspicion that the young person is engaging in criminal activity — the level of suspicion the Constitution requires for police to justify a stop,” the scribes voiced. “Police interactions cause and exacerbate trauma, especially for the youth of color. Further, police interactions with youth can go from 0 to 100 in a second. Youth who experience or witness excessive or aggressive police contact in their community may become anxious, evasive, and even defiant toward the police. An officer who misinterprets a child’s fear, attitude, “back talk,” or physical resistance as a threat may tackle and restrain the youth, handcuff them, and charge them with a crime far more serious than wearing a ski mask. Overall, the writers feel crime will continue, regardless of the ski mask ban. To truly make an impact and reduce the crime rate, Henning and Wiener suggest an approach that benefits everyone. “If we really want to reduce crime, let’s invest in children, families, schools, and communities instead of criminalizing teenagers and their fashion.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vIv_Ix91lI4?feature=share A former employee has filed a lawsuit against Megan Thee Stallion, alleging that the rapper subjected him to sexual harassment. According to court documents, Emilio Garcia, who worked as Megan’s personal camera operator, alleged that he witnessed the rapper engaging in sexual activity with another woman in a moving SUV while on tour in Ibiza, Spain, in June 2022, Fox News reports. The next day, Stallion reportedly questioned Garcia about whether or not he had been in the SUV the previous night. Upon confirming his presence, Stallion allegedly instructed him, “Don’t ever discuss what you saw.” Stallion also “berated and directed her fat-shaming comments towards” him during the trip to Spain. She allegedly called him a “fat b—-” and told him to “spit your food out,” and that “you don’t need to be eating,” the legal docs stated. Garcia, who worked with Stallion since 2018, claims he was “purposefully misclassified” as an independent contractor, and his hours of employment were not properly recorded. “As a result of misclassification, Plaintiff was not permitted to take rest and meal breaks,” docs stated. Candace Owens recently announced her conversion to Catholicism, describing it as a “decision to go home.” “There is of course so much more that went into this decision and that I plan to share in the future. But for now, praise be to God for His gentle, but relentless guiding of my heart toward Truth,” Owens tweeted on April 22. One supporter wrote in the post’s comments, “Welcome home @RealCandaceO. We are delighted to have you as part of Spiritual Family. Deo gratias!” Another X user added, “Welcome Home @RealCandaceO! The road ahead is tough, both without and within the Church. May we all persevere to the end in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!” thrd person said, “Welcome home, @RealCandaceO! Such joyful and glorious news! I wrote on April 9: “Candace Owens is right: Christ is King. Let us pray that she will soon join her Catholic husband in the one true Church…” https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO/status/1782490242026459349/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1782490242026459349%7Ctwgr%5Ea44acb8414e5b3f8df4fe04b3d6e74786a8f133f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fcandace-owens-announces-conversion-to-catholicism-going-home%2F In a new Instagram video, Beyoncé flaunts her long, luxurious locks — appearing to address speculation and “misconceptions” about whether she wears a wig. The superstar promotes her hair care line Cécred in the clip, giving fans a glimpse of her haircare routine using the brand’s products. “Now that Cécred is known for the quality and what it does for your hair, I think it’s about time I show y’all what it does for my hair,” she said in a voiceover. “I love the lather. It’s very soothing, the smells.” Queen Bey made a point to address the “misconception” that she typically wears a long platinum blonde wig due to damage to her natural hair. “The stigma and misconception is that people who wear wigs don’t have long and healthy hair,” she said. “That’s some bulls*** because it ain’t nobody’s business.” https://www.instagram.com/beyonce/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c786874c-862c-49c4-8588-92d70c41c952 Ye is speaking out about having to lay hands on the man who allegedly assaulted his wife, Bianca Censori, at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles last week. A rep for Ye told TMZ … “‘Grabbed’ is grossly inadequate as a description of what happened. Bianca was physically assaulted. The assailant didn’t merely collide into her. He put his hands under her dress, directly on her body, he grabbed her waist, he spun her around, and then he blew her kisses. She was battered and sexually assaulted.” The LAPD is investigating the incident. During his appearance on Justin LaBoy’s new podcast The Download, Ye admitted that he punched the man who assaulted his wife. https://youtu.be/ENer_AZ1s4I British actor David Harewood said white actors should be able to portray Black characters. “We’re at this strange point in the profession where people go: ‘Oh, you can’t play that role because you’re not disabled, or you can’t play that because you’re not really from there.’ The name of the game is acting,” he said in an interview with The Guardian, Deadline reports. “Yes, we’ve got to be representative, but I do think we have to be careful … That even extends to Othello in blackface. I say, if you want to black up, have at it, man. It’d better be f***ing good, or else you’re gonna get laughed off the stage. But knock yourself out! Anybody should be able to do anything.” Harewood portrayed CIA agent David Estes in “Homeland.” More recently, he starred as J’onn J’onzz in the CBS series “Supergirl.” His comments come on the heels of over 800 renowned Black actors writing an open letter condemning the racist harassment directed at Black actress Francesca Amewudah-Rivers following her casting as Juliet in a West End production of “Romeo & Juliet.” Pam Grier is teaming up with Cardi B on a new movie, but fans must wait at least two years to watch it because the rapper is teaching her how to pole dance. “I’m doing, presently, my biopic as a series. As soon as I finish that, I really want to work with her,” Grier said on the April 17 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, MadameNoire reports. “It could be in maybe two years at the theater ’cause I’m now learning how to pole dance.” She added, “And it’s taking a minute, but it’s a lot of fun. It’s a wonderful story. I don’t want to give it away, but it’s perfect for her because she’s a great mom,” Grier said. According to MadameNoire, Grier mentioned her collaboration with Cardi B in 2022. “I’m writing something for me and Cardi B,” Grier stated. “I love Cardi and ‘WAP.’ She [Megan Thee Stallion] and Lizzo and Nicki Minaj and some of the others, they know — you gotta make your own style. You get to hire people later. But you come up with your own stuff, then you just draw people like a magnet, so collaborators make you greater and greater.” https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodunlocked/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4d7d485f-f630-4501-888a-67a4305a20a0 New York’s AngelicVoices, New Jersey’s Kah’Ni Rich, and Baltimore’s Anthony Jenson are the top three winners of the 25th annual Baltimore “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference’s National Talent Competition held virtually this past weekend. AngelicVoices performed his new Hip-Hop/Gospel single “Who Do You Think You Are” featuring rapper Asim I.I. and won 1st Place. Actress Kah’Ni Rich performed a monolog of the Maya Angelou poem “Still I Rise” winning 2nd Place, and dancer Anthony Jenson performed various Hip-Hop moves winning 3rd Place. All three winners receive the ULMII Award, a cash prize, and over $20,000 in products and services. Celebrating 25 years, the “ULMII” Entertainment Conference was hosted by Stellar Award-winning radio personality Dr. Doresa Harvey (1500Radio.com) and moderated by ULMII founder Dr. Eunice Moseley (ThePulseofEntertainment.com). The ULMII Entertainment Conference also offered a professional showcase where Pop’s Michele Vreeland (Xyla Records, LLC) performed her latest single “Wild Horses”, and R&B/Soul’s Antoine Dunn (Harvey Marie Records) performed the titled track to his latest album “Everything.” The cause of Louis Gossett Jr.’s passing has been disclosed. The Hollywood icon, who passed away at the age of 87 in Santa Monica, Calif., on March 29, succumbed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as indicated by his death certificate, PEOPLE reports. We reported previously via CNN that Gossett became the first Black man to win an Oscar for a supporting role in 1983 for his work as the tough drill instructor, training a character played by Richard Gere, in “An Officer and a Gentleman.” “Lou was a sweetheart. He took his job very seriously. He did his research. He stayed in character the whole time,” Gere said in a statement to CNN in March. “He was the drill sergeant 24 hours a day, and it showed clearly in his performance. He drove every scene he was in. A tough guy with a heart of gold.” His family announced Gossett’s death in a statement on March 29. https://youtu.be/TVBpq1pIyVA Kodak Black has achieved a significant legal victory as his drug possession case has been officially dismissed, according to multiple outlets. The rapper had an evidence tampering charge tossed out by a judge on April 17. The ruling came as prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Kodak Black had disposed of evidence by placing oxycodone in his mouth. The only remaining issue in the case is a traffic violation, The Jasmine Brand reports. Earlier this year, Black’s drug possession charges were dismissed. According to The Associated Press, the charge was dismissed on February 9 after prosecutors failed to “confirm, or refute, whether the rapper Bill Kapri had a prescription for oxycodone,” Hip Hop DX writes. Katt Williams will stream a live comedy special on Netflix this spring titled “Woke Foke.” “This is the truth right here,” Williams tells the audience in the trailer. “I don’t give a f**k… It’s gonna be some s**t!” Troy Miller helms “Woke Foke,” and it will stream live during the “Netflix is a Joke Comedy Fest” in Los Angeles, which runs from May 1 to May 12. The performance will be filmed at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California. Netflix said Williams will “let loose in real time” during the hour-long set. The project marks Williams’ third comedy special for the streaming platform. “Woke Foke” streams live on Netflix on May 4 at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET. The comedy special comes four months after Williams’ controversial appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast. https://youtu.be/TozX3UUPVt4 A mother (Lakesha Woods Williams) accused of leaving her young children home alone for a week to go on a cruise remains in hot water. KHOU 11 reports a $25,000 bond issued by the judge in the case was recently upheld on April 15. The site further detailed the judge’s thoughts on the case, which centered on Williams, a 29-year-old Houston, TX mother of two. According to court records, Williams is charged with child abandonment with intent to return after leaving her 6 and 8-year-old children home alone for nearly a week. Although deputies attempted to contact Williams, court records go on to state the matriarch was not cooperating and kept changing her whereabouts. Child Protective Services was also called about the situation as well as the Houston Fire Department. The fire department was called to make sure the children were not injured or malnourished, KHOU noted while citing court record which revealed the children were released to the custody of their aunt. The judge’s decision to uphold the bond comes days after Williams received it when she appeared in court on April 12. The mother was arrested on April 11. https://youtu.be/y_lHfPP_6xI Deflecting who is to blame, Williams’ defense attorney mentioned that although his client paid her cousin to watch the kids, he took off with the money. As a result, Williams’ children were left alone. “You left your child unattended for four days. Let’s say you leave the country out on a trip, and the cousin doesn’t go to take care of the children. If this is really a plane flight like she says it is, wouldn’t you as a parent be on the first plane back immediately?” Assistant District Attorney Keegan Childers asked. On April 9, police conducted a welfare check after getting word from a witness that neighbors in a luxury high-rise apartment complex on Katy Freeway voiced concern about the children’s safety from being home alone, according to court documents. Williams was seen by neighbors on April 4, leaving with luggage around noon. KHOU went on to mention that no one ever saw Williams’ return. https://youtu.be/JNxcvLt9YAs Brian McKnight is catching the eye of social media for reasons outside of his music. Instead of a new song, the 54-year-old crooner is attracting attention again for family drama. This time, the drama finds McKnight favoring his new family over his biological children (sons Brian Kelly McKnight Jr. and Niko McKnight and daughter Briana McKnight), whom he labeled as “evil” and “products of sin.” “In order to live a life that you love, you have to get rid of the evil and the negativity, even if that evil and negativity is related,” posted the singer, who shares Brian Jr. And Niko with ex-wife Julie McKnight and Briana with former flame Patricia Driver. McKnight’s post is the latest in a series of developments involving his biological children. Over the past few months, the entertainer has publicly disowned his sons, according to Bossip. The estrangement came after the drama leaked onto social media after McKnight married his current wife, Leilani McKnight, in 2017. The “Back at One” vocalist is a father to two stepchildren, Julia and Jack McPhee. The couple followed their marriage with the arrival of their first son, Brian Kainoa Makoa Jr., in 2022. The newest fuel to the fire came at the end of 2023, when the elder McKnight reignited talk of his biological kids after taking to Instagram to honor his stepdaughter, Julia, for earning her master’s degree. https://www.instagram.com/icecreamconvos_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ad02a588-fdcd-47a7-947c-7120fefdb4e5 Close to 30 years after its release, “Friday” remains one of the funniest and most beloved movies of all time. A big reason for its success stems from Chris Tucker, who broke through in a major way by playing the weed-smoking lead character Smokey. Unfortunately for fans, Tucker’s appearance on “Friday” was only a one-shot, as he moved on to headline another successful movie franchise in “Rush Hour.” Reminiscing over his breakthrough role and time making “Friday,” Tucker revealed he only took home $10,000 for playing Smokey, Moguldom noted. Considering how well-received the stoner comedy was, with its memorable scenes and lines, it may surprise folks who felt his performance was worth way more than what he was paid. Yet, the experience of making “Friday” and doing what he does best made it time well spent, in Tucker’s eyes. “That’s one of those things; it was just a small movie. We filmed it in 20 days and I get but about $10,000 for it or whatever. I didn’t care. I wanted the opportunity,” Tucker confessed to Shannon Sharpe during an appearance on NFL icon’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast on Jan. 27. According to the funnyman, “Friday” had a budget of $2 or $3 million, with actors permitted to only film two takes for scenes or risk getting their roles cut from the film. “It was that small of a movie, but that was the beauty of it because it allowed me to get into character,” Tucker shared. “It wasn’t no big distractions like big movie sets. You got light people and sound people and everybody wanna be a star. But that movie was just a camera and me and Cube on the porch. Magic came out of it, thank God.” https://youtu.be/SxbbZkBKcuk “Sometimes when God bless you man, He bless you more than what you can even dream,” Tucker said. As for working with Love and Mac, it was nothing but laughs and appreciation all around for the comedic fixtures. “The beauty about the scene with me and Big Worm, with Fasion Love. We were best friends so we clowned around all day, every day,” Tucker said. “It was so easy to work with him, but we were laughing a lot. Faizon would laugh all the time because he looking at me like, ‘Look at him trying to be serious.’” “And Bernie Mac, of course, he’s one of my heroes,” “The Fifth Element” star said about his late co-star. I was fanning him. So everybody I had a connection with … every time I was with them, I was excited and it was just easy to do. https://youtu.be/PDiCcQyQVnI Bernard McKinley is proof that hard work pays off. Even in prison. The 39-year-old, who went behind bars at age 19, is making history after his December 2023 release by being accepted into the prestigious Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago. The achievement is notable personally and professionally for McKinley, the first person from the Northwestern University Prison Education Program (NPEP) to be accepted into any law school. The Guardian notes the 4% acceptance rate for the School of Law. As a result, McKinley enters a new phase of his life without the weight of his past hindering him from making his dream of being a lawyer a reality. “Just months ago, I was still behind prison bars, and not knowing exactly how the future of going to law school would turn out. So to be home and know I’m going to law school … is an amazing feeling,” he told the Guardian. McKinley’s entry into law school is the result of years of hard work that goes back 22 and a half years to the start of his prison sentence. While incarcerated at the Statesville Correctional Center in northern Illinois, he earned his bachelor’s degree last year via the NPEP. The Northwestern program is noted for being among a handful of US-based efforts that offer a college-level education to incarcerated people. https://youtu.be/G8x75EJE1Ps Though it all, McKinley stayed focused. Reflecting on his experience, he mentioned how transformative the NPEP program was in elevating himself. “It allowed me to reflect on who I thought I was, who I wanted to be, and where I wanted to go,” he said, adding that classes taught him how social ills, such as systemic racism, manifest in society. Nowadays, McKinley is making his mark as the first person in his family to attend college, particularly seeking further education in a school of law. With that comes the hope of becoming a civil rights lawyer and opening his own legal aid clinic to help other marginalized communities. “It feels amazing. I’m definitely a positive role model for the future generation and my family. So you know, I have a job to do,” he said noting the responsibility that comes with coming far from where he was with his accomplishments. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OZ1YLmVK9uo?feature=share Ahead of his high-stakes clash with Devin Haney amid a whirlwind of a promotion, Ryan Garcia‘s readiness for combat came under scrutiny, amplified by Garcia’s unpredictable outbursts. Stepping into the ring on Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as the underdog, Garcia’s (25-1, 20 KOs) chances seemed slim. Yet, with a dazzling, potent left hook, Garcia altered the course of the fight, knocking Haney down three times to clinch the victory by way of a majority decision. While one adjudicator tallied the fight as a 112-112 draw, the other two favored Garcia with 114-110 and 115-109 scores. Nevertheless, Garcia was precluded from seizing Haney’s WBC junior welterweight championship due to tipping the scales at 143.2 pounds the preceding day, breaching the 140-pound limit. Haney retained his title in defeat, yet the night belonged to Garcia, who notched a monumental triumph. “I don’t give a damn about the chatter regarding me. I faced the blaze, held my ground, toppled freaking Devin Haney, and, believe it or not, I still indulge daily,” Garcia, 25, proclaimed. “I’m not exactly proud, but make no mistake, it was a declaration—a clear message that I’m beyond your reach.” https://youtu.be/lPuGVHsTMn0 As the fight commenced, Garcia immediately sent a warning with a fierce left hook that staggered the defending champion. Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) gathered himself and proceeded to outmaneuver Garcia in successive rounds, even shaking Garcia in the third with a commanding right. Garcia, however, landed the crucial left hook in the seventh round, sending Haney to the mat for the first time in his 32 professional bouts. A subsequent powerful right hand from Garcia was marred by a point deduction for hitting on the break, as Harvey Dock, the referee, enforced the rules. “It was abysmal officiating,” Garcia remarked. “Haney clung to me desperately, and when my hands were unbound, I saw the chance to swing. I landed a solid hit, and then he deducts a point for my strike. Meanwhile, Haney wouldn’t stop clutching… What happened was outrageous. I’ve never witnessed anything like it.” Garcia’s potential two-point gain was negated, but it was inconsequential. He toppled Haney once more in the tenth with a mighty right hand, duplicating the wobbling effect from the sixth round. In the eleventh, Garcia’s signature left hook once again found its mark, hurtling Haney backward onto the canvas. Despite the damage, Haney recovered and lasted until the final bell in what would be remembered as an unusually shocking and riveting fight. https://youtu.be/CwyT09IVA_Q Reflecting on the fight, a 25-year-old Haney acknowledged, “I’m let down by my own showing. Still, I demonstrated true champion grit, battling on after being downed.” “He blindsided me early on; I underestimated him and his left hook caught me off-guard,” he conceded. “I had given him an opportunity, and it’s only fair he reciprocates.”..In a controversial move, Garcia, known for a shoulder roll that left him vulnerable, had promised to discard the technique after its ineffective use in a December knockout victory over Oscar Duarte. Yet once more, the defensive maneuver faltered, though Garcia still managed to counter Haney’s formidable jab. Haney, still confident, had managed to clinch his undisputed lightweight title with a close-cut unanimous decision over renowned Vasiliy Lomachenko back in May. Moving up a division, Haney triumphed in a match against Regis Prograis, marking his junior welterweight debut with a clean sweep decision, even downing the champion for a new title. https://youtu.be/aVZ0Co7aGew On this fated Saturday, while Haney entered as ESPN’s top pick at 140 pounds, Garcia, having previously faltered at the elite level with a seventh-round defeat by Gervonta Davis, returned to astonish and demonstrate his ability to take down the elite, possibly fueled somewhat by the tumultuous promotion. “This kind of chaos can be what some fighters need,” Oscar De La Hoya, the Hall of Famer and Garcia’s promoter, noted earlier. “There are those who thrive amidst the turmoil, as it shields you from reality.” https://youtu.be/FdPoXK0Thx8 Prior to the match, Garcia was mandated by the New York State Athletic Commission to pass a mental health check, which he cleared. Despite being candid about his struggles with anxiety and depression, Garcia had expressed earlier that he felt the requirement was unjust and belittling. “Once, I’ve stepped back from a fight,” Garcia admitted. “I know my limits and when there’s a real issue.” https://youtu.be/Bvm1CYHsgNA A graffiti artist takeover? Climbing up abandoned, unfinished floors and tightropes walking across balcony ledges, backpacks clanging with cans of alkyd and acrylic, a collective of Los Angeles graffiti artists have transformed their craft beyond urban aesthetics to champion community issues. Their choice of canvas: Oceanwide Plaza in Downtown LA. Occupying over a full square city block, the plaza was imagined as a vast mixed-use building project, offering city residents over 500 lavish condominiums, a five-star hotel, retail spaces, restaurants, and a private 2-acre park. However, construction on the $1 billion project, which began in 2015, was shelved after the Chinese-backed contractor Oceanwide Holdings ran out of funding in 2019 — and it has lain unfinished ever since. The plaza’s status — and potential — as an eye-catching venue for their work spread by word of mouth within the graffiti community in recent months. Security at the site was known to be lax, an important detail as accessing the plaza’s towers and other buildings constitutes trespassing. (The Los Angeles City Attorney confirmed to CNN that, as of April 3, criminal charges have been filed against 23 individuals, for violations including trespassing and possession of vandalism tools.) https://youtu.be/i5jMxC0q_nw Transformed in part into an art installation, Oceanwide became an opportunity for the graffiti artists to leave a message to the city below and a call-out to policymakers who leave buildings to rot. “Graffiti shows you where the city hurts,” Roger Gastman, owner and founder of the LA-based arts organization Beyond the Streets, told CNN. Renowned for its large-scale exhibitions, immersive educational programs, pop-up events and partnerships, Beyond the Streets works to educate and celebrate the diverse dimensions of graffiti as a medium. To him, the mission of graffiti is clear: to challenge, educate, and redefine public perception of the medium. Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of The Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, a nonpartisan public policy forum for civic participation and education, sees the abandoned towers as amplifying the social issues of the community they are situated in, connecting the graffiti-laden structures to the urban blight that surrounds them in LA’s Skid Row. https://youtu.be/CgSG385I-EQ But to Gastman, graffiti is a powerful form of expression, and a call to action — particularly for those who emanate from struggles within home life, gang life, or societal turmoil. Graffiti culture can offer an unexpected support system for those the city has abandoned, Gastman said. It becomes a platform for them to make their voices heard. “In graffiti culture, a lot of us know each other. We’re all friends. We have the same mentality — we’re just trying to get up. We’re just trying to get noticed,” explained ENDEM. Amid an addiction that led to his rock bottom, graffiti became his lifeline, he explained. “I was at my lowest of lows, still trying to stay sober, I needed some type of outlet,” he told CNN. “Graffiti is something that you can hold on to. It’s bigger than me, it’s everyone, it’s a community.” https://youtu.be/JVt6l0rFlwk This weekend a re-imagined Dracula’s Daughter flew into theaters! “Abigail” stars Melissa Barrera, Kathryn Newton, Dan Stevens, Angus Cloud and Alisha Weir as the nominative offspring of Mr. De Ville. The under-creature horror flick follows a crew of criminals who kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful Netherworld boss. The Universal Pictures film is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet. https://vimeo.com/937355341 Cloud delivers a naturally comical, charming and stellar performance. In the final credits of “Abigail,” there is a dedication to him, so we asked the directors how it felt to have worked with the actor in one of his last films. https://youtu.be/3PsP8MFH8p0 Luther Campbell, also known as Uncle Luke, is considering a challenge against Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. Newsweek reports that the Miami-based artist revealed his potential congressional run in a recent interview with The Bulwark, published on March 29. The 2 Live Crew frontman will formally decide his candidacy by Florida’s April 26 qualifying deadline. He expressed his belief in having “the opportunity to bring something back to the community.” “And I get to fight these mother*******,” Campbell, 63, told the publication, noting that he was referring to “Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump, and all these crazy-a** Republicans who want to divide us.” Gaetz responded to Campbell’s remarks in a statement to Newsweek: “The last time Uncle Luke ran for office he came in fourth in a mayoral race. He did lame radio ads for the even lamer Phil Levine for Governor campaign too. He says he wants to fight me but I’ve won all my elections. Uncle Luke has Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick in an undercard bout before he’s even a contender.” The Coalition of Concerned Freedmen™, comprised of members of the descendant community of U.S. chattel slaves, descendants of free Negroes, unaffiliated Negro descendants of slaves to Native American tribes (collectively “Freedmen”), and allies, extend sincere condolences to all affected by the tragic loss of life and distress caused by the catastrophic collapse of Baltimore Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. Thankfully, President Biden has promised that federal money will fund the bridge rebuild. Immediately after the Key Bridge crumbled, business interests (including the immigration lobby) positioned themselves to receive special consideration for this public works project. And while some civil rights groups demand that the bridge is no longer named after the writer of our Star-Spangled Banner (Francis Scott Key), little attention has been given to the question of who will rebuild this critical infrastructure. Now is not the time for opportunism and yet another erasure of American historical figures! The Coalition of Concerned Freedmen demands that the Biden administration not expedite work permits for illegal aliens to source labor for the bridge rebuild. This weekend, as thousands of Black college students flocked to Tybee Beach, Georgia’s largest public beach on Tybee Island for an annual spring bash, they were met with a significant police presence and barricades blocking off neighborhood streets. Despite the beach remaining open, officials restricted access to nearby parking. Tybee Island, located east of Savannah, has grappled with the April beach party dubbed Orange Crush for over three decades, initiated by students at Savannah State University, a historically Black institution. Residents have frequently voiced concerns about the disruptive noise, littering, and public indecency associated with the event. Tensions escalated a year ago when a record-breaking crowd of over 100,000 overwhelmed the small island, straining law enforcement with numerous emergency calls reporting incidents ranging from gunfire to traffic congestion. Mayor Brian West, elected last fall, expressed determination to end Orange Crush, citing safety concerns and the strain it places on the community. “This has to stop. We can’t have this crowd anymore,” West told the AP via NBC News. “My goal is to end it.” https://youtu.be/iE2BmSpQgYM Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate Tunde Onakoya has broken the record for the longest chess marathon after playing for an extraordinary 60 hours nonstop under the bright lights of New York City’s Times Square. The Guinness World Record organization has not yet confirmed Onakoya’s attempt, which can sometimes take weeks, but for many Nigerians, the 29-year-old is already considered something of a national hero. Onakoya is attempting to raise $1 million for a charity to support education for children across Africa. He had aimed to play for 58 hours but continued until hitting the 60-hour mark in the early hours of Saturday morning, surpassing the previous record of 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 37 seconds set in 2018 by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad of Norway. https://youtu.be/OXzyfXZQavQ The match drew significant attention in Nigeria and was broadcast across multiple locations in Lagos, the country’s largest city, featuring watch parties and digital billboards. Onakoya founded Chess in Slums Africa, which seeks to empower children in underprivileged communities by using chess to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills, in Lagos. https://youtu.be/Gb6UdXsLejQ In February this year, the chess master captivated the global chess community with his viral performance at the Digital–Life – Design conference in Berlin. After overcoming visa challenges, he showcased his skills by playing (and winning) simultaneous matches against 10 players, including distinguished Bulgarian scientist and politician Solomon Passy. Onakoya also sits on the board at The Gift of Chess, founded by US chess coach Russell Makofsky, which hopes to distribute one million chess sets to communities worldwide by 2030. https://youtu.be/JvpTZCie3Yg ”Dream with your eyes open” is a golden nugget Seth Towns heard from his mentor while studying at Harvard, and he has shown us all that he’s been dreaming with his eyes wide open ever since. Seth Towns is an impressive young Black intellectual who has accomplished far beyond the average 26-year-old. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and a Master of Science from Ohio State all while being a Student-Athlete. Seth has had a very successful career on and off the court, and through many trials and tribulations, he came out on the other side maintaining resilience. After earning his Master’s degree he still had one year of eligibility left to continue his NCAA collegiate basketball career. Seth chose to use his last year of eligibility at none other than the illustrious Howard University. He is currently a Small Forward on the Howard University Men’s Basketball team and a student once again. Upon first glance, you may see a guy who is 6’8 and plays basketball, but there is much more to Towns than meets the eye. Towns learned a lot from his time at Harvard and Ohio State, but three lessons were prominent. Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker recently addressed rumors of an impending divorce. In an interview with Us Weekly, Burruss, 47, recounted learning about the divorce rumor via a blind item from her 21-year-old daughter Riley, whom she shares with her ex, Russell Spencer. “Riley actually sent it to me. She was like, ‘Why do people keep saying that y’all about to get divorced?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know,’” Burruss said. Burruss believes her husband’s YouTube channel prompted the speculation. “I think it came from Todd and I on his YouTube. We were doing this thing called Todd and the Glam Squad where I would get my hair and makeup done [and] he would sit and we would talk about hot topics or relationship issues,” she explained. Rapper Chingy was featured on Sunday’s episode of TV One’s hit series, “Unsung,” and he recalled how Sidney Starr, a transgender social media model, lied and derailed his career. You might remember the viral photo from 2009 featuring Chingy posing with Starr. As Ice Cream Convos reports, Starr would go on to falsely claim she and Chingy dated “on and off” and were involved in a sexual relationship. Starr’s devious assertion about dating them tarnished Chingy’s career and reputation. “I was in the works with Interscope on a record deal,” Chingy said during the “Unsung” episode. “That lie was so big on social media I lost a whole record deal and so much other stuff from that,” he added. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c9a6741d-6e23-4d21-89b5-31006c07815d “Couple of months later, same individual go crying on camera talking about how they lied for 15 minutes of fame because they wanted a reality show,” Chingy said. “These things that they wanted happened, while things I was doing…died. It was a heavy blow. It took years to recover from. I’m talking about years, probably over a decade.” https://youtu.be/1cM_PvauNXE GRAMMY nominated and Stellar Award-winning Jekalyn Carr celebrates her 27th birthday today, just as she also completes her critically acclaimed performances on the nationally sold-out ONE HALLELUJAH TOUR. Known for her self-designed fashions on the tour, and her thematic birthday photo shoots - her latest creation, pays homage to a select few of the musical legends who have inspired her career. In celebration of her 27th birthday, Carr recreated the iconic album covers of GRAMMY winners Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, Cece Winans and Dorinda Clark Cole - all shot by famed photographer Marcus Owens. Liz Camerote is on a mission with her pet waste removal service. You can also think of it as a stinky sort of treasure hunt. “It’s almost like Easter eggs, but with dog piles,” she said while laughing. Camerote knows picking up poo is a task many don’t want to do, especially foraging for frozen feces. “I’m sure there’s a lot more hiding in the snow,” she said. “It will come out when it starts melting.” However, Camerote is anything but down in the dumps. “It’s an easy, wonderful job to do, like I couldn’t get any better,” she said. Camerote is a pet waste technician with Poop Genie, one of the growing number of businesses that scoops pet poop for clients through either a year-round subscription or an a la carte clean. Owner Keith Brandt said this weather has been welcome. “We start getting phone calls in January,” Brandt said. “This year is going to be pretty good because everything is pretty frozen. Who wants to scoop in the snow?” https://youtu.be/WMFXGu8XnAo So if you ever wondered, is there a job for that? Yup, that’s the poopy scoop. Poop Genie isn’t the only business servicing clients in the cold. The owner of Poop 911 out of Drexel Hill said the company has seen a spike in customers due to snowy weather as well. Yard Pawtrol in Bucks County said its biggest business happens during the first thaw in the spring. https://youtu.be/LHx6SmleUoY In an interview with Attitude magazine, “Doctor Who” star Ncuti Gatwa opens up about facing backlash for his role as the show’s first Black lead while “white mediocrity” is always “celebrated.” “We’re trained to be like, ‘If I’m not exceptional, I won’t be loved.’ Certainly, I think that was my thing,” Gatwa shared, per THR. “So, yeah, I think I’m just learning now like, ‘Oh, you are allowed to be loved.’ You don’t have to be excellent or aspire to that term, ‘Black excellence’. What the hell?” He continued, “There’s so much white mediocrity that gets celebrated, and Black people, we have to be absolutely flawless to get half of [that] anyway. So, I’m slowly training myself out of that and being like, ‘No shit. You deserve love just for existing.’ And that has taught me to be a lot more loving as well, in a weird way.” Last month, Disney+ released the trailer for the upcoming “Doctor Who” season, starring Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as his companion Ruby Sunday. Here’s the new season synopsis: “The Doctor and his companion Ruby Sunday travel across time and space, with adventures all the way from the Regency era in England, to war-torn future worlds. Throughout their adventures in the TARDIS — a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box — they encounter incredible friends and dangerous foes, including a terrifying bogeyman, and the Doctor’s most powerful enemy yet.” https://youtu.be/xhL5ihOUUcs Last week, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson introduced his G-Unit Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana, signaling his commitment to further developing his film and TV ventures. “As someone who has always believed in the transformative power of music, film, and television, I’m beyond excited to introduce the expansion of my G-Unit Film & Television through the launch of G-Unit Studios right here in Shreveport,” Jackson told Billboard. “We are thrilled that G-Unit Studios will plant its roots in Shreveport,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux told Billboard. “This city’s rich culture and talent provide the perfect backdrop for this endeavor. We are eager to collaborate with Mr. Jackson and G-Unit Film & Television to bring captivating movies and entertainment to Shreveport and Caddo Parish.” Mayor Arceneaux honored Jackson with a celebratory day and presented him with a key to the city. https://www.instagram.com/gunitstudios/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=017b737d-019e-485c-af98-05e206668670 The celebration of cannabis culture this weekend launched in New York, the birthplace of hip hop, with the nation’s first BUD DROP concert, headlined by the powerful duo Method Man and Redman. The hip-hop legends electrified a New Year’s Eve-style celebration, culminating in the midnight “BUD DROP,” echoing the iconic NYE ball drop but counting down to 4/20, the high holiday of cannabis culture. Radio/TV personality Jazmyn Summers was in the building for you. The evening kicked off with an array of talented acts. Girll Codee had the crowd chanting 4/20-themed slogans, and a moment of remembrance was observed for the late DJ Mister Cee. Kyah Baby graced the stage, paving the way for the main acts. Yonkers legend Styles P delivered a high-octane performance, treating fans to hits like “F*** You” and “Wild Out.” Fellow Lox rapper Sheek Louch joined him for a rendition of “Wild Out” and paid homage to the late DMX with a heartfelt performance of “We Gonna Make It.” DC Young Fly, the comedian whose former partner, Jacky Oh!, tragically passed away due to complications from cosmetic surgery, faced a challenging moment on stage in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the “We Them Ones Comedy Tour” alongside Mike Epps, DeRay Davis, Chico Bean, and Lil Duval. In a viral TikTok clip, DC, dressed casually in a shorts set, shared candid anecdotes, including his struggle with cocaine addiction and its spiritual repercussions. His mention of blaming God for not reaching the NBA due to distractions prompted some audience members to voice their disapproval with boos “They’re booing him,” remarked a voice behind the camera. “They’re booing him. Oh my God, DC is getting booed.” Undeterred, DC reflected on his journey, emphasizing how his trials ultimately strengthened his faith. “This is where the story gets real,” he continued. “When I got hooked on cocaine… My relationship with God got started. Now this is what I had to go through in order to find a close relationship with God. I think I turned out pretty good.” https://www.tiktok.com/@sassymason31/video/7360311274196176174?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fdc-young-fly-booed-in-atlantic-city-says-bbls-trigger-jacky-oh-memories-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7360311274196176174 DC’s heartfelt remarks underscored the importance of emotional support within relationships, especially in the wake of tragic events like Jacky Oh!’s death from surgical complications. https://youtu.be/8xUBMoGMpMY Freddy P, a former member of Diddy’s Da Band, claims he left the group after the Bad Boy mogul threatened him, In a recent conversation with The Art of Dialogue, Freddy recalled a heated discussion with Diddy where the latter said he could buy the entire block the Florida rapper lived on and cut off electricity, warning anyone who stepped outside would be in danger. “One day, I was waking up, and I was in a mood. I’m in the studio, I’m snapping or whatever. I didn’t even want to be fucked with,” Freddy recalled in the YouTube clip above. “You know when you around a bunch of goofies and you a street n***a, sometimes you don’t want to be around the nerds. So I’m in that bitch; I’m just frustrated with a lot of shit going on.” He continued, “Anyway, we get into a situation. We in front of everybody, n***a like, “Man, what you think you bout it or something?’ He was like, ‘N***a, I’ll buy every house on your block, shut every light off in that bitch, and every time you come out that bitch you’ll get popped.’ When he tell you some shit like that, you go to picture him purchasing every house, you going to picture every light going off, and that shit silenced me.” https://youtu.be/IBYR2CcYbYg A man was apprehended by Milwaukee police after the discovery of a missing woman’s body in the trunk of a vehicle. Tomitka Stewart‘s tragic demise is believed to be linked to domestic violence. “My momma been fighting for her life for a long time,” shared Lawrence Lejon-Jurnett, Stewart’s son, emotionally. Lejon-Jurnett, 22, stood surrounded by loved ones at a candlelight vigil in front of his late mother’s residence, expressing, “You’re never supposed to hurt a woman.” He grieved for the woman who was always there to support everyone else. In a heart-wrenching plea, he said, “If I could say something to my momma right now, I would say that, ‘I love you and I care about you, mom, and I want you back.’” https://youtu.be/6eQQh57hEgg Stewart, 41, had last been seen near her home on Sunday. Her absence raised concern when calls went unanswered, according to WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. “I never would have thought that I would have to go to the police station and fill out a missing report,” Lejon-Jurnett shared. On Wednesday, following a public appeal for information on the missing woman, Stewart’s body was found in the trunk of a vehicle near 29th Street and Ruby Avenue. A 41-year-old man was apprehended, with authorities linking Stewart’s death to domestic violence. “He knows he was the wrong person to do that,” Lejon-Jurnett expressed. “He knows this won’t sit right with him at all.” https://youtu.be/YHpDD-JC18U The official trailer for “The Watchers,” from producer M. Night Shyamalan, written and directed by his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan, has dropped weeks after the teaser debuted. Based on the novel by A.M. Shine, the film stars Dakota Fanning as Mina, “a 28-year-old artist stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. When Mina finds shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night,” per the synopsis. “You can’t see them, but they see everything.” “The Watchers” also features Georgina Campbell (“Barbarian,” “Suspicion”), Oliver Finnegan (“Creeped Out,” “Outlander”) and Olwen Fouere (“The Northman,” “The Tourist”). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer. https://youtu.be/dYo91Fq9tKY Flavor Flav is moving through life these days like he’s got no time to waste. In recent months, he’s been spotted backstage at a Bruce Springsteen concert, opening for U2, speaking at Harvard, gushing over Cher and Donny Osmond, and trading friendship bracelets with the Swifties at an “Eras Tour” show. The ultimate hype man, however, is no stranger to fame himself. Flav’s own career kicked off in 1985 when he co-founded the rap group Public Enemy. He went on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and starred in several early aughts reality shows, including “The Surreal Life” and “Flavor of Love.” He hasn’t lost his enthusiasm for life, his fellow artists – or his signature clock necklaces – along the way. https://youtu.be/8LcfHer4yVk Now 65, Flav’s next project is a reality series that will focus on his pursuit to obtain a high school diploma. CNN recently caught up with Flav to see if we could bottle some of his seemingly endless enthusiasm. Our discussion, which touched on his hopes to meet Megan Thee Stallion and stay more humble than King Kong, follows. It has been lightly edited for clarity and length. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JsRwtto1x-Y?feature=share Bill Cosby’s past and current troubles may have scarred his legacy, but his wife Camille is doing just fine on her own. Examining Camille Cosby’s net worth, HotNewHipHop, via Eric-Singer.com, found she’s been making her own longstanding money smart and influential moves in the entertainment industry, as well as giving back and practicing regular philanthropy. As it stands now, Cosby’s net worth is estimated at $20 million in 2024.The worth stems from her work as a television producer for varies series, including “The Cosby Show.” The classic sitcom, which starred her husband Bill, Phylicia Rashad, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Tempest Bledsoe and Lisa Bonet, is noted for being one of the best shows to come out during the 80’s. Working behind the scenes for the shows she was attached to, Camille established her reputation for great storytelling and successfully navigating the business side of television production. In addition, Camille ‘s financial achievements were an asset as it illustrated her “influence in shaping a narrative that has left a lasting impact on American culture.” Beyond the bright lights of entertainment, Camille’s power can be felt with her philanthropy. Alongside Bill Cosby, she is known for donating millions to educational institutions in an effort to support Black American arts and education. Her $20 million donation to Spelman College is a notable example, in addition to multiple causes to uplift communities. while providing opportunities for the underprivileged. All in the name of a deep-seated belief in social change resulting from the power of education and arts she fights hard for. Bronx music producer AngelicVoices (AngelicVoicesMinistry Music) makes a cameo appearance in the new Shaquille O’Neal music video for the single “Rolling” featuring Cory Gunz (Young Money Records). The scene with AngelicVoices was shot in Brooklyn. The “Rolling” music video is being shot by LikeVisions. Visions, who shoots AngelicVoices’ music videos, invited Angelic to be in Cory Gunz’s part of the video. The “Rolling” single is another upcoming project of Shaquille O’Neal who recently came back to the rap game in 2023. AngelicVoices is still riding the wave of the success from his last music video for the single “Why Not” (Symphonic) featuring Brooklyn rapper Asim I.I. The “Why Not” single debuted at #3 on 4M.TV’s Music Block World’s Top 10 Best Artists. Based on votes alone, the LikeVisions produced video ranked on the World chart above Ne-yo’s “Linked Remix” music video featuring Fabolous. Also known as AngelicVoicesMusic, Angelic recently won the Beat Suite Producers’ Competition. A virtuoso in music production with a focus on Hip-Hop Gospel, Angelic is fluent in producing most genres. As an actor Angelic has appeared in the blockbuster movie Malcolm X starring Denzel Washington. Rapper Saweetie is stepping further into the world of acting with her role as Keeya in the third season of the highly acclaimed Starz series “BMF.” She gave us a glimpse into her character and what it’s like to transition from the music scene to the screen. Keeya is no ordinary character, as Saweetie described her. “I feel like she’s a different type of female character that’s being introduced to the season, very tomboy,” Saweetie explained. “She’s very much in the boys club and can hold her own.” Keeya brings a fresh dynamic to the series, embodying the essence of a confident, sassy, and outspoken young woman. For Saweetie, taking on this role was a departure from her usual musician roles. “Typically, I’m cast for musician roles. But I told my agent, no more musician roles. I’m a musician every day. So I was really excited to play this character.” https://youtu.be/UvW7HwQq9J0 In the latest internet sensation, a video is circulating like wildfire, capturing the extraordinary moment when a Philadelphian found himself being arrested by none other than his identical twin brother. In the viral footage making its rounds, the scene unfolds with the arrested man exuberantly celebrating while his doppelgänger sibling, clad in uniform, places him in handcuffs and escorts him away. Details regarding the alleged crimes of the man in question remain scarce. However, the arresting officer’s grin during the apprehension suggests a peculiar blend of seriousness and perhaps familial jest… or does it? Speculation has it that the officer voluntarily assumed the role of apprehending his own flesh and blood, as he happened to be the sole law enforcer present at the time. SBut wait. It gets even crazier with some even insinuating that the officer might have been the informant leading to his brother’s capture. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1ZimelSRqL0?feature=share Reactions to the arrest footage have been as diverse as they come, according to DreddInfo. “It’s like we’re living in a real-life BET movie,” remarked one observer. Another pondered, “Proof that it’s the choices we make, not our genetic makeup, that determine our fate.” Yet, amidst the levity, a somber undertone pervades. “This is more tragic than humorous, imagine having to incarcerate your own twin,” lamented one commentator. “It’s like something straight out of a Tubi movie,” quipped another, capturing the surreal essence of the situation. https://www.tiktok.com/@44vatox/video/7359349830734318878?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fman-arrested-by-his-twin-brother%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7359349830734318878 Sexyy Red is giving current-day music fans shades of the old school with an R&B remix to her hit song, “Pound Town.” Citing Defiant Digital‘s Instagram page, Sandra Rose detailed the caption on the post, which read: “Gramma used to play this record all day! Simpler times.” Upon hearing the Hotown Records-released remix, social media weighed in with feedback. On Instagram, users say the song has a ’60s nostalgia sound that reminded them of the good ol’ days. https://www.instagram.com/whoingodsname/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=021b3fb3-36ef-4a50-83b8-1c32603fc274 The Broadway revival of The Wiz is officially open! “It’s a legacy, not a show” gushes director Schele Williams. The original landmark Black classic musical first opened almost 50 years ago. Many of the original cast members, including Stephanie Mills who played Dorothy, Andre De Shields, the Wiz, and Ken Page, the lion, were there to welcome the incredible new cast of the iconic musical. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/VID-20240418-WA0005.mp4?_=1 Some of the celebs who were in attendance at the opening included Common, Hillary Clinton, Anna Wintour, Ben Vereen, Peppermint, Sherri Shepherd, Tamron Hall, Elvis Nolasco (Godfather of Harlem) Leslie Uggams, P Valley’s Brandee Evans and writer Amber Ruffin. https://youtu.be/K8BYi-2cSvA In the shadows of Atlanta’s glitzy film and television industry, a tale unfolds that echoes the timeless wisdom: “Secrets buried in darkness are destined to surface.” At its center stands Ryan Millsap, once hailed for championing diversity and inclusion in the city’s entertainment scene. Yet, beneath his public facade lies a discordant reality, revealed through private messages unearthed in a courtroom drama. It’s all exposed in a rather scathing report by ProPublica and the AJC. Court transcripts unveil a startling contrast to Millsap’s public image, portraying him in a damning light. For the founder of Blackhall Studios, his text exchanges, unveiled by his former attorney, John Da Grosa Smith, paint a troubling picture. From disdainful remarks aimed at African Americans to derogatory slurs against Jewish individuals, the messages lay bare a disturbing truth. The bulk of these communications dates back to 2019, a period coinciding with Millsap’s tenure as CEO of Shadowbox Studios, a venture he nurtured from inception to an 850,000-square-foot powerhouse. His IMDb profile depicts him as the architect of the studio’s strategic vision, immersed in daily operations, and steering its course. Millsap’s ascent to prominence in Atlanta was fueled by his purported commitment to diversity. Projects like HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” and YouTube Premium’s “Step Up: The Series” underscored his collaborative efforts with African American talent. https://youtu.be/t482IVMedWM It’s 420 or “weed day,” and people around the world will be paying homage to their favorite guilty pleasure: marijuana. Currently, 24 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia in the United States have legalized marijuana for recreational use, making it that much easier for people to take a toke or pop an edible at 4:20 p.m. on April 20 (if not all day). But not everyone joins in on the 420 festivities. Some scientists who study weed have become increasingly concerned about the potential harm cannabis can do to the body, especially when smoked or vaped. “When you burn something, whether it is tobacco or cannabis, it creates toxic compounds, carcinogens, and particulate matter that are harmful to health,” Dr. Beth Cohen, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told CNN previously via email. https://youtu.be/XHtZYkYILsg Marijuana smoke may even be more harmful than tobacco because users hold the hot smoke in their lungs longer to maximize their high, Cohen said. A March 2021 study found teens were twice as likely to report “wheezing or whistling” in the chest after vaping marijuana than after smoking cigarettes or using e-cigarettes. “I’m in Colorado, and on 420 the smoke billows out of places where people gather to celebrate — it’s like a factory smokestack,” said Robert Page II, a professor of clinical pharmacy and physical medicine at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Aurora. “I worry when people are in an enclosed space because new data is beginning to show that secondhand marijuana smoke may be just as dangerous as the primary smoke,” Page said. “Like tobacco, cannabis affects the central nervous system, and there are side effects which tend to primarily be cardiovascular in nature.” https://youtu.be/61hYHQqe7gc Despite these health concerns, the majority of American adults still believe smoking or vaping marijuana smoke or breathing secondhand smoke from a joint is safer than tobacco smoke, even if children are present, according to an August 2023 study. It’s not. “If a person is in a closed space with marijuana smokers, they can test positive for cannabis in their urine. They can also get some of the other physical effects of marijuana, including an increased heart rate and feeling ‘high,’ ” Carol Boyd, founding director of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, told CNN in an earlier interview. https://youtu.be/yNYUnOMzb9s There’s more: Weed users are nearly 25% more likely to need emergency care and hospitalization, according to a 2022 study, and overuse of marijuana can lead to complications when in surgery. Weed users have more heavy metal in their bodies. Serious traffic accidents are on the rise in areas where weed is legal, a 2023 study found. Potency of weed has skyrocketed, which can heighten health risks and is leading to a global rise in marijuana addiction as well as marijuana use disorder. “Approximately 3 in 10 people who use marijuana have marijuana use disorder,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts say this condition comes with a higher risk of mental disorders, cognitive deficits, use of psychiatric services and violent behavior. https://youtu.be/Rchep9LG4nY Meagan Good’s sister has had it up to here with Hollywood overlooking the “Think Like a Man” fixture. Taking to social media, La’Miya Good made it known that Meagan is long overdue in getting her props from Tinseltown. “I am so motherf***ing sick of it. This industry owes her so many awards,” La’Miya, a singer and actress, stated during a recent Live session. “I am so sick of seeing this industry not giving her her props.” Taking note of Meagan’s career, Madame mentioned numerous nominations she has collected over the years, including nods for notable performances in “Harlem” and “Buying Back My Daughter” While Meagan is known and highly regarded by La’Miya and her fans, her sibling sees consistent snubs directed at her famous sibling for major awards. In La’Miya’s eyes, her sister is more than worthy of the accolades befitting someone who has regularly put the time and effort into being among the most established in the Hollywood landscape. Yet, some feel Meagan’s work hasn’t reached the level of universal acclaim among those in the entertainment industry. Madame Noire cites Meagan’s work in classic films such as “Stomp the Yard” and “Eve’s Bayou” as examples demonstrating range and depth as an actor. https://www.instagram.com/theybf_daily/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=967f8925-c1d0-4e2a-a010-dfa6f3df5171 Red Lobster is reportedly considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate the restructuring of its finances and operations. According to Bloomberg, Red Lobster is receiving counsel from the law firm King & Spalding, which is advising the popular seafood eatery to file for bankruptcy. This move aims to renegotiate challenging leases, address other long-term contracts, and manage increasing labor costs. As Fox Business reports, General Mills acquired Red Lobster in 1970, aiding its rapid expansion across the U.S. and Canada. Over two decades later, it became an independent entity, Darden Restaurants. Darden sold Red Lobster to Golden Gate Capital in 2014. In 2020, Thai Union, previously holding a one-fourth stake, bought out Golden Gate’s stake. Thai Union intends to divest from its investment and incur a write-off. This decision came after the company stated in a regulatory filing that the restaurant chain’s “ongoing financial requirements no longer align with Thai Union’s capital allocation priorities.” Last month, Red Lobster appointed Jonathan Tibus as its new CEO. Tibus is known for his expertise in revitalizing struggling restaurants and retail and hospitality businesses. In a recent interview with DJ Akademiks, Donald Trump Jr. described Diddy’s relationship with the late Kim Porter as “weird.” Trump Jr. said his ex-wife, Vanessa Kay, was friends with Porter during her modeling days. Porter allegedly spilled the tea to Kay about her toxic relationship with the Bad Boy mogul and was extremely “afraid” of him, according to Trump Jr. “My ex-wife was a model in NY, and she was really good friends with Kim Porter, who was Diddy’s wife, the one who died at 47 from ‘pneumonia,’” Trump Jr. told Akademiks. “When [Kim died], she called me…like, ‘Something is up with that.’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’ She said, ‘Kim used to tell me it was a bad—there was a lot of bad sh*t.’” He continued, “I didn’t even know but [Kim and Vanessa] would do photoshoots together, they were friendly. We would hang out when we see them downtown. Not so much with Diddy [but] she was really afraid of him, this goes back years, and [Kim] was having these conversations with my ex.” https://youtu.be/IowjBtbBhHQ Rapper GloRilla was arrested on Tuesday in Georgia on suspicion of driving under the influence. Video footage of her failed sobriety test has emerged online. According to a police report obtained by TMZ, officers stopped GloRilla over a traffic violation. She allegedly made a U-turn at a red light. When officers approached her vehicle, they detected the odor of marijuana and alcohol emanating from it. At one point during her interaction with the police, Glo asked, “Do you know who I am?” However, the officer made clear she was unaware of her identity. The police bodycam footage shows the hip-hop star confessing to consuming alcohol and failing a field sobriety test. Additionally, she allegedly refused to undergo a breathalyzer test and accidentally exposed her breasts. The Suwanee Police Department arrested her, and Glo was later released after posting bail of $1,956. https://youtu.be/XiTpXkOL5Ok Kay’La’s comment relates to Glo meeting Lillard at a Milwaukee Bucks game earlier this year and subsequently showing interest in him online, Vibe reports. “Who ni**a dis is? Cause I want him,” Glo captioned a picture of her meeting the NBA star. “Whoever she is can’t whoop me so I really dgaf,” she added. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=960d9f9a-f9f5-4c3d-992e-2b4e2cdf640c After facing cancellation and a reversal, the CBS action-drama series “SWAT” has been renewed for an eighth season. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network initially “billed this season of SWAT as its final one after negotiations with Sony over licensing fees and a reduced episode order,” the outlet writes. CBS recently labeled the May 17 episode of SWAT as a “series finale.” However, the series is now slated to return in the 2024-25 season. “Here at CBS, we always ‘stay liquid’ and love a good dramatic twist, especially when it leads to an eighth season of SWAT,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment. “The show continues to resonate with viewers thanks to our talented cast led by Shemar Moore and our amazing writers and producers who keep the show relevant and action-packed,” Reisenbach continued. “We’re very pleased to renew it again and incredibly grateful to our partners at Sony and CBS Studios and Shemar for working so closely with us to bring it back for next season.” Ne-Yo has expressed his views on having multiple partners, advocating that individuals should be free to marry more than one person. TMZ caught up with the singer/actor recently while walking along the street holding hands with two partners. Ne-Yo clarified that he’s all about polygamy, which is when you simultaneously have more than one long-term partner. However, Bigamy, marrying multiple people simultaneously, is illegal. “I feel like in the realm of love and romance you should let people do whatever the hell they wanna do, can’t see how it’s hurting anybody,” Ne-Yo told the outlet. “To be honest I don’t need the government to tell me what it is I can and can’t do, coming into my personal life,” he explained. “I’m not going to let it ruin my day. The people I love know I love them.” https://youtu.be/uwBMxgpm1PE Jeezy has reversed his decision to seek full custody of his and Jeannie Mai’s 2-year-old daughter. Page Six reports that the rapper now wants to split custody of daughter Monaco, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. We reported earlier that Jeezy filed legal docs seeking to be Monaco’s custodial parent. According to TMZ, the rapper initially wanted the “judge to toss out the current custody and parenting time arrangement he hashed out in mediation with his estranged wife … and requesting that his daughter be allowed to live with him full-time,” the outlet writes. Jeezy and Jeannie reportedly reached a parenting arrangement schedule for their daughter during mediation. However, according to new documents, the hip-hop star said he wants full-time custody of Monaco due to Mai’s busy schedule. He’s now backtracking on the request. Police in Brazil have detained a woman suspected of wheeling a dead man, who she said was her uncle, to a bank to withdraw a four-figure loan. Footage of the woman’s encounter with the bank has sparked a nationwide discussion in Brazil after going viral on social media. It appears to show the woman at the counter of a Rio de Janeiro branch of Itau Bank, propping up the head of an elderly man in a wheelchair and trying to get his hand to clasp a pen. According to police, she was attempting to take out a loan equivalent to $3,000, which had already been approved by the bank but still needed the elderly man’s sign-off. But the elderly man in the video – filmed by a bank attendant – remains unresponsive. His arm is limp and his head keeps falling back as she talks to him. “Uncle, are you listening?” she asks him. “You need to sign. If you don’t sign, there’s no way. I can’t sign for you, it has to be you. What I can do, I do.” “Sign it so you don’t give me any more headaches, having to go to the registry office. I can’t take it anymore,” the woman continues. https://youtu.be/ReYzqbvwWgo As times continue being hard and folks are fed up with the way things are, a fun new dance is helping to lighten things up in New York City. Known as the “Reemski,” the dance is making its viral presence known, with more than 1 million views and counting on TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter). Although he could not have predicted how popular his creation would be, Kareem Gadson is happy for it to catch on in a big way. Chatting with HipHopWired, Gadson detailed how the “Reemski” came to be. For him, it was a creative way to counter the dances that he got tired of doing in 2016. “I just got tired of doing the dances that I was seeing out here. So I just decided to do my own,” explained the aspiring rapper, who named his dance the “Reemski” due to its leg movements being like the moves of downhill skiers. “As you getting low you have to move sideways like you’re skiing.” https://youtu.be/1FvR1pLpbXc In the ever-evolving landscape of the global economy, mastering the art of business while sustaining personal fulfillment is a significant challenge. Lindsay Wilson, renowned as the “World’s Most Sought-After Sales Coach,” (Mindvalley) stands at the forefront of this journey. She has carved a niche as a visionary entrepreneur and spiritual leader. In the dynamic landscape of today’s global economy, navigating the intricacies of business while maintaining a sense of purpose and fulfillment can be a daunting task. Enter Lindsay Wilson, “World’s Most Sought After Sales Coach” (Mindvalley) – a visionary entrepreneur and spiritual leader. Lindsay Wilson’s innovative web show emerges as a pivotal platform for empowerment, blending thought leadership, mentorship, and business coaching into a seamless narrative of transformation. This show isn’t just a program; it’s a revolutionary experience that transcends the conventional, steering individuals toward unparalleled growth in all life’s spheres. “The Show,” spearheaded by Lindsay Wilson, brings together a constellation of luminaries from various fields, each contributing their unique insights and expertise to guide viewers on a journey of self-discovery and growth that will take their life and business to another dimension. Detroit and Tribeca — Pioneering Detroit techno music producer and DJ Carl Craig is Tribeca-bound. The Tribeca Film Festival (June 5-16, 2024) has officially selected Desire: The Carl Craig Story, the new documentary feature from Jean-Cosme Delaloye (Harley) celebrating the Detroit techno legend to screen in the Festival’s Spotlight+ section. Desire: The Carl Craig Story follows Carl Craig’s genre-defying career, from his middle-class roots to global acclaim, as the producer faces challenges that could keep him away from the dance floor. The film, which wrapped production in February, will have its world premiere at Tribeca on June 12, 2024, at 8pm at The Indeed Theater at Spring Studios. Tribeca will also host a press and industry screening on June 13 with subsequent Festival public screenings on the 13th and 15th. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=336750122731532 PETA issued a response to Halle Berry’s revelation about skinning a squirrel for her role in the upcoming thriller “Never Let Go.” The organization said the Oscar-winning actress did not harm animals but instead worked with realistic props, Vibe reports. “While moviegoers may squirm in their seats at the sight of a squirrel being skinned, Alexander Aja’s use of movie magic, instead of a thinking, feeling being in Never Let Go, once again proves that technology is the key to modern, humane movie production,” said PETA’s Director of Animals in Film and Television, Lauren Thomasson. The statement continued, “PETA is happily rushing delicious squirrel-shaped vegan chocolates to Aja and Halle Berry to applaud this responsible choice, and we urge other filmmakers to commit to making their productions positive for animals by using only props, computer-generated imagery, and other special effects.” Directed by Alexandre Aja, “Never Let Go” is a psychological thriller that “centers on a family of three haunted by an evil entity. Whenever they leave the safety of their cabin to venture into the woods, they are bound by rope to the home. The family’s safety and surroundings come into question when one of the boys asks if the evil is real.” During his Thursday appearance on Fox News alongside Sean Hannity, Smith stirred controversy as he came to Donald Trump‘s defense following the ex-president’s assertion that Black Americans empathize with him because of his legal troubles. Trump’s remarks, made at a Black Conservative Federation gala in February, boasted about his multiple indictments, claiming that Black people support him because they understand discrimination. “And then I got indicted a second time and then a third time and a fourth time!” Trump exclaimed to the audience. Two months later, Smith doubled down on defending Trump’s words, expressing indignation over the ongoing criminal trials against him. On Hannity’s show, Smith braved potential backlash. “Dare I say something that might–will probably be termed the most uncomfortable thing that I’ve ever had to articulate out of my mouth from a political perspective.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1781168991433633798 Smith’s unexpected defense of Trump showcased his willingness to confront uncomfortable truths, even at the risk of alienating his audience. Whether this signifies a lasting change in his political views remains to be seen, but it certainly raised eyebrows in the political arena. Stephen A. Smith is entitled to his opinion, but we’re calling BS on him for this. https://youtu.be/ymjdmzh9BEA Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on “American Idol” in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47. “We can confirm that yesterday Mandisa was found in her home deceased. At this time we do not know the cause of death or any further details,” the post reads. “We ask for your prayers for her family and close knit circle of friends during this incredibly difficult time. Mandisa was a voice of encouragement and truth to people facing life’s challenges all around the world.” Mandisa resided in Nashville, according to The Tennessean. CNN has reached out to her representative for comment. Born Mandisa Lynn Hundley in Citrus Heights, California, she got her start singing in church. Music became an integral part of her life. https://youtu.be/1-Dvgw-TWQ8?list=RDNS1-Dvgw-TWQ8 “Overcomer” earned her the Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2014. Along with success, there were also some tough times that challenged her faith. According to Mandisa’s website, “After the prayers of a multitude didn’t stop her dearest friend from succumbing to cancer, Mandisa withdrew, wrestled with God, and fell into a deep depression.” “To be honest, that’s not how I thought things were going to happen. I was disappointed with God,” she said of the death of her friend Kisha. “I was mad because as I prayed for her, I believed that God was going to heal her. I’m not the kind of person who shakes my fist at the Lord and yells and screams. I just shut down and started turning to food again for comfort.” https://youtu.be/z29olPjFbqg Mandisa documented her mental health struggles in her 2022 memoir, “Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy” with the hope of helping others. “I want to encourage the people who may have a loved one who is maybe in the middle of a mental health issue,” she said in an interview shared on Instagram in 2022. “Don’t think that even if your messages are not being responded to that they don’t hear them.” https://www.instagram.com/mandisaofficial/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b77187b7-aabc-43e0-8520-62ad0df2ea83 Simone Biles claims she “broke down” over the viral interview with her husband, Jonathan Owens, on the Pivot podcast last year, in which he bragged about being “the catch” in their relationship. Owens also claimed he didn’t know who the decorated gymnast was before they started dating. His comments sparked online backlash, which Biles admitted took a serious toll on her mental health, Page Six reports. “One night, I broke down, and I’m like, ‘Why are you guys talking about my husband like this?’” Simone, 27, shared in an April 16 Call Her Daddy podcast episode. Biles previously expressed annoyance on X (Twitter), asking if folks were done debating her marriage to Owens: “Are y’all done yet?” In December 2023, the NFL player said he was more of a “catch” than the seven-time Olympic champion. https://youtu.be/h8VLIC2dTqY Former rapper Shyne, who is now the head of the Belize United Democratic Party, is speaking out about being Diddy’s “fall guy” in the infamous 1999 nightclub shooting. His comments come weeks after Natania Reuben, a victim of the shooting also involving Jennifer Lopez, said that she would be willing to have bullet fragments removed from her face to prove that the Bad Boy mogul was the one who shot her. We reported earlier that Reuben has for years asserted that it was Diddy, not Shyne, who shot her during an altercation between the rap mogul and Club New York patron Matthew Allen, resulting in injuries to three individuals, including herself. Lopez was arrested and released, while Diddy was acquitted of all charges. Shyne, however, served an eight-year prison sentence. In 2011, Diddy settled civil suits with the victims, paying over $2.3 million. Reuben recently posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) in which she appears to respond to music producer Rodney Jones’ lawsuit against Diddy. As The Jasmine Brand reports, Reuben noted in the video that Jones claims in the lawsuit that Diddy threatened him and admitted that he “shot up the club in New York back in 1999 and let Shyne take the fall for it.’” https://youtu.be/TjakqHJO_fA In a shocking turn of events, a man (Max Azzarello) took dramatic measures on Friday near the New York City courthouse, where the trial of former President Donald Trump unfolded. Igniting himself with an accelerant, he became a fiery spectacle. https://youtu.be/19LjyOzNmqk Meanwhile, deep within the Lower Manhattan courthouse, Trump himself was shielded from the blaze, the culmination of jury selection settling around 1:30 p.m. Identified by the vigilant NYPD as Azzarello, 37, hailing from St. Augustine, Florida, this enigmatic figure had only recently graced the streets of New York. His arrival stirred little attention until his fiery act. Venturing into the precincts of Collect Pond Park, a nexus for both dissenting voices and the curious public, Azzarello added another layer of intrigue as he scattered pamphlets into the air like confetti. https://youtu.be/bXJj_njHTpY “We’re very concerned,” voiced Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, his tone echoing the gravity of the situation. The NYPD vowed to scrutinize its security measures, recognizing the weightiness of the ongoing Trump trial in the city’s political and social fabric. https://www.instagram.com/dipshit_secrets/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6e380d09-57c0-4465-be01-171c7e548e0c In a move that’s about as surprising as a Monday morning, the Grammy darling Taylor Swift takes a swipe at Kim Kardashian in her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.” In the track “thanK you aIMee,” Swift serves up some spicy lyrics about a certain “bronze, spray-tanned” antagonist who’s earned her mom’s not-so-loving wishes. Eager-eyed fans wasted no time decoding the track’s title, which conveniently spells out the reality star’s first name in a subtle jab. “taylor dropping a kim k diss track was not on my 2024 bingo card but i’ve never been happier,” one gleeful Swiftie announced. Another echoed the sentiment, declaring, “taylor said i do not forgive you kim kardashian.” https://youtu.be/-GlV3IrU_LY In her lyrical battlefield, Swift paints a vivid picture of her foe “stomping across” her metaphorical resting place, lamenting the unfairness of their long-standing spat, PageSix reports. “While you were busy throwing punches, I was busy constructing greatness,” she croons. “But I can’t shake off the sting of how you made me feel.“Screamed ‘F—k you, Aimee’ to the starlit sky, blood flowing freely, but I can’t overlook the way you pieced me back together.” Page Six has thrown the gauntlet, reaching out to Kardashian’s camp for a retort that’s sure to be as juicy as the feud itself. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1bfe7ae8-2bcf-46e4-b225-b84ec0487f6e Giancarlo Esposito admits in a new interview that he once considered arranging his murder due to financial desperation, hoping to provide for his children. During a recent interview on SiriusXM’s Jim & Sam Show, Esposito recounted a moment in 2008 when he felt overwhelmed by personal challenges, prompting him to contemplate the possibility of his children benefiting from life insurance in the event of his demise. He had discussions with his then-wife Joy McManigal regarding potential insurance scenarios. “She had no idea why I was asking her this stuff,” Esposito said. “I started scheming. If I got somebody to knock me off, death by misadventure, [my kids] would get the insurance. I had four kids. I wanted them to have a life. It was a hard moment in time.” The “Breaking Bad star said he considered “self-annihilation” so his “kids could survive.” “That’s how low I was,” he admitted. https://youtu.be/y2q8hMXCKGo In an exclusive discussion with the executive producers of the gripping new series “SUGAR” featuring Colin Farrell, Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon lauded the actor’s performance and dedication to the Apple TV original. Created by Mark Protosevich, the eight-episode series stars Farrell as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel’s family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried. https://youtu.be/twvPGxuEOEA Today Universal Pictures “Abigail” leaps into theaters! The re-imagined of Dracula’s Daughter follows a crew of criminals who kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful netherworld boss. The under-creature horror flick features Melissa Barrera, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, and Alisha Weir as the nominative offspring of Mr. De Ville. https://youtu.be/3PsP8MFH8p0 A Los Angeles Police Department officer (William Jones Jr.) will not face criminal charges in the 2021 fatal shooting of a 14-year-old girl killed inside a department store when police fired at a man suspected of attacking a woman, California prosecutors said Wednesday. Valentina Orellana-Peralta and her mother were holding one another and praying in the dressing room of the Burlington Coat Factory in North Hollywood, California, after a man began attacking customers in the store on December 23, 2021, police previously said. When police arrived and confronted the suspect with gunfire, an officer’s bullet pierced through the wall and fatally struck Valentina, who was pronounced dead on scene. Police also fatally shot 24-year-old suspect Daniel Elena-Lopez. https://youtu.be/w8YlFF2c4xQ An 81-year-old Ohio White man (William Brock) pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder and other charges Wednesday related to the shooting death of a Black Uber driver (Loletha Hall) he mistakenly believed was working with a scammer attempting to extort him, according to the Clark County prosecutor. Brock was previously arraigned on a murder charge for purposely causing Hall’s death. On Monday, a grand jury indicted him on that charge, as well as two new counts of felony murder, according to court records. The two felony murder counts accuse Brock of causing Hall’s death as a result of committing or trying to commit another underlying felony: felonious assault and kidnapping, respectively. In addition to the three murder counts, he was also charged with kidnapping her and felonious assault. In all, he faces five charges. CNN has reached out to Brock’s defense attorney, Paul Kavanagh, for comment. https://youtu.be/AIA3Gg9Dyqk?list=RDNSAIA3Gg9Dyqk An ex-PBS producer alleges he was terminated from Al Roker’s cartoon series after raising concerns that the show failed to uphold its DEI policy. According to TheWrap, William “Bill” Schultz, a television producer, initiated legal action against Al Roker, his entertainment company, and executive producer Lisa Tucker. Schultz was allegedly terminated for opposing the “denigration” of the network’s DEI policy program. The initiative aimed to incorporate BIPOC writers into Roker’s forthcoming animated children’s series “Weather Hunters.” “Weather Hunters has been a labor of love and a passion project for more than a decade and I cannot think of a better partner than PBS Kids to make this dream come true,” Roker said in a 2023 statement. “When it comes to ‘Weather Hunters,’ I predict increasing animation with downpours of family-friendly storytelling and a rising understanding of weather and climate on your local PBS station, pbskids.org, and the PBS Kids Video and Games apps.” In the legal complaint, Schultz alleges he “was wrongfully and illegally targeted, leading to the illegal termination of an agreement that he had with Defendant WHI and its alter ego Al Roker Entertainment in retaliation for Plaintiff standing tall as a whistle blower and complaining of: illegal racial bias and discrimination against African Americans and other Black, indigenous and other people of color (‘BIPOC’ people) in the workplace and for objecting to the denigration and wholesale deconstruction of a diversity, equity and inclusion (‘DEI’) program intended to bring minority writers onto a PBS television production.” Schultz further stated that Al Roker Entertainment executives ignored the DEI requirements and objectives by assigning scripts to BIPOC writers that non-BIPOC writers had already written. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite on the go or indulging in a late-night craving, a visit to McDonald’s often means convenience and efficiency. However, beyond just satisfying your hunger, there’s an important reason why you should always remember to ask for a receipt. That seemingly mundane slip of paper can hold significant value, offering benefits ranging from ensuring order accuracy to participating in valuable promotions and feedback programs. So, before you discard the receipt, consider why that small but mighty piece of paper is worth keeping. According to Taste of Home, here’s why you should always ask for a McDonald’s receipt: It might sound funny, but it has to do with how McDonald’s employees are trained. Employees are on the lookout for secret shoppers or mystery shoppers. These customers are paid to order from McDonald’s and give them reviews on the quality of food (mostly the bestselling menu items) and customer service. And this is isn’t something that only happens once in a while—it’s a few times a day! https://youtu.be/poFYE0PTfmw Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wants wealthy residents to fund a new homelessness campaign. NBC News reports that Bass unveiled the LA4LA campaign, an initiative to facilitate funding for affordable housing. On Monday, she expressed the need for contributions from corporate executives and philanthropic groups to purchase properties for the homeless. “LA4LA can be a sea change for Los Angeles – an unprecedented partnership to confront this emergency,” Bass said. “An example of disrupting the status quo to build a new system to save lives.” Darci Niva, CEO of Westside Coalition, highlighted the growing trend of seniors facing eviction due to rising rents in the city. The senior population in Los Angeles is anticipated to surpass 1 million by 2030. https://youtu.be/wm5n0UEL8kQ Toni Braxton was advised to conceal her 2008 diagnosis of autoimmune disorder lupus. “I was told to hide that I had lupus. Like, ’Don’t tell anyone,’ ” the singer, 56, shared during an appearance on the April 16 episode of SHE MD podcast, PEOPLE reports. Braxton explained that her management team advised her to hide her diagnosis because “people get scared around sick celebrities. Nobody gets insured, and I couldn’t get insured.” Rheumatologist Dr. Daniel Jeffrey Wallace diagnosed Braxton with lupus and appeared on the podcast with the superstar. “I was president of the Lupus Foundation of America and our problem was we had all these celebrities with lupus but none of them would come out,” said Wallace. https://youtu.be/hih5NYTB4dc National Geographic will air two new specials this summer that honor the contributions and sacrifices of overlooked Allied soldiers of color. The four-part docuseries ERASED: WW2’S HEROES OF COLOR, executive produced and narrated by Idris Elba, will premiere on Monday, June 3, at 9/8c. THE REAL RED TAILS, a one-hour documentary narrated by Sheryl Lee Ralph, will precede the premiere at 8/7c. Both specials will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. Per the news release: The Real Red Tails tells of the astonishing discovery of a P-39 airplane in Lake Huron, Michigan, reigniting a story lost to time and triggering one of the most important WW2 archeological missions in the Great Lakes. On the morning of April 11, 1944, Tuskegee pilot 22-year-old Second Lieutenant Frank Moody perished in what should have been a routine training mission when his plane malfunctioned and took a nosedive into the chilly waters. With unprecedented access, the one-hour special, narrated by Ralph, will take viewers on a journey to uncover the 80-year-old mystery of how and why Moody’s plane ultimately went down. The special enlists teams of underwater archaeologists to recover parts of the downed plane for the first time and weaves in firsthand accounts from fellow airmen along with underwater footage from the wreck to give a final answer to the mystery. Meanwhile, the four-part series ERASED: WW2’S HEROES OF COLOR sheds light on the immense contributions of over eight million individuals who fought heroically for the Allied forces and whose stories have largely gone untold.” https://youtu.be/InQMoBvzQeY Nelly and Ashanti are expecting their first baby together. Ashanti confirmed the exciting news in a video shared to her Instagram on April 17, PEOPLE reports. The 43-year-old R&B songstress also revealed to Essence that she and Nelly, 49, are engaged. “This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope and anticipation,” Ashanti told the outlet. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience,” she continued. https://www.instagram.com/ashanti/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c1080f0c-051a-490f-b361-49f16252d8a1 “The dirt will come out in the wash,” said Arthur Muhammad, a film writer and director, about the storyline of his new film Twelve is about. “Skeletons.” Filmmaker Arthur Muhammad was inspired to write Twelve from his own life, finding out that he had a brother. The film Twelve, airing on Fandango at Home (Vudu), is a horror/comedy that stars Ted Lange (The Love Boat) as the family patriarch who passes away; Lance E. Nichols (NCIS: New Orleans), Tiffany Black (P-Valley), and Norman Nixon, Jr. (Grey’s Anatomy). “Me and my dad played dominoes a lot, that’s the reason for the concept,” Arthur said about the inspiration for the film. “In researching dominoes I learned they were originally made with bones, which connected (skeletons in the closet).” The veteran filmmakers said 12 starts the game of dominoes, and that there are 12 zodiac signs, 12 months in a year, 12 days of Christmas, and 12 notes in a music scale. In the film as the family gathers because of “Pops” death, they start playing dominoes as they talk about his life. They become trapped in the house and the only way to get out is to find the family secrets. The number 12 shows up throughout the film. “I’ve done 16 feature films. My films are on Tubi, Amazon Prime, BET and Netflix. My first film release was on VHS,” he told me when talking about how long he has been making films. https://youtu.be/W4s7wsIItw8 "UNCENSORED" explores the lives of some of today’s most notable personalities as they provide first-hand accounts of their success and the obstacles they faced throughout their careers. This week's episode highlights singer Raz-B. He came onto the scene as a teen heartthrob in supergroup, boy band B2K. Now, he’s reflecting on his rise to fame, struggles with the music industry and getting the group back together. Don’t miss an all-new episode of Uncensored this Sunday, April 21 at 10p/9c only on TV One! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH59tB4e6dA Get ready for all new episodes of TV One’s original and longest-running series "UNSUNG" and "UNCENSORED" this Sunday, April 21 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. "UNSUNG" leads with Chingy at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by "UNCENSORED", which features Raz-B, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjKiCPq5Ha4 A rep for Halle Bailey denied rumors she and her boyfriend DDG have called it quits. “This is fake news. Not true at all,” the rep shared with RadarOnline. We reported earlier that rumors of a split between the couple began swirling after fans noticed they stopped following each other on social media. According to RadarOnline.com, Bailey and her baby daddy no longer follow each other on Instagram. Fueling speculation, the duo has seemingly removed most of their couple photos from their respective accounts. DDG was noticeably absent at Halle’s Coachella performance this past weekend. DDJ and Halle made their Instagram debut as a couple in March 2022. They welcomed their first child, a son, in December 2023. “I wouldn’t choose no other person in the world to have a child with,” DDG recently gushed about co-parenting with Halle. “We learning. She’s a great mom. Like it’s crazy. She’s amazing,” he added, Radar reports. New episodes of the groundbreaking docuseries “Behind the Music” will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada next month. This latest season profiles Bell Biv DeVoe, Trace Adkins, and Wolfgang Van Halen, and remastered episodes of 50 Cent, Bobby Brown, Ice-T, Milli Vanilli, The Notorious B.I.G. and Sinead O’Connor. The new episodes will debut on Wednesday, May 1st, and May 2nd in the UK, Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. https://youtu.be/NfEkWEGIMa0 Actor Josh Hartnett is making a comeback as a creepy father with a dark past in director M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller, “Trap.” The story centers on a man (Hartnett) attending a pop concert with his daughter, where they realize they’re at the center of a sinister event. “Trap” also stars Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. As PEOPLE reports, at a “Trap” preview event in Los Angeles on April 16, Shyamalan spoke about his casting process and said he’s always “looking for someone that’s willing to just let go completely, give themselves … to the movie and leap, leap, leap.” https://youtu.be/hJiPAJKjUVg College football player Amitral “AJ” Simon died just one week before potentially realizing his pro-ball dreams, his former university announced Wednesday. Simon, 25, transferred to the University of Albany where he played as a defensive lineman with the Great Danes for the 2022-2023 season. The school said in a statement on social media that Simon will be "profoundly missed." "AJ was a tremendous young man and even better teammate throughout this time at UAlbany," the school said."He was a role model both on and off the field, serving as a pillar to this program over the last two years. A cause of death was not disclosed. Simon was eligible for next week's NFL Draft and, according to NBC Sports, had made a recent visit to New England. He announced his decision to enter the draft in December, once his time on the team ended. He described his collegiate career as a Great Dane as "pivotal" in shaping his path to the NFL Draft, making him into a better person both on and off the field. “Abigail” follows a crew of criminals who kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful netherworld boss. The under creature horror flick features Alisha Weir as the nominative offspring of Mr. De Ville, Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, and Giancarlo Esposito. https://youtu.be/3PsP8MFH8p0 The new Sony Pictures Classic film, “We Grown Now,” is a poignant narrative capturing the essence of childhood in Chicago’s Cabrini Green in the early 90s. The film takes viewers on a journey through the lives of two 10-year-olds, Malik (Blake Cameron Jones) and Eric (Gian Knight Ramirez), as they navigate the complexities of friendship amidst the challenges of urban life. The film also stars Jurnee Smollett and Milton “Lil Rel” Howery as Jason, Eric’s father. As a Chicago native, Howery seeks to see Chicago presented in a true and honest light. In an interview with us, he shared insight on the project and its significance to the soul of Chicago. https://youtu.be/FK8jW-pGWaY LaKeith Stanfield sparked excitement on his Instagram account when he joined his wife, Kasmere Trice, in performing the popular “Dump Truck” TikTok dance. In the comments, R&B songstress SZA wrote, “Not y’all adorable as hell” Another IG user commented, “He ate her up I’m afraid,” to which another person added, “You ain’t have to eat her up like that!” A third person added, “Had to be his idea bc he ate her up.” The 2024 Living Legends Foundation Honorees, Top Row (l-r) Donnie Simpson, Joi Brown, L. Londell McMillan; Bottom Row (l-r) Chris Chambers, Gwen Franklin, Mike Kelly (Photos Courtesy of the Living Legends FoundationThe Living Legends Foundation, Inc. (LLF) today announces its 2024 Annual Awards Dinner and Gala. This year’s event will be held on Friday, October 4, 2024, at Taglyan Cultural Complex, 1201 N. Vine Street, Hollywood, CA. The red carpet and cocktail reception begin at 6:30 p.m. with the awards dinner at 7:30 p.m. GRAMMY nominated and Stellar Award winning, Deitrick Haddon, is set to release his 12th solo album, ONE NIGHT IN CALIFORNIA, on Friday, May 17th, 2024. ONE NIGHT IN CALIFORNIA will feature sixteen songs of transparency telling the true story of Haddon hearing from God concerning the calling over his life, during a time in which his mental health was being tested. ONE NIGHT IN CALIFORNIA is an eclectic genre-blending mixtape featuring viral international artists and Haddon's signature vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19fsNDEi1qM Deitrick Haddon earned the name, "the new face of Gospel," after his album Church on the Moon debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Gospel chart. The Detroit native is known for his progressive, urban style of gospel music, but he is also the founding pastor of Hill City Church in California. He is also a former cast member on Oxygen's reality television show Preachers of L.A. Christmas 2020, Haddon teamed up with super-producer Zaytoven to create what they consider to be their best body of work to date, on the holiday EP “Greatest Gift.” Additionally, Haddon penned three songs on Usher’s album, “A.” As an actor, Haddon starred in the original TV One film, SINS OF THE FATHER and the ALLBLK film, THE FALLEN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCVjfLJmKxo STELLAR AWARD WINNING CRYSTAL AIKIN SETS DATE FOR FIRST-EVER LIVE RECORDING, SATURDAY, JUNE 29 IN NASHVILLE, TN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2a9q8WESZI Centricity Music and Centricity Publishing sign exclusive agreements with America’s Got Talent, BET’s Sunday Best alum and singer/songwriter, Bay Turner, who is represented by BrickHouse Entertainment and Platform Artists for management and booking respectively. With his team in place, and after being discovered by millions on Season 17 of America’s Got Talent and Season 10 of BET’s Sunday Best, Turner is poised to release new music following a remarkable journey seasoned with successes as well as health issues that threatened to end his career in music. Wholly captivated by the soulful sounds of artists like Donny Hathaway, Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder when he was a young man, Turner’s voice blossomed while in college. After earning his undergraduate degree, he became a rising star in young artist programs affiliated with major opera houses around the world. As his faith became more of a central force in his life, he discovered, and began leading worship alongside, the iconic Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Silence the Shame, a community voice in mental health advocacy, is proud to announce an innovative partnership with the largest vendor of computer software in the world, Microsoft, to develop and launch a revolutionary mobile app dedicated to mental health awareness, education, and support. This meaningful collaboration and commitment will deliver technology that provides mental health resources, accessible in a personalized way, to individuals and groups facing mental health challenges, available on National Silence the Shame Day, May 5th during Mental Health Awareness Month. "Two years ago Darrell Booker and his team at Microsoft included Silence the Shame in their global hackathon and here we are now with this beautiful application ready to hit the market on our big day - May 5th! This is an exciting moment not only for our organization, but more importantly for communities to have more access to mental health resources and healthy ways to cope," says Shanti Das, CEO/Founder Silence the Shame. Silence the Shame and Microsoft invite communities worldwide to join in a collective effort to raise awareness and understanding of prominent mental issues. Everyone is encouraged to download the app, participate in National Silence the Shame Day activities including, and explore the wealth of resources available. ESPN Films is producing a new 30 For 30 documentary focusing on legendary SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott. Deadline reports that director Andre Gaines (The One and Only Dick Gregory) is in production on the Scott project. The release date has not been announced. Scott was one of ESPN’s most cherished anchors in the network’s history for over twenty years. He died at age 49 in 2015 after a cancer battle. “Stuart Scott transcended broadcasting, journalism, sports and culture in ways that we’re only beginning to really understand and appreciate now,” Gaines told Deadline. “He made his mark on so many people, especially young black men, and his legend has only grown since his passing,” Gaines added. The opportunity I’ve had now to examine his life, visit his home, get to know his daughters Taelor and Sydni, and understand how incredibly vast and rich a life Stuart lived, I can only hope that audiences find the same catharsis I’ve already experienced in making this film.” https://twitter.com/FOS/status/1779223528727879768/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1779223528727879768%7Ctwgr%5E6846a80b0516b8ab0ed0f793e01a7a1407cb7eb5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fnew-30-for-30-doc-chronicles-late-broadcaster-stuart-scott%2F TIME revealed the 2024 TIME100 on Wednesday, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The issue has four covers, each highlighting a member of the TIME100: singer-songwriter Dua Lipa, football quarterback Patrick Mahomes, actor Taraji P. Henson, and Yulia Navalnaya, a leader of Russia’s opposition movement. Per the news release, the list includes pairings of the honorees and the guest contributors TIME selects to write about them. The twenty-first annual list features: Alex Rodriguez on Patrick Mahomes, Burna Boy on 21 Savage, Maren Morris on Jack Antonoff, Blake Lively on America Ferrera, Kate Hudson on Leslie Odom Jr., Michelle Obama on Thelma Golden, Jon Huntsman on William Lai, Naomi Watts on Tory Burch, Tom Brady on A’ja Wilson, Mark Zuckerberg on Jensen Huang, Ryan Reynolds on Michael J. Fox, Richard Branson on Jigar Shah, Joe Biden on Shawn Fain, and more. On actor Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige writes: “Even before I knew her, I already felt like Taraji P. Henson was my friend. She was an actor I loved to watch, and I always felt like I could relate to her because she perfectly embodied who we are as women. I couldn’t wait to meet her. And when I finally did, it was on and popping from there. Taraji fit right into my crew.” Blige continues: “What I love most about her is that she is unapologetically herself. Taraji is a real woman—she doesn’t bite her tongue, and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She’s always true and authentic, and she’s just as fearless onscreen, which is why she’s one of my favorite actors. Watching her commit 1 million percent to whatever character she’s portraying is amazing. Her courage really sets her apart, in Hollywood and in real life.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C53K10CMiBf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a7c3ed4c-5d63-439d-be77-9cbd8360362c Maryland civil rights groups unanimously petitioned to rename the Francis Scott Key Bridge due to its namesake’s history as a slave owner. The group is calling on the Maryland state government to rename the bridge because Key, author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was a slave owner, NBC News reports. The bridge was destroyed by a cargo ship last month, and Federal and state officials are discussing strategies for reconstructing it. The Caucus of African American Leaders, comprising organizations such as the NAACP and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, calls upon Governor Wes Moore and the General Assembly to reassess the bridge’s current name. According to NBC News, they propose renaming it in honor of Rep. Parren J. Mitchell, Maryland’s first Black representative elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970. She passed away in 2007. “He spent a life, his entire life, creating a bridge between the African American community and literally the larger society,” Carl O. Snowden, the convener for the Caucus of African American Leaders, told NBC News. We reported via CNN that the Key Bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports on March 26. Dali is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk. https://twitter.com/i/status/1772663041445724654 Zendaya admits she is unsure when “Euphoria” Season 3 will begin production. “If it’s right for the characters and everything turns out the way it should, of course,” Zendaya told Variety at the “Challengers” premiere in Los Angeles Tuesday night. “But it’s beyond me.” We reported earlier that “Euphoria” season 3 is anticipated to debut in 2025, following numerous delays since the airing of its second season in 2019. HBO announced postponing the third season on March 25 but noted that series creator Sam Levinson is “committed to making an exceptional third season.” According to Teen Vogue, season 3 of “Euphoria” has not started filming because it is still being written. Two legendary music groups, The Commodores and The Pointer Sisters are heading out on a co-headline tour: An Evening of Icons. Produced by Live Nation and represented by Seth Shomes at Day After Day Productions (DADP), the first tour leg kicks off on July 11th at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL. It will make stops in Wantagh, Raleigh, Tuscaloosa, Tampa, and more before wrapping up in Primm, NV, on November 30th. The Spinners and El DeBarge are the special guests on select dates. “I grew up on the classic songs of The Commodores, The Pointer Sisters, The Spinners, and El DeBarge,” said Shomes, “So to create a tour concept with them as their agent is a bucket list item for me! I couldn’t be prouder to have Day After Day Productions represent their touring careers and it will be a thrill to see so many fans singing along with every word in 2024!” Tickets will be available starting with presales beginning on Wednesday, April 17th, ahead of the general on-sale beginning Friday, April 19th at 10am local time at LiveNation.com. After 14 seasons in the NBA, Blake Griffin announced his retirement from basketball in a statement released on social media Tuesday. “I never really envisioned myself as the guy who would have a ‘letter to basketball’ retirement announcement,” Griffin wrote on April 16, Vibe reports. “And I’m still not going to be that guy. But as I reflected on my career, the one feeling I kept coming back to and the one thing I wanted to express was thankfulness,” he continued. “I’m thankful for every single moment — not just the good ones: the wins, the awards, the dunks, and the memorable times spent with family, friends, fans, teammates, and coaches,” Griffin wrote. “I could continue on about the people in my life who have contributed immensely to my career, but in this short non-letter, I have to acknowledge my parents, Tommy and Gail, and my brother, Taylor, for their unconditional support and guidance. Lastly, my agent Sam Goldfeder, who has been a steadfast voice of reason and my wartime consigliere — thank you.” When you think of a Doula, it’s traditionally a role held by women. Doulas are trained to support pregnant women. James and Shunquita Hogue became new parents three years ago. They used a midwife, and after extensive research, decided they wanted a natural home birth. “About six to eight weeks prior to our scheduled due date, my wife experienced complications; gestational diabetes, preeclampsia,” James Hogue said. Preeclampsia is a serious form of high blood pressure that is 60% more common in Black women than in white women, according to the Preeclampsia Foundation. “It happens more often than not and it was like, ‘What could we have done differently?’ It’s not much we could have. There’s the saying ‘Things happen the way it happens,'” Shunquita Hogue said. An expectant mother never wants to have to change to a Plan B for their first baby, but it was the safest option for Shunquita and their son. Highly successful playwright Mark Hunter debuts new stage play “What’s a Man to Do” starring Willie Taylor (“Love & Hip-Hop”) and Monifah Carter (“R&B Divas”). The heart-stirring stage play is about a single father who is dealing with life’s complexities. “What’s a Man to Do” will be at the Flagstar Strand Theatre (12 N. Saginaw Street, Pontiac, MI 48342) Saturday May 18, 2024 at 3pm and 8pm. Produced by ReMARKable Productions, “What’s a Man to Do” is written by Mark Hunter (ReMARKable Productions) and directed by Shawnta McDougle (Sin’derella, Your God, My Enemy). The gripping stage play delves into the life of a single father who is going through personal turmoil at the same time he is dealing with a family secret. Produced by ReMARKable Productions, “What’s a Man to Do” is written by Mark Hunter (ReMARKable Productions) and directed by Shawnta McDougle (Sin’derella, Your God, My Enemy). The gripping stage play delves into the life of a single father who is going through personal turmoil at the same time he is dealing with a family secret. In a momentous turn of events, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, successor to Rev. Jesse Jackson as leader of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, announced his resignation from the presidency, citing a challenging financial landscape. The news, though unexpected, underscores the profound commitment to social justice that has defined the organization’s ethos for decades. Dr. Haynes, in his resignation statement released on April 16, expressed his unwavering dedication to the cause of social justice while honoring the illustrious legacy of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. He affirmed, “I remain committed to honoring the rich history of RPC and the legacy of its esteemed leader, the incomparable Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr., and, most significantly, to the calling and pursuit of social justice.” Sources close to RPC revealed that financial woes had plagued the organization, contributing to Dr. Haynes’ difficult decision. While neither Dr. Haynes nor Rev. Jackson could be reached for comment, their silence speaks volumes about the gravity of the situation. Despite stepping down from his role at RPC, Dr. Haynes continues to serve as the Senior Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, embodying his unwavering commitment to uplifting communities and advocating for change. https://youtu.be/KZHAW3dZiJU Founded in 1971, RPC has been a stalwart champion of civil rights, endeavoring to level the economic and educational playing fields while promoting peace and justice worldwide. The organization traces its roots back to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Operation Breadbasket, a movement spearheaded by the iconic Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and led by Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Dr. Haynes’ installation event earlier this year was a testament to the widespread support and admiration he garnered within the community. Revered figures such as Roland Martin, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Vice President Kamala Harris lauded his leadership and dedication to the cause of justice. Rev. Sharpton, delivering a powerful keynote address at the event, underscored the urgency of the moment, calling for a renewed commitment to the fight for justice. Vice President Harris, echoing similar sentiments, expressed confidence in Dr. Frederic D. Haynes’ ability to navigate the challenges of the present moment and uphold the values of the organization. https://youtu.be/D7QnxACzgbE Queen Bey is giving Levi’s brand a lift. Beyoncé’s hit country album “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which features the song “Levii’s Jeans” with rapper Post Malone, has lyrics like “denim on denim on denim on denim.” At the same time, she posted an image on Instagram of her wearing a pair of jeans with a denim shirt and a denim bag. All of which has sent fans flocking to Levi’s for denim jeans, denim jackets, and Western clothing since the album was released on March 29. Visits to Levi’s stores increased 20% during the week of Easter Sunday compared to the average for Easter week over the past three years, according to data from Pass_by, which measures customer foot traffic to retail stores. Levi’s did not share any sales data about Beyoncé’s effect. https://youtu.be/6dO5iXZWkrA Levi’s has made its own moves to capitalize on Beyoncé namechecking the brand and the extra attention it’s receiving. It temporarily changed its name on Instagram to “Levii’s” to recognize the song. “Denim is having a moment and the Levi’s brand is having a powerful moment around the world,” Levi’s CEO Michelle Gass said on an earnings call with analysts this month. “I don’t think there’s any better evidence or proof point than having someone like Beyoncé, who is a culture shaper, to actually name a song after us.” “Act II: Cowboy Carter” has also led to a rise in Western boot sales. The album included Western-themed songs such as “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” Sales for Western boots increased by 24% the week that Beyoncé released the album, according to data from market research firm Circana. Sales spiked another 45% the following week when “Texas Hold ‘Em” reached the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, Circana said. https://www.instagram.com/beyonce/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2eeffc52-18fb-4592-856c-f332decb3c72 “We can expect a resurgence in western style this year as a result of the aesthetic playing a prominent role in pop culture – on the stage with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift,” who also wore cowboy boots on her Eras album tour, Beth Goldstein, a footwear and accessories analyst at Circana, wrote in a research note. Beyoncé has also lifted Western boot sales at Calares, a women’s shoe and accessories chain, said Dana Telsey, a retail analyst at Telsey Advisory Group. Beyoncé has made history as the first Black woman to come in at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart with her “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” according to Billboard. The new collection also tops the Billboard 200 Albums chart, marking Beyoncé’s eighth time doing so. Beyoncé’s concerts and music tours have been an economic driver for brands, fashions and even local and regional economies over the years. Etsy last year reported a 25% increase in searches for disco hats and a 25% increase in searches for silver blouses and corsets after Beyoncé made a last-minute request for fans to wear silver at the Renaissance tour in honor of her birthday. https://youtu.be/esnhbIbQHgM In an exclusive interview, Babs Olusanmokun offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his role in Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” shedding light on the character development and the excitement of working on the highly anticipated project. Best known for his role in “Star Trek,” Babs recently appeared in “Book of Clarence” and is now one of the leads in Ritchie’s action-packed adventure that stars Henry Cavill (Justice League), Alan Ritchson (REACHER), Eiza Gonzalez, and Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians). The feature is based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events that are detailed in the book “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops” by Damien Lewis. https://youtu.be/zvwDen1Wrx8 Amid the dazzling opulence of Los Angeles, the 10th annual Breakthrough Prize ceremony epitomized a breathtaking fusion of Hollywood glamour and scientific achievement. Branded as the “Oscars of Science,” this illustrious gathering pays homage to the intrepid scientists whose pioneering discoveries reshape our understanding of the universe, life, and technology. Also present at the event was the one and only Elon Musk who was intrigued by our “breakthrough” question which led to him expounding on the challenge of Artificial Intelligence/AI. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the prestigious Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, luminaries from both entertainment and innovation spheres converged, including Robert Downey Jr., Kim Kardashian, Jessica Chastain, Brie Larson, Elon Musk, Glenn Close, Olivia Wilde, Margot Robbie, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Venus Williams, Alicia Keys, Lizzo, Ed Norton, David Foster, and a constellation of other notable figures. Central to the Breakthrough Prize ethos is a profound reverence for research that propels the frontiers of knowledge, pushing the limits of human comprehension and inspiring generations to come. https://youtu.be/x0t4QB--P2c GRAMMY-winning rapper Future and GRAMMY-nominated music producer Metro Boomin have announced dates for the We Trust You Tour, presented by Cash App and Visa. Produced by Live Nation, the arena tour run kicks off on Tuesday, July 30, in Kansas City, MO, at T-Mobile Center, per the news release. It will also hit up Detroit, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Houston, Toronto, Las Vegas, Inglewood, Seattle, and more before wrapping up in Vancouver, BC, at Rogers Arena on September 9. The 27-date tour also features a festival performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL, on August 3. Per the release, the tour supports Future and Metro Boomin’s most recent collaborations, WE DON’T TRUST YOU, which was released March 22, and WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU, which dropped April 12. https://www.instagram.com/metroboomin/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a58b1c9c-8732-4c27-abe3-0b2206e9085f GSN-Acclaimed actor Michael Douglas steps into the shoes of Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s most iconic founding fathers, in the new Apple TV series, “Franklin.” The first three episodes of “Franklin” are now available to stream on Apple TV Plus. The next episode will premiere on Friday, April 19. The cast includes Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place) as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert (Call My Agent!) as Comte de Vergennes, Daniel Mays (Line of Duty) as Edward Bancroft, Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin) as Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan (Back to Black) as John Adams, Assaad Bouab (Call My Agent!) as Beaumarchias, Jeanne Balibar (Irma Vep) as Madame Helvetius, and Theodore Pellerin (There’s Someone Inside Your House) as Marquis de Lafayette. https://youtu.be/YPG4I2jPSRE Talk about giving Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” a facelift/reimage; well, how about moving it from Denmark to somewhere in the South, and instead of a royal family, you have a bar-b-que empire. What about making Hamlet a fat, Black, gay man named Juicy? Yep, that is “Fat Ham,” the James Ijames written, Pulitzer Prize-winning, Tony Award-nominated stage play, which is being performed now through May 5, at the beautiful Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, CA. Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the 2021 fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. On Monday (Apr. 15), Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer in New Mexico handed down the maximum penalty sentence for Guiterrez-Reed’s role in the tragedy, Complex reports. Hutchins was shot in the chest by a prop weapon during a gunfight scene in the Joel Souza-directed film. Guiterrez-Reed, 27, was accused of not properly inspecting the gun. The firearm, utilized by actor Alec Baldwin, was intended to be loaded with inert rounds. The jury convicted Guiterrez-Reed of involuntary manslaughter but did not find her guilty of evidence tampering. In a statement, she expressed her disappointment with her portrayal in the media following the shooting. https://youtu.be/lzpkmguQJqk The NBA has banned Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter from the league after an investigation found that the 24-year-old had violated betting rules. The league announced in March it had opened an investigation into anomalies involving bets about Porter after unusual betting patterns around the player emerged. The NBA said its investigation found that Porter had “violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games.” “There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams, and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place, including the types of bets offered on our games and players,” added Silver. “Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.” https://youtu.be/5mpwXQUeXWc The NBA also found that Porter affected his own participation in games to influence bets on his performance in Toronto games. Additionally, the league also found that Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games between January and March this year. The bets totaled $54,094, ranging from $15 to $22,000, with the total payout being $76,059, resulting in net winnings of $21,965. While Porter was not involved in any of the games in which he bet on, there was a series of bets on a Raptors game in which he predicted that Toronto would lose. All three bets were unsuccessful. In 26 games this season with the Raptors, Porter averaged almost 14 minutes and just over four points per game. https://youtu.be/LOAe_if7SCk Tyler Perry has inked a new multi-year deal with BET Media Group. The agreement includes renewing eight of his shows for the network and its streaming platform BET+. Per Variety, “BET has renewed “Tyler Perry’s Sistas” for its eighth season, “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” for Season 6 and “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living” for a sixth season. Also renewed is “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” for its sixth season on BET (and 12th overall, having previously run in syndication and TBS),” the outlet writes. BET+ will stream “Tyler Perry’s Zatima,” “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless,” Tyler Perry’s Bruh,” and “All The Queen’s Men.” Additionally, the network has commissioned a new scripted series from Perry, “Route 187. According to Variety, the project is a drama about violence on a bus route. NBA player Rudy Gobert shared his experiences with racism as a child in an essay published by The Players’ Tribune. The Minnesota Timberwolves star disclosed that the racial encounters started during infancy and involved close family members. In the essay, Gobert recalls a conversation between his mother, who is white, and members of her family who did not welcome him to a “big Christmas dinner” when he was a boy. “It’s a painful memory, but one that I need to share,” he wrote of the moment, which occurred in his home country of France. “You see, every year, my mom’s side of the family had this big Christmas dinner at a certain person’s house. My mom is white. My dad is Black. He’s from Guadeloupe, and he was playing basketball professionally in France when they met. My mom already had two white children from her previous relationship, and then I came into the world,” he wrote, “And for some people, that was a problem.” Gobert’s father returned to Guadeloupe in the Caribbean to play professional basketball when Rudy was two. https://www.instagram.com/playerstribune/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5359f3c1-d08c-43a1-98f2-0ad207fd86a9 We take you to Miami International Airport (MIA) , Not for air travel, but to check out a guy having free reign to go through the luggage at the unclaimed baggage area to ‘shop’ for clothes. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MIA-unclaimed-baggage-shopper.png According to Madame Noire, viral footage of the situation was captured by a woman and shared on an Instagram account, AFlyGuyTravels. “I have never in my life seen nothing like this,” the astonished woman said while filming and watching the unnamed man, who had a couple of suitcases near him. The woman mentioned the man had sifted through four bags. “This man is going through people’s luggage,” she said. “This is ridiculous.” https://www.instagram.com/aflyguytravels/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=14f5eb17-d8cb-4d07-a1b9-065c22c6ec57 Here is an exclusive clip of We tv’s captivating new show, “Love During Lockup.” The news release states that the docuseries introduces viewers to six couples navigating romance challenges in the prison system. Here’s the series synopsis: Love During Lockup reveals the fascinating moments that happen when people look for love and begin relationships with inmates. The captivating docuseries introduces viewers to six couples navigating the challenges of romance in the prison system. Each person has a unique strategy for finding love behind bars. Some are completely obsessed with finding the prisoner of their dreams and their daily lives revolve around this pursuit. For others, this may be their first time reaching out and embarking on such an unconventional relationship. These couples face unique challenges from sending money, first video dates and visits, to the heartbreak and frustration of the prison system, but is it true love or just a con? https://youtu.be/DJPXqlT4-AE Rumors of a split between Halle Bailey and rapper boyfriend DDG are swirling after fans noticed they stopped following each other on social media. According to RadarOnline.com, Bailey and her baby daddy no longer follow each other on Instagram. Fueling speculation, the duo has seemingly removed most of their couple photos from their respective accounts. DDG was noticeably absent at Halle’s Coachella performance this past weekend. DDJ and Halle made their Instagram debut as a couple in March 2022. They welcomed their first child, a son named Halo, in December. “The Little Mermaid” star kept a low profile during her pregnancy and remained coy when fans pressed her on social media about pregnancy rumors. After Beyoncé’s repeated snubs in the Album of the Year showdown, she’s trading her pop diva crown for a Stetson and moseying on down to the heartland of country music. Who knew all it would take was a cold shoulder from the Grammy’s to spark a full-blown honky-tonk transformation? Janet Charlton, the gossip guru, has tongues wagging with whispers from the grapevine that country tunes have bewitched Bey – wife to Jay-Z and mother of Blue, Rumi, and Sir – coaxing her to set aside her pop anthems for something with a little more twang. “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” her homespun homage to Country music/Nashville, is lording over the Billboard charts like it bought some prime real estate up there—which, coincidentally, isn’t far from the truth. https://youtu.be/7xYXNKjavk4 “Beyoncé is going all in on her re-branding as a country music star. Not only is her debut country album ‘Cowboy Carter’ topping the charts, but now Beyoncé and Jay-Z are shopping for a mansion in Nashville and looking to open up a music venue there as well,” writes Charlton. But hold your horses—Beyoncé isn’t just flirting with a country crooner career; she’s reinventing herself as the queen of the prairie. Not content with just topping the charts, she and her main man, Jay-Z, are supposedly scouring for a sprawling estate and looking to become Nashville royalty by opening a music venue. That’s right, folks, the Carter clan is about to turn Music City into their own little empire. https://youtu.be/MmSMXd1wLh8 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is pressing for expanding work permits to cover long-term undocumented immigrants, citing economic advantages. Johnson urged President Joe Biden to grant work permits to around 500,000 undocumented immigrants in Illinois. Mayor Johnson wants to provide economic opportunities for all immigrants. During a recent roundtable with urban business leaders, he noted that undocumented individuals could potentially enhance life in Chicago, according to Fox News. “I want to make this emphatically clear: Chicago will never turn its back on people who wish to call the city of Chicago their home,” Mayor Johnson stated, Moguldom reports. “We need the president to extend the same economic opportunities to our long-term undocumented brothers and sisters,” Johnson told business and immigrant advocates, per the Chicago Sun-Times. https://youtu.be/-pJC-gy5KsI When 19-year-old Sade Robinson didn’t show up for her shift at a Wisconsin pizza restaurant on April 2, her co-workers immediately suspected something was wrong. The evening before, Robinson had planned a first date with Maxwell Anderson, 33, at a local seafood restaurant, according to a criminal complaint against Anderson. He is now facing charges of homicide, mutilation of a corpse, and arson in connection with Robinson’s death. The young college student had been looking forward to the date, even telling a worker in her building how excited she was, the complaint said. She texted Anderson she was “feeling seafood” and headed out to meet him at a seafood restaurant where he used to work, wearing ripped jeans and a white shirt, according to the complaint. Robinson was a vibrant, extroverted presence at the Pizza Shuttle, Manager Justin Romano described her to CNN affiliate WDJT-TV as “very outgoing, she would talk to everybody here. She was always there to lighten the mood.” Not showing up for work the next day “wasn’t like her at all,” Romano, the manager on duty at the Pizza Shuttle the day Robinson disappeared, told WDJT-TV. “We kind of knew something was up; we had been calling her all day.” One of Robinson’s friends called the police that night, saying she had not returned her calls or shown up for work, the criminal complaint said. Police visited Robinson’s apartment for a welfare check but did not find her there. https://youtu.be/rMeqNNdG34k?list=RDNSrMeqNNdG34k Since evolving away from tennis, Serena Williams has become a prolific investor inside and outside the sporting world with stakes in soccer club Angel City FC and golf franchise Los Angeles Golf Club (LAGC) alongside her other ventures. And the 23-time grand slam champion told CNN’s Amanda Davies she is “super interested” in adding a WNBA team to her portfolio. “I absolutely would be (interested). With the right market, I would definitely be super interested in that,” she said, acknowledging the “moment” that women’s basketball is having after a successful NCAA tournament that broke all kinds of viewing records. The WNBA Draft takes place on Monday in which Caitlin Clark is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick is only sustaining that interest. Even before she moved away from tennis, Williams’ company Serena Ventures had invested in 66 startups, including 16 unicorns – companies valued at more than $1 billion. She has also sought to champion traditionally underrepresented entrepreneurs – 78% of the startups in which Serena Ventures had invested were started by women and people of color. Baby Dove has announced the launch of its Expecting Care campaign, which aims to build on its continued commitment to help close the Black maternal care gap. The new campaign features five Black Birth Equity Fund recipients in an impactful portrait series designed to increase awareness of the importance of lifesaving doula care, per the news release. Research shows that Black women are 3-5x more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than white women – with 60% of these deaths being preventable, the release states. However, a recent study found that expecting moms are 2x less likely to experience birth complications and are more likely to experience overall positive health outcomes when supported by a doula. The Baby Dove’s Black Birth Equity Project was launched in 2021. The initiative has provided over $650,000 in grants to help over 500 Black moms access doula support. “After receiving a grant from Baby Dove in 2023, I was able to hire a doula who acted as my personal advocate leading up to my due date and in the delivery room,” says Jazzmine Hall, a Black Birth Equity Fund Recipient featured in the Expecting Care campaign. https://www.instagram.com/babydovecare/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=45d9a5f3-8c5c-4c75-8f08-a87a834fd44a “It made me so much more confident in my journey, and I was able to enjoy my pregnancy more knowing I had someone who would be there to help me through the labor process,” she continued. “I’m so happy that Baby Dove is helping to bridge the equity gap and thrilled to be included alongside other Black expectant moms to advocate for the importance of doula care,” Hall added. https://www.instagram.com/babydovecare/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2003cdf7-9c06-466f-ab32-abd0fd871180 After eight seasons, Robyn Dixon is leaving Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Potomac” Dixon announced on the newest episode of her podcast Reasonably Shady that the “network did not invite me back” for another season, People reports. I was fired,” she told co-host Gizelle Bryant, her RHOP co-star. “Yes, I will not be returning for season 9 of The Real Housewives of Potomac,” Dixon said. “It’s reality. The network did not invite me back. I was fired, for lack of better words. I will not sugar-coat the situation the situation and say, ‘Ooh I am walking away and this is a break’ or anything like this. This is a network decision.” Dixon expressed contentment with her departure from the popular series. https://www.instagram.com/robyndixon10/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1fa8722b-a3b5-48e1-8108-1d58014e0356 South Carolina Senator Tim Scott is targeting the increasing demographic of Black voters open to voting for Trump in the presidential election, as indicated by recent polling data. We reported earlier that Scott has launched a weekly video series, “America’s Starting Five,” featuring five Black Republican congressional lawmakers. The aim is to elevate Black conservatives’ visibility and engage with Black voters. The first episode of the series, “America’s Starting Five,” challenged the stereotype that Black individuals are inherently aligned with the Democratic Party, The Hill reports. “In the first episode, the group discusses Joe Biden’s ‘you ain’t Black’ comments, what it means to be a Black Republican, and the growing coalition of Black Republicans,” the video caption reads. “Sen. Scott recognizes that he can draw people into the party, particularly Black men,” said a source familiar with the series’ planning, NBC News reports. This is an effort to highlight that.” https://youtu.be/yWPuzDFU_Go Faith Ringgold, the pioneering artist and author best known for her narrative quilts that interwove art with activism, has died at 93. Ringgold’s death, at her home in New Jersey on Saturday, was first reported by the New York Times. “Faith leaves behind an impactful legacy of activism and advocacy for diversity and inclusion that has left a lasting mark on the art world, inspiring countless others to use their voice as a tool for social change,” said Dorian Bergen, President of ACA Galleries, which had represented Ringgold for nearly three decades, in a statement provided to CNN. “We will miss her deeply, and remain committed to continuing this legacy by sharing her work, philosophies, and life with the world.” Ringgold, born in 1930 in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance, drew inspiration from the tumultuous social realities she lived through. As a student, her formal initiation in the arts was almost curtailed by the City College of New York’s regulations of the time, which restricted women to specific majors — art not being one of them. However, Ringgold’s adamancy led her to strike a deal with a school administrator: Her art studies were contingent upon primarily enrolling in the school of education, where women were allowed. After earning her bachelor’s degree in fine art and education in 1955, Ringgold began teaching art in public schools while developing her own art. She later received a master’s degree in art from City College in 1959. Her early work was influenced by civil and racial unrest and had patent and profound political and social tones. https://youtu.be/1NlyAaKesJc Clarence “Frogman” Henry, one of New Orleans’ iconic R&B singers, passed away on April 7 at age 87. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation confirmed his death on social media but did not disclose the cause. According to Rolling Stone, Henry experienced declining health over the past few years and had recently undergone an unspecified surgery. “It is with profound sadness that we share the news of Clarence “Frogman” Henry’s passing. A beloved icon of New Orleans music, he passed away at the age of 87 on Sunday night, surrounded by friends and family,” the organization tweeted. Henry’s hits in the 1950s and ’60s included “Ain’t Got No Home” and “(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do.” He attained modest success with renditions of “You Always Hurt the One You Love” and “Lonely Street.” https://youtu.be/TdZ2PO33P94 In 1964, Henry joined the Beatles during their American tour. He later told OffBeat magazine that he was paid $750 weekly for the tour. Following a lull in his career, Henry’s income was significantly boosted when “Ain’t Got No Home” was featured on the soundtracks of several films, including “Forrest Gump.” In a 2022 interview, he reminisced about crafting his infamous frog-like croak in high school. He achieved this signature vocal style by singing and inhaling simultaneously. Henry attributed the nickname “Frogman” to disc jockey Poppa Stoppa, who coined it in homage to Fats Domino’s moniker, the “Fatman.” “We do a variety of music,” he told John Broven, the author of Walking to New Orleans (1974), The Guardian reports. “We don’t cater to one style of songs. We do Dixieland, pop, the classics, you know. We don’t do opera, though. The only thing we do is soap opera.” https://twitter.com/Jazznheritage/status/1777403390554767647/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1777403390554767647%7Ctwgr%5Eaaaacfc7b57c299f14726b19bbaf602d89645241%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fclarence-frogman-henry-passes-away-at-87%2F “Tar Beach,” which chronicles the story of a young Black girl in Harlem during the Great Depression, has been criticized for its raw portrayal of African American life and faced attempts to have it removed from elementary school libraries. “I hope people will be inspired by my art and find the courage as I did to do whatever they feel moved to do,” Ringgold told Wallpaper magazine in 2022, “It takes courage to be free and express one’s own vision. Everyone is important and has a unique story to tell.” https://youtu.be/RscpfkvVaP4 In the span of four films, Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler have carved a successful pattern of collaborations. From critical independent film success (“Fruitvale Station”) to reigniting interest in the Rocky franchise (“Creed”) to cementing the Black Panther character’s place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (“Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”), Jordan and Coogler = film industry success. As the duo gets set to work on their next project, fans look forward to another level reached. If things go right, that will be the case. According to ScreenRant, little is known about the pending effort, other than it will be a historical period piece involving a vampire story. Despite their successful track record, the feature would find Coogler and Jordan in uncertain waters with the period piece. Yet, things could swim another way, demonstrating the range of the productive duo, making them even more well-rounded and appealing for those searching for a solid pair to helm whatever project they have in mind. “Not only is the collaboration exciting because it sees the two deviate from their usual subject material, but it can also reflect their range in a way not yet seen,” ScreenRant expressed while acknowledging the impact of the film’s distributor, Warner Bros. Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, and Kamilla Cardoso were among the top first-round picks at the WNBA draft on April 15 at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York. Reese has officially joined the Chicago Sky. The WNBA team selected her as the seventh pick. The league’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, presented Reese with her No. 24 jersey, marking her transition from the former LSU Tigers star to a professional player. Joining Reese on the Chicago Sky is Kamilla Cardoso, the draft’s third overall pick. Earlier this month, Reese announced in a story for Vogue she is leaving LSU for the WNBA. She also shared her decision on Instagram. “I’ve done everything I wanted to in college,” Reese said in the Vogue story. “I’ve won a national championship, I’ve gotten [Southeastern Conference] Player of the Year, I’ve been an All-American. My ultimate goal is to be a pro – and to be one of the greatest basketball players to play, ever. I feel like I’m ready.” Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free teamed with “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for a comedy film that hits theaters next year. According to Variety, the movie is slated for release on July 4, 2025, via Paramount Pictures. While Kendrick Lamar’s involvement in front of the camera remains uncertain, the report notes his and Dave Free’s roles in the production. Discussing Film describes the feature as a musical that follows “a young Black man interning as a slave reenactor at a living history museum who discovers that his white girlfriend’s ancestors once owned his.” Meanwhile, Kendrick’s reps have clarified that the currently untitled film is not a musical. Lamar and Grammy winner Dave Free will produce the film through pgLang, their multidisciplinary communications company. Assemblymembers Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) last week added their names to a growing list of California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) members who have introduced legislation aimed at addressing the state’s retail theft problem. Jones-Sawyer and McCarty appeared with Attorney General Rob Bonta, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, legislative colleagues, district attorneys, business leaders, and law enforcement personnel to introduce seven bipartisan bills at the Capitol Annex Swing Space on April 9. “The Assembly is moving forward with a comprehensive, balanced, and bipartisan legislative package that seeks to strengthen public safety, and protect shoppers, and business owners across California,” Rivas said. Jones-Sawyers introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1802 – the Retail Crime Force Sunset Extension. The bill would eliminate the expiration date on another Jones-Sawyer bill, AB 1065, which was passed in 2018. AB 1802 would require the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Justice to create regional property crimes task forces to assist local law enforcement with resources to fight retail theft in affected parts of the state. Currently, the CHP property crime task force has conducted 1,225 investigations, made over 1,800 arrests, and recovered almost a half million items of stolen merchandise valued at more than $21 million in areas across California, according to information provided Jones-Sawyer’s office. World-renowned legendary award-winning Gospel recording artist, Lillian Lilly will make history as she prepares to do the filming of her first music video on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at Christ Tabernacle Church in Jackson, MS where Rev. Hosea J. Hines is the pastor. This will be a historic milestone in Lilly’s career in the Gospel music industry. It will be hosted by Emmy-nominated and award-winning news anchor, Kayla Thompson of WJTV News 12. The music video taping marks another accomplishment for the anticipated release of Lilly’s new single, At the Center of Grace by Xpress Music Group, Inc., a new independent record label in Atlanta, Georgia. The taping begins at 3:30 PM CST and is open to the public. Doors will close at 3:15 PM CST. According to Xpress Music Group, the production will be directed by Texas Gospel Music Excellence Award winner James C. Birdsong, Jr., three-time Stellar Award nominee and multi-award-winning femcee Miz Tiffany, and Emmy Award-winning videographer Justin M. Burks. It is described as a live performance setting with additional scenes in a storyline. Keyshia Cole confirmed on social media Monday that she is dating drill rapper Hunxho. The 42-year-old songstress sparked dating rumors with the 24-year-old artist when they were spotted holding hands at a club in Atlanta earlier this month. On Monday (April 15), Cole hit up X/Twitter to write, “@hunxho mine.” All Hip-Hop reports that Hunxho responded with a heart emoji. One person called on Hunxho to break Cole’s heart and provide her with new material for her music. “I hope he don’t,” Cole responded. “God bless.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C5eQxfWu7xJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4aa99546-f642-47ab-98d7-e1638226ad58 An incident in Ohio has led to an 81-year-old man being charged with the fatal shooting of an Uber driver under the troubling belief that she was part of a complex fraud scheme. The man, identified as William Brock of Clark County, allegedly shot Loletha Hall, aged 61, at his residence on March 25, purportedly suspecting her role in a scam that targeted him for ransom money. Recently, Brock became a target for scammers who initially tricked him into believing a relative was incarcerated and required thousands for release, eventually escalating their demands to resemble a kidnapping ransom situation, leaving him disconcerted. Lt. Kristopher Shultz of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office told NBC News that Brock had received a “scam call” earlier that day from a person “purporting to be someone from our courts who informed him a family member was incarcerated and that he had a bond of a significant amount of money.” Simultaneously, in what appears to be either a cruel coincidence or a coordinated scam, Hall also received deceptive instructions from scammers to retrieve money from Brock’s home. Upon her arrival, video footage from Hall’s vehicle dashcam reveals a tense scenario with her screaming for help as Brock, armed with a gun, approaches. Despite Hall’s attempts to escape, audio indicates Brock fatally shot her. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-04-16-041624-uber-driver-shot-1812406-264/ O.J. Simpson’s longtime attorney has changed his stance on payments to the parents of murder victim Ron Goldman. Malcolm LaVergne, an attorney and executor of Simpson’s will, affirmed his commitment to honoring any claim made by the Goldmans to recover the millions awarded to them in a 1998 civil judgment against O.J. “I can tell you in advance, Fred Goldman’s claim will be accepted. And his claim will be handled in accordance with Nevada law,” LaVergne, who has represented Simpson since 2009, told THR. LaVergne previously told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he opposed Ron Goldman’s family obtaining funds from the estate. “Within an hour of knowing that O.J. died, he started talking sh*t,” LaVergne told THR about Fred Goldman. Former NBA player Nate Robinson says he doesn’t have long to live if he can’t get a kidney replacement. Robinson has been searching for a new kidney for the past four years following a diagnosis of renal kidney failure. He stressed the urgency of his situation in a new interview, stating that without a kidney replacement, he fears for his life. “I know that I don’t have long if I can’t get a kidney,” Robinson told the Daily Mail Sports. “I know I’m not going to have long to live. So I just want to make the best of it as much as I can,” he added. Robinson relies on a dialysis machine for his longevity and survival. The former guard said he would have a “week or two” to live without it. https://twitter.com/i/status/1778123468694827187 “It’s serious, can’t miss a day,” Robinson said. “I go in for four hours, three days a week, four hours a day,” he shared. “And they clean my blood to get my toxins out. And they help me out a lot because that’s how I’m living.” “So I’m just enjoying the times where I do feel healthy. I try to get out there with my kids, see my family and play basketball, do the things that I love,” Robinson added. Robinson detailed his over-a-decade-long battle with kidney disease in a 2022 documentary. https://youtu.be/TFwUkOQF56w A member of a White supremacist group wrote a racist letter addressed to members of the California Legislature and Attorney General Rob Bonta claiming deaths of Black mothers and children during childbirth are God’s will. Earlier this month, the Assembly Committee on Health voted 12 to 2 to advance Assembly Bill (AB) 2319, the California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, legislation crafted to address the high infant mortality among Black women. Opposing that decision last week, a person claiming to be a member of two racist White Supremacist organizations sent a letter to the office of Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). Wilson, Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), is the author of AB 2319.“I submit this letter in strong and vehement opposition of AB 2319,” the letter obtained by California Black Media stated. “We believe that every non-White birth in this state is a drain on the taxpayers and that any miscarriage or complication that results in death or defect of the mother, or the child, is God’s way of ensuring population control among Blacks and other minorities.” Wilson said she and her staff were shocked by the raw hatred expressed in the letter. https://youtu.be/r0uA-SYpubY Tyrese Simmons, the man accused of firing into a Dallas apartment and killing a 9-year-old girl in a feud with another rapper, could get a plea deal. Simmons’ criminal trial began last week. It ended in a mistrial and now sources tell CBS News Texas that prosecutors are considering a plea deal. Simmons is facing life in prison if convicted. Court documents show he will be back in a Dallas County courtroom on Monday for a plea hearing. “[It] makes me very angry, very angry,” said Vaneta Andrews. “And I don’t think he should be getting off!” https://youtu.be/hGigRlznWHI In August of 2019, the murder rate in Dallas was approaching a high not seen in a decade. But Brandoniya’s murder still struck a nerve. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson spoke at her funeral, vowing “We cannot, I cannot allow her death to have been in vain.” Police later identified Simmons as the suspect. According to detectives, Simmons was feuding with another wannabe rapper over lyrics. And mistakenly fired into Brandoniya’s apartment instead of the rapper he was targeting. https://youtu.be/J9Wi6n6YiQI Reggaeton sensation J Balvin basically freaked out his Coachella crowd in awe when he brought out Will Smith on Sunday (04-14-24). Smith joined the Colombian singer on stage for a rendition of his iconic 1997 track, “Men In Black,” famously associated with the movie of the same name. The surprise cameo seamlessly fit into Balvin’s otherworldly-themed performance, complete with a colossal alien head and a mock UFO. Dressed in the signature black suit and sunglasses of his “Men in Black” character, Smith made a dramatic entrance onto the stage from a rising platform, exclaiming, “Coachella!” The man in black then delivered the rap while surrounded by backing dancers clad in alien attire and black suits, according to The Independent. https://youtu.be/zwvPGbfpz7U As the song concluded, Balvin was whisked off-stage by the suit-clad dancers, while Smith brandished a “Neuralyzer,” the iconic memory-wiping device from the film franchise. To cap off the performance screens around the stage displayed the message “Dance in your Darkest Moments.” This electrifying moment came shortly after Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, shared a series of photos on Instagram showcasing their enjoyment of the festival alongside their daughter, Willow, who performed at Coachella in 2023. The caption, “A great show and old friends,” seemed to allude to a final snapshot featuring Pinkett Smith embracing popstar Justin Bieber while Smith beamed in the background. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uZzpARixriA?feature=share As clips of the unexpected collaboration circulated online, fans expressed their astonishment. “What’s happening at Coachella?” one bewildered fan wrote. “Are we living in a simulation?” pondered another. “Brought out the Fresh Prince for real?” remarked a third, referring to another iconic Smith character. This appearance marked a rare public outing for Smith, who has maintained a relatively low profile since his headline-making incident at the 2022 Oscars when he slapped Chris Rock. Nonetheless, Smith’s portrayal of Richard Williams in “King Richard” earned him the Best Actor award at the ceremony. Fans can anticipate Smith’s return to the silver screen in the upcoming “Bad Boys 4.” https://www.instagram.com/jadapinkettsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f7c44e3d-8151-4d19-afe9-56c83e1d3e0f Overall, Coachella’s performances were full of surprise guests this weekend, including Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Shakira, Paris Hilton, and Kesha, the latter of whom changed the lyrics to her hit song “Tik Tok” to say “F*** P. Diddy” during her performance with Reneé Rapp, reports The Desert Sun. https://youtu.be/avnQx8BojG8 World-renowned photographer Matthew Jordan Smith is celebrating 37 years of an illustrious photography career with a special online webinar dedicated to the legacy of the incomparable Gordon Parks and Aretha Franklin. The international, free online tribute is scheduled on Wednesday, April 17, at 10:00 a.m. ET will also give insights into the shoots that defined Smith’s role as a photographer of celebrities, fashion, and beauty. Reserve your spot for this once-in-a-lifetime webinar. Since his breakout assignment in 1992 with lawyer and educator Anita Hill for Essence magazine, Smith has risen to fame capturing the intimate nuances of stars like Oprah Winfrey, Zendaya, Halle Berry, Samuel L. Jackson, George Lucas, Angelina Jolie, and of course, The Queen of Soul. His ability to distill the aura of such icons into a single frame has garnered him international praise and solidified his place as a stellar figure in portrait photography. Hip-hop artist Fredro Starr from the rap group Onyx has some simple advice for struggling artists: Get a real job. “Get a f*cking job! Let me keep it real,” the veteran artist said in a new interview with BagFuel. During the conversation, Starr reflected on his path and the moment he was noticed by the late Hip-Hop icon Jam Master Jay of Run-D.M.C., who initially confused him for a drug dealer. “When Jay met me, you know what he asked me? He asked me if I sell drugs. You know why? Because I was making money,” Starr continued, Moguldom reports. https://youtu.be/F7DMDpK3XJE Earth, Wind & Fire will kick off a new Las Vegas residency at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian Resort Las Vegas this fall. The festivities will launch Oct. 9 — Oct. 19, with performances starting at 8:30 p.m. PT. As Vibe reports, this will be the band’s fifth run at The Venetian after hosting residencies in 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023. General tickets for the new shows are on sale now for as low as $59.95. Meanwhile, the group will begin the second leg of their tour with Lionel Richie on May 13 – June 16. Additionally, the R&B icons will join veteran rock band Chicago this summer for their Heart & Soul tour, which begins in July and concludes in September. https://www.instagram.com/earthwindandfire/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=af574035-181a-486e-8ddb-2a8d50081aca After 15 seasons, CBS has decided to conclude the long-running daytime chat show “The Talk.” Variety reports that the network announced that the “celebratory sendoff” episodes will air in December. For months, rumors about the show’s impending end have been circulating widely amid reports that panelists feared their jobs were on the line as CBS prepares to debut the first Black soap opera in over three decades. According to RadarOnline, an insider told the National Enquirer… “Behind the scenes, tension on The Talk is at an all-time high” between co-hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood. CBS officially confirmed the show’s conclusion to the cast and crew last week. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5q3-JTPhz6/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=61f5335f-2100-4acb-bc7b-912a4fe7238f LA-based model Jerzey Saint Wilson is gaining viral attention after a video of his participation in a “trans man realness” competition resurfaced. Many social media users are unaware that Jerzey is comedian Tommy Davidson’s son, Dreddsworld reports. According to The Pink News, the “trans man realness” competition contest occurred during The Main Attraction Arcade Ball, a video-game-themed drag ballroom event held in LA’s fashion district in 2023. Davidson recently showcased Jerzey (also known as Saint St Laurent) on Instagram, prompting admiration from women who claim the female-to-male social media star is stunning. According to DreddsWorld, one woman wrote, “If we try real hard I’m sure he can get me pregnant.” “So hear me out…..does he still hv a coochie,” another person wondered. https://www.tiktok.com/@rybproductionsinc2/video/7356673523860999466?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Ftommy-davidsons-transgender-son-goes-viral%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7356673523860999466 The video of Jerzey at the transman competition went viral on TikTok. It was reposted on X/Twitter and amassed 3.5 million impressions. Watch the clip above. According to The Pink News, Wilson competed in the “Private Security” category, described as: “Being security for a building is one thing. But you work for one of the biggest gaming executives of all time. You got the job because you fit all the criteria. One you’re ready for anything and the look of intimidation to match. In a nice clean look of your choice come and show why the boss made the right choice.” https://www.instagram.com/westside.jerzey.saint/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=47e49938-822b-4aa6-adf2-7fa2d8ef92a6 Jerzey is Tommy’s son with his first wife, a Black woman named Desiree Davidson. The IG post shows Jerzey as a little girl with his mother. https://www.instagram.com/westside.jerzey.saint/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=26def7e4-2606-48e7-b007-0083843e60c2 Jerzey shared the picture in 2018 along with a lengthy caption that said in part: “I pray everyday that he gives me second chances to right my wrongs with you. I pray that he helps me to grow into someone as giving and as selfless as you. I pray that he uses me as long as I’m here to be strong enough to carry you through your darkest days. I pray that he shows me how to be more and more like you.” https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsZYyTnMZhh/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=096f56b6-c1ac-43a4-a7c6-f9f03ef89eac The FBI is investigating New York City Mayor Eric Adams for receiving complimentary flight upgrades. RadarOnline.com reports that Adams received complimentary upgrades from Turkish Airlines, elevating him to first-class status. The New York Times reports federal investigators are scrutinizing Adams’s mayoral campaign, mainly focusing on free airfare upgrades. Adams is at the heart of a broader corruption inquiry involving his aides and a Turkish Airline executive, with investigators examining possible political favors in exchange for donations from Turkey. Adams’ involvement with Turkish Airlines allegedly extends beyond typical customer interactions. In November, the feds raided the mayor’s home and seized his phones and electronic devices. Per RadarOnline, “Investigators have also searched the homes of former Turkish Airline executive Cenk Öcal, as well as Adams’ top fundraiser Brianna Suggs and the mayor’s office director of protocol for international affairs, Rana Abbasova,” the outlet writes. Trey Songz has settled with a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her at a Los Angeles party in 2016. We reported earlier that the woman (identified as Jane Doe) initially filed a $20 million lawsuit in 2022, but it was dismissed after Songz’s team successfully argued that her claim was past the statute of limitations. According to Rolling Stone, she refiled the case a year later and recently settled with the singer. Jane Doe claims Trey sodomized her inside his home in 2016. She claims they initially had a consensual sexual relationship, but Songz became a “savage rapist” on the day of the alleged attack, the lawsuit states, Complex reports. At the time, a representative for the R&B artist denied the allegations in a statement to TMZ. “Earlier today, the attorney who drafted this suit was credibly accused of trying to pay a woman to falsely accuse Trey,” the rep said. “Hours later, that same attorney has filed this suit on behalf of an anonymous client. It isn’t hard to see what’s happening here, and it is a shame for genuine victims of sexual assault. The lawsuit leveled accusations of sexual assault, gender violence, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment against Songz. RadarOnline reports that Trey has settled the suit for an undisclosed amount. The court date that was scheduled for September 16 will be vacated. Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, attended the Royal Salute Polo Challenge to benefit Sentebale in Wellington, Florida, on April 12. After the match, Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, snapped photos with players and their friends Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras and his wife, Delfina, at the Grand Champions Polo Club. The haters are outraged over footage circulating on social media of Markle refusing to let a Black woman, identified as the head of Sentebale, stand next to Harry for a picture to celebrate his polo team’s win. As the woman attempts to stand beside Harry, Markle asks, “Do you want to come over here?” She smiles while motioning for the woman to stand on her left side instead. One Instagram user commented, “Meghan could have moved a side and let the lady stand next to him but then meghan only thinks about herself and what she wants and is scared he is going to escape…” Another critic added, “Why did Meghan Markle push the beautiful Black lady around?” https://www.instagram.com/sussexroyal_hm/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6f9d9a13-ebce-4a9d-91d4-6dd99f0119d0 WNBA star Brittney Griner and her wife Cherelle Griner are anticipating the arrival of their first child together. The couple announced the news on Saturday (April 13) via Instagram, sharing a photo of them holding hands next to an ultrasound image of their baby. The caption on the post reads, “Can’t believe we’re less than three months away from meeting our favorite human being🤍 #BabyGrinerComingSoon #July2024”. This will be Griner’s third child. In 2015, she welcomed twin girls with her ex-wife, Glory Johnson. After they separated, Griner said she had no responsibility to the twins, Ice Cream Convos reports. She was ultimately ordered to pay child support but it’s unclear if the WNBA star is actively involved in their lives.Brittney and Cherelle tied the knot in June 2019. Griner triumphantly returned to the WNBA last year after being released from a Russian penal colony in December 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5tr9V6vjXN/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0b632bd9-b036-4a54-a2b0-2b8d49985e5d Rihanna appeared at CinemaCon around this time last year to announce that she will voice the character of Smurfette in Paramount Animation’s “The Smurfs Movie.” “I tried to get the Papa Smurf role but It didn’t work out,” she said at the time, Variety reported. We reported earlier that the mother of two will serve as a producer on the project and write and record original music for the feature. During CinemaCon 2024, Paramount head Brian Robbins hailed RiRi as “the most legendary Smurfette ever.” During the studio’s panel on April 11, he also announced the star-studded cast set to appear in the Chris Miller-directed animated movie. MadameNoire reports that the voice cast includes Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, JP Karliak, Dan Levy, Amy Sedaris, Nick Kroll, and James Corden. https://youtu.be/X4S153IkCnA The reign of “King Charles” on CNN has reached its conclusion. Yep, the news giant is bidding farewell to what was supposed to be its prime-time gem featuring the dynamic duo of Charles Barkley and Gayle King, just shy of five months since its grand debut. The curtains closed on the CNN limited series in its final episode last week, as the co-hosts shared heartfelt thanks for the dedicated team behind the scenes and exchanged warm compliments. “I must admit, Charles, it’s been an absolute pleasure working alongside you. And something tells me, this isn’t our final act together,” King declared. “Keep that phone handy, Gayle,” Barkley teased in response. “To our viewers, until we meet again, whenever that may be, thank you for joining us over the past half-year. We’ve had a blast,” King bid farewell to the audience. https://youtu.be/ZX_dFwCaX-4 When CNN first unveiled the show last April, Barkley made it clear that it would steer clear of political divides. “We’re steering clear of labels like liberal, conservative, Republican, or Democrat. Those divisions have already tainted the airwaves,” he emphasized. A CNN representative reiterated that the show was always intended as a limited series, with its final bow scheduled for spring 2024. “King Charles has gracefully reached the conclusion of its scheduled run, as we announced from its inception last autumn. It proved to be a noteworthy addition to CNN’s lineup, capturing the attention of the youngest, most affluent, and most diverse audience within its cable news time slot,” the spokesperson affirmed. Conceived by former CNN CEO Chris Licht, the program paired his ex-CBS News compatriot, King, with the renowned and outspoken Barkley to dissect the week’s events. Despite early episodes struggling to resonate with viewers, CNN proudly highlights the show’s appeal to a youthful, affluent, and diverse audience. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GfjHdQehDzw?feature=share In the annals of legal history, O.J. Simpson‘s 1994 murder trial remains a contentious saga, with his exoneration stirring debate even now. Yet, Attorney Carl Douglas, a member of his celebrated defense team, dubbed the Dream Team, staunchly defends their trial tactics. Among their bold strategies, the utilization of the “race card” stands out, a move vigorously supported by Douglas, according to TMZ. He contends that the racial dimension was inevitable, asserting that both sides were cognizant of its significance in the proceedings. Douglas rebuffs accusations of mere manipulation, insisting they merely presented the evidence at hand. The trial occurred against the backdrop of heightened racial tensions post-Rodney King, injecting further complexity into an already charged atmosphere. Critics lambasted Simpson’s legal counsel for exploiting the schism between the Black community and law enforcement, alleging a calculated bid to secure a favorable verdict for their high-profile client. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-04-12-041224-carl-douglas-1811255-811/ In the latest episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher,” which aired last night (03-12-24) the provocateur-in-chief once again stirred the pot with gusto with his take on the not guilty verdict of O.J. Simpson was seen as “Payback.” Beneath the studio lights on Friday evening, Maher, alongside Piers Morgan, delved into a discussion spurred by O.J. Simpson’s recent passing from cancer—a conversation that treaded over well-worn ground with the subtlety of a freight train. They revisited that day in ’95 when Simpson’s not guilty verdict sent shock waves around the world, a verdict that Morgan decried as a mockery of justice. Morgan was captivated by the public’s willingness to acknowledge the possibility of Simpson’s guilt while also regarding the verdict as a symbolic victory against a flawed justice system. A travesty it seemed, yet all too complex. But Maher, assuming the cloak of sagacity, countered with the suggestion that the verdict wasn’t misinterpreted; rather, it was a moment of acute awareness for the Black community, who Maher claimed knew of Simpson’s guilt but found reason to cheer his victory in a historically biased system. The point—hardly a fresh take—was that Simpson’ https://twitter.com/i/status/1778981851371040857 Echoing the sentiments of Charles J. Ogletree Jr., who once remarked how Simpson was embraced not as a hero or sports icon, but as a symbol of what so many felt in the African American community—a victim of a system ready to steamroll the less privileged, save for the intervention of the likes of Johnnie Cochran. Maher didn’t dodge the fact that Simpson—the same man who had once pled no contest to spousal abuse—was an imperfect vessel for such a profound moment. (“I mean, of course.”) https://twitter.com/i/status/1778981851371040857 The Biden administration said Friday that it is using existing student loan forgiveness programs to cancel another round of student debt, totaling $7.4 billion for 277,000 borrowers. Under President Joe Biden, the Department of Education has made it easier for some specific groups of borrowers, like public sector workers, to qualify for loan forgiveness. It also launched a new repayment plan that creates a shorter pathway to loan forgiveness for many low-income borrowers – and is at issue in at least two legal challenges from Republican-led states. In total, the Biden administration has authorized the cancellation of $153 billion in student loan debt for nearly 4.3 million people. That’s more than 9% of all outstanding federal student loan debt. As the November election approaches, the Biden administration has been eager to show how much student loan debt it has canceled, making new announcements about debt relief roughly once a month and sending emails directly to eligible borrowers. Earlier this week, Biden announced a new group of student debt relief proposals that could possibly go into effect this fall. https://youtu.be/0TjKOAJ43Ww Biden’s student loan forgiveness efforts have been sharply criticized by many Republicans, who argue the president is transferring the cost to taxpayers who chose not to go to college or who already paid for it themselves. They also say he is circumventing the Supreme Court, which knocked down Biden’s signature student loan forgiveness program last year. In the past few weeks, two groups of Republican-led states have sued the Biden administration over the income-driven repayment plan launched last year. Known as SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education), the plan offers the most generous terms for low-income borrowers. About $3.6 billion of the student debt relief announced Friday will be delivered to people enrolled in the SAVE plan. “Republicans in 18 states want to prevent their own constituents from benefiting from the SAVE plan. They want to end SAVE, make their constituents’ payments go up and keep them under mountains of loan debt with no end in sight,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on a call with reporters Thursday. https://youtu.be/QrOoX8ltnWo Almost 20 years after portraying Michael Jackson in the controversial 2004 biographical drama “Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story,” Flex Alexander is still explaining his involvement in the film. Taking to social media, the former “One on One” star shared his reasoning behind his decision to play the King of Pop. For Alexander, it was the business of doing what he needed to do to take care of his family, when he was approached to take the role. “So I sat down at this table and these producers they said, ‘Man, you do this, you’re gonna be a big star! Bigger than Will Smith, Bigger than Denzel [Washington]!” the funnyman recently said on his daughter Imani’s TikTok account before getting serious on the topic. https://www.tiktok.com/@imaniaaliyahhh/video/7355298710416395563?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fhes-still-living-it-down-flex-alexanders-desperate-reason-for-playing-michael-jackson-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7355298710416395563 In a dramatic turn of events at the Skowhegan, Maine courthouse, chaos erupted on Friday (04-12-24) as a member of the victim’s family lunged across the courtroom, resulting in a scuffle and subsequent arrest. The tense atmosphere unfolded shortly after 20-year-old Jason Servil received a hefty 45-year sentence for the tragic killing of Alice Abbott back in July 2022, despite pleas from Abbott’s relatives for a harsher punishment. As legal discussions were underway among the attorneys, the victim’s brother breached the courtroom barrier in a desperate bid for justice, only to be subdued by a swift response from a county corrections officer armed with a stun gun, reports WABI-TV. Servil had confessed to the murder of the young Abbott and also admitted to assaulting another individual at a Skowhegan residence. https://youtu.be/bI2264I5bLE Shannon Sharpe will have a common interest with the students selected for his Shay Shay Media Social Media Internship. ClutchPoints reports that Daryl Green and Natayja Smith are the recipients of the internship. The duo, who attend Sharpe’s alma mater, Savannah State University (SSU), will be a part of the Shay Shay Media team, assisting the football legend with his “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap” podcasts. Green, a junior majoring in Mass Communications, shared his joy of being a Shay Shay Media intern while noting his hope of his experience benefiting other SSU students. https://www.instagram.com/hbcupulse/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a452b838-9b20-4966-baf2-238e5a6da2ee “It feels great, the Mass Communication Student Association and National Association of Black Journalists member told ClutchPoints regarding his selection for the Shay Shay media internship. “To be one of the students who was selected this is something that I’ve prepared for since I got here at Savannah State. All of the classes, all of the extracurricular activities that I’ve participated in. Just really equipping me with the skill set to be even mentioned as a candidate and ultimately getting this role and working with the team at nightcap. So this is something that I’ve worked for and it feels great as a student.” “I want [the internship] to showcase what we have here at Savannah State,” he said. “Even though right now I’m in this role helping the team at Nightcap, I feel like we have a lot of people who can also fulfill roles like this. I wanna show off not only my skill set, but a lot of the things Savannah State has helped me with and just what we have here at this HBCU.” https://youtu.be/TdTkQhclhDc Google initiated a trial on Friday by excluding certain California news websites from the search results of some users. This trial serves as a preemptive measure in response to potential legislation that would compel the tech giant to compensate media companies for linking to their content. In a blog post on Friday, Google announced this trial, describing it as a “short-term test” affecting a small percentage of users. The purpose is to assess how the proposed legislation would impact the user experience. Additionally, Google stated it would halt new investments in the California news industry, including partnership initiatives with news organizations and product licensing programs. Jaffer Zaidi, Google’s vice president for global news partnerships, emphasized in the blog post that facilitating access to news stories assists publishers in expanding their audiences without incurring costs. Zaidi argued that the proposed legislation would disrupt this model. “By helping people find news stories, we help publishers of all sizes grow their audiences at no cost to them. (This bill) would up-end that model,” Zaidi wrote in the blog post. https://youtu.be/CRhL3jor3lI Curtis Jack, from the Atlanta suburb of Hampton, now faces the consequences of his attempt to poison an innocent baby with antifreeze, an act that transpired four years ago. Following his conviction on charges of first-degree cruelty to children and attempted murder, Jack has been sentenced to 50 years, with 40 to be served behind bars. South Fulton Police took to Facebook to announce his sentencing. According to a statement from the department, on October 1, 2020, Jack retrieved two bottles of breastmilk from the mother of his child, who was hospitalized after recently giving birth to their daughter. In a disturbing turn, Jack had pressured the woman to terminate her pregnancy. Subsequently, he delivered the breastmilk to the child’s grandmother, who was also caring for the newborn and her sibling. https://youtu.be/Z0i-RU3tMaI Iran has launched a wave of strikes toward Israel in retaliation for last week’s deadly Israeli strike on an Iranian embassy complex in Syria, in an unprecedented move by Tehran that could further widen the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Several dozen drones were launched from within Iran on Saturday, a senior US administration official told CNN, while an Israeli military officer put the number at “more than 100.” Iran state media confirmed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had “launched extensive drone strikes against targets in occupied territories,” referring to Israel. Iran has also launched missiles against Israel, according to Israeli and Iranian media. In response, tens of Israeli fighter jets are now airborne on a “defense mission in Israeli airspace,” according to an Israeli military official, who said Israeli forces aim to intercept the drones before they reach Israeli skies. https://youtu.be/MOhF6V_nJKg Rico Wade, a vital figure in Atlanta’s music scene as a member of Organized Noize and an early collaborator with Outkast, has passed away at the age of 52, as confirmed by Killer Mike‘s Instagram post and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The cause of his death has not been disclosed. In a statement sent to EURweb, the family of Wade expressed their profound sorrow at the sudden loss of their son, father, husband, and brother. They requested privacy as they grieve the departure of a gifted individual who had a significant impact on many lives. “We are deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of our son, father, husband, and brother Rico Wade. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of a talented individual who touched the lives of so many. We ask that you respect the legacy of our loved one and our privacy at this time.” – The Family of Rico Wade. Organized Noize, comprised of Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown alongside Wade, emerged in the early 1990s, contributing significantly to the rise of artists like Outkast, TLC, and Goodie Mob. Their distinctive blend of classic R&B and hip-hop helped shape Atlanta’s music landscape, setting the stage for the city’s prominence in the hip-hop world for years to come. https://youtu.be/YUY8X5cfJ1w Rico Wade’s studio, known as “the Dungeon,” located in Atlanta’s East Point neighborhood, served as both a creative hub and a backdrop for numerous hits of the era. His influence extended beyond music, as he was instrumental in fostering a sense of community within the Dungeon Family, which included notable artists like Killer Mike and Big Rube and his cousin, rap superstar Future. https://youtu.be/cX94e5yXCEc Speaking of Killer Mike, in a heartfelt tribute, expressed his deep sense of loss and gratitude for Wade’s mentorship and friendship. The legacy of Rico Wade lives on through the music he helped create and the lives he touched. “I don’t have the words to express my deep and profound sense of loss,” Killer Mike wrote. “I am praying for your wife and children. I am praying for the Wade family. I am praying for us all. I deeply appreciate your acceptance into the Dungeon Family, mentorship, friendship, and brotherhood. Idk where I would be without y’all.” https://youtu.be/tounM1Kd9Cg UFC fighter Jon Jones is under investigation amid accusations that he assaulted and threatened a sports doping agent. According to Albuquerque news outlet ABQ RAW, the Albuquerque Police Department received a complaint from the drug tester who was taking samples from Jones at his home. The drug tester, Crystal Martinez, a Drug-Free Sport International sample collection worker, filed the complaint last week over the incident that occurred in March. Martinez claims Jones appeared to be “extremely intoxicated” when she and another agent arrived at his home, and he allegedly threatened to kill them for unknown reasons. According to police, Martinez claims Jones initially cooperated but couldn’t provide a urine sample. The situation allegedly escalated when Martinez suggested a blood test, prompting Jones to threaten legal action and seize her phone to record a video. The complaint describes him as being confrontational and uttering threats, causing the drug testers to fear for their safety. Jones posted to Instagram on March 6, denying the accusations and accusing the agents of “unprofessionalism.” https://www.instagram.com/jonnybones/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=55091abe-6244-422c-9452-22fe58007f58 Disgraced “Cheer” star Jerry Harris must pay restitution to his victims after being sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2022 for soliciting sex from minors. RadarOnline.com obtains documents revealing that the 24-year-old faces a restitution judgment of over $136k to be paid immediately to five victims. One of the minors will collect $124,348.76, while the other four will each receive $3k, per the order. If Harris cannot pay the restitution in a lump sum now, 10% of his future earnings after his release will be deducted from each paycheck. Harris must complete eight years of a court-supervised release after his release from prison. https://youtu.be/9jfdwR-rTzY Harris was arrested in 2020 on child pornography charges. The U.S. The Attorney’s Office released sexually explicit evidence at the time to support the case, including photos and screenshots of messages from Harris to his victims. Harris reportedly admitted to exchanging photos and videos with underage boys (upwards of 15 boys) and repeatedly soliciting them to connect in person. Prosecutors said Harris had been “grooming” one victim since he was 13. Once the boy turned 15, Harris allegedly sexually assaulted him in an unlocked public restroom during a cheer event in 2019. Harris was sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2022 after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. According to RadarOnline, he must contribute $35k to the AVAA crime victims fund and $10k to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Harris is serving his sentence at Lexington FMC in Kentucky and is scheduled to be released in 2031. https://youtu.be/dhXRx_lva18 Living the life of a reality TV star can really take a toll on your body. For Marlo Hampton, the toll came physically with an addition to Ozempic. In an interview with Carlos King, Hampton confessed to being addicted to the diabetic weight loss drug, saying bluntly, “I had got addicted to it, b—!” “I had lost 30 pounds, sample sizes, everybody was sending me clothes, I was like, ‘Yes! Yes!’” the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” fixture told King. Despite enjoying her slimmer figure, Hampton noticed the effect Ozempic had on her body, with noticeable changes she detected. “Then, I was like, ‘Alright, b—! Your menstrual acting funny, you getting a lil breakout, this s— is messing with my body.” she said while revealing that constipation followed. https://youtu.be/veEyPo1gUxs For those who insist racism is dead, all you need to do is read this. An Indiana State University student’s racist comments about Beyoncé and her “Cowboy Carer” album have sparked protests from those who found the video after it went viral. Members of the ISU community are speaking out. Here’s the deal. An ISU nursing student posted an anti-Black video to social media, saying that Black people cannot be “country.” She continued her rant, referencing slavery, the student said, “I’m sorry, if you’re Black, you’re not country.” “I know you were raised in the country, or your grandparents were,” she continued. “But they was picking. They wasn’t planting. Keep that in mind. They wasn’t making money. They was getting sold for money.” https://www.tiktok.com/@miscasmr/video/7355947328550849835?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fisu-students-racist-beyonce-comments-condemned%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7355947328550849835 According to the Indiana Statesman, students held a protest on April 8 in response to the video. The Statesman reported the group demanded repercussions for the student’s behavior. ISU’s Black Alumni Network released a statement, saying they “stand united in our shock and condemnation” of the video. The group called ISU’s response ‘grossly inadequate,’ and demanded President Deborah Curtis address the issue ‘immediately and publicly.'” “Indiana State University’s response to this vile display of bigotry has been, to say the least, disheartening,” the Black Alumni Network said. “Such a response is a slap in the face to every student, alumni, faculty and staff member who looks to ISU to uphold principles of inclusivity, respect, and dignity for all.” https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/434849685_805494868275620_1320133614084635136_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p403x403&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=pkbRZgAEN_QAb7a52Z6&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&edm=AN6CN6oEAAAA&oh=00_AfDwZnnuV_aFmiUca9zCw12HNRvEydPyKc_fxRZiSQLTFg&oe=661FC8DC Written and produced by Winans, “Father In Heaven (Right Now)” debuted April 12 and recounts how he has witnessed and felt God’s hand on his life, the news release states. The ballad serves as a reminder of celebration and testimony. Along with the song, Winans is serving up a new music video, which was filmed over the course of four sold-out performances across South Africa in January 2024. The official clip captures Bebe on stage, bringing his unique blend of Gospel, Soul, and R&B to thousands of fans, per the release. “I must say this song speaks to the core of my being,” the singer said of the new song. “I’m so grateful to my Heavenly Father for everything. I hope it moves listeners to the point of surrender when it is released on April 12, 2024,” Winans added. Written and produced by Winans, “Father In Heaven (Right Now)” debuted April 12 and recounts how he has witnessed and felt God’s hand on his life, the news release states. The ballad serves as a reminder of celebration and testimony. Along with the song, Winans is serving up a new music video, which was filmed over the course of four sold-out performances across South Africa in January 2024. The official clip captures Bebe on stage, bringing his unique blend of Gospel, Soul, and R&B to thousands of fans, per the release. “I must say this song speaks to the core of my being,” the singer said of the new song. “I’m so grateful to my Heavenly Father for everything. I hope it moves listeners to the point of surrender when it is released on April 12, 2024,” Winans added. https://youtu.be/LeL7fSK0uWM Apple TV+ has unveiled the trailer for its new sci-fi thriller “Dark Matter” starring Joel Edgerton and based on the blockbuster book by New York Times bestselling author Blake Crouch. The new nine-episode series also stars Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, and Oakes Fegley. Per the synopsis: The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Edgerton), a physicist, professor, and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself. Crouch serves as creator, executive producer, showrunner, and writer alongside executive producers Matt Tolmach and David Manpearl for Matt Tolmach Productions. Edgerton also serves as executive producer. https://youtu.be/j6ucGt_Xp14 After the social-media blowback that greeted the “Good Times” trailer, Netflix opted to premiere the show without making it available to critics. But the animated series that dropped on April 12 merely underscores the pitfalls of leveraging a familiar title without a clear reason for doing so, yielding an edgy comedy that likely would have come and gone with scant notice without the weight of that name. In addition to the late Norman Lear – who fared considerably better with a “One Day at a Time” reboot – the roster of producers here includes Seth MacFarlane (“Ted,” “Family Guy”) and NBA superstar Stephen Curry. The series was created by Ranada Shepard and Carl Jones, with the latter having worked on “The Boondocks.” “Good Times” is hardly the first show to try capitalizing on a recognizable title, but the connection has seldom felt more tenuous. https://youtu.be/BMA2Kc7TiO0 The original show broke ground in 1974 by depicting a two-parent Black family, reflecting the clout Lear possessed as a producer at the time. He spun the show off from “Maude,” which itself was a spinoff of “All in the Family.” To say the TV world has changed since then would be the height of understatement. Yet the bottom line for reboots is whether the new show brings anything fresh or distinctive to the material while providing enough of a relationship to the source, beyond mere nostalgia, to justify the process. “Good Times” ultimately flunks that test on both levels. With apologies to the original theme, the result doesn’t keep its head above water, much less make a wave. “Good Times” is streaming now on Netflix. https://youtu.be/EA4s7TJ3X88 The sci-fi/horror-thriller returns the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise to its origins in ‘Alien: Romulus.’ While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. The film is set between the events of “Alien” (1979) and “Aliens” (1986). “The way we crafted it is if you haven’t seen any of them, I’m jealous because you’ll have an incredible experience,” director Fede Alvarez told THR. “You’ll have all these worlds of Alien coming at you, and you’ve never experienced any of this. You don’t know how the creature is born, and you don’t know any of these things. That’s fantastic. You’ll have a blast. The film stars Cailee Spaeny (“Priscilla”), David Jonsson (“Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“The Last of Us”), Spike Fearn (“Aftersun”), and Aileen Wu. https://youtu.be/GTNMt84KT0k Jeezy wants to be the custodial parent of his two-year-old daughter, whom he shares with his estranged wife, Jeannie Mai. According to TMZ, in newly filed court docs, the rapper asked to be awarded primary custody of Monaco Mai Jenkins. Jeezy is “asking a judge to toss out the current custody and parenting time arrangement he hashed out in mediation with his estranged wife … and requesting that his daughter be allowed to live with him full-time,” the outlet writes. Jeezy and Jeannie reportedly reached a parenting arrangement schedule for their daughter during mediation. However, according to new documents, the hip-hop star now wants full-time custody of Monaco, citing Mai’s busy schedule as the reason. Jeezy filed for divorce in Atlanta, Georgia, in Sept. 2023, after two-and-a-half years of marriage. According to People, the filing states there is “no hope for reconciliation.” Jeezy and Jeannie married in March 2021 and welcomed their daughter the following year. Jeezy’s divorce docs state that Mai acts “as a gatekeeper” when it comes to him “exercising parenting time with [Monaco].” Nathan Wade, who lost his prosecutor position in the Donald Trump election fraud case due to an affair scandal with District Attorney Fani Willis, is now citing financial hardship to avoid paying alimony to his estranged wife, Joycelyn Wade. We reported earlier that Jocelyn accused Wade of contempt of court in a new divorce filing. According to the Daily Mail, she asserts she’s unable to cover the bills on her own since Wade ceased child support payments for their two children. Fulton County DA Fani Willis appointed Wade to oversee the prosecution of Donald Trump for attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Nathan is in the midst of a contentious divorce case, where it emerged he had a sexual relationship with Willis. The scandal led to his resignation as top prosecutor in the Trump case. After stepping down from the Georgia case, Wade claims he cannot fulfill the terms of a recent temporary agreement with Jocelyn. “With the income from [Wade’s] employement as the Special Prosecutor no longer coming in, and with income from [his] private practice being diminished, [he] is no longer able to … meet the financial obligations set forth in the temporary order,” Wade’s divorce lawyer M. Scott Kimbrough wrote in papers filed Monday, New York Post reports. A Texas teacher and her son have been arrested after allegedly recruiting minor students for prostitution. FOX26 Houston reports that Klein ISD teacher Kedria Grisby, 42, and her son Roger Magee, 22, are charged with three counts of trafficking a child and three counts of compelling prostitution on juveniles. The three underage victims, aged 15, 16, and 17, were reportedly runaways and students where Grisby taught. According to police, Grisby helped her son take in troubled juveniles from a local high school and provided them with a hotel where illegal sex acts allegedly occurred. Several teens have reported that Grigsby attempted to recruit them at school. Magee was arrested in November 2022 and remains in a Harris County jail, according to FOX26. In court, text messages were presented as evidence showing him discussing Zelle with one of the complainants to process payments. Magee and his mother are each facing prostitution and sex trafficking charges. Grisby’s bond was set at $750,000. As part of her release conditions, she is prohibited from contacting witnesses and having unsupervised contact with minors. https://youtu.be/bs9hOxRz8Jc Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network convention in NYC celebrated prominent women at the Sheraton in NYC on Thursday, including Mika Brzezinski, Stacey Abrams, Lisa Price, Michelle Stoddart, and Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter, with Alicia Keys as a surprise honoree. The night before this event, Sharpton recognized Whoopi Goldberg with NAN’s Keepers of the Dream award. Page Six reports that Sharpton described Keys as “a young lady who appeals to all of our women and men.” The singer added, “I’m so grateful to be surrounded by powerful women… One of the secrets of the sauce is making sure that powerful women are uplifted and that we are at the table.” In related news, 16-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys wrote the original song “Kaleidoscope” for the new musical HELL’S KITCHEN. https://youtu.be/YuBkslWrFQE Tia Mowry is set to star in a new reality show for WEtv that chronicles her post-divorce life. Vibe reports that the forthcoming unscripted series “Tia Mowry: My Next Chapter” will follow the “Sister, Sister” star as she navigates life and motherhood following her divorce from actor Cory Hardrict. “I am excited to share more about myself, both personally and professionally. Having been in the public eye for most my life, things often get misinterpreted, or people get misled. I am excited to pull back the curtain on this next chapter of my life,” said Mowry in a statement. Tia and Cory were married from 2008-2023 and share two minor children. The actress star admitted in a recent podcast interview that dating after her divorce is “exhausting.” Fans are urging the actress to reconcile with her ex, but Mowry said that is not an option. She hit up Instagram late last year to shut down speculation about her love life as a single mother. https://www.instagram.com/tiamowry/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4d61247a-3f3e-4073-9f5c-e37d57256104 James McAvoy stars in the Blumhouse remake of the 2022 thriller “Speak No Evil” from director James Watkins. The new trailer was unveiled this week during Universal’s CinemaCon presentation, and many social media users are not impressed that the studio invested in a remark of the acclaimed 2022 Danish original. One X/Twitter user wrote, “For those who don’t want to wait… this exact movie was made 2 years ago.. (literally scene by scene copy). Solid movie with decent twists.” Another critic wrote, “… they really put the twist in the damn trailer. What a shame.” The film tells the story of “a family invited for a weekend at an idyllic country house–a dream holiday that warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.” McAvoy stars alongside Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, and Aisling Franciosi. Per Deadline, Watkins said about McAvoy’s character, “Part of Paddy is a charming gregarious friend, host, and father, and on the other hand, he’s well, not that at all.” https://youtu.be/FjzxI6uf8H8 This story, unfortunately, is horrible. An investigation is underway by the Los Angeles Police Department into a tragic case where a couple and their 8-month-old baby have been found dead in what appears to be a murder-suicide. The deaths of the baby and the couple, which were discovered at three separate locations in Los Angeles County, began when the woman allegedly stabbed her boyfriend to death, reported ABC7. According to authorities, it seems that at around 3:40 a.m., 34-year-old Danielle Cherakiyah Johnson fatally stabbed her live-in boyfriend at their apartment in Woodland Hills. After the incident, she left with her two daughters, who had witnessed the murder. In a horrifying turn of events, Johnson is believed to have pushed her two daughters out of her vehicle while on the 405 Freeway in Westchester. “The older girl, a 9-year-old, was holding the 8-month-old when they were ejected from the SUV and hit the roadway,” stated the investigators. During this traumatic incident, the 8-month-old was subsequently hit by a passing vehicle and declared deceased at the scene. https://www.tiktok.com/@veezraw/video/7356375981575261483?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Flos-angeles-woman-kills-self-boyfriend-and-baby-daughter%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7356375981575261483 The sequence of tragic events continued with Johnson driving to Redondo Beach, where she lost her life after her Porsche SUV collided with a tree at a considerable speed. Johnson, who sold so-called “aura cleanses” on her website described herself as a “divine healer.” Interestingly on Monday, she posted that the impending total solar eclipse in North America was “the epitome of spiritual warfare.” “Get your protection on and your heart in the right place,” is what she wrote on X last week under her online pseudonym Danielle Ayoka. It has been disclosed by sources that Johnson was in a relationship with 29-year-old Jaelen Chaney for several years and was divorcing another man. The question of whether Chaney was the biological father of the infant casualty has not been confirmed by the authorities. https://youtu.be/YHiuHyfhnmQ A laundry hack for those averse to ironing involves tossing a few ice cubes into the dryer with wrinkled garments; as the ice melts, the steam helps to smooth out the wrinkles, leaving your clothes fresh and wrinkle-free. According to Daily Mail, the TikTok account @mommylifesquad first shared the trick in 2022. To effortlessly eliminate wrinkles from your laundry, simply toss a few ice cubes into the dryer along with your clothes at the end of the cycle. In a video post, the TikTokers told viewers: “Stop ironing your clothing. When you throw your clothes in the wash, at the last 10 minutes of the cycle, throw in some ice cubes. “Now, when you take your clothes out of the dryer, they will be wrinkle-free – no more ironing needed.” The video ended with them showing off a freshly washed shirt with no creases. It is recommended that the ice cubes should be added 10 minutes toward the end of the tumble dryer cycle. https://www.tiktok.com/@mommylifesquad/video/7167068867926232362?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Ftiktok-laundry-hack-ice-cubes-in-dryer-for-wrinkle-free-clothes%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_pause_share&referer_video_id=7167068867926232362 Dr. Rosie Milligan brings the largest Black cultural event for Southern California—Black Writers On Tour (BWOT) + Business + Tech Expo—showcasing authors and business owners from across the country—under one roof. You will learn “The New Way of Doing Business in the AI (Artificial Intelligence) Era.” This powerful, one-day event will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at the Carson Community Center located at 801 E. Carson St., Carson, California 90046. Come join our Round Table Discussion, “The Future and Marketing Strategies for Black Authors.” Dr. Bill Releford takes on a major sponsorship role in bridging the technology gap for African American children and adults. Other sponsors and BWOT partnerships include My Tech Academy, The Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley Journal News, PACE News, and City National Bank. The theme for 2024 is “Literacy is Everybody’s Business—Literacy + Entrepreneurship + Technology Changes Lives.” There will be authors and business owners on hand displaying their products and services. Writers and business owners will learn how technology can enhance their literary works and businesses. COVID-19 brought about a shift in cultural consciousness; Black Americans, now more than ever, seek to do business with Black-owned businesses. Writers and business owners must seize the moment. This year’s Expo connects writers with readers, and businesses with consumers. Throughout the day, workshops and seminars will be held for writers/aspiring writers, business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs. With dedication and a heart of compassion, BWOT founder Dr. Rosie Milligan says: “Empowering ourselves through equality in literacy, business opportunities, and technological literacy is not just beneficial—it’s imperative for our collective progress and prosperity.” A Grammy winning singer, a Billboard chart-topper, a Broadway singer, a manager of a Pop group, an entertainment consul, a veteran artist manager, a radio host, a veteran music producer, and a multi-award winning SAG/AFTRA actor/filmmaker to speak on the panel of the 25th annual Baltimore “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference Saturday, April 20, 2024, virtually, powered by Zoom, between 1-3pmEST/10-12noonPST. More thaMore than 800 Black actors are denouncing backlash aimed at actor Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, who was cast to play Juliet opposite Tom Holland in an upcoming stage production of “Romeo & Juliet” in London’s West End. After Amewudah-Rivers’ casting announcement, online backlash was fierce, even prompting the Jamie Lloyd Company – which is behind the theater production – to issue a statement on social media earlier this month, condemning a “barrage of deplorable racial abuse online directed towards a member of our company.” While the company’s statement did not mention Amewudah-Rivers by name, an open letter in support of Amewaduh-Rivers, who is known for her work in the series “Bad Education,” followed. “When news of Francesca Amewudah-Rivers’ casting in Jamie Lloyd’s production of Romeo and Juliet was announced so many people celebrated and welcomed this news,” the letter, organized by playwright Somalia Nonyé Seaton, stated. “But then what followed was a too familiar horror that too many of us visible Black dark-skinned performers have experienced.” “The racist and misogynistic abuse directed at such a sweet soul has been too much to bear,” the letter continued. “For a casting announcement of a play to ignite such twisted ugly abuse is truly embarrassing for those so empty and barren in their own lives that they must meddle in hateful abuse. Too many times Black performers – particularly Black actresses – are left to face the storm of online abuse after committing the crime of getting a job on their own.” https://youtu.be/HkElcS_QZ4U The 2024 Disney Dreamers Academy, is an educational mentorship program created and hosted by Walt Disney World Resort, to broaden career awareness and create exclusive opportunities for high school students from underrepresented communities across America. The five-day program includes a hands-on career workshop known as Living Laboratories, based on the student’s career interests. EURweb was in Orlando and spoke to dreamers Jayden Watkins, Noelle Nelson, and TeLario Watkins II about their mock “Shark Tank” lab with Daymond John and Ramona Washington. During the entrepreneur lab dreamers were divided into teams and used the elements of a film, to create vendor companies that service the film’s needs and marketing companies that promote the finished product. https://vimeo.com/933045597 O.J. Simpson has passed away after battling cancer, his family confirmed on Wednesday. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family wrote on X on Thursday. Simpson, known for his infamous ’90s murder trial, passed away in Las Vegas, New York Post reports. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the statement added. We reported in February that the former football star was diagnosed with prostate cancer and undergoing chemotherapy in Las Vegas. https://twitter.com/TheRealOJ32?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1778430029350707380%7Ctwgr%5Ec56e75fe0138ba49a1dec42fecdffa0dba882ccd%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Foj-simpson-dead-at-76-after-cancer-battle%2F Despite rumors of being in hospice care, Simpson clarified on X (Twitter) that he was not in such a situation. Simpson also posted a video clip that showed him laughing about the situation. He said he laughed because the reports of him being frail and in hospice care were not accurate. https://youtu.be/pmXGVPwDi9Y Secretary of State Antony Blinken has appointed Zakiya Carr Johnson as the new Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO). The move aims to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the State Department. The announcement comes after a ten-month vacancy in the position amidst heightened scrutiny and restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. As NEWS.MEAWW reports, one DEI critic responded to the announcement on X, writing: “A ‘DEI Officer’? A blatantly racist and sexist position in our government that we’re paying for? This is ridiculous. Definitely one of the first positions to be removed when Trump is sworn in.”Another X user added, “We should go back to hiring people based off of their skills, qualifications, and experience instead of their race, gender, and sexual preferences.” https://youtu.be/pZvrBt563tY A Kalamazoo couple is charged with involuntary manslaughter for the December 2023 death of their 6-month-old daughter, Faith Hope Roldan. WOOD-TV reports that Jose Antonio Roldan Jr., 40, and Ladesha Ann Powe, 29, confessed to heavy drinking and marijuana use before falling asleep while their child smothered to death. According to the court documents, Faith’s death was captured on a living room camera. The footage shows Roldan falling asleep on the couch and Powe nodding off while holding the baby. Faith slipped out of Powe’s arms, landing between Roldan, who weighs around 300 pounds, and the couch. According to court documents, Powe woke up at one point and searched for the baby but eventually gave up and went to her bedroom. Roldan woke up briefly and readjusted the baby but dozed off again as the child became smothered in the cushions. The video shows Faith crying and kicking her feet until she dies. https://youtu.be/4uWhHzdSv6o Bruno Mars will headline the summer grand opening of the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers. The back-to-back opening night shows are slated for Thursday, Aug. 15, and Friday, Aug. 16. Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 11, at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster. “We are thrilled Bruno Mars will open Intuit Dome,” said Gillian Zucker, CEO of Halo Sports and Entertainment, THR reports. “Bruno, who has a strong connection to Inglewood, will undoubtedly deliver an iconic performance that is worthy of this moment and will leave a lasting impression on everyone who attends these two shows,” Zucker continued. Usher and Billy Joel are also scheduled to perform at the Intuit Dome this year. https://youtu.be/mlIfKj6DnXA During Lionsgate’s panel at CinemaCon Wednesday, the studio presented the forthcoming Michael Jackson biopic trailer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, producer Graham King revealed the project titled Michael would be “long” and include more than 30 songs. Some reports clock the run time for the biopic at 4 hours. King said the film aims “to do the music star’s story justice,” THR writes. “Behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the blinding media spotlight, he was simply a man. A man who lived a very complicated life. The movie will get into all of it,” King said. We reported previously that Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson stars as the King of Pop in the biopic, “and in the trailer has a strong resemblance to his uncle and appears to have captured his dancing and stage presence,” per THR. Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International have also cast several new key roles in the highly anticipated film from director Antoine Fuqua. A recent poll indicates that Donald Trump is unlikely to receive substantial support from Black voters in the November presidential election. According to new research from the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of Black voters favor the Democratic Party, Newsweek reports. Meanwhile, 12 percent of Black voters support the Republican Party. The Pew Research Center conducted its annual survey with 10,124 participants. However, the study focused solely on party preferences and did not inquire about specific candidates. “Middle age and older Black women seem to take a better than Trump lesser of two evils posture,” Mary Frances Berry, historian at The Pennsylvania State University, told Newsweek in January. “But nobody I know is excited about reelecting Biden,” she continued. “They like Kamala Harris, but lots of folks will probably stay home unless some unexpected positive change in economic prospects or civil rights occurs.” Beyoncé’s tax trial was postponed after the superstar filed a motion for continuance earlier this month. RadarOnline reports that the trial date has been removed from the calendar. We reported previously that Beyoncé is challenging the IRS over $2.7 million in tax liability. Forbes reported that the married mother of three filed a petition last year asking the U.S. Tax Court court to redetermine her multi-million dollar tax liability for 2018 and 2019. Bey allegedly owes $161,170 in penalties and $805,850.00 in taxes for the taxable year 2018. Additionally, $288,549.40 in fines and $1,442,747.00 in taxes are due for 2019. The IRS charged interest for both years. Bey claims the IRS disallowed millions of dollars of deductions for insurance, management fees, legal and professional services, utilities, taxes, and depreciation. She is contesting the disallowance of $868,766, attributed to a charitable contribution carryover reported in 2018. According to Consumer Reports, schools should stop offering Lunchables as part of their lunch menus due to lead contamination. Consumer Reports urges the Department of Agriculture to eliminate Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program. “Lunchables are not a healthy option for kids and shouldn’t be allowed on the menu as part of the National School Lunch Program,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, which launched a petition to the USDA, in a statement. Ronholm added, “The Lunchables and similar lunch kits we tested contain concerning levels of sodium and harmful chemicals that can lead to serious health problems over time. The USDA should remove Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program and ensure that kids in schools have healthier options.” https://youtu.be/eaAaXkpyYQU “A fan said…he could get the tape,” said Jazz guitarist Chieli Minucci about his band Special EFX’s live performance in Hungary being released by GR1193 Records in March as ”Return to Budapest with Love.” “We knew it was being recorded they were involved in the concert. There were a lot of people at the shows.” On March 8, 2024 Grammy nominated Special EFX featuring Chieli Minucci released “Return to Budapest with Love” (GR1193 Records/Chieli Music) a lovely recording of their performances in Hungary which features co-founder of the band Hungarian percussionist George Jinda. The live recorded performances took place in 1990 and 1992 at the famed Petofi Csarnok. It was recorded by a Hungarian radio station and is now available on both CD and digitally. It was Jazz Fusion group Djabe’s bandleader and guitarist Attila Egerhazi that came up with the idea to release the archived recording. “Maybe, we’ve been touring a lot. You know we play two of George’s songs to honor him.”,” Chieli said when I asked if Special EFX was coming back to Spaghettini, which is near me in Seal Beach, California. The Special EFX band at the time included Chieli, George, Chiele’s frequent songwriter Bela “Szakesi” Lakatos on piano, Lionel Cordew on drums, and Gerald Veasley on bass. Minucci is the only surviving founding member keeping the Special EFX legacy going after 42 years. Lenny Kravitz decided to blur the lines between the gym and the stage in his latest social media flex. Because why change when you can just keep the rockstar vibe alive? In a video posted on TiKTok, Lenny K showed off his gym routine, looking like he was prepping for a concert rather than a workout session. Leather pants, mesh shirt, and shades indoors? Bold move, Lenny K, bold move. As he pumped iron and did sit-ups, Lenny made sure to remind us all that there are no shortcuts to success, accompanied by a sprinkle of motivational quotes. Gotta love the dedication, even if it means sweating it out in leather pants. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-04-10-041024-lenny-kravitz-1809126-739/ Flavor Flav is going beyond the dating scene with coming back to reality TV. According to Vibe, the Public Enemy hypeman is thinking education, trading the pursuit of love in for a high school diploma. “Some more reality TV coming up for [me] but no dating shows! It’s not the dating show thing, man,” Flav told TMZ. “I’m going back to high school to get my diploma! That’s what my show is going to be about. Flavor Flav goes back to high school to get his diploma and I’m getting it for real. Not a GED, bro. I want my diploma.” Pursuing a diploma ca come as a lofty goal. Especially for a celebrity used to having things done for you. For Flav, it’s a matter of doing what is necessary to actually earn his diploma and graduate from high school. “If I want that diploma, it’s just something that I ain’t got no choice but to adapt to,” the “9” entertainer added. https://youtu.be/ArETFXbZi_8 A joyous and jubilant group gathered at Lavender Blue Restaurant Lounge, 3310 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, California on a cool, overcast day, Thursday, April 4, 2024. The group of influencers (movers and shakers) is known for creating magic at events. The group consisted of chefs, photographers, videographers, designers, media, event planners, limousine services, caterers, wizards of decor, and productions, as well as local elected officials and longtime patrons of Lavender Blue Restaurant Lounge. The occasion was Lavender Blue Restaurant Lounge’s 11th Anniversary. Marsha Tekeste, venerable owner of Lavender Blue Restaurant Lounge held a special weekend celebration, Thursday, April 4-Sunday, April 7, 2024. The celebrations commenced with the launch of “Mixin’ Vixen” a unique and innovative mobile bar service, showcasing the spirit of ingenuity and excellence that Ms. Tekeste embodies. Comedian Bobb’e J. Thompson claims Tracy Morgan grabbed him by the collar and reprimanded him at age 7 for stealing scenes during his time on “The Tracy Morgan Show.” Morgan played his father on the 2000s sitcom, and Thompson claims he’s still traumatized by the incident. He recalled the experience during his appearance on the web series Comedy Hype, Complex reports. “I remember being a kid, bro, on a certain set, bro, and the star of this certain project that I was working on, the n***a got mad at me,” Thompson said without mentioning Morgan. “I’m just a 7-year-old kid just doing my job, bro. He got mad at me, bro, grabbed me by my collar, and was like, ‘Who the f*ck is on that sign, my n***a?’ That’s how he handled me.” Thompson said the actor warned him to stop “hamming it up” in scenes, adding that when Morgan later did an interview, he “acted like it was all good, like, ‘Oh yeah, if he’s stealing a scene, then that’s what it should be. I only want the best,'” Thompson recalled. “But, n***a, that’s cap, that ain’t the truth, that ain’t how you felt for real, because you took me, as a 7-year-old child, and made me feel bad for doing my job well.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1777879259161190791 Warner Bros released the first teaser trailer for the hotly anticipated “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the sequel to the 2019 box office smash starring Joaquin Phoenix and co-starring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Todd Philips directed the musical drama, which is set around Arkham Asylum. The cast includes Catherine Keener, Brendan Gleeson, Jacob Lofland, Harry Lawtey, and Zazie Beetz. The storyline centers on Joker and Harley Quinn’s encounter at a psychiatric ward, leading to their wildly dysfunctional joint adventure. https://youtu.be/xy8aJw1vYHo Comedian, Actress, and Producer Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams extends her partnership with BET as “The Ms. Pat Show” returns for a fourth season on BET+, on May 23, as the hit courtroom series “Ms. Pat Settles It,” is renewed for a second season on BET (linear). The projects serve as anchors in Williams’ multi-year overall deal with BET Media Group under which she will produce and perform in new series and other projects across the network. “The Ms. Pat Show,’ which lifts from Williams’ life experiences covered in her memoir “Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat,” tells the story of a former drug dealer and convicted felon turned suburban mom. An updated version of the traditional TV comedy format, the series portrays a modern, multi-generational African American family navigating life’s twists and turns against the backdrop of current cultural chaos with an unfiltered realness. Complete with R-rated language and controversial episode topics including non-binary pronouns, abortion, black hair, school shootings, drug addiction, racism, and child abuse, “The Ms. Pat Show” is a rethinking of the American sitcom. Since its launch in August 2021, the series has resonated with fans and critics alike and has been praised for being unapologetically real, unapologetically Black, and unapologetically hilarious. The series which hails from Imagine Television and Lee Daniels Entertainment, and is executive produced by Brian Grazer, Lee Daniels, and Jordan E. Cooper, alongside Williams, earned two consecutive Emmy nominations for Mary Lou Belli, for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (2022 and 2023). https://youtu.be/59m14njFKqI In season one of “Ms. Pat Settles It,” Ms. Pat assembled a jury comprised of her closest friends, family members, celebrity guest stars, and comedians and they tackled real cases where genuine relationships hung in the balance. In the second season of “Ms. Pat Settles It,” each case will continue to revolve around family and relationship dynamics. Viewers will witness everyday people grappling with real-life problems who willingly accept Ms. Pat’s verdict as binding. Each case traverses the fine line between intense drama and uproarious comedy, mirroring Ms. Pat’s own life experiences. The “Jury of Her Peers” will preside over a wide array of cases, encompassing financial disputes, romantic entanglements, roommate quarrels, neighborly conflicts, and a myriad of other issues. Ms. Pat and her jury continue their mission to set things right. Although real cash settlements are at stake, the core of every case is an underlying issue that has driven the litigants to their breaking points. https://youtu.be/5JQrRmRj1AA Comedian Rip Michaels, known for his infectious humor and quick wit, is proving that laughter truly is the best medicine. Despite facing a life-threatening heart attack last November, another one in February, and his wife leaving him, Michaels is bouncing back. A few days ago, he produced and headlined a sold-out, star-studded April Fools Comedy Jam in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center. Reflecting on the healing power of comedy, Michaels expressed his excitement to continue sharing laughter with the world. “This year’s April Fools Comedy Jam was more than just laughs,” Michaels remarked. “Comedy has the power to heal, and I’m excited to keep sharing that power with the world.” The lineup included Tracy Morgan, who spent a lot of time flexing about what he says are superhuman sexual oral skills, comic legend Bruce Bruce, fellow Wild N Out cast member Justina Valentine, Loni Love, Jess Hilarious, Nephew Tommy and DL Hughley among others. Young Jeezy and GloRilla added some turnt-up performances to the show. Good Times” star BernNadette Stanis has addressed criticism of the “Good Times” animated reboot’s perceived stereotypes. We reported earlier that an animated reboot of the 1970s sitcom “Good Times” is coming to Netflix from Carl Jones and executive producers Seth MacFarlane, and NBA star Stephen Curry. The original sitcom, which aired for six seasons on CBS from 1974 to 1979, starred Stanis, Esther Rolle, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, and John Amos. It was television’s first African American two-parent family sitcom. Norman Lear produced the show, which centered on the Evans family, who lived in a poor, black neighborhood in inner-city Chicago. According to the news release, Jones modernized the setting for the new adult-animated series reboot, transitioning the family from the 1970s to the 2020s. “Jimmie Walker did contact Norman’s [Lear] office in 20202 and he pitched a Good Times cartoon which would include all of us except for Esther Rolle and we didn’t hear anything back from them,” Stanis told TMZ. “At least six months later they came up, and somebody said they had a cartoon coming.” https://youtu.be/BMA2Kc7TiO0 Hailing from Brooklyn, singer-songwriter Bonita Jalane has been captivating audiences since 2012. Now it’s EUR’s turn to introduce her to you. But what you need to know before we go any further, is that this young lady has the kind of voice that immediately makes you ask, “Who is That?!” Not only has she graced the stage alongside musical powerhouses like Chris Brown, Monica, and Fantasia, but her vocals have also enriched recordings by artists like Cam’ron. Now residing in Atlanta, GA, Bonita continues to make waves. She’s known for selling out local shows at renowned venues like City Winery. Her talent has garnered recognition from major media outlets like FOX News, Upscale Magazine, and Huffington Post. Get ready to be swept away by her latest single, “So High,” produced by Gregory ‘Grams’ Moore. This fan favorite is quickly gaining momentum, and a captivating music video is on the horizon. https://youtu.be/45_Ves3_jhY Earlier, we relayed the news that O.J. Simpson, a name synonymous with controversy due to his ’90s murder trial, has passed away after a fight with cancer. Needless to say, various parties associated with Simpson are reacting. Las Vegas was the final setting for the retired NFL player, with his 76-year life coming to a close as confirmed by his kin. Reacting to the news was Caitlyn Jenner, formerly tied by marriage to Kris Jenner, who was a close confidant of Nicole Brown, Simpson’s former spouse whom he was famously cleared of killing. Echoing a sense of apathy, the Ron Goldman family stated Simpson’s departure from this world is “no great loss.” “Good Riddance,” the storied athlete and celebrity penned. https://youtu.be/uyXMn5uB8gQ In a previous chapter of her life, Jenner (then known as Bruce Jenner) shared vows with Kris Jenner, who after their union was once married to Robert Kardashian, the high-profile defense attorney in Simpson’s court saga. Speaking to NBC News on Thursday morning, Fred Goldman, father to Ron Goldman – whom Simpson was also accused of killing – remarked on Simpson’s passing as if it were but a shadow, not a substance of any world-altering weight. “All it does is remind us that Ron has been absent all these long years,” Fred Goldman remarked. “Simpson’s death? It’s no great loss. Rather, it’s a haunting echo of the son I lost.” https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1778443510527431057/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1778455902368022642%7Ctwgr%5Ef16afbafad2d58655c4d9a1150a813ff84f4bc12%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Foj-simpson-cancer-death-reactions%2F David Cook, representing the Goldmans legally, has been in pursuit of a civil judgment against Simpson since 2008 and offered a stern remark to the Associated Press about Simpson’s end, saying, “OJ died without penance.” Simpson will be recalled for his gridiron glory days and forays into film and television, yet his real claim to enduring notoriety is the harrowing highway pursuit in his white Bronco and the courtroom drama that unfolded in 1995. On “The View,” just as the day’s broadcast was kicking off Thursday morning, Whoopi Goldberg stood before her audience with breaking news: “We’ve just learned that O.J. Simpson has passed, in the midst of his battle with cancer,” she informed the crowd. “It was information too current, too fresh for us not to share.” https://youtu.be/135dtHG_2Js Even though Beyoncé may have proclaimed that “Cowboy Carter,” her latest project “ain’t a country album,” someone forgot to tell the charts that. The superstar has made history as the first Black woman to come in at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart with her “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” according to Billboard. The new collection also tops the Billboard 200 Albums chart, marking Beyoncé’s eighth time doing so. In February, she also made history when one of the debut singles from the album, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” captured the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. The accomplishment comes at a time when there has been debate over the fact that Beyoncé herself is not a country music artist. While her newest album is genre-defying, as it blends pop, country, R&B, zydeco, and other sounds, Bey definitely has the receipts to claim country music. https://youtu.be/KnNd0s2tyCE?list=RDNSKnNd0s2tyCE Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has released a series of new videos spotlighting five Black Republican congressional lawmakers. The first episode of the series, “America’s Starting Five,” challenged the stereotype that Black individuals are inherently aligned with the Democratic Party in their voting patterns and political affiliations, The Hill reports. The series features a roundtable discussion with Scott and Reps. Burgess Owens (Utah), John James (Mich.) and Wesley Hunt (Texas). Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.) is part of the series; however, he did not participate in the roundtable discussion in the inaugural video that aired on Friday. “In the first episode, the group discusses Joe Biden’s ‘you ain’t Black’ comments, what it means to be a Black Republican, and the growing coalition of Black Republicans,” the video caption reads. The episode also featured a clip of Biden saying that “poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.” https://youtu.be/yWPuzDFU_Go The village of Dolton in Illinois has approved a resolution to enlist former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to investigate allegations of taxpayer fund misuse and other corrupt practices against its leader, Tiffany Henyard, known as the “Dolton Dictator.” Lightfoot expressed feeling “honored” to undertake the investigation, New York Post reports. According to Fox 32, she will reportedly be compensated $400 per hour for her services. “As someone who has made good governance the cornerstone of my career in public service, I recognize that maintaining the trust of those you serve and making decisions in their best interests is essential,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “The residents of Dolton deserve nothing less than a government that is fully accountable, responsive, transparent, and effective stewards of taxpayer dollars.” Lightfoot noted that her tenure as mayor of Chicago would enable her to offer impartial findings and recommendations. She suffered a landslide defeat in last year’s re-election bid. Music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. has submitted new allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs in a sworn statement to the court. We reported earlier that Jones claims in his lawsuit that Combs possesses explicit videos involving celebrities, rappers, and music industry executives. Jones is seeking $30 million in punitive damages, accusing the Bad Boy Records founder of sexually harassing, drugging, and threatening him for more than a year. He served as Comb’s videographer from September 2022 to November 2023. Throughout this period, he allegedly documented extensive evidence of Combs, his associates, and additional individuals participating in significant unlawful activities. The lawsuit claims Diddy covertly recorded celebrities during his “freak off” parties. According to All Hip Hop, Jones recently presented the court with a recording alleging to feature Combs boasting about involvement in violent and illegal activities. A literature review published in the Journal of AOAC (the Association of Official Analytical Chemists) International concludes that THC or its metabolites in blood, breath, urine, or saliva does not reliably predict behavioral impairment. Researchers associated with the University of California at Davis confirmed that there is “no direct correlation between impairment and THC concentrations” in bodily fluids. This conclusion aligns with the viewpoints of various traffic safety organizations, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the American Automobile Association. “Current methods that focus on THC and/or metabolite concentrations in blood, saliva, urine, or exhaled breath can lead to false-positive results for recent use due to the persistence of THC well outside of the typical 3-4-hour window of potential impairment following cannabis inhalation,” the researchers noted. The authors of the study concluded that traffic safety laws in states that criminalize drivers testing positive for minimal THC levels in their blood are “not scientifically supported.” Such laws pose the risk of unjustly incriminating drivers who are neither impaired nor have recently used cannabis. Meanwhile, we reported earlier that if you’re feeling uncomfortably high after smoking cannabis, there are several steps you can take to help mitigate the effects. Aoki Lee Simmons is featured in BCBG’s New York capsule campaign for Spring 2024. The fashion brand released the following statement: Embodying BCBG New York’s essence of modern femininity and the harmony of day-to-night style, Aoki showcases the captivating duality of her lifestyle of fashion and post-graduate life, bringing a unique blend of elegance and intellect to the visuals. The campaign announcement follows the 21-year-old daughter of Kimora Lee Simmons and Russell Simmons, addressing her social media followers who believe she has an eating disorder. She urged them to refrain from labeling her as “anorexic” in the comments of her posts, citing the negative impact on her modeling career. As Ice Cream Convos reports, in an Instagram Live, she said: “Hey guys, can you please stop saying I’m anorexic on the internet? Because I’ve been getting fired from modeling jobs because people think that I’m a bad influence and I’m just really not. I eat a lot of food. So can you stop saying that because I’ve been getting in trouble? Thank you. Cool. Please stop.” https://www.instagram.com/livebitez/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=769f49e3-5599-4907-a521-429fb92427c7 In related news, Aoki Lee has ended her romance with 65-year-old multi-millionaire restaurateur Vittorio Assaf. “Of course, I’m not with him. I was never with him,” Simmons said, according to a source, per Page Six. “He’s always loved younger beautiful women. He’s gotten older, but his taste hasn’t changed,” one insider said about Assaf. After photos surfaced last week of Aoki and her sugar daddy kissing in St. Barts, her father, Russell Simmons, told TMZ he has “advice and unconditional love” for his daughter. https://www.instagram.com/bcbgmaxazria/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cd919917-2f2b-4979-b8e4-0ba764cd2d3c “I’m not gonna kick and scream about her choices,” Simmons told TMZ. Check out Aoki’s BCBG’s New York campaign. https://www.instagram.com/bcbgmaxazria/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9966ed8b-4e21-4adf-adcd-71a7ff1f2d41 Hennessy selected Teyana Taylor and Damson Idris to headline its new “Made For More” campaign. The campaign showcases the actors transforming classic cocktails like the margarita, mojito, and highball with Hennessy twists. “Hennessy is well known everywhere but people don’t always know about how versatile it is – how it brings more flavor, depth, and complexity to all kinds of cocktails. Our new ‘Made for more’ campaign is bringing to life this notion of 1+1=3, showcasing the unlimited possibilities and introducing another side of the brand with beauty, fun, and open-mindedness,” explained Julie Nollet, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Hennessy in a statement. “It shakes up the brand perceptions and builds on its legacy for a new generation.” The campaign features five mixing films and five cocktails, demonstrating how Hennessy can elevate any drink or occasion. https://www.instagram.com/teyanataylor/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9e3951e6-e819-4f88-998c-1e6767301012 “One time, for the love of all things anew, and we all love new things. With that being said, I’m super excited to embark upon this journey with my favorite Cognac, Hennessy. Destination: fresh, bright, and invigorating, like any good cocktail should be,” shared Taylor. “The chance to work with such an iconic brand was one I just couldn’t say no to. When I think of Hennessy I think of my three older brothers, I think of amazing memories. The visuals are stylish, the films are fun, it’s magic. It’s cinema,” added Idris. Take a look at the campaign via the Instagram post. In related news, Damson covers Essence Magazine’s inaugural ‘Sexiest Men Of The Moment issue’ issue. “The Foundation of a man. He stands 6’1, with deep auburn skin and a 4K pearly smile that glistens like ultraviolet rays off charcoal mines in the deepest sands off the coast of Nigeria. Yes, it’s that deep,” Essence wrote of its cover star on Instagram. “His charm is tangible. His infectiousness is palatable. His future is limitless. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ivmYfuxvJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3330653f-abb2-408d-8d49-e2657e57a834 JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, April 10 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. In this episode, it’s all about the perfect dinner for two. Chef JJ starts with tender and juicy pork chops and gravy served with collard greens and roasted baby potatoes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRG8TOskdA8 Popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN is back with all-new episodes this Wednesday, April 10 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells returns with even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. Chef pays tribute to his mom and the things she taught in the kitchen. First, it’s homemade banana pudding. Then, its cast iron creamed corn, followed by super crunchy southern fried chicken cooked to perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6QefgNf9Js Popular YouTuber Tasha K has reportedly presented new evidence in her case with Kevin Hart, who accuses her of attempting to extort him for $250k in exchange for not publishing an interview with his ex-assistant Miesha Shakes. Hart is taking legal action against Shakes after she allegedly made “false and defamatory” statements about him during her interview with Tasha K. According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Tasha submitted a declaration from her assistant, Jason Wilson, in the court battle filed by Hart. We reported earlier that in legal documents obtained by TheBlast, a representative of Tasha K was accused of contacting Hart’s team in November, claiming to have had an explosive interview with Shakes. The blogger allegedly threatened to publish if she wasn’t paid $250,000. Hart refused to Pay, and Tasha was served a cease-and-desist letter stating she had no right to broadcast his personal business. Tasha ignored the cease-and-desist letter and published the interview on her YouTube channel, “Unwine with Tasha K,” on December 22. During the conversation, Shakes claimed Hart cheated on his wife, Eniko, and that he had a gambling problem. Rihanna is opening up about her friendship with rapper A$AP Rocky before they became romantically involved. The pair first met in 2012 when they collaborated on a remix of Rihanna’s single “Cockiness (Love It)” but didn’t start dating until 2019. Speaking to Interview, RiRi said, “We saw fashion the same. We saw creative the same. We ended up in the same circles a lot. And past that, when we grew up, we ended up supporting each other’s brands and products and creative all the time. I would wear his s—, he would show up to my launches.” She added, “I’ve seen him in relationships. He’s seen me in relationships. We’ve seen each other outside of relationship. We knew what we’re capable of, and the trouble that we could bring to each other’s lives. We can make or break each other’s hearts. And so, we started dating with a lot of caution,” she explained. “I just let whatever was supposed to happen, happen. It was just, ‘This is a flower. It’s either going to die or blossom. But I’m going to let it decide itself,'” the global superstar said. https://www.instagram.com/interviewmag/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1dbc34ce-500a-425d-9d26-67f7914fa732 Several renowned Black actors have penned an open letter condemning the racist harassment directed at Francesca Amewudah-Rivers following her casting in a West End production of “Romeo & Juliet.” We reported earlier that the Duke of York Theatre in London is defending Amewudah-Rivers after racist trolls labeled her as too “ugly” to portray Juliet in their latest production, “Romeo & Juliet.” Amewudah-Rivers’ casting alongside Tom Holland as Romeo in the forthcoming theatrical production of “Romeo and Juliet” has created social media buzz, with many calling it “the worst casting ever for Juliet.” The theater company reacted to the haters in a statement: “Following the announcement of our ‘Romeo & Juliet’ cast, there has been a barrage of deplorable racial abuse online directed towards a member of our company. This must stop. We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment. We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported.” The Duke of York Theatre announced last month that Amewudah-Rivers will play Juliet alongside Holland as Romeo in the play which opens on May 23. https://www.instagram.com/franarivers/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9af6f81d-2568-465f-b4da-af95a83b943e HBO’s Jon Snow spinoff series, much to the disappointment of “Game of Thrones” fans, is no longer in development. Kit Harrington confirmed that the planned spinoff centered around his beloved character has been shelved indefinitely, as writers could not find the right story to tell. The actor told Screen Rant that the creative team examined “every angle” to “see whether it’s worth it.” “Currently, it’s not,” he added. “Currently, it’s off the table, because we all couldn’t find the right story to tell that we were all excited about enough. So, we decided to lay down tools with it for the time being.” “I hadn’t really ever spoken about it, because it was in development,” Harrington shared. “I didn’t want it leaked out that it was being developed, and I didn’t want the thing to happen where people kind of start theorizing, getting either excited about it or hating the idea of it, when it may never happen.” https://youtu.be/DTB8lATvXkw Independent presidential candidate Cornel West announced fellow academic Melina Abdullah as his vice presidential nominee in an interview Wednesday on “The Tavis Smiley Show.” “She has a record of deep commitment and investment in ensuring that poor and working people are at the center of her vision,” West said of his running mate. “I wanted to to run with someone who would put a smile on the face of Fannie Lou Hamer and Martin Luther King Jr. from the grave.” West’s selection of Abdullah, a Muslim Black woman and a member of the board of directors for Black Lives Matter Grassroots, could further advance his outreach to Muslim Americans and Black Americans disenchanted with President Joe Biden. A pan-African studies professor at California State University, Los Angeles, Abdullah said she enthusiastically agreed to join West’s campaign and was drawn to his platform of “truth, love and justice.” “I regard (West), and many of us regard him as one of the most brilliant people to walk this earth, and so I’ve been following him and had been really enthusiastic about his candidacy,” Abdullah said on Smiley’s show shortly after she was announced as West’s running mate. https://youtu.be/cT7wEwN7Eko Here is an exclusive clip of the upcoming thriller “Sting,” which arrives in theaters on April 12. The eagerly awaited creature feature revolves around a 12-year-old girl named Charlotte who befriends a stray spider. Per the official website: “After raising an unnervingly talented spider in secret, 12-year-old Charlotte must face the facts about her pet—and fight for her family’s survival—when the once-charming creature rapidly transforms into a giant, flesh-eating monster.” https://youtu.be/WwzOR4xEIJA Regimen Records is proud to announce the highly anticipated single release, video and “One Night Only” performances from Award Winning Contemporary Gospel legend Bebe Winans. On April 12, the Detroit native will deliver his newest offering appropriately titled “Father In Heaven (Right Now)." Written and produced by Winans, "Father In Heaven (Right Now)" recounts the many ways in which he has witnessed and felt God’s hand on his life. The ballad serves as a reminder of celebration and testimony. Along with the song, the Gospel great is set to deliver a new music video which perfectly conveys the essence of the song. Filmed over the course of four sold out performances across South Africa in January 2024, the official clip for “Father In Heaven (Right Now)” captures Bebe Winans on stage bringing his unique blend of Gospel, Soul and R&B to thousands of fans. “I must say this song speaks to the core of my being,” the singer says of the song. “I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father for everything. I hope it moves listeners to the point of surrender when it is released on April 12, 2024.” In addition to the new single, Bebe Winans is ramping up towards the announcement of a series of special live shows taking place in July 2024. Inspired by a recent performance at New York City’s renowned Apollo Theater, the singer/songwriter and radio personality will be appearing in Chicago - Country Club Hills Amphitheater on July 13, Washington, DC - Kennedy Center on July 24, and Westbury NY - Westbury Music Fair on July 27. Tickets will be made available on Thursday, April 11, 2024 via Ticketmaster. Additional cities and venues will be announced soon. Dr. Lisa Bellamy is a passionate Gospel, Jazz, and Inspirational artist, songwriter, vocal coach, and motivational speaker. With a vocal range that covers five octaves, her sound is a sweet, soothing experience for the soul and ear. After her successful 2023 album SHARE THE LIGHT, Lisa delivers a new single, "Joy," that is fresh and inspiring. “Joy" is produced with steppers and roller skate fans in mind while rooted and grounded in the word. The throwback groove of "Joy" will take you on a reflective journey but quickly remind you that the world can not give you joy and the world can not take it away. It's the Greatest night in Gospel! The Stellar Awards Gospel Music Show is the first and oldest televised awards show honoring Gospel Music for over 38 years. The “Love Mountain” movie delivers "Don't Give Up" The first song from the movie soundtrack featuring gospel artist Earnest Pugh, Love Mountain, written and directed by Lee Shelton, is a compelling love story with some remarkable twists and turns within the family dynamic that produces the resilience that it takes to survive life’s challenges and win. The film includes appearances by some of Gospel Music’s brightest stars such as hip hop emerging artist Jevon Dewand, James Fortune, Pastor Mike, Jr., and Zacardi Cortez. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/16393837?date=20240322&user_id=668306&signature=xMo9tSFDU0EfRgr-zImu5nXEOuo%3Aigr1x98J "Shining Bright" In the Gospel spotlight is Kierra Sheard-Kelly’s newest single, “All Yours feat. Anthony Brown”! This album title track is a sweet ballad about being deeply devoted to the Lord. “When you radically stand for the Lord, there's a sound He'll give you. He will also give you innovation, strategy, and ideas that become game-changers. That’s what He did for me. There's a song for everyone on this album encouraging them to walk with the Lord.” “All Yours feat. Anthony Brown” goes for adds May 17th! https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e378yhu76ww0qayu1twt1/All-Yours-Radio-Edit.mp3?rlkey=jivujcxps68p1q15j6rub4d4c&dl=0 Bishop Leonard Scott drops "Jesus Saves" featuring VaShawn Mitchell. https://spaces.hightail.com/space/o1qvlEtzIi/files/fi-00bd6ffb-dbda-4264-a821-e73d2d723ee8/fv-fd93e305-9025-4199-bd87-a2129636abc7/320%20-%20Jesus%20Saves%20Radio%20Edit%20mp3.mp3 Rapper Flavor Flav “has no interest” in participating in the “Flavor of Love” reboot. The reality show ran for three seasons from 2006 until 2008. It featured twenty different ladies competing for Flavor Flav’s heart as they lived together in a mansion in Encino, California. The reruns are currently streaming for free on Tubi. https://t.co/JTj4c7VGOF Deadline reports that a reimagining of the series is in the works. “We’re in the process of working with Flavor Flav to reimagine what Flavor of Love can feel like in this in this decade, which is very different,” said Julie Pizzi, president of Bunim/Murray. Flav hit up social media and made clear that he is not involved in the show. https://www.instagram.com/flavorflavofficial/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=06b09fd5-b7e4-428c-8ec7-fed50f304943 Terrence Howard donned a bizarre wig during a recent interview on the podcast Straight Talk with Daphne Phaneē to discuss his ongoing lawsuit against the Hollywood agency CAA. The actor is pursuing legal action because he was not adequately paid for his work on all six seasons of the Fox drama “Empire.” “This is a man who was the lead actor to, once again, one of the most successful television shows in network history where Fox was making over $125 million a year in just ad revenue alone. This man was being underpaid time and time again,” Howard’s attorney, James Bryant, with the Cochran Law Firm, said previously. We reported earlier that Howard’s attorneys claim CAA convinced the performer that his salary was fair for his acting work on the show. Howard alleges his “white counterparts” from the network were paid more than him. In December, he announced he was suing the agency over his salary. https://youtu.be/6zuufDIfzsI Ernie Isley, the iconic guitarist and member of The Isley Brothers, was presented with a lifetime achievement award by The Guitar Center Music Foundation at their second annual benefit concert and fundraiser held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on April 4th. “It’s such an honor to be a part of this because Ernie’s influence has been truly unrecognized for a long time,” said award presenter and fellow guitarist-songwriter Vernon Reid of the rock band Living Colour, Billboard reports. Reid added, “It’s so long overdue that it’s ridiculous. So this is a measure of justice as well. As a kid, I used to get guitar magazines and I’d see Duane Allman on a cover. I’d see Dicky Betts on a cover. Or I’d see Rory Gallagher, who I love, on a cover. But the one person I didn’t see on those magazines was the person who had the most influence on me. And that’s Mr. Ernie Isley.” In his speech, Ernie made reference to his Isley Brothers siblings. “We’ve been blessed with longevity and the music. This is a highly distinguished honor and privilege. I really don’t have the words to describe it. Just thanks,” he said. In a video clip, his brother Ronald noted, “Didn’t I tell you that you’d be the greatest; the one to represent the family. That’ you’d be one of the greatest guitar players there is and one of the greatest songwriters? You know I love you. Congratulations, son. You finally made it!” If you were a fan of the 1991 cult classic, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, you’re in for a modern-day twist on this classic film! The newly reimagined version is directed by actor and writer Wade Allain-Marcus (Insecure, French Dirty, Waist Deep), and boasts a Black cast starring Nicole Richie (The Simple Life, Good Burger 2) and Simone Joy Jones (Bel Air). Tanya Crandell (played by Jones) is obligated to stay home with her siblings and cancel her summer trip to Spain after her mom (comedian Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams) decides to indulge in a wellness retreat in Thailand. After the death of their older babysitter (hilariously played by June Squibb), Tanya takes on a position working for Rose (played by Richie). We conversed with some of the cast and the director. https://vimeo.com/930908433 Richie felt similarly. Her character in the movie is a staple that the audience will remember well. “Never in my life did I think I’d get the opportunity to play Rose,” she said. Richie admits that she has always connected with Rose. “I quote her all the time just in my regular life with my gay friends, just like on a Tuesday.” Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead will open in theaters on April 12. https://youtu.be/hBpyMNj_QI0 Jamie Foxx appears to be returning to his old self after a break from the spotlight last year when he suffered a mysterious medical setback. In a recently circulated viral video, Foxx is seen seated at a piano, serenading his Wing Stop order over the phone and engaging the staffer on the other end in the delightful moment. The actor orders 400 lemon pepper wings, 200 BBQ wings, 100 mango wings, and three large orders of fries. “You gon’ be surprised when I come up there,” Foxx tells the woman taking his order. https://twitter.com/i/status/1777457173775208827 McDonald’s is bringing back breakfast bagels to all 14,300 US outlets later this year. The Daily Mail reports that the popular menu item has already returned in California, Pennsylvania, Nashville, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Florida, Tennessee, Iowa, West Virginia, California, North Carolina, Ohio, Alabama, and New York. McDonald’s added breakfast bagels to their menu in late 2019, but they were discontinued amid the 2020 COVID pandemic. There are four varieties: Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel, Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel, Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel which features grilled onions, and vegetarian customers have the Egg & Cheese bagel option. https://youtu.be/g7gSDxv5T_U The official trailer has dropped for the final season of the fan-favorite and critically acclaimed original series EVIL on Paramount+. According to the press release, the series will premiere Thursday, May 23, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada and on the following day in Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The 14 new episodes will premiere weekly. The series stars Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Kurt Fuller, Andrea Martin, Christine Lahti, Brooklyn Shuck, Skylar Gray, Maddy Crocco and Dalya Knapp. https://youtu.be/MjTirgBzLjc A 22-year-old woman from Georgia (Taylon Nichelle Celestine), during her departure from a motel in Holmes County, declared to the staff that a supernatural force had compelled her to enact a violent rampage on the coming Monday, the day of a solar eclipse, targeting travelers on a bustling Florida thoroughfare. The motel relayed the alarming declaration to Holmes County Communications, introducing the authorities to the menace posed by Celestine, who claimed she was instructed by a higher power to unleash terror due to the celestial event, as recounted by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). In a rapid succession of events, Washington County Communications was alerted to the reality of the threat when reports emerged of Celestine engaging in gunfire at passing cars along Interstate 10 (I-10), reports WTVY-TV. In a moment of violent encounter, one motorist’s journey was shattered by flying glass and a close brush with death as a bullet skimmed his arm, following Celestine’s multiple rounds discharged toward his car from her violet-hued Dodge Challenger. Miraculously, he managed to maneuver to the safety of I-10’s edge, away from the ensuing danger. https://youtu.be/oW2qqzgvvjk Caitlin Clark’s last dance in the NCAA dominated conversation ahead of Sunday’s women’s national championship game. Could the Iowa star cap off her historic time in college basketball with the final and so-far elusive accolade: a national title? But standing in the way of the unstoppable force that is Clark was the immovable object in the form of the South Carolina Gamecocks. Unbeaten throughout the season and obliterating all that came against them, Dawn Staley’s squad is the dominant team in the women’s game. https://youtu.be/NHQreXCQHZc And Sunday’s game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, was more proof of the juggernaut Staley has built in Columbia, with South Carolina vanquishing Clark and Iowa 87-75 to finish the season as undefeated NCAA national champions, the 10th team in women’s college basketball to achieve the feat. “Although we haven’t been the most talked-about team in this whole women’s basketball year,” Staley acknowledged in an interview with CNN on Monday, “we’ll be talked about a lot in the off-season. “I’d much rather have it that way after having won another national championship.” It’s the program’s third national title – all of which have come with Staley at the helm – and one that vaults the former six-time WNBA All-Star into the bracket of the legendary women’s college basketball coaches. https://youtu.be/9juGCjBkdAk Owners of the Tennessee Titans want a new $2.1 billion football stadium in Nashville, but they want to pay for it with OPM – other people’s money. So we have to ask: should taxpayers fund NFL Titans stadium? Those ‘other people’ include taxpayers in Nashville and throughout Tennessee, which could amount to more than $1 billion, nearly half the cost! The NFL and the owners of the Titans are millionaires. A majority of Tennessee residents are not. That’s the first issue I have with this plan. The second issue: For the past 25 years (at least) Tennessee legislators have underfunded Tennessee State University – my alma mater – by more than $2 billion. For a long time, it’s been evident the supermajority Republican legislature DGAF about Black people in general and TSU in particular. It’s time to let them know TSU’s influence reaches far beyond 615 and 629. We are calling all area codes. https://youtu.be/Aj6Eq37Gkaw Eric “EWill” Williams, the legendary music producer known for his groundbreaking contributions to the music industry, is set to release a highly anticipated single titled “Crazy For Your Love” in June 2024. This unprecedented project features the vocal powerhouses K-Ci, of the legendary R&B group Jodeci, and Coko, of the history-making group SWV. “Crazy For Your Love” is a mid-tempo track poised to captivate audiences with its infectious groove and soulful melodies. With K-Ci and Coko lending their unparalleled talents to the project, the single promises to be a surefire hit, showcasing the exceptional musical synergy between these iconic artists. “I am thrilled to collaborate with two legendary figures in the R&B world, Coko of SWV and K-Ci of Jodeci, on our upcoming single ‘Crazy For Your Love.’ This project represents a fusion of timeless talent and creative energy, and I believe it will resonate deeply with fans old and new. Together, we’ve crafted a track that captures the essence of soulful music while pushing boundaries and delivering something fresh and exciting. I can’t wait for listeners to experience the magic we’ve created,” Eric “EWill” Williams says. In a galaxy far, far away from common sense, Billy Dee Williams boldly declares his support for actors donning blackface, because, in his universe, anything goes in the name of “craft.” During a recent episode of “Club Random” with Bill Maher, the ‘Star Wars’ legend served up his thoughts like a questionable dish at a spaceport cantina. Singing praises for Laurence Olivier’s blackface gig in “Othello,” Billy Dee finds humor in a performance that most find cringe-worthy. “When he did Othello, I fell out laughing,” Williams said of Olivier, who wore blackface in the 1965 screen adaptation of “Othello,” the Shakespearean tragedy. He stuck his ass out and walked around because Black people are supposed to have big asses,” the “Star Wars” actor went on, prompting Maher to jokingly reference the controversy Bradley Cooper received for wearing a prosthetic nose to play composer Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro. I thought it was hysterical. I loved it.” https://youtu.be/jEWNzLJJ0Jo When Maher dares to suggest that perhaps blackface has been relegated to the trash compactor of history, Billy Dee Williams’ reaction is as baffling as trying to navigate an asteroid field blindfolded. “Why not?” he muses, as if societal progress is just another Sith conspiracy. Their exchange feels like watching two speeder bikes collide in slow motion, with Billy Dee and Bill Maher careening through the wreckage of common decency and cultural sensitivity. In the end, Billy Dee Williams’ parting shot about avoiding a “victimhood mentality” lands with all the grace of a bantha stampede. But fear not, citizens of the galaxy, for while Lando may be chill with the idea, the rest of us are content to leave the blackface parade parked in the Mos Eisley junkyard where it belongs. Meanwhile, as you can imagine, Billy Dee’s comments are not finding favor with a lot of folks. One in particular is former Ghetto Boys rapper and podcaster Willie D, who reacted by calling Williams a hypocrite, among other things. https://youtu.be/gFgt9m9JBr8 Jerrod Carmichael is speaking out about his interracial sex fetishes, admitting he’s into “race play” with his white boyfriends. According to the Urban Dictionary, “race play” is an “avant-garde form of role play used by two consenting adults that incorporates racist, hurtful, & derogatory terms and comments regarding the others race, to fulfill and reach sexual pleasure.” In the latest episode of the Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show on HBO, Carmichael revealed he’s addicted to sex and that he cheated on his long-distance boyfriend. “Sometimes, I joke to him that our relationship is like that of a slave and a master’s son who teaches me how to read by candlelight,” the openly gay comedian explains to the disapproving audience, Vibe reports. “Yeah, he groans too because he’s a good person. He doesn’t like the f**king joke. I like that joke. That’s my burden. I think that’s shit’s hilarious. ‘Yes, sir? Maria Antoinette, sir? I don’t know what that is!’ That’s a joke for me!” On social media, many users are giving Jerrod the side-eye for publicly disclosing his disturbing slave-play sex kink. One X/Twitter user wrote, “it’s bad enough that the top gay black male celebs won’t date anyone darker than a paper bag – but to admit and joke about being a slave in the bedroom for you white partner – in a documentary with a primarily white audience…. is gross?” https://twitter.com/His_Majesty13/status/1777060373624971501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1777060373624971501%7Ctwgr%5Ec37cb68b2b8422d90707720fa0f0fe4913582ce6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fjerrod-carmichael-talks-racial-sex-fantasies%2F Elsewhere in the episode, Carmichael talks about being molested by “older kids” when he was a toddler and that he has had at least “1,000” sexual partners. “I was a very sexual child since probably I was three or four, with older kids,” Carmichael explains. “I definitely had experiences with boys that I hid and my teenage years into my twenties, beginning secret sex with guys…Sex offers me power and control. It’s an escape. I use it to escape,” he said. https://youtu.be/KkTqP_prC8I The investigation into allegations that actor John Amos was neglected by his caretakers has been closed, as authorities informed TMZ that they found no evidence of wrongdoing. The outlet writes: “We’re told cops concluded the entire ordeal stemmed from an ongoing family dispute … and they put the matter to bed, officially.” As we reported … Law enforcement sources previously informed TMZ that a case was opened to investigate claims made by Amos’ daughter, Shannon. She called Adult Protective Services to allege her father’s health issues were not being addressed adequately by her brother, K.C. APS received a report based on Shannon’s claims and forwarded it to the LAPD, prompting an investigation. The LAPD is reportedly familiar with Shannon and K.C.’s ongoing disputes, but the investigation focused on Shannon’s new allegations. Award-winning actress, comedian, speaker, and host Kim Coles will host "A Different World" HBCU College Tour, which will take place at Howard University on today. This event will reunite the original cast of the popular NBC show and give fans a chance to relive some fond memories on campus for Hillman Day. The event will include a panel discussion at Cramton Auditorium, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., exclusively open to Howard University students.Hillman Day at Howard University is a part of a celebratory movement. The event will commence at 1:00 p.m., with activities outside of Cramton Auditorium. This will include Howard student DJs, the Divine Nine sorority and fraternity step show and stroll competition, 80s/90s themed karaoke, "A Different World" character costume contest, and viewing of clips from the top 10 episodes. "This is not just about looking back at the cast past," said Kim Coles. "This tour is about inspiring a new generation to choose HBCUs as their academic homes. I want to show students that these institutions offer so much more than just education – they offer community, culture, and opportunity." After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl. From Radio Silence – the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett behind the terrifying modern horror hits Ready or Not, 2022’s Scream and last year’s Scream VI – comes a brash, blood-thirsty new vision of the vampire flick, written by Stephen Shields (The Hole in the Ground, Zombie Bashers) and Guy Busick (Scream franchise, Ready or Not). https://youtu.be/3PsP8MFH8p0 The film produced by William Sherak (Scream franchise, Ready or Not), Paul Neinstein (Scream franchise; executive producer, The Night Agent) and James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, Scream franchise) for Project X Entertainment, by Tripp Vinson (Ready or Not, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) and by Radio Silence’s Chad Vilella (executive producer Ready or Not and Scream franchise). The executive producers are Ron Lynch and Macdara Kelleher. https://youtu.be/xtAL2x58hns Fantasia Barrino and live event producer and artist manager Yvonne McNair have joined forces to establish Rock Soul Productions, an entertainment company headquartered in Charlotte, NC. This venture encompasses divisions dedicated to management, production, and various entertainment ventures, positioning itself as a full-service operation in the industry. With Fantasia serving as CEO and McNair as president, Rock Soul aims to significantly impact the entertainment world, offering opportunities for artists and creators to thrive under its guidance and support. Per Variety, Rock Soul seeks to be “the intersection where creativity and excellence in entertainment meet.” “The formation of Rock Soul feels like a natural progression for me personally. It is the manifestation of my evolution as an artist, a creative and a businesswoman,” said Fantasia. Akon recently addressed Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs drama and the music mogul’s multiple civil lawsuits over alleged sexual assault. “I would like to say just pray for the man,” Akon told TMZ when the outlet caught up with him at Los Angeles International Airport. “God knows best, whatever’s happening, God’s dealing with it and that’s the best thing to say,” the singer added, Complex reports. “But it is very unfortunate that things in this business are always being exposed in some ways and I think things could be done differently.” Akon noted that 2024 “is the year of truth.” “I think this is a matter for God and he’s continue to deal with it how he’s been dealing with it,” he said, telling TMZ that “things are gonna be exposed.” https://youtu.be/QUZQc5RZmkM Following the public display of affection between Aoki Lee Simmons and Vittorio Assaf during their recent trip to St. Barts, insiders close to the 21-year-old have confirmed that the pair have called it quits. According to sources, Simmons herself has denied any romantic involvement with the wealthy restauranteur, who is 44 years her senior. “It’s over,” a close associate of Simmons revealed to Page Six on Monday. “There’s absolutely no relationship between them.” Reportedly, Aoki Simmons reiterated her stance to a friend, stating, “I’m definitely not with him. I never was.” Another source close to Vittorio Assaf provided insight into the 65-year-old’s dating preferences, describing him as an “older man with youthful charm” who has always been drawn to younger, attractive women. “He may be aging, but his taste remains the same,” the source disclosed to Page Six. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s out with another young woman tonight!” https://youtu.be/v3NcCuo9LeE Within the Pasadena, California Police Department, the gears of innovation are turning as they entertain the idea of acquiring cutting-edge equipment that would revolutionize their approach to oversight. The concept revolves around a system that springs into action, automatically activating nearby police body cameras whenever an officer draws their handgun from its holster. With over 230 sworn and armed officers in its ranks, such a move could herald a new era of accountability for the department. Should city officials give the green light, Pasadena would join a select few California police departments embracing this advanced technology. The proposed investment, tagged at $4.5 million, is slated for discussion at the Pasadena City Council’s upcoming April 29 assembly, according to an LA Times report. In the current landscape, body-worn cameras are already commonplace among police departments nationwide. However, their activation typically relies on manual input from officers during critical moments, guided by department policies. https://youtu.be/-RMr9ryDtpA With 306 out of 316 body cameras already deployed, the new equipment, branded as Axon Signal Sidearm, is earmarked for 235 officers. Similar systems are already operational in several California cities, including Huntington Beach, Anaheim, and Glendale, with Sacramento adopting the technology back in 2022. According to Lisa Derderian, city spokesperson, the comprehensive contract is estimated at $4.5 million, encompassing not only hardware upgrades but also a sophisticated software suite providing detailed analytics across various law enforcement tools and activities. Before the City Council’s verdict, the Pasadena Police Department plans to furnish the city’s Public Safety Committee with a comprehensive report, outlining the potential impact and benefits of this transformative initiative. https://youtu.be/Si4OrzSdA5o A Houston-bound Boeing 737-800 plane operated by Southwest Airlines returned safely to Denver International Airport on Sunday after an engine cover fell off and struck the wing flap, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency said it will investigate. In recorded air traffic control audio, one of the pilots said that “several passengers and flight attendants heard something loud hit the wing.” In a statement to CNN, Southwest said passengers would take another plane to Houston and would be approximately three hours behind schedule. “We apologize for the inconvenience of their delay but place our highest priority on ultimate Safety for our Customers and Employees,” the statement said. Southwest said no injuries were reported. https://youtu.be/O95m0GUSQmI People across the United States will be looking to the sky on Monday to witness a total solar eclipse. Others will be listening to it. And to Harvard University astronomers working to transform the rare sight into sound, the eclipse should create a symphony. “We mapped the bright light of the sun to a flute sound,” said Allyson Bieryla, an astronomer at Harvard. “Then it goes to a midrange, which is a clarinet, and then during totality, it kind of goes down to a low clicking sound, and that clicking even slows down during totality.” The scientists designed a boxy device — a bit larger than a cell phone — that converts light into audible tones in a process called sonification. The sounds change based on the intensity of the light, allowing people with blindness or low vision to follow the progress of the eclipse. The device is called a LightSound, and hundreds of them will be at eclipse-viewing events on Monday. “That image of totality is breathtaking and so it is visual, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only way you can interpret things or experience them,” said Bieryla, who runs the LightSound Project. “And for someone without sight, they need a different sense to experience it.” https://youtu.be/-VgubrqBl7E Kerry Washington has revealed why she used to hide her engagement ring in her undergarments. “I loved my ring so much, so I would sleep in it at night, and then in the morning, I would pin it to my undergarments so that nobody knew we were engaged,” she said during a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s This Life of Mine with James Corden, Marie Claire reports. The “Scandal” star explained that she wanted to keep her engagement and wedding to NFLer Nnamdi Asomugha private, so she “used to ping my engagement ring to my undergarments,” she shared. “He had a groundbreaking, record-breaking contract that he had just walked through, and he had been in three or four Pro Bowls, you know,” she explained. “When I met him, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and I was on this hit show.” Washington wed Asomugha in 2013, and she told Corden that “there was a lot of public energy around our careers,” so she decided to hide her engagement ring. My grandmother, the oldest of 14 siblings, passed away in 2018. She gave birth to seven children. Out of that lineage, none of them had a will. Luckily, all her children get along. Today, one of my aunts lives in my Grandma’s house. And her siblings are supportive of that. Yet, for many, that is not the case. However, because she passed intestate, the question that me and my cousins often ask is: What’s next for Big Mama’s House? In Texas—and many other parts of the country—this experience is far too common. Take my family, for example. You have seven siblings with an equal birthright to my Grandma’s house. Upon their passing, the birthright will be given to their children if they do not leave a will or instructions regarding what to do with their property. As an example, my mother owns one-seventh of my Grandma’s house. If it passes without a will, then that one-seventh is now split between me, my older brother, and my younger sister. As was the case with my aunts and uncles, each of us would also become owners of the property. Now, instead of seven people owning the property, you have nine with me and my siblings. That’s two additional decision-makers. To further illustrate the problem, what if my aunt, who lives in the house, were to pass in the same way – without a will? She has two children. Her daughter still lives in the same city but has her own house. However, her son, who unfortunately passed away, had three children. https://youtu.be/84fAOtIA6Zc Now you take one-seventh that my aunt owned, and you give one-half of that one-seventh to her daughter. But because my cousin passed (also without a will), his three children now become owners of the same property. You have to take his one-half of one-seventh and divide according to the Texas Estate’s code in threes to each of the children who may not own the same percentage. You may now see the problem many of our families face. And this pattern will continue as others pass away. Unfortunately, so many Black families are in similar places.That’s why the National Bar Association, the nation’s oldest and largest association of Black attorneys, judges, and law professionals in the country, and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, the oldest association of Black real estate professionals, are working together to educate Black families about property transfer. It plays a significant role in the creation of generational wealth. Too frequently, Black people have lost their property and suffered from gentrification because of the exact problem I described. And I believe that for years, we have not provided the same inheritance toolkits with comprehensive information that our white counterparts have relied on to grow intergenerational wealth for decades. https://youtu.be/CqLsd2G3L7c One of the things I always say is that talking about death doesn’t beget death. It doesn’t bring about death. It puts a family in a position to retain Black generational wealth. If the most prized possession you own is your house, and if you spent your life toiling to ensure that you could have that house, why wouldn’t you do everything you can in life or death to protect it? And it’s not to say that this is a failsafe and a magic wand to protect the Black community or that this will ensure we manage and maintain property within our communities. But it does provide a safeguard from what I will call “The Vultures,” the capitalists that come into our communities scheming and finding ways to gain control over the low-hanging fruit that are prized possessions for us. https://youtu.be/t_co-d9AUqQ “Project Islamic Hope and a coalition of Los Angeles civil rights and faith leaders have requested a meeting with Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder, and executive chairperson, to discuss delaying the airing of the new “Good Times” animated series until our coalition of leaders can view the scheduled episodes. “Based on the ‘Good Times’ animated trailer that has been released. We have serious concerns that the characters are among the worst stereotypical negative depictions of African Americans and our culture in the history of television,” expressed Najee Ali, Director of Project Islamic Hope in a statement emailed to EURweb.com. The original “Good Times” family show that premiered in 1974 and ended in 1979 was a show that detailed the struggle of a close-knit African American family living in the inner-city Chicago projects called Cabrini Green. The new Good Times animated series on Netflix, based on the trailer that has been released, makes a mockery of African American family life and our culture. https://youtu.be/BMA2Kc7TiO0 Seth Mac Farlane, one of the producers of the “Good Times” animated series also has an animated series called “Family Guy” on Fox and one of the characters on that series is a white baby named Stewie Griffin voiced by Mac Farlane who’s smart and clever. In Netflix’s “Good Times ” animated series the trailer depicts an African American baby as a drug dealer who sexualizes a grown African American woman. “The ‘Good Times’ animated series trailer promotes the worst stereotypical images of African Americans and our culture. An African American drug dealing baby is nothing to be laughed at or celebrated. It is a clear double standard of which we are aware. We are speaking out against it and will encourage our community members to be aware of it and speak out against it too,” advised Ali. Najee Ali added: “The original ‘Good Times’ cast members John Amos and the late Esther Rolle battled with the white producers and writers for their ‘Good Times’ show to stop depicting African Americans as buffoons. The buffoonery in the trailer of the new ‘Good Times’ animated series is everything that Amos and Rolle fought against. Our coalition of African American leaders is continuing the fight that Amos and Rolle battled against concerning Good Times.” https://youtu.be/-rhslcguw9o “Good Times” was an immensely popular sitcom back in the 70s during a critical time and an ever-changing climate for this country particularly in the Black community. There were challenges, lessons, temptations, adversity, and obstacles to overcome. As we witnessed, the right decision was made in many cases to keep the family with hopes of a brighter and more productive future. For Ali, this new “Good Times” animated trailer is not only disgraceful but disrespectful of African Americans. It perpetuates negative stereotypes of African Americans. “As part of the coalition of civil rights leaders, and Western Regional Director of the National Action Network founded by Rev Al Sharpton, we support the request for a meeting with Netflix Co-founder Reed Hastings to discuss not only delaying the airing of this “Good Times” animated atrocities but also canceling the showing of this project,” shared Pastor Jonathan Moseley Western Regional Director of National Action Network. https://youtu.be/bCYmdMpyMJ8 Music icon Missy Elliot is hitting the road this summer with Busta Rhymes, Ciara, and Timbaland. Missy’s debut headline tour, OUT OF THIS WORLD — The Missy Elliott Experience, kicks off a 24-city run on July 4 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, making stops across North America in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and more, before wrapping up in Rosemont at Allstate Arena on August 22. https://www.instagram.com/missymisdemeanorelliott/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9d7fc435-b884-40c4-a98b-b936ec245b19 We reported earlier that Aoki Lee Simmons, the 21-year-old daughter of Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons, is dating Vittorio Assaf, a 65-year-old restaurateur and co-founder of the famous Italian chain Serafina. Simmons went viral after she was seen kissing Assaf, whom she called her “boyfriend” in a new Instagram Live video. In the clip, Assaf, who is off camera, is heard in the background telling Aoki that singer Mary J. Blige once wanted to date him. “Last day in St. Barts. I’m so sad but I’m very happy,” Simmons told her followers in the clip. “When I return home, everyone who knows me will be getting a happier, more chilled out version of me.” “Would you like to share your favorite thing about the trip?” she asked Assaf, who did not appear on camera. “You … [being] with you,” he is heard saying. “I am a big Bvlgari person,” Aoki said, mispronouncing the fashion brand’s name. “I just want to make that very clear. You know what I also like a lot: Cartier,” she told her sugar daddy. https://www.instagram.com/theshaderoom/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3906b1e5-0412-4a4a-baf7-3a5bef6d29ad Don Lemon married his longtime fiancé Tim Malone at Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar on Saturday. Lemon, 58, and Malone, 40, posted a picture on Instagram of themselves in wedding tuxedos, beaming with smiles as they stood on the church steps, accompanied by three adorable dogs. “Just married!” read the caption of the post. Lemon and Malone shared several photos and videos of the ceremony. RadarOnline reports that Lemon was “being a bridezilla” and was “micromanaging everyone” ahead of his wedding at Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar in New York City on Saturday, April 6. “They are a box of nerves right now and Don is kind of being a bridezilla because he has wanted this picture-perfect fairytale marriage, and he is micromanaging everyone,” the insider revealed. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5cDpotPbUF/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fb4f8abc-1712-482a-8a72-09d7063b4399 “They are both going to wear matching suits with different lapels. It won’t be a very religious ceremony, but they have written vows they will read to each other,” the source added. “Tim was joking with coworkers that he would use ChatGPT to write his.” “Several of Tim’s co-workers from Douglas Elliman are going to be there. Their dogs are also expected to be a part of the ceremony just as they were a part of their engagement.” Lemon and Malone tied the knot eight years after they began dating. They publicly announced their relationship with a New Year’s Eve kiss on CNN’s 2018 broadcast. A day before the weekend wedding, Malone shared the milestone moment of their 2019 engagement on Instagram, writing: “#fbf to April 6, 2019. When @donlemonofficial and I got engaged. And tomorrow April 6, 2024 we make it official. It’s getting so real ❤️ #weddingweekend”. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ZTl3wulYm/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a2a33933-96b5-4f04-ad1f-0c2b11fc3992 The ‘Bearded Lady,’ known as Harnaam Kaur, holds the Guinness World Record for being the youngest female with a full beard as of 2017. As SandraRose.com reports, Kaur suffers from PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), which causes unwanted facial hair in women. Due to her Muslim religion, she is not allowed to shave the beard — and even if she did, the hair would grow back thicker. In a Facebook video, Kaur reveals that she’s attracted to masculine men yet finds that only feminine men are interested in her. “Really feminine men message me, but that’s not who I am attracted to,” she said. “I like masculine men. I’m very soft. I’m so different to what you see on TV… At home I’m very quiet. I’m very feminine. I’m very soft. People don’t get to see that side of me.” According to Guinness World Records, Harnaam was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome when she was 12 years old. The condition affects millions of people around the world. https://youtu.be/J08LgL6OrGE Controversial conservative commentator Candace Owens challenged her former Daily Wire colleague Ben Shaprio to a debate about the Israel-Hamas war and current definition of antisemitism. Shapiro accepted the challenge but said she would not debate him on the Daily Wire platform. She also suggested a neutral moderator, such as Joe Rogan or Lex Fridman, who accepted the offer to host a debate. Jeremy Boreing, The Daily Wire co-founder, offered to host the debate on the platform in Nashville, with “no ads on the video and no charge to watch it. No one cashes in.” Owens reminded him that she is in London and could not commit to appearing in the city for an in-person showdown with Shapiro on April 8, and offered to do the debate virtually. Boreing agreed that The Daily Wire doesn’t need to be involved, but said Ben will not participate if there is a moderator, nor do it virtually. Owens accepted. https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1776429291821019499%7Ctwgr%5E459dd13b747cf708ffb7e2be833b74465c3c409e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fben-shapiro-accepts-candace-owens-debate-challenge%2F Last month, Boreing spoke out about why the company parted ways with Owens after she used the phrase “Christ is King.” We reported earlier that according to Boreing, who is Jewish, that phrase is anti-Semitic. The precise reasons behind Owens’ exit from the media company remain uncertain. However, her departure follows online harassment by two attention-seeking rabbis who falsely accused the media personality of harboring anti-Semitic sentiments. https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1776417779752546705%7Ctwgr%5E459dd13b747cf708ffb7e2be833b74465c3c409e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fben-shapiro-accepts-candace-owens-debate-challenge%2F As the sun dipped below the horizon at the enchanting Walt Disney World Resort, a jubilant exclamation marked the zenith of a fantastical journey for a hundred spirited teenagers. They celebrated their graduation from the Disney Dreamers Academy amidst a cascade of sparkling confetti and cherished Disney melodies, framing an exhilarating crescendo to their week-long voyage of courage, creativity, and boundless fun. Like stars descending from the sky, a constellation of luminaries from the realms of fame, academia, business, and community stewardship lent their brilliance to the five-day odyssey of mentorship. Amongst the galaxy of guiding lights were Daymond John of ‘Shark Tank,’ Dara Reneé from ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,’ Lance Gross of ‘House of Payne,’ and Sanya Richards-Ross of ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’, each igniting the ambitions of these youthful visionaries. The evening preceding this grand finale was kissed by destiny for Kyla Marie Griffith, an aspirant DJ from Laurelton, NY. DJ Big Tigger, a maestro of rhythm, orchestrated a private symposium for her, an encounter etched in the stars. He bestowed upon her the honor of playing co-DJ, spinning tunes together at the event’s ultimate celebration. Mohamedamin Abdirisek Ibrahim, a Somali refugee, is facing murder charges after strangling to death his pregnant Swedish girlfriend in an honor killing. The prosecutor claims that the motive for the atrocious deed was rooted in fears of dishonoring his conservative Muslim family., News18 reports. Ibrahim reportedly strangled to death Saga Forsgren Elneborg with a lamp cord. According to reports, he was too ashamed to introduce her, a white woman, to his Muslim family, as they would disapprove of the interracial relationship. Prosecutors claim Ibrahim was raised in a household where dating a “white” woman was frowned upon. He allegedly concealed his two-year relationship with Saga due to his family’s disapproval. Elneborg, 20, was found dead at her home in the Swedish city of Örebro on April 28, 2023. She was seven months pregnant, and the unborn child died in her womb. https://twitter.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1775874719218008187/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1775874719218008187%7Ctwgr%5E1608f95616449c5b4be4f89a6fadd4b1772e091a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fsomali-refugee-commits-honor-killing-by-strangling-girlfriend%2F Actor Jonathan Majors was sentenced to a 52-week mandatory in-person domestic violence prevention program for the assault and harassment of his former girlfriend during a domestic dispute, a New York criminal judge ruled Monday. Meanwhile, his “victim,” Grace Jabbari is not thrilled with the sentence/outcome and expressed her feelings to the court. Scroll down for more from her. Majors will have to give DNA as it’s his first conviction, and pay a separate $250 surcharge, Judge Michael J. Gaffey explained. There were no punishments in connection with the non-criminal violation of harassment in connection with the incident, and the assault misdemeanor was conditionally discharged. Judge Gaffey ultimately said the probation report indicated jail is not necessary, but Majors could face jail time if he violates the rules of his sentencing. https://youtu.be/VUYNgH8x9FE Majors did not look up from the table as Jabbari spoke. She exited the courtroom before sentencing. His attorney, Priya Chaudhry, said it has “been the most challenging year of Jonathan Majors’ life” adding her client “accepts this painful experience” to “emerge stronger, healthier and with a deeper understanding of himself.” Majors did not make a statement in court, citing ongoing litigation between him and Jabbari. CNN has reached out to his attorney for comment. The domestic violence program must be approved by the county of Los Angeles probation department in California. https://youtu.be/q4rzlUZVG14 Pharrell Williams released a new album on Friday that is only available to purchase via his Black Yacht Rock website.Fans can cop the album at BlackYachtRock.com. As Complex reports, the project titled Black Yacht Rock, Vol. 1: City of Limitless Access comes with ten songs. The new album comes amid the legal battle between Pharrell and his producing partner Chad Hugo, over name rights to The Neptunes. We reported earlier that Williams and Hugo are entangled in a legal tussle over the group’s moniker. Hugo accuses Williams of attempting to seize sole control over the trademarks, branding it as “fraudulent.” “Throughout their over thirty-year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” wrote Hugo’s attorney Kenneth D. Freundlich. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.” The panelists on “The Talk” reportedly fear their jobs are on the line as CBS prepares to debut the first Black soap opera in over three decades. According to RadarOnline, an insider told the National Enquirer… “Behind the scenes, tension on The Talk is at an all-time high” between co-hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood. According to the tea spiller, the network no longer prioritizes the daytime talk show. The advertising budget was allegedly reduced amid tanking ratings. The insider explained that “The Talk” could be canceled if the forthcoming new Black soap “is a hit.” We reported that CBS is developing “The Gates,” a soap opera about a wealthy Black family living in a posh, gated community. https://www.instagram.com/thetalkcbs/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f2838f65-36a5-4e6c-9221-2b3e6896cb10 Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, April 8 at 9 PM ET. A loving nurse and mother are found bludgeoned to death in her home with evidence suggesting the killer is someone she knew. When police learn of her involvement with multiple men, an act of jealousy seems likely. Find out tonight at 9 PM ET. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGANGHE5sPk Critically acclaimed show PAYBACK returns tonight, April 8. When young expectant parents are found gunned down outside an apartment complex, Memphis police are shocked when the father-to-be’s family members theorize the couple’s deaths are the result of a dispute over bundles of hair. Find out what happens tonight at 10 PM ET. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llrPcgioJtY J. Cole said he already regrets releasing a Kendrick Lamar diss track amid his ongoing beef with his fellow musician. Videos posted on social media showed Cole talking to the crowd at Dreamville Festival on Sunday, two days after releasing his new album “Might Delete Later,” and apologizing for one of its songs, titled “7 Minute Drill.” “I’m so proud of (‘Might Delete Later’), except for one part,” he said. “It’s one part of that sh*t that makes me feel like, man that’s the lamest sh*t I did in my f**king life, right?” He added: “I damn near had a relapse … I ain’t gonna lie to y’all. The past two days have felt terrible. It let me know how good I’ve been sleeping for the past 10 years.” https://youtu.be/A9nj69cVpJc “I want to say right now tonight, how many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest motherf**kers to ever touch a f**king microphone?” he said, while the audience cheered. The two have worked together before as, along with Drake, they have emerged as among the most influential hip-hop artists of their generation. All three have won multiple Grammy Awards, while Lamar received the 2018 Pulitzer Prize, making him the first non-classical or jazz musician to win it. https://youtu.be/uPmqetYCFz0 The Duke of York Theatre in London is defending Black actress Francesca Amewudah-Rivers after racist trolls labeled her as too “ugly” to portray Juliet in their latest production, “Romeo & Juliet.” Amewudah-Rivers is best known for the show “Bad Education. Her casting alongside Tom Holland as Romeo in the forthcoming theatrical production of “Romeo and Juliet” has created social media buzz, with many calling it “the worst casting ever for Juliet.” The theater company reacted to the haters in a statement: “Following the announcement of our ‘Romeo & Juliet’ cast, there has been a barrage of deplorable racial abuse online directed towards a member of our company. This must stop. We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment. We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported.” The message continued: “Bullying and harassment have no place online, in our industry or in our wider communities. Our rehearsal room is full of joy, compassion, and kindness. We celebrate the extraordinary talent of our incredible collaborators. The Duke of York Theatre added, “The ‘Romeo & Juliet’ community will continue to rehearse with generosity and love, and focus on the creation of our production.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Dr0gXInPW/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=69c136e2-9723-4483-a1eb-a8e7ea63ba5b Amewudah-Rivers shared her excitement about her Juliet role on Instagram. Several people slammed her appearance in the comments and mocked her for seemingly having a mustache. Some people are convinced she’s transgender (male to female), further fueling the criticism over the play’s casting. The haters take issue with a Black woman playing Juliet. Amewudah-Rivers posted an announcement about the play, and in the comments, actress Susan Wokoma came to her defense, writing, “Posting my love again because I am SEATED for you! I hope all the racists and misogynists are rattled and haunted by our visibility every single day their f-ing useless lives. This happens to me *every time* I’m cast in anything. WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. May every Juliet be black. One fan added, “standing with you fully against this sickening onslaught of anti-blackness and racism. a caring reminder that the white-walker’s opinions don’t matter have never mattered and never ever will no matter how many of them decide to congregate.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C5DsSU0IoNf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f54e1c48-001b-4717-ad12-de21685a7869 In a celestial announcement that set fans ablaze, Netflix released the official companion EP for the much-anticipated film “Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver,” the next chapter in visionary filmmaker Zack Snyder‘s interstellar odyssey. Titled “Rebel Moon – Songs of the Rebellion,” the EP is making its intergalactic debut on all digital streaming platforms ahead of the April 19th premiere of the film on Netflix. “Rebel Moon – Songs of the Rebellion” boasts an eclectic lineup including Jessie Reyez, Tainy, Tokischa, TOKiMONSTA, aespa, Black Coffee, and Kordhell. Each composition is tailored exclusively for the film, with every note resonating with the essence of a lead character who served as its muse. The EP’s launch event was headlined by the illustrious Black Coffee, (Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo) the South African DJ, record producer, and songwriter whose accolades include eight South African Music Awards, four DJ Awards, two Metro FM Awards, and a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. On January 24, content creator Pelumi Nubi, who grew up in London, set off on a solo drive from the UK capital to Lagos, Nigeria in her beloved purple Peugeot 107. Over two months and a terrifying car crash later, the 29-year-old received a hero’s reception as she arrived in the West African country’s largest city on Sunday after traveling through around 17 countries, including France, Morocco, Senegal and Sierra Leone. “It’s been an incredible adventure, filled with beautiful surprises,” she said in a statement shortly before completing the epic journey. Nubi, who was born in Lagos, explains that it’s long been her goal to “showcase that travel can be easy, safe and doable,” particularly for Black female solo travelers like herself. https://youtu.be/iXWDqHGYdo0 The women’s NCAA basketball tournament has been full of star power, with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark front and center. But there wasn’t a team as loaded as Dawn Staley‘s South Carolina. For the third time, the Gamecocks are national champions, defeating Iowa 87-75, completing a perfect 38-0 season, and preventing Clark from having the perfect end to her college career. The win also avenges South Carolina’s loss to Iowa in last year’s Final Four, the team’s only loss that season. The Gamecocks are now 109-3 in the last three seasons. South Carolina is now 3-0 in national championship games. The other titles came in 2017 and 2022, all under head coach Dawn Staley. https://youtu.be/HKeiTLw3zTQ For the second year in a row, Iowa and Clark have come up short in the national championship game, losing to LSU a year ago. https://youtu.be/CKfTWc4WrDo This was Clark’s final game in an Iowa uniform before heading to the WNBA. She’s expected to be the top pick in the draft April 15. https://youtu.be/6MeJG502u6U On Sunday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, the best team beat the team that had the best player. Clark, despite all the accolades she’s received, will leave for the WNBA as a two-time national runner-up. https://youtu.be/y-tevuljaZw?list=RDNSy-tevuljaZw Sean “Diddy” Combs once traced his success back to a pair of shoes. One day, when he was a child, he asked his mother for a new pair of sneakers, but she couldn’t afford them. He recalled in a 2016 CNN interview that his mother almost began to cry upon hearing his request. That day, he said, “my hustle was born.” The man who famously once rapped about being a “bad boy for life” had it pretty good for a long time, thanks to that hustle and his entrepreneurial successes. Buying new shoes may not be a problem anymore but he has bigger ones — especially lately. This week, authorities conducted searches on two of Combs’ homes as part of a federal investigation carried out by a Department of Homeland Security team that handles human trafficking crimes, according to a senior federal law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. https://youtu.be/xaF1Upcplv4 Attorney Antonio Moore delves into recent news around Aoki Lee Simmons and the sons of rapper Puff Daddy. Moore looks at the recent story that surfaced that showed Russell Simmons’ daughter kissing a 65-year-old white man on a beach. He also connects it to the rapper Diddy’s sons being brought out of their family home in cuffs during a federal sting last month investigating Sean Combs for accusations of sex trafficking. Moore uses all of it to ask the question what happened to all of the hip-hop wealth that was to supply some form of financial security for the progeny of these hip-hop millionaires? https://youtu.be/N8zJQ6y4i7I Aoki Lee Simmons, 21, is dating restaurateur Vittorio Assaf, 65. https://t.co/egSFCf8s93 Think being Muslim is limited to a certain group of people? Think again. As a brother and sister show, Islam knows no bounds. Taking to social media, the duo highlighted misconceptions they’ve heard about Puerto Rican Muslims. “I’m Puerto Rican and Muslim; of course, everybody thinks I’m an Arab,” TikToker Tim said in a video posted on Feb. 6 before the clip went to his sister, Ally. “I’m Puerto Rican and Muslim; of course, the first thing they’re going to ask me is if I converted for a man,” Ally stated, while highlighting that folks assume Puerto Rican Muslims can’t speak Spanish or Arabic. “I’m Puerto Rican and Muslim. Of course, I’m trying to convert my parents,” Tim stated. https://www.tiktok.com/@timburgandy/video/7332640561591078190?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fwell-this-is-different-brother-sister-tiktokers-expose-misconceptions-theyve-experienced-as-puerto-rican-muslims-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7332640561591078190 Commenting on Tim and Ally’s video, some social media users relayed how their dealings with similar things added their own experiences, while others confessed they didn’t know Hispanic Muslims existed. Check out the shared thoughts, via Madame Noire: “My kids are Puerto Rican and Arabic. Of course, everybody’s confused about what they are.” “Wow, I didn’t realize until this video that I actually never saw/noticed a Hispanic female Muslim before.” https://www.tiktok.com/@timburgandy/video/7333373019487866154?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fwell-this-is-different-brother-sister-tiktokers-expose-misconceptions-theyve-experienced-as-puerto-rican-muslims-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7333373019487866154 “I’m Puerto Rican and Muslim. Of course, my family doesn’t understand why I can’t kiss my cousins on the cheek.” “I’m Puerto Rican and Muslim. Of course, they think I converted when I went to jail.” “I’m Puerto Rican and Muslim. Of course, other Puerto Ricans ask me why I have that thing on my head.” Although one commenter pointed out how their parents looked Muslim, Madame Noire noted Tim’s clarification, stating that while his and Ally’s mother “accepted Islam Alhamdulilah” his father was “a bit of a hard head.” Tim and Ally’s video is the latest in a series of clips highlighting the misconceptions they face as Puerto Rican Muslims. Among the misconceptions are those with the belief that Ally’s husband has four wives. #Facts, that belief is not truth. In addition, Ally shared that people always asked her if she was hot because of her hijab. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Puerto-Rican-Muslim-brother-and-sister1.jpg For Ally and Tim, the conflict goes further with critics coming out to “go back” to where they came from, despite being born in the United States. “I’m Muslim; of course, they tell me to go back to where I came from. And I was born here!” Tim exclaimed. Chronicling Tim and Ally’s struggle, Madame Noire cited a Feb. 10 video the pair made that featured claims they made about people assuming they were brainwashed into becoming Muslim. The haters further told the siblings they were going to hell for not being Christian. “I’m Puerto Rican and Muslim. Of course, the Puerto Ricans don’t claim me,” Ally added. https://www.tiktok.com/share/video/7328080757476429087?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fwell-this-is-different-brother-sister-tiktokers-expose-misconceptions-theyve-experienced-as-puerto-rican-muslims-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_card_play&referer_video_id=7334114283518758186 Close to a decade after commenting on NOT being an African American, Raven-Symoné is still haunted by what she said and the backlash that came with it. According to the Daily Mail, the former “The View” co-host’s remarks stemmed from an October 2014 interview with Oprah Winfrey. Raven-Symoné recalled the situation on ‘We Need to talk…,’ the latest episode of her Tea Time With Raven and Miranda podcast on April 2, revealing she has been ‘haunted’ by the comments ‘since 2014.’ ‘When that aired, I felt like the entire Internet exploded and threw my name in the garbage,’ the 38-year-old Atlanta native told her co-host and wife Miranda Maday on April 2. As the chat progressed, Raven-Symoné stated she remembered the 2014 controversy when Bill Maher brought up her past comments during a segment on Real Time With Bill Maher. The segment in question and the “That’s So Raven” star’s remarks focused on Idris Elba’s opinion that people ‘are obsessed with race.’ “He is commenting on something I said to Oprah back in 2014,’ Raven-Symoné told Maher. After Winfrey asked, “’So you don’t want to be labeled gay?’ The former child star responded, saying, “I don’t want to be labeled gay.” The Reverend Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, a towering figure who led the First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church for nearly three decades, passed away at the age of 94. He served as a beacon of calm during the tumultuous 1992 Los Angeles riots and left an enduring mark on the community he served. Murray’s impact stretched far beyond the walls of the church. During his tenure from 1977 to 2004, he transformed FAME from a modest congregation to a powerhouse of over 18,000 members, drawing luminaries like former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, reports NBC4LA. After retiring, Murray embarked on a new journey as an educator and advocate at USC, where he founded the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement. His “Murray Method” empowered over a thousand faith leaders to address community needs head-on. In the wake of the 1992 riots, Murray’s leadership was instrumental in calming tensions and rebuilding South Los Angeles. He famously remarked on the root causes of the unrest, drawing attention to systemic injustices that ignited the flames of discontent. https://youtu.be/UuqkHG1ZKl4 President George H. W. Bush honored Murray’s contributions by designating FAME as the “177th Point of Light,” underscoring his significance in fostering community spirit and empowerment. Murray’s journey from Lakeland, Florida, to the pulpit of FAME was marked by service and dedication. His legacy lives on through the lives he touched and the communities he uplifted. As we bid farewell to a remarkable leader, let us remember Reverend Cecil “Chip” Murray for his indomitable spirit, unwavering compassion, and tireless pursuit of justice. https://youtu.be/_XE8DcT1GkQ They say age is just a number, but in this case, that might be stretching things quite a bit. And on top of that, it’s NOT a good look. Anywhoo, a barely legal Aoki Lee Simmons, aged 21, is stepping into the limelight, albeit with a hint of mystery, following her recent public display of affection with restaurateur Vittorio Assaf, aged 65. Assaf, renowned as the mastermind behind the Serafina Restaurant Group, including the iconic Serafina in NYC, has found himself entangled in gossip alongside Aoki, and deservedly so. Captured by paparazzi lenses during their beach escapade in St. Barts, Aoki, the offspring of former model and entrepreneur Kimora Lee Simmons and the embattled businessman and music mogul Russell Simmons was photographed sharing a tender moment with Assaf. Before the paparazzi shots surfaced, according to Essence, Aoki had innocently posted a beachside photo of herself on social media, oblivious to the storm it would stir. Since then, the internet has been buzzing with opinions on their companionship, particularly given Aoki’s father’s age proximity to Assaf and their strained relationship. Some have even drawn parallels to her parents’ controversial romance, which began when her mother was 18 and her father was 35. https://youtu.be/PlpoCQ_t_fI Despite the scrutiny, Aoki appears unfazed. Sharing another beach photo on her Instagram Story with the caption, “Happy, healthy, did some beach,” she seems content amidst the whirlwind of speculation. Addressing the rumors, Aoki took to her Instagram Stories again, posting a photo with the caption, “Errr well now I know why folks were calling me,” subtly acknowledging the chatter without divulging much. https://www.instagram.com/aokileesimmons/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=974d2715-220a-4d22-b240-a555cd7c30cf This isn’t the first time Aoki has found herself at the center of controversy regarding her romantic life. Previously, she faced criticism for her interracial relationship, a situation she candidly addressed, recognizing the outdated attitudes that fueled the backlash. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ZI2GSOddj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e9cc0979-66b9-4b82-98fb-7671882a5b5f Caitlin Clark’s final game in an Iowa uniform will be with a national championship on the line. And it’s going to come against a team potentially on the verge of a dynasty. We’re talking Iowa vs. South Carolina! No. 1 Iowa narrowly advanced to the women’s NCAA tournament national championship game after surviving a scare from No. 3 Connecticut, 71-69, in the Final Four at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday. The Hawkeyes will face undefeated and No. 1 overall seed South Carolina in Sunday’s title game. The Gamecocks, powered by their center Kamilla Cardoso and a strong third quarter, defeated No. 3 NC State 78-59 in the earlier semifinal of the night. In 2023, Clark and the Hawkeyes came up short in the national title game, losing to Angel Reese and LSU 102-85. This time, Clark – in a record-breaking season – could end her college career as a champion and give Iowa its first national title in women’s or men’s basketball. https://youtu.be/kwyk_tykOTQ?list=RDNSkwyk_tykOTQ Despite being the top overall seed, the lone women’s college basketball team undefeated, and a roster with depth, No. 1 South Carolina has seemingly flown under the radar throughout the NCAA tournament. Perhaps that will change Sunday. With the win against NC State on Friday, South Carolina is now 37-0. To get to 38-0, the Gamecocks will have to take down Clark and the Hawkeyes. In Friday’s Final Four win, South Carolina’s Cardoso, who on Monday announced she would enter the WNBA draft, finished with 22 points, going 10-of-12 from the field, to go with 11 rebounds. The 6-foot-7-inch center started the game 6-for-6 from the field and led all scorers with 16 in the first half. https://youtu.be/--x5ZHjg_WM Ashlyn Watkins pulled in 20 rebounds to go with eight points, while Raven Johnson had 13 points and five assists. Te-Hina Paopao added 10 points and six assists. This has been an NCAA tournament full of star power, with Iowa’s Clark, UConn’s Bueckers, LSU’s Reese, and USC’s JuJu Watkins, just to name a few. Meanwhile, South Carolina just keeps winning. For NC State, a dream season ends at 31-7. This was the Wolfpack’s second trip to the Final Four and the first since 1998. Aziaha James led NC State with 20 points. https://media.nbcconnecticut.com/2024/04/DIT_RSN_WFinalFourRecap_040524_BF.png?resize=850%2C478&quality=85&strip=all “I heard someone holler! I’ll take it,” said Aaron Akins with a little chuckle to his audience during his “When Do We Love” release concert at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, California. The show was a stop on his tour to promote the upcoming release of his “When Do We Love” EP. Akins invited me to hear his title track “When Do We Love” live. An intimate setting with attentive waiters, and elegant ambiance awaited me. It had been so long since I heard a live band. The Keiko Matsui concert in 2023 was the last time I had the pleasure. His band arrived on stage at the same time as Aaron giving us in the audience enough time to focus on our meals and settling back for the show. Aaron had previously told me that after a previous performance of “When Do We Love,” Walter and Wallace Scott (The Whispers) came to him after the show and complimented him on the song. This after-show meeting ended with Aaron re-recording the single with Walter and Wallace as featured vocalists. Their version will be included on the “When Do We Love” EP. https://youtu.be/s1MtHS5hQW8 Today, ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ investor and successful businessman Daymond John left an aspiring young entrepreneur speechless when he surprised the student during the Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort with a personal invitation to join him on the set for a taping of ‘Shark Tank.’ Te’Lario Watkins II, 16, from Blacklick, OH, thought he was in the middle of a media interview Saturday morning during Disney Dreamers Academy when John made a surprise appearance and delivered the personal invitation to visit the ABC show set in Los Angeles. For Watkins, it was a magical dream come true moment. Since he was seven years old, Watkins has run his own small business, Tiger Mushroom Farms, which cultivates gourmet mushrooms and sells dry mushroom products. Additionally, he is the founder of a non-profit called the Garden Club Project, which addresses food insecurities in his community. John is one of several celebrities taking part in Disney Dreamers Academy, the Walt Disney World Resort mentoring program that runs through Sunday. Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross, Hollywood veteran actor Lance Gross, Disney actress Dara Renee and other TV and movie stars are serving as mentors and speakers. In the latest episode of “What the Hey-all?!,” we go to church, only to find a brotha-man preacher/singer going viral with his teeth unexpectedly leaving his praise party. Madame Noire reports the funny business came when the preacher was captured mid-song passionately singing a soulful hymn. As he reached the high point of the tune, his artificial chompers must’ve caught the spirit as they tumbled out of his mouth. Once social media users caught a glimpse of the preacher’s moment, it automatically gained thousands of views and laughs via TikTok and Instagram, among other social media outlets. Reaction to the clip ranged from outright laughs to heartfelt support for the teeth-less preacher. “He should have used gorilla glue, not Elmer’s,” the text overlay of the video read in the user’s suggestion of better material to keep his teeth in his mouth. https://www.instagram.com/34lovejones/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dbae3de3-0a4c-492d-919d-3bc86463bb83 That’s right brother don’t let the devil steal your praise 😂🤣, 🙏🏿🙏🏿,” remarked one user, highlighting the preacher’s resilience in the face of adversity. And there was this classic: “Today’s sermon: Bridging the Gap! Amen.” As if that weren’t enough, check out another video of the same thing happening to a melenan-less preacher. Another sign of the universal nature of a good laugh. You gotta love it. It’s alright to laugh in church. Ain’t no shame in laughing in Jesus’ name. https://www.tiktok.com/@ginaluc25/video/7308090191980350750?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fpreachers-praise-and-tee-fusses-go-their-separate-ways-in-hee-larious-viral-videos-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7308090191980350750 As season three of Starz’s “BMF” unfolds, viewers are introduced to Cynthia Bailey‘s character, Gloria Bryant, who finds herself embroiled in the turmoil surrounding her son, Kevin, played by Jerel Xavier Austin. In a recent interview with EURweb, Bailey and Austin shed light on their characters’ emotional journeys and the impact of loss and grief on the show. This interview contains spoilers. Bailey, known for her role in “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” steps into the shoes of Bryant, Detective Von Bryant’s ex-wife, who becomes increasingly concerned about her son’s precarious situation in jail. Reflecting on her portrayal of Gloria, Bailey draws parallels between her character and her own experiences as a mother. “As a mother, it was obviously very easy for me to tap into this role because I am the mother of a 24-year-old daughter, Noelle,” Bailey explained. “I’m always coming from a place of love and protection.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=693803012923154 In the symphony of legal battles, Universal Music Group/UMG is facing a Lawsuit in New York’s federal court, allegedly for an unauthorized sample in Mary J. Blige‘s 1992 hit, “Real Love.” “‘Real Love’ uses part of the Honey Drippers’ often-sampled 1972 funk song ‘Impeach the President’ that it did not clear,” revealed New York-based Tuff City Records to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Representatives for UMG remained silent, prompting Tuff City’s attorney, Hillel Parness of Parness Law Firm, to stay mum. Tuff City, boasting ownership of a musical treasure trove, from Blues to Hip-Hop, insists on proper acknowledgment, reports Reuters. In a harmonious twist, Tuff City accuses Universal Music Publishing of evading negotiation, juxtaposing their stance against UMG Recordings’ prior agreement on a separate “Real Love” sample license. Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love,” a cornerstone of her debut album “What’s the 411?,” ascended to the seventh spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1992, echoing her enduring legacy. https://youtu.be/OSmGu5LBs7E Meanwhile, in the realm of social media, Blige’s cryptic revelations ignite a wildfire of speculation among fans, particularly regarding her ties to Sean “Diddy” Combs, whose properties faced federal scrutiny coincidentally. As fans dissect her words, reminiscing about her intertwined history with Combs, one voice resonates: “Mary said… the Feds asked and I spoke… I’m not going down with you guys…” – an enigmatic proclamation that leaves followers captivated, poised to witness the unfolding drama. https://www.instagram.com/p/C48ZrdpLD3V/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a9cd840f-e5ff-48c6-a43a-82c02f812d02 Love songs aren’t meant to be aspirational. They’re meant to be honest. We learn this the hard way. As kids, we imagine how thrilling it would be to have a rival for our beloved’s affection. How scintillating to love someone so much that we’d kill for them. How bewitching we’d look after a night spent tossing and turning over a broken heart, our hollow eyes the windows to our tortured but worldly souls. Just me? Never mind. My point is that as soon as we experience love — and its twin sister, heartbreak — the lyrics we once replayed over and over because they were catchy take on a painful depth. Adult romances, so alluring when viewed from the safety of childhood, are peppered with occasional magic, but more often than not turn out to be exhausting and fraught with compromise. Like so many grown-up experiences, they involve far more work than we bargained for. This was the spirit in which, after a dozen or so listens, I embraced Beyoncé’s reimagining of Dolly Parton’s 1970s classic “Jolene.” It’s the 10th song on her expansive, 27-track country-flavored album “Cowboy Carter,” and it upends Parton’s plaintive classic, recasting the narrator as a powerhouse who’s not only not intimidated by Jolene — she’s mocking her. Where Parton pleaded, “I’m begging of you please don’t take my man,” Beyoncé purrs, “I’m warnin’ you, don’t come for my man.” Where Parton yielded, “I cannot compete with you, Jolene,” Beyoncé menaces, “You don’t want no hеat with me, Jolene.” https://youtu.be/x9XHMK3nWr4 The woman who previously filed a lawsuit against Vin Diesel in December 2023 for sexual battery is now suing screenwriter John Ridley for discrimination. According to Deadline, Asta Jonasson claims that after complaining about being overlooked for promotions at ABC, she was terminated in 2022 after more than a decade with the company, allegedly in retaliation. In the lawsuit, Jonasson, a former director of development, said she was underpaid and overworked. Asta alleges that Ridley consistently passed over her for new opportunities, showing preference towards white men and women. She also noted “the hypocrisy of his public positions on civil rights,” as they do not align with how he treated her in the workplace. “On multiple occasions, Jonasson complained to Ridley about the hypocrisy of his public positions on civil rights and his private failure to pay Jonasson, a woman of color, commensurate with her skill, effort, and responsibility,” the lawsuit states. “Ridley’s hypocrisy continues to this day, with the premiere of his film Shirley, a biographical film based on the life of Shirley Chisholm: the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress and a vocal proponent of equal pay and women’s rights.” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has decided to approach this year’s presidential election differently. This time he’s refraining from publicly endorsing any candidate like he did for Joe Biden four years ago. Johnson a/ka/ The Rock, told Fox News’ Will Cain, about his decision to keep his political views private this time around. “The endorsement I made with Biden years ago was what I felt was right for me at that time. However, I’ve decided not to repeat that in this election. My aim now is to unite this country.” The actor, who has flirted with the idea of a presidential run himself, expressed concerns about the divisiveness he perceives under the Biden administration, echoing sentiments often embraced by Fox News regarding “cancel culture” and “woke culture.” https://youtu.be/1yGgpLtk6CA Yvette Nicole Brown is speaking out about the criticism of the forthcoming series “Good Times” animated series. We reported earlier that an animated reboot of the 1970s sitcom “Good Times” is coming to Netflix from Carl Jones, Seth MacFarlane, and NBA star Stephen Curry. The original sitcom aired for six seasons on CBS from 1974 to 1979. It was television’s first African American two-parent family sitcom. Norman Lear produced the show, which centered on the Evans family, who lived in a poor, black neighborhood in inner-city Chicago. Jones modernized the setting, transitioning the Evans family from the 1970s to the 2020s, according to the news release. Curry and “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane are executive producers on the adult-animated series. Brown, who voices the wife and matriarch, Beverly Evans, said in a Netflix post that the animated series is “edgier and more irreverent than the Good Times of our childhood.” https://youtu.be/BMA2Kc7TiO0 The announcement of the new “Good Times” animated series sparked backlash due to concerns about preserving the original show’s legacy and the portrayal of Black stereotypes in 2024. Brown said the series is “still a show about family, fighting the system, and working to make things better despite where you start out in the world.” “I’ve spent my whole life shining a light on the things that matter & calling out the systems that keep a boot on our necks,” she explained to fans and critics of the new series in a message on social media. “At times, I take parts in projects that do the same — even if they are irreverent or risky. Coming for me as if that’s wrong is a fool’s errand.” In another post, the actress added, “You don’t have to like the projects I choose, agree with my decision to do them or support me now or going forward. But your displeasure will not stop me from doing the projects I think have merit despite them being tough to swallow for some, at first. “Now get out there & write your screeds about a show you’ve seen just a two-minute trailer for. Go off as if you know the fullness of the journey or the message we’re trying to share about the systemic barriers WE still face no matter our station in life.” https://twitter.com/YNB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1773091851664281915%7Ctwgr%5E17b07a4fbb90e6cc71cd8e5cbda4ee1d856eb68a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Factress-responds-to-criticism-of-good-times-animated-series%2F Today, Lance Gross showed his support for the Disney Dreamers Academy students at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida! The Howard University alumni said his dad was his greatest mentor. “My father was my superhero…I would watch him. And I had mentors from afar, people I didn’t really know but I studied them. Like Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright, and many more,” expressed Gross. “I looked at their career paths and I modeled mine after theirs. Everybody has their own path. I chose what worked for me.” He added: “Mentorship is important because you need a blueprint. One of my mentors now is Tyler Perry. Everything he touches turns to gold. He has one of the most amazing blueprints I’ve ever seen. Mentorship is super important because once you see it, you know it’s possible. Sometimes it takes people to push you.” https://eurweb.com/2024/lance-gross-disney-dreamers-at-2024-ddadisney-video/ Leveling Lincoln is an edifying documentary about the events that sparked desegregation in New Rochelle, New York. Producer Arden Teresa Lewis captures the spirit of a community that refused to be marginalized by sub-par education. She has harnessed a history lesson and a teaching tool. Separate but unequal conditions were promulgated by class, race, and covert real estate & banking practices well into the 1960s. The problem was complex without a quick and simple solution for the New Rochelle neighborhood school crisis. The local school for blacks was Lincoln Elementary. It required massive renovations and lacked adequate teachers and textbooks. In 1961 the issue of unfair and ambiguous zoning did not allow New Rochelle’s black students to attend a neighboring school with better accommodations. https://youtu.be/yczcFV17_ig More than a decade after being rejected as too controversial, Malcolm X will finally receive an official day of recognition in the state where he was born, for his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. MSN reports the moment came via a bill that was passed March 28 by the Nebraska Legislature. The bill, introduced by Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney — one of two Black members of the Legislature, declared the iconic leader will be recognized every May 19 in Nebraska. The state and day hold a personal connection to Malcolm X, considering he was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, May 19, 1925. McKinney brought the bill to the Legislature in an effort to declare the day a state holiday but fell short of the goal. According to MSN, the failure was mainly due to objections to the more than $500,000 a year projected cost to declare a state holiday, which comes from holiday pay for state workers. Despite the rejection, McKinney approached his objective in a different way by adding an amendment to a bill that declares Oct. 17 as Missing Persons Day. The amendment, which recognizes May 19 as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm X Day, will allow Nebraska schools to highlight the former Nation of Islam leader via exercises that will be held in his honor. The day of recognition will take place in the same year a ceremony will be held in May to observe Malcolm X’s induction into the Nebraska Hall of Fame, which occurred in 2022. A bronze bust created by Lincoln, NE artist Nathan Murray will be unveiled during the event and displayed among the busts of other inductees in the halls of the Nebraska State Capitol. The “stigma” of creative industries not doing serious business in Africa is something Idris Elba is out to eliminate. The actor believes Africa’s creative youth are a “significant driver of economic growth.” In his eyes, the continent’s youth are key to an increased global awareness of African art. Semafor Africa notes Elba’s view of it being a case of worlds colliding, mentioning the impact of streaming services in the awareness increase by providing more access than ever to African art. Sharing his thoughts recently with Semafor Africa, Elba acknowledged the situation as he believes the opportunity is right to there to capitalize on Africa’s creative community in a profitable and powerful way. ”On the other hand, there’s an outpouring of creativity from African countries where most of the populations are aged under 25 — “a time when your brain is at its most creative,” the site added. “There’s a stigma attached to creative industries as not being serious business,” Elba told Semafor, in comparison to industries like mining or agriculture. https://youtu.be/XmUl7xbm2K4 Former Marvelactor Jonathan Majors’ conviction on assault and harassment charges will stand after the judge in the case rejected a bid to set it aside. The charges stemmed from a domestic dispute involving Majors and his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Through his attorney, Majors denied the allegations against him in a statement to CNN in August. In December, a New York jury found Majors guilty of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a non-criminal charge of harassment as a violation. He was acquitted on another assault charge and one count of aggravated harassment. Majors’ attorney filed a motion in February asking Judge Michael Gaffey to set aside the verdict and acquit him of the charges. https://youtu.be/26dUH-iApUo A 4.8 magnitude earthquake rattled buildings across parts of the Northeast Friday morning, according to the US Geological Survey, with tremors felt from Washington, DC to New York City to Maine. It was the third-largest earthquake recorded in the area in the last five decades and the strongest in New Jersey in more than 240 years, the USGS said. The rare quake was felt by millions of people across hundreds of miles, disrupting work and school life and jolting nerves momentarily before an early spring day seemed to return to normal. In a region unaccustomed to earthquakes, stunned residents across large swaths of the Northeast described initially thinking of a passing tractor trailer or freight train before realizing it was something more. With authorities reporting little or no damage, and minimal travel disruptions, people soon resumed their everyday lives. “At first I thought it was a big truck driving down a nearby road or the oil burner shaking inside my house,” said Jeanne Evola, who described her whole house shaking in Franklin Square on Long Island. https://youtu.be/ewLjXt7uZPE There were six minor aftershocks in the immediate area of the original temblor, the largest a magnitude 2.2 that was recorded at 1:32 p.m., according to USGS. “New Yorkers are not accustomed to having earthquakes in our state,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told reporters. “Everyone should continue to take this seriously.” NYC Department of Buildings Commissioner James Oddo asked for the “cooperation” of construction professionals for reports of damage to the city’s 1.1 million buildings. In New Jersey’s Hunterdon County, where the Lebanon Township is located, there were no reports of injuries or evacuations in the area around the epicenter, according to county officials. https://youtu.be/uQHGwvQVXc8 Tennis icon Serena Williams ventures into the beauty industry with her new makeup brand, designed for an “active” lifestyle. Williams announced Wyn (pronounced “win”) Beauty on Thursday, with 91 shades across ten distinct products in the face, lip and eye categories, per the news release. “I’m so excited to introduce WYN BEAUTY to the world,” said Williams. “To me, beauty has always been about self-expression and stepping into the best version of myself. Throughout my career, I was always searching for makeup that looked good after hours on the court, mixing products myself and creating my own formulas while traveling the world,” she continued. “As I evolved and remained active both on and off the court, I needed products I could apply at 7am before a full day of meetings, spending time with my kids, making time for the things I love and still look good at the end of the day. I needed makeup that could truly move with me. That’s the intention behind WYN BEAUTY – for people to live in it every single day of their lives and enhance the beauty they already have,” Williams added. https://www.instagram.com/wyn/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d3668da9-1ef4-415e-8a25-ee2cd2f65e80 Thursday, 100 high school students from across the country participating in Disney Dreamers Academy had the ride of their lives in a magical parade at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. They were joined in the colorful parade at Magic Kingdom Park by actress Dara Reneé of ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ and the upcoming ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red.’ Reneé is serving as the program’s “Dreambassador” acting as mentor and advocate for the students. Additionally, the parade included popular Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Princess Tiana. The parade kicked off the 17th year of Disney Dreamers Academy, a five-day, transformational, mentoring program designed to broaden career awareness and create opportunities for Black high school students and teens from underrepresented communities across America. The 100 students are selected from thousands of nationwide applicants for a once-in-a-lifetime mentoring program at Walt Disney World. The program, supported by sponsors AT&T, Sprite and Delta Airlines, is designed to assist young people in identifying and pursuing their dreams. Along with a parent or guardian, the students receive an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World to participate in the program, which features career-oriented workshops, leadership seminars and presentations by celebrities, community leaders, educators and Disney executives. Among this year’s celebrities are Daymond John (‘ABC’s Shark Tank’), Hollywood actor Lance Gross and reality TV star Sanya Richards-Ross (‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’). Members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) announced plans to introduce a package of bills this year designed to address the recommendations the California Reparations Task Force made last year in its final report. Certain advocacy groups and individuals say the legislative package the lawmakers announced on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 does not go far enough. They criticize the absence of direct cash payments, an element they campaigned for as a centerpiece to any compensation due to the descendants of people who endured slavery in the Deep South and more than a century of social, economic and political injustices after abolition. Chris Lodgson, a member of the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), released a statement after CLBC members made the announcement during a press briefing with reporters held on Jan.31. “As we’ve communicated to elected officials directly for some time, we believe Any reparations package must be targeted explicitly and exclusively to California’s 2 million Black American descendants of persons enslaved in the U.S. (American Freedmen),” Lodgson said in a letter obtained by California Black Media. “In addition, a true reparations package must include timely, tangible benefits (i.e. direct monetary payments). Our team will continue to review the proposals announced (Jan. 31 and Feb. 1) and any related bill/resolution language as they become available. But the time for strong, bold Reparations is now, not later.” Meta’s AI image generator is coming under fire for its apparent struggles to create images of couples or friends from different racial backgrounds. When prompted by CNN on Thursday morning to create a picture of an Asian man with a White wife, the tool spit out a slew of images of an East Asian man with an East Asian woman. The same thing happened when prompted by CNN to create an image of an Asian woman with a White husband. When asked to create an image of a Black woman with a White husband, Meta’s AI feature generated a handful of images featuring Black couples. The tool also generated images of two Asian women when asked to create an image of an Asian woman and her Caucasian friend. Moreover, a request for an image of a Black woman and her Asian friend resulted in snaps of two Black women. https://youtu.be/d8yolMGKg14 Let’s just call it what it is. The air is thick with animosity, no, HATE, as British singer-songwriter Lily Allen takes a not-so-subtle dig at Beyoncé‘s perpetual youthfulness. In her “Miss Me?” podcast alongside co-host Miquita Oliver, Allen, 38, suggested that Beyoncé, 42, might be availing herself of some assistance in maintaining her beauty. During the discussion, as reported by Page 6, Miquita praised Beyoncé’s timeless appearance, remarking on how she inspires anticipation for one’s 40s. To this, Allen interjected with her observation, “Yeah, but she’s getting some help.” Miquita quickly defended Beyoncé, stating adamantly, “She has not had any work done if that’s what you’re implying.” https://youtu.be/loQCiyhWJ94 Allen is known for her outspoken nature. In a recent interview on the “Radio Times Podcast,” she humorously acknowledged that having two children hindered her chances of becoming a major pop star. “My children ruined my career,” she jokingly said, before explaining, “I mean, I love them, and they complete me, but in terms of, like, you know, pop stardom, totally ruined it.” Despite this setback, Allen expressed satisfaction with her decision to prioritize her children over her career, highlighting the importance of being present in their lives. “It really annoys me when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can’t. Some people choose their career over their children, and that’s their prerogative,” she remarked. Reflecting on her own upbringing and the absence of her parents, Allen emphasized her commitment to raising well-rounded children, even if it meant sacrificing her ambitions. WATCH her interview on the “Miss Me?” podcast. https://www.instagram.com/lilyallen/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=85999cb0-75f0-4d6c-b81f-01fb04efa4b5 Natania Reuben, the victim of the 1999 nightclub shooting involving Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, rapper Shyne, and Jennifer Lopez, said that she would be willing to have bullet fragments removed from her face to prove that Diddy was the one who shot her. We reported earlier that Reuben has for years asserted that it was Diddy, not Shyne, who shot her during an altercation between the rap mogul and Club New York patron Matthew Allen, resulting in injuries to three individuals, including herself. As Vibe reports, Lopez was arrested and released, while Diddy was acquitted of all charges. Shyne, however, served an eight-year prison sentence. In 2011, Diddy settled civil suits with the victims, paying over $2.3 million. Reuben recently posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) in which she appears to respond to music producer Lil Rod’s lawsuit against Diddy. As The Jasmine Brand reports, Reuben noted in the video that the lawsuit “… said something very specific,” she said, adding, “As a means of threatening him, Puffy said, ‘That’s why I shot up the club in New York back in 1999 and let Shyne take the fall for it.’” https://twitter.com/i/status/1773836468567294121 Bronny James has declared for the 2024 NBA draft, he announced on Instagram Friday. Bronny is the oldest child of NBA all-time leading scorer and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and recently finished his freshman season for the University of Southern California Trojans. “I’ve had a year with some ups and downs but all added to growth for me as a man, student and athlete,” James said on Instagram. “I’ve made the decision to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility, and will also be entering the NCAA transfer portal. “Thank you to USC for an amazing Freshman year, and as always thankful for my family, friends, doctors, athletic trainers and fans for their support.” https://youtu.be/qnEJk1o2pp0 First look at innovative audio-animatronics figures that will be featured in the new attraction coming to Walt Disney World this summer and later this year at Disneyland Resort. Walt Disney Imagineering is unveiling audio-animatronics of memorable Mama Odie, lovable musician Louis the Alligator, Prince Naveen’s nephew Ralphie and also more of Tiana in her adventure wear! You can see them and more in Walt Disney Imagineering’s all-new series, “We Call It Imagineering” that launched today. The first video of the series reveals a look at new Audio-Animatronics figures coming to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Imagineers are thrilled to take fans behind the scenes to share what they have in store for the next decade and beyond! More details can be found in the blog on disneyparks. Celebrities, business influencers, and community leaders descended upon the Biltmore Ballrooms in Atlanta on Saturday for edition IV of Mimosas with Melody hosted by Reality TV Star and businesswoman Melody Shari Rodgers. The luxurious black-tie affair, themed “A Time for Change,” was punctuated by an appearance by actor, author, and U.S. Senate candidate Hill Harper, who is campaigning for a senate seat in the state of Michigan. The event also served as a fundraiser. Among special guests were actress and model Claudia Jordan, businesswoman Courtney Adeleye, actress and singer Drew Sidora, who received the “Woman on the Rise Award”, businesswoman Dr. Chanita Foster, beauty and hair mogul Tamika Gibson, who received the “Woman on Purpose Award,” product developer and podcaster Queen Sheba Darling, celebrity stylist J. Bolin, celebrity publicist Ivan Thomas, financial investor Chris Sain, and other community and business leaders. Discussion topics centered on how to improve unity within the black community, relationships, entrepreneurship, and leveraging the power of the black dollar, among other topics – moderated by Claudia Jordan. For the first time in the Mimosas with Melody series, there was both a women’s and men’s panel. However, the highlight of the evening was the keynote speech by Harper. Rodgers, known as the star of OWN’s #1 show Love & Marriage: Huntsville, was excited about the small change to the programming. “It is typically an event about inspiring women, but this time I believed it was time to inspire our entire race,” she said. “My good friend Hill is running for the U.S. Senate, so this year I made it a co-ed event to include our first ever men’s panel. It’s all about like-minded people coming together to show support and unity.” A manager at Randy Moss’s Crisppi’s Chicken restaurant in downtown Huntington, West Virginia, says sales are poor because the establishment is Black-owned. SandraRose.com reports that the restaurant was opened by the NFL Hall of Famer four months ago to much fanfare. However, all the Black employees were allegedly fired. A manager named “Kurt” claims they quit due to an inability to handle the demands of hard work and punctuality. Kurt asserts that the community’s lack of support stems from the restaurant’s ownership. In a Facebook video, he said, “Great energy, great food. Randy Moss took his time out, invested his money… Since we’ve been here for the past few months it has been nothing but negativity from the community.” Kurt continued: “The entire community is filled with negativity. Being an African American company, this is what we deal with on a regular basis… Unfortunately, we’re not the other color, which is unfortunate to you guys. Because if we were the other color, I’m sure there would be a lot more respect.” https://youtu.be/0mQN8GLlBXI Federal investigators have their sights set on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, with speculation pointing to his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, potentially playing a pivotal role as a witness in the investigation. The former singer has reportedly informed the feds of her willingness to cooperate in the ongoing investigation into the music mogul. In November 2023, Diddy settled a $30 million dollar lawsuit with Cassie after she accused him of rape, sex trafficking and domestic violence. The pair had a decade-long relationship before they called it quits in 2018. She later tied the knot with Diddy’s former trainer, and they have two children. According to TMZ, Cassie has collaborated with investigators for several weeks. Meanwhile, 50 Cent is trolling Diddy again amid new reports about Cassie’s alleged cooperation in a federal investigation. He shared a screenshot of the TMZ story with the caption, “… it’s not looking good for the Diddler.” Charlamagne Tha God criticized workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts as “garbage” during his guest host appearance on “The Daily Show.” “The truth about DEI is that although it’s well-intentioned, it’s mostly garbage, okay?” he said, Daily Wire reports. “It’s kind of like the black little mermaid. Just because racists hate it doesn’t mean it’s good. And you know I’m right because everyone one of you has sat through one of those diversity training sessions and thought, this is some bull****.” There’s pushback on DEI initiatives in the workforce due to concerns about perceived tokenism, fear of reverse discrimination, and skepticism about the effectiveness of such programs in achieving genuine diversity and inclusion. Some argue that DEI efforts may lead to resentment and division rather than fostering true equity. “Over 900 studies have shown that DEI programs don’t make the workplace better for minorities. It can actually make things worse because of the backlash effect,” Charlamagne stated. “The biggest failure of DEI is that the number of black people in power at big companies [is] basically the same as it was five years ago,” he continued. “In fact, maybe the only thing that DEI has accomplished is giving racist white people cover to be openly racist.” https://youtu.be/VRGT7AjkdU8 Dejaune Anderson is charged with the murder of her 5-year-old son, discarding his body in a suitcase and dumping it on a dead-end road in Sellersburg, Indiana. Anderson, who evaded authorities for two years following her son Cairo’s death, was apprehended in March 2024. In court this week, she opted to represent herself and claimed the government and Space Force are surveilling her. According to TooFab, the boy’s cause of death was determined to be “electrolyte imbalance,” likely caused by a “viral gastroenteritis” or dehydration. Anderson was arrested on charges of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and obstruction of justice. During her bond hearing Tuesday, Anderson appeared to be working on her insanity defense by claiming her name was Princess before noting that she was there “representing the entity Dejaune Anderson.” https://youtu.be/zONfjTVhuWg Jocelyn Wade, the estranged wife of Fani Willis’ special prosecutor Nathan Wade, claims he refuses to pay $4,400 of her medical bills. According to the Daily Mail, Jocelyn has accused Wade of contempt of court in a new divorce filing. In court papers filed Wednesday, Jocelyn asserts she’s unable to cover the bills on her own since Wade ceased child support payments for their two children. “Defendant urgently requires medical procedures, namely an endoscopy, colonoscopy, and ultrasound, due to severe physical symptoms she has been enduring,” the filings state. “These symptoms have significantly impacted her ability to consume most foods, leading to a substantial weight loss.” Fulton County DA Fani Willis appointed Wade to oversee the prosecution of Donald Trump for attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Nathan is in the midst of a contentious divorce case, where it emerged he had a sexual relationship with Willis. The scandal led to Nathan’s resignation as top prosecutor in the Trump case. https://youtu.be/YBzWCu0cy04 A recent study reveals the presence of cancer-causing substances in numerous bandage varieties, including popular brands like Band-Aid and Curad. Mamavation and Environmental Health Sciences investigated bandages from retailers like CVS, Walmart, Rite Aid, Target, and Amazon. They found PFAS chemicals (known as forever chemicals), commonly used in adhesives, absorbent pads, and adhesive flaps, Complex reports. 65% of the tested products, including 63% of bandages tailored for darker skin tones, contained toxic PFAS chemicals. “Because bandages are placed upon open wounds, it’s troubling to learn that they may be also exposing children and adults to PFAS,” said Linda S. Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program and scholar at residence at Duke University, Care Doctor reports. “It’s obvious from the data that PFAS are not needed for wound care, so it’s important that the industry remove their presence to protect the public from PFAS and opt instead for PFAS-free materials.” Scott Belcher, associate professor with the Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS at North Carolina State University, said, “Fluoropolymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), are extremely common forms of PFAS that could be contributing to the organic fluorine found in bandages. https://youtu.be/sZHuZkUUYM4 Actor Sterling K. Brown was studying lines for an upcoming project when he took a break to dance to Beyoncé’s latest track, “Sweet. Honey. Buckiin” from her album Act II: Cowboy Carter. “Okay. I’m memorizing lines but I had to take a study break. Wait for it,” Brown said before the chorus kicked in. Watch the moment via the Instagram clip. In the comments, one fan wrote, “All those in favor of naming SKB President of the Hollywood Hive, say AYE!” Another IG user added, “This album got everyone in a chokehold.” A third commented, “Yooo I didn’t need another reason to love you. You married a Soror, and then acted the hell out of Randall, but this video right here tops the list of reasons I love you! Ha!!! 🤠 #cowboycarter #actii.” https://www.instagram.com/sterlingkbrown/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=48f5ffbc-a28d-420b-be09-e4fdd4498df1 Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was driving the speeding Lamborghini involved in a six-car crash in Dallas on Saturday in which two people were hospitalized with minor injuries, his attorney Royce West said Thursday. Rice is fully cooperating with police and answered all the questions asked of him about the crash, the attorney said. The NFL receiver also expressed a willingness to help the others involved in the crash, West said. “But for the grace of God, someone could have been injured – seriously injured,” West said. “He understands that he appreciates that, that’s why he wanted to come out and say he’s going to be responsible for making certain that the victims are made whole as best as possible.” The news conference came days after a Corvette and a Lamborghini crashed in the far-left lane of the North Central Expressway, according to Dallas Police spokesperson Kristin Lowman. https://youtu.be/fINNTx1DRgY The Apollo Theater has for over 90 years served as a beacon of Black culture in the heart of Harlem, New York. Earlier this week, a historic evening of hip-hop was held hosted by Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum-selling artist Fat Joe who announced he was doing this for his love of community and the culture. “I started out at the Apollo Theater. I was winning the Apollo every week and I couldn’t understand how. I had to sit back and think how I kept doing it. People just loved me and they went crazy every time I came out. My first single ‘Flow Joe’ was performed there.” The popular radio personality and podcast host Angie Martinez told the crowd “Joe ain’t making any money off this, it’s all about love.” Renowned for his unparalleled lyrical prowess and magnetic sta ge presence, Fat Joe’s Bronx roots have shaped him into a hip-hop icon. The Bronx native went down memory lane saying his passion for hip-hop began early. “In my projects, I would see Melly Mel and Scorpio all the time. These guys were the biggest rappers on earth so for the first ten years of hip-hop, everyone that was popping was born in the Bronx. One day I watched Melly Mel playing basketball and the next day I see him at the Grammys with Chaka Khan. It was so unreal but I was blessed to be born in the Bronx, the birthplace of hip-hop.” Spirits incubator WES Brands reunites with award-winning actor Jamie Foxx for the exclusive launch of Brown Sugar Blend (BSB) Whiskey.The press release states that the brand dedicated two years to designing and developing the new look and flavor, Brown Sugar Blend, affectionately dubbed “BSB.” Foxx joined the company as a brand owner and creative director. “Life is precious, so I’ve always tried living it to the fullest. As an avid whiskey drinker, owning a brand that is sippable and unlike any other has been a life goal of mine; with BSB, I’m finally making that happen,” said Foxx, BSB Owner & Creative Director. “BSB is an ode to my personal philosophy – it’s about bringing people together to celebrate life and have fun.” Capturing the spirit of boldness, strength, and excellence, BSB Whiskey offers a 70-proof blend that artfully combines the aromatic spice of cinnamon with the comforting sweetness of brown sugar. Presented in innovative packaging, BSB Whiskey reflects the dynamism of its contents. “Last year was a record year for flavored whiskies. U.S. depletions reached 18.25 million cases in 2023, up from 14 million cases in 2019*,” said Lauren Kiyak, SVP of Marketing at WES Brands. “We knew we had an incredible opportunity on our hands. With Jamie’s creative lead, BSB now sits at the intersection of fashion and sports, a modern tribute to nostalgic tech and delicious flavors.” Chance The Rapper, Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, has called it quits with his wife of five years, model and influencer Kirsten Corley. The pair took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a joint statement that began, “After a period of separation, the two of us have arrived at the decision to part ways. We came to this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together.” Their statement also included their intent to co-parent their two daughters, Kensli, 7, and Marli, 4. “God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters who we will continue to raise together. We kindly ask for privacy and respect as we navigate this transition,” they wrote. The announcement comes nearly a year after fans started speculating about the couple’s relationship status. At his 30th birthday party in Jamaica last April, Chance, 30, was filmed dancing with another woman, and after the footage went viral, many fans called him out for his “inappropriate” behavior. https://youtu.be/jDTDd9RZj1w LSU star forward Angel Reese recently spoke out about the ongoing online abuse she’s been enduring since gaining stardom over the past year. The Bayou Barbie spoke of her experiences during a press conference Monday night after the LSU Tigers lost to Iowa’s Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight level of the NCAA tournament. “I’ve been through so much,” she said, Complex reports. “I’ve seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times, death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened, I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time.” Reese added, “I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them… I’m still a human.” https://youtu.be/ie-cIrx_C5Y Reese said the death threats began after the Louisiana State University women’s basketball team won the national championship in 2023. “All this has happened since I won the national championship, and I said that the other day I haven’t been happy since then,” she told reporters, adding, “and it sucks, but I still wouldn’t change anything, and I would still sit here and say I’m unapologetically me. I’m going to always leave that mark and be who I am and stand on that.” Reese’s LSU teammate, Flau’jae Johnson, called Reese a “strong” person. “Everybody can have their opinion on Angel Reese, but y’all don’t know her,” Johnson said. “I know the real Angel Reese, and the person I see every day is a strong person, is a caring, loving person. But the crown she wears is heavy.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1774983546765008941 Meanwhile, Reese revealed in a Vogue exclusive that she’s entering the WNBA draft. https://www.instagram.com/theshaderoom/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a22b1a3b-edf7-4ebe-8a18-6cef6e34e08f An ex-drug lord from New York City is suing 50 Cent, claiming the rapper stole his life story and turned it into the hit “Power” series on Starz. Cory “Ghost” Holland Sr. filed the ten-figure lawsuit against 50 Cent, showrunner Courtney Kemp, and Starz, claiming “Power” is based on his life as a New York drug kingpin. According to FanSided, Holland is representing himself in the court battle against 50 Cent, Kemp, Starz, and Lionsgate. He is seeking a motion for a preliminary injunction that could halt the promotion of the forthcoming spinoff, “Power: Origins.” “Holland fears that the spinoff’s relentless marketing campaign could taint potential jurors, compromising his right to a fair trial,” FanSided writes, noting that “50 Cent’s legal team vehemently opposes the motion, citing its potential impact on the “Power” universe and the network’s bottom line.” Holland claims he created a cautionary tale about his life as a drug lord in 2007, burned it onto CDs, and distributed them to at-risk children. He also asserts that he met with Courtney Kemp’s father in the early 1990s to discuss his life story as he sought to leave the drug trade. He claims 50 Cent ultimately received a copy of the CD and turned his life story into a scripted drama series. Kevin Hart is taking legal action against ex-staffer Miesha Shakes after she allegedly made “false and defamatory” statements about him during her interview with popular YouTuber Tasha K. We reported earlier that in legal documents obtained by TheBlast, a representative of Tasha K was accused of contacting Hart’s team in November, claiming to have had an explosive interview with Shakes. The blogger allegedly threatened to publish if she wasn’t paid $250,000. Hart refused to Pay, and Tasha was served a cease-and-desist letter stating she had no right to broadcast his personal business. Tasha ignored the cease-and-desist letter and published the interview on her YouTube channel, “Unwine with Tasha K,” on December 22. During the conversation, Shakes claimed Hart cheated on his wife, Eniko, and that he had a gambling problem. Hart denied the allegations and sued Tasha and Miesha for defamation and civil extortion. He recently submitted evidence in court showing Shakes signed an NDA during her employment from August 2017 to October 2020. Hart noted in a new filing obtained by RadarOnline.com that Shakes made inaccurate claims about him when she said he had “a secret video recording of a romantic encounter I had in Las Vegas 2017 and that I faced criminal charges regarding that surreptitious recording.” A Black-owned skincare brand said influencers on a recent trip to France experienced racism and Islamophobia at a spa in the French Alps. The skincare company Topicals said 20 “Black and Brown” creators from the UK and US were discriminated against and harassed at QC Terme Spa, Business Insider reports. One of the influencers, Nella Rose, said staff singled out the two Muslim creators for wearing modest swimwear. On X/Twitter, Topicals said the group “experienced discrimination, harassment, and were threatened to have law enforcement called on.” The company wrote in a March 31 post, “This past weekend, we hosted our third brand trip in Megève, France with a group of Black and Brown creators from the UK and US. At one of the establishments on our itinerary, we experienced discrimination, harassment, and were threatened to have law enforcement called on us.” In a follow-up tweet, Topicals wrote, “Experiencing racism and Islamophobia in this magnitude as a group of Black and Brown creators was horrific to say the least. Nonetheless, our guests and team are good. And in true Topicals fashion, we took our business elsewhere — quick, fast, and in a hurry.” https://www.tiktok.com/@nellarose/video/7353176223192747296?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Ftopicals-brand-trip-to-france-marred-by-racial-harassment%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7353176223192747296 “As a Black-owned brand, we will not allow this to stop us. We will continue to place Black and Brown creators at the forefront of our branded experiences. Discrimination cannot and will not stop us,” the thread continued. Nella Rose revealed on Instagram that staff barred them from the pool area because the two Muslim women were wearing Modest swimsuits known as burkinis. The women were directed to a gift shop selling bikinis. Later, employees further confronted the group, citing discomfort among spa attendees. https://www.instagram.com/melaninbeautiesunite/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a943498c-e1e7-4ea5-8c0e-b32579ca1763 Have you ever wondered about those unsightly black residues on your beloved cast-iron skillet? While they may not be harmful, they certainly detract from its appeal. You might have even noticed tiny black specks in your food and wondered if they were safe to eat. They’re usually harmless carbon deposits resulting from overheated oils. Taste of Home writes, “Using an oil with a low smoke point will carbonize at high temperatures and cause residue from the pores of your pan to rub off onto your food.” Meanwhile, here are some common cast iron cooking mistakes. https://youtu.be/5bTDwi-ddjM ”Amanda Seales hit up Instagram to address online attacks after speaking out about not being recognized in Black spaces and award shows. The actress posted a video response to a recent opinion article on The Grio, titled ‘Amanda Seales Is Not A Victim Of Anything But Her Own Hubris.’ The op-ed piece follows statements Seales made last month about not being recognized in Black events such as Essence Women In Hollywood, NAACP Image Awards, Black Girls Rock, and the BET Awards. In the video, Seales expresses her frustration with critics who attempt “to break me down” for supporting the Black community through activism and her online commentary about social and political issues. “You people, who are continuing to attempt to break me down – you will not break me! You cannot break me!,” Seales says in the video. “I am loved. I am anointed. I am touched. I am working through the blood of our ancestors. You will not break me! https://www.instagram.com/amandaseales/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=191c44ac-3790-47f8-892f-84745b94dc1b Seales said she wasn’t invited to the NAACP Image Awards, despite receiving a nomination. “So I just wanna thank y’all for always reminding me that I really am valuable because the game and the industry I’ve been in has never let me know,” she told fans and followers. “I don’t think there’s anything crazy for wanting to not be left out of the celebratory spaces of those spaces,” Seales said. In the comments, ESSENCE responded: “ We hear you and we love you. We will do a better job at showing up for you and showing you that love is real. Happy to offline to see where we can show up for you.” https://www.instagram.com/amandaseales/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=67dd6b28-7063-4b16-9dfe-7d72a2d4e1fa During a recent episode of Raven-Symoné’s “Tea Time With Raven & Miranda,” podcast, the actress addressed her prior statement to Oprah Winfrey about being “an American, not an African American.” The former child star stated that her controversial comments were misunderstood, the Daily Beast reports. “I wanna talk about something that has haunted me since 2014,” Symoné said on the podcast before playing video of her conversation with Oprah in which she said, “I don’t want to be labeled gay. I want to be labeled a human who loves humans. I’m tired of being labeled.” Symoné said people “threw my name in the garbage” after she made those remarks. https://youtu.be/laaWnlBtmLY In a new interview with Esquire, openly gay comedian Jerrod Carmichael addresses his beef with fellow comic Dave Chappelle. Variety reports that the tension started in June 2022 when Carmichael criticized Chappelle amid backlash for making jokes about the transgender community. “Chappelle, do you know what comes up when you Google your name, bro?” Carmichael asked during a GQ magazine profile at the time. “That’s the legacy? Your legacy is a bunch of opinions on trans shi*t? It’s an odd hill to die on. And it’s like, ‘Hey, bro. Who the f*ck are you? Who do you f*ck? What do you like to do?’” He added, “Childish jokes aside, who the f*ck are you? It’s just kind of played. But he’s choosing to die on the hill. So, alright, let him.” Carmichael came out as gay in his April 2022 HBO special “Rothaniel,” and it earned a backhanded compliment from Chappelle. In his new Esquire interview, Jerrod said Dave “referred to it as the bravest special for 1996.” https://youtu.be/KkTqP_prC8I Jay-Z’s annual Made in America festival has been canceled for the second consecutive year. The festival, usually held in Philadelphia during Labor Day weekend, was announced as canceled on social media and its official website on Wednesday. No specific reason was provided for the cancellation, the Associated Press reports. “As purveyors of change, the Made In America executive production team is reimagining a live music experience that affirms our love and dedication to music and the work we do. We promise an exciting return to the festival,” the statement read, without providing a timeline for the festival’s return. The festival was set to return this summer after being pushed back last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “2020 is a year like no other,” a statement issued on Made in America’s website stated at the time. “We are in a pivotal time in this nation’s history. Collectively, we are fighting parallel pandemics, Covid-19, systematic racism and police brutality. Now is the time to protect the health of our artists, fans, partners and community as well as focus on our support for organizations and individuals fighting for social justice and equality in our country. Therefore, the Made In America festival will be rescheduled for Labor Day Weekend 2021.” No, Lizzo didn’t quit music. She would like to issue a clarification. Last week, the singer caused a stir among her loyal social media followers after she posted a statement to her Instagram page in which she said she was “tired” of the criticism often directed her way “by everyone in my life and on the internet.” She ended by saying, “I quit.” The post spurred speculation that Lizzo was done with her music career, but the “About Damn Time” singer now says her statement was misinterpreted. “When I say ‘I quit,’ I mean I quit giving any negative energy attention,” she said in a video posted to her Instagram page on Tuesday. “What I am not going to quit is the joy of my life, which is making music, which is connecting to people because I know I’m not alone.” Lizzo continued to say that she knows she’s not the only person who “is experiencing that negative voice that seems to be louder than the positive” and that she hopes to empower others to “stand up for themselves and say they quit letting negative people win, negative comments win.” https://youtu.be/XfWSeN0DAac Inmates at New York’s Woodbourne Correctional Facility are suing the state Department of Corrections over a mandatory lockdown that coincides with a solar eclipse on April 8. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs contend that the lockdown robs them of the opportunity to witness the rare event, constituting a violation of their constitutional religious rights, Complex reports. The most recent solar eclipse was witnessed in 2017. The inmates, including a Muslim, a Baptist, a Seventh-Day Adventist, two Santería believers, and an atheist, share a common belief that “April’s solar eclipse is a religious event that they must witness and reflect on to observe their faiths.” Per the lawsuit, inmate Jeremy Zielinski said the eclipse celebrates his atheistic belief in “science and reason.” https://youtu.be/kPA_AVjfSTk More and more people are going hungry in Haiti, warn aid workers, doctors, and missionaries with increasing urgency, as the Caribbean nation struggles to find its way out of the political deadlock and an epidemic of deadly gang violence. One American missionary whose organization delivers food and water to the needy in gang-controlled areas in the capital city of Port-au-Prince told CNN that he had already met people who hadn’t eaten in a week. In some areas of the city, there is no more food to buy, and none to bring to market for those whose livelihoods depend on small-scale trading, said the missionary, who requested anonymity for his own safety. “One by one, items disappear for good. There’s no supply chain, so when flour, sugar, salt, rice, etc. run out, they’re out.” Following the resignation announcement of Prime Minister Ariel Henry last month, the country’s political leaders have not yet formed a new government, and a long-awaited multinational security mission has stalled amid the confusion. Meanwhile, gangs have cut off Port-au-Prince from the rest of the world, making it “virtually impossible” for help to reach at least 58,000 children suffering from the most dangerous levels of malnutrition, according to UNICEF. https://youtu.be/x-NQnVW3exI Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho faces online backlash for his critical comments regarding LSU star forward Angel Reese’s emotional post-game interview. Reese recently addressed the ongoing online abuse she’s been enduring since gaining stardom over the past year. The Bayou Barbie spoke of her experiences during an emotional press conference Monday night after the LSU Tigers lost to Iowa’s Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight level of the NCAA tournament. “I’ve been through so much,” she said, Complex reports. “I’ve seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times, death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened, I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time.” Reese added, “I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them… I’m still a human.” https://youtu.be/ie-cIrx_C5Y King Charles reportedly has two years to live following his cancer diagnosis. According to In Touch, funeral plans have been made in anticipation of his passing during his cancer battle. We reported via CNN that Buckingham Palace confirmed in February that Charles, 75, has a “form of cancer” that is not prostate cancer but did not specify further. The palace said, “His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties.” “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual,” it added. https://youtu.be/igYmSzom8YE A Manhattan criminal court judge has rejected Jonathan Majors‘ request to overturn his conviction in his domestic violence case. Majors could spend up to a year in prison following his 2023 conviction for assault and harassment against his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. His sentencing is scheduled for Monday, April 8. The actor was convicted of third-degree reckless assault, a misdemeanor, and second-degree harassment, a violation, per The Hollywood Reporter. Majors was found not guilty of third-degree intentional assault and not guilty of second-degree aggravated harassment. He faces up to a year in jail on the two counts. When rejecting Majors’ bid to overturn his conviction, Judge Michael Gaffey stated that “there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the Defendant behaved recklessly” during the March 2023 incident with Jabbari. Legal experts say that Majors is not likely to get jail time. https://youtu.be/efnnTY4Y1GQ Grab your popcorn and settle in for the latest episode of “Flight Fiasco Follies,” starring a woman who apparently took her cues from Looney Tunes. In a performance that would make Bugs Bunny proud, she decided to throw a tantrum of epic proportions on a Spirit Airlines flight out of Las Vegas. As the video circulates faster than Spirit’s flight delays, we witness the drama unfold. It’s a classic case of “What happens in Vegas should’ve stayed in Vegas,” but alas, here we are. The scene opens with cops attempting to wrangle her while she channels her inner drama queen. But wait, there’s more! As TMZ reports, just when you thought the spectacle couldn’t get any more bizarre, she decides to name-drop George Floyd. Because, you know, comparing your cartoonish meltdown to a tragic moment in history is the height of rationality. As the chaos ensues, bystanders can’t help but chuckle at the spectacle. Even the cops seem to be suppressing laughter at her theatrics. Bravo, madam, bravo. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-04-03-040324-woman-arrested-spirit-airlines-1805564-478/ Following the heart-wrenching incident in Victorville, California, where Ryan Gainer a 15-year-old boy with mental health issues was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies, Areva Martin, a noted civil rights attorney and fervent advocate for mental health and disability rights, has released a statement demanding immediate action and underscoring the necessity for profound systemic reform. “In a grievous continuation of violence, we mourn the loss of another young life in Southern California. Coming in the wake of the tragic shooting of Ryan Gainer, a 15-year-old autistic boy, this recent incident further exposes the critical shortcomings in our approach to mental health crises and law enforcement’s role in them. “The loss of a 17-year-old boy, who found himself in a moment of profound distress, to law enforcement intervention is not just a family’s tragedy but a societal failure. The recurring theme of inadequate de-escalation tactics and the resort to lethal force, especially in situations involving individuals with mental health challenges, calls for immediate and unequivocal reform. https://youtu.be/B-np_mNEi0w LSU basketball star Angel Reese has announced that she is leaving school for the WNBA. Reese posted the announcement Wednesday on Instagram, and her decision was also detailed in a story in Vogue. LSU lost to Iowa in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament Monday, a rematch of last year’s national championship game. ESPN, the network that aired Monday’s game, announced Tuesday that it was the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history. “I’ve done everything I wanted to in college,” Reese said in the Vogue story. “I’ve won a national championship, I’ve gotten [Southeastern Conference] Player of the Year, I’ve been an All-American. My ultimate goal is to be a pro – and to be one of the greatest basketball players to play, ever. I feel like I’m ready.” The WNBA draft takes place on April 15. Reese, a 6-foot-3-inch forward, is projected in mock drafts to be a top-10 pick. https://youtu.be/wlR9oFaeEgk A year ago, Reese and LSU won the program’s first women’s basketball national championship, upending Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes in the final, 102-85. Reese, named last year’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player, famously waved her hand in front of her face toward Clark and then pointed to her ring finger as LSU closed in on the national title, stirring debate about trash talking’s place in the game. On Monday night in the Elite Eight, Clark and Iowa avenged last year’s loss, beating Reese and LSU 94-87 to advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive season. In Reese’s final collegiate game, despite rolling her ankle in the second quarter, she had 17 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals before fouling out with 1:45 left in the game. It was Reese’s 10th consecutive double-double in the NCAA tournament, tying the tournament record. In 33 games this season, she averaged 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds. https://youtu.be/o8crXxdMjLY It continued to be a celebration of all things Bey on Monday at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles, where Beyoncé was awarded the prestigious Innovator Award. Legendary artist Stevie Wonder took the stage to present the “Texas Hold ‘Em” hitmaker with the accolade, giving a summary of her unparalleled accomplishments thus far, which include being the “first African-American woman to headline Coachella” as well as having the distinction of having a number one hit across all four decades since the 1990s. And that’s not to mention arguably her buzziest career moment yet, which of course was the drop of her eighth studio album “Cowboy Carter” on Friday, her unofficial entry into country music (but not only), as well as the second act in her “Renaissance” trilogy which began with that aptly titled record in 2022. Queen B came out wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket and now-trademark cowboy hat to accept her trophy, first addressing Wonder: “Thank you for making a wave for all of us,” Beyoncé told the “Isn’t She Lovely” singer. “I’m honored to receive this recognition from you.” https://youtu.be/a--C9lyvq-k Lawrence Hilton Jacobs entered the world of acting in 1969, kickstarting an illustrious career that would leave a lasting impact on both large and small screens. After graduating from the High School of Art and Design in 1971, Jacobs pursued his passion for the stage with stints at Wilkes University, the Negro Ensemble Company, and the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble. In 1975, Jacobs shot to stardom with his endearing portrayal of Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington on Welcome Back, Kotter, captivating audiences with his charm and talent. He continued to impress with roles in Cooley High and Roots, showcasing his range as an actor. Jacobs also made waves in commercials, notably starring in an iconic ad for The United Negro College Fund. Throughout his career, Jacobs embraced diverse roles, from his role as Sgt. Dobbs in Alien Nation to his haunting portrayal of Panda Thomas (#1) in 31. A highlight of his career came in 1992 when he mesmerized audiences as Joe Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream miniseries. Jacobs also showcased his musical talents by lending his vocals to Rick James’ Street Songs album. https://youtu.be/FFId1qYH4OE It looks like the age-old metaphor, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” just might be appropriate here. That’s because of the ongoing saga surrounding music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. His son Christian “King” Combs finds himself under a cloud of serious allegations. Renowned attorney Tyrone Blackburn, known for his high-profile cases, is poised to file a lawsuit implicating Christian in a grave matter. The lawyer’s client, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, has already targeted Diddy with explosive claims of sexual trafficking, gun running, and drug dealing. Adding fuel to the fire is a new accuser, Jane Doe, who intends to sue Christian for alleged sexual assault, according to allhiphip.com. While the specifics of the lawsuit against Christian remain undisclosed, Blackburn hints at accusations involving drugging and sexual assault. These allegations emerge amidst a stormy period for the Combs family, marked by federal raids on Sean Combs’ properties and a $30 million lawsuit against him. https://youtu.be/_GqknxtCYOU For Christian, a rising figure in rap and fashion, the timing couldn’t be worse. Known for his nearly seven-year relationship with Breah Hicks, his current involvement with model Raven Tracy has already made headlines, notably with her recent tattoo of his name on her backside. Despite the legal turmoil, Tracy publicly supports King Combs, sharing affectionate photos amid the raids and subsequent backlash. However, her solidarity with him has attracted significant online criticism as the allegations unfold. https://www.instagram.com/soooraven/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b1fd62a6-752b-4353-8050-deb8f455af1f “I missed a flight…wanted to write a really good song while I waited,” said Hard Rock’s Kurt Deimer about his new single “Dance,” which is accompanied by a recently released music video. “It’s about life’s curve balls…the good and bad…and how you have to dance your way through life.” Kurt is currently on tour promoting the new single until June 2024. His Kurt Deimer Tour started March 12th in Nashville, TN with TESLA and ends June 11th in Denver, CO with TESLA. TESLA is a California-based Rock band that has sold over a million albums in the U.S. alone. Deimer, a native of Cincinnati, directed the music video for his new single “Dance” with Los Angeles as the backdrop. The single is from his highly anticipated album “And So It Begins…”. “It’s a double album…’And So It Begins…’,” Kurt informed me when I asked. “The artwork is dark, then there is light…I look up to the light.” https://youtu.be/0s_guIeSuiQ In late 2021, Donald Trump and Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) announced the company would be launching the former president’s Truth Social platform. It was supposed to be the future of conservative social media—a digital gathering place for right-wingers to spread white nationalist nonsense in a white nationalist echo chamber without getting banned like on other platforms, or as Trump Media put it, the platform would “stand up to the tyranny of big tech. Well, it appears that all Truth Social has done for the company is cause its stock to plummet because it turns out the social media brainchild of the guy MAGA minions purportedly elected because he’s such a savvy businessman is an absolute revenue killer. According to CNN, TMTG shares plunged Monday after the company disclosed that it lost more than $58 million and that its revenue numbers from last year were quite pitiful. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested Monday that President Joe Biden is a bigger threat to American democracy than former President Donald Trump. Now, whether you’re a supporter of Biden or not, any reasonable person must be asking themselves how the president who has not led a propaganda campaign to delegitimize a legitimate election in order to remain in power or instigated an insurrection to further that same agenda is more of a threat to democracy than the president who did do those things—and that would be a great question to ask. “I can make the argument that President Biden is the much worse threat to democracy, and the reason for that is President Biden is the first candidate in history – the first president in history that has used the federal agencies to censor political speech, so to censor his opponent,” RFK said during an appearance on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront. Well, OK, that makes sense. I mean, obviously, if Biden is having federal agents take his political opponents out into the street and publicly flog them or worse just for saying things he doesn’t like then that’s not only a threat to democracy, it’s an all-out threat of fascism. How can any person call themselves the leader of the free world and engage in such violent and oppressive censorship of American citizens? Nah, I’m just messing with y’all—RFK thinks Biden is a bigger threat to democracy because he got banned from social media platforms. Paths are currently being cleared to get ships past the wreckage at the Key Bridge collapse site to the Port of Baltimore. U.S. Coast Guard Captain David O’Connell shared with CBS News that two auxiliary channels are planned to open Monday: one along the northeast section of the channel and one running along the south. The north side would accommodate boats requiring 10 feet of water or less to operate, while the south side would accommodate boats requiring up to 14 feet. Additionally, there is pre-existing debris along the south side of the channel that the Coast Guard is working to remove. https://youtu.be/IM4ibUV8JOo In an exclusive discussion with NewsOne, Black Voters Matter Fund co-founder, LaTosha Brown explains why the right-wingers have gone after TSU–and how that has larger consequences for us all. Responding to the right-wing attack that has disrupted leadership and funding at an HBCU, Tennessee State University (TSU), students convened civil rights leaders including Bishop William J. Barber II, Rev. Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, Tamika Mallory and Latosha Brown for a major press conference yesterday morning. The gathering at the Rotunda at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee, was instigated by Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s decision to suddenly remove most of TSU’s Board–eight of the 10 trustees–and put his own people in place. But the attacks on the University that educated Oprah Winfrey are longstanding–and part of a larger right-wing assault on HBCUs that can be characterized as deeply racist. Indeed, the Biden administration conducted a study that found that TSU alone is owed over $2.1 billion in state funds, a debt that has accrued since 1987. Yet, without any reasonable evidence, TSU has been subjected to incredible levels of scrutiny–which bore no fruit—and wrongfully labeled as financially reckless. The Black Southern Women’s Collaborative (BSWC) is a network and advocacy organization committed to empowering Black women serving as executive directors in the Southern United States. Established in 2021, BSWC assembles a team of dynamic Black women executives to address pressing issues like economic justice, political empowerment, healthcare access, and social equality, which disproportionately affect Black women in the South. The organization offers resources, support, and a platform for Black women to advocate for themselves and their communities. Through strategic partnerships, campaigns, and community engagement, BSWC endeavors to foster a positive and safe environment, empowering Black executives to drive change and amplify the voices of Black Southern women. The organization boasts a diverse leadership team, including Kendra Cotton, CEO of the New Georgia Project; Nsombi Lambright, executive director of One Voice in Mississippi; Ashley K. Shelton, founder and president of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice; Reverend Rhonda Thomas, executive director of Faith in Florida; and Tameka Greer, executive director of Memphis Artists for Change. Since its inception, BSWC has allocated over $7 million to Black women-led organizations across the South, prioritizing leadership development and training programs for Black women. https://www.instagram.com/blacksouthernwomenscollab/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5457fc84-4777-4db8-acd3-589cb124416f Jekalyn Carr – internationally acclaimed and award-winning artist/author/actress/speaker/entrepreneur – has announced the 2024 plans for her fourth annual Jekalyn Carr’s You Will Win! Conference. The event will be held June 21 – 22, 2024 in Atlanta, GA at the Georgia International Convention Center. Registration is now open and available at www.youwillwin.org. Jekalyn Carr’s You Will Win! Conference is a natural extension of Carr’s ministry - designed for conscientious entrepreneurs and serves as a tool to empower people to break molds, shatter social & economic barriers, and to win in every aspect of their lives. The conference is the ideal incubator for those with the will to win. During this two-day conference, Carr will equip attendees with lessons from all sectors of the industry with knowledgeable experts, instructors, entrepreneurs, influencers, label executives, film, health, music, business owners, and more, who are leaders of their industry. The family-friendly conference will feature live music and panels like “Winning in the Marketplace,” “Winning in Entrepreneurship,” “Winning in Faith,” “Winning in the Family,” and “Winning in Health.” All are invited to take part in this life-changing weekend, which is guided by prayer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTa6mz8VzvY JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, March 27 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Chef JJ shows off for Rapper Freeway with a quick and easy BBQ meal that you can prepare indoors. He lays out BBQ brisket sliders, smokey baked beans, and simple coleslaw that helps bring the BBQ feel right into your home. Chef JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV Personality and Author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by the Caribbean flavors of his upbringing. Chef JJ’s signature cooking style combines culturally relevant ingredients and classical technique with a global point of view. At FIELDTRIP, his made-to-order rice bowl shop in Harlem, Chef JJ highlights rice as a hero ingredient and showcases it in recipes sourced from around the world. Among many other partnerships, Chef JJ is also a Mastercard Ambassador. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp6Z2d-iuIE Popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN is back with all-new episodes this Wednesday, April 3 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells returns with even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. If you love seafood, then stay tuned for what Chef Jernard is cooking up today. Its BBQ shrimp cocktail with pineapple salsa, then he lays out Crab stuffed salmon, that is seasoned just right. Acclaimed chef, cookbook author, and family man Chef Jernard Wells is showing up and showing out in NEW SOUL KITCHEN. Chef Jernard brings his arsenal of cooking know-how to the viewers while offering our Cleo audience some fresh new delicious recipes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J3DiMPHWNY In China, a 21-year-old named Ma Jinghui from Yunnan province has become a sensation by impersonating Kobe Bryant. According to SandraRose.com, Ma amassed over 600,000 followers on Douyin, China’s equivalent of TikTok. In his videos, he wears dark makeup (blackface) and Bryant’s No. 24 jersey. He allegedly earned $12,000 within ten days through live-streaming sessions. Identifying himself as the “Chinese Kobe Bryant,” he interacts with his followers in English. As SCMP.com reports, Ma said he was “pleasantly surprised” by his fame. “I hope to earn more money, buy a car for my dad and get my sister a new phone,” he said. Rapper Latto teamed up with TLC’s Chilli and T-Boz at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday night (April 1), where she filled in for their late bandmate Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes during a performance of some of their most iconic hits. Latto delivered Left Eye’s verse during “Waterfalls. Lopes was killed in a car crash in Honduras in 2002, and the remaining TLC members continued as a duo after her death. The four-time Grammy winner’s most recent release was the self-titled “TLC” in 2017. During the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins accepted the Landmark Award. https://youtu.be/uQMrvN_fMy4 The Impact Network is set to air the 5th Annual Pink Awards on April 30th. This iconic event is a tribute to breast cancer survivors and exemplifies the network’s dedication to providing inspiring and uplifting programming for the Black community. Hosted by actors Malik Yoba (BET’s “First Wives Club”) and Carl Anthony Payne (“Martin”). The ceremony will take place in Atlanta, Georgia. The Impact Network airs the 5th Annual Pink Awards on April 30th at 8 pm ET/PT. The iconic Pink Awards celebrates Black excellence through performances, celebrity guest appearances, and heartfelt tributes. Viewers will witness stirring testimonies from those who have championed the fight against breast cancer. The event will also uplift those who have been warriors in their battles against the disease. The Pink Awards were founded five years ago by cancer survivor April Love. April created the celebration to honor survivors, caregivers, and advocates within their respective industries and surrounding communities. Tuesday, voters in the small city of Enid, Oklahoma, will decide whether or not a white supremacist will remain on the city council. Yes, that would be a weird sentence to read if you’re of the belief that we’re currently living in a post-racial America where systemic racism is a thing of the past (or never existed to let certain delusional Republicans tell it). After all, in a totally not racist country like the U.S.A., how could it come to be that a proven neo-Nazi became an elected official? As we previously reported, City Commissioner Judd Blevins managed to get himself elected last year just before it became widely known that he was one of the hundreds of tiki torch-wielding white supremacists who participated in 2017’s deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and that he was at one point a leader of Identity Evropa, one of the largest white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups of the alt-right. Blevins is a veteran who ran on conservative Christian values, and surprisingly (to people who aren’t paying attention) it turns out that conservative Christian values have a tendency to align with the values of racist white supremacists. Anyway, once it became widely known and undeniable that Enid had elected a bonafide neo-Nazi (who reportedly still has plenty of support in the city, by the way) into office, concerned citizens began the process of getting him recalled. Despite all of the statistical evidence that supports the idea of systemic racism in America, there are those (the unrelentingly white and fragile) who refuse to believe it’s real. But if the U.S. isn’t a systemically racist country, why is it that up until a few years ago, a racially biased organ test was keeping Black people from receiving kidney transplants in a timely manner? According to the Associated Press, recently, more than 14,000 Black kidney transplant candidates got their wait times moved up on the priority lists for patients who need new kidneys. Some of them had their dates moved up literal years, such as 29-year-old Jazmin Evans, who was put on the transplant list in 2019, even though she should have been added in 2015, according to a letter she got from her healthcare provider. “I remember just reading that letter over and over again,” Evans told AP. “How could this happen?” This year, the women’s NCAA tournament has drawn more headlines than the men’s. But it has also come with some negativity from people who still don’t think women’s sports are as compelling as men’s, the scrutiny of every move made by LSU star Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, and the swirling controversy over the as-yet-unpublished story on LSU head coach Kim Mulkey. But one of the biggest stories was when University of Utah coach Lynne Roberts revealed that while the team was in Idaho for the first and second rounds of the tournament, they encountered blatant racism. She says that as they were walking to a restaurant in Couer d’Alene with members of the band and cheerleading squad, they heard someone revving the engine of a white truck, before yelling the N-word at them and speeding off. “We all just were in shock, and we looked at each other like, did we just hear that? … Everybody was in shock — our cheerleaders, our students that were in that area that heard it clearly were just frozen,” Charmelle Green, Utah’s deputy athletics director who is Black, told KSL.com. “We kept walking, just shaking our heads like I can’t believe that.” If that wasn’t bad enough, after dinner, two trucks awaited the team, calling them the N-word again before taking off. Utah was playing at the McCarthey Athletic Center in nearby Spokane, and were staying in Idaho about 35 minutes away because Spokane was short on hotel rooms. Dawn Staley’s journey from the courts of her childhood to the pinnacle of basketball is one defined by perseverance, talent, and an unyielding dedication to the game. She’s been a trailblazer both on and off the court, blazing an incredible path as a WNBA basketball star and as a coach with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Born on May 4, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Staley’s passion for basketball was evident from an early age. Despite facing numerous obstacles, she rose to become one of the most influential figures in women’s basketball history. Staley’s basketball career began to take shape during her time at Dobbins Technical High School, where she quickly established herself as a standout player. According to the Pennsylvania Center of The Book, Staley led her team to three consecutive public league championships, and by her senior year, she had earned the prestigious title of USA Today’s National High School Player of the Year. Staley’s exceptional passing skills and athletic prowess caught the attention of college recruiters across the nation, with many vying to secure her talents. Ultimately, she made the pivotal decision to join the ranks of the Cavaliers at the University of Virginia (UVA). During her collegiate career, Staley’s talent and leadership were undeniable. She led the Virginia Cavaliers to three Final Four appearances and was named the ACC Player of the Year three times. Staley’s impact went beyond statistics; her fierce competitiveness and ability to elevate the play of those around her set her apart as a true leader. In a recent conversation Kirby, delved into the intriguing new noir series “Sugar” on Apple TV+ starring Colin Farrell. From its mysterious premise to its talented cast and immersive cinematography, “Sugar” promises to be a captivating journey into the world of crime, corruption, and deception – with a surprise twist. Created by Mark Protosevich, the eight-episode series stars Farrell as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried. https://youtu.be/twvPGxuEOEA Get ready for all new episodes of TV One’s original and longest-running series "UNSUNG" and "UNCENSORED" this Sunday, April 7 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. "UNSUNG" leads with Blaque at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by "UNCENSORED", which features Christian Keyes, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZlXFQ-o5o UNCENSORED" explores the lives of some of today’s most notable personalities as they provide first-hand accounts of their success and the obstacles they faced throughout their careers. This week's episode highlights talented actor Christian Keyes. The actor, singer, and author gets uncensored as he shares his journey from a troubled childhood in foster care to Hollywood success. Don’t miss the all-new episode this Sunday at 10p/9c only on TV One. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-c503vspMI The nation's largest African American-led mentoring organization, 100 Black Men of America, Inc., announced today the launch of its "Real Men Vote" campaign and 14-city tour. The tour kicks off in Cleveland, Ohio on April 1st at Premier Barbershop, and this effort is focused on delivering critical voter education and engagement ahead of the 2024 Presidential election. Milton H. Jones Jr, Chairman of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. said "We are an organization with more than 4,000 members, all of whom are registered to vote in the upcoming national and local elections. Further, all of these men are committed to helping men and women in their communities register to vote, learn about the election issues, and see the importance of casting their ballots at every opportunity to vote." In addition to a critical Presidential election, there are 435 seats in the House of Representatives and over 30 Senate seats up for election this year. Ahead one of the nation's most consequential election seasons, the "Real Men Vote" campaign is dedicated to combating an onslaught of misinformation and voting dissuasion campaigns. The goal of the tour is to equip Black men across the country with accurate information about issues and policies at the federal, state and local levels. The world-renowned Gospel Heritage Worship & Arts Summit will be returning after a brief hiatus at The River Church in Durham, NC May 16-18! This three-day intense gospel music industry bootcamp will provide aspiring gospel singers and musicians with the opportunity to learn from some of the industry’s leading professionals. Originally founded by industry veteran Dr. Teresa Hairston-Jackson, this year’s workshop will be hosted by Gospel Heritage President and 7x Stellar Award-winning gospel artist, VaShawn Mitchell. This year’s summit is sure to be an epic experience unlike any other year prior. This year’s special honorees include Dr. Judith McAllister, the group Men of Standard, and gospel music legend Pastor Shirley Caesar. Special guest speakers of the summit will also include Bishop William Murphy, Dr. Valerie Moore, and Bishop Ronald L. Godbee. Other special guests include Gospel Heritage Vice President Dr. John Paul McGee, Anthony Brown, Tonya Baker, Meachum Clarke, Pastor Ruth Ann Wynter, and Todd Garlberth. Pastor Shirley Caesar, also known as “The First Lady of Gospel Music”, has won 11 Grammy Awards, 14 Stellar Awards and 15 GMA Dove Awards throughout her career and currently has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has also released +40 albums, participated in over sixteen compilations and three musicals. The sequel didn’t have the exact same cast as the original. College basketball doesn’t work that way. But the two prominent stars from the NCAA women’s basketball tournament a year ago – Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese – remained front and center in the sport. Monday night, they both lived up to the hype, but it’s the sharp-shooting Clark who gets to play on in the Final 4. Clark had 41 points – including going 9-of-20 from three-point range – to go with 12 assists and seven rebounds, and No. 1 Iowa topped No. 3 LSU 94-87, a rematch of last year’s NCAA title game, to advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive season. In the Final Four, Iowa will face either No. 1 USC or No. 3 UConn, who are playing in the regional final in Portland, Oregon. “Job’s not finished,” Clark said on the court to ESPN after the win. The women’s Final Four is set to happen Friday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, and the national championship game is scheduled on Sunday. https://youtu.be/kdUmWou4TfY Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the women’s bracket, undefeated and top overall seed South Carolina will face No. 3 NC State in the Final Four. Those two teams clinched their spots with wins on Sunday. Clark, who has the most career points in Division I history for women and men, is a generational talent. The 22-year-old is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft on April 15. But before the WNBA, she has one last shot at a national title. After the game, the Iowa superstar shared a moment on the handshake line with Reese and LSU head coach Kim Mulkey. https://youtu.be/hqh_B6K_30A “(Clark) just told me, ‘Continue to be a great player,’ and I told her continue to be a great player, as well, and keep elevating the game and go win it,” Reese said. “What did I say to her? I said, ‘I sure am glad you’re leaving,’” Mulkey said. “I said, ‘Girl, you something else.’ Never seen anything like it.” Was revenge on Iowa’s mind after what happened last year? “To be honest, no,” Clark said. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9WzP_56VVYw?feature=share Teyana Taylor alleges that her estranged husband, Iman Shumpert, has caused their young daughter emotional distress by introducing other women to their children. The singer/actress, 33, has filed a court motion in her ongoing divorce proceedings against Shumpert, 33, alleging that he has jeopardized their daughter’s mental health. According to a report from Radar Online, Taylor claims her ex had a woman staying overnight during his visitation days with their daughters Junie, 8, and Rue, 3. In the filing, Taylor reported that Junie felt “confused” upon witnessing her father sharing a bed with the woman. Shumpert allegedly explained to the child that his “friend” was staying the night because her house was “broken.” Taylor is requesting the court to permit a child psychologist to testify in their divorce case regarding the long-term impact such actions can have on young children. Iman and Teyana were married for seven years before she filed for divorce in January. Her attorney reportedly noted in a court filing: “Much to the [Taylor’s] dismay, [Shumpert] appears to want to drag out this case through trial instead of working to resolve the divorce amicably with [Taylor].” According to recent court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Taylor’s legal team wants a list of items they’d like Shumpert to produce after he disclosed Taylor’s substantial earnings in court. https://youtu.be/kdjVbimsDqI Hall of Famer Warren Sapp has joined Deion Sanders’ coaching staff at the University of Colorado. Sanders’ son shared a video showing Sapp introducing himself to the Buffaloes. According to reports, Sapp will serve as a senior quality control analyst under Sanders. “Senior quality control analyst, it’s a mouthful, and you’ll hear me before you see me most of the time,” Sapp told the players. “But what we gonna do is, big fellas — stance, alignment and assignment . . . We’re gonna pour concrete because you know I like nice stuff. And we’re building mansions here, so that’s why I’m here — to help you build your mansion.” In a statement, CU told BuffZone: “Warren Sapp successfully completed all of the necessary steps required of anyone who is employed at CU Boulder, including a background check. Furthermore, Athletic Director Rick George personally met with Warren to clearly articulate the department’s standards and expectations, to which he acknowledged and agreed.” https://youtu.be/ASsDnbeRBE8 The California Black Chamber of Commerce is the largest African American non-profit business organization in the state. Our primary mission is to empower Black-owned businesses to succeed because special interests are eyeing ways to profit from those small businesses. Our Chamber spends countless hours nurturing relationships with our members and advocating for sensible policy changes that help businesses, communities, and families thrive. This work is undermined when we encounter groups with no relationship to our members or our cities, posing as advocates for the business community for their gains. One such group that has made its presence more widely known in California recently is the Digital Restaurant Association (DRA). The DRA advertises itself as a nonprofit coalition of small businesses advocating for transparency between restaurants and the third-party apps they use for delivery. It appears, however, that the DRA is being used by the former CEO of Uber and current CEO of CloudKitchens, Travis Kalanick, to collect data and turn a profit. Using the DRA name, the group seeks to convince policymakers that they represent small businesses while pushing for legislation that ultimately benefits their bottom line. A piece published by the Financial Times provides further insight into the group’s tactics. The YSL RICO trial involving Young Thug could last several additional years because of the many witnesses who were called to testify in the case. According to Law and Crime, attorneys representing Yak Gotti (real name Deamonte Kendrick), one of Thug’s co-defendants, contend that calling an additional 360 witnesses could prolong the trial until 2027, potentially confusing jurors. In their argument, the defense claims hundreds of potential witnesses “would cause undue delay, would be a waste of time, and would amount to needless presentation of cumulative evidence,” the motion read. The attorneys urge Judge Ural Glanville to limit the number of witnesses the state can summon to testify. “The state, after originally proposing a witness list of over 700 witnesses, has a list of over 400 witnesses it intends to present at trial. To date, the State has presented approximately 40 witnesses since the presentation of witnesses began at the end of November,” the motion read. https://youtu.be/uBI7iJ8o3R8 Oprah Winfrey appeared on the “Sherri” show recently and recalled the time a guy she was dating during her younger years cheated on her. The media mogul told host Sherri Shepherd, “I followed him all the way to his other girlfriend’s house. I saw it with my own eyes and then when I said, ‘I saw you…I saw you!’ He said, ‘You gonna believe me or your lying eyes?’ His reaction surprised Sherry, prompting Oprah to respond, “Really! And then, I’m like, ‘Well, maybe that wasn’t his car.’ It was bad.” https://www.instagram.com/sherrishowtv/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0d2026ef-b53a-44ae-a5d2-48a5bb5ca44e Kobe Bryant’s 2000 NBA championship has set a new sports memorabilia record, fetching nearly one million dollars at Goldin Auctions. Bryant’s first championship win was the ring, which he won when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in 2000. Kobe gifted the ring to his father, Joe, who reportedly put it up for auction. It recently sold for $927,200 USD. Goldin Auctions announced the record-breaking sale, now holding the title for the most expensive NBA championship ring sold, HypeBeast reports. In a statement, Goldin said, “Obtained directly from the Bryant family, this ring is a true one-of-a-kind, and we can confirm that it is the only championship ring ever given by Kobe to his father.” As we reported, Bryant’s parents received significant criticism from fans across social media for auctioning off his first championship ring. https://twitter.com/GoldinCo/status/1774270996955935222/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1774270996955935222%7Ctwgr%5E700013f129a8ad0006e2414b046712f7724e8d7c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fkobe-bryants-championship-ring-fetches-nearly-1m-in-auction%2F The Lakers unveiled a statue of Bryant wearing the No. 8 uniform at Crypto.com Arena in February. Bryan’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, said there will be two other statues, one with him wearing No. 24 and with daughter Gianna, who was killed with the Lakers star in a helicopter crash in 2020, ABC 7 reports. The other two statues were not displayed at the ceremony. “Because fans all over the world and the City of Angels loved Kobe so much, he will have three statues in front of the arena – also known as the house that Kobe built,” Vanessa said during the tribute. “For the record, Kobe picked the pose you’re about to see,” she said. “So if anyone has any issues with it, tough (expletive). It is what it is.” According to Vanessa, Kobe chose the pose years before he died. It “represents a moment from his stunning 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, the second-highest point total in a single game in NBA history,” ABC 7 writes. Five NBA championship trophies surround the base of the statue. It is engraved with “Kobe Bean Bryant” and his nickname, “Black Mamba.” https://youtu.be/7fM5UJvk9qI Caleb Williams, widely anticipated as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is addressing the viral attention surrounding his pink nails, lip gloss, and pink iPhone. The football star drew widespread attention for his appearance while supporting his fellow USC athletes during the USC-Kansas women’s NCAA Tournament. As cameras captured him dancing in his seat to Earth, Wind & Fire, fans took note of his pink-painted fingernails and his pink phone, sparking a frenzy on the Internet. https://twitter.com/i/status/1772457446428037368 The quarterback responded to the chatter in a video posted to X Thursday. In it, Gavin Morris, USC’s assistant athletic jokes to Williams, “It’s been a long week for you. Let’s see what that phone look like, what the phone look like?” Morris asked. Showing the phone to the camera, Williams said, “The phone is pink, the case is clear.” He then held up his and added: “Nails are clear.” “Lips are pink — your girl love ‘em!” Williams continued as Morris laughed. https://twitter.com/i/status/1773470720426938509 The Cherokee Nation aims to amend a 140-year-old federal law concerning criminal jurisdiction for tribal citizens based on “blood quantum.” This challenge to the federal Major Crimes Act coincides with the tribe accepting descendants of formerly enslaved Black individuals as citizens. The law discriminates against “Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent who may be tried in state court with other non-tribal members,” Axios writes. In 2020, a Supreme Court ruling expanded the Indigenous reservation in eastern Oklahoma, barring state authorities from prosecuting offenses committed by Native Americans on tribal land. According to The New York Times, some Black tribal members continue to face prosecution due to their lack of “Indian blood.” Axios reports that the Cherokee Nation has around 15,000 enrolled citizens of Freedmen descent. In an interview with the outlet, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said the tribe is urging Congress to overhaul the 1885 federal law centered on “Indian blood,” a racial classification. https://youtu.be/NgNNkD9eI8c The Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association (MMCA) hosted its exclusive 2024 Sheroes in Media Awards reception on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at the National Press Club near the White House, with leaders in media, philanthropy and communications gathered to uplift extraordinary women who exemplify diverse media excellence. Following the success of the inaugural virtual ceremony in 2021, this year’s event added two special award categories: the Lifetime Achievement Award, given to Margery Kraus, Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO, and the Luminary Award, given to Janet Yang, award-winning Hollywood producer and President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Emceed by Reena Ninan, a television journalist and founder of Good Trouble Productions, the Sheroes in Media Awards ceremony was co-created by MMCA president David Morgan and trustee Hannah Kim, former deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the US Department of Health and Human Services, who also presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Margery Kraus. The event was produced by Green Gigz, Inc., Global Strategy Group and powered by the BIPOCXChange. A very pissed-off Misa Hylton unveiled footage exposing the “overtly militarized” tactics deployed during the raids on Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ residences, where their son, Justin Combs, reportedly faced the chilling sight of “beams from firearms pointed at his chest.” If Hylton, 51, thought she was going to get some empathy or sympathy, it doesn’t appear to be the case based on the reaction we’re seeing. In a poignant Instagram post, she condemned the “overzealous and overtly militarized force” targeting sons, Justin and Christian, deeming it “deplorable.” (Diddy shares Christian Combs with the late Kim Porter.) “If these were the offspring of a non-Black celebrity, they wouldn’t have faced such aggressive treatment. The attempt to shame and intimidate these innocent young BLACK MEN is utterly reprehensible!” she exclaimed. https://youtu.be/ftEFcgT4OmI Hylton questioned the necessity of subjecting her son to “several laser beams from firearms pointed at his chest” and her other son, Christian, to have “a gun pointed at the back of his head while he was handcuffed.” “Countless times have we witnessed young UNARMED BLACK MEN not survive such encounters??” she continued. The fashion designer declared that her son’s attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, is probing the “excessive use of force,” branding it as “unnecessary and certainly not warranted by this search warrant.” “We’ll pursue justice using every resource available. I’m not buying into the propaganda!!!!” the mother of three concluded. The previous Monday, Diddy’s residences in Los Angeles and Miami underwent Homeland Security raids due to a potential link to an ongoing sex trafficking probe. https://www.instagram.com/misahylton/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e1ed6265-088f-4e1e-8c93-10584ef25880 In footage obtained by Fox 11, multiple individuals, including the sons of the Bad Boy Records founder, Justin, 30, and Christian, 26, were led out of the home in handcuffs. So does Misa Hylton have a (legitimate) point about the way Justin and Christian were treated by the feds? Below, via Lipstick Alley are various responses. Most of them don’t agree with Hylton. And that’s putting it mildly. https://youtu.be/qxVQMpsdn8Q ”Star Trek: Discovery” stars Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, and Blu del Barrio offered tantalizing insights into the fifth and final season of the series in an exclusive interview. Their palpable enthusiasm for the show was evident as they teased the thrilling developments and surprises awaiting fans as the series approaches its conclusion. “I think this season Hugh continues to ask existential questions, big questions about our existence and the world and the universe and our place in it,” said Wilson about his character. “He’s given the opportunity to really step up and be a part of the team in order to solve this mystery that we’re all coming together to solve,” Wilson added. “But he, once again, has an opportunity to really step up and be there for his crew mates, but at the same time puts himself in a position to, once again, ask these big questions and perhaps even be okay with not getting all of the answers.” The series finale finds Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) “and the crew of the U.S.S Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well … dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it,” per the official synopsis. https://youtu.be/6Fi7ZePgh8k Tia Mowry and Jackée Harry took to social media to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the beloved sitcom “Sister, Sister.” Tia starred on the show with her real-life twin sister, Tamera Mowry-Housley. Together, they portrayed Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell. In the series, the “twins separated at birth who learn of each other’s existence and come together as teenagers. Ray Campbell, Tamera’s adopted father, is very different from Tia’s adopted mother, Lisa Landry, but the twins don’t want to be separated, so Ray and Lisa end up living together,” per IMDB.com. “Today is the 30th anniversary of Sister, Sister and I’m so grateful for this show and the experiences it has given me,” she captioned the image. “It was the first time I really believed in myself and my dreams. I remember being on a press tour in New York when the show premiered, feeling like all my hard work and prayers had paid off,” Tia continued. “My sister and I faced rejection when our show wasn’t initially picked up, but we didn’t give up. We prayed and were later told the show would be a mid-season replacement. A Mid-season replacement is a show that replaces a show that didn’t do well in the Fall. We were back up.” The actress continued, “Whenever I feel like I get to a place where I want to quit, I go back to that moment and remember that dreams do come true and to keep going and keep believing.” https://www.instagram.com/tiamowry/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6e0c56be-cdc6-4793-9a97-a419f312ee90 As of Monday, about half a million fast food workers in California are making at least $20 per hour, $4 higher than the overall state minimum wage. The new rate applies to restaurant chains with more than 60 nationwide locations and is a result of a years-long fight by workers to establish better wages and working conditions, specifically in California’s fast-food industry. The law also creates a fast-food council, a first of its kind in the US, with representatives from both the restaurant industry and workers, who can increase the wage annually for the rest of the decade, in pace with inflation or up to 3.5%, whichever is higher. This council can also recommend standards for fast-food worker safety and work with existing state agencies to investigate issues like wage theft. “I definitely think it’s a very big deal,” said Jaylene Loubet, who works as a McDonald’s cashier. “What we’re fighting for is not unreasonable. We’re just asking for what’s fair.” https://youtu.be/QlWkRM4gb5Y?list=RDNSQlWkRM4gb5Y Pharrell Williams and producer Chad Hugo, the dynamic duo behind The Neptunes, are now entangled in a legal tussle over the group’s moniker. Hugo accuses Williams of attempting to seize sole control over the trademarks, branding it as “fraudulent.” Before Williams skyrocketed as a solo sensation, The Neptunes churned out a cascade of chart-toppers in the early 2000s. Hits like Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” and Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” cemented their legendary status. Childhood pals, they even earned their place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022. However, in a recent legal maneuver, Hugo’s legal team alleged that Pharrell and his company disregarded their longstanding agreement. The pact, they claim, entailed an equal split of all assets. Kenneth D. Freundlich, Hugo’s attorney, minced no words, accusing Pharrell of fraudulent behavior and bad faith in attempting to monopolize The Neptunes trademarks. “Throughout their over thirty-year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” wrote Hugo’s attorney Kenneth D. Freundlich. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.” https://youtu.be/kcbBHCwXhBw In Dallas, authorities are reportedly looking to have word or two with Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice after two luxury cars were involved in a high-speed crash and the occupants of the vehicles walked away from the scene. Rice is cooperating with authorities “and will take all necessary steps to address this situation responsibly,” according to his attorney, Royce West. “On behalf of Rashee Rice, his thoughts are with everyone impacted by the automobile accident on Saturday,” West said in a statement, NBC News is reporting. Officers were called to North Central Expressway in Dallas at 6:25 p.m. Saturday after two speeding drivers lost control and crashed, “causing a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles.” https://youtu.be/A6q1KzBKWFA Police told The Dallas Morning News on Sunday that the drivers were in a Corvette and a Lamborghini and that the Lamborghini veered onto the shoulder and hit the expressway’s median wall. The Morning News reported that one of the cars is leased or registered to Rice and that a Dallas police call sheet seen by the newspaper lists Rice as the person who authorities believe was behind the wheel of the Corvette. “The occupants of the Lamborghini and the Corvette all ran from the scene without stopping to determine if anyone needed medical help or providing their information,” police told the newspaper. No major injuries were reported, according to police, but two people were treated at the scene, and two others were taken to a local hospital. Video posted on social media by Kayla Quinn, who said she was in one of the cars that was hit, appears to show the damage to the driver’s side of her vehicle. A Facebook post from someone who said she is Quinn’s mother said Quinn’s 4-year-old son was in the car. https://twitter.com/i/status/1774565508987121828 A video taken by a bystander and shared on social media by Quinn’s mother shows several people walking away from the scene. The bystander asks them whether they are all right and whether they are “just gonna leave it.” The NFL declined to comment on the crash. The Chiefs have not responded to a request for comment. In an interview on “Mundo in the Morning” on Kansas City radio station KCMO, Chiefs president Mark Donovan said the team will “react accordingly” after all the facts are gathered. “In all these situations you have to wait until you have all the facts, and frankly, we don’t have all the facts at this point,” Donovan told Pete Mundo on Monday. “The one comforting fact that we do have is that there was a multi-car crash in Texas, in Dallas, and fortunately, it doesn’t appear that anyone was hurt, and we should be grateful for that. We’ll get to the bottom of it, we’ll gather the facts, and we’ll react accordingly.” So what do two veteran/ex-NFLers have to say about the actions of Rashee Rice and his crew? Via the video below of Shannon Sharper and Chad Ochocinco Johnson, find out. https://twitter.com/i/status/1774912579766464908 Lost Marvin Gaye tracks have surfaced in Belgium, marking a discovery four decades after the passing of the iconic R&B singer in 1984. The news comes from Belgian musician Charles Dumolin, who once hosted Gaye at his Ostend home. Dumolin allegedly possesses a never-before-seen collection of costumes, letters, notebooks, and dozens of Gaye’s unheard recordings, New York Post reports. “We can open a time capsule here and share the music of Marvin with the world,” Alex Trappeniers, a Belgian lawyer and a business partner of Dumolin’s family, told the BBC. “It’s very clear. He’s very present.” According to the BBC, Gaye left the items in Belgium with Dumolin’s family. The collection includes 66 demos of new material across 30 tapes. “Marvin gave it to them and said, ‘Do whatever you want with it’ and he never came back. That’s important,” Trappeniers said. https://youtu.be/rjlSiASsUIs Doja Cat’s natural hair is featured in the cover art for her forthcoming single “MASC,” and her non-Black fans are comparing the texture to pubic hair. Doja hit up on Instagram Live to respond to the criticism, as it appears some people have forgotten that she is a mixed-race Black woman who does not have European-textured hair. “My hair is 4C hair, which a lot of you don’t care, that’s fine, but I’m seeing a consistent pattern in my comment section of people saying is my hair pubic hair, is it carpet or is it sheep’s wool,” Doja said in a video statement. “We gotta move forward. Let’s move forward. Let’s grow.” The critics flooded the comments section of Doja’s “MASC” cover art post, which she captioned: “ ASC 4.5.24.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1774110421986816344 Media mogul Jason Lee, founder of the popular entertainment platform Hollywood Unlocked, maintains a substantial lead over his five opponents three weeks after the California primary election. “I’m extremely humbled to see that the overwhelming majority of voters who participated in the primary put their faith in me to lead District 6,” Lee told FOX40.com. Lee is campaigning for a city councilman position in his hometown of Stockton, California. He’s up against incumbent Kimberly Warmsley, the vice mayor. According to results disclosed by San Joaquin County as of March 26, Lee commands 47.70% of the total votes tallied, FOX40 reports. Warmsley trails behind with 30.62% of the total votes. Following closely behind in the Stockton City Council District 6 race: Satnam Singh at 7.80%, Zobeyda Moreno at 7.19%, Ralph White at 7.01%, and Ronnie Murray Sr. at 5.68% of the votes, per FOX40. For Lee, his lead doesn’t come as a surprise. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that the California Highway Patrol will install hundreds of cameras around Oakland to help crack down on crime in the city. The state has partnered with a private company to install 290 cameras on Oakland streets, and 190 will go up along freeways traversing the city and its environs, KGED reports. The cameras will capture license plates and categorize vehicles based on their make, model, color, and distinctive features. “This investment marks another step forward in our commitment to bolstering public safety and tackling organized crime and roadway violence in Oakland and across California,” Newsom said in a statement. Newsom said the 480 high-tech cameras will equip “law enforcement with the tools they need to effectively combat criminal activity and hold perpetrators accountable — building safer, stronger communities for all Californians.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1773698779020996676 Comedian Jerrod Carmichael, who publicly came out last year, has been attempting to secure a date with Tyler, the Creator for years, but the rapper has consistently declined his invitations. Carmichael revealed in the premiere episode of his new show, “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” that the artist called him a “stupid bitch” after he confessed his feelings to Tyler in 2021. Carmichael also asked Tyler to be his date at the Emmy Awards, but he was turned down. Although Carmichael harbors “unrequited” feelings for Tyler, the hip-hop star clarified during their conversation that he does not share the same sentiments for Carmichael. According to Tyler, hearing Carmichael has feelings for him was “a lot to download.” “Getting news like that and then avoiding it is a way to avoid change,” Tyler said. “I didn’t think brushing that off and continuing regularly would be such a dent. I don’t know.” https://youtu.be/KkTqP_prC8I The fifth and final season of “Star Trek: Discovery” premieres on April 4, and we caught up with the remarkable Sonequa Martin-Green to discuss her character’s transformative journey. The series finale finds Captain Michael Burnham (Martin-Green) “and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well … dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it,” per the official synopsis. During our conversation with Martin-Green, we explore her emotional journey as she reflects on the final season. “I feel grateful. I feel grateful that we were able to tell the story that we did over the course of the entire show, and then especially how we ended,” Martin-Green shared with EUR exclusively. “I think that people will be moved. I think they’ll be touched, I think they’ll be satisfied, and I think that they will be left with hope. It’ll be the sort of final fragrance that they take in on the way out.” Martin-Green also provided insight into her character’s evolution throughout the series and teased what fans can expect in the upcoming season. https://youtu.be/6Fi7ZePgh8k Days before its streaming premiere on Netflix, the animated remake of “Good Times” is generating a very negative response from viewers. According to Sandra Rose, the unhealthy buzz comes after the trailer for the new series was released by the streamer. Executive produced by Seth MacFarlane, NBA icon Stephen Curry and Norman Lear, the “Good Times” remake features the voice talents of JB Smoove, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jay Pharoah, Gerald Anthony “Slink” Johnson, Marsai Martin, and Wanda Sykes as descendants of the Evans family. https://twitter.com/i/status/1772986937462178021 The original “Good Times” took place in the ’70s and featured a live-action cast comprised of John Amos, Esther Rolle, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ralph Carter, and Jimmie Walker as the Evans family. Despite Lear’s involvement with the remake, the reaction among the masses contrasts with the reverence given to its predecessor. Instead of positive feedback, Sandra Rose labeled the remake as a “farce,” going as far as to call it “a disrespectful mockery of the Black community that no one asked for.” Among the minuses for the remake are drug dealing baby, profanity, shootouts, gangbangers, prostitution, dice games, alcoholism, rat-infested streets, a crack house, and every other Black stereotype,” the site noted. Needless to say, social media hasn’t been kind to the new “Good Times,” which is set to debut on Netflix on April 12. Although they touch on different ways the show is offensive, the feedback is united in giving “Good Times” a solid thumbs down, based on the trailer. https://twitter.com/i/status/1772986937462178021 In an exclusive interview, Maya Rudolph and Joel Kim Booster talk about the much-anticipated second season of the acclaimed series “Loot.” The pair provided insights into their roles and the show’s evolution, and Rudolph revealed some of the exciting guest stars this season, including actor O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale). According to the press release: “Loot” season two kicks off a year after Molly Wells (Rudolph) settles her very public divorce from tech billionaire John Novak (Adam Scott), and we find her thriving in her role as the head of her philanthropic organization, the Wells Foundation.” The description continues, “Focused mainly on her charity work, Molly has sworn off any new relationships with men and embarks on a wellness journey. Fabulously single but not particularly independent, Molly keeps her trusty assistant Nicholas (Booster) by her side. He diligently caters to her every whim … and occasionally feeds her a kale smoothie spiked with gin.” https://youtu.be/8TWjRYzwjHI Al B. Sure!, the biological father of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ stepson Quincy, insinuated on Friday that the renowned hip-hop tycoon might be linked to the enigma of the coma that he endured in 2022. Under the gleaming lights of the Equal Justice Now Awards in Los Angeles, the voice behind “Off on Your Own” caught the audience off-guard with talks of a personal revelation—a project delving into the chapters of his own saga, with veiled references pointing to Combs. “We’re going to be producing the Al B. Sure! life story,” he announced, in a clip circulated by TMZ. “So hold on to your britches, and you’ll really understand how I ended up in a coma. You’re really gonna need to call Homeland Security.” The summer of ’22 saw Al B. Sure! experiencing a health scare that plummeted him into a deep, two-month coma, the catalyst of which remains cloaked in secrecy. His invocation of Homeland Security at the gathering seemingly mirrored recent events—federal agents swarming Diddy’s domiciles in a high-profile sex trafficking investigation confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security. https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodunlocked/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f451fe02-68e4-4b3e-bf86-7d98bfeafaba Vontae Davis, the former NFL cornerback who made two Pro Bowls with the Indianapolis Colts and memorably retired at halftime of his final game, was found dead by police at his home in South Florida, according to authorities. Officers were called to the home in Southwest Ranches by a house assistant and found Davis dead, according to the Davie Police Department. Preliminary information suggests foul play is not involved, and the investigation is active, police added. Davis, 35, played in 121 games over a 10-year career with the Miami Dolphins, Colts and Buffalo Bills, totaling 22 interceptions and 97 pass deflections. He played college football for Illinois and was selected by the Dolphins with the 25th pick of the first round in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played three seasons with Miami before he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a second-round pick. The HBO show “Hard Knocks” was following the Dolphins team at the time and captured the tense conversation between then-general manager Jeff Ireland and Davis about the trade, which offered insight into the personal stakes of the league. https://youtu.be/CWpwNrkCoxQ DNA evidence has linked two brothers (Jeffrey Briney and David Briney) to multiple unsolved rape cases around metro Atlanta in the 1980s, the DeKalb County District Attorney announced this week. Jeffrey Briney, 59, and David Briney, 62, have been indicted on a slew of charges ranging from rape, kidnapping, aggravated sodomy, armed robbery and aggravated assault, according to indictment documents. Jeffrey was indicted on 30 charges and David on 19, documents show. Jeffrey Briney was taken into custody on February 27 by deputies of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, and David Briney was arrested by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit the same day, according to a news release from DeKalb County District Attorney, Sherry Boston. Both brothers are currently in jail without bond. An attorney for Jeffrey Briney declined to comment, however, “attorneys and investigators are reviewing the indictment and preparing a thorough, effective defense,” a spokesperson for the Georgia Public Defender Council told CNN. https://youtu.be/T5JAZcrpAIU Earlier this week, Memphis was the spot as leaders from states far and wide gathered for the groundbreaking Black Mayors’ Coalition on Crime. Initiated by the visionary Memphis Mayor Paul Young in collaboration with the esteemed African American Mayors Association, this coalition is on a quest for insightful discussions and innovative solutions to fortify public safety. “In our unity lies our strength and determination. While national crime data may suggest a decline in overall crime statistics, our focus today is on the essence of feeling safe, for without it, numbers hold no significance,” articulated Mayor Young. From traversing the avenues of Memphis and Shelby County to refueling at gas stations, or simply seeking solace in one’s abode, every individual deserves a sanctuary of safety wherever their journey leads. “We pledge amongst ourselves that this gathering marks but the genesis of our ongoing commitment; we shall persist in our collaborative efforts,” echoed Jackson’s Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. https://youtu.be/Ww_LXHE8fQA Rampant vehicle thefts notably contributed to this spike, with more than 14,000 vehicles reported stolen in Memphis last year alone. Mayor Paul Young singled out Charlotte’s audacious “Operation SCARLET” as a prospective model to emulate in Memphis. Exemplified by the recovery of 180 stolen luxury vehicles worth over $11 million along with contraband during the operation, culminating in the pursuit of federal charges. “People crave rapid solutions; an immediate halt to ongoing crimes today with a vision for preventing crimes of tomorrow,” emphasized Mayor Young, harboring an unwavering commitment to continued dialogues and collaborative. https://youtu.be/r7TUuLeCi-Y Three major sports broadcasters, Disney’s ESPN, Fox Corporation, and Warner Bros. Discovery, are joining forces to launch a new super-platform for streaming sports content. This groundbreaking collaboration marks a significant shift in the industry away from traditional television to streaming services. The service, planned for release in the fall, will offer a diverse range of sporting events including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, FIFA World Cup games, NASCAR races, UFC matches, and PGA TOUR Golf tournaments. While pricing and the official name have yet to be revealed, more details are expected to be announced closer to the launch date. https://youtu.be/7AdjRga_s_A This spring, the City of Philadelphia will honor the legacy of Frankie Beverly, who began his decades-long musical journey with the Butlers, then Raw Soul, the latter would become Frankie Beverly and Maze. The celebration will be in the form of a street renaming ceremony – a presentation of Councilperson Cindy Bass and the Philadelphia City Council with Maze Management. The ceremony is also being sponsored by the Black Promoters Collective – a coalition of six of the nation’s top independent concert promotion and event production companies. It is a 100% Black-owned business whose mission is to be the world’s leading producer and provider of culturally relevant live entertainment experiences. The event will take place on Saturday, May 18th, 2024, at 12noon, in the East Germantown area of Philadelphia on North Norwood Street, between Church Lane and West Godfrey – the neighborhood where Frankie Beverly was raised. Beverly is known for classic hits such as Joy & Pain, We Are One, Southern Girl, Happy Feelin’s as well as the unofficial theme for summertime cookouts and celebrations, Before I Let Go. The founder/leader/chief songwriter of Maze will retire from touring this summer. https://youtu.be/UPU8tcnz0Hc Suge Knight predicts challenging times for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs following Homeland Security’s raids on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami this week. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated that the search was part of an ongoing investigation carried out with support from multiple law enforcement agencies. We reported earlier that the investigation purportedly stemmed from civil suits filed by five accusers accusing Combs of sexual assault or abuse. Combs’ attorney, Aaron Dyer, characterized the search as an “unprecedented ambush.” “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated,” Dyer’s statement read. “Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way.” Meanwhile, during a recent broadcast of the Collect Call with Suge Knight podcast with Dave Mays, the incarcerated Death Row Records co-founder reacted to the raid and called it “a bad day for hip-hop…for the culture…Black people, because if one looks bad, we all look bad,” Knight said. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-03-28-032824-suge-knight-1801815-650/ Reality TV personality Lisa Vanderpump returns with a new spinoff of “Vanderpump Rules,” filmed in an exclusive French chateau. Scheduled to premiere on Hulu next month, the series is titled “Vanderpump Villa.” According to the press release, “each day at the Chateau brings nonstop heartfelt, humorous, and heated moments, from staff and guests alike.” The series follows Lisa as she assesses whether this team can turn her “pop-up” experience into a permanent fixture and contribute to her expanding empire. The official synopsis for the Hulu Original states: “Decadence and debauchery collide in “Vanderpump Villa,” a new unscripted docu-drama following Lisa Vanderpump’s hand-selected staff as they work, live, and play at an exclusive French estate: Chateau Rosabelle.” The description continues, “Each scintillating episode follows the elite staff as they try to provide luxurious, once-in-a-lifetime, Vanderpump-curated experiences for guests while dealing with rivalries, romances, and raucous misadventures that come from living and working together 24/7.” https://youtu.be/_wTYEP-MaFw The battle against wokeness and Critical Race Theory has reached new heights as the latest sheriff has strolled into town. Now many in the Black community are wondering if DEI is the new n-word. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are programs and initiatives that work to address unequal representation in education and the workplace. These programs aren’t particularly new, but misinformation about false threats are being circulated by many Republican leaders. As Americans started their Tuesday morning, they were greeted with news of a bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2020, the predominately Black city elected Brandon Scott as their new mayor. One Twitter user who has grown a following by sharing inflammatory posts sometimes referred to as “Rage Bait” (content designed to elicit a reaction from viewers) called Scott a “DEI Mayor.” Many were quick to address the blatant racism the user expressed, with one writing, “DEI is basically just a stand-in for the n-word now.” Of course, a DEI mayor cannot exist because voters must elect candidates for the position. https://youtu.be/pY6HQyvUug4 Dolly Parton’s wish has come true. During a 2022 interview with “The Daily Show,” Parton was asked about the hundreds of cover versions of her 1973 country classic “Jolene” and the one artist yet to record the song who Parton hoped would do so, Beyoncé. “I don’t know if she’s even got the message, but wouldn’t that be killer? I think she’s fantastic and beautiful and I love her music.” Parton said. “I would just love to hear ‘Jolene’ done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney [Houston] did my ‘I Will Always Love You.’ Someone that could take my little songs and make ’em like powerhouses. That would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does ‘Jolene.” Done and done. Beyoncé includes a version of Parton’s hit on her “Renaissance” sequel, “Act II: Cowboy Carter.” https://youtu.be/x9XHMK3nWr4 The song is introduced by Parton herself. “Hey miss Honey B, it’s Dolly P. You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about? Reminded me of someone I knew back when, except she has flamin’ locks of auburn hair,” Parton says, referencing Beyoncé’s lyrics from “Sorry.” “Bless her heart. Just a hair of a different color but it hurts just the same.” Beyoncé’s version of “Jolene” follows. While it holds true to the original melodically, Bey puts her own spin on the lyrics. For example, instead of “I’m beggin’ of you, please don’t take my man,” Beyoncé sings, “I’m warning you, don’t come for my man.” Parton fully approves. “Wow, I just Jolene,” Parton wrote in a statement on social media on Friday. “Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it! Love, Dolly P.” https://youtu.be/wi1BGPhUK1E?list=RDNSwi1BGPhUK1E NYC Mayor Eric Adams criticized a defense lawyer labeled as “woke” by the NY Post for downplaying the tragic death of Police Officer Jonathan Diller as an isolated incident while emphasizing instances of police-involved fatalities. This exchange occurred during an interview with anti-police activist Olayemi Olurin on iHeartMedia’s “The Breakfast Club.” Olurin attempted to accuse Adams of indifference towards alleged police brutality, prompting Adams to assert the significance of honoring the life of an innocent officer. The conversation escalated when Olurin mentioned recent deaths involving NYPD officers, including a 19-year-old in a mental health crisis. Adams expressed dismay at Olurin’s minimizing of Diller’s death and reiterated the importance of recognizing the loss suffered by law enforcement. https://youtu.be/bPziwCrFRMk Olurin then drew attention to deaths at Rikers Island, to which Adams cautioned against appearing dismissive of Diller’s tragedy. Despite Adams’ efforts to clarify, Olurin remained steadfast, prompting Adams to question her empathy towards officers’ families. The discussion further delved into Adams’ portrayal of subway safety and crime rates in New York City. Olurin challenged Adams to reconcile his assertions about the city’s safety with his emphasis on transit crime, which she argued fuels public anxiety. Charlamagne Tha God echoed her sentiments, suggesting that increased police presence in subways implies a problem. Adams countered, citing commuter feedback supporting the notion that visible officers enhance safety perceptions. The conversation also touched on the city’s response to the migrant crisis, with Adams defending the decision to provide asylum seekers with prepaid debit cards for food purchases due to federal funding constraints. Adams emphasized the city’s limited authority in addressing immigration issues and acknowledged public frustration with the situation. https://youtu.be/ygNe0arsAug Set against historical intrigue and feminist rebellion, “Renegade Nell” promises to captivate audiences with its unique blend of wit, adventure, and empowerment. In this action-adventure fantasy series from creator Sally Wainwright, Louisa Harland (“Derry Girls”) stars in the leading role of Nell Jackson, “a quick-witted and courageous young woman, finds herself framed for murder and unexpectedly becomes the most notorious outlaw in 18th-century England. But when a magical spirit called Billy Blind (Mohammed) appears, Nell realizes her destiny is bigger than she ever imagined, per the official synopsis. Harland leads an ensemble cast that includes Frank Dillane as “Charles Devereux,” Kremelberg as “Sofia Wilmot,” Ényì Okoronkwo as “Rasselas,” Jake Dunn as “Thomas Blancheford,” Bo Bragason as “Roxy Trotter,” Florence Keen as “George Trotter,” with Joely Richardson as “Lady Eularia Moggerhangar” and Lester as “Robert Hennessey, Earl of Poynton.” Pip Torrens as “Lord Blancheford” and Craig Parkinson as “Sam Trotter” also star. https://youtu.be/u9OmmeE_gZc Willie “Bill” Davis, a 70-year-old African American grandpa, author, and speaker, is on a mission to transform lives through his debut book, “Saving Grandpa Bill.” In the book, he reveals his journey from nearly 400 pounds to 150 pounds, and how he was able to accomplish this without fad diets, surgery, or medical procedures. Through laughter, and maybe even a few tears, Willie talks about the failings of the typical American diet, the dangers of losing yourself in the American Dream, and the triumph of transforming your life by reclaiming and renewing your mind. Endorsed by industry giants such as Mr. Will Dabish, co-founder, President and CEO of Powerhouse Gyms International, as well as Grammy award-winning Pastor Marvin L. Winans, Sr., Willie has intricately woven with his dedication to family, community, church, and personal growth into this book. Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark was asked about a much-publicized offer to join the Big3, a 3-on-3 professional basketball league founded by Ice Cube, featuring several former NBA players. She spoke to the media ahead of her team’s Sweet 16 Saturday matchup with Colorado in Albany, New York. “To be honest, I found out about the Big3 thing at the exact time you all did, and my main focus is on just playing basketball,” Clark said of the multimillion-dollar offer. “I honestly don’t talk about those things with really anybody. I have other people that deal with it, and they haven’t said a word to me about it. My main focus is on this team and helping us find a way to beat Colorado and hopefully win another one after that.” https://youtu.be/l5MfyWPPAp4 The Big3’s offer, worth a reported $5 million for a single season, would still allow the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer to play in the WNBA, where she’s projected to be the first pick in April’s draft. “We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship,” Ice Cube said in a statement provided to CNN on Wednesday. “But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3. … With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.” https://youtu.be/rRPl25G8tT0 Joie Chavis is fully embracing the third time entering the mother zone, letting the masses know about her current pregnancy. Taking to social media, Chavis revealed she is pregnant with child number three. The news comes as the 35-year-old dancer enjoys her relationship with her boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. Chavis is a mother to her 12-year-old daughter Shai, 12, whom she shares with rapper/actor Bow Wow, Page Six noted, adding her second child, a five-year-old son named Hendrix, is fathered by “Mask Off” rhymester Future. In her posting, the Joie In Life founder used Maxwell’s 2001 hit “This Woman’s Work” to nail her revelation into the minds of social media users while displaying her growing baby bump for all to see. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4gX9HCvgG8/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cb3d84a1-f7fc-4b67-a932-49bb7bc15416 Christena Cleveland spent much of her childhood in an evangelical church surrounded by traditional images of a porcelain-skinned and flaxen-haired Jesus. But one day she came across a portrayal of Christ that was so astonishing that she gasped. It was a painting of a resurrected Jesus surrounded by his awe-struck disciples, including “Doubting Thomas” touching the wound in Christ’s torso. The painting looked like an ancient relic discovered in some long-forgotten desert monastery in the Holy Land, a Byzantine-styled fresco filled with sharply contoured figures, bursting with colors of deep blue and blood orange. But it was another color in the picture that caught her eye. Jesus was depicted as a man of color — somewhere between brown and Black — and so were his disciples. Cleveland, who would go on to become a theologian and social psychologist, realized she had always pictured a Nordic-looking Jesus who looked like Thor. https://youtu.be/ITRNdsUNG1U “When I see the Easter story, I see Jesus being a victim of state-sanctioned violence. I see Jesus surrounded by Black and brown people who wish they could do something, but had no power in the moment,” says Cleveland, author of “God Is a Black Woman.” “And I see people being victims of a system that can’t see their full humanity and assumes the worst of them. And yet there’s hope in the end,” she says. “The universe does bend toward justice, even though the arc is long.” As Christians worldwide celebrate the resurrection of Jesus today, Cleveland’s story points toward an uncomfortable truth: The true face of the historical Jesus looks nothing like the one many still see in their church’s stained-glass windows, in Hollywood movies, or in the image many carry in their minds. https://youtu.be/skR7FvtnyLs Lizzo is done. Through. With something. At least that’s what she is saying. In a heartfelt outpouring on Instagram, the 35-year-old, whose birth name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, expressed feelings of exhaustion over the negativity she faces. The Grammy-awarded artist conveyed a sense of frustration at being constantly criticized and ridiculed online and in her personal life, stating: “I’m getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet.” Lizzo’s passion for her craft comes through as she states her simple desire: “All I want is to make music and make people happy and help the world be a little better than how I found it.” Despite this, she indicated feeling unwelcome, confronting “lies being told about me for clout & views…being the butt of the joke every single time because of how I look.” https://youtu.be/FUEmuESaiUI A recent Nicki Minaj show turned into a moment for Jesus, courtesy of one of the rapper’s Barbz. Madame Noire reports the fan was in the audience on March 24 during the “Moment 4 Life” entertainer’s Pink Friday 2 World Tour in Nashville, TN. Minaj and her backup singer and vocal coach Keisha Renee sang the rapper’s hit “The Night Is Still Young” before Minaj abruptly stopped the song to hand the mic to her fan. “This lady—beautiful lady—she looked me in the eyes. I believe her. She said she could sing,” Minaj said. “I’m actually shouting out to Jesus today because it’s Palm Sunday (the start of the Holy Week),” the lady, who attended the show with her sister, stated. “And he died on the cross for everybody in here. Everybody!” Upon hearing the fan’s testimony, Minaj smiled and invited the other Barbz to clap for her, nodding in approval. After she shouted out the Lord, the fan bragged on her sister, who she said had been practicing for a month to sing the solo, Madame Noire noted. Although the woman attempted to give her sister, the opportunity was lost when she led Minaj to think she was going to sing, but the woman lost that chance the minute she led Minaj to think she was going to sing “The Night Is Still Young.” https://www.instagram.com/nickiminaj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b349064c-6ac9-42df-ac6a-d4b0036b7136 Beyoncé knows how to get people talking, and her new album “Cowboy Carter,” had tongues wagging long before its release date on March 29. With star power as ubiquitous as hers, every little detail of new work is going to be embraced and dissected, especially since Beyoncé is also known for serving up enticingly intertextual visuals alongside her music. It’s no wonder the art around her latest country project has already spawned deep socio-political discourse about American symbolism, Blackness, justice, and reclamation. Cowboy Carter” is the much-anticipated follow-up to her 2022 album “Renaissance” and her 2016 album, “Lemonade,” both of which injected the culture with paradigm-shifting art and symbolism. It also marks an official foray into country music, a space rich with meaning for a Black artist in a sparse yet influential company. Now that “Cowboy Carter” is finally coming to the masses, here are some of the conversations people are having about the music icon’s next big era. https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2024/03/29/beyonce-country-album-cowboy-carter-cnc-contd-vpx.cnn New York’s panel to address reparations from slavery is starting on the wrong foot. According to the Daily Mail, members of the new organization are being blasted for calling black Republican senator Tim Scott “Uncle Tim,” in addition to blaming white people for climate change and criticizing Israel before HAMAS attacked the country on Oct. 7. Regarding Scott, comments from reparations panelist Ron Daniels have resulted in calls for Governor Kathy Hochul to fire him after past tweets were found, branding the South Carolina politician a frontman for white supremacy and calling him “Uncle Tim.” ‘Uncle Tim’ Scott, Who Picked Cotton On the Plantation, Is ‘Still On the Plantation,’ the Black World 21st Century founder and president posted in a 2021 tweet in his description of Scott. “Picked to Be the ‘Black Face’ To Suppress/Black Power/Black Freedom On Behalf of White Supremacy/White Power and That’s ‘The Cotton Picking Truth’ #BewareofUncleTim.” In addition to blasting Scott, Daniels’ old tweets promoted more controversy by touching on climate control. In his eyes, “white folks” are to blame for the issue, with black people stepping in to “save the planet.” ‘White Folks Messed Up the Weather = Black Folks Save the Planet,’ Daniels tweeted three years ago. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3IiagBO90L/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=91e18472-ee2e-425f-9725-316104a78bcc As we commemorate the 37th Annual Celebration of Women’s History Month, the Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association (MMCA) hosted its exclusive 2024 Sheroes in Media Awards reception at the historic National Press Club in Washington, DC, on Thursday, March 28, 2024. The esteemed group of leaders in media, philanthropy, and communications, gathered to uplift extraordinary women who exemplify diverse media excellence. LSU star Angel Reese revealed the ruckus during the handshake exchange following the Tigers’ 78-69 triumph over UCLA in the Sweet 16 game on Saturday sprouted from an assistant coach “getting a little too animated” and “talking a little crazy.” The broadcast of the women’s basketball NCAA Tournament game seized the tense instance when Reese seemed to engage in dialogue with a member of the UCLA contingent. Initial conjecture proposed Reese had a verbal altercation with Bruins’ head coach Cori Close, who seemed displeased with something Reese uttered toward the UCLA bench upon her exit from the game with only 30 seconds on the clock due to fouls. Nonetheless, Reese clarified that her remarks were aimed at an assistant coach. “Oh no, she told me ‘good game,’” Reese elucidated when questioned about the incident during LSU’s postgame press conference. “It was another coach getting a little too animated.” “It was another coach talking a little crazy.” When probed to expound further, Reese retorted with “Next question.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oXpifghhLFg?feature=share Esteemed broadcast journalist and acclaimed author Esther Dillard has been honored with the prestigious 2024 Gracie Award by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF). This significant recognition marks a notable achievement in Esther’s distinguished career spanning nearly 15 years in the media industry. The feature Esther won for was the direct inspiration for the book “Raising An Autistic Young Adult,” authored by Esther Dillard herself. Some of what was shared in that four-part series was included in the book. The book expanded on those conversations. Founded in 1951, the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) is dedicated to advancing women in media through networking, education, and celebrating achievements. The annual Gracie Awards, now in its 49th year, were established to honor individuals and content that embody the roles, stories, and priorities of women. Ceremonies for this year’s Gracie Awards are scheduled for May 21 at the Beverly Wilshire (A Four Seasons Hotel) and June 18 at Cipriani 42nd Street. Esther Dillard’s recent accolade solidifies her status as an esteemed figure among accomplished women in the media industry. Her heartfelt dedication to shedding light on crucial issues has not only inspired a groundbreaking book but also fostered meaningful connections within her professional community. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1248-black-information-network-89094154/?keyid%5B0%5D=Black%20Information%20Network%20Interviews&keyid%5B1%5D=Special%20Report%3A%20%22Black%20Autistic%20%26%20Safe%22&sc=podcast_widget DeVon Franklin’s marriage to Meagan Good may have damaged his heart, but he is not calling the failed union a mistake. During a recent appearance on Nick Cannon’s Counsel Culture podcast, Franklin addressed how he healed from his split with Good. The couple were married close to a decade after jumping the broom in June 2012, according to Essence. Franklin filed for divorce from Good in 2021, with the breakup finalized in June 2022. Irreconcilable differences were cited as the reason for the pair’s split. Voicing his feelings over his failed relationship, Franklin opened up about the situation with an honest assessment. “I wouldn’t say that it didn’t work. I wouldn’t say it was unsuccessful,” the ordained minister told Cannon. “Because maybe it did exactly what it was trying to do. That also was a perspective that I had to kinda learn as I went through my healing.” “I wouldn’t necessarily say that I came out of it feeling like a failure. But I felt a little bit vulnerable. I felt like my belief system had been shaken,” Franklin admitted, noting the four months of pre-engagement counseling he and Good did as well as 10 months of premarital counseling and therapy throughout their marriage. https://youtu.be/xD4j28H31Pg Anthony Mackie is one of the most talented actors to appear on the big screen. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he’s one of the good guys, right? Apparently not in real life, according to a TikToker who had a less than positive experience with the “Captain America” Brave New World” entertainer. Ice Cream Conversations cited the TikToker, Laci Kole, who mentioned running into Mackie at a gas station in New Orleans. Despite wanting to let him know how much of a fan she is, it looked like Kole got the cold shoulder from Mackie, who she said stuck out his hand, and simply said, “No” when she approached him. Noting the “8 Mile” star’s reaction, Kole brought her reaction to social media, saying: “SO, I JUST MET ANTHONY MACKIE AND LET ME JUST SAY…RUDEST HUMAN BEING ALIVE.” https://www.tiktok.com/@lacikolee/video/7350430167631793450?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Ftiktoker-labels-anthony-mackie-rudest-human-being-alive-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7350430167631793450 Kole seemed to aim her post towards sympathetic ears, but she got the opposite from her fellow social media users. To hear them tell it, Mackie is not the one to make a memory with as he’s known for being unreceptive to random folks invading his personal space. https://twitter.com/i/status/1772592230303166933 Real Housewives of Atlanta” (RHOA) star Porsha Williams‘ denials behind what stemmed the split with Simon Guobadia have proven true. RadarOnline cites court documents it obtained that reveal Guobadia’s questionable immigration and “criminal history” was what led to the breakup. As a result, Williams is requesting a judge deny Guobadia’s plea for exclusive access to the Georgia-based home they shared. https://youtu.be/Io0OoiYmWtc The new claims counterarguments Williams made stated that the prenup they signed before their wedding stated Guobadia would vacate the marital residence within 30 days of a divorce being filed. Williams admitted he refused. Responding to Williams’ argument, Guobadia claimed the reality TV fixture brought two armed men to the home and he was forced to call the police to “maintain the peace.” Williams then accused her former better half of changing the locks on the home and attempting to block her access to the home — despite Guobadia currently being in Dubai. https://youtu.be/oWwtT5XP4O8 Leave it to Smokey Robinson to title his most recent album simply GASMS which is defined as “an intensely explosive or pleasurable experience or thing” as Smokey talked about in recent interviews. Growing up in Detroit it was all things Motown – for one, they were THE local powerhouse; and second, the artists were like family. We listened to every new record as their voices developed to meet the challenge of the rhythmic intensity and urgency of the Motown beat. Sometimes they pushed through the hoarseness, they growled, they screamed, or did some kind of inflection or nuance that impelled the soul to respond – thus, soul music! The music was a call to action especially during the turbulent civil rights movement. https://youtu.be/YST_0AXjRCQ GASMS, released in 2023, has some nice surprises. Conceived and developed over 20 years, this album very well could have been a follow-up to his 1974 Pure Smokey album. The title track sets the tempo and context for everything that follows. “How You Make Me Feel” and “If We Don’t Have Each Other” are upbeat radio-friendly tracks. “I Keep Calling You” seems to sum up the whole set where he goes in and out from introspection to extrospection. Although his vibrato showcases his vocal stamina in some areas of the songs, it’s more effective and sounds better in a lower register like on the song “You Fill Me Up.” “I Fit In There” is a great suggestive dance track! GASMS is a gas! Keep on smokin’ Smokey! https://youtu.be/YG7jOZM_WMg LeBron James announced the launch of his new hair and skincare products. The collection, The Shop, is inspired by the NBA star’s award-winning TV talk show of the same name. The seven-set collection was created in partnership with James’ longtime business partner Maverick Carter, PEOPLE reports. “There was no aha moment, there was more of a feeling,” Carter told PEOPLE about creating the barbershop-inspired brand. The products are crafted to suit all men, and includes: Exfoliating Face Wash, Hydrating Face Lotion, Soothing Shave Cream, Aftershave Toner, Conditioning Beard Cream, 2-in-1 Moisturizing Hair Wash and Hair Styling Pomade, per PEOPLE. https://www.instagram.com/theshopun/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1bc4083e-be1f-434e-a215-9b8cdb22cfdc James’ “The Shop” TV series debuted on HBO in August 2018. It is filmed within a barbershop ambiance and is airing its seventh season. “Through filming The Shop and through some of those conversations, we started realizing there may be an opportunity,” Paul Rivera, co-creator of “The Shop” series, told PEOPLE. “And to Maverick’s point, it just felt very authentically connected to the brand, The Shop experience.” Rivera noted that James “was very clear on what he’d like to see in a product.” “I can remember like it was yesterday, going into the first barbershop I’ve ever been to,” James said in an exclusive video clip shared with PEOPLE. “Going into the shop, there’s a certain aura,” he continued. “That’s what heaven is all about. You just feel… untouchable.” “We want to deliver that feeling through the products,” Carter told PEOPLE at the launch event for the collection. https://youtu.be/gYkxnf4-MJ4 Popular Food Critic Keith Lee, who travels the country eating at different restaurants, will return to Atlanta for his 2024 Redemption Food Tour. “We decided as a family, we’re gonna do a redemption tour,” Lee said in a TikTok video. “Last year, we went to about 10 states on a family food tour. This year, we went to about three so far. And we discussed as a family that it’s only right to do a redemption tour, because the states we did this year were different rules, different categories and different structures.” Lee claims he received death threats late last year after reviewing various soul food restaurants in Atlanta with his family. As SandraRose.com reported, Lee appeared on the “Ryan Cameron Uncensored,” podcast and said he won’t return to Atlanta because “People there put a hit out on me.” Lee said his future visits would involve being accompanied by armed and licensed individuals as part of his revised security measures. “We come in peace — with that being said, we will be protected,” Lee said in the video. “There will be people with us who are legal and licensed. We don’t want to have to use them, but we will. My family will get home safe.” https://www.tiktok.com/@keith_lee125/video/7352024046286015775?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fkeith-lee-returning-to-atlanta-for-redemption-food-tour%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7352024046286015775 Louis Gossett Jr., who won an Academy Award for his performance in “An Officer and a Gentleman” and an Emmy for the groundbreaking miniseries “Roots,” has died at age 87, according to a statement from his family. “It is with our heartfelt regret that our beloved father passed away this morning. We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time,” the family’s statement, shared by Gossett’s longtime publicist, read. https://youtu.be/TVBpq1pIyVA Gossett became the first Black man to win an Oscar for a supporting role in 1983 for his work as the tough drill instructor, training a character played by Richard Gere, in “An Officer and a Gentleman.” “Lou was a sweetheart. He took his job very seriously. He did his research. He stayed in character the whole time,” his co-star Richard Gere said in a statement to CNN. “He was the drill sergeant 24 hours a day, and it showed clearly in his performance. He drove every scene he was in. A tough guy with a heart of gold.” https://youtu.be/Dc7uzsa5MrY Universal Music Group (UMG) CEO Sir Lucian Grainge is gearing up for a legal war with the lawyer of Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, who is suing Sean “Diddy” Combs for $30 million in a sexual assault case. Grainge is named in Jones’ lawsuit and accused of enabling Diddy’s penchant for allegedly drugging and having sex with minors. All Hip Hop reports that Diddy is signed to Motown, a unit of UMG. We reported earlier that Jones alleges in his lawsuit that Combs possesses explicit videos involving celebrities, rappers, and music industry executives. Jones is seeking $30 million in punitive damages, claiming the Bad Boy Records founder sexually harassed, drugged, and threatened him for more than a year. He served as Comb’s videographer from September 2022 to November 2023. Throughout this period, he allegedly documented extensive evidence of Combs, his associates, and additional individuals participating in significant unlawful activities. The lawsuit claims Diddy covertly recorded celebrities during his “freak off” parties. John Amos has disclosed that his life nearly ended while vying for the role of Kunta Kinte in the “Roots” miniseries. In an interview with the Television Academy nearly a decade ago, Amos reminisced about pursuing the role and the peril it brought him as he perfected an African accent. I Love Old School Music reports that Amos said, “I knew I had the handle on it [the African accent], not because of ego, but one time when I was living in Liberia I was out drinking with some friends of mine –local guys– and we went to one of the local shebeens, which is just a bar in somebody’s house where they make homemade brew or whatever. And my friend, Charles Mitchell –an indigenous Liberian– said to me, ‘John!’ I said ‘What Charles?’ …I had my back to the crowd…Charles is facing me and I see a look of alarm on his face. ‘I said ‘Charles what’s wrong?!!’ He said, ‘Oh John, one bad guy [with a machete] coming for us.’ I said, ‘WHAT?!!’” The “Good Times’ star continued, … “ and there’s a guy, [he] gets up from the table and sure enough he’s got his machete out, and he’s with two or three of his friends –and they’ve got they’re machetes or clubs. … The guy looked at me and said, ‘I know you! I told you when you were in Bowman Hill Diamond Mine, that I coming for you one day and now the day!’” Amos clarified that the individual had wrongly identified him as a former security guard who mistreated him during his time as a captive worker at a diamond mine. https://youtu.be/Hpw2KA4JfLw 50 Cent seems to regret flirting with Vivica A Fox at the 2003 BET Awards. The pair had a short-lived relationship in 2003. The rapper recently shared a throwback video on social media of him winning the Best New Artist award at the ceremony. During his acceptance speech, Fiddy flirted with Fox, who was sitting in the audience. “I’m just happy to be present with all of these beautiful people in here… I want to thank Vivica Fox for wearing that dress too,” 50 Cent said at the awards show. In the post’s caption, he implied his regret for acknowledging the actress. “I look back 👀at some of the s— that I did 🤨I gotta learn to shut the f— up. Look at that look at end that’s trouble. 😆 WTF @bransoncognac @lecheminduroi,” 50 Cent wrote. https://www.instagram.com/50cent/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=394f9ff8-5828-48a7-94e5-808eda2d3afa Critics and fans alike are crazy in love with Beyoncé’s latest country-inspired album, “Cowboy Carter,” which dropped Friday. The album includes duets with Miley Cyrus and rapper Post Malone, as well as covers of Dolly Parton’s classic hit “Jolene” and The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Legendary country singers Willie Nelson and Linda Martell are also featured. Page Six critic Nicholas Hautman said Bey’s eighth studio album is “the revival that country music so desperately needed.” The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis said “Cowboy Carter” demonstrates the singer’s “ability to bend musical styles to her will.” The 27-track project was released on March 29, with Petridis noting that it “might have worked better split into two separate albums.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C4s6Zr7rlwA/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ad3cff5b-db13-4718-98e6-a485b7a3aac8 Bill Maher has launched Club Random Studios, a podcast network focused on promoting “authenticity from unfiltered celebrity voices.”The entertainment hub features Maher’s own podcast as well as new shows from NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, former ESPN host Sage Steele, and rock stars Billy Corgan and Fred Durst, NBC News reports. “The Sage Steele Show” debuted March 27, and upcoming guests include Dana White, Howie Mandel, Sharon Osbourne, Jillian Michaels, Drea DeMatteo, Adam Carolla, Reggie Watts, and Steve Garvey. “She’s the perfect choice to be our first new host because, like me, she pissed off Disney. There’s a certain poetic symmetry to that,” Maher said of Steele’s show in an interview with THR. According to NBC News, Club Random will acquire Garnett’s podcast “KG Certified” and develop new shows in-house. Billy Corgan will host his own podcast on Club Random, while Fred Durst’s show will focus on UFOs and conspiracy theories. Starz has renewed “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” for Season 5. The series is currently filming its fourth season in New York. The series explores the early life of the fan-favorite character “Kanan Stark,” initially played by 50 Cent in the flagship series, and shows his evolution from naive teenager to cutthroat villain. The third season aired its finale in February. All episodes from seasons one through three are available to stream on the STARZ app and all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms. “We know that our fans can’t get enough of ‘Raising Kanan.’ As the inevitable evolution of this young man into a killer plays out, we knew we had much more backstory to share in this ever-escalating family saga,” said Kathryn Busby, president of original programming for Starz. “As we continue to expand the storytelling within the ‘Power’ universe, we’re looking forward to how this story may intersect with other Power characters during this prequel era,” Busby continued. Kevin Flournoy‘s upcoming independent debut album, titled “Vers•a•tility,” encapsulates the multi-talented keyboardist/producer’s ever-evolving artistry and his remarkable ability to create inspirational magic across a spectrum of genres. With a career spanning three decades as a visionary force in pop, R&B, and contemporary jazz, Flournoy’s transition to a recording artist in his own right is fueled by a vibrant spirit of collaboration. On the album’s latest lead single, “To The Water,” Kevin collaborates with Amanda Cole, a versatile veteran vocalist, on a poignant ballad narrating the journey of a dying person preparing to cross over. Scheduled for release on April 5th, the track resonates with emotional depth reminiscent of classic 80s-90s R&B/pop ballads, evoking the powerhouse vibes of Whitney Houston. https://youtu.be/jVU50hqcEPA Amanda Cole, renowned for her versatility, has traversed various musical genres throughout her illustrious career, from country and R&B to rock and classical. With extensive experience sharing stages with icons like Destiny’s Child and Mary J. Blige, Amanda brings a wealth of musical diversity to the collaboration. The genesis of “To The Water” occurred during Flournoy’s collaborative sessions with Amanda for her solo project. Written by Matt Simons, the song felt timely, capturing the essence of reflection in the post-COVID era. Rather than reserving it for Amanda’s project, Kevin envisioned it as a perfect fit for the stylistic blend of Vers•a•tility. Drawing upon his expertise in pop/R&B and his proficiency in arranging strings, Flournoy enhanced the track with orchestral elements, recorded in studios across different locations. Amanda’s vocal sessions, including a notable redo capturing a grand vocal performance, further enriched the collaborative effort. “Vers•a•tility” also includes three previous singles by Kevin, showcasing his range as an artist. From the smooth urban jazz instrumental “Smooth It Over” to re-imaginings of classics like “Tell Me If You Still Care,” Flournoy’s musical journey is marked by innovation and homage to his influences. https://youtu.be/EU_nWSoesHM A 94-year-old nonverbal man was left unsupervised in a whirlpool for nearly an hour, despite requiring round-the-clock care. Tragically, he suffered severe burns to the point where his skin melted off, ultimately leading to his death. According to the Daily Mail, the incident occurred at the state-run Hopemont Hospital in Terra Alta, West Virginia, located in Preston County. The man tragically boiled to death in a whirlpool bath due to staff negligence, as the hospital failed to address a $250 repair to a broken thermostat. Left unattended, he endured scalding 134-degree water for 47 minutes, resulting in his untimely demise. Four nurses were dismissed from their positions after the January incident. “Even if he screamed out in pain, he couldn’t be heard. His skin melted off,” said Mike Folio, legal director of Disability Rights West Virginia. On “Tamron Hall,” beloved actor Giancarlo Esposito stopped by to discuss his starring role in the AMC crime-thriller series “Parish,” his acclaimed career, family life, and more. During the conversation, Esposito reflected on his iconic role in AMC’s “Breaking Bad” and explained why he’s called “the master of intensity” on screen. Also on today’s show, Grammy-nominated gospel singer Koryn Hawthorne performed her hit single “Look at God” from her new album “On God” and discussed comparisons to Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera and reaching #1 on Christian and Gospel charts on Apple Music and iTunes. https://youtu.be/znnRDBnkbQA Giancarlo Esposito on his iconic role in “Breaking Bad” and being “the master of intensity”: “It was special because the writing was really stellar. It was excellent writing but for me, I wanted to stop playing stereotypes a long time ago and so my questions for Vince Gilligan [creator of “Breaking Bad”] were, ‘What do you see this guy as?’ I didn’t want to play a guy who’s a stereotypical criminal mastermind. I wanted to play someone who’s a human being. I believe human beings are light and dark and sometimes we exist in the gray area. It depends on what your intention is and my intention for playing Gustavo Fring was to be a human being who fell from grace because he didn’t get what he wanted and then started a force and imposed himself on all the rest of us and I recognize that for me, I have some control issues. I want to control how it goes and sometimes we can’t control how it goes. My daughters have taught me, my family has taught me, people I work with have taught me that the more I’m collaborative, the better it is. But then you have to trust! If you don’t trust that someone can do a collaboration with you and if you don’t listen to criticism or suggestions, then you’re your own island and you think you know better.” On being called the “master of intensity,” he said, “I think it really relates to how I focus my energy. We are what we think. We are what we do. Love is action so if I’m really focusing my energy in the right place and being completely present, that sometimes appears to people as being intense but to me, it appears to me as being connected.” https://youtu.be/hTYbRXz7OrU Koryn Hawthorne on Pharrell comparing her to Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera: “It’s nerve-wracking! It’s crazy, that’s insane not going to lie. You’re making it super surreal, I don’t know why! You are making me feel the pressure! I think it’s just crazy. I think what you said, I think about just being so young, I’m 26 right now, but I’ve been singing since I was seven. I did ‘The Voice’ when I was 16 so I think for me, it’s just accomplishing so much at a young age, it just sets the bar that much higher for yourself and I just try to not psych myself out and always be like ‘You know what? This is my purpose, this is my journey.’ I’m flowing but the pressure is there because you always just want to grow and be great.” https://youtu.be/zdVhII6WajU Mo’Nique turned to social media to express gratitude to fans who advised her to get her thyroid examined due to her noticeable neck swelling.As LipStick Alley reports, Mo confessed in a video statement that she initially dismissed the concerns, attributing her bulging neck to simply having a “fat neck.” However, she eventually heeded the advice and visited a doctor and learned that there was indeed an issue with her thyroid. The Oscar-winning actress and comedian said, “For the people who kept bringing it to my attention, I want to say thank you.” The thyroid condition seems to have affected her voice, as numerous fans observed that she sounded different in the video. Some even speculated that AI might have generated her voice. In the Instagram clip below, Mo urges other women not to postpone seeking medical attention when they feel unwell. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ByGGJuMES/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Every week,Cynthia George connects with her granddaughter and great-grandson on video calls. The 71-year-old retiree reads the news on her MSN homepage and googles how to fight the bugs coming from her drain in Florida’s summer heat. She hunts for grocery deals on her Publix app so that her food stamps stretch just a little further. But the great-grandmother worries her critical lifeline to the outside world could soon be severed. She fears she might soon have to make a difficult choice: Buy enough food to feed herself — or pay her home internet bill. George is one of millions of Americans facing a little-known but fast-approaching financial cliff, a catastrophe that policy experts say is preventable but only if Congress acts, and quickly. By as soon as May, more than 23 million US households risk being kicked off their internet plans or facing skyrocketing bills that force them to pay hundreds more per year to get online, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). https://youtu.be/ZXbYZEQYR4c When renowned veteran R&B/jazz singer/songwriter Gene-o launched his genre-defying Classic Twist concept in 2023, the vision was twofold – to draw on his lifelong passions for pop and rock and later country to both write empowering anthem-like songs centered on and driven by our collective potential for change and put his trademark, emotionally soul-searing “Gene-o” vocal spin on classic pop and rock songs from the 70’s and 80’s. His latest track – and the second lead single from Classic Twist’s highly anticipated upcoming debut album – is a stunning re-imagining of Simply Red’s “Holding Back the Years,” featuring explosive harmonies and a powerhouse solo by Marietta, GA-based saxophonist J. Henry, a former winner of Showtime at The Apollo, who in recent years toured with the comedic legend Sinbad. “Holding Back the Years” continues the momentum Gene-o has following the first two Classic Twist singles – the inspiring call to action song “Time for Change” and a special updated rendition of his earlier warmhearted solo holiday single “Just Like Christmas Before.” https://youtu.be/8A6wH5uzKto Country artist Hater, err, Hardy, known for his outspoken nature, isn’t holding back. He’s pointing fingers at Beyoncé and her latest venture, the country-inspired “Cowboy Carter” album, suggesting it lacks authenticity. Following his performance at the Houston Rodeo, Hardy took to Instagram with a pointed observation: “Didn’t spot Beyoncé at the rodeo.” This remark ignited a mixed bag of reactions online, with some nodding in agreement while others rallied to Beyoncé’s defense, reports WideOpenCountry. Among the responses, one commenter quipped, “‘Paint him red and black & call him jumper cables cause he’s startin’ s—t,” while another expressed bewilderment at the practice of tearing down fellow artists instead of focusing on one’s craft. A dissenting voice chimed in, suggesting that Beyoncé’s Texan roots don’t automatically grant her a claim to country music dominance. Hardy’s critique follows Beyoncé’s subtle jab at the CMAs, hinting at past discrimination as fuel for her “Cowboy Carter” album’s creation. https://youtu.be/_KNZX0fC88w Amidst the whirlwind of events, entertainment mogul Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson finds himself at the epicenter of drama and controversy which is nothing new. Today’s narrative unfolds with intensity as he plunges into a legal battle with the mother of his son, Daphne Joy. The accusations flew as she took to the ‘Gram to publicly allege rape, a claim vehemently denied by 50 Cent, who asserts it as a retaliatory strike in response to his pursuit of full custody. The tangled web extends further, entwining with a lawsuit involving Diddy. In a twist of fate, allegations emerge, painting Daphne as more than just a bystander in Diddy’s world, sparking 50 Cent’s attention. His reaction on social media ignited a fiery exchange, with accusations of past abuse and exploitation hurled back and forth. https://youtu.be/TPINjtu2Aww In the eye of this storm stands Sire, 50 Cent’s twelve-year-old son, whose well-being becomes the focal point of his father’s determination. With resolve, 50 Cent declares his unwavering commitment to safeguarding his son amidst the chaos of legal maneuverings and personal vendettas. Yet, amidst the turmoil, 50 Cent’s vendetta against Diddy persists, intensifying with each passing moment. Past romantic entanglements between Diddy and Daphne only serve to stoke the flames of 50 Cent’s ire, leading to further public scrutiny and accusations. In response, Daphne vehemently denies the accusations leveled against her, vowing to pursue legal action against those tarnishing her reputation. The stage is set for a legal showdown as attorneys prepare to battle it out in a custody dispute tinged with allegations of misconduct and character assassination. https://www.instagram.com/theshaderoom/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f1acf8b0-315c-4802-9ac3-81c94001c5a7 Beverly Buck Brennan, daughter of the renowned St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck, filed a lawsuit against Harris-Stowe for racial and gender discrimination, and she emerged victorious. In a decision favoring Brennan, a former professor at Harris-Stowe State University, a St. Louis jury concluded that she had suffered from a hostile work environment and awarded her $750,000 in compensatory damages, Riverfront Times reports. Brennan, a white woman, taught speech and theater classes at the historically Black university from 1993 until 2017. But her dream job seemingly became a nightmare in 2010, when Lateef Adelani became the dean of the College of Arts and Science and Dwayne Smith the provost for academic affairs. In the legal complaint, Brennan alleged that her department’s budget was redirected to other units, and her classes were scheduled less frequently and at less favorable times. Additionally, she was prohibited from teaching theater classes at the school’s theater. https://t.co/qUnAxIt9lr Here is an exclusive clip from actor/director Steve Buscemi’s new thrilling drama, “The Listener,” starring Tessa Thompson. Thompson stars as Beth, “a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, and hopeless. Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami. As Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it. All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting – patching the world back together, one stitch at a time,” per the official synopsis. https://twitter.com/i/status/1575955748147716098 Speaking about the movie to Deadline, Buscemi said, “Alessandro Camon’s screenplay for The Listener resonated with me on many levels. I loved the journey our lead character Beth bravely takes each night, assessing and navigating each call, figuring out in real time how she can best be of help to the unknown voices in her ear who are in need of guidance, reassurance, sympathy, or simply to be heard.” He also noted that “Tessa Thompson’s nuanced and powerful performance as Beth is the heart of the film, and I’m grateful to her and our stellar cast of callers who provide the richness and subtleties of everyday people’s desire for connection. For me, the exquisite exchange between caller and listener is nothing short of heroic.” https://youtu.be/d7YxhsYUizY ”Diarra From Detroit,” the newest original series on BET+, premiered on March 21st and promises viewers an immersive experience with its gripping storyline and captivating performances. Starring series creator Diarra Kilpatrick, the show “follows a divorcing schoolteacher who refuses to believe she’s been ghosted by her rebound Tinder date. Her search for the missing man pulls her into a decades-old mystery involving the Detroit underworld. As the case unfolds, her co-workers, friends, and lovers become unlikely allies as she falls down a dangerous rabbit hole,” per the official series synopsis. Kilpatrick leads a cast that includes Morris Chestnut, Phylicia Rashad, DomiNque Perry, Claudia Logan, Bryan Terrell Clark, Shannon Wallace, and Jon Chaffin. Kenya Barris, known for his work on “Black-ish,” takes on the role of executive producer for the project created by Kilpatrick. https://youtu.be/kaJxCnQjabw Spooky season is starting early this year with the release of “The First Omen.” “The First Omen” is a prequel to the horror genre cult classic “The Omen.” The original film was released in 1976 and saw much success. The film received two Oscars nominations along with other nominations and awards. Due to that success, the film spawned a franchise with two sequels and a remake in 2006. With the film’s popularity and a fan base that has spread over generations. This franchise should get an origin story. Almost 50 years since the first film’s release fans are now getting the back story of the birth of Damien, the demon child who wreaked havoc for decades. As a fan of horror films writer Ben Jacoby wondered what the story of Damien’s birth would look like. What took place before the Thorn family adopted him? He decided to create that story in hopes others shared the same curiosity. “I am a massive massive fan of the original “Omen” and of all those sorts of 70s horror psychological thriller movies. I had my idea for basically answering some of the questions that went unanswered in the movie,” said Ben Jacoby. https://vimeo.com/928650990 Set against historical intrigue and feminist rebellion, “Renegade Nell” promises to captivate audiences with its unique blend of wit, adventure, and empowerment. In this action-adventure fantasy series from creator Sally Wainwright, Louisa Harland (“Derry Girls”) stars in the leading role of Nell Jackson, “a quick-witted and courageous young woman, finds herself framed for murder and unexpectedly becomes the most notorious outlaw in 18th-century England. But when a magical spirit called Billy Blind (Mohammed) appears, Nell realizes her destiny is bigger than she ever imagined, per the official synopsis. https://youtu.be/u9OmmeE_gZc NYC Mayor Eric Adams criticized a defense lawyer labeled as “woke” by the NY Post for downplaying the tragic death of Police Officer Jonathan Diller as an isolated incident while emphasizing instances of police-involved fatalities. This exchange occurred during an interview with anti-police activist Olayemi Olurin on iHeartMedia’s “The Breakfast Club.” Olurin attempted to accuse Adams of indifference towards alleged police brutality, prompting Adams to assert the significance of honoring the life of an innocent officer. The conversation escalated when Olurin mentioned recent deaths involving NYPD officers, including a 19-year-old in a mental health crisis. Adams expressed dismay at Olurin’s minimizing of Diller’s death and reiterated the importance of recognizing the loss suffered by law enforcement. https://youtu.be/bPziwCrFRMk GRAMMY®-nominated gospel singer Koryn Hawthorne visits Tamron Hall - she opens up about her mission to move people with her music, her recent engagement, and performs “Look at God” from her new album, On God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmC3Q13826g Koryn Hawthorne and "Look at God” from her new album, On God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odfECDINfHY Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are closing down their charitable foundation, and the move appears to stem from Will’s infamous Oscar slap. According to TMZ, citing Variety, the superstar couple is shuttering the Will And Jada Smith Family Foundation following a notable decline in donations. The foundation’s tax records reveal that major contributors, such as CAA and American Airlines, withdrew their support following Will’s violent encounter with Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. Per TMZ, “the foundation went from bringing in over $2 million in 2021 to less than $400K in 2022,” the outlet writes, adding, “Variety says the Smiths were planning on ending the foundation before the Oscars drama because they wanted to focus on making private charitable donations.” Meanwhile, Will’s career has managed to withstand the fallout from the backlash. As TMZ reports, the actor currently has at least 4 active projects in pre-production, including the “I Am Legend” sequel. Most recently, the trailer for the fourth ‘Bad Boys’ film co-starring Martin Lawrence dropped. https://youtu.be/hRFY_Fesa9Q Rapper Yung Miami faces allegations of transporting “pink cocaine” (AKA “tuci”) for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, according to a revised lawsuit brought forth by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. The “pink cocaine” is a blend of cocaine with ecstasy, as stated in Lil Rod’s amended lawsuit, filed on Monday, March 25, per Ice Cream Convos. He claims the drug was provided by Diddy’s alleged mule, Brendan Paul. In the recently submitted paperwork, Jones offers additional insight into what he purportedly observed during his tenure with Diddy while collaborating on “The Love Album.” Jones alleges he witnessed Diddy doing cocaine, claiming the hip-hop mogul has a fondness for “tuci.” According to the lawsuit, in instances where Brendan Paul neglected to procure “tuci,” Diddy’s personal assistant Kristina Khorram contacted Yung Miami (AKA Caresha Brownlee), who transported it personally on a private jet from Miami and delivered it to Diddy. The lawsuit names Yung Miami among those identified as Diddy’s sex workers, alongside Daphne Joy, the mother of 50 Cent’s youngest son, Sire Jackson, per Ice Cream Convo. Former Death Row singer Danny Boy spoke to Vlad TV a few years back and revealed that he had sex with Mary J. Blige when he was a teenager and she was in her twenties. During the interview, Danny Boy recalled his introduction to Blige and Puff Daddy’s baby mama, Misa Hylton, during the 1995 Source Awards in New York. In the video above, the former artist recounted hanging out in Suge Knight’s hotel room after the award show. Danny Boy said Hylton, Mary J. Blige, and DeVante Swing’s baby mama were in the suite. When he left the festivities, Suge called him back to his room and said, “Ol girl wanna see you.” Once Danny Boy returned, only Blige and Hylton were in the room. “I get up there to the room. Suge’s in his room and Misa’s sitting in the bed with a sheet wrapped around her…and Mary’s sitting on the couch,” Danny Boy stated. “So I know the girl he in the bed with don’t want me, so he closed the door and I sit down and I start talking to Mary.” https://youtu.be/ArFmnHX4T5I Samyia Spain tragically lost her life after being stabbed outside a deli in Brooklyn, NY, when a “drunk” male attacked her for refusing to follow him on Instagram. The event unfolded in the presence of her twin sister, Sanyia, on March 17. Sanyia, in an attempt to shield her sister, was also stabbed in the arm. Now, she bravely speaks out about the circumstances leading to the tragic incident. According to Sanyia, she, her sister, and their brother were on their way to a nearby bodega at approximately 2:20 AM when they spotted a young man from a party earlier in the day trailing Samyia, the Daily News reports. “I grabbed her phone and I was like, ‘Come with me, come with me,’” Sanyia explained to the news outlet. “I was like, ‘Why are you talking to that boy?’ She said, ‘I don’t want to talk to that boy.’” https://youtu.be/R6RYylcmoxU Sanyia devised a plan to deter the assailant. She recounted that her sister chose to provide the individual with her Instagram handle yet declined to follow him back. “She said she wasn’t going to follow him back,” Sanyia continued. “That’s it. She said no.” That’s when the unidentified assailant became furious and argumentative inside the deli. “He pushed little Samyia, and then I pushed him,” she explained. “And then everybody else started pushing him out the door.” According to Sanyia, a store employee ejected the intoxicated male and his companions from the premises before locking the door. However, upon exiting after purchasing their snacks, he was waiting for the girls, and they couldn’t seek refuge inside the store. https://www.instagram.com/dailymail/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c95691e0-9a04-4eae-a323-62aa081af203 Porsha Williams, star of “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” has accused her estranged husband, Simon Guobadia, of having late-night rendezvous with multiple women inside their marital home. The allegations surfaced in court documents filed by Porsha following Guobadia’s claim that the reality star brought two armed men to their home, leading him to contact the police. In a rebuttal obtained by RadarOnline.com, Porsha accused Guobadia of attempting to tarnish her reputation by involving the police amid their divorce proceedings. The reality star claims she fears his unpredictable conduct and the possibility of encountering one of the women he brings to their residence. “Wife has returned to the residence on various occasions to retrieve various personal items belonging to Wife and her minor child, as well as to secure various items, after learning that Husband had at least three women in the marital residence on different evenings, Porsha’s renowned attorney Randall M. Kessler stated in court documents, per Radar. “Husband has called law enforcement for no legitimate reason, other than to push a false narrative that he hopes will garner him public attention at the cost of Wife’s reputation,” Kessler noted. “When Wife first returned home on March 7, 2024, she brought her personal security for her own safety in light of Husband’s erratic behavior, including hosting multiple strangers who were unknown to Wife.” Memphis Mayor Paul Young, in partnership with the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), announced the launch of the Black Mayors’ Coalition on Crime (BMCC), an initiative to harness the collective power of black mayors across the nation to fight crime. The inaugural meeting will take place in Memphis on March 27-28 and will host 21 mayors and their proxies from Washington D.C.,IN, TN, MO, MS, LA, AR, GA, AZ, CA, and NC. Young has received support from big-city mayors, including Mayor Eric Adams from New York City and Mayor Karen Bass from Los Angeles. “For the first time in history, we have an unprecedented number of black mayors in some of our biggest cities: Mayor Adams in New York City, Mayor Bass in Los Angeles, and Mayor Johnson in Chicago, to name a few,” said Young, “not to mention hundreds of others, like myself who represent millions of Americans in small-to-medium and large-sized cities across the country. Many of these leaders come from the communities most affected by crime, so they have a unique perspective on solving it.” “Across our great and diverse country, there’s one thing that every city has in common: public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity,” said New York City Mayor Adams. “As a former police officer, I know firsthand that public safety is not just about keeping people safe — it is also about making sure people feel safe. I applaud Mayor Young for convening the Black Mayors Coalition on Crime to have an honest conversation around protecting our cities and delivering peace of mind at a time when our communities need it most.” Dr. Russell Wigginton, President of the National Civil Rights Museum (NCRM), will facilitate the two-day event. It will include a keynote by the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) on crime trends and perspectives in the U.S. Cities will also present case studies on successful crime-fighting initiatives, including “Operation SCARLET” (Stolen Car & Recovery Law Enforcement Team) from Charlotte, NC, and “Operation Good” from Jackson, MS. As the largest majority-minority city in the United States, Mayor Young presides over a city, like most cities in America, wrestling with the issue of crime. Young has been outspoken about his approach to crime since entering office on January 1, 2024. He will spearhead the high-profile national initiative because he believes these issues can be solved if mayors can collaborate and provide a powerful, unified voice representing millions of constituents. According to a recent Gallup poll of Americans, worry about crime in the U.S. is at its highest level since 2016, and according to government national crime data, the U.S. homicide rate is at its highest point in 25 years. As Knix’s new Global Brand Ambassador, Gabrielle Union advocates for women’s health through her new campaign with the brand. In the campaign, Gabrielle rocks Knix’s latest innovation: Leakproof UltraThin No-Show underwear. “Leakproof UltraThin No-Show underwear is made with Knix’s patented 360 LeakSealTM technology, providing leakproof protection without the bulk. Designed for comfort and confidence, it feels just like regular underwear, moving with you throughout the day,” per the press release. Knix is introducing a new tagline: “Knix for Life.” This reflects the brand’s commitment to creating comfortable and innovative products that support women through every stage of life.“The great thing about Knix and the great thing about where I’m at in life is that I want open communication, love, acceptance, resources and answers at every stage of my life, not just when I’m young and shiny,” Union told PEOPLE about the partnership. “We need brands that are going to grow with us as we change and our bodies change and as life changes. And Knix is one of those companies, they are uniquely qualified to stay with us for the long haul.” https://youtu.be/3DddJISW8vc A Nigerian woman (Chioma Okoli) who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business. Okoli, a 39-year-old entrepreneur from Lagos, is being prosecuted and sued in civil court for allegedly breaching the country’s cybercrime laws, in a case that has gripped the West African nation and sparked protests by locals who believe she is being persecuted for exercising her right to free speech. Okoli, a small-scale importer of children’s wear, told CNN that on September 17 she asked her 18,000 followers on Facebook to share their opinions about a tomato puree she bought in place of her usual brands, saying she found it too sweet. Her post, accompanied by a photo of an opened can of Nagiko Tomato Mix, produced by local company Erisco Foods Limited, sparked varied reactions from commenters, one of whom replied: “Stop spoiling my brother’s product. If (you) don’t like it, use another one than bring it to social media or call the customer service.” https://youtu.be/NPBCfMO9xrY If found guilty, she could face up to three years in jail or a fine of 7 million naira (around $5,000), or both. Okoli was separately charged with conspiring with two other individuals “with the intention of instigating people against Erisco Foods Limited,” which the charge sheet noted was punishable under Section 27(1)(B) of the same act. She risks a seven-year sentence if convicted of this charge. https://youtu.be/fV9eoBO6K0M If you missed it, on “Tamron Hall,” iconic 90s pop star Mel B discussed the updated version of her memoir, “Brutally Honest,” and opened up about her abusive relationship with her ex-husband and her journey to recovery, which included moving in with her mother during the pandemic. The Spice Girl opened up about her relationship with her fiancé Rory McPhee and teased a potential reunion for the girl group. Mel B also reflected on Kate Middleton’s recent cancer diagnosis. https://youtu.be/4W8fFeX_Tfc Mel B reflects on recent headlines surrounding Kate Middleton’s health: “I am so sorry for her. She was literally, you know, going through what she’s going through behind closed doors. Sounds like she was forced to make a statement when she’s going through a horrible diagnosis. I felt so bad. So bad.” https://youtu.be/9B5v6OYP-I8 Mel B addresses rumors surrounding a potential Spice Girls reunion: “It’s my life and I love being a Spice Girl…I mean us five have been talking together and we are gonna announce something pretty soon.” Tamron asked Mel B why she’s confident a reunion will happen, to which Mel B responded, “Because, girl power. We need more of it in this world.” https://youtu.be/YqdzCiJjyhk Wednesday (03-27-24) marked a long-awaited moment of recognition for Motown luminary Martha Reeves, lead vocalist of the beloved ensemble Martha and the Vandellas, as she was bestowed with the 2,776th star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame. Reeves, 82, is renowned for chart-toppers such as “Dancing in the Street,” “Nowhere to Run,” and “(Love is Like a) Heatwave,” stood among the titans of Motown history as she received her well-deserved honor. Motown’s visionary, Berry Gordy, graced the ceremony alongside luminaries like Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, joined by William “Mickey” Stevenson, the man who first recognized Reeves’ talent by hiring her as a secretary in the label’s early days. Reflecting on the profound impact of music in dismantling segregation, Reeves shared a poignant memory from a Southern performance, where their shared rhythms brought together audiences irrespective of race, transcending the barriers that once divided them. “We go on stage and unsegregated the audiences, when everybody got up and did The Monkey,” she recounted of one performance in the South during that era. “They took down the barrier that separated the Whites from the Blacks.” https://youtu.be/E4pSZkRxzGk In an exclusive interview, we had the privilege of delving into the world of “Renegade Nell” with the series’ stars, Louisa Harland and Nick Mohammed. Set against historical intrigue and feminist rebellion, “Renegade Nell” promises to captivate audiences with its unique blend of wit, adventure, and empowerment. In this action-adventure fantasy series from creator Sally Wainwright, Nell Jackson (Harland), a quick-witted and courageous young woman, finds herself framed for murder and unexpectedly becomes the most notorious outlaw in 18th-century England. But when a magical spirit called Billy Blind (Mohammed) appears, Nell realizes her destiny is bigger than she ever imagined, per the official synopsis. Harland leads an ensemble cast that includes Frank Dillane as “Charles Devereux,” Alice Kremelberg as “Sofia Wilmot,” Ényì Okoronkwo as “Rasselas,” Jake Dunn as “Thomas Blancheford,” Bo Bragason as “Roxy Trotter,” Florence Keen as “George Trotter,” with Joely Richardson as “Lady Eularia Moggerhangar” and Adrian Lester as “Robert Hennessey, Earl of Poynton.” Pip Torrens as “Lord Blancheford” and Craig Parkinson as “Sam Trotter” also star. https://youtu.be/u9OmmeE_gZc Michael Jackson’s son and mother may have stood united over legal affairs involving the late King of Pop’s estate, but no more. TMZ reports Blanket Jackson is not good with his grandmother, Katherine Jackson using money from the estate to pay attorney’s fees for an appeal of a previous ruling. The ruling in question involves a case regarding a business transaction between the estate and Sony. TMZ cited recent reports when mentioned the unspecified transaction may relate to a deal the estate made with Sony to sell about half of Michael Jackson’s famed music catalog for $600 million. At the time, Blanket and Katherine worked together to stop the executors of Michael’s estate, John Branca and John McClain, from moving forward on the deal. Despite presenting arguments opposing the venture, the court ruled against them in April 2023. In December, Katherine filed motions asking that the estate pay for the legal bills she incurred in making her objections, including the ongoing appeal. Earlier this month, Branca and McClain voiced strong opposition to Katherine’s request to pay for what they called her “failed objection” and “meritless appeal,” Billboard noted. Blanket accepted the court’s ruling, but Katherine felt the opposite way as she decided to appeal the ruling. As it stands now, the appeal is still pending. Singer/DJ Al B. Sure! has arrived in the digital arena with a heartfelt message tailored for his son, Quincy (Brown) to “Come Home.”Sure! took to social media in the wake of reports and footage of Homeland Security conducting raids on Sean “Diddy” Comb‘s residences in Los Angeles and Miami. In the early hours of Thursday (March 28), Sure! shared what appeared to be a nostalgic photograph of himself standing behind Quincy. However, it was the accompanying caption that stirred a flurry of reactions. Using the hashtag “#LettertoMySon,” Al B. Sure! wrote, “Come Home. The doorway to safety is wide open. You’re embraced here, my son! With love, Popz, Your biological.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C5DoWULO53F/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d0fccadb-b3c8-4b5b-8072-e89a6a058bd8 The conversation centered around his new book, “The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America,” and his advocacy for “colorblindness” in the United States, Fox News reports. “The reason I wrote this book is because, in the past 10 years, it has become to, in the name of anti-racism, teach a kind of philosophy to our children, in general, that says your race is everything,” he said during the segment. “And I think that is the wrong way to fight racism and that’s why I wrote this book at this time.” Hughes believes everyone should make a concerted effort to “treat people without considering their race.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1773306222352990584 Hughes informed the hosts that he has never voted Republican and identifies as an Independent. “I would vote for a Republican — probably a non-Trump Republican if they were compelling,” Hughes, a CNN analyst, told “The View” panel. “I don’t think there’s any evidence I’ve been co-opted by anyone and I think that’s an ad-hominem tactic people use to not address, really, the important conversations we’re having here.” Hughes told Hostin, “No one is paying me to say what I’m saying.” Hostin challenged his assertion that class socio-economics was a superior indicator in identifying who is disadvantaged. “When you say that socio-economics picks out people in a better way than race, when you do look at the socio-economics, you see the huge disparity between White households and Black households. You see the huge disparity between White households and Hispanic households,” Hostin said. “I’ve read your book twice, because I wanted to give it a chance. Your argument that race has no place in that equation is really fundamentally flawed.” https://youtu.be/0xwEq38aL9M ”Bob Marley: One Love” and the Netflix film “Shirley” debuted in the Top 10 viewing charts at home this week. IndieWire reports that “One Love” is #1 at Fandango and #3 on iTunes. The movie celebrates the life and music of reggae icon Bob Marley, who inspired generations through his message of love, peace, and unity. https://youtu.be/ajw425Kuvtw Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, InideWire reports that the biopic’s three-day total opening weekend last month was about $27.7 million against a $70 million production cost. The outlet writes, “Reviews were not good (43 Metacritic), but it has an A Cinemascore and two weeks with little competition. It could become the first domestic $100-million grossing film of 2024.” https://youtu.be/hjBeKNHIdMY For sale: A brand new luxury electric SUV for the holy-grail price of $25,000. There just might be a slight catch. The California-based electric SUV company Fisker faces a real possibility of bankruptcy, and its stock is hovering just over 2 cents a share, far below its 2021 peak of $28.50. https://youtu.be/pkGCqACUmuw And even though production has halted, the company still has SUVs to offer, so it’s having a sale. Prices for Fisker’s Ocean SUV have been cut by as much 39%. The catch, however, is that the car has received critical reviews rather than wide acclaim. And getting it serviced may not be easy. The base sticker price for the top-of-the-line Fisker Ocean Extreme has been cut from about $62,500 to $37,5000. Prices for the Sport trim level have been cut from $39,000 to $25,000. In announcing the price cuts, Fisker billed the move as a strategic shift rather than a fire sale. “Fisker is strategically positioning the all-electric Ocean SUV to be a more affordable and compelling EV choice, competitively available to EV buyers in the broadest possible market,” the company said in announcing the price cuts. https://youtu.be/qBzJwdFTLAQ BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) celebrated the best in Gospel music today at the 2024 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards held at Flourish in Atlanta, GA. Gospel legend and world-renowned evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole, of the acclaimed Clarke sisters, was honored as a Trailblazer of Gospel Music in recognition of her illustrious career spanning over 50 years and incomparable influence on the genre and beyond, and Jonathan McReynolds received the BMI Champion Award, the first time this accolade was presented at this ceremony, for his exceptional artistry and impact on Gospel music. BMI’s Gospel Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the Top 25 Gospel Songs of the previous year were also announced at the private ceremony hosted by BMI’s President & CEO, Mike O’Neill and Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. The inspirational luncheon began with a celebration of music and joyful worship, with Tim Bowman, Jr., performing his BMI award-winning song “Jesus,” with Kim Burrell and Faith City Music, co-written with Le’Andria Johnson and VaShawn Mitchell. Zacardi Cortez brought the house down with his BMI award-winning song “You’ve Been Good to Me,” before moving to the event’s main honorees and award-winners. Get ready for all new episodes of TV One’s original and longest-running series "UNSUNG" and "UNCENSORED" this Sunday, March 31 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. "UNSUNG" leads with Donald Lawrence at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by "UNCENSORED", which features R&B sensation Tamela Mann, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=362dLkU01G4 "UNCENSORED" explores the lives of some of today’s most notable personalities as they provide first-hand accounts of their success and the obstacles they faced throughout their careers. This week's episode highlights talented Gospel singer and actress Tamela Mann. Known for her soul-stirring performances and uplifting spirit, Tamela Mann gets uncensored as she shares her journey from humble beginnings to Grammy-winning success. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI9FyOz1MmM JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, March 27 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Chef JJ is giving his recipes a little kick with some spices that are good for any dish. On the menu is a rigatoni with spicy sausage and spicy apricot ginger wings that are perfect for any occasion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGJ825I1lVQ The Smollett sibling duo returns to CLEO TV tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET/8C with hit series, LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. This season, Jake and Jazz will continue to share beautiful home makeovers, prepare delicious family recipes, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for a lucky group of homeowners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a4wIH7zDOI Last month saw former NFL and Texas Longhorns star quarterback Vince Young embroiled in a tumultuous scuffle at a local watering hole, a saga that concluded with a solid punch landing squarely on his mug, rendering him momentarily unconscious. The ruckus unfolded within the confines of Tokyo Joe’s Shot Bar in Houston, Texas, as the clock neared 9 PM on February 4th, with the entire drama captured on camera, courtesy of TMZ Sports. In the footage, Young, sporting a white hat, black shirt, and shorts, engages in a verbal altercation with another patron, escalating swiftly into physical confrontation. While the exact exchange remains shrouded in mystery, the former Heisman Trophy contender is depicted shoving multiple individuals before the situation escalates into outright violence. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-03-25-032524-vince-young-1799910-559/ Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has divested all his shares in Revolt TV and is now unaffiliated with the company as an owner or in any capacity. Per TMZ: “Sources familiar with the deal tell us Diddy recently sold off all of his shares to an interested buyer for an undisclosed sum — but we’re told the company remains Black-owned … upholding its original connection and dedication to furthering the culture,” the outlet writes. Since resigning as Chairman last November following Cassie’s sexual assault lawsuit against him, Diddy has had no involvement with the network. According to TMZ, “Revolt’s CEO Detavio Samuels and Chief Brand Officer Deon Graham will remain in their current positions and assist the owner while the ink dries on the contract,” the outlet writes. Revolt TV employees can expect no significant alterations in staffing or production. Reports of Diddy selling his company shares surface following FBI raids on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami on Monday. We reported earlier that his attorney, Aaron Dyer, issued a statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security raid on his properties. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated,” Dyer’s statement read. “Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way.” The investigation purportedly stemmed from civil suits filed by five accusers accusing Combs of sexual assault or abuse. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated that the search was part of an ongoing investigation carried out with support from multiple law enforcement agencies. Dyer characterized the search as an “unprecedented ambush.” An animated reboot of the 1970s sitcom “Good Times” is coming to Netflix from creator Carl Jones, Seth MacFarlane, and NBA star Stephen Curry. The original sitcom aired for six seasons on CBS from 1974 to 1979. It was television’s first African American two-parent family sitcom. Norman Lear produced the show, which centered on the Evans family, who lived in a poor, black neighborhood in inner-city Chicago. Jones modernized the setting, transitioning the Evans family from the 1970s to the 2020s, according to the news release. Curry and “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane are executive producers on the adult-animated series. Per the news release, executive producers include Lear, Brent Miller (Act III Productions), Erick Peyton and Jeron Smith with Unanimous Media, and Erica Huggins (Fuzzy Door). Sony Pictures Television produces. https://youtu.be/BMA2Kc7TiO0 If you’re feeling uncomfortably high after smoking cannabis, there are several steps you can take to help mitigate the effects. Some people find relief by relaxing in a safe and comfortable environment and allowing the effects of cannabis to gradually wear off over time. Others engage in calming activities like listening to music or meditating. In more extreme cases, medical assistance may be required. In the clip above, per Business Insider, neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains why marijuana users sometimes get “bad trips.” His documentary “WEED” explores the effects of cannabis on our bodies and the benefits of medical marijuana. Depending on your circumstances, you may seek to sober up and quickly reduce the effects of being high after smoking weed. https://youtu.be/omB80tcCNOg The bridge collapse that has indefinitely halted the flow of ships in and out of the Port of Baltimore could hurt the local economy, strain supply chains and scramble deliveries along the US East Coast. The Key Bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. Dali is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk. The Port of Baltimore said in a post on X that vessel traffic was suspended until further notice, but trucks were still being processed at its terminals. Seven container vessels were scheduled to arrive in Baltimore through Saturday, according to Judah Levine, head of research at logistics firm Freightos. “We are omitting Baltimore on all our services for the foreseeable future until it is deemed safe for passage through this area,” Maersk said in a statement. It said it would discharge cargo destined for Baltimore in other ports nearby, but Maesrk warned customers that could mean delays. https://youtu.be/7JDeBPuFQS0 Closer to the Midwest than any other port on the East Coast, Baltimore is a major hub for vehicles, containers and commodities. Baltimore ranks first among US ports for autos and light trucks, handling a record 850,000 vehicles last year. “Last year, we received, processed and shipped approximately 100,000 vehicles through Baltimore for US dealers located in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S,” VW said in a statement. “We do not anticipate any impact on vessel operations but there may be trucking delays as traffic will be rerouted in the area.” https://youtu.be/YVdVpd-pqcM While many of the 30,000 to 35,000 cars and trucks that used the Key Bridge daily can be rerouted through the two nearby tunnels, that will cause traffic delays. Hazardous materials that are not allowed in the tunnels will be diverted on a longer detour. Rerouting cargo to Philadelphia, Norfolk or the Port of New York/New Jersey could push up trucking and rail prices if the volumes are significant, and could cause some congestion at those alternative ports, said Levine. “If some congestion does develop, and vessels are kept waiting, it could cause delays for importers using these ports. Congestion could also put some upward pressure on Asia – US East Coast and transatlantic freight rates,” he added. Freight rates on transatlantic routes are roughly back at 2019 levels following a spike in shipping costs during the pandemic. But prices for trips heading from Asia to the US East Coast are more than double their March 2019 level because attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have forced vessels to divert around Africa rather than sailing through the Suez Canal. https://youtu.be/zdhCj41FWEg There’s a reason it’s called March Madness. Besides the mad enthusiasm (and heavy betting) of partisan fans, the madness of underdog teams posting upset after upset to advance as far as the Final Four or even the championship game makes for compelling theater. Who doesn’t love an underdog or, in March Madness parlance, a Cinderella? ATS.io compiled a ranking of the most surprising men’s March Madness champions since 1982 (when “March Madness” was coined) using Sports Reference data. Each team was ranked according to their lowest position in the final Associated Press poll conducted before that season’s March Madness. Ties were broken using Sports Reference’s Simple Rating System. “Blue blood” teams—the elite of the elite, including Connecticut, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Villanova—routinely land near the top of the AP and SRS rankings. The AP poll, updated weekly, is an ordered list of 25 teams based on the opinions of sports media, while the SRS combines average point differential and strength of schedule. During March Madness, viewers relish watching blue bloods lose to unheralded teams, which are often programs with small student bodies and recruiting budgets. It happens surprisingly often, much to the delight of fans. The exception, of course, is when a blue blood alma mater loses to a Cinderella. That really makes a fan’s blue blood boil. The National Women’s History Month theme for 2024, is “Celebrating Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the resignation of the chair of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board following criticism for approving the release of a violent male who fatally stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s young son a day after being released. Donald Shelter, the board chair, and LeAnn Miller, a board member, resigned on Monday after Crosetti Brand, 37, fatally stabbed 11-year-old Jayden Perkins on March 13, CBS 2 reports. Perkins was stabbed in the chest while defending his mother, Laterria Smith, 33, after Brand ambushed the woman in the doorway of her residence, New York Post reports. According to reports, the mother and son were leaving the home when she opened the door and was startled to see Brand standing outside the house. The attack occurred less than 24 hours after he was granted parole from the Stateville Correctional Center. The mother endured a neck stabbing but survived the assault. Last month, Smith sought an order of protection against Brand. At the time of the filing, he was serving 16 years in prison for home invasion and aggravated assault, according to The Post. https://youtu.be/TKmDsY9Nt_A A legal scholar argues that the eligibility criteria for the George Floyd Scholarship discriminate based on race. According to The College Fix, a legal watchdog alleges that North Central University’s George Floyd Memorial Scholarship violates federal civil rights law by exclusively targeting black students. The private Christian university established the scholarship in June 2020. According to the information page, it is open to students who are “Black or African American, that is, a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.” The Equal Protection Project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation filed a complaint with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights after claiming the Michigan-based university “engages in invidious discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin,” through the scholarship. The College Fix reports that the complaint claims a breach of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids educational institutions from engaging in racial discrimination. In hip-hop, few stories resonate as deeply as that of Maino, born Jermaine Coleman. From his beginnings in the streets to his rise in the rap game collaborating with heavyweights like T-Pain and Lil Wayne, Maino’s journey has been one of resilience, determination, and raw talent. Maino’s recent collaboration with Young Thug, a fellow artist grappling with legal challenges, highlights not only his artistic prowess but also his unwavering support for his peers. Beyond the glitz and glamour of the stage, Maino’s journey has been marked by profound adversity, including a significant stint behind bars during his formative years. Yet, he was determined to not let his circumstances define him and it is precisely these experiences that have shaped him into the formidable artist and individual he is today. https://youtu.be/k5v81OGQwAs Pastor T.D. Jakes is mentioned in a recent lawsuit involving disgraced music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs. We reported earlier that music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones alleges in the lawsuit that Combs possesses explicit videos involving celebrities, rappers, and music industry executives. Jones is seeking $30 million in punitive damages, claiming the Bad Boy Records founder sexually harassed, drugged, and threatened him for more than a year. Jones served as Comb’s videographer from September 2022 to November 2023. Throughout this period, he allegedly documented extensive video and audio evidence of Combs, his associates, and additional individuals participating in significant unlawful activities. Jones’ lawsuit claims Diddy covertly recorded celebrities during his “freak off” parties. Jones lodged a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, alleging that Combs and several of his associates were involved in a “sex-trafficking venture.”According to the Dallas Morning News, Jones claims he has “irrefutable evidence” of “Mr. Combs detailing how he planned to leverage his relationship with Bishop T.D. Jakes to soften the impact on his public image of Cassie Ventura’s lawsuit.” The pastor has not responded to the latest lawsuit but last December, a spokesperson for T.D. Jakes addressed reports that the famed bishop attended many of Diddy’s kinky gay sex parties. “Recent claims circulating on pockets of social media about Bishop T.D. Jakes are unequivocally false and baseless,” Jordan A. Hora, executive director of public relations and communications for the T.D. Jakes Group, T.D. Jakes Ministries and The Potter’s House, told The Christian Post. Comedian Michelle Buteau is set to become the first woman to tape a comedy special at Radio City Music Hall. “I have another special coming out. We’re going to be filling it at Radio City Music Hall [on] June 6,” she said at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards about her untitled project that will begin filming this summer, Vibe reports. “I will be the first woman and woman of color to be taping a special there, so that’s why I’m saying these things [representation] matters,” Buteau added. “You got to lay the groundwork for other people to come and think they can do it and know that they can do it.” In related news, Buteau recently teased what fans can expect from her character, Mavis Beaumont—in season two of Netflix’s “Survival Of The Thickest.” “It’s bigger, Blacker, bustier, bi**hier than before. All the B-words. It’s adulting next level,” she said at a pre-NAACP Image Awards event, per Vibe. “So, I feel like whatever you connected to, I just can’t wait for you to see what has happened.” Candace Owens’s former boss, Jeremy Boreing, the CEO of The Daily Wire, is speaking out about why the company parted ways with Owens after she used the phrase “Christ is King.”According to Boreing, who is Jewish, that phrase is anti-Semitic. The precise reasons behind Owens’ exit remain uncertain. However, her departure follows online harassment by two attention-seeking rabbis who falsely accused the media personality of harboring anti-Semitic sentiments. As Mediaite reports, The Daily Wire accused Owens of “quoting Scripture like Satan does in the Bible.” “The rumors are true— I am finally free,” Owens wrote Friday on X after Boreing confirmed her departure. “There will be many announcements in the weeks to come,” she added. TheGrio’s highly anticipated fourth season of MASTERS OF THE GAME, hosted by renowned cultural critic Touré, returns Friday, March 29th at 8PM ET on theGrio Television Network.The series “delves into the minds of some of the world’s most influential figures for an impactful hour as they share their journey and explain how they became masters of their crafts.” per the news release. We have an exclusive clip from the season 4 premiere episode featuring Oscar®-nominee Jeffrey Wright (AMERICAN FICTION). In it, the actor shares his perspective on the impact of awards and whether or not the honor can significantly boost an actor’s career or open doors to new opportunities. Somebody had to say something. On Tuesday, Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ attorney, Aaron Dyer, issued the first public statement regarding the mogul in response to Monday’s Department of Homeland Security raid on his properties in Los Angeles and Miami. In a statement, Dyer asserted Combs’ innocence and criticized the search conducted on his residences as an “excessive use of military-level force.” “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated,” Dyer’s statement read. “Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way.” Dyer emphasized that Combs was not detained but cooperated with authorities, and neither he nor any family members were arrested or had their travel restricted. Despite speculation, no charges have been filed following the search, which reportedly was part of a sex trafficking investigation according to sources cited by the Associated Press and Los Angeles Times. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated on Monday that the search was part of an ongoing investigation, conducted with assistance from various law enforcement agencies. The search followed civil suits filed by five accusers alleging sexual assault or abuse by Combs, including claims from his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, in November. While Ventura settled her suit quickly, the other four remain unresolved. Dyer characterized the search as an “unprecedented ambush” and criticized the media presence surrounding it, portraying it as a premature judgment of Combs. He labeled the situation as a witch hunt based on baseless civil accusations, stressing that no criminal or civil liability has been established. Dyer affirmed Combs’ innocence and pledged to continue fighting to clear his name. https://youtu.be/lO3ySsgRzT0 NBC News on Tuesday ousted former Republican National Committee chair, Ronna McDaniel, just days after her hiring as a paid political analyst sparked intense backlash from the network’s top television anchors over McDaniel’s role in subverting the 2020 election and attacks on the press. “There is no doubt that the last several days have been difficult for the News Group,” NBCUniversal News Group President Cesar Conde said in a memo to staff. “After listening to the legitimate concerns of many of you, I have decided that Ronna McDaniel will not be an NBC News contributor.” “I want to personally apologize to our team members who felt we let them down,” Conde continued. “While this was a collective recommendation by some members of our leadership team, I approved it and take full responsibility for it.” Ahead of the network’s decision, McDaniel spent the day Tuesday interviewing attorneys in preparation for a potential legal battle with NBC, a person familiar with the matter told CNN. Creative Artists Agency, the talent agency that brokered McDaniel’s deal with NBC, also parted ways with her, the person said. https://youtu.be/uILK7Rou98M The reversal comes after journalists and anchors at both NBC and its cable news sibling MSNBC publicly denounced the decision to hire McDaniel as a paid analyst in a stunning and unprecedented on-air rebuke of network brass that has embarrassed the Peacock Network. McDaniel, who recently stepped down from the RNC under pressure from former President Donald Trump, was involved in attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. As head of the RNC, she was involved in a phone call in 2020 to pressure Michigan county officials not to certify the vote from the Detroit area, where Joe Biden had a commanding lead. McDaniel told the officials, regarding the certification: “Do not sign it. … We will get you attorneys.” In the years since, McDaniel continued to claim that the election had “problems” and that Biden did not legitimately win the election, fanning the flames of election denialism. https://youtu.be/UY-82Cb_3cw The Living Legends Foundation (LLF) presents its 11th Annual A.D. Washington Scholarship Golf Tournament on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the Crystal Lake Golf & Country Club, 100 Crystal Lake Boulevard, Hampton, Georgia, located in the Greater Atlanta area. Registration is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.; shotgun starts at 9:30 a.m. Following a teaser on socials that left fans in rousing anticipation, the legendary groups XSCAPE and SWV have reunited for The Queens of R&B Tour with support from MÝA, Total, and 702. The Queens Of R&B Tour is a testament to the power of what can be accomplished when women come together with respect, admiration and undeniable talent. It is a celebration of passion, power, resilience and unstoppable ability to exceed expectations. The Queens Of R&B Tour will be an unforgettable experience filled with timeless R&B music and stellar performances that are set to captivate audiences across 30 cities nationwide. Produced by Monami Entertainment and Live Nation and represented by Seth Shomes through Day After Day Productions (DADP), the tour will kick off on June 27th in Concord, CA, at the Toyota Pavilion at Concord and continue its journey across the country, making stops at prestigious venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loSLDNZjKaU Steve Harvey is partnering with Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media to offer various broadcast-related services. Variety reports that Merit Street Media has a programming schedule through a collaboration with the religious media company Trinity Broadcasting. Steve Harvey will assume an equity partnership in Merit Street as part of the new agreement. Merit Street has secured over 300 episodes of Harvey’s syndicated daytime talk show, “Steve,” which aired from 2017 to 2019. “Steve and I have been personal friends for over a decade, and it’s always the best experience when we work together,” said McGraw, in a statement. “It’s easy to say that he’s the funniest human I’ve ever met,” he added. “But his kindness and his passion to help others are really unmatched.” Harvey will serve as a co-executive producer for a special that delves into the mentoring initiative he oversees for young men in Georgia, Variety reports. 50 Cent hit up social media Monday to react to the FBI raiding the Los Angeles and Miami homes of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. The media mogul shared screenshots from Fox 11’s live news segment on his Instagram Stories along with the caption: “Sh*t just got real.” In the image, Diddy’s sons, King and Justin Combs, are handcuffed and detained at the Los Angeles home. “The Fed’s in all the cribs, damn they got the kids in cuffs,” 50 Cent added, Complex reports. 50 Cent captioned a second screenshot, “Now it’s not Diddy do it, it’s Diddy done. They don’t come like that unless they got a case.” “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners,” HSI said in a statement, CBS News reports. “We will provide further information as it becomes available.” In recent months, Combs has been linked to multiple sex trafficking allegations. Federal agents raided Combs’ home on Monday amid an ongoing sex trafficking investigation. Candiace Dillard Bassett is leaving “The Real Housewives of Potomac” after six seasons. “As I embark on a new chapter after six remarkable years with The Real Housewives of Potomac, I am filled with gratitude for the enriching friendships, personal growth and moments of introspection that have defined this journey,” she said to People., “With a whirlwind of new opportunities and responsibilities on my plate, I have decided to take a break from RHOP,” Bassett continued, Too Fab reports. “This is not a farewell, but a ‘see you later.'” She added, “Your unwavering support has been my guiding light, and I look forward to the exciting adventures that lie ahead — and more importantly, sharing them all with you!” The season 8 finale recently aired, with the multi-part reunion set to kick off this weekend. The season 8 cast includes Karen Huger, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Gizelle Bryant, Robyn Dixon, and Mia Thornton. Joining the ladies for the current season was newcomer Nneka “Neco” Ihim, a Nigerian-American lawyer who is newly married to a plastic surgeon. https://youtu.be/vTfz5NiFM-Q Josephine Wright, the South Carolina woman who made national headlines for fighting developers over property that has belonged to her family since the end of the Civil War, died earlier this year at age 94. Two months after her passing, her fight concluded with Bailey Point Investment, the construction company seeking her land. The Guardian reports that the company settled with Wright’s family members, ending the dispute that began with a lawsuit for ownership last year. According to South Carolina Public Radio, the settlement confirms that the family retains ownership of the property within Bailey Point’s proposed 29-acre neighborhood. The company is prohibited from contacting the family regarding the purchase of the land, and a privacy fence will be installed between the property and the construction of a new residential development. Wright’s story caught Tyler Perry’s attention, and before her death, he promised to build her a new house on the property. The movie mogul hit up social media to express condolences after Wright’s passing in January. “I am so heartbroken to hear about the passing of this warrior. Ms. Josephine Wright, even though we spoke by phone, I was so looking forward to meeting you in person next month to hand you the keys to your new house, but God had other plans,” Perry explained in a post on Instagram. “My prayer is that you rest in peace knowing that I will honor the commitment that I made to you. I know you will be watching over us all as I hand those same keys to your family.” https://youtu.be/vu89cuxTao4 In an unprecedented event in the world of lotteries, two jackpots (Mega Millions and Powerball) are now nearing a combined total of nearly $2 billion. The Mega Millions prize is estimated at $1.1 billion, while the Powerball jackpot sits at an estimated $800 million, marking the first time both major national lottery games have reached such staggering heights simultaneously. These astronomical figures are the culmination of months passing without any jackpot winners. However, the allure of these immense prizes continues to draw more players, increasing the likelihood that someone will finally strike it rich. The excitement begins with the Powerball drawing on Monday night, followed by the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday night. If no winners emerge, the next opportunity for Powerball comes on Wednesday night, with Mega Millions drawing again on Friday night. https://youtu.be/m7spzdTvhJs Although previous lottery prizes have exceeded the current jackpots, this is the first time both games have offered prizes of $800 million or more since their inception. The prolonged absence of jackpot winners is evident in the 30 consecutive Mega Millions drawings without a grand prize winner since December 8th and the 35 consecutive Powerball drawings without a major winner since January 1st. The Mega Millions grand prize now ranks as the 8th largest in U.S. lottery history, trailing the record-breaking $2.04 billion Powerball prize claimed in November 2022. Gretchen Corbin, president of the Georgia Lottery Corporation and lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, notes the nationwide excitement when both jackpots soar simultaneously. https://youtu.be/uUEx3mALc58 Rachel Maddow, the host of MSNBC’s prime time show (“The Rachel Maddow Show”), strongly criticized her own network for hiring Ronna McDaniel, the former Chair of the Republican National Committee, as a political commentator. Maddow called the decision to have McDaniel on the payroll at NBC News “inexplicable,” comparing it to hiring a mobster to work in a DA’s office or a pickpocket as a TA screener. The announcement of McDaniel’s hiring has sparked backlash within the network, with well-known hosts and anchors openly revolting against the decision. Maddow expressed her hope that NBC News would reverse their choice to hire McDaniel, particularly highlighting her involvement in former President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Maddow emphasized that the issue at hand is not about party politics but about protecting democracy and the system of government. She urged NBC News and its parent company to show strength by admitting the mistake of hiring McDaniel and ending their agreement with her. https://youtu.be/CqassXP6HAU Leave it to TMZ to do what it does best: Get timely video on a high-profile celebrity that’s making news. The celeb in question, of course, is Sean “Diddy” Combs. We all know the entertainment mogul is in the crosshairs of the feds who raided both his homes in Los Angeles and Miami earlier today. Here’s the thing, though. If you thought the vid would show him in cuffs, you’d be wrong. Instead, dude is seen casually strolling around the premises. However, to us, he does look like he’s got a lot on his mind. The video, captured around 3 PM PT at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, depicts Diddy and his entourage being intercepted by federal agents shortly after the raids commenced. Witnesses recount seeing Diddy outside a Customs office at the airport, seemingly free and unencumbered. According to an eyewitness, Diddy was patiently awaiting the rest of his party, who were also subjected to questioning by the authorities. However, the identities of these individuals remain unconfirmed. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-03-26-032524-diddy-saunter-1800257-215/ Although Diddy was intercepted at Opa Locka and seemed to be associated with a separate private jet, Homeland Security arrived without handcuffs, suggesting that he was neither under arrest nor attempting to evade authorities. This scene aligns with earlier reports indicating that Diddy isn’t currently facing arrest. Nonetheless, the simultaneous raids in L.A. and Miami, coupled with ongoing sex trafficking allegations, have thrust him into a legal maelstrom. Meanwhile, footage aired by FOX11 depicted Diddy’s sons, Justin Combs and Christian ‘King’ Combs, in handcuffs outside their Beverly Hills/LA residence, adding another layer of intrigue to the unfolding saga. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-03-26-032524-diddy-plane-1800259-586/ Despite Diddy’s repeated denials, federal officials are actively investigating claims of sex trafficking and other allegations brought forth by multiple plaintiffs. Interviews with witnesses have already commenced, with more expected shortly, as the legal saga surrounding Diddy continues to unfold. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/King-Combs-and-Justin-Combs-in-cuffs-Fox11-screenshot.jpg On Tuesday, Sony Pictures released the official trailer for the hotly anticipated “Bad Boys: Ride Or Die,” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Directed by Adil & Bilall, the fourth installment in the beloved action franchise is slated for a June 7 theatrical release. Smith and Lawrence lead the cast, which includes Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Nuñez, Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Jacob Scipio, Melanie Liburd, Tasha Smith, Tiffany Haddish, and Joe Pantoliano, per Deadline. https://youtu.be/hRFY_Fesa9Q Smith and Lawrence were spotted filming “Bad Boys 4” in 2023, and production photos were quickly circulated on social media. As EUR reported previously, the Instagram account @atlantafilming shared images from the Atlanta set of BB4, and one image showed Smith and Lawrence filming on a rooftop. Will and Martin confirmed last year that they’re reprising their roles as detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. At the time, they shared a video on Instagram with the caption: “IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME!” Per the news release, here’s the official “Bad Boys 4” synopsis: This Summer, the world’s favorite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your seat action and outrageous comedy but this time with a twist: Miami’s finest are now on the run. Smith took to Instagram in February 2023 and shared a video of him getting into a car and telling fans… “Yo, I’ve got an announcement. Y’all better stop scrolling. Seriously.” He then headed to Lawrence’s house, where the actor opened the door and asked, “It’s about that time?” Both stars then said in unison, “Bad Boys 4 Life”. https://www.instagram.com/willsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dc7514a4-de2a-493e-b707-6b3e1d8cfa64 Diddy didn’t know. Dude was clueless. Yep, unbeknownst to Sean “Diddy” Combs, he found himself thrust into the spotlight of Uncle Sam’s scrutiny as federal agents burst into his domain. This dramatic entrance was particularly perplexing given the gravity of the accusations looming over him. Insiders with privileged information divulged to TMZ that the impresario and his entourage were blindsided by the events unfolding on Monday. Homeland Security orchestrated simultaneous raids on both the West and East Coasts, catching Diddy off guard in Los Angeles and Miami. Despite speculation that Diddy might have been tipped off, especially after an encounter at a Miami airport, sources insist this was not the case. Reports indicate he was with his family at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, gearing up for a Spring Break getaway with his high school-aged children when the agents descended upon them, abruptly halting their plans. Adding to the intrigue, news helicopters hovered above Diddy’s Los Angeles property even before the federal intervention, hinting at a covert operation in progress. Clearly, Diddy was oblivious to the unfolding drama, dispelling any notions of evasion that some have hastily drawn. https://youtu.be/WJMxxeHkOQA?list=RDNSSkgos6Z4RZg A year after Motown singer Martha Reeves campaigned for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she will finally receive the honor on Wednesday, March 27.We are very proud to honor Martha Reeves with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is wonderful to see that her legacy and contributions to the music world will be recognized,” Walk of Fame Producer Ana Martinez stated, MadameNoire reports. “Being a Motown great, it is fitting that her star will be on the strip where many iconic Motown acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations and The Miracles have also been honored with their own stars,” Martinez added. We reported earlier that honorees are expected to launch private and public fundraising efforts for a Walk of Fame Star. As her two-year nomination window was set to expire in June 2023, Reeves faced challenges in securing the necessary funds. Per the Detroit Free Press, a star comes with a $55,000 price tag “to cover installation and other costs,” the outlet writes. The fee is typically covered by a movie studio, record label, or fans of the artist who help raise the money. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4yTbtHRKfE/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c1c28e4f-dc5f-4f38-9353-38f11bc710ee Usher responded to an Instagram user who said the singer “almost thanked the devil” during his acceptance speech at the NAACP Image Awards.Mark Hanalla posted a clip showing the R&B crooner stumbling over his words after accepting the President’s Award. The caption read, “Did #Usher almost just thank the #Devil for his #NAACP award? 🤨💡”As Ice Cream Convos reports, Usher responded with a lengthy comment on social media, telling Hanalla: “Get the hell outta here!!! GOD is my lord and savior … the DEVIL is a lie!! You got me f—ed up!!” The post continued, “Not today sir…I never have time for this type s— but today, you gon hear this. So I was a bit nervous and jumbled my words when speaking from my heart…hate teleprompters and they started to rush me because I was getting a bit long winded…. everybody gets nervous, especially in this position.” Usher wrote. Mark Hanalla posted a clip showing the R&B crooner stumbling over his words after accepting the President’s Award. The caption read, “Did #Usher almost just thank the #Devil for his #NAACP award? 🤨💡” As Ice Cream Convos reports, Usher responded with a lengthy comment on social media, telling Hanalla: “Get the hell outta here!!! GOD is my lord and savior … the DEVIL is a lie!! You got me f—ed up!!” The post continued, “Not today sir…I never have time for this type s— but today, you gon hear this. So I was a bit nervous and jumbled my words when speaking from my heart…hate teleprompters and they started to rush me because I was getting a bit long winded…. everybody gets nervous, especially in this position.” Usher wrote. https://youtu.be/sJmfAZwsYsY Vice President Kamala Harris was captured on video accidentally applauding a protest song directed at her during her visit to Puerto Rico on Friday.Harris’ visit to the Goyoco community center turned into a chaotic scene when demonstrators expressed their disapproval of her presence through songs, The Blast reports. “We want to know, Kamala, what did you come here for? We want to know what you think of the colony,” the protestors sang in Spanish, adding: “Long live Free Palestine and Haiti, too.” Harris applauded along, seemingly unaware that the song was about her until an aide brought it to her attention. That’s when she stopped smiling and lowered her hands. https://twitter.com/i/status/1771562067494830531 The 2024 Los Angeles Builders Ball,® held at the prestigious Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Thursday, March 21, marked Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles' biggest night of the year! Presented by City National Bank, the annual fundraising event gathered esteemed guests, celebrities, and community leaders to raise awareness and funds to empower families and build strength and stability in local communities through homeownership. The evening is a celebration of philanthropy and community impact, honoring individuals and companies who are instrumental in transforming the landscape of Los Angeles. MLS Cup Champions, the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), received the prestigious Dream Builder Award for their vital role in creating safe play spaces for kids, accepted by President Larry Freedman. Karla Torres accepted the Foundation Builder Award on behalf of Ring, the leading name in home security, for their unwavering commitment to home safety and community support. Real estate giant Lowe was honored with the Builder of the Year title, with Mike and Robert Lowe accepting the award for the company's remarkable 13-year journey with Habitat LA in making dream homes a reality. https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vMgEDHggp1nO_y6YdLNAAL8VydQVEoCxwOYp48P6ka2IOYX89krxdR4lSvn43R9AnZdmB_heVCSj2UXKQBvuMZ0CUd-ykolc9i2SsOwsWPg3yhIXKOy_hqIGHjyNFeOAr0uqGmGRfF0LwNoglEh3WwU-Zsq59eCTs0l1Bu051JU=&c=QuYnsuqUe7s3YIezLc7OvzAtw8gSq2TuU2_jQQly7nz2I2mAT6OpPg==&ch=37s_nnflC5KRderD90Umpb_2MsSecF0RTKJVjMhxbzF3eCV0xOL-tw== As Women's History Month comes to a close CEO, Branding Specialist & Business Mogul Blair Monique continues to inspire and blaze a trail in the entertainment field. The Rochester born creative has already inspired millions through her personal testimony. In 2017, Blair faced a formidable challenge when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. However, amidst adversity, she found a beacon of hope as she discovered she was pregnant, defying medical expectations and welcoming her son, Noah Alexander Walker, into the world. Her public transparency about her journey became a inspirational viral story shared worldwide. This miraculous turn of events inspired Blair to release the uplifting single "Miracles Can Happen," which resonated deeply with audiences and reaffirmed her unwavering faith. Blair Monique is also the CEO of The BMO Experience (A Full Branding And Marketing Firm). Since its 2014 inception, BMoDesigns has become a go-to destination for expert graphic, interior design, and marketing services, catering to a diverse clientele ranging from celebrities, recording artist, entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms. Blair's innovative vision and dedication have earned her numerous accolades such as Dove Awards & Stellar Awards Nominations, including designing Grammy-nominated projects such as 'Round Midnight by Adam Blackstone & Jazmine Sullivan and the NAACP Image Award-Nominated album LEGACY by Adam Blackstone. A few of her celebrity clients include (Actress/Comedian) Tiffany Haddish, (Actor) Christian Keys and (Comedian) Cedric The Entertainer. Blair has also made a guest appearance on the national syndicated Tamron Hall Show. Renowned percussionist and gospel singer Sandra Crouch, known for her illustrious career in music and ministry, passed away on Sunday, March 17, at Northridge Hospital in Northridge, California, following complications from radiation treatment for a non-cancerous brain lesion. Born on July 1, 1942, in Los Angeles, Sandra and her brother Andraé emerged from a deeply rooted musical and ministerial family. Together, they embarked on a musical journey, forming The COGICS in the 1960s, blending their talents with church influences. https://youtu.be/RFjKrcoMgVM While Andraé formed Andraé Crouch & The Disciples, Sandra carved her path as a sought-after percussionist in Hollywood, contributing to iconic albums such as The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and Janis Joplin’s “Pearl.” In the 1970s, Sandra joined forces with her brother, enriching gospel music with hits like “Jesus Is the Answer.” Their collaborative efforts extended to supporting Michael Jackson and working on acclaimed film soundtracks. https://youtu.be/vsAEuO8Zr9w Sandra’s solo career shone brightly in the 1980s, with three Grammy-nominated albums, including the award-winning “We Sing Praises.” Her musical legacy continued through her co-pastorship at New Christ Memorial Church, defying convention in the COGIC denomination. https://youtu.be/TWlNk8tP-F4 Powerball players will be vying for a colossal $800 million jackpot Monday night – the second time the prize has swelled so large this year. The Powerball jackpot was last won on January 1 by a ticket in Michigan with an estimated $842.4 million prize. If the prize is won Monday it would be the sixth-largest in the game’s history. A winner would have the option of receiving an estimated $800 million in annual payments or a lump sum payment of $384.8 million – both before taxes, according to Powerball. There have been 35 consecutive drawings with no grand prize winner. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9, but the odds of snagging the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to the lottery. https://youtu.be/u2co6nnSUEE A Florida-based pilot recently disclosed the optimal seating location on a plane to minimize turbulence.In a TikTok video viewed more than 1.6 million times, expert pilot Joey Miuccio shared where the best place to sit on the plane is to avoid turbulence. “I’ll tell you what, you definitely don’t want to sit at the back. The back is the worst spot,” he said in the clip, according to Daily Mail. Miuccio explained, “Usually the center of gravity is a little bit forward so it’s not as bad in the front and around the wings.” He added, “You can see that the back of the plane is getting freaking rocked. The front’s not so bad. The whole plane is getting bounced around but it is worse further from the center of gravity.” Talent agents, film producers, and directors to host the Imagination Lunchbox Virtual Open Call Auditions on Sunday, September 29, 2024, from 1pmEST to 3pmEST, powered by Zoom. The auditions are part of the activities offered at the 8th annual Imagination Lunchbox International Film Festivals September 21 – 29, 2024 online and at various places in Baltimore, Maryland. The Virtual Open Call Auditions are presented in partnership with Talent Concierge Artists Agency (TCAA) and ReMARKable Productions. It is sponsored in part by A&B Productions and Face Plant Films. Attendees get a chance to audition along with specially invited artists. The Imagination Lunchbox film festivals include the Imagination Lunchbox International Film Fest and the Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Fest. Screening and awarding for both festivals will be held virtually on Saturday, September 21st. The Imagination Lunchbox/Eubie Blake Filmmaking Workshops are on Sunday, September 22nd at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center in Baltimore. Private screenings at various schools in Baltimore from Monday, September 23 to Friday, September 27th. The Imagination Lunchbox Basketball Tournament of Games community event will be held Saturday, September 28th at the Druid Hill Park Courts in Baltimore, and the ILIFFs end Sunday, September 29th with the Virtual Open Call Auditions. Launched in 2015 by SAG/AFTRA multi-award winning actor (PBS, DreamWorks) and filmmaker with over 20 awards for his projects (Imagination Lunchbox, LLC) Anthony Michael Hobbs (www.Anthony-Michael.com), the film fests provide young filmmakers with a platform to screen and be honored for their projects. The community event has expanded in an attempt to meet the demands of the community. As a brown-skinned Black woman, Candiace Dillard Bassett from “The Real Housewives of Potomac” says she is concerned about the possibility of having fair-skinned children with her white husband. “I do have a fear of having light-skinned children,” she said during a recent episode of the Breakbeat Media podcast Don’t Call Me White Girl, ESSENCE reports. “I want my kids to be brown. But they’re probably not gonna be brown. And I’m like, becoming okay with it. I want my kids to be brown. But if they’re not, it’s fine,” she said. Dillard Bassett is married to chef Chris Bassett. When they first started dating, she didn’t consider the possibility that their children might have lighter skin. She stated on the podcast, “I didn’t think about [that] when I was falling in love and like ‘Oh this is my husband. Oh wait I’m gonna have these swirly babies.’” Maxwell is going on tour later this year, and he’s taking Jazmine Sullivan and rising singer-songwriter October London with him. The three-time GRAMMY Award-winning multi-platinum artist announced dates for The Serenade 2024 North American Tour, which will kick off September 14 at Hard Rock Hollywood. According to the press release, the expansive 25+-date tour will see the soul singer return to legendary arenas, such as Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Kia Forum in Los Angeles, and more. Tickets for tour will go on sale on Friday, March 29 at 10AM local time via musze.com. Exclusive meet & greet and VIP ticket packages are available. Jazmine Sullivan and October London will join the R&B crooner on the road this fall. Ice Cube clapped back at accusations of being associated with “white supremacists,” particularly Elon Musk, after revealing his 3-on-3 pro basketball league is coming to X (formally Twitter). Cube recently announced that The Big 3 League, which is set to kick off its seventh season on June 15th, will be streaming on X, Hip Hop DX reports. Fans criticized Ice Cube’s decision to collaborate with X owner, Elon Musk, whom he had clashed with in the past. “Love and respect Cube but his alignment with a white supremest [sic] is all we need to know. I get it money matters so do you my guy. Just keep it 100 and don’t Trojan horse for them. White Supremacy is who you are and represent. Enjoy!!,” one fan commented on X, per Hip Hop DX. Ice Cube responded, “Shut yo bitch ass up! I ain’t aligned with nothing, punk. I draw my own fuckin lines.” In September, Cube sparred with Musk on X/Twitter after the billionaire tech mogul trolled him on the platform. In a letter written by his chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, Kanye West insists that media outlets and music industry entities adhere strictly to West’s new name, Ye. West’s appeal follows the October 2021 approval of his official name change by a Los Angeles judge. In the letter, the rapper draws parallels between himself and the Pope. “He didn’t take the decision to change his name, potentially sacrificing some of the immense value captured by the brand ‘Kanye West,’ lightly,” the letter reads. “The change was made fully, legally, and permanently. This is who he is now. His name is Ye.” Yiannopoulos added, “He has on several occasions referred to it as his slave name. Ye is a black man in America who wants the right to full self-determination just like everyone else.” https://youtu.be/UXpShDCK0L0 ”Real Time” host Bill Maher is urging Democratic candidates to refrain from “pandering” to Black and Latino voters as a campaign strategy to avoid potentially losing the presidential election to Donald Trump. “So let my people, the Irish, lead the way because again the Irish think, ‘I don’t give a s***.’ But I do give a s*** about who wins the next election. And outdated racial pandering is one reason Democrats lose elections,” Maher said on his popular HBO show during the “New Rules” segment, Washington Examiner reports. “It’s not working for them or for us. Democrats are hemorrhaging the very voters they think they’re pandering to,” Maher added.A recent USA Today poll shows that 63% of black voters support Biden, despite historical trends suggesting a larger majority for his party. In Arizona and Nevada, Biden and Trump are nearly deadlocked among Latinos, according to a poll from the American Principles Project. https://youtu.be/5Gb5MalUjvI Donald Trump received both a lifeline from the courts Monday and a trial date for the first criminal trial of a former president in US history, a pair of rulings that hit home the legal whiplash constantly surrounding him. The twin rulings Monday, which came roughly within an hour of each other, hit the intersection of challenges to Trump’s image and his famed business empire as he seeks a second term in the White House. Trump’s historic criminal trial in the New York hush-money case against him will begin with jury selection on April 15, Judge Juan Merchan said Monday, after a dispute over the late production of documents caused the judge initially to push back the start date. For Trump, however, the more significant ruling Monday may have been a New York appeals court allowing him to post a reduced $175 million bond to appeal the $464 million New York civil fraud judgment against him, his adult sons, and his company. Trump told reporters he will cover the bond using cash as collateral. https://youtu.be/KDigCapdoAg Barring another unforeseen hiccup, never something to rule out when Trump is involved, the former president will face a jury on criminal charges for at least one of his trials before the November election. Monday’s hearing was to consider Trump’s motion to dismiss the charges and sanction the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office after the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York turned over tens of thousands of documents earlier this month related to the 2018 federal prosecution of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. Before noon, Merchan had already dismissed the allegations from Trump’s attorneys, ruling there were no violations and that the trial will begin with jury selection on April 15. https://youtu.be/YVcBqdg1dI0?list=RDNSwu5er6qLtNg A third-party inquiry was conducted after the January suicide of Candia-Bailey, a Black woman and a university alum. We reported earlier, citing HBCU Buzz, that she took her own life on January 8 due to distress from being “unsupported, disregarded, and abused after countless attempts to speak out on the bullying and harassment she experienced in her role from President Moseley.” Moseley, a white male, faced calls to resign amid protests from the Jefferson City community. He allegedly failed to support Bailey during her “cries for help.” Students at the HBCU said Moseley should “no longer be allowed to lead.” They created the #FireMoseley hashtag to increase awareness about Candia-Bailey’s suicide.“There is not a lot I can say about the independent report and its findings, but I am grateful to the Board of Curators for their faith in me and their vote of confidence,” said Moseley in a statement Thursday, ABC News reports. https://twitter.com/HBCUBuzz/status/1745554652739866931/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1745554652739866931%7Ctwgr%5E7853ed7fe5dd1156bd750e61a705e91843b202fb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fhbcu-president-reinstated-following-suicide-of-administrator%2F “The Board advised me of the report’s findings a week ago, and I’ve had time to reflect and to discuss my future and that of the University with my family and members of the Lincoln University community,” Moseley added. ABC News obtained a Jan. 8 letter addressed to Moseley in which Candia-Bailey said she experienced months of harassment and bullying from her white colleagues while under Moseley’s leadership. https://twitter.com/jonthemarq/status/1745570571356950831/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1745570571356950831%7Ctwgr%5E7853ed7fe5dd1156bd750e61a705e91843b202fb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fhbcu-president-reinstated-following-suicide-of-administrator%2F Director Ryan Coogler is working on a feature musical about the late-great Prince for Proximity Media. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Coogler will produce an untitled jukebox musical of Prince songs for Universal Pictures,” the outlet writes. The project, which has been under development since 2018, features a script penned by Bryan Edward Hill. Meanwhile, we reported earlier that Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan are teaming up again for an untitled feature film, and details about the project are under wraps. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cooler will write and direct the film with Jordan set to star. Per THR, “The project is operating under such a veil of secrecy that little is known about it,” the outlet writes. Ma$e has no regrets about leaving the rap scene at the height of his career in the late 90s. The ex-artist retired from the industry in 1999 to pursue ordainment as a minister. During an episode of his It Is What It Is, with co-host Cam’Ron, Ma$e reflected on his departure from Diddy’s Bad Boy label. He also recounted how he managed to evade the difficulties encountered by his fellow artists.Bad Boy artist Shyne spent nearly nine years in prison for a shooting that Diddy allegedly committed. As Hip Hop DX reports, in 2013, rapper Loon was sentenced to prison on drug charges. We reported earlier that Puff Daddy is currently facing multiple sexual assault lawsuits. “Everything now that we see playing out was all the things I escaped,” Ma$e said in the clip above before mentioning Shyne, the Loon, Diddy, and late rappers Craig Mack (who died at age 37) and Biggie Smalls (fatally shot at 24). https://youtu.be/UP80OVcyf5U As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, celebrity, fashion, and beauty photographer Matthew Jordan Smith honors the late Aretha Franklin today with a new coffee table book titled, “Aretha Cool: The Intimate Portraits,” on what would have been her 82nd birthday. The beautifully crafted 256-page book takes the reader through a journey from 2005 to 2018, highlighting the unique relationship between Smith and Franklin. The photographs illustrate not only the musical genius of The Queen of Soul but also her profound influence on culture, women’s empowerment, civil rights, and history. Aretha Cool is more than a book; it’s a celebration of a voice that resonated across generations and continents, a tribute to the emotional depth and impact of Aretha’s music. The photographs illustrate not only the musical genius of The Queen of Soul but also her profound influence on culture, women’s empowerment, civil rights, and history. Aretha Cool is more than a book; it’s a celebration of a voice that resonated across generations and continents, a tribute to the emotional depth and impact of Aretha’s music. Federal agents have raided the home of Sean “Diddy” Combs in Los Angeles and his residence in Miami as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation, U.S. officials confirmed Monday. “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners,” HSI said in a statement, CBS News reports. “We will provide further information as it becomes available.” FOX11 posted a video showing Diddy’s sons, Justin and King Combs, in handcuffs near the property. Two women leveled accusations of sexual abuse against the music mogul a week following Diddy settled a $30 million lawsuit with singer Cassie in November last year. In December 2023, another woman accused Combs and two other males of gang rape when she was 17 years old in 2003. A male music producer filed a lawsuit last month alleging that Combs sexually assaulted him. https://youtu.be/2vI1uyGZPCI The situation between Simon Guobadia and Porsha Willims is getting messier and messier. Some would argue that “dangerous” would be a better descriptor. You see, Simon has launched a fiery response to Porsha’s divorce petition, alleging in fresh legal documents that the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” luminary ushered in an “armed individual” into their shared abode. According to the documents acquired by Page Six, Guobadia contends that Williams “abandoned” their residence momentarily, only to reappear accompanied by a man conspicuously armed, the motives behind which remain elusive to Guobadia’s comprehension. The entrepreneur asserts that Williams repeated this concerning behavior on two separate occasions. Guobadia recounts an incident on March 21, necessitating his summoning of law enforcement to “safeguard the tranquility.” Additionally, he accuses Williams of enlisting “third parties” to harass him and others relentlessly, aiming to coerce their departure. https://www.instagram.com/iamsimonguobadia/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bf99b43f-5db1-4c64-be2f-fa24ddb5f6cc Acapella group Take 6 made a rare Los Angeles appearance, and anyone lucky enough to be among the diverse audience to witness them perform at the beautiful Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis), in Beverly Hills (CA), on Saturday, March 23, can attest that Take 6 is deserving of the slew of Grammy (10), Dove (10), NAACP Image (2) and Soul Train awards they have received, as well as their induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The virtuosic sextet, who have been around for nearly four decades, hit the ground running, all in white pants, but different jackets, with LTD’s “Back In Love Again,” and never looked back. The vocals were clear, crisp, harmonious, and melodious, the choreography was on point and the message that Take 6 came to bring it came through loud and clear, because they brought it, from start to encore to finish. Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International have cast several new key roles in the highly anticipated film “Michael,” the Michael Jackson biopic, from director Antoine Fuqua. Larenz Tate joins the previously announced cast which includes Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, and Emmy Award-winning actor Colman Domingo as MJ’s father, Joe Jackson. MJ’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, portrays the late King of Pop, making his acting debut in the biopic. According to the news release, Tate plays Motown Records founder and impresario Berry Gordy. Other new prominent roles include Kat Graham as the legendary Diana Ross. Jessica Sula plays Michael’s older sister La Toya. Liv Symone will play Gladys Knight, and Kendrick Sampson will portray producer Quincy Jones. Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, March 25 at 9 PM ET. A small business owner was an immigrant living the American dream in Washington, D.C. When he’s murdered in his own pizza mart, it seems like a robbery gone wrong. However, an unlikely suspect emerges with a shocking tale of lies and betrayal. Find out tonight at 9 PM ET. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYD4TFHU3uA Critically acclaimed show FOR MY MAN returns tonight, March 25. A young woman dedicated to her boyfriend offers to help with an easy errand. When the task doesn’t go according to plan, her man decides to seek reparations. His plan inevitably wraps her into an investigation. Will she find herself at a dead end? Find out what happens tonight at 10 PM ET https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axYEYT19aAo The NAACP Image Awards wrapped with Usher being honored with the President’s Award for Entertainer of the Year. Oprah Winfrey made a surprise appearance to present the honor. “My kids, I love you guys so, so much, I hope that I’m an example, I’m a dad who’s just trying to get it right every day,” Usher said. Usher then went on to thank his mother (who was his manager at the start of his career). Taraji P. Henson won big for “The Color Purple”. During her acceptance speech, she took the opportunity to thank those who stood by her during the press tour for the movie when she initially called out the pay inequality that exists in Hollywood. “I just want to thank you guys so much for showing up for me all the time, not just to the box office or watching what I’m in but y’all saw what happened and y’all showed up, you showed out, you showed me love,” Henson said during her speech. “It’s a scary thing to speak your truth but I urge you all to speak your truth because at the end of the day that’s all we have.” Queen Latifah, who hosted the Awards show, cosigned saying “Thank you for standing up for all of us.” https://youtu.be/ywbvqhJW0P8 Controversial activist Shaun King has been having a rough go of it ever since he publicly announced that he and his wife converting to Islam right at the start of Ramadan “in solidarity with Palestine,” which many people perceived as an opportunistic grift from an activist with an unfortunate reputation for alleged opportunistic grifting. (Basically, if King wanted people to stop calling him “Talcum X,” converting to Islam was exactly the opposite move to aid his cause.) King was recently booked as a keynote speaker for a Minneapolis fundraising dinner organized by a local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. But that invitation has just been rescinded by CAIR in response to the community backlash that erupted after the event was made public. https://twitter.com/i/status/1768773799602692429 In honor of Women’s History Month, Serato unveiled its “Women To The Front” series of short-form visualizers to celebrate and tell the stories of fearless, barrier-breaking female DJs and producers. Read more and watch the series inside. Each week in March, our family over at Global Grind continues to highlight the women who are making waves in their industry. This week thanks to Serato we spotlight three skilled artists, who are making women feel safe and seen in music and dance culture. “Women to the Front” spotlights three talented artists. Esteemed NYC-based DJ & Producer Natasha Diggs, Chicago-based DJ and multi-hyphenate artist King Marie, and NYC-based, Dominican-American DJ and Producer Dana Lu share their inspirational journeys in an effort to highlight a new wave of inclusivity and talent in their respective industries. Serato released the lead visualizer, which features all three DJs and later debuted their individual artist spotlight videos. Through each short film, Serato dives deeper into the stories of these artists, celebrating the tales of resilience, creativity, and empowerment that define women’s journeys in music. “I just want women to feel empowered to be themselves,” Natasha Diggs said in the lead visualizer. https://youtu.be/8w4lfdBDlTQ HipHopWired got the exclusive opportunity to talk with the filmmakers behind the highly anticipated Hulu documentary, Freaknik: The Wildest Story Never Told. For those in the know, Freaknik was not just a party that gathered nearly every Black person down in Atlanta, Georgia, every spring, but it was a veritable cultural moment. When word broke late last year that there would be a documentary about Freaknik, many immediately wondered if it would focus only on the wildness that came to be associated with the event. But in Freaknik: The Wildest Story Never Told, we get a clear-eyed and compelling account of Freaknik in all of its aspects thanks to testimony from numerous people including Jermaine Dupri and Luther “Uncle Luke Campbell” (who are executive producers), Lil Jon, 21 Savage and more. HipHopWired got the chance to talk with producers Jay Allen, Nikki Byles and executive producer Terry “TR” Ross about their perspective on Freaknik and their experiences making the documentary as it made its premiere on Hulu on Thursday. https://youtu.be/48jmE2J05OY Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said Saturday that “the train is coming,” referring to her team’s preparation for the case against former President Donald Trump and his 14 co-defendants and whether she was slowed down by attempts to remove her from the case. Willis, who avoided being disqualified from the election subversion case after more than two months of hearings and court action over her romantic relationship with her lead prosecutor, told CNN she was still working on the case during that time. “While that was going on, we were writing responsive briefs, we were still doing the case in a way that it needed to be done. I don’t feel like we’ve been slowed down at all. I do think there are efforts to slow down this train, but the train is coming,” she said while attending an Atlanta-area Easter basket giveaway. “We’re not going to miss or skip a beat because of all the noise or distraction on one case. We’re going to continue to do our work,” Willis said. But the DA’s office still faces legal hurdles in the case over alleged efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 electoral defeat. On Wednesday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee granted requests from Trump and his co-defendants to appeal the decision to allow Willis to continue prosecuting the case. https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/03/23/fulton-county-da-fani-willis-exclusive-intv-nr-vpx.cnn Wendy Williams‘ son could find himself without a luxurious apartment to live in. Page Six, citing court documents it obtained, revealed that Kevin Hunter Jr. received an eviction notice from his Miami-based apartment. The notice stems from the younger Hunter’s failure to pay his rent for February. As a result, the notice, filed at the end of February, revealed that Kevin owes the building more than $4,317.08 in back rent. In addition, Kevin Jr.’s lease, which began on Sept. 15, 2023, and stated he was obligated to pay $3,713 per month in rent after paying more than $7,000 for a security deposit. Subsequent court documents filed on March 5 show the case against Kevin Jr. had been dismissed. As a result, Page Six noted how it appears that the 23-year-old club promoter settled the debt. The outlet’s report comes after the first report on the eviction notice by The US Sun. https://youtu.be/w9DjaKWAOgI During his life, Kobe Bryant had a less-than-loving relationship with his parents. With his passing, that relationship has reached a new low with a severe backlash from his father, Joe, and mother, Pamela, auctioning Bryant’s very first championship ring. Chronicling discord between Bryant and his parents, Vibe mentioned that Kobe won the initial ring when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in 2000. The moment marked the first of five NBA championships Kobe obtained in his pro sports career. While the basketball legend gave Joe Bryant the original ring as a gift, he gifted a replica of the 14-karat gold 40-diamond jewelry to Pamela. Upon hearing about the auction, Kobe’s fans were more than happy to express how ticked off they were, with one labeling Bryant’s parents “disgraceful.” while another noted. “Kobe would have never sold it. Wow sad,” another user noted, as a third user felt the initial ring should “stay in the family” or Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, buy it and “keep it safe.” https://youtu.be/qKfmhuCRqUQ Tyrese has got some legal splaining to do when it comes to traveling expenses vs. child support. Referencing court documents, RadarOnline detailed claims made by the “Lately” vocalist that he paid next to nothing for recent trips overseas. Tyrese’s claims are the latest development in his ongoing child support case with ex-wife Samantha Lee. The former couple have been at war since last year, when Lee accused Tyrese of refusing to pay the $10,000 a month in child support he had been ordered to pay in full. With Tyrese’s recent trips, Lee is trying to have the “Baby Boy” actor found in contempt. Tyrese is fighting the effort, stating he is unable to pay the full amount. The pair share a 4-year-old daughter named Soraya. The back and forth between Tyrese and Lee is nothing new. Lee has gone on record with claims the singer paid her less than half of the required amount of child support in December 2023 and January 2024. “I wanted to keep it simple,” said Smooth Jazz saxophonist Jeff Sparks about his new project and title track “Wave At Me.” “Smooth Jazz…to wet the whistle. It’s in the DJ record pool in Chicago.” Sparks was born in Chicago but is now based in Atlanta. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and plays the clarinet as well. This is Sparks’ fourth album. “The album is not complete, we dropped the single to see how it does,” said the Billboard chart-topper when I asked about the release date for the album. “I’m still dotting the ‘I’s and crossing the ‘T’s, but it’s a game changer. God gave it to me.” “We are going to pace it out,” Jeff said about the singles to be released before the album. “A single now and continue until Christmas.” https://youtu.be/ARjgzidKaZE Reparations for Barbados are long overdue, according to the country’s Prime Minister, Mia Mottley. Speaking during a lecture at the London School of Economics, the national leader mentioned that $4.9 trillion in reparations is owed to Barbados for slavery. “We’re not expecting that the reparatory damages will be paid in a year, or two, or five because the extraction of wealth and the damages took place over centuries. But we are demanding that we be seen and that we are heard,” Mottley said on Dec. 6. Mottley’s comments come after she met with British Foreign Minister David Cameron on Dec. 5, BET via the British newspaper The Independent reports. Although she kept mum on whether she asked Cameron about a reparations payment to Barbados, Mottley did reveal she expected “the foreign secretary will take his lead from his majesty.” Mottley’s recent comments mark the latest development in the long-running debate over reparations. The issue has been a source of debate domestically in the United States as well as internationally in various countries, with little progress made in finding a resolution. https://youtu.be/cgN82VBSa8A According to the BBC, efforts to make a move towards reparations were halted in April when British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dismissed a Parliament member’s call to apologize and commit to reparatory justice. “No,” Sunak responded, adding, “trying to unpick our history is not the right way forward.” For her part, Mottley is known for being a leading voice in the African Diaspora reparations movement. As such, she has brought the issue to the mainstream. Putting weight on her argument for reparations from the UK, Mottley stated the country owes $24 trillion in reparations to 14 countries affected by British slavery. According to a study Mottley referenced that calculated how much the United Kingdom and other European countries owe in reparations. https://youtu.be/hO-qFuvYvXM Spain owes $17.1 trillion, France owes $9.2 trillion and The Netherlands owes $4.86 trillion. “These numbers, if taken out of context, can appear to be staggering,” she explained. “But in relation to the total wealth accumulated over a period of time, the numbers are actually minuscule.” Reuters notes that Barbados was first occupied by English settlers in 1627 under British control. During that time, the settlers developed a sugar plantation economy. Although the UK abolished slavery in 1834, the island remained a colony until it gained its independence in 1966. In November, African and Caribbean nations agreed to establish a Global Reparations Fund, to redress great wealth accumulated by Europeans and the ongoing consequences for their descendants, BET mentioned. The nations are currently united in demanding compensation from countries that have benefitted from slavery and colonialism. https://youtu.be/ehsWF2CXcqk Years after news broke about Netflix’s animated revival of the classic sitcom “Good Times,” the streamer is ready to bring its latest series to the masses. What’s On Netflix reports “Good Times” is set to arrive on Netflix with an April 12, 2024 debut. On board for the show will be the voices of Jay Pharoah as Junior, Marsai Martin as Grey, Yvette Nicole Brown as Beverly, Gerald Anthony ‘Slink’ Johnson as Dalvin and JB Smoove as Reggie. Jessica Mikayla, Venus DeMilo Thomas, and Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola round out the cast. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans, “Good Times” premiered in 1974 and ran for six seasons before ending its run on the small screen in 1979. The series, which the late Norman Lear developed, centered around a struggling family living in a poor black inner-city Chicago neighborhood and the real-life issues they faced. Stars of the long-running sitcom included John Amos, who played James Evans, Esther Rolle as his wife Florida Evans, Bern Nadette Stanis as James and Florida’s daughter Thelma, Ralph Carter as the couple’s youngest son Michael, Ja’Net DuBois, who played Florida’s best friend Willona Woods, Johnny Brown, who played Nathan Bookman and Jimmie Walker as James and Florida’s oldest son J.J. Sandra Crouch, Grammy® Award winning twin sister of gospel legend Andraé Crouch, and an artist in her own right, passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2024 @ 12 PM PST at Northridge Hospital in Northridge, CA. She was 81. She died of complications from radiation for a non-cancerous brain lesion. Crouch was an integral partner in her brother’s trailblazing career as the most popular crossover gospel artist of the 1970s and co-wrote one of his biggest hits, “Jesus is the Answer.” She was also a percussionist and/or vocal conductor on recordings by artists such as The Jackson 5, Madonna, Neil Diamond, and Janis Joplin. In the 1980s, Crouch stepped into the spotlight on her own with a trio of Grammy® Award-nominated albums that produced modern church standards such as “He’s Worthy,” “Completely Yes,” and “We Need To Hear From You.” Since 2015, she’s been the Senior Pastor of New Christ Memorial Church in San Fernando, CA. Celebration of Life Services Scheduled for April 16-17, 2024 At New Christ Memorial Church in San Fernando, CA. New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is thrilled to announce its Easter weekend of activities, packed with massive community outreach and renowned gospel artists. Dr. Creflo Dollar, a global faith leader and senior pastor of World Changers Church International (WCCI) and World Changers Church-New York, will join the New Birth congregation for a special Good Friday service on March 29 at 7:30 p.m. at 6400 Woodrow Rd. in Stonecrest. In partnership with DeKalb County Government, Bojangles and others, New Birth will launch its "Easter Dinner on Us" outreach on Saturday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to noon. With a goal to provide 2,000 free boxes of food to local families, New Birth will advance its efforts to combat food insecurities in Georgia. To date, New Birth's King's Table food pantry has fed more than 1.2 million people since the pandemic. All food boxes will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. The “Love Mountain” movie delivers "Don't Give Up" The first song from the movie soundtrack featuring gospel artist Earnest Pugh, Love Mountain, written and directed by Lee Shelton, is a compelling love story with some remarkable twists and turns within the family dynamic that produces the resilience that it takes to survive life’s challenges and win. The film includes appearances by some of Gospel Music’s brightest stars such as hip hop emerging artist Jevon Dewand, James Fortune, Pastor Mike, Jr., and Zacardi Cortez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u_gQicpNqQ Singer, songwriter and acclaimed vocal producer Rick Dorn uses his own life experiences to deliver a passionately invigorating message intertwined with lush harmonies and soulful music interpolations. The end result is POWER, his new single hitting digital outlets and streaming platforms just in time for this resurrection season. He convincingly conveys there is POWER in the blood of Jesus, and your audiences will love every minute of this song. We are going for immediate adds. https://rgmc-impact.disco.ac/playlist-new/16338969?date=20240315&user_id=885555&signature=v9xKgIbhGac4SQNTUEfgw2b_P0Q%3AcVG54Wws Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a/k/a The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have extended their wishes for “health and healing” to Kate Middleton a/k/a Catherine, Princess of Wales, following her cancer diagnosis. Prince Harry and Meghan expressed their desire for Kate and her family to undergo healing “privately and in peace.” As we reported earlier, Middleton acknowledged the news via a pre-recorded video, describing it as a “huge shock” after enduring “an incredibly tough couple of months.” She assured, however, that she is “well” and “getting stronger every day.” Although the specifics of the cancer have not been disclosed, Kensington Palace affirms the princess’s confidence in a full recovery. https://youtu.be/ABAaN_sHWoY Middleton underwent abdominal surgery in January, unaware of the cancer at the time. Subsequent tests revealed its presence. https://youtu.be/TI70xn6KL9k Disney+ released the trailer for the upcoming season of “Doctor Who,” starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as his companion Ruby Sunday. The trailer reveals a first look at Indira Varma’s (“Game of Thrones”) character, the Duchess. According to the press release, the additional guest cast includes Anita Dobson, Yasmin Finney, Michelle Greenidge, Bonnie Langford, Jinkx Monsoon, Jemma Redgrave, Lenny Rush, and Angela Wynter. Here’s the season synopsis: The Doctor and his companion Ruby Sunday travel across time and space, with adventures all the way from the Regency era in England, to war-torn future worlds. Throughout their adventures in the TARDIS — a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box — they encounter incredible friends and dangerous foes, including a terrifying bogeyman, and the Doctor’s most powerful enemy yet. https://youtu.be/xhL5ihOUUcs Regina King’s spot-on performance as Shirley Chisholm outshines the movie devoted to the political trailblazer in “Shirley,” a laser-focused look at the first Black congresswoman’s 1972 presidential campaign that might have benefited from more biographical detail and less obsessing about amassing delegates. Providing only a hasty introduction, writer-director John Ridley (whose recent credits include “Five Days at Memorial”) launches directly into Chisholm’s longshot bid for the White House, repeatedly heeding her own instincts that drove some of her advisers (played, mainly, by the late Lance Reddick, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Terrence Howard) crazy. Specifically, Chisholm provides detailed responses on hot-button issues like school bussing and abortion, in a way that, even in the pre-Internet era, are too nuanced, she’s told, creating the risk of alienating constituencies she needs to win over. https://youtu.be/hjBeKNHIdMY Before Lifetime’s controversial documentary on Wendy Williams‘ health and addiction struggles aired in late February, A+E Networks faced a legal battle with her court-appointed guardian, alleging she sought to block the film’s release due to its negative portrayal. The New York County Supreme Court recently unsealed documents revealing this dispute. Sabrina Morrissey, Williams’ guardian since 2022, filed a lawsuit on Feb. 22 against A+E Networks to halt the release of “Where Is Wendy Williams?” The unsealed records suggest Morrissey acted only after realizing the documentary might criticize her role in Williams’ life. “Only after seeing the documentary’s trailer and realizing her role in Ms. [Williams’] life may be criticized did Ms. Morrissey enlist the courts to unconstitutionally silence that criticism,” A+E Networks attorney Rachel Strom wrote in a petition to vacate the order, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Williams, under financial guardianship since 2022, contested the appointment, claiming improved health. Allegations of financial exploitation stemmed from purchases made by her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., addressed in the documentary. https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 Common is known and revered for his way with rhymes. But the “Go!” MC’s reputation as a lady’s man looks to be a red flag for elevating his relationship with Jennifer Hudson’s past dating status. In addition to Common’s past flames (tennis legend Serena Williams, singer Erykah Badu, actor Taraji P. Henson, political activist Angela Rye, and comedian Tiffany Haddish), Radar Online reports that Hudson’s hesitancy stems from past heartbreak from her 2017 relationship with former pro wrestler David Otunga. Before splitting in 2017, the pair were engaged for close to a decade and parents to their 14-year-old son, David, Jr. “After her engagement went south, Jennifer was adamant she would never marry — that it just isn’t in the cards for her,” a friend of Hudson’s told the National Enquirer. “But then Common came into her life and swept her off her feet!” Although Hudson and Common shared a longtime friendship, the romance between the pair didn’t exist until they worked together on the upcoming sci-fi thriller “Breathe.” From there came sightings of Common and Hudson displaying PDA, as Hudson downplayed talk surrounding their love. Rappers are often accused of stretching the truth. The question is did Lil Wayne actually lie to get approval for a pandemic-era loan? The notion is at the center of accusations against the rhyme slayer over his well-known use of marijuana. Alluding to an article from Business Insider, Complex detailed the report, highlighting information the government received from Lil Wayne and his team about the “A Milli” entertainer’s company, Young Money Touring Inc., being a drug-free workplace that warned their staff about using drugs. Lil Wayne’s situation was part of the Insider’s story investigating loans the “Go DJ” lyricist and other artists, including Post Malone, took out in 2021. The loans, the report mentioned, were set up to help independent artists. Lil Wayne’s efforts worked on his behalf. Young Money Touring received a check for $8.9 million that was approved by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The loan may have been approved, but Lil Wayne’s longtime open use of marijuana was something the Insider could not ignore. Armed with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the SBA, the publication investigated the loan approval. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iO3Q-R4zgdc?feature=share In a nostalgic look back, the late, and indelible Whitney Houston, a force to be reckoned with even in her absence, threw subtle shade at MTV for its lack of representation of Black artists in a vintage interview. Transporting us to the year 2001, Houston’s rendezvous with MTV News saw her reminiscing about her earliest encounters with the network. The conversation took a pointed turn when the songstress candidly pointed out the network’s reluctance to showcase her music, deeming it “too R&B” amidst its predominant focus on album-oriented rock, Madamenoire recalls. “I recall the struggle,” she mused, punctuated by a wry chuckle. “It was a breakthrough of monumental proportions for African American performers to grace the MTV stage, given its rock-centric ethos. I distinctly remember Michael Jackson’s breakthrough moment, and later Tina Turner, Bobby Brown, and myself—all pivotal figures in the MTV landscape.” Reflecting on her own journey to MTV stardom, Houston revealed the hurdles faced in getting her music heard, particularly her early hit “You Give Good Love,” which failed to gain traction on the network due to its perceived R&B leanings. However, with the explosive success of “Saving All My Love For You,” MTV was compelled to relent. “There’s a certain satisfaction,” she quipped, “in leaving them with no choice.” https://www.instagram.com/whitneyxbobby/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=250df956-831b-4a4b-954b-f5872de67d9f The backdrop of MTV’s inception in 1981, characterized by a roster dominated by white AOR acts like David Bowie, Duran Duran, and Tom Petty, starkly contrasted with the sparse inclusion of Black artists such as Michael Jackson and Prince. This disparity didn’t escape the notice of artists or historians. In 1983, Bowie himself challenged MTV’s lack of diversity, highlighting the absence of Black artists during non-peak viewing hours. The issue extended beyond mere representation, as Houston raised concerns about the content aired on MTV, particularly its impact on impressionable young minds. Expressing her reservations, she barred her daughter Bobbi Christina from indulging in the network’s explicit fare, opting to shield her from premature exposure to adult themes. In essence, Houston’s words echoed not just the struggle for recognition within the music industry but also the broader societal discourse on representation and responsibility in media consumption. Through her candid commentary, she left an indelible mark on the ongoing dialogue surrounding diversity and influence in the entertainment landscape. https://youtu.be/dY7PmX6Oz58 Guilty as charged! Cecil Whitmore, spouse of Dr. Simone Whitmore from “Married to Medicine,” has just given Hulu viewers a nod of confirmation regarding a Freaknik question. On March 21, a keen-eyed viewer posted this query: “Hey, Mr. Cecil, is that you at Freaknik?” Accompanying the inquiry was a snapshot showcasing a younger Whitmore amidst two companions. In a twist of fate, a new documentary, masterminded by Jermaine Dupri, delves into the “untold tale” of the iconic Atlanta gatherings that surged in popularity during the ’90s. Transporting audiences back to the genesis, the documentary chronicles how “Freaknik” initially emerged as a spring break bash conceived by Black college students at an Atlanta HBCU in 1983. The erstwhile IT whiz verified his presence. “Caught me red-handed!!! This is OG Freaknik, pre-’90s era, just for the record. @eugeneharrislll and I are brewing up some tales for our podcast—stay tuned!!!” he quipped. The snapshot in question was captured at the 1988 barbecue, which, back then, remained a collegiate affair. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GJOVP4OW8AAiazV?format=jpg&name=small Dr. Simone and Whitmore have been a legal 2-some since 1997, weathering storms and savoring triumphs along the way. During the Season 5 “Married to Medicine” reunion, Dr. Simone startled fans by revealing plans for a divorce from Cecil. Nevertheless, nearly 30 years on, the couple’s bond remains unbroken. The pair crossed paths as college students almost 35 years ago at Morehouse and Spelman College in Atlanta. Together, they’ve raised two children, Miles and Michael. Regarding “Freaknik,” the HULU documentary shares the “untold story” surrounding the popular Atlanta parties that swelled to popularity in the ’90s. Taking viewers back to the roots, the documentary details how “Freaknik” started as a spring break picnic created by Black college students at an Atlanta HBCU in 1983. https://twitter.com/CecilCWhitmore/status/1770973438439485572/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1770973438439485572%7Ctwgr%5E212db083f59a775d0725f057a5f011a48ce2363a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Foop-cecil-whitmore-partner-to-dr-simone-validates-presence-at-freaknik-festivities-photo-receipts%2F GloRilla, the “F.N.F” wordsmith stopped by CNN to recount her recent venture to the White House, honoring Women’s History Month in the esteemed company of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Inquisitive CNN anchor Laura Coates probed Glo about potential endorsements or voter advocacy from the POTUS. “That’s not my melody,” GloRilla quipped. “I’m just grooving to life’s rhythm, golden like Jill Scott’s anthem.” “I steer clear of political debates, but love? Love transcends,” she affirmed. “At the close of day, unity prevails.” GloRilla’s White House rendezvous lit up her Instagram feed, a mosaic of moments shared with Biden, punctuated by mutual affirmations, perhaps a melodic nod to her own track. Her social media chronicle painted a vivid tableau of camaraderie with Biden and Harris, advocating for a stance of measured silence in the face of uncertainty. https://twitter.com/i/status/1770974299974693068 Mike Mayden, a former major-league baseball scout and now the Founder of A League of Our Own (ALOOO), the only Black-owned independent baseball league in the United States, is inviting Black-owned businesses to take advantage of available sponsorship opportunities. In September 2024, the 501(c)3 non-profit organization will schedule 30 games in 30 days and is looking to develop a network of boosters, financial supporters, donors, sponsors, and/or underwriters to help sustain and cultivate the league’s future growth. Smith comments, “We are appealing directly to Black entrepreneurs, community and church leaders, and the people of the black community to make themselves a committee of one and make a financial donation to help support the longevity of our league.” He continues, “Since 1986, we have afforded inner-city baseball players, the opportunity to play baseball in: New York, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Minnesota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Florida, Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Hawaii etc. After being caught cramming numerous migrants into illegal shelters, Ebou Sarr, a small business owner in Queens now claims to have a new plan to house them lawfully. Despite Mayor Eric Adams’ upcoming visit to the southern border, Sarr is determined to show he can provide legal housing for African migrants in his four-bedroom rental in Queens. Moving away from the illegal operations in the Bronx and his furniture store’s basement, Sarr now accommodates 12 migrants who pay a monthly rent of $300. While some neighbors were unaware and are now worried, Sarr insists his intentions are purely humanitarian, reports CBS News New York. https://youtu.be/AfBCQC97kEw Mathew Knowles penned an open letter to Destiny’s Child, the beloved girl group he used to manage, for Women’s History Month. The thoughtful message to daughter Beyoncé and group members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams comes as the 20th anniversary of their album “Destiny Fulfilled” nears. “It is hard to believe that it has been almost 25 years since we began this journey this June,” Knowles wrote in an Instagram post. “You were just young teenagers with a dream to be the best in the world and you accomplished your dream. I thank you for your trust that you gave me to help create and facilitate your amazing journey.” Knowles continued, “Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle, on this Women’s Month, I wanted to take a moment to express my admiration for the incredible talent, hard work, and dedication that each of you have poured into your craft. Your relentless pursuit of excellence and unwavering trust in each other have undoubtedly propelled you to become the number one female group of all time. The music manager clarified that Destiny’s Child never broke up, noting that he is “immensely proud” of all the group “achieved individually and collectively,” he wrote. The GOP nominee for superintendent overseeing North Carolina’s public schools and its $11 billion budget (Michele Morrow) has a history marked by extreme and controversial comments, including sharing baseless conspiracy theories and frequent calls for the execution of prominent Democrats. Morrow, a conservative activist who last week upset the incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction in North Carolina’s Republican primary, expressed support in 2020 for the televised execution of former President Barack Obama and suggested killing then-President-elect Joe Biden. In other comments on social media between 2019 and 2021 reviewed by CNN’s KFile, Morrow made disturbing suggestions about executing prominent Democrats for treason, including Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Hillary Clinton, Sen. Chuck Schumer and other prominent people such as Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates. “I prefer a Pay Per View of him in front of the firing squad,” she wrote in a tweet from May 2020, responding to a user sharing a conspiracy theory who suggested sending Obama to prison at Guantanamo Bay. “I do not want to waste another dime on supporting his life. We could make some money back from televising his death.”In another post in May 2020, she responded to a fake Time Magazine cover that featured art of Obama in an electric chair asking if he should be executed. “Death to ALL traitors!!” Morrow responded. "https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/13/politics/trump-obama-obamagate-russia?cid=ios_app Mogul, VoiceOver Artist, and Hip-Hop legend MC Lyte honors Women’s History with a hard-hitting anthem to women across the globe with her new single “Woman.” Produced by Warryn Campbell, this track is a bold, lyrical celebration of womanhood featuring fellow hip-hop pioneers SALT of Salt-N-Pepa and Big Daddy Kane along with R&B crooner Raheem DeVaughn. Grammy award-winning producer Warryn Campbell lends his incredible talent as Executive Producer of this highly anticipated single from the upcoming MC Lyte project. WOMAN is set to be released on Friday, March 22, 2024, through a joint venture between My Block Records Inc. and Sunni Gyrl, Inc. with distribution by Vydia. https://soundcloud.com/mclytenow/woman-mp3 After Iman Shumpert disclosed Teyana Taylor’s substantial earnings in court, she insisted that he provide copies of his tax returns and bank statements amidst their estrangement. Iman and Teyana were married for seven years before she filed for divorce in January. Her attorney reportedly claimed in a court filing, “Much to the [Taylor’s] dismay, [Shumpert] appears to want to drag out this case through trial instead of working to resolve the divorce amicably with [Taylor].” According to recent court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Taylor’s legal team is requesting a list of items they’d like Shumpert to produce. Taylor is seeking details concerning Shumpert’s recent acquisition of a Bentley SUV, as well as documentation regarding the 20 vintage cars he purchased. She also wants records associated with his criminal arrest in Texas in 2022 for possession of marijuana and his 2016 DUI arrest in Georgia, per Radar. Additionally, the singer wants “Any and all audio and video recordings, or written notes or summaries of any conversations or communications that you have had with Petitioner, or any unprivileged third party, relating to any issue in the above-styled action from January 1, 2016, through and including the date of the final hearing in this case.” Wendy Williams’ son, Kevin Hunter Jr., reportedly works as a party promoter to make ends meet after his mother’s financial support was reduced by a court-appointed guardian who controls Wendy’s finances. RadarOnline reports that the 23-year-old has had to cut back on expenses and take a low-profile job in Miami, where he throws parties to make ends meet. Apparently, Kevin no longer has the financial support of his mother amid her ongoing mental health issues. Williams allegedly set up a plan for her son to access pre-set funds accessible to him while he is enrolled as a full-time student at Barry University. According to court documents, Williams’ Wells Fargo account was frozen after her financial adviser said the former daytime talk show host is of “unsound mind.” As Radar reports, in 2022, the bank effectively petitioned a New York court to establish a temporary financial guardianship for her. Ray J calls for his sister Brandy and singer Monica to join forces for a co-headlining tour. Last week, during Monica’s Instagram livestream, Ray made his request in the comments section, Vibe reports. “BRANDY/MONICA TOUR – PLEASE LETS MAKE HISTORY, ONE RUN FOR THE FANS. 100M plus for you both,” he wrote. Crooner. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4l_awQvcIK/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0c9e803d-84f0-4828-940e-d5df973455b9 As Vibe reports, neither Brandy nor Monica has responded to his suggestion. As you know, the singers famously collaborated on the track “The Boy Is Mine.” We reported earlier that producer Dallas Austin revealed that Monica punched Brandy back in the day amid their beef. https://youtu.be/cDAUUGspacs Azealia Banks hit up social media this week to slam Beyoncé’s foray into country music, calling it “white woman cosplay.” After Beyoncé’s Cowboy Cover album cover was revealed this week, Banks took to Instagram Stories to launch a scathing accusation, claiming that the superstar singer was pandering to white audiences, Complex reports. “Wow we didn’t even try to put even a little effort into a more artistic title? Sis I live for whiteyounce Donatella Bianca Bardot DOWN, but I’m kind of ashamed at how u switch from baobab trees and ‘Black Parade’ to this literal pick me stuff,” Banks wrote. Banks continued, “There was so much pertinent cultural commentary to be made here. I don’t get why you have to be in white woman cosplay to make – (what’s really folk/bluegrass/adult contemporary) facsimile ‘country’ music.” The rapper/singer describes Beyoncé as “boring and pretty all the time” and suggests that Cowboy Carter is Jay-Z’s idea, writing that his “strategies are corny and Beyoncé has better ideas.” Comedian Ms. Pat revealed she has never dated outside her race, citing the belief that white males do not prefer larger women. “White men only like fat women if the couple is extremely poor. White people with money don’t want no out-of-shape white fat bitch,” she said in the Nov. 22, 2023, episode of the TigerBelly podcast with Bobby Lee.As MadameNoire reports, the discussion began when Ms. Pat proposed that white males invented “eating vagina” to compensate for areas where they lacked success sexually, contrasting it with Black men’s prowess in penetration. Ms. Pat could not confirm this theory via personal experience with white males because she believes they don’t date fat women. “They give [their] fat women to Black men, or they kill them,” Ms. Pat said. “You don’t watch Madlock? ‘Bitch, I said lose weight!’ And hits ’em in the head with a brick.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C4OX1yXv87Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The cast is gearing up for the Geffen Playhouse’s West Coast premiere of the Broadway production of five-time Tony Award nominee and 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner Fat Ham, written by James Ijames (Kill Move Paradise, The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington). The Geffen Playhouse West Coast premiere of Saheem Ali’s (Merry Wives, Goddess) Broadway production of Fat Ham will be directed by Sideeq Heard (The Hot Wing King, A Curious Thing), who also served as associate director for the Broadway production. The cast of Fat Ham includes Nikki Crawford (The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, Stormy Weather) as Tedra; Chris Herbie Holland (White Noise, The Box) as Tio; Billy Eugene Jones (Purlie Victorious, A Soldier’s Play) as Rev/Pap; Adrianna Mitchell (Snowfall, What to Send Up When It Goes Down) as Opal; Marcel Spears (The Neighborhood, The Mayor) as Juicy; Benja Kay Thomas (Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, Bootycandy) as Rabby; and Matthew Elijah Webb (YELL: a “documentary” of my time here, A Raisin in the Sun) as Larry. Previews for Fat Ham begin Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse at 10886 Leconte Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90024. Opening night is Thursday, April 4, 2024. Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s new episode of WE TV’s reality series “Bold & Bougie,” which follows Crystal Smith, Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, and Princess Banton-Lofters. Per the official series synopsis, “The women of Bold & Bougie have spent their entire lives being cheerleaders for others. Now, it’s their turn to be the center of attention as they support each other and form an unbreakable sisterhood. In each hour-long episode, witness the growing pains that come from love, loss – and hangovers, because they still know how to have a good time. As they celebrate milestones, the women showcase their vibrant personalities and zest for life. However, this sisterhood isn’t without its challenges.” The description continues, “From career aspirations to personal relationships, each faces unique challenges and triumphs. Some must confront and mend strained relationships, while others lean on each other during both the highs and lows of their journeys. Above all, these women have one common mission: To survive in this dog-eat-dog world, they’ll need to change their narrative and how they have previously been perceived by those around them.” https://youtu.be/VHgm6AHXsvU The US Justice Department and more than a dozen states filed a blockbuster antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, accusing the giant company of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market. It’s the largest in a recent string of Big Tech companies to face antitrust complaints from the US government, which is cracking down on the massive industry, whose power has gone largely unchecked over the past several decades. The complaint, said Attorney General Merrick Garland at a news conference, alleges that ”Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits but by violating federal antitrust law.” “Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies break the law,” he added. https://youtu.be/MEIZ3x94Ayg The long-anticipated lawsuit, which was filed in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, comes after years of allegations by critics that Apple has harmed competition with restrictive app store terms, high fees and its “walled-garden” approach to its hardware and software: Apple famously makes its tech easy to use, but it achieves that by tightly controlling – and in some cases, restricting – how third-party companies can interact with the tech behemoth’s products and services. In some cases, Apple may give its own products better access and features than its competitors. The company said it denied the lawsuit’s allegations and would fight them and added that the lawsuit could empower government “to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.” But Garland on Thursday said Apple’s actions have wide-ranging effects. “Monopolies like Apple’s threaten the free and fair markets upon which our economy is based. They stifle innovation. They hurt producers and workers and increase cost for consumers,” Garland said Thursday. “If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly. But there’s a law for that,” he added. https://youtu.be/MI1TlBfPjQs Yesterday, in Atlanta multi-platinum recording artist and philanthropist, Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins, joined entrepreneur and founder of Cam Kirk Studios, Cam Kirk, for a one-on-one chat to discuss his New York Times Bestseller, Adversity For Sale: Ya Gotta Believe. The memoir explores his rise within the music industry, battling depression and his mental health struggles. Following the chat, which discussed overcoming personal obstacles and defying odds to achieve success, Jeezy met with attendees at the sold out event and signed copies of his memoir – including actor and comedian Desi Banks. https://vimeo.com/925975712 Beyoncé unveiled the artwork for her upcoming Cowboy Carter album, which depicts her wearing a sash that reads, “Act ii BEYINCÉ.” Fans quickly questioned if the spelling of her name was a mistake, but journalist Brooklyn White-Grier pointed out on X (formerly Twitter) that “Beyincé” is the surname of the singer’s maternal family, Complex reports.“A lot of people don’t know that Beyoncé is my last name. It’s my maiden name,” said Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, on a 2020 episode of the In My Head with Heather Thomson podcast, per People. “My name was Celestine Beyoncé, which at that time was not a cool thing to have that weird name. I wanted my name to be Linda Smith because those were the cool names.” Due to a clerical error, certain family members bear the surname spelled as “Beyincé.” As Complex reports, historical discrimination against Black people prevented the correction of their last names on legal documents. “It’s interesting — and it shows you the times — because we asked my mother when I was grown. I was like, ‘Why is my brother’s name spelled B-E-Y-I-N-C-E? You know, it’s all these different spellings,'” Knowles added. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4vnPyIRusq/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6d0dac91-5e71-41b1-b4ae-62b33e42df22 One year following her diagnosis of stage 3 cervical cancer in February 2023, popular YouTuber Jessica Pettway has passed away. This diagnosis came after she was previously misdiagnosed with fibroids.TooFab reports that Reyni Brown, the sister of beauty influencer Jessica, confirmed her passing in a post on Instagram that has since been made private. “It’s my birthday today, and the only thing I could ever wish for is for God to bring you back on this earth. I lost my beautiful big sister 2 days ago and my heart has never felt pain like this,” Brown wrote, sharing a photo of herself and the mom of two, according to E! Online. Brown said her sister brought her “so much wisdom, prayed for me, and helped me become a better mother.” She added, “Life will never be the same without her crazy laugh, pranks, or jokes. Loosing [sic] a sibling feels like a connection between us was destroyed. I love you with all my heart.” https://youtu.be/K7Jm7lW9ghI Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan have reportedly ended their relationship once more after dating for over a year.TMZ writes, “… we’re told all signs are pointing to it being a permanent split this time around.” The pair pumped the brakes on their relationship in February but got back together days later. According to TMZ Sports, Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife and Micahel Jordan’s son have been broken up for a couple of weeks now … and “there’s no hope of patching things up in the future,” the outlet writes. We reported earlier that Pippen and Jordan met at a party in Los Angeles in 2019. In August 2023, they denied engagement rumors after Jordan appeared to speak about wedding venues in a previous interview. Pippen and Jordan were spotted together on a Valentine’s Day date days after reports that they broke up. The couple were spotted in Magic City with Pippen showing off a massive diamond ring on that finger. At the time, it was unclear if they were engaged, Page Six reported. If you missed it, in a daytime exclusive interview on today’s “Tamron Hall,” journalist and former CNN host Don Lemon addressed his recent sit-down with former business partner Elon Musk. Lemon’s hour-long interview with Musk marked the premiere of “The Don Lemon Show,” which Musk had planned to stream on his social media platform “X”, formerly known as Twitter. Lemon addressed some of the contentious moments from the interview and reacted to Musk’s decision to pull his show from X following the interview. In addition to discussing the failed deal with X/Musk, Lemon reveals his plans for his upcoming wedding with fiancé Tim Malone. Then, in another daytime exclusive, actress Nicole Eggert reveals her journey with a recent breast cancer diagnosis and how she continues to have a positive outlook for her fight ahead. https://youtu.be/5RAwVbD28gg Don Lemon addresses misconceptions about his business partnership with Elon Musk: “He was a distribution partner. Just like your show [“Tamron Hall”] is distributed on different networks and different platforms. He was just a partner in that and that was just one thing, but originally it’s always been our intention for the show to go to as many places as possible on YouTube, on iHeartRadio, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, and on and on. So wherever you get streaming content, or wherever you get podcasts, you can get the show, and thank you all for tuning in and signing up.”https://youtu.be/7eO93L8tVkU Don Lemon on his hesitancy to partner with the ‘erratic’ Elon Musk: “As they say in the South, ‘You knew I was a snake before you picked me up,’ right? So again, I’m not saying he’s a snake but I’m saying I knew what I was dealing with. It was a person who is a bit erratic. So, yes, I knew that, but what I wanted to do was, they said they wanted to bring some credibility to the platform. He said, ‘I want to have voices from all different perspectives.’” https://youtu.be/l42bqQ9EYL8 Lemon on asking Musk about his ketamine use and his own experience with antidepressants: “This is a journey because that was one of the things that we agreed upon, and his answer was good, but it took him a while to get to it and people said, ‘why did you keep following up?’ I was like, because he has talked about this and I was waiting for him to get to that and finally he got to it, but let me share something with you. I have suffered from depression, right? I take an antidepressant now, it’s Wellbutrin or something like that. So I’m very transparent about that. It helped me get through the summer, you know, after losing a job, being fired. So, I do talk therapy now, but my doctor has also done guided therapy with me on drugs. I don’t know if it’s ever been ketamine but he says, you know, you should try other things. Then SSRI. Also, I don’t know if you’ve done it. It has helped people with PTSD when you use those drugs, but you have to do it under a doctor’s care. He said it was very personal. I said, well, the only reason I’m talking about this is because you put it out into the public domain.” https://youtu.be/bsyjC30Syvw Don Lemon reveals his plans for his upcoming wedding with fiancé Tim Malone: “We’ve picked out our songs. There will be some people you know at the wedding, and it was very important – we’re getting married in a church. The religion part was very important to me because I grew up religious. I’m a believer, right? I’m a Christian. So I believe in that. Tim is a Catholic. We couldn’t get married in the Catholic Church for obvious reasons, but also the legal part is very important to me as well because I didn’t think my relationship would ever be public. But I also never thought that I would be able to get married. I picked up my marriage license and the person who is going to officiate our wedding, it’s gonna be someone… It’s going to be legal. Real, real, legal!”https://youtu.be/sPD0T3qCihM Nicole Eggert on how she feels “amazing” despite her cancer diagnosis: “Well, it is the irony because people say, ‘how are you feeling?’ and I say, ‘I feel the best I’ve ever felt.’ But for me, it was about controlling the controllable right, and what can I do? I’m gonna give chemo its day and it’s respect and what can I do to help my body along and for me, that was mind, body, spirit. Have faith in whatever that is for you, doing the research on what foods to fight cancer, and what foods contribute to the growth of cancer. Keeping my mind in a really healthy place has been everything. And all of these things came together with all this love and support. And the irony is I feel amazing.” https://youtu.be/yfTskq2RU5I A pastor of two historically Black churches in Chicago is speaking out about another pastor’s claim that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “was not a Christian.” We reported earlier that John MacArthur — an 85-year-old white male pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California — made the remarks about MLK during a sermon last month, LGBTQ Nation reports. In his commentary, he criticized a group of evangelical pastors known as Together for the Gospel [T4G], for honoring King several years ago, Right Wing Watch reported. “[T4G] bought into the deceptiveness of the woke movement and the racial baiting that was going on a couple of years ago, and it literally put them out of existence,” MacArthur said. “The strange irony was a year later, they did the same thing for Martin Luther King, who was not a Christian at all, whose life was immoral.” MacArthur continued, “I’m not saying [King] didn’t do some social good, and I’ve always been glad he was a pacifist or he could have started a real revolution. But you don’t honor a non-believer who misrepresented Christ and everything about the gospel.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dAHjtFE19G4?feature=share A former NYPD aide is suing New York City Mayor Eric Adams, alleging he sexually assaulted her in 1993 while they both worked for the Transit Bureau when he demanded sexual acts in exchange for helping her get a promotion she was previously denied, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. The plaintiff in the lawsuit alleges that Adams, who at the time was working in the New York City Police Department’s transit division and was then with the Guardians Association, a fraternal order of the police department, used his position to proposition her. The suit follows a summons filed in New York County Supreme Court in November under the state’s Adult Survivors Act. Adams has denied the allegations and said he does not know the accuser. The plaintiff is also suing the NYPD Transit Bureau and the NYPD Guardians Association. CNN has reached out to the parties for comment. https://youtu.be/Dn_kukLmn5Y Starting Monday, YouTube creators will be required to label when realistic-looking videos were made using AI/artificial intelligence, part of a broader effort by the company to be transparent about content that could otherwise confuse or mislead users. When a user uploads a video to the site, they will see a checklist asking if their content makes a real person say or do something they didn’t do, alters footage of a real place or event, or depicts a realistic-looking scene that didn’t actually occur. The disclosure is meant to help prevent users from being confused by synthetic content amid a proliferation of new, consumer-facing generative AI tools that make it quick and easy to create compelling text, images, video and audio that can often be hard to distinguish from the real thing. Online safety experts have raised alarms that the proliferation of AI-generated content could confuse and mislead users across the internet, especially ahead of elections in the United States and elsewhere in 2024. YouTube creators will be required to identify when their videos contain AI-generated or otherwise manipulated content that appears realistic — so that YouTube can attach a label for viewers — and could face consequences if they repeatedly fail to add the disclosure. https://youtu.be/metzj5fsBlQ The platform announced that the update would be coming in the fall, as part of a larger rollout of new AI policies. When a YouTube creator reports that their video contains AI-generated content, YouTube will add a label in the description noting that it contains “altered or synthetic content” and that the “sound or visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated.” For videos on “sensitive” topics such as politics, the label will be added more prominently on the video screen. Content created with YouTube’s own generative AI tools, which rolled out in September, will also be labeled clearly, the company said last year. YouTube will only require creators to label realistic AI-generated content that could confuse viewers into thinking it’s real. https://youtu.be/8WWKmgtuWtk “I got into the indigo color,” said R&B/Jazz keyboardist Jeff Logan about the meaning to the title to his upcoming album release “Indigo” (Fire and Ice Network) to be released April 12, 2024. “It’s metaphoric for my life.” The new Jeff Logan album is produced by Grammy-winning Paul Brown (Boney James, Norman Brown) and offers 10 selections. “The first single ‘Let It Go’ came out in January, it was on the charts,” said Jeff. “In Spain, its already gone from 87 to 9!” The project features assistance from Paul Brown (guitar), Shane Theriot (bass, drums, guitar, and keyboards), Gorden Campbell (drums), Roberto Vally (bass), Ron King (horns), and Greg Vail (sax). “The response has been overwhelming,” said the Maryland resident. “I approached Paul Brown about producing a project…I wanted to concentrate…let others bring their skills.” https://youtu.be/N_c4kMXiCrs Dr. Dre was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday (March 19). Dre’s hip-hop pals, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Eminem, were in attendance as the hip-hop mogul officially received the 2,775th star. “Growing up in Compton, I never imagined that I would one day be represented here among some of my childhood heroes,” Dre said at the star-studded event, Billboard reports. “I’ve been fortunate enough to make a living doing exactly what I love to do. How about that? Isn’t that the dream?” Dre asked the crowd. “Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of finding and nurturing new talent as well as pushing the boundaries in hip-hop both in content and substance.” Dr. Dre’s star will live next to Snoop’s in front of Jimmy Kimmel’s studio on Hollywood Blvd. https://youtu.be/4bNLs1hxVp8 Share Our Strength, the organization behind the award-winning No Kid Hungry campaign, has launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the root causes of childhood hunger in the United States. Recognizing that it takes more than food to end hunger, Share Our Strength is investing $6.7 million across 28 organizations in 12 states to help families, particularly single mothers with lower incomes and their children, achieve financial security. Through advocacy for policy change and programmatic strategies, partners are working on three high-impact areas: removing barriers to increased incomes and wages, reducing the cost burden of food, and shifting the narrative around single mothers experiencing poverty. Despite being consistently employed, single mothers and their children face extraordinary levels of food and financial insecurity due to intersecting barriers, including limited access to living wage employment, high costs of basic needs, and social stigmatization. These barriers make it challenging to meet daily needs such as food, childcare, and safe housing options, perpetuating a cycle of generational poverty and hunger. Of the nearly 8.5 million single mothers in the U.S., 61% are considered low-income and according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the increase in food insecurity in 2022 was most pronounced for households with children headed by single women with 33.1% living with hunger. Don Lemon expressed his desire for Elon Musk, the head of SpaceX, to catapult him into orbit for the inaugural outer space podcast adventure. Lemon allegedly presented Musk with a wishlist that outlined his desire for a free Cybertruck and included various demands during contract negotiations with X before his abrupt dismissal last week, The New York Post reports. During negotiations to host a show on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, the former CNN anchor submitted a wishlist to Musk. His demands allegedly included “a free Tesla Cybertruck, a $5 million upfront payment on top of an $8 million salary, an equity stake in the multibillion-dollar company, and the right to approve any changes in X policy as it relates to news content, according to a document reviewed by The Post,” the outlet writes. Lemon also requested a private jet flight to Las Vegas, accommodations for himself and his fiancé in a suite, and the company to cover their expenses for day drinking and massages. Here is an exclusive clip from an all-new episode of the Audible Original interview podcast series, “Your Mama’s Kitchen” featuring political activist Nicole Avant. In the clip, “Avant — daughter of legendary music mogul Clarence Avant and well-known philanthropist Jacqueline Avant – opens up about her childhood, growing up with a front row seat to some of the most powerful civil right leaders in the middle of their mission and how it shaped her as a human. She also reflects on the loss of her mother and shares tips for consoling someone experiencing deep grief,” per the press release. This conversation continues a month of compelling conversations with female thought leaders timed to Women’s History Month. https://soundcloud.com/audible Actor Carl Anthony Payne II, from the hit ‘90s sitcom “Martin,” sat down with Tamron Hall on March 10 for his first-ever talk show appearance and reflected on his reunion with his former castmates at the Emmy Awards. During the conversation, Payne dropped a bombshell when he revealed that he has been raising Bobby Brown’s biological son, Landon Brown, since he was 5. The actor is married to Melika Payne, the mother of the boy who shares Landon with Brown, MadameNoire reports. “He used to come over all the time, and I’d be like, it’s your turn to take him to school,” Payne said of Brown. “I’m sleeping in today,” he stated. Elsewhere in the conversation; he also reflected on reuniting with his “Martin” co-stars during the Emmys in January. https://youtu.be/AD7vDjzrKvc Megan Thee Stallion has announced dates for the “Hot Girl Summer Tour,” a 31-city trek produced by Live Nation that will feature GloRilla as a special guest. According to the news release, the tour will kick off on May 14 in Minneapolis and make stops at several major cities across the United States—including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Houston—before wrapping up in Las Vegas on June 22. The international leg of the tour will begin in Glasgow, Scotland, on July 4, with additional shows in England, France, Germany, and Ireland. Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale on Wednesday, March 20. The general onsale will begin on Friday, March 22, at 10 a.m. local time on store.megantheestallion.com. Fans can also purchase VIP Packages. In related news, Planned Parenthood announced plans to honor Megan with the organization’s Catalyst for Change Award at its annual gala in New York City on April 16, per the news release. A federal appeals court has halted a Texas law empowering state law enforcement to arrest suspected illegal border crossers. The move came Tuesday evening, hours after the Supreme Court allowed the law, SB 4, signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), to take effect. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay before Wednesday’s oral arguments, The Hill reports. The conservative majority on the Supreme Court dismissed an emergency application from the Biden administration, contending that the law infringes on federal authority. Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson expressed concern that the statute would exacerbate “further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement.” Per CNN, “The law makes crossing the border illegally a crime in the Lone Star State and enables local law enforcement to arrest those suspected of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, before facing deportation to Mexico or jail time,” the outlet writes. Justice Sotomayor wrote in her dissent that the law “upends the federal-state balance of power that has existed for over a century, in which the National Government has had exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens.” https://youtu.be/7tLZvHSxgMo In their ongoing pursuit for recognition of tribal citizenship rights, the Black Creeks have taken their legal battle to new heights, submitting a fresh brief before the Muscogee Nation Supreme Court.The plaintiffs, Rhonda Grayson and Jeff Kennedy, call on the Muscogee Nation Supreme Court to confront the issue of selective enforcement of treaty obligations and denying fundamental rights to descendants of Freedmen, TAG 24 reports. The Muscogee Creek Freedmen were of African descent and resided among the Muscogee Creek Nation in various capacities: some were enslaved by Creek members, others lived as free individuals, and others were recorded as interracial Creeks, per TAG 24. The Creek Treaty of 1866 stipulated that Freedmen and their descendants were entitled to “have and enjoy all the rights of native citizens.” However, citizenship rights and benefits were revoked from Blacks with the adoption of a new constitution by the Muscogee Creek Nation in 1979. This sparked a legal battle that persists to this day. In September, Muscogee Nation District Judge Denette Mouser ruled in favor of Grayson and Kennedy, who filed a lawsuit against the tribe’s citizenship board for denying their membership. However, Muscogee authorities appealed the decision and successfully obtained a stay on the ruling. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2fAeyxOHKt/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=962c78cf-96f7-4189-8055-0a1b0bd75a55 In its 14th celebratory year, the nationally syndicated Café Mocha radio show’s Salute HER Awards 2024 shined a light on Black women who have made history and have excelled beyond odds in honor of Women’s History Month. The sold-out event took place at the historic Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem, NY recently. https://youtu.be/rpLGAJbzw8A Hosted by Café Mocha co-hosts Angelique Perrin and hip-hop icon Yo-Yo with pop culture icon Jawn Murray, the evening was treated to an exceptional musical performance by Grammy-Award-winning duo Louis York. The esteemed group of seven honorees includes: Ann Tripp, news icon and news director at WBLS-FM and the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, who was the recipient of the Broadcast Legacy Award; DeDe McGuire, national media personality, philanthropist, and host of the nationally-syndicated “DeDe In The Morning Show”, was the recipient of the Media Innovator Award; Melba Moore, Legendary singer, and award-winning actress, was the recipient of the Legend Award; Flo Anthony, famed celebrity journalist, was the recipient of the Media Legend Award; Alicia Reece, Hamilton County Commission President and founder of the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame, was the recipient of the Creating the Legacy Award; Jotaka Eaddy, widely-respected social impact activist, was the recipient of the Champion for Change Award; Melba Wilson, well-known Harlem restauranteur and founder of Melba’s, was the recipient of the Business Legacy Award. https://youtu.be/uTAmaGJeIKU Evening dinner opened with a prayer led by Cheryl Polote-Williamson, 2019 Salute Her Award honoree and CEO of Cheryl Polote Williamson, LLC. Each honoree gave touching and inspirational acceptance speeches that captured the true essence of the mission of the Salute HER Awards to inspire others and make a difference in their respective fields. https://youtu.be/5z7GUrm6yME Get ready for all new episodes of TV One’soriginal and longest-running series "UNSUNG" and "UNCENSORED" this Sunday, March 24 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. "UNSUNG" leads with Candi Stanton at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by "UNCENSORED", which features R&B sensation Jasmine Guy, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. The seven-time NAACP Image Award-winning series "UNSUNG", spotlights entertainment’s most talented, versatile, and influential music artists. This week's episode explores the success of the queen of southern soul, Candi Staton. Candi Staton rose to fame with a string of iconic disco groove hits. Behind her success, Candi faced numerous challenges and personal struggles. "UNCENSORED" explores the lives of some of today’s most notable personalities as they provide first-hand accounts of their success and the obstacles they faced throughout their careers. This week's episode highlights talented actress Jasmine Guy. She is loved for her portrayal of Whitley Gilbert on the beloved sitcom, A Different World, but she is uncensored as she explains her 30 year journey as a performer is much bigger than one role. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAKLmG_UbZI Radio Host, & coffee connoisseur Angela Yee stops by for cocktails and conversations. JJ makes an expresso martini, along with pan seared chicken with pollo guisado ragout. He serves it with a mixed green salad topped with sherry dressing. Chef JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV Personality and Author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by the Caribbean flavors of his upbringing. Chef JJ’s signature cooking style combines culturally relevant ingredients and classical technique with a global point of view. At FIELDTRIP, his made-to-order rice bowl shop in Harlem, Chef JJ highlights rice as a hero ingredient and showcases it in recipes sourced from around the world. Among many other partnerships, Chef JJ is also a Mastercard Ambassador. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkZfaGNNbQA The Smollett sibling duo returns to CLEO TV tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET/8C with hit series, LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. This season, Jake and Jazz will continue to share beautiful home makeovers, prepare delicious family recipes, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for a lucky group of homeowners. Jia wants to celebrate her girly, athletic daughter with a revamped bedroom. For her love of sports, Jake makes a pink basketball hoop, Jazz adds pops of pink, and plush accessories. On the menu, Lobster pasta & sugar cookie cups. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dAY1x4J_BQ As Georgia plans to carry out its first execution in more than four years (of Willie Pye, later today/tonight), the condemned inmate’s attorneys argue he should be spared because of an intellectual disability and a troubled upbringing, evidence of which was never heard by his jury at trial. Indeed, three of Willie Pye’s jurors are now opposed to his execution, citing factors in the inmate’s background that were not presented by what his clemency petition says was an overworked and ineffective public defender. The state parole board, however, was unconvinced: After meeting Tuesday and “thoroughly considering all of the facts and circumstances of the case,” it denied clemency, according to a news release. Pye still has litigation pending that could potentially halt his execution, records show. It’s not uncommon for death row inmates to pursue efforts to avoid execution up to the last minute before they are put to death – some that reach the US Supreme Court. If Pye’s execution by lethal injection proceeds as planned Wednesday evening, it would be Georgia’s first since January 2020, according to the non-profit Death Penalty Information Center. Executions were halted there as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the American Bar Association has said. https://youtu.be/3QE6a49oxJI Pye, 59, was convicted of malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, armed robbery, burglary, and rape and sentenced to death for the 1993 killing of Alicia Lynn Yarbrough, with whom he had an on-again, off-again romantic relationship, according to court records. Pye’s clemency petition argued instead for a life sentence, pointing in part to the ineffective assistance of his trial attorney, who died in 2000. At the time, that attorney “was responsible for all indigent defense services” for Spalding County, Georgia, through a contract for which he was paid a lump sum, the petition says. https://youtu.be/L2JCzYOFyOE Jermaine Dupri prefers a woman that is keen on accompanying him to strip clubs. But if she is not into adult entertainment venues, she may not be the right match for him. “If [a woman I’m dating] came to Atlanta, and I said ‘We going to Magic City tonight’ and she was like ‘Well, you know I don’t really f*ck with no strip clubs.’…At that point you, you have broke our synergy,” the music producer said during a recent interview on The Breakfast Club, The Jasmine Brand reports. “You flew to Atlanta to stay at my house? While I go party with my homeboys?” He continued: “As a woman, her mind’s going to start doing this [rotating motion]…I asked you to come with me so that your mind wouldn’t do that, but you want to stay at home and wait till I get back… and then come back possibly smelling like the strip club, all these questions…then we going to have a beef.” Dupri dated Janet Jackson from 2002 – 2009, but he never took her to the strip club. https://youtu.be/4TEotr-YJ6I “I was thinking like, ‘Oh, if I take her in there one of them girls going to tap me on my shoulder that I done been with and she going to know…I was thinking about all the bull sh*to,” he said about Jackson on The Breakfast Club. Jackson and Dupri broke up due to his cheating. Elsewhere in the interview, JD promoted the upcoming “Freaknik” documentary. The music mogul teamed Uncle Luke to executive produce the project for Hulu. https://youtu.be/48jmE2J05OY Is this the greatest week ever for Dr. Dre?! Well, from the outside, it sho’ nuff looks like it. That’s cause the good doctor is on cloud nine this week as the renowned producer was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To celebrate, he was joined by his famous friends Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and 50 Cent in a hee-larious spoof/skit parodying “Grey’s Anatomy” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Last night (03-19-24), in the skit titled “Dre’s Anatomy,” Dr. Dre plays the role of an ER doctor alongside his buddies, examining Jimmy Kimmel’s “situation” in a comedic manner. What’s also worth noting is that they all stay in character throughout, making for a truly memorable performance. As the skit turns into a wild party with Dre on the beat machine and Snoop enjoying some questionable vapor, a new show called “EM” featuring Eminem is teased, leaving viewers wanting more. https://youtu.be/mUBXUyRoQco P. Frank Williams, a recipient of an Emmy and eight NAACP Image Awards for his work in television and film production, has launched his multimedia production company, For The Culture By The Culture Media Inc. (@FXCXC). This venture comes on the heels of his recent success directing and executive producing the highly-anticipated “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told,” set to premiere on HULU this Thursday, March 21. Williams has produced and directed several acclaimed projects centered around Black culture and music. These include TV One’s renowned documentary series “Unsung” and “Unsung Hollywood,” BET’s award-winning series “American Gangster,” “Hip Hop Homicides” executive produced by 50 Cent and Mona Scott-Young and films such as “Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan,” “A Hustler’s Ambition” by Universal/Def Jam Records, and award shows such as BET Awards and BET Hip-Hop Awards. Williams explains, “After working in newspapers, magazines, TV, and film for over 25 years, producing content for major networks and streamers, I noticed a recurring issue: stories about people of color were often not being produced by people of color themselves. For The Culture By The Culture aims to fill that void by ensuring representation both in front of and behind the camera. Specializing in Black culture, hip-hop, sports, true crime, and music, @FXCXC is a unique one-stop content studio that handles everything from idea generation to production, editing, and delivery. @FXCXC stands out as one of the first global culture content companies led by individuals who are deeply rooted in the culture they represent.” https://youtu.be/48jmE2J05OY Jeffrey Wright has joined the cast of Spike Lee’s remake of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low,” released in 1963. The film is loosely based on the 1959 novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain. The story follows an executive of a Yokohama shoe company who becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom, per IMDB.com. Coming Soon reports that Wright joins Denzel Washington in Lee’s new film version, described as a “reimagining” of Kurosawa’s movie. The actor recently earned an Oscar nomination for playing Thelonious “Monk” Ellison in 2023’s American Fiction. https://youtu.be/i0MbLCpYJPA Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli wants the court to terminate spousal support for his estranged wife, Kim Marlowe.According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Morvan responded to Marlowe’s divorce petition and noted that he doesn’t agree with her on the length of the marriage. Fab is contesting the separation date. In her filing, Marlowe cited the marriage date as December 3, 1998, and the separation date as January 2, 2024. Morvan countered, stating the marriage lasted two years, from 1998 to February 2001, whereas she argued it spanned 26 years. The former couple do not have children. Marlowe listed the reason for the separation as “irreconcilable differences.” She wants to former singer to pay her monthly spousal support. Reports suggest that actor-producer Vin Diesel is livid over Universal executives halting the $250 million budget he’s pushing for “Fast 11.”The forthcoming movie continues the storyline established in “Fast X,” and is the final film in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. Diesel and Dwayne Johnson are reuniting in the film, with a release date reportedly set for April 4, 2025, ScreenRant reports. After appearing in “Fast Five” in 2011, Johnson starred in three other Fast movies before co-starring with Jason Statham in “Hobbs & Shaw” in 2019. He walked away from the film franchise after falling out with Vin but they ultimately settled their beef. In a June 2023 Instagram post, Johnson wrote, “Last summer @vindiesel and I put all the past behind us. We’ll lead with brotherhood and resolve – and always take care of the franchise, characters & FANS that we love.” He added, “Despite having our differences, we’ve been like brothers for years.” Angel Studios, the platform empowering filmmakers with full creative control to crowdfund and create, is announcing today the release of CABRINI—the second Angel Studios release from SOUND of FREEDOM Director Alejandro Monteverde. CABRINI will launch in theaters nationwide on March 8, 2024. “Francesca Cabrini is one of the most inspiring and influential figures in modern history, and yet few know her story. Faced with seemingly insurmountable life obstacles, Cabrini chose instead to focus on how she could change the status quo in her time, and her impact on the world is still felt today,” said Liz Ellis, Chief Operating Officer at Angel Studios. “We’re thrilled to be able to share her unbelievable story in theaters this Spring. This will be our second collaboration with SOUND OF FREEDOM Director Alejandro Monteverde—and the Angel Guild gave this film even higher ratings than SOUND OF FREEDOM. Our community has high expectations for this project.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuFkt3w-7kI The cast of the new BET dark comedy drama series “Diarra from Detroit” recently graced the panel at Essence Hollywood House, sparking an engaging conversation that was as enlightening as it was entertaining. The panel featured the stars of the show, Diarra Kilpatrick, Claudia Logan, and DomiNque Perry, alongside Stephanie Dunivan, Essence’s VP of Branded Solutions and Video. In a new interview, Dr. Dre called Eminem the “best emcee ever.” “I think he’s the best emcee ever,” Dre shared during a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s The Life of Mine With James Corden, Complex reports. “Point blank, period. Of course, there are going to be arguments about that because he’s a white guy. I don’t think anyone that’s rapping can touch Eminem on that microphone.” Dre went on to describe his initial studio session with Eminem. “I’m not sure if anybody knows this, but I think the first four albums was just me and him and his writing and his delivery and his imagination is off the charts and I don’t think anyone would disagree with that,” Dre explained. He added, “I was playing with the MPC and I hit play on it and he just went, ‘Hi, my name is.’ It happened that fast. No bullshit, and then we went from there and that was the beginning of this relationship.” https://www.instagram.com/j_corden/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b7c8f337-b777-435a-8326-403624186ab8 The M7 highway in Ireland boasts a Barack Obama-themed gas station called the Barack Obama Plaza. It features bronze statues of the former President and First Lady Michelle Obama and offers souvenir coins, magnets, mugs, and cardboard cutouts of Obama, Indy100 reports. The gas station opened in 2014, as a tribute to Obama’s visit to the nearby town of Moneygall, where his great-great-great-grandfather was born. The service station’s presence was widely uncovered thanks to Emily Howard, whose TikTok post has since gone viral. Speaking to The Daily Dot, Howard said: “I thought [visiting the Barack Obama Plaza] would be a hilarious surprise for my fiancé, and it was made better that he fell asleep in the passenger seat, and when he woke up, he was greeted by the statues of the Obamas in front of the Plaza. https://www.tiktok.com/@artdazenc/video/7345203202712669470?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Firish-gas-station-dedicated-to-barack-obama%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=71929435%2C121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7345203202712669470 TikTok - Make Your Day MGM Resorts responded to reports about Bruno Mars’ alleged gambling debt with the Las Vegas casino. A rep for the company said “he has no debt with MGM,” and noted that its relationship with Bruno Mars is one of “mutual respect,” The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. We reported earlier via NewsNation’s “The Scoop” newsletter that Mars, 38, allegedly owes MGM millions due to his gambling addiction. The insider disclosed, “He’s in hock to MGM for millions.” According to the grapevine, his debts have ballooned to a staggering $50 million. “He’s essentially beholden to them,” the Vegas source added. Ninety percent of all commercial airline pilots in the United States are white men. So, recent comments from airline executives about the need for more diversity among pilots have led some to believe standards will be lowered in favor of DEI initiatives. In case you think airline companies allow unqualified pilots to fly airplanes just to fill a DEI mandate you are wrong! There are several qualifications pilots-in-training must pass just to be considered for a position with a commercial airline. Flight hours, simulator training and instrument certifications are just a few of the challenges that await anyone who wants to join the ranks as a commercial airline pilot. It takes years of preparation. Two people who made the sacrifice, and passed the tests, but still have to fight through negative stereotypes about Black men and women in the flight deck were my guests on a recent episode of my podcast. https://youtu.be/Z11MMIKf-Uo Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker said they were often not believed when they tried, for months, to tell people about the grueling violence and torture they endured at the hands of six White law enforcement officers, culminating in Jenkins being shot in the mouth. Now, more than a year later, the men – both of whom are Black – and their attorney say justice may finally come as the White officers who tortured them for nearly two hours are set to be sentenced in federal court this week. Five of the officers face a maximum of 20 years in prison while the sixth could face a maximum of 30 years behind bars. “I’m here for a reason,” Parker said in a tearful interview with CNN on Monday. “I’m still here fighting and I’m gonna fight.” Details from the January 24, 2023, incident eventually came to light after the two men filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in June. Many of the claims were later borne out by federal prosecutors in August as the six former Mississippi officers pleaded guilty to a combined 13 felonies in connection with the torture and abuse of the two men. “The day of justice has finally come for the Rankin County ‘Goon Squad,’” Malik Shabazz, lead attorney for Parker and Jenkins, said Monday. “It’s an important day, not only for Mississippi, but it’s an important day for accountability, for police brutality all across America.” https://youtu.be/4QVbKzYPAKE It’s been nearly 13 years since “The Oprah Winfrey Show” came to an end, but for viewers of her weight loss special on Monday night, it likely felt like Winfrey’s talk show was back. “An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution” featured Winfrey doing what she proved for 25 seasons on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” she can do better than just about anyone else: bring people together and get them talking – and listening – to each other. “I wanted to do this special for the more than 100 million people in the United States and the over 1 billion people around the world who are living with obesity,” Winfrey said as she introduced the program. “Maybe that’s you or maybe that’s somebody you love.” “In my lifetime I never dreamed we would be talking about medicines that would be providing hope to people, like me, who have struggled for years with being overweight or with obesity,” Winfrey continued. “I come to this conversation with the hope that we can start releasing the stigma and the shame and the judgment – to stop shaming other people for being overweight or how they choose to lose or not lose weight – and more importantly to stop shaming ourselves.” https://youtu.be/67mbbSDm9vs First-Gen homebuyer have a problem. With that said, according to the California Association of Realtors 2023 buyer snapshot, 36% of homebuyers were first-time buyers. However, only 3% of homebuyers were African Americans. Nationally, as of last year, the homeownership rate for Black households was 45.9%. This figure is 28.6 percentage points lower than the rate for Whites, at 74.4%. Historically in America, homeownership has been one of the pillars for building generational wealth. That fact has led some advocates in California to argue that the alarmingly low home purchasing rates for Blacks signify a need to develop more programs and opportunities to expand access to home loans and down payments. To that end, the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) is rolling out the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loan Program for qualified Californians. The program is specifically focused on including first-generation homebuyers in traditionally underserved communities. https://youtu.be/KLOrMmTP6FQ Elon Musk is the first guest on Don Lemon’s new web-based show on YouTube, which debuted Monday. They sparred over the billionaire’s stance on aviation-industry DEI during the conversation. Business Insider reports that in recent months, Musk has publicly opposed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts within private companies. He continues to assert that non-white and non-male pilots are receiving preferential treatment, citing responses on X to reinforce his argument. “There’s no evidence that standards are being lowered when it comes to the airline industry,” Lemon said in response during their conversation. Musk then told Lemon to “watch the replies” on his social media for evidence. https://youtu.be/hhsfjBpKiTw Wendy Williams’ son, Kevin Hunter Jr., and her former manager, Will Selby, reportedly made significant earnings from the new Lifetime docuseries. NewsNation writes, “While there are no specifics about exactly how much Selby and Hunter Jr. got paid, sources told me it was likely “seven figures.” This would explain why Selby insisted on shooting – even after it was clear they wouldn’t be filming a “comeback” show as initially promised to Williams.” According to the outlet, sources claim Selby became upset when Williams was unfit for filming. “She was afraid of her manager, her management at the time,” Williams’ publicist Shawn Zanotti told NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas. Williams grapples with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, conditions that affect both her behavior and cognitive abilities. We reported earlier that Sabrina Morrissey, the court-appointed guardian of Wendy, alleges that the former talk show host was not in a fit mental state when she signed a contract to participate in the controversial new Lifetime docuseries “Where Is Wendy Williams?” https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 Rapper Waka Flocka wants a judge to seal the court records regarding his divorce from ex-wife Tammy Rivera. According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, he’s also requested an order preventing either party from discussing the case publicly. Earlier this month, the hip-hop star (real name: Juaquin Malphurs) asked the judge to order all parties “to refrain from discussing the proceedings and any aspect of the proceedings in the media to include but not limited to social media, print media, internet, radio, and or television media.” Per Radar, “The motion comes as Tammy and Waka’s new girlfriend have been going at it on social media. The feud escalated and Tammy’s daughter even called out Waka’s new partner for appearing to criticize her mother,” the outlet writes. A judge has yet to rule. In an era where empowerment and resilience are more than just buzzwords, Dr. Michelle McKinney Hammond’s D.I.V.A. Principle Conference emerges as a beacon of hope, transformation, and divine inspiration. Set to take the cities of Atlanta and Chicago by storm this April and May, the conference is designed to be a life-altering journey for women ready to EMERGE into their fullest potential. The D.I.V.A. Principle Conference is far from your ordinary assembly. With events scheduled for April 26-27, 2024, at Metro City Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and May 3-4, 2024, at Park Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, this conference promises an environment that fosters personal growth, spiritual enrichment, and the empowerment of women. But what sets it apart is its heart and soul, embodied by the visionary Dr. Michelle McKinney Hammond. Dr. Hammond, celebrated for her profound impact as an author, speaker, life coach, and entrepreneur, emphasizes that this conference is unlike any other: “It’s very intimate and a safe environment to share. Women leave here saying, ‘I got way more than what I came for.’ We are not just people talking at you. We are there with you, helping you shift and change and be better – for life.” https://youtu.be/MW1gLz94yUc Cardi B teamed with popular TikTok food critic Keith Lee to review his favorite restaurant in Los Angeles, Easy Street Burgers. In a video posted to social media, Cardi said, “Alright guys, so you know how I feel about L.A. food; it’s not my favorite, but I got a good recommendation about this place […] You know what? Since this person recommended this place, if I don’t like it, I want to tell them to their face.” That’s when Lee walked into the frame, and they sampled several burgers from the popular eatery together. Watch the moment via the Instagram video. Vibe reports that Lee was in L.A. for the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, as he was nominated for Outstanding Social Media Personality of the Year. We reported previously that Lee boasts 18 million followers on TikTok, and his food reviews have been featured on major news programs, including Inside Edtion. He has reviewed The Real Milk & Honey, Juci Jerk, Atlanta Breakfast Club, Lil Baby’s The Seafood Menu, and Kandi Burruss’ ‘Old Lady Gang’ restaurant. https://www.instagram.com/worldstar/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1065360a-c6a6-4d30-b38b-bb94da21f764 Some lower-income Americans are rejecting McDonald’s and opting to cook at home instead, the fast food chain’s chief financial officer said at an investor conference on Wednesday. “It’s a challenging consumer environment,” said Ian Borden, McDonald’s CFO, noting that many consumers are trying to manage inflation, higher interest rates and dwindling savings. Inflation’s sting has pushed Americans to cut back on small luxuries. That includes their spending on food at restaurants such as McDonald’s, fast-food restaurants that historically prize value and affordability as core business values. Dining out has become more of a luxury. According to February inflation data in the Consumer Price Index, food at home prices grew 1% year over year, while restaurant prices rose 4.5% over the last year. But the current surge in restaurant prices has flipped the script from a year ago, when it was cheaper to dine out. https://youtu.be/SMslf5albGs McDonald’s has faced financial troubles internationally as well. For example, the fast-food chain has noted that turmoil in the Middle East has weighed on sales in the region. Sales in its licensed markets business, of which most of its Middle East locations are a part, grew just 0.7% in the last quarter, far worse than the more-than 4% growth in the United States and other international businesses. Whether a customer is grocery shopping or eating out, prices are looking better than they have in years since the onset of the pandemic. Food inflation overall is rising at its slowest pace since May 2021, according to CPI data. Price hikes at the grocery store are at their lowest level since June 2021, while food inflation at restaurants is up by the least amount since July 2021. Consumers have also pulled back on their spending at discount chain Family Dollar, whose parent company said Wednesday it will close nearly 1,000 stores. Company executives said decades-high inflation has kept customers away, impacting its profits and exacerbating its competition with Dollar General and Walmart. Family Dollar also faced years of mismanagement and poor conditions in stores. https://youtu.be/YvAkU5rmpc8 North West spoke about her forthcoming debut album during her first on-camera interview at the Rolling Loud music festival in California on March 14. West chatted with 13-year-old Jazlyn “Jazzy” Guerra from Jazzys World TV after her onstage performance during Kanye West’s set at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. The 10-year-old daughter of Ye and his ex-wife Kim Kardashian told Jazzy that her upcoming album, “Elementary School Dropout,” is “gonna be great.” When asked when the project will drop, North said, “I don’t know.” She also played coy when asked if her famous father would appear on the album. “Maybe,” she responded. “We don’t know yet,” she added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1769712555814261035 We reported previously that North announced plans to release an album during the “Vultures 2″ listening party at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 10.“Hi, it’s Northie, and I’ve been working on an album for a long time,” she told the crowd. “And it’s called Elementary School Drop Out.” The album’s title is a nod to Ye’s debut album, “The College Dropout.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1768526289705615713 “I’m going to do art on the side,” she told i-D in a November, E! Online reports. “When I’m, like, 13, I want to walk dogs, to make money to buy art supplies, because everything around here is so expensive. So a rapper, a basketball player, and I’m going to make artwork that I sell.”https://twitter.com/i/status/1767056398704398393 RCA Inspiration congratulates the latest winners at this year’s 55th NAACP Image AwardsⓇ, with a double win for releases in the Outstanding Gospel/Christian categories by Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA) and Kierra Sheard (RCA Inspiration/Karew Entertainment). Kirk Franklin’s latest solo album FATHER’S DAY won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album. Released in October 2023, FATHER’S DAY is the thirteenth studio album from the chart-topping artist, songwriter and producer, and follows his NAACP Image Award win for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album in 2023 together with Maverick City Music, for their 2022 joint live album Kingdom Book One (Tribl Records/Fo Yo Soul/RCA Inspiration). Kierra Sheard won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song for “All Yours” (feat. Anthony Brown). The title track featured from her latest solo album, the chart-topping artist, songwriter, actress and author released ALL YOURS in March 2023, which marked her seventh studio album. You can catch Kierra Sheard and Kirk Franklin performing live this spring on Kirk Franklin’s Exodus Music & Arts Festival. The two-day festival spotlights gospel music and culture with a host of superstar performers, with Kierra performing on May 25th and Kirk on May 26th at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, TX. CBS is developing “The Gates,” a soap opera about a wealthy Black family living in a posh, gated community. George Cheeks, CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+, recently unveiled the genesis of “The Gates” and the team behind the series. The new soap will be a collaborative effort between CBS Studios/NAACP production venture and P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Emmy-winner Michele Val Jean will pen the series and assume the role of showrunner. Jean has worked on over 2,000 episodes of daytime TV.Cheeks told Vulture that “The Gates” is being developed with Sheila Ducksworth, president of the CBS/NAACP Production Venture, which develops content for the CBS Television Network and increases the visibility of Black artists. “When we hired Sheila Ducksworth to run the NAACP venture, she and I had multiple meetings talking about what different genres she was going to lean into, and we talked a lot about daytime,” Cheeks explained. https://youtu.be/lRDqpkmau50 The “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer on Tuesday unveiled a new image for “Cowboy Carter,” which she has dubbed as the “act ii” album to her hit 2022 record “Renaissance,” writing in the caption that her latest project “was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t.” “But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive,” Beyoncé continued, without providing specifics about the experience to which she was referring. In addition to the two singles off of “Cowboy Carter” she released last month during the Super Bowl – “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” – the Houston native has previously infused country sounds into her other work, including her 2016 track “Daddy Lessons.” Beyoncé performed that song with the Chicks at the CMA Awards that year, and later received racist backlash. “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me,” the Grammy-winner wrote in her post on Tuesday. “act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C4s6Zr7rlwA/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ad54fdcd-4a62-4997-acd9-089d9414314b Jonathan Majors, the troubled actor is now facing legal trouble as his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, has filed a lawsuit against him for alleged assault, battery, and defamation stemming from incidents that occurred between 2021 and 2023. Majors was convicted last December of harassment and assault against Jabbari during a March 2023 altercation in New York City. Jabbari filed her lawsuit in New York federal court, alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution, and defamation. The defamation claim is based on Majors’ statements in a “Good Morning America” interview where he denied ever harming a woman. In the trial, Majors’ lawyer characterized Jabbari as untruthful about her injuries. The couple met in 2021 during Majors’ work on “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in London and began dating, later living together during Majors’ filming of “Loki” Season 2 in 2022. Jabbari’s lawsuit details instances of physical and emotional abuse and claims Majors would threaten self-harm if she ended the relationship. One incident described in the lawsuit occurred in Los Angeles in 2022, where Majors allegedly pinned Jabbari against a shower door, threw her into a wall, and reacted violently when she tried to escape. Another incident in London the same year involved Majors physically restraining Jabbari and threatening her life. In an exclusive interview with New York Times best-selling author Linsey Davis, we delved into the inspiration behind her latest book, “Girls of the World: Doing More Than Ever Before.” With inspiring, motivating rhymes and whimsical illustrations by bestselling artist Lucy Fleming, Davis sheds light on the extraordinary achievements of young girls across the globe. Written by Davis, together with co-author Michael Tyler, “Girls of the World encourages children to use their voices, talents and intelligence to help the world and raise awareness of girls and all the amazing things they do! An inspiration for readers of all ages, Girls of the World: Doing More Than Ever Before calls attention to the truth that it’s never too soon to become aware of and speak up about things that are important to you. Now is the perfect time for girls to show the world just who they are and what they’re capable of,” per the press release. The book fosters courage, strength, and curiosity in young girls, empowering them to confidently explore their place in the world. In our exclusive interview with Davis, she elaborates on her aspirations for the book’s influence on young readers, particularly girls. Carrying lunch into the office from home can be one way to save money — except, perhaps when it is stored in Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton sandwich bag costing over $3,000. Record producer and designer Williams, who was named men’s creative director of the French luxury fashion house last February, has seemingly drawn inspiration from the classic paper sandwich bag for one of his latest designs, reimagining it as a high-fashion accessory. Instead of paper, the large clutch bag — seen tucked under the arms of models on the runway during Williams’ debut collection on the Pont Neuf in Paris last June — is made of cowhide leather “in the same color as the house’s famed (paper) shopping bags,” the label said. The comparisons don’t end there. Precisely folded to resemble its more quotidian counterpart, the accessory also features the iconic Louis Vuitton lettering as well as a blue fastening, evoking the grosgrain handles of the house’s bags, to keep sandwiches — or more likely, something more precious — secure. https://youtu.be/YgfXR4J2H24 Flavor Flav gifted singer Billie Eilish a personalized clock chain on Oscars night, claiming the move wasn’t a PR stunt. In the clip above, Flav explains to TMZ that he wanted to honor her music career, so “he surprised her with a personalized Rock N Stones clock after the 22-year-old became the youngest 2x Oscar winner … courtesy of her “Barbie” track, “What Was I Made For?” winning Best Original Song,” the outlet writes. Additionally, the Public Enemy rapper reportedly gave Taylor Swift a customized clock chain because he’s a massive fan of the pop star. The rapper caught up with Swift at the Grammys this year and later told the Los Angeles Times that he finally “got to get some Taylor time” at the awards show. The hip-hop star attended the singer’s Eras Tour show last year, PEOPLE reports. https://youtu.be/ArETFXbZi_8 Additionally, the Public Enemy rapper reportedly gave Taylor Swift a customized clock chain because he’s a massive fan of the pop star. The rapper caught up with Swift at the Grammys this year and later told the Los Angeles Times that he finally “got to get some Taylor time” at the awards show. The hip-hop star attended the singer’s Eras Tour show last year, PEOPLE reports. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C28z4XvLLV5/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d70e5a86-5089-4690-b658-98c7e3cceba7 Contrary to reports, Bill Cosby is not working on a tell-all memoir. However, his longtime publicist, Andrew Wyatt, is. According to RadarOnline, Wyatt stated that his project aims to present Cosby’s perspective on his legal troubles and allegations of sexual assault. An insider told the National Enquirer that Cosby considers the book “his final opportunity to set the record straight and share his perspective on the events that have led to his downfall.” Meanwhile, we reported earlier that insiders claim Cosby is scared to leave his home because he “fears for his life.” A source previously told RadarOnline that Cosby is “scared to leave the house” because he believes someone will try to kill him “for fame.” Angela Bassett recently appeared on an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and reacted to a video of Keke Palmer impersonating the actress. “You know who loves you? Our pal Keke Palmer. We love Keke. She came on our show, and she did an impression of you,” said Fallon before playing the clip of Palmer impersonating Bassett as Katherine Jackson. The veteran actress portrayed the mother of the late King of Pop in the 1992 miniseries “The Jacksons: An American Dream.” “That’s awesome,” Bassett replied to the clip. “That’s my baby,” she added. “She requested me to be her mom in Akeelah and the Bee. So I was like so touched. I’m so proud of her.” https://youtu.be/4tMR5CC5r50 A rapper rarely takes residency in a president’s mind, but Snoop Dogg managed to do just that in the final days of Donald Trump’s presidency. Highlighting Rolling Stone’s coverage of the situation, Complex detailed Trump’s preoccupation with Snoop, which goes back to a beef between the pair that spawned in 2017. During this time, Trump was in the early days of his initial stint as commander-in-chief when Snoop blasted him in a music video for his single “M.A.C.A. (Make America Crip Again).” In the clip, the “Deep Cover” lyricist is seen aiming a toy gun at a clown resembling Trump. Upon laying eyes on the video, Trump was reportedly infuriated and took his beef to social media. “Can you imagine what the outcry would be if @SnoopDogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!” #45 posted at the time on Twitter. https://youtu.be/fQ19-iavNGQ After Trump saw Snoop in the documentary, he shared his appreciation for the rhyme slinger’s praise and ordered Harris’ name to be added back to the pardon list. A day later, on the last day of Trump’s presidency, Harris was a free man, Complex noted. Others making the list included Lil Wayne, Steve Bannon, Kodak Black and Elliott Broidy. News of Snoop’s previous beef with Trump conflicts comments “The Underdoggs” star made in January 2024, when he expressed, “I have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump.” Despite the comment, the Atlanta Black Star mentioned no official endorsement of Trump for president in 2024 has been made by Snoop. https://youtu.be/ir9pkhE6w98 Meghan Markle has revealed her latest business venture with the launch of her brand-new lifestyle enterprise, American Riviera Orchard. The Duchess of Sussex debuted her new website and Instagram page that “will reflect everything that she loves — family, cooking, entertaining and home décor.” Meghan’s new lifestyle and cookery brand will be integrated with her upcoming cooking show on Netflix. “She is excited about her latest, personal venture,” the source added. “This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while. She is excited to share her style and things that she loves.” As for the brand’s name, the insider said, “Meghan finds the name American Riviera Orchard perfect. It feels authentic to her. She can’t wait for the website to launch.” Sexyy Red hit up social media to brag about being detained in Mexico over the weekend while trying to enter the country. “We’ve been stuck at the border all day. I had too much bands on me, they couldn’t handle that shit,” Sexyy explained to fans via her Instagram Stories on Sunday, Complex reports. “Too much jewelry on me, they couldn’t handle that shit. Had a fur coat on, they wasn’t fucking with your girl. They told me I look like Griselda Blanco,” she continued. “Y’all hoes can’t say y’all went to Mexico and had to get stopped at the border ’cause y’all had them fucking racks on y’all, ’cause I had jewelry on y’all. Y’all hoes can’t say that,” the hip-hop star added. “Too many buckers. Where my fingers at?” The raunchy rapper traveled to Mexico for a show and thanked fans who stayed late to see her perform. https://twitter.com/i/status/1769452516687982780 Kanye West‘s presence at Rolling Loud reportedly ignited a chaotic brawl involving an individual identified as transgender, who endured severe physical harm. Footage from Ye’s Thursday performance has circulated widely, capturing a confrontation between the alleged trans woman and another attendee, escalating into a full-scale altercation engulfing the crowd in a frenzied melee reminiscent of a violent mosh pit. Despite enduring relentless blows to the face, the individual persisted, exhibiting remarkable resilience amidst the tumult. Amidst the chaotic scene, bystanders vacillated between passive spectators and active participants, with some goading the combatants while others attempted to intervene, reports TMZ. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-03-18-031824-transgender-woman-mosh-pit-kanye-1795052-906/ After Covid-19 lockdowns, 2022 was a year of marriages, according to new data. The number of marriages dived from the start of the pandemic, numbers show. For the past two decades, the number of marriages stayed around 7 to 8 per 1,000 people a year, according to new data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. But in 2020, the marriage rate was down to 5.1 per 1,000 people, the data showed. The rate started to climb the next year, and by 2022, the number of marriages had reached 6.2 per capita and over 2 million in a year, according to the report. Growth in marriage rates may be due to more than just rescheduling, said Marissa Nelson, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Washington, DC. Being in lockdown together gave many couples a unique hurdle to overcome, one that made them get intentional about how they approached important things like finances, compromise and autonomy. Many people walked out of that experience with a better sense of what they need in a life partner, Nelson said. https://youtu.be/Y1WZc8DxV68 A bizarre end to the game overshadowed the Golden State Warriors’ 128-121 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, as a broken shot clock and controversial call overruling a LeBron James three-pointer conspired to add a 23-minute delay to the game’s final two minutes. With less than two minutes remaining and the Lakers trailing the Warriors by just four points, the latest chapter in their rivalry seemed to be heading toward a thrilling conclusion. But James’ three-pointer was scratched out after he netted it when officials ruled that he had stepped out of bounds, increasing the Lakers’ deficit to seven with just 1:50 remaining. Then, the shot clock malfunctioned and after several attempts to restart the game and fix the clock, referees eventually determined that the arena PA announcer would announce the time left on the clock at five-second intervals in real-time. https://youtu.be/FHGc-zaWJqk It had been a finely poised game throughout even after the Lakers had lost Davis and his defensive nous, which allowed the Warriors to attack more from inside the paint, racking up points in that area of the court. But the game’s “flow” was interrupted following the challenge to James’ three-pointer, Kerr said afterward, adding he would “love to see that rule go away.” “We’re trying so hard to get everything just right at the expense of the flow. Who cares if the guy’s foot is half an inch (over) … is that worth going back 45 seconds and changing everything?” James, however, defended the decision, adding that while it was “unfortunate what happened,” the referees “have a job to do, and they have to do it the best they can.” https://youtu.be/MejyNUugCuk Attorney Antonio Moore delves into the respective political backgrounds of Vice President Kamala Harris and rapper Fat Joe after their drug policy meeting in Washington DC. Moore shows how Harris’ hard-on crime record as a prosecutor should disqualify her from being the champion of progressive prosecution. And he also skewers rapper Fat Joe for being allowed in the meeting by the Biden Administration as a moderator or expert. https://youtu.be/CgPBnrN5UKo Tiffany Haddish is opting for sober status with motivations of “trying to get pregnant. Co-hosting Elton John’s star-studded AIDS Foundation Oscar party, the “Girls Trip” fixture was noticeably avoiding the good stuff. When asked about her anti-booze mind state at the annual event, an attendee revealed to Page Six that Haddish simply answered, “I am trying to get pregnant.” Although it is unclear whether the funny woman’s response was her comedic way of dealing with scrutiny surrounding her sobriety after being arrested late last year for a DUI, another source mentioned that “It didn’t feel like [she was joking]. She said it numerous times.” Countering the claim, Page Six noted comments from a source close to Haddish. According to the Haddish source, the “Back on the Strip” entertainer’s reply “was likely a joke,” despite her desire to be a mother. “She is serious about her sobriety,” the source confessed to Page Six. “She’s kept it, and is very into her health right now. She’s going through her changes and is doing amazing.” Natasha Brown-Wainwright, the Founder and CEO of Natasha’s Just Brittle established B’More Made with Pride Commercial Kitchen & Café in 2017 to provide small businesses, like hers, the opportunity to venture into the culinary industry. The establishment is licensed both with the State as a small batch processing plant and with Baltimore City as a commercial kitchen. The journey wasn’t easy initially, especially after an appearance on QVC, which led to a significant surge in orders for Natasha’s Just Brittle. Despite selling out on QVC, there were challenges in scaling the business due to space and staff constraints. With no external support, the CEO leased a facility and established her processing plant to meet the demand, resulting in the birth of Natasha’s Just Brittle processing plant. In 2018, recognizing the need for a shared kitchen space for other food businesses, the CEO decided to obtain licensing as a shared kitchen, leading to the creation of B’More Made with Pride Commercial Kitchen. It stands out as one of the only kitchens with an attached café, open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., featuring a breakfast menu, scratch desserts, and Natasha’s Just Brittle treats. Natasha’s Just Brittle/B’More Made with Pride takes pride in nurturing new businesses. Some of the incubator’s success stories include Blondie’s Doughnuts in Fallstaff Shopping Center, The Brunch Gods (now a brick-and-mortar spot in Windsor Mill), and Arepi (opening a brick-and-mortar in Fells Point this Spring). A container carrying essential items for newborn babies and their mothers – including resuscitators and other critical supplies – was looted in Port-au-Prince on Saturday, aid agency UNICEF said in a statement, as gang violence and a humanitarian crisis worsen in the Haitian capital. In addition to maternity and neonatal supplies, the looted container also held “early childhood development and education and water equipment,” UNICEF said. More than 260 humanitarian-owned containers at the port are now controlled by armed groups that breached the main port last week, the UN’s child agency added. The theft of the supplies “occurs at a critical moment when children need them the most,” said UNICEF representative Bruno Maes in Haiti. “Looting of supplies that are essential for life-saving support for children must end immediately and humanitarian access must remain safe,” Maes added. “Depriving children of vital health supplies amidst a collapsing healthcare system is a violation of their rights.” https://youtu.be/N-vjIR9IwWs Don Lemon continues to target Elon Musk after his partnership with the tech mogul was abruptly terminated last week. Lemon’s new web-based show was dropped from the X social media platform hours after he interviewed Musk for the debut episode. During the conversation, Musk appeared annoyed when pressed about hate speech on X (formally Twitter), which the billionaire purchased last year. In a new interview with People, Lemon said Elon is “not used to being held to account.” “He’s not used to having to answer to anyone, especially someone like me who doesn’t share his worldview, who doesn’t look like him,” Lemon added. “You know what I’m saying?” https://youtu.be/hhsfjBpKiTw Reparations activists are calling for tax breaks for Black people. During a recent episode of “Native Land Podcast,” Tiffany Cross, political advocate Angela Rye, and former Democrat politician Andrew Gillum explained why Black people should be exempt from taxes as reparations, New York Post reports. They cited a quote from actor Terrence Howard, who reportedly said it is “immoral for the United States government to charge taxes to the descendants of slaves.” Cross noted that Howard “was making a legitimate point.” She said, “We have never been paid. We have never had any reparations. We’ve never seen the benefits.” “I don’t know how we would make this happen, but I would be completely down for some sort of policy that says, ‘Yes, you are exempt from paying taxes,’” Cross added in the clip. https://youtu.be/9dp996MeWhE Wayne Brady came out as pansexual last year, and he has since been inundated with d–k pics in his Instagram DMs. “My DMs are popping and it’s amazing,” Brady told E! News on March 14 at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, which he hosted. “I’ve never gotten an eggplant in my inbox. It’s shocking,” he added. “Much respect to women, I’m sorry, I know you feel when a random guy just goes, ‘Hey, I like you so much, I’ma show you my junk.’ Like, no bro, that isn’t necessarily the calling card that I want. But I’m flattered, thank you.” Brady previously told PEOPLE, “In doing my research, both with myself and just with the world, I couldn’t say if I was bisexual, because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything,” he shared. “To me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary. Being able to be attracted across the board.” https://youtu.be/QeoI3w5CcyA “My DMs are popping and it’s amazing,” Brady told E! News on March 14 at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, which he hosted. “I’ve never gotten an eggplant in my inbox. It’s shocking,” he added. “Much respect to women, I’m sorry, I know you feel when a random guy just goes, ‘Hey, I like you so much, I’ma show you my junk.’ Like, no bro, that isn’t necessarily the calling card that I want. But I’m flattered, thank you.” Brady previously told PEOPLE, “In doing my research, both with myself and just with the world, I couldn’t say if I was bisexual, because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything,” he shared. “To me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary. Being able to be attracted across the board.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1768684226889834588 In October 2023, the KisSingers, a contemporary gospel band from Bad Kissingen, Germany, performed a rendition of “Stomp” by God’s Property featuring Kirk Franklin and Cheryl James. The choir’s “bland” rendition prompted many online users to mock the performance. The lead singer even attempts Franklin’s ablibs on the song, and the moment is quite hilarious. On Instagram, one user wrote, “What in the potato salad with raisins, is this?” Another IG user commented, “Where’s the Garlic Powder? Old Bay? Oregano? They didn’t put they foot in it? No salt or pepper even. Might’ve boiled it instead of frying. Smh.” A third person noted, “She studied Kirk words and still couldn’t get it ….” “The Bible says to MAKE. JOYFUL NOISE didn’t say that NOISE had to be harmonic ..I aint mad at them,” another person commented. https://youtu.be/fS-oduy5RoA Kraft Heinz has announced Oscar Mayer’s first-ever plant-based hotdog is coming to retailers this year. The company teamed with TheNotCompany to create “mouthwatering plant-based foods for all,” the news release states. “The Kraft Heinz Not Company’s Oscar Mayer NotHotDogs and NotSausages offer the savory and smoky experience that brand fans have known and loved for more than 140 years,” per the release. “At The Kraft Heinz Not Company, our goal is to create mouthwatering, plant-based foods that are delicious and accessible for everyone – from the devoted vegan to the plant-based curious,” said Lucho Lopez-May, CEO of The Kraft Heinz Not Company. https://youtu.be/tZ6iKPbtedI Despite a grand unveiling and all eyes on the monument, a statue honoring the late Kobe Bryant is coming under fire for a series of typos. According to TMZ, four typos were detected this week on the base of the monument which sits outside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. It is there that an image of a signed box score from Bryant’s legendary 2006 game is found. The same game where Bryant furthered his reputation as one of the best basketball players of all time with 81 points scored. Noticeably visible on the scarred box score are misspellings surrounding the names of two players from the Toronto Raptors’ standouts Von Wafer and Jose Calderon. Instead of “Von Wafer” the statue has his name spelled “Vom Wafer.” https://youtu.be/heR6PEILUyc In a candid revelation, Dr. Dre has shed light on his recent health ordeal. The renowned music mogul and rapper, who encountered a harrowing brain aneurysm in 2021, disclosed that he endured three strokes in the aftermath of the alarming event. Reflecting on his experience during an episode of This Life of Mine with James Corden on SiriusXM, Dre, whose real name is Andre Romell Young, described the unpredictability of his health crisis, stating, “It’s just something that you can’t control that just happens, and during those two weeks, I had three strokes.” The genesis of his concern for his well-being traces back to January 2021, when Dre awoke with discomfort in one of his ears. Initially dismissing it, he attempted to carry on with his day, only to be urged by his son’s friend to seek medical attention. “I got up and I went on about my day, and I thought that I could just lay down and take a nap,” he recalled. “My son had a female friend that was there and was like, ‘No, we need to take you to the hospital.'” Upon arriving at urgent care, Dre received sobering news about the severity of his condition. “Next thing you know, I’m blacking out,” recounted the 59-year-old. “I’m in and out of consciousness, and I ended up in the ICU. I was there for two weeks. I’m hearing the doctors coming in and saying, ‘You don’t know how lucky you are.'” https://youtu.be/UD_gG-vDzuY Damon Dash has a problem with Steve Stoute’s version of what led to Jay-Z severing ties with him. In an interview with Shannon Sharpe, Stoute aired his thoughts on the situation, attributing the split between the Roc-A-Fella Records cohorts to Dash’s ego. “Jay grew up, you know, Jay wanted more. I think Jay seen Dame’s ceiling and I think that’s want it was. Jay seen Dame’s ceiling…he wanted more,” Stoute said, adding, “ [Dame’s] far from stupid, he’s very smart, very talented, [but his] ego is through the roof. So there was no working with him. No one wanted to work with him.” Once the interview hit the online radar, Dash brought his reaction to social media, sharing a clip of Stoute’s interview. “This is the reason I had to smack the sh*t out of @stevestoute a couple of years ago…because he’s always speaking on other men’s business,” Dasha captioned under the video, which was posted on Instagram. “good thing I’ve evolved #staytuned @clubshayshay #culturevulture,” the post added. https://youtu.be/eM0nEzw3s4s If you missed it, on “Tamron Hall,” Oscar-winning actress Angela Bassett joins the show to discuss her hit show “9-1-1” and her new Netflix film “Damsel.” Bassett also teases her potential return to Broadway. Actor Carl Anthony Payne II, from the hit ‘90s sitcom“Martin,” joins “Tamron Hall” for his first-ever talk show appearance and reflects on his reunion with his former castmates at the Emmy Awards. Also, Eyewitness News reporter Sandy Kenyon opens up about his sobriety journey following the announcement that he will step away from his role at WABC for a broader ABC Stations consulting role this year. https://youtu.be/GncQfySClIc Angela Bassett on filming underwater scenes for her hit show “9-1-1”: “I’ve been in water before, in ‘Wakanda.’ This one (on “9-1-1”), this is rising water. Now I know it may be six minutes on camera, but it takes a good 12-14 hours a day.” Tamron asks if her experience filming these scenes was as challenging as filming similar scenes in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Basset answers, “It was, they started low, then they go high, almost drowned, they wanted me to go under the water – I draw the line!” https://youtu.be/PVsWBEey_kA Carl Anthony Payne II on reuniting with his “Martin” castmates at the Emmy Awards: “I was looking for my check. Yeah, I thought we was about to go to work again. It feels great because once we did the reunion, that was the first time that we were all in the same place in the same space at the same time in over 30 years. That was incredible because you have all these memories and all these feelings and everything starts rushing back in. We picked up like we never left.” https://youtu.be/swpRaDN2jWg Sandy Kenyon discusses his sobriety journey for the first time publicly: “I have to tell this audience and the audience at home that when I told you that you created such a safe space for me to talk about it personally, one on one, that I always knew that if I ever talked about it on TV, which I haven’t until today, you would be the one. That’s the truth. I turned 32 years clean and sober, free of drugs and alcohol on March 1. It’s been a sweet 19 years at Eyewitness News and sweet marriage because both were done in sobriety” https://youtu.be/nE1qpZFWbKM Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday said he “cannot in good conscience” endorse presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, a stunning repudiation of his former running mate and the president he served with. “Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years. That’s why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign,” Pence said on Fox News. The former vice president, after ending his presidential bid in October, withheld an endorsement in the 2024 Republican primary, but he previously vowed to back the eventual GOP nominee. Trump had said after Pence dropped out that his former vice president should endorse him, saying, “I chose him, made him vice president. But … people in politics can be very disloyal.” https://youtu.be/ibBNhhhTgMk While he said he is “incredibly proud” of the record of the Trump-Pence administration, Pence argued that the former president has walked away from conservative issues, pointing to Trump’s stance on abortion and US national debt and his reversal on TikTok. “During my presidential campaign, I made it clear there were profound differences between me and President Trump on a range of issues. And not just our difference on my constitutional duties that I exercised January 6th,” Pence said on “The Story with Martha MacCallum.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0nrZwGbf55w?feature=share Due to objections regarding a state law mandating age verification to deter minors from accessing the site, Pornhub has disabled its services in Texas. It seems PornHub wants your children so bad they got mad about it and left Texas. In a statement, the popular pornography site noted that it made the “difficult decision” to “disable access” in Texas, Complex reports. “As you may know, your elected officials in Texas are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website,” reads the message displayed to users in the state. “Not only does this impinge on the rights of adults to access protected speech, it fails strict scrutiny by employing the least effective and yet also most restrictive means of accomplishing Texas’s stated purpose of allegedly protecting minors.” Earlier this year, Pornhub blocked access in North Carolina and Montana over bills regulating access for underage users. The site is also unavailable in Mississippi, Utah, and Virginia. https://youtu.be/jkjKNwRIIuU In another episode of “What the Damn Hell,” a Dunkin’ customer is holding the doughnut chain accountable for alleged injuries sustained from an exploding toilet. On Jan. 3, Paul Kerouac filed a lawsuit in Orlando, claiming he was faced with a toilet that exploded while in a restroom during a visit to Dunkin’s Winter Park, Florida location last year. Citing the Associated Press, Complex reports that Kerouac is seeking more than 100,000 for suffering from “severe and long-term injuries.” The suit details the Orlando, Fla. Man requested help from Dunkin’ employees and the store’s manager after being covered in feces, urine, and debris upon leaving the restroom. Although an employee told Kerouac they were aware of a “problem with the toilet” due to previous incidents, the employee didn’t provide him with any more information about the explosion. https://youtu.be/F9EHfLn2-NU Justin Timberlake performed at the Tiny Desk as part of NPR Music’s ongoing concert series. His band, The Tennessee Kids, backed him. The Tiny Desk came just days after the singer surprised an LA audience with an *NSYNC reunion. On Friday (March 15), JT released his sixth solo album, “Everything I Thought It Was.” In a recent interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Justin revealed that he recorded 100 songs for his “incredibly honest” new album. “I worked for a long time on this album and I ended up with 100 songs,” Timberlake told the radio host, PEOPLE reports. “So narrowing them down to 18 was a thing.” Timberlake added, “I think every artist probably says this, but it is my best work.” https://youtu.be/cMIJsoaxRjk Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Jody Watley made a dazzling appearance on The Tamron Hall Show on March 14, 2024, leaving fans and music enthusiasts in awe with her remarkable performance. Renowned for her groundbreaking contributions to music, video, fashion, and style, Watley once again proved why she remains an icon in the entertainment industry. Jody Watley commented, “Appearing and performing on The Tamron Hall Show was an absolute honor and thrill for me. It’s always a joy to share my music and stories with such a diverse and engaged audience. Tamron Hall’s warmth, insight and celebration of my longevity and influence in this business in particular because it’s Women’s History Month made the experience even more special. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love what I do while inspiring others while continuing to keep pushing boundaries in music and entertainment.” With a career spanning decades, Watley has consistently pushed the boundaries of creativity, earning her a well-deserved reputation as a true trendsetting pioneer. https://youtu.be/-wuBCNT1-wQ During her appearance on The Tamron Hall Show, Jody Watley treated viewers to a special performance of her newest single, “EVERLASTING,” a track that has recently soared to the top of several international charts. Notably, “EVERLASTING” secured the #2 spot on the prestigious UK Soul Chart, where it has remained for an impressive two-week stint. The song’s infectious beats and soulful melodies perfectly showcase Watley’s enduring appeal and musical prowess. As the host of Sirius XM’s The Jody Watley Show, which was recently renewed for another year, Watley brings a wealth of experience and insight to the table. Viewers of The Tamron Hall Show were treated to an engaging and enlightening conversation as Watley shared her secrets to success and longevity in the entertainment industry. https://youtu.be/ccHTx0vtOoo Andre Gordon, the man accused of killing three people in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, Saturday morning is in custody, according to police.“He’s in custody. No one else was injured,” said Trenton, New Jersey, police director, Steve Wilson. The 26-year-old suspect allegedly killed three people at two different homes in Pennsylvania before carjacking a driver and heading for New Jersey. Authorities in Trenton, New Jersey, who were looking to apprehend Gordon, initially believed he was barricaded inside a home, prompting a perimeter of the area to be set up, Wilson said. https://youtu.be/trEh5Ed7CHo “Apparently, before the perimeter was completed, the suspect was able to get out of the location unseen.” “However, our information was that he was still in there,” Wilson added. “The suspect was actually walking on New York Avenue,” Wilson said. “He was stopped and identified and taken into custody.” Gordon was taken into custody without incident, Wilson said. https://youtu.be/uCKYD-4u7PM President Joe Biden, via the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $3.3 billion in grants to marginalized communities for vital infrastructure enhancements in 41 states. The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCNP) pilot grant program offered through the U.S. Department of Transportation announced its latest round of recipients this week. Allocations will be used for transit improvement projects whether it is driving, walking, or designing trails for biking in neighborhoods. Areas receiving funding were disrupted or inconvenienced by “man-made” damage such as railroad or highway construction. Historically these developments blocked access to opportunities for Black people, seeded gentrification and eventually caused Black neighborhoods to completely vanish and squelched Black affluence for generations. The grants are a part of Pres. Biden’s Investing in America agenda stems from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and will benefit 130 communities that have traditionally been left out of attaining federal investments. Biden committed to include minorities in his policy-making when he took office. The proliferation of this program is a fulfillment of that commitment with lasting benefits. https://youtu.be/x8crQohxJJY Mark Kaye, the Jackson, Fla.-based radio station host responsible for unleashing AI-generated pictures of former president Donald Trump with Black “supporters” has been “fired.” News of the parting came via News4Jax, which received word of the development from Cox Media. The company terminated Kaye before he was thrust into the spotlight with the controversial image, which is striking a nerve with voters who are familiar with efforts from the two major political parties to attract African American ballot caster. There are polls where a record number of African Americans are responding to pollsters that they’re interested in supporting President Trump. Does President Biden still hold the advantage? Yes,” Conrath, a political science teacher at Florida State College of Jacksonville, told News4JAX. The outlet added that Cox Media released Kaye before his connection to the AI photo of Trump. Although he denied News4JAX’s request for a statement, Kaye did speak to the BBC about his situation, saying, “I’m not a photojournalist…I’m not out here taking pictures of what’s happening. I’m a storyteller.” “I’m not claiming it is accurate,” he continued. “I’m not saying, ‘Hey, look, Donald Trump was at this party with all of these African American voters. Look how much they love him!’ If anybody’s voting one way or another because of one photo they see on a Facebook page, that’s a problem with that person, not with the post itself.” https://youtu.be/KcFuLPMBHok The apple is not falling far from the legendary tree as Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter Me’Arah gears up to follow in her father’s path with playing in this year’s McDonald’s All-American game. The former Los Angeles Laker was on hand to honor his daughter during a special segment of “Inside the NBA”, according to Vibe. “First of all, I want to say I’m so proud of you, and I love you,” Shaq said as he honored Me’Arah’s achievements, along with handing her a bouquet. “And I wanted to present you with this.” It was then that O’Neal revealed Me’Arah’s No. 24 jersey to wear for the McDonald’s All-American game. The event is noted for showcasing the best high school basketball prospects in the country. Me’Arah’s upcoming appearance in the game comes exactly 35 years since her father played in the McDonald’s All-American game in 1989. With her selection and commitment to play basketball at the University of Florida, Vibe notes that signs point to her taking the same path as O’Neal. https://youtu.be/hqHHSXgK_pg Behind every great man is a great woman. Or in Nelly’s case, a great mother. The St. Louis rhymesayer opened up about his matriarch, Rhonda Mack, during an appearance on The Shop” podcast, recalling how he retired his mother after more than 30 years working in the fast-food industry. Behind every great man is a great woman. Or in Nelly’s case, a great mother. The St. Louis rhymesayer opened up about his matriarch, Rhonda Mack, during an appearance on The Shop” podcast, recalling how he retired his mother after more than 30 years working in the fast-food industry. Via Mack, Nelly’s ‘hustler’ mind state was born during his teen years, as he witnessed her balancing jobs in fast food and landed his first job at age 14. At the time, Mack worked as a manager at the McDonald’s in Clayton, MO, while her famous son saved up to attend his high school’s homecoming. “She said, ‘Yo, I can’t give you a real job, but on the weekends they got a truck… She said, ‘I can give you a job there.’ I said, ‘Oh, I’ll take it.’ And the owner would pay me $25… I wound up getting about $140 by the time homecoming came,” Nelly said. In high school, Nelly’s hustle proved fruitful with working at the grill at McDonald’s by working at the grill, he told Access Hollywood. Although a career at McDonald’s would’ve been interesting, Nelly’s uncle is the one who shifted his focus to music, courtesy of his uncle. The result was a “love affair” with music, which was highlighted with Nelly’s country music-flavored material. With years under his belt in the music industry, Nelly’s hard work paid off upon the release of his 2000 album, “Country Grammar.” Despite generating attention and with hit after hit, Nelly made sure to give back to his mother in a big way. a manager at the McDonald’s in Clayton, MO, while her famous son saved up to attend his high school’s homecoming. “She said, ‘Yo, I can’t give you a real job, but on the weekends they got a truck…https://youtu.be/jBNbUmOTg44 Nathan Wade, the prosecutor leading the election subversion case against Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia stepped down following a scathing ruling from the Fulton County judge overseeing the criminal case, according to a letter obtained by CNN. Wade wrote to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis that he was “proud of the work our team has accomplished in investigating, indicting, and litigating this case.”“I am offering my resignation in the interest of democracy, in dedication to the American public, and to move this case forward as quickly as possible,” Wade wrote in his resignation letter. Willis accepted the resignation on Friday, praising Wade for his “courage to accept the role, even though (he) did not seek it.” Judge Scott McAfee ruled the romance created an appearance of a conflict of interest, insisting that the entire district attorney’s office must be sidelined unless Wade leaves. https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2024/03/15/fani-willis-stay-trump-election-fraud-case-removes-aide-nathan-wade/72985326007/ Judge Scott McAfee is allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue on the election subversion case against Donald Trump – but first she’ll have to fire special prosecutor Nathan Wade after an embarrassing two months that put Willis and Wade on trial themselves over their romantic relationship. It’s a technical legal win for Willis since she will have the option to continue, along with her full office, prosecuting Trump and 14 others. But McAfee’s 23-page opinion was a scathing rebuke of the district attorney’s actions, and it remains unclear if Trump will face trial before November on his actions after the 2020 presidential election. McAfee ruled that either Wade or Willis would have to leave the case, as an “odor of mendacity remains” over the circumstances of their relationship. https://youtu.be/3d9xQCaQ70Y?list=RDNSBAb0EQ0TM1c The first trailer dropped for “The Crow,” starring Bill Skarsgård and singer FKA Twigs. The Rupert Sanders-directed remake arrives three decades following the 1994 film, featuring the late Brandon Lee, son of late martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. Brandon was age 28 when he died in an accidental shooting on set during production in 1993. “Obviously, it was a terrible tragedy, and it’s definitely something that we’ve always had in mind through the making of the film,” Sanders’ told Vanity Fair. “Brandon was an original voice and I think he will always be synonymous with ‘The Crow,’ and I hope he’s proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve brought the story back again. His soul is very much alive in this film. There’s a real fragility and beauty to his version of the Crow, and I think Bill feels like he is a successor to that.” Skarsgård stars as Eric in the new version, a man who is resurrected from the dead to bring justice to those who murdered him and his fiancée (FKA Twigs). https://youtu.be/djSKp_pwmOA Comedian Lil Rel Howery appeared on “Club Shay Shay” recently and addressed his beef with fellow comic Katt Williams. Williams previously slammed Lil Rel during his infamous V-103 interview in 2018. Lil Rel responded when he chopped it up with Shannon Sharpe this week.“If we were both two regular n—s in the mall and he has the perm and mustache and I walk in like this with my regular s—… who the f— you think the women gone talk to?” he stated on Club Shay Shay. “That’s the only irritating thing about that for me. Other than that it’s like, Katt, brother…if I’m an ugly n— thank God. Cause that’s why nothing ain’t happen to me,” Lil Rel added. https://youtu.be/kSG7CrUqq_0 Starz has announced the cancellation of “Power Book II: Ghost,” confirming that the upcoming fourth season will be its final installment. The beloved crime drama series will be split into two parts, debuting on June 7 and September 6. Deadline reports that the cancellation is part of the network’s plan to curb costs on existing series and prioritize the creation of new shows. “You look at the [Power] map and say, ‘OK, if I take one of those characters out and spin one of those out, I can bring that on to replace the Power show at half the cost.’ Now I’m putting a lot of money right to the bottom line,” said Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch. “And I’m really not losing anything in terms of acquisition costs and subscriber viewership, because we know what those demos want. And we know how to line those up. And so that’s really the core of getting to that 20% [margin] — turning that slate over with fresh content to drive the business.” https://youtu.be/uiGzLrJSk8E It seems the cast learned about the cancellation at the same time we did, as series star Michael Rainey Jr., who portrays Tariq, took to Instagram to share his surprise. He wrote on his Instagram story, “Don’t ask me nothing idk what’s going on in them offices lmao they Trippin. Final season otw tho I guess.” Rainey also reposted TV writer L. Darian’s tweet about how he “ain’t hear from STARZ or Lionsgate once about the show.” Series producer 50 Cent responded on social media, sharing a screenshot of a TMZ report about Raney’s reaction with the caption, “Yeah because @michaelraineyjr don’t answer his phone [shrug emoji].” https://twitter.com/i/status/1768363301203791925 Jeff Bezos has reclaimed the title of the richest person on earth, surpassing Elon Musk, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The Amazon founder’s net worth was $200 billion, while Musk followed at $198 billion. Musk has lost about $31 billion over the past year, while Bezos has gained $23 billion, according to the index. Tesla shares had tumbled more than 7% on Monday. Musk reclaimed the title of the world’s richest person in May 2023, edging out LVMH (LVMHF) CEO Bernard Arnault, who runs one of the world’s biggest conglomerates and includes brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Celine. The three centibillionaires — Musk, Arnault, and Bezos — have been in competition with each other for the top spot for months. Arnault had held the title as his wealth climbed due to a boom in luxury goods sales that helped drive up LVMH’s stock price. Earlier this year, a Delaware state court judge threw out Musk’s 2018 pay package — worth more than $50 billion — that helped to make him one of the richest people in the world. Tesla shares also tumbled about 24% year-to-date. In an exclusive interview, Lovie Simone sheds light on her role in the captivating new series “Manhunt,” now streaming on AppleTV+. Simone shared insights into portraying Mary Simms, a key figure in this thrilling production. As audiences prepare to unpack “Manhunt,” Simone offers a tantalizing glimpse into what viewers can expect from this compelling series. Per Apple TV+, “Manhunt” is a conspiracy thriller about one of history’s best-known but least understood crimes: the astonishing story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Starring alongside Simone and Linklater in the seven-part true crime limited series are Antony Boyle, Tobias Menzies, Will Harrison, Brandon Flynn, Damian O’Hare, Glenn Morshower, Patton Oswalt, and Matt Walsh. https://youtu.be/VFT-b8eKdSo Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation following a meeting of regional Caribbean leaders, bowing to the inevitable as law and order in the country collapsed and international pressure grew for him to step aside. Henry has been in the US territory of Puerto Rico since last week, unable to return to Haiti from a visit to Kenya as violence swept the country in his absence. In Henry’s place, a transitional council will be established and endowed with some powers of the presidency – including the ability to name a new interim prime minister. The resulting government would be expected to eventually hold elections in the country for a complete political reset. It is unclear how long it could take to establish a transitional council to begin the transfer of power, though Haiti’s former PM Claude Joseph told CNN that it could be created within 24 hours. https://youtu.be/G2ZWLSKwkqo According to a statement by the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), the council will include representatives of various political factions as well as non-voting observers from religious and civil organizations. A senior US State Department official said Tuesday the seven political factions have 24 hours to let CARICOM know who their representative to the transitional council will be. The big question is whether these changes can bring calm to Haiti, and put a stop to the terrible violence tearing apart Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince. Haiti has been under a state of emergency since groups attacked the country’s largest prison in Port-au-Prince earlier this month, killing and injuring police and prison staff and allowing some 3,500 inmates to escape. https://youtu.be/t6TFi_nEa4o?list=RDNSt6TFi_nEa4o A Texas attorney sent a “threatening and harassing letter” to a Black federally appointed judge, and he was subsequently fired from his law firm. According to the Houston Chronicle, Ben Aderholt, a Houston-based attorney, called Judge Erica Hudges a “political animal” in the letter. “Who do you think you are? Running against a Democrat, a highest rated judge,” Aderbolt wrote, the Black Information Network reports. “Political animals who treat our judiciary as political games should be soundly defeated.” Hudges, who is running for Houston’s 151st Judicial District, told FOX 26 she was “shocked and surprised to receive that letter.” https://youtu.be/oYXEzCy8fiA Sabrina Morrissey, the court-appointed guardian of Wendy Williams, alleges that the former talk show host was not in a fit mental state when she signed a contract to participate in the controversial new Lifetime docuseries “Where Is Wendy Williams?” Morrissey filed a lawsuit on February 20 to prevent the docuseries from airing four days later. PEOPLE reports that the lawsuit was unsealed this week. In it, Morrissey claims the project “shamelessly exploits [Williams] and portrays her in an extremely demeaning and undignified manner.” The legal filing also alleges that Lifetime “incorrectly states that she is ‘broke’ and cruelly implies that her disoriented demeanor is due to substance abuse and intoxication.” Morrissey points out that the docuseries contains privately filmed footage of the talk show that A&E Television Networks, Lifetime’s parent company, failed to get approval to use for distribution. The documents additionally assert that prior court and guardian authorization was required for all contracts before the documentary could be publicly aired. Morrissey alleges that Williams could not consent to the terms of her contract with the network. https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 For any singer covering a hit song, it must be just as good, if not better than the original version. Especially if the tune is done in front of the singer who made the tune a classic. For Madaí Chakell, the test came recently when she confidently stepped up to sing Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” during an episode of “American Idol.” In addition to Perry herself, Chakell charmed and auditioned in front of Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. As Chakell sang “I Kissed A Girl,” TooFab noted that Perry appeared “somewhat stunned and, at times, almost uncomfortable by contestant’s performance. Nevertheless, the “Fireworks” vocalist was taken enough by Chakell’s confidence and voice that she requested a simpler tune to sing, like “Happy Birthday. Turns out, “Happy Birthday” was the right choice for the 22-year-old “Idol” hopeful, with Perry taking even more notice. “I appreciated ‘I Kissed A Girl’, that was wild and colorful. But if you could mix it with what you just did,” the “Wide Awake” hitmaker told Chakell after she changed her tune. https://youtu.be/dlLAdnwIwgk Regina King’s favorite role has been that of being a mom. King spoke with “Good Morning America” in an interview that aired Thursday, her first since the death of her 26-year-old son Ian Alexander Jr., who died by suicide in January 2022. The actress has dedicated her forthcoming film, “Shirley,” about activist and politician Shirley Chisholm, to her late son and said much has changed since his passing. “I’m a different person, you know, now than I was January 19 [2022 before her son died],” King told “GMA’s” Robin Roberts. “Grief is a journey. I understand that grief is love that has no place to go.” She said she wishes to honor Ian in the “totality” of who he has been, speaking about her son in the present tense because “he is always with me.” https://youtu.be/e9nFYCO7tBU Lawyers will tell you it’s hard to prove a good boss/bad boss employee complaint unless you have solid evidence and/or irrefutable documentation. So, in the case of former president Donald Trump, during his term in office, he would ordinarily go down in history as either a good president or a bad president. However, when you look at the totality of egregious things he’s said, done, or attempted to do, especially after he lost the 2020 election, one has to wonder how in the world did America allow Trump to get this far – to become the republican front-runner for the presidency again? In the Black community, folks grumble “If it had been President Obama he would have been put in jail by now, or worse!” In the June 2023 POLITICO staff report “Tracking the Trump Criminal Cases” they wrote: “For the first 234 years of the nation’s history, no American president or former president had ever been indicted. That changed this year. Over five months, former President Donald Trump was charged in four criminal cases. In Washington, D.C., he faces four felony counts for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In Georgia, he faces 13 felony counts for his election interference in that state. In New York, he faces 34 felony counts in connection with hush money payments to a porn star. And in Florida, he faces 40 felony counts for hoarding classified documents after he left office and impeding the government’s efforts to retrieve them.” Since then, Trump has been adjudicated as a rapist and ordered to pay the plaintiff millions of dollars. California lawmakers proposed a bill this week banning the sale of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in state public schools. According to CBS News, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) introduced A.B. 2316 on Tuesday, legislation that would ban “7 harmful chemicals linked to serious health concerns including DNA damage, cancer, hyperactivity, and neurobehavioral issues from food served to students,” he said in a press release. Additives like blue 1, titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, and red 40, present in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Takis, are now subject to regulation. Additionally, foods that contain the dyes blue 1, blue 2, green 3, yellow 5, and yellow 6 would also be prohibited. Gabriel noted that these ingredients are currently banned in Europe. “This legislation will not ban any specific foods or products,” Gabriel said, ABC 7 News reports. “The goal here is to encourage companies to make minor modifications to products sold in California if they want their products to be sold in California public schools, and let’s be clear, that’s a big market.” Dr. Dre will receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next week, and it will be installed next to Snoop Dogg’s star. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, March 19. Media personality Big Boy will host the event, and Snoop will speak alongside Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine, Yahoo reports. Dr. Dre’s contributions to the music industry are undeniable and have left an indelible mark on popular culture,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in a statement. “As a producer, rapper, and entrepreneur, Dr. Dre has continuously pushed boundaries and set new standards for excellence. It is with great pride that we honor his incredible career and extraordinary impact by awarding him a star on the Walk of Fame,” the statement continued. Martinez added, “Dr. Dre’s star will serve as a lasting symbol of his immense talent and enduring legacy in the world of music.” Dre’s star will live in front of Jimmy Kimmel’s studio on Hollywood Blvd. Karrueche Tran clapped back at fans who criticized her for selling pictures of her feet on the subscription-based platform OnlyFans. Critics mocked the actress for turning to a service used primarily by sex workers who produce pornography. Many fans accused the model of “going broke,” and Tran hopped on social media to set the record straight. “I have a team that helps with the page, so they’ll be able to eat from this as well,” Tran wrote. “There’s a stigma around OF but there’s literally chefs, musicians, yoga instructors, etc. on there,” she added. Her OF subscription fee is $24.99 a month. If you have a severe foot fetish, Tran is also offering a three-month bundle for $52.48 and $104.96 for six months. She intends to donate a percentage of her OnlyFans revenue to local charities in Los Angeles. Pi Day isn’t just about showing off how many numbers you have memorized. Restaurants from Burger King to California Pizza Kitchen are offering deals and discounts on Thursday, March 14. Pi Day occurs on March 14 each year because the date is written as 3.14 in the United States. Pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, or approximately 3.14 (its exact value is infinite and can’t be calculated). March 14 also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. With eating out becoming more of a luxury, restaurants use such deals to help draw customers to fast casual and fast food chains. Pi Day has also become synonymous with pizza pie (and other round foods). https://youtu.be/h4Zsvhdd4E4 STARZ has announced that they have given the green light to “Down in the Valley,” a documentary series inspired by the world of “P-Valley,” set to air in 2024. The six-half-hour episode series, hosted and executive produced by Nicco Annan (“P-Valley”), will offer viewers a glimpse into the Deep South, showcasing its poignant, joyful, and magical aspects. Annan, best known as “Uncle Clifford” in STARZ’s acclaimed drama series “P-Valley,” will delve into the people, sensuality, music, culture, and stories of the South. From strip clubs to sex workshops and ancient hoodoo rituals, Annan, along with the audience, will explore it all. “Down in the Valley” will unveil the intriguing people and places that make the Deep South a land of possibilities and surprises. Candace Owens is convinced that France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, is a man, and she has presented compelling receipts to support this theory. Earlier this week, she dedicated much of her Daily Wire podcast to the controversy in an episode titled “The BIGGEST Political Scandal In Human History.” Brigitte has a couple of concerning issues going on. First, she gives off pedo vibes because the 70-year-old met and “fell in love” with 46-year-old President Emmanuel Macron when he was 15 and she was his school teacher. Secondly, she favors her “missing” brother, whom many French people believe is not missing at all, but is actually posing as the country’s first lady. Owens noted in her podcast that Brigitte was born Jean-Michel Trogneux before eventually transitioning at age 30. https://youtu.be/v81g1tldi4c ScHoolboy Q and Amber Rose join Anderson .Paak for Episode 3 of .Paak House Radio on Apple Music 1. ScHoolboy Q performs “oHio” and “Am I Wrong” from his acclaimed new album “Blue Lips” and talks to Anderson .Paak about the meaning behind his album title, studio dynamics, what artists he plays his music for before releasing it, and how having a teenage daughter has changed the way he presents himself. He also shares the story about the first time they ever met and reveals his first impression of him. https://youtu.be/q9wsMn6Kl5M Episode 3 of .Paak House Radio premiered today, March 13 on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/PaakHouse – or watch on Apple Music TV (available on the Apple TV app) https://youtu.be/6VI18aFjmrE Attorney Antonio Moore discusses the recent litigation brought by rapper 50 Cent accusing his liquor distribution partner of embezzling millions. Moore also ties in similar recent claims by rappers Diddy and Jay Z in recent years involving liquor sales. Looking back Jay Z had claimed to need access to the location of bottles for his liquor. And Diddy claimed racial discrimination with Diageo. He also ties in the problems with sports gambling through Draft Kings & Shannon Sharpe. As well as Joe Budden & Prize Picks. https://youtu.be/zXpr2mXEMV8 Tangela Parker, an award-winning African American global marketing executive, joined an elite group of female C-Suite leaders when President Joe Biden awarded her the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. The annual awards honor a select few who “exhibit outstanding character, work ethic, and dedication to their communities.” Recipients of the award must have completed a minimum of 4,000 hours of volunteer service. The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor in the President’s Volunteer Service Award program. Parker was honored with the award based on her 24-year marketing and public affairs career at leading Fortune 500 companies, where she has supported underserved communities and developed programming to improve their quality of life. Don Lemon said Wednesday that his partnership with Elon Musk went down in flames, hours after the former CNN anchor conducted an interview last week with the erratic billionaire for the debut episode of his new independent web-based show. “Elon publicly encouraged me to join X with a new show, saying I would have his ‘full support,’” Lemon said in a statement, adding that he took Musk at his word that he was “interested in working directly with diverse voices.” In an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday night, Lemon spoke about his exchange with Musk and shared video excerpts from the 90-minute sit-down, in which Lemon asked Musk questions on an array of topics. Lemon said he pressed Musk about the rise in hate speech on X since the billionaire took over the social media platform last year, asking him if he believed that he and the company had a responsibility to moderate hateful content. https://youtu.be/pgVZnVTKqMw Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s new episode of WE TV’s reality series Bold & Bougie, which follows Crystal Smith, Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, and Princess Banton-Lofters. Per the official series synopsis, “The women of Bold & Bougie have spent their entire lives being cheerleaders for others. Now, it’s their turn to be the center of attention as they support each other and form an unbreakable sisterhood. In each hour-long episode, witness the growing pains that come from love, loss – and hangovers, because they still know how to have a good time. As they celebrate milestones, the women showcase their vibrant personalities and zest for life. However, this sisterhood isn’t without its challenges.” https://youtu.be/O0a30FNECyE Pharrell Williams reportedly ended his F1 post-race performance in Saudi Arabia due to safety concerns with the unruly crowd. The artist and Louis Vuitton’s latest Men’s Creative Director delivered a stern message to the audience after several people hurled objects on stage. “This is the liveliest city right now on the planet but we have also got to be the safest,” Williams said to the crowd, Hip Hop Wired reports. “I know you guys are excited and I know you are wanting to throw your wrist gadgets and lights and all that, but you can’t as the girls are dancing. And me? I love women. How about you?” He continued, “We must protect our women, so if you want to throw them lights, you have to throw them the other way, not at the stage. Who understands what I’m saying?” Despite his caution, fans persisted in tossing their wristbands onto the stage. The New Orleans Police Department is facing a rat infestation so severe that the rodents are consuming some of the drugs stored as evidence — and getting high.According to NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, the decaying NOPD headquarters are riddled with mold and overrun by rats. These rodents have even infiltrated the evidence room, where they consume some of the stored marijuana, per NOLA. Kirkpatrick voiced concerns about the conditions during a meeting with the City Council’s Criminal Justice Committee on Monday, March 11th. “The rats are eating our marijuana,” Kirkpatrick said, Complex reports. “They’re all high.” https://youtu.be/Arfx2aGYHvs A United Airlines round-trip ticket from Denver to Dallas in late March is advertised for $91. But checking one bag at the airport both ways will cost an extra $80 — nearly as much as the flight. Checked bag fees are hitting record highs as airlines up the ante. Bag fees are lucrative revenue for airlines and a way to save on taxes, airline experts say. Last week, American Airlines said it was raising luggage fees by $5. American will charge $40 for customers who don’t first prepay online and $35 if they do. United, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines have also announced fee increases this year. (Southwest is the only airline that does not charge for checking bags. Delta charges $30 for a first checked bag, but has not raised its prices since 2018.) Luggage fees feel like they’ve been around forever, but they are a relatively new phenomenon. In 2008, American became the first major US airline to charge customers for checking a bag, instituting a $15 fee. Airlines also charge extra for bags that weigh over a certain threshold, often 50 pounds. https://youtu.be/nzcD9zbkLo0 Inglewood’s first and only wine bar, 1010 Wine and Events unveiled a sneak peek of their new dynamic menu created by Le Cordon Bleu Pasadena graduate, Chef Mo Marvel! Founders Leslie and LeAnn Jones recently hosted a night of food tasting that included salmon crudo, Piri Piri chicken, Prime Beef bavette along with a host of other delicious servings. The well-rounded variety of dishes were each paired with select Black-owned wines, hand-picked by LeAnn herself. Each plate brought to the table held it’s own deeming of sophistication that appeared to be more like fine-dining, but tasted along the lines of food for the soul. Before deep-diving into each dish, Chef Mo appeared and announced the names and fresh ingredients with all the passion a master chef could muster up. He listed the variety of fresh, roasted, and caramelized vegetables like molasses brown butter carrots, brussel sprouts with cucumber yogurt, and braised chard. https://youtu.be/Rdl2j8JKEwI Ranchy rapper Sexyy Red wants a guest starring role on “Abbott Elementary.” “How I get on Abbott Elementary?” said the rapper in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Uproxx reports. The show’s creator, Quinta Brunson, has not responded to the hip-hop star. According to Collider, the upcoming slate of guest stars on Season 3 includes Lana Condor, Keegan-Michael Key, Cree Summer, Tatyana Ali, and Karan Soni. Brunson plays elementary teacher Janine in the series and recently appeared on Hot Ones to eat hot wings and discuss her Emmy-winning sitcom. “She’s a girl who doesn’t quite know what to do with her hair and wardrobe yet but she’s proud of herself regardless and that’s what I wanted people to take away with that kind of character,” Brunson said about Janine. https://youtu.be/uBSQ3yOt3Fk SZA is opening up about having her breast implants removed due to concerns about her family history of breast cancer. SZA’s mother battled breast cancer, and her aunt had a mastectomy. On a recent episode of the S.H.E. MD podcast, the R&B songstress noted that she has a 53% lifetime risk of developing the disease, PEOPLE reports. She didn’t fully comprehend the risk until she contemplated getting breast implants and experienced fibrosis — which the Mayo Clinic describes as the “scarring and thickening of the tissue around and between the air sacs called alveoli in the lungs.” “When I got my boobs done, my doctor took out some of my fibrosis, but, there was so much fibrosis, it was crazy,” SZA said on the podcast hosted by former fashion designer and entrepreneur Mary Alice Haney and board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Thais Aliabadi. “And he took it out. And so, when I went back, a lot of the concerns were gone,” the Grammy winner added. “I like seeing somebody spiritual about it, specifically the breast cancer situation and the marker before I had the results of the biopsy and all that, I had talked to somebody, because I was like, I got to figure out what’s going on in the higher realms.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C11rps6LYzz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a3235982-42ee-435c-93aa-f347844bd199 In an inspiring portrayal, Oscar-winner Regina King takes on the role of political icon Shirley Chisholm in the upcoming Netflix film “Shirley,” chronicling Chisholm’s groundbreaking run for president in 1972. The film, written and directed by John Ridley, highlights the audacity and boundary-breaking campaign that marked Chisholm as the first Black candidate to seek a major presidential nomination. Regina shared insights on portraying Chisholm, emphasizing the importance of showcasing the humanity behind the political figure. “It was important to bring out the humanity,” she stated. “We often view these larger-than-life figures as almost deities, but they are also daughters, wives, and women. Understanding all these facets helps us grasp the magnitude of what Shirley achieved.” Reflecting on the historical context, Howard drew parallels between Chisholm and other influential figures like Mother Teresa. He highlighted the importance of recognizing the strength and support behind such figures, shedding light on the unsung heroes who contribute to their success. Howard remarked, “Regina has all those same qualities, and it’s interesting to be a part of watching history repeat itself.” https://youtu.be/hjBeKNHIdMY South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s promotion of a cosmetic dentist’s services in a video shared on social media has garnered attention. In the video posted on X, Noem mentions that she lost all her front teeth in a biking accident years ago. She recounts her experience with Smile Texas, a cosmetic and implant dental practice in Houston, which restored her smile. “I love that my bite is better, that my teeth are a better shape, that they feel better in my mouth and that I can be confident when I smile at people,” Noem said in the video, per Newsweek. She added, “It has been a gift to be here at Smile Texas.” Noem explained that she decided to undergo cosmetic dentistry because she was concerned about her teeth after entering politics. Watch her full commentary in the X/Twitter clip. Social media users questioned why Noem shared what seemed to be an advertisement for a Texas-based business. https://twitter.com/i/status/1767392635944059202 Is this some kind of surreal twist? MLB sensation Aroldis Chapman seems to be quite handsy and attached to his mama, as evidenced by a rather peculiar video that emerged recently. In the clip, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher can be seen getting cozy with an older lady—presumably his mother. The two-time World Series champ shared this eyebrow-raising moment on his Instagram story. It’s a scene where he’s lounging on a couch with a woman who bears a striking resemblance to his mom, Maria Caridad De La Cruz, reports TMZ. Chapman, sporting a grin from ear to ear, is noticeably hands-on in the video, playfully squeezing the woman’s breasts while she casually pats his back. https://twitter.com/LanceZierlein/status/1767931300290142434/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1767931300290142434%7Ctwgr%5Ea4ab20cbf0c1a065d47ce24cf3bbcccfca11e6e0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fwhy-is-this-mlb-star-groping-this-older-womans-boobs%2F The Missouri teenager whom a fellow classmate violently assaulted in a viral video is in critical condition with brain damage. The victim was “left alone on the ground to convulse” after her attacker slammed her head numerous times against the pavement, according to a GoFundeMe page. We reported earlier that the St. Louis County Police Department in Missouri confirmed the arrest of a 15-year-old Black girl involved in a violent assault. The unidentified minor is facing assault charges and is currently detained in the St. Louis Family Court, Washington Examiner reports. The altercation was recorded on video and quickly spread across social media platforms over the weekend, garnering viral attention. The clip shows the girl repeatedly slamming the head of a white teenager named Kaylee on the concrete, leaving her on the ground convulsing. The incident occurred on Friday near Hazelwood East High School in Hazelwood, a suburb of St. Louis. According to the family’s fundraiser, the victim has a skull fracture and damage to her frontal lobe. She remains in critical condition with significant brain bleeding. 50 Cent announced this week that he’s explaining the “Power” universe that will unpack the origin story of Tommy and Ghost. “You asked, I answered. Young Ghost and Tommy coming your way,” Fiddy wrote in an Instagram post about the forthcoming series titled “Power Origins.” The original “Power” series centers on wealthy New York City nightclub owner and drug kingpin James “Ghost” St. Patrick (played by Omari Hardwick). His longtime friend Tommy (played by Joseph Sikora) helped distribute the narcotics. The show was created by Courtney A. Kemp and executive produced by 50 Cent and spawned three spinoff series. “As we approach the 10-year anniversary of Power it is incredible to witness the enormous connection our fans have with the ‘Power’ universe,” Kathryn Busby, President of Programming for Starz said in a statement to Deadline. “We can’t wait to see how Origins will further evolve this dynamic franchise while bringing fresh, gripping, and expansive storytelling to our audience.” Meanwhile, we reported earlier that production has begun in Chicago on season three of STARZ’s action-packed drama series “Power Book IV: Force.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C4dccigOxux/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=70950c43-93c9-447e-92d7-ce9d53793cd8 The world-renowned Gospel Heritage Worship & Arts Summit will be returning after a brief hiatus at The River Church in Durham, NC May 16-18! This three-day intense gospel music industry bootcamp will provide aspiring gospel singers and musicians with the opportunity to learn from some of the industry’s leading professionals. Originally founded by industry veteran Dr. Teresa Hairston-Jackson, this year’s workshop will be hosted by Gospel Heritage President and 7x Stellar Award-winning gospel artist, VaShawn Mitchell. This year’s summit is sure to be an epic experience unlike any other year prior. This year’s special honorees include Dr. Judith McAllister, the group Men of Standard, and gospel music legend Pastor Shirley Caesar. Special guest speakers of the summit will also include Bishop William Murphy, Dr. Valerie Moore, and Bishop Ronald L. Godbee. Other special guests include Gospel Heritage Vice President Dr. John Paul McGee, Anthony Brown, Tonya Baker, Meachum Clarke, Pastor Ruth Ann Wynter, and Todd Garlberth. Check out the fake Sir Charles, “Saturday Night Live” legend Kenan Thompson, as he explains how he does his impression of the real Sir Charles, the one and only, Charles Barkley.On Wednesday’s edition of CNN’s “KingCharles,” with Gayle King and Barkley, a nervous (acting) Thompson dished to Gayle how he nails the Chuckster every time. “Some people strike you funny… you have a very specific tone,” Thompson said before slipping into his Barkley persona easily. “It’s just down in here, you know? It’s just a very Southern baritonal, ‘I’m a very tall person, so that’s how I talk.'” Barkley was so awed discovering his impressionable manner of speech, that he immediately said, “It’s a tremendous compliment.” https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/240313234504-keenan-thompson-charles-barkley-split.jpg?c=16x9&q=w_250,c_fill In an exclusive interview, we chatted with Hamish Linklater, who portrays Abraham Lincoln, and Anthony Boyle, who embodies John Wilkes Booth, in the highly anticipated new APPLETV+ series “MANHUNT.” Delving into their respective roles as pivotal figures in one of history’s most significant events, the actors provided unique insights into their characters. With the series poised to explore the gripping narrative of Lincoln’s assassination, Linklater and Boyle offer a glimpse into the intense emotional journey and dynamic storytelling awaiting audiences in this compelling drama. Per Apple TV+, “Manhunt” is a conspiracy thriller about one of history’s best-known but least understood crimes: the astonishing story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. https://youtu.be/VFT-b8eKdSo In a heart-stopping display of precision and skill, Logan Holladay, stunt driver for Oscar® nominee Ryan Gosling’s character in Universal Pictures’ new 87North film, The Fall Guy, shattered the GUINNESS World Records title for most cannon rolls in a car, achieving an astonishing eight and a half rolls during the film’s 2022 production on the beaches of Sydney, Australia. This groundbreaking feat in blockbuster director David Leitch’s latest film surpassed the previous record held by stuntman Adam Kirley, who achieved seven cannon rolls during the filming of 2006’s Casino Royale. https://youtu.be/vyM_QMFcFvA GRAMMY® nominated and Stellar Award-winning, Jekalyn Carr, earns her eighth #1 single as a writer and producer with “Live Again” as performed by Kelontae Gavin. “Live Again” earns #1 status on the Billboard National Gospel Airplay Chart and Mediabase Gospel Airplay chart. “Live Again” is lifted from Kelontae Gavin’s current album, TESTIFY. Jekalyn Carr’s current self-titled offering, JEKALYN, is available for streaming and purchase at all major digital retailers now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP1SnmHHngM The album, JEKALYN, is preceded by the Billboard Gospel National Airplay #1 single, “I Believe God,” and is available now wherever music is sold and streamed. JEKALYN, marks Carr’s first-full release in four years and features outstanding collaborations with Tauren Wells, Kierra Sheard, Papa San, Tim Bowman Jr., Kirk Franklin, Pastor Mike Jr., Mike Teezy, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Blanca and Elevation Rhythm. JEKALYN contains Carr’s seventh Billboard Gospel National Airplay #1 single, “I Believe God.” The brand new single, “You Carried Me” by Jekalyn Carr is impacting radio now. Get ready for all new episodes of TV One’s original and longest-running series "UNSUNG" and "UNCENSORED" this Sunday, March 17 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. "UNSUNG" leads with Chuckii Booker at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by "UNCENSORED", which features R&B sensation Ginuwine, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZSatqePpVQ Jenifer Lewis is speaking about a near-death experience during a trip to Africa in 2022. In a new interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, Lewis, 67, said she experienced a 10-foot fall from a hotel balcony during a trip to the Serengeti. The “Black-ish” actress recounted how she ventured out to the deck towards an infinity pool, only to stumble off the edge due to the darkness, unaware of the drop. “I’m walking and all of a sudden, I had fallen 10 feet into a dry ravine full of boulders and stones and sharp rocks,” she said. “There was a space that was not sectioned off, and there was no sign that said ‘caution, 10-feet drop.” Lewis suffered multiple injuries in the fall and recalled being “in shock” and unable to move her body. While in the ravine, she found herself surrounded by wild animals, USA Today reports. https://youtu.be/y6iZzioF1og Mike Epps admits to grappling with “survivor’s remorse” and guilt about his success, particularly when considering the struggles of his less fortunate friends. “I’ve been through hell… I did most of the movies on cocaine…” said Mike on a recent podcast episode of the “All the Smoke” podcast, Essentially Sports reports. He also reminisced about his experience working on the “Friday” sequel alongside co-star Ice Cube, recalling a moment of vulnerability when he found himself in tears in his trailer. Cube offered consolation and words of encouragement during that difficult time. “I’m sitting there wiping myself because I had survivor’s remorse,” Epps revealed. https://youtu.be/lHvZQmMpf-0 Doctors in Florida discovered tapeworm eggs within the brain of a man who had been eating undercooked pork. The 52-year-old man sought medical treatment due to severe headaches, PEOPLE reports. A CT scan revealed a mass initially believed to be “congenital neuroglial cysts,” according to a report published in the American Journal of Case Reports. Further examinations, including an MRI, confirmed that the masses were the larvae of tapeworms. He informed his physicians about his history of consuming soft, undercooked bacon, suspected to be the source of his infection. According to the CDC, the condition, known as neurocysticercosis, can result in seizures and, in severe cases, may even lead to death, PEOPLE reports. The physicians stated, “It can only be speculated, but given our patient’s predilection for undercooked pork and benign exposure history, we favor that his cysticercosis was transmitted via autoinfection after improper handwashing after he had contracted taeniasis himself from his eating habits.” https://youtu.be/l403_H3yOyw The rap world is mourning the loss of Bo$$, whose untimely death at age 54 has shocked fans and fellow artists alike. Bo$$ was the first female rapper to sign with Def Jam and is best known for her only studio album, “Born Gangstaz,” released in 1993 and featuring the singles “Deeper” and “Recipe of a Hoe.” Boss (born Lichelle Marie Laws) left an indelible impression with her potent lyrics and pioneering role in the predominantly male hip-hop landscape of the early 1990s. The record label confirmed news of her passing with a statement Tuesday. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lichelle Marie Laws, also known as Bo$$,” the statement on Instagram read. “Bo$$ will be remembered as a pioneer in hip hop, being one of the first female rappers signed to Def Jam in the early 1990’s. We extend our prayers and condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.” Details about her death are not widely known, but Billboard reports that Bo$$ struggled with various health issues throughout the years, which included renal disease and a stroke in 2017. Several fans and artists have paid tribute to her on social media. Hip-hop pioneer Kurtis Blow wrote to his Instagram: ” The Hip Hip Hip Alliance is saddened by the passing of our Beloved ‘BO$$.’ First Detroit Female Gangsta rapper signed to Def Jam. She will never be forgotten and will live in our hearts forever. We send our sincere condolences to her family, friends, Detroit, and the entire world. RIP legend.”Rapper Bun B shared a photo of Bo$$ with the caption: “Rest in peace to my big sis Lichelle Laws AKA Boss. One of the best female MCs and a dear friend. Give Rick Royal a hug for me. Long Live The Org!” DJ Premier revealed he and Bo$$ created a remix for “Deeper,” but Def Jam never released it. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4bUWFagGUf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bb7e45e2-7fc7-4512-86b5-6a82f1959b77 Lenny Kravitz, a musician, actor, and fashion icon, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday. Kravitz rose to fame in the 90s, winning four Grammy awards and releasing 11 albums. He has also been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. During Tuesday’s ceremony, Kravitz reminisced about his teenage years spent strolling along Hollywood Boulevard, idolizing his favorite stars. “I used to walk these very streets because the action and the grit that I was missing in New York was right here in Hollywood.” “As a teenager, I spent a lot of time walking up and down Hollywood Boulevard seeing the names of all my idols,” he continued. “I never dreamt about having a star. I was usually just looking for a place to crash. But I did dream about making the music I wanted and doing my own thing. To see my name, Lenny Kravitz, permanently engraved on the same streets I used to walk is a surreal, indescribable feeling.” https://youtu.be/pxrGal9hdPM Pizza Hut has collaborated with Yeastie Boys, a bagel food truck concept from Los Angeles, to combine the flavors of bagels and pizzas in the limited-edition Big New Yorker Pizza Bagel. Per the news release, “The Big New Yorker Pizza Bagel will debut at Rolling Loud in Los Angeles on March 15-17. Then, two trucks will roll out in New York City over the following weekend from March 22-23 and Los Angeles from March 22-24. At each truck location, the Big New Yorker Pizza Bagel will be available for FREE while supplies last with a limit of one per customer. Additionally, select Pizza Bagels will come with a scratch-off that includes codes for Pizza Hut gift cards up to $25 or custom Yeastie Boys x Pizza Hut swag items.” In the fall of 2019, I received an e-mail from a group of Parsons Fashion Design and Society MFA students who had been given the assignment to make a collection of clothes for “seniors,” as part of a course that involves creating designs that focus on disabled, plus-size, transgender and aging people. The students were divided into four teams, with each team charged to find a muse/collaborator within their respective category — to ensure primary research and a meaningful outcome. The students asked me for an interview, hoping that I might become their muse. The students had gone around to senior centers, asking what older people wanted in their clothing. The answers — focused more on issues of fit, comfort, and disguising signs of age — had discouraged them. Though these elements are important, the students seemed to want an aesthetic of age that could inspire them; they want to make old age high fashion, something beyond just function. (I think to myself that these fashionable young people want to design clothes they can see themselves in when they grow old.) But as we speak together, the fluid internal experience of aging, the memories held, and the desire to evoke them in what we wear are topics they become animated and excited about. Along with their tutors, these students and I begin our work together. Former professional baseball player Darryl Strawberry recently revealed a harrowing health scare, disclosing that he suffered a heart attack on Monday evening. However, thanks to the swift actions of medical professionals, his life was spared, and he is currently recuperating in a hospital. The incident took place in the St. Louis area, where the three-time World Series champion found himself in the grips of a cardiac emergency, according to TMZ. While Strawberry (NY Yankees / NY Mets) did not delve into intricate details surrounding the ordeal, he did mention that doctors intervened with a stent procedure to address his ailing heart. Expressing gratitude for the medical intervention, he shared that the process resulted in the complete restoration of his heart function. Taking to social media – Strawberry, who now lives in O’Fallon, Missouri – conveyed his appreciation for the outpouring of support and requested prayers for his ongoing recovery, ending his message with a heartfelt acknowledgment of divine grace. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4ZjAOEOH8w/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=021bb95d-2f8c-47fc-83a8-5105cfc013be Actor Tyrin Turner has firmly refuted rumors that he and Jamie Foxx are in a secret romantic relationship. The speculation initially arose when Suge Knight mentioned the two men on his jailhouse podcast, SandraRose.com reports. Reggie Wright, former head of security for Death Row Records, appeared on the “Bomb 1st” podcast and corroborated the allegations. Reggie asserted that Tyrin (“Menace to Society”) once relied on Foxx for support and lived with the comedian. “I don’t know if Jamie used KY jelly on him,” Reggie said on the podcast. According to Reggie, Tyrin is trying to overcompensate for being gay. https://twitter.com/i/status/1765171894683140241 “Generally, guys that are homosexuals, they have to overcompensate for theyself [sic] and like to be tough… Every interview that he’s doing, he’s beating up people or got into a fight with somebody,” Reggie said.Tyrin, 52, denied the allegations in an interview on the “The Art Of Dialogue” podcast. “Me and Jamie have been like brothers and best friends for years. What people don’t understand is that we do a lot of business together. So you may have seen us a lot,” the married father of two children explained, SandraRose reports. He added, “When you’re dealing with people, people want to throw the little gay rumor [on you]. Somebody always gotta be gay in the world. I know what I like.” https://youtu.be/-z7txcUSW0I During a recent FDNY promotion ceremony, New York Attorney General Letitia James faced pro-Trump chants during her speech. The department is currently seeking to admonish those responsible for the disturbance. James attended a ceremony at the Christian Cultural Center in Starrett City, Brooklyn, to honor “65 uniformed members from Fire and EMS Operations and the Bureau of Fire Investigation, 29 members of the Bureau of Fire Prevention, and 34 civilian employees receiving promotions,” the New York Intelligencer writes. The event also marked the appointment of Reverend Pamela Holmes as the FDNY’s first Black woman fire chaplain. The audience began booing as soon as James was announced, and the jeers persisted as she started speaking. “Oh, come on. We’re in a house of God,” James said to calm the crowd. “First … simmer down. Thank you, thank you, thank you for getting it out of your system.” The heckling eventually escalated into chants of “Trump.” https://youtu.be/tkGiqwSXKhU Don Lemon’s partnership with Elon Musk went down in flames Wednesday, hours after the former CNN anchor interviewed the erratic billionaire for the debut episode of his new independent web-based show. “Elon publicly encouraged me to join X with a new show, saying I would have his ‘full support,’” Lemon said in a statement, adding that he took Musk at his word that he was “interested in working directly with diverse voices.” https://youtu.be/HbDwCwx-NOc Lemon said the sit-down he conducted with Musk for the first episode of “The Don Lemon Show,” which will be released Monday on social media platforms including X and YouTube, was “respectful and wide ranging” and that “there were no restrictions on the interview that he willingly agreed to.” “His commitment to a global town square where all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared seems not to include questions of him from people like me,” Lemon added. https://youtu.be/iWwAKoDCplY Asked by a user on X what led to the decision, Musk attacked Lemon and CNN, which is not involved in Lemon’s new venture. “His approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying,” Musk wrote. “And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just [former CNN chief] Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity.” But a spokesperson for Lemon told CNN that the media personality expects Musk to honor the financial terms of the agreement. “Don has a deal with X and expects to be paid for it,” the spokesperson said. “If we have to go to court we will.” https://youtu.be/UpALdixETww Last year, Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory, which resulted in droves of advertisers fleeing X. Only then, days afterward, did Musk publicly express remorse for his actions. Lemon was ousted from CNN last year, in a decision that the longtime anchor said left him “stunned.” No specific reason was given by CNN for Lemon’s dismissal, but it came after he was widely criticized for making sexist comments about then-GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Lemon apologized for the remarks at the time, saying, “When I make a mistake, I own it. And I own this one as well.” https://youtu.be/L9eaiRUX1EM “I have multiple things going on with Santana,” said Cindy Blackman, drummer for the Carlos Santana Band, about her upcoming projects during a talk with The Pulse of Entertainment. “We start up in May. HOB (House of Blues) for a summer tour….and he’s (Carlos) is working on a new release.” Cindy is a Jazz/Rock drummer who has played for many artists and musicians. She is known for playing with Lenny Kravitz from 1992 – 2007, 2014, and 2015. She met Carlos in 2010 when she replaced his drummer Dennis Chambers and became the regular drummer for the Carlos Santana Band. That same year she and Carlos married. https://youtu.be/JGgiN1YNoQ4 Kevin Hunter, Wendy Williams’ former spouse, insists that the celebrity cover two years’ worth of overdue divorce payments. According to court filings, Hunter is seeking the resumption of payments that were suspended before Wendy was placed under guardianship in 2022. The payments are outlined in the Marital Settlement Agreement he and the former talk show host entered into, The U.S. Sun reports. In the filing, Hunter stated that attempts at out-of-court mediation had proven unsuccessful, prompting him to return the case to the court again. “I rely on the severance pay for my living expenses and having been without this income for twenty-three months has affected me greatly,” Hunter told the court. Hunter wants Wendy to “immediately pay all severance payments which may be due and owing at the time of this Court’s Order.” Maybe—and I’m just spitballing here—but maybe the anti-woke movement is really just more pro-white, anti-POC racism. Take the subject of racial diversity in Hollywood for instance. Maybe white people are only calling Hollywood “woke” because, in their minds, W.O.K.E is an acronym for “Whiteness Over Knee-grow Entertainment,” or something to that effect. Maybe the truth is white people are so used to seeing themselves overwhelmingly dominate the entertainment industry that when the pendulum swings even an inch in a direction that prioritizes racial and cultural diversity, all they can see is reverse Jim Crow for white Hollywood and the implementation of woke supremacy. In other words, white privilege is a hell of a drug, so much so that white people go into withdrawal when they see anyone else enjoying the representation they have always enjoyed, and, apparently, taken for granted. On Monday, billionaire white man Elon Musk bemoaned the 2024 Academy Awards by declaring, “Winning an Oscar now just means you won the woke contest.” Charges have been dropped against 40-year-old Twyla Stallworth, the Black mother who was violently arrested and detained for more than 12 hours in Andalusia, Alabama, after her neighbor called the police on her over a noise dispute on Feb. 23. In fact, not only have charges been dropped against Stallworth — who was arrested for refusing to present an officer with ID, which she was within her legal right to do since she was in her own home — but Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson also issued an apology to her on Friday. However, Johnson — who is white — immediately addressed the allegations that Stallworth’s arrest was “racially motivated,” which is to say, he dismissed them outright based on the cop not explicitly displaying racism in video footage of the incident. “On behalf of the City of Andalusia and the Andalusia Police Department, I would like to apologize to Twyla Stallworth for her arrest in February. All charges against Ms. Stallworth are being dropped,” Johnson said. https://youtu.be/CNNpJzeSDYk The unexpected announcement of U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge’s forthcoming resignation paved the way for President Joe Biden to name the person who will fill the future vacancy in his cabinet. Adrianne Todman, who is currently the Deputy HUD Secretary, will become acting HUD Secretary once Fudge’s resignation takes effect on March 22. Todman is described in her official HUD bio as someone who “has dedicated her career to improving people’s lives and strengthening neighborhoods through housing and strong community development.” Prior to joining HUD, Todman was CEO of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) from 2017 until her confirmation as Deputy HUD Secretary in 2021. Todman was confirmed unanimously nearly three months after she was nominated for the position. https://youtu.be/HbcSPe1PQMI Black women-led reproductive justice organization that raises awareness of issues at the intersections of race, gender, class, sexual orientation and gender identity has launched a new campaign aimed at educating Black voters on reproductive issues ahead of the 2024 election.In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda kicked off its I Am A Reproductive Justice Voter campaign last week. The new initiative aims to involve, educate, and mobilize Black women voters across a dozen states and drive turnout to advocate for policies that advance reproductive justice, which is defined by In Our Own Voice as “the human right to control our sexuality, our gender, our work, and our reproduction.” https://twitter.com/BlackWomensRJ/status/1766191934874189965/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1766191934874189965%7Ctwgr%5E8ec8692cc9eb9c84e6791b3e9d56dc7d8a85ca5a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F5072088%2Freproductive-justice-voter-campaign%2F Here’s a question: What if conservatives are lying about the negative impact learning about racism in class has on their children? What if white parents are really just projecting their own racial resentment onto their children when they’re filling the school board room meetings to complain about the psychological damage done to their kids after they heard the words “systemic racism” or white privilege?” After all, when Republican legislators are making bold claims that critical race theory teaches white students that they’re inherently racist and to hate their country—which CRT absolutley doesn’t teach—it’s not like they ever provide any studies or any evidence at all that indicates said students actually feel that way. On the other hand, there are numerous studies that show both students and educators alike benefit greatly from anti-racist curricula in terms of racial awareness and academic prowess. As the country prepares for national, state and local elections, racial justice and sexual violence remain two pressing issues that affect a vast majority of American citizens yet seem to get lost during this season. Over the past seven years, two of the largest protest movements greatly impacting the politics and culture of the country have addressed the scourge of sexual violence and persistent structural racism, respectively. While it’s often portrayed as if these are two separate issues living in their own silos, the reality is that they are profoundly interconnected. For this reason, Black Voters Matter and me too. International are joining forces to boldly declare that survivor justice is racial justice. Last week, we reported on Alabama Sen. Katie Britt and her rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. Actually, media outlets and folks on social media were so focused on Britt’s absurdly dramatic performance in her rebuttal video, which weirdly appeared to be taken from her kitchen, that much more time was spent focusing on her Karen-esque D-list overacting that wouldn’t be fit for a Tubi production than was spent focusing on how truthful she was during her speech. Well, it turns out, a central part of Britt’s speech, which largely focused on the border crisis, was based on a misleading anecdote about a sex-trafficking victim whose story Britt appears to have exploited in order to bolster a narrative against Biden’s immigration policies, which would be fine if it weren’t for the fact that the trafficking victim she was speaking about was trafficked during the administration of Presiden George W. Bush, which also doesn’t matter since the victim was trafficked within Mexico, not the U.S. “I traveled to the Del Rio sector of Texas,” Britt said following Biden’s address Thursday. “That’s where I spoke to a woman who shared her story with me. She had been sex trafficked by the cartels starting at the age of 12. She told me not just that she was raped every day, but how many times a day she was raped. The cartels put her on a mattress in a shoe box of a room, and they sent men through that door over and over again for hours and hours on end. We wouldn’t be okay with this happening in a Third World country. This is the United States of America, and it is past time, in my opinion, that we start acting like it. President Biden’s border policies are a disgrace.” https://youtu.be/5h00ygHcQgs Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge was being showered with praises and gratitude by Black leaders in particular after she announced Monday her unexpected resignation from President Joe Biden’s cabinet. The resignation is set to take effect nearly three years to the day when she was confirmed. It was not immediately clear why she plans to resign from HUD. Fudge, 71, a Democrat who represented Ohio in Congress from 2008 to 2020, is one of a handful of Black cabinet secretaries Biden handpicked following his historic election. She is also just the second Black woman to lead the government agency. Last night, the NAACP kicked off night two of the “55th NAACP Image Awards” by announcing the second round of winners in the non-televised award categories, which included Outstanding Variety Show, Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show, Children’s Program, and more. The awards were announced tonight during the NAACP Virtual Image Awards’ Show sponsored by Wells Fargo, Google, Bank of America, Gushers, FedEx, Airbnb, Amazon, Diageo, Denny’s, Alaska Airlines, and American Airlines at naacpimageawards.net. Tonight’s winners included DC Young Fly for Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – “Celebrity Squares,” Leslie Jones for Outstanding Performance in a Short Form Series – “The Daily Show After the Cut,” Kyla Pratt for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television) – “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” Issa Rae for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Motion Picture) – “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” Eboni K. Brown for Outstanding News and Information Podcast – “Holding Court with Eboni K. Williams,” and more. The House voted with bipartisan, overwhelming fashion on Wednesday to pass a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban against TikTok, a major challenge to one of the world’s most popular social media apps. The bill would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform — used by roughly 170 million Americans — is spun off from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. It’s not yet clear what the future of the bill will be in the Senate. The House vote was 352 to 65, with 50 Democrats and 15 Republicans voting in opposition. Lawmakers supportive of the bill have argued TikTok poses a national security threat because the Chinese government could use its intelligence laws against ByteDance, forcing it to hand over the data of US app users. The push to pass the bill came up against headwinds from several different political directions: former President Donald Trump, who was once a proponent of banning the platform, has since equivocated on his position, while Democrats are facing pressure from young progressives among whom TikTok remains a preferred social media platform. TikTok creators and Beijing have responded angrily to the upcoming vote, with China’s foreign ministry calling it an “act of bullying.” https://youtu.be/EDRFPvWRoRY?list=RDNSEDRFPvWRoRY In recent comments to reporters, Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who chairs a House select committee on China, rejected characterizations of the bill as a TikTok ban. “It’s not a ban,” he said. “It puts the choice squarely in the hands of TikTok to sever their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. As long as ByteDance no longer owns the company, TikTok can continue to survive. … the basic ownership structure has to change.” TikTok has pushed back on claims from lawmakers that the legislation would provide options for the app. “This legislation has a predetermined outcome: a total ban of TikTok in the United States,” the company wrote in a post on X. “The government is attempting to strip 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression. This will damage millions of businesses, deny artists an audience, and destroy the livelihoods of countless creators across the country.” TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew, has attempted to schedule 11th-hour meetings with members of Congress. The company also sent letters to multiple House lawmakers on Monday accusing them of mischaracterizing TikTok’s call-to-action campaign, saying it is “offensive” for lawmakers to dismiss the views of constituents who have overwhelmed congressional offices with phone calls. https://youtu.be/2ugl3UChXsQ Adidas has slumped to a rare annual loss, hit by the fallout from its costly break-up with rapper Ye, falling sales in North America, and a huge tax bill. The German sportswear giant posted a net loss of €58 million ($63 million) in its core business in 2023, as revenue was hurt by lower sales of Yeezy-branded clothing and sneakers, while its tax burden shot up. “We didn’t have a great year in 2023,” chief financial officer Harm Ohlmeyer told journalists Wednesday. Shares in Adidas fell almost 4% in early trade, before paring most of those losses by 9.40 a.m. ET. https://youtu.be/cVpy0cxrsQA Black Women Film Network (BWFN), the longest-running organization of its kind championing and supporting Black women in film and television, proudly announces its 2024 class of honorees to be celebrated during the awards luncheon at its ninth annual BWFN Summit – powered by Cvent – on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Loudermilk Conference Center (40 Courtland St NE) in Atlanta, GA. This year’s honorees are: Lena Waithe (Emmy-winning writer, Hillman Grad founder, producer, actress: “The Chi,” “Master of None,” “Twenties,” “Boomerang,” “Queen & Slim,” “Kokomo City”)- TrailblazHER, Mona Scott-Young (Monami Productions CEO, “Love & Hip Hop” franchise creator)- RainmakHER, Gail Bean (actress: “P-Valley,” “Snowfall”)- Black Woman Rising, Raamla Mohamed (creator/showrunner/EP “Reasonable Doubt”)- StorytellHER, Amber Rasberry (senior executive film development, production, acquisitions, Amazon Studios)- PowerbrokHER In a world where productivity often precedes rest, getting enough sleep cannot be overstated. Sleep is vital in maintaining physical health, cognitive function, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. Adequate sleep is not merely a luxury; it’s a fundamental necessity for optimal functioning and longevity. From enhancing memory consolidation to supporting immune function, the benefits of sufficient sleep extend far beyond feeling well-rested in the morning. Understanding and prioritizing adequate sleep is crucial for promoting overall health and vitality. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, experts advise that adults aim to sleep between 7 and 9 hours per night. Adults who sleep fewer than 7 hours per night may experience more health problems than those who sleep 7 hours or more. According to the CDC, “Signs of poor sleep quality include not feeling rested even after getting enough sleep, repeatedly waking up during the night, and experiencing symptoms of sleep disorders (such as snoring or gasping for air). Improving sleep quality may be helped by better sleep habits or being diagnosed and treated for any sleep disorder you may have.” https://youtu.be/SrIWN2sm9_Q JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, March 13 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Chef JJ’s family favorites are front and center in this episode. He starts out with a fried catfish sandwich that’s golden brown and delicious. It's served with another favorite, fried plantains. Yum! Chef JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV Personality and Author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by the Caribbean flavors of his upbringing. Chef JJ’s signature cooking style combines culturally relevant ingredients and classical technique with a global point of view. At FIELDTRIP, his made-to-order rice bowl shop in Harlem, Chef JJ highlights rice as a hero ingredient and showcases it in recipes sourced from around the world. Among many other partnerships, Chef JJ is also a Mastercard Ambassador. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1EOsQTe2yQ The Smollett sibling duo returns to CLEO TV tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET/8C with hit series, LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. This season, Jake and Jazz will continue to share beautiful home makeovers, prepare delicious family recipes, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for a lucky group of homeowners. Hairstylist Tasia needs her at home salon revamped. Jake refurbishes a glass shelving unit, while Jazz adds bold black and silver salon accessories. The reveal meal is fried chicken, corn bread, collard greens and sweet potato pie. https://vimeo.com/922655889/0231bee933?share=copy The legendary R&B group, The Whispers, known for classic R&B tracks such as “Keep on Lovin’ Me,” “Rock Steady” and “And the Beat Goes On,” have released a new gospel track, “In The Name of Jesus 24” (Kingdom Records). The track attracted 40,000 first week digital streams and is available at the platforms listed here: https://ingrv.es/in-the-name-of-jesus-sg2-w Convicted! Lamor Whitehead, dubbed the “Bling Bishop,” was found guilty during his Manhattan trial on Monday. He was convicted of stealing the life savings of a parishioner’s mother. Along the way, he falsely claimed that Mayor Adams had bestowed upon him “the key to the city” to facilitate his fraud. After a few hours of deliberation in Manhattan Federal Court, jurors found 46-year-old Whitehead guilty on five counts, which included wire fraud, attempted extortion, lying to the FBI, and related charges arising from three distinct schemes. Dawn Florio, Whitehead’s lawyer, briefly stated, “We are appealing the verdict.” Whitehead, a pastor who has attracted media attention and whom Adams has referred to as a mentee, had pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was unavailable for immediate comment but had delivered an emotional speech the day before the verdict, reports the NY Daily News. https://youtu.be/BdknL4dmTkA Get ready to dive into the drama, tears, and triumphs of the latest season of “Teen Mom: Family Reunion!” The MTV series is returning for season 3 on March 13th at 8 PM ET/PT. The new season includes Maci and Taylor McKinney, Catelynn and Tyler Baltierra, Jade Cline and Sean Austin, Cory Wharton and Taylor Selfridge, Cheyenne and Zach Davis, Kayla Sessler and Ryan Leigh, Mackenzie McKee and Khesanio Hall, Briana Dejesus, Leah Messer, and Kiaya Elliot. https://youtu.be/ZUIom02L8Z0 Angie B, the rising artist in the R&B scene, is ready to make an impact with her newest single, "Stay." Marking her first release in two years, this R&B/soul track, was released on October 27th, to captivate listeners with its downtempo instrumentation and the enchanting vocals of Angie B. "Stay" is a compelling showcase of Angie B's musical prowess and message-heavy lyricism. From the moment the play button is pressed, listeners will be drawn into a world of emotion and introspection. The seamless fusion of Angie B's evocative vocals and the soul-stirring instrumentation creates an emotional aura that is nothing short of magical. Angie B's euphoric harmonies and powerful vocal range leave an indelible impact, making "Stay" a must-listen for anyone craving an inspirational and soulful experience. This single carries a message that resonates with the heart and soul, making it an anthem for those who seek strength and hope. Stellar Award-winner Lucinda Moore will be recognized with her first BMI Award for her hit song, “Lord I Hear You” at this year’s BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards ceremony. Having garnered +10 million streams and earning a #1 spot on the Media Base chart and #3 on Billboard, it is truly deserving of the prestigious honor. The heartfelt and uplifting track has struck a chord with audiences and has solidified Moore’s reputation as a powerhouse in the music industry. When asked about receiving the award, Moore says, “I have been a member of BMI since the early 2000s, and for the first time, I am honored that a song I wrote will be recognized as one of the top songs of the year!” She continues, “When I write songs, I write out of experience. The lyrics of this song was written in 2015 while lying in ICU. I had a cyst the size of a watermelon on my spine. The doctors did surgery and my heart stopped on the table. In my recovery, I began to pen the lyrics of this song and Grammy Award winner, Cedric Thompson co-wrote it with me. I am happy and overjoyed. Thank you BMI!!!!” LeBron James was at the center of controversy with Lakers president Jeanie Buss during Friday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The NBA star didn’t suit up for the game, but a video of him sitting courtside and speaking with Buss and Lakers executive director of special projects Linda Rambis caused quite a stir online. In the video, James appears to say something exciting to both women, which prompts Buss to rest her head on his shoulder. Rambis also can’t keep her hands off the superstar athlete. Social media buzzed over the weekend with speculation on James’ remarks and conjecture about his wife, Savannah James’ response to the video. According to Clutch Pulse, in “leaked” audio, James appears to praise Buss and Rambis for being two powerful women in sports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1766579672442179736 In Texas, a federal judge has mandated that a U.S. agency serving minority-owned businesses extend its services without regard to race. According to The Hill, Judge Mark T. Pittman of the Northern District of Texas contended that the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) eligibility criteria violated the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection guarantees. The agency aids minority-owned businesses in securing financing and government contracts. The judge’s ruling favors white business owners who believe the program is discriminatory. The Hill reports that the MBDA assisted businesses in raising over $1.2 billion in fiscal 2022. The ruling marked a significant triumph for racist white conservative activists aiming to create roadblocks for race-conscious programs following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to dismantle affirmative action programs in colleges. https://youtu.be/plwHwE9oVTQ The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House Gala, hosted by R&B Legendary Singer Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheredge-Brown, took place on Monday, March 4, at the Taglyan Complex Center in Los Angeles, CA. The evening was a remarkable celebration of resilience, compassion, and unwavering commitment to end domestic violence. The gala was graced by esteemed guests, such as boxing legend Mike Tyson and comedians Cedric The Entertainer, Chris Spencer, and Michael Blackson, alongside notable figures like Apollonia and Larkin Arnold, former Vice President of Capitol Records, while the evening was illuminated by captivating performances from talents like Shalea, Howard Hewett, Mike Phillips and Eric Benet, supported by the dynamic sounds of The Unit. The event commenced with a heartfelt introduction by R&B Legend Bobby Brown, who shared the mission and origins of the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House. Named in honor of his beloved daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, the organization stands as a beacon of hope and support for those affected by domestic violence. Alicia Etheredge-Brown, co-founder of The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House, delivered a powerful message, highlighting the prevalence of domestic violence globally and the urgent need for prevention and support services. Melissa Rauch and John Larroquette lead the cast in the rebooted classic “Night Court,” which debuted in January 2023. Now well into its second season, with only a few episodes left, Nyambi told in an exclusive interview that he’s a longtime fan of the original series, so starring in the reboot is a dream come true. Speaking to NBC Insider about the reboot and her character Abby’s journey in Season 2, Rauch said, “The first season we had a little bit more country mouse vibes from Abby as she was experiencing New York for the first time. I think she’s got a little bit more savviness to her this year…She’s trying now to figure out what she wants wants herself, so it’s the fun and games of seeing Abby try that on for the first time.” Larroquette, who reprises his role of Dan Fielding from the original, told TV Insider, “Let me really be honest, I am 40 years older than when I began that part, so getting in his shoes was difficult because my feet are swollen. Luckily, I had Melissa to play against, and it fell into place easily.” British actor Idris Elba, perhaps best known for roles including Stringer Bell from “The Wire” and John Luther from the eponymous TV show, has ambitions beyond the screen. For his latest role, he wants to build a “smart eco-city” that runs off wind power on an island in the West African country of Sierra Leone. Sherbro Island is known for its pristine beaches which are a nesting ground for green sea turtles. Sherbro Alliance Partners, co-founded by Elba in 2019, is collaborating with the government to develop a special economic zone on the island to attract people from around the world to live, work, invest, and play. The actor was brought up in London, but his mom is from Ghana, and his dad is from Sierra Leone. He has acted as a brand ambassador for the latter country and is a strong advocate for building up the African creative arts economy. Last week, during a talk at the Investopia investment conference in Abu Dhabi, Elba championed the creative industries and called for more investment to support innovation and growth. There, he spoke with CNN’s Becky Anderson about his big ideas for the future and looked back at some big hits from his past. Monica is touring with Nicki Minaj, and her boyfriend, Anthony Wilson, is reportedly accompanying her. The R&B singer recently shared some photos with Anthony on Instagram. However, one fan criticized Monica for moving on from her previous relationship, a ten-year marriage to Shannon Brown from 2010 to 2019. “Y’all don’t believe in staying single and cleansing the last man out your [cat emoji],” the fan commented, Hot New Hip Hop reports. “My last one couldn’t even get no damn [cat emoji],” Monica clapped back, “& that was 2.5 yrs ago !!! this is why it’s better to speak what you know or just MYMFBB,” she added. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4XHKzFOahs/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c2c841f3-df07-4af9-b96d-e28014667566 Iman Shumpert refutes allegations of cutting off utilities at the family home he shared with his estranged ex-wife, Teyana Taylor, and their children. Taylor alleged that Shumpert disconnected the WiFi, cable, and water at their Georgia residence amid divorce proceedings. According to RadarOnline, Taylor’s motion detailed, “On January 23, 2023, the Petitioner discovered that the cable and Wi-Fi at the marital residence was no longer working. Petitioner attempted to obtain additional information from the cable and Wi- Fi service provider regarding this matter, but to no avail as the account is listed in Respondent’s name. Then, on the morning of January 24, 2024, the parties’ minor children discovered that the water had been disconnected at the marital residence.” The complaint continued, “[Shumpert] has willfully and with no regard for the parties’ minor children, violated said STANDING ORDER by causing the disconnection of water, cable and Wi-Fi at the marital residence where the minor children reside.” The legal docs noted that Taylor “anticipates that the gas and electricity at the marital residence will be disconnected next.” H.E.R., Megan Thee Stallion, and Usher were among the winners on the first night of the NAACP Image Awards during Monday’s virtual event. Khleo Thomas hosted the first night of the NAACP Virtual Image Awards show. The non-televised awards in other categories will be distributed in virtual shows on Tuesday and Wednesday, per THR. We reported earlier that Queen Latifah is set to return as host of the 55th annual televised NAACP Image Awards, airing LIVE on Saturday, March 16, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET. She emceed the ceremony for the first time last year. During Monday’s virtual event, Usher took home the award for outstanding male artist, H.E.R. won for outstanding female artist, and Megan Thee Stallion was named outstanding hip-hop/rap song for “Cobra.” THR reports that other winners included Victoria Monét, Tems, Kirk Franklin, and Chris Brown. Kobi Libii, the writer/director, and Justice Smith, the star of the new Focus Features film “The American Society of Magical Negroes,” delved into the inspiration behind this satirical comedy that explores the complexities of the magical Negro trope and the nuances of the black experience in an interview. Libii shared that the film’s genesis was his response to the magical Negro trope, a character often seen as a Black supporting role without an internal life, existing solely to support a white lead. “I watched a run of movies with that character growing up, and they always agitated me. I wanted to first and foremost respond to them, but also really use them as a way to talk about my own particular Black experience and some defense mechanisms I had learned in response to systemic racism and, hopefully, a way past them.” Justice Smith, who plays “Aren,” discussed the process of creating a character derived from Libii’s experiences. He watched the development of the script for three years; Smith revealed that the character’s arc closely mirrored his own experiences growing up in a predominantly white environment. The actor shared the journey of learning to stand up for himself, respect his boundaries, and embrace his identity, making the portrayal surprisingly easier for him. https://youtu.be/gizIbhk5Eu4 Dak Prescott filed a countersuit against the woman who is suing him for $100 million for an alleged sexual assault. Per CBS News, the unidentified woman filed the lawsuit in Jan. 2024, and stated she “is willing to forego pursuing criminal charges, along with disclosing this information to the public, in exchange for compensating her for the mental anguish she has suffered. Damages are valued at the sum of $100,000,000.00.” According to Prescott’s lawsuit, the purported assault took place around February 2, 2017, following his rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys. The woman alleges that Prescott invited her and two members of his “entourage” and other women to a venue in Plano. Later, while in an SUV, Prescott allegedly exposed himself and “used physical force” to assault her sexually. Prescott has denied the allegations, with his lawyers noting that the accuser allegedly said she would not press charges if the athlete gave her $100 million. According to Dax’s legal team, the woman’s allegations are “patently false.” https://youtu.be/C9YIon8TrE0 Black activists, political leaders, and supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are urging Black student-athletes to boycott colleges and universities in states that have promoted or passed anti-DEI policies. Their calls come as 81 anti-DEI bills that target programs at colleges have been introduced in 28 states and in Congress since the start of 2023, according to a tally by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Eight have been signed into law, in states, including Texas and Florida. After the Florida Board of Governors banned public colleges from spending state funding on all DEI programs in January, the University of Florida made sweeping changes. Earlier this month, the state’s flagship university announced that it had closed the office of its Chief Diversity Officer to comply with the Board of Governors’ directive. https://youtu.be/cMduBHiAV1E The St. Louis County Police Department in Missouri confirmed the arrest of a 15-year-old Black girl involved in a violent assault on another teenage girl. The unidentified minor is facing assault charges and is currently detained in the St. Louis Family Court, Washington Examiner reports. The altercation was recorded on video and quickly spread across social media platforms over the weekend, garnering viral attention. The clip shows the girl repeatedly slamming the head of a white teenager on the concrete, leaving her on the ground convulsing. The incident occurred near Hazelwood East High School in Hazelwood, a suburb of St. Louis. The Hazelwood School District made a statement about the incident, saying, “It is a tragedy anytime children are hurt. Bullying and fighting in the community is an issue for which we all need to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children. The Hazelwood School District offers our sincerest condolences to everyone involved, and will offer additional emotional support from our support and crisis team to those in need.” The school district added, “We look forward to continuing to partner with our community for the sake of our children. Please be kind and respectful of the families involved during this difficult time and pledge to help work toward the betterment of our entire community.” https://twitter.com/WesleyBell4MO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1766965179504275748%7Ctwgr%5Ec07a3865d6c6ceeefc371fed3d1d2fb16954307c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fmissouri-teen-arrested-after-brawl-video-goes-viral%2F “Saturday Night Live” started with a take on the State of the Union this weekend, along with a response from a surprise guest. Scarlett Johansson – otherwise known as Mrs. Colin Jost – made a cameo appearance during the show’s cold open, playing Alabama Sen. Katie Britt in her much-talked-about GOP rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday. With one hand firmly raised, Johansson dressed as Britt called out Biden’s “performative” qualities (while fervently denying any performance of her own), delivering her remarks from her kitchen. ”You see, I’m not just a mother,” Johansson said. “I’m a wife, a mother, and the craziest b—h in the Target parking lot.” The end of the skit saw a well-placed spoof of Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning racial satire “Get Out,” when Johansson took out a teacup and stirred it, causing Kenan Thompson to freeze with a tear falling down his face. https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/4522170-scarlett-johansson-parodies-katie-britt-sotu-rebuttal-snl-cold-open/ Soul singer/songwriter Antoine Dunn to perform at the 25th annual Baltimore “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference on Saturday, April 20, 2024, during the Professional Showcase between 1 and 3 pm EST. The Top 15 Billboard chart-topper is currently promoting his newest single “October 7th” (Harvey Marie Records). The ULMII Entertainment Conference consists of a professional panel of entertainment industry executives, musicians, and artists who will be on hand for a Q&A Session and to act as judges for the ULMII National Talent Competition where the top three scored performances will win the 2024 “ULMII Best Artist Award” and over $20,000 in cash, products, and services. Dunn is a multi-instrumentalist. The music video for the “October 7th” single has a cameo appearance from Hollywood actor Monte Bell (Bank Heist). Antoine has performed at the Beacon Theatre, SOBs in New York, Chrysler Hall, Constitution Hall, and the Greek Theatre and has performed several times for radio personality Frank Ski. https://youtu.be/UaKGKdO18EA A British woman’s singing cockatiel has amassed 3 million followers on TikTok. TMZ reports that the pet bird named KiKi can sing ’70s soul music such as Earth, Wind and Fire’s “September.” Evidently, the bird’s behavior frustrates its sleep-deprived owner, who is frequently awakened by its singing. The woman captioned one video, “Send help plz where’s the off button on parrot.” https://www.tiktok.com/@kiki.tiel/video/7343558809702386976?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Kanye West’s daughter North West, is working on an album titled “Elementary School Dropout.” The 10-year-old made the announcement at the “Vultures 2″ listening party at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 10. “Hi, it’s Northie, and I’ve been working on an album for a long time,” she told the crowd in the X/Twitter clip below. “And it’s called Elementary School Drop Out.” The album’s title is a nod to Ye’s debut album, “The College Dropout.” https://youtu.be/maVAtF1cgQA This ain’t Texas, but it is country music and we may be about to witness one Queen paying tribute to another. On Tuesday, Beyoncé announced via her site and social media that her forthcoming album is “Act II: Cowboy Carter” and is set to arrive on March 29. In a recent interview with Knox News, Dolly Parton was asked about speculation Beyoncé has recorded one of Parton’s hits for her new album. “Well, I think she has! I think she’s recorded ‘Jolene’ and I think it’s probably gonna be on her country album, which I’m very excited about,” Parton said. The queen of country music has great admiration for Queen Bey. https://twitter.com/ThePopTingz/status/1767608286402978259/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1767608286402978259%7Ctwgr%5E38884f01f3b0e58e69fda7c83d1eacb0badd3e5f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fbeyonces-upcoming-album-is-cowboy-carter-and-dolly-parton-believes-she-has-covered-jolene-for-it-watch%2F The Frank Ski Kids Foundation calling on young scientists to enter its 2024 Planet Green Science Expedition, a unique opportunity for kids ages 13-15 in Georgia, Washington, D.C. Metro Area, and all across the rapidly expanding Frank Ski Radio Network, per a news release. In celebration of its 20th Anniversary, The Frank Ski Kids Foundation is gearing up for an extraordinary adventure with its 2024 Planet Green Science Expedition. Ten fortunate winners will have the incredible opportunity to accompany the foundation on an all-expenses-paid journey from June 17th to June 26th. “Study the Effects of Climate Change on The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. All costs, including passports, flights, meals, lodging, and apparel, are provided to each student at no additional cost,” the release states. Arthur the King” tells the story of Mikael Lindnord, an over-the-hill endurance racer who puts together an elite team of athletes to compete in the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. “Arthur the King” is based on the book “Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home” written by Lindnord. Mark Wahlberg stars in the lead role of Lindnord – and is also one of the film’s producers. We discussed the film with co-stars Nathalie Emmanuel, Simi Liu, and Ali Suliman, who star as members of Mikael’s handpicked endurance team. https://youtu.be/wjDJNEPghNY Oscar® nominee Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless. Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him. Packed with thrilling and spectacular fight and chase scenes, Monkey Man is directed by Patel from his original story and his screenplay with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World). https://youtu.be/_1PuVDh14h4 Shannon Sharpe has disclosed that his Club Shay Shay interview with Katt Williams earned him more money than any NFL season. “Everybody was talking ’bout, ‘well how much money [he] made doing the Katt Williams interview;’ I just got the check,” Sharpe told Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson during an episode of their Nightcap podcast, Vibe reports. “Put it like this here, I made more money on Katt Williams alone than I made in any year I played in the NFL.” Vibe reports that Sharpe “earned an NFL career-high of $5 million in 2000 during his first season with the Baltimore Ravens,” the outlet writes. Sharpe didn’t disclose the exact figure earned from the controversial sit-down, but hinted that the total surpasses at least $6 million. “So whatever you think I made, 3x it. So if you think I made five hundred thou, 3x it. If you think a million, 3x it,” he continued. “If you think I made $2 million, 3x it.” https://twitter.com/ClubShayShay/status/1747432982892486688/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1747432982892486688%7Ctwgr%5E0c778e67b8916d6f4336365639cf843c6e568f44%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fshannon-sharpes-katt-williams-interview-outearns-nfl-season%2F Sharpe hit up Twitter earlier this year to highlight the reach of the Jan. 3 interview with Katt. He captioned the post with a direct quote from the comedian, who said at the top of their conversation: “Club Shay Shay is going to be in a dimension it’s never been. The greatest thing floating in 2024. Mark the words. In a whole different realm of business. Oprah coming next! Once I establish this as a place of truth, oh yeah. Watch! God’s people ain’t that few.” We reported previously that the bombshell interview garnered over 46 million views in 10 days across social media and over a million audio downloads. Sharpe’s social media following also significantly increased due to “The Katt Williams Effect.” https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs Travis Kelce is set to produce an upcoming documentary about late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled “King Pleasure.”PEOPLE reports that Basquiat’s estate has given the Kansas City Chiefs player and his producing partners, Ray Maiello and Mike Field, access to his archives. “King Pleasure” will include “never-before-seen home movies, notebooks, photographs, animation, and interviews,” according to ArtNews. Basquiat gained fame during the 1980s. Jordan Wynn, president of Boardwalk Studios, described him as “one of the most electric artists of all time.” Wynn told Deadline that Basquiat’s estate “granted us such incredible access to their trove of materials and we are excited to collaborate with Quinn who has a dazzling vision for an intimate and emotional portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life.” Filming for the movie commences this summer, with Quinn Wilson, Lizzo’s former creative director, serving as director, PEOPLE reports. https://t.co/fpak9ebRit Tank announced on Instagram that he’s going on tour with Keri Hilson and Carl Thomas. “‘THE R&B MONEY TOUR’ Tank x Keri Hilson x Carl Thomas Brought to you by @livenationurban R&B MONEY,” Tank captioned a video posted to his Instagram on Friday (March 8), about the tour. He directed fans to the official website to get “early access” to the dates and times. In the post’s comments, one fan wrote, “You done brought Carl Thomas and Keri Hilson out of retirement! I’m ready!” Another person jokingly added, “I see a spike in pregnancies because of this tour.” Lionsgate released the trailer for “The Strangers: Chapter 1,” the prequel to the 2008 cult-classic horror thriller. The film is the third in the horror franchise, directed by Renny Harlin. Per ScreenRant, “The film follows a young couple who move to the Pacific Northwest to start a new life. However, their new life gets off to a terrifying start when a broken-down vehicle forces them to stay at a remote vacation home, leaving them to be stalked relentlessly by three masked murderers,” the outlet writes. “We felt it was central to the movie that the masks are the same,” Harlin told Entertainment Weekly last year. https://youtu.be/3pZUQmZdOi4 Sunday night (03-10-24) at the Oscars L. Marie Charles was holding it down in the press room and asked a question so salient that other sites like Deadline and Variety could not resist using it as well. Well, our query was directed to Cord Jefferson who took home the award for Best Adapted Screenplay for “American Fiction” which he also directed. Watch the video above for Jefferson’s response. https://vimeo.com/922195344 The stage is set for a Senate showdown between Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey in November, as Katie Porter and Barbara Lee step down from their congressional positions. Lee, who finished fourth in the Senate race, expressed gratitude to her supporters and outlined her future political aspirations. “I extend my heartfelt thanks to all my supporters and dedicated volunteers who tirelessly made calls, knocked on doors, and engaged in remarkable grassroots efforts to connect with communities statewide. Our collective voices and principles resonated strongly: Californians deserve fair wages, an inclusive economy, housing and healthcare as fundamental rights, equitable treatment across racial and economic lines, public safety for all, and decisive action on climate change. “We also delivered a resounding message on the imperative of advocating for a permanent ceasefire and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” Lee emphasized, contrasting her views with Schiff, who opposes a ceasefire.https://youtu.be/D3XiWLZz8D4 Draya Michele must have been aware that she would face harsh feedback; if she wasn’t, she quickly learned. Responding to criticism of being labeled a “predator” for her pregnancy with 22-year-old NBA player Jalen Green, the 39-year-old mother of three took to Instagram to address the situation. In her Instagram Story, she wrote, “Get comfortable being misunderstood… Most High sees you clearly – let that be enough.” Acknowledging that motherhood is a woman’s purpose, Draya expressed her joy in bringing new life into the world: “As women, we navigate through so much… It’s my superpower… It’s the privilege of bringing another woman into existence.” She continued: “We are overjoyed to share our love for you, little girl. I’m excited to speak words to the daughter I never thought I’d have. We are anxious about your arrival, but take your time — this world can be tough. #28weeks #7months #comingMay2024 #girlmom.” Expressing anticipation for her daughter’s arrival, Draya emphasized the love, security, and care the baby will be welcomed into: “Know you are being brought into a space of love, security, and adornment.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C4Qvguzxu_C/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9f8564d0-f4c5-48ba-8d35-4fd4354bee84 Donald Trump’s $399 limited-edition sneakers may not be winning over his targeted black audience but count Fat Joe among those with a pair of the infamous footwear. Despite taking criticism for owning the sneakers, the “What’s Luv?” MC is defending his decision to get the shoes anyway. In his eyes, Trump’s shoes are a worthy addition to his shoe collection. “Why? If you collect art, do you really know what [Jean Michel] Basquiat was into? You love the art, so you get it,” Fat Joe recently said via livestream video. “I had to get my hands on Trump’s [sneakers].” The Terror Squad member’s honesty for obtaining the Trump shoes comes days after the former commander-in-chief made a surprise appearance at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia on Feb. 17 to launch his new line of sneakers. Despite the high price, Fat Joe wasn’t the only one to be among the first to get a pair of the controversial shoes. Sandra Rose noted one man who paid $9,000 for an autographed pair of Trump’s high-top sneaks. https://twitter.com/i/status/1762508712743256314 The golden “Never Surrender High-Top Sneakers” are very limited, with only 1,000 of them available in Trump’s online store. Trump’s objective with the sneakers is seen by many as an attempt to pay legal fees surrounding current cases, he is involved in around the country. In Trump’s eyes, the sneakers represent a way of getting support from Black voters who will participate in the 2024 presidential election. With his dominant showing in the primaries, Trump is coasting towards being the Republican nominee for president, with a rematch against President Joe Biden in sight. Although he admitted to getting Trump’s sneakers, Fat Joe made a point of saying his is not a “Trumper” and would never vote for the MAGA movement leader. Instead, the “All the Way Up” rhymesayer harped on the shoes being more of a collector’s item for him than proof he is in Trump’s corner.m https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/trump-won-t-attract-more-black-male-voters-with-sneakers-or-rappers-attention-205241413907 via @msnbc D.L. Hughley is not in a forgiving mood with Mo’Nique after old wounds were opened following “The Parkers” star’s recent appearance on “Club Shay Shay.” Chatting about the situation on “The Jason Lee Show,” Hughley detailed how Mo’Nique’s viral interview with Shannon Sharpe reignited a rift between him and his oldest daughter Ryan Nicole Shepard. https://youtu.be/CXeP6rq8oQs According to Vibe, Shepard’s split with Hughley stems from her 2022 sexual assault. In the ‘Club Shay Shay” interview, Mo’Nique claimed “Original Kings of Comedy” funnyman did protect his daughter at the time. “Here’s what I will say, whatever was said wasn’t for me,” Hughley told Jason Lee. “Whatever was said opened up a wound in my daughter that we’re arguing about right now. I’ve never had money all my life, but the love of my children I’ll always have. And when something jeopardizes that, I could never forgive you for it.” “I love my children, and to feel like I couldn’t protect them and then that plays out over and over — it’s something I won’t forgive you for,” he continued. “My daughter is so angry with me she hasn’t spoke to me in weeks.” https://youtu.be/QSAaix4iC28 Burna Boy surprised his Atlanta concert audience on Saturday night (03-09-24) with a special guest appearance by music legend Toni Braxton. Together, they captivated the crowd with a performance of Burna’s hit song “Last Last,” causing fans to go wild. Observers couldn’t help but notice Braxton’s excitement on stage, sparking playful comments about her potential longtime dream to perform alongside Burna. It is interesting to note that “Last Last” cleverly samples Braxton’s popular 2000 track, “He Wasn’t Man Enough.” While Burna’s version reached No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominated various music charts, Braxton’s original song peaked at No. 2 and achieved the 10th spot on the 2000 Year-End chart. Burna’s incorporation of classic R&B elements into his music is evident, as demonstrated by his previous use of a Brandy sample in “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” last year. Their joint performance showcased the magic of “Last Last,” a song deeply influenced by Braxton’s 2000 hit. It is important to remember that Burna, who is 32 years old, has openly acknowledged Braxton’s significant 60 percent share in royalties from the sample, underscoring his admiration for the Grammy Award-winning artist. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4V-fc3RHHK/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4864553f-d06e-4cdd-9312-3e5568d613a7 When it comes to making her mark, Tanya Hill-Holliday‘s small size has nothing on her giant-sized ambitions and faith. The Morgan State University alum is Women’s History Month personified, with elevating from scrubbing toilets at McDonald’s to owning 12 of the iconic franchise’s locations on Philadelphia’s Main Line. Chatting recently with CBS News Philadelphia, Hill-Holliday detailed her journey from crew member to corporate executive, a testimony that proves hard work does pay off. “I was told I wasn’t supposed to be here. I was called every name but my name,” the West Philadelphia-raised businesswoman said. “You are in my very first McDonald’s that I purchased in 2005, that’s the Rosemont McDonald’s right next to Villanova University.” Hill-Holliday’s history with McDonald’s goes back to her days with Morgan State. It was during this time she landed her first job at the Golden Arches after seeing a listing for McDonald’s after flipping through the Yellow Pages. From there, Hill-Holliday started from the bottom as a Baltimore, Maryland-based McDonald’s crew member. Despite days filled with cleaning up after customers, she had no problem, as she visualized a future beyond entry-level work. https://youtu.be/ekK77MAkkrI A government agency that was created some 50 years ago to aid the development of minority-owned businesses has been ordered by a federal judge in Texas to stop being reverse-racist against white business owners by doing what the agency was created to do, which is lend its aid where it’s needed most. It would be nice if these conservative cowards had the courage to be honest about what they’re doing here: preserving white supremacy and calling it equality. Truthfully, for all things to be equal between racial groups in America, they would need to have always been equal. Instead, for the overwhelming majority of America’s existence, only white people had full access to the so-called “American dream.” Republican legislators would have you believe it’s all some great coincidence that the only racial group that, for generation upon generations, was allowed to work, start business and build generational wealth unfettered by things like slavery, Jim Crow and other legally sanctioned forms of racial discrimination is also the same racial group that dominates every major industry in the country. They want you to believe America’s white supremacist history has nothing to do with the fact that Black and Hispanic-owned businesses are statistically less prevalent, less rich in resources, and ultimately less successful than white-owned businesses, which “made up the greatest share of classifiable firms (85%) and their revenue (93%) in 2021,” according to the Pew Research Center. In January, we reported that the Republican-led Senate in Idaho advanced a bill that would redefine domestic terrorism solely as terrorist activity committed in connection with “foreign groups.” In fact, the bill would essentially define all terrorism as terrorist acts committed by foreigners or citizens who collaborated with foreigners. The state Senate voted 27-8 to pass Senate Bill 1220, which means an overwhelming majority of GOP legislators in Idaho were dead serious about passing a law that would make violent home-grown white supremacists ineligible to be classified as domestic terrorists. Fortunately, House legislators in the state had a bit more sense and the legislation failed to get the support it needed to make it to the House floor when committee members voted on it last week. Supporters of the bill have vehemently denied that it’s a partisan bill meant to protect white American terrorists or conservative groups, but there are several indications to the contrary. Facts and data have been thrown to the wayside in the GOPropaganda battle to scrub DEI from the face of the Earth because it isn’t about reality, it’s all about the racial resentment that erupts in the hearts of white conservatives whenever it’s suggested that America’s deep and thoroughly documented history of pro-white, anti-Black racism has resulted in a country that is still systemically racist. And that white fragility has been the catalyst for the striking down of affirmative action, the legally sanctioned whitewashing of Black history, the blind rejection of CRT, the politicized condemnation of Black Lives Matter, and much more. Now, that same white and fragile energy is standing in the way of a promotion for a highly decorated, highly qualified and highly praised officer with the U.S. Air Force, all because the veteran once penned an opinion piece calling out systemic racism and white fragility in the military and beyond. In July 2020, Col. Benjamin Jonsson, who is white, wrote an article for the Air Force Times titled, “Dear white colonel … we must address our blind spots around race.” As white colonels, you and I are the biggest barriers to change if we do not personally address racial injustice in our Air Force,” Jonsson wrote. “Defensiveness is a predictable response by white people to any discussion of racial injustice. White colonels are no exception. We are largely blind to institutional racism, and we take offense to any suggestion that our system advantaged us at the expense of others. That I addressed this letter to white colonels made many of you uneasy, and we have seen similar white defensiveness play out in many of our conversations since the murder of George Floyd.” Christian Keyes will sit down on TV One’s Uncensored for a wide-ranging interview. The actor, producer and model will be featured on the April 7 episode of the interview series, TV One recently announced. News of the booking comes three months after Keyes made headlines for alleging that he was sexually harassed “for years” by a “billionaire” Hollywood mogul. Keyes created and co-stars on the BET+ original series All the Queen’s Men. He also executive produces the drama alongside Tyler Perry. On Dec. 15, Keyes posted a since-deleted video on Instagram, and said he suffered “trauma” due to the harassment. The actor did not name the alleged “predator,” but said he recorded interactions with the mogul via hidden devices. He added that the individual has a very recognizable voice. https://youtu.be/hZNAFUAUWzg Joe Budden’s upcoming interview with conservative firebrand Candace Owens isn’t sitting well with Peter Rosenberg. The new media/podcast fixture made his opinions known via social media as he touched on polarizing figures who are given platforms to speak their peace. “So sick of the idea that conversations need to be had with bigots, trolls, and immoral a-holes,” Rosenberg expressed on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Feb. 27, adding, “Exchanging ideas among smart good people is useful… hearing a hateful hack babble on about hate is not worth anyone’s time.” Rosenburg’s comments come after Owens’ appearance on The Joe Budden Podcast was announced the same day he posted his reaction to the news. According to Vibe, news of the interview was shared via a series of social media posts. https://eurweb.com/2024/candace-owens-goes-in-on-plantation-supervisor-peter-rosenburg-over-upcoming-joe-budden-podcast-interview/ President Joe Biden delivered a raucous third State of the Union address, one that could be among the most important speeches he gives during his presidency as he turns toward reelection. His list of objectives was long: Tout his accomplishments in office, look ahead to a second-term agenda, allay concerns about his age and fitness, and provide a contrast with Republicans, including his rival Donald Trump. The result was a fiery speech that bore little resemblance to States of the Union’s past. Intent on displaying his energy and eagerness to engage with Republicans, Biden delivered a starkly political speech that his aides hope can ease Democratic jitters about his political prospects. Former GOP Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House last year, announced Thursday night that he’s running for Congress again — this time to challenge a Republican congressman in New York. “Tonight, I want to announce that I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over #NY1,” Santos wrote on X, referring to GOP Rep. Nick LaLota. “I look forward to debating him on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican. The fight for our majority is imperative for the survival of the country.” The former congressman, who had represented New York’s 3rd District, made his announcement during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday — during which he was spotted at the US Capitol. https://youtu.be/-dT8rlCUQv0 In response to President Joe Biden‘s 2024 State of the Union address, the third of his increasingly troubled presidency, ambassadors with the Project 21 black leadership network noted that the President’s take on the State of the Union doesn’t align with reality. “The title of tonight’s State of the Union address should have been, ‘Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?'” said Project 21 ambassador and radio talk show host Christopher R. Arps. “The President boasts that ‘Bidenomics’ is working, but prices are up, wages are down and our southern border is wide open resulting in an unprecedented number of illegal aliens invading our major cities — and in too many instances — harming and murdering our citizens.” “The President’s self-proclaimed successes seem disconnected from reality, but what would you expect from a president who has attempted to shake hands with invisible people and who claims he has recently spoken with long-dead foreign leaders?” added Arps. “Biden’s State of the Union address was more of a far-left manifesto than a governmental report,” said Project 21 ambassador Michael Austin. “It began as a Zelensky infomercial, only to spiral into a reelection tirade. And let’s talk about his performance — with constant yelling, more coughing than a pack-a-day smoker, and rants as decipherable as a toddler’s tantrum; this wasn’t a State of the Union Address but a political ‘Get off my lawn.'” For three years, President Biden and his Administration have claimed the border was “safe and secure.” Yet now, he says illegal immigration is indeed a problem, but it is not his fault. Project 21 members note the damage illegal immigration is causing in black America, and offer sensible recommendations, in the recently published What Immigration Policy Means for Black America, as well as in comments on the State of the Union address. United Airlines made headlines in San Francisco on Thursday when one of its flights experienced a tire malfunction shortly after takeoff, causing the tire to fall onto parked cars at SFO Airport. Video footage captured the moment the Boeing 777 departed for LAX with 249 passengers, only for the landing gear to retract and release the tire above an employee parking lot. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported on the ground, but some vehicles were damaged. The damaged plane was able to land safely at LAX due to its design with multiple tires on each landing gear. All passengers were transferred to a new aircraft for their journey to Osaka later that evening. https://youtu.be/mmT9ATMOVUM TV mogul Oprah Winfrey is preparing to address a significant issue in America in her upcoming TV special … namely, the impact prescription weight loss drugs are having on society, including herself. Winfrey states she will discuss medications and their relation to the weight loss revolution in her new ABC primetime special, “An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution” — scheduled to air in a couple of weeks. Oprah’s special follows shortly after her separation from WeightWatchers, ending a nearly 10-year partnership, amidst criticism for openly admitting her use of a weight loss drug. As previously reported … Winfrey acknowledges dropping 40 pounds last year, with the assistance of doctor-prescribed medication, although she has not disclosed the drug’s name. Recall, Oprah’s use of weight loss drugs stirred controversy as she had previously criticized medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro as an “easy way out” — yet, she later began taking them … although it’s uncertain which drug she is using. https://youtu.be/y22dVx0ucM0 Keith Sweat, the King of New Jack Swing returns with the sensational new single titled Lay You Down. The long-awaited return of the R&B legend has finally arrived in the form of new music and new product ventures. Lay You Down hit the music circuit on Valentine’s Day and has been gaining momentum since then. The Atlanta-based soul singer emerges from a three-year hiatus from recording music. However, Sweat’s legendary chart-topping hits “I Want Her,” “Make It Last Forever,” and “Make You Sweat” keep him in the spotlight! Amid his creative process of producing and recording, Keith has also expanded his business ventures with the launch of Platinum Status, a luxury bag collection, available at platinumstatusbags.com. https://youtu.be/ez9_x0IL1F0 YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is set to face heavyweight legend Mike Tyson in an exhibition boxing match on July 20. The event will be broadcast exclusively on Netflix and held at the 80,000-seat capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. “Iron Mike,” 57, last fought professionally in June 2005 and boasts a 50-6 career record, with 44 of his victories coming by way of knockout. The former world heavyweight champion is widely considered one of the best boxers in history. The 27-year-old Paul, meanwhile, has transitioned from YouTube to professional boxing and has won nine of his 10 fights. His only defeat came against Tommy Fury, the younger half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, in February 2023. https://youtu.be/0BpgsRdWoEo A powerful House committee advanced a bill on Thursday that could lead to a nationwide ban against TikTok on all electronic devices, renewing lawmakers’ challenge to one of the world’s most popular social media apps and highlighting unresolved fears that TikTok may pose a Chinese government spying risk. The measure that sailed unanimously through the House Energy and Commerce Committee would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform — used by roughly 170 million Americans — is quickly spun off from its China-linked parent company, ByteDance. If enacted, the bill would give ByteDance 165 days, or a little more than five months, to sell TikTok. If not divested by that date, it would be illegal for app store operators such as Apple and Google to make it available for download. The bill also contemplates similar prohibitions for other apps “controlled by foreign adversary companies.” https://youtu.be/mtptFuBAg9Q Now that it has cleared the committee, the TikTok legislation will head to a floor vote next week, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a post on X Thursday evening. Its fate is less clear in the Senate, where there is no companion bill and the Democratic chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, has made no firm commitment to advance the proposal. “I will be talking to my Senate and House colleagues to try to find a path forward that is constitutional and protects civil liberties,” Cantwell said in a statement to CNN. House lawmakers voted unanimously in the same session Thursday to advance a second bill, one that would limit US companies’ ability to sell Americans’ personal information to foreign adversaries. US officials have cited the widespread commercial availability of US citizens’ data as another source of national security risk. The US government and other domestic law enforcement agencies are also known to have purchased US citizens’ data from commercial data brokers. https://youtu.be/LztW3Zi-Y3M The C. Parker Gallery in Greenwich, Connecticut presents the new exhibition Roberto Juarez: Crossing Five Decades (Works Created Between 1983 and 2023), on view February 28 – April 15. “This is the first time an exhibition chronicles five distinct eras of artmaking by Roberto Juarez,” says Tiffany Benincasa, the owner and curator of C. Parker Gallery. Benincasa adds: “We are honored to present this group of exquisite paintings, illuminating his position in the canon of art history in the New York art world, for our tenth anniversary season.” The gallery is located at 409 Greenwich Avenue, near Manhattan (just a 40-minute train ride from Grand Central Terminal, where one of Juarez’s public commission murals majestically holds court in the Station Manager’s Office. Nick Cannon hopes to see Barack Obama on “The Masked Singer.” “I always want to see Barack Obama behind a mask,” Cannon revealed, according to Too Fab. “That’s who I’m hoping for every season because we know he can sing, we know he’s a lovable guy,” he added. “Anybody in the Obama family, the daughters, Michelle, somebody just pull up and sing a song for us,” “The Masked Singer” host continued. Speaking of the Obama family, earlier this year, Malia Obama premiered her directorial debut, the short film “The Heart,” at the Sundance Film Festival. The son of Rev. Ike has penned a book about his impact on the Blach church titled “Reverend Ike: An Extraordinary Life of Influence” with the motivational speaker Mark Victor Hansen. Religious News reports that Rev. Ike described himself as “the first Black man in America to preach positive self-image psychology to the Black masses within a church setting.” Reverend Ike’s son, Xavier Eikerenkoetter, started writing the book several years after his father passed in 2009. It delves into how the reverend’s early years in Southern Baptist Black churches influenced his theological perspective. “His story needed to be told, and people who love him, and were his followers, and were inspired by him really wanted to get his full life story,” Eikerenkoetter said, Religious News reports. https://youtu.be/yO91_Vqv1fM Dame Dash expressed his displeasure with Steve Stoute’s discussion of his rift with JAY-Z during his interview on Club Shay Shay. Stoute offered his viewpoint on Dash and why individuals eventually distanced themselves from the entrepreneur. “Dame wouldn’t change,” he told Club Shay Shay host Shannon Sharpe, Vibe reports. “The way he spoke to people, the way he treated people. He was angry. He was angry because he had a strong perspective about his business philosophy.” The music executive asserted that Dash was unaware that his wild lifestyle drove people away. In the interview, which aired on Wednesday, Stoute told Sharpe that the people around Dash during his heyday at Roc-A-Fella “wanted to meet with other people.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C4MdcnTIso_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary Goldsmith appears on the latest season of “Celebrity Big Brother U.K.” and wasted no time slamming Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. During Tuesday night’s episode, Gary spoke about Prince Harry and his wife to housemates Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne, blaming Meghan for changing the family dynamic, Daily Mail reports. “I have an opinion that Harry was really, really really loved and when they were a threesome, so Kate, William and Harry they looked really comfortable together, and then suddenly there’s an extra dynamic that comes in, puts a stick in the spokes and creates so much drama that I don’t genuinely think is there, and rewrote the history, saying how unhappy he was and I just don’t think that’s fair,” Goldsmith stated. “I mean you can’t throw your family under the bus in such a dramatic style, then write books about it and expect to be invited round for Christmas,” the 58-year-old businessman added, admitting he hasn’t met Meghan. “I think it’s really sad. At some point, I think he is going to come back and be a part of the gang again. He might need to,” he added. We are a very forgiving nation; it would be nice if he did.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1764780535853809850 Jamie Foxx and his daughter, Corinne Foxx, are set to return as hosts of the seventh season of “Beat Shazam” on Fox. Deadline reports that the game show will premiere in May. “Beat Shazam” is built around the popular song-identifying app Shazam. It consists of teams of two that race against the clock and compete against each other as they attempt to identify the biggest hit songs of all time. In the end, the team with the highest score will go against Shazam for the chance to win $1 million in cash prizes. “Jamie and Corinne are the heart and soul of Beat Shazam,” said Allison Wallach, Fox Entertainment’s President of Unscripted Entertainment. “As our undeniably dynamic father-daughter hosting team, they bring a relationship like no other to a show like no other, and it’s wonderful having them back on set this season.” “Beat Shazam” returns to Fox on May 28. Megan Thee Stallion shocked fans on TikTok when she sampled Habushu, a traditional strong liquor native to Japan, with a dead snake inside the bottle. The hip-hop star presented at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan, and while in the country, she had a memorable culinary experience. Megan filmed herself sampling a shot of Habushu. “This gon’ kill me?” she asks in the clip. “He looking at me!” she said of the dead snake in the bottle before taking a sip of the shot. “That’s tough, that’s strong,” she continues. “Who knew a snake had a taste. That taste like a snake.” Habush is an alcoholic beverage from Okinawa, Japan. It is crafted with habushu liquor and features a preserved pit viper known as a habu. https://youtu.be/5BOFML7_PLs The props keep coming for Grammy-nominated New Edition. The veteran R&B group is set to join the prestigious ranks of the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame during the 55th installment of the awards on March 16. The ceremony, known for its celebration of multicultural excellence, will be hosted by Queen Latifah. The NAACP Image Awards aims to uplift values of equality, justice, and progressive change while honoring artists committed to these principles. Past inductees include Eddie Murphy, Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, and others. Additionally (as reported by Variety), renowned R&B singer-songwriter Frankie Beverly will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award on March 14 for his significant contributions to civil and human rights alongside his impact on the entertainment industry. Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, expressed honor in celebrating New Edition and Frankie Beverly, acknowledging their enduring influence on Black excellence in the arts. New Edition, one of the most successful male singing groups, has entertained audiences worldwide for over four decades. The group has sold over 30 million records and launched the solo careers of several members. BET+ has announced new cast additions for its New Orleans spinoff of the popular series Carl Weber’s “The Family Business.” Brandon T. Jackson is set to star in the series and will be an associate producer. The additional cast lineup includes Lela Rochon, Ben Stephens, Pooch Hall, Quincy Brown, David Banner, Yvette Nicole Brown, Orlando Jones, Nicole Galicia, Erica Hubbard, Sarah Carter, Stan Shaw, Bern Nadette Stanis, Nayirah Teshali, Sacaiah Shaw, Jenson Atwood, AzMarie Livingston, Deric Augustine. Kayla Nicole, Nicholas Turturro, and Brandon T. Jackson in a starring role, according to the press release. Some of the cast, including Stephens, Stanis, Stan Shaw, Teshali, and Sacaiha Shaw, made guest appearances in the original series’ fourth season, which concluded in October 2022. Rochon also serves as an associate producer on the forthcoming spin-off, per the release. Natania Reuben, the victim of the 1999 nightclub shooting involving Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, rapper Shyne, and Jennifer Lopez, is once again speaking out about the incident amid the Bad Boy mogul’s latest lawsuit. For years, Reuben has asserted that it was Diddy, not Shyne, who shot her during an altercation between the rap mogul and Club New York patron Matthew Allen, resulting in injuries to three individuals, including herself. As Vibe reports, Lopez was arrested and released, while Diddy was acquitted of all charges. Shyne, however, served an eight-year prison sentence. In 2011, Diddy settled civil suits with the victims, paying over $2.3 million. Over the years, Reuben has publicly addressed the matter, and she recently took to social media to speak out once more. Last week, she posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) in which she appears to be responding to music producer Lil Rod’s lawsuit against Diddy. As The Jasmine Brand reports, Reuben noted in the video that Lil Rod’s lawsuit “… said something very specific,” she said, adding, “As a means of threatening him, Puffy said, ‘That’s why I shot up the club in New York back in 1999 and let Shyne take the fall for it.’” https://twitter.com/i/status/1763125899258720667 ”Euphoria” actress Nika King says she was only joking about being unable to pay her rent during her recent viral stand-up performance. We reported earlier that King quipped about her inability to pay rent for months, attributing it to the show’s uncertain status. The eagerly awaited premiere of “Euphoria” season 3 is slated for 2025 after facing several delays since the airing of its second season in 2019. “Don’t ask me [when Season 3 is coming out]. I don’t fucking know. Don’t ask me, I don’t know,” she said during the stand-up show over the weekend. King shared a clip on her TikTok account. “People are like, ‘We need Season 3,’ and I’m like, bitch, I need Season 3! I haven’t paid my rent in six months.” Zendaya, star of the Sam Levinson-created series, is currently promoting her new film “Dune: Part Two.” King, who plays her mom in “Euphoria” joked that the actress is holding up the show’s third season. “And Zendaya’s over in Paris at Fashion Week. I’m like, ‘Bitch, come home! I need you. Mama needs you.’” King said. https://www.tiktok.com/@iamnikaking?refer=embed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has launched a skincare line for men called Papatui. PEOPLE reports that the collection features “skin, hair, body and tattoo care products made with cleaner ingredients and focused on performance,” the outlet writes. The products are available for under $10 on the brand’s website, at Target stores, and on Target.com. “I found over the years as men, we can have these great conversations about working out, recovery, ice baths, saunas and we can talk about trucks and cheat meals and tequila and our favorite movies, but every conversation I would have regarding skincare, I was always pulled to the side privately like, ‘Hey, can I ask you a question? What do you do for your skin?'” he told PEOPLE. “So many times I would say, ‘Dude, why are we whispering [about skincare]? It’s okay. We should be able to have this open conversation.’ Papatui has allowed me to encourage just a more open, greater conversation about skincare and grooming.” Originally designed with men in mind, every product is unisex. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4N1IibLL6R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Halle Bailey kept her recent pregnancy private for good reason. “The Little Mermaid” star was one of the honorees at Thursday’s 2024 Black Women in Hollywood Awards and gave a speech explaining why she protected her pregnancy and the birth of her first child, son Halo, from public scrutiny. “We are Black women in entertainment, and although we signed up for the challenges of the spotlight, in this current climate, that spotlight burns brighter, hotter, and uninterrupted, whereas the scrutiny of its magnification leaves no concealment,” Bailey said, according to People. Bailey, who shares Halo with boyfriend DDG, took to Instagram in January with the news they had welcomed their son, writing alongside a picture of the newborn’s hand, “Even though we’re a few days into the new year, the greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me, was bring me my son. Welcome to the world my halo.” On Thursday, Bailey said her role in “The Little Mermaid” changed her career, but “it cannot compare to the biggest joy of my life. And that was becoming a mom to my perfect little angel Halo.” “The Family Business” series is based on Weber’s New York Times best-selling crime drama series and follows the Duncans, an upstanding tight-knit family that, by day, owns and operates an exotic car dealership in New York. By night, their business activities are more illicit. A Royal Caribbean cruise employee was arrested for installing hidden cameras in passenger bathrooms to spy on young girls. On February 25th, a woman traveling with her sister and mother aboard the Symphony of the Seas cruise ship discovered a camera in her bathroom, NBC News reports. The guest found the hidden camera when reaching under the sink for a toilet paper roll. The device was “affixed to the counter underneath the sink,” per the probable cause affidavit. Following the response of ship security to the room, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, 34, an attendant responsible for cleaning cabins, was apprehended on March 3. Mirasol, a citizen of the Philippines, was detained on the ship until it docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. https://youtu.be/jWMjIrhRxF0 Streetwise but struggling, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is trying to find a better life for himself and his family, make himself worthy to the woman he loves, and prove that he’s not a nobody. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, a journey through which he finds redemption and faith, power and knowledge. Tristar Pictures' Hollywood Biblical epic film The Book of Clarence is available to rent or buy now. The film also stars Omar Sy. Anna Diop. RJ Cyler. David Oyelowo. Micheal Ward. Alfre Woodard. Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch. The Hollywood era Biblical epic was produced by Jeymes Samuel, Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, Tendo Nagenda, and executive produced by Garrett Grant. https://youtu.be/vKFYUCgv5rw The Living Legends Foundation, Inc. (LLF) today announces its two newly elected officers to the music and entertainment organization. Following the recent passings of industry legends Varnell H. Johnson and Kendall A. Minter, Esq., and their longtime commitment and service to the organization since its inception, 33 years ago, the LLF is continuing to expand its mission to serve the ever-evolving business of music. Music Industry Veteran Azim Rashid was appointed to president, replacing Varnell H. Johnson, and longtime entertainment attorney Dr. Denise J. Brown was appointed to general counsel, replacing Kendall A. Minter. Legendary Radio Executive Skip Dillard moved from the advisory board to the board of directors, where he has served between both boards for nine years. “During the past few years, the board has been in discussion about how to best move the foundation forward, how to bring younger music executives into the organization, and how to expand our reach beyond the foundation’s initial mission from radio and records to a 21st-century multimedia organization,” says David C. Linton, chairman of the Living Legends Foundation. Linton adds: “Fortunately, many of these discussions included both Varnell and Kendall, and I am profoundly grateful for their input, knowledge, expertise, and passion through the years.” Reality TV star Joseline Hernandez recently shared images of herself wearing cocaine-inspired merch. In a post shared on X/Twitter, the star of Joseline’s Cabaret is seen sporting a sweater emblazoned with “Cocaline,” a clever nod to both “cocaine” and her own name, alluding to lines of coke. She also donned matching slip-ons reminiscent of Crocs, Vibe reports. Hernandez’s former Love & Hip Hop co-star, MariahLynn, was triggered by the post and recalled her mother’s past addiction. “I honestly don’t find this sh*t cute,” she stated in TNT‘s comment section. “I thank god every day that my mother has 4 years clean ’cause lord knows what I went through as a daughter watching my mother almost self-destruct and not be here to meet my kids. I understand living in your truth but come on now, people are dying from fentanyl overdoses and all types of sh*t. Yall can eat me up in the comments but idc I said what I said.” Get ready for all new episodes of TV One’s original and longest-running series "UNSUNG" and "UNCENSORED" this Sunday, March 10 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. "UNSUNG" leads with Cold Chillin' at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by "UNCENSORED", which features iconic rapper Ja Rule, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f863BoVOczg It’s almost time for tipoff! While fans are busy researching teams for brackets, getting their gear ready, and prepping their watching schedule, Wendy’s® – on the heels of its recent surge pricing fiasco – is fueling the fandom with March Madness® deals all month long! To celebrate the biggest basketball tournament of the year, Wendy’s fans can score a $1 Dave’s Single® or a $2 Dave’s Double® with Wendy’s app offers*. Basketball fans can get a $1 Dave’s Single and a $2 Dave’s Double in the Wendy’s app all March Madness long to fuel their college basketball fandom. Beautiful and talented dancer Ashton Bray has been a featured performer in the Las Vegas show Fantasy since 2012. Recently, Bray was promoted to the position of performance director at Fantasy. The female revue takes place nightly at the Luxor Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. In an interview with Chris Yandek of CYInterview and businessman Rob Gill, the Las Vegas entertainer discussed how she is living her dream in Las Vegas. She expressed her contentment with her current situation, stating: “I have achieved my dream. I adore my home and my life. I never thought I could keep dancing for so long, but now that I am here, I want to hold on to it with all my might. I used to believe that around 30 or 35, I would need to stop dancing, but now that I’m here, I wouldn’t give it up. You’ll have to drag me off stage with a cane.” https://youtu.be/tM8qCtklG3k Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s new episode of WE tv’s reality series, “Bold & Bougie,” which follows Crystal Smith, Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, and Princess Banton-Lofters as they live unapologetically on their own terms and rewrite their narrative. Per the official series synopsis, “The women of Bold & Bougie have spent their entire lives being cheerleaders for others. Now, it’s their turn to be the center of attention as they support each other and form an unbreakable sisterhood. In each hour-long episode, witness the growing pains that come from love, loss – and hangovers, because they still know how to have a good time. As they celebrate milestones, the women showcase their vibrant personalities and zest for life. However, this sisterhood isn’t without its challenges.” https://youtu.be/m17SQX3XshY Last night CNN’s “King Charles,” Charles Barkley responded to criticism about his recent comments on Black Trump voters. “First of all, I’m just gonna say this,” he stated on the “King Charles” primetime show. “If I see a Black person walking around with a Trump mugshot, I’m gonna punch him in the face.” When co-host Gayle King noted that Barkley would be arrested for assault, he said, “I’m gonna bail myself out and go celebrate.”Barkley addressed the backlash to his comments on last night’s “King Charles” broadcast, CNN reports. He stated, “Well, let me say, is this my camera right there? I want to make sure people can hear me. Number one, obviously, I’m not going to go around punching random strangers in the face, first and foremost. Secondly, people can vote for who they want to. People can vote for who they want to. The point I was trying to make — no, the point I was making, I wasn’t trying to make it, when Donald Trump compares his plight with that other black person, that is what I had a problem with.” Bronny James may not have made ESPN’s 2024 NBA mock draft, but the way his legendary dad sees it, he will be worth the wait.Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), LeBron James had something to say to those looking down the road to speculate about Bronny’s pro basketball career. The NBA all-star is confident that his son’s work ethic ” will ultimately do the talking” when it comes to his future. In the meantime, LeBron would like folks to just chill and “please just let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball.” “The work and results will ultimately do the talking no matter what he decides to do. If y’all don’t know he doesn’t care what a mock draft says, he just WORKS! Earned Not Given!” the Los Angeles Lakers fixture wrote on Feb. 26 in a now-deleted X post, People reports via USA Today. “And to all the other kids out there striving to be great just keep your head down, blinders on and keep grinding,” LeBron continued. “These Mock Drafts doesn’t matter one bit! I promise you! Only the WORK MATTERS!! Let’s talk REAL BASKETBALL PEOPLE!” The four-time NBA champion’s comments come after Bronny was removed from this year’s mock draft. As a result, USA Today, TMZ, and the New York note the 19-year-old USC freshman is projected to be picked in 2025. Michelle Williams jokes about people not knowing who she is in a new commercial for Uber One Australia. In the funny clip, Williams is sitting on a park bench checking her phone for her Uber and Uber Eats savings as an Uber One member. “OK, OK, my Uber One membership savings don’t disappoint,” says Williams, who is sitting next to a woman who doesn’t recognize the singer/actress is a famous superstar. “You know what is disappointing? I was in one of the most iconic girl groups, and no one recognizes me,” she adds. https://youtu.be/e484MJk-IL0 When she hears a man call out for his dog named “Michelle,” Williams responds, “Who calls their dog Michelle?” The woman beside Williams asks, “Sorry, but are you Michelle Williams?” Williams smiles and confirms but looks disappointed when the woman says, “Dropped your wallet.” “At least my Uber One savings don’t disappoint,” Williams says. In a video posted on her Instagram, Williams called the “hilarious” Uber One commercial “hilarious.” “I get to be in on the jokes. Certain jokes y’all know I don’t care too much about, especially 24 years later. There are just certain things I don’t care about anymore,” she said. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3VwhHMvT4a/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=de1e7b89-ca23-49fe-b912-547ce9ebf6dd Nike plans to unveil a new store in Philadelphia dedicated to its Michael Jordan-branded sneakers and apparel. The retailer intends to open a Jordan World of Flight store in a historic 7,000-square-foot building, Sports Illustrated reports. Nike introduced the Jordan World of Flight concept in Milan, Italy, when the first store opened in December 2022. The retailer described the stores as “the future of Jordan retail”: a destination celebrating the legacy and future of basketball culture.” The second Jordan World of Flight opened in Tokyo in 2023. Third is located in Dubai. The newest “World of Flight” store in the U.S. will reportedly occupy a two-story building in Philly located at 1617 Walnut St., constructed in 1921. https://twitter.com/SoleRetriever/status/1759666608899834293/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1759666608899834293%7Ctwgr%5E1fe21f436fa09022d64fe15f0519c2f103c8c3e5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fnike-announces-plans-for-first-michael-jordan-branded-store-in-u-s%2F The TikTok user known as Reesa Teesa, who went viral with her 52-part “Who TF Did I Marry?!?” series, in which she exposed her “pathological liar” ex-husband, has signed with Creative Arts Agency for representation.TMZ reports that CAA signed Reesa, whose real name is Tareasa Johnson, after her “Who TF Did I Marry?!?” TikTok videos reached 400 million impressions in three weeks. Her tale will likely be turned into a movie-of-the-week for a cable network. As we reported earlier, Reesa’s nearly 8-hour video series was picked up by mainstream outlets such as the Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and Time magazine. “It’s entertaining, I know it’s gone viral, but it is not easy telling this story,” Reesa Teesa says in Part 44 of the series. “I made a decision to share my story, what I went through in [the] hopes that it helps just one person.” https://youtu.be/4vf9IxGD2AI “So when I was texting you, and I was terrified, and texting you that I’m in pre-op at Northside Hospital and I’m so scared because I just don’t know what’s gonna happen, and David text me back, there came a moment where once I discovered all the lies, that I realized, you really left me hanging when I needed you the most,” she explained on the daytime talk show. “And on so many levels, I can honestly sit here and tell you that is the one thing that I struggle to forgive because it’s already hard.” Reesa revealed to Hall that she endured a miscarriage while alone in the hospital. She believed David to be Legion’s assistant, but it was another of her ex’s alleged lies. “I take myself back to when I discovered there was no David,” she continued. “So, you were pretending to be someone else, texting me when I was in pre-op telling you I’m scared, I love you, I text all this.” https://youtu.be/T6rPwFkwVxE Terry Crews appeared on a recent episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay and recalled fighting his father after he beat up his mother. “That was the darkest day,” Crews shared with Shannon around the 1:59:00 mark of the YouTube clip above. “You got to understand the context of that situation is he had just hit my mother. I wasn’t there, but I got a phone call. ‘Oh, your daddy just hit your mama.’ Now, I’m a grown-ass man, post-NFL, I already played the league. Like, ‘Hey man, what? I’m 245. I ain’t five, you ain’t talking to a five-year-old boy.'” Crews continued, “Dude, he knocked her tooth sideways, it was crooked,” he said of his father, also named Terry Crews, Complex reports. “Hit her dead in the mouth, she bleeding. I said, ‘Didn’t I tell you?’ Now bruh, everything came out at that one time. It wasn’t that I didn’t see him as a father anymore, it was, I’m five, and you’re that dude that I was so scared of and I gotta get rid of this right now. Now you gonna get what you’ve been giving,” Crews explained. https://youtu.be/BvA_AinclK8 “I beat his ass, and I felt nothing,” he said. “I thought I was going to feel, ‘Oh this is great, this is wonderful, now finally it’s all straight.’ Felt worse. ‘Cause now I just beat up the man that brought me into this world.” Sharpe inquired about what his dad said following the incident, but Crews said he was too “ashamed” to make eye contact with him. “I was ashamed,” he said. “A man is never meant to attack his parents. But let me tell you, we did have a great moment about ten years later because I left and never came back for a long time.” Crews eventually contacted his father “during my therapy sessions,” he shared with Sharpe. https://twitter.com/i/status/1765172946522566742 During a recent episode of Nick Cannon’s podcast, Dr. Iyanla Vanzant discussed the sexual and emotional abuse she experienced in her childhood. The life coach explained that her father’s absence of love profoundly impacted her perception of love.“I was so unloved. I was just unloved. I felt unloved,” she told Cannon on the Feb. 26 episode of the Counsel Culture show, MadameNoire reports. “Never in my life, I have not one memory of my father kissing me, hugging me or telling me he loved me,” she added, noting that she was age 30 when her father committed suicide. https://youtu.be/KgEqUoYl380 According to Iyanla, she was sexually abused by an uncle who was “a functional alcoholic.” “The uncle who raised me, who I lived under his roof, who was a functional alcoholic, who probably said 10 words to me in his entire life, ‘You know I love you’ being one of them,” Vanzant continued. “So, when he raped me, I thought that was a demonstration of his love,” Iyanla told Cannon. “So, I was on the other end of being promiscuous, A. wanting to feel loved. And, number two, because I was shuttled around to so many…my job was to make people happy. To please people.” Iyanla said her father “never kissed me, never told me he loved me.” So she ultimately married “the first thing hobbling along on the crutch.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3n0ijUv5ee/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The teenager who was shot by police during a massive brawl that broke out inside Six Flags Over Georgia on the park’s opening day is reportedly in critical condition. According to the Cobb County Police Department, about 500 to 600 teenagers ran “through the park” on Saturday and engaged “in altercations.”We reported earlier that officers responded to calls about an “unruly” crowd at the amusement park on the evening of March 2nd, The Blast reports. Several angles of the brutal melee were captioned on camera and posted on social media. During the violence, police shot and injured one teenager whose condition was initially unknown. However, Complex reports that the 15-year-old remains in critical condition at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. https://youtu.be/rxyoenW7p_c “Last night a violent mob stormed the Six Flags in Georgia. Chaos erupted involving 500-600 teens that viciously beat and stomped out one another,” one person shared on X/Twitter, per The Blast. “The mob then began to shoot at the police.” “At some point, multiple people began shooting, hitting an unoccupied CCPD (Cobb County Police Department) marked patrol car,” said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in a statement. “As officers identified where the shots were coming from, they ran after people who had run into the woods. During the incident, one CCPD officer fired his weapon.” Six Flags Georgia responded to the shooting, claiming that the incident did not occur on the theme park’s property. “It is incredibly disappointing that our community is disrupted at public events throughout the region by groups of underaged youth,” Six Flags Over Georgia said, The Blast reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1764275626469441718 This election cycle, a delegation running either for the California State Senate or the Los Angeles County Supervisor seats staged a town hall meeting in the unincorporated Willowbrook community, located just west of Compton. The panel discussion organized and hosted by John Davis and the staff at Magic Johnson Park, took place on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. The moderator was Kevin Gatewood. The first panel consisting of those running for the senate – Lamar Lyons, Michelle Chambers, Jennifer Trichelle-Marie Williams, James Spencer, Albert Robles, Laura Richardson, and Alex Monteiro – fielded questions from the moderator for a little over 90 minutes; which left no time for the audience (about 130 attendees) to ask questions. The second panel running for the county supervisor seat – Daphne Bradford, Katrina Williams, and Holly Mitchell – discussed more of the same, which indicated to me that they all know the topics of homelessness and affordable housing are big concerns in our neighborhoods. There was much talk from both panels about homelessness and affordable housing, but nothing about what caused the surge of homelessness in the first place. Are the financial institutions and mortgage firms being held accountable to help mitigate the homelessness crisis? Busta Rhymes was scheduled to kick off his 24-date “Blockbusta” tour, but it has been called off according to updates on Ticketmaster.com. Each concert, starting from the March 13 kickoff in San Francisco to the April 21 finale in Rhyme’s hometown of Brooklyn, has been marked as canceled on the ticketing platform. With no official explanation provided for the tour’s cancellation, speculation has arisen online suggesting either insufficient ticket sales or concerns regarding the rapper’s health. Previously, Rhymes had participated in 50 Cent’s The Final Lap tour, which concluded in December. Before embarking on that tour, Rhymes discussed in Men’s Health magazine his journey of shedding 100 pounds to enhance his health after experiencing what he described as an “asthma-like” episode. Rhymes disclosed further weight loss while on tour with 50 Cent, as reported by Complex in November 2023 during the promotion of his “Blockbusta” album. https://youtu.be/Ef76nYxOK0Y The rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor renowned for hits like “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” and “Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check”, was recognized with a lifetime achievement award at the BET Awards in June 2023. Additionally, he performed at a joint event hosted by The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Spotify, benefiting Musicians On Call (MOC), at the newly inaugurated venue, The Atlantis, in Washington DC. Ticket holders for Rhymes’ tour should expect updates from Ticketmaster regarding rescheduled dates or refunds. In related news, last month, during celebrations for French Montana’s new mixtape, Mac & Cheese 5, Rhymes was involved in an altercation with up-and-coming rapper Nizzle Man, reports The Source. The incident took place at Harbor nightclub in New York City, where footage surfaced showing 23-year-old Nizzle Man being pulled down a flight of stairs. Busta, 52, then confronts the rapper before further pushing occurs. https://twitter.com/i/status/1761486085069082660 “The time has now come to suspend my campaign. I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that. I have no regrets,” Haley said during remarks in Charleston, South Carolina, following a series of losses in GOP nominating contests on Super Tuesday. Haley congratulated Trump in her address but did not endorse him. “I have always been a conservative Republican and always supported the Republican nominee, but on this question, as she did on so many others, Margaret Thatcher provided some good advice when she said, ‘Never just follow the crowd. Always make up your own mind,’” the former governor said. “It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the vote – those in our party and beyond it, who did not support him. And I hope he does that,” she said. Sources familiar with her plans told CNN prior to her speech that Haley’s approach appears to leave room for her to endorse Trump ahead of the general election. The renowned program “Reading Rainbow” is currently being honored with a feature documentary titled “Butterfly in the Sky.” Arriving in select AMC theatres on March 17, the documentary will delve into the inception and production of Reading Rainbow, a beloved program that aired from 1983 to 2006, featuring LeVar Burton as its host. Per the press release: “For 26 seasons, Reading Rainbow met young viewers in their living rooms, whisking them away on far-off adventures into the boundless world of books. Inspiring and nostalgic, Butterfly in the Sky takes audiences behind the scenes of this beloved PBS children’s series and tells the story of its iconic host LeVar Burton, giving an inside look at the challenges he and the show’s creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television. Reliving the show’s legacy is a refreshing return to the written page. But you don’t have to take our word for it.” After the initial limited release on March 17, the doc’s full run kicks off in New York and additional cities. It will be available on TVOD (including iTunes & Amazon) starting April 30th. Reading Rainbow” received 26 Daytime Emmy Awards for categories including outstanding children’s series and outstanding performer in a children’s series for Burton’s motivational performance, per PEOPLE. https://vimeo.com/908452580 Halle Bailey’s boyfriend, rapper DDG, clapped back at right-wing commentator Elijah Schaffer over his offensive comments about the “The Little Mermaid” star. On Saturday (March 2), Schaffer, a white male, tweeted a photo of Bailey with the caption, “When exactly did Hollywood become flooded with ugly people?” In a separate post, he compared Bailey to the E.T. alien in the Steven Spielberg movie. When Bailey’s boyfriend caught wind of the remarks, he dragged Schaffer’s mom, who passed away in 2020 from a rare form of cancer. He also posted an edited picture featuring Schaffer’s mother superimposed onto a blunt. In an X/Twitter post, DDG responded, “I’m smokin’ on yo’ dead a** mama. That dumb b**ch should’ve got a better doctor.” https://twitter.com/FearedBuck/status/1764527493111775299/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1764527493111775299%7Ctwgr%5E0cbbf5d8ca14c349b40ed38eebc18b85507524d5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fhalle-baileys-boyfriend-criticizes-elijah-schaffers-late-mother%2F An unprecedented number of African nations are represented by 28 contestants and countries this year in the Miss World pageant, taking place on March 9. The 3-hour program broadcast will air exclusively in the U.S. on The Africa Channel Inc. (TAC). The Africa Channel proudly partners with the Miss World organization to help shine a light on the bright future that contemporary Africa offers the world. Each contestant from Africa is a positive role model for young women from the continent globally, and each carries the weight of presenting a positive narrative for her country. Contestants will compete in a total crowd of 120 young women all of whom won national beauty contests in their countries from across the globe in the “Beauty with a Purpose” themed contest. The 28 African contestants and countries include Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This past year, The Africa Channel exclusively premiered the Miss World South Africa pageant in the U.S. The winning contestant, Claude Mashego, is a medical doctor who uses her platform to advocate for social change and joins the other contestants on the final leg of the prestigious Miss World 2024 competition. Mashego is now an Africa Channel Ambassador who embodies our mission of bridging cultural gaps between Africa and the diaspora. https://www.instagram.com/p/C31pds3ttka/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4ade04fb-ae14-4ad9-b474-eda5a638dfea All contestants have gathered in India for the 30-day lead-up to the seminal pageant and crowning of this year’s winner later this March. The 71st Miss World Final will premiere live from Mumbai, India at the Jio World Convention Centre. The three-hour broadcast is a unique same-day premiere in India at 7:30 pm India Standard Time and in North America exclusively on The Africa Channel at 7 pm Eastern Standard Time. Munish Gupta, advisor to the Miss World Organization in India says the event will “showcase the rich tapestry of India’s culture, traditions, heritage, arts and crafts, textiles, cuisine, [and] tourism to a massive global audience.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3xva2ip__S/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The premiere of “Euphoria” season 3 is anticipated for 2025, following numerous delays since the airing of its second season in 2019. Nika King, a cast member, recently quipped about her inability to pay rent for months, attributing it to the show’s uncertain status. “Don’t ask me [when Season 3 is coming out]. I don’t fucking know. Don’t ask me, I don’t know,” she said during a recent stand-up show. King shared a clip on her TikTok account. “People are like, ‘We need Season 3,’ and I’m like, bitch, I need Season 3! I haven’t paid my rent in six months.” Zendaya, star of the Sam Levinson-created series, is currently promoting her new film “Dune: Part Two.” King, who plays her mom in “Euphoria” joked that the actress is holding up the show’s third season. “And Zendaya’s over in Paris at Fashion Week. I’m like, ‘Bitch, come home! I need you. Mama needs you.’” King said. https://www.tiktok.com/@iamnikaking/video/7342217956299918634?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Feuphoria-star-cant-pay-rent-amid-season-3-delay%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=71929437%2C121374463%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7342217956299918634 Renowned producer and TV personality Carlos King is taking his podcast on the road with special guests joining him for his ongoing “Reality with the King” Live Tour. According to the press release, the “Reality with the King” Live Tour will hit Jersey City, NJ with guest Teresa Giudice; Atlanta with Tamar Braxton; Irvine, CA with Tamra Judge & Teddi Mellencamp; and Washington, DC with the cast of “Love & Marriage: D.C.” The release states: “Reality with the King” takes listeners behind the scenes of some of the biggest and most iconic series ever on television, with King dissecting and rehashing shocking betrayals, hilarious interactions and dramatic scenes from such series as The Real Housewives, Love & Marriage, The Kardashians, Selling Sunset and more. The fan-anointed “King of Reality TV” is often joined by his celebrity friends – including NeNe Leakes, Teresa Giudice, Megan McCain and more – to spill the tea for “Reality with the King” listeners, also known as “Reigndrops.” “I love engaging with my audience,” King previously told EUR about his creative process. “I call them the raindrops. I love them, and I love the engagement with them.” King added, “Now, look, I don’t listen to everything they say now, chile, because I know what I’m doing and I know you got to take things with a grain of salt, but there’s always some truth and honesty within the tweets, that I’m like, “Oh, that’s an interesting take on this situation.” So, I love engagement, and it’s fun, and it’s a way for the audience to feel like they’re in on the process by having this relationship with the creator of their franchise and hearing them out and responding to them and engaging with them. I know that’s important.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C4Lp3F1Lhc6/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8e1597e2-d3c6-449d-9cd6-afa1c1d93bc8 Russell Westbrook has vowed to construct 180 affordable homes in the South Los Angeles community where he grew up. The NBA star recently revealed his involvement in revitalizing an area that was devastated during civil unrest following the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles Police Department officers in 1992, Essence reports. Westbrook is bringing retail businesses to a new South Los Angeles community, writing on social media: “Proud to be investing in my community, South Central LA. We’re building 180 affordable housing units, surrounded by community centered businesses and anchored by @target. Real LA native,” he captioned two photos on Instagram. Target is a key partner in the Evermont Project initiative, which aims to offer affordable housing and incorporate community-focused businesses. In an Instagram video, Westbrook said, “Evermont stands tall as a beacon of collaboration between the city, county, local, and business communities. This represents a thriving example of what happens when we come together, fostering empowerment and driving the positive change that this community has been waiting for.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C33wD3mP9Rl/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a440648f-b058-4e5e-8911-febb0b397f7f&img_index=1 The filmmakers behind the new captivating film “Black Girls,” which is airing exclusively on Comcast’s Black Experience on Xfinity Channel and Xumo. Per the press release, “There are films that expand our emotional capacity and then some that move us from bystanders toward action. Black Girls aims to do both. The riveting film serves as an exposè by highlighting how necessary it is to invest in Black stories if we dare to create a world that honors each other in unprecedented ways.” The doc features recounts from Allyson Felix, the most decorated athlete in Olympic History in her sport, Marley Dias, the teen visionary behind the #1000BlackGirlBooks movement featured on ELLEN and interviewed by VP Kamala Harris, among others, per the release. Watch the trailer above. “Black Girls” illuminates Black women’s powerful narratives and experiences. Through intimate interviews, the film explores Black women and girls’ challenges, triumphs, and contributions, offering a platform for voices often marginalized in mainstream media. https://youtu.be/VNaF716Ul1E Jonathan Majors and his alleged girlfriend Meagan Good attended the African-American Film Critics Association Special Achievement Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles on Sunday. Their red carpet debut comes a month before the disgraced actor is scheduled for sentencing for misdemeanor assault and harassment on his ex, Grace Jabbari. As TMZ reports, Majors told reporters at the event that he and Meagan are “in love,” with the actress adding, “We’re doing great. God’s good.” Good supported Majors during his assault trial with Jabbari that ended in December. https://youtu.be/8MXDlbfnESw Meta’s platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, went down for thousands of users on Tuesday, because of what the company called a “technical issue.” The outage was resolved within around two hours.As many as 500,000 Facebook users had reported issues logging in or accessing the site as of mid-morning Eastern Time on Tuesday, according to outage tracker Downdetector. Around 50,000 outage reports had been issued regarding Instagram and another 10,000 for Facebook Messenger, although the number of reports had already begun to fall within an hour after they began. Some users found they had been logged out of their Facebook accounts. Others got notifications on Instagram that “something went wrong” and their feeds could not be loaded. Threads, Meta’s competitor to Elon Musk’s X, also went down and showed users a popup that said “Something went wrong, please try again later” in place of their feed. https://youtu.be/YTTLGwbPWTo This is my passion,” said Jazz guitarist Reza Khan about his music coming first before his career at the United Nations. “This comes first. I’ve been doing it for 50 years.” https://youtu.be/eSoMkjKLsCo March is Women’s History Month. With so many notable women who deserve to be celebrated, it’s even more important to acknowledge the next generation of achievers who strive for that number-one spot in their respective fields. Shenita Lawson is one of those women. This college sophomore is making a name for herself as a standout wrestler throughout the Midwest. She’s so good, her winning streak could lead to the 2024 Summer Olympic trials. That means Lawson could be among the group of athletes who qualify to represent the United States in Paris. How did Lawson get hooked on wrestling, what will it take for her to qualify for the Olympic team and what are her plans after the Olympics? https://youtu.be/UMZiFZcwDeY It has often been said that success is nothing without someone you love to share it with. Shaquille O’Neal is proof this statement carries weight, as he reminisced over his failed marriage and the loss of his family over making what he labeled ‘a lot of dumbass mistakes.” The topic was among those discussed during (now-retired) Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce’s recent appearance on “The Big Podcast with Shaq.” During the episode, Kelce touched on the idea of retiring as he considered life after football. It was then that O’Neal gave the football fixture a bit of advice as he looked back at his own life. “My advice to you is if you are going to retire, accept it, enjoy your family brother,” he said. https://youtu.be/wv_RRmtxGm4 JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, March 6 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. It’s all about small bites tonight! On the menu is marinated grilled chicken skewers served with a citrus flavored mojito. Then, he makes a seafood ceviche paired with a sweet and smooth margarita. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-Eb1O7mJV4 The Smollett sibling duo returns to CLEO TV tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET/8C with hit series, LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. This season, Jake and Jazz will continue to share beautiful home makeovers, prepare delicious family recipes, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for a lucky group of homeowners. Tonight, Jake reconditions a pre-owned dresser set to make the bedroom feel fresh. Meanwhile, Jazz brings modern designs and vibrant colors that adds just the right touch. On the menu are jerk tacos and coconut creme brulee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdv59YNuzew In the current landscape of the entertainment industry, it’s not exactly a bold move, but it’s an interesting one, nonetheless,” CBS is in the process of developing “The Gates,” a soap opera about a wealthy family that could become the first daytime TV drama with a predominately Black cast since 1989. “The Gates,” will delve into the lives of a wealthy Black family living in a posh, gated community. The new soap will be a collaborative effort between CBS Studios/NAACP production venture and P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. The series will be penned by Emmy-winning daytime veteran Michele Val Jean (“The Bold & The Beautiful”), who will also assume the role of showrunner, having authored over 2,000 episodes of daytime TV. NBC’s short-lived “Generations,” which premiered in 1989, and Fox’s 2015 hit “Empire” were the last notable Black-centric soaps. Note: “Emjpire” aired in prime-time. https://youtu.be/lRDqpkmau50 Queen Latifah is set to return as host of the 55th annual NAACP Image Awards, airing LIVE on Saturday, March 16, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET. “We are thrilled to collaborate with groundbreaking megastar Queen Latifah and are elated to welcome her again as this year’s host. We also look forward to honoring changemaker and poet Amanda Gorman for her tremendous cultural impact,” said Connie Orlando, EVP of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET. “Queen Latifah, NAACP and Pastis have been such incredible partners in amplifying Black culture, excellence, creativity and ingenuity, and this year’s unforgettable show will be no different,” Orlando added. “The NAACP Image Awards is an important celebration for our community and industry every year. We get the opportunity to highlight the major accomplishments of artists, writers, entertainers, activists and other changemakers that push Black excellence forward in a powerful way,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. Queen Latifah emceed the ceremony for the first time last year. https://twitter.com/naacpimageaward/status/1765061594508075438/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1765061594508075438%7Ctwgr%5E6ae3202c4f18de96514406652af6fada4916f0f6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fqueen-latifah-to-host-naacp-image-awards%2F A week after Zionfield Baptist Church Pastor Clemmie Livingston Jr. was shot at church by a car thief, his son, Rev. Keith Livingston, called the shooters “thugs.” Livingston Jr. was shot in the mouth by carjackers as he prepared for morning service at his church in Memphis, Tennessee, The Christian Post reports. “Now I’m sure by this time everyone knows that this [past] weekend [has] indeed been a trying week for our family. … It’s been a tumultuous week for all of us. It has honestly been one of the most challenging things that I can say that I’ve ever had to go through,” Rev. Keith said from his father’s pulpit on Sunday. “I can honestly say through all … this struggle that’s going on in our life, with God’s help, we’ve been able to come through,” he added. https://youtu.be/VSZ9IL3-vqI Only one-third of Black millennials own their homes, in contrast to two-thirds of white Americans. An NPR article that attributed racism for the reason Black families struggle to own homes. “Over the last 15 years, Black homeownership has declined more dramatically than for any other racial or ethnic group in the United States,” the NPR article states. “In 2019, the Black homeownership rate was about as low as in the 1960s, when private race-based discrimination was legal,” the report adds. Newsweek reports that the 2008 financial crisis, induced by the housing market, has made it more challenging for current millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, to obtain home loans. As one of the mainstays of Starz’s popular crime drama “Black Mafia Family (BMF),” Lil Meech has struck a nerve portraying his father, former drug kingpin Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory. As the show’s third season, which premiered March 1, takes root on the network, fans are still reeling from the tease given, with hopes a little more of the younger Meech will be seen. The tease in question came courtesy of a sex scene in a private room between Lil Meech and an exotic dancer looking to get her tuition paid. The pair’s relations were intense, but it was the presence of what seemed to be Lil Meech’s genitals that got social media users hot and bothered with speculations on whether the entertainer’s exposed member was the real deal or a very real-looking prosthetic. “So y’all all gone act like y’all don’t know that was fake? Be fr. It was way too high up on his stomach for one. For two, it looked fake,” a “BMF” fan voiced at the time on Instagram about Lil Meech’s penis. https://youtu.be/3IEomrNTY8A With prescriptions for semaglutide drugs, including Wegovy and Ozempic, on the rise, food sellers are increasingly fielding questions about the possibility of a significant shift in how — or how much — people eat. The increasingly popular drugs generally work by reducing patients’ appetites. With 1.7% of America’s population prescribed a semaglutide drug in 2023 — up 40-fold in the past five years — that could spell serious trouble for the food industry. For now, they seem to be thinking about these drugs the way they do food fads: Keeping a sharp eye on consumer behavior and thinking about ways to capitalize on trends. But they may need to take the rise of this class of drugs more seriously than fad diets, some industry analysts say. During a Thursday call with Wall Street analysts, Conagra CEO Sean Connolly said that the company will adjust as needed if customers eat less or want different types of food. https://youtu.be/k6iixRPmo4g “Let’s say they go to smaller portions, then we evolve the innovations, and we design smaller portions,” Connolly said. “If they switch to different types of nutrients … we switch to different types of nutrients,” he said. “If they change the kind of pack sizes they snack on, we’ll change that.” Conagra has a wide portfolio of food brands, including Healthy Choice, Duncan Hines, and Marie Callender’s. This type of approach is nothing new. Big food companies are constantly evolving their products to adapt to consumer trends. And with wellness top of mind for many — not just people taking semaglutide drugs — companies have already tweaked their products in an effort to appeal to health-conscious consumers. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3DYuyQNLKoE?feature=share Critics are saying that Rihanna‘s performance lacked effort at a pre-wedding bash for Indian billionaire Anant Ambani, despite her reportedly earning over $6 million for the 90-minute appearance. One critic claimed, “She simply doesn’t care,” while another noted, “Ri is the least energetic performer out there! Even Taylor Swift brings more enthusiasm.” Adding to the critique, another voice suggested, “She collected her payment and decided to do only what was necessary.” At the event, Rihanna sang a medley of her famous hits, including “Umbrella,” “We Found Love,” “Stay,” “Rude Boy,” “Diamonds,” and “Work.” https://youtu.be/Vp1CVbCGljA During her time on stage, the Fenty Beauty CEO addressed Anant and Radhika, expressing, “I’m here tonight in honor of Anant and Radhika. Thank you for having me here. God bless your union. I wish you all the best. Congratulations.” In case you’re curious, Ambani’s father has a current net worth of $113 billion and is the head of the company, Reliance Industries. By the way, the pre-wedding party is a three-day event and is set to continue into Monday, March 4. According to the Daily Mail, the event cost over $120 million. https://twitter.com/i/status/1763893702324265063 A slew of negative publicity is not doing anything to keep Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs on the good side of the news. So much so that Jemele Hill is taking notice and claiming the hip-hop mogul is damaging his legacy by “sinking everything he’s been attached to.” “I think once the floodgates were sort of opened with his ex Cassie coming out with the allegations that she did, which were very serious, very, you know, they were d*mning. … and to be totally honest, I think as we see the pattern with all of these cases, it takes one person. That person has the bravery and the courage to come forward and then suddenly you hear many stories or you have many allegations that surface.” Hill said during a recent podcast interview. “I know that in general when it comes to these accusations finally coming to light, they have been the subject of whispers for many many years…. You may now be finding out the gory, awful, tragic, horrible details. But there’s always been a lot of whispers around some of these people that when we finally sort of understand the depth of what the allegations are against them, it can be jarring to a lot of people.” Hill’s comments come amid troubling times for Combs. Chronicling the Bad Boy Records founder’s low points, The Jasmine Brand referenced the November 2023 lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, the first of five directed at Combs since late last year. In that suit, Ventura accused Combs of rape, sex trafficking, and physical abuse. The lawsuit was ultimately settled between the pair one day after Ventura’s claims became public knowledge. https://twitter.com/i/status/1762922577763225710 It’s no secret that Beyonce is a hit with human beings. But as Kevin Bacon and his wife Kyra Sedgwick can confirm, the “Halo” vocalist’s songs carry weight with their farm animals. https://www.instagram.com/p/C30fOt7PHzP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again According to Madame Noire, the couple posted a video on social media of them serenading their farm animals with a cover of Queen Bey’s Country hit “Texas Hold’ Em.” Sporting a red plaid shirt, cowboy hat, white tee, jeans and sneakers, Bacon is seen strumming the tune on his guitar as Sedgwick recorded him with a cell phone. “This ain’t Texas,” Bacon began to sing, as Sedgwick joined her better half in as he went through the first verse of “Texas Hold’ Em.” As he danced to the song, “The Closer” star supplied ad-libbed background vocals to the popular ditty. “Monday morning serenade. @beyonce #texasholdem,” Bacon captioned the Instagram post. https://www.instagram.com/p/Chz8JlDJC8S/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Ricky Stanicky” is an irreverent buddy comedy starring Zac Efron, John Cena, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, and Lex Scott Davis. It tells the story of a group of friends who have been telling a lie for 25 years. That lie is of an imaginary best friend who the trio conjures up whenever they need to a cover for their childish behaviors and shenanigans. His name is Rick Stanicky. However, things go awry when the trio gets trapped by their own deception and are forced to seek out an actor to play the role of Stanicky when their most recent lie is threatened with exposure. That’s when Cena steps in as Ricky Stanicky. Davis plays Erin, the intelligent and supportive wife of Dean, played by Efron. “Ricky Stanicky” is directed by Peter Farrelly who, along with his brother Bobby, has carved out a name as a great director of classic comedies and dramas like, “Green Book,” “Dumb & Dumber,” and “The Greatest Beer Run Ever.” https://vimeo.com/914602259 Tyler Perry has seen Hollywood’s future. And it looks like AI. For better or for worse. Chatting with The Hollywood Reporter, Perry cited the constantly changing evolution of artificial intelligence, particularly OpenAI‘s new video tool Sora, as reason to fall back with expanding his Tyler Perry Studios production company in Atlanta. “I was in the middle of, and have been planning for the last four years, about an $800 million expansion at the studio,” the entertainment mogul told The Reporter. “All of that is currently and indefinitely on hold because of Sora and what I’m seeing.” What Perry saw was the latest development in AI. Earlier this month, OpenAI launched Sora to a limited group of creators, as well as experts working to improve AI safety, noted Business Insider. According to the site, Sora can “generate videos up to a minute long from text and image prompts” as well as “extend existing videos by filling in missing frames.” https://youtu.be/YKYFhUrmM3o The LAPD is looking into allegations of neglect regarding the care of ‘Good Times’ star John Amos and the investigation is just getting started. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ that a case has been opened to investigate claims made by Amos’ daughter, Shannon. She recently called Adult Protective Services to allege her father’s health issues were not being properly addressed by her brother, K.C. Sources indicate that APS received a report based on Shannon’s claims and forwarded it to the LAPD, prompting an investigation. The LAPD is reportedly familiar with the ongoing disputes between Shannon and K.C., but the focus of the investigation will be on these new allegations. Back in July 2023, EURweb reported that Shannon’s representative stated K.C. had been removed as John’s medical power of attorney. Shannon also demanded that her brother cease making false statements that harmed her reputation and business. https://youtu.be/nhRvqE6dooM Longtime NFL reporter and ESPN journalist Chris Mortensen died on Sunday morning, the network announced. He was 72. Specifics of his death are not yet known, though Mortensen had been battling cancer for years. ESPN is very sorry to have to share this devastating news. Award-winning journalist Chris Mortensen passed away this morning at the age of 72. https://twitter.com/i/status/1764412272095494444 A new West End play has set aside two nights expressly for theatergoers who “identify” as Black, offering them the opportunity to experience the “Slave Play” production “free from the white gaze.” “Slave Play” will run at the Noël Coward Theatre in London from June 29 to September 21, and co-star Kit Harington (Game of Thrones). According to the UK Independent, two nights have been dubbed “Black Out” nights for an “all-Black identifying audience” on July 17 and September 17. A dangerous winter storm has arrived in California and will unload feet of snow, powerful winds, and rare blizzard conditions in the mountains through the weekend. The storm will bury California under its biggest snowfall of the year posing a significant danger to travelers – but provide a huge boost for the state’s water supply and tourism. Winds gusted over 140 mph in the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada alongside heavy snow Thursday. Gusts there topped 150 mph on Friday as blizzard conditions kicked into overdrive. Nearly 2 feet of snow has already fallen with extreme snowfall to come. Snowfall rates are expected to reach 3 to 5 inches an hour from Friday through Saturday – especially along the Sierra Nevada. The prolonged extreme snowfall means 6 to 12 feet of snow could bury parts of the mountains in just a matter of a few days. https://youtu.be/Zq5yk0gC86c The most extreme conditions are unfolding at the highest elevations, with wind gusts over 100 mph on the highest peaks of the Sierra in addition to feet of snow. Winds are blowing so hard that it may be difficult to measure snow accurately with the potential for huge snow drifts. Winds started to roar Thursday with widespread gusts of 60 to 80 mph reported for elevations above 3,000 feet. Twenty inches of snow fell from Thursday to Friday morning at Donner Peak while a foot or more buried other parts of the Sierra. Heavy snow and roaring winds are expected to combine to produce rare and long-lasting blizzard conditions for much of the Sierra and parts of the northern ranges. Visibility plummeted to near-zero, meaning it’s impossible to see farther than a few feet – or at all – early Friday. https://youtu.be/7xzTQr1JkV4 “Dune: Part 2,” directed by Denis Villeneuve, does the unimaginable. It defies the odds. Very, very few sequels are better than their predecessors. But this sequel surpasses the first. Based on Frank Herbert’s bestselling novel, “Dune,” “Dune: Part 2” is the follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.” The film operates on all its powerful cylinders– great performances, breathtaking cinematography, and exciting action scenes. Interestingly, “Dune 2” is released during Women’s History Month. Timothee Chalamet has no qualms about being cast against strong females. In “Wonka,” Noodle (Calah Lane) taught the iconic Willie Wonka (Chalamet) how to read, and later became his business partner. Lane is a 2024 NAACP Image Awards nominee for “Outstanding Youth Performance in a Motion Picture” (“Wonka”). In “Dune 2,” Paul Atreides (Chalamet) tells Chani (Zendaya), “I would very much like to be equal to you.” https://youtu.be/Way9Dexny3w Next year looks to be a great year for the real-life Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory. The former drug lord will be released 32 months early, setting up a life after prison that kicks off in 2025, according to Sandra Rose. The news came after a judge recently approved Flenory’s release. The 55-year-old Detroit native was sentenced to 30 years behind bars after being indicted on drug trafficking charges in 2003, media sources noted. In addition to his days as a drug lord, Flenory is best known for establishing BMF Entertainment in Atlanta, Ga. with his brother, Terry Lee “Southwest Tee” Flenory. Although the company was set up as a promotion agency and record label for hip-hop music, federal agents say the agency was a front for money laundering and a nationwide cocaine distribution enterprise. While trafficking cocaine, BMF reportedly made more than $270 million. In 2005, Flenory’s Atlanta and California-based Black Mafia Family (BMF) drug-trafficking operation ended when members were indicted by the DEA. https://youtu.be/3IEomrNTY8A Don Lemon’s time with CNN has officially ended, with the former primetime anchor netting a hefty sum for his trouble. According to The Wrap, Lemon agreed to a separation deal with CNN for approximately $24.5 million. The amount is the full pay from Lemon’s final contract with the network, which extended 3.5 years from his departure. CNN’s payment to Lemon marks the conclusion of a saga that began 10 months ago, when he made controversial remarks about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley during an episode of “CNN This Morning.” Speaking with his female co-hosts, Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow, Lemon implied the 51-year-old former South Carolina governor was past her prime. “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry,” an “uncomfortable” Lemon explained while discussing Haley’s age. “When a woman is considered to be in her prime — in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.” The comment resulted in Lemon’s dismissal from CNN after the show. A move the 57-year-old described as a termination. “It is clear that there are some larger issues at play,” Lemon wrote on social media. Terrence Howard, probably best known for his role in Fox’s “Empire” and movies like “Hustle & Flow” and “Iron Man,” has found himself in hot water with the IRS. Last year, the federal government filed a complaint against Howard for allegedly owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes. The IRS claimed that Howard had not paid his taxes for five years, from 2010 to 2019, resulting in a hefty bill of $578,000. Despite multiple attempts to contact him and resolve the issue, Howard failed to respond or appear in court to defend himself. As a result, a federal judge recently ruled in favor of the IRS, ordering Howard to pay $903,114.72, reports TMZ. This amount includes the unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest accrued over the years. It is unclear why Howard ignored the federal complaint and failed to address the issue. While he remains active on social media promoting his projects, he has not publicly commented on the tax evasion case. https://youtu.be/jXOfgZseLyA A man (Amari Pollard) was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to opening fire outside a Virginia high school graduation ceremony and killing a graduate last year, the prosecutor told CNN. Pollard pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the murder of Shawn Jackson on Thursday, Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette Wallace McEachin told CNN by email Friday. Jackson, 18, and his stepfather Renzo Smith, 36, were shot and killed outside Richmond’s Altria Theater after the Huguenot High School graduation ceremony in June 2023, where hundreds of graduates and guests had gathered. The attack was targeted, as Pollard, then 19, had an ongoing dispute with Jackson, police said at the time. https://youtu.be/dLHob4W4O0w “I think there was an interaction, and then it appears that the suspect went to his car to retrieve the gun and then returned,” Police Chief Rick Edwards said in June 2023. The shooting happened just before 5:15 p.m., and responding officers indicated there was a barrage of gunfire that stopped quickly. Chaos emerged after the gunfire began, Edwards added. “People were having panic attacks, falling on the ground screaming,” Edwards said. “Some people fell. One child was hit by a car.” The child hit by a car was Jackson’s 9-year-old sister, who had minor injuries from the incident. The shooting left five others injured, police said at the time. https://youtu.be/9tns7omTook A video capturing students participating in a bizarre toe-licking activity during a high school fundraiser has gained viral attention online, sparking widespread concern among parents and prompting an impending investigation. The incident occurred during a recent fundraiser at Deer Creek High School in Oklahoma, where students were observed licking peanut butter off each other’s toes while lying on the basketball court. The video, initially obtained by Fox 25, has stirred controversy across social media platforms, with many individuals criticizing the organizers for allowing such a spectacle to take place, TMZ is reporting. Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters has expressed dismay over the incident, announcing via Twitter that his agency will be launching an investigation to determine the full extent of the situation. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-03-02-030224-foot-licking-1786887-581/ This situation is straight out of a Hollywood action/thriller movie, but it’s a real-life event. A semi-truck driver found himself in a dangerous scenario on a Kentucky bridge, teetering on the edge of disaster. The truck cabin and part of its trailer were hanging over the Ohio River after a collision on the Clark Memorial Bridge. Louisville emergency crews swiftly acted, risking their own lives to rescue the driver, according to WSAZ-TV. The dramatic rescue involved a crew member rappelling off the side of the bridge like a superhero. The driver was successfully removed from the vehicle and brought to safety on the bridge by 12:45 PM. Fortunately, no one else was injured in the incident, and the bridge is now closed as authorities complete the rescue operation and clean up the scene. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-03-01-030124-bridge-rescue-1786514-445/ BET’s “Comic View” is returning to BET+ on March 14 after a 16-year hiatus, according to a press release. Produced by Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, Mike Epps will host the reboot of the iconic stand-up comedy franchise, featuring an all-star lineup of comedians, including Brandi Denise, Jayski, DC Young Fly, Tony Roberts, Navv Greene, Bresha Webb, Tommy Davidson, Lavar Walker, Tacarra Williams, rapper, Tip “T.I” Harris. Earlier, we reported that T.I. will make his televised standup debut on the reboot series. Hart rebooted BET’s “Comic View” as part of a four-day weekend celebrating his 44th birthday in Las Vegas from July 6-9, 2023, Variety reported. The episodes were taped in front of a live audience. Per the news release: “The original series debuted in 1992 on BET, and featured a mix of new and veteran comedians from across the country in their element: entertaining the masses with their side-splitting comedy. It’s been hosted by legendary comedians D.L. Hughley, Cedric The Entertainer, Kevin Hart, and Sommore, amongst others. Its final episode ran in December 2008.” BET’s “Comic View” is returning to BET+ on March 14 after a 16-year hiatus, according to a press release. https://youtu.be/p95XVR8LrcM After a long investigation, the Justice Department announced this week that it has found conditions at three Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) facilities violate the 8th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. According to a 60-page report by the DOJ, the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, South Mississippi Correctional Institution, and Wilkinson County Correctional Facility routinely violated the constitutional rights of people incarcerated by failing to protect them from widespread physical violence. The report alleged that the facilities did not adequately supervise the incarcerated population, control the flow of contraband, adequately investigate incidents of serious harm, or provide adequate living conditions. Due to chronic understaffing, “gangs operate in the void left by staff and use violence to control people and traffic contraband,” the report read. Ayesha and Steph Curry are expecting baby N0. 4. The couple announced the big news with a photoshoot for the cover of Ayesha’s magazine, Sweet July. Curry shows off her baby bump in the magazine’s first digital edition called “The Village Issue.” Ayesha and Sweet July shared the image on March 1 on Instagram, with the caption: Magazine’s first digital issue explores the gamut of our most cherished relationships. Introducing, The Village Issue, an appropriate theme for Founder Ayesha Curry who excitedly announces her growing family. Through recipes, reflections and community roundups, we’re spotlighting the indelible impact of chosen family. Link in bio to read through #TheVillageIssue! In the comments, comedian Loni Love wrote, “Remember when we were filming your show and I looked at you and said.. you need another and Steph was like Tell her!!!! I’m so happy!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3-q7XIxjJX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=47e2de53-da7a-44fd-99cb-313d3b795439 Get ready for the highly anticipated return of TV One’s original and longest-running series UNSUNG and UNCENSORED, with season debuts of both docu-series starting Sunday, March 3 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. UNSUNGleads with Bobby Caldwell at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by UNCENSORED, which features veteran actress Vivica A. Fox, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. Each episode will be published on TVOne.TV and TV One’s social media platforms. The seven-time NAACP Image Award-winning series UNSUNG, spotlights entertainment’s most talented, versatile, and influential music artists. The season premiere explores the life and career of singer, songwriter and musician Bobby Caldwell. Caldwell released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. His catalog is best known today for its sampling by several prolific hip hop and R&B artists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=CVw4Uf0FfzO3cJOs&v=O3DhnI68qcY&feature=youtu.be While death is an inevitable part of life, that fact doesn’t make it any easier when it is reported that someone has died. That was true on Wednesday when it was reported that former professional wrestler Mike “Virgil” Jones had died. He was 61. Wrestling referee Marck Charles III posted the news about Virgil’s death on Facebook. “My dear friends, it is with great sorrow that I bring news from the Jones family of the passing of our beloved Michael Jones, whom we know and loved as Virgil, Vincent, Soul Train Jones and more,” Charles wrote. “Virgil passed peacefully at the hospital this morning and I ask that you pray for him and for his family. May his memory be eternal!” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GHcRNAlXAAAR_9X?format=jpg&name=small As you know, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been subjected to a hearing to determine whether she should be disqualified from prosecuting the RICO case in Georgia against former President Donald Trump and more than a dozen remaining co-defendants accused of election interference. Willis’ opponents have been scrambling hard to turn her apparently short-lived adult consensual relationship with Nathan Wade, whom she appointed as special prosecutor in the case. Since Willis and Wade’s relationship came to light, Republicans have been working overtime to find a scandal that just doesn’t seem to be there—much like they did while spreading propaganda about non-existent election fraud in 2020, which is what got us here in the first place. Anyway, on Wednesday, Trump posted a meme on social media that implied Willis is a whore for being a single woman having a consensual relationship with a single man—as if he has completely forgotten about his own history of infidelity as well as that of his father. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GHXfmFAWIAAvD79?format=jpg&name=900x900 Georgia investigators are searching for answers after the body of a Black man was found hanging from a tree last week along a hiking trail in North Georgia. According to Fox 5, the body of Trevonte Jamal Shubert-Helton was found by Georgia deputies Feb. 21 in the Swallow Creek Wildlife Management Area, located near Indian Grave Gap Road near Hiawassee.The Sheriff’s officer immediately posted about the incident on Facebook, confirming that deputies had found the man hanging from a tree. The Georgia Bureau Of Investigation, which was asked to help local law enforcement with the investigation, identified the body on Thursday morning as 29-year-old Trevonte Jamal Shubert-Helton from the town of Sautee Nacoochee. According to GBI, Shubert-Helton’s death seemed to be an isolated incident based on their preliminary investigation, but investigators are still waiting on the autopsy by the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office. A spokesperson for the GBI told Atlanta Black Star that no additional information will be available until the autopsy report is completed. A historically Black college (HBCU) in South Carolina is taking steps to beef up its campus security weeks after a shooting in an academic building left a student facing charges of attempted murder. South Carolina State University is making a significant investment in keeping its community safe by adding a gun-sniffing dog to the ranks of its campus security team. The announcement comes after Global K9 Protection Group, the company providing the dog, put on a demonstration on campus to show the capabilities of a dog that can detect firearms via their vapors. The demonstration included a dog quickly indicating the presence of guns, including one that was placed on a fire hydrant. In Olympia, the Washington State House of Representatives made a crucial move to address the risks associated with hog-tying, four years after the death of Manuel “Manny” Ellis. By passing Senate Bill 6009, lawmakers hope to rebuild trust between community members and law enforcement and to create clear guidelines that will help safeguard lives. On Feb. 28, Senate Bill 6009, proposed by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau and Rep. Sharlett Mena, passed through the Washington State House chamber with a resounding 89-7 vote, according to House Democrats. The bill will ban the use of hog-tying, an inhumane restraint tactic that has led to tragic consequences. Despite its deadly outcomes, some law enforcement agencies in Washington continue to employ this method. The bill not only bans hog-tying but also classifies it as excessive force, mandating officers to intervene and report any colleagues who utilize it. Honestly, both Barack and Michelle appear to be living rent-free in the Oval Office that resides in the minds of prominent white conservatives, but the fact that they still appear to be so pressed and obsessed with the Obama who wasn’t even president is just weird, and, at this point, a clear indication of their deep misogynoir. Earlier this week, has been politician Newt Gingrich crawled out of whatever hole newts crawl into and decided it was his turn to come for Obama. For months, Republicans have been expressing their paranoia that Michelle Obama is going to replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president in 2024, despite the fact that she has said multiple times that she’s not running, and despite the fact that even if she was planning to run, she would be pretty damn late kicking off her campaign. Not only did Gingrich arbitrarily speculate about what Michelle’s presidential run would look like—even after acknowledging that she wasn’t going to run—but he appeared to take issue with the pride she takes in being a Black woman. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1762536776923480064/3elKAvLN?format=jpg&name=small Black Enterprise returns to Las Vegas to honor extraordinary business trailblazers at its 2024 Women of Power Summit. This Women’s History Month, the premier Black-owned digital media brand continues to provide resources for African Americans through its 18th Annual Women of Power Summit. Read more details inside. Black Enterprise will provide business, investment, and wealth-building resources for African Americans at the Women of Power Summit. It’s a leading professional development gathering that creates space for women executives of color to reflect, rise, and act. At the culmination of Women’s History Month, the conference returns to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to celebrate the achievements of remarkable women and mark a significant milestone with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) as the event’s new title sponsor. This year’s Summit promises to be an unforgettable experience, featuring inspiring sessions, thought-provoking panel discussions, and unparalleled networking opportunities. The Summit is carefully curated to propel attendees toward intentional goal-setting and to ignite inspiration by showcasing remarkable leaders who have left an enduring mark on their respective fields. Two women are suing Jeffrey Osborne, claiming the R&B icon “embarrassed” and “humiliated” them during a concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles last year. People reports that Danielle Buchanan and Maneva Currie filed a complaint in the Superior Court of California on Tuesday, claiming they were subjected to discriminatory behavior during Osborne’s concert on May 6, 2023. The controversy arose when Osborne, seeking an audience member to sing a portion of his 1986 hit “You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song),” led to his team selecting Buchanan and giving her a microphone camera was directed at Buchanan, “which broadcast her face to the two large screens on either side of the stage, according to the complaint obtained by PEOPLE,” the outlet writes. Buchanan was prepared to sing while her friend Currie captured the moment on her phone. But Osborne allegedly said he wanted a “White person” for the performance. His comment left Buchanan and Currie “shocked, embarrassed, and humiliated,” per the lawsuit. People reports, citing the complaint, that Osborne’s team took the mic away from Buchanan and searched for someone else to sing the section. https://youtu.be/Rgg1Yczq4vI Terry Crews has responded to Terrence Howard’s criticism of the low pay he received for “Hustle & Flow.” EUR’s Chris Richburg reported that Howard recalled playing aspiring Southern rapper Djay in the Oscar-winning film during an interview on “Live at 9”. While prompting his new action-comedy “Showdown at the Grand,” Howard revealed what he made for “Hustle & Flow.” “I made $12,000 for doing Hustle & Flow,” Howard told WREG’s Alex Coleman, Complex reports. “What Paramount did, instead of putting my name as ‘Terrence Howard’ performing the songs, they put ‘performed by Djay.’ Well, they owned Djay.” Howard performs the rap songs in the film but claims he never received proper residuals. “So now, I’ve got to send them a letter to say, ‘Hey, you guys owe me about 20 years’ worth of residuals and performance royalties,’” the former “Empire” star continued. https://youtu.be/Wv1Mo8ZL5vk Ja Rule is devastated after he was denied entry into the U.K. days before his new Sunrise Tour started. The rapper was scheduled to perform his first show on March 1, 2024. Ja broke the news to fans on social media that he was denied entry due to his criminal record, People reports. Ja Rule served two years in prison on gun and tax evasion charges. He was released in May 2013. “I’m so devastated I can’t believe the UK won’t let me in I’ve spent a half million dollars in production of my own money to put this tour together only to be denied entry DAYS before my shows this is not fair to me or my fans these venues are 85% sold and now I can’t come… In a follow-up statement, Ja wrote, a Rule is devastated after he was denied entry into the U.K. days before his new Sunrise Tour started. https://www.instagram.com/jarule/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b2478f28-1b5d-41a6-b890-df3ec47cbb6f If you haven’t heard, the Denver Police Department has successfully recovered the stolen bronze artwork from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. monument at City Park. Watch the video for background on the theft and watch the video below for the story behind the recovery and the difficulty in reassembling the pieces that were stolen. Last Friday, the large bronze plaque, church angel, and unity torch were all found, with the plaque being cut into four pieces. The DPD is now seeking the public’s help in locating and apprehending the responsible individuals. Although two suspects are believed to be involved, according to CBS News Colorado, only one has been identified as 67-year-old Herman Duran, and neither of whom is currently in custody. https://youtu.be/OsDJhfvQkc8 After six years of being engaged, wedding bells will finally be heard for Robin Thicke and his fiancé April Love Geary. The 46-year-old “Masked Singer” fixture broke the news to People, while attending Bilt Rewards’ Casino Royale Party at the NMHC annual meeting in San Diego, The Daily Mail reports. According to Thicke, he and his 29-year-old significant other will tie the knot this year. ‘Wedding plans are a priority, we’re looking at 2024 and we’re very excited,’ he told People. “My relationship with April continues to grow beautifully as we’ve matured into three-time parents together.” ‘She’s really the most amazing woman a man could ask for,’ Thicke added. Thicke’s upcoming wedding to Geary comes more than half a decade after popping the question to her on Christmas Eve 2018. The pair share three children: daughters Mia Love, five, and Lola Alain, four, and son Luca Patrick, three. In addition to the trio, Thicke and Geay are co-parents to his son Julian Fuego, 13. Julian’s mother is the “Lost Without You” vocalist’s ex-wife Paula Patton. Kelly Rowland says she rushed home to her husband after shooting the sex scene in her new Netflix thriller “Mea Culpa.” Rowland stars in the Tyler Perry film that “follows a criminal defense attorney who, in the hopes of becoming partner, takes on the case of an artist who may or may not have murdered his girlfriend,” per the synopsis via Deadline. Rowland also produced the film, which hit #1 since its release on Netflix on Feb. 23. Essence writes, “The scene getting the most play is one where the stars, Rowland and hunky actor Trevante Rhodes who plays Zyair in the movie, have a steamy encounter with paint.” Rowland discussed the scene during a recent visit to Shan Boodrams’s podcast Lovers and Friends. https://youtu.be/Dcp5jUctOMw Hulu has released the official trailer for the highly anticipated documentary “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told.”As earlier reported, Jermaine Dupri and Uncle Luke teamed up to executive produce the project that chronicles the “rise and fall of a small Atlanta HBCU picnic that exploded into an influential street party and spotlighted ATL as a major cultural stage,” per Hulu’s description, as reported by Variety. “Can the magic of Freaknik be brought back 40 years later?” The first Freaknik picnic was held in Atlanta in the mid-’80s for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Associated Press once denounced the event, citing “sexual assaults, violence against women, and public safety concerns.” The outlet even called on the Atlanta Committee for Black College Spring Break to publicly oppose the festival in 1998. “We cannot support events that bring lewd activities, sexual assaults, violence against women, and public safety concerns, [as well as] firetrucks not being able to reach victims and ambulances not being able to reach hospitals in a timely manner,” committee Chairman George Hawthorne said at the time. https://youtu.be/48jmE2J05OY Tyler Perry is reportedly helping actress and comedian Cocoa Brown buy a new home after her Georgia residence was destroyed in a fire. TMZ reports that the Hollywood media mogul offered Brown $400,000 for a new home.Sources tell TMZ … “Cocoa believes a lit candle may have fallen into some clothes in the house — and by the time the fire alarm went off … CB ran to the room, but it was quickly becoming an inferno,” the outlet writes. Brown lived at home with her 12-year-old son, Phoenix. Before the property was engulfed in flames, Cocoa and her child escaped the fire. Brown launched a GoFundMe to raise funds for “resources such as shelter, clothing, and other necessities as Cocoa and Phoenix work to rebuild their lives,” the campaign states. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3pGE1QObU6/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e4e36bfb-3531-430c-848f-c5432568b459 After his internet-breaking sit down with Shannon Sharpe on “Club Shay Shay,” Katt Williams has now shown some love to Joe Rogan and in the process, blown his mind. The Katt man has got Rogan scratching his head after suggesting that transgenderism originates from the demon Baphomet and that Hollywood has been pushing us toward occult themes for decades: “Show me one person that ever wore a dress in Hollywood unsuccessfully. https://twitter.com/i/status/1763301358927560931 That’s how you understand what a ritual is. 20 years ago I knew that transgenders was going to be a thing, I had gotten so much information that I understood… I understood that the earliest I had seen the word transgender was from Baphomet the transgender.” Katt adds: “I knew in the ritual of Baphomet the transgender, to show allegiance to him you had to kiss his ring. I knew that both of those things would become popular. I knew that somehow calling people the GOAT would be normalized over the sheep being always the most popular reference.” https://youtu.be/1zb2SuW-jug Black cowboys played a major role in the settling and shaping of the American West. In honor of Black History Month, 2 News talked to twin brothers from Tulsa who’ve spent their entire lives making sure that part of history is told while being successful rodeo cowboys for many years. Being a cowboy was Ronnie and Donnie Stephens‘ childhood dream. When I was a kid, I would draw pictures of guys I knew who roped, and I would draw a horse here and a rodeo area in the back and said my brother and I are going to have a place like this someday when I walk in the backyard,” Donnie said. And that’s exactly what they did. Three years after graduating high school, the Stephens bought land in north Tulsa and built a barn and an arena. For 10 years, they held twice-a-year rodeos, packing the place. “My mother, she used to run concession, it was a family affair,” Ronnie said. “My daddy was the gate man for people who came to the gate.” Being Tulsa firefighters, the schedule allowed the Stephens to travel across the country to compete in rodeos — collecting prize money, championships, and countless stories. Theirs is chronicled in a chapter of the bestselling book “Black Cowboys of Rodeo.” A happier life after getting married may not just be in fairy tales. It’s in the data, too. Adults who are married report being far happier than those in any other relationship status, according to a Gallup Poll published Friday. “Any way you analyze those data, we see a fairly large and notable advantage to being married in terms of how people evaluate their life,” said poll author Jonathan Rothwell, principal economist at Gallup. From 2009 to 2023, more than 2.5 million adults in the United States were asked how they would rate their current life, with zero being the worst possible rating and 10 being the highest. Then the researchers asked respondents what they anticipated their happiness level would be in five years. To be considered thriving, a person had to rank their current life as a seven or higher and their anticipated future as an eight or higher, according to the survey. https://youtu.be/46-DKaHn1b4 Two women previously identified as minors in Diddy’s most recent sexual assault lawsuit have come forward, asserting they are of legal age, according to Diddy’s attorney. The two women are mentioned in producer Rodney Jones’ controversial lawsuit, claiming Diddy sexually harassed, drugged, and threatened him for more than a year. The complaint also details how Diddy allegedly engaged in sexual acts with underage girls. Jones included photos in his lawsuit depicting Diddy and his son Justin Combs partying with women who he claims are minors. However, Diddy’s lawyer, Shawn Holley, contends that the women feel “grossly mislabeled.” Holley revealed that one of the women is a 33-year-old woman named Chelsea. As previously reported, Jones claims he served as Comb’s videographer from September 2022 to November 2023 while traveling with him. Throughout this period, he documented extensive video and audio evidence of Combs, his associates, and additional individuals participating in significant unlawful activities. Kodak Black is celebrating the arrival of his fourth child, even taking on the role of delivering the baby himself.The girlfriend of the Florida rapper, Maranda Johnson, announced the birth of their second child together on February 27, Hip Hop DX reports. “2/27 a prince was born,” Johnson wrote on social media, adding: “Our midwife really let bill deliver our son himself.” Kodak and Marandan share a two-year-old daughter, and the rapper has two other children from previous relationships. The hip-hop star, whose real name is Bill Kapri, was recently released from jail following his arrest on charges of drug possession, evidence tampering, and improper parking. https://twitter.com/i/status/1734455937182634087 Wendy Williams’ publicist slammed the new Lifetime documentary “Where is Wendy Williams?”; described as “unparalleled access granted by Wendy to film with her and her family for nearly two years, what was captured was not what anyone expected,” per the press release. The four-and-a-half-hour, two-night documentary event debuted on Saturday, February 24 and 25, and fans immediately took to social media to rip the producers for taking advantage of Williams amid her fragile mental state. Shawn Zanotti, who became Williams’ publicist in 2021, slammed the producers of the project in an interview with NBC News. “I felt that (Williams) was being exploited,” the author told NBC News. “She thought we were focusing on the comeback of her career. … She would be mortified. There’s no way you can convince me that she would be OK with looking and seeing herself in that way.” We reported earlier that Williams’ medical care team announced last week that she was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 Two Irish brothers have gone viral for step-dancing to Beyoncé’s country hit ‘Texas Hold ‘Em.’ According to Upworthy, Michael and Matthew Gardiner are professional Irish-American step dancers, and their TikTok video has been viewed over 17 million times. In the video’s comments, one person wrote, “Never thought I’d see Irish step dancing while Beyoncé sings country. My life is complete.” Another added, “So happy Beyonce dropped this song and exposed my timeline to diversified talent.” A third TikTok user commented, “Beyoncé out here, bringing the world together with country dance.” https://www.tiktok.com/music/TEXAS-HOLDEM-7334542274145454891?refer=embed Wendy’s is retracting plans of implementing surge pricing. The company’s CEO said it would begin experimenting with “features like dynamic pricing” in 2025. Wendy’s later said its dynamic pricing wouldn’t raise prices but solely provide discounts. “Beginning as early as 2025, we will begin testing more enhanced features like dynamic pricing and daypart offerings along with AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling,” CEO Kirk Tanner said in the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call. As news of the surge pricing circulated, social media users expressed disappointment over the potential increased prices on burgers and fires. A key witness in the push to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis from the Georgia election case against Donald Trump had a much deeper involvement in the effort than was previously known, according to hundreds of text messages obtained by CNN. The 413 texts between Terrence Bradley and Ashleigh Merchant, an attorney for one of Trump’s co-defendants, reveal months of communications between the two, underscoring the extent to which Bradley assisted Merchant’s pursuit of evidence to back up claims Willis and her top prosecutor, Nathan Wade, engaged in an improper romantic relationship. On Tuesday, Bradley reluctantly testified for more than two hours about the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade, Bradley’s former law partner and one-time client. The text messages raise questions about Bradley’s credibility and the degree to which Merchant appeared to rely on his claims that she was then unable to substantiate elsewhere. They also shed new light on his testimony and how it failed to meet the expectations of defense attorneys who had billed Bradley as the star witness in their bid to disqualify Willis. Wade and Willis have admitted to being romantically involved, but both have testified their relationship started after Willis appointed Wade lead prosecutor in the Trump case. Merchant has alleged their relationship amounts to a conflict of interest and that there is evidence they lied about when it began. “I’m a theatre nerd,” said Phil Richardson, an actor/dancer/singer/rapper/songwriter, who is starring in the Broadway production of The Wiz as the Tinman. Phillip Johnson Richardson is a multi-talented artist who was on tour with The Wiz cast traveling around the country promoting it, in a sense, for the Broadway run in March when I talked to him. The Wiz was in Los Angeles where he also performed at The Moroccan Lounge. The audience at his show got to see him be himself…a singer and rapper. “The story is different…rewritten,” Phil said about the current Broadway run of The Wiz. When I asked if his acting – body movements and singing are trying to mimic a “tin man” he said, “I sing the way I sing in my shows. I bring myself to the role.” Phillip Johnson Richardson is a multi-talented artist who was on tour with The Wiz cast traveling around the country promoting it, in a sense, for the Broadway run in March when I talked to him. The Wiz was in Los Angeles where he also performed at The Moroccan Lounge. The audience at his show got to see him be himself…a singer and rapper. “The story is different…rewritten,” Phil said about the current Broadway run of The Wiz. When I asked if his acting – body movements and singing are trying to mimic a “tin man” he said, “I sing the way I sing in my shows. I bring myself to the role.” The More Than a Fraction Foundation (MTAFF) partnered three-day event 1872 Forward: A Celebration of Virginia Tech receives the Anthem Award – a bronze medal in the Education, Art & Culture: Community Engagement category. The 1872 Forward event held by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) was selected from 2,000 submissions from 44 countries by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Science. The 1872 Forward: A Celebration of Virginia Tech was held March 22-24, 2022 by the Council on Virginia Tech History in partnership with the MTAFF. The MTAFF sponsored this three-day event with grants from Virginia Humanities and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The 1872 Forward: A Celebration of Virginia Tech was in celebration of its 150-year history. The More Than a Fraction Foundation is affiliated with the descendants of Africans enslaved on the Smithfield and Solitude plantations, which is now the grounds of Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. SINGLE BLACK FEMALE 2: Simone’s Revenge premieres Saturday, March 2 at 8p/7c on Lifetime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJtDTN6M_eE&t=3s From Executive Producers Luke Campbell, Jermaine Dupri and 21 Savage, and masterfully crafted by Mass Appeal & Swirl Films, Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told is a celebratory exploration of the boisterous times of Freaknik, the iconic Atlanta street party that drew hundreds of thousands of people in the 80s and 90s, helping put Atlanta on the map culturally. What began as a Black college cookout, soon became known for lurid tales of highway hookups and legendary late-night parties that ultimately led to the festival’s downfall. At its height, Freaknik was a traffic stopping, city-shuttering, juggernaut that has since become a cult classic. Rooted deep in its history of Civil Rights, thriving Black leadership, and focus on the uplifting of Black culture and education, Atlanta became the only place a festival like this could grow and thrive. Though it ceased over two decades ago, the infamous legacy still resonates through nostalgia and a new generation’s longing for a care-free platform that celebrates and promotes Black excellence, joy and fortitude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48jmE2J05OY Russell Wilson has disclosed that he felt divinely guided to embrace the role of raising Future and Ciara’s son as his own. The singer and NFL star met in 2015 at a University of Wisconsin basketball game. Wilson popped the question a year later and the pair tied the knot in July 2016 in a ceremony at the Peckforton Castle in Liverpool, England. The couple share two daughters, Sienna Princess and Amora Princess, and a son, Win Harrison. They are also parents to son Future Zahir Wilburn, whom Ciara shares with her ex, rapper Future. During an interview with Brandon Marshall on the I Am Athlete podcast, Wilson reflected on when he first met Ciara and was introduced to her son Future. “When I walked in the room and I saw, you know, little Future — he’s nine months at the time or whatever — he crawls in my lap and it was like, you know, this is going to be my responsibility,” said Wilson. https://youtu.be/KxvcglIWjVY Dr. Phil appeared on “The View” Monday and provided insight regarding the adverse effects of COVID lockdowns on schoolchildren. Dr. Phil dropped by the show to promote his new book “We’ve Got Issues: How You Can Stand Strong for America’s Soul and Sanity.” The book takes readers on a journey “on how to come home to our core values, fortify our families, and re-embrace self-determination and self-governance,” per the official synopsis. “In We’ve Got Issues: How You Can Stand Strong for America’s Soul and Sanity, Dr. Phil employs his signature no-nonsense approach to analyze America’s cultural crisis and offers practical, empirically based, action-oriented strategies to restore and support our country’s collective mental health,” the book’s description continues. As The Blaze reports, Dr. Phil believes smartphones have contributed to high levels of “depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidality” among children and teenagers because users “stopped living their lives and starting watching people live their lives.” During his visit to “The View,” Dr. Phil elaborated on why he believes COVID lockdowns worsened those issues, noting that the governmental agencies responsible for monitoring these challenges among American youth were the same ones that “shut down the schools for two years.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1762521324717559857 A coalition of Los Angeles civil rights leaders is urging Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell to introduce a reward motion to apprehend the Latino gang members involved in the brutal hate crime assault of a 16-year-old African American teen. The victim endured racial and homophobic slurs during the unprovoked attack. Frankie, the mother of the teen, declared on her GoFundMe page: “I’m reaching out to the community for any support for my son was brutally beaten and stabbed multiple times, resulting in a punctured lung, as well as a host of other injuries-this took place at Dockweiler Beach on February 10th-any, and all donations no matter the amount is greatly appreciated-our goal is to move as soon as possible out of fear of retaliation being that we have fully cooperated with law enforcement. Thank every one of you who donated or simply took the time out to give attention.” “We will not tolerate racism and hate in our city. Join us at the upcoming march and rally, LA vs Hate on Saturday, March 9 at 10:00 am at Dockweiler Beach,” stated Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope. “The vicious beating of this young African American teen captured on video that has now gone viral was one of the most brutal beatings I have ever witnessed. To see him kicked and stomped repeatedly in the face was horrific,” said Cedric Farmer, Senior Organizer at LAM. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=706553781360188 It’s hard to believe that Black History Month celebrations are a wrap. There was an array of memorable events that were held throughout the greater Los Angeles area, and the nation as a whole. The More Than a Fraction Foundation (MTAFF) partnered three-day event 1872 Forward: A Celebration of Virginia Tech receives the Anthem Award – a bronze medal in the Education, Art & Culture: Community Engagement category. The 1872 Forward event held by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) was selected from 2,000 submissions from 44 countries by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Science. The 1872 Forward: A Celebration of Virginia Tech was held March 22-24, 2022 by the Council on Virginia Tech History in partnership with the MTAFF. The MTAFF sponsored this three-day event with grants from Virginia Humanities and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The 1872 Forward: A Celebration of Virginia Tech was in celebration of its 150-year history. The More Than a Fraction Foundation is affiliated with the descendants of Africans enslaved on the Smithfield and Solitude plantations, which is now the grounds of Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. Oprah Winfrey is leaving the board of WeightWatchers, ending a nearly decade-long stint as a director of the beleaguered company that has faced sudden competition from Ozempic. Winfrey notified the company of her decision earlier this week, telling them she won’t be standing for re-election at its annual shareholder meeting coming up in May. A reason wasn’t revealed, but a WeightWatchers regulatory statement said that her “decision was not the result of any disagreement” or “any matter relating to the company’s operations, policies or practices.” “Oprah is an inspiring presence and passionate advocate both for our members and for society at large, in elevating the conversation around weight health,” said Sima Sistani, CEO of WeightWatchers, on a call with investors this week. “While I and the rest of our directors will certainly miss her in our board meetings following the end of her current term, she remains a strong strategic voice and collaborator with WeightWatchers.” Winfrey will also be giving away her sizeable stake in the company: She said in a statement that she’s donating all of her stock to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://youtu.be/TYVr5IxnMxA Production has begun on season three of STARZ’s action-packed drama series “Power Book IV: Force” in Chicago. The third spinoff in the “Power” franchise stars Joseph Sikora (“Power,” “Ozark”) as “Tommy Egan,” who is trying to stake his claim as the sole drug distributor in Chicago. “The fan response to this action-packed season of Force has been incredible,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Programming for STARZ, previously in a statement. “They’ve made it clear that they need more Tommy and we’re thrilled to deliver. Christmas has indeed come early!” Season 2 saw Tommy chart his territory, capitalize on his competitors’ weaknesses, and “make his play at becoming the sole drug distributor in Chicago,” per the news release. Showrunner Gary Lennon said last year that if the series returns for a third season, he has “a story in my mind where I will bring back a character from our Power OG world to intersect with Tommy Egan,” Lennon explained in an interview with The Messenger. Wendy Williams’ brother, Tommy Williams Jr., claims she is demonstrating “significant progress” during her stay at an undisclosed treatment center. As we reported earlier, Williams’ medical care team confirmed last week that she was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). According to a press release, Williams, 59, was officially diagnosed last year. She has been contending with various other health challenges, including Graves’ disease, lymphedema, and alcohol abuse. “When I speak to Wendy, she sounds fine. Wendy has improved,” Tommy told Us Weekly. “I know my sister from where she was to where she is now, and she has a substantial amount of improvement.” Tommy added, “It’s dialogue and conversation, topics, content, speech pattern, everything.” The “Soul Food” cast reunited to show their support during Black History Month while celebrating its 27th anniversary this year since the movie premiered on September 26, 1997. “Soul Food” is now streaming on Hulu as part of Hulu’s “Black Stories Always” campaign. Per the press release: As part of Hulu’s “Black Stories Always” campaign, explore our extensive film and TV content showcasing talents of Black creators. Titles include FX’s “Snowfall,” Andscape’s “Cypher,” Onyx Collective’s “Reasonable Doubt,” fan-favorites including “The Bernie Mac Show,” “My Wife and Kids,” “The Wonder Years,” the beloved film “Soul Food” and many more. This year marks the iconic anniversaries of “Family Matters” (35 years), “Sister, Sister” (30 years) and “Black-ish” (10 years), as well as the 10th anniversary of the Academy Award-winning film “12 Years A Slave.” https://youtu.be/S4iwZ_7AWtM Panera’s recent attempt to boost sales with a bigger, more high-end menu isn’t working. So it’s getting back to basics, acknowledging that customers in a world of high inflation are looking for less-expensive food. Although the company doubled down on dinner offerings as recently as a few years ago, the new menu reverses course. It focuses on attracting more breakfast and lunch customers as the company reportedly tries to go public again. Beginning April 4, eaters will see nine new menu items and “recipe enhancements” to 12 existing salads and sandwiches, the chai said in a press release, its menu grew unwieldy in recent years as it tried to attract dinner guests. Panera didn’t release a full list of the menu items that are getting the axe, other than confirming that the flatbreads it introduced in 2019 are being eliminated. https://youtu.be/95fPcIg1bSI The Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide whether Donald Trump may claim immunity in special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion case, adding another explosive appeal from the former president to its docket and further delaying his federal trial. The court agreed to expedite the case and hear arguments the week of April 22. The move puts the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination on track for another high-stakes date with the high court, which earlier this month heard arguments in a separate case questioning whether Trump disqualified himself from running for a second term under the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection ban.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court arguments could come while Trump is on trial in New York on criminal charges of falsifying business records as part of a cover-up to conceal hush money payments before the 2016 election. (Trump has pleaded not guilty.) https://youtu.be/KvVkO7D375Y Lionsgate along with Universal Pictures International (UPI) announced today that eight actors have been cast to play Michael Jackson’s brothers in the Jackson 5 – Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, and Jackie – as the characters age in the upcoming epic Michael Jackson biopic “Michael.” The actors are: Early Years Later Years Michael Juliano Krue Valdi Jaafar Jackson Jermaine Jayden Harville Jamal R. Henderson Marlon Jaylen Lyndon Hunter Tre Horton Tito Judah Edwards Rhyan Hill Jackie Nathaniel Logan McIntyre Joseph David-Jones “The truly epic nature of this film required a total of ten actors with the talent to portray the Jackson 5 through the years,” said King. “I’m thrilled to bring this extraordinary group of actors and performers to worldwide audiences in this film.” https://youtu.be/Y-bFGVGi-sQ Brooklyn preacher Lamor Whitehead asked God to smite one of his parishioners while refusing to return his mother’s life savings, jurors heard in witness testimony at the controversial religious leader’s Manhattan fraud trial on Tuesday. “I know he was berating Rasheed in [a] text and he was basically asking God to exact vengeance on him,” Pauline Anderson said in Manhattan Federal Court on the second day of Whitehead’s trial. Anderson said the threats came more than six months after Whitehead convinced her and her son, Rasheed Anderson, to empty her retirement savings in late 2020 — promising he’d use the funds to buy her a fixer-upper home — and then disappeared with the cash, according to a NY Daily News report. Federal prosecutors say Whitehead, a flamboyant figure and friend of Mayor Adams, ripped off Pauline Anderson, drew up fake bank documents, tried to extort a businessman, and lied to the FBI, charges he denies. Anderson, who’s separately suing the pastor, said that she got involved with Whitehead when her son informed her of services at his church, Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministry in Canarsie, Brooklyn, helping congregants improve their credit scores. She said Whitehead presided over Rasheed’s wedding and introduced him to contacts who helped him secure his own home. https://youtu.be/RPZzackrkmY Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. is suing Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs for $30 million, claiming the Bad Boy Records founder sexually harassed, drugged, and threatened him for more than a year. Jones claims he served as Comb’s videographer from September 2022 to November 2023 while traveling with him. Throughout this period, he documented extensive video and audio evidence of Combs, his associates, and additional individuals participating in significant unlawful activities. One of the allegations is that Combs coerced Jones into arranging sex workers and insisted on his involvement in unwanted sexual acts with them and others. Additionally, it’s claimed that Combs provided spiked alcoholic drinks to guests at his parties. The new lawsuit comes three months after Diddy settled a $30 million dollar lawsuit with Cassie after she accused him of rape, sex trafficking and domestic violence, NBC News reports. Diddy is facing several more lawsuits with similar accusations. Jones’ new 73-page suit from names Diddy’s son Justin Combs, Lucian Grainge, Ethiopia Habtemariam, Kristina Khorram, Chalice Recording Studios, Love Records, Motown Records, Universal Music Group, and Combs Global Enterprises, per Complex. Jones claims he served as Comb’s videographer from September 2022 to November 2023 while traveling with him. Throughout this period, he documented extensive video and audio evidence of Combs, his associates, and additional individuals participating in significant unlawful activities. One of the allegations is that Combs coerced Jones into arranging sex workers and insisted on his involvement in unwanted sexual acts with them and others. Additionally, it’s claimed that Combs provided spiked alcoholic drinks to guests at his parties. https://twitter.com/i/status/1762830222141825421 The price of a Wendy’s Frosty could soon fluctuate throughout the day as the chain looks to introduce Uber-like surge pricing on its menu. The practice, known as “dynamic pricing,” will begin testing in 2025, Wendy’s recently revealed in an earnings call. It’s part of a $20 million investment in new digital menu boards at its US restaurants that enable them to change prices depending on demand. Few details were released about the change, but Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner said the new menus will let the fast food chain test “more enhanced features like dynamic pricing and day-part offerings along with AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling.” “We expect our digital menu boards will drive immediate benefits to order accuracy, improve crew experience and sales growth from upselling and consistent merchandising execution,” Tanner said on the call. https://youtu.be/7CkZNumGYmk?list=RDNS7CkZNumGYmk In a statement Wednesday, Wendy’s clarified that “dynamic pricing” will include new menus that could offer discounts at slower times of the day, denying the company will raise prices during peak demand.“We have no plans to do that and would not raise prices when our customers are visiting us most,” Wendy’s said in a blog post. “Any features we may test in the future would be designed to benefit our customers and restaurant crew members.” Wendy’s said the new digital menus could be used to “change the menu offerings at different times of day and offer discounts,” rather than change prices.The menus were first shown in a mockup of a redesigned Wendy’s unveiled in 2022 that featured new pick-up windows, a more technologically advanced kitchen, and a spruced-up interior. The new menus have already been rolled out at some drive-thrus, with some TikTok users showing them powered by an automated voice, instead of a human worker, with suggestions for add-ons featured onscreen. Surge pricing is common with sports and concert tickets and for ride-hailing apps, with services like Ticketmaster and Uber using sophisticated dynamic pricing algorithms that change minute by minute, based on demand. However, there hasn’t been widespread adoption from restaurants because of the labor it takes employees to change menus. https://youtu.be/q5sLdzc7v0Q Donald Trump’s insinuation last Friday that Black people support him because of his numerous indictments was sharply criticized. ABC News President Kimberly Godwin described it as “as racist as they come” in an email to staff the following day, according to a report by Semafor on Tuesday. Godwin, who is Black, expressed her incredulity, stating, “No matter one’s politics, the fact that a person running for President of the United States made these remarks period—but also to a public crowd—and with so many black people present—and that they stand with him—is mind-blowing. Shocking.” Trump, facing indictment for 91 felonies in four jurisdictions, made similar claims at a South Carolina gala hosted by the Black Conservative Foundation, suggesting that his mugshot in a Georgia RICO case has bolstered his appeal to Black voters. A network spokesperson informed Semafor that Godwin’s characterization of Trump’s comments was “part of a larger editorial conversation” about their coverage. https://youtu.be/P_TJidU98uk Grammy Award-winning singer Jody Watley made a dazzling appearance on the latest episode of “The Sherri Show” on FOX, captivating audiences with her unparalleled style and insightful discussion. A true trendsetting pioneer in music, video, fashion, and style, Watley brought her signature flair to the screen, leaving viewers in awe. In this exclusive episode aired on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, Watley and host Sherri Shepherd engaged in a candid conversation, delving into the empowering message behind her latest single, “Everlasting.” Fans and viewers were treated to a behind-the-scenes look into Watley’s creative process and the profound themes she explores through her music. Reflecting on her experience as a guest on “The Sherri Show,” Jody Watley shared, “Being on ‘The Sherri Show’ was an absolute delight! Sherri’s infectious energy and genuine spirit made it such a joy to be a part of the conversation. It was an honor to share the inspiration behind my music and connect with viewers on such a personal level.” https://youtu.be/CNJc9KSywSo AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS service organization, has added R&B singer, actor, and activist Eric Benét as a headliner for the 19th Annual Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival, an annual spring break event that attracts more than 2,000 attendees and raises $2 million for 13 local nonprofit organizations providing HIV/AIDS services in the South Florida community. Lupita Nyong’o revealed in October that she and her boyfriend, Selema Masekela, had ended their relationship. Now the actress is speaking out about the heartbreak that followed. “I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak,” Nyong’o, 40, said in a new interview with NET-A-PORTER’s digital title PORTER. “I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it.” She also explained why she told fans about the breakup on social media. “It was because I felt sure about it,” Nyong’o said. “That was very, very sage of me. I’m going back to those days, by the way.” The “Black Panther” star confirmed her breakup with Masekela in an Instagram post in December 2022. In a lengthy explanation, she wrote in part: “There are much more important things going on in the world right now, and my thoughts are with those who are deeply suffering. At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust…I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, “Whatever, my life is better this way.” But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love. And so, I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting that this too shall pass. New York and Atlanta families came together on Saturday, February 24th, for an exclusive screening of Apple TV+'s "Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin" at AMC Theaters. Both screenings featured heartwarming introductions of Franklin Armstrong, the first Black character introduced in the iconic "Peanuts" universe. Now, nearly 55 years later, we celebrate the wonderful journey of Franklin as he stars in his very own animated special, "Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin" presented by Apple TV+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrMX591wZKQ Stellar Award-winning, Grammy® nominated artist/composer/producer, Calvin Bridges says, “No Weapon” can prosper, is for such a time as this! Bridges' Chicago Praise Ministries invited singers for a Workshop weekend culminating in a powerful live concert! Composing for Choirs has a special place in my heart! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD36kUrOW18 Wendy Williams‘ ex-husband alleges that her sister embezzled almost $15 million from the ex-talk show host. Kevin Hunter Sr. believes the new Lifetime docuseries, “Where is Wendy Williams?,” failed to capture crucial narratives, such as his claim that Williams’ sister Wanda took advantage of her, Hot New Hip Hop reports. “What I guess they left out was that while she was in Florida getting recovery 3 yrs ago there were the secret calls her SISTER would set up with DEMBAR MERCURY (MORT & IRA). With false pretense that she would be getting show back. That was a lie and broke s**t more than anything,” he wrote on his Instagram Story. “They only were trying to get her there to satisfy an insurance claim so they could obviously replace losses and the money that they were STEALING (5-15mil),” Kevin continued. “They wanted CONTROL her SISTER was trying to get ultimate control herself and was medical proxy @the time. But her naiveté allowed her only to be PLAYED and once she got back to NY they kicked her sister out and she spiraled WORSE. I was involved @ the time… blood on ALOTTA HANDS.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C30JyKagpRL/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dd4e3c93-388d-400b-b90d-a3e2aabf9448 STARZ’s hosted a VIP advanced screening of episode one of season three of “BMF. To celebrate the season three premiere of the original series “BMF,” STARZ and Cam Kirk Studios present “BMF: A History In The Making,” an immersive pop-up experience commemorating the world of BMF. Ahead of the public opening, on February 23rd, curators celebrated with a star-studded, private event at the Underground Atlanta with attendees from the cast; Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory (DEMETRIUS FLENORY) Jr., Da’Vinchi (TERRY “SOUTHWEST T” FLENORY), 2 Chainz (STACKS), Cynthia Bailey (GLORIA), Sydney Mitchell (LAWANDA), Tre’ Rogers, and Jason Louder. Other attendees include Kandi Burruss, Big Tigger, Zaytoven, Reginae Carter, Zonnique, Da Brat, Jessica Harris-Dupart, Big Tigger, Omeretta The Great, and more. Former ESPN analyst Mark Jackson is starting his own podcast, the self-titled Mark Jackson Show. According to Awful Announcing, Jackson will host the podcast alongside his son, Mark Jackson II, on the Come and Talk 2 Me YouTube channel. “Launching this podcast with my son is an incredible thrill, especially on the Come and Talk 2 Me network,” Jackson said. “Discussing the NBA with him brings me true joy, and being part of a network that caters to our specific audience feels like the perfect fit. Brace yourselves for captivating stories, expert analysis, and a unique perspective as we explore basketball and beyond.” The Come and Talk 2 Me YouTube channel hosts the Cam’ron and Ma$e show It Is What It Is. According to Awful Announcing, the pair are longtime supporters of Jackson. https://youtu.be/NIdEEpUP33E Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will step down as GOP leader in November, the Kentucky Republican announced on the Senate floor Wednesday, marking the end of an era on Capitol Hill and setting up a high-stakes race for his successor. McConnell, who turned 82 last week, said, “The end of my contributions are closer than I prefer.” “As I have been thinking about when I would deliver some news to the Senate, I always imagined a moment when I had total clarity and peace about the sunset of my work,” he said. “A moment when I am certain I have helped preserve the ideals I so strongly believe. That day arrived today” McConnell has long been a towering figure in Washington, DC, and has made history throughout his political tenure. https://youtu.be/bdxdNIAdOSE?list=RDNSbdxdNIAdOSE In 2018, McConnell reached a key milestone, surpassing former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas to become the longest-serving Republican leader in the chamber’s history. McConnell said his decision to step down came following the death of his wife Elaine Chao’s youngest sister, Angela, in a traffic accident earlier this month. “As some of you may know, this has been a particularly difficult time for my family. We tragically lost Elaine’s younger sister, Angela, just a few weeks ago. When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there’s a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process. Perhaps it is God’s way of reminding you of your own life’s journey to reprioritize the impact of the world that we will all inevitably leave behind,” he said. He thanked his wife of 31 years, calling her the “love of my life” and that “I’m eternally grateful to have her by my side.” https://youtu.be/9hSh737D19I The Black Girls Rock! Awards will return to television later this year after a five-year break. Black Girls Rock! aired on BET from 2010 to 2019. This year’s event will be recorded live in Atlanta on June 27 and air later this fall on Lifetime. The award show “has been dedicated to inspiring, elevating and celebrating Black women and girls since 2006 through content, advocacy and events which elevate women’s voices and engage Black girls in critical conversations,” per a press release. Black Girls Rock! honors the contributions of “trailblazers, entertainers, icons, community activists, pioneers, business moguls, thought leaders and rising stars.” “I created Black Girls Rock because I recognized that the condition of black girls could only change when we are the authors of our own stories,” Black Girls Rock! founder Beverly Bond wrote on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3olIyBuglc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Luther Vandross’ estate reached out to Madonna asking that she remove the late singer’s photo from the AIDS tribute portion of her Celebration tour. According to Page Six, Luther’s image was included in a montage set to Madonna’s “Live to Tell” performance at a tour stop in Sacramento, Calif. Vandross’ estate contacted Madonna’s management to get the image removed. “Luther Vandross passed away in 2005 due to complications from a stroke suffered two years earlier,” a rep for his estate told Page Six. Their statement continued, “While we appreciate Madonna’s recognition of those lives lost to AIDS, Luther was NEVER diagnosed with AIDS or the HIV Virus. We’re not sure where she or her production team received false medical information claiming otherwise.” Meanwhile, Jamie Foxx and Colin Firth are producing a documentary on Vandross. Tennessee House Republicans passed a measure on Monday to prevent expelled lawmakers from being reappointed to office. Despite constitutional concerns, lawmakers voted 69-22 in favor of House Bill 2716, preventing local legislative bodies from reinstating former members to office following expulsion, Tennessee Outlook reports. “Our framers did not intend that someone expelled from this House would be considered replacing themselves,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville. Garrett presided over the 2023 House hearing where Republican lawmakers voted to expel Reps. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, and Justin Jones, D-Nashville (both of whom are Black), for their leadership in a gun violence protest on the floor. “Less than a week later, the Metro Nashville Council and Shelby County Commission voted to return Jones and Pearson to the Legislature, and they won special elections over the summer,” the Tennessee Outlook writes. “The Republican-led supermajority of the Tennessee General Assembly sought to have a political lynching of three of its members because we spoke out of turn against the status quo of the government, after the tragic deaths of six people in the shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville,” Pearson said last year at an Easter Sunday service at The Church of the River in Memphis, per CNN. Porsha Williams, who signed a prenuptial agreement upon marrying Simon Guobadia, is now petitioning the court to enforce it amidst their divorce proceedings. According to Radar Online, Williams noted in her divorce petition that their date of marriage was November 25, 2022, and she and Simon are currently “living in a bona fide state of separation.” We reported earlier via People that Williams officially filed for divorce from her spouse of 15 months in Atlanta. The timing of this announcement has fueled speculation, with swirling rumors regarding Guobadia’s U.S. citizenship status. However, a source has clarified to PEOPLE that the reason for their separation is an “ongoing matter” and is “unrelated to recent allegations involving Simon’s past.” Per Radar, the petition said Porsha was “entitled to a divorce from Husband on the grounds that the marriage is irretrievably broken … and there are no prospects for a reconciliation.” Chrisean Rock is now subject to a bench warrant for violating her four-year probation sentence after the alleged assaults involving singer James Wright and social media star Woah Vicky. According to RadarOnline.com, Rock “also failed to complete her 120 hours of community service for her Oklahoma drug charges case,” the outlet writes. Authorities now want her jailed for 30 days. Vicky pressed charges against Rock last year after Rock allegedly assaulted her while filming the reality show “Baddies East.” Wright is suing Rock for allegedly punching him repeatedly in the face backstage at a Tamar Braxton concert at the Novo club on Nov. 10 in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reports. Braxton previously said James “got assaulted at my show and it was by Chrisean. But, there were a lot of events that I believe were misconstrued.” The collaboration between R&B sensation Tanya Nolan and Grammy award-winning artist Raheem De Vaughn continues to set a new standard in the music industry, delivering hit after hit that resonates with audiences worldwide. Their latest masterpiece, “HONEY,” written by Tanya Nolan and Raheem DeVaughn and produced by Karl Powell Jr. (KP The Colleagues) and Timothy L. Jordan, made good of its promise to deliver a fusion of passion and soul, leaving an indelible imprint. “The song is a blend of raw emotion, sensuality, and an unapologetic celebration of love. Music fans can enjoy a musical journey into passion and desire and a different side of me,” shares Tanya. “HONEY” released on February 16th was celebrated with a massive billboard in Times Square, New York, further solidifying the duo’s impact on the music scene. https://youtu.be/_GslbLS_EDs A Georgia lawyer who had been billed as a star witness in the effort to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis did not deliver damaging testimony Tuesday on her romantic relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade. Instead, the lawyer, Terrence Bradley, said he did not recall when asked a number of key questions during the two-hour hearing in Atlanta. Most notably, he said he did not know when the relationship began – and whether it began after Willis hired Wade to spearhead the prosecution of Donald Trump and his allies. Bradley said he was speculating about the timeline. Trump and over a dozen others are charged with conspiring to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. They have pleaded not guilty. https://youtu.be/mP2-kpHgy8k BLKFAM, the first and only Black-owned, Black-focused family streaming platform, launches today. BLKFAM entertains, educates, and celebrates Black American family-friendly content, sharing authentic, inclusive stories incorporating radical diversity, equity, inclusion and empowerment, with compelling original series, animation, syndicated shows, documentaries, and more. Founded by digital media veteran Larry Adams, the ad-supported, free streaming service launches with equity partner Whoopi Goldberg. BLKFAM fills a major gap in the streaming market: Recent Nielsen data reveals that despite being the demographic that consumes the most media and TV, Black audiences still feel misrepresented or underrepresented in mainstream media. The report reveals that Black Americans are more likely than the general population to access three or more streaming services: Black audiences are underserved consumers, despite over-indexing for using free streaming services compared to the total market. BLKFAM addresses this underserved market by bringing family-friendly, data-backed unbiased content to streaming. https://youtu.be/kxAPWZIC7fk Kanye West urges fans not to buy the “fake Yeezys” from Adidas. The hip-hop star posted a video on social media calling out the brand for using his name to sell unapproved colorways. “Anybody who loves Ye would not buy these fake Yeezys I never made these color ways I’m not getting paid off of them and adidas is suing me,” West wrote on Instagram. “All these celebrities and the public will stand against a T shirt or the color of my hat but when yall see me have my children hidden from me or see an actual Fortune 500 company rape one of your heroes in real life don’t nobody say nothing or do nothing,” the post continued. “As far as the system goes What yall gone do now Take my album down again Freeze my accounts again Threaten people to not work with me again All the new non approved 350’s are cooorny,” Ye wrote. In a follow-up video, West further explained his issue with Adidas. https://www.instagram.com/p/C30bJPiIUmj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Actress Gabourey Sidibe is expanding her family by two! At 39, she’s expecting twins with husband Brandon Frankel, as she announced on Instagram Tuesday. In a series of Instagram photos, the actress sported a bright pink dress and posed with her husband, tenderly cradling her baby bump. Among the snapshots was one of the couple pushing twin strollers together and another where they admired themselves in the mirror. Accompanying the images, she wrote, “I’m pregnant! We thought it was time to give our cats some responsibility, so we’re giving them each a baby to take care of! Double the babies, double the cats, double the fun!! Twin Delivery coming soon! https://youtu.be/c3cYFUsZNfg The trailer for “The Watchers,” from producer M. Night Shyamalan, written and directed by his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan, has dropped. Based on the novel by A.M. Shine, the film stars Dakota Fanning as Mina, “a 28-year-old artist stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. When Mina finds shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night,” per the synopsis. “You can’t see them, but they see everything.” “The Watchers” also features Georgina Campbell (“Barbarian,” “Suspicion”), Oliver Finnegan (“Creeped Out,” “Outlander”) and Olwen Fouere (“The Northman,” “The Tourist”). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer. https://youtu.be/CrhrNS0JFyg We’re nearing the end of Black History Month and, unfortunately, we just couldn’t get through it without someone vandalizing a statue erected to commemorate one of America’s most renowned civil rights leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. According to CBS News, an MLK “I Have a Dream” memorial in Denver, Colorado, was vandalized overnight earlier this week and discovered Wednesday morning with visible damage, and, most noticeably, a missing 200-pound bronze plaque. Also missing from the statue, which resides in Denver’s City Park, is a pair of bronze torches that accompanied the plaque, which referenced a period during slavery when Black soldiers were fighting in wars for a country that regarded us as property, not human. University of Denver alum Edward Dwight, the artist who designed the statue, called the senseless vandalism “an absolute disaster and heartbreaking.” “It’s not so much the physical part of it, but it’s kind of the spiritual part for me that somebody would violate this thing… and for what?” asked Dwight, who told CBS that, unfortunately, the molds for the plaques on the statue no longer exist. He also noted that he has created 132 Black memorials around the country and about a quarter of them have been vandalized. https://twitter.com/CBSNewsColorado/status/1760371707167256611/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1760753385265926270%7Ctwgr%5Eaa5e9e996ecb7820309d1af1a100cbb1c7a316af%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F5030686%2Fmlk-memorial-denver-vandalized-gofundme%2F MAGA Republicans are banking on racist Black stereotypes to attract Black voters for Donald Trump. It started with Fox News hosts and other assorted white conservative Black friend solicitors speculating that Trump’s mugshot from his RICO indictment in Georgia would attract Black support because Black people love things associated with criminality, and more recently, a Fox News contributor who claimed Trump’s 45 sneakers would bring all the Blacks to the yard because “Black people love sneakers.” Well, on the same day that op-ed was published, Trump was speaking at the Black Conservative Federation Gala in South Carolina, where the guy who spearheaded the propaganda-reliant attack on critical race theory—an academic framework to examine systemic racism in America—said Black voters will align with him because he too has faced injustice at the hands of our legal system. https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1761213226220757347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1761491582123983122%7Ctwgr%5E722c8bf25b0e060cef06e1e4f6a5e024cd7eca38%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F5037465%2Ftrump-racist-stereotypes-black-conservative-gala%2F From the moment Letitia James assumed office in January 2019, she made it clear that she would not shy away from confronting powerful figures who take advantage of the law, regardless of their stature. Her commitment to justice and accountability has led her to take on some of the most high-profile cases in recent memory. https://twitter.com/NewYorkStateAG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1758602156599369914%7Ctwgr%5Ee3a583247908ba6e333d6c8aeabdb83dff64a900%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F5038129%2Fletitia-james-court-battles%2F James’ pursuit of Donald Trump has been relentless and multifaceted. In 2022, she spearheaded investigations into various aspects of Trump’s financial dealings, ranging from tax fraud, deceptive business practices, and other potential legal violations connected to his businesses. The lawsuit aimed to hold Trump and his organization accountable for years of financial fraud and illegal conduct and in early February, the New York Attorney General was delivered a big win. https://twitter.com/NewYorkStateAG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1758602156599369914%7Ctwgr%5Ee3a583247908ba6e333d6c8aeabdb83dff64a900%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F5038129%2Fletitia-james-court-battles%2F Brooklyn pastor, who over the years has flaunted his lavish lifestyle, is set to go on trial Monday over charges that he allegedly stole retirement savings from a parishioner and extorted a businessman. According to AP, the jury section in the trial against Lamor Miller-Whitehead will begin this week, two years after a grand jury decided the preacher should face charges of wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal law enforcement officials. Prosecutors claim Miller-Whitehead looted a church member’s retirement savings to pay for his flamboyant and expensive lifestyle, as well as lying to a business associate whom he told he could parlay his connections with New York City officials into millions of dollars. Lamor Miller-Whitehead was arrested in December 2022 and has been free on $500,000 bail since his arrest. After his arrest, the Rolls Royce-driving pastor pleaded not guilty to all charges. “Bishop Lamor Whitehead is not guilty of these charges,” defense lawyer Dawn Florio said after his arrest. “He will be vigorously defending these allegations. He feels that he is being targeted and being turned into a villain from a victim.” According to the grand jury indictment, Miller-Whitehead is accused of swindling money from his constituents with false promises of big investment returns. He then allegedly took the money “with no intention of investing it, returning it, or enriching the victims,” the indictment read. Miller-Whitehead was sued last year for allegedly defrauding a church member out of $90,000 in retirement savings. According to the lawsuit, Miller-Whitehead falsely promised to use the money to help the member find a home and invest in real estate. Prosecutors claim he took the money and used it to buy thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods and clothing. Civil rights lawyer and scholar Sherrilyn Ifill speaks on the ongoing fight for civil rights on Small Doses with Amanda Seales. Over this incredible two-part episode, Ifill provides a detailed look at the current evolution of the civil rights movement. She explains why voting matters—”despair is not an option”—and how ordinary people can resist attempts by the Far Right to dismantle hard-won progress. Ifill defines civil rights as the cornerstone of first-class citizenship. “The kinds of things that allow you to participate as a citizen are civil rights,” she tells Seales. “They’re critically important because otherwise you are a citizen in name only. So that bundle of rights and our definition of it—which expands and contracts depending on where we are—is what we think of as our civil rights.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3dh_vPObif/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Two men were found guilty of murder Tuesday in the 2002 killing of Jam Master Jay, the pioneering DJ of the groundbreaking hip hop trio Run-DMC, in a case that for decades frustrated detectives and music fans alike. Ronald Washington, Jay’s childhood friend, and Karl Jordan Jr., Jay’s godson, were convicted of murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking and firearm-related murder. A fight nearly broke out in the courtroom after the verdict was announced. “Y’all just killed some innocent people. Get me outta here,” Washington said as he got out of his seat. Jordan looked at his supporters and said “I love y’all.” Their supporters began shouting as both men were rushed out of the courtroom. The federal jury first began deliberations last Thursday, but after a juror was dismissed and replaced by an alternate, they began deliberations anew on Monday at 1 p.m. In total, the jury deliberated for about 10 hours. Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, was fatally shot at a recording studio in Jamaica, Queens, on October 30, 2002. For years, no one was arrested in the killing, leaving one of the most shocking shootings in music history unsolved. Beyoncé‘s mother, Tina Knowles, announced the passing of her older brother, Rowland Martin Buyince, at age 77 on Instagram. “My Beautiful big brother Butch went to be with God this weekend,” Ms. Tina captioned a photo of her bother. “I will miss him so much,” she added. She continued, “He was a career Airforce man . He loved riding Motorcycles was a black Belt in Karate and had the most beautiful green eyes and good looks . He was a great story teller. He had an incredible wife Jeanette and devoted daughter Dana two beautiful grandchildren Yvette and Roland. He was greatly loved. Sail on Butch❤️❤️Rowland Martin (Butch) Buyince’ June 1946 – Feb 2024 RIP.” Tina’s celebrity pals posted condolences in the comments, including supermodel Beverly Johnson, Viola Davis, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Tina’s ex-husband, actor Richard Lawson. Actress Holly Robinson Peete wrote, “Rest Well to your gorgeous big bro…what a full life he lived…sending you and your family love…” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3zIgkArQUa/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=00492710-f763-404a-a638-6c904db654c2 In the highly anticipated season three of Starz’s “Black Mafia Family” (BMF) fans can expect a fresh wave of characters, intricate alliances, and the challenges of navigating uncharted territories. Shaffer “Ne-Yo” Smith, who portrays a new character named Greenie, and Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory provide insights into their characters. Greenie will be a pivotal character and upon arriving in Atlanta again, he is introduced as one of the first individuals Meech encounters. Smith described Greenie as a “multifaceted personality – a businessman, a club owner, a pimp, and an entrepreneur. Greenie’s allegiance can sway, depending on the circumstances, making him a character filled with nuances.” https://youtu.be/3IEomrNTY8A Due to fan demand, Usher has extended the European dates for his upcoming USHER: Past Present Future tour. The move comes weeks after the R&B superstar extended his North American dates to almost 60 sold-out nights, adding multiple shows, according to the press release. Six dates were initially announced for London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Six more were added after 170,000 fans bought tickets for 12 sold-out shows, per the release. Tickets go on sale this week for Usher’s 2025 European trip – a seventh show in London, The O2 on April 11, the second in Paris at the Accor Arena on April 16, and a fourth night at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome on April 26. In a statement, Usher said, “It’s been a minute, Europe! I’m as hyped as you are to be back. The love for these shows has been incredible, and I’m truly blessed and thankful for each and every one of you. Seven epic nights in London, four in Amsterdam, two in Paris and Berlin and counting… get ready for an A-TOWN takeover!” Comedian Donnell Rawlings will debut his first stand-up special, “A New Day,” for Netflix on February 27 — produced by his long-time friend Dave Chappelle. “It’s a new day, and Donnell Rawlings is feeling good. Dressed in a bl ue suit, red socks and lotioned ankles, he’s here to discuss toxic relationships, traveling to New Zealand, aging, co-parenting and much more,” reads the special’s synopsis. In our exclusive interview with Rawlings, the comic known for his sharp wit and infectious humor offers a candid insight into his creative process and the excitement of bringing laughter to fans. He also explains why he and Dave filmed the special three times. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and comedians like Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career,” Chappelle said in a statement, per Variety. “Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment.” A former producer who worked on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ latest album is suing the Bad Boy Mogul for sexual assault. The new lawsuit comes three months after Diddy settled a $30 million dollar lawsuit with Cassie after she accused him of rape, sex trafficking and domestic violence. In this latest lawsuit filed in New York Federal court, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, 54, claims that for more than a year, Combs sexually harassed, drugged, and threatened him, NBC News reports. Jones claims he served as Comb’s videographer while traveling with him from September 2022 to November 2023. Throughout this period, he documented extensive video and audio evidence of Combs, his associates, and additional individuals participating in significant unlawful activities. One of the allegations is that Combs coerced Jones into arranging sex workers and insisted on his involvement in unwanted sexual acts with them and others. Additionally, it’s claimed that Combs provided spiked alcoholic drinks to guests at his parties. https://www.instagram.com/p/C31ZjR0NBrZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again For Morgan State University professor Darryl Green, the healing journey was rocky and winding. Thirty-five years ago, his younger brother Ruben Cotton was stabbed to death over a pair of tennis shoes at a bowling alley in Edgewood, Harford County. The tragedy unfolded just six days after Cotton’s 17th birthday. “He was a gentle giant, a great young man who was going to do some amazing things. He had a beautiful heart,” Green said. “When this first happened, you couldn’t talk to me about forgiveness. You couldn’t talk to me about healing. You couldn’t talk to me about reconciliation. What I knew then was revenge and retaliation.” For years, he was consumed by anger until he realized the only way to take away that pain was to forgive his brother’s killer. “I was dying inside of unforgiveness, so when I chose forgiveness, I asked God to take the anger off of me and give me something else,” Green said. “I didn’t know what he was going to give me, but he gave me forgiveness. Once I forgave, I was free.” https://youtu.be/EHTGlgsbofA The ugly history of her home state is not lost on Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. The Mississippi native is very familiar with it and is not afraid to put it on blast for those who are not as familiar with it.During a recent interview with Indie Wire, Ellis-Taylor confessed to walking out of a Hattiesburg, Mississippi-based restaurant after seeing the Old Mississippi Confederate flag on one of its walls. “I wanted some catfish,” recalled the “Origin” star, who is noted for protesting the use of the flag, which symbolized white supremacy and Mississippi’s glorification of the Civil War. Until 2021, the flag was the only state flag in the U.S. to incorporate the Confederate battle flag into its design, People noted. The flag’s removal stemmed from a bill signed into law in 2020 by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves that removed and replaced the controversial item. Upon seeing the retired flag in the restaurant and questioning the cashier about its presence, Ellis-Taylor stated they “just tried to evade any culpability.” “I said, ‘You have people in this restaurant now who are Black, who are eating your food, who are working in this restaurant, and you have the flag of the Confederacy, the flag of the Ku Klux Klan on your walls.’ And sitting under the flag were two Black men eating. I got up out of there and I had to get catfish from somewhere else,” Ellis-Tate said. Donald Trump is still bitter about Prince Harry marrying a Black woman. In a new interview, Trump suggested that he would deport the prince if he were elected president again. “I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That is unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me,” Trump told the Daily Express. “I think they have been too gracious to him after what he has done,” said Trump, referring to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Last year, Trump said he wanted to debate Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, to address “the way she dealt with the Queen,” the former president told radio host Hugh Hewitt. Producer Mark Ford is speaking out about production on the new Lifetime documentary, “Where Is Wendy Williams?” and addressing claims that the creative team exploited the former talk show host amid her battle with dementia. As we reported earlier, Williams’ medical care team announced last week that she was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).“Wendy is still able to do many things for herself,” the team said, People reports. “Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed. She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.” According to a press release, Williams, 59, was officially diagnosed last year. She has been contending with various other health challenges, including Graves’ disease, lymphedema, and alcohol abuse. Meanwhile, in a new interview with THR, Jones explains why his cameras documented Wendy’s “increasingly fragile state,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 A mother and daughter were killed after being run over by a speeding car while leaving a Drake concert in St. Louis on Feb 14. The tragic moment was caught on video, showing Laticha Bracero and her daughter Alyssa Cordova, 21, walking through a crosswalk when “a car comes flying into frame, blowing through a red light and sideswiping another car before running them over,” TMZ writes. The 22-year-old driver, Monte Henderson, reportedly ran a red light while speeding at over 70 MPH, causing the fatal crash. He was located and arrested shortly after the incident and released on $20,000 bail. The Cordovas traveled from Chicago to St. Louis to attend the Drake concert. The family launched a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral arrangements. https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1762505275586867367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1762505275586867367%7Ctwgr%5Eadfb75e1a53f07701dfc2f4622a96b5a641b2fb1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fmother-daughter-killed-after-leaving-drake-concert%2F Two men involved in the fight with Cam Newton during his C1N 7 v 7 Tournament are speaking out about what led to the altercation. We reported earlier that in footage of the fight, the former Auburn football standout and Heisman Trophy winner is grappling with three individuals, reportedly a part of the “TSP Crew,” before another joins in with a right hook. The 18-second clip lacks significant context, leaving viewers curious about the circumstances leading to the altercation. Well, now, two opposing football coaches, TJ and Steph Brown, “say Newton’s actions throughout the weekend ultimately led to the physical skirmish that started with him grabbing Steph first before TJ threw a punch,” Fox News writes. “It just should never have gotten to that,” TJ told Fox News Digital. https://youtu.be/oJhI5IhkrYQ Phaedra Parks’ ex-husband Apollo Nida will appear at the “Married to Medicine” Season 10 3-part reunion, set to air on March 3. We reported earlier that Parks joined Dr. Jackie Walters, Dr. Simone Whitmore, Dr. Heavenly Kimes, Toya Bush-Harris, and Quad Webb on the new season, which premiered in November 2023. Parks joined Season 10 as a “holistic healer” of a new wellness center. The center focuses on energy healing, known as reiki therapy. Nida did not appear this season, so Parks’ costars were shocked when he showed up at the reunion taping in January in New York City, People reports. According to a source, Nida was invited to the taping to discuss co-parenting with Parks. The ex-couple share two minor sons. https://youtu.be/3_GO8DDIvyA Keyshia Cole made a surprise appearance at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, and the exciting moment was captured on video that went viral over the weekend. In the footage, students perform Cole’s hit 2005 song “Love” when Ron Clark, founder of the academy, interrupts the lead singer to encourage him to do better. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/8d5fe80189ffb05c7ea2fcd7632fa296/65deb1ec/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c004-tx/o82AWBiqB6BYRPg6eB7riOaDf2SQblEEsgIkLa/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=2168&bt=1084&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=4bBsyMzm8Zmo0WtVi94jVOL.dpWrKsd.&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=Njs1OWk1Z2c4OmVoOzU0NkBpM3Q1bHA5cmxkcTMzZzczNEAtMy82Ni5gXy8xNGEvMmEzYSNfa3AtMmRjcmFgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=202402272206085267AA3DA72F72044F9E&btag=e00098000 “No, no. You’re not doing it right,” Clark tells the kid. “You gotta do it better, buddy. I want more depth, more heart, more soul, I want more Keyshia Cole. Sing it like this.” That’s when Cole appears at the top of the stairs and continues singing, sending the students into a frenzy. She’s wearing the same red hoodie and sweatpants as the minors. Clark shared the video on TikTok on February 17. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/0818b1e5084008f0aa86b6f791e3900a/65deb1a1/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c003-tx/ow9kZ0USB4HiZicEqV4AqRIWaE3BqcLgdPQ9v/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=3654&bt=1827&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=4bBsyMzm8Zmo0WtVi94jVsGWdpWrKsd.&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=ZTUzaDZnPDNpZjs0Zjg5O0BpamVzN3c5cm9kcTMzZzczNEA0Mi8xNi1iXzAxYy9iMzVjYSMwbF5uMmRrNWFgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=20240227220608A50A2D034C4730048705&btag=e00090000 Multi GRAMMY®-winner Cory Henry has released CHURCH, his latest solo album. Released on February 25th, the dynamic new album is the first-ever Gospel album from the acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and keyboard master, who’s created a 23-track experience that celebrates his musical roots and delivers a powerful dose of inspiration, joyful praise, and soulful reflection. Cory - a musical prodigy who got his start at age two learning organ from his mother Marie Henry, a choir director and multi-instrumentalist – harkens back to growing up in Brooklyn, New York’s Unity Temple Church. From performing before his church congregation to his journey touring around the world for international audiences, Cory has brought his classic gospel roots and his modern sensibilities together on CHURCH. With a musical versatility from new singles like “Burdens Down” featuring renowned blues-rock guitarist Eric Gales, “Go to God in Prayer” featuring Dr. Janice McDonald, Cory’s Grandmother, and more, to his creative new arrangements on beloved classics like “Amazing Grace” with a very special posthumous appearance from his late mother Marie Henry, “How Great Thou Art” featuring gospel star Kierra Sheard, the record also features appearances from Raphael Saadiq, The Tone3s, Robert Randolph, Charlie Bereal, gospel legends Donnie McClurkin, John P. Kee, Kim Burrell, and another special posthumous appearance, by the late Bishop Carlton Pearson on two tracks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAhTkGrcCpc As Black History Month draws to a close, don't miss this historic evening of inspiration and entertainment, the "Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary," which ushered in its quarter-century milestone with an epic show taped during Super Bowl LVIII week in Las Vegas. Hosted by the dynamic duo Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold, the program was an electrifying fusion of faith, fellowship, and football. Following its successful debut on CBS Television Network, the one-hour special is now available to stream on-demand via CBS.com and Pluto TV for a limited time. The show features performances from a stellar lineup of artists, including Earth, Wind & Fire, T-Pain, Mickey Guyton, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Robin Thicke, Rachel Platten, and The Players Choir. Southern University’s HBCU Band Drumline, also known as the “Human Jukebox,” helped open the star-studded event, showcasing the rich talent and cultural pride of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), a wonderful way to highlight Black History Month. The Super Bowl may have been played, but this music special unites the spirit of football and cultural pride in a way that fans can enjoy long after the last touchdown of the season. BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) will pay tribute to the songwriters and publishers behind the best in Gospel at the 2024 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, held at Flourish Atlanta on Thursday, March 28th. Gospel legend and world-renowned evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole will receive the evening's highest honor as a Trailblazer of Gospel in recognition of her illustrious career spanning over 50 years and incomparable influence on the genre and beyond. Jonathan McReynolds will receive the BMI Champion Award for his exceptional artistry and impact on Gospel music, marking the first time this accolade has been presented at this ceremony. The private event will be hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O'Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. Christian hip-hop artist, Aaron Cole, has just released his latest single “I Love It,” the third single from his upcoming full-length album set to release later this year. A visualizer is now available on YouTube. This new single, follows his recent multi-single release Signing Bonus, which featured the first two singles, “Have Your Way” and “Tables Turned.” The chart-topping lyricist and singer reflects on themes of personal growth and resilience, set to contemporary melodies and bass beats on the new track. With its message advocating for self-love and spiritual conviction in life's challenges, Cole encourages listeners to view obstacles as opportunities for growth, making positive declarations of embracing joy in life through faith and distancing oneself from negativity. “I Love It” continues to build upon the inspirational messages that Cole has shared through his first two singles “Have Your Way and “Tables Turned,” in speaking gratitude about God’s way and living authentically with renewed purpose and strength. “Have Your Way,” which contains a sample of Carl Thomas’ R&B hit “I Wish” is the lead single out at Gospel radio now. The music videos for “Have Your Way” and “Tables Turned” are also out on YouTube. One of Christian music’s most incomparable voices, Jason Nelson, has scored his best first-week digital streams tally with the new song, “Yahweh,” (Jaelyn / Tyscot / Fair Trade). The worship ballad features the dynamic GRAMMY® Award nominated vocalist, Melvin Crispell III, and has garnered over 123,000 first week digital streams. By contrast, Nelson’s 2021smash, “Residue,” earned 61,000 first week streams. “Yahweh is a song that speaks to how God created humanity and as a result breathed life into us,” Nelson says. “it speaks to the core theme of the entire album, which is revival and life with God. Once everyone is able to hear the full project, they’ll understand why Yahweh is a great introduction.” “Yahweh” is the first radio single from Nelson’s forthcoming album, You Belong (Jaelyn Song Music / Tyscot/ Fair Trade). The You Belong project was recorded live at World Overcomers Christian Church in Durham, NC last August. The project is his first live recording in six years. Over the last two decades, Nelson’s smooth and incomparable tenor has distinguished itself on gospel radio hits such as “Nothing Without You,” “Residue,” “Shifting the Atmosphere,” “I Am,” “Forever,” and “It’s Not Over (When God Is In It).” Marlo Hampton has confirmed that she won’t be part of Season 16 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Having made her debut in Season 4 and becoming a full-time cast member in Season 14, Hampton explained her departure in a statement. “My contract with Real Housewives of Atlanta concluded at the end of Season 15,” her statement outlined. “Taking this break from RHOA marks a new chapter for me, providing space to explore fresh creative ventures focused on my future rather than dwelling on the past.” Hampton emphasized her familial responsibilities as another factor behind her decision, stating, “My nephews are entering critical stages of their educational journey, and I am committed to being a positive influence in their lives, while also showcasing my diverse interests in philanthropy, fashion, and lifestyle.” Expressing appreciation for the platform RHOA provided, Hampton acknowledged its role in spotlighting her work in foster care advocacy, her non-profit organization Glam It Up, Inc., and her fashion showroom, Le Archive. “I anticipate maintaining my relationship with Bravo and NBC Universal. I extend my best wishes to Truly Original and the RHOA cast,” she concluded. https://youtu.be/g2PuT76_-hk Hampton isn’t the sole “RHOA” member to announce their Season 16 status before the show’s return. Kandi Burruss, a fixture since Season 2, disclosed her departure to Variety during the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, after almost 15 years on the show. “I’ve made the decision not to return this year,” she stated during the interview, highlighting the prolonged decision-making process despite Season 15 airing in May 2023. Burruss added, “During that time, I began working on several other projects, and I have some exciting endeavors in the pipeline.” Addressing potential future involvement with the show at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards, Burruss remained open but focused on her current pursuits. “I hold a great deal of affection for my Bravo family… never say never, but at present, I’m deeply invested in other ventures,” she remarked. https://youtu.be/2feUYaVtx9E Since Gov. Gavin Newsom presented his 2024-25 budget to the State Legislature on Jan. 10, lawmakers — including members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) — have been sharing their initial reactions to potential cuts. Those stakeholders have also been examining the Governor’s $291 billion spending plan to get a clearer sense of how funding adjustments may impact families as the state faces a deficit estimated at tens of billions of dollars. At the top of the list of concerns for some lawmakers are cuts the governor is proposing to balance the budget, as required by California’s constitution. A day after Newsom announced his budget, Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), reacted with a post on his Facebook page. “Yesterday’s budget proposal for human services programs causes me to be alarmed for our most vulnerable populations particularly in our CalWorks, Development Disability, and Foster Care programs,” wrote Jackson, who is a member of the CLBC. https://youtu.be/FAZRIJOWl3M Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently made headlines by hiring a law clerk who’s faced allegations of sending racist text messages, as reported by The New York Times. As we thought. Nobody’s hand went up. The clerk in question, Crystal Clanton, a graduate of the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University and former national field director for Turning Point USA, is set to work with Justice Thomas during the 2024-2025 term. Clanton came under scrutiny in a 2017 article by The New Yorker, which detailed allegations that she had sent racially charged text messages to fellow members of Turning Point USA. One of the messages reportedly stated, “I HATE BLACK PEOPLE. Like f**k them all…I hate blacks. End of story.” Despite the accusations, Clanton has claimed she does not recall sending such messages. https://youtu.be/4siUr1I7lnM Normani is speaking out about pausing her music career after both her parents were diagnosed with cancer. Today reported previously that the singer was age 5 when her mother, Andrea Hamilton, was first diagnosed with breast cancer. After being disease-free for 19 years, the cancer returned in 2020. “I was in Los Angeles when I found out my mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer again. My family was back in Houston. Three weeks earlier, when I was visiting my mom at home, she’d fallen into my arms, expressing how scared she was,” Normani wrote in a 2022 op-ed for Elle magazine. “She had a gut feeling about the results. I felt incredibly helpless because I wasn’t able to cure her,” she added. Normani’s father, Derrick, was diagnosed with cancer a year after her mother’s cancer returned. Normani was preparing to drop her debut album last year but was ready to step back from her music career to care for her parents. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3nvr2EPLGI/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=068a79ab-6274-4994-94e8-28067119b2cc The cast of “A Different World” will reunite for a 10-city HBCU tour to celebrate the show’s 35th anniversary. "A Different World” is a spin-off from “The Cosby Show” and ran on NBC for six seasons, from 1987 to 1993. The series centered on Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and her fellow students at a fictional HBCU called Hillman College. According to People, the cast confirmed to appear on the HBCU tour are Darryl M. Bell, Charnele Brown, Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Cree Summer, Glynn Turman, and Sinbad. “The cast of A Different World has come together to celebrate our 35-year legacy and make more history with today’s HBCUs and tomorrow’s leaders!” Bell told People. “Our mission goes beyond nostalgia. We’re on a quest to raise awareness and enrollment for HBCUs nationwide,” he continued. “By leveraging the star power and cultural impact of A Different World, we aim to inspire a new generation to choose HBCUs as their academic homes. We’re not just telling a story; we’re rewriting the narrative.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1422379466005700613 Edwin Hodge has been starring on FBI: Most Wanted, one of several highly-successful shows from Dick Wolf Productions on CBS. But Hodge has been acting for nearly 30 years. The older brother of Aldis Hodge, Edwin has appeared as a regular character actor on such network favorites, The Good Sun, Classified and Mayans M.C., and on the big screen in The Tomorrow War, Purge: Election Year and Bumblebee. Hodge discussed why shows like FBI: Most Wanted continue to resonate with viewing audiences from across the globe. “Shows like FBI: Most Wanted, Law & Order and shows of that nature, the material is grounded in reality,” said Hodge. “These are things that are really happening. These are stories that are either picked from headlines or your local news that maybe people have never heard of before. You might hear about it when the situation is really amplified, but we never hear about the smaller cases or the cases that don’t make headline news. So, in that sense, I think it resonates with everybody because it’s real. It’s scary to think we live in this kind of world where people are doing these things. But, at the same time, it is education.” The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) celebrated its 15th annual awards ceremony on February 21 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. This event not only honored the best in film but also recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to black culture. Comedian and Emmy-nominated documentary producer Roy Wood Jr. returned as the host for the ceremony, adding his hilarious touch to the event. AAFCA President and co-founder Gil Robertson expressed deep admiration for the exceptional talent and dedication of Misty Copeland, George C. Wolfe, and Jeffrey Wright, stating that their contributions have profoundly impacted our culture and continue to inspire generations. Misty Copeland, the first African American Female Principal ballet dancer, was honored with the Innovator Award presented by Nissan for her groundbreaking contributions to dance and her production company, Life In Motion Productions, which focuses on bringing representative stories of artists past, present, and future, and normalizing the art experience. Ray J and Princess Love‘s marriage are on the outs again, with Princess Love pulling the trigger on their marriage for the fourth time. The onetime “Love & Hip Hop” star officially filed for divorce in Los Angeles County, adding another juicy chapter to their ongoing saga of love gone wrong, according to TMZ. While the specifics of Princess Love’s divorce demands remain a mystery for now, one thing is crystal clear – she’s had enough. With minor children in the mix and the inevitable battle over money looming, it looks like this marital rollercoaster is careening toward its final destination. In a predictably heartfelt Instagram post, Princess Love poured out her feelings, stating that after deep contemplation, discussion, and probably a truckload of tissues, they’ve realized that it’s time to call it quits. She goes on to paint a rosy picture of co-parenting harmony and newfound beginnings, all wrapped up in a neat little bow of privacy pleas. https://youtu.be/U-XaMaypPJ8 Jodie Turner-Smith is speaking out about her divorce from “Dawson’s Creek” star Joshua Jackson. “Sometimes things we really want to work just don’t end up working,” the British beauty, 37, told The Times. “And that’s OK. The most important thing is that you choose what’s healthiest for you and your family and definitely your children.” Jodi and Joshua met at a party in 2018 and got engaged months later. They were married for four years before sparking breakup rumors in September 2022. We reported earlier that Turner-Smith initially pulled the plug on the marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The former couple share a 3-year-old daughter, Juno Rose Diana. “I don’t think it’s a failure,” she told The Times of her marriage to Jackson. “We obviously had such a beautiful moment together. And now it’s time for a new moment for both of us. And how exciting!” Elon Musk claims he will make things right with a San Jose bakery after Tesla placed a pie order that cost thousands of dollars and was canceled. NBC Bay Area reports that Tesla ordered 4,000 mini-pies from “The Giving Pies” in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood for $16,000, only to cancel at the last minute. Voahangy Rasetarinera, the bakery owner, said her staffers worked additional hours, and she purchased extra ingredients and supplies to fulfill the order. Now she’s out of $16k after Tesla unexpectedly canceled the order via a text. Musk posted on his social media platform “X” Friday that he “will make things good with the bakery.” So far, he has not yet reached out to the bakery owner, Rasetarinera said. https://youtu.be/n-PJWjqsmh4 Jackson Soul Food opened a third location at Miami International Airport last week. The restaurant’s roots trace back to 1946, embodying the Black heritage of Miami-Dade County, SimpleFlying reports. The first location opened in the historic neighborhood of Overtown in Miami-Dade County. The second location is in Opa-Locka, near Miami Gardens. The menu features traditional soul food favorites like fried catfish and chicken, savory mac and cheese, and ribs. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava joined Jackson Soul Food Owner Shirlene Ingraham for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Miami airport on February 20. https://youtu.be/AUg47NHzbX4 KFC has rolled out its version of a pizza entree called the “CHIZZA.” According to a news release, the Chizza is two fried chicken filets topped with zesty marinara sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. The new limited-time pizza is available at KFC’s nationwide beginning Monday, Feb. 26. You can enjoy the Chizza on its own or get the combo meal, which includes Secret Recipe Fries and a medium drink. Also returning to KFC restaurants nationwide temporarily is Blackberry Lemonade. Per the release: “KFC customers can use the KFC app to order their Chizza ahead of time and skip the line to pick it up on KFC’s dedicated Quick Pick-Up shelf and sign up for KFC Rewards to start earning rewards on digital orders and unlocking FREE KFC.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1761047232973824499 “Fried chicken and pizza collaborated to create something even better—the Chizza,” Nick Chavez, CMO KFC U.S, said in the press release. “The fan-favorite mashup is finally available in the U.S. after making its way around the world—try it while you can!” The online reaction to the Chizza is mixed, with one person writing, “This is like KFC told a group of elementary school kids to come up with a new meal item.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1761064760387461484 During the University of Southern California Trojans game against the University of California Bruins on Saturday in Los Angeles, Bronny James was met with “overrated” and “who’s your daddy” chants. On X/Twitter, one user said of the wild reaction, “The classy thing to do would have been to cheer the kid on for fighting back from a heart condition that almost killed him. Bruins will be bruins.” Another X user posted, “Disrespectful and is disgusting fan behavior…UCLA needs to address this.” A third person wrote, “Taunting is a part of basketball. Man up or go join the figure skating team.” The Trojan’s guard, who is the son of NBA icon LeBron James, suffered a cardiac arrest five months ago. There were doubts at the time that Bronny would be unable to return to the sport. We reported earlier that Bronny was attending an informal team workout last July when he collapsed, and 911 was called. A statement released the following day from his team said that Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest and was treated by USC’s medical staff before being taken to the hospital. He spent time in the ICU before eventually being stabilized and released days later. https://twitter.com/i/status/1761593338413940854 A viral video of former Disney star Orlando Brown shows him bragging about “making love” to several male music stars, such as Drake, Usher, Busta Rhymes, Bow Wow, and more. “You smashed Drake?” the person behind the camera asks Orlando. “I didn’t smash anything,” he responded “We made love,” the “That’s So Raven” alum said. Brown listed the men he’s allegedly had sex with, including Katt Williams, Terrence Howard, and Usher. “Usher is a gusher,” he said. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3p5b9eOT1r/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tyler Perry is “a little annoyed” that Disney seems to be dragging to start production on “Sister Act 3” starring Whoopi Goldberg. “I’m a little annoyed with how long this has taken me. It’s taking so long — like, I’ve done four movies since we started talking about this,” Perry told Entertainment Tonight. “When I’m outside producing with … you know, Disney’s a huge, wonderful company, but I really want to get this movie and Whoopi really wants to get this movie,” he continued. Disney confirmed in 2022 that “Sister Act 3” is in the works, almost 30 years after the last movie. The original “Sister Act” centers on a singer (Goldberg) who hides as a nun after witnessing a crime. The film premiered in 1992 and was a massive hit at the box office, grossing over $231 million against a $31 million budget. The sequel, “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit,” was released the following year. Country music icon Dolly Parton hit up Instagram to praise Beyoncé for tapping into the genre. On Thursday, Parton took to Instagram to congratulate Bey after the singer’s new song “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted in the top spot of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart on Tuesday, Marking her first-ever No. 1 single on the country charts, CNN reported. Per the outlet, Beyoncé’s other new country song, “16 Carriages,” ranks No. 9 on the chart. “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album,” Dolly wrote. “So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can’t wait to hear the full album!” In 2022, Parton appeared on “The Daily Show” and shared her hope that Queen Bey would cover her song “Jolene.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3rDaAGOmu4/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=14a51b6d-e71e-454c-94bd-69cd9e3a576c “I don’t know if she’s even got the message, but wouldn’t that be killer? I think she’s fantastic and beautiful and I love her music,” Parton said, per USA Today via Complex. “I would just love to hear ‘Jolene’ done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney did my ‘I Will Always Love You,’” she continued. “Someone that can take my little songs and make ’em like powerhouses. So, that would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does do ‘Jolene.’” Bey’s two new country tracks appear on her eighth solo studio album, “Renaissance Act II,” out March 29. https://www.instagram.com/p/C30hnt1uUGI/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8fe16626-0565-4f5f-acf2-d26d2547e1db Tarron Nelson is an 11-year-old student at Northview Elementary School with a unique talent. The 5th grader can complete a Rubik’s Cube in less than 2 minutes with a record time of 43 seconds. “You don’t need to be smart to solve a Rubik’s Cube. All you need to know is the algorithms,” says Rubik’s Cube kid Tarron Nelson. Nelson is being celebrated for his ability to quickly come up with ways for all six sides of the cube to display one color. https://youtu.be/QejQZtUANMo When it comes to the greatest U.S. presidents to hold office, Barack Obama and Donald Trump are nowhere near each other on the list. Citing Desert News, Yahoo detailed the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey, reporting that Obama cracked the top 10 at #7 with an average rating of (73.8). Michele’s husband was highest among recent presidents on the survey, which found Abraham Lincoln at the top with 93.87. Rounding out the top five were Franklin Delano Roosevelt, second (90.83); George Washington, third (90.32). Teddy Roosevelt, fourth (78.58), and Thomas Jefferson fifth (77.53). Commissioned by political scientists Brandon Rottinghaus from the University of Houston and Justin S. Vaughn from Coastal Carolina University, the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey asked 154 political scientists and other experts to rate each U.S. president on a scale of 0 to 100 for their overall “greatness,” Yahoo noted, adding that the totals for each president were averaged then ranked. With the rest of the top 10 itself, the list ranked Harry Truman sixth with 75.34, Obama, seventh (73.8), Dwight Eisenhower, eighth (73.73), Lyndon B. Johnson, ninth (72.86), and John F. Kennedy, 10th, (68.37). Notable greatest president rankings included current U.S. President Joe Biden, 14th (62.66), Ronald Reagan, 16th (61.62), George H.W. Bush, 19th (58.54), and his son George W. Bush, 32nd (40.43) 32nd. https://youtu.be/9ZfiaueoR9c As for Trump, he ranked lowest at 10.92. Despite the loss in the “greatness” category, #45 did score a win as the most polarizing of the ranked presidents with a 1.64 average (1 is a “most polarizing” ranking, according to the survey) https://youtu.be/KcMSbtaZud0 Former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was arrested in King County, Washington, on Saturday on a suspicion of a DUI charge, the Washington State Patrol confirmed to CNN. Sherman was stopped by the Washington State Patrol for going 79 mph within a 60 mph zone at about 2 a.m. local time in Bellevue, according to a first appearance document, from which a District Court judge found probable cause for DUI. Sherman told authorities he had two margaritas when asked if he’d had any alcohol to drink, according to the document, and he also agreed to a voluntary test. The document also notes that Sherman’s eyes were bloodshot and watery and that there was an “odor of intoxicants.” https://youtu.be/joXd4Z_-bMg Shannon Sharpe is living a grand post-football life. With a popular podcast, let alone a solid spot alongside ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, among other things, the former tight end and NFL Hall of Famer has rebounded strongly since the end of his playing days with the NFL. So much so that Sharpe finds himself at the top of Complex’s Most Entertaining Sports Media Personality list above notables such as Smith, Charles Barkley, Pat McAfee, and Shaquille O’Neal, among others. Chatting with the publication, the Club Shay Shay podcast host touches on “moving differently” because of social, with Barkley being his blueprint and his ultimate goal. On the heels of Donald Trump’s totally expected GOP presidential primary win over Nikki Haley on Saturday (02-24-24), his new line of sneakers will be a great tool for winning black voters, according to Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo. In his eyes, the $399 shoes are a great way for the former commander-in-chief to connect with black voters and, ultimately triumph in his bid to win the 2024 presidential election. Needless to say, Arroyo’s logic is not fact-based. HuffPost notes It stems from racist stereotyping as he insists the footwear will connect with Black folks who plan on exercising their right to choose the next president. https://youtu.be/yWSaEV059ks Arroyo’s backing of the sneakers may work for him, but it generated a skeptical vibe from his fellow panelist, Tomi Lahren, who wasn’t on board with Trump being reelected by people who might like his shoes. Still, Arroyo stood his ground, saying, “Anybody willing to put 400 bucks down for a pair of sneakers? Yeah, I think that’s commitment and love. It’s something,”https://twitter.com/BmbEmpower/status/1760553042699583534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1760686629352796643%7Ctwgr%5E517182e668c78c57787ef3ba3f06ea13058a0525%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Ffox-news-pundit-is-convinced-that-trump-sneakers-will-bring-black-voter-support-watch%2F As expected, Arroyo’s stance was not a hit with social media users who voiced their opposition on X (formerly known as Twitter). Scroll below for a few reactions to Arroyo’s belief that Black people will automatically come with the Trump sneakers. https://twitter.com/i/status/1760691231519092951 Heartthrob Billy Dee Williams, renowned for his portrayal of Lando Calrissian in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, remained puzzled by inquiries about his sexuality during the 1970s. In a convo with Page Six addressing the rumors that could have jeopardized his career, he remarked, “I’ve been called a ‘Closet Queen.’ But, I don’t pay important attention to any of that.” Earlier this month, the actor unveiled his lively biography “What Have We Here?” detailing not just his seven-decade career but also encounters with luminaries like Marlon Brando, James Baldwin, Laurence Olivier, and Angela Lansbury. Reflecting on his roots in Harlem and nearing his 87th birthday in April, Williams reminisces about his comfort mingling with members of the LGBTQIA community, even participating in clandestine gay gatherings in the Metropolitan Opera’s basement during his early days as an extra. “It all sounded veritably normal to me,” he shares. “I was around it all of my life, so I never really gave it important study.” https://youtu.be/cQNHYofNm94 THE SPINNERS: STILL SPINNING THE MOTOWN MAGIC! –By Larry Buford. In Alhambra, a city just east of Los Angeles made up of about 86,000 people; the city where producer Phil Spector resides; Motown’s legendary Spinners performed at the 2008 Summer Jubilee (7/19/08). The sun had already set on this outdoor venue as the Spinners took to the stage, and the minute they walked on, the audience knew something very special was about to take place. Dressed in immaculate lavender suits, their cool presence was like having an ice cream cone on a warm summer night. They opened with “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” with the effervescent Bobby Smith on lead vocals. The group’s every step and hand gesture were synchronized to near perfection except the bass singer Pervis Jackson who, for health reasons was seated on stage as he sang his parts (man does he have a deep voice!). Followed by “It’s A Shame” then a rendition of the Willie Nelson tune “Funny” that offered first tenor Spike Bonhart a chance to showcase his vocal range at the end of the song (that last note threatened to shatter glass!). https://youtu.be/ZeTycs9ffBU Michael Akinkunmi, also known as MikeyMuzik, hails from Southeast London. Alongside his partner Moses Samuels, they’ve made a significant impact as record producers, songwriters, and engineers. Their journey has been marked by global success, leading them to work on music projects for top music artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Stormzy, and Justin Bieber, to name a few. “I thought if they like it, they might be on it,” said Aaron Atkins about his new single “When Do We Love” featuring The Whispers. “I performed it live and The Whispers were at my show. When I got off stage The Whispers ran up to me and said they loved the whole show! They asked if I wrote that last song (‘When Do We Love’)…they said God wrote that song…the greatest compliment.” The Whispers liked the song so much that, as Atkins thought, they agreed to be on the single for his new EP of the same name. Aaron is a Jazz/R&B singer who performs and sounds like a Broadway veteran. Bringing the audience in with his body language and moves. He has sung for the Pope at the Vatican and is also an actor whose credits include Switched at Birth, Emmy-winning Netflix’s “I Think You Should Leave,” and David. Atkins is a Broadway nominated artist because of his performance in his “Into the Cole” Show where he honors the works of Nate King Cole. “My first acting job I was lead,” Aaron told me when asked about his acting portfolio. The “When Do We Love” single released on February 23, 2024, and on March 20th you will find Aaron Atkins performing from his “When Do We Love” EP at the Catalina Jazz Club. Videos showing Cam Newton engaged in a physical altercation surfaced during his C1N 7 v 7 Tournament, quickly gaining viral attention on February 25. In the footage, the former Auburn football standout, and Heisman Trophy winner, is seen grappling with three individuals reportedly a part of the “TSP Crew” before another joins in with a right hook. The brief 18-second clip lacks significant context, leaving viewers curious about the circumstances leading to the altercation. Details regarding the altercation’s origin are expected to emerge in the following days. You would think that attempting to engage in a physical confrontation with the 6-foot-5, 245-pound former NFL player seems ill-advised. Newton will likely address the incident, potentially on his podcast “4th & 1,” especially if the video continues to circulate widely. Fortunately, it appears that no serious injuries were sustained by any parties involved. The incident has prompted questions about what precisely occurred and the factors that led to such a volatile situation involving the seasoned football star. https://twitter.com/i/status/1761857443284324703 Kristen Adele Calhoun’s new play Black Cypress Bayou opens at The Geffen Playhouse for the world premiere. Ms. Calhoun is the recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and thanks to the Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles audiences are the first to witness this layered drama about a Texas matriarch, her daughters, and the secrets revealed on a hot summer night. Black Cypress Bayou stars Kimberly Scott as Vernita Manifold, Amber Chardae Robinson as Taysha Hunter, Brandee Evans as Ladybird Manifold, and Angela Lewis as RaeMeka Manifold-Baler. He’s seemingly led an extraordinary double life. Quincy Promes is a successful soccer star, playing as a forward with major European clubs Ajax Sevilla and now Spartak Moscow, as well as representing the Netherlands at the international level.Promes played 50 times for the Netherlands and, according to the respected website Transfermarkt, at one point in his career had a transfer value of $26 million. Away from the pitch, Promes has recently been convicted of drug trafficking by an Amsterdam court. His conviction comes against the backdrop of the Netherlands’ wider war on drugs. Earlier this month, Dutch prosecutors successfully argued that Promes was central to a drug trafficking operation involved in smuggling some 1,360 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil to the Netherlands through the port of Antwerp in Belgium in 2020, in two separate incidents. “It is particularly bad that the suspect [Promes] normalizes and almost romanticizes the large-scale cocaine trade,” said Dutch prosecutors. “The suspect profiles himself that way to the outside world, while he is an example for young people who look up to him,” the prosecutors added. https://youtu.be/SKUzajsBMow It's the premiere of "ORDINARY ANGELS" this weekend, hitting theaters everywhere starting TODAY! This remarkable true story is set to captivate audiences with its powerful message of finding purpose and making a difference in the face of adversity. Starring a stellar cast including Hilary Swank, Alan Ritchson, Tamala Jones, and Nancy Travis, "Ordinary Angels" follows the journey of Sharon, a resilient hairdresser, who embarks on a mission to save the life of a critically ill young girl and her family. Directed by Jon Gunn and brought to you by the creators of "WONDER" and "JESUS REVOLUTION," this film promises to inspire and uplift. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BRBqyYzl9U "Shining Bright" in The Gospel Spotlight is Doe. Check out the new music video for “Breathe” by DOE available now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13z9A5kuKkI Zak Williams and 1/Akord a Philadelphia-based choir. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/16116465?date=20240220&user_id=668306&signature=D1vx6DP17Ah_MmWQu-qJhXHUV6A%3ACof2amwH Moviegoers may have James Gunn’s vision of Superman in sight for next year, but a Black doppelganger for the traditionally white superhero could arrive in the not-too-distant future. Hiptoro reports that famed author Ta-Nehisi Coates is set to helm a movie featuring a Black Superman. As it stands now, nothing is definite, other than the announcement of the feature back in 2021, with J.J. Abrams on board as a producer. Media sources report no release date has been set for the movie, which will include a Black actor as the Last Son of Krypton. Speculation on the film centers on it being “a 20th century period piece” that will introduce of a new and different version of the iconic hero. This version plans on “crafting a Kal-El in the vein of the original Superman comics and will have the protagonist hail from Krypton and come to Earth,” according to reports. In 2023, Gunn stated that while a white Superman will headline his film, “Superman: Legacy,” there is still room for a world featuring the first Black Man of Steel. “Those two things are totally unrelated,” Gunn told io9. “That’s an exciting movie. I know that Chantal Nong, who is the executive on that project, is extremely excited about it. So if it comes in and it’s great, which I haven’t read the script, and if the timing is right, that could absolutely happen. That’s totally unrelated. It would be an Elseworlds tale like Joker.” https://youtu.be/bf5B9VOSgm0 Three Little Birds narrates the adventures of gregarious sisters Leah and Chantrelle, who hail from the St Anne’s district of Jamaica, and their virtuous, bible-loving acquaintance Hosanna, as they board a ship heading for a new life in Great Britain. Written by Sir Lenny Henry, this life-affirming six-part drama is inspired by Henry’s mother’s stories of leaving Jamaica in the 1950’s for Great Britain, which became her lifelong home and where she raised her family. Global Grind’s Sr. Content Director Janeé Bolden spoke with Saffron Coomber who stars as Chantrelle and Yazmin Belo, who plays Hosanna ahead of the series’ US premiere. Coomber spoke to us about her portrayal of Chantrelle, who has big Hollywood dreams of becoming an entertainer like Dorothy Dandridge. “She’s just such a delight,” Coomber told Globala Grind. “I think the heartbreaking thing is that I’m able to live the dream that she wanted. Because I am born now, I’m afforded privileges that she wasn’t. There’s no reason why Chantrelle couldn’t have done what she wanted to do, apart from the world she was born into and the time, but what was so joyous about her, particularly in the beginning when you meet her, is her unbridled positivity, self-assurance that this was gonna happen. ‘Do you know who I am? I am Chantrelle.’ She doesn’t have my insecurities, self-doubt. That kind of invigoration, inspiration and absolute decadent kind of consummation that she has towards like Shakespeare and the movies and Mae West and all of these starlets. It was that almost childlike joy. It was such a wonderful playing experience.” While the “Star Spangled Banner,” America’s national anthem, has been the official song of the U.S. for more than two centuries, many African Americans throughout the years have sung a much different tune. Lift Every Every Voice And Sing,” a poem written by literary pioneer James Weldon Johnson, is often dubbed “The Black National Anthem.” The poem was originally performed in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12, 1900, and was later set to music in 1905 by Johnson’s brother John Rosamond. Monday marks the 124th birthday of “Lift Every Every Voice And Sing.” For many African Americans, singing the song was their way of showing patriotism and hope for the future, considering the plight of racism they greatly faced. Deep symbolism was found in its lyrics, allowing African Americans to subtly speak against racial bigotry. It is heavily performed at predominately African American venues, especially in Black churches across the nation. In 1990, singer Melba Moore released a modern rendition of the song, which she recorded along with others including recording artists Anita Baker, Stephanie Mills, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Brown, Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osborne, Howard Hewett BeBe & CeCe and The Clark Sisters. Today the song is an integral piece of Black patriotism. https://youtu.be/sQ0B7cF3DQk Writer Anoa Changa suggested such a move could ultimately betray the true and original intentions of the song. “Clyburn’s suggestion isn’t about what is better for Black people; it’s about what will make whiteness comfortable,” Changa wrote in response to Clyburn’s proposal in 2021. “Leaders should be using this moment to unequivocally stand firm against the rise of fascism and white nationalist violence coupled with agenda-setting to help uplift communities across the country.” John Legend is performing his rendition of “Lift Every Voice And Sing” during the virtual commencement exercises hosted by Morehouse School of Medicine in May 2020. https://youtu.be/9k0xz6mKCJM Bridge building, political positioning and transparency were the backbone of the Pride in Politics Fireside chat that opened Pride In The Pews’ two-day “State of The Black Church Symposium” at Spelman College in Atlanta last weekend. Bearing a wealth of concerns about the political and religious protections of the LGTBQ+ community, attendees heard honest and tactical takes from panelists, Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones and Florida State Rep. Michele Raynor. During the conversation moderated by journalist Gerren Keith Gaynor, the two elected officials shared the layers of their advocacy efforts, battles on the political frontlines, powerful testimonials about the connections between their sexuality and political plights and their hopes for future leaders. Jones emphasized the need for proactive and not reactive measures from those in and out of political office and stressed the responsibility we all bear in moving the needle toward more political representation and protections for the Black LGTBQ+ community. With a record of more than 510 anti-LGTBQ+ bills being introduced in 2023, Don Abram — founder and executive director of Pride In The Pews, a nonprofit group empowering the Black LGBTQ+ community — echoed Jones’ sentiments and stressed a sense of urgency in response to recent statistics. “LGBTQ+ folk are under attack, and I believe people of faith and conviction should have something to say about that…we are seeing that black, queer, LGBTQ+ Christians have always had something to say in the public square, and this conversation is indicative of that,” Abram said. Just like every year, there were a number of memorable things that happened Sunday during Super Bowl LVIII. (That would be the football game that was going on before and after the Usher concert, in case some of you were wondering.) One of those moments came on the sidelines when Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was seen shoving, shouting at and essentially squaring up on his head coach Andy Reid, presumably because Kelce was wide open when the play that was called sent the ball to running back Isiah Pacheco, who fumbled it. https://twitter.com/i/status/1756838695821312351 Now, to be fair, Kelce’s behavior did spark a moderate amount of outrage, even from those who typically reserve their ire for the Black National Anthem, or anyone kneeling during their old, stale counter anthem with the racist lyrics that have to be omitted before the song can be sung in public. But what little outrage did exist after the display waned quickly when Reid gave his star athlete a pass by laughing it off and calling his assailant “passionate,” as opposed to violent, thuggish or any of the other things Black athletes get called after showing anything that even resembles poor sportsmanship. https://twitter.com/i/status/1757055470026756482 There were a lot of Black people who saw the same altercation white football fans saw. But because we know Kelce got a softer reaction because the only thing Black about him is his haircut, Black people have been having an entirely different conversation about Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’s behavior. https://twitter.com/i/status/1757036297888178463 Danai Gurira unpack the return of her beloved character Michonne in the new “Walking Dead” series titled “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live,” starring Andrew Lincoln. The new series finds Lincoln and Gurira return as the beloved TWD characters “Rick Grimes” and “Michonne” in the highly anticipated next series in the Walking Dead Universe, premiering Sunday, February 25 at 9:00 pm ET on AMC and AMC+. Per the official synopsis, “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead… And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they’ve ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive — or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?” The series also stars Pollyanna McIntosh, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Terry O’Quinn, Matthew August Jeffers, Craig Tate and Andrew Bachelor. https://youtu.be/xT1LXJRCrbQ John Boyega is taking a path already traveled by Denzel Washington, by signing on for a prequel to the hit 2010 film “The Book of Eli.” According to Ice CreamConvos, the prequel will come to the small screen. Boyega will play a younger version of the title character Eli, a lone wanderer in a desolate, dystopian future. Washington portrayed an older version of Eli in the film. Released on January 15, 2010, “The Book of Eli” centered on Eli and his journey with a sacred book that he believes holds the key to saving humanity. Traveling through the barren landscape to the U.S. West Coast, Eli encounters multiple challenges that range from ruthless gangs to a power-hungry warlord named Carnegie, played by Gary Oldman. As the mysterious nature of Eli’s mission and the significance of the book gradually become known, a climactic and thought-provoking conclusion results. https://youtu.be/kAMUv22y1og Lawyers representing the Fulton County district attorney’s office are forcefully pushing back on allegations from former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants that cellphone data suggests the relationship between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her top prosecutor in the Georgia election subversion case started before the time they both testified to last week, according to a court filing Friday evening. The DA’s office, responding to an earlier motion filed by Trump’s lead attorney in the Georgia case, said the cited phone records “do not prove anything relevant” and should not be considered as evidence in proceedings to decide whether Willis should be disqualified. “The records do nothing more than demonstrate that Special Prosecutor Wade’s telephone was located somewhere within a densely populated multiple-mile radius where various residences, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and other businesses are located,” the prosecutors wrote in the Friday night filing. “The records do not prove, in any way, the content of the communications between Special Prosecutor Wade and District Attorney Willis; they do not prove that Special Prosecutor Wade was ever at any particular location or address; they do not prove that Special Prosecutor Wade and District Attorney Willis were ever in the same place during any of the times listed.” https://youtu.be/IaKw3xz4qHk Dolton, Ill. Mayor Tiffany Henyard is at the center of trouble regarding a lack of transparency over her spending of the village’s funds. According to NBC Chicago, concerns stem from unpaid bills. Officials tell the outlet that late loan payments could result in six cars being repossessed, along with six more vehicles from the Public Works department. Commenting on the situation Village Trustee Brittny Norwood said the mayor has been evasive in terms of opening the village’s books. The last time they were able to see the information, the picture wasn’t pretty, she added. “A few months ago, we were $7 million in debt,” Norwood revealed. Henyard’s response to the situation has amounted to months of dismissing questions on how she has spent taxpayer dollars. In addition, a separate lawsuit finds her at war with Dolton’s former police chief, who alleges he was improperly terminated. https://youtu.be/ZC90XK2UgT8 Tune in to OWN: the Oprah Winfrey Network for an exclusive one-hour special airing on Saturday, March 2 at 9pm ET/PT. This special episode of OWN Spotlight features Oprah Winfrey engaging in a compelling conversation with Angela Bassett, the esteemed recipient of the 2024 Honorary Academy Award. Together, they delve into a retrospective exploration of Bassett’s remarkable career spanning over four decades. Filmed at The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Oprah and Angela delve into the significance of Bassett’s recent honorary Academy Award. They reflect on her journey from recognizing acting as her calling to her impactful roles across television and cinema. Oprah revisits the memorable moments from Bassett’s heartfelt acceptnce speech, underscoring the profound influence of her legacy on future generations. They explore the iconic female characters Bassett has portrayed and the profound lessons they’ve imparted. Beyond her achievements on screen, Bassett opens up about her roles as a dedicated mother and spouse, sharing poignant anecdotes from her parenting journey alongside her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance. Together, they discuss Bassett’s aspirations for her children and the enduring legacy she hopes to leave behind. https://youtu.be/RmNUM3El35M Before and even after his death, James Brown was nothing short of the blueprint for many an entertainer. As a new single from the iconic vocalist proves, he’s still making an impact, 18 years after his passing. The song, titled “We Got to Change,” is a funky anthem recorded on August 16, 1970, at Criteria Studios in Miami. Fast forward 54 years and the track finds new life by being released on Feb. 16, 2024, by Republic/Universal Music Enterprises. According to AL.com, “We Got to Change” features “a strong social message, calling for people to come together, trust and love one another.” “Although indicative of Brown’s work, it languished in the vaults until now.” the site noted. In addition to Brown’s vocals, a press release promoting the “We Got to Change” noted assistance from legendary bassist Bootsy Collins, his brother, guitarist Phelps “Catfish” Collins, drummer Clyde Stubblefield, and singer Bobby Byrd. https://youtu.be/fqpVk8GAG0o “James Brown always leaned into the social tip,” Bootsy Collins said via the press release. “He always was trying to keep the youngsters informed and the people informed on what’s going on. The new breed was coming in and certain things were going out. He loved to inform people on what was coming and what was going to be because he felt like he was part of it, and he was.” The release of “We Got to Change” comes amid the airing of “James Brown: Say it Loud,” a new four-hour docuseries highlighting the music influencer’s life and career. A life that ranged from being a seventh-grade dropout to being arrested and jailed at 16 for breaking into a car in the Jim Crow-era South to becoming one of the greatest entertainers ever, with undeniable talent and perspective to back it up. The two-part special, which premiered in two hour-long episodes on Feb. 19 and continued with additional episodes on Feb. 20 on A&E, includes “footage of interviews and performances by Brown, as well as interviews with Collins, Mick Jagger, Questlove, LL Cool J, the Rev. Al Sharpton and more,” reported AL.com. https://youtu.be/iqaTuMpS09s Wendy Willaims may be out of the daytime TV spotlight, but the former talk show host remains in the minds of those concerned about her health and happenings. During an appearance on “The View,” Williams’ niece, Alex Finnie spoke of her famous aunt and the reason why Williams wanted to personally make sure her story was told right in Lifetime’s upcoming documentary “Where is Wendy Williams?” “It’s complicated and it’s so layered…it was hard at first as a family member to grasp, ‘Oh, Wendy why do want to do this?’ You know, you have clearly some health issues that need to be addressed a long road ahead of you,” Finnie said on the episode, which aired Feb. 22. “And she was adamant that she wanted to control the narrative of her story. One thing we know about my aunt, she has never shied away from saying it like she means it, as we know.” Once the notion of taking charge of the documentary was cemented, there was no convincing Williams to let anyone else at the project. “And despite conversations I’d had with her this is what she wanted to do,” Finnie continued. And we saw it all play out publicly in the blogs and everywhere and her ultimate decision was that, ‘Everybody’s telling my story, no matter how painful it is, I want to tell it.’ And so, it went from there.” https://youtu.be/HYALJQWmJBo Wendy Williams has opened up about her dementia diagnosis, expressing gratitude for the outpouring of love and support she’s received. However, amidst her acknowledgment of the support, she notably skirts around the medical/mental issue that many are eager to hear about. In a statement released on Friday (02-23-24), the former talk show host, who has been largely absent from the public eye due to personal challenges, addressed her recent diagnosis of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as relayed by her team. She expressed profound appreciation for the overwhelming response she has received since sharing her health struggles with the public. “I want to say I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Let me say, wow! Your response has been overwhelming,” Williams shared. https://youtu.be/dbK85RRqZb8 Wendy Williams’ medical care team has announced that she was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). “Wendy is still able to do many things for herself,” the team said, People reports. “Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed. She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.” According to a press release, Williams, 59, was officially diagnosed last year. She has been contending with various other health challenges, including Graves’ disease, lymphedema, and alcohol abuse. The Mayo Clinic reports that aphasia “typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative).” Per the release, “Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.” https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 Family members of Wendy Williams are speaking out about her health ahead of Lifetime’s new documentary, “Where Is Wendy Williams?” Wendy’s sister, Wanda Finnie, and niece, Alex Finnie, tell People that Williams is “in a wellness, healing type of environment.” to address cognitive issues. Wendy’s medical care team announced today that she was diagnosed last year with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). “I spoke with her yesterday and I speak with her very regularly when she reaches out to me. She is, from what I understand, in a wellness, healing type of environment,” Wanda said, per People. “We cannot reach out to her, but she can reach out to us. And she is in a healing place emotionally. She’s not the person that you see in this film.” Wanda and Alex also shared their thoughts on the upcoming raw and compelling Lifetime documentary filmed between 2022 and 2023. “Where is Wendy Williams?” chronicles Williams’ journey after her hit talk show was unexpectedly canceled. https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 50 Cent hit up social media on Wednesday to troll Floyd Mayweather for his comments about Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sexual assault allegations. Mayweather appeared on The Pivot Podcast and explained why he refuses to criticize Diddy following rape accusations. “I’m not gonna speak bad about P. Diddy,” the retired boxer said, Hip Hop DX reports. “‘Cause he still a Black man. Mistakes happen. And I can’t say if it is or not a mistake, but things happen in life. And P. Diddy’s business is P. Diddy’s business. It’s not my job or anybody else’s job to go on the internet and stomp him and kick a man while he’s down. “My take on it is: it’s not my business. I don’t think it’s right at all and I don’t condone it. Even if that happened to my daughter, I would be hurt but that’s a choice that my daughter made,” Mayweather added. 50 Cent shared a video of Mayweather’s comments on Instagram and captioned the clip, “[palm on face emoji] they didn’t even ask him about this, Champ, is you stupid or is you dumb? Get me the fuck out ya head, you sound like a hater. DIDDY DO IT ? COMING soon.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3nJCAsuz5z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again WE TV’s newest reality series from producer Carlos King, “Bold & Bougie,” premiered February 15. The unscripted series features Atlanta-based women, including Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, Princess Banton-Lofters, and Crystal Smith. Per the official synopsis, “The women of Bold & Bougie have spent their entire lives being cheerleaders for others. Now, it’s their turn to be the center of attention as they support each other and form an unbreakable sisterhood. In each hour-long episode, witness the growing pains that come from love, loss – and hangovers, because they still know how to have a good time.” The series description continues, “As they celebrate milestones, the women showcase their vibrant personalities and zest for life. However, this sisterhood isn’t without its challenges. From career aspirations to personal relationships, each faces unique challenges and triumphs. Some must confront and mend strained relationships, while others lean on each other during both the highs and lows of their journeys. Above all, these women have one common mission: To survive in this dog-eat-dog world, they’ll need to change their narrative and how they have previously been perceived by those around them.” https://youtu.be/jlS7DyGG_H8 Ex-NBA star and current NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley dropped a mini bombshell Wednesday night when he informed Nikki Haley that he was just itching to cast his vote her way – until she made the bold declaration that America is as racially innocent as a newborn lamb. “I was dying to vote for you,” bemoaned Barkley. “And that hurt me.” The drama unfolded as the former South Carolina Governor and self-styled 2024 Republican presidential contender found herself in the hot seat, facing a merciless grilling from none other than Gayle King and Barkley on their “King Charles” show on CNN. Their target? Haley’s audacious assertion that the good ol’ U.S. of A. isn’t a breeding ground for racism. “America has never been a racist country,” is the exact quote that came out of Haley’s mouth last month, King reminded her. https://youtu.be/QbpxLZGLMGs It’s been restored, but AT&T’s network went down for many of its customers across the United States Thursday morning, leaving customers unable to place calls, text or access the internet. By a little after 3 pm ET, roughly 11 hours after reports of the outage first emerged, the company said that it had restored service to all impacted customers. “We have restored wireless service to all our affected customers. We sincerely apologize to them,” AT&T said in a statement. The company added that it is “taking steps to ensure our customers do not experience this again in the future.” The Federal Communications Commission confirmed Thursday afternoon that it is investigating the outage. The White House says federal agencies are in touch with AT&T about network outages but that it doesn’t have all the answers yet on what exactly led to the interruptions. https://youtu.be/jAF2Wm41Foo Although Verizon and T-Mobile customers reported some network outages, too, they appeared far less widespread. T-Mobile and Verizon said their networks were unaffected by AT&T’s service outage and customers reporting outages may have been unable to reach customers who use AT&T. Thursday morning, more than 74,000 AT&T customers reported outages on the digital-service tracking site DownDetector, with service disruptions beginning around 4 am ET. That’s not a comprehensive number: It tracks only self-reported outages. Reports had been rising steadily throughout the morning but leveled off in the 9 am ET hour. By 12:30 pm ET, the DownDetector data showed some 25,000 AT&T customers still reporting outages. By 2 pm ET, fewer than 5,000 customers were still reporting issues. Earlier Thursday, AT&T acknowledged that it had a widespread outage but did not provide a reason for the system failure. https://youtu.be/EUedytqvYSE On Feb. 21, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) held a press conference at the State Capitol organized to introduce a package of reparations legislation the lawmakers call “a starting point” to atone for the state’s legacy of discrimination. All 12 members of the CLBC were present to explain their efforts to rectify the damages caused by the systemic discrimination against Black Californians detailed in the 1,100-page report by the first-in-the-nation California reparations task force. The nine-member panel submitted the recommendations on June 28, 2023. CLBC chairperson Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) said it may take three to seven years to pass legislation aimed at implementing the task force recommendations. The package the CLBC members presented consists of 14 legislative proposals, each designed to address different aspects of systemic racism and inequality. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=921269556336409 A new $2.5 million endowed scholarship has been established at Morehouse College by philanthropists Yolanda and Dale E. Jones '82, Chief Executive Officer of Magna Vista Partners, to help juniors and seniors who are struggling to pay for college in their final years. The scholarship will provide the upperclassmen with access to the resources they need to graduate. The gift to Morehouse was inspired in part by the financial challenges that Jones and his twin brother faced as first-generation college students 42 years ago. Months after the end of their popular Showtime series, The Kid Mero is revealing the reason for his split with his former partner Desus Nice. According to the media fixture, the parting came amid Mero (born Joel Martinez) realizing that he and Desus (born Daniel Baker) were in “two different places” in life, HotNewHipHop noted. For Mero, it was a matter of putting his family and ways to support them first. “I’ma keep it a buck. At first, I was upset. It’s the business. There are no friends in the business. I got four kids and two mortgages, you know what I’m saying? You know where I live, Joe, the taxes are cr*zy. I got real-life situations going on,” the patriarch explained recently on the “7PM In Brooklyn” podcast with co-hosts Carmelo Anthony and Joe Budden. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3Yisy1RwTC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “I work with kids helping them find their path,” said philanthropist/filmmaker/author Nicole Butler about the reason for publishing her new book “Imagine Becoming a…” (A&B Productions). “The book is based on what I do with the kids at my nonprofit. After training…I find a platform to showcase their talents. They grow up and further that education.” A&B Productions is the nonprofit that she mentors children through, as she mentors her children. “Somebody has to create hope,” she said about what motivates her. “The book vision, God gave it to me in 2020 when we were locked in (Covid). People had given up…I was thinking we can’t give up…Jesus said stay busy until I return.” Nicole Butler has stayed busy. The grandmother of 17, Butler’s youngest child Ben Foster was a prodigy with a filmmaking talent. She guided him into producing and directing short films that were screened all over the country, and that is when I met them. Centricity Music’s reigning Gospel Music Association New Artist of the Year, Katy Nichole, released her fourth radio single, “My God Can (feat. Naomi Raine),” which is already Top 15 and climbing on the Mediabase Christian Airplay chart along with multiple other charts internationally. Available at digital and streaming outlets globally via https://fanlink.to/MyGodCan, the song is also featured on the Jesus Changed My Life Deluxe edition of Nichole’s Dove Award-nominated debut album that is set to release March 15 and will be available to preorder March 1. Meeting for the first time at the 2023 GMA Dove Awards, where they both received trophies, Nichole and Raine, who is part of the five-time GRAMMY Award winning Maverick City Music collective, connected to record “My God Can” and will record a concept music video together for the song next month. Remarkably, the song’s YouTube lyric video that released last month has received over 1,500,000 views. “This song is so special because I got to write it with some of my closest friends,” says Nichole, referencing co-writers Josh Havens (The Afters), Jordan Mohilowski and Grammy®-nominated Ethan Hulse. “And I got to collaborate with the beautiful and talented Naomi Raine, which was such an honor. “I’m standing in the confidence that even though I can’t, my God can!” continues Nichole. “And I hope this song is an anthem that gives you the confidence to trust fully in God.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQATwkAklYw The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) continued with a special occasion on Thursday, February 15, at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of The Ja’Net DuBois Lifetime Achievement Award to actor and director Bill Duke, alongside the red carpet world premiere of the Ethiopian war film “For the Love of the Motherland.” Four-time NBA Champion John Salley expressed deep admiration for Bill Duke’s remarkable career and his commitment to showcasing diverse narratives as both an actor and filmmaker. The event attracted many Hollywood notables, including Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, and casting director Robi Reed. In response to what he enjoyed most about PAFF, Jimmy Jean-Louis shared, “Pan African Film Festival is one of those film festivals where, as a black person, you really have choices. It’s a good way to educate yourself, it’s a good way to see people who look like you, [and] stories that speak to you.” Here is an exclusive clip from National Geographic’s “GENIUS: MLK/X” starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Aaron Pierre as Malcolm X. This latest installment of the award-winning ‘GENIUS’ franchise focuses on Dr. King and Malcolm X and how their dueling philosophies helped usher America through the Civil Rights Movement, per the press release. The eight-part series premiered Feb. 1 on National Geographic and streams on Disney+ and Hulu. The highlighted clip above underscores that despite the president’s signing of the Civil Rights Act, the process of registering to vote doesn’t unfold as smoothly as anticipated. We reported earlier that Ambassador Shabazz (producer, writer, diplomat, and eldest daughter of Dr. Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X Shabazz) served as consulting producer for the series. https://youtu.be/lSAI6alby18 Tiffany Haddish is facing backlash for taking an “educational trip” to Israel amid the Hamas conflict, which has left over 30,000 Palestinians dead. Haddish had a Bat Mitzvah at 40 when she learned she was Jewish. She went live on Instagram during a 16-hour flight to Israel and told fans she was traveling to “learn and see with my own eyes.” “I’m gonna go meet my future man out there. I’m out. I’m going to the Holy Land. I suggest you all do it,” Haddish added. “On my way to Tel Aviv, then to Jerusalem. Then I’m going to the Dead Sea and goin’ get me some. Gonna have some fun, yeah. It’s gonna be great. Then I’m gonna learn about the politics, ay,” the comedian shared. When a fan asked about visiting Gaza, Haddish replied, “Who said I wasn’t going to Gaza? I said I’m going to go see with my own eyes. Gotta go to Israel first.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-02-21-022124-tiffany-haddish-intv-1780988-073/ For the first time in history, one of the most extensive plantations associated with a slave revolt in Louisiana is now Black-owned. More than two centuries ago, numerous enslaved individuals fled a plantation in LaPlace, embarking on a march along the Mississippi River toward New Orleans. Today, the site of this uprising is owned by The Descendants Project nonprofit, WWL Louisiana reports. Officials from The Descendants Project recently revealed that they acquired the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House. “This is an extremely important historic site to this legacy of resistance,” said Joy Banner, co-founder of The Descendants Project, during a livestream of the announcement on Feb. 15. https://youtu.be/v2to3S0iabE The Descendants Project was established to safeguard the Black descendant community in Louisiana’s River Parishes, WWL Louisiana reports. “Throughout St. John the Baptist Parish, important sites like this one were in danger of being erased,” Joy Banner said. “We believe that preservation of these sites is more important than ever because of the attacks on Black history in our education system in particular. Sites like these will have to be the ones telling these stories.” Joy and her twin sister and fellow founder, Dr. Joy Banner, hope to use the space as a “cultural institution of education” and also for doing “archaeological and genealogical projects on plantation grounds, where they said they believe historical artifacts and information could still be found.” On the future uses of the plantation, the Banners will seek input from the Black community. https://youtu.be/Qdfrb6Yx99o Black entrepreneur Silas White owned the land where the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica now stands. He died in 1962, four years after the city acquired the property through eminent domain. White’s descendants now call on the city to return the land to the family. NBC Los Angeles reports that White purchased the site in 1957 “and the former Elks Lodge building that sat on it, just two blocks from the beach, with hopes of turning the space into the Ebony Beach Club, a place where the local Black community could come together and socialize,” the outlet writes. A year later, the city exercised eminent domain to acquire the property and demolished the building. “We were all silent about it, and Milana even lived with my mom for a while and she mentioned that my mother never said anything about it,” said Connie White, Silas’ daughter, per NBC Los Angeles. https://youtu.be/HG9d1p3d8hU Former NBA player Matt Barnes is out as an analyst for the Sacramento Kings television after he had an incident with a student announcer. The move comes weeks after Barnes confronted a student play-by-play announcer at a high school basketball game in Los Angeles, Awful Announcing reports. The incident occurred while Barnes attended his son’s game with Crespi Carmelite in a match-up against Harvard-Westlake. Barnes was upset when his son was hit with a technical foul and yelled at the referees. A viral video shows him walking to the scorer’s table and putting his hand on the shoulder of a student announcer, Jake Lancer. Lancer said he was announcing a delay due to Barnes cursing out the refs, and that’s when Matt threatened to “slap the s*** out of” him. On X/Twitter, user @jpoliva626 wrote, “What you all are failing to report is Barnes going up to our broadcaster, a high school senior, grabbing his shoulder while questioning what he’s saying on the livestream after he calls the ref a B**** multiple times because his son got a tech.” https://youtu.be/RvGTg6EExfc Angel Reese’s request to trademark her “Bayou Barbie” nickname was denied by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, citing a conflict with the Mattel-owned Barbie doll brand. An attorney for the LSU star, Darren Heitner, said they would not appeal the decision.“We discussed internally and determined that it was in Angel’s best interest to not unnecessarily instigate Mattel,” Heitner told On3’s Pete Nakos. “While initially it seemed worthy to obtain the registration, Angel has pivoted away from selling Bayou Barbie merchandise. As such, the appropriate business decision was made to simply let the application abandon.” We reported earlier that Reese became one of the highest-paid women’s college basketball players after LSU’s NCAA champion win. According to the New York Post, her NIL (name, image and likeness) valuation reached $1.6 million last summer. The All-American forward is securing six-figure NIL deals with brands across beauty, fashion, sports, fitness, and lifestyle — such as Calvin Klein, Bose, Coach, Raising Cane’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Leaf Trading Cards, Bleacher Report, Outback Steakhouse, Playstation and the artificial intelligence company Caktus AI. An adult high school that opened up in Baltimore late last year is exceeding expectations. It’s a huge opportunity for the estimated 80,000 Baltimore residents who don’t have their high school diplomas. In just three months after opening its doors, the Goodwill Baltimore Excel Center has already reached maximum capacity and has extended the day classes to go until 6. They break down barriers that prevent some of these students from finishing school. Pick up your pencils and get ready to learn, term three has started for adult high school at the Baltimore Excel Center. https://youtu.be/95FHcDGXBq4 Funded through Goodwill and the state of Maryland, the program allows adults ages 21 and up to take the necessary classes left to earn their high school diploma. “Students with a variety of backgrounds and credit loads so we’ll get their transcripts from them and whatever credits they earned in high school they get to keep,” said Sherry Defrancisci who is the Director of Adult High School at Excel Center. Then it’s just about making up the remainder of credits to graduate. But if you’ve never started high school you start from the beginning. “You’re on an 8th-grade reading level and you come to us it will take you two years to complete four years of high school work,” said Defrancisci. Opening the door to opportunity the program has a 70 percent passage rate. https://youtu.be/1VoI5Np8a_Y On Tuesday’s “Today” episode, Hoda Kotb addressed reports that Kelly Rowland allegedly walked out of a scheduled interview because the dressing room was not up to her standards. Kotb confirmed the superstar singer bailed on her but clarified that no love is lost between her and Rowland. Rita Ora was tapped to fill in for Kelly at the last minute. “I just want to say this: I have great love and admiration for Kelly Rowland,” Kotba said on the show, TooFab reports. “I adore her and I want her to come back on our show and I want her to host again.”Co-host Jenna Bush Hager said Rowland “is welcome any time!”“Of course she is!” Kotb added. “She can share my dressing room. We’ll be in it together!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1759963530550190520 Kelly Rowland’s dressing room controversy pulled into Sherri Shepherd’s daytime talk show on Monday, where she received proper A-list treatment from the host. Shepherd posted a clip from the segment on her Instagram page, and one person commented, “I guess her dressing room was acceptable,” and Shepherd replied, “oh we gave her a gorgeous room!” The talk show shared a video of Rowland’s dressing room on Instagram. “A TIME WAS HAD with the legendary Kelly Rowland at the Sherri Show,” read the caption. Rowland reportedly walked out of a scheduled “Today” interview with Hoda Kotb last Thursday because the dressing room was not up to her standards. As a result, Rita Ora joined Kotb for the segment. On Tuesday’s “Today” episode, Kotb confirmed that the R&B superstar bailed on her but clarified that no love is lost between her and Rowland. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3iYruIL19n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Brittney Griner’s alma mater, Baylor University, retired her No. 42 jersey on Sunday at Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas. The move comes 14 months after Griner was released from a Russian prison after being convicted of drug smuggling. “Just full of emotion,” Griner told ESPN during the Bears’ game against Texas Tech. “As soon as (the jersey) started to go up, that’s when I started to break.” Griner is the seventh women’s basketball player from Baylor to have her jersey number retired. “I’m honored to return home to Baylor and celebrate where so much of my journey started,” Griner said last month when her jersey retirement ceremony was announced. “I’m grateful to Coach Nicki (Collen) and the entire Baylor community and am looking forward to the opportunity to be back on campus, spend time with the team and have my family beside me to share in this incredible moment. Sic ’Em Bears.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1759344601045819827 Stephen A. Smith called out Newsweek writer Kira Davis for a recent column in which she implied that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was hired because of DEI practices (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Smith clapped back at Davis’ column in a video posted Sunday on X/Twitter.“ This woman should be ashamed of herself,” Smith said of Davis, “because no matter what Fani Willis may have done wrong, it has absolutely nothing to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Smith added, “It has absolutely nothing to do with DEI. The office that she has, no one is disputing that she’s qualified for it. You may not like her and her personal choices — having a relationship with a contemporary. I get that part; but to sit up there and to say it’s a DEI issue just because she’s in her position is utterly ridiculous.” In the column, Davis (a Black conservative woman) called Willis “sour,” “angry,” and “stupid,” and Smith said the writer needs to pump the brakes on the stereotypical characterizations. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jFZCZ99Fo7U?feature=share Two men (Lyndell Mays, of Raytown, and Dominic M. Miller) were charged with murder and other felony charges for their roles in the mass shooting after a Kansas City Chiefs championship rally last week, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said Tuesday. Mays, of Raytown, and Miller, of Kansas City, were both charged with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action, the prosecutor’s office said. They are being held on $1 million bond. According to the investigation, Mays was in a verbal argument with another person that escalated, and Mays then drew a handgun. Almost immediately, Miller and others pulled their firearms, leading to the shootout, Baker said. The two did not know each other before that day, Baker added. Both defendants have been hospitalized and in custody since the shooting, she said. https://youtu.be/RLBU6r4dY9w?list=RDNSRLBU6r4dY9w Though they were both charged with murder, Miller’s firearm was the one that fatally wounded Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a 43-year-old mother of two and local DJ and radio host. These defendants are separate from the two teenagers who face gun-related and resisting arrest charges and are in secure detention at the Juvenile Detention Center, according to Baker. Additional arrests are possible, Baker said. The charges come a week after the deadly shooting that left Lopez-Galvan dead and wounded more than 20 others, including nearly a dozen children. The shooting outside Union Station sparked chaos and put a tragic end to what had been a euphoric day of celebration for the back-to-back Super Bowl champions. Police initially said Wednesday they detained three people after the shooting, but one was later “determined to not be involved.” https://youtu.be/ccae4ZfI_AU 50 Cent hit up social media to wish Dr. Dre a happy birthday and teased that they have “some New Heat coming.” “Happy Birthday to my boy Dre, we got some New Heat coming,” 50 captioned a throwback photo of him and Dre. In the post’s comments, one fan called 50 and Dre “One of the greatest Duos ever.” Another added, “We need a whole album produced by Dre and Em.” Complex reports that 50 Cent commemorated the 20th anniversary of “Get Rich Or Die Tryin'” last year by acknowledging Dre and Eminem’s contributions to the album’s success. “When you have a team like this it’s hard to lose, I’m so blessed to have worked with the best ever,” 50 wrote on Instagram at the time. “You can re-write a book, you can re-write a song but you can’t re-write history. The 3 headed monster EM, DRE and 50cent. Boom.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3gBAZ9u33p/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=656feb14-1131-4349-aabc-9f94c3bd13b8 A Washington, D.C. resident is taking legal action against Powerball and the D.C. Lottery for failing to honor a $340 million prize last year. John Cheeks claims his numbers matched those on the D.C. Lottery’s website. Lottery officials, however, denied his prize after claiming the numbers on the website were erroneous, NBC News reports. Cheeks purchased the Powerball ticket on Jan. 6, 2023, for the Jan. 7 drawing. When he checked his numbers on Jan. 8, he was stunned to see they matched. “I got a little excited, but I didn’t shout, I didn’t scream,” Cheeks said. “I just politely called a friend. I took a picture as he recommended, and that was it. I went to sleep.” Unfortunately for Cheeks, the numbers displayed on the D.C. Lottery website did not match the ones drawn in the Powerball lottery on January 7th. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GGrQo9-WwAAv9kH?format=jpg&name=small Naimah Muhammad was first introduced to gymnastics at the age of nine when her parents signed her up for a community gym in Rochester, New York.Muhammad said she became passionate about the sport, competing locally and statewide with other gymnasts. But over the years, Muhammad said one thing consistently stood out with every team and competition: she was one of the few Black girls participating. “It was hard,” she said. “I always looked up to the older girls who were doing gymnastics but there weren’t a lot of older girls wo looked like me.” Muhammad said she was inspired to keep competing after watching Gabby Douglas become the first Black gymnast to win the Olympic gold individual all-around title during the 2012 London Olympics. https://youtu.be/J_S6zVThxjY While Biles and Douglas’ triumphs on the Olympic stage have inspired many, athletes and coaches say there is still more work to be done to make gymnastics more inclusive at the collegiate and community level. In 2020, Black women made up roughly 9% of student-athletes in NCAA Division I women’s gymnastics programs, up from 7% in 2012, according to the NCAA demographics database. But Tarver said there are still NCAA teams that are all-White or only have one Black gymnast. “Is it better than it was? Yes,” Tarver said. “Are we moving at a rate that we should be? That’s debatable.” Muhammad said at times she struggled to be the lone person of color in a majority White space and felt insecure as a young gymnast because she had a different hair texture than her White teammates. Her White teammates also had different interests, such as going to the tanning salon together, she said. https://youtu.be/DQjr6nkDeUw Due to the critical nature of the situation, today’s canvas and press conference for Sanai Makayla Singh has been canceled. However, there is relieving news to share: the Ebony alert – issued by the LAPD & CHP yesterday – on behalf of Sanai Singh was successful, and she has been found safe. “Adrienne Hutchinson, the mother of Sanai Singh, and her family members want to express their heartfelt gratitude to the community members, media outlets, and law enforcement agencies whose concerted efforts led to Sanai’s safe return,” stated family spokesperson Najee Ali. While details regarding Sanai’s situation remain undisclosed, the primary relief stems from knowing that she is now out of harm’s way. For those who may have missed the original story, below is a recap of the events leading up to Sanai’s safe return. https://youtu.be/GpcHja72gmc Collaborating with a who’s who of music royalty over three decades, it’s a safe bet that Kid Capri knows a thing or three about making a great alliance.And his latest endeavor is no exception. The Grammy-winning DJ / producer has linked up with underground rap sensation The Hoodies for the group’s latest album, “Hidden Gems.” The 12-track opus highlights Capri’s skills composing beats as well as lyricism from Hoodies members Eben “E-Class” Nettles and Umar “Young Poppa” Abrams. Although “Hidden Gems” marks the first time Capri and The Hoodies have worked together, the project is a long time coming. According to the mixtape legend, E-Class and Young Poppa hit the ground running with natural chemistry and a common willingness to rhyme over any given beat. “When they walked in, they did the first four beats I gave them,” Capri told EURweb. “I did the first record and they did the next four beats I gave them. They just came and had rhymes ready. They didn’t complain about they didn’t like the beat or they want a different track or none of that. They just did it. So that was one thing that made me fall like right in line with them.” https://youtu.be/G4z3r_VPTyM “… remember these are young dudes. They could have been in the street doing crazy shit, coming up in upstate New York,” Capri explained. “Where they come from, it’s very easy to fall into things. But they went a different route. That was one thing I looked at. I looked at how they love each other, you know, how they work, how fast they work, if they had an ego. …that’s more to me than the talent because you could deal with the talent,” he added. “And later on, when the talent gets big, they give you they ass to kiss, you know what I’m saying? So if you don’t have that straight in the beginning, if they don’t have their heart in the right place, then I don’t really wanna work with artists like that, no matter how good you are.” https://youtu.be/9qVE3RV2Jpw With their underground following, lyrical talent, positive attitude, and dedication to the culture, Capri sees a bright future ahead for The Hoodies. “I see them being different. I see them being really big and on top of that, right now they’re going through the grind, man. This is their first album; you know what I’m saying? They’re going through the grind and people love the album.” https://youtu.be/_7m9unIruTQ Although the reaction has been positive, Capri notes The Hoodie’s independent status as promotion of “Hidden Gems” is active without a big record label pushing the project. “So we have to go with how we gotta go,” he said. “We don’t have any big machine behind us. But in the time right now, where everybody’s coming out and everybody is out and there’s so much music out there, you can get lost in it. So that’s why we do it the way we do it. We ain’t looking for any handouts. We work hard and stay on it. And with me being who I am, I’m not gonna co-sign anything that I don’t believe in, you know what I’m saying? So I believe in these dudes and I think they’re gonna go all the way to the top.” Led by the single “I’m Hot” and its accompanying remix, “Hidden Gems” offers different sides of The Hoodies to the listener. Whether it’s drill music (“Top of New York”), dance music (“I’m Hot” remix), or something for the ladies (“Ride With You”), Capri wanted a diverse musical plate fans could taste, in seeing what the group is capable of. “This is their first album. So I didn’t want them to be in a box. I didn’t want them to be considered boom-bap rappers because you know them to do a lot of freestyles, a lot of boom-bap beats, and a lot of different things like that,” he said. https://youtu.be/_7m9unIruTQ Amazon MGM Studios Presents released a new trailer for filmmaker Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” starring Zendaya. The romantic sports comedy film follows “three players who knew each other when they were teenagers as they compete in a tennis tournament to be the world-famous grand slam winner and reignite old rivalries on and off the court,” per the official synopsis. Zendaya stars as Tashi Duncan, “a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – West Side Story), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor – The Crown) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win,” the description states. Guadagnino previously praised Zendaya for learning tennis skills for the role in “Challengers.” https://youtu.be/VobTTbg-te0 “I mean, wow. We edited the movie and we almost actually don’t use any of her double. She’s so good,” he continued. “They spent like three months working very hard,” Guadagnino shared. “Everybody – technically, athletically.” https://youtu.be/MDnVk5jIJr0 Unlimited Entertainment and Baron Jay Enterprises present “When A Woman’s Fed Up” stage play, coming to the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit, Michigan March 3rd through 9th 2024. Late playwrights David T. Payton and Annette Campbell delve into the tangled web of love, lies, and deception and prove that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Last year, Black staffers at ABC News spoke to Disney CEO Bob Iger about the company’s treatment of network president Kim Godwin. Several employees reportedly expressed frustration over the network’s lack of support for Godwin, the first Black person to run a network news division. According to the Wall Street Journal, Iger aimed to reassure the Black staffers that he and Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden were committed to Kim Godwin’s success. After Disney announced last week that they would be restructuring, she was effectively demoted.Godwin was demoted despite getting her contract renewed, the New York Post reports. In an article titled “Staffers cheer ABC News shakeup as President Kim Godwin’s days could be numbered: sources,” Alexandra Steigrad writes: “The Disney-owned network elevated veteran exec Debra OConnell on Wednesday to helm a new division that would encompass ABC News — putting Godwin under her — amid softening ratings at top-ranked shows ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘World News Tonight with David Muir.’” HIV/AIDS activist Hydeia Broadbent has passed away of natural causes at age 39.Essence reports that Broadbent died in her sleep on February 20th. Her father confirmed the sad news in a Facebook post. An earlier EUR report noted that Hydeia was age six when she captivated millions with her message of hope for those living with HIV/AIDS. She appeared on national talk shows such as “The Oprah Winfrey Show” at age 12, as well as PSA’s for MTV, BET and VH1. “By age 12, Broadbent was the face of the AIDS movement, appearing on national programs like the Oprah Winfrey Show and speaking at the Republican National Convention (1996). Broadbent would go on to win numerous awards and recognitions, and receive the key to her city, Las Vegas.” https://youtu.be/MJv5fELStqQ Closing arguments in the Jam Master Jay murder trial are set to begin Tuesday at a federal court in Brooklyn. Karl Jordan, Jr. and Ronald Washington are accused of killing Jam Master Jay, Jason Mizell, after he allegedly cut them out of a drug deal. Prosecutors have tried to paint the two men accused in Jay’s death as calculated killers who bragged about killing years after his death. Meanwhile, the defense has tried to point to the lack of evidence as to why the two men should be acquitted. Last week a former roommate of a man accused of killing Jam Master Jay told the court that he heard the accused shooter say he wanted to “kill him again” about two years after the murder. According to the Daily News, witness Cherubin Bastien told the federal court that when he lived with accused killer Karl “Little D” Jordan, Jay Master Jay’s name came up in conversation twice during the nine months they were roommates. Bastien admitted to the court that he was an avid drug user and drove a cab in Queens when he moved in with Jordan. On the weekends, he would drive Jordan and two friends to upper Manhattan. On one of those trips, Bastien said that Jam Master Jay came up in conversation and that Jordan said, “If I got to kill him, I’ll kill him again.”On another accusation, Bastien heard Jordan threaten a woman during an argument in the driveway of their Hollis home. “He said, ‘I’ll do you like him, like Master Jay,’” Bastien recalled. A North Carolina high school has been reprimanded by its school district for having a pair of doors inside the building “decorated” as being “colored” and “white” entrances last week in a Black History Month commemoration gone wrong. A photo of the doors at Charlotte West High School shows a makeshift sign above them reading “Sears Department Store 1930.” The image went viral and has been widely shared on social media. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3iNzeUOrRD/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e3bb1dff-1163-4f66-9cf5-5132b24cd4e2 She might’ve played your favorite character in a handful of classic Black TV shows and movies over the past few decades — shoutout to 1999’s The Wood and five great seasons of Soul Food on Showtime — but seasoned actress Malinda Williams has recently become our personal fave due to her entrepreneurial efforts in helping to usher in the next wave of melanated female computer programmers. Together with her non-profit Arise And Shine Foundation Inc., Williams has launched an initiative called the E.S.T.E.A.M. Project aimed specifically towards women attending HBCUs. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3gi00exl4b/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5571d057-8de0-48da-b009-559b779bca37 What does the relationship between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade have to do with Donald Trump? As you all know, Willis appointed Wade to prosecute Trump and more than a dozen co-defendants accused of election interference in Georgia’s 2020 election. The case—which the whiny minions of the MAGA world were already treating like it was Jim Crow for right-wing politicians—came under even more scrutiny after an attorney for defendant Michael Roman motioned to have Willis and Wade dismissed over an alleged romantic relationship they had, which Willis eventually admitted to. Now, Republicans across the country are acting like they’ve uncovered some huge bombshell that destroys Willis’ entire narrative and case against Trump. Don’t get me wrong, appointing an attorney Willis had a love affair with as special prosecutor in a high-profile and heavily scrutinized case like this one was, to say the least, unwise, but, ultimately, what has changed for Trump or any of the other defendants in this case? On Monday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an op-ed written by Kelly Loeffler, the former Republican U.S. senator from Georgia who was unseated in 2020 by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. The op-ed appears to be aimed at calling on Judge Scott McAfee to remove Willis from the case, which, of course, is pretty pointless considering there is already an ongoing hearing to determine whether she should be removed. “Willis’ conflict of interest shatters any notion that the case against Trump has been prosecuted fairly. Her scheme is disqualifying,” Loeffler wrote. Here’s the thing about conservatives: For all of their blustering about how untrustworthy the “fake news” media is, they sure do seem to take every media headline they come across at face value so long as what’s being reported is exactly what they want to believe. Meet Denton Loudermill. You might already know Loudermill as the illegal immigrant who was recently arrested in connection with the deadly Feb. 14 shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs parade celebrating the team’s Super Bowl win. Tennesse Congressman Tim Burchett (R) alerted the masses to Loudermill’s ghastly crime and arrest tweeting, “One of the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade shooters has been identified as an illegal Alien.” Burchett’s post, which reportedly reached more than 25 million people, was left up for days while his followers blasted Loudermill as an evil, violent foreign terrorist who proves the clear and present threat migrants pose to the U.S. Of course, there’s only one problem with the entire narrative: Denton Loudermill is not an illegal immigrant, and his brief detainment during the parade had nothing to do with the shooting. It’s been 59 years since the assassination of Malcolm X, and the conspiracy surrounding his untimely death still weighs heavy on a culture missing one of its greatest leaders. Attorney Ben Crump is doing his part to continue the fight for truth and justice in the murder of Malcolm X. The nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney will host a news conference on Feb. 21, the day Malcolm was assassinated, to introduce two new witnesses who offered evidence in the alleged conspiracy case. It will take place at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in New York City. According to a press release sent to NewsOne, two elderly witnesses were security associates of Malcolm X, arrested a week before his assassination, and had never spoken before publicly. The family of Malcolm X will also be present, as well as co-counsel on the case, Ray Hamlin and Flint Taylor. Attorney Flint Taylor, from the People’s Law Office, represented the family of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, who was assassinated in 1969 at the age of 21. The day Malcolm X was assassinated will be etched in the history books forever. When we talk about his death, we usually have the same conversations. We talk about the Nation of Islam and how many believed the organization that took him in was the same one responsible for his death. A public celebration of the life and legacy of Harry Belafonte has been announced nearly nine months after the actor, activist and legendary singer died. The details of the event were revealed to the media on Tuesday. Belafonte’s family is holding the “Celebration of Life” event on March 1, which would have been his 97th birthday. The celebration is set to be held at the iconic Riverside Church in New York City. The public celebration is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., with doors to the church opening at 5 p.m. Belafonte’s close friends and family are expected to give remarks and musical performances both in person as well as via video, according to a press release. “Star is returning. As reported by Blex Media, Lee Daniels has hinted at the revival of “Star” for the small screen. Daniels responded to an Instagram post by @Iamzoie, where the latter expressed their fervent desire for the show’s comeback. In his response, Daniels expressed gratitude for the support and revealed that the project is in progress, albeit delayed due to his involvement in other endeavors. “Love you for this. It is being written. I appreciate everybody’s love! It’s just taken me FOREVER cause I have other projects…It’s crazy, I had NO IDEA when I created this show the response would be like this. #grateful.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3k5GA8Mvyb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is installing fast-charging stations in underserved communities to make electric vehicles more accessible. The initiative will mostly impact south and east L.A. and the San Fernando Valley. Working-class residents can receive a $4,000 rebate on used electric vehicles as part of the program, LA Focus reports. LADWP wants to connect with local partners, particularly landowners, who want to help the city meet its carbon-free energy goal by 2035. Several local churches have agreed to help with the expansion plans. “We realized each one of our churches has property,” said Bishop Noel Jones, senior pastor at the City of Refuge Church. “So that when we put together the EV stations, we wouldn’t have to buy the property and church folk can come and get charged while they’re in church.” Jones added, “We are extremely glad to be a part of the partnership that is being put forward by not only our mayor but by LADWP. And I guarantee you that with their support, and our support, we’re going to make things happen and change things.” Monica has addressed rumors surrounding a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), citing her delicate health as a deterrent from such procedures. During a livestream clip on Monday (February 19), a fan jokingly inquired about her “BBL doctor,” prompting the “So Gone” singer to respond. She quipped, “Oh, y’all are joking today too!” before explaining, “My health is far too fragile for that kind of play.” Displaying a pair of Spanx shorts, she revealed them as her sole form of support, dismissing any notion of cosmetic enhancements. https://twitter.com/i/status/1759993433723371532 Lionsgate has new production BORDERLANDS starring Kevin Hart, Cate Blanchett, and Jamie Lee Curtis.Synopsis: Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous bounty hunter with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home, Pandora, the most chaotic planet in the galaxy. Her mission is to find the missing daughter of Atlas (Ramírez), the universe’s most powerful S.O.B. Lilith forms an unexpected alliance with a ragtag team of misfits – Roland (Hart), a seasoned mercenary on a mission; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound protector; Tannis (Curtis), the oddball scientist who’s seen it all; and Claptrap (Black), a wiseass robot. Together, these unlikely heroes must battle an alien species and dangerous bandits to uncover one of Pandora’s most explosive secrets. The universe’s fate could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other. Based on one of the best-selling videogame franchises of all time, welcome to BORDERLANDS. https://youtu.be/lU_NKNZljoQ JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, February 21 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Chef JJ trades stories and shares delicious recipes with sports anchor Khristina Williams. The night's menu consists of lamb shanks with sweet potato polenta. JJ's custom cocktail is a delicate champagne infused with mango and ginger beer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJXwON4dDvI The Smollett sibling duo returns to CLEO TV tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET/8C with hit series, LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. This season, Jake and Jazz will continue to share beautiful home makeovers, prepare delicious family recipes, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for a lucky group of homeowners. Tonight, Jake and Jazz create an office space for a hard-working millennial woman in Bedstuy. Jake refurbishes a desk to look brand new and Jazz designs with earth tone colors to incite creative, unique space. The reveal meal is mouthwatering catfish bites with grits and fried cream filled cookies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6BpFeFLPwI One of the messy disagreements among Black comedians came to a head over the weekend when Donnell Rawlings confronted fellow comic Corey Holcomb at a comedy club in Los Angeles. The confrontation stemmed from an insult related to Dave Chappelle that was directed at Rawlings by Holcomb. According to reports, the incident occurred at the Laugh Factory, where Rawlings performed a set followed by Holcomb, who reportedly made derogatory remarks about Rawlings and Dave Chappelle. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-02-19-021924-corey-holcomb-1779758-646/ Rawlings, feeling the need to defend his friend, whom he had previously worked with on “Chappelle’s Show,” confronted Holcomb. A video of the argument obtained by TMZ shows Rawlings angrily addressing Holcomb, who in turn taunts Rawlings, questioning his credibility and comedic skills. The situation, unfolding in front of the audience, must have been quite intense. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-02-19-021924-corey-holcomb-sub-1779756-426/ A Haitian judge has charged former first lady Martine Moïse, as well as the nation’s ex-prime minister and police chief, about the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. These three are among 51 individuals implicated in the case, which includes former Colombian soldiers, close aides of the slain president, and other Haitian government officials and politicians as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The indictment alleges that Martine Moïse, who sustained serious injuries in the attack, played a role in her husband’s assassination. The judge noted inconsistencies in her statements and some evidence suggesting she may have been aware of a plot against the former president. Testimony from two co-defendants indicated that she expressed interest in running for president post-assassination. Investigating Judge Walther Voltaire’s accusation did not provide proof that Martine Moïse directly participated in the conspiracy to kill President Moïse. Moïse’s attorney based in Florida, Paul Turner, did not respond to requests for comment. An arrest warrant was issued in Haiti in October after she failed to comply with a summons for questioning. Her current location is unknown. Following the attack, she received medical treatment in the U.S. and criticized Haiti’s judiciary system as corrupt on social media. https://youtu.be/I8LF7b6jcrQ Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” could be the first $100 movie of 2024. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, InideWire reports that the biopic’s three-day total is about $27.7 million against a $70 million production cost. The outlet writes, “Reviews were not good (43 Metacritic), but it has an A Cinemascore and two weeks with little competition. It could become the first domestic $100-million grossing film of 2024.” We reported earlier that “Bob Marley: One Love” earned a remarkable $51 million over six days. With a four-day total of $33.2 million, “Bob Marley: One Love” accomplished what’s expected of musical biopics about legendary figures. For context, the acclaimed “Bohemian Rhapsody” debuted with a three-day opening of $51 million. The film has amassed a global total of $80 million to date. https://youtu.be/ajw425Kuvtw Forty years ago, the Bill Pickett Rodeo was established to showcase the heritage of Black Cowboys in America. Fort Worth considered the birthplace of the West, serves as the perfect setting to commemorate this history during Black History Month. “I’ve been involved in rodeo my whole life,” shared Marcus Verser, a seasoned cowboy from Spencer, Oklahoma. For Verser, rodeo symbolizes more than just competition. Participating in the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth on a Saturday night, he emphasized, “I appreciate the excitement, enjoyment, and the crowd. The prize money is a nice bonus, but my passion lies in the essence of rodeo.” This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Bill Pickett Rodeo, established in 1984 to raise awareness about the significant presence and contributions of Black Cowboys in shaping the American West, reports CBS News Texas. https://youtu.be/f977QlFNwtk The Bill Pickett Rodeo offers a platform for Black cowboys and cowgirls to demonstrate their talents in various events, such as barrel racing and bull riding, captivating audiences from Memphis to Oakland and, of course, in Fort Worth. Attending the rodeo with his family, Owen Moore expressed, “The camaraderie, the thrill from the crowd, and the remarkable abilities displayed by these cowboys and cowgirls are truly inspiring.” Marcus Verser, a seasoned competitor in rodeos nationwide, clinched the top spot in the bronc riding competition, showcasing his prowess and celebrating his rich cowboy heritage. https://youtu.be/JJR_zfnsLtI When I watched Fulton County DA Fani Willis’ testimony during her hearing on misconduct allegations, the lesson she said her father taught her (staying ready with cash) was all too familiar. I grew up as the only child of a single mother. My mother imparted a lot of lessons, including the one about always having enough money to pay your way home, just in case things don’t go as planned. So, whether I’m on the other side of town – or the other side of the world – if I don’t have the money to pay my way back home, I need to stay at home. Another lesson my mother taught me: ‘You teach people how to treat you!’ So, when I learned that Kelly Rowland walked off the set of the ‘Today Show,’ and the reason why, I had to speak on it. https://youtu.be/l9-v-bPOIj4 Producer Jeffery Seller and Broadway in Hollywood proudly announce that HAMILTON will return to the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement running September 4 – October 13, 2024. This will mark the third engagement of HAMILTON in Los Angeles at the Pantages in the show’s touring history. HAMILTON will be available as a season add-on to all who purchase the soon-to-be-announced 2024-2025 Broadway in Hollywood Season at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. The new season will be announced on Friday, February 23rd. Current Broadway in Hollywood Season Ticket Holders with renewable packages will have PRIORITY access to HAMILTON beginning Monday, March 18, 2024, once renewed. Theater fans who purchase NEW 2024-2025 season packages will also have priority access to HAMILTON beginning Monday, March 18th, before any single ticket presales. Individual tickets for HAMILTON will go on sale to the public at a later date, yet to be announced. In our exclusive interview with executive producers Todd A. Kessler and Lorenzo di Bonaventura, the creative minds behind the highly anticipated Apple TV series “The New Look” delve into the intricacies and inspirations driving this groundbreaking production. “The New Look” is a visually arresting historical drama series by Kessler, starring Emmy Award winner Ben Mendelsohn as ‘Christian Dior’ and Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche as ‘Coco Chanel.’ https://youtu.be/lXN5Ws7LxkA The Roots and Live Nation Urban have announced the “Roots Picnic” lineup 2024, going down June 1 and 2 at The Mann in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, Pa. According to the news release, Lil Wayne will headline the festival with The Roots. Other artists confirmed to perform are André 3000, Victoria Monét, Gunna, Nas, Tyla, Sexyy Red, Babyface, Cam’ron, Fantasia, Muni Long and more. Jill Scott will co-headline the festival which also features Sexyy Red, Smino, Adam Blackstone featuring Fantasia & Muni Long, Wale, Robert Glasper featuring Yebba, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and more. Ernie Hudson stars in the “Quantum Leap” two-hour Season 2 finale airing Feb. 20 at 9 p.m. The science fiction series is a revival of the 1989 show created by Donald P. Bellisario. Hudson stars in the reboot as Herbert “Magic” Williams, a no-nonsense career military man who helms the highly confidential Quantum Leap accelerator operation. Per the Season 2 series synopsis, “It’s been nearly 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now, a new team, led by physicist Ben Song (Raymond Lee), has been assembled to restart the project in the hope of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.” The description continues, “Everything changes, however, when Ben makes an unauthorized leap into the past, leaving the team behind to solve the mystery of why he did it. At Ben’s side throughout his leaps is Addison (Caitlin Bassett), who appears in the form of a hologram only Ben can see and hear. She’s a decorated Army veteran who brings level-headed precision to her job.” https://youtu.be/eo4eB6rZeeE In “Constellation” on Apple TV+, Noomi Rapace portrays an astronaut who comes back to an Earth that’s subtly altered. Created by Peter Harness and directed by Emmy Award-winner Michelle MacLaren, the conspiracy-based space adventure stars Rapace as Jo – an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space – only to discover that key pieces of her life seem to be missing. The action-packed space adventure is an exploration of the dark edges of human psychology, and one woman’s desperate quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel and recover all that she has lost, per the news release. The series also stars Jonathan Bank, James D’Arcy, Julian Looman, William Catlett, Barbara Sukowa. and introduces Rosie and Davina Coleman as Alice. https://twitter.com/i/status/1758221049676652664 “Because an accident happens up there, she managed to get herself back to Earth to reunite with her baby, her daughter, which is really the core and the heartbeat in the series for me and that’s kind of what I wanted to come in and explore,” she added. “… this one has a subject matter that I could relate to as a mother,” Rapace shared. “And her being trapped in this horrible situation of looking at this girl and her body and her primal instinct, her gut feeling is saying that this is not my baby, but she looks like my baby and no one believes me, that kind of journey she goes on to figure out what is going on and at the same time, the desperation to find her daughter to reunite, that drive just made this so special and rare and emotional.” Catlett added, “I think for myself, it’s the raw emotions that every human being deals with, like regret and grief and how do you get through it? And I believe “Constellation” will — not only are you watching it, it’s going to actually watch you.” https://youtu.be/4dAaLbsQSzI Miami Beach is intensifying its efforts against rowdy spring breakers. The city is implementing stringent measures to reduce the violence that has tainted previous festivities. The New York Post reports that the city launched a new campaign declaring: “Miami Beach is breaking up with spring break.” “Expect curfews, security searches and bag checks at beach access points, early beach entrance closures, DUI checkpoints, bumper-to-bumper traffic, road closures and arrests for drug possession and violence,” city officials announced. “Come here, enjoy, but don’t come here looking for trouble,” said Mayor Steven Meiner. “We’ve had enough.” The recently enacted regulations, approved by the city last month, are expected to affect businesses that depend on the influx of thousands of spring breakers during March. ABC News president Kim Godwin has been demoted despite getting her contract renewed, New York Post reports. In an article titled “Staffers cheer ABC News shakeup as President Kim Godwin’s days could be numbered: sources,” Alexandra Steigrad wrote …. “The Disney-owned network elevated veteran exec Debra OConnell on Wednesday to helm a new division that would encompass ABC News — putting Godwin under her — amid softening ratings at top-ranked shows ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘World News Tonight with David Muir.‘ . . .” Per journal-isms.com, Stephen Battaglio at the Los Angeles Times, wrote: “The division’s signature shows, ‘ABC World News Tonight With David Muir’ and ‘Good Morning America,’ remain the most-watched morning and evening news programs on television but have seen their audiences erode with the decline of linear TV due to the migration to online video. Both programs have lost more than 20% of their viewers in the 25-to-54 age group that advertisers target, more than its competitors at CBS and NBC.” The family of actress Cocoa Brown launched a GoFundMe after her Georgia home burned down.Sources tell TMZ … “Cocoa believes a lit candle may have fallen into some clothes in the house — and by the time the fire alarm went off … CB ran to the room, but it was quickly becoming an inferno,” the outlet writes. Brown lived at home with her 12-year-old son, Phoenix. Before the property was engulfed in flames, Cocoa and her child escaped the fire. Brown is now raising funds for “resources such as shelter, clothing, and other necessities as Cocoa and Phoenix work to rebuild their lives,” the campaign states. The page’s fundraising goal is $50,000, with fans already raising nearly $40,000 by Tuesday morning. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3hw_EJhBq7/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=74513cde-262b-47ce-afeb-f943c1bfe39b Beyonce’s mother, Tina Knowles, reacted to a TIME video highlighting that the superstar “has always been country.” “I just came across this video on my IG feed! We have always celebrated Cowboy Culture growing up in Texas,” Ms. Tine wrote, Complex reports. “We also always understood that it was not just about it belonging to White culture only.” She continued, “In Texas there is a huge black cowboy culture. Why do you think that my kids have integrated it into their fashion and art since the beginning. When people ask why is Beyonce wearing cowboy hats? It’s really funny, I actually laugh because it’s been there since she was a kid ,we went to rodeos every year and my whole family dressed in western fashion. Solange did a whole brilliant Album and Project based on Black Cowboy Culture. @. It definitely was a part of our culture growing up.” Queen Bey released two country songs on Super Bowl Sunday, “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages.” However, not everyone seems to be a fan of her foray into the genre. John Schneider, of Dukes of Hazzard fame, compared Beyoncé to a dog marking a territory, per TMZ. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3dXVCfuAtY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Republicans in Tennessee are showing their racist hand once again after blocking a resolution honoring Black Grammy winner Allison Russell but approving one for Paramore. The group, however, refused the honor.Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) offered resolutions to honor the two Tennessee-based musical acts recently winning at the Grammy Awards. Paramore won Best Rock Album and Best Alternative Music Performance, and Russell earned her first Grammy for Best American Roots Performance for the song “Eve Was Black.” There was no opposition to the resolution to recognize Paramore, a white rock back; however, House Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, killed the resolution for Russell, who is a queer Black woman. Paramore’s lead singer addressed the controversy, telling The Tennessean, “For those that don’t know, Allison Russell is an incredibly talented musician and songwriter. Her music spans genres with strong ties to the Folk/Americana scenes.” Williams added, “Oh, she is also Black. She’s a brilliant Black woman.” https://youtu.be/aCyGvGEtOwc Stylist Tameka Foster is speaking out about going into cardiac arrest while undergoing liposuction in 2009.“I went in an attempt to have liposuction and I went into a cardiac arrest with the anesthesiologist,” Foster told People in a new interview, Page Six reports. “The doctor never even entered the room.” The harrowing incident motivated Foster to find healthier alternatives for weight loss. “I still care about looks and vanity, but I plan to do it the natural way. That’s all,” the “Bold & Bougie” star explained. “[The health scare] made me be a little less lazy about getting to my goals, and I just changed my diet and now I do intermittent fasting and things like that,” Foster said. Usher chopped it up with The Breakfast Club about his Super Bowl halftime show and also addressed a resurfaced clip of him smacking Nicki Minaj’s butt at the 2014 VMAs. “Usher, have you seen some of your old moments like when you [were] on stage with Nicki Minaj and you [were] headbutting her ass?” host Charlamagne tha God asked the singer during his February 19 appearance on The Breakfast Club. “Why [were] you so unhinged in that moment, Usher?” At one point during the pair’s collaboration on the song “She Came To Give It To You,” Usher playfully smacked Nicki’s butt. “It was me playing my bass so I probably would have bumped my shoulder or my hands, you know what I’m saying?” he said, Us Weekly reports. “I had my bass in my hands so I just kind of bopped off her body a little bit.” https://youtu.be/xJqLUGBBTkU Usher admitted, however, that he “shouldn’t have smacked her butt.” Meanwhile, following his halftime performance, Usher caught heat from fans for wrapping his arms around Alicia Keys as they collaborated on “My Boo.” “It was literally about having fun because of a song that me and Alicia made many years ago,” he said. “And we celebrate it because of the legacy of it. And no disrespect to anybody or anything.” Keys’ husband, producer Swizz Beatz, slammed fans for criticizing Usher. https://youtu.be/4WJGFPC9xvc “Y’all talking about the wrong damn thing !!! y’all don’t see that amazing dress covering the entire stadium,” he wrote via Instagram after the halftime show. “Tonight’s performance was nothing but amazing with 2 amazing Giants! Congrats @usher and my love @aliciakeys that song is a classic. We don’t do negative vibes on this side we make history .” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bJGE7TurB1E?feature=share Beyoncé’s new song “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted in the top spot of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart on Tuesday, the publication announced. Beyoncé’s other new country song “16 Carriages” ranks No. 9 on the chart. Marking her first-ever No. 1 single on the country charts, Beyoncé becomes the only other solo woman with no accompanying artists to achieve the feat next to Taylor Swift, whose songs “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” hit No. 1 in 2021, according to Billboard. She is also the first woman to have topped both the Hot Country and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts since the lists began in 1958. Morgan Wallen, Justin Bieber, Billy Ray Cyrus and Ray Charles are the only other artists to have reached No. 1 on both charts. https://youtu.be/ycwtqqhV6UE Both “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” were released on Feb. 11 after Beyoncé teased the release of new music in a surprise Super Bowl ad for Verizon, accompanied by eye-popping visualizer videos on YouTube. The ad spot, titled “Can’t B Broken,” featured “Veep” actor Tony Hale challenging Beyoncé to break the cellular service company’s 5G capabilities, and she accepted the challenge gloriously. At the very end of the spot, the star is heard saying, “Ok, they ready. Drop the new music,” after she is seen going through various outlandish attempts to “break” Verizon’s network. Moments later on her official website, the Grammy-winner and Texas native posted a clip of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and full versions of both songs were then released on music streaming platforms, along with the announcement that her eighth solo studio album “Renaissance Act II” would be released on March 29. https://youtu.be/hhKNjTb6U1Y Better Brothers Los Angeles (BBLA), in partnership with The DIVA Foundation, founded by Emmy award-winning actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary), are thrilled to announce the honorees for the 10th Annual Truth Awards. As we celebrate a decade of excellence, this year's award show promises to be an unprecedented affair spanning two unforgettable evenings - a groundbreaking first in the history of the Truth Awards. ACT I Friday, March 29th, the theme for this invite-only event at the is aptly named 'Passing the Torch.' As we gather, we pay homage to the next generation as we celebrate three extraordinary emerging leaders who exemplify excellence in their respective fields. ACT II The celebration of excellence continues on Saturday, March 30th, at the renowned Beverly Hilton Hotel at 5:30 pm. More awards, more performances, and an afterparty not to be missed. Sheryl Lee Ralph expressed her excitement about this year's Truth Awards weekend, stating, "This is not just another glamorous red-carpet event but a testament to greatness within our community." She added confidently, "The individuals we are honoring have made exceptional strides in their respective fields, inspiring others and positively impacting the perception of Black LGBTQ+ representation." The 6th annual “URBAN ONE HONORS: Best in Black” event premieres this Sunday, February 25, 2024 at 8/7C, on TV One and simulcast on CLEO TV. This year’s distinguished recipients include Mary J. Blige, named the Entertainment Icon Honoree; Dionne Warwick, recognized as the Lifetime Achievement Honoree; Chlöe, celebrated as the Generation Next Honoree; Frankie Beverly, honored as a Living Legend, and Donald Lawrence, acclaimed for his Inspirational Impact. Teyana Taylor, Summer Walker, Bebe Winans, Damon Little, Angie Stone, October London, alongside a reunion featuring KeKe Wyatt, Chanté Moore, and Nicci Gilbert (cast of R&B Divas) rounded out the star-studded lineup of performers and presenters. GRAMMY Award-winning singer and actress LeToya Luckett returns to host the event’s “Backstage Pass,” featuring exclusive interviews with the show’s honorees, performers, and presenters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2laRdwCNCYU Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, February 19 at 9 PM ET. A young father who was excited to watch his sons grow up is fatally stabbed on Thanksgiving weekend. When detectives uncover a love triangle, they question the motive behind his murder and find a killer determined to have their pie and eat it too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl4JBhDJu7w Critically acclaimed show FOR MY MAN returns tonight, February 19 at 10 PM ET. When a young woman starts a family with the man of her dreams, everything seems perfect. After an argument with a neighbor goes too far, she’ll be faced with protecting her man or risking everything she holds dear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpLPPnLqtd4&feature=youtu.be A team exceeded the 200-point mark for the first time in NBA history as the Eastern Conference won the All-Star Game for the first time since 2014, beating the Western Conference 211-186 on Sunday in the annual showcase of the league’s premier talents. The star-studded rosters featured some of the sport’s biggest names such as LeBron James, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, and Kevin Durant. The scoring frenzy broke an array of records, per the NBA. The East’s point total was the highest ever, eclipsing the 196 set by the Western All-Stars in 2016, while the combined total of 397 surpassed the previous record of 374 set in 2017. The Eastern All-Stars also made a whopping 42 three-pointers to beat the record of 35 set in 2019. “Everybody was asking what the record was,” Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard said. “We found out and went after it.” https://youtu.be/2DZbfCZTXJ8 This year’s All-Star Game also saw the return of the traditional East vs. West format. From 2018 to 2023, team captains (the two players with the highest amount of fan votes from each conference) drafted players from an All-Star pool, regardless of team or conference. The East was led by 39 points from Lillard, who capped off a highly successful weekend by being named All-Star Game MVP, after retaining his title in the Three-Point Contest earlier on Sunday. Some of his makes during the showcase game were from well beyond the arc. “Me and Kawhi (Leonard) was in awe of him shooting from the halfcourt line like it’s a free throw … strength, power, muscle memory,” said 14-time All-Star Durant. Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics added 36 points while Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, playing in his home arena, scored 32. Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns, coming off the bench for the West, led all scorers with 50 points in under 28 minutes. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – a contender for the regular season MVP award – dropped 31 to fuel the West. https://youtu.be/3VG_NCzI-ao Netflix is offering a sneak peek into the upcoming film “Shirley” by unveiling a gripping trailer on Monday. The preview showcases Regina King‘s powerful portrayal of Shirley Chisholm, the trailblazing figure who became the first Black congresswoman and made history as the initial Black woman to run for U.S. president. Set against the backdrop of Chisholm’s groundbreaking 1972 presidential campaign, the movie is written and directed by John Ridley, acclaimed for “12 Years a Slave,” while Regina King and her sister Reina King serve as producers. The stellar cast includes Lucas Hedges, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson, Dorian Crossmond Missick, Amirah Vann, André Holland, Terrence Howard, and the late actor Lance Reddick. “Shirley” promises to bring to life the inspiring journey of a true trailblazer in American politics. https://youtu.be/hjBeKNHIdMY Bow Wow detailed his heavy addiction to lean while chatting with The Art of Dialogue, recalling the time it put him in the hospital and almost cost him everything. “I was sipping lean,” Bow Wow confessed. “I was sipping so much syrup. I said this after Mac Miller died. I spoke on this sh**. I was drinking that sh** like crazy. If you go back and watch The Road to Platinum series on BET, you’ll see so many white Styrofoam cups. I was losing my f***ing mind. That lean shit had me f**ked up. I was just always irritated.”Bow Wow’s addiction dominated him, with being set off by any little thing after consuming lean whenever he wanted. The craving was so severe that the 36-year-old entertainer was on it while working with Omarion on their 2007 collaborative album “Face Off.” Add in a “baby bottle given to him by Lil Wayne to get his fix and lean was all Bow Wow wanted to know. According to Complex, things ultimately came to a head when Bow Wow collapsed following a performance. The former “CSI: Cyber” star was on tour with Chris Brown at the time when the situation went down. “We were on our tour, I was co-headlining with Chris Brown and the opening night was in Cincinnati and when I got off stage, I collapsed,” Bow Wow recalled. “I went straight to Cincinnati University Hospital. My stomach was so f***ed up that I ended up going back home to Atlanta after the first show. https://youtu.be/Vp-VHzpHDvo Porsha Williams’ husband, Simon Guobadia, was recently denied U.S. citizenship due to his reported criminal past. According to Hollywood Unlocked, Guobadia’s past crimes allegedly include “numerous felonies for bank fraud, credit card fraud, identity fraud, and more,” the outlet writes. Williams and Guobadia had two wedding ceremonies last year, and she called it “a dream come true.” “The weddings were a dream come true,” Williams previously told People while promoting season 3 of “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.” “It really was. It was all of me and all of Simon represented that day. And all the people who love us and support us were there for us,” she added. “And it was a true combining of family. A lot of his family from Nigeria and all over the world flew in for the traditional ceremony.” Sony Music Entertainment is taking legal action against four companies behind the making of the 2022 biopic “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” due to unpaid music licenses. The lawsuit accuses the producers of dishonoring the contract “after they failed to pay for their licenses to 24 Houston classics including “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “How Will I Know,” and “I Will Always Love You,” Reuters reports. Film financer and production company Black Label Media is one of the companies named in the lawsuit and said it was “one of many investors in this film, should not have been named in the lawsuit, and looks forward to being dismissed from it promptly.” According to Sony Music, Anthem Films licensed Houston’s music for use on a biopic and soundtrack in 2022. Reality TV star Bethenny Frankel injected herself into Kelly Rowland’s business after the singer allegedly walked out of the “Today” show because the dressing room was subpar. “I’ve co-hosted with Hoda [Kotb] and I’ve arrived there and the makeup area that you touch up in is often a drop cloth, like, a black drop off,” Frankel said in a now-deleted TikTok video. “And then your dressing room is the size of a closet and you’re trying to fit all your people in the clown car. And you know what? You’re so excited. You’re so gracious,” the “Real Housewives of New York City” alum added. “You’re co-hosting on the ‘Today’ show, an institution in entertainment, a news organization that is not about fancy dressing rooms,” she continued. https://twitter.com/i/status/1758900540291895324 Amber Rose is pumping the brakes on reports that she’s dating Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud. Frankel accused Rowland of having “diva expectations.” Hear the criticism directly from Bethenny via the X/Twitter.Us Weekly reports that the former stripper has clarified that she is not dating Stroud despite being spotted leaving the Cactus Jack charity game on Friday together. “We literally don’t know each other and only met yesterday at a softball game,” Rose wrote via her Instagram Story on February 16. “The sprinter [van] left me and he was nice enough to give me a ride to my hotel.” Rose, 40, and Stroud, 22, both attended the charity game at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, hosted by Travis Scott’s nonprofit, per Us Weekly. According to a news release, “the Astros Foundation and Minute Maid Park hosted the second annual Cactus Jack HBCU Classic, a round-robin collegiate baseball tournament highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their baseball programs, on opening weekend of Division I college baseball from Feb. 16-18.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1758862762556420276 As the Michigan Democratic primary approaches, Rep. Rashida Tlaib is urging Democrats to vote against President Joe Biden. “If you want us to be louder, then come here and vote uncommitted,” Tlaib said in a new video posted to X (formally Twitter), NBC News reports. Progressive activists have called on Michigan voters to vote “uncommitted” in the Democratic primary against Biden on Feb. 27. As a Palestinian American, Tlaib is frustrated with the Biden administration’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. Tlaib has been openly critical of Biden’s role in what many are calling a genocide of Palestinian people. At a press conference in December, Tlaib urged Biden to call for a “cease-fire now.” https://youtu.be/Gs8eAxIuUTY Chris Brown revealed in a new post on social media that the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game disinvited him because of his controversial domestic violence incident with his ex-girlfriend Rihanna.“I was asked by the NBA to play in the all star game this year! Only for them to call later and say they couldn’t do IT because of their sponsors like RUFFLES,” Brown shared on his Instagram Stories on Saturday, Page Six reports. “At this point I’m sick of people bothering me and I’m tired of living in the f–king past. I POSTED THE EMAILS SO YALL COULD SEE. The NBA still was tryna get me to come and sit court side… NOT F–KING HAPPENING,” Brown continued. The R&B crooner added, “I ONLY GO WHERE IM APPRECIATED.” The NBA All-Star game kicked off Friday in Indianapolis. Brown shared email screenshots of his correspondence with an alleged representative of the NBA, showing his “travel and “logistics” for the event before he was officially disinvited. Tyler James Williams’ TV past with “Everybody Hates Chris” reflects his small screen present with “Abbott Elementary.” In a very good way. After all, both shows are long-running favorites, Emmy-nominated and/or winning, and prime examples of the art of Black comedy. And let’s not forget, to shine a worthy spotlight on Williams. Yet despite a slew of iconic TVi offerings (“Good Times,” “The Jeffersons,” “A Different World,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Martin,” “Family Matters,” “Living Single,” and “Girlfriends,” among so many), proper respect has eluded these shows and their respective casts. As he enjoys his current successful run with “Abbott Elementary,” Williams shared thoughts on returning to work after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the lack of recognition for black shows and the honor of just being nominated at the 2024 Emmys. https://youtu.be/8uWpsJIjoIA Esteemed broadcast journalist and author Esther Dillard proudly announces the release of her impactful book, “Raising An Autistic Young Adult: A Parents’ Guide to ASD Safety, Communication, and Employment Opportunities to Empower Black and Brown Caregivers and Their Families.” Released on February 15, 2024, this comprehensive guide aims to assist families in navigating the distinctive challenges of raising an autistic young adult within Black and Brown communities. Dillard’s groundbreaking book takes a significant step by addressing the intersection of “The Talk” and autism, providing invaluable wisdom and strategies for safety and success. Drawing on her extensive background in journalism and education, Dillard sheds light on the unique experiences of these communities, emphasizing the necessity of personalized approaches to education and care for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Two storms, including another long-lasting atmospheric river event, will drench much of California this weekend and well into next week, raising the risk of flooding and landslides. The state is still recovering from a particularly potent storm that brought record-breaking rain and hundreds of mudslides to Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California in early February. The two storms aren’t forecast to be as devastating as early February’s, but the repeated rounds of rain and the slow-moving nature of the second storm will bring a significant threat for flooding. As a result, more than 27 million people are under flood watches stretching from Northern California south to parts of the Los Angeles area. The first storm is expected to be weaker than the second, but “will act as a primer, increasing soil moisture and causing the streams and rivers to rise before the heavier rain on Sunday” from the second storm, the National Weather Service said. It will march into the Northern California coast early morning Saturday and spend the rest of the day soaking the region with 1 to 2 inches of moderate rainfall. Only light rain is expected in the Central Coast and Southern California. https://youtu.be/yKV4Ns55SAQ Emergency management officials in Santa Barbara County issued evacuation warnings in some parts of the county on Saturday ahead of the expected storm. The second, more potent storm will arrive on Sunday afternoon and stall near the coast into early next week, increasing the potential for excessive precipitation through Wednesday across much of the state. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for the county beginning Sunday afternoon and lasting through Wednesday morning. Impactful weather in the northern part of the state will mostly occur on Sunday, with 1 to 3 inches of rain in the lowlands and 3 to 5 inches expected in higher elevations. “Soils around the Bay Area are near saturation, so the rainfall will run quickly and likely contribute to numerous shallow landslides along areas of steep terrain,” the National Weather Service office in San Francisco said. https://youtu.be/sZ09VnaD_rE?list=RDNSsZ09VnaD_rE “It’s my third album, third chapter of a musical book,” said World Music artist Jahna Sebastian about her new album “Revelation Ships” (Multivizion Music). “I’m creating the story as I go…when writing songs and when engineering. This is the information age…reveals history…ancient history.” Jahna does it all, a prodigy child who grows up perfecting an abundance of talents. Aside from being a singer/songwriter, she is also a pianist, percussionist, arranger, and domra player. Born in Russia as Zhanna Andrianova, and residing in London, Jahna was instrumental in bringing the Hip-Hop culture to her native country Russia. “Domra is an ancient instrument, it’s in the same family of string instruments as the violin. It has three strings,” Sebastian added when I asked about the instrument. “I started a new sub-genre, specifically for the UK called Grime,” she pointed out. A multi-talented lady, Jahna was classically trained as a pianist. She is fluent in Pop, Rock, Folk, and Electric music, and she also raps! She has even produced songs for Russian rapper Oxxxy Miron. Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu are great three-point shooters. But this weekend, we got to find out who is the best. Curry narrowly defeated Ionescu Saturday when the two sharpshooters faced off during All-Star Weekend in the first NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest to settle a long-running debate. The Golden State Warriors star scored 29 points to the New York Liberty star who scored 26. Ionescu said on the TNT broadcast she was excited to “change the narrative” between NBA and WNBA players. “That was amazing,” Ionescu said. “Just to be able to have this be the first of this kind of event and come out here and put on a show but understanding what this means. Excited to change the narrative and be able to do it alongside the greatest to ever do it.” https://youtu.be/AwBlRsIHtSQ The traditional three-point Contest saw Malik Beasley, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Lauri Markkanen, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Trae Young vie for the crown. In the end, Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks All-Star guard, successfully defended his three-point contest title, becoming the first player to win back-to-back crowns since Jason Kapono did so in 2007 and 2008. All-Star Weekend will culminate in the All-Star Game on Sunday from the Indiana Pacers’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which sees the best-of-the-best compete against one another. The game has reverted to the traditional Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format for this year, with many of the league’s biggest stars lining up in Indianapolis. https://youtu.be/YVo1K0SzF9Y Beyonce has caused a major stir by announcing that her upcoming full country album (Act II) will be released in March You probably won’t be surprised that not everyone is on board with the idea. During a recent interview, John Schneider, famed for his role in “The Dukes of Hazzard” 70-80s TV show and his country music career, likened Beyonce’s move to “a dog peeing on a tree” to assert her dominance in the genre. In a conversation with One America News Network, the actor and singer, now recognized for his conservative viewpoints, echoed agreement with the segment’s host. They discussed the online uproar triggered when a Beyonce fan alleged that an Oklahoma radio station had declined to play her new country song, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” following a specific request. Clarification from the station revealed that the song had not been officially sent to country radio by the record company. According to Schneider on OAN, Beyonce’s entrance into country music represents a perceived intrusion of liberal elements into the genre. https://youtu.be/238Z4YaAr1g “The left-leaning folks in the entertainment industry just can’t resist meddling in every sphere, can they?” the segment host inquired in the video. Schneider – who also had a role on Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and The Have Nots” – responded with a corny azz analogy about dogs marking their territory, humorously illustrating the situation. “They’ve got to make their mark, just like a dog in a dog walk park,” Schneider replies, wryly grinning at his own analogy. “You know, every dog has to mark every tree, right? So that’s what’s going on here.” In a Twitter excerpt, Schneider differentiated external influences entering the country genre from artists like Shania Twain transitioning into different musical styles, emphasizing his expertise in country music. https://youtu.be/hhKNjTb6U1Y The discourse sparked by Schneider’s comments elicited various reactions, including one person highlighting the Black roots of country music creation. Beyonce’s latest music release has ignited discussions regarding the origins of country music and the contributions of Black musicians in shaping the genre, explored in Ken Burns’ documentary, Country Music. The documentary delves into how African and African-American musical elements played a pivotal role in the genre’s evolution, with historian Bill C. Malone emphasizing the significant African American influence. “African American style was embedded in country music from the very beginning of its commercial history. You can’t conceive of this music existing without this African American infusion. But then, as the music developed professionally, too often, African Americans were forgotten,” historian Bill C. Malone says in the documentary. https://twitter.com/i/status/1757932780632076523 Beyonce unveiled her new country album, Act II, through a Verizon commercial during Super Bowl 58, premiering two new songs: “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” with the full album scheduled for March 29. Country music’s historical link to conservatism and the current portrayal of liberals encroaching on the genre is challenged, as diverse political views have been embraced by iconic country artists throughout its history. Schneider, known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, embarked on a successful country music career starting in 1981 with his chart-topping hits. When it’s all said and done, we think the video report and the X/Twitter announcement below perfectly illustrates what really scares Schneider and his ilk: https://youtu.be/b4rUK6a-FfU From 2001 to 2004, Usher and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas were a match made in hip-hop soul heaven. That is until the pair opted to split rather than elevate with marriage. Twenty years later, the former It couple have different significant others and continued longevity doing what they love as music icons. Yet, the romance is still remembered by Usher, who retraced his journey to stardom while encased in a deep love with Chilli. After releasing his sophomore album “My Way” in 1997, the then 18-year-old met the TLC member, who was seven years older than him. As a dedicated fan, it was a dream come true for Usher. “If I am to be honest, I was her No. 1 fan, and she was my superstar,” the entertainer told People. “At the age of 8, I put her poster on my wall and said, ‘Man that girl is so beautiful. One day I’m going to meet her.’” And so it began. But to the surprise of fans, Usher and Chilli’s relationship ended in late 2004, the year his fourth album, the multiplatinum “Confessions” was released. Despite visions of spending the rest of his life with Chilli, Usher stated that “specific rules” she had would have to be followed for their relationship to continue. A point the younger vocalist was unable to honor. Killer Mike is not shy about airing his thoughts on sociopolitical topics. Interracial marriage is no different, with the GA rhyme slinger voicing his support of black men only taking black women to be their wives. Referencing an episode of The Breakfast Club that aired on Feb. 14, HipHopDX detailed Mike’s response after host, Charlemagne Tha God asked him to elaborate on a quote he made on the same show in 2019. “I married a Black woman; a lot of my critics did not,” Killer Mike said. Explaining the comment, the Grammy winner alluded to the late economist, commentator, and academic Walter E. Williams, who died in 2020. The syndicated columnist and author was known for his classical liberal and libertarian views as well as guest hosting the Rush Limbaugh radio show when the controversial host was unavailable. "Walter E. Williams said there’s only one case he agreed with in terms of segregation. He says: ‘That’s when it comes to marriage — you should marry a Black woman,’” Killer Mike told Charlemagne while detailing his support of Williams’ view. https://youtu.be/3j4fZ2JzPYA Renowned gospel artist, CeCe Winans, is once again gracing the music scene with her unparalleled talent. Her latest single, “That’s My King,” another Pure Springs Gospel and Fair Trade Services collaboration is the first glimpse into her upcoming album, More Than This, scheduled for release in the Spring. A new song for the new year. On the “That’s My King” track Winans unleashes a powerful declaration to her King accompanied by an uplifting arrangement beautifully produced by Kyle Lee. This is the perfect song for worship leaders to share with church congregations around the world. "This song brings me so much joy. You can’t sit still while listening to ‘That’s My King’ – It ushers in the power of God and puts us in the right posture of looking up and remembering that He is the King of kings!” says Winans. https://youtu.be/AB-3Av8RYo8 This weekend, Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” is set to reach great heights with a remarkable $51 million over six days, projecting a $27.7 million three-day total. Surpassing Paramount’s “Rocketman” ($25.7 million) from the pre-pandemic summer of 2019, “Bob Marley: One Love” isn’t far behind Warner Bros.’ 2022 release “Elvis,” which opened at $31.2 million. With a four-day total of $33.2 million, “Bob Marley: One Love” accomplished what’s expected of musical biopics about legendary figures. For context, the acclaimed “Bohemian Rhapsody” debuted with a three-day opening of $51 million. The film has amassed a global total of $80 million to date. The post-production team of “Bob Marley: One Love” deserves recognition for their efforts in preparing the film for its Valentine’s Day release, initially scheduled for MLK weekend but postponed due to an actors’ strike. Paramount Domestic Distribution Chief Chris Aronson noted that the Valentine’s Day release resonated well with the film’s themes of love, hope, and unity, epitomized by Bob Marley’s music and his relationship with his wife, Rita. “My family and I are honored with the amazing response to Bob Marley: One Love. Like my father’s music, this movie is meant for the people, and his message of peace, love, and unity is clearly connecting with audiences around the world,” producer Ziggy Marley told Deadline. “We thank the people for embracing this film, and in so doing, helping to highlight the message of one love.” https://youtu.be/ajw425Kuvtw If you are like most people, you are surprised at how fast January rolled through. An equal number of people are excited and glad for February! Love is in the air, now that the rain has subsided in Los Angeles. Cinephiles, artists, and cultural enthusiasts are in for a memorable experience during the 32nd annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF). PAFF has returned to the Cinemark Baldwin Hills and XD and the adjacent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza to host its renowned fine art show featuring over 100 established and emerging fine artists and quality craftspeople from all over the Black Diaspora. This year’s film festival features over 200 films from 54 countries, in 28 languages, including 68 World and 25 North American premieres. Of the films selected for the festival, 49% are helmed by female, queer or non-binary filmmakers. For 12 days PAFF will take over the Crenshaw District and make it the center of Black Entertainment in Los Angeles by bringing some of Hollywood’s top Black actors, producers, directors, and influencers to the Cinemark Baldwin Hills and XD Theater. The family of Sanai Singh, a 19-year-old African American woman grappling with mental health challenges, is dealing with the anguish of her disappearance since last Thursday morning. Sanai vanished from her residence in South Los Angeles, leaving her parents and relatives deeply distressed. In their desperate search for answers, Sanai’s parents have diligently filed a missing person’s report with the LAPD, fervently seeking assistance from the community to help locate their beloved daughter. Despite their fervent efforts, the family’s plea for an Ebony alert—an urgent notification system designed to aid in the swift recovery of missing individuals from minority communities—has not yet been heeded by the LAPD. They were disheartened to learn that LAPD detectives handling missing person cases do not operate during weekends, leaving them in an agonizing limbo. In response to the perceived lack of urgency and resources devoted to cases involving missing Black women, the family, joined by community leaders, is demanding increased attention from the LAPD. They are advocating for a more robust allocation of resources and personnel to address the disproportionately high number of cases like Sanai’s within the community. Somaya Reece, the Afro-Latina recording artist, is poised for a monumental comeback with her latest single, “Witness Glory.” In a recent interview, she passionately described the track as an unfiltered expression of her journey, infused with raw emotion and gritty realism. With a steadfast commitment to infuse the industry with impactful music, Somaya seeks to resonate with individuals who have weathered the storms of struggle and battled with depression, offering a beacon of hope in today’s turbulent times. “Witness Glory” transcends mere reintroduction; it stands as a testament to Somaya’s prowess in crafting irresistibly catchy tunes that not only captivate contemporary audiences but also inspire triumph over adversity. “My music embodies the spirit of female empowerment,” she asserts, highlighting her unwavering dedication to uplifting women through her artistry. Somaya’s distinctive fusion of singing and rap, seamlessly transitioning between English and Spanish, positions her as a trailblazer on a mission to inject depth and substance into the music landscape. https://youtu.be/VcrkxDkzcZs The signature collection to recall Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao officially started on Saturday, with organizers kicking off the campaign in Jack London Square. Supporters of the recall blame the mayor for the rising crime. Oakland police said robberies, burglaries, and violent crimes all of went up by double digits in 2023 compared to 2022. Meanwhile, many businesses shut down citing crime, especially along the Hegenberger corridor. “This specific area used to thrive on game day, whether it was the Raiders, the A’s, or the Warriors. It was amazing,” said East Oakland native Duane Tatum, who lives near The Coliseum. “It’s frustrating because you start thinking about all the economic activity you’re losing.” With businesses gone, so are the jobs and tax revenue. https://youtu.be/mB3mpUPNlFg In “KEMBA,” Smith is a sheltered college student whose life takes a dramatic turn when she falls in love with a man named Khalif. As she delves deeper into their relationship, Kemba discovers Khalif’s true identity as a drug kingpin, leading to a cycle of abuse and manipulation. Despite never being involved in his illegal activities, Kemba finds herself unjustly sentenced due to her association with Khalif. However, with unwavering support from her parents and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Kemba embarks on a journey to appeal her sentence and fight for justice.“Once those prison doors opened and it took the President [Clinton] to open those prison doors, It was incumbent upon me to continue to speak out for those that are left behind in prison who I felt deserved a second chance as well,” said Kemba. https://youtu.be/511BdMgC7uE According to Bishop Reginald Jackson, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis woke up on Thursday morning “ready to testify” after they prayed together before the hearing. Bishop Jackson shared with CNN that he met with Willis earlier in the morning to “offer her words of encouragement” and they prayed together. Reflecting on their conversation, Jackson said, “She seemed comfortable. She seemed eager to address (the issues).” “I had the feeling this morning that she was ready for this. It’s been going on for over a month, these efforts to destroy her reputation,” he added. “She wanted to meet it head-on.” https://youtu.be/ENlsA9mg2aA The Georgia election subversion case against Donald Trump and 14 of his allies took a stunning turn Thursday when prosecutors Fani Willis and Nathan Wade testified under oath about their romantic relationship at a hearing triggered by allegations of self-dealing that have the potential to derail the entire effort. The all-day hearing escalated steadily throughout the day, culminating with Fulton County District Attorney Willis taking the witness stand for a combative brawl with defense attorneys that drew several rebukes from the judge. Judge Scott McAfee convened the hearing after some of Trump’s co-defendants surfaced allegations of a relationship between Willis and Wade, whom she hired in 2021 to join the prosecution team. Trump and his co-defendants want the judge to disqualify Willis’ team from the case – or throw out the charges – because of a possible conflict of interest. There was talk of cash exchanging hands from Willis to Wade, where they store their money at home, CashApp usage, and their spending habits – all to get to the question of whether Willis benefitted financially from putting him on her staff. https://youtu.be/N6y8kiChWzI The hearing will continue on Friday with Willis still on the stand. The judge said he does not plan to issue a ruling on Friday. Here are takeaways from the hearing that was at times jaw-dropping, awkward, and strikingly personal. The district attorney had fought efforts to make her appear, both in Wade’s ongoing divorce proceedings and in the hearing on Thursday, up until the moment she came into the room to take the stand. She said at the beginning of her testimony that she was “very anxious” to defend herself, “so I ran to the courtroom.” “You think I’m on trial,” Willis said, in her sharpest pushback of the day. “These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020,” she added, pointing toward the table of attorneys representing defendants in the criminal case. “I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.” She later slammed the defense attorneys, calling them “confused” and “intrusive.” “Ms. Merchant’s interests are contrary to democracy, not to mine,” Willis said, attacking the attorney for Trump campaign attorney Michael Roman, who is accused of playing a leading role in the multi-state “fake electors” plot to subvert the Electoral College. https://youtu.be/m8ADROE0QZc Creative Jenius Report – the innovative industry resource, platform, and hub for Black behind-the-scenes creative professionals – hosted the third installation of its exclusive NYFW party experience, BLACKSTAGE celebrating the contributions of Black Icons in Fashion last night at the chic DUMBO House in Brooklyn. This year’s BLACKSTAGE event featured a collective of Black creatives who are pushing boundaries and who have made a significant impact on cultural trends, breaking new ground in fashion including male supermodel Alton Mason; Harper’s Bazaar Style Director at Large Carlos Nazario; celebrity hairstylist Sir John; and celebrity hairstylist Jawara Wauchope. Additionally, guests partied to the sounds of international DJs Wemi and Khalil. Music and entertainment industry mogul Vassal Benford is feeling grateful. The R&B/jazz keyboardist wrote and produced a new single, “Dedication Song,” that captures his feelings of appreciation. The Benford Jazz Label release mixed by Billboard hitmaker Greg Manning is the most added new single on Billboard’s Mediabase chart two weeks running. Benford has played a role in the creation of more than 58 platinum-selling records as a Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, musician and record executive in pop, R&B, hip-hop, rock and dance music. He’s worked with a veritable who’s who list of superstars, yet jazz remains his humble muse and he’s determined to put his distinctive imprint on the genre. Playing piano to foster feelings of intimacy and emotional connection, “Dedication Song” plays like a danceable and sensual R&B groove. https://youtu.be/OxrBmkdkdWM Popular YouTuber Twomad has died at the age of 23 from a suspected drug overdose. During a welfare check at his home, the LAPD discovered his body. The Blast reports that the death of Twomad, whose real name was Muudea Sedik, is still under investigation. According to sources, his untimely passing could be the result of an overdose, as paraphernalia for drugs was found at the scene. https://youtu.be/OYnp5RcC2WU The welfare check was reportedly conducted after Sedik missed multiple appointments and was MIA for several days. According to a TMZ report, “Twomad had caused concern among his fanbase in recent weeks — including some strange, one-off tweets he was posting last week … not to mention a bunch of photos of firearms,” the outlet writes. https://twitter.com/i/status/1758237847352492475 “You know exactly what you did,” Goldibell responded. “You were groping me as I was crying trying to leave your f–king house then stalked me for months afterward. I genuinely hate you more than anyone on this planet you ruined my f–king life.” Goldibell claimed Twomad pressured her into doing things she “never wanted to do.” According to TMZ, Twomad was embroiled in controversy before his death and was off the radar for a while. His last video across all three social media channels was five months ago. https://twitter.com/i/status/1758237847352492475 Usher is reflecting on his past marriage to ex-wife Tameka Foster and fan reaction to their romance. The R&B crooner married the stylist in 2007 and immediately faced backlash from the colorists in the Black community who disapproved of the relationship. “I think I became very closed and then felt attacked in many ways,” Usher said in a new People interview. “It was a bit unconventional in a time when I felt like my female fans were judgmental of the woman that I chose,” he added. Usher also noted that Foster, who’s seven years his senior, “was a dark-skinned woman, and maybe they didn’t want to love her in a way because of maybe some reason that had to do with themselves,” he continued. Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan were spotted together on a Valentine’s Day date days after reports that they broke up.The couple were spotted Wednesday in Magic City with Pippen showing off a massive diamond ring on that finger. It remains unclear if they are engaged, Page Six reports. Earlier this week, a source confirmed to People that Pippen, 49, and Jordan, 33, are no longer together after breakup rumors began swirling Sunday. Fans were quick to notice when the reality TV star unfollowed Jordan on Instagram and deleted all photos of him. Pippen, the ex-wife of NBA icon Scottie Pippen, shared a poll on her Instagram Story, asking her followers, “Should your friends unfollow your ex?” Pippen and Jordan met at a party in Los Angeles in 2019. In August 2023, they denied engagement rumors after Jordan appeared to speak about wedding venues in a previous interview. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GGbQkgWWgAADaHN?format=jpg&name=small A country music station in Oklahoma has responded to the outage to their initial decision not to play a new single from Beyoncé’s forthcoming country album. Queen Bey released two new country songs, “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages,” on Sunday. As the BeyHive celebrated the new tracks, one fan on social media, user @jussato, accused KYKC 100.1 FM of rejecting their request for them to play “Texas Hold ’Em.” This individual hit up X/Twiter to share a screenshot of the email exchange with the radio station, writing, “I requested ‘Texas Hold ’Em’ at my local country radio station (KYKC) and after requesting, I received an email from the radio station stating, “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.” “This station needs to be held accountable for their blatant racism and discrimination against Beyoncé,” @jussato added in a separate post. The radio station’s response immediately drew accusations on social media of “blatant racism.“ https://www.instagram.com/p/C3WTOvgRkFf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Porn star Moriah Mills is warning women to watch their backs while traveling alone in Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport. In a TikTok video, Moriah, 32, said she encountered a fan at the airport who asked her for her Instagram handle. After giving him her social information, because “That’s what I am, a social media influencer,” she said, the man began following her around the airport. “I stopped to get some coffee and different things, and I noticed that this guy that asked for my Instagram kept following me all over the freaking airport,” she continued. When the man tried to get on an elevator with her, she alerted security, but they advised her that the man was gone by the time they intervened. In the video, she told women traveling alone at Atlanta’s airport to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. https://www.tiktok.com/@moriahmilly/video/7335082864515632430?embed_source=71929437%2C121374463%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&refer=embed&referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fmoriah-mills-urges-women-to-be-vigilant-while-travelling-alone%2F&referer_video_id=7335082864515632430 Jennifer Lopez is hitting the road this summer for the This Is Me… Now the Tour. The 34-date trek across North America supports her new ninth studio album, This Is Me… Now. According to People, the tour kicks off June 26 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, making stops in Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Detroit, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, Nashville, and New Orleans. The This Is Me… Now the Tour wraps Aug. 31 at the Toyota Center in Houston. A presale for Citi cardmembers and Verizon Up runs from Feb 20 at 10 a.m. local time to Feb. 22 at 10 p.m. local time. JLo Fan Club members can cop tickets beginning Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. local time through Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. local time, when the general sale begins, per People. GRAMMY®, Dove and Stellar Award-nominated artist Melvin Crispell, III has released a new single with “He’s Never Failed Me Yet.” Available on all digital music providers, Melvin performs a powerful ballad of celebration in this new arrangement of the CeCe Winans song “He’s Never Failed Me Yet.” Delivering hope and encouragement, Melvin’s luminous vocals shine praise on God’s constancy, finding comfort in God who is always there, and a source of light and strength through trying or sad times. "He's Never Failed Me Yet" (Official Lyric Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBNoJgeUDE8 Prime Video has released the official trailer and key art for “Giannis: The Marvelous Journey.” The feature-length documentary unpacks the journey of Milwaukee Bucks mega-star and two-time NBA league MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. According to the news release: “Giannis: The Marvelous Journey is an intimate portrait of a global superstar and one of the NBA’s most dominating performers, a two-time league MVP who led the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship in 2021. But his path began a world away from the spotlight, on the streets of Athens, where he was raised on the margins of society, alongside three brothers, by parents who’d immigrated from Nigeria in search of a better life.” https://youtu.be/z7GbDaCYChw Zendaya hit the red carpet for the London “Dune 2” premiere, wearing a vintage Thierry Mugler futuristic robot suit. According to her stylist Law Roach, the stunning shiny outfit was from Mugler’s fall-winter 1995-96 couture collection. Speaking about his approach with the superstar actress, Roach told Harper’s Bazaar, “I think of it as method dressing, kind of like method acting.” We reported earlier that “Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee, according to the press release. https://youtu.be/cbuVmhLqzII The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, Oscar nominee Austin Butler, Oscar nominee Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Oscar winner Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Herbert’s novel. The film was produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe, and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant. https://youtu.be/U2Qp5pL3ovA Wary airline passengers already on guard for unruly passengers and even real-life snakes on planes might have one more thing – however improbable – to add their slate of possible in-flight disruptions. And it’s an icky one: Maggots. Yep, those creepy creatures that thrive on fetid foods and waste have joined the pantheon of things that can cause a flight to change course and ruin travel plans. On Tuesday, Delta Air Lines Flight 133 departed Amsterdam, Netherlands, bound for Detroit, Michigan. But one hour into the flight, the Airbus A330-300 had to turn back to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport after maggots reportedly fell onto a passenger from an overhead bin, according to Detroit TV station FOX 2 (WJBK). https://youtu.be/6cYF9WrhgMA The station interviewed passenger Philip Schotte, a Netherlands native now living in Iowa, who said he saw about a dozen of the creatures on a woman sitting next to him. “She was freaking out. She was just trying to kind of fight off these maggots. … I don’t really know what was going through my mind. I was trying to process it – disgust is one thing of course. We had to wait there for help to actually come,” Schotte told the station. Schotte said the flight crew eventually traced the maggots to a passenger’s bag, which contained rotten fish wrapped in newspaper. He told the station that the bag was moved to the back of the plane, and it was announced the plane was going back to Amsterdam. Schotte told FOX 2 that he took another flight to the US a few hours later. https://youtu.be/fx41MBe14yc A woman named Kira Davis who says she’s Black and is a conservative has written an “opinion” piece for Newsweek titled “Fani Willis Is an Embarrassment to Black People. She’s the Proof That DEI Only Hurts Us.” Needless to say, it’s got a lot of people in their feelings or more directly, “hot under their collar” as the old saying goes. You can also count this writer as one of those not thrilled with Davis’ “opinion” of Fani Willis’ testimony on the stand in Atlanta yesterday. Davis’ title says it all and says a lot about HER. First of all, there was ZERO embarrassment about Fani Willis’ actions on the stand. Also, how the hell is a woman who was ELECTED to public office a DEI recipient? To us, this Davis person sounds like your typical conservative age-old bootlicker out to find ways to make master happy. https://youtu.be/ot9hAbePg5k As a Black woman and working professional, I’ve never been a huge fan of affirmative action and the recent rise of critical theory, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives has only bolstered my resistance. While it may seem necessary to some in order to right the wrongs of the past, I can sum up why these measures are an unmitigated disaster for hard-working Black Americans in two words: Fani Willis. Willis is the prosecutor in one of the nation’s major cities and most high-profile cases against former President Donald Trump. Her position and the historic nature of the case she is prosecuting put her in an elite class most Black people will never even dream of reaching. One would expect such a person to be polished and classy, and able to remain so even while responding to an uncomfortable barrage of questions on the witness stand. https://youtu.be/gS-Vka4ho8k In a surprise move, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will not testify for a second day against claims she had an ‘improper’ affair with Nathan Wade, a lawyer she hired to help prosecute former President Trump and others accused of conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. https://youtu.be/EU1bCKr4LMg Usher is teaming with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, to develop a drama series about Black love in Atlanta. According to Variety, here’s the official logline: “Black love in Atlanta and individuals looking to find a place to call home. The series will explore music, style, sex, romance and secrets that threaten to tear relationships apart.” In a statement, Usher said… “I’m happy to be working with UCP to bring the music to life. I hope the series resonates with you the way my music continues to.” Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, Katie Zucker (Mad Massive Entertainment) and Kenny Meiselas (KMei Productions) serve as Executive producers on the forthcoming series. It remains unknown if the R&B crooner will appear on the show. Usher, fresh off his Super Bowl Halftime Show, released his ninth studio album, “Coming Home,” on February 9. The 8-time Grammy award-winner has also extended his massive 2024 North America tour, USHER: Past Present Future, to more cities and additional shows in Atlanta. EURweb is featuring the inspiring stories of individuals who are making history during Black History Month. One of these remarkable individuals is Sue Taylor, affectionately known as “Mama Sue.” When asked how she is doing, she enthusiastically responds, “Oh, I’m incredibly well!” Mama Sue, a cannabis entrepreneur from Berkeley, CA, is determined to ensure that people of her generation can also experience such well-being. Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s new song “Good (Don’t Die)” from their “Vultures” album has been removed from Spotify following a complaint from Donna Summer’s estate for “copyright infringement.” https://youtu.be/VW5igbqkQQQ Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s new song “Good (Don’t Die)” from the “Vultures” album has been removed from Spotify following a complaint from Donna Summer’s estate for “copyright infringement.” “Good (Don’t Die)” sampled elements of Summer‘s 1977 hit “I Feel Love.” While the electro-pop song is available on other streamers such as Apple Music, Spotify yanked it on Feb 14, Billboard reports. “Kanye West… asked permission to use Donna Summer’s song I Feel Love, he was denied… he changed the words, had someone re sing it or used AI but it’s I Feel Love… copyright infringement!!!” Summer’s estate wrote in an Instagram Story. Meanwhile, rockstar Ozzy Osbourne also denied West’s request to sample one of his tracks. “We get so many requests for these songs,” Ozzy’s wife/manager Sharon Osbourne told Billboard. “And when we saw that request, we just said no way… We’ve been in touch with his team … And it’s also an issue of having respect for another artist.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb8kt0sDsco&feature=youtu.be A White Republican lawmaker spoke at the Feb. 1 NAACP meeting in Kentucky, where she claimed her father was a slave. “My father was a slave, just to a white man and he was white,” said Kentucky State Representative Jennifer Decker while discussing an education bill she is sponsoring that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DIE) programs, The Courier- Journal reports. Decker said her father’s mother “was the illegitimate daughter of a very prominent person who then was kind enough to allow them to work for him as slaves.” She added, “So, if you’re asking, did we own slaves? My father was a slave, just to a white man and he was white.” https://twitter.com/BagdMilkSoWhat/status/1642092180582940673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1642200681791537157%7Ctwgr%5Eae26ec0a4f96a81258dd48e4ba15ee02bb863f73%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fwhite-kentucky-lawmaker-claims-her-father-was-a-slave%2F Another commenter added, “Who are the people voting her in? I mean, she didn’t crash the party, she was voted into her position, yes?” A third wrote, “There is a case for coal miners to be compared to serfs. Other jobs certainly. Not paid in real money. Poverty conditions, etc. but he wasn’t a literal slave.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8xZqdGCt2c&feature=youtu.be Well Go USA, the studio behind Triple Threat, Train to Busan, and the IP Man franchise, has released the trailer and key art for the upcoming thriller “Sting.” The film stars Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon), and Jermaine Fowler (Coming 2 America), and it is exclusively in theaters this spring. Here’s the synopsis: “One day a mysterious object falls from the sky…it’s an egg and from this egg discovered by Charlotte Browne), a rebellious 12-year-old girl obsessed with comic books. Despite her stepfather Ethan’s (Corr) best efforts to connect with her through their comic book co-creation Fang Girl, Charlotte feels isolated. Her mother and Ethan are distracted by their new baby and are struggling to cope, leaving Charlotte to bond with the spider. Keeping it as a secret pet, she names it Sting.” Usher is speaking out about creating his ninth album, “Coming Home,” released on Friday amid the celebration of his 30-year career. The 20-track album features collaborations with Latto, Burna Boy, The-Dream, Pheelz, BTS’ Jungkook, 21 Savage, Summer Walker, and H.E.R. The R&B crooner also reimagined Billy Joel‘s “Uptown Girl” for a new track called “A-Town Girl”. The 8-time Grammy award-winner has extended his massive 2024 North America tour to support his new album. The USHER: Past Present Future tour added more cities and additional shows in Atlanta. Produced by Live Nation, the 51-date tour will kick it all off in Atlanta, making stops in Seattle, Las Vegas, Vancouver, and more before wrapping up at Toyota Center in Houston on November 27, per the news release. The inaugural 2024 Fool in Love Festival lineup has been announced. Billboard reports that Lionel Richie and Diana Ross will headline the August 31 gig at Sofi Stadium-adjacent Hollywood Park in Los Angeles. The other confirmed artists are Al Green, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, the Isley Brothers, Charlie Wilson, the O’Jays, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, the Stylistics, the Chi-Lites, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Zapp, Kool & the Gang, Rose Royce and Morris Day & the Time, among many others. Register here for an access code to the presale on Friday (Feb. 16) at 1 p.m. The general sale will follow at 5 p.m. ET if any tickets remain. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3TjGfZP_fJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cfbb73d1-7693-41bf-b9a7-d3b7b6f390c7 Nkechi Diallo, formerly known as Rachel Dolezal (a white woman who claims she is transracial/Black), was fired from her teaching job in Tucson, Ariz., after the school district learned of her OnlyFans account.We only learned of Ms. Nkechi Diallo’s OnlyFans social media posts yesterday afternoon,” Julie Farbarik, a spokeswoman for the Catalina Foothills Unified School District #16, said in a statement to People. “Her posts are contrary to our district’s ‘Use of Social Media by District Employees’ policy and our staff ethics policy. She is no longer employed by the Catalina Foothills School District,” the statement continued. According to NBC affiliate KVOA, Diallo was an employee at the Catalina Foothills School District. After popular social media blog Libs of TikTok exposed her explicit OnlyFans account, Diallo was let go. https://www.instagram.com/p/CLK1y08Bj__/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Shaquille O’Neal hit up social media to tell Kanye West to “man up” and “stop bi**hin and snitchin” after the rapper credited Dov Charney, Jonah Hill, and Jon Rafman for inspiring his apology for his previous antisemitic remarks. West wrote: “DOV CHARNEY IS MY BROTHER AND ME AND MY WIFE’S BUSINESS PARTNER WHEN JAMIE SALTER AND EVERYONE ELSE WOULDN’T TAKE MY CALLS HE LET ME SLEEP AT HIS FACTORY DOV CHARNEY JONAH HILL AND JON RAFMAN ARE 3 PEOPLE WHO INSPIRED MY APOLOGY.” In response, Shaq wrote, “Who cares stop bi**hin and snitchin. I kno u saw me at the Super Bowl i was waiting for u to say something smart,” the NBA icon added. “Man up. Nobody wanna see u cryin, man up lil boy.” O’Neal and Ye allegedly have had beef since 2022 when Kanye criticized the former Los Angeles player for slamming Kyrie Irving amid the Jewish community’s fake outrage over a pro-black documentary he shared on X (formally Twitter). As Fadeaway World reports, Shaq previously slammed Ye for being narcissistic and not accounting for his actions. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ye-went.jpg Police are working to determine who opened fire and what motivated a shooting that killed one and wounded more than 20 others at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory rally, sending fans clad in red jerseys running, taking cover or tending to others on the ground as law enforcement swarmed the area, confetti still blowing in the wind. An estimated 1 million people had gathered just steps away from Union Station in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, for the parade and rally to mark the Chiefs’ repeat championship win Wednesday, with players still on the stage when chaos erupted to the sound of gunshots. Multiple people were shot, including children, authorities said. Three people were detained as officers converged on the scene, according to Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves, who added that guns were recovered at the scene but didn’t specify how many. No charges had been announced as of Wednesday night and no suspects had been named. https://youtu.be/X5KnNPGJ86Y Headed by Cameka Smith, The BOSS Network, an online community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through digital content, programs and event-based networking, has announced awarding $50,000 each in grants and scholarships in partnership with Sage ($250,000 in total) to the Divine Nine sororities—including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated—the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated, and the Chicago Urban League. Led by CEO Dr. Cameka Smith, this investment is a part of The BOSS Network’s yearlong celebration highlighting its 15th anniversary milestone year. Four women from each organization will receive a $10,000 grant from the BOSS Impact Fund and a scholarship to BOSS Business University (valued at $2,500). https://youtu.be/mToDKu-SiZs Set against the World War II Nazi occupation of Paris,, “The New Look” offers a fresh perspective on the lives of iconic fashion designers Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, and their contemporaries as they navigate the tumultuous era of conflict and creativity. Here’s the official synopsis, “As Dior rises to prominence with his groundbreaking, iconic imprint of beauty and influence, Chanel’s reign as the world’s most famous fashion designer is put into jeopardy. The interwoven saga follows the surprising stories of Dior’s contemporaries and rivals from Chanel to Pierre Balmain, Cristóbal Balenciaga and more; and, provides a stunning view into the atelier, designs and clothing created by Christian Dior through collaboration with the House of Dior.” https://youtu.be/lXN5Ws7LxkA If we had a “koo-koo for Cocoa Puffs” section, this story would be posted there. An irate woman confronted social activist Dr. Umar Johnson during a recent event at the New Black Wall Street Market in Atlanta. Cell phone video shows the woman stomping to the stage and throwing a bag at Johnson. Another woman approached the stage behind her, also yelling at Johnson. Sensing trouble, Johnson’s bodyguards rushed to the stage to stop the women. https://youtu.be/M2m5QeP2Q8A “Brothas and sistas, clap it up for the ancestors,” he told the crowd. “Clap it up for Black excellence,” he continued, as the audience clapped and cheered. “Clap it up for positivity,” Johnson said, while the woman fought with his guards. As the woman stripped off her top, Johnson said, “We gon’ stay focused.” “We gon’ stay focused. No weapon formed against us shall prevail!” https://youtu.be/ZGJIXzuLiiA Warner Brothers has released the trailer for their latest film, GODZILLA x KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, premiering March 29 only in theaters. Per the press release, the synopsis states: “The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of “Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.” https://youtu.be/qqrpMRDuPfc The non-profit organization, Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) is thrilled to announce its continued partnership with the global brand IKEA. The two came together to amplify the creative brilliance of Black artists from around the world as they unveil the 3rd installment of “All Artists Have a Seat at the Table” a unique campaign that not only shines a light on fine Black Art but also inspires collaboration in unlikely places while showcasing artists behind the work. The 2024 campaign launched February 8, at 6:00 pm with a red carpet opening and reception at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 2nd floor, inside the Museum of African American Art. This glamorous event marked the official unveiling of the “All Artists Have a Seat at the Table” furniture presented by IKEA including a panel discussion by some of its featured artists. The annual event boasts an array of art lovers, film enthusiasts, and some of Hollywood’s top A-listers observing the beautiful artwork, and shopping for unique pieces to add to their collections. Two juveniles have been detained in connection with Wednesday’s shooting following the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration rally, which left one dead and more than 20 wounded, police said. At least 23 victims have been identified, including Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a 43-year-old woman who died, police chief Stacey Graves said at a news conference Thursday. The other 22 victims range in age from 8 to 47, Graves said, adding that half are younger than 16. The shooting appears to have been a “dispute between several people that ended in gunfire,” Graves said, noting there is no indication of a “nexus to terrorism or homegrown violent extremism.” On Wednesday, Graves said three people had been detained, and an unspecified number of guns recovered by police. Later Wednesday, a Kansas City police spokesperson told CNN one person who was in custody was “determined to not be involved.” Two juvenile teens remained in custody for further investigation, police said. https://youtu.be/hbF2JZ20CMU Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith is defending Megyn Kelly against criticism that she is racist after the conservative commentator slammed Andra Day’s performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (aka the Black National Anthem) at the 2024 Super Bowl. “The so-called Black National Anthem does not belong at the Super Bowl. We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE,” Kelly wrote on X/Twitter. Her post received backlash, with some accusing her of racism. Smith made time on Monday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show to defend Kelly. “I’m sick and tired of folks out there — particularly in the Black community — being so quick to throw out the word ‘racism.’ When you throw out the word ‘racism,’ do me a favor,” he began, per The Hill. “Have more evidence before you do it, so it can’t be dismissed via plausible deniability or something else.” Smith then urged critics to educate themselves on why the Black National Anthem is significant to the Black community. “I don’t know you, I just know what you’ve been as a journalist and I respect the hell out of you. I respectfully say to you, could you do one or two things? Could you have a more thorough understanding of Black history, what provoked the existence of the Black national anthem and speak to that reality? Or simply stomach it?” https://youtu.be/sQ0B7cF3DQk On Saturday, April 20, 2024 entertainment executive Michael Ochoa, manager of the Urban Pop group MAKO Girls, serves on the Professional Panel at the 25th annual Baltimore “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference. The ULMII Conference is powered by Zoom and consists of a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Showcase, and a National Talent Competition where the top three performances win over $20,000 in products, services, and cash. Camberwell is home to many influential people from the Black community, past and present with a new walking tour around the area introduced. The self-guided tour starts at the lectern on Camberwell Green but can be picked up anywhere along the route. Local historian Stephen Bourne penned The Camberwell Black History Walk. The route pays tribute to people like feminist broadcaster Una Marson medical pioneer Harold Moody and Star Wars actor John Boyega. The plaques at each site along the route were paid for by Southwark Council and the Camberwell Society and people can scan the QR code for an audio guide voiced by young actors from Theatre Peckham of which John Boyega is a patron. The map features the work of artist and “illustrious son of Camberwell,” Tayo Fatunla having had a long career working on projects and workshops in Camberwell and he has also worked as an Editorial cartoonist for the Pan African weekly, West Africa magazine on Coldharbour lane in Camberwell as well. Efforts to bring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to downtown San Francisco are now official. NBC Bay Area reports the city’s mayor London Breed joined city and business leaders on Feb. 2 to announce the San Francisco Human Rights Commission-led initiative, called Black 2 San Francisco. In a statement regarding the effort, Breed highlighted the benefits of HBCUs as well as its overall impact on San Franciso and its residents. In addition to city and business leaders, Black 2 San Francisco will include contributions from the University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, and the University of California at San Francisco to bring an HBCY to the city. “In San Francisco, we are working to build partnerships that strengthen our leadership as a center of education, innovation, and opportunity,” he said. “By bringing HBCUs to our City, we can not only create a connection to empower our next generation of leaders, but we can also contribute to the revitalization of our City.” The Mayor added: “I want to thank all of our private sector supporters, as well as USF, UCSF, and SFSU for their partnership in this work and continued commitment to San Francisco’s future.” In the captivating realm of entertainment, few names evoke as much intrigue and admiration as John Malkovich. Renowned for his unparalleled talent and versatility, Malkovich has graced both stage and screen with his mesmerizing presence for decades. Recently, I had the extraordinary opportunity to chat with this legendary actor to delve into the depths of his latest venture: the Apple TV+ series, “The New Look,” a new, gripping historical drama series from Todd A. Kessler, starring Emmy Award winner Ben Mendelsohn as ‘Christian Dior’ and Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche as ‘Coco Chanel.’ “Inspired by true events and filmed exclusively in Paris, “The New Look” centers on fashion designers Christian Dior, Coco Chanel and their contemporaries as they navigated the horrors of World War II and launched modern fashion,” per the news release. https://youtu.be/lXN5Ws7LxkA At least 10 people have been shot and two armed individuals are in custody after a shooting that took place at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade. “Anyone nearby needs to leave the area as quickly and safely as possible to facilitate treatment of the shooting victims. Please avoid the Union Station parking garage area to allow first responders through,” police said. An estimated 1 million people were in downtown Kansas City on Wednesday celebrating their team’s back-to-back championship, and the area where the shooting took place was steps away from where the Chiefs held a pep rally for thousands of fans after the parade took place. It’s a heartbreaking end to what had been a raucous day of celebration for Chiefs fans, including many children as school districts in the Kansas City metro area had canceled classes to allow students to attend. At last report at least 20 + were injured and 1 dead. https://youtu.be/XRk0R6j5h2Q Usher’s halftime show at Super Bowl LVIII reportedly drew in more viewers than Rihanna and Dr Dre’s performances. According to Samba TV, 30.1 million households watched Usher serve his classic R&B hits, up 5 percent from Rihanna‘s 2023 Halftime Show, Vibe reports. As a result of the big game, Spotify streams of Usher’s music increased by 550 percent. In 2022, the Super Bowl’s halftime show featured for the first time an exclusive hip-hop lineup of artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent. According to Samba, 29 million U.S. households watched the show. “The powerhouse performances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent rocked the ratings on Sunday night, shattering last year’s halftime audience drawing in millions of more viewers across both linear television and streaming,” said Cole Strain, head of measurement at Samba TV, in a statement at the time. Usher released his ninth studio album, “Coming Home,” on February 9. The 8-time Grammy award-winner has also extended his massive 2024 North America tour, USHER: Past Present Future, to more cities and additional shows in Atlanta. Frankie Beverly & Maze, the R&B legends, will be embarking on their final tour together. Named the “I Wanna Thank You Farewell Tour,” the tour will kick off on March 22nd, 2024, at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA. Following the concert in Atlanta, there will be an after-party event for Frankie Beverly and Maze, with more details to be announced soon. The “I Wanna Thank You Farewell Tour” by Frankie Beverly and Maze will visit the following cities, dates, and venues: March 22nd, 2024 – State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA, April 6th, 2024 – Mobile County Fairgrounds, Mobile, AL, April 13th, 2024 – Toyota Arena, Houston, TX, April 27th, 2024 – United Center, Chicago, IL, May 12th, 2024 – KIA Forum, Los Angeles, CA, July 6th, 2024 – Dell Center, Philadelphia, PA Frankie Beverly, after more than 50 years of creating and performing classic hits, will retire later this year. The farewell tour is being produced by the Black Promoters Collective (BPC), a coalition representing six of the nation’s top independent concert promotion and event production companies. The BPC has successfully organized several major urban tours over the past two years, including those featuring Maxwell, New Edition, and Mary J. Blige. Frankie Beverly’s final tour is a testament to his remarkable career, and the BPC’s reputation for putting on shows with musical legends and contemporary superstars aligns perfectly with his legacy. Recently, Frankie Beverly was honored with the Urban One Living Legend Honor by TVOne, alongside Dionne Warwick, Mary J. Blige, gospel music super producer Donald Lawrence, and Chloe. After completing the tour with major stops across the country, Frankie Beverly will make his way to Philadelphia for a street renaming ceremony. This is the city where Beverly and his group, originally called Raw Soul, launched their extraordinary musical journey. https://youtu.be/JbcGIL3Zih0 Wayne Brady is set to star in the revival of “The Wiz” on Broadway, with Tony-nominated producer Kandi Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker serving as producers of the production. Brady stars in the title role along with Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Deborah Cox as Glinda Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em and Evillene, Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tinman, and Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow, Deadline reports. Kandi and Todd produce with Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, and Ambassador Theatre Group. In an interview with TheWrap, Burruss admitted that she knew from the outset that a revival of “The Wiz” would be met with harsh criticism from the Black community. “We knew from the jump that we were going to be under a microscope from our community, from the culture, about who did these roles because these roles are iconic,” Burruss said. “We made sure everybody in this show could sing down!” Comedian David Lucas said, “Getting canceled ain’t that bad,” in an Instagram post announcing his upcoming shows. Lucas is catching heat online after several Black audience members walked out of his stand-up comedy performance at the Funny Bone Comedy Club in Manchester, Connecticut when he made a tasteless joke about the 2020 police killing of George Floyd. Lucas seemingly mocked Floyd’s death while trading insults with a heckler. “And you want to show them the reason why George Floyd got his neck kneeled on,” Lucas said, prompting the audience to gasp in shock. “Don’t ‘Ooh’ at that joke. It’s just a joke, man. I would’ve never kneeled on George Floyd’s neck. I would’ve shot that n***a,” he added. https://youtu.be/baWCF8bdr2I Later in the video, as several audience members leave due to the insensitive remark, one attendee tells Lucas… “You need to know about George Floyd before you get yo ass up there talking about him. You really stoop low to be funny don’t you know that.” Viral video of the moment shows Lucas doesn’t seem phased by the Black attendees leaving, and he shouts, “I’m just warming up.” “I like Kyle Rittenhouse, too,” he shouted. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3N7pQxP6az/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jess Hilarious announced on “The Breakfast Club” this week she and her boyfriend Chris are expecting a baby. Chris called into the show to share his excitement about their “little bundle of joy.” As Rap-Up reports, Chris said, “Hey, baby. It’s your man. I wanted to call and say, ‘Happy birthday.’ I know it’s a special day for you. I can’t wait to see you. I’m so proud of you. I love that you’re staying divine all the time, and you’re such an amazing woman. I can’t wait to see you later, and I’m so excited for our little bundle of joy, babe.” Jess confirmed she’s pregnant with her second child, as she has an 11-year-old son from a previous relationship. Some fans noted in the comments of The Breakfast Club’s clip of the segment on Instagram that Jess appeared to be caught off guard by her boyfriend’s announcement, and perhaps she wasn’t ready to make this reveal. In the comments, one IG user wrote, “Getting a new job and immediately telling them you bout to go on maternity leave is crazy!!” https://eurweb.com/2024/jess-hilarious-reveals-shes-pregnant-with-second-child/ Check out Apple’s all-new Peanuts special, “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin,” which spotlights its first Black character. “As the origin story for one of Peanuts’ most beloved characters, the special follows Franklin Armstrong as he moves to a new town and navigates new friendships,” per the series synopsis. Executive produced by Craig Schulz, co-written by Franklin’s namesake and cartoonist Robb Armstrong, and directed by Emmy Award-winner Raymond S. Persi, “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” follows Franklin as he moves to a new town and navigates new friendships. https://youtu.be/GrMX591wZKQ R&B singer Ashanti previously confirmed that during her days as a demo singer, her vocals were passed off as Lopez’s in remixed tracks “I’m Real” and “Ain’t it Funny.” Lopez and Ayo filmed the Feb. 3 episode of “Saturday Night Live” together, where Edebiri hosted, and Lopez was the musical guest. https://youtu.be/LpRL3qvSYzc In an interview with Variety, Lopez said “The Bear” star apologized to her during the taping. “She came to my dressing room and apologized with tears in her eyes, saying how terrible it was that she had said those things,” Lopez said. “She felt really badly and loved my performance because we had just done my soundcheck and she actually got to hear me perform. She was just like, ‘I’m so f–king sorry, it was so awful of me,’ ” she added. https://youtu.be/PRe9iNMlhcU Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have launched a new Sussex.com website offering the latest news about the royal couple’s philanthropic endeavors. The updated site also links their Archewell Foundation non-profit and Archewell Productions. The new site’s homepage features a photo of Harry and Meghan and text that reads: “The office of Prince Harry & Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”Page Six reports that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are catching heat online for using their royal titles and the coat of arms on the new website. The couple resigned from their duties four years ago. The previous website, SussexRoyal.com, redirects visitors to the new address. A pop-up message reads: “This site was established in 2020 and sets out the work streams of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex prior to their move to the United States. https://youtu.be/X1d9ObVWKkg Esther Howland isn’t a household name for most Americans. But those who’ve studied the history behind the intricate, hand-crafted (Valentine’s Day) cards she started making some 175 years ago argue that she should be. "She was the Martha Stewart of her day. She would have killed it on Etsy,” says Vanessa Bumpus, exhibit coordinator at the Worcester Historical Museum in Massachusetts. Howland lived in Worcester and built a business in the central Massachusetts city that brought fame and fortune in her lifetime, and a nickname that lasted long after her 1904 death: “The mother of the American valentine.” Howland didn’t invent valentines or bring them to the United States. But she’s credited with sparking the spread of the ornate cards that became a staple of Valentine’s Day celebrations here and eventually blossomed into a multi-billion-dollar industry. https://youtu.be/eKRvhnmGeVo It’s February 14, Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air…and at sea! Carnival Cruise Line and Shaquille O’Neal are celebrating the y in a big way once again by inviting couples sailing on its ships to take part in its largest-ever vow renewal at sea. Virtually officiated by Chief Fun Officer Shaq, the fleetwide ceremony is even bigger than last year – since two new ships – Carnival Venezia and Carnival Jubilee – are allowing even more guests to reaffirm their commitment to each other. An onboard reception follows each ceremony, including a DJ and a champagne toast to celebrate the newly renewed couples. And to add to the fun, there is an onboard kiss-cam spotlighting couples on the big screen of the Seaside Theater. Several conservatives turned to social media to complain about Andra Day’s performance of “Lift Every Voice And Sing” ahead of the LVIII Super Bowl. “They’re desecrating America’s National Anthem by playing something called the ‘Black National Anthem,’” Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz said, according to Vibe. Conservative pundit CJ Pearson added, “Before tonight’s Super Bowl, as a young black man and proud American, let me make myself clear: There is only ONE national anthem,” he wrote. “As there is only ONE United States of America. And it’s for EVERYONE – white, black, yellow, and even maroon. The Left’s agenda of division isn’t just needless; it’s exhausting.” Republican lawmaker Rep. Mike Loychik also remarked about Day’s performance on X/Twitter, writing, “There’s no such thing as a black national anthem. We are all AMERICANS, united by our great and beautiful Star Spangled Banner. The Super Bowl is supposed to bring us together. It’s a disgrace that the NFL decided to push the politics of racial division again.” “It’s a huge moment,” Day told The Associated Press ahead of her big game performance. “I don’t want to just do well, but I really want people to encounter the spirit.” Last month, Day revealed to Entertainment Tonight how she was prepping for the performance. “I was so nervous but very, very excited. Grateful. And also, just an honor. It’s an honor to be singing the Black national anthem,” Day said at the time. “I think I got the call in November when they let me know that like, yes, we’re greenlit to do it and I remember having a very peculiar feeling,” the “Rise Up” songstress shared. “I was like, ‘Why do I feel like it was, like, visceral?’ I was like, ‘Why am I nervous?’ Terrified. I had butterflies in my stomach in November for something that’s gonna happen in February.” Awesome job! https://youtu.be/sQ0B7cF3DQk According to Kansas City Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hopkins, one person has died and several others were injured in a shooting that occurred at the end of a rally celebrating the latest Chiefs Super Bowl win. Hopkins reported that three patients were in critical condition, five were in serious condition, and one had non-life-threatening injuries. Additionally, five more victims sought medical attention for injuries sustained at the event, although it is unclear if they were gunshot victims. Four wounded individuals and eight injured individuals were taken to University Health Truman Medical Center, as confirmed by hospital spokesperson Keith King. This shooting is another tragic example of gun violence disrupting American life in locations that were once considered safe. Previous incidents have occurred at churches, schools, grocery stores, outlet malls, hospitals, college campuses, and house parties. In June 2023, two people were shot as fans were leaving a celebration for the Denver Nuggets’ NBA title. The celebration in downtown Kansas City had an estimated attendance of 1 million people, and the shooting took place near where the Chiefs held their victory rally after the parade. This heartbreaking incident disrupted what had been a joyous day for Chiefs fans, including many children who were given the day off from school to attend. https://youtu.be/8euqy9jvwdg Chiefs fans tacking and apprehending one of the two suspected shooters: https://twitter.com/i/status/1757872459905225087 A video of the two teen shooter suspects: https://twitter.com/i/status/1757865477789933569 The NFL caused a stir on Monday as speculation arose that a recording of Alicia Keys‘ halftime performance during Usher’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show had been pitch-corrected before being released on YouTube. During her performance, Keys captivated the audience with her rendition of “If I Ain’t Got You,” seated at a red piano with a grand cape behind her. At the song’s beginning, some fans noticed a vocal crack in Keys’ voice. Clips of this moment quickly circulated online. However, when the official performance recording was uploaded to YouTube, the vocal stumble appeared to have been edited out, leading fans to believe that it had been pitch-corrected. Numerous fans shared side-by-side comparisons of the live show and the pitch-corrected recording as evidence of the alteration. The Hollywood Reporter reached out to representatives for Keys and the NFL for comment but did not receive an immediate response. https://youtu.be/-OjgSMUEWzo Check out an exclusive clip of this week’s episode of “Bold & Bougie,” WEtv’s new reality series, which follows Crystal Smith, Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, and Princess Banton-Lofters as they live unapologetically on their own terms and rewrite their narrative. Per the official synopsis, “Bold & Bougie promises viewers an exhilarating journey following a group of extraordinary and fearless women who refuse to let societal expectations or age define them. Instead, they embrace their individuality and empower one another to live life to the fullest – well into adulthood.” https://youtu.be/svCRDj8j7J4 The Academy Museum welcomes you to join them in celebrating Black History Month with a special slate of screenings and events spotlighting the many contributions of Black creators and artists in film. In celebration of Black History Month this February, explore quick and entertaining videos built to educate viewers about the contributions of Black people in American history, created by legendary producer-director Neema Barnette and filmmaker Reed R. McCants. Join museum educators in the Netflix Lounge on Fridays in February at 1pm for this interactive experience, where you can explore as many mini docs as you’d like. These short videos will include iconic figures such as Diana Sands, Frank Silvera, Frederick Douglas, Gordon Parks, Hazel Scott, Josephine Baker, Sammy Davis Jr., Woody Strode, Dorothy Dandridge, Jim Kelly, Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis. Sheriff’s deputies in Houston repeatedly shot at a woman (Eboni Pouncy) after mistaking her for an intruder inside her friend’s apartment, body camera footage released over the weekend shows. Pouncy was shot five times during the February 3 confrontation and her attorney, Ben Crump, has since called for the release of the two deputies’ body camera footage. Authorities say Pouncy was holding a gun when they opened fire. Following the release of the edited footage by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Crump said in a release that the video is “evidence of the unnecessary and excessive force used against her.” Crump later told CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” that it was a miracle Pouncy survived. “Over two dozen bullets (were fired) and she lived,” he said Tuesday. Pouncy was hit in the chest, abdomen, thigh, leg, and foot, Crump said. She will be OK, but she requires physical rehabilitation, the attorney also said. https://youtu.be/zjIcj1drNP8 Crump said Pouncy didn’t hear the announcement and didn’t know law enforcement officers were at the door. She was shot as she moved to the door, intending to defend the property with a gun she was “within her rights to own,” Crump told CNN Tuesday. A deputy “saw a female approaching the door holding a firearm,” the sheriff’s office said in its release. Soon after, one deputy begins yelling at the person inside to “drop the” gun or weapon, then it appears one or both deputies open fire before the command is complete. They both shoot repeatedly, and at least one deputy continues firing after reloading. After the deputies performed “life-saving efforts” on the woman they shot, she was taken to a local hospital, where she was in stable condition. according to the release. “Deputies conducted a safety sweep and did not locate anyone else inside the apartment,” the release said. A handgun was found inside the apartment, which authorities believe is the one seen by the deputy before they began shooting, it added. https://youtu.be/y63nagX-mIY Kanye West denies claims that Taylor Swift had the rapper removed from the Super Bowl game on Sunday. Forbes reports that NFL player Brandon Marshall explained what happened in his podcast Paper Route, claiming Swift had her rival booted from the big game. “So Kanye West pulls up to Super Bowl… Kanye West buys a ticket right in front of Taylor Swift’s booth,” Marshall said. In his opinion, Kanye may have done this in order to ensure that “any time they were going to be showing [Swift], Kanye’s face was going to be there.” Marshall noted that Yezzy “had a mask on,” and that his appearance “pissed off” Swift. As a result, he believes Swift made “a call or two, everybody’s involved,” and “[Kanye] gets kicked out of the stadium.” A rep for Kanye tells TMZ … “This is a completely fabricated rumor. It is not true.” https://youtu.be/cQ8L6qOSytw Check out an exclusive clip of this week’s episode of “Bold & Bougie,” WEtv’s new reality series, which follows Crystal Smith, Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, and Princess Banton-Lofters as they live unapologetically on their own terms and rewrite their narrative. Per the official synopsis, “Bold & Bougie promises viewers an exhilarating journey following a group of extraordinary and fearless women who refuse to let societal expectations or age define them. Instead, they embrace their individuality and empower one another to live life to the fullest – well into adulthood.” The series description reads: “The women of Bold & Bougie have spent their entire lives being cheerleaders for others. Now, it’s their turn to be the center of attention as they support each other and form an unbreakable sisterhood. In each hour-long episode, witness the growing pains that come from love, loss – and hangovers, because they still know how to have a good time. As they celebrate milestones, the women showcase their vibrant personalities and zest for life. However, this sisterhood isn’t without its challenges.” https://youtu.be/svCRDj8j7J4 Kanye West posted a video statement on Instagram in response to fans criticizing him for posting photos of his scantily-clad wife. Yezzy posted the same clip of his wife, Bianca Censori, 29, three times on Monday. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3Q8vdIvowx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In the video, she is wearing only an upon-like outfit at a party, and her breasts are barely covered. One fan commented, “Remember when he used to get mad at Kim for showing too much of her body?” Another noted, “Bro’s wife is just a prop at this point 😭 3x is crazy.” “I just wanted to tell everybody I posted my wife three times on purpose,” Ye said in a clip of him and Bianca walking in an airport. “What I’m saying is I delivered the album. People still in my comments talking about ‘Why you post your wife?’ ‘Cause she make me happy. That’s why y’all happy with the music cause I’m happy, you understand?” he added. The rapper continued, “So don’t ever say nothing negative. If you don’t like my page and don’t like what I’m posting, go f*ck yourself. Seriously. Leave me— leave the king the f*ck alone. I don’t care, bro. I’ma post my wife as much as I want, go post your wife on your f*cking Instagram.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1757462436615950840 With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, stores are relying on procrastinating romantics to make a last-minute dash in stores and online to help clear out the supply of the special-occasion candy. If you’re among them, don’t be fooled by the smorgasbord of cutely packaged candy adorned with hearts and cupids in all shades of rosy hues. Those sweet treats might leave a bitter taste if you do some math on how much more you’re paying for them. Some special Valentine’s Day editions of popular candies, such as Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers, and Haribo appear to be priced higher than the regular versions of those sugary treats for roughly the same quantity.The price difference caught the attention of Veronica Fletcher, co-founder and publisher of the food and cooking website Pantry and Larder. Fletcher, a former data analyst with the supermarket industry, looked at the cost of a few Valentine’s Day-themed candies at retailers this year, such as Walmart, and compared them to regular versions of the same candies (using the price for ounce metric) and noted a hefty premium. https://youtu.be/LJAgvO1Ed8s “Is it an unreasonably high price for seasonal products? It sounds like it,” said Edgar Dworsky, former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts who is a consumer advocate and editor of the website ConsumerWorld.org. “It almost gets to the greedflation issue, where some companies are taking advantage of a situation where consumers have come to expect higher prices on everything because of inflation,” said Dworsky. CVS, in an email to CNN, said “prices of Valentine’s Day candy may vary based on cost or quantity.” https://youtu.be/cpCZiGJ3Wv4 Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre are serving up a new alcoholic beverage inspired by the Grammy-nominated 1994 classic song “Gin & Juice.” Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop comes in four flavors: Citrus, Melon, Passionfruit, and Apricot, according to the news release. “The canned cocktails are premium gin-based cocktails, crafted for an innovative experience with packaging designed by Ini Archibong,” the release states. The drink is distributed through Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. “Together, we always try to create magic, we’re having fun being creative, and everything about this product is really us,” Dr. Dre said in a statement. “There’s passion behind it, and friendship and love and a culture. We’re shooting to make everything we do magnificent, and fortunately, most of the time we hit the target,” Dr. Dre added. Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African Comic Book Entertainment Company Kugali’s all-new series “Iwájú.” streams on Disney+ beginning Feb. 28! Set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria, the exciting coming-of-age story follows Tola (voice of Simisola Gbadamosi), a young girl from a wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole (voice of Siji Soetan), a self-taught tech expert, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds. Kugali filmmakers—including director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, production designer Hamid Ibrahim, and cultural consultant Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku—take viewers on a unique journey into the world of “Iwájú,” bursting with unique visual elements and technological advancements inspired by the spirit of Lagos. Produced by Disney Animation’s Christina Chen with a screenplay by Adeola and Halima Hudson, “Iwájú” also features the voices of Dayo Okeniyi, Femi Branch and Weruche Opia. https://youtu.be/mB5efZKWIrU Jonathan Majors continues to be caught up in legal drama. The latest setback for the actor involves two ex-girlfriends accusing him of physical and emotional abuse. Citing a report from Rolling Stone, LoveBScott detailed the accusations made by Emma Duncan and Maura Hooper. The women, who were in overlapping relationships with Majors, revealed their respective situations to The New York Times, alleging he was physically and emotionally abusive towards them during their respective times with him. Hooper — who dated Majors from 2013 to 2015 – claimed the “Creed III” actor was deeply controlling, stating she “was not allowed to speak to anyone about their relationship.” Majors’ attorney Priya Chaudhry countered Hooper’s claims, saying her client was “young and insecure” during that time period and “is embarrassed by some of his jealous behavior.” https://youtu.be/l7iHQ-IbjtQ Universal debuted the first trailer for the hotly anticipated “Twisters“ sequel starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos. The feature is a follow-up to the 1996 box office hit featuring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. The sequel, from director Lee Isaac Chung, stars “Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better,” per the news release. https://youtu.be/wdok0rZdmx4 The first teaser trailer for “Wicked: Part One” premiered during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, giving fans of the long-running musical their first look at pop star Ariana Grande as Glinda and Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power. https://youtu.be/F1dvX9Vs0ns Despite persistent rumors that the Democrats will draft Michelle Obama for President, “she is not someone who likes politics,” says David Axelrod, a CNN political analyst. “I would be floored if she would consent to that. They feel that they gave ten years of their life to this,” adding, “I have as much chance of dancing in the Bolshoi Ballet next year.” Yes, it’s a fantasy the Republicans won’t let go of. In a Politico OpEd on the subject, writer Rich Lowry quotes Texas’ Republican Ted Cruz, giving voice to a popular theory, told Sean Hannity last September, “I think the odds are very significant that next summer at the Democrat[ic] National Convention that the Democrat[ic] Party will jettison Joe Biden and will throw him off the ticket, and they will parachute in instead, Michelle Obama to be their candidate.” https://youtu.be/CAxp8JYxhx4 Since political conservatives made something out of nothing as far as hating on the Kansas City Chiefs because their star tight end, Travis Kelce‘s girlfriend, superstar Taylor Swift will probably endorse Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election, they had to witness Taylor and Travis swap spit because the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl XLVIII. Sorry conservatives, San Francisco (the city that’s usually your whipping boy ’cause you hate its liberal ways and you suddenly fell in love with) lost to Taylor and Travis. Oh well. Now you’ll have to create something else to whine about. Anyway, as TMZ noted, “Swift just planted one on Kelce and it was a smooch for the ages, ’cause she and TK were wrapped up in each other for a while.” OK, now that we’ve got that out of the day, the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls in 19 years, downing the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in Las Vegas. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs have won Super Bowls in three of the past five seasons. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, voted Most Valuable Player in two previous Super Bowl victories, was 34 of 46 for 333 yards with two touchdowns – including the game-winner – and one interception. Mahomes also had 66 yards rushing, including a 19-yard scramble on the game’s final drive. https://youtu.be/za0N-IB09A0 49ers quarterback second-year quarterback Brock Purdy looked calm and collected in the pocket and was 23 of 38 for 255 yards and one touchdown. All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey had 80 yards rushing and 80 receiving. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings became the second person in Super Bowl history to throw and catch touchdown passes. Veteran tight end Travis Kelce, who only had one catch for one yard in the first half, finished with nine receptions and 93 yards but didn’t find the end zone. 49ers kicker Jake Moody kicked three field goals, including one that temporarily held the Super Bowl record as the longest, but he missed an extra point in regulation when it was blocked. The game was a rematch of the Super Bowl four years ago when the Chiefs pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 31-20. https://youtu.be/RfykQF4lM14 Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of a major Nigerian bank, along with his wife and son, were among six people killed in a helicopter crash in the Mojave Desert near the California-Nevada border late Friday night. Wigwe, the Access Bank chief executive died in the crash, the bank confirmed in a statement on X. Wigwe’s wife and son and the former group chairman of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, were also killed in the crash, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in a post on X. Authorities said both of the helicopter’s pilots were also killed. https://youtu.be/OH8cRCXo6W4 The Billie Holiday Theatre, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and culture organizations, will commemorate Black History Month with the launch of “Sky’s The Limit: Music is My Resistance,” a unique visual art exhibition experience exploring the concept of Black resistance through music. Launching on February 15, the exhibition will be anchored by renowned visual artist Sherwin Banfield’s larger-than-life sculpture of hip hop icon Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace (AKA Biggie). Originally unveiled in DUMBO in 2022 to much fanfare, the piece – named “Sky’s the Limit in the County of Kings” – will make its way to Biggie’s own Bed Stuy neighborhood where the nine-foot statue will take centerstage in The Billie’s lobby and gallery hall. Additionally, a selection of Banfield’s smaller sculpted pieces will be on display. During Sunday’s Big Game, Marvel Studios released the first trailer for the highly anticipated “DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. The superhero actioner, directed by Shawn Levy, features Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen. Reynolds co-wrote the script and also serves as producer along with Levy, MCU boss Kevin Feige, and Lauren Shuler Donner with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey, Simon Kinberg and Jonathon Komack Martin serving as executive producers. “DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE” opens in U.S. & Canadian movie theaters on July 26 and will be available in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD, and premium screens everywhere. https://youtu.be/uJMCNJP2ipI Kodak Black will reportedly remain in federal prison in Florida after his drug possession charges were dismissed last week. According to The Associated Press, the charge was dismissed on February 9 after prosecutors failed to “confirm, or refute, whether the rapper (real name Bill Kapri) had a prescription for oxycodone,” Hip Hop DX writes. The rapper was allegedly in possession of oxycodone when he was arrested in December, which caused his bond in a separate federal matter to be revoked. The rapper, whose real name is Bill Kahan Kapri, was also charged at the time with tampering with physical evidence and improperly stopping or parking his vehicle. He is currently housed at the Miami Federal Detention Center. We reported earlier that the parole violation is related to a 2019 case in which the artist pleaded guilty to lying on a background check form when buying handguns. He was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison in 2019. Former President Donald Trump commuted his sentence just before he left office.According to The Associated Press, the charge was dismissed on February 9 after prosecutors failed to “confirm, or refute, whether the rapper (real name Bill Kapri) had a prescription for oxycodone,” Hip Hop DX writes. The rapper was allegedly in possession of oxycodone when he was arrested in December, which caused his bond in a separate federal matter to be revoked. Twenty-one years ago, the National Football League would not allow Super Bowl ads from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority because it didn’t want even a whiff of gambling associated with the sport. On Sunday, the NFL will hold its first Super Bowl in Las Vegas, a city built on gambling. Even in 2003, gambling was as much a part of the NFL as tailgating, helmets, and shoulder pads. Fans have been making bets on football since it was a semi-pro sport a century ago when it was garnering far less attention than horse racing or boxing. https://youtu.be/r_TjvEwJYTw And with the wagering on football came a boost in visibility and, indirectly, revenue. Despite moving its big game to Vegas, and partnering up with the companies focused on sports gambling, the NFL is still trying to keep the appearance of some distance between the sport and gaming. Players can be fined or even suspended if they place a bet at one of Nevada’s many casinos or if they bet on league games, which was the case in June 2023. https://youtu.be/Xp8Oamk3GDY Antoine Fuqua will direct a documentary about Nelson Mandela titled “Troublemaker: The Story Behind the Mandela Tapes.” Variety reports that “the doc will use newly discovered audio interviews with Mandela himself to deliver an “honest, accurate and definitive depiction” of the man who remains a global symbol of justice, hope and universal human dignity,” according to a press release, the outlet writes. Fuqua teamed with Mandela’s close friend and former cellmate Mac Maharaj on the project, and Maharaj will serve as an executive producer. Wendy Williams’ ex-husband, Kevin Hunter Sr., is concerned that the upcoming Lifetime documentary about the beloved talk show host will negatively impact her legacy. The documentary “Where is Wendy Williams?” chronicles Wendy’s comeback journey after her hit talk show was unexpectedly canceled. Per the news release, the synopsis reads: The documentary provides a raw, honest and unfiltered reality of Wendy’s life after she was placed under financial guardianship, shedding light on the vulnerabilities that has turned Wendy into the Hot Topic herself. Suffering mental and physical issues, Wendy’s delicate state of mind, erratic behavior and declining health were all captured by the cameras. Where is Wendy Williams? is the story of Wendy’s journey to resurrect her career, and what filmmakers discovered along the way. But many questions remain – who truly has Wendy’s best interest at heart? Is she healthy now? And Where is Wendy Williams? https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70 Judge Greg Mathis is calling for Black entertainers to end public feuds following Katt Williams and Mo’Nique’s bombshell interviews on Club Shay Shay. “Stop going after each other in public like this. You’re embarrassing yourselves, [and] you’re embarrassing our community,” Mathis said in a video statement shared on social media, Revolt reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3MeojOs4Dg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “I know many times you have to defend yourself about what’s being said, but why can’t we do it directly? And I just want you to know, I believe that we’re being laughed at by all the major studios and by their executives seeing us in public, Black folks, going at each other,” said the television court show host,” Mathis added. His remarks came on the heels of Mo’Nique’s appearance on Club Shay Shay, during which she slammed Tiffany Haddish, D.L. Highley, Oprah, and Tyler Perry. In a video response, Hughley mocked Mo’s weight and her husband and noted that she barely has a relationship with her adult children. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3EUT_TpfG6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Beyoncé, the queen of surprises and musical mastery, graced her fans with electrifying news on Super Bowl Sunday. With a burst of excitement, she unveiled her long-awaited musical venture, “Renaissance: Act II,” across various platforms, igniting a firestorm of anticipation and joy. https://youtu.be/qYgxJ0AMQ90?list=RDNSiwKJb0wC8Fo In a digital symphony of announcements, Beyoncé’s official website and social media accounts pulsated with enigmatic energy. A Verizon ad, cleverly crafted to captivate, showcased Beyoncé at a lemonade stand—a nostalgic nod to her iconic 2016 album bearing the same name. https://youtu.be/-fV37wdHG8U The ad playfully transformed her name into “Barbey,” evoking images of a vivacious Barbie doll, and “BOTUS,” teasing the idea of her becoming the first female president. Such charisma and wit left fans yearning for more. Delving deeper into this melodic revelation, Beyoncé unveiled Part 2 of her critically acclaimed 2022 “Renaissance album.” Whispers of the project forming a trilogy have swirled for years, akin to an artistic secret waiting to be unraveled. https://youtu.be/238Z4YaAr1g Sony Music Group has acquired half of Michael Jackson’s publishing and recorded masters in a deal valued at $1.2 billion. Billboard reports that Sony will pay at least $600 million for the late King of Pop’s music catalog stake.According to reports, the deal is the biggest ever for the assets of a single music artist. Variety writes, “Sources confirm to Variety that the complex deal also includes assets from Jackson’s legendary Mijac publishing catalog, which includes multiple titles by Sly & the Family Stone as well as hits written or performed by Jerry Lee Lewis, Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles, Percy Sledge, Dion and others. However, it does not include royalties from the “MJ” Broadway musical and other theatrical productions featuring the musician’s music.” Sources confirm to Variety that Primary Wave Music still owns 10% of Jackson’s publishing assets. Taylor Swift fans claim Kanye West is obsessed with the singer after mentioning her name in his new song, “Carnival,” which appears on his album “Vultures 1.” In the song, West claims he “made six Taylor Swift.” No one knows what that means, but the Swifties are enraged over the lyrics. “Taylor Swift was his target twice and has successfully moved on from both events and thrived. Meanwhile, Kanye feels the need to name drop her everytime he needs clout and attention,” one fan argued on X, per Page Six. “Says a lot about how desperate he is to be relevant right now,” the fan added.A second Swift fan wrote, “kanye west still unironically thinking he made taylor swift famous is so.. like if you’re the one using her name in songs TWICE because you’re desperate for attention, i don’t think you’re as relevant as you think you are.” Ye first infuriated Swift’s fans in 2009, when he stormed the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards during her win for best female music video. At the time, the rapper said the teen artist didn’t deserve the award, as it should have gone to Beyoncé instead. A Georgia man suffered severe injuries in a chemical spill at his job last summer, and now he’s speaking out about how his then-fiancée stayed by his side during the harrowing ordeal.Preston Cobb, 34, was badly buried 22 days before his wedding, People reports. Per the family’s GoFundMe campaign, “32% of his body was burned, and he has lost 9 toes along with 4 fingers being amputated on his right hand, and 4 fingers on his left hand partially amputated as well.” So far, “Preston has had 8 surgeries and will have 1 surgery every week the next month in preparation for skin graft surgery on both legs and arms due burns he has received,” the fundraiser states. Speaking to People, Cobb said he initially told his fiancée she could back out of their wedding following his freak accident on the job. “I wouldn’t blame her,” Cobb shared with People. “She looked at me like I was crazy.” Former football star, actor, and acquitted murder defendant O.J. Simpson, 76, has been diagnosed with cancer, according to news reports. Simpson has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in Las Vegas. Despite rumors of being in hospice care, Simpson announced on X (Twitter) Friday that he is not in such a situation. He plans to host “a ton of friends” for the Super Bowl on Sunday. Simpson also posted a video clip on social media that shows him having a good laugh about the situation in his car in ‘Vegas. He says he laughing because the reports of him being in hospice care are not true. In that announcement via X on Friday, the Juice said, bottom line, he is not in a hospice amid reports that he was frail and sickly. https://youtu.be/pmXGVPwDi9Y As the release of the biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” draws near, Bob Marley’s former mistress is generating headlines with a post on what would’ve been the late singer’s 79th birthday.Taking to Instagram, Cindy Breakspeare celebrated Marley on his special day, voicing her love for the reggae icon and their son Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley as well as the memories they shared. “Bob, on what would have been your 79th Birthday, I celebrate the incredible impact you’ve had globally, cherish our amazing son Damian, and reminisce about the beautiful times we shared–from 56 Hope Road to your mother’s home in Delaware and Miami, New York, Oakley Street in London, The Bahamas, Trinidad, and beyond,” Breakspeare wrote on Feb. 6, under multiple throwback pictures. “The memories are countless, but our love for you is endless. Happy Birthday to the people’s hero loved and revered by all,” she wrote in a caption from the post. Breakspeare’s emotional message comes more than four decades after Marley’s death. The “Uprising” entertainer died in 1981, four years after being diagnosed with skin cancer (melanoma) in 1977. Before his passing the cancer reportedly spread to Marley’s lungs and brain. He was 36. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3AwV3nuH1F/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=be32d85c-645a-459e-bff1-483f3623c01e As a longstanding fixture in Hollywood, Garrett Morris has seen a lot and done more to secure his name among the comedy greats. “I went to alcoholics anonymous,” Morris told People. “And they give you a sponsor. And that guy calls you all day long, but it works. Within six months to a year, I felt like I could stay sober forever.” Cocaine addiction wasn’t the only obstacle Morris encountered over the years in showbiz. Racism was consistent in his dealings at “SNL” via resistance among producers who weren’t in favor of a black cast member. Not included in that group was “SNL” creator/producer Lorne Michaels. In Morris’ eyes, Michaels “doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.” “Some producers didn’t want a Black cast member but Lorne Michaels knew the show needed one,” Morris, who started on “SNL” as a writer, shared. “I dealt with some racism there, but never with Lorne. He doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.” The racism at “SNL was among the experiences Morris had throughout his time in Hollywood. Despite the negativity, here he is, still standing and thriving. On Feb. 1, Morris celebrated his 87th birthday as the recipient of star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Though it marks a notable moment, Morris would not have lived to see it if he hadn’t survived a gunshot wound he sustained during a robbery attempt in 1994. It’s called ‘Roses.” Play it stream it,” said Divine, one of the three members of the R&B group Final Draft (Divine, Lucky, and Voice), about their new single titled “Roses” (Blackground 2.0) that released February 9, 2024. Member Lucky starts to sing the “Roses” single. Final Draft went viral with their performances of hit songs. The producer of “America’s Got Talent” noticed them, and the result was Final Draft performing on the show. “‘America’s Got Talent’ seen the videos,” Divine pointed out when I asked. “We were on there before Covid.” Final Draft started releasing performance videos for Black History Month of old-school songs. “AGT” saw their videos and it resulted in their appeared on the show. Then the COVID pandemic hit, but Final Draft continued to perform. https://youtu.be/Bd1RXbZVHlg When Super Bowl Sunday rolls around each year — whether it’s in Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles or Minneapolis — Las Vegas still draws the crowds. Football fans make a long weekend out of the event, they see some shows, eat some food, place some bets, lose some bets, and settle in front of one of countless TV screens to watch the game. Come this Sunday, for the first time, that Big Game will be in Sin City itself. With one of the biggest shows on Earth now in its backyard, the city of spectacle and excess is hoping to hit it big. https://youtu.be/L_ji6ykvNlQ The Obamas may have a lot of collective and individual accomplishments to their credit, but believe it or not, they are just like ever married couple with good days and bad days.In a recent interview on the Jay Shetty Podcast, former First Lady Michelle Obama got candid with discussing her marriage to former president Barack Obama and how they managed to stay together for more than three decades. When asked if she and Barack said anything they later regretted, The Jasmine Brand noted Michelle’s response. “What… in my marriage? Of course! Yesterday. [laughs], “she said. “You know, that’s the practice of relationships, right? After thirty-one years, yeah, we still do it, but you know it quicker. And then you apologize. You know? You learn how to say, ‘My bad.’” In addition to marital regrets, Mrs. Obama touched on her efforts to create a safe space for chats about relationship struggles. In her eyes, communication is an asset in overcoming those struggles. https://youtu.be/X2vNGwMCw-M The fictional R&B group Butta from Power Book III: Raising Kanan has become an increasingly central part of the storyline from the beginning of Season 3 which just concluded. Now, it looks like young actresses Aliyah Turner and Liv Symone will be central parts of season 4 as well. As we said, the season finale of Power Book III: Raising Kanan is upon us, and with it comes the realization that we will all have to wait a while to see what the outcomes are. https://youtu.be/dskkJQlrpzI It’s barely two months into 2024 and social media is already blasting a questionable prediction. Citing a TikToker named J. Stanza, Madame Noire noted “predictions” made by the user at the close of 2023. Among the items in the user’s forecast was an increase in age-gap dating in 2024, a notion Stanza claimed he called out first, with it affecting mature white women and young black men. “In 2024, older women are only going to date younger men. Straight up,” Stanza said in his Dec. 21, 2023, post. “It’s going to be out in the open. Ain’t going to be no hiding this shit.” “In 2024, you’re going to see older white women with young hood niggas. I promise you,” he continued. I’m not talking about no ratchet white women. I’m talking about women who live in good neighborhoods, nice neighborhoods. Women who just divorced their husbands. When the kids go off to see their dad, she going to be chilling with a young hood nigga, I promise you.” As he expounded on his prediction, Stanza detailed the type of black men that would catch the eyes of experienced white women. Those men included ones who smoke blunts while sporting ski masks and puffy jackets. https://www.tiktok.com/share/video/7312127821747473670?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Ftiktokers-2024-prediction-older-white-women-seeking-hood-brothas-watch%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=71929438%2C121374463%2C121351166%2C71838018%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_card_play&referer_video_id=7314911815719243038 Meanwhile, others generally consider a May-December relationship to range from 10 to over 50 years. Notable May-December relationships include Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons and Baby Phat founder Kimora Lee Simmons (14-year age gap) and Jay-Z and Beyonce (12-year age gap). Through the years, social media has embraced May-December relationships. Stanza is no different with his support of it on TikTok and the common sight of it throughout the entertainment industry. In its annual study predicting the following year’s dating trends, the dating app Bumble discovered that after surveying more than 26,800 users globally, 63% of users removed age from the equation when finding love for 2024. In addition, the study found that 59% of the women on Bumble are more accepting of dating someone younger. https://youtu.be/qfXlw_agKA8 Norelle, who has participated in two Super Bowl halftime shows as a background vocalist, recently shared her thoughts on Usher’s upcoming performance in Las Vegas. During an interview with Chris Yandek and Rob Gill (of CYInterview), she expressed her confidence in Usher’s talent and professionalism, expecting nothing less than the best from him. “Usher is a professional. He’s been doing this for a very long time. He is one of our greatest talents that we will ever lay eyes on. They’ve got it. They’ve been shutting Vegas down for years now. I don’t expect anything less than the absolute best. I know they’re gonna kill it. It’s gonna be phenomenal and I cannot wait to watch what an amazing show they put together.” The singer also reflected on her experiences working with music superstars Rihanna, Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez. https://youtu.be/lUvC-21wupY In a TikTok video, Lee said that scammers began targeting local businesses after his plans to attend the NBA All-Star game in Indianapolis leaked. “I would rather not make this video, but it’s come to my attention that people are scamming on my behalf, and I don’t want nobody falling victim to it,” Lee said in the clip. “Apparently, food influencers that live in Indianapolis are going around to restaurants and charging these restaurants a fee and guaranteeing them that we’re coming and we gon’ try the food and there’s gon be a line out the door,” he added. “That’s not true. We going to Indianapolis for the game and the game only.” Lee noted that he will never “charge small restaurants for anything.” Lil Nas X is the subject of a new HBO documentary that unpacks his rise to fame. Directed by filmmakers Zac Manuel and Carlos López Estrada, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero is set against the backdrop of the pop star’s first headlining 60-city tour. “I think we always knew that we wanted it to be something personal and something very diaristic,” Manuel told Blavity’s Shadow and Act in a recent interview. “We didn’t want it to be this kind of retrospective or this kind of full-scope picture of his complete rise and telling that whole part of the story,” he added. “We wanted to engage it and we wanted to talk about how far he had come in just a relatively short amount of time, but we did want this story to be really relegated to this period of 60 days and look at how does an artist transform over two months while embarking on their first-ever tour and doing something that they had never done before, and what are the anxieties that are kind of implicit within that? What are they excited about? How are they finding joy? How are they changing as a person? And so those were kind of the things that we were looking at when we started filming.” Manuel said he first became intrigued with Lil Nas X after hearing his hit song “Old Town Road” when it came out in 2019. https://youtu.be/_dzoB-tC8Bo The trailer has dropped for “A Quiet Place: Day One,” the third film in the thriller franchise starring Lupita Nyong’o and Djimon Hounsou. The official synopsis states, “Experience the day the world went quiet.” “A Quiet Place: Day One” is the latest entry in the film series from filmmaker John Krasinski. The story takes place on the first day of the alien invasion that plunged the world into silence. The Paramount Pictures release opens in theaters on June 28. https://youtu.be/YPY7J-flzE8 It’s National Pizza Day – so let’s wrap ourselves in the warm, gooey embrace of cheese, settle into a heavenly array of toppings and chomp down on some delectable crust. The celebration comes every February 9, but it’s hardly the only pizza-positive spot on the calendar. Still to come: National Cheese Pizza Day (September 5), National Pepperoni Pizza Day (September 20), National Pizza Month (October) and National Sausage Pizza Day (October 11). There’s no doubt about it — folks do love their pizza in all its It's National Pizza Day! https://youtu.be/SUVD9io5Ohg In this case, we’re not being absurd. It’s perfectly doable to make your own delicious pizza dough at home. If you’re feeling daunted by the idea, Stanley Tucci, the host of CNN’s “Searching for Italy,” guides the way. https://youtu.be/lkhw5c0Ami8 Super Bowl weekend is upon us, bringing the big game and a soulful celebration marking its 25th anniversary. The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration is a star-studded event hosted by the dynamic duo of Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold, promising a night of music, laughter, and inspiration. https://vimeo.com/911641217 Broadway in Hollywood and Producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi Burruss, and Todd Tucker are pleased to announce that the long-anticipated pre-Broadway L.A. premiere engagement of THE WIZ will arrive at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for three weeks only; February 13 – March 3, 2024. Attorney Antonio Moore looks closer at the recent Shannon Sharpe Club Shay Shay interviews of Katt Williams and Monique and gives a deep dive analysis on why there might be heavier interest in Black celebrities in Black America than other groups in the country. Moore likens the state of Black Generation X to being “stuck in a celebrity time machine” from 25 years ago. https://youtu.be/7HdQE2sTuLc Amid Black History Month, a petition campaign has been launched by a coalition of Michael Jackson supporters, calling for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to declare a Michael Jackson Day in Los Angeles. The petition aims to honor the King of Pop, for his philanthropic work and humanitarian aid worldwide. The organizer of the petition, Ron Pia, states that Jackson’s cultural significance as an influential figure in music, dance, and fashion, along with his generous donations of over $500 million to various charities, warrant the establishment of a dedicated day in his honor. Najee Ali, Director of Project Islamic Hope, supports the initiative and emphasizes that Los Angeles, where Michael lived and tragically passed away, should commemorate its own cultural and philanthropic icon. “Michael was born in Gary, Indiana along with all his siblings but he lived the majority of his life in Los Angeles with his family members where he also tragically died. Los Angeles should have a Michael Jackson Day in memory of its own cultural and philanthropic icon,” stated Najee Ali Director of Project Islamic Hope. Beyoncé has revealed she will be launching a hair care line on February 20. The 29-time Grammy winner announced on Instagram, posting a cryptic video featuring apparent home movie footage of her mother’s salon Headliners, in Houston, Texas — where Beyoncé had her first job sweeping hair. A makeshift projector screen shows snippets of childhood videos; Beyoncé in a pink tracksuit wandering the salon floor, Tina Knowles dressed up for the evening, waving to the camera with her young daughter in tow, sporting a flourishing afro. “Hair is sacred,” read Beyoncé’s caption as she revealed the brand name, Cécred. Intermixed with her family’s archival footage are clips of hair washing, braiding, and silk presses. Tina Knowles’ influence on her daughter’s career has been far-reaching — one of the first music videos Destiny’s Child shot was for their first number-one hit “Bills, Bills, Bills,” (1999), a tale of a disillusioned, independent woman triumphantly cutting off the deadweight of her boyfriend. “There is power in community, and I saw that growing up the daughter of a salon owner,” Beyoncé told Harper’s Bazaar in 2021. “I was exposed to so many entrepreneurial women that I admired. Doctors, business owners, artists, teachers, mothers — they all came through my mom’s salon. I saw firsthand how a salon can be a sanctuary for women.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3CCkjyLBSY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again While details about what products Cécred will offer are yet to be shared, a trademark request filed in the summer of 2022 clears the company for the production of hair care preparations, candles, vitamin supplements, electric hair styling tools, combs, hair accessories, pillowcases, and four other goods and services categories. While the launch date is now imminent, keen fans of Beyoncé may recall that she teased this venture in May last year, telling her followers on Instagram about how she watched her mother at work: “Having learned so much on my hair journey, I’ve always dreamt of carrying on her legacy.” Beyoncé is not the first celebrity to recently enter the world of hair care. In 2019, Tracee Ellis Ross launched Pattern, a now-award-winning natural hairline focused on “curl-conscious and textured” customers. Two years later, “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston – whose shiny, face-framing layers became known as “The Rachel” haircut on TikTok – launched a line of vegan and cruelty-free hair products called LolaVie. https://youtu.be/Ia71-RfWiCk Music managing mogul Deb Antney will star in a new reality show that finds her on the hunt for the next female rap star. The upcoming “Deb’s House” series will debut on AMC’s ALLBLK this summer. Per the news release, the unscripted show will feature eight up-and-coming female artists who move into Deb’s House, competing to become her next rap protégé. “Ms. Deb is seeking women with unwavering dedication and the willingness to make sacrifices on the road to hip-hop stardom. Completely stripped down to their raw potential, the competition unfolds as a fierce test of sisterhood, resilience, and talent, where only the most tenacious can be crowned as Ms. Deb’s “chosen one.” Who will shoot to the top of the charts and who will crumble under the pressure? Find out this season on Deb’s House,” AMC’s news release stated. “I envisioned a competition show that deviates from the norm-one centered around personal growth and self-competition,” Antney said in a statement. “Collaborating with (co-creator and co-EP) Rasheed to bring this vision to life has been an incredible journey. Witnessing the music industry veer away from artist development towards a focus on superficiality and explicit content prompted my desire to return to the core values of true lyricism and mentorship,” she continued. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3BmLxdrtqE/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6c742ea5-3742-47e7-bd39-6ee78928b6d2 NFL star Travis Kelce has addressed the backlash to a New York Times article that credits him for popularizing the “fade” haircut that Black males have been rocking since before the athlete was born. Jemele Hill was the first to slam the article for suggesting the Kansas City Chiefs tight end invented the “fade.” “The NYT thinks that Travis Kelce invented the fade,” Hill stated on social media. “When you have zero cultural competency on your staff, this is how you end up with stories like this.” Several Black media commentators, including retired football legend Shannon Sharpe, reacted to The Times report, People reports. “The New York Times began Black History Month by referring to the fade as the Travis Kelce,” Sharpe said on his “Nightcap” podcast. The segment was titled: “Did the fade just get gentrified?” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3BQ_GhuVhl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Broadway in Hollywood, Sadler’s Wells, and Universal Music UK welcome the U.S. Premiere performances of MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, a new dance theatre production by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince, set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting. MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE plays at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement through February 11th 2024. Opening night thrilled the audience with spellbound performances and some of the best choreography to ever hit the stage! The Kate Prince dancers leaped, thrust, twirled, lunged and morphed their bodies into lyrical expressions of every beat and word of Sting’s iconic music. The songs told the story. The dancers’ bodies were the narrators of a beautiful, fluid and deeply moving experience. Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson, the renowned sporting legend, was recently granted a monetary award of slightly over $21 million by a Cobb County, Georgia judge. This ruling is a result of his civil extortion case against his niece and nephew, whom he accused of persistent harassment and intimidation. The judgment was issued on February 2nd, accompanied by a permanent protective order that prohibits siblings Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica M. Anderson, also known as Erica Anderson Ross, from engaging in any further bothersome contact with Jackson, 61, and his immediate family members. According to the order, the Andersons must maintain a distance of at least 500 yards from the Jacksons, their residences, workplaces, and schools. Additionally, they are required to remove any content related to the Jacksons from their social media platforms. In Jackson’s complaint, filed in April, Jackson identified Thomas and Erica Anderson as his niece and nephew. The lawsuit alleged that these individuals, who reside in Cobb County and Texas respectively, attempted to extort $20 million from the former professional baseball and football player. USHER’s reign continues with the release of his highly anticipated album, COMING HOME out now via mega/gamma. This is the GRAMMY Award-winning entertainment icon’s ninth studio album with features from Burna Boy, Summer Walker, 21 Savage, Pheelz, Latto, H.E.R., and The-Dream. The album includes “Good Good” featuring 21 Savage and Summer Walker which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s R&B Digital Song Sales Chart upon release and led all three of Billboard’s major R&B/hip-hop airplay charts: Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Adult R&B Airplay — his eighth No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay chart. “Good Good” was also featured on the cover of Spotify’s Are & Be for 1 week, on Apple Music’s R&B Now for 2 consecutive weeks, and peaked at #1 on Shazam in Atlanta, Memphis, San Francisco, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and more. Subsequent single “Standing Next To You (USHER Remix)” is #24 at the Top 40 and “Risk It All” is Top 10 at R&B and Top 20 at Urban Radio. To celebrate the release of COMING HOME, throughout the day on February 9, iHeartRadio’s entire network of Hip-Hop and R&B stations will participate in a National World Premiere, broadcasting a 25-minute takeover featuring five new tracks from COMING HOME and custom audio from USHER sharing the journey of making the album and the inspiration behind the music. https://youtu.be/jKZc_iuA55g A majority of Black Americans feel at least somewhat successful but feel financial pressures regardless of income, according to a new survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center. The survey of more than 4,700 Black Americans sought their views on what constitutes success — how they define it, how they view themselves in that context, and the concerns they have in achieving it. “Most Black Americans (66%) consider themselves at least somewhat successful,” Pew researchers wrote in their analysis. They noted that a quarter (26%) of people surveyed characterized themselves as “extremely” or “very successful.” Those with the highest incomes were most likely to fall in this category. When asked what was essential to feel successful, a majority of respondents said being able to provide for their family (82%); being happy (80%); having enough time to do things they want (65%); having a job or career they enjoy (56%); owning their own home (52%) and using their talents and resources to help others (50%). Henry Fambrough, the last original surviving member of the group The Spinners, has passed away at 85 from natural causes. Rolling Stone reports that the vocalist died Wednesday at his Virginia home following a month in hospice care. Born in Detroit in 1938, Fambrough co-founded The Spinners in 1954 with Pervis Jackson, Billy Henderson, Bobby Smith, and C.P. Spencer. The group launched numerous pop chart. They created hits such as “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” “It’s a Shame,” “I’ll Be Around,” and “Then Came You,” with Dionne Warwick. Fambrough’s final public appearance was in November alongside fellow member John Edwards as The Spinners were inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. “He got to experience those accolades. He was able to bask in the accomplishment, and that was something he was really happy about,” the Spinners’ spokeswoman, Tanisha Jackson, told the Detroit Free-Press. “He was glad to represent the ones who had gone before him.” Walmart has responded to Snoop Dogg and Master P’s lawsuit that the company sabotaged the sales of ‘Snoop Cereal.’ The rappers are suing Walmart and food manufacturer Post Consumer Brands, accusing “both companies intentionally left their cereal product off shelves and hid it in stockrooms,” Civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump is representing Broadus Foods LLC, founded by Calvin Broadus (Snoop Dogg) and Percy Miller (Master P), alleging “unfair business practices and breach of contract in connection with the launch and distribution of its flagship product, Snoop Cereal,” according to a news release. “Post Foods and Walmart allegedly collaborated to prevent Snoop Cereal from reaching consumers, despite its popularity among consumers,” the news release states. The lawsuit also “alleges that even in instances where Walmart stores did place Snoop Cereal on the store floor, a pattern emerged in which the product was strategically positioned away from the cereal aisle. Instead, Snoop Cereal was reportedly placed in unconventional sections, including the baby section and clearance areas, where it was sold at heavily discounted prices. The complaint suggests that such deliberate actions, allegedly directed by instructions from Post Foods and determined at Walmart’s corporate headquarters, deprived Broadus Foods of the expected profits and compensation from the sale of Snoop Cereal. This alleged concerted effort to hinder the visibility and accessibility of the product raises concerns about the fair treatment of minority-owned businesses within the retail landscape,” per the release. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv6GFRJJMIl/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=83779d9c-19f3-482d-aa60-5ff80160211d The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue of Kobe Bryant wearing the No. 8 uniform at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.Bryan’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, said there will be two other statues, one with him wearing No. 24 and with daughter Gianna, who was killed with the Lakers star in a helicopter crash in 2020, ABC 7 reports. The other two statues were not displayed at the ceremony. https://youtu.be/7fM5UJvk9qI John Boyega will star in and executive produce a prequel series to Denzel Washington’s post-apocalyptic action film “The Book of Eli.” Deadline reports that Boyega will portray a younger version of Washington’s Eli in the project, with the Hughes brothers directing and executive producing. The plot details are unknown, but “I hear it is set 30 years prior to the events in the film, which would put it around the time of the nuclear event or its immediate aftermath,” Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva writes.Screenrant reports that Hollywood wants to expand Washington’s franchises, and a prequel show for “The Equalizer” could be next. https://youtu.be/VNPaYCIklD4 Most people can think back to the car they wanted as a kid. Nick Cannon can think of a few! However, we usually don’t think to learn of the best-selling car from the year we were born. Ahead of the release of his new reality TV series “Nick Cannon’s Big Drive,” we sat down with the car enthusiast. He opened up about the different cars he considered his favorites as a child. “First it was probably a fire truck,” he said. Cannon delved a bit deeper into his early fascinations. “I always was fascinated with like, Lamborghini’s and Ferrari’s. And then I liked big vehicles, like monster trucks. Nick added: “Literally…what I drive day to day is like a big, giant truck, off-road style. So, I’ve always had a fascination for big vehicles.” https://youtu.be/MbsYErlkbZQ DeSean Jackson, a former NFL wide receiver, claims his ex, Kyla Phillips, abandoned their sons.According to The Blast, Jackson says Phillips has become brainwashed by a religious cult called “The Most High,” and he now wants sole custody of their children DeSean, 8, and Jace, 5. Jackson and Phillips lived in Florida for three years before parting ways in 2020. After Jackson moved back to California, he returned to Florida to bring the children back to the West Coast for a visit in February 2023, “but when it was time for the visit to end, I called the [Phillips] to make arrangements for the children’s return and [Phillips] gave me a later date to return the children,” the lawsuit states. However, she ultimately “stopped calling me about the children’s return, so I enrolled the children in school here in Los Angeles and the children have been living with me since.” The Blast reports that Jackson claims Phillips is “dating a man with cult-like behavior” and says she has “become a member of a religious group called ‘The Most High.'” https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYMGoDrT-5/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4af99ecd-4e12-4d5c-910e-14ae62394edc Music producer/songwriter Rico Love claims Usher initially passed on recoding the hit single “Yeah,” featuring rappers Lil Jon and Ludacris. During a recent interview with DJ Hed on the “Home Grown Radio” podcast, Rico Love recalled how producer L.A. Reid had to force Usher to sing the 2004 song written by Sean Garrett. The track appears on Usher’s “Confessions” album. “I remember being in the room and they played it, I was there when they played it for Usher and I fell on the floor laughing. I thought it was terrible. By the way, Sean Garrett is one of the greatest. …I’m listening to the words and I’m like – and then you hearing Sean’s voice singing, what does that even mean? … I laughed because I thought it was hilarious,” Rico Love said. “Usher was like ‘I’m never singing that.’… I remember hearing L.A. Reid on the phone saying, ‘I don’t give a f*ck what you gotta do, you better sing that f*cking song,’ and hung up. And I just remember leaving, I’m thinking, ‘Oh, Usher not singing that song,’” he continued. https://youtu.be/GxBSyx85Kp8 “Understanding the power to hear a hit is a gift,” Rico Love added, “and some people don’t understand how to hear a hit. It’s something that I had to learn.” In related news, Usher will perform during the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers.His latest album, “Coming Home,” was released today (Feb. 9,) and this week, he announced dates for a 24-city tour across North America to support the project. According to a news release, the USHER: Past Present Future tour will kick off August 20 at Capital One Arena in Washington DC, making stops in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Toronto, Atlanta, and more. The live shows will wrap in Chicago at the United Center on October 29. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was named the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player on Thursday night, becoming the 11th player in league history to have won the award more than once. The 27-year-old, who also was MVP of the 2019 season, accepted this season’s award at the NFL Honors ceremony in Las Vegas. “I want to thank my organization, the Baltimore Ravens, for finally getting a deal done,” Jackson joked while accepting the award, nodding to a contract-negotiation saga that saw him requesting a trade in March before signing an extension ahead of the season. “My offense man, my offensive line. Can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done. I’m not out there blocking, catching the ball, you know, doing everything. It’s my team, it’s a team thing for these awards, and I want to thank my family at home.” https://youtu.be/a2pf6QjBp7E Cori Broadus took to social media to share the warning signs she experienced before suffering a severe stroke in January.In her Instagram Story, Broadus, the daughter of rapper Snoop Dogg, said that before the stroke, she had blurry vision, nausea, fatigue, and “really bad headache pain,” People reports. “All my symptoms a day before the stroke. Listen to your body foreal,” she wrote. “I’m glad I’m still here and able to tell my story.” Broadus also noted that her blood pressure was extremely high prior to the health scare. “So before my stroke my blood pressure was like 170, then it started going down slowly,” she shared with fans on IG. “I’ve been trying to just keep data of everything.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C3GjB6HPrwk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=db94ad5a-279e-425e-ae08-88f9c465006c Actor/comic London Brown, who plays Marvin in the hit series “Power III Raising Kanan,” delves into his journey, dating life, and his role on the hit STARZ drama. https://youtu.be/R0PkDqqrV1w WHAT’S NEXT FOR LONDON? I’m really getting on the comedy scene in New York which is exciting. https://youtu.be/y0J5reMDvxE Catch the full interview. There’s a few surprises in it you won’t see coming. https://youtu.be/R0PkDqqrV1w THE SUPER BOWL SOULFUL CELEBRATION 25th ANNIVERSARY prepares to illuminate screens nationwide for its Silver Anniversary broadcast as a special one-hour program on CBS Television Network* on Saturday night, February 10, at 8 pm ET/7C. Taped in front of a live audience tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 7 at Pearl Concert Theater, Palms Casino Resort during Super Bowl LVIII week, this milestone event is hosted by the dynamic duo of Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold, stars of the CBS hit series “THE NEIGHBORHOOD.” Anchored in the theme of "Just Believe," the show features performances from artists T-Pain, Rachel Platten, and Mickey Guyton, who join previously announced acts Earth, Wind & Fire, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Robin Thicke, and The Players Choir in the blockbuster talent lineup. JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, February 7 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Thick, flavorful and delicious is the only way to describe Chef JJ’s Down home gumbo. He is joined in the kitchen with New York’s famous foodie Dominek, better known as “Dom N’ the city”. Chef JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV Personality and Author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by the Caribbean flavors of his upbringing. Chef JJ’s signature cooking style combines culturally relevant ingredients and classical technique with a global point of view. At FIELDTRIP, his made-to-order rice bowl shop in Harlem, Chef JJ highlights rice as a hero ingredient and showcases it in recipes sourced from around the world. Among many other partnerships, Chef JJ is also a Mastercard Ambassador. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPSrRjLcQ78 The Smollett sibling duo returns to CLEO TV tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET/8C with hit series, LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. This season, Jake and Jazz will continue to share beautiful home makeovers, prepare delicious family recipes, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for a lucky group of homeowners. It's a bedroom that will make your guests want to stay! Jake makes an original headboard with rattan and Jazz adds lamps and nightstands that match. On the menu is a manicotti casserole and a Mississippi mud pie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijg_WdHYpvE TV One invites all fans of laughter, love and the Evans family to join in the celebration of 50 years of the iconic series “Good Times.” Starting Friday, February 9 at 8/7c and continuing through Sunday, February 11, the “Good Times 50 Still Golden” marathon extravaganza features exclusively curated content by TV One, including interviews with series stars Jimmie Walker, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ralph Carter. https://vimeo.com/910190001/fedd6eacbb?share=copy Nate Battle said he had avoided doctor’s visits for most of his life until 2014 when his insurance company began incentivizing preventive health screenings. Battle, who is Black and was 49 at the time, said he made an appointment, thinking it would be routine and harmless. But the results from a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test led to a series of other procedures that ultimately revealed Battle had aggressive prostate cancer. Battle told CNN that he was able to have his prostate removed and that he’s thankful the cancer was caught early. “At my follow-up appointment, the doctor said, ‘You had another six months before things were going to get really bad for you,’” Battle recalled. “That was really scary to hear.” https://youtu.be/A72hCjLN3gE One in six Black men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to the advocacy organization ZERO Prostate Cancer. Research from the American Cancer Society shows Black men are more than twice as likely to die from the disease than their White counterparts. The stark racial disparity has spurred health advocates like Battle to sound the alarm and urge Black men to consider getting prostate cancer screenings. https://youtu.be/g3h42oi9fjU Courtney Bugler, president and CEO of ZERO Prostate Cancer, said she has spoken with some Black men who had no idea they had a family history of prostate cancer because no one ever discussed it. “What we find is, because men are not always interacting with their health care providers in a regular fashion and because they don’t realize they are at risk for the disease, they don’t know to be more vigilant,” she said. ZERO Prostate Cancer has spent more than two decades working to raise awareness of the disease. Bugler said the organization is also lobbying Congress to pass the PSA Screening for High Risk Insured Men Act. The measure would require health insurance companies to offer prostate-specific antigen screenings for Black men or men between ages 55 and 69 who have a family history of prostate cancer without co-pays, deductibles or co-insurance. https://youtu.be/g3h42oi9fjU Although Battle knew that there were men in his family with the disease, he said he still refused to go to the doctor for years. He blames toxic masculinity and stubbornness, which he said can also play a role in preventing Black men from getting screened for prostate cancer. “It’s ingrained in us that we are supposed to be strong,” Battle said. But this mindset is only contributing to the high prostate cancer death rates in the Black community, Battle said. “It’s about putting your pride aside,” Battle said. “And asking yourself, is your pride more important than your life?” https://youtu.be/-Gyv4BJMJwA On Jan. 24, the members of the Los Angeles County Delegation (LACD) to the California Legislature elected Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) as the group’s chair. McKinnor, who is a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus, will lead the 39-member body, which is comprised of 15 State Senators and 24 State Assemblymembers representing various areas of Los Angeles County. As LACD chair, McKinnor succeeds Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley). “I am grateful for the trust legislators from the Los Angeles County Delegation have placed in me to serve as its next Chair,” said McKinnor in a statement. Hartbeat, the global media company creating entertainment at the intersection of comedy and culture, will further expand its ongoing investment into the sports content and experiential space by launching two live events at Resorts World Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend. Starting Thursday, February 8, 2024, Hartbeat will deliver special live tapings of “Cold As Balls” – the hit sports interview series hosted by Kevin Hart – in collaboration with The Giving Back Fund and the Inspiring Children Foundation’s “Big Game Big Give” fundraising event Hartbeat and Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legend Productions will also present the return of Shaq’s All-Star Comedy Jam at Resorts World Theater. Cold As Balls (Presented by Old Spice Total Body Deodorant) Kevin Hart and a star-studded lineup of athletes and sports personalities will take center stage at the annual “Big Game Big Give” fundraising event for back-to-back afternoons of laughs with live episode tapings of the internet’s biggest sports interview series, Cold As Balls (Presented by Old Spice Total Body Deodorant). Watch Kevin Hart interview his guests about their careers as they take the plunge into the “post-game” cold tub. Guests to be announced. https://youtu.be/mSYdGeSAJh4 Kevin Hart and a star-studded lineup of athletes and sports personalities will take center stage at the annual “Big Game Big Give” fundraising event for back-to-back afternoons of laughs with live episode tapings of the internet’s biggest sports interview series, Cold As Balls (Presented by Old Spice Total Body Deodorant). Watch Kevin Hart interview his guests about their careers as they take the plunge into the “post-game” cold tub. Guests to be announced. https://youtu.be/bZlh6x29bUc Tuesday, February 6, 2024 is going down as the day social media encountered the BIG ONE. Specifically, that would be an alleged viral video of rapper/singer/actor Drake‘s you-know-what. The video was released on X/Twitter and it allegedly shows the Canadian entertainer slinging a monster (code for his man-meat) in a video. As you can imagine, social media reactions to the video swift and have not stopped coming. https://youtu.be/wCFKrzp0Q-M If by chance you have not witnessed it, Madamenoire describes it this way: “On Feb. 6, X account @Campusnightchat posted the footage of a light-skinned man recording himself, sitting spread eagle, holding his impressive yet semi-flaccid penis while the cellphone blocked his face.” The video has since been deleted, but other reports say it keeps getting re-added by enthusiastic fans. https://youtu.be/9QwAWHSQP0w Just seen the Drake video https://twitter.com/i/status/1754833238231777552 Drake Bro in leak video https://twitter.com/i/status/1754833238231777552 Nothing bro I just found out why Drake is trending https://twitter.com/i/status/1754871169444934063 Imagine a packed church house vibing to an incredible church band, hand-waving, and dancing from parishioners to some of their favorite gospel songs. That’s “GOSPEL. The evening was a concert, hosted by gospel artist Erica Campbell and historian, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. In the evening hours of late October 2023, churchgoers and fans alike came out to experience a night full of praise and worship featuring artists Anthony Hamilton & The Ton3s, LaTocha, Tauren Wells, Sheléa, and more! Viewers can look forward to it on February 9, as the kickoff concert begins. It is the accompanying concert to ‘GOSPEL‘, a four-hour docu-series that probes the history of Black spirituality and its direct connection to gospel music utilizing sermons and songs from executive producer, host, and writer Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. We live in times when younger generations are leaving the church. The emergence of televised docu-series such as ‘GOSPEL’ can be a breath of fresh air. https://youtu.be/nmEIZ7sVs-0 Oxygen True Crime will explore the tragic killing of Mexican-American cultural icon Selena Quintanilla Perez in a new limited series, “Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them.” Selena was 23 when she was fatally shot by her fan club’s president Yolanda Saldovar in 1995. According to the news release, the convicted murderer and her family members reveal new information about the friendship between the two women and the days leading to the Tejano superstar’s death nearly 30 years ago. Saldivar is eligible for parole next year. The official series description: “Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them” marks the first time in over two decades that Saldivar has been interviewed extensively in English and on camera. In a series of wide-ranging interviews from prison, Saldivar details her working relationship and friendship with Selena, and she’s not alone. For the first time, members of Yolanda’s family discuss the two women and share never-before-revealed documents and recordings in an effort to show there was more to the tragedy than the public knows. https://youtu.be/hhpLRnDmIBw Boxing legend Mike Tyson is the new brand ambassador for Rabona, a leading iGaming and online sports betting site. According to a news release, as the brand ambassador, Tyson will bring his trademark intensity to host live streams, share exclusive stories and boxing predictions on their Twitch and Kick channels. He will also be offering a special “Iron Bonus” for players. “Through this partnership, players will be offered exclusive Tyson-branded bonuses and streams that blend the boxing legend and casino thrills. This endorsement is subject to territorial restrictions,” per the news release. Americans who visit the site are greeted with the message: This internet site is not accepting visitors from your country. “Rabona stands out with it’s commitment to offering an adrenaline-packed gaming journey,” Tyson said. “Just as I gave my all in the ring, I’m excited to bring that same intensity and spirit to the online gaming world with Rabona. Get ready for a gaming experience that packs a punch!” Michael B. Jordan is speaking out about his “love language” and working with director Ryan Coogler in a new interview for WSJ. Magazine. The self-described workaholic also revealed that he’s trying to make the perfect pasta sauce. “I’ve been experimenting a shit ton in the kitchen,” the “Creed” star told the publication, noting that he also enjoys “ironing.” “Ironing is something that is very soothing to me. And I love driving. Driving helps me clear my mind. Cooking is something that I find peace at. I love cooking for people—it’s a universal love language,” Jordan explained. “You can not speak the same language, be from a different country, but the food is good. You sit around that table and share a meal and know exactly what the other person’s feeling.” Fani Willis admitted she was sleeping with lead prosecutor Nathan Wade in charge of Fulton County, Georgia’s RICO case against Donald Trump and 18 other co-defendants. Now Trump is using this to claim the Fulton County District Attorney’s office colluded against him. So, he is using that information to request all charges against him get dismissed…as if there’s not a whole audio recording of him pressuring Georgia election officials to help him cheat his way back into the White House. The entanglement was revealed in court transcripts by Wade’s (now ex) wife when they were in the process of getting divorced. https://youtu.be/Kn5wl9k6ZOk The stars of the Paramount+ Korean thriller series “A Bloody Lucky Day” discuss this gripping and intense ride through the gritty underbelly of crime. The series debuted on the streaming platform on February 1st, starring Lee Sung-min (Reborn Rich) as Oh Taek, Yoo Yeon-seok (Narco-Saints) as Geum Hyuk-soo and Lee Jung-eun (Parasite) as Hwang Soon-gyu. In “A Bloody Lucky Day,” Oh Taek is a down-on-his-luck taxi driver having an uncharacteristic streak of good fortune when he agrees to drive a mysterious man named Geum Hyuk-soo to a faraway city in exchange for an exorbitant fare. But when the passenger reveals himself to be a serial killer, confessing to grisly crimes in his past and murdering others on the highway, the taxi driver must play mind games to ensure his lucky streak doesn’t come to a deadly end. “A Bloody Lucky Day” is based on the Naver Webtoon “A Day of Bad Luck” by Aporia. The ten-episode series is directed by Pil Gam-seong (Hostage: Missing Celebrity) and written by Kim Min-sung and Song Han-na. https://youtu.be/W7CoDdHtrNc Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas shared his legislative priorities and vision for the future of California during a luncheon hosted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in downtown Sacramento. Titled a “Conversation with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas” for PPIC’s 2024 Speaker Series on California’s Future, the 44-year-old Democrat lawmaker from Hollister, who represents the 29th Assembly District, is the 71st speaker of the Assembly. The discussion at the Sheraton Hotel took place about two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom presented his $291 Billion January budget proposal. “These are going to be difficult times,” Rivas said of the task of balancing a budget that has been estimated separately by the Department of Finance and Legislative Analyst’s Office to have a deficit between $38 billion and $68 billion. Rivas added: “It’s certainly the highest priority when you look at the state budget deficit. It’s going to underpin everything we get done this year. It’s going to impact everything.” These days — in an era of above-average inflation — it can feel like everything from groceries to new cars has gotten more expensive. But one living room staple has managed to defy rising prices and even got less expensive over time: the television. Today, you can snag a 32-inch TV for under $100. So, why is a big new TV cheaper than ever? Did television makers lower the prices out of the kindness of their hearts? Hardly. Several factors have contributed to cheaper TVs, some of them manufacturing-related and others more about marketing. There’s increased competition, a more efficient production process, plus the proven drawing power of deals. At brick-and-mortar stores like Best Buy and Target, and online retailers like Amazon, some 55-inch TVs are retailing for under $250 — at full price. But perhaps most importantly, there’s a new lucrative revenue stream for TV manufacturers: selling information about you. Today, most TV makers are data brokers, profiting off the information they collect from their internet-connected customers. https://youtu.be/bNV2dnOGP64 The uses of television sets have changed and so have their appearance. What was for decades once a bulky piece of furniture, sometimes inlaid in carved wood, is now a thin, glossy black panel that can be popped into your shopping cart and hung on your wall. Some current models are even designed to look like a picture frame. As the materials used to build television sets have changed, so too has the manufacturing process. One of the biggest improvements to that process is a scientific development called “mother glass,” which is what has helped to produce ever-larger TV screens. https://youtu.be/Q-rudzrfwyI Sacramento police have partnered with a national television show to raise attention to the death of an area football coach, Greg Najee Grimes. This week, the Sacramento Police Department identified 29-year-old Tahje Michael as a suspect in the death of Grimes. The 31-year-old was shot and killed in July 2022 while outside a nightclub in Downtown Sacramento. Grimes played football at Inderkum High School for four years, later going on to play at Boise State before returning to Inderkum as a coach and instructor. His mother, Deborah Grimes, hopes this new interest in the case through the show “America’s Most Wanted” can help bring her family closure. https://youtu.be/dbYH6zrMt-0 “You better believe we are going to catch that person, and in that while we will continue to build on our son’s legacy,” Deborah said. The Grimes family has worked closely with investigators to solve Najee’s’ murder, and they hope this also opens more opportunities for families and victims of gun violence. “The struggle is real but they can do something to make certain that their loved ones don’t pass in vain,” Deborah said. https://youtu.be/gm9cHBm3-Zc Tina Knowles, mother of Beyoncé and Solange, shared a viral video on her Instagram page of a toddler cursing at his dancing toy cactus. The video was initially posted by a TikToker Melanie Leeson on Dec. 5, 2023. In it, a boy named Levi yells “You motherf*cker” repeatedly at the toy while choking it. Knowles shared the video with her followers and captioned the clip: “Disclaimer: I do not and have never condoned cursing by little kids, but this is hysterical. Sometimes I feel just like this. Don’t you? Apparently, all kids hate this thing!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2czexmR9Ye/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A convicted drug dealer claims Jam Master Jay sold cocaine to make ends meet. Ralph Mullgrav testified about the alleged drug dealing at the federal murder trial over the DMC’s 2002 death. We reported earlier via CNN that the DJ of the hip-hop group Run-DMC was fatally shot in a recording studio in New York City in 2002. Mullgrav claims he sold Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, “maybe 1 or 2 kilos, here or there” of cocaine. “Jason wasn’t a drug dealer. He just used it to make ends meet,” Mullgrav told jurors. More than two decades after the killing, two men, DMC’s godson, Karl Jordan Jr., and his childhood friend Ronald Washington, are on trial for the murder. The defendants pleaded not guilty to murder in a case. https://youtu.be/K5tWuy7EyA8 Today, NAACP unveiled the full list of “55th NAACP Image Awards” nominees with Netflix and Amazon leading the pack with 55 and 27 nominations respectively. The winners will be revealed during the two–hour LIVE TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET/ PT on BET and CBS. Colman Domingo leads the nominations across the motion picture categories with three nominations. Ayo Edebiri received the most nominations in the television and streaming categories with two for Abbott Elementary and The Bear. Victoria Monét and Usher received the most nominations in the music recording categories, earning six and five nods, respectively. RCA Records received an impressive 20 nominations, the most across record labels. HarperCollins Publisher and Penguin Random House lead nominations across literary categories seven and four nods, respectivel. Renowned gospel artist, CeCe Winans, is once again gracing the music scene with her unparalleled talent. Her latest single, "That's My King," another PureSprings Gospel and FairTrade Services collaboration is the first glimpse into her upcoming album, More Than This, scheduled for release in the Spring. A new song for the new year. On the "That's My King" track Winans unleashes a powerful declaration to her King accompanied by a uplifting arrangement beautifully produced by Kyle Lee. This is the perfect song for worship leaders to share with church congregations around the world. "This song brings me so much joy. You can't sit still while listening to 'That's My King' - It ushers in the power of God and puts us in the right posture of looking up and remembering that He is the King of kings!" says Winans. The renown Chicago Mass Choir closed out 2023 with an exciting and successful 22-day trip to Spain. Throughout the month of December, the multi-award winning Choir toured 14 cities and performed 15 concerts in cities like Andorra, Madrid, Las Palmas De Gran, Canaria, Vitoria and Salamanca. This tour marked the first since 2019 for the two-time Grammy and Dove Award finalist, and came just prior to the upcoming release of a brand new recording on the New Haven Records label. He’s A Wonder is set to release March 22, 2024. According to New Haven President, Ken Harding, the debut single from their 2024 project will be released to radio in the next few weeks. “The new single, He’s A Wonder, is classic Chicago Mass Choir. We know their supporters and radio will be thrilled with this release. Chicago Mass Choir’s unique style of traditional Gospel music is loved nationally, as well as internationally,” Harding continues. “Their December tour of Spain was just the most recent in a series of concerts aboard including Italy, Switzerland, Croatia and Greece, just to name a few. The timing of this tour couldn’t be better with the release of their first single from their new album project Greater Is Coming, that will also be released later this year,” Harding states. The December trip abroad marked the 17th time Chicago Mass Choir has traveled internationally, but the first since 2019 due to the worldwide pandemic. “We were truly blessed to return to touring abroad,” states Dr. Feranda Williamson, President-CEO of Chicago Mass Choir. “God has truly blessed us, and I am so thankful to God for opening doors for us to tour abroad again.” Killer Mike spoke to Big Tigger on his radio show Monday to discuss his encounter with police at the Grammys on Sunday. In a clip that went viral amid the awards show, the rapper is seen handcuffed and escorted by Los Angeles police out of the Crypto.com Arena after allegedly physically assaulting avenue-security-guard, The Jasmine Brand reports. Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, won three Grammy awards before his arrest. He was booked for misdemeanor battery “on a citizen’s arrest” and ultimately released on his own recognizance. According to The Associated Press, Mike has a court date in Los Angeles on Feb. 29. Killer Mike won Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Song at the 2024 Grammys. “The only thing that limits your age is not being truthful about your age or what you’re doing,” he said backstage at the Grammys, per The AP. https://twitter.com/i/status/1754299537039208794 During his appearance on the Big Tigger Morning Show, the rapper and activist denied reports that he was “carried out” of the ceremony following an alleged assault on an area staffer. “I wasn’t carried out of nowhere,” he said. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2980SAL8Kp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “The View’s” Alyssa Farah Griffin claims JAY-Z stole Taylor Swift’s spotlight at the Grammys on Sunday while the rapper accepted the 2nd annual Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. During his speech, Jigga questioned the voting process and called out the Recording Academy’s voting members over Beyoncé’s lack of Best Album wins. Swift became the first person in history to win four Album of the Year awards during the ceremony, and Griffin criticized Jay for distracting from her historic night. https://youtu.be/W6dBQ2UM6JI Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé’s father and former manager, is speaking out about his superstar daughter’s Album of the Year snub at the Grammys. Beyoncé has the most Grammy wins, with 32, but has never won Album of the Year. Speaking with TMZ, Mathew claims Beyonce’s record label, Columbia Records, does not lobby on her behalf for awards when it comes to voting. He cited the 2017 Grammys when Bey and British singer Adele, who is also signed to Columbia, were both nominated for Album of the Year — and Adele won the award. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-02-05-020524-mathew-knowles-1771161-813/ A Black woman named Henrietta Wood was born into slavery in Kentucky between 1818 and 1820. After being passed from one family to another, she ultimately sued one of her enslavers and won. As Business Insider reports, Wood was first enslaved with the Tousey family in Kentucky. She was sold about a decade later for $700 to an abusive merchant named Henry Forsyth in Louisville. Wood was a teenager when she was sold again to a French immigrant, William Cirode, in New Orleans. https://youtu.be/2RN6mxkB4Ms The Colorado city of Aurora said Monday it has reached a $1.9 million settlement with a Black family who had guns drawn on them in a stolen vehicle mix-up in 2020. “The Aurora Police Department remains committed to strengthening the relationship with the community through accountability and continuously improving how it serves the public,” city spokesman Michael Brannen told CNN Monday. “The city can confirm that an agreement has been reached.” https://youtu.be/fxL4hV-qgO8 In August 2020, Brittney Gilliam was taking her 6-year-old daughter, 17-year-old sister, and 14- and 12-year-old nieces to get their nails done when Aurora police officers stopped them in a parking lot and ordered them at gunpoint to get out of their vehicle. The settled lawsuit says officers ordered them on the ground and Gilliam, her sister, and the 12-year-old were handcuffed while police verified the car she was driving was not stolen. At the time, Aurora police were told to handle stolen vehicles as a high-risk stop, authorities said then. https://youtu.be/OuiLfWVTuaY Martin Lawrence stars alongside Hall of Fame football player Shannon Sharpe in a new Super Bowl commercial.In the 30-second Oikos yogurt commercial, Lawrence and Sharpe’s golf game goes left when their cart rolls into a pond. “Lawrence shows off his strength to the muscle-bound, retired NFL player who watches in awe as the comedian walks into the pond, picks up the cart and carries it out,” The Associated Press writes. Lawrence told The AP, “It was cool to hook up with Shannon and sort of switch roles in the muscle area.” https://youtu.be/z-FU2UXF8PM DJ Envy addressed false reports that comedian Jess Hilarious was fired as the new third co-host of “The Breakfast Club” before she started the gig. “I think one of the funniest theories was when we got back from vacation… they said [Jess] worked one day and got fired that day,” Envy told Page Six. He added, “Mind you, she did not work at all. She hasn’t been to the city and won’t be until Feb. 5. We are hearing a lot of fake news, and these hating comments.” iHeart radio confirmed on Jan. 29 that Jess was joining longtime hosts DJ Envy and Charlamagne the God on the popular morning radio show, replacing Angela Yee. Jess confirmed she was joining the show in December, but SandaRose.com later reported she was out after a no-call/no-show on her first day earlier this month. There’s been an update on Jonathan Majors‘ domestic assault case. The actor’s sentencing has been delayed … again. Majors was supposed to receive his sentencing today (02-06-24). In late 2023 he was convicted of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. He could face up to a year in jail. Now he won’t learn his fate until April 8. That’s because of motions filed by his legal team to set aside the verdict. The judge in the case, Michael Gaffey, said the new date would give prosecutors time to respond to the motion, which was filed on Monday. Majors didn’t attend Tuesday afternoon’s hearing in person and instead appeared virtually because he lives out of state. A Manhattan jury found the Marvel actor guilty of two misdemeanor counts of harassment and domestic assault but acquitted him on two other counts stemming from an incident that occurred last March. https://youtu.be/AoU2HNirqC0 The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) Music Maker Dinner, hosted by legendary producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, set the stage for a star-studded evening in LA on January 31, 2024. The event, dedicated to supporting the economic empowerment of Black music entrepreneurs, artists, producers, and songwriters, brought together industry leaders and celebrated artists in a show of unity and support. Among the stars in attendance were Victoria Monét, Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, Muni Long, Flavor Flav, Teedra Moses, Mondaii, Kenny Burns, and other Black music industry power players. The evening commenced with Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, BMAC Co-Founder and CEO, delivering opening remarks that emphasized the importance of paying it forward and guiding the next generation. “This is not a conversation that we’re just here to have, but it’s actually a moment that we need all of you to join us in to make a true movement,” said Prophet. With a successful career on and off the screen, Keke Palmer has more than made her mark in Hollywood. Her past and present are in good standing and the “Nope” star is looking into what the future holds. A future that includes possible retirement. “I don’t know. I think the timer has started,” Palmer recently told Teen Vogue. “I think it’s because I just haven’t felt it yet. But the timer, I know that it’s around the corner. I don’t know when exactly, but it’s around the corner.” Although talk of retirement may disappoint her fans, Palmer has laid the groundwork to go out on a high note with her legacy established. The entertainer recently garnered headlines by winning an Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Game Show for her role on NBC’s “Password.” In doing so, she made history as the first woman in 15 years to receive that honor. https://youtu.be/mS6bT1Z8F6A On the first day of Black History Month, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III was formally installed as the President and CEO of Rainbow PUSH Coalition on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at 7 PM at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters. The sold-out installation event featured VIP program participants and attendees from all over the country, including Roland Martin, Rev. Al Sharpton (NAN), Shavonne Arline-Bradley (NCNW), Dr. Michael Sorrell, Dr. Amos Brown, and Dr. Ron Daniels, among others. Tashara Parker, 4X Emmy award-winning journalist, served as the mistress of ceremonies. A nanny is suing LaKeith Stanfield and his wife, Kasmere Trice, for creating a toxic work environment.According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the couple is accused of not paying the woman for services following an eight-day trip. They also worked her to the grind, with “no breaks to use the restroom, eat, or even shower.” The woman’s name has been withheld, but The Blast reports that she is a traveling nanny who began working for the Stanfields in October 2023. The couple paid a $500 daily fee for the nanny to supervise their infant 24 hours daily. According to the legal complaint, LaKeith and his wife seemingly dumped the kid with the woman during her employment. During the employment, the woman claims she typically “worked all day and night” as Stanfield and his wife seemingly had little involvement with the baby while under the nanny’s care. Mo’Nique announced on social media that she chopped it up with Shannon Sharpe for a Club Shay Shay interview. Mo’Nique posted photos of herself posing with Shannon and captioned it, in part, THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!!!! She added, @shannonsharpe84 YOU ARE A REAL ONE!!! See Mo’s original post below. She did not reveal when her episode will air. In the comments section of her IG post, reality TV star Tami Roman wrote, “Can’t wait for this.” Another added, “Katt Williams first week of January now Mrs. Monique, the first week of February.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C23OPFtvDsn/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e7d7000a-5204-405c-974c-6d646c368350 An intense, long-lasting atmospheric river is moving across California — bringing widespread power outages and the potential for mudslides and life-threatening flooding as it dumps heavy rain and snow. Follow our live coverage here. This is what’s happening: Rare high flood risk persists: A firehose of rain has parked over Southern California, including Los Angeles, worsening the high risk of flooding throughout Monday, with rain lingering into Tuesday. The forecast predicts an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain, with up to 6 inches possible in parts of Southern California, according to the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center. Serious flash and urban flooding are likely to be seen across Los Angeles. https://youtu.be/9REFf1_uGFc Chart-topping artist, songwriter, and producer Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA) celebrated a winning night at the 2024 GRAMMY® Awards, as his #1 hit song “All Things” won the GRAMMY Award for Best Gospel Performance/Song. During the GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony, Franklin also delivered a potent live performance with a high-octane medley comprising his hits “All Things,” “Melodies from Heaven,” and “I Smile.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=girWSeNsw24 Composed by Kirk Franklin, “All Things” marks his 20th GRAMMY Award win of his career, making him the most decorated GRAMMY-winner in gospel for his works as an artist, songwriter, and producer, both for his own songs and collaborations with others. It’s his fourth consecutive GRAMMY Award after winning three at the 2023 GRAMMYs, for the Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin joint live album, Kingdom Book One Deluxe (Tribl Records/Fo Yo Soul/RCA Inspiration) and two of its songs. “All Things” is featured from Franklin’s latest solo album Father’s Day, which was released on October 6, 2023. The musical trailblazer garnered new milestones with this 10-track studio album. Father’s Day marked his 14th #1 album on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, setting a record as the artist with the most #1 albums on that chart. The single “All Things” also set a #1 record on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=girWSeNsw24 Next up, catch Kirk Franklin performing on The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary, which will air on Saturday, February 10th at 8 pm ET/PT on CBS, and stream on Paramount+. Taping on Wednesday, February 7th in Las Vegas, live from the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort, the special will be hosted by Cedric The Entertainer and Tichina Arnold, feature additional performances by Earth, Wind & Fire, Mary Mary, Robin Thicke, and The Players Choir, an all-player ensemble of NFL talent, and celebrate various honorees for their inspiring service and achievements. For tickets and more information, visit https://superbowlsoulful.com/. TV One invites all fans of laughter, love and the Evans family to join in the celebration of 50 years of the iconic series “Good Times.” Starting Friday, February 9 at 8/7c and continuing through Sunday, February 11, the “Good Times 50 Still Golden” marathon extravaganza features exclusively curated content by TV One, including interviews with series stars Jimmie Walker, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ralph Carter. "Good Times" transcended the label of a mere sitcom; it became a cultural phenomenon resonating across generations. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans, the show authentically depicted the struggles and triumphs of a Black family in Chicago, breaking barriers and paving the way for diverse storytelling on television. From moments filled with laughter to poignant reflections, “Good Times” broke new ground in portraying the African American experience with nuance and dignity, remaining a touchstone of African American culture and inspiration. https://vimeo.com/910190001/fedd6eacbb?share=copy Democrats in South Carolina headed to the polls on Saturday as the Palmetto State’s primary was held. Not only is the primary in South Carolina the first time registered Democrats will have their voices heard in what is shaping up to be a highly consequential election year, but it is also largely seen as the first chance for Black people to participate in the democratic process this year following the Republican primary in New Hampshire and the Iowa Caucuses last month. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFaShP1W0AAFEAG?format=jpg&name=small One of the leading organizations raising awareness about the stakes surrounding the South Carolina primary as well as the 2024 general election is Black Voters Matter (BVM), which has hit the road to educate and empower people to cast ballots across the country.BVM’s “We Fight Back” initiative includes a bus tour and three-day conference in Charleston to unite with local activists, social justice advocates and students from historically Black colleges and universities in an effort to help and support Black voters before and during the election season. The conference also served as a think tank for attendees to come together and discuss issues impacting Black communities nationwide. That’s what happened last week when Tiffany D. Loftin, the National Director of the NAACP Youth and College Division at the NAACP, led a wide-ranging conversation with young people in North Charleston that covered important topics to help shape and better inform opinions on voting. https://newsone.com/4954297/black-voters-matter-we-fight-back/ Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia (ACLU-GA.) issued a report on overcrowding in the Fulton County jail. We found that on Oct. 26, 2023, nearly 400 people were in jail simply because they did not have the money to pay bail. This is the story across Georgia: People charged with minor offenses and who may even be wrongfully accused are jailed awaiting trial because they have no money. Or, when they do have money, it is needed for food, rent or other bills for their families. This practice does not make communities safer. Last week, the Georgia Senate took a big step backward against yearslong criminal justice reform efforts in the state with the passage of Senate Bill 63 (SB 63), which expands the requirement for cash bail to more low-level offenses including criminal trespass, failure to appear for traffic citations and even possessing more than an ounce of marijuana, which is legal in nearly half of the United States. The greatest racial disparities are found in these lower-level offenses. For example, 90% of the people arrested for simple possession of marijuana in Atlanta were Black, before the ACLU and other advocates got the penalty changed to a ticketed offense. https://twitter.com/ACLUofGA/status/1753080069591843279/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1753080069591843279%7Ctwgr%5E5af2187a2e93d0a06b1e4dbaf5616e6cb8cd99c4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4981507%2Fgeorgia-cash-bail-bill%2F New data suggests that Black women who experience high blood pressure before the age of 35 may be at risk of having a stroke during middle age. A new study conducted by Boston University associate professor, Dr. Hugo Aparicio, found that Black women with high blood pressure under the age of 35 were three times more likely to develop a stroke by the time they reached middle age, NBC News reported. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2tvz-ELO4j/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=29d2ec73-0da6-4ae8-ab2f-9867a6d676af Issa Rae isn’t mincing words regarding her take on the entertainment industry’s recent changes. The cancellation of her TV series “Rap Sh!t” by Warner Bros. Discovery has fueled her frustration, highlighting what she sees as a shift away from creativity and inclusion in Hollywood. “You’re seeing so many Black shows get canceled, you’re seeing so many executives — especially on the DEI side — get canned. You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority,” Rae said. “It’s made me take more steps to try to be independent down the line if I have to.” Looking back on the challenges faced during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and the cancellation of “Rap Sh!t,” Rae emphasizes the impact of financial considerations on decision-making in the industry. “I’ve never seen Hollywood this scared and clueless, and at the mercy of Wall Street,” Rae said. “I’m sorry, but there aren’t a lot of smart executives anymore. And a lot of them have aged out and are holding on to their positions and refusing to let young blood get in.” Despite these setbacks, Rae remains resilient and has ambitious plans for 2024. Actively developing two new projects for HBO and working on establishing a studio campus in South L.A., she is determined to forge ahead. However, the lessons learned from recent experiences linger, especially regarding the perceived shift in priorities. https://newsone.com/4978949/issa-rae-criticizes-hollywood-diversity-inclusion/ One of the most universal challenges that US citizens face is the struggle to make decisions. Between the fear of missing out or the urgency to avoid pitfalls, the journey to make a choice can leave people with a high level of anxiety that affects their day-to-day lives. Whether it involves making decisions at work, ending romantic relationships, or making a big purchase, the tension that exists in decision-making can leave you feeling lost and confused.On a recent episode of the Small Doses podcast, Amanda Seales shares how to find your flow and the importance of using your intuition to figure out when to redirect or let go. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2s_RUat2Tk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again As Republicans’ desperate quest for Black friends continues, a GOP pollster is putting the message out that a “Republican victory in 2024” is dependent on the party’s to bring Black voters to MAGA Land. The pollster demonstrated that sentiment with photos that show Black men in what look like MAGA hats engaging with potential Black voters who appear very interested in getting down with the GOP. Of course, it appears that the pollster was unable to find actual Black people to pose for photos that purport to illustrate racial diversity in the GOP electorate—so he used images generated by artificial intelligence instead. (And he did it on the eve of Black History Month no less.) A Dallas catering company is being harassed after being mistaken for a local restaurant reviewed by popular TikToker Keith Lee. According to the Dallas Morning News, the owners of Seasoned Street Food are speaking out after receiving a slew of negative reviews from people mistaking it for the Dallas food truck Sweetly Seasoned. It all started when Lee visited Sweetly Seasoned and gave a $4000 tip. He told the owner to divide the money evenly among employees, but she allegedly kept it all to herself. When word spread about this, Lee’s loyal supporters took action but misdirected their fury at the wrong people. Seasoned Street Food got caught up in the mess, and its Google page is being hit with one-star reviews. https://twitter.com/essessacheee/status/1752925180148535426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1753148383202550025%7Ctwgr%5Ed7f8e1b5b140f7e39eda4808ddf47f5d7a21190b%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fkeith-lee-fans-target-wrong-dallas-food-truck%2F “We live and die by our reviews, and a one-star review is really damaging,” Seasoned Street Food owner Jonathan Evola explained to the Dallas Morning Sun. “Someone who might want us to cater their wedding, if they see negative reviews for us, they won’t consider hiring us. I know I wouldn’t.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1753607647260016851 As hard-working Americans struggle to make ends meet in Joe Biden’s economy, NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to distribute $53 million to city migrants on pre-paid credit cards.The Daily Mail reports that recipients must sign an affidavit promising to use the card for food and baby supplies. The cards can only be used at bodegas, grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. A family of four will get a card loaded with $ 1,000 a month, The New York Post reports. Cards get refilled every 28 days. A company called MoCaFi, founded by former Wall Street financier Wole Coaxum, is running the program. “MoCaFi looks forward to partnering with New York City to disburse funds for asylum seekers to purchase fresh, hot food,” Coaxum said. “MoCaFi’s goal is to expand access to financial resources for individuals excluded from banking, such as asylum seekers, while helping the local economy,” Coaxum added. https://youtu.be/X3eDrIY3Sb4 Auburn forward Johni Broome apologized to Morgan Freeman for smacking his hand after thinking the actor was a fan. NBC News reports that Freeman, an Ole Miss fan, sat courtside at The Pavilion for Saturday’s Rebels’ game against Auburn. During the second half, Broome lost his balance as he tried to save the ball from going out of bounds. Two fans grabbed him in an attempt to help him get back on his feet, including Morgan. But Broome swatted his hand away, unaware that it was the Academy Award winning actor. “I kind of got his hand off,” Broome told reporters after the game. “I saw who it was and I’m a big movie guy. I probably watched one of his movies on the plane coming here. https://youtu.be/5nGQ5BrjjZ0 But I realized it was him and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m a big fan. I’m sorry.’ He said, ‘Just keep playing.’” In the course of the game, Broome went back over to Freeman and apologized. “I’m just like, ‘I’m sorry, again,’” Broome said. “He said, ‘You all good. Just keep playing.’ He’s a very good guy. Love him.” The Tigers defeated Mississippi 91-77. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EPph9slikJk?feature=share During his acceptance speech at the 2024 Grammys, JAY-Z called out the Grammys over Beyoncé’s lack of Best Album wins. The hip-hop artist questioned the voting process while accepting the 2nd annual Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.“We want y’all to get it right. At least getting close to right. And obviously it’s subjective. Y’all don’t gotta clap at everything. Obviously it’s subjective because, you know, it’s music and it’s opinion-based,” Jigga stated, People reports. “But, you know, some things — I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year,” he stated, presumably referring to how wife, Beyonce. “So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The most Grammys, never won album of the year. That doesn’t work.” https://youtu.be/W6dBQ2UM6JI TMZ will explore the impact that Kanye West’s antisemitic remarks have had on his career in a new investigative series set to air Monday night. “TMZ Investigates: Kanye West: Unhinged” will feature exclusive interviews from people such as d Bill Maher, The Game and Angela Yee, who do not believe the hip-hop star will ever be canceled. The special examines “how the legacy of one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time has been impacted by his hateful remarks and public outbursts,” according to TMZ. Next TV reports that the special will also unpack whether Ye’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian can deny West access to their four kids. “For Kim, I think that she would try to make sure that her kids understand that some of the things that come out of your father’s mouth is not appropriate, is not acceptable,” Dr. Kevin Cokley, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan, says in the special. “You can love him, because he is your father. But that does not mean you have to approve of everything he says.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-02-02-013124-tmz-investigates-kanye-cancel-1770159-019/ West is not interviewed in the hour-long special that airs on Fox on Monday, February 5. It will be available to stream on Hulu on February 6. TMZ Investigates is executive produced by Harvey Levin and has previously profiled Michael Jackson, Richard Simmons, and Britney Spears. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-02-02-013124-kanye-promo-20-monday-1769868-328/ Patrick Mahomes Sr. was arrested Sunday in Smith County, Texas on suspicion of “driving while intoxicated 3rd or more,” according to court documents. Those same jail records show Mahomes Sr. was arrested for a second DUI offense back in 2018. https://youtu.be/4EpqRfNnhPk The bond for this arrest was not listed on the jail website. Mahomes Sr. is the father of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11. https://youtu.be/Toz9-euYIWg An escaped 17-year-old inmate (Kimmy Dauntain Jr.) who was being held on attempted murder charges in Louisiana was turned in by his parents and is now back in custody, bringing a three-day manhunt to an end, authorities said Sunday. Dauntain Jr., who is from Orleans Parish, escaped from the custody of state officials while on an escorted trip on Friday in Franklin, Louisiana, according to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office. The escapee’s parents turned him into Louisiana State Police custody Sunday morning, according to a news release from the Office of Juvenile Justice. The teen was being held on charges of simple battery, illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile, attempted first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder (accessory after the fact), according to the sheriff’s office. The latest evasion of police custody comes after inmates in Pennsylvania and Arkansas briefly fled police custody in recent weeks before being captured. https://youtu.be/FkLT9HQDTcQ AMC Theatres is offering $5 tickets for Black History Month. The screenings of select movies run until Feb. 29 at over 100 AMC locations. During the $5 Fan Faves program, moviegoers can watch films starring or created by Black people. Two screenings of the movies will take place daily at the theaters. Here is the schedule: Week of Feb. 2– “The Equalizer 3” Week of Feb. 9 – “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” Week of Feb. 16 – “The Color Purple” Week of Feb. 22 – “Soul” AMC rolled out a similar program last year, Variety reported. The 2023 Black History Month screenings included “The Woman King,” “Devotion,” “Till,” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Taylor Swift made history, SZA brought tears and hugs to the stage, while Fantasia had people on their feet at the 66th Grammy Awards on Sunday. Recording Academy voters, the organization behind the Grammys, recognized a range of top artists with Golden Gramophone trophies in the top four awards; Swift became the first artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year four times with “Midnights,” Miley Cyrus won for record of the year for “Flowers,” Billie Eilish won for song of the year for “What Was I Made For?” and R&B singer/songwriter Victoria Monét won best new artist. https://youtu.be/NpeSh4Z1lDc ALBUM OF THE YEAR Boygenius – “The Record” Janelle Monáe – “The Age of Pleasure” Jon Batiste – “World Music Radio” Lana Del Rey – “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” Miley Cyrus – “Endless Summer Vacation” Olivia Rodrigo – “Guts” SZA – “SOS” Taylor Swift – “Midnights” – *WINNER BEST RAP ALBUM Drake & 21 Savage – “Her Loss” Killer Mike – “Michael” – *WINNER Metro Boomin – “Heroes & Villains” Nas – “King’s Disease III” Travis Scott – “Utopia” https://youtu.be/mkIzWpItQro BEST NEW ARTIST Victoria Monét - *WINNER https://youtu.be/k9GhN19eItE The 66th Annual Grammy Awards Trevor Noah opening https://youtu.be/DH_UWjIeZPg Backstage at the Grammys https://youtu.be/enZeCejmcrc California Pauses to Promote Racial Healing and Justice – On Jan. 16, a day after America celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, California Attorney General Rob Bonta hosted a conversation with a diverse group of state leaders to commemorate the National Day of Racial Healing. “The National Day of Racial Healing is typically observed each year in January, and it is intended to be a time to reflect on our shared values – what brings us together and what unites us,” said Bonta. “It is also an opportunity to discuss the real lasting and present harms of racism in our society,” continued Bonta. “But more importantly, it is about healing. That takes acknowledgment of the pain and harm. It takes accountability, and it takes justice-oriented solutions.” The panel’s participants were Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell; California reparations task force members Don Tamaki and Cheryl Grills; Orange County Human Relations Commission Chair Jo-Anne Matsuba; and Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center Executive Director Jennifer Wang. How do you begin Black History Month? The artistic ecosystem called Common Hymnal is stepping strong into Black History Month by adding another musical work to their music catalog of praise and protest. Their latest release, "God of Color," is a song that is an unapologetic and full-throttled celebration of the melanated Christ. "God Of Color" is written by the collaborative aggregation of Jalen Seawright, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Gustaf Emil Sydhage, Royce Lovett, and JonCarlos Velez. Seaux Chill, Vincent Charlow, and Tommy Sims are the genius league of producers for the track. Sims is one of music's most notable producers behind a deep catalog of award-winning projects and artists, including CeCe Winans, The Judds, Eric Clapton, Smokie Norful, Israel Houghton, and Amy Grant. The phenomenal trio of artists delivering the vocal performance on "God of Color" are Jalen Seawright, Bianca White, and Royce Lovett. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2DfUo3OpCo Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid is set to undergo surgery to deal with a left knee issue, the team announced on Sunday. “Joel Embiid will have a corrective procedure this week to address an injury to the lateral meniscus in his left knee. An update will be provided following the procedure,” the team said in a statement. Embiid has spent time out of the Philadelphia lineup this season as a result of persistent injury issues and has missed 14 out of the 76ers’ 48 games. He was made inactive for Philly’s marquee matchup against Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets on January 27 and was out for a road loss against the Portland Trail Blazers two days later. He returned to the lineup the following day against the Golden State Warriors but appeared to suffer a knee injury in the fourth quarter when Dubs forward Jonathan Kuminga fell on his legs during a scramble for the ball. Embiid headed to the locker room shortly after and did not return. https://youtu.be/FtzYa9x4tiI A visit from TikTok food critic Keith Lee can make a hella difference in the fortunes of a mom-and-pop restaurant. Just ask Nikki Jackson and her employees at “Absolutely Edible Cakes & Catering” in Dallas’ Rowlett community. For Jackson, the Keith Lee effect is real. She took no chances on him paying her a visit. “I willed Keith here,” Jackson said. “I had a whole Keith Lee support group, but we had a whole plan–every day at this hour. I need 100 of you guys to email him.” Jackson worked her two-week audacious approach to reach Lee. The bakery and catering company owner posted videos and enlisted the support of others to kindly encourage Lee to come to her business, where she’d be in a custom t-shirt for his arrival. Check out the video report above for the full story on food critic Keith Lee’s visit to “Absolutely Edible Cakes & Catering.” https://youtu.be/5VaiUnU4CFU In movies, there’s an undeniable power when storytellers draw on personal experiences to infuse authenticity and depth into complex character roles. The recently released Peacock film, “Bosco,” starring Vivica A. Foxx, leans into this, delving into the real-life prison break saga of Quawntay “Bosco” Adams. In 2006, over two million Americans were incarcerated, but somehow, Bosco was the only one who managed to escape a federal maximum-security wing while under 24-hour surveillance. He plans his escape with the help of a lonely Missouri woman whom he meets by replying to a personal ad. “Oh my god! I had no clue about Bosco’s story. One of the managers on my team brought me the script. And he had served a few years in prison,” Joseph revealed. This personal connection adds a layer of commitment and responsibility to the portrayal of Bosco, as he aims not only to capture the character authentically but also to shed light on the man behind the bars. https://youtu.be/Pz7s3YPS7nk Singer. Actor. Businessman. These are a few of the labels describing Usher.As he prepares to take the stage at the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show, the “U Don’t Have to Call” entertainer will elevate to a new level with 12-15 minutes to perform and dazzle the crowd and viewers who will catch him on the small screen. With thoughts turning to the big game, it’s worth noting that Usher comes into the Super Bowl with a slew of success under his belt. As Marca noted, the 45-year-old crooner carries a net worth of $180 million, along with an estimated annual income of $15 million. Key to that success are albums such as “My Way” and “Confessions, which brought Diamond status with more than 10 million copies sold. Outside the music industry, Usher has dabbled in acting with roles on “Moesha,” “The Faculty,” and “In the Mix” as well as a stint as a judge on “The Voice.” On the business side, he co-founded RBMG Records, the record company that introduced pop superstar Justin Bieber to the world, Marca mentioned, adding his investment in Liquid I.V. and co-ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers to the mix. A visit from TikTok food critic Keith Lee can make a hella difference in the fortunes of a mom-and-pop restaurant. Just ask Nikki Jackson and her employees at “Absolutely Edible Cakes & Catering” in Dallas’ Rowlett community. For Jackson, the Keith Lee effect is real. She took no chances on him paying her a visit. “I willed Keith here,” Jackson said. “I had a whole Keith Lee support group, but we had a whole plan–every day at this hour. I need 100 of you guys to email him.” Jackson worked her two-week audacious approach to reach Lee. The bakery and catering company owner posted videos and enlisted the support of others to kindly encourage Lee to come to her business, where she’d be in a custom t-shirt for his arrival. Check out the video report above for the full story on food critic Keith Lee’s visit to “Absolutely Edible Cakes & Catering.” https://youtu.be/5VaiUnU4CFU For the first time, African music will have its own category at the Grammys. The Recording Academy will showcase three new categories for this year’s awards, including “Best African Music Performance” — featuring some of Afrobeats’ global superstars.“By introducing these three new categories, we can acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., in a press release last year to announce the categories, which also include Best Pop Dance Recording and Best Alternative Jazz Album. “We are excited to honor and celebrate the creators and recordings in these categories, while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide.” The addition of the Best African Music Performance category follows a meteoric rise in the global popularity of Afrobeats. On Spotify alone, Afrobeats streams have grown over 550% since 2017, according to the streaming platform, making it one of the “fastest growing genres.” Ahead of the 2024 Grammy Awards on February 4 in Los Angeles, here’s what to know about the five Best African Music Performance nominees poised to make history. https://youtu.be/f67x767TudI Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, known as Ayra Starr, is nominated for her hit “Rush,” on her debut studio album “19 & Dangerous.” The song charted globally, went viral with a dance challenge on TikTok, was listed on former US President Barack Obama’s annual playlist for 2022, and currently has over 300 million streams on Spotify and almost 300 million views on YouTube. Signed to Mavin Records, the 21-year-old Afropop singer has collaborated with Kelly Rowland, Stormzy, and fellow Nigerian stars Tiwa Savage and Wizkid. https://youtu.be/KYn3k8dpRJI Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, is up for a total of four Grammys this year for Best Global Music Album, Best Melodic Rap performance, Best Global Music Performance and Best African Music Performance — and will perform at the awards. No stranger to the awards circuit, he won the Best Global Music Album Grammy in 2021 for his album “Twice as Tall.” Burna Boy ended a historic 2023 at No. 1 on the Billboard Year-End US Afrobeats Artists Chart, as well as one of the 10 most streamed male African artists on Spotify. Back in 2021 he told CNN how much the music he makes means to him. “I’m not a musician who is just giving you vibes or giving you nice beats and talking whatever, just so you can dance,” he said. “Every one of my songs is basically part of my soul.” https://youtu.be/bWxyVF1LJAo “African music has become so large that including it in the World Music category would be a disservice to its diverse genres. Afrobeats, in particular, has eclipsed many genres globally. This new category provides an opportunity for all African music to be recognized as a solitary entity.” Sheila Okonji-Ashinze said that when she moved to the US in 2017, she created the first-ever nationally syndicated Afrobeats show. “Coming from England, where Afrobeats was massive, I wanted to introduce it to the US. The show gained recognition from different record labels, helping us pave the way for this Grammy category.” Love encouraged artists from the continent to become voting members of the Grammys. https://youtu.be/_n-Hx8bY-Xs For Black History Month We’d like to point our reader’s attention to a special and unique Black architect who designed a center for the blind in Los Angeles. The Blind Children’s Center (BCC), a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization founded in 1938, is currently undergoing renovations to its historic Hollywood building designed by renowned architect Paul R. Williams. The philanthropy for “Aid to the Blind” was born and developed from the Delta Gamma Fraternity’s 1936 convention. UCLA’s Dr. Lillian Ray Titcomb led the charge of Southern California alumnae volunteers who founded the Nursery School for Visually Handicapped Children in 1938 – the first of five founded under Delta Gamma’s “Service for Sight” initiative. With hits like “Pony,” “In Those Jeans” and “So Anxious” Ginuwine easily comes to mind for many people when thinking of tunes to soundtrack an episode of hot sex. But when it comes to his own lovemaking playlist, the singer is quick to say he doesn’t include his own music when handling business between the sheets.“ No, absolutely not,” Ginuwine laughingly told journalist Shirley Ju, via TMZ Hip Hop. For him, “old school” hits are the sounds he prefers for sex-filled episodes, citing Marvin Gaye and Jodeci among the artists he has on deck to hear. As Ginuwine’s chat with Ju continued, the 53-year-old entertainer touched on his Timbaland-produced cover of Prince’s classic hit “When Doves Cry.” The tune, featured on Ginuwine’s debut album, Ginuwine…The Bachelor” peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Rhythmic chart. Even more memorable for Ginuwine was the approval of the cover by Prince himself. “[It] definitely felt amazing for me because he was one of my biggest inspirations when I was coming up doing music—him and Michael Jackson,” the vocalist told Ju. For him to check it and say it was good, it made me feel good about doing it while I’m doing shows.” https://youtu.be/r4HJmhGgy74 During its time on the small screen, Marvel Television’s “Luke Cage” was a bright spot among fans of Netflix’s Marvel Knights programming. Yet, in the eyes of one fan, the series had one major flaw he could not get past. A lack of white villains resulted in the character taking on more villains of color. “Obviously, Luke Cage was created in the 1970s, but did y’all [peep] how the Marvel series depicted him having to fight more Black people to save Harlem than white villains?” the fan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), adding, “I did.”Taking note of the criticism, “Luke Cage” creator Cheo Hodari Coker responded jokingly to the fan, saying, “I was trying to keep Black people gainfully employed. LOL. Just saying.” Coker may not have planned it, but his tweet struck a nerve with X users who made their approval known, according to Complex. As of Feb. 1, the former music journalist’s post generated 100,000 likes and 11 million views. https://youtu.be/19K8npOFwdE As a celebrity, Tony Gonzalez is no stranger to folks who are not what they seem to be asking for a hook-up.But it turns out, Gonzalez has a legit relative in Whoopi Goldberg. According to People, the former Kansas City Chiefs tight end discovered he and “The View” co-host are of the same family earlier this month, courtesy of “Finding Your Roots’” Henry Louis Gates. Gates found and revealed to Gonzalez that he and Goldberg are “distant cousins,” with them sharing DNA on Gonzalez’s mom’s father’s side. As fate would have it, the cousins met for the first time recently on “The View.” Gonzalez recently appeared on the daytime talk show to promote his role on Amazon Prime Video’s new film, “The Underdoggs.” The Charles Stone III-directed sports comedy-drama, which premiered Jan. 26, stars Snoop Dogg as Jaycen “Two-J’s” Jennings, an arrogant former football player who is ordered to perform community service in his neighborhood after his involvement in a major car accident. Seeing an opportunity to rebuild his brand, Two-J’s coaches a struggling youth football team, whose roster includes the son of a former flame. Despite his initial rough treatment, the athlete connects with the team, inspiring its members to do better. https://youtu.be/xSAfBZJzRa0 Goldberg had no problem supplying Gonzalez with the money. The kicker was the athlete found himself with a chance to honor a favor with a favor in helping the “Ghost” star secure a ticket for this year’s Super Bowl. The big game, featuring Gonzalez’s Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49’ers, is set to go down Feb. 11, with Usher on hand to headline the event’s halftime show.“Julia Roberts was here, maybe a couple of weeks ago, and we were talking about the Super Bowl ’cause she wants to go. She says she’s never been,” Goldberg recalled, before hinting to Gonzalez, “And I said, ‘Well, maybe I could help you get in…’ ” “I just want to say, it’s all great for Taylor Swift, but Julia Roberts is pretty hot too!” The “Sister Act” entertainer continued. “And I wondered, ’cause it’s in Vegas and I figure you might be going, you might be hanging, if you decide that you need a couple of people to go with you, maybe Julia and I would go with you.” As family goes, the flavor was a no-brainer for Gonzalez, who welcomed Goldberg and Roberts, if the “Pretty Woman” star is game. “I got you cousin. I got you, cousin,” he said. “You come with me as your guest, bring Julia too. The more the merrier.” https://youtu.be/Qbpo-updoX4 Atlanta rapper/activist Killer Mike was having a spectacular day at the Grammys in Downtown LA and then he wasn’t. That’s cause he was led out of the event in cuffs by the LAPD. We’re still trying to get the whole story, however, a writer for The Hollywood Reporter posted a video to X showing Big Mike being escorted by police away from the venue with his hands behind his back (watch it below). Supposedly it has something to do with an alleged physical altercation. The good news (if you can call it that) is that the Run the Jewels musician, 48, seems to be unconcerned as he’s being led away. We assume that based on the way he’s chatting amicably with a man who is walking alongside him and the police before saying hello to someone else in a tuxedo. https://twitter.com/i/status/1754299537039208794 Kandi Burruss has announced that she is putting “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” in her rear-view window, so to speak. The Atlanta-based celebrity has been a fixture on the Bravo reality series since 2009. Burruss was on the Grammy red carpet on Sunday (02-04-24) when she revealed her decision with Variety‘s Marc Malkin. “I’m not really keeping up right now,” when asked about the show. “I’m not keeping up. I already said it, so I’ll tell you. I decided I’m not coming back this year. It’s been 14 seasons, and they allowed us to sit around for a little too long, but during that time I had started working on a lot of other things, and I got some nice big projects coming soon, so I’m super excited about those things. “But it’s not just that,” she continued. “It’s just like after you really have time to think, and a friend of mine was like, ‘Why do you keep doing it?’ And I was like, ‘Well, I think because I’ve just been doing it for so long, it feels weird to think not to do it?’ So I was just like, You know what? I’m going to take a break, I’m going to take a moment… I’m not coming back this year.'” Even though she’s put in 14 seasons of drama on the show, it’s easy to forget she was not a part of the original cast/season. The singer/songwriter/actress joined during the series’ second season which, on the other hand, makes her the longest-serving cast member. https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodunlocked/p/C28cN9bvIHd/ Ben Shapiro is raising eyebrows and questions by topping iTunes with his No. 1 song “Facts.”The question for those opposed to the controversial right-wing political commentator’s views is how he managed to have the top song, over tracks by music fixtures Justin Timberlake, Megan Thee Stallion, and Jack Harlow. Diving into the notion of “Facts” finding success, The Washington Post looks at the tune and Shapiro’s rise as one of the artists behind it. The other being Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald. Lyrically, “Facts” is Shapiro’s first rap song. It features content harping on talking points floated frequently from far-right wing influencers and media outlets, the Post reports. Shapiro’s critics are in the crosshairs of the man himself as he aims at said critics, the culture wars, and rap as a music genre. Particularly Lizzo and Nicki Minaj. “Let’s look at the stats, I’ve got the facts/ My money like Lizzo, my pockets are fat,” Shapiro raps about the “Truth Hurts” singer. For those wondering, “Facts” takes its name from a catchphrase Shapiro uses, “facts don’t care about feelings.” The phrase is common language for Shapiro, who uses it frequently to argue ideas mainstream listeners might find offensive. “They call me offensive, controversial / There’s only two genders, boys and girls.” MacDonald rhymes, adding, “They claim that I’m racist, yeah, all right I’m not ashamed because I’m White / If every Caucasian’s a bigot, I guess every Muslim’s a terrorist, every liberal is right.” In his eyes, MacDonald believes “Facts” “presents an alternative [to] the manufactured, overproduced, wrapped-in-plastic mainstream product.” “I feel like not only did this song encourage high moral standards… it also is a legendary troll on the music industry. It’s a bit of revenge to enter their arena and beat them at their own game,” he added. Although she has been criticized by Shapiro, Minaj brought a bit of love to him via social media after the release of “Facts.” https://youtu.be/wonp0Y8vyD0 Black history in the United States is a varied and rich chronicle of enslavement and liberty, segregation and accomplishments, oppression and progress. From the racist legacy of slavery during the Civil War to the spurring movements of resistance, through it all, Black artists, writers, and leaders have emerged to shape the identity and character of the nation.Every February, Black History Month is observed throughout the US to commemorate the achievements that African Americans have accomplished, both for themselves and their country—to remind ourselves that Black History is American History. In the midst of yet another Black History Month, let’s honor our past by remembering the heroes who paved the way for the success of the Black community and showed us the meaning of what it’s like to truly embrace your identity. https://youtu.be/7ncTKBP-V8A Long before there was Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week in 1926. The son of formerly enslaved people, Woodson was well aware of the hardships faced by African Americans and seemed filled with purpose from a young age. His parents instilled in him the value of education, which inspired his future work. At 19, having taught himself arithmetic and English fundamentals, Woodson entered high school, where he completed the four-year curriculum in two years. He went on to earn a degree in literature from Berea College and later got his doctorate from Harvard University. Throughout the years, his commitment to education only grew. As a school supervisor, principal, and teacher, Woodson noticed the absence of Black History in the curriculum. He believed that the black experience was simply too important to be left untouched, and in an attempt to change that, he established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and Culture in 1916. The goal of the organization was to promote the accessibility of black history to a broader audience. “A race with no history stands in danger of being exterminated.” https://youtu.be/f2-qjMiTQqw As Black people continued striving for racial equality in America, Martin Luther King quickly became one of the most prominent figures during the American Civil Rights Movement of 1960. He was an American Baptist minister and social activist who dreamt of a nation free from racism and segregation and adopted a nonviolent resistance policy to achieve this aim. However, his aspirations were abruptly ended due to his unfortunate assassination on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, while standing on his room’s balcony. King’s untimely death caused havoc amongst Black Americans and played a pivotal role in empowering them against the year-long discrimination against them. There was colossal unrest and a series of urban uprisings following King’s passing, calling for justice and equality. https://youtu.be/waxW-R_fFSQ These continued struggles eventually bore fruit as the Fair Housing Act was officially signed on April 11, 1968. It was an extension of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It aimed to protect individuals from any housing or rental discrimination based on race, religion, or nationality and diminish practices such as Black voter suppression. Another landmark moment during the post-civil war period was when Shirley Chisholm, a Black woman, was elected to the US House of Representatives on November 5, 1968. Chisholm also became the first Black person to run for President in 1972 on a Democratic ticket and the first Black woman to win delegates during a presidential election by a major party. https://youtu.be/0MFdNTryTdg Florida A&M’s athletic director has responded to accusations that student Shamoria Johnson was booted off the university’s bowling team for choosing academics over athletics. According to MadameNoire, Johnson, a sophomore English major, claims she was kicked off the team by first-year head coach Capri Howard because she wanted to be excused to study for final exams. FAMU released a statement from Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes on X (formerly Twitter), responding to Johnson’s accusations. According to Sykes, Johnson’s dismissal was supported by NCAA rules. “In December of 2023, Coach Howard dismissed a student from the bowling team for reasons supported by the NCAA bylaws,” Sykes wrote. ”Though it’s always challenging to see our student-athletes dismissed, I support the decision by Coach Howard as the proper procedures were taken before dismissal.” https://youtu.be/B2ZrfU7NwxU In response to Johnson’s removal, teammates Emilia Sturk, Anna, and Fransecsa Olay left the team. According to Sykes, all former members “have been awarded their athletics aid for the remainder of the academic year.” Meanwhile, Florida A&M bowler Eva Holmes addressed the issue in an Instagram post, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. “We have a young head coach, but so do various other sports across the country. It is not impossible for a program to function with such new leadership,” said Holmes. “Without a chance to even begin shaping the future of our program, our coach was called names and disrespected regardless of her head coach status. This clearly reached a breaking point when the final, extremely disrespectful email was sent. Had any other athlete in any other sport sent their head coach an email like that, they’d be dismissed from the team as well, and their teammates would understand why,” Holmes continued. https://twitter.com/FAMUAthletics/status/1748833645480026133/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1748833645480026133%7Ctwgr%5E363358de3b8a868c32c26c72743d91d2a77c1992%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Ffamu-student-kicked-off-bowling-team-for-prioritizing-academics%2F Rapper Plies is slamming the NFL for “forcing” Taylor Swift on football fans. Swift has been spotted at several Kansas City Chiefs games to support her boyfriend, tight end Travis Kelce, and her influence on football is undeniable. Complex reports that the pop star has brought $331 million in value to the NFL since she started attending games. According to a recent survey by LendingTree, Swift is reviving interest in the sport among young viewers. 13% of Americans said they’re interested in football because of the Grammy-winning artist. CBS News reports that 16% of American consumers said the singer influenced them to spend money on football. Ace Showbiz reports that Plies took to X/ Twitter on January 28 to call out the NFL for excessively highlighting the pop star. He wrote, “Dear @NFL Media: Can U Please Stop Forcing Taylor Swift On Football Fans!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2qX0D2slcf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5015db2d-1c1d-4c78-891c-21c5e526747a Mike Tyson and MMA star Daniel Puder are teaming up to open a first-of-its-kind school in the U.S. TMZ reports that Mike and Daniel “opened a school in Arizona called Tyson’s Transformational Technologies Academy … it’s an extension of Daniel’s prep schools, the first emotional and belief intelligence-based school system in the nation,” the outlet writes. The fighters explain to TMZ that “the school is all about teaching life skills like financial literacy and resume building … topics that don’t fall into traditional curriculum,” the outlet continues. In a statement, Target said the chain “will no longer be selling this product in stores or online. The company also made the book publisher “aware of the errors.” The book’s errors went viral after TikTok user @Issatete urged the retail giant to pull the product from shelves. “I don’t know who’s in charge of Target but these need to be pulled off the shelves immediately,” she said in the clip. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/20475939d234083273d44849a994d11c/65bdb3ab/video/tos/useast8/tos-useast8-ve-0068c003-tx2/okyPZymoiIkEVAibvREiKIMt5ZSQ7AwlBBAAi/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=3612&bt=1806&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=4bBsyMzm8Zmo0G4HW94jV9gDdpWrKsd.&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=aWczaWlkZDo1PDNnNWg1PEBpajt4NWo5cnVqcDMzaTczNEBjYl5fYDAwXjYxYTQ1LzMwYSNmMWltMmQ0LnBgLS1kMTJzcw%3D%3D&l=20240202213059A89CC3A70DE271062AE9&btag=e00088000 As We kick off Black History Month, Tyrese Gibson is celebrating Latino culture on social media. The “Fast and Furious” star took to Instagram recently to announce that he wishes he was born Latino. His unusual remarks came as he posted a video of a man receiving a new truck from his adult children. “Sometimes I wish I was born Latino,” Tyrese wrote in a lengthy caption, SandraRose.com reports. “I mean the Latin community is grounded in family, loyal, entrepreneurs, businessman, and women literally represent the dream, the grind the hustle doing whatever it takes to stick together against all odds.” He continued: “I’ve learned a lot from the Jewish community sticking together eating dinner every Friday together. I’ve learned a lot about the Muslim community throughout all my travels in the Middle East. They have a father structure where they honor their fathers…” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2wkBo3OvW8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Carl Weathers, who came to fame as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies and proceeded to appear in dozens of movies and TV shows from “Predator” to “The Mandalorian,” has died, according to his manager Matt Luber. Weathers was 76. The actor “died peacefully at home” on Thursday, Luber told CNN. No cause of death was available. “Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” his family said in a statement provided to CNN. “Through his contributions to film, television, the arts, and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.” Weathers was a former football player who had never boxed when he auditioned for the role in “Rocky,” proceeding to appear as Apollo Creed in the Oscar-winning film and the next three sequels. https://youtu.be/oUEl04JkksE?list=RDNS5WluTUk8iOI Weathers has also directed episodes of several TV series, including “Chicago Med,” “Law & Order” and “Hawaii Five-O.” Born in New Orleans, Weathers played college football at San Diego State and briefly played professionally with the Oakland Raiders and in the Canadian Football League. He gave up football in the mid-1970s and began to pursue acting, earning roles in two blaxploitation movies before his breakthrough with “Rocky.” Weathers was married three times and is survived by two sons. https://youtu.be/9obUhIYRG8I The official trailer for BET+’s new original series “Diarra From Detroit” has dropped, starring series creator Diarra Kilpatrick and Morris Chestnut. “The new series follows a divorcing schoolteacher who refuses to believe she’s been ghosted by her rebound Tinder date. Her search for the missing man pulls her into a decades-old mystery involving the Detroit underworld. As the case unfolds, her co-workers, friends, and lovers become unlikely allies as she falls down a dangerous rabbit hole,” per the official series synopsis. Kilpatrick and Chestnut lead a cast that includes Phylicia Rashad, DomiNque Perry, Claudia Logan, Bryan Terrell Clark, Shannon Wallace, and Jon Chaffin. Additional recurring characters include David Zayas (Dexter), Harry Lennix (The Blacklist, Billions), Paul Ben-Victor (The Wire, In Plain Sight), and Bechir Sylvain (Claws), as well as Kash Doll (BMF), John Salley (Bad Boys, LA’s Finest), Icewear Vezzo, and Julio Macias (On My Block), in guest starring roles. From BET Studios and Khalabo Ink Society, Kilpatrick serves as an executive producer on the upcoming new series along with Miles Orion Feldsott, Darren Goldberg, Kenya Barris, and co-EPs Ester Lou, Mark Ganek.“Diarra From Detroit” premieres exclusively on BET+ on March 21. https://youtu.be/kaJxCnQjabw Cardi B stars in a Super Bowl ad for cosmetics company NYX, promoting one of the brand’s latest lip products. According to the press release, the Feb. 11 ad will feature Cardi and other women as they “tackle the traditionally male-dominated football industry.” “Featuring the brand’s latest viral product, Duck Plump High Pigment Plumping Lip Gloss,” the release continues, “The spot aims to flip the script on male stereotypes with a humorous look at the extreme plumping sensation of the gloss, which will leave audiences laughing.” “NYX is a brand that I’ve used since high school and that’s why it’s so special to partner with them for this campaign,” said Cardi B. “NYX has always made the best, affordable products, and that’s why I still use them today. We had a lot of fun making this over-the-top, hilarious commercial and I can’t wait for everyone to see.” https://youtu.be/6wg0IM7as34 A casual look at the last year of superhero films reveals that the genre is in desperate need of revitalization. Outside of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, it was the weakest year for the genre since the first Avengers took the box office by storm. From The Flash, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Blue Beetle (which high key banged), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and The Marvels, superhero films flopped left and right. As a result of both the middling financial returns and the prolonged effects of the dual Writer’s Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes, both Marvel and DC have used this year to recalibrate their plans for their franchises. With the DC universe set to relaunch next year, and Marvel in desperate need of change, I’m hoping that one of the changes we see is better treatment for their Black superheroes. To be completely fair, Marvel has done a fairly decent job with its heroes of color. We have Ryan Coogler’s phenomenal Black Panther series, they’ve got the upcoming Blade with the always great Mahershala Ali, Anthony Mackie is the new Captain America, and they’ve made great strides with Ms. Marvel and Echo. Yet, many of the Black heroes are often there as sidekicks for the white leads. While Sam Wilson is now Captain America, he started as Cap’s sidekick. War Machine started as Iron Man’s buddy, and Monica Rambeau stays helping white women in both WandaVision and The Marvels. There’s nothing wrong with helping white women, mind you, I just wanna see her do more. Like many of DC’s films, their approach to representation. Here’s the thing the GOP and white conservative America refuse to understand: They don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to literally any other culture outside of their own. (I know, “What culture?” right?) Conservatives really don’t understand the traditions, values, languages, colloquialisms, slang, or cultural context of anything that exists outside of the white, Christian, and proudly American paradigm and that’s why they always get it wrong when trying to interpret or properly assess anything else. Right now, Republican legislators and their constituents are calling for the resignation, censuring and even the deportation of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, all because they didn’t understand the language she was speaking to a Somali audience at the Minneapolis Hyatt Hotel last weekend, and they relied on a wrong (and probably white) misinterpretation of what she said. https://youtu.be/S_dMf7bpj7Y The U.S. Secretary of Defense urged Americans and particularly Black people to take steps to ensure their health while making his first public comments following the fallout from his recent hospitalizations after he had been diagnosed with cancer. Lloyd Austin on Thursday morning led a press briefing at the Pentagon that was punctuated by apologies for the lack of disclosure about his health condition, including keeping President Joe Biden unaware the secretary had even transferred his power to his deputy while receiving treatment for prostate cancer. https://twitter.com/i/status/1753083362300817835 Austin, 70, rejected claims that he kept “secret” his diagnosis, cancer surgery and subsequent hospitalization for complications from the procedure. But he also said that he had regrets for not being more vocal about his diagnosis and pointed to data showing how many other Black and aging men face the same health challenges. After briefly recognizing and offering thoughts and prayers to the American soldiers killed Sunday morning in a drone attack in Jordan, Austin — the first Black person to serve as Secretary of Defense — explained why he was not immediately more forthcoming about his cancer diagnosis. “I was being treated for prostate cancer. The news shook me, and I know that it shakes so many others, especially in the Black community,” Austin said. “It was a gut punch, and frankly my first instinct was to keep it private.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1753118180443074793 Joe Madison, the award-winning radio legend and social activist also known as “The Black Eagle” whose eponymous live morning show helped bring attention to pressing human and civil rights issues, died Tuesday following a yearslong battle with prostate cancer. He was 74. Madison was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. It went into remission following treatment. But he announced in December that the cancer had returned last year. People like Vice President Kamala Harris and fellow media veteran Roland Martin were among notable individuals fondly recalling Madison’s life and offering condolences in a series of tributes on social media. https://twitter.com/i/status/1753235220382249083 Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Nathan Wade, her lead prosecutor on the 2020 election case, both acknowledge in court papers that they have a “personal” relationship but strongly pushed back on claims that she financially benefitted from hiring him. The filing from Willis, who is spearheading the Georgia criminal case against former President Donald Trump and his allies over efforts to overturn the 2020 election, includes an affidavit from Wade, who says that in 2022 he and Willis “developed a personal relationship in addition to our professional association and friendship.” Wade denied that his earnings on the case have been “shared with or provided to” Willis. “The District Attorney received no funds or personal financial gain from my position as Special Prosecutor,” he said. https://youtu.be/WxjjrgjMgMM?list=RDNSWxjjrgjMgMM “Black Ink Crew: Chicago” star Ryan Henry posted a domestic violence PSA in honor of his sister and niece, Nova Henry and Ava Henry Curry, who were murdered 15 years ago. Ryan took to Instagram on Jan. 24 to recount the day Chicago attorney Fredrick Goings murdered Nova, 24, and 10-month-old Ava on Jan. 24, 2009. At the time, Frederick and Nova had been in a two-year relationship, the Chicago Tribune reported. According to Ryan, the pair were “broken up and separated” when Goings showed up at Nova’s home and said he wanted to see her because it was his birthday. In the post, Henry noted that Fredrick “had a gun on him” and “ knew what he intended to do.” Nova was shot six times, and Ava was shot twice — once in the head. MadameNoire reports that Goings was convicted in 2013 of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2ft1-CuHCi/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=30eb26cf-35f1-4804-a9bb-f4804b762c74 Rick Ross is warning “delusional” voters about putting Donald Trump back into the White House. The hip-hop star is pushing back against friends and voters who claim Trump had people “eating” when he was President. “I just got off the phone with one of my homies — and let’s make it clear: you vote for who you want to vote for, it’s fine with me — but one of my homies was like, ‘Boy, I can’t wait for Trump to get back in, he had a n-gga eating!’” Ross said in a video shared on Instagram, Hip Hop DX reports. “I just don’t want nobody to be delusional, you can’t be a delusional n-gga. Did he have you eating or was it a nationwide, worldwide pandemic and you n-ggas stole the money?” he asked, referring to the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans issued to businesses during COVID. The Hip Hop Wolf shared Ross’ video on Instagram, and one person wrote in the comments, “Ross WRONG. Trump had economy booming before the pandemic hit.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2k08ZZRuj_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Las Vegas judge faces a formal ethics complaint after posting a hot tub photo and other unprofessional images on her social media accounts. Clark County District Court Judge Erika Ballou went viral over one post that shows her in a hot tub with two public defenders. She captioned the image, “Robson is surrounded by great t*ts.” The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline cited the April 2022 post in the formal statement of charges against Ballou, Fox News reports. “Judge Ballou posted a photograph of her Facebook page of herself in a hot tub with two public defenders, Shana Brouwers and Robson Hauser, with the caption, ‘Robson is surrounded by great t***,’” according to the formal statement of charges. The commission also pointed to another selfie post on Instagram from Sept. 2021, that Ballou captioned: “Life is still beautiful, despite the fact that Billie Eilish doesn’t start for 30 minutes and I have an 8:30 calendar tomorrow.” The post included the hashtags “Vacatethe[Explitive]OuttaOutofCustodyCases” and “WhereInTheWorldisCarmenSanDiego.” https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/8yuhiok.jpg Here is an exclusive of this week’s new episode of WE tv’s smash hit spinoff series “Life After Lockup.” Per the official synopsis: “Couples from “Love After Lockup” face parole, restrictions and temptations in “Life After Lockup.” Will they break the rules or break old habits? There are still plenty of firsts to tackle in their new lives together. With new jobs, new children, family drama and sobriety, the stakes have never been higher in the fight to stay free. Now that they’ve left prison, will they be able to survive the real world and stay out of prison for good?” In our preview of this week’s episode, Sonia tells Shavel she does not want Quaylon to adopt her granddaughter. Watch the moment via the YouTube clip above. Elsewhere in the episode, Chance exposes his shocking truth to Tayler; Mi’elah’s grandmom lays down the law. Melissa and Louie surprise each other. Family loyalty again divides Britney and Kerok. Joynomi faces a tough decision. Blaine hits his boiling point. https://youtu.be/p_3HhS0y_S0 February is Black History Month; the time when the history of Black excellence is recognized and celebrated. The 2024 Black History Month theme is “African Americans and the Arts.” Meet Dashon Burton, a man with a rich pulsating bass-baritone voice that begs to be heard.There is a twist. Mr. Burton is in a minority; more so than just being Black. He is a Black man who sings classical (orchestral) music and will be performing music by Bach with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) on February 3 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, CA, and on February 4 at the Huntington, Rothenburg Hall in San Marino, CA. https://youtu.be/nKzOTyyn0aw Media personality Angela Yee responded to comedian Jess Hilarious officially taking her place on “The Breakfast Club.” Earlier this week, we reported that Jess officially joined “The Breakfast Club” as the newest co-host of the popular NYC-based radio show, iHeart Radio, announced on Jan. 29. She joins current longtime hosts Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy on the daily morning program. The announcement comes weeks after Jess confirmed joining the show in December. Yee, who departed the radio show in 2022, showed Jess some love on the latest episode of her podcast Way Up with Angela Yee, Complex reports. “Shout out to Jess Hilarious, they just announced that she is the new third host of The Breakfast Club,” Yee said. “We love Jess Hilarious, so congratulations.” Later in the broadcast, Yee praised Jess for hosting “her own podcast” as a successful comedian. “We know her from Wild ‘N Out, we know her from her ‘Jess With the Mess,’” she added. Lawmakers in California have revealed a sweeping set of legislative proposals aimed at providing reparations for state residents who are descendants of enslaved Africans. The California Legislative Black Caucus announced the 2024 Reparations Priority Bill Package on Wednesday (01-31-24) The package lists 14 measures, including providing a formal apology for “human rights violations and crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants.” The package also proposes creating a state-funded grant program to decrease community violence in Black neighborhoods and requiring advanced notification about grocery store closures in underserved and at-risk communities. State lawmakers said in a news release Wednesday that some of the legislation has already been introduced in the state’s General Assembly, or will be introduced during the current legislative session. Lawmakers said some of the measures that have already been introduced include expanding the state’s CROWN Act to ban hair discrimination in sports, creating a grant program that increases high school and college enrollment in STEM-related programs, and prohibiting book bans in prisons without review and oversight from the state’s correctional facilities. https://youtu.be/RmrpMA-iFgc The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), representing the largest group of Black film critics globally, is thrilled to announce its groundbreaking partnership with Delta Air Lines to curate a unique collection of films celebrating Black History Month. This in-flight collaboration marks a historic first for AAFCA and promises to bring diverse stories representing the Black cinema experience to Delta customers. The films featured in this curated collection have been selected by AAFCA members, working closely with Delta’s In-flight Entertainment team and BOLD, Delta’s Black Community Business Resource Group, to encompass a wide range of genres and narratives that showcase the richness and depth of Black-themed stories in film. Customers traveling on most Delta aircraft will have the opportunity to enjoy these cinematic gems, fostering a greater understanding of different cultures and experiences from around the world. The collection is scheduled to debut in early Feb. and will be available throughout the month. Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller discuss National Geographic’s Trafficked Underworlds with Mariana Van Zeller, a suspenseful docuseries that takes viewers inside the inner workings of the most dangerous black markets on the planet. “In each episode, Mariana investigates a different underworld — from the trade in body parts and hired assassins to sextortion and the smuggling of brides — to meet the players, learn the business, and better understand the world’s multi-trillion-dollar shadow economy,” per the news release. https://youtu.be/7Mqq4yGdDfc Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu are set to go head to head in the very first NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest later this month. The battle between the sharpshooters will be held on February 17 at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis during All-Star Weekend and will be aired live on TNT. Both players are well-known for their scoring abilities from deep and will finally be able to settle a long-running debate. The pair had called each other out earlier this year and now the stage is set to find out which player is the best three-point shooter in basketball. https://youtu.be/4gUdUJ96rY8 Conservatives are going into self-exile. The movement that once championed small, business-friendly government is now led by far-right media forces hoping to cash in on attention from raging culture wars, sealing off its adherents from the rest of society. From a bird’s eye view, the state of affairs among MAGA Media diehards as it sits today is remarkable. A subset of America purports to boycott Disney, the world’s preeminent entertainment company; Bud Light, once America’s most popular beer; Target, the quintessential brick-and-mortar shopping destination; Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that produced life-saving COVID-19 vaccines; Major League Baseball, the nation’s favorite pastime; and now Taylor Swift, a generational icon and one of the most successful musical artists of all time. https://youtu.be/M-g6OZBO6T4 “Something is striking about watching the far-right tying itself in knots and attacking Swift and [her boyfriend] Travis Kelce that demonstrates how badly the far-right media has alienated itself from most of society,” Charlie Warzel, a staff writer at The Atlantic who covers the intersection of politics, technology, and culture, told me Tuesday. “They’ve built out this alternate universe and reality of grievance and it feels like instead of using it to wage an effective culture war, they’re fully lost in it and can’t see that they’ve chosen as their primary enemy the person with the literal highest approval rating in American life right now.” https://youtu.be/O6VjxRoYZDA “This isn’t the first time it’s happened,” Warzel added. “The far-right is systematically alienating itself from many of the institutions and people that normal Americans frequent, like, and associate themselves with. And I don’t think they can see how exhausting and off-putting that is to people who don’t spend their days mainlining Fox News or on X.” F https://youtu.be/WwFFg7oNoeo “My father’s voice became my voice,” said Country/Rock artist Michael Botte about his music. “He sang more than he spoke!” A native of Philadelphia, Michael Botte is a chart-topping singer/songwriter who started a band during the COVID pandemic in his hometown. In a time of confusion, he wanted to use his music to evoke a positive atmosphere. The DRiP Espresso coffee shop in Sacramento, in partnership with the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) and the California Black Health Network (CBHN), hosted a community conversation about Black mistrust of medicine and how to educate and empower patients so they have better interactions with the health care system, especially for Black communities. The atmosphere of the coffee shop and its growing reputation as a go-to community space made it an ideal location for this discussion. The meeting was one of a series of community conversations supported by CHCF as a result of its landmark Listening to Black Californians survey. The survey, spearheaded by CHCF Senior Program Officer Katherine Haynes, and conducted by EVITARUS, a Black-owned LA-based research firm, was one of the largest studies of this kind in state history. https://youtu.be/ZoeLEnCYqq8 “What I encourage people to do is be open enough with your health journey to exchange what’s working with other people,” Brown said. “You have to build a community in your health practice. Information sharing is highly beneficial.” The second speaker was Mo’Nique Campbell, a Black trans woman and health educator who is a Trans Service Program manager at San Francisco Community Health Center. Her work centers on medical and mental healthcare. Campbell says she encourages patients to learn as much as they can about their practitioner and develop long-lasting relationships with healthcare providers. “It’s not an interview where I am giving you, like, a simple job. This is my life. My body is my fortress and I’m leaving you responsible for it,” Campbell said. “So, I need to know your experiences and how I can help you. I know that I am going to be sitting there as a patient and an educator.” https://youtu.be/THPSwmkS9rk Newly released videos from the city of Memphis, Tennessee, appear to shed light on the reason why Tyre Nichols was initially stopped by police last year – an encounter that eventually led to his death and sparked fresh protests over how police in America treat people of color. Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was violently and repeatedly punched and kicked by officers following a traffic stop and brief foot chase on January 7, 2023. He later died from blunt force trauma to his head. In police body-camera footage released Tuesday, then-officer Preston Hemphill tells other officers Nichols was initially pulled over on suspicion of speeding. In a conversation captured on the body-worn cameras of two officers, Officer Samuel Lively asks Hemphill why Nichols was originally stopped, and Hemphill replies, “Speeding, and an improper lane change.” https://youtu.be/5hF02jwd_cw “We were telling him ‘get on the ground!’” Hemphill says, adding Nichols replied, “‘OK officers I’m getting on the ground.’ But he wasn’t doing sh*t,” Hemphill says. Minutes later, Hemphill’s body camera was recording as Lively and another officer asked him if Nichols might have been on anything because of his strength. “Hell yeah, he was strong. It took the three of us and we could barely get him to the ground till I persuaded him to kneel,” Hemphill says in the video. According to the bodycam video, an hour after the initial traffic stop and about 15 minutes after an ambulance had taken Nichols to the hospital, Nichols’ parents approached Hemphill at the intersection where he was first pulled over and where his car was still sitting to ask what had happened. “We tried pulling over your son. He ran from us. We found him at this red light and pulled him over again. He started fighting with us and took off, he got pepper sprayed and took off running,” Hemphill tells Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, and his stepfather on the bodycam video. https://youtu.be/2isnbLksapc Cedric The Entertainer is set to star in Affion Crockett’s new comedy, “A Hip Hop Story.”Crockett will produce and star in the music-focused feature along with Damaine Radcliff, Jevin Smith, Damien Dante Wayans, Lil Rel Howery, Wayne Brady, Lil Mama, and Norm Nixon, Jr., Deadline reports. According to the outlet, the film centers on a “pioneer of the culture joins forces with a few of rap music’s elite performers to attempt to save Hip Hop and provides social commentary on the state of Hip Hop culture,” Deadline writes. An Alabama family of a deceased inmate wants answers after his body was returned without organs. According to ABC News 7, Kelvin Moore died in July 2023 at the Limestone Correctional Facility from a fentanyl overdose, according to a report from Andscape. He was 43. Moore’s body was initially sent to Birmingham University, which conducts autopsies for the Alabama Department of Corrections. But when his remains arrived in Mobile, the family’s mortician discovered that most of his internal organs were missing. The university’s medical school has reportedly been doing autopsies for the state’s prison system since 2006. Per ABC News, “This is the third case in the past two months where families have reported organs missing from their loved ones’ bodies while in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections,” the outlet writes. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFMXkK9X0AEevkH?format=jpg&name=small Nikki Haley appeared on “The Breakfast Club” radio show on Wednesday and blamed former President Barack Obama for the racial and gender divide in America. At approximately the 10:09 mark, when the hosts asked the Republican presidential candidate her thoughts about the Obama administration, Haley said, “I think with Obama, that was, if you go back, that’s when we really started to feel the division.” “That was because of the white supremacists,” co-host Charlamagne the God added. “No,” Haley responded, “I think it was, it was everything. Everything was exaggerated with the Obama administration. It became more about gender. It became more about race. It became more about separating Americans instead of bringing them together.” https://youtu.be/8JDyV4lHR68 Tyrese Gibson’s ex-wife is taking him back to court for unpaid child support. According to RadarOnline, Samantha Lee filed for contempt of court against the “Fast and Furious” star, claiming he has defaulted on his court-ordered child support of $10,690 for their 4-year-old daughter, Soraya. Lee’s motion asks not only for Gibson to be held in contempt but also for her attorney fees to be covered. She is also seeking interest on the unpaid portion of child support.Meanwhile, we reported earlier that Gibson wants his ex-wife to drop his last name after she blasted him for discussing their marriage during a podcast interview late last year. Tyrese spoke about his divorce from Lee when he appeared on the Joe Budden Podcast. The ex-couple tied the knot in 2017 and announced their divorce in December 2020. During the Budden interview, Lee took issue with some of Gibson’s remarks and clapped back on Instagram, Complex reports. TikTok food critic Keith Lee returned to Dallas this month for another food tour. The Houston Chronicle reports that Lee hit up a few hot spots in Dallas. He stopped at Terry Black’s Barbecue, Hutchins Barbecue, Thunderbirds Pizza, and Halal Fusionz. He ranked some dishes with a 1/10 and others with a 9/10. Lee gave the mac and cheese at Austin-based chain Terry Black’s a 1/10, and the jalapeño cheddar sausage also got a 1/10. According to the Chronicle, he gave high scores to some of the menu items at Halal Fusionz, with the chipotle kheema taco receiving a 9.3 score. Lee praised Hutchins Barbecue’s peach cobbler, giving it a 9/10 rating. In December, Lee listed eight cities he visited in 2023, and Houston ranked second behind first-place winner New Orleans. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2uTrfFO2to/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Speaking of almost every spot we visited being delicious, Houston was one of those places,” Lee said at the time. “It was one place that carried Houston for me — The Puddery.” Lee claims he received death threats late last year after reviewing various soul food restaurants in Atlanta. As SandraRose.com reported, Lee appeared on the “Ryan Cameron Uncensored,” podcast and said he won’t return to Atlanta because “People there put a hit out on me.” As expected, Atlanta placed 8th on Lee’s list. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QG7wWsQNe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rajon Rondo, a former Kentucky basketball star, was arrested on Sunday during a traffic stop in Indiana. He was initially pulled over for driving recklessly on I-65 South, but when the trooper caught the odor of marijuana, he searched the car and found a weapon and drugs. Rondo was arrested on misdemeanor charges of possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to a news release from the Indiana State Police. Due to a protection order against him, Rondo cannot possess a firearm. The case is related to a 2022 incident in Louisville where woman said Rondo threatened her, The AP reports. She asked a judge to order Rondo to anger management classes and a mental health evaluation. Following his recent arrest, Rondo was taken to the Jackson County Jail and ultimately release on bond. There was a juvenile passenger in Rondo’s car at the time he was detained, and he was reportedly released to a family member. In 2022, Rondo allegedly pulled a gun on the mother of his children and threatened to kill her in front of their kids. Universal Music Group will no longer license music on TikTok. The major music label is removing all songs from the platform by songwriters and artists like Taylor Swift, Drake, and BTS starting Wednesday (Jan. 31). In an open letter released, UMG said its music licensing agreement with TikTok expires on Wednesday, and new terms have not been negotiated. According to the label, TikTok accounts for about 1% of UMG’s revenue. “In our contract renewal discussions, we have been pressing them on three critical issues—appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users,” the open letter stated. “TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay,” it continued. “Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.” A Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and stolen last week from a Little League baseball field in Wichita, Kansas, has been found in a trash can at a different park – burned and in pieces, police say. Officers responded to a call Tuesday morning about a trash can fire in Garvey Park, Wichita Police Department spokesperson Andrew Ford said at a Tuesday news conference. “Shortly after extinguishing the fire, the fire department saw what appeared to be pieces of the Jackie Robinson statue, which is not salvageable at this time,” Ford said at the news conference.League 42, a nonprofit that provides low-cost baseball registration for children, had raised $50,000 for the life-sized statue at its field, according to CNN affiliate KLBY. The league was named after Robinson’s jersey number, honoring the legendary athlete who broke the Major League’s color barrier as a Black player. The theft occurred shortly after midnight Thursday, police have said. https://youtu.be/P4UBVQ_hQHY National Geographic’s Genius series returns with “Genius: MLK/X” the tale of two of America’s greatest icons, Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. The Genius is an autobiographical dramatization of those who have been influential in our society. Now in its fourth season, “Genius: MLK/X” focuses on the lives of both Martin and Malcolm simultaneously. Although the two only met once and never worked together during the civil rights movement, there were many parallels to their lives, including their strong family unit held together by their wives. Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz became just as influential as their husbands. These women were also activists and leaders in their own right. Halle Bailey chose to keep her pregnancy out of the public eye last year – despite rampant speculation on social media – but now that she’s openly shared news of her son’s arrival, things have gotten heated. The singer and actress, who last starred in “The Color Purple” and “The Little Mermaid,” recently fought back on social media against accusations that she lied about her pregnancy. “I’ll never understand why you are mad I protected my peace, wouldn’t you do the same?” Bailey wrote on X in response to one critical comment. “And I’m gonna share my pics now if i want to because my son is here safely.” She added that if people are not interested in that content, they should “just keep scrolling.” Bailey welcomed her son Halo with her boyfriend rapper DDG roughly one month ago. https://youtu.be/U7htsuyIDGU Before her public statement, there was speculation that the 23-year-old was pregnant because of her recent use of voluminous outfits and her general absence during the press tour for “The Color Purple.” She did attend the premiere. On January 6, she posted a photo to Instagram that showed what appeared to be her and DDG holding their new son’s hand. “Even though we’re a few days into the new year, the greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me, was bring me my son,” she wrote. “Welcome to the world my halo. The world is desperate to know you.” Since then, she’s shared content identifying herself as a new mom, including her underwater pregnancy photo shoot. https://youtu.be/2kUZdK_KQac The “Double Cross” fifth season premiere kicked off on Jan. 18 on ALLBLK, and we caught up with series star Jeff Logan to discuss the series finale. After the shocking reveal of their true biological father in last season’s finale, the vigilante “Wonder Twins” are back with a vengeance,” per the official synopsis. “Ashley A. Williams and Jeff Logan reprise their roles as crime fighters Erica and Eric Cross, respectively, and continue their crusade against child trafficking, no matter the cost,” the description continues. “This season, the Cross crew is faced with a case hitting extremely close to home, when Eric’s newborn son is kidnapped. Meanwhile, the twins discover a bus with elementary school children has mysteriously vanished. With the stakes higher than ever, it will take a village to get everyone home safe.” https://youtu.be/9OXbIgtX2C0 Beyond his success, his personal life, especially his children, remains a subject of interest among fans. Explore the heartwarming bond of the Denzel Washington family. Discover insights into his life, love, and legacy. Denzel Washington, along with his wife Pauletta and four kids, turned showbiz into a family affair. The kids of Training Day star Denzel Washington have all entered the entertainment world. Despite his fame, Denzel emphasizes their normal lives, giving credit to his children for keeping him grounded. https://youtu.be/drktCEHqxSE MSNBC’s Joy Reid dropped an F-bomb on a hot mic during Monday’s broadcast of “The ReidOut.” Reid unintentionally uttered the expletive while discussing President Joe Biden’s border crisis. At one point, she slammed Republican leaders who voted against Biden’s policies but claimed credit for positive outcomes. “Case in point– fixing what they say is a crisis at the border with congressional negotiators continuing work on a bipartisan deal to tie border policy changes to funding for Ukraine,” she said, Mediaite reports. “Over the weekend, President Biden said he’s ready to take action if Congress is serious about solving the border issue,” she continued. https://youtu.be/nrD4pi5rweQ Reid came back on air about a moment after her mic was cut. Later in the show, she apologized to viewers. “Before we go, I just want to apologize very quickly,” Reid said. “I was chatting during a clip that was playing, and you know, we try to keep this show very PG-13, so I just want to apologize to anyone who was listening to my ‘behind the scenes’ chatter. I deeply, deeply apologize for that.” https://youtu.be/gFGMmUyKxqw Project Description: Veteran TV producer Dr. Topper Carew reached out to let us know that his Little Light of Mine payload has been launched into space. And yes, it is named after the inspirational song that many people know. The Little Light Space Payload will be transported by a Space-X rocket up to The International Space Station (ISS). The Payload will broadcast a film of children’s choirs from around the world singing “This Little Light of Mine” back to Earth. It will circle the Globe 16 times a day for 30-45 days where during which the recording will be downloaded periodically throughout the mission and hosted on the This Little Light of Mine in Space website at ThisLittleLightofMineinSpace.com. On the website, you can also track the film as it circles the Globe. And, you can also see the ISS space to earth version and the originally made version of the film. The project is financed by Carew with monies he earned as a Co-Creator of the long-running “Martin” television series. It is a way of giving something back to supporters and fans of the show. https://youtu.be/h7fjTS9enJY Orlando Brown was reportedly kicked out of a restaurant in Los Angeles for acting erratic.According to TMZ, the incident occurred at TAO, and the video shows the “That’s So Raven” star yelling at the staff before security escorts him out. The Jasmine Brand reports that Brown initially began screaming insults at other customers before employees intervened. Brown filmed his wild response to the confrontation on his cell phone. “Satan, you got to go Satan! Yeah, doing your job by making your f*ck*ng customers feel uncomfortable! Satan! Child molester! F*ck*ng demon! You f*ck*ng demon! You f*ck*ng demon! Child molester!” Brown is heard shouting in the clip. He continued, “Get behind me Satan! I’m Jesus! Get the f*ck out of here Satan!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1752074577486721291 ”Three Little Birds” is a captivating and poignant drama series created by UK National Treasure, actor, comic legend, and co-founder of Comic Relief, Sir Lenny Henry. The contemporary historical drama revolves around the lives of three diverse protagonists, each facing unique challenges, and how their paths intertwine unexpectedly, per the news release. https://youtu.be/BAfHosdUdMU The series is inspired by the stories of Henry’s mother and aunties. This 1950s-set drama captures the resilience and sacrifices of previous generations and their extraordinary voyage from Jamaica to Great Britain during the Windrush migration. “Three Little Birds” stars Rochelle Neil (Amazon’s Das Boot, HBO’s The Never’s) as Leah; Saffron Coomber (Steve McQueen’s Small Axe) as Chantrelle and Yazmin Belo, making her screen debut as Hosanna. The supporting cast includes Javone Prince, Bobby Gordon, Arthur Darvill, Tierney Turner, and Malachi Hall. https://youtu.be/5dSk7FQt850 Issa Rae could go the independent route as major networks cancel more and more Black shows. “You’re seeing so many Black shows get canceled, you’re seeing so many executives – especially on the DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] side – get canned. You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority,” the Emmy-winning writer/producer/actress told PORTER. Rae’s comments come amid the recent cancellation of her comedy-drama “Rap Sh!t” on Max. As Deadline reports, in a statement, a Max spokesperson called “Rap Sh!t” a “one-of-a-kind comedy with compelling social commentary that reached viewers in a way only Issa’s talents can accomplish. “Rap Sh!t” stars Aida Osman and KaMillion as Mia and Shawna, two Miami rappers whose storylines were inspired by City Girls hip-hop duo Yung Miami and JT. The half-hour comedy follows two estranged high school friends who reunite to form a rap group, Deadline reports. The show’s second season premiered in November 2023, and the finale episode aired on Dec. 21. Rae’s reality television show, “Sweet Life: Los Angeles,” was also canceled, as was the Rae-produced “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” Complex reports. Nathan Wade, the embattled special prosecutor in Donald Trump’s sprawling Georgia election interference case, has settled his divorce – a day ahead of a scheduled hearing where he was expected to be asked about an alleged affair with Fulton County (GA) District Attorney Fani Willis that has become a sticking point in the former president’s criminal prosecution. By entering into a temporary divorce agreement Tuesday, Wade no longer has to testify in a Wednesday hearing in which he may have had to answer questions about allegations that he had an improper romantic relationship with Willis and used money he earned on the case to take her on lavish vacations Trump and two of his co-defendants are seeking to disqualify Willis’ office and to have the case dismissed, claiming that the alleged affair and financial ties amount to a conflict of interest. “The Wade v. Wade hearing scheduled for January 31, 2024, has been removed by consent of the parties, a Consent Temporary Order has been entered by Judge Thompson,” Thomas Davis, staff attorney to Cobb County Judge Henry Thompson, emailed CNN on Tuesday. An order signed by Thompson indicates the parties have entered into a “temporary agreement addressing all issues” and that the parties agreed the terms of the agreement will not be filed in court. https://youtu.be/2aac7D8zGz0 Nia Long will portray Katherine Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic “Michael,” directed by Antoine Fuqua. Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International have slated the worldwide release on April 18th, 2025. The film is now in production, according to a press release. We reported earlier that Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson is set to star as the late King of Pop. Jaafar, the son of Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, will make his acting debut with “Michael.” “There was such a spiritual connection when I first met Jaafar, who has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such a great chemistry with the camera,” Fuqua told Variety. Rep. Jamaal Bowman on Tuesday said he regretted authoring blog posts years ago that pushed unfounded conspiracy theories about the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The New York Democrat, who was censured by the House last year after triggering a fire alarm despite there being no emergency, wrote in a statement Tuesday that he regrets the posts he made, “having since learned how misinformation spreads.” The blog posts had been deleted but were recently unearthed by the Daily Beast. “Well over a decade ago, as I was debating diving into a doctoral degree, I explored a wide range of books, films, and articles across a wide swath of the political spectrum and processed my thoughts in a personal blog that few people ever read,” Bowman wrote. https://youtu.be/A_NH8vx1_As Web archives show that Bowman shared political and personal poems and short essays in an online journal, Relentless-Strongback.Blogspot.com, through 2014. One poem titled “Recapitulate” contemplates decades of history before spiraling into 9/11 conspiracy theories, including the disproven belief that Building 7 fell in a planned demolition. “2001/Planes used as missiles/Target: The Twin Towers,” one stanza read. “Later in the day/Building 7/Also Collapsed [sic]/Hmm…/Multiple explosions/Heard before/And during the collapse/Hmm…” In another section, he falsely asserts “minimal damage” was done and “minimal debris” was found from the strike on the Pentagon, which killed 125 people within the building and all 95 people on board, and from flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania and killed all 44 on board, again ending the stanza with an inquisitive “Hmm…” “We blamed Osama/Went to war in Iraq/Captured Saddam/Killed him,” Bowman’s poem continued. “Bin Laden is Afghan/So we went to war there too.” He pointed to “Loose Change,” a viral documentary that asserts the US government carried out the attacks, and “Zeitgeist,” a 2007 film that proposed outlandish conspiracies, as sources of his disproven assessments. https://youtu.be/CT9JapItga4 The Biden administration announced $6 billion in funding for two separate high-speed rail projects that will whisk passengers from Southern to Northern California — and from Los Angeles County to Las Vegas — on electric trains traveling 200 mph or faster. https://youtu.be/NJBlsJbZVco “Thank you to President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for their recognition of the importance of high-speed rail to California and to our Nation. This funding was awarded to California from a competitive national grant program under the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure and Appropriations laws passed by Congress in 2022. When complete, that rail line will take travelers from Los Angeles, through the Central Valley, all the way to San Francisco, in less than three hours. Today, the journey can take eight hours by bus or car. “Think of how this train will transform California’s Central Valley with new businesses, new residents, visitors, economic opportunities, or what it will mean to folks who live in inland towns and commute to work in Californian coastal cities,” Biden said of that project. https://youtu.be/Uw-Wgiuypu4 The federal government has authorized $3 billion in funding for the 218-mile project. “The rail project reduces carbon emissions the same as taking 3 million vehicles off the highway,” he added. On Dec. 5, U.S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced that another project, The California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) project, is set to receive $3.1 billion in federal funding to support construction of a two-track electrified high-speed passenger bullet train connecting the cities of Merced, Fresno, and Bakersfield. “An electrified high-speed rail network will dramatically improve the quality of life in the Central Valley and up and down California,” Pelosi said. https://youtu.be/YvQsLvAFqJ0 It’s an ironic twist. You see, while rental markets on a national level are cooling off, the cost of renting is doing just the opposite. In the “good ol’ days” of the pandemic, there were funds from the government to ease the pain. As they say, that was then. This is now. https://youtu.be/eyvo0eDh7KQ Check this out. In 2022, half of all U.S. renters were spending at least 30% of their income on housing and utilities — a threshold that researchers consider “cost-burdened,” reports WGBH.orgThat figure went up by two million in just three years to a record high of 22.4 million, according to “America’s Rental Housing,” a study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. https://youtu.be/_E8QnDqbVxE Byron Allen has submitted a $30 billion offer to buy all of Paramount Global’s outstanding stock, existing debt, and equity, Allen Media Group said in a statement on Tuesday.Bloomberg News first reported that Allen made a $14.3 billion offer to buy Paramount Global’s outstanding shares. “Mr. Byron Allen did submit a bid on behalf of Allen Media Group and its strategic partners to purchase all of Paramount Global’s outstanding shares,” the statement said, according to THR. “We believe this $30 billion offer, which includes debt and equity, is the best solution for all of the Paramount Global shareholders, and the bid should be taken seriously and pursued.” Rapper Future is reportedly set to drop over $7.5 million at Dezer’s Bentley Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla.According to The New York Post, the 6,000-square-foot pad boasts a private pool and a 1,500-square-foot, four-car “sky garage” on the same floor. “The Dezervator [a patented elevator] takes you and your car straight to your unit — you can see the cars from your living room, thanks to a glass divider from the garage,” said Gil Dezer, CEO of Dezer Development, which built Porsche Design Tower. “It’s a unique system, and it’s what sold many people on buying. In other buildings, the valets know who is coming and going. This is more private.” Kim Kardashian is gearing up to produce and star in a docuseries about Elizabeth Taylor. According to a press release, BBC Arts announced that Kardashian will executive produce the series, tentatively titled “Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar,” alongside Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson. “Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter,” Kardashian said of Taylor in a statement. “She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and have different chapters in your life – and she paved the way for all of us who came after her with that blueprint.” Per People, the series “will feature privileged access to those who knew her best, including members of Elizabeth Taylor’s family, friends, and colleagues from throughout her stellar career,” the announcement said. Kardashian will star in the project because she was the last person to interview Taylor before she died at 79 in 2011. Presenters have been added to the lineup for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards® and taking the stage will be Christina Aguilera, Samara Joy, Lenny Kravitz, Maluma, Lionel Richie, Mark Ronson, Meryl Streep, Taylor Tomlinson and Oprah Winfrey. Previously announced Grammy® performers include Burna Boy, Luke Combs, Billie Eilish, Billy Joel, Dua Lipa, Joni Mitchell, Olivia Rodrigo, Travis Scott, SZA and U2. Additional performers will be announced in the coming days. About the Show: Live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and hosted by Trevor Noah, Music’s Biggest Night will be broadcast live on Sunday, Feb. 4 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.The 66th Annual Grammy Awards® will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy® for the fourth consecutive year. Ben Winston, Raj Kapoor and Jesse Collins are executive producers. For more information on the broadcast of the show, visit Paramount Press Express. Justin Timberlake performed two new songs from his upcoming album “Saturday Night Live” this past weekend. https://youtu.be/zLC8XiBxV1k The Jan. 27 appearance marked the singer’s fifth time performing as a solo artist on the long-running NBC sketch comedy show. Billboard describes the first track, “Sanctified,” as “gospel-flavored,” featuring Houston rapper Tobe Nwigwe. The album is scheduled to drop on March 15. https://youtu.be/ZCKqeaR1CgE Lifetime’s new series tells the unbelievable true stories of women who were completely unaware they were pregnant…until they are just about to give birth! A phenomenon known as cryptic pregnancies, one in 2,500 women experience pregnancies that go unnoticed until delivery. With personal videos, photos, and gripping first-hand accounts, these unsuspecting moms-to-be share their unexpected journey to motherhood that leave everyone wondering just how in the world they could have missed the signs a baby was coming. https://aenetworks.app.box.com/s/uehpouu5z5f9sd83gpa1vq94u7b61wou The three US soldiers killed in the drone attack on a US military outpost in Jordan were identified Monday as Sgt. William Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Specialist Kennedy Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia, according to the Defense Department. They were all assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, a US Army Reserve unit based out of Fort Moore, Georgia, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said at a briefing. More than 40 were injured in the attack, according to Singh, a number that could increase. The drone hit a housing facility on the base where many service members were asleep in the early morning hours, leading to a high number of casualties, she said. Singh said Monday that eight personnel who were medically evacuated were taken to Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center. Three of those service members will be transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center for follow-on care and the other five are expected to return to duty after being assessed for mild traumatic brain injuries. A US official previously told CNN that all eight had been evacuated to Landstuhl. https://youtu.be/Mi3AZ3uEKrw The drone approached the US military outpost, Tower 22, around the same time an American drone was returning to the base, which led to uncertainty over whether it was hostile and caused a delay to the US response, two US officials told CNN. The enemy drone followed the American drone as it approached, but it is not clear whether the enemy drone intentionally followed the American one or if it was a coincidence, one of the officials said. The enemy drone also flew low, which may have allowed it to evade the base’s air defenses, officials said. US officials are also still assessing the drone’s point of origin. The attack on Sunday marked a significant escalation after roughly 165 attacks on US and coalition forces since October 17, further raising concerns over a broader conflict breaking out in the Middle East while the US and its allies navigate rising tensions on multiple fronts. A US official told CNN that there have been six attacks since Friday, including Sunday’s drone attack and a multi-rocket attack on Patrol Base Shaddadi in Syria on Monday morning. https://youtu.be/cAPvJ_HDKq4 A homeless family of 18 living on the streets of Westlake for four months now has shelter thanks to the help from a local nonprofit that works to find housing solutions for the most vulnerable. The family is from Honduras and includes five adults and 13 children (and toddlers). They had been living in a small tent on Alvarado Street near MacArthur Park since September, ABC 7 reports. “To use the restroom, if we didn’t have money, we couldn’t use it, and we had to beg people to let us use it,” said Ana Madrid. “It’s a very sad situation.” The family fled Honduras five years ago due to the violence. According to ABC 7, they ended up in Austin, Texas, but lost their home due to issues with work permits. Once family members came to Los Angeles, they attempted to work with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority but had difficulty finding residency due to the size of the family. https://youtu.be/vdXOZrO7fgU Shannon Sharpe believes Beyoncé would not have the same impact on the NFL as Taylor Swift, who is dating Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. Complex reports that the pop star has brought $331 million in value to the NFL since she started attending games to support her man. During the latest episode of the Nightcap podcast, Sharpe and his co-host Chad Johnson debated over who has the most vital star power, Queen Bey or T. Swift. Shape called Beyonce “Phenomenal” but said Swift is “a different animal.” “The attention that she brings and the people, the eyes, that she brings that don’t even watch the game of football… it’s crazy what she’s been able to do for the NFL,” Johnson said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1751951568386056427 Jody Watley, the legendary GRAMMY-winning artist celebrated for her pioneering contributions to music, video, and fashion, adds another jewel to her illustrious discography with the release of her latest single, ‘EVERLASTING.’ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UWClokof2qw?feature=share This contemporary R&B/Soul track, co-written and produced by Watley and her longtime collaborator, jazz musician Rodney Lee, with additional production by the renowned Italian DJ/Producer Alex Di Ciò, is now available for music enthusiasts worldwide. The surprise release of ‘EVERLASTING’ follows the successful premiere of Season 2 of “The Jody Watley Show,” captivating listeners with its soulful melody and empowering lyrics. The commercial release date on January 30 marks the beginning of another exciting chapter in Jody Watley’s extraordinary career, spanning the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s, and now the 20s. Watley’s latest offering not only showcases her continued artistic evolution but also delivers a powerful message of resilience and perseverance, setting the tone for the new year. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cc18YUrvVxg?feature=share Speaking about the track, Watley shares, “More than just a song, it’s a reflection of life’s journey of lessons, resilience, self-belief, and never giving up. I’m excited to share its empowering message because it’s really to remind everyone to keep moving forward and embrace the timeless strength within us all – to stay EVERLASTING, I am an example of that.” Following the critical acclaim of her recent releases, including the Top 5 UK Soul releases ‘Winter Nights EP’ and ‘Renderings: The Alex Di Ciò Mixes,’ Jody Watley continues to push artistic boundaries with ‘EVERLASTING.’ Heartfelt and inspiring, the song encourages listeners to persevere through life’s challenges, embodying the spirit of resilience and steadfastness – ‘EVERLASTING.’ Jody Watley invites fans to connect with her on all social media platforms @jodywatley and experience the allure of ‘EVERLASTING,’ available on all digital download platforms starting January 30. https://youtu.be/gljionqfhNo A Walmart employee was fired after posting a video of a seemingly mentally ill woman and her child, who was dressed only in a diaper in below-freezing temperatures while inside the store. Felecia Darling told WLBT News she was fired for violating company policy by sharing the now-viral video on social media. In the clip, several shoppers confront the mother about her two-year-old son’s lack of clothing in frigid temperatures, prompting her to put a jacket on the child (according to witnesses in the video). At one point, she tossed a bag of frozen vegetables on the boy sitting in the shopping cart. The young woman also twerked in the aisle as observers called out her poor parenting. The mother, named Kambria Darby, 26, is seen in the video walking around the store with her nearly nude young son sitting in the shopping cart while shivering from the cold. Police were called to the scene at the Walmart store in Byram, Mississippi, on January 17, and Darby was arrested. She is now facing a child neglect charge. https://www.tiktok.com/@clat88/video/7327803091691277614?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fmother-arrested-for-taking-son-shopping-wearing-only-diaper%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=71929437%2C121374463%2C121351166%2C71838018%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7327803091691277614 Meanwhile, Darby’s great-aunt, Marie Darby Pickens, 69, claims her niece is not a lousy mother. She also suggested that the woman is not on drugs. “Everything I’ve seen with her and the kids has been positive,” Pickens, a retired social worker, told The New York Post. “I don’t condone what was done and it was right to be reported but we don’t know both sides of the story. Sometimes kids can be difficult not wanting to put their clothes on, or taking them off and maybe she was in a rush to pick up some things.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1752029744105730221 A Pennsylvania woman was arrested for torturing animals and posting the footage on YouTube. Anigar Monsee, 28, a Liberian immigrant living in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, allegedly admitted to torturing animals for clout, ABC 7 reports. In several videos, Monsee mutilates a pigeon, rabbit, frogs, and a live chicken. “During the video, she is soliciting more likes and more viewers. And once she gets to the point where she is satisfied with the number of viewers, she then proceeds — over the course of 10 minutes — to harm and ultimately kill that chicken,” Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt said. According to Bernhardt, investigators were tipped off about the abuse from animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). https://youtu.be/CVc6DMBeaBY Jasmine Guy has revealed that she secretly housed Tupac Shakur after he was shot in New York in 1994. Guy appeared on the Jan. 25 episode of “SHERRI” and told host Sherri Shepherd she supported Tupac after he was shot in the lobby of Quad Recording Studios in New York’s Times Square. The Messenger reports that Tupac received surgery at Metropolitan Hospital Center and checked out to go to Guy’s home because “he didn’t feel safe there,” according to the actress. “He didn’t feel safe there. He did just get shot,” Guy told Shepherd. “He felt like a sitting duck. And because I had a low profile and they didn’t know we were friends… It kinda felt like The Diary of Anne Frank because I couldn’t tell anybody that he was there.” Guy said Shakur was cared for by his mother, Afeni Shakur, and a private doctor at her home for several weeks following the shooting. https://youtu.be/So_HGTGAguE Oprah Winfrey celebrated her 70th birthday on Monday with a run on the beach, and she shared the moment in a video on her official Instagram page. “Celebrating 70 with a run on the beach. #healthisthebestgift,” she captioned the post. “Thank you for all the birthday love.” On Monday, Winfrey’s bestie, Gayle King, posted a video on X/Twitter of Winfrey with King’s grandson during a recent holiday getaway. “While Favorite grandson Luca is too young to understand how special this moment was during Christmas vacation, it’s not lost on me,” King captioned the post. She also revealed how Oprah wanted to celebrate her big day. Kign said, “When asked how she wanted to spend her birthday, she said, ‘No gifts, no parties, no surprises!’ Her preference was to sit by the fire with a good book and savor the fragrance of her life! Happy birthday Oprah!!” https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Kanye West snatched the phone of a TMZ (staffer acting as a) reporter who asked the rapper if his wife Bianca Censori had “free will.” The incident occurred Monday, January 29, in Hollywood, while Ye attended Charlie Wilson’s Walk of Fame ceremony. “People want to know if Bianca has her free will. Some people say you’re controlling her,” the female reporter said to the rapper. According to TMZ, Kanye immediately grabbed her phone and berated the woman for several minutes — watch the moment via the YouTube clip above. “Don’t come asking me that dumb ass sh*t, I’m a person,” he said. “You think ‘cause you a white woman that you can walk up on me like that and ask me some dumb ass sh*t like that? Ask me about my wife?” According to insiders, Bianca finally came to her senses regarding Kanye’s “controlling ways.” “Everyone is just glad that they finally were able to get through to Bianca,” a source told MailOnline. “Her friends let her know exactly how they feel and they told her that she needs to wake the f*** up,” the tea spiller shared. “She knows that she has shut out those close to her and she is also starting to see through the smoky mirrors of her marriage,” the insider told the outlet. “She is aware of Kanye’s controlling ways and she is starting to see things from an outside perspective.” West allegedly has set strict rules for Censori, which include “never speaking.” https://youtu.be/vfke5NntRQE Mayor Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles are gearing up for a momentous celebration of African American Heritage Month. The Our Authors Study Club, Inc., is proud to present the awards ceremony on Friday, February 2nd at 11:00 am on the front lawn of LA City Hall. This highly anticipated event will honor remarkable individuals who have made significant contributions in media, entertainment, arts, academia, business, medicine, government, and the nonprofit sector. Hosted by Ashley McKay from ABC 7 Eyewitness News, this year's African American Heritage Month celebration promises to be a memorable occasion filled with joy and appreciation for the rich African American heritage. After a challenging year marked by virtual events due to the pandemic restrictions, it brings great excitement that this celebration has returned to its in-person format. Among those slated for recognition are prominent figures such as Kim Coles—an accomplished actress known for her comedic prowess—and Freda Payne—a renowned vocalist and author whose talent has captivated audiences worldwide. Additionally honoring Mamie Hansberry—an esteemed artist whose work speaks volumes—this event is set to leave an indelible mark on attendees' hearts. A trio of Black Atlanta business women have just launched Twerkingo™, an interactive dance game exploring the history of the African diaspora and trending dances from each region. The game is a new way to celebrate the quickly approaching Black History Month! The game starts with a certified Twerk Technician instructor teaching moves from the game card, with step-by-step instructions for beginners and advanced variations for seasoned twerk-a-holics. Next - play the moves you learned! There are four different ways you can win Twerkingo and we have prizes for them all. Players can come to Twerkingo Game Nights in Atlanta, join online through Zoom, or click here to purchase the digital and physical board games. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXIahQ-uskY&feature=youtu.be In Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” Donald Glover (John Smith) and Maya Erskine (Jane Smith) are newbie spies posing as a married couple in a romantic action drama series that may surprise fans of the movie by the same name. Based (loosely) on the 2005 film, these two are going to have to figure out their spy work and their “marriage.” https://youtu.be/AsaMWxppznk Snoop Dogg is speaking about when Michael Jackson asked him to stop blowing weed smoke in his vicinity. “Me and Michael was family,” Snoop recalled during a recent appearance on Sirius XM show Radio Andy, Complex reports. “We never had issues. Only issue me and Mike had was, we was at … Ed Hardy—Christian Audigier, he had an event in [Las] Vegas. He had Michael Jackson perform, Snoop Dogg perform,” the rapper told host Andy Cohen. “But where he messed up: he put Michael Jackson dressing room right next to Snoop Dogg’s. So Snoop Dogg was doing this,” Snoop continued. “They like, ‘You know Michael Jackson dressing room next door.’ Like, ‘No it ain’t.’ They like, ‘Yeah it is.’ I’m like, ‘Hold on.’” Snoop opened the door while taking another puff of his blunt and blew out the smoke. “[Michael was] right there looking at me. He said, ‘Snoop, don’t do that,’” Snoop added. https://youtu.be/uWhqMGXFnKE Amazon Prime members today may notice something looks a little different when they watch Prime Video: They’ll have to watch ads unless they want to pay a little extra. Starting today (01-29-24), Prime Video will feature “limited” advertisements in its shows and movies. Customers will have to pay $2.99 a month more to avoid ads. Amazon first announced the change in September. “This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period,” Amazon said in an email to Prime members in December. “We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.” Amazon is hardly alone in making the change. Prime Video joins most other streaming services by inserting ads into its programming and raising prices on ad-free tiers. That’s because streaming services are no longer chasing subscribers. Still, rather investors are pressuring them to make money off the services, even if it comes at the expense of losing subscriptions. As a result, they are selling ads or hiking monthly prices. https://youtu.be/_X3vmFevvY8 John David Washington is reportedly being considered to replace Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror. The news comes from Daniel Richtman, the same Hollywood insider who recently claimed Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo tops the list of frontrunners to take over the Kang role, Complex reports. As we reported, Marvel dropped Majors as Kang the Conqueror after he was found guilty in December 2023 of assault and harassment involving his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. He appeared as the supervillain in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in Feb. 2023 and the “Loki” series on Disney+. Complex reports that Kang is slated to appear in 2026’s “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” titled “Avengers 5,” according to Hollywood Reporter. “When it comes to Marvel and DC, I’m like, ‘I think I’m ready now.’ I’m worked out, fit, I think I want to play a villain,” Coleman told AwardsWatch. “I just want to be the villain. I don’t want to be the good guy. I actually want to do some really nasty, dirty work.” https://youtu.be/4lBqMhZ3NBg Musically speaking, Marvin Gaye ranks among the best of the best. Classic songs {“I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, “What’s Going On”, “Let’s Get It On,” “Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology),” “Sexual Healing”). Classic albums (“What’s Going On,” “Let’s Get It On,” “Here, My Dear”) and a voice that spoke and continues to speak to music lovers the world over. To this day, Gaye’s legacy is an influencer for rookie vocalists and those who have sung tunes for decades.And while Gaye is primarily known for music, in another universe he could have excelled in a different medium. According to Soul Tracks, that scenario played out for real when Gaye’ tried out for the Detroit Lions. https://youtu.be/gL_Md1u0j9E R&B icon and singer Charlie Wilson, is now the latest recipient of a prestigious star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Wilson, of course, is also known as the Grammy-nominated co-founder and lead singer of the Gap Band, as well as an outspoken activist who urges Black men to be tested for prostate cancer. Under sunny skies and mellow SoCal weather, the ceremony, on Hollywood Blvd and MC’d by music producer/artist Jimmy Jam Harris, fell on the same day as Wilson’s 71st. “It’s truly an honor to stand before you as I accept this prestigious star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” Wilson said during the ceremony. “This recognition holds a very special place in my heart as it symbolizes a journey that started many, many years ago.” https://youtu.be/quIg194Gmog On hand to give “Uncle Charlie” his props were Wilson’s manager and president/CEO of P Music Group Michael Paran, Grammy winner Babyface, and Wilson collaborators Kanye West and Snoop Dogg. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wilson and his brothers – Robert and Ronnie – often performed at their father’s church and later joined forces to create the Gap Band. The band’s first album was in 1974. Some of their best-known hits included the raucous and funky “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” “Oops Upside Your Head,” “Burn Rubber” and Early in The Morning.” The Gap Band eventually released 15 albums before the end came in 2010. But in 2000 Charlie Wilson had already launched a solo career, starting with his first album “Bridging the Gap.” https://youtu.be/jXGkKVzfTWo Even with the success of the Gap Band, Wilson became addicted to drugs and alcohol and found himself living on the streets of Hollywood in the mid-1990s. “It was during those challenging times that I realized that God had a plan for me. He broke me down to build me up again, and I am forever grateful for that experience,” Wilson said. It was during his stint in rehab that Wilson met Mahin Tat, a social worker. Apparently, meeting her was just what he needed. They married in 1995. “She played a pivotal role in turning my life around. Today, I stand before you as a man who has been sober for 29 years. … I owe it all to her unwavering support and love,” Wilson said. As we noted earlier, the legendary singer has shared the mic on recording projects with lots of other iconic performers. In 2010 he did a collabo with Kanye West on his album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” That led Wilson to work with Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Rihanna, and Common, among others. https://youtu.be/waEluJVkkx0 Some people make love look easy. They capture seemingly perfect photos in romantic places with lots of #hashtags. Yet, we forget these captions and photos are fleeting moments. Relationships take time and effort. Just showing up on Valentine’s Day with gifts and sweet sentiments won’t create the intimacy that sustains healthy relationships. Knowing your significant other’s ‘love language’ is important too. Find out why understanding your love language is important and get helpful tips to create intimacy in your relationship every day. https://youtu.be/BGG02uE10Ls Snoop Dogg’s beef with Donald Trump appears to be over now that the rapper has changed his perspective on the former president. “He ain’t done nothing wrong to me. He has done only great things for me. He pardoned Michael Harris,” Snoop said in an interview with The Sunday Times. “So I have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump.” As The Huffington Post reports, Harris co-founded Death Row Records, which released Snoop’s “Doggystyle” album in 1993. Before his sentence was commuted, Harris served 30 years of a 25-to-life sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Snoop was initially down with Trump after connecting on “The Apprentice” in 2007. But the hip-hop star was critical of him during his term in the White House. Snoop shared with Billboard at the time a list of issues he had with Trump as president. “The [Muslim] ban that this motherf–er tried to put up; him winning the presidency; police being able to kill motherf–kers… and get away with it (and) people being in jail for weed for 20, 30 years,” Snoop said. Better Brothers Los Angeles (BBLA), in partnership with The DIVA Foundation, led by Emmy award-winning actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary), are thrilled to announce the honorees for the 10th Annual Truth Awards. This prestigious event will occur on Saturday, March 30th, at the renowned Beverly Hilton Hotel, from 5:30 pm to 11:00 pm. As we celebrate a decade of excellence, this year's awards show promises to be an unprecedented affair spanning two unforgettable evenings - a groundbreaking first in the Truth Awards History. Friday night's theme for this invite-only event is aptly named 'Passing the Torch.' As we gather, we pay homage to three extraordinary individuals who exemplify excellence in their respective fields. Shar Jossell (Award-winning Journalist) will receive the prestigious Passing The Torch Award for her outstanding work as a journalist covering topics vital to both the LGBTQ+ community and society at large. Reflecting her unwavering dedication towards amplifying queer voices in media, Bre-Z (All American) will be bestowed with the Breakout Star Award for her captivating portrayal of complex characters that challenge stereotypes in mainstream television. Additionally, Tobias Gilbert (IndigoWave Tech & Yoga) will be recognized with the Social Influencer Award. Amongst this year's esteemed Truth Awards honorees is Niecy Nash-Betts, an Emmy-winning actress known for her outstanding talent and dedication to her craft. Nash-Betts will receive the Media & Arts Award for her remarkable achievements within the entertainment industry. Lena Waithe, an Emmy-winning writer whose groundbreaking work has shattered barriers and opened doors for countless aspiring artists, will be honored with the Culture & Arts Award. Waithe's commitment to bringing diverse stories to life has reshaped representation within mainstream media. Currently riding high on the release of the contemporary anthem “What Will It Take” – her first solo recording in 20 years – and the release of the movie musical “The Color Purple” featuring songs she co-wrote for the hit stage musical, Grammy-winning and Tony Award-nominated singer/songwriter Brenda Russell breaks new ground with her upcoming first-ever appearance at The Roxy on Sunset Strip, in concert with the Hollywood Jazz Orchestra. https://youtu.be/y8tBcQTwvWA A 61-year-old grandfather filed suit against Sunglass Hut’s parent company EssilorLuxottica and retailer Macy’s after he was wrongfully arrested and jailed based on facial recognition software that identified him as the man who robbed a Sunglass Hut store. While he was being held, the man was sexually assaulted at the Harris County Jail. Though native to Texas, Harvey Eugene Murphy Jr. was living in California at the time of a January 2022 armed robbery at a Sunglass Hut store on West Gray in Houston. Two robbers pointed a gun at a store manager and got away with thousands of dollars in cash and sunglasses. While Houston police were investigating the crime, the head of loss prevention for EssilorLuxottica said the company, working with its retail partner Macy’s, positively identified Mr. Murphy as the robber through the use of facial recognition software. He was arrested and jailed when he returned to Texas and renewed his driver’s license. The Harris County District Attorney’s office later agreed Mr. Murphy was not involved in the holdup. But before he could be released, Mr. Murphy was sexually assaulted by three men in a jail bathroom, leaving him with lifelong injuries. “Mr. Murphy’s story is troubling for every citizen in this country,” said attorney Daniel Dutko of Rusty Hardin & Associates, who along with attorney Leah Graham represents Mr. Murphy. “Any person could be improperly charged with a crime based on error-prone facial recognition software just as he was.” https://youtu.be/h9nqnEEU4P4 Attorneys say problems with the investigation included the use of error-prone facial recognition software in conjunction with low-quality cameras that increased the possibility of error. They also believe the EssilorLuxottica loss prevention team may have tainted the investigation by meeting with a Sunglass Hut employee before she identified Mr. Murphy in a police photo lineup. Mr. Murphy has a criminal record dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, but none of his offenses involved violence, and in the last 30 years, he has built a new life. The case is Harvey Eugene Murphy Jr. v. EssilorLuxottica USA Inc., et al. Cause No. 202403265-7 in the 125th District Court in Harris County. Rusty Hardin & Associates, LLP, has built a solid reputation for taking on the causes of its clients and obtaining favorable results in commercial litigation, white-collar criminal defense, plaintiffs’ personal injury (or cases), appellate matters, and general civil and criminal litigation. https://youtu.be/HWq7DNf4SLI Colman Domingo will direct and star in a biopic about legendary singer Nat King Cole. According to Variety, the project is a movie musical from a script Domingo co-wrote. The film will also mark his feature-directing debut. “I’ve been working on it quietly for a few years,” Domingo said during a Variety Awards Circuit Podcast episode. “It’s something I’m looking forward to putting together with some great partners.” The news follows reports that the actor was cast as Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua. “Colman has such incredible range – he puts in the work to deeply inhabit his characters and understand their true essence and motivation. I’m grateful to be working with an actor with his passion and ability to portray the many sides of Joe Jackson: a husband, a father and a manager,” said Fuqua in a statement. https://youtu.be/EuZ-UONInl4 Joe Cobb, the man behind the signature “Soul Train” call out heard at the introduction to the show, is taking legal action over royalties. The 80-year-old Chicago native is suing for $75,000 in back royalties, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. Cobb was 22 when he first met “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius at the Black radio station WVON in the 1960s. Cornelius launched “Soul Train” in 1971, and at the time, Cobb voiced the now-famous “Soooooooul Train” scream heard at the start of the TV dance show. “I was just pranking,” Cobb told The Chicago Sun-Times, but Cornelius liked it and had Cobb introduce “Soul Train, which ran from 1971 to 2006. Cornelius died in 2012 at age 75. https://youtu.be/NB8PPhQglwo An American Airlines flight bound for Texas had to turn back to Arizona due to a passenger’s aggressive farting. According to Fox 17, the incident occurred on Jan. 14 during a flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Austin, Texas. Reddit user lamgalatx wrote that an unidentified man “was audibly disgruntled about something, maybe hungover.” “I overhear him loudly say, ‘You thought that was rude? Well how about this smell’ and farted,” lamgalatx wrote. “Idk what provoked that comment, and while kinda funny to overhear, it was uncalled for especially coming from a grown man on an airplane nonetheless.” During the flight, while people were eating, lamgalatx said “fartman” blurted out, “yeah, everybody let’s just eat the smelliest food possible all at the same time.” Deion Sanders’ sons have gifted him a multi-million dollar mansion, and he shared the moment with fans online. A video posted to Deion Sanders Jr.’s YouTube account, “Well Off Media,” shows Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes’ head coach, touring his luxurious new home with sons Shedeur and Deion Jr. (aka Bucky). https://youtu.be/3vZ-F8SmGHg Shedeur, who plays quarterback for the Buffaloes and safety Shilo, reportedly dropped $3 million for the property. “My three sons had the thought process that they wanted me to see this,” Deion said in the video. “That’s unbelievable. It almost provokes a tear.” https://youtu.be/fbE8k_sZbYk Your life’s complete now, man,” Shedeur tells his father. “We’ve got to win,” Deion said, shaking his head. “That’s when it’s complete.” According to USA Today Sports, the mansion includes an indoor movie theater, an outdoor pool, and a wine cellar. Meanwhile, earlier this month, Shedeur and Shilo walked the catwalk for Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Fall/Winter 2024 Show in Paris on Jan. 16. https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1751334122617032859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1751334635894608203%7Ctwgr%5E0d2e6653698898c6a5a604a1e07014f6ef4c28d1%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fdeion-sanders-sons-gift-him-luxurious-mansion%2F Shannon Sharpe’s Katt Williams interview on his “Club Shay Shay” podcast on YouTube reportedly netted about $660,000, so far. We reported that the bombshell interview garnered over 46 million views in 10 days across social media and over a million audio downloads. Sharpe’s social media following also significantly increased due to “The Katt Williams Effect.” The interview is now at 55 million views, The Root reports. According to the outlet, Sharpe has earned over half a million dollars (and counting) via YouTube’s revenue-sharing program. Sharpe recently hit up Twitter to highlight the reach of the Jan. 3 interview (watch it here in case you missed it). He captioned the post with a direct quote from Katt, who said at the top of their conversation: “Club Shay Shay is going to be in a dimension it’s never been. The greatest thing floating in 2024. Mark the words. In a whole different realm of business. Oprah coming next! Once I establish this as a place of truth, oh yeah. Watch! God’s people ain’t that few.” https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs Comedian Earthquake has reacted to Katt Williams’ claim that he’s illiterate and cannot read. “Why Earthquake not in movies?’ Cuz he’s illiterate. He can’t read. And they found that out when they gave him a show and then put the cards in front of him,” Williams said during his controversial Club Shay Shay interview earlier this month. Earthquake responded during his recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, noting that Katt’s remarks confused him. “Personally speaking, me and him was cool, so I didn’t know where that came from. Certain things he said about me, half was true, half was a lie. But to each his own,” he shared with hosts DJ Envy and Charlemagne tha God, Vibe reports. “I’m the type of person [where] if I have a problem with you, Charlamagne, I’ma call you. We’re either gonna talk it out, we’re gonna duke it out, but we’re gonna handle it man-to-man,” he added. As we reported previously, Katt’s Club Shay Shay interview garnered over 46 million views in 10 days across social media and over a million audio downloads. Sharpe’s social media following also significantly increased due to “The Katt Williams Effect.” https://youtu.be/uG5NlxPW34Y “I don’t talk behind people’s backs and that’s what social media is: if you go onto a platform and talk about a person without you addressing them yourself when you have opportunities to get in contact with them and let it be known.” Regarding Williams’ claim that he can’t read, Earthquake said, “First of all, its a lie….I used to [do radio at WBLS]. Everybody in radio wants to be like y’all and be syndicated. But if you’re not syndicated and you just got one godd**ned station, [the] only way you get some money [is] off live reads!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2kfNqlLzQ2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again NYC councilmember Yusef Salaam, one of the exonerated “Central Park Five,” is speaking out after police pulled him over for no apparent reason. “Last night, while driving with my wife and children and listening in to a call with my Council colleagues on speakerphone, I was pulled over by an NYPD officer in my beloved Village of Harlem within the 28th Precinct. I introduced myself as Councilman Yusef Salaam, and subsequently asked the officer why I was pulled over. Instead of answering my question, the officer stated, ‘We’re done here,’ and proceeded to walk away,” Salaam explained in a statement released Saturday morning, NBC New York reports. Salaam was on a call on speakerphone with other council members discussing police stops when he was pulled over. USA Today reports that the NYPD defended the officer’s actions during Friday’s traffic stop, saying Salaam was pulled over for tinted windows. The department posted a statement along with the body-cam footage, saying, in part, “As the video shows, throughout this interaction, the officer conducted himself professionally and respectfully,” the department statement said. Teyana Taylor called out TMZ for the outlet’s “misleading headlines” about her pending divorce from former NBA player Iman Shumpert. “If you’re going to keep leaking my documents, show it all [and] come correct,” tweeted Taylor after TMZ published an article titled “Iman’s leaving me, kids in the cold! Says he cut house utilities.” In response to the implication that she and her two daughters lack utilities, the singer/actress clarified that “me and my kids are never going to be sitting ducks.” “Stop taking bits and pieces and putting 10s on 2s! I’ve been very graceful, cordial and protective of all parties involved in this whole process,” Taylor told TMZ directly in a statement shared online, Revolt reports. “Sadly, that energy has not been reciprocated at all!” she added. Comedian Jess Hilarious has officially joined The Breakfast Club as the newest co-host of the popular NYC-based radio show, iHeart radio announced on Jan. 29. She joins current longtime hosts Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy on the daily morning program. The announcement comes weeks after Jess confirmed she was joining the show in December, but SandaRose.com later reported she was out after a no-call/no-show on her first day earlier this month. Envy and Charlamagne also suggested they were still looking for a third co-host to replace Angela Yee, whose last broadcast was on December 2, 2022. On January 10, Envy and Charlamagne spoke about their search for a third co-host. “You know what I’m so confused by? We spent all last year rotating guest co-hosts, and I thought we were rotating guest co-hosts before we let God decide who’s supposed to be in here,” DJ Envy explained during the ‘Rumor Report’ segment. “Now, it’s 2024 — do we just say, ‘F-it, there’s not going to be another co-host?’” Charlamagne added, “No, it was never supposed to be a couple of months,” he said. “…I said it’s gon’ take at least a year… Angela Yee, I’ve always said, is irreplaceable. So the person coming here is not replacing someone — if there’s somebody coming here. That’s my whole point of having this conversation. What the hell happened?” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2r80RPLbzn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Terry Killens is set to make his mark in football history. When the NFL referee steps on the field at Super Bowl LVIII, he will be the first person to both play in a Super Bowl and serve as an official in the Super Bowl. The NFL announced this week that Killens will be part of the Super Bowl LVIII officiating crew. This will be Killens’ fifth season as an NFL official and his first Super Bowl assignment. Killens played for the Titans in their Super Bowl XXXIV loss to the Rams. A backup linebacker, Killens made one tackle in the game, on special teams. The 49-year-old Killens was a third-round pick of the Houston Oilers out of Penn State in 1996. He stayed with the Oilers/Titans until 2000, then spent two seasons with the 49ers and one with the Seahawks. Before becoming an NFL official he worked at the college level in the AAC and at the pro level in the Alliance of American Football. There have been other Black history being made leading up to the Super Bowl next month — the last four head coaches hired to lead NFL teams have all been Black. The Atlanta Falcons have hired now-former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to be its new head coach. Morris was officially hired on Thursday, making him the Falcons’ first-ever full-time Black head coach. Earlier this month, we reported that Michael Roman, a former Donald Trump campaign official and co-defendant in Trump’s election interference RICO case in Georgia, filed a motion in court seeking to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, her office and Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade based on allegations that Willis had an inappropriate affair with Wade and that she engaged in misconduct by hiring him and by spending taxpayer money on lavash vacations with him, among other accusations. Weeks later, certain things about this story haven’t changed. Roman still hasn’t presented any evidence that the allegations against Willis and Wade are true, and Willis still hasn’t responded to the allegations publicly in an unambiguous way. What has changed, albeit predictably, is that Trump is now getting in on the strategy to get the case dismissed, and his council is accusing Willis of playing the race card. (As previously reported, she spoke at a Black church in Atlanta and implied Wade was being called unqualified because he’s Black—and all the anti-DEI crusaders got offended by that for some reason.) Skin cancer is often thought of as a health concern linked to people with fair skin. However, this misconception has led to a lack of awareness within the Black community about the risks associated with skin cancer. One prevalent myth is that individuals with darker skin tones are naturally protected against skin cancer due to having higher levels of melanin, a substance in the body that produces hair, eye and skin pigmentation. Melanin works wonders for Black people because it can block harmful UV rays from penetrating our skin. The darker you are, the more melanin you have, which can help to thwart off pesky UV rays. A study conducted by the CDC found that between 2000 and 2010 around “13 percent of Black women” experienced sunburn compared to “9 percent of Black men.” That’s low in comparison to white men and women. Around “66 percent of white women and just over 65 percent of white men” were victims of sunburn during the same period. BLK Dating App, the world’s largest dating and lifestyle app for the Black community, has officially launched its empowering campaign for the new year. The uplifting initiative entitled “New Year, Real You: #RealNotPerfect” was created to inspire and embolden Black women, encouraging them to embrace and proudly exhibit their authentic selves across every area of their life, including dating, community, education, and the professional arena. https://youtu.be/1fHXS66VdyY In recognition of the pivotal roles played by Black women as the backbone of our society— leading families, shaping communities, influencing policy, and making indelible marks in on contemporary culture — the “New Year, Real You: #RealNotPerfect” campaign confronts prevailing societal expectations. BLK Dating App is committed to dismantling these constraints, forging a safe space where Black women can express their true selves without the fear of judgment or prejudice. https://youtu.be/EJzE1ztJWVs The focal point of this transformative campaign is a visually captivating brand video featuring four extraordinary Black women in various stages of their lives. Moderated by BLK’s esteemed Relationship and Intimacy Expert, Marissa Nelson, these transparent and authentic conversations will delve into the challenges faced in 2023 when striving for authenticity, their personal commitments to embracing their genuine selves in 2024, and how BLK is creating a safe space for Black women to show up as the most authentic versions of themselves. https://youtu.be/GsO2ROIlTOw The impactful brand video will be reimagined into four shorter, compelling segments, each highlighting the individual journey of each of these remarkable women. Unveiled on BLK’s social media platforms during the month of January, these social videos are designed to ignite engagement and drive conversation within the app’s female community, fostering a deeper sense of connection and shared experiences. https://youtu.be/kyb6w-H2D2k Frank Farian, the German producer & songwriter who made Milli Vanilli one of pop music’s most famous (and infamous) acts, has died at the age of 82. His family confirmed to BBC News on Tuesday (Jan. 24) that Farian passed away at his home in Miami. A cause of death was not given at press time, but he did receive a heart valve transplant in 2022. Farian first rose to prominence with 70s disco-pop group Boney M., co-writing, promoting and singing lead vocals on many tracks. The group’s biggest hit was 1979’s “Daddy Cool,” which peaked at #6 on the UK charts and #65 on the US Hot 100. https://youtu.be/FYGTT7YhywA Farian also produced albums for artists such as Meat Loaf and Stevie Wonder, selling an estimated 800 million records. However, his biggest impact (and scandal) came with the formation of Milli Vanilli in 1988. Consisting of Fabrice “Fab” Morvan and Rob Pilatus (on-screen, anyway), the group had a string of hits, including three #1 singles. The group became one of the biggest pop acts of the late 80s and early 90s, eventually winning a Grammy in 1990 for Best New Artist. https://youtu.be/RdSmokR0Enk Serena Williams is ready to get back on her fitness and dominate in the gym! After becoming a mother of two in August 2023, the 42-year-old athlete has been taking it easy on her body and slowly rebuilding her workout routine. To document the process, Williams has started sharing her routine with her 17 million Instagram followers, recording videos of herself getting back into the gym at a comfortable pace. In her latest video, the tennis champion showed her followers how she tackles squats now while using lighter weights than usual, telling viewers, “Alright, I’m getting back into the swing of things. This is not my usual weight, but it’ll do until I get back to where I need to be.” Dressed in all-black workout gear with her golden blonde locs pulled back into a high ponytail, Williams showed off her new workout routine over the soundtrack of Do’s “My Name Is” before telling viewers that the squats “feel good.” https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Wendy Williams is an American icon and her legacy should never be questioned. But over the last few years, the media icon has been rarely spotted in public, which her fans have started to notice. The photo above of Wendy Williams, captured in NYC by veteran celebrity photographer Johnny Nunez, was taken around this time last year and showed the once-in-demand media maven in good spirits following a very tumultuous and trying few years prior. However, this February 2023 photo proved to be one of the last public appearances to date by the former daytime TV queen. Since then, fans and those simply concerned with her whereabouts have only been updated via a small handful of unverified sources, talking heads in the media and, ironically enough, rumor reports in the news. It appears we’ve now received the latest life update on Wendy Williams, and the first of 2024, by way of fellow veteran radio personality, Miss Jones, who says her industry colleague has packed up and moved to Florida to be with family. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1vszJTrVnW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Super Bowl LVIII will feature a new dynasty facing off with an old one as the Kansas City Chiefs meet the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on February 11 after each was victorious in Sunday’s NFL conference championship games. The Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champions, are headed to the big game for the fourth time in five years after downing the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 in the AFC championship game on Sunday in Baltimore. The five-time champion 49ers rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit in the NFC championship game, scoring every time they had the ball in the second half – except at the end when they were trying to kill the clock. They came away with a 34-31 win. https://youtu.be/QpO9aTCKPu4 The Chiefs on Sunday were in familiar territory, making their sixth straight AFC title game appearance with quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the helm. Across that stretch, he’s racked up two Super Bowls titles, two Super Bowl MVP awards, and two league MVP awards. Needless to say, the Mahomes era has been defined by winning when it matters most. Mahomes faced intense questions coming into the playoffs on whether he would be able to duplicate his past postseason performances now that he’d have to travel away from Arrowhead Stadium for games. Mahomes has taken his team to the AFC championship game or further in each of his six seasons as a starter and – as wild as it sounds – he had never played a road playoff game until the Chiefs beat the Bills in Buffalo last week. Compounding the situation was the Chiefs struggled at times this year. “It truly is special. Just to do it with these guys after what we’ve been through all season long, the guys coming together, it is special,” Mahomes said at a postgame news conference. “I told them, the job’s not done. Our job now is to prepare ourselves to play a good football team in the Super Bowl and try to get that ring.” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce caught 11 passes – nine in the first half – and had one touchdown as Kansas City dominated the time of possession battle, using three long scoring drives and a tough defense. https://youtu.be/tQ3o4xDBPS0?list=RDNStQ3o4xDBPS0 Searching for Taylor Swift on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed an error message Saturday after pornographic, AI-generated images of the singer were circulated across social media last week. X’s search function only displays results for Swift under its “Media” and “List” tabs. However, Swift is still searchable using several boolean operators. Inputting “Taylor Swift” with quotation marks, as well as “Taylor AND Swift” yields normal search results under all of X’s search function tabs. The search function error message does not appear on either Instagram or Reddit. The fake images of Swift — which show the singer in sexually suggestive and explicit positions — were predominantly circulating on X, and were viewed tens of millions of times before being removed from social platforms. Like most major social media platforms, X’s policies ban the sharing of “synthetic, manipulated, or out-of-context media that may deceive or confuse people and lead to harm.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aaEVys6x7fQ? “This is a temporary action and done with an abundance of caution as we prioritize safety on this issue,” the company told CNN in a statement Saturday. Digitally manipulated pornographic images of celebrities are nothing new on the internet and have been circulating online since the advent of software like Photoshop. However the rise in mainstream artificial intelligence software has heightened concerns due to its ability to create convincingly real and damaging images. The incident comes as the United States heads into a presidential election year, prompting fears misleading AI-generated images and videos could be used in disinformation efforts. And it’s not just public figures with massive online presence who fall victim to this type of harassment. https://youtu.be/BRIjBHimzyM The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with a well-known truism about life on planet Earth – that the only constant in life is change. Taking this to heart, with the hope that more enlightened attitudes and behaviors are possible, the concept of change is a driving force in the ever-evolving creative world of Gene-o, a veteran musical artist and first-time novelist who is currently expressing his heartfelt belief that we are all capable of doing much better via two projects showcasing different sides of his artistry. https://youtu.be/1gl-PCo815M Season 2 of the popular BET+ series ‘Kingdom Business” returned with more excitement, drama, and, of course, Gospel music. Yolanda Adams’s character Denita runs Kingdom Records and is the label’s biggest star. Adams shared what she loves about the character and some of her favorite battles in season two. https://youtu.be/fdiTZx6wjlk It’s 2024 and Beverly Johnson remains aware of the racist activity against her, despite breaking barriers as the first Black model on the cover of Vogue magazine. Chatting with Page Six, Johnson remembered when she found out about a hotel draining its swimming pool after she took a dip. All of that is because of the color of her skin. “I did not know until we all went to the Eileen Ford’s 90th birthday party,” Johnson recalled. Ford, a famed modeling agent, died in 2014 at age 92, Page Six noted. “All the models were there, and the very rich people and one girl said to me, ‘Remember when they drained the pool?’ When you got in the pool at the so-and-so hotel?” Johnson said. “I was like, ‘They did?’ And she said, ‘You didn’t know that?’” https://youtu.be/FhpUiIifNYY Despite the revelation, Johnson didn’t name the hotel where the incident occurred. “This was during the ’80s, I would not say the name of the hotel because I don’t want to get sued,” the fashion legend added. “So you get a lot of that. People draining pools, it was racist. As a model, different kinds of things would happen to me because I was Black.” Johnson’s remembrance comes as she celebrates the 50th anniversary of her iconic Vogue cover in 1974. In addition to Vogue, “The Face That Changed It All: A Memoir” the author carved her own historic niche in fashion by making the cover of Glamour 15 times, among other things. And while she conquered, some denied Johnson the respect she deserved. Yet, Johnson found support and advocacy in the “it girl” of the time, Lauren Hutton. https://youtu.be/pEYAgmyAYqM Ariana Grande’s relationship with her “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater has brought the doctor out of Candace Owens, who claims the pop star suffers from a form of “random hoe disorder.” According to Madame Noire, Owens went full in on Grande, tackling talk surrounding the “Side to Side” singer stealing Slater from his wife shortly after the birth of the couple’s son. She pointed her wrath at Grande during the Jan. 16 episode of the Candace Owens podcast. The right-wing, married mother of two blasted the “Rain on Me” entertainer over rumors the singer stole Slater from his wife shortly after the couple welcomed a son. “He was married to his high school sweetheart — her name is Lilly Jay — and they had just had their first child. After being together for almost a decade. But that, of course, didn’t stop Ariana Grande,” Owens said during the Jan. 16 episode of her Candace Owens podcast. https://youtu.be/16HnMGJSgEU “Why do we care? [Because] we don’t want to picture you sleeping with Ethan Slater,” Owens argued. “We want to acknowledge, the general public, that her behavior is absolute filth. We just want to be able to read you for the trash that you are.” As the episode continued, Owens continued her brutal assessment of Grande, voicing her support for “following hoe culture” as well as hopes to open a “rehab for hoes” one day. Her first patient would be the songstress. “I am very much in favor of following hoe culture,” the firebrand commented. “I’ve been fascinated by hoes — the hoe apocalypse that we’re facing. It’s amazing to follow these women and the way they think. And chief among them right now is Ariana Grande.” https://youtu.be/EVmPUz_PnBw Earlier this week on “Tamron Hall,” actress and comedian Luenell returned to the show following her Broadway debut in “Chicago.” If you missed it, earlier this season, Tamron surprised the comedian by making her lifelong dream come true – hooking her up with the opportunity to perform on Broadway. https://youtu.be/uVjp1Il8YQs On the show, Luenell spoke on her experience and was surprised by her “Chicago” co-stars Michael Scirrotto and Kimberly Marable, as well as her daughter Da’Nelle Campbell and her supportive friends and family. Also, Luenell responded to her friend Katt Williams’ recent viral interview on “Club Shay Shay.” https://youtu.be/Uwr7iUPf8cg Luenell also shared what it was like to be back on a theatrical stage. “It feels like going back to see if the boyfriend you really used to love still loves you.” https://youtu.be/47V6LoTHmdw Crystal Nicole, the illustrious Grammy award-winning songwriter and singer, is set to captivate audiences with her latest single, ‘COLORBLIND,’ scheduled for release on February 2nd, just in time for Black History Month. Watch the video of this empowering anthem, crafted by Crystal Nicole for her daughter, transcends the boundaries of a typical song, serving as a profound ode to life and love. The heartfelt lyrics convey a mother’s wish for a world where people can love beyond the boundaries of color, embracing the beauty found in diversity. “I wish that I could make you color blind before the shame ever starts. Before you’re ever told that you’re not beautiful because your skin is dark. There’s so much I want to show you. But, there’s some things you never knew.” https://youtu.be/gdtxWWiKLVI Days after a video captured her hushing a churchgoer singing with her during a recent church service performance, Kim Burrell is speaking on what took place. The gospel vocalist, who encountered severe backlash over the incident, addressed the incident via video, saying her solo performance was part of her ministry. “I’m in the middle of ministry and you know how you close out a sermon? And I’m singing ‘thank you, lord,’ I’m thinking I’m singing a solo, and you always got that one that has to join in, and I heard her, y’all. She was singing and I was going, ‘thank yo…ma’am,” Burrell said while recalling the viral incident. “I was operating in things of the spirit. Sometimes when I operate publicly, everybody doesn’t understand the dispensation of what I’m operating in, they just see me as Kim the singer that’s not being ‘the singer,’ who is not always the singer. I’m the preacher, I’m the person with the gift of prophetic..but anyway. https://youtu.be/ZATAvFio6_c Needless to say that fanned the flames further for critics put off by the entertainer’s language. “The way I would’ve cursed her smooth out, and apologized to the church afterward, then told the pastor & church ima gone head and go because my spirit is NOW not of God!” a person posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) https://twitter.com/i/status/1750259434847109421 On Instagram, the feedback continued, with a user weighing in with, “That’s One rude saint I tell ya,” and another stating,” Do not sing a congregational song and expect the congregation not to join in. She comes across as very mean-spirited and folks let her get away with it because she can sing.” As she went into her remarks on the mask the woman wore, Burrell stated it was a reminder that COVID is still an issue that was present. “COVID is starting to rise again, just like I told her, let that mask work for you!” she explained. https://twitter.com/i/status/1750210910637945262 President Joe Biden brought his presidential bully pulpit to the pulpit of St. John Baptist Church on Sunday, quoting scripture and heralding the promise of the Black American church as he tries to convince a core constituency that he is worthy of their support this November. https://youtu.be/1Dyh0MtAuVo In today’s episode of Racists Defending Their Racism By Being More Racist, Turning Point USA’s head white nationalist in charge, Charlie Kirk, has outraged the non-white supremacist portion of the internet once again by saying confidently that if he sees a Black pilot, he’s going to assume they’re unqualified. Of course, like most delusional white conservatives, Kirk is claiming this sentiment is borne not from racism, but from DEI initiatives, which conservative white people erroneously believe is essentially Jim Crow for Caucasians. “I’m sorry. If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified,” Kirk said during a recent episode of The Charlie Kirk Show. Actually, let’s begin with Kirk’s producer’s assertion that Kirk’s clear and unmistakable racism stems from a “reality the left has created” through affirmative action and DEI—because that’s the lie white racists keep telling themselves. They’ve lured the nation into this absurd “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” debate regarding DEI and white racism when the answer is obvious and observable throughout American history: White racism came first. Affirmative action and DEI are products of white supremacy. Efforts to diversify largely white male spaces came after decades upon decades of non-white exclusion in academia and the workforce. It came after decades upon decades of white men in power deciding white men were the only ones qualified to be in power. For the overwhelming majority of America’s existence, affirmative action exclusively for white men was the default. That’s the only reason DEI became necessary in the first place. So, no, this isn’t a “reality created by the left,” it’s a reality created by traditional American white supremacy, which is absolutely conservative in nature, which is why right-wing white people are still the ones looking at Black people with jobs and assuming they’re unqualified. https://twitter.com/i/status/1749945917791490343 Texas superintendent is defending the decision to suspend a Black student over his locs hairstyle in a Houston Chronicle newspaper ad. According to The Messenger, Barbers Hill ISD superintendent Greg Poole defended the school district’s position to repeatedly suspend Darryl George for how he wore his locs. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GD0RQyeX0AAgy08?format=jpg&name=900x900 “Being an American requires conformity with the positive benefit of unity,” wrote Poole, discussing George’s case. He continued, “We have taken the highly unusual step of seeking a declaratory judgment in state district court to verify our interpretation.” Poole also said in the letter that Darryl George moved to the district from a place that allows longer hair and that the decision is up to local officials. “Ultimately, this is an issue of local control and deciding who should be setting the policies, goals, and expectations of our school district,” Poole wrote. https://twitter.com/bklynborn1210/status/1732867206482973135/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1732867206482973135%7Ctwgr%5E2ade7bd5141c8a16d1a04c2b1f891b7381b572cf%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4954033%2Ftexas-superintendent-full-page-ad-darryl-george%2F Video footage appears to show dozens of white supremacists brazenly evading fare for public transportation in New York City without any scrutiny from law enforcement for a crime that typically results in the disproportionate arrest of Black and brown people. The footage of the so-called Patriot Front group members was recorded on Saturday at the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) station at the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan. It was posted to social media in the context of the white supremacists having difficulty understanding how to access the PATH via turnstiles through which riders must pass only after paying their fare first. “Many thousands of #nyc commuters use these turnstiles correctly every day. But these white nationalist demonstrators who marched here on Saturday seemed to struggle with it,” photographer Ben Von Klemperer wrote on the social media app formerly known as Twitter. https://twitter.com/i/status/1749103151574036813 When someone responded to the post asking if the Patriot Front members were actually evading fare and not paying, Von Klemperer said he “didn’t see any valid permission granted” to the white supremacists. The footage showed a clearly confused bunch of Patriot Front members unsure how to proceed through the turnstiles as bumbling apparent leaders passed around what appeared to be fare cards. Seemingly fed up with the apparent frustration building at being unable to figure it all out, a group of the Patriot Front members all began filing through one turnstile – which is likely illegal since the machines are geared to accept individuals passing through, not groups of people. One Patriot Front member even decided he was just going to crawl under a separate turnstile. “Fare evasion is punishable under the laws of New York and New Jersey,” the PATH website says. “Offenders are subject to summons or arrest.” A message sent by NewsOne to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey seeking comment about the Patriot Front video footage was not immediately returned. The group later marched freely in the streets of Manhattan alongside a light police presence. https://youtu.be/BAzHhoyAV6c Amazingly, despite the existence of a whole police station in the World Trade Center station and more police officers reportedly being assigned to patrol New York City’s subways, the video footage didn’t show any evidence of the presence of law enforcement surveilling a group that has been tied to criminal violence. Of course, that kind of hands-off treatment has been nonexistent when it comes to Black and brown people being accused of the same crime, statistics show. “Arrests and summonses for fare evasion have disproportionately fallen on Black and Latino New Yorkers, who, according to Stolper’s research, accounted for nearly three of every four people arrested and given summonses for fare evasion among incidents in which the police reported race or ethnicity,” the New York Times reported back in June. In an example of that truth, a nonviolent Black teenager was manhandled roughly out of a Brooklyn subway station over alleged fare evasion in 2020. https://twitter.com/i/status/1225509923251015681 That came one day after a viral video showed NYPD officers willingly allowing identifying members of the Proud Boys — a hate group aligned with racists — to ride the subway without paying their fares. When the person filming the footage also attempted to walk through an emergency exit to gain access to the subway, an NYPD officer stopped them and told them to pay. https://twitter.com/i/status/1609705212398260226 Swifties: Are you ready for it? The Kansas City Chiefs are going to the Super Bowl, and Taylor Swift was on hand in Baltimore on Sunday to help boyfriend Travis Kelce celebrate the team’s second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl. After the game, which aired on CBS, Swift was seen on the field embracing and kissing Kelce, who helped his team best the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship playoff game. During the game, Swift watched from a suite at M&T Bank Stadium alongside her friend and wife of actor Miles Teller, Keleigh Teller, and model Cara Delevingne. The friends were shown multiple times. Sunday’s playoff game marks the 12th Chiefs game that Swift has attended to support Kelce since she first showed up at Arrowhead Stadium in September. https://youtu.be/Ba_jv5U9rsQ While it’s a sure thing that the Chiefs are heading to Las Vegas on February 11 to play in the NFL’s biggest game of the year, Swift has not publicly said if she will be attending. https://youtu.be/t_69XL7bk4s She is scheduled to perform four “Eras Tour” concerts in Tokyo starting on February 7. Her final show on that leg is set to take place on February 10 with a 6 p.m. local time start, according to ticketing sites. Swift’s shows run about three hours, there’s a 17-hour time difference between Tokyo and Las Vegas and it’s roughly a 12-hour flight between to the two locations. https://youtu.be/8ekivgfeZXw The point of this headache-inducing SAT math problem? It wouldn’t be out of your wildest dreams to see Swift on the Super Bowl sidelines. https://youtu.be/IgGowR918HQ Dave Chappelle has responded to Katt Williams for exposing their fellow Black comedians during an interview with Shannon Sharpe earlier this month. Chappelle was among those comedians named by Williams during the appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast. During an appearance at a California comedy club on Friday, Chappelle took aim at Williams for only going after Black comedians during the interview. “What part of the game is this? He only ethered n*ggas. He didn’t say anything about any of these white boys. None of these white boys function like that,” Chappelle said as shown in a video recorded by the audience at the Hollywood Improv. “Katt is one of the best painters in the game. So why are you drawing ugly pictures of us? Stop.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1748665625562726829 “Man, give him (Lamar Jackson) the trophy now and his (flowers).” Praise from fellow members of any sporting alumni always holds value – even more so coming from one of the greatest of all time. So when NBA superstar LeBron James posted his compliments to Lamar Jackson on social media following the quarterback’s superb Week 17 five-touchdown performance to likely seal his Most Valuable Player (MVP) award-winning season, it felt like a new defining moment for the 27-year-old. Jackson’s throwing ability paired with his elusiveness and speed – evoking memories of Michael Vick when he first entered the league – has almost singlehandedly changed the way the game is played, and arguably has led to an influx of running quarterbacks from college to the NFL. Jackson’s future as a quarterback was questioned upon his arrival in the NFL, but he quickly proved the naysayers wrong as he won the MVP award in his second season after setting countless records. He’s had some up-and-down years through injury and offensive woes, but this season Jackson has been back to his best, leading a No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens to the playoffs, the AFC championship game, and likely his second MVP award. https://youtu.be/LC5EeYTzf2k But, after months of theorizing, Jackson inked a five-year, $260 million contract to remain in Maryland. The contract averages out to $52 million per year, the highest yearly average in NFL history at the time. “To be honest with you, I really didn’t care for other teams, really,” Jackson told reporters during his signing press conference. “I just really wanted to get something done here.“I wanted to be here. I was like, ‘Man, OK, other teams [are] cool, but I want to be a Raven.’ … I really wanted to get this done before anything, before my time up and branch off somewhere else.” With a revamped wide receiver core at his disposal and a new offensive coordinator calling plays, Jackson has consistently delivered standout performances, helping the Ravens surge to the No. 1 seed in the AFC and the best record in the NFL. https://youtu.be/y0k8sWT0Bbk Natalia Bryant rang in her 21st year on planet Earth in a memorable way with a star-studded birthday bash. The event which took place on Jan. 19, featured a bevy of famous faces in attendance, including Winnie Harlow, Kelly Rowland, Ciara and Russell Wilson, and Pau Gasol, the former Los Angeles Lakers teammate of Natalia’s late father, basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant. Among those posing for pictures with Natalia were Aoki Lee Simmons and WNBA Star Sabrina Ionescu, according to Madame Noire. Capturing her daughter’s special day via social media on Jan. 20, Vanessa Bryant posted a video collage featuring a photo of her smiling warmly alongside Natalia, who was grinning. “Some sweet pics from last night, 21! @nataliabryant,” Vanessa captioned the collage, which also included throwback photos of Natalia with Kobe and her siblings Bianka, 7, Capri, 4, and Gigi, who was 13 when she passed away with Kobe in 2020. https://youtu.be/XjMKRuP7e78 “Happy birthday, 21st birthday @nataliabryant !!! We love you so much!!!! You are what every parent hopes and prays for. You are such a beautiful, strong, smart, loving young woman with the kindest soul, and I am so proud to be your mommy! I love you, mama!” Vanessa added on Natalia’s actual birthday. The young model and budding filmmaker weighed in in the comments of Vanessa’s Jan. 20 post, thanking the matriarch for the birthday party, saying she had the “best time.” https://youtu.be/svWYtvTal5Q It’s been a while since any news surrounding Wendy Williams surfaced, but the former daytime talk show queen’s living status has now been uncovered. According to Sandra Rose, New York radio host Miss Jones broke the news that Williams has moved from New York and lives in Florida with her son, Kevin Hunter Jr. During her radio show, Jones mentioned a visit she paid to Williams at her apartment building in Manhattan. Upon entering the building, a doorman told Jones she was too late to see Williams. "‘You’re a couple of months late. She moved,’” Miss Jones quoted the doorman. https://youtu.be/X48JeFNmgZk It’s been more than 30 years since Dr. Dre’s classic debut album “The Chronic” was released. And while that marks a milestone, Daz Dillinger is wanting payment for his contributions to the Death Row Records album. According to Complex, Dillinger acknowledged the 31st anniversary of “The Chronic” via Instagram. In addition, he questioned Dre over unpaid royalties he said are still owed to him. Songs featuring contributions from Dillinger on “The Chronic” include “Bitches Ain’t Sh*t,” “The Day The N***z Took Over,” “The Roach (Outro),” and “Deeez Nuuuts.” Noting how the rights to his material would revert to him, Tha Dog Pound rapper is giving Dre four years to pay him the royalties or he will not clear any of his work moving forward. https://www.instagram.com/p/C05Z6SOLVOR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=64f6a014-bca9-4c65-ab73-c16daf4283c1 Special Victims detectives with the Metro Nashville Police Department arrested 31-year-old Tanner Patterson on Wednesday night who is accused of assaulting and raping two women in separate incidents in Nashville in January. According to MNPD, a woman initiated an online conversation with Patterson and eventually agreed to meet him at his apartment on January 14. During the encounter, the woman said Patterson brandished a handgun and hit her with it several times when she tried to leave. She told police he sexually assaulted her and took money from her purse before she managed to escape, the report states. In a separate incident, Patterson began chatting online with a woman through the social networking app, Monkey Run, according to the arrest affidavit. The woman let Patterson call her a car to bring her to his apartment. He met her outside his apartment around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 24. “We encourage users not to disclose any of their personal data,” says a Spokesperson for Monkey Run. https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/man-charged-after-sexually-assaulting-2-women-at-his-apartment/ The report states that Patterson even took a picture of the woman’s ID and her mother’s social media profile and threatened to find her and her family if she went to the police. Patterson called her a car to leave and the woman told the driver to pull into a gas station at 14910 Old Hickory Blvd. so she could call the police, according to the report. Detectives had already identified Patterson as a suspect in the first case on January 14 and confirmed his involvement in the second incident through a photo lineup with the victim, authorities said. Patterson was arrested on Wednesday night and booked on aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape, and aggravated robbery charges. He remains in custody on a $310,000 bond. Patterson is currently on supervised federal release for bank robbery. https://youtu.be/hd9NhE_q8Vg Christiane Amanpour speaks with writer-director Ava DuVernay about her new film “Origin,” based on Isabel Wilkerson’s bestselling book “Caste,” its journey to the screen, and why she felt it had to be released before the 2024 election. https://eurweb.com/category/news-2/cnn/https://youtu.be/zkw3W1Ou3ck Megan Thee Stallion’s Planet Fitness ads are getting a giant thumbs down from Lindsay Lohan‘s father. According to HotNewHipHop, Michael Lohan lashed out at the “Body” rapstress on social media, comparing her physical form to his famous daughter’s. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to compare this… to this… in the “fitness” industry. Lol.. really?” Michael Lohan recently posted on Instagram. The post itself includes pictures of Lindsay from her Planet Fitness commercials alongside photos of Megan from the company’s latest ads. HotNewHipHop noted Lindsay’s past affiliation with Planet Fitness, highlighting the “Freaky Friday” actor’s stint as an ambassador and spokeswoman for the company. During that time, Lindsay was featured in commercials for Planet Fitness, including one that aired during the Super Bowl. In the clip, Linsey mocks her controversial past. At this time, Liindsay has yet to comment on Megan’s Planet Fitness ad campaign. The rhymer’s ads feature her transforming into Mother Fitness., a character who protects Planet Fitness gymgoers from some of the most toxic parts of gym culture. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2Nl4lpv3xv/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d447dd78-3fda-4b50-b3f6-b6b7a66c5562 Planet Fitness’ collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion marks the company’s latest celebrity collaboration. As expected, Michael Lohan’s comments did not go over well with Megan’s fans, who let the patriarch have it online. “Being skinny doesn’t mean you’re fit,” one person wrote as other commenters issued a more humorous response. “One was on drugs & one was on cornbread so of course,” one comment read. “Comparing Kraft Mac & Cheese to baked Mac & Cheese is wild” another response read. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDaTzCAawAA0X1a?format=jpg&name=900x900 Former NBA standout Sebastian Telfair is making his views known about NBA wives. During an interview with DJ Vlad, Telfair stated that 90% of the women married to NBA players are gold diggers. As for who is to blame, the ex-basketball star put it on the players themselves, those who tie the knot with women who are only interested in their money. As a result, Telfair said these women are easily accessible. “It’s because dudes is dumb and no one’s speaking up. No one advocates for athletes,” the ex-Oklahoma City Thunder star said. “They look at the athlete like, oh, you’re the ones with the money and no one advocates for the athlete.” “Athlete can’t even say nothing,” continued Telfair.” I’m like, what, that’s bogus. Everyone don’t got LeBron money. LeBron live in a different community than the rest of the players. Yeah. I’m saying 178 players only make one to four million.” https://youtu.be/nbPJveEQqms Back in 2008, Barack Obama made history as the USA’s 44th President, becoming the first African American to lead the nation. After Barack Obama‘s eight years as president, it might seem like we know all about his family: Michelle, Malia, Sasha, and even Craig Robinson (brother-in-law). Yet, beyond this immediate circle, Obama’s extended family includes his siblings residing both in the United States and worldwide. Behind the charismatic leader known to the world lies a network of siblings who have played a profound role in shaping his journey. Here is a compilation of information about Barack Obama’s siblings. https://youtu.be/5ZOUnKb4s-E She also talked about the legacy of their shared mother, who consistently showed courage in loving people with great differences. Despite her older brother becoming the President of the United States, Maya and Barack Obama have kept a close and affectionate bond. In both the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, Maya actively campaigned for brother, even speaking at the Democratic National Convention both times. https://youtu.be/sYmjpAj1fuQ In 2007, she came back to Kenya to work with CARE International, a group dedicated to fighting poverty globally. After 3 years, she established the Sauti Kuu Foundation, focusing on helping underprivileged children, girls, and youth. As per a CNN interview, Barack Obama and Auma met when they were in their twenties after he invited her to Chicago. They traveled side by side, delving into their family history, as recounted in Barack’s memoir Dreams From My Father. During Barack’s presidential campaign, Auma actively supported him. Though she primarily emphasizes her foundation in public, she occasionally uses her link to her famous brother to aid needy people. She is a social activist, sociologist, and author. Over the years, she has been actively involved in various charitable and social initiatives, working towards community development and empowerment. https://youtu.be/YVns-hIP7js Her commitment to humanitarian work and dedication to combating global poverty has undoubtedly influenced Obama’s values of service and social responsibility. The bond with his half-brothers, Malik, Mark, David, and George, further adds depth to the support system that has been integral to Obama’s personal and professional growth. Their shared experiences, perspectives, and familial ties have contributed to the resilience and determination seen throughout his political career. Growing up with a family dispersed across continents and cultures, he gained a unique perspective that informed his approach to leadership. These half-siblings, while having different life paths, have contributed to Barack Obama’s broader perspective and have played roles in shaping his experiences and understanding of family dynamics. The unwavering support and shared experiences within this extended family have contributed to the resilience and determination that characterize Barack Obama’s remarkable trajectory in both public service and global influence. https://youtu.be/tku39flORLY When a Japan Airlines airplane collided with a coast guard aircraft at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport earlier this month, the JAL A350 aircraft was swiftly engulfed in flames, and terrifying images of the runway fire spread across social media. Former Japan Airlines flight attendant and cabin safety officer Mizuki Urano saw the photos of the airplane inferno and “assumed the worst,” expecting “a very big disaster.” But while five people on the Japan Coast Guard Dash 8 plane were killed in the crash, to Urano’s – and the world’s – surprise, all 379 people on board the JAL aircraft survived. A phrase was soon being thrown around, both in the media and online: “It’s a miracle.” This thought initially crossed Urano’s mind, but then the former flight attendant reflected and changed her perspective. “I know the Japan Airlines cabin crew members’ training manuals and training contents, and their concepts for safety and their passion for safety,” Urano tells CNN Travel. “I thought, ‘Oh, this was not a miracle. It’s the natural result of their efforts.’” https://youtu.be/Ab9AReZsMd4 Power 106 host Bryhana Monegain is taking legal action against 50 Cent for injuring her with a microphone that he hurled into the crowd during his Final Lap Tour set at the Crypto.com Arena back in August. It was reported that he threw the microphone into the audience after being triggered when it malfunctioned. The mic struck Monegain in the face and wrist … “resulting in severe and permanent injuries,” per TMZ. Monegain was hospitalized following the incident. According to TMZ, “Bryhana says she suffered a concussion and a forehead laceration, among other bumps and bruises,” the outlet writes. “A source connected to 50 says the woman wasn’t supposed to be in the restricted area … but unlike the mic, that argument doesn’t fly,” TMZ writes. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-08-31-083123-50-cent-1686228-046/ Whoopi Goldberg has responded to criticism about the Oscars shutting out “Barbie” actress Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig from nominations this year. Ryan Gosling (nominated for playing “Ken” in the movie) reacted to the snub, as did former US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. Gosling addressed the issue in a letter calling out the Academy committee, writing in part, “There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film. No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit, and genius.” Clinton expressed a similar view on X, in a tweet that read: “Greta & Margot, while it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you. You’re both so much more than Kenough. #HillaryBarbie.” Meanwhile, in the latest episode of “The View,” Goldberg slammed the outrage towards the Oscars committee. https://youtu.be/1Mnvh41195A Comedian Corey Holcomb won’t be winning any Father of the Year awards after calling his daughter a “bit*h” during a rant on his podcast. “My motherf**king daughter was talking sh*t the other day,” Holcomb told cohosts Darlene Ortiz, Kraig Smith, and Marcus Smith on The Corey Holcomb 5150 Show that aired on Tuesday (Jan. 23), Vibe reports. “I was like, ‘Bi**h, I don’t know you.’” Holcomb spoke about his daughter, who he did not name, as if she’s a foreigner in his life. During the podcast discussion, he also revealed that he and the child’s mother, Maya Holcomb, aren’t on the best terms. “I brought it up because she tried to run a game on me like she was brought up by her mama, instead of realizing I got away from her mama ’cause I don’t speak to her mama. She be like, ‘I know you hate mama.’ I be like, ‘Bi**h, I ain’t got time to hate nobody,’” Holcomb continued. https://youtu.be/m4rqLgILQUk Raheem Morris is making history as the new, full-time head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Morris, a Black man, served as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator over the past three seasons. In 2009-2011, he was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and interim coach of the Falcons in 2020. As a head coach, Morris has a 24-38 record, Los Angeles Times reports. Morris, 47, is the third Black coach hired this off-season. Jemele Hill hit up X/Twiiter on Thursday to react to Morris’s hiring, noting that last year, DeMeco Ryans was the only African-American coach hired out of five openings. https://youtu.be/UxAMuip7pzI “Last NFL offseason, DeMeco Ryans was the only Black coach hired out of 5 openings. This offseason, 3 Black coaches have been hired as head coaches already. It’s giving progress?” Hill wrote. Morris was hired the same day the Carolina Panthers hired Mexican-American Dave Canales as their new head coach. “With 26 years of experience in the NFL, including the last three in an outstanding organization that has won our league’s championship in that time, Raheem emerged from a field of excellent candidates and is the right leader to take our team into the future,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. “His time in LA has given him an enhanced perspective on everything from personnel, team operations, game planning, working with an outstanding offensive staff and many other things that has helped him develop into an even more prepared coach in all aspects of the game,” Black continued. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEuCjdDXsAEXj1Q?format=jpg&name=900x900 Senator Tim Scott is catching heat after stating on “The Ingraham Angle” that former President Trump achieved “more for minorities” than President Joe Biden. The Hill reports that the South Carolina Republican said, “Think about the fact that Donald Trump put more money in historically Black colleges and universities than any other president.” Senator Scott praised Trump for allegedly lowering unemployment and raising awareness about sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder that disproportionately affects Black people. Scott added, “Guess what? He’ll help white people and Black people and brown people. I mean, he likes everybody.” Meanwhile, after Trump defeated South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in New Hampshire’s GOP primary, Scott joined him on stage. https://youtu.be/ykuEtKJ2D7A “You must really hate her,” Trump told Scott, referring to Haley. Scott replied, “I just love you!” The Rev. Al Sharpton reacted to the moment on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe, calling Scott “humiliating” and noted that Scott’s reaction “bothered me all night.” “It was humiliating to watch what Tim Scott did as a sitting senator,” said Sharpton. “It’s not a good thing in my life to watch Tim do that,” Sharpton said. “He has a right to be Republican; he has a right to do Donald Trump. But to do it in such a way that is so humiliating was troubling.” https://youtu.be/MaKgaUpW_RQ Meanwhile, Ingraham asked Scott about sharing the spotlight with Trump, “Was it uncomfortable up there? Nikki Haley’s your buddy. These things are uncomfortable. You’re sitting up there and he’s pretty tough on her last night. I mean, it was pretty tough. The dress, I probably wouldn’t have recommended that he go after the dress. I mean, that’s Trump. But was it uncomfortable for you because of your friendship with her?” Scott responded, “Listen, she served our state well as a conservative governor. She has decided to be a moderator Republican presidential candidate.” https://youtu.be/6c2j_PTUWlA South African gospel singer Kelly Khumalo broke her silence after a Gauteng High Court heard bombshell evidence this week accusing her of orchestrating the murder of her baby daddy, football star Senzo Meyiwa. In 2014, Meyiwa was shot to death while protecting Khumalo from armed robbers. Six years later, five suspects were arrested in 2020. The lead investigator, Bongani Gininda, told the court during the trial of the accused on Wednesday that Khumalo was the mastermind behind “a contractual assassination or hit” on Meyiwa, BBC reports. Khumalo’s attorney initially told local media the artist had “no knowledge” of the five suspects but two of the accused said Kelly hired them to kill Meyiwa. https://youtu.be/6VZc1Yzx6YE Meanwhile, Khumalo’s spokesperson told the BBC they “trust in the legal process.” The Netflix documentary “Senzo: Murder of a Soccer Star” was released in 2022 and examines the killing of the late Bafana Bafana goalie. Fans have been divided over the murder and discuss the case on social media. One person recently shared a message of support with Khumalo, writing, “My prayers and support go to Ms @KellyKhumaloZA. May God protect you, and give you strength to continue with your amazing professional work in music. All the best, and many more happy returns …” https://eurweb.com/2024/kelly-khumalo-accused-of-killing-senzo-meyiwa/ It’s mostly Chiefs fans in the metro, but there are members of the Ravens “flock” here too. Day and Joseph Adams Sr. know a thing or two about that. You could say it’s an NFL house divided. Day is a Chiefs fan, born and raised in Kansas City. “For me, it is very sentimental,” Day Adams said. While Joseph Sr. is a Ravens fan, born and raised in Baltimore. “I’ve been jealous. Extremely jealous. Our neighbors shoot off a firework or something after every single game, it’s like every time I hear that firework, that was like they won again,” said Joseph Sr. https://youtu.be/jeKvJmBZYuc It’s a supportive marriage. “It’s good for our family and each other to have something to cheer for,” said Joseph Sr. As they watch Lamar Jackson take on Patrick Mahomes, the love will still be there come Sunday, even though right now it’s an NFL house divided. “Teamwork makes the dream work,” they said to each other. https://youtu.be/Wxkiw0w7uI0 The 6th American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors announced the honorees of its annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in the film and television industry. This year’s event will salute Taraji P. Henson, Jeffrey Wright, Garrett Morris, and Mara Brock Akil. Presented by NICE CROWD, the 2024 ABFF Honors will take place on Sunday, March 3rd, at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, hosted by actor and comedian Tommy Davidson. Per the news release, actor, comedian, writer, singer, and first Black cast member of Saturday Night Live, Garrett Morris, will receive the Hollywood Legacy Award. Jeffrey and Taraji will receive the Excellence in the Arts Award, while screenwriter and producer Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, The Game, Being Mary Jane) will be recognized with the Industry Visionary Award. Nominees for the fan favorite award are: “A Thousand and One,” directed by A.V. Rockwell; “American Fiction,” directed by Cord Jefferson; “Origin,” directed by Ava DuVernay; “The Color Purple,” directed by Blitz Bazawule; “They Cloned Tyrone,” directed by Juel Taylor; and “The Equalizer 3,” directed by Antoine Fuqua. Zoë Kravitz’s upcoming directorial debut “Pussy Island,” has undergone a title change. Amazon MGM Studios is now calling the feature film “Blink Twice,” and it will debut in theaters on Aug. 23, People reports. According to Deadline, the story centers on a young waitress who infiltrates a philanthropist and tech mogul’s private island, which has more to it than meets the eye. The logline, per THR, reads, “There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.” Kravitz’s fiancee, Channing Tatum, portrays billionaire tech mogul Slater King, who invites friends to a mysterious private island. “As a woman in general, and a woman in this industry, I’ve experienced some pretty wild behavior from the opposite sex,” Kravitz previously told Deadline about the project. “The title was kind of a joke at first, this place where people would go, bring women, party, and hang out. The story evolved into something else, but the title wound up having multiple meanings. And it alludes to this time and place we claim to not be in anymore, in terms of sexual politics.” As expected in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case, it didn’t go well for Donald Trump. The ex-president has been ordered to pay $83.3 million to Carroll for defamatory statements he made against her in 2019, a jury determined on Friday. The total is more than eight times what Carroll asked for in her initial lawsuit. https://youtu.be/2A1KjGTT7R8 The former president — who has been splitting his time between the courtroom and the 2024 campaign trail — was not present as the verdict was read, having departed the Manhattan courthouse at 4 p.m. ET. https://youtu.be/kxC4iBq-xsA Trump also walked out of the courtroom earlier today as Carroll’s team was giving its closing arguments, according to CNN. https://youtu.be/WGs9Fmbp3A0 Justin Timberlake appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” Thursday and announced he’s hitting the road this year. Timberlake will kick off the 22-city The Forget Tomorrow World Tour on April 29 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada — making stops in major cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York. The tour will hit up Europe and the U.K. and wraps up in July at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, Yahoo reports. A unique code will be emailed to fan club members to access presale tickets starting Monday, Jan 29. Citi cardmembers and wireless carrier Verizon customers will have presale access from Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. local time until Thursday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. local time. The general public tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. local time at justintimberlake.com. https://youtu.be/a_YIvdIUaFU Cory Haywood and Smart Fitness, LLC was recently announced as one of two service organizations commissioned by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA). As a result, Cory showcased his expertise as a stretch therapist at the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Festival in observance of the MLK Day of Service. Cory Haywood is now an official DCA-commissioned healing artist. Hundreds of people from the community enjoyed festivities, exhibits, great food, and music at the Freedom Festival. Thanks to the Los Angeles DCA Performing Arts Division, they got to experience Cory’s Stretch Lab, where he demonstrated techniques to improve range of motion, and flexibility, reduce muscle tension, and increase blood flow. Stretching was presented as science-based, therapeutic, and healing art. A Kansas teenager was impaled by a pair of pliers after slipping on ice while shoveling snow. “Well, I got up and noticed my pliers weren’t in my pouch,” Joey Zeman, 15, told KWCH, “And I looked down and they were inside me.” The incident occurred outside the family’s home in WaKeeney on Saturday, New York Post reports. The boy’s mother, Alicia Zeman, shared gory images of her son’s injuries on social media. “It tried to pull them out a couple times when I first saw they were in there,” Joey told KWCH. “They didn’t come out. I called Mom and told her that I was on my way to the ER ’cause my pliers were inside me.” https://youtu.be/IlXFIWgGKu4 Former attorney for Pras Michel, David Kenner, pleaded guilty this week to a contempt of court charge for leaking confidential federal grand jury files to two reporters in 2023. Per Billboard, citing a court filing Thursday, prosecutors told a federal judge that Kenner leaked “swathes of sensitive internal government records” to reporters and plead guilty to a misdemeanor over “agreed to accept responsibility for violating the court’s protective order.” The leaked files contained information about the fraud trial involving Kenner’s former client, rapper Pras of The Fugees. Kenner admitted to violating court rules by sharing the sealed documents with reporters before the high-profile trial. “Unfortunately, former attorney David Kenner failed at every turn to competently represent Pras over the course of this lengthy legal battle,” said Erica Dumas, spokesperson for Pras Michel. Another year, another record for basketball star LeBron James. The Los Angeles Lakers forward was named to his 20th NBA All-Star Game on Thursday, passing NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most of all time. Less than a year ago, James broke Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record. James, 39, is joined in the Western Conference starting lineup by Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. James, who is in his 21st year in the league, is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game this season. Earlier this season, James reached another significant milestone, becoming the first player in the history of the NBA to score 39,000 career points. https://youtu.be/ZnvVFUjnohw Watch GRAMMY Winner, Kierra Sheard, on SHERRI, in a daytime exclusive, in which she introduces her babygirl, Khloe-Drew to the world, discusses her brand new book, KiKi Finds Her Voice, album, ALL YOURS, and shares the news of a brand new Spring tour, I GOT AWAY TOUR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z0VoXHk274 Years after Florida military officials say they were first notified about potential graves of a former Black cemetery on the grounds of what is currently MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, 121 possible graves have now been located. In 2019, the Tampa Bay History Center reached out to the MacDill Air Force Base after finding archival evidence about there possibly being a former Black cemetery on land now occupied by the base, MacDill Air Force Base Deputy Chief of Public Relations Terry Montrose told CNN on Saturday. The military base was officially activated on April 16, 1941, according to its website. The base hired a contractor and for two years, they searched for additional burials, Montrose said. https://youtu.be/SwtNQynPBmQ With the help of ground penetrating radar and cadaver dogs, Montrose said 11 possible graves were found “in an area that indicated that there might be a cemetery.” The MacDill Air Force Base held a memorial service and dedicated a plaque for those buried there in February 2021. After 2021, Montrose said they kept searching, and as of this week, they have discovered 63 possible graves and 58 probable graves which, according to city records, were part of what was once Port Tampa Cemetery. Port Tampa Cemetery was a segregation-era burial site for area Black families and “was one of several African American cemeteries in the area that had been forgotten or purchased for redevelopment,” according to a historical marker at the base. “What we didn’t realize at the time was that we weren’t over the top of where we really needed to be,” Montrose said. “So, we decided to keep looking, and so we pushed out way farther, 300 meters west, and that’s where we found most of the bodies over the past two years,” he said. https://youtu.be/QUntv8KUBaQ As of Jan. 1, California became the first state in the nation to disaggregate data for its Black population by ethnic lineage. Thanks to a bill authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena). Holden is a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus. A California Department of Human Resource (CalHR) questionnaire requests newly or rehired employees to voluntarily self-identify their race, ethnicity and gender for the state to track and evaluate equal employment opportunities and non-discriminatory employment practices more accurately. “For the first time, the descendants of our ancestors, people in my family and the families of over 2 million Californians, the overwhelming majority of Black California, will see our community represented and counted among the very important data our state collects, starting among current and future state employees,” said Chris Lodgson, a member of Coalition for Just and Equitable (CJEC). 21 Savage has confirmed that his American Dream trailer is “parody” art. We reported earlier that the rapper released a new music video-style trailer for “American Dream: The 21 Savage Story,” and many assumed it was a teaser for an upcoming biopic. The video unpacks the Grammy-winning artist’s experience of being detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2019. “American Dream” features Donald Glover as 21 Savage, and “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin portrays the younger version of the rapper. A Lionsgate logo appears ahead of the trailer, and the end teases a release on “Independence Day.” As it turns out, the footage is not part of a larger project. “Nah, that was a parody,” 21 Savage told Shannon Sharpe on Wednesday’s episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast. https://youtu.be/Na8i-SnGfqc “I feel like it could be one day,” 21 said of a potential biopic about his life,” he added. “They would hate on it now though. Because they gon’ be like, ‘What the fuck 21 Savage deserve a story for, a movie about him for? What he did?’ You know how they do.” ICE officials detained the hip-hop star (real name She’yaa Bin Abraham Joseph) five years ago for living in the US illegally for years on an expired visa. Per TMZ, “Authorities later claimed the rapper threw out a bottle of codeine during that ICE arrest … and they say a handgun was also found in his vehicle,” the outlet writes. “His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and overstayed his visa,” an ICE official said about 21 Savage in 2019, according to SandraRose.com. https://youtu.be/_fT7xi8cJPU Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, responded to accusations that she shaded Janet Jackson’s VIP ticket prices for her current tour. TMZ reports that Knowles liked a post criticizing the sky-high VIP ticket prices for Janet’s concerts. In a video response shared on Instagram, Knowles denied being messy and called Janet the “queen of production.” “First of all, being on the other side of that, I know better than anyone what a great production cost,” she said in the clip. “It’s expensive. And I would never criticize another artist, let alone Janet Jackson who is the queen of production.” Knowles made clear that she has much love for the Jackson family. “I stay away from negativity,” she continued. “If you follow me then you know that I’m not involved in the mess. What I am guilty of is liking posts, going through when I’m in a big hurry and I don’t have time to really read and liking things because I trust that these are people that I follow. That was a big mistake. I will never do that again.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2eCKuiSwNV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Freaknik goes wrong in the new BET+ original series, “Perimeter,” written and directed by Armani Ortiz (Maxine’s Baby), and starring Ava Mone’t, Tatyana Ali, Donovan Christie Jr., Malcolm Xavier, and Wes Montez. According to the official press release, the series takes viewers back to Atlanta in the 1990s and follows a complex web of personal stories. Here’s the description: “In Atlanta, in the 1990’s a complex web of personal stories unfolds. Paige, a promising Spelman sophomore, veers off her path to success when she falls for a “bad boy” just before the pivotal “Freaknik” event. Adulthood disrupts their lives, pulling Paige, her long-term boyfriend Malcolm, and newcomer Romeo into a series of challenges. Amidst Atlanta’s global Olympic spotlight, eventual mayor Robert Dawn’s rise to power comes at the price of personal sacrifices and moral dilemmas. These interconnected stories set off a transformative chain reaction in the city, echoing Dante’s words: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” https://youtu.be/7FIbWy7TizA “The second single is released February 9,” said Country/Rock’s Will Wesley about his upcoming project “Ready to Ride.” The single is from his much anticipated, yet-to-be-titled, album. Wesley’s vocal sound is traditional Country, and his guitar playing brings that Rock vibe to his material. The first single from the new album was “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” a cover of Brenda Lee’s holiday classic. “I’ve always been traveling…and backing other bands guitar playing,” he said when I complimented him for all the performance days he has coming up. “I was playing the Blues when I was a kid. Landed a job as music director for (Grammy-winning Blues artist) Grady Champion…we traveled all over the US and Europe.” Will is the winner of the New Orleans International Blues Challenge. He has also toured with Larry Garner and collaborated with producer Phil Chandler on the “Both Sides of the Tracks” album featuring the popular single “Attitude.” He has also collaborated with Swiss Rocker Florian Fox. “I started building my own name in Switzerland…touring with a friend who was popular in the area. His manager had ties in Asia,” Will added. Kenya Barris is developing a reimagining of two classic Hollywood movies, “The Wizard of Oz” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Barris is also developing a biopic about comedian Richard Pryor, slated to be a 10-part limited biographical TV series. “It is my baby. I love it. He is my comedy god. A super flawed guy, but who everything, to this day, the comedy that we remember — even including [Dave] Chappelle — is derivative of what he started,” Barris said of Pryor at the Variety Studio during Sundance Film Festival, Complex reports. “That honest, reflecting, observational look at what the world is and the differences between us that actually make us more similar than we are apart. I think telling his story and letting people see things that they didn’t know about him is something that I’m super excited to bring to life,” Barris continued. Meanwhile, Barris said his reimagining of “The Wizard of Oz” will portray Dorothy as a young woman from Inglewood, California, who dreams of a better life. https://youtu.be/Tm5KMle65Ls Torrei Hart is speaking out about her controversial decision to tour with Katt Williams, claiming she is not shading her ex-husband, Kevin Hart, who has beef with the comedian. We reported earlier that Torrei will join Williams on multiple dates for his upcoming The Dark Matter Tour. She’ll appear in Charlotte on Jan. 27, Orlando on Feb. 2, and Tampa on Feb. 3., with more dates expected to be announced. Several social media users called Williams messy for inviting Torrei on tour with him, especially after he described Kevin as an “industry plant” during his viral interview with Shannon Sharpe on the Club Shay Shay podcast earlier this month. https://youtu.be/hSenQgcaKzU TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Hart’s ex-wife this week to get her reaction to the critics, and Torrei noted that she and Williams have been friends for years. “That’s my boy, we’ve known each other for years,” Hart told the outlet. “It’s only right. I’ve opened up for Katt before, he’s given me plenty of opportunities, we’ve shot a movie together, and we’re close. We’re so close Katt has watched my dog before.” “We’re friends,” she added. “We’ve known each other 20 years. This isn’t something that just happened.” Hart continued, “I’m coming from a place of ‘It’s my time.’ I’ve been doing the work for years and now it’s my time. So yeah, definitely, it is helping me emerge out of the shadows. A lot of people don’t know I’ve been doing comedy for almost 15 years. This isn’t new. I’ve been putting in the work from chicken shacks to the main stages. I tell jokes anywhere, I don’t care.” Hart clarified that her current career moves with Katt are “no shade at all to Kevin.” https://youtu.be/lJZWThdu9-Q Amazon’s Ring will no longer let police and other government agencies request doorbell camera footage from within the company’s Neighbors app, in what privacy advocates are hailing as a long-awaited victory for civil liberties. Authorities seeking Ring surveillance videos must now submit a formal legal request to the company, rather than soliciting footage directly from users through the app, Ring said in a blog post Wednesday. “Public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events,” the blog post said. On January 31, law enforcement will no longer be able to make new posts asking users to submit footage, though Ring users may continue to respond to existing police requests on the app until February 29, a Ring spokesperson told CNN. https://youtu.be/vueLN8AvPCI The suspect wanted in the robbery of Bishop Lamor Whitehead was fatally killed by police in New Jersey on Wednesday. The New York Daily News reports that Shamar Leggette, 41, was one of three men who robbed Whitehead and his wife of more than $1 million while he was preaching at the Leaders of Tomorrow church on July 24, 2022. Three armed thieves entered the church and removed the jewelry the pastor and his wife wore. “I got women and children there. As I got down, one went to my wife and took all her jewelry, and had the gun in front of my 8-month-old baby’s face,” White previously said in the aftermath of the robbery. “Took off my bishop’s ring, my wedding band and took off my bishop chain, and then I had chains underneath my robe, and he start tapping my neck to see if (there was) anything else — so that means they knew, they watched and they knew that I have other jewelry,” he added. “My church is traumatized.” https://youtu.be/tJp1wFwi6ck The viral “Brick Lady” has turned herself in to police after being charged for allegedly lying about being attacked by a man after she refused to give her phone number to him. Roda Osman, 33, used the incident to raise more than $42,000 on GoFundMe. Osman went viral late last year after claiming a Black man cold-clocked her in the face with a brick. She was charged last week for fabricating parts of the story and profiting off her lies. In a video shared online and posted on Instagram by the shade room, Osman (also known as Rho Bashe) can be heard saying, “Y’all, this man just hit me in my face with a brick and all these Black men just watched. This man…grabbed a rock and hit me in my face because I wouldn’t give him my number.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2OGlERAK1K/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again 50 Cent recently filed a Writ of Execution against reality tv star Teairra Mari as part of the 5-figure judgment that she owes him related to a revenge porn case. As we reported earlier, Mari has been trying to avoid paying 50 Cent for years. For starters, she incurred the debt following an unsuccessful revenge porn lawsuit against 50 Cent and her ex-boyfriend. She took 50 Cent to court specifically for sharing an explicit image from her leaked sex tape. RadarOnline reports that she still owes him a total of $50,476. 50 Cent was initially awarded $30k in legal fees and $5k in sanctions and other fees. The “Love & Hip Hop” alum admitted she couldn’t afford to pay the debt, so interest for $14k was added to the bill. According to the Radar report, Fiddy recently filed a Writ of Execution against Teairra Mari in Sacramento County, California. Per the outlet, “The Writ was addressed to the Sheriff’s Department and directed officers to “enforce the judgment” which grows with “daily interest,” RadarOnline writes. Mary J. Blige teased that she’s no longer single in a new interview with Big Tigger for Audacy Check-In. “I’m not single. I’m happily doing what I’m doing,” the 53-year-old said on Audacy Check In. As Vibe reports, the R&B songstress didn’t spill any additional tea about her romantic life, but she appears to be boo’d up six years after finalizing her divorce from ex-husband Kendu Isaacs. Blige told Elle in a 22 interview that she didn’t feel beautiful until she split with Isaacs after 13 years of marriage. “I didn’t feel beautiful-like for real for real, not just ‘Hey, I’m pretty’ but actually believing it-until about 2016,” the superstar shared at the time. “If you’ve been beat down mentally by someone, you’re never pretty enough. You’re never smart enough. Nothing’s ever good enough.” https://youtu.be/RjF0g5RFY2Q Emmy Award-winning actor Colman Domingo will portray Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael from director Antoine Fugua. The film is now in production from Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International, with the worldwide release scheduled for April 18th, 2025. Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson will star in the tile role, with Oscar winner Graham King/GK Films producing from a script by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, per the official press release. “Few actors present themselves with Colman’s screen presence and force of will,” said King in a statement. “We’re so fortunate to have an actor with his undeniable talent portraying Joe Jackson on screen. We couldn’t be more excited to have him join us on this journey.” Fuqua added“ Colman has such incredible range – he puts in the work to deeply inhabit his characters and understand their true essence and motivation. I’m grateful to be working with an actor with his passion and ability to portray the many sides of Joe Jackson: a husband, a father and a manager.” “Hightown” star Monica Raymund discuss the explosive third and final season of the hit STARZ series. Series creator Rebecca Cutter previously described Raymund’s character on the show as a “queer female Fisheries Service Agent who’s kind of like Don Draper as a woman with these real appetites and unapologetic and really tough. And I just kind of knew that her and a crime story and a sobriety story would be a good TV show, and I went from there,” she told CBR. Raymund portrays Fishery Service Agent Jackie Quiñones on “Hightown,” and she starts season three with a bang! https://youtu.be/Z1FPCvwZVkk It’s known as a classic Chicago pastime – good old-fashioned roller skating. You may have visited a neighborhood roller rink, even CBS News personnel took a few spins around recently. However, a lot of them have closed, but there’s a movement to keep the art form alive. It’s made its way into schools, and on Tuesday a South Side elementary school along with a Chicago roller skating guru joined forces to keep Chicago rolling.Myesha McCaskill, also known as Smooth Goddess, has been described as a master, a legend; an all-around guru of the art of skating. “I would say that I am community-based. I’m about love, I’m about diversity, and bridging the gap for all humanity,” she said. https://youtu.be/Wtubver9L08 CBS today announced performances and player honorees for THE SUPER BOWL SOULFUL CELEBRATION 25th ANNIVERSARY, (previously known as the “Super Bowl Gospel Celebration”), airing Saturday, Feb. 10 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand on Pluto TV and CBS.com the day after the special airs)*. Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold of CBS’ THE NEIGHBORHOOD will host. It was announced today on CBS MORNINGS that their co-host, Nate Burleson, will be honored on the special with the “Lifetime of Inspiration” Award. The honor will celebrate Burleson’s substantial impact on the NFL and people of faith, as well as recognize his contributions to media, sports, philanthropy, and business. This accolade has been bestowed six times in the event's 25-year history, recognizing truly exceptional individuals in football who embody excellence, resilience, gratitude, and inspiration, both on and off the field. Previous recipients include Tony Dungy (2009), Ray Lewis (2013), Tim Brown (2015), Troy Vincent (2017), and Deion Sanders (2022). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iT15YgHY4Y The star-studded lineup for the Loves & Friends tour has been announced, with Usher slated to headline the event scheduled for May 4 at Las Vegas Festival Grounds. The headliners include Janet Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Lil Wayne, and Snoop Dogg. Additional performers are Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, Nas, Mary J. Blige, Ludacris, Nelly Furtado, Akon, T-Pain, Ja Rule, and M.I.A. The other R&B and Hip Hop stars slated to hit the various stages at the festival are Eve, Ashanti, Ne-Yo, Nelly, Brandy, Monica, Kelly Rowland, Robin Thicke, Jeezy, Method Man and Redman, Tyrese, Craig David, Sean Paul, Keyshia Cole, Kelis, Mya, JoJo, Cam’ron, Twista, and others, per Revolt. Registering on the festival’s website gives presale ticket access beginning Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. PT. General sales will follow via Ticketmaster. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2dKCrZyil4/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9535dbd5-b3cb-4a9d-bada-2a265a7f017a The Los Angeles Times is cutting 115 jobs amid projections that the paper will lose another $30 million to $40 million this year. More than 20% of the newsroom is being slashed, with young journalists of color hit the hardest, according to the Los Angeles Times Guild. Watch The Times’ report about the layoffs via the YouTube. https://youtu.be/bTf-_SD5JiI Former GMA anchors Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes continue to unpack the aftermath of losing their jobs over their affair. The couple now host a podcast together and admitted on the most recent episode that they miss working together on television. As reported, ABC News booted Robach and Holmes in January 2023 after their affair was publicly revealed. The network parted ways with the couple because their relationship had become “an internal and external disruption,” ABC News president Kim Godwin told staffers in a call in December 2022, per Variety. Holmes was in a 10-year marriage with ex-wife Marilee Fiebig when he began dating Robach. Robach was married to actor Andrew Shue during her affair with Holmes. Meanwhile, according to USA Today, the ex-spouses of Holmes and Robach are allegedly dating. Page Six reports that Shue, 56, and Fiebig, 46, have been trauma bonding for over six months. “REVIVAL” by Jules Juda fused all the elements of the American Black Music experience, Gospel, R&B & Hip Hop, was one of the top performing songs at the Inspirational format in 2023, reaching top five and over 1.1 million streams to date. “Revival Remix” ventures into the World Music space with its high energy, Afro-Caribbean influence rhythms, featuring the eccentric Mali Music and the soulful vocal stylings of Tasha Page-Lockhart. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/15798312?date=20240124&user_id=668306&signature=a_6FDtaCBXLGytWwc2-tRxGQBBk%3A3iZMuhA5 On Tuesday Tracee Ellis Ross stopped by “The Talk” where she reacts to recreating Lucille Ball and speaks on “American Fiction” receiving Oscar nominations for best picture and her co-stars Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown. https://youtu.be/P8VbatXc5bQ Natalie Morales asks, “What would you like to say [to them]?” Tracee Ellis Ross: “Well, I sent the text this morning. First of all, I think they should win all the awards. But the truth, their performances are extraordinary, but the treat and the gift of this movie has been meeting and making new friends… we didn’t all get to work together but the press (film’s promotion) process after, we’ve all really gotten to sit and hear each other and they are amazing human beings…what a cast.” https://youtu.be/RrnaeVj7QP0 NBA veteran Doc Rivers has accepted an offer from the Milwaukee Bucks to be the team’s next coach, a source with knowledge of the conversations told CNN. The Bucks fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin after 43 games earlier on Tuesday, saying they were “working immediately” to hire their next head coach. Griffin had been with the team since June 2023. https://youtu.be/bxBlAW9Eh8s Rivers coached the Philadelphia 76ers for three seasons before the team announced they were parting ways with him last May following three Eastern Conference Semifinals losses. At the time, Sixers President of Basketball Operations described Rivers as “one of the most successful coaches in NBA history.” The 62-year-old has also served as the head coach of the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics, who he led to an NBA championship in 2008. During TNT’s “Inside the NBA” Tuesday night, co-host Shaquille O’Neal said he is “happy for Doc.” “He does have championship experience. He does have experience with dealing with large-name individuals, superstars,” O’Neal said. “For so long, he’s just been surviving off that one championship so I would like to see him get another one.” In a November interview with CNN’s Poppy Harlow, Rivers said he begins each coaching season by telling his players, “I am human and I’m going to do my best, but I’m going to make some mistakes here.” Bucks General Manager Jon Horst said in a statement that Griffin’s firing was a “difficult decision to make during the season.” CNN has reached out to the Bucks for comment. https://youtu.be/PmkpYElp2Xs The Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC) is a statewide organization comprised of various associations, community groups and individuals united by a commitment to fight for reparations and reparative justice for the descendants of enslaved Black American men and women. In 2020, CJEC worked alongside California Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber, when she was an Assemblymember representing the 79th District in San Diego, to author and enact Assembly Bill (AB) 3121. That bill, now state law, created America’s first-in-the-nation Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans. https://youtu.be/K8a1ZJlrNyg The biggest challenge and opportunity our organization faced over the last year was raising awareness about California’s Reparations efforts. Does your organization support or plan to get involved in the push for reparations in California? Absolutely. We are California’s first, only and leading state-wide grassroots organization born specifically for lineage-based reparations and reparative Justice. How can more Californians of all backgrounds get involved in the work you’re doing? https://youtu.be/K8a1ZJlrNyg Atlanta rapper YFN Lucci pleaded guilty Tuesday to violating Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, according to court documents. The rapper, whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett, was facing several charges including murder and racketeering. Bennett was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 10 more on probation as a condition of his plea agreement, according to court documents. Bennett turned himself in to authorities in 2021 after facing a murder charge. He has remained in jail as he awaited trial and could be eligible for parole in as early as four months from now, according to a statement from his lead attorney, Drew Findling. https://youtu.be/SC3pVsoL6Jw Bennett will not cooperate in any other case as a condition of his plea, Findling said. According to the indictment against him, Bennett was associated with a faction of The Bloods street gang. Prosecutors allege the particular faction Bennett was associated with had come into conflict with the YSL gang, which stands for Young Stoner Life or Young Slime Life. Several alleged YSL members, including Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug, are also currently on trial facing racketeering and murder charges. Prosecutors also alleged members of YSL had discussed getting Young Thug’s permission to kill Bennett, CNN previously reported. https://youtu.be/3gIJ4xHf2uE The Cavaliers have issued a 25-game suspension to Tristan Thompson for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. ABC News reports that the 32-year-old backup center was suspended without pay after testing positive for “ibutamoren, a growth hormone, and SARM LGD-4033, commonly used by bodybuilders and weight lifters for muscle enhancement,” the outlet writes. Thompson will be eligible to return on March 16 when the Cavs face Houston. https://youtu.be/VPdNj8mre18 Comedian Jess Hilarious recently took to her Instagram Story to call Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy “trash.” The move comes after Charlamagne and Envy spoke about their continued search for a third ‘Breakfast Club’ after it was (unofficially) announced last month that Jess would be joining the team. We reported earlier that she was allegedly set to replace Angele Yee on the long-running morning radio show alongside Charlamagne and Envy. Yee announced her departure in August 2022. Jess seemingly announced her ‘Breakfast Club’ gig at an event in her hometown of Baltimore on Dec. 23. Since then, she hasn’t appeared on the program. Jess was allegedly dropped after prematurely announcing the job before contract negotiations had been finalized. SandraRose.com reports that she was a no-call/no-show on her first day on the job on January 8. Meanwhile, Power 105.1 FM in New York never confirmed Jess was joining the team. Most recently, Jess reacted to a clip of DJ Envy calling R&B singer SZA “this generation’s Mary J. Blige.” According to Ice Cream Convos, she hit up her Instagram Story to react to the comparison, writing: “These n— trash. Envy shut up!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2crOSgLORC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Yesterday, Kingston rolled out the red carpet to welcome “Bob Marley: One Love” with a hometown Jamaica premiere hosted by Fae Ellington! In attendance were the film’s stars; Kingsley Ben-Adir, James Norton, Aston Barrett Jr., Anna-SharéBlake, Gawaine “J-Summa” Campbell, Naomi Cowan, Alexx “A-Game” Gallimore, Quan-Dajai Henriques, David Kerr, Hector Roots Lewis, Abijah “Naki Wailer” Livingston, Brian Todd Boucher, Cornelius Grant, Sheldon Shepherd, Wilfred Chambers (aka Ricky Chaplin), Nia Ashi and Sundra Oakley with director Reinaldo Marcus Green, producers Robert Teitel, Jeremy Kleiner, Ziggy Marley, and Rita Marley and executive producer Orly Marley. “Bob Marley: One Love” will be in theatres February 14, 2024. MC Lyte shared a photo of her new man on social media, and the move comes a year after she finalized her divorce from ex-husband John Wyche. According to The Jasmine Brand, the hip-hop legend is dating Aaron Johnson, 43, a professional in the tech industry. The couple reportedly met a year ago while attending a philanthropic event. Lyte recently posted a photo on Instagram of them wearing 49ers gear along with the caption: “My boo, my love Super Bowl, let’s go!!” She was previously married to Wyche for three years before they called it quits. MC Lyte got to keep her music catalog as part of their prenuptial agreement. In a prior interview, the music superstar admitted she was “very distraught” after her short-lived marriage to Wyche ended in divorce in 2020. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2WZShzOsqN/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=26004330-e432-4f52-b287-784689445b36 NeNe Leakes believes some of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast members should be booted to save the show amid bleak ratings. TMZ caught up with the former RHOA star, and she shared her thoughts about casting for Season 16. Leakes departed the show in 2020, and the cast has since struggled to capture longtime viewers. She told TMZ that the show needs a fresh start. “If they’re going to keep those same girls over and over … it’s not a good look,” she said they should go.” https://youtu.be/yPp1i7iByfU Shaquille O’Neal is gearing up to host his annual pre-Super Bowl party, Shaq’s Fun House, for the sixth year. According to the news release, “O’Neal is bringing Shaq’s Fun House 2024, his larger-than-life personality, and over-the-top music festival experience to Big Game Weekend Las Vegas. Shaq’s Fun House will offer a legendary fan experience that includes an immersive carnival with rides and games, incredible live performances including Lil Wayne, Diplo, and the big man himself, DJ DIESEL.” The event will go down at Las Vegas’ XS Nightclub at Wynn on Feb. 9, two days before the Big Game. Tickets start at $99.99 and can be purchased online at WWW.SHAQSFUNHOUSE.COM, and VIP tickets are also available. “I’m a jealous competitor. The reason why we’re doing Shaq’s Fun House? I want people to say that’s the best party ever,” the retired NBA icon explained in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Models Eva Marcille and Toccara Jones are speaking out about their experience on “America’s Next Top Model.” The pair competed in ANTM season three, which air 2004, and Marcille made history as the first Black model to win the title. At the time, Jones was the first plus-size model to appear on the series. Marcille and Jones recently appeared together on the “Big Tigger Morning Show” and revealed how they finessed their way on to the show, The Jasmine Brand reports. “I went to a fake call-back. I slid to a call-back when I wasn’t at the initial audition to even be called back to,” Marcille said. According to Eva, the initial casting call was held in Atlanta, but she missed it due to work obligations. https://youtu.be/_czAXzgBVEU In a recent exclusive interview, actress Maya Erskine and showrunner Francesca Sloane provided exclusive insights into the highly anticipated Prime Video series, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” Diving into the intricacies of the characters’ relationships and the delicate balance between spy escapades and personal connections. Erskine and Sloane offered a glimpse into the creative process that brought this iconic spy couple back to life. The series stars Erskine and Donald Glover as two strangers who land jobs with a spy agency that offers them a life of espionage, wealth, and travel – with a catch, new identities in an arranged marriage. Sloane and Glover are the visionaries behind the series. The two have previously worked together on the hit FX series, “Atlanta.” Sloane shared her excitement about showcasing the “B side of a tape of a spy show.” She emphasized the focus on intimacy. https://youtu.be/Zm1_DV_AV2E What a family tree Niecy Nash-Betts apparently has! The actress (and recent Emmy winner) took to social media on Tuesday to congratulate her cousins, Sterling K. Brown and Danielle Brooks, on their Oscar nominations. “Both of my COUSINS are OSCAR NOMINATED,” Nash-Betts wrote in the caption of a photo featuring the three of them on her Instagram, adding by way of clarification, “Yes! We are blood-related! REAL cousins!” “I’m so proud of my fam!” the “Claws” star added, concluding the caption with, “I’m rooting for you!” While it’s unclear exactly how the three are related, a publicist for Brooks confirmed that she and Nash-Betts are cousins. https://youtu.be/gCWsuORHp7s Brooks and Brown are each nominated in the supporting actor categories at the Academy Awards this year. Brooks is nominated for her role of Sofia in “The Color Purple,” while Brown received his nod for his work in “American Fiction.” https://youtu.be/Jvrhr5ntxXM It turns out, Nash-Betts also has another famous relative. Last year she appeared on an episode of the PBS series “Finding Your Roots” and discovered that the activist Angela Davis is a distant cousin. CNN has reached out to reps for Nash-Betts and Brown for further clarification. https://youtu.be/DNi2tg8kX8Y Nash-Betts’ recent Emmy win was for outstanding supporting actress in an anthology series, for her role in Netflix’s “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” https://youtu.be/2wrA_aicxdg Apple TV+ has dropped the trailer for the action-packed psychological thriller “Constellation,” starring Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks. Created by Peter Harness and directed by Emmy Award-winner Michelle MacLaren, the new conspiracy-based space adventure stars Rapace as Jo – an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space – only to discover that key pieces of her life seem to be missing. The action-packed space adventure is an exploration of the dark edges of human psychology, and one woman’s desperate quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel and recover all that she has lost, per the news release. The series also stars James D’Arcy (“Agent Carter,” “Oppenheimer”), Julian Looman (“Emily in Paris,” The Mallorca Files”) William Catlett (“A Thousand and One,” “The Devil You Know”), Barbara Sukowa (“Voyager,” “Hannah Arendt”), and introduces Rosie and Davina Coleman as Alice. The action-packed space adventure will premiere globally on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, with the first three episodes, followed by one episode weekly, every Wednesday through March 27 on Apple TV+. https://youtu.be/4dAaLbsQSzI Jennifer Hudson and Common may have just confirmed they have a lot more in, yes, common, than just being two Chicago-raised, highly celebrated musicians. The pair hinted that they’re dating each other during Monday’s episode of Hudson’s talk show “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” where Common appeared – armed with a large floral bouquet – as one of her guests. “I’m a host, so I have to ask you this question,” Hudson said, going on to ask, “Are you dating anyone?” Without naming names, he said that he’s in a relationship with “one of the most beautiful people I ever met in my life. She’s smart, she loves God, and she has something really down-to-earth about her. But I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT, she had to win an Oscar on her first movie… she had to get her talk show,” Common teased. https://youtu.be/KSEQgjWMPJc As a reminder, Hudson earned her coveted EGOT status in 2022. She also won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2007 for her role in “Dreamgirls,” her first feature film, and she hosts her talk show. Seems pretty obvious who he’s talking about. Hudson went on to say that she, too, is dating someone that she’s “very happy” with. The pair have been romantically linked since they were seen holding hands together in New York in November. Days later, Hudson told Gayle King during an appearance on “CBS This Morning” that she’s in a relationship, but stopped short of revealing with whom. https://youtu.be/0TZo5uuhrPY Bob Marley was more than a musician! Per the synopsis: the “Bob Marley: One Love” biopic celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Produced in partnership with the Marley family and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the legendary musician and Lashana Lynch as his wife Rita, “Bob Marley: One Love” will be in theatres February 14, 2024. https://youtu.be/pdf7142SSCA Cori Broadus, daughter of hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg, recently shared an update on social media after suffering a severe stroke. We reported previously that Cori shared minor details about her health scare via Instagram on Thursday morning. In multiple posts, Cori included images inside a hospital amid treatment, but she did not explain what led to her having the stroke. It’s worth noting that she was diagnosed with lupus at six. “I had a severe stroke this A.M. I started breaking down, crying when they told me,” she wrote on an image showing her lying in a hospital bed. “I’m only 24 what did I do in my past to deserve all of this,” Cori shared on IG. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Cori-Broadus.webp If you could work from home and earn $250k a year like Funky Dineva was purportedly earning, would there ever be a good reason to walk away from it?Social media has made it possible for people to earn that much money with a Wi-Fi connection and an engaging personality. YouTube creator Funky Dineva is one of those people. He co-hosted a talk show (TEA G-I-F) on the Fox Soul streaming channel. Earlier this month he quit the virtual job that reportedly paid him a quarter of a million dollars! What did he do to get chosen for the job, and was it a dumb move to quit? https://youtu.be/EB9xSONnj8Q In the words of W. E. B. Du Bois, a trailblazer in the founding of the NAACP, “The power of the ballot we need in sheer self-defense — else what shall save us from a second slavery? Freedom, too, the long-sought, we still seek — the freedom of life and limb, the freedom to work and think, the freedom to love and aspire.” These profound sentiments have been a guiding force throughout my journey, one that has taken me from an elected official in the California State Legislature to a member of Congress proudly representing the 12th Congressional District, to my current candidacy for the U.S. Senate. The NAACP’s commitment to justice and equality has been a constant influence, shaping my perspective on democracy and inspiring me to champion these principles at every stage of my career. https://youtu.be/ONyPBqR6Yes The deposition of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been put on pause in the divorce proceedings of her lead prosecutor in the Georgia election subversion case, a judge decided Monday. Willis’ testimony is being sought by the wife of special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who was hired by Willis several years ago to pursue the criminal case against former President Donald Trump and his allies over efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Allegations of an improper romantic relationship between Willis and Wade first came to light in the Trump case as part of an effort to get that case dismissed. The alleged affair also has been raised in Wade’s divorce from Joycelyn Wade, who is seeking more information about Nathan Wade’s finances. Judge Henry Thompson said during the hearing in Cobb County Superior Court on Monday that “it seems to me that Mr. Wade would be the first and best source of what his income has been and how he’s been spending it, and that he would have firsthand knowledge of whether he is engaged in an extramarital affair.” “Only after I hear what Mr. Wade has to say do think I can determine whether the proposed opponent has any unique knowledge about these issues,” Thompson said of Willis’ potential testimony. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDh1Q8hXIAAMPLT?format=png&name=small Dave Chappelle is disappointed that fellow comedian Katt Williams didn’t call out “these white boys” during his now-infamous interview on Club Shay Shay. According to Deadline, Chappelle performed at comedian DeRay Davis‘ MonDERAYS event at the Hollywood Improv on January 19th, where he slammed Williams for dissing Black comics. “What part of the game is this? He ethered n**gas. He didn’t say anything about any of these white boys. None of these white boys function like that,” Chapelle told the audience. He added: “Katt is one of the best painters in the game. So why are you drawing ugly pictures of us? Stop. Hurt people hurt people, but I am a hurt person that never hurt people, and he does it all the time.” Meanwhile, as we’ve reported, Katt’s bombshell interview with Shannon Sharpe on his Club Shay Shay podcast garnered over 46 million views in 10 days across social media and over a million audio downloads. Sharpe’s social media following also significantly increased due to “The Katt Williams Effect.” https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs South African Popstar Tyla has reached platinum status with her hit song “Water.” The Sammy Soso-produced track was released in 2023 and has sold over one million equivalent units, marking the singer’s first award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). On Spotify, “Water” has amassed over 338 million streams. The song is nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best African Music Performance category. “Water” appears on Tyla’s upcoming self-titled debut album, out March 1. https://youtu.be/XoiOOiuH8iI Jeannie Mai wants the court to delay enforcement of Jeezy’s prenup because she claims she doesn’t know what’s in it. TMZ reports that the talk show host alleges she had little time to thoroughly review the prenuptial agreement before she signed it five days before their wedding three years ago. Court docs show that Mai alleges she had a small window to review the paperwork, which “raises significant concerns about the adequacy and thoroughness of the due diligence process.” Jeezy filed for divorce in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 14, 2023, after two-and-a-half years of marriage. According to People, the filing there is “no hope for reconciliation.” The ex couple married in March 2021 and welcomed a daughter, Monaco, the following year. According to Jeezy’s divorce filing, the rapper wants to share joint legal custody of the child. The stars of “Good Times” reunited on January 20 at the 2024 Urban One Honors. Jimmie “JJ” Walker, Bern Nadette Stanis, and Ralph Carter came together to celebrate 50 years of the iconic 70s sitcom created by Mike Evans, Eric Monte, and Norman Lear. Check out the trio on the red carpet via the Instagram post below. “Good Times” debuted in 1974 and ran for six seasons and 133 episodes. The series starred the late Esther Rolle as the matriarch of a family in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green public housing project. John Amos, who portrayed the father, made headlines last year due to controversy over his health care. At the time, Stanis publicly voiced her support for the TV star amid allegations of elder abuse. Amos was hospitalized last summer after allegedly suffering “elder abuse and financial exploitation” at the hands of a caregiver, according to his daughter Shannon Amos. She claims the 83-year-old was placed in intensive care but did not disclose what exactly happened to him. Shannon set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her ailing father. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2VliilvGXY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mona Scott-Young hosted a special screening of Netflix's new limited series, GRISELDA, starring Sofia Vergara. The series premieres on January 25. The intimate screening included special guests: Eva Marcille, Yandy Smith and Mendeecees Harris, Kirk and Rasheeda Frost, and more. Mona Scott-Young shared with guests episode 1, and spoke on the power of Sofia's performance in the series, and what it means to be a BOSS (La Jefa), "I think watching this series, you will see we are all pushing our own kind of product...but what she [Griselda] also had was determination and passion and commitment to what it was she was doing. And she did it against all odds. And she did it in a world that was dominated by men. " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcF0A-Gy-Ng&t=1s Black History Month honors the achievements and legacy of African Americans throughout U.S. history. This year’s theme is African Americans and the Arts spanning the many impacts Black Americans have had on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and more. On February 13, in 800-theaters across the country, audiences can pay tribute to musical icon and disco legend Gloria Gaynor whose contributions have inspired millions with her powerful song “I Will Survive,” for a one-night-only theatrical release of the riveting documentary from Director Betsy Schechter, GLORIA GAYNOR: I WILL SURVIVE. Following the screening, guests will participate in a once-in-a-lifetime singalong of the song that has inspired millions “I Will Survive.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCvHkWCRWLo The Baltimore Ravens’ winning streak has significantly influenced renewed interest in Cheryl Lynn’s 1983 single “Encore” since November. On Nov. 7, Spotify streams of the song spiked to 30,000 in 24 hours, Afrotech reports. In TikTok videos, Ravens fans use Lynn’s “Encore” to show off their victory dances. The song is the unofficial soundtrack for the team’s success during the NFL playoffs. When Lynn caught wind of the trend, she noted on social media that for the past 35 years, she has owned the masters of her music. https://twitter.com/i/status/1749854460065497522 “Brings me joy. 50 years of musical service I’ve given, and to see it pour out into people that genuinely enjoy it, there’s no better feeling. Thank you 41 years later, y’all still killing it to this jam. XOXO,” Cheryl Lynn wrote on X/Twiter about the TikTok clips featuring “Encore.” In the comments, one fan wrote, “You are a Legend. Your artistry and heavenly voice have blessed us in songs from your duet with Luther to Encore, to Got to be Real. I just wanted to send you your flowers and thank you for sharing your talent and excellence with the world!” https://twitter.com/KentThaDon/status/1748863210894082156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1749118830784221285%7Ctwgr%5E1fb45beb3d2a7de32f25f9f0b0ad009dd9cc2a3c%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fcheryl-lynn-reacts-to-encore-surging-on-spotify%2F A third Cheryl Lynn fan noted, “Good music stands the test of time! Thank you for that, Cheryl.” In a separate post, the music pioneer said she was “rooting for the Ravens,” along with the hashtag #RavensFlock. “Let the Encore continue,” Lynn added. https://youtu.be/wACbMWv1UYE The nominations for the 2024 Oscars were announced this morning, with a few surprising snubs, and people of color are mentioned in every acting category. Lily Gladstone is making history as the first Native American nominated for best actress for her role in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Colman Domingo is the first Afro-Latino nominated for Best Actor for his performance as “Rustin” in the Netflix civil rights drama. Jeffrey Wright was nominated in the same category for “American Fiction,” while his co-star Sterling K. Brown was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Domingo joins Jodie Foster, Best Supporting Actress nominee (“Nyad”), as the first two openly gay actors nominated for playing queer characters. Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” led the 2024 Oscar nominations, while “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and film star Margot Robbie were shockingly shut out. Lily Gladstone is making history as the first Native American nominated for best actress for her role in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Colman Domingo is the first Afro-Latino nominated for Best Actor for his performance as “Rustin” in the Netflix civil rights drama. Jeffrey Wright was nominated in the same category for “American Fiction,” while his co-star Sterling K. Brown was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Domingo joins Jodie Foster, Best Supporting Actress nominee (“Nyad”), as the first two openly gay actors nominated for playing queer characters. Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” led the 2024 Oscar nominations, while “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and film star Margot Robbie were shockingly shut out. As part of his defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Tasha K, Kevin Hart reportedly divulged the non-disclosure agreement signed by his former assistant at the center of the case. The comedian’s former employee, Miesha Shakes, is also named in Hart’s defamation lawsuit against Tasha K (real name: Latasha Kebe). We reported that in legal docs obtained by TheBlast, a representative of Tasha K allegedly contacted Hart’s team in November, claiming to have a damning interview with Shakes. The blogger is accused of threatening to publish if she wasn’t paid $250,000. Tasha K was served a cease-and-desist letter stating that she had no right to broadcast Hart’s business. “You have already engaged in criminal conduct and tortious acts that would entitle Mr. Hart to monetary damages against you should he elect to commence civil litigation regarding this matter,” according to Hart’s lawsuit against Tasha K. “To the extent that you do not cease and desist now, your liability for such monetary damages will increase, as will your exposure to criminal penalties.” Tasha ignored the cease-and-desist letter and published the interview on her YouTube channel, “Unwine with Tasha K,” on December 22. During the conversation, Shakes claimed Hart cheated on his wife, Eniko, and that he had a gambling problem. Hart’s gambling addiction was so bad he was allegedly unable to pay his employees, according to Shakes. https://youtu.be/xNQxRc5Oatk Migos rapper Offset has announced his first solo headline tour, which is set to kick off in March. The 17-city SET IT OFF TOUR is produced by Live Nation and celebrates Offset’s album of the same name, which was released in October 2023 with guest features from Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Future, Cardi B and Latto. The SET IT OFF TOUR kicks off on March 10th at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, PA, making stops in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in his hometown of Atlanta at Coca-Coca Roxy on April 10th, according to the news release. “’SET IT OFF’ is more than a phrase, it’s a vibe we’re creating together. This tour is not just a series of concerts, it’s a journey into my mind. I’m ready to hit the road on my first solo headlining tour, bringing the heat and most importantly, giving the fans a new way to experience my music,” said Offset. Tickets for the U.S. tour dates will be available for presales beginning Wednesday, January 24th at 10 am local time. The general sale begins Fri., January 26th at 10 am local time at LiveNation.com. The man suspected of killing eight people in Chicago-area shootings, Romeo Nance, has died after turning a gun on himself following a confrontation with federal law enforcement, police said. Nance, 23, was found Monday by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas – more than 1,000 miles from where seven victims were found shot to death Sunday in two homes in the south Chicago suburb of Joliet, according to the Joliet Police Department. Authorities believe Nance is also linked to a Will County, Illinois, shooting that left a 28-year-old dead, Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said Monday. Nance shot himself with a handgun after being confronted by officials, police said. Investigators have yet to determine Nance’s motive, but the suspect knew seven of the victims, who are believed to be from the same family, Evans said. The victims have not been publicly identified. https://youtu.be/kh3rbADClfQ After a third straight season with an early playoff exit, it appears there is a bit of familial in-fighting among those near and dear to some Cowboys stars. Amid rumors of chemistry issues between wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, Leta Ramirez, Lamb’s mother, appeared to take to Facebook to shade the Cowboys quarterback in the fallout of Dallas’ disappointing 48-32 wild-card loss to the Green Bay Packers. “DAK ISN’T IT!!!” the account with Ramirez’s name wrote. “It’s guys on that team [that] wants a RING! They work [too] hard,” the account wrote in a third comment. And it wasn’t just Ramirez expressing her frustration on social media. Tad Prescott, Dak’s brother, lashed out at Cowboys fans on X about the “drama” surrounding his sibling in Dallas. “Cowboy fans why continue to DM me TRUST ME, if I could get Dak to leave Dallas I would,” he wrote. “I too want him out of Dallas. The city and organization have been great to he and our family, but done with drama and the so called fans, but he loves this team, and wants to bring it rings.” https://twitter.com/PHLEaglesNation/status/1748528185069781069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1748528185069781069%7Ctwgr%5Ea813d30c8303ac80033091466b3096f8b7b21979%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblackchristiannews.com%2F2024%2F01%2Fceedee-lambs-mother-agrees-with-daniel-whyte-iii-that-dak-prescott-does-not-have-the-fire-in-his-belly-to-lead-the-team-to-a-championship%2F The Dallas Cowboys picked the worst possible time to lose their first home game in almost two full seasons, and they didn’t just lose, they were outright slaughtered. In one of the most embarrassing games in franchise history, the Cowboys were completely outmatched in Sunday’s 48-32 playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, and honestly, the fact it was even that close is deceiving. Dallas’ defense, led by popular coaching candidate Dan Quinn, had a meltdown in this game. How so? Well, the Packers found the end zone on every drive except for one (before garbage time), and did so while averaging 7.7 yards per play. Perhaps the epitome of Dallas’ defensive “performance” came when Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love found tight end Luke Musgrave without a single defender in his zip code for a 38-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. https://twitter.com/i/status/1746683832005529866 The only In-N-Out burger in Oakland, California, will close next month due to crime and safety concerns for customers and staff. Several businesses have closed in the last year, citing crime as the reason, CBS News reports. Councilwoman Treva Reid, who represents the area, said her district is “in crisis.” “We’re in a state of emergency,” she said. “I’m definitely frustrated. Because if it’s not In-N-Out, it’s something else tomorrow,” said Oakland resident Jenny Goeppner, per CBS News. “These are people’s jobs, and it’s essential to have jobs so we can spend money in the community,” said Oakland resident Darryl Brown, CBS News reports. The In-N-Out is located at 8300 Oakport St., near the Oakland International Airport. Per CBS News: “The San Francisco Chronicle reported since 2019, police have recorded 1,335 incidents in and around the fast food restaurant, more than any other location in Oakland. Most of the reported incidents were car break-ins targeting visitors coming through Oakland International Airport,” the outlet writes, noting that employees have seen “armed robberies of customers.” “It’s terrifying, because it also puts us in danger,” said In-N-Out worker Daisy Nunez-Valenzuela. Morocco Vaughn and Skee Franchise, two Chicago natives, know that if there is one thing their hometown is renowned for, it’s world-class food. Like many from the south and west sides of the city, one of their favorite go-to destinations was the historic and popular Harold’s Chicken – which is why they decided to team up and introduce the restaurant to different areas across the country. On Saturday, February 3rd, they, along with some of metro Atlanta’s Who’s Who, will celebrate the grand opening of their hip new location at 3061 George Busbee Pkwy, Kennesaw, GA. BET+ is teaming with rapper Ludacris to develop a scripted series inspired by his upbringing and journey in Atlanta as DJ Chris Lova Lova. According to the press release, the half-hour dramedy will be written by Noah Gardenswartz and the hip-hop star serves as an EP on the project. Per THR, BET+ said the series is inspired by Ludacris’ “experience coming up in the competitive music scene in Atlanta as DJ Chris Lova Lova, the series follows the misadventures of a sharply drawn ensemble who are willing to do anything and everything to bolster ratings at their hip hop radio station.” Malcolm D. Lee and Larry Wilmore are executive producers on the series along with Ludacris, who also serves as the music supervisor. The untitled project hails from Universal Television and Disturbing Tha Peace, Luda’s label that he launched with his manager Chaka Zulu. This year’s search trends on Google reflect the dynamic and evolving landscape of popular culture, societal conversations, and influential figures within the Black community. Google has become the most popular search engine for several reasons, including enhancing user convenience and encouraging continued engagement. The company has solidified its position as the go-to search engine for millions of users worldwide. As users across the globe turn to Google to stay informed and engaged, many compelling topics emerge as the most searched trends within the African-American community. Google has compiled a comprehensive snapshot of the prevailing interests that resonate globally in Black culture this year. Black Celebrities Search interest in “famous black couples” grew +110% in the last two weeks compared to the same time last year, globally Most searched Black celebrities in the last two weeks, US Katt Williams Kanye West Dave Chappelle Drake Rickey Smiley Michael Jackson Nicki Minaj Barack Obama Beyoncé Dwayne Johnson Top trending Black celebrities across film, TV and music in past month, US Andre Braugher Katt Williams Dave Chapelle Rickey Smiley Christian Keyes Dionne Warwick Denzel Washington Black-owned businesses Search interest for “Black-owned beauty products” decreased 60% in the last two weeks compared to the same time last year Distinguished climate activist and founder of the HBCU Green Fund, Felicia Davis, took center stage at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, making groundbreaking announcements that underscore the organization’s commitment to global climate action and youth empowerment. In a momentous press conference, Davis announced the official opening of the HBCU Green Fund’s new Africa office in Senegal and revealed plans for the third annual Pre-COP Africa, African American Youth Climate Summit, set to take place in Dakar in June 2024. “Establishing a significant presence in Africa positions HBCU Green Fund to give voice to people most impacted by climate change and help to cultivate innovative youth leadership,” Davis commented. Cheikhou Thiome, HBCU Green Fund’s Africa director adds, “Our Pre-COP29 summit will bring young leaders, activists, and innovators from the United States and across Africa together in Dakar, Senegal to engage in constructive dialogues, share insights, and ignite climate action.” https://youtu.be/GF5-G-mdJJQ Applebee’s now has a subscription date night pass for $200. The pass will cover roughly a year of weekly date nights, according to the company. Starting February 1 — about two weeks before Valentine’s Day — and ending on January 31, 2025, the pass is valid 52 times. However, the pass only covers up to $30 of food and non-alcoholic beverages per usage. That can cover two servings of all-you-can-eat boneless wings, riblets, and shrimp – but the cost of margaritas will have to come out of your pocket. Spending on dates is up 40% from the past decade, according to a 2022 survey by Match — the owner of dating apps Tinder, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish. Some singles are forgoing first dinner dates for cheaper options like a walk in the park or a coffee. With the price of dining out rising, the chain has seemingly leaned into its reputation as an affordable destination to eat out. https://youtu.be/NDBzyr1t0_E Earth, Wind & Fire, Kirk Franklin, and Mary Mary will perform during the “Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary” special, which will air on CBS on Feb. 10. Comedian Cedric the Entertainer and actress Tichina Arnold will host the one-hour event, which will be taped on Feb. 7 at the Pearl Theater in the Palms Casino Resort during Super Bowl LVIII week in Las Vegas, Billboard reports. The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary will honor Dallas Cowboys quarterback Rayne “Dak” Prescott, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Markquese Bell for their achievements on and off the field, per Billboard. This annual event, launched in 1999 during Super Bowl XXXIII, was formerly known as the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration. Past performers have included Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, Fantasia, and Gladys Knight. Malia Obama recently premiered her directorial debut, the short film “The Heart,” at the Sundance Film Festival. Obama is credited as Malia Ann on the comedy-drama that “follows a lonely man named Josh, portrayed by Tunde Adebimpe, as he grapples with the sudden loss of his mother, Anita, played by LaTonya Borsay. The plot takes an unexpected turn with Anita’s peculiar request in her will for her son to preserve her heart organ and care for it after her passing,” per blexmedia.com. During a Q&A session at Sundance, Obama described the project as an “allegorical little poem story.” You can watch “The Heart” from January 25 to 28 as part of Sundance’s short film program. Donald Glover’s production company is reportedly behind “The Heart.” https://youtu.be/xTuP-YOZCAY Shannon Sharpe has responded to the Saturday Night Live spoof of his now-infamous Katt Williams interview. “I can’t believe Saturday Night Live fooled ya boy, Ocho. The dude had a brown tracksuit on just like I had,” Sharpe told his Nightcap co-host, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, in the clip. “You famous now, man,” Johnson responded. “You know what’s the next step after Saturday Night Live? You might be hosting the Oscars.” The SNL parody features Ego Nwodim as Williams and Devon Walker as Sharpe. https://youtu.be/Sz-pH6VcAQs Sharpe recently hit up Twitter to highlight the numbers from the January 3rd interview with Katt on his Club Shay Shay podcast (watch it here in case you missed it). He captioned the post with a direct quote from Katt, who said at the top of their conversation: “Club Shay Shay is going to be in a dimension it’s never been. The greatest thing floating in 2024. Mark the words. In a whole different realm of business. Oprah coming next! Once I establish this as a place of truth, oh yeah. Watch! God’s people ain’t that few.” As it turns out, Katt was right, as his bombshell interview garnered over 46 million views in 10 days across social media and over a million audio downloads. Sharpe’s social media following also significantly increased due to “The Katt Williams Effect.” https://youtu.be/p5174L4TZu4 A TikToker who bragged about living in a storage unit has been kicked out of the space after self-snitching on social media. Complex reports that Leland Brown Jr., 28, posted a video of himself detailing the benefits of illegally living in a storage unit with his 21-year-old girlfriend. Brown is homeless, allegedly works at a hotel, and has been documenting his journey on TikTok. “Me and my baby will live here as long as we need to until we can get the shelter that we want,” he said in one clip, according to Complex. “Because we’re living here, now we can save up more money to get what we really want. We’re in it for the long haul.” Brown Jr. explains in a video that he lives “in a storage unit because it’s cheap in comparison to an apartment.” He added, “Living here is actually really comfortable I get a lot of things that I need and want to get done here.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2TSDKRMxH9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kanye West’s fans are calling him out for sharing racy photos of his wife online. The series of images shows Bianca Censori, 29, scantily clad and with her derriere exposed. The Blast reports that one fan commented on Ye’s Instagram page, “When you post [things] like this, it negates all your preaching and gospel albums you say you live by. Which one is the lie?” Many of Ye’s IG followers accused him of “degrading” his wife. In one of the photos, a nearly nude Censori is wearing PVC headgear while seemingly eating Cream of wheat cereal. West captioned the image, “Cream of wheat.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2UtPkLLSak/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=545f75fb-11e2-4727-9123-09518403c2a3 West allegedly blames Censori for not being pregnant yet with their first child. The rapper and the model tied the knot a year ago, and insiders claim he’s ready to start a family with the Kim Kardashian clone. A source reportedly told the National Enquirer that Ye is frustrated with the Yeezy architect for not giving him baby #5. The hip-hop star shares four minor children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. “Kanye’s all about projecting an image he’s a virile, baby-making stud — but that’s far from the truth,” the source told the Enquirer. “Sure, he parades his wife around like some sex toy. But most nights, she goes to bed alone — and he’s up until sunrise surrounded by all his yes men!” The source added, “… instead of realizing where he went wrong, he’s blaming her” and forcing Censori to have in vitro fertilization (IVF). https://www.instagram.com/p/C2UtTFPLnM-/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3a7318cc-d792-44b7-bc94-9178e455ff98 Meanwhile, Tyrese Gibson posted a sultry video of his girlfriend in response to Ye’s photo dump of his wife. In the caption, the actor/singer wrote, “Just loving on my carmel chocolate @zelietimothy #AllLove.” A text over the clip reads, “Dear Kanye, All wheat, hold the cream.” https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2WUkrluB-L/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=76132602-e881-41d9-a3ae-a4663b9d7e24 Nick Cannon has advice for rapper/comedian Zeddy Will, who went viral for impregnating five women at the same time. The 22-year-old New York native held a joint baby shower for the women, SandraRose.com reports. When Cannon, a father of 12, caught wind of Zeddy, he offered the following advice, “Get some sleep. Rest up. Get into therapy ASAP. We all need therapy,” Cannon said in a video obtained by TMZ. Cannon previously revealed that he spends $200,000 a year on trips to Disneyland with his children. “Do you know how much money I spend at Disneyland a year?” he asked the hosts “The Breakfast Club” radio show last month. “Every birthday and Christmas, I’m literally at Disneyland at least once a month, and to move around Disney, like, I’m probably spending $200,000 a year at Disneyland,” Cannon said, Fox News reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1747621797023859134 In a new interview with People, Cannon was asked about the most challenging aspect of parenthood. “My entire life is challenging. I don’t live a normal existence, but I embrace it. I love challenges,” he said. “I wouldn’t say there was one specific thing that stands out more than another,” Cannon added. “Every day, there’s a new challenge, and I accept it.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-01-19-011924-nick-cannon-1761386-126/ Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has died, according to statements from his family and the King Center. The Center confirmed in a statement the 62-year-old civil rights activist died Monday. The third child of Dr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King was married to Leah Weber King in 2013. Weber King said in a statement from the King Center, “He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu.” She added, “He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might.” King’s older brother Martin Luther King III said, “I am deeply saddened to share that my brother, Dexter Scott King, has passed away. The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. Please keep the entire King family in your prayers, and in particular Dexter’s wife, Leah Weber.” The Rev. Al Sharpton said he was “heartbroken to hear that Dexter King left us this morning, but I was comforted by the knowledge he is reunited with his parents and sister.” Dexter’s mother, Coretta Scott King, died in 2006. His sister Yolanda Denise King died in 2007. https://youtu.be/um1BycnDJBk Taraji P. Henson is speaking out about the alleged chaos surrounding “The Color Purple” production and promotion. Henson wants fans and movie lovers to embrace the film and not focus on the reported behind-the-scenes drama involving Oprah Winfrey. “I hope they can focus back onto this film, because right now, to me, it feels like what I said is now becoming louder than this beautiful film,” Henson said in a statement to TODAY.com. “And that’s not fair to me, or anybody in the film,” Henson continued, adding, “because the film deals with women who are oppressed — who live in an oppressed system. Men and women. And all the characters in that film except for the white people. So that movie is about healing. That movie is about sisterhood.” We reported earlier that executives at Warner Bros. allegedly blame Henson and Oprah Winfrey, who serves as an executive producer on “The Color Purple,” for the film’s box office failure. https://youtu.be/zTnircQsMaM Singer T-Boz responded on social media after fans expressed concern about her health following the cancellation of TLC’s Australia/New Zealand tour with En Vogue and Busta Rhymes. The Jasmine Brand reports that the group’s official Instagram page announced that the forthcoming tour was canceled, and fans quickly speculated that this was due to T-Boz’s battle with sickle cell anemia. “To our incredible Australian and New Zealand fans, with heavy hearts, we regret to announce the cancellation of our upcoming tour,” the message on TLC’s Instagram page states. “Unforeseen circumstances have made it impossible to proceed, and we sincerely apologize for any disappointment. to our fans. Your support means everything, and we promise to make it up to you. We can’t wait to be back in your beautiful countries soon. Thank you for your understanding and love,” the statement continued. According to The Jasmine Brand, T-Boz shared an update in the comments section of the outlet’s IG post about her fans, writing, “Thx, but I’m JUST FINE!!! Great actually! Just bcuz I hv Sockle cell doesn’t mean I’m SICK all the time!!! My name was no where in that article! It was for business reasons ONLY!” Peacock’s latest venture “In the Know,” is a unique addition to the ever-expanding world of animated series! Created by Mike Judge of “Beavis and Butt-Head” and “Silicon Valley” fame, the show takes a humorous look behind the scenes of an NPR show hosted by the third most popular host, Lauren Caspian, who also happens to be a stop-motion puppet. Each episode offers a glimpse into the making of Lauren’s show, featuring in-depth interviews with real-world human guests, including notable figures like former heavy-weight champ Mike Tyson and comedian and actress Nicole Byer. What sets this series apart is its cast of puppet characters who, like Lauren, are well-meaning but delightfully hypocritical nimrods. https://youtu.be/Ci_PnX7kegM Cardi B’s legal team claims popular YouTuber Tasha K is hiding money in secret offshore accounts. Tasha K (aka LaTasha Kebe) lost a $4 million defamation lawsuit to Cardi B, and last year, she allegedly told the court that she couldn’t afford to pay the judgment. As RadarOnline.com reports, Tasha declared bankruptcy after informing the court of her dire financial situation. “Clearly [Tasha] does not have the ability to pay the [Cardi] judgment in full,” Tasha’s lawyer previously said in court, per RadarOnline. Cardi B sued Tasha K for defamation after she created videos accusing the hip-hop star of being a drug addict and former prostitute with an STD. Cardi B testified during the 2023 trial that she suffered extreme emotional distress and that her marriage to Migos rapper Offset was affected. A Georgia jury ultimately found Tasha K liable on four counts and awarded Cardi $4.05 million in damages. The 1950s and ’60s girl groups – epitomized by acts like The Ronettes, The Crystals, The Shirelles (featuring Beverly Lee), The Supremes, and The Vandellas – revolutionized American pop music and energized the civil rights movement. Their story is told in “But Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: An Oral History of the ’60s Girl Groups.” Emily Sieu Liebowitz and co-author Laura Flam are lifelong fans of the girl group sound. They feature over 100 subjects who made the music, from singers to songwriters to their agents, managers, and sound engineers. Liebowitz told EURweb the women were inspiring. “We talked to so many people from varying backgrounds, and their lives have gone in all kinds of directions,” the award-winning author said. “Some continued in the music business, some had families, some had wild, unbelievable public success, others got solid jobs and created community wherever they landed, some died young, and some are still with us today. Liebowitz added: “It was a real honor to have so many elders sharing their lives with us. To say it’s not something we value enough in society is an understatement.” https://youtu.be/A15PvJ-if0Y?list=RDA15PvJ-if0Y She vividly recalls performing before an all-White audience at a college in South Carolina. There was no trouble, but she’ll never forget the expressions on the people’s faces when they saw the young Black girls. “When we got there, if you could have seen the look in their eyes.” Lee added that being there “opened the door for other artists to come in.” During the ’60s British invasion, several artists from across the pond professed their love for the soulful sounds of girl groups. According to George Harrison, the Beatles were large admirers: “We always loved those American girl groups, like the Shirelles and the Ronettes, so yeah, we developed our harmonies from trying to come up with an English, male version of their vocal feel.” https://youtu.be/h-6PVDsIA58 A Pennsylvania is facing murder charges after killing his neighbor who complained about his loud snoring. Christopher James Casey, 55, was arrested Thursday after fatally stabbing 62-year-old Robert Wallace on Jan. 14. The tragedy unfolded following an argument about Casey snoring too loud, Complex reports. Police noted in an affidavit that Wallace attempted to diffuse the heated moment by offering to help pay for Casey’s nasal surgery to correct his snoring. “Casey said he did not believe Wallace’s intention of ‘try to work this out’ and ‘shake hands’ and try ‘to fix this situation’ was genuine,” police wrote in the affidavit, per Complex. “As a result, Casey decided to ‘surprise him’ by stabbing Wallace with a knife.” On the day of the stabbing, Wallace confronted Casey at his home, and Casey attacked with a large, military-style knife. He reportedly stabbed the victim in the chest multiple times. https://twitter.com/JoeSkurzTV/status/1749243003623924133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1749243003623924133%7Ctwgr%5E6442e533cf5b3d5d03e04a22d403ddbc6e175cff%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fpennsylvania-man-stabs-killing-neighbor-over-snoring%2F Jury selection began Monday (01-22-24) in New York in the trial of two men charged with the murder of Run D-M-C’s Jam Master Jay. Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan are charged with shooting the hip-hop pioneer — whose real name was Jason Mizell. It happened in 2002 at Mizell’s recording studio in NYC. For years — his death lingered as a cold case — with witnesses reluctant to speak up. A third person — Jay Bryant — was also charged in the murder. His lawyer successfully argued for his case to be severed from the other two. All three have pleaded not guilty. https://youtu.be/NVFNb0hBXW4 Last November, we reported the all-too-familiar story of a cop who vehemently hates Black people while patrolling streets where he consistently encountered Black people—until he shot one of them. Last year, now-former San Jose, California, police officer Mark McNamara resigned after he became the subject of an internal police investigation that resulted in the release of 10 pages of text messages that put on display his wide range of bigotry, most of which was leveled at Black people. Most of the text messages, which were released by San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata, included the n-word. One of them read flat out, “I hate Black people.” Another expounded on that sentiment saying, “I hate black people more than I hate being a cop.” And one appeared to be a reference to the 2022 shooting of Black man K’aun Green, who had reportedly broken up a fight and wrestled a gun away from one of the assailants. Although, that’s not the way McNamara allegedly told it. “N—-r wanted to carry a gun in the Wild West. Not on my watch,” he said of Green, who survived the shooting. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-IfV-waYAAQGBC?format=jpg&name=360x360 Pharrell Williams’ non-profit initiative, Black Ambition, awarded 36 entrepreneurs with over $3 million to fund their businesses in November 2023. Tendaji Inc., one of Black Ambition’s $20,000 HBCU prize winners, has become a business to watch for fashion mavens. Founded by Daryl Riley, Stanton Ridley, and Jordan Wells, Tendaji Inc. has the vision of redefining convenience by designing clothing and accessories equipped with state-of-the-art technology. In addition, the founders are creating jackets with built-in wireless phone-charging capabilities. Although Tendaji Inc.’s plans are ambitious for any fashion company, the trio has already put the wheels in motion via Black Ambition’s priceless resources. That said, fashion mavens have a lot to look forward to in 2024. The Republican governor of New Hampshire shrugged off the significance of South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott endorsing Donald Trump for president and laughed at the suggestion it even mattered. Gov. Chris Sununu reacted with cynicism and then some on Friday when a reporter asked for his opinion of Scott’s endorsement of Trump just days ahead of the New Hampshire presidential primary next week. “If anyone cared about Tim Scott he’d still be running for president,” Sununu said through a grin before punctuating his true feelings with a shoulder-shuffling laugh: “Nobody cares.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1748464146536898728 Scott even went so far as to predict that Trump — who stands indicted four times for trying to overthrow an election and inciting a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol — would restore law and order in the U.S. https://twitter.com/i/status/1748682557074346148 Throughout his criticism, Sununu didn’t make any mention of Scott’s apparent hypocrisy in endorsing Trump. After all, it wasn’t that long ago when Scott was disavowing Trump’s response to white supremacists participating in a deadly right-wing march in Charlottesville, Virginia. Nearly six years later, the same man said out loud that he was “so excited” to endorse Trump. https://twitter.com/i/status/1748477738862944292 Daytime talk show “The View” invited Vice President Kamala Harris to speak on behalf of the Biden Administration and how they are handling the Israel-Hamas conflict. Media personality Sunny Hostin asks the tough questions and Harris shares her answers. The conversation begins with Hostin sharing the views of a very important part of the Democratic voter base. She said that voters from 18-29 disapprove of how the Biden administration is handling the Israel-Hamas conflict. https://youtu.be/ogQek4_IGjY Marlon Wayans will star in a sports horror movie under Universal Pictures and Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw banner. The upcoming film, Goat, follows “the greatest of all time” athlete. Wayans will star in the film and Justin Tipping (“Black Monday,” Nani) is on board to direct. Peele, Win Rosefeld, Ian Cooper and Jamal Watson are producers on the upcoming horror film with David Kern and Kate Oh as executive producers. According to Deadline’s exclusive report, the film is based on a spec by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie. Goat centers on a promising young athlete invited to train with a team’s retiring star. As for Wayans, he reached a milestone with his first stand-up comedy special titled Woke-ish, which premiered on Netflix in 2018. His third comedy special for HBO Max, Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me, was released in March 2023. His overall deal with HBO Max included performing a stand-up special and hosting a multi-act special, which resulted in his specials Marlon Wayans: You Know What It Is and Marlon Wayans Presents: The Headliners. The actor and comedian also appeared as a guest host on a week of “The Daily Show” last March, which was deemed a success. Eve is happy to have had children later in life and encourages other women to pace themselves and live on their own terms. The Philly-born rapper said as much during a new interview with BBC radio. “I have a lot of things that I think I would have definitely unintentionally passed on because I believe in that familial breaking of things,” Eve said while sitting in a crisp white button-down shirt with brown and blonde micro braids. “I do believe in all that, and I feel that I needed to shed some things before I had a kid.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2NVA8mIsx_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again All eyes were on Chloe Bailey tonight as she graced the 6th Annual Urban One Honors: Best in Black red carpet in Atlanta. The “In Pieces” artist was in the Peach City to receive Urban One Honors’ Generation Next Award. Chloe was one of several Black changemakers honored at the event. Each year, Urban One Honors highlights individuals whose achievements and contributions have left an indelible mark on society. Looking like the gorgeous winner she is, Chloe rocked a sheer gown with a halter neckline, nude sheath underlay, and rhinestone stripes from Retrofete. The rhinestones adorned Chloe’s body from head to toe.Her hair – which keeps many of us up at night – was styled in hip-length individual braids (masking her signature locs). Chloe’s makeup was equally glamorous, with dramatic lashes, bronze cheek highlights, and a pink nude lip. While we love Chloe’s fabulous look, we couldn’t help but get a slight case of style déjà vu. Chloe and her sister Halle rocked similar gowns when attending the Global Citizen Event 2021. Wearing matching sheer and rhinestone gowns, Chloe X Halle stunned photographers with their sophisticated yet stunning shimmery look. In a momentous step into the directorial realm, Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, alongside co-director Kibwe Tavares, unveils a groundbreaking work of art – “The Kitchen.” Not merely a film, but an exploration of the complex layers within a dystopian London, the innovative film promises to redefine British cinema. Scheduled to drop on Netflix today the movie transcends genre boundaries, offering a narrative that challenges societal norms. Kaluuya, in a conversation with radio/TV personality Jazmyn Summers provides a glimpse into the creative process, emphasizing the duo’s vision to blend imaginative storytelling with the familiar landscapes of London. The goal is clear – to weave a universally resonant narrative within the fabric of a future world that is both recognizable and distinct. https://youtu.be/GgT5cEV5Qt0\ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who entered the Republican presidential primary as Donald Trump’s greatest threat, announced Sunday that he is ending his White House bid and endorsing the former president. His announcement, made in a video posted on X, comes after a disappointing second-place finish in last week’s Iowa Republican caucuses. “If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it, but I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign,” DeSantis said. He then touted his support for Trump: “While, I’ve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the Coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the incumbent Joe Biden. That is clear.” https://youtu.be/Cdg6_gGvdEY?list=RDNSCdg6_gGvdEY More yet remain convinced that there was nothing DeSantis could have done to wrestle the party from Trump’s loyal and sizable followers. “DeSantis has run the playbook to a T,” Steve Deace, a well-known conservative radio commentator and supporter of the Florida governor, told CNN in recent weeks. “It’s just as simple as: when they started indicting Donald Trump, people weren’t ready to move on from him. And for DeSantis, it wasn’t quite his time.” For his part, DeSantis has blamed his performance on a host of challenges, including Iowa’s weather, conservative media’s loyalty to Trump and the unprecedented barrage of negative ads against him. One thing he hasn’t faulted was his main pitch to voters – his record of accomplishment in Florida – which he continued to feature in speech after speech until his final moments as a presidential candidate. https://youtu.be/vkSj9J1L0qE Despite a recent video raising concerns over his physical well-being, Morgan Freeman is “in fine health.” RadarOnline detailed the clip, which shows the 86-year-old entertainer looking unsteady while walking around New York City. Freeman struggled with every step while crossing a sidewalk to reach a waiting SUV. The actor was eased into the backseat of the vehicle by an attendant. Speaking with the National Enquirer, a source shared Freeman’s situation, saying, “Morgan’s health has been deteriorating to the point where he can barely walk on his own — and when he does it’s measured steps.” “He’s clearly in a lot of pain and everyone is concerned for his welfare,” the insider continued. “But Morgan isn’t one to complain. He gets through it somehow with a grimace. And he never forgets to wave at fans.” “But the fear is he won’t be able to take much more of this. He’s in constant agony and trapped in his own body,” the source added. “It must be horrible for him.” https://youtu.be/TEE0pAE0zsc R. Kelly may have believed he could fly back in the day, but the former hitmaker has “grade schooler’ issues that have kept him from soaring to greater heights. Court documents dated November 2, 2023, shed further light on Kelly’s reasons for denying any responsibility regarding a million-dollar lawsuit filed against him. Among the revelations is the “Bump and Grind” vocalist admitting he can’t read beyond the level of a “grade schooler.” “I would not have been able to understand the lawsuit or distinguish it from the many other legal documents that I received. It all looks the same to me,” Kelly stated. “I rely on my lawyers to explain things to me because I cannot read or understand words beyond that of a grade-schooler.” The revelation marks the latest development surrounding the lawsuit, which involved accusations that Kelly and his former manager Donnell Russell attempted to stop the 2018 New York City screening of the Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly” with a mass shooting threat. In August 2023, a judge awarded $10.5 million to the six women behind the suit, reports The Blast. Citing the R. Kelly affidavit, The Blast noted the singer’s lengthy rebuttal of the charges from the women. According to Kelly, he did not know the suit, given his incarceration in Butner FCI, North Carolina. Niecy Nash-Betts is having a good season, with her work on the big and small screen getting well-deserved recognition. The best part about it all is she’s doing it her way, staying true to self. That means rooting for the success of friends, even it she is auditioning for the same role. May the best woman win. “Before I was even cast in ‘Getting On’ on HBO — I had not even gone in yet — I called every actress I knew and was like, ‘This is going to be something. Get in on this,’” Nash-Betts shared during the latest episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “My daughter was like, ‘Why are you telling all these girls? Somebody’s going to get your part,’ and I said, ’No, my part is my part. If it’s my part, it was meant to be. And if it’s not, how wonderful is it that I was a conduit for one of my friends getting a job?’ No, there’s room. We can all get in there.” Reminiscing over a notable audition, Nash-Betts told listeners about the time she and some of her peers auditioned for the lead role in “Scandal.” The memory came in clearly while attending an event honoring the woman who eventually won the role of Olivia Pope, Kerry Washington, according to Variety. One scene, in particular, struck a nerve with Nash-Betts, who confessed to seeing her fellow auditioners recite a scene highlighted in a video montage of Washington’s work on the classic hit show. https://youtu.be/GLTo3csA3b0 Marlena Shaw, the incredibly gifted singer whose biggest string of hits came in the 60s, 70s, and 80s has passed away. Shaw, known for her sassy, sophisticated approach to jazz and R&B/Soul, was 81. Marlena’s daughter Marla Bradshaw shared the news in a video posted on social media. The cause of the singer’s death, which occurred Friday, January 19, however, was not revealed. “It’s with a very heavy heart that for myself and my family I announce that our beloved mother, your beloved icon and artist Marlena Shaw has passed away today at 12:03,” Bradshaw said. “She was peaceful. We were at peace. … She went listening to some of her favorite songs.” “I just want to thank you all for being on her page. Thank you for being a part of her life. Especially these last three years, which made her very happy,” she added. https://youtu.be/OMxGhLzREmQ Born on Sept. 22, 1939, in New Rochelle, New York, Shaw began her music career in the 1960s and went on to influence several musical genres, including jazz, soul, disco and R&B. In total, the vocalist released 17 albums with eight different record labels throughout her career. Two of Shaw’s biggest hits are our two favorites by her. Of course, we’re referring to her hits, “California Soul” and “Go Away Little Boy.” https://www.facebook.com/100083534130712/videos/918915826620304/ Marlena Shaw was first introduced to music by her uncle Jimmy Burgess, a jazz trumpet player. In an interview with The New York Times, she told the reporter: “He [Jimmy Burgess] introduced me to good music through records – Dizzy [Gillespie], Miles [Davis], a lot of gospel things, and Al Hibbler, who really knows how to phrase a song.” In 1952, Burgess brought her on stage at the Apollo Theater in Harlem to sing with his band. Shaw’s mother did not want Marlena to go on tour with her uncle at such a young age. Shaw enrolled in the New York State Teachers College in Potsdam (now known as the State University of New York at Potsdam) to study music but she later dropped out. https://youtu.be/XQS29IrFcDE Dr. Claudine Gay’s tenure as President of Harvard lasted only six months. Why was she forced to resign? The top-reported line is her plagiarism (which has been conceded) and her not-so-robust statements to a Republican-led U. S. House of Representatives committee against antisemitism on Harvard’s campus. But are there more sinister and diabolical reasons lurking beneath the surface? Dr. Gay’s appointment was historic. She was the first Black person (of Dominican descent) and only the second female of the 27 presidents. She represented only 3.7% of the members of that prestigious office of the elite Ivy League institution founded in the 1600’s. Was she qualified? Some of her critics claim she was an “affirmative action” hire. This comes as no surprise from a country steeped in a history of racial bias and hung up on white supremacy. It is a well-worn cry whenever a white male is not chosen over an even more qualified person of color, especially a woman. Her supporters (family, friends, colleagues, former students, and supervisors) paint a completely different picture. They characterize her as smart, prepared, knowledgeable, probing, succinct, and very helpful to fellow academics and students. Despite opening doors for black models by being the first African American to grace the cover of American Vogue in 1974, she was not immune to the low points that came with her profession. Chatting with Page Six as reported by theJasmineBrand, Johnson touched on these low points, as she remembered the height of her fame during the 70’s and the hidden drama that came with it. To maintain her slim figure during that time, Johnson revealed her diet was very minimal. “We were led to believe that cocaine was not addictive. We didn’t know cocaine was addictive. Everyone used drugs back in the day, but that particular drug for models was used because we did not eat,” Johnson shared with Page Six. “I remember eating two eggs and a bowl of brown rice a week. I would be shaking in a cab and say pull over because I have to get a bag of M&Ms.” Unfortunately, Johnson’s food intake fell in line with the unrealistic and unacceptable norm for models back in the day. As she continued with her diet, the physical effect on her soon took over as she noticed the cost of going to extremes to be accepted in the fashion industry. Wednesday, the Louisiana Senate passed a new congressional map that would create a second majority-Black voting district in the state. Senate Bill 8 will now advance to the House chamber for debate. Black voters in Louisiana have long argued that the current congressional map discriminated against Black voters, who make up one-third of Louisiana’s population. Notably, both Democrats and Republicans have supported this bill, but some conservatives voted for the map reluctantly. “Unfortunately, we must pass this map before us instead of giving the pen to a heavy-handed, Obama-appointed judge who seeks to enforce her will upon us,” Sen. Jeremy Stine, R-Lake Charles, told the Louisiana Illuminator. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEFxwneXkAA0oZm?format=jpg&name=small The family of a local deacon tased to death by a now-former Atlanta police officer is planning to sue the city and the disgraced ex-cop in a lawsuit demanding accountability for yet another instance of law enforcement killing of an unarmed Black driver. Johnny Hollman Sr.’s family on Thursday afternoon is expected to be joined by their attorneys and community supporters to address the lawsuit that stems from the fatal encounter last summer in which the deacon allegedly told the officer “I can’t breathe” multiple times. The civil rights lawsuit is expected to name the city of Atlanta and former Atlanta Police Officer Kiran Kimbrough as defendants. According to the family, on Aug. 10, 2023, Hollman, 62, had just finished bible study when he left his daughter’s home and was on the way home to take his wife to dinner. Shortly afterward, Hollman was involved in a minor car accident and called 911. After waiting for more than an hour, Kimbrough arrived on the scene, decided that Hollman was at fault and issued him a traffic ticket. Hollman, upset at the ticket, asked to speak to Kimbrough’s sergeant, but his request was ignored and he was instead threatened with jailing if he didn’t sign the ticket. Hollman’s family says he told Kimbrough he would sign the ticket, but the officer still grabbed him, took him to the ground and began tasing him. Ever gotten the feeling that Karens, Klansmen and Kops were in cahoots? That’s how Trevon Morgan must have felt when he was arrested last August in San Francisco after being tailed and taunted by a slur-slinging racist and then approached by a white bystander who called the police on him for, well, generally just existing. According to KRON 4, Morgan was acquitted in San Francisco County Superior Court of felony attempted robbery after roughly 45 minutes of jury deliberations, which begs the question: How did we get here in the first place if it was such a no-brainer to acquit Morgan? Here’s an alternative way to tell this story: Morgan, 21, was minding his own business when a random white supremacist who might have been mentally ill and homeless started stalking him while being blatantly racist, which is what he was whether he also suffered from mental illness or not. A fellow Caucasian took up the Caucasian cause of minding black people’s business while engaging in the Caucasian practice of immediately siding with their fellow Caucasian and calling the police on the Black man with zero evidence that he had done anything wrong. Perhaps Karen didn’t hear the racial slurs being shouted by the assailant—or maybe he was just speaking her love language. The SF Public Defender’s Office said in a statement that Morgan was acquitted “after just 45 minutes of deliberations of a baseless felony charge of attempted robbery of a man’s reading glasses,” and that the bystander called the police and “claimed Morgan had threatened him and his property, which was not corroborated by any evidence.” Deputy Public Defender Ilona Yañez took things even further and called the incident out as the clear display of racism it appears to be. Urban One will launch the One Vote – Represent The Vote, a multimedia campaign that will be broadcast on all Urban One, Inc. assets – TV One, Reach Media, iOne Digital and 64 local urban radio stations to increase Black voter registration and turnout in the 2024 elections. The One Vote – Represent The Vote campaign will be designed to educate and engage the media companies’ vast Black and urban audience on critical political issues through the use of entertainment and events. It is an example of how collaboration, technology and movement can work together to empower and inspire communities to be better civically engaged within their communities. Urban One will also be partnering with Politiscope, which exists to instill confidence in voters by educating them with factual, reliable and easy-to-understand political information in a central location. Their main goal is to change the perception of politics and reshape the way political information is sought out and consumed. The campaign will start with four months of voter awareness centered around the primaries, followed by information on how and where you can register to vote. Below is information to help you better understand the primary process as well as voter registration links. Black women are more likely to have a Black spouse, according to a new Pew Research report p ublished on Jan. 18. Inside the new data-driven report that examines key factors about Black Americans living in the United States, Pew Research revealed that 87% of married Black women are more likely than 79% of married Black men to have a spouse who is Black. According to the data, this includes spouses who are single-race Black, multiracial Black and Black Hispanic. This contradicts the belief that Black women are not marrying Black men. The new report also shared interesting data about the rate of marriage and divorce among Black men and women in the United States. Around 32% of Black adults are currently married across the nation. That figure is small compared to 53% of adults who are not Black. Among Black adults, 36% of men are married, compared with 29% of women. According to the report, Black women are more likely to get divorced than Black Men, 14% to 10% respectively. The number is slightly smaller for Black men and women who are widowed (8% vs. 2%). Additionally, the report found that 17% of married Black adults are married to someone who is not Black. “This includes 21% of married Black men and 13% of married Black women,” the report states. It’s important to note that the data only considers those who are married and whose spouses live in the same household, but the numbers are interesting and signal that interracial relationships and marriage have become more widely acceptable over the years. Here’s a question asked again and again and again: Why is it so common for today’s Nazis and Klan members to identify politically with the GOP and vice versa? Republicans never pass on an opportunity to pull out their historical Cliff Notes and point out that Democrats approved of slavery and started the KKK, but they’re the ones fighting to preserve Confederate memorabilia, constantly having to explain their connections to KKK photos and having to distance themselves from fellow Republicans who have defended both slavery and the Ku Klux Klan. Why can’t Republicans stop neo-Nazis from marching on their behalf? Why do arrested white supremacists keep turning out to be Trump supporters? Why can’t the GOP seem to escape their ever-present neo-Nazi problem? On Tuesday, North Carolina’s State Board of Elections voted unanimously to keep a Republican candidate for the state House on the ballot despite some local Republicans wanting him gone because he’s a felon who allegedly has ties to a neo-Nazi group. (I’ll give you one guess which of those things the GOP takes the larger issue with.) https://twitter.com/885wfdd/status/1745445572352303261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1745445572352303261%7Ctwgr%5E227d577030a24c941b481c500cbc4d81e1d28cac%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4942453%2Fjoseph-gibson-republican-candidate%2F Uher’s Vogue cover has left fans puzzled as to why he appears in the magazine with model and actress Carolyn Murphy. The cover shot is a direct homage to his upcoming Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show performance in February. On Wednesday, Vogue posted a picture from the “Love in this Club” crooner’s new cover story, in which he could be seen smiling from ear to ear alongside adorable members of the Nevada-based Jr. Gaels 6U football team. Murphy, 49, wore a black Miu Miu jacket, skirt and sandals as she smiled at the star interacting with the youth football players. Inside the feature, Murphy can be seen in most of the photos posing in lavish garments as Usher flaunts fashionable threads made by high-end brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Ami and Alexander McQueen. Oddly, Vogue never states why she’s included in the story. Netizens on X, formerly Twitter, were also baffled by the model and actress’s presence, which some described as “random.” Understandably, fans were confused as to why Usher wasn’t given his own cover story. Some urged for Vogue to go “back to the drawing board” and conceptualize another feature for the Grammy Award-winning artist. A few netizens said they had no clue who Murphy was. Some were under the impression that she was the singer’s longtime girlfriend, Jenn Goicoechea. https://twitter.com/voguemagazine/status/1747616301248360596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1747616301248360596%7Ctwgr%5E32b6e691343073b8770ba986adc7773800dad78c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhellobeautiful.com%2F4071353%2Fusher-vogue-cover%2F Halle Bailey is speaking out about why she kept her pregnancy private. The singer and star of “The Little Mermaid” welcomed her first child earlier this month, a baby boy named Halo, with her boyfriend, rapper DDG. Bailey kept a low profile during her pregnancy and remained coy when fans pressed her on social media about pregnancy rumors. Bailey recently hosted a Q&A on Snapchat, and one fan asked, “Was the [sic] blogs and cameras stressful while pregnant?” As Complex reports, Bailey replied, “So this is a good question. I mean, a little bit, but honestly I stayed off of all social media. I really tried to, just to keep myself sane and okay.” She continued, “I know that there was a lot of people who would always, like, comment and be like, ‘We know, girl, we know.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, that’s great that you know. But I’m gonna just chill, you know, and that’s wonderful if you support me, and if not, that’s okay too. I hope you have a wonderful life.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2LDVJJAOMe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Bailey recently shared a video of her underwater maternity shoot. She captioned the post: “missing my belly already 💜but i obviously had to do underwater pics.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2IVnOtPoBu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Bailey previously posted a photo showcasing her newborn son’s hand wearing a gold bracelet with his name, “Halo,” engraved on it. Even though we’re a few days into the new year, the greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me, was bring me my son,” Bailey captioned the image. “Welcome to the world my halo,” she wrote. “The world is desperate to know you.” https://youtu.be/k3HSpn92YTQ Renowned Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, Alvin Garrett, has finally released his highly-anticipated album, “SFTY.” Garrett’s latest offering is a powerful new project inspired by the struggles of real individuals, creating an emotive musical journey that transcends traditional boundaries. “SFTY” is more than just an album; it’s a concept born from Garrett’s engagement with previously incarcerated individuals while partnering with The Dannon Project, a prison reentry program in Birmingham, AL. “SFTY”, which is pronounced “Safety,” is an acronym for “Songs For The Yard. https://youtu.be/wERUS9UwkTU Garrett says, “I believe that this new project is the soundtrack for the quest for freedom, healing, and safety that we are all on in some way.” The musical concept of The Yard represents that precious moment of free time when individuals seek liberation from emotional and mental incarceration. Garrett’s carefully curated track list of 11 songs is encapsulated by a diverse range of soulful and introspective tracks; each serving as a chapter in the profound journey through the interwoven tapestry of human experience. The opening track, “I’m Still Here,” sets the tone for the album, reflecting on resilience and authenticity while embracing one’s true self amidst life’s challenges. “Free Time” explores the desire for personal space and moments of reflection, and it captures the universal need for self-care in a hectic world. https://youtu.be/qggnHsqBrus Addressing the pressures of life, “Bottled Up” delves into the emotional strain of internalizing struggles while yearning for release. “Til I Get Back To You,” tells the story of the heart that longs to be connected beyond the borders of life’s issues. “Beyond The Cage” is about the struggle to find inner peace despite external rejection of one’s quest for redemption. “Hopefully Heaven” delves into the complexities of seeking spiritual solace, while questioning the nature of hope in the face of desperation. https://youtu.be/SkNep8cFiyY Mrs. Netta’s response comes amid her ongoing relationship with her boyfriend Charles. The pair, who have been together for years, are mainstays on YouTube. Sandra Rose notes that Mrs. Netta set up a channel on the platform as a vehicle to highlight her serving and pleasing Charles. Despite her joy in the relationship, Mrs. Netta’s treatment of Charles has attracted female viewers who are angry at the YouTuber because they feel she is submissive to her beau. https://youtu.be/dvHQqEvxdro No matter the reaction, it looks like there are no signs of Charles being unhappy with Mrs. Netta. Nor is it likely he will be leaving her. So, what do you think? Do you see a problem with Mrs. Netta’s relationship with Charles? Is there a reason to even be concerned about the couple if they are happy and not harming themselves or anyone else Scroll below and weigh in. https://youtu.be/7OxkwnAV_tI The 5000 Role Models of Excellence held their 31st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast on Monday where they also inducted rapper Rick Ross as a mentor. Held annually on Dr. Martin Luther King Day, the Role Models of Excellence breakfast honors the partnership between the men in the community and the young male students in Miami-Dade and Broward County schools. They all wear signature red ties, with connected hands signifying their relationship. "Ever since I put this tie on, it’s been lights camera action,” said Miami Central High senior Jarvis Jones. https://youtu.be/yUbuHKNvde8 Let’s journey to uncover the incredible world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), a force that can transform Black-owned businesses into digital powerhouses. Here is a mind-blowing fact: according to Fortune.com, there are a whopping 3.12 million Black-owned businesses in the US, generating an impressive $206 billion in annual revenue and providing jobs for 3.56 million people. Now, let’s dive into the magic of SEO and how it can change the game for you! https://youtu.be/ogHXlveTbP0 The Geno Jones Show on Star 99.7 FM in Charleston hit us up to let us know they recently sat down with President Joe Biden for an exclusive interview. Scroll down to listen. The convo with Joe, err, the president (who wanted to speak to African American voters) was recorded on Monday, January 8, 2024) at Hannibal’s Soul Food Kitchen. Hannibal’s is one of Charleston’s legendary Black-owned businesses if you’re not from the area. Biden made a stop earlier at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. The conversation aired on the Star 99.7 morning show (with Savannah J, Steven St. James, and Geno Jones on Friday, January 12, 2024). Geno Jones conducted the sit-down conversation The Democratic Presidential primary in South Carolina is on February 3rd, 2024. https://soundcloud.com/eurnews/pres-joe-biden-intv-with-geno-jones-star-997-in-charleston-sc?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Feurnews%252Fpres-joe-biden-intv-with-geno-jones-star-997-in-charleston-sc After a two-week manhunt, a Los Angeles man has been arrested for shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend’s puppy. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed in a press release that David Sumlin, 32, was arrested Monday. Sumlin allegedly had a heated argument with his ex on Jan. 2 and threatened to shoot her or the dog, People reports. “Sumlin held a pillow over the victim’s dog and pointed a firearm into the pillow. Sumlin then stated, ‘It’s either you or the dog,’” the LAPD said. Sumlin shot “two rounds into the pillow, striking the 4-month-old puppy,” police said. After being transported to an animal shelter, the pet died. It remains unclear what breed of dog it was. https://youtu.be/WahrnTYvB5w S pelman College has received a historic $100 million gift from billionaire couple Ronda Stryker and William Johnston. ABC News reports that this is the largest-ever single donation to a historically Black college or university. “It’s a transformational gift to any institution, period,” trustee Lovette Russell said. According to the Associated Press, Spelman intends to use $75 million to endow scholarships. The remaining funds will be used to improve student housing and develop an academic focus on public policy and democracy. https://youtu.be/JxQhxr98ypw The lineup for Coachella 2024 has been announced, with Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator, and Doja Cat tapped as headliners. Popular 90s ska band No Doubt is also set to reunite for the first time in ten years at the event, which is North America’s largest music festival. The group hasn’t played a show together since 2015. On Tuesday, lead singer Gwen Stefani teased their headlining performance on No Doubt’s X page. Stefani posted a video of a virtual call with her bandmates – Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and Adrian Young — watch the clip below. Other notable artists confirmed for Coachella 2024 include Peso Pluma, Blur, J Balvin, Ice Spice, Sublime, Lil Uzi Vert, Grimes, Victoria Monet, Jon Batiste, Bleachers, Justice, Deftones, and Lil Yachty. The 23rd Coachella Festival occurs over two weekends — April 12-14 and April 19-21, 2024. https://twitter.com/i/status/1747393329921499505 Michael Vick’s former talent agency is suing him for over $100,000 he allegedly owes the company. According to The Blast, the legal case was filed in Los Angeles County Courts for money that the former NFL star allegedly owes from a case in Georgia. The filing is known as a “sister-state judgment,” the outlet reports. Vick allegedly owes the talent agency over $130,000. He initially agreed to a payment plan, but the agency is “alleging he has either failed to keep up with his monthly payments, or they want to make sure he continues to pay if he lives in Los Angeles,” per The Blast. As we reported, Vick was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the first pick of the 2001 draft and played with the team for six seasons. After his prison stint for running a dog fighting operation, Vick returned in 2009 with the Philadelphia Eagles for five seasons. He served as a backup for the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. Vick officially retired in 2017 after 13 NFL seasons. https://youtu.be/CJ0X0U96Gr0 Max has canceled Issa Rae’s comedy series “Rap Sh!t” following a two-season run. The creative team behind the series is speaking out after news broke Thursday that the show is ending. “A real ass group of people,” showrunner Syreeta Singleton captioned an Instagram video post of the show’s writing staff. “The best writers room ever. I will cherish this experience forever and ever. #seduceandscheme for life.” Series co-star Daisy Fernandez commented on the post, “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this incredible show. I am forever grateful to y’all! I can’t wait to see what amazing things you do next.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2QKxkevSoB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The use of dresses in comedy has evolved, from minstrel shows to modern-day comedy skits. Flip Wilson‘s character “Geraldine” was a fixture on his iconic television show. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, “Wanda,” played by Jamie Foxx is portrayed as an unattractive woman looking for love, only to find men to avoid her. Sheneneh was one most popular characters on Martin and we don’t even need to discuss how Tyler Perry‘s “Madea” helped turn him from a fledging playwright to a billionaire.However, the use of dresses by black comedians has come under scrutiny for perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Some argue that black men wearing dresses reinforces the idea that black men are not masculine enough or that they are trying to be women. This can also be seen as a form of transphobia, as it suggests that wearing dresses is unnatural and only acceptable as part of a comedic performance. Comedian Katt Williams‘ recent comments on Club Shay Shay re-ignited the comments around comedians and dress controversy. Williams told host Shannon Sharpe that he was offered a co-starring role in “Big Momma House 2” with Martin Lawrence but it came at a price that he was unwilling to pay: Wearing a dress. https://youtu.be/qcQQishcSco Williams says that Martin told him, “Come on, man, it’s just comedy. It’s not that serious. It’s not like you’re really a woman.’ I said, ‘No, man, I’m not doing it. I have principles and I have dignity. I don’t want to disrespect myself or my people.’ He said, ‘Well, you’re missing out on a big opportunity. You could be a star.’ I said, ‘I’m already a star. I don’t need to wear a dress to be funny.” One of Williams’ targets, Rickey Smiley, dismissed criticism for wearing a dress while performing and said he was disappointed at the comments. Williams, like many fellow comedians, believes that wearing the dress is Hollywood’s agenda to emasculate black men and make them look terrible. But you cannot understate the impact of characters like Wanda, Geraldine, and Sheneneh and how it affected the careers of the actors who wore the dress. https://youtu.be/M-EDQNKu7YY Marlon Wayans & Shawn Wayans https://youtu.be/aeVkbNka9HM Kevin Hart https://youtu.be/LsBc197QguA Dave Chappelle (Maybe) https://youtu.be/o-eyliNfF7I Eddie Murphy https://youtu.be/iB25eDhWImc Rickey Smiley https://youtu.be/jXvp71c7Vqw Jamie Foxx https://youtu.be/jjMu4oKUaO4 Miguel A. Núñez Jr. https://youtu.be/LKYdFVziw14 Chris Tucker https://youtu.be/poxW5pFQVEw Wesley Snipes https://youtu.be/ZJdThnwSrfQ Martin Lawrence https://youtu.be/a9biNJwX3OA Arsenio Hall https://youtu.be/pANSpaEZSdc Tyler Perry https://youtu.be/MvokzsiEtis Flip Wilson https://youtu.be/koyx2RmFe7M Following their smash debut of Change (No Cap), Jevon Dewand and the Trap Starz serve up another dose of rhythm, hip hop and praise in their new single, "Without You," Jevon, Jazze Pha and Gasner the Artist team up with Stellar Award winner and Grammy Award nominee Zacardi Cortez. Get ready to wave your hands, dance and testify in this powerfully personal song of adoration to God! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceNTli9oY10 Former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross is speaking out about “constant criticism” she faced from white network executives. We reported previously via Variety, citing MSNBC sources, that Cross, who hosted the weekend program “The Cross Connection,” was canned in 2022 after her relationship with the network had “becoming frayed” as executives grew “concerned about the anchor’s willingness to address statements made by cable-news hosts on other networks and indulging in commentary executives felt did not meet the standards of MSNBC or NBC News,” per Forbes. Cross spoke about her experience on the latest episode of her podcast, “Native Land Pod,” and said, “… every single week from the start of my show to the very last show I did, it was a battle,” she told co-hosts Angela Rye, a former CNN contributor, and former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum. “It was a battle to cover things that I wanted to talk about. The network’s philosophy was Trump, Trump, Trump. They wanted me to be part of the echo chamber.” Tyrese Gibson is dropping his million-dollar lawsuit against Teddy Pendergrass’s widow. Gibson sued Joan Pendergrass, whom he accused of refusing to extend the option for the rights to the late singer’s life story. In 2019, it was reported that Gibson would portray the R&B crooner in a biopic by Lee Daniels, Deadline reported. Warner Bros. acquired the life rights of the late artist, and Joan was set to executive produce the biopic with Little Marivn attached initially to pen the screenplay. Gibson’s Voltron production company was slated to oversee the production. RadarOnline reports that he took legal action against Joan for allegedly attempting to derail the project. In her complaint, Joan claimed the “Fast and Furious” star is “incapable of getting a movie made.” “Sadly things had to come to this….Another Philadelphia legend Lee Daniels is attached direct me as Teddy. This has been 13 years+ in the making this man embraced me when he was on this earth and shared to me “No one can play me in my biopic but you Tyrese I’m sure of it”…. -TP,” Gibson said previously in an instagram post. Comedian Kountry Wayne wants his ex-girlfriend Jess Hilarious to keep his name out of her mouth during interviews. During his recent interview on “Club Shay Shay,” Wayne said, “Jess, like I always told her, she never tells the 100 percent truth and I let her do that,” he shared. “But, I texted her the other day, I said, ‘Jess, man’…and I got kinda pissed…I said, ‘You got to get more going on in your career so they can stop bringing up my name in your interviews.’ Cause when I come…Netflix special and book – this going on and that going on – we don’t got to down each other,” he explained. “That’s been five years ago. If that’s the main question in your interview…we gotta put some work in!” Wayne said. His comments come after Jess Hilarious appeared on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast and spoke about her relationship with Wayne. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2N5ZEjyDey/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Ryan Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan are teaming up once again for a feature film, and details about the project are under wraps. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cooler will write and direct the film with Jordan set to star. Per THR, “The project is operating under such a veil of secrecy that little is known about it,” the outlet writes. Jordan and Coogler previously worked together on “Black Panther,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and “Creed.” The upcoming new project is described as a “genre” feature, per THR. Jordan is also set to star in the sequel to Will Smith’s “I Am Legend,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. nWe reported previously that filmmaker Akiva Goldsman said the sequel would follow the first film’s “alternate ending,” which appears on the DVD, where Smith’s character doesn’t die; instead — he’s brought back to life. Comedian and former SNL writer the hilarious Sam Jay is on tour fresh off of her successful HBO special “Salute Me or Shoot Me.” She also had an HBO series “Pause” and a Netflix special “3 in the Morning.” The innovative comedian is a pioneer as the first Black Lesbian to write for “Saturday Night Live.” She sat down with radio and TV personality Jazmyn Summers to talk about her career, her love with her fiancée, and investing in Earth Club Market, a new business. She was joined by its founder Tiffany Padilla. Earth Club is online now and will open its first restaurant in New York on February 3rd. https://youtu.be/DAUQ0Urb2WU The three former Washington state police officers who were cleared in the 2020 death of Manny Ellis will receive payments to leave the Tacoma Police Department, according to AP. On Tuesday, the city released copies of the “voluntary separation” which revealed ex-Tacoma Officers Matthew Collins, Christopher Burbank and Timothy Rankine will receive $500,000 to leave the Tacoma Police. Police Chief Avery Moore also said that findings showed that none of the officers violated the use-of-force policy, which was put into effect the day Manny Ellis was killed. Ex-officer Collins was found to have only violated a policy concerning courtesy. More also told the media that the use-of-force policy has been updated because the old one, “failed to serve the best interests of the police department or the community.” Tacoma Officers Matthew Collins and Christopher Burbank were both charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the March 3, 2020 death of Manny Ellis. Timothy Rankine was also charged with manslaughter. In December, a jury cleared the officers of all criminal charges Rosa Osman, the TikToker who went viral late last year after claiming a Black man cold-clocked her in the face with a brick, has been charged for making up the entire story. In a video shared online, and posted on Instagram by the shade room, Osman (also known as Rho Bashe) can be heard saying, “Y’all, this man just hit me in my face with a brick and all these Black men just watched. This man…grabbed a rock and hit me in my face because I wouldn’t give him my number.” The video shows Osman yelling at the crowd of men and saying, “I want you to be a man and do something. You gonna let a man hit me in my face?” Osman is seen in a follow-up video wearing a hospital gown and her face swollen. She claims the crowd watched a brick hit her and let the man who assaulted her flee in a car. “How is this OK?” she asked. Her video garnered millions of views on social media, and she allegedly raised over $40k on GoFundMe by lying to the internet. She became known as the viral ‘Brick lady.’ https://www.instagram.com/p/C2OGlERAK1K/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) has been fulfilling the terms of its federal consent decree stemming from the in-custody death of Freddie Gray that sparked riots and Black Lives Matter protests in the Maryland city nearly a decade ago, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Tuesday. The DOJ’s announcement followed its filing of a motion on Tuesday that paves the way for BPD to be completely free of its content decree if it maintains its current trajectory of complying with the terms of the agreement signed in 2017. “We are pleased the Baltimore Police Department has successfully implemented the reforms needed to safely transport detainees in its custody,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “Injuries during transport have become extremely rare, and BPD now has in place the equipment, training, policies and practices to maintain this safety record. The Justice Department is committed to collaboratively working with the Baltimore Police Department and the community to ensure constitutional, fair and nondiscriminatory policing for all Baltimore residents. The citizens of Baltimore deserve nothing less.” Ernest Radcliffe, a man who has dedicated his life to helping young people through sports has now found himself victim to several young people – after they robbed him of his car. The coach said he is now looking over his shoulder after he was carjacked just feet away from the place he has called home for nearly two decades. “Success” is the keyword in the dictionary for Ernest Radcliffe – a football and baseball coach to many across the city’s South Side. Coach Radcliffe talked with CBS 2’s Jim Williams back in June 2021 about his personal mission – guiding young men to productive lives through sports. At the time, Radcliffe and his team were celebrating 12 baseball players who had received college scholarships. https://youtu.be/3XfSqSOsg1w Former President Barack Obama had stopped by a practice of Radcliffe’s Southside Wolfpack football team earlier that same month in Jackson Park. “I want to save every kid if I can. I want to take the kids they say are bad. I want to take the kids they say can’t learn,” Radcliffe said at the time. “I believe that once they get into a program and given the proper structure, then we can turn things around.” But nearly three years later, Radcliffe spoke to us again – this time talking to CBS 2’s Darius Johnson in his home after being the victim of a carjacking. “Saturday was a tough night,” Radcliffe said. https://youtu.be/yuSdvLobqE4 Martin Lawrence‘s reps say he’s doing just fine after fans hit up social media to express concern about his health following his appearance at the 75th Emmys on Monday. Lawrence reunited with his “Martin” co-stars during the ceremony, and fans noticed that his speech appeared slurred while the cast presented the award for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Per TMZ, “… sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … ML’s totally fine — in fact, we’re told he just recently finished filming the latest “Bad Boys.” Not just that, but our sources say he’s also hitting the road this summer for his latest comedy tour. In other words, tip-top shape,” the outlet writes. According to the report, “… some thought he may have been slurring his words and taking long pauses during the Emmys Martin reunion, this was actually because of a technical glitch with the teleprompter.” https://youtu.be/gh9suXESF2w MSNBC host Joy Reid is catching heat for her remarks about White Christians while covering the results of the Iowa caucuses. During the on-air segment, Reid ranted about Iowa being “overrepresented by white Christians.” She also recalled her conversation with Robby Jones of the polling company Public Religion Research Institute. “He said the following to me: Iowa is about 61% white Christian. The country as a whole is approximately 41% white Christian. And in Iowa, we’re talking about Evangelical white Christians,” Reid stated. According to Reid, Jones said white Evangelical Christians “see themselves as the rightful inheritors of this country, and Trump has promised to give it back to them.” Trump won the Iowa caucuses with 51% of the overall vote and 53% of the white Evangelical vote. Per The Christian Post, Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, wrote a letter to MSNBC President Rashida Jones and Comcast President Michael Cavanagh Wednesday. “Why have there been no repercussions regarding the anti-Christian remarks made by MSNBC guests and hosts?” Donohue asked. “Bigotry against any demographic group should never be given air time on television.” Like others with a functioning brain, Charles Barkley knows that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is not a serious person. How can she be when she straight up says the US “has NEVER been a racist country.” That ludicrous statement came after she was flame-broiled for refusing to say the Civil War was fought over the issue of slavery. Barkley gives his thoughts on Haley’s claim about America never being a racist country during a Fox News interview. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C66_45U3ENY?feature=share Barkley wasn’t the only pundit reacting to Haley. Check out Charlamagne tha God who awarded her “Donkey of the Day.” https://youtu.be/9rLGaF78yyY LeVar Burton received some startling news while tracing his family’s ancestry on the hit PBS series “Finding Your Roots.” On the Jan. 16 episode, Burton learned that his great-great-grandmother on his mother’s side, Mary Sills, descended from a Confederate soldier. Burton knew Sills when he was a young boy. As Today.com reports, the show reveals that Sills thought the man who raised her was her biological father, but he wasn’t. Her father was a white farmer named James Henry Dixon. “Were you expecting that? Did you have any idea you had a white ancestor?” host Henry Louis Gates asked Burton. “No, no. I had no idea. So Granny was half white. Wow,” the actor said. Burton was also shocked to learn that Dixon served in the Confederate Army as a teenager. https://youtu.be/GyZqSI6IlBQ Cori Broadus, the 24-year-old daughter of Snoop Dogg, Calvin Broadus. Has revealed that she’s currently hospitalized after suffering a severe stroke. She announced the serious news via Instagram on Thursday morning. Cori said she broke down in tears when doctors told her what had happened. And who could blame her? In multiple posts, Cori included images inside a hospital, so it appears she’s still receiving treatment after getting the shocking news. It’s obvious the stroke episode is wearing on mentally as well because she wrote in one IG story, “I’m only 24 what did I do in my past to deserve all of this.” https://youtu.be/XguUjf4q6MY In none of her IG posts did Cori explain what led to her having the stroke, however, she was diagnosed with lupus at six. Cori Broadus’ journey also included a 2021 suicide attempt. However, things were looking much better for her just last year (2023) in September after taking a holistic approach to her health. Here’s what she told People: “I’ve been good, better than I’ve ever been. I stopped taking all of my medication like five months ago. I’m just doing everything natural, all types of herbs, sea moss, teas.” “I started working out, drinking lots of water. So now I think my body’s like, okay, this is the new program, and she’s getting used to it,” she added. Cori went on to explain that the transition after the longtime use of medications made her “feel like I was going insane.” https://youtu.be/aaKgBF_mYGk The parents of a Milwaukee kindergartner are speaking out after the child was left behind on a school bus, and police were slow to aid in a search for the missing boy. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, 5-year-old Cameron Smith was left on a GO Riteway school bus Monday after he fell asleep. Chenequa Byers-Smith, the boy’s mother, said she initially called the school and bus company when her son wasn’t home by 5 p.m. but couldn’t reach anyone by phone. She then contacted the police, who insisted on searching the family home to gather more information. That’s when family members decided to take control of the situation and launch their search for the boy. While the police were at the house, Byers-Smith’s mother and two brothers traveled to the bus company and found the child still on the bus in the parking lot. Cameron was honking the horn for help when his family found him Monday evening. https://youtu.be/rBa1w47mmKs If you rent your home and your heat goes out, you do have protections from the city – but you will want to know those rules before you call 311. CBS 2’s Jermont Terry reports. https://youtu.be/pLNZP6FDWa4 Nicki Minaj has added more shows to her global tour, Nicki Minaj Presents: Pink Friday 2 World Tour. Per a news release, the additional North America dates are in Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Nashville, and Toronto, along with global stops in Amsterdam, Cologne, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Manchester, Paris, and Stockholm. A total of 13 additional dates have been added, with even more regions expected to be announced throughout the year, according to the release. The presale for North American tickets is happening at citientertainment.com. The general onsale begins on Friday, January 19 at 9am local time at NickiMinajOfficial.com. The presale is also underway for Europe/UK tickets. The general onsale begins on Friday, January 19 at 9am local time at NickiMinajOfficial.com. KENNY LEWIS is back. This is his follow-up to his massive 2022 Number 1 hit (He's Been Good ft. Charles Jenkins). This song will uplift and encourage listeners to "Call on the Name of Jesus" in every circumstance and situation. It's a sure hit to get listeners stomping their feet and singing along. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/15730008?date=20240118&user_id=668306&signature=K1r8mJtv9EAsRkkLU-ZzlQJJGeU%3AYxBcuqU9 A New Orleans native, Anthony Hall emerges as an artist with his music roots in Jazz, Funk and R&B. His father being locally renowned jazz artist Emile Hall, Jr., afforded Anthony the opportunity to grow up surrounded and influenced by a wide expanse of music. In turn, he has created a unique sound within infusions of both Modern and Classic R&B, Funk and Soul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPj-izgJed0 Actress Ellia English‘s recurring role as Auntie Rae on Curb Your Enthusiasm is back for season 12, premiering on February 4, 2024, © on Home Box Office (HBO). Starring Larry David as an over-the-top version of himself, the iconic Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm offers a tongue-in-cheek depiction of the writer/producer/comedian’s fictionalized life. Ellia’s role as Auntie Rae began in 2007 as a member of the “Black” family, a family of hurricane evacuees who take refuge in Larry’s house upon his wife Cheryl’s invitation to adopt a family. Other members of the Black family are Leon (J.B. Smoove), Loretta (Vivica A. Fox), and her children Daryl (Nick Nervies) and Keysha (Carla Jeffery). While a majority of Americans of all races see the end of affirmative action as “mostly a good thing,” there is a generational split among Black adults over the impact on higher education and their racial group, according to a new Gallup Center on Black Voices report. Black adults’ views on last year’s Supreme Court ruling that colleges and universities can no longer consider race as a specific basis in granting admissions are split, the survey found, with 56% of those 40 and older viewing the decision negatively and 62% of younger adults viewing it positively. The findings released Tuesday were based on a Gallup Panel survey with a sample of 12,443 adults living in the United States. The survey was conducted online between October 25 and November 9. When asked about the ruling’s impact, about half of Black adults said the ruling would mostly or slightly hurt higher education across the country, 17% said it would have no impact and 33% said it would have a slightly or mostly positive impact, the survey found. But similar shares of Asian, Hispanic, and White adults – nearly 50% – said the ruling will have a slightly or mostly positive impact, Gallup found. https://youtu.be/ExKqvynH-uU “The Book of Clarence” gives an overdue new look to biblical films! The cast includes LaKeith Stanfield (Clarence), Anna Diop (Clarence’s love-interest), David Oyelowo (John the Baptist), Teyana Taylor, and Alfre Woodard.”The Book of Clarence” will take viewers through an emotional roller coaster as they watch Clarence’s journey of self-discovery. https://youtu.be/aTMqRPOqkGs Doja Cat’s mother has filed for a temporary restraining order against the rapper’s older brother, claiming he is physically and verbally abusive. As Page Six reports, Doja’s mom, Deborah Elizabeth Sawyer, filed the documents on Jan. 12 in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging her son, Raman Dalithando Dlamini, 30, knocked the pop star’s teeth out. Sawyer noted in the filing that Doja, 28, (real name Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini) needs protection against her brother after he roughed her up and gave her cuts and bruises on her body. “Raman has verbally assaulted her in a very degrading and demeaning manor [sic],” the filing reads, claiming he has made his sibling feel “unsafe and traumatized.” Sawyer also alleges that her son has been abusive toward her “several times” and threatened to kill her. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2O1gijumn5/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b9846d71-8f12-4634-91a6-30d7b5c4aa75 Sawyer was granted restraining orders against her son multiple times, but they expired. Her latest request for temporary court-ordered protection was granted pending a hearing for a permanent restraining order. However, her request for Doja was denied as the judge said the artist must file her own request for a restraining order against her brother. The news comes on the heels of the release of the trailer for “Doja Cat: The Scarlet Tour in VR,” premiering in VR on Saturday, January 20th at 5:00pmPT exclusively in Meta Horizon Worlds, produced and directed by The Diamond Bros, in partnership with Meta, according to a press release. https://youtu.be/tepGMwzqcVQ Executives at Warner Bros. allegedly blame Oprah Winfrey and Taraji P. Henson for the flop of “The Color Purple” movie musical. As Forbes reports, the film adaptation of the stage musical had an “$18 million domestic opening—the largest on Christmas Day in over a decade—before falling to a $7 million gross on day two and $3.8 million by the third day,” the outlet writes. The movie saw a 74.1% earnings drop after the first week of release, according to Box Office Mojo. Per Media Take Out, one studio executive explained, “The studio will only get about $24M, the other half will go to the theater that showed the film.” “The Color Purple” movie musical reportedly had a $100M plus marketing, but the film has, so far, lost at least $75M, per MTO. One insider told Media Take Out, “Executives blame Taraji Henson for derailing the promotional efforts of the film and using it as a selfish opportunity to change her personal narrative as an ‘aging and underpaid’ actress.” Ari Lennox is threatening to sue Joe Budden after he criticized her for complaining about her experience on Rod Wave’s “Nostalgia Tour.” “I was never comfortable. I just remember every show, racing to get off stage, racing to get through my set,” Lennox said aout the tour during an Instagram Live. As reported, it wasn’t Wave who was the source of her unhappiness. It was the audiences she encountered at tour stops for the rapper’s Nostalgia tour. “I started trying to communicate with the audience and then I realized they were getting angry at me affirming them,” Lennox recalled. “You’re getting angry that I’m affirming you? This is not my crowd. And it’ll never be. And that’s alright,” she added. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2NAvrFrgYj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again During an episode of “The Joe Budden Podcast,” the former rapper said: “Anybody that could tour – it’s a blessing. So, don’t think that we’re kicking your back in….But, if you don’t want to do that show don’t f— tell us!” As Ice Cream Convos reports, Budden added, “Tell your team and the people that talk to you for months about this tour coming up with Rod Wave who is selling out arenas nationwide.” He continued, “I just don’t like you grabbing your phone to tell the audience how miserable you were when you didn’t tell your team or told them and they didn’t really care.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2NJ8BcrBXL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Writer and director Ava DuVernay has masterfully created another film, “Origin,” starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor that will pull at your emotions while delivering transformative information. DuVernay’s “Origin“ tells the story of author Isabel Wilkerson and her journey of writing her New York Times bestseller Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Wilkerson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist and author. During the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin case, she was approached by an old editor requesting her to write a piece about the events. https://youtu.be/pAweg5PaMuw “Basketball Wives” star Brittish Williams was detained by police on January 12th after she failed to surrender to authorities to begin serving her 4-year prison sentence. According to RadarOnline, hours before her scheduled surrender, Williams asked the court on January 2 to reduce her 4-year prison sentence to 2.6 years. She allegedly managed to postpone her prison check-in from December to January 3 but was apprehended nine days later for not surrendering to police. Per The Jasmine Brand, “She argued, as she did in her first appeal, that the ruling was excessive due to her being a celebrity and decided not to appear for the surrender because the decision of the new appeal could immediately impact her prison stay,” the outlet writes. We reported previously that Williams will spend the next four years in federal prison after being convicted for tax fraud, bank fraud, and PPP loan fraud. “Brittish Williams was getting paid to portray her celebrity lifestyle on Basketball Wives when in fact she was a typical fraudster,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg said in a press release. “After today’s sentencing, her reality is now a life of a felon.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1NdFKNukoF/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a01baefb-bfd5-4242-b54b-ca940c821d5a&img_index=1 Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has reached a settlement with the spirits company Diageo. Additionally, according to reports, he will no longer be a joint owner of the tequila brand DeLeón or have any ties to Cîroc vodka. As RadarOnline.com reports, Diddy and Diageo released a joint statement, saying, “Sean Combs and Diageo have now agreed to resolve all disputes between them. Mr. Combs has withdrawn all of his allegations about Diageo and will voluntarily dismiss his lawsuits against Diageo with prejudice. Diageo and Mr. Combs have no ongoing business relationship, either with respect to Cîroc vodka or DeLeón tequila, which Diageo now solely owns.” We reported via CNN that Diageo cut ties with Diddy last summer, ending a lucrative 15-year partnership culminating in a racial discrimination lawsuit. Combs accused Diageo of racial discrimination in May 2023, which led to the end of their business relationship. The Bad Boy Records founder took legal action against Diageo, charging that the company “had neglected and underpromoted his DeLeón tequila, dismissing it as an “urban” product in its marketing,” CNN writes. As Complex reports, Diddy filed a new lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court in October, accusing Diageo of “unlawful retaliation by a powerful international corporation.” He accused Diago of doing “all it can to retaliate” and blackball him in the spirits industry. From Katt Williams spilling the tea on “Club Shay Shay” to Yasin Bey, aka Mos Def, calling Drake’s music “shopping with an edge,” we’ve kicked 2024 off with conversations that are making others the butt of the joke. While that is a part of comedy, what happens when our entire culture is fueled by being mean? “In this world of mendacity, which is meanness, it is revolutionary to choose kindness” – Amanda Seales. As the world gets meaner, it almost feels as though there is no room for kindness or that being kind will be seen as a weakness and prevent you from getting where you want to be. On the latest episode of the Small Doses podcast with Amanda Seales, Emmy-nominated actress Yvette Nicole Brown, known for her roles in hit shows like “Community,” “The Mayor” and “Drake & Josh” joins the show. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1-Q_bXL-BD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sekou Odinga, a leading member of the Black Panther Party (BPP) and Black Liberation Army (BLA) who managed to free political prisoner Assata Shakur before becoming one himself and spending decades behind bars, died Friday. He was 79. https://twitter.com/mxmovement/status/1746110122114396452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1746110122114396452%7Ctwgr%5E16acd8fc6667f33c10160fe2c063fe86deb90f1d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4939559%2Fsekou-odinga-dies-79%2F Instead of traveling to California to join the movement out west, Odinga said he stayed to “help build the BPP in New York” and became a leader in the city’s Bronx borough with an office in Harlem. But Odinga said he went “underground” after the murders of two UCLA students who were also BPP leaders and subsequently being told he was wanted by law enforcement “in connection with a police shooting.” He would stay “underground” for more than a decade, including a brief stint in Algeria organizing for BPP, which Odinga said became “split” because of COINTELPRO, a controversial surveillance program the FBI tried to pass off as only spying on Communists but turned out to be an anti-Civil Rights Movement initiative. Odinga eventually returned to the U.S. to continue his work. But in 1981, he was arrested and charged with the attempted murder of police officers in a shootout stemming from the robbery of an armored truck transporting cash three days earlier. “I was charged with six counts of attempted murder of police, for shooting over my shoulder while being chased and shot at by police,” Odinga wrote. He was convicted in 1984. Odinga was just 39. https://youtu.be/bbnMax4UYBM It’s clear that presidential hopeful Nikki Haley didn’t learn much from her viral inability to say flat-out that slavery was the cause of the Civil War. Perhaps it’s because she knows her audience only pretends to care about accurate American history when all they really want is the “shining city on the hill” lie that makes America out to be the noble, racially neutral nation that just so happened to be governed solely by white men for most of its existence. Throughout their campaigns, Haley and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who dropped out of the race last November, ran with the strategy of being the “minorities” in the Republican party who insist that America is not a racist country, despite all of the statistics that indicate otherwise. On Tuesday, Haley took historical revisionism in the name of white fragility to a whole new level by insisting that not only is America not racist, but it was “never” a racist country. https://twitter.com/i/status/1747665904891023801 Dr. Tosha Rogers answers vital questions about pain management and countering the harmful impact that systemic racism has had on Black health. The HIV education advocate and OB-GYN sits down with host Ericka Dunlap to discuss how patients can approach healthcare despite deep-rooted biases about Black health. The Advil Pain Equity Project is shedding light on this matter and working toward equitable and accessible pain relief for Black communities. “There’s a myth that still exists today that Black people have a higher threshold for pain than others,” says Dunlap. “And with maternal death rates being highest for Black women in the U.S., it’s a myth that needs to be dispelled and treated with urgent attention.” Chrisean Rock appeared on the online dating show 20 vs 1 and the taping erupted into violence when Youtuber Noluvmar and his crew showed up, got in a fight, and pistol-whipped someone on set. Hip Hop DX reports that 20 vs 1 is a popular YouTube series that features a celebrity in a speed dating game. During Rock’s episode, some of the potential male suitors fought on the set, and one of them came strapped. Rock hopped on Instagram Live to discuss the incident, and in the video, she showed the blood on the set’s floor. “This is probably the last time I ever do a ’20 v 20′ [sic]. Motherf*ckers came in here with guns, bro. I ain’t gonna tell who it is ’cause I ain’t no snitch,” said Rock in the clip. “They just pull up, they said what they said. Bro wasn’t listening.” According to the rapper/reality TV star, one of the males assaulted one of the contestants and pulled a gun on him. Rock claims “the man who was losing the brawl pulled out a gun and pistol-whipped his opponent,” Hip Hop DX writes. https://twitter.com/i/status/1747476518962438565 According to No Jumper, Noluvmar allegedly stole the footage because he wanted to be the first to drop a 20 v 1 Chrisean Rock video. https://twitter.com/i/status/1747692653322596748 Meanwhile, Hip Hop DX reports that Rock claims she has exited the ratchet reality show “Baddies” over a pay dispute. In a livestream earlier this week, she said: “I’ve already made it clear, I’m not going back to Baddies. I was going to but I’m starting to stick to if somebody not paying me my value or if you don’t want to pay the fee for me to pull up, that’s cool, I’m not pulling up. I hate that for us young Black women, we not really getting valued in this industry.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1747459724654584115 Sentencing for the former Mississippi officers who tortured and sexually assaulted two Black men has been postponed for a second time. According to ABC News, sentencing for Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Hunter Elward, Daniel Opdyke and Joshua Hartfield has been postponed until March 19.In August 2023, the six ex-cops pleaded guilty to federal charges including conspiracy against rights, obstructions of justice, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm under a crime of violence, and conspiracy to obstruct justice after they brutalized, tortured and sexually assaulted Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been under constant attack by MAGA America ever since she oversaw the indictments of Donald Trump and 18 others accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia illegally. On Sunday, during a visit to the Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, Willis addressed allegations leveled at her by one of the 14 remaining co-defendants who accused her of having an improper romantic relationship with private attorney Nathan Wade, who is acting as a Special Prosecutor in the case, and who defense attorneys are alleging is unqualified to do his job. https://twitter.com/i/status/1746652976305803744 Season Opener is back with new episodes dropping every week. On Season 2 of this dynamic podcast series, host and noted sports analyst Monica McNutt showcases Black college athletes and explores their triumphs, challenges and aspirations along their sports journeys. In Episode 6, USC forward Vincent Iwuchukwu details his journey from globe-trotting military kid to playing USC basketball. He also reflects on returning to the court since suffering a cardiac event as a freshman and supporting teammate Bronny James through a near-identical experience. https://omny.fm/shows/szn-opener/vincent-iwuchukwu-from-university-of-southern-cali As 2024 begins, more Black mayors have emerged on the local political scene.This month Rev. Tassie York took office as Neptune, New Jersey’s first Black woman to be mayor in town history. According to the Asbury Park Press, the 63-year-old, handpicked by her fellow Township Committee members, won her first Township Committee election in 2021 after being involved in town politics for two decades. As mayor, York plans to address the town’s redevelopment of portions of the community, tackle parking problems, and champion police involvement among residents. “I am grateful to my colleagues for having that trust in me, having the confidence to know what I am all about,” York told APP. “I am in this for the people, not for the fame or fortune. I don’t need my name in lights, I just want to make sure I am doing what is right for the town.” York is one of 18 children and the first in her family to earn a double master’s degree. She also works as a family specialist for the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency. Before she became a staple in Neptune politics, she worked as a local hairdresser. York eventually earned her two master’s degrees from Kean University. The Neptune native also told APP the reason she got into politics was to give her community a voice. “The driving force was my concern for my community,” York said. “It didn’t seem like we had a voice or the people who represented us really weren’t representing us. I got into politics because of that because I wanted to make sure that my people had a voice. My people is my community, not just the Black people.” She continued, “The street I live on is the same street I grew up on. I could live anywhere, but I like this neighborhood because I love my community. There were Blacks, whites, Mexicans, everybody, but we were family.” https://twitter.com/INDems/status/1722084160150393219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1722084160150393219%7Ctwgr%5E96bfcf44544eaa72a98893d61b9b15df083cc156%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2Fplaylist%2Fnotable-black-mayors%2F Black female excellence beamed at the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Jan. 15. The first two wins of the night went to The Bear star Ayo Edebiri and Quinta Brunson, who both made history with their Emmy Awards. On Monday, Quinta Brunson made history by winning an Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She is the first Black actress to claim victory in this category since 1981, when Isabel Sanford, star of The Jeffersons, achieved the same feat. Brunson snagged the award for her role as Janine Teagues on the hilarious ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary. She is also the creator of the famous series. https://twitter.com/i/status/1747066365066826025 Today would have been Aaliyah’s 45th Birthday. The Princess Of R&B was truly ahead of her time and her influence on the culture is without a doubt everlasting. The songstress, dancer, actress, and original influencer is still one of the most iconic faces of a culture seemingly obsessed with her style and confidence. It’s almost common to see teenagers of all races wearing t-shirts with her adorned smile. Her movies are still cult classics among millennials who have vivid memories of dancing to one of her many nostalgic hits. It would be an understatement to say the legacy of late R&B singer/actress Aaliyah has been in a state of duress in recent times. A year ago, many across social media were outraged over her placement on Rolling Stone‘s now-controversial 200 Best Singers Of All Time list, in addition to her name yet again being linked to a past abuser thanks to Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm47r4zvGiK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading We are saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Antionette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey, the former VP of Student Affairs for Lincoln University of Missouri. We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends and community. She allegedly experienced bullying and harassment at work, and in the end, it was too much to bear. Prior to her passing, Candia-Bailey penned a heartfelt letter detailing what she had been experiencing at work. It was difficult to hear about and process the letter. One of the most tragic things about Candia-Bailey’s passing is that she was suffering and few came to her aid. I will never understand how people can see someone in pain and look the other way. Vice President Kamala Harris in a speech commemorating the annual Martin Luther King Jr. holiday challenged Americans to uphold the civil rights icon’s legacy by working to secure the freedoms are being rolled back in part by the U.S. Supreme Court. Delivering the keynote address on Monday at the South Carolina NAACP’s annual “King Day at the Dome” event, Harris referenced the ongoing so-called war on wokeness that has resulted in Republican- and conservative-led movements against schools accurately teaching Black history and last year’s dismantling of abortion protections by the U.S. Supreme Court. Rapper 21 Savage has released a new music video-style trailer for an upcoming biopic, “American Dream: The 21 Savage Story.” The project follows the Grammy-winning artist’s experience of being detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2019. The “American Dream” video features Donald Glover as 21 Savage, and “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin portrays the younger version of the rapper. A Lionsgate logo is played ahead of the trailer, but it remains unclear if the footage is indeed part of a larger project, as Variety points out. The end of the trailer teases a release on “Independence Day.” Watch the music video above. ICE officials detained the hip-hop star (real name She’yaa Bin Abraham Joseph) for living in the US illegally for years on an expired visa. Per TMZ, “Authorities later claimed the rapper threw out a bottle of codeine during that ICE arrest … and they say a handgun was also found in his vehicle,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/Na8i-SnGfqc “His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and overstayed his visa,” an ICE official said about 21 Savage in 2019, according to SandraRose.com. Recalling the moment of the arrest, the Atlanta-based artist said in 2019: “I was just driving. And I just seen guns and blue lights. And, then, I was in the back of a car. And I was gone. “They didn’t — they didn’t say nothing. They just said, ‘We got Savage.’ It was definitely targeted,” 21 Savage added. 21 Savage’s legal team said he “won his freedom” after he was released from ICE detainment. He discussed the ordeal in an exclusive interview with ABC News. https://youtu.be/Mvtx9SOJl-0 After hosting the 75th Primetime Emmys on Monday, Anthony Anderson told TMZ he’s ready to host the Oscars next. Meanwhile, ratings for the 2024 Emmy Awards hit a record-low this year, according to Variety. Per the outlet, the ceremony “delivered an audience of 4.3 million total viewers and a 0.85 rating among Adults 18-49,” Variety writes, adding, “For comparison, the 2022 show hosted by Keenan Thompson on NBC drew 5.9 million total viewers — which was the most recent record for the awards show.” We reported earlier via CNN that “The Bear” and “Succession” were the biggest winners, picking up six Emmy awards each during the broadcast, including best comedy and best drama, respectively. https://youtu.be/aaDcUzgGl88 Comedian D.L. Hughley and Luenell poured love into each other on social media by exchanging appreciation posts. As Ice Cream Convos reports, Luenell wrote: @realdlhughley is a REAL one. (Swipe and Listen) from his Stand Up Comedy to his acting roles to his podcast and interviews, DL stands ten toes down and Always HAS. Intelligent, educated and well read.” She added, “He doesn’t bite his tonguez Even before our Comic View days DL is one of the first comics I ever worked with professionally. Back when I was making only like $50.00. On this particular night, he shared with me some of his thoughts about me and gave me complements and praise that I rarely receive from my peers and definitely not face-to-face,” she wrote. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2K6qr7uFCd/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=54d24a67-41d8-44bf-8a0a-604a7b7de18f Lunelle continued, “I held back my tears because there were so many cameras in our face. DL, you are my friend and I love you. Keep pouring into people like me, because no matter how long I’ve been in the business, it matters.Hope to see even more of you in 2024.” D.L. Hughley responded, “My sister from another mister… you know how much I love you, but I’ll keep on saying it. There are some people that are just blessed with a natural ability to tell a story and make people laugh, the people that light up a room and “bring the crowd”; that is you my dear.” https://youtu.be/QxMn3YLBrtQ Branding 4 Success, LLC, led by Yolanda M. Smith, a renowned personal branding expert, corporate speaker, and coach, proudly announces the “5-Day Brand Domination and Business Challenge.” This event is a beacon for those looking to harness the power of personal branding in transforming their business landscape. The significance of personal branding in today’s market cannot be overstated. It’s a key differentiator in a crowded marketplace. Personal branding helps in establishing a memorable and impactful presence, crucial for long-term business success. Yolanda M. Smith, with her extensive experience as a certified brand analyst and thought leader, is set to guide participants through this transformative journey from February 12 – 16, 2024. “Personal branding is more than just a marketing tool; it’s the essence of your business identity,” said Yolanda M. Smith. “In this challenge, we will explore the top 10 reasons why a strong personal brand is vital for your business, providing tools and strategies to build and amplify your brand effectively.” BET celebrated the intersectionality of the Black and LGBTQ+ community with the second annual BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE in Atlanta, Georgia, over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE extends the network’s commitment to uplifting the Black and LGBTQ+ community by acknowledging the individual impact and collective influence to contribute to society positively. This year, the event kicked off with the BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE Welcome Mixer presented by Gilead Sciences on Friday, January 12 at NOBU Hotel Atlanta, followed by the Soiree on Saturday, January 13 at FLOURISH. BET honored the impact of advocates, icons, and allies of the LGBTQ+ community with two events demonstrating its continued commitment to creating a platform and “home” for the Black LGBTQ+ community. The evening was hosted by award-winning actor, dancer and choreographer Nicco Annan, who along with BET honored four influential members across various sectors who identify as LGBTQ+. “I walked away after 30 years,” said veteran vocalist/songwriter Lynn Blythe Davis about her career in the music business which she discusses in her book “Above Circumstances” (edited by Cynthia Williams). “Dealing with people, music was changing, with no need for backup vocalists.” Lynn is a celebrity backup singer, backing such iconic acts as Mick Jagger, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, and Barbara Streisand. Davis is also a producer. The “Above Circumstances” nonfiction book is her testimony about her experiences in the music business, her transformation throughout the years, and her insight to help others steer through the industry. “It’s a testimony about my journey,” she told me when I asked. “It gives the real deal… It is not the glamour life. The biggest challenge comes not within the business, it’s about who you are and what the business requires from you.” Ava DuVernay’s newest film “Origin“ is a tearjerker that will leave you transformed by love! The film (featuring Niecy Nash) explores the differences and similarities between racism and a caste system, and the experiences we have in the Black community – the good and the bad. One of them is the relationship we have with our cousins. A relationship that doesn’t get enough credit. A relationship that can be just as strong and significant as a sibling relationship. This film is the adaptation of the New Times best-seller Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents written by Isabel Wilkerson. https://youtu.be/pAweg5PaMuw Katt Williams’ recent interview with Shannon Sharpe has amassed over 50 million views. Sharpe hit up Twitter to highlight the numbers from the January 3rd interview on his Club Shay Shay podcast (watch it here in case you missed it). He captioned the post with a direct quote from Katt, who said at the top of their conversation: “Club Shay Shay is going to be in a dimension it’s never been. The greatest thing floating in 2024. Mark the words. In a whole different realm of business. Oprah coming next! Once I establish this as a place of truth, oh yeah. Watch! God’s people ain’t that few.” As it turns out, Katt was right, as his bombshell interview garnered over 46 million views in 10 days across social media and over a million audio downloads. Sharpe’s social media following also significantly increased due to “The Katt Williams Effect.” Meanwhile, Sharpe recently responded to criticism over how he seemingly allowed Williams to slam fellow comedians, such as Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, Tiffany Haddish, Rickey Smiley, and Kevin Hart. “I never said I was a journalist. I’ve never professed to be a journalist. I’m an entertainer. If you want hard hitting questions, 60 minutes is a platform for you, Dateline, 48 hours, go to somebody that does that,” Sharpe said about the critics during an episode of Nightcap with co-host Chad Ochocinco. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEAgD6KaAAAXrhq?format=jpg&name=small “Sometimes the only success they get to taste is taking a bite out of you,” Sharpe said, Complex reports. “When was the last time somebody sat down for a non-sporting event, two hours, 46 minutes, and five seconds and watched and listened?” https://twitter.com/i/status/1747432984620474381 Sharpe continued, “That’s a [Dallas] Cowboy game, that 27 million people. There’s some sporting events that don’t get watched by 27 million. That’s what you’re mad about. You not mad about I didn’t cut this man off. You’re not mad about that. ‘Oh, those are your boys and you let him talk about your boys,’ that’s not what you’re mad about. ‘Oh, you’re not even a journalist, he could have got so much more meat off the bone.’ You’re not mad about that.” https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs Check out an exclusive clip from “I Can See Your Voice” Season 3, the musical guessing game show hosted by Ken Jeong. In our preview of the Jan 17 episode, celebrity panelists Todrick Hall, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, and more all have mixed reviews on the “Stay at home Mom” secret voice. Watch the moment via the YouTube clip above. Per the press release: “Hosted by Ken Jeong, permanent panelists Cheryl Hines and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton and a rotating panel of guest celebrity detectives must help one contestant tell the difference between good and bad singers, without ever hearing them sing a note. With $100,000 on the line, each contestant will attempt to weed out the bad “Secret Voices” from the good, based on a series of clues, interrogation, and lip-synch challenges,” the series description states. https://youtu.be/lBFKhuydQ-4 An unidentified Black woman who was recently fired from her job at the airport in Atlanta is going viral for fighting her managers as she was being canned. The viral video shows the woman refusing to leave the premises at a Harvest & Grounds coffee shop at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Saturday. In the video, she is held back by two male staffers, whom she kicks and violently assaults while screaming about wanting to retrieve her property from the employee area of the eatery. At one point, one of the males throws her to the ground, but that doesn’t slow her down. She is seen leaping over the counter to gather up her belongings. Eventually, she grabs her items and flees the scene. Per TMZ, “… cops are saying it all had to do with a disagreement between this woman and a coworker … who were apparently bickering about espresso shots, at least according to the police report obtained by the outlet 11Alive,” the outlet writes. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-01-16-011624-fight-1759579-307/ Martin Lawrence reunited with his “Martin” co-stars during the Emmys’ 75th anniversary on Monday. Lawrence was joined on stage by Tisha Campbell, Carl Anthony Payne II, and Tichina Arnold to present the award for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, which Jeremy Allen White won for his role on “The Bear.” The “Martin” sitcom was one of the highest-rated shows during its run on Fox from 1992 to 1997. In the series, Campbell played Martin’s girlfriend, and Arnold played her best friend, Pam. Payne played Martin’s bestie, Cole. Co-star Thomas Mikal Ford, who played Tommy, passed away in 2016. During their appearance at the Emmys, Payne was ready to deliver an acceptance speech after believing the cast had won their very first Emmy, but his co-stars had to remind him to take a chill pill. https://youtu.be/gh9suXESF2w Janet Jackson will hit the road this summer for a 35-date North American tour slated to begin June 4 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, CA. Billboard reports that the music icon will stop in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Boston, Detroit, Toronto, Brooklyn, Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta and New Orleans. Rapper Nelly will be the special guest. The tour will wrap on July 30 with a final performance at Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ. Jackson hit the road last summer for a 33-city “Together Again” tour that kicked off in April and closed out in Seattle in June, making stops in New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, and Toronto. When Jackson announced her 2023 Together Again tour on Instagram, she shared a heartfelt message to her fans, saying, “You guys, I miss you so much; I am so excited to see you,” continuing, “You guys have no idea, I’ve missed you so much, so much, and I can’t wait to be with you. I’m so excited.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C2KraobrCXB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson is set to star as the late King of Pop in a biopic coming to the big screen next year from director Antoine Fuqua. Lionsgate will release the project titled “Michael” on April 18th, 2025, in the U.S., with Universal handling international distribution, Deadline reports. “It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life,” Fuqua said in a statement to Variety. We reported earlier that a worldwide casting search was conducted to find the perfect actor to play Jackson, but producer Graham King ultimately settled on Jaafar. King said, “It was clear that he is the only person to take on this role.” “I am beyond thrilled that he has come on board to portray his uncle and cannot wait for the world to see him on the big screen as Michael Jackson,” King told Variety. "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight is Ricky Dillard as he drops his new Album "Choirmaster II and the single "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" featuring Lisa Knowles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O532hFMa7QY SOAR Radio, the Award-winning online radio station, has announced the lineup for the seventh annual SOAR Awards television taping. The star-studded event is scheduled for Monday, March 4, 2024, at 7 PM at The Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main Street, Rockford, IL. This celebration of gospel excellence has secured a major national television partner that will be announced in a few weeks. Multi-award-winning recording artist Todd Dulaney is set to take the stage as the host. The charismatic worship leader is known for his radio hits such as “Victory Belongs to Jesus,” “Your Great Name,” and “The Anthem.” The program will feature performances honoring pioneers from all genres of gospel music. One of the Caribbean’s premier music men, Sherwin Gardner, has gone viral on a global scale. He’s trending throughout the Caribbean, the United States, Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Western Europe, Canada, Indonesia, Venezuela and even the Philippines. A snippet of the Trinidad and Tobago native’s new release, “Blessings Find Me,” has sparked an astounding 80+ Million streams in two weeks mainly on TikTok and igniting on Instagram as well. https://sherwingardner.lnk.to/BlessingsFindMe Billboard chart-topping group, Kenny Lewis & One Voice just released their newest single, “Call His Name” featuring Kim Burrell both in radio edit and hymnal form. This is the first single released from their upcoming album, “The Healing Project”, which is set to be released later this year. Both versions of the song were written by Kenny Lewis and produced by Kenny Lewis and Ay’Ron Lewis. The full album is geared to have a strong focus on mental health within the Body of Christ. This is not the first collaboration between Lewis and Burrell. In 2022 they released the hit song, “Victory” that was a smash hit on radio and Billboard. “Call His Name” is a stylistically jazzy groove that highlights the vocal prowess of One Voice that fans adore. Once mixed with the soulful vocal stylings of Burrell, the result is a masterpiece. When asked about “Call His Name” Lewis says. On the court, he was larger than life and helped lead the Miami Heat to three NBA Championships. Now the team will honor the legacy of legend Dwyane Wade with a bronze statue. “Dwyane’s legacy is a towering one not only for the Miami HEAT but for Miami-Wade County. I can’t think of a better way to honor him than by memorializing that legacy,” said Heat President Pat Riley in a statement. On Sunday, Riley announced that an eight-foot statue of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee will be unveiled outside the Kaseya Center in the fall. The Heat commissioned sculptors Omri Amrany and Oscar León of Fine Art Studio Rotblatt Amrany to create the statue. https://youtu.be/fl2YFQ2YE34 Bruno Mars and his girlfriend of thirteen years, Jessica Caban, are reportedly “on the rocks,” according to insiders. Mars, 38, and Caban, 41, allegedly spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve apart, Daily Mail reports. A friend of the couple told The Sun, “Bruno and Jessica barely spend time together anymore — it is really sad.” The pair started dating in 2011 after meeting at a restaurant in New York City, RadarOnline reports. “They are living separate lives so it doesn’t bode well for their relationship. It feels like things are fizzling out between them,” the tea spiller added. “They have so much history together but we aren’t sure whether they will be able to save things this time,” the source continued. Mars, 38, and Caban, 41, allegedly spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve apart, Daily Mail reports. A friend of the couple told The Sun, “Bruno and Jessica barely spend time together anymore — it is really sad.” The pair started dating in 2011 after meeting at a restaurant in New York City, RadarOnline reports. “They are living separate lives so it doesn’t bode well for their relationship. It feels like things are fizzling out between them,” the tea spiller added. “They have so much history together but we aren’t sure whether they will be able to save things this time,” the source continued. Drake’s father, Dennis Graham, has been allowed back into Canada for the first time in over 15 years. On Monday, the pop star took to his Instagram Story to share a photo of his father and mother, Sandra, reunited. “First time in over 15 years they let the OG back into Canada,” the singer captioned the image. “Thank you to everyone that helped us out.” In a 2016 interview with Office Magazine, Dennis explained that he met Sandi at a nightclub when he made his first trip to Canada. “That’s where I met Drake’s mother. I was at the bar, asking the bartender where I could find cigarettes. So, she goes — Sandi, is her name — she goes, ‘Here, have one of mine.’ And that was it,” he told the outlet. https://eurweb.com/2024/drakes-father-allowed-back-in-canada/ Blac Chyna hit up social media to celebrate being sober for one year and four months. In a video shared on Instagram, the former stripper revealed the surprise waiting for her at home from her boyfriend, songwriter and rapper Derrick Milano. “I just walked in the house and look what Derrick put together for me. He put all these special notes for me for all the months of my sobriety,” Chyna said. “Today marks 1 year, 4 months of my sobriety. Sixteen months…ah!! I’m going for the two.” She also posted a screenshot from her Twelve Steps app tracker celebrating her sobriety. “Grateful for 1 year and 4 months of sobriety, 16 months of blessings. Thank you, God, for this journey to happiness,” she captioned the post. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Origin, written and directed by Ava DuVernay, tells the story of journalist and author Isabel Wilkerson – as she navigates her personal and work life. As a writer Wilkerson’s goal is to answer questions about the world we live in. Her first book, The Warmth of Other Suns was an intricate look into the great migration of African Americans around the country. For Wilkerson, the Trayvon Martin case wasn’t just Black and white. She realized there was something deeper. How could this only be about race…when this happened between two people of color? The topic of Black men being viewed as a threat comes up in Origin in a conversation between Isabel (played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), her mother, and her husband Bret, played by Jon Bernthal in the film. Bret is a white man and during this conversation, Isabel’s mom had a strong reaction to her feelings about white men claiming to be intimidated or threatened by Black men. In that moment Bret acknowledges her feelings while also addressing he can’t speak for or represent a whole race. This scene in Origin was very powerful because it showcased three different perspectives on one issue with everyone respecting the other’s views. https://youtu.be/pAweg5PaMuw New York City Mayor Eric Adams has raised more than half a million dollars for his legal defense fund as federal investigators continue a public corruption investigation into his 2021 campaign, the fund told CNN on Monday. “The Eric Adams Legal Defense Trust has drawn strong support in a short amount of time, raising more than $650,000 since it was formed just two months ago,” Vito Pitta, counsel to the fund, told CNN. The fund is required to disclose its first round of donations to the city’s Conflict of Interest Board by Tuesday. City employees are allowed to set up legal defense funds to raise money to pay for certain legal bills and expenses connected with their employment, according to guidance posted by the board. The New York Democrat’s legal defense fund will be required to report the names of all donors who give more than $100 during each reporting period, according to the board’s guidance. The investigation into Adams is focused on campaign money, possible favors and foreign influence, according to officials briefed on the probe. Although he has not been accused of any wrongdoing, Adams secured private legal representation at the firm WilmerHale shortly after it was reported that his campaign was under the scrutiny of federal investigators. https://youtu.be/fwut4ODZMrw Idris Elba‘s “Luther: The Fallen Sun” quietly made its mark on Netflix, becoming 2023’s second most-watched movie on Netflix. Referencing Netflix’s first-ever Engagement Report, Screen Rant reports the feature generated 209.7 million hours of viewing time among viewers in the first half of the year. That second place ranking for “Luther: The Fallon Sun” comes behind the streamer’s most-watched film, the Jennifer Lopez starrer “The Mother.” Overall, “The Fallen Sun” is the 20th highest-ranked title on Netflix’s chart, combining viewing totals for movies and television shows. The film’s success is a major win for Elba. The “Pacific Rim” actor stars in “The Fallen Sun” as troubled detective Chief Inspector John Luther. The feature is a sequel to the “Luther” crime drama, which starred Elba in the title role. The BBC series lasted five seasons between 2010 and 2019. “The Fallen Sun,” which premiered on Netflix in February 2023, centers on a new adventure for Luther, who breaks out of prison to pursue a dangerous serial killer. Luther: The Fallen Sun quietly became a massive streaming hit. The movie is a sequel to the BBC One crime drama Luther, which starred Idris Elba as the troubled Detective Chief Inspector John Luther and originally ran for five seasons between 2010 and 2019. Fallen Sun, which premiered on Netflix in February 2023, sees Elba return to the role for a new adventure that follows Luther breaking out of prison to track down a dangerous serial killer. https://youtu.be/fg9Wh0HjeHk Spend the night with your family and friends and experience Gloria Gaynor's story from Disco Diva to award-winning Gospel artist! Be inspired by her incredible resilience and magnificent second act. GLORIA GAYNOR: I WILL SURVIVE is the story of a Disco legend who, for five decades, has inspired millions with her powerful song, I WILL SURVIVE, but only understood the lyrics when she hit rock bottom herself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCvHkWCRWLo Aurora police are changing their tune about the events that led to the death of Elijah McClain. During a news conference Thursday, Aurora Interim Chief Art Acevedo told reporters that the officers involved in McClain’s death went “hands-on” too quickly. “We don’t want our officers to go hands-on so quickly, unless there’s an actual threat to them,” Acevedo said during the news conference. Initially, the department cleared the officers of all wrongdoing. After McClain died in 2019, Former Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz told reporters, “I think overall the officers did a good job trying to calm Elijah down.” Chief Acevedo also addressed McClain’s mother during the press conference. “We failed Elijah McClain as a department, we failed (his mother Sheneen) McClain as a department, we failed our community as a department,” said Acevedo. “We also failed the officers that encountered him that night,” Acevedo said. “…They failed because of the attitude, the mindset of: ‘You ask someone to do something, you tell someone to do something and then you make someone do something.’ If you look at the approach to Elijah McClain, we went from ‘asking’ to ‘telling’ to ‘making’ very quickly, and we should not be going hands-on and making someone do something unless there is an immediate threat. It’s tragic.” When asked how he would make sure something like this never happened again, Acevedo pointed to communication between officers and their suspects. “There’s going to be a lot more talking,” he said. “It’s a consensual contact, right? We are going to discuss it, we are going to talk to him, and then if we don’t have legal cause to detain, we are training our people to get back in the car and do one of two things: leave, or just watch the person.” Reproductive justice groups expressed optimism while cautiously welcoming an Ohio grand jury declining to indict a Black woman who was previously facing criminal charges stemming from a pregnancy miscarriage that she suffered. Brittany Watts, 34, who was charged with abuse of a corpse after she gave birth to a non-viable fetus while using the bathroom in September, learned her fate in the case on Thursday when the grand jury declined to bring an indictment. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDqE34aWIAAaX9_?format=jpg&name=small The recent brutal killing of a domestic violence activist by her partner has not only sparked an outpouring of condolences but is also spotlighting statistics surrounding the murders of Black women in domestic situations. Kelly Mays, who was known as a staunch advocate for survivors of domestic violence, became a victim of the very scourge she aspired to stop when her longtime domestic partner stabbed her to death at their suburban Detroit apartment on Sunday. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDmM6BGWIAAvd-q?format=jpg&name=small Jackson, Mississippi officials notified residents to boil their water on Jan. 11 after traces of E.coli were found in the city’s water supply system, according to the Associated Press. Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, is a type of bacteria that is commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. While most strains of E. coli are harmless and play a role in the digestive process, some strains can cause illness. Pathogenic strains of E. coli can lead to various infections, such as gastrointestinal infections causing symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. Some strains produce toxins that can lead to more severe conditions. Officials from the Jackson State Department said that the presence of E. coli in the water could be due to human or animal waste. Citizens in Jackson and Flowood have been recommended to boil their water for one minute before usage. This precautionary measure is expected to remain in effect for a minimum of two days while authorities gather fresh samples for testing purposes. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/7e48b0ec5571abc0f1cbd7e6f5929ede/65a74221/video/tos/useast8/tos-useast8-ve-0068c004-tx2/ooFEeglCQuRDEhkEFbAh9IEDxAnVczhBUZfUXl/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=1254&bt=627&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=4bBsyMzm8Zmo0nnmU94jVikbdpWrKsd.&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=OWZlNTZmOjlnNjczOzRkN0BpMzZ0M2w5cjt1bzMzaTczNEAyLWE1NDQtNjUxMC4yXmIvYSNeL19tMmRjZGxgLS1kMTJzcw%3D%3D&l=202401162056219749068BC668571156A5&btag=e00090000 Rep. Chip Roy of Texas is just the latest conservative lawmaker to misuse the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to judge a person on character and not race. In the protracted battle to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House, Roy, a Republican, nominated a Black man, Byron Donalds, a two-term representative from Florida who had little chance of winning the seat. Considered a rising star in the GOP, Donalds has opposed the very things that King fought for and ultimately was assassinated for – nonviolent demonstrations and voting rights protections. Calling Donalds a “dear friend,” Roy noted the selection by Democrats of another Black man, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, and invoked King’s words. “For the first time in history, there have been two Black Americans placed into nomination for speaker of the House,” Roy said. “However, we do not seek to judge people by the color of their skin, but rather, the content of their character.” As a scholar who researches social movements, racial politics and democracy, I have seen the consequences of the misuse of King’s words play out everywhere from the halls of Congress to corporate diversity training sessions to local school board meetings. Darius McCrary, known for his role as Eddie Winslow on the ’90s hit series “Family Matters,” recently shared shocking details about the pervasive issue of inappropriate touching in Hollywood. In an explosive interview, McCrary echoed sentiments expressed by comedian Katt Williams, who claimed that high-level executives groom male talents, subjecting them to compromising situations for career advancement. McCrary emphasized that this issue is not limited to women, stating, “We’ve all been inappropriately touched in Hollywood. It’s just what it is … we have all been inappropriately touched in Hollywood, whether [the audience] realizes it or not.” Watch a clip from the revealing interview here. “I was inappropriately touched by a Hollywood executive, and I’m not going to tell on nobody,” he told paparazzi. “This happened when I was a young man. I’m not going to say, but that’s what it is. See, I’m not thirsty, so I ain’t gotta tell my business because I’m not thirsty.” Darius McCrary is a versatile American actor, rapper, singer, and producer. He gained prominence for portraying Edward “Eddie” Winslow, the eldest child of Carl and Harriette Winslow, in the ABC/CBS television sitcom Family Matters, which aired from 1989 to 1998. McCrary made his film debut as Scam in the 1987 comedy film Big Shots and lent his voice to the character Jazz in Transformers (2007). Life after “Family Matters” hasn’t been the smoothest for McCrary. https://www.instagram.com/p/C14VBcgLk6Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A suspected white supremacist who was found to be in possession of a KKK flag and Nazi memorabilia was convicted this week of a federal hate crime for terrorizing Black and brown people, including using racial slurs and threatening to kill them on multiple occasions. Marian Hudak, 52, of North Carolina, was found guilty on Thursday when a jury rendered its verdict after hearing evidence about the defendant’s actions in two specific instances for which he was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with individuals because of their race and color and, in one case, national origin, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. The DOJ went into detail about the charges for which Hudak was convicted. Likely seizing on reports that President Joe Biden has been losing support among Black voters, the Democratic Party’s most loyal base, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign scheduled a roundtable discussion with Black women for this weekend. Specifically, Kennedy’s event slated for Saturday night in Atlanta was publicized to the media as one that would discuss “pressing issues facing Black America,” including “the Black maternal health crisis, media censorship, gender in sports, gun violence, and the advancement of Black-owned businesses.” Kennedy is expected to engage in discussion with Angela Stanton King, political spokesperson and founder of non-profit Auntie Angie’s House; WNBA star Angel McCoughtry; Alexia Adams, a former basketball player; influencer Tatiana Davenport; and media personality Shay McCray; Atlanta-based journalist and best-selling author Christal Jordan is set to moderate the discussion, according to a media advisory sent to NewsOne. The roundtable discussion seems to be among presidential candidates’ latest courting of Black voters, the coveted voting bloc that is credited for helping to decide the 2020 election in battleground states like Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Likely not coincidentally, Kennedy’s event comes weeks after polling found that Black voters are increasingly supporting third-party candidates in an effort to find alternatives to Biden and Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Twenty percent of Black voters expect to cast their ballots on Election Day for neither Biden nor Trump, according to a poll released earlier this month. The unusually high number of third-party candidates this year could spell doom for Biden’s reelection efforts. On Tuesday, Angela Bassett graced the red carpet in a stunning ensemble as she was bestowed with an honorary Oscar at the 14th Governors Awards in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the film industry. Academy President Janet Yang praised Bassett in a press release, stating, “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting.” https://youtu.be/K-G8tAuuZOA Comedian Cookie Hall used to work for Katt Williams and claims she quit the gig because he allegedly abused women. “I’m not being messy when I’m telling the truth,” she said on the latest episode (Jan. 11) of the DC Curry Podcast, MadameNoire reports. “Didn’t he say this the year of the truth?” When asked if he ever laid hands on her, Hall said, “Hell motherf*cking no! Is that n***a still walking? I’d punch that n***a in the stomach like he was talking about Cedric [The Entertainer].” Hall said she had to “patch bitches up” after Williams physically brutalized them. https://youtu.be/32ox1JByhDc Controversial conservative activist Charlie Kirk used to praise Martin Luther King Jr. on MLK Day, but this year, he attacked the “myth” surrounding the civil rights icon. “Who was MLK? A myth has been created and it has grown totally out of control,” Kirk posted on X on Monday (Jan. 15), Newsweek reports. “While he was alive most people disliked him, yet today he is the most honored, worshipped, even deified person of the 20th century Today we are going to tell the truth and explain how this myth was born,” Kirk added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1747123362693013632 “Telling the truth about MLK should not be trampling sacred ground,” the post continued. “He was just a man. And a very flawed one at that. Worship God, not a mythological anti-racist creation of the 1960s,” Kirk continued. https://youtu.be/i8k8VzByCRc Groundbreaking Entrepreneur Desreta Jackson has acquired the Historical Goodman-Stark House in Louisiana, MO. Jackson, best known for her role as young Celie in the iconic opening scene of “The Color Purple” original movie (1985) is the new owner of the historic home located in Louisiana, Pike County, Missouri. The award-winning movie “The Color Purple” was Desreta’s introduction to entertainment. The intensity of the movie begins with the opening scene where two young girls are joyfully playing in the field of purple Cosmos only to reveal moments later that young Celie is pregnant with a child. In the movie, the character was portrayed as the underdog but proved to be someone who had the strength and intelligence to come out victorious in the end. https://youtu.be/bH7Ukt_fWrw Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Sunday defended her team, including Nathan Wade, in her first public comments after scrutiny over an alleged affair with the special prosecutor. Speaking to the congregation at Atlanta’s Big Bethel A.M.E Church Sunday, Willis said she’d assembled a diverse team that can accomplish “extraordinary things,” and questioned those who “attacked this lawyer of impeccable credentials,” alluding to allegations made by one of Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia election case that Willis improperly hired a romantic partner to help prosecute the case and has financially benefitted from Wade’s appointment. Noting Wade’s credentials, Willis said all three special counselors she appointed are “superstars” but asked, “Is it that some will never see a Black man as qualified – no matter his achievements? What more can one achieve? The other two have never been judges, but no one questions their credentials.” Willis also responded to those she says would accuse her of making an argument solely based on race. https://youtu.be/JFZdsR7w48I Michael Irvin is once again under investigation for misconduct. The incident occurred in Texas, but the Allen Police Department has not released any significant details, Complex reports. “There has been an allegation, but we are not prepared to release any details at this time due to our investigation being in its very early stages,” Allen PD Public Information Officer Jonathan Maness said in a statement. Irvin’s attorney, Levi McCathern, said his client “didn’t do anything wrong or inappropriate.” The lawyer told ProFootballTalk that there is “absolutely no truth” to this latest allegation. https://youtu.be/KA-jAyyS_a0 Rapper G Herbo received three years probation Thursday after pleading guilty to his role in an elaborate credit card scheme. G Herbo, Herbert Wright, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making false statements to federal agents. The Chicago artist allegedly used stolen credit card information to pay for his hip-hop lifestyle, according to the Chicago Tribune. In December 2020, Herbo and five others were indicted for participating in a credit card scheme. Per court documents, prosecutors said G Herbo used the stolen funds “to travel to various concert venues and to advance his career by posting photographs and/or videos of himself on the private jets, in the exotic cars, and at the Jamaican villa.” G Herbo also spent thousands on designer puppies, according to the indictment. The 27-year-old was reportedly facing 20 years in prison, but last week a federal judge sentenced him to three years probation. He was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $139,968 and forfeit the same amount in assets, and a fine of $5,500. Angela Rye was left “stunned” when her former CNN colleague Chris Cuomo called her “tinsel crotch.” Rye was a regular guest on Cuomo’s now-canceled “Cuomo Prime Time” series. During the premiere episode of her iHeart podcast, “Native Land Pod,” the attorney and political commentator recalled the “humiliating” experience with Cuomo, Page Six reports. According to Rye, when she posted a bikini-clad photo of herself online on New Year’s Day 2021, Cuomo responded by saying, “Happy New Year tinsel crotch.” “It all began on New Year’s Day [2021] when I posted a picture of myself looking forward to the New Year in a gold sequin bikini on Instagram,” Rye explained to co-hosts Tiffany Cross and Andrew Gillum on the podcast, according to The Jasmine Brand. “Cuomo screen-shot the image and said, ‘Happy New Year, tinsel crotch.’ Stunned, I read and reread the message a dozen times, trying to understand if I somehow brought this on myself,” she continued. https://youtu.be/JEOWKYgVZjU Anderson .Paak and his pop star wife of 12 years, Jaylyn Chang, are calling it quits. Paak and Chang tied the knot in 2010 after first meeting while attending the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, where he worked as a teacher’s assistant, according to Daily Mail. The R&B singer reportedly filed for divorce from the South Korean-American singer (known as Jae Lin), but did not list a separation date, Complex reports. Paak was previously married, but he told The Breakfast Club that his marriage to Chang was “the one that matters,” as they faced homelessness together, among other challenges. “She’s the one who came from Korea, didn’t speak [any] English, she’s [the one who has] the balls,” he said. https://youtu.be/ZHkdOsycCA8 Today, Martin Luther King III, humanitarian and the son of famed civil rights leader, activist, and reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., announced his resounding endorsement of Congresswoman and candidate for U.S. Senate Barbara Lee. The announcement comes on the national holiday commemorating MLK Jr.’s life and legacy. King, a renowned human rights advocate, adds his voice to a powerful assembly of 90 Black religious leaders throughout California who echo support for Congresswoman Lee for prioritizing the most vulnerable members in society, and advancing policies that uplift their needs. Clergy like Reverend James Lawson of Los Angeles and Reverend Philip Lawson of Richmond, showcase the broad geographical reach of the faith leaders coalescing around Rep. Lee’s campaign. “Dr. King’s vision for our country did not end with desegregation — that was simply the first step towards a world without discrimination, poverty, and war. His conviction was guided by his faith, and was imparted into the family he loved dearly,” said Congresswoman Lee. “As a Black woman who grew up in a small, segregated town, to say I’m honored to have the support of purveyors of his legacy is an understatement. In the Senate, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with freedom fighters like Martin and this outstanding coalition of clergy to champion the ideology and action of Dr. King.” The endorsements of MLK III and the statewide alliance of faith leaders standing behind Rep Lee’s run is the latest demonstration of the deep resonance of her peace-driven record and distinct lens of racial, gender, and social justice with California’s communities of color. If elected, Lee will be the only Black woman serving in the United States Senate. https://youtu.be/HSrv0PATFbU Martin Luther King III reacted to Jonatha Majors’ recent comments about his mother, Coretta Scott King.Majors spoke about his controversial domestic violence trial on ABC News, he referred to Coretta twice while noting how he wanted his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari (the woman at the center of the DV case), to support him similarly to how the late civil rights activist support her husband, Martin Luther King Jr. He also said his new girlfriend, actress Meagan Good, supports him “like a Coretta.” Over the weekend, MLK III appeared on CNN, and anchor Victor Blackwell asked about Majors’ remarks. “She was far more than just a prop,” MLK III said, echoing similar remarks that his sister, Dr. Bernice King, made on social media last week. “I think in the context of what was said, that plus the personification of all of the many things that mom did during her life with dad, and after dad’s life, the King holiday wouldn’t exist, we wouldn’t be talking about Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday if it had not been for the work that my mom did,” he added in the video. https://youtu.be/BGliaWifdG8 Gymnastics Olympian Simone Biles opens up about married life in a wide-ranging interview for Vanity Fair. Biles, 26, met her husband, Packers safety Jonathan Owens, in 2020 on the private dating app Raya. They tied the knot last spring, followed by a celebration in May in Mexico. When they first met, Owens claims he “had no clue” Biles was a celebrated gymnast. https://www.instagram.com/p/CrWGBcEOK9C/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4f2490dc-78fe-4d61-b45c-13d2f38a49db “She doesn’t like to admit it, but she messaged me first,” Owens told Vanity Fair. “I just noticed her laugh. It was just contagious. We could talk all day and we’d stayed up late, and there just wasn’t an awkward moment.” He added, “A lot of people don’t believe me when I say I had no clue [who she was]. I never once was like, ‘Oh, let me check gymnastics out.’ After looking at her Instagram, I was like, man, she got a lot of followers, she must be pretty good.” Biles said she was initially drawn to Owens’ confidence. https://youtu.be/jfZvFyKxkVc The Supreme Court is currently reviewing whether homeless people have a constitutional right to camp on public property. The justices will review an appeals court ruling that found bans on homeless people camping on public property in California and the West violate the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, Los Angeles Times reports. The Supreme Court will weigh decisions of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled denying shelter to homeless people with nowhere else to go is cruel. City attorneys noted that the rulings in cases from Boise, Idaho, and Grants Pass, Ore. will make it difficult for officials in California and the eight other Western states under the court’s jurisdiction to clear encampments. Several of the states have large populations of homeless people, but California is “home to half of the nation’s unsheltered population,” attorneys said in their appeal in Grants Pass vs. Johnson. https://youtu.be/QIS0UjpYjOg Passengers on board the Alaska Airlines flight that had a mid-air blowout earlier this month were offered $1500 in compensation and mental health resources following the harrowing incident. Alaska Airlines canceled 230 flights after a midflight door blowout onboard Alaska Airlines Flt 1282 on Jan. 5. Per CNN, part of the fuselage blew off shortly after takeoff. A boy’s shirt was sucked off his torso and out through the hole, passengers reported, leaving the mother holding the child. In a statement, the airline said it offered “24/7 access to mental health resources and counseling sessions” to the 177 passengers and will “continue to work with them to address their specific needs and concerns.” “Alaska Airlines provided a full refund to each guest on Flight 1282. As an immediate gesture of care, within the first 24 hours, we also provided a $1,500 cash payment to cover any incidental expenses to ensure their immediate needs were taken care of,” the airline said, People reports. https://youtu.be/e1YHyG6rxaA Chaka Khan is single a legal tune after Los Angeles-based property owner is suing the legendary songstress over allegedly violating a lease agreement and alleged incident involving her dog attacking a neighbor. Referencing court documents obtained by the Blast, Madame Noire detailed the suit, which alleges that Khan breached her contract with the property owner by “housing one or more pets on the property, contrary to the lease terms,” and that “the pet in question, a dog, chased and harmed a neighbor, who is now seeking recovery from (the owners.)” The suit goes on to mention claims from the Santa Monica, California-based property owner that say Khan “breached the lease by failing to vacate the property by November 1, 2023, [2] subletting the property to her son and other occupants in violation of the provision of the lease.” According to the lawsuit, the lease expired Oct. 31. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that Khan failed to “pay holdover rent” and changed “the lock and/or entrance codes to prevent (the owner) from having access to the property.” According to Madame Noire, the property owner claims to have been “damaged in court” behind the incident involving Khan’s dog.” Compensation from Khan for what was lost is being sought as well as coverage of all court costs and legal fees. Willie D is responding to accusations that he is “clout chasing” off Shannon Sharpe after releasing his interview with Katt Williams less than a week after the comedian’s now-infamous appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast. https://twitter.com/i/status/1745867750734496117 Let’s say you got a Katt Williams interview in the can and somebody drop a video and the video go haywire. Millions and millions of damn views! What would you do with your interview?” Willie D said in a video posted to social media, Ice Cream Convos reports. “Would you sit there and wait and wait and wait – like I had planned to do initially? Or you go, ‘Know what? S— the wave is already in the water! Let me ride this damn thing!” he continued.“The wave is already in the water! Let me get on it! I have no shame for doing it! What would you have done as a businessman?” Willie D’s interview with Katt has received six million views at the time of this write-uup. https://youtu.be/PncfFg_YrOg Lionsgate’s exciting new western thriller, “The Night They Came Home,” is now streaming On Demand and digitally. The film centers on The Rufus Buck Gang, an outlaw of Native Americans whose members were Creek Indian and African American. Danny Trejo and Brian Austin Green lead the cast, along with Hollywood icon Robert Carradine and newcomer Charlie N. Townsend as Rufus Buck. The Rufus Buck Gang has served as inspiration for countless books and movies. Per History Defined: “The gang consisted of five members: Rufus Buck, Lewis Davis, Sam Sampson, Maoma July, and Lucky Davis. Rufus Buck was the leader of the gang and was considered quite dangerous.” https://youtu.be/p2zC-lM5IU4 “My first Grammy-nominated project … I toured with Tyrese for 6 or 7 years,” said singer/songwriter Kenyon Dixon about his career when I asked. “My first big writing placement was Tyrese’s album … a single called ‘Open Invitation.’” I requested an interview with Kenyon cause his credits are so impressive as a songwriter and vocalist. As a songwriter/producer, he has worked for Mary J Blige, Tyrese, PJ Morton, Ginuwine, Kirk Franklin, Coco Jones (“ICU Remix”) and Justin Timberlake (“Perfect For Me” – Trolls World). As a vocalist, he has worked with Nick Jones, Jill Scott, Kelly Rowland, BBC’s “That’s My Jam” for their House Band, and for the Oscars in 2017. https://youtu.be/c4cdju8zDFw Another hip-hop adjacent killing has gone down in Memphis this weekend. The person shot and killed was Anthony ‘Big Jook’ Mims, the brother of rapper Yo Gotti. The murder of Big Jook, Yo Gotti’s older sibling, took place after he attended a funeral service. Memphis Police (MPD) said he was killed and another man was injured outside of Perignons Restaurant and Event Center on the 6300 block of Winchester Road, according to TMZ. The other victim is in critical condition. Police claim to have surveillance footage of the shooting but have not been able to identify the suspect.Meanwhile, photos and videos are circulating online that supposedly show Big Jook bleeding on the ground with people attending to him. https://youtu.be/dwDaH9s1RQc Teyana Taylor’s divorce from her estranged husband Iman Shumpert entered a new phase with the former basketball star denying Taylor’s claim he is irresponsible with their daughters. Radar Online referenced court documents detailing the situation surrounding Taylor’s divorce petition. In the documents, the singer/actor claimed “blatantly and knowingly false statements” are contained in Shumpert’s answer to the petition. https://youtu.be/i38C-9AREM4 Taylor is demanding primary custody and child support of the couple’s two daughters, Junie and Rue. Among the revelations revealed are claims the daughters “appear to be disheveled” and “are not fed properly” while in Shumpert’s care. According to her, the former sports star has a “reckless disregard for the safety and well-being” of Junie and Rue by not being “attentive to their needs. “[Shumpert] asks for significant time with the parties’ minor children, but then leaves them with his parents or others for a majority of the time requested. [Shumpert’s] interest in the parties’ daughter is more like his chance for photo opportunities as opposed to [Shumpert] providing true parenting and care for the girls. [Taylor] further shows the Court that when [Shumpert] gets angry, he is irresponsible with the girls,” the petition read. Taylor goes on to claim Shumpert moved into “one of the parties’ fully renovated, turnkey homes while leaving” her and their kids “in the parties’ primary residence that has been under construction for the past three (3) years because the Respondent has failed to pay for his portion of the agreed upon renovations.” The move into the turnkey home came after Shumpert moved out of his marital home with Taylor, the singer claimed. https://youtu.be/Lb44DN1Tudo Residents in coastal communities in Queens woke up Saturday to flooded streets and basements. It is a scene all too familiar, and costly, for local families when high tide and and strong winds push water onshore. CBS New York spoke with residents who are hoping for a solution. Streets turned into rivers on Saturday. Basements of homes in Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach flooded. “We go through this all the time. We lost cars. When we know the flood is coming, we start panicking,” Hamilton Beach resident Sandra Smith said. Businesses took a hit, too. “It’s a shame that there’s nothing they can do about this. All these businesses in the neighborhood, they struggle every time the tide comes up like this,” Bobby McGuire said. https://youtu.be/9WNFcJx7ne8 For many singers, touring is the time to get closer to fans while proving how talented you are without studio interference. For Ari Lennox, her tour with rapper and singer Rod Wave will go down as a time when she was “never comfortable” on the road. I was never comfortable. I just remember every show, racing to get off stage, racing to get through my set,” Lennox recently shared during an Instagram Live while discussing her experience on tour and how she was treated during the 2 ½ month-long trek. According to the vocalist, it wasn’t Wave who was the source of her unhappiness. It was the audiences she encountered at tour stops for the rapper’s Nostalgia tour. “I started trying to communicate with the audience and then I realized they were getting angry at me affirming them,” Lennox recalled. “You’re getting angry that I’m affirming you? This is not my crowd. And it’ll never be. And that’s alright,” she added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744117904927567913 Nicki Minaj is at the center of a new legal battle related to her husband, Kenneth Petty. A German security guard, Thomas Weidenmuller, is suing the entertainer and Petty for assault, The Jasmine Brand reports. Considering the couple’s lack of a response to his suit, Weidenmuller is asking the court to award him a default payment of $724, 000 in damages, the site stated, citing Radar Online. The security guards’ suit stems from an alleged incident that took place at one of Minaj’s shows in Germany in 2019. Weidenmuller claimed that while working the concert, a fan rushed the stage. The action seriously angered Minaj, Radar noted, adding that the person was notably removed immediately. Minaj, who was not harmed in any way, allegedly went backstage to start recording the incident while viciously reprimanding a female staff person. Seeing what happened, Weidenmuller intervened, choosing a more peaceful action. According to the suit, de-escalation was the last thing on Minaj’s mind as she became even more upset and eventually summoned Weidenmuller to her dressing room. It was there Petty allegedly struck Weidenmuller so hard that he underwent reconstructive jaw surgery. Despite the negative reception from the crowd, Lennox carried on and remained on tour. As she continued her Instagram Live, the entertainer remembered her most notable ordeal during the Rod Wave tour. According to HipHopDX, the incident centered around someone who pelted Lennox with a bottle while she performed during a show in Los Angeles in November. “It was tough and it was heavy on my soul, especially the day when the bottle happened because that side of the stage, like, I felt the energy … It was just all darkness — that was literally the energy that was coming from the left side,” she said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744076011329773663 “I was on that stage and people would have shit on their screens saying ‘Next,’ and I can’t deal with sh*t like that. I’ll curse you out … What is this aggression? You’re that pissed? “It was a lot for two and a half months, like, getting my wardrobe stolen,” continued Lennox. It was just a very hard two and a half f**king months. Very lonely too. But I thought it would be a good idea.”Although the bottle missed her, the attempt was enough for Lennox to go on a rant and call out the person she believed threw the object. While the bottle missed her, the “Shea Butter Baby” star went on a rant at the audience and called out who she believed threw the object. B*tch, I’ll f**k you up! Who the f**k did it? Who the fuck did it?” Lennox voiced after cutting the music to her set. “I’ll f**k y’all ass up. ‘Cause I don’t play that, I don’t feel that bullsh*t. I will f**k y’all sh*t all the way the f**k up! Don’t you ever disrespect a beautiful Black woman on the stage like that! I’ma f**king f**k you up. That’s the f**k right. Who did it, b*tch?” https://youtu.be/fRuF2F2r3MU Attorney Antonio Moore evaluates the new iHeartmedia “Native Land Pod” podcast by Andrew Gillum, Angela Rye, and Tiffany Cross. He makes particular points about how the cover of the political podcast which appears to be a remake of a Destiny’s Child album cover from nearly 20 years ago. Moore digs into some of the backgrounds of each host. From Gillum’s scandal that found him in a South Beach Hotel “apparantly too ineberiated to talk” according to the Florida-Times Union, to Cross’ firing from MSNBC, and more. And Moore critiques what the show can actually bring to the political landscape before the 2024 election. https://youtu.be/MKXKJvNv5gE Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan may be a lot of things to folks on the outside looking in, but they can’t say their relationship lacks sex. Chatting with Andy Cohen, People reports the couple had no problem shining a light on their sex lives when the “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Coehn” host asked Pippen to defend comments she made at last year’s RHOM reunion. During the event famously boasted she’s “always had sex, like, four times a night,” even while she was married to her former NBA superstar Scottie Pippen. Pippen’s connection to Marcus comes via him playing alongside his legendary former teammate and Marcus’ father, Michael Jordan. “That’s facts,” Larsa said Jan. 10 during an episode of “WWHL,” before confirming the number has increased with Marcus. “I also have sex probably five times a night with the love of my life.”“I’m very competitive so I like to stay ready,” Marcus chimed in, saying it’s “way more than three times.” From there, Cohen asked if that was “to completion” and if Marcus was able “to complete yourself and then keep going,” Marcus responded, saying “Especially with Larsa as my partner, absolutely.” https://youtu.be/XDmJ461xDng The African American Film Critics Association (AFCAA) is proud to reveal its esteemed list of 2024 Special Achievement Honorees chosen for their prolific contributions to the entertainment industry. These outstanding honorees will be celebrated at the organization’s 7th Annual AAFCA Special Achievement Awards luncheon, taking place on Sunday, March 3rd in the Centennial Room at the Los Angeles Athletic Club in downtown Los Angeles. The intimate, invitation-only luncheon will bestow honors upon the feature film KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, which will receive the Stanley & Karen Kramer Social Justice Award which shines a light on the true story of the infamous Osage Nation murders. Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner, the producing duo behind Foxxhill Productions, will be honored with AAFCA’s Producers Award for their exceptional work on three high-profile films released in 2023: “They Cloned Tyrone,” “Story Ave,” and “The Burial,” along with Foxxhill’s commitment to telling inclusive stories. Mo’Nique is speaking out on Taraji P. Henson‘s Hollywood pay situation as she came for Oprah Winfrey for not standing behind her “sisters.” As we’ve reported, in recent weeks Henson has been making headlines after raising issues regarding the way cast members were treated while working on “The Color Purple.” The issue has brought back memories of similar issues Mo’Nique dealt with a few years back. However, at the time she was basically dismissed by almost everybody. Flash forward to a few days ago at the Golden Globes ceremony where, during a Gayle King interview, Winfrey spoke on the controversy as a co-producer of “The Color Purple.” “Everything got handled,” she said of issues on set. “It’s so disturbing to me because why is my name even in this conversation? I’ve been the champion for everybody.” https://youtu.be/3c2Ggs4EBD4 Mo’Nique, via an interview with The Root, has responded to Oprah’s comments to which she – not surprisingly – totally disagrees. “Everything was, ‘Didn’t I champion for y’all?’ I was like, ‘Stop it. You didn’t champion for those Black women, for our sisters,” Mo’Nique said. “What [she] did was, ‘We can treat them like we always treat them, who gon’ check me boo? I’m Oprah Winfrey.'” She added: “You know everything should have been done when you showed up…Now when you hear our beautiful sisters saying, ‘yeah but it got fixed,’ it’s like we’re making it worse.” “So, when Oprah Winfrey sits at the helm and Taraji P. Henson says, ‘It’s an honor that we were hand-picked for this movie,’ Well if they were hand-picked for that movie, those women should have been taken care of from the moment go.” https://youtu.be/anXtfhmZNVA A vicious storm that smacked the central and eastern US Friday is continuing its assault Saturday with whipping winds and blizzard conditions, rain, snow and dangerous coastal flooding. Meanwhile, a brutal blast of Arctic air is spreading south and east through the central US and will bring snow and ice to the South. Here’s the latest. Historic storm surge hits Maine: Water levels on Maine’s coast hit a historic high on Saturday, inundating coastal communities already swamped by record-breaking surges on Wednesday. Flash flood warnings were issued by the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, as the storm’s strong winds blew water from the Atlantic Ocean toward the shore on top of high tide Saturday morning and combined with falling rain to create a dangerous situation. The water level in Portland hit 14.57 feet just after noon, higher than the 13.84 feet hit on Wednesday, and higher than the previous record set in 1978, National Weather Service data shows. https://youtu.be/VV6zySQkT0M Portland police said on X that there were “too many” roads closed to list because of the flooding. Roads were also closed in coastal New Hampshire as water levels rose there, according to the state’s Department of Transportation. Moderate coastal flooding was also reported in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, NOAA data shows. Coastal flood alerts remain in effect for several spots throughout the day Saturday for lingering flooding, with most set to expire by the end of the day. Buffalo Bills playoff game postponed: The scheduled game between the Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers in Buffalo was moved from Sunday at 1 p.m. to Monday at 4:30 p.m. because of the “dangerous conditions,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on X Saturday. https://youtu.be/HE670NHUsm4 Usher is making sure he is at his best when he performs at this year’s Super Bowl. According to Ace Showbiz, the “There Goes My Baby” crooner has given up “all sugar and alcohol” before his performance at the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show. The Feb. 11 performance, which will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, is a long time coming for Usher, who is determined to be in the best shape possible for the occasion. “The Super Bowl has always been on Usher’s bucket list and he wants to be in the best shape to give the performance of his life to the 100 million-plus people watching. He has quit all sugar and alcohol and is rehearsing endlessly,” a source told the Sunday Mirror newspaper’s No Filter column. Joining Usher for the halftime show will be his 14-year-old son Naviyd, who will serve as the 45-year-old entertainer’s “musical director for the show. “The greatest list I received is actually from my son, Naviyd. He is my musical director. He has given me a curation of how much time in addition to the songs,” the “You Don’t Have to Call” vocalist said during an appearance on “Today With Hoda and Jenna.” https://youtu.be/QcRLTbQxgcI Despite things being very tense between Kevin Hart and Katt Williams, there was a time, believe it or not, when the “Friday After Next” star extended an olive branch to his fellow funnyman. According to Vibe, footage of the apology was captured on video via Spank Horton, a comedian and member of Hart’s Plastic Cup Boyz. In the 2016 clip, Williams is shown apologizing to Hart after apologizing to Big Tigger for an unnamed discretion. “I also owe a humongous apology to Kevin Hart…When I did a show at Philips [Arena] I kind of lost myself and I didn’t do my stand-up performance,” Williams stated.” I actually did an hour of talking to Atlanta ’cause I love Atlanta and made a lot of mistakes and said a lot of things that just be in Katt Williams’ head, but I was not talking to the world, I was talking to the city of Atlanta, and I should’ve never mentioned Kevin Hart’s name. That is the reigning king of comedy if you ask for popular consensus.” The discovery of Horton’s video comes more than a week after Williams raised eyebrows with heavy criticism of Hart, Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer and Michael Blackson. The revelations from Williams’ candid interview on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast has generated headlines as well as talk among comedy fans regarding the entertainer’s views on his iconic peers. Speaking about Hart, Williams called the “Central Intelligence” star the Cardi B of comedy, an “industry plant.” Realizing how divided the nation was at the time of the video, Williams examined his conduct towards Hart. Ultimately, Williams recognized he should not have attacked another black man, considering the state of the nation at that time. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744781740411965472 He just couldn’t handle it. We’re referring to famed TikTok food critic Keith Lee and his visit to the City by the Bay, San Francisco. His food tour where he rates local mom-and-pop restaurants came to a sudden and unexpected end. Lee did do a video to explain the suddenness of his cancellation in the Bay Area which he says did show him and his family a lot of love. “Unfortunately, the Bay Area stop on the Keith Lee and family food tour is officially over prematurely…I truly want to say from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate every single bit of love,” Lee said in his video. “The people of the Bay were absolutely amazing, And I’ll never forget the hospitality and the love that y’all showed me.” So if it wasn’t harsh treatment by the fine people of the area, what exactly was it that freaked him out enough to want to get out of Dodge? Well, one of the reasons according to Lee is that of safety. The Detroit-born reviewer, a retired MMA fighter, thinks the Bay is NOT “a place for tourists right now.” “The people of the Bay are just focused on surviving,” he added. “The amount of tents and living structures and burnt-out cars that we saw people living in was shocking, to say the least.” https://youtu.be/ePlQrzPUsd0 Embattled actor Jonathan Majors will no longer play basketball player Dennis Rodman in a proposed film project, multiple sources tell CNN. More than a year ago, Majors was cast to star as Rodman in the film, which would chronicle the basketball player’s infamous trip to Las Vegas during the 1998 NBA finals. While an individual close to the movie – working title “48 Hours In Vegas” – cautions that Majors has not yet officially been dropped from the film, the source says that the actor will not be part of the project. Last month, a jury found Majors guilty of assault and harassment of his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, during a domestic dispute. Majors – who maintains his innocence – was convicted of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a non-criminal charge of harassment as a violation. He was acquitted on another assault charge and one count of aggravated harassment. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RUQo29QENRM?feature=share Lionsgate declined to comment. The talent agency WME — which currently still counts Majors as a client — also declined to comment. Majors parted ways with his management and publicist in April 2023 amid the accusations, and a representative who was working with Majors during his trial did not respond to CNN’s numerous requests for comment. Immediately after his trial last month, Majors was dropped by Marvel, which had cast him to star in two upcoming “Avengers” movies, and which likely would have cemented Majors’ status as a household name. Majors had already starred in last year’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” as well as the Disney+ series “Loki” as a version of the character he was set to portray in the “Avengers” films. Aside from the Marvel developments and the Rodman film, more of the actor’s projects are also in flux, CNN is told. Weeks before his arrest in March, Majors was also cast in a movie at Amazon, “Da Understudy,” from director Spike Lee. https://youtu.be/5l7S1w2USS0 A source close to that project says that when “Da Understudy” was announced in the press, the project was in such early stages that deals weren’t closed yet. Regardless of Majors’ legal issues, the film may have never come to light, just due to the nature of the long development process. “This film is in extremely early deep development where the recent trial wouldn’t have been a conversation,” the source familiar with the film tells CNN. A representative for Lee and a spokesperson for Amazon Studios declined to comment. Additionally, months before the accusations from Jabbari early last year, Majors received rave reviews at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival premiere of the drama, “Magazine Dreams,” a film in which he played a bodybuilder that was garnering early awards buzz and would likely have put Majors into the Oscars conversation. The film was planned to be released theatrically by Disney’s Searchlight in December, but in October, ahead of his trial, Disney pulled the film from its release calendar. No new release date has been set, and Disney did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. https://youtu.be/KB2avOvPjIs Supermodel Beverly Johnson joined SiriusXM’s Sway Calloway and co-hosts Heather B and Tracy G this week to discuss her new play “Beverly Johnson: In Vogue.” During her live appearance on SiriusXM’s Sway in the Morning, Beverly revealed that she and her longtime partner, Brian Maillian, officially tied the knot. “Two days before my birthday, October 13, he kept saying ‘What do you want for your birthday,’ ” Johnson recalled during the interview. “I sat up in the bed on October 11 and said, ‘I know what I want for my birthday.’ He said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I want to get married,’ ” she continued. “He went, ‘Okay.’ And I went, ‘Did he say okay? Oh sh*t.’ And we got married… in Vegas.” “It was just the right moment. And I’m thinking the whole time, ‘Oh, we’re gonna get into a fight,’ ” she told Sway. “It’s most certainly on the spiritual level, as we get closer to our God, whoever that may be. Each day and moment becomes so precious and those moments with your grandchildren, everything becomes like awe.” https://youtu.be/v_R-JUTeIJE AMC Networks has released an all-new teaser for its upcoming drama, “Parish,” starring and executive produced by Giancarlo Esposito. The six-episode crime thriller will premiere on AMC and AMC+ in March. Per the news release, “Esposito stars as Gracian “Gray” Parish, a family man and proud owner of a luxury car service in New Orleans. After his son is violently murdered and his business collapses, an encounter with an old friend from his days as a wheelman resurfaces old habits, sending Gray on a high-stakes collision course with a violent criminal syndicate.” We reported previously that “Parish” was shot on location in New Orleans and is based on the hit U.K. series “The Driver,” created by Danny Brocklehurst and Jim Poyser. https://youtu.be/sN-SG8l-tO8 According to the press release, the ensemble cast includes Zachary Momoh (The Nevers, Harriet, Doctor Sleep) as New Orleans-based Zimbabwean gangster The Horse; SAG® Award-nominee Paula Malcomson (Watchmen, The Hunger Games, Ray Donovan) as Parish’s wife and mother to his two children, Rose; Skeet Ulrich (Scream, Riverdale) as an old acquaintance to Gray, Colin; Bonnie Mbuili (Invictus, Wallander) as Shamiso Tongai, The Horse’s smart and protective older sister; Ivan Mbakop (Hawkeye, Red Notice) as The Horse’s brother, Zenzo; Arica Himmel (Mixed-ish, Black-ish) as Gray and Rose’s daughter Makayla; and Dax Rey (The Good Fight, Chicago Fire) as The Horse’s son Luke. https://youtu.be/YcoR4hfKCl0 After nine to 10 years of putting up with Jason Whitlock, Stephen A. Smith has had enough. And he’s not shy about letting folks know how he feels about his friend-turned-enemy. On Wednesday, Smith released a teaser for his nearly 45-minute blasting of Whitlock on “The Stephen A. Smith Show.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C18WHRQsHtB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Highlights included the “sharing how he warned ESPN and his family about Whitlock being in the crosshairs of vitriol he will spit toward him on his independent podcast. The pushback would be so severe that Smith took time to talk to his pastor and apologize for what he was about to say, Complex reported. Although Smith stayed silent for years, at least nine to 10 years, without saying a world about Whitlock directly, his tune changed after Whitlock fervently questioned the authenticity of his January 2023 book “Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes.” It was then the 56-year-old chose the fighter route as he felt it was finally “necessary” to break his silence—with the caveat that it will “never happen again—he’s irrelevant, he’s not important, he’s insignificant, and he knows it.” Pulling out the receipts before going fully in at the 18:30 mark of his video, Smith referenced a 2015 Deadspin article. The article detailed how several ESPN employees, Smith included, refused to work with Whitlock. https://youtu.be/6CZuNuchnqk GOSPEL, a new four-hour docuseries that explores the rich history of Black spirituality through sermon and song from executive producer, host, and writer Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The series reunites acclaimed Harvard scholar and documentarian Gates with directors Stacey L. Holman and Shayla Harris after recently teaming up on MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE. The series will also have a special companion concert premiering February 9. From the blues to hip-hop, African Americans have been the driving force of sonic innovation for over a century. Musical styles come and go, but there is one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage, and wisdom from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given Sunday: the gospel. The show premieres on February 12 and 13, 2024 on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App. In GOSPEL, Gates, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, speaks with dozens of clergymen, singers and scholars about their connection to the music that has transcended its origins and now spreads “the good word” all around the world. The series features interviews with notable names including Dionne Warwick, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, Rev. Otis Moss III, professor Michael Eric Dyson, and awe-inspiring musical performances of Gospel favorites “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus,” “Total Praise,” and others from talents including The Belle Singers, Cory Henry, Celisse, and more. https://youtu.be/nmEIZ7sVs-0 “The Space Race,” a must-see documentary, will premiere on National Geographic on February 12, and stream on Hulu and Disney+ from February 13. The extraordinary film was shown at several festivals, including the Tribeca and Urbanworld Film festivals. I caught up with astronaut Leland Melvin, an executive producer of “The Space Race,” at the Urbanworld Film Festival and asked what was his greatest challenge putting together such a monumental movie. “I think it was getting all the Black astronauts that we wanted to put in the movie to buy into the story,” he said, “because I think many times there are so many people that come at you wanting to make a movie, a doc, or something but it’s not funded. Or you know, half-baked.” “But this was already pre-funded with Disney and Frank Marshall. We came in legit and this was a story that had never been told like this,” Melvin added. “The project brought us together even more. Now we have an email distribution, which we never had before. Now with the new technology and Zoom, we can have these conversations and say, ‘Hey, are you okay? What do you need us to do for your family while you’re in space?’ Letting them know we’ve got their backs.” Melvin, Guion Bluford, Charles Bolden, Ed Dwight, Victor Glover, Frederick Gregory, Bernard Harris, Leland Melvin, Ronald McNair, Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, Jessica Watkins are among those featured in “The Space Race.” Bluford is the first Black astronaut to fly in space, and the first to receive the U.S. Air Force Command Pilot Astronaut Wings. https://films.nationalgeographic.com/the-space-race-2023-trailer The New England Patriots have hired Jerod Mayo as head coach, the team announced on Friday, a day after Bill Belichick announced he was leaving. The Patriots said that Mayo – the organization’s 15th in its history – has been hired and will be formally introduced at a press conference at noon ET on January 17. Mayo is a former New England player and has been working as an assistant on the team’s defense since 2019. Mayo played eight seasons for the Patriots as a linebacker, being voted to the Pro Bowl twice and winning the Super Bowl in 2015. He has been the linebackers coached for the New England since 2019. https://youtu.be/rlEj1TiFX20 According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport citing unnamed sources and The Athletic citing unnamed league sources, Mayo’s contract as linebackers coach reportedly contained a head-coach succession clause that allowed the team to make the move quickly for him to ascend to the top job. The decision to hire Mayo eradicates the team’s need to go through a lengthy hiring process for a new head coach, instead appointing the 37-year-old straight away. Mayo becomes the youngest head coach in the NFL, surpassing the previous youngest, Sean McVay, who has held the mantle since he was hired by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. https://youtu.be/Q1lXGhzkbB4 From visionary writer and director Jeymes Samuel, The Book of Clarence is a bold new take on the timeless Hollywood era Biblical epic. Streetwise but struggling, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is trying to find a better life for himself and his family, make himself worthy to the woman he loves, and prove that he’s not a nobody. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, a journey through which he finds redemption and faith, power and knowledge. The Book of Clarence is in movie theaters nationwide now! The film also stars Omar Sy. Anna Diop. RJ Cyler. David Oyelowo. Micheal Ward. Alfre Woodard. Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch. The Hollywood era Biblical epic was produced by Jeymes Samuel, Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, Tendo Nagenda, and executive produced by Garrett Grant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntNS-ANoMyM "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight is 2X GRAMMY NOMINEE KORYN HAWTHORNE. She RELEASES A NEW TRACK "CUT EM OFF" AHEAD OF FORTHCOMING ALBUM, "ON GOD." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oep-l-tdBjo Rising music sensation Stevie Rizo is ready to set the stage ablaze with his latest release, "Go Jehovah." The artist, known for his distinctive sound and captivating lyrics, wrapped up 2023 with an impressive career milestone, accumulating over 9 million streams on Apple Music and Spotify, and 2024 promises to be another music-filled year. "Go Jehovah" is a testament to Stevie Rizo's musical prowess and artistic evolution. The track seamlessly blends genres, showcasing his versatility as an artist, writer and producer. With its infectious beat and thought-provoking lyrics, "Go Jehovah" is a standout addition to Rizo’s growing discography. Last year, his viral track “Esther” surpassed 2.2 million streams and landed on Instagram’s top 25 trending songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MablYDC3uBA Steve Harvey hit up social media and noted that he “ain’t gotta say nothing” to “my haters” following Katt Williams’ remarks on the Club Shay Shay podcast. In a clip captioned, “You don’t have to address your haters,” the “Family Feud” host says, “No, you ain’t gotta tell nobody nothing. All you got to do is be it. You don’t have to open your mouth.” Harvey goes on to quote Psalms 23:5, saying, “‘He prepares a table in the presence of mine enemies’, he do it all the time. All my haters? I ain’t gotta say nothing to them.” He continued, “God is about to do something, and the devil is throwing in opposition,” Harvey continued before addressing an unnamed person who is “really attacking me right now,” he said. Many fans believe Harvey was responding to Williams’ comments on the Club Shay Shay podcast last week when he accused Harvey of stealing the concept of fellow comedian Mark Curry’s “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper” for his sitcom “The Steve Harvey Show” that ran in the 90s. The same Steve that went to go watch Mark Curry do his whole sitcom and then stole everything Mark Curry had…Now Steve got a sitcom where he’s the principal and he wears a suit,” Williams told host Shannon Sharpe on the podcast. “You couldn’t be a movie star,” Williams said of Harvey. “There are 30,000 new scripts in Hollywood every year. Not one of them asked for a country bumpkin Black dude that can’t talk good … and look like Mr. Potato Head. There ain’t none. You have to have range.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1743940036515508366 Students at Lincoln University-Missouri are calling for the president, Dr. John Moseley, to resign after the vice president of student affairs, Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey, reportedly died by suicide after “bullying and severe mistreatment” by the school’s leadership. HBCU Buzz reports that Dr. Candia-Bailey took her own life on January 8 due to distress from being “unsupported, disregarded, and abused after countless attempts to speak out on the bullying and harassment she experienced in her role from President Moseley.” Moseley, a white man, is now facing calls to resign amid protests from the Jefferson City community. He allegedly failed to support Bailey during her “cries for help.” Lincoln University students and alum say Moseley should “no longer be allowed to lead.” Meanwhile, social media users are questioning why a white man was even hired to serve as president of a historically black university (HBCU). The #FireMoseley hashtag is trending on X/Twitter to increase awareness about Dr. Candia-Bailey’s suicide. https://eurweb.com/2024/lus-vp-of-student-affairs-commits-suicide/ The Gospel Spotlight has an exclusive clip of Lionsgate’s exciting new western thriller, “The Night They Came Home,” starring Danny Trejo, Brian Austin Green, Hollywood icon Robert Carradine, and newcomer Charlie N. Townsend as Rufus Buck. “Inspired by true events, “The Night They Came Home” chronicles the ruthless exploits of the Rufus Buck Gang, a group of outlaws who clashed with the Indian Territory of Middle America at the tail end of the 19th century. The combined force of local lawmen and Indian police aim to take down a coldhearted band of fugitives with vengeance on their minds,” per the official synopsis. Watch what happens when Rufus and his gang pull up on a ‘bootlegger’s cabin’ in our preview clip. Directed by Paul G. Volk, the film also stars Tim Abell, Jesse Kove, Kelsey Reinhardt, Kassius Marcil-Green and Charlie N. Townsend. https://youtu.be/0yJE6ErIsY0 In a film review, We Are Movie Geeks noted that “The Night They Came Home” is “one of the few westerns being made these days, and worth checking out for genre aficionados.” “The Night They Came Home” arrives in select theaters, On Demand, and Digital on January 12. https://youtu.be/p2zC-lM5IU4 Kevin Hart says he won’t host the Oscars again because award shows “aren’t comedy-friendly environments anymore,” he said in a new interview. “Whatever little hope you had, I want to destroy it right now. Those gigs aren’t good gigs for comics,” Hart told Sky News. “It’s no shot to the Oscars, no shot to the Globes or anything else. Those just aren’t comedy-friendly environments anymore. I think they got it right one year where it was like just a bunch of personalities acting as the hosts and that’s a nice thing,” he continued. “It’s a collaborative thing, different people get to be responsible for act one, act two, act three, but you know, the days of it being a room for a comic, those days are done,” the comedian explained. In 2019, Hart was tapped to host the 2019 Oscars, but when his old homophobic tweets resurfaced, he stepped down from the gig. "Shout out to those that have cracked the code and done it right early on, you know, the Chris Rock of the world, the Billy Crystals of the world, the girls we’ve had like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler. Ricky Gervais,” Hart said of the slew of comedians who have successfully hosted the Oscars ceremony. The official trailer has dropped for the next installment of National Geographic’s award-winning GENIUS franchise, which focuses on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and how their dueling philosophies helped usher America through the Civil Rights Movement, per the press release. The eight-part series “Genius: MLK/X” will air weekly beginning Feb. 1 on National Geographic at 9/8c and stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. The first episode of the new season, “Graduation,” will simulcast on ABC Feb. 1 at 9/8c. The ensemble cast includes Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Aaron Pierre as Malcolm X, Weruche Opia as Coretta Scott King, and Jayme Lawson as Betty Shabazz. The series also marks one of the last roles for Emmy-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones (“This is Us”). Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Television serve as producers on the series, as well as Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince-Bythewood. Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon are showrunners and executive producers, according to the news release. https://youtu.be/2O2JZ7ZYgYc Ambassador Shabazz (producer, writer, diplomat, and eldest daughter of Dr. Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X Shabazz) served as consulting producer for the series. https://youtu.be/SSwoGIaDn-E A woman (Eboni Marshall Turman) who interviewed for the position of senior pastor at Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City is suing the church and a former chair of the search committee for gender discrimination, court documents show. Turman, an associate professor of theology and African American religion at Yale Divinity School and a former assistant minister at Abyssinian, says the decision not to hire her for the senior pastor position was motivated by gender discrimination, according to a complaint filed in US District Court in the Southern District of New York on December 29. A search committee interviewed Turman and dozens of other candidates for the position following the death of longtime senior pastor Rev. Calvin O. Butts III in 2022, according to the lawsuit. Last September, Turman said she was informed she wasn’t one of the five finalists for the position. All five of the finalists were male, the lawsuit states. https://youtu.be/6be1WtbE5Ys Hollywood Television veteran Mattie C. Caruthers is back with My Sisters and Me, a half-hour comedy about three generations of ageless and vivacious black sisters who must live under the same roof – without killing each other. My Sisters and Me will be released on the YouTube channel beginning Thursday, January 18, 2024. For thirteen (13) weeks, a new 3-minute webisode will be aired. My Sisters and Me is a show about family, love, and relationships, starring renowned actress Ellia English, who plays Ellia the naïve youngest sister, who has lived in the family home since birth and enjoys the quiet and comfortable life she’s made herself. When her bossy older sister Lena, played by Stephanie Spruill, and spoiled middle sister T-Ann, played by T-Ann Snaer, return to the childhood home they love and own together they disrupt Ellia’s quiet life with their shenanigans. https://youtu.be/no_TAJ8fPM8 We got to give props to 2 Black teens out of Gary, Indiana. They’ve accomplished something special. Something very difficult. Meet Abram Lewis, 17, and Khaya Njumbe, 15. What makes these two so special and why we are saluting them is the fact that they’ve already earned their college degrees while still in high school, reports WISH-TV. Yep, let that run through your mind a few times. That’s an extraordinarily big deal, to say the least. Their accomplishment was also celebrated this week in Indianapolis at a Martin Luther King Jr. ceremony attended by Gov. Eric Holcomb, among other state and local dignitaries. Both teenagers will receive a bachelor’s degree this spring. https://youtu.be/q6uze11yfkk Thursday (01-11-24) on “The Talk” Taraji P. Henson got a big surprise meeting artist C5 who recently posted a viral video of him rapping about the Award-winning actress. Moved to tears, she reacts, “I just want to thank you. It’s such a pleasure to meet you. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because, you know, sometimes it’s the fans that get me through. I could be going through a dark moment. They pray for me ya’ll, they make songs for me, for somebody to sit down and write some verses and some bars, that’s real love. And then, you had your baby with you. And that imagery, young man, is very, very powerful. And I said in my post to you, that you are a great representation of what humanity looks like. And the fact that you did that video holding your son means you are passing that down to your child. I ask that God protect you and your family, always, because you are special.” She goes on to joke, “If I was Cookie Lyon baby, you’d be signed!” C5 reacts, “Man, Taraji…thank you for everything you do. I just want to let you know we stand behind you. Keep inspiring and keep talking that talk because we hear you and we’re listening and it’s going in our spirits.” Taraji P. Henson Gets Emotional Over Standing Ovation; Thanks Oprah For Being ‘seen’ and ‘heard.’ https://youtu.be/365SldEFNzI Rihanna is letting the world know about her new collection of Savage X Fenty Valentine’s Day lingerie with a “Savage Confessions. The debut of the Valentine’s Day line for the brand happened yesterday (01-10-24), a month ahead of the romantic day. As you can plainly see from the pics above and below, the entrepreneur/entertainer is teasing, err, posing in a pink low-cut bra, panties, and garter plus sheer tights, all of which are now available to buy online here and/or in a store near you. We’re sure you’re not surprised to learn the sexy snaps were well-received by her fans, with one saying: “This should be album cover cuz it EATS.”Another said: “One thing I can count on is Rih eating the V-day shoot up every year,” while someone else joked: “No more lingerie and focus on the album now.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UR1hzC7hqXE?feature=share Thomas “Nephew Tommy” Miles returns as host of the new “Ready to Love” season, which returns on Friday, January 12 on OWN. This season finds 20 eligible singles exploring romantic connections in Fort Worth, Texas. Per the press release, the dating series explores the real-life romantic rollercoasters of successful Black men and women in their 30s and 40s as they search for authentic relationships. Each week, the series follows along as couples start budding romances with the hopes of turning those into lasting loves, all while navigating a variety of twists and challenges thrown out by Miles. “While some connections might be forming right now, you never know what might be coming around the corner next,” Miles says in a voiceover in the trailer. “It’s about to get tricky up in here.” https://youtu.be/PERU5__SEyU An Ohio woman who suffered a miscarriage and left the nonviable fetus at home will not be criminally charged, a grand jury decided Thursday. Brittany Watts, 34, of Warren, was last year charged with felony abuse of a corpse, Trumbull County court records show. In the days before her September miscarriage, Watts went to a hospital twice with severe bleeding and was told her fetus was not viable, a coroner’s office report states. The hospital staff notified the Warren Police Department, which responded to Watts’ home, the coroner’s office report says. The Grand Jury of the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on Thursday returned a “no bill” for the charge, concluding insufficient evidence for an indictment against Watts, according to the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s office. While the decision means the case is – at least for now – dismissed, a grand jury’s vote against an indictment does not bar prosecutors from attempting to indict someone again at a later time, according to the Ohio ACLU. https://youtu.be/zp8Ck66iZwM CNN has reached out to Watts’ attorney and the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office for comment. “Ms. Watts suffered a tragic and dangerous miscarriage that jeopardized her own life,” her attorney, Traci Timko, told CNN last month. “Rather than focusing on healing physically and emotionally, she was arrested and charged with a felony.” Though a coroner’s office report said the fetus was not viable and had died in the womb, Watts’ case highlights the extent to which prosecutors can charge a woman whose pregnancy has ended – whether by abortion or miscarriage. After the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion, a host of state trigger laws went into effect across the country that placed new restrictions or bans on abortion. In turn, some women carrying fetuses with fatal abnormalities have been barred from having an abortion in their home states. Other women with potentially life-threatening pregnancies have also been unable to get an abortion, as medical exemption clauses can be vague and medical providers fear severe legal consequences. https://eurweb.com/category/news-2/cnn/ The ninety-four-year-old South Carolina woman who was fighting developers over property that’s been in her family since the end of the Civil War has passed away. Josephine Wright caught Tyler Perry’s attention while battling the Town of Hilton Head Island to keep her family property. As we reported previously via CNN, Wright and her late husband, Samuel Wright Sr., moved from New York to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, nearly 30 years ago to seek peace and relaxation on a family-owned property. Wright acquired the deed to the land in 2012 after her husband died in 1998. The beloved land is at the center of a legal battle with a property developer looking to build a residential development next door. According to The Post and Courier, Georgia-based Bailey Point Investment, LLC plans to construct 147 homes. https://youtu.be/oUiy2rKy_3E It’s been speculated that he wouldn’t, but now it’s been confirmed that Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album will NOT attend the 2024 Grammys. A rep for the music mogul says he won’t attend the Feb. 4 show, where he is nominated for his latest album while dealing with sexual assault allegations (which he has denied), the Hollywood Reporter says. The report noted the last time Combs’ music competed at the Grammys was 2004, and Combs, aka Diddy, won best rap performance by a group or duo — his third Grammy — for the thumping hit “Shake Ya Tailfeather,” featuring Nelly and Murphy Lee. The track appeared on the Bad Boys II soundtrack, which Diddy executive produced and released on his Bad Boy label. So, two decades later, his return to the Grammys, with a nomination for best progressive R&B album for his The Love Album: Off the Grid, is a big deal. Unfortunately, as we all too well know, less than a week after this Grammy nomination, singer Cassie lowered the boom and sued Combs, alleging he used his power to subject her to years of sexual and physical violence. Cassie and Combs settled two days later, but more lawsuits from women followed with claims of rape and sexual assault. Diddy/Combs has denied all of the allegations. Black people make up 5.4% of California’s population but accounted for nearly 13% of all traffic stops in 2022. An annual report compiled by California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board for the first time includes data from all the state’s law enforcement agencies, ABC 7 News reports. Nearly 4.6 million vehicle and pedestrian stops were reported by 535 law enforcement agencies in 2022. Twenty-five other departments reported zero stops that year. Hispanic or Latino people accounted for nearly 43% of traffic stops in 2002, while white people accounted for over 32%, per the report. Jess Hilarious is apparently out as the new co-host of “The Breakfast Club” before she officially starts the position. We reported earlier that the comedian was set to replace Angele Yee on the long-running morning radio show alongside Charlamagne Da God and DJ Envy. Jess announced her new gig at an event in her hometown of Baltimore on Dec. 23. On X/Twitter, one user said her addition to the show is “Definitely a good fit.” But now comes word that Jess was allegedly dropped after prematurely announcing the job before contract negotiations had been finalized. Meanwhile, SandraRose.com reports that she was a no-call/no-show on her first day on the job on January 8. https://twitter.com/i/status/1738954540907483617 Charlamage noted that he doesn’t know what’s happening with the search for a third co-host. “I just don’t know what the hell’s going on. I’m not even joking with y’all,” he said. https://www.instagram.com/p/C191x71uR6F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Former NBA star Dwight Howard has been awarded primary custody of his 13-year-old daughter, Layla. Last summer, Howard and his ex, Tiffany Render, reached a child support settlement after he requested a decrease in payments. According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the monthly payments were lowered from $12k to $3k. In his petition over child support, Howard noted, “there has been a significant change” in his income. Howard’s legal filing in family court late last year sought to terminate his $3,000 a-month child support and award him primary custody of Layla. On January 9, the judge agreed and issued a temporary order in the child custody case, Radar reports. The judge also terminated Howard’s child support obligations. https://www.instagram.com/p/CTidaqpHIDw/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ffe1c5e8-1194-4b6c-a831-8db4c70ee10d A judge in New York has ordered former President Donald Trump to pay nearly $400,000 to cover The New York Times' legal fees from a now-dismissed lawsuit he brought against the paper, three of its reporters and his niece. Trump sued the New York Times in 2021, accusing the paper of conspiring with his estranged niece, Mary Trump, to obtain and publish his tax records. New York Judge Robert Reed dismissed the lawsuit against with the Times and its reporters in May 2023, ruling that they were protected under the First Amendment and ordering Trump to cover their legal fees. On Friday, Reed determined that $392,638.69 was "a reasonable value for the legal services rendered," given the complexity of the case and the attorneys involved. (A portion of the lawsuit against Mary Trump was allowed to proceed, and her request to be reimbursed for legal fees was denied in June.) In 2018, New York Times reporters Susanne Craig, David Barstow and Russell Buettner published an investigation into Trump's wealth and taxes, revealing details from tax filings the former president had been unwilling to release publicly, claiming they were under audit. The paper later won a Pulitzer Prize for its reporting. "Today's decision shows that the state's newly amended anti-SLAPP statute can be a powerful force for protecting press freedom," a spokesperson for The New York Times said Friday, referring to a law meant to discourage frivolous defamation cases aimed at silencing defendants. "The court has sent a message to those who want to misuse the judicial system to try to silence journalists." Jonathan Majors responded to backlash over him comparing his girlfriends to late civil rights icon Coretta Scott King. Coretta’s daughter, Dr. Bernice King, seemingly reacted to Majors’ comments about her mother. During his recent interview with “Good Morning America,” the actor said his girlfriend, Meagan Good, “held me down” like Coretta amid his domestic violence trial last month. Majors made similar remarks about how Coretta supported her husband (Martin Luther King Jr.) to his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in a recorded audio that was released during the ex-couple’s domestic violence trial in December. “My mother wasn’t a prop,” Bernice captioned a photo of Coretta on X/Twitter on Jan. 9. “She was a peace advocate before she met my father and was instrumental in him speaking out against the Vietnam War. Please understand…my mama was a force.” https://youtu.be/SAcY8use-oo You can tell Katt Williams put something in the air (besides his medication of choice, of course) when he went full “anybody can get it” during the viral (and that’s grossly understating it) interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay. Now, famed sports journalist Stephen A. Smith appears to have contracted the “let the choppa spray” virus Katt unleashed as the ESPN host, on Wednesday, took time on his show to verbally pulverize his long-time rival, professed MAGA minion Jason Whitlock. During an episode of the Stephen A. Smith Show podcast, Smith addressed Whitlock, who essentially accused him of lying in his memoir, Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes. In Whitlock’s recent column for BlazeTV, he questions if Williams’ interview exposed Smith, which is odd because nothing Katt talked about had anything to do with the renowned sports journalist. Generally, Whitlock reached around the world to connect Williams’ beef with the comedy industry to his own beef with Smith. It just seems like a lot of people are trying to catch second-hand clout from that Club Shay Shay episode. (It’s also worth mentioning that Sharpe doesn’t like Whitlock either.) Anyway, Smith was having none of Whitlock’s wannabe-white nonsense and, after asking for his pastor and loved ones’ “forgiveness and understanding” for what he was about to do, he proceeded to spend the next 40 minutes or so going in on Whitlock. “I mean it from my soul when I say this is the worst human being I’ve ever known,” Smith said. “I don’t know of another human being worse than Jason Whitlock. He is a piece of s–t. He’s the dude that’s going to have a funeral and ain’t going to be no pallbearers.” Smith went as far as to say Whitlock isn’t even worth being called a “roach.” “Because that’s not my name for him,” Smith said. “My name for Jason Whitlock is religiously Cain: C-A–I–N.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1745466546405912616 “There is nothing good about him, absolutely nothing and I challenge anybody that knows anything about him to refute what I’m saying,” Smith continued. The sports commentator also said Whitlock has “napalmed” bridges instead of burning them throughout his career. Smith came with receipts when he referenced a 2015 Deadspin article that reported on numerous ESPN stars not wanting to work with their then-colleague. “While you were on BlazeTV, spewing that bulls–t to people, did you tell ’em that? Did you tell ’em how you stood outside of ‘First Take’ begging me to talk to you?” Smith said about the daily ESPN show he hosts. “Did you tell them that once this same article in Deadspin came out, weeks later, you wrote a lengthy apology to me in an email begging me to forgive you? Pointing out how you were betrayed by this particular writer so you know how I must feel that you betrayed me? Did you tell the folks that? You b—h. Did you tell ’em? You fat piece of s–t.” https://youtu.be/6CZuNuchnqk Lifetime’s six-hour documentary series “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard” about Gypsy Rose Blanchard premieres on Friday, with the first installment airing at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Blanchard, who conspired with an ex-boyfriend to kill her abusive mother in 2015, was released from prison in December 2023 following a 10-year stint in prison. Blanchard, 32, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2016 and was sentenced to a decade in prison as part of a plea deal. Prosecuting attorneys opted to go easy on Gypsy due to the years of abuse she experienced at the hands of her mentally ill mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. In the US, Dee Dee is the most recognized case of Munchausen by Proxy, which Web MD describes as “a psychological disorder marked by attention-seeking behavior by a caregiver through those who are in their care.” “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard” features “unprecedented access to Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy who suffered horrific abuse and made national headlines for her role in her mother’s violent murder. Gypsy’s shocking story has been told by many others but now she is finally ready to tell her truth before she becomes a free woman for the first time in her life,” per Lifetime. https://youtu.be/DodemljI_Q4 Gypsy testified during the murder trial that her mother forced her to undergo multiple unnecessary surgeries and use medical devices, such as a feeding tube, an oxygen tank, and a wheelchair. When asked during the press conference why family or professionals never stepped in and removed her from her mother’s care, Gypsy Rose explained, “I think a big part of it was there was people that had suspicions, family included, but nobody just wants to rock the boat,” she told reporters. “So it wasn’t brought up to other people, it wasn’t talked about. So people kind of kept their suspicious to themselves just for fear of upsetting my mom, and her ultimately pushing them away as friends or whatnot,” she continued. “I think that on the professional standpoint, I think that for those doctors that did have suspicions, I think it all has to do with money, honestly. And that’s just my opinion about it. They were making money off of me, and so I think that, in their profession, I think that that came first.” https://youtu.be/Bc9GdMDTf8g Meekness is not weakness. Consider the bridled horse: Although strong and mighty, it is controlled by the bit placed in its mouth. That’s power under control. (What does that have to do with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? Read on.) Now if a horse gets spooked by a rattlesnake or a loud sudden noise, it will by nature ignore the restriction of the bit, rear up, and perhaps throw its rider in response as a defense mechanism to mitigate the threat of safety. Everyone wants to feel safe, right? In the same way, Dr. King who became a powerhouse in the civil rights movement, trumpeted non-violence with the “bit” of the gospel in his mouth. Like the horse, as a minister, he was restrained by that bit. Now, do you think he was not alarmed and frightened by cross-burnings (the rattle of human “snakes”) or the loud noises of gunfire and bombs? Well of course he was! It’s human nature. I once heard of an account where Dr. King was in a situation where he lowered his head to pray but kept one eye open. Democratic Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett is making a habit out of exposing House Republicans’ hypocrisy in spectacular fashion. And we’re here for it. The latest example came Wednesday just before House Republicans advanced their effort to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for ignoring a subpoena to testify at a deposition last month. In a soundbite that’s going viral, Crockett explained to Republicans why Biden likely didn’t comply with the subpoena. “Let me tell you why nobody wants to talk to y’all behind closed doors – because y’all lie,” Crockett said about House Republicans looking to depose Biden. “That’s just the bottom line.” Crockett said all House Republicans have done in the investigation into Biden is lie and “spin” the truth. “I don’t know how y’all are still standing right now because you should be quite dizzy from all the spinning that you’re constantly doing when it comes to spinning the truth,” Crockett added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1745133692354506794 Later, Crockett responded to South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican, who accused the president’s son of using his “white privilege” to duck out on the deposition last month. “You are the epitome of White privilege” Mace, who is white, said to Biden during his brief attendance at the hearing. “Coming into the Oversight Committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed. What are you afraid of? You have no balls.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1745141842268635634 Following Mace’s comments, the House Oversight Committee’s ranking Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin yielded his time to Crockett, who was ready. “I can’t get over the gentle lady from South Carolina talking about white privilege,” Crockett said about Mace. “It was a spit in the face, at least of mine as a Black woman, for you to talk about what white privilege looks like.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1745153493449781545 This is the legendary tale of O.T. Jackson and the Colorado Black ghost town of Dearfield. O.T. Jackson was born in Oxford, Ohio in 1862. His parents Hezekiah and Virginia Caroline Jackson were former slaves from Virginia who managed to escape the clutches of the Jim Crow South. Although not much is known about O.T.’s parents, who they named their son after says everything you need to know about them. O.T. was named after the great Haitian general François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture. Louverture was one of the most prominent and important leaders of the Haitian Revolution in 1791. The former slave helped lead the Haitian enslaved majority in rebel victories over the planter class and thousands of invading French troops. He was also able, through diplomacy, to keep Spain and England from invading the already ravished nation. Louverture was eventually able to conquer the Spanish side of Hispaniola, uniting the entire island and naming himself the governor, creating the world’s first sovereign Black state. Little did O.T.’s parents know, but naming their son after the Haitian general would guide him for his entire being. Like Toussaint, O.T Jackson was a trailblazer and a pioneer who wanted more for his people. He was also so much more. And as he grew into adulthood so did his legend. In 1882 the 20-year-old Jackson moved to Cleveland where he worked as a waiter and also wrote for the Cleveland Gazette which was at once one of the longest-running Black papers in the United States. Even though his parents gave him a forever idol who lived within his name, Jackson yearned to find his own–insert one Booker T. Washington. Washington had just founded the famous Tuskegee Institute and his teachings were very intriguing to Jackson but polarizing to some. In the late 19th century, Black America was at a crossroads intellectually. Some Blacks believed and followed the teachings of W.E.B Du Bois, and others followed Booker T. Washington. Both were two of the most influential Black men in American history. They each wanted and worked for civil rights for Blacks in America, but had two totally different approaches. (Similar to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.) The shocking revelation of an unsanctioned tunnel under a synagogue in Brooklyn, New York, and the peaceful response by police in the face of violence against them at an apparent crime scene is the latest evidence of a racial double standard, particularly when it comes to policing Black people suspected of doing far less, people critical of the situation said in a series of social media posts. In case you missed it, as many as 12 people rioting at Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in the Crown Heights neighborhood were arrested on Monday after trying to stop an illegal tunnel from being sealed off. Video footage from the incident quickly went viral and showed a violent interaction with responding NYPD officers, including physically pushing law enforcement and flipping over tables in a scene with several dozen people present. https://twitter.com/rawsalerts/status/1744536722078044399?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1744601453791199391%7Ctwgr%5Ea916d34d09f025d5b46aea8c67fb178c03ba5bb3%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4922870%2Ftunnel-illegal-brooklyn-synagogue-chabad-lubavitch-update%2F An online crowdfunding effort to assist a mother whose two young sons died after falling through a Wisconsin pond’s thin ice last week is surging with contributions from people helping to pay for planned funerals and memorials for the elementary school students. People have been rallying around Kiana Sims and the GoFundMe account she created this week just days after her sons – Antwon “Junior” Sims Jr., 6, and Legend Loyal Sims, 8 – died from complications following their fall through an icy pond on Friday after school near the capital city of Madison. According to a Facebook post from The Black Men Coalition of Dane County, Antwon fell through the ice first and Legend tried to save him, ultimately resulting in both of their deaths. They were hospitalized in critical condition shortly afterward, but Legend died Saturday and Anton died Monday. “We are shocked to hear of the events that led to a tragic death – being dropped off by the school bus in front of a retention pond by Wild Woods apt. that had no protection around it,” the Facebook post said in part. https://scontent.forf1-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/416069524_777610804407704_1315059816064503851_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg_p552x414&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=a0818e&_nc_ohc=ZkdSupcJKc8AX_t4PU6&_nc_ht=scontent.forf1-3.fna&oh=00_AfB6zvQIuEoOf_LOkPt3tnzUna1GKS1YI8ucRVaG-jxD7Q&oe=65A544E1 Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced Wednesday that he is ending his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, marking the exit of the most outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary. “It is clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for President of the United States,” he said at a town hall in Windham, New Hampshire, just 10 days before the first-in-the-nation primary. He called it the “right thing for me to do” and promised that he would never “enable Donald Trump to become, to ever be president of the United States again.” Christie’s decision comes on the heels of a new batch of disappointing poll numbers, especially in New Hampshire, where he hoped a less conservative electorate would coalesce around his sharp opposition to Trump, whom he described as “devoid of character.” https://youtu.be/UBoEhlQe6bw?list=RDNSUBoEhlQe6bw A man (Ronnie Long) exonerated and freed after serving 44 years in prison for a crime he did not commit is to receive $25 million in the second-largest wrongful conviction settlement ever, Duke Law School’s Wrongful Conviction Clinic announced. Long, who is Black, was accused of raping a 54-year-old White woman and convicted by an all-White jury of rape and burglary in 1976. Long has now settled a civil lawsuit with the city of Concord and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for a total of $25 million, according to a news release from the clinic. Long’s conviction was vacated in 2020 after “a trickle of post-trial disclosures … unearthed a troubling and striking pattern of deliberate police suppression of material evidence,” US Court of Appeals Judge Stephanie Thacker wrote in the decision. The suppressed evidence, which included semen samples and fingerprints from the crime scene that did not match Long, was deliberately withheld by law enforcement, Thacker said in the filing. https://youtu.be/YT3L8Md_OQM CNN has reached out to the Bureau of Investigation for comment. After Long’s conviction was vacated and he was released from prison on August 27, 2020, he was told he would receive $750,000 in compensation paid out at $50,000 a year, the maximum amount possible under North Carolina law. In 2021, Long told CNN he intended to fight that law. “The amount is wholly inadequate to compensate him after taking away more than 44 years of his liberty,” Lau previously told CNN. The large settlement and the public apology from the city are significant, said James E. Coleman, Jr., the clinic’s director. https://youtu.be/4gIm7j_XmJ4 At least a dozen Jewish students were arrested in Brooklyn, New York, after attempting to interfere with efforts to seal an alleged 50-foot-long tunnel underneath a historic synagogue. On Monday, the secret tunnel was discovered under the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights. A viral video shows law enforcement removing soiled kids’ mattresses from the tunnel. In other clips, children’s products are littered throughout the tunnel — prompting many social media users to suspect the space was being used for child sex trafficking. One clip shows construction crews were met with fierce resistance during tunnel seal efforts. “Upon arrival, officers were informed that a group of individuals unlawfully entered 770 Eastern Parkway by damaging a wall,” a police spokesperson told the Daily Mail. “At this time, it is known that a number of individuals were taken into custody. Charges are pending. No injuries were reported as a result of this incident.” It’s not clear when the tunnel was constructed or for what purpose. The Forward reports that the tunnel was first found in December 2023. https://twitter.com/i/status/1745145562675183966 Multiple arrests were made this week after dozens of Jewish men had a violent confrontation with police and crews during efforts to fill the tunnel. In a statement, chairman Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky called it an act of “vandalism” by “a group of young agitators.” “The Chabad-Lubavitch community is pained by the vandalism of a group of young agitators who damaged the synagogue below Chabad Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway Monday night,” the statement read. “These odious actions will be investigated, and the sanctity of the synagogue will be restored. Our thanks to the NYPD for their professionalism and sensitivity. We are grateful for the outpouring of concern, and for the support of our Chabad-Lubavitch institutions around the world.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1744532117298786482 Several social media users noted how officers at the scene were “gentle” in handling the rowdy students. One X/Twitter user wrote, “Amazing how gentle the NY cops are with these guys. Fixing hats, lifting tarps, moving slowly. The female cop was spacing out and looking into the distance.” “Baby high chairs, strollers and kids sized mattresses,” another commented. “Children and babies were kept there. Why?” Meanwhile, Motti Seligson, Chabad’s Director of Media, also reacted to the arrests. “Some time ago, a group of extremist students, broke through a few walls in adjacent properties to the synagogue at 784-788 Eastern Parkway, to provide them unauthorized access,” Seligson said. “Earlier today, a cement truck was brought in to repair those walls. Those efforts were disrupted by the extremists who broke through the wall to the synagogue, vandalizing the sanctuary, in an effort to preserve their unauthorized access.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1745196495421251700 In the upcoming film “Role Play,” Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo perform roles that defy expectations by offering a thrilling mix of mystery, marriage, and mayhem with an exciting dynamic. Oyelowo, playing Emma’s husband, Dave, emphasizes the depth of trust that the characters must navigate as the plot unfolds. “When we meet them at the beginning of the movie, they’re seven years into this marriage, and they clearly love each other; they love their kids,” he explained. “But things have gotten a little stale, and they’re trying to shake things up slightly.” As Emma’s secret life comes to light, Oyelowo delves into the mindset of his character. “I think you see at the beginning of the film that there’s enough love there, there’s enough dedication to each other, that it’s understandable why he decides to do everything he can to just get to the point where they can have a conversation about the craziness that’s going on.” The actor emphasizes that “Role Play” is not just about saving a marriage but reaching the point where couples can confront life’s challenges. “I think this film is partly about saving his marriage, but also getting to the point where they can go, ‘what’s going on,’ which I think every marriage hits that moment at some point or another,” he said. “Role Play” debuts on Prime video January 12. https://youtu.be/Bv67rkuWoMg Scholar Dr. Eunice Moseley launches book tour for “Journey to Success: A Systematic Review” (Dorrance Publishing) January 19 – November 30, 2024. The book tour will begin at the LibLearnX Book Show to be held January 19 – 22, 2024 at the Baltimore Convention Center (1 West Pratt Street, 21201). The nonfiction book uses experiences by the author overcoming obstacles and adversities to achieve success and supports her life choices with scientific data. The self-help book includes strategies Dr. Eunice has used for her clients at Freelance Associates, a business management and public relations strategy and consulting firm, that has been proven successful. Fani Willis, the Fulton County DA spearheading the Georgia racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and his associates stemming from their actions following the 2020 election, has been subpoenaed to appear as a witness in her lead prosecutor Nathan Wade’s divorce proceedings. https://youtu.be/WawRsmdYsT4 Speaking with Woods she alluded “Things aren’t really all they seem to be with us. And I think that’s going to be a great adventure to take the viewers on.” If you are a fan of shows like the “Power” universe then you should be familiar with Pierce’s work in this genre. Known as detective Williams Bunk on “The Wire,” it’s interesting to see him on the other side of the game. We spoke with Pierce about his experience playing both roles in his career. “As a police officer, I found that most African American police officers became police officers because they wanted to have an impact on their community. This is the other side of that same community. They decide to make a way out of no way,” said Pierce. He goes on to add how he views his character, not seeing him as a criminal. “Now as I’m playing one, it’s hard for me to even say criminal because I don’t look at myself as a criminal. I look at myself as a businessman,” said Pierce. Because he is a businessman. That is even more reason to believe Snaps and Pop are about to step back into their old lifestyle. We’re halfway through the season and like Woods mentioned the show is gearing up to take viewers on an adventure. “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” is streaming now on Starz. https://vimeo.com/900867362 Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s new episode of ALLBLK’s provocative drama series, “Hush,” starring Candiace Dillard Bassett, Joyful Drake, Caryn Ward Ross and TS Madison. “From the therapist looking to write her comeback story and a desperate housewife fighting to save her family to the baller’s wife playing with fire and a street-smart baddie making boss moves, the women of Hush are sexually empowered and driven to succeed no matter the cost. I’m thrilled AllBLK embraced this new twisty, sexy drama about four dynamic women who will stop at nothing to get who and what they want,” series creator and executive producer Angela Burt-Murray previously said when “Hush” was initially announced. The series “follows the story of top marriage and sex therapist, TV personality and best-selling author, Dr. Draya Logan who finds herself entangled in a web of lies, sex and murder that could cost her everything,” per the official synopsis. https://youtu.be/RrpUJWQ0E00 Michael Strahan’s daughter daughter, Isabella Strahan, revealed her brain tumor diagnosis in a new interview on “Good Morning America” on Thursday. People reports that the 19-year-old is undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with a common malignant tumor known as medulloblastoma. “I’m feeling good. Not too bad,” the college student said during the GMA interview with her father by her side. Next month, Isabella will begin chemotherapy at Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center in Durham, North Carolina. “That’s my next step. I’m ready for it to start and be one day closer to being over,” she told GMA co-anchor Robin Roberts. “I’m very excited for this whole process to wrap. But you just have to keep living every day, I think, through the whole thing.” https://youtu.be/5o-z1HVJqoc Samuel L. Jackson is teaming up with Kevin Hart for Peacock’s true crime series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.” According to TheWrap, “Jackson will portray Frank Moten, an underworld kingpin named the “Black Godfather” by the NY tabloids,” the outlet writes. Per Peacock, here’s the official synopsis: “Based on the acclaimed true crime podcast, Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life but an entire city’s destiny. The series follows the heavyweight fight and criminal underground heist that introduced the world to the city dubbed “the Black Mecca,” and the cop and the hustler at the center of it all.” Hart will star in and executive produce the series with Will Packer. A premiere date has not yet been announced. In related news, we reported previously that Hart will be presented with the 25th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on March 24 in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Kamala Harris, the first female, first Black and first Asian-American Vice President of the United States, has been under the spotlight since taking office. The Oakland, California, native entered the vice presidency amid high expectations and unprecedented challenges. With a raging pandemic and the economy in shambles, Harris’ historic 2020 election served as a symbol of hope for Americans across the country. Her advocacy for police reform, healthcare and climate change, struck a resounding cord with voters, but like many political figures, approval ratings for the first female Vice President have fluctuated over time. Initial enthusiasm surrounding her historic achievement gave way to the realities of governing in a complex and polarized political landscape. According to a poll updated by FiveThirtyEight on Jan. 10, around 55.5% of Americans disapprove of Kamala Harris’s performance in office, but some voters are still hopeful that the VP and President Biden can steer America back on track, 37.4% to be exact. However, the duo will have to do a lot of work to build trust with the American people. The approval rating for both Democrats has declined slightly since 2021, according to Gallop. Biden scored a 43% approval rating in 2021. That number has plummeted to 39%. Three years ago, Harris’ approval rating stood at 44%. Today, that number is down to 40%. Currently, Chief Justice John Roberts has the highest approval rating of U.S. government officials with a score of 48%, the poll, which was conducted between Dec. 1 to Dec. 20, noted. Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s new episode of WE tv’s smash hit spinoff series “Life After Lockup.” The third season kicked off Nov. 20 with 16 all-new episodes. Per the official synopsis, “The couples will face plenty of firsts in their new lives together – from new marriages to divorce, new homes to new children, all while living under the challenges of their parole. Possible restrictions abound: early curfews, random check-ins, drug tests, travel prohibitions, consorting with ex-cons combined with the temptations of alcohol and drugs, the stakes have never been higher. Will they stay together and stay out of prison?” In our preview of this week’s episode, with a baby on the way, Justine is upset that Michael’s screwup delayed their move to Las Vegas. https://youtu.be/1G56OzPAiDk “Life After Lockup-Lacey & Shane (Virginia Beach, VI), Lacey and Shane are expecting triplets and Shane has never even changed a diaper! He’s going to have to learn… fast. Will John’s release from jail spoil their new found happiness? Andrea & Lamar (Los Angeles, CA), Lamar enlists Priscilla to keep a secret from her mom, which goes well until Andrea finds out. Tennison fights the pressure from his mom to commit to a Mormon mission and Andrea may be losing the battle to keep her family’s Mormon values strong while living is Los Angeles. New episodes drop weekly on Fridays at 9pm ET / 8pm CT on WEtv. https://youtu.be/usjSteDWOZ0 The first time Leslie Jordan held her son, she didn’t recognize he was her child. “I didn’t know I had delivered. I was just like, ‘Is this my baby?’” Jordan recalled, adding the whole room was crying. Two days after her son’s birth, Jordan said she had a searing headache. She said the pain “felt like someone had set my body on fire, like I was literally burning from the inside out.” Jordan, who is Black, had been diagnosed with preeclampsia during her pregnancy, a blood pressure condition that can cause hypertension and other complications. Jordan said after her delivery she spent days on various pain medications that didn’t numb the excruciating pain. And then she had a stroke. “I was fully paralyzed. I couldn’t really see, walk or talk. I couldn’t move,” Jordan recalled. “I didn’t get a chance to go through postpartum because I had to fight for my life to survive so I could walk and talk and be here today to be a mom to my son.” https://youtu.be/9kpUWaXeMTk Wiz Khalifa wants you to know that he shows up to his son’s parent-teacher conferences high. As Page Six reports, the hip-hop star noted on Wednesday’s podcast episode of “Call Her Daddy” that he is “pretty sure” his 10-year-old son Sebastian “smells like weed” when he goes to school. “Hell yeah. I’m pulling up stoned. They expect it,” he said about attending his son’s parent-teacher conferences. “They know what’s up. It’s not like back in the day [where] you’re considered a bad parent if you smoke weed,” Wiz continued.“I don’t know because I can’t smell it but I’m pretty sure he smells like pot,” he joked. George Clinton will receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star next week. The ceremony will take place at 11:30 AM PT on Jan. 19 in front of the Musicians Institute and will be streamed live on WalkOfFame.com. Guest speakers include Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, and songwriter Janie Bradford. “It feels good as s***,” the Parliament-Funkadelic mastermind tells Rolling Stone of the honor. “I’m trying to think of some jokes to say, but the truth is that I’m proud as hell.” Clinton will receive the 2,769th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard. The music icon will receive his star in the category of Recording. “George is a national treasure,” the Chili Peppers’ Flea tells Rolling Stone. “He is a cosmic light, and I have learned from basking in his glow, again and again. His records are an infinite gift that keep on giving, there is always something new to learn. His music transcends all human boundaries, and it will last forever. I love him.” Recently, it was announced that Hip Hop group NWA will receive the Grammy Life Achievement Award next month. While some are celebrating this honor, one NC activist, Paul Scott, is outraged. Scott, a Durham-based activist and minister is demanding that the Grammys cancel the award. “What exactly is NWA’s lifetime achievement, ” asks Scott, “sadistic misogyny, sending a generation of young Black men to early graves or making it socially acceptable for White America to use the N-word without getting a beatdown?” Scott accuses the group of being responsible for the current state of Hip Hop in 2024. “If there was no NWA, there would be no drill music, ” says Scott. “NWA ushered in an era of terror.” Scott, a Durham-based activist and minister is demanding that the Grammys cancel the award. “What exactly is NWA’s lifetime achievement, ” asks Scott, “sadistic misogyny, sending a generation of young Black men to early graves or making it socially acceptable for White America to use the N-word without getting a beatdown?” Scott accuses the group of being responsible for the current state of Hip Hop in 2024. “If there was no NWA, there would be no drill music, ” says Scott. “NWA ushered in an era of terror.” Also, troubling to Scott is the fact that the Grammy Awards show takes place during Black History Month and follows a year when the world was celebrating the birth of Hip Hop. “The contradiction of honoring one of the pioneers of the birth of Hip Hop (Kool Herc) while at the same time honoring the group that tried to kill the culture is mindboggling, ” says Scott. A community activist who walks through the hoods in his community passing out free Black history books to African American youth, Scott is also concerned about the effect of honoring NWA will have on them, especially the message it is sending young Black girls. Referring to NWA’s song “She Swallowed It,” Scott says, “Before Sexxy Red, NWA was glorifying 14-year-old girls giving head.” This month marks the fourth anniversary of the tragic helicopter crash that took the lives of nine people including Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. In the years since, countless tributes have been created about what he brought to the sport and how much he loved being a father. One aspect of Kobe’s illustrious career that often goes unnoticed is his shrewd business acumen. While Kobe Bryant’s net worth grew immensely during his lifetime, one of his biggest financial successes came, sadly, after he passed away. After his passing, Kobe’s net worth was passed on to his wife, Vanessa Bryant. While Kobe initially intended to end his Nike partnership and launch his own sneaker company before he passed, Vanessa re-upped the contract in 2022 to continue the release of Kobe’s shoes that for fans have become synonymous with the athlete. She’s also used her family’s wealth for philanthropic endeavors to honor Kobe’s legacy. This includes opening a basketball court dedicated to her late husband in Compton’s Wilson Park. In 2022, she was awarded a $16 million settlement from Los Angeles County over unauthorized pictures taken of her husband’s fatal helicopter crash. Vanessa Bryant pledged all of it to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, a charity dedicated to providing children in underserved communities access to sports. Sanaa Lathan will star in and executive produce a drama series about the infamous “psychic” Miss Cleo. The late Miss Cleo, whose real name was Youree Harris, and her psychic hotline were quite a sensation in the 1990s. Miss Cleo called herself a voodoo priestess and regularly appeared on the Psychic Readers Network, where she gained a cult following. She became especially famous for her trademark line “Call me now!” which she uttered with a Jamaican accent. The owners of the Psychic Readers Network were, in 2002, charged by the Federal Trade Commission with defrauding customers who called the company’s 1-900 numbers for paid psychic readings. After the Psychic Readers Network closed shop, Cleo bounced around to various jobs … including voicing a character in the video game, “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.” https://youtu.be/kWjGHVGeXc0 Elon Musk reacted to a tweet Tuesday about the IQ levels of graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The billionaire tech mogul endorsed a tweet suggesting HBCU students shouldn’t become pilots. His stance is linked to a United Airlines program that gives students at three historically Black universities – Hampton University in Virginia, Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, and Delaware State University, the opportunity to train at the United Aviate Academy. In order to diversify the airline’s flight crew, the program aims to increase the pipeline of Black pilots. On X/Twitter, user @eyeslasho noted that the United program is dangerous, writing: “The mean IQ of grads from two of those United Airline HBCU ‘partners’ is about 85 to 90, based on the average SATs at those schools. (The SAT correlates reasonably well with IQ.),” @eyeslasho wrote. “The HBCU IQ averages are within 10 points of the threshold for what is considered ‘borderline intellectual impairment.’” The user added, “I’ll add that IQ is a well-studied and well-known predictor of job performance, especially for quick-processing and mentally-demanding occupations like major airline pilot,” @eyelasho said. https://twitter.com/eyeslasho/status/1744809674229100954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1744821656990675184%7Ctwgr%5Eba2966a7da906494ad6f2b28b663f9e8217b70e3%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Felon-musk-reacts-to-racist-tweet-about-hbcu-graduates%2F Kevin Merida is stepping down as the executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, he announced Tuesday. “Today, with a heavy heart, I announce that I am leaving The Times,” Merida wrote to the staff on Tuesday. “I made the decision in consultation with Patrick, after considerable soul-searching about my career at this stage and how I can best be of value to the profession I love.” Merida’s departure comes after a tenure of less than three years. We reported previously that Merida built a lengthy career in newspapers, including 22 years at the Washington Post before joining ESPN in 2015 to lead the sports culture show “The Undefeated.” He also worked at the Dallas Morning News and Milwaukee Journal. When he joined The Times in 2021, the newspaper’s owners, Patrick and Michele Soon-Shiong, said Merida “possesses a clear understanding of the rigor necessary for independent journalism and how to translate that journalism to multiple platforms.” A former police officer in Virginia was recently sued for the shooting of a Black man in the throes of a mental health crisis more than two years ago. On Jan. 4, 2022, Rice — who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia — was outside of a car dealership wielding an aluminum baseball bat and threatening workers, according to a 911 call reporting the incident. Wilson was among the first responding officers. According to the lawsuit, Wilson “advised” other officers “via radio” that Rice “appeared to be having a mental health crisis.” Rice “never threatened anyone or acted aggressively with the bat,” the lawsuit says. Sgt. Katherine Novak, identified in media reports but not named in the lawsuit, arrived after Wilson called for backup. When Novak approached Rice, the lawsuit says, he “raised the bat and rested it on his right shoulder,” which prompted “one to three of the officers on scene” to draw Taser guns. That’s when Wilson drew his gun and aimed it at Rice, the lawsuit says. Rice “still had not threatened anyone and had not shown any aggression towards officers or bystanders to this point,” the lawsuit says. But when Novak “continued approaching [Rice] and ultimately lunged towards him in an attempt to take the bat,” Rice “moved the bat from one hand to the other before swinging the bat at the sergeant with one hand, striking her in the head,” the lawsuit says. In response, Wilson “fired five shots” at Rice, striking him in his left thigh, right forearm and upper left chest. The lawsuit goes on to claim that Wilson, after shooting Rice, went to check on Novak instead of rendering aid to the person he just shot. Rice, who survived the shooting, was subsequently charged with malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer and trespassing. https://youtu.be/0CtDp52i1s8 Coretta Scott King‘s youngest daughter took to social media to clear up any potential misconceptions one day after disgraced actor Jonathan Majors invoked the name of Dr. Martin Luther King’s widow while addressing his girlfriend’s unwavering support during his recent domestic violence trial. Without mentioning Majors, Dr. Bernice King reminded her hundreds of thousands of followers on social media that Coretta Scott King “wasn’t a prop” and was a civil rights icon in her own right. “She was a peace advocate before she met my father and was instrumental in him speaking out against the Vietnam War,” Bernice King continued. “Please understand…my mama was a force.” For more evidence of those truths, Bernice King referred her followers — and possibly Majors — to a piece she wrote in the HuffPo several years ago with the headline: “A Woman Purposed To Be A King.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is being treated for prostate cancer and suffered complications that led to him being taken to hospital on New Year’s Day where he is still being treated, according to a statement Tuesday from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. https://youtu.be/JgfNpn7GO2g The statement revealed that the cancer was discovered in early December. He underwent a “minimally invasive surgical procedure” on December 22 called a prostatectomy to treat the cancer. “He was under general anesthesia during this procedure. Secretary Austin recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning. His prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent,” the statement read. On January 1, Austin was readmitted to the hospital due to complications “including nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain.” He was found to have a urinary tract infection, the statement said. https://youtu.be/qK8eBbTe-UE Biden was informed by chief of staff Jeff Zients about Austin’s condition Tuesday morning, Kirby said. It’s unclear why Austin did not inform Biden of the diagnosis on Saturday evening when the two talked while Austin was in the hospital. Despite the obfuscation of his diagnosis to the president, Kirby said Biden has “complete confidence” in his defense secretary and plans to keep him in his position through his term, while simultaneously acknowledging the situation was not ideal. “It is not optimal for a situation like this to go as long as it did without the commander in chief knowing about it,” Kirby said. https://youtu.be/mC9fROfQ-Wk The reasons for U.S. Department of Defense Lloyd Austin‘s reported surgery and subsequent hospitalization for which top Pentagon officials were initially unaware have been revealed. Austin, 70, underwent an operation stemming from his prostate cancer diagnosis and then was hospitalized days later after suffering complications during recovery, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder told reporters on Tuesday. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744812981077016597 A wave of criticism on social media has questioned why President Joe Biden was “allowed” to give a speech courting Black voters at the site of a notorious white supremacist massacre while he has also supported the state of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza where thousands of Palestinians, including innocent children, have been killed. Biden denounced the “poison” of white supremacy during his speech Monday at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was interrupted by protesters demanding he push for a ceasefire from the IDF, Israel’s military. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744425156372508900 The RICO trial for rapper Young Thug and five of his YSL associates resumed on Monday as Trontavious Stephens, YSL’s self-proclaimed co-founder took the stand. During Testimony on Monday, prosecutors questioned Stephens about the members’ use of gang signs and if could name three YSL members who allegedly committed crimes. According to FOX 5, Stephens told the court that he counted himself among the three people he was asked to mention who committed crimes for YSL. “Do you contend at this point that somehow you thought you constituted three or more members of Young Slime Life?” the prosecutor asked him. “Yes, I really thought that I could be … I really thought, because I’m in the indictment,” he said. “I’m indicted.” Defense attorneys questioned if Stephens actually co-founded YSL. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744517707196756114 In his testimony last week, Stephen was asked to explain to the court the term “snitching.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1744422098758426992 The RICO trial resumed at the top of the year after being put on hold because one of the defendants was stabbed in jail. The trial began in November after a grueling 10 months of jury selection. https://youtu.be/GSJKTDXuIe0 Residents of Harvey, Illinois, are distraught after a Black man says he was boarded up and locked inside his Chicago suburban apartment without him knowing. According to AP, 73-year-old Rudolph Williams claims his door and windows were boarded up in his apartment while he was still in it. “I didn’t know exactly what was going on,” Rudolph Williams told AP. “What the hell?” On Friday, a crew without logos of company branding on their clothing or vehicles began boarding up units at the complex. There have been conflicting accounts about what happened at the apartment building 30 miles south of Chicago. Residents say no one from the city or property management company warned them about their complex being boarded up. When residents tried to tell the crew that people were still in the building, crew members allegedly ignored them and kept working. “I feel sick,” resident Genevieve Tyler told AP. “I’m still sad.” Former CNN and MSNBC contributors Tiffany Cross, Andrew Gillum, and Angela Rye are assembling to bring more diverse voices to coverage leading up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the trio will host “Native Land Pod,” the flagship show for Reasoned Choice Meda, iHeartMedia’s new political podcast network. Each episode will feature Gillum, a former politician and Tallahassee, Florida mayor; Cross, a TV personality, political analyst, and author; and Rye, a TV host, social justice advocate, lawyer, and commentator, addressing the news of the week through an unfiltered and unflinching lens. Set to launch later this year, Reasoned Choice Media is a joint effort with iHeartMedia and founders Rye, Charlamagne Tha God, and Loud Speakers Podcast Network CEO Chris Morrow. With announcing the arrival of “Native Land Pod,” iHeartPodcast’s president Will Pearson, voiced excitement with seeing the show empower “listeners with new knowledge and diverse perspectives.” https://youtu.be/CsN27C_DQBQ The 39th Annual Artios Awards will take place on Thursday, March 7th in Los Angeles. First held in 1985, the annual awards celebration honors the contributions of casting professionals in more than 20 different categories encompassing film, television (scripted and unscripted), commercials and theatre. Special honorees are selected for their contributions to the craft. Nominees and winners are voted on by members of the Casting Society of America (CSA). Last week (January 4th), CSA announced that acclaimed writer, director and producer Ava Duvernay will be presented with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for career achievement at the event. “Ava DuVernay is a visionary storyteller who has staunchly championed casting professionals and the art of casting throughout her impactful career,” said Destiny Lilly, CSA President. “Her passion for inclusive and progressive casting throughout her career has catapulted careers and made her a leader in the industry. We are thrilled to honor her with the Lynn Stalmaster Award at this year’s ceremony.” “In my film Origin, the process of casting became the primary brushstroke on the canvas. Working with my casting director Aisha Coley to surround our leading lady Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor was a joy and a thrill. Each of the actors in the Origin ensemble are stellar in their experience, energy, intellect and enthusiasm,” said Ava DuVernay. “They are the latest in a series of extraordinary casts that I’ve had the great honor of guiding over the years. To be recognized for those efforts by this esteemed organization is a true gift for which I’m abundantly grateful.” The nominees for the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced on Wednesday morning and it was a good day for one of the announcers. Succession” scored the most television nominations with five, while for films it was “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” each with four. Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani shared the list of nominees via Instagram Live, and he noted that two films Rae appeared in, “Barbie” and “American Fiction,” received nominations. The SAG Awards will stream live globally on Netflix – a first for the show and the streamer – on Saturday, Feb. 24. https://youtu.be/UP3nNDVf1aY The SAG Awards will stream live globally on Netflix – a first for the show and the streamer – on Saturday, Feb. 24. “The Crown” “The Gilded Age” “The Last of Us” “The Morning Show” “Succession” Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series “Abbott Elementary” “Barry” “The Bear” “Only Murders in the Building” “Ted Lasso” https://youtu.be/hOTZ5UkPqTQ The nominees for the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced on Wednesday morningSTUNT ENSEMBLE HONORS Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture “Barbie” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” “John Wick: Chapter 4” “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” https://youtu.be/y6tqQAv7VBw CNN anchor Sara Sidner has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. The beloved journalist shared the distressing news on air Monday, telling viewers, “I have never been sick a day of my life. I don’t smoke, I rarely drink. Breast cancer does not run in my family. And yet here I am with stage 3 breast cancer. It is hard to say out loud.” Sidner noted that stage 3 breast cancer “is not a death sentence anymore for most women.” The anchor is undergoing chemotherapy and plans to have a double mastectomy. “So to all my sisters, Black and white and brown out there, please, for the love of God, get your mammograms every single year,” she said. “Do your self-exams, try to catch it before I did.” https://youtu.be/XSfTQ3ev_Q0 Vivica A. Fox wants you to know she can’t relate to Taraji P. Henson’s experience with pay inequity in Hollywood. During “The Color Purple” promo, Henson has been discussing her ongoing fight for proper compensation. TMZ caught up with Fox in NYC, and the reporter named Henson and Mo’Nique while asking about the pay gap for Black women in Hollywood. “You know, darling, to each his own,” Fox replied in the YouTube. “Do you know what I mean? I’m very happy, very blessed, and to each his own.” https://youtu.be/BRb3KSfP8ls Meanwhile, Henson told THR she’s been “fighting tooth and nail every project to get that same freaking [fee] quote.” “And it’s a slap in the face when people go, ‘Oh girl, you work all the time. You always working.’ Well, goddammit, I have to. It’s not because I wish I could do two movies a year and that’s that. I have to work because the math ain’t mathing,” she added. “And I have bills,” the Oscar winner explained. “Listen, I’ve been doing this for two decades and sometimes I get tired of fighting because I know what I do is bigger than me. I know that the legacy I leave will affect somebody coming up behind me,” Henson continued. “My prayer is that I don’t want these Black girls to have the same fights that me and Viola [Davis], Octavia [Spencer], we out here thugging it out,” she added. “Otherwise, why am I doing this? For my own vanity? There’s no blessing in that. I’ve tried twice to walk away [from the business]. But I can’t, because if I do, how does that help the ones coming up behind me?” https://youtu.be/GUzqD5UcLwo Millions of Catholic devotees flooded the streets of the Philippine capital Tuesday to honor the Black Nazarene, a centuries-old religious tradition that has returned after a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. At least 6 million people jostled along the 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route as the black wooden statue of Jesus Christ was carried from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church in Manila, according to church officials. The procession started before dawn at around 4 a.m. and lasted 15 hours, church officials said. The turnout is comparable to pre-pandemic years but the longest procession on record was in 2012 when the Black Nazarene took 22 hours to arrive at the church. In 1767, the popularity of the icon was recognized by Christian leaders when the Black Nazarene was moved to the Quiapo Church and its devotees followed. Church historian Fr. Emilio Edgardo Quilatan explained that the statue was made of Mesquite wood, which darkens as it ages. ”It is not due to the candles of the devotees or because the ship that carries the image was burnt,” Quilatan told CNN Philippines, dismissing a popular legend about the statue. While this year’s procession was largely peaceful, more than 700 people sought medical attention for wounds, fainting, sprains and vomiting, the Philippine Red Cross said. About 3 million devotees took part in the last pre-pandemic Traslacion procession in 2020, which lasted some 16 hours, according to police. https://youtu.be/vcZ96_X3wdw Gayle King asked Oprah Winfrey about the feud rumors with Taraji P. Henson while on the Golden Globes 2024 red carpet. Winfrey appeared to address a viral video that shows the media mogul seemingly acting shady towards Henson during a promotional appearance at the Empire State Building. Some fans believe there is trouble between the actress and Oprah, and Henson is holding back tears in the controversial TikTok clip. Winfrey, one of the producers of “The Color Purple” movie musical, called the rumors “disturbing.” “It’s so disturbing to me,” Winfrey told King. “Why is my name even in this conversation? Why is my name in this conversation? ‘Cause I have just been the champion for everybody. “The thing that is so upsetting to me is that … something went viral where they’re analyzing us on top of the Empire State Building. We were cold! It was cold,” she continued. “That was the fourth thing we had done that day.” https://www.tiktok.com/@wtgsis/video/7315091915371138350referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Foprah-winfrey-responds-to-disturbing-feud-rumors%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121351166%2C71838018%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7315091915371138350 In a separate conversation with ET on the Golden Globes red carpet, Winfrey addressed the alleged tension with the cast. “I would just like to say about this whole Taraji thing… “People are saying that I was not supporting Taraji. Taraji will tell you herself that I’ve been the greatest champion of this film,” Winfrey Entertainment Tonight on Jan. 7, Vibe reports. Winfrey said she is “Championing not only the behind-the-scenes projection” on the film “but also everything that everybody needed,” she added. “So whenever I heard that there was something that someone needed, I’m not in charge of the budget because that’s Warner Brothers you know that’s the way the studio system works,” Winfrey said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744426962544722019 In an interview with CNN’s Abby Philip, radio personality Charlamagne tha God expressed his frustration with President Joe Biden and called him a ‘sh*tty elected official.’ https://youtu.be/Gk_NhmFemBM On today’s episode of “Tamron Hall,” in a daytime exclusive interview, the multi-talented Teyana Taylor spoke about her incredible career, from the Oscar® buzz surrounding her critically acclaimed role in “A Thousand And One” to her newest project, “The Book Of Clarence.” Taylor opened up about the recognition she has received professionally including the love and praise from icons Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Ava DuVernay, and Regina King. Taylor also discussed the joys and hilarious moments of motherhood with her two daughters, Junie and Rue. Later, Taylor was joined by her co-star RJ Cyler as the pair dished about their new film, “The Book Of Clarence.” The duo shared how their familial chemistry came to life on screen and how the entire cast bonded over meals prepared by Taylor including a Thanksgiving feast. https://youtu.be/PU_FsNOupCo Teyana Taylor gets emotional talking about spending time with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Ava DuVernay and Regina King: “It’s so crazy because they were having the screening and I just happened to be walking in the lobby because I was staying there and the way they loved on me and just embraced me was amazing. You know, I remember around a time when I retired, I would say little things like, ‘We always yell women empowerment, you know, what are we really empowering one another when a brunch is done?’ You know, we show up to these brunches and everybody’s like, ‘Oh, empower women! Women empowerment! Women empowerment!’ And then it’s just like the moment that brunch is over… it’s just not that, you know? So to walk into these rooms, whether it’s on purpose, or by accident, and to be loved on and appreciated and seen and heard, it means a lot. And it is genuine, you know. And it’s from women that I look up to that probably two years ago didn’t even know my name, you know, or who I was. What was crazy with this moment is I was like, ‘Oh my god, like I don’t want to walk up. I don’t want to invade anybody’s personal space’ and it was like Aunjanue was like, ‘OH MY GOD!!! TEYANA!!!’ And I was just really shocked because as badly as I wanted this picture to happen, I wasn’t gonna be the one to ask you know? Because I am the fan at this table so I don’t want to be that person. And I just remember Ava taking out her phone and she’s like, ‘Let’s get this moment for Aunjanue.’ You know what I am saying, it was a moment because I was like, ‘Yea girl! She asked me!’ Like I wanted this moment but I wanted to blend too. Like I’m the newest little diva let me like, blend in and you know,. But it was just amazing.” https://youtu.be/ddQ41ojh8Kk RJ Cyler on the natural chemistry between him and Teyana: “Just raw reality, to be honest. I think throughout the filming process, we got to learn to care for each other, you feel me, just as a cast. And so, in that scene, it was almost just like watching my actual sister, you know, go through something and me not want to let that happen. It’s like that protection of [one another], it became real. So with you watching those screeners, it’s just mutual care.” https://youtu.be/N59lsfdyxEU Teyana Taylor talks about her two girls Junie and Rue: “Yeah, it’s so crazy because earlier today I was on Twitter and saw [Junie] did a whole interview with ET that I didn’t know about on the carpet. It was like, ‘Exclusive! Junie on ET.’ I said, ‘Wait, what?’ Junie is crazy on the red carpet. She did an interview and she’s like ‘I hope my mom gets all of the awards because she’s very talented’ and then she proceeds to say, ‘And I just want to say, I love all of you guys, love my fans, I love my -.’ Honest to God, this is on Instagram. Junie is that girl!” Tamron steps in to ask “What is the lesson you think you’re meant to learn with Junie?” Taylor responds, “You know, having Junie and having Rue has definitely made me spare a few more apologies to my mom. ‘Cause I’m like ‘Girlllll! Girl, girl.’ https://youtu.be/zqAi0PCQ5jA “Country music was in my environment,” said Camille Parker when I asked about her vocal sound which seems to have a Pop/Traditional Country vibe. “My grandfather introduced me (to Country music).” In school, she was introduced to Pop music and there you have a fresh Country sound that is Camille Parker. Parker had just released her “After the Whiskey, Pt. 1” EP when we talked. The music video to the title track, only a month old at the time, had accumulated 14,000 views. “I can diffidently move,” she laughed a little when I asked if she could dance, because in the music video to “After the Whiskey Pt 1” it looks like she can really party. However, she pointed out “I’m inspired by Reba McIntire, even Whitney. I’m following the footsteps of all those women…carrying on Country.” So excited is the Country industry about Camille Parker that she has been invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in February 2024 as Country music’s new artist to watch -out for. Camille has been recognized as the CMT Next Women of Country and was featured on Apple TV’s “My Kind of Country.” Her debut single “The Flame” has over two million streams and it has reached Apple Music’s Top 10 Chart. Ending our talk about the EP, Camille Parker added “’After the Whiskey Pt 1’ came out October 20th (2023), and part two is coming out soon!” https://youtu.be/FRniTYL8SRc Yamaha, the world's largest manufacturer of musical instruments, today announced its lineup of dynamic performances that will energize the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage and the Yamaha booth at The NAMM Show. This three-night, awe-inspiring concert series will evoke the musical passion of all guests who have gathered to celebrate. Performances will begin Thursday, Jan. 25, with Night of Worship featuring the band Take 6, celebrating their 30th Anniversary as a Yamaha Artist, bringing remarkable sounds of live worship music to the stage. On Friday, Jan. 26, Yamaha will present An Evening With, featuring groundbreaking artist Lindsey Stirling. On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage will light up again with American singer Jon McLaughlin & Friends, as he brings his signature blend of pop, rock, and soul sounds front and center for all to enjoy. Throughout the four-day show, attendees can stop by the Yamaha booth and check out performances from Troy Laureta, Justin Klunk, Jay Leonard J, Jason Gianni, Felix Pollard, and a few more special guests. Award-winning producer and director Chris Gero and the Yamaha Artist Relations Group produce the concert series and in-booth performances. “Haven’t we all made some bad choices? Some of us have been flat on our back from making a bad choice, going the wrong way, giving into self-will, or choosing our own way. I’m thankful for the grace and the mercy of God - He always meets us there. When we fail, the enemy whispers in our ear that it’s over, that we’re done, but that isn’t what God says. God says, “my grace is sufficient.” God doesn’t put you on the back burner or on the back pew - He puts you back on the front. There are no second rate citizens in the Kingdom of God. He loves us all the same - saints and sinners. The bible is full of where God has used some broken men.” One of Gospel and Christian music's most iconic voices, Kentucky-born Jason Crabb has been honored with two GRAMMY® Awards and 22 GMA Dove Awards, the latter including nods for Artist, Male Vocalist, and Song of the Year. He is the youngest member inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, and his hometown of Beaver Dam, Kentucky, has paid tribute with a street in his name. Since his first solo release in 2009, he has performed on many of the world's most prestigious stages, such as Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and Billy Graham's final crusade. Crabb's electrifying stage presence, powerhouse vocals, and magnetic personality have endeared him to millions worldwide through extensive personal appearances, media coverage, and social media, including over 20 million views on YouTube. Multi-Grammy Award winning recording artist, Bill Gaither will kicks off the Moments To Remember Tour this Spring, as he brings his multi-award winning group, The Gaither Vocal Band to 16 cities during February, March, April and May. For nearly half a century, Gaither, a multiple Grammy and Dove award winner, has been a musical trailblazer. His reputation as a performer, songwriter and mentor for newly-discovered artists is known world-wide. His beloved series of Homecoming CDs and DVDs continues to top the sales charts and attract an ever-increasing audience. Honors and accolades have flowed his way in bunches, including his most recent Grammy nomination for Best Roots Gospel Album of the Year for the Gaither Vocal Band Shine recording. Taking the stage with Gaither and the Gaither Vocal Band, featuring Wes Hampton, Adam Crabb, Todd Suttles and Reggie Smith, will be popular female vocalist, Ladye Love Smith and talented male vocalist, Gene McDonald, as well as Gaither’s musical entourage, comprised of Kevin Williams, Matthew Holt and Michael Rowsey. The star of “Five Nights at Freddy’s” says a sequel is in the works after the first film’s massive success. The supernatural horror film from Blumhouse is adapted from the popular video game series of the same name. The film follows a troubled security guard (Josh Hutcherson) as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through, per the studio’s press release. https://youtu.be/Z_T0o5uNrlY Hutcherson told Variety that fans can expect a second chapter as “they’re in the process right now of nailing down the story, and they want to get going as soon as possible,” he said. “Obviously, the fans are amazing and die hard. For me to be a part of it was so cool and phenomenal,” Hutcherson added. “We hoped it would connect with audiences,” he continued. “But I don’t think that anybody, even on our side of things, expected it to really connect the way that it did. I’m dying to get back on set. Emma Tammi, our director, was fantastic, and it was such a fun world to play in. I’m excited to see what they are doing next.” In 2021, producer Jason Blum spoke to Collider about the challenges of developing the script for the first film. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ercAQJEXm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kevin Hart’s ex-wife, comedian Torrei Hart, is joining Katt Williams on multiple dates for his upcoming The Dark Matter Tour. “Come see me live with my good friend [Katt Williams] on the Dark Matter Tour,” Torrei, who shares two children with Hart, captioned a photo of herself with Katt in a post on Instagram. Torrei will be performing in Charlotte on Jan. 27, Orlando on Feb. 2, and Tampa on Feb. 3., and additional dates will be added soon, she said. Several social media users called Williams messy for inviting Torrei on tour with him, especially after he described Kevin as an “industry plant” during his viral interview with Shannon Sharpe on the Club Shay Shay podcast. “In fifteen years in Hollywood, no one in Hollywood has a memory of going to a sold-out Kevin Hart show, there being a line for him, [him] ever getting a standing ovation at any comedy club,” Williams told Sharpe, Complex reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/C13L-YXJA9W/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7fa6f2ca-4635-4f58-8222-7a3a1600f250 “He already had his deals when he got here,” the funnyman added. “Have we heard of a comedian that came to LA and in his first year in LA, he had his own sitcom on network television? And had his own movie called ‘Soul Plane’ that he was leading? No, we’ve never heard of that before that person or since that person.” Williams continued, “He just did his documentary with Chris Rock where he shows you that his whole upbringing in comedy was on the East Coast. So how, simultaneously, was he here in Los Angeles doing the same thing?” In response to his remarks, Hart urged Williams to “get that anger up [out you], champ. https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs A Las Vegas judge has ordered rapper Blueface to pay $1 million in interest and $13 million in damages to the strip club where a shooting occurred in 2022. As TMZ reports, the troubled hip-hop star (whose real name is Johnathan Porter) was allegedly involved in a shooting outside the now-shuttered Euphoric Gentleman’s Club in October 2022. We reported previously that Blueface was arrested on Nov. 15, 2022, for the shooting that took place on Oct. 8, near Sunset Rd. and S. Las Vegas Blvd. In viral video of his arrest, his ex-girlfriend, Chrisean Rock, could be heard saying, “It’s okay daddy!” And “Can I at least get my money?” The “Thotiana” rapper was arrested on charges of felony attempted murder with the use of a deadly firearm or tear gas. As XXL reports, Blueface’s team got into a physical altercation inside the club with the shooting victim, Kentabius Traylor. The drama ultimately spilled outside the venue, where Blueface allegedly pulled out a gun and shot at Traylor’s vehicle, striking his hand. https://www.instagram.com/p/ClAHYESJxPu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Danielle Brooks says filming the violent arrest scene in “The Color Purple” movie musical “really took a toll” on her physical well-being. “Because I ended up having to do that scene over the course of two days for multiple hours a day, and it pulled my back out,” the 34-year-old actress explained in an interview with IndieWire. “Swinging back and forth trying to get the mob off of me. Of course, we have an incredible stage combat leader [stunt coordinator Mark Hicks] and his crew were fabulous, but doing it over and over, that really took me out, where I had to do physical therapy and go to the chiropractor for a few weeks to recover while still having to work,” Brooks added. https://www.instagram.com/p/C17OuVwrs9o/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9080e14c-2350-4c22-a193-d78cbf9e3b9e The new project reunites Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Quincy Jones as executive producers (from the original 1985 film) on director Blitz Bazawule’s new feature. Variety reports that the Warner Bros. movie musical is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical by Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. We reported earlier that Spielberg’s 1985 film, which is not a musical, reportedly grossed $142 million against a budget of $15 million. The beloved drama feature has a 73% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and 94% from audiences. https://youtu.be/wPwzBUui1GA A Las Vegas judge set bail at $750,000 for Tupac Shakur murder suspect Duane “Keefe D” Davis, who was arrested in September in connection with the 1996 murder of the rapper. Davis has been housed at Clark County Detention Center since his arrest after his wife’s Henderson home was searched in July as part of the ongoing investigation into the shooting. Shakur was shot and killed while leaving a boxing match on the Las Vegas Strip. His untimely death – the rapper was just 25 – has been the subject of conspiracy theories and a decades-long investigation. The former Compton Crips gang leader will be released on strict house arrest if he makes bail. Tupac’s stepbrother, Mopreme Shakur, previously said news of Davis’ arrest is “bittersweet.” https://youtu.be/s2Q47BHZLQc Kelly Price called out the “disgusting and despicable” gospel community as well as her fellow Sunday Best judges, some of whom she claims are adulterers and pedophiles. According to Vibe, it started when an Instagram follower wrote, “I was going to say, is this ‘Sunday Best’ judge, gospel singing Kelly Price??? Phewwww! Lord deliver.” The R&B singer responded, “Yes Lord, deliver us from pastor hoes and pedophiles”, Price wrote, according to a screenshot obtained by That Grape Juice. “The nerve you have. I was the only artist/judge on Sunday Best that wasn’t f**kin’ someone else’s spouse, fornicating, or messing with kids and boys but you have smoke for me? FOH you ignorant, church going brain dead a**hole.” The BET reality competition series “Sunday Best” featured a series of A-list judges searching for the best-undiscovered gospel talent in America. The judges included gospel singers Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary, Bebe Winans & Cece Winans. Gospel singer Kim Burrell served as the on-screen mentor. “Sunday Best” ran from 2009-2020 and was hosted by Kirk Franklin. “I’m one of the very few artists who have been able to record and tour with both gospel and R&B artists, and the lives that are lived by the people that you worship are despicable and disgusting,” Price said in an Instagram Live video. https://youtu.be/qXMpkjcKIZw Netflix has released images of Regina King as political trailblazer Shirley Chisholm in the upcoming new film, “Shirley.” The film chronicles Chisholm’s groundbreaking run for president of the United States. Per Tudum, here’s the synopsis: “In 1972, Chisholm became the first Black candidate to seek a major party’s nomination for president. But she was already a pioneer: In 1968, the Brooklyn native made history as the first Black woman elected to the US Congress. Written and directed by John Ridley (also an Oscar winner for his 12 Years a Slave screenplay), Shirley tells Chisholm’s inspirational story.” Chisholm, who died at age 80 in 2005, represented New York’s 12th district from 1969 to 1983. According to a release from Netflix, “Shirley” chronicles Chisholm’s “audacious, boundary-breaking 1972 presidential campaign.” https://youtu.be/0MFdNTryTdg The 94-year-old Hilton Head Island woman who made headlines with her legal battle to keep her family’s ancestral land has died. Josephine Wright died “surrounded by family, loved ones, and prayers” on January 7, according to an update her family posted on their GoFundMe page. “It is with heavy hearts that the Wright Family announces the passing of our beloved matriarch, Mrs. Josephine Wright, who peacefully transitioned on January 7, 2024, surrounded by family, loved ones, and prayers. Her legacy as a pillar of strength, wisdom, and commitment to justice will forever remain etched in our hearts,” Wright’s granddaughter, Charise Graves, wrote on the fundraiser page. The family has used the page to communicate with the public for nearly a year since Wright’s legal battle with a property developer gained widespread attention. Georgia-based real estate developer, Bailey Point Investment, LLC, had wanted to construct a residential development next to the 1.8-acre parcel of land that had been in Wright’s husband’s family since the Civil War. https://youtu.be/qLPBCd2jQ3E Bailey Point sued Wright in February 2023 claiming her satellite dish, shed, and screened-in porch were encroaching on the developer’s land and delaying the construction of new homes. Wright remained committed to protecting her property, filing multiple counterclaims, and accusing the developer of harassing her and trashing her property. “I want to be left alone,” Wright told CNN in July. “I want to live on my property as I have always in peace and quiet.” Media mogul Tyler Perry, who had been a fierce champion of Wright in her fight against developers, said he was “heartbroken” to learn of her death in a tribute on Instagram. https://youtu.be/Ej07FuUZ2Zc “Ms. Josephine Wright, even though we spoke by phone, I was so looking forward to meeting you in person next month to hand you the keys to your new house, but God had other plans,” Perry said. Wright’s family revealed late last year on their GoFundMe page that Perry was helping after a tree fell and severely damaged her home. https://youtu.be/q3ciocbMY_g “Your 4 children, 40 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren will still be able to gather at YOUR house on YOUR land and tell the world what kind of fighter that you were. You have run your race and fought an incredible fight! Journey well my dear lady. You have inspired me,” Perry wrote. Wright’s funeral will be held on January 13 at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Hilton Head Island. https://youtu.be/2IVtjqxLs7Y The Tubman Till Foundation will present The First Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Harvest of The Dream Celebration on Monday, January 15, 2024, at 6pm at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, located at 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, CA 92886. Tickets ($125), sponsorships, souvenir magazine ads, and a GoFundMe campaign info are posted on TubmanTillFoundation.org. Dr. Eric J. Chambers, the foundation’s founder and president, is the visionary behind this event. “The purpose of this black-tie gala is to honor Dr. King’s life, legacy, and dream,” he said. Proceeds will go towards the development of the Tubman Till Museum and Media Center, which will tell the stories of heroes and sheroes, past and present, including Harriet Tubman, Emmett Louis Till, and Mrs. Mamie Till Mobley, who was Dr. Chambers’ surrogate grandmother. “I loved Mrs. Mobley and I’m still in awe that I spoke at her funeral. It was my greatest professional honor,” he exclaimed. “She was her mother’s only child, and Emmett was her only child. This is my way of making sure the world never forgets them. She was a brave woman and vital to the Civil Rights movement.” Water has often been a symbol of freedom, tranquility and recreation. However, for Black communities, water is connected to a troubled history of barriers, stemming from systemic racism, exclusion and limited access to pools and swimming education. According to a 2017 study conducted by the USA Swimming Foundation, 70 percent of African Americans do not know how to swim. The startling number is intertwined with America’s dark history of segregation. When recreational swimming became popular in the 1920s and ’30s, segregation prevented many Black families from learning the vital skill as a large portion of public pools were placed in white neighborhoods. The History Of American Swimming Pools. Segregation perpetuated the swimming stereotype in the Black community. Public pools and beaches were segregated, with Black communities often denied entry or relegated to poorly maintained facilities, if any at all. Denied access to proper swimming education, many Black individuals never had the opportunity to learn how to swim which perpetuated a cycle of limited water safety knowledge within the community. The site where rapper and producer Ye had plans to build his Christian school Donda Academy is reportedly deteriorating, according to some publications. In March 2023, the Grammy Award winner purchased the $1.5 million plot that was once home to Cornerstone Christian Church in Northridge, Los Angeles. The Chicago native reportedly had plans to move Donda Academy into the ranch style property, but community members petitioned against the hip-hop star’s proposal. Now, it’s unclear if Ye is moving forward with his vision for the school. In photos obtained by the Sun Dec. 19, the rapper’s property appeared to be crumbling and showed no signs of construction. The windows of the distressed building were boarded up with large planks of wood and debris was scattered outside of the former Church, according to the photos. “In one photograph, a blue trash bin was full to the rim with garbage situated near the gravel driveway,” the outlet noted. Neighbors who live nearby the seemingly abandoned building have also complained about the property’s lack of upkeep. “I had no idea Kanye bought it but … it’s not a good look for the neighborhood, he needs to clean it up, you don’t want a bum breaking in and living there,” one community member allegedly told the Sun. “I see someone come and check the property every few weeks to make sure it’s OK, but they haven’t done anything to it, it’s been empty for months,” another neighbor claimed. Speculation about the status of Ye’s troubled Donda Academy came just one week before the rapper apologized to the Jewish community for his long history of antisemitism. “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions,” Ye penned in Hebrew in a since-deleted Instagram post. “It was not my intention to offend or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused.” https://twitter.com/HipHopDX/status/1737611636113072245/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1737611636113072245%7Ctwgr%5E2360377e6c092438359318be740198c7b4cd743e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4285205%2Fkanye-west-donda-academy-los-angeles%2F The statement came just two weeks after the rapper was filmed making antisemitic remarks during a promo event for his upcoming album Vultures in Las Vegas. https://youtu.be/HUIK06tgEGg Today, Urban One announced that GRAMMY™ and EMMY Award-winning singer, OSCAR®-nominated actress and legendary Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige will be recognized as the prestigious Entertainment Icon Honoree at “URBAN ONE HONORS.” The two-hour “URBAN ONE HONORS: Best in Black” event premieres during Black History Month on Sunday, February 25, 2024 at 8p/7c, on TV One and simulcast on CLEO TV. Blige joins previously announced esteemed honorees: Dionne Warwick, recognized as the Lifetime Achievement Honoree; Chlöe, celebrated as the Generation Next Honoree; Frankie Beverly, honored as a Living Legend, and Donald Lawrence, acclaimed for his Inspirational Impact. Teyana Taylor, Bebe Winans, Damon Little, Angie Stone, October London, alongside a reunion featuring KeKe Wyatt, Chanté Moore, and Nicci Gilbert (cast of R&B Divas) round out the star-studded lineup of performers and presenters. GRAMMY™ Award-winning singer and actress LeToya Luckett returns to host the event’s “Backstage Pass,” featuring exclusive interviews with the show’s honorees, performers, and presenters. https://vimeo.com/901159804/faa3db2714?share=copy Lifetime’s newest explosive docuseries Prison Brides follows seven women from around the world who believe they have found their soulmates in the most unexpected of places, American prisons. While they started off as prison pen pals, these women fell hard and found themselves willing to risk it all for love. The docuseries follows the women as they travel from their homes—many visiting the United States for the first time—to meet their prisoner fiancés, husbands, or partners, to chart their futures together. With the couples facing harsh judgment from friends, family and strangers, the women grapple with uncertainty and their ultimate decision to risk it all for true love. Prison Brides is produced for Lifetime by the UK’s Big Little Fish. Executive producers include Mark Procter and Peter Usher. Jack Tarantino showruns. Brie Miranda Bryant, Jonathan Partridge, and Nicole Vogel executive produce for Lifetime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fL0gTaSr7s Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina said Sunday that President Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign isn’t breaking through the “MAGA wall.” “I have no problem with the Biden administration and what it has done. My problem is we have not been able to break through that MAGA wall to get to people to know exactly what this president has done,” Clyburn said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” His comments come just days after Biden kicked off his 2024 campaign with an impassioned argument that GOP frontrunner former president Donald Trump could destroy American democracy. “Donald Trump’s campaign is about him, not America. Not you. Donald Trump’s campaign is obsessed with the past, not the future. He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy, put himself in power,” Biden said. While polling has shown that democracy itself is a central issue for Americans ahead of November’s election, Biden still faces stubbornly low approval ratings, persistent questions and concerns about his ability to serve another term; and diminished support from some key components of his winning coalition from 2020. Watch New York Times best-selling author, Mike Todd, make SHERRI SHOW debut. Pastor Mike Todd brings his inspiring tips to be your best in 2024! https://youtu.be/NbA8YnMnCG4 Ja’Niece McCullough, the daughter of late comedy great Bernie Mac, is speaking out about the remarks Katt Williams made about her father during his interview on the Club Shay Shay podcast. During the episode, Williams claimed that Steve Harvey “hated” Bernie Mac and tried to steal Bernie’s role in the film “Oceans 11.” Veteran radio host Ed Lover co-signed Katt’s remarks during the Jan. 5 episode of his C’Mon Son! podcast. “The stuff that Katt Williams said about Steve Harvey calling to try to get Bernie’s role on Oceans 11, and that kind of stuff? Bernie told me out of his own mouth,” Ed Lover said. “I believe Bernie Mac when he said Steve Harvey hated on him.” In a video shared on social media, McCullough said… “I don’t know Katt Williams; [I] never met him. That’s one person I never did get to meet when my dad was alive, but from everything I’ve ever heard my dad, you know, say, he’s always seemed like a stand-up dude.” https://youtu.be/V9orq-KUZgA McCullough also called Katt’s conversation on Club Shay Shay “genuine.” “There are some people who have given my dad his flowers now that he’s dead that I’m looking at like, ‘Now, you know doggone well you wasn’t doing that when he was alive.’ And that’s not just famous people, just people all across the board,” she added. “I just really appreciate what I believe [is] genuine love and respect that Katt Williams showed my father,” McCollough continued. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1uzU_Vvwv4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s media company, Westbrook, has reportedly struggled to land steaming deals and prominent financial backers following the infamous Oscars slap in 2022. Westbrook’s revenue fell to $100 million last year, forcing the company to lay off half of their employees, according to Semafor. Several of the company’s existing partners allegedly decided not to renew their contracts with Westbrook. Additionally, the Smiths are looking for a new home for Jada’s Emmy-winning Red Table Talk series after Meta dropped it from the Facebook Watch lineup. After the Oscar slap, Westbrook has been forced to scale back its large ambitions, Semafor reports. Wondering what ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon has been up to since his firing from the outlet, we’ve got the answer. Today he announced a deal with X/Twitter. “I’ve heard you… and today I am back bigger, bolder, freer!,” said Lemon. “My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show. It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening. And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free speech in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.” It was back in April of last year that Lemon was shown the door (via a telephone call) after 17 years at the network. One of the reasons he was let go, it’s speculated, was because in February he said that called Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley past “her prime.” As far as landing at another news network, either none of them want him or he isn’t interested in them. That’s where X, formerly Twitter, comes in. Elon Musk, who bought the site in 2022 has been a proponent of free speech on the website, as long as it benefits him, we might add. It seems Lemon is going to somewhat follow the trail/path laid down at X by another high-profile anchor who was given the boot by Fox. Yes, we’re referring to Tucker Carlson, who was fired the same day as Lemon. He went and launched a show on the social media platform titled “Tucker on X” in June of last year. The point is, given that Lemon is known for speaking his mind and saying things that the major news outlets find a little too dicey, Elon Musk’s X looks like the right place for him. Musk also welcomed Lemon to the platform on Tuesday with several posts. https://youtu.be/gRiO89UNzYg?list=RDNSgRiO89UNzYg Britain’s police chief says policing in the UK is “institutionally racist.” Gavin Stephens, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), calls for reforms of national policies to eliminate discrimination. Stephens told The Guardian that Black people disproportionately experience excessive use of force by officers, and an overhaul of policing practices across the country is necessary in tackling the issue. “It’s a leadership responsibility for us to describe to them what it (institutional racism) means and what it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean that all police officers are racist,” Stephens said. https://t.co/cOUP4V3F7v Mark Cuban and Elon Musk are sparring over their differing positions on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As Forbes reports, Musk called the fellow billionaire a “racist” in a series of tweets on X/Twitter, for Cuban’s public support of DEI programs. Musk suggests Cuban’s approval of DEI in the workforce is due to his “ridiculous overcompensation regarding racism” and “if mental gymnastics were an Olympic sport, Mark Cuban would be a perfect 10.” The Tesla CEO also proposed a UFC-style cage match between himself and Cuban. “Discrimination on the basis of race, which DEI does, is literally the definition of racism,” Musk, the owner of X, noted on the platform. https://twitter.com/mcuban/status/1742690628465484204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1742690628465484204%7Ctwgr%5Ec6b5253efe956e84b583e06089f65f11b62f5c23%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Felon-musk-calls-mark-cuban-racist%2F Draymond Green spoke about his indefinite suspension on “The Draymond Green Show” podcast. Green was suspended indefinitely following an on-court altercation in December. The 33-year-old was ejected during his team’s 119-116 defeat to the Phoenix Suns. During the third quarter, while being guarded by the center, Green spun around and struck Sun’s player Jusuf Nurkić in the face with his right arm, dropping him to the ground. The officials reviewed the incident and deemed it a flagrant 2 foul, which resulted in an automatic ejection from the game. The Golden State Warriors star kicked the new year off by breaking his silence about the incident. As The Blast reports, Green noted that he’s considering retirement. https://youtu.be/yDY-p-f6xog Comedian Gary Owen claims he made more money as a celebrity contestant on Deray Davis’s “Hip Hop Squares” than he did doing voiceover work on Steve Harvey’s former TV show. In the clip above, “Gary says he made 4 times more cash doing 3 episodes of ‘Squares’ than he did doing 2 weeks at SH’s operation!!!” per TMZ. His remarks come after Katt Williams’ bombshell “Club Shay Shay” interview, during which he noted that Owen hasn’t been able to reach crossover success because he hasn’t joined the Illuminati. Katt’s comments prompted Owen to recall his work on Harvey’s TV show, which Kelly Clarkson’s daytime talker replaced. Owen explained on his podcast that he hoped to partner with Harvey but ended up tucked away backstage doing voiceovers for the show. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2024-01-08-010824-gary-owen-1754006-814/ Owen also co-signed Katt’s negative comments about the energy that Rickey Smiley brought during the filming of “Friday After Next.” Additionally, Owen said he was sexually propositioned by a Hollywood executive linked to the MeToo movement. https://twitter.com/i/status/1742671901523059111 “I’ve been in an awkward situation one time. I can’t say 100% that this person was trying to get me to do something, a casting couch-type deal, but it felt like it,” he explained on his podcast. “I was like ‘is this that point where I’ve always heard would you suck a dick for a million dollars.’ I was in this room saying I’m about to answer this question and the answer was no.” Owen added, “I can’t say this is 100% that’s where this was going but it felt like it. You gotta be in the room to feel it and I was like this dude is really coming on to me. He will remain nameless but he was feeling me out. I made it very clear I like women.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1742672150568313040 The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and the GRAMMY Museum® have announced a year-long collaborative program to spotlight the intersectionality between music and content created for film, television, and multimedia platforms. This innovative initiative will be held at the GRAMMY Museum’s state-of-the-art facilities, in downtown Los Angeles at LA Live, designed to celebrate the fusion of music and storytelling. The program event will offer various activities, including live musical performances, panel discussions, educational clinics, and inspiring Ted Talk-style lectures. It will bring together luminaries and entertainment, advertising, and marketing experts. The goal is to raise awareness of music’s pivotal role in shaping the narratives that influence audiences worldwide. “So many people are unaware of the role that music plays in so many of the things that we see and do each day,” says AAFCA Co-Founder Gil Robertson. “Through our partnership with the GRAMMY Museum, our goal is to highlight how music functions to tell stories that influence people around the world. Music is an essential driver in storytelling that has the power to either deepen or elevate the impact of a project’s core messages.” If you ever have wondered why some of the most talented people never get their chance to shine, it might be because that person refused to compromise themselves on the way to the spotlight. That Katt Williams interview on Shannon Sharpe’s Shay Shay podcast is being called one of the best, because it (seemed to be) unedited, authentic, and answered a lot of questions about what goes on in the entertainment industry behind the curtain. However, Sharpe is being criticized by some for not asking follow-up questions. https://youtu.be/XpIzJ8TzLRk Former first lady Michelle Obama said she’s “terrified” about the potential outcome of the 2024 election, listing November’s presidential contest as among the fears that keep her awake at night, in a podcast interview released Monday. “What’s going to happen in this next election? I’m terrified about what could happen because our leaders matter. Who we select, who speaks for us, who holds that bully pulpit, it affects us in ways sometimes I think people take for granted,” Obama told Jay Shetty on his podcast “On Purpose.” “The fact that people think that government — ‘eh, does it even do anything?’ — and I’m like ‘Oh my God, does the government do everything for us, and we cannot take this democracy for granted.’ And I worry sometimes that we do. Those are the things that keep me up,” she said. Her comments come as President Joe Biden begins to ramp up his reelection campaign, narrowing in on a message that democracy is on the ballot this year. https://youtu.be/B22CeTL353s Still, many Democrats have expressed concern that his message isn’t resonating, pointing to polls showing him in a close contest with former President Donald Trump. In the interview, the former first lady listed several other items that worry her, including: “Are people going to vote, and why aren’t people voting?” “Those are the things that keep me up because you don’t have control over them. And you wonder: ‘Where are we in this? Where are our hearts?’” she said. Later, Obama suggested there was a double standard when it came to Trump’s legal entanglements and what might happen if a similar predicament befell a Black man. “The bars are different for people in life. That I’ve learned,” she said. https://youtu.be/X2vNGwMCw-M The man who was captured on viral video attacking a female judge in Nevada was sentenced this week by the same judge for a separate battery case. Clark County Judge Mary Kay Holthus sentenced 30-year-old Deobra Redden to 19 months to four years in prison after he was charged with attempted battery with substantial bodily harm, CNN reports. We reported previously that Judge Holthus was attacked in the courtroom during a sentencing hearing on Jan. 3. Redden managed to jump high over the judge’s bench to assault Holthus after she denied his bail and began to sentence him to jail. But before she could finish, Redden rushes towards her, jumps over her bench, and attacks her. The judge falls to the ground, and district court Marshalls jump in to try and stop Redden. They struggle to contain him for a few seconds before the video ends. Holthus said she planned to impose the same prison sentence of 19-48 months in prison before Redden’s aggressive confrontation in court last week. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744463058783887624 Oprah Winfrey has shut down rumors that she and Taraji P. Henson are feuding amid the release of “The Color Purple.” Winfrey appeared to address a viral video that shows the media mogul seemingly acting shady towards Henson. Some fans believe the actress is holding back tears in the TikTok clip. “I would just like to say about this whole Taraji thing… “People are saying that I was not supporting Taraji. Taraji will tell you herself that I’ve been the greatest champion of this film,” Winfrey Entertainment Tonight on Sunday (Jan. 7) at the 2024 Golden Globes, Vibe reports. Winfrey said she is “Championing not only the behind-the-scenes projection” on the film “but also everything that everybody needed,” she added. “So whenever I heard that there was something that someone needed, I’m not in charge of the budget because that’s Warner Brothers you know that’s the way the studio system works,” Winfrey said. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/52628a888863c7fe6f0af7d6e354a36f/659e18e7/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-pve-0068-tx/oUAxDEnlSEdgaRrIwA1fBFLhUDIfEGQvLccOig/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=3220&bt=1610&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=4bBsyMzm8Zmo0-qQG94jVOxZdpWrKsd.&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=NmRlZTs3PGU0Njs7NzY6OEBpMzh2N3E5cjo5cDMzZzczNEBfMGI2LS1gXy0xYF5hYGFhYSNkcDVlMmRjbC9gLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=202401092210112A5C8EB83B689A124159&btag=e00090000 50 Cent has weighed in on Terrence Howard’s legal battle against his talent agency. Howard claims racism as a factor in a lawsuit accusing CAA (Creative Arts Agency) of lowballing his “Empire” pay. The complaint alleges the agency prioritized their interests, and that of Fox and the show’s producers (including Lee Daniels) over his own, Variety reports. Per the outlet, Howard’s “complaint does not cite a specific dollar amount for damages but it does seek compensatory and punitive damages.” “Not only did it become abundantly clear that his agents led him on a path to rely on information that was misleading, he discovered that this was the result of the fact that CAA was not acting in his best interest, but in the in interest of their own financial benefit as well as the interest of the Production Companies and the producers, Daniels and Strong,” the complaint states, according to Variety. Howard claims he averaged $325,000 per episode for “Empire,” but the salary was less than some of his peers paid. The lawsuit names Jon Hamm, who earned around $500,000 an episode for the show “Mad Men,” and Kevin Spacey bagged the same amount for his leading role in “House of Cards.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1shwreOUBn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jonathan Majors claims his girlfriend, actress Meagan Good, “held me down” like Coretta Scott King amid his domestic violence trial last month. Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment against his ex, Grace Jabbari, and he’s speaking out for the first time about the high-profile trial in a new interview with GMA. “She’s an angel,” he said of Good, whom he began dating last May after his arrest for allegedly assaulting Jabbari in March. Majors said Good has since “held me down like a Coretta [Scott King].” “I’m so blessed to have her. The relationship is still fresh. I think I found her,” he added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744355502039916806 Majors made similar remarks to Jabbari in a recorded audio that was released amid the ex-couple’s domestic violence trial in December. “How dare you come home drunk and disturb the peace of our house when we have a plan,” the “Creed III” star is heard telling Jabbari in a conversation that reportedly took place months before Majors allegedly assaulted her in the backseat of a car in New York City. “I would like to get to the point where your friends know what job I’m on and go, ‘I think Grace is gonna be out of commission,'” he continued.“Do you understand that?” Majors asked. “‘Cause that team, that unit, right? Grace has to be in a certain mindset.” He continued, “Coretta Scott King. You know who that is? That’s Martin Luther King’s wife. Michelle Obama, Barack Obama’s wife.” Majors is facing up to a year behind bars. His sentencing is scheduled for February 6. https://twitter.com/i/status/1744355925551423613 As soon as the NFL’s regular season ends, all eyes are usually turned on Black Monday — the first Monday after the regular season ends. Coaches whose teams didn’t perform impressively during the season have reason to dread Black Monday. It’s the day traditionally set aside to fire underperforming coaches. But fortunately, for three Black head coaches, it doesn’t matter. Those three NFL coaches are resting easy, confident their jobs are safe: Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers; Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach; and DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans. By now, if you’re an NFL fan, you probably know their teams made the playoffs. Now, we shouldn’t play the race card everywhere, but there is a good reason their success here is significant and even ironic. As they celebrate this feat, for some racists at the NFL these might as well be the three of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. For starters, almost 60 percent of NFL players are Black but, curiously, over 90 percent of head coaches are White! It has been an ongoing debate for a while. Hall of Famer Ed Reed once addressed the matter on The Ringer’s “Slow News Day” podcast, pointing out that “It’s no secret how far this (hiring Black coaches at NFL) goes back on why African-American coaches are being treated that way.” Without mincing his words, he added “It’s because of the way African-American people are treated. This is bigger than just coaches.” https://youtu.be/YOKj91BmozQ He further said that in the few-and-far-between instances when black coaches get hired, they don’t have the full power they need to make critical decisions as managers. He should have added that the same powerless coaches are expected to take full responsibility when things go wrong. So, what is it that only White coaches can do better than their Black counterparts? Why would Blacks dominate the NFL, just not as decision-makers? What makes them good players and not good managers? Are they genuinely incapable of leading, or is it just blatant bias that disregards facts? Let’s find out. The NFL’s league office once asked its 32 teams why they don’t hire Black candidates as coaches. The reasons some of the teams gave are ridiculous, to say the least. For instance, some claim Black coaches lack the necessary experience to lead and are unsure of their ability to motivate veteran players. At the interviews, Black candidates “…didn’t look the part…seemed nervous throughout the interview process…” In short, the rejection starts even before the real interview because they “don’t look the part.” https://youtu.be/uDxHp5yHxkg These good reasons were presented to none other than NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent — himself Black! How he got his job in such an environment is in itself a mystery to many. For many teams, he might as well be the fourth of the four horsemen we just mentioned. According to the findings of an investigation by The Washington Post, Black coaches are usually as good as White coaches. Still, while White coaches enjoy many advantages and more opportunities at the league’s top coaching jobs, their Black counterparts have everything stacked against them: they walk narrower paths and generally serve significantly longer as mid-level assistants. Furthermore, they end up with only interim jobs instead of full-time ones and must maintain a higher standard to keep their demeaning jobs. They are also comparatively twice as likely to be fired. Finally, that only three Black coaches made the playoffs painfully reminds us that nothing has changed much since 2003 when the Rooney Rule was enacted. The rule stipulated that teams should interview “minority coaches” when hiring. But the rule hasn’t helped much; teams hardly take it seriously and that’s why there are so few Black coaches — otherwise, tens of Black coaches would have made the playoffs in the just-concluded NFL regular season. https://youtu.be/ZeF480UvU98 A door plug that reportedly detached from an Alaska Airlines plane midflight Friday, causing a section of the aircraft to blow out, has been found in Portland, Oregon. Alaska Airlines canceled 230 flights after a midflight blowout onboard Alaska Airlines Flt 1282 on Friday. We reported earlier via CNN that part of the fuselage blew off shortly after takeoff. A boy’s shirt was sucked off his torso and out through the hole, passengers reported, leaving the mother holding the boy. “It tore off her son’s shirt!” a man can be heard saying on video posted to Twitter by passenger Stephanie King. National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy announced at a news conference Sunday that the missing door plug was found in the backyard of a home in Portland. https://youtu.be/9AoHkzDKAW8 Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has been named CEO of the 1792 Exchange, a conservative organization that aims to challenge “woke capitalism.” According to its website, the non-profit group claims its “mission is to develop policy and resources to protect and equip non-profits, small businesses and philanthropy from “woke” corporations, to educate Congress and stakeholder organizations about the dangers of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) policies, and to help steer public companies in the United States back to neutral on ideological issues so they can best serve their shareholders and customers with excellence and integrity.” The 1792 Exchange publishes a “spotlight report,” which analyzes how likely a brand or company will “cancel a contract or client, or boycott, divest, or deny services based on viewpoints or beliefs.” “I’m honored to serve as the CEO of the 1792 Exchange, where I will continue meaningful work to put an end to the anti-American ESG agenda that threatens to take over our corporations and change the fabric of our country,” Cameron said in a release, USA Today reports. Cameron served as the attorney general of Kentucky until Jan. 1. In 2022, the Louisville Branch NAACP called on him to resign over his handling of the police killing of Breonna Taylor. https://youtu.be/I-Wy-2BsOzU N.W.A, Gladys Knight, and Donna Summer are among the artists to receive Lifetime Achievement Awards during the 2024 Grammys ceremony next month. Per Variety, Laurie Anderson and Tammy Wynette will also be honored during the Special Merit Awards ceremony, along with longtime producer/manager Peter Asher, hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc, and veteran attorney Joel Katz. Meanwhile, we reported previously via CNN that nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards were revealed in November, and SZA leads in total nominations with nine nods. Other top nominees include Phoebe Bridgers, R&B star Victoria Monét, indie group boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo. Taylor Swift made history by becoming the first to have seven nominations in the Song of the Year category with her hit “Anti-Hero.” The global superstar scored six nominations overall. Broken promises and emotional damage lie at the heart of the conflict between rapper/actor Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) and the Kenyan model featured on the cover of his third studio album, “Awaken, My Love!” The Jasmine Brand reports that Giannina Antonette Oteto recently called out Gambino for “years of lies.” The model’s face was featured on the cover photo for “Awaken, My Love!” The album, released Dec. 2, 2016, features the hit single “Redbone,” which won Gambino a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Despite a number five debut on the US Billboard 200 chart, positive reviews from critics, and nominations for Album of the Year, Best Contemporary Urban Album at the 2018 Grammy Awards, “Awaken, My Love”’s success has been seemingly overshadowed by Oteto’s issues with Gambino. In a post shared online, Oteto alleges she was underpaid for her work on the album cover picture. In addition, Oteto claims she and the team of Black women who helped make the cover popular were taken advantage of and lied to by the “This is America” entertainer, as they were promised residuals. At this time, the women have yet to receive residuals, The Jasmine Brand noted. The site further mentioned that Laura Wass, “a white woman who created the headpiece even though she was not on set” was the only person given residuals. Ice Cube is speaking out about Katt Williams’ recent remarks about Rickey Smiley and his work on the “Friday” movie franchise. We reported earlier that during the comedian’s appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast, Williams accused Smiley of lying when he sat down with Sharpe on the podcast and said he auditioned to play the iconic pimp character Money Mike in “Friday After Next.” The role ultimately went to Williams, who claims he was never considered for any other role in the film. “This man told you he had Katt Williams’ role. He was going to be Money Mike, and Katt Williams was going to be the Santa Claus,” Williams told Sharpe. “We auditioned in Los Angeles. I was audition No. 201. Two hundred Black comedians auditioned for the role of Money Mike with me. You’re saying all 201 of us was auditioning, and you had already had the role and had already shot the role in four days?” Smiley insists he auditioned for the Money Mike role but ended up playing Santa Claus in the film. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1pl1qNPDWm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Friday” writer/producer Ice Cube has clarified the issue, Ice Cream Convos reports. “When we bring in a new comedian, we do have them try out for different roles,” Ice Cube stated in a video shared online. “So, Rickey did give Money Mike a shot.” Cube added, “But, when we saw him, we kinda saw how he moved and how he was auditioning, we decided he’d be a better Santa Claus. Which was, to me, the perfect casting. When we saw Katt…when I saw him I just knew he was perfect for Money Mike.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1743377323976741309 Faizon Love claims Katt Williams once pulled a gun on him. According to Hot New Hip Hop, Love dropped the bombshell in a 2019 interview with VladTV, which was republished after Williams’ wild conversation on the Club Shay Shay podcast. Love claims that at the time of the gun incident, Williams owed him money, and when he tried to collect, things went left. As Hot New Hip Hop reports, Love said Williams urged Suge Knight to handle Love. “It’s hard to address lunacy, and hypocrisy, and downright ignorance. But it’s so funny how many people think this dumb, stupid motherf-cker is spittin’ truth,” Love said in a social media post following Williams’ candid conversation with Shannon Sharpe on his podcast last week. “But that’s the internet I guess, you guys want to believe in something so bad. Listen to what he’s saying, he’s actually calling for help. He’s calling for help. None of the sh-t he says lines up with nothing,” Love continued. https://youtu.be/bGJdlp9bxzM “I have watched all these low-brow comedians come here and disrespect you in your face and tell you straight-up lies.” “It was the saddest thing ever. We should be ashamed. When our people call out for help, we have to understand. We put too much pressure on Tyler Perry. He ain’t put nobody on. The people that’s been in his productions – they’re not famous.” “Martin tried to put me in my first dress… We get in the office and this fool pulls out Big Momma House 2. I almost died. And I gotta read this script in front of all these good white people.” https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs Rickey Smiley broke out in tears during a recent Instagram Live, and many fans believe the emotional moment was due to Katt Williams’ viral interview with Shannon Sharpe. During the comedian’s appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast, Williams said Smiley lied when he sat down with Sharpe on the podcast and said he auditioned to play the iconic pimp character Money Mike in “Friday After Next.” The role ultimately went to Williams, who claims he was never considered for any other role in the film. “This man told you he had Katt Williams’ role. He was going to be Money Mike, and Katt Williams was going to be the Santa Claus,” he told Sharpe. “We auditioned in Los Angeles. I was audition No. 201. Two hundred Black comedians auditioned for the role of Money Mike with me. You’re saying all 201 of us was auditioning, and you had already had the role and had already shot the role in four days?” Smiley replied and insisted he auditioned for the Money Mike role but ended up playing Santa Claus in the film. “I guess the producers, Cube, and everybody saw something different,” he said. https://youtu.be/rf-5trh1POU Days after Williams’ pearl-clutching interview with Sharpe, Smiley went on IG Live and appeared sad while making a cup of coffee. He walked away a few minutes into the video and could be heard crying off-camera. Some social media users believe he was emotional about the fallout with Williams. Other fans, however, noted that Smiley could still be mourning the death of his son, Brandon, who died about a year ago from a drug overdose. https://twitter.com/i/status/1743782274167181623 LeBron James is the new face of Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection. WBLS reports that the fresh collection is now available at LV pop-up shops in New York and Los Angeles. “LOUIS VUITTON BRON! LV Men’s Spring-Summer 2024 coming soon! LET’S GO!!!!,” the NBA star announced on social media. James appears in LV’s new marketing and images, which started rolling out last week, including a video of the superstar athlete looking quite dapper. James is collaborating with the luxury brand as Pharrell Williams‘ first collection with the famed fashion house debuts in stores and online. The music artist is LV’s first creative director since the late Vigirl Abloh. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1p3m0zObc-/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=85530bd0-5c70-4618-8e39-adf09c2a3aba Pharrell spoke to WWD about his LV collab, “It’s a different vibe, and just sort of an opportunity to let people know that our job and our partnership and working together is about leveling up and not just a few steps, but floors up,” he said. “I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Creative Director. His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter,” said Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s Chairman and CEO. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1rWhQcNHGL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Cher hit up X/Twitter on Saturday to post a photo of her straddling her boy toy, 38-year-old Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards. The 77-year-old pop star has been dating the much younger music executive since November 2022. There were reports that they split last spring, but according to Page Six, they reunited by the fall. “Love is Love,” Cher captioned the photo of her sitting on her man’s lap with one hand wrapped around his upper back and the other holding his chin. Edwards is beaming as he holds the music icon around her waist. In the post’s comments, one fan wrote, “You seem so happy and that’s the only important thing. I love seeing it! Sometimes happiness is so hard to find, you take it where you find it and don’t apologize for it. That’s one of the many things I love and respect about you.” https://twitter.com/cher/status/1743508965772947848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1743508965772947848%7Ctwgr%5Eb24599953aaf68279028b1ec84d7f499ee2a22fb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fcher-straddles-young-boyfriend-in-photo%2F It's the 81st Golden Globe Awards Red Carpet. https://youtu.be/oQ6f7h0Fvn0 The 81st / 2024 Golden Globe Awards were a good night for “Barbenheimer.” Christopher Nolan’s three-hour biography about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist behind the Manhattan Project, picked up several big awards, including Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), and Best Drama Actor (Cillian Murphy). Composer Ludwig Göransson also picked up an award for best original score. “Oppenheimer” was a favorite heading into the night, as was “Barbie,” the toy-powered tale from Greta Gerwig. “Barbie” was the most nominated film ahead of Sunday’s ceremony, but in the end, picked up just two awards, including the inaugural award for cinematic achievement. During their theatrical runs, moviegoers were so enamored with both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” that it gave way to the creation of the term “Barbenheimer,” the phenomenon that encouraged audiences to take in double features of the drastically different films. https://youtu.be/WfrK9cvusTQ In television, “Succession,” “The Bear” and “Beef” ruled the categories. Max’s “Succession” picked up the most awards of any television show, earning four statues. The series, honored for its final season, won for best drama series and three actors – Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen – won individual awards. FX’s “The Bear” picked up three awards, best TV Comedy category, Best Comedy Actor for Jeremy Allen White, and Best Comedy Actress for Ayo Edebiri. Netflix’s “Beef,” about a road rage incident gone haywire, won three awards as well, including Best Limited Series and individual honors for stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. https://youtu.be/FHZebLLbeQw Since it wasn’t televised live, you may not have been aware that the 2023 Creative Arts Emmys was held this past weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Among the winners were Barack Obama, Jay Z, and Keke Palmer among others. The show, originally scheduled for last September, was delayed because of the writers and actors strikes. Keke Palmer won an Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host for NBC’s “Password” – the first time that the category has been part of the Primetime Emmys after moving from the Daytime Awards. By winning the award, Palmer made history by becoming the first Black woman to win in that category. “To be acknowledged at different levels is just awesome, was Palmer’s reaction to the win.” She added that she had wanted to broaden her career aside from acting and performing. The talented performer added that Jimmy Fallon had been an inspiration, and there was nothing greater for her than bringing people together. Palmer said, “I looked to him, and what he’s been able to do and just bring people together in a wholesome yet cool, fun way.” https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/0f7f4f5eb10e06c3bb7b139ef132a2de/659cbd6c/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c002-tx/o0ORDEgfIslQ7AETEBaxpSFBimT7HDfhhpA1xb/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=3834&bt=1917&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=4bBsyMzm8Zmo0~YfG94jVYwbdpWrKsd.&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=ZTs3NDxoODg6ZGZlNWc8OkBpajx5N2o5cnA0cDMzZzczNEAyYTAwMWI1NWExY2IzNWNgYSM2a19vMmRzbGFgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=2024010821283722692E680C7351072E28&btag=e00088000 The Book of Clarence” starring LaKeith Stanfield, tells the story of a man trying to emulate and live a life like Jesus. In this film, you experience tales of two men with different agendas headed on the same path. “In The Book of Clarence,” Clarence is an ambitious and determined man. And like most people, is trying to find his way in the world. He knows he has gifts, he just has trouble making those gifts work for him. He sees Jesus’ power and notoriety and wants to gain what he has. To Clarence Jesus is just a man who learned how to manipulate people for his benefit. He doesn’t believe in Jesus’ true powers of healing and restoring. On Clarenece’s journey to become someone of importance, he learns a few hard lessons along the way. Along this journey with him is his best friend Elijah, played by RJ Cyler. https://youtu.be/aTMqRPOqkGs In the complex and ever-evolving tapestry of the American identity, Asian Americans have been compelled to deal with the myth of being the “model minority.” This widespread perception appears to have been hardwired into our collective consciousness. This seemingly commendable stereotype wrongly asserts that all Asian Americans uniformly excel in academics, employment, and societal roles, contributing to a narrative that inaccurately describes their diverse experiences and potentially serves as a racial wedge, particularly between Asians/Asian Americans and African Americans. The roots of the “model minority” myth can be traced back to the mid-20th century. The myth emerged highlighting the success of Japanese Americans and other Asian American groups as a counter-narrative to systemic racism allegations that were being raised as the civil rights movement gained momentum. The “model minority” stereotype obscures the rich diversity within the Asian American community, which comprises over 19.9 million people from more than 40 ethnic groups, speaking over 100 languages, each with their own unique cultures, languages, and histories. Despite 91% of Asian American adults maintaining distinct cultural practices, their values align closely with the broader U.S. population. This stereotype frequently overlooks the social and economic hardships experienced by groups like Southeast Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Asian refugees. The impact of issues like socioeconomic instability, unequal educational opportunities, reliance on public health insurance, housing instability, and health disparities are often downplayed due to this stereotype, making it difficult to address the unique challenges these communities face. https://youtu.be/PrDbvSSbxk8 The “model minority” stereotype contributes to the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype, implying that Asian Americans regardless of how long their family has been in the United States, are seen as perpetual outsiders. This feeling of always being seen as foreign fosters feelings of exclusion and alienation, hindering a number of Asian Americans’ full participation in American society. The Supreme Court’s recent decision to end affirmative action has elicited mixed reactions both in and outside of the Asian American community. The case against Harvard University, brought by the Students for Fair Admissions, argued that the university’s admission policies discriminated against Asian American applicants. The verdict, which doesn’t single out any racial or ethnic group, has raised concerns about its effect on diversity in elite educational institutions, particularly for underrepresented students like Black, Latino, and certain Asian American subgroups. Some Asian American groups and leaders have criticized the decision, arguing it exploits Asian Americans to undermine civil rights. It is essential to acknowledge and confront the strategic use of the “model minority” myth as a racial wedge, particularly between Asians/Asian Americans and Blacks. This myth, which contrasts the success of one minority group with another, can intensify tensions and perpetuate damaging stereotypes. Understanding the interconnected struggles faced by different minority communities is vital to fostering unity and dismantling divisive narratives that deepen racial divisions. https://youtu.be/Az17b7cdiY8 Jonathan Majors has broken his silence in his first extensive remarks since being found guilty of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a non-criminal charge of harassment as a violation. The actor sat down for an emotional and exclusive conversation with ABC News anchor Linsey Davis that debuted on “Good Morning America” Monday. Majors said he was “shocked” and “afraid” when he was convicted. “I’m standing there and the verdict comes down,” Majors said. “I say, ‘How is that possible based off the evidence, based off the prosecution’s evidence, let alone our evidence? How is that possible?’” https://youtu.be/vnvz_e180QM Majors took responsibility for the situation which began after another woman texted him, but not for Jabbari’s injuries. “I shouldn’t have been in the car. I shouldn’t have stepped out of the relationship,” he said. “I shouldn’t have been in the relationship. If I’m not in the car, none of this is happening.” He said he plans to appeal. “It is not at all surprising that Mr. Majors continues to take no accountability for his actions,” an attorney for Jabbari told CNN in a statement. “The timing of these new statements demonstrates a clear lack of remorse for the actions for which he was found guilty.” ABC is owned by Disney, which also owns Marvel. Part of the fallout of the case included Majors losing his role as the villainous Kang in the upcoming “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.” He appeared as Kang in the Marvel film, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” which released last February. He also appeared in the Disney+ series “Loki,” which aired its second season in October. https://youtu.be/NZYzFPnKvrE Reality TV Star/entrepreneur Gloria Govan is commited to diversity and innovation in the cannabis real estate lending market. The busy wife and mother is the founder and president of RLNTLSS Brands, a full-service brand and management cannabis agency that partners with celebrity brands, retail collaborations, and business development. The company has partnerships with celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg and Gary Payton. “Cannabis is my passion and as a long-time entrepreneur working in the business, I know how challenging the barriers to entry can be for minorities and women,” Govan said previously in a statement. “Identifying women and minority-owned businesses will be a goal for me as general partner and together with Alta II, I hope to pave the way for a more diverse and inclusive future in cannabis,” she added. https://www.instagram.com/p/CwOWu5JvTD_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2571d24d-548b-4ffb-bc0a-5689b82941b4 Fani Willis the Fulton County DA whose office is prosecuting the Donald Trump election interference/RICO case, was accused Monday of having an “improper” romantic relationship with a top prosecutor in that case and may have also benefitted financially. Thanks to reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AJC we know that the bombshell motion was filed on behalf of a Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, a 2020 campaign official charged alongside the former president. Roman’s motion alleges Willis benefited financially from her relationship with special prosecutor, Nathan Wade, a private attorney hired to prosecute Trump’s case. That’s because County records indicate that Wade has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022. The DA (Willis) authorized his compensation. The motion also alleged Willis and Wade took vacations together during the period Wade was being paid by Willis’ office. Trips to Napa Valley and Florida, as well as a pair of Caribbean cruises by Willis and Wade, were listed. However, the filing did not include documentation of how those purchases were made. The filing also claims Willis and Wade were engaged in a romantic relationship before the special prosecutor’s appointment, and ever since “have been engaged in an improper, clandestine personal relationship during the pendency of this case.” The AJC also reports that Pallavi Bailey, a Willis spokeswoman, stated that the DA’s office will respond to Roman’s allegations “through appropriate court filings.” It goes on to note that at this time, it’s unclear if the accusations will blow up the validity of the indictment against Trump and the remaining 14 co-defendants or simply muddy the waters by questioning Willis’ professional ethics. Roman’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, said that the “motion is not filed lightly. Nor is it being filed without considerable forethought, research or investigation,” In a statement to the news outlet. Lisa Bonet has filed to divorce Hollywood hunk Jason Momoa after separating from the movie star in 2022. According to TMZ, the former “Cosby Show” actress is seeking physical and legal custody of their two kids, Lola and Nakoa-Wolf. “We have all felt the squeeze and changes of these transformational times… A revolution is unfolding ~and our family is of no exception… feeling and growing from the seismic shifts occurring,” Momoa previously said in a since-deleted statement posted on his Instagram page. “And so we share our Family news that we are parting ways in marriage.” The “Aquaman” star continued, “We share this not because we think it’s newsworthy but so that as we go about our lives we may do so with dignity and honesty. The love between us carries on, evolving in ways it wishes to be known and lived. We free each other to be who we are learning to become…” Bonet and Momoa began dating in 2005 and tied the knot in 2017. They signed a prenup, and neither wants spousal support, according to TMZ. On Sunday, the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards took place in Beverly Hills at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Film, TV, and music stars were in attendance, including Oprah Winfrey, Fantasia Barrino, Abbott Elementary stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Cedric The Entertainer, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Taylor Swift, and others. https://eurweb.com/2024/golden-globes-red-carpet-with-lenny-kravitz-coleman-domingo-necessity-of-rustin-watch/ An Atlanta woman hit up TikTok to reveal that she went on a date with a “down to Earth” man whose boyfriend showed up, and things went wild at the restaurant. As SandraRose.com reports, TikTok user @realashtonb racked up nearly 5 million views with her viral video. During the outing, the woman claims her date’s “energy shifts out of nowhere” after he received a phone call. That’s when he started acting shifty and nervous and glancing around the eatery. “Are we safe? Is everything OK? Are we good?” she asked him. The TikToker explains that a group of males later entered and sat at the bar. She overheard one of them express his annoyance about her (whom he called a “bitch”) being on a date with “his man.” https://eurweb.com/2024/atlanta-woman-recounts-date-gone-wrong/ Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, January 8 at 9 PM ET. When a mother of four suddenly vanishes, her family fears the worst when they make a shocking discovery. There were several incriminating items left behind that caused investigators to question her disappearance. Find out tonight at 9 PM. Critically acclaimed show FOR MY MAN returns tonight, January 8 at 10 PM ET. A woman becomes part of the family when she falls in love with a widowed father. When the man’s youngest son goes missing, everyone is pointing fingers. Soon, the investigation uncovers a sordid tale of jealousy and betrayal no one saw coming. Find out just how far people will go for love tonight at 10 PM ET. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9stj7UIBXpI On Wednesday January 9, we're back with even more sitcom fun! Catch even more episodes of A Different World, The Jeffersons, The Cosby Show, and The Bernie Mac Show. For 15 years, I’d had the honor of working at the US Capitol and drawing inspiration from its magnificent Rotunda — a place so beautiful it took my breath away each day. Three years ago, in that same building that filled me with such awe, I was immersed for what felt like countless hours in a profane mix of sweat, screams, shrieks, anger, death, fear, blood, broken limbs, spit, hatred, horror, racism, and bigotry. The chaos and violence that unfolded on the grounds of the Capitol, a place I swore to protect, shook me to the core. The wounds experienced by me and my heroic fellow officers during that violent attack are still healing. But my commitment to ensuring the strength of our democracy has only deepened. It’s the reason I’ve decided to run for Congress. Capitol Police officers and Metropolitan Police officers engaged in desperate, hand-to-hand fighting with rioters on January 6, 2021, with the Capitol under full-scale siege. Those who took part in the assault against the Capitol used all kinds of weapons against the officers defending it: Flagpoles were used as pikes. Metal bike racks that they had torn apart became bludgeons. Some of the police officers who fought alongside me were screaming in pain from the injuries they suffered while battling the attackers. Many officers were temporarily blinded and coughing from chemical irritants being sprayed in their faces. Police officers like myself who were Black were verbally assaulted with racial epithets, in addition to the physical blows we endured. https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Former+US+Capitol+Policeman+Harry+Dunn+Commentary%3A+The+Brutality+and+Racism+I+Saw+on+Jan.+6+%7C+VIDEO&url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fformer-us-capitol-policeman-harry-dunn-commentary-the-brutality-and-racism-i-saw-on-jan-6-video%2F&via=EURweb The mother of Nate Dogg’s teenage son is taking legal action over her child’s monthly support payments. According to a report from RadarOnline, Shereda Williams was reportedly awarded $3,000 monthly from the late rapper’s estate after he died in 2011. Williams and Nate Dogg share a son, Jayden, 17, who is allegedly at risk of losing his payments. Williams filed a recent motion claiming that due to an error, the payments could end, and she wants a judge to intervene to have the income continue. Per The Jasmine Brand, her lawyers reportedly wrote in the filing: “After paying her own basic needs of food clothing and shelter, she has no money for the needs of the minor that includes school supplies, travel expenses, Basketball Camp, clothing, and a host of other miscellaneous expenses incurred for the minor as he is a senior in High School scheduled to graduate in 2024.” TMZ reported previously that Nate Dogg’s estate distributed $225,000 to his children after his death. Here’s how it was divided: Nate’s widow, LaToya Calvin, reportedly received $30,000. His son, Naijiel Dwoyne Hale, received $11,666, and his seven other family members allegedly received $8,333 each. https://youtu.be/MRwHd3PWgyo Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur Jody Watley is set to captivate audiences once again as she launches the second season of “The Jody Watley Show” on SiriusXM The Groove. The popular show is scheduled to return on January 14, 2024, at 3 pm PST / 6 pm EST, tune in on Channel 50. Following the resounding success of its debut season in 2023, “The Jody Watley Show” has solidified its position as a standout platform in the world of radio. The show seamlessly combines classic R&B tunes with insightful conversations featuring special guests from diverse fields. Launched during Women’s History Month, “The Jody Watley Show” exemplifies Watley’s ongoing achievement and her remarkable ability to reinvent herself in the ever-evolving entertainment industry. The monthly two-hour broadcast promises a refreshing blend of classic R&B from the 70s and 80s, coupled with meaningful conversations that showcase Watley’s vision of positivity and inspiration. https://youtu.be/tR7uT2f32Y4 The short, terrifying journey of Alaska Airlines Flt 1282 on Friday could have been much worse. When a part of the fuselage blew off shortly after takeoff, a boy’s shirt was sucked off his torso and out through the hole, passengers reported, leaving the mother holding the boy.“It tore off her son’s shirt!” a man can be heard saying on video posted to Twitter by passenger Stephanie King. The flight had reached 16,000 feet after taking off from Portland, Oregon, bound for Ontario, California, about 5:07 p.m., according to FlightAware. It landed safely about 20 minutes later back at the airport, with no serious injuries among the 171 passengers and six crew members. One person was taken to a hospital. It was unclear Saturday morning exactly what plane part blew off, causing explosive decompression. Alaska Airlines temporarily grounded the rest of its Boeing 737-9 Max fleet. The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday said it was grounding the model for inspections, affecting 171 jets used by airlines. https://youtu.be/9AoHkzDKAW8 “The flight attendant came over, too, and told me it was going to be OK,” Vu told CNN. “The fact that everyone was kind of freaking out and she took that time to kind of make me feel like I was the only passenger – honestly that was really sweet.” Passengers applauded as the plane landed, King’s video shows. Some passengers stood up. Flight attendants reminded them to remain seated. https://youtu.be/YhYvU9qcn2o Kid Capri is cancer-free! The good news is a welcome shot to end 2023 and begin 2024. The kicker is hip-hop icon’s medical status was classified until he announced the news via social media on Dec. 30. Capri’s clean bill of health came after a private year-long battle with cancer. The DJ and mixtape pioneer detailed his situation while giving thanks to God for positive results, reports HipHopDX. According to Capri, efforts to keep his cancer under the hat stemmed from a refusal to have his fans pity him and what he went through. “God is great! 3 days ago, I found out that I’m cancer-free! Been dealing with it all year while I was doing everything I was doing for hip hop 50,” the turntablist shared on Instagram. “I had 2 surgeries and never said anything publicly about what I was going through, I’m not an attention whore, so I didn’t want to say anything so that it didn’t look like i wanted pity.” “But now that it’s over, I figure I let my fans and friends know, I’m very happy, this year I did a lot, but come 2024, I’m getting even crazier than I did in 2023!! Thank you God! #kidcapri #partyking #therealLOVE #happynewyear #happyholidays,” he continued. https://youtu.be/lJ-A0ZlDlTg As the year 2023 came to an end, the entertainment world was jolted by tragic news of the unexpected passing of music, business, and social justice icon, Arthur Leon Burnette, affectionately known by many as “Mr. B.” The beloved visionary, event producer, and impresario who helped ignite the careers of renowned figures such as Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, The Brothers Johnson, L.A. Reid, Eric “ET” Thomas, and others, departed on Christmas Day at age 72. Family, friends, and industry leaders will gather to honor his life and legacy on Sunday, January 7 at Oakwood University Church, 5500 Adventist Blvd. NW in Huntsville, Alabama. To say Katt Williams is making news lately is an understatement. Shannon Sharpe says dude was beyond ready when he walked through the door and wishes he was set up to get what was coming out of Katt’s mouth then. With shots fired at fellow comedy icons Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Michael Blackson, and Kevin Hart during a recent interview, it’s safe to say that Williams is taking up residence in conversations among his fans and those who enjoy the targets-in-question. Media sources report Williams let the comments flow about the entertainers during a recent interview on Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast. Since then, the former NFL star has found himself in the conversation about his famous guest. Responding to the ruckus, Sharpe detailed how Williams’s appearance came as a pleasant surprise, despite being unsure he would agree to appear on “Club Shay Shay.” https://youtu.be/a4dqcIvj2IE Rumors of tension between Public Enemy‘s Chuck D and Flavor Flav have been exaggerated. During a recent appearance.on “TMZ Live” on Dec. 22, Flav put talk of a PE break up to rest, stating there could not be a reunion with members of the legendary group because they never broke up. According to the “911 is a Joke” rhymester, Public Enemy and its members merely took a long break. Although headlines over the years have been about drama between he and Chuck, Flav said things are good with him and there is “no beef.” “You know what? Let me tell you like this. A lot of people been asking me,’Hey, when is Public Enemy gonna reunite?’ But my answer is this. We never broke up to reunite, you know what i’m sayin’. We just took a long break, you know what i’m sayin’,” Flav stated.”And not only that, but you know me and Chuck, we never really was beefin’. There wasn’t no beef because I love my partner, man and I know he loves me, too, you know. A former Alabama police officer was charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a Black man (Stephen Perkins) outside his home, Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson said Friday. An Alabama grand jury indicted Mac Bailey Marquette, 23, on Thursday, Anderson said at a news conference. Marquette is one of three officers who were fired in connection with the September 29 killing of Perkins in Decatur as a towing company tried to repossess his vehicle, police said. A fourth officer was suspended without pay. Anderson said none of the other officers have been charged. Police shot Perkins, 39, after he allegedly “brandished a handgun” equipped with a light “towards an officer with the Decatur Police Department,” the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said two weeks before last month’s firings. https://youtu.be/kiClR-jKMRM “I listened to Country music while growing up,” said singer/songwriter Julia Poorman when I asked how a New York girl can end up embracing Country music. “I’m originally from Central New York, the South…farmland, very rural.” https://youtu.be/5iwh9BEZ5vQ Denzel Washington is a great role model for success in life. He’s a Hollywood powerhouse, starring in 60+ films and clinching 3 Golden Globes, a Tony, and two Academy Awards. However, his journey hasn’t been a walk in the park. His journey serves as a powerful testament to the impact of self-belief, determination, and hard work. This article explores how young Denzel Washington went from starting small to becoming a legendary Hollywood icon. https://youtu.be/lSllh1_hRio Denzel gave a strong and emotionally charged performance, portraying anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, which earned him critical acclaim. This outstanding performance earned Denzel Washington his 1st Oscar nomination for the biographical drama movie Cry Freedom in 1987. Glory (1989) In the movie Glory from 1989, Denzel Washington played a fascinating role as Private Trip, a former slave who became a Union soldier in the American Civil War. Denzel Washington won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the movie. This groundbreaking role firmly established Denzel as a powerful presence in Hollywood. https://youtu.be/6i1rcCwJ_yw Training Day (2001) In the 2001 movie Training Day, Denzel Washington played a corrupt detective named Alonzo Harris, showing how versatile he is as an actor. The character was tricky because he had moral issues, but Denzel’s strong acting and powerful performance got him his first Academy Award for Best Actor. Denzel Washington also made history as the second African-American actor to win the Best Actor Oscar. This movie confirmed Denzel as one of the best actors of his time. https://youtu.be/Mj_O4mb0u50 Flight (2012) In the movie Flight, Denzel Washington plays a pilot dealing with personal problems and addiction. People liked his great acting, and the movie talks about overcoming difficulties and personal challenges. This movie was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Actor for Denzel Washington’s outstanding performance. https://youtu.be/Aqn2L6kQQt8 Fences (2016) In the 2016 movie Fences, based on August Wilson’s play, Denzel Washington played the main character, Troy Maxson, and also directed the film. His strong acting as the complicated and imperfect Troy got a lot of praise, and he got nominated again for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Fences highlighted Denzel’s skill not just as an actor but also as a director and storyteller. https://youtu.be/CItEtnp3nPY The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) In The Tragedy of Macbeth, Denzel Washington takes on the iconic role of the ambitious and doomed Scottish general. His powerful portrayal and the film’s atmospheric storytelling create a compelling and haunting cinematic experience. Denzel Washington received a 2022 Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his work in the movie. This recognition is a testament to his outstanding contributions to the film. https://youtu.be/FZH7q2pIrZY Katt Williams revealed during his explosive conversation on the Club Shay Shay podcast that disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein offered to perform oral sex on him. The comedian claims he was propositioned in front of his reps at his agency. “They canceled me for talking about Harvey Weinstein before the thing came out,” Williams said, referring to the MeToo movement. “But he offered to suck my penis in front of all my people at my agency. What am I supposed to do? He did all of that, I’m thinking I’m the only Black person on the script—I get there, it’s three other Black guys on there. Whew—huh? I told him no, what y’all do?” https://youtu.be/8oRRZiRQxTs In 2020, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted of first-degree criminal sexual acts and third-degree rape. As we reported, Weinstein was convicted of third-degree rape of Jessica Mann in 2013, and of first-degree sexual assault of production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. Weinstein’s attorneys argued in court that a lengthy sentence behind bars would be “a death penalty.” Meanwhile, Williams’ interview with Sharpe has reached a whopping 15 million views on YouTube and is till climbing. https://twitter.com/i/status/1742607268271608163 A New Jersey family has welcomed twins who were born not only on different days but in different years. Around 6 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, Eve Humphrey woke up and told her husband, “Happy birthday, my water just broke.” Although his wife Eve’s due date wasn’t until January 26, Billy Humphrey said he was anticipating a perfect birthday gift: his twin boys being born on his birthday. The expecting parents met with Dr. Melissa Yurkanin, along with the labor and delivery team, at the Virtua Voorhees Hospital. “We had actually joked when I went into the room and said, ‘Oh, wouldn’t this be funny if you had two babies on two separate days, maybe two separate years,’” Yurkanin said. https://youtu.be/2qzmS2zSapU Twins make up about 3% of live births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And Yurkanin said the odds of twins being born on different days is a rare phenomenon. “I will say that in my time practicing, I’ve never had twins born even on two separate days, let alone two separate years,” Yurkanin told CNN. Billy imagines the unique birth will bring joy to the twin brothers in years to come. “I’m thinking they will make jokes about it,” he said. If he was Ezra, “I would hold that over my brother’s head all day, ‘I’m a year older,’” Billy said. The birth of the twins was a continuation of celebrations in the Humphrey family. The parents celebrated their anniversary in early December, along with Eve’s birthday, and their 3-year-old son, Hezekiah, has a birthday on January 3. https://youtu.be/8zXp5gD4R6Q Ice T and his wife, Coco Austin, rang in the new year celebrating their 23rd anniversary. The old-school rapper posted a #throwback photo of himself with his longtime love, and he captioned it, “Today is Coco and my 23rd Anniversary!” he wrote. “Keep it fun, Keep it sexy, and by all means ‘Stay in LOVE!’ It just gets better every year.” A separate post shows the couple celebrating the new year. Ice-T captioned the sexy image: “Coco and I kept it Sexy as usual for NewYearsEve and our 23rd Anniversary! @treachtribe and I kept it Gangster.💥 I wish nothing but the BEST for all of you! Stay healthy and make 2024 your year.” Some social media users responded with hateful comments about Coco’s sexy attire in the images, prompting the “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star to issue a statement on X/Twiter that read, “So far this New Year I’ve got nothing but Love from everyone! ❤️ Of course a couple a females Hating on Coco… I decided to just Block and not even acknowledge the miserable bitches…”Austin posted a picture from their 2011 vow renewal ceremony on New Year’s Day. She captioned the image: “Here’s to 23 years with this guy!! My rock! My diamond in the rough! Love you beyond #HappyAnniversary #HappyNewYear2024 #nowordscandescribe.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1lFikkOcSY/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=01ef58a1-4aad-4a2c-b8fa-9e09da787195 In a candid revelation, R&B Billboard Charting Artist Tanya Nolan opens up about living authentically and fearlessly embracing her truth as she prepares to release her latest musical masterpiece, “Honey.” Tanya’s journey, both as an artist and an individual, reflects a commitment to authenticity and self-expression. As she navigates the R&B landscape, Tanya uses her platform to share narratives that resonate with her experiences, creating music that transcends boundaries. With “Honey,” she invites listeners into a world where passion meets vulnerability, promising an intimate glimpse into her soul. Tanya Nolan is not just releasing a new single; she is sharing a piece of herself, living boldly and unapologetically in her truth. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7pB67pRJZAo?feature=share A 10-year-old California boy who was arrested after allegedly fatally shooting another boy with a stolen gun he’d found in the car of his father (Arkete Davis) will not be charged, the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office told CNN in a statement Thursday. Davis, 53, appeared in court and was charged Wednesday with criminal storage of a firearm, two counts of child endangerment, and felon in possession of a firearm, among other charges, according to the DA’s office. “Based on the facts currently known, the sole criminal liability and responsibility for the child’s death (lies) exclusively with this Defendant,” the DA’s office stated. Authorities said Davis was legally prohibited from possessing or owning a gun, and the recovered firearm had been reported stolen in 2017, CNN previously reported. https://youtu.be/F6jNKd64iT0 Davis is being held without bail and is set to appear in court again on Friday for a bail review, the DA’s office said. He has not been assigned an attorney, Sacramento County’s Conflict Criminal Defenders told CNN. https://youtu.be/DgGtUEUKAUc Another actor was hired to dub Jeffrey Wright’s voice in director Ang Lee’s 1999 film “Ride with the Devil” after he refused to censor the N-word in a scene. In the film, Wright plays a former slave fighting on the side of the Confederacy. In one scene, his character says the N-word and the studio later asked Wright to censor the slur for the “airplane version” of the film. Wright explained why he refused the request during Entertainment Weekly‘s “Around the Table” series with his “American Fiction” co-stars. “I said, ‘Nah. Nah, it’s not happening,'” Wright states in the YouTube clip above. “And I headed out the door and to my car, and they found some other actor to come in and do that one word, apparently, so that the airplane folk would be comfy in the darkness of their own ignorance around the language of race.” https://youtu.be/2G7A4LpFQnQ Meanwhile, you can currently catch Wright in “American Fiction,” a film that “confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes,” per the official synopsis, People reports. The satirical drama is based on Percival Everett’s 2001 novel “Erasure,” with Wright playing the character, Monk, described as “a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from ‘Black’ entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes.” “To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish ‘Black’ book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain,” the synopsis continues. Directed by Cord Jefferson, the film also stars Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown. “American Fiction” is currently in limited release and will expand in theaters this month. https://youtu.be/i0MbLCpYJPA Gay influencer Christian Walker is urging straight women to stop dating feminine males. “Men dating women right now want to be treated like women,” Walker said in a new video on his popular TikTok page. “We have an entire human history of men having to fight for women, earn women, prove themselves to a woman,” he continued, SandraRose.com reports. “We have countries where a man can’t even be in a room alone with a woman who isn’t his wife. But in America, in the West, we have men who say, ‘Well, I bought you flowers, so show me what you can do!’” According to Christian, American men are “spoiled brats.” https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/9ca2d18d67a68c418ed054a331d5da83/6598ced8/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c003-tx/oEllS9PnE6ZeB8xEI2KVsDAYQRFyOSfGtgPD2E/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=2272&bt=1136&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8ZmoeaKgQ_vjSovsAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=OGhlZzc4Z2Q8OTYzOGg7Z0BpMzp5O3g5cmdzcDMzZzczNEBjYGM0LTNjNmExX2M2YGNhYSNzcGxwMmRrb15gLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=20240105215242E3414BC08ECA10193202&btag=e00090000 Walker uses his TikTok platform to offer dating advice to women. “You value yourself, you cherish yourself,” he told his female followers in one video. “You remember how your great great grandfather fought and earned your great great grandmother, and you don’t put up with this nonsense!” Walker also noted that “a problem with a lot of straight guys is they don’t like women.”“There have been wars fought over women,” he said in a TikTok. “There’s countries where a man can’t be in the same room with a woman who he isn’t related to. That’s how powerful and strong and desirable feminity and womanhood is. And men in the West are like, ‘Well, what am I going to get in return for holding the door open for you?’ You get to be around her,” Walker continues. https://www.tiktok.com/share/video/7159013658549374250?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2024%2Fchristian-walker-urges-women-to-stop-dating-feminine-men%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463%2C121351166%2C71838018%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_card_play&referer_video_id=7320291219056168234 Praise is pouring in from the Jazz community for the inaugural Jazz Music Awards, which had its broadcast premiere on January 1, 2024, on PBS Passport’s on-demand platform, as well as the nine PBS member stations of Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB). The two-hour program is the first global, full-scale music awards show dedicated to Jazz and the artists who create it. Hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater, the three-time Grammy Award-winning artist, NEA Jazz Master, and Tony Award winner, with Delroy Lindo, the widely acclaimed stage and screen actor, Peabody Award winner, and Tony Award nominee, the show was packed with heartfelt tributes to special honorees as well as stunning live performances by some of Jazz music’s best performers. To view the promo reel of the award show. Columbus Short said Cedric The Entertainer is “b— made” kinda man, and his scathing remarks come on the heels of Katt Williams slamming Ced for stealing jokes. In a video shared on social media, Short recalled attending an event years ago with his wife, and Cedric had security remove the couple to the back of the room. Short said he confronted the comedian after the event and said, “Aye, bro! You from Missouri, bruh. Why you gone do me like that, bruh?You a b— made n—!” Short goes on to share the backstory about the beef with Cedric. In a nutshell, it comes down to Ced being salty that Short once slept with the same woman Ced was dealing with at the time. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1qYBmpLTi1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=invalid&ig_rid=3e255e24-ded7-42b6-8c5b-12593c93e36d Deon Cole plays an unlikeable character in “The Color Purple,” and he took to social media to share how one audience member reacted to the role. “I was in the theater watching TCP and this woman I was sitting next to said to herself after my scene, not knowing I was sitting next to her, said “they should come together and kill him!” I slowly turned and looked at her, then I switched seats. The Color purple in theaters now,” Cole posted on X/Twitter. “Bro…I’m just now realizing this was YOU!!,” one person responded in the comments of the post, adding, “You did AMAZING!!” During an appearance on “The Talk,” Cole gushed about producers putting a “brand new spin” … “on this iconic film, we all came up on. So being a part of it is unreal.” “When I first found out about it me and Danielle Brooks and her husband [Dennis Gelin] and a whole bunch of us went out to dinner celebrating her getting a job. I think about three weeks later she called me and said, ‘Congratulations,’ and I was like for what?’ She was like, ‘The movie.’” https://twitter.com/i/status/1741872793552048376 Meanwhile, we reported earlier that director Blitz Bazawule’s new musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” has a Certified Fresh 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes. According to ScreenRant, the film’s 95% audience score surpasses Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation starring Whoopi Goldberg as Celie, a Black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity amid decades of abuse in the early 1900s. The new project reunites Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Quincy Jones as executive producers on Bazawule’s feature. Variety reports that the Warner Bros. movie musical is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical by Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. Spielberg’s film, which is not a musical, reportedly grossed $142 million against a budget of $15 million. The beloved drama feature has a 73% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and 94% from audiences. https://youtu.be/zTnircQsMaM Social media food critic Keith Lee has shared his list of the top 8 cities from his 2023 food tour. Lee ranked New Orleans the No. 1 spot, and Houston was second best on the list. “Speaking of almost every spot we visited being delicious, Houston was one of those places,” Lee said. “It was one place that carried Houston for me — The Puddery.” Lee claims he received death threats late last year after reviewing various soul food restaurants in Atlanta. As SandraRose.com reported, Lee appeared on the “Ryan Cameron Uncensored,” podcast and said he won’t return to Atlanta because “People there put a hit out on me.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1740599828994998759 Morris Chestnut will star in the new CBS drama series “Watson” for the 2024-2025 broadcast season. According to Deadline, the series is a medical drama “inspired by the characters from Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries,” per the outlet. Here’s the official synopsis: In WATSON, a year after the death of his friend and partner Sherlock Holmes at the hands of Moriarty, Dr. John Watson (Chestnut) resumes his medical career as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him, though – Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century. WATSON is a medical show with a strong investigative spine, featuring a modern version of one of history’s greatest detectives as he turns his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries. “We are thrilled to feature such a beloved character from the world of Sherlock Holmes at the center of this series and have it brought to life by Morris Chestnut in a fresh and unexpected take on the immortal doctor,” said Amy Reisenbach, President, CBS Entertainment in a statement. “Craig Sweeny’s bold new vision for the complex Dr. Watson deftly interweaves rich character storytelling with edge-of-your-seat medical mysteries,” Reisenbach added. 2024 is starting off with a bang. Katt Williams set the internet on fire with his claims about several other Black comedians and Hollywood stars. Attorney Antonio Moore discusses how Katt Williams exposed several Black celebrities in Hollywood this week on Shannon Sharpe‘s “Club Shay Shay” show. Moore digs into the recent Club Shay Shay podcast and breaks down sections tying the show to larger political implications around Black celebrities. https://youtu.be/SQSexhPjKpA A few quotes by Katt Williams on Club Shay Shay: “I have watched all these low-brow comedians come here and disrespect you in your face and tell you straight-up lies.” “It was the saddest thing ever. We should be ashamed. When our people call out for help, we have to understand. We put too much pressure on Tyler Perry. He ain’t put nobody on. The people that’s been in his productions – they’re not famous.” “Martin tried to put me in my first dress… We get in the office and this fool pulls out Big Momma House 2. I almost died. And I gotta read this script in front of all these good white people.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1743029897449325018 On “Tamron Hall,” hip-hop icon Big Daddy Kane joined the show to discuss his illustrious career and shared a sneak peek at his new documentary “Paragraphs I Manifest.” Kane was later surprised by award-winning actress Erika Alexander who has publicly discussed her admiration for the artist. Alexander sat down with Tamron earlier in the show and spoke about her role in Hulu’s “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” reflected on her early career and graciously spoke about the awards buzz surrounding her performance in her new film, “American Fiction.” https://youtu.be/Jp4iWZWfJeM In light of recent awards buzz for her new film, “American Fiction,” Erika Alexander reflects on the challenging experiences that shaped her perspective on success. At last year’s Independent Spirit Award, Alexander was dropped off at the wrong entrance and had to cross a busy road and pass porta-potties to get to the event: “I believe that if you’re a person that lives in a marginalized community, that’s kind of the cross, the burden you bear, is to walk across hot sand, past porta-potties to victory.” https://youtu.be/XhOqvhWMEiA Atlanta’s dReam Center Church is getting a lot of attention and scrutiny. It’s getting the attention due to a video of what went down at its New Year’s Eve services that went viral. All we can say is heated debate then ensued. Bishop William Murphy of The dReam Center Church of Atlanta played two rap songs during the New Year’s Eve service. “There’s a church that gets me, which was the whole point of the ministry,” Murphy told WSB-TV/Channel 2. https://youtu.be/plruGUMivqo The video showed people dancing to ‘Walk it Out’ by the rapper Unk and ‘Swag Surfin’ by Fast Life Yungstaz. On Wednesday, Murphy said he played the song as a reference to the Book of Acts, Chapter 3 in the Bible. In that chapter, a lame man gets help to get up and walk. “We were talking about 2024 being the best year of your life so far, but there was a responsibility to watch the prophet and then to work the prophesy and the will of God was to walk it out,” Bishop Murphy said. “And that’s why you saw people with their arms around each other. It was come what may, we’re walking this thing out together.” He added: “When people walk into our sanctuaries there should be something they can relate to.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1mX_ipuZlQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again As you can imagine, not everyone was feeling the move. One person wrote, “There’s no way to justify it.” On the other hand, he got love from a woman who said, “This man is an awesome Bishop, and the younger generation gravitates to his church.” Oh yeah, if you’re wondering, Bishop Murphy said he played the clean version of each song. https://youtu.be/0SAyNf1p81s Gypsy Rose Blanchard hasn’t been out of prison for a week, and she’s already clapping back at trolls on social media. It seems the haters are jealous that Blanchard, 32, is happily married and enjoying a healthy sex life with her husband, Ryan Scott Anderson. She responded to negative comments on posts about Anderson, whom she met in 2020 and married in 2022, Complex reports. Many critics are convinced that he only wed her for clout. “Ryan, don’t listen to the haters,” Blanchard commented on a throwback Instagram post from Anderson. “I love you, and you love me. We do not owe anyone anything. Our family is who matters. If you get likes and good comments great, if you get hate then whatever because THEY DON’T MATTER. I love you💕 besides they jealous because you are rocking my world every night…yeah I said it, the D is fire🔥 happy wife happy life.” Anderson, 37, responded, “Who said I gave a damn about what these jealous people say anyway,” he wrote, adding, “now come get it Baby…” Blanchard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2016 for her role in killing her abusive mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison as part of a plea deal. https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1742644689474380068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1742644689474380068%7Ctwgr%5E96fafe72040d6cc4d19387795bcf1c3bbfbb1c69%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fgypsy-rose-blanchard-says-the-d-is-fire%2F Blanchard was released early from prison last week and instantly became an overnight internet star. “If I had another chance to redo everything, I don’t know if I would go back to when I was a child and tell my aunts and uncles that I’m not sick and mommy makes me sick,” Gypsy told People ahead of her early prison release. “Or, if I would travel back to just the point of that conversation with Nick and tell him, ‘You know what, I’m going to go tell the police everything.’ I kind of struggle with that,” she admitted. Gypsy testified during the murder trial that she was forced to undergo multiple unnecessary surgeries, and her mother made her use medical devices, such as a feeding tube, an oxygen tank, and a wheelchair, Complex reports. Dee Dee sought out doctors who believed her claim that Gypsy’s medical records were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. She was able to capitalize off her deceptive and manipulative tactics financially. Dee Dee received donations from charities such as the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. https://youtu.be/YYQQ6I4YVI4 When you resort to SHOOTING a 4-month-old puppy, you’ve crossed the line. That’s the definition of being an a**hole. And that’s why the LAPD is looking for him. The Los Angeles Police Department says the incident went down Tuesday morning. David Sumlin, the 32-year-old suspect was arguing with the dog’s owner when he put a pillow over the dog and Oh God … He apparently threatened the owner before shooting the dog through the pillow twice. Responding officers took the puppy to a nearby animal shelter where it died, according to an ABC7 report. As of this posting, additional details about who the dog’s owner is and the relationship between that person and the suspect were not available. Bottom line: Sumlin – who is said to be homeless- is now wanted for domestic violence and animal cruelty. Be on the lookout for him as authorities note that he’s often seen in the 7th Street and Stanford Avenue area in downtown L.A. https://youtu.be/WahrnTYvB5w FX has dropped the official trailer for Ryan Murphy’s “Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans,” starring Naomi Watts, Demi Moore, Calista Flockhart, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Molly Ringwald and Treat Williams in his final role. The upcoming limited series is the second installment of the anthology series from Murphy, based on Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book “Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era.” The series chronicles “In Cold Blood” author Truman Capote and his real-life betrayal of a group of socialites, whom he dubbed his “Swans,” by publishing a scathing short story about them called “La Côte Basque 1965” in Esquire in 1975. The eight-episode series shows Copote “befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets,” according to a show synopsis. https://youtu.be/YabKNs66eeg The third season of WE tv’s smash hit spinoff series “Life After Lockup” kicked off Nov. 20 with 16 all-new episodes. Per the official synopsis, “The couples will face plenty of firsts in their new lives together – from new marriages to divorce, new homes to new children, all while living under the challenges of their parole. Possible restrictions abound: early curfews, random check-ins, drug tests, travel prohibitions, consorting with ex-cons combined with the temptations of alcohol and drugs, the stakes have never been higher. Will they stay together and stay out of prison?” https://youtu.be/4kHasYdFyJw The mother of Nate Dogg’s teenage son is taking legal action over her child’s monthly support payments. According to a report from RadarOnline, Shereda Williams was reportedly awarded $3,000 monthly from the late rapper’s estate after he died in 2011. Williams and Nate Dogg share a son, Jayden, 17, who is allegedly at risk of losing his payments. Williams filed a recent motion claiming that due to an error, the payments could end, and she wants a judge to intervene to have the income continue. Per The Jasmine Brand, her lawyers reportedly wrote in the filing: “After paying her own basic needs of food clothing and shelter, she has no money for the needs of the minor that includes school supplies, travel expenses, Basketball Camp, clothing, and a host of other miscellaneous expenses incurred for the minor as he is a senior in High School scheduled to graduate in 2024.” TMZ reported previously that Nate Dogg’s estate distributed $225,000 to his children after his death. Here’s how it was divided: Nate’s widow, LaToya Calvin, reportedly received $30,000. His son, Naijiel Dwoyne Hale, received $11,666, and his seven other family members allegedly received $8,333 each. https://youtu.be/MRwHd3PWgyo Jonathan Majors will give his first post-trial interview with Linsey Davis of ABC News Live on Monday. Last month, the actor was found guilty of assault and harassment of his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, during a domestic dispute. We reported earlier that the controversial case derailed Majors’ film career. His acclaimed drama “Magazine Dreams” has been postponed indefinitely, and Marvel dropped him from the MCU. Disney pulled “Magazine Dreams” after it set for release on Dec. 4. Marvel dropped Majors as Kang the Conqueror after he was set to play the supervillain in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” which is slated to premiere in 2026. He appeared as Kang in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in Feb. 2023 and the “Loki” series on Disney+. Majors’ army recruiting ads were also shelved following the Dec. 18 guilty verdict. Throughout January, individuals looking to kick off a healthy start to the new year and give back have the opportunity to “Get Fit for No Kid Hungry,” a month-long initiative that brings the public and the health and wellness community together to raise funds and awareness to end childhood hunger in America. All month long, individuals can join fitness and wellness classes offered at no cost by celebrity fitness trainers and influencers including Ron “Boss” Everline and Kyle Arrington and make charitable contributions to No Kid Hungry. As the issue of food insecurity impacts 13 million children nationwide and remains substantially higher than the national average (17.3%) for Black households with children (27.9%), every $1 donated to each participant’s “Get Fit” fundraiser for No Kid Hungry can help provide 10 healthy meals for kids. “Get Fit for No Kid Hungry” classes include yoga, body-building, HIIT workouts, nutrition, and more. The public can participate in ‘Get Fit for No Kid Hungry’ livestream events by joining each participant’s class hosted on their social channel or platform of choice and donating to their fundraiser. A California mother is speaking out after her 10-year-old son was fatally shot by another boy, age 10, who opened fire after losing a bike race. “I screamed for hours after I saw my child on that ground, because I could just see that he had no chance,” the child’s mother Brittani Frierson said, per NBC News. “I just knew that my child was gone.” The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon in Foothill Farms, located about 16 miles northeast of Sacramento. The juvenile killer shot Keith “KJ” Frierson using a stolen gun they found in Dad’s car. The grieving mother said another child told her that the shooter became angry when he lost the bike race and stormed off, only to return moments later with a gun. That’s when he shot KJ in the neck, Frierson said. https://youtu.be/HJ6zRC4xsq8 Claudine Gay will reportedly earn around $900,000 a year at Harvard despite her recent resignation as president. Gay was the first Black president in Harvard’s nearly 400-year history and the second woman. We reported earlier via CNN that she is resigning just six months into her position. Gay was forced to step down because of her responses about anti-Semitism at a congressional hearing last month, as well as the university’s plagiarism scandal. It is not known what Gay’s salary as Harvard’s president was, but she earned $879,079 in 2021, the Daily Mail reports. She will continue earning a high six-figure salary at the university after returning to a teaching role at the political science department. “It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president,” Gay wrote in a letter to the Harvard community. “After consultation with members of the Corporation, it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual,” she continued. https://youtu.be/eXioPJ0Md1A Jimmy Kimmel threatened legal action against Aaron Rodgers after the four-time MVP said Kimmel’s name is on the list of people linked to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. “For the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any ‘list’ other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality,” Kimmel wrote in a post on X. “Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court,” Kimmel added. Rodgers made the shocking remarks about Epstein’s soon-to-be-released list while appearing on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show. “There are a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, that are really hoping that doesn’t come out,” Rodgers stated. https://twitter.com/i/status/1742658015143305592 The US Mint released commemorative coins honoring abolitionist Harriet Tubman Thursday. The coins include $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins and half-dollar coins that commemorate the bicentennial of her birth. This is the first time the US Mint has honored Tubman with coins, according to the agency. “We all owe Harriet Tubman a huge debt of gratitude because I, and so many others, would not be where we are today if not for her heroism, her passion for freedom for our people and for her service to this country,” US Mint Director Ventris Gibson, the first Black director of the bureau, told CNN. “At the Mint, we like to say that coins are miniature canvases of art, and the Harriet Tubman coins are truly stunning works of art.” https://youtu.be/up_tqWrFmso Compton Councilman Andre Spicer reportedly received a $90,000 donation from hip-hop producer Dr. Dre. Dre supports Spicer’s proposed plan for becoming the city’s next mayor, 2urbangirls.com reports. His donation appears on the Spicer for Mayor 2026 campaign finance reports. In 2022, Spicer became the newest councilman to represent Compton’s second district amid an election rigging scandal. At the time, the Compton native said, “We have worked so hard and tirelessly to prove our case and represent for a community who needed it the most,” Spicer told Los Angeles magazine. “Today is a new beginning for not only myself but [the] 25,000 residents that have been pleading for change,” the entrepreneur added. “While I am on cloud 9 today, I am ready to get to work immediately to make change to a community I have loved and represented for so long already,” Spicer continued. https://www.instagram.com/p/CePzYOELdua/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bdc41070-1965-4be3-9df5-0cde35f7c7d7 A “Black Panther” spinoff series is set to debut on Disney+ this year. According to ScreenRant, the series “Eyes of Wakanda” will span various time zones, following a diverse range of characters searching for dangerous vibranium artifacts. The cast has not yet been revealed. Here’s the logline: “Throughout Wakandan history, brave warriors have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is their story.” “Eyes of Wakanda” does not yet have a release date. https://youtu.be/YPwqtAeoPEI The partisan battle for Black voters’ support may not be as cut-and-dry this year compared to the build-up to presidential elections in recent memory. Instead of the traditional support from Black voters going to the Democratic nominee, the unusually high number of third-party candidates this year could flip that status quo on its head and spell doom for President Joe Biden, a major pollster said. That’s because 20% of Black voters – Biden’s most loyal base – expect to cast their ballots on Election Day for neither the incumbent nor Donald Trump, the presumptive Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, respectively, according to a new poll. The findings in the USA Today/Suffolk University Poll are the latest evidence that fewer Black voters plan on supporting Biden’s reelection efforts, giving a slight edge to Trump in the general election. To be precise, the poll found that nearly 25% fewer Black voters plan to support Biden this year than they did in 2020. On the flip side, Trump has managed to maintain the 12% support among Black voters that he got in 2020, which the polling suggests could prove to be the difference in November. “Although Trump hasn’t grown support among Black voters, he has closed the deficit because third-party voters come off of Biden’s support among Blacks,” David Paleologos, director of Suffolk’s Political Research Center, said about the new poll. “A young voter or a person of color voting ‘third party’ is a vote away from President Biden, and a vote away from President Biden is a vote for Donald Trump.” And while fewer young people are expected to vote this year compared to past presidential elections, the decline is “most pronounced” among Black voters, according to a poll released last month. At the same time, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – the top-polling third-party candidate – is reportedly enjoying support among Black voters in battleground states at an unprecedented level. MSNBC reported that 28% of Black voters in battleground states plan to vote for Kennedy. While 50% of those same voters support Biden, 13% are expected to vote for Trump, recent polling shows. https://youtu.be/ItN0hvrR9TU The fight to get justice for 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II has continued as attorneys for the family of the slain Black man have filed a complaint with the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training about the events that led to his untimely death. Cobb’s family is represented by nationally renowned civil rights attorneys Bakari Sellers and Harry Daniels as well as F. Clayton Tyler. On July 31, 2023, 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II was pulled over by state troopers on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis. During the traffic stop, officers tried to arrest Cobb and take him into custody for allegedly violating a restraining order. As they tried to take him out of his vehicle, Cobb began to drive away and he was shot and killed by Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan.Dash camera and body-worn camera video of the incident, which was released by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS), showed Cobb was pulled over for not having his rear lights on and, while three officers responded to the initial incident, Londregan was the only one to discharge his firearm. According to the family attorneys, MDPS has said that “At no point on available video” is Cobb holding a gun. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) also submitted its findings to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office in September. Kanye West (AKA Ye) allegedly blames his wife for not being pregnant yet with their first child. Ye and Bianca Censori tied the knot a year ago, and insiders claim he’s ready to start a family with the Kim Kardashian clone. A source reportedly told the National Enquirer that Ye is blaming his wife for not giving him baby #5. The hip-hop star shares four minor children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. “Kanye’s all about projecting an image he’s a virile, baby-making stud — but that’s far from the truth,” the source told the Enquirer. “Sure, he parades his wife around like some sex toy. But most nights, she goes to bed alone — and he’s up until sunrise surrounded by all his yes men!” The source added, “… instead of realizing where he went wrong, he’s blaming her” and forcing 29-year-old Censori to have in vitro fertilization (IVF). In November, it was reported that Censori had briefly returned to her family in Australia after loved ones expressed concerns about her relationship with the rapper. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F5PcuVvXkAAdXe8?format=jpg&name=small With the 2024 Paris Olympics now just a few months away, the world’s biggest and best sports stars are starting to gear up for one of the globe’s most prestigious events, where they’ll be joined by a slightly unlikely face: Snoop Dogg. This summer, the rapper, actor and entrepreneur will be headed to Paris with NBC to take on a role as Special Correspondent for NBC’s primetime Games coverage alongside Olympics host Mike Tirico, the network announced. Beginning July 26, he will “explore the city’s iconic landmarks, attend Olympic competitions and events, and visit with the athletes, their friends, and families,” according to NBC. “I grew up watching the Olympics and am thrilled to see the incredible athletes bring their A-game to Paris. It’s a celebration of skill, dedication, and the pursuit of greatness,” the musician said in a statement. https://youtu.be/RqpAYXbqYXc Colman Domingo is reportedly being considered to replace Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to film insider Daniel Richtman, Domingo tops the list of frontrunners to take over the Kang role, Complex reports. “Colman Domingo as Kang would have me instantly bought back in,” one X/Twitter user wrote. “Colman is an exceptional human and talent, in my experiences. He is so versatile as an actor. No better choice and I hope this is true.” Another person added, “And he actually looks more like Kang. I can’t explain it. He just looks more fit for the role than Johnathan ever was, though John did do a fantastic job with He Who Remains in Loki.” Marvel dropped Majors as Kang the Conqueror after he was found guilty in December 2023 of assault and harassment involving his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. He appeared as the supervillain in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in Feb. 2023 and the “Loki” series on Disney+. https://youtu.be/4lBqMhZ3NBg Ciara has a connection to sports (hint: it’s Derek Jeter) that doesn’t have anything to do with her being married to Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. During an appearance on the PBS series “Finding Your Roots,” the singer was reviewing her ancestry results with host Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. when she exclaimed, “What the world!” When Gates told her the person whose name she was reading was her “DNA cousin,” Ciara was shocked. “You are kidding me!” she said. “Derek Jeter!” https://youtu.be/MlFF7F1QqEc “I came in looking for work as a stuntman…I’m a helicopter pilot,” said Chuck Borden about the Triumph Donnelly Studios action film Vendetta Vette (VV), to be released in 2024. “DJ came to me…he was opened (about the films’ situation).” DJ Donnelly wanted Chuck to direct the film, Vendetta Vette. Vendetta Vette is on a mission to save the world with an all-female team. DJ also enlisted Chuck to complete writing the screenplay for the film after the original screenwriter passed away. At the time of my talk with Borden they were working on completing the trailer for the film, which is an ode’ to secret agent James Bond. Think James Bond as a female. “DJ trusted me. He had a female writer…she passed away…for an all-female cast,” Chuck said. When I asked about writing a script for a female cast, he said, “I came in thinking I can work from a girls’ perspective – taking my ego out of it. The finale car chase…writing that, it was fun.” Chuck Borden has been a stuntman for 37 years, before stepping into the shoes of a feature film director and screenwriter. His stuntman credits include Star Trek: Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space, Star Trek: Voyager, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Fast & Furious, and Constantine. He is the stunt coordinator at SAG/AFTRA and NASCAR instructor for Richard Petty Driving Experience. Chuck has garnered a Dove Award nomination for producing and directing the music video “I Will” by Donna McAfee. With heavy hearts, the family of Carl E. Johnson, Sr. announces his transition from labor to reward on Tuesday, December 26, 2023. He was 88. Surrounded by his loving wife of 64 years, Christine Currin Johnson, devoted son Carl Everett Johnson, Jr., and doting daughter Cerise Johns, though saddened by their loss, they humbly submit to the sovereign will of God. Born in Memphis on October 2, 1935, and educated at Florida Elementary, Booker T. Washington High School, and LeMoyne-Owen College, Johnson earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. He received his Master’s in Education from Memphis State University with additional studies at Brooking Institute in Washington, D. C., and the U. S. 4th Army Medical Laboratory. Carl attained his teaching certification from the State of Tennessee in General Science, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. These skills were applied at Carver High School and Southwestern College of Memphis (now Rhodes College). From 1979 to 1991, he held the position of Instructional Developer and Director of Government Relations at Shelby State Community College (now Southwest Community College). As an entrepreneur, Mr. Johnson was the owner of the Walnut Service Center Construction Group and consulted in the areas of education, housing, and government relations. Mr. Johnson held prestigious memberships and leadership positions on the NAACP Board of Directors, Smithsonian Institute, Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators, National School Board Association, Southern Region Minority Council, Boy Scouts of America Board of Directors, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association of University Professors, the American Biology Association, Memphis Urban League and the Memphis Area Minority Contractors Association among many others. https://youtu.be/hoCEFy8EfVM The Southwest Ranches, Florida, home of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was badly damaged in a fire Wednesday, according to a fire marshal. The fire has been extinguished and officials are waiting to investigate to determine the cause of the fire, Davie Fire Rescue Fire Marshal Robert Taylor told CNN. Crews responded to the home in the town of Southwest Ranches Wednesday around 1:53 p.m. after receiving a 911 call from the residence, Taylor said. Everyone inside had evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, he said. Taylor confirmed the home belongs to Hill. https://youtu.be/2fWDpOX_oBw At least 20 units from the Davie Fire Rescue, Southwest Ranches Fire Department, and Broward County Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue responded to the scene. The home was heavily damaged, Taylor added. Hill left practice early after he was alerted to the fire, according to multiple reports. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is unknown. Earlier in chopper video shot by CNN affiliate WSVN, Hill could be seen standing outside as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames. The Miami Dolphins said in a statement to WSVN, “Tyreek has been in communication with his family. Everyone is out of the house and safe at this time. He has also left practice to deal with the situation.” Southwest Ranches is about 23 miles west of Fort Lauderdale. https://youtu.be/0uJM0qtz-vE A Nevada judge was attacked in the courtroom during a sentencing hearing Wednesday (01-03-24). 30-year-old Deobra Redden managed to high jump over the judge’s bench. And it was all caught on video. You can see and hear the exact moment Judge Mary Kay Holthus denied Redden bail and began to sentence Redden to jail. But before the judge could finish redden rushes towards her. jumps over her bench and attacks her. You can see the judge fall to the ground and district court Marshalls jump in to try and stop Redden. They are seen struggling to contain him for a few seconds before the video ends. In a statement to KTNV Channel 13, the Las Vegas district court says Judge Holthus experienced some injuries and is being monitored at the moment. Additionally, a court marshal was transported to the hospital after sustaining some injuries. He’s in stable condition. https://youtu.be/cDvr7IDPq2U The statement then goes on to say: “We commend the heroic acts of her staff, law enforcement, and all others who subdued the defendant. the court remains committed to a safe and secure courthouse and courtrooms. we are reviewing all our protocols and will do whatever is necessary to protect the judiciary, the public, and our employees.” The judge had a full court docket on Wednesday but after the incident, Marshalls cleared the courtroom for the rest of the day. Redden now has a court appearance set for Thursday morning at 9:00 before a different criminal judge. Redden is now facing new charges stemming from the incident which include one felony charge of battery on a protected person resulting in substantial bodily harm and three other misdemeanor battery charges. https://youtu.be/YV_UKJnaX98 Four Rabbis kicked off the new year in petty mode when they taunted Kyrie Irving with pro-Jewish signs during Monday’s game at the Delta Center. As Complex reports, the rabbis sat courtside during the Utah Jazz/Dallas Mavericks match-up, holding “I’m a Jew and I’m Proud” signs. The rabbis are still carrying a grudge because last year, Irving shared a link to a documentary titled “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.” The rabbis attended Monday’s game to antagonize Irving but were asked to remove the signs. One of the men, Rabbi Avremi Zippel, spoke out about the incident because he’s convinced Irving complained to security about the signs. Irving’s rep denies the NBA star lodged a complaint. “During an out-of-bounds play in the first quarter of yesterday’s Jazz game against the Dallas Mavericks, there was a group sitting courtside whose signs sparked an interaction with a player that created a distraction and interfered with play of game,” the Jazz said in the statement obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune. “As the next step in standard security protocol, the fans were asked to take down their signs.” Zippe called Irving “vile and disgusting” for allegedly being anti-Semitic. https://t.co/jUzpvQ3sfi Cedric The Entertainer is clapping back after Katt Williams accused him of stealing jokes. When Cedric appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast in 2022, he denied stealing one of Williams’ jokes. When Katt recently appeared on the Club Shay Shay podcast, he responded to Cedric. “He thought that I was just a no-name comedian and that he could take this joke and nobody would know,” Williams said. “The issue was that I had already done this particular joke on BET’s ComicView twice. It had done so well on BET’s ComicView that they made it part of the commercial.” Williams continued, “This is not just a random joke, this is my best joke and it’s my last joke and it’s my closing joke. 1998, I’m doing this joke; Cedric comes to The Comedy Store. He watches me in the audience; he comes backstage; he tells me what a great job I did and how much he loves the joke. Two years later, he’s doing that as his last joke on The [Original] Kings of Comedy and he’s doing it verbatim, he just changed my car into a spaceship.” Cedric wasted no time responding, calling Williams’ version “Revisionist History.” https://twitter.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1742667149422792867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1742667149422792867%7Ctwgr%5Ea6ed7b6320f457b1f3d9a35303e85f1c08e07363%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fcedric-the-entertainer-claps-back-at-katt-williams%2F Cedrick added, “… regardless of whatever Katts opinion My career can’t be reduced to One Joke Katt Williams claims as his,” the actor posted in comment section of the Club Shay Shay Instagram account. In a follow-up comment, Cedric seemingly addressed Williams claiming, “I would’ve bust Cedric’s stomach.” “And all that tough talk! Is corny af I’m grown ass man. And none of that sh*t gonna go like you think. You do you and I got this over here,” Ced commented. As The Jasmine Brand reports, Cedric The Entertainer previously stated: “That joke is over 30 years old, close to 30 something years old. I did The [Original] Kings of Comedy in 1999, probably had been doing that joke six-seven years before that. I don’t even know if Katt was doing comedy then…So again, he a talented brother. I have no idea what he talking about. I’ve never seen Katt do a space shuttle joke.” https://youtu.be/nARu4hfaQKc In the world of basketball, LeBron James stands as a towering figure, not just for his unparalleled skills on the court but also for his exemplary traits off the hardwood. Beyond his slam dunks and three-pointers, LeBron James is a man of many facets — a busy entrepreneur and a trailblazer for a legion of basketball stars coming up behind him. But James’ most important role is the one that he holds down at home as a father. LeBron, often referred to as “King James,” has captured the hearts of millions not just with his athleticism, but with the way he embodies dedication, leadership and compassion to his three children: LeBron “Bronny” James Jr., Bryce Maximus and Zhuri Nova. As a professional athlete, LeBron’s schedule is undeniably demanding. Despite this, he consistently prioritizes family time, showcasing the importance of balance between career and personal life. The doting dad rushed to be by his son Bronny’s bedside in July 2023, when his 19-year-old son suffered a cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center. The young athlete fell unconscious and was transported to the hospital at around 9:26 a.m. by medics on a Code 3 level medical emergency. By July 25, Bronny was in a stable condition and “no longer” in the ICU, but LeBron continued to stand by his son, asking fans for their love and prayers in support of the rising USC Trojans star. Now, his son is on track to be selected for the NBA draft. https://www.instagram.com/p/CyZkFy-u51O/ CBS presents THE SUPER BOWL SOULFUL CELEBRATION 25th ANNIVERSARY, (previously known as the “Super Bowl Gospel Celebration”), to air Saturday, February 10 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ (live for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand on Pluto TV and cbs.com the day after the special airs)*. Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold of CBS’ THE NEIGHBORHOOD are confirmed to host. “I’m thrilled to return to the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration stage in Vegas as co-host of the 25th anniversary broadcast on CBS with my dear friend and ‘The Neighborhood’ co-star, Tichina Arnold,” said Cedric the Entertainer. “A huge congratulations to Melanie Few for creating this amazing celebration of music, faith, and football." "Co-hosting the 25th anniversary Super Bowl Soulful Celebration with Cedric the Entertainer is a true highlight for me. Melanie Few's achievement in hitting this incredible milestone is a testament to her dedication and the event's cultural impact,” said Tichina Arnold. “I'm thrilled to be part of this historic event, and Cedric and I are geared up to bring our energy, laughter, and soul to this momentous occasion!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iT15YgHY4Y Atlanta-based rapper T.I. and his wife Tiny, a singer, are not strangers to being accused of sexual assault and battery, etc (see videos below). We bring it up because they’ve been accused again. The two are the subject of a lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges the couple assaulted her “in or around 2005” after they met at a Los Angeles nightclub. The woman, only identified as Jane Doe, accuses T.I. and Tiny of drugging her and taking her to a hotel where she was allegedly assaulted. https://youtu.be/12hCcpK4MQM The couple is also being sued for negligence and false imprisonment, reports TMZ. “On the heels of positivity, negativity always rears its ugly head. This plaintiff has been threatening to file this lawsuit for THREE years,” T.I. and Tiny responded in a joint statement. “For THREE years, we have emphatically and categorically denied these allegations. For THREE years we have maintained our innocence and refused to pay these extortionate demands for things we didn’t do. For THREE years, we’ve maintained the same position while the claims in this story have changed time and time again,” the couple shared. The couple went on to add that they “look forward to our day in court. Our position is clear… We are innocent of these fake claims, we will not be shaken down.” https://youtu.be/2aTxYwFYyWk Jane Doe’s lawsuit alleges that the Harrises served her a drugged drink at an LA nightclub and took her back to their hotel room, where a nonconsensual sexual encounter ensued while she was incapacitated. The plaintiff said she filed the lawsuit now due to California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, which opens up a yearlong window for reviving claims that have exceeded the statute of limitations. https://youtu.be/NbRSeAroQcE “Not only are the claims bogus, but they missed the deadline to file the lawsuit,” T.I. and Tiny’s lawyer told TMZ. Back in 2021, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the musical couple was under investigation, but Los Angeles authorities declined to pursue criminal charges due to the statute of limitations, the NY Daily News noted. https://youtu.be/-e3j_Y37Ti0 “Without the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence being evaluated, the case is declined due to the expiration,” the district attorney’s office wrote in the charge evaluation. https://youtu.be/JqUI-v1ipOs A daring domestic violence escape was caught on the doorbell video camera of a mother and her child running for their lives in the middle of the night. Police say the 35-year-old woman and her 10-year-old son were held hostage by her ex-boyfriend on Terry Street in North St. Louis Wednesday evening into the morning. “He was serious. He was trying to get them,” says Marquitta Lewis, the neighbor who let them into her home. The pair escaped and knocked on Lewis’ door around 1 a.m. Thursday. https://youtu.be/HaubEYzpZjc First Alert 4 confirmed the mom and her son are safe. The community and organizations like Safe Connections are looking to put a stop to domestic violence and help survivors find a way out. “Pay attention to the red flags, gaslighting, if that person is trying to control or isolate you. Pay attention to the different signs, different things that are happening with that individual,” says Safe Connections Executive Director, Cynthia Danley. “It’s scary. It’s sad and something needs to be done about it quick,” Johnson-Jones says. If you or someone you know are in a domestic violence situation call 314-531-2003 or visit safeconnections.org. https://youtu.be/y7XD90vLxs8 YouTube personality Funky Dineva is speaking out about his future with Fox Soul’s “Tea-G-I-F.” The influencer revealed recently that he’s exciting the pop culture talk show due to financial conflicts. His replacement has not yet been named, and co-hosts Claudia Jordan and Al Reynolds will remain on the show. As Distractify reports, a day after Funky Dineva, Al, and Claudia shared their New Year resolutions last month, Funky announced he was exiting the show. “When Tea-Gif resumes, I, Funky Dineva Ross, will not be there,” he said on his popular YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/EFtOxEjsSHQ Young women from the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, Africa, are allegedly exploited by European modeling agencies. An exclusive Sunday Times investigation published Oct. 8 highlights dozens of models from impoverished camps recruited by top fashion labels. “Some were still working in Europe, with varying degrees of financial success, while others had returned having not made anything,” The Times writes on its official Instagram account. According to the report, the Kakuma refugee camp is run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is one of the world’s biggest refugee camps, home to 280,000 people, and more than half are from South Sudan. Select, one of the world’s leading agencies, uses a hotel outside Kakuma to scout for talent. Per The Times, Puglisi, the CEO of Select, said, “… models come for shows for three to four weeks. Then they return home.” The agency, he said, is not moving these models to Europe permanently. https://www.instagram.com/p/CyIV48Bs2wc/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=718d5151-9e50-44c6-95b1-8c0a22f60802 Charlamagne tha God explained in a new interview that he regrets voting for President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris. The popular radio personality said he initially supported Harris due to her stance on mental health — but after she was elected, she failed to follow through with her initiatives. “I’ve learned my lesson from doing that. Once they got in the White House, she … kind of disappeared,” Charlamagne told Politico, according to OK Magazine. “When I give people my word like: ‘Yo man, I think we should be supporting Kamala Harris for vice president … because she’s going to hold it down.’ When we say those things and people don’t see her holding it down, that causes issues,” he continued. “‘Damn, you told us to vote for [them].’ Do you know how many people say that to me all the time?” Charlamagne openly endorsed the Biden/Harris ticket in 2020. “I’m voting for Kamala Harris, I’ll tell you that in a heartbeat. I’m not necessarily voting for Joe Biden, I’m voting for Sen. Kamala Harris,” he said at the time, New York Post reports. “I believe she’s a political change agent, exactly the leader this country needs to lead us in the future. If she’s not, I’ll just be wrong,” Charlamagne said in 2020. “I’m just so tired of old White male leadership in politics.” Meanwhile, Biden famously told Charlamagne during the 2020 presidential race that Black Americans who do not vote for him “ain’t Black.” During his sit down with 2024 GOP presidential candidate Larry Elder last year, Charlamagne had his “ni*** wake-up call” for how he handled that moment with Biden. “I’m acutely aware Charlemagne that I am a Black person, just as you are a Black person, and when Joe Biden insulted you by saying ‘you ain’t really Black you don’t know whether or not you want to vote for me or vote for Donald Trump.’ Today, Urban One revealed the honorees for “URBAN ONE HONORS,” set to tape on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, GA. This year’s two-hour telecast theme is “Best in Black” and premieres during Black History Month on Sunday, February 25, 2024, on TV One and simulcast on CLEO TV. “URBAN ONE HONORS” is the ultimate celebration of Black Excellence, acknowledging individuals whose remarkable achievements and significant contributions have left an indelible mark on the arts, media, music, and the community. This year’s distinguished recipients include Dionne Warwick, recognized as the Lifetime Achievement Honoree; Chlöe, celebrated as the Generation Next Honoree; Frankie Beverly, honored as a Living Legend, and Donald Lawrence, acclaimed for his Inspirational Impact. https://vimeo.com/899330689/0046941a2f?share=copy Blac Chyna is speaking out about her “painful” complications caused by cosmetic surgery. The former stripper explains in a new video that her health journey following breast implant reduction surgery last spring has been challenging. “Hey guys, Happy New Year’s,” she said in the clip posted on Instagram last month. “Yep, I did it again. Quick story time about the breasts.” “So, earlier this year, I was like, ‘You know what, I wanna take out my boobs. I’m over it. I’m kinda tired of the fake look,” Chyna continued. “They’re too big for my body, too big for my frame, and it just doesn’t fit me as a person anymore.’” The mother of two said her doctor advised her to go “smaller and smaller” so that she wouldn’t end up with sagging skin or deformed breasts. On December 21, she underwent a surgical procedure that led to complications. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyw17c3Rq-j/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9c91c2f4-cb3d-4977-a136-958e13ac831e&img_index=1 “My doctor told me if I don’t do some type of implant. Basically, my boobs are just gonna be mush,” she said. Watch her explain the issue in the IG video below. Blac Chyna debuted her “natural” look last year after undergoing several procedures to reduce her breasts and butt and dissolve her facial fillers. “I just want all the ladies out there to know, do not get silicone shots because you can get sick, you can die, have complications and all this other crazy stuff,” Chyna said in a video posted to IG in March 2023. “First of all, I’m tired of the look. And it’s just not flattering, it’s not what I look like. It totally changed my face, and I’m just ready to get back to Angela,” she said last May. https://www.instagram.com/blacchyna/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=469620ca-7182-44ed-a50f-26d435ef18cb Rapper Boosie Badazz is catching heat after revealing he walked out of “The Color Purple” movie due to the queer content. Boosie took his two minor daughters to watch the film and explained that he swiftly exited the screening during the lesbian love scenes. “I had to walk out this Color Purple movie ([and] two other older couples walked out also) because I had my little girls with me,” he wrote on Twitter/X. “It seemed like a [rainbow] love story!! Good acting, but whoever wrote the script is pushing the narrative hard!! As a parent, I will not let my little girl watch this film.” LGBTQ+ advocates are angry about Boosie’s stance, with trans influencer TS Madison writing, “Sir: the character you play in real life is MISTER, The Daddy, The pastor and all the other men who abused CELIE in that movie!! And have the nerve to finally be “concerned” about what a kiss would do to “influence” your daughter,” the TV star wrote. https://twitter.com/i/status/1742379097177649661 Conservative congressman Mike Lawler is a Michael Jackson superfan, according to The Daily Beast. One of Lawler’s Instagram posts highlights Jackson’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has also cited one of Jackson’s 2001 live shows as one of his favorite concerts. “It’s true that Congressman Lawler—who is known to have performed the Moonwalk once or twice—is a fan of Michael Jackson’s music and even attended one of his last concerts at Madison Square Garden in 2001,” Lawler’s campaign spokesperson Chris Russell said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “As to any questions about the Congressman being a ‘super fan’, just beat it,” Russell said. Per The Daily Beast, entertainment reporter J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote in his 2009 biography “Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story” that his friend Lawler is “an ardent Jackson admirer who had followed the proceedings so closely he knew the evidence better than even I did—had flown in from New York to attend the trial,” Taraborrelli wrote. https://www.instagram.com/p/X-Zgk3ByZ6/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dff908be-a853-4e06-b802-c3a215a35982 Tamar Braxton posted footage of James Wright Chanel’s injuries after he was assaulted by Chrisean Rock. Braxton previously addressed the controversy with Rock, confirming that the troubled reality star assaulted Chanel at Braxton’s show in November. Braxton said at the time that James “got assaulted at my show and it was by Chrisean. But, there were a lot of events that I believe were misconstrued.” Braxton allegedly invited Rock to perform at the show, and viral videos show the struggle rapper was an annoying, drunken hot mess at the event. Rock denied punching James. However, Braxton’s newly released video shows the injuries James reportedly suffered after the attack. https://twitter.com/i/status/1742052097107824949 CLEO TV will air a new season of CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on tonight, January 3 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATcnNMBh3HU The Smollett sibling duo returns to CLEO TV tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET/8C with hit series, LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. This season, Jake and Jazz will continue to share beautiful home makeovers, prepare delicious family recipes, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for a lucky group of homeowners. In this episode, Jake taps into the family’s love of nature and builds a live-edge coffee table. Meanwhile, Jazz accents the room in warm cozy earth tone colors. Tonight's reveal meal is delectable ramen with fish cakes, and a triple chocolate cake. Be sure to catch this evening's exciting premiere! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9nh6xuNHUk The footage comes amid the leak of a video showing Rock interrupting Braxton’s prayer circle hours before she attacked James. New Black Cinema Productions owner Keinon Pierre reportedly filmed the video but claims the footage was given to TMZ by one of Braxton’s former employees. Per The Jasmine Brand, Pierre wrote in part, “DON’T USE MY FOOTAGE TO STIR THE POT OF DRAMA especially if you distort the quality! @tamarbraxton I am deeply sorry that this footage got out and I would never do anything to tarnish you or your family’s brand and name.” James, meanwhile, shared a video in November of him at the dentist getting his teeth fixed that Rock allegedly knocked out. https://twitter.com/i/status/1724235923104452758 Bottom line: Black conservatives are stoked over news that Harvard President Claudine Gay announced her resignation today as Harvard’s first Black and second female president, making her the shortest-tenured president in Harvard’s history. During Gay’s recent testimony before Congress, when asked if antisemitic acts and calling for the genocide of Jews violated school rules, Gay replied that such acts were “context-dependent.” Following that testimony, accusations of antisemitism and racism have been made against Gay, along with dozens of allegations of plagiarism. Several ambassadors with the Project 21 black leadership network have responded to Gay’s resignation. https://youtu.be/eXioPJ0Md1A Project 21 Ambassador Dr. Brenda J. Thiam, who holds a doctorate in special education leadership: During the congressional hearing, Dr. Gay refused to condemn the idea that calling for the genocide of Jews violated Harvard’s rules of bullying and harassment. Not doing so is the reason why she should have tendered her resignation sooner rather than later. There’s no “depending on the context” that justifies such a statement. https://youtu.be/DI8nMAvOa9I Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka made a winning return to tennis on Monday in Brisbane, Australia after spending over a year away from the sport prioritizing her mental health and then becoming a mother in July. The four-time grand slam champion beat Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6 (11-9) in the first round of the Brisbane International to kick off the new year in style. Osaka’s last match was at the 2022 Pan Pacific Open in Japan. Entering that tournament as defending champion, Osaka pulled out of the competition after experiencing abdominal pain. She had been expected to participate in the 2023 Australian Open, a tournament she has won twice, but withdrew when she announced her pregnancy. https://youtu.be/VyQXRSH3s3g Osaka, currently unranked after not playing competitively for 15 months, hit 36 winners in the match to 21 unforced errors, per the WTA. She held Korpatsch to 13 winners in the straight-sets victory. “The last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter, I didn’t return as much love as I was given,” Osaka said after the match. “I feel like that’s what I want to do in this chapter. “I just really appreciate people coming out and knowing me and cheering for me, because I feel like there was a time I was just a little kid trying to watch my role models play. So it feels really surreal sometimes to be playing on these courts.” Osaka’s powerful serve helped her through the match and she did not face a break point during the opening set. https://youtu.be/M0-8ci1YkO0 Television personality and “The Bachelorette” star Rachel Lindsay’s marriage to her husband of four years, Bryan Abasolo, is coming to an end. And interestingly the husband filed against the wife. On Tuesday, Abasolo filed a petition for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to a copy of the filing obtained by CNN. Check out the video above where Abasolo speaks out after filing for divorce from Lindsay. In the petition, Abasolo cited irreconcilable differences as grounds for divorce. He is requesting spousal support and for Lindsay to pay his attorney’s fees. The couple met in 2017 when Lindsay starred on the long-running ABC reality show “The Bachelorette.” They became engaged during the show’s finale and wed in 2019. https://youtu.be/9FMo9dAiHcw Planet Fitness has partnered with Megan Thee Stallion for a new “Mother Fitness” campaign just in time for the new year. The collaboration advocates for mental and physical health and also offers limited-edition “Big Fitness Energy” merch. Per the news release, as part of their partnership, “Megan takes on a new role as Mother Fitness, encouraging gym goers to leave behind the intimidation and high prices commonly found at other gyms and join Planet Fitness, home of the Judgement Free Zone, to find their Big Fitness Energy,” the release states. The “Big Fitness Energy” merchandise benefits Megan’s non-profit, The Pete & Thomas Foundation. The items, now available for purchase, include Crew neck sweatshirts, Bucket hats and water bottles emblazoned with ‘Real Hot Girl Fit’ and Sticker sheets, per the news release. “Working out is such an important part of my routine, so this partnership with Planet Fitness genuinely embodies my personal values,” the Grammy-winning artist said in a statement, Vibe reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0fWGZxPs0G/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c763951c-9ca8-4ebf-8024-a305452fc9ff A new California law requires major retailers to have gender-neutral toy aisles. The so-called “progressive” state became the first in the nation to adopt such a law, CNN reports. According to the bill, retailers with 500 or more employees across all department stores in the state that sell childcare items or toys must now sell these products in a gender-neutral section that’s “labeled at the discretion of the retailer … regardless of whether they have been traditionally marketed for either girls or for boys.” Retailers that fail to comply will be fined up to $500. The bill states, “Beginning on January 1, 2024, the bill would make a retail department store that fails to comply with these provisions liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $250 for a first violation or $500 for a subsequent violation, as provided.” https://youtu.be/iw656rZ9SzA The cause of death has been revealed for Keisha Whitaker, the ex-wife of actor Forest Whitaker. Keisha died of alcoholic liver disease, according to her death certificate obtained by TMZ. She passed away on Dec. 6 at age 51. True, Whitaker’s 25-year-old daughter, shared the heartbreaking news on her Instagram Story, writing, “Goodbye mommy. I love you 4ever and beyond. The most beautiful woman in the world … Thank you for teaching me every single thing I know. I’ll see you in my dreams and I’ll feel you in my heart.” Keisha was married to Forest for 22 years before he filed docs in December 2018, saying irreconcilable differences made it “impossible for the parties to live together as husband and wife.” Their divorce was finalized in 2021. The former couple met after playing on-screen lovers on the set of “Blown Away” in 1994. They married two years later in Montego Bay, Jamaica. They have two daughters, Sonnet and True, and Forest and Keisha each have a child from previous relationships. Lizzo hit up Instagram on Monday to show off her slimming waistline. The singer flaunted her physic in the new ultralight leggings and bra set from her shapewear line, Yitty. We previously reported, per @PaperMagazine, that YITTY provides undergarment support to women of all shapes and sizes. Ranging from sizes XS to 6X, Lizzo explained her concept behind launching YITTY. “Instead of thinking about size in this linear way, we’re thinking about it on a spectrum where everyone is included. It’s not high, it’s not low. It’s not big, it’s not small. It’s just your size. I was constantly being told through TV and magazines that my body wasn’t good enough. And, in order to be considered ‘acceptable’ I had to inflict some sort of pain upon it to fit into an archetype of beauty,” Lizzo said previously in a statement. In her new IG video, Lizzo said her product “snatches and lifts.” Carrie Bernans, a Marvel stuntwoman/actress is in bad, bad shape after being hit by a car while celebrating New Year’s Eve in NYC. On Monday, Carrie Bernans’ mother Patricia Lee posted pics of her daughter’s gruesome injuries which show her all bloodied up, while connected to machines. The elder Brenans says Carrie – who recently became a mother herself – had been walking with a friend when they stopped at a food truck, and a car careened into it … knocking Carrie unconscious and pinning her underneath. “She’s still in so much pain and can’t answer calls at this time, but appreciate the messages,” her mother wrote in the caption, “This was a traumatic incident. Please keep Carrie in your thoughts and prayers. She’s in so much pain but healing.” Lee continued about the incident: “She has a few broken bones, fractures, & chipped teeth but thanking God that she’s alive … Police caught him shortly after and arrested him. Amidst the chaos of the New Year’s incident, she’s holding onto an immense sense of gratitude for life itself.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1kixmDu_wR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2a215bba-db1a-4006-bfb7-db4defd814c8&img_index=1 The crash which happened in Manhattan was so serious, it was declared a mass casualty incident — with 3 NYPD officers among 9 others who also were injured. The cops were called to the scene around 1:40 AM Monday, and the driver — a 44-year-old man — is now in custody at Bellevue Hospital, according to TMZ. The crash happened as a result of the driver fleeing from police after the initial incident. Despite the traumatic crash, Patricia Lee says her daughter is healing and holding onto an immense sense of gratitude for life itself. https://youtu.be/yZSMHlFk4lw “This setback hasn’t deterred her belief that something remarkable is still being crafted by God,” Lee continued. “Despite the injuries sustained in the collision caused by a hit-and-run in NYC, she’s filled with hope and faith in the unfolding of a beautiful new chapter. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she navigates this path toward recovery and new beginnings.” https://youtu.be/f8x3O_4Bkq0 Harvard President Claudine Gay announced Tuesday she is stepping down amid a firestorm of controversy at the university. “It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president,” Gay wrote in a letter to the Harvard community. “After consultation with members of the Corporation, it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.” Gay did not say when she plans to formally step down but she described the decision as “difficult beyond words.” “Amidst all of this, it has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor — two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am — and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus,” Gay wrote. https://youtu.be/vkmnFbCwP6k?list=RDNSvkmnFbCwP6k The Corporation said the search for a new president would “begin in due course,” but did not specify an exact timeline. Gay said in her letter she would return to a faculty position “and to the scholarship and teaching that are the lifeblood of what we do.” A spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. https://youtu.be/IbAaVo8JnnY ”Former ‘Beverly Hills, 90210″ star Ian Ziering is speaking out after being attacked by a mob of urban bikers in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve. The wild incident went down on Hollywood Blvd and was caught on camera — see the TMZ video below. The footage shows a group of people on mini-bikes surrounding Ziering’s vehicle. The “Sharknado” star exits the car and gets into a physical altercation with one of the bikers. That’s when other bikers join in, attack, and chase him through busy traffic. Ziering hit up social media after the attack to inform fans that he and his daughter Mia, 12, were not injured in the altercation. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png John Legend was roasted on social media after performing Nate Dogg’s part on the track “21 Questions” with 50 Cent during the singer’s 45th birthday celebration in New York City last week. Footage of the performance quickly went viral, with one person on X/Twitter noting that Legend “made it sound like a negro spiritual.” Another X user commented, “Nate Dogg in heaven like… “N*gga you could’ve called Joe.”A third person wrote, “On another note, I think Legend could play George Jefferson in a reboot. As Complex reports, one critic added, “Why would John Legend get on stage and sing with 50 cent like that ????” Another commented, “Bruh the video of John Legend and 50 cent really brings me to tears.” https://twitter.com/HipHopDX/status/1741179849669071348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1741258985745879379%7Ctwgr%5Ef8f205ce8db85c1fd93db426d5e3d4be390bd82a%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2024%2Fjohn-legend-gets-roasted-for-performance-with-50-cent%2F Chaka Khan revealed in a new interview that she’s done with touring. “I got this rich-ass life. I’ve got great-grandchildren I want to get to know better. So I will not do another tour,” Chaka, 70, said in a new interview with Rolling Stone. “Riding on a bus, pissing in a little bathroom, waking up in the morning and you’re five hours from your hotel where you can take a proper bath or shower and go to bed like a normal human being. And then you got a gig that night. That’s friggin’ insane,” she added. “I’ll do dates, but it won’t look like a tour. They’ll be far enough apart that I can have time to sleep in between,” the soulful songstress said. Earlier this year, Khan told Entertainment Tonight, “I’ve done everything but kick myself in the back of the head… I feel like I’ve done a great deal. I’m wondering, you know, what’s next?” https://youtu.be/tbudWXQ-ym8 Police bodycam footage has been released of the moment a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a Black mother in a domestic dispute. Niani Finlayson, 27, called 911 on Dec 4 to report that “her boyfriend would not leave her alone and then screaming and sounds of a struggle could be heard,” the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) said in a statement, according to The Guardian. The family’s attorney said Finlayson was inside her apartment in Lancaster with her nine-year-old daughter when her ex-boyfriend injured her. Deputies arrived to hear screaming from inside the unit, LASD said. LASD claims Deputy Ty Shelton opened fire because Finlayson had a knife and was threatening her boyfriend As ABC 7 reports, the sheriff’s department released the 911 audio, and Finlayson tells the dispatcher that the man inside her residence “won’t get of my house” and “he will not leave me alone.” https://abc7.com/video/embed/?pid=14242378 Kirk Franklin’s son Kerrion claims he was excluded from the family’s holiday photo. The gospel singer shared a photo of his wife, kids, son-in-law, and grandson on Instagram last Wednesday. Franklin captioned the photo, “Perfect father? No. Perfect husband? No. Perfect Christian? GOD NO. This picture is perfect because it’s gone through a process…. Filters, coloring, all the things to make it perceivable that’s how we always look. There are no perfect families, so this holiday season take that pressure off of yourself and love the flaws, failures and blemishes of your human family. I love mine, and I thank God that they love me through my process….perfectly. Merry Christmas.” Kerrion, 35, is noticeably absent from the family festivities, and he called out his father in a since-deleted post on his Instagram story. “I’m never invited to these pics. Let him enjoy his fantasy,” Kerrion wrote, Love B. Scott reports. Kerrion and Franklin’s relationship has reportedly been strained for years. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmb3XLDrbpg/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=821d40f1-ffd1-4746-ae84-8a9cb7f8bd0b Boosie Badazz cites safety reasons for not wanting his son to wear the trendy balaclava ski mask, known as the Pooh Shiesty mask. “Why don’t you take that Pooh Shiesty mask off,” Boosie tells his son in a video posted on Instagram, Complex reports. “You done had it on about two days. You out here in the mountains, a bear going to think you something else, bear going to bite your fucking finger off.” Boosie associates face masks with violence. “Why don’t you take that Pooh Shiesty mask off,” Boosie added. “You done had it on about two days. You out here in the mountains, a bear going to think you something else, bear going to bite your f*cking finger off.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1ckZORxPIO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, wants her late son’s estate to pay the six-figure sum she incurred in legal bills while battling the executors over a proposed “secret deal.” According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the 93-year-old is seeking $561,548 for legal services provided by the law firm Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro (Glasser Weil). John Branca and John McClain are the executors of Jackson’s estate. Last year, they asked the court to approve a lucrative confidential deal that Katherine opposed. “The Estate was teetering on the verge of collapse, with more than $400 million in debt that encumbered Michael’s most significant assets and little or no liquidity or means to service that debt. Through creative thinking, hard work and business savvy—and, of course, Michael’s extraordinary creative legacy—the Executors transformed the MJJ Business into a profitable enterprise,” the executors said in a court filing, per Radar. Despite Katherine’s objections, the judge sided with the estate’s executors and allowed the deal to proceed. https://youtu.be/zUniG6F_RzY Jeannie Mai plans to teach her biracial daughter Monaco about her Vietnamese culture. “Traveling is a big thing for Monaco and I,” Mai said at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve event, She Knows reports. “So, I’ve already taken her to about six different countries. This year, I want to take her to Vietnam ‘cause she’s never been and I wanna do some work out there. I wanna do some of my philanthropic work with anti-trafficking, and I wanna teach her about part of her heritage.” Mai shares Monaco with her ex-husband, rapper Jeezy. The former couple is embattled in a divorce case, with Jeezy claiming Mai is “gatekeeping” his visitations with their child. As we reported… Jeezy filed for divorce in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 14, after two-and-a-half years of marriage. According to People, the filing says the marriage is “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.” “I think we as women specifically don’t hear it enough that there is no greater love in your life, even as a mom, that you will ever get from anybody other than yourself. That is the first love of your life, and that will be the last love of your life,” Mai, 44, shared with People in a new interview. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png It’s been more than a year since headlines generated from Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes‘ then-secret romance. The former “GMA3: What You Need to Know” fixtures are still together, but like many relationship goers, they have their share of arguments, or “hiccups” as they call them. Turns out, when Holmes and Robach have what they call “hiccups,” Holmes has his way of dealing with those situations. According to People, the “hiccups” come about once a week. “I am really, really bad about this. I don’t scream, I don’t yell, I don’t do anything. I don’t name-call, I don’t get aggressive. Nothing, but I will check out,” the 46-year-old ex-TV co-host explained in the latest episode of he and Robach’s “Amy and T.J.“ podcast. “I don’t need you to say ‘I’m sorry.’ I don’t need you to help me. I have to work through it, and I’m trying to get better at doing it quicker.” Although Holmes is working through his argument issues, apologies are something that strikes a nerve. Particularly when it comes to how long it takes for Robach to offer one. https://youtu.be/Z2Djp0taYJw “It drives me crazy. Why? Because ‘I’m sorry’ comes 24 hours late,” he continued. “It’s how you react in the moment that makes all the difference in the world because, in that moment, we have a chance to go this way or this way. And if you go that way, I’m out. I’m done. … I’m checked out for the day.” Robach admits she isn’t fond of Holmes stewing for so long, according to People, which noted it usually takes around two days. “It’s two days, at least,” Robach said. “I would rather have him yell at me than freeze me out for two days. … I’m like, I don’t know what to say, what to do, what he thinks.” Despite the weekly “hiccups,” Holmes and Robach remain an item. So much so that the M-word came up in their podcast last week as they addressed the possibility of marriage. “It’s under consideration,” the 50-year-old Robach said. “We did not enter this relationship for fun or for ‘Let’s see what happens.’ We entered this relationship because we intended on spending our lives together. So whether or not we have some sort of legal, you know, I don’t know, button on it.” https://youtu.be/gItpmq1KAJQ As the discussion continued, Robach admitted she and Holmes were in no hurry to jump the broom. “We both have two marriages under our belts and so it’s not something we’re racing to or rushing towards,” the 50-year-old former news fixture explained. “But there is something, I get it, it’s this thing that I can’t even explain why there’s this desire, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I can say that. It’s on the table. It’s on the table.” With a four-year difference, Holmes mentioned the age issue is a factor in him wanting to tie the knot. “I want to marry you, in part, because you’re 50 and I’m 46. And I’m very sick of introducing a 50-year-old woman as my girlfriend. That just sounds stupid,” he said. https://youtu.be/bgb8rd5bCX0 From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFtdbEgnUOk A Mobile church is helping set a good example and spread positivity among youth in the community. PrayerHouse Ministries in Mobile held a father-son workshop to show young men the importance of working and how to be productive. The group of boys went to 15 different stations where they got to see demonstrations by several different businessmen from all walks of life. With the recent uptick in gun violence and spikes in crime rates, Pastor Billy King said he believes events like these can help young men be the positive impact they need. “We’ve been having so many murders of our young boys and many of them are under the age of 25. It’s something that we need to do and need to be in a hurry about doing it because they’re dying,” King said. https://youtu.be/fYuuX6O7FwQ Despite conquering the box office, “Barbie” was not among the films former president Barack Obama cited in his list of favorite movies for 2023. TooFab reports #44 released his compilation of favorite films on Wednesday (Dec. 27) via Instagram. Features making the cut include: “Rustin,” “Leave the World Behind,” “American Symphony,” “The Holdovers,” “Blackberry,” “Oppenheimer,” “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Monster,” “Past Lives,” “Air,” “Polite Society” and “A Thousand and One.” Although Obama’s list is diverse, he did admit that it was a bit “biased,” seeing that the first three movies in the collection were from Higher Ground, the production company he co-founded in 2018 with his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama. “I’m biased since these movies were produced by Higher Ground, but these are in fact three of the best films I saw this year,” Obama wrote, before listing “Rustin,” “Leave the World Behind” and “American Symphony” to kick off his 2023 favorites. Realizing the impact of the 2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strikes, the politician acknowledged the impact of the protests in his caption. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Xuy55Pi2N/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a13851bb-cc0c-4acf-a91a-5ac89304260d Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson says he was “disappointed and surprised” when head coach Sean Payton told him he would be benched for the team’s final two games of the NFL regular season. “I felt like we were doing something special and rolling,” said Wilson, speaking on Friday for the first time with the media since being benched. “We’ve had some tough games, some tough close ones, but we’ve still got a chance. At the end of the day, what God’s got for me, I’m going to keep trusting in him. “I’m going to keep putting my best foot forward every day and be as professional as I can be, no matter what the circumstances are. I learned that a long time ago,” added the 35-year-old quarterback. Wilson signed a five-year extension worth a reported $245 million in September 2022, which is set to kick in next season. According to ESPN, Wilson is “guaranteed $39 million in 2024 whether he is on the team or not,” as well as “another $37 million (his 2025 salary) guaranteed if he could not pass a physical on the fifth day of the new league year in March.” In his interview with media on Friday, Wilson said he was approached by the team after the Broncos’ Week 8 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs and told if he didn’t move back his injury guarantee in his contract that he’d be benched. “We beat the Chiefs. They came up to me at the beginning of the bye week — Monday or Tuesday — and told me that if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, I’d be benched for the rest of the year … I was definitely disappointed about it,” said Wilson. https://youtu.be/kmWcpbvpnWc “I understand all the speculation and everything that surrounds a move like that,” said Payton. “I can tell you we’re desperately trying to win. Sure, in our game today there are economics and all those other things, but the No. 1 push behind this — and it’s a decision I’m making — is to get a spark offensively.” Nine-time Pro Bowler Wilson, who is currently in his 12th season in the league, has helped lead the Broncos to a 7-8 record while throwing for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. Wilson was traded to the Broncos before the 2022 season after spending his first 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson helped lead Seattle to a Super Bowl XLVIII victory in 2014. https://youtu.be/FSH01rpKkT4 Recognized as “Queen Bey,” Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is a prominent American songwriter, singer as well as a businesswoman. Standing as a 21st-century cultural icon, Beyoncé Knowles Carter is celebrated for her unparalleled and exceptional performances. Yet, her prowess transcends the confines of music, as she has left an indelible mark in the film industry as well as can be seen from the many Beyoncé movies that are out. Queen Bey is an incredible entertainer, captivating audiences with her astonishing performances and leaving a lasting impression with her memorable roles in movies. She truly knows how to command the stage and captivate the audience! Explore Beyoncé’s cinematic journey as we navigate through all the unforgettable film roles she has played. Let’s celebrate the versatile talent of Queen Bey on the silver screen. https://youtu.be/5MZiUVantjE Beyoncé’s debut film role in 2002 as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember not only marked her entry into the movie world but also earned her a Best Breakthrough Performance nomination at the MTV Movie Awards. Her portrayal of Foxxy Cleopatra highlights Beyoncé’s comedic talent and adds a playful dimension to her versatile skill set. https://youtu.be/SwB0ZJbwmpw Beyoncé shares the screen with Steve Martin, portraying the character Xania, a pop star in this comedy movie. Adding intrigue to the comedy, Beyoncé’s character, Xania, becomes the prime suspect in the unfolding murder mystery. https://youtu.be/-g4A_SkvJE0 Beyoncé portrays a prosperous businesswoman and wife whose life takes a tumultuous turn when a temporary employee develops a perilous obsession with her. This psychological thriller, Obsessed, highlighted her talent for captivating audiences, particularly in intense and demanding roles. A thrilling film packed with unexpected turns and twists! https://youtu.be/LFO-xqbWYpw In this remake of the classic Disney film, Beyoncé lends her voice to the character Nala. Beyoncé produced The Lion King: The Gift album in collaboration with other African artists to celebrate African music and culture’s beauty. https://youtu.be/civgUOommC8 This is a documentary concert film where Beyoncé takes on the roles of writer, director, and producer. The documentary follows the journey of the Renaissance World Tour, Beyoncé’s stadium tour in 2023, supporting her seventh studio album, Renaissance. You get to see behind-the-scenes clips, Beyoncé’s children’s videos, and amazing moments from the concerts. It’s like a special peek into how Beyoncé makes her music and on-stage performances. https://youtu.be/ByV3XWl8zWU In the lead-up to Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen‘s seventh New Year’s Eve special together, CNN’s Harry Enten asked some of New York’s finest comedians questions about the co-hosts. https://eurweb.com/2023/comedians-were-asked-to-roast-cooper-and-cohen-heres-what-they-said-watch/ Vanessa Bryant‘s spending habits are catching heat from controversial social media personality Dr. Umar Johnson. According to HotNewHipHop.com, Johnson accused Bryant of “not doing sh-t” to “uplift the Black community” during a recent appearance on “The Joe Budden Podcast. However, it’s Black folks who are defending. Umar referenced how Vanessa Bryant spent the money of her late husband Kobe Bryant while noting a “sports initiative” Vanessa recently started with six predominately white colleges to support his claim. The “initiative” Johnson referenced was the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. The colleges in question are the University of Connecticut (UConn), the University of Southern California (USC), the University of Kentucky (UK), the University of Oregon (UO), Duke University, and Louisiana State University (LSU). In September, the foundation revealed partnerships with the schools. UConn was especially noted, given the college was the frontrunner in recruiting Kobe and Vanessa’s daughter, Gigi Bryant, before her death last year. Despite Johnson’s criticism, his views were largely rejected, HotNewHipHop mentioned. The site pointed to one person who argued that “there are plenty of angry Black wives who got a Black man’s money and didn’t do sh-t for the Black community.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1739798140117504429 Meanwhile, Vanessa Bryant is focused on other things, most notably a statue honoring Kobe. Earlier this year, Vanessa announced via video that her late husband and Los Angeles Lakers icon will receive a statue at Crypto.com Arena. “On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters, and me, I am so honored that, right here in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as ‘The House that Kobe Built,’ we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever,” she said in the video announcement. “Kobe Bryant was one of the most extraordinary athletes of all time and one of the most iconic individuals in the history of Los Angeles,” said Lakers team owner Jeanie Buss. “There is no better place for Kobe to be honored with a statue than here, at the center of our city, where everyone can celebrate him and be inspired by his incredible achievements.” https://youtu.be/v3OP6Lwx-pI The Kobe statue is a long time coming, HNHH noted, adding the venture had been in development for some time with Kobe himself having a hand in the initial design process. The will be the first in a “series of physical tributes to the basketball legend, who, along with Gigi, died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California in 2020. With the statue, Kobe will be the seventh Laker to be honored in such a way, joining an all-star group of statues featuring the likenesses of Elgin Baylor, Shaq, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn. https://youtu.be/P7HbLo7f1KE From his infamous “What the hell do you have to lose?” remark to his shallow “Platinum Plan” economic agenda for Black Americans, former President Donald Trump’s outreach to the Black community over the years has been little more than political theater, devoid of real substance. But the performance artist-in-chief might just have outdone himself. SiriusXM Radio host and author Clay Cane has some thoughts. Trump’s latest disingenuous stunt came last month with the boast about winning supposed backing from Black Lives Matter, a group he has disparaged in the past as “a symbol of hate.” In a Truth Social post last month in which he wrote that he had “done more for Black people than any other President,” Trump wrote that he was proud to have the backing of an individual who purported to be a leading member of a Black Lives Matter chapter in Rhode Island. Trump wrote that he had spoken to the man, Mark Fisher and that he was “very honored to have his and BLM’s support.” Trump touting alleged backing from BLM is eye-rolling, considering his years-long attacks on the group, including remarks a few years ago that Black Lives Matter is “bad for Black people.” The former President might have won Fisher’s endorsement, but Black Lives Matter wants nothing to do with either of them: Fisher is said by leaders of the group to have no current affiliation with the chapter in Rhode Island, which has denounced him as “an imposter.” Almost 60 percent of adult Americans struggle with at least one chronic condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, or stroke. These and other chronic illnesses are collectively responsible for most deaths and disabilities in the US. Likewise, they’re a primary contributor to the higher costs of healthcare. That’s why you need to know how holistic healthcare supports chronic disease management. Holistic care is a practical approach to managing chronic diseases. It represents a more comprehensive and personalized patient well-being perspective than traditional healthcare. This article will walk you through the basics of holistic healthcare and its significant role in managing chronic conditions. Vernette Kountz had given birth to four children in hospitals — including a set of surrogate twins — before deciding she was ready for a different experience like a birth center. Kountz said while her previous deliveries had all been healthy and smooth, she felt her hospital and medical office visits were rushed, routine, and impersonal. “When you’re in this medical model, you feel kind of shuffled around, told what to do, you have all of these assessments and ultrasounds,” Kountz said. “It feels more so transactional and less intimate.” So, in 2021, when Kountz found out she was pregnant with her fifth child, she decided to have the baby at the Atlanta Birth Center. The facility, she said, provided the holistic, personal, and intimate care she had longed for as a mother and she had a water birth to deliver her son, Hudson. Kountz said she valued the experience so much she’s preparing to deliver her sixth baby at the same birth center in January. https://youtu.be/EHLPt3m8BPA Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller said Thursday the allegations of domestic violence against him are “100% false” and “completely wrong and blown out of proportion” in his first public comments since he was accused of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend. “Me and my girlfriend, we have problems just like any other couple does, but there has never been any of those things that was alleged against me,” Miller said. “Hopefully over time, all of this stuff will get cleared up. Sometimes life just be life-ing. You’ve just got to keep pushing and keep moving. The people who know me and the people who have been around me know my character, they know who I am.” When asked what was not true about the allegations, he said, “All of it is incorrect.” Miller, who is originally from DeSoto, Texas, was in his home state during the Bills’ bye week when police responded to the alleged incident on November 29. Miller turned himself in to the Glenn Heights Police Department on November 30 and was released on $5,000 bond. “You know, it’s not a funny situation, but all of it is incorrect and all of it is untrue. The only thing that is true is we do have a third son on the way,” he said. https://youtu.be/EwG0zqvhYIg According to the arrest warrant affidavit from the Dallas Police Department, Miller has been accused of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend. The alleged victim told police Miller ordered her to leave the apartment they share in Dallas after a verbal argument. As she was gathering personal items to leave, the affidavit says, Miller “walked up to her and began to shove and push her, all while telling her to leave the unit.” Police say the woman informed them she is six weeks pregnant. In the report, the woman alleges that at one point Miller pulled out a chunk of her hair, which caused her to fall to the ground. She also told officers Miller twice “placed pressure” with his hand around her neck, although she was still able to breathe. Miller allegedly left the apartment after the woman said she was going to call the police. The police report says an officer “observed minor abrasions on the Complainant’s left hand along with bruising to her neck, injuries consistent with applied pressure to the neck.” Bruises were also later found on her abdomen and left arm. https://youtu.be/Lml9rYxveQ4 Paula Abdul is exposing Nigel Lythgoe for sexually assaulting of her multiple times. OK, now that we have your attention you’re no doubt asking who is Nigel Lythgoe. He was the producer of “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” TV shows Abdul was famously known to be a judge on. On Friday (12-29-23) the pop star and dancer/choreographer filed a bombshell lawsuit under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act which gives accusers a one-year window to press claims beyond the statute of limitations. It expires Dec. 3. In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the “Straight Up” singer alleges that in the early years of “American Idol” Lythgoe once cornered her in an elevator, tried to kiss her, and groped her breasts and genitals. https://youtu.be/viJ2B4Xi14w She also alleged that in 2015, after accepting an invitation to Lythgoe’s home shortly after she signed a contract to judge “SYTYCD” he threw himself on her and tried to kiss her. Years later – according to the suit – Lythgoe thought he could still play games with Abdul by taunting her, saying that “the statute of limitations had run” and inviting her to celebrate. “Lythgoe knew and was aware that his treatment of Abdul was inappropriate and even criminal,” the suit alleges. So far there’s been no response from Lythgoe, 74, to the lawsuit that also accuses several production companies of failing to protect her from Lythgoe. Abdul, now 61, also notes that she was paid less than the male judges. https://youtu.be/8ZoeOH8oCTw Patti LaBelle is the definition of a music legend. She still brings down the house, while continuing to demonstrate how it should be done. So much so that today’s singing sensations come to LaBelle when they need advice. “They do call me for information,” the “New Attitude” hitmaker shared during an interview with “Entertainment Tonight” while revealing her all-star list of advice seekers. “I’m the OG, I’m 79, and all my little girls like Ledisi and Fantasia and Ariana Grande and Beyoncé…they all call me for information about things they’re going through, that I’ve been through.” “So, I hope that I can always give information to my babies. Because that’s what I do,” LaBelle added. The entertainer’s revelation came amid honors she received at “CMT Smashing Glass: A Celebration of the Groundbreaking Women of Music,” according to Madame Noire. The event, which premiered in November, shined a light on women of all genres with a musical salute to, as CMT described “the incomparable women who smashed stereotypes, broke records and defiantly blazed trails for future generations of female artists.” In addition to LaBelle, “CMT Smashing Glass” recognized country legend Tanya Tucker and late music icons Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner and Sinead O’Connor. https://youtu.be/39W-xEoRrsQ Multiplatinum, 12-time Grammy® Award-winner John Legend shares a new single entitled “Don’t Need To Sleep” out today via Republic Records. Listen via the player above. It soars as a standout from the We Dare To Dream Soundtrack available on all DSPs. Executive produced by EGOT® superstar Legend and Academy® Award winner Angelina Jolie, the acclaimed 2023 Tribeca Festival selection and refugee sports documentary, We Dare To Dream, is now streaming exclusively on Peacock. Legend notably co-wrote “Don’t Need To Sleep” with Justin Tranter and Oak Felder—who also produced the song. On the track, soft strings unspool underneath striking and soulful verses punctuated by piano. It culminates in the climactic chorus as he reminds, “Don’t need to sleep to dream.” Be on the lookout for a powerful music video to accompany the song soon. It follows his 2022 double-album opus, LEGEND, out now. Stay tuned for more from John Legend. https://youtu.be/rQreCE71sPk Daniel Kaluuya is giving the world a different side of him as he goes behind the camera in his directorial debut, “The Kitchen.” According to Netflix’s synopsis of the film, which Kaluuya co-directed with Kibwe Tavares, “The Kitchen” is “A story of fatherhood and love for the community… Every city has a Kitchen. In a dystopian London, the gap between rich and poor has been stretched to its limits.” In the trailer for the sci-fi thriller, released Dec. 18, bike gangs (both motor and pedal-powered), and violence are featured in a London full of neon and riot cops, pristine lobbies and grubby alleys, hierarchies and have-nots. Izi (British actor and rapper Kane Robinson) looks for a way out of the Kitchen—until he encounters Benji (newcomer Jedaiah Bannerman), a boy who needs a family. As the trailer plays, it’s clear the duo needs each other in a world that doesn’t seem to have anything good in store for them. https://youtu.be/GgT5cEV5Qt0 The music video for the single “Why Not” (AngelicVoicesMinistry/Symphonic) by Gospel/Hip-Hop singer/songwriter/keyboardist AngelicVoicesMusic charts at #3 on 4M.tv’s Music Block World’s Top 10 Best Artists. The music video is produced by AngelicVoicesMinistry and Likevision and features Brooklyn rapper Asim I.I. (“The Christmas Song”). The “Why Not” music video tells the story of perseverance, despite life’s challenges. It highlights that through those challenges you should praise God because it could be worse. AngelicVoicesMusic and Asim I.I. performed the “Why Not” single during the 24th annual Los Angeles “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference, walking away with the ULMII Best Artist Award. Born Vanderbilt Evans, Jr., the Hip-Hop artist is busting with talent winning the Producers Challenge at the Live at Webster Hall competition. His “Why Not” music video also appeared on Billboards in and around the Bronx, courtesy of his record distributor Symphonic adding the AngelicVoicesMusic hype. https://youtu.be/2AxJeKRvLBs People often praise Oprah Winfrey for being a media mogul, philanthropist, bestselling author, and influential icon. Even though she’s achieved a lot, people are curious about her personal life, especially regarding her family and children. Oprah Winfrey kids may pop into mind. This article seeks to explore Oprah’s relationships with her family, partners, and close friends. Oprah Winfrey has actively supported various charitable initiatives dedicated to improving the well-being of children. In an interview with People Magazine’s “Women Changing the World” edition, the entertainment icon discussed contemplating marriage and children. Although she chose not to pursue either, she expresses no regrets. During her career, Oprah has become like a motherly figure to millions of people around the world, providing advice, assistance, and motivation through her TV show, education, and various media platforms. https://youtu.be/FF691KustIM They’d always made traveling a priority, and after settling down and having their first child, Courtney and Justin Orgias – now a digital nomad family – were keen to keep exploring the world as much as they could. While the couple, who both work in the tech industry, loved the idea of being able to log on remotely from exotic destinations, it wasn’t until the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 that they realized that a digital nomad lifestyle was a real prospect for their family. “Our jobs went fully remote,” explains Justin, originally from Toronto, Canada. “And I think it made us realize that we don’t have to settle on life in Atlanta. “It opened up the possibility of us working from the beach in Mexico. So we tried it for a couple of weeks and we really loved it.” They traveled back and forth from Mexico to the US for a while and quickly found that it suited them. https://youtu.be/17mEfTaTxdg A racist white woman assaulted a Black female Amazon driver while she was attempting to deliver a package at a Houston apartment in the River Oaks neighborhood. Red Rose Media shared video of the incident on Instagram. In the footage, the driver, Jamaiya Miller, is accosted by an elderly white woman who claims, “We’ve had thieves here, and you’re a thief.” “Excuse me. Please don’t touch me,” Miller tells the aggressor, who hits the worker with her cell phone. Another white woman is heard off-camera interfering and threatening to call security to escort Miller off the premises. “She’s attacking me!” the elderly white woman shouts, but the video clearly shows the opposite is occurring. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1ScM-jJ2LF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Miller said her instructions were to deliver the package to a suite. The caption of the IG video reads, “This lady spewed racist tropes, like that I was a thief, & hit me several times. She even threw me up against a residents door, and eventually ripped the package I’m attempting to delivery out of my hand, all unprompted. I did not once hit or touch her back. As much as I wanted to, I knew she would weaponize anything I did to her against me. She even yells “she’s hitting me!” in the video as you can literally see her hitting ME. I’m pressing charges on her, and have already filed the police report.” According to The Neighborhood Talk, a doorman de-escalated the situation, allowing the 25-year-old to escape what likely felt like a near lying. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1XwktMpbWt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again According to two studies, Black Americans are more likely than Asians, whites, and Hispanics to report seeing racist news coverage. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey on Black U.S. adults’ experiences with the media found “about four-in-ten Black Americans (39%) say they extremely or fairly often see or hear news coverage about Black people that is racist or racially insensitive,” the study states, noting that “(41%) say they sometimes see this kind of coverage.” A separate Pew Research Center survey suggested that “other racial and ethnic groups are less likely to say they often see racially problematic coverage of Black people.” Per the review: “Among White Americans, 21% report seeing this kind of coverage extremely or fairly often, while an additional 30% see it sometimes. And about three-in-ten Asian (30%) and Hispanic (27%) adults say they often see racist coverage of Black people.” Jermaine Jackson is facing a lawsuit for alleged sexual assault and battery of a woman in 1988. A woman named Rita Butler Barrett, 69, filed a complaint this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing the famed singer of sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual battery, negligence and rape, People reports. According to court documents, Barrett had known Jackson for several years before he showed up at her home one day unannounced. After forcing himself inside the residence, he violently rapped her and then left when he was “satiated.” “During the assault, Plaintiff, a woman of faith prayed to God for help. During the assault, Plaintiff feared for her life,” the lawsuit reads, per People. A day after the sexual assault, Barrett claims she told Motown Records founder Berry Gordy about the incident, but he “withheld and concealed the acts” because he was “in a business and/or management relationship” with Jackson. Director Blitz Bazawule’s new musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” has a Certified Fresh 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes. According to ScreenRant, the film’s 95% audience score surpasses Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation starring Whoopi Goldberg as Celie, a Black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity amid decades of abuse in the early 1900s. The new project reunites Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Quincy Jones as executive producers on Bazawule’s feature. Variety reports that the Warner Bros. movie musical is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical by Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. Spielberg’s film, which is not a musical, reportedly grossed $142 million against a budget of $15 million. The beloved drama feature has a 73% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and 94% from audiences. https://youtu.be/zTnircQsMaM Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” dominates the Billboard Hot 100 chart as we round out 2023. Billboard reports that the song has ruled the Hot 100 for over five holiday seasons. Meanwhile, Carey’s kids, twins Monroe and Moroccan, 12, recently joked on social media that they are sick of listening to their mother’s classic holiday tune. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” was initially released in 1994 on Carey’s album “Merry Christmas.” The track has since become a holiday anthem, and the global superstar reportedly earns around $3 million yearly from the song. Billboard reported in December 2022 that the track continues to top the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. In 2021, the song received the Recording Industry Association of America Diamond Award. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Q1E5xICQ5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Cardi B and LL Cool J will perform Sunday at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve party. The duo will hit the stage just before midnight on New Year’s from two separate locations. LL will perform in Times Square in New York City, while Cardi will be at Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Miami, People reports. Megan Thee Stallion, Jelly Roll, Sabrina Carpenter, and Tyla will also hit the stage in NYC. The live program will also feature Post Malone in Las Vegas, K-pop girl group NewJeans in South Korea, and Ivy Queen in Puerto Rico. Previously announced performers include Aqua, Doechii, Ellie Goulding, Green Day, Janelle Monáe, Loud Luxury x Two Friends with Bebe Rexha, Ludacris, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Paul Russell, Reneé Rapp with Coco Jones, and Thirty Seconds to Mars, per Audacy. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1XQETvLUKJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e8bf091b-0602-4593-b9cb-78ab074dede7 Ryan Seacrest and singer Rita Ora will host the New Year’s Eve countdown from Times Square. TV personality Jeannie Mai will host from the West Coast. “My family and I watched Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve every single year when I was a little girl, because it was the root of the party. It was what we looked forward to, what we dressed up for. Everybody gathered around this little TV,” Mai recalled in a new interview with People. “And now, to be here on screen, my mom actually thinks my career counts. Now, it matters. Now, she’s proud,” she continued. “So this is a big moment for me.” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024” will air LIVE on ABC on Dec. 31, starting at 8 p.m. ET. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1XP2p1rok4/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=861e0fff-5d7c-43ef-934f-7d4f0d54e425 Rapper Trina is catching heat from fans of Nicki Minaj after calling Beyoncé the “Queen of rap.” Trina appeared at the One Music Festival in October and credited Bey for the rise in popular female rappers, Complex reports. “‘Cause she’s like the number one female rapper when she does rap,” Trina explained. “When you hear her do a song and it’s rapping involved, it’s just like, ‘Oh my god.’ It’s more inspiration.” Nicki Minaj fans were quick to clap back on social media. One X/Twitter user posted a clip of Trina rapping Nicki’s 2010 song “Moment 4 Life.” The person noted that the Miami-based artist was “doing Nicki tributes when Nicki was still a rookie.” When Trina caught wind of the criticism she hit up social media to announce in a post… “I really don’t give a rats ass how anybody feels, I said what I said.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1740056927231685095 Trina’s full IG post read: “Now that I have y’all undivided attention ‼️ I am actually late to the party bcuz I wasn’t aware of this nonsense happening today bcuz Im too busy minding my business. Let me just make myself CLEAR once again, since it’s a slow day for the blogs and bullshit, this interview was back in October at The One Music Festival.. I rlly don’t give a rats ass how anybody feel, I said what I said .. that’s the Queen Bey and I’m gonna STAN �� on that ��️��️��️ Beyonce is the Queen of rap (when she raps) and ALL genres of music when it comes to me ‼️ go argue with the IRS or somebody else idc ������ and that’s not up for debate over here. So run along and enjoy the rest of y’all day. https://twitter.com/i/status/1740432552392044878 Trina recently came to the defense of raunchy female rappers Sexyy Red and Sukihana, who face criticism over their oversexualized lyrics. “They are over 21, and they can do whatever they want to do,” said Trina in an interview at One Musicfest, adding, “this is a freedom of speech like we’re not locked up, we’re not chained down, say what you want to say, make music of what you feel like. If you don’t like it, don’t listen, that’s why we have ears,” she said, Complex reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1740511689731117263 Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who conspired with an ex-boyfriend to kill her abusive mother in 2015, was released from prison on Thursday. Blanchard, 32, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2016 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison as part of a plea deal. Prosecuting attorneys opted to go easy on Gypsy due to the years of abuse she experienced at the hands of her seemingly mentally ill mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. “If I had another chance to redo everything, I don’t know if I would go back to when I was a child and tell my aunts and uncles that I’m not sick and mommy makes me sick,” Gypsy told People ahead of her early prison release. “Or, if I would travel back to just the point of that conversation with Nick and tell him, ‘You know what, I’m going to go tell the police everything.’ I kind of struggle with that,” she admitted. There was a tendency for Dee Dee to publicly spread false rumors about her daughter’s alleged health problems. During Gypsy’s childhood, her mother claimed she suffered from numerous illnesses, including leukemia. Gypsy testified during the murder trial that she was forced to undergo multiple unnecessary surgeries, and her mother made her use medical devices, such as a feeding tube, an oxygen tank, and a wheelchair, Complex reports. https://youtu.be/YYQQ6I4YVI4 Angela Bassett has joined the A-list cast of Netflix’s upcoming limited series “Zero Day.” Robert De Niro also stars in the political thriller alongside an ensemble cast that includes Dan Stevens, Matthew Modine, Bill Camp, McKinley Belcher III, Lizzy Caplan, Jesse Plemons, Joan Allen, and Connie Britton — with Clark Gregg, Gaby Hoffmann, and Mark Ivanir in guest starring roles. The project marks De Niro’s first lead TV role of his career. The legendary actor will portray beloved former President Mullen, who leaves retirement to lead a commission investigating a potential world crisis. Bassett stars as President Mitchell, a brilliant and wise political tactician with an allegiance to Mullen. Per Netflix, here’s the show’s logline, “Zero Day asks the question on everyone’s mind: How do we find truth in a world in crisis, one seemingly being torn apart by forces outside our control? And in an era rife with conspiracy theory and subterfuge, how much of those forces are products of our own doing, perhaps even of our own imagining?” Read on to meet the key players in the new conspiracy thriller.” “Zero Day” is directed and executive-produced by Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland). https://youtu.be/9eN_AGX8GXk Kanye West, Coi Leray, and Drake are among the artists on Variety’s Worst Songs of 2023 list. Coming in the #1 spot is “Try That in a Small Town” by country music star Jason Aldean. We reported previously that Aldean is accused of promoting gun violence and racism on the track. As reported byThe Jasmine Brand, the video was shot in front of the historic Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee. This is where 18-year-old Henry Choate was lynched from a second-floor window in 1927 by a white mob after being accused of raping a white girl. After the music video’s release, social media users called the song a “pro-lynching” anthem and accused the artist of being racist. The second track on Variety’s list of Worst Songs of 2023 is “Vultures,” by Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign, featuring Bump J. In it, Ye raps, “How am I antisemitic? I just f***** a Jewish b****.” Elon Musk responded to reports that one of his factory’s AI robots nearly killed a Tesla software engineer. The incident occurred in a Tesla factory in Austin two years ago but is only now receiving widespread media coverage. The engineer allegedly suffered severe injuries during the attack. Witnesses said the robot pinned the engineer with its metal claws into his back and arm, leaving a trail of blood on the factory floor. The engineer escaped when another worker pressed the emergency stop button, per The Information. The news site obtained an injury report submitted to federal officials and health authorities in Travis County. “Truly shameful of the media to dredge up an injury from two years ago due to a simple industrial Kuka robot arm (found in all factories) and imply that it is due to Optimus now,” Musk wrote in an X post on Wednesday after an X user shared a Daily Mail article about the terminator robot. https://youtu.be/cpraXaw7dyc Nikki Haley on Thursday sought to clarify her comments about the Civil War one day after a voter in New Hampshire called her out for not mentioning slavery as a cause of the war. “I mean, of course, the Civil War was about slavery,” Haley told radio host Jack Heath Thursday morning. “But what’s the lesson in all of that?” she continued. “We need to make sure that every person has freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to do and be anything they want to be without anyone or government getting in the way. That was the goal of what that was at. Yes, I know it was about slavery. I’m from the South, of course, I know it’s about slavery.” Her comments come amid intense backlash inside and outside the GOP after Haley told a New Hampshire town hall crowd that the Civil War was about the government interfering in people’s freedoms. https://youtu.be/qa-9Ww-K2EM “I mean, I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run. The freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do,” Haley had said Wednesday in a visit to Berlin — the first of five events in the Granite State as she attempts to close the gap with Republican front-runner Donald Trump ahead of next month’s primary. The former South Carolina governor then asked the voter who had asked her about the Civil War what he thought the cause was, to which the voter responded, “I’m not running for president.” “I think it always comes down to the role of government and what the rights of the people are,” Haley added. “I will always stand by the fact that I think government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people. It was never meant to be all things to all people,” she added. The voter criticized her for not mentioning slavery in her answer. “In the year 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you answer that question without mentioning the word slavery,” the voter said. https://youtu.be/yg3du0ZilyM?list=RDNSyg3du0ZilyM Civil rights leader Bishop William J. Barber says he was kicked out of a North Carolina movie theater while attempting to see “The Color Purple” for trying to use his own chair in the disabled section. Barber, 60, said he tried to use the special chair he brought in the disabled section of the Greenville theater on Tuesday afternoon and was told by staff he couldn’t do that. The former NAACP North Carolina chapter president told CNN he has a medical condition that makes it impossible to sit in a regular chair. He said he walks with two canes and his assistant carries a special chair everywhere he goes. In video of the incident shared by Barber with CNN, the chair appears to be a stool-type chair with a backrest and no arms. Barber has a form of arthritis known as ankylosing spondylitis, which causes inflammation in the joints and ligaments of the spine, according to the National Institutes of Health. https://youtu.be/scvSqcXZB_w “I’ve used this chair everywhere,” Barber said. “Broadway, the White House, I’ve never had a problem,” he added. The Greenville Police Department confirmed officers arrived at the AMC Fire Tower 12 after receiving a call for trespassing. Officers said the caller stated a customer was arguing with employees and the employees wanted the customer removed. After a conversation with Barber, he agreed to leave the theater voluntarily and no charges were filed, according to a Greenville police statement. “I felt like I wasn’t being heard,” Barber said. “It felt as though they weren’t even trying to consider making accommodations for my disability,” he added. https://youtu.be/i9NpA6F9uoc Aaron Ellis, 43, has personally experienced the pain and animosity victims of hate incidents suffer. On Jan. 30, Ellis, an editor for a press release service and a Black resident of San Dimas, was dressed in his workout clothes and wearing a backpack filled with bricks to increase the intensity of his workout when as he started to walk around his Charter Oak neighborhood in the San Gabriel Valley, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department cruiser pulled up and directed him to halt. Within moments, Ellis reported that the officer aggressively slammed him against the cruiser hood, frisked and handcuffed him, and tossed him in the backseat of the patrol car. Someone had accused Ellis of peeking into parked vehicles. Ellis, barely 10 minutes into his 45-minute workout, said he was dumbfounded and terrified. https://youtu.be/I0Xjr3gOvJA Burger King has been working to revitalize its brand over the past few years, redesigning everything from its logo to its packaging. The next step: is remodeling restaurants. Customers entering Burger King locations will “start to see something different in 2024,” said Tom Curtis, president of Burger King US & Canada. After working on it for over a year, the brand officially unveiled a new restaurant design called “Sizzle” during the company’s franchisee convention last week, Curtis said. Currently, there are two Burger King restaurants open that have been remodeled with the Sizzle decor: One in New Jersey, and one in Las Vegas. Another will open later this month in North Carolina, according to the company. The plan is for more updated restaurants to start opening next year. The new concepts feature digital ordering kiosks, plenty of Whopper branding, and streamlined drive-thru and pickup lanes. Moving forward, “we’re going to lean in where the most of our business comes in, which is the drive-thru,” Curtis said. A 23-year-old Florida woman was fatally shot by her teenage brother on Christmas Eve after an argument about presents. After Damarcus Coley, 14, killed his sister Abrielle Baldwin, the teenager was immediately shot and injured by his older sibling, 15-year-old Darcus Coley. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, both males face multiple charges. Baldwin and her two brothers went shopping for gifts on Christmas Eve with their mother and Abrielle’s 11-month-old and six-year-old sons. When they arrived at their grandmother’s home, Damarcus, Darcus, and Abrielle got into a verbal altercation over Christmas gifts, according to a press release. “After Abrielle told Damarcus to stop arguing because it was Christmas, Damarcus told Abrielle he was going to shoot her and the 11-month-old she was holding in a baby carrier. Damarcus shot Abrielle in the chest while Abrielle was holding the child in the carrier,” the release continues. The baby was not injured, according to reports. “Shortly thereafter, Darcus exited the residence with another firearm and shot Damarcus because Damarcus shot Abrielle. Darcus then fled the scene, tossing his firearm into a nearby yard,” per the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. https://youtu.be/TiMwjPQoDRw Radio DJ Peter Rosenberg believes music executives pressured Kanye West to apologize to Jewish people ahead of the release of his new album “Vulture.” West returned to Instagram on December 26 to issue an apology in Hebrew. The message read, “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any ‘unintended outburst.’ I did not intend to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity.” Rosenberg isn’t convinced the rapper is being genuine. “I thought, ‘I wonder what the sample is that Kanye needs to try to clear before Friday.’ We all know Kanye notoriously is late with handling album stuff,” he told TMZ. “I just wonder whether there was something getting held up. And someone said, ‘Hey, this sample does not get cleared if he does not issue an apology.’ Like you guys said, he just goes on chat GPT and boom we get a quote apology,” Rosenberg added. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-12-27-122723-peter-rosenberg-1749361-947/ After seeing a snippet of an interview with Kevin Hart‘s ex-assistant, he’s filed a lawsuit against infamous YouTube Blogger Tasha K. What we are surprised to learn though is that it’s an extortion lawsuit. Hart says Tasha K is trying to get $250,000 out of him in exchange for not releasing the full interview. In the legal docs first obtained by TheBlast, a representative of Tasha K, Latasha Kebe, allegedly contacted Hart’s team in November, claiming to have a damning interview with an ex-assistant. The blogger is accused of threatening to publish/post it if she wasn’t paid first. The story goes that Tasha K was served a cease-and-desist letter stating that she had no right to discuss Hart’s business. On top of that, the comedian/actor also let her know she was NOT getting any money. https://youtu.be/xNQxRc5Oatk ABC 7 New York reports that councilmembers introduced legislation this month to declare December 4 (the rapper’s birthday) a holiday, named “Jay-Z Day.” The bill would celebrate Jigga’s “legendary status as a masterful MC and lyricist and as an innovative entrepreneur.” “The global phenomenon that is Jay-Z—born Shawn Carter—is widely known as an artist, mogul, husband and father, wealth builder, and supporter of economic development and community causes,” said Councilwoman Farah Louis during the resolution meeting, per Complex. She continued, “Dec. 4 as Jay-Z Day announces to the world how this Brooklyn son can be all things, including loved by his community. In the spirit of celebrating Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, establishing an annual celebration to recognize a homegrown hero while proclaiming our municipal support is fitting.” https://youtu.be/jbMqKdyXxu8 On Jan. 3, the council’s 2024 session will begin, during which the resolution will be discussed.Meanwhile, JAY-Z recently released his year-end playlist on TIDAL, dubbed the “Couple Songs of ’23,” including tracks from his wife Beyoncé, Nas, Drake, and Nicki Minaj. The playlist also boasts hits from Icewear Vezzo, J. Cole, Sauce Walka, Killer Mike, Babyface Ray, Mozzy, Young Nudy, and Gunna. Check out the entire playlist right here. Back in October, JAY-Z weighed in on the “$500,000 in cash or lunch with JAY-Z?” debate during a sit down with Gayle King for an interview on “CBS Mornings.” https://youtu.be/rXFK_-nXVJ0 Serena Williams recently revealed that she is donating her leftover breast milk to mothers unable to breastfeed. In a short clip online, Williams reveals a freezer full of frozen “super solider” milk bags. She captioned the footage: “On a recent trip to NY I had left over breast milk. After going through a screening I was able to donate it instead of taking the milk home. I know so many amazing women that adopt or are unable to make milk. It felt amazing. BTW Someone out there is getting some super soldier milk. “ The tennis champ says she’s “really excited” to donate “to people who really need it.” Several of Williams’ fans and celebrity pals reacted in the post’s comments section, with one person writing, “Somebody’s newborn is about to do handstands in their bassinet!” Another IG user added, “The kid will never hear the end of it. “I gave you Serena Williams milk and you only got a B+?” “I gave you Serena Williams milk and you only got the bronze medal?” “I gave you Serena Williams milk and you won’t do your chores?” Joking aside, that is a wonderful gift.” https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1F_LL_r2Q2/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=126e0b13-6eb2-4e2f-9042-3971082542d7 Eddie Murphy is speaking out about reprising his role as Axel Foley in the fourth installment of the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise. The teaser trailer recently dropped for the upcoming “Beverly Hills Cop 4: Axel F,” which co-stars Taylour Paige stars as Axel Foley’s daughter, who teams up with her dad and his new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to “turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy,” according to the synopsis, TheWrap reports. Per Netflix, “It’s been nearly 30 years since we last saw the fast-talking Detroit cop, but he’s finally heading out on a new case. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F sees Axel on patrol back in Beverly Hills, with friends both old and new.” Murphy returns to the franchise ahead of the 40th anniversary of the hit 1984 film. “I did Axel Foley when I was in my 20s. I am not in my 20s anymore. It was an action movie. So it was a rough one. But we got through it,” Murphy told People in an interview. https://youtu.be/qBG3iyr5N70 Jordan Peele had two movies slated for 2024 release, but Universal removed both titles from the calendar. According to Deadline, the move is “strike-related,” and it’s unclear when both features will return. One of the projects is reportedly an untitled horror thriller set to debut in theaters on September 27, 2024, and the other feature was expected to drop on Christmas Day that same year. Both titles are under Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, but he helmed only one of the projects. Peele’s last sci-fi movie, “Nope,” grossed $171.2M worldwide, per Deadline. When the Oscar winner appeared at Cinemacon in 2022, Peele discussed the meaning behind the title. https://youtu.be/In8fuzj3gck 50 Cent wants to work with Taraji P. Henson after the “Empire” actress spoke out recently about pay inequality. “They dropped the ball fvck em @tarajiphenson I’m ready to work let’s get it ! GLG GreenLightGang G-unit Film&Tv,” 50 wrote on the Instagram post. His remarks come days after Henson told THR that she’s “been getting paid and I’ve been fighting tooth and nail every project to get that same freaking [fee] quote.” The actress said, “… it’s a slap in the face when people go, ‘Oh girl, you work all the time. You always working.’ Well, goddammit, I have to. It’s not because I wish I could do two movies a year and that’s that. I have to work because the math ain’t mathing,” Henson added. “And I have bills.” Henson also unpacked the pay gap for Black women during a conversation on Gayle King‘s Sirius XM radio show. She became emotional when King asked if she plans to quit acting. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1U2c68u-eS/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=92f8a287-7578-4b10-912d-af757456ff9b “I’m just tired of working so hard,” said Henson, adding, “being gracious about what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost. I’m tried of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired.” Henson said in a separate interview recently that she even had to fight for a proper salary to appear in “The Color Purple” movie musical, which opened on Christmas day. As THR reports, she earned an Oscar nod for her performance in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and several Emmy nominations for playing “Cookie” in the hit series “Empire.” Despite the acclaim and accolades over her 20-year career, Henson is “fighting tooth and nail every project to get that same freaking [fee] quote,” she told THR. https://youtu.be/GUzqD5UcLwo Comedian Jess Hilarious has officially joined Charlamagne Da God and DJ Envy as co-host of “The Breakfast Club.” The social media star replaces Angela Yee, who departed the popular New York-based radio show last year. Jess announced her new gig at an event in her hometown of Baltimore on Dec. 23. On X/Twitter, one user said her addition to the show is “Definitely a good fit.” “I was wondering when this was going to be announced cause she was up there like every other week,” another person commented, referring to Jess guest hosting on the morning radio program. A third commented, “I’m so glad she got it because not one of those other girls fit the bill. You go @jess_hilarious.” https://eurweb.com/2023/jess-hilarious-joins-the-breakfast-club/ My mind… what I always wanted for The Breakfast Club was new talent constantly comes in and is a part of this… is under this umbrella of the club. So whether Angela Yee is there or I’m there or Envy’s there, the platform can still continue,” he added. https://twitter.com/SSZEXXYY/status/1735655249753366983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1735655249753366983%7Ctwgr%5E72465f8cdd3ddab8558caf0eea944fd1bbfd9d06%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fjess-hilarious-joins-the-breakfast-club%2F AS reported previously that Envy is named in a lawsuit against his business partner, Cesar Pina, alleging the duo defrauded multiple investors of millions of dollars. Pena’s wife, Jennifer, is also named in the suit Anthony Barone and Anthony Martini filed. The plaintiffs claim that the trio “utilized the invested funds to sustain or bolster their opulent lifestyles.” DJ Envy has denied the allegations, declaring that his inclusion in the lawsuit is only due to his celebrity status. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1HndtzrGOE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_againhttps://www.instagram.com/p/C1HndtzrGOE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jeannie Mai says she is committed to putting herself first amid her divorce battle with her estranged husband, rapper Jeezy. “I think we as women specifically don’t hear it enough that there is no greater love in your life, even as a mom, that you will ever get from anybody other than yourself. That is the first love of your life, and that will be the last love of your life,” Mai, 44, shared with People in a new interview. “As women, we look to our partners, we look to our parents, we look to our jobs, way more than we do ourselves, me included. And this year, I am putting myself front row,” she added. Mai will co-host “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024″ in Los Angeles on Sunday, and the gig comes as a welcoming distraction from her legal battle with Jeezy. As we reported… Jeezy filed for divorce in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 14, after two-and-a-half years of marriage. According to People, the filing says the marriage is “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.” Comedian Mike Epps and his wife Kyra are renovating six properties they purchased in Indianapolis as part of a new HGTV series. It was reported previously that “Buying Back The Block” will follow the couple as they revitalize the street Mike grew up on. Epps, his wife, and their expert construction team have transformed an abandoned firehouse into their new family home. He also overhauled his grandmother’s house on the same block. “Kyra and I are restoring two homes on the block, one was my grandmother’s house from the 1960s,” Epps said in a news release. “Our kids will see us work firsthand, nail by nail, to rebuild these homes and our community. Our goal is to inspire legacy and family for generations to come,” he added. https://youtu.be/212nPYboovc During his recent appearance on “The Joe Budden Podcast,” Dr. Umar Johnson went on a wild rant about Kobe Bryant’s widow. Johnson expressed frustration with Vanessa Bryant, who is Mexican-American, for not using her late husband’s fortune to build up Black communities. “Vanessa inherited his wealth and guess what? Is Vanessa Bryant using any of that Black man’s money to do any good in the Black community? Absofu*kinlutely not,” Johnson stated on the broadcast. “Vanessa Bryant just started an initiative with three predominantly white colleges, some sort of sports initiative, with Kobe’s money and Kobe’s name. Didn’t choose a single HBCU with a Black man’s money,” he added. The Los Angeles Lakers perished in a helicopter crash in January 2020 along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others. Kobe and Vanessa were married for 19 years and had four daughters. Amazon emailed its millions of Prime members this week, alerting them to an upcoming change to the streaming service (Prime Video) that will leave customers with two options: pay more or watch ads. Starting January 29, Prime Video will feature “limited” advertisements, Amazon said in its email. To avoid ads, customers will have to pay $2.99 a month more. Amazon first announced the change in September. “This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time,” Amazon said in its email to Prime members this week. “We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.” Amazon is hardly alone in making the change. Prime Video is joining most other streaming services by inserting ads into its programming and raising prices on ad-free tiers. https://youtu.be/VLFpU9aqtXc The third season of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” kicked off December 1. “Raising Canan tells the origin story of fan-favorite character Kanan Stark (MeKai Curtis), originally played by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in the flagship “Power” series. According to the series synopsis: “This season delves further into his evolution from the devoted son of Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller) into the eventual ferocious, amoral and pragmatic personality fans know from ‘Power,’” per the official synopsis. https://youtu.be/ZG6Jw5xgP9s Check out an exclusive clip from this week’s episode of WEtv’s “Love After Lockup: Innocent After Lockup,” which takes viewers inside the lives of exonerees falsely accused and convicted of crimes they did not commit. The three-episode special premiered December 15, and every “episode follows a different falsely accused exoneree who spent 15 – 22 years in a maximum-security penitentiary and were subsequently proven innocent,” per the official series synopsis. The description continues, “The exonerees are currently at various stages of suing the state or federal government for financial compensation for their time unjustly spent behind bars.” In our preview of this week’s episode, Ru-El and Amy ask their defense attorney to be a GodParent! https://youtu.be/7koKcRhzQ3E All Mariah Carey wanted for Christmas this year did not include Bryan Tanaka, a dancer and creative director. He shared on social media that he and the superstar singer have parted ways after seven years. “With mixed emotions, I share this personal update regarding my amicable separation from Mariah Carey after seven extraordinary years together,” Tanaka wrote in a statement posted on his verified Instagram account. Tanaka added: “Our decision to embark on different paths is mutual, and as we navigate these separate journeys, we do so with profound respect and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the invaluable time we’ve shared. The memories we’ve created and the artistic collaborations are etched in my heart forever.” The 40-year-old is a former backup dancer who was part of Carey’s “The Adventures of Mimi Tour” in 2006. They reportedly started dating in 2016, had a brief split the following year, and then they later reunited. https://youtu.be/yYeypwmuqJ0?list=RDNSyYeypwmuqJ0 Dancing his way around the globe, an Inkster, MI native (Michael Manson Jr.) is taking the spirit of Motown from coast to coast and across seas one dance move at a time. “They call me ‘Mike Manson dat be Dancin’,” said Michael Manson Jr. “What I push is our native style, Detroit Jit, that’s what I’m known for.” Jit is a form of dance native to Detroit, blending elements of African dance, modern, jazz, and tap with fast moves and fancy footwork, and it’s taken Manson more places than ever imagined. “I taught in Bolivia, giving back to the community. I taught in Paris, giving back to the community,” he said. “D.C., Minnesota, it goes on. If I tell you every place I’ve been, you would think I’m stroking my own ego.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m6htq4J_3U8?feature=share Regardless of how far he’s traveled, his heart has always stayed true to home dancing for the Detroit Pistons, native Detroit rapper, Tee Grizzley, and even representing Detroit on the national stage as a contestant on a reality TV dance competition show. “That was a good move, and it was a dope experience,” Manson said. Aside from performing and teaching Jit across the globe on a mission to preserve its history and relevance, Manson is also a single father balancing his passion and parenting on a daily basis. “God, faith,” he said. “On the day-to-day, I don’t realize how hard it is, or I don’t focus on how hard it is, I should say, because I have to move with faith.” And with faith and a whole lot of footwork on his side, Manson said you haven’t seen the last of him yet because there’s so much more to come. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D_kvr4rrcT8?feature=share Following a sold-out national tour – the next stop is January 15th in Denver, Colorado – Black thought leader 19 Keys sits down with Jazmyn Summers to chop it up about the spiritual message that has his popularity blowing up. He’s already amassed almost one million followers on Instagram. https://youtu.be/zwj_G9PZIGA This is not exactly the kind of holiday story we like to tell, but reality doesn’t pull any punches. The bottom line is that on Christmas morning, Beyoncé‘s childhood home in Houston’s Third Ward caught on fire. The Houston Fire Department says they received a call about the fire at around 2am local time on Monday. When firefighters arrived, the home’s second story was already fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters successfully contained the bulk of the fire within 10 minutes, HFD says. It also relayed that firefighters had to cut into the roof to deal with the attic and eaves, ensuring that the fire was fully under control. The Knowles Family moved out of the home decades ago, but it’s still considered an iconic landmark to fans of the Houston-born musician. https://youtu.be/HnRMxTug0MA The family that lives there now was home at the time, but according to the fire department, no one was injured. ABC13 spoke with the family, who were all still in their festive pajamas, some of them young children. Firefighters said they were able to put the fire out quickly before it could cause more damage: “They did a great job. I’m going to say in less than 10 minutes, we had a really good grip on this fire,” District Chief Justin Barnes said. Beyoncé’s parents, Mathew and Tina Knowles bought the three-bedroom, three-bathroom house with a spiral staircase leading up to a third-floor office, in 1981 for $64,000 – the same year the singer was born. For what it’s worth, TMZ notes that someone bought the 8,640-square-foot-lot lot next to the home for $310,000 in 2022. Meanwhile, the Houston Fire Department HFD is still trying to determine the cause of the fire. https://youtu.be/OG9bG7Vrrtg Black women, ranging from advocates for civil rights to musicians, authors, and influential figures in media, have left an enduring mark on culture and society. This article showcases impactful and famous Black women in history and their outstanding accomplishments. Against discrimination and systemic barriers, these resilient African American women broke down obstacles, inspiring others to pursue justice and equality. Every Black woman highlighted here has left a distinctive impact on both their communities and the world. Daisy Bates, a prominent civil rights activist, spearheaded the efforts to integrate the racially segregated Little Rock Central High School, Arkansas in 1957. As head of the Arkansas NAACP, Bates was instrumental in recruiting the ‘Little Rock Nine,’ the first 9 African American students to integrate the once all-white Central High School. Despite facing resistance, she remained dedicated to advocating for the Black students’ access to a quality education. Uncovering the horrors of racism in the American South was no easy task, but investigative journalist Ida B. Wells made it her duty. After her friend’s murder, she initiated a crusade against lynching in America and continued to raise awareness by documenting 728 lynching cases. Sister Rosetta Tharpe stands as one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. A songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist, Rosetta Tharpe played a groundbreaking role in shaping rock and roll music. By blending gospel, jazz, and blues, she crafted a unique and influential sound that left a lasting impact on the music industry. Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s musical contributions paved the way for countless musicians, and her enduring influence resonates in today’s music. Confronting prejudice and discrimination as a Black woman, her legacy as a trailblazer is firmly established in music history. Born into slavery in Maryland, Tubman gained her freedom after escaping in 1849. For the next 12 years, she dedicated her life to guiding hundreds of enslaved people to freedom, following a route now famous as the Underground Railroad. Tubman courageously risked life on numerous occasions, undertaking over 13 perilous journeys and liberating more than 70 enslaved people. In addition to her fight against slavery, Tubman advocated for the creation of schools and educational institutions for the Black community. She also actively participated in women’s rights activism. Rosa Parks, raised in Montgomery, Alabama, despised segregation rules. In the South, bus rules were harsh, with separate sections for white and black people. In December 1955, after work, Rosa, tired but determined, refused to give up her seat to a white passenger in the overflow section. Her arrest sparked national attention, leading Martin Luther King Jr. to call for a public transport boycott. The NBA All-Star revealed the impact the ridicule has had on his daughter, during an interview on The Pivot podcast. According to Paul, his daughter is being bullied at school, with her classmates piling on insults towards him.“[My daughter] at the age now where at school kids talk crazy to her,” the Phoenix Suns player said on the podcast. “She had a little boy at school that said some reckless stuff to her. He was like, ‘Your daddy ain’t never gon’ win no championship.” Despite making the NBA All-Star team 12 times, multiple times as a member of the All-NBA First Team and a history that includes being named Rookie of the Year after being drafted with the No.4 overall pick by the New Orleans Hornets in 2005, Paul has become a source of laughs with consistently coming up short in the playoffs, Blavity noted, via Vibe. The reality of going without a ring after 20 years in the NBA is something he deals with regularly. Especially when his family is affected and caught in the crossfire of attacks that do not seem to end. https://youtu.be/DiW3bBlvj28 Atlanta may be where Stephanie Synclair is based, but the American woman is finding happiness overseas with the home she purchased in Italy. Chatting with “CNBC Make It,” Synclair detailed how a trip to Palermo, Sicily on a whim resulted in her buying a home there for $62,000. “I knew from the moment I landed that I loved it here, and it was almost like home for me,” the LaRue 1680 tea company founder said about the port city. Although she loved Palermo, the thought of actually finding residence there seemed more like a fantasy than reality for Synclair. “I always said I could see myself living here, but it was more so in a dream way,” she said about her home away from home. “I never actually saw myself buying a house here. I don’t know that I really thought it was possible at the time.” https://eurweb.com/2023/atlanta-woman-stephanie-synclair-buys-dream-home-in-italy-for-only-62000-videos/ “It was very important for me to keep the architectural details in this house, like the historic floors, and to not try to change the walls or the arches,” Synclair shared. “This house is at least 500 years old that we know of. It was remodeled maybe 100 years ago, and the floors are at least 100 years old, and they’re still kicking.” Compared to Atlanta, looks like Synclair got the better deal. The matriarch, who makes $80,000 annually, shells out $2,635 for her three-story rental home, Wi-Fi and utilities in Atlanta and an additional $1,165 for car payments and gas. In Sicily, she revealed her living expenses are minimal with just under an estimated $1,400 total on utilities, food, subscriptions and insurance spent in Sicily, where necessities are less expensive. “I live more than comfortably on my current salary, even with Atlanta being a lot pricier than it is here in Sicily, because I live for almost nothing here,” Synclair said. With thoughts turning toward the future, Synclair is hopeful to one day settle down fully in Sicily and retire for much. Currently, she divides her time between the States and Europe, traveling overseas every 12 weeks or so. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx1XBatLDSO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again It seems to us that a lot of folks have spent a lot of unnecessary energy weighing in on what NFLer Jonathan Owens (A/K/A “Simone Biles‘ husband”) all because he said he was the “catch” in their relationship. Additionally, what also bothered some responders is that Owens swore up and down that he didn’t know who Biles was when they first met. Owens made the comments on an episode of the “The Pivot Podcast” which debuted a week or so ago. Also, what most don’t realize is that Biles was with him when he said what he said and has ZERO problems with it. Biles exposed her annoyance with all the chatter by posting on X (Twitter) by asking if folks were done debating her marriage to Owens: “Are y’all done yet?” https://youtu.be/h8VLIC2dTqY Hip-Hop’s Asim I.I. releases the music video to his holiday single “The Christmas Song” (AngelicVoices Music/Symphonic) featuring Keisha Martin and the Soyemi Sisters. The “Christmas Song” music video is produced by AngelicVoicesMusic (AngelicVoices Ministry), a video graphed by Likevisions, with Asim I.I. Robinson and Likevisions directing. Heavy with holiday scenes depicting the loving moments found all over the world this time of the year, the music video is heartwarming. “The Christmas Song” single is written by Asim I.I. and it showcases his rap skills and the soulful vocals of Keisha Martin and the Soyemi Sisters. The holiday single is released from the AngelicVoices Music record label, owned by Vanderbilt Evans, Jr., and Asim I.I. Robinson. The last music video released from the label was for the AngelicVoices’ single “Why Not,” which recently reached #3 on the 4MTV’s Music Block World Top 10 List (Ne-Yo was at #7). This milestone is a testimony to the quality of the music coming from AngelicVoices Music. https://youtu.be/-VL0EaXZElY Now it’s Method Man‘s turn to be accused of assault from back in the 90s. Well, at least it’s not a sexual assault (if that matters). Doing the accusing is model Jayden Steele.Via her TikTok account, this past Monday (12-18-23), Steele shared a story of physical abuse from a “very large rapper in the ’90s who’s actually now an actor.” And if you’re wondering why Steele is coming forward now in 2023, she also tells why she wasn’t able to get justice at the time. “Good day all. You guys wanna know the reason why all these people are coming forward now telling their stories and they didn’t do it in the past?” she says. “Well, being a model for over 12 years and being in this industry, I was physically attacked by a very large rapper in the ’90s who’s actually now an actor right now today. “This man attacked me, I defended myself,” she added. “10 squad cars were called to the hotel ’cause we tore that bitch up. 10 squad cars were called – there wasn’t one police report written about the incident. I had five officers come up to my room and take a statement. Not one police report was written.” When it comes to prenuptial agreements, the topic can be a deal breaker for married couples. But believe it or not, there is a benefit to them, according to Mrs. Dow Jones, a TikTok financial expert who is basing her support of prenups on the document created for Jay-Z and Beyonce. In 2008, the year the power couple tied the knot, they signed a prenup. Citing Business Insider, Madame Noire, detailed that the prenup ensured Beyonce’s and Jay-Z’s assets remained separate and required financial transparency. In the agreement, the former Destiny’s Child singer is granted $5 million per child she has with Jay-Z, $10 million if their marriage ends before two years, and $1 million for every year they stay married up to 15 years. In addition to the prenup, Jay-Z and Beyonce signed a postnuptial agreement addressing how their assets would be distributed and their children’s trust fund. Acknowledging people’s negative perception of prenups being an encourager of divorce, Mrs. Dow Jones compared the agreement to a health insurance. “Beyoncé and Jay-Z know that prenups are like health insurance,” she explained in a TikTok video posted on March 9. “You don’t get health insurance expecting or wanting to get sick, but having it means you’re protected in case it happens. Prenups are the same; they’re just marriage insurance. You want yours to last forever, but you’re protected no matter what.” https://youtu.be/Zb7IjlmUaJA The Pittsburgh Steelers’ three-game losing streak isn’t gaining them any new friends as the team and head coach Mike Tomlin are catching major heat from sports fans. While George Pickens has been a valuable asset for the team, the wide receiver’s recklessness has made a critic out of Shannon Sharpe. So much so that the NFL former tight end is holding Tomlin responsible for not holding Pickens and his fellow Steelers accountable for their unacceptable behavior on the field. Referencing the latest show of disrespect, Yardbarker.com noted the latest show of disrespect via Warren admitting to “taking a play off to avoid an injury.” The play in question occurred during the Steelers’ Week 15 game against the Indianapolis Colts. Instead of scoring a touchdown-saving block on a run play by Jaylen Warren, Pickens opted to give up halfway through the play. As a result, defender Pickens was on tackled Warren with no problem. Reacting to what happened Tomlin defended Pickens’ disregard for the Steelers, stating he is too valuable to the team to consider benching him. https://youtu.be/IE8xzzMpy9Y Roslyn Brock wants every generation of her family to see the musical remake of “The Color Purple.” So, she is renting out a theater in Dothan, Alabama, on Christmas Day for 165 of her relatives to watch the film together. Everyone, she said, has been asked to wear purple. “It’s just a great opportunity for us to introduce this cultural classic to a new generation and then to reintroduce it in a different way to those who have seen it before,” Brock said. As moviegoers across the country flock to theaters this holiday weekend, many Black Americans are hoping to reconnect with a story that has become a cultural touchstone in the Black community. In the four decades since author Alice Walker published “The Color Purple,” the novel has been adapted into a film, a Broadway show and now a movie musical. But fans and academics tell CNN it’s the story’s themes of sisterhood, women’s empowerment, and overcoming abuse and hardship that continue to resonate across the decades. https://youtu.be/wPwzBUui1GA “The Color Purple” has been equally praised and criticized for its raw portrayal of domestic abuse, sexual violence and queer Black relationships. Salamishah Tillet, author of the book “In Search of The Color Purple: The Story of an American Masterpiece,” told CNN the novel presents Black women as complex and nuanced and celebrates relationships that are deep and intense. “A lot of Black women can find some parts of themselves to cheer for, to identify with, to fall in love with, to hope for. We see parts of ourselves or see our mothers, our grandmothers, our sisters, our daughters in these characters,” she said. “Because (Walker) was able to see the richness of Black womanhood in the lives of these characters, we can see our breadth, our potential, our pain, our hope, as well.” https://youtu.be/Hdz5uAqH2VQ In 1983, Walker became the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for the novel. “The Color Purple” also won the National Book Award in the same category that year. Director Steven Spielberg adapted the novel into a film of the same name in 1985, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. The film received 11 Academy Award nominations but did not take home any awards. The film was also widely criticized at the time by some Black Americans for perpetuating harmful stereotypes such as Black men are violent towards women.There was also thinly veiled anti-LGBTQ criticism of the portrayal of Shug Avery and Celie’s relationship, which was seen by some as “undermining the unity of the Black family,” Tillet added. https://youtu.be/SuCQCE2MXYY Alice Randall, author and writer in residence for African American and Diaspora Studies at Vanderbilt University, told CNN despite the criticism of the film and novel, the story’s message is one of resilience as a form of resistance. “Celie endures so many hard things from so many directions. Sometimes our enemies are in our own houses,” Randall said. “And still, we have to rise. And still, we deserve joy … still at our best we connect with love and beauty. Not pretending it is where it isn’t, but finding it where it is.” The story, she said, is ultimately about finding yourself and balancing community with others. “That dual address is central to the heart of the lives of so many Black women. That balance, serving community, engaging with community, but maintaining individual identity – but not at the price of broken connection,” she said. https://youtu.be/p3nZRCOPjl4 For some, Walker’s novel wrote the experience of women and girls who have survived sexual and physical abuse into vivid distinction. Tillet said she first read the novel when she was 15 and later turned to the book as a source of healing after she was sexually assaulted while in college. “We have a character who kind of goes through the whole arc of experiencing trauma, finding her voice, redefining her sexuality, and then becoming part of this community. And in that process, she also helps other people heal,” she said. Celie’s story inspired Tillet to publicly write about the assault for her college newspaper. She later started a nonprofit with her sister called A Long Walk Home in 2003, which strives to use art to facilitate healing and to bring awareness to violence against girls and women. https://youtu.be/nC7qPZKPIBE Few luminaries shine as brightly as Cedric the Entertainer, a multifaceted artist whose charisma, humor, and talent have left an indelible mark on the world of comedy and beyond. Now the comedic maestro is adding music artist and producer to his resume with the release of “Soul of Christmas” an album described as a harmonious fusion of soul, R&B, and jazz. Now the comedic maestro is adding music artist and producer to his resume with the release of “Soul of Christmas.” Ced says the album is described as a harmonious fusion of soul, R&B, and jazz. https://youtu.be/9SY3dqxkA_c Cedric the Entertainer: My name is Ced, and it starts with a C, and I started thinking about what goes with that. And I’m thinking of course “Cheers” goes with laughter and so….Cheerio! I decided to go with that, and then … true story: General Mills sent a cease and desist letter basically telling me that wasn’t going to fly. So now it’s just Cedric but this album is something fun we did. We Love this time of year, and it’s full of great collaborations. Not only me, I’m singing on it and I got my kids on there. But then so many wonderful artists like DJ Romeo, Major, and Dave Koz. https://youtu.be/vIU7oKsthbo Nicki Minaj is making historical movies with her first No. 1 Gospel song, the Tasha Cobbs-Leonard-assisted single “Blessings.” According to Vibe, the tune, which is featured on the rapstress’ latest album Pink Friday 2,” topped Billboard’s Hot Gospel Chart, collecting 3.1 million official U.S. streams in the Dec. 8-14 tracking week. “It also sold 3,000 downloads and arrives atop both Gospel Streaming Songs (where its Leonard’s fifth No. 1 and Minaj’s first) and Gospel Digital Song Sales (marking Leonard’s 10th leader and Minaj’s second),” Billboard reported. “Blessings” marks the second collaboration between Cobbs-Leonard and Minaj. Their first pairing, Minaj’s first Gospel feature, was on the 2017 track “I’m Getting Ready” from Cobbs-Leonard’s album “Heart. Passion. Pursuit.” On the secular side, “Pink Friday 2” is bringing another success to Minaj’s record of accomplishment. The album, released on Dec. 8, the rapper’s birthday, took the charts by storm by breaking the record for the most songs on the Hot 100 chart at one time by a female rapper. Out of PF2’s 22 songs, 17 are charting, according to Chart Data. https://youtu.be/f8H7h1ytPS4 Rashard Mendenhall has had it up to here with “average white guys” who serve as analysts for the game of football. Although he did not name anyone in particular, the New York Post reports the former Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals running back took to social media a few hours after weighing in on criticism directed at Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers team. https://youtu.be/RLIPKz2DQpE “I’m sick of average white guys commenting on football,” Mendenhall wrote in a post on X while suggesting a new replacement for the Pro Bowl. “Y’all not even good at football. Can we please replace the Pro Bowl with an All-Black vs. All-White Bowl so these cats can stop trying to teach me who’s good at football? I’m better than ur (sic) goat.” Before criticizing his former team, the Steelers and NFL analysts, The Steelers, Mendenhall, made his mark as an athlete with stints as a running back in college for Illinois before turning pro. Mendenhall’s tenure with the Steelers (2008 – 2012) included a Super Bowl victory against the Cardinals, followed by a final year in the pros with the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers’ win at the Big Game marked Tomlin’s first Super Bowl championship. https://youtu.be/B3BiW7eFu4Q Ellia, who plays the recurring role of Auntie Rae, said the show is based on ad-libbing “You have to listen to everything other actors are saying.” The Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning HBO series stars Larry David (“Seinfeld”) and is about the comedian/writer/producer’s fictionalized life. The series launched in 2007 with Ellia English casted as a member of the Black family that takes refuge at Larry’s house, and is misplaced by a hurricane evacuation. The other Black family members include Leon Black played by comedian/actor J.B. Smooth (Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home); Loretta Black played by Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day, Soul Food); Daryl Black played by Nick Nervies (”The Soloist”) and Keysha Black played by Carla Jeffrey (“Southland”). Cheryl Hines (RV) plays Larry’s wife Michelle. Jeff Garlin (Toy Story 3 and Wall-E) plays his manager and best friend Jeff Greene and Susie Essman (Bolt) plays Jeff’s wife Susie. “Vivica has been there from the beginning,” English said when I asked. “JB Smoove, he came into the family after the show began.” “It’s unscripted with only outlines for plots,” said veteran actress Ellia English about the Home Box Office (HBO) comedy series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which airs its 12th season on February 4, 2024. https://youtu.be/4oXcXyVFh-g Days after Van Jones shined a not-so-flattering light on him, Vivek Ramaswamy responded to the criticism. According to The Hill, there was no censor on the presidential contender, who let Jones and the mainstream media know exactly how he felt about Jones’ views on him. “And then you get the mainstream media. You got this character, Van Jones, on CNN afterward saying, ‘This is the rise of an American demagogue, who’s going to live 50 years longer than Trump. This is dangerous. I am shaking.’ That’s what he says. Just shut the f‑‑‑ up. At a certain point, just shut the f‑‑‑ up. Van Jones at CNN,” Ramaswamy said Dec. 17 in a Turning Point USA conference speech. “We demand a government that tells us the truth again in this country. That’s what we require,” he added. “We can handle the truth. That’s what it means to be a citizen of this country,” Ramaswamy said. https://youtu.be/c4lgIgKgfDo Ramaswamy’s comments come after Jones called him despicable earlier this month. According to Jones, in Ramaswamy, America was seeing the “rise of an American demagogue that is a very, very despicable person.” At the heart of Jones’ criticism is Ramaswamy’s acknowledgment of the “Great Replacement Theory.” The Hill noted the term “a white supremacist conspiracy theory that posits that liberals and Jewish people are seeking to replace white voters with migrants.” “I was shaking listening to him talk because many people don’t know. That is one step away from Nazi propaganda coming out of his mouth,” Jones noted, regarding Ramaswamy’s referencing the Great Replacement Theory and several other far-right conspiracy theories at the last GOP presidential debate. https://twitter.com/i/status/1732736633223483676 Two paramedics were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide Friday in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who was subdued by police and injected with ketamine in Aurora, Colorado, in August 2019. Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec had pleaded not guilty to the felony charges. Cichuniec was also found guilty of a second-degree unlawful administration of drugs assault charge, and not guilty of second-degree assault resulting in bodily injury. He was immediately taken into custody. Cooper was acquitted on those charges. Prosecutors had argued the paramedics acted recklessly in administering a large amount of the powerful sedative ketamine to McClain, who had been violently subdued by police, despite not speaking with him or checking his vital signs. https://youtu.be/ZBgS3rcTmR4 An amended autopsy report released in 2022 listed McClain’s cause of death as “complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.” However, the paramedics testified during their trial they were following their training for treating patients experiencing “excited delirium,” a controversial diagnosis describing extreme agitation generally applied to people being subdued by police. “During our training, we were told numerous times that this is a safe, effective drug,” Cichuniec told the court. “That is the only drug we can carry that can stop what is going on and calm him down so we can control his airway, we can control him and the safety of him, get him to the hospital as quick as we can.” The use of ketamine by emergency responders to tranquilize people against their will has raised controversy and triggered investigations in multiple states. https://youtu.be/77r2fCXPu0Y It’s going to take more for Chris Brown to appear for a videotaped deposition than a scheduled date. According to RadarOnlne, the singer is refusing to comply with demands for his former housekeeper, identified as Jane Doe, to sit for the deposition. Court documents obtained by the site revealed Doe served Brown’s company Black Pyramid with a notice for his deposition. Days before the proceeding, Brown’s lawyers objected to the notice, claiming it was untimely served. The vocalist’s legal team also mentioned a default that was entered in 2022 against their client. They go on to state that Brown filed his official answer to the case after the default was entered by the court. Although Brown appeared and filed his response, Radar noted the initial default entered has yet to be vacated. Despite the entertainer’s efforts to have the default vacated, the housekeeper has refused to work with him on the issue. Until Doe agrees to set aside the default, Brown said he could not appear for a deposition. The deposition drama marks the latest development in Doe’s $71 million lawsuit against Brown. The housekeeper filed her complaint in July 2021, claiming to have worked at Brown’s Tarzana, California home on Dec. 12, 2020. Doe stated she was unaware the “Look at Me Now” crooner had “vicious, killer attack dogs” on his property. In a stunning and unprecedented decision, the Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot on Tuesday, ruling that he is an ineligible presidential candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” The 4-3 ruling will be placed on hold until January 4, pending Trump’s appeal to the US Supreme Court, which could settle the matter for the nation. The state Supreme Court decision only applies to Colorado, but the historic ruling will roil the 2024 presidential campaign. Colorado election officials have said the matter needs to be settled by January 5, which is the statutory deadline to set the list of candidates for the GOP primary scheduled for March 5. “President Trump did not merely incite the insurrection,” the majority wrote in its unsigned opinion. “Even when the siege on the Capitol was fully underway, he continued to support it by repeatedly demanding that Vice President (Mike) Pence refuse to perform his constitutional duty and by calling Senators to persuade them to stop the counting of electoral votes. These actions constituted overt, voluntary, and direct participation in the insurrection.” https://youtu.be/usM1BhR1Xa0 “We conclude that the foregoing evidence, the great bulk of which was undisputed at trial, established that President Trump engaged in insurrection,” the opinion added. “President Trump’s direct and express efforts, over several months, exhorting his supporters to march to the Capitol to prevent what he falsely characterized as an alleged fraud on the people of this country were indisputably overt and voluntary.” In addition, the court rejected Trump’s free speech claims, writing: “President Trump’s speech on January 6 was not protected by the First Amendment.” https://youtu.be/3sypo-AhSio For anyone who loves mythology, monsters, and mirth, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is a watershed of fun. And since this is the season to be merry, it’s good to see brothers bond over a common threat. That threat is Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down and avenge his father’s death. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. Needless to say, Aquaman will need all the help he can get to defeat the Black Manta, protect the kingdom, and save his family, and the world from irreversible destruction. https://youtu.be/FV3bqvOHRQo “Anyone But You” had the makings of being a sustainable rom-com. However, it was sidetracked with over-the-top gross scenes. One in particular is Bea (Sydney Sweeney) examining Ben’s (Glen Powell) derriere and crotch for spiders. However, some of the retorts throughout the film were funny. An admirable and interesting remark to be in a romantic comedy is that Australia—where the film takes place—has the same problems with its past as America. Neither wants to rightfully deal with its racist past. Also to the movie’s credit is the eye-catching opening restaurant scene. It brings to mind Edward Hopper’s painting, “Nighthawks,” but in a daytime setting. In “Anyone But You,” Bea and Ben have an amazing first date but miscommunications turn their fiery hot attraction ice cold. When they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding, the gloves come off. https://youtu.be/S61xB-rE770 In the realm of business and education, Dr. Karwanna D. Irving stands as a luminary, guiding BIPOC women and minority entrepreneurs to new heights of success. As a government contracts strategist and an empowering business coach, she has carved a niche that transcends traditional business norms. Her recent book, “Don’t Duck The Government, They’ve Got Your Money,” and her initiative in launching Dream Achiever College University, exemplify her dedication to transforming the landscape of entrepreneurial success. Dr. Irving’s journey is a testament to her profound commitment to unlocking the potential of government contracting. Her book illuminates the path for businesses to access a portion of the U.S. Government’s substantial federal spending, which stands at upwards of $10 trillion annually. This figure grows even more considerable when state and local government spending are added, underscoring the immense opportunities available for disadvantaged small businesses. Dr. Irving’s insights are not just about accessing these funds; they are about leveraging unique positions to gain a competitive edge in securing government contracts. Her role as a motivational speaker and coach has allowed Dr. Irving to extend her influence beyond the confines of direct business coaching. Her presence on platforms like CBS, NBC, and FOX has broadened her reach, enabling her to inspire a wider audience. https://youtu.be/Fz_msbOzfpA Darien Harris, who was wrongfully convicted of murder on the testimony of a blind witness walked out of the Cook County Jail this week as a free man. Harris, now 30, had served 12-and-a-half years of his 76-year sentence before prosecutors decided not to move forward with their case and dropped the charges against him on Tuesday, his attorney, Lauren Myerscough-Mueller, said at a news conference. In April 2014, Harris was convicted of murder in the June 2011 fatal shooting of Rondell Moore and the attempted murder of mechanic Quincy Woulard at a Chicago gas station, according to his attorney and a court document. He was 18 and a week away from graduating high school at the time of his arrest, his attorney said. Myerscough-Mueller, who is with the Exoneration Project and joined the team representing Harris in June 2020, said Harris’ previous attorney shared new information with the county’s Conviction Integrity Unit in July 2018 – including the critical revelation that the prosecution’s star witness in the case was legally blind. https://youtu.be/StMlHSe0ESQ The topic of emotional dependency between a mother and son has social media users on alert, thanks to “Tonight’s Conversation” podcast co-host Ajna Surah. The podcaster made her views known during a Season 3 episode of the platform, stating that “a lot of times, single mothers do everything but [fuck] their sons.” “Tonight’s Conversation” is an outlet known for its focus on Black love, relationships, and dating. “That’s why a lot of the time I say a single mother is a ‘fuckboy factory,’” she explained in the episode before claiming that a fuckboy raised in a two-parent household was an “anomaly.” Madame Noire noted Surah’s claims, adding that the podcaster felt that many single moms become far too “emotionally dependent” on their male children. According to Ajna, women who “date” their sons “will convince themselves that they don’t need a man.” The reason, she continued, centered on the mothers placing their child in a romantic role. With this mindset, Surah argued that some women problematically treat their sons like their lovers because they struggle to navigate the realities of their loneliness, the site reported. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1LO8E-N1MA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading Several hip-hop stars have been added to the lineup for Jazz In the Gardens in Florida next year. The event is slated for March 11 and 12 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The festival aims to bring “together some of the brightest R&B acts past and present with a sprinkle of gospel,” per the official website. Jeezy, Scarface, and Maxwell will share the same stage as Babyface, October London, Tamia, Jaheim and Marsha Ambrosius. DJ Cassidy’s “Pass The Mic Live” will have a special set with surprise guests on day one of the festival. “BPC is thrilled to work alongside the City of Miami Gardens to enhance the already vibrant Jazz In The Gardens brand and take it to the next level,” Troy Brown, Black Promoters Collective Partner and CMO said about the event, per iHeart.com. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1F0Oc3LE33/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f0d61dd4-be8e-4553-ac9e-c5c0934561ae When I Pose 360, an innovation brought to life by entertainment visionary Dr. Cheryl Cobb, is rewriting the playbook for 360-degree photo booths and red-carpet service. When I Pose 360 is not simply a 360 photo booth rental company; it’s an immersive journey that seamlessly marries fun, excitement, and cutting-edge technology. There’s a package that fits all budgets but the most engaging is the Hollywood package, where you become the star! The crown jewel of their offerings brings the magic of the movies to your special occasion, elevating it to a level of glamour and excitement by adding your very own red carpet experience, complete with a charismatic celebrity host who ensures every moment feels like a star-studded affair. What sets When I Pose 360 apart is its inventive drone technology, seamlessly bridging the realms of the ground and the sky. The result is a breathtaking aerial perspective that infuses each photo and video with an unparalleled sense of grandeur. More than 15,000 MSNBC viewers (and counting) have signed the PCCC’s petition to MSNBC urging the network to save Mehdi Hasan’s network and Peacock shows – which can be viewed and signed at StandWithMehdi.com. Washington Post columnist Perry Bacon Jr. published an op-ed today entitled: MSNBC should be careful not to become DNC-TV. He wrote, “The cancellation of Mehdi Hasan’s show is the latest in a series of recent moves by MSNBC that are pushing the network in the direction of being the television arm of the Democratic Party leadership, as opposed to a news outlet that upholds left-wing values and perspectives. The network should reverse its decision on Hasan and make clear that it embraces progressive criticism of President Biden and other Democratic leaders.” The PCCC’s petition, which was launched last Thursday, was endorsed over the weekend by former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, who urged his followers to sign – joining Representative Maxwell Frost, who Tweeted on Thursday, “I just signed this petition and you should too!” The Nation highlighted the petition’s momentum over the weekend, following prominent coverage from the Washington Post and Politico last week. https://youtu.be/Lq0cctQ7i8I A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a domestic violence victim who called 911 seeking help. The woman, 27-year-old Niani Finlayson, called 911 to report that “her boyfriend would not leave her alone and then screaming and sounds of a struggle could be heard”, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) said in a statement, The Guardian reports. The family’s attorney said Finlayson was inside her apartment in Lancaster with her nine-year-old daughter when her ex-boyfriend injured her. When deputies arrived, they could hear screaming, LASD said. LASD claims Deputy Ty Shelton opened fire because Finlayson had a knife and was threatening her boyfriend. https://youtu.be/nfGemygwKQ4 “Hush personifies the mysterious, captivating and edgy programming our subscribers crave as we continue to push the envelope with our content offerings at AllBlk,” AllBlk said previously about the series, Deadline reported. Series creator and executive producer Angela Burt-Murray added, “From the therapist looking to write her comeback story and a desperate housewife fighting to save her family to the baller’s wife playing with fire and a street-smart baddie making boss moves, the women of Hush are sexually empowered and driven to succeed no matter the cost.” Candiace Dillard Bassett (The Real Housewives of Potomac) stars alongside Joyful Drake (P Valley), Caryn Ward Ross (ALLBLK’s Monogamy), and TS Madison (Zola, The TS Madison Experience). The series “follows the story of top marriage and sex therapist, TV personality and best-selling author, Dr. Draya Logan (Drake) who finds herself entangled in a web of lies, sex and murder that could cost her everything,” per the official synopsis. “This season, Dr. Logan is determined to clear her name and reclaim her fame. She must utilize her pawns to not only to help free her but cover up more than what they promised at whatever costs before the secrets of the penthouse are exposed,” the synopsis continues. https://youtu.be/5zuxvh69qWw Democratic mayoral hopeful Sheila Dixon was attacked live on air during an interview Wednesday when a person hurled objects at her. Fox45 anchor Patrice Sanders ended the conversation with Dixon as the unidentified male off-camera harassed and bullied the Baltimore politician while being interviewed via video, The Baltimore Banner reports. According to Newsweek, Dixon, who served as mayor of Baltimore from 2007 to 2010, was promoting a public safety town hall when she was asked about crime in the city. “So three things. One people don’t feel safe, people are afraid,” Dixon explained. “Carjackings, theft, stealing cars, and people want to see the presence of officers in their community engaged with them, walking the beat, talking to them, getting to know the residents and that’s not happening.” https://youtu.be/jM-Urxb34NQ T.D Jakes Enterprises has announced its first-ever holiday gift guide in conjunction with its national initiative, the Good Soil Movement. The Good Soil Gift Guide launched on December 1 to help shoppers support small Black and minority-owned businesses. You can now upload your listings if you are a Good Soil member. “Our mission with the Good Soil movement is to grow and impact one million businesses and for those businesses to also reach at least $1 million in revenue throughout their entrepreneurship journey,” said Michael Phillips, chief operations officer for T.D. Jakes Enterprises, in a statement. “Good Soil has grown to almost 20,000 members and we are proud of every single entrepreneur that has joined this movement. This list is a celebration of hard work and Black entrepreneurship,” Phillips added. According to the news release, the Good Soil Gift Guide is free to anyone other than Good Soil app users. The guide will remain continuously updated throughout the year, celebrating occasions like Small Business Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Valentine’s Day, etc. Check out an exclusive clip from this week’s episode of WEtv’s “Love After Lockup: Innocent After Lockup,” which takes viewers inside the lives of exonerees falsely accused and convicted of crimes they did not commit. The three-episode special premiered December 15, and every “episode follows a different falsely accused exoneree who spent 15 – 22 years in a maximum-security penitentiary and were subsequently proven innocent,” per the official series synopsis. https://youtu.be/2WY0Lt9uz3c Killer Mike and T.I. have reportedly secured a 1.2 million dollar loan to renovate a popular seafood restaurant in Atlanta. The duo announced in 2019 their plans to resurrect the Bankhead Seafood Restaurant in northwest Atlanta. The eatery opened on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway in 1968 and closed in 2018. “It’s been a part of my life as long as I’ve been on earth,” Killer Mike said previously. AfroTech reports that Greenwood lenders and Georgia Banking Co. (GBC) provided the $1.2 million boost for the restoration efforts. The funds will help support the expansion of Bankhead Seafood Restaurant and create job opportunities in the community.“Today’s investment serves as a profound testament to the broader vision we’ve cultivated at Bankhead Seafood,” T.I. said in the news release. “It’s exciting to join forces with leaders like Greenwood — whose commitment to uplifting the community echoes our same ethos. This is an exciting moment in our community’s work to foster a legacy of mutual prosperity and support.” An Oklahoma judge on Tuesday declared innocent a man (Glynn Simmons) who spent 48 years in prison for a murder he did not commit – believed to be the longest amount of time served by anyone wrongfully convicted in the United States. “This is a day we’ve been waiting on for a long, long time. It finally came,” Simmons, 70, told reporters, according to local news outlet KFOR, after the hearing where an Oklahoma County District Court judge issued an order formally declaring him innocent. “We can say justice was done today, finally,” he said. “And I’m happy.” Simmons served 48 years, one month and 18 days following his conviction, earning him a grim distinction: He served the longest wrongful incarceration of any exoneree in the US, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. https://youtu.be/tKHNcR8ZSLU?list=RDNStKHNcR8ZSLU The National Academy of Television Arts & Science (NATAS) announced the 2023 Gold and Silver Circle Honors on December 15 at the Daytime Emmy broadcast on CBS. The inductees are professionals who have performed distinguished service within the television industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership, and professional accolades for 50 or 25 years, respectively. https://youtu.be/gduLdSn16XQ Actor Grantham Cole is “excited to join” the Power-verse as “Ronnie” for the third season “Raising Kanan.” “I’m excited to be a part of the story,” Cole said in our exclusive interview with the rising star. “I think people will definitely enjoy this season of Raising Kanan.” The third season of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” kicked off December 1, and series star MeKai Curtis previously revealed to EUR that his character will “attempt to rebuild that in a certain way, but with a new spin.” “He’s going to have to deal with obstacles and re-directions and truth that he didn’t see coming and truth that he did see coming,” Curtis said of Kanan. https://youtu.be/ZG6Jw5xgP9s Last night, Beverly Hills' elite gathered in the home of Adrienne Maloof to celebrate the holiday season. The event benifitted the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and the Amazing Grace Conservatory. Celebrity attendees included Stevie Wonder, Lala Milan, Jeannie Mai. Kita Williams, Jessica Betts, MAJOR., Ava DuVernay and more. Attorney Antonio Moore discusses why it made NO sense for Taraji P. Henson to CRY over unfair PAY for acting while promoting “The Color Purple.” Moore looks at the pay for Jonah Hill in “Wolf on Wall Street” with Leonardo DiCaprio for $60,000, and Jeff Daniels for co-starring in “Dumb and Dumber” for $50,000 in pay, while Taraji P. Henson got paid $150,000 for Benjamin Buttons with Brad Pitt. During the promotion of “The Color Purple,” Taraji P. Henson stated this in an interview with Gayle King: “I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do [and] getting paid a fraction of the cost,” Henson said. “I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired. I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ Well, I have to. The math ain’t math-ing. When you start working a lot, you have a team. Big bills come with what we do. We don’t do this alone. It’s a whole team behind us. They have to get paid.” https://youtu.be/v7rPm1NTVK0 Ne-Yo was the Season 10 “Masked Singer” winner after he was revealed as the Cow, and stunned with performances of songs by Janet Jackson and Rihanna. The R&B superstar previously appeared on the U.K. version, and he spoke to Entertainment Weekly after his big reveal on the U.S. show about the differences between the two music competitions. "Not much difference at all,” he said. “So I got to give much props and respect to the production of the Masked Singer because the security in that place, and I’m talking U.K. and US, is presidential. They are super adamant about nobody knowing who anybody else is.” Ne-Yo appeared on the U.K. version of “Masked Singer” as the Badger but didn’t win. https://youtu.be/npBT8EBC7GU 50 Cent continues to take jabs at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, and now he’s dragging Method Man into the mess. On Thursday (December 21), 50 posted an Instagram clip of Method Man claiming he saw Kanye West sucking dick at one of Diddy’s kinky sex parties. “‘F### Kanye West. I hate that n####. Plus I seen that n#### at one of Puff’s parties sucking dick in the bathroom,’” the Wu-Tang Clan member appears to say in the video, All Hip Hop reports. 50 Cent captioned the clip: “This has not been confirmed, but ya see why I stayed away from the man’s party’s WTF.” The text across the shocking video read, “Method Man Says He Seen Kanye Do What At Diddy’s Party?” Method Man called the video “fake” in the comment section of 50’s post, writing, “This video fake 5.. you and Diddy keep me out of this s###. The real vid is on YouTube .. (method man bossip).. do your research .. yall fallin for the remix.” We reported that 50’s G-Unit Films and Television is developing a TV special on Diddy and his controversial legal drama. Keke Palmer’s ex-boyfriend, Darius Jackson, has filed a restraining order against the actress days after he reportedly filed a counterclaim accusing her of “abusive conduct.” According to the new legal docs, Jackson is requesting a domestic violence temporary restraining order against Palmer, claiming she has been physically abusive towards him during their two-year relationship, TMZ reports. Last month, Palmer was granted a temporary restraining order against Jackson after accusing him of physical abuse. She also received custody of their infant son Leodis. Palmer submitted evidence allegedly showing Jackson abusing her as part of a restraining order against him. Complex reports that Jackson recently filed a counterclaim with the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He claims the “Nope” star “repeatedly engaged in abusive conduct” and “acted as the primary aggressor” during their relationship. Jackson said Palmer “punched [him] in the face” in August 2021, “punched the windshield of [his] car” in January 2022, and “physically attacked [him] by choking and hitting [him]” in February 2022, per Complex. Former NFL player Mike Williams died from a rare form of sepsis related to dental health problems, according to a medical examiner's report released Friday. Williams, 36, died Sept. 12 after being hospitalized following a construction accident while working as an electrician. The wide receiver played four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he was drafted out of Syracuse in 2010. His best season was as a rookie when he led the team with 11 touchdowns and had 964 receiving yards. He also played for the Buffalo Bills and was on the Kansas City Chiefs' roster before leaving the NFL in 2016. Several Republican officials want President Joe Biden off state ballots for the 2024 election after the recent Trump ruling. It was reported previously via CNN that the Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot on Tuesday, ruling that he is an ineligible presidential candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” The 4-3 ruling will be placed on hold until January 4, pending Trump’s appeal to the US Supreme Court, which could settle the matter for the nation. The state Supreme Court decision only applies to Colorado, but the historic ruling will roil the 2024 presidential campaign. “Seeing what happened in Colorado makes me think — except we believe in democracy in Texas — maybe we should take Joe Biden off the ballot in Texas for allowing 8 million people to cross the border since he’s been president, disrupting our state far more than anything anyone else has done in recent history,” Lone Star State Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Tuesday night, New York Post reports. Rudy Giuliani filed for bankruptcy in federal court in New York on Thursday, just days after a jury ordered him to pay nearly $150 million to two former Georgia election workers for defamation. According to the filing, Giuliani listed debts between $100 million and $500 million, and assets worth up to $10 million. The bankruptcy declaration is another setback for the former New York City mayor, federal prosecutor, and one-time front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, all stemming from his time as Donald Trump’s attorney after the 2020 presidential election. Giuliani lists nearly $1 million in unpaid taxes among his liabilities and hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to lawyers and accountants. He also lists pending lawsuits, including three defamation cases over his statements after the 2020 election that haven’t yet gone to trial and could add to his debt if he’s ordered to pay damages in those cases. “The filing should be a surprise to no one,” Giuliani political adviser Ted Goodman said Thursday. “No person could have reasonably believed that Mayor Rudy Giuliani would be able to pay such a high punitive amount. Chapter 11 will afford Mayor Giuliani the opportunity and time to pursue an appeal, while providing transparency for his finances under the bankruptcy court’s supervision, to ensure all creditors are treated equally and fairly throughout the process.” It comes a day after the federal judge who oversaw the blockbuster defamation case said the two plaintiffs – Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss – can begin trying to collect from Giuliani immediately. https://youtu.be/InrPwNS5O2Y Former NBA G League player Chance Comanche allegedly confessed to killing a woman in Las Vegas earlier this month. Comanche, 27, reportedly told investigators that he used an HDMI cord to strangle Marayna Rodgers, 23, on Dec. 6 after luring her to have “kinky sex” with him and his ex-girlfriend, 19-year-old Sakari Harnden, New York Post reports. Rodgers traveled from her home state, Washington, to Vegas with a friend “to engage in prostitution,” according to the Las Vegas police report. Harnden and Rodgers both worked as prostitutes in the Vegas area. When they linked up in Sin City days before the killing, drama allegedly ensued between the women. They reportedly argued over a Rolex, and things got especially heated after Harnden implicated Rodgers’ boyfriend in a double murder in California, for which he was arrested, the Post reports. Harnden allegedly enlisted Comanche to help kill Rodgers after the pair failed to hire a hitman for $3,000. The ex-couple reportedly discussed various methods, including poisoning, strangulation, and gunplay. They ultimately decided on death by strangling. https://youtu.be/6JXBlb_6yXE Rodgers was lured to her death by Comanche and Harnden, who explained that a “trick” wanted to pay her for “kinky sex.” As it turned out, that “trick” was Comanche. Harnden allegedly told the victim that he wanted to tie up both women before having sex and would “pay them for their services.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1737898905952747618 Montreal police are defending the actions of officers who pepper-sprayed American rapper Dave East and some of his fans outside his concert Tuesday night. A video showing part of the altercation that is circulating on social media has gone viral, with two million views and counting as of Wednesday evening. Christcella Nicholas runs the 514onlinemix website that covers the entertainment scene in Montreal. She was there to film the concert at Le Rouge Bar on Prince Arthur Street and said “it was painful to watch” the police resort to pepper-spraying the crowd. The 45-second clip shows East shouting at officers who were dealing with another group of people on the street when the officers deployed pepper spray on him and others. The 35-year-old rapper can be seen heading toward the sidewalk before he crouches down on his knees as onlookers rush to his side. https://youtu.be/5DDaaLRRdYs Legal experts say Jonathan Majors is not likely to get jail time after being found guilty Monday of assault and harassment of his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari during a domestic dispute. The actor was convicted of third-degree reckless assault, a misdemeanor, and second-degree harassment, a violation, per The Hollywood Reporter. Majors was found not guilty of third-degree intentional assault and not guilty of second-degree aggravated harassment. “Since it’s the defendant’s first conviction, although technically he faces one year of jail, the judge will 99 percent give him three years probation, anger management and possibly some community service,” said Cary London, a Manhattan-based civil rights and criminal defense attorney at Shulman & Hill, per THR. Majors could spend up to a year in prison on the assault charge, but London said, “Mr. Majors is not getting jail time.”Several supporters of the “Creed III” star have noted the peculiarity of a misdemeanor case such as this one going to trial, which London called “extremely rare.” Vin Diesel is being accused of sexually molesting someone. In Diesel’s case, it’s his former assistant pointing the finger. Asta Jonasson says it says it happened in Atlanta at the St. Regis Hotel after a night of seemingly hard partying with hostesses he’d met at a nearby club, during the filming of “Fast Five” in 2010. He then fired her son in retaliation soon afterward. “Vin Diesel forcibly grabbed Ms. Jonasson, groped her breasts, and kissed her,” says the complaint filed today in LA Superior Court. “Ms. Jonasson struggled continually to break free of his grasp, while repeatedly saying no. Vin Diesel is physically larger and much stronger than Ms. Jonasson, and abused his position of authority as her employer, and was able to easily overpower Ms. Jonasson.” “Vin Diesel ignored Ms. Jonasson’s clear statements of non-consent to his sexual assaults,” the document went on to add. “Vin Diesel then escalated his assault, groped her body, dropped to his knees and pushed Ms. Jonasson’s dress up, groped her legs, and attempted to pull down Ms. Jonasson’s underwear. Terrified for her personal safety, Ms. Jonasson screamed and ran towards the nearby bathroom.” Filed under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act that lifted statutes of limitations by attorneys from the Greenberg Gross law firm, Jonasson’s suit details how Diesel “pinned her against the wall with his body, and grabbed Ms. Jonasson’s hand and placed it on his erect penis.” The actor then masturbated as he held Jonasson “against the hotel wall,” Deadline reports as it quotes from the legal filing. https://youtu.be/vtT7Pd6ow4o IN THE BLACK NETWORK (ITBN), a streaming service that highlights Black voices and original stories that are culturally significant and relatable for all audiences, has announced its third FAST channel offering with content from UrbanflixTV, the premium TV & film streaming service specifically curated for an urban audience; expanding their content library with a fresh slate of scripted and unscripted original programming, as well as a wide array of high caliber multicultural content. UrbanflixTV content will be available on December 22, 2023, with the launch of a new FAST TV streaming channel airing 24/7 on ITBN. With ITBN’s new UrbanflixTV streaming channel, viewers can access a diverse range of content that reflects the real world with stories that resonate with Black and multicultural audiences. The 24/7 streaming channel will offer full-length and short-form films, scripted content, and a variety of other genre-bending content which will add to ITBN’s already existing diverse content. https://youtu.be/yyZC5p8Wrrw Harvard President Claudine Gay recently requested corrections for two of her academic papers, but she did not address even clearer examples of plagiarism from earlier in her academic history at the school, according to a CNN analysis of her writings. In response to accusations of plagiarism, the embattled Harvard president recently submitted corrections to two papers she wrote as a professional academic in 2001 and 2017. But a CNN examination of Gay’s published works documented that Gay committed other, clearer examples of plagiarism while she was studying for her PhD at Harvard in the 1990s. Those include an instance in her dissertation where she copied lines verbatim from another source without citation. In addressing the allegations of plagiarism, neither Harvard nor Gay has corrected or acknowledged these earlier instances from when she was a student. The instances were first reported by the Washington Free Beacon. The Harvard Corporation, the university’s top governing body, said in a statement last week it became aware of plagiarism allegations against Gay in late October. At Gay’s request, it then conducted an “independent review” of Gay’s published works and found a few instances of missing citations but “no violation of Harvard’s standards for research misconduct.” https://youtu.be/X-mqiKmgmtM Byron Allen, founder and CEO of Allen Media Group, is trying to acquire Paramount Global’s BET Media Group again. The media mogul is offering $3.5 billion to take over the entity, Variety reports. Earlier this year, he bid $2.7 billion when Paramount Global announced in March that it was exploring the sale of BET. At the time, bidders included Tyler Perry and Sean “Diddy” Combs. In August, however, Paramount Global backed away from the plan, saying the sale would not generate enough profits.“We made this decision because the benefits of maintaining a majority stake in BET Media Group creates more value for Paramount than any of the proposals we received,” a source from Paramount reportedly told New York Post, according to Vibe. During a Bloomberg Equality Summit in Atlanta, Perry said he was “disappointed’ with how Paramount handled the process. “I was disappointed about it for a number of reasons,” Perry said, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “The way it happened was disrespectful in a lot of ways.” On Tuesday, Allen offered $3.5 billion for BET Media Group, which includes the BET cable channel, VH1, BET Studios, and streaming service BET+. Per Variety, in the email to Paramount executives, Allen wrote, “You are pursuing an inside sale at a below-market price with management that will not yield the highest price for the stockholders. We believe it would be an egregious breach of fiduciary duty by the Paramount Global management team and board of directors if BET is sold for anything less than the highest price, particularly, in order to provide a sweetheart deal to an insider at the expense of public shareholders.” BET was founded by Robert Johnson in 1980 and was acquired by Viacom in 2001 in a deal worth $3 billion. Scottish supermodel Eunice Olumide claims her career in the fashion industry came crashing down after she spoke about racism on a daytime television show several years ago. As BBC.com reports, Olumide appeared on Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 TV show to promote her book on fashion when the co-panelists “challenged” her personal experience with racism. Olumide’s response was later posted on the show’s YouTube page, and viewers reacted negatively in the comments. Olumide believes her appearance on the show damaged her career. “What was not in the clip, which brought about the discussion, is that Jeremy Vine initially asked me, ‘do you think being black impacted your career as a presenter?,” the 37-year-old told BBC Scotland News. “I don’t talk about race because I want to, it is because I am always being asked about it,” she added. Cameron Diaz is finally addressing reports that Jamie Foxx was “difficult” to work with on the set of their Netflix comedy “Back in Action.” Foxx suffered a medical emergency during the production of the action film and was hospitalized in April with a mysterious illness. After his release, Foxx spent several weeks at a Chicago-based rehab facility that specializes in strokes and traumatic brain injuries. “I really hate all of the things that were being said about our set at the time,” Diaz said recently on the Lipstick on the Rim podcast, Complex reports. “You just want to scream at the top of your lungs, like, ‘What are you talking about?’ Jamie is, like, the cheerleader for the entire crew. Everybody loves him. We have so much fun on the set with him and he’s just a professional on every level,” she added. As People reports, Diaz said she “had a blast” filming “Back in Action” with Foxx, with whom she previously co-starred alongside in “Any Given Sunday” and “Annie.” A popular wig influencer on TikTok was livestreaming when her husband dropped a bombshell and asked for a divorce. The woman known Sara/The Petrol Princess, a Black woman, posted an emotional video in which she thanked her 2.7 million followers for their support during this difficult time. One of her TikTok fans commented, “I’m so sorry for you. This door will close but another will open. I hope you both can get counseling. I really love your relationship.” Another person wrote, “My heart goes out to you I’m truly sorry for what you’re going through I hate to see people hurting like this.” A third follower noted, “Girl god has a better man for you be ready.” https://eurweb.com/2023/tiktoker-heartbroken-after-husband-asks-for-divorce/ The new Netflix film “Leave the World Behind” hasn’t been out long, but it’s already generating discussion among those at Fox News. In the eyes of the network’s hosts, the feature is an example of former president Barack Obama’s dislike of white people, according to The Daily Beast. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, “Leave the World Behind” stars Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali and Kevin Bacon. The film, produced by Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, is an adaptation of the 2020 bestselling book of the same name. It centers around a family who go on an impromptu vacation to a house they rent in Long Island. The vacation soon turns into anything but as the owner of the house and his daughter return unexpectedly. As the film continues, a situation emerges with the gradual shutdown of phones, television, and other extensively used technology, leading to dire circumstances/ Since its release, “Leave the World Behind” has received mixed reviews with some criticizing the thriller’s storytelling, pace and ending while others praised it overall. Among those criticizing the film are Fox News mainstays Kayleigh McEnany and JesseWatters as well as “Fox & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy and Lawrence Jones. At the heart of their criticism is a scene in “Leave the World Behind” where Ruth (played by Myha’la Herrold), the daughter of Ali’s character G.H., talks to him as it looks like society is fully collapsing. During the conversation, Ruth turns to her father, saying the following line: “Remember that if the world falls apart, trust should not be doled out easily to anyone, especially white people,” she tells G.H. “Even mom would agree on that.” https://youtu.be/cMVBi_e8o-Y Kanye West allegedly relocated to the Middle East and lives in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. The rapper may settle there for the long haul to build a self-sustaining city. In a new Tweet, Ye announced he’s building a 100,000-acre city in the Middle East called DROAM, reportedly in Phase 1 development. Ye’s post calls for project managers, engineers, architects, and contractors to join the team working on the city, which will be twice the size of Paris or New York City. He failed to include details on how potential candidates can submit resumes. This is the latest “big city” idea from the artist. In 2020, Yeezy said he was helping develop a smart city in Haiti similar to the one Akon is building in Senegal. “Just to be CLEAR: WE ARE IN ENGAGED WITH HAITI’s GOVERNMENT to make a transformational INVESTMENT to bring JOBS, DEVELOPMENT, HELP SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS and FISHERMEN and Build a new « CITY OF THE FUTURE » in a very beautiful country,” Kanye tweeted at the time. Several of Taraji P. Henson’s celebrity pals turned to social media to praise the actress for getting candid about Hollywood pay inequality. “I’ve been getting paid and I’ve been fighting tooth and nail every project to get that same freaking [fee] quote,” Henson told THR’s co-editor-in-chief Nekesa Mumbi Moody. The actress stars in the hotly anticipated “The Color Purple” movie musical, opening on Christmas day. As THR reports, Henson earned an Oscar nod for her performance in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and several Emmy nominations for playing “Cookie” in the hit series “Empire.” Despite the acclaim and accolades over her 20-year career, Henson is “fighting tooth and nail every project to get that same freaking [fee] quote,” she said. “And it’s a slap in the face when people go, ‘Oh girl, you work all the time. You always working.’ Well, goddammit, I have to. It’s not because I wish I could do two movies a year and that’s that. I have to work because the math ain’t mathing,” she added. “And I have bills,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. https://youtu.be/GUzqD5UcLwo Oprah Winfrey hosted an event Friday in Hollywood, California, to celebrate David Oyelowo’s work on the new series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves.” “If you’re going to ‘raise a glass,’ let’s raise lots of glasses,” Winfrey said to the crowd that included Gayle King, Mykelti Williamson, Lupita Nyong’o, Niecy Nash-Betts and the cast of the hit Paramount+ series, Variety reports. “So, we’re all here to raise a few glasses in honor of David, Yoruba Saxon and the vision this man has held for a decade for Bass Reeves,” Winfrey continued. “It has come to fruition and it is the number one premiering series on Paramount+!” Per Variety, citing Nielsen, “the first two episodes attracted a collected 7.5 million viewers in its first 7 days across Paramount+ and a special CBS airing on Nov. 12,” the outlet writes. Created for television by executive producer, writer, and showrunner Chad Feehan, the series “follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family. LAWMEN: BASS REEVES is an all-new, standalone anthology series and future iterations will follow other iconic lawmen and outlaws who have impacted history,” per the official synopsis. https://youtu.be/x3XFsQEoJZI Rihanna calls it a “turn on” watching ASAP Rocky fathering their two children. “I loved him differently as a dad. This is major, major like, it’s a turn on. It’s just like, ‘Wow! What a leader, what a great, patient, loving [dad],” she told Access Hollywood about the hip-hop star, with whom she shares two minor sons, Rza and Riot. “And my kids are obsessed with him,” she continued. “I’m just a background, I’m an extra. Yep! It happens,” Rihanna added. “It doesn’t matter if it’s girls or boys; they love their dad differently, and I love to see it.” We reported previously that insiders claim Rocky is willing to sign a prenup if RiRi agrees to marry him. Meanwhile, others whisper that the pair secretly tied the knot last year. “Rocky has been urging Rihanna to agree to marry for at least two years, and he’s happy to sign anything she wants as a show of faith,” a source spilled to the National Enquirer. “But for now, Rihanna is still hedging her bets.” According to RadarOnline, RiRi is in the billionaire girls club, while A$AP has an estimated net worth of $20 million. https://youtu.be/r6adOVCQZCU “GOSPEL Live! Presented by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,” the companion program to the PBS four-hour documentary series “GOSPEL” is now available in the PBS Pressroom! Co-hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Erica Campbell, the concert celebration features musical performances by John Legend, Anthony Hamilton and The Ton3s, LaTocha, Mali Music, Lena Byrd Miles, Sheléa and Tauren Wells. “GOSPEL Live! hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” Companion Concert Special Premieres on PBS on February 9, 2024. Docuseries “Gospel” hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., to Premiere on PBS on February 12 & 13, 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmEIZ7sVs-0 A friend and collaborator of the singer Cassie corroborated the singer’s claim that her ex, media mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, was physically and sexually abusive toward her. In an open letter to Diddy published in Rolling Stone on Thursday, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Tiffany Red said he “traumatized” her. Red’s piece follows Cassie’s lawsuit against Diddy, which was filed on Nov. 16 and privately settled less than 24 hours later. “I’m breaking my silence, freeing myself from haunting recollections, standing in solidarity with Cassie, and standing up for myself,” Red wrote. “I fear for my safety as her suit alludes to me, although not by name. I hope that revealing my identity to the public will afford me some measure of protection.” Red has written songs for Cassie, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Tamar Braxton, Zendaya and more, according to her website. In the “Me and U” singer’s lawsuit, Cassie claimed Diddy repeatedly beat her, raped her and forced her to abuse drugs and alcohol. She also claimed he blew up the car of rapper-producer Kid Cudi when Diddy learned Cudi had a romantic interest in Cassie. Cassie also said Diddy would force her to do “Freak Offs,” a term he used to describe her having sex with multiple male sex workers as he watched, recorded and pleasured himself. In her letter, Red said she has memories of numerous instances of Diddy being abusive toward Cassie that have since “tormented” her. Red also claimed that everything in Cassie’s lawsuit was consistent with what she witnessed as Cassie’s friend. Jonathan Majors’ acclaim drama “Magazine Dreams” has been postponed indefinitely following the guilty verdict in his domestic violence trial this week. Disney has pulled the title from the release schedule after it was initially scheduled for a Dec. 4 release. Directed by Elijah Bynum, “Magazine Dreams” won the U.S. Special Dramatic Jury Award and the audience’s hearts at Sundance in January. Majors received glowing praise for his “powerhouse” performance as Killian Maddox, a troubled man who dreams of bodybuilding superstardom. Here is the Sundance Film Festival synopsis of the film: “Killian Maddox lives with his ailing veteran grandfather, obsessively working out between court-mandated therapy appointments and part-time shifts at a grocery store where he harbors a crush on a friendly cashier.” The description continues, “Though Killian’s struggles to read social cues and maintain control of his volatile temper amplify his sense of disconnection amid a hostile world, nothing deters him from his fiercely protected dream of bodybuilding superstardom, not even the doctors who warn that he’s causing permanent damage to his body with his quest.” SiriusXM is the target of a lawsuit from the New York attorney general’s office accusing the satellite radio company of trapping customers in subscriptions and finding ways to prevent them from canceling. On Wednesday, New York AG Letitia James announced she’s suing SiriusXM after an investigation discovered that the company “forces its subscribers to call or chat online with an agent to cancel a subscription, then deliberately draws out those interactions as part of its strategy” to prevent subscribers from canceling their packages. In a press release, James said that a company’s difficult cancellation process is illegal. “Consumers should be able to cancel a subscription they no longer use or need without any issues, and companies have a legal duty to make their cancellation process easy,” James said. “New Yorkers can trust that when companies like SiriusXM try to take advantage of them and violate the law, my office will step in to stop them.” SiriusXM said in a statement that upon “receiving and reviewing the complaint, we intend to vigorously defend against these baseless allegations that grossly mischaracterize” its practices, adding that it offers a “variety of options” for cancellations. Charleston White was arrested Monday in Texas on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of animal cruelty. The controversial social media personality was in custody at the Lon Evans Corrections Center in Fort Worth, Texas, before posting a $31,000 bond. According to All Hip Hop, the bond on each assault charge was $15,000, and the bond on animal cruelty charge was $1,000. After his release, White appeared on Instagram Live to discuss the issue. He revealed that he was at his mother’s house when the FBI confronted him. “And they said that I got Asian girls — now, this what the FBI said they said — they said I got Asian girls held hostage with Glocks, switches and bombs. What they did was, they was watching my Live! ‘Cause they watch my Live all the time,” he said, Complex reports. White could face prison time if found guilty on the charges. The Pasadena Police Department is facing a discrimination lawsuit from a Black female officer who claims she was retaliated against and put on paid leave without explanation. In the complaint, Taisyn Crutchfield, 28, recounts a public family dispute on Feb. 20 involving Carlos Towns, his minor brother, and their mother, Barsha Knox, MadameNoire reports. According to the officer, she attempted to de-escalate a heated dispute between Knox and another non-black officer at the scene. In the lawsuit, Crutchfield claims additional officers were called during an argument involving the siblings. The boys’ father, Charles Towns, was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies earlier this year. According to CBS News, Crutchfield’s attorney said that police were called when the juvenile was “understandably upset by the death of their father.” Police bodycam footage reportedly shows the male officer push Crutchfield away and repeatedly tell her, “Don’t do that,” after she touched his shoulder in an attempt to calm him during the hostile situation. Another officer had to intervene and advise the two cops to distance themselves, MadameNoire reports. DJ Envy has responded to Nicki Minaj calling him out for “blackballing” her music in 2018. “Remember how cocky DJ Envy was when he was saying he [blackballed] my music on the radio?” the “Queen” rapper recently wrote on X/Twitter. “Ask yourself how a DJ could get away w/that behavior.” As Vibe reports, Envy explained his reasoning on The Breakfast Club during the Dec. 15 broadcast, stating, “I ride for all the DJ’s. Nicki Minaj at the time got upset and said she was sending some Queens dudes up here to pretty much beat [DJ Self] up. That was wack. You can’t threaten that man for his opinion.” The popular radio host continued, “The DJ’s are always the ones that get picked on and that gets beat up. An artist never goes at the other artist, they always say ‘Well, why the DJ played the record.’ What I said was, ‘I’m not going to play Nicki’s record until they squash that beef.’” https://youtu.be/yeJaxYgH6yM Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Erika Alexander are the Jan/Feb ESSENCE cover girls amid the release of their new film “American Fiction” starring Jeffrey Wright. The trio unpacks Black Sisterhood in Hollywood for the ESSENCE cover story and the challenges Black women face in the industry. “I think the three of us are people who’ve made choices in our careers and have played roles in our careers where we do have a whole life and a whole story,” Ross explained, Revolt reports. “It is not easy as an actress — as a woman and as a Black actress — to find roles where you are not written in the context of something else.” She continued, “Where your identity is not because of something, or you’re just the setup for someone else, or you establish something, and then you’re gone, and just used in that way.” “Black women do a lot to thrive, but first, they have to survive. They have to survive society’s expectations and then their own ambition,” Alexander added. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1CYqZHM6Dj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5ab48bc1-d135-4695-b5fd-a41d4f2b415b According to the press release, “American Fiction is Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.” The film is now playing in theaters nationwide. https://youtu.be/i0MbLCpYJPA Black gay podcaster Rob Smith was heckled with racial and homophobic slurs on Sunday at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest event in Phoenix, Arizona. Smith, a Republican, posted a video of his interaction with a group of white supremacists, but the footage does not include the aggressors hurling the n-word, LGBTQ Nation reports. “Last night in Phoenix, I was confronted and surrounded by some White Supremacists that don’t like gays or blacks in the Republican Party,” Smith wrote in a December 18 post on X. “They shouted ‘n****r’ and ‘f****t’ at me to make their point. However, I served in Iraq. I never back down. Ever.” The video shows a group of white males surrounding Smith like a pack of wild animals and calling him a “faggot” and chanting, “Gay sex.” On X/Twitter, some conservatives apologized to Smith. Chaya Raichik, founder of the popular Libs of TikTok platform, called the video “sick.” Snoop Dogg has partnered with the Hill Beverage Co. to launch “Do It Fluid” hemp-infused beverages. The drinks are available in four all-natural flavors from DeathRowCannabis.co. “Been working on something special,” Snoop wrote on Instagram about “Do It Fluid.” The beverages are available at select stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee & Texas. “Beverages are going to be one of the first and most powerful mechanisms that really open up the industry to the masses,” Hill Beverage Co. Founder and CEO Jake Hill told Cannabis & Tech Today. “I think infused beverages are the one product that everybody would be willing to try.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1C6mYuvlEu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again LeBron James‘ situation with the national anthem is receiving further opposition, from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Colby Covington. Fox News Reports the athlete did not hold back recently when he blasted the NBA fixture for USC’s arena (for his son Bronny’s first college game) during the national anthem and immediately taking a seat, an action that has earned James scorn among sports fans who feel he should have taken the traditional route and stood during the anthem. “If you hate America so much, and you don’t like this country that gave you a billion dollars, leave it. Or come deal with me. Go to China. Go to these sweatshops that you employ all these laborers and use these women and pay them pennies on the dollar to make your millions,” Covington said recently during a press conference. “F— you, LeBron James. You’re a coward. You’re a spineless coward and you’re a b—-.” Covington’s comments were made before the UFC mainstay’s welterweight bout against Leon Edwards at UFC 296 last weekend. https://youtu.be/YZKHC8bdqy8 Jeannie Mai denies “gatekeeping” the daughter she shares with her estranged husband, rapper Jeezy, amid their divorce. The estranged couple’s informal agreement regarding parenting their daughter Monaco isn’t working, so Jeezy wants the court to intervene, The Blast reports. The hip-hop star claims the former host of “The Real” acts like a “gatekeeper” whenever he wants to spend time with their child — but Mai denies this. According to court documents obtained by Page Six, Mai insists she “remains committed to facilitating and encouraging” Jeezy’s involvement in the 1-year-old’s life. “It is essential to clarify that Ms. Jenkins’ insistence on reasonable safety measures being put in place, such as safely securing and locking away all firearms that have been unsecure in the past, as well as having familiarity and properly trained caregivers is absolutely not gatekeeping, but rather a responsible effort to prioritize their daughter’s wellbeing,” the docs read. Kirk Franklin appeared on Club Shay Shay recently and claimed his former record label took 100 percent of the publishing for his first album. The label, GospoCentric Records, has fired back with a cease-and-desist order for spewing false information. “My very first recording contract at 23 years old, the label I signed with, they took a hundred percent of my publishing,” Franklin told host Shannon Sharpe on the Club Shay Shay podcast. “The people that had represented me didn’t know; it was new for everyone.” Attorneys for GospoCentric Records claim Franklin “received several million dollars in publishing revenues from tunes he’d written on his first recordings, including his breakout hit, “Why We Sing,” LA Focus News writes. “As you are fully aware whenever a song is created, two equal shares of royalties attach: (1) the songwriter’s share equal to 50% of the total publishing rights; and (2) the publisher’s share equal to 50% of the total publishing rights,” the legal documents states, per LA Focus News. The company claims both the songwriter and publisher (Lilly Mack Publishing) would have had to have been victims of theft for “any party to take “a hundred percent of [your] publishing,” the complaint states. R&B songstress Monica recently revealed C-Murder broke her heart amid their separation. Now, the incarcerated rapper has seemingly responded to her candid confession. “I don’t know why someone feels the need to publicly bash a person that’s fighting for their life??” he wrote in a post shared on Instagram, Complex reports. “I am a black male fighting and hoping for freedom one day,” C-Murder added. “Wanna speak on something?? Let’s talk about freeing us Louisiana inmates still held illegally and unconstitutionally by a racist Jim Crow law through a non-retroactive 10/2 non unanimous jury. Facts.” Earlier this month, Monica shocked fans when she confirmed her split with her longtime boyfriend, who has been imprisoned since 2009. On Dec. 5, the singer hit up social media to reveal her heartbreak over a convict. She wrote, “OMGGGGG I haven’t said his name in 2 yrs can yall follow my lead like yall did when I brought him up one band one sound,” she started, adding “Well , here it is in short ! I got my heartbroken (again) and that’s ok! I learned yet another valuable lesson! I went through it , got over it , now I can laugh about it ! Life continues ! I feel great that through it he has representation to one day be free ! Let’s move forward!” Monica wrote. The Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday announced it will resume mailing automated reminders of past due taxes to those who owe back taxes, something it had suspended doing in February 2022 due to pandemic-era backlogs. But it also said it would offer failure-to-pay penalty relief to 4.7 million individuals, businesses, and tax-exempt organizations, most of whom earn less than $400,000. Those are people who have previously received an initial tax collection notice, but not subsequent reminder notices. “As the IRS has been preparing to return to normal collection mailings, we have been concerned about taxpayers who haven’t heard from us in a while suddenly getting a larger tax bill. The IRS should be looking out for taxpayers, and this penalty relief is a common-sense approach to help people in this situation,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “We are taking other steps to help taxpayers with past due bills, and we have options to help people struggling to pay.” Those who are eligible for the penalty relief will not need to do anything. The IRS will automatically apply it. https://youtu.be/i33fOD58wnM Don Lemon’s departure from CNN will not stand in the way of the news network welcoming 2024 with a new duo. Variety reports Sara Sidner and Cari Champion will be on deck for CNN’s annual coverage of New Year’s Eve celebrations. The pair will occupy Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas for their part of the show, which will start at 12:30 am ET, ahead of celebrations in the Central Time Zone. The location is noted for being where Lemon took part in the yearly broadcast. Sidner and Champion’s inclusion in the New Year’s Eve program in place of Lemon comes at an interesting time individually for the pair. Sidner’s stock at CNN has risen over the past year, due to anchoring the channel’s mid-morning show “News Central.” Champion, a former SportsCenter anchor for ESPN, is noted for her work with Vice and Amazon Prime Video since leaving the sports media giant in 2020. Although Champion had been slated to do a show with writer Jemele Hill for CNN+, it never aired broadly on the now-shuttered channel. CNN’s New Year’s Eve program with Sidner and Champion will mark a new chapter for the network, which memorably featured Lemon among those covering the occasion. Earlier this year, Lemon and CNN parted ways after the channel’s management attempted to move him from his prominent primetime show to its morning program. Here is an exclusive clip from this week’s new episode of ALLBLK’s provocative drama series, “Hush.” The series starring Candiace Dillard Bassett (The Real Housewives of Potomac), Joyful Drake (P Valley), Caryn Ward Ross (ALLBLK’s Monogamy), and TS Madison (Zola, The TS Madison Experience), “follows the story of top marriage and sex therapist, TV personality and best-selling author, Dr. Draya Logan who finds herself entangled in a web of lies, sex and murder that could cost her everything,” the the official synopsis. “This season, Dr. Logan is determined to clear her name and reclaim her fame. She must utilize her pawns to not only to help free her but cover up more than what they promised at whatever costs before the secrets of the penthouse are exposed,” the synopsis continues. In our sneak peek of Thursday’s episode, Syleena spots an old and dear friend while out at a function. https://youtu.be/yhIlWup5U20 The musical reimagining of “The Color Purple” will be in theaters on December 25. Before the film’s debut, Taraji P. Henson (Shug Avery), Phylicia Pearl Mpasi (Young Celie), and director Blitz Bazawule talked about the script, dreams, and Alice Walker. Taraji P. Henson said, I’ve done a lot of films about incredible Black people, but it was not told by Black people. That’s what I cherish the most because it’s us owning our narrative. A lot of times when there is a Black director, the studio won’t let us be. And Blitz …. fought for the story you see on that screen. He fought for every last one of these cast members. Often times when we have Black directors…studios won’t allow them the freedom to cast who they want. Hopefully, this sends a big message to Hollywood that once you hire the director, you have to give them the freedom to make the film they want to make. They have a vision, that’s why you hired them. You should trust him. https://youtu.be/wPwzBUui1GA In a stunning and unprecedented decision, the Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot on Tuesday, ruling that he is an ineligible presidential candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” The 4-3 ruling will be placed on hold until January 4, pending Trump’s appeal to the US Supreme Court, which could settle the matter for the nation. The state Supreme Court decision only applies to Colorado, but the historic ruling will roil the 2024 presidential campaign. Colorado election officials have said the matter needs to be settled by January 5, which is the statutory deadline to set the list of candidates for the GOP primary scheduled for March 5. https://youtu.be/usM1BhR1Xa0 “President Trump did not merely incite the insurrection,” the majority wrote in its unsigned opinion. “Even when the siege on the Capitol was fully underway, he continued to support it by repeatedly demanding that Vice President (Mike) Pence refuse to perform his constitutional duty and by calling Senators to persuade them to stop the counting of electoral votes. These actions constituted overt, voluntary, and direct participation in the insurrection.” https://youtu.be/3sypo-AhSio Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the two Georgia election workers who won a nearly $150 million verdict against Rudy Giuliani for defamation on Friday, have sued him again, asking a federal judge to permanently prohibit him from lying about them. The lawsuit comes as Giuliani has continued to make false statements about their work as absentee ballot counters in the 2020 election. “Defendant Giuliani continues to spread the very same lies for which he has already been held liable,” the new lawsuit says. “Defendant Giuliani’s statements, coupled with his refusal to agree to refrain from continuing to make such statements, make clear that he intends to persist in his campaign of targeted defamation and harassment. It must stop.” Ted Goodman, an adviser to Giuliani, on Monday declined to comment on “any potential upcoming legal matters.” https://youtu.be/5bSzBv9q_2A The Biden administration is catching heat over Jill Biden’s White House Christmas video featuring Black and transgender tap dancers. The clip highlights performers from the New York City-based tap dance company Dorrance Dance, who channeled characters from The Nutcracker ballet. This year’s holiday theme at the White House is “magic, wonder and joy,” the Bidens stated.I don’t know how you feel, but I feel it’s just breathtaking,” the first lady said during an event unveiling the White House’s holiday decorations, per CBS News. “The holidays offer a time for reflection and a break from our hurried lives, a season to be fully present with our friends and our families.” Jill Biden added, “Children have something to teach us, if we are wise enough to listen. How to remain present, even as a busy world beckons us. How to open ourselves up to love and wonder and to marvel at every moment, no matter how ordinary.” Hip-hop icon KRS-One is speaking out about why he did not participate in The Grammys’ salute to Hip-Hop 50. The Grammys honored hip-hop legends of the past and present with a TV special featuring a star-studded lineup of performers including Black Thought, Bun B, Common, De La Soul, Jermaine Dupri, J.J. Fad, Talib Kweli, The Lady Of Rage, LL Cool J, MC Sha-Rock, Monie Love, The Pharcyde, Queen Latifah, Questlove, Rakim, Remy Ma, Uncle Luke, Yo-Yo and more.. More performers will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the release. The “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” live concert aired last month, and KRS-One claims he was invited to participate in the festivities but “turned them down,” he said in a recent interview. “I was asked about two months ago; they asked me to do it and I turned them down,” the Boogie Down Productions frontman said, Vibe reports. “With all due respect, LL COOL J himself called me, spoke to my wife and pretty much begged for me to be on the show but we turned him down,” KRS-One continued. “And reason being is because I know people don’t understand this — and I say this respectfully. KRS-One is a Hip-Hop extremist. I’m not violent, a violent extremist. I’m insane with this culture. I know I must have lost my mind in this.” KRS-One went on to unpack the exploitation of Hip-Hop culture. “I restrict myself in a certain way, because I know who I am in this culture. You’re in the temple of Hip Hop, this is our home. This place, this institution can never side with, come under, understand the exploitation of our culture,” the Bronx, N.Y. native added. “Never will you ever see me standing in the environment where our culture is being exploited,” he continued. “So when I got the call, I immediately said nah,” he revealed during the interview, Vibe reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1736201128264471033 Popular TikToker Tabitha Brown won her first Emmy award over the weekend during the 2nd annual Children’s & Family Emmys. The North Carolina native won the Outstanding Host category for her online children’s show “Tab Time.” The New York Times bestselling author is a vegan food star with 4.3 million Instagram followers and 5.1 million followers on TikTok. During her acceptance speech at the second annual Children’s and Family Emmy Awards on Dec. 17, Brown explained why her kids’ show aims to teach children “how to always let love inside.” “If we all just let a little love inside, we never know what we’ll find,” she said, Blavity reports. “And so my prayer is always that–especially for children–we teach them how to always let love inside so that one day we grow up and we sit in here in comfortable dresses and things, and we still are excited to let love inside. And the hope is that we are changing the world a little bit at a time.” The North Carolina native won the Outstanding Host category for her online children’s show “Tab Time.” The New York Times bestselling author is a vegan food star with 4.3 million Instagram followers and 5.1 million followers on TikTok. During her acceptance speech at the second annual Children’s and Family Emmy Awards on Dec. 17, Brown explained why her kids’ show aims to teach children “how to always let love inside.” “If we all just let a little love inside, we never know what we’ll find,” she said, Blavity reports. “And so my prayer is always that–especially for children–we teach them how to always let love inside so that one day we grow up and we sit in here in comfortable dresses and things, and we still are excited to let love inside. And the hope is that we are changing the world a little bit at a time.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Uajm1RkX3/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=de4a00d1-bbfb-4079-a173-0a55b372487d In the dynamic world of reality TV, longevity is a rare feat. Dr. Simone Whitmore, a cornerstone of “Married to Medicine,” reflects on the challenges and triumphs as the show marks its 10th season. In an exclusive interview, she opens up about the show’s impact on her marriage, the recent additions to the cast, and the emotional rollercoaster of Lateasha “Sweet Tea” Lunceford’s wedding. “First of all, being on for ten years, there are so many things I love about our show,” Dr. Simone shares. “I love that America is seeing some real Black doctors on TV now — not make-believe, not through acting, but real Black doctors. We represent such a minority of doctors in this country, and that’s a blessing.” The reality TV veteran appreciates the platform for showcasing marriage’s highs and lows. “I love that we’re able to show marriage in its good but also its negative sense,” she adds. “A lot of times when we’re having problems, you feel isolated, like nobody else is going through this. But being on this platform helped save my marriage. And for that, I’m grateful.” https://youtu.be/aPUVmBfvpJs Fans of actor Christian Keyes are coming for Tyler Perry as they’re convinced he’s the influential entertainment figure who sexually harassed the actor. Keyes revealed in an Instagram Live session Friday night that he has been sexually harassed for years and even sexually assaulted by a “powerful man” whose name he did not reveal. “This person was sexually harassing me for years,” said Keyes, explaining that the “powerful man” bragged about having “multiple young Black men” on the payroll. “And they just had to show up when he requested them to be there,” Keyes said. “Clearly, that’s why it felt to him that it was OK to say these things.” Keyes is speaking out after being empowered by Cassie’s $30 million lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. He even threatened to release recordings of the man sexually assaulting him. After digesting Keyes’ lengthy rant, fans concluded that the mystery pervert is Tyler Perry. https://youtu.be/rQXVSBgtUgA According to Rhymeswithsnitch.com, Keyes’ fans called out Perry in his comments section on Instagram. One person wrote: “We will CANCEL TF OUTTA YOU IF YOU HARASSED THIS YOUNG MAN TYLER. So if it’s not you then you better start talking.” Another person commented, “Do these people have lives and are they getting paid to care? So what if it is TP? What are they gonna do about it? Sue him for second hand emotional distress of a fan? These folks are way too invested in other people’s drama and then have nothing to show for it when the dust settles.” A third noted, “Funny how someone can make an allegation without naming anyone, and get people all worked up like seals.” Meanwhile, The Neighborhood Talk reports that Perry might be clear as Keyes liked an online comment from a user who said, “I don’t believe it was TP.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C1AlZUSvrph/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3001ef8f-d7f4-4446-ac71-96a1d77117ac Let’s get straight to it. Beyoncé vs Taylor Swift is less about them than it is about a larger discussion about erasure and ethnicity. Both women have been successful performers for decades, endorsing each other’s artistry along the way. But many of their supporters and cultural critics continue to compare their careers, along with how their work is received and acknowledged. The latest example was the reception this week of Swift being named Time’s 2023 Person of the Year. New York Times bestselling author and cultural critic Luvvie Ajayi Jones noted Beyoncé’s omission from the list of individuals considered. “Taylor being TIME person of the year while Beyoncé was not even nominated when they had VERY comparable years in terms of quantifiable impact is wild,” Ajayi Jones wrote on Instagram. https://youtu.be/7wKWOa8r26A The legacy of legendary trumpeter Roy Hargrove is celebrated with the release of “The Love Suite: In Mahogany,” a never-before-heard, one-time live performance now available on all digital streaming platforms. Hargrove, who passed away in 2018 at age 49, was considered “not simply one of the most dazzling jazz talents of his generation” but also “a visionary who worked to fully integrate jazz, hip-hop, and R&B,” per Pitchfork, according to a news release. “Unlike his genre-bending forbearer, the brooding Prince of Darkness Miles Davis, Hargrove possessed a lightness of spirit that permeated every note he played,” says Pitchfork. “The late trumpeter’s innovative work with D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Common, and the RH Factor helped shape the modern musical landscape as we know it.” The Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) and the organization’s in-house recording label Blue Engine Records is celebrating the late musician through archives and a new animated video showcasing Hargrove’s 2016 interview with Honolulu, Hawaii radio host Dave Lawrence. JALC and Blue Engine Records marked Hargrove’s birthday in October with a special concert and dinner at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club in New York City. It’s holiday travel season and planes are going to be packed. Patience will be tried. Some level of aggravation is all but inevitable. Throw in a seat-kicker, a tipsy stranger, and someone who’s blissfully barefoot and the odyssey becomes a little more challenging. (Hint: You can help if you don’t put your bare feet on another passenger’s armrest.)Oh yeah, this year is poised to be a record-setter for air travel. https://youtu.be/P0qgIN8JkUI The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more people this holiday season than any day in its more than 20-year history. It’ll all go more smoothly if every passenger brings some common courtesy along for the ride, so CNN Travel spoke with experts about the best approaches to airplane etiquette. The missing ingredient, in many cases, is self-awareness. People tend to get wrapped up in their journey and forget that there’s a whole planeload of other passengers. https://youtu.be/qgUMlbNoGr0 With 2023 soon coming to a close, Native Son – the leading organization championing Black gay and queer men – today unveiled its annual year-end Native Son 101 List highlighting a powerful collective of Black gay and queer men who made an incredible impact throughout the year. Now in its fourth year, the 101 List honors leaders, mavericks, and innovators in the Black gay and queer community who achieved unprecedented cultural heights and become historic firsts, and those who are using their platforms to break through barriers and glass ceilings in their respective roles, professions, and areas of expertise. The 2023 edition will also see Native Son once again partnering with The Cut for a second year. Conceived by Native Son Founder Emil Wilbekin, this year’s list features a range of social justice and social impact activists, media mavericks, politicians, visual and performing artists, entrepreneurs, fashion designers and stylists, actors, directors, authors, musicians, and academics. The 2023 class includes Emmy Award-winning and GRAMMY-nominated entertainer Wayne Brady who came out as pansexual earlier this year and opened up about his journey toward self-discovery; Tony Award-winning actor J. Harrison Ghee who is the first non-binary performer to win a Tony Award along with Alex Newell; and Maryland State Delegate Ashanti Martinez who became the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the General Assembly from Prince George’s County District 22 in the Maryland House of Delegates. Additional honorees include Emmy Award-winning actor Coleman Domingo; legendary stylist Law Roach; renowned journalist and anchor Don Lemon, NAACP Image Award-winning actor Nicco Annan, choreographer Sean Bankhead; former NFL player, author, and advocate R.K. Russell; Sandro, the breakout star of The Great British Bake Off; and Fabian Nelson, the first openly gay state legislator in Mississippi. https://youtu.be/O8N4CG0RQJg Producers Lia Vollack, John Branca, John McClain, and Broadway in Hollywood are thrilled to announce that the smash-hit play, MJ The Musical will play at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for a limited six-week engagement this holiday season from December 20, 2023 – January 28, 2024. Ticket prices start at $39. Additional ticket information at www.BroadwayInHollywood.com. He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to Los Angeles as MJ, the multi–Tony Award®-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own. Created by Tony Award®-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status. Did Jonathan Majors blow up his career over a “snow bunny?” Well, that’s what folks are saying on social media now that Disney has dumped him. Majors was set to play supervillain Kang as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and made his onscreen debut with the studio in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ in Feb. 2023. He was also reportedly set to play Kang in ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ slated to premiere in 2026. Now, however, because he was found guilty of assault and harassment of his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari during a domestic dispute, he’s been fired by Disney/Marvel. https://youtu.be/rCa_66l2PA4 “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” which debuted Dec. 1 on STARZ. “Season three picks up right where season two ends. So you’re going to see her continuing her pursuit of proving that she is right about what she knows, and you see the consequences of her pursuit this season,” Caswell told us exclusively about her character, Detective Burke. “Most of her dynamic is with Detective Howard and the pressure between those two partners. And so we see that come to a head this season, from all those pressures,” she continued. According to the press release, season 3 of “continues to tell the origin story of fan-favorite character Kanan Stark (MeKai Curtis), originally played by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in the flagship series, delving further into his evolution from the devoted son of Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller) into the eventual ferocious, amoral and pragmatic personality fans know from “Power.” Season three picks up where we left off, in Southside Jamaica Queens with the Thomas family in turmoil and reeling from the Mob’s coordinated attack on Raquel, Marvin and Lou-Lou. After her close call, Raquel is looking to make a fresh start, but Kanan doesn’t trust her or believe it when she says she’s done. Can she really be out of the game?” https://youtu.be/ZG6Jw5xgP9s Lizzo’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the discrimination lawsuit her former tour designer made. Touring for sexual and racial harassment and disability discrimination. AsTMZ reports, Daniels says she joined Lizzo’s tour in 2023 to work in wardrobe and was subjected to inappropriate working conditions, including retaliation and assault. According to the legal docs, Daniels, a Black woman, claims she was hired by Amanda Nomura, a member of Lizzo’s team who allegedly made “racist and fatphobic comments — allegedly calling Black women on the tour “dumb” “useless” and “fat,” TMZ writes. Daniels alleges that the overall tour experience left her with ongoing anxiety and PTSD. She also suffers from “migraines, ocular distortions, brain fog and fatigue,” per TMZ. GSN-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has shared a humorous and positive update on his health after undergoing hip replacement surgery.“ You may have heard that Humpty Kareem had a great fall. It’s true,” the basketball Hall of Fame center wrote in his Substack on Monday. “I was at The Manhattan Transfer’s final public concert at Disney Hall, ready to read a letter from Kamala Harris and provide some praise of my own for a group I love and admire. But I fell and was carted off to UCLA Hospital with a broken hip. “I’d like to say I fell while trying to save a child from plunging over a balcony, but I just tripped. Hard for me to accept that a once world-class athlete just stumbled. “But age is the great equalizer and humbles us all. Now, I’m a world-class patient in a bed convalescing from a hip replacement like 450,000 other Americans every year.” https://youtu.be/yHYD7hAQ5_k GSN-“It is shameful that Navy Federal, an organization that prides itself in helping the families of men and women who served their country, does not give their Black and Latino customers the same opportunities as White customers,” Crump added. CNN’s study also revealed that Navy Federal approved a higher percentage of applications from white borrowers making less than $62,000 a year than it did from Black borrowers making $140,000 or more. “We hope this legal action will stop racial lending discrimination in its tracks and require Navy Federal to right their wrongs,” said attorney Adam Levitt. “Home ownership is recognized as the cornerstone of the American Dream. We will not sit by while that dream is denied to hard-working and deserving Americans based on discriminatory practices and algorithms.” Navy Federal denied CNN’s findings in a statement on Dec. 15. https://youtu.be/G2Xdp4Q2Bqs GSN-Community star Yvette Nicole Brown recently announced her engagement to fellow actor Anthony Davis. Brown was guest-hosting “The View” on Tuesday when she shared the exciting news, People reports. “I have some news, and I heard that The View is the place to announce things like this. I’m engaged,” Brown said while Davis watched from the audience.“You are one lucky man,” co-host Sunny Hostin told Davis. Brown, 52, explained that she first met Davis in her 20s, and he was married then. They reconnected in 2021 after her mother passed away. GSN-Comedian Jess Hilarious appeared on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast and spoke about her relationship with ex-boyfriend Kountry Wayne. Jess claims she didn’t know the father of 10 was married during their courtship. The former couple dated in 2019, and Jess previously revealed that she learned he was married via social media. “That relationship was very short-lived but I will say, had I gotten to know Wayne, me and Wayne would still be great, great friends today,” she explained to Newton in the Instagram clip “That was the first relationship I was in where the guy put me on something like that,” she continued. “One of the things I always told him while we were together, ‘You are very corny, but you are rich for a reason.’” https://youtu.be/iz6e6-zzjfo GSN-Iconic singer, songwriter, and producer Jody Watley has reached another career milestone in 2023 with the resounding success of “The Jody Watley Show” on SiriusXM The Groove. Launched during Women’s History Month, the monthly two-hour broadcast has become a testament to Watley’s ongoing achievement and her knack for reinvention. The Jody Watley Show stands out as a unique platform in the realm of radio, offering a fresh perspective on music, culture, and life. With its commitment to celebrating diversity and excellence, the show remains a testament to Jody Watley’s enduring influence in the world of entertainment. As the host, Jody Watley infuses the show with her vision of positivity and inspiration, providing a welcome contrast to the prevailing themes of drama, controversy, and gossip. Reflecting on the success of her show, Watley remarks, “When offered the opportunity to do my own show, I knew that I wanted it to be reflective of who I am as a person. My special guests this year perfectly complemented what the show is about.” https://youtu.be/Kk2lEGagIlQ GSN-The LAPD is investigating Michael B. Jordan’s car crash after a video surfaced allegedly showing the actor’s Ferrari slamming into a parked vehicle. According to TMZ, officials suspect Jordan was racing his blue Ferrari at the time of the crash, which sparked the investigation. According to law enforcement, Jordan wasn’t under the influence during the “traffic collision” on Dec. 2 at Sunset Boulevard and Beachwood Drive in Hollywood. No one was injured, and an LAPD spokesperson said there was no evidence of reckless driving, Entertainment Tonight reports. The viral video shows Jordan seemingly racing a red Ferrari. The other car’s driver spoke to ET about the events that led up to the accident. Tenshi Angel says he was “vibing out” listening to music when the blue Ferrari pulled up next to him. At the time, he couldn’t see the driver and didn’t know it was Jordan. GSN-”The Burial” tells the true story of a funeral home owner, Jerry O’keefe (Tommy Lee Jones), who sues a larger funeral home corporation for not upholding their contract. One of Jerry’s lawyers seeks the help of Willie Gary, (Jamie Foxx), to take over the case. Because the case will be tried in rural Mississippi with more than likely a Black judge and mostly Black jury, Jerry’s lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) feels hiring Willie will be beneficial to their case. https://youtu.be/ZOhIdaufd3Q GSN-Wu-Tang Clan has announced 2024 dates for the group’s first-ever Las Vegas residency. In an Instagram on Dec. 12, the group revealed that their Vegas stint will officially kick off at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend in February. “Are you ready? Wu-Tang Clan: The Saga Continues… The Las Vegas Residency,” Wu-Tang captioned the post. “The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will be the home of the Wu-Tang experience starting Super Bowl weekend.” Wu-Tang will perform at Virgin Hotel’s theater on Feb. 9-10 and the following month for March Madness, on March 22 and 24. Takeoff is no longer here, but the late rapper’s mother could be held liable in a sexual assault lawsuit involving her son by an unidentified woman known only as Jane Doe. AllHipHop.com reports that attorneys representing the woman filed court papers demanding that Takeoff’s mother, Titiana Davenport, replace the late Migos rapper as the defendant in the suit. News of the filing comes more than two years after the woman initially filed her complaint in August 2020. The lawsuit stems from an incident that took place during a party on June 23, 2020. The suit details how Takeoff allegedly made several advances toward the woman on the night of the incident, according to AllHipHop. Despite making it clear she was not interested, the lawsuit alleges that Takeoff followed the woman into a bedroom and forced himself on her. Responding to the woman’s lawsuit, Takeoff vehemently denied the allegations. In addition, insufficient evidence resulted in no charges being pressed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office. Two years after the woman accused Takeoff of sexual assault, the entertainer was shot to death at 810 Billiards & Bowling Houston before the lawsuit could be resolved. Takeoff passed away on November 1, 2022. Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay, “Origin” chronicles the tragedy and triumph of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson as she investigates a global phenomenon of epic proportions. Portrayed by Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“King Richard”), Isabel experiences unfathomable personal loss and love as she crosses continents and cultures to craft one of the defining American books of our time. Inspired by the New York Times best-seller “Caste,” “Origin” explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance and a fight for the future of us all. https://youtu.be/pAweg5PaMuw Actor Christian Keyes is going through something deep. We mean really deep and dark. It’s got him so emotionally tied up that he had to stop and share what’s on his mind via an Instagram Live session Friday night. Without naming names, Keyes said a very powerful entertainment figure sexually harassed him and he has proof. During his lengthy IG Live session, which has gone beyond viral, Keyes says he has been sexually harassed for years and even sexually assaulted by this “powerful man.”“This person was sexually harassing me for years,” said Keyes, explaining that the “powerful man” in question claimed and bragged about having “multiple young Black men” on the payroll. “And they just had to show up when he requested them to be there,” Keyes said. “Clearly that’s why it felt to him that it was OK to say these things.” The actor who starred in Tyler Perry’s “All the Queen’s Men” said, “I’ve done my best to forgive this person, but it happens. It happens. It’s not just women that have to deal with it. It’s also men sometimes.” https://youtu.be/rQXVSBgtUgA Needless to say, the reaction to Christian Keyes’ incredible revelation is off the charts on social media. https://twitter.com/i/status/1736136902049198510 Following renaming the former Vauxhall Service Area on the Garden State Parkway in honor of Whitney Houston, the New Jersey Hall of Fame joined The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and public officials on Thursday, December 14, 2023, to unveil the service area’s exhibits and other initiatives in her honor. At the newly redesigned service area, guests are now greeted by a captivating and towering image of Whitney Houston, accompanied by a biography and a display of the platinum record she earned for her timeless song, “I Will Always Love You.” The exhibit invites visitors to delve deeper into Whitney’s iconic career, showcasing not only her achievements but also quotes and compelling images on an interactive “Selfie Monitor,” where visitors can pose for a photo alongside Whitney Houston or explore profiles of numerous other celebrated New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/godxg3hatpy6wmuu6xhmo/NJHOF_WHSA_1.0-2.MOV?rlkey=8qk1wp051tknuoyouktd5ujip&dl=0 After 30 years as a powerhouse behind-the-scenes creative force for some of pop, R&B, at last, and contemporary jazz’s most iconic performers, multi-talented keyboardist, composer, and producer Kevin Flournoy is quickly building momentum as an emerging artist in his own right. When he decided, at last, to turn the spotlight on himself, one of his driving missions was to reach out to the influential greats he has worked with throughout his career and incorporate their trademark vibes into the fresh tracks he is creating. His latest release, the melodically and rhythmically infectious, perfectly titled “Smooth It Over,” marks a special reunion with one of these legendary collaborators, saxophonist Ronnie Laws. https://youtu.be/nACcyCJ8xfw You would be forgiven for referring to the 2023 NBA rookie cohort as the “Victor Wembanyama draft class.” Amen and Ausar Thompson have their own story to tell. After all, the 7-foot-4-inch teenager is the most hyped prospect since LeBron James. He is a walking cheat code who is unlike anything basketball has ever seen before, with 2014 MVP Kevin Durant among those already singing the Frenchman’s praises this season. But like we said, “Wembymania” is not the only unprecedented narrative from this draft. Amen and Ausar Thompson became the first siblings to be drafted in the top five of the same draft. They were even drafted back-to-back. https://youtu.be/oM5M3BbSH0I Amen was selected fourth overall by the Houston Rockets, while Ausar came off the board at No. 5 to the Detroit Pistons. “We really haven’t seen a pair of brothers like this in a long time, maybe ever in the NBA,” Kelly Iko, an NBA and Houston Rockets writer for The Athletic, told CNN Sport. https://youtu.be/6xqeZ7oIwgs It was only a matter of time before the #MeToo movement fully expanded into hip-hop, with some of the culture’s finest under fire. LL Cool J, MC Lyte and Bell Biv Devoe (BBD) are the targets of #MeToo supporters. Among the advocates is one who is taking the entertainers to task for spreading what she calls “grooming culture” in music. The questionable activity relates to claims that BBD, Lyte and Cool J spread a grooming and abuse culture in hip-hop that encouraged predators via their music, reports MediaTakeOut. The #MeToo supporter highlighted specific tunes from the trio in her claim, particularly Cool J’s “Big Ole Butt, Lyte’s “2 Young 4 What” and BBD’s “Do Me.” Released on July 7, 1980, “Big Ole Butt” is the third single from Cool J’s third album, “Walking With a Panther.” The rapper was 21 at the time when the song came out. In her post, the #MeToo advocate cited the second verse of “Big Ole Butt,” which found Cool J coming to a high school and meeting a teenage girl. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png The #MeToo supporter’s claims arrived after Bad Boy Records founder Sean “Diddy” Combs was hit with four separate sexual assault lawsuits last month. As a result, the rap mogul has faced a severe backlash, resulting in him stepping aside as chairman at Revolt and multiple companies ending their business relationship with him as well as scrapped plans for “Diddy+7,” a Hulu reality show with Combs and his family. For “2 Young 4 What” Media Takeout noted the advocate’s intent to prove how the toxic culture was spread by female artists as well as their male counterparts. The song, featured on Lyte’s 1991 album “Act Like You Know,” finds the then 21-year-old rapstress voicing her preference for “young boys” who are “about seventeen.” https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png The advocate highlights BBD member Ronnie Devoe’s part of “Do Me,” which alludes to an encounter with an “underage” girl. Like Cool J and Lyte, she highlights the age of the group members when the song was released (Devoe, 23, Ricky Bell, 23, and Michael Bivens, 22) https://www.instagram.com/p/C0tJNakuuES/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “There are 800 different languages here,” said Tarzzy Metta, vocalist/saxophonist/flutist, and percussionist of the band Ancient Dusk about Papua New Guinea where he is based. The Ancient Dusk band recently signed to BIG Records released the single “Laeso (Peace & Quiet),” and is planning for a 2024 worldwide album release. “New Guinea is a very diverse place. The different cultures influenced early missionaries and explorers – Australian natives.” https://youtu.be/Q1nt3QLAIMI At the unveiling of Oprah Winfrey’s new portrait at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday, she recalled a story about her grandmother once instructing her to boil clothes outside to get them clean. The family was so poor they had no running water, and her grandmother said Winfrey would one day have to do the same. But Winfrey noted that she knew at an early age her grandmother’s destiny would not be her own. “I could feel inside my being when I was very young, I think as early as four when I first started speaking in the church,” Winfrey said. “That’s where my broadcasting career began with ‘Jesus rose on Easter day [hallelujah, hallelujah] all the angels did proclaim.’ Y’all remember when we used to get Easter pieces?” https://youtu.be/CNU5-yL5EFk Over 200 reparations activists from 26 states, working on local and national reparations initiatives, gathered in Evanston, Illinois, for the 3rd Annual National Symposium for State and Local Reparations (held November 30 to December 2, 2023). The event was convened by First Repair, founded by Robin Rue Simmons. Simmons is the former 5th Ward Alderman for the City of Evanston, IL, where she led, in collaboration with others, the passage of the nation’s first municipally-funded reparations legislation for Black residents. Reparations activists from Chicago, IL; Evanston, IL; Detroit, MI; Atlanta, GA; Decatur, GA; Seattle, WA; Asheville, NC; San Francisco, CA; New York, NY; Denver, CO; Boston, MA; Tulsa, OK; Washington, DC; Greenbelt, Baltimore, and Waldorf MD, and other municipalities were in attendance at the convening. https://youtu.be/h5tm5f2YJ80 The mother of the Virginia 6-year-old who shot his first-grade teacher in January was sentenced Friday to two years in prison, according to the court in Newport News. Deja Taylor had pleaded guilty to a state charge of felony child neglect in August. Taylor’s attorney, James Ellenson, told CNN the Commonwealth had recommended a six-month sentence. He says they do not plan to appeal the state sentence. “I think it is excessive and harsh,” Ellenson said about the sentence from Circuit Court Judge Christopher Papile. In addition to the two-year sentence, Taylor is serving 21 months for two federal felony charges, the unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm, and making a false statement while purchasing the firearm. https://youtu.be/OA3SbXBDYhM During his IG Live streamed presentation event on Friday (12/15/23) from Las Vegas for his studio project with Ty Dolla $ign called “Vultures,” he went left with a rant in which mentioned Drake, Jay-Z, Adidas and others for not supporting him this past year. He also noted that “Jewish n***as” will brush off his rant as another “episode.” Y’all ain’t stop that Adidas s**t,” West said, beginning his rant. “Y’all n***as let Adidas crash the richest n***a of all time. I put up one tweet and then Ari Emanuel put, ‘Oh we gotta drop this n***a,’ and all n***as just watched. The only n***a that had the Trump hat. The only n***a that went and got them billions. The only n***a that break through all kinds of ideas in fashion. I’ve been called a f**got so many times for tight jeans. I got n***as from Chicago that I take care of that still try to sell me.” And, there was this: “Who you think the old man call? When we put Drake on stage, who you think the old man call? You know what I’m saying. N***a, just ’cause I had a car, n***a. F**k everybody, n***a. That’s what I’m trying to say to you n***as right f**king now, n***a. Drake, this is what you been waiting for. Jay-Z, this is what you been waiting for. Adidas, this is what you been waiting for. Kim, this is what you been waiting for.” https://youtu.be/8snxdLrUurc It appears all is not well with Cardi B. That’s probably not a surprise when you consider that she recently confirmed that she and her estranged husband, Offset, the Migos rapper, had split up … again. Thursday night Offset celebrated his 32nd birthday at CoCo Miami Lounge in Miami. His special guest was, yep – you guessed it – London Perry. During Cardi’s IG Live session, she didn’t show her face, but she didn’t have a problem speaking her mind and sharing her pain. A m***a f**ka will play in your f**king face, over and over again, until you be like watch what I’m about to do, watch what I’m about to say. This m***a f**ka really like to play games with me when I’m at my most vulnerable time. When I’m not the most confident,” she admitted. https://www.instagram.com/p/C04fi5bK3ue/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Offset celebrated his 32nd birthday with London Perry, Check her out via her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CoDRt1cvNqo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In terms of influence, the Holy Bible knows few competitors. Unless you ask Dr. Boyce Watkins. According to him, the Good Book is not the tome to read for black children. So much so that he cites Dr. Claud Anderson’s “PowerNomics: The National Plan to Empower Black America,” as a “more important” book to spend time with. https://youtu.be/jB-eWs7a6mA Teresa Haley, the top official of the Illinois NAACP has been suspended, according to the organization, after a leaked video call with NAACP leaders around the state appears to show her comparing recent migrant arrivals to “savages” and saying “they’ve been raping people.” It’s worth noting that the suspension comes after Haley apologized for the comments. In a recording of the Oct. 26 call released by Patrick Watson, the former DuPage County, Illinois, branch president for the NAACP, Haley complains that incoming migrants are being treated more favorably than Black residents in need. She made the comments after another caller began discussing the topic of migrants. “Black people have been on the streets forever and ever, and nobody cares, because they say that we’re drug addicts, we’ve got mental health issues,” Haley said in the video. “But these immigrants who come over here, they’ve been raping people, they’ve been breaking into homes, they’re like savages as well. They don’t speak the language and they look at us like we’re crazy.” She added, “It’s the N-A-A-C-P. What do those letters mean to you? What does it really stand for? Yes, we can stand up for other people, but what are we doing for our own?” https://youtu.be/z8_yWcdRvMg NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was hospitalized Friday night after falling and breaking his hip, according to his longtime business partner. Abdul-Jabbar, 76, was scheduled to have surgery Saturday, Deborah Morales told CNN. The former Los Angeles Lakers star was attending a concert Friday night when he fell, according to Morales. “We are all deeply appreciative of all the support for Kareem, especially from the Los Angeles Fire Department who assisted Kareem on site and the amazing medical team and doctors at UCLA Hospital who are taking great care of Kareem now,” Morales said. The statement did not say what concert Abdul-Jabbar was attending when he was hurt. Abdul-Jabbar, 76, began his NBA career in 1969 with the Milwaukee Bucks, but is best remembered as a critical player with the Los Angeles Lakers during their dominant “Showtime” era in the 1980s. He led Los Angeles to five NBA championships. https://youtu.be/8S3TdgbZR3c Even as he’s now recording under his freshly minted moniker and multi-genre fusion concept Classic Twist, there’s no mistaking the stunning, emotionally impactful vocals of famed R&B/jazz singer/songwriter Gene-O on his dynamic new holiday single “Just Like Christmas Before.” The highly anticipated follow-up to Classic Twist’s uplifting call-to-action anthem “Time for Change” – which, true to the singer’s bold vision, incorporated elements of pop, R&B, country, and rock – the song is a classic-styled soul ballad about an exciting, heart-pounding reunion with loved ones after a long time apart, a true celebration of love during troubled times, and a spirit-filled commitment to recapturing the joyful fun of past seasons when Christmas was at its most magical. https://youtu.be/dYoB9PWy6y4 “Wonka” has all the ingredients that are needed for exciting entertainment. Most important is that audiences leave theaters feeling uplifted. Memorable music and catchy lyrics set the stage for impromptu bursts of singing. Not to mention, the story is universal and everyone can relate to it. The bonding chemistry between Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) and Noodle (Calah Lane) is palpable. And last, but not least, the wit and humor puts a smile on your face. https://youtu.be/otNh9bTjXWg Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is really going far out of his way to prove he is a true-to-form member of today’s GOP. Like other Republican candidates, he vehemently defends Donald Trump despite the fact that he’s running against him for the presidency. He says things as if they’re widely accepted as true when, in reality, they’re thoroughly debunked as false. And, despite being a brown person himself, he apparently believes white people are intentionally being replaced by non-white people as part of an agenda by Democrats to boost their voting demographics. During Wednesday’s Republican primary debate, Ramaswamy appeared to solidify himself as the chief spreader of absurd conspiracy theories, racist dog-whistling and alarmist nonsense, which is actually pretty impressive given all the competition he had on that stage for that role. Ramaswamy kicked things off by defending Trump and attacking the other candidates for criticizing the ex-president because, apparently, Ramaswamy was hit with a sudden head rush of MAGA dopamine that caused him to completely forget how primary debates work. Then he went on to imply that the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was the work of some nameless, faceless government insider. “Why am I the only person, on this stage at least, who can say that Jan. 6 now does look like it was an inside job?” Ramaswamy said. Before they took temporary jobs as election workers in Georgia, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss were unknown citizens who worked, paid taxes, parented, enjoyed leisure time and generally lived as everyday people in everyday life. Donald Trump, on the other hand, was the sitting president of the United States and the most powerful clown in the GOP circus when he used his massive platform to target Freeman and Moss with election tampering claims that had no basis in reality whatsoever. As early as this year, Trump was still online harassing the mother and daughter even after they gave tearful testimony before the Jan. 6 Committee about the harassment they received due to Trump falsely and repeatedly claiming they were involved in election fraud that exists only in the minds of Trump and idiot followers. Donald Trump and his legal team continued the American tradition of sticking white mobs on Black families, and now, prosecutors are trying to hold him accountable for it. According to Newsweek, prosecutors in Trump’s fraud trial, which is set to begin in March 2024, submitted a filing Tuesday accusing the ex-president of subjecting Freeman and Moss to “vile and racist” threats from his supporters by calling the two Black women “monsters” who stole the election from him by using suitcases of ballots to add votes for President Joe Biden, which they did not do. The filing also accuses the commander-in-lying-and-losing of doubling down on his nonsense after Freeman and Moss’ Jan. 6 committee testimony. Multidisciplinary artist Laura Nsengiyumva is facing backlash for her character, Queen Nikkolah, an African female version of Sinterklaas. Hoping to free Belgium from “colonial ideology,” Nsengiyumva was scheduled to dress up as Queen Nikkolah and hand out gifts to children at a town hall event in Ghent, a port city northwest of Belgium, according to The Telegraph. She reportedly planned to wear the colors of the Palestinian flag during the Flemish gathering. Mathias de Clercq, the mayor of Ghent, canceled the event after several politicians expressed concern. “There is nothing wrong with Sinterklaas as we know him,” Mathias de Clercq said, according to The Guardian. “We shouldn’t try to turn him into something else.” Over 200 children were expected to attend the town hall Christmas event in Ghent. The jolly character typically appears alongside his companion, Zwarte Piet — also known as Black Pete — a controversial character who dons a black face, curly black hair and large red lips. Some anti-racism organizations have been calling for the end of Zwarte Piet because they believe the character perpetuates racism. However, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, a member of the Flemish separatist party N-VA, refuted the claims in a blog post published Nov. 27. “People see Queen Nikkolah as a threat but if I didn’t like this tradition, I wouldn’t have picked it up,” the Belgian-born artist of Rwandan descent explained. “It’s also a desire to be part of it.” Created in 2017, Nsengiyumva said that she designed the African character as a response to community members who were hurt by the legacy of Sinterklaas. She wanted to do something to change the narrative. “Not only people of color, but I think also white allies who needed an alternative to deconstruct the colonial myth around Sinterklaas,” the activist said. “At the root of it is that it is an Afro-descendent character who is at the service of Sinterklaas. I think it’s part of many childhood traumas for black Belgians, for Afro-Belgians, because you’re called out as Zwarte Piet, you’re compared to him,” the architect added. “It’s really about joy and positivity.” “American Fiction” may be the newest black film coming to theaters, but its director will be the first to tell you that his feature puts the spotlight on a longstanding issue. Speaking with the BBC, writer-director Cord Jefferson, described “American Fiction” as satire, with a serious message. The film, based on the book “Erasure” by Percival Everett, stars Jeffrey Wright as Monk, an author who becomes disillusioned with the way the publishers he wants to work with only seem interested in stereotypical black storytelling. https://youtu.be/E0VdfTkvLq8 Frustrated, Monk writes a book with black clichés, hoping it will be a complete failure. Despite the effort to deliver such a work, Monk’s book became an instant hit in the literary market. https://youtu.be/i0MbLCpYJPA A Washington, DC, jury has ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay nearly $150 million to two Georgia election workers for the harm caused by defamatory statements he made about them following the 2020 election. Ruby Freeman was awarded $16,171,000 for defamation and $20 million for emotional distress. Shaye Moss was awarded $16,998,000 for defamation and $20 million for emotional distress. The jury also awarded $75 million in punitive damages to both plaintiffs. Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and onetime attorney to Donald Trump, watched intently as the verdict was read, using a stylus on a touch screen device, apparently taking down notes on the figures he’d been ordered to pay. After the proceedings ended, Freeman and Moss hugged each other tightly, and then every member of their legal team. A feeling of jubilation among the plaintiffs in the courtroom after Giuliani left, Freeman looked especially relieved after the jury forewoman read the numbers, spinning around slightly in her chair and closing her eyes briefly. https://youtu.be/nssIdNsL2DE Giuliani was found liable this summer for defamation against Freeman and Moss after failing to respond to parts of their lawsuit. The mother and daughter claimed in their case that they have suffered emotional and reputational harm as well as having their safety put in danger after Giuliani singled them out when he made false claims of ballot tampering in Georgia. During the trial, an attorney for Freeman and Moss showed videos and played audio clips in which Giuliani repeated false claims that the two election workers stuffed ballots and were caught on video allegedly passing a USB drive as part of a vote-stealing scheme. None of those claims were true, and the supposed USB drive was a ginger mint. In emotional testimony delivered over two days, Freeman and Moss described the flood of harassing and threatening messages they received after Giuliani and others, including former President Donald Trump, began attacking them. They told the jury how their personal and professional lives were upended by the lies, including through the loss of job opportunities, their communities, and, they said, their personal identities. https://youtu.be/ok-TD9GkdCc The widow of late singer Teddy Pendergrass claims Tyrese Gibson is a “poor businessman” amid their legal battle over a biopic about the musician. We reported earlier that Gibson is suing Joan Pendergrass, whom he accuses of refusing to extend the option for the rights to the late singer’s life story. In 2019, it was reported that Gibson would portray the R&B crooner in a biopic by Lee Daniels, Deadline reported. Warner Bros. acquired the life rights of the late artist, who rose to fame in the early 1970s as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes before achieving success as a solo artist. A near-fatal car crash in 1982 left Pendergrass paralyzed from the chest down, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to perform for two decades until announcing his retirement in 2007. He also established the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to help those with spinal cord injuries before he died in 2010. Joan was set to executive produce the biopic with Little Marivn attached initially to pen the screenplay. Gibson’s Voltron production company was slated to oversee the production. As RadarOnline reports, he is now at war with Joan, who claims the “Fast and Furious” star is “incapable of getting a movie made.” The family of Kenneka Jenkins, a 19-year-old woman who died in an Illinois hotel’s walk-in freezer more than six years ago, has settled a lawsuit against the hotel for $10 million. The young woman’s body was found in the freezer in September 2017 after she attended a party at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel. After reviewing hours of surveillance video and interviewing party attendees, authorities said at the time her death was accidental and there was no reason to suspect foul play. A copy of the settlement order filed Tuesday in the Circuit Court of Cook County states Jenkins’ mother, Tereasa Martin, will receive approximately $3.7 million, while other parts of the settlement will go toward the payment of attorney fees, funeral costs and other expenses. Two other family members will also receive a combined $2.7 million of the settlement fund. A medical examiner in 2017 ruled Jenkins’ death was accidental, caused by hypothermia and “cold exposure in a walk-in freezer” as well as “ethanol and topiramate intoxication.” https://youtu.be/q8fD-osMcDc Topiramate is prescribed for a range of conditions, but is most commonly used to treat epilepsy and migraines. Jenkins’ family said she had not been prescribed the drug, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. She also had blood alcohol levels higher than the legal driving limit. Authorities released surveillance video in 2017 that showed Jenkins staggering through the hotel’s hallways before she disappeared. She is seen exiting an elevator after 3 a.m., alone and visibly impaired. Minutes later, she is seen entering a kitchen, CNN has previously reported. The footage does not show her entering the cooler and freezer, where she was found nearly 24 hours later, because no cameras show the doors directly. In addition to the hotel’s owners, Jenkins’ estate named the hotel’s security contractor and the restaurant that managed the space where Jenkins was found dead, alleging they did not do enough to find the young woman after she disappeared. https://youtu.be/e4U3BXSMb3A Oprah Winfrey will celebrate her 70th birthday next month, and the billionaire media mogul says she has no plans to slow down anytime soon. “I will never be done until my last breath is done,” she tells People. Winfrey is gearing up for the Christmas Day release of “The Color Purple,” a musical adaptation of Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film and Broadway show. She serves as a producer on the film along with Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones. Directed by Blitz Bazawule, the Golden Globe-nominated movie musical is based on Alice Walker’s acclaimed novel and stars Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery and Fantasia as Celie. The ensemble cast includes Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, singer H.E.R. as Squeak, and Ciara will play Nettie, Celie’s younger sister. https://youtu.be/zTnircQsMaM Nicki Minaj turned to social media this week to call out hip-hop journalist Elliott Wilson, the founder of Rap Radar. The hip-hop star accused Wilson of trying to “tarnish” her image after he commented about her appearance on Kai Cenat’s popular Twitch channel. During the conversation, the pair chatted about her new album “Pink Friday 2” and had a wild dance party. Wilson posted a screenshot of Nicki twerking and captioned it “Hip Hop Journalism.” Fans accused Wilson was being shady so Nicki responded and advised Wilson to “spit JayZ dikk out for one second.” She wrote, “Elliot if you’d spit JayZ dikk out for one second, you’d be able to be happy for the new comers. Isn’t that how y’all tried to tarnish my image? By saying I’m not welcoming new btchs in? Did songs with all of them tho. Why you not happy for a young black man like Kai. Tmrw btch.” https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/1735464526353433029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1735464526353433029%7Ctwgr%5E504a7477f72fe059dda3e6438d0f1d0068b2bb3e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fnicki-minaj-slams-dj-envy-elliott-wilson-and-kanye%2F Speaking of Kai, Minaj said of the popular influencer, “So let me just take this time to tell all 350,000 of you guys, first of all, I appreciate you for not only supporting me but for supporting this person right here.” Wilson, meanwhile, clapped back and made it clear he was not criticizing Minaj, writing on X, “Never dissed Nicki. Always said she’s the female rap 🐐. Over Lauryn, Missy, Kim and Foxy and all. I think Cardi B is dope too. …. Nicki is goat and best again. New album is dope.” In a separate post, Nicki Minaj took aim at DJ Envy and his real estate fraud controversy. As Complex reports, Envy previously admitted that he blackballed her music from Power 105.1. Minaj wrote on X/Twitter, “there are 4 companies that are still trying their hardest to bring [her] down.” She added, “Remember how cocky dj envy was when he was saying he black balls my music on the radio? Ask yourself how a DJ could get away w/that behavior,” she wrote. “Then I remember him selling them busted houses & I have to laugh… We prayed, envy 1 by 1… God will show y’all that you are NOT GOD.” https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/1735456434362409186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1735456434362409186%7Ctwgr%5E504a7477f72fe059dda3e6438d0f1d0068b2bb3e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fnicki-minaj-slams-dj-envy-elliott-wilson-and-kanye%2F Democrat Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Republican Sen. Peter Welch have introduced a bill to allow convicted felons to vote in federal elections. According to the Associated Press, the Inclusive Democracy Act would guarantee “the right to vote in federal elections for all citizens regardless of their criminal record.” “With Republicans and the Supreme Court stopping at nothing to undermine voting rights and exclude Black and brown folks from participating in our democracy, we must protect and expand access to the ballot box — including for incarcerated citizens,” Pressley said in a statement, BET.com reports. “As someone whose family has been personally impacted by mass incarceration, I know how important it is for people to maintain ties to their community, including by voting,” Pressley continued. The lawmaker noted that current policies and court rulings “continue to disenfranchise voters from all walks of life — including by gutting the Voting Rights Act, gerrymandering, cuts to early voting, and more.” https://twitter.com/AyannaPressley/status/1735390321821798858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1735390321821798858%7Ctwgr%5Eceac8647c77f6b86a5fa2c06e93667f0960dc949%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fnew-bill-targets-felony-voter-disenfranchisement%2F Darius Jackson, Keke Palmer’s ex-boyfriend, claims he got baptized to save himself amid their custody battle. Palmer was granted a temporary restraining order against her baby daddy in November after accusing him of physical abuse. The “Nope” star also received custody of their nine-month-old son Leodis. The actress submitted evidence allegedly showing Jackson abusing her as part of a restraining order against him. Palmer claims her ex was abusive throughout their two-year relationship, according to US Weekly. She filed for a domestic violence restraining order in Los Angeles and included security footage screenshots allegedly showing Jackson hitting her over a sofa. Jackson turned to social media this week to announce he’s working on healing himself amid the drama with Palmer. “There’s A LOT I can say but not allowed to say. And at this point, don’t even want to say. I will say, however, that God is & will always be your greatest ally.” Palmer was granted a temporary restraining order against her baby daddy in November after accusing him of physical abuse. The “Nope” star also received custody of their nine-month-old son Leodis. The actress submitted evidence allegedly showing Jackson abusing her as part of a restraining order against him. Palmer claims her ex was abusive throughout their two-year relationship, according to US Weekly. She filed for a domestic violence restraining order in Los Angeles and included security footage screenshots allegedly showing Jackson hitting her over a sofa. Jackson turned to social media this week to announce he’s working on healing himself amid the drama with Palmer. “There’s A LOT I can say but not allowed to say. And at this point, don’t even want to say. I will say, however, that God is & will always be your greatest ally.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C01yLJ0xndm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rick Ross has offered 50 Cent $1,500,000 to buy the catalogs of G-Unit artists Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo. He also offered $500,000 for the group’s 2003 “Beg For Mercy” album. 50 Cent is producing a documentary on Diddy and the slew of rape allegations the Bad Boy mogul is facing. Fiddy said the profits will go to charity to support victims of abuse. In a teaser posted on Instagram, 50-Cent re-escalated his feud with Rick Ross by using the rapper’s song “U.O.E.N.O.,” which features lyrics about drugging and raping women. “I don’t condone rape,” Rick Ross wrote in a tweet in April 2013 amid backlash to the track. “Apologies for the lyric interpreted as rape.” “Before I am an artist, I am a father, a son, and a brother to some of the most cherished women in the world,” Ross later said in a statement at the time, according to Complex. “So for me to suggest in any way that harm and violation be brought to a woman is one of my biggest mistakes and regrets.” Recently, Rozay issued a message to 50 Cent in an Instagram reel, stating he heard Young Buck’s catalog was worth $725,000, Complex reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0iHjPFrb4q/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7af12d3f-621a-4a2c-a163-2808d7bb0793&img_index=1 Named to TIME’s 100 Next list, Sarah Jakes Roberts’ sixth annual Woman Evolve will return to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, September 26 – 28, 2024. As a follow-up to 2023’s sold-out conference, more than 15,000 women have already registered to attend Woman Evolve 2024—a conference that aims to empower women to progress toward the lives they desire to live. Woman Evolve 2023 was the fastest-selling women’s conference in Globe Life Field history as more than 40,000 women attended. Jakes Roberts’ conference had an overall economic impact of $30 million in the City of Arlington alone. The attendance and economic impact were on par with previous national touring events including concerts by Lady Gaga, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Elton John, Morgan Wallen and The Stadium Tour (Joan Jett, Poison, Motley Crue, and Def Leppard). https://youtu.be/gSXORzogoTM Emmy-winning actor Andre Braugher, who died earlier this week at age 61, had been diagnosed with lung cancer a few months before his death, his publicist Jennifer Allen told CNN on Thursday. The news was first reported by the New York Times. Allen stated at the time Braugher’s death was announced on Monday that he had suffered a “brief illness” and specified on Thursday it was lung cancer. Known for his Emmy-winning role on “Homicide: Life on the Street” and his comedic chops in NBC’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” Braugher was a beloved actor known to many. https://youtu.be/VvCv3vs_HJ8 The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on “Dune: Part Two,” the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.” https://youtu.be/U2Qp5pL3ovA Classically trained flutist and soul-jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside is the winner of CBS Audition Spotlight, presented by That’s Voiceover Career Expo and the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, which took place last week in Los Angeles. Whiteside was the winner of more than 1,800 submissions for the CBS Audition Spotlight. After her submission, she initially made it as a Top 40 finalist. Once she arrived at That’s Voiceover Career Expo, she was named one of the final six and won the grand prize, which also included a paid voiceover booking for CBS’ Los Angeles’ affiliate station, KCAL, talent representation by VOX Talent Agency, a Neumann TLM microphone and shock mount and a bunch of other swag gifts from Neumann, all to support her efforts on her journey as a voice actor. Classically trained flutist and soul-jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside is the winner of CBS Audition Spotlight, presented by That’s Voiceover Career Expo and the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, which took place last week in Los Angeles. https://youtu.be/nTQsJ7qrNpE “Abbott Elementary” star Janelle James is being slammed online after a clip resurfaced from her 2021 standup routine showing her making jokes about playing with her young son’s genitalia. According to Decider, the cringy clip is from the Netflix special “The Standups,” in which the actress tells the crowd … “My youngest son got a d*** now. I didn’t know he had a d***! … They say you blink and you miss it — and it’s true.” James continues, “I was sitting on the edge of my bed and he ran by from the bathroom — I guess he forgot his towel — And I was like, ‘What the f–k was that?’” “You change the diaper, you play rhythm guitar on the pee-pee,” she added, referring to the boy’s penis. “That’s the best part about having a baby boy!” Fans online, however, were not amused. https://twitter.com/i/status/1734758757664690191 Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill is caught up in two paternity lawsuits. Both suits were filed separately in Broward County, Florida, Fox News reports, citing Daily Mail. Brittany Lackner, 30, filed her petition on Jan. 17, and Kimberly Kaylee Baker, 29, filed her petition on May 15. Both want Hill, who is married, to increase child support to more than the $2,500 per month he is currently paying each woman. According to Lackner, Hill demanded a second DNA test before he paid child support for their baby son Soul. Baker claims Hill has “abject unconcern” for their six-month-old daughter, Trae Love Hill. https://www.instagram.com/p/C04Sl9duKlP/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=26e0920f-142c-48d8-a362-d433a3e1c585&img_index=1 A white book author has lost book deals after creating fake profiles online to give negative reviews to authors of color. Cait Corrain claims she was battling mental illness during her recent Goodreads review bombing scandal, which saw her leaving negative reviews for BIPOC authors on Goodreads. This acronym stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. https://youtu.be/pFv90BAcpa4 Some of the authors she attacked were Molly Chang, Kamilah Cole, K. M. Enright, and Bethany Baptiste, Sky Pop reports. Corrain took to X/Twitter to apologize and reveal she’s been battling depression and substance issues since 2022. She said, “Since June 2022 I’ve been fighting a losing battle against depression, alcoholism and substance abuse… In late November, 2023, I started a new medication, and on December 2nd, 2023, I suffered a complete psychological breakdown… I boosted the rating of my book, bombed the ratings of several fellow debut authors, and left reviews that ranged from kind of mean to downright abusive.” https://twitter.com/thebookseller/status/1734614932547686606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1734614932547686606%7Ctwgr%5E0290d9872e6145acd89c352980a4266fcbe7905d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fauthor-loses-agent-book-deal-after-review-bombing%2F A popular YouTuber named Sophiology is catching heat from her followers after gushing over her “Christian BBL.” As Complex reports, the woman (born Sophia Idahosa) shared a lengthy video detailing her cosmetic procedure involving liposuction and a fat transfer to her hips. Dr. Jung Money performed the surgery in Houston, and Idahosa likened the elective surgical enhancement to her Christian faith. “Don’t get me wrong. I get there’s people that are, like, pro-natural bodies, like ‘don’t do anything to yourself, don’t get veneers,'” she said in the video. “I’m not personally that person. I’m here for anything that makes you look better, feel better, have more confidence and just enjoy your life.” Idahosa continued, “Whatever choices I make in my life… have your disappointment and make a decision. Do you love me? Yes or no?” https://youtu.be/FA296JBuIcQ The 25-year-old Nigerian woman fired back at those who judged her decision to undergo Brazilian Butt Lift surgery. “I have never presented myself to be [a] holy, perfect example,” she said. “I’ve always vouched for the girls that love God and are not accepted by others.” Idahosa claims she received spiritual permission to undergo cosmetic surgery from God. This week, “Christian BBL” was a trending topic on X, with one user writing, “Lol. You don’t need to be a skeptic or an atheist to make a mockery of Christianity. Christians themselves do that for you everyday.” https://twitter.com/TrendingEx/status/1734831890123608387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1734831890123608387%7Ctwgr%5E2b6ec50fa1bbfe83beaa372cb40b7b6888027290%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fyoutuber-catches-heat-over-her-christian-bbl%2F Another commenter said, “People use Christianity to excuse their deliberate actions too much, what in the world is Christian BBl or Christian cleavage? Lack of accountability at its peak.” A third X/Twitter user added, “Christian BBL is trending because a YouTuber with a lot of Christian followers did a bumbum enlargement surgery. So, her Christian followers started castigating her for doing such an evil thing. To please them, she now said it is a ‘Christian BBL.’” https://twitter.com/i/status/1734702055279706339 Quantavious Eason, a 10-year-old Mississippi boy who was arrested for urinating in a parking lot has been placed on probation and ordered to write a book report. During a Tuesday hearing in the Youth Court of Tate County, Eason was given three months probation and assigned a two-page book report on the late NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant, but the incident will not go on his record, family attorney Carlos Moore told CNN. Eason was not declared delinquent or in need of supervision and was non-adjudicated, according to Moore. The boy was arrested and transported to the Senatobia Police Department in August after he decided to relieve himself on private property near his mother’s vehicle because signs said there were no public restrooms, CNN previously reported. https://youtu.be/Jd_9Hl96OYw The famous Chinese Theater hosted True Vision Media Group’s newest film,A Screenshot To Santa featuring Shai Moss. EURs Robin Ayers was on the scene to cover the red carpet to chat with the stars in attendance. “A Screenshot To Santa,” is directed by Monica Floyd, features Essence Atkins (Marlon, Ambitions, Are We There Yet), Tony Rock (Mann and Wife, Living Biblically, All of Us), Kennedy Stephens, Davida Williams, and newcomer Shai Moss. Stephens and Moss play two sisters at odds who are home alone before Christmas, and bond together to prevail over would-be intruders (Torrei Hart) in their home. Moss is likely known for her spirited choreographed dances on TikTok alongside her mom and professional dancer, Joie Chavis, or joking around with her triple-threat famous dad, Shad Moss. In a recent video uploaded to Chavis’ social media, she revealed that as talented as her daughter is, she just wants to ‘be a kid’. When asked about this at the premiere, Moss quickly affirms this sentiment. “Like a kid, I like playing soccer, I like volleyball, I like going to school with my friends. I like dancing too.” https://youtu.be/ADZ_ePgh9ic The massive success of her Renaissance world tour has put Beyoncé on the verge of becoming a billionaire. Forbes estimates that the singer’s net worth has increased by almost $300 million this year to $800 million. The publication reports that Queen Bey’s wealth results from her music catalog, business holdings, art collection, and personal assets and real estate she shares with her husband, Jay-Z. According to The New York Times, the 2023 “Renaissance World Tour” wrapped with an estimated $4.5 billion boost to the U.S. economy. “She’s the most precious gem of a person—warm and open and funny,” pop star Taylor Swift said of Beyonce in a new interview with Town & Country. “And she’s such a great disrupter of music-industry norms. She taught every artist how to flip the table and challenge archaic business practices.” Swift, who also launched a major tour this year, added, “There were so many stadium tours this summer, but the only ones that were compared were me and Beyoncé. Clearly it’s very lucrative for the media and stan culture to pit two women against each other, even when those two artists in question refuse to participate in that discussion.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0iNHutRK3u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tiffany Haddish is charged with two misdemeanors for her DUI arrest in Los Angeles last month. Haddish was arrested (and later released) on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department. TMZ reports that the “Girls Trip” star was not involved in an accident but was found asleep in her parked vehicle with the car running in the middle of Beverly Drive. As People reports, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Wednesday that Haddish was charged with “one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol and a misdemeanor count of driving with .08% blood alcohol content,” the outlet writes. The comedian, 44, was arrested in the early hours of Nov. 24 after police responded to a call about a woman who was stopped in the street while the vehicle was running. https://youtu.be/U_q_TCJv0PM Shockingly, before a live audience and online, Brazilian gospel singer Pedro Henrique collapsed and died onstage as he was performing. The incident happened Wednesday evening. His record label, Todah Music, released a statement Thursday morning (12/14/23) confirming the news. Henrique, who was only 30, “There are very difficult situations in life for which we have no explanation,” said the label’s statement in Portuguese that was posted on Instagram. “We just need to understand that God’s will prevails! Pedro was a happy young man, a friend to all. An only son. A present husband and a super dedicated father. The Christian music sector is in mourning. The Todah Music family is in mourning. Heaven in chorus welcomes an illustrious son: Pedro Henrique! So long, dear brother! So long! May the Holy Spirit comfort everyone.” “Pedro was a happy young man, a friend to everyone. Only child. A present husband and a super dedicated father. There is no pastor or Christian in Brazil who says anything other than this: – Pedro is simple, he is a believer! What a smile! How nice! What voice! The kind of people that are great to have around,” the post continued. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-12-14-121423-musician-heart-attack-1743967-095/ The cause of death is not yet known, although there is speculation that a heart attack is the cause. “Everything leads us to believe it was a fulminant heart attack, but doctors have not yet given as certain the cause of death being a heart attack,” Todah Music’s Giovani Mandelli told Brazilian outlet Pipoca Moderna. “The cause of death is being investigated by the medical team,” the site reported. Henrique was singing “Vai Ser Tão Lindo” at “a religious event.” That song title translates to “It’s going to be so beautiful.” The artist was in the city of Feira de Santana, Bahia, to participate in a private event organized by influencer Lôise Abreu. Ironically, today (12/14/23) Henrique’s new single “Medley: Levanta / Não Fica Assim / Descendência (Ao Vivo)” was released. He was scheduled to perform in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro later this month. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz1WcZirDl8/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=10383868-7185-47a3-ab79-af6a312e371c With inspiration from Prime Video’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Atlantans are one step closer to completing their mission to find their match! On Wednesday, Prime Video, alongside host and top relationship expert Dr. Stacii Jae Johnson, hosted a one-of-a-kind speed dating event themed after the much-anticipated new series. Atlanta’s influential singles gathered at 5Church in midtown for an evening of cocktails, lite-bites, and, of course, the mission of becoming the new Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The much anticipated eight episode series debuts on February 2, 2024. Mr. & Mrs. Smith stars Donald Glover, Maya Erskine, Alexander Skarsgard, Eiza González, Sarah Paulson, Sharon Horgan, Ron Perlman, Billy Campbell, Úrsula Corberó, Paul Dano, Michaela Coel, John Turturro, Parker Posey, Wagner Moura. https://youtu.be/dPhhRFkrNts Netflix has released the teaser trailer for “Beverly Hills Cop 4” starring Eddie Murphy. The fourth installment of the iconic franchise is titled “Beverly Hills Cop 4: Axel F,” and co-stars Taylour Paige stars as Axel Foley’s daughter, who teams up with her dad and his new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to “turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy,” according to the synopsis, TheWrap reports. Per Netflix, “It’s been nearly 30 years since we last saw the fast-talking Detroit cop, but he’s finally heading out on a new case. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F sees Axel on patrol back in Beverly Hills, with friends both old and new.” Director Mark Molloy tells Tudum: “Some of the funniest moments in Axel F are when Eddie’s improvising. For me, a big part of my job was to create the right environment, cast the right people around Eddie to allow him to do what he does best.” https://youtu.be/qBG3iyr5N70 Embattled Harvard President Claudine Gay has gained the unanimous support of the university’s board, Harvard’s highest governing body said in a statement Tuesday, giving Gay significant cover to remain in her position after a tumultuous week in which many donors and politicians have called for her ouster. “As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay’s continued leadership of Harvard University,” the statement from the Harvard Corporation said. “Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing.” The Harvard Corporation, the university’s top governance board, announced the decision Tuesday morning following the conclusion of the board’s meeting on Monday. The Harvard Crimson, the university’s student newspaper, was first to report the news Tuesday morning. https://youtu.be/XP90xEHFDtk Still, an outpouring of support for Gay Monday from hundreds of faculty and alumni could have tipped the board’s decision in her favor. More than 700 Harvard faculty members have signed a petition backing Gay. According to the 2023 Harvard annual report, the university has 1,068 tenured faculty plus 403 tenure-track faculty. The Executive Committee of Harvard University’s Alumni Association on Monday announced its unreserved support for Gay. And over 800 Black alumni have announced their “unequivocal support” for Gay and her efforts to “build a stronger, more inclusive community at our alma matter while balancing the critical principals of free thought and free speech.” “I’m glad the Corporation made their own decision to keep Claudine Gay rather than outsourcing it to others,” Harvard economic policy professor Jason Furman, who served as a top economic adviser to President Obama, told CNN in a statement Tuesday. “I also hope they are pressing Claudine Gay and schools to continue the process of fixing our mistakes and moving forward in a better way.” https://youtu.be/8AI02lH_zAE “I would hope that she would apologize for the remarks. I also think that people should recognize that immigrants to this country are all around us,” Pritzker said. “Thinking of the rich history of the NAACP as an organization – it’s the oldest civil rights organization in the country and to have an Illinois state president engage in that type of rhetoric and that type of speech, I can’t imagine — I could have never imagined I would have heard that from a civil rights leader,” said former NCAAP president Patrick Watson of DuPage County. Watson wants Haley to step down for taking an anti-migrant stance. https://www.wcia.com/top-stories/illinois-naacp-president-facing-calls-to-resign-after-anti-immigrant-remarks/?utm_source=t.co&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral EBONY FWD partnered with Coca Cola Zero Sugar to headlined award winning artist Chance The Rapper and R&B sensation Mariah The Scientist for the 2023 Art Basel in Miami to celebrate Black excellence in art, fashion, music, and epicurean delights. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0t6hBZgQMl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again During the exclusive 2-day multimedia activation EBONY FWD highlighted thriving artists such as Michi Meko, Cheryl Fox, Charity Palmer, Jon Moody and others. Patrons were also introduced to the culinary skills of revered celebrity Chef Amaris as they gazed upon the numerous of brilliant compositions on display, according to The Hype Magazine. Celebrity guests such as Vivica A. Fox, Trinia, Lakeyah and Tyson Beckford also came through and made appearances during the eclectic event honoring an assortment of creativity. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0uxjudAM_A/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9d7a6959-e3fe-4130-8d85-b460abf68e73 Up-and-coming artists will soon have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to record their collaborations with some of Hip Hop’s all-time greatest fallen icons. The ‘LEGACY’ Beats & Features pack, the latest innovative project by multi-platinum producer Anno Domini (50 Cent, Tech N9ne, The Game) and A&R Extraordinaire M-Eighty (Wu-Tang, Snoop Dogg, DMX), will deliver this unique chance. The duo worked closely with the heirs and estates of the late, great DMX, Nate Dogg, Big Pun, Sean Price, and Hussein Fatal of 2Pac’s group Outlawz, to source unreleased and rare, licensed vocals by the artists. These vocals will now be made available to independent artists to record their own collaboration tracks with the legends. Artists will be able to download the verses, pre-mixed on multiple brand new beats by the Anno Domini Nation production team, and then record, release, distribute, perform, and sell their songs with the features. To many, this will be an unprecedented moment to rekindle and honor the legacy of the greats, while building their own. https://youtu.be/oNcTvldvM1I On “Tamron Hall,” “Love is Blind,” fan favorites Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Cameron Hamilton stopped by with insights from their new book, “Leap of Faith: Finding Love The Modern Way.” Five years into their marriage, the pair reminisced with Tamron about their experience on the first season of the hit Netflix series and dished about their first visual impressions of one another after the big reveal. Later, Tamron welcomed Grammy® Award-winning gospel powerhouse Karen Clark Sheard, who treated the Tam Fam to a powerful performance of her highly anticipated new single, “Send It Down.” https://youtu.be/ueB2KwH6CiI Karen Clark Sheard rocks "Send It Down." On the Tamron Hall Show. https://youtu.be/SCHeG3degpo “It woke me up in the middle of the night 10 years ago,” said Electric Pop singer/songwriter Michele Vreeland about her latest single release “Wild Horse (Maxi-Single)” (Xyla Records). “Songs come to me in dreams. Sometimes…all at once. In this song, the lyrics came first. I wasn’t sure why, but then the melody came.” Michele released three versions of the “Wild Horse…” single. This is why the song is called a maxi-single because it has a radio-friendly acoustic version, an acoustic version with an extended verse, and a dance remix version that’s heavy on Native drums featuring The Wildhorse Singers, based in Los Angeles. “I’m an acoustic guitar player,” Vreeland added as we discussed her music. “I’m an Electric Pop lover.” https://youtu.be/PIEH8wRxF-U “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kenya Moore hit up social media to gush about finalizing her divorce with Marc Daly. “After more than three years of litigation, I have finally been granted a divorce. I want to thank everyone who prayed for and uplifted me when I needed it the most,” the 52-year-old mother announced on social media, Ice Cream Convos reports. “I’m excited for this next chapter in my life and being the best mom I can be for my daughter, Brooklyn,” Moore added, noting that she still believes “my forever person exists and know I’ll have my happily ever after ending after all.” Moore and Daly called it quits on their marriage in 2021. She filed for and listed the date of separation as September 19, 2019, per Radar. At the time, the Bravo star said the marriage was “irretrievably broken.” The ex-couple attempted to mend their broken relationship but to no avail. “I didn’t get married to quit,” Kenya told PEOPLE in 2019. “I love my husband. I don’t doubt that he loves me. Let me be clear, I took my vows seriously. I believe in for better and for worse and I believe in trying it all before you walk away, especially when we do have a child and we are a family.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0h8s2JPCby/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4624df3f-1418-4179-b455-0246e67fb40d Reality TV producer Carlos King has announced his latest series, “Bold & Bougie,” is currently in production and will debut on WEtv next year Deadline reports that the unscripted series features Atlanta-based women, including Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, Princess Banton-Lofters and Crystal Smith. Per the official synopsis, “Bold & Bougie promises viewers an exhilarating journey following a group of extraordinary and fearless women who refuse to let societal expectations or age define them. Instead, they embrace their individuality and empower one another to live life to the fullest – well into adulthood.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck06Hkjrr2U/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c3b88fd4-23f4-4cdf-a7f3-96b4018b8a7c Keke Palmer is sharing her personal struggles amid the domestic violence case and custody battle with her ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson. The actress and mother of one recently posted a photo on Instagram showing her cuddling with her baby son, Leodis, along with a somber caption. “When reality tv makes everyone believe all celebrities’ lives are just one big marketing strategy and scheme but my life is truly unraveling at the seams and I just wear trauma like a dolce gabana coat because Sharon didn’t raise no b—-,” she wrote across the video. Several of Palmer’s fans and celebrity pals commented on the post, with singer SZA writing, “… she’s an icon,” adding, “we praying and riding for you regardless !!” Teyana Taylor added, “… add a good good purseeeee to make the garments pop cause you in ya bagggggggggg sis!!!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0pBsOUR_2B/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again SZA explains in a reflective new interview that she prefers to write “super embarrassing” songs. “I guess it’s because I get bored as f### writing about anything that isn’t, like, super embarrassing,” the R&B songstress told Variety. “And I feel like those things that I don’t want to say or acknowledge about myself are (songwriting) material – if it interests me to the point where it’s worth the risk.” SZA said her lyrics highlight “mad aspects to my life.” “But people don’t really know that because all I sing about are the hidden aspects that I think are more interesting,” she said. “Honestly, I could write about jet-skiing with my friends, but I don’t want to make a song about that, and I don’t want to hear a song about it either,” SZA added. https://youtu.be/zo_oBQZJOmc As the Super Bowl approaches, an active day awaits Nate Burleson, who will catch the eyes of sports fans young and old in front of the camera in the days leading to the Big Game as well as the day of the game itself. The former NFL stand-out will not only cover the popular event with his The NFL Today cohorts but also put viewers in game mode, co-hosting “CBS Mornings”, and Nickelodeon’s “Slimetime” show, Add in the upcoming Super Bowl Soulful Celebration and Burleson will be all over the TV landscape for the most watched event of the year. With the Soulful Celebration, it was an easy decision for the pro football fixture to attach himself to the event, considering he is a fan. “They reached out to me and without hesitation, I said ‘yes.’ I didn’t even go over the details, like when, what where why and where. I just said that I would absolutely get involved,” said Burleson, who cited deeper reasons for signing on as host of the Soulful Celebration, which was formerly known as the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration A discrimination lawsuit was filed against the country’s most prominent doctors’ cooperative because it offers Black doctors a $100,000 sign-on bonus. Per the website, Vituity is a “100% physician-owned, democratic partnership that provides care directly to patients when, where, and how they need it–without any conflict of interest.” The California-based co-op treats over 8 million patients a year. Vituity offers the $100,000 signing-on bonus under its Bridges to Brilliance program to attract more Black doctors to its 450 locations nationwide. However, the campaign group Do No Harm wants a Florida judge to declare the initiative racial discrimination under the Civil Rights Act, Daily Mail reports. Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act “prohibits intentional race discrimination in the making and enforcement of public and private contracts.” “Black patients want the best doctors and the best medical care, not doctors that are racially concordant,” said Do No Harm chairman Stanley Goldfarb, Daily Mail reports. The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced today the film category nominees for the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards. The winners will be revealed at the star-studded gala hosted by Chelsea Handler, which will broadcast LIVE on The CW on Sunday, January 14, 2024 (7:00 – 10:00 pm ET – delayed PT, check local listings). “Barbie” leads this year’s film contenders, earning 18 nominations overall. In addition to Best Picture, Best Comedy, and Best Hair and Makeup nods, the film racked up several acting nominations including Best Actress for Margot Robbie, Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling, and Best Supporting Actress for America Ferrera. Ariana Greenblatt is also up for Best Young Actor/Actress, and the cast garnered a Best Acting Ensemble nomination. Greta Gerwig earned a nod for Best Director and both Gerwig and Noah Baumbach are contenders for Best Original Screenplay. Rodrigo Prieto was nominated for Best Cinematography while Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer are up for Best Production Design, along with Nick Houy for Best Editing and Jacqueline Durran for Best Costume Design. Several of the film’s hit songs received nominations as well including “Dance the Night,” “I’m Just Ken,” and “What Was I Made For,” while Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt were nominated for Best Score. Also up for Best Picture are “Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things,” which each garnered an outstanding 13 nominations, along with “Killers of the Flower Moon” which collected 12 nominations. Rounding out the Best Picture category are “American Fiction,” “Maestro,” “Past Lives,” “Saltburn,” “The Color Purple” and “The Holdovers”. MC Hammer recently explained why he’s been missing from all the hip-hop 50th-anniversary celebrations this year. Last month, Hammer attended the 2Pac street naming event in Oakland, California, where he said he won’t participate in hip-hop 50 events because of all the “fakeness.” He also revealed that he doesn’t do interviews, so don’t expect him to spill any scolding hot tea on podcasts. He does, however, have a movie and memoir in the works, according to the artist. “You ain’t never heard me talk about no stories on nobodies platform, you ain’t heard me go to none of these Hip Hop 50 [events], and just for the record, I got invited to every one, but I really don’t have the patience for the fakeness,” the hip-hop icon said at the Pac event, Complex reports. “I’m really 60 years old, so I can’t get with the fakeness of it all. I can do it with a young cat, but I can’t come around old cats and still be pretending,” Hammer added. “What you want me to call you? Hey, six shooter? Come on, man, ain’t none of your bodies turned up yet. I just can’t do it but Pac got me out here today,” he continued. “My first Hip Hop 50 event that I said yeah to and the only one. To come out here and say how much I love Pac.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1734104793139044547 The multi-award winning Chicago Mass Choir is set to spend the Holiday Season in the picturesque country of Spain, as the renown musical entourage will tour 14 cities and perform 15 concert during December. This exciting tour marks the Choir’s first trip abroad since 2019 for the two-time Grammy and Dove Award finalist. According to CMC President Feranda Williamson, the 2023 Tour, which marks the group’s 16th trip abroad, will feature many songs made famous by the Choir over the years, as well as a special tribute to the late, great BB King. “It has been truly a blessing to be able to enjoy so many tours abroad,” Williamson states. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share our music ministry with our supporters in Spain as we close out this year. We will pay tribute to BB King by including many of the spirituals he recorded in our repertoire. We are so thankful to God for another opportunity to share the music ministry of the Chicago Mass Choir, and we are looking forward to a wonderful trip.” Lecrae goes on the "Deep End" about Lil Nas X https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aso3wEC31VQ The Kirk Franklin Christmas Giveaway Sweepstakes are underway! Enter for a chance to win a signed “Father’s Day” CD and a signed vinyl copy of “Christmas with Kirk Franklin & The Family.” https://forms.sonymusicfans.com/campaign/kirk-franklin-holiday-giveaway-2 Gayle King and Charles Barkley’s new primetime show is off to a rocky start. According to RadarOnline, the hourly talk show “King Charles” premiered to fewer than 500,000 viewers, the lowest audience of any new CNN program this year. Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, said previously that the show offers a twist to the traditional news show format. “‘King Charles’ is different than anything we have on CNN’s lineup,” Entelis said in responses to questions provided by email, CNN reports. “It’s not a newscast, but rather a talk show centered around the news stories and cultural moments that Gayle and Charles are most interested in.” Insiders told the National Enquirer that King expects Barkley to remain quiet about what goes on behind the scenes of their talk show. As Radar reports, the tea spiller said, “There’s still some apprehension because she knows how Charles loves to gab and name-drop about his famous friends.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GfjHdQehDzw?feature=share Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green picked up yet another ejection after striking Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkić during his team’s 119-116 defeat to the Suns on Tuesday. During the third quarter, while being guarded by the center, Green spun around and struck Nurkić in the face with his right arm, dropping him to the ground. https://youtu.be/x8T68yAU-qw The officials reviewed the incident and deemed it a flagrant 2 foul, which resulted in an automatic ejection from the game. Green asserted after the game that the hit was accidental. “I am not one to apologize for things I mean to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him,” Green said after the game. “I was just selling the call because he was grabbing me and pulling my hip, so I spun away and, unfortunately, I hit him.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1734796486150369579 This was Green’s third ejection of the season. He was kicked out of Golden State’s November 11 matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers after receiving two technical fouls before being involved in another high-profile incident three days later when he put Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock. The 33-year-old was handed a five-game suspension as a result of the latter, with the length of the suspension being partly “attributed to Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the NBA said in a statement. Green was also suspended for one game in April after stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis. The former defensive player of the year now awaits a decision from league officials on whether or not he will be banned again. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-12-13-121323-draymond-green-1742741-390/ Doja Cat jokingly warned her white fans not to recite the N-word during her 2021 track ‘Ain’t Sh*t.” The track includes the lyric, “N-ggas ain’t sh*t, come up in your crib/ All up in your fridge, can’t pay rent.” A viral TikTok video shows the pop star performing the song during her Scarlet Tour stop in Omaha, Nebraska. Doja told the crowd, “Watch your mouth if you’re white.” Many people can be heard laughing in the clip. Before reaching superstardom, Doja Cat was famously known for engaging in racist jokes online in incel chatrooms, Hip Hop DX reports. She previously apologized for “upsetting and hurting” fans following backlash to her past social media activity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSOpqlc3dXM JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, December 13 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. If you love crab cakes, then JJ’s Crab Cake BLT is for you. Tonight, JJ invites over his good friend, celebrity handbag designer Sherone Barber. He lays out a crab cake sandwich that’s filling and flavorful. Then, it’s a "JJ-style" Moscow Mule. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPrN0ZBCs CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX is back tonight, December 13 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvwZGRvExjE From quick ideas for a weeknight meal, to beauty tips that will get you out the door in a flash. Tia Mowry’s practical solutions and infectious personality inspire and inform audiences each week with her love for food, fashion, DIY/home, parenting & more! Catch the new episode this Thursday, December 14 at 9:00/8:00C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_IZKE41iU Jonathan Majors’ domestic violence trial continued on Monday with testimony from the driver who witnessed the violent altercation between the actor and his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, on March 25. Through an Urdu interpreter, the driver testified Monday that Jabbari, a professional dancer, hit Majors during the altercation, The Independent reports. “The girl became very angry… the boy wanted to get rid of the girl and he opened the door,” the driver said, according to Courthouse News. “He was trying to get rid of her,” he continued. “He was saying ‘leave me alone. I have to go.’” The driver added: “He was not doing anything, she was doing it.” https://youtu.be/sK0QxtznHxM Opening statements began Monday in a trial to determine how much money former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani will shell out to former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Arshaye “Shaye” Moss after a judge found that he defamed the mother and daughter with baseless claims that they were involved in non-existent election fraud in 2020. “Plaintiffs will seek a sum ranging from $15.5 million to $43 million, inclusive of special damages,” Freeman and Moss’ lawyers wrote in a court filing, adding that their clients will “ask the jury to award compensatory damages for the severe emotional distress caused by Defendant Giuliani and his co-conspirators between 2020 through the present in an amount to be determined by the jury, including based on Plaintiffs’ mental pain and suffering, fear, inconvenience, nervousness, indignity, insult, humiliation, or embarrassment that Plaintiffs suffered directly because of Defendant Giuliani and his co-conspirators’ conduct.” This is as good a time as any to point out that Giuliani has earned quite the reputation as a certified broke boy ever since he became a defendant in Donald Trump’s RICO indictment in Georgia. In August, it was reported that Giuliani was begging Trump to pay his legal fees, which probably had something to do with why his former lawyers filed a lawsuit against him a month later alleging that he had only paid a small fraction of the legal fees he owes, which amounts to nearly $1.6 million. It probably didn’t help matters that Giuliani was already drowning in litigation for lying about voting machines being rigged to favor President Joe Biden. A white woman in Texas visited an ex-plantation and was apparently surprised and horrified that the exhibits there were far more focused on enslaved people than they were on the white family that once owned the plantation and its workforce. Since this happened in Texas, the state that is only rivaled by Florida in its reputation for banning non-whitewashed Black history, one can easily guess what happened next. Haas is a graphic designer from Corpus Christi who the Texas Monthly described as an “amateur historian,” meaning she has no academic background in history. She does, however, have the only credentials needed to be the arbiter of historical fact in right-wing America: white fragility and an organization full of the equally white and fragile. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1732893012466753537/5zJmjvbx?format=jpg&name=small A new study conducted by the Face Med Store, a medical supply retailer based in New York, found that social media users have a deep fascination with cosmetic procedures. According to the study, the Brazilian Butt Lift, also known as the BBL, was social media’s most viral cosmetic procedure, with TikTok users viewing it 4.8 billion times in the past three years. Creators used the hashtag approximately 225,313 times when posting about the popular cosmetic trend. The BBL also ranks the number one most-searched-for procedure in 24 states, with California having the highest average monthly search volume of 68,823, according to the Face Med Store’s new study. Residents in Massachusetts and New York were also infatuated with the booty-enhancing trend. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPovVMFB3NG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Reggie Ray, the Black man captured on camera using a folding chair as a weapon during the infamous riverboat brawl in Montgomery, will avoid jail time. A GoFundMe campaign for Ray, 42, raised over $200,000 for his legal fees. He was charged with one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct after using a folding chair to hit people during the melee on August 5. On Monday, Ray entered a conditional guilty plea and was sentenced to 50 hours of community service and a 90-day suspension, TMZ reports. Ray won’t serve any jail time if he completes the court-ordered requirements and pays $357 for court costs. The Montgomery Riverfront fracas began when a group of white people refused a Black dock worker’s request to move their pontoon boat from a space reserved for the city’s riverboat, which was carrying 227 passengers. Viral videos show the worker attempting to reason with the intoxicated group and one man punching him in the face. Several others joined in on the assault and reportedly hurled racial slurs at the innocent Black man. https://youtu.be/8JdLnCp17Jc Boosie, Torence Ivy Hatch Jr., recorded himself pleading with his son, who rakes in $1500/day, to stop trappin’ in Baton Rouge. One person dropped a truth bomb in the comments section, “If y’all not willing to let the hood go and the streets go? Why would your kids.” Another confused person wondered why so many young people want to adopt a criminal lifestyle when they are afforded the privilege of financial stability, “Why these lil niccaz want to be hood so bad. Ya daddy is a millionaire, u ain’t neva had to worry about a meal being missed. U ain’t neva had to stick up a bodega, because ya little sister needed diapers. Knock it off. Very low vibrating but whatever, there’s niccaz and then there is my melanated soul tribe.I just don’t understand why everyone who ain’t struggling want some attachment to struggle.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0qA4bmOaev/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Comedian Chris Rock said, “Miss me with all of that,” and declined an invitation to host the January 7th Golden Globes awards show. Fellow comedians and actors such as Ali Wong, Will Arnett, Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey also chucked the deuces to hosting duties. A celebrity publicist admitted the position is a “thankless job,” and many others feel it’s “not worth it.” Another powerful publicist added, “There are a lot of politics. It’s not easy, and it’s not fun anymore,” according to The Blast. Organizers of the telecast are scrambling to sign on a hosting talent for the show. Good luck! https://www.instagram.com/p/C0uW7gQse9H/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=58d7216b-f2fb-45a4-a160-5231d818dfcd Jamie Foxx has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. The Oscar winner joined the festivities and jumped head-first into the Christmas spirit by outfitting his mansion with lights, creating a winter wonderland. He captioned the video, “When I was a kid the only lights we could afford for outside the house was a red light bulb… I said when I’m finally blessed enough. I’m GON LIGHT IT UP!!! Murrrrrrkrima #welit #thecrib @taylorchien 🎥🔥🔥🔥🔥.” Social media influence and Dish Nation host Jessie Woo posted, “That Light bill finna be crazy.” One person reminded Jamie that “Jesus is the reason for the season everything you are everything you have everything you’ve done all of your skill sets talents and blessings they all come from Jesus won’t it be something when you bless him back in the future for all that he has done for you hallelujah.” https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0tKJrxOpLS/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=836b9878-f3dd-4196-837e-66a114a2d8fa Social media influencers and dancers Kendra “KO” Willis and Ceasare “Tighteyex” Willis posted a snippet of their Christmas-themed dance break. Many fans wanted the pair to expand their creativity display into a full-fledged presentation. Will Packer, Tyler Perry, Oprah, BET, or someone else, please give them some financial backing to bring their vision to fruition because we want to make Christmas Buck!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/C0UmuYmv7ln/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Golden Globes® announced the nominees of the 81st Annual Golden Globe® Awards, which will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The nominations were announced by Cedric “The Entertainer” and Wilmer Valderrama who presented nominees for each of the 27 award categories. Multi-Emmy Award®-winning producing duo Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment (WCE) will serve as executive-producing showrunners for the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards, with Weiss also set to direct. Produced and owned by Dick Clark Productions, the Golden Globe Awards has been viewed in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide and is one of the few awards ceremonies to include both motion picture and television achievements. Dave Chappelle and Netflix announced that the controversial comedian is dropping a new New Year’s Eve comedy special. Three years ago, his previous standup film, “The Closer,“ caused the LGBTQIA+ community to become heated regarding his biting commentary, and err’body and their mama wanted to cancel him. But Netflix said, “Imma stick beside him,” and fans are already anticipating that he’s coming to break more necks in 2024. “Cannot wait, he’s going to start off the new year pissing ppl off, hoping to be there front n centre 😂😂 love it,” wrote one person. Another said he was waiting with bated breath to hear Dave‘s perspective but hopes he doesn’t fold from outside pressure if his opinions are too pointed, “Excited for this. I just hope half of it isn’t him explaining or defending his jokes about groups. This is comedy no group or subject is special and off limits.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1314335785933152 Our sister from another mister got nominated for a Golden Globe for her Best Female Actor in a Motion Musical/Comedy for “The Color Purple.” Won’t HE Do IT!!!! Fantasia Barrino gave Oprah a shoutout for sending a private jet so she could get out of Los Angeles in the morning, she thanked Tyler Perry for supporting her financially and gave Taraji P. Henson her flowers for holding her down. One fan posted, “I looooove this for her!!! Yes, she won American Idol ANNNNDDDD there are many more wins to go!!! The sky is not even the limit & American Idol was just the floor……. It’s only up from here!! Everybody has a different pace of grace!!! Congratulations to Fantasia & all the others 💜 💜💜💜💜💜💜. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0uQaDcLYCj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Paula Abdul and Fantasia had a reunion, and many people may not know the significance of their bond. Back in the day, Fantasia won season three of “American Idol” in 2004, and Paula, who served as a judge, saw immense potential in Tasia and spoke life into her. Fast forward to today, and those words were fulfilled. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0sYsAsIGHm/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2a8e8ed3-ec0a-4457-904a-afc29248feaa Ciara and her greatest love, Russell Wilson, welcomed their newest bundle of joy, a baby girl named Amora Princess Wilson. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0umtuAtamX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ee0a8a09-ab58-4ed4-924a-319f6239dcd8&img_index=1 Raven-Symoné confirmed the sad news on social media that her younger brother passed away from colon cancer. Blaize Pearman died last month at age 31, according to the “Raven’s House” star. In a message to fans on her Instagram account, Raven thanked her followers for showing love on her 38th birthday, even though the celebration “was a little bittersweet,” she said in a video post. “Hard to fully celebrate knowing that I’m here and he is not,” she wrote. In the video message, she added, “It was a little bittersweet for me to be honest because last month I lost my brother, Blaize. He was battling colon cancer for about two years and he is in a better place now. He’s loved and missed and the emotions that have been weaving in and out of my body and mind and my family, have been a roller coaster.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0t__Wkrt2m/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Barbie and Ken will likely grace the stage at the Golden Globes next month, but the show’s organizers have had a hard time finding someone with the “Kenthusiasm” to host the event. With Globe nominations being announced Monday morning, a search for the host is still underway, CNN has learned. Two-time Oscar host Chris Rock is among those to decline offers to host the January 7 ceremony, a source with knowledge of the conversations told CNN, as have at least four other A-list comedic actors. A representative for Rock declined to comment. Rock, who was also asked to host the previous Golden Globes, last attended a major award show in 2022 when he was famously slapped at the Oscars by Will Smith for telling a joke that referenced Jada Pinkett Smith’s battle with alopecia. Rock will likely be a nominee at the upcoming ceremony in the new category of best performance in stand-up comedy on television for his Netflix special, “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage.” https://youtu.be/fK-eHCAm9e0 Disney+ has released the teaser for the upcoming “Doctor Who” Christmas Special, which debuts on the platform on December 25! The teaser for the highly-anticipated episode titled “The Church on Ruby Road” features Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as his new companion, Ruby Sunday. Per the news release, here’s the synopsis: Long ago on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby Sunday meets the Doctor, stolen babies, goblins and perhaps the secret of her birth. Additional cast in the special includes Davina McCall (herself), Michelle Greenidge (Carla Sunday), Angela Wynter (Cherry Sunday), and Anita Dobson (Mrs. Flood). The Christmas Special will debut on Disney+ in the U.S. on December 25 at 9:55 a.m. PT / 12:55 p.m. PT. https://youtu.be/KB87uGgoKBg Netflix’s upcoming “Hannibal” movie with Denzel Washington has sparked controversy in Tunisia over the casting of the ancient Carthaginian general born in 247 BC. Several politicians in Tunisia, the home country of the historic military warrior, are pushing back on casting a Black actor to portray Hannibal, noting that he was of West Asian Semitic origin, NBC News reports. “There is a risk of falsifying history: we need to take position on this subject,” Tunisian parliament member Yassine Mami reportedly stated, according to French newspaper Courrier International. Meanwhile, Tunisian culture minister Hayet Ketat-Guermazi said that Netflix has the “right” to tell whatever story “they want” related to Hannibal. “It’s fiction. It is their [Netflix‘s] right to do what they want,” she said, according to French newspaper Le Monde, NBC News reports. Tracey Edmonds wants you to know that she initiated the breakup with Deion Sanders. Edmonds hit up Instagram on Sunday (Dec. 10) to clarify the reason behind their split after 12 years together. “I want to clarify that it was my decision to end the relationship, despite any different narratives being presented,” Edmonds posted, BET.com reports. “I’ve chosen to prioritize myself and my family, moving forward towards a future where I am valued, treated with honesty, and free to embrace the happiness and respect I deserve,” she continued. “I hate to have to respond to the media, but sometimes it’s necessary when the falsehoods get out of control!” the producer added. His film has already won over eight awards! Cord Jefferson‘s “American Fiction” is captivating festival audiences all over the world and will continue to win awards after its December 15th limited theatrical release by Amazon MGM Studios. The director, writer, and producer spoke to us about his satirical comedy following an author (Jeffery Wright) who writes an outlandishly stereotypical “Black” book out of spite and his unexpected lady friend Coraline (Erika Alexander). https://youtu.be/i0MbLCpYJPA World Children’s Day has come and gone. It’s UNICEF’s annual day of action for children. Celebrated in November every year, it was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day to promote international togetherness, and awareness among children worldwide, and improve children’s welfare. The occasion also happens to be the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. African Children are victims of War (as it is in Israel Gaza and Ukraine) and victims of hunger and poverty, abuse, famine lack of good education, and more. The African child sometimes forgotten, should not be forgotten and be remembered. They grow up wanting to be a better person who can impact the society. With adequate education, tools, and facilities they can progress in life. Devin “The Dream” Haney showed us Saturday night why he deserves to be on the top of the pound-per-pound list by literally destroying former world champion Regis Prograis at the Chase Center in San Francisco. He picked him apart for twelve rounds and took him through a boxing clinic by using the jab, uppercuts, and excellent footwork throughout the fight, and was never in trouble. Prograis had no answers for Haney and couldn’t back up all the trash talk that we heard from him leading up to Saturday night. Haney dropped him in the third round with a thunderous right hand to the head and Prograis seemed surprised at Haney’s power. Folks, I have to tell you something Bill Haney should be characterized now as one of the best promoters in boxing after seeing how he hyped up this fight I don’t think that the great Don King could’ve done any better. Prograis talked a lot of trash about how he was going to F Haney, but at the end of twelve rounds, all three judges declared Devin “The Dream” Haney the winner and NEW WBC junior welterweight by unanimous decision. https://youtu.be/nvcDlMJKVpM Attorney Antonio Moore looks at the impact sports betting will have on American communities as it picks up over the next decade. Moore looks back at the Supreme Court decision that paved the way in 2018. And puts forth an opening salvo that due to the league’s ties with sports betting it may be time to stop supporting sports altogether. Moore also asks questions about gambling sponsorships in the Black community from Charles Barkley by Fan Duels to Joe Budden with Prize Picks. Addiction is a rising problem across the country. https://youtu.be/WGCj499hNNc In celebration of what has come to be known as “Galentine's Day,” Fathom Events proudly presents "Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive," a story about the extraordinary life of two-time Grammy-winning artist and global legend Gloria Gaynor. In theaters nationwide for a one-night special event this Galentine's Day, February 13, the film explores the challenges and triumphs that shaped Gaynor's illustrious career. The film is also perfectly timed to celebrate Gaynor's contributions to music in honor of Black History Month. Gloria Gaynor, music icon and disco legend, inspired millions for decades with her words “I will survive.” But she only truly understood the profound meaning of her lyrics when she hit rock bottom at the age of 65. Facing a devastating divorce to her husband and manager of 25 years, financial ruin, and spiraling health concerns, Gaynor sought to not only survive, but thrive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCvHkWCRWLo Tracey Edmonds wants you to know that she initiated the breakup with Deion Sanders. Edmonds hit up Instagram on Sunday (Dec. 10) to clarify the reason behind their split after 12 years together. “I want to clarify that I decided to end the relationship, despite any different narratives being presented,” Edmonds posted, BET.com reports. “I’ve chosen to prioritize myself and my family, moving forward towards a future where I am valued, treated with honesty, and free to embrace the happiness and respect I deserve,” she continued. “I hate to have to respond to the media, but sometimes it’s necessary when the falsehoods get out of control!” the producer added. https://youtu.be/e6vp6WQuRXU Jada Pinkett Smith initially thought Will Smith’s Oscar slap was a skit; now she’s calling it a “holy” moment. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jada said Will slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars “saved my marriage.” “That moment of the s-it hitting the fan is when you see where you really are,” she shared, Just Jared reports. “After all those years trying to figure out if I would leave Will’s side, it took that slap for me to see I will never leave him. Who knows where our relationship would be if that hadn’t happened?” The actress added, “I call it the ‘holy slap’ now because so many positive things came after it,” she explained. “We’ve been together 30 years so, even if someone new came along, neither of us is going anywhere,” she said. “We are a family that needs to look out for one another and always will be. Sometimes it takes a crisis for you to see that.” “Basketball Wives” alum Brittish Williams is speaking out about her gambling addiction in a new interview with reality TV producer Carlos King. Williams will spend the next four years in federal prison after being convicted for tax fraud, bank fraud, and PPP loan fraud. It seems her legal troubles began after receiving insurance money from her father’s passing and using the cash to repair her credit after losing tens of thousands of dollars to her gambling addiction. Page Six reports that Williams sought help from a financial advisor, who sold her an illegal credit privacy number (CPN). Scammers frequently mislead consumers into thinking the nine-digit number is the same as the social security number. Creating a false identity with a CPN is illegal. According to Williams, she acquired one to help reverse her financial hardship. https://youtu.be/au3K0W62Qfk Amidst fervent attempts by some to erase the true meaning of Christmas, singer-songwriter Daniel Ball's latest music video, "Cold Day in December," has defied these challenges, garnering over 1 million views within just a short time of its release. The song's powerful message about preserving the significance of Christmas and its roots in Jesus Christ has resonated deeply with audiences worldwide. https://www.facebook.com/danielballmusicpage/posts/pfbid02deArJYyesXXJ8CVa4WDb2Qtrfd6jUT7oP19En9kLU5JN2ma7XEz5wKA2TqVMm7rJl Former Destiny’s Child member LaTavia Roberson is shooting down longtime rumors that she and LeToya Luckett were ousted from the group because they were dating Jagged Edge members Brandon and Brian Casey. Roberson set the record straight with Carlos King on the Dec. 5 podcast, Reality with The King. As MadameNoire reports, Carlos discussed the speculation that the twin brothers attempted to poison the teens against manager former manager Mathew Knowles, claiming he “was giving special treatment and high pay to his daughter, Beyoncé, and the group’s other member, Kelly Rowland,” the outlet writes. “Can’t nobody get in your head unless there’s something to be gotten in your head about,” Roberson responded. “Me and my relationship had nothing to do with foul play being done. It had nothing to do with my relationship. I’m sick of people trying to say that and pin that on that. It’s ridiculous. It’s ludicrous. [I’m] tired of hearing it,” she stated, according to MadameNoire. “First of all, we all had boyfriends. Me and LaToya weren’t the only ones,” she added. https://youtu.be/vY4HBxYRa-w Doritos is betting on a new way to get people addicted to their tortilla chips: booze. The PepsiCo-owned brand is releasing a new spirit based on Doritos’ nacho cheese flavor that “tastes just like the real thing,” according to a press release. The food chips maker partnered with Empirical, a Danish company known for making custom spirits with creative flavors. Available only online, the limited-edition flavor goes on sale Wednesday in New York and California and costs $65 for a 750ml bottle. This isn’t the first zany food-adjacent product from a big brand. Recently, Kahlúa and Absolut Vodka made a fragrance that smells like an espresso martini and Dunkin’ turned its iced coffees and teas into canned cocktails. Also, Arby’s turned its curly and crinkle fries into a vodka, as well as created a smoked bourbon to be paired with its roast beef. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6wBZSjsnTtM?feature=share In the 1800s, a Black man from Alabama named John Benson escaped the thumb of slavery, traveled across state lines to save his sister, then became a wealthy man who founded a Black community on the same land where he was once a slave–but that’s just half the story. His son would continue his legacy by building a school as well as the first Black-owned railroad in the U.S. and you’ve probably never heard of either of them. The majority of this story is steeped in the truth. But because any remanence of the once flushing town was drowned under one of the largest lakes ever made, folklore prevails. Lake Martin, which is located In Tallapoosa, Elmore, and Coosa counties in Alabama, was created in 1926 after the construction of the Martin Dam. The enormous Lake has nearly 700 miles of shoreline and covers 41,000 acres. The dam is used to generate hydroelectric power for the Alabama Power Company. Because of its size, Lake Martin is a very popular tourist destination and it hosts events throughout the year. But before there was a lake there was John Benson and his small Black community near Kowaliga Creek. John Jackson Benson was born September 1850 on the shores of Kowaliga Creek in Alabama. His slave owner James Benson owned a plantation in Alabama near Kowaliga Creek. There is barely any mention of John’s mother or father, but there are a few things we know. If John was born a slave, then his mother was a slave. John also had a sister he was very fond of who was sold to a plantation in Florida. In the 1850s it was not uncommon for slave owners to birth children with the Black women they kept in bondage, then sell them to other plantations. We don’t know if James was John’s father, but it wouldn’t be far-fetched. Andre Braugher, an intense actor who won an Emmy for “Homicide: Life on the Street” and demonstrated his range in the comedy series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” died at age 61 Monday due to a brief illness, his publicist Jennifer Allen told CNN. Braugher amassed dozens of credits in movies and television after a stunning debut as a sensitive soldier in the 1989 film “Glory,” about a unit of Black soldiers during the Civil War. He followed that by playing baseball great Jackie Robinson in the TV movie “The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson” before landing his featured role in “Homicide,” an adaptation of David Simon’s book about Baltimore detectives, and winning a pair of Emmys for the NBC series as detective Frank Pemberton. Braugher remained much in demand after that series, co-starring in the thriller “Primal Fear,” as well as director Spike Lee’s “Get on the Bus” and the sci-fi thriller “Frequency” before starring in his series, “Gideon’s Crossing,” as a brilliant oncologist who trains young doctors. https://youtu.be/k0Aj2g_9_P0 Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger is reportedly “overwhelmed and exhausted” trying to rebuild the brand as the company’s “woke agenda” and content with political messages has caused quite the ruckus. According to Reuters, Iger recently announced that he intends to step down when his contract ends in 2026. American Insider reports that John Nolte of Breitbart News said, “Every single one of Disney’s problems comes down to its obsessive left-wing political, social, and sexual agenda, which is deliberately aimed at innocent little kids.” “Forbes points out that Disney’s failing streaming service, Disney+, has already lost two billion — with a “B” — dollars this year but doesn’t bother to point out why. We all know why. The content sucks,” he added. Less than a year after he retired, Iger returned to Disney as CEO in November 2022 to restructure the company. Still, insiders claim he struggles to get business back on track. There are also reports that he is running out of time to save Disney stock. https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1711757123955122374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1711757123955122374%7Ctwgr%5E1404d55ea0fc829cadd8577280e62b23124b9551%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fdisney-ceo-bob-iger-to-step-down%2F The details of the vicious jailhouse stabbing of YSL RICO trial co-defendant Shannon Stillwell have been revealed by Fulton County investigators. SOHH.com has learned Shannon Stillwell was stabbed in the back and stomach by a fellow inmate who said he was retaliating after being antagonized by Stillwell in the early hours of December 11th. An investigation is underway as to why Stillwell was outside of protective custody where he has been since being stabbed at this same jail in July 2022. https://youtu.be/BMQWzx5kVk0 A massive storm is delivering more severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and strong winds to portions of at least a dozen eastern US states Sunday – with snow still to come. The robust storm threatens to upend travel and knock out power through the start of the work week after spawning deadly tornadoes in Tennessee on Saturday. Rain and embedded thunderstorms stretched from the Southeast to the Northeast on Sunday afternoon as the sprawling storm reached peak strength. The flood risk from the storm is especially concerning, particularly in New England, but the threat of more tornadoes and damaging storms in parts of the Southeast will also be worth watching on Sunday. https://youtu.be/b_CkpYL_JEc The concern for flash flooding rose on Sunday afternoon in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts and prompted the Weather Prediction Center to upgrade the risk of excessive rainfall in these areas to a Level 3 out of 4. A slight risk, or Level 2 of 4, of excessive rainfall is in place across a broader area of New England on both Sunday and Monday, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Flash flooding is also possible in other parts of the Northeast, especially in poor drainage areas or where rainfall totals climb very quickly. Heavy rainfall could also cause waterways to rise, ponding on roadways and urban flooding. Gusty winds will accompany heavy rainfall, increasing the danger. Widespread gusts of 40 to 50 mph will slam portions of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast within about 150 miles of the coast. https://youtu.be/Q6XkgFShJ2A Warner Bros. has released a new trailer for “The Color Purple,” which will arrive in theaters on Christmas Day. Directed by Blitz Bazawule, the Golden Globe-nominated movie musical stars Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery and Fantasia as Celie. The ensemble cast includes Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, singer H.E.R. as Squeak, and Ciara will play Nettie, the younger sister of Celie, Entertainment Weekly reports. Per the film’s synopsis, “A story of love and resilience, THE COLOR PURPLE is a decades-spanning tale of one woman’s journey to independence. Celie faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.” The film’s producers are Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones. https://youtu.be/zTnircQsMaM According to the news release, the screenplay is by acclaimed playwright Marcus Gardley. His script is based on the novel by Alice Walker and based on the musical stage play, book (of the musical stage play) by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. We reported previously that the soundtrack, via Warner Warner Bros. Pictures, WaterTower Music, and gamma, features songs from Alica Keys, Mary J. Blige, Megan Thee Stallion, Jennifer Hudson, Keyshia Cole, Jorja Smith, Coco Jones, Ciara, Mary Mary, Usher, H.E.R., Missy Elliott, and Fantasia. “I am so immensely proud that the filmmakers and Warner Bros. Pictures chose us to collaborate on a hugely cultural album that musically brings to life this reimagined classic,” stated Co-founder & CEO of gamma, Larry Jackson, according to Vibe. “The Color Purple, in its many iterations, is unquestionably hallowed ground in black culture. Just as film director Blitz Bazawule has done a spectacular job in taking the film to another level artistically, we, too, wanted to bring an equally adventurous, creative take to this expanded soundtrack,” Jackson added. The first single from the soundtrack is “Lifeline” by Alicia Keys, which serves as a “heartfelt ode to the unequivocal comfort emanating from friends, family, and community that holds us up as we face life’s challenging moments,” according to a press release, Vibe reports. https://youtu.be/W0w_tIbkFiY New Edition is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but if its performance at the organization’s annual induction ceremony is an indication, then anticipation will be high for its eventual entry. Paying tribute to one of their legendary predecessors, The Spinners, New Edition took the stage with the purpose of performing a three-song medley of classic Spinners material, according to Soul Tracks. Tunes comprising the medley included “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” and “The Rubberband Man.” New Edition’s tribute to The Spinners was among the highlights at the Hall’s induction ceremony. The 38th annual event was held Nov. 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Hall’s 2023 inductees included: – Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners (Performer Category) https://youtu.be/5Y0k0qexgPE Track sensation Sha’Carri Richardson claims athletes aren’t receiving money donated to the Team USA Fund. On Dec. 6, Richardson called out Team USA on her Instagram Story for allegedly not paying its players. She wrote, “Do not donate. The athletes that need this money don’t see it.” Per Team USA, “100% of your donation goes to Team USA athletes and the high-performance programming that supports them.” “Team USA does not receive government funding. Instead, we rely on donations from family, friends and fans like you,” the website states. Richardson called out the organization days after being honored in Orlando, Florida, at the USA Track and Field’s Night of Legends ceremony, where she received the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Female Athlete of the Year Award. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0hNgYFOL1T/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cf041cac-949f-4b18-a475-723edaa2129e&img_index=1 Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, December 11 at 9 PM ET. When a knock at the door lures a veteran to his death, police rely on his wife who heard the crime over the phone. Shocking workplace secrets generate a long list of suspects and local police race to uncover who took revenge in the cold-blooded murder. PAYBACK returns tonight, December 11 at 10 PM ET. Two months after a man is acquitted of a murder, he too becomes a victim of gun violence. While police are convinced the shooting was revenge, they, and the rest of the community, are shocked to learn his own cousin helped lure him to his death. What does it take to make a superstar? Basketball mothers Lucille O’Neal and Sonya Curry are ready to get the answers! See what it was like raising some of your favorite stars in the premiere of an all-new TV One series, Raising Fame, coming in March 2024! https://tvone.tv/videos/all-new-series-raising-fame-with-lucille-oneal-and-sonya-curry-coming-to-tv-one-in-2024/ Eighteen companies have pulled out of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ recently launched online marketplace Empower Global. The move comes as the music mogul faces a slew of sexual assault allegations, Rolling Stone reports. “We take the allegations against Mr. Combs very seriously and find such behavior abhorrent and intolerable,” said Annette Njau, founder of luxury bag, eyewear, and apparel company House of Takura. “We believe in victims’ rights, and support victims in speaking their truth, even against the most powerful of people.” Fulaba founder Haby Barry confirmed to Rolling Stone that the company is leaving Diddy’s platform for Black businesses and entrepreneurs. “Fulaba is all about empowering women and girls,” Fulaba founder Haby Barry said, according to Rolling Stone. “We will not associate with anything or anyone that is counter to our values.” The 2024 Golden Globe Awards nominees were announced on Monday. As expected, “Barbie” is leading the film categories with nine nominations, followed by “Oppenheimer,” with eight, and “Killers of the Flower Moon” garnered seven. “Succession” was the most nominated TV title, with nine nominations. Meanwhile, the show’s organizers are having difficulty finding an A-lister to host the event. According to CNN, several top comedians, including Chris Rock, have declined offers to host the January 7 ceremony live from the Beverly Hilton. The 2024 ceremony will be the first awards show since the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was disbanded after the Los Angeles Times slammed the organization over the lack of Black members. A group of publicists blasted the HFPA, which presented the Golden Globes, for its “pervasive practice of discriminatory behavior, unprofessionalism, ethical impropriety and alleged financial corruption.” https://youtu.be/zrhXU2-eoXw A Tuskegee Airman who went missing in action nearly 80 years ago has finally been laid to rest in North Carolina. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Second Lieutenant Fred L. Brewer Jr. disappeared while returning to Ramitelli Air Field in Italy in October 1944. Brewer joined the U.S. Army Air Forces from North Carolina and was a Tuskegee Airman and member of the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group. He was one of 57 fighters on a mission “over enemy targets in Regensburg, Germany” when he vanished in 1944. Several pilots reported seeing Brewer “attempting to climb his aircraft out of the cloud cover” before he “stalled out and fell into a spin,” the DPPA said. Fred was 23 years old when he disappeared. U.S. personnel recovered his remains from a civilian cemetery in Italy after the war. The body was exhumed in June 2022, and extensive tests and DNA analysis helped identify the remains as Brewer in August 2023. The remains were identified thanks to the DNA of Clement Brewer, Fred’s second cousin, Fred was recently buried during a military service at the Salisbury National Cemetery in Charlotte, according to ABC News and WSOC-TV. https://youtu.be/CWn6PPdmZ-M The trailer for Gloria Gaynor’s inspiring documentary titled “Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive” has dropped. “For the last 40 years, I’ve been telling you ‘I will survive,’ but I never told you how,” the 80-year-old music icon says in the trailer. The doc chronicles the singer’s highs and lows, her faith and journey to self-love, as well as the making of her 2019 Gospel album “Testimony,” for which she earned a Grammy. “I want them to know how and why I survive, and that these elements of life, these uplifting, encouraging, inspiring, empowering elements of life are available to them as well,” Gaynor explained to People about what she hopes viewers take away from the film. https://youtu.be/BCvHkWCRWLo Claudine Gay, Harvard University’s embattled president, has faced a flurry of criticism over her handling of alleged antisemitism at one of the nation’s most prestigious universities. But her position is more secure than her University of Pennsylvania counterpart Liz Magill, who resigned on Saturday. Calls for Gay’s removal increased following her testimony before Congress last Tuesday, where she, Magill, and MIT’s president Sally Kornbluth failed to explicitly state whether calling for the genocide of Jews would necessarily violate their code of conduct. On Sunday, Harvard University police received a report of a mobile billboard truck near campus that demanded the firing of President Claudine Gay, a university spokesperson told CNN. The truck was seen parked outside one of the gates into Harvard Yard, the oldest part of the campus, the spokesperson said. It is not clear who organized this demonstration. https://youtu.be/R-X5zp2d0ZA?list=RDNSwy21x2PArXk But demands for Gay’s resignation have been tempered by the support of more than 700 Harvard faculty members, who signed a petition urging school officials to resist calls for Gay’s removal. “We, the undersigned faculty, urge you in the strongest possible terms to defend the independence of the university and to resist political pressures that are at odds with Harvard’s commitment to academic freedom, including calls for the removal of President Claudine Gay,” the petition said. “The critical work of defending a culture of free inquiry in our diverse community cannot proceed if we let its shape be dictated by outside forces.” Harvard legal scholar Laurence Tribe told CNN that, even though he previously slammed her testimony before Congress as “deeply troubling,” he signed the petition because “once external pressures, whether from ultrawealthy donors or politicians pursuing their ideological agendas, override the internal decision-making processes of universities, we are on the road to tyranny.” https://youtu.be/JKYCOuOXBsQ Texas state Sen. John Whitmire will be the next mayor of Houston, CNN projects, after winning a runoff Saturday over US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to lead the country’s fourth-largest city. “While this marks the beginning of the true challenge ahead, as you all know, my only reason for running was to make a difference. I’m fired up to get started,” Whitmire said on social media. Whitmire and Jackson Lee, both Democrats, were forced into the runoff after neither took more than 50% of the vote in last month’s crowded first round in the officially nonpartisan contest. Whitmire, 74, will succeed term-limited incumbent Sylvester Turner, a former Democratic state lawmaker who had endorsed Jackson Lee in the runoff. https://youtu.be/7B-k8ZM_oAo Georgia native Laneisha Shantrice Henderson was charged with second-degree arson after attempting to burn down the childhood home of Martin Luther King Jr. last week. According to Sportskeeda, the 26-year-old lived in Tallahassee, Florida, and enlisted in the Navy after graduating from Eufaula High School. Henderson served four years in the U.S. Navy and reportedly earned medals for good conduct. When she tried to burn down the historic MLK structure, her father said she was experiencing mental health issues. Fortunately, Henderson was stopped by two off-duty NYPD officers who had been visiting the center. They detained her until Atlanta police arrived. Henderson was arrested and charged with criminal attempt arson and criminal attempt interference with government property. https://youtu.be/IpQiS-tbOhM Julia Robert’s new apocalyptic drama “Leave the World Behind” is currently the #1 watched film on the platform. Directed by Sam Esmail, the sci-fi feature was produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions. Roberts co-stars in the film along with Ethan Hawk, Mahershala Ali, and Kevin Bacon. “Leave the World Behind” is adapted from Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel of the same name, and centers on a family whose “getaway to a luxurious rental home takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices, and two strangers appear at their door,” per IMDB. Society unravels in the movie after technology and smart devices – such as phones, televisions, and EVs (Teslas), start failing. Tesla CEO Elon Musk complained about this “inaccuracy” in the film. The scene that prompted a response from the billionaire shows Roberts and Hawke (who play a married couple) chased by self-driving Teslas that end up crashing and causing a vehicle pile-up. https://youtu.be/cMVBi_e8o-Y Former DJ and WAND-TV reporter Scot England made his professional boxing debut last week in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 58 and was knocked out in five seconds. England became the oldest professional welterweight boxer during his first fight on Dec. 5. His opponent, 22-year-old Jashawn Hunter, sealed his victory in five seconds. “He’s three decades younger than me, he is stronger than me, he is faster than me, he has got more experience than me and he has a longer reach than me,” said England in an interview with Herald and Review newspaper before the fight. England was a passionate fan of Muhammad Ali as a child and ultimately became friends with the late heavyweight champ. “The first time I walked into Ali’s living room he said to me ‘Are you a boxer?’ And I said, ‘No, champ, I am not tough enough for that,’” England shared with Herald and Review. “But 40 years later I am tough enough.” Cardi B and her husband, fellow rapper Offset, have parted ways. In a recent Instagram Live shared on social media, Cardi said she’s been sharing clues that they are no longer a couple. “I’ve been single for a minute now, but I have been afraid to like… not afraid, I just don’t know how to tell the world. But I feel like today has been a sign,” she said. “The last time I got on Live, I kind of wanted to tell you guys. But I didn’t know how to tell you, so I changed my mind. But it has been like this for a minute now. I just took it as a sign.” The “sign” she was referring to was some online messiness in which Offset’s name was part of an allegation of infidelity that he has denied on social media. “I don’t think it’s true, I don’t care to find out,” Cardi B said of the chatter. https://youtu.be/AISk7hlMMDE The couple had a public engagement in October 2017 after he popped the question while she was onstage. It was later revealed that they had quietly married in his hometown of Atlanta in September of that year. The two are the parents of a daughter, Kulture, 5, and a son, Wave, 2. Cardi B. and Offset have split multiple times before, including in 2018 when he crashed her performance at the Rolling Loud Festival in Los Angeles to ask her to take him back. https://youtu.be/SWrkVzv5HJs A resurfacing video of Ma$e coming for Diddy‘s neck started trending on social media. Ma$e shot off some salient bullet points locked and loaded during his hip-hop monologue directed at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. The former Bad Boy artist, government name Mason Durell Betha, who often moonlights as a minister, made sure Diddy not only got a direct hit with his lyrical diatribe but also ate the strays. One person responded with shock, “damn he told us diddy entire personality & scheme in one song.. this gone get to millions of views after what just transpired with cassie, just wait.. it shouldn’t even be this low in views.” During his concert in Atlantic City, Ma$e performed “Oracle 2” and dropped the line “I’m haunted by the ghost of St. James, champagne king” causing one fan to inquire, “wanna know what Mase saw while in Harlem at the hotel that day that made him get outta the game asap and changed his life!” He also pointed out during his set, “God gave you daughters for what you did to Kim Porter!!” which made fans wonder why the police have not further investigated her untimely passing. Ma$e also admonished Diddy for not paying the mother of Biggie Smalls when he spat the line, “You just a ni–a who know how to market death, Go pay his momma what he’s really worth, ni–a.” Man, if what is done in the dark comes to light was a moment, this the one. Watching the destruction of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ legacy is not enjoyable, and no one should rejoice at his downfall. However, it serves as a lesson to do right by people in this life. https://youtu.be/1UKEllj9dvk Victoria Monét and Teyana Taylor had a time at the Doo Wop event the 2023 Art Basel. However, fans weren’t vibing with TT invading Victoria‘s space as she performed. ” 😭 I get she’s trying to be supportive but sissy this wasn’t the time. Hopefully she’ll recognize that in the future 🥹,” said one person. Another observer chastised how TT was throwing her tail feather back on Victoria, “She can never attend an event without Tossing her aszzz on another woman.” Fans wanted Victoria to have her moment and believed Teyana attempted to steal her shine, “I thought LiL Mama learned her lesson 😂. That’s all ego.. Yes we like you but they brought me out to sing.. She the Bestfriend that thinks everything is about her 😂😂.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0tin03OdU6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Social media influencer Galen J. Williams invoked the vocal stylings of the late great Dr. Maya Angelou and recited Victoria Monét‘s hit “On My Mama.” One of his followers posted, “Ms. Angelou would be so proud! 👏🏾 I typed Maya at first and deleted it because I remember how she gathered that one little girl in that talk show clip. 🤭“ Another concurred, “The precision in your tone, cadence, and phrasing is astounding. Such a beautiful way to pay homage to our great Dr. Angelou! I look forward to each and every one of these 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾.” Mother Angelou would be honored, no doubt. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz37AOxvk5_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tracy Morgan made a surprising discovery, which he shared on the “Connect The Dots“ podcast. The 55-year-old comedian/actor found out that rapper Nas, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, “go back like spinal cords and car seats,” and learned the Queensbridge hip hop legend is his third cousin. “Me and Nas is third cousins on my mother’s side,” Tracy said. “Me and Esco always been tight before that. I did a show years ago on Comedy Central, a special called One Mic. That was for Nas’ mom who had just passed away. I named my special One Mic.” He added, “So me and Esco always been tight but then when I found out on the Westside Highway, after I did the show, I called him up and I said “Yo Esco,” he said ‘what up Trey?’ I said, ‘Guess what?.’ He said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I just did Find My Roots, me and you related.’ He started crying, I started crying and I said to him, ‘If you ever need me, I’m there cuz.’ He said, ‘Cuz, if you ever need me I’m there.’” We love and appreciate this story. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0pUSIrv1TB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again This weekend’s decisive mayor runoff loss in Houston for U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee is prompting urgent questions about the longtime incumbent Texas Congresswoman’s political future. Democratic state Sen. John Whitmire was quickly declared the winner on Saturday with just over half of the precincts reporting and twice as much support from voters than Jackson Lee, according to estimates from the Associated Press. Jackson Lee, also a Democrat, lost the runoff despite full-throated endorsements from name-brand members of the national Democratic elite, including Hillary Clinton, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But all is not lost for Jackson Lee, who retains her seat representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District, over which she has presided on Capitol Hill since 1995. For now, at least. Because her current Congressional term ends next month, she didn’t have to resign to run for mayor. However, it is because her current Congressional term ends next month that she needs to hurry up and make a decision about what’s next. If Jackson Lee, 73, intends to seek a 16th term in Congress, the filing deadline to do so is Monday. Ellen Holly, whose role on ABC’s hit soap opera One Life To Live made her the first Black actor to lead a daytime TV show, has died at the age of 92. Holly’s rep confirmed to NBC News that she passed away on Wednesday at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, New York. https://youtu.be/fDj_b69h82Y Holly’s character, Carla Gray (a.k.a. Carla Benari) was groundbreaking, as she was portrayed as a Black woman passing as white. Her main conflict on the show included a love triangle between two doctors – one white, one Black. This arc made One Life To Live one of the first soap operas to directly confront race relations. The Atlantic recalled how Holly’s role “wasn’t easy” but it was pioneering and trailblazing in many ways. https://youtu.be/xWwoFRkPNkw Congratulations are in order for our (as Rickey puts it) “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” son, Malik Smiley, as he joins the 2023 graduating class! Last weekend, Malik joined the ranks of notable HBCU graduates, including his father, Rickey Smiley, by graduating from Alabama State University, which is also his dad’s alma mater. https://youtu.be/EqgNViLSUf0 Not only has Malik finished school, but he did so with honors! Malik joined the “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” to thank his family, mentors and all who contributed to supporting and influencing his success. He said he dreams of going to graduate school, law school and eventually practicing injury and criminal law. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0UNc21MGG1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The last month of Hip-Hop 50 was meant to be spent celebrating those pioneers who helped shaped the genre into the commercial juggernaut that it’s become today. Instead, we’re left playing a guessing game of “Who’s Next” to fall from grace. So far, Bad Boy Records has taken the lead from defending champion R. Kelly now that Diddy has racked in a number of sexual assault allegations in just the past two weeks alone. However, many haven’t been quick to forget that it all really started with the scathing allegations of manipulation, coercion and brutal rape at the hands of once-celebrated hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. Since 2017, the Def Jam Recordings co-founder has been accused by a handful of women of the aforementioned crimes, each with their own tale of Simmons’ sadistic behavior during their respective times working for him. He’s been adamant to deny all claims against him, quite possibly more vehemently than any person in his position accused of the same, and he decided to quadruple down on his innocence in a new interview via In Depth With Graham Bensinger. https://youtu.be/UKkX-cbRbYE?list=PLW5qT4HIAd1ZBlvJeHkhGHUEwzAOickcF Dr. Kwane Stewart — a veterinarian whose nonprofit, Project Street Vet, provides medical care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness — is the 2023 CNN Hero of the Year. Online voters selected him from among this year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes. “I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian my whole life since I was a child,” Stewart said when accepting the award. “I’m so lucky to be doing what I’m doing.” Stewart’s outreach on the streets started more than a decade ago. On a whim, the veterinarian stopped to examine the dog of a homeless man outside a 7-11 store where he got his coffee. https://youtu.be/p8sumAI6ucA Stewart treated the dog’s skin condition and the animal was transformed. But for Stewart, the man’s gratitude was a wake-up call: “Thank you for not ignoring me” were the words that Stewart says inspired his next chapter. “It doesn’t matter what your situation is … I see a pet in need, and I see a person who cares for them dearly who just needs some help,” Stewart said. As CNN Hero of the Year, Stewart will receive $100,000 to expand his work and will also be named an Elevate Prize winner which comes with $300,000 in unrestricted funding and resources from The Elevate Prize Foundation. He and the other top 10 CNN Heroes honored at Sunday’s gala all receive a $10,000 cash award along with donation-matching up to $50,000 from The Elevate Prize Foundation. The foundation will also provide organizational and capacity-building support to all of the honorees. https://youtu.be/yxJVLUxxwMc Since he started, Stewart and his volunteer teams have treated thousands of animals while giving their human parents hope and dignity, too. “I will say this about the people I’ve met who have pets on the streets,” he said. “They are some of the most remarkable pet parents I’ve ever met.” If you’re inspired to help, you can donate to Stewart and each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes’ causes. https://youtu.be/pkHd6R8j1QA The high cost of housing, predatory financing programs, and the temporary nature of a critical government assistance program are all factors making it harder for Black families in California to buy homes — or keep the ones they already own. Policy leaders, building industry organizations, and other concerned advocates are expressing concern that, if left unchecked, this crisis could worsen. “We have a massive housing shortage, and we should do everything we can to increase the production of housing throughout the entire state, not just infill areas,” said Cornelius Burke, Vice President of Legislative Affairs at the California Building Industry Association (CBIA). Advocates: Smarter Policy Could Increase California’s Housing Inventory Burke was speaking on Nov. 16, along with other CBIA officials — including the organization’s President and CEO Dan Dunmoyer — during a webinar on how the high cost of building homes affects Blacks and Latinos homeownership. According to Dunmoyer, the key to resolving the problem is effective policymaking. He said several current housing laws restrict construction even though the policymakers that introduced them may have had good intentions. Controversial comedian Charleston White was attacked on stage during a live performance in Crockett, Texas, on Saturday night. White was assaulted after talking smack about the 2020 NBA Finals when the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship over the Miami Heat. https://twitter.com/i/status/1733797692097118677 Two audience members weren’t happy with White’s questioning of the win’s validity, Complex reports. “I don’t give a damn about getting booed, n***a. I already got paid,” White told the audience. That’s when a man sitting near the front of the stage stands to reveal he is wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey. “You paid to see me, Lakers jersey wearing ass n***a,” White is heard telling the man in viral video of the moment. Taking a flower vase from the stage, White warned the Kobe fan, “Pull out some money. I’ll hit you on your god damn head, pussy ass n***a.” He then hurled the vase at the man’s head. https://twitter.com/i/status/1733861649101009025 Bronny James has a lot of work to do if he’ll ever come near matching the scoring records of his legendary father LeBron James, but he now has more points in college than his dad ever did. While his dad – whom it should be noted went straight from high school to the NBA – watched from the stands, Bronny James returned to the court for a game for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest this summer and being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. https://youtu.be/0vipRdWq-XU In his first-ever college game, the younger James made one 3-pointer, and one free throw, had three rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 17 minutes as the University of Southern California lost to Long Beach State 84-79 in overtime. One of those steals came with 26 seconds left in regulation and the Trojans leading by one point. James then made one of two free throws but Marcus Tsohonis of Long Beach State made a tying jumpshot with three seconds in regulation. In July, the 18-year-old James, a freshman who was an All-American as a high school player, suffered a cardiac arrest during a basketball practice at the University of Southern California and was hospitalized. He was discharged a few days later to recover at home. https://youtu.be/lD5p0L9Z0BE Black folks have excelled in every field they have stepped into. They have made turnovers in the music industry, secured umpteenth Guinness World Records, thrived in fashion, and have contributed significantly to the cinema industry. Some famous Black male actors have turned Hollywood on its head. A few years back, if someone had asked what the world would look like without the Black community, the answer would be that it would resemble Hollywood. At its inception, white actors dominated the industry. They reigned over the silver screen, while Black actors were left with supporting roles. However, as we say, ‘time changes everything,’ Black actors came in and now are recognized (and loved!) by people all around the world. Their dedication and tremendous input forced the stereotypical culture of Hollywood to bow down in front of them.So, without further ado, let’s dive in and find out who the famous Black male actors of the fraternity are to date. Texas man who threatened several Georgia public officials online after the 2020 election was sentenced to two years in prison Wednesday. Chad Christopher Stark, 55, of Leander was charged, then pleaded guilty last year for a 2021 post to Craigslist entitled, “Georgia Patriots it’s time to kill [Official A] the Chinese agent – $10,000.” In the post, Stark calls on his “Georgia Patriots” to take back the state from “Lawless treasonous traitors.” “It’s time to invoke our Second Amendment right it’s time to put a bullet in the treasonous Chinese [Official A],” Stark wrote. “Then we work our way down to [Official B] the local and federal corrupt judges. It’s our duty as American Patriots to put an end to the lives of these traitors and take back our country by force we can no longer wait on the corrupt law enforcement in the corrupt courts. If we want our country back we have to exterminate these people. One good loyal Patriot deer hunter in camo and a rifle can send a very clear message to these corrupt governors.. militia up Georgia it’s time to spill blood…. we need to pay a visit to [Official C] and her family as well and put a bullet her behind the ears.” Starks continued, “Let’s be very clear to our local law enforcement who have stood down and watch BLM antifa destroy our country and kill our citizens yet you’ll step up to stop Patriot supporters you’ll enforce face mask and you’ll close American businesses??? We’re going to make examples of traitors to our country… death to you and all you communist friends.” In a statement, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland called the sentencing a warning for anyone thinking of threatening public officials. Jonathan Majors‘ ex-girlfriend’s testimony continued on Wednesday in the actor’s domestic violence trial stemming from allegations that he assaulted her in March. Similar to the day before, Grace Jabbari — under questioning from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office — described Majors in violent terms. But Jabbari, 30, also said under oath that she never intended to have Majors, 34, be arrested. It was Majors, she testified, who called 911 and invited the police to respond after he found her sleeping in his apartment following their breakup the night before over suspicions of cheating, the New York Daily News reported. “I think just things he had told me in the past of not trusting police — and what they would do to him, as a Black man, and I didn’t want to put him in that situation,” Jabbari told the court. “He knows what he’s done,” Jabbari said later. “He’s cheated on me. He’s attacked me.” The FBI continues to look for the suspect in multiple Chicago bank robberies. They say has been going up and down the most iconic parts of Michigan Avenue robbing banks on multiple occasions in recent months. The most recent incident happened Friday morning. With the holiday shopping bringing out the big crowds, authorities say it is critical to catch the man before he hits again. The most recent robbery happened at 10:10 a.m. at the Citibank branch at 539 N. Michigan Ave. – between Ohio Street and the Grand Avenue overpass on the Magnificent Mile. The robber also hit three times a little farther south on Michigan Avenue, below the Chicago River. He carries a gun, and there is fear he may use the weapon next. https://youtu.be/TNF-NYJr1jw ATL-based rapper 2Chainz finds himself in a Miami hospital today because he was involved in a Saturday morning car crash on I-95. The rapper, Tauheed K. Epps, posted a video of himself in an ambulance on his Instagram story. The video shows 2Chains in the ambulance in front of a crashed Tesla. The Tesla driver struck Epps’s vehicle from the rear, leaving the musician with injuries to his neck “and possibly other injuries as well.” Epps is reportedly in stable condition at a Miami hospital and is expected to recover, according to TMZ. The reason for 2Chainz, 46, being in South Florida is for Art Basel Miami Beach 2023, an art fair/marketing whirlwind/massive VIP event. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-12-09-120923-2-chainz-1741008-236/ When it comes to Taylor Swift, Flavor Flav is not afraid to wave his Swiftie flag proudly for all to see. During a recent interview with Tamron Hall, Flav revealed why he is a loyal Swiftie, saying Swift “keeps it real” with those who appreciate her and her music. “I love Taylor Swift’s music,” the Public Enemy rapper confessed to Hall. https://youtu.be/RDeLV6VKa08 “Let me put it like this, I listen to her music real good, and she keeps it real with her audience. She writes about a lot of the things she goes through, and then when she gets out on that stage, a lot of people can relate to her.” Although Flav’s love for Swift may be hard for folks to believe, the “911 is a Joke” rhymesayer shared that he has been seen attending multiple shows on the pop superstar’s Eras Tour, wearing a beaded friendship bracelet like other Swifties have been known to do. “Anybody want to trade a bracelet with your boy?” Flav asked the Tamron Hall Show audience. https://www.instagram.com/p/CqT_nVbPU_g/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ebec3b0d-f45c-4cf2-bb8d-5526a9b3cc7c Sean “Diddy” Combs is at the center of another situation following the ruckus raised from allegations made by his former artist Cassie. An effort is underway by women’s rights group UltraViolet to convince the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to ban Combs from the 2024 Grammy Awards. In a statement, the group expressed its concern over a recent string of sexual assault incidents involving the Bad Boy Records founder. Most recently, a fourth woman has come forward, accusing Combs of sexual assault, reports AllHipHop.com. “We are deeply disturbed and concerned by the recent allegations of sexual abuse, sex trafficking of a minor, and domestic violence made against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs over the past three weeks,” UltraViolet said in its statement. “The gravity of the allegations against Combs underscore the ongoing need for accountability — and that the #MeToo movement is relevant and badly needed more than ever.” The UltraViolet statement is the latest development to come from backlash Combs sustained after Cassie filed a lawsuit against him in November. In that suit, the “Me & You” entertainer accused her former boyfriend of rape while detailing years of abuse during their relationship. Although the pair settled Cassie’s lawsuit out of court, legal action from several women spawned that same month, with them suing Combs for sexual assault in their respective cases. Tasha K is raising eyebrows yet again as she continues to keep Ashanti on her discussion radar. Tasha K is not buying the fact that Ashanti and Nelly are expecting a child. Her reason is simple. Ashanti is a “light-skinned, privileged woman” who should not be a “baby mama.” “She’s not pregnant. She’s not pregnant,” the “Unwine With Tasha K” founder and host claimed, adding that the timing for Ashanti’s pregnancy is off because of Nelly’s current status as a grandfather. “She ain’t pregnant ‘cuz he just had a baby… Let’s get to know that other baby first. Light-skin, privileged women deserve to be wives and not just baby mamas! I said what I said!” Tasha K’s current view on Ashanti comes after Nelly and the “Rock With You” singer teased fans at his annual “Black and White Ball” in St. Louis. It was there the couple rubbed Ashanti’s belly, playfully giving the impression that she is pregnant with her first child, Rolling Out noted. The site went on to speculate that if there was truth to the belly rub, it would spell a third time for Nelly in the father role. Tasha K’s colorism stance comes after she touched on the same issue when mentioning Ashanti having no children and ring at this time in her life. Friday (12-08-23) was not a good day for the defense in the Jonathan Majors domestic violence trial. That’s because Judge Michael Gaffey allowed previously sealed text messages related to a prior (physical assault?) incident in September 2022 to be revealed to the jury. Those texts appear to show the actor advising and discouraging Grace Jabbari, his accuser, from seeking medical treatment. The good news for the defense, if you can call it that, is that whatever happened in the 2022 incident won’t be allowed into evidence in this trial. But the texts themselves as read by Jabbari don’t make Majors sound like a good guy. Nope. Not at all. In fact, in one of the texts, he refers to himself as a “monster.” Here’s the first unsealed text she received from Majors: “You have no perspective of what could happen if you go to hospital. They will ask you questions, and as I don’t think you actually protect us, it could lead to investigation even if you do lie and they suspect something.” https://youtu.be/sK0QxtznHxM While reading the first sentence of her response, Jabbari started crying, saying: “I will tell the doctor I bumped my head if I go.” Jabbari was so emotional that Assistant DA Kelli Galaway had to take over while the accuser collected herself. “If I go, I’m going to give it one more day,” the rest of her response read. “But I can’t sleep and I need some stronger painkillers, that’s all. Why would I tell them what really happened when it’s clear I want to be with you?” “I feel like you want to be together, as in to not embarrass yourself to everything you said to your friends and family,” another text from Majors read. “Last night I considered killing myself versus coming home. Last night you said you needed love and I tried to put my feelings aside. But I need love too. Or maybe I’m such a monster and I should just kill myself. This way of existence is miserable.” mMajors then told Jabbari that she had not been “full of love at all” that morning. “You could have given me a hug,” he wrote before threatening suicide and calling himself “a monster” and “a horrible man” who is “not capable of love.” https://youtu.be/OJponbSsv4w “Jonathan you can’t say this,” was Jabbari’s response. “I’m going to have to call someone. I’m sorry for not hugging you this morning.” Near the end of the text, she wrote, “I love you. So much.” After reading the unsealed texts, the prosecution asked why Jabbari told medical professionals that she didn’t know how she got injured in the March incident. “I was scared of the consequences of it,” she said. “Still wanted to protect him I guess.” Jonathan Majors is being tried on two counts of misdemeanor assault and two counts of harassment for allegedly assaulting Jabbari, his now ex-girlfriend. The widely reported incident happened back in March of this year after Jabbari found texts on his phone from another woman. Specifically, NYC prosecutors say Majors twisted Grace Jabbari’s arm and hit her face, which resulted in a fractured finger and a cut behind her ear. Alternately, the defense is claiming that it was Jabbari who assaulted Majors. https://youtu.be/6GO86zaPe80 Last month in November, six Black men incarcerated at the Northwest Correctional Complex (NWCX) marched across the stage to receive their Bachelor of Science in Business degree from Lane College, an HBCU. Their educational trajectory is a continuation of historical and momentous strides made by the Tennessee Higher Education Initiative (THEI) to help educate men and women behind the wall. The graduates were the first to receive a bachelor’s degree in the facility’s history. To add to the list of firsts, the students were also the first in the state of Tennessee to receive degrees from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) while incarcerated. THEI along with educational partners Lane College and the Tennessee Department of Correction celebrated the fortitude and commitment of the six men who have shifted the course of history in the state of Tennessee, by forging a path for others to follow. Each student is a testament to the indomitable spirit of resilience our brothers behind the wall possess when given opportunities to excel and engage with the transformative and liberating power of education that was paved with sacrifice. “They are coming home,” stated Dr. Laura Ferguson-Mimms, Executive Director of THEI. “We are breaking the cycle of recidivism that tells us that 47% will return to incarceration if we continue to do exactly what we have always done.” https://youtu.be/-GG_ZZLdMZs “It’s two albums…with bonus tracks,” said Grammy-nominated Country songwriter/singer Deborah Allen about her critically acclaimed RCA catalog albums released through Legacy Recordings titled “Let Me Be the First” and “Telepathy” whose title track is written and produced by Prince in 1987 (under the pseudonym Joey Coco). https://youtu.be/oXitx3waIdY Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 debuted on her 41st birthday. Nicki’s album has the most #1s by a female rapper on Apple Music Worldwide. One Barb tweeted, “After listening to Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 album, my honest opinion is that… Unfortunately, that Queen crown will remain on her head UNSHAKEN for the next 10 years if not forever.” Another fan wrote, “That’s impressive! Nicki Minaj continues to leave her mark on the music scene.” However, one naysayer gave a dissenting opinion, “Queen of quantity over quality wbk.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ZxAwTvCNr/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=958e7cba-dd9e-4e9d-9eb8-09323b98f24b&img_index=1 North West vibed out to Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2. One person noticed NW blinged out ice, “I can’t believe Kim still had that Barbie necklace Nicki brought for north when she was first born 😩😍 💕.” Another person felt that NW is the most authentic celebrity kid on social media, “North my favorite celebrity kid. I be feeling like internet be forcing celebrities kids on us. North actually got it! Ready for TV for sure! Not just cause of who her parents are. Her personality shines!! ✨ One thing about Kanye West’s little twin is that she will give the people what they want, “I love North. She’s so tapped into culture authentically. We was doing the same thing to our fav artist at this age too.” https://www.tiktok.com/share/video/7289949893005921582?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Fnicki-minajs-drops-her-pink-friday-2-album-on-her-41st-bday-jennifer-lopez-shades-beyonce-more-picvideos%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C71788790%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_card_play&referer_video_id=7310255587684650282 BeyHive believed Jennifer Lopez threw unnecessary shade at Beyoncé when asked who she considered Woman Of The Year. She hummed the melody of Bey‘s hit “Drunk In Love” and decided that Taylor Swift should be WOTY. One fan snapped, “While wearing a chrome breastplate and humming the Dubai riff mind u.” Another fan added, “Lol couldn’t even get the Beyoncé tune out her head for this answer.” Many fans felt JLo built her career on the backs of Black women but has a problem recognizing their contributions, “She never gives black women their 10s is what I noticed.” Girl, its so obvi JLo is so jealous of us, Lol! https://twitter.com/enews/status/1732489657596920218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1732890483351785524%7Ctwgr%5E6f60849ac39c4505c89a4d9c820a533bde1c99bc%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fnicki-minajs-drops-her-pink-friday-2-album-on-her-41st-bday-jennifer-lopez-shades-beyonce-more-picvideos%2F Kerry Washington said if there is a “Scandal” movie, it would be up to Shonda Rhimes, and fans are already on board with the concept. One fan excitedly posted, “Whew.. can you imagine the wardrobe!! And we want the original Fitz, Milly and Papa Pope!!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0j5klBpS-m/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is really going far out of his way to prove he is a true-to-form member of today’s GOP. Like other Republican candidates, he vehemently defends Donald Trump despite the fact that he’s running against him for the presidency. He says things as if they’re widely accepted as true when, in reality, they’re thoroughly debunked as false. And, despite being a brown person himself, he apparently believes white people are intentionally being replaced by non-white people as part of an agenda by Democrats to boost their voting demographics. During Wednesday’s Republican primary debate, Ramaswamy appeared to solidify himself as the chief spreader of absurd conspiracy theories, racist dog-whistling and alarmist nonsense, which is actually pretty impressive given all the competition he had on that stage for that role. Ramaswamy kicked things off by defending Trump and attacking the other candidates for criticizing the ex-president because, apparently, Ramaswamy was hit with a sudden head rush of MAGA dopamine that caused him to completely forget how primary debates work. Then he went on to imply that the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was the work of some nameless, faceless government insider. “Why am I the only person, on this stage at least, who can say that Jan. 6 now does look like it was an inside job?” Ramaswamy said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1732585595958919467 On this day in history, hundreds of African Americans were lynched for coming to the defense of the first Black sheriff in a Mississippi county in 1874. It is one of the more shameful aspects of American history that has seemingly been forgotten amid this country’s purported nationwide racial reckoning. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1732618509782339584/0uEg4Hor?format=jpg&name=small A 26-year-old woman has been arrested on charges she attempted to set fire to the Atlanta birth home of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., according to authorities. Around 5:45pm the female suspect was observed pouring gasoline on the city’s historic property at 501 Auburn Avenue. Fortunately, she was stopped by 2 off-duty NYPD officers who were visiting the home, according to a statement from the Atlanta Police Department. APD officers responded to the scene and arrested the woman. She is being held on suspicion of criminal attempted arson and second-degree interference with government property, police revealed. In a video obtained by 11Alive TV, what appears to be the woman standing on the porch of the home and pouring what appears to be gasoline on the house, can be seen. Also in the video, you can see what is believed to be the two off-duty NYPD officers detaining the woman until Atlanta Police arrive. https://youtu.be/0NoK2YgIcyE Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum added that the APD’s investigation revealed two other people – who were visiting Atlanta from Utah – had also seen the woman allegedly pouring gasoline on the porch of the home. “There were quick action. Saved the jewel of our city, something very important to Atlanta,” Darin Schierbaum, the Atlanta Police Chief, said. As of this posting, the suspect’s name or mugshot has been released. Additionally, no further details on the incident were provided. MLK Jr.’s birth home was acquired for preservation by the National Park Service from the King family in 2018 and had been open for public tours through last month when it was closed for an “extensive renovation project” that is not expected to be completed until November of 2025. https://youtu.be/Cj6xKbxKNX0 Rev. Al Sharpton has joined forces with singer Al B. Sure! and controversial former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to pressure the Biden administration to reverse Medicare cutbacks. Sharpton and Sure recently launched the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HETC) to call for the rollback of coverage for blood tests that help detect early signs of organ rejection in organ transplant recipients, Fox News reports. Al B. Sure! was personally affected by the medicare cutbacks after receiving a life-saving liver transplant in 2022, according to the outlet. “This transplantation community is a community that has no prejudice because, you know, liver disease and things of that nature, or heart disease and kidney disease, there’s no prejudice,” Al B, executive chairman of HETC, told Fox News Digital. “This is not about politics,” the singer noted. Tiffany Red penned a lengthy open letter to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs amid his mounting sexual assault cases. Red calls out Diddy’s abuse and claims she has been left “traumatized” after witnessing him abusing her friend Cassie. Red’s response comes weeks after Combs settled a $30 million lawsuit with his ex-girlfriend Cassie. Last month, she accused him of rape, physical abuse, and sex trafficking during their decade-long relationship. Details of the settlement have not been revealed. “Throughout my time knowing Cassie, I’ve seen many concerning instances,” Red wrote in the letter to Combs published in Rolling Stone. “There were occasions when I heard (Combs) yelling at her and making threats, observed her so high I was afraid of her overdosing at a party (Combs) threw for her in Malibu, and witnessed (Cassie and Combs) getting IVs after a different night of partying.” According to Red, she witnessed some of the “events detailed in my friend Casandra Ventura’s now-settled civil lawsuit.” https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Monica shocked fans this week when she confirmed her split with incarcerated rapper and longtime boyfriend, C-Murder. Several fans thought she was still in a rumored relationship with music manager Anthony Wilson, according to MadameNoire. However, on Dec. 5, the singer hit up social media to reveal her heartbreak over a convict. The R&B songstress wrote, “OMGGGGG I haven’t said his name in 2 yrs can yall follow my lead like yall did when I brought him up one band one sound,” she started, adding “Well , here it is in short ! I got my heartbroken (again) and that’s ok! I learned yet another valuable lesson! I went through it , got over it , now I can laugh about it ! Life continues ! I feel great that through it he has representation to one day be free ! Let’s move forward!” Monica wrote. Monica teamed with part-time legal assistant Kim Kardashian in 2020 to help free the No Limit rapper from prison. C-Murder, born Corey Miller, is serving life in prison for the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Steve Thomas in 2009. Miller, brother of rapper Master P, appealed after one of the jurors, Mary Jacob, revealed she (and other jurors) received “brutal” pressure to vote guilty. But his murder conviction was upheld by the court. Mariah Carey has released a new music video for her iconic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” https://youtu.be/MyaZikRn0d4 People reports that the video features unseen footage from her “Merry Christmas One And All!” tour. MiMi’s 12-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe, also make an appearance. The songstress will release a mini-documentary on her YouTube channel on Dec. 17, giving fans an “exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous preparations and magical moments that define the tour,” per the news release, People reports. Meanwhile, Carey kicked off her “Merry Christmas One And All!” tour on November 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and the sold-out show wraps on December 17. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0aBG53LKHc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again You might think you’ve seen everything in sports. Well, that was until you saw the feat – or feet, if you will – that Rasheed Bello was able to achieve on Wednesday. He blocked a shot using his shoe! Midway through the game between the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons and the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles, Bello lost his right shoe in the middle of a play. Instead of stopping to put it back on and hampering his team’s efforts on defense, the guard picked up his fallen sneaker and remained in the play. And when Southern Indiana’s Jack Campion rose to attempt a shot from just inside the three-point line in front of Bello, the junior proceeded to use his stricken shoe – still held in his right hand – most unconventionally: to block Campion’s shot. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FwyxN90S65U?feature=share A 70-year-old Uganda woman is making international headlines after giving birth to healthy twins. Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Center announced that Safina Namukwaya welcomed boy-girl twins at the Kampala facility on November 29. She has set the record for the eldest woman in Africa to give birth. The medical facility dubbed her “Africa’s oldest mother.” The mother and her babies are reportedly doing well after the delivery, and Namukwaya is breastfeeding and pumping her milk. Namukwaya’s fertility specialist, Dr. Edward, told TODAY.com that the babies were born prematurely at 31 weeks via C-section. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=880124993441406Y A 33-year-old Ohio woman is facing an “abuse of corpse” felony charge after she gave birth to a stillborn in the toilet of her bathroom. Brittany Watts is accused of trying to plunge the toilet after clogging it with the baby and leaving it there while “she went on with her day,” prosecutors said, New York Post reports. https://youtu.be/g8S-WsaNCXc Watts miscarried at 22 weeks, and forensic pathologist George Sterbenz testified during a recent hearing that the “fetus was too young to be delivered.” “It was going to be non-viable because she had premature ruptured membranes — her water had broken early — and the fetus was too young to be delivered,” Sterbenz added, WKBN reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1730746601734373434 It is the most wonderful time of the year! Everyone is enjoying and experiencing the spirit of the holidays, especially the Honorable Diane E. Watson. This is also a special season for a special reason. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the Honorable Diane Edith Watson was glowing brightly in the spotlight on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Metro officials, elected officials, family, friends, and community stakeholders were in attendance for the event in Leimert Park Village honoring the Honorable Diane Edith Watson. The Honorable Diane Edith Watson celebrated her 90th birthday on November 12, 2023, and all throughout the week; Los Angeles honored her illustrious career of public services. Kendrick Lamar has reportedly purchased a multi-million-dollar penthouse in Brooklyn. According to the New York Times, Lamar purchased the pad for $8.6 million. This condo is one of 106 units at Pierhouse, which was built in 2015 and spans two buildings. Lamar’s three-level unit is 2,000 square feet, boasting four bedrooms and a private rooftop with views of Brooklyn Bridge Park and the East River. Matt Damon and Amy Schumer also reportedly own condos in the building. Celebrity Net Worth reports that the listing for the spacious unit reads: “Every detail has been attended to in this superbly designed penthouse level home. This perfectly positioned residence is second to none with protected, unobstructed views of the Manhattan Skyline, Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. Soaring 18 ft ceilings with oversized windows flood this home with light all day and create the perfect frame for these mesmerizing views.” Lamar’s condo can be seen in the YouTube video below, from when it was newly built in 2020. https://youtu.be/KMyiWINqgh4 The third season of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” kicked off December 1. “He’s going to have to deal with obstacles and re-directions and truth that he didn’t see coming and truth that he did see coming,” Curtis said of Kanan. “It is all about how he puts one foot in front of the other and keeps his mind on his ultimate goal of finding the truth, which is finding who he’s right now,” the actor continued, adding, “because his sense of self and his sense of world has been shaken up, jumbled and destroyed in the last two seasons.” “Raising Canan tells the origin story of fan-favorite character Kanan Stark (Curtis), originally played by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in the flagship series. According to the series synopsis: “This season delves further into his evolution from the devoted son of Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller) into the eventual ferocious, amoral and pragmatic personality fans know from “Power.” https://youtu.be/ZG6Jw5xgP9s “ Russell Simmons discusses his ex-wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, in a new interview and claims she stole millions from him to use as bail money for husband Tim Leissner. The hip-hop mogul previously filed a lawsuit against the couple for allegedly using some of Simmons’ shares of his Celsius Energy Drink company as collateral for Leissner’s federal bond in his fraud and money laundering case. He ultimately pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Hip Hop DX reports. “I must’ve been a sh*t partner, from what I hear,” Simmons told Graham Bensinger in a viral new interview. “No. I was very generous and tried to be supportive,” he continued. “We were together 15 years, Kimora and I. And for eight years, we were married. And together for seven, before that. And then, I was best friends with Kimora throughout the entire raising of my children.” Simmons continued, “So, I tried to be flexible, and accommodating, and supportive. And sometimes, things don’t work out. You’ve seen the lawsuit. I had no choice. I think Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha, anybody would have sued. […] She gave what is now, today, based on the value of the stock, $800million to the government illegally, and now I’m fighting to get my half of it back.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1732842135236583544 Bad press is good press. Beyoncé continues to troll her naysayers by posting her Amex platinum blonde tresses. However, some fans still question her alabaster appearance and suspect she is bleaching her skin complexion with glutathione therapy. One person said, “my boo in her Micheal Jackson era 😍.” Another criticized the “Renaissance” artist by posting, “Beyoncé understands her success is due to her proximity to whiteness. Any darker and she’d just be another R&B singer, so she went in for the white re-up 🤷🏾♂️.” However, other Hive members were not standing idly by and quickly checked the Beyoncé slander, “This like the first time in her life she going buss down 613 and y’all coming for her like a platinum blond weave/wig hasn’t been the go-to slay for some years now. She a white woman now? Y’all tripping.” One social media user said in the comment section, “This woman is NOT bleaching her skin. She has always been light skin and y’all saying she was darker in the 2000s because the girl was tanning her skin to fit into her target market. If you google Beyoncé no makeup in the 2000s you’ll see she’s this shade light bright as hell. Y’all need to accept she been playing y’all and making y’all think she darker than she really is.” Hoopz, Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander, and Flavor Flav, William Jonathan Drayton Jr., had a mini-reunion. The two briefly dated after the conclusion of Flav‘s reality show “Flavor of Love.” One person on X tweeted, “Bruh better try to get that old thang back! It’s spin the block season.” Another reasoned, “If Nelly & Ashanti can rekindle, why can’t Hoopz & Flava Flav?” https://twitter.com/i/status/1732512253197406259 A fan of Robin Thede‘s female hotep character Dr. Hadassah Olayinka Ali-Youngman Pre-Phd from “A Black Lady Sketch Show” referenced the character to poke fun at Adele posing in a headscarf that many felt culturally appropriated the beauty and fashion exuded by Black women. Robin replied, “SEE, SEE, SEE… the ONLY Adele I recognize is Adele Givens! THIS Adele is just GIVENS us cultural appropriation! See, see, see…This white woman would have us Rolling in the Deep sunken place! Don’t fall for it my brothas and sistas!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0kaJ8IvgPX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=008005ca-6ea3-4759-9eb5-69618dcabea9&img_index=1 During a recent appearance on Showtime’s Thriller 40 documentary, will.i.am explained why Michael Jackson pioneered ad-libs on songs. As Hip Hop DX reports, the rapper/music producer played Jackson’s background vocals on 1982’s “Beat It” to support his point. “For all the new school cats that are going on record and ad-libbing, I’m sorry. Michael did that first,” will.i.am said. “Why was he yawning on a record though? It shows the freedom and how comfortable he felt in the studio without worrying about people’s judgment or like, ‘Yo what’s that?’ Because you know he was bringing the freaking skills,” he added. The Black Eyed Peas frontman continued: “You knew he was bringing ultra talent and imagination for him to be like, ‘You know what? I feel like yawning right here.’ And I listen to his ad-libs, he’s doing all that [beat boxes]. He’s doing all this rhythmic stuff.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1731882189191537009 Florida A&M Law Alumna Zsa’queria Martin recently went viral after passing the New York Bar Exam “with a score high enough to waive into any UBE jurisdiction!” she shared on social media. This means she can practice law in any of the 41 states under UBE jurisdiction, MadameNoire reports. The Uniform Bar Exam is administered nationwide and “is designed to test knowledge and skills that every lawyer should be able to demonstrate prior to becoming licensed to practice law,” the official website states. “It results in a portable score that can be used to apply for admission in other UBE jurisdictions.” Candidates who score at least 270 out of 400 can transfer their test scores to any state under UBE jurisdiction. “I made it over the minimum threshold to be able to transfer my score into different UBE jurisdictions,” Martin, a 2023 FAMU College of Law graduate, told MadameNoire. https://www.instagram.com/p/CylefAzLFum/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=294f4d5e-c784-4b0c-b844-3638c7b4cabb&img_index=1 It’s not clear if it’s going to help him in the court of public opinion, but Russell Simmons is speaking out regarding the many sexual assault allegations against him. He claims he’s taken nine lie detector tests since being accused by 18 women. Simmons, 66, made the comments during a new interview with the podcast “In Depth with Graham Bensinger.” He admitted to being “crude” and in “compromising situations” in his past but still denies he’s guilty of any violent allegations against him. In the interview, the Def Jam Records co-founder said he’s taken numerous lie detector tests since multiple women (over a dozen) have accused him of sexual assault allegations, including rape. “I took nine lie detector tests, people don’t know that,” Simmons said. “Nine separate — seven from the Chairman of the Polygraph Association. One for each and serious accusation.” https://youtu.be/KjGTkXcGdLk Former “106 & Park” host Terrence J. and his girlfriend Mikalah Sultan are engaged. The Shade Room reports that Terrence, 41, popped the question to his 25-year-old lady love on Dec. 3. An Instagram user named Troy Millings shared a photo of the beautiful moment, and Terrance reposted it. According to BET.com, Millings captioned the image: “Congratulations to my brother @terrencej & @mikalahstyles on their engagement,” she wrote, The Blast reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0aiiBsMLSi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Social media users shared their reactions to the couple’s engagement. In The Shade Room’s comment section on IG, many were critical of their age gap. One user wrote, “Y’all don’t think it’s weird a 41 year old wants to marry a 25 year old? Is it just me??? Another said, “The age gap would be concerning to me if I had a 25 year old daughter being pursued by a 41 year old man. I wonder if her parents approve, especially her father, and if her parents are the same age as Terence. Maybe they have a large age gap, and they approve. It just feels gross to me when couples have large age gaps.” A third added, “Men brains don’t fully develop until like 43 to 45. So some be mentally immature. Also they look for fertility if they want kids. And look for these young chicks to pop kids out.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0j8BssvA_c/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=20d6927b-ba8f-43da-80f3-fb4ea61772ff&img_index=1 Beyoncé, who usually doesn’t speak to her fans via social media, broke protocol and posted a lengthy caption thanking her BeyHive for their unending support for her tour and the subsequent film “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.” The megastar writes, “I am so deeply thankful to AMC and every team member who worked so hard on this film. I just can’t thank all of you enough for your support. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done because of the short turn around time. I practically slept in the edit, color, and mix sessions. The race against time continued in order to get this film out so quickly. But it was so worth all the grind. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from my Hive. And WOW! I am so touched and encouraged by the incredible reviews!!! I love seeing everyone all dressed up in their most opulent lewks in the theaters. The mute challenges still happening, even in the theater!! Y’all are cracking me up. Please keep that energy going. I can’t wait to see what else yall do 🙂 I also love seeing the positive take aways from people who were not my fans or didn’t yet know my story. The people who had no interest in seeing my shows who have now gained a deeper understanding and respect for all it takes to be a RENAISSANCE woman. I’m very proud that we launched the film on World AIDS Day in memory of my Uncle Johnny. I pray I continue to make something that lifts all of y’all up the way you continue to lift me up. While I’m often critical and feel my art is never finished, the pendulum swings. I feel gratitude. “We did it.” We have the #1 movie in the country! And a 💯 on Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 🥹 And it’s because of you and your support! I humbly thank you.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0iNHutRK3u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Former Destiny’s Child member LaTavia Marie Roberson sat down with Carlos King, who revealed his concept for a DC 5 reunion. However, fans weren’t feeling the lackluster interview due to Latavia skirting questions with vague answers. One person remarked, “Sis was still on MUTE, IM SORRY SHE did not GIVE US THE TEA!! SO MUCH SHE WASNT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT.” Another person added, “This interview was irritating to my soul!!!!! Like girl why did you even show up with them half a** answers 😒 and what’s with the attitude https://www.instagram.com/p/C0g5EpvLR_h/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again” Oprah, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey, Fantasia Barrino, Ciara, Danielle Brooks, Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Andra Day, and Angela Bassett slayed the purple carpet for “The Color Purple” L.A. premiere. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ido5WuNuR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2b395f36-a952-4897-9705-18e835ce9d9a&img_index=1 Aubrey O’Day has long held a vendetta against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. The former Danity Kane member recently took to her IG Stories to post Sean Combs‘ statement declaring his innocence regarding a newly filed lawsuit, as Kanye West‘s “Jail” plays as audio. One person jeered, “Between her & 50 they haven’t took their foot off his neck yet 😩.” However, another poster warned Aubrey for stirring the pot too much, “Aubrey if this man offed his BM and the other friend then Kimora house caught fire. Bodyguard social media accounts are disabled don’t you think you should hush baby love.” While none of the accusations have been proven true in a court of law, Diddy is considered guilty in the court of people’s opinions. Aubrey spoke “Only Stans” podcast about Diddy giving some his artists back their publishing rights, “At the end of the day, we’re all just willing to turn a blind eye. Diddy is just literally known as a guy that doesn’t pay his artists, and it’s funny and then you move on and you like something that he did on TikTok ’cause he’s funny. But for people that worked for six years of their life and entered an industry where somebody made, what, 48 million dollars and we didn’t even see a penny of that? We were in thongs and five-inch heels for years of our lives on stage, and not not any of it did we see.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0h6oPIp1VT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Shedding light on its long-awaited and oddly secretive CosMc’s concept, McDonald’s on Wednesday finally shared more about the café pilot, which seems to be its answer to Starbucks. It was weirder than expected. Over the summer, McDonald’s teased the test of a new restaurant concept. https://youtu.be/9Uvwed6PWHE We knew then that CosMc’s is named for a little-known McDonald’s character, an alien. We also learned that CosMc’s “is a small format concept with all the DNA of McDonald’s but its own unique personality,” in the words of CEO Chris Kempczinski, who discussed the concept during an analyst call in July. On Wednesday, Kempczinski finally revealed more during an investor event. https://youtu.be/z0ENMvW1d_s The widow of Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss will join the judges’ table on the new season of “So You Think You Can Dance.” Allison Holker Boss, a professional dancer, met her late husband through the series. She will join Nigel Lythgoe, Maks Chmerkovskiy, and longtime host Cat Deeley when ‘SYTYCD’ Season 18 premieres March 4, People reports. The Fox show announced the new judging panel on social media, writing, “Meet us on the dance floor 🕺💃 #SYTYCD is BACK for Season 18 – Monday, March 4 on @foxtv and next day on @hulu!” “So You Think You Can Dance is television’s preeminent dance competition, and we are thrilled to bring the beloved show back for an all-new season,” Allison Wallach, President of Unscripted Programming at Fox Entertainment, said in a statement, per People. “Reuniting Cat, Nigel, Allison and Comfort and, welcoming Maksim into the SYTYCD family, is sure to make Season 18 bigger than ever for their legions of fans around the globe.” According to the network, contestants will “compete in new, intense dance challenges that will give them a real taste of the career, from performing in a music video or a football halftime show to going toe-to-toe on stage with a Broadway performer.” Beyoncé fans are reportedly dumping their “Renaissance” tour clothing at thrift stores struggling to resell them. As the New York Post reports, a Thrift store employee and TikToker named @mistervenus9 showed several of these items in a video captioned: “I have seen non stop silver for the last three months.” In the post’s comments section, one TikTok user wrote, “NYE parties are awaiting these outfits.” Another added, “The way i thrifted my outfit for the concert bc I knew if I at least didn’t wanna rewear it at least it was already created and thrifted.” A third commented, “my mom found renaissance merch sweatpants at the thrift store.” “They trippin bc im not giving a memory like that away no time soon,” another TikToker commented. https://www.tiktok.com/@mistervenus9/video/7307663445430766891?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Fbeyonce-fans-are-dumping-renaissance-clothing%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C71788790%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7307663445430766891 Kodak Black is back behind bars at the Broward County Jail because he got busted for cocaine possession? We didn’t think so. The Sun Sentinel reports that Black – who was pardoned by former president Donald Trump – was arrested and charged with cocaine possession in Plantation, FL. The rapper, whose real name is Bill Kahan Kapri, was also charged with tampering with physical evidence and improperly stopping or parking his vehicle. Essentially, Thursday morning, they spotted his black Bentley SUV blocking a roadway with him inside asleep. It’s noted that his Bentley SUV was towed and cops say it looked like it had been in an accident, noting damage to the bumper and door. https://youtu.be/TJg-KiLasfU Kodak Black was accused of trafficking oxycodone and possession of a controlled substance in Fort Lauderdale in 2022. He was reportedly carrying nearly $75,000 in cash. He was released on $75,000 bond. In June 2023, an arrest warrant was issued for Kodak after he failed to take a routine urine drug test in February. Black would still be languishing in prison today if former President Trump hadn’t pardoned him in 2021. Black was serving time in prison for weapons charges. https://youtu.be/6G-Qi7_AgJg The ex-wife of actor Forest Whitaker has passed away at age 51. Complex reports that True, Whitaker’s 25-year-old daughter with his ex Keisha, shared the heartbreaking news on her Instagram Story, writing, “Goodbye mommy. I love you 4ever and beyond. The most beautiful woman in the world … Thank you for teaching me every single thing I know. I’ll see you in my dreams and I’ll feel you in my heart.” Keisha’s cause of death is unknown at this time, TMZ reports. She was married to Forest for 22 years before he filed docs in December 2018, saying irreconcilable differences made it “impossible for the parties to live together as husband and wife.” Their divorce was finalized in 2021. A Black Texas high school student (Darryl George) who has been repeatedly disciplined by his school over the length of his locs hairstyle, returned to regular classes Tuesday after spending 30 days at an alternative school. He was then suspended again for refusing to cut his hair to comply with a dress code policy his family says is discriminatory. On Tuesday morning, George, 18, briefly attended class at Barbers Hill High School before a school administrator referred him to in-school suspension, according to Candice Matthews, a spokesperson for the family. A copy of the school’s referral notice obtained by CNN states, “Darryl’s hair is out of compliance with the BH dress code when let down. If Darryl corrects his dress code violation he will be allowed to return to his regular classes.” https://youtu.be/0qrLdoy3X58 Three people are dead and one person is in stable condition following a shooting at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, police said on Wednesday. The suspected shooter is also dead. About the shooting: Authorities received a call of an active shooter at 11:45 a.m. local time near Beam Hall, the home of the university’s Lee Business School. Police responded to additional shots fired at the Student Union building Wednesday, which is right next to Beam Hall, according to a university alert. Students and staff and told them to evacuate to a safe area. By 12:37 p.m. local time, police said the suspect was dead. Authorities know the name of the suspect, but will withhold it until the next of kin is notified. The suspect was identified as a 67-year-old career college professor whose connection to UNLV is unknown at this time, a law enforcement source told CNN. Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend broke down in tears during her testimony to Manhattan jurors on Tuesday while describing their tumultuous relationship. Grace Jabbari, 30, testified that the “Creed III” star was volatile and controlling during their two years together. She also claimed he often threatened suicide after their fights. “It felt like I was walking around on eggshells,” said Jabbari, The Washington Post reports. “I had to be perfect.” Majors’ fits of rage ultimately led to him assaulting her in the backseat of a car in March. According to The Jasmine Brand, Jabbari played a recording on her iPhone of the actor demanding that she behave like Coretta Scott King or Michelle Obama. In other words, Majors wanted his White girl to cosplay as Black excellence Kenyon Martin reacted to LeBron James’ heated exchange with Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka on Saturday night. During the Lakers/Rockets matchup, Udoka said the word “b—-” several times, which got James’ attention. “We all grown men,” James said to Udoka. “That b—- word ain’t cool, don’t use it so loosely. Don’t use that word so loosely. Nah, don’t use it so loosely, though. Don’t use it so loosely.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1731787729699021032 James and Udoka received technical fouls as a result of the incident. This was Udoka’s second technical foul, so he was ejected., Lakers Daily reports. Martin believes James should have challenged Udoka for using the b-word on the court. For a coach to have those things to say, I think Bron should’ve taken it a little further in that moment. You callin’ people bitches out here, let’s see who your talkin’ about, dog?” Martin stated on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast. After the Lakers 107-97 win over the Rockets, James and Udoka did not clarify the situation. James told reporters that their conversation was about “Thanksgiving. How much we enjoyed Thanksgiving.” Udoka said, “We had some conversation, and they don’t like what they heard, the refs.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1731324171555127522 Famed television producer Norman Lear, whose wildly successful TV sitcoms including “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons” fused comedy with trenchant social commentary and dominated network ratings in the 1970s, died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles, his family announced on his website. He was 101. “Norman lived a life of curiosity, tenacity, and empathy. He deeply loved our country and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all,” his family said. “He began his career in the earliest days of live television and discovered a passion for writing about the real lives of Americans, not a glossy ideal. At first, his ideas were met with closed doors and misunderstanding. However, he stuck to his conviction that the ‘foolishness of the human condition’ made great television, and eventually he was heard.” Beginning with “All in the Family” in 1971, Lear’s shows tackled fraught topics of racism, feminism, and social inequalities that no one had yet dared touch. The show – which won the Emmy for Outstanding New Series – focused on the white working-class Bunker family and its small-minded, irascible, prejudiced, and oddly likable patriarch Archie Bunker. https://youtu.be/CZbaOBQQlHA Lear lived long enough to become not only an elder statesman of the entertainment industry but to receive accolades that spanned generations, being presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton in 1999, getting inducted into the Kennedy Center at its annual honors in 2017, and becoming the oldest nominee and winner of an Emmy, at 97, in 2019, then breaking his own record in 2020. Before his 100th birthday in 2022, Lear credited work, lox and bagels, the love of his family, and laughter for his longevity. “I like getting up in the morning with something on my mind, something I can work on … to some conclusion,” Lear said. He married three times, most recently to his wife Lyn in 1987, having six children in all, with a 47-year age gap between the oldest and youngest. In a 2020 interview with CNN, Lear reflected on the continuing relevance of the politically conscious comedy he pioneered. https://youtu.be/47Dyn-siZp4 Georgetown University and the University of Virginia have taken steps towards redressing admissions issues. Both universities developed reparations plans for American descendants of slaves. Here’s what Moguldom reports, “Georgetown provides preferential treatment to applicants descended from the 273 people who were once enslaved and sold by the Maryland Province of Jesuits,” the outlet writes. An optional essay at the University of Virginia asks applicants to describe their “personal or historical connection” with the institution, including being descendants of former staffers, ABC News reports. Universities nationwide are considering replacing affirmative action with reparations plans. Students across the nation are studying slavery and seeking symbolic or financial reparations. Moreover, this growing movement is calling for universities to identify and support students who are descendants of slaves. Serena Williams revealed in a TikTok video Sunday that she uses her leftover breast milk to help treat sunburn on her face. So I completely got burned under my eye,” Williams, 42, stated in the clip. The tennis champ recently gave birth to her second daughter and noted that her breast milk is good on her “sensitive skin.” “I was in the sun … long story. Anyways, I’m trying some breast milk. It works for my kid — they say put breast milk on everything and I have a lot extra, so I’m gonna try it for a week or so under my eye and see how it goes,” Williams explained, People reports. “I mean, it already feels better, because — it hurts!” the mother of two said of her sunburn. “All right, I’ll let you guys know how it goes.” https://www.tiktok.com/@serena/video/7308012812989648159?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Making an impact in the world by spreading love, and positivity, and encouraging people to embrace their uniqueness through fashion is one of the main goals for Blake Landon, founder of the clothing brand, BLEU. While this goal is certainly admirable for anyone to have, it is perhaps even more impressive for the seven-year-old entrepreneur and motivational speaker who until the age of four, was unable to speak a word. “We started BLEU because people were being mean to me because I didn’t sound like them,” he said. “When I was two years old I couldn’t speak. I was diagnosed with a phonological disorder and although I tried to speak the words would not come out.” It would take two and a half more years until Blake would experience a breakthrough. Due to the support from his parents and a speech therapist, he was finally able to express himself. Fast-forward to today and Blake can be found with his apparel engaging patrons at major conferences, expos, fashion shows, and festivals, as well as sharing inspirational messages on social media about success, perseverance, and the meaning behind BLEU. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czlr-jiOhKx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again You can gift free pizza from Pizza Hut to delivery drivers this holiday season! Pizza Hut wants to say ‘thank you’ to ALL delivery drivers during the busiest time of the year with the new Reverse Delivery doormat. Each day from Dec. 6 through 10, Pizza Hut “will give delivery drivers a free box of pizza when they leave a box at your door. The mat, which will be available for free at shopatpizzahut.com, features a QR code that scans directly to shopatpizzahut.com where any delivery driver can have the opportunity to redeem a gift card code from Pizza Hut,” per the news release. Put the mat outside your front door or wherever the delivery people leave packages. The cast for the 16th season of the Emmy award-winning series “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has been revealed. The show returns Friday, January 5th at 8:00 PM ET/PT with 90-minute episodes on MTV. The 14 new queens will compete for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and a cash prize of $200,000 for the winner served by Cash App. According to the press release, the premiere episode “will be split into two parts and showcase the iconic talent show as the Maxi Challenge, which are separately themed as MTV’s Spring Break and the “Queen Choice Awards.” https://youtu.be/CwD-Y7lErMY Both episodes will feature a gag worthy twist following the talent show performances, where the queens will be tasked to “Rate-A-Queen” – ranking each other’s performances to determine the tops and bottoms of that week.” Additionally, “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked” gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the backstage drama as the queens anxiously await their fate in the competition, per the news release. The Emmy-winning aftershow will premiere immediately following “Drag Race” on MTV. https://youtu.be/bK_ocBzYN4c Atlanta rapper Ralo may be out of prison, but social media won’t be a part of his life as a free man. The entertainer, who served a multi-year sentence for drug trafficking, celebrated his release with family and friends. Among those on hand for the celebration was fellow rapper Lil Baby who handed Ralo $50,000 cash in one video recently. Ralo was known for flashing up to $1 million in cash on social media before his arrest in 2016. As a result, the “Can’t Lie” rapper’s probation officer has banned him from accessing social media platforms to brag about his money, luxury, and jewelry. “We thought that we would be able to welcome Ralo home in peace. But he has been restricted from all social media platforms until he completes his program,” an Instagram post on Ralo’s official account reads. As for why he frequently displays photos of him with thousands of dollars of cash, Ralo stated, “I like for people to see it… all my fans say it’s motivation,” reports Sandra Rose. https://www.instagram.com/p/CwLWdXXxsw4/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8388eebc-1db4-4d3e-89ba-6f1eda367a09 Famed 60s sunshine pop band 5th Dimension’s LaMonte McLemore’s additional enduring legacy is that of a photographer, contributing a weekly column “Beauty of the Week” to the renowned publication of African American pop culture, JET. Here, for the first time, is his selection of the column’s glory era. JET is an American magazine focusing on news, culture, and entertainment related to the African-American community. McLemore freelanced for JET magazine for more than four decades, principally shooting for its “Beauty of the Week” feature, which encapsulated Black joy, style, and beauty, During this time, he photographed over 500 Black women, most of whom were not professional models. The section, in which a woman was featured in a swimsuit along with her name, place of residence, profession, hobbies, and interests, became one of the most popular among the magazine’s audiences, as it showcased the everyday beauty and elegance of Black women, contributing greatly to what has been called the “first form of social media” by acclaimed contemporary visual artist, Mickalene Thomas. This photographic output serves as a living document of everyday Black fashion and elegance. Nick Cannon spends $200,000 a year on trips to Disneyland with his 12 children. “Do you know how much money I spend at Disneyland a year?” he asked the hosts “The Breakfast Club” radio show on Friday. “Every birthday and Christmas, I’m literally at Disneyland at least once a month, and to move around Disney, like, I’m probably spending $200,000 a year at Disneyland,” Cannon said, Fox News reports. Cannon said the expenses usually include hiring a chaperone and paying for hotel rooms. https://youtu.be/RpB_DNk2hCU Louis Vuitton has officially debuted a pair of prosthetic-looking boots. The optical illusion shoes resemble legs wearing black high heels and white socks. The knee-highs are available in two colors and styles, Illusion High Boot and Illusion Ankle Boot, and are priced at $2,470. The boots were described as “weird s—t,” according to fashion influencer Isabelle Allain, known as @izzipoopi on TikTok followers. “They were on the runway like a year ago and I knew that the second they would come out I had to get them,” she told her 1.4 million followers. https://www.tiktok.com/@izzipoopi/video/7305119134319217925?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Flouis-vuitton-debuts-creepy-prosthetic-looking-boots%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C71788790%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7305119134319217925 Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes discussed their firing from “Good Morning America” on the premiere episode of a new iHeartMedia podcast. “The best way to sum us up, Amy and T.J., is that we’re the folks who lost the jobs we love because we love each other,” Holmes said on the premiere of the “Amy & T.J” podcast, which debuted Dec. 5, Variety reports. According to Variety, the lovebirds are expected to use the platform to address their relationship for the first time in a public forum. ABC News booted Robach and Holmes in January after their affair was publicly revealed. The network parted ways with the couple because their relationship had become “an internal and external disruption,” ABC News president Kim Godwin told staffers in a call in December 2022, per Variety. Robach said she and T.J. have “gone through a year of hell” since ABC axed them from “GMA.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzGr8-vrYaL/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a64903b8-5df9-4fc4-9ada-7d5845011f36 Looks like it was a good idea for Sean “Diddy” Combs to step down as the Chair/CEO of Revolt. That’s because, in addition to all of his (3) other sexual assault cases, he’s now got another one. According to a new complaint filed Wednesday, Combs is accused of sex trafficking and gang rape, among other allegations, naming him along with Harve Pierre, former president of Combs’ company Bad Boy Entertainment, as well as a third assailant. Combs, needlessly to say, is responding to this latest lawsuit with a denial via his representative Nathalie Moar: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” This latest lawsuit is being brought by a woman referred to in it as Jane Doe. The complaint – filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York – states that when the alleged assault happened in 2003 she was only 17. https://youtu.be/Q2MFa0fpcYo Almost a year after it was established, Detroit’s reparations task force is in chaos after two members resigned and another passed away over the summer. One thing about political leaders (mainly Democrats), when it comes to the topic of reparations, they historically like to explore the conversion on its surface but never take meaningful, lasting action. So it should be no surprise that former members of Detroit’s reparations task force claim there’s been a “lack of progress” and “no broad strategic vision,” Daily Mail reports. “I think, collectively, that group of people has different ideas about what reparations is fundamentally and we didn’t get to a place where we had a broad strategic vision,” Co-leader Lauren Hood told the Detroit News. Hood leads the task force along with Michigan Democratic Black Caucus chairman Keith Williams. https://youtu.be/oFKukQoSa9I Lupita Nyong’o, 40, and “Dawson’s Creek” alum Joshua Jackson, 45, were spotted grocery shopping at Erewhon in Los Angeles. Both newly single actors are recovering from the end of their separate relationships and have taken comfort in one another. Lupita attempted to be incog-negro donning a fitted cap and wearing everyday attire. “The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” actress even tried to pull back her passenger seat, ducking from prying eyes while riding in Joshua‘s whip, but sis, we see you!!! Y’all stop playing with the public and announce that you two go together. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0fYi9kRVBx/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=98270b63-6bf1-4b15-bd21-2d9edc3e7262&img_index=1 Marhershala Ali spoke about his excitement working with Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Bacon, Myha’la Herrold, and Farrah Mackenzie during “Leave The World Behind” – Netflix Special Screening on December 4, 2023, in New York City. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0em7Lyr7Dx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A woman who goes by the social media handle @LegendandLegacy tried to support a Black-owned business, but they did such a shoddy job she had to post an IG video exposing their lack of professionalism. She said, “I might even write a review on yelp!” One person came to their defense and wrote, “These guys were interviewed and said your grass was not regular grass. In fact, it was all weeds and rocks. Some of the grass was a “lil nappy,” as I was told. If you read the fine print, you would have known their work schedule should be after snack time but before nap time, which may have been a result in the training difficulty and altercation. Assisted potty time may be required. I would ask you to reconsider the negative reviews of this Black Owned Business as they are hard-working guys with families." https://www.instagram.com/p/C0FMYcPg32q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The third season of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” debuted on STARZ on Dec. 1 and continues to tell the origin story of fan-favorite character Kanan Stark, originally played by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in the flagship series. Melanie Curtis stars as the devoted son of Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller), and the third season “finds the Thomas family in turmoil and reeling from the Mob’s coordinated attack on Raquel last season,” per the official synopsis. https://youtu.be/ZG6Jw5xgP9s Angelic Voices Ministry has retained Freelance Associates as their Business Management/Public Relations firm to strategically guide them to the next level in the music business for their imprint Angelic Voices Music. Based in The Bronx, New York the conglomerate has many ventures under its Angelic Voices Ministry umbrella that consist of a recording studio, music video production, sneaker brand (AliveShoes.com/brand/AVM), music ministry, and soon-to-be-relaunched streaming network Angelic Voices Ministry TV Network on Tikilive.com Broadway in Hollywood is proud to announce that Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical will return to the Hollywood Pantages Theatre this WHOliday season for 17 performances only from December 6 – 17, 2023. Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical first made its Los Angeles premiere at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre 14 years ago during the 2009 holiday season. Tickets for Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical are available for purchase at www.BroadwayInHollywood.com or in-person at the Hollywood Pantages Box Office. Check the website for current box office hours. All prices are subject to change without notice. Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical features a family-friendly performance schedule at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre: Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 10:30am, 3pm, and 7:30pm, Sundays at 1pm and 6pm, and a special weekday matinee on Thursday, December 14 at 3pm. Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical will also play a one-week engagement immediately following Los Angeles in Costa Mesa at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts from December 19 – 24. JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, December 6 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Tonight, Chef JJ cooks up one pot pasta dishes that will become your super simple go to meals! He makes a chicken and penne pasta with a little cajun kick. Then, it’s pasta with shrimp in a creamy pesto sauce. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFx1fYNeKBE CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX is back tonight, December 6 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erBh4fmeXuo From quick ideas for a weeknight meal, to beauty tips that will get you out the door in a flash. Tia Mowry’s practical solutions and infectious personality inspire and inform audiences each week with her love for food, fashion, DIY/home, parenting & more! Catch the new episode this Thursday, December 7 at 9:00/8:00C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttOhLA22VE0 The adoptive parents of NFL star Michael Oher claim he attempted to extort them after alleging he was robbed of $50 million. The retired athlete, whose life inspired the Oscar award-winning movie “The Blind Side,” sued Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy for profiting off his story and likeness. In court documents filed in Shelby County, Tennessee, probate court Oher alleges that the Tuohys tricked him into making the couple his conservators, reported previously. Oher’s 14-page petition to end the conservatorship “alleges that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who took Oher into their home as a high school student, never adopted him. Instead, less than three months after Oher turned 18 in 2004, the petition says, the couple tricked him into signing a document making them his conservators, which gave them legal authority to make business deals in his name,” per ESPN. Oher claims he never received a dime for “The Blind Side,” but the Tuohys said he was paid $138K from the film’s proceeds, The Blast reports. He sent several text messages to Sean and Leigh claiming that he was robbed of $50 million, according to a recent legal filing. Per The Blast, Oher allegedly texted, “Before I moved in I was an All-American, do better guys.” According to the outlet, he added, “I was robbed of $50 million+, 10 million is my final offer.” https://youtu.be/gvqj_Tk_kuM Supposedly, the exes of disgraced former “GMA3: What You Need to Know” co-anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach, Andrew Shue, and Marilee Fiebig are now dating, sources said to People. Do It! Do it! Do It! One person said, “These family reunions are gonna be AMAZING.” Won’t they though! Andrew and Marilee likely trauma bonded over their respective spouses engaging in adulterous affair. Observers are hoping and wishing that Andy and Marilee‘s relationship last longer than those other two. “I hope they get married, and their relationship lasts longer than TJ and Amy’s 😂,” said one well-wisher. Another social media user gave a great example of how such an arrangement may become a success, “Happened with Shania Twain. Her 1st hubby cheated with a close friend. She started seeing her friend’s ex hubby. She and the friend’s ex are now married and the other two cheats are no longer together. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0fDbBEP7TB/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f2c9f5f8-e0fd-4fc2-8b69-daf35b543a34 Kimora Lee Simmons‘ home caught fire on Saturday, and she posted to IG saying she and her children were safe. “My house caught fire. The kids and I are all fine,” posted the 48-year-old entrepreneur. “I cannot express the deepest gratitude to the numerous battalions, ladders and units that attended to us for many hours today and quite possibly saved our lives,” she continued. “THANK YOU!❤️🥺.” Keeping Kimora and her babies lifted in prayer. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0cCDcnrlq4/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ef4e5f6f-e3ec-402b-bed4-cba2ee4ab8ea&img_index=1 Reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee, real name Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, concluded his farewell tour, La Meta (The Goal) on Sunday in Puerto Rico, by announcing he had dedicated his life to Jesus Christ. “My people, this day for me is the most important day of my life. And I want to share it with you because living a life of success is not the same as living a life with purpose,” said the 46-year-old artist to his screaming 18,000 fans at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. “I have to confess that those days are over. Someone was able to fill that emptiness.” Daddy Yankee recited Mark 8:34-38, “What good will it be for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? That is why tonight, I recognize, and I am not ashamed to tell the whole world that Jesus lives in me and that I will live for him,” the singer said in Spanish. He continued: “All the tools that I have in my possession such as music, social networks, platforms, a microphone — everything that Jesus gave me — is now for his kingdom. Thank you very much, Puerto Rico, and I hope that you walk with me in this new beginning. To all the people who followed me, follow Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life,” he added. “Just like Jesus, with his mercy, allowed me to travel the world, in your mercy, Father, I hope you allow me to evangelize the world from Puerto Rico. Amen.” One person commented, “Ppl better open up their eyes. These entertainers are trying to be saved because they know something coming. GOD bless him!” We hope Daddy’s conversion is authentic and we have to keep in mind Acts 2:17, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”https://www.instagram.com/daddyyankee/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2808df62-5dff-4e18-b192-5292b2d2a2ad Chase Young of the San Francisco 49ers wanted to celebrate his win with his family but dealt with an overzealous drunk fan who wanted his attention. Peep how his mama slapped the woman’s hand when she tried to grab Chase. https://twitter.com/NBCS49ers/status/1731479549303808286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1731701930559217756%7Ctwgr%5E7c27e041ad4a7253c0b90d53913638fddfdf5425%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fexes-of-t-j-holmes-and-amy-robach-reportedly-dating-reggaetons-daddy-yankee-dedicates-his-life-to-jesus-more-picvideos%2F BergenPAC, in association with Ray and Vivian Chew of Chew Entertainment, will ring in the New Year with a Joyful Celebration with a performance by Gospel Superstars Kathy Taylor, Hezekiah Walker, and Brian Courtney Wilson. The Joyful Celebration will occur on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., celebrating Rev. Dr. Lester W. Taylor Jr. and his 30 years of service as Senior Pastor of the Community Baptist Church in Englewood, New Jersey. The evening will feature performances by gospel legend Kathy Taylor, multi-award-winning Brian Courtney Wilson, and the incomparable Bishop Hezekiah Walker, plus The Community Baptist Church Choir of Englewood. The concert will be under the direction of Ray Chew and Community Baptist Church’s Minister of Music, Tyrell Belle. A Los Angeles man suspected of shooting to death three homeless men last week as they slept has been charged with murder for the killings of the men and another person at his home in San Dimas, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Monday. Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, has been charged with four counts of murder, one count of residential robbery, and one count of being a felon with a firearm. He also faces special circumstances including multiple murders and murder in the course of a robbery, according to the criminal complaint. Powell was arrested last week in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in nearby San Dimas during a robbery. Investigators using surveillance technology then linked him to the killings that same week of the three men in Los Angeles, the city’s Police Chief Michel Moore has said. Investigators recovered a gun authorities believe was used in the robbery, according to a Friday news release from police. https://youtu.be/aajmGZI_PnM Powell appeared in court Monday afternoon in a yellow jail jumpsuit, but his arraignment, when he will be asked to enter a plea, was postponed until January 8. He was denied bail. “As with every client, we are committed to presenting a vigorous defense for Mr. Powell and holding the prosecution to their burden of proof,” the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office said in a statement to CNN. https://youtu.be/IT_K6awOGvM Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) marked World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, with a critical call to action. The Congressmember, who is running for U.S. Senate, urged her colleagues to pass legislation that will reauthorize the PEPFAR program. This U.S. Government-supported global initiative provides lifesaving HIV medications to people in the United States and around the world who can’t afford to buy them. “World AIDS Day is an opportunity to celebrate the incredible progress we have made toward becoming an AIDS-free generation. In the past two decades we’ve saved 25 million lives, especially among the Black community globally, through transformative programs like PEPFAR,” said Lee’s statement. In 2003, with bipartisan support – and after vocal and extensive advocacy by members of the Congressional Black Caucus — Congress passed the law approving the program. Former President George Bush, who famously championed the program, signed it into law. On Nov. 30, Dr. Robyn Neblett Fanfair, Acting Division Director in the Division of HIV Prevention at the National Center for HIV and the Centers for Disease Control, said the AIDS crisis is at a crossroads. A White female Alabama officer with the Reform Police Department was suspended for using a stun gun on a handcuffed man – and the disturbing incident was caught on camera. In the clip, the unidentified cop in Pickens County was filmed on December 2 berating 24-year-old Micah Washington, a Black man, following his arrest on a trafficking fentanyl charge. The video shows Washington pinned against the hood of the police cruiser during the traffic stop. The two exchange words, at which point the man responds, “I ain’t doing s***, bro. I got a gun right there.” As soon as the officer pulled the gun from his pocket, she immediately deployed the stun gun on his back. “Do you want it again? Shut your b***h a** up!” the officer tells the man as he cries out in pain, TMZ reports. “She tased him in the back and she was holding it. She was just holding it there until he started crying,” said Jalexis Rice, Washington’s girlfriend, WVTM 13 Birmingham reports. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-12-05-120423-police-brutality-1738196-288/ Trevian Kutti, Kanye West’s former publicist, is among the 19 people who were indicted for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Fulton, Georgia, alongside former President Donald Trump. Kutti is now accused of threatening a witness in the case and could face additional charges, according to Newsweek. The incident occurred during an Instagram Live session on Nov. 28, where she responded to a man who said the evidence against her was strong, MeidasTouch.com reports. “There’s a woman sitting somewhere who knows this whole thing is a lie, who knows I never did anything to her, who knows she begged me for help,” Kutti clapped back, Fox5 Atlanta reports. “There’s a woman sitting somewhere who knows that I’m going to mess her whole life up when this is done.” https://youtu.be/IwKQ8zKkgSY LSU star Angel Reese claims she missed four games due to a mental health break. “It was a long two weeks to be away from the team,” Reese explained to reporters following LSU’s recent 82-64 victory over Virginia Tech, BET.com reports. “Taking time for yourself is really important. I just felt like that was something that was important, resetting and refocusing within the team,” she continued. “I’m just happy to be back and this place was amazing tonight. I’m just happy to be here with them,” Reese added. The “Bayou Barbie” said her 4-game absence was due to her prioritizing her mental well-being. Jeannie Mai recently appeared on Jennifer Hudson’s talk show and claimed she was blindsided when Jeezy filed for divorce. Sources close to the hip-hop star said this is false, as Jeezy’s estranged wife knew divorce was imminent, RadarOnline.com reports. Sources connected to Mai and Jeezy tell TMZ Hip Hop that the pair attended several sessions of marriage counseling before Jeezy decided their relationship was “irretrievably broken.” Jeezy filed for divorce in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 14, after two-and-a-half years of marriage. According to People, the filing there is “no hope for reconciliation.” https://youtu.be/WzT8T4fNmDs Deion Sanders and Tracey Edmonds have called it quits after 12 years together. On Sunday night, Edmonds confirmed on social media that she and Coach Prime will not live happily ever after together, saying the decision to pull the plug on their relationship was mutual. “To EVERYONE who has been there for us, supported us, and shown us love,” she wrote, Sports Illustrated reports. “We have mutually decided that it is best for us to move forward in life AS FRIENDS and have made this decision with love in our hearts, respect for each other, and appreciation for the time we’ve shared together,” Edmonds added. “Please keep us in your prayers as we go through this transition. Thank you for being there for us ALL THESE YEARS! We love you and appreciate you SO MUCH!” In 2019, Edmonds announced she and Sander 's were engaged after eight years of dating. In a throwback image of the couple, she added the caption: “Sending LOVE to MY LOVE/MY FIANCÉ @deionsanders! ??? God is SO GOOD! We’re 8 years in, made it through the storms TOGETHER, and will be spending the rest of our lives TOGETHER! To all the couples out there… stay REAL with each other, LISTEN to each other, and MOST of all.. keep LOVE and GOD in your heart. When you do, you can make it through ANY storm!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzXPn0Wr0bE/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7f396957-a8c6-4ea2-9869-7388a5a31f7a Today, let’s honor the achievements of famous Black baseball players and the valuable contributions these home run heroes made on and off the field. Until Jackie Robinson broke the color line in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1947, African American baseball players were limited primarily to the Negro Leagues. These leagues were a farm full of fresh Black talent, including the likes of Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard, to name a few. These pioneers of one of America’s favorite sports dealt with unimaginable pressure. From being ridiculed by their teammates to withstanding abuse and resentment from the crowd, they had their fair share of challenges. Yet they persevered, changing the face of the game and opening the gates of opportunities for other aspirants. Number 42 at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers was how Jackie Robinson entered MLB. As the first African-American player on the team, the young man achieved many feats throughout his brilliant career. As he advanced, he won many awards, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, and more. Considered one of the greatest baseball players ever, Josh Gibson was a prolific hitter whose size and strength made him a threat both at the plate and behind it. At just 18 years old, he had garnered attention from the media, particularly for his iconic 580-foot home run into the left-field bullpen. For years, fans claimed it was the longest drive ever hit in that ballpark. A baseball hero and the recipient of the Medal of Freedom, Hank Aaron was a force to be reckoned with. Aaron began his professional baseball career in 1952 in the Negro League. He shifted to the major league with the Milwaukee Braves, eight years after the color barrier was broken. His unparalleled skills and talent quickly established him among the top Braves’ players and got him the National League batting title in 1956. Season after season, Aaron turned in strong batting performances, slugging out at least 40 homers that got him the title “Hammerin’ Hank.” However, what got him the well-deserved praise and attention was when he broke Babe Ruth’s record of 714 career home runs. https://youtu.be/E0WqSd6o2-M Lil Nas X dropped a new “Christian” song, and Tyrese Gibson is not feeling it. The openly gay rapper told fans recently that he’s entering his “Christian era,” and his new reflective track includes the lyrics, “I’m trying hard to face my pain. Give me hope when I feel less.” Some fans can’t wrap their heads around a queer man embracing Christianity. “Free me from worry and wanting pity / Free me from all this envy in me / I don’t want these feelings / I don’t want these feelings / I call on angels / Im trying hard to face my pain, yeah / Give me hope when I feel / Give me hope when I feel less,” Nas X sings on the new single. “GOD IS NOT AN ERA. IT’S A LIFESTYLE,” one X/Twitter user commented before Tyrese responded to the song under The Shade Room‘s post about the song. “Y’all gone learn to stop playing with God … God is not to be played with … From shoes with devil signs and devils blood in the [shoe] sole?” Tyrese wrote. “We can all change I get it but I feel a way about people making a mockery about Jesus. Do you, life your life .. Do what makes you happy but yall better stop playing with Jesus out here.” https://twitter.com/lilnasxmajor/status/1730385091807862982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1730389521714544670%7Ctwgr%5Ed350b0b2a70255f7f48e9601c2d95f13bdb6ca91%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Ftyrese-slams-lil-nas-xs-new-christian-era%2F A new trailer for the upcoming feature about late reggae music legend Bob Marley has dropped. According to the press release, “Bob Marley: One Love” celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, the film, per What To Watch, “celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.” “There were a lot of reservations,” Ben-Adir, 37, tells EW about his initial reluctance to play Marley. Despite having portrayed Malcolm X and Barack Obama previously, the actor remained doubtful about his ability to take on the reggae superstar. https://youtu.be/ajw425Kuvtw Rumor has it that Ashanti, 43, and Nelly, 49, are expecting their first child together, according to US Weekly. Speculation arose when the pair attended Nelly‘s Black and White Ball in St. Louis. Ashanti and the “Get It Poppin” artist appeared to confirm that she was with child as Nelly jokingly and repeatedly touched her stomach. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-12-04-120423-nelly-ashanti-1737389-252/ Jeannie Mai told Jennifer Hudson she was blind-sided with the rest of the world when Jeezy filed for divorce. Many people weighed in and concluded Jeezy, government name Jay Wayne Jenkins, is a narcissist, except one fan, “after hearing about his childhood, honestly I don’t think he has the ability to trust and truly love any woman. I actually feel for him. She ignored every red flag from his previous relationships.” However, other critics are holding Jeannie’s feet to the fire for her past comments about Black men, “Well considering she said black men aren’t for marriage and she prefers to keep them on the side that’s what she gets,” said one person on X. https://youtu.be/WzT8T4fNmDs Social media influencer Asher Glean made a fatal mistake in introducing his lady to Ne-Yo who decided to serenade the lady away from Asher. “We are always the architect of our downfall 🤣…May God deliver us from evil,” said one fan. Asher captioned the video, “Ayo!!! @neyo chilll with those riffs!! Bro started singing his new song “Link up” like rent was due 😭😭😭 @lakikane.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzlvydZNxgX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Carlos King interviewed LaTavia Roberson about her years in Destiny’s Child and the events leading up to her being kicked out of the group. However, some fans are wary and intrigued about this sit-down and the energy the 2:40 is giving. One person posted, “It’s giving she still battling an addiction, It’s also giving she feeling some type of way about Beyonce and Kelly and it’s giving I believe she has some truth to feel how she feels…… I’m interested.” https://twitter.com/thecarlosking_/status/1731788507364852213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1731801527151456739%7Ctwgr%5E66741dc5af08ee2199b449621eee86fbf1907f11%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fashanti-and-nelly-seemingly-confirm-she-is-preggers-jeannie-mai-was-blind-sided-when-jeezy-filed-for-divorce-more-picvideos%2F “Candy Cane Lane” is a holiday comedy starring Eddie Murphy as Chris, who inadvertently creates Christmas chaos as he embarks on a mission to outshine his neighbors in the annual Christmas home decoration contest. Little does he know that a mischievous elf named Pepper, played by Jillian Bell, has plans to spice things up. Upon striking an unwitting deal with Pepper, Chris inadvertently triggers a magical spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life, turning his quaint town into a festive battleground. Now, in a race against time, Chris, his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and their three children must navigate through the chaos, break Pepper’s spell, and save Christmas for the entire town. https://youtu.be/Y9d2G3l3UO4 Attorney Antonio Moore looks deep into Revolt TV channel founded by Sean “Diddy” Combs and asks questions on its underpinnings. Why was it created? What is the channel’s funding? Who owns Revolt TV both in the past and present day? Moore pulls the layers back and he looks at the MOU agreement with Comcast signed by Al Sharpton, NAACP former President Ben Jealous, and Marc Morial President of the National Urban League which was a major step that allowed Comcast to acquire NBC Universal. Moore also reviews admission by Sean “Diddy” Combs of issues that he had with Comcast distribution and support of the channel. Connecting Revolt TV and Diddy to a larger critique of Black celebrities he has made prior framing it as Decadent Veil covering up the lack of Black American wealth. https://youtu.be/Esn6dHpndUk Jason Lee is making news on social media today because he’s … Jason Lee. In the court of public opinion, he’s been charged as guilty because he called Jennifer Hudson illiterate! Here’s the back story. Tuesday morning Lee served as guest host of “The Breakfast Club.” He was reporting on Jeannie Mai’s appearance on the “Jennifer Hudson Show” where she said she was blindsided by Jeezy’s divorce filing. Then, he adlibbed this: “She went on the ‘Jennifer Hudson Show’ because that’s where you go when you want to get your word across…I guess.” You could hear Charlamagne Tha God seemingly reacting to Jason Lee’s dig by saying, “Damn.” That’s when Jason added, “We all know Jennifer Hudson is illiterate.” https://youtu.be/cpmQ9MoVj1M If you’re not familiar, Jason Lee rose to fame when he appeared on 3 seasons of “Love & Hip Hop Hollywood.” Lee, who’s very, very openly gay, brought diversity to the show. It’s said that his time on the show helped open the door for more acceptance of homosexuality in the hip-hop community. On the other hand, as you can imagine, he’s got tons of haters, mainly due to his very messy behavior. And as a result of that messy behavior of his, social media is none too pleased with the words about JHud that came out of his mouth. https://twitter.com/i/status/1732103734484767016 Former BET program director Stephen Hill clapped back at Lenny Kravitz’s claims that he has never been invited “to a BET thing or a Source Awards thing,” the rocker said recently in an interview with Esquire. Kravitz told the publication, “And it’s like, here is a Black artist who has reintroduced many Black art forms, who has broken down barriers — just like those that came before me broke down. That is positive. And they don’t have anything to say about it?” “I have been that dream and example of what a Black artist can do,” he added. Kravitz claims BET has never invited him to an award show and that Black publications don’t celebrate his success. What he failed to note is that the team behind Black artists tends to ignore Black media and give preferential treatment to white outlets. The Source reports that Hill denied Lenny’s accusations in an Instagram post. He shared a photo of him and Kravitz with the caption: “#FlashbackFriday @lennykravitz and ya boy on the set of #106andPark on what I believe was his first, but I KNOW was not last visit to the show. One of my favorite musicians/performers of all time. Loved stretching the mold and programming his music on WILD-AM in the early 90’s, as well. Looking forward to his new music! Have a great day everybody!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0UgiBoPl9o/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7dcdb0a0-8f20-44f5-9f81-d169b55b5bab Jamie Foxx denied being a clone after suffering a health scare in April. The Oscar winner accepted the Vanguard Award for speaking at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino, and AAPI Achievements in Los Angeles on Monday. Jamie joked, “I know a lot of people who were saying I was cloned out there. Boy, y’all ain’t s—. Black people, when we almost die or go through something like that, there’s two phrases, one of two phrases we say,” he continued. “One is, ‘Lord, have mercy, Jesus. Lord, have mercy, Jesus.'” The actor gave an update on how he is feeling presently and also dropped an interesting detail he experienced during his ordeal, “It feels good to be here. I cherish every single minute now. It’s different. It’s different. I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy, because it’s tough when you almost… When it’s almost over, when you see the tunnel,” he said.“I saw the tunnel. I didn’t see the light!” he added. “It was hot in that tunnel so I didn’t know where I was going. S—, am I going to the right place? I seen the devil goin ‘C’mon, now.’” https://youtu.be/i0ZGWMRLuHs While out making her media rounds promoting her new film, the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” Taraji P. Henson told Tracy Smith of “CBS Sunday Morning” that she had to audition for her role as Cookie Lyon for the hit hip-hop melodrama “Empire.” Taraji revealed that while her co-star Terrance Howard did not have to audition for his role as Lucious Lyon, she had to undergo readings. So, in true Cookie fashion, Taraji slapped the heck out of T’s face during an audition. Sorry, not sorry. The Golden Globe winner also revealed how she still has to fight for equal pay because Hollywood still doesn’t respect the talent and labor of Black women. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Wj81uuEcH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Corey Hawkins, one of the stars of “The Color Purple,” spoke about how he championed Danielle Brooks to have the role of Sofia, popularized by Oprah Winfrey when she first played the character in the original 1985 film. Corey‘s kind words brought Danielle to tears because they were classmates at Juilliard who then struggled to break into the entertainment business and are now co-starring in one of the most anticipated films of 2023. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0F1wTrp9N3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The movie “Home Alone” needed: a nosy Black neighborhood because she would have clocked all the shenanigans. Check out the skit by comedian Mel Mitchell for a little holiday chuckle. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png When it comes to Black people in pursuit of building Black wealth in America, their plan most likely includes owning land, owning property then passing it to the next generation. Yet, that plan works only if the family members who have steward over the asset have a unified vision and understand the responsibilities that come with it. When I read about a Black family in Alabama, and their legal battle to retain 40 acres of land that have been in their family for generations I had to talk about it with a family who has worked together for the past 50 years to protect their land and homestead. Martin and Milford are two brothers in a group of nine siblings. They successfully have worked together on their parents’ shared vision. Click the video to hear how these brothers have passed that vision to the next generation. https://youtu.be/Bim4-cxo7Ys Quarterbacks Jayden Daniels of Louisiana State University, Bo Nix of the University of Oregon Michael Penix Jr. of the University of Washington, and Ohio State University wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. are the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, organizers announced Monday. The trophy, which is awarded to college football’s most outstanding player, is voted on by 870 media members and 57 former winners. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in New York on Saturday night. Daniels, a senior, threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns in his fifth season – his second with the Tigers. He completed 72% of his passes. He also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 scores. Nix, a senior using his sixth year of eligibility, threw for 4,145 yards and 40 touchdowns. Nix, in his second year with the Ducks, completed 77.2% of his throws, tops in the nation. https://youtu.be/DkMAFKSmALw Latrice Pace is an extraordinary talent, seamlessly embodying the roles of Singer-Songwriter, Actress, and Serial entrepreneur. Hailing from Atlanta’s renowned First Family of Gospel, The Anointed Pace Sisters, Latrice was born and raised amidst a rich musical heritage. Her dynamic presence and remarkable versatility have propelled her to heights in the entertainment industry and as an entrepreneur. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrPTBOZBS7Q As a non-profit organization, The Impact Network seeks to connect with a diverse coalition of organizations and partnerships to improve and impact lives within the urban community and beyond. The Impact Network believes in community, making an impact, and highlighting those who serve the community. December 7-9, 2023, The Impact Network will present a live 3-day CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA honoring the legendary Dr. Bobby Jones. This spirit-filled broadcast event will feature Gospel music's most notable artists, including Kurt Carr, Ben Tankard, Vickie Winans, Jekalyn Carr, and more. THE CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA will take place at Impact Network Conference Center and Studios, Decatur, GA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlJnukE_V4k The beloved Long Island medium Theresa Caputo is returning to television – this time for 20 episodes of Lifetime’s all-new series, Theresa Caputo: Raising Spirits. From Magilla Entertainment, the show follows Theresa as she explores the next phase of her personal life and embarks on a much-anticipated tour, including sold-out shows in London, for Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience. The three-time New York Times bestselling author will share her incredible gift with viewers while balancing new family dynamics like divorce and becoming a grandmother. Theresa Caputo: Raising Spirits will premiere in 2024 on Lifetime and no topic will go uncovered: from spending time as a devoted friend, mother, daughter, grandma, to many exciting first-time adventures. She’ll celebrate her son’s wedding, help her daughter adjust to motherhood, visit with her parents next door…and channel her share of spirits for others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIEuDaryVl8 MSNBC is canceling journalist Mehdi Hasan’s one-hour weekly show as part of a new weekend lineup change. The news-based cable channel is launching “The Weekend,” a morning news show on Saturdays and Sundays, Deadline reports. Per Hip Hop Wired, “the news of Hasan’s show ending was met with dismay, considering that he was one of the journalists who had been asking hard questions of the Israeli government as their war against Hamas…,” the outlet writes . Hasan, who joined MSNBC in 2021, will remain a political analyst and fill-in host on the network. His Peacock series will also end. Per Deadline, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said it was “bad optics” for the network to axe Hasan’s show “right at a time when he is vocal for human rights in Gaza with the war ongoing.” https://youtu.be/HD-yRuTasHU The Weeknd has directed $2.5 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund to support emergency efforts in Gaza. The United Nations World Food Programme announced the musician’s (born Abel Tesfaye) initiative on Dec. 1, Billboard reports. Thanks to the donation, 1.8 million pounds of food parcels – equivalent to four million emergency meals – will be delivered to over 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks, per the report. “This conflict has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe beyond reckoning. WFP is working round the clock to provide aid in Gaza but a major scale up is needed to address the desperate level of hunger we are seeing,” said WFP’s Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Region, Corinne Fleischer. “Our teams need safe and sustained humanitarian access, and continued support from donors to reach as many people as we can,” Fleischer continued. “We thank Abel for this valuable contribution towards the people of Palestine. We hope others will follow Abel’s example and support our efforts.” Henry Kissinger, who died on Nov. 29, 2023, at age 100, exercised more than 50 years of influence on American foreign policy. I am a scholar of American foreign policy who has written on Kissinger’s service from 1969 to 1977 as national security adviser and secretary of state under the Nixon and Ford administrations. I have seen how his foreign policy views and actions played out for good and, mostly, for ill. When Kissinger entered government as Richard Nixon’s national security adviser, he espoused a narrow perspective of the national interest, known as “realpolitik,” primarily centered on maximizing the economic and military power of the United States. This power- and transactionalist-oriented approach to foreign policy produced a series of destructive outcomes. They ranged from fomenting coups that put in place murderous dictatorships, as in Chile, to killing unarmed civilians, as in Cambodia, and alienating potential allies, as in India. Usher got emotional during the final performance for his Las Vegas residency on Saturday. In the TMZ clip, the music superstar dropped to his knees on stage Saturday while singing “Without You.” Usher covered his face with his hands while surrounded by his dancers, other on-stage crew, and show collaborators, TMZ reports. After wiping away some tears, Usher said, “God bless you, I love you.” The singer’s “My Way” shows in Vegas started in July 2022 and wrapped on December 2 after a 100-concert run. He celebrated the final performance on X/Twitter, where Usher shared a clip of his interview with Trevor Nelson in 2004, discussing a potential residency in Sin City. “I am such a theatrical artist,” Usher said at the time, People reports. “I would love to be in a space… if I did decide to go to Las Vegas, it would be the most phenomenal thing you’ve ever seen in your life.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-12-03-120323-usher-1737314-685/ Entrepreneur and violinist Joy Black recalls being teased and bullied constantly in school throughout her childhood. She had a different style and different interests than most of her peers – one being her passion for the violin. Despite never witnessing anyone who looked like her play the string instrument, when she first picked one up at the age of 13, she knew there wasn’t a bully or naysayer alive that could keep her from pursuing it as a career. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzzUv3JxIKQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “I had a dream where I saw myself on stage performing in front of thousands of people. It felt so real, and it gave me a sense of hope and something to strive for,” said Black, 26. “I had never even seen or heard of a black woman who was a violinist, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The violin is the reason I made it through high school because my orchestra class was at the end of the day. No matter what I had to endure during the rest of school, I wanted to be there. That was my escape.” Black would struggle with an eating disorder as a teenager due to the frequent abuse she took from classmates. To make matters worse, before graduating from high school, she recalls a teacher telling her that she would never make any money as a violinist, and to pursue another endeavor. “Now I am traveling and getting booked for events across the country. That is why I tell people to never listen to doubters. Focus completely on your goals and you can do whatever you want,” she said. To date, Black has performed at numerous high-profile and corporate events, including for the Prince and Princess of Ethiopia, Gatorade, Delta, Essence, CBS, The New England Patriots, and the 2023 Alliance of Georgia Democrats. She has also written music for the Denver Youth Orchestra and appeared in a song and music video for rapper Latto. https://www.instagram.com/p/CwX4RlAox6S/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Harlem fashion designer Dapper Dan has teamed with GAP again for new hoodies just in time for the holiday season. Dapper Dan’s latest 18-piece collection for DAP GAP includes apparel and accessories for adults and kids. The line includes graphic hoodies, totes, baseball hats, socks, and ascots that boast the “DAP” motif. “This is exciting for me because we are now offering products for kids for the first time. I have a commitment to instilling hope in the young people who are coming up behind me, and I want them to see who I am and what I’ve accomplished, so being able to dress all generations, including the kids, is very meaningful to me,” Dapper Dan said in an interview with HIGHSNOBIETY. Sizes range from toddler 2T to adult XXXL, with prices starting from $25 to $128 USD. Take a look at the collection via the Instagram clip below. “A breakthrough is when people finally find their space in areas they have never been before, but a breakout is when you take the culture and the people who created it and bring it around the world. When Gap came to me, this partnership signified a breakout for the culture,” said Dapper Dan in a statement, HYBEBEAST reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0MoN6vJQde/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces multiple sexual assault allegations, and 50 Cent continues to troll him over it. Over the weekend, the rapper/actor took to social media to post a photo of the Bad Boy Records founder’s face merged with convicted sex offender R. Kelly. The post was backed by Kelly’s 1998 song “Did You Ever Think.” “Diddy do it?” Fiddy captioned the post, referring to accusations that the music producer sexually assaulted and abused multiple women, including his ex, singer Cassie. Combs recently settled a $30 million lawsuit with Cassie after she accused him of rape, physical abuse, and sex trafficking during their decade-long relationship. Details of the settlement have not been revealed. “No, he will be fine,” 50 Cent captioned an Instagram photo of Diddy, Complex reports. “He has so much money, when his corporate partners pull out, he will just reach in his pockets and make it happen. You saw how fast he paid Cassie. He’s a real Billionaire. He has f*ck you money, guys. So f*ck you!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1731339042590224776 Darius Jackson and Keke Palmer have requested that their domestic violence court date be postponed. Palmer was granted a temporary restraining order against her baby daddy in November after accusing him of physical abuse. The “Nope” star also received sole custody of their nine-month-old child, Leodis. We reported previously that the actress submitted evidence showing Jackson abusing her as part of a restraining order against him. Palmer, 30, claims Jackson, 29, has been abusive throughout their two-year relationship, according to US Weekly. She reportedly provided the court security footage from November 5th showing Darius “trespassed into my home without my knowledge or consent” and “threatened” her before “lunging for my neck, striking me, throwing me over the couch and stealing my phone,” according to the court docs. Keke also detailed “many instances of physical violence” with Darius that included “destroying my personal property, including diaries and prescription eyeglasses, throwing my belongings into the street, throwing my car keys to prevent me from driving away, hitting [me] in front of our son, spewing profanities about me to our son, threatening to kill himself with a gun if I left him, harassment, and other physical and emotional abuse.” She filed for a domestic violence restraining order in Los Angeles and included security footage screenshots allegedly showing Jackson hitting her over a sofa. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0VZv7ZupHp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Aaron Hall has recently gone viral for a bizarre throwback interview with VladTV. The R&B singer has been roped into a new lawsuit that Sean “Diddy” Combs. Since the first lawsuit against Diddy from singer and former girlfriend, Cassie, reached social media, the media mogul has been hit with two more. He has since stepped down from his role as Chairman of REVOLT, the music-oriented digital media network he founded alongside Andy Schuon back in 2013. Combs’ newest complaint comes from an anonymous accuser, who alleges Combs and singer-songwriter Hall took turns raping the plaintiff and her friend in 1990 or 1991 – and that Diddy turned violent during a rage days later. These allegations lead us back to Hall’s history of bizarre behavior, starting with his wild interview with VladTV. If you haven’t watched Aaron Hall’s bizarre interview with VladTV, stop everything you’re doing right now and watch it. https://youtu.be/X3PrjTVgteM In 2009, Aaron Hall filmed an online vlog series called “Aaron Hall’s Dog Rehab.” https://youtu.be/pz2wwMd2crY Aaron Hall gives the “dog whisperer” Cesar Millan a run for his money. https://youtu.be/PkKa3QIlduk While dog training, Aaron Hall took a brief moment to educate women on how to take care of their men. https://youtu.be/MEnT77uruDs In 2010, Aaron Hall unleashed his fury on The-Dream, R.Kelly, and Trey Songz. Best quote in the video, “The-Dream is a good writer, but he needs to lose weight.” https://youtu.be/awiCqO-Ye2M The same year, Aaron released “A Day In The Life” webisode with his brother Damion Hall. https://youtu.be/6Y1qAz8JCf4 Aaron calls his former bandmate Teddy Riley a “square,” compares him to an “infection,” and sings all at the same damn time. https://youtu.be/lwhivbcAQ0w Michael B. Jordan had an oopsie doopsie on Saturday and totaled his $350k blue Ferrari by crashing into a parked Kia around 11:30 PM in Hollywood. “The LAPD responded and found no signs of Michael being impaired by drugs or alcohol. Cops did not perform a field sobriety test,” reports TMZ. The “Black Panther” actor walked away from the accident without a scratch but did not explain the mishap. https://youtu.be/EFrbvfjErFU Nicki Minaj hopped on Instagram Live with Monica and Keyshia Cole, sending the Barbz to Barbie heaven. The three friends goofed off and even tried to riff a song together. One person said, “Nicki remind me of the one kid who plays “school” with her friends, but she’s always the teacher. https://twitter.com/ONIKALIVE/status/1730875945286873185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1730948615793754609%7Ctwgr%5Eb103e41345bc8115f87fc181e9d65078d2149fc5%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fmichael-b-jordan-crashes-his-ferrari-police-say-he-wasnt-impaired-nicki-minaj-monica-and-keyshia-cole-link-up-on-ig-barbz-were-hyped-more-picvideos%2F Twitter users said they could always count on the beige bandit Drake to follow the next It girl in the music industry. South African artist Tyla said on “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” radio show she expected Drizzy to hit that follow button. “I knew Drake was going to follow me on Instagram, I was definitely waiting for it and he did follow me,” said the “Water” artist. https://twitter.com/i/status/1730849426065801573 A young man named Derrick cheated on his girlfriend, and she returned the favor by cheating on him and garnished the relationship with a break-up. Derrick went to her home and tried to beg her to come back. He even tried enlisting his mother as his proxy to mitigate the tense circumstances. One person posted, “Please tell me this is a joke. Like I know it is, but I need to be sure cause that little tantrum was crazy 😂.“ https://twitter.com/i/status/1730965821126553688 The Season 2 teaser trailer for HBO’s “House of the Dragon” dropped, along with first-look images of the cast. Matt Smith returns as Daemon Targaryen along with Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, Rhys Ifans, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall and Matthew Needham, per Variety. The newbies joining the season 2 cast include Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne, Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, and Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, Variety reports. “House of the Dragon” is set 200 years before the events in “Game of Thrones” and chronicles the rise and fall of the Targaryen empire. The series is based on George R. R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood.” Martin is the co-creator and executive producer of the show. https://youtu.be/HQ8H5gqGA34 Tamron Hall” hit the road to Atlanta for a broadcast exclusive interview with rapper and television personality Da Brat and her wife Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart for an intimate look into their family life with their new baby, True Legend. Da Brat and Judy opened up about motherhood, what their life looks like now, and how they picked their son’s name. Plus, the couple gave a tour of baby True Legend’s closet! https://youtu.be/6HiPxzs6v4I Da Brat on motherhood and feeling like she has it all: “I love life right now. I love being his mommy. She’s his mama, I’m his mommy. And I don’t know, it’s just like a miracle and I’m just happy and elated every day and I just count my blessings every day. I just feel special like I feel like, you know, God granted me the blessing to have him. I’m tired a lot, I don’t get much sleep. I haven’t gotten used to the schedule but I just do what I have to do to be a great mommy…Like the full circle, I have everything now.” https://youtu.be/JzFhHvtbxZI Da Brat and Judy on picking their son’s name:Da Brat says, “So, I just, you know, I thought Legend was cool and asked her and she loved it but she said we should put something in front of it so we were just trying to figure out what to make the first part so it wasn’t just Legend and one day she was like, True Legend! And I was like, I loved it!” https://youtu.be/bAAeWIIHj5I The Rev. Al Sharpton got more than public recognition at theGrio’s second annual Grio Awards. as a years-long beef with media mogul Byron Allen is now in the past. The civil rights icon received the 2023 Justice Icon Award at the event, via the nationally televised “Byron Allen Presents theGrio Awards” on CBS. The award honored Sharpton’s five decades of activism in advancing civil rights and social justice (watch via the video above). Taking to social media, Sharpton voiced his appreciation for the recognition. “Truly humbled to receive the 2023 Justice Icon Award at The 2nd Annual Grio Awards,” the “PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton” host expressed in a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter.” A heartfelt thank you to Byron Allen, @theGrio, John Legend, Spike Lee, Nick Cannon, and everyone who believes in the power of justice. Thank you to any and everyone who ever believed in me.” https://youtu.be/e5CQo8SfdhM As noted in his tweet, Allen was among the people Sharpton thanked for his Justice Award. The move marks a contrast to how things were between the two, who were on opposing sides as far back as 2015. During that year, Allen’s $20 billion racial discrimination lawsuit was reopened by a federal judge. The suit, filed by Allen’s Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. and the National Association of African-American Owned Media (NAAAOM) against Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN), Comcast and Time Warner Cable, centered on allegations that the defendants blocked equal access for Black-owned networks, according to a Moguldum report. https://twitter.com/i/status/1728876559296344165 Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, December 4 at 9 PM ET. When a 911 call reports an apartment fire, police arrive to find a young woman lying on her bedroom floor. As firefighters clear the area, they discover that it was no accident. Was it an unfortunate tragedy or a plan to cover up the truth? Find out tonight at 9 PM. PAYBACK returns tonight, December 4 at 10 PM ET. After a gunshot victim is identified as a recent suspect in an earlier killing, Northern Virginia police must determine if the crimes are somehow connected. Are the deaths random acts of violence, or a heinous act of revenge? Find out tonight at 10 PM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29e99w9cQc8 New Music from Ricky Dillard! From Choirmaster II the new single "When I Think." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jt5H7ZcjBM Fantasia Barrino Taylor, Taraji P. Henson, and Danielle Brooks have more in common than just starring in the upcoming remake of the beloved classic The Color Purple. They all have compelling success stories rooted in the Hollywood dream and the strife they’ve overcome to achieve it. And better yet, maintain it. Fantasia, Taraji, and Danielle cover Elle’s Women In Hollywood December/January issue alongside Jennifer Lopez, Jodie Foster, America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Eva Longoria, and Greta Lee. Fantasia, whose star we watched rise from her beginning days on American Idol, is opening up about the pitfalls she endured during her career, including going broke thanks to diabolical management and past partners. “I gigged for 20 years straight. Can you imagine being onstage just about every day the way I perform? Why is it that I ended up broke, twice, with nothing? They took it all, they took it all,” she revealed in her Elle cover story penned by Danielle James. “And I was taking care of my whole family.” For Fantasia, life imitates art in The Color Purple. “I was out here vulnerable, thinking that every man that says they love me, loved me. I’m in abusive relationships, getting my ass whooped. I’ve been spit on. My life is so much like Celie’s,” she explained. Filming The Color Purple was a career-high for Taraji. P. Henson, who brings to life Suge Avery. While discussing the film in her Elle cover story, the TPH founder reflected on what it was like being on set. “I remember being on a set and looking around like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve never seen Black people look so beautiful.’ [The director Blitz Bazawule] took such great care and he allowed us to bring what we had to it. It wasn’t about trying to reinvent the wheel or trying to do what Oprah and [the original cast] did before us. He really allowed us to just make it our own. And that’s a scary thing to do because we’ve got big shoes to fill. I just think everyone came and showed up and understood how important this piece of literature is to our culture. We brought our hearts and our souls. We just left it on the set every day on this film, everybody. It was such a beautiful moment of my career.” If you didn’t have the pleasure of seeing Danielle Brooks’ scene-stealing performance in the Broadway adaptation of The Color Purple, you’re in for a treat because critics are raving about her performance in the remake. Brooks got candid about struggling with imposter syndrome, in her cover story. Brooks received life-changing advice from Oprah, who told her she has “everything I need within me, and that the ancestors are with me on my journey. They truly have been.” She added, “This role has called for a lot physically, mentally sacrificing, being away from my family for so long. So to know that I’m surrounded by love and support, not only from my earthly family, but from my spiritual family that have passed on—they’re with me. She reminded me that in moments where I felt like, ‘I do not know how I’m going to do this scene again.’ She was there picking up the phone, just available to me. So not only was I taught that lesson, but I also was taught to pass that on to someone as well. When it’s my time, and I’m in a position similar to hers, to make sure to give that same amount of grace, love, and support that she gave me.” “It was my first Broadway show. But, it brought a lot of pressure for me. I had this imposter syndrome and did not understand how, in my first Broadway show, I’m Tony-nominated. All of these things started creeping up of, ‘I don’t deserve this.’ But getting to sing ‘H**l No,’ the song that Sofia sings every night, and say h**l no to my fears, say h**l no to this voice that is putting doubt [in me] and saying that I’m not worth it—really was healing for me. Decorated U.S. Olympian and maternal health advocate Allyson Felix opened up about the death of her former teammate Tori Bowie during a televised interview on Sunday morning. The track star appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and addressed Bowie’s pregnancy-involved death last year, her own struggles during childbirth and the overall topic of Black maternal health. Felix recalled her own experience of being compelled to “hide” her pregnancy from her main sponsor Nike because of contractual reasons, calling it “a really isolating and lonely time, instead of a really – a time that we could celebrate.” That tragic-turned-triumphant experience is in part what helped Felix become an advocate for maternal health, a topic she discussed and contextualized with her teammates’ complicated pregnancies as well as Bowie’s death in May of this year from complications from childbirth. Bowie was about eight months pregnant with a developed fetus when she was found dead, according to an autopsy. Officials have speculated that Bowie’s death could have been brought on by a condition called eclampsia, which is defined by the Mayo Clinic as “a complication of pregnancy” that “usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy in women whose blood pressure had previously been in the standard range.” Notably, it can be deadly if left untreated. Felix — with severe preeclampsia — gave birth to her son in 2018 after having to undergo an emergency C-section at 32 weeks. The life-threatening experience changed her life completely and now Felix looks to help others become aware of the maternity mortality crisis Black women face. DOMINIQUE SIDE makes her way back into the music industry as an artist with a Christmas Advent classic “O Ven, O Ven Emmanuel." This classical bilingual rendition was thoughtfully made to include as many as possible in experiencing holiday cheer especially during this pandemic. "O Ven, O Ven, Emmanuel" is available everywhere music is sold and streamed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1D3xLLghIY&feature=youtu.be&themeRefresh=1 Pinky Cole Hayes makes being nine months pregnant with her third baby, on a book tour, being a philanthropist, and running a multimillion-dollar business look easy. If it sounds like a lot, it is, but the founder of the meatless hamburger brand Slutty Vegan is so committed to being successful that she wants to spread that success to others as well. Cole has been serving as a judge on Revolt TV’s “Bet on Black,” a series that highlights up-and-coming Black entrepreneurs like Cole used to be. “This is my second season now and when I did it the first time, we had a ball,” she told CNN. “Then this season came back up again, and they reached out and said ‘We’d love to have Pinky on’ and I’m like ‘Okay, I’ll do it.’ Because this is my lane, entrepreneurship, and it was a cool way to be able to showcase my entrepreneurial expertise.” https://youtu.be/aFKCOgO7Gfw With Slutty Vegan, Cole has parlayed her past as a former producer for “The Maury Povich Show” into helming a massively successful restaurant chain. But she hasn’t stopped there. She’s also the author of “Eat Plants, B*tch: 91 Vegan Recipes That Will Blow Your Meat-Loving Mind” and the more recent “I Hope You Fail: Ten Hater Statements Holding You Back from Getting Everything You Want.” Not to mention her philanthropic work that has seen her pay off college students’ debt, and a development deal she’s working on in her hometown of Baltimore for a new retail area in a deal that’s supported by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank. https://youtu.be/QyslFvMTWsk “To look back at where my life has grown since 2018, I know that I’ve done a lot, but I still have a lot of work to do because I want to be the best,” she said. She has a great partner in her husband, Derrick Hayes, who is the founder and CEO of the extremely successful Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks. Yes – the founder of a vegan restaurant chain is married to the founder of a cheesesteak chain, but it helps that he too is committed to both his business as well as helping other entrepreneurs. Together, life can be hectic, with Hayes’ two daughters from previous relationships along with their two tots and soon-to-be third child. Cole laughs when she mentions that she has “been pregnant since 2020” and will now have three children under the age of three. It’s been challenging, she admits. https://youtu.be/IHznLi9oyf That mom guilt came from the fact that I was always traveling, always in business meetings,” she said. “And yes, I have my village and I’ve got the people that support us holistically, but you know, I was gone a whole lot.” She said she refuses to “be less of a mom because I want to be more of an entrepreneur, or vice versa.” “Now I’ve merged both of those worlds,” she said. “If I’m doing anything with business, nine times out of 10, you’re going to see me with my kids.” It’s all hard work, which is why Cole feels ideally suited to help advise other business owners. As Slutty Vegan is poised to open a location at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, she said she knows what it means to dream big. https://youtu.be/GDJCXjMOZcw Sheryl Lee Ralph’s new documentary short “Unexpected” examines how the new HIV epidemic is impacting straight Black women. HIV infection rates among Black women are 11 times higher than those among White women and four times higher than those among Latina women, according to the CDC, People reports. “So many people around the world have moved away from the conversation around HIV and AIDS,” Ralph said. “In 40 years, I have seen this narrative around this disease go from that they wanted to call a ‘gay white man’s disease’ to a ‘Black woman’s disease,’ especially the Black woman in the south of the United States,” she added. “It has become the burden of this group of women to continue to do the work of raising awareness, and that’s exactly what this film does,” Ralph said. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0VfkdqrvGB/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=35273f67-9f9e-4ebd-8be4-9b4ceb6de214 Blac Chyna inked a new partnership with Passes, a subscription-based, female-owned platform that offers “clean content,” and no nudity is allowed. The former stripper-turned-holy woman, 35, announced the collaboration Friday in a press release. The move comes weeks after Chyna confirmed she quit OnlyFans, an online subscription service used primarily by sex workers who produce pornography content. “I am so grateful to join Passes, a female-owned platform that lets me show my true self to better connect with my growing community,” Blac Chyna said. “The last year has been transformative for my mental and physical health, and I look forward to sharing more of that journey on Passes. My hope is that telling my story will help people feel less alone and more supported in whatever struggles they may be going through,” the mother of two added, per the release. It costs $9.99 monthly to subscribe to Blac Chyna’s account and includes access to her “day in the life” activities, workouts, and cooking sessions. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0UoT5Vvf_3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Iconic singer, songwriter, and versatile creative force across music, video, dance, and fashion, Jody Watley, is set to infuse the holiday season with joy and musical magic on Sunday, December 10. As the luminary host of “The Jody Watley Show,” Jody Watley will curate a special festive episode, bringing her unique blend of classic and contemporary R&B to SiriusXM The Groove, Channel 51. With her distinct touch and artistic flair, Jody Watley is poised to create an unforgettable holiday experience for listeners, making “The Jody Watley Show” a must-tune-in destination to kick off the season with style and soul. Among the festive tunes, Jody Watley will showcase her mesmerizing rendition of “Christmas Time Is Here,” a captivating release from 2022. https://youtu.be/pfpI8GdSXxs Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles were honored over the weekend at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Night of Legends on December 3 in Orlando, Florida. The pair were named the 2023 USATF Athletes of the Year after winning gold medals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest over the summer. Richardson was also awarded the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year award. Her coach, Dennis Mitchell, was named Coach of the Year. “With the God that I serve, everything happens when it’s supposed to happen. So when I stand here today as the world champion, that’s because now was the time for that to happen. Now is the most impactful it would be, the most powerful it would be, and the most sincere it would be,” Richardson said in her speech, per Olympics.com. https://youtu.be/_gmJwwiQ_As “I understand the influence that I have, I understand the responsibility that I have to USATF and as a top female USA athlete, and to my country, and to my black family, to my beautiful women, to everybody that has been misunderstood for trying to be their best selves and not be put into a category because they do track and field and have been put in a bubble,” she added. Richardson won 100m and 4x100m gold and 200m bronze at World Championships in August, Olympics.com reports. Lyles also won 100m, 200m, and 4x100m at the event. Over the weekend, he received the Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year, award for the third time in his career. “I feel like I’ve shown that as long as you yourself, you work hard, you can display whatever it is that is you, and still get the job done,” the 26-year-old said in his speech. “I told my agent when we first met that I wanted to transcend the sport,” Lyles continued. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0YWpbBunSC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Will Smith attended the third Red Sea International Film Festival on Saturday, where he discussed the sequel to “I Am Legend” with Michael B. Jordan. “I have a call with Michael B. Jordan tomorrow,” Smith said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I can’t tell you any more.” We reported previously that filmmaker Akiva Goldsman said the sequel would follow the first film’s “alternate ending,” which appears on the DVD, where Smith’s character doesn’t die; instead — he’s brought back to life. The events in “I Am Legend 2” occur years after the original. “This will start a few decades later than the first,” Goldsman said. “That will be especially visual in New York. … I don’t know if they’ll climb up to the Empire State Building, but the possibilities are endless.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1731029125165465701 Are you ready for the holiday shopping season? You’re not alone: More than 9 in 10 U.S. consumers plan to celebrate winter holidays and are collectively poised to spend around $960 billion, according to National Retail Federation data. The holidays are the most crucial time of year for many small businesses. Up to 65% of small business revenue comes during the holiday season, a 2022 Quickbooks survey shows. But NRF reports that just 1 in 4 U.S. holiday shoppers plan to do some holiday shopping at small businesses, which are typically defined as having fewer than 500 employees. These small but mighty companies comprise 99% of businesses in the U.S., produce about 40% of the country’s GDP, and employ nearly half of workers in the private sector. They’re also an important part of local communities, too. Research consultancy firm Civic Economics shows that about $53 of $100 spent at independent businesses circulates within the local community, compared to less than $14 of $100 spent at larger chains. With the average American intending to spend $875 on the holidays this year, there’s a lot of potential to reinforce the economic strength within communities if people shop small. To help people do this more intentionally, Next Insurance compiled tips and supporting data on ways to support small businesses this holiday season. This December, The Apollo will celebrate the holidays with events and programs for the entire family, with performances from BeBe Winans, Samara Joy, and Soshana Bean to Double Dutch Holiday Classic and the soul-stirring Kwanzaa: A Regeneration Celebration featuring Abdel R. Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre. This year’s Holidays at The Apollo promises a remarkable array of live and in-person festivities that will celebrate culture, music, and community during the festive season. Holidays at The Apollo are part of the Apollo’s Fall 2023 season and is sponsored by Coca-Cola. http://www.apollotheater.org/holidays-at-the-apollo-2023/ Named to TIME's 100 Next list, Sarah Jakes Roberts' sixth annual Woman Evolve will return to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, September 26 – 28, 2024. As a follow up to 2023's sold-out conference, more than 15,000 women have already registered to attend Woman Evolve 2024—a conference that aims to empower women to progress towards the lives they desire to live. Woman Evolve 2023 was the fastest-selling women's conference in Globe Life Field history as more than 40,000 women attended. Jakes Roberts' conference had an overall economic impact of $30 million in the City of Arlington alone. The attendance and economic impact were on par with previous national touring events including concerts by Lady Gaga, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Elton John, Morgan Wallen and The Stadium Tour (Joan Jett, Poison, Motley Crue and Def Leppard). Earlier this year, renowned artists and leaders, such as Brené Brown, Naomi Raine and Yvonne Orji, took the stage to deliver on the promise of an impactful weekend for the women attending the sold-out conference. The lineup for Woman Evolve 2024 has not been announced, but Jakes Roberts has big plans for Woman Evolve to continue to create a space for women to learn and grow together. An Illinois appeals court on Friday affirmed “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett’s disorderly conduct convictions for making false reports to the Chicago Police Department in 2019 that he was a victim of a hate crime. Smollett can appeal the decision to the Illinois Supreme Court. A jury found Smollett guilty in December 2021 of five out of six felony counts of disorderly conduct for making a false report to police. He was sentenced in March 2022 to 30 months of felony probation, including 150 days in jail, and ordered to pay restitution of more than $120,000 and a fine of $25,000 for making false reports to police. Smollett was released from jail less than a week later after an Illinois appeals court granted an emergency motion by his attorneys to delay his sentence and grant him bail until their appeal is resolved. https://youtu.be/45kznfB5ox4 The actor filed an appeal earlier this year arguing that prosecutors violated his due process rights, in part by not enforcing what his attorneys describe as a binding non-prosecution agreement. Smollett said he was subjected to double jeopardy, took issue with the appointment of a special prosecutor, and argued his sentence was excessive, among other things. As part of the appeal, his attorneys requested he get a new trial with a different judge. The court dismissed the challenges to the special prosecutor largely on procedural grounds. In its order, the court determined it had no jurisdiction over challenges to the special prosecutor because the appointment was the result of an order during the original case, which the court didn’t review. The order noted Smollett did not attempt to appeal the prosecutor’s appointment immediately, instead waiting six months and after he was reindicted. In reviewing the impact of the original decision not to move forward with charges – referred to as nolle prosequi – the court found the Cook County State’s Attorney did not agree to never charge Smollett. Instead, the court said, the process was effectively frozen and did not constitute a disposition. “Here, the State’s nolle prosequi of the indictment was not a final disposition of the case,” the court said. “Therefore, the State was not barred from re-prosecuting Smollett. After the nolle prosequi was entered, Smollett was free to go without entering into a recognizance to appear at any other time, which is the bargain Smollett made.” The court made a similar determination regarding Smollett’s claim the second indictment violated his right against double jeopardy. https://youtu.be/kLD1i0kPr_8 Teddy Pendergrass‘ widow, Joan Pendergrass, has set the record straight after Tyrese Gibson‘s Voltron Entertainment sued her for at least $1 million in damages over the abandoned rights to the late crooner’s life story. Joan asked a court to dismiss all claims brought by Gibson’s production company, according to court papers seen by reporters. Gibson’s lawsuit alleges that his company secured the rights to Pendergrass’ life story in 2011. At that time, Joan agreed to give Tyrese the rights to a book and a movie in exchange for him investing in the projects. He claims the singer’s widow signed off on the deal. Tyrese moved to court, claiming in the court papers that his production company has invested $450k in the project and has worked on it for nearly a decade. But in 2022, Tyrese says Joan refused to sign paperwork to extend the deal, reports Radar Online. https://youtu.be/VReUnowgnMc In other words, Tyrese sold his rights to Warner Bros, therefore Tyrese nor his company has any part in the deal now. “Voltron’s claims are barred because Voltron seeks to enforce an unenforceable agreement to agree,” Joan says in her filed response to the lawsuit. If what she says is true, then this will be a tough legal battle for Tyrese to win. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8EC_FZCpzUQ?feature=share Aaron Hall’s dark cloud of controversy has expanded with new allegations against him from former video vixen turned podcaster Gloria Velez. Velez is accusing Hall and Miami-based rap legend Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell of preying on underage girls in the ’90s. Velez goes on to say she was a victim of grooming from the entertainers, according to a report from theJasmineBrand. ”If you don’t think Grooming Is happening in this business Your sadly mistaken It started in 1994 With Luke and a few others in this business. I was in high school,” Velez wrote in a post discussing the allegations on social media. Putting weight behind her claims, Velez shared a picture of her school ID, noting how she looks “like a baby.” https://youtu.be/vu4iermHBLM Despite Hall being quiet about Velez’s allegations against him, Campbell is doing the opposite by bringing his feelings about the situation to social media. The 62-year-old “Scarred” party starter denied the allegations, claiming he did not know what the term “grooming” meant. Relating to the issue at the heart of Velez’s situation, The Jasmine Brand cited the definition of “grooming” as: “when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1728781930357797231 Iyanla Vanzant has made a career out of helping people overcome personal issues that prevent them from living life to the fullest. Yet the famed life coach and author is finding herself on the other side of the situation when her youngest daughter Nisa transitioned. As any parent knows, losing a child is one of the hardest things to accept, let alone move forward despite an overwhelming feeling of sadness. But Vanzant, who lost her other daughter, Gemmia, from a rare form of colon cancer on Christmas Day 2003, is making this holiday season an occasion to honor her daughters while also taking time to fully enjoy herself during the most wonderful time of the year. When asked about handling grief over her daughters’ deaths, Vanzant viewed it as a “process of restoring wholeness” while coming to peace and being “whole within.” “First, I had to define what healing means. I look at it as the process of restoring wholeness. Wholeness of mind, heart, and body,” the “Iyanla: Fix My Life” host told Essence. https://youtu.be/h6wX7RTaBac “Healing also involves being present and aligned with what is instead of hoping and wishing it was different. There is no amount of hoping and wishing I can do that will bring my daughter back. So, I had to figure out how to come to peace and be whole within myself, knowing she’s never coming back. For me, that’s just spiritual practice. I have no intention of spending the rest of my life feeling bad. I’m willing to feel good now even though my daughter is no longer here. Healing is about accepting things as they are and realizing what you need from moment to moment to be whole again.” https://youtu.be/Z5u1lWkRUlI Despite efforts to keep her divorce from Iman Shumpert private, Teyona Taylor is less than thrilled over the public light shined on the proceedings. TMZ cites sources close to the estranged couple who say Taylor is incredibly disappointed and frustrated with Shumpert for making their identities public in a recent court filing in their divorce case. A private path to divorce was a way for Taylor to protect her kids from the spectacle as well as Shumpert. Hence, the entertainer used their initials when initially filing divorce documents in January. So much for that strategy. “We were able to keep this divorce matter private as Ms. Taylor requested for eleven (11) months in this case prior to Mr. Shumpert’s MOTION revealing the parties’ legal names and making the private matter public,” Taylor’s attorney, Tanya Mitchell, wrote in a legal document. Actress Patina Miller returns for the explosive third season of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” which debuts on STARZ on Dec. 1. This season “continues to tell the origin story of fan-favorite character Kanan Stark (MeKai Curtis), originally played by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in the flagship series, delving further into his evolution from the devoted son of Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Miller) into the eventual ferocious, amoral and pragmatic personality fans know from “Power,” per the series synopsis. “Season three picks up where we left off, in Southside Jamaica Queens with the Thomas family in turmoil and reeling from the Mob’s coordinated attack on Raquel, Marvin and Lou-Lou. After her close call, Raquel is looking to make a fresh start, but Kanan doesn’t trust her or believe it when she says she’s done,” the series description continues. “Can she really be out of the game? Returning this season is Italian mob boss Stefano (Tony Danza), while new adversaries are introduced such as “Snaps” and “Pop” (Wendell Pierce and Erika Woods).” Miller told EUR exclusively that loyal “Power” franchise fans can “expect the unexpected” this season. https://youtu.be/ZG6Jw5xgP9s Megan Thee Stallion did the pretty girl rock at Paris Hilton‘s premiere party for her show “Paris In Love.” However, fans were conflicted about Megan associating with Paris due to the Hilton heiress’ past racist behavior. One person did not hold back her criticism of the reality star, “Why are we always so forgiving? When this alabaster trash wad at her peak she didn’t even associate with black people 🤷🏾♀️ I’m sure there are some financial benefits here but please gatekeeper the culture before they are wearing those damn velour sweatsuits she adored 🥴🤣.” Another fan felt Paris pretending to be besties with Megan was only for the cameras, “So Paris is rebranding as not racist. Interesting. Now she needs blk women 😂 the way the world has flipped.” A third critic noticed, “I find it so interesting that Paris has wiped the internet of her problematic and racist past. Esp right before her “I’m the victim of..” film to reinvent herself.” We guess, since Paris fell off as a fixture in pop culture she had to enlist the Blacks. There is a thought that people change and we should offer grace for growth, which is true. However, others believe once a racist always a racist. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0UYPJ3Lwsz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=02864476-77ec-4cdd-904a-dbb11deb0a06&img_index=1 A TikToker @taibaybee describes how she thought a guy liked her and how he convinced her to call him ‘Master’ and allowed this menace to use the ‘N-word’ as a term of endearment towards her. She later discovered he never liked her and used their “relationship” as an inside joke with his friends. To quote racist pop singer John Mayer‘s song “Daughters,” fathers and mothers, especially of young Black girls, love and teach your daughters how to develop self-love and respect. https://twitter.com/i/status/1730317529418006695 Social media influencer @lovechanellenje asked, “Why is Maxwell’s intro so long?” https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Happy Bday Golden Brooks who turns 53 years young today. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/e6cd2583cea87ccd1edca04734ce6ec8/656c30e2/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c001-tx/6f559cbafce94ec7b79612e95225109f/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=2348&bt=1174&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8ZmowM6cQ_vjI2dsAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=N2ZnPGg1OWhoODw7M2c2ZEBpamkzeDR2PHU0NTMzNzczM0BfLWBfMGFeNjUxNTY2Ly40YSM1YzNlbjZmYTJgLS1kMTZzcw%3D%3D&l=202312030139570300EEADD370B0306208&btag=e00008000 With sales of non-alcoholic beverages recently becoming a nearly half-billion dollar industry, even Target is becoming sober curious. The chain is partnering with Sèchey, an online retailer that sells alcohol-free spirits and wines, to add a selection of popular brands rolling out to 450 Target stores across the US ahead of the typically booze-filled holiday party season. Drinks in the lineup include two celebrity-backed companies: Kin Euphorics, a trendy brand co-founded by model Bella Hadid, and Katy Perry’s De Soi, which makes non-alcoholic apéritifs. Other brands include NOPE and Ghia, both of which produce non-alcoholic canned cocktails, and alcohol-free wine company Surely. Target said in a statement that it’s adding the selection for customers “to enjoy as they prepare to entertain for the holiday season and beyond.” The company regularly partners with external companies to lure in customers, and this holiday season added a collection from jewelry designer Kendra Scott. “Séchey is a great curator of non-alcoholic brands and will help Target to elevate its offer,” Neil Saunders, retail analyst and managing director at GlobalData Retail, told CNN. “This is good for the younger generations that Target already attracts, it’s also a sensible way of creating some interest in the grocery side of the business.” https://youtu.be/bz82dn5cvBE If you’re a Johnny Britt fan, you’ll be glad to know that his label, J-Jams Records, has announced the release of “Ocean Waves” the 3rd single from the “After We Play” album. This Quiet Storm gem follows up on Britt’s star turns with “Butterflies feat. Will Downing” and “Summer Love feat. Gerald Albright & Kashan.” Soul Jazz Singer/Trumpeter Johnny Britt is excited by the release of “Ocean Waves” which continues the momentum of the diverse album that spawned Britt’s first #1 single as a solo artist. “I’ve been looking forward to releasing this track, it’s such a vibe” shares Johnny. “Ocean Waves” features Kansas City’s bass phenom Blair Bryant and was written, arranged, and produced by Johnny Britt, mixed by Nils, and mastered by Ron Boustead at Resolution Mastering. The forthcoming companion music video for “Ocean Waves” was filmed in the Caribbean in the British Virgin Islands. https://youtu.be/v3DnZhDY_HE The inmate accused of stabbing Derek Chauvin, the former police officer convicted in George Floyd’s killing, has been charged with attempted murder, according to court documents. According to the federal complaint, at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time on November 24, Chauvin was in the law library at FCI-Tucson when John Turscak, 52, attacked him with an improvised knife and stabbed him approximately 22 times, causing serious bodily injury. “Federal corrections offices immediately responded and deployed OC spray to subdue Turscak,” the criminal complaint added. According to the complaint, Turscak told the corrections officers he would have killed Chauvin had they not responded so quickly. https://youtu.be/yO5ACD5eqQQ A white male high schooler in Kansas was charged with aggravated battery after he physically assaulted a fellow student and called her the N-word. The violent brawl occurred at Shawnee Mission East on Nov. 15 and was captured on cell phone video. The footage shows a Black female, Brey’anna Brown, confronting a White female classmate about her use of the n-word, which she denied using — and that’s when the white boy popped off, The Daily Mail reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1729546630414680141 The House voted Friday to expel GOP Rep. George Santos, a historic vote that makes the New York congressman the sixth lawmaker ever to be expelled from the chamber. The vote brings an end to a scandal-plagued and tumultuous tenure on Capitol Hill for the freshman New York congressman. Expulsion is the most severe form of punishment for a lawmaker in the House. It is exceedingly rare and requires a two-thirds majority vote to succeed – a high bar to clear. Santos had survived prior attempts to oust him, but there was growing momentum for the latest effort after the House Ethics Committee released a long-awaited report, which concluded that the congressman had “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.” The resolution passed 311 to 114, with 105 Republicans voting with the overwhelming majority of Democrats in favor of expulsion. Two Democrats voted “no,” and two Democrats voted present. https://youtu.be/49pyT90i6-A Santos told CNN after the vote to expel, “It’s over.” “The House spoke,” Santos said. “That’s their vote. They just set a new dangerous precedent for themselves.” “To hell with this place,” he said. Santos announced that he would not seek reelection following the release of the ethics report, but he had refused to resign and denounced the investigation as “a disgusting politicized smear.” https://youtu.be/3VoEogUhfvU Funnyman Dave Chappelle says he was “tricked” by controversial GOP Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. Here is the deal. Chappelle said yes to taking a selfie with the Colorado rep at the Capitol on Thursday (11-30-23). Of course, he could’ve said no but he was just trying to be a nice guy. You see, what he didn’t know was that Boebert didn’t waste any time turning it into a political, anti-trans message on X/Twitter. The pic which also included Republica Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna was captioned by Boebert, saying: “Just three people who understand that there’s only two genders.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1730360863310168105 The comedian has not exactly walked away from accusations of embracing transphobia in his stage act, he is said to be perturbed with what Boebert wrote. Regarding the comic’s reaction to Boebert’s action, here is what a spokesperson told Huff Post on Friday that C happelle “can be ticked all he wants. That’s the reality of the situation. There are only two genders,” And for a little something extra on the situation, check out comic J-L Cauvin‘s hilarious take on the Chappelle-Boebert selfie situation: https://youtu.be/9wKdU2C2lts The new concert film from Beyonce is expected to have a global opening between $30 million and $40 million, according to Deadline. We reported previously that Queen Bey is bringing her Renaissance World Tour to AMC Theatres starting Dec. 1. This is the second movie to be distributed in wide release by exhibitor AMC following “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” — which opened this fall and had a worldwide box office of $250M, according to Deadline. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” will play in thousands of U.S., Canadian, and Mexican theaters (and Israel), with tickets available via AMC and Fandango. Deadline writes, “If the new movie, which is hot with Black audiences and older women, is lucky, it will be lead the box office with a $20M domestic start, and possibly $20M abroad.”“We hear that Renaissance presales at AMC and Regal theaters, which have a big footprint with Black moviegoing audiences, look very robust, while No. 3 circuit Cinemark does not,” the outlet continues. https://youtu.be/AqjPzq3uYXQ The national Black Lives Matter organization on Thursday dismissed as an “imposter” an activist (Mark Fisher) who identified himself as a leader of the movement in Rhode Island and declared he was backing Donald Trump for president. “This is a publicity stunt,” Black Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC said in a joint statement to CNN. “The right-wing continues to use and amplify fringe Black voices to create an idea of broad support for their corrupt candidates.” Trump, in a social media post Wednesday, praised the activist, Mark Fisher, as a “great guy” and said he was “very honored to have his and BLM’s support.” Fisher said he is the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Rhode Island, which is separate from the Rhode Island group that condemned his Trump endorsement. Trump said he spoke to Fisher after Fisher had criticized the Democratic Party in an appearance on Fox News and said he’d be voting for the former president. Trump’s remarks represent a sharp departure after years of disparaging Black Lives Matter and blaming it for violence across the country. He has referred to the group as a “Marxist organization” that is “discriminatory” and accused it of being a “symbol of hate.” His comments also come as the current front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination lo https://youtu.be/ihbBiFkGntkoks to make inroads with minority voters, with polling showing Black support for President Joe Biden softening, particularly among young Black men. https://youtu.be/ihbBiFkGntk KeKe Palmer and actress DomiNque Perry have a few things in common — their baby daddies are brothers, and both are accused of being abusive toward women. Perry claims her “Insecure” co-star Sarunas Jackson, with whom she shares a minor daughter, choked her amid their legal battle over custody of the 5-year-old child named Zen. Jackson filed a “Petition to Determine Parental Relationship” in Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this year, seeking legal and physical custody of his daughter. Perry issued a response opposing the request, Ice Cream Convos reports. She claims Sarunas abused her physically and emotionally for over the past five years. In the legal filing obtained by RadarOnline, she detailed a March 2020 incident where Sarunas choked her out. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzeUsReOBrB/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6372f928-274f-43d4-a38b-b7908d5caa29 Teyana Taylor told Jimmy Kimmel about her experience at the 2023 Met Gala and how she got stuck in her dress. The singer-actress-director told the late-night host how she snuck food into the event and that Jennifer Lopez tried to help adjust her dress so she could go to the lavatory. TT initially thought Anna Wintour would disinvite her from future galas because of Teyana‘s tendency to sneak in outside food, but she’s still on the VIP list. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QgF-FOZZZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Victoria Monét appeared during Usher‘s Las Vegas Residency and gifted him a jacket with ‘Super Bowl LVIII’ etched on the back. Victoria posted on IG about the iconic moment, “What an unforgettable experience! A living legend and a real class act […] We smiled ALL night long and that’s the type of joy you bring to this world with your timeless, limitless art! And your heart is somehow even better than all of this.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0RqDubrFc9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again During her performance, Ari Lennox peppered a hater fan for hurling an object at her. Ari reminded everyone she is from PG County while on tour with fellow artist Rod Wave. Eventually, the sound team cut her mic, and her security had to escort her off the stage before the situation escalated. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0RjfLmMOuv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sarunas Jackson, who starred in “Insecure,” had some interesting things to say about Trey Songz and the singer’s interaction with Keke Palmer. Currently, DomiNque Perry, the mother of Sarunas‘ child, filed documents in California Superior Court to gain full custody, citing the actor’s propensity for engaging in mental and physical abuse. The actor’s brother Darius Jackson is also embroiled in a custody battle with his estranged girlfriend Keke Palmer after video images were released showing Darius abusing the “Nope” actress. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbd04-Hturl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sports Illustrated (SI) revealed Deion Sanders, the University of Colorado Buffaloes head football coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer, as the 2023 Sportsperson of the Year. Sanders’s blend of unparalleled athletic accomplishments and transformative impact on the football program, school, and community of Boulder transcends sports and ripples throughout the culture. Over the past year, “Coach Prime” rebuilt Colorado, turning a team that won one game in 2022 into one of the country’s most popular programs and biggest audience draws. Online team store sales have skyrocketed, and every home game at Folsom Field saw a sold-out crowd for the first time in school history, boasting record-setting viewership. Off the field, the Prime Effect was felt in the Colorado admissions office—first-year, Black, and nonresident applications have all surged at the school—and in the Boulder community, where football success has sparked an economic boom for local businesses. https://youtu.be/giVl5jrrr2E The strides made in Boulder alone don’t fully explain why Sanders is SI’s 2023 Sportsperson of the Year. According to SI senior writer Pat Forde, his use of the transfer portal, his recruiting prowess and his embrace of NIL opportunities for his players are all changing the paradigm of what it takes to build a national-profile college football program. The Sanders journey is just beginning to remake the college football landscape. “Deion Sanders dominated the sports conversation in 2023 as a transformative figure not just in Colorado, but for the entire realm of college sports,” said Stephen Cannella, editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated. “On and off the field, he represents a new model for the modern college coach. The Sportsperson of the Year honor, a distinction for some of the most legendary figures in sports over the past seven decades, is now enriched by the addition of Deion to its roster.” https://youtu.be/XlEkcJwMj6s Your holiday season is about to become brighter with all the new content coming to Netflix in December. As Teen Vogue reports, some of the titles arriving this month include Netflix Originals such as “May December,” starring Natalie Portman, season 2 of the horror series “Sweet Home,” the psychological horror film “Leave the World Behind” starring Mahershala Ali, Julia Roberts, and Ethan Hawke, part 2 of “The Crown” season 6, and Zack Snyder’s space epic “Rebel Moon.” Per Netflix, “Rebel Moon is about Kora (Sofia Boutella), a lone-wolf soldier who’s found community and connection on the quiet farming moon of Veldt. She’s a long way away from her former life fighting for the Imperium, the brutal interstellar royal empire bent on controlling the galaxy. But Kora’s violent past is dredged up when sadistic admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) comes to Veldt via a Dreadnought-class battle cruiser and stirs up deadly trouble on the orders of the Imperium’s tyrannical regent, Balisarius (Fra Fee).” He tells the Black girl, “Shut the f**k up,” and when Brown responds, “Who said that?” the young racist says, “Me, Ni**a. Me.” Then, the male aggressor charges down the hall and pushes and punches Brown repeatedly. Both students were suspended because Brown hit him back, sparking student protests and a walkout on Monday morning (Nov. 27). The students walked out chanting, “How many more times,” “We want change,” and “Have our backs,” the Kansas City Star reported. “This has been an ongoing issue with racism at East. There are multiple situations that have happened over and over again,” said senior Charlize Littlejohn, Atlanta Black Star reports. https://youtu.be/_rHLOXbFZtI Check out the comments from some fellas because Jalen has most of them hurting. Social media influencer @lantbo coined a new terminology, congratuHATE, because Jalen has proven to be the gold standard, and the men are Smokey Robinson green-eyed jealous. “A lot of people are liking this post SIMPLY because they seen @jalenhurts! Ain’t read the caption or nothing! Ol AUTOMATIC LIKE provider’aah . Ni**a inadvertently positively boosting my ratings. 😒,” wrote Phillip Benjamin Hudson, the original poster. Another disgruntled admirer of JH went in with his uplifting roast, “Man what …. Boy if he’ll get his Shemar Moore head ass 😂… y’all trippen 😂 I’ll roast his ass then lol.. fym lol.. young and the restless character looking ass lol.. I was a stunt double for a Tyler perry movie lookin ass 😂.. ion smile I grin lookin ass.. heart to heart conversations is great looking ass .. 😂 .. who ?!! 1999 Soul train host lookin ass .. i know I can, I know I can lookin ass.. y’all trippen Anybody can get it 😂😂… #gotstoseeitthrumyboy 😂. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0RT1fRAKZn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Blue Ivy posed for the cameras at her London film premiere, “Renaissance,” featuring her mother, Beyoncé. Blue even hammed it up for the adoring fans before making their way into the theater because she felt cold. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0SJ6AZPtqy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The late great André Leon Talley once commented on the fashion industry, observing, “There is a famine of beauty.” Well, bay-by, if the famed fashion journalist were alive today, he would be overcome by the deluge of pulchritude that graced Elle magazine’s “Women in Hollywood” issue cover. Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, and Danielle Brooks star in the anticipated musical “The Color Purple,” but the ladies did not come to play. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0RyNV6rdBs/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5b4cddb8-e0a6-49cd-960e-9c6246b0022b Those company potlucks will be fast and furious now that we are in the full holiday season. But remember those employees who have cats, dogs, or other living creatures roaming their homes and position yourself to eat only the store-bought food. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz9BiMtOL15/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Recent studies suggest that the economic picture for Black Californians is not looking rosy. Increasingly, the state is becoming more unaffordable for African Americans, leading many families to relocate to less expensive places both within and outside of the borders of the Golden State. “After pandemic-era declines, California’s poverty rate is on the rise. Expansions to safety net programs during the pandemic reduced poverty substantially, but these expansions had mostly expired by the end of 2022,” reads a report published by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) on Oct. 24. For Black Californians, the poverty rate at 13.6% is more than double the percentage of African Americans living in California, which currently stands at about 5.8% of the state’s population of nearly 40 million. “While economic growth throughout 2022 countered some of these program losses — by boosting family resources from work — the state’s overall poverty rate increased from 11.7% in fall 2021 to 13.2% in early 2023,” the PPIC report continued. 50 Cent revealed in a new interview that he initially offered his 2003 single “Magic Stick” to Miami rapper Trina before it went to Lil’ Kim. [“Magic Stick”] was written for ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’. And then it didn’t make it. I wrote that record intentionally to work with Trina. I sent it to Trina,” 50 said on the Apple Music show, Complex reports. “They f*cked up the record, they sent it back. F*cked up. They had the lyrics and everything on it, and they messed it up,” Fif said of Trina’s team. “Then Gee Robeson came and got it from me, heard the record, and was like, ‘Yo, I need this. I need this for Kim. I need it,'” he added. “Magic Stick” appeared on her “La Bella Mafia” album. Fiddy said Kim took the song and “made a good record” reminiscent of the sexually charged lyrics on her debut album, “Hard Core.” https://youtu.be/Coav1tAY3H4 R&B artist Meli’sa Morgan is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards. The Queens, New York native is known for her memorable ballads with top Billboard hits like “Love Changes,” “Do Me Baby,” and “Do You Still Love Me,” and her mega mid-tempo dance hit “Fool’s Paradise.” Her latest release, “Footprints of An Angel” dropped in 2002, SoulTracks reports. “We are proud to present this Lifetime Achievement Award to an artist who has meant so much to SoulTrackers,” per SoulTraks. https://youtu.be/OnipZPAX5Sw In a post shared with fans on her official Instagram page, Morgan wrote, “I am so Honored to be chosen by @soultrackscom to receive “THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT” Award for 2023! It is so nice to be recognized for The Body of Work I have and The Years I have Been in the Music Industry. I love what I do and I have so much more to Achieve! Thank you so much SoulTracks.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0SwWkjtPt7/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=eeaea3eb-a389-4f45-ae56-141c3e5df304&img_index=1 As the star and brains behind OWN’s #1 hit reality TV show Love & Marriage: Huntsville, now in its 7th season, fans are well accustomed to the vivacious persona, business acumen, and talent of Melody Shari. The mogul and influencer has made her mark in many areas, and she now plans to add music to that list of achievements. Last week during the Thanksgiving holiday, Melody released her latest single – a steamy Christmas track entitled, Mrs. Santa, along with a music video. “The song just came to me. I literally hit up my engineer and manager and said I want to do a Christmas song,” Melody Shari said. “I love Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday. During that time, you think about your loved ones, spending time with the person you love, the fireplace, mistletoe, kisses…. all things positive, all things love, Christmas joy.” https://youtu.be/TBYCuaBaqqY Music producer Mickey “Memphitz” Wright announced that he is set to star in a new dating reality series based in Atlanta. He hit up social media earlier this week to post a flyer for the project to his Instagram Story, The Jasmine Brand reports. The announcement prompted criticism from women who recalled his abuse toward women, including exes K. Micelle and Toya Johnson-Rushing. Memphitz and Toya were married from 2011 to 2016. The two appeared together on “Marriage Bootcamp: Reality Stars” and got into a heated argument, which resulted in him tossing food and screaming at her. The ex-couple decided to participate in the program to help repair their relationship. At the time, he hit up Instagram to address his behavior, writing, “In Life, mistakes will be made & I’m kool with that. Not making the same mistakes twice is where I’m at with it these days. #marriagebootcamp… I never have & never will put my hands on any woman. #The End. ” Meanwhile, K. Michelle talked about his abuse when she appeared on “Love and Hip Hop,” and the music producer subsequently sued her and series producer Mona Scott Young for defamation. According to The Jasmine Brand, Memphitz lost the case partly due to his admission that he and the defendant had a physical altercation. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Rapper Jeezy claims Jeannie Mai is “interfering” with his parental rights. The estranged couple’s informal agreement regarding parenting their daughter Monaco isn’t working, so Jeezy wants the court to intervene, The Blast reports.The hip-hop star claims the former host of “The Real” acts like a “gatekeeper” whenever he wants to spend time with their child, according to Jeezy’s legal filing, per The Blast. Jeezy filed for divorce in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 14, after two-and-a-half years of marriage. According to People, the filing says the marriage is “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.”Mai and Jeezy are “currently living in a bona fide state of separation,” per the legal documents. Mike Epps says Ice Cube wants to turn the “Friday” movies into a touring stage play. “The last person I texted was Ice Cube. He wants to do the movie Friday; he wants to go out on tour, like as a play,” Epps said in a new episode of PEOPLE in 10.“He’s trying to get Chris Tucker to do church stuff in it, and Katt Williams,” Epps added. “[It’s] a little crazy, but if we can find these two dudes and get them in it, it’ll be really good.” Epps appeared in the second and third installments of the movie franchise, “Next Friday” (2000) and “Friday After Next” (2002). The original film starred Cube and Chris Tucker as two friends who smoke up a local dealer’s marijuana on a Friday and “must come up with $200 they owe” the “local bully, or there won’t be a Saturday,” per IMDB. https://twitter.com/icecube/status/1476202210501357575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1476202210501357575%7Ctwgr%5E601d53b22518639439edf6d591ac9c26f9a1256d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fice-cube-wants-to-turn-friday-into-touring-stage-play%2F In the video, comedian-actress Josey James tearfully said, “I’m so f*cking tired of being alone. I’m so tired of trying to find love. I might not be pretty to somebody, but goddam, I’m pretty to me… I don’t understand why the f*ck I’m still living… I just wanna be somebody’s girlfriend, somebody’s wife, somebody’s something.” https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/44e00b94b8e345e22a765991faa5c772/656ad324/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c003-tx/owa3UfAIQVMAtkFX85CfKKxAF9tHjIgxQeOI81/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=3016&bt=1508&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8ZmoZ5XcQ_vjLqhsAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=PGZlZmU8OzY7ZThpZ2U5OUBpMzd5dXI5cjV4bzMzZzczNEBeL19eMWNfXzMxYWIyNDVhYSMyaXNqMmRrLWFgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=2023120200451712CE3BE0E6EDFC08DA76&btag=e00010000 Jazminne — aka the “Target Lady,” caught wind of the clip and decided to pay it forward by offering the Target Lady a makeover. Jazminne and her glam squad are known for doing “wig installs on everyday people in the middle of an Atlanta-based Target,” per MadameNoire. Jazminne has a passion for “helping boost others’ confidence,” the outlet writes, so they showed some love to James. The host of “The Beauty Therapy with Jazminne” traveled to South Carolina to give James the ultimate transformation. https://www.tiktok.com/@china.trap/video/7303698889511734574?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Flonely-tiktoker-gets-glam-makeover%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7303698889511734574 For much of the late 19th and early 20th century, Black athletes were subjected to severe racial, social, and economic challenges. But trailblazers like Althea Gibson and Jackie Robinson shattered those unjust barriers, opening up the floodgates for today’s stars to thrive. African-American athletes have since continued to break feats and dominate the world of sports in every way possible. Not only did these inspiring individuals excel in their respective sports, but they also stood up for their community and used their fame to push for more inclusion both on and off the field. This article showcases Black athletes who have played a significant role in shaping society and are considered the greatest of all time. https://youtu.be/ZRzPx86MTsw For much of the late 19th and early 20th century, Black athletes were subjected to severe racial, social, and economic challenges. A winner of seven Olympic Medals and twenty-five World Gymnastic Championship Medals – at just the age of 26 – Simone Biles is a great Black American athlete and role model – in the gym and beyond. Despite all her accomplishments in her early career, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the gymnast, and she’s had her share of problems outside of the sport. In 2018, in the wake of the #metoo movement, Biles came forward alongside many of her teammates about being sexually abused by the former US gymnastics team physician. https://youtu.be/QQYoRoOQyvA For much of the late 19th and early 20th century, Black athletes were subjected to severe racial, social, and economic challenges. Multiracial tennis star Naomi Osaka remains at the top of the charts for holding the title of the highest-paid female athlete globally – twice in a row. But that’s not why she’s on our line-up. The legendary player has been making a name for her activism off the court. She has used her abilities in sports as a means of social change. Following the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020, she boycotted the Cincinnati Open as a stance against the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Then, at the US Open, Osaka made a statement with her black mask on the court, with each match wearing the name of a Black person who needlessly lost their lives to social inequality. “Before I am an athlete, I am a Black woman,” she stated on social media. https://youtu.be/6TzzIbFFySY For much of the late 19th and early 20th century, Black athletes were subjected to severe racial, social, and economic challenges. A charismatic and fearless boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, fascinated the world with his unmatched skills in the ring and unwavering compassion outside it. Ali started a different kind of fight in 1966 when he refused to serve in the Vietnam War and became a conscientious objector. He was arrested almost immediately and was stripped of his titles and boxing license. https://youtu.be/V2EfL1j4KYE One of Diddy’s former bodyguards confirmed that he had witnessed the music mogul brutalizing his ex-girlfriend, former singer Cassie Ventura. Diddy recently settled a $30 million lawsuit with Ventura after she accused him of rape, physical abuse, and sex trafficking during their decade-long relationship. Details of the settlement have not been revealed. A man named Roger Bonds is named in the lawsuit, as the legal docs detailed how he had to intervene several times to stop Diddy from violently assaulting Cassie and several other women. “There comes a time where you in a situation that may seem like a good situation but if you not waking up happy…or if you really don’t want to be around that person you’ll find every excuse to get out of there…and I got diabetes, so my excuse was I can’t be with you everyday…in reality it was I was sick, I was sick of you,” said Bonds in a video shared on social media, The Jasmine Brand reports. He added, “I was sick of everything that was going on around you. i was sick of having to cover up everything that you did…Cassie spoke on it, she said ‘yea I jumped on it, I jumped in between it’. That wasn’t the only time, it was other times and it was other people.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1729911806338933006 An arrest warrant has been issued for Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, who has been accused of assaulting a pregnant woman, the Dallas Police Department said in a statement to CNN on Thursday. A police spokesperson told CNN the arrest warrant is active, meaning Miller is currently not in custody. The police department said that Dallas police responded to what it said was “a major disturbance call” on Wednesday around 11 a.m. local time. Police said a preliminary investigation determined Miller and the woman had a verbal argument and that Miller allegedly assaulted her. According to police, Miller left the scene before officers arrived and the woman was treated for minor injuries and not hospitalized. https://youtu.be/-r2ubSPgH30 “This morning, we were made aware of an incident involving Von Miller,” the Bills said in a statement. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will have no further comment at this point.” CNN has reached out to Miller for comment but had not heard back by the time of publication. When reached by CNN, a spokesperson for the NFL said the league is aware of the matter and has been in contact with the Bills but declined to comment beyond that. Miller, 34, is originally from DeSoto, Texas. He has won two Super Bowls – one with the Denver Broncos and the other with the Los Angeles Rams – and was named Super Bowl 50 MVP. https://youtu.be/pME3uFFD3RA Aretha Franklin’s sons will divide the late singer’s real estate properties after a judge cited a handwritten will from 2014 found between couch cushions. We reported previously via CNN that jurors found that the handwritten will, discovered by Franklin’s niece after the singer’s death, was signed by Franklin in 2014 and shows her intent. Franklin owned four homes when she died of pancreatic cancer in 2018. Months after her death, the discovery of the two handwritten wills led to a dispute between her sons regarding her assets. On Monday, the judge overseeing the estate awarded properties to Franklin’s sons. According to NPR, Franklin’s son, Kecalf Franklin, will a multi-million dollar property described by an attorney as the “crown jewel.” Another son, Ted White II, will receive the sale proceeds from a house in Detroit that the estate sold for $300,000. Edward Franklin, the third son, was also granted property. https://youtu.be/5sjHY-zB0VU Another property worth more than $1 million will likely be sold, and the proceeds will be shared among four sons, according to NPR. In August, it was reported that Franklin’s childhood home in Detroit was sold for $355k. According to TMZ, the 6000-square-foot property in Detroit’s La Salle Gardens neighborhood boasts 6-bed, 5-bath, fireplaces and an extra 1-bedroom unit upstairs. Franklin reportedly lived at the location from age 5 to 18. She revisited the house in 2011. https://youtu.be/3rdCsE7AwmU Black voters expressed their frustration with President Joe Biden in a new episode of the New York Times podcast “The Run-Up.” Astead W. Herndon hosted the conversation at his childhood home, where family members also joined him to discuss the 2024 presidential race, Business Insider reports. One Black voter said Democrats have failed Black males; another said Black people supported Kamala Harris during the 2020 presidential race because “she had that pearls-and-gym shoes thing and you saw all women from sororities coming together with their pearls and in their Chucks.” “They were like, ‘Oh, we’ve got someone that looks like us in there,'” the woman continued. “And they were hoping, like we said with [former President Barack] Obama … they were expecting her to do so much and we’ve seen nothing. And so now it’s like, who speaks for us?” Black voters helped Joe Biden secure the 2020 presidential win, and they typically Vote Blue No Matter Who. Some Democratic supporters, however, have become indifferent to the party, Herndon reported. “I think people were thinking that she would be it and that’s why we voted. And so now that we don’t have what we expected, it’s kind of like, okay, well there goes that,” one woman told Herndon, Business Insider reports. https://youtu.be/GbjNKG9kOuE SZA is Variety‘s Hitmaker of the Year and told the outlet how disappointed her song “Consideration” was taken from her and used as Rihanna’s Anti opener. “I was so frustrated and felt like I’d never make something that cool again…it was the centerpiece to my album at the time…In hindsight, it was so hard to accept. But now I’m so glad it happened. It cost me nothing, I gained so much from it,” said the songstress. However, fans called cap on her interpretation of events, “Sza also forgot to mention that she took the song to a literal writing camp where they [sell] songs and she played it for Rihanna, this girl just wants attention.” Another person did not hold back their disdain for SZA allegedly misrepresenting the facts, “she so annoying. She’s told this story in so many iterations. You’re being paid to be in this writing camp. It’s not to put you on, it’s to grow RIHANNAS BRAND. She plays what she thinks is the only fire she has in her arsenal for whomever and that gets chosen and she begins to regret it. Like what exactly did you want from playing them the song? Them to love it And decide to make you a big star and say f–k RIRI? She’s so frustrating but so talented so it’s like you gotta take the delusional with the talent. She also gave mix messages about Snooze. Leon Thomas and Baby Face had the song fleshed out. Leon went on Zane Lowe and said Sza did a drive-by in the studio and heard the song and liked it. Maybe she wrote some and edited some but the chorus and bridge were done . Maybe even the first verse (Leon has his own version online and it fits fantastic) but she felt the need to make a story on IG saying she wrote all of snooze and she takes her writing seriously. 🚩” Artists sometimes make up their own reality, but as she said, it all turned out well for her. https://twitter.com/ViralContentz/status/1730008075791139300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1730008471284662508%7Ctwgr%5Edc84545f583cb4701d068d5bf733e6cf7bbbee9b%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fsza-disappointed-her-song-was-given-to-rihanna-fans-say-shes-capping-beyonce-shuts-down-her-hater-wears-all-white-more-picvideo%2F Kevin Frazier hit up Eddie Murphy at the Los Angeles premiere of “Candy Cane Lane” (streaming Dec. 1 on Prime Video). Kevin asked the actor and comedian about his thoughts concerning Nick Cannon, who, like Eddie, has a brood of children. Eddie has ten kiddos, and Nick has edged him out with 12. The “Beverly Hills Cop” actor said he doesn’t have any advice for the “Drumline” star but punctuated his statement with a “Lawd have mercy” at the realization of Nick’s band of disciples. “Eddie turned into a southern black woman😂😂😂😂😂 lawd have mercy😂😂,” remarked one fan. “lol but my question is how is Nick and Eddie even in the same lane to give advice Eddie don’t have kids all over the place The majority of Eddie kids came from one woman. I think he does not have as many baby mamas as Nick. It’s the Lord have mercy for me! Love Eddie!!” added another person. https://youtu.be/ZEbVsFkUbWc Beyoncé gave a subtle dig at her critics who accuse her of whitewashing her skin complexion to appear like Becky with the good hair. Queen Bey twirled on her haters and posted pics wearing all white with her platinum blonde, ahh touché Beyoncé. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QSf7ArjIy/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1cfd83b8-b588-4e11-810d-0a2ea3cc6c61 Daniel Kaluuya lands on the cover of Rolling Stone UK. He hit them Europeans with that melanin. He also spoke about his projects, winning awards, and sports. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0O_bM9MBRf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Several churches are reportedly planning services for the late Bishop Carlton Pearson. The megachurch pastor passed away on Nov. 19 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after battling cancer. He was 70. Pearson’s 1980s television program on Trinity Broadcasting Network became one of the most-watched shows, and he rose to fame as pastor of the 5,000-member Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Netflix’s 2018 “Come Sunday” biopic explored his life and controversial religious views. A Facebook post confirmed Bishop Pearson died peacefully in his sleep. Before his death, Pearson described his ideal memorial service, including gospel musicians and Bishop Yvette Flunder’s eulogy, Religion News Service reports. “I want to see the excellence of what we are, what we do under the anointing with class,” he said in the YouTube video recorded from hospice and released by Larry Reid Live, per RNS. “I want to show diversity.” Flunder will not appear at the church service in Tulsa, nor the two reportedly planned in Atlanta. Shannon Sharpe is catching heat online for lusting over Megan Thee Stallion. Sharpe, 55, and his co-host on the Nightcap podcast, Chad “OchoCinco” Johnson, 45, reacted to accusations of sexual harassment over Sharpe’s comments about how he would have sex with the rapper if given the chance. “I’d have her stretched out like quarter to three,” Shannon said during a previous broadcast, MadameNore reports. “I keep that liquid on me. I’ll do it to her three ways — deep, hard and continuously… I’d have her opening up like saloon doors.” Chad added, “You got a bad hip, she’s got good knees — that’s a perfect match.” https://youtu.be/AI1oHDryB4o “I’ll tell you what. If Meg had a problem with anything I said, I’ll take the time to say, I’m sorry. I apologize,” Shannon said on the Nov. 28 episode of Nightcap. “You didn’t say anything wrong or disrespectful, though, Unc. You were just giving her praises,” Chad said. Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion recently revealed that while she loves to “f—k,” she’s now “turning over a new leaf.” “It’s like nobody be listening to my music,” she said on Instagram Live. “They be like, [gasp] ‘Megan Thee Stallion … I cannot believe she likes to have sex! I cannot believe Megan Thee Stallion f–ks!’” https://twitter.com/i/status/1727727154257867127 Fans of Serena Williams are concerned after the tennis champ revealed she is “not ok” in a recent social media post. In a Nov. 28 X/Twitter post, Williams, 42, wrote, “I am not ok today. And that’s ok to not be ok. No one is ok every single day. If you are not ok today I’m with you. There’s always tomorrow. Love you.” In the comments, one person responded, “I hope you feel better lady. You’re absolutely right. It’s ok not to be okay sometimes, and to acknowledge it. But, here’s the thing. Put on some feel good music and do the running man throughout the house. It just might lift your spirit”. Another X user added, “Millions need and needed to hear this. God bless you and yours.” A third fan wrote, “This spoke to me. Thank you for these energy giving words. I have prayed for you, you will be okay! I will be okay also.” https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/1729612290284986471 Elon Musk has a message for advertisers boycotting his X (formerly Twitter) platform… “Go f*ck yourself,” he said during a new interview. “What this advertising boycott is going to do is, it is going to kill the company,” Musk said Wednesday during a conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times Dealbook Summit, per The Hollywood Reporter. “And the whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company.” Musk also responded to Disney and other brands’ decision to pull advertising from X. “Don’t advertise. If someone is going to try and blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f*ck yourself,” Musk said. “Go f*ck yourself, is that clear? Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience,” said Musk to Disney CEO Bob Iger, a speaker at the summit. “That’s how I feel, don’t advertise.” Musk is accused of promoting antisemitic content via his personal X account, prompting several advertisers, including Apple, to boycott X. https://twitter.com/i/status/1729995954831470946 LSU star forward Angel Reese will rejoin the LSU Tigers for Thursday night’s game against Virginia Tech. Due to undisclosed reasons, Reese has missed four games, prompting rumors and speculation on social media. The Washington Post reports that Coach Kim Mulkey said Reese will play in the home game when the Tigers face off with Virginia Tech on Nov. 30. We reported previously that Reese became a bonafide star when the Tigers won the NCAA tournament in April. She was sent to the bench in the second half of LSU’s game against Kent State earlier this month, and she didn’t play in the match-up against Southeastern Louisiana. According to multiple reports, the young athlete had been suspended due to a low GPA, per KPEL965.com. On X/Twitter, Reese addressed this rumor, writing, “Please don’t believe everything you read.” Reese’s alleged GPA-related suspension was revealed when her mother, Angel Reese Webb, criticized LSU player Flau’jae Johnson’s poor grammar on social media. Johnson’s mother, Kia Brooks, clapped back, Outkick reports. https://twitter.com/MobzWorld/status/1725867791809450116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1725867791809450116%7Ctwgr%5E582a70a742d11e501a1743c6d8ee0b29f0bdb344%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fangel-reese-to-play-with-lsu-thursday-night%2F A new Atlanta-based luxury fashion brand called Brain Love wants you to love yourself. To do that, founder and CEO Archie Clay III says we need to destigmatize mental health. “How do you become better? Our initial idea was, OK, as a child, you have to grow your mind, you have to feed your mind, you have to feed who you are. And that’s essentially what Brain Love is – it’s feeding who you are,” said Clay. “It’s feeding your mind. It’s feeding your faith. And trying to get to the ultimate version of yourself at the end of the day.” https://youtu.be/xXGPOQ8LqYM Clay is no stranger to mental health struggles. His dad had a breakdown when he was 3 years old. Recently, his first fashion company (Wearbrims) ended in a severed relationship with a close friend and co-founder, forcing him to start over. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png It’s all part of Clay’s mission to change the world. “I think a lot of times, the brands that are truly impacting the world are the brands that are around for a long time. And we want to be around for a long time,” said Clay. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0POSK2rVnH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The California Fire Foundation hosted its 2023 Annual California Firefighters Memorial Ceremony and Procession Ceremony on Oct. 14 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Sacramento. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond attended the event organized to honor 35 firefighters who died in the line of duty. Among the honorees was Ronald Yale Wiley, an African American Deputy Fire Marshal Wiley from Richmond who died on duty in 2007. The state formally presented a U.S. flag to each of the families of those whose names are being added to the Fighter’s Memorial Wall in Capitol Park on the east side of the State Capitol. Changing lives with the impact of a storyline, is what playwright Ursula V. Battle (Battle Stage Plays) does, and this holiday her “Serenity House: From Addiction to Deliverance” production will change even more lives. The very popular play stars Randy “Fruity” Roberts (The Choir Boyz), Pam Jackson (Serenity), and Charisse-Caldwell-Bowen. Written by celebrity playwright Battle, directed by Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch, with music direction from Howard “Buddy” Lakins the “Serenity House” stage play delves into the societal problem of addictions. “Serenity House” will be held this holiday Saturday/Sunday, December 16 & 17, 2023 at 3pmEST on Saturday and 4pmEST on Sunday at Redeemed Christian Church of God Mercy Court (529 Walker Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21212). Back by demand the play, which was launched in 2017, is heart-wrenching, yet heart-warming, as it presents to the audience the impact of addiction. The holiday dates are part of the 2023-2024 “Serenity House” Tour. The addiction problem “Serenity House” focuses on is the opioid epidemic, however, the addiction and special issues presented on stage can cross multiple platforms such as eating disorders, prescription drug abuse, domestic violence, incest, and child sex trafficking. The fallout from Cassie’s sexual assault claims against Sean “Diddy” Combs has impacted the Bad Boy Records founder’s Revolt TV media company. Page Six reports that popular podcaster Dawn Montgomery will step down from her role with Revolt. Montgomery announced her departure via X (formerly known as Twitter) last week. “I won’t be signing on to do the [third] season of @revolttv’s ‘Monuments To Me’ podcast,” Montgomery posted while mentioning how her status as a sexual assault survivor impacted her decision. “I am a SA survivor [and] I cannot be a part of a show that’s supposed to uplift black women while [Diddy] leads the company,” she wrote, adding, “Believe Black women.” Montgomery’s departure comes after news of Cassie’s lawsuit against Combs became known. The 37-year-old “Me and You” singer (born Casandra Ventura) filed bombshell court papers alleging her nearly decade-long, volatile relationship with Diddy involved sexual assault, trafficking, and physical abuse. Other claims brought up in the lawsuit included Combs introducing Cassie to alcohol and drugs as well as him forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes, among others. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yPz5q7tltRs?feature=share A day after the lawsuit generated headlines, a settlement was reached. Despite Cassie’s lawsuit capturing the attention of news outlets, Montgomery alleged efforts from Revolt’s leadership to speak out about the allegations were not made. “[Their silence] says a lot,” she wrote in her post. According to Page Six, Revolt has not reached out to Montgomery since she announced her exit and her post went viral. Although she tried keeping talk of her departure within her network, Montgomery told Page Six, “I said what I said.” The site also noted how it appeared that Revolt initially did not report on Cassie’s lawsuit against Combs, choosing instead to subsequently cover Combs’ response to the case after it was settled. https://twitter.com/_dawnmontgomery/status/1726708617297227995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1726708617297227995%7Ctwgr%5E6df51958218ad44ff96dd8ae8a6ed84ec427e410%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fcassies-sexual-assault-claims-spark-popular-podcasters-revolt-tv-departure%2F Jalen Hurts has caused Kayla Nicole to become a Philadelphia Eagles fan. She reposted a video clip of Jalen sitting courtside at an NBA game. “Fly Eagles fly,” Nicole wrote, referring to the clip. Fans were quick to notice Nicole was rooting for Eagles, a staunch rival of her ex-Travis Kelce’s team. She further tweeted, “Y’all have eyes too. 😂“ We do, sis, but remember that our good brother Jalen is spoken for; he’s in a committed relationship with his bae, the beautiful Bryonna “Bry” Rivera Burrows. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0NFudFMH7n/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cddc150b-8ac1-45cf-9eb0-147d41da5edc Today is Don Cheadle‘s birthday as he is 59 years old. All we hear is Kevin Hart‘s “D*MN!” Don’t worry Donnie, Kevin‘s day will come too! But on the real, it’s a blessing to see 59, happy bday! https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Lupita Nyong’o paid tribute to her bestie Chadwick Boseman on his birthday. She captioned a throwback photo taken in Seoul, Korea, while promoting “Black Panther.” She wrote, “Marking the birthday of a heroic friend. I am blessed that his time on this earth coincided with mine. @chadwickboseman (Polaroid taken in Seoul, Korea, in 2018 while promoting #BlackPanther).” Chadwick‘s death still hurts many of his fans today and we send out tons of love in his memory. One fan wrote, “Never met the man. Only saw him on screen and socials, but he moved me sooo much that it baffles me what an emotional connection can do for a person. He was really a blessed being and will forever love on in our hearts. The original Black Panther.” Rest well King T’Challa. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0O_RqXrdLe/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=255604bb-721f-41c0-b34f-16ccf625118a Tokyo Toni seemingly comes for Hillary Clinton but with no added context. One person wondered, “Chile, not a stay tuned, cliff hanger.. she be watching too many YouTube conspiracy videos.. I bet.. 😂” Others speculated Tokyo may drop a bomb revealing she was Bill Clinton’s paramour back in the day. Another person added, “That’s How delusional I’m trying to Be okay now she got everyone wondering what’s the beef between her and Hilary 😂🤷🏾♀️gotta love this woman.” When y’all figure out what TT is gabbing about, let us know. https://twitter.com/i/status/1729900457001156841 It wasn’t enough for Beyoncé to command stadiums around the world this summer. Queen Bey is now coming to movie theaters. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” a documentary about the artist’s record-breaking world tour, will be released Friday, gracing fans with an early Christmas gift. Beyond several trailers promoting the film, little has been said about what to expect. The trailers show Beyoncé on and off stage, juxtaposing her full-glam performance scenes with more everyday clips. In one, she stretches with her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy before a show; in another, she is make-up-free and talking right to the camera. Helmed by James B. Merryman, who also directed Shakira’s 2019 concert movie, and Mark Ritchie, who was the cinematographer for Beyoncé’s “Homecoming” film, the nearly three-hour experience is sure to be a visual feast. With the premiere date fast approaching, here’s everything you need to know about what to expect from the movie. https://youtu.be/AqjPzq3uYXQ Despite all the excitement, the “Renaissance” film has also left some fans conflicted. The movie will be shown worldwide, including in Israel. Some fans, angry with Israel over its campaign in Gaza, have called Beyoncé out for not pulling the film from theaters in Israel and not speaking up against the conflict. (The Taylor Swift concert film has also played in Israel in recent weeks.) “I love Beyoncé so much, she’s like one of my favorite artists of all time,” one person said on TikTok. “But her movie being distributed in Israel. https://youtu.be/kSCLTCYGvRg The producers of “M3GAN have announced their new supernatural thriller, “Night Swim,” based on the acclaimed 2014 short film by Rod Blackhurst and Bryce McGuire. A new trailer dropped this week featuring stars Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) “as Ray Waller, a former major league baseball player forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, who moves into a new home with his concerned wife Eve (Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin), teenage daughter Izzy (Amélie Hoeferle, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) and young son Elliot (Gavin Warren, Fear the Walking Dead),” per the official synopsis. “Secretly hoping, against the odds, to return to pro ball, Ray persuades Eve that the new home’s shimmering backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for him,” the description continues. “But a dark secret in the home’s past will unleash a malevolent force that will drag the family under, into the depths of inescapable terror.” “Night Swim” is written and directed by Bryce McGuire and hails from Atomic Monster and Blumhouse. The film is produced by James Wan (Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring franchises) and Jason Blum. The producers of “M3GAN have announced their new supernatural thriller, “Night Swim,” based on the acclaimed 2014 short film by Rod Blackhurst and Bryce McGuire. A new trailer dropped this week featuring stars Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) “as Ray Waller, a former major league baseball player forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, who moves into a new home with his concerned wife Eve (Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin), teenage daughter Izzy (Amélie Hoeferle, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) and young son Elliot (Gavin Warren, Fear the Walking Dead),” per the official synopsis. “Secretly hoping, against the odds, to return to pro ball, Ray persuades Eve that the new home’s shimmering backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for him,” the description continues. “But a dark secret in the home’s past will unleash a malevolent force that will drag the family under, into the depths of inescapable terror.” “Night Swim” is written and directed by Bryce McGuire and hails from Atomic Monster and Blumhouse. The film is produced by James Wan (Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring franchises) and Jason Blum. https://youtu.be/PhlLO3Nb3sY Sony Pictures has released the official trailer for the upcoming biblical feature “The Book of Clarence” starring LaKeith Stanfield.The project hails from Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) and follows Stanfield as a “Streetwise but down-on-his-luck Clarence, who is struggling to find a better life for his family, while fighting to free himself of debt,” per the official synopsis. “Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.” Stanfield stars alongside Omar Sy, Anna Diop, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, with James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch. “The Book of Clarence” features new music from Samuel, JAY-Z, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi and more. https://youtu.be/ntNS-ANoMyM For three seasons, we’ve followed the dynamic duo that is Da Brat and Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart, through the ups and downs of their engagement, wedding, and pregnancy. Now, they’re taking us on their most intimate journey yet…bringing home their baby! Brat Loves Judy: The Baby Special, premieres Thursday, November 30 at 9pm ET on WE tv. In this five-part special, fans will get a front row seat for all the fun and chaos as Brat and Judy embark on the whirlwind journey of parenthood together. Sharing their most private moments through never-before-seen self-shot footage, social media clips, On-The-Fly interviews, and verité. Each episode is framed around a ‘story book’ chapter that they’ll narrate for their son so that one day he can look back on the first few months of his life (and hopefully get a good laugh). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wURlPcsh3D4 Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ partnership with Harlem’s Capital Preparatory Schools has ended amid his controversial legal drama. The disgraced hip-hop icon helped launch the school in 2016 and gave a $1 million donation in 2021 for its Bronx location, according to The Source. Dr. Steve Perry, Founder and Head of Schools, released a statement on November 28 regarding Diddy’s departure. “Following a comprehensive evaluation, a decision has been made to end the partnership between Capital Preparatory Schools and Sean Combs,” the statement said, per Ice Cream Convos. “While this decision was not made lightly, we firmly believe it is in the best interest of our organization’s health and future,” Perry continued. https://youtu.be/nIDlRXTsiKg Nardo Wick has responded to the viral video of a fan being assaulted by the rapper’s security guards in Tampa Sunday night. The shocking video shows two members of Nardo’s entourage violently assaulting George Obregon Jr., 20, who was attempting to get a photo with the artist. The incident occurred after Wick’s performance at Club Skye in Tampa, Fla., on Monday night. As he’s being punched, Wick can be heard telling the men to “chill.” According to TMZ, Obregon suffered a severe concussion and brain bleed. He is currently hospitalized, The US Mirror reports. Nardo has spoken out on X/Twitter about the incident. “I don’t condone what happened to my fan George after my show in any type of way, I expressed to him and his mama how sorry and concerned I was that it happened to him, multiple times before anything was even posted on the internet,” he said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1729862467260440786 The artist said he gave his number to George’s mom after members of his team punched her son. “I was even gone make a post to try to find out who he was before his mama text me. I can’t control another grown man actions, I ain’t know that was gone happen, and I was mad when it happened,” he added. “I tried to stop it as u can see in the video, and if somebody got the longer video you can see how mad I was, I love and appreciate all my fans and don’t condone what happened at all dat s*** ain’t gangsta or cool in no type of way.” Per TMZ, “A spokesperson for Tampa PD tells us “detectives reached out to the performer” … though a source close to Nardo Wick says the two sides have not yet spoken,” the outlet writes. Tampa police are asking for help identifying the men who punched George. https://twitter.com/i/status/1729552473856078234 DJ Envy is facing another lawsuit related to the alleged real estate Ponzi scheme with former business partner Cesar Pina. Pena and “The Breakfast Club host,” along with several others, are being sued by Derik Deangelo, Chamblin Group Real Estate Ventures LLC. and Reispec Developments LLC for allegedly using their “Flipping New Jersey” real estate seminars as “funnels” to scam money from unsuspecting victims, All Hip Hop reports. “During these private consultations and meet and greets, members of the Pina network attempted to ‘size up’ the financial resources of each attendee and solicited individuals with sufficiently high net worth to “partner” with Pina, DJ Envy, and other members of the network in real estate ‘joint ventures,’” the legal docs read, per All Hip Hop. Cesar allegedly partnered with DJ Envy in 2018 and created real estate seminars for people looking to break into the industry. In a separate lawsuit filed by Anthony Barone and Anthony Martini, Envy, Pina and his wife Jennier Pina, are accused of scamming the plaintiffs out of $1.5 million in investments for a planned 50-unit apartment project called Taylor Apartments. https://youtu.be/eEJECPwelDM There are wills in the Fulton County Probate Court dating back to before the Civil War that illustrate how slave owners passed their slaves and slaves’ children to relatives. “Here, people came to leave their last wishes and where they wanted their properties to go,” Judge Johnson said, and that property included slaves, WSBTV reports. “It is my will and I declare that negro slaves be divided into five lots,” Records Supervisor Candace Davis read from one will, per the news outlet. Several of the documents show how slaves and their children were treated as cattle. “I bequeath to my daughter Margaret Rebecca my Negro woman Gin. Of dark complexion and all of her children to her and her heirs forever,” Judge Johnson read from one of the wills. In a candid and insightful interview with TV and Radio personality Jazmyn Summers, multi-platinum award-winning R&B artist Omarion, opens up about his latest musical venture, Full Circle Sonic Book Two, and delves into the profound influences that shape his legacy and inspire his work. Omarion says that Full Circle Sonic Book Two, a follow-up to Full Circle Sonic Book One released earlier this year reflects a sense of liberation as he embraces his role as an independent artist. “This is monumental for me. I’ve always been under the guise of due dates and record companies, and now that I’m independent, I’m able to create the volume that I want. This is my first year putting out 2 projects in one year. ” https://youtu.be/0CYZ0LjrU7Q In the evolving tapestry of Omarion’s life and career, the threads of love, art, spirituality, and self-discovery intertwine to create a narrative that goes beyond the music. And as fans eagerly anticipate the release of Full Circle Sonic Book Two and the unfolding chapters of Omarion’s multifaceted career, the artist leaves them with a promise of great storytelling and a universe filled with love, growth, and soulful vibrations. https://youtu.be/NFwz1oDOjwQ NFL star Brandon Siler discuss his new book, “Definition of a Leader,” and the recent Netflix documentary series, “Swamp Kings.” Siler unpacks what it means to be a leader with his groundbreaking book, taking readers “deeper into his philosophy through personal anecdotes, insights from his NFL days, and revelations from his time amidst the swamps,” per the press release. “If you’re okay with being an average leader, this book will frustrate you. I’m not here to give you a cliche blueprint of what I’ve learned from others. And I’m not interested in comforting the average in you. I want to shock your system and motivate you because you can be great. The vision you see with your eyes closed, and the world that you’ll create requires you to be a great leader,” Siler said in a statement. As a sports fan and business leader, Siler has pioneered a wave of platforms that connect people around the globe. In addition to publicly sharing his personal testimony and success, Siler’s B. Siler Leadership Academy mentors people of all ages who want to develop skills to guide others professionally. He also manages 11 businesses and advocates for disabled NFL players and mental health awareness. Here is an exclusive clip from this week’s new episode of the gameshow “Snake Oil” featuring hip-hop icon Ice-T. In our hilarious preview from Wednesday night’s episode, celebrity advisor Ice-T is confused about whether MyGlo, lamps made out of mushrooms, is real or snake oil. David Spade hosts and produces the gameshow about entrepreneurs pitching products to contestants, who must determine which ventures are real with the help of celebrity advisors, Deadline reports. https://youtu.be/-AqNXZX8XYA CNN may not be the first thing to come to mind when thinking of Charles Barkley, but the network is putting stock on the NBA legend and Gayle King to shake up things for the better. Variety reports the pair will co-anchor a new one-hour weekly limited-run series called “King Charles.” According to Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, the show offers a twist to the traditional news show format. “‘King Charles’ is different than anything we have on CNN’s lineup,” Entelis said in responses to questions provided by email. “It’s not a newscast, but rather a talk show centered around the news stories and cultural moments that Gayle and Charles are most interested in.” The arrival of “King Charles” comes amid a time when cable news networks are creatively exploring new ways to keep and attract viewers who are moving toward on-demand streaming video. The creation of the show stemmed during the tenure of former CNN CEO Chris Licht. During his time at the network, Licht put a bit of emphasis on looking for non-traditional personalities to add perspective and color to the network’s programming. Variety notes the impact of the current landscape with advertisers who fear being called out for sponsoring opinioned hosts after years of being comfortable with the traditional news show format. https://youtu.be/u8S82HqneO4 A large crowd of kids and their parents were in attendance at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall, Saturday, November 25, 2023, for Santa’s Arrival and Holiday Giveaway. Anticipation and excitement filled the air as attendees came out to unwrap the magic of this busy Small Business Saturday in Southern California. Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall presented Santa’s Arrival & Holiday Giveaway. This joyous holiday season and the most wonderful time of the year was celebrated with an all-day festive program. Diwali is one of the major Asian Indian religious festivals observed in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. It celebrates the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.Known as “The Festival of Lights’ it is celebrated globally across diverse religions and cultures. This year, Diwali will fall on Nov. 12, and for most who observe it, celebrations will last five days. The date of the celebration changes every year because it is based on the Hindu lunar calendar. https://youtu.be/fdW6M9_degI The celebration of the holiday varies depending on regional customs and traditions. Among Hindus, the most widespread custom is the lighting of ‘diyas’, small lamps filled with oil, on the night of the new moon to invite the presence of Lakshimi, the goddess of wealth. In Northern India, the festival also celebrates the royal homecoming of Rama to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons. California native Happy Uppal spoke with California Black Media (CBM) and shared how her family celebrated Diwali when they lived in India and how it has changed for them since coming to the US. https://youtu.be/74LTtXAlT2o I got with Dre and interviewed him,” said Dexter Tucker, executive producer of Wide Open: The Andre Rison Story recently released and now available on Tubi TV, Apple TV and Prime TV. “Finally got the budget. I had made several films during that time. Three of us got it done. We have major distribution and we’re in talks for international distribution.” Wide Open: The Andre Rison Story is one of those movies Tucker was motivated to make. The story of 5-time Pro Bowler Andre Rison, a Super Bowl XXXI Champion. The film is directed by Jerry D. May and written by Rison, May, Tucker, Derrick Handspike, and Lucious Robinson. https://youtu.be/ZWPoiozIt6w The Group Fire, acclaimed two-time #1 Gospel Billboard artists, have kindled the festive spirit with the release of their first-ever Christmas EP, “THE GIFT.” Comprising two sets of brothers – Terelle Cooper, Juwan Cooper, Justin Cooper, Tajohn Hill, and Al Hill – The Group Fire brings a harmonious blend of talent and infectious enthusiasm to unwrap a holiday gift for music lovers everywhere. This six-track project, which hit the airwaves on November 4, 2023, has swiftly become a contender for the best stocking stuffer of 2023, offering a soulful blend of classic Christmas tunes that promise to stand the test of time. As a departure from their usual gospel offerings, “The Gift” marks The Group Fire’s fourth studio project and their inaugural venture into the realm of Christmas music. https://youtu.be/JhU5jyxRgFA Insiders claim Jamie Foxx is still struggling seven months after his hospitalization from mysterious medical complications. “Jamie pulling out of another project has friends worried that he hasn’t recuperated as well as everyone thinks,” an insider told the National Enquirer, RadarOnline. “He’s struggling, but Jamie has been very private about what happened and his recovery. In August, Foxx shared an update on his health via photos of himself on Instagram. As CNN reported in an article that appeared on EUR, the Oscar-winning actor said he was starting to feel more like himself following a medical emergency. “You’re lookin’ at a man who is thankful… finally startin’ to feel like myself…” he wrote. “It’s been an unexpected dark journey… but I can see the light… I’m thankful to everyone that reached out and sent well wishes and prayers… I have a lot of people to thank… u just don’t know how much it meant… Foxx added: “I will be thanking all of you personally… and if you didn’t know… GOD IS GOOD… all day every day… #swipeleft #imbackandimbetter #nobaddays”. https://youtu.be/znzMB0pFod8 Chris Brown is clapping back at haters labeling him antisemitic after he was spotted in Dubai with Kanye West. Ace Showbiz reports that the duo was captured on camera jamming to Ye’s new song “Vulture,” which includes the lyric “How I’m anti-semitic? I just f**ked a Jewish b***h.” Ty Dolla $ign and several other artists were also spotted hanging with Ye and his wife, Bianca Censori. “What’s more sickening? The lyrics … Or the fact that both Kanye West and @chrisbrownofficial find it hysterical?” Jewish businesswoman Tanya Zuckerbrot posted on Instagram. “Sick, masochistic, antisemitic f**ks.” In the comments of the post, one person replied, “Wow.. This is how much hatred y’all have for people of color? If he said “kill n@ggaz” a million times you would say nothing.” Another IG user wrote, “These Jewish owned radio stations play demonic songs all day. Promote music to kill minorities. Have done this for years. One line has now caught your attention?” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0FNvioPtbl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Actress Deborah Joy Winans of ALLBLK’s hit anthology series, “Terror Lake Drive: Summer Purge,” spoke to EUR about the new season and what fans can expect. The third season of the series premiered November 16 and airs weekly on Thursdays, exclusively on ALLBLK. Created and written by Jerry LaMothe and Kajuana S. Marie, this season takes place five years after the second installment, as a new South Georgia family mysteriously inherits a luxury vacation home on Lake Levi…luring them to the grounds previously known as (the haunted) Freeman Lakes, according to the series description. The press release states, “season three opens with the demolished Freeman Lakes transformed into a sprawling, glamorous lakefront summer resort, aptly named Lake Levi.” Busta Rhymes with his rich baritone voice; let it be known that Benzino has his number and could’ve called him about Busta‘s video “Luxury Life” with Coi Leray, Benzino’s daughter, which he found too provocative. Bus-a-Bus said on the “Way Up With Yee” radio show, that he felt there is a code of ethics that the founder of the Source magazine should adhere to instead of airing his grievances on social media. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0M_e-uJVZs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kevin Hart shared a video of Chris Brown because that’s how he perceives himself when he bust-a-moves. However, the comedian posted a video of himself actually getting jiggy with it, and let’s say it lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. Basically, it’s not giving and needs to be returned expeditiously. LOL, nah, we love you, Kev, you kinda understood the assignment but you remind us of a toddler trying to entertain the audience on amateur night at the Apollo. Retired NBA player Matt Barnes asked the comic in his comment section, “This ur stomp the yard addition tape?? https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png André 3000, government name André Lauren Benjamin, wants to do another OutKast album but is not excited to make music using his old process. One fan decided to write an epistle in the comment section expressing his respect and disappointment with 3Stacks‘ stance regarding making a hip-hop album, “I love the album. I love good music and it was a perfect orchestra, he can pivot and go into another lane and give inspiration in another manner. I Encourage any other rapper or artists to do the same if that’s part of your purpose. But To say you aren’t inspired to rap and have nothing to say when there are wars, corruption, and so much more happening in this world right now? Ppl of color are still living in Kaos in this country but you got nothing to say? Nas got something to say, Black Thought got something to say, aren’t they older than him? He could have transitioned into another genre of music without downplaying the culture, & yea 3 stacks, I’d rather hear you rap about your colonoscopy than 70% of the regurgitated content of today’s rap music. Lastly, whatever you would have rapped about, it doesn’t have to follow today’s trends or societal preferences. You are Andre 3000! One of this culture’s most profound writers. Great album minus the rap slandering.” Another fan showed more grace, “I don’t want uninspired music from an uninspired artist. Clearly, his heart isn’t in it and what Biggie say, “only make moves when your heart is in it.” Outkast are legends that’s already given us classic albums from the 90s and early 2000s to listen to. They don’t have anything left to prove. If the love isn’t there I don’t want to hear it anyway.” He’s an artist, and he’s sensitive about his ish. Fans will have to remain patient until some true inspiration hits André. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0AeYbnpAZ-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mama Bear Tina Knowles had to address the critics who were talking recklessly about her daughter Beyoncé, accusing the megastar of bleaching her skin to appear more “White.” Miss Tina wrote a diatribe and unleased her ire upon Beyoncé‘s internet: “Came across this today and decided to post it after seeing all of the stupid ignorant self, hating racist statements about her, lightening her skin, and wearing platinum hair wanting to be white. She does a film, called the renaissance, where the whole theme is silver with silver hair, a silver carpet, and suggested silver attire and you bozos decide that she’s trying to be a white woman and is bleaching her skin? .. How sad is it that some of her own people continue the stupid narrative with hate and jealousy. Duh, she wore silver hair to match her silver dress as a fashion statement clown. . ALIEN Superstar duh! What’s really sad is that a white woman had the audacity to reach out to Neal Beyonce’s hairstylist she was from TMZ to say that the fans are saying that she wants to be white and she wanted to get a statement about it from Neal. Well that made, my blood boil , that this white woman felt so entitled to discuss her blackness. What’s really most disappointing is that the some Black people yes you bozos that’s on social media. Lying and faking and acting like you’re so ignorant that you don’t understand That black women have worn platinum hair since the Etta James days. I just went and looked at all the beautiful talented black celebrities who have worn platinum hair and it has been just about every one of them at one time or another. Are they all trying to be white? I am sick and tired of people attacking her. Every time she does something that she works her ass off for is a statement of her work ethic, talent, and resilience. Here you sad little haters come out the woodwork. Jealousy and racism, sexism, double standards, you perpetuate those things. Instead of celebrating a sister or just ignoring her if you don’t like her. I am sick of you losers. https://youtu.be/-0xh1ilvKtA Latto graced Forbes Under 30 and admitted she would like to collab with Bad Gal Ri Ri on music and securing business deals. “I just feel like she touched our generation in a whole different way. I feel like women like me who have like a little motion going on — she showed us that it’s possible for us to take it to a whole different level. So definitely Riri — what’s up Riri call me girl!” However, fans feel the pairing will be unlikely, “Girl, Rihanna won’t even collab with herself.” Another person brought up the feud between Latto and Nicki Minaj as to why any collaboration with Rihanna will probably never happen, “That is NOT happening. Rih and Nicki cool af. Like, kick it at each other’s home w/ the kids cool. That’s most def a DREAM 😴.” But many other comments believed that Ri Ri is not tied to Nicki and will make moves with anyone regardless of whether that person is falling out with Queen Barbz. https://youtu.be/iX7whyDOWoA Nene Leakes, Porsha Williams, and Cynthia Bailey had a girl’s trip in Dubai, and fans dubbed the trio “Destiny’s Peaches” and “Caresha, Porsha, and Whitney Houston,” causing a cacophony of cackling to ripple through the comment section. “I JUST SCRUMPT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA‼️‼️😂😂😂😂😭😭😭🤭🤭🤭,” said one person. https://twitter.com/__Curtdoggg/status/1729287425451511858 Will Smith and Queen Latifah gazed over a picture book documenting the genesis of both their careers. One fan did pose an interesting question, “Why haven’t we got a Will Smith and Queen Latifah film, yet??!?!?! Wtf.” Yes, why hasn’t this happened? Big Willie and Queen did to rectify this expeditiously. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzZVwhbvFFn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Before King Harris had a family kerfuffle where he had to prove he “was standing on business,” he sat down with his father T.I. for Complex Music‘s “GOAT Talk” to “crown their all-time greats.” T.I. did address the recent argument he had with Jr. and said he would ride for his family to heaven and hell. Tip says his family remains connected. https://youtu.be/wnlL5iz88K4 ESPN’s Malika Andrews‘ standing with Black men is taking another hit because of the Josh Giddey story. Well, ex-NFLer Dez Bryant is hot ’bout it. So stand by for more on that. Brothers all across the country called her out because at first, she didn’t have anything to say. Not a word. Giddey is the Oklahoma City Thunder star who is rightfully getting roasted for his improper relationship with a 15-year-old high school girl. https://youtu.be/HTq2Ymfd-uE Videos of Giddey, 21, and the underage girl – which featured vulgar language to describe their intimate relations in video captions – were posted to social media anonymously, reports SandraRose.com. Even though the videos have since been deleted, the NBA has launched an investigation. Meanwhile, Giddey is being allowed to play. When Andrews finally spoke on the subject, she showed what seemed to many, a lack of interest and “low energy.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1729289477296693470 Andrews pissed off royally is former Dallas Cowboys/Baltimore Ravens receiver Dez Bryant who came for her via X/Twitter for her alleged bias in covering Giddey. Bryant accused the “NBA Today” host of not only being biased about the incident but also delaying coverage compared to other players she’s reported on in a timely manner. Andrews reportedly spoke about the scandal on-air the same day Bryant sent out his sentiments. https://twitter.com/DezBryant/status/1729262878044438590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1729262878044438590%7Ctwgr%5E70871ba6cd76ffec821904309b6f8b4279f7add5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fdez-bryant-comes-for-malika-andrews-over-josh-giddey-silence%2F Director Qasim Basir has an upcoming fourth feature, “To Live and Die and Live,” it's an ode to his late stepfather. According to a press release, the film was all the rage at the Sundance Film Festival ’23, garnering exceptional reviews and leaving audiences in awe at Park City. Per IMDB, the story follows Muhammad, troubled man who “returns home to Detroit to bury his stepfather and is thrust into settling his accounts, but Muhammad’s struggles with depression and addiction may finish him before he finishes the task.” The film does not yet have a release date, but Essence covered the Sundance screening earlier this year and wrote, “To Live and Die and Live is making a statement on the power of redemption and finding a way to both survive when you have to and thrive when you can.” . Per Deadline’s review, “… the film truly does make Detroit better than it ever has for a century, at least in the movies..” https://vimeo.com/889336366 Angel Taylor of the Grammy-nominated group, Trinitee 5:7, has just reached a career milestone with her first solo #1 Billboard single, “Speak”! This song has garnered lots of attention from radio DJs and fans alike and it is only the appetizer for the music that is to come. Released on Awspire Music and written by Donnie McClurkin and Travis Finlay, this up-tempo groove is the perfect example of what happens when powerhouse producers Chris-n-Teeb, Christopher Capehart, and Rockwilder collaborate to create history. The remarkable success of this empowering anthem marks a significant milestone in Taylor's career and establishes her as a formidable force in the music industry. "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight is Angel Taylor.!!! http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/angeltaylor_intvw.htm Bucket Listers (the popular media experience brand known for making everyday an adventure), is planning to rule the school with the announcement of their new Mean Girls Experience. Following the viral sold out success of the Malibu Barbie Cafe and Golden Girls Kitchen, the brand has set their sights on the most fetch concept yet, giving fans of the iconic film a chance to experience North Shore High School like never before. Officially set to open to the public in Los Angeles on January 12th and New York on January 19th, the limited-time runs will coincide with Paramount Pictures’ release of the new Mean Girls film on January 12th. “There was nothing more grool than the chance to bring the world of Mean Girls to life,” says Bucket Listers President of Experiences, Derek Berry. “It’s truly one of those movies that has stood the test of time and cult fandom. With the new film quickly approaching, there was no better time to honor this beloved classic and bring The Plastics’ world to life. Every day here will be October 3rd.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFtdbEgnUOk JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, November 29 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. In this episode, Chef JJ cooks up a healthy, hearty meal, with his vegan friends in mind. Pilar Scratch and Lexi Gonzales get a top notch and meatless treat. He makes a creamy vegan risotto. Then, he cooks up a black rice salad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL5QxXN2gYc&feature=youtu.be CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX is back tonight, November 29 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. Tonight, it's a salmon extravaganza as Chef Jernard serves sweet and tangy BBQ salmon. He pairs it with brown rice and broccolini sautéed in shallot, garlic, and lemon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em4ZxFoURsE From quick ideas for a weeknight meal, to beauty tips that will get you out the door in a flash. Tia Mowry’s practical solutions and infectious personality inspire and inform audiences each week with her love for food, fashion, DIY/home, parenting & more! Catch the new episode this Thursday, November 30 at 9:00/8:00C. Terrell and Tia are reunited again! Let’s see if they’re up for the challenge to cook a dish and leave it up to the judges to decide whose is better. The trial in the assault and harassment case against Marvel actor Jonathan Majors began today in New York City. The case stems from a March 25 domestic dispute involving Majors and his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Majors has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and aggravated harassment. Following his initial arrest, a Manhattan judge released Majors on his own recognizance and granted a limited order of protection prohibiting contact with Jabbari, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office told CNN at the time. Jabbari claims that Majors struck her “about the face with an open hand, causing substantial pain and a laceration behind her ear,” according to a complaint she filed in New York City in March. She also claims he “put his hand on her neck, causing bruising and substantial pain.” https://youtu.be/EYykFrN4roM?list=RDNSEYykFrN4roM In June, Majors filed a counter-complaint against Jabbari, claiming he was assaulted by her in the same March dispute, according to court filings obtained by CNN. Jabbari was arrested in New York City in October on suspicion of assault and criminal mischief stemming from Majors’ countersuit, but a spokesperson for the Manhattan DA’s Office told CNN in a statement that the DA has declined to prosecute the case against Jabbari “because it lacks prosecutorial merit.” Last month, a judge denied Majors’ motion to dismiss the assault case. Jabbari and her attorney have not publicly commented on the case. https://youtu.be/0bwsH30k02Y Majors’ attorney Priya Chaudhry denied the allegations against him in a statement to CNN in August, adding that Majors “has had his life, career, and reputation torn apart” as a result of the charges. CNN reported in October that Disney has removed “Magazine Dreams,” an upcoming film starring Majors that was due out on December 8, from its release calendar. He was also reportedly dropped by his PR and management teams in the wake of the allegations. Majors was featured in “Ant-Man: Quantumania” as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next major villains, and has portrayed a version of the character over both seasons of the Disney+ Marvel series “Loki.” The character, known as Kang, is also currently set to be featured in two upcoming “Avengers” sequels for Marvel, scheduled in 2026 and 2027. The trial is expected to last several days. https://youtu.be/Fx0RifLM4f8 ”Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Sanya Richards-Ross partnered with Wells Fargo to help support Black small business owners. “Wells Fargo has partnered with RICE, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship from the very beginning. Supporting specifically minority business owners to live their dreams,” Richards-Ross told The Blast. “They had this incredible event to kick off to kind of support their business owners right before one of the most important parts of their business cycle, right before the holidays. Hearing from some of these business owners and what they’ve been able to do has been so inspirational,” she continued. This holiday season, Wells Fargo, The Bank of Doing, and RICE will host pop-up markets featuring Black entrepreneurs’ products. Wells Fargo recently gave $1.5 million to RICE, a nonprofit focused on boosting Black entrepreneurship, The Blast reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzsHsoYIlgQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bd64fa41-a3c5-4cec-b7ea-5fd39fd0d8dc From visionary writer and director Jeymes Samuel, The Book of Clarence is a bold new take on the timeless Hollywood era Biblical epic. Streetwise but struggling, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is trying to find a better life for himself and his family, make himself worthy to the woman he loves, and prove that he’s not a nobody. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, a journey through which he finds redemption and faith, power and knowledge. TriStar Pictures will release Legendary Pictures’ The Book of Clarence in movie theaters nationwide on January 12, 2024. The film also stars Omar Sy. Anna Diop. RJ Cyler. David Oyelowo. Micheal Ward. Alfre Woodard. Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch. The Hollywood era Biblical epic was produced by Jeymes Samuel, Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, Tendo Nagenda, and executive produced by Garrett Grant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntNS-ANoMyM Virginia State University is proud to announce that it has been chosen by the Commission on Presidential Debates to host a 2024 Presidential Debate. This is a momentous occasion for VSU, as it is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) ever selected to host a General Election U.S. Presidential Debate. The debate, scheduled for October 1, 2024, is the second of three scheduled general election presidential debates. “We are honored and grateful to have been chosen as a host for a 2024 Presidential Debate,” said VSU President Dr. Makola M. Abdullah. “This is a historic moment for our university and for HBCUs nationwide. Our university mantra is “Greater Happens Here,” and we look forward to welcoming the candidates, the Commission on Presidential Debates, and the entire nation to the GREATER at VSU.” The selection of VSU as a host for a 2024 Presidential Debate reflects the university’s commitment to shaping future leaders and cultivating political discourse. The debate will provide a platform for the candidates to present their policies, engage in constructive dialogue, and showcase their leadership abilities. While VSU recognizes that a tremendous amount of preparation goes into hosting a national debate, it is extremely honored and excited to be a part of meaningful conversations on important issues that impact the nation. The 3x GRAMMY® Award nominated, RIAA Gold-Certified gospel music supergroup with over 700 million digital streams, Anthony Brown & group therAPy, pulls a half million first week digital streams for their sixth album, Affirmations (Key of A / Tyscot / FairTrade). The new twelve-track set showcases their polished, soul-stirring grasp of contemporary gospel music with sly touches of Classical, Hip-Hop, Pop, Pentecostal, and Celtic flavoring. The first radio single, “Speak Your Name,” is No. 1 on both Billboard magazine’s coveted Gospel Airplay chart and the Mediabase Gospel Airplay chart. “Power of death and life is in your tongue, and you can speak and encourage yourself with the word of God, “ Brown says of the Affirmations album theme. “This project is a record full of things that you should speak over your own self every single day.” This spiritual therapy session closes with the inspiring “Together Again” as a comfort to those who have lost loved ones. “Tears flow now but Jesus will bring us together again,” they sing. “`We take joy in knowing this is not the end,’ they sing with joy instead of mourning.” "Shining Bright" in the Gospel spotlight is Anthony Brown. https://www.gospel-spotlight.com/anthonybrown_intvw.htm With Ice Cube‘s Big3 league approaching its 7th year in 2024, the impact made by the cultural icon-turned-businessman over the years in music, film, and sports is undeniable. Not only has his league filled a void in the market by creating a platform for past-their-prime hoopers to showcase their still remarkable skills on the hardwood, but he has also given back and continued to create access and opportunities for members of disadvantaged communities. These achievements have been noted by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, who have decided to partner with and honor the legend by creating the Ice Cube Impact Award, set to be unveiled during Martin Luther King Day weekend in Springfield, MA, the birthplace of basketball. Ice Cube, John Doleva, President of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and Nancy Lieberman, former WNBA player, sports commentator, and Big3 coach (team Power) made the surprise announcement during a recent press conference held via Zoom. “As a person and a fan of the game, I can’t even put this into words,” said Ice Cube. “I felt the same way as a group with NWA going into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I have been blown away ever since I knew that this award would really come to pass and become a reality. Never in my wildest dreams growing up loving the game, playing the game, and being a superfan of the game, did I think that I would ever have an award named after me in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.” https://youtu.be/fDv9nDgqiSc D.L. Hughley believes T.I. and Tiny‘s son, King Harris, embarrassed his parents with his meltdown during an Atlanta Falcons game.In case you missed it, the altercation between King,19, and his famous parents occurred while they attended Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday afternoon for the football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. It’s unclear what prompted King’s shouting match with T.I. and Tiny, but the wild scene was caught on video. As Complex reports, at one point, King is heard repeatedly saying, “You cappin’, n***a … I know you though.” The footage also shows King shouting, “What’s wrong with y’all? Why ya’ll doing that to me? Y’all know me, you know I stand on business. Why would you let someone play with me like that?” https://youtu.be/PCEDhWWaMsQ Hughley was at LAX on Monday when he spoke to TMZ about the incident, calling King’s outburst “insulting” to Tip and Tiny. We reported previously that King revealed in a recent interview that he didn’t live with his parents while they filmed their hit reality series “T.I. Tiny: The Family Hustle.” King spoke to Funny Marco in October, telling the host, “What do you feel that they got on you that they shouldn’t have on you? ‘Cause I feel like [when] you grow up, it’s like you can’t be you.” As via VLAD TV reports, King stated, “Yeah, man, it’s a lot about that TV show, man, that [confuses] people. Because I live with my grandma. You know, we’ll go to the house on, like, the weekend.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1728950737185763573 Allison Holker, the widow of Stephen ‘twitch’ Boss, has sold the family’s Encino home and upgraded to an “ultra-modern farmhouse in L.A. last month for $5 mil,” per TMZ. The outlet reports that Allison listed the home she shared with her late husband for $3,795,000 and sold it for $3,525,000. Holker was granted half of Boss’s future earnings earlier this year. Previously, we reported that documents obtained by CNN show that a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted Holker one-half interest in 100 percent of all shares of Boss’s company, Stephen Boss Productions, Inc., along with one-half of the interest earned in an investment account. Holker is also entitled to one-half of future earnings and royalties from entities relating to Boss’s professional pursuits as his surviving spouse. Holker filed the property petition earlier this year due to him not having a will at the time of his death. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQjhC1qBtmY/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=852dac61-65ad-4c49-bcc7-7e61294cbffa Busta Rhymes has announced dates for a North American headline tour in 2024! Produced by The Conglomerate Entertainment and Live Nation, the tour supports his new album BLOCKBUSTA. The 12-time GRAMMY® Award nominee will kick off the trek on March 13 at The Masonic in San Francisco, CA, and will hit up major markets for five weeks, concluding on April 21 with a homecoming at Brooklyn Paramount in Brooklyn, NY, per the press release. Special guests will join Busta in select cities. Tickets will be available starting with Citi presale beginning November 28th and run throughout the week ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, December 1 at 10 AM local time at LiveNation.com. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyy99l-LeF5/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8f994d73-8e1f-4a26-9de7-6043da296acb “Mr. Big Stuff” singer Jean Knight has passed away at 80. The New Orleans native died Wednesday (Nov. 22) of natural causes in Tampa, Florida, the Associated Press reports. “Jean Knight’s legacy is not just a musical one; it is a testament to the enduring love between an artist, her hometown and the fans who adored her,” the singer’s family said in a statement. “Mr. Big Stuff” was a chart-topping track that reached No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200 pop chart, per the AP. The soulful song earned Knight a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1972. https://youtu.be/kXreM7KOKAs “‘Mr. Big Stuff,’ which became famous for the infectious refrain, ‘Who do you think you are?’, wasn’t just a chart-topping anthem; it was the product of soulful, syncopated melodies that echoed through the Crescent City,” Knight’s family wrote in the tribute, according to USA Today. Knight recorded several albums after the anthem’s success and formed her own record label. As well as performing on large festival stages, she spent years serving up live shows in more intimate French Quarter venues. “She was genuinely a nice person with a gentle spirit … whenever I saw her she was always smiling,” said Reginald Toussaint, an engineer for one of Knight’s albums and the executive director of production for the New Orleans Jazz Fest and Essence Music Festival, per the AP. Knight was known as a loving mother and grandmother who loved cooking and celebrating Mardi Gras in her community. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_-W4q2W0AEGizN?format=jpg&name=small Apple TV+ has released the trailer for the upcoming three-part documentary series, “John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial,” narrated by Kiefer Sutherland. The docuseries “features exclusive eyewitness interviews and previously unseen crime scene photos, shedding new light on the life and murder of music and cultural icon John Lennon, and the investigation and conviction of Mark David Chapman, his confessed killer,” per the official synopsis. The series “includes exclusive interviews with Richard Peterson, a taxi driver who was witness to the shooting; Jay Hastings, a doorman at The Dakota who heard Lennon’s last words; David Suggs, Mark David Chapman’s defense lawyer; Elliot Mintz, a confidant to Lennon and Yoko Ono; and Dr Naomi Goldstein, the psychiatrist who first assessed Chapman,” the description states. Lennon was fatally shot in NYC in 1980. Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. Last year, he was transferred to the Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York, Metro reports. https://youtu.be/dLUIEY2dDTk The first single from the soundtrack for “The Color Purple” movie musical is out before the film’s Christmas Day debut. The song “Lifeline” by Alicia Keys was released on Nov. 26 and serves as a “heartfelt ode to the unequivocal comfort emanating from friends, family, and community that holds us up as we face life’s challenging moments,” according to a press release, Vibe reports. The soundtrack, via Warner Warner Bros. Pictures, WaterTower Music, and gamma, also boasts songs from Mary J. Blige, Megan Thee Stallion, Jennifer Hudson, Keyshia Cole, Jorja Smith, Coco Jones, Ciara, Mary Mary, Usher, H.E.R., Missy Elliott, and Fantasia Barrino. “I am so immensely proud that the filmmakers and Warner Bros. Pictures chose us to collaborate on a hugely cultural album that musically brings to life this reimagined classic,” stated Co-founder & CEO of gamma, Larry Jackson, according to Vibe. https://youtu.be/W0w_tIbkFiY “The Color Purple, in its many iterations, is unquestionably hallowed ground in black culture. Just as film director Blitz Bazawule has done a spectacular job in taking the film to another level artistically, we, too, wanted to bring an equally adventurous, creative take to this expanded soundtrack,” Jackson added. “Complementing the fabulously infectious musical moments of the new film, we wanted to further celebrate the stories of the film’s protagonists with additional current, contemporary songs that thematically spoke to their relatable experiences and struggles,” he continued. “And deeply influenced by the great, iconic R&B/pop soundtracks of the 1990s, I’ve always wanted to make an ‘Inspired By’ soundtrack that had cultural legends and new artists of a genre come together for a piece of art that defines a moment in time.” https://youtu.be/wPwzBUui1GA There’s no doubt about it. Director Dale S. Lewis is on a hella winning streak! Lewis has signed with management/production outfit Alta Global Media and just wrapped the upcoming crime thriller entitled “INCISION.” The story is about a medical resident who discovers that her sister is caught in the web of an underground crime boss, she is forced to lend her talent to the black market of organ selling. However, when she removes the kidney of a very skilled hitman, the next 24 hours become a race against time to save the resident, her sister, and the hitman himself. Casting details are being kept under wraps. INCISION is coming hot on the heels of Dale’s work on two series for a total of 11 episodes in 2023, including: Season 3 of Cedric The Entertainer’s “JOHNSON” (Drama / Comedy) on Bounce Network, with Thomas Q. Jones, Deji LaRay, and Philip Smithey (3 episodes directed by Dale). Season 2 of “WICKED CITY” (Supernatural Drama) on AMC / ALLBLK (all 8 episodes directed by Dale). His second season on WICKED CITY, with Vanessa Bell Calloway, Taylor Polidore, and Shaquita Smith. Lewis was selected by the NBCU Directors Program in 2020 to direct segments and episodes on Season 2 of SONGLAND, THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW, and AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR. This holiday season, its ALL ABOUT THE DANCE!!!! As Psalm 150 concludes, Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, here comes a great dance number for all of creation. So join Digital Native, Jason Hendrickson and lets hit the floor. The KINGDOM has gone up with a SHOUT!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T1NLqGSUWc Tiffany Haddish’s friends and family are concerned about her after her recent DUI arrest. “Tiffany likes to drink and have a good time, but her friends are noticing that she is drinking way more around the holidays,” a source told Page Six. “We think that she may be lonely and hiding behind a fake smile.” We reported previously (via CNN) that Haddish was arrested Friday morning in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department. She was arrested and released shortly after. According to TMZ, the “Girls Trip” star was not involved in an accident but was allegedly found asleep in her parked vehicle with the car running. “It’s surprising because she has worked so hard to get to where she is,” the source told Page Six. Eddie Murphy received the 2023 Grio Icon Award, celebrating his 47-year career in show business. In true Eddie fashion, he roasted theGrio founder Byron Allen for not having the winner’s name inscribed on the award. But in the end, he was honored for the recognition. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0F7w4jN3yn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Steve Harvey gave props to his wife, Marjorie Harvey after he received the Television Icon Award at the 2023 theGrio Awards. During the summer, cheating rumors emerged about the couple, and Steve made it known that the words of God had covered his marriage. Let the people know! One fan said, “Y’all can say whatever yall want about Steve but he praises and respects his wife in public.” But another person pretty much summed it up, “Uncle Steve said “keep my wife’s name out yo #! @*&% mouth.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0HzyrAP2jT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tamar Braxton and her ex-fiancé Jeremy “JR” Robinson were chummy at the Falcons VS. Saints game in ATL. According to theybf, “This comes just a few weeks after her rival Tommie Lee hit up the Atlanta Hawks basketball game with Jeremy after Tommy and Tamar got into it on social media. 👀.” Tamartians took issue with their idol enjoying the company of Jeremy. One stated, “Somebody ain’t standing on bidness.” Another one harshly posted, “She being played like a fiddle. Sweetheart he is not a flex.” Fans continued on being brutal in the comment section, “She over there grinning from ear to ear like she won the prize.. Have several seats Sis! 🙄.” Maybe it’s not that deep, maybe Tamar is just playing petty games to get back at Tommie Lee. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/384391f5d1fe5530d0959248d1e53445/6566a8cd/video/tos/useast8/tos-useast8-ve-0068c001-tx2/osjC1LIvQwZe5fyO0Kl0A0qkmpIIEHfcGMZQIA/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=2048&bt=1024&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8ZmoHWjaQ_vjBSGsAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=OGQ3aGdpZmY2Z2hoZGg3N0BpM2pzcHk5cmU5bzMzaTczNEBfMTZhYmAuXzIxLzItYWIuYSNuci5nMmQ0YWZgLS1kMTJzcw%3D%3D&l=202311282057209EE8690230CBE60AF0F0&btag=e00010000 Nick Cannon came to Beyoncé‘s defense after fans accused the entertainer of transforming into a White woman, trying to look like Kim Kardashian for her Renaissance premiere. Nick said, cut all that noise, and pointed out that Kimmie K has tried to look like Beyoncé. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0KuM_0xFxg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Investors are buying up a 40-acre plot belonging to an Alabama woman, which could be worth $20 million. Once the sale is complete, Corine Woodson, 84, will be forced to sell the house she’s lived in for over 60 years. The residence is on the outskirts of Auburn, and several of her family members share the land on which the property sits, according to the New York Post. “I would like to ask them why. You know, why, but I don’t. I can’t figure it out. Thinking about it, wondering about it. It’s not easy. I can tell you that,” Woodson told WTVM. Dozens of her family members jointly own Woodson’s 40-acre plot. The value of the land is unknown, but it may be close to $20 million, the Post reports. Over the years, the Cleveland Brothers Inc. purchased several family members’ stakes in the land and now owns 49%. A court-ordered appraisal is being completed on the contested property, which may enable the company to purchase the entire plot. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzuDi_evgHM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Texas mother and daughter have made a difference in a big way as they brought down a former substitute teacher who allegedly texted and groomed minors. Joshua Hockless was charged with online solicitation of a minor last month. https://youtu.be/ZRH-zwUT44U The 25-year-old substitute appeared in court on Oct. 9 and was released on a $40,000 bond. Authorities credit the trust-filled and comfortable relationship of a teenage girl and her mother for bringing Hockless to justice. It was the girl’s mother who reporter who reported him to the authorities. “I would say that, obviously, the type of rapport and relationship this mother and daughter had is why she was comfortable going to her mother,” Assistant District Attorney Dak Choen told ABC13. As part of his bond, Hockless must have a monitoring program embedded in all his electronic devices, Madame Noire noted. https://youtu.be/dpXa4r6yW7g Defense attorneys for rapper Young Thug accused prosecutors of misrepresenting evidence and ridiculed the idea that the Grammy-winning, world-renowned artist would be focused on running a small-time Atlanta street gang in opening statements of his racketeering trial Tuesday. He is not running this criminal street gang in the Cleveland Avenue area of ‘Bleveland,’ to gain property, money or power. Jeffery Williams did it on will and hard work and determination without anybody’s help except for the people from that area who he will not turn his back on,” attorney Brian Steel told jurors, referring to the rapper by his given name. “He’s not sitting there telling people to kill people,” Steel added. “He doesn’t need their money. Jeffery is worth tens of millions of dollars.” The defense’s opening statements come at the start of what’s expected to be a monthslong trial that will be a test of the state’s expansive Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis similarly used the law to indict former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants in connection with their alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election. https://youtu.be/sojzvEG_g_k The trial is also a prominent example of the controversial prosecutorial tactic of using rap lyrics as evidence. Young Thug, 32, is one of the music industry’s most innovative and influential artists, pushing both musical and cultural boundaries – such as in his decision to wear a purple dress for the cover of his 2016 album, “Jeffery.” He had a featured appearance on Camila Cabello’s hit song “Havana,” has collaborated with leading artists including Travis Scott and Drake, and won the Grammy for “Song of the Year” in 2019 for co-writing the track “This is America” with Childish Gambino and Ludwig Göransson. Last May, he was among more than two dozen people charged under the state’s RICO act and accused of heading a criminal street gang. A number of the defendants have pleaded guilty, including the rapper Gunna, while others had their cases severed from this trial. Young Thug also faces drug and gun charges stemming from a search of his home. He has been held behind bars since his arrest last year and released his latest album, “Business is Business,” from jail over the summer. https://youtu.be/5IwZ266l564 He further said the prosecution’s use of Kendrick’s rap lyrics was “un-American” and violated his freedom of speech and association. “They want to present evidence that Mr. Kendrick is guilty by who he hangs out with, the color of the clothes that he wears, the symbols he makes with his hands and the beautiful lyrics that he writes and sings. Those aren’t actual crimes, that’s just free speech, and that is what is on trial here: the First Amendment of the Constitution,” Abt said. Stillwell’s attorney, Maxwell Schardt, delivered his opening statements Monday afternoon, saying his client was not guilty of murder and that his past work selling drugs was for his own benefit and “had nothing to do with YSL or anyone else involved in this case.” https://youtu.be/c3p1OGqq3QI Daryl Hall is taking legal action against his longtime music partner, John Oates, over a limited liability partnership they formed. Hall, 77, is attempting to block Oates, 75, from selling off his share, arguing that it would violate the terms of Hall & Oates’ business agreement. Hall filed a lawsuit on Nov. 16 in Nashville Chancery Court and obtained a temporary restraining order against Oates, People reports. The judge temporarily blocked the sale of Oates’ share of Whole Oats Enterprises LLP to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC amid a previously initiated arbitration in a separately filed case, according to the Associated Press. Hall & Oates formed in 1970 and became one of the most successful duos in rock history. Their ’70s and ’80s chart-topping hits include “Rich Girl,” “Kiss on My List,” “Private Eyes,” “I Can’t Go For that (No Can Do),” “Out of Touch,” and “Maneater.” https://youtu.be/yRYFKcMa_Ek Roc Nation rapper HDBeenDope unpack's his massive year and upcoming new music with GRAMMY-award-winning producer Pluss. In the past year, HDBeenDope has skyrocketed as a top artist to watch and had many partnership deals, including with MLB, NBA, and NFL for their Songs of the Season launch. The hip-hop artist collaborated with the LA Dodgers for a music deal and the Brooklyn Nets for their Crossover collection/campaign. In a 2022 interview, the New York native said his approach to music “comes from the place that everybody feels, you know, when you get to that point of, ‘All right yo, n-ggas got me fucked up,’” HD told HipHopDX. “When you get to that point, and that’s for whatever, somebody says something to you wrong at work, and it’s like, ‘Nah.’ You know what I mean? You’re at that point of telling people, ‘Stop playing with me,’” he added. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Fantasia brought the good times and vibes as she performed “When I See You” with the Southern University marching band at the Bayou Classic halftime show. Fans were definitely feeling what Tasia was giving, https://www.instagram.com/p/C0FdJkExF97/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jaleel White celebrates his 47th bday today, and in a throwback clip, he gives a bit of BTS tea regarding the “Family Matters” cast, the show that catapulted him to stardom. One wished him happy bday and thanked him for sharing his insights, “Happy Birthday!!! 🎁🎉🎂🎈 Very interesting and enlightening! Thanks for sharing the details that we never really thought about and/or knew. I loved the entire cast and to me each character made the show very versatile and unique!!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0J1GZKMx4y/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mary J. Blige hit dem angles and posted a word for her fans on Thanksgiving, “For What’s money without happiness or hard times without the people you love?? -J Cole Love Yourz Happy Thanksgiving bless up eat up enjoy !!!” Auntie never misses! Although thankful for the pics, fans were begging MJB to drop a boot line, “DROP A BOOTLINE MS MAAM. Puhleeeease. WE NEED A THIGH HIGH COLLECTION.” One person brought a dose of reality to the comment section no one asked for concerning Mary’s never-will-be boot line, “when Rihanna releases her next album, when She by Sheree comes out in September, when Rasheeda leaves Kirk.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_-mFnrBA2/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7ccaf74e-a729-4908-b090-3200aa578223 Plies gives a “Thanksgiving Leftovers Itinerary” that will have you in tears. Listen to his advice and ask yourself if it applies to you because nothing he said has anything to do with our household. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Transgender influencer Jay Boogie is pleading for financial help after suffering a health crisis following cosmetic surgery. The Nigerian social media star (born Daniel Anthony Nsikan) suffered sepsis and acute kidney injury after undergoing a Brazilan Butt Lift and 360 Lipo procedures on Oct. 30. Boogie is desperately in need of financial assistance for post-op treatments. “Please help me have a second chance in life! If not for [me], then for my four siblings, for whom I’m the breadwinner and sole provider,” Jay Boogie wrote on Instagram to his 234k followers. Boogie’s surgeries were performed at CGE Healthcare in Lagos, Nigeria, where Dr. Chidinma Akpa is allegedly the owner, according to MadameNoire. Boogie shared photos and online footage documenting his quest for ultimate feminine beauty MadameNoire reports. “I don’t even know me anymore and I’ve been through struggles battling with acute kidney injury and more I have had a plasmapheresis yet I’m still unstable,” Boogie wrote in a Nov. 17 post, adding, “the test results state my health is deteriorating 😢 I honestly need sincere and genuine help.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CwaLwP5Msyj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ec6ee3af-342f-4fd6-bd50-515d4d26d3f0 As reported previously, patients seeking to enhance their derriere turn to Brazilian butt lift surgery, which is a procedure that harvests excess fat from other areas of the body through liposuction and transfers it to the buttocks. “Fat cells are removed via liposuction from the abdomen, hips, thighs, or lower back,” George Bitar, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Washington, DC, tells SELF. “The extracted fat is then purified and strategically injected into specific parts of the derriere to help patients achieve their desired size and shape.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzdcaVEMD4H/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=476ac81a-1853-4ab9-9fe6-19719e5fa5b3 Two people involved in a melee at an Alabama riverfront dock that caught national headlines over the summer were sentenced, with one receiving jail time and the other ordered to go to anger management classes. Richard Roberts pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for his part in the August brawl on a Montgomery river dock. He was sentenced to 32 days, which he will serve on weekends over the course of four months. Roberts will also have to perform 100 hours of community service and pay court costs. Another defendant, Mary Todd, 21, pleaded guilty to harassment as part of a prearranged plea agreement. She was sentenced to anger management classes and has 90 days to complete the classes and must pay court costs associated with her case. Three other defendants, Allen Todd, 24, Reggie Ray, 42, and Zachary Shipman, 26, had their cases continued. https://youtu.be/CridmiwygUI A 26-year-old TiKToker went viral after revealing why he married a 90-year-old woman when he was 19. After his wife died, she left him everything to spite her seemingly selfish and greedy grandchildren. As MadameNoire reports, the Black male Tiktoker, with the handle @cerosthegod, unpacked his relationship with Margaret in a series of videos. According to Ceros, he met Margaret at a hospital he was hanging around while homeless after his mother kicked him out of the house. “She shared her story, precisely about her antipathy for her money-hungry grandchildren waiting for her to kick rocks so they could get their grimy hands on her assets,” MadameNoire writes Margaret offered Ceros some of her belongings and asked him to marry her as she wanted to spend her final days with a handsome young man. https://www.tiktok.com/@cerosthegod/video/7297657924258663711?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Ftiktoker-explains-why-he-married-elderly-woman%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7297657924258663711 When it hit the airwaves in 1993, the long-running NBC sitcom, “Frasier,” became a fan favorite, but so, too, did its catchy theme song written by Darryl Phinnesse. The unforgettable lyrics “Hey baby, I hear the blues ‘a-call in,’ Tossed salads and scrambled eggs” were part of the Zeitgeist of the 1990s, as it became one of the era’s most memorable and recognizable theme songs. The song became just as popular as the show itself. Music industry veteran Darryl Phinnessee is the man who wrote the memorable words. He has largely remained behind the scenes – until now surprising many who had no idea a Black man had written the lyrics for the timeless theme song. While his name has always been on the credits – people are now able to put a name to a face. “I’m really happy that people like the song,” Phinnessee said. “And, I think it’s great that they’re using the song for the new show.” With the reboot of “Frasier” on Paramount +, the theme song’s popularity has been revived, recapturing its original fan base while being introduced to a new audience. https://youtu.be/7NjfvvYInDU The meaning behind the show’s popular lyrics continues to be discussed. Just what is meant by “Tossed salads and scrambled eggs?” Who better to reveal the meaning of the lyrics than the man who famously wrote them? The song is experiencing a resurgence. “Yeah, it still appears to be popular,” said Phinnessee, an East St. Louis, Illinois native. “Of course, I’m pleased about that.” https://youtu.be/GpemacqzdtE The San Bernardino Branch of the NAACP is calling on the City of San Bernardino to investigate a racial incident (Race Hate) that occurred last month. A Black woman was called the N-word and B-word. During the public comments section of a council meeting on Oct. 18, Amy Malone, a Black resident of San Bernardino was interrupted by racial slurs from a commenter who was viewing the meeting remotely. The anonymous commenter told Malone to “go back to Africa” and called her the N-word. She was also called a “bitch.” Malone was shocked by the comments and insisted that they be addressed immediately. https://youtu.be/9frNJKmyXGc “You should apologize for what just happened,” said Malone to the city council members present. The local branch of the NAACP also reacted to the incident, calling it “disgusting.” “It is with a heavy heart that we must deal with racial insults being tossed at the Black community on 10/18/23 as they cautioned the mayor and council not to hire Mr. Charles Montoya as City Manager because of his public legal issues cause from being fired by the Mayor and Council from Avondale, Arizona,” wrote Chache Wright, NAACP San Bernardino Branch President. “A letter signed by Mayor Kenneth N. Weise (Avondale, AZ) lists these five alleged reasons for Montoya’s termination. 1. Montoya did not live in Avondale as required by his employment contract. 2. Demanding funds from the city he was not entitled to according to his contract. 3. Failing to make timely payments on a loan he had borrowed against his retirement account. 4. Receiving tuition reimbursement payments beyond what his contract allowed. 5. Refusing to repay vehicle reimbursement funds that he was paid in error,” the NAACP statement continued. https://youtu.be/CbmdfZ12g7A He’s been a featured soloist with the Norwegian Wind Ensemble & Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. He was also a featured vocalist in the films “This Is It,” “Annabelle: Creation,” “Save the Last Dance” (also as a composer), and “Dance Academy,” as well as “Under Suspicion.” He was an animated character in Hanna Barbera’s “I Yabba Dabba Do,” performing the theme song at Pebble’s and Bam Bam’s wedding. A Grammy Award-winner (Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group “Free Fall”), Phinnessee was also a vocalist on “Dancing with the Stars” from 2007-2013. He is currently working on a solo EP called, “The Dream.” https://youtu.be/iLFggMorCCQ Law enforcement at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport regularly seizes cash from passengers without an explanation, and getting that money back can be a long and arduous process. In a Channel 2 consumer report, Brian Moore Jr. told investigator Justin Gray that he had about $8,500 in cash while flying from Atlanta to Los Angeles to shoot a music video, but the money was seized by seemingly crooked police. Jerry Johnson was heading from Charlotte to Phoenix with $39,500 cash to buy a truck at auction when DEA agents snatched his money with no explanation. “There’s nothing different than being robbed. Somebody’s come up with a gun and take your money and then walk off,” Johnson said. https://youtu.be/Y0GGvr_2XOg Two people involved in the Alabama riverboat brawl are selling merchandise related to the incident. nReggie Ray and Tammie Howard launched the ‘Alabama Brawl Collection’ after they were exploited when other people capitalized on their likeness from the August 5 melee, according to TMZ. The “unisex items retailed at $12.99 to $59.99, the collection includes tees, sweatshirts, hoodies, caps, water bottles and mugs that read slogans like “Chairman for Justice,” “Fade in the Water,” and “Lift Every Chair and Swing,” Complex writes. Ray was captured on camera hitting white people with a folding chair during the Montgomery brawl. He was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct. He teamed with fellow brawl member Howard and attorney Jehan “J” Carter to start a line of merchandise inspired by the wild confrontation. The collection calls on customers to “celebrate the bravery of the Alabama Brawl.” https://twitter.com/shannonsharpeee/status/1688217322933432320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1688220213811314688%7Ctwgr%5E3765316e98e31a3ab24379cd4d4001b2eafb07f8%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fmontgomery-riverboat-brawl-participants-selling-merch%2F Jennifer Lopez has announced her new upcoming film and album, “THIS IS ME NOW,” will drop at the start of the new year. On February 16th, 2024, Lopez will release her long-awaited musical experience, “THIS IS ME…NOW,” with a new full-length album and film. The project marks her first studio album in nearly a decade and “celebrates the anniversary of its sister album, This is Me…Then, completing a 20 year journey,” per the press release. The album “effortlessly blends R&B, contemporary pop sounds and hip-hop beats, combined with her emotional signature vocals is Lopez’s most honest and personal yet,” the release states. https://youtu.be/r2lIJPWR34U “Lopez creates a genre-redefining immersive cinematic experience: an extravagant visual and sonic feast with impressive choreography, star-studded cameos, costumes, sets and blockbuster-worthy visuals,” the synopsis continues. “Although an astonishing, vivid spectacle, the film is ultimately a heartfelt ode to JL’s journey of self-healing and everlasting belief in fairytale endings. Audiences will be captivated and leave hopeful that true love can be more than a dream.” Amazon MGM Studios will release “This Is Me…Now: The Film” on Prime Video, while Nuyorican/BMG will distribute “This Is Me…Now: The Album.” The first single will be released on January 10, 2024, and is available to pre-save today on all major streamers. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0EkyEjL5i6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tiffany Haddish addressed her latest DUI arrest during a stand-up show at the Laugh Factory in Long Beach, California. In audio obtained by TMZ from Friday night’s show, when asked about her arrest, Haddish jokingly replied, “I had prayed to God to send me a man with a job, career, preferably in a uniform, and I answered my prayers,” she said, per the recording (listen to the clip above). We reported previously via CNN that Haddish was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department. She was arrested shortly after. According to TMZ, Haddish was not involved in an accident but was allegedly found asleep in her parked vehicle with the car running. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-11-25-112523-tiffany-haddish-sub-1734019-651/ Diddy’s former assistant, Capricorn Clark, is speaking out after Suge Knight revealed on his podcast that the Bad Boy mogul once brutally beat her. Diddy’s former assistant, Capricorn Clark, is speaking out after Suge Knight revealed on his podcast that the Bad Boy mogul once brutally beat her. In a message posted to her private Twitter account, Clark called Diddy “the devil” and noted: “Black women end up being the sacrifice for the f-ckery. Last 11 years of my life, I have had to deal with EVERYONES nonsensical allegiance to the devil. I pray that ends. I don’t think highly of any of you. Can’t keep your head down + pretend sh-t is cool no more. Do better,” she wrote, Hot New Hip Hop reports. The statement comes after Suge spilled more tea about Puff’s alleged violence towards women on the latest episode of his Collect Call with Suge Knight podcast, which the ex-Death Row CEO hosts from prison. He is serving a 28-years for a fatal hit-and-run incident. “What Puffy done, what Puffy did, or what Puffy do, is not a surprise — everybody know what it is,” he said, Hip Hop DX reports. “I mean, you gotta be able to that type of shit to a woman and to other women. But it’s not like it’s new news.” Suge claims Diddy assaulted Clark because she didn’t tell him about Cassie allegedly creeping around with Kid Cudi. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0HsaqNv5rw/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c31b2414-4219-48dc-bd68-26648245a923&img_index=1 Charlamagne Tha God discussed the future of the popular radio show program “The Breakfast Club” amid DJ Envy‘s legal drama. “The Breakfast Club is bigger than any of us as individuals. I’ve always felt like that,” Charlamagne said during a recent appearance on the Rap Radar podcast, Hip Hop DX reports. “My mind… what I always wanted for The Breakfast Club was new talent constantly comes in and is a part of this… is under this umbrella of the club. So whether Angela Yee is there or I’m there or Envy’s there, the platform can still continue,” he added. “I’ve never felt like The Breakfast Club was just a show about three individuals. That’s always where my mind was,” Charlamagne said. We reported previously that Envy is named in a lawsuit against his business partner, Cesar Pina, alleging the duo defrauded multiple investors of millions of dollars. Pena’s wife, Jennifer, is also named in the suit Anthony Barone and Anthony Martini filed. The plaintiffs claim that the trio “utilized the invested funds to sustain or bolster their opulent lifestyles.” “Same time he beat the sh*t outta muthaf*cking Cassie, he had an assistant by the name of Capricorn,” he continued. “He felt Cap was keepin’ this sh*t on the low about if she was messin’ with Cudi or not. Puffy beat the sh*t out that b*tch. “Not only did he beat the shit out of her, it was an Interscope person, an Interscope check, that paid her to settle so he wouldn’t go to jail.” Elsewhere in the conversation, Suge said, “Puffy, I don’t wanna see you go down, but if you need a celly, I’ma grant your ass my cell, boy! Have your cook game working. I don’t want no head, but you gon’ be cleaning toilets.” The comments come over a week after Diddy settled a $30 million lawsuit with his ex, Cassie, who accused him of physically abusing her and rapping her for years during their decade-long relationship. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Ex1TROeWm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again After nearly 10 months of jury selection, one of the country’s highest-profile trials is finally set to begin this week in Atlanta. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has alleged Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug is the co-founder of a criminal street gang (YSL) responsible for violent acts dating back a decade. Prosecutors say YSL – the acronym for the artist’s label, Young Stoner Life Records – also stands for Young Slime Life, an Atlanta-based street gang affiliated with the national Bloods gang. The artist was charged alongside more than two dozen other people under the state’s expansive Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act – known as RICO. https://youtu.be/vrm87uVSrmc It’s the same law Willis used to indict former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants in August in connection with their alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The blistering indictment naming Young Thug has turned national attention to the Atlanta courtroom where opening statements are due to begin Monday ahead of what could be a lengthy trial with a star-studded witness list. The case has also drawn fierce criticism over prosecutors’ use of rap lyrics as proof of the gang’s existence – a move some say is a racist violation of freedom of speech and artistic expression, and the latest instance of Black art being targeted. https://youtu.be/5WkCylxDl_4 Tyrese Gibson wants his ex-wife Samantha Lee to drop his last name after she blasted him for talking about their marriage during a recent podcast interview. Tyrese spoke about his divorce from Lee when he appeared on the Joe Budden Podcast. The ex-couple tied the knot in 2017 and announced their divorce in December 2020. During the Budden interview, Lee took issue with some of Gibson’s remarks and clapped back on Instagram, Complex reports. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” Lee said in the video. You can learn a lot about people by how they respond/react to certain boundaries you set. The funny thing is, some people KNOW how they were doing you (probably worse than you even found out about in the moment) and yet you become the horrible person, the villain, in their story because you decided to set a boundary.” Tyrese responded in an Instagram post, calling on Lee to change her last name. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Fn_nkOIvN/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Beyoncé reveals in her documentary titled “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” how her daughter Blue Ivy reacted to the online criticism about her “lackluster moves” while on tour with her mother. “She told me she was ready to perform, and I told her no,” the global superstar said in the film, according to The New York Times. Blue Ivy, 11, made several appearances on the “Renaissance” tour during Queen Bey’s performances of “My Power” and “Black Parade.” After her debut in May during the Paris stop, social media criticized the child’s dancing skills. “But it thrilled her mother that instead of quitting, she decided to put in the work and train even harder for future stops,” the Times wrote. “I am truly amazed by the courage that this brave, talented, beautiful 11-year-old exhibited last night. There were almost 70,000 people in that audience,” Beyonce’s mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, wrote of her granddaughter in a May 27 post on Instagram. “She danced with professional dancers, grown folks, she did complicated choreography and moves that they rehearsed for months. She rehearsed and learned this in a little over a week. She was so smooth with it.” https://youtu.be/xBcLo0Bc9Zs Kelly Rowland also gushed about Blue Ivy’s motivation to work hard in an August interview with E! News. “I’m very proud,” she said. “She works very freaking hard, period. But how could she not, you know? She sees her mother in action and she sees her father (JAY-Z) in action and how they apply everything, hard work to everything that they do.” We reported previously that Queen Bey is bringing her Renaissance World Tour to AMC Theatres in December. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” will play in thousands of U.S., Canadian, and Mexican theaters beginning Dec. 1. Tickets are available via AMC and Fandango. “When I am performing, I am nothing but free,” Beyoncé says in the film’s trailer. “The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free and no one is judged. Start over, start fresh, create the new. That’s what the Renaissance is about.” https://youtu.be/AqjPzq3uYXQ Ludacris (Christopher Brian Bridges), is a consummate entertainer and innovative regarding his lyrics, visuals, and performances. The Atlanta rapper did a jaw-dropping performance rappelling from the roof of Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium of his hit “Move B*tch” during the closing of the third quarter of the Atlanta Falcons game versus the New Orleans Saints. His wife Eudoxie wrote, “A very @ludacris moment had me almost peeing my pants! 😂 but this is such a dope shot!! 🔥🔥. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0IGBubAvdb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again T.I. kicked off the game shouting, “Bring ’em out, bring ’em out,” but incurred the microphone having a technical difficulty as the Falcons ran onto the field, according to Paste Magazine. https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Singer, actress, and host of the Soul Train Awards Keke Palmer gave a performance reminding folks her mic is always on! Some fans were unaware that Ms. Keke had vocal skills. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0IpvcEtqSz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Coco Jones performed with Boyz II Men at theGrio Awards 2023 with Mariah Carey’s “One Sweet Day!” hit 🔥🎶. Singer Nicci Gilbert pleaded, “Can all the Awards Shows get back to moments like these…It’s Time for R&B to save the Entertainment Industry 🔥❤️.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0F2Yl-tDJN/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Bill Cosby’s wife, Camille Cosby, reportedly refuses to fire the personal chef or staffers amid the couple’s “dire” financial situation. We reported previously that Cosby is said to be in “financial turmoil” and is “liquidating” assets to pay for legal fees related to civil lawsuits, according to RadarOnline. An insider claims Cosby, whose net worth was once estimated at $400 million, is “taking out second mortgages,” and he and his wife Camille are “selling off their artwork.” The couple is in a “bad situation financially” related to a slew of Cosby’s lawsuits brought on by women in several states, which has caused “major issues” for the couple, per Radar. “It’s never going to end,” the insider said of Cosy’s legal drama. “They are in financial turmoil right now,” the source added. Camille is allegedly in denial about their financial issues, according to Radar. A source told the outlet they “can’t live that lifestyle” anymore. Despite Cosby’s demands to fire some of their employees, his wife of 60 years is not having it. Meanwhile, Cosby is facing another sexual assault lawsuit from nine women that was filed in Nevada. A recent law in the state removed the statute of limitations for civil cases. As NBC News reports, the lawsuit accuses the 85-year-old of using his “enormous power, fame and prestige” to sexually assault each of the accusers. CNN may not be the first thing to come to mind when thinking of Charles Barkley, but the network is putting stock on the NBA legend and Gayle King to shake up things for the better. Variety reports the pair will co-anchor a new one-hour weekly limited-run series called “King Charles.” According to Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, the show offers a twist to the traditional news show format. “‘King Charles’ is different than anything we have on CNN’s lineup,” Entelis said in responses to questions provided by email. “It’s not a newscast, but rather a talk show centered around the news stories and cultural moments that Gayle and Charles are most interested in.” The arrival of “King Charles” comes amid a time when cable news networks are creatively exploring new ways to keep and attract viewers who are moving toward on-demand streaming video. The creation of the show stemmed during the tenure of former CNN CEO Chris Licht. During his time at the network, Licht put a bit of emphasis on looking for non-traditional personalities to add perspective and color to the network’s programming. Variety notes the impact of the current landscape with advertisers who fear being called out for sponsoring opinioned hosts after years of being comfortable with the traditional news show format. https://youtu.be/u8S82HqneO4 Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, has been stabbed. Chauvin was knifed Friday (11-24-23) at a federal prison in Tucson, Arizona, reports The Associated Press via a source. The attack happened Friday at around 12:30pm at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson. The AP’s report says Chauvin’s injury is serious. The source spoke on the condition of staying unidentified because they were not publicly allowed to share details of the incident. https://youtu.be/tpfzIHtfQPg Without naming the inmate, the Bureau of Prisons issued a statement to the AP saying that prison employees responded to an incident, contained the area, and performed “life-saving measures” on the inmate (assumed to be Chauvin), who was then transported to a hospital. It was last year in August that Chauvin was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson from a maximum-security state prison in Minnesota. He was given a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights. He also received a 22½-year state sentence for second-degree murder. George Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after he was forcibly held on the ground by Chauvin for 9½ minutes who pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck. A bystander fortunately recorded video of the incident and of Floyd saying “I can’t breathe.” His death led to protests around the world. https://youtu.be/AzreUZUJtVQ Jamie Foxx is maintaining he never sexually assaulted the model who recently sued him over an incident she claims happened in 2015. Foxx’s spokesperson told TMZ that the incident in question never happened. “In 2020, this individual filed a nearly identical lawsuit in Brooklyn. That case was dismissed shortly thereafter,” added the spokesperson, pointing to a different lawsuit. “The claims are no more viable today than they were then.” In the newest lawsuit, filed in New York, the woman alleges that Foxx groped her without her consent at a swanky NYC rooftop restaurant in August 2015. According to her, she asked Foxx for a photo and he told her, “Wow, you have that supermodel body” and “You smell so good.” Having praised her thus, he allegedly grabbed her arm and pulled her to a back area, and started touching her all over her body, including all her private parts. https://youtu.be/TI2RUNqLvUU Retail giant Macy’s will no longer carry Sean “Diddy” Combs clothing brand “Sean John.” An insider familiar with the details disclosed that Diddy’s “products are being removed” and “won’t be available on the site.” In essence, the musician’s brand won’t be featured on Macy’s retail website, ending a two-decade partnership. The insider added that Diddy’s “products are being removed” and “won’t be available on the site.” Macy’s has been offering the brand in select stores for years but now the brand is not been selling like it used to in the ’90s and early ‘00s. The insider pointed out that the retail stores are “always evaluating” and deciding “what’s relevant” to consumers. After a period of evaluation, Macy’s decided it was time to “phase out” the label because people were no longer buying Sean John. “As part of our ongoing review of our brand portfolio, the Sean John collection has started to phase out of assortment since early fall 2023,” the insider disclosed to RadarOnline.com on Wednesday. “It’s the course of business.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IpfQhwvHZd4?feature=share Tiffany Haddish was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department. Police were called at 5:45 a.m. PST on Friday morning and she was arrested shortly after. She remains in custody as of Friday morning local time, a public information officer told CNN. According to TMZ, Haddish was not involved in an accident but was allegedly found asleep in her parked vehicle with the car running. CNN has reached out to representatives for Haddish for comment. Haddish had reportedly performed at The Laugh Factory in West Hollywood on Thursday night for the comedy club’s 43rd annual free Thanksgiving feast for the community. The comedic actress was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in 2022 in Peachtree City, Georgia after she fell asleep at the wheel. She later addressed the incident that same month during an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” “I can say this Jimmy, I’ve been praying to God to send me a new man, a good man,” said Haddish. “And God went ahead and sent me four in a uniform. I wasn’t expecting it.” https://youtu.be/U_q_TCJv0PM There was plenty of excitement last year when Zahara Jolie-Pitt enrolled at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Videos of her and her mom, Angelina Jolie, visiting the campus went viral and sparked conversation about the importance of historically Black colleges and universities. The 18-year-old daughter of Jolie and Brad Pitt has now pledged the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated, and it has once again stirred excitement and dialogue. Essence magazine shared a video on social media that showed a crowd on campus reacting enthusiastically as Jolie-Pitt introduced herself and shared that she was number seven among her line sisters pledging. https://youtu.be/yTJHOt20Gbc Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by Black college-educated women and has more than 355,000 initiated members in undergraduate and graduate chapters around the world. It was founded in 1908 at Howard University and is the subject of the documentary “Twenty Pearls.” The sorority also boasts plenty of high-profile members, including the current Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. Many members proudly point to being part of the Divine Nine, a group of sororities and fraternities that were founded in the early 20th century during a time when racism and discrimination against Black Americans was pervasive. Jolie-Pitt was online and then crossed over as it is referred to once a person becomes a member of a Black sorority or fraternity, is notable to those who have observed Jolie-Pitt’s connections to her cultural roots. She was born in Ethiopia and adopted by Jolie and Pitt in 2005. When it comes to transracial adoptions in which children of color are adopted by white parents, there are some who express concerns that those parents may not be sensitive to what it means to live in a world that has deemed you a minority. https://youtu.be/XuQvdhe8QDo Such was the case in 2009, when there was debate about Jolie allowing her daughter to wear her hair, as Newsweek’s Allison Samuels referred to it as, “wild and unstyled, uncombed and dry. Basically: a ‘hot mess.’” “Now, I’m not going to jump in the middle of the raucous debate sweeping like wildfire through the internet; there’s been enough piling on from both sides of the issue without me adding to it (Should Zahara’s hair be wild and carefree?,” author and journalist Denene Millner wrote on her My Brown Baby site. “Should Angie take a black hair care class or two so she can “tame” Zahara’s hair? Why are we criticizing a 4-year-old’s hairstyle anyway?)” “But I will say that even as an African American mom, it’s not easy being in charge of two heads of kinky, curly hair — not including my own — with little information, great trepidation, and horrible memories of the Saturday night torture,” she added. So when Jolie came to Spelman in 2022 with her daughter, there was celebration that Jolie-Pitt would become a part of the famed liberal arts college for women. The actress fully embraced the choice, even being filmed during a campus visit getting a lesson in how to do the Electric Slide. https://youtu.be/KnuCBuZtM90 Everyone it seems is talking about Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows him well. Many know his name, but not him. From just a contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stroud has evolved into a potential Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate, thanks to the endless impressive performance he keeps displaying. Stroud was born in Rancho Cucamonga, California. He is the youngest of four siblings, and also the most famous. There is sad detail in his story. Stroud’s father, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, was sentenced to 38 years to life after pleading guilty to kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery related to a drug-related incident under California’s three-strikes law in 2016. The father has been incarcerated since CJ was in middle school and is currently serving his sentence at Folsom State Prison near Sacramento. That said, let’s now talk about Stroud himself. The 22-year-old National Football League player has perfected the art of working under pressure, making critical decisions in crucial moments. For his admirers, this has qualified him for the MVP consideration. https://youtu.be/oq73CsZKo64 Brandy (Brandy Rayana Norwood) shared pictures and her Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performance on the Brach’s candy float. She captioned the images, “I pray everyone had a beautiful day of being thankful and remembering to count your blessings. Happy Thanksgiving.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C0BIvjMsjFB/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c64409e6-7202-4316-ba94-3e6915b9c9a2&img_index=1 Teyana Taylor requests her fans and blogs give her privacy as she works through her divorce from Iman Shumpert. “I mind my business, don’t bother nobody & y’all know I’ve never played about my children, family & our privacy,” she begins. “I have not spoken on this private matter to any media outlets or blogs etc. So everyone claiming ‘Teyana said’ didn’t get any statements directly from ME. These statements were taken from private court documents that were leaked to the public. It is very heartbreaking that someone would take the time to make such a private matter public for the world to see. However, Protecting my family is one thing I’ve ALWAYS done & for my children, I will continue to do so. Please if y’all love y’all play nieces Junie & Rue like y’all have shown, please allow myself & my family some privacy to resolve this matter in peace.” She ended her statement with “love y’all” followed by a heart emoji. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Cu4bpuni_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=061da7ac-d2c4-41ac-96af-9dfa580938dc Social media influencer @yesimprettyvee recreated a scene from “The Color Purple” but renamed it “The Color Pank” (1930s) 👢🍃. Vena E. gave an Oscar-worthy performance, with her fans tagging Tyler Perry to put her in his next movie. “What can’t you do!?!😂😂 @tylerperry please get Vee a movie or a whole damn show!!👏🏽👸🏽.” Another fan wrote, “Bravo… 👏🏾👏🏾 Can we talk about them “crickets” in the background too… They did they thing too and gone help you get that Oscar meanwhile they getting an Emmy for supportive role 😂😂. https://www.instagram.com/p/CyzLBMBpN3m/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tia Mowry posed with her family and ex-husband Cory Hardict. A bunch of nosey Nancys noticed how Tia had a hand casually placed on her ex-bae’s knee. “That moment when you realize it’s nothing out here so you go back home to where you feel comfortable at,” observed one fan. “Just get back together, the dating scene is trash,” pleaded another person. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Cp1CWP9KX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=73314c1e-52c4-429a-8654-d01856d6a6ad&img_index=1 Tommie Lee, the reality TV star, posted clips of her with Tamar Braxton’s ex-fiancé Jeremy “JR” Robinson no doubt as an extension of the two women’s online beef days earlier. But some of those looking on point out that with this latest salvo, Tommie has taken the beef to another level no one saw coming. This is obviously meant to get back at the “Love and War” singer. In the clips, JR — the NOLA repping and Atlanta attorney — is wearing a leather Louis Vuitton jacket and is seated beside Tommie who is clad in a black jumpsuit. It’s not yet clear if this was a chance evening meeting or a date. The “Love & Hip Hop” star seems keener on flirting with JR in the clips. After he smiles sheepishly and leans close to speak with her, she lightly wraps her hand around his waist. It’s her recording the whole thing. Another clip shows JR’s face on the camera and he looks puzzled upon realizing she is recording things. One of the clips is captioned, “Last night’s game was all over the place.” https://youtu.be/q7S5GYw0LL4 While some commenters felt JR and Tommie being at the basketball game together was questionable and weird, others wrote that Tommie sank low by posting them and getting over-excited over the meeting. They said she has come out as needy and desperate. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czy3Nt9JvaU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jazzy Rita (LaRita Shelby), a Jazz singer/songwriter releases new single “Real Holiday Love” (SB Music) just in time for the holidays. The single provokes feelings of love, family, and giving – the kind of feelings felt around the world during the holiday season. Rita is a former radio personality (Armed Forces Radio) and television producer (“The LaRita Shelby Show”), heard in 57 countries. The “Real Holiday Love” single was written by Rita and Willie Daniels (Walk by Faith) and produced by Michael Wells (Wishing Well Studios). The “Real Holiday Love” single is her first-holiday project. Her last album was “A Date with a Song.” Born in Nashville and currently residing in Los Angeles, Jazzy Rita is also an author, producer, playwright, host, comedian, media personality, and screenwriter. She has her own band called “The 2 Jazzy Crew,” under the direction of Will Daniels. https://youtu.be/ia6L20GjUTw Fans came for Whoopi Goldberg‘s neck because she posted videos of cooking her Thanksgiving turkey without wearing gloves. The television host told people to chill and said she washed her hands, “We’re not dirty mofos,” she emphatically declared. One fan came to Whoop’s defense, “They Acting Like They About To Eat Her Food and MOST BLACK PEOPLE CONSTANTLY Wash / Rinse Our Hands While In The Kitchen Cooking.” https://www.instagram.com/whoopigoldberg/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f3fc8987-4ca3-4f9f-862d-7ced618b4f1d Christina Milan gave her fans an inside look into her kitchen as she prepared yams aka sweet potatoes. Fans quickly transformed into social media Keith Lees and critiqued her culinary and hygienic skills. One inquired, “Did you boil them 1st sis!? Lol.” Another person immediately addressed the concern, “@pfrankshow no sir as a SOUL FOOD chef/caterer and Business owner raised in the kitchen by 2 great grandmother chefs and great aunts sorry to inform you but you do NOT have to boil a sweet potato.” But according to another fan, Christina committed a cardinal sin in the kitchen, touching her face and then touching the food, “When she wiped her nose and then started touching the sweet potatoes I knew then there was a problem!” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_ZJJit_0h/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=invalid&ig_rid=866c7747-6b9f-457e-9a0f-5d002b7aeffa Keyshia Ka’Oir announced on her IG page that her beloved Pepto Bismal color Lambo was found after being listed as stolen. She captioned the pictures showing her recovered vehicle, “Got my baby back! Thanks to everyone that assisted 🙌.” Gucci Mane‘s bae previously said she would offer a reward if anyone located her automobile. Fans sardonically wrote their opinions about her debacle, “Girl, ain’t nobody took your vehicle, you took it and damaged it yourself. You not gonna tell me, you got it without a tracker, then randomly just found it on the road. Girl Gtf. You better hope dummies work at the insurance company.” One person felt it was a hoax, “Probably was never missing, the materialistic queen with a stunt. 🤷🏽♀️.“ https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_iYt3ujZp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=979db9fe-7492-419b-afb6-fb50a2c78b6b Rick Ross went back to his Grandma’s neighborhood to feed the residents. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz9rpHbumlc/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=64b20ab8-5352-46f2-884c-8742f15d474f The Omni-American Future Project, a groundbreaking initiative committed to fighting racism and antisemitism in the United States through the unifying power of music and culture, is proud to unveil Straight Ahead: The Omni-American Podcast. The inaugural episode with Coleman Hughes aired on Thursday and is available on all major platforms. Straight Ahead features Omni-American Future Project co-directors Greg Thomas and Aryeh Tepper in conversation with leading figures from the arts, academia, business, and politics. By promoting a robust middle path in U.S. society and culture that celebrates human excellence no matter the source, Tepper and Thomas steadfastly oppose those who fuel racism and antisemitism by reducing people to essentialized identities. https://vimeo.com/885393199 Soul Train Music Awards 2023 taping was kind of all over the place, like the current state of hip-hop. Everyone’s talking about where music is headed, and the same can be said about the Soul Train Music Awards. Can Keke Palmer‘s move to switch up the venue save the day, or is it time to let the hippest trip in America rest in peace? Candidly speaking, the venue change to a mansion was pretty forward-thinking. It had beautiful views of the Hollywood hills, and the decor was on point. The lineup was nice, but there was just a lot going on for America’s new sweetheart and our favorite host to visit the carpet. Production had too much going on with this location (and the windy day didn’t make things any better). Maybe less is more next time around? Fingers crossed that we’re wrong, and the production blows our minds with select artist performances and edits. Eurweb was able to interview legendary artists such as David Banner, Bryan Michael Cox, and Nicci Gilbert, along with soulful singers like Eric Bellinger, Coco Jones, October London, and newcomers such as Honey Bxby, Ambre’, and Dante’ Bowe, which all provided a captivating perspective into the many spectrums of the music industry. Wild cards included the ever-charismatic Ray J, Kenny Burns, and the beautiful actress Serayah. We were able to interview legendary artists such as David Banner, Bryan Michael Cox, and Nicci Gilbert, along with soulful singers like Eric Bellinger, Coco Jones, October London, and newcomers such as Honey Bxby, Ambre’, and Dante’ Bowe, which all provided a captivating perspective into the many spectrums of the music industry. Wild cards included the ever-charismatic Ray J, Kenny Burns, and the beautiful actress Serayah. https://vimeo.com/887051590 More than eight months after 37-year-old Dexter Wade was fatally struck by a Mississippi officer in a police cruiser, his family members shared their final goodbyes as he was laid to rest Monday.The Jackson Police Department said Wade died after being struck by an officer on March 5 and investigators were not able to contact his family. His mother reported him missing on March 14, a little more than a week after the crash, but did not receive word he had been killed – and buried – until August 24, CNN has reported. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Wade was buried in a “pauper’s field.” His body was exhumed earlier this month. At his service Monday, Wade’s mother, Bettersten Wade, talked about her journey trying to find her son. “I begged Dexter to come home,” she said. “Dexter, you made it home.” https://youtu.be/YwcDigZF4VY An arrest has been made in connection to the fatal shooting of Mickey Cooper, the younger brother of former Los Angeles Lakers player Michael Cooper.Mickey, 64, was shot on November 18 in a park Pasadena, California. Two days later, police arrested Aaron Miguel Conell, 24, on murder charges after uncovering evidence tying him to Cooper’s killing. Pasadena Police Department said in a statement that Conell was “identified [as] a person of interest only a few hours after the homicide.” In an interview with ABC 7, Michael Cooper said his brother was deeply loved by his family despite living a troubled life and battling drug addiction. https://youtu.be/fqGc0U2iSI0 Mickey was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in Pasadena’s Washington Park at 4 a.m. Saturday. Micheal said his bother “went about his life” and “didn’t bother anybody.” According to Newsweek, the siblings played basketball together in the same park when they were children. “For somebody to come take his life, [as if] that nobody loved him? He was loved by a lot of people,” Michael added. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1726502191467581440/adAkD0Kv?format=jpg&name=small More details about Cassie Ventura’s tumultuous relationship with Diddy have surfaced, including allegations that the hip-hop mogul pressured her to get breast implants in 2009. According to The Blast, Diddy didn’t like the results of Cassie’s breast augmentation, so he demanded that the doctor reverse the procedure a day after she went under the knife. A witness to the abuse told the Daily Mail that “a tearful Cassie sat in silence as Diddy ordered Dr. Frank Ryan, a celebrity surgeon, to reverse the procedure,” The Blast writes. “Diddy thought they could go right back into surgery, like now, and take them out,” the source said. “And Dr. Ryan was like, ‘No way,’ trying to explain to him that we should wait at least six months to see how it heals because she was just opened up.” The source continued, “But Diddy was like, ‘No, they’ve got to come out, call who you need to call, they’ve got to come out.'” Ventura filed a federal lawsuit last week, accusing Combs of rape, physical abuse and sex trafficking. A settlement was reached a day after she claimed Diddy violently abused her for years. Details of the settlement have not been revealed. We reported via CNN that “Ventura’s lawyer said Combs offered her “eight figures” — or between $10 million and $99.9 million — to keep her from filing her lawsuit,” the outlet writes. Diddy’s attorney, Ben Brafman, said Diddy “vehemently denies” Cassie’s abuse allegations. “For the past six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail,” the statement read, per USA Today. “Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation and seeking a pay day.” Brafman also stated: “Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing. Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.” Keke Palmer stars in Google’s latest Black-Owned Friday campaign, now in its fourth year. Palmer’s film, directed by Andre Muir, includes a remixed version of Crystal Waters’ iconic 90s single “100% Pure Love.” The clip features 12 Black-owned businesses, 25 Black-owned brands, and 50+ individual products nationwide. The video sees Palmer making it a point to support Black-owned establishments on Black Friday.In a statement, the actress/singer said, “People know me as Keke “Keep A Bag” Palmer because I am all about taking care of business. I love supporting small businesses, and as an entrepreneur myself, I’m particularly invested in the support of Black-owned businesses. So when Google approached me for their fourth annual Black-owned Friday campaign my response was “100%.” Keke Palmer attends the Time100 Next at Second on October 25, 2022, in New York City. Muir said, “Supporting Black-owned businesses is not just a seasonal endeavor but a year-round Commitment.” https://youtu.be/S29xhu4QvSY A new upcoming podcast series will explore the story of “Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a Muslim leader who was convicted of shooting two sheriff’s deputies — one fatally —in 2000, outside a mosque in one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods,” according to a news release. The podcast titled “Radical” spans the Jim Crow South, the Civil Rights Movement, the War on Drugs, and post-9/11 America, unraveling a story that transcends a murder trial to explore the impact on a community of Black Muslims in the South, revealing something deeper about violence in America,” per the release. Hosted by Mosi Secret, in collaboration with iHeartPodcasts, the series unpacks “a story that transcends a murder trial to explore the impact on a community of Black Muslims in the South, revealing something deeper about violence in America, and who deserves to be called radical,” the synopsis states. “Jamil Al-Amin was a crucial figure in Black history, and a vibrant leader who played an integral role in establishing a religious community in one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods, yet many people do not know his story,” said “Radical” host Mosi Secret. https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcHJvZ3JhbXMvZTczYzk5OGUtNmU2MC00MzJmLTg2MTAtYWUyMTAxNDBjNWIxLzgzOTVlMGRkLTY4NDItNDgwNi1iOWFhLWIwOGYwMTE0ODVkOS9pbWFnZS5qcGc_dD0xNjk5NTQyNzY4JnNpemU9TGFyZ2U?ops=fit(240%2C240) The album, released in 1972 as a 6-song single disc, became a multi-platinum-seller on the strength of not only its hit singles, “The Cisco Kid” and “The World is a Ghetto,” but also its immediate and long-enduring mystique as that rare flawless LP that could be played from beginning to end and take listeners on a hypnotizing, introspective journey. This was accomplished via stretched-out mood pieces “City, Country, City” and “Four Cornered Room,” the hand-clappin’ bounce of “Where Was You At,” and the mind-bending finale “Beetles in the Bog.” Now, The World is a Ghetto has received an astounding retrospective treatment that includes a remaster of the album as it was originally released on one disc, 6 previously unreleased tracks from the sessions on another disc, plus 3 additional vinyl discs that contain – on one side apiece – the box set’s true motherlode. Each side takes you on a journey through the evolution of a song from germination to its initial rough mix (i.e., before overdubs, sweetening, and final editing). All this music astoundingly reveals the collaborative magic of original band members Howard Scott on electric and acoustic guitars and lead vocals, Lonnie Jordan on piano, electric piano and organ and lead vocals, B.B. Dickerson on electric bass and lead vocals, Charles Miller on saxophones and flute, Lee Oskar on harmonicas, Harold Brown on drums and vocals, and Papa Dee Allen on congas and percussion. Nick Cannon is hosting yet another show! The “Masked Singer” host has a new series on VH1, “Future Superstars.” The show features episodes of upcoming artists’ journey to stardom. Cannon has been known to launch careers through his show “Wild n Out.” Several comedians have gotten their start on that show. He’s also played a role in the careers of some of today’s artists such as HER and Kahlani. Watching interviews about or with Cannon one can learn how influential he is behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. And now he is showing everyone the power of his impact with his new docu-series “Future Superstars.” Each episode follows a different artist telling their story. The show focuses on their path of following their dreams and showcasing their talents. This series is not only a way to get their names out there, but a way for viewers to get to know them and how relatable they are. We talked to Nick about this show and why it was important for him to use his platform this way. “It’s one of those things where I feel like it’s one of my gifts. So really it is a blessing to spot talent early,” said Cannon. Cannon has been in entertainment for over 20 years. And through his time in the industry, he has learned a lot about it and is willing to help others achieve success. Thanksgiving Day has looked different in recent years. This year, the turkey day falls on Thursday, Nov. 23. Here’s what’s open and closed on Thanksgiving Day 2023. Sights of people lining up at 5 pm Thanksgiving Day at large retailers to catch Black Friday deals are rare since the onset of the pandemic. Many stores opted to close their doors on Thanksgiving in 2020 to limit crowding and spread out the holiday shopping season — and made the decision permanent. Target is closed on Thanksgiving Day. The closure on Thursday began for the first time in 2020. “Once I heard from team members how much they appreciated that time with their families, it was an easy decision to make the policy permanent, and our store teams have had that time off ever since,” CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement in November. https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1727104455139549458 Mary J. Blige and Misa Hylton partied with Misa‘s daughter, Madison Star Brim, holding the camera wearing a mint green ensemble. The peanut gallery had much to say about the two ladies and relative silence about the recent Diddy scandal involving his ex-lover Cassie. “Mary knows everything about diddy madness but she will keep is secrets till the end of time. She has been friends for more than 30years she knows everything but isn’t her she doesn’t care, don’t expect her to say anything about him she will not that’s her best friend and she doesn’t care what he does to people she doesn’t care she doesn’t have anything to say about him. All this drama did you hear she said anything apparently not about him? These people are something else. I look at her differently from now on.????????,” said one person. One fan defended the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, “Mary had and probably still has her own addictions she has fault all her life she has also had her own DV situations/relationship, she fights her own demons so it’s no way she can speak on anyone else’s when she’s trying to heal herself.” https://www.tiktok.com/@_madisonstar/video/7303734005663305003?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Fdrake-debuts-miskeen-face-tattoo-fans-clown-him-viola-davis-drops-gems-about-self-love-and-relationships-more-picvideos%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7303734005663305003 Oscar winner Viola Davis gave relationship advice to Buzzfeed while attending the Los Angeles premiere of the new prequel movie “Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snake.” Auntie V said, after gazing lovingly at her husband Julius Tennon, she teaches her daughter to love herself first to cultivate meaningful relationships. https://www.tiktok.com/share/video/7276100617305787694?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Fdrake-debuts-miskeen-face-tattoo-fans-clown-him-viola-davis-drops-gems-about-self-love-and-relationships-more-picvideos%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_card_play&referer_video_id=7302517727246273834 Mashonda linked up with Alicia Keys to watch the opening night of Alicia‘s new off-Broadway musical “Hell’s Kitchen.” Mashonda captioned her pictures with Genesis Ali and Angela Bassett, “Big #NEWYORK ENERGY Hells Kitchen was phenomenal and premier night was a blast????Congratulations @aliciakeys. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz62I8lusbS/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fe9ecbff-7d9d-4084-91fa-c75fb937883a Rose admits she lets her 4-year-old son Slash drink coffee every morning before school. “He drinks coffee all the time,” Rose, 40, explained to “No Jumper” podcast host Adam22 and his wife, porn star Lena the Plug, Page Six reports. “Like, me and my kids sit and we drink coffee and we talk,” Rose added. The former stripper shares Slash with her ex, music executive Alexander “AE” Edwards, and 10-year-old son Sebastian with rapper Wiz Khalifa. Rose said Slash will “wake up and be like, ‘I want coffee and breakfast.’” https://youtu.be/WbZ3yMnHVk4 In a world often overshadowed by divisiveness, drama, and chaos, the simple act of embracing gratitude every day becomes a revolutionary anthem. Thanksgiving, an annual crescendo in the grand opera of life, invites us to collectively raise our voices in a harmonious celebration of gratitude. But what if we were to carry this tune in our hearts daily, allowing the chords of thanks to seamlessly weave into the fabric of our lives? I have journeyed through diverse landscapes of creativity. Navigating highs and lows, turning disappointments into lessons of personal growth, ever thankful that my parents raised me to understand there is always something to be thankful for – even in struggles we can turn tests into testimonies. My foundation in life is because of my parents and I’m thankful for their teachings. My Dad used to say ‘Don’t wait for special occasions to use your nice things (stop saving them for moments), to be kind, to be giving, and to be thankful.” I wrote my song ‘Like A Holiday’ to echo this sentiment. https://youtu.be/BqvdUIfLAic In the realm of artistic expression, the heartbeat of inspiration often resonates in quiet moments of reflection, in the whispers of gratitude that echo through the corridors of the soul. Music, much like gratitude, knows no boundaries. It has the power to transcend the mundane and elevate us to a higher plane of existence. Similarly, the act of being thankful transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, turning the routine into a sacred dance of appreciation for the rich tapestry of life. In the rapid cadence of our lives with technology often a distraction, it’s easy to overlook the beauty in the mundane—the simple joys, the fleeting moments that may be missed when viewed through a device, when strung together, compose the symphony of our existence. https://youtu.be/vc_5Gggwp44 Tyrese Gibson is facing a lawsuit over “excessive alterations” to an Airbnb property he resided in for six months starting in February. According to the Blast, Tiffanique Webb filed a $25,000 lawsuit against the actor/singer, accusing him of “property damage.” The filings state that “excessive alterations” made to the rental caused the owner to suffer “loss of use of property” and “loss of capacity of earning.” TMZ reports that the “Fast and Furious” star rented the 5-bedroom estate in Woodland Hills for $20,000 monthly. After moving in, he began making “excessive alterations” to the house, according to the lawsuit. Wolf claims Tyrese altered “electrical panels, adding electrical outlets that weren’t up to code, painting a marble fireplace in a shiny gold metallic color, closing off doors and windows, and causing damage to the HVAC units,” writes TMZ. Tyrese showed off some of the changes inside the house in a video obtained by the outlet. As a result of the alleged damages, Wolf is seeking compensation. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-11-16-111623-tyrese-gibson-damage-1729876-948/ Adele allegedly had sports agent Rich Paul sign a prenup before tying the knot to protect her estimated $220 million fortune. We reported previously that the Grammy-winning British singer, 35, recently revealed her newly married status at her pal Alan Carr’s comedy show in Los Angeles. One audience member told Deuxmoi: “I was at Alan Carr’s comedy show in LA tonight and Adele was in the audience. Alan asked the crowd if anyone got married recently and Adele shouted ‘I did’.” Another witness added: “When he asked if anyone got married recently she yelled ‘I did’. Super cute all around and was super sweet but dipped right before it ended.” Adele was previously married to Simon Konecki, with whom she shares a 10-year-old son, Angelo. According to The Blast, she gave up a chunk of her wealth after their divorce because there wasn’t a prenuptial agreement. According to an insider, the prenup did “cause some friction” between Adele and Paul. Charlie Wilson’s rep says the singer is “in amazing spirits and health” following reports that he is not doing well following back surgery. “Charlie is releasing a new single on December 8th and receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on his 71st birthday, January 29, 2024,” the rep shared . The rep said a recent tweet from DJ Hollygrove claiming Wilson is hospitalized and “not doing well” is “absolutely incorrect.” Wilson, a 13x Grammy-nominated artist, kicked off Black Music Month this year with an NPR Tiny Desk Concert! https://youtu.be/J3jUEB7qmt8 Working during the holidays is not something one would normally choose to do. But depending on your situation working around the holidays, may just be therapeutic. The new film “The Holdovers” is a story about three unlikely people who must spend the winter break together. One of those people is Mary Lamb, played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Mary works as the head cook at Barton Academy, a boarding school in New England. She has chosen to spend her holiday at the school and cook for those who had to stay behind. She makes this decision after losing her son in the Vietnam War. The school is the last place she had her son were together. https://youtu.be/AhKLpJmHhIg Daryl Hall filed a lawsuit Thursday against former bandmate John Oates in Nashville’s chancery court, according to court records. The two musicians are famous as the members of the eponymous Hall & Oates rock duo that had tremendous success in the early 1980s with hits like “Private Eyes” and “Maneater.” The suit by Hall against Oates as an individual and Oates’s trust is listed as a “contract/debt” dispute, but the details of the case are sealed, court records show. On Friday, the court granted Hall’s motion for a temporary restraining order to take effect November 30, according to records. Because the file is largely sealed, the nature of the restraining order is not apparent. Such an order might typically be entered in a business dispute to keep one party from harming the other party’s economic interests. https://youtu.be/ccenFp_3kq8 CNN has reached out to representatives and attorneys of both Hall and Oates for comment and more information. The hitmakers met in the 1960s in Philadelphia, and according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, had 29 Top Forty hits from 1976 to 1990. https://youtu.be/rlwrWOJ0Pno Nearly 300 guests gathered Thursday evening (11/16) at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City as DoSomething, the hub for youth-centered activism, celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a special edition of its annual gala – The Futures Ball. In addition to commemorating 30 years of youth-led impact, this year’s event ushered in a new, illustrious collective of changemakers – highlighting the next generations of young people who are transforming systems, creating change, and building a future on their terms. The 2023 Futures Ball kicked off with a festive reception followed by the dinner and awards ceremony hosted by Emmy-nominated multi-platform storyteller, producer, futurist comedian, and cultural critic Baratunde Thurston (Host and Executive Producer, PBS’ American Outdoors and Creator and Host, How To Citizen Podcast). A passenger onboard a Frontier Airlines flight caused a wild disruption when she began yelling and climbing over the seats. The viral video of the scene shows other passengers and flight attendants attempting to calm the disturbed woman. According to an Aviation News post on social media, the incident occurred onboard a flight from Houston to Denver. The plane had to land in Dallas after the seemingly troubled woman started hitting people. As TMZ reports, it’s unclear what prompted her outburst. One passenger said the unnamed woman was having a “demonic possession,” the outlet writes. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-11-21-112123-airplane-freakout-1732457-206/ Get ready for a skincare transformation as IKNOW Skincare Treatment Solutions unveils an exclusive Black Friday promotion for your nighttime regimen. Enjoy a special 25% discount on their carefully curated trio of essential products that will elevate your nighttime skincare routine. This transformative collection includes the hydrating R4 Nighttime Hydrating Cream, the rejuvenating Eyes Matter Instant Smoothing Eye Serum, and the game-changing Night Cap Retinol Moisturizing Cream. Crafted to work synergistically, these products ensure your skin receives the nourishment and care it deserves while you sleep. Each product in the collection is designed to work synergistically, ensuring your skin receives the nourishment and care it deserves while you sleep. Popeyes has rolled out hand-battered and breaded crispy chicken wings to locations nationwide. The new menu item comes in five signature flavors with varying degrees of kick- Honey BBQ, Roasted Garlic Parmesan, Signature Hot, Ghost Pepper, and Sweet N’ Spicy. According to a news release, Popeyes Wings are marinated in just the right amount of distinct Popeyes flavors and spices to add that extra flavor and juiciness. “At Popeyes, we like to challenge the status quo and are consistently redefining what’s expected from fast food brands,” said Sami Siddiqui, President of Popeyes North America. “Ghost Pepper Wings were an overnight success, followed by the addition of Sweet‘N Spicy wings, our best-performing product since the infamous Chicken Sandwich. We know our guests want even more bold Louisiana-inspired wing flavors to choose from and are excited to see our new wings line-up take flight.” https://youtu.be/BlEgK0TWNqc “It was time to work on a new album. He (God) had something He had to say,” said five-time Stellar Award nominated Kim Person to me during an interview about the birth of her latest album “Speak Life and Live.” “I was trying to decide whether to move forward or take a break. I never move on my own, I wait for the Holy Spirit.” https://youtu.be/RJTsJfuLBE4 After winning three gold medals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles are the 2023 USATF Athletes of the Year. Lyles swept the 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the world championships in August. Richardson won 100m and 4x100m gold and 200m bronze at worlds, per Olympics.com. She was also named the 2023 Jackie Joyner-Kersee Female Athlete of the Year. Her coach, Dennis Mitchell, received recognition as the Coach of the Year, NBC News reports. Richardson and Mitchell will be honored at the USATF Night of Legends on December 2 in Orlando, Florida. Richardson is also one of 11 women nominated for the 2023 Women’s World Athlete of the Year award. The World Athletes of the Year nominees were released last month, and the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, one-day meeting circuits, Label road races, and other events around the world, per the organization’s website. https://twitter.com/LylesNoah/status/1725179880252252354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1725179880252252354%7Ctwgr%5Eab9e25c16f46be3a31a34b9328d9287bd0f7c155%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fshacarri-richardson-and-noah-lyles-are-usatfs-athletes-of-the-year%2F The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected Derek Chauvin’s Appeal in George Floyd‘s Killing. Chauvin, who was convicted of murder in the 2020 killing of George Floyd. Chauvin was found guilty in April 2021 of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison – which exceeded Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines range of 10 years and eight months to 15 years. Chauvin later pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights and was sentenced to 21 years in prison to run concurrently with his state sentence. Floyd’s killing while in police custody on a Minneapolis, street was caught on video and ignited prolonged protests in the community and across the country over police brutality and racial injustice. https://youtu.be/D_jI0JGLaFk Chauvin claimed in his appeal against conviction he had not received a fair trial because jurors in his case may have had a vested interest against acquitting, out of fear of instigating more street protests and violence. Chauvin’s lawyers have said there were various reasons to overturn his conviction, including a state district court depriving the former officer of his right to a fair trial by denying his request for a change of venue, despite “pervasive adverse publicity.” The Supreme Court rejected Chauvin’s appeal without comment or a recorded vote. CNN has reached out to an attorney for Chauvin, Floyd family attorney Ben Crump, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for comment. https://youtu.be/sltDtWQOQQM Vice President Kamala Harris Joins Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass to Announce Reopening of I-10 Freeway. On Nov. 19, Vice President Kamala Harris accompanied by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor Karen Bass, and other state and city officials visited the I-10 freeway construction site in Los Angeles, which was previously the site of a freeway fire. At a news conference, Harris announced that the highway would be reopened before the morning rush hour on Nov. 20. Around 7:30 p.m. that same evening, the Governor’s office followed up with an announcement that the Department of Transportation had reopened the highway. “Traffic is now flowing on five lanes in each direction between Alameda Street and the East Los Angeles interchange, ahead of tomorrow morning’s commute and before the Thanksgiving holiday, reducing the disruption to Los Angeles commuters,” the announcement read. https://youtu.be/QiYKlFzyBmQ A$AP Rocky will stand trial on accusations that he fired a gun at A$AP Relli outside a Hollywood hotel in 2021. The hip-hop star, Rakim Mayers, insists he’s innocent and pleaded not guilty in August 2022 to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. As The Jasmine Brand reports, Judge Villar reportedly stated during a preliminary hearing on Nov. 20 that there is sufficient evidence for Rocky to go to trial. We reported previously that Rocky is facing allegations of using a firearm during an altercation with former friend Terell Ephron, AKA A$AP Relli. He’s accused of allegedly pointing a semiautomatic handgun at the victim. During a separate confrontation with Relli, Rocky allegedly drew the gun and fired twice in the direction of the victim, according to prosecutors. As a result of the shooting, the victim suffered a minor injury. At the hearing this week, prosecutors reportedly played a video of A$AP Rocky holding a gun during a physical dispute with A$AP Relli, according to The Jasmine Brand. https://twitter.com/i/status/1726662938722021788 Tulsa Megachurch pastor Carlton Pearson has passed away after battling cancer. He was 70. Pearson’s 1980s television program on Trinity Broadcasting Network became one of the most-watched shows, and he rose to fame as pastor of the 5,000-member Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Netflix’s 2018 “Come Sunday” biopic explored his life and controversial religious views. A Facebook post confirms Bishop Pearson died peacefully in his sleep Sunday night. “His melodious voice and many sermons were for many years, a source of inspiration on TBN and elsewhere,” Bishop T.D. Jakes wrote in a Facebook post. “I grew up watching him on television when I was preaching in a storefront church in West Virginia. “I spoke with him a few short months ago upon hearing of his suffering. Even then, he was kind and jovial as possible. Though his voice was weaker, it was still radiant and resolute,” Jakes added. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=990089332472802&set=a.61676142980791&type=3&ref=embed_post Fans are holding vigil for Charlie Wilson on Twitter/X after news broke that he’s hospitalized and not doing well. The 70-year-old Tulsa native reportedly underwent back surgery and is not doing well in recovery, according to an insider. After initial reports of Wilson’s demise circulated on Twitter/X Monday morning, DJ Hollygrove tweeted: “I am happy to report he’s alive but he’s not doin well! Someone at the hospital he’s in leaked wrong info.” He added: “So I def can say I apologize but this ain’t just from some random person! This same person gave us the news about PnBRock.” An hour later, someone in Wilson’s camp updated his Twitter/X account with a portrait of Wilson praying. The text read: “Repeat after me #ImBlessed.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1726663245438816614 A 34-year-old Maryland mother is urging women to have regular breast cancer screenings after she was given five weeks to live following her cancer diagnosis. Kourtni Smith is speaking out after she was diagnosed with stage 4 invasive lobular carcinoma in April, Daily Mail reports. The married mom of five said her fear of doctors kept her from immediately consulting a medical professional amid initial health concerns. Her most recent visit with doctors revealed that the breast cancer had spread to her brain. Smith hopes her story serves as a teachable moment for others who may be afraid of going to the doctor, WUSA9 reports. “I feel like now I can save someone’s life,’ she told the station from hospice. After months of speculation, Adele has allegedly confirmed she and sports agent Rich Paul are married. The British singer, 35, revealed her newly married status at her pal Alan Carr’s comedy show in Los Angeles. One audience member told Deuxmoi: “I was at Alan Carr’s comedy show in LA tonight and Adele was in the audience. Alan asked the crowd if anyone got married recently and Adele shouted ‘I did’.” Another witness added: “When he asked if anyone got married recently she yelled ‘I did’. Super cute all around and was super sweet but dipped right before it ended.” Adele was previously married to Simon Konecki, with whom she shares a 10-year-old son, Angelo. Last year, she was spotted wearing a large diamond on her finger but denied being engaged. She has reportedly confirmed her marriage to the American sports agent, the founder of the management company Klutch Sports Group, which represents LeBron James. Ludacris (Christopher Brian Bridges), is giving the people what they want to see and hear and intends to release new music in 2024. In an exclusive interview with BET the “Money Maker” explains why he stepped away from making music, “You know, doing other art forms where I’m creative, where I’m putting my heart into that, I want to make sure that I leave a legacy on this earth. So it was just taking a step back and getting hungry again, living some life. ‘Cause when you put out music, in order for it to be organic and real, you gotta talk about what goes on in your life. So if I had like nine consistent albums, sometimes you gotta take a step back and live some life so that you have a lot more to talk about, and that’s what I was doing.” Luda also stars in a Will Packer production, “Dashing Through The Snow.” https://www.bet.com/article/zcd7hi/ludacris-talks-being-glossed-over-as-a-hip-hop-legend-i-feel-like-sometimes-the-flowers-arent-given-as-much?cid=BET__TW+___11864741721&linkId=249550190 Alexis Sky did a skit depicting a slice of life growing up in a Jamaican household. We’re not going to lie; the clip is so triggering because God must’ve eaten some Scotch bonnet the day He created Jamaicans because, whew, chile, flashbacks. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz2rMgzu0Gh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Lakers fan named Anthony had the opportunity to score 55k if he made the half-court shot. However, mid-way through his ascension to a financial windfall, he injured himself. At first, people thought he was joking because aren’t the Lakers known for flopping? One person teasingly pointed out, “It’s something about Anthony’s and that court ??.” Another user remarked, “He said if I miss I’m suing ….. I’m leaving here with something …” But it turns out the fan truly injured his lower leg. https://twitter.com/i/status/1726457716384858179 Ari Lennox took some time to hop on IG Live to open up about her insecurity about her nose. Ari said her insecurities increased when she became a singer, and people were in her ear to alter her body. But the tweet from messy TV host Maury Povich set her off when he decided to clown a man and his nose on social media. Lissen, sis God knew what He was doing when He created you, it’s the world that has to catch up. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz2SAaYLMOV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Discover the inspiring story of young Oprah Winfrey, from her self-effacing beginnings in Mississippi to the early experiences that later transformed her into the iconic media mogul, philanthropist, and inspirational figure we all know today. Let’s look into Oprah Winfrey’s early life, the influence of her upbringing, and the early experiences that led to her incredible success journey! https://youtu.be/45D6LAUXExc Michael B. Jordan will helm a fourth “Creed” film, producer Irwin Winkler has confirmed. “We’re planning to do Creed 4 right now — it’s in the works — and we think we have a really good story, a really good plot,” Winkler said, Variety reports, noting that the pre-production was delayed “because of strike, like everybody else” but “probably a year from now we’re going for pre-production,” he revealed. Jordan made his directorial debut with “Creed 3,” where he also starred as Adonis Creed, the heavyweight champion from the Rocky spinoff films. Last year, During a press conference with Jordan, explaining why he chose to use the Adonis character as his pathway into feature film directing. “I finally got to this place in my career where I wanted to tell a story and not just be in front of the camera, not just execute somebody else’s vision And having a character that I’ve played twice before, it’s been seven, eight years living with this guy,” he said. “So to be able to tell a story of where I believe Adonis is at, and also at 35 years old, I had a lot to say as a young man, as a young Black man, just my life experiences and how I could actually share that, share a piece of myself with the world – through these characters and through this story,” Jordan explained. Photos surfaced of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs on social media, and the hip-hop mogul looked distraught while outside at his Star Island home in Miami, according to TMZ. The courts have dismissed Cassie‘s lawsuit against her ex-lover, Diddy, since the two parties settled the case for an undisclosed sum. Cassie stated, “I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans, and lawyers for their unwavering support.” Diddy also issued a statement, “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.” Diddy’s made sure to reiterate to the public, “Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” Ben Brafman, a lawyer for Diddy, said in a statement on November 20, reports Vulture. “Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.” The dismissal was filed with prejudice, which prevents the “Me and U” singer from refiling “the same claim again in that court.” https://twitter.com/MobzWorld/status/1726358858740715845 Diddy‘s current paramour hip hop star Yung Miami appeared unbothered by Cassie‘s allegations brought against Diddy. YM took her kiddos to the Miami Dolphins game and posted the short video clip to her IG stories. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz4OKUoJbPr/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=514f2692-b235-4785-9699-b197e58e31c7 Rihanna nearly broke the internet with her platinum face card when she posted a pic from the F1 races in Las Vegas. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz2iBFQAqBC/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ced5e441-77d0-4187-95e4-febb66e6371a&img_index=1 Tami Roman and Tichina Arnold star in BET+ “So Fly Christmas” dropping November 23, 2023. The storyline follows two friends you promise to not fall in love and that is precisely when Cupid strikes, annoying little cherub. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czt0CL_Rc7a/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again It is the holiday season and the holiday films are rolling out! Director Alexander Paynes’ “The Holdovers” tells the story of three unlikely people who are forced to spend winter break together. Professor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) has been voted the teacher who must stay back and chaperone those left behind. Of all the teachers Paul is everyone’s least favorite choice to spend this time with. He is the type of teacher who is stern, cold, and always by the book. We spoke with Giamatti about the role and if he’s encountered a teacher like the one he portrays. “I went to a school like that. Yes, there was one very particular biology teacher I had who was almost exactly this guy,” said Giamatti. https://youtu.be/AhKLpJmHhIg Author Leticia Padua detailed in a new TikTok video that younger Black males are hard to date because many are highly effeminate and lack ambition. Padua operates a private TikTok account under SheRa Seven. According to MadameNoire, in a recent live-stream, she outlined why she wouldn’t date Black men today if she were in her 20s. "They’re too feminine these days for me,” she said. “I like masculine, go get ‘em, ‘Imma pay for that baby’ type men, ok? ‘Where you wanna go on vacation?’ type men. That’s what I like.” Padua continued, “Y’all take too long to get y’all stuff together. Y’all want us to pay half the bills and sleep with you. No, can’t do that. I wouldn’t be able to do it.” She explained that non-Black males tend to be more ambitious than Black men. https://www.tiktok.com/@feminineclips/video/7300966725707664683?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Ftiktoker-explains-why-dating-black-males-is-out-of-style%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7300966725707664683 “Yes, you can play basketball and football really good. You dominate the rap game, but the average non-famous Black man has less ambition. I like ambition,” she said, per MadameNoire. “Ambition leads to success. So, sorry.” She also clapped back at the notion that men from other racial groups have a financial headstart. “If you are ambitious, you don’t need a head start! If you good, you don’t need a head start,” she said. “[Black men] come up with every excuse instead of every solution. That’s your problem. You gonna sit here and say, ‘Oh, this. Oh, that.’ You gonna come up with ten excuses before you come up with half a solution.” https://www.tiktok.com/@feminineclips/video/7300983533190024494?referer_url=eurweb.com%2F2023%2Ftiktoker-explains-why-dating-black-males-is-out-of-style%2F&refer=embed&embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_share&referer_video_id=7300983533190024494 Rent-to-own homes are a little-known option that may help first-time homebuyers get the house they’ve always wanted in a tough market. Essentially, rent-to-own homes offer an alternative pathway to homeownership for individuals who might not otherwise be in a position to buy a house outright. https://youtu.be/0v9yzFkesyE Rent.com has found that it’s a strategy that can represent the quintessential entrepreneurial mindset — seeing opportunities where others see only obstacles. A rent-to-own property arrangement, sometimes also called a lease option or a lease-to-own agreement, is a deal in which a person rents a home for a specific period of time, typically between one to three years, with the option to purchase the home at the end of that period. It’s a plan designed to facilitate homeownership for people who need time to save for a down payment, improve their credit or get their financial house in order. A portion of the monthly rent payment is typically set aside and used as a contribution toward the future purchase of the house. https://youtu.be/UfYcssBGttY Uber and Lyft drivers say being picky about riders can help them make more money. According to Business Insider’s interview with three ride-share drivers, being more selective about who they serve can boost their earnings. “I have seen a 50-mile trip that only $20 was offered,” Ken, a 36-year-old Uber and Lyft driver in Houston, told BI. “I wouldn’t be doing that.” “Last year, he earned a combined $25,000 driving for Uber and Lyft from about 2,000 trips, according to screenshots of earnings documents viewed by BI,” the outlet writes. Ken prioritizes trips that pay at least $0.80 to $1 a mile. Florida law enforcement officials are investigating a woman’s disappearance as a homicide after they say they found her body in a storage unit registered to her estranged husband, authorities said Sunday. Shakeira Yvonne Rucker was reported missing after her family told the Winter Springs Police Department that they last saw her on November 11, the department said in a Facebook post on November 13. Rucker’s family said she left her home for “an unknown destination,” possibly with her estranged husband, Cory Hill, at around 7:30 p.m. on November 11, police said. “The family has not seen or heard from Shakeira since that day and believes that she may be in danger,” police said in the social media post. The search for Rucker spanned four counties and included help from several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Winter Springs Police Chief Matthew Tracht said at a news conference on Sunday. https://youtu.be/fEuXeiCVZbM The sheriff added that officials believe the shooting happened at the storage unit, and a motive is still undetermined. Hill was booked in the Orange County Jail on November 13 for an unrelated shooting, Orange County Jail records show. Hill has been charged with four counts of attempted murder after allegedly shooting at a former girlfriend and her family on November 12, Mina said at the news conference. https://youtu.be/7GHNpu4EObk The girlfriend of NFL star Cam Newton is reacting to criticism over her decision to have a baby with a man who has seven other children. Page Six reports Newton, 34, has five kids with ex-fiancée Kia Proctor and two with La Reina Shaw. The former Carolina Panthers quarterback is also the father of Proctor’s daughter Shakira from a previous relationship. In a recent post, his girlfriend, comedian Jasmin Brown, listed her upcoming comedy tour dates and the title “Baby Momma 3.” Many fans and followers quickly slammed her for getting knocked up when Cam has so many other young kids. According to Essence, Brown also shared a video of Newton and his children playing hide-and-seek. She captioned the post: “Why would you ever be with someone with 5 young children?” she wrote along with an eye roll emoji and added, “5x the love. 5x the fun. 5x the positive impact I get to have on their lives.” Cam and Brown initially kept their relationship on the low after first being spotted together in 2021, Essence reports. https://twitter.com/TheShadeRoom/status/1722986297252302909 John Earle Sullivan, a self-proclaimed citizen journalist and activist who filmed the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt during the Capitol riots, was convicted Thursday on charges related to the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.Sullivan, 29, was convicted of seven counts, including felony obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder. According to court records, a federal prosecutor requested that Sullivan be detained pending his sentencing, and the judge ordered him remanded. During his trial testimony, Sullivan insisted that he was “observing” the mob on Jan 6. https://youtu.be/7rWgAhuv8xY Janet Jackson and Naomi Campbell have scrubbed images of their pal Sean “Diddy” Combs’ on Instagram after his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura hit him with a pearl-clutching sexual assault lawsuit. As Page Six reports, Jackson and Campbell shared photos online of them partying with Diddy in London last week as part of his 54th birthday celebration. But after the music mogul was accused of raping Cassie for years, Jackson and Campbell removed their posts. Ventura filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday, accusing Combs of rape, physical abuse and sex trafficking. A settlement was reached a day after Ventura accused Diddy raping and abusing her for years. Details of the settlement have not been reached. We reportedly previously via CNN that “Ventura’s lawyer said Combs offered her “eight figures” — or between $10 million and $99.9 million — to keep her from filing her lawsuit,” the outlet writes. “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love,” Combs said in a statement Friday. Timbaland hit up social media on Friday to share an update about the hair transplant he received two months ago. “You see [Dr. Harold Siegel’s] work. Don’t say I didn’t tell you,” read his Instagram Story showing off his new hairline As Revolt reports, Timbaland opened up about the procedure in a social media post in September, stating: “Where I’m at, I want to make sure I take care of my hair as much as I can at an early stage before it starts to fade.” https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxI31u5u-Mf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e589e554-a913-458e-8898-5295aa37dd20 Check out the Virginia native’s latest video update via the Instagram clip below. In the caption, Timbaland wrote, “A BIG heartfelt thank you to @dr_haroldsiegel and his team over at @naturaltransplantsclinic for taking care of me and giving me that extra care and attention with my new hair. Taking care of your hair early AND with the right doctor is key ???? @naturaltransplantsclinic is where it’s at.” Timbaland’s post included the hashtag #alopeica… prompting fans to praise him for bringing awareness to the autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzytmCarpSg/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bd724de9-f5d4-4eb8-9835-9357b6494a63 André 3000, half of the beloved rap duo Outkast and obscure flute aficionado, hasn’t released a proper solo rap song since he and Big Boi recorded their final album in 2006. André’s fans have relied on memorable but brief features (his verse on Beyoncé’s “Party”) or barely-there snippets (the two words he sings on Kanye West’s “30 Hours”) to hear the rapper’s velvety voice. Now it seems fans will have to keep waiting for Dré’s grand return to rap: In an interview with GQ tied to last week’s release of his instrumental flute record “New Blue Sun,” he said it sometimes “feels inauthentic for me to rap because I don’t have anything to talk about in that way.” “I’m 48 years old. Not to say that age is a thing that dictates what you rap about, but in a way it does,” he told GQ. “What do you talk about — I gotta go get a colonoscopy? What do you rap about — my eyesight is going bad?” Those who have followed the Atlanta favorite since Outkast’s first album nearly 30 years ago would undoubtedly be thrilled to hear Dré rap candidly about aging. But 48 is by no means rap’s retirement age. Genre stalwarts like Jay-Z, Eminem, Missy Elliott, the duos Black Star and Run the Jewels, and even former bandmate Big Boi have found material to mine well into their late 40s and early 50s. https://youtu.be/lDGmSCXoSRs Kerry Washington’s Hulu series “UnPrisoned” has been picked up for a second season as part of her renewed overall deal with ABC Signature. The series stars Washington as Paige Alexander, “a messy but perfectionist relationship therapist and single mom whose life is turned right-side-up when her dad gets out of prison and moves in with her and her teenage son,” per the synopsis. Delroy Lindo also stars as Edwin Alexander, Paige’s father, who has recently been released from prison. Washington and Lindo are executive producers on the series from Disney’s Onyx Collective and ABC Signature. “Kerry is the gold standard for a what a multihyphenate should be — passionate, prolific and endlessly kind,” said Tracy Underwood, executive vp creative affairs at ABC Signature, per THR. “She, Pilar and the Simpson Street team are incredible collaborators, and we’re so proud of our most recent Onyx Collective/Hulu series UnPrisoned and Reasonable Doubt, as well as our award-winning series Little Fires Everywhere. We look forward to many more years of their unparalleled creativity and talent,” Underwood continued. Dwyane Wade is praising Marlon Wayans for publicly supporting his transgender son. As you know, Wade is also the parent of a transgender male-to-female named Zaya Wade. During a recent “The Breakfast Club appearance,” Wayans said his 23-year-old trans son, Kai, inspired his next comedy special. “I talk about the transition, not their transition, but my transition as a parent, going from ignorance and denial to complete and unconditional love and acceptance,” Wayans told The Breakfast Club hosts. “I think there’s a lot of parents out there that need to have that message. I know, I’m dealing with it. It was a very painful situation for me.” Wade gave Wayans a shout-out at the GQ Men of the Year party at Bar Marmont in West Hollywood, Variety reports. “I think unconditional love allows us to step in and listen and learn of what we do not know and what we were not taught, especially in the Black community,” Wade said. “I salute Marlon for speaking out and speaking up about this experience with his child just the same way as I’ve done. We’re just the voices that are speaking for our kids right now before they get an opportunity to grab that microphone and speak for themselves. I salute him.” Wade continued, “This is his experience and what he’s dealing with. He’s coming out selling it from his point of view. It’s great for fathers especially to speak on them from their point of view and how they had to handle it and deal with it.” https://youtu.be/EfyXK1Qz-BE Snoop Dogg shocked fans last week when he announced he “decided to give up smoke.” Many assumed the rapper was referring to marijuana, but as it turns out, the Doggfather was teasing details about a different kind of smoke. “After much consideration & conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time,” Snoop Dogg posted on social media Thursday. Today, Snoop clarified that his announcement was about a collaboration with Solo Stove, the smokeless fire pit brand. According to a news release, Snoop Dogg is now the official “smokesman” for Solo Steve, supporting the company’s quest to eliminate smoke from backyards everywhere. “I love a good fire outside but the smoke was too much. Solo Stove fixed fire and took out the smoke. They changed the game and now I’m excited to spread the love and stay warm with my friends and family,” the hip-hop icon said. Kanye West has riled up the Jewish community once again, this time by claiming he had sex with a “Jewish b*tch” on a new track. According to TMZ, the track contains the lyrics: I just f***** a Jewish bitch,” and “How can I be antisemitic?” West has seemingly been laying low in Europe after allegedly taking a significant financial hit over his alleged anti-Semitic views last year. His net worth reportedly dropped by $1.1 billion when his Adidas partnership ended. The company parted ways with Ye in late 2022 amid his public rants about Jews who oversee the entertainment industry. In a statement, Adidas said they have “no tolerance for hate speech and offensive behavior, which is why the company terminated the Adidas Yeezy partnership.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-11-17-111723-kanye-music-1730768-765/ The largest Black technology conference, AfroTech, returned to Austin, TX, for another year of innovation, music, culture, and opportunities. Over 20,000 people made their way to Austin from Nov 1st to 5th to soak up the AfroTech experience, making connections and shaping the landscape of diversity in the tech industry. The event brought together an impressive lineup of speakers, including Grammy Award-winning producer Timbaland, who delved into the intersection of music, technology, and entrepreneurship. Whether you came there to snag a new job, learn about the latest AI tools, or just wanted to vibe out, AfroTech had something for everyone. The conference dove into various areas of technology, with dedicated sessions covering artificial intelligence, fintech, media, engineering, entrepreneurship, and more. These discussions unveiled the potential of technology and showcased the transformative impact it holds. AfroTech 2023 embraced the theme of empowerment, exploring how individuals and communities can leverage this field to build media empires and create lasting influence. I had the opportunity to chat with Daylon Goff, President of Jet, who was a panelist at this year’s conference. “In our reinvention of what Jet is, and what Jet is going to be, leaning into technology is imperative because technology is the great equalizer in a lot of ways, and being able to create and tell our black stories… is Jet’s mission right now,” said Goff, when asked why he chose to be at AfroTech. Charlotte Hornets All-Star guard LaMelo Ball must cover a tattoo below his left ear. According to NBA rules, tattoos that expose commercial logos are prohibited, ESPN reports. Ball has the initials “LF” for LaFrance, his middle name, and his clothing brand. In a statement to ESPN, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said: “Per the [collective bargaining agreement], players are prohibited from displaying commercial logos or corporate insignia on their body or in their hair during games. We try to enforce the rule reasonably, in accordance with its purpose, and taking into account players’ efforts to express themselves in a non-commercial manner. But LaMelo Ball’s neck tattoo is in obvious violation of the rule and, accordingly, he’s required to cover it.” In 2018, Ball’s older brother Lonzo was also required to cover a “Big Baller Brand” tattoo. Despite several past players wearing corporate logos, the league noted they did not have endorsement deals with those companies. https://twitter.com/RocNationSports/status/1272530872881872896 The 2023 Billboard Music Awards honored the Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, with the Billboard Chart Achievement Award for her holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Mariah‘s 12-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan, whom she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon, presented her with the achievement. “Billboard has been an integral part of my life for a very long time now,” Carey said in her acceptance speech. “Even though I don’t acknowledge time, I kind of have to admit that some of my most memorable times in my career are connected to Billboard and the BBMAs. One thing I really have to say that I’m really grateful for is the fact that my fans have been here with me through the hits, through the misses, the No. 1s and the Bubbling Unders.” Not Bubbling Unders, LOL, our five octaves Queen is so unserious. Check out what she had to say about the Billboard Awards and the surprises in store for her upcoming tour. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz1pSFvvxLd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Keke Palmer hosted the Soul Train Awards, which will be televised on Sunday, November 26 at 8/7c on BET. Despite being in the headlines for fighting with her baby daddy, Darius Jackson, Keke soaked up the spotlight on the red carpet, reminding everyone she is that girl! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz2YJxasx8X/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Bad Gal Ri Ri designed the “Phatty Creepers” in partnership with Puma, available on November 30 in North America and globally on December 1. “And KEEP them restocked until I get my coin right,” posted shopshirma. Another added: “Baby this is what you came for! ?? I’m feeling my 2016 creeper era coming back yesss @badgalriri ????.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz33O0LtSee/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ce1c9d4d-792d-480f-8125-c95b32c88383&img_index=1 Complex asked A$AP Rocky, “If he and Rihanna could work together at Puma… what would their best creation be? ??“ His response, the greatest collab with his lady (we melt when he says ‘his lady), was the creation of his two angels and gave a shoutout to God. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzxncJTuDiK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again New Music from LaTocha! https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nxlwYV32WR8nNPH9TJUFgrWcmBa9yD96g Each year on the fourth Thursday of November, when many people start to take stock of the marathon day of cooking ahead, Indigenous people from diverse tribes and nations gather at sunrise in San Francisco Bay. Their gathering is meant to mark a different occasion – the Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Sunrise Ceremony, an annual celebration that spotlights 500 years of Native resistance to colonialism in what was dubbed the “New World.” Held on the traditional lands of the Ohlone people, the gathering is a call for remembrance and for future action for Indigenous people and their allies. November is Diabetes Awareness Month so it’s the perfect time to learn about all the different types of diabetes. Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes which is diabetes while pregnant, are the more common types that we hear about but there are many misconceptions surrounding each of them. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CzunYlpIYaJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading Cartoon Animation and Comic Art Festival ran from 14th Tuesday to 19th November and was hosted, sponsored, and supported by the Lagos Book and Art Festival, Committee for Relevant Art in Lagos Nigeria. Cartoonists Association of Nigeria CARTAN having launched its CACAFEST opening had a buzz of many wanting to meet some of their favorite Nigerian cartoonists who showcased their cartoons and artworks at the festival which took place at Freedom Park on Lagos Island. CARTAN had an impressive array of cartoons on serious subjects affecting the polity and the globe. The event was made up of works of Nigerian cartoonists in Nigeria and in the diaspora. The advantage of having cartoons on display generates interest, awareness, and closeness to cartoonists whose work people have been reading and seeing. and for collectors to collect. CACAFEST has been receiving guests viewing cartoons and some purchasing cartoons. Names of Nigerian cartoonists who had their work exhibited included, Kingsley Kalu Mba, Samuel Ojo, Gabriel Erapi, Kehinde Omotosho, Oladejo Akande, Kingsley Okoronkwo Kaycee, Mike Asukwo, Albert Ohams, Mustapha Bulama, Chino Obasi, Dada Adekola, Olufemi Arowolo, Ganiyu Jimoh Jimga, Ikogbode Sumaina, Leke Moses, Tayo Fatunla, Francis Odupute, Don Marvel Mudiaga, Jimoh Samsideen, Morak Oguntade, Olanrewaju Gafar, Olorunfemi Adedeji, Victor Asowata, Segun Awosiyan and Adewale Adebiyi. The art of Cartooning has come a long way in Nigeria which Akinola Lasekan started several years ago. Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, November 20 at 9 PM ET. When a charitable woman is stabbed to death by a panhandler, the city is left gripped with fear. As her husband calls for action, police begin to question the witness’s story. Was she killed by a stranger or by the people closest to her? Find out tonight at 9 PM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiIrFdCsRU0 The mid-season two premiere of PAYBACK will air on tonight, November 20 at 10 PM ET. After a missing mother is found brutally murdered, all signs point to her on and off again boyfriend. Investigators must uncover whether her death is a random act of violence, or a tragic tale of romantic revenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KhgJqGaSR4 A significant Thanksgiving-week storm will deal a blow to travel this week, with rain, snow, and even severe thunderstorms set to impact a large portion of the US. This week is expected to be the busiest in years on the roads and airports could set new records – meaning this week’s headache-inducing weather could not come at a worse time. The havoc-wreaking system will track from the southern Plains into the Mississippi Valley on Monday and spread rain across much of the central US. Fortunately for any early week travelers, this rain is not expected to be heavy in most areas. But a different threat has emerged and could snarl travel for portions of the Gulf Coast late Monday afternoon as the storm moves east: severe thunderstorms, including possible tornadoes. Severe weather, while more common in the spring, can happen any time of the year if there’s enough warmth and moisture in the air. https://youtu.be/MvLePCZxFCQ Damaging thunderstorms fired up Monday afternoon in east Texas, where the atmosphere is primed with plenty of moisture and warmth. These storms will track across Louisiana, Arkansas and push into Mississippi from Monday evening into early Tuesday morning. Damaging winds and hail are likely within any of Monday’s severe thunderstorms. Several tornadoes are also possible, especially across Louisiana and Mississippi. https://youtu.be/Yhp49cFzAyk Despite the challenges of gun violence, Philadelphia is a city of resilience and hope. The award-winning film, Bad Things Happen In Philadelphia directed and produced by Kyra Knox tells the stories of those affected by gun violence, especially young people, as well as the grassroots efforts that are fighting back. With NBA legend Allen Iverson along with his childhood friends Cleon Lockett and Paul Taylor, Knox's film is a testament to the power of community and the human spirit. Advance showings of the film at several film festivals have resulted in multiple awards. The film will make its national broadcast premiere on Fox Soul and Prime Video December 2, 2023. The soundtrack album featuring such artists as Da’T.R.U.T.H., Jill Scott, Beam, Canon and YungDave67 among others, will be released by Shanachie Entertainment on December 1, 2023. The albums first two singles are available everywhere now: “Legacy,” featuring Da’ T.R.U.T.H., Jill Scott, Greg Cox and Adam Blackstone, and "Make It Out" featuring Canon. The soundtrack is executive produced by Stellar Award-Winning Producer Gabe Johnson, Cleon Lockett, Jerry Cox, Mark Mims and Naquis Brabham of Home Studios who also mixed and mastered the album. https://vimeo.com/826714416?share=copy Dashing Through The Snow” is the new Christmas film that introduces us to Eddie Garrick (Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges), an Atlanta social worker who lost the spirit of Christmas as a child and is currently going through a separation from his wife, Allison (Teyonah Parris). Eddie is trying to spend quality time on Christmas Eve with their daughter, Charlotte (Madison Skye Validum), and win back his wife. A chance meeting with Nick (Lil Rel Howery) starts an adventure that has shades of “Home Alone” and other Christmas classics like “Miracle on 34th Street.” The film was executive produced by Will Packer. He spoke with EUR about his love of the holidays and why he is the Prince of Christmas. Packer shared that although singer Mariah Carey is the Queen of Christmas, with his three-Christmas movie track record, he refers to himself as the Prince of Christmas. “I will claim Prince of Christmas status because Mariah is clearly undefeated, right? But this is my third Christmas movie. I love the genre. I love the holidays. I love them personally. But I also love what they stand for and represent. I love the symbolism. I love that the holidays are when we can get together with our most important folks, family, loved ones, and friends. Hopefully, it’s a time of being grateful for receiving and giving to others and being thoughtful to others,” said Packer, who also produced “This Christmas” in 2007 and “Almost Christmas” in 2016. https://youtu.be/DbOmSUSmISM If you’ve been following the Angel Reese saga the last few days you know she has been somewhat MIA. Literally and figuratively. Well, that kinda sorta changed today when Reese, who became a bonafide star when the Tigers won the NCAA tournament in April, went to X (Twitter) and posted six words that essentially said something and nothing at the same time. “Please don’t believe everything you read,” is what she wrote. Now for those that haven’t been following the drama, Reese was sent to the bench in the second half of LSU’s game against Kent State on Tuesday, and she didn’t play Friday against Southeastern Louisiana. https://youtu.be/R3naEVyd4MQ Her X post follows one she made on her IG story just 24 hours earlier where she added a photo of an LSU court with a cart filled with basketballs, the NY Post reported. Again, we’re left guessing her intent because there was no context provided. https://twitter.com/Reese10Angel/status/1726290223213240801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1726290223213240801%7Ctwgr%5E33b497bbc66190650b8471aaec93a6e7e26189b0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fangel-reese-posts-cryptic-tweet-about-her-lsu-playing-status%2F Maybe it meant she was practicing with the team. Maybe. After not playing in the Tigers game at Southeastern Louisiana, head coach Kim Mulkey was asked about the “Bayou Barbie” but she, too, didn’t have much to say. “It’s very obvious Angel was not in uniform,” was Mulkey’s response. She did add this, “Angel is a part of this basketball team and we hope to see her sooner than later.” Since her answer wasn’t quite satisfying, Mulkey was asked again about Reese, and said, “I’m not gonna answer anymore. That’s it. That’s all you need to know.” https://eurweb.com/2023/angel-reese-posts-cryptic-tweet-about-her-lsu-playing-status/ Police in North Carolina confirmed an officer who was involved in an initial encounter with a woman named Christina Pierre, who was later seen on video getting struck 17 times by a second officer, hit her in the face but claimed the woman assaulted him first. In a statement posted on X, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Thursday evening an ongoing investigation shows Pierre striking the first officer “multiple times in the face as she is resisting arrest.” “We can now confirm based on interviews and witness accounts that an officer, in response to being physically assaulted, returned a strike to Ms. Pierre’s face one time,” the department said. “This strike occurred during the initial encounter at the bus stop with the responding officers prior to the struggle on the ground involving several other officers.” Police said two officers on patrol Monday afternoon saw two people smoking marijuana at a bus stop. The officers informed the two people, identified as Anthony Lee and Pierre, they were under arrest. Police said both Lee and Pierre resisted arrest, and in the struggle that followed “the female individual struck an officer multiple times.” https://youtu.be/QzoOPQONIN4 Pierre continued to resist arrest, lying down on her hands and ignoring verbal commands, according to police. An officer “struck the female subject seven times with knee strikes and 10 closed fist strikes to the peroneal nerve in the thigh to try to gain compliance. The officer was intentional about where the strikes were made,” police said, noting it was “consistent with training.” Police Chief Johnny Jennings said during a Wednesday news conference the officer’s body-worn camera was knocked off during the struggle, so the initial encounter is barely visible. He said there was a struggle between the initial responding officer and Pierre before backup arrived. When asked on about a photo showing an injury to Pierre’s face, Jennings said: “There’s nothing that shows that she was struck while she was on the ground in the head or face area.” Jennings said at the time he asked his staff to review all the videos from the incident to determine where Pierre’s facial injuries came from, but acknowledged it was “consistent with either a punch or an abrasion.” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_FtLGFXUAA3WrL?format=jpg&name=small Rosalynn Carter, who as first lady worked tirelessly on behalf of mental health reform and professionalized the role of the president’s spouse, died Sunday at the age of 96, according to the Carter Center. Rosalynn Carter passed away peacefully with family by her side at her home in Plains, Georgia, the center said in a statement. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” The Carter Center announced Friday that the former first lady had entered hospice care. She was diagnosed with dementia in May. Her husband began home hospice care in February, following a series of hospital stays. https://youtu.be/UKJIa0G7DP4 Jimmy Carter was defeated in a landslide by Ronald Reagan four years after being elected. His single term in the White House included forging a rare peace agreement between Israel and Egypt that continues to this day, but it was also marked by soaring inflation and the Iran hostage crisis. Through it all, Rosalynn was by his side, and often whispering in his ear. The Carters redefined and revolutionized the post-presidency and, through their joint efforts, they worked on world peace and human rights on behalf of the Carter Center, a nongovernmental Atlanta-based organization founded to “wage peace, fight disease and build hope.” After leaving the White House, the couple traveled to hot spots around the world, including visits to Cuba, Sudan and North Korea, monitoring elections and working to eradicate Guinea worm disease and other neglected tropical diseases. Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. “The Carter Center is a shared legacy. She’s been there digging latrines right next to him,” said the Carters’ friend Jill Stuckey, a leader at Maranatha Baptist Church, where both Carters attended and where Jimmy Carter taught Sunday school. Rosalynn Carter’s most lasting individual legacy will be her efforts to diminish the stigma attached to people with mental illnesses and her fight for parity and access for mental health treatment. She also devoted her time to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving at her alma mater, Georgia Southwestern State University, to help families and professional caregivers living with disabilities and illnesses. https://youtu.be/QyE-3erfBuU The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church voted Saturday to accept the decision of 261 congregations to leave the denomination over a divide on LGBTQ issues. “I realize how sad this time is for many, including myself,” said Bishop Robin Dease, the leader of the conference. “I just hate that those who are leaving us, I will not have the opportunity to meet or to be with.” The churches are breaking from the UMC after a 2019 decision by the national United Methodist Church to allow congregations to leave by the end of 2023, “for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals.” As of early August 2023, over 6,000 congregations of just over 30,000 in the United States have been approved for disaffiliation since 2019, according to the UMC’s website. The 261 churches now leaving the North Georgia Conference of the UMC account for a sizable percentage of its nearly 700 churches, according to the conference’s website. https://youtu.be/GCH9D1xUB3M Their exit marked a “solemn day,” the North Georgia Conference of the UMC said in a news release. More than 100 congregations had sued the North Georgia Conference for the right to have their disaffiliation requests heard, and a Cobb County judge agreed “a church-level vote” must take place before the deadline. Factions have fought for decades about sexuality and Scripture at the General Conference, the church’s top legislative body. After the church strengthened its bans on partnered LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage in 2019, many Methodists argued a split was likely inevitable in the second-largest Protestant denomination in the US. In recent decades, several of the traditional mainline Protestant denominations have split up over homosexuality or related issues, including the American Baptist Churches USA, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church USA. https://youtu.be/hhqmJoKs5p0 Two people have been arrested in the largest seizure of counterfeit goods in US history, including knock-off designer goods with an estimated retail value of more than a billion dollars, officials in New York said. Adama Sow, 38, and Abdulai Jalloh, 48, were arrested Wednesday morning and charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods, according to indictments and a news release from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. At a bond hearing Wednesday, a judge set Sow’s bond at $1 million and Jalloh’s bond at $500,000, court records show. CNN reached out to attorneys for both Sow and Jalloh but did not immediately hear back. https://youtu.be/c-dcG6bZDg8 Sow and Jalloh ran the trafficking operation out of a Manhattan storage facility from January to October, the news release from the attorney’s office said. Counterfeit goods were also found during searches of separate locations controlled by Sow and Jalloh, according to prosecutors. Approximately 219,000 counterfeit items with an estimated retail value of $1.03 billion were found during the seizure, including bags, clothes, shoes and other products, prosecutors said. “This is a testament to the commitment of this Office and its law enforcement partners to combat counterfeit trafficking in New York City,” US Attorney Damian Williams said. The trafficking charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, the attorney’s office said. https://youtu.be/WsISKXFNaNY The rent may be too damn high for Angela Simmons, but even she can’t avoid the consequences of not paying said rent. The social media fixture has been ordered by the court to pay nearly $50,000 in back rent to her former landlord. The court’s decision stems from a lawsuit an apartment leaser filed against Simmons for failing to uphold a contract. According to media sources, the suit goes back to October 2019, when Simmons began renting a penthouse in Randolph, New Jersey. https://youtu.be/G2RPKPe977s Details from the lawsuit reveal the landlord reportedly claimed that insufficient payments from the 36-year-old businessperson increased as she was only giving partial rent payments throughout her time living in the penthouse. The payments, which were often late, resulted in a major amount of late fees and unpaid rent. Although a lawsuit was filed, Simmons seemingly did not respond to it, the Jasmine Brand noted. A default ruling from a court judge ultimately arrived as Simmons was ordered to pay the leaser approximately $48,000 in “late fees, unpaid rent, repairs, and other housing costs.” As it stands now, it looks like no public response to the judgment has been given by Simmons, in addition to her reps, who have also been silent on the situation, reports the jasmine brand. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czaq62CuV5E/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5b3c525e-d4b9-407a-8cf6-b7b1e0db4a69 ’Tis the season when the air becomes cold and crisp, welcoming the time when American households deck out their abodes with colorful lighting, assembling holiday evergreen trees, and wreaths to adorn both living rooms and front doors. Families indulge and imbibe on homemade eggnog garnished with nutmeg and cinnamon, which overflows the punchbowl because Christmas is here. In addition to the festive decorations and culinary delights offered during the holidays, many entertaining films and music will take over the airwaves, reinforcing the spirit of “good tidings of great joy.” Hope Media Group and Compassion International in partnership with KSBJ and WayFM present a new adaption of a quintessential yuletide tale, a podcast titled “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cztg18JLyIi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again If you haven’t heard, “Extreme Weight Loss” star Brandi Mallory was found dead in her car in a parking lot after she picked up food from Chipotle in Stone Mountain, Georgia, near Atlanta. The owner of a deli store nearby said he saw what he thought was a woman (Mallory) sleeping in a car and didn’t think much of it. ‘However, several hours later police were alerted and a deceased Mallory was found inside the vehicle. In a related twist to the story, the person who called 911 to notify authorities, told dispatchers he wasn’t going near the vehicle because, basically, dead people were not something he could handle. In the 911 call (below) obtained by TMZ you hear the dispatcher ask the caller if he’s with Mallory to which he quickly replies, reply, “Nooo, she’s in her car. I don’t do dead people.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-11-17-111723-brandi-mallory-911-1730968-663/ “I was screaming, I’m on the radio,” said Anthony Williams during an interview about the release of the new single “Hallelujah” (BIG Records/Orchard/Sony) from his group Anthony & The Brothers in Christ, about the first time he heard one of his songs on the radio. “I was in a parking lot and nobody was there! Two days later my wife heard the song.” When discussing how he wrote his first hit song Anthony said, “I was trying to write something different. Something to get on the radio…something simple people can remember.” Eventually, Anthony got together with his brothers in Christ to form the group Anthony & The Brothers in Christ. The Atlanta-based group has garnered nominations from South Florida’s Gospel Music Award and Mobile Alabama’s Voices of Gospel Music Award. The current single “Hallelujah” has received over 112,00 streams and it’s only been a month. https://youtu.be/B4U7OedUIpI?list=OLAK5uy_naH4Uyf5YiSzJow5thN0UdbPBw2phfOt4 They may not be on the NFL’s active list, but Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson had more than enough playing time when it came to a mutual sexual experience. Taking to an Instagram livestream conversation, the pair reminisced about being intimate with more than a dozen women over a 12-hour period, according to Vibe. Kicking things off, Johnson asked Owens if he remembers “that time we was in the DR with them women. We had a lil orgy.” “Aw yeah, I had the big girl,” Owens replied in a clip captured by TNT. “I had to take one for the team…big girls need love too!” Johnson continued to recall the evening, sharing, “We went through about 17 women in, what, 12 hours?” https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzXW9SfNRFh/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=16e7f453-01df-449e-83b5-52fa1a2ed889 With decades filled with memorable work on the big and small screen, Terrence Howard knows the value of a good payday. Yet it may surprise folks that he made less than what he could have for playing aspiring Southern rapper Djay in the classic Oscar-winning film “Hustle & Flow.” In an interview on “Live at 9” to promote his new action-comedy “Showdown at the Grand,” Howard revealed what he made for “Hustle & Flow.” “I made $12,000 for doing Hustle & Flow,” Howard told WREG’s Alex Coleman. “What Paramount did, instead of putting my name as ‘Terrence Howard’ performing the songs, they put ‘performed by Djay.’ Well, they owned Djay.” Considering music from DJ was wrapped by Him, Complex noted Howard’s admission that the film production company exploited him out of receiving his due. “So now, I’ve got to send them a letter to say, ‘Hey, you guys owe me about 20 years’ worth of residuals and performance royalties,'” the former “Empire” star continued. https://youtu.be/GnEhfboKwPQ The success of “Hustle & Flow” expanded to Howard’s co-star Taraji P. Henson and Texas rap group Three 6 Mafia. The collective came up big at the Oscars by winning Best Original Song for their film and soundtrack contribution “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” Starring Howard and Dolph Lundgren, “Showdown at the Grand” centers on Howard’s George Fuller, a proud business owner who finds himself defending his family business — a lush historic movie theater — from corporate developers. After George discovers a corporate developer sent thugs to scare him into selling his theater, George is determined to fight the takeover. Among his allies are new usher Spike (Piper Kurda) and legendary action star Claude Luc Hallyday (Lundgren), who suddenly becomes the man who can save the day. https://youtu.be/KwkQwVlm5Yk When we think of artists, our minds automatically jump to the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Barbara Hepworth, Vincent van Gogh, and Andy Warhol. Can you spot a theme within the list? None of them are Black artists. For many years, Black artists – famous and un-famous – have been shunned by the general art historical narrative, but that didn’t stop them from creating exceptional art pieces. These incredibly talented figures have shared powerful portrayals of the triumphs and struggles of African Americans through their paintings, photos, sculptures, and other artworks. Today, we are shining a long overdue spotlight on the century’s most outstanding Black artists who deserve to be celebrated for their significant contributions to the contemporary art scene. During a press conference Wednesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Chief Johnny Jennings discussed a viral video circulating on social media of one of his officers beating a Black woman during an arrest. Jennings told reporters that he knew that the “optics are bad,” and questioned whether officers should have initiated the marijuana stop that led to the incident. In the video, Charlotte police officer Vincent Pistone can be seen striking the Black woman multiple times while four officers hold her down. As the woman is being beaten, bystanders can be heard yelling at the officers to stop. https://twitter.com/i/status/1724980608084934702 A funeral is set to take place for a Black man killed in March by a Mississippi police officer and secretly buried without notifying his family. Dexter Wade, 37, died after an off-duty officer ran over him more than eight months ago. Hinds County then took it upon itself to bury him without notifying his family, who only found out last month about the death that was kept secret. Wade’s mother, Bettersten Wade Robinson, last saw her son on March 5. Upon learning of the secret burial, Hinds County officials reneged on a previously agreed-upon time for Wade’s body to be exhumed. Preliminary autopsy results from a pathologist independently hired by Wade’s family found that his body was carelessly mishandled by officials, including not being embalmed and an amputated left leg. Perhaps most egregious, Wade was buried in pants that contained his wallet with identifying documents, including an ID card with his home address. After what proved to be a very interesting time in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. George Santos (R-NY) has confirmed that he’s not seeking a second term in Congress. In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Santos made his announcement. In part, he writes, “I am humbled yet again and reminded that I am human and I have flaws, but I will not stand by as I am stoned by those who have flaws themselves.” Santos continues that he’s willing to serve as long as he is allowed but won’t seek a second term “as my family deserves better than to be under the gun from the press all the time.” https://twitter.com/MrSantosNY/status/1725182414769512783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1725182414769512783%7Ctwgr%5E9ed2fdf85982fb7d29d7284fbe2db5697213bcca%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhiphopnc.com%2Fplaylist%2Fsantos-no-reelection%2F This decision follows a jaw-dropping report from the House Ethics Committee, which was released following a months-long investigation into the GOP rep, who has been indicted on several charges, including fraud. The report reveals that Santos used campaign funds for personal purposes. Those personal purchases include purchases on OnlyFans and Sephora. He also allegedly used funds to pay down personal debts and for a $4,127.80 purchase at Hermes. https://twitter.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1725179864787956110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1725179864787956110%7Ctwgr%5E9ed2fdf85982fb7d29d7284fbe2db5697213bcca%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhiphopnc.com%2Fplaylist%2Fsantos-no-reelection%2F The survival rate for childhood cancer has improved significantly over the years due to advances in modern-day medicine and early detection, but lifesaving treatment can be hard for Black and Hispanic children to access. According to a new report published by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, childhood cancer death rates for Black and Hispanic children stopped improving after 2011. Between 2001 and 2011 declines in cancer death rates for Black, Hispanic, and white youth were similar, ranging from 15% to 17%. However, only rates for white youth continued to decline through 2021, the report published Nov. 16 noted. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, the rate for white children was 19% to 20% lower than for Black and Hispanic children. Elon Musk has publicly endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory popular among White supremacists: that Jewish communities push “hatred against Whites.” That kind of overt thumbs up to an antisemitic post shocked even some of Musk’s critics, who have long called him out for using racist or otherwise bigoted dog whistles on Twitter, now known as X. It was the multibillionaire’s most explicit public statement yet endorsing anti-Jewish views. Musk was responding to a post on Wednesday that said Jewish communities “have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them.” The post also referenced “hordes of minorities” flooding Western countries, a popular antisemitic conspiracy theory. It’s the kind of post you can find easily on X these days, and likely would have gone unnoticed had Musk, with more than 160 million followers, not re-shared the post with the comment: “You have said the actual truth.” Gangsta rap pioneer Eazy-E will be posthumously honored with a street named after him in his beloved Compton. AllHipHop.com reports the City of Compton will officially rename Auto Plaza Drive South “Eazy Street” during a commemorative event to celebrate the name change. The event, which will be open to the public, will be held from noon to 3 pm PT on November 22 at the LA Crystal Hotel, according to Los Angeles Magazine. Among those attending the street naming ceremony will be Eazy-E’s son, Lil Eazy-E. The rhymesayer will perform with N.W.A.’s DJ Yella at the event, which will also feature fellow Compton native and Rodney O and Joe Cooley member DJ Joe Cooley. News of the Eazy Street naming comes after a unanimous vote by elected officials to make the street a reality. Officials voting in favor of Eazy Street included Senator Steve Bradford, Assemblyman Mike Gipson, Compton Mayor Emma Shariff, and County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, in addition to Compton City Council members Andre Spicer, Diedra Duhart, Jonathan Bowers, and Lillie P. Darden. “To hear our father Eric ‘Eazy-E’ Wright is being honored during the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, it’s a testament to his impact and legacy in the genre,” Lil Eazy-E told AllHipHop, regarding the honor given to his father. “His contributions to Hip-Hop music and the entertainment business and culture continue to be recognized and celebrated, and we are truly grateful. We will continue to make sure our father’s charitable contributions will continue to be our goal thru our nonprofit, the Eric Wright Foundation. We truly appreciate the honor.” Check out an exclusive clip from this week’s new episode of “Love After Lockup,” which airs Friday night (Nov. 17) on WE tv. In our preview clip, Kerok and Britney fight and he says he may no longer want kids. Elsewhere in the episode, Redd goes MIA with his ‘bestie.’ Brittney plots her escape from Andy, Kerok drops a bomb; Sharae puts Anthony to the test, and Mikey is pulled in two directions while Melissa and Louie clash as Donna sees her opening. The new “Love After Lockup” season debuted in September with ten 90-minute episodes, also available on the popular AMC streaming service ALLBLK. https://youtu.be/8_k4dIIggNE Snoop Dogg says he’s giving up smoking marijuana, and Meek Mill and Coi Leray said they are following his lead. “After much consideration and conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke,” Snoop posted to his socials on Thursday (Nov. 17). He added, “please respect my privacy at this time.” As Rap-Up reports, Meek Mill said he is joining Snoop Dogg’s decision to quit smoking. On Twitter, he stated, “I’ma go to Dubai and completely stop smoking. I’ma follow Snoop. My doctor said I got a lil’ bit [of] emphysema in [my] chest. If I don’t stop smoking, it cuts my lifeline in half. I was addicted to the nicotine, and this new weed got too many chemicals and too risky to play with my mental!” A separate post read, “Snoop [started] the no smoking challenge; we gon’ follow up! It’s not healthy for me!” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_EhV1YbQAAYdN2?format=jpg&name=small Coi Leray also responded in support of Snoop’s pot ban, posting on her Instagram Story, “[Alright], I’ma start [on] Monday [Nov. 20]. Let’s do this!” In a follow-up message, she wrote, “I’ma quit after Thanksgiving [Nov. 23].” Only time will tell if the artists stay true to their word or go back to smoking. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czun1vfpNKd/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d421621f-f002-4c45-9d3f-861f45aa2b58 Lionsgate has released a trailer and imagery for the upcoming horror title “Imaginary” about a spooky teddy bear from director Jeff Wadlow and producer Jason Blum for Blumhouse. Here’s the synopsis: “The genre-defining masterminds behind FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S and M3GAN, comes an original horror that taps into the innocence of imaginary friends – and begs the question: Are they really figments of childhood imagination or is something more terrifying lying just beneath?” “When Jessica (DeWanda Wise) moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice (Pyper Braun) develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister,” the description continues. “As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.” https://youtu.be/8XoNfrgrAGM On casting Wise, a Black woman, in the lead role, Wadlow explained, “DeWanda has been more than a star on this movie – she has been a full creative partner. So much of horror grows out of our most basic fears from childhood, and DeWanda taps into all of that. You know that old saying that the audience’s imagination is scarier than any movie? We’re going to put that to the test.” “Imaginary” hits theaters on March 8, 2024. https://twitter.com/i/status/1724840996767158615 Chuck E. Cheese is set to remove the animatronic bands from all locations except one in California. Renovations are underway at all 472 Chuck E. Cheese locations domestically and 86 abroad, CEC Entertainment CEO David McKillips said on Monday. The move comes amid the release of the supernatural horror film “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” The movie follows a troubled security guard (Josh Hutcherson) as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through, per the studio’s press release. The animatronic characters come alive and try to kill him. During a press conference on Nov. 2, the titular character Chuck E. announced Munch’s Make Believe Band Residency at Northridge, California, near Los Angeles. “Speaking alongside fellow members of the Make Believe Band — featuring Mr. Munch on keyboards, Jasper T. Jowls on guitar, Helen Henny on vocals, and Pasqually on drums — Chuck E. revealed that they’ll be headlining an exclusive, permanent residency at the Northridge Chuck E. Cheese,” per the news release. https://youtu.be/Z_T0o5uNrlY “As an important part of the legacy of the brand, we know that the animatronic band holds a special place for many fans in their childhood memories,” McKillips, President and CEO of Chuck E. Cheese’s parent company, CEC Entertainment, said in the press release. “We want our fans to know that the decision to keep the band here is meant as a gesture of love and gratitude as our legacy continues to evolve in new ways.” https://youtu.be/53cTMqV4VeQ Black pastors are calling on Black Americans to support the US/Israel “genocide war” against Palestinian people. Black faith leaders are refuting claims that Israel is an apartheid state, according to The Christian Post. Meanwhile, across social media, members of the Jewish community continue to call out Black Americans for not being more vocal in support of Zionism. In a viral video post, “Stranger Things” star Noah Schnapp promoted stickers containing the phrases “Zionism is Sexy.” In an op-ed for The Christian Post, Michael Stevens said the Black church has remained silent on Hamas’ massacre of Israeli civilians on Oct. 7. https://twitter.com/i/status/1725307285109436495 “Pro-Israel organizations will engage the black community but not effectively empower the black community,” Washington, who formerly served as the diversity outreach coordinator for the over 10-million member Christians United for Israel, said Washington, per The Christian Post. Many Black Americans identify with the Palestinians because they see the conflict as a battle against racism, colonialism, and white supremacy — and we’re fighting this same never-ending battle in the U.S. Supporters equate the plight of the Palestinians to the Civil Rights Movement. Several U.S. religious leaders have called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Jewish actor Michael Rapport posted a video rant about how no one would call for a ceasefire if the hostages were Black Americans. https://twitter.com/i/status/1725200160072806666 The Daily Wire’s Candace Owens and Ben Shapiro are sparring online after Shapiro took issue with Owens’ criticism of Israel amid the Hamas conflict. Owens called Shapiro, a radical Jewish man and supporter of Israel, “emotionally unhinged” and “unprofessional” after he was filmed calling Owens “disgraceful” for her “faux sophistication” on the conflict, Forbes reports. “I think her behavior during this has been disgraceful, without a doubt,” Shapiro says in the clip. “I think that her faux sophistication on these particular issues has been ridiculous.” Conservatives and pro-Zionists have criticized Owens for taking to X/Twitter to post that “no government anywhere has a right to commit a genocide.” She recently responded to Shapiro, the co-founder of The Daily Wire, who urged her to quit the news outlet after she publicly quoted Bible verses. https://twitter.com/i/status/1724924211150389280 Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette has been let go from her position as president and CEO of the prominent art institution Newfields in Indianapolis. Burnette became Newfields’ first Black female director in August 2022. Fifteen months later, she’s been ousted, and a news release did not explain her departure. Burnette replaced the former Newfields CEO Charles Venable after he resigned amid “public outcry over an Indianapolis Museum of Art director job post that sought to maintain the organization’s “traditional, core, white art audience” while increasing the diversity of Newfields visitors,” per WFYI News. WFYI previously interviewed Burnette about “how she intended to address accusations that the art museum and its campus are not a welcoming place for all,” the outlet writes. “First of all, we embrace those accusations. I think it’s something that we can learn from. In Austin, Texas, which is where I was immediately before coming here, I was super engaged in that community to be able to address racial challenges that we had about, you know, becoming the anti-racist or becoming open, and open access to sensibility, diversity, sustainability,” Burnett said. https://youtu.be/9wpggXHFFNs The family of Shanquella Robinson intends to sue six of the people who traveled with her to the resort town of San José del Cabo for hindering the investigation into her death. We reported previously that Robinson was allegedly beaten to death by a “friend” in a Mexican villa in October 2022 while celebrating her birthday with a group of purported besties. The travel companions told Robinson’s mother that her daughter’s cause of death was alcohol poisoning. But the victim’s family was told a different story by Mexican authorities and the FBI. A disturbing video surfaced allegedly showing Daejhanae Jackson attacking Robinson in a bedroom while she was naked. A man who appears to be filming the assault is heard asking Shanquella, “Quella’ can you at least fight back?” Robinson attempts to get away, but she is slammed to the floor and punched in the head repeatedly. An autopsy found that the victim died of “severe spinal cord injury.” Mexican authorities launched a homicide investigation, but in April, the U.S. attorney’s offices in the Western District of North Carolina announced that they “concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued.” https://youtu.be/0ZdiMCUZjUY Will Smith believes he’s the target of a “smear campaign” after his former assistant said he caught the actor having sex with his close friend Duane Martin. Smith called the wild allegation “unequivocally false,” and Jada Pinkett Smith said they intend to take legal action against the former assistant, Brother Bilaal, who claims he busted the actor having sex with Martin in a dressing room, Hot Hip Hop DX reports. Speaking to popular YouTuber Tasha K on November 13, Bilaal explained: “I opened the door to Duane’s dressing room and that’s when I see Duane having anal sex with Will. There was a couch and Will was bent over the couch and Duane was standing up killing him, murdering him. It was murder in there.” According to the Daily Mail, Smith has known Bilaal for 40 years and threatened legal action against him for trying to tarnish his reputation. As SandraRose.com reports, Jada was asked about Will’s alleged gay sex scandal during her appearance on “The Breakfast Club.” In casual conversation reflecting upon Brenda Russell’s epic four-and-a-half-decade career as a multiple Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning co-composer of The Color Purple musical, one of her songwriter friends casually uttered a phrase that captures the essence of her extraordinary multi-faceted artistry: Songpainter. Gearing up to record her highly anticipated first solo album in 20 years, Brenda knew that would be the perfect title – not only defining the impact her songs have had on the world over the years but forging a creative mission statement for all the dynamic works to come. The project’s first lead single “What Will It Take,” dropping November 17, is more than just another grand addition to her repertoire of infectious hit singles for herself and other iconic artists. Co-produced with Stephan Oberhoff, whose discography ranges from works with Burt Bacharach, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, and Al Jarreau to Brenda’s 2000 release Paris Rain, the song is an uplifting and unifying, globally conscious anthem for our time. https://youtu.be/y8tBcQTwvWA Many are familiar with former NFL lineman Michael Oher’s story as told in the acclaimed book and blockbuster film, “The Blind Side.” The CNN FlashDoc, “Blindsided,” exposes the truth behind the Hollywood spin on Oher’s story that’s now streaming on Max. A new CNN documentary sheds light on the strained, complex relationship between former NFL player Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Oher’s life and his time living with Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, a wealthy White family from Memphis, Tennessee, was the subject of a book and the 2009 blockbuster, “The Blind Side.” The Oscar-winning movie charts the former offensive lineman’s rise from homelessness and poverty to becoming a star football player at college and in the NFL with the help of the Tuohy family. https://youtu.be/FovKYvj6NNc Moms of Black Boys United, Inc. (M.O.B.B. United), and M.O.B.B. United for Social Change, Inc. (MUSC), sister advocacy and support organizations dedicated to reshaping societal perceptions and policies concerning Black boys and men, has announced the appointment of Kimberley R. Alexander as its new Executive Director. In making the announcement, M.O.B.B. United Founder and Board Chair Depelsha McGruder expressed her excitement for this new chapter in the organization’s history and the depth of experience Kimberley brings to the role. She describes Alexander as a passionate advocate and distinguished leader who will propel its mission forward. “Kimberley R. Alexander embodies the core values of MOBB United and brings a focused dedication to our mission of empowering and advocating for Black boys and young men. Her personal journey and professional background, as well as her work to launch key initiatives including mental health and community wellness programs, uniquely position her to drive the change we envision,” said McGruder. With a remarkable 30-year career in healthcare, Alexander steps into her role as Executive Director with a multifaceted understanding of operations, management, and communications. Her experience as an Assistant Director of Nursing at East View Healthcare and Zion Healthcare, her tenure as an Assisted Living Manager at Brazos Towers Assisted Living, and her serving in significant roles of increasing responsibility at Texas Children’s Health Plan exemplifies her capacity to lead with compassion and efficiency. https://youtu.be/NUKkgnJGaNI Today, We Sound Crazy, the critically acclaimed podcast and radio show, premiered “You Bring the Love” featuring Grammy-nominated superstar Tamar Braxton on all major digital streaming platforms. Written and produced by We Sound Crazy co-hosts Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, the holiday track is the first original song released under We Sound Crazy in partnership with Tamar Braxton Productions and MNRK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVV7vWL05HU Damascus Road Productions in partnership with Eastern Sky Theatre Company, announces the premiere of the family-friendly film, “Bringing Back Christmas.” This fun for the whole family film premiered at a special Dream Center charity event in Los Angeles. The film is now available on global streaming platforms including Apple and Amazon Prime along with select theatrical showings on November 17 through Integrity Releasing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLtCkwd17JA T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris have opened their first affordable housing complex in Atlanta. The development project boasts 143 apartments, with 25 units to house homeless youth. The hip-hop couple attended Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Intrada Westside complex, Baller Alert reports. “The arts and entertainment industry in this city has been able to collaborate and be, I guess, profitable enough to offer the community so many things that are much needed,” said T.I. The property sits across from Center Hill Park in northwest Atlanta. According to Baller Alert, T.I. was inspired to invest in the community where he grew up after seeing fellow rapper Killer Mike do so. “He says, ‘If everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot,’” T.I. shared during the ribbon-cutting.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1725309512532275294 Attorney Antonio Moore breaks down the civil rape and abuse allegations filed by singer Cassie in Manhattan NY on Thursday 11/16/23 against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Moore looks at the Adult Abuse Act that allowed Cassie to bring the civil claims and how the expiration was not far off. And how the act left the singer only days to file suit. https://youtu.be/jkHeNl6AyhQ Former “Love & Hip Hop” star BK Brasco is catching heat online over his views about why older men date younger women. Brasco, 45, unpacked his theory on the Nov. 10 episode of the One Thing About It! Podcast, during which he explained why single Gen X men prefer to date young women. When the podcast’s host, Amani Wortham, noted that women can’t be “trained” by males, Brasco replied, “Train up a child the way they should go.”“Some women — not all — [but] some women are pretty when they’re young [and] when they get older, they look bad,” he added, MadameNoire reports. “The older women don’t be fit. They don’t be friendly. They don’t be feminine. They don’t be cooperative, and they don’t be submissive.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzecB-7Alhq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Amani then questioned why young women would even consider “old” used-up manwhores with “community dick” to be viable dating options. No one wants to deal with a woman that is set in her ways and traumatized from 10 previous relationships.” “As a younger women, the only time i see older guys really dating my peers is when the girls have daddy issues. They pursue me, but once they even get a wiff of my very present father and his influence in my life, they go away. It’s very interesting to see.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzomWQGO61E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Fantasia looked like an award herself ?????? as she accepted Variety‘s Power of Women Presented by Lifetime honor on November 16, 2023. As she stood at the dias, ‘Tasia became vulnerable as she spoke about her life’s obstacles, “I’ve been through some things I haven’t been afraid to share. Sometimes we don’t want to share what we go through, but I knew that my tests were part of my testimony, and I knew that my testimony would help a lot of people.” During her touching address, the presence of Leonardo DiCaprio distracted her briefly, and she shouted him out. The Grammy-winner also revealed why she did not want to play the role of Celie again for the musical film adaptation of “The Color Purple,” after her run on Broadway concluded. “I want to thank Celie,” she said. “I didn’t want to play this role again, because I knew this role would bring up some certain things in my life that I thought I was over, but I think I just suppressed. So when they called me I said ‘I cannot do it. I’m married. I’m happy. No thanks.’ But I had to for every young lady who has been through some of the things that I’ve been through. Not even the young ladies, there are some ladies that are a lot older than me that say, ‘Thank you for sharing your story.'” Fantasia ended her speech by encouraging young girls and women to persevere through difficulty. https://youtu.be/KM-Vp0sAL5U Speaking of Leonardo DiCaprio, the Oscar winner celebrated his 49th bday last Saturday at a private residence in Beverly Hills. A Reddit Thread had much to say about his karaoke performance rapping the 1994 song “DWYCK” by Gang Starr and Nice & Smooth. Many internet users called his rendition “cringe,” citing his age, “Leo is literal proof that your growth gets stunted at the age you become famous,” posted one person. Really? Y’all making this assessment of his character because he wants to turn up for being alive another year? Weird flex, but ok. Other comments weren’t so judgy and ageist, “I don’t find this cringe. It’s his birthday party. He’s having fun, and everyone is enjoying themselves,” wrote one person. Another added, “I don’t understand the problem. I would love to turn 49 in a room packed full of people who want to celebrate me and have a good time singing, rapping, dancing, and acting a fool. He looks like he’s having a great time! Good for him.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Czjy-0uvBHa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Megan Thee Stallion attended GQ‘s Men of the Year party, and a reporter asked the Grammy winner to rank the top anime. Megan has long professed her love of anime and felt that the list was unfair because she considered all of them top-tier. One fan made their own ranking list and listed them as such, “1. Attack on Titan 2.My Hero 3. Jujitsu Kaisen 4. Black Clover 5. Hunter X Hunter.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzvKokeul9S/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Shaunie Henderson‘s daughter Me’Arah O’Neal, who she shares with former NBA player and ex-husband Shaquille O’Neal, celebrated her baby girl signing to the University of Florida to play women’s basketball. “My family was just there to support me. I was pressuring myself to make a decision, but I learned I had to be patient. And I did make this decision on my own,” O’Neal said, according to ESPN. “I went on the Florida visit, and I had a feeling that’s where I belonged,” she said. “And that I was going to be most successful if I went to go play at Florida. I felt like I connected with Coach Kelly more than I connected with any of the other schools that recruited me. She really cares about me, not just on the court but off the court. That’s important for me.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzpFloUuAog/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3a35d339-2a67-4095-a102-30cabb4d5ec5&img_index=1 The winners of the recent Los Angeles “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference’s National Talent Competition were recently announced. Winners in the highly competitive talent competition include New York Hip-Hop singer/songwriter/rapper Angelic featuring Asim with 1st place, New Jersey’s actress Kah’Ni Rich won 2nd place, and tying for 3rd place was Philippines-based singer Kim Hewitt and Washington, DC dancer Tiarah William. Ari Lennox‘s latest album, Get Close, drops 11/17/23, and social media influencer Hopeless Romantic Society got to ask her some off-beat questions about her love life. He asked Ari if she had ever written a song for a yt man and which vanilla prince she would consider engaging with to do the horizontal boogie. These GenZers are brazen with their inquiries; we couldn’t ask such questions with a serious face. One fan observed, “I love Ari. She’s so sweet and beautiful. I feel like she probably rides for the person she loves and can be passionate, but that passion might be a little too much for someone especially if she’s angry or feeling hurt. You can tell she probably has some trauma to deal with, but that’s ok, most of us do. I’m sure she will find someone to treat her well one day, when the time is right.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Czl0Cj9rQJi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Carmelo Anthony was fighting for his life as a guest on “Hot Ones.” Melo knew he bit off more than he could chew when he uttered, “I see the road we about to go down after this one” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzujvZsAhAD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Megatron metamorphosed into Mega-TYRONE after flaming two Universal Studios fans in Cali. He called out one lady and her homegirl about “net fronts” and told them he would clean up their “kitchens,” the DISRESPECT. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzXmSb6u0pX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again As the holiday season approaches and the air is filled with a crisp, comforting chill, it’s only natural for us to take a moment to reflect on the blessings in our lives. Thanksgiving, in particular, has a unique way of reminding us of the importance of gratitude. It’s a time when families come together, tables are adorned with hearty feasts, and the spirit of togetherness fills the air. For me, this holiday season holds a deeper significance, as we prepare for the Second Annual “Food for the Family” Thanksgiving Event in honor of my beloved son, Bobby Brown Jr. Bobby Jr. was a remarkable soul, known for his vibrant spirit and boundless love for his family. He left an indelible mark on the world, not only through his love but through his legacy. His memory lives on through the love we share with our community. In honor of Bobby Jr., we have embraced the opportunity to give back through The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House, a non-profit Domestic Violence Safe Haven founded in 2015. Our mission is to provide support, shelter, and resources for survivors of domestic violence. The pain and suffering endured by survivors are real, and it’s our collective responsibility to create a world without domestic abuse. Emmy-winning actor Anthony Anderson spoke about his latest partnership with Charmin and his travel show with his mom, streaming on Peacock. Anderson said he was excited to partner with Charmin on their new toilet paper called “square-ish.” “Charmin has reinvented the square by replacing the traditional perforation line with a scalloped edge to provide a better, smoother tear, and launched Smooth Tear as part of the Ultra Soft category to offer a more enjoyable go,” per a news release. “This is something the toilet paper category hasn’t seen, and we’ve spent more than five years perfecting the technology and design behind it,” said Rob Reinerman, Charmin Vice President, Procter & Gamble. The new “squarish” innovation “aims to deliver an even and clean tear every single time, addressing multiple pain points that are experienced when using toilet paper. Charmin Ultra Soft Smooth Tear enables getting just the right desired amount, does not tear during dispensing and leaves a clean smooth cut,” per the release. Producer and musician Sean “Diddy” Combs was sued in federal court in New York City on Thursday by his former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who alleges she was raped and subjected to years of physical and other abuse by Combs. “After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” Ventura – an R&B singer who goes by the stage name Cassie – said in a statement to CNN. “With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life.” “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” Ben Brafman, attorney for Combs, said in a statement emailed to CNN via Combs’ publicist. “For the past 6 months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation and seeking a payday.” Combs, 54, founded the music label Bad Boy in 1993 and has gone by stage names Puff Daddy and Diddy. Credited with work that is regarded as instrumental in the growth of the hip-hop genre, Combs has won three Grammys in his career, along with 14 nominations. Arguably his most popular song is “I’ll Be Missing You” off the hit 1997 album “No Way Out.” Other hit tracks include “It’s All About the Benjamins” and “Bad Boy for Life.” While he achieved initial success with his music, Combs also became a notable producer as well as an entrepreneur. https://youtu.be/JyZfPx3WzVc Netflix has released the teaser trailer for the upcoming fantasy film “Damsel,” starring Millie Bobby Brown and Angela Bassett. The movie from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo “flips the script on the traditional fairy tale as a princess whose happily ever after is brutally interrupted when her Prince Charming sacrifices her to a dragon,” per Netflix’s news release. “What I really loved in the script from Dan Mazeau was embracing the idea of a fantasy adventure and a princess and dragon story, but taking it into a place [where] it’s completely upside down,” Fresnadillo told Tudum. “It was a very intense journey that I was so excited to design and to develop. At the core, this is such a beautiful story about a young woman becoming a strong, independent, and empowered adult. Elodie doesn’t have any kind of support. It’s a real survival experience.” Here’s a brief plot description via Netflix: “Damsel sees Brown as a dutiful, well, damsel, who agrees to marry a handsome prince — only to discover it was all a trap: The royal family recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. She’s then thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, relying solely on her wits and will to survive. As Elodie fights to survive alone in the bowels of the monster’s lair, she is the audience’s eyes and ears.” https://youtu.be/9eN_AGX8GXk Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori has reportedly returned to her family in Australia after loved ones expressed concerns about her relationship with the rapper. According to insiders, Bianca finally came to her senses regarding Kanye’s “controlling ways.” “Everyone is just glad that they finally were able to get through to Bianca,” a source told MailOnline. “Her friends let her know exactly how they feel and they told her that she needs to wake the f*** up,” the tea spiller shared. “She knows that she has shut out those close to her and she is also starting to see through the smoky mirrors of her marriage,” the insider told the outlet. “She is aware of Kanye’s controlling ways and she is starting to see things from an outside perspective.” Fulton County prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday to jail Harrison Floyd, who is charged in the 2020 election subversion case in Georgia, because of his alleged “effort to intimidate codefendants and witnesses,” according to court filings. This is the first time Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has asked to revoke someone’s bond in the case. Prosecutors highlighted Floyd’s recent social media posts about Georgia election officials who are likely to be called as witnesses in the case, as well as his recent comments on a conservative podcast about Jenna Ellis, who pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate. “The Defendant’s actions demonstrate that he poses a significant threat of intimidating witnesses and otherwise obstructing the administration of justice in the future, making him ineligible for bond,” prosecutors wrote in the court filing. https://youtu.be/jYZ5RTxubyk Floyd’s legal team declined to comment to CNN, saying they have just begun reading the filing. Floyd, the leader of Black Voices for Trump, pleaded not guilty to three state felonies, largely tied to his role in an intimidation campaign targeting two Atlanta election workers in late 2020. Former President Donald Trump and his allies falsely accused the workers of massive voter fraud. Floyd is the only defendant who spent time in jail in connection with the case. He was incarcerated at the Fulton County Jail for one week in August before reaching a bond deal with prosecutors. Prosecutors point to more than a dozen public statements by Floyd they say violate the terms of his bond agreement, including ones directly targeting Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman, who is a witness in the case. “Since his release from custody, the Defendant has engaged in numerous intentional and flagrant violations of the conditions of release ordered by the Court,” they wrote in their filing.https://youtu.be/b6NTz3dznzk Michael B. Jordan just got his bedroom business put on front street by Bre Tiesi. This woman just told the world that Jordan was not “good” in bed during the Season 7 reunion of the hit reality show “Selling Sunset.” “Is Michael B. Jordan good in bed?” asked host Tan France while Tiesi was hooked up to a polygraph. “I’m going to be in so much trouble,” she replied, adding, “No.” “I’m sorry, babe,” the real-life and reality TV real estate agent said. “S–t! Crushed a lot of girls’ dreams today.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Czt6FZwPuTm/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=86f5243f-4efe-4982-84db-f421fc098747 The lie detector test confirmed that Tiesi, whose famous baby daddy is Nick Cannon, told no lies. On top of that, polygraph examiner John Grogan chimed in with a thumbs-up courtesy of the test results, adding, “That’s true.” Daaaayuuum! Somebody’s guilty as charged. As Page Six, reports, here’s how it all came about. During a recent episode of the Netflix show, Tiesi bragged about sleeping with the “Creed” actor, 36, while sharing a meal with co-star Amanza Smith, Chrishell Stause and Emma Hernan. https://youtu.be/ZUkkhyEelno New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, 1-800-TruckWreck, and V-103 are giving away Thanksgiving meal boxes and turkeys to more than 2,000 today from 6:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. (while supplies last) at 6400 Woodrow Road in Lithonia. The event is free and open to the community. Registration is not required. Tickets for the turkeys and meal boxes will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. THANKSGIVING FREE FOOD GIVEAWAY on Friday, November 17, 2023, 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm (while supplies last) Turner Chapel AME 492 North Marietta Parkway Marietta, GA Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has been suspended for five games for “forcibly grabbing” Ruby Gobert around the neck during Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA announced. https://youtu.be/-yndrhRKGU8 The altercation broke out inside the opening two minutes of the match when Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels got into a scuffle, yanking on each other’s jerseys and swinging each other around as the teams made their way up the floor. Several players from both sides rushed over to get involved before Green barged in and put Gobert in a headlock. Green, McDaniels, and Thompson were all ejected from the game. The NBA said Green grabbed Gobert around the neck in an “unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner.” “The length of the suspension is based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the NBA said in a statement. This is Green’s fifth suspension in his career. Prior to this week’s punishment, Green was suspended for one game without pay after he stamped on the chest of Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis in the first round of the playoffs in April 2023. The NBA said Green’s latest suspension is without pay, meaning he will forfeit $769,970 as a result, per ESPN. https://youtu.be/u-ZFgmKt5r8 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will honor Kevin Hart, 44, with its 25th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a ceremony on March 24, reports The New York Times. Kevin released an official statement expressing his excitement about the prestigious recognition for his contributions to comedy as a comedian, actor, writer, and producer, “To be honored in this commemorative year feels surreal,” he added. “Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations on life — I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on culture. I can’t wait to celebrate!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzrYzhQr8VS/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5492b4e1-4315-49fb-a254-6105d9ddb801&img_index=1 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will honor Kevin Hart, 44, with its 25th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a ceremony on March 24, reports The New York Times. Kevin released an official statement expressing his excitement about the prestigious recognition for his contributions to comedy as a comedian, actor, writer, and producer, “To be honored in this commemorative year feels surreal,” he added. “Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations on life — I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on culture. I can’t wait to celebrate!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzsCH1oJFZf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again André 3000, government name André Lauren Benjamin, is entering another season of his life journey, and the artist he once was has evolved. As one part of the southern hip-hop duo Outkast, Three Stacks, now in his middle-age era, doesn’t feel he has anything potent to rap about as a 48-year-old artist. “I get beats all the time. I try to write all the time. People think, Oh, man, he’s just sitting on raps, or he’s just holding these raps hostage. I ain’t got no raps like that,” he tells GQ for its inaugural video cover story. Ice Cold will release his latest album New Blue Sun, which is filled with flute instrumentals. (Pauses and reflects) André 3K has inspired us also to become an afro-hippie playing flutes on the top laundry mats with a net worth of $35 million. https://www.instagram.com/p/CztcUrVOeNE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again During the Essence GU Disruptor Summit, attendees were tested on the names of iconic Black singers and entertainers, and let us say if these were the children Whitney said would lead the way, we were all about being lost in the sauce. “This is what happens when your granny makes Alfredo & tacos & you don’t wake up on a Saturday because your mother is blasting Anita Baker because it’s time to clean the entire house. We’re losing recipes,” said social media user @blackgirlin. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czr9A_EuXh3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Pharrell Williams believes investing in culture will reap big rewards, so he founded Black Ambition, a non-profit initiative that supports Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. According to a news release, the foundation recently awarded $3.2M to 36 Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. Williams believes investing in these communities will yield significant returns. “Where we are is where the profit is,” he said in a new interview with Forbes. “There’s no denying that. We influence it.” According to the release, Black Ambition “awarded $1 million dollars to Antoinette Banks, CEO and Founder of Expert IEP, a parent-facing app that optimizes existing Individualized Education Plans with predictive AI for children diagnosed with a disability, as the Grand Prize Winner of its 2023 Prize competition at the third-annual “Demo Day” event” held November 9th at Spring Studios in New York. https://youtu.be/gIUJIC8dpgc Today, Disney+ released the official trailer for the upcoming original series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” In the week leading up to today’s debut, fans were teased with easter eggs across the official social handles (@PercySeries) driving excitement and speculation across the fandom. In this latest look at “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) are put to the test on their adventure to restore order at Mount Olympus and save the world. The epic eight-episode series launches with a two-episode premiere on December 20 on Disney+, followed by new episodes weekly. https://youtu.be/uHb7au6Gmls Jada Pinkett Smith claims she and Will Smith intend to take legal action against the former assistant who claims he busted the actor having sex with close friend Duane Martin. According to Smith’s former friend Brother Bilaal, he once walked in on Smith and Martin having sex in a dressing room, Hot Hip Hop DX reports. Speaking to popular YouTuber Tasha K on November 13, Bilaal explained: “I opened the door to Duane’s dressing room and that’s when I see Duane having anal sex with Will. There was a couch and Will was bent over the couch and Duane was standing up killing him, murdering him. It was murder in there.” Bilaal also commented on Will and Jada’s sex life, claiming the actress is a size queen and seemed to suggest that Will is lacking in that area. “If a woman is used to something the size of a baby leg and you come in with a pinky toe, there is nothing you gonna do to please her. If she itching for that baby leg, she want that baby leg,” Brother Bilaal told Tasha K. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmzIRDuxDB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Smith’s rep also denied Bilaal’s allegations. “This story is completely fabricated, and the claim is unequivocally false,” she said in a statement, TMZ reports. Jada’s “Breakfast Club” interview. https://youtu.be/9lok-Vjqajs Azealia Banks may be trying to wipe the slate clean with Lizzo, but she seems to be starting a new slate of beef with Busta Rhymes. Referencing Uproxx, Love B Scott reports the outspoken rapstress went to social media to post a series of comments, apologizing for past comments made to the “It’s About Damn Time” vocalist about her body. “I was having a conversation last night and realized that I owe Lizzo a huge apology for popping so much sh*t,” wrote Banks wrote on her official Instagram page. Despite offering an olive branch to Lizzo, the action looks to be a one-time deal. In the post after her apology, Banks took aim at rap icon Busta Rhymes over the very thing she went at Lizzo over. Despite collaborating with the former Leaders of the New School member on her song “Taste State,” Banks did not hold back in taking Rhymes to task over his physique. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-HO74OXQAAKgmY?format=jpg&name=360x360 “If hip-hop will a 55+ several overweight Busta Rhymes, who exhibits major signs of anabolic steroid abuse, adrenal gland failure, and constipation, and will also allow him to have a face full of blackheads and acne from what appears to be testosterone shot abuse… All whilst drinking molly water in 2023 and wearing cartoon-like neon yellow fake gold Slick Rick chains… We have absolutely no right to be trying to skewer a young Black woman for anything,” Banks wrote about the “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” rhyme slayer. Busta is the latest entertainer to feel the wrath of Banks’ words. He joins a well-known list of targets that includes Joe Budden, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Doja Cat, Iggy Azalea and Lana Del Rey, among others. As a result, Banks’ remarks have put her social media accounts on suspension. Whether Banks’ comments on Rhymes result in the same fate remains to be seen. As of this posting, the rapper/actor and Lizzo have yet to respond to Banks and her remarks. https://youtu.be/QwHwcitqYnU “Drive with Swizz Beatz” is the new six-part docuseries dropping today on Hulu! The series is hosted by the legendary Swizz Beatz, known for his contributions to Hip-Hop culture, including production for artists like Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Drake, along with his oldest son Nasir Dean. The two will travel to car-loving destinations across the globe, including Houston, Japan, Los Angeles, and Saudi Arabia, where they will dive into the area’s signature car culture and other surprises. https://youtu.be/M8ZTyoD4HUU Mark Jackson denies a New York Post report that he was booted from his Knicks’ TV gig because the team refused to let him on their chartered flights.According to the former Knicks point guard, the truth is that he turned the team down instead, nj.com reports. “[On Wednesday], a report came out that I was fired or dismissed from calling Knick games,” Jackson wrote on social media. “Honored and privileged to have an offer bestowed upon me to back up the legend Walt Clyde Frazier, calling Knick games. “Over a week ago, I turned that job down. You heard what I said: More than a week ago, I turned the job down due to the fact that it wasn’t the ideal conditions, and it wasn’t the ideal time for me,” Jackson explained. “You never know what the future holds,” he added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1725011723378139519 Chicago natives Jennifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper, and Quincy Jones have teamed to reopen the city’s Ramova Theatre. The trio are co-owners of the venue located in the Bridgeport neighborhood on the South Side, which has been dormant for nearly 40 years, Variety reports. Ramova opened in 1929 and served as a movie theater until its closure in 1985. According to the Variety, the Ramova will reopen this fall “as a 1,500-capacity live music venue with a grill, beer garden, and brewery in partnership with Other Half Brewing,” the outlet writes. “I believe the cultural divides in our communities will always be bridged and uplifted by music and the arts,” said Jones. “With Ramova, I see a future where the rich cultural heritage of Chicago shines even brighter alongside the country’s most talented artists, which will inspire future generations to come and bring glory to America’s Second City.” According to a press release, “Ramova will also offer educational programs [and] workshops, and amplify community initiatives from local nonprofits.” A wedding party photo has gone viral because it shows one of the bridesmaids flipping her middle finger. As MadameNoie reports, the wedding photo was shared by “Wild N’ Out” cast member NickNack Pattiwhack, who married Kiara Randolph on Oct. 30 in Cancun, Mexico. Kiara shared the wedding photos on Nov. 3, along with the caption: “Our union was graced by the warmth of family, cherished loved ones, and our globe-trotting besties turned eternal companions. An extraordinary day woven with love, friendship and timeless elegance.” A bridesmaid named “Blizzy” was partially cropped out of the image, but the original photo shared by the couple’s friend, Stacy “Stace” Hoyte, shows the woman flipping the bird. The image was captioned: “If you want to stick your middle finger up like a [pigeon] at my wedding, that’s cool, but take your own individual photos and do that. Don’t do that in the group photos. Have some couth.” Stace deleted the photo at Nick’s request, MadameNoire reports. https://www.facebook.com/ShaninMaeWestGreen/posts/10232397166051998?ref=embed_post Sharon Osbourne claims Whitney Houston once asked if she was “trying to fu*k” Bobby Brown. Osbourne recalled the moment on a recent episode of “The Osbournes Podcast,” claiming she and the late R&B singer had a misunderstanding over Brown, Complex reports. Osbourne said the incident occurred during VH1’s “Divas Duets” taping 20 years ago. At the time, Houston was doing a sound check when she spotted Osbourne chatting with Brown and accused her of trying to seduce her then-husband. “I was hosting the [Divas Duets] for VH1, and I was at sound check, and Whitney was up on stage doing her sound check,” Osbourne said on the podcast, EW reports. “Her little girl [Bobbi Kristina] obviously liked watching The Osbournes and she came up and sat next to me,” she continued. “Gorgeous little thing. And then suddenly her dad came and sat [on] the other side of me, Bobby.” https://youtu.be/tH_sS-Fa-mQ MAXINE’S BABY: THE TYLER PERRY STORY film directors Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz were recently interviewed by film producer, actor and author DeVon Franklin. https://vimeo.com/885044365 Writer, actor, filmmaker, studio head and media titan, Tyler Perry, is America’s consummate multihyphenate. But underneath this entertainment behemoth is a man working humbly to heal his childhood trauma by transforming his pain into promise. Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story, a nod to his mother’s love, is a tender and intimate portrait of visionary and innovator Tyler Perry and his harrowing but faithful road to the top of an industry that didn’t always include him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjXlidHoPyU Blacksmoke Music Worldwide recording artist James Grear and Company overflows with gratefulness as their radio single, "I Wanna Say Thank You" featuring Maurette Brown Clark takes the top spot this week on the Mediabase and Billboard Gospel Radio charts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS55gvj3qqA&feature=youtu.be GSN-"Look at what God has done!" exclaims James Grear “I Wanna Say Thank You” is the #1 Gospel song in the country this week! While my heart is full at this moment, I want to encourage someone to know that it’s never too late to accomplish what God has ordained for your life! I am SHOUTING CONGRATULATIONS to “The Company”, as well as the incomparable Maurette Brown Clark, the amazing songwriter Pharis Evans Jr., and our maestro producer, Darnell Davis. Special thanks to Kerry Douglas and the entire hardworking staff at Blacksmoke Music Worldwide and Kerry Douglas Radio Promotions (shout out to the very capable VP Ricky D). A HUGE thank you to Ronedy Ra Moore, for your consistency, dedication and determination, you are the absolute BEST, hands down! Thank you to every radio station & announcer across the country who continues to play this song and Thank you to everyone who played a part in this song going #1! GOD DID IT! " https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=fS55gvj3qqA The Gospel Spotlight's this weeks #1 song and Artists James Grear & Company. Congats!!! Let's "Fallback" to hear James Grear in his own words. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/james_grear_intvw.htm "I Wanna Say Thank You" featuring Maurette Brown Clark is "Shinning Bright" as it takes the top spot this week. Maurette Brown Clark talks about the song with HJ Ellison inside the Gospel Spotlight. https://www.facebook.com/100000375930311/videos/3461447217431669/ Jada Pinkett Smith claims she and Will Smith intend to take legal action against the former assistant who claims he busted the actor having sex with close friend Duane Martin. According to Smith’s former friend Brother Bilaal, he once walked in on Smith and Martin having sex in a dressing room, Hot Hip Hop DX reports. Speaking to popular YouTuber Tasha K on November 13, Bilaal explained: “I opened the door to Duane’s dressing room and that’s when I see Duane having anal sex with Will. There was a couch and Will was bent over the couch and Duane was standing up killing him, murdering him. It was murder in there.”Bilaal also commented on Will and Jada’s sex life, claiming the actress is a size queen and seemed to suggest that Will is lacking in that area. “If a woman is used to something the size of a baby leg and you come in with a pinky toe, there is nothing you gonna do to please her. If she itching for that baby leg, she want that baby leg,” Brother Bilaal told Tasha K. Smith’s rep also denied Bilaal’s allegations. “This story is completely fabricated, and the claim is unequivocally false,” she said in a statement, TMZ reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmzIRDuxDB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jada Pinkett Smith claims she and Will Smith intend to take legal action. Check out Jada’s “Breakfast Club” interview. https://youtu.be/9lok-Vjqajs Lauryn Hill stopped her performance to get her band’s mind right after they weren’t playing the right notes or chords. However, people on social media in the comment section kept referring to legendary pianist Robert Glasper‘s interview with The Madd Hatta Morning Show on 97.9 The Box. “She will go on tour with a band and in the city that they’re doing a show, she’ll hold auditions for her band,” recalled Robert. Fans of L-Boogie believe her shows would be better if she rehearsed more with her band and kept the same employees. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/378d705386bdd80f7efa305c6bb12beb/6556bcb1/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-pve-0068-tx/oEkCpNzA1AiD5SfcQg8jRffmIDHFSCEKAIGEhR/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=3556&bt=1778&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8ZmorCaHQ_vjcG8sAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=OWlmZTk4OWQ0ZjU4NDU3PEBpMzZkZnk5cnEzbzMzZzczNEAtMjQyMGAxNWAxYGIyMzZgYSMwL3A2MmRzNjZgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=202311161904253397A94A376D7F0BFB60&btag=e00010000 Holy Roller, Kirk Franklin almost had to call Jesus on the mainline after he peeped the attire of Austyn Tribbett, the daughter of Grammy-winning gospel artist Tye Tribbett. Kirk jokingly pointed out that Baptists dress like Austyn. One person came to the 21-year-old defense, “Austyn looks good; it’s age-appropriate, as long as she’s not out trying to impress nobody, around family, and covered by the blood. She’s fine.” Tye also sided with his daughter, writing his caption, “Ayy???? My brother @kirkfranklin came to my room in FULL uncle mode concerned but I don’t play about my daughter @austyn.tayy lol between God, her mother and me — she’s COVERED?????????.” Glory! Tye and Kirk are currently touring with David and Tamala Mann, Israel Houghton and The Clark Sisters. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzrzlvSAVrC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Fantasia Taylor graced Variety magazine’s Power of Women issue and spoke about how she grew up watching the women in her life fight against adversity: “I grew up watching fighters,” Barrino says after settling into a corner booth. She’s not talking about boxers or brawlers. She’s describing the women in her life, specifically her mother, Diane Barrino, and her late grandmother, Apostle Addie Collins. “I watched them fall and I watched them get back up,” she explains. “They never quit. A lot of that is embedded in me. It’s in my blood. It’s in my DNA.” It’s been nearly 20 years since Barrino was crowned the “American Idol,” winning the third season of the singing competition in 2004 and becoming the first Black woman to claim the title. Suddenly she was a role model to a generation of Black girls who saw themselves in her. When she first appeared on the show, though, she was just Tasia, a 19-year-old single mom. “Didn’t know nothing about nothing, other than I loved to sing,” Barrino says. “I didn’t know all the things that came with it, the pros and the cons.” Fantasia stars in the anticipated “The Color Purple” musical due in theaters December 25. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzoeQS1s61-/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=87e39c00-2a66-414a-b4f8-73ee5b7a9ed5 Marcus Scribner and Cliff “Method Man” Smith star in “How I Learned to Fly,” dropping in theaters December 1st. The film centers around “two African-American teenage brothers who suddenly find themselves on their own after being mysteriously abandoned by their parents. Deeply haunted by the mental and physical abuse inflicted by their father (Wu-Tang Clan’s Cliff “Method Man” Smith), elder brother Daniel (Scribner) is determined to keep their lives from falling apart. He maintains a daily routine, works as a dishwasher, and does his best to keep a roof over their heads,” according to film critic Wilson Morales. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cze3lR-yS96/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A group of teenage thieves was caught on cell phone video ransacking an Amazon delivery truck in broad daylight, and the helpless driver watched. The incident happened near Atlanta, GA, on Nov. 13. The female driver told police that she secured the truck before delivering a package to the Country Oaks Apartments in the Fairburn Mays neighborhood, but the thieves broke into the vehicle. Cell phone video shows about six Black youths grabbing items from the truck and quickly fleeing the scene. The driver exited the apartment complex as the madness unfolded and watched as the Amazon truck was raided. According to SandraRose.com, “Amazon and other package services won’t deliver to certain neighborhoods in Atlanta due to the high crime,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/P2y-iw-IFfI Gina Gauthier, the ex-wife of famed megachurch pastor Carlton Pearson, shared a message with his fans amid his battle with terminal cancer. In a statement on Facebook, Gauthier said Bishop Pearson is “moving toward making his way to the vibration of ‘Well done my good and faithful servant,'” she wrote, The Christian Post reports. Gauthier added, “People of God, I ask that you prepare your hearts. Prepare to release him such that as he moves through that tunnel toward the light, he can ascend as quickly as possible and not be pulled back into this 3rd dimension realm feeling the pull of those he loved so much. Love lets go.” Pearson was married to Gauthie from 1993 to 2019, and they have two kids, according to The Christian Post. Her update is over a week after he shared a final message with his followers. “This will be one of the last times you’ll see me like this,” Pearson said on a live broadcast earlier this month, L.A. Focus News reports. “I may be closing some things out, but I will never close you out in consciousness. I love you and wanted you to hear from my voice how deeply appreciative I am of who you are and that you are.” https://www.facebook.com/gina.gauthierpearson/posts/1521050212060498?ref=embed_post According to Pearson’s family, the bishop has a Stage 4 cancerous mass that is “inoperable and fatal.” In a statement, the family said: “Our dear Carlton was diagnosed with cancer in 2001 and was declared cancer-free shortly thereafter. Just recently, cancer has returned and has been a significant challenge, especially in the last 120 days—Carlton has asked that people pray that he would live out the “full number of his days.” The family previously announced that Pearson moved to “comfort care.” Pearson’s 1980s television program on Trinity Broadcasting Network became one of the most-watched shows, and he rose to fame as pastor of the 5,000-member Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Netflix’s 2018 “Come Sunday” biopic explored his life. https://youtu.be/hHxfJmIwJsI If someone had told Nadia Mohamed when she was a child that she would one day become mayor of the city where she grew up, she would have said, “You are lying.” But on Tuesday Mohamed achieved just that when she was elected Mayor of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, making her the first Somali American to win a general election for mayor. “It feels amazing,” Mohamed told CNN. “Honestly, I’m grateful, I am thankful to the voters of St. Louis Park for voting me in.” Mohamed said she and her family moved to the suburban city west of Minneapolis when she was 10 years old. Nearly two decades later, the 27-year-old celebrated an election night victory with her family and the community she loves. “I was thrilled and over the moon,” Mohamed said. “It’s been like a moment of a lifetime.” https://youtu.be/918pjc0lZ_4 Mohamed said she plans to dedicate her tenure to elevating and addressing the concerns of St. Louis Park’s roughly 50,000 residents. “I am somebody from the community,” she said. “I want to include people’s voices and highlight their stories – as I would have wanted somebody to do for me – regardless of their skin color and identity and religion.” In 2019, Mohamed was elected to the city council when she was 23 years old. After serving for four years, she decided to launch a bid for mayor. The campaign was hard fought, she said, and critics often hurled insults at her on social media for not only her young age but also her Somali heritage. “People are filled with hate and don’t want you to be a part of their neighborhoods or part of their community because they don’t want to share that,” Mohamed said. https://youtu.be/uwDfmyLVLqE Pasadena police have identified prospective UCLA football recruits as suspects in the alleged theft of personal items from the Colorado locker room at the Rose Bowl last month. No arrests have been made, but the alleged culprits attend Beaumont High School in Riverside County, California, according to a Pasadena city spokeswoman, USA Today Sports reports. The names of the juveniles have not been disclosed. We reported previously that the alleged theft happened during the Buffaloes’ game against the Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 28. As ESPN reports, Colorado Coach Deion Sanders called on the NCAA or the Rose Bowl to reimburse the athletes who were robbed of jewelry and cash from the Buffaloes’ locker room. According to reports, some stolen items have been returned. “Our kids got robbed during the game last week. I think that’s a travesty,” Sanders told reporters in Boulder, Colorado after the game. “I would expect the NCAA to do something about that,” he added. “This is the Rose Bowl. They said the granddaddy of ’em all, right? I’m sure granddaddy had some money. Grandpa should have some money to give these kids,” Sanders continued. https://youtu.be/VpTUTQNsGEA Bill Cosby is said to be in “financial turmoil” and is “liquidating” assets to pay for legal fees related to civil lawsuits. According to RadarOnline, a source revealed that Cosy, whose net worth was once estimated at $400 million, is “taking out second mortgages,” and he and his wife Camille are “selling off their artwork.” The couple is in a “bad situation financially” from a slew of Cosby’s lawsuits brought on by women in several states, which has caused “major issues” for the couple, per Radar. “It’s never going to end,” the insider said of Cosy’s legal drama. “They are in financial turmoil right now,” the source added. https://youtu.be/H34WiD0PMFA Tamar Braxton addressed the current controversy surrounding Chrisean Rock, confirming the troubled reality star assaulted James Wright Chanel at Braxton’s show on Friday night. Braxton said James “got assaulted at my show and it was by Chrisean. But, there were a lot of events that I believe were misconstrued.” Braxton allegedly invited Rock to perform at the show and viral videos show Rock was an annoying, drunken hot mess at the event. Ice Cream Convos reports that Braxton said: “I care about my team. They are all of my friends and we put this together for all of the fans.” “I’m not a clout-chaser. I don’t need that,” she added. “I didn’t have an opening act. I knew I didn’t need an opening act because I knew my sister (Toni Braxton) was coming in the middle of the show,” Braxton explained. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmrUZ-rxuS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Beloved fashion designer Vernest Moore died October 22 at age 62, and his homegoing service included a “Red Carpet Viewing” in Newark. Family and friends of Moore gathered to celebrate his life, but one model has gone viral for doing a runway walk on the red carpet leading to the open golden casket. https://youtu.be/GdCuUljcjK8 Model Erica L. Carrington reacted to the online hysteria over the runway show, writing on social media: “To say that this was one of THEE MOST CHALLENGING things I have had to do would be an understatement ????????. I CAN’T BELIEVE this would be my final walk for you??, so I WON’T????! From now on…even if I’m not walking FOR YOU, I’ll be walking WITH YOU, because I know you’ll ALWAYS be with me????????.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1724313476472926465 The Holiday season is basically now in effect. And to remind folks that when they’re hungry, Red Lobster has hooked up with none other than gospel great, Pastor Shirley Caesar to sing their praises, so to speak, regarding their new crave-able offerings. It’s all via a new commercial sung to the tune of her classic hit, “You Name It.” She talking ’bout, “Shrimp. Waiters. Potatoes. Sauces for Bosses. Cheddar Bay Stuffing – No Bluffing.” Go ‘head Pastor Shirley! WATCH it above. Also, scroll down for a look at the hilarious “You Name It” video remix. https://youtu.be/SS0QongTRk0 Starting today, and for a limited time, Red Lobster guests can enjoy a variety of entrées with two seafood favorites on one plate as part of Red Lobster’s NEW Lobster & Shrimp Celebration! The menu features delicious combinations infused with seasonal flavors. Guests can complement their meal with a side of NEW Cheddar Bay Stuffing – Red Lobster’s take on a holiday classic dish featuring savory brioche, Cheddar Bay, bacon, and mushroom. Additionally, Red Lobster is giving guests a reason to cheer with new, limited-time seasonal cocktails*, including the festive NEW Snowglobe Sangria, NEW Seaside S’mores Martini, and NEW Cinnamon Whiskey Sour. https://youtu.be/zttvhaxo7IU One of the most recognizable jingles in history is making a return. Chili’s is bringing back its “I want my baby back, baby back, baby back…ribs” jingle for a new advertising campaign promoting the dish that’s been a staple on the chain’s menu since the late 1980s. The chain has hired Boyz II Men to sing an updated version of the jingle, a nod to the misconception that many people might have thought the R&B group originally recorded it — around the same time their fourth studio album was released, “Evolution,” which sold two million copies in the US. The jingle, last used in the mid-2000s, became an earworm for anyone watching TV during the ’90s when it seemingly blanketed the airwaves nonstop. Chili’s is hoping that nostalgia will draw renewed interest in the restaurant chain that’s in the midst of a turnaround. https://youtu.be/JxKfZHRzAhs Chili’s is in a crowded field of chain restaurants all fighting for customers who aren’t particularly loyal to any one brand. Stale menu offerings sent diners searching for fresher options in recent years, although the company has managed to boost sales recently with a revised lineup. Hoping to double down on its momentum, Chili’s is ramping up its advertising this year. https://youtu.be/gTDLh7gNRYA Keke Wyatt hit up Instagram Tuesday to show off her new bald look. The 41-year-old songstress has seemingly ditched her natural locs, braids, wigs, and weaves to favor a clean look. Wyatt shared a video of her slick, bald head and captioned it, “OMGGGGGGG!!! Why do I feel SOOOO FREE????????? A must do!!!” “I like it. It says a lot about a woman to go bald. Fearless movement is coming,” one person wrote in the comments. Another fan added, “Shaved head, pregnant, weight gain, weight loss, makeup on or off, whatever… she’s the ONLY one who retains her fineness! She’s just FINE! PERIOD!!!” As MadameNoire reports, host Darlene Jackson wrote, “MY BAWHEADED STUSTAHHHH…. you’re BEAUTIFUL and can do whatever u want my love.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmqVifvvhw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Joe Budden is speaking out about Kodak Black’s concerning behavior following his Drink Champs interview last month. In a new podcast clip, Budden expressed surprise that people took so long to notice something was seriously wrong with the rapper, Hip Hop DX reports. “Kodak Black looked like pure sh*t on Drink Champs,” Budden stated on the Joe Budden Podcast Friday. “And he looked like sh*t when he was wiggling around on the floor, talking to himself in the dark when his man was taping him … didn’t look the greatest when he dodged that bullet from two feet away that we all watched. “The internet pick funny times to be concerned about people. I’ve been concerned about him for the last year,” Budden stated. https://youtu.be/dhahd6wXRZI We reported that Ray J also took to social media to express concern for Kodak’s health following his recent Drink Champs interview. Kodak threatened to beat up Ray in response. In a comment on Akademiks’ Instagram page, Ray J claimed Kodak’s erratic behavior once upset former president Donald Trump. “Yo somebody need to grab bro and make sure he good,” Ray J wrote, according to Hip Hop DX. “This ain’t the interview Nore. We gotta help this dude. “I took him to Trump house and he did the most. They were not happy with the experience bc he had no guidance and respect. Yo @wack100 let’s figure out how we can help this guy instead of watching him self destruct.” Black clapped back on Instagram Live on October 29, during which he repeatedly called Ray J a “bi**h” and a “pu*sy.” https://youtu.be/UVuTPGPPXEw Kim Kardashian is the man. The reality star and entrepreneur has been named one of GQ’s Men of the Year, she announced on Instagram. Kardashian graces the magazine’s cover as more specifically, Tycoon of the Year, posing in a tie with a bag of Cheetos. She was joined by momager Kris Jenner, and sisters Kourtney and Khloé for the interview, which covered a wide range of topics from her SKIMS business to family and her late father, Robert Kardashian. Kardashian was given the “tycoon” title as SKIMS became the NBA’s official underwear and launched a men’s line. https://youtu.be/AuRmiaXDazE New research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology finds that anti-Black bias among White Americans is rooted in fear of Black males. The research was conducted across five studies and highlights the perception among White folks that Black males are a threat. In the first two studies, 213 White undergraduate students participated. In the third and fourth studies, 445 White undergraduates participated. Per the study: “All studies indicated that White Americans automatically associate Black men with physical threat. Study 3 indicated the association is unique to Black men and did not extend to Asian men as a general intergroup effect. Studies 3, 4, and 5, which simultaneously paired threat against negativity, indicated that the Black-threat association is stronger than a Black-negative association.” Here’s more from PsyPost.com: “Overall, the five studies consistently revealed that White Americans automatically associate Black men with physical threat. This association was found to be unique to Black men and did not extend to Asian men. The studies also indicated that this association with threat was stronger than the association with negative valence when these two concepts were paired in competition.” https://youtu.be/7phA_5CKg5s An online Black-owned retailer bamboozled cute patootie actor Christian Keyes by selling him a pair of fraudulent Jordans. Christian intended to buy his son, Christian Keyes, Jr., whom he affectionally calls the Sequel, a set of highly-priced athletic shoes for his bday. The actor captioned the video, “Please SHARE this!! Scamming people out of money and selling them counterfeit products, when they are trying to support “black-owned businesses “is not cool. ?? @philoveli ?? ???Sold me FAKE Jordan’s, that I was trying to get for my son’s birthday… I wonder how many other people are buying counterfeit products from him? I’m definitely getting the bank involved, this is FRAUD… I take it personally because I was trying to do something nice for my son. I will be making a video every week until they make this right. Please share this, so they don’t take advantage of anyone else. Put it on your page, repost it, or share it in your stories. It’s not OK to scam people. I will be back with another video next week, and every week after that until this is taken care of. I don’t care if it takes all of 2024.” Black-owned business owners don’t do that; we’re out trying to create a solid economic base within our community. Please don’t stop ripping off hard-working folks. Since Christian put the business owner on blast on social media, @philoveli‘s page is no longer available, shameful!!! https://p16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com/tos-useast5-p-0068-tx/oUQOBfHRBBFyin5CJOiw1IEDpApIBCPw44IX7A~tplv-photomode-zoomcover:720:720.avif?x-expires=1700272800&x-signature=90dPcvzOFaKSyKfqw6bA1zQTHNI%3D North West is also on the scamming and scheming vibes; Kim Kardashian admitted to GQ how her daughter operates a lemonade stand and overcharges Kim‘s friends. “If a random person stops, she will charge them only $2. If she knows you, she will fully scam you. I’ll get calls from my friends saying she charged them $20 for a lemonade. She’ll grab their $20 and say, ‘I don’t have any change,” says Kimmie K. If we’re reading correctly, it appears North knows her value and understands today’s price is not yesterday’s price. “North is not scamming she’s adjusting for inflation,” wrote @ladidaix on X. Another encouraged the 10-year-old’s astute business methods, “this isn’t scamming. this is just knowing your billionaire mom has rich ass friends lmao.” One person enjoyed the idea of North scamming the wealthy unwary, “Robbing the rich>>.” https://twitter.com/PopCrave?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1724433277434425398%7Ctwgr%5E1738ef5c39017aa35ebcaf6673ca7eb3e6b5a7be%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fchristian-keyes-blasts-online-retailer-who-sold-him-fake-jordans-rick-ross-posts-video-searching-for-experienced-flight-attendant-more-picvideos%2F Rick Ross is searching for an experienced flight attendant, “Yo wassup it’s the biggest boss in the game. Right behind me is Maybach air G550, and for the very first time, Ricky Rozay is looking for his own flight attendant. My own cabin attendant,” said the hip-hop star in a video to his fans. Rozay lists the requirements he is looking for in a new employee, “Paying anywhere from 85k to 115k annually. You gotta have experience, a positive vibe, prepare the cuisine, serve the cuisine.” The role also includes being well-versed in CPR due to Rick Ross‘ health issues, and also, the individual will be required NOT to fangirl out around Rozay’s prominent guests. “I’ve had a seizure on a plane before, you gotta be able to handle the CPR,” he says. “Of course let’s travel the world, let’s be about our business. Be professional. Be able to handle that cabin with guests. I’m gonna leave an email. Serious vibes only, serious inquiries only. I need a professional and amazing cabin attendant. I’m looking for you, I can’t wait to find you.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1724575912648229339 Tiffani Singleton and Taryn Delanie had a dance-off with the legendary R&B singer Johnny Gill. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzPXYFCAT7M/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9c84b073-c3fb-4391-a9ca-f74e1ab751be During the Los Angeles premiere, Viola Davis spoke about how she enjoyed playing the villainous character Dr. Volumnia Gaul in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” The Oscar winner said to The Hollywood Reporter, “Just seeing how many times you can make someone squirm — like Tom Blyth, oh man it was a joy because he was very receptive to it, so I was just so happy about poking him.” She continued: “Even in the scene when I had to inject him and give him stitches, I think, loved it.” Viola also pointed out one of the main reasons she took the role was to impress her 13-year-old daughter, Genesis. ‘Dem babies are a tough crowd, no doubt! https://twitter.com/i/status/1724277603790442520 Seven-time Grammy-nominated artist Victoria Monét performed Roundhouse, London, on November 12, 2023, and Janet Jackson came out to support. Ms. Jackson, if you’re nasty, captured a snippet of V‘s performance and posted it on her IG story with the caption, “Victoria, I’m so happy for you! Congratulations on all your success. May God continue to bless you and hold you close,” followed by a red heart emoji. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-2Rbl6XgAAr78b?format=jpg&name=360x360 Chris Brown is really that dude. In October 2022, he posted a video clip of then-17-year-old Naledi Aphiwe singing on his Instagram stories, praising her for her “incredible” voice. Instantly, the young South African student became a trending topic on social media. One year later, Chris decided to bless her again by sampling her voice for his single “Shooter” on his 11th studio album 11:11, gifted her $3,000 (R56,207) to jump-start her career, and gave her writing credits, according to Times Live. “Chris Brown did what I would have never done. There are many people who are talented outside and he chose a child from a small city like mine. I appreciate him so much. People who didn’t know anything about Naledi Aphiwe today know her. It has changed my home situation. Everything is good now,” she told TshisaLIVE. “First I want to buy a new phone so I can carry on making content and push my music. I also want to go to my mom’s grave to fix it for thanksgiving since we weren’t able to do things the way we wanted when we buried her last year.” Naledi credits her teacher for filming her. Though she is doing well in school, the young singer aspires to work with artists such as Lwandukulu, Black Diamond, Cici, Qabe Twins, Sbahle, and others. We love this story! https://www.instagram.com/p/CzpBLF6Pb91/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Issa Rae hit ’em with the shoulders for her new spread in Marie Claire magazine to speak about her Viarae Wines and her show “Rap Sh!t” securing a second season. “While I haven’t won every battle, I try to fight as much as possible to get people those opportunities that I know I would want,” says Issa. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzouNp2xjIE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Fantasia Barrino is speaking out about surviving her 2010 overdose in Variety’s ‘The Power of Women’ issue. The star of the upcoming movie-musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” was hospitalized for several weeks in Pineville, North Carolina, in August 2010. Barrino told Variety that she is in a much better headspace today. “I don’t care if it gets ugly again,” she said, Complex reports. “I don’t care if there’s storms. I realized I have the spirit of an eagle. They fly over storms.” Barrino said after she was revived in the hospital following the overdose, she was inspired to make better personal decisions when a nurse told her, “Don’t you come back in here no more. You fight” — and that’s what she was inspired to do. “I left that hospital and said, ‘I’ll never do that again, because I have purpose,’” she shared. “I’m going to speak into every young person’s life and tell them, ‘Don’t you dare give up.’” https://youtu.be/ndg_SfB48es Taping in Los Angeles, CA, the show reimagines the traditional award show ceremony as an intimate, unforgettable night celebrating the best in soul music and the iconic legacy brand. BJ The Chicago Kid, Coco Jones, Danté Bowe, Fridayy, Muni Long, SWV, and Keke Palmer are set to perform. “Soul Train Awards” 2023 premieres Sunday, November 26 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. “Keke Palmer is a globally recognized multihyphenate talent who embodies confidence and positivity and is one of the most engaging and lovable personalities working in entertainment today. We can’t wait to have her host the Soul Train Awards house party,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy. “BET gave Keke her first talk show, where she made history as the youngest talk show host in television, and today we are honored to have her back on the ‘Soul Train Awards’ stage. As always, expect our star-studded slate of soulful artists and can’t-miss moments to illuminate your screens for a night dedicated to soul music.” Summer Walker, SZA, and Usher lead “Soul Train Awards” 2023 nominations with an outstanding nine nods, marking a historic three-way tie. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzrQpRLJVgw/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bdee5103-ed36-4425-aaa6-d292c1bac5f1 Check out an exclusive clip from this week’s all-new episode of ALLBLK’s hit supernatural drama series, “Wicked City.” The series centers on five witches who accidentally kill one of their own during a spell, so they use forbidden death magic to resurrect her, only to face new dangers when they bring back more than they bargained for. In our preview of this Thursday’s episode, Javi learns what he’s been working toward all these years. https://youtu.be/HZVX96dVs4w “This season, three months after failing to stop a magical slaver named The Handler (Karon Joseph Riley, Ambitions), the Atlanta coven find themselves broken and separated,” per the synopsis. “Jordan (Shaquita Smith, The Couch) – who now runs The Mystic Haven – and Angela (Chantal Maurice, P-Valley) try and fail to find Sherise (Chanel Mack, The Harder They Fall) who’s being held captive by The Handler. Mona (Mercedez McDowell, The Resident) has moved away, and Camille (Taylor Polidore, Snowfall) is put in permanent hiding by her birth mother, Claudette (Rhonda Redette Morman, Hush),” the synopsis continues. https://youtu.be/F4BxpUcCdmY JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, November 15 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Tonight, Chef JJ has some special recipes just for the kids! He kicks things off with a pasta bolognese. Then, he lays out a ramen noodle dish that he promises is the best homemade ramen you will ever eat. Chef JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV Personality and Author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by the Caribbean flavors of his upbringing. Chef JJ’s signature cooking style combines culturally relevant ingredients and classical technique with a global point of view. At FIELDTRIP, his made-to-order rice bowl shop in Harlem, Chef JJ highlights rice as a hero ingredient and showcases it in recipes sourced from around the world. Among many other partnerships, Chef JJ is also a Mastercard Ambassador. CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX is back ?tonight, November 15 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. Tonight, Chef Jernard keeps it simple yet delicious with mussels and linguine cooked in a savory and perfectly spiced sauce. From quick ideas for a weeknight meal, to beauty tips that will get you out the door in a flash. Tia Mowry’s practical solutions and infectious personality inspire and inform audiences each week with her love for food, fashion, DIY/home, parenting & more! Catch the new episode this Thursday, November 16 at 9:00/8:00C. Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member, wants a rematch with Rep. Ilhan Omar after nearly defeating the congresswoman in last year’s Democratic primary. On Sunday, Samuels announced plans to challenge Omar – a Somali American and Muslim – in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, the AP reports. Jamaican-born Samuels plans to run on a public safety platform, and he’s also passionate about a “crisis in leadership” that he attributes to political extremists on the far right and far left. “Some people aren’t even watching the news,” Samuels told MinnPost. His campaign will try to convince voters that Omar lacks “a history of bringing people together.” “Our congresswoman has a predilection to divisiveness and conflict,” Samuels said in an interview with The Associated Press. https://twitter.com/i/status/1724435657034957030 Eating higher amounts of ultra-processed food raises the risk of being diagnosed with multimorbidity, or having multiple chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, a new study found. “What is particularly significant in this large study is that eating more ultra-processed foods, in particular animal products and sweetened beverages, was linked to an increased risk of developing cancer along with another disease such as a stroke or diabetes,” said Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at World Cancer Research Fund International, which funded the study, in a statement. https://youtu.be/wIhbYA5QLEw However, the increased risk was modest, said Tom Sanders, professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study. “This paper reports a 9% increase in the risk of multimorbidity to be associated with higher intake of ultra-processed food,” Sanders said in a statement. https://youtu.be/Ssu3MR6ql4k Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua are reuniting again to develop the “Hannibal” drama for Netflix. The dynamic duo first teamed on “Training Day,” “The Equalizer” and “The Equalizer 2.” Fuqua will direct the “Hannibal” film based on a script by John Logan, with Washington also producing. It’s not yet clear what the actor’s role is in the movie based on the real-life warrior. Fuqua’s upcoming “Hannibal” film is part of his first-look partnership with Netflix. The director inked a deal with the streaming giant in 2021 after the success of the drama “The Guilty,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal. “Working with Netflix on The Guilty was such a rewarding experience, both from an artistic and collaborative point of view,” said Fuqua in a statement, per Deadline. “I’m beyond excited to continue this relationship and expand our slate of films with a partner that shares our vision at Hill District Media.” Netflix previously said, “Antoine is an impactful storyteller who believes art can create meaningful change in the world. We had a great collaboration with him on The Guilty and look forward to telling many more stories together in the future.” https://youtu.be/2GH1c50zcYc Will Smith was allegedly caught in the act of having his back blown out by his best friend, Duane Martin. According to Smith’s former friend and assistant Brother Bilaal, he walked in on Smith and Martin having sex in a dressing room, Hot Hip Hop DX reports. Speaking to popular YouTuber Tasha K on November 13, Bilaal explained: “I opened the door to Duane’s dressing room and that’s when I see Duane having anal sex with Will. There was a couch and Will was bent over the couch and Duane was standing up killing him, murdering him. It was murder in there.” Bilaal also commented on Will and Jada’s sex life, claiming the latter is a size queen. “If a woman is used to something the size of a baby leg and you come in with a pinky toe, there is nothing you gonna do to please her. If she itching for that baby leg, she want that baby leg,” Brother Bilaal told Tasha K. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmzIRDuxDB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again R. Kelly is taking legal action against the federal government, alleging his personal details were leaked by U.S. Bureau of Prisons staff during his stint at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago. Fox 32 reports that Kelly accuses numerous prison officers of leaking his private information. “He is a Grammy-award winning recording artist and a nationally recognized celebrity. As with all prisoners, but particularly because of Plaintiff’s status, the United States of America, through the BOP (Bureau of Prisons), had a duty to protect Plaintiff and his private and sensitive information to ensure that its employees did not exploit Plaintiff for financial gain or for any other reason … at least 60 BOP officers made unauthorized access to Plaintiff’s sensitive, confidential, and private information … Some of those BOP officers either shared and/or sold that information to third parties including members of the media and witnesses in Plaintiff’s criminal prosecution,” according to the lawsuit. “He had every right to be able to be confident, to think the BOP would protect his information and not exploit, but unfortunately, certain BOP officers did just that,” said Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, ABC 7 Chicago reports. The new lawsuit against the federal government and the Bureau of Prisons also names popular YouTube blogger LaTasha Kebe (AKA Tasha K), who is said to have obtained Kelly’s personal information during his sex crimes trial in Chicago. According to the suit, the leak impacted the singer’s ability to defend himself. The first trailer for the hotly anticipated “Baby Shark’s Big Movie” from Nickelodeon, Paramount+, and The Pinkfong Company has dropped. “Pinkfong’s Baby Shark” launched on YouTube in November 2015 and became the world’s first-ever video to hit 10 billion views on YouTube, making it the most-viewed video in the streaming platform’s history, per the news release. The forthcoming “Baby Shark’s Big Movie” is the first-ever feature-length original animated movie based on the globally beloved preschool property. “Baby Shark’s Big Movie” features guest voice actors, including actress, singer and producer Ashley Tisdale (Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe, High School Musical) as Stariana, a sharp-witted and manipulative, rising pop starfish who wants to take center stage with a splash hit; Aparna Nancherla (Mira, Royal Detective) as Gillie, a charmingly chaotic, bumbling boxfish and Stariana’s assistant; Ego Nwodim (Saturday Night Live) as Leah, a lantern shark and Mommy Shark’s best friend from college; Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live, Father of the Bride) as Lannie, Leah’s hyper, lovable daughter; ENHYPEN as an underwater powerhouse K-pop band of belugas; and Lance Bass as TV announcer Lance Bass. The new voice actors join the series regulars from “Baby Shark’s Big Show!,” including Kimiko Glenn (Orange Is the New Black) as Baby Shark; Luke Youngblood (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) as William; Natasha Rothwell (Insecure) as Mommy Shark; Eric Edelstein (We Bare Bears) as Daddy Shark; Debra Wilson (MADtv) as Grandma Shark; and Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld) as Grandpa Shark. https://youtu.be/L10V_SQMO0E TMZ obtained cell phone footage and audio recording of Darius Jackson on the phone with Keke Palmer‘s mother, Sharon Palmer, cursing him out. Allegedly, he was trespassing and entered Keke‘s home while she was on the phone speaking with her mother. Sharon is heard threatening Darius with putting a bullet in his head. Darius‘ mother also sent Sharon a DM admonishing her for threatening violence upon her son. However, Sharon remained unfazed and fired back, recalling Darius choked out his own sister, and the mother should ashamed she raised a son who fights women. One fan expressed her disgust with the leaked footage, “Whomever “the source” is that is close to KeKe no longer needs to be close. To release personal and private information about someone close to you is some snake sh**! KeKe is going through a lot having a newborn, still in the postpartum stage, being abused, being famous, having to figure out the best next steps for her and her son, etc she is dealing with a lot. A very stressful, embarrassing, and emotional place to be in. But this too shall pass. I pray she has the support she needs. Momma is serious about her baby. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmOuR7LMJ8/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a2838d47-d808-465d-a14a-3ea1bdd19b9e Paparazzi caught KeKe Palmer at LAX after filing the restraining order against Darius Jackson and spotted the “Nope” actress holding her infant son Leodis. In comparison, Paparazzi photographed Darius at a friend’s home. https://twitter.com/i/status/1723594090024181927 Ciara had the belly out for a high fashion preggers photoshoot. “You’re so M O T H E R for this,” praised one fan. Yes, quite literally, she Mothered many looks and ate down and up, leaving no crumbs. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmilQjP8kO/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f3137c53-a4c2-4a03-b868-050bf17c6e8c A hilarious TikTok gave an example of when a person is at their lowest how raggedy bills show up with their hands out. One person said, “Bruuuuuuuuhh ?? ?? ?? my car started making noises and shaking ??…. just means my blessings are coming soon! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzkvcaYN5oa/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=de157bd0-7235-4a23-8881-92709bdddb67 Tasha K is making news again as she finds herself at the center of a recent physical altercation. The incident happened earlier this month at the “We in Miami Podcast Influencer Party” in Miami. Tasha K was among those attending the event when she said a man disrespected her. A video later shared on social media captured the man, who got into it with Tasha K’s husband. The controversial YouTuber, wearing a green dress and heels, was held back by security. Despite security intervening and struggling with her, Tasha K pushed her way back to the man to kick him in the head while he was on the ground. Once he broke free, the man ran for safety, according to Ice Cream Convos. Although footage of the incident is present online, the infamous blogger has not publicly addressed what happened or the video. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzUHceHL9pV/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8ee90f73-9a77-4196-9283-2187e351f7c6 Responding to Tasha’s version of what went down, the man-in-question appeared on social media covered in tattoos and band-aids, saying he only gave Tasha a compliment and made a comment about her backside. The incident is the latest happening surrounding Tasha K. The social media fixture generated headlines a few days ago when she brought details to Instagram regarding a transgender woman who attacked her. At the time, Tasha K was hosting a “Deja Vu” Season 2 reunion show on NowThatsTV. Speaking on the attack, the popular host stated she was in a building getting ready to host the show when “these MFs came in the building fighting! “I have never in my life seen anybody fight the way that they were fighting,” the social media maven said. “When I tell you…my husband was fighting…my security was fighting…they even brought transgender women in to protect me from the transgender women that were there to beat my a—! I had them MFs sneaking me from every which way!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzKh9brLR1T/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4a758cfb-132d-4a25-abf1-08c527a1d2de Marlon Wayans is opening up about his trans son Kai in a new interview on “The Breakfast Club” radio show. “I talk about the transition, not their transition, but my transition as a parent going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance,” Wayans said his eldest child, 23, who was born female but now identifies as a male with They/Them pronouns. “And I think there’s a lot of parents out there that need to have that message, and I know I’m dealing with it. It was a very painful situation for me,” he added. The father of two is sharing his journey to help families become more accepting of their trans children. “They know I love them,” Wayans said of Kai. “They see me trying. They’re like, ‘I’m happy.'” https://youtu.be/EfyXK1Qz-BE The comedian said he’s all about respecting the “wishes” of his children, including Kai’s 21-year-old brother Shawn. https://twitter.com/PageSix/status/1724069051016642814 Cuba Gooding Jr. hit his b-boy stance and lit up the dance floor with throwback 80s choreography. One fan said, “If you haven’t partied with Cuba at a club on a random night in NY you haven’t lived lmao that man is a great time !!!” Other fans made some real judgey observations, saying the Oscar winner was high off that nose candy. “ https://www.instagram.com/p/CzkXziVtZRm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Danielle Brooks shared a tender moment with her mini-me to see “The Little Mermaid.” However, the trailer for her much-anticipated movie “The Color Purple” appeared in the movie theater, and Danielle‘s young daughter became transfixed when she realized her mother’s face on the silver screen. The Tony Award winner captioned the short video clip, ” A few months ago I took my daughter to her first movie theatre experience, The Little Mermaid. The trailer for @thecolorpurple began to play, and I knew I just had to capture this special moment of my daughter seeing her mother on the big screen for the first time. You all know I became a puddle of tears. Knowing that I get to leave my daughter something to always be proud of and remember me by is so special to me. So grateful for moments like these. ?? I hope you will come see this film on Christmas Day and create unforgettable moments with your loved ones as well. ??????“ Danielle, we’re going to the theaters 20 deep to ensure opening weekend box office numbers will make studios do the Birdman hand rub. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czl1BjEOHAs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Social media influencer @go_rosie_grow did a reenactment of a scene from “The Color Purple” that had the comment section cackling. Taraji P. Henson who also co-stars in the movie commented, “OMGGGGGGGG NOT “KNOCKED HER ASS INTO NEXT WEEK.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzepjAzvBUt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Patti Labelle and Cardi B linked up to do a promo for their products Auntie’s Pattie Pies and Whip Shots. Social media influencer @sheisthe_t remarked, “???? Auntie Patty got Cardi feeling like a child. I know this feeling when you get around that safe auntie energy and you can finally just relax eat good and have fun. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czbs6KmpKYp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jeannie Mai is looking for a fresh start following her separation from rapper Jeezy. “She’s trying her best to get her new life in order and start fresh,” a source shared with The Messenger. “Jeannie is currently looking at buying her own home in Los Angeles.” As we reported, Jeezy filed for divorce in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 14, after two-and-a-half years of marriage. According to People, the filing says the marriage is “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.” The estranged couple is “currently living in a bona fide state of separation,” per the legal documents. According to the insider, Mai spent most of the marriage in Atlanta with their daughter Monaco. She now wants to relocate to the City of Angels. https://youtu.be/YZhyxRv4CyE Black mothers are more likely to die due to complications from pregnancy and childbirth than pregnant women of all other races. This is a shameful injustice plaguing the Black community, one that is over 400 years in the making. Black women are 1.6 times more likely to experience more maternal mental health conditions, including prenatal and postpartum anxiety and depression, than women of other races, according to the American Hospital Association Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, These injustices are killing Black women who are well-resourced and educated like Olympian Tori Bowie, as well as those enduring economic hardship. It is also harming their babies. And although this crisis has attracted national attention, it remains unaddressed. https://youtu.be/FAPT8ywaCvA Results from a landmark clinical trial this summer suggested, for the first time, that Wegovy, a medication given for weight loss alone could reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart-related death in people with cardiovascular disease, bolstering physicians’ excitement about an already-exploding class of new medicines. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, part of the booming group of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, was shown to reduce those people’s risk of another cardiovascular event by 20%, results that were confirmed in a presentation of the full dataset Saturday at the American Heart Association conference in Philadelphia. “Imagine a future where we’re treating obesity and, in effect, treating these other obesity-related diseases” like hypertension, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes, Dr. Ania Jastreboff, director of the Yale Obesity Research Center, who helped conduct the trial, said at a briefing Friday. “Treating obesity clearly improves health outcomes.” A key question about the initial results, though, remained not fully answered: Is the heart benefit from Wegovy attributable to how much weight people lose while using the medicine? Or is it because Wegovy has other effects as well? https://youtu.be/flTsFOMuRU8 For Black women, like me, who have experienced premature childbirth, the trauma and guilt of not being able to bring our babies full-term can be long-lasting. Those psychological scars exist along with other physical and mental threats to our health and well-being. Both of my children were born three months early, despite my best efforts. I had a steady job, decent income, post-graduate education, a good bill of health, and a stable relationship. Yet, my health and life were threatened in both of their births. One would think that such an experience would place me in a unique category. However, as a Black woman, it does not. https://youtu.be/zfBW2FVdGGQ To cardiologist Dr. Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, who wasn’t involved in the trial but is leading a similar one of tirzepatide, those effects are all evidence of the benefits of weight loss. “When you lose weight, a lot of things change,” Nissen said in an interview Saturday from the conference just after the Wegovy study presentation, which was given to a packed house with several rows of audience members standing at the back. “We now have, for the first time in history, treatments that can actually really [help patients] lose enough weight to make a difference,” Nissen said. Tirzepatide has shown greater levels of weight loss than semaglutide in clinical trials, leading many, including Nissen, to hope it will show even stronger cardiovascular benefits. https://eurweb.com/2023/trial-confirms-heart-benefits-of-wegovy-but-is-weight-loss-responsible-or-something-else/ AMC Networks has released a first-look teaser trailer and photos for its upcoming action-packed drama “Parish starring Giancarlo Esposito. Per the news release, “Esposito stars as Gracian “Gray” Parish, a family man and proud owner of a luxury car service in New Orleans. After his son is violently murdered and his business collapses, an encounter with an old friend from his days as a wheelman resurfaces old habits, sending Gray on a high-stakes collision course with a violent criminal syndicate.” Parish was shot on location in New Orleans and is based on the hit U.K. series The Driver, created by Danny Brocklehurst and Jim Poyser. https://youtu.be/YcoR4hfKCl0 Gospel singer Bobbi Storm served up an impromptu performance on a Delta flight after discovering she was up for two Grammy awards. However, it didn’t go over very well with a flight attendant. In a video Storm posted to Instagram, the flight attendant threatens to kick her off the flight after repeatedly asking the Grammy-nominated artist to take her seat after she got up to belt out a tune for the passengers, Daily Mail reports. “I sing for the Lord,” Storm declares in the clip. “I’m doing what the Lord is telling me to do.”“If you’re not able to follow my instructions, you will not be able to take this flight,” the flight attendant tells her. Once Storm returns to her seat, she refuses to be silenced and sings, “We Can’t Forget Him." https://www.instagram.com/p/Cze8gBvp4DA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again André 3000 shared details about his forthcoming solo album in a new interview with NPR Music’s Rodney Carmichael. The former member of OutKast will drop his debut solo album, “New Blue Sun,” on Friday, Nov. 17th, according to a news release. The project marks André’s first full-length album in 17 years since OutKast’s sixth album “Idlewild.” “I didn’t know I’d be rapping,” André 3000 told NPR about his journey. “I didn’t know I’d start producing. I didn’t know I’d start singing. I didn’t know my style would go a certain way. I didn’t know I’d put a wig on. Like, I didn’t know none of this. So, I’m on the ride with y’all.” The musician is aware that his fans may give him a side eye once they hear his new music as it deviates from his usual style. So much so that the first song is titled: “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.” “I don’t want to troll people. I don’t want people to think, Oh, this André 3000 album is coming! And you play it and like, ‘Oh man, no verses.’ So even actually on the packaging, you’ll see it says, ‘Warning: no bars.’ It’s letting you know what it is off the top,” he explained. https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197956035/1212182634# There are a lot of sporting superstitions involving clothing. Tiger Woods is well known for wearing red shirts on the final day of golf tournaments, while Michael Jordan is said to have worn a lucky pair of blue basketball shorts from his University of North Carolina days under his Chicago Bulls uniform. Apparently, NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has admitted to wearing the same pair of red underwear on game days across his whole professional football career. Earlier this year, former Chiefs player Chad Henne, who served as the backup to Mahomes from 2018 to 2023, discussed the two-time Most Valuable Player’s off-the-field activities with ESPN and let this curious story slip. “Sunday, it’s the same pair [of underwear],” Henne said in February. “This has to be a superstition and good luck charm, for sure.” After a few months of speculation, Mahomes has finally confirmed the rumor in an appearance on ESPN’s ManningCast with Peyton and Eli Manning of the Denver Broncos’ 24-22 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has admitted to wearing the same pair of red underwear on game days across his whole professional football career. https://youtu.be/I5itIi-6Cwg The Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame has inducted Dominique Dawes as the first gymnast. “Being born and raised in Maryland, it’s always been great to know that since I was a kid in the spotlight, Marylanders have always had my back and cheered me on. That always gave me a great sense of pride and consolation,” Dawes told MCM in a new interview. The Silver Spring native was a “10-year member of the U.S. national gymnastics team, the 1994 U.S. all-around senior National Champion, a three-time Olympian, a World Championship silver and bronze medalist, and a member of the gold-medal-winning “Magnificent Seven” team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta,” per Wiki. “Life comes full circle sometimes, thus being inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame. The lists of former athletes are filled with legends and I’m honored to be amongst these great names. The best part for me now is that I get to share this honor with my four young kids,” Dawes added. Dawes runs two gymnastics academies in Montgomery County and recently revealed on Instagram plans to open another branch of her Gymnastics & Ninja Academy in the Baltimore region. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czh9_2Zr3sl/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b5092f87-2707-43c8-8b4d-f20741dfd54d “I am proud and humbled to share my induction into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame, which comes after 18 years of sacrifice, hard work and dedication to the sport of gymnastics,” she wrote on IG. “It’s been a long and rewarding journey that began when I qualified for the 1992 Olympics at the Baltimore Arena and this past week to be inducted in the Hall of Fame in the Baltimore region was a full circle moment for me. Today, the journey is much sweeter with my family by my side,” she continued. Dawes added, “I’m proud to be an owner and founder of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies in Rockville and Clarksburg, MD and I look forward to bringing to the Academy to the Baltimore region. Look out, B’more we plan to empower and nurture athletes in your area soon enough.” https://youtu.be/OpQMaE2BLbg “The Marvels” director Nia DaCosta reacted to criticism over her film that centers on diverse female superheroes. DaCosta told the audience at the Urbanworld Film Festival she initially considered passing on the flick, which opened this weekend with the lowest box office ever for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “The Marvels was something I had to think about,” DaCosta said before noting that she doesn’t take the criticism personally, SandraRose.com reports. “I was a fan of many fandoms when I was young like Marvel, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Sailor Moon. So, I’m very use to that energy. About fandom, as a fan, people want what they want. But that doesn’t have much to do with me. I just have to finish the movie. I have another film that I am making literally as soon as the strike is over. I try to focus on the work and not the response. It’s immensely healthier that way.” DaCosta added, “But obviously this is a medium in which audience matters. It’s very important that they have fun. That’s why it was very important to me that this was fun, entertaining and also heartfelt. That’s what we aim for. And then the reaction and all that stuff, I try to keep myself separate from, because once you finished the film you kind of give it to the world and they what they make of it.” https://youtu.be/uwmDH12MAA4 Marilyn Mosby, Baltimore’s former top prosecutor who was thrust into the national spotlight after charging six police officers in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, was found guilty of two counts of perjury for making false statements on loan applications for two Florida vacation homes, the Justice Department said. Mosby, 42, pleaded not guilty last year to two counts of perjury and two counts of making false statements after authorities said she applied for the loans to withdraw money from her retirement accounts, tapping a CARES Act provision intended for those hurt financially during the Covid-19 pandemic, prosecutors said. The former prosecutor is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the two counts of perjury, the Justice Department said. Mosby is also charged with two counts of making false mortgage applications for the vacation homes in another federal case which will be tried separately. A date for that trial has not yet been set, federal prosecutors said. https://youtu.be/CoI7L7Q4YOM Within weeks, five of the officers sued Mosby, alleging false arrest, defamation, and other misdeeds. A federal appeals court ruled Mosby had immunity, and the US Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal, WBAL reported. Despite the failed prosecution, the case instigated a new push for stronger police accountability laws and set the precedent in Baltimore and in cities across the country for implementing police reform, CNN previously reported. As a result of the case, officers are now mandated to seat belt those in custody, call a medic when it’s requested, and intervene when fellow officers cross the line, Mosby told CNN in 2021. Additionally, all police vans must be equipped with cameras. In 2021, Mosby announced she would not prosecute drug possession and other low-level offenses, asserting there is “no public safety value.” For Black Americans, Mosby said, “These offenses can lead to a death sentence.” https://youtu.be/UTvX9xJl8dI Actress Nia Renee Hill, the wife of comedian Bill Burr, was caught on camera giving former President Donald Trump the middle finger at a UFC fight on Saturday night. The event occurred at Madison Square Gardens, where Trump attended to watch the featherweight fight between Diego Lopes and Pat Sabatini. As he entered the stadium, Hill is seen in the background giving him the double middle finger, RadarOnline reports. Social media users were quick to express their displeasure with Hill’s behavior. As RadarOnline reports, Libby Emmons, editor of The Post Millennial, wrote: “Donald Trump walked into an arena that holds 20,000 people, and 19,999 people were so happy. And then there was Bill Burr’s wife.” One X/Twitter user commented, “Considering she just pissed off half his fan base and made herself to look like a toxic wokester, I’d say it was pretty dumb on her part. She has every right to do it though.” The event occurred at Madison Square Gardens, where Trump attended to watch the featherweight fight between Diego Lopes and Pat Sabatini. As he entered the stadium, Hill is seen in the background giving him the double middle finger, RadarOnline reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1723553201771683880 An Alabama repossession firm has triggered outrage in Decatur for seizing a Black father’s truck as he lay dying on the street after being shot by cops. The tow truck driver was attempting to repossess Stephen Perkins’ pickup truck on September 29 in the Alabama city when the 39-year-old allegedly pulled a gun on him, causing the driver to call 911, according to the Daily Mail. When officers from the Decatur Police Department arrived, they shot Perkins eight times outside his home. The surveillance footage shared by Decatur Daily shows the victim on the pavement as the tow truck driver makes off with his white GMC Sierra. Perkins’ family said the tow truck driver should not have involved the police as they claim Perkins wasn’t behind on his car payments. Surveillance cameras captured the moment Perkins was gunned down by responding officers. The police initially claimed Perkins was told to drop his weapon but refused to do so. Chief Todd Pinion later said Perkins had been ordered to “get on the ground” by officers, per the Daily Mail. https://youtu.be/31XeVhdifF0 Tracy Chapman continues to make history with her 1988 hit “Fast Car” after winning song of the year at last Wednesday’s Country Music Awards. Chapman was not present during the telecast, which took place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, but country star and the category’s presenter Sarah Evans read a message on Chapman’s behalf after announcing her as the winner. “I’m sorry I couldn’t join you all tonight. It’s truly an honor for my song to be newly recognized after 35 years of its debut. Wow. Thank you to the CMAs and a special thanks to Luke (Combs) and to all of the fans of ‘Fast Car,’” Evans said on behalf of Chapman. https://youtu.be/Fr7oYjnt3bM The CMA win is a remarkable achievement given “Fast Car” debuted 35 years ago, and saw a resurgence in popularity in July after country star Luke Combs released a cover of the hit single. Combs’ cover went on to reach No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, making Chapman the first Black woman to top the chart since it came into existence in 1990. https://youtu.be/YI0KJcUaFr8 Chapman, who is the sole writer of “Fast Car,” also reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Songwriters chart, thanks to the Combs cover. “I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there,” Chapman told Billboard in a statement at the time, adding, “I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’” Combs also took home a CMA Award on Wednesday for his cover of “Fast Car” in the single of the year category. https://youtu.be/yvGfVdx-gNo “Fast Car” was the first single off Chapman’s self-titled debut album, and it earned her a Grammy in 1989 for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance as well as record and Song of the Year nominations. Tracy Chapman also won for best new artist and best contemporary folk album that year. The CMAs aired on ABC on Wednesday and were hosted by country singer Luke Bryan and former football player Peyton Manning. https://youtu.be/b7iLI5aWVyM Victoria Monét is up for seven Grammy nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards — including one with her 2½-year-old daughter, Hazel. “I’m so proud of her, but she has no idea,” Monét told Billboard. The toddler’s vocals appear on “Hollywood,” Monét’s song with Earth, Wind & Fire. The track is up for Best Traditional R&B song. Hazel’s nomination beats out the previous record held by Leah Peasall of the Peasall Sisters, who was age 8 when she earned a Grammy nod for her work on the “O Brother, Where Art Though?” soundtrack. “She’s like, kind of panicking because she doesn’t know why we’re all screaming. I know I’ll be able to explain it to her when she gets older, and she’ll definitely appreciate it because she’s already into music and is starting to write songs unknowingly,” Monét said of her child. “She’s making potty songs and all that kind of stuff. So I’m super excited that this will be something that she has forever. I’m already thinking about her wardrobe for the Grammys,” she added. . https://www.instagram.com/p/CzfLHXAxsoZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Drake has announced dates for his 2024 U.S. It’s All A Blur Tour – Big As The What?, presented by Cash App and Visa and featuring J. Cole across many dates on the run. Produced by Live Nation, Drake and J. Cole will kick off the arena run with back-to-back shows in Denver at Ball Arena on January 18 and on January 19 before making additional stops in Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Nashville, St. Louis, Columbus, Memphis, and more; wrapping up on Wednesday, March 27 in Birmingham at BJCC’s own Legacy Arena, according to a news release. The tour will support Drake’s recently released his eighth studio album, “For All The Dogs,” via OVO Sound and Republic Records. Tickets will be available starting with a Cash App Card presale beginning Wednesday, November 15, followed by the general on-sale beginning Friday, November 17, starting at 11 am local time on drakerelated.com. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Drake-JCole-1068x518.jpg RCA Inspiration celebrates two nominations for the 66th GRAMMY® Awards. Garnering nominations for the upcoming 2024 show in the category of Best Gospel Performance/Song are Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA) and Melvin Crispell, III. 19-time GRAMMY winner Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA) is nominated in the category of Best Gospel Performance/Song for his #1 hit single “All Things.” Marking his 31st career GRAMMY nomination, “All Things” is the lead single featured off his latest #1 solo album Father’s Day. The album was released in October, and both his single and album have hit #1 milestones on the charts this year. “All Things” became his 10th No. 1 song on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, and Father’s Day garnered a new record as his 14th No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. This month, Kirk also received two nominations in the category of Best Gospel/Inspirational Award for the 2023 Soul Train Awards, for his album’s singles “All Things” and “Try Love.” The Soul Train Award winners will be announced on Sunday, November 26. Catch Kirk performing live on The Reunion Tour with Tye Tribbett, Israel Houghton, The Clark Sisters, and David and Tamela Mann, which wraps up this month on Friday, November 24. 2-time GRAMMY nominee Melvin Crispell, III is nominated in the category of Best Gospel Performance/Song for his single “God Is.” “God Is” is featured off Melvin’s second solo album No Failure, which was released in June. Gospel singer Bobbi Storm served up an impromptu performance on a Delta flight after discovering she was up for two Grammy awards. In a video Storm posted to Instagram, a flight attendant threatens to kick her off the flight after repeatedly asking the Grammy-nominated artist to take her seat after she got up to belt out a tune for the passengers, Daily Mail reports. “I sing for the Lord,” Storm declares in the clip. “I’m doing what the Lord is telling me to do.” “If you’re not able to follow my instructions, you will not be able to take this flight,” the flight attendant tells her. Once Storm returns to her seat, she refuses to be silenced and sings, “We Can’t Forget Him” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cze8gBvp4DA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Southern California drivers may face travel headaches this week after a large storage yard fire over the weekend shut down part of I-10 (Interstate 10), one of the major traffic routes for downtown Los Angeles, authorities said. A section of I-10, also known as the Santa Monica Freeway, was damaged and remained closed in both directions Sunday near Alameda Street in Los Angeles, a city well known for its traffic congestion issues. Shortly before 12:30 a.m. Saturday, the Los Angeles Fire Department received reports of a fire at a 200-by-200-foot storage yard “with pallets, trailers, and vehicles well involved in fire with buildings that were exposed,” Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said at a news conference Sunday. “Wind pushed the heat and the flames under the freeway, and across the street ignited a secondary storage yard,” Crowley said. https://youtu.be/j1QLSGV8nNo The span of the blaze covered about 80,000 square feet, according to the fire department. More than 160 firefighters responded, Crowley said. Several vehicles were also destroyed in the fire, but the fire department said they were able to save three nearby commercial buildings. Much of the fire was extinguished less than three hours into the incident, according to Crowley, who added there were no injuries. California Highway Patrol Officer Michael Masir told CNN the closed portion of I-10 “will remain closed until further notice, and there is currently no estimated time for reopening.” https://youtu.be/l-ZdFyFaOPE Actor Bryan Cranston is speaking out about bartending at Drake’s birthday party in October. As Hot New Hip Hop reports, producer BNYX posted an online clip of Cranston and his “Breaking Bad” co-star Aaron Paul working the bar for the event. The pair have their own alcohol brand, Dos Hombres tequila. The website describes it as a “unique blend of the finest Espadin agave, hand-selected from the hillsides of a small village in Oaxaca, Mexico.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyzkv24OFjJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=94f6374d-cf1a-4725-aef9-1a625ed43a64 Cranston explained to E! News that Miami-based restauranteur David Grutman invited him and Paul to serve as bartenders for Drake’s 37th birthday party on Oct. 2nd.“There’s a great restaurant in Miami run by David Grutman,” Cranston said. “So he called us and said, ‘Drake’s birthday is tomorrow night. Would you guys like to come?’ And we thought, we’re down there in Miami, yes! So we have to do it. So we did. And it was a surprise to Drake. He didn’t know. And he turned the corner, and he saw us, and I said, ‘Sir, can I mix you a drink?’ It was fun. He’s a cool guy. He’s a really fun guy.” Drake posted a photo of himself with Cranston and Paul on Instagram, which he captioned: “Pinkman, Walter White, and Walter Light…RIP to Mike but when it’s comes to records we breaking bad for sure…I’ll be back with more fuckery and responses to all your love. I’m getting fried tonight though…love you all dearly thank you for awarding me this honour to be a familiar voice in your lives.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1716694237184442845 “We had so much fun shooting it. Just getting back into those characters and seeing all the familiar faces,” Cranston added. “We fit like a glove,” he said of Paul. Watch Cranston discuss bartending at Drake’s party in the Twitter clip. https://twitter.com/i/status/1723810446589796521 RZA appeared on Hot 97 last week and surprised fans when he revealed the origin of Method Man’s name. “Method Man was Shakwon until he made that song — Shakwon the Panty Raider. Then, after he made that song, everybody in the hood called him Method Man,” the Wu-Tang Clan leader told host Peter Rosenberg, Hip Hop DX reports. The song appeared on the group’s debut album “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).” “That makes so much sense! Now that I think about it. See, RZA, this is something that to you is so built-in that it’s a nothing burger, whereas to us, it makes so much sense,” said Rosenberg. “It was always a little weird that there’s one song on the album named after a member. We thought it was named after the member, but that’s not what it was; it was the name of a song that then became the name of a member!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1722633508584088004 Kel Mitchell gave a health update on his IG page, assuring fans he is well and explaining how he ended up in the ER. He detailed how he was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack but later found out he had a bulging disc that was tapping on his nerve. Kel showed his appreciation to his fans, even the weirdos who suggested putting orange soda in his IV, referencing his character Ed from “Good Burger,” who was obsessed with orange bubbly. We’re happy he is in good health, and we continue to pray for his full recovery! https://www.instagram.com/p/CzflEruuexo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Social media influencer Funny Marco had the chance to land a so-called interview with Chris Brown. Marco told the charismatic entertainer he had a sister named ‘Ashely,’ who wanted to have Chris Brown‘s baby, which was met by an immediate “Hell nah!” by the “Deuces” singer. Dang!!! The vibes turned awkward, as they often do with these interviews, and Marco looked hilariously crestfallen. We really hope he doesn’t have a sister because sis ouchea living unprovoked but still catching strays. Fans enjoyed the sit down between the two, with one fan remarking, “This whole interview had my side hurting! Chris played his part well as any of his guests.” https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/bc4567e00c17c1bbd9858d9ea488ff87/6552f6d7/video/tos/useast8/tos-useast8-pve-0068-tx2/ocA31GmVRAqzTMAIqIfIevsLLgUjAnLSK2COEe/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=850&bt=425&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8Zmojd_yQ_vjlh8sAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=aTg0ODppZjVlZWU4NzY3NEBpam1sZnQ5cjl1bzMzaTczNEBhYTI0Yy1iNmIxMzUzYy4xYSMta3BmMmRjbzNgLS1kMTJzcw%3D%3D&l=202311132225043F17584D5753C11089A3&btag=e00008000 Micheal B. Jordan said on the “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” radio show that he had to go to therapy after filming “Black Panther” after playing anti-hero Erik Killmonger. Michael said he became non-emotional in preparation for the role, and when shooting concluded, he had to re-acclimate himself to family and friends. We tip our green Tessa Fascinator to you, sir, for committing to your role, but please continue to maintain your mental health. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzkRXUQRtW8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Will Smith shared a video clip of the audio recording Will by Will Smith remembering the first of his firstborn child, “Willard Carroll Smith III was born on November 11, 1992 (who he shares with first wife Sheree Zampino). From birth we called him Trey, ’cause he was the third Willard Smith,” he said. The Oscar winner then busted out into a verse from his touching father-son bop, “Just The Two Of Us,” as photos whirled from Trey’s childhood. He continued: “That night I don’t think one wink I slept. As I slipped out of my bed, to your crib I crept. Touched your head gently, felt my heart melt. ‘Cause I know I loved you more than life itself. Then to my knees, and I begged the Lord please. Let me be a good daddy, all he needs. Love, knowledge, discipline too. I pledge my life to you.” Big Willie captioned the video clip, “Happy Bday, T-Ball. You are responsible for some of the highest experiences of my life. You introduced me to the true definition of Love! I met God in your eyes.” Happy belated bday, Tre! https://www.instagram.com/p/CzhEhKhPI3t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tisha Campbell recently discovered her late father’s pornography collection and she shared the hilarious moment online. Campbell’s dad passed away on Nov. 1, and the actress shared a video of the family sorting through his belongings, Complex reports. She was startled to discover her dad’s DVD collection of adult movies. In the video, Campbell shows fans the array of pornographic films with titles such as White Hole With Bros, Gaping Black Buttholes, and Hoochie Coochie Mamas. Tisha said her father always refused to throw out his television with the built-in DVD player. “The last time I was here, I said, ‘Dad, let’s get rid of this. Why do you even have this? Nobody even does DVDs anymore,'” she said in the video. “[He said], ‘Nope, you can not take my DVD player.’ Now we know why, you nasty ass. Look at this,” she said of his collection of porn titles. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzcFyPOu7p_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, November 13 at 9 PM ET. When a mother, her two children and her husband mysteriously vanish, investigators assume they simply moved away. However, a chilling discovery in the basement of an abandoned home proves the family may not be so perfect after all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj7-rYGd-8g The season finale of Sins Of The City will air on tonight, November 13 at 10 PM ET. In 2023, tensions in Memphis exploded when 29-year-old Tyre Nichols died, allegedly at the hands of a rogue unit within the Memphis PD. Activists took to the streets, igniting a furious backlash to a problem that has plagued the city for centuries. The five police officers involved, all of whom are also Black, were fired and later charged with various state felonies, including second-degree murder. In September, the Justice Department announced that a grand jury had indicted the five men on federal civil rights, conspiracy and obstruction offenses. Don't miss the groundbreaking season finale tonight at 10 PM ET. https://vimeo.com/882536728/8a3a5856b4?share=copy Netflix has released a new trailer for Zack Snyder’s sci-fi epic, “Rebel Moon,” starring Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Djimon Hounsou, Doona Bae, Anthony Hopkins, and Ray Fisher. Per Netflix, “Rebel Moon is about Kora (Sofia Boutella), a lone-wolf soldier who’s found community and connection on the quiet farming moon of Veldt. She’s a long way away from her former life fighting for the Imperium, the brutal interstellar royal empire bent on controlling the galaxy. But Kora’s violent past is dredged up when sadistic admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) comes to Veldt via a Dreadnought-class battle cruiser and stirs up deadly trouble on the orders of the Imperium’s tyrannical regent, Balisarius (Fra Fee).” Kora is “tasked with finding fighters who would risk their lives to defend the people of Veldt, Kora and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a tenderhearted farmer naive in the realities of war, journey to different worlds in search of the Bloodaxes, and assemble a small band of warriors who share a common need for redemption along the way: Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a pilot and gun for hire; General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a legendary commander; Nemesis (Doona Bae), a master swordswoman; Tarak (Staz Nair), a captive with a regal past; and Milius (E. Duffy), a resistance fighter,” per the logline via THR. https://youtu.be/fhr3MzT6exg With a celebration of new talent, old favorites, and legends lost, the 2023 Country Music Association Awards hit a very clear note of inclusivity. “Things a Man Oughta Know” singer Lainey Wilson was named Entertainer of the Year, making her the first woman to win the honor since Taylor Swift in 2011. Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” which ignited a fascinating dialogue about race and artistic appreciation, won Song of the Year and Single of the Year. Two years after singer T.J. Osbourne of the Brothers Osbourne came out as gay, he and John Osbourne won Duo of the Year. In what was perhaps the night’s most viral moment, newly-minted Best New Artist Jelly Roll performed The Judds’ hit song “Love Can Build a Bridge” with K. Michelle, a rising Black country artist. https://youtu.be/z1EzK1vZAaw “Country Music’s biggest night” is clearly designed to showcase country at its best, and this year’s best looked like diverse collaborations, differing styles and a spectrum of stories united in the name of damn good music. But the question remains: Did it show country music as it is? Lainey Wilson, a 31-year-old Louisiana native with a massive TikTok presence and a discography full of songs that would make Tanya and Reba proud, is a household name for country fans. Her Entertainer of the Year win makes sense (as does the name of her upcoming tour: “Country is Cool Again”). The fact that Wilson is the first woman to nab the honor in 12 years, after an era of Carrie Underwoods, Miranda Lamberts, Hillary Scotts, Maren Morrises, and Kelsea Ballerinis, is hard to fathom. https://youtu.be/4wbqLI1Tr4c Lil’ Kim is confident that sales of her upcoming memoir will break the internet and even outsell the Bible. “When we post our pre-sales, we be surpassing the Bible,” the Queen Bee said during a recent Instagram Live session, Complex reports. “And that’s crazy. And the thing is, it’s like the Bible, like I don’t take that lightly. I already know that. But it’s like some crazy shit going on behind the scenes.” Lil’ Kim announced her “candid” memoir in 2021 titled “The Queen Bee,” and noted at the time that she’s “excited to finally get to tell my story after all this time,” the hip-hop icon told PEOPLE. “Many people have thought they knew the story of Lil’ Kim, but they have no idea,” she added. “The Queen Bee” will chronicle Lil’ Kim’s nearly 30-year career in the hip-hop game — and the obstacles she had to overcome — including her stint in prison. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzckMR9L1S3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Critics Choice Association (CCA) unveiled the winners of the eighth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards at a gala event in New York City. Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie took home five trophies in all including the top award of the evening for Best Documentary Feature. The film’s other victories were Best Director for Davis Guggenheim, Best Editing for Michael Harte, Best Narration for Michael J. Fox, and Best Biographical Documentary. The Critics Choice Documentary Awards recognize the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. The 1619 Project won the award for Best Limited Documentary Series. 20 Days in Mariupol, and American Symphony, and The Deepest Breatheach took home two awards. https://youtu.be/GefRTXg16Vs Young Dolph’s life partner, Mia Jaye, is sharing her frustrations online regarding the investigation into the rapper’s killing. Dolph, born Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., was killed on Nov. 17, 2021, while shopping at Makeda’s Butter Cookies in Memphis. He was pronounced dead at the scene at age 36. We previously reported that Maurice Hill, the shop owner, told FOX13 that Dolph walked into the store to buy cookies when a vehicle drove up and fired at the bakery. The gunmen were caught on camera driving up to the store and firing shots at the father of two. The Memphis Police Department shared photos from security footage outside the bakery, showing two armed men with their faces partially covered, exiting a white Mercedes-Benz. “The suspects approached the victim while he was inside the business and shot the victim several times,” Memphis Police shared in a statement posted to Twitter at the time. “The suspects then fled the scene.” Hernandez Govan, Justin Johnson, Cornelius Smith, and Jarmarcus Johnson were ultimately arrested and charged in connection to Dolph’s murder. On October 27, 2023, Judge Lee Coffee was ordered to recuse himself from the trials of suspects, FOX13 reports. https://youtu.be/ncVWyIvkVdk Israeli tanks have surrounded a Gaza hospital, its director told CNN, as the territory’s largest healthcare facility came under a reported “bombardment,” heightening fears Friday that Israel’s military campaign is further endangering Gazan patients and medical staff. Mustafa al-Kahlout, who heads the Al Nasr Hospital and Al Rantisi Pediatric Hospital in northern Gaza, told CNN that they were surrounded and asked for the Red Cross to assist with an evacuation. “We are completely surrounded, there are tanks outside the hospital, and we cannot leave,” al-Kahlout said. The hospital complex is close to the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood and Al Shati camp, where ground fighting was reported by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas separately. “We do not have electricity, no oxygen for the patients, we do not have medicine and water,” al-Kahlout said. “We do not know our fate.” His call comes after strikes were reported near several other hospitals in northern Gaza, including al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the territory’s largest medical facility. https://youtu.be/LfGisoNNiQY A World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson said Friday that al-Shifa was “coming under bombardment,” adding that 20 hospitals in the Gaza Strip were “out of action.” Asked about a potential Israeli airstrike on al-Shifa hospital on Friday, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said in a briefing: “I haven’t got the detail on al-Shifa but we do know they are coming under bombardment.” The Israeli military claimed late Friday that a misfired projectile launched from inside Gaza was responsible for the strike on the al-Shifa hospital. “Earlier today, the IDF received reports of a hit on the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The Hamas-run media office in the Gaza Strip immediately claimed that this was a strike carried out by the IDF,” IDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht said in a statement sent to CNN. The IDF said that an examination of its operational systems had indicated that “a misfired projectile launched by terrorist organizations inside the Gaza Strip hit the Shifa Hospital.” https://youtu.be/PExlbDgUHro Hecht went on to claim that the projectile had been aimed at “IDF troops operating in the vicinity.” Several social media videos showed people injured in what was described as al-Shifa’s outpatient clinic. It is unclear what struck the hospital, but the videos show injured people lying on the ground of the outdoor clinic. Witnesses in the videos are saying it was strikes on the area. CNN could not verify it was strikes. In a Facebook statement, Al Awda Hospital in northern Gaza said that due to the “targeting (of) the vicinity of Al Awda Hospital… and the vicinity of the Indonesian Hospital” by Israeli forces, 10 of its employees were injured, infrastructure was hit and nine vehicles were impacted. This included “two ambulances that were completely damaged,” the hospital statement said. https://youtu.be/Qt9-kHtkj8M In a statement Saturday, Doctors Without Borders said it had lost contact with its staff inside Al-Shifa Hospital. “Over the last few hours, the attacks against Al-Shifa Hospital have dramatically intensified. Staff at the hospital reported a catastrophic situation inside,” the humanitarian group said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. The group said it was extremely concerned about the safety of staff and patients at the medical facility, some of whom were in critical condition and unable to move or evacuate. “There is a patient who needs surgery. There is a patient who’s already asleep in our department. We cannot evacuate ourselves and [leave] these people inside. As a doctor, I swear to help the people who need help,” the group quoted Dr. Mohammed Obeid, a surgeon at the hospital, as saying. At the Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City, meanwhile, an imminent shutdown could lead to the death of patients, including babies, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) warned in a statement early Saturday local time. “Al-Quds Hospital is at risk of closure in the upcoming 3 hours due to the depletion of fuel supplies and the non-arrival of aid,” the PRCS said. “500 patients and injured will be deprived from medical care. Those who are at the ICU and babies in incubators will lose their lives.” https://youtu.be/R0sWb4LGBwI Surprise! Look who showed up at the screening of Netflix’s “Rustin” at the inaugural HBCU First Look Film Festival Friday night in Washington, D.C. None other than Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. “It’s great to see even more of you since the strikes are over,” the former POTUS told the audience. “As somebody who cares a lot about the power of workers in this country and as the father of somebody who writes in film, I am glad that both the actors and the writers came to an agreement that recognizes their worth and their work.” As one of the opening day/night events for the new festival, which closes today (11-12-23), the “Rustin” screening was held at the National Museum of African American History. The festival -the brainchild of industry vet Shiela Eldridge – celebrates Black filmmakers and Black creatives in the entertainment industry. Also in attendance were students from Morgan State, Bowie State, and Howard Universities, as well as high-level political figures, including Obama’s former National Security Advisor Susan Rice and current White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czfc02UMSV3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Rustin” is about a real person, Bayard Rustin, who was openly gay and an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a time period that was much more hostile to queer people than today. Even with that load to carry and deal with, it was Rustin who helped plan 1963’s momentous and historic March on Washington. “Rustin” is headlined by Colman Domingo (“Candyman”) as civil rights leader Bayard Rustin. And of course, it’s not just a coincidence that the Obamas were there because the film is their production via their production company Higher Ground. “I hope we all know about the March on Washington — we know about the huge crowds, the historic speeches — but the story of what went on behind the scenes is a little more hazy. We don’t know much about the folks who did the hard work,” Michelle Obama said in her address to audiences. “Bayard Rustin was the driving force behind all of that.” “And yet — his name is not synonymous with that history as so many others. An openly gay Black man did not easily fit in — even in the heart of a movement for civil rights and justice. And he wasn’t celebrated in our history, either,” she continued. “To us, this film is about painting that fuller story of our history — triumphs, complications, all of it.” https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png The former president also had this to say about Bayard Rustin and the film. “[Bayard Rustin] is one of the seminal figures that changed the course of American history,” stated the former president. “Without him, I might not have been President and you might not be sitting where you are today.” Bruce Cohen, George C. Wolfe, and Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis serve as producers. Wolfe also directs the film. “Rustin” opened in select theaters on Nov. 3 and will start streaming on Netflix from Nov. 17. https://youtu.be/EuZ-UONInl4 Ask Terrence Howard about his latest film “Showdown at the Grand” and he’ll share his appreciation of the project as a whole as well as his co-star Dolph Lundgren. While he loved Lundgren’s performance, Howard was left wondering whether it was the “Expendables” actor he most interacted with or his character, Claude Luc Hallyday. “I was trying to ‘reach’ him because there was a distance there. He’s like George Washington, talking to you, but there’s still this God-like being in him. You just don’t expect someone to have that consistent radiance,” Howard told Movieweb about his efforts to bond with Lundgren. “I stayed there trying [to reach him] and thought, ‘Did I really get to deal with him, or did I deal with this character? Was he this person outside of it?’ But that was the toughest thing. I didn’t know who I was dealing with. And that was just him being a thespian. That’s just him being a professional. He literally was locked into Claude Luc Hallyday and would not come out of it.” Featuring Howard and Lundgren, “Showdown at the Grand” centers on Howard’s George Fuller, a proud business owner who finds himself defending his family business — a lush historic movie theater — from corporate developers. After George discovers a corporate developer sent thugs to scare him into selling his theater, George is determined to fight the takeover. Among his allies are new usher Spike (Piper Kurda) and, in what Movieweb described as a “groovy twist of fate, legendary action star Claude Luc Hallyday (Lundgren), who suddenly becomes the man who can save the day. George’s theater, considered a local treasure, is known for featuring vintage films, particularly those starring Claude Luc Hallyday. https://youtu.be/dLSr-ir9vlc Choirmaster B. Chase Williams and his Shabach choir are taking a new trip with a brand new album and hit radio single. After celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year, B. Chase Williams and Shabach released their album CHASing THE NEXT CHAPTER. The choir's energy and the synergy of this album have the Gospel music industry buzzing and fans clapping and singing along in praise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcquZ8CJnhs While she may be promoting her forthcoming studio album “Pink Friday 2,” Nicki Minaj is on the cover of Vogue (US) in cream — a delicately draped Valentino couture gown, that is. Minaj has previously been featured on the covers of the Arabian and Japanese editions of Vogue (in 2018 and 2019, respectively), but the December issue of US Vogue marks her stateside debut. It’s a moment that also marks a milestone: after nearly 15 years of dominance in the rap industry, the performer sat down with Vogue to discuss her new album, the pressures of fame, and the challenges and joys of raising her 3-year-old son, who she publicly refers to as “Papa Bear.” (Minaj hasn’t otherwise officially revealed her son’s birth name.) “There’s a freeness that you have around you when you’re at your best when you’re doing your thing at your peak,” Minaj told the magazine. “But once you start knowing that you’re being judged, there’s no longer that free spirit. People who excel at something make it look easy, but they also deal with a lot of fear of letting people down and letting themselves down. Once you make it, it’s like anything you say can be used against you.” The fallout from the 2021 Astroworld tragedy continues to impact Travis Scott as the rapper is hit with another lawsuit. AllHipHop.com cites The Blast in reporting the lawsuit was filed against Travis Scott by Ceremony of Roses. In the suit, the company mentions “substantial financial harm” it allegedly suffered from the infamous festival. Ceremony of Roses, which provided carnival games and amusements for the Astroworld event, claimed it sustained a significant loss from its investment in the event. As a result, the company blamed Travis Scott for the event’s lack of safety, leaving the company with no way to recoup $700,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. “At the very minimum, Defendants owed COR a duty to exercise ordinary care in maintaining a safe and secure environment for COR’s business activities and Festival attendees,” the lawsuit stated. “Defendants negligently and willfully breached this duty in numerous respects.” With its lawsuit, Ceremony of Roses joins various families and friends in suing Travis Scott over the Astroworld tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people and hundreds injured. Attorney Antonio Moore details Whoopi Goldberg‘s educational background and her previous admission that she is a high school dropout (left in ninth grade) as he critiques her stating that millennials can’t get housing due to working only 4 hours a day. Whoopi’s “The View” cohost Alyssa Farah who is millennial-aged pushed back on her, stating that her generation was handed a housing crisis. But an unmoved Goldberg stood on her position as the segment continued. About dropping out of school, Goldberg stated the following at the Goodwin College commencement in 2018 according to the Hartford Courant: https://youtu.be/Lbsv13D7kCQ “The Marvels” directed by Nia DaCosta finished No. 1 at the box office on its opening weekend but grossed just $47 million in domestic sales, according to studio estimates on Sunday. According to data from Comscore, the latest Marvel project is also the studio’s lowest-performing one. It finished below 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk,” the previous record-holder, which opened at just over $55 million. But the Marvel Cinematic Universe was still finding its footing in the late aughts and, since then, Marvel projects have amassed a robust fan base and raked in historic numbers at the box office. In fact, “The Marvels” is only the third Marvel movie to make less than $60 million during its opening weekend, and the first since “Ant-Man” opened with $57 million in 2015. “Marvel has historically seen most of its films benefit from goodwill and the rolling nature of anticipation from chapter to chapter helps bolster successive box office performances,” said BoxOffice Pro chief analyst Shawn Robbins. “In a post-Infinity Saga world, though, their own standards mean audiences have higher and higher expectations.” Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, said the movie’s performance can serve as a moment of reckoning and reflection for the superhero genre. https://youtu.be/wS_qbDztgVY The debate over natural hair vs unnatural hair (wigs) has reached a holy level, thanks to a recent sermon given by a Nigerian female pastor. Referencing a viral video, Madame Noire reports the pastor caught the wrath of Instagram users for telling single women in her congregation to wear wigs to get a husband instead of their natural hair. Since it was posted, the clip has received thousands of comments on Instagram and become a trending topic of discussion on the Nigeria-based 24-hour broadcasting channel TVC. Commenters reacting to @its_onsite’s repost of the video had no problem blasting the pastor with personal attacks for berating women rocking their natural hair as well as accusing her of bleaching her skin. https://youtu.be/Nv3k4Nua0bw Critics of the Nigerian preacher’s views on hair are many. Among those disputing the pastor is Nigerian entertainer Simi. Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), the former gospel singer made her opposition known as she characterized the pastor’s rhetoric as “self-hate.” “Even when you hide self-hate inside ‘good advice,’ it’s still self-hate,” Simi posted on Oct. 31. “This is why 90% of skincare products in countries full of beautiful dark skin girls/women are ‘whitening creams.’ And girls are told that the hair that grows out of their hair is not special enough. It’s not that you’re not good enough, it’s that they said you’re not good enough. She’s on the pulpit too. A role model. https://youtu.be/feTaLrf3FxY “Church girls who want husbands don’t have to adhere to Western ideals of beauty to get them,” Simi added. “Women shouldn’t be shamed for how they choose to present themselves — especially from other women and especially at church… Whether in wigs or without.” Realistically speaking, social media users came with other thoughts on the pastor’s sermon, including the following: “You can have natural hair, braids, a shortcut, or wig — they still gonna cheat on y’all… and what this gotta do with the lord? https://youtu.be/ijptH2MWAqE “I started during the pandemic,” said Rosa Pryor-Trusty, an entertainment columnist at The Baltimore Times, about her third book on the history of life in Baltimore titled Maryland Black History Stories: Who, What, When & Where? 1950 – 1980 (Page Publishing) to be published in 2024. “I was so bored, I couldn’t go out…no shows, no concerts. I started pulling out my files…to clean up. I saw photos I had never used.” Rosa’s books on black entertainment history in Baltimore have been photo books or books made mainly of photos. Her first book Black America Series African-American Entertainment in Baltimore (Arcadia) was published in 2003. Her second book African-American Community, History & Entertainment in Maryland (Xlibris Corp.) was published in 2013. Colleges have included her books in their required readings and her first book had book sales that were record-breaking. https://youtu.be/ctnu7lQnmDY Omarion’s dancing is putting a questionable spotlight on him. We’re referring to a viral video the artist posted recently as the source of comments questioning how skilled the former B2K member’s moves really are in current times. In the short clip, Omarion is seen skirting, jumping and spinning on the dance floor at Mihran K. NoHo in Los Angeles. The smiling entertainer’s song of choice for his freestyled performance of footwork and upper body movements was the Karen Nyame KG song “P.L.L.” https://www.instagram.com/omarion/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=573b440e-4ebe-44fd-aaaf-915328a5ae18 They’d never really had a solid tuba player. The legendary New Orleans music family, of course, had its trumpeters and trombonists, saxes and drummers. But the tuba – namely the circular kind called a sousaphone – is big. And it requires a lot of air. And it scares little kids. And it’s not exactly cool. Still, Revell Andrews, even as a shy young teenager, picked up on the need for the instrument’s stable foundation in the brass band arrangements his kin play virtually every day in their city’s streets and clubs and across the world. “For Revell, it was more like, ‘If this is a need in the family, I’ve heard it a few times, let me pick up the tuba,’” recalled his loving cousin, drummer Derrick Tabb. “And it just so happened to be the instrument that everyone needed.” There’s another thing about the tuba, though, Tabb said: “You immediately know the difference if you have one there and you don’t.” And now, stunningly, they don’t. https://youtu.be/FiykDnAS7h0 “Our little group was not naïve about the city and its sinister level of gun violence,” Reckdahl, a local journalist, wrote in a tribute to Revell in the city’s daily paper. “It was by design that they stayed home and out of the way. They wanted more in life. But at the most basic level, they wanted to live.” Andrews didn’t mind his son’s hours of video gaming, knowing it kept Revell, his girlfriend, and their pals safely indoors. He also knew his boy excelled in school – might even be headed for a college and its marching band. And he couldn’t say enough about the instrument Revell was working to learn. “We never had a sousaphone player,” Andrews said. As for a favorite song, Revell “was trying to learn them all.” “I know the sky was the limit for him,” he said later. Andrews and others also knew Revell – the second-youngest of four brothers – wasn’t a follower, they said. https://youtu.be/ARY97sxqrcY “That was one of the first things that impressed me about Revell,” said Tabb, who runs the Roots of Music program that serves hundreds of at-risk kids every year. “Most young musicians these days … plug in and immediately start playing; he went to other people’s gigs … and would be waiting” to be invited. Indeed, Revell was mature, humble, and quiet – “an old man in a young man’s body,” Reckdahl wrote. “I never even seen Revell, never saw him mad, never saw him get loud, fight nobody. I can’t recall one time,” Andrews said, baffled by how he met with such a violent end. But either way, “What, you’re gonna keep ‘em inside forever?” In the weeks after his death, Revell’s father collected from the mail acceptance letters from colleges that didn’t know their offers would no longer be of use, he said. In Revell’s room, Andrews found a pair of his son’s sneakers – Jordan 1s – and slipped in a toe. “It fits perfect,” he said of the 10 1/2s. “I didn’t even know his foot had got to that size.” https://youtu.be/8d7GZFDYLDg The ladies have spoken, choosing an episode of great sex over a 5-star meal. And the decision is final! The preference came after 856 Entertainment surveyed women to see what ranks higher: “Applebees with a guy who is going to take you to pound town or a five-star steakhouse with a guy who is going to give you mediocre di**.” The results of the Instagram survey revealed that the majority of women felt the pound town trek with a stop at Applebee’s is worth sacrificing the joy of a five-star meal at a steakhouse with a guy delivering a less-than-ideal time between the sheets. “I do like steak, but I’mma take the Applebees for sure,” a survey participant responded to the question, while fervently nodding in a video of the discussion on 856 Entertainment’s Instagram page. “Even though I don’t like Applebees, I don’t want no wack sex. I need that sh** popping,” another survey taker said. “Applebees and get my a** bust afterward.” On the flip side, there were a few ladies who preferred the opposite, with great food and mediocre sex over great sex. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzCKfnhJ1Of/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In addition to women preferring great sex over a 5-star meal, the results of the 856 Entertainment survey come days after talk surfaced online after a viral video highlighting a list “of places women absolutely refuse to go on a first date to.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy0I6lPs6Qt/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0d875d39-0c87-4299-9aff-5cd1fa409a15 FBI agents seized the cell phones of New York City Mayor Eric Adams as part of a federal investigation into campaign fundraising, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday. The agents seized the phones and an iPad earlier this week pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, the person said. The seizure is a dramatic escalation of the federal probe into whether foreign money was funneled to his campaign, bringing it directly to the mayor, a Democrat. The investigation is being handled by the FBI and the US Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York. Adams has not been accused of any wrongdoing so far, but he is the latest politician to come under scrutiny for ties to foreign governments – in his case Turkey. The seizure came days after the FBI raided the home of Adams’ chief fundraiser as part of the investigation to determine whether the mayor’s 2021 campaign conspired with a Brooklyn-based construction company to funnel foreign money into campaign coffers. https://youtu.be/Tyfg6V-PgDY Things may look fine for Steve and Marjorie Harvey, but the couple’s relationship continues to be under a social media microscope. According to Madame Noire, some Instagram users still believe the Harveys’ marriage is shaky. The users’ speculations stem from a post that Steve Harvey shared on Oct. 23. In the post, the “Family Feud” host appears at The Grio Awards to receive the Television Icon Award, posing for pictures with Marjorie, his son Wynston, and daughter Lori. Although he received compliments for his trimmed-down appearance and the suit he wore, doubting Instagram-ers still had thoughts/doubts about trouble in Steve and Marjorie’s marriage. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyv-9UfLnzQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Harmony Bailey, media manager of the Howard University basketball team, recently interviewed NBA legend Alan Houston during his homecoming visit. Among the things they talked about was his new clothing line called FISLL, which was featured in the homecoming fashion show, and what it meant to Houston to see Howard students wearing his new clothing line. Houston emphasized that FISLL (pronounced fizzle) is an acronym for faith, integrity, sacrifice, leadership, and legacy, and the mission of his brand is to really promote these values. Houston went on to explain that homecoming week is fun at any school, but just to be at a Howard homecoming is really something special and a chance to really see what the school is really about, and just seeing people come together and show how Howard is special? Houston also talks about Howard basketball and the great job Coach Kenneth Blakeney did with the team, bringing home a MEAC championship last season because Howard University last won a championship back in 1992. https://youtu.be/5Wk9HZgR-sQ Houston said the team now knows what it takes to build a winning culture and that he was impressed with their character and their level of attention to the bigger picture in life, and that’s what colleges are about. Houston emphasized that now that the team has experienced recent success, they will have a target on their back, and he thinks the team knows how hard it was to get to the championship level, and now that they know what it takes, they will not want the feeling of going substandard anymore. In conclusion, Houston said how happy he was to continue his partnership with Howard University—not to just be there for a fashion show or walk around campus, but to really get to visit and hear from the hearts of the students. That’s what really makes him satisfied with having seven children of his own, and with his FISLL brand’s identity, he really wants to empower the youth to give them a pathway and to help them see what’s possible and have values, faith, and character that they can really stand on to give them success, not just for him to see it from a distance, but to get to experience it and grateful that Howard University can partner with his company to do that. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwkx2_tuBkh/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=51b695bb-7db5-4e8a-8f25-f8606ef9bfd6 We live in an era where people are having honest conversations and challenging old modes of thinking. Avant-garde rapper, singer, and actor Jidenna, government name Jidenna Theodore Mobisson, spoke the truth and shamed the devil. “The Classic Man” artist revealed how manipulative he was to the prior women he dated, and now Jidenna is committed to “work hard at love” as he’s worked in his career. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzesAIoyuCV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again An X user (rolls eyes at Twitter’s name change) re-posted a video from Darius Jackson displaying tons of red flags regarding his mental state. The social media poster captioned the video clip, “I thought this post was very sinister from Darius Jackson a month ago. Now to read the details of what Keke has been going thru w/ this ninja I wanna fight!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1722813427989594501 “Insecure” cast member DomiNque Perry, the baby mother of Sarunas Jackson, stepped into the fray and issued a statement clarifying why she posted a popcorn-eating meme in response to Sarunas taking up for his brother Darius Jackson. The actor also defended his name by countering the claims made by Keke Palmer‘s mother, Sharon Palmer, who said Sarunas admitted to being abusive. Many fans took issue with DomiNque casual post, interpreting it as a dig at Keke Palmer‘s domestic dispute. Still, her response hints she also has experienced some mistreatment dealing with men, although she didn’t name Sarunas directly. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzeUsReOBrB/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=edcaaba4-b109-4085-a98a-28159ca233ef Lil’ Kim said her new book sales are surpassing the Bible. Her fans, who love Queen Bee dearly, said, “Aht, Aht slow your roll, you got too much dip on your chip,” believing her comparison to the Bible was out of line. One person brought the financial statements to the comment section, “Well here is what her numbers should ?? like: ?? 20 million bibles sold each year, 1.66 million bibles sold each month, 384,615 bibles sold per week, 54,945 bibles sold every day, 2,289 bibles sold per hour, 38 bibles sold per minute. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzckMR9L1S3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sports fans will get another helping of Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league as it gears up for a return to CBS for its 2024 season. Yahoo reports that CBS Sports will be the primary broadcast partner for the upcoming season with at least 20 Big3 regular season games airing on the network, in addition to the league’s playoffs, championship, all-star, and celebrity games. The seventh season of Ice Cube’s BIG3 league will start on June 15, 2024, and run through Aug. 18, 2024. “CBS feels like home for the BIG3, so it’s good to be back home,” the 54-year-old rap legend/actor said in reaction to the league’s return to CBS. “The best 3-on-3 basketball in the world on the best network in the world. It’s only right.” Echoing Ice Cube’s love of the BIG3, CBS Sports Executive Vice President, Programming Dan Weinberg noted the league’s growth in viewership, attendance, and popularity during the league’s six-season existence. “BIG3 continues to deliver an exciting brand of basketball to a passionate audience in addition to the work they do on behalf of players and the community,” Weinberg added. “We look forward to the BIG3 returning to our slate of action-packed summer programming on CBS and Paramount+.” https://youtu.be/0CGEVqDk1R0 Nia DaCosta is the first Black woman, and the youngest, to helm a “Marvel” movie. DaCosta, known for directing “Candyman,” produced by Jordan Peele, puts her stamp on “The Marvels,” in theaters Now. I caught up with DaCosta recently in New York at the 27th Annual Urbanworld International Film Festival. Asked about being hailed as the first Black female and the youngest to direct an MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movie, DaCosta was not fazed by it all. She said her only concern was doing a remarkable job. “I wasn’t really thinking about all of that,” she said. DaCosta added: “It was the middle of the pandemic, and I was in quarantine. I didn’t have time to think about all that stuff. I had to figure out how to make this big-ass movie.” https://youtu.be/wS_qbDztgVY Isaac Hayes III’s Fanbase app has raised $4.5 million in equity crowdfunding — bringing its total to $10 million in funding, according to a press release. This is Fanbase’s third seed round, allowing the public to invest. “Equity crowdfunding is our way of inviting the Fanbase community to own a piece of the platform they believe in,” Hayes shared in a statement, per the press release. “We’re not just building a product; we’re growing a community-driven ecosystem where every voice, every creator, and every supporter shares in our collective success.” Fanbase allows users to monetize content and engage with various media features, “including photo/video, audio chat, live streaming, stories, short-form, and long-form video,” per the news release. “Fanbase offers the option for users to subscribe to each other through in-app purchases, fostering creativity and enabling all users to monetize their work directly via their Fanbase profiles.” https://youtu.be/RTDarJ6W2EE The artist with the most Grammy nominations this year, nine, is a Black woman. (That artist is SZA.) Here’s why that is significant. Back in 2017, there was a lot of discussion about the Recording Academy and race after Adele topped Beyoncé and three other nominees to win the prestigious Album of the Year Grammy. Beyoncé had been widely considered the favorite for her album, “Lemonade.” Even Adele thought Bey should have won, and said so, tearfully, in her acceptance speech. “The artist of my life is Beyoncé, and this album to me, the ‘Lemonade’ album, was just so monumental,” Adele said. https://youtu.be/TV47oG0AseM Jeezy is shifting into a confessional state of mind regarding his divorce from former “The Real” co-host Jeannie Mai. He’s also letting the public in on other personal issues that he’s been dealing with.Chatting with actress Nia Long, the “Put On” rapper addressed the dissolution of the couple’s relationship, revealing therapy was tried before his marriage reached its conclusion. “This has not been an easy journey. I can tell you that I’m saddened…I’m disappointed…I’m uneasy…God has put me on a different path and that path is going to entail for me to take care of myself. And love myself,” Jeezy told Long during a YouTube special titled, “I Might Forgive But I Don’t Forget,” “I can only be responsible for myself. I can only do what I can do. I can’t expect someone else to do what I’m doing,” he added. Jeezy’s comments mark the latest development for him and Mai, who are parents to their infant daughter Monaco. The Jasmine Brand notes the rapper filed for divorce from the 44-year-old television fixture in September after two years of marriage, citing the union was “irretrievably broken.” In addition to filing for divorce, Jeezy filed for joint custody of Monaco. https://youtu.be/YZhyxRv4CyE Independent Gospel sensation and proud South Florida native, Otis Kemp, is making a triumphant return to the forefront of the music scene with the debut of his latest single, “EVERYTHING.“ Collaborating with the soulful and captivating Lena Byrd Miles, Kemp brings forth a powerful musical expression that transcends genres. https://youtu.be/dpRSwCu6w9g Known for his rich cultural roots and unwavering commitment to his craft, Kemp’s “EVERYTHING” is set to be a soul-stirring anthem, showcasing not only his vocal prowess but also his ability to infuse heartfelt spirituality into every note. As the anticipation builds for this musical revelation, Otis Kemp is once again proving himself as a standout figure in the independent Gospel music landscape, ready to leave an indelible mark with his evocative sound and genuine passion for the art form. As the echoes of his triumphant #1 Billboard Gospel Airplay Chart hit, “Daily Bread,” still resound, Otis Kemp is set to captivate audiences once again with the release of his highly anticipated new single, “EVERYTHING,” on November 24, 2023. Following the unprecedented success of “Daily Bread,” Kemp’s latest offering is poised to not only solidify his standing in the Gospel music realm but also holds the promise of breaking barriers as it ventures into the mainstream. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUYmBavAsd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Upon reflection, the odd couple sensibilities that captivated viewers of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” were in place even before the cameras started rolling. The perfectly mismatched casting of Will Smith, then known as one half of a successful rap duo hailing from West Philadelphia, and James Avery, a classically trained Shakespearean actor, as nephew and uncle respectively made for a hilarious, if at times uneven, pairing in the early seasons of the show. There was nothing on air at the time quite like “The Fresh Prince.” The NBC sitcom told the story of a fictionalized version of Smith, a troubled teen who moves to California to live with wealthy relatives after getting into a gang fight in his hometown. Smith, and his character (also named Will Smith), hailed from the insurgent hip-hop generation whose bombastic music and style had created a burgeoning cultural movement in the United States. Avery as Philip Banks (or Uncle Phil), in contrast, represented the post-Civil Rights class of professional Black Americans who had come to harness their rage through more ‘respectable’ vehicles. “It was the perfect storm because the idea of showing urban youth on television was still quite a bit of a novelty,” said Elena Romero, co-curator of the exhibition “Fresh Fly Fabulous: 50 Years of Hip Hop Style,” on display earlier this year at the Museum at FIT at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. https://youtu.be/1nCqRmx3Dnw Former Baltimore state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby was convicted Thursday in a perjury case tied to a COVID-related loan application. Mosby was indicted on federal charges in 2022 after allegedly falsely claiming a COVID-19 hardship on applications to withdraw $90,000 from the city’s deferred compensation plan. Prosecutors claim she improperly accessed retirement funds to use as down payments to buy two homes in Florida. Mosby, who served two terms as state’s attorney for Baltimore, allegedly used the COVID crisis to get a distribution under the federal CARES Act, claiming she experienced “adverse financial consequences from the coronavirus as a result of being quarantined, furloughed, or laid off; having reduced work hours; being unable to work due to lack of childcare; or the closing or reduction of hours of a business she owned or operated.” The Feds charge that Mosby did not experience any financial hardships while she received her full salary of $247,955 from Jan. 1 through Dec. 29, 2020, per the report. According to Mosby’s lawyer, she was legally entitled to withdraw the money and spend the funds however she wanted, The Huffington Post reports. https://youtu.be/Y2hqMUFAOfQ Two Texas men were arrested for allegedly stealing over $1000 work of oxtails, steaks, and seafood from multiple grocery stores. According to MadameNoire, the carnivorous bandits made off with “almost 50 packs of expensive cuts of meat,” the outlet writes, but were busted at a traffic stop. Anthony Trevino, 30, and Robert Stevenson, 31, were arrested on Nov. 1 after being pulled over by police for unknown reasons near the freeway in Spring, Texas. Sergeant Amaya with Constable Mark Herman’s Office became suspicious after “discovering pounds of unbagged oxtails, steaks, briskets, lamb chops and shrimp in the backseat of the Cadillac,” per MadameNoire. According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, the men had 46 packs of meat totaling $1,129. Trevino and Stevenson nabbed oxtails, shrimp, lamb chops, and brisket from four stores – Walmart, H-E-B, Food Town, and Kroger, MadameNoire reports. The pair were charged with aggregate theft and booked at the Harris County Jail with a $2,500 bond. https://www.facebook.com/Precinct4/posts/725181892976864?ref=embed_post Nicki Minaj claims she was prescribed Percocet for her severe menstrual cramps but was not informed the drug “was a narcotic” and “addictive.” The hip-hop star is speaking out about being mindful of her drug and alcohol usage. In Nicki’s new cover story for Vogue, she discusses her father’s drug addiction and how it influenced her choice not to abuse drugs. “I feel like I will always consider myself to be just like my father,” she told the publication before recalling her past addiction to Percocet. She was allegedly prescribed the drug for severe menstrual cramping and was taking the pills when she wasn’t in pain. “No one told me that this was a narcotic and this was addictive,” she shared. “Luckily, I was able to ground myself. But—once an addict, always an addict. I feel like if you’ve ever experienced addiction to anything, which I have, you always have to think twice and three times about the choices that you make.” Minaj also noted that “some of our biggest celebrities” are susceptible to drug addiction, and many “fight silent battles, like Prince,” she said. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzbRwBnLGlw/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=860c2cb2-f92b-412f-9f3c-43299fb75ce4 “These are some of the greatest of all time. And one day they decided, ‘You know what? I’d rather self-medicate and be in my own world,’” she said, adding, “Should you keep on doing interviews and pouring out your heart so people can laugh? No.” Elsewhere in the Vogue feature, Minaj reacted to her industry reputation of being a “mean” girl. “When I hear the word mean, I think about the core of who the person is…I always tell people that the difference between being mean and being a b*tch is that b*tch passes,” she explained. https://youtu.be/WrN3Dx3EBVI Filmmaker David E. Talbert has launched the “HBCU Next” fellowship program in partnership with the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The program invites students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to participate in the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) Summer Program to develop their skills in scriptwriting and filmmaking, Deadline reports. “Our overall objective is to foster an environment for students from HBCUs and USC to engage in cultural exchange, learning from one another’s experiences and backgrounds, and to provide access to an education conducive to giving Black storytellers a pipeline to the entertainment industry,” said Talbert, who created the program with his wife and producing partner Lyn Sisson-Talbert, per Black Enterprise. As part of the program, students will receive mentoring from Talbert, and HBCU graduates, including Forest Whitaker, Tim Story, Ruth Carter, JB Smoove, and Anika Noni Rose, will be invited to speak to HBCU Next scholars. “Having graduated from an HBCU, and working in the business for over 30 years, I understand it’s never the artistry or intellect, but the access, that keeps people of Color from finding their way in,” Talbert said. “HBCU Next was created to bridge that gap. Our Next is now.” Over the last weekend of October, one of the year’s biggest entertainment events – One Music Fest 2023 – took place in Atlanta, as a ground-shaking 100,000 spectators flooded Piedmont Park to experience their favorite artists in celebration of 50 years of Hip-Hop and the best of various other genres. Sunny skies and warm temperatures provided the perfect backdrop to the end of the festival season. With a total of three stages, Saturday afternoon kicked off with fan favorites like Tink, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Kodak Black, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Coco Jones, T-pain, and Lil’ Kim. Day one was punctuated by electric performances by T-Pain, Megan Thee Stallion, and the iconic Janet Jackson. Sunday was another amazing day, featuring El Debarge, Nola Ade, Boosie, Waka Flocka, The Dream, Key Glock, Goodie Mob, T.I., Trina, Brent Faiyez, and ending with two brilliant sets from Tems and Kendrick Lamar. https://youtu.be/grqPEo5O0lY Nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards were revealed on Friday morning and SZA slayed. The “Kill Bill” singer and songwriter leads in total nominations with nine nods. Other top nominees among a list that highlighted the contributions of young women in music include Phoebe Bridgers, R&B star Victoria Monét, indie group boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. Taylor Swift made history by becoming the first person with seven nominations in the prestigious Song of the Year category with her hit, “Anti-Hero.” She also tied with Barbra Streisand for the most all-time nominations by a female artist with her album of the year nod with “Midnights.” Swift scored six nominations overall. https://youtu.be/wsHKiTwX2qY Keke Palmer filed a restraining order against Darius Jackson and is also seeking full custody of their 8-month-old son, Ledois, whom they share. Keke, 30, is alleging Darius, 29, has been abusive throughout their two-year relationship, based on court documents filed on Thursday, November 9, according to US Weekly. Ah, Hades NAH!!! The “Nope” actress stated she has November 5th security footage that showed Darius “trespassed into my home without my knowledge or consent” and “threatened” her before “lunging for my neck, striking me, throwing me over the couch and stealing my phone.” BOI have you lost yo’ mind!!!! Keke also details “many instances of physical violence” with Darius that included “destroying my personal property, including diaries and prescription eyeglasses, throwing my belongings into the street, throwing my car keys to prevent me from driving away, hitting [me] in front of our son, spewing profanities about me to our son, threatening to kill himself with a gun if I left him, harassment, and other physical and emotional abuse.” Nah, Darius, you’re out of order; Keke got a whole tribe behind her and will pull up on you! Update: Darius just tweeted, “I love you son. See you soon.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzchbAppIi_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=69102c9a-e3c9-4a14-870e-4268d38f095d Keke Palmer submitted security camera footage showing Darius Jackson’s abuse as part of a restraining order against him. The actress is also seeking full custody of their 8-month-old son. EUR’s Yolanda Baruch reported previously that Palmer, 30, is alleging Jackson, 29, has been abusive throughout their two-year relationship, based on court documents filed on Thursday, November 9, according to US Weekly. Palmer has security footage from November 5th showing Darius “trespassed into my home without my knowledge or consent” and “threatened” her before “lunging for my neck, striking me, throwing me over the couch and stealing my phone,” according to the court docs. Keke also details “many instances of physical violence” with Darius that included “destroying my personal property, including diaries and prescription eyeglasses, throwing my belongings into the street, throwing my car keys to prevent me from driving away, hitting [me] in front of our son, spewing profanities about me to our son, threatening to kill himself with a gun if I left him, harassment, and other physical and emotional abuse.” https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1722857573475577987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1722857573475577987%7Ctwgr%5E97cf028764b3f4b05c26cd72a49dfeb359a85bf2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fkeke-palmer-has-receipts-of-darius-jacksons-abuse%2F LeToya Luckett! The songstress describes to Terrell Grice, how she felt when she was kicked out of Destiny’s Child and watched the group become more successful as she sat at home. Fans felt her pain and were happy to see she had moved past the ‘I’m A Survivor’ debacle, “It’s good she can laugh about it now!! Cuz baby I would have been out for blood! Like not you got Farrah reaping the benefits from my background vocals, and she ain’t said a word on a album ??????.” Another fan had a great gift for Beyonce to give LeToya, “Beyoncé bout to send a dozen of White Roses with a Dior head scarf. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzcPs5lPrqv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jeezy spoke about how God kept him safe and free and allowed him to become successful, but he didn’t give anything back to the Almighty to show his appreciation. Jeezy reveals to Nia Long how he lost his voice because of torn vocal cords and how he later developed Bell’s palsy. To date, their conversation on YouTube has hit one million views and counting. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzaDUZmxEDo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Nicki Minaj graces the cover of Vogue magazine with her son, Papa Bear for the December issue. “There’s a freeness that you have around you when you’re at your best, when you’re doing your thing at your peak.” So says Nicki Minaj, who has been hard at work writing, recording, mixing, and re-mixing her fifth studio album, “Pink Friday 2,” out next month. For the best-selling female rapper of all time, now 13 years into her career, the new record represents a return to form. “When I look back at a lot of my music, I’m like, Oh, my God, where was the me in it?” Minaj says. “So for this album, I went back to the old game plan.” Muva Barbz also answered 73 rapid-fire questions with Vogue magazine’s Joe Sabia. https://youtu.be/WrN3Dx3EBVI Suge Knight revealed in a phone interview with Nick Cannon that he spent over a half million dollars on Deion Sanders’ rap career when he was “signed to Death Row” back in the day. “When Prime wanted to be a rapper … I spent over half a million dollars of my own money,” Suge explained in his jailhouse conversation with Cannon on his podcast, Complex reports. The former Death Row CEO is serving a 28-year sentence for manslaughter. “I put guys in the studio, I paid Dallas Austin, I did all these songs, did everything. Then one day he came to me and said, ‘Well, Prime’s deal with Nike and Death Row is a Black-owned company, and we don’t really want to deal with a Black-owned company, even though you paid for everything,” Suge added. “We signed to you, put us on the Interscope label brand.” He continued, “So I go to Jimmy [Iovine], say, ‘Look, I paid for everything. The contract’s with me but could you put him out on Interscope.’ They’re like, ‘Oh yeah, [I’ll] do that—anything for you Mr. Knight.’ And so if Prime performing somewhere, I’m taking a private plane to make sure everything’s good. But not one day did anybody give me a dollar back.” https://youtu.be/pfUeEhBX0Cg According to Suge, he’s still collecting checks from Sanders’ breakout song, “Must Be the Money.” Watch him elaborate on his history with Coach Prime via the Instagram clip. In related news, Suge refuses to testify against the man arrested for the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur. We reported previously via CNN that Duane Keith Davis, aka “Keffe D,” was arrested in September in connection with the murder of the hip-hop icon. Suge was present during the 1996 shooting and questions the validity of the case against Davis. He also gives a side-eye to the widely held belief that Davis’s late nephew, Orlando Anderson, pulled the trigger. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzFM_u1rVrC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The fourth annual Essence Girls United (GU) Disruptor Summit, returns on November 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA, the premier cultural & creative hub of the South and home to the largest consortium of HBCUs in the country. This year’s summit will be a safe space for young Black women, girls, and gender-expansive youth to come together and fellowship for a day filled with panels, networking, activations, and more. “The Era of Disruption” serves as this year’s theme, and an invitation to Zillenials to continue to use their voices to break the mold by utilizing their individual paths, ideas, and trends to celebrate all aspects of the Black experience. As the leading destination for young Black women, Essence Girls United, is bringing notable speakers, influencers creatives, and musical performers to the 2023 summit such as dynamic sister-duo Jordyn Woods and Jodie Woods, South African singer-songwriter Tyla, If Not for My Girls cast members BIA, Muni Long and Pretty Vee, alongside many more! This year’s GU Disruptor Summit will touch down in the ATL for a full day of conversations, workshops and on-site activities such as photo experiences throughout, the kick-off of GU Office Hours, speed mentoring sessions to get connected with key industry players, and the Soko Marketplace where attendees can shop & support a mix of Black-owned businesses. https://eurweb.com/2023/essence-girls-united-summit-enters-into-the-era-of-disruption-with-jordyn-jodie-woods-bia-muni-long-pretty-vee-intl-music-sensation-tyla-picvideos/ It was supposed to happen this past Summer, but as they say, the best plans can sometimes go astray. What we’re talking about is that The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is letting everyone know that they’ve got a new date for its AAFCA TV Honors. The private, invitation-only event was postponed from August due to the Actors’ strike and will now be held on December 3rd at the Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, California. Presented by the African American Film Critics Association the AAFCA TV Honors recognize outstanding achievements in Broadcast Television and Streaming with a special emphasis on entertainment representing the Black diaspora. Previously announced winners include Quinta Brunson, the cast of “P-Valley,” Jessica Williams, Debbie Allen, Niecy Nash-Betts, “The 1619 Project” and many more. Special honorees include Jennifer Hudson, who will receive the We See You Award, Delroy Lindo, who will receive the Legacy Award, and five-time Emmy® nominee Marla Gibbs who will receive the Legend Award. The Apple TV+ show “Ted Lasso” will receive the Inclusion Award, and CBS’ “S.W.A.T.,” produced by Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Studios, will receive the Impact Award. https://youtu.be/v0BkQBnJn7g Nicki Minaj appeared on Thursday’s episode of “The Run-Through with Vogue” podcast and admitted regret over having plastic surgery. “I guarantee you, if you change anything on your body and do anything surgical and all this, you’re going to — more than likely, not definitely, more than likely — look back one day and say, ‘I was fine just the way I was,’ ” Minaj explained during the broadcast, People reports. “And that’s what happened to me,” she said. “I could not believe even some of the photos that I didn’t love.” he hip-hop superstar admitted during the interview to being painfully insecure about her natural body before the breast and buttock augmentations. “I didn’t like the way I looked,” Minaj told podcast hosts Chioma Nnadi and Chloe Malle. https://youtu.be/WrN3Dx3EBVI Krispy Kreme is celebrating “World Kindness Day” on Monday by giving out an extra sweet promotion. But there’s a catch. The chain is giving away a box of a dozen glazed donuts for free with no purchase necessary. But only the first 500 guests that visit each participating Krispy Kreme store on Monday will be able to walk away with a free box of donuts. The promotion is taking place only in the United States. Krispy Kreme often gives away free or deeply discounted donuts to generate buzz on special occasions. Earlier this year, it gave free donuts to high school and college graduates. In July, a dozen of glazed donuts were sold for 86 cents to celebrate its 86th birthday. And it routinely gives out free donuts to all customers (not just the first 500) on National Donut Day. Promotions help to drive conversation around a brand and increase awareness. Free giveaways also can drive sales, because some customers who normally wouldn’t go to the store decide to make the trip and then make additional purchases, such as a cup of coffee. Limited-time deals and scarcity deals like the first-come-first-served donut box giveaway can drive even more interest. But they also can risk alienating customers who make the trip only to find that they’re all sold out. https://youtu.be/imqFK-YuRxc Keke Palmer caught Darius Jackson in 4K by submitting as evidence security footage of him abusing her to support her restraining order against Darius. “I am very concerned for Leo’s safety with Darius given his violent, volatile, and jealous nature, comments he has made which have caused me grave concern, and the lack of restraint Darius has already exhibited regarding his temper in front of our son,” reviewed and reported by Radar Online. “The abuse during our relationship was not just physical, but emotional and manipulative. Darius would “love bomb” me and make me feel like I was the most important woman in the world, only to get extremely distant and cold over a perceived insult to him,” reads Keke’s statement in the court documents. According to the “Nope” actress, Darius trespassed her home on November 5, 2023, before 11 am and barged into her bedroom demanding to see their son. When Darius stated he wanted to take their 8-month-old son, Ledois, to a football game, she disapproved. Darius became irate and screamed at her before he, “lunged at me, grabbing at my neck and face, knocked me backwards over the couch, stole my phone out of my hands, and then ran out of the house.” She also details another incident when Darius saw a bikini photo of her. “On the drive home, I was worried that we would get into an accident because of how angry he was. Darius spent the rest of the night yelling at me, not letting me sleep so he could keep yelling at me,” she said. “In the bedroom, he slammed me on the floor and slapped my head from side to side. The next morning, he was standing at the bottom of the stairs near the front door, screaming at me as I was coming down the stairs,” Keke said. “When I was almost at the bottom of the stairs, he grabbed me around the neck and body slammed me back onto the stairs.” A judge has approved her temporary restraining order. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czc2O9VAOfm/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c945298c-3d43-4cd5-8946-1bf7d0484699 Keke Palmer’s mother, Sharon Palmer, lit up on social media to speak out against Sarunas Jackson‘s tweets cryptically made to support his brother Darius. Sister Sharon said she knew of Darius‘ abuse of Keke and brought up the matter to Sarunas, who said: “I used to be like that too.” The “Insecure” actor immediately tried to clear his name in The Shaderoom comment section and posted, “Quote me: I NEVER ONCE SAID THAT to Sharon. NOT ONCE IN MY LIFE. I have NEVER been abusive to any of the women I ever been involved with. I’m not going to keep on with this circus. But Sharon, the world is about to hear YOUR VOICE. Very soon. And the threats you made to my family. Be well, everyone.. I know it’s easy to get caught up in this but make no mistake that all of this is VERY sad.” Amanda Seales, a former cast member of Sarunas from their hit show “Insecure” has spoken about her interaction with him, only replied to Sharon‘s video with an ellipsis, saying nothing but everything simultaneously. https://twitter.com/i/status/1722819393917235672 Fans were hit in the feels when Terrell Grice poured “affirmations, appreciation, and celebration” into LeToya Luckett and gave the songstress her flowers. One fan wrote on X, “This was the part that BROKE ME.. because she needed to hear this. You are MORE than just an original member of Destiny’s Child. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czd1n8RLCHM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Chlöe Bailey dropped by the “Zach Sang Show” and confessed her past boo-thangs had cheated. She revealed the inspiration that led to the track “Cheat Back” with rapper Future on her debut solo album, In Pieces. “So, I got cheated on, right? I had COVID, I was all in my head… in my feelings. So, that’s why I was like [in the song], ‘I was never good enough for you, you said you didn’t believe in monogamy…’ all that stuff.” She continued: “It’s been a couple of times. You know, I feel like, no matter how bad of a b*tch you are, sometimes — n*ggas will cheat…“Any time I find out somebody cheats, I move on, and they don’t believe me. I’ll tell them in the beginning, I’m like… ‘You know, we’re imperfect humans, but [if] you cheat on me, I’m out.’ And they don’t believe me until their number’s blocked.” Chlöe said she uses “God + Instagram and Life” to discover if her partner is faithful. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/4e98d5d4e83df4048980089cf61c7aaa/654ee89d/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c001-tx/oEgza5UL5vAnBEJIc7PBZ3DnEi4dGiQI4Uvj2/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=1020&bt=510&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8Zmo3W9LQ_vjntdsAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=ZzxoODc0NmRpZzo8NzlnOEBpanNma3A5cjZ3bzMzZzczNEA1Xy0vXjEyNS8xNi8vNTEvYSNwZWprMmQ0aTJgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=2023111020351585A2BC4059A9570F2351&btag=e00008000 Tyler Perry stopped by “The View” this week to promote his upcoming documentary, “Maxine’s Baby.” This documentary is named after Perry’s mother, Maxine, who passed away in 2009 after a long illness. “Everything I did was about her. All the work was about her. I was never after money. It was always about making enough money to take care of her, to buy her medicine, to make sure we were never in poverty again,” Perry said in a recent interview with “CBS Mornings.” “No matter how much I had, it was never enough,” the filmmaker added. A camera crew followed Perry for ten years to make the documentary about his life and career journey, and he said he had no creative control. https://youtu.be/DjXlidHoPyU “Working on this film for the past decade has been a life-changing journey for the both of us. Getting intimately acquainted with the man behind the icon while witnessing the transformative impact of Mr. Perry’s work within various communities has been truly awe-inspiring,” said directors Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz in a joint statement. “We hope this film is more than a road to success story, but rather, a meditation on healing, unconditional love and an inspiration to audiences.” During his appearance on “The View,” co-host Sara Haines told Perry that through the film, she felt like she met Tyler’s mother, per Ice Cream Convos. Visibly emotional, Perry stated, “Wait a minute…Wow. You met my mother? You met my mother through it? Man, that’s…wow! Wow! Thank you. Oh, my God. Wow!” https://youtu.be/nN_2EG_jBkw Oprah Winfrey dropped her annual “Favorite Things” list with 112 products ranging from food to clothing and entertainment. “This year, lots of the terrific gifts come from small business owners — from family shops, best friends, dynamic duos, and local makers — so you’re not only discovering great gifts, but you are also supporting the people who stepped out on a dream to make them,” Winfrey shared in a release. Check out the list via the YouTube clip above, and you can view all of Oprah’s picks on the Oprah Daily site. Below are five items, all ranging under $100. https://youtu.be/_0Hd76BzN1o Today, singer, songwriter, and social media star Ariel Fitz-Patrick releases her new single– “God Love”-- to all streaming platforms. The song is her first to come from her new partnership with premier inspirational label Motown Gospel, which was announced earlier this year. This exciting drop builds on the viral momentum the Christian influencer’s song has gained recently on TikTok. "God Love" is available on all major digital streaming platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PsBLkoTGLo China’s legislature has proposed changes to a law that if approved would allow authorities to fine and detain people who wear clothes that “hurt the nation’s feelings,” sparking new concerns over freedom of expression in the country. The National People’s Congress Standing Committee, which unveiled the proposal on its website earlier this month, is seeking to ban garments and symbols considered “detrimental to the spirit of the Chinese nation” – phrasing often used to denote patriotism or lack of. The wording of the draft amendment is reminiscent of language used by Beijing to rein in free speech at home or to hit back at perceived slights by foreign countries and businesses. It follows a series of clampdowns on personal style in recent years, including broadcast regulations aimed at banishing artists with “effeminate styles” from shows and an ongoing crackdown on tattoos. https://youtu.be/xZrYzG3fq7M If passed, the revised law would make it illegal to “wear or force others to wear” offending items in public places — though the draft document did not specify what type of garments might be outlawed. Transgressors could face detention of up to 15 days and fines of 5,000 yuan ($681). The draft amendment also targets speech, and would prohibit “producing, disseminating, publicizing, and disseminating articles or remarks” thought to damage China’s “spirit.” The rules are proposed amendments to the country’s Public Security Administration Punishment Law, which came into force in 2006. The existing measures already give police the power to detain suspects for weeks over a wide range of crimes, from vandalism to public order offenses. China’s rubber-stamp legislature said it will gather public feedback on the proposal throughout September. Online, some Chinese social media users expressed concern and called on others to oppose the draft. Several legal scholars have also questioned the implicit vagaries of the proposed amendment and the absence of specific guidelines. https://youtu.be/NyjfupDODdk “Who will confirm the spirit of the Chinese nation, and by what procedures?” wrote constitutional studies professor Tong Zhiwei, from East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, on China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo. “If (the Standing Committee) passes this article according to the current draft, it will inevitably lead to law enforcement and the judiciary arresting and convicting people based on their leaders’ will, which will cause endless harm,” he warned. Criminal law professor Lao Dongyan, from Beijing’s Tsinghua University, meanwhile said the law could amount to an infringement of people’s rights. “State power directly interferes in the field of individual citizens’ daily clothing, which is obviously an overreaching intervention,” she wrote on Weibo. Lao also expressed concern that the amendment could fuel extreme nationalism and “may intensify antagonism with some countries, putting (our country in) a passive position diplomatically.” https://youtu.be/5nz2Jy1jU0g In the spirit of Thanksgiving, The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House, a non-profit Domestic Violence Safe Haven founded by Grammy award-winning R&B entertainer Bobby Brown and entrepreneur phenom Alicia Etheredge-Brown in 2015, has joined forces with Simply Wholesome to bless 100 families with a heartfelt holiday meal in honor of Bobby Brown Jr., on November 21st. This collaborative effort, “Feed the Family,” serves as a tribute to the memory of Bobby Jr. and aims to spread love and joy in the spirit of Thanksgiving. Bobby Brown Jr., the beloved son of the iconic R&B entertainer Bobby Brown, left an indelible mark on the world with his vibrant spirit and endless love for his family. In honor of Bobby Jr., The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House, established to provide support and refuge for survivors of domestic violence, is embracing the opportunity to give back to the community and make a positive impact. This year, the Brown family, including LaPrincia, Cassius, Bodhi, and Hendrix, have united their efforts to support the “Feed the Family” Thanksgiving event, underscoring their commitment to spreading love and compassion, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need. The California Faculty Association (CFA), the union representing faculty at California State University (CSU) schools has voted to authorize a strike if it cannot reach a deal with the 23-campus system’s administration. CFA represents approximately 29,000 professors, lecturers, coaches and other faculty across the state. “Cal State voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, if necessary,” said Charles Toombs, a professor and former chairperson of Africana Studies at San Diego State University (SDSU) and the union’s president, during a virtual press conference Oct 30. “Members are emphatic that low pay, growing workloads, and systematic inequalities are not sustainable. The union pushed for 12% across-the-board increases this fiscal year, but CSU offered 12% over the next three years. When CFA refused to consider a multi-year offer, the CSU offered a one-year GSI of 5%. CFA then declared an impasse within 40 minutes of receiving this offer. Hollywood actors have reached a tentative agreement with the major film and television studios to end a strike, the actors union announced Wednesday. The strike had shut down production across the industry for nearly four months and raised existential questions over the future of the entertainment business. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios, had been negotiating with the union off and on throughout the year to reach a deal. “In a unanimous vote this afternoon, the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee approved a tentative agreement with the AMPTP bringing an end to the 118 day strike,” the actors union said in a Wednesday night announcement. The strike will officially end at midnight, the union said. The studios have not yet publicly acknowledged the resolution. https://youtu.be/MDlB_MtY9Pk Remember the Black co-captain in that infamous Montgomery Riverfront brawl last Summer who was seen being attacked by a group of white people? Well, in a shocking development, that man, Dameion Pickett, who was previously identified in court records as Damien Pickett, is now facing charges in connection to the incident. Even though anybody with eyes and a functioning brain saw Pickett being attacked by the white group, He’s somehow being charged with third-degree assault for his actions (defending himself) in the incident, according to a report from WSFA-TV. The altercation happened after Pickett approached the group to tell them to move their pontoon boat which was parked in the Harriott II’s parking space. The attackers, including Zachary Shipman, were seen punching and kicking Pickett. But now in a new complaint, Shipman alleges that he was simply defending himself during the brawl. Shipman also claimed he suffered a bruised cheekbone after Pickett (allegedly) punched him, which in our opinion, is why he’s bringing the bogus charge against the riverboat’s co-captain. Actually, Pickett did more than just approach the group about their illegally parked pontoon. He moved it so the riverboat could park and disembark its passengers. The chaos ensued after he did that. https://youtu.be/Irha-etL6Mw Viral videos clearly show the brawl began with Pickett, the co-captain of the Harriott II being attacked by Shipman. Then, two more white men joined in. Videos also showed Onlookers coming to Pickett’s defense. One of them was a teenager who became a meme when he swam across the river to help take on Pickett’s assailants. Arrest warrants were initially issued for 48-year-old Richard Roberts, 23-year-old Allen Todd, and 25-year-old Zachary Shipman — all white and of whom came from the private pontoon boat. Mary Todd, a white woman, and a black man, Reggie Ray, who used a folding chair a/k/a “Alabama Slamma” as a weapon in defense of Pickett, are also facing charges in connection to the brawl. Shipman, by the way, was charged with assaulting Pickett. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial later this month along with Todd and Ray. https://youtu.be/Efrr6_kgVuQ Actor Omar Dorsey jumped the broom with filmmaker Crystle Roberson. The newlyweds held their nuptials at Casa Del Mar. “Getting married means having a partner to navigate through life. Being with my best friend everyday, forever,” Omar said exclusively to People magazine before his wedding. “Being family. Taking care of one another. Hanging tight through the highs and eventual lows that will inevitably come. All the while knowing that we can get through anything together.” “Our wedding is a sacred dream come true,” he added. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzaEH1eRl62/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The mother of 23-year-old Starquan Washington slammed his stepfather during the recent homegoing service for her son. Washington was fatally shot in October outside Barfield’s Bar and Grille in the Myrtle Beach area. The alleged gunman, Kvon Lawhorn, was the victim’s best friend, and he was arrested and charged in connection to the shooting. “Starquan was a forgiver, his heart was so pure. Always kept a smile on his face. Always,” Washington’s mother, Jamella Shontelle Washington, and his aunt, Cassandra Strothers said, WMBF-TV reports. In a clip Jamella shared on TikTik on Oct. 28, she called out her son’s stepfather and his family after they left Washington’s funeral,MadameNoire reports. https://youtu.be/2u85VXsx8co Yusef Salaam, one of the “Central Park Five” who was wrongly convicted and later exonerated for a 1989 attack on a white female jogger, will be a member of the New York City Council. Salaam won a Democratic primary earlier this year. USA Today reports that he emerged victorious in the election Tuesday without opposition. “I am really the ambassador for everyone’s pain,” Salaam told the Associated Press in an interview. We reported previously via CNN that Salaam was one of five teenagers accused of raping a jogger and pressured into giving false confessions. They were exonerated in 2002 when DNA evidence linked another person to the crime. The teenagers sued New York City and the case was later settled. In the wake of the crime in 1989, former President Donald Trump took out full-page newspaper ads that read: “Bring Back The Death Penalty. Bring Back Our Police!” https://youtu.be/6xky8LnbKYo Aurora police officer Nathan Woodyard was found not guilty by a Colorado jury Monday on all charges related to the death of Elijah McClain, an unarmed 23-year-old Black man who died after he was wrestled to the ground by police and injected with ketamine by paramedics in 2019. Woodyard had pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in connection with McClain’s death. The officer remains suspended from the department without pay, pending the outcome of the trial. The charges stem from the arrest of McClain on August 24, 2019, when officers responded to a call about a “suspicious person” wearing a ski mask, according to the indictment. The officers confronted McClain, a massage therapist, musician, and animal lover, who was walking home from a convenience store carrying a plastic bag with iced tea. In an interaction captured on body camera footage, police wrestled McClain to the ground and placed him in a carotid hold, and paramedics later injected him with the powerful sedative ketamine. He suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and was pronounced dead three days later. https://youtu.be/bdm8JTpXG_8 Former Arista executive Drew Dixon is taking legal action against Reid, claiming he assaulted her twice in the early 2000s. According to the lawsuit, Dixon alleges that whenever she “declined his advances, he retaliated against her professionally, causing her to miss out on signing or developing artists such as John Legend,” per Variety. Dixon is the same woman who accused Russell Simmons of raping her in 1995. She told the New York Times she is still evaluating her legal options regarding Simmons. “I have an opportunity now to seek some degree of accountability,” Dixon told the Times. “And that’s really what I’m trying to do.” Dixon’s lawsuit against Reid references several instances of his “sexualizing and harassing” behavior and details how he “retaliated against her by embarrassing her in front of others or otherwise being curt and unprofessional,” it states, according to Variety. Promotional and recording budgets were suddenly reduced dramatically or frozen altogether. Song demos and artist auditions were flatly rejected,” per the lawsuit. “It was very clear that I was being punished because I would not comply,” she told the Times. Variety reports that Dixon left Arista in 2002. Reid stepped down as chairman of Epic Records in 2017 after an assistant had accused him of sexual harassment. A West Oakland gas station was left an absolute mess after a wild burglary where thieves used a backhoe to tear into the storefront. The ampm gas station, off of 889 W Grand Ave., is the latest Oakland business targeted by smash-and-grab robbers. Workers said that a group of people used a backhoe to break into the store nearly killing one of them and stole money from their ATM machine. Brandon Barlow was born and raised in Oakland and goes to that gas station pretty often. “Oakland is doing way too much. It’s a problem out here, and it’s driving businesses away,” said Barlow. “This is stuff I haven’t seen since the 90s.” https://youtu.be/G4GKxKNSWxU He said hearing about a group of people using a backhoe to break the wall to steal cash from the ATM was disturbing. “It’s not shocking in Oakland,” said Barlow. “I have seen worse with the shootings, and all this materialistic stuff can be replaced. Lives can’t, so I rather see this than someone lying in the street.” According to Oakland Police the robbery happened on Monday at 2:15 a.m., and police found broken glass and the vehicle still partially through the front window. The burglars had left taking with them an unknown amount of cash from the ATM. The gas station is still currently open for business. https://youtu.be/EA5aBbzxD44 Missouri Democrat Cori Bush defended fellow ‘squad’ member, Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib, ahead of a House censure vote over the congresswoman’s anti-Israel rants. As Fox News reports, Bush accused her colleagues of targeting “Black and Brown people.” “It’s outrageous my colleagues are blatantly, blatantly attempting to silence the only Palestinian-American representative right here. It’s outrageous but it’s not surprising. Let me tell you, it’s not surprising because this place is where 1,700 members of Congress, this elected body, enslaved Black people,” Bush said. “It’s not surprising because they thought it was right. It’s not surprising because this is a place where members continue to claim the insurrection on the Capitol just appeared to look like a normal tourist visit,” she continued. https://youtu.be/XOQ1Jf2Wql0 The judge overseeing Young Thug’s historic gang and organized-crime-related trial in Atlanta ruled Thursday morning some of the rapper’s lyrics will be admissible in court. Fulton County Chief Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville held a hearing that began Wednesday and lasted throughout the evening on whether the lyrics could be used as evidence. Glanville ruled some of Young Thug’s lyrics can be used as evidence, but the judge said the lyrics are “conditionally” admitted. Defense attorneys have been arguing the rapper’s lyrics have nothing to do with his alleged crimes and that using the lyrics could sway the jury. Last week, Glanville was set to hear motions as to whether lyrics from hip-hop songs can be used against the rapper – real name Jeffery Williams – in his RICO trial. https://youtu.be/howpxkXLwcM But instead, Glanville and attorneys seated an actual jury, more than nine months since jury selection and screening began. “If you decide to admit your crimes over a beat, I’m going to use it,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has said. “I’m not targeting anyone. You do not get to commit crimes in my county, and then get to decide to brag on it, which you do for a form of intimidation and to further the gain and to not be held responsible.” “I believe in the First Amendment,” Willis has said. “It is one of our most precious rights. However, the First Amendment does not protect people from prosecutors using it as evidence if it is such. In this case, we put it as ‘overt, predicate act’ in the RICO count, because we believe that’s exactly what it is.” Williams is on trial in Fulton County in a massive RICO case involving himself and five other defendants. Prosecutors allege Williams and his co-defendants are members of the Young Slime Life (YSL) gang, while defense attorneys argue YSL is simply the name of a record label, Young Stoner Life. In 2022, Fulton County prosecutors included lyrics from the rapper, referencing drugs and violence, as evidence of an “overt act in furtherance of a (gang) conspiracy.” https://youtu.be/owvdOndYkv4 After yet another underwhelming performance on the Republican presidential primary debate stage by Tim Scott, eagle-eyed viewers wondered Wednesday night if the South Carolina senator – what with his low-polling campaign seemingly nearing the final nail in its unavoidable coffin – may have finally introduced his much-discussed alleged girlfriend. Scott, who during the third debate thought it was wise to tout his presidential plan for a national abortion ban less than 24 hours after voters in Ohio cast ballots to defeat such a proposition, was spotted with an unidentified woman following the event in Miami. The two of them smiled broadly while posing on the stage for photographers snapping away, as candidates typically do with their spouses after debates. As they left the stage, the woman appeared to reach for Scott’s hand. The speculation was instantaneous: Was this the “soft launch” of Scott revealing his girlfriend, a “lovely Christian” woman whose existence has already reached mythical status in mere months? Accompanied by a pair of emoji eyes, the Recount wondered whether the moment was the long-awaited “Tim Scott girlfriend reveal?”https://twitter.com/i/status/1722451250053071306 Donald Trump is a man-child. Worst, he’s a racist man-child. Trump has persistently run with a single narrative, one he has stretched from his election loss in 2020 all the way to the series of criminal and civil cases against him on the state and federal level. He’s only ever launched one defense: Everybody just hates Trump. Trump, the man-child, has used his platform exclusively to throw temper tantrums and cry about how everyone is picking on him and being big meanies. The man who is always on the attack and always bullying and leveling crass insults at his opponents is out here flooding the political playground with orangey-white baby tears while claiming every legal authority involved in every case against him is a bully trying to take his lunch money. On Monday, Trump testified in the civil fraud case brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James. In that case, Trump is alleged to have exaggerated the worth of his business and assets in order to secure loans and other financial benefits without revealing that he’s not actually balling like he says he is. During the hearing, he was repeatedly reprimanded by Judge Arthur Engoron “for waxing poetic about his business’s worth after being asked direct questions by prosecutors,” Mediaite reported. So, Trump did what he always does when things don’t go his way in a courtroom and took to his social media account to call judges and prosecutors corrupt and any Black official involved “racist” just because they’re Black, which easily demonstrates his own racism. More Black mayors have emerged as Election Day 2023 has come to an end. In High Point, North Carolina Cyril Jefferson defeated his opponent Victor Jones, becoming the city’s first Black male mayor, the youngest mayor, and only the second mayor of color in the city’s history. https://twitter.com/jefferson_cyril/status/1147325114356293632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1147325114356293632%7Ctwgr%5E5e5e064f270010cba08ce76429f97e0b48546331%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2Fplaylist%2Fnotable-black-mayors%2F According to WFMY, Jefferson received 1,000 more votes than Jones and will take the place of sitting Mayor Jay Wagner who declared he would not seek reelection. Before running for Mayor, Jefferson was a member of the High Point City Council, overseeing Ward 1 of the city. After his victory he addressed his supporters, expressing gratitude for his historical win. https://twitter.com/i/status/1722237540034367861 White people are terrified of becoming the minority. One writer shared an age-old theory with French origins known as the “Great Replacement Theory” (GRT), and how it’s been adopted by many here in the U.S. Read more about why White people are anxious about a new America. First, the Census projects that White folks will become a minority in America by 2045, so statistics prove that White people are, in fact, being replaced. With more interracial dating, marriages and cocreation, their bloodline is on the verge of being nonexistent. As the White population shrinks by percentage and number, the GRT becomes even more realistic for the American people. In the article published by Level, some White people are being bombarded with messages saying they are victims of reverse discrimination. Brown people are streaming across the U.S. Southern border and being handed voter registration cards, and affirmative action is depriving White and Asian students of opportunity. However, statistics show White women have historically been more favorable of these opportunities. The issue White people face today is that their privilege is dwindling. You can’t simply exist as a White person and survive in America. White people’s reality used to be that if you came from a well-off family and got an education, you had a reasonable expectation of success. You could surely inherit the family business or depend on nepotism and relationships to advance your career. Their only competition came from their peers as minorities were (read: are) systemically provided fewer opportunities, to which they now have more access. The article also cites certain moments throughout American history that made White people shiver with the fear of losing their beloved privilege in this country. A 14-year-old student from Fairfax, Virginia, Heman Bekele, has developed an innovative soap that holds promise in the potential treatment of skin cancer. He has named his creation “Skin Cancer Treating Soap” (SCTS), and he asserts that it can be produced for just $8.50, yielding 20 bars per batch. “People might not have the equipment or have the facilities to be able to treat this disease,” Heman told ABC News. “A bar of soap is just so simple, so affordable, so accessible in comparison to these modern new skin cancer treatments.” Heman, who immigrated to America with his family from Ethiopia, initiated this project during his 8th-grade year, driven by the understanding that skin cancer cells tend to weaken dendritic cells in the body, thereby hindering the immune response and allowing cancer to proliferate. SCTS, according to Heman, contains specific agents that may reactivate dendritic cells, potentially aiding in the elimination of cancer cells. https://youtu.be/7DeiffnsD30 Kim Kardashian is in hustle mode with a new line of Skims push-up bras that feature fake nipples. The new bra collection was announced last month via an Instagram video that featured Kardashian modeling her Ultimate Nipple Bra under a skintight seamless t-shirt, Sandra Rose reports. Under the post’s caption, the SKIMS founder described her latest product as, “The ultimate nipple bra. Perfect fullness with a built-in, faux nipple for shock factor.” “The Earth’s temperature is getting hotter and hotter, the sea levels are rising, the ice sheets are shrinking. And I’m not a scientist, but I do believe everyone can use their skill set to do their part. That’s why I’m introducing a brand-new bra with a built-in nipple,” Kardashian said in the Instagram video. “So, no matter how hot it is, you’ll always look cold. Some days are hard, but these nipples are harder. And unlike the icebergs, these aren’t going anywhere.” Those who celebrated Halloween (Oct. 31) were able to score the Ultimate Nipple Bra for the holiday, as it was on sale for $62 on the SKIMS website. Ten percent of sales from the bra will be donated by SKIMS to the 1% for the Planet organization, a global network that works with businesses and environmental organizations to help people and the planet, Sandra Rose noted. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy6H6RGR4aK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Gearing up for the release of “Time for Change,” the infectious, insightful, and timely debut single from Classic Twist – the fresh, grooving, and innovative, multi-genre musical project, renowned R&B/jazz singer/songwriter Gene-O played the track for some industry movers and shakers in their home base of Southern California. Their response was auspicious – it reminded them of a modern version of “We Are the World.” If ever the planet needed a hopeful and uplifting new anthem to inspire us to look past our differences and come together in a spirit of love, the time is now. https://youtu.be/1gl-PCo815M Cal Green's former bandmate and music producer Joey Jefferson of The Joey Jefferson Band, spoke so enthusiastically of his latest recording project. Reading the liner notes, Cal’s history goes all the way back to his native Texas roots where he began playing guitar with the famous Hank Ballard & The Midnighters. As I continued to read the list of others he toured and played with like Jack McDuff, Lou Rawls, Ray Charles, Esther Phillips, and many others – I got to the part where Joey, with the sentiment, wrote that Cal “was gone.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6I_OCK6hls Kel Mitchell from “Kenan & Kel” and “Good Burger” had a health emergency and was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday night. A witness reports that the actor “appeared to be conscious and alert when he arrived,” according to TMZ. The cause of his hospitalization is still unknown as of Wednesday, and his reps have not issued an official statement. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzZ6oqoRnJj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=258a0a6e-a4d6-4e73-9647-d1c52070c361 Remy Ma jumped on IG live, and fans immediately had some intrusive questions to ask the Terror Squad member, inquiring if she was preggers. Remy immediately shut it down and lifted her hoodie to show her flat “surgery stomach fresh.” Fans also peeped Papoose in the background and wondered if the couple were still together despite the Remy Ma cheating rumors. Dang, y’all are all in these people’s business (shakes head even though we watched the video several times trying to determine if they were, in fact, still together but didn’t ask any questions because we like to remain “judgey” of other people’s social media interrogation tactics while maintaining our personal investigation), anywho despite the alleged hiccup everything between the two seems to be kosher. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzXpT4NOZOV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Time to send a Shout out to SZA wishing her a happy 34th birthday! https://www.instagram.com/p/CxHG7jUOJ0U/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4cf07ed4-d45c-4ce5-9ad7-601684936fea Kevin Hart recalls a moment when he was held up at gunpoint with his mother while leaving the laundromat. He tells how a solid ‘G’ his mother was as she stood up to the would-be robber who had the audacity to call her a broke b-tch when he couldn’t abscond with her ducats. “Imagine robbing somebody, and calling them broke cus they ain’t got no money. That is wild lol. ??????,” remarked one person. Another fan provided some location context for the setting of Kevin’s story, https://youtu.be/g3aF1mqRDys Damar Hamlin returned to Paycor Stadium over the weekend for the first time since he suffered a cardiac arrest at the facility earlier this year. The 25-year-old safety had a medical emergency in January after a routine tackle caused him to have a heart attack on the field during the Week 17 Monday Night Football game. Hamlin’s recovery became a national story, leading to his return to football this summer. At the time, he described his comeback as “super fun.” “It was a great experience. Just another milestone and a step up just getting back to myself as far as in the football space and in the NFL,” Hamlin told reporters during a post-game press conference in April, Yahoo reported. “I love this, like, I want to be here. I want to play, I want to do good. I want to be one of the greats,” he shared. “I want to be remembered as somebody who, you know, stood for something and who made a difference when I was out there on the field.” Hamlin’s Paycor Stadium return occurred when the Buffalo Bills played the Cincinnati Bengals. The NFL star didn’t play in the game but he made time to stand in the exact spot of his cardiac arrest. Watch the powerful and emotional moment via the Twitter clip. https://twitter.com/i/status/1721398209983963617 Nia DaCosta is the first Black woman to helm a project for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the upcoming “The Marvels,” starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, and Samuel L. Jackson. The hotly anticipated title is loosely a sequel to 2019’s “Captain Marvel,” which surpassed $1.1 billion worldwide. DaCosta, 33, is also making history as the youngest filmmaker to helm an MCU release. Looper reports that she recently addressed criticism for leaving “The Marvels” in post-production before the project officially wrapped. DaCosta said her early departure was because the film’s release date kept getting pushed back, causing scheduling conflicts with other commitments. “[Marvel] knew the entire time that I had an obligation — a green-lit movie with people who were waiting for me,” she explained, per Looper. “I pushed that and then I pushed it again and then I pushed it again. Eventually, we all knew that if [‘The Marvels’] pushes again, I’m not going to be in LA to do the rest of this in person.” https://youtu.be/uwmDH12MAA4 Lesa Milan executed some top-tier shade when asked, “In The Reading Room,” at BravoCon which housewives are more likely to have fake designer duds in their closet? Lesa named Shereé Whitfield, causing the reality star to hop out of her seat and hobble over to Lesa with her injured toe to confront her for the dig. Fans were on the fence with Lesa airing out Shereé; one posted, “Even though she ate that comment up I would have said one of the white women never a fellow sistah!!! bc no shade… they be the ones with knock offs even when they have money!!!!!” However, one fan had to remind others that Shereé is also guilty of tearing down other Black women, “All this black empowerment in these comments and sheree degrades black women every episode of rhoa.” One person concluded that these games are nonsensical.“ https://youtu.be/ZOOBZ7PNlNM Kel Mitchell released a statement on his IG grid following his hospitalization at an LA hospital. ” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzadiEorjzR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c0565d02-4746-4ac4-b7f7-9744961dde7f DJ Khaled, Khaled Mohammed Khaled, revealed he doesn’t have an accountant or business manager; instead, he prefers relying on himself to manage his coins. One fan agreed with Khaled’s financial approach, “???????? From my Business Professor many years ago ” You will need an ACCOUNTANT to watch the ACCOUNTANT, LAWYER to watch the LAWYER, a MANAGER to watch the MANAGER. Learn how to do it yourself.” Professor ain’t lying! During the sit down with Shannon Sharpe, Khaled dropped some barz which everyone should consider when it comes to money, “No way I’m giving someone the power to touch the hard work https://www.instagram.com/p/CzZoYDaL5zi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again BET+ has released the trailer for season two of Carl Weber’s “The Black Hamptons,” which returns in December. Per the press release, the series is based on a novel by Weber and “highlights the glitz and gloss of the Black elite, while following the lives of the Brittons and the Johnsons and exposing the secrets of wealth and prestige. With a mix of legacy families, their friends, wannabes, and thirsty developers, the drama in Sag Harbor is never too far behind.” Lamman Rucker, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Elise Neal, Brian White, KaRon Riley, Mike Merrill, Angela ‘Blac Chyna’ White, Aaron Spears, Daya Vaidya, Cameo Sherrell, and Jennifer Freeman reprise their roles from season one. Here’s the official series description: “A family drama set in the quaint town of Sag Harbor, known as “The Black Hamptons,” follows the lives of the Brittons and the Johnsons where the difference between old money and new money is very apparent.”https://youtu.be/KR-fEBeoels Cardi B and Patti LaBelle have teamed up for the holiday season to promote Patti’s Good Life pies and the rapper’s Whipshots alcoholic whipped cream. “I’ve been her mother in my mind for a long time because she’s just all that and a bag of chips. And I’m all that and a bag of chips,” LaBelle said of Cardi in a new interview with People. Cardi B admitted to being star-struck to meet the R&B legend. “I feel like I’m not worthy; I just feel so shook!” the hip-hop star shared. “I’m super starstruck. I’m on my best behavior.” “Oh, don’t be on your best behavior with me because I’m really bad,” LaBelle joked, to which Cardi replied, “Miss Patti, I will be doing splits on these tables.” “You gotta trust me on this one,” Cardi B added. LaBelle’s Good Life Pies are available at Walmart, while Cardi B’s Whipshots can be found where most alcohol is sold. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czbt1wRus2t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The battle for control of the Virginia Legislature goes to the Democrat's, the first round of returns from Tuesday’s off-year elections delivered one clear message: abortion rights are popular, no matter when or where they are on the ballot. Voters in Ohio decisively said they wanted a constitutionally protected right to choose with the passage of a ballot measure doing just that – only a few months after they rejected another measure that would have made it harder for them to shield abortion rights. In Kentucky, the Democratic governor defeated his Republican challenger, Daniel Cameron, the state attorney general with close ties to former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, after a campaign in which abortion became a flashpoint. A victory in the Virginia state Senate would cap off a hat trick of invigorating results for Democrats, who have endured a dispiriting week with multiple polls, including a new one from CNN, showing President Joe Biden could face an uphill fight against Trump in case of a 2020 rematch in 2024. With votes still being counted, below are a few early election night takeaways on a strong night for Democrats. https://youtu.be/kVRbdeX2ob0 Government will look a little more like the governed after Tuesday night’s results are all in. To start, Democrat Gabe Amo is the projected winner of Rhode Island’s special congressional election. He will be the first Black person to represent the state in Congress. And in Philadelphia, former city councilmember Cherelle Parker will become the first woman to lead the City of Brotherly Love. She’ll be the city’s fourth Black mayor – and the 100th in its long history. https://youtu.be/Ty5M4RFi32o The Hennepin County Medical Examiner who conducted the autopsy on George Floyd listed his death as a homicide and determined that the cause was “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.” But recent social media posts have falsely claimed that new court documents show Floyd died of a drug overdose, USA Today reports. Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died in Minneapolis in May 2020 after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, pinned his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly ten minutes. Floyd’s death sparked global racial justice demonstrations. Chauvin was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder. During Chauvin’s 2021 trial, Hennepin County Medical Examiner Dr. Andrew Baker testified that Floyd’s heart disease and drug use were “contributing causes” but “not direct causes” of his death, per Politifact. “I would still classify it as a homicide today,” he said. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ey8Xpo9UYAETvnC?format=jpg&name=small Serial squatter Elizabeth Hirschhorn has finally moved out of a Brentwood rental property after a lengthy legal battle with the homeowner.We reported previously that Hirschhorn lived in Sascha Jovanovic’s mansion for 570 days rent-free and was demanding 100K in compensation to vacate the property. According to the Los Angeles Times, the woman rented the guest house more than two years ago via Airbnb and was meant to stay six months but refused to month out when the term ended. Jovanovic, a renowned dentist, initially agreed to a long-term lease outside the app but was forced to take legal action when she refused to move out. A Los Angeles judge said he had no right to remove the squatter because the guesthouse was not registered and had no certificate of occupancy. Per the Express, Jovanovic “had a shower built without a permit, meaning it’s not a legal rental and Hirschhorn should not have been charged rent from the beginning, according to the lawsuit,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/temvAzIiIL0 Check out an exclusive clip of this week’s episode of ALLBLK’s popular dramedy, “À La Carte” from Executive Producer Meagan Good. The new episode airs Thursday, Nov. 9th, and in our preview, Shyra wants to invite her mother to her graduation, but the conversation goes left. Watch the moment via the YouTube clip above. Season two of “À La Carte” kicked off September 14 and explores who Misha, Reign, and Shyra are as friends to each other without the friend that brought them all together, Mahogany, according to the synopsis. “Her absence will serve as a catalyst for comedy and drama within this new friend dynamic. In our mid-20’s, relationships of convenience are fickle, and in L.A. especially, they are not easy to sustain,” the synopsis continues. “The mistakes they make will bring them closer in some ways and push them further apart in others. This season, the cast will continue their independent and collective journey discovering and unraveling who they are through the lens of comedy, love, sex, fire, and trial & error.” https://youtu.be/e9psACpi6lA Tara Thomas is solidified as an industry insider, talent broker, and influencer. Her bottom line: She handles the business of hip-hop stars. Tara has worked closely with a roster of entertainment icons and emerging artists that include Teddy Riley, New Edition, DMX, King Harris, Diamond Atl, Roi Chip Anthony, and more. As the demand for her time and talent increased, she formed the Tara Thomas Agency, a full-fledged agency that serves as manager, publicist, producer, event coordinator, and content creator. When the New Edition Legacy Tour was announced, Tara Thomas was charged with manning the public relations. When Freaknik 2019 (aka Funk Fest ATL) came to fruition, there was one woman who was called upon to handle the mammoth PR logistics. https://youtu.be/RXymATwkgto Old school rapper Nikki D is speaking out about what she has coined the “prostitution era of rap.” “When I call it the prostitution era, it’s simply what I saw with the [Ice Spice] performance, right?” Nikki said in an interview with All Hip Hop. She is referring to Ice Spice dressing as the iconic cartoon character Betty Boop. The rapper sported a black bob and a risqué red dress that exposed her bootyliciousness throughout her performance at Power 105.1’s on Oct. 28 in Newark, NJ (see the clip below). However, many hip-hop fans were not impressed. As Vibe reports, Nikki D previously commented, “Oh come TF on!!! You mean to tell me, this is true talent.. the Female genre of hip hop today is the ‘prostitution era’, fight me!!,” she wrote on social media. Another critic wrote on Instagram, “Are you selling your music or a** cause I’m confused.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy961-1rFik/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Cher’s relationship with her boyfriend Alexander “AE” Edwards has seen its share of ups and downs, yet it still lasts. Even if references from the “Believe” singer go over his head. The 77-year-old icon’s comments come after she reunited with Edwards in September after some time apart in May, Love B Scott noted. The on-again, off-again duo looked to be solid as Cher gushed about dating her 37-year-old beau, saying, “I hate to talk about how happy I am, but no, we have a great time together.” “We can talk music. We can talk about everything. He’s got a great sense of humor, he’s got the cutest son in the world, ever … We just get each other,” she said about the guy she calls “a beautiful man.” “Alexander’s got diamond teeth, tattoos, white hair, and he’s way younger. He’s a beautiful man,” Cher told People, adding that she’s “not surprised” that her relationship with the much younger Def Jam Records vice president of A&R has gotten so much attention. “Also, I think it’s fun to be interested in somebody else’s love life,” she added. https://youtu.be/SB7h7_XX534 Page Six notes Cher and Edwards, a model and music producer, confirmed their on-again status upon their return to Paris Fashion Week this year. It was at this event the pair discovered their strong connection after meeting “for about 15 minutes” in the fall of 2022. A mutual friend of the pair had given Edwards Cher’s phone number. The singer was surprised at the “really shocking” action “because people just don’t give out my number.” “I had been telling all my friends, ‘We’re too old to go out with really younger men, and I will never fall in love on text.’ So I did what I said not to do!,” Cher said. “If you have happiness, you can’t think about how long it’s going to last. You have to think about ‘How does it feel?’ and live in the moment.” Fans can expect a treat on Cher’s first-ever holiday album, “Christmas,” with Edwards on board to collaborate with the “Strong Enough” vocalist. At this point in her life, Cher “just wants to be happy” amid the reconciliation, a source told Page Six. If media sources are to be believed, that happiness includes a lot of sex. Confiding to Radar Online, insiders reveal Cher is wearing Edwards out with her untamed sexual appetite, according to Sandra Rose. https://youtu.be/dZFDYH4FGJw Issa Rae and Syreeta Singleton chopped it up with “ET” about the new season of their hit series, “Rap Sh!t,” which premieres on Max this Thursday (Nov. 9).“Rap Sh*t,” co-created by City Girls hip-hop duo Yung Miami and JT, is a half-hour comedy that follows two estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite to form a rap group, Deadline reports. “I think this is just such a unique time in hip-hop, especially when it comes to female rappers, because there’s such an abundance, and it doesn’t feel like they’re all in competition with each other,” Rae previously said about the series to Harper’s Bazaar. “I’m a child of the ’90s, and there used to always be a tendency to put two women against one another. It feels like we’re in an era where there’s such a supportive environment now because of that abundance. All of that, combined with just my own story of coming up, became the next story that I wanted to tell.” Singleton told ET, “It’s really exciting and it’s encouraging ’cause it’s always just us talking about it over and over, you know? So, sometimes it’s a surprise when people are like, ‘I love that show!’ and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, you do?’” she explained. “Because I know we’ve cried over it and we, like, fought over it, we bled, you know what I mean? And so for it to resonate with people, it feels so good. It makes it feel meaningful.” Rae added, “In the first season, they were kind of dipping their toe in, they were aspiring. And in this season, they are fully in it, and they jumped into it really quickly and compromised a lot to get there.” https://youtu.be/jhwQrYVwt94 Check out an exclusive clip from WE tv’s newest reality series, “Keke Wyatt’s World,” which airs Thursday. “The six, one-hour episodes follow R&B artist, Keke Wyatt, as she navigates her demanding singing career along with being a wife, daughter, diva, friend, and mother to 11 children,” per the press release. “Having been in the music game for over a decade, Keke is ready to take her career in a new direction with her first new album in over six years while exploring challenges in love and as a mother. With a new baby added to her brood, Keke finds this new path far more difficult than ever before, unable to manage her way to superstardom the way her team would like,” the series synopsis continues. “As the pressures mount, she fights to keep it all from unraveling with the help of husband, Zackariah, a stay-at-home dad who manages the house; her mother, Lorna, who is her rock but also stirs up trouble in the family; and manager and BFF, Andrae, who struggles to keep her on track. Can Keke continue to balance motherhood and family life with the demands of her career and her fans?” https://youtu.be/N7k2344NoRY American company Pizza Hut has teamed up with a century-old Hong Kong restaurant to put a modern spin on a traditional dish, or more simply, snake on a pizza. The new offering combines shredded snake meat, black mushrooms and Chinese dried ham – all indispensable ingredients of an authentic snake stew and part of the Hong Kong franchise’s marketing plot to generate buzz online. Some diners in Hong Kong and around southern China have long enjoyed snake stew, especially during the colder months. According to a saying in the local Cantonese dialect, the best time to eat snake is “when the autumn wind begins to blow” – when they’ve fattened up to prepare for hibernation. Many believe that snake meat has medicinal properties, improving skin conditions and warming up the body. https://youtu.be/ED5MmwwaL80 JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns to CLEO TV tonight, November 8 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Tonight, JJ hits the kitchen with one of the food world's best and brightest Paola Velez. The duo whip up oxtails rice and beans. Then, Paola give JJ a lesson on how to make the perfect black and white cookie. CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX is back ?tonight, November 8 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. Tonight is all about a satisfying meal, and Chef Jernard delivers! Enjoy a perfectly seasoned skirt steak topped with creamy onion gravy. This dish is exactly what you want for an incredible dining experience. From quick ideas for a weeknight meal, to beauty tips that will get you out the door in a flash. Tia Mowry’s practical solutions and infectious personality inspire and inform audiences each week with her love for food, fashion, DIY/home, parenting & more! Catch the new episode this Thursday, November 9 at 9:00/8:00C. CHEF JJ VISITS 93.5 K DAY IN LOS ANGELES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg6upxXj1Ho The season finale of Sins Of The City will air on Monday, November 13 at 10 PM ET. In 2023, tensions in Memphis exploded when 29-year-old Tyre Nichols died, allegedly at the hands of a rogue unit within the Memphis PD. Activists took to the streets, igniting a furious backlash to a problem that has plagued the city for centuries. The five police officers involved, all of whom are also Black, were fired and later charged with various state felonies, including second-degree murder. In September, the Justice Department announced that a grand jury had indicted the five men on federal civil rights, conspiracy and obstruction offenses. As this tragic story rises to the surface again with the accused officers retracing their pleas, you won't want to miss this introspective look of this unnerving case this Monday, November 13 at 10 PM ET. https://vimeo.com/882536728/8a3a5856b4?share=copy Fans of actor Richard T. Jones are reportedly shocked that he and his wife of over two decades are no longer together. According to SandraRose.com, fans of the “Why Did I Get Married?” star accused him of cheating on his wife, Nancy Jones. The pair tied the knot in 1996 and share two adult daughters and two young sons. The couple reportedly separated about two years ago and Jones quietly remarried a woman named Kristy. Jones has been sharing photos of his new wife on his social media pages. In one Instagram post, he wrote: “Kristy Jones blesses my heart daily y’all. Love me some her !!!” Jones captioned a separate post: “I love my beautiful wife. Thanks for loving me Kris. You’re my heart.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CyzT_7ypKTp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=008b2ec6-32aa-4d8f-8d73-d31fd1c5bf1f Rumor has it the reality star Kim Kardashian and NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. are allegedly dating. The temperature on social media concerning this supposed coupling was met with unenthused responses and people taking potshots at Odell. “So no one’s going to ask about the woman he just had a baby with?” one nosey Nancy inquired. One person threw in a crude remark, “Another body added to the list.” Someone else added, “If this is true, it’s only for Odell because he seeks attention !!!!!!” Other comments speculated that Kim K got jealous with all the publicity Taylor Swift was getting and decided linking up with Odell would cause some controversy, “she’s seen Taylor’s NFL publicity snf thought “That’s a bit of me” said one person. Another fan concluded. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-W8qdMXgAA6Etg?format=jpg&name=360x360 Royce Reed explains how the “Basketball Wives” reality show created a false narrative about her. She sat down with Carlos King and explained how her manufactured image affected her family, how Shaunie O’Neal betrayed her trust, and how fickle the cast members were during her run on the show. https://twitter.com/JaysRealityBlog/status/1721944469518303643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1722023901272650029%7Ctwgr%5Ee2fd9b2c2a5191a0423a23e51036d627e73a1995%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fkim-kardashian-adds-to-her-list-allegedly-dating-odell-beckham-jr-timbaland-issues-apology-to-britney-spears-more-picvideos%2F Timbaland hopped on his TikTok live to give his ‘my bad’ for his statements about Britney Spears. During the short clip, he expressed such affairs regarding Britney confessing to aborting Justin Timberlake‘s child should be kept private but then backpedaled after he considered Britney‘s right to express her feelings. One person stated, “she don’t need to put a muzzle on sh**. her ppl kept her quiet & put up for so long that she literally went crazy! keeping sh** in does that to you. let that girl talk her sh** & speak her truth hell! go on Britney, we’re listening ????.” The apology fell flat for another social media user who reminded Timbaland of his creepy older man tendencies, “I expected nothing less from a man that publicly admitted to fighting his urge for wanting to get with an underage Aaliyah because he was in love with her when she was 16 and he was in his mid-twenties.” and this poster added, “SPEAK ON IT???? And let’s not forget he only married his now wife. Bc she favored Aaliyah.” Timbaland, they are not finished with you yet; they’re gonna R. Kelly you with the quickness, lay low. We can feel a documentary about Aaliyah coming soon, exposing all the men who lusted after her when she was a minor. https://twitter.com/i/status/1722071366147452936 Page Six caught up with Kandi Burruss at Bravo Con, and she came to Justin Timberlake‘s defense over accusations he used a ‘blaccent’ to appear ‘down’ with Black people in the entertainment industry, as Britney Spears writes in her memoir. Kandi, who has worked with Justin and his pop group NSYNC, said during the boy band era, they were all doing urban pop music, and no one at the time thought cultural appropriation was wrong. “I thought it was funny…I don’t want anybody to, like, [put] down Justin because you’ve got to remember the times that we were going through at the time. That era of pop and R&B, it was a lot of boy bands that did, like, urban music, urban routines and dancing, the whole image. That was in at the time, and nobody was passing judgment.” She added: “Right now I feel like everything we used to do back in the day people are getting canceled for now…at that time nobody knew it was like a problem.” Not everyone is convinced with Kandi‘s reasoning, “Trying to “act black” was never in – it was okay with timberland because Justin was his cash cow and made him money producing for him and there missing the point of what Britney was tying to convey. She was saying overall that Justin is never accountable for the stuff he does and is often protected or made to “look” like the good guy.” Another person cynically added, “Nah….. it was a problem then. Y’all just wanted that paper.” Many Black people are capitalists and will do what it takes to protect their interests. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzXEN_mBa4J/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Laurent Bourgeois, one-half of Beyoncé’s French dance duo Les Twins, responded to rumors that he fathered 37 children. As Distractify reports, a woman with the handle Lil_Curvy_ on TikTok shared a wild story about how Laurent and his brother Larry sleep with multiple women with the goal of fathering female twins. They are accused of exchanging girls and abandoning the women and the children born from these hookups. In the original post, a seemingly jilted lover wrote in French (which was translated): “This person with a profile wears out women, even if it means accumulating several relationships a day by promising and acting the same way with everyone in order to find a woman who will offer him twins.” https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/bb3912ca119e61c7daecf3d2e0cb8ced/654c45a1/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-pve-0068-tx/oUi3wHKypAtJBiZQi2GBdIPApcIfEyTpCvHwIB/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=612&bt=306&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8Zmo-J5vQ_vjf7dsAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=Ojg1ZmVkZWc2ZGdpOzk6OUBpajVma3A5cmY2bzMzZzczNEAxY2FfNWA1XzQxMzY1NWE0YSMwZ2ZrMmRzazFgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=202311082032529A4949831931DB655706&btag=e00018000 According to Distractify, the post continued, “His family and his entourage are accomplices of these actions. You should know that he already has 37 children to his credit, whom he has totally abandoned.” The outlet also notes that in OP’s story (via @nosybystanders), she claims the twins share the same women because they want to have twin girls. https://v16m-default.tiktokcdn-us.com/1e2ae1f4fece4d68eaa30479c9ab80e4/654c458c/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-pve-0068-tx/ogHiNQEU4ggzsXAiBJIUIEAmP5Pr4CiQF6BiZ/?a=1988&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C3&cv=1&br=1346&bt=673&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&cs=0&ds=3&ft=_G6uMBnZq8Zmo-J5vQ_vje3GsAhLrus&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=ZTpoM2lpNTZkMzs2NDM8OUBpM3Jwb3Q5cjVkbzMzZzczNEAwMF8vXl9eNjExNGMuMjIzYSNnLm0vMmQ0bDFgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&l=2023110820325293F46D4689FCF4624932&btag=e00018000 Lori Harvey and Damson Idris issued a joint statement Tuesday confirming they have pulled the plug on their relationship. In the statement, Harvey and Idris said, “We are at a point in our lives where our individual paths require our full attention and dedication. We part ways remaining friends with nothing but love and respect for each other and the time we shared together.” Lori recently deleted all photos of Damson from her Instagram account, prompting fans to speculate the pair broke up. Idris disabled his Instagram completely, according to RapUp. The outlet also reported that fans online noted how Harvey attended Kendall Jenner’s Halloween party alone, fueling rumors that the two are no longer dating. The Shade Room reported that Harvey and Idris attended Odell Beckham Jr.’s birthday party in NYC on Sunday night. They arrived separately and left the same way, according to the outlet. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzXw22dLJ08/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=49c0698f-7f1c-4ff4-996d-8e6691fca5e7 Sonja Norwood, the mother of Ray J and Brandy shared an update with fans following a health scare that required her to be hospitalized. According to The Jasmine Brand, Norwood received an at-home vitamin IV drip a few weeks ago that caused a bad reaction. She was rushed to the hospital and ultimately deemed “okay” and released. The longtime music manager took to Facebook on Nov. 6 to address the situation, writing in part: “I don’t usually address stories about myself, but I was quite surprised to wake up to a call from a long-time friend/publicist asking, “Sonja, are you in the hospital, and are you okay?” “What? Where is that coming from,” I asked. There was a TMZ story that I was not aware of. She sent the link, and when I looked at it, I frowned and said, “That was weeks ago.” and “They could have gotten my age right.” Then the floodgates of concerns just took over my phone.” Norwood continued, “Thank God I am not in the hospital. I’m doing great! I did have a negative reaction to an IV VITAMIN Therapy WEEKS AGO! It was not a big deal. I went to the hospital and got a big Grade A on my medical reports…That is about it! Nothing more or less! You guys are the best! Don’t be mad with TMZ.” According to reports, Norwood’s at-home IV drip was reportedly a mix of C and B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium — and caused her to feel light-headed. https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/norwood-screenshot.png Meanwhile, Brandy has released a new holiday single titled “Christmas Party for Two.” The track appears on her first holiday album, “Christmas with Brandy,” due November 10 via Motown Records. As we reported previously, the project features classic holiday covers and original material and marks Brandy’s first album since 2020’s critically acclaimed “B7.” “Christmas with Brandy” includes the songs “Someday At Christmas,” originally sung by Stevie Wonder, “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” and “Christmas Gift,” featuring vocals by Brandy’s daughter Sy’Rai. https://youtu.be/kZcjCyZnMgA An 88-year-old Andover woman has been climbing several flights of stairs to bring her daughter to cancer treatment. This is happening because the elevator inside her Main Street apartment complex has been broken for two months. “I moved in here 25 years ago,” said Elaine Goodman. “It has been difficult because nothing has been done with the building when we have a problem.” Elaine’s daughter Laura was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer. There are only four reported cases in the world. Several times a month Elaine goes with her to the treatment. It is getting hard for Elaine to make the trek up and down the stairs. “Even for me to walk up and down these stairs was tough. I know she wants to be there for my appointments, so I am not going to say don’t go,” explained Laura Goodman. “I feel like she is a prisoner stuck in her apartment.” https://youtu.be/uZNcU1lbAzs “I really try to use the stairs just once a day,” said Elaine. “I usually can go down the stairs, but going up the stairs is very difficult. I have to do one step at a time.” Gold Management Property was hired to manage the property in November of 2022. Elaine has seen several management companies during her time living there, but she says the old management was more responsive when the elevator broke down. “In the past, usually two weeks and it’s fixed. This has been two months,” said Elaine. The Goodmans reached out to the Gold Property Management group looking for answers. The Goodmans showed WBZ a long email chain of reasons and excuses for the delays. We reached out to Gold Property Management, but the Board of Trustees for the building has asked them not to comment. The Board may issue a statement in the future. https://youtu.be/mqD3MfOGChc The special screening of the second season of the BET+ original music/drama “Kingdom Business” presented by BET+ and Motown Gospel celebrate its highly anticipated return with the second season that sees Kirk Franklin back overseeing the music, along with Warryn Campbell and Marcus Carter. https://youtu.be/fdiTZx6wjlk The series stars Yolanda Adams, Michael Jai White, Louis Gossett, Jr., Michael Beach, Serayah McNeill, La’Myia Good, Chaundre A. Hall-Broomfield, and Tamar Braxton. The 2nd season will have appearances by Michelle Williams, Erica Campbell, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Israel Houghton, David and Tamela Mann, and Loretta Devine. https://youtu.be/7DnfITKD5O8 Tyler Perry became visibly emotional when ABC The View host Sarah Haines said she met his mother through his new documentary titled, “Maxine’s Baby,” named after his later mother. One person noted, “I don’t think she recognized the power of her words until seeing his reaction…” However, many people on social media took issue with Whoopi Goldberg making the touching moment awkward with her off the wall statement. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWwrfUgJS-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Yvonne Orji made her directorial debut at the 2023 Urban World Film Festival with a short film “Jamaal: A Day in the Life of a Black Man with no ADDITIONAL trauma,” which she wrote and directed. She worked with Paul Feig‘s company Powder Keg which allows comedic female directors an opportunity to direct a short centered around “a day in a life” story scenario. Yvonne shot her film within one day with leading actors Derrick A. King and Marija Abney. The “Insecure” alum tapped her former co-workers Jay Ellis, Prentice Penny and Melina Matsoukas for advice. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUaTzCyfxs/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c491fd3c-d991-4f40-b0d4-119477ca7f72 During a panel at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, for “Sounds Architects: A Producer Conversation” on Oct. 30, 2023, the mega-producer was asked about Justin Timberlake‘s diss track “Cry Me A River” seeing a resurgence since the release of Britney Spears‘ memoir. “I wanted to call and say, ‘JT, you gotta put a muzzle on that,'” he dismissively joked. The comment sections on social media were not on his side, “I think you should apologise for that disgusting and disrespectful towards Britney Spears she has done nothing to you Timbaland you are in the f wrong mate no else,” tweeted on person. “After what #MuzzleTimbaland said about Britney. I really hope that other artists refuse to work with him. You can’t talk about women like that. https://twitter.com/PopBase/status/1721949641435169146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1721968744547655981%7Ctwgr%5Ef24946d4851f0705ee4ac5d5ae8e24eeb3dced93%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fyvonne-orji-makes-directorial-debut-at-2023-urban-world-film-festival-timbaland-says-justin-timberlake-should-muzzle-britney-spears-more-picvideos%2F Mike Epps and his wifey Kyra Epps host a new HGTV show called “Buying Back The Block.” The couple intends to buy back Mike‘s childhood neighborhood and build “up the community…while giving super killer designs.” The show debuts this Wednesday, November 8th. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUijLtx-Gh/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=82350795-5537-4fd0-a91d-ce90cb81ac1b Yoav Peled says he has started wondering if the world has gone mad. He doesn’t understand why the world seems to be against Israel’s war in Gaza. Sitting outside the Kirya, Israel’s equivalent of the Pentagon in Tel Aviv, Peled was cutting pieces of yellow ribbon off a large wheel last Thursday, handing them out to strangers passing by. The bands symbolize solidarity with the roughly 240 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. It is this solidarity – and specifically whether it still extends beyond Israel’s borders – that Peled was questioning. “I used to consider myself part of the extreme liberals, whatever they call themselves. But when I see demonstrations with cries in support of Hamas and stuff like that, I doubt that the world understands complexity … and when they can’t understand complexity, they see this as a one-sided thing and their sense of justice is very simple. But it’s not simple,” he told CNN. “I think the governments understand this, but the people… I don’t know.” As global leaders continue to pile pressure on Israel over the mounting civilian death toll from its bombardment of Gaza and huge crowds gather for pro-Palestinian protests in cities like London, Washington DC, Berlin, Paris, Amman, and Cairo – almost all in support of civilians in Gaza, rather than Hamas – many Israelis are getting frustrated with what they see as unequal treatment. Dr. Torri J. Evans-Barton, the Founder & CEO of The Fatherless Generation Foundation Inc. (TFGF), is celebrating having reunited 8,400 fatherless children with 3,281 biological fathers. She says that she believes fatherlessness creates an identity issue along with a slew of other emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual issues. Dr. Torri J. herself grew up without her biological father finally reuniting with him when she was 31 years old. She comments, “Finding my biological father at 31 years old caused me to discover my identity and realize the significance of a father’s role in our lives. I believe, if possible, all human beings should have the same opportunity I was provided. By reuniting with my biological father I was positioned to heal from the trauma fatherlessness introduced!” Her reunification with her father has been the catalyst and the blueprint for helping fatherless children do the same. Her pain of growing up fatherless and healing from that pain is what led her to launch her foundation and reunite fatherless children with their biological fathers.“Fatherlessness is an indoctrination into trauma and dysfunctional behavior that is normalized within certain communities leaving children wanting a daddy so bad, but afraid to reunite with him,” says Dr. Torri J. Her foundation normalizes reunification, has a vision of Eradicating Fatherlessness Through Reunification, and helps its clients with a step-by-step action plan to getting the successful reunite the child within their desires. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_r47IgUZV/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c3e1b80d-b06d-49b0-b39b-9ceb49a01bc2 Phaedra Parks seemingly shaded her former “RHOA” castmates during her appearance over the weekend at BravoCon 2023. Bravo hosted more than 160 Bravolebrities (and fans) at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas from Nov. 3 through Nov. 5. The event featured a mash-up of panels, fan photo experiences, meet and greets, activations, and host booths at the Bravo Bazaar shopping experience, per the news release. Parks hit the red carpet and talked to Access Hollywood about her past and present experiences with reality shows. “It’s been a great experience,” she said about joining the new season of “Married to Medicine,”The Blast reports. “These are obviously doctors, so they’re very smart, very intelligent.” https://youtu.be/yW5xxt9fkj8 Tiffany Pollard dragged “Apprentice” star Omarosa Manigault Newman on the latest episode of E!’s new reality series “House of Villains.” On the Nov. 2 episode, Pollard found herself on the hitlist of castmates up for elimination. When it came time for her to explain why she deserved to stay in the house, she shaded Omarosa with an epic read. “I’m the original, H-B-I-muthaf**kin’ C, and I deserve my spot here in the House of Villains. So I need y’all to keep me here. I don’t want a sympathy vote. I don’t need a sympathy vote. But I need y’all to understand the pecking order,” Pollard said, MadameNoire reports. “So you don’t want my sympathy vote, is that what you’re saying,” Newman responded, prompting Pollard to call the former White House staffer a “c*m-guzzling Republican c**t.” “Since I already said that, Omarosa. May I also say that I find you to be a cock-sucking, c*m-guzzling Republican c**t? And I sleep better at night knowing that you’re not in the White House,” Pollard stated bluntly. https://www.tiktok.com/tag/houseofvillains?refer=embed “House of Villians” finds reality TV veterans facing off under the same roof where they live and compete against each other to find out who is the ultimate “villain,” according to a press release. The contestants compete weekly in a battle royale challenge for the ultimate $200,000 cash prize. The challenge winner is safe from elimination, but one villain is eliminated at the end of the week. Per Urban Hollywood 411, “The villain who manages to out-scheme the rest of the group will win the cash prize and the title of “America’s Ultimate Supervillain,” the outlet writes. The “House of Villains” cast also includes “90 Day Fiancé’s” Anfisa Arkhipchenko; “Love is Blind’s” Shake Chatterjee; “Survivor’s” Jonny Fairplay; “Love & Hip Hop: Miami’s” Bobby Lytes; “The Bachelor’s” Corinne Olympios; “Vanderpump Rules’” Jax Taylor, and “Bad Girls Club’s” Tanisha Thomas. As MadameNoire reports, Pollard spoke exclusively to Page Six about why she was participating in the series. “When [my] agency called me and pitched it to me, I thought, ‘This sounds like old-school reality TV.’ [We’re] getting back to the roots, in a house living with people you don’t know, strategizing, conniving and backstabbing. It’s delicious.” GMA host Michael Strahan has been absent from the daytime talk show and will miss more tapings due to “personal family matters.” The former NFL star will be out for another week, The Blast reports. A spokesperson for the television network said: “Michael Strahan will not be with us this week as he is dealing with some personal family matters. We appreciate everyone’s thoughts and concerns.” Strahan has missed two weeks of tapings, and he’s been silent on social media since October 25. ABC anchor Linsey Davis is filling in until he returns. Strahan is an analyst on Fox NFL Sunday and has not taped the program for the past two weeks. https://youtu.be/lyG5uWmwwrE Strahan is a dad to four adult children from two separate marriages. Per People, he shares his two older kids, Tanita, 31, and Michael Jr., 28, with his first wife, Wanda Hutchins, and his 19-year-old twins, Isabella and Sophia, with his ex-wife, Jean Muggli. In 2021, Strahan took a trip to the edge of space with four other astronauts on board the Blue Origin. After the trek, he said, “I wanna go back.” “You got to get that perspective,” Strahan added.He also remarked on the darkness during the 10-minute flight. https://youtu.be/m19iiZ0M2tY Check out an exclusive clip from this week’s new episode of the gameshow “Snake Oil” featuring comedian JB Smoove.In our exclusive clip from Wednesday night’s episode, JB Smoove hilariously expresses his suspicion of “The Perfect Goatee” being a genuine product. David Spade hosts and produces the gameshow about entrepreneurs pitching products to contestants, who must determine which ventures are real with the help of celebrity advisors. Will Arnett serves as an executive producer, Deadline reports. Spade explains in this video that the “Snake Oil” contestants “must determine which products are real and which are a sham, all in a bid to win “life-changing money” (“almost a quarter-million dollars”),” per TV Line. https://vimeo.com/882069641 Samuel L. Jackson slammed Colorado coach Deion Sanders after the Buffaloes 26-19 loss to No. 16 Oregon State. As Sports Illustrated reports, Jackson was critical of the college football team’s game management and said Deion’s son, Shedeur Sanders, would soon be playing “wheelchair football.” “CU Buffs Football- Brain Farts all around, the OC can’t call 3 run plays to get off the field! The DC can’t get his guys to stop a baby carriage!! (Shedeur) can barely walk & is going to end up playing wheelchair football behind that OLine,” Jackson said, per SI.com. “My rage is better served watching villains in a good Bollywood movie!! “Shamshera”, here I come!!! No more Buffball tonight!!!!” Meanwhile, back in September, controversial internet troll Charleston White sparked outrage after offering $20,000 to any college football player who injures Shedeur Sanders, the son of coach Deion Sanders. Lori Harvey reportedly deleted all photos of boyfriend Damson Idris from her Instagram account, prompting fans to speculate the pair broke up. Idris has disabled his Instagram completely, according to RapUp. According to the outlet, many fans online noted that Harvey attended Kendall Jenner’s Halloween party alone, fueling rumors that the two are no longer dating. Harvey is known for her high-profile relationships. She’s been romantically linked to Future, Diddy, and Michael B. Jordan. As RapUp reports, when Harvey and Idris began dating, rapper Meek Mill tweeted, “Y’all let that gal f#%k anybody.” Meek later clarified that he was not referring to Lori. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWxHihuPOi/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4a0626ba-9cf5-47a4-b48b-1ffec7f95bad On November 3rd, the Soul of Santa “Do Good” Foundation released the first ever soundtrack for a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – the “Soul of Santa Christmas Album,” featuring 12 songs all by Kansas City artists! The compilation executive produced by Shawn Edwards and curated by the foundation’s CEO Tucker Lott pays tribute to the metropolis’ jazz heritage while also incorporating the sounds of Kansas City’s Hip-Hop community and showcasing the city’s wealth of R&B talent with a mix of original music and covers of timeless holiday classics. https://youtu.be/DRPfeogUZAs Missy Elliott left social media gagging when she posted two pictures of her mother, Patricia Elliott. Fans were left befuddled at the youthful appearance of Missy’s Mom Dukes. “Mom?! Ain’t no way!!! I need to be going to the same church mama at! ??????,” tweeted one fan. Yep, God’s word comes through in the clutch, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagles. Psalm 103: 1-5.” Patricia is a faithful Jesus follower, and God has done well by her. The praises continued with others posting, “Yes! She’s always been fine fine! Google Patricia Elliot!! ??,” said another person. One fan couldn’t believe their eyes and wrote, “Naw this crazy cause missy in her 50s ain’t no way this 30-year-old woman is her momma.” Believe it, baby! One IG user posted, “Pharrell wasn’t lying when he said it’s “something in the water” because all these people from Virginia don’t age!” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-NqfFpXMAAy8xy?format=jpg&name=medium A fan of Rod Wave was so all the way hyped at one of his performances that the unidentified person jumped on stage. When security noticed the intruder, the fan quickly got on his ‘catch me if you can vibe’ and jumped back into the crowd. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWPUI6sPoK/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=102e5d86-cfc3-452f-a436-068087734ca3 Kevin Hart and his sons, Hendrix, 15, Kenzo, 5, showed up and showed out with a dance declaring their loyalty to the Philadelphia Eagles; he captioned the adorable video, “@funnybullqull__ …. The Hart men have officially responded ?????????? E A G L E S ??’ ssssss …. Happy Sunday People!!!!!!! #Harts.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzSDA9Jvjfy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Shereé Whitfield attended Bravo Con 2023 but injured her toe before the event. The SHE by Shereé founder used a wheelchair because she found it too painful to walk. RHOC cast member Tamra Judge used Shereé‘s famous catchphrase with a twist while coming in with the assist. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWeFR2rEmP/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2251c1a2-362f-4c1f-a9b4-433d5e329a22 New Edition announced dates for their upcoming Las Vegas residency starting in 2024. New Edition: Las Vegas will kick off Feb. 28 at the Wynn Las Vegas Encore Theater, the AP reports. “We just caught lightning in a bottle,” said New Edition member Ronnie DeVoe. “We’re looking to touch that stage and continue on with the legacy,” he added. “This is going to more theatrical than our Legacy and Culture tours,” Bobby Brown said. “This will be a lot more intimate. We wanted it to be up, close and personal for our fans.” New Edition talk Vegas residency (L-R) Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, and Ronnie DeVoe of New Edition at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The group, consisting of Michael Bivins, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, and Ricky Bell, hasn’t released an album since 2004 but has toured for the past couple of years, including two consecutive North American tours. “We have each other, we have our health, we have our families. Everybody’s still here,” said Bell, per the AP. “Our audience got a chance to see growth, bond, brotherhood,” Bivens said. “Sometimes that’s bigger than any record because people come to look for separation. But I think we’ll give them the glue.” In the lead-up to their residency, DeVoe said the group will likely release new music. “It makes sense,” he said. “I think it’ll be a great time to get in the studio and put our vocals on something new and fresh.” Meanwhile, we reported previously that Bivins’ life story is unpacked in a new documentary on the streaming channel ALLBLK. “The Hustle of @617MikeBiv” details the kid from Roxbury, Massachusetts’s Orchard Projects who dreamed of playing in the NBA, but, due to his popularity as a baller, was asked to join the legendary group New Edition. “I did what I had to do, and I did it by any means necessary,” Bivins says in the trailer. https://youtu.be/lV-K1RSDq6o While personalizing one’s vehicle is a long-cherished American tradition, the federal government is warning that one particular customization option can result in serious injuries in a crash. The little rhinestone bedazzled ring you’ve slapped over the manufacturer’s logo on the steering wheel has got to go. Car owners should not affix hard stick-on decorations to the center of a vehicle’s steering wheel, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in an announcement Monday. People should immediately remove any decorations they may have already put on their steering wheel, the agency said. Those decorations could become shrapnel-like projectiles in a crash, potentially causing serious, or even fatal, injury. “At least one driver suffered a serious injury that resulted in the loss of sight in one eye when an aftermarket emblem adorned with rhinestones became dislodged from the steering wheel in a crash and hit the driver in the face,” NHTSA said. https://youtu.be/8nJdtjSZNWk Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed California’s new gun law legislation enhancing gun safety measures, further solidifying California’s position as a national leader in implementing controls on the use and distribution of firearms. Joined by Attorney General Rob Bonta, lawmakers, gun safety advocates, and gun wound survivors, Newsom introduced at a press conference several of the gun laws he signed. They included Senate Bill (SB) 2, authored by Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank), which reinforces the state’s public carry regulations; and SB 452, authored by Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), which mandates the use of microstamping on handgun cartridges to help trace guns used in crimes. SB2 imposes new restrictions for obtaining a concealed-carry weapons (CCW) permit. According to Portantino’s office, the law ensures licensees are law-abiding citizens over 21 years of age; establishes an appeal process for denied CCW licenses; introduces gun handling, loading, unloading, and storage training requirements; and restricts locations where people can legally carry firearms. https://youtu.be/JIP0D0CvbH0 Gabriel shares the Governor’s perspective. “It’s shameful that gun manufacturers are reaping record profits at the same time that gun violence has become the leading cause of death for kids in the United States,” he said. AB 455, authored by Assemblymembers Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) and Diane Papan (D-San Mateo), keeps guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous individuals. Two more public safety laws, Newsom signed a deal limiting ghost guns and the “relinquishment of firearms.” AB 725, authored by Quirk-Silva and Papan, updates the definition of a firearm to include ghost gun parts. AB 732, authored by Assemblymember Mike Fong (D-Alhambra), simplifies the process for removing firearms from people who are prohibited from owning them. https://youtu.be/lFk-bKNaHik An NAACP chapter calls for the principal at Columbia Central High School to apologize after including Jason Aldean’s song “Try That in A Small Town” in a pre-game video montage honoring the football players. In the letter to Principal Michael Steel, local Maury NAACP representatives said it received complaints about the controversial song that many have blasted as being racist, The Tennessean reports. “The disturbed looks on many attendees’ faces visually expressed their disgust. Over the past couple of days, complaints and negative comments turned into a full week of disbelief,” the letter said. In response to the song choice, representatives from the organization requested an official meeting to discuss the Sept. 29 game and why the tune is triggering for many people, but Chapter president Terry Hannah told The Tennessean that Steele rejected the meeting. “This song has already been banned on several media outlets and social platforms across the nation,” Hannah states in the letter. “We want to go on record that as an organization we have received numerous complaints and calls voicing major concerns. https://youtu.be/b1_RKu-ESCY Andy Cohen addressed NeNe Leakes’ future with “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” during BravoCon Saturday. “I’m a nostalgic guy. She and I came up together and there’s always room in my heart for, you know, everybody,” he told a fan at the Las Vegas event, Page Six reports. Per video footage shared online, when the fan asked whether Leakes could return to the show after she accused Cohen and the network of racial discrimination, the executive producer replied, “Who knows? I mean, she asked me a few years ago to keep her name out of my mouth, so I try to respect that.” Leakes is an “RHOA” OG, appearing on the series from Seasons 1 to 7 and returning for 10 to 12 before departing the show in 2020. She filed a discrimination lawsuit in 2022 against Cohen, NBCUniversal, Bravo, and production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original, alleging they fostered a racist and hostile work environment, per Page Six. She ultimately dropped the lawsuit “without prejudice” — meaning she can revisit the case later. https://twitter.com/i/status/1720862720218825101 New Orleans is a city renowned for its vibrant musical heritage. The Crescent City hosted a new event (NOLA MusicCon) to make its mark on the bustling cultural scene. At the event to be interviewed was hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh. A jubilant and joyous crowd of 300 people was in attendance for the inaugural NOLA MusiCon, a music conference aimed at connecting industry professionals, musicians, students, and enthusiasts. The awesome event closed out October’s Music Month. NOLA MusiCon is a significant milestone for the burgeoning music scene in the heart of the Crescent City. NOLA MusiCon was excited to be a part of the newly minted New Orleans Music Month, spearheaded by NOLA MusiCon Platinum Partner New Orleans & Company. “Our mission for NOLA MusiCon is two-fold: to inform and educate artists and music industry professionals, and to show that New Orleans not only has the best music in the world, it is also a great place to grow your music business.” Executive Producer, Melissa O’Brien. “This conference is a testament to the city’s cultural significance in the realm of music. Soulja Boy reflects on how some of the OG hip hop heads hated on his 2007 self-released debut single “Crank That.” Snoop Dogg and Ice-T were some rappers who told him his music “sucked.” One person posted, “His ain’t lyin idk y people don’t wanna give him his props for the feel-good fun music he had out that shit used to crank what’s the problem?????” Another concurred, “It’s too many people in the world to condemn his music. It’s not my taste but at the end of the day, he sold millions and had millions of fans. At the end of the day, he didn’t work outside of the music industry. I work a p***y ass job so I’d look like a clown to say his music sucks.” Soulja also took issue with J. Cole criticizing his artistry. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzRMCOerYcp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Toni Braxton and Birdman still go together, real bad, causing a seismic shock on social media driven by fans scratching their heads. “This will always be the strangest combination to me,” said one person about the couple. “This one relationship I still don’t believe is real I’m sorry ????,” joked another fan. Another social media user cautioned, “Some of these “hood” ??’s are the sweetest most caring people you will ever meet lol don’t judge them by the tattoos and stuff.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzR-kCLLYQD/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ccca7066-8dda-45c3-96e9-5d22d0baf674 Jeezy and Nia Long have a heart-to-heart conversation and the full video will be available on Tuesday 11.7 at 3pm EST on YouTube. Jeezy captioned the video clip, “Your truth will set you free, but not until it’s finished with you. I Might Forgive, But I Don’t Forget one on one conversation with Ms. @iamnialong.” One fan stated, “This sh-t looks very good. it’s the conversion that’s most important for us brothers to have an outlet to express ourselves this is dope.” Webbies, will you be watching? https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUSkCxuH8G/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Missy Elliott is the first female rapper inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Check out her acceptance speech and her full performance. https://youtu.be/VhiPA1321SY Media mogul Tyler Perry appeared on “CBS Mornings” on Tuesday to discuss his new documentary “Maxine’s Baby” and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Perry said a camera crew followed him for ten years to make the documentary about his career journey, and he had no creative control. “It’s not a story that I’m telling … It’s my life,” Perry told the “CBS Mornings” co-hosts. “If that happens, then it was all worth it for me.” This upcoming documentary is named after Perry’s mother, Maxine, who passed away in 2009 after a long illness https://youtu.be/DjXlidHoPyU Perry’s career as an actor, writer, producer, and director spans three decades, and his movies have grossed $1.5 billion at the domestic box office. In October 2019, the entertainment mogul opened Tyler Perry Studios on the site of a former 330-acre Confederate military base in Atlanta. He closed his studios to stand in solidarity with the unions amid the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strikes. “As we’re looking at all of this and as we’re negotiating, it is so important that [SAG-AFTRA president] Fran Drescher, [SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator] Duncan Ireland, the whole negotiating committee have done a fantastic job moving this forward … but it’s really important to know when we’ve won. This is only a three-year deal. In two years, two-and-a-half years, we’ll be renegotiating again,” Perry said. “So we have to know what have we won, and what have we won for now? That’s the thing. For now. … If I had ran my business trying to get everything at once, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve got as much as I can for now, so let’s see what we can do next.”. https://twitter.com/i/status/1721912730402038178 The Washington D. C. mother of a 12-year-old suspected carjacker turned him in to the police after his teenage accomplice was fatally shot by a cop. The boy’s mother called the police on October 31 after seeing a photo of her child the authorities shared in relation to the carjacking case, the Daily Mail reports. His alleged 13-year-old accomplice, a seventh grader named Vernard Toney Jr., was a suspect in a number of previous carjackings. Toney was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer during the latest incident. The other minor was not injured in the shooting. He was recently processed in a juvenile court, the Daily Mail reports. “(Toney) was known to the Metropolitan Police Department, and it’s just unfortunate that this particular incident happened on Saturday night that caused him to no longer be here,” said Acting Chief of Police Pamela Smith. According to a DC police detective, the officer was seated inside his vehicle and checking his phone when the two boys approached the car from behind. Surveillance video captured the boys approaching the car from behind. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1721643713699663872/WJDqAZmb?format=jpg&name=small Taraja Ramsess, a stuntman, actor, and martial artist known for his work on the “Black Panther” and “Avengers” movies, is being mourned after he and three of his children were killed as a result of a car crash in Georgia last week. He was 41. Atlanta TV station WSB-TV reported that the crash occurred just before midnight on Halloween after the vehicle Ramsess and his children were traveling in collided with a tractor-trailer that had broken down in the left lane of an exit off the interstate. His mother, Akili Ramsess, a photojournalist who is executive director of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), announced his death and that of two of his daughters in an Instagram post. https://youtu.be/P4m-2ktludY She also wrote that two of Ramsess’ daughters survived the accident, with his three-year-old, Shazia, being hospitalized with his 10-year-old son, Kisasi, who she wrote was on life support. In a subsequent post, she shared that Kisasi had also died. His long-time friend and X3 Sports trainer Tony Tucci told WSB-TV, “When I first heard about it, I broke down. I had to sit down.”“He was always a family man,” Tucci said. “They would come and sit and watch him train, and they would jump in and start training too.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzJKC73rBOz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4da4bb42-4f0c-465b-b4cc-68886f8eafe0&img_index=1 A Houston man will serve 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing a New Jersey single father in a “jealous ambush.” James Ray Lane, 24, pleaded guilty in August to murder for fatally shooting Gregory L. Moore on June 28, 2021. According to RadarOnline.com, Moore and three of his friends traveled for vacation from New Jersey to Texas in June 2021, where they stayed at an Airbnb in Spring, as Front Page Detectives reported. While there, Moore invited a woman he met out on the town to his Airbnb. At the time, she was dating Lane, who tracked her to Moore’s Airbnb via her cell phone location. Lane drove to the house and pistol-whipped Moore and his girlfriend before shooting Moore multiple times. The woman and Lane then left the scene together. Moore died at the scene. Detectives identified Lane as Moore’s killer days later, based on cell phone data and witness accounts. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1719479110211133440/tFbs0ewh?format=jpg&name=small As a Black, queer woman, Leah Johnson always dreamed of being a storyteller. “When you can see yourself in fiction, where you can see your experiences reflected back to you, it is an assertion that there is nothing wrong with you. You are not alone,” she said. Johnson’s debut young adult novel, “You Should See Me in a Crown,” follows Liz Lighty, a Black teen who runs for prom queen to get a scholarship, only to fall in love with her classmate, Mack, who is also competing for the crown. Time Magazine named the book one of the “100 Best YA Books of All Time” and in 2021 Johnson won an honorary Stonewall Book Award for young adult novels that reflect the LGBTQ experience. https://youtu.be/jCrhybfjmvQ In 2022, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office told local outlets it would review more than 50 school library books for alleged “obscene” material. Johnson’s novel was among the books challenged, according to a list obtained and published by The Frontier. The state’s Attorney General’s office later walked back its investigation, but for Johnson, an author who primarily writes about people of color and the LGBTQ experience, the damage had been done. This year, after her home state of Indiana passed a law that bans books deemed to be “obscene” or “harmful to minors” from school libraries, Johnson said she felt she had to act. “I was raised very religious. And one of the things I learned growing up is that when the spirit calls, you gotta answer – and I felt called to open the bookstore,” she told CNN. https://youtu.be/Rzt0Sah9gF8 “Shameful” Cal DOJ Report: Hospitals Ignored Racial Bias Training Mandated to Address Black Women’s High Maternal Death Rate is highlighted in today’s California Black Media Political Playback. Four years ago this month, Senate Bill (SB) 464, also known as California’s Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law, authored by LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, when she served in the State Senate, mandated that healthcare facilities implement training to address unconscious racial bias toward expectant mothers to address California’s high maternal death rate among Black women. However, a report released by the California Department of Justice on Oct. 27, four years after the law was enacted, found that most hospitals and clinics either failed to implement the training or instituted it late. “The disparity in maternal death rates in California reflects the deep and shameful racial inequities in our healthcare system,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement the DOJ released Friday. Baptist Academy situated in Obanikoro, Lagos, is one of the oldest schools in Nigeria founded in 1855. A school this writer attended and when the Baptist Academy Old Students Association United Kingdom (BAOSA UK) embarked on raising funds to install Smartboards in classrooms at the school, thus began a journey to achieve the digitalization of the school’s Classrooms and Laboratories.BAOSA UK is an organization set up to unite former students of Lagos Baptist Academy and to support the school via various “giving back” projects. The main focus is to continuously provide physical, financial, and moral support to the students and the school’s senior leadership team. Baptist Academy is affiliated to the Nigerian Baptist Convention. It is a sister school to Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls’ Secondary School, Yaba Lagos hence the involvement of activities together, home and abroad. The school was established by the American Baptist Missionaries. Trina has come to the defense of raunchy rappers Sexyy Red and Sukihana, who face criticism over their oversexualized lyrics. “They are over 21, and they can do whatever they want to do,” said Trina in an interview at One Musicfest, adding, “this is a freedom of speech like we’re not locked up, we’re not chained down, say what you want to say, make music of what you feel like. If you don’t like it, don’t listen, that’s why we have ears,” she said, Complex reports. Trina’s comments come after rapper Khia slammed fans for comparing her to Sexyy Red and Sukihana. “These h*es was raised by Trina,” Khia said in a live chat on YouTube on Oct. 23, referencing her long feud with the fellow Miami artist, XXL Mag reports. “I’m ’bout tired of y’all comparing me to these h*es…I said ‘My neck, my back, my p*ssy and my crack’ and still had my hair tied up like a queen. First day, I ain’t changed a bit.” “It ain’t eating no n***as a*s and sucking no n***as toes,” Khia added, referencing Sexyy Red and Sukihana, who wrote a song about “eating ni**as ass.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1720555386309103733 Kid Cudi has spoken out in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war that has reportedly killed thousands. Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials. Israel subsequently launched airstrikes on Gaza –killing over 9,000 Palestinians, according to officials from the health ministry in Gaza, the AP reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cut off supplies of food and fuel in Gaza, as well as water, electricity, and medicine. “I can’t watch what’s happening in the world and remain silent,” wrote Kid Cudi about the Israel-Hamas conflict on Instagram Sunday, Complex reports. “I can’t imagine the pain people are feeling. Seeing their entire neighborhoods bombed, losing generations of family members, parents crying over their children’s lifeless bodies, communities turning into mass graves, people digging through rubble of their homes in hopes of finding remains of their loved ones,” his lengthy statement continued. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzRY-1UR-sj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4d977425-1ed1-4983-a417-937bb266e644 Will Smith is allegedly planning to revive his hip-hop career. According to an insider, Smith is plotting his comeback after being blacklisted for slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. “Heck, in the rap world, slapping a guy across the face for dissing his wife isn’t seen as a crime, it’s a badge of honor,” an insider told the National Enquirer, RadarOnline reports. “No one holds it against him and it makes Will feel that is where he can make his comeback.” Smith recently launched a new podcast called “Class of ’88,” which unpacks groundbreaking rap artists of that era. Will’s changed a lot since the old days,” said a close pal of Smith, per Radar. “He could go a little harder with his content now that he’s been kicked in the teeth!” The Gospel Spotlight's Ricky Dillard. He drops a new single "Hold On." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9GKqKEaXBM Variety is pleased to announce the first group of honorees for its seventh annual Hitmakers celebration. Topping the list as Hitmaker of the Year is SZA. The November 29 issue and accompanying event look back at the year in music and recognize the writers, producers, publishers, managers, and executives who helped make — and break — the 25 most-consumed songs of the year, as measured by Billboard and Luminate Charts. Hitmakers culminate with an invitation-only brunch held on Saturday, December 2, and presented by Sony Audio (Sony Corporation’s audio division) and its “For The Music” brand platform and campaign. “The goal of Hitmakers always has been to honor the top artists and songs of the year, and especially the people behind them,” said Variety Executive Music Editor Jem Aswad. “SZA, her ‘SOS’ album and tour, and her hits this year are not only a creative and commercial triumph but one with a reach that stretches far beyond the music world. We are so proud to honor her as our Hitmaker of the Year, and to honor Olivia Rodrigo, Metro Boomin, Maren Morris, and more.” At the event, Sony will celebrate the recent launch of “For The Music” by showcasing its 360 Reality Audio immersive music experience with an exclusive listening lounge. “For The Music” focuses on putting creator’s vision over everything to benefit music fans and empowering artists through its premier audio products and services. https://www.instagram.com/p/CwYhcFJv0XI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Candace Owens’ online commentary about the Israel-Hamas war is receiving support from pro-Palestinian social media users. On Friday, Owens wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “No government anywhere has a right to commit a genocide, ever. There is no justification for a genocide. I can’t believe this even needs to be said or is even considered the least bit controversial to state.” Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials. Israel subsequently launched airstrikes on Gaza, and more than 9,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to officials from the health ministry in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cut off food and fuel supplies, as well as water, electricity, and medicine in Gaza, Newsweek reports. Owens’ comment comes as pro-Palestinian activists accuse Israel of carrying out a genocide in Gaza. As Newsweek reports, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish nonprofit, said these claims are “not only inaccurate and misleading, but it serves to demonize the State of Israel and to diminish recognized acts of genocide.” https://twitter.com/SarahSamuel_/status/1721488940719288348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1721521737764925852%7Ctwgr%5Efdb1c494be5e9b703fac0a3636d182d96faff384%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fcandace-owens-slammed-over-genocide-tweet%2F Garcelle Beauvais sat down with Andy Cohen recently on “Watch What Happens Live,” and said she is still “recovering” after her teen son told her she hasn’t been present enough for him and his twin brother. https://youtu.be/U4QZnx-lTSo “I had to recover when it first happened, and then seeing the clips, now I’m recovering again,” she said of the moment with son Jax, 16, during the season 13 premiere of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Urban Hollywood 411 reports. “It’s hard,” she told Cohen. “As a child, I would never … talk to my mom like that,” she added but noted she and Jax are in a better place. https://youtu.be/NQ-5KT1iQ-4 After facing backlash for selecting a white artist to create the Harriet Tubman statue, the city of Philadelphia is moving forward with a Black artist’s winning design. Alvin Pettit’s design for the permanent, 14-foot bronze Tubman statue shows the abolitionist with her fists clenched in prayer as she prepares for battle. “This woman was a soldier, a scout, a union spy, a military strategist, and a war hero,” said the Jersey City–based sculptor. “Therefore, I captured a moment in time that shows her as a conqueror.” According to the Associated Press, Pettit’s “A Higher Power: The Call of a Freedom Freedom Fighter,” will portray Tubman as a military leader. https://twitter.com/i/status/1720489263450747340 The work will be the first portrayal of a historical Black woman in the city’s public art collection. A white male artist was initially selected by the city to create the statue, but he withdrew his submission amid heavy criticism at the time. “As an artist, it’s hurtful and it is traumatizing,” artist Dee Jones told city officials during a meeting in June 2022, according to BIN. “If it was an open call, and Wesley was chosen, it would be fine. But because the process wasn’t open, that’s the big issue.” Following the backlash, Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy issued an open call for submissions. Members of Tubman’s family ultimately helped choose Petitt for the design process. Petitt’s Tubman statue is expected to be completed in 2025. City funds will be used to fund the project, which will cost $500,000, Art News reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1719054065227714847 Lauryn Hill clapped back at criticism over her “tardiness” at shows during her current tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of her acclaimed debut album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” “Yo, y’all lucky I make it on this blood ras stage every night,” Hill told the crowd on Saturday night in Los Angeles, (which she was late to), Complex reports. “I don’t do it because they let me do it. I do it because I stand here in the name of God and I do it. God is the one who allows me to do it, who surrounded me with family and community when there was no support.” She continued, “When the album sold so many records, and no one showed up and said, ‘Hey, would you like to make another one?’ So I went around the world, and I played the same album over and over and over and over again. Because we are survivors, and we’re not just survivors, we’re thrivers.” The tour launched Sept. 8 in Minneapolis and features The Fugees as the opening act. “The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill is and was a love song to my parents, my family, my people, my musical and cultural forebears, my teachers, my loves, my Creator,” Hill previously shared in a press release. “I wrote love songs and protest songs–(still love songs) about the subjects and interests that inspired and moved me. I was confident that what inspired me would resonate with an audience that had been led to believe that songs of that kind could only live in the past.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1721223749532254519 Philosopher, civil rights activist, college professor, author, and former political prisoner Angela Davis put a lens on the deep-rooted damage domestic violence sows in the Black community, pulling from research she conducted for her 1999 book, “Blues Legacies and Black Feminism.” The book examines the careers of influential Black women blues singers Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ida Cox, Rosa Henderson, and Billie Holiday in historical, social, and political contexts. “I noticed that many of them sang about violence,” Davis said. “They sang about what was happening in their relationships.” On Oct. 30, Davis shared her perspective on domestic violence as part of a conversation that addressed the disproportionate impacts Domestic Violence has on Black women and families. The event, hosted by Blue Shield of California Foundation (BSCF) and the California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF), was held in Sacramento. CBFF is a five-year, $100 million initiative focused on Black power-building and ensuring movement-based organizations have the sustained investments they need to challenge systemic and institutional racism. As part of her Halloween costume, Ice Spice dressed as the iconic cartoon character Betty Boop. As part of her Halloween costume, Ice Spice dressed as the iconic cartoon character Betty Boop. The rapper sported a black bob and a risqué red dress that exposed her bootyliciousness throughout her performance at Power 105.1’s on Oct. 28 in Newark, NJ. However, many hip-hop fans were not impressed. “When the music is pure [trash can emoji] and the bars are beyond mediocre THIS is the last resort,” wrote one user on Instagram, per Vibe. Female hip-hop pioneer Nikki D added, “Oh come TF on!!! You mean to tell me, this is true talent.. the Female genre of hip hop today is the ‘prostitution era’, fight me!!,” she wrote. One critic commented, “… just be a stripper at this point Smfh,” while another IG user wrote, “Are you selling your music or a** cause I’m confused.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy961-1rFik/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Ice Spice recently teamed with Dunkin’ Donuts for her own limited edition beverage, and the commercial for the Ice Spice MUNCHKINS® Drink featured Ben Affleck. “I’ve always been a Dunkin’ girl!” she said. “Collaborating with Dunkin’ and Ben Affleck on this spot was a dream. The drink has a fun twist, a little something in the name for my fans, too. I can’t wait for everyone to try it.” “Pumpkin spice season has gotten a bit predictable lately, so we sought help from our friends Ben Affleck and Ice Spice to create a new pumpkin obsession that only Dunkin’ can offer,” said Jill McVicar Nelson, Chief Marketing Officer at Dunkin’, in a press release. “The result? The collaboration you never knew you needed: Pumpkin Munchkins and Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee, blended together to create the Ice Spice MUNCHKINS® Drink. It’s fun, it’s delicious and it’s not your ordinary pumpkin drink!” https://youtu.be/3HrQoNSDBHc La La Anthony, Alani Nicole “La La” Anthony, dropped some knowledge on “The Crew Has It Podcast” with Michael Rainey Jr. and Gianni Paola. The actress advised Gianni and Michael, “Do not send the same DM to girls that are friends.” La La explained girls will show their friends the messages, and it’s “giving copy and paste.” Rihanna paid $23,000 a week from 2018 to 2020 for a five-story, eight-bedroom house “built in 1844 by William Holme Twentyman and designed by royal architect John Shaw,” according to The Real Deal. The 6,300-square-foot property in London boasts such amenities as multiple dining rooms, and a gym, and plans to expand the pool and spa facilities, according to The Guardian. The luxurious abode went for sale in 2020 for $40 million and recently sold for a cool $33.4 million. De Beer diamond proprietor Daniel Francis was the person to own the home, boo! Ri Ri does own and rent other expensive accommodations. With a net worth of $1.4 billion, Forbes reports, the “Diamonds” singer spent $21 million on a Century City penthouse, “for herself, partner A$AP Rocky, and their two children. In February, she rented a Paradise Valley mansion for $500,000 a week ahead of her Superbowl Halftime show.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzOciDtMlNr/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fea97b34-0487-4f37-8fd6-24abf2696af3 Comedian and actor Donnell Rawlings admitted he is a Swiftie, and his favorite part of Taylor Swift‘s song “Anti-Hero” is the lyrics, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.” https://youtu.be/v0n6PNLLk6I Snoop Dogg wore matching diamond dripping crown rings with his Shante Monique Broadus for her bday. One person noticed, “She walked so all the other rappers’ wives and gfs could run ??.” They don’t call her Boss Lady for nothing. Happy belated burfday! https://www.instagram.com/p/CzPRWySyGil/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9b3b34f2-994d-4084-b9de-2bb0caea8201&img_index=1c Kenan Thompson and his two daughters star in the latest commercial for Nintendo Switch. The holiday ad features the “Saturday Night Live” star and daughters Georgia, 9, and Gianna, 5, playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Party, and the newly released Super Mario Bros. Wonder, per Complex. https://youtu.be/ORJMi8HD0DQ GSN-“It’s pretty amazing to be on-set, shooting a new campaign, and to have that shoot be all about playing Nintendo games with your girls. I can’t ask for any more than that. And my girls loved it too,” said Thompson of the commercial. “We really tried to capture that in the video – how playing Nintendo games is a great way for people to have fun together and bond. My girls were really excited to play with me, but they definitely wanted to beat me too – we got pretty competitive!” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F98PearasAAGCbo?format=jpg&name=small Meanwhile, Paramount+ has released the official trailer for “Good Burger 2,” starring Thompson and Kel Mitchell. The new original movie sequel to the iconic ‘90s feature film is based on the sketch from the Nickelodeon comedy series “All That.” Per the news release: “The highly anticipated film sequel follows Dexter Reed (Thompson) and original cashier Ed (Mitchell) as they reunite in the present day at fast-food restaurant Good Burger with a hilarious new group of employees. “Here’s the synopsis: “In Good Burger 2, Dexter Reed is down on his luck after another one of his inventions fails. Ed welcomes Dex back to Good Burger with open arms and gives him his old job back. With a new crew working at Good Burger, Dex devises a plan to get back on his feet but unfortunately puts the fate of Good Burger at risk once again.” https://youtu.be/X4zD1p8yp-I The Gospel music supergroup with over 700 million digital streams, Anthony Brown & group therAPy, will release its first full-length album in four years on November 3, 2023. Their sixth oeuvre, Affirmations (Key of A / Tyscot / FairTrade), is a dozen soul-stirring tracks that showcase the dynamic outfit’s polished grasp of contemporary gospel music with sly touches of Classical, Hip-Hop, Pop, Pentecostal, and even Celtic flavoring. The first radio single, “Speak Your Name,” an enthralling anthem of praise, rises to No. 4 on this week’s Billboard Gospel Airplay chart. https://fts.lnk.to/Affirmations Get ready for the brand-new radio single from Melvin Crispell III titled, “God Is”! From his brand-new album, No Failure. Originally written in 1976 by Robert J. Fryson, Melvin brings a fresh breath of air to this Gospel classic that will have listeners praising many of God’s attributes! Melvin took his rich musical legacy to the top when he won the ninth season of BET’s Sunday Best in 2019. No Failure, his live sophomore album, is an in-depth look into who Melvin is becoming as he navigates life’s ups and downs and pushes past his comfort zone to get to a place where God promised victory. Through his own journey of healing and overcoming, No Failure serves as a transparent message of hope and a reminder that “there is no failure in Him.” https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/o95xgwf5l348sbhch3dt3/h?dl=0&preview=Melvin+Crispell+III-God+Is+(Radio+Edit).mp3&rlkey=jrrebl0aw66banku0rbgp1fzh Keith Lee believes Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson is “completely entitled” to his opinions, even though Lee does not agree with some of them. The former football player took exception to Lee’s critiques of some Black-owned restaurants in Atlanta and expressed that during a recent appearance with former player/sports commentator Shannon Sharpe on an episode of “Nightcap with Unc & Ocho” YouTube series. Sharpe brought up some recent conversation about Lee’s reviews and Johnson expressed his dislike. “I don’t like the fact of what he’s doing. I don’t like the critiquing of our restaurants and having people, and talking bad about our god**** businesses,” Johnson said. “You know how hard it is for us to even get in the food industry and to have our own restaurants. What are we doing?” Lee, a popular TikTok food critic, went viral after posting a series of reviews on Atlanta restaurants that included information about how he was unable to get food at some of the establishments. https://youtu.be/IvvfYaINZaU Earlier today while Tye was packing for the West Coast run of The Reunion tour, he got in an accident and suffered a gash to his face that resulted in him needing to get stitches. Although the doctor has requested for him to rest, Tye with the help of his wife @ShanteTribbett https://twitter.com/TyeTribbett/status/1721006698083578338?cxt=HBwWxMe39aeen-IvAAAA&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will premiere a new holiday movie,?"Heaven Down Here" on December 14th 8pm ET/PT. "Heaven Down Here" features an all-star multicultural cast - Krystal Joy Brown (“Girlfriendship”), Tina Lifford (“Queen Sugar”), Juan Riedinger (“Riverdale”), Richard Harmon (“Game, Set, Love”), and Phylicia Rashad ("Creed III"). Inspired by Mickey Guyton’s song of the same name, “Heaven Down Here” tells the story of four disparate people who find themselves stranded in a local diner on Christmas Eve when a snowstorm hits the town. Imani (Brown) is a widowed mother of two who’s having trouble making ends meet and reluctantly agrees to work the Christmas Eve shift, where she clashes with her boss Dan (Harmon), who doesn’t exactly embody the Christmas spirit. Felix (Riedinger) is a local pastor desperately trying to secure food for parishioners while his faith is challenged by his alienation by his son. Clara (Lifford) is a hospice nurse with an obstinate patient (Rashad) and whose daughter is moving away, causing her to question her place in this world. Throughout the evening, these four bicker, bond and unwittingly provide each other with the answer to their respective prayers. Damascus Road Productions in partnership with Eastern Sky Theatre Company, announces the upcoming release of its latest family-friendly film, “Bringing Back Christmas.” This fun for the whole family film is slated to premiere at a special Dream Center charity event in Los Angeles, followed by availability on global streaming platforms including Apple and Amazon Prime along with select theatrical showings on November 17 through Integrity Releasing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLtCkwd17JA Have you ever wanted to travel abroad by yourself, but were afraid or didn’t know where to start? Issia Lee, founder of one of the nation’s fastest-growing travel agencies, Issia’s Traveling Co., can show you exactly how to do it. The Atlanta-based entrepreneur and influencer has a passion for solo travel and showing others the ropes by organizing detailed trips to their dream destinations for fun, safe, and affordable experiences. Since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 25-year-old entrepreneur and visionary has successfully tapped into the trillion-dollar travel and tourism industry. She has solidified a reputation as a leader in securing luxury vacations for travelers at the best rates, providing upscale concierge services and specialty in hotels, vacation homes, cabins, car rentals, restaurants, and excursions. Recently, she has seen a growing number of bookings from people desiring to embark on solo trips. “My last three solo trips have been to Amsterdam, Medellin, Colombia, and Antigua, Guatemala. I had an amazing time at each of them, but Guatemala is probably my favorite so far,” said Issia Lee. “Most people wouldn’t even think to travel there. They tend to go to more typical locations like Cancun, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. So, I want to use my platform and my content to expose people to other great locations and to serve as a resource for those looking to travel alone.” Of course, as a young black woman, she frequently fields questions about the safety of taking these international adventures alone. Issia Lee maintains that while there are certainly potential dangers for any traveler who fails to take proper safety precautions, thorough research about the destination prior to departure can eliminate most, if not all issues. Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan on Friday accused President Joe Biden of supporting a Palestinian “genocide” and warned that Americans will remember when he’s up for reelection next year how he responded to the Israel-Hamas war. In a video posted to X, Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress, urged Biden to call for a ceasefire in the conflict – something the president and his administration has so far not done. “Mr. President, the American people are not with you on this one,” Tlaib said in the video, adding, “We will remember in 2024.” The video – which features images of protests with chants of “Free Palestine” and ‘From the river to the sea” across Michigan, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and New York – ends with text that states: “Joe Biden supported the genocide of the Palestinian people,” “The American people won’t forget,” “Biden, support the ceasefire now,” and “Or don’t count on us in 2024.” https://youtu.be/ksQlnIfNoFs Biden has resisted calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, including at the United Nations, and instead has said he supports so-called humanitarian pauses to allow for the release of hostages held there. Israel has a “responsibility,” the US president has said, to defend its citizens from terrorism. Neither he nor anyone in his administration has come close to criticizing how Israel is conducting its offensive. The congresswoman recently faced a GOP-led resolution to censure her over comments critical of Israel and in support of Palestinians. The House ultimately tabled the resolution, introduced by GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, earlier this week, but it cited a protest on October 18 in the rotunda of the Cannon House office building where activists called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Demonstrations are not allowed inside congressional office buildings. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Tlaib was not present at the protest in the Cannon building, but the congresswoman spoke at a rally in support of a ceasefire that took place outside of the Capitol that day. Responding to the censure resolution, Tlaib said in a statement, “Marjorie Taylor Greene’s unhinged resolution is deeply Islamophobic and attacks peaceful Jewish anti-war advocates. I am proud to stand in solidarity with Jewish peace advocates calling for a ceasefire and an end to the violence. I will not be bullied, I will not be dehumanized, and I will not be silenced. I will continue to call for ceasefire, for the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid, for the release of hostages and those arbitrarily detained, and for every American to be brought home.” https://youtu.be/I4UdDnC4POE A case involving an unclaimed son belonging to Jay-Z is bringing fraud charges against the legendary rhymesayer and the New Jersey court system. BlackNews.com is referencing activist Essie Berry as the one bringing the charges as she names 30-year-old Rymir Satterthwaite as the unclaimed son. According to Berry, Jay-Z was 23 years old when he and underaged 16-year-old Wanda Satterthwaite became parents to Rymir. Although Jay-Z refused to take a DNA test, Berry cited New Jersey law in her belief that the entertainer is still Rymir’s father. New Jersey state law states that refusal to take the test automatically makes Jay-Z Rymir’s biological father as long as he is a resident of New Jersey. The fraud charges come into play via Berry and Rymir’s Godmother, Dr. Lillie Coley. Coley stated that Jay-Z and his lawyers committed fraud by denying he owns residential properties in New Jersey. In addition to Jay-Z, Coley alleges fraud against the New Jersey court system, claiming it has been a challenge to successfully go against the “You Don’t Know” rhymer in a legal sense, in light of the court system protecting Jay-Z from being held accountable. “We are calling on President Joe Biden and the New Jersey Courts to make changes in our legal system to protect Black Americans’ rights,” Coley said. In Coley’s eyes, other African American mothers have dealt with the same situation when it comes to men fathering children and then leaving the state and/or defrauding the court system to believe that they never even lived in the state of New Jersey, Black News noted. https://www.instagram.com/p/CsBrS_JACr3/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3a0e86c1-13cc-42d3-8f93-ea257f5a8877 Kim Kardashian is making it her business to provide a male influence on her 7-year-old son Saint. That we believe would be a “Manny.” Recapping the latest episode of “The Kardashians” via Complex, Love B Scott reports the 42-year-old mother of four voiced the challenge in disciplining her kids, considering her parents did not discipline her back in the day. “It’s really hard for me to be really strict and to discipline a lot,” Kardashian admitted, per People. “My parents weren’t strict at all and sometimes because I’m really busy, it would be amazing if I had a partner who would tap me out and take over and handle it but, you know, it can’t happen like that.” As a result of her soft stance and her household and family being what she described as “very female-dominated,” Kim felt inspired to hire a male nanny. “I really wanted a male around that would be picking them up and taking them to sports, and I was scared out of my mind to tell their dad that,” continued the reality TV fixture, who referred to the nanny as a “manny.” https://youtu.be/0unCnwooYUM We’re hearing that Hollywood power couple Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union might be going their separate ways due to marital strife. Reports of Wade and Union’s marriage being in trouble apparently started as a blind item in the gossip blog Deuxmoi. The outlet says Wade was seen in the company of another woman in a so-called “intimate” setting. But that’s not all, the gossip site also claims that their source believes Wade and Union are doing a Will and Jada as in living separate lives while still married. Who knows. There could be something to the report as they weren’t on the same page earlier this year when Union said they 50/50 on all their finances. He sat down with Shannon Sharpe on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast and spoke on Union’s viral quotes after reading “think pieces going around about me as a man.” Adding to the breakup chatter, some are noting that Wade and Union seem to be posting fewer photos of the two of them together online — instead focusing on photos of their kids. Wade, 41, and Union, 51 are parents via surrogate to daughter Kaavia who will be 5 on November 7. The ex NBAer, meanwhile, is father to Xavier, 9, son Zaire, 21, and Zaya, 16. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzHBngWOmgp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c870e36d-4bad-47a8-a188-2afb2f4ae4e4 Donald Trump‘s adult children are taking the witness stand as a part of the Trump organization in his civil fraud case. It comes as no surprise that all three believe he is innocent. He allegedly inflated the value of his properties and net worth and forged bank documents to get loans. New York State Attorney General Letitia James is suing him for $250 million. The first to testify, Donald Trump, Jr. said he was not involved in the preparation of any of his father’s business dealings. He made a joke about not dealing with numbers since taking Accounting 101 in college. While under cross-examination by James’ attorney Colleen Faherty, the lawyer for the attorney general, he said he signed off on the documents. Both Donald Trump, Jr. And Eric Trump are named as co-defendants. Eric testified on Thursday after his brother finished. https://youtu.be/oWPTo656eLw Saturday November 11, 2023, the 24th annual Los Angeles “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference’s Professional Showcase lineup includes Hip-Hop R&B group MAKO Girls (“Lvls to This”) (pictured), veteran songwriter/singer John Ellison (“Some Kind of Wonderful”), and R&B’s Sheila (“Black Butterfly”). The ULMII entertainment conference offers a panel discussion with a long list of entertainment industry professionals that include talent agents, publishers, artist managers, musicians, legal advisors and more, then the professional showcase where the MAKO Girls, John Ellison, and Sheila will perform, and it ends with the national talent competition where three acts will win over $19,000 in products, services, and cash – along with the ULMII Best Artist Award. The MAKO Girls have been performing all over the world for over 10 years. They can dance, sing, and rap. They have performed as the opening act for Mindless Behavior (RCA Records). Signed to Sun and Sky Entertainment, the girls consist of Mimi, Kena, and A-Ni, who are currently promoting their EP “Lvls To This.” John Ellison (pictured below) is a Canadian-American Soul singer/songwriter signed to PopMi Music. He recently re-released his hit single “(She’s) Some Kind of Wonderful,” the 3rd most played song in the world, which he wrote in 1967. The hit single he will perform has been covered by over 70 artists. Sheila Wanamaker is an R&B singer/songwriter currently promoting her EP “Black Butterfly.” Her inspiration is her mentor, her youth choir director, Rev. John P Kee. Gorilla Glue may have generated headlines for Tessica Brown, but it’s love that’s got her on a new attachment. Gorilla Glue may have generated headlines for Tessica Brown, but it’s love that’s got her on a new attachment. TMZ reports Brown (aka Gorilla Glue Girl) is now engaged. The former viral sensation revealed she said “yes” to her boyfriend of two years, Brymon Brocks, earlier this month after he popped the question at her Violet, Louisiana home. According to the site, which noted the engagement happened on Brown’s birthday, the couple is “extremely happy” to be entering the next chapter in their relationship. Brown’s newly engaged status comes years after she caused a stir on TikTok when she said her hair was rock solid for a month after using Gorilla Glue instead of hairspray. At the time, the social media user voiced her embarrassment and stress over the incident, which resulted in her going to the ER and getting surgery to repair her scalp. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzEQEcGOQIs/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=10593e19-6afe-49c5-b8fb-6d84b09bc375 If you’ve been hungry for some new music from Paul Wall, your timing couldn’t be better. The Houston-based rapper – now sportin’ gray hair everywhere – is back with “Bounce, Rock, Skate.” The smoothed-out track features guests Bun B and Chalie Boy. Wall, 42, has always been a force to be reckoned with in the rap scene, and his latest musical endeavor is poised to reaffirm his status as a true icon. The collaboration with fellow Texas heavyweights Bun B and Chalie Boy promises to be an instant classic, embodying the soul and grit of Houston’s unique culture. More than likely if you’re an old school had, the title, “Bounce, Rock, Skate” will immediately make you think of the late 70s roller skating classic of the almost same title (“Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll“) by Vaughan Mason. But nope, even though Paul Wall’s “Bounce” has a vibe from back in the day, it’s totally different. And of course, he’s rapping and not singing. Check it via the player up top. https://youtu.be/ubDAlhK1JXU?list=OLAK5uy_mZmsrJI-7YqGzarcCCeBgLyCs-jtXWk1A A man brought his own brand of (street) justice to a thief he caught stealing from him. The neighbor’s weapon of choice? A belt. The alleged thief was captured on cell phone video receiving a spanking repeatedly with the belt outside an apartment complex.The incident attracted a crowd that made it worse for the thief by standing around the man and encouraging him to bring the old-school punishment to the perpetrator. Holding the thief while the man got the belt on him were two other men on the scene, according to Sandra Rose. “Turn the f*** around!” the man swinging the belt said. “That sh** hurts!” an onlooker yelled. https://twitter.com/i/status/1718680722976714851 The executive director of the North Dakota Republican Party has resigned after serving in his position for less than two weeks because it only took that long to discover he’s a racist and misogynist based on his online activity. Meet Dave Roetman. One look at Roetman’s X page and it’s clear that he’s your typical, generic, Bargain Basement brand white conservative: He’s a COVID conspiracy theorist and an anti-“woke” white grievance proselytizer who thinks “cancel culture” is an invention of “the left” despite right-wingers being the demonstrable “cancel culture” OGs. And, of course, he thinks President Joe Biden is a “pathological liar” while dry-humping the ex-president who tried to subvert (or “cancel”) democracy based on a “big lie” and gets fact-checked and found to be lying more than any other president in recent history. So, another white man whose entire social media presence is based around complaining about today’s America is telling Black people they should go back to a fictional part of Africa for—checks notes—complaining about America. And he also thinks women belong in the kitchen. All of this is just more proof that when Republicans say “make America great again,” they mean restore American society to a time when white men were in charge, women and Blacks knew their place and oppression was simply called “the American way.” The sad thing is he’ll most likely be replaced by someone who has the same opinions but is smart enough to be quieter about them. GSN-The United States Department of Justice says they are monitoring the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office after officers’ brutal September beating of 24-year-old Black man Le’Keian Woods. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F7c1ylNXIAAh-az?format=jpg&name=small The DOJ responded to a request from Woods’ attorneys, Harry Daniels and Marwan Porter, in early October to investigate his beating at the hands of police as well as JSO’s history of excessive violence, particularly against people of color. According to News4Jax, the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ responded Oct. 23 saying that they would look at Woods’ arrest and take appropriate action if they find a prosecutable federal criminal civil rights offense. https://twitter.com/i/status/1708622189564481631 The prosecutorial investigation into Michigan’s deadly environmental disaster widely recognized as the Flint Water Crisis is being unceremoniously “closed” without holding anyone criminally responsible for the mass lead poisoning that struck the majority-Black city of Flint. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office on Tuesday announced the latest developments in efforts to get any justice after the state supreme court refused to allow a criminal indictment to move forward against former Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican who was in office during the Flint Water Crisis in 2014 and 2015.Nessel’s office said the Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling effectively ended their case. “At this time the Court has left us with no option but to consider the Flint Water Prosecutions closed,” the office said in a statement. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9yatn2WkAAhnbV?format=jpg&name=small Ask any elderly Black person, and any Black historian in general, and likely they’ll tell you what a pivotal role the Black church played during the civil rights movement of the ’50s and ’60s. It was where protests were planned, where leaders congregated, where the community came to support each other, where resources were shared with Black people in need and it was often where the Black youth was educated in lieu of an American institution of education that was unwilling to teach anything that would empower any generation of Black Americans. And now there’s a certain loud and powerful segment of the U.S. that is bound and determined to “make America great again” by restoring mainstream American culture to one that ignores the nation’s deep history of racism and its effect on Modern-day America; one that oppresses and seeks the subjugation of the non-white, non-male, non-Christian, non-heterosexual and non-cis-gendered; one that moves to disenfranchise voters of color and one that is currently on a mission to uphold the whitewashing of American history to the benefit of white people and expense of everyone else. This means the Black church must, once again, take on the role of educating the communities they serve, and none of these churches know the importance of that like the ones in Florida. Now that Florida has approved teaching K-12 students that enslaved people benefited from slavery, approved classroom materials provided by PragerU—which was founded by a proud racist and produced “educational” videos teaching that Frederick Douglass would have agreed with America’s choice to prioritize white supremacy over ending slavery—and rejected an Advanced Placement course covering African American Studies, hundreds of Black congregations around the Sunshine State have taken it upon themselves to teach what America won’t. https://youtu.be/eewezvebtF4 Despite headlines created from her OnlyFans scandal, the wife of former NBA standout Joe Smith has not given up on her marriage. In an interview with “TMZ Live,” Kisha Chavis discussed the viral video of Smith finding out about her OnlyFans situation. According to Chavis, OnlyFans was one of a few things that led to her nearly 13-year marriage being on the rocks. In the clip, Smith holds nothing back, letting his wife know what he thinks about her having an OnlyFans account. “I can’t believe I’m sitting here just finding out you got an OnlyFans page,” Smith said. “Out of all these years, the disrespect that comes with it. You could’ve talked to me before you did it… That’s bulls**t. That’s f**ked up, Kish. I’m telling you, that’s f**ked up.” Issues the couple are dealing with include falling on tough times after Smith left the NBA and several money-making ventures Chavis created that fell victim to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. https://youtu.be/6A31QrUcXZg Salman al-Bashir, a journalist working for the Palestinian Authority’s TV channel, tore off his protective gear while reporting live on air after learning of the death of his colleague Mohammed Abu Hatab, according to Guardian News. The Palestinian news anchor in the studio could be seen crying. Bashir delivered an emotional report from outside the hospital where Hatab and his family were pronounced dead. As we said, the reaction from the news anchor in the studio was so emotional that she started crying at the news. Bashir added that journalists were not being protected and the protective vests and helmets labeled “press” were “merely a slogan.” Bashir said Hatab had been alive only 30 minutes before, adding that journalists reporting from Gaza were “victims live on television.” https://youtu.be/p3yDx_VWPd8 Aurora, Colorado police officer Nathan Woodyard ignored his training and repeatedly escalated his fatal 2019 encounter with Elijah McClain, a prosecutor said during closing arguments Friday in the suspended cop’s manslaughter trial. https://youtu.be/msJlMmoT-vE Woodyard, 34, has pleaded not guilty to reckless manslaughter and a lesser included charge of criminally negligent homicide. Woodyard, who remains suspended from the department without pay pending the trial’s outcome, is the third officer tried in connection with McClain’s death. Last month, a Colorado jury delivered a mixed verdict to the two other officers involved in the arrest. Randy Roedema, the senior patrol officer on scene who restrained McClain on the ground, was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and assault, while officer Jason Rosenblatt, who attempted an initial unsuccessful carotid hold, was acquitted of all charges. The case focuses on the events of August 24, 2019, when officers responded to a call about a “suspicious person” wearing a ski mask, according to an indictment. Officers confronted 23-year-old McClain, a Black massage therapist, musician, and animal lover who was walking home from a convenience store carrying a plastic bag with iced tea. He wore the mask because he was frequently cold, his family has said. https://youtu.be/htIMG08INXQ During a robbery at a convenience store, an employee hurled a 2-liter bottle of soda at an alleged shoplifter, knocking him out cold. The wild moment was caught on surveillance video that went viral last week. The footage shows a security guard confronting a male with a backpack filled with unpaid store items, SandraRose.com reports. The guard attempts to prevent the alleged shoplifter from exiting the store, so the culprit shoves shopping carts at him. That’s when a store employee throws a 2-liter bottle of soda at his head, rendering the man unconscious. Watch the Twitter clip below. It is unknown when and where the incident occurred. Meanwhile, retailers nationwide are fighting to contain an increase in store crimes. https://twitter.com/i/status/1719211721661796829 Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff recall their early days in music during the latest episode of Smith’s podcast “Class of ’88.” The duo discussed the pressure they faced during an album recording session in 1987. At the time, Jeff’s leg was in a cast, making it difficult to concentrate. Smith decided to use room-service butter knives to remove the deteriorating casting, The Blast reports. Will and Jeff were working on a new album for Jive Records in a London hotel room at the time and were “under pressure” to deliver the project “quickly.” “It had to be great. If we messed it up, we’d probably never get a chance to make another one. It was a big question back then if rap could really make money for record companies,” Smith stated. “Right before we left for London, Jeff broke his leg in a car accident. So when we finally arrived in our hotel, Jeff was in a full-length cast from his hip to his ankle,” Smith explained, per People magazine. It’s almost time for clocks to “fall back” one hour. On the second Sunday of March, at 2 a.m., clocks in most of the United States and many other countries move forward one hour and stay there for nearly eight months in what is called Daylight Saving Time. On the first Sunday of November, at 2 a.m., clocks fall back an hour to standard time. The current March to November system that the US follows began in 2007, but the concept of “saving daylight” is much older. Daylight Saving Time has its roots in train schedules, but it was put into practice in Europe and the United States to save fuel and power during World War I, according to the US Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Pro tip: It’s Daylight Saving Time, with singular use of “saving,” not “savings.” Reasons for Daylight Saving Time. https://youtu.be/vzm35tUQV64 During the energy crisis of the 1970s, we tried permanent Daylight Saving Time again in the winter of 1973-1974. The idea again was to conserve fuel. It was a popular move at the time when President Richard Nixon signed the law in January 1974. But by the end of the month, Florida’s governor had called for the law’s repeal after eight schoolchildren were hit by cars in the dark. Schools across the country delayed start times until the sun came up. By summer, public approval had plummeted, and in early October Congress voted to switch back to standard time.https://youtu.be/-H9zm0Tdpco The issue is that for every argument there is a counterargument. There are studies, for example, that show we have more car accidents when people lose an extra hour of sleep. There are also studies that show robberies decline when there is an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day. We also know that people suffer more heart attacks at the start of Daylight Saving Time. But what about our mental health? People seem to be happier when there is an extra hour of daylight. Of course, there’s the economy, which pays for all that outdoor fun in the sun. Although saving energy was often put out as a reason to have Daylight Saving Time, the energy saved isn’t much — if anything at all. Instead, the lobbying effort for Daylight Saving Time came mostly from different sectors of the economy. In the mid-20th century, lobby groups for the recreational sports industry (think driving ranges) wanted more customers to come out after a day at the office. It’s easier to do so when there is more light at the end of the day. https://youtu.be/ctzEg_QR4ek North West is known to troll her mother, Kim Kardashian. On a recent episode of The Kardashians on Hulu, Kim told her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, how North prefers spending time at her father, Kanye West‘s apartment rather than Kim‘s lavish abode. “He has it all figured out,” Kim says. “He doesn’t have a nanny, he doesn’t have a chef, he doesn’t have security. He lives in an apartment.’ And she’ll start crying, ‘Why don’t you have an apartment? I can’t believe we don’t have an apartment.'” During her confessional segment of the episode, Kim reveals that Kourtney said North is her “lesson.” “Kourtney always says that North is my lesson on this planet,” Kim said in her confessional. “I’m supposed to learn even more about patience—she teaches me patience. She has taught me a lot about life. https://youtu.be/jpbcOrLAfhw Ubah Ali Hassan, a Somali-Canadian model, businesswoman, and cast member of the Real Housewives Of New York City, told Kelly Clarkson she loves to show off the men she’s dating because she usually gets “them hot, smart, and rich.” Hot dang, hold up, wait a minute, let us get our notebooks out ’cause sista’ is dropping barz!!! Ubah is currently dating Oliver Dachsel, a German investment banker, according to People. When the RHONY reunion episode aired, Ubah and Oliver became Instagram official when they went to the 2023 American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala.“It’s our first time on the carpet together,” Hassan said to People at the event. “We love it, it’s very beautiful. We just saw [George Balanchine’s] Jewels last month, it was my birthday present.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzJn9aVu8jG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mary J. Blige critiqued TikTok singers, who are belting out their renditions of her song “Good Morning Gorgeous” from her fourteenth studio album. MJB praised one particular singer named Dawn and celebrated how she made the song her own. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzG48SJOBBX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Usher put his mojo on Hoda and Jenna while discussing his upcoming 2024 Super Bowl halftime performance. Watch how the two hosts fangirled out when Usher presented roses to them. The “There Goes My Baby” crooner keeps making the ladies melt in his hands; check out all the giggling and sniggling. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzHPUCfxmiJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again GRAMMY award-winning R&B icon Brandy has released a new holiday single titled “Christmas Party for Two.” The track appears on her first holiday album, “Christmas with Brandy,” due November 10 via Motown Records. As we reported previously, the project features classic holiday covers and original material, and marks Brandy’s first album since 2020’s critically acclaimed “B7.” “Christmas with Brandy” includes the songs “Someday At Christmas,” originally sung by Stevie Wonder, “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” and “Christmas Gift,” featuring vocals by Brandy’s daughter Sy’Rai. https://youtu.be/kZcjCyZnMgA Brandy’s new album will drop nearly a week before her Netflix film, “Best Christmas Ever,” debuts on the platform on November 16. The singer stars as Jackie, with Heather Graham portraying Charlotte, and the pair are old college friends who unexpectedly reunite for the holiday. “Every Christmas Jackie sends a boastful holiday newsletter that makes her old college friend Charlotte feel like a lump of coal,” teases an official plot synopsis, People reports. “When a twist of fate lands Charlotte and her family on Jackie’s snowy doorstep just days before Christmas, she seizes the opportunity to prove her old friend’s life can’t possibly be that perfect,” the synopsis continues. Directed by Mary Lambert, “Best. Christmas. Ever!” also includes Jason Biggs, Matt Cedeño, Wyatt Hunt, Abby Villasmil, and Madison Skye Validum. https://youtu.be/2deV7cUtS0E Check out an exclusive clip from this week’s new episode of “Love After Lockup,” which airs Nov. 3 on WE tv. The new season of “Love After Lockup,” the original groundbreaking installment of the popular franchise, debuted in September with ten 90-minute episodes, which are also available on the popular AMC streaming service ALLBLK. The reality series “follows seven new couples, including five fan favorites from “Love During Lockup” as they discover more love, new doubts and encounter unforeseen obstacles in their relationships,” per the series synopsis. “Our couples are as vulnerable and raw as ever, sharing their emotional journey as they continue to find true love beyond prison walls,” the description continues. https://youtu.be/TkO9rf3mKyM Meek Mill, Robert Williams, and Rick Ross, William Roberts, talk about their GOAT viral moments. Rozay‘s most memorable viral video was when he tried to dive into his pool during his pool party, and he “blew his jawns,” aka knees. Meek Mill attributed his viral moment when he fell down some steps and a pile of snow dropped on his head. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzMTwTZOX1L/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=86d0f3e7-9e6b-421f-bb49-dd3cb7554497 Anthony Broadwater, wrongfully convicted of the r-pe of author Alice Sebold, who wrote The Lovely Bones, which turned into a movie, is now free. Anthony served 16 years in prison for the 1981 attack and will receive a $5.5 million payment from the state of New York. “Alice failed to identify him in a police lineup, picking a different man as her attacker. Anthony was nonetheless tried and convicted in 1982 after Sebold identified him as her rapist on the witness stand, and an expert said microscopic hair analysis had tied him to the crime. That type of analysis has since been deemed junk science by the US Department of Justice,” reports The Guardian. Social media is demanding Alice‘s head, “I’ve thought about this more than a few times since the story broke and everytime I get heated. She’s so thoroughly unapologetic about the life she ruined. He deserves every penny of royalties she’s made on that book,” posted one person. Journalist Carolyn Hinds wrote, “She stole 16 years of his life. She knew it wasn’t him and went through an entire trial process and conviction and never took back what she said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1720323320959189476 Jimmy Kimmel read an excerpt from Britney Spears’ memoir The Woman In Me when the pop star recalled meeting Mariah Carey. Britney wrote about the “otherworldly light” emanating from her dressing room: “At an award show, I knocked on her dressing room door. She opened it, and out poured the most beautiful, otherworldly light. You know how people have ring lights? More than 20 years ago, only Mariah Carey knew about ring lights.” Mariah said Britney‘s description of her was “super sweet.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1720323320959189476 One of Ms. Jacky Oh‘s besties, Leticia Gardner, hosted an event with Jacky‘s family and close friends to honor her 34th birthday. Leticia invited the public to purchase Jacky‘s Legacy JNova Collections and the profits from the sales would go directly to her children. D.C. Young Fly led the group in a powerful prayer to remember his late partner. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzMCYdQOLjl/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4cc08189-4572-4872-8756-563ba3c21426 Queen Latifah has fired off a shady response to DJ Akademiks amid his beef with gay rapper Saucy Santana. Their feud first started when DJ Akademiks dissed City Girls’ rapper Yung Miami and called her “talentless” and a “one-trick pony.” He also accused her of being homophobic after she called him a gay slur — which he deemed “ironic,” considering bestie Santana is a gay man. “Akademiks, you keep talking about what the f**k Caresha said to you, but how she feel about you, is how she feel about you,” Santana responded in an Instagram Story, Hot New Hip Hop reports. “Me being her best friend, it don’t have nothing to f**king do with me. In the hood, and in a lot of urban cultures, when you see boys that are acting feminine, that are being messy, that are being extra and doing f*g sh*t, that’s what you address them as.” He continued, “Even as me being a gay man, I don’t move like a f*g. And it’s a lot of other gay boys that are feminine or whatever, but everybody don’t move like f*gs. You move like a f*g.” https://youtu.be/1ex4LlV0A5o DJ Akademiks issued an emotional response during a livestream this week and tearfully explained that he couldn’t speak candidly out of fear of being canceled. In a recent episode of his podcast, Akademiks slammed the City Girls’ music career. “I wanna talk about the City Girls, I’m gonna be honest with you man, I think the City Girls are completely over with,” he said. “They just did the most pathetic interview I just seen recently. And we need to hold some of these makeshift, chameleon, non-talented, lazy, non-passionate people accountable. You see the City Girls are the definition of people who have gotten to places in their career without ever really doing the work.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzAcDN9r6LD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mariah Carey is being sued again for copyright infringement over her hit holiday single “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” We reported previously that Carey was sued in 2022 for apparently ripping off the single by country singer Andy Stone, who claims the songstress was inspired by his song and used the same title. Stone is suing Mariah Carey for copyright infringement and claims he co-wrote and recorded a song titled “All I Want For Christmas Is You” years before Carey dropped her legendary holiday hit. The lawsuit states Stone recorded the song in 1989 in Nashville, Tennessee, and that it was a hit at the time. The single even appeared on the Billboard chart in 1993 during the Christmas season, TMZ reported. https://youtu.be/yXQViqx6GMY Bishop Carlton D. Pearson appears to be nearing the end of his life amid a battle with cancer. “This will be one of the last times you’ll see me like this,” Bishop Pearson said to his followers on a live broadcast, L.A. Focus News reports. “I may be closing some things out, but I will never close you out in consciousness. I love you and wanted you to hear from my voice how deeply appreciative I am of who you are and that you are.” According to Pearson’s family, the bishop has a Stage 4 cancerous mass that is “inoperable and fatal.” In a statement, the family said: “Our dear Carlton was diagnosed with cancer in 2001 and was declared cancer-free shortly thereafter. Just recently, cancer has returned and has been a significant challenge, especially in the last 120 days—Carlton has asked that people pray that he would live out the “full number of his days.” blob:https%3A//www.facebook.com/3ad436fc-d360-407c-9002-c3b3f8d89cfb During his health battle, Pearson frequently posted updates to his Facebook followers, and his last speaking appearance was on Oct. 10. “We have to grow. We have to keep on growing because that’s what we’re called to do,” the televangelist said in his final message, according to LA Focus News. Pearson’s 1980s television program on Trinity Broadcasting Network became one of the most-watched shows, and he rose to fame as pastor of the 5,000-member Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His life was explored in Netflix’s 2018 biopic, “Come Sunday.” https://youtu.be/pVQFWvm_fbU In case you haven’t been paying attention, tonight’s the night that Willie Nelson, Chaka Khan, the late George Michael, and Missy Elliott will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. https://youtu.be/X4bjxyti8Ig Wille, George, and Missy are more than worthy of their awards and attention, but the focus of this article is Yvette Marie Stephens, better known to the world as Chaka Khan. She’s released 22 albums, sold over 70 million recordings and on top of that, she’s been recognized by the Recording Academy with 10 Grammys. Oh, and did we mention that 70-year-old timeless beauty, according to the Recording Industry Association of America/RIAA is also the recipient of nine gold or platinum singles. Ahead of the induction ceremony, scheduled for 8pm Eastern tonight Khan sat down with TODAY.com writer Randi Richardson to discuss all sorts of things including her Hall of Fame induction, her career and the multiple projects she has in the works, and a lot more including mental health. Read on for a few excerpts. https://youtu.be/UiEBocJ2-5Q Sexyy Red recently admitted that she’s never heard of the word “vulva.” https://twitter.com/SexyyRed314_/status/1719800788602474617 During a conversation with Caleb Pressley on Sundae Conversation on Oct. 29, the raunchy rapper schooled the host about the slang word for a woman’s genitals, “coochie,” “Is it a medical term?” the comedian asked, according to MadameNoire. “Na, that’s just something we say in the hood,” the pregnant hip-hop star replied. “What y’all be saying in your communities for coochies?” “We say vulva,” Pressley responded. https://youtu.be/OYQ6rRgrecI Sexy Red is currently on a sold-out tour, and she recently showed off her baby bump backstage with singer and songwriter SZA. In the image, SZA points to Red’s belly, and Red captioned the post: “Team boy or team girl.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CyZX7__vWTR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e1ce1002-24de-48cf-b479-6cd965180ecd Today, MNRK Music Group in partnership with JamesTown Music announce the new album JOY IS HERE, from GRAMMY-nominated, multiple Stellar Award winner, Billboard Music Award-winning, and Top Gospel Artist, JJ Hairston. Hairston releases his long-awaited first ever Christmas album, JOY IS HERE, recorded live in July 2023 at All Nations Worship Assembly (ANWA) Washington, DC. The album, JOY IS HERE, features a mix of holiday classics with Hairston's signature style as well as originals. JOY IS HERE is available now wherever music is sold and streamed. JOY IS HERE features stand out collaborations with Trina Hairston, Melvin Crispell, III, Brittney Wright, Jason Clayborn & Gathering Place Worship Choir and more. JJ Hairston will perform the album track, “Joy To The World” on Monday, November 6th on The Tamron Hall Show – marking his daytime television debut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHm-ERGGUe4 Rick Ross and Meek Mill have teamed up to give away $50,000 through their Too Good To Be True Sweepstakes. The instructions are as follows: “Go to www.toogoodtobetrue.co for requirements and for a chance to win! Powered by @untouchblemmg?? #MMG #tgtbt #toogoodtobetrue Announcing the Too Good To Be True Sweepstakes. We’re giving away $50,000 to one lucky fan.Go to www.toogoodtobetrue.co for your chance to win. 1. No purchase necessary. Sweepstakes end 11/16/2023 at 11:59pm pst 2. One Entry Per Person. Must be 18 years old to enter 3. Input your 7 lucky numbers 4. Fill out the “Too Good To Be True” sweepstakes form & pre-save the album 5. 50k Cash Prize winner to be randomly selected. The drawing date to be announced on Instagram Powered by @untouchableMMG https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yb/r/UsSR4Cvo4Px.png Ashanti surprised her bae Nelly with bday party at Rasheeda’s Frost Bistro in ATL. Nelly partied the night away, celebrating his 49th spin around the sun. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzKucUEADCt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tabitha Brown is now a two-time Emmy-nominated host for her show “Tab Time,” a YouTube Original series. She captioned the video, “Family look at what the Lord has done!!!!!! I just got the call ???? and you are looking at a 2X Emmy nominated Host of @officialtabtime ????????OOOHHH GOD I THANK YOU????????. Lord Jesus I’m in here working and fighting back these tears to not mess this makeup up???? but excuse me while I take off running ???????? I’m nominated for an Emmy again!!!????“ What is for you will always find you, https://www.instagram.com/p/CzKL3p_PKwQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Renowned menswear designer Miguel Wilson continues to expose the black community to the sport of polo, and he has done so in only a way that he can – by merging it with bold and inspiring fashion.On October 8th, he hosted his 6th Annual Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic, this year taking place at the Horse Mansion at Bouckaert Farms. The event, which brought out the horses for a polo match, followed by music, performances, and a fashion show, drew influential community leaders and celebrities. Among them were Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who was honored as a special guest, and others like rapper and businessman Jeezy, Cynthia Bailey (Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta), Mimi Faust (VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta), Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson (HGTV’s Married to Real Estate), Lamman Rucker (OWN’s Greenleaf), Demetria McKinney (Tyler Perry’s House of Payne) and Pastor Jamal Bryant (New Birth Missionary Baptist Church). Singers Q Parker and Lil G (of SILK) performed and actor Palmer Williams (Tyler Perry’s House of Payne) served as emcee of this year’s fashion show. “This year was the best year we’ve had by far,” Wilson said. Summer Walker, SZA, and Usher lead the nominations for the 2023 Soul Train Awards. The complete list of nominees and broadcast date was announced on Wednesday. Usher, SZA, and Summer earned a historic nine nods each — the first three-way tie, Entertainment Tonight reports. Rapper 21 Savage is up for eight awards, Coco Jones and Victoria Monét have six nominations, and Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Janelle Monáe, and October London, each have four. The Soul Train Awards will be taped from a new location in Los Angeles, CA, this year, and the traditional ceremony will be reimagined into a soulful celebration. “Soul, R&B, and Hip Hop continue to top the charts and drive culture forward. This year, we are taking inspiration from these genres to innovate and disrupt the award show format while celebrating the legacy of Soul Train,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, in a press release. “We are proud of this year’s list of esteemed nominees and look to deliver an unforgettable night of Soul with our new location, performances, and show moments,” Orlando continued. We weren’t White enough to be White. We weren’t Black enough to be Black,” she continued. “And I remember when I would get teased on the playground, and I would come home, my mom would always say your job is not to show them how you’re different, your job is to show them how you’re similar,” she shared. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley spoke to “The Daily Show” guest host Charlamagne Tha God about why she doesn’t embrace “identity politics.” Haley is campaigning to become the first female president and the first female presidential nominee in GOP history. “Why don’t you play the identity politics game, though?” Charlamagne asked Haley on “The Daily Show” Wednesday, Fox News reports. “Because that’s something Democrats like to do. They always talk about how diverse they are. Why don’t you get into the identity politics game and play up being Indian more? Because a lot of voters just think you’re a White woman.” Haley recalled her youth and family being “the only Indian family in a small rural southern town in South Carolina.” https://youtu.be/bG2Gphe-Xws We weren’t White enough to be White. We weren’t Black enough to be Black,” she continued. “And I remember when I would get teased on the playground, and I would come home, my mom would always say your job is not to show them how you’re different, your job is to show them how you’re similar,” she shared. Hailey said the “lesson on the playground has played out throughout my life, whether it was in the corporate world, whether it was as governor, whether it was as ambassador,” she explained. “I think the problem is when you start labeling people, you’re assuming that they’re different than you. I don’t want to just be a woman. I don’t want to just be Indian,” Hailey added. “I don’t want to just be a mom. I don’t want to just be a Republican. I don’t want to just be all of those things. I’m more than that. And I think every person is more than that.” When Charlamagne asked, “Do you think being a woman will keep the GOP from fully supporting you?" https://twitter.com/i/status/1720443028085604705 One of the five former Memphis police officers accused in the January death of Tyre Nichols pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges and agreed to plead guilty to related state charges as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Desmond Mills Jr., 33, pleaded guilty to two of the four federal charges he was facing, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. He also agreed to plead guilty in state court at an upcoming hearing on charges related to Nichols’ death, according to the Shelby County district attorney. Mills pleaded guilty to civil rights and conspiracy charges, which included using excessive force and failing to intervene, as well as conspiring to cover up his use of unlawful force, the US attorney’s office said. s part of the agreement, he will be called to testify against the other defendants, according to prosecutors. He has also agreed to fully cooperate in the federal civil rights investigation into patterns and practices of the Memphis Police Department. Mills agreed to have both his state and federal cases resolved in exchange for his cooperation in the cases of four fellow ex-officers: Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III and Demetrius Haley. They have all pleaded not guilty. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said in a news conference that state and federal prosecutors will recommend to a judge that Mills serve 15 years in prison, though the decision is ultimately up to the judge. https://youtu.be/ezYZHj92qVE The daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. is speaking out after comedian Amy Schumer posted a video of MLK denouncing antisemitism. In the clip, the late civil rights activist can be heard saying: “Israel must exist and has a right to exist and is one of the great outposts of democracy in the world.” In another clip, King calls antisemitism “unjust” and “evil.” As NBC News reports, Bernice King offered clarity on what her father’s position would be on the current Hamas-Israel conflict. Amy: Certainly, my father was against antisemitism, as am I,” Bernice King wrote on the social media platform X. “He also believed militarism (along with racism and poverty) to be among the interconnected Triple Evils. I am certain he would call for Israel’s bombing of Palestinians to cease, for hostages to be released and for us to work for true peace, which includes justice.” She continued: “He said, ‘Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.’ We have much to correct.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1719154067170013601 In the world of storytelling, there are moments that go beyond entertainment; they resonate with the very core of our shared human experience. OWN's critically-acclaimed docuseries "Rebuilding Black Wall Street" has been one of those moments. "Rebuilding Black Wall Street" delves into the remarkable story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, a century after the tragic events of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. In the first four episodes, the series has taken viewers on a transformative journey through history and community resilience. The series explores the personal journeys of descendants of the original Black Wall Street residents, highlighting the importance of uplifting communities through design and innovative solutions. As we approach the season finale with back-to-back episodes on Friday, November 4 at 9pm ET/8C & 10pm ET/9C, as well as its streaming debut on MAX on Saturday, November 4, there are abundant opportunities to cover this groundbreaking series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqpyMFIsXuY Bernice encouraged Schumer to read her father’s book “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” She also shared a clip of MLK talking about withdrawing from the Vietnam War. Schumer has been showing her support for Israel online amid the conflict with Hamas. “I mourn with all who are mourning,” Bernice King wrote. “I know that we can’t afford to diminish & dehumanize each other if we are truly committed to ridding humanity of the Triple Evils & to freedom from oppression for all.” eanwhile, Schumer was accused of “harassing” biracial actress and content creator Asia Jackson in a series of private messages on Instagram over Jackson’s opposing views on the Israeli-Palestinian war. https://twitter.com/soulbunni/status/1719749444353356236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1719749444353356236%7Ctwgr%5E234b39ce1240d861b779dbe2d9df08b5786c5c4a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Fmlks-daughter-responds-to-amy-schumers-video%2F Lil Nas X mocked women’s menstrual cycles by dressing up as a bloody tampon for Halloween. As SandraRose.com reports, one Twitter/X user noted: “Lil Nas X who ‘went into labor’ to promote his album, and released a song about worshipping Satan while giving the devil a lap dance, dressed up as a used tampon for Halloween. He’s a gross degenerate, desperate for attention.” Another person tweeted: “Gay men often think they can get a pass without realizing they can be equally misogynistic… it’s not up to cis men to make light of things like this.” The 24-year-old rapper shared a video that featured him walking down a sidewalk dressed as a menstrual product. Several social media users blasted Nas X for being misogynistic and making a mockery of women. He addressed the criticism in a post that read: “I [have] been silent for nearly 2 years, y’all are not finna pretend to be mad about a tampon costume. Let me at least get new music out first,” he wrote on X, All Hip Hop reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzG_UpVRX7c/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jody Watley, the celebrated singer, songwriter, and iconic figure in the world of music and fashion, is delighted to announce a special guest appearance by Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the legendary basketball icon and accomplished entrepreneur, on “The Jody Watley Show” airing on November 12th. The show, exclusively on SiriusXM’s The Groove, has attained a huge mass appeal to its subscribers and dedicated fan base throughout the years. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, celebrated not only for his remarkable basketball career but also for his extraordinary success in the world of business, will engage in a captivating conversation with Jody Watley, promising an enlightening and inspiring discussion. Johnson’s exceptional journey is artfully depicted in the AppleTV+ project, “They Call Me Magic,” which became the top-selling documentary series per episode upon its release in 2022. “I am thrilled to welcome Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson as a guest on my show,” expressed Jody Watley. “His incredible achievements, both on and off the court, are a testament to his tenacity, business acumen, and unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in our communities.” Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who successfully transitioned from the basketball court to the boardroom, now serves as the Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE). MJE specializes in providing high-quality products and services primarily to ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Former GMA hosts Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes will co-host a new podcast from iHeartMedia. According to Variety, the lovebirds are teaming with iHeartMedia for a podcast titled “Amy & T.J.,” set to premiere Dec. 5 on the iHeartPodcast Network. The duo is expected to use the platform to address their relationship for the first time in a public forum. On Instagram, Robach shared a new promotional photo of them cozied-up together along with the caption: “How’s this for instagram official? #silentnomore”. ABC News booted Robach and Holmes in January after their off-camera affair was publicly revealed. The network parted ways with the couple because their relationship had become “an internal and external disruption,” ABC News president Kim Godwin told staffers in a call in December 2022, per Variety. Last month, it was reported that Holmes and his ex-wife Marilee Fiebig had reached a divorce settlement less than a year after his relationship with Robach was exposed. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzGr8-vrYaL/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=247526e2-14d2-47a2-88be-fc0ddf776f00 The Napa Valley wine brand co-founded by Ayesha Curry and Sydel Curry-Lee released its first vintage as part of The Prisoner Wine Company Portfolio. Domaine Curry, a wine brand inspired by and dedicated to the strong women in their family, announced this week the highly anticipated reimagining of its 2021 vintage — the bold and balanced 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the Founders Blend. According to a press release, both have been crafted in collaboration with The Prisoner Wine Company. “The inspiration for Domaine Curry arrived during a family dinner in 2015, where Ayesha and Sydel toasted to the strong, graceful women in their family, qualities that were mirrored in the characteristics of the glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon in their hands,” per the release, “In that moment, they recognized the project that would tap into their shared passion for wine while honoring the incredible women in their lives.” Ayesha Curry said in a statement, “Throughout our lives, wine has always been a way to bring our friends and family together. We are fortunate to be surrounded by so many impressive women who inspire us each day, and we hope Domaine Curry will serve as homage to them while also empowering future generations.” Sydel Curry-Lee added, “Our partnership with The Prisoner Wine Company has allowed us to infuse our personal touches into the look and taste of these new wines, and we’re thrilled that more women will have the opportunity to enjoy them, just as our family does.” Ray J clapped back at Kodak Black after the rapper called him a “pu**y and a “b*tch.” Their beef started when Ray J took to social media to express concern for Kodak’s health following his recent Drink Champs interview. Kodak threatened to beat up Ray in response. In a comment on Akademiks’ Instagram page, Ray J claimed Kodak’s erratic behavior once upset former president Donald Trump. “Yo somebody need to grab bro and make sure he good,” Ray J wrote, according to Hip Hop DX. “This ain’t the interview Nore. We gotta help this dude. “I took him to Trump house and he did the most. They were not happy with the experience bc he had no guidance and respect. Yo @wack100 let’s figure out how we can help this guy instead of watching him self destruct.” https://youtu.be/fnuRPgtILyw Hulu has released the official trailer and key art for the upcoming automotive series, “Drive with Swizz Beatz.” The series debuts on the streaming service Nov. 16 and is produced by Jay Brown and Ty-Ty Smith of Ty-Ty and Jay Brown Productions, Raymond Garcia of Major TV, Emmet Dennis of Black Drive Originals, and Christian Sarabia of 51 Minds, per the news release. Here’s the official synopsis: In “Drive with Swizz Beatz,” hip-hop legend and car collector Swizz Beatz and son Nasir Dean (also known as Note Marcato) visit car-loving destinations, where they’ll examine the area’s distinctive car culture and bring together two otherwise disparate car clubs over a shared love of all things automotive and an appreciation for what it’s like to beat the odds through sheer drive alone. “Through six episodes, viewers are set to watch the father and son travel to Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Atlanta, Japan, and Saudi Arabia and learn about each respective scene. In its entirety, the unscripted programming examines the inventive and passionate world of car culture, where enthusiasts show off vastly different vehicles in a display not only of automotive ardor but also of their success,” the description continues. https://youtu.be/M8ZTyoD4HUU Kodak Black clapped back on Instagram Live on October 29, during which he repeatedly called Ray J a “bi**h” and a “pu*sy.” “Ray J, your little azz bi**h, homie. A n**ga don’t need no help, pu**y-azz b**h. I’m skraight, dumb-azz boy. F**k wrong with you, homie? I’ll beat your little azz,” he warned. Ray now claims he has evidence to support his story about Trump. The singer said Kodak had “no guidance and respect” during a visit to Trump’s home. “No, he don’t want no real fade,” Ray J said on Instagram Live on Oct. 30, Hip Hop DX reports. “He talking about he gon’ beat me up. Bro, if you don’t cut it out […] You a street n-gga, right? You’re a rapper? Well, let’s take the fade since you said you gon’ beat me up. Since you went all the way left with it. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy-C_BGN4y6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In the wealthy neighborhood of Mayfair in London, Gallery Fumi — a contemporary design space — is showcasing a new collection of furniture. This would be no surprise were it not for the incongruous material these chairs and tables are made from cardboard. Yes, high-end cardboard furniture! “Box” has been designed by British furniture designer Max Lamb, and utilizes cardboard boxes that had been building up in his studio. “I find it very difficult to throw things away”, he said, sitting on one of his creations. He finds beauty, he added, “in rubbish, or things that already exist and have already been disposed of.” Although it is one of the cheapest materials available, and often discarded, cardboard is increasingly being used to create both high-end and affordable furniture. While various designers are experimenting with the material to craft provocative pieces, others are harnessing its potential as a seemingly sustainable option for furnishing your home. Lamb cut, folded, assembled, and layered cardboard boxes, and also used the material to create layers of paper maché. What has resulted is an intriguing collection of furniture, that retains elements of cardboard box aesthetics — cubist forms and packaging logos — but develops them with unexpected sculptural molding, compositions, and earthy paints. Despite the material’s perception as flimsy, the pieces have been designed to withstand practical use. Their strength results from the way Lamb built up layers of corrugated cardboard — the most impact-resistant kind — and used a glue-like mix of wheat and water. https://youtu.be/TWfBdRV_6oE On a day-to-day basis, cardboard is used as an emergency shelter wherever we look. “We see cardboard on the streets; we see people using it as an insulating, protective material,” said Lamb, acknowledging how such use sits in contrast to his work. “Here I am just making bits of furniture in a gallery.” Although his works may be collectible design pieces (the prices are only available on request), he says the project is a critical reflection on being “a producer of stuff,” and hopes it will demonstrate “the beauty and permanence” of cardboard as a material. “It can be a permanent part of our lives,” he said. “We don’t have to discard things that are secondary to the thing we’re buying or valuing most.” https://youtu.be/Yui6Nkz3E4Y The convention featured a series of workshops and discussions organized to promote solutions for some of the most pressing issues impacting Black communities in California and Hawaii. The focus was on a range of topics, including next-generation leadership, environmental justice, housing, veteran’s affairs, labor, education, and more. “This is when we bring our branches to get them trained up and ready to go back into their communities ready to fight for what we’re fighting,” said NAACP Cal-Hi President Rick Callender. “What we are fighting, we’re fighting for criminal justice, environmental justice, equity in education, equity in the legislation, and trying to move the NAACP’s agenda forward.” This year’s event, themed “This Is How We Thrive,” was held from Oct. 27 to 29. Around 500 NAACP Cal-Hi leaders, delegates, elected officials, activists, organizers, faith leaders, and entertainers from across the state and Hawaii participated in the festivities. Comediennes Kim Coles, Kim Fields, Kim Wayans, and Kym Whitely may join forces for a “Kims of Comedy” tour. Coles teased such an event during a panel discussion at the Wilmington Library in Delaware on Oct. 27, MadameNoire reports. Fields hosted the free gathering where fans heard about the personal and professional journeys of the quartet. Coles hit up social media after the engagement to share a video of the ladies posing backstage. “These backstage moments are often not glamorous or fancy but are the times when we get to connect and reflect before being with all the beautiful people out there!” she captioned the image. “Thanks WILMINGTON library for hosting the “Kims of Comedy” event. One of us is really a Kym but you get the idea!” she continued. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy8m15iOqR_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b2fa39b5-1ddc-4cce-80c1-3008cbe4f4d3 “I think we need to put the show on the road,” she added, asking fans, “What city do you think we should bring it to next?” As MadameNoire reports, in the comments section, one fan wrote that they would love to see the “Kims of Comedy” perform in Philly. Another user added, “BALTIMORE, Lord knows we need some laughter!” A third wrote, “We need whatever y’all cooking up! We need this movie or series!!!” Fields also posted video highlights from the event on her Instagram page. “We had a time —Kym Whitley, Kim Coles, Kim Wayans — talking about physical comedy, timing, how we got in the business, what keeps us going, funny moments and memories,” she captioned the post. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy9oPxftS1w/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Colorado coach Deion Sanders is speaking out about his players being robbed of their personal items at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena last weekend. As ESPN reports, Sanders has called on the NCAA or the Rose Bowl to reimburse the athletes who were robbed of jewelry and cash from the Buffaloes’ locker room during the recent UCLA match-up. https://eurweb.com/2023/coach-deion-sanders-wants-players-reimbursed/ “Our kids got robbed during the game last week. I think that’s a travesty,” Sanders told reporters during in Boulder, Colorado. “I would expect the NCAA to do something about that,” he added. “This is the Rose Bowl. They said the granddaddy of ’em all, right? I’m sure granddaddy had some money. Grandpa should have some money to give these kids.” “Thank you again to everybody that showed up — and we showed out. Love you.” https://youtu.be/YCYfpbi995Y Thinking of skimping on a DoorDash tip? Do so at your own risk, warns a message being tested by the food delivery provider. If you try to place an order through the DoorDash app without leaving a tip, you may get this pop-up: “Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered — are you sure you want to continue?” The note goes on: “Dashers can pick and choose which orders they want to do. Orders that take longer to be accepted by Dashers tend to result in a slower delivery.” In other words, tip your drivers, or prepare to wait a long time for a cold meal. Customers are then given the option to add a tip, or continue without one. As tipping screens have become more commonplace, Americans are balking at the ask — and wondering when they should tip, and when it’s acceptable to hit “no.” In this case, DoorDash is laying out the cons directly to the customer, and asking them to see the extra money as an incentive for good service, rather than a reward. https://youtu.be/-PIY3TDu7Go Federally, the tipped minimum wage is just $2.13 per hour (some states have higher minimums). Employers are required to make up the difference if tips don’t bring workers up to the federal minimum wage. https://youtu.be/eoE6dtWwsms Check out an exclusive clip from “Power Book IV: Force” premiering Friday, November 3, on STARZ. In the episode titled “No Loose Ends,” Tommy and Diamond suspect a snitch and put their inner circle to the test as the war between Miguel and Mirkovic comes to a head. The second season of “Force” debuted in September and “is filled with more power and more problems as a turf war takes shape and Tommy charts his territory, capitalizes on his competitors’ weaknesses, and makes his play at becoming the sole drug distributor in Chicago,” per the news release. Here’s the S2 synopsis: “Nothing stands in Tommy Egan’s way this season as he makes his play at becoming the sole drug distributor in Chicago. Alliances form and competitors become targets as a turf war heats up and Tommy must race to stay one step ahead of everyone. Meanwhile, a federal task force is zeroed in on him and he has an eye on a special someone, forcing him to decide what he is willing to sacrifice to claim Chicago as his.” https://preview-g.starz.com/p/promos/new/pbf2_1050539_010_pblt_2000k.mp4 Jamaican-born entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr. Trisha Bailey is sharing her success story in a new memoir that unpacks how she grew her medical supply business into an empire. Bailey’s “Unbroken: The Triumphant Story of a Woman’s Journey” chronicles her personal and professional tragedies and triumphs – from her humble beginnings in Jamaica to becoming a billionaire in America. According to the press release, in the book, Bailey — known as the richest Jamaican-born woman — recounts the challenges she faced after arriving in the U.S. from Jamaica with her family at age 13. She also examines the lingering effects of being a victim of sexual trauma and domestic violence. As NBC News reports, Bailey worked as a stockbroker on Wall Street and as a pharmaceutical sales representative after graduating from the University of Connecticut on a scholarship for track and field. A failed relationship with a man she was dating interrupted her professional success, resulting in a medical emergency that left her in a coma for eight days. “Overcome by life’s stressors, I felt like I was drifting away to an isolated place,” Dr. Bailey writes in the book. “I clung to a bottle, hoping it would offer an escape from all my problems. It all happened so fast, making everything moving through time seem like a blur. Honestly, it was like watching myself from outside my body, begging me to stop. But the silence was too overpowering to respond over. Before I knew it, my fingers were typing away at my laptop, pouring out my feelings and desires as if I might never return to this world again.” The two globally acclaimed musicians, Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z (Shawn Carter), are known for their profound love for their sweet little family. Blue Ivy Carter is the eldest child, born on January 7, 2012, followed by the twins’ birth, Rumi and Sir Carter, in 2017. Beyoncé Knowles has openly expressed her love for three children ever since she became a mother. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzAELfcOxrV/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3357e465-d70d-48be-9704-79d5383c3ba1 Although they have nannies and helpers to assist them, Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, prioritize involving children in their endeavors whenever possible. Beyoncé’s firstborn, Blue Ivy, often accompanies her even during professional commitments. She affectionately referred to Blue Ivy as her “closest friend.” In 2016, Beyoncé expressed her desire for her child to experience happiness and good health, along with the chance to pursue her dreams, which she shared with Elle. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBofmIuBJ_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9af7d4d1-ae4a-4c69-a85d-c434c367a403 The South Carolina couple accused of torturing the foster child they adopted from Uganda will pay a fine after pleading guilty to lesser charges. We reported previously that Nicholas and Mackenzie Spencer, both 32, were living in the country doing humanitarian work when they were accused of physical and emotional abuse of their 10-year-old foster son, Kayima John. The Spencers took in three foster children from a local Christian ministry in 2018, according to People. Ugandan police said in a statement that the couple allegedly kept Kayima John “barefoot and naked throughout the day,” and would sometimes force him to “squat in an awkward position.” https://youtu.be/KW66nmPIZ0I Police said the Spencers made the child sleep on a bare wooden platform without a mattress or bedding. The torture allegedly occurred between 2020 and 2022. A caretaker for the child reported the alleged abuse to police and told the local paper, The Daily Monitor, that Nicholas and Mackenzie kept the child confined to a small, tiled room. He wasn’t allowed to attend school, and a camera monitored him inside the home 24/7. https://youtu.be/alhHlO2-QMw Nipsey Hussle‘s brother Samiel Asghedom has finalized the work as administrator of the late rapper’s estate, according to Radar Online. Nipsey (real name Ermias Joseph Asghedom)‘s two children are his sole beneficiaries, Emani 14, with ex-girlfriend Tanisha Foster, and Kross, 7, whom he shared with then-girlfriend Lauren London. Kross and Emani will each receive 50% of the cash and non-cash assets, with an additional $113,000 for “health, education, and other matters.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzG1uO2OFz2/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1df06392-2c6f-4277-ac99-e3deba2b3594 Offset and Quavo both paid tribute to their fallen comrade Takeoff on the “one-year anniversary of his fatal shooting outside a bowling alley in Houston” on their IG pages, according to TMZ. Offset posted a video of clips of Takeoff during happier times and captioned it, “The times we spent is priceless what we built in this game they never wanted to give us our flowers we influenced the world…I Love you Take you still here with us I just know you are!!!! Migo 4Life!!!!!!” Busta Rhymes added in the comment section, “ROCKET TILL INFINITY!! ????????????????????????.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzHPgdAuXfc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Comedian DC Young Fly, government name John Whitfield, said he doesn’t get embarrassed when someone comes for him and admits he has no feelings. Therapist @antoniodanderson commented, “What DC is saying is code for us therapist. He doesn’t have any feelings because they have been numb because of the pain of losing the love of his life. He’s hurting bad while still trying to take care of his children.” The “Wild ‘N Out” star did clarify to Angela Yee that he is empathetic to someone’s situation. We know he’s mourning his partner, Ms. Jacky Oh who passed due to complications from cosmetic surgery on May 31, 2023. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy6mSbIJkAB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Amy Robach posted a picture with TJ Holmes on her IG and captioned it, “How’s this for Instagram official? #silentnomore ?? “Amy & T.J.” December 5th. Listen on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. @amyandtjpodcast.” (Insert Susie Carmichael from “Rugrats” bored look here). One person reasoned, “They want to trigger Black women so bad and I’m like ?? for Amy and TJ and I hope Andrew Shue and Marilee also move on happily.” Yeah, we don’t care, but it’s fun to see how they try to engage the public’s emotional involvement. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzGr8-vrYaL/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f6ba1b0e-b708-41d2-93cd-bfb332f6f1b7 When it comes to Artificial Intelligence, said to be perhaps the most consequential technological advancement of our time, the potential of both the risks and rewards are vast and the reach spans the globe. The United States is poised to be a ring leader in keeping the use of technology safe for the nation and the world. Vice Pres. Kamala Harris has assumed the lead in corralling global leaders to move responsibly into an AI-driven future. In London the Vice President outlined the United States’ vision for governing Artificial Intelligence, following Pres. Joe Biden’s Executive order on AI Monday. The EO mandated that AI systems developers “share their safety test results and other critical information with the U.S. government.” No other government in the world has taken this step. At the U.S. Embassy in London Harris said it is the duty of leaders to guard their societies from the dangers of AI: “President Biden and I believe that all leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector have a moral, ethical, and societal duty to make sure that AI is adopted and advanced in a way that protects the public from potential harm and that ensures that everyone is able to enjoy its benefits.” https://youtu.be/WYMJEOiDVJc Sean’ Diddy’ Combs received a six-page cease and desist letter from Warner Brothers studio because of his Joker costume last year. “Breaking Halloween news: last year, after I did the Black Joker, I got a bunch of emails from the studio telling me to not be the Joker anymore, that I was breaching the trademark. So I don’t know what I’m going to be this year,” Combs said in an IG video. He told Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday (October 30) he had something in store for the studio heads and head of legal. “Well do it again, then. Do it again!”, encouraged Kimmel. “So tomorrow… Warner Bros. lawyers, can you see me?” Diddy asked. “Put this camera on right here. The head of legal: Tomorrow, watch what I do.” On October 31, 2023, Combs debuted an elaborate video of himself dressed up as Batman for the spooky season, according to Hip Hop Wired. He created a scenario where he ended the actor’s strike by intimidating a studio CEO. Diddy lawyer up you know they gonna come for you. https://youtu.be/uL4iH-HLcXM Ashanti loves her man Nelly and bought him a ’64 Chevy Impala for his bday and presented it to him during his birthday party in ATL. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzGuNUFOBvF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mike Epps traveled to Iceland and took in the Northern Lights, but he felt something was missing. So he called Snoop Dogg, who hooked Epps up with his weed connect there. Unka Snoop is genuinely an international G. https://www.instagram.com/p/CytTJ1CRqFD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The audio from Erica Campbell‘s daughter Zaya (when she was six years old and now is 11) went viral after she sang her rendition of Nationwide Insurance’s commercial jingle. “Well, it looks like my sweet girl is going viral @Nationwide call me!” Erica captioned the throwback video. A few days after the video started trending on social media, Nationwide reached out to the Mary, Mary singer to schedule a sequel video. https://www.instagram.com/p/CyCm8cCOs5A/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In the bustling city of Sacramento, a rhythmic pulse echoes through the airwaves, emanating from the heart of the community—97.5 FM KDEE. This isn’t just a radio station; it’s a cultural beacon that has been lighting up lives and connecting hearts for over 18 years. From the soulful serenades of R&B to the inspiring cadences of talk shows, KDEE’s programming is a mosaic of Sacramento’s vibrant culture. A subsidiary of the California Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the station was born from a mission to serenade Sacramento with the world’s most popular music and creative content. But it has done much more than just play hits; it has woven itself into the very fabric of the community it serves. The station stands as one of only three Black-owned radio stations in California, a testament to its uniqueness and commitment to the community. Founded by Aubry Stone with an ambition of economic empowerment, KDEE swiftly adapted to the digital age to maintain its relevance. Through the years, pivotal figures like Tristen Mayes and the late Marvell Reed have been instrumental in enhancing the station’s community engagement and programming diversity. Madeline-Michelle Carthen may be among the living, but in the eyes of the government, she is no longer with us. Cauthen, who was wrongfully declared dead more than 16 years ago, is still fighting to prove she is very much alive, according to Madame Noire. The 52-year-old St. Louis, Missouri woman’s dilemma dates to when she prepared to participate in a summer internship in Ghana in 2007. It was then that Carthen, a former Webster University entrepreneur and business technology student, discovered a glaring mistake. Her Social Security number was listed as deceased. On paper, the year of Carthen’s death is listed as 2007. The impact of the error changed everything for Carthen as she was denied financial aid for the Ghana trip. During an interview with NBC News affiliate KSDK-TV, Carthen remembered her reaction when she became aware of what happened to her. “I laughed,” she said. “I said, ‘What do you mean? I’m sitting right here. I’ve been at school for over a year and a half. How am I dead? Is this going to affect my international internship?’” https://youtu.be/cHEF8usdDgY To say Carthen has been fighting an uphill battle to get folks to see she is alive and well is a real understatement. The lack of a Social Security number is making it exceedingly difficult for HR companies to process payroll for her. Under normal circumstances, if a person suspects their Social Security number has been listed as deceased, they can bring an original copy of their passport, driver’s license, or other forms of identification to their local Social Security branch to have the error fixed. Despite going through the necessary steps, following all the recommended guidelines, and receiving an “erroneous death letter” to show her bank, doctors, and creditors that the death report was an error, Cauthen’s hard work has not made much of an impact. A legal name change from Madeline Coburn to Madeline-Michelle Carthen and a new Social Security number she received in 2021 still could not fix the issue. Issues with her old Social Security number being tied to her new one continue to persist. Yet, Carthen remains hopeful that things will work out and that she will get her life back on track without the misperception of her being deceased. https://youtu.be/an0_Oko9yiw Although Black and Hispanic Americans have accumulated more wealth in recent years, their median net worth still lags far behind that of White Americans. The net worth of the typical Black and Hispanic household in 2022 was $44,900 and about $61,600, respectively, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Survey on Consumer Finances, a triennial report released this month that provides a comprehensive look at Americans’ financial circumstances. That’s up more than 61% for Black households and 47% for Hispanic households since the Fed’s last survey in 2019. Even with these gains, their wealth remains only a fraction of that of White households, whose median wealth was $285,000 last year, up 31% from 2019. https://youtu.be/ZMOIiPiDuBQ Asian Americans had the highest median net worth at $536,000, the first year their wealth was broken out in the survey. Edward Wolff, a professor of economics at New York University, said Asian Americans have higher incomes and much lower poverty rates than White Americans, which drives up their median wealth. The growth in wealth for typical Black and Hispanic households provides them more financial stability, Ana Hernández Kent, senior researcher at the Institute for Economic Equity at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said on October 20. This means “these families are better able to weather a future downturn,” she said. “So, it’s extremely positive.” Overall, however, Kent called the changes in wealth between 2019 and 2022 “a mixed bag” because of the “incredible amount of wealth inequality in the US.” https://youtu.be/rg-o_gNleN8 The median wealth of White and Black Americans has now surpassed their earlier peaks, which were prior to the Great Recession, Wolff said. Hispanic households’ median net worth had already hit a record in 2019 and has since continued to rise. The growth in housing wealth – a home’s market value minus any outstanding mortgages or loans secured by the home – has fueled the overall rise in net worth among Black and Hispanic Americans, in particular, according to the Fed survey. Soaring home prices in recent years have boosted homeowners’ equity. Meanwhile, Wolff said, higher inflation also helped increase the net worth of Black and Hispanic households. Net worth consists of assets minus debts, so if the value of someone’s debt declines, their net worth increases. https://youtu.be/UjWOHMvouYU A pro-Palestinian protester has been arrested for tossing a box of rodents into a McDonald’s while shouting “Free Palestine.” Viral video shows mice painted black, red, white, and green – the colors of the Palestinian flag – being thrown into a McDonald’s location at Birmingham’s Star City Complex. Another video shows workers trying to get the rodents out of the store. A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident in our Birmingham Star City restaurant last night. The restaurant has been fully sanitized, and our pest control partners have been called out to conduct a full inspection.” Similar rodent-dumping incidents occurred amid protests in central London, calling for the Gaza conflict to end. A second video shows mice in a box at the McDonald’s in Perry Barr. A third video shows a group of masked people dumping a box of mice in a branch in Small Heath, BBC News reports. According to the BBC, a 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the Birmingham incident. https://youtu.be/5867kTioNjU Jeezy is leaving Def Jam after 20 years to continue his career as an independent artist. He will release a double album I Might Forgive…But I Don’t Forget, on November 3, through his CTE New World label and Stem Distribution, reports HipHopDX. The first part of the disc will feature 29 tracks with productions from ATL Jacob, Ricky Polo, Cubeatz, and Hendrix. The second side will be produced entirely by the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. “As you work on the album, y’know, you start talking about life, talking about music, experience and all that,” J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League’s Erik “Rook” Ortiz said to HipHopDX. “So it just became more songs and more songs and more songs, and then one day, [Jeezy] was like, ‘Y’know what? This gon’ be a double album.’” He added: “[The album is] very mature. He opens up about a lot of subjects — some things people might be curious about or never even knew about him. It’s very meticulously put together.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBoEjQOttE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Usher is officially a menace to society. However, Marsha Ambrosius marched straight to the fire so Usher could roll up on her and serenade her Floetry hit, “Say Yes.” Mister, “don’t leave your girl ’round me,” decided to embrace Marsha while the songstress held up her wedding ring, mouthing “I’m so sorry” undoubtedly to her husband. The cutest part of the video is before Usher‘s magnetism completely hypnotized Marsha; she abruptly ends their interaction and heads safely back to her section. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzE_gBvuUqd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Social media has dubbed Keith Lee as Martin Luther Keith for highlighting the lack of customer equity and service in most Atlanta restaurants. Of course, Black X came with the jokes. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzEwuwkP5uD/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=369d9624-46ce-45f5-9647-438ec47838a7 Popular TikTok Food Critic Keith Lee claims he is receiving death threats after reviewing various soul food restaurants in Atlanta. As SandraRose.com reports, Lee appeared on the “Ryan Cameron Uncensored,” podcast and said he won’t return to Atlanta because “People there put a hit out on me.” Lee boasts 18 million followers on TikTok, and his food reviews have been featured on major news programs, including Inside Edtion. He has reviewed The Real Milk & Honey, Juci Jerk, Atlanta Breakfast Club, and Lil Baby’s The Seafood Menu, and most recently, Kandi Burruss’ ‘Old Lady Gang’ restaurant. The Old Lady Gang, located in downtown Atlanta, is owned by Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker. As Rolling Out reports, in a now-viral TikTok video, Lee explained why his visit to the eatery did not go well. “Me and my family showed up, and we attempted to order before we got here. We called the number they had connected on Yelp three times… no answer. We tried to order through DoorDash, but it said it was temporarily closed. When we pulled up, I sent my family in to order for us. They said on the weekends, due to being busy, they don’t do any takeout at all.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1719655966843523185 SZA has responded to fans accusing her of lying about not getting various cosmetic surgeries. In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, the singer called rumors about her alleged surgical facial enhancements “high-key offensive.” In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, the singer called rumors about her alleged surgical facial enhancements “high-key offensive.” As The Blast reports, several fans responded online by comparing images of her nose and teeth, with one person posting a before-and-after comparison of SZA’s appearance over recent years. One Twitter user commented, “SZA been a serial liar like it’s so funny and lowkey concerning.” Another commented, “If it ever came down to a lying competition, I will never wanna go up against SZA.” Keyshia Cole‘s hit song “Love” transcends generations, and the students at Herman Middle School were singing their lungs out to the track. https://twitter.com/rxmsxy/status/1719000148083114338 Q-Tip will serve as the music producer and co-lyricist for an upcoming musical about Muhammad Ali. “Ali” will debut at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in Ali’s Hometown, Louisville, in fall 2024, with plans for a Broadway debut in 2025, Variety reports. “His childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, along with love and unconditional support from his mother (and later from his wife Lonnie), set the stage for him to become the greatest boxer of all time. Ali was a formidable fighter. But the toughest battles he faced were often out of the ring,” reads a statement on the production’s official website. “Muhammad Ali has been an inspiration for me my entire life,” rapper/producer Q-Tip said, Variety reports. “I look forward to working with Teddy, Clint, Casey, Sean and the entire creative team in telling the great man’s story in this form.” Q-Tip joins the production led by producer Richard Willis, composer Teddy Abrams, director and author Clint Dyer, associate music producer Casey Benjamin, and music supervisor Sean Mayes, per Variety. Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS is now the official underwear for the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball.“Together, SKIMS and the NBA will connect people of all backgrounds through fashion, sport, and talent, and I look forward to seeing the partnership thrive,” Kardashian said in a statement this week, Complex reports. “We look forward to bringing NBA fans and SKIMS users unique experiences, new offerings, and premium products through our partnership,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBjX0pr5rO/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8128f6e4-cbc9-4906-9e82-f5140b3f2bab The new partnership follows the recent launch of SKIMS Mens. Kardashian founded the SKIMS brand in 2019 with Jens Grede. The company was valued at $4 billion as of July this year. We previously reported that after Kardashian announced plans to launch a line of shapewear called Kimono, she was accused of cultural appropriation by folks critical of the naming choice. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBhvhkraAn/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4fc36f94-0aca-4d8d-96a4-af82ed94eee2 In the vibrant world of hip-hop, where beats, rhymes, and culture collide, the University of Dope is making waves. This innovative card game, designed to explore your thoughts and knowledge about hip-hop, has become a hit sensation. It has been played by artists and DJs including Method Man, Raheem Devaughn, Chrisette Michele, D Nice, Peter Gunz, and Redman among many others. Radio personality and EURweb Spotlight host Jazmyn Summers sat down with the co-creator of the game, A.V “$upreme” Perkins, to discuss the significance of hip hop’s 50th anniversary and the inspiration behind the University of Dope. A Cultural Milestone: Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary. What makes this game so significant in this year is that we are the children of hip hop. Like we don’t know life before hip hop,” A.V. Perkins remarked, highlighting the monumental occasion of hip hop’s 50th anniversary. She continued, “My business partner and I… to grow up in the genre and see our greats still able to contribute to the genre and us to create our game, and just have all of that synergy is mind-blowing.” https://youtu.be/0hw6wVrdX38 Rapper Flavor Flav is responding to criticism of his National Anthem performance on Oct. 29 during the Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks basketball game. It may seem odd for Flavor Flav, a member of Public Enemy to do the National Anthem. But I had family that served in the United States military and I wanted to honor them,” he wrote on Twitter, Hip Hop DX reports. Flav continued: “I had family that fought in World War 2. My dad was in the army. They fought for the land that we live on, and some of them didnt make it back. So when I was singing it, I was thinking about them and the advancements we have made in our community that I can perform the anthem. [American flag emoji]” Several music fans mocked the hip-hop star’s rendition of the National Anthem, but Flav appears to be unmoved by the hate. “The anthem was a long time bucket list item … that was fun! I can’t live my life worried about what people might say about me,” he wrote on Twitter. “I won’t let that stop me from trying new things and doing things I wanna do. Some people might not like that. But a sure failure is if you stop trying.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1718771100002275631 Mariah Carey says it’s time to swap out one pagan holiday for another and did a promo celebrating the upcoming Christmas season or #MariahSZN, as she wrote in the caption. One unenthused poster wrote, “Un uh put her back in ???? we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet.https://www.instagram.com/p/CzFtem_oImy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jada Pinkett Smith sat down with famed life coach Iyanla Vanzant to speak about her “healing journey” and her new bestselling memoir “Worthy.” “You know, being the heroine of my own story was me coming to terms with every aspect of it,” Pinkett Smith said on Vanzant’s podcast, The R Spot, Black Enterprise reports. “You know, being the heroine of my own story was me coming to terms with every aspect of it,” Pinkett Smith said on Vanzant’s podcast, The R Spot, Black Enterprise reports. “Coming to terms with my light and my shadow. I was just as much afraid of my light as I was of my shadow, to be honest. And realizing that it is my relationship with myself and the great supreme that is the most important, and was the thing that had been missing all along.” During the recent press run for her book, Pinkett Smith dropped several bombshells; most surprising was the reveal that she and Will have been separated since 2016. She also claims Tupac proposed to her, and Chris Rock once asked her out on a date. The memoir also touches on the infamous Oscars slap at the Academy Awards in 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy064EhLVj6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Bob Knight, the sixth-winningest coach in Division I men's college basketball history whose Hall of Fame career was highlighted by three national titles at Indiana -- one an undefeated season not since matched -- and countless on-court outbursts, died Wednesday, according to his family. He was 83. "It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family," the Knight Family said in a statement. "We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers, and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored. We will continue to celebrate his life and remember him, today and forever as a beloved Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend." Knight became the youngest coach at a Division I school in 1965 when he broke in at Army at 24. But he made his mark in 29 years at Indiana, including winning a school-record 661 games and reaching the NCAA tournament 24 times in 29 seasons. Knight's first NCAA title came in 1976 when Indiana went undefeated, a feat no team has accomplished since. https://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=38796196 Missy Elliott tells Robin Roberts her mother has never seen her perform live due to the language used in her lyrics because Mom Dukes serves the Lord. However, Missy‘s mother intends to witness her talented daughter’s induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Missy, you’ll have to perform the Kidz Bop versions of some of your hits. Congrats! Watch the full interview on Thursday, 11/2, on “Good Morning America.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CzFFRsMxzF3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tamar snatched back a microphone she gave to a fan who didn’t know the lyrics to her song. T Marie posted on her IG, “Omgggg y’all I need y’all helpp!!!! Can y’all tag Tamar and tell her I was recordinggg!!!! I knew the words of YOU KNOW ME YK I KNEW THEM WORDS. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy7SmGoM0tr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again French Montana was held up by Colombian authorities who searched his plane because they thought he was transporting that ya-yo. One person pointed out, “They heard you call y Former “Real Housewives of New York City” star Ramona Singer has been cut from BravoCon amid her N-word controversy. The network pulled Singer from the lineup hours after she texted part of a racial slur to a Page Six reporter, the outlet reported on Oct. 31. Bravo announced in August that 160 Bravolebrities will attend BravoCon, taking place Friday, Nov. 3 through Sunday, Nov. 5 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. Several of Bravo’s biggest names will participate in a series of show and mash-up panels, fan photo experiences, meet and greets, activations, and host booths at the Bravo Bazaar shopping experience with much more, according to a news release. Singer was expected to attend, but a source tells Page Six her appearance has been nixed following Vanity Fair’s exposé, which alleged she used the N-word during Season 13 while conversing with a Black crew member. “And the word I used was ‘NWord’ Not n-g…,” Singer texted to a Page Six reporter on Tuesday in response to the VF article. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxt7ZDsO-3_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” this week to promote his new project, “The Love Album,” but the host grilled him about rumors that he wanted to fight Will Smith over Jennifer Lopez. “I saw a guy on the internet the other day. He said he used to be your security guard, who said that when you were dating J.Lo, Will Smith and Jada tried to pick her up on a threesome, and you were gonna beat up Will Smith. Is that true?” Kimmel stated, Too Fab reports. Diddy replied, “Yo, this show has gotten crazier since the last time I was here. No.” “It’s all about love though. That’s not true?” Kimmel replied. “You really heard that?” Diddy asked. https://youtu.be/uL4iH-HLcXM Diddy’s former bodyguard, Gene Deal, claims the hip-hop mogul wanted to fight Smith back in the day when the actor and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, allegedly tried to hook up with his then-girlfriend Lopez. “We were at a birthday party that I think Matt Damon was giving for Ben Affleck. It was just a little gathering at the Four Seasons,” Deal recalled during his interview with “The Art of Dialogue,” Complex reports. “Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Puff, Will Smith, and Jada were sitting on [one] side of the room.” https://youtu.be/LKYOLBzbvdk The entire population of Gaza is “being dehumanized,” the chief of the main UN agency operating there told the UN Security Council Monday, as pressure intensified on the besieged strip with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruling out to a ceasefire, saying “this is a time for war.” Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) told the Security Council that thousands of children killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza in the past three weeks “cannot be collateral damage.” Major UN agencies are calling for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow deliveries of aid for more than 2 million civilians trapped with scarce supplies of food, water and medical equipment, and for the safe release of 238 hostages that Israel believes are being held by Hamas, the militant group that controls the enclave. “An immediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions,” Lazzarini said. The director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Lisa Doughten, told the Security Council that the “scale of the horror” being experienced by Gazans is “hard to convey.” https://youtu.be/MgX1IxZnx9U “We simply do not have enough essential supplies to provide for the survival of internally displaced people at this scale,” Doughten said. However, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu made clear on Monday that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire, as it responds with unrelenting force to Hamas’ October 7 terror attacks, which killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and saw hundreds taken hostage. Drawing parallels to the United States’ position after Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the September 11 attacks in 2001, Netanyahu said that while the Bible says there is a time for peace, he said “this is a time for war.” “Calls for a ceasefire or calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorists, surrender to barbarism, that will not happen,” he said. https://youtu.be/8xtXH1Rzsy0 It appears the Hollywood actors’ strike is approaching its final scene. SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents more than 150,000 Hollywood actors, and the AMPTP, the trade group that represents the major studios, have made significant progress in negotiating sessions in recent days, arriving at tentative understandings on key components of a potential deal, according to people familiar with the matter.That progress has led to hopes that an agreement could be reached as early as this week or next week, the people said. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator, told Variety on Monday from the picket lines, “There has been progress, and that’s the source of my continued cautious optimism.” While talks continue between the two sides to end the strike that has shuttered production for more than 100 days and pushed back film and television schedules, people familiar with the matter cautioned that there are still contentious matters that remain unresolved. One such issue, the use of artificial intelligence, has proved to be a sticking point between writers and studios and requires careful examination. Ultimately, erecting guardrails around the emerging technology that the actors have decried as an “existential threat” to their livelihoods has been one of the final items on the agenda during negotiations. https://youtu.be/etdWsBz8y5U There does, however, appear to be some momentum toward a deal, which could help the two parties solve for such issues. As with the writers’ strike that ended earlier this month after a 148-day standoff, the four big studio chiefs — Disney’s Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, and NBC Universal’s Donna Langley — have been directly involved in negotiations.Warner Bros. Discovery is CNN’s parent company.SAG-AFTRA told its members early Monday that over the weekend it had “discussed all open proposals,” including A.I., with the studios. The union added that both parties would work independently on Monday before resuming talks together at the Sherman Oaks negotiating table. A deal can’t come soon enough for both sides. The studios need to resume production if there is any hope that the winter half of the television season can be salvaged. And thousands of actors are in increasingly dire need of a paycheck. If production is not resumed soon, those shortened television seasons will be scrapped, meaning sets will remain empty until next year, regardless of whether a deal is reached in November or December. That would mean actors, crews, and much of the Hollywood industry would have to endure the holiday season out of work. “I definitely feel that pressure — it’s why I feel such a sense of urgency to get things done,” Crabtree-Ireland told Variety. “That’s why we worked all weekend long, and we’re not taking any time off from trying to push this process forward.” https://youtu.be/HxlBC06iQb0 You probably have seen that list of restaurants where women do not want to go on a first date. Ok, let’s talk about unapproved first-date locations'. I’m not sure who these women are who were surveyed to come up with the list. I – for one – don’t agree with the entire list and I’m sure a lot of other women feel the same way I do. Why is it that outliers feel compelled to speak on behalf of the rest of us, making all of us look like unreasonable, money-grabbing women who are more interested in an image than in the character of the man we are dating?https://youtu.be/y9J7zQeydkA According to a new study, cardiovascular deaths related to extreme heat could triple over the next few decades, with Black people being the most vulnerable. According to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, heat-related deaths will increase significantly in the United States among Black adults and seniors age 65 and older. As People reports, Dr. Sameed A. Khatana — study author, cardiologist, and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, told CNN, “For people with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases, their heart might not be able to keep up with the increased demands on the cardiovascular system that temperature is causing.” Black adults and seniors are allegedly at greater risk of fatal heat strokes due to underlying health conditions and socioeconomic barriers. https://youtu.be/PQPb_GodZaA In life, despite all the hoopla, some things are just too pricy for their own good. For Tyler Perry, that thing was BET Media Group, which he expressed interest in buying at one point and time. As the entertainment mogul is now sharing his thoughts on obtaining the network, the subject of price comes into the conversation. “I was disappointed about it for a number of reasons,” Perry said recently as he commented publicly for the first time on why things didn’t work out in buying BET, calling the process “disrespectful.” “The way it happened was disrespectful in a lot of ways,” he added. “Don’t try to get me to pay for something that’s not worth anywhere near the value.” Perry’s remarks were made during an appearance at a Bloomberg summit on business equality, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The appearance comes months after the Midea actor put his bid in to buy BET Media Group after Paramount Global put it on the market in March 2023. In addition to BET, BET+, BET Her, BET Digital, BET Studios, and VH1, Paramount Global owns a slew of media companies, including CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Showtime, and Paramount Picture, according to Urban Hollywood 411. https://youtu.be/DJwG4YLSiDY Forbes reports that NBA Hall of Famer Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson has reached billionaire status. Johnson is the fourth professional athlete to reach the milestone following a lucrative post-basketball career that included investments in professional sports teams, movie theaters, Starbucks cafes, a PepsiCo bottling plant, and a health insurance company, per Forbes.com. Johnson, 64, owns a minority stake in the NFL’s Washington Commanders, as well as stakes in the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, and the MLS’ LAFC. Based on his stakes in these teams, Forbes estimates his net worth to be $1.2 billion. The 12-time NBA All-Star also owns a 60% stake in Iowa-based life insurance company EquiTrust, which “makes up the largest portion of Johnson’s personal net worth—since the purchase, the Iowa-based company’s assets have skyrocketed from $16 billion to $26 billion, with annual revenues of roughly $2.6 billion,” per Forbes.com. Following the 1990-1991 NBA season, Johnson tested positive for HIV, which prompted him to announce his retirement and become an advocate for HIV prevention. https://twitter.com/i/status/1719026792562839930 Sean Paul was in the middle of an interview when an earthquake rocked the building he was in at the time … so he quickly fled the room. The rapper was in his native Jamaica while chatting with artist Tofu Jack and director/producer of Vice Documentaries. That’s when a 5.4 magnitude quake hit near Kingston, according to TMZ. In the clip above, you can see the room shake as the artist exits the room, and his entire feed disappears. As TMZ reports, no injuries from the earthquake have been reported. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-10-30-103023-sean-paul-1719550-096/ A beauty supply owner in South London was forced to sell his shop after a video went viral of him choking a Black female customer. “I have nothing in my pocket now, and I’m living off loans from my friends and family. Things are getting worse every day,” Sohail Sindho, 45, told MyLondon. Sindho was forced to sell his Peckham Hair and Cosmetics shop after the Sept.11 incident, which saw him physically assaulting a 31-year-old woman accused of trying to steal items from the store. As MadameNoire reports, the woman wanted a refund for her three wigs, but Sindho claimed he informed the customer that there were no refunds. Sindho allegedly offered the woman store credit, but she tried to flee the beauty supply with additional items. The shop owner was simply trying to detain the woman when he grabbed her neck and choked her. https://youtu.be/zLdGUjtQ0uw Sindho claims he lost everything after the video went viral. He and his children have been hiding out “in the countryside” amid protests outside the shop, with demonstrators demanding he be held accountable. “My kids haven’t had a warm meal in a month. They have been eating bread with jam and chocolate,” he said. https://youtu.be/Ii3X9kJgt-U Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams brings Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s New York Times best-selling book Stamped From the Beginning to life! Williams uses vivid animations and leading female scholars to explore the history of anti-Black racist ideas. The film releases on Netflix November 20 and in select theaters on November 10. https://youtu.be/HMYLFQbyIu4 Kandi Burruss responded to a review from popular TikTok food critic Keith Lee of her ‘Old Lady Gang’ restaurant. The Old Lady Gang, located in downtown Atlanta, is owned by Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker. As Rolling Out reports, in a now-viral TikTok video, Lee explained why his visit to the eatery did not go well. “Yesterday, me and my family were at the One Music Festival. Somebody who worked with Kandi Burruss walked up to us and said they’ve been trying to reach us since we got to Atlanta. He said he’s been constantly emailing me and constantly DM’ing me for me to come to Old Lady Gang,” Lee explained, adding, “As you can see, I don’t have any bags in my hands.” Lee and his family left the establishment before ordering food due to poor customer service. “Me and my family showed up, and we attempted to order before we got here. We called the number they had connected on Yelp three times… no answer. We tried to order through DoorDash, but it said it was temporarily closed. When we pulled up, I sent my family in to order for us. They said on the weekends, due to being busy, they don’t do any takeout at all.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1718825009324441827 Meanwhile, Lee has also reviewed The Real Milk & Honey, Juci Jerk, Atlanta Breakfast Club, and Lil Baby’s The Seafood Menu. His reviews have been featured on major news programs, including Inside Edtion. In an interview with TODAY.com, Lee explained his journey to becoming a viral sensation. “It took two years to get to 1.6 million. It took three months to get to 11 million and within those three months, I started doing full reviews every day,” Lee said. “I’m a foodie. I think I brought back natural foodies in the space of food critics. Most of the critics are polished and they only go to certain restaurants and they go to certain spots. They only stay in a certain niche.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1719147179405877581 Kim Kardashian has turned her Hidden Hills mansion into a haunted house for Halloween. As TMZ reports, Kardashian gave her social media fans a tour of the house, which sits on more than five acres of land and 30,000 square feet of living space. “There’s a lot to marvel at here … be it the “cemetery” of plaster-molded hands, which are apparently made in the shapes of real people in her household — including her kids, and even her chef. That, or the two massive skull-plated pillars standing outside her front door,” the outlet writes. The interior features Halloween-themed candles, cobwebs, hooded dummies, and other decor — including a haunted guest house. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2023-10-28-102823-kim-k-haunted-house-1719043-686/ The mother of four shared images on Instagram of her and her daughter, North West, dressed up as characters from the film “Clueless.” Meanwhile, we reported earlier that experts from QforQuinn conducted research to identify the top Halloween costumes in 2023 that people are searching for, and Barbie takes the crown. The majority of sought-after Halloween costumes this year are inspired by iconic movie characters. QforQuinn examined the “pop culture trends + Halloween costume” search counts, and Barbie topped the list with a total of 549,000 people looking to dress up as the iconic character for Halloween. According to the researchers, the most sought-after Barbie set is the Cowgirl Barbie, which includes hot pink flare pants with a vest top, a white cowgirl hat, a pink bandana, and white boots with gold stars. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzDQM9nO22s/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3503adcf-d88f-4f80-b137-0b5a23671552 The only Black-owned grocery store in the City of Detroit has officially opened its doors with the mission to help people get healthy. It’s called Neighborhood Grocery, and it’s a liquor store that was turned into a health food shop on the corner of Essex and Manistique in Detroit’s Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood. The store is a six-year labor of love for Raphael Wright, the owner. We first spoke to the farmer and serial entrepreneur when his store was just a shell. But, his drive and vision were unyielding. “To build a community you have to have healthy food and healthy access to the food and the start is in grocery stores,” he said. “What is it like now seeing customers come in?” I asked him. “It feels good. We knew it was going to happen, now it’s just time to build and maintain,” he said. https://youtu.be/yjFXBPhEhFg Lucky for Wright, the community is buying in. One woman who goes by Ms. Rita grew up in the neighborhood and her family have lived there for four decades. She has witnessed many changes. “Really happy it’s a grocery store and not a beer and wine store,” she said. “Sunday we always need an onion, tomato and seasonings so its good to come back in the neighborhood and support.” The Neighborhood Store embodies its name. People in the community have a say in what’s on the shelves, and their names are part of the decor. Inclusion, health, and education are part of Wright’s mission. https://youtu.be/p4BrajNx9Gk “I’m from the neighborhoods I work in and I want to make them better. They were good at one point and I want to bring back that glory,” he said. “What I love about your interaction is that you sound so proud,” Ms. Rita told him. The Neighborhood Grocery is an equity crowdfunded store. If you would like to be part of the movement, you can visit their website. https://youtu.be/YaouAdmXgHs PBS is set to air a documentary that chronicles the early civil rights movement. “The Niagara Movement: The Early Battle for Civil Rights,” is an hour-long documentary by WNED PBS, that “delves deep into a national crusade that forged the civil rights landscape for the 20th century and beyond,” according to a news release. Per the news release: “The film explores the Black elite and intellectual society at the turn of the 20th century and examines the heated national debate and conflict three Black leaders — sociologist W.E.B Du Bois, publisher William Monroe Trotter and educator and orator Booker T. Washington — had about how best to foster equality and opportunity for Black Americans.” https://youtu.be/wZx4qfgYAwg Ray J expressed concern for Kodak Black’s health, and the rapper threatened to beat him up in response. In a comment on Akademiks’ Instagram page, Ray J claimed Kodak’s erratic behavior once upset former president Donald Trump. “Yo somebody need to grab bro and make sure he good,” Ray J wrote, according to Hip Hop DX. “This ain’t the interview Nore. We gotta help this dude. “I took him to Trump house and he did the most. They were not happy with the experience bc he had no guidance and respect. Yo @wack100 let’s figure out how we can help this guy instead of watching him self destruct.” Kodak Black clapped back on Instagram Live on October 29, during which he repeatedly called Ray J a “bi**h” and a “pussy.” “Ray J, your little azz bi**h, homie. A n**ga don’t need no help, pu**y-azz b**h. I’m skraight, dumb-azz boy. F**k wrong with you, homie? I’ll beat your little azz” the Florida rapper warned. https://youtu.be/fnuRPgtILyw Sean Paul was in the middle of a live interview on Twitch when an earthquake rocked the building he was in at the time … so he quickly fled the room. The rapper was in his native Jamaica while chatting with artist Tofu Jack and director/producer of Vice Documentaries. That’s when a 5.4 magnitude quake hit near Kingston, according to TMZ. https://twitter.com/i/status/1719056321591300531 Experience the music of Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist KENNY G live at Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA, on Thursday, November 2nd, at 8:00 PM. Enjoy the smooth sounds of Kenny G as he performs his classic hits and his newest songs. Hear the saxophone virtuoso in person and participate in a night of musical magic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceoxolANYgc Zoë Kravitz is engaged to Channing Tatum after first being romantically linked last year. “He makes me laugh and we both really love art and talking about art and the exploration of why we do what we do,” Kravitz said about Tatum in a cover interview for GQ‘s 2022 Men of the Year issue. “We love to watch a film and break it down and talk about it and challenge each other.” As People reports, the couple was spotted leaving a Halloween party over the weekend. Kravitz and Tatum first met while she was casting her upcoming directorial debut, “Pussy Island.” “Whether it was making me tea or pouring me a drink or going to whip someone into shape or whatever — he really was my protector and it was really wonderful and sweet,” she shared. Kravitz added, “I think if you can do something like that together, it’s a good test. And we came out even stronger.” JASON SINGLETON... is the CEO of SingleTone Music Group, the Founder of Jason Singleton & Friends, and is an Artist, Musician, Preacher and Music Educator. Jason Singleton & Friends is an aggregation of singers whose mission is to spread inspiration and share The Gospel of Jesus Christ through Gospel Music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvYxY83aHwY Da Brat and her wife, Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart, have a new reality show premiering in November about their intimate journey with their first child together. The couple welcomed their baby boy named True in July. “Feels like a dream. He’s perfect in every way. [I’m] very appreciative for such a blessing of our bundle of joy. This journey has been more amazing than we could’ve ever imagined,” Brat, 49, admitted to People shortly after the baby’s arrival. “I can’t believe he came out of me!” Harris-Dupart added: “His name had been True Legend Harris-Dupart, but now that we’ve met him, we are tempted to name him Perfect.” https://youtu.be/wURlPcsh3D4 Rapper Waka Flocka Flame and comedian Desi Banks have a new podcast called “We Playin’ Spades.” The show features many celebrity guests who challenge Waka and Desi to a game of spades while sharing insights about their careers and lives. However, during the game, contestants risk losing their Black cards. Nekia Nichelle from “Just N Life“ spoke with the two hosts and buttered up the gents with her culinary skills, cheekily trying to get an invite on the show. https://youtu.be/e8ySqJVkGTc A’ja Wilson put out the clarion call that she wanted to link up with Usher, and bay-by did he answer. The Las Vegas Aces WNBA champ tweeted, “I am no longer A’ja Wilson..the 2x champ ..I am now A’ja Wilson..the girl usher was singing to …great! Moral of story: be careful what you ask for.” When she attended Usher‘s Las Vegas Residency, he put the sauce and his flirty charisma on her, and she quickly “folded like a lawn chair,” as one of her fans noted. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBjvO8uofB/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=78787588-ff7c-4bc2-8a13-0ef0526f1861&img_index=1 Jermaine Dupri‘s youngest daughter Jalyn, 12, went nuclear on her pappy and asked him how he felt when her mother left him. AHHH!!! She cited that it was due to his age and other issues that must go unmentioned on Janet Jackson‘s internet. WHET?! Yo, these kids will humble you fast. JD captioned the video, “Anybody want a child ?? https://www.instagram.com/p/CzC7uizraUt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again TikTok food critic Keith Lee shaking the restaurant tables in ATL while on a food tour with his family. He exposed the lack of customer service, how celebrities get preferential treatment, and the exorbitant rules that many restaurants have, which has caused the city’s residents to side with Keith. Even Cardi B came to his defense. Some restaurant owners such as The Real Milk and Honey tried to discredit him, and even Kandi Burruss tried to explain the reasons for specific rules in her restaurant, the Old Lady Gang, that Keith reviewed. https://twitter.com/i/status/1719259238659158165 The woman at the center of the disastrous “Cheesecake Factory date” is finally speaking out about why she acted like a pompous diva in the viral video.As we reported previously, the Atlanta woman identified as Alicia (previous reports said her name was Alice) went viral after refusing to get out of the car for a first date who took her to The Cheesecake Factory. According to the Daily Mail, the TikTok footage was shared online by a woman named Monique Santos. The clip shows Alicia complaining to her date that the chain restaurant was “embarrassing.” “He’s got me at The Cheesecake Factory,” the woman stated in the footage. When her date walks around to open the passenger door, Alicia locks the door and shakes her head at him. The woman rolls down the window and says to her date, “This is The Cheesecake Factory. This is a chain restaurant. Who takes someone that looks like this to a chain restaurant.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1712564473855422698 Jermaine Dupri is all the way up after being inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. He captioned the video, “Man!! I just got inducted into the @blackwalkoffame and it feels amazing !! A lady on the red carpet asked me does this mean Atlanta is the new Hollywood? No! This is Atlanta this is Black music and Black entertainment #SoSoDef30. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy4DWfSJU9b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Fans are also in love watching Ashanti and Nelly rekindle their romance. The two lovebirds had an IG live battle, giggling and enjoying one another’s company. The fact that they both look like they are in their late 20s proves their love gives them an extra glow to their melanin drip. One admirer remarked, “Y’all are just so…cute the 2 of you have so..much fun together always laughing but when comes to business you both are always on point! Love Y’all. “They look so happy ???? them relationships hit different when you’re mature and truly connected to your soul mate ????,” (waves imaginary church fan), don’t they though? “I have never seen him smile so much until now. He looks sooo freaking happy,” said another fan. Nelly is with his Queen. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_NhVErfSQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Nia Talita Long celebrates her 53rd bday, and girly is working life like a runway stage. Happy bday, Queen! https://www.instagram.com/p/CyfW0HpOpiK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Eva Marcille celebrates her 39th bday; show her some love in the comment section. https://www.instagram.com/p/CfS2avYlCf0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Nissin Foods USA is redesigning the packaging for Cup Noodles and will introduce a new paper cup design that will be microwavable. This historic change for the on-the-go cup of ramen noodles will come in early 2024, replacing the current polystyrene cup, per the news release. “Since its invention more than 50 years ago, Cup Noodles has become a cultural mainstay and a staple in households around the world,” said Michael Price, President and CEO of Nissin Foods USA. “And while Cup Noodles will continue to have that same satisfying taste and iconic look, we continue to find ways to evolve the brand to support the current needs of our consumers, the environment and the world.” Price added, “This updated packaging and the new paper cup marks an important milestone for Cup Noodles and a key step in our environmental commitment.” https://youtu.be/S2CD3bIBaY0 Joyce Logan, the Founder and CEO of Gospel International is retiring. Logan who is credited with helping many launch their careers shares this personal note: “ Just to let you know, I am retiring Welcome - Gospel International on November 1, 2023. I have had a long run in the industry. Many don't know that in 1993 I introduced Gospel International to the world wide web (internet) when consumers did not own computers. Our viewers came from major military posts around the world, corporations, colleges and universities. We had one of the first chat rooms on the internet prior to Facebook. Viewers were able to chat with us in real time and as a result organizations such as the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) began to experience delegations from Japan, France, the Netherlands and other countries who were reaching out to us for information about the gospel organization. We introduced the Stellar Awards to a broader consumer market via our print magazine and the website. Up until that time the Stellar Awards was known throughout the music industry but not by consumers on a broad scale. We helped to launch and further the careers of writers, producers and artists such as Deitrick Hadden, Kirk Franklin, The Winans, Yolanda Adams, Phyllis Caddell, Sanchez Harley and so many more by sharing them and the recording labels they were with, in our print and online publications to millions of readers and users across the world. We featured the very first gospel music radio charts covering every major city and key stations. Extensive radio and retail tracking was performed by us with direct contact with radio announcers and retail owners. The world knew who was doing what, when and where around the country. In a historic celebration of music, culture, and unity, the streets of Los Angeles came alive at the recent Taste of Soul L.A., the city's largest and most anticipated block party. The iconic streets of Crenshaw and Obama in Los Angeles witnessed an extraordinary musical phenomenon as Christian rap luminary Emcee N.I.C.E. and gospel trailblazer Canton Jones took center stage on the 102.3 Radio Free KJLH Delete the Divide stage opening with prayer and then setting the tone and delivering an electrifying performance that got the crowd ready for the day. With an astonishing 500,000 attendees, the event proved to be a momentous occasion. The highly anticipated event took place on October 21st, 2023, spanning several blocks along Crenshaw Boulevard. Taste of Soul L.A. is renowned for bringing together diverse communities and offering a rich tapestry of music, art, food, and cultural experiences. This year's event set a new attendance record, making it a historic gathering that truly showcased the power of music to unite and uplift. Emcee N.I.C.E., a chart-topping Christian and hip-hop legend, and Canton Jones, a dynamic and influential force and legendary in gospel and hip-hop music, opened up the main stage and lived up to the anticipation. Their performances were a mesmerizing fusion of faith, hip hop, gospel and that feel good energy that had some of the crowd dancing. Oct 7, 2023, will be known as Israel’s 9/11. Hamas terrorists crossed the Israel-Gaza border and indiscriminately slaughtered Israeli civilians in their homes and apartments. They killed nearly 300 young people at a music festival and took at least 200 hostages including 30 children. The atrocities they committed included massacres of entire families, the abduction of the elderly and young children, burning babies, and rapes of women. The horrific surprise attack by Hamas deserves universal and unequivocal condemnation. President Joe Biden called what Hamas did an act of sheer evil and pledged to defend the lives of Israelis and Jewish Americans. He said, “Let there be no doubt. The United States has Israel’s back. We’ll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend itself today, and tomorrow as we always have.” Hamas killed approximately 1400 people including 32 Americans. Citizens from 40 different countries including the United Kingdom, France, Mexico, and Thailand were killed or reported missing. https://youtu.be/IiLJPkHFkYI Signing the statement were 51 student organizations including those from Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Davis, UC San Diego, CSU Sacramento, and USC. Nationally, student organizations at Harvard, Columbia, the University of Michigan Law School and Northwestern issued similar statements that either directly or indirectly endorse or justify the actions of Hamas. A statement signed by 34 Harvard student organizations said, “We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.” Many university leaders, where these students are enrolled, have been guilty of failing to unequivocally condemn Hamas and for inadequately addressing their students’ expressed support for Hamas. Several Stanford faculty members, including three Nobel laureates, condemned Stanford’s administrators’ weak response to acts of terrorism and the expression of pro-Hamas sentiments by students on campus. https://youtu.be/KvoTIeB8L3w The United Kingdom has a rich history. Black History being an aspect of it matters and needs to be celebrated. One way or the other, Black History Month UK is celebrated in October. The event which began in the US in the 1920s, was first celebrated in the UK in 1987. 36 years on, Black History Month is as popular and important as it was when it was first celebrated in the UK. There are more Black and Asian Britons making inroads into the mainstream UK entertainment industry and more. Black history celebration gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate, and understand the impact of black heritage and culture through creative arts and events for the young, old, and enthused. Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled new “close-to-production” concept vehicles that could outdo Tesla cars by going more than 466 miles on a single charge. That’s compared with a range of less than 380 miles for any Tesla model. The German automaker’s Concept CLA Class, revealed Sunday at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich, comprises four new models: a sedan, a station wagon and two SUVs. The company did not specify when exactly they would enter production. The vehicles will each have a range of more than 750 kilometers (466 miles), versus Tesla’s (TSLA) Model 3 and Model S, which have the brand’s highest ranges and each can go for just under 375 miles off one charge. Meanwhile, BMW also made a splash at the show by revealing a new electric vehicle that boasts a longer range and faster charging, in further evidence of German automakers’ efforts to fend off growing EV competition. https://youtu.be/F3ebspXe8PQ Kanye West allegedly drew a swastika during his very first meeting with Adidas in 2013. According to a new report published by the New York Times, the incident occurred at the brand’s headquarters in Germany, where Adidas team members met with West to start “pitching ideas for the first shoe.” “The Adidas employees, thrilled to get started, had arrayed sneakers and fabric swatches on a long table near a mood board pinned with images,” the report claimed. “But nothing they showed that day at the company’s German headquarters captured the vision Mr. West had shared.” According to the Times report, the rapper allegedly drew a swastika during the meeting. “To convey how offensive he considered the designs, he grabbed a sketch of a shoe and took a marker to the toe,” two witnesses told the Times. “Then he drew a swastika.” https://youtu.be/t86V-1dmS6k A 22-year-old suspect named Tyrell Stephen Phillips has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in a shooting on a crowded street in Tampa, Florida, early Sunday morning, leaving two people dead and 16 others injured, authorities said. The shooting started after a dispute between two groups broke out as hundreds of people were filing out of the bars and nightclubs in Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood, just before 3 a.m. A 14-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man were killed, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said. Of the 16 people injured, 15 were shot and one person had other serious injuries, Bercaw said. They were triaged at the scene and transported by Tampa Fire Rescue to nearby hospitals, Tampa police said in a statement. “Many of the additional victims, who ranged in age from 18-27 years old, have been medically treated and released from the hospital. Five remain in the hospital, recovering from their injuries,” the statement said. Police said earlier 18 people were injured in the shooting. Bercaw clarified two people were killed and 16 were injured. https://youtu.be/AA2uBcuRg4Y The famed ballet dancer Misty Copeland, legendary Wu-Tang rapper and filmmaker RZA, and Black astronaut Leland Melvin will join comedian and actress Yvonne Orji, writer Nelson George, and numerous directors, filmmakers, and actors at the 27th annual Urbanworld film festival in New York City, November 1-5th. Founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, the annual five-day celebration of diverse storytelling and innovation has since become a cornerstone event for both established and emerging filmmakers, as well as industry experts, looking to showcase their work, exchange ideas, and celebrate the power of cinema. The festival was established with the aim of redefining and advancing the presence and impact of the multicultural community in cinema and cross-platform media. Through its screenings, panels, and celebrations, Urbanworld continues to promote diverse voices and perspectives in the world of filmmaking. and showcase the power of diversity in storytelling. https://www.instagram.com/p/CyoQsDKOZPr/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=74ec7a85-5a1f-47fd-a3ba-8a1c1d15c7f2 Fatal Attraction returns on Monday, October 30 at 9 PM ET. When a mother of six and her cousin are murdered less than two hours apart, police wonder if it’s a coincidence, or if the cases are connected. Soon, the killer’s friend comes forward with a twisted tale of revenge they never saw coming.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW7mcpMOwws Sins Of The City returns on Monday, October 30 at 10 PM ET. Long standing racial tensions in Brooklyn’s Bensonhurst neighborhood explode into months of protests. After Yusuf Hawkins, an unarmed Black teenager, is pursued and killed by a mob, it was determined that the act was to send a message to Black communities throughout New York. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tol7O6GNSLs It is with deep sorrow that we acknowledge the passing of Dave Dickinson, a titan in the broadcasting industry. Dave's contributions, dedication, and expertise in the world of radio have left an indelible mark, impacting countless lives and communities throughout his decades-long career. Dave's journey in broadcast began as a Talent/Music Director at WNHC in New Haven, CT, where he became known as "Dave D." His passion for music and commitment to his audience were evident in his programs, notably the revered "Whisper Softly," a program that resonated deeply with his listeners during the Quiet Storm era. His journey continued to ascend through various roles, from being the Operations Manager at Grambling State University's KGRM to taking the helm as Program Director at WHUR in Washington, DC, where his visionary leadership helped shape the station's programming and community outreach. Notably, Dave was a driving force in the evolution of SiriusXM Radio Inc., serving as a Programmer and Music Programmer for over a decade. His innovative work in shaping the format and playlist for SiriusXM – Silk and his success in negotiating live performances and interviews with record companies and artists was invaluable to the industry. Dave's impact extended beyond radio as he served as a Freelancer at Capital Jazz Productions Inc., contributed to media relations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and created a music and entertainment-based social media outlet at KNOWWAX.com LLC. Sean “Diddy” Combs has unveiled the trailer for the movie “Off the Grid,” inspired by his chart-topping R&B album “The Love Album: Off the Grid.” Per the press release: the film “embarks on a journey, capturing the essence of escaping with a romantic lover into a world free of distractions and communications; it’s about immersing oneself in love with no phones allowed. The movie encapsulates the whirlwind of romance, infused with passion, drama, and the enduring spirit of love, while the unfolding drama on screen is underscored by powerful music, amplifying the impact of each scene.”Directed and written by Combs, “Off the Grid” features Ugandan actress Eva Apio in her acting debut. “Working with Eva Apio was an incredible experience; her talent and energy brought my vision to life,” said Diddy in a statement. https://youtu.be/xAov4Ak9BFI Power Book III: Raising Kanan” is returning for season three! Set in the early 90’s the show does more than hit the mark when it comes to recreating iconic 90s style. And that is all due to the talented head costume designer Tsigie White. White has been in the industry for years and has finally landed a role where she can not only showcase her talents but also show her own expression through her work. Starz recently held The Fashion Experience Power Luncheon to represent White’s work on the series. The Fashion Experience Power Luncheon was held at the Founders House in LA. The Founders House is a community of beauty and fashion entrepreneurs, and influencers. During the lunch, there was a panel discussion with White where she shared how she got started in the business and how she prepared for her role as the head costume designer for “Power Book III.” Flavor Flav sing the National Anthem at the Hawks-Bucks Game. One supportive fan posted, “You can tell he truly rehearsed this and sang to the best of his ability. Love it. So happy for him, go Flav!” Another cheered him on but demanded the resignation of the person who thought up the idea, “Glad he made it through w/o any serious embarrassment. Now fire whoever came up with this idea, asap.” We expect @remixgodsuede to do a fire remix to Flav’s rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner.” https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1718771100002275631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1718771100002275631%7Ctwgr%5Efdef8e98730903d719b5c0302e6b8867c021bad7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F2023%2Funfortunately-flavor-flavs-mic-was-on-sings-national-anthem-at-nba-game-janet-jackson-and-jermaine-dupri-hang-out-after-onemusicfest-more-picvideos%2F Social media comedian and influencer Wellington Ojukwu spit some major facts about Ice Spice‘s recent performance at the Power 105 Powerhouse concert, where she wore a Betty Boop costume or “Wetty Boop,” (as she named the look on social media). Wellington also pointed out a 9-year who went viral for his drill rap lyrics. SMH.“The general public has been promoting this type of behavior since Jerry Springer, using our most valuable commodity. Attention. We receive that which we pay attention to…. where attention goes, energy flows,” admonished one person. “They don’t sign people with talent anymore, they promote this trash to distract us,” added another. “This world is going up in flames anyways…day by day!,” pointed out one social media user. Wellington and another IG page are the only ones who have brought attention to the Congo holocaust, and we hope other Black media sites will start amplifying what is occurring there. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzAEvDAxEl7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Usher got the crowd even more hyped during his performance when he highlighted Dr. Dre in the VIP section of his Las Vegas Residency. The vibe was palpable. https://www.instagram.com/p/CypBDETLKM8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Besties Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri hung out last night in Atlanta, GA. Janet performed her set at the OneMusicFest and invited J Cole and Jermaine Dupri on stage with her. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_O-RVrW8f/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Track and field world champion Sha’Carri Richardson is one of 11 women up for the 2023 Women’s World Athlete of the Year award. The World Athletes of the Year nominees were released, and the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, one-day meeting circuits, Label road races, and other events around the world, per the organization’s website. Richardson is being recognized for her standout performance at the World Athletic Championships, with gold in the 100 meter and bronze in the 200 meter. Other nominees for the Women’s World Athlete of the Year Award include Shericka Jackson, Tigist Assefa, Femke Bol, Faith Kipyegon, Haruka Kitaguchi, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Maria Perez, Gudaf Tsegay, Yulimar Rojas, and Winfred Yavi. The winner will be announced on December 11th. Iconic rap duo Salt-N-Pepa recently spoke to Will Smith on his new podcast “Class of 88.” During the conversation, Smith recalled a time when he and Pepa (born Sandra Denton) went on a date, but she wasn’t really feeling him because Smith was far too “nice.”“Okay, you were very nice,” she recalled of the date that occurred after Smith’s first Grammy win in 1989. “This was the date you won and beat us out,” she added, referring to Salt-N-Pepa, who was nominated in the same category. “You was so happy. You was like let’s go celebrate,” Pepa continued, HipHopDX reports. “Then we were out and you saw a homeless person. You gave the homeless person $100. And it was so nice. Then, we went to the Hollywood sign,” she added. Smith noted that Pepa was on a break from her ex, rapper Treach, at the time, and the actor was afraid Treach was going to come for him. https://youtu.be/57VEgtS96h4 “I think you and Treach had been broke up for a minute. So, in my mind when I was like trying to spit my game but I ain’t really have nothing. Cuz my concern was I was gonna get killed,” said Smith. Pepa recalled touring with Smith back in the day in a 2009 interview with Global Grind. “I thought Will was really cute, and we would hang out a lot on the road. He liked to take care of me and never let me spend a dime. He was that kind of guy, real generous,” she revealed. https://youtu.be/Hlaq39GN1WQ “I sometimes kick myself when I think about what could have been. He was so nice to me, but I really wasn’t feeling him. I guess I couldn’t appreciate a nice guy like Will Smith. He wasn’t thug enough. I was attracted to thugs and hoodlums. Will was too nice to me,” Pepa added. https://youtu.be/pulIoITeROk It’s that time of year again when all things spooky come out to play. That’s why we’re bringing you a look at this year’s most popular (and relevant) Halloween costumes.Yep, Halloween, our annual celebration of the scary, has long been a showcase for ghost costumes and vampire teeth. This year, though, the most popular costumes might look a little different. Barbie, Spider-Man and Wednesday Addams (from “The Addams Family”) are among the most searched costume ideas in the US this year, according to Google Trends’ Frightgeist, which analyzes the most-searched costume ideas across the country. If you still haven’t found a costume idea, fear not. CNN has you covered with five topical, yet still popular, Halloween costume ideas guaranteed to stun. https://youtu.be/0wBPRMCA7vg In a new interview with Gayle King for “CBS Mornings,” JAY-Z spoke candidly about the constant criticism his and Beyoncé’s oldest daughter, Blue Ivy, is subjected to. “With Blue, what makes me super like, proud and like, you know, I still get goosebumps seeing her walk on stage is ’cause Blue’s been born into a life she didn’t ask for,” he said of Blue joining Queen Bey on stage during the “Renaissance” tour, Page Six reports. “So, since she’s been born — she’s been in like, scrutiny and [the] public eye and everyone having an opinion. You know, even a little girl and how she keeps her hair,” JAY-Z added. The father of three said Blue was able to “reclaim her power” by performing “My Power” alongside her superstar mom on tour. https://youtu.be/1tIseaBkTfI “And then watching her grow in it. You know, she came out — 80,000 people — she’s 11, so she’s nervous,” he continued. When King said Blue “didn’t look nervous,” during the tour, Jigga replied, “I know her, so I know how nervous she was. I know how frightened she was.” Elsewhere in the conversation, the Grammy-winning rapper, 53, said Blue relies on her parents for fashion advice. “She used to be frontin’ on me a little bit,” JAY-Z told King. “But [now] I catch her. I catch her in the corner, you know? Now she asks me, you know, if this is cool, if her sneakers [are cool].” The rapper and his wife of 15 years also share twins Rumi and Sir, 6. Jay told King that his eldest daughter’s name wasn’t initially going to be Blue Ivy. https://youtu.be/xBcLo0Bc9Zs Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has filed a new lawsuit against spirits maker Diageo for “unlawful retaliation.” We reported previously via CNN that Diageo cut ties with Diddy over the summer, ending a lucrative 15-year partnership that culminated in a racial discrimination lawsuit. Combs accused Diageo of racial discrimination in May, which led to the end of their business relationship. The Bad Boy Records founder took legal action against Diageo, charging that the company “had neglected and underpromoted his DeLeón tequila, dismissing it as an “urban” product in its marketing,” CNN writes. As Complex reports, Diddy filed a new lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court on Friday, accusing Diageo of “unlawful retaliation by a powerful international corporation.” His latest allegations accuse Diago of doing “all it can to retaliate” and blackball him in the spirits industry. Nick Cannon and La La Anthony are part of the lineup of speakers for Forbes’ inaugural ForbesBLK Summit, taking place in Atlanta on November 5-6, 2023. The theme for the event is The Future of Black Entrepreneurialism: Convening Culture, Creativity, and Community.The summit “will bring together business leaders, entrepreneurs and entertainers to ignite critical conversations around the future of Black capitalism,” per Forbes.com. The two-day event will be accessible virtually and include “discussions focused on creating more equitable economies; the future of Black media; how Black entrepreneurs are securing funding; how executives of color navigate the world of sports and beyond, all while championing the global community of Black trailblazers,” the outlet writes.In addition to Cannon and Anthony, the speakers also include NBA icon Isiah Thomas. Cam Newton’s girlfriend, comedian Jasmin Brown, is expecting their first child together. “Third times (sic) a charm tour coming to a comedy stage near you,” Brown, whose stage name is Watch Jazzy, captioned her Instagram post Friday, Page Six reports. In the post, Brown listed her upcoming comedy tour dates, along with the title “Baby Momma 3.” Brown later took to Instagram Stories to inform fans that the dates on the poster she shared were incorrect and that she would update them shortly. As Page Six reports, Newton, 34, has seven kids — five he shares with ex-fiancée Kia Proctor and two with La Reina Shaw. The former Carolina Panthers quarterback is also father to Proctor’s daughter Shakira, from a previous relationship. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy6HTVpuHk_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=96e52c8c-e680-43eb-8333-048a027d2e49 Roc Nation kicked off the first of two informative community events for local Manhattan Plaza and Hell’s Kitchen residents around Roc Nation’s collaborative bid for a new, state-of-the-art gaming facility in Times Square.Officially catered by Melba’s, the restaurant took over the neighborhood venue, The Purple Tongue to provide free lunch and dinner meals to local attendees as a way to preview a taste of what the entertainment facility has to offer the neighborhood. Over lunch, guests were able to learn more about the bid’s extensive community programs powering the new project. The 10-year plan will invest $206 million in an elaborate network of security, sanitation, traffic mitigation, and Broadway plans to revitalize the area and all of New York City. $10M will be dedicated to student debt relief in partnership with members of Actors’ Equity and Local 802 while $20M is committed to extending childcare to the Broadway labor force in partnership with Bright Horizons and Actors Equity. Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, IMPACT Strategies CEO Angela Rye, and New York music artist Fat Joe were in attendance to connect with residents over the neighborhood plans.“An interesting point to Roc Nation’s involvement in the bid,” Angela Rye reflects, “is there is an investment in daycare. There’s an investment in sanitation. Who doesn’t want more sanitation investment in New York? There’s an opportunity for job creation where there are 6,000 jobs and significant economic opportunity.” Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates has warned there is a ‘way above five percent’ risk the world has not yet seen the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tech mogul and philanthropist said he did not want to sound ‘doom and gloom’ but warned there was a risk an ‘even more transmissive and even more fatal’ variant could be generated. ‘We’re still at risk of this pandemic generating a variant that would be even more transmissive and even more fatal,’ Gates told The Financial Times on Saturday. ‘It’s not likely, I don’t want to be a voice of doom and gloom, but it’s way above a 5 percent risk that this pandemic, we haven’t even seen the worst of it.’ It is not the first time he has made such a prediction. In December 2021, he warned his millions of Twitter followers to brace themselves for the worst part of the pandemic having previously cautioned in 2015 that the world was not ready for the next pandemic. Saturday night was a big deal in Washington because celebrities, journalists, members of Congress and top Biden administration officials, including the president and First Lady Jill Biden, showed up to a full house for the return of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner/WHCD. https://youtu.be/7L6R7zDOo5I In states like Florida, the intent to sweep Black voting power under the rug of white supremacy is clear. Gov. Ron DeSantis has said blatantly multiple times that he’s seeking to redistrict Florida’s congressional map to make it “race-neutral,” knowing it only affects areas where the populations are largely Black people and people of color, not where the non-race-neutral areas are predominately white. In Georgia, where the congressional map has already been recently rearranged (likely because it went blue in 2020), at least two Black communities are facing the very real possibility of being represented by none other than Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. If you’re a Peach State resident, you might be aware that the suburban communities in Powder Springs and Austell, Ga. are Black. According to the New York Times, shops and restaurants in Powder Springs are owned almost entirely by Black people. The city also elected its first Black mayor in 2015 and voted for Joe Biden by 14 percentage points in Cobb County, which used to be Republican-controlled. A teenage girl was filmed being viciously beaten by two other girls – one of them her best friend – after her supposed pal lured to a Texas park late at night, according to police and the shocking video. Maya Tremillo, 17, suffered a concussion, several cuts to her face and a sprained ankle after the shocking beating at Clifton City Park on April 18 by Savannah Walker, 17, and 17-year-old Ahliah Vestal, the Clifton Police Department said. The two girls were charged with aggravated assault. A third unidentified suspect, who filmed the beatdown and posted it to Snapchat, was also taken into custody and charges are pending. The girls attend the same high school in Clifton, about 35 miles northwest of Waco, and Maya was attacked by the other teens because of a spat over a boy, her distraught mother said. A funeral service was held Saturday for a teenager who was stabbed to death in Mount Vernon. The service for 16-year-old Kayla Green was held at the Macedonia Baptist Church. The cheerleader was stabbed on April 8 after a parade celebrating the basketball team’s state championship. Police say a 15-year-old girl stabbed her in the neck and side. https://youtu.be/BoNFeKZ-2LI 23-year-old Morgan Scott speaks out after surviving a horrific attack during her morning commute. Morgan is recovering after suffering life-threatening injuries from being hit and then run over 3 times in a road rage incident that took place in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The attack reportedly started when Scott and Vincent Jean got into a dispute over a minor traffic incident. As Morgan tried to take photos of Vincent’s license plate, his SUV suddenly went into reverse and went right at her multiple times. Morgan suffered a broken femur and underwent surgery to place a rod in her leg. Both of her knees were split open. Her ribs were broken on both sides, and her neck was broken in three places. Her liver is also lacerated, and she must shield her face from the sun to reduce scarring from road rash. The suspect, Vincent Jean, was arrested and charged with first-degree attempted murder and third-degree assault by auto. He is due back in court in June. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc_W-bllcuf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Oprah Winfrey criticized a court ruling earlier this month that lifted mask mandates for public transportation, saying ‘it’s too soon’ to remove certain COVID-19 restrictions and that she will continue to wear a mask inside planes. Discussing her new documentary ‘The Color of Care’ with the Los Angeles Times, the veteran talk show host revealed she was so fearful of becoming infected that she spent 332 days without leaving her home during the peak of the pandemic. Oprah, who quarantined at her ‘$40million’ mansion in Santa Barbara, California, told the outlet she is not quite ready just yet to let go of precautions. ‘I personally think it’s too soon to be removing masks from planes. But that’s what people choose to do. And if I were on a commercial plane, I would be one of the people who would still be wearing my mask,’ Oprah told the Los Angeles Times. She continued: ‘And I would be one of the people still wearing my masks in an enclosed building with people who I didn’t know if they were or were not vaccinated. But that is just me. And I certainly accept that there are other people who disagree. I’m OK with that as long as I can wear mine.’ A seven-month-old girl was shot in the chest and killed during a drive-by shooting in Toledo, Ohio, while she was sitting next to her father in his car. Desire Hughes was shot on Wednesday night and treated for at least one gunshot wound to the chest before succumbing to her injuries, the Lucas County Coroner’s Office reported. Her father, Jeremiah Hughes, 20, was grazed by a bullet in the shooting and has since been released from the hospital, mourning his daughter’s death. Cops believe the shooting to be drugs or gang-related. ‘I was a happy dad, you feelin’ me? She was gonna change my life, man,’ Hughes told the Toledo Blade after coming home on Thursday. ‘That was the one that was gonna change my life. ‘That’s why I’m so sick, I don’t even know what to do,’ he added. ‘My baby… they really took that girl from me.’ Remains discovered during a Houston-area search in December have been identified as those of Taylor Pomaski, the missing girlfriend of former NFL player Kevin Ware, authorities said Saturday. The identification was made by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, Harris County Sheriff’s Office Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland said by email. “The investigation is still open and active and homicide investigators are diligent on bringing this case to a close,” Gilliland said. Pomaski, 29, was last seen April 25, 2021, at a party at her home in Spring, Texas, the sheriff’s office said. Her disappearance was described as suspicious. The remains were found Dec. 10 at a site in north Harris County that had been identified during the investigation, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at at the time. Ware, former tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, was questioned about her disappearance in June, authorities said. The sheriff’s office has not named any suspects or persons of interest. The former player has been in Montgomery County Jail north of Houston, for 10 months, according to inmate records. His residence is in nearby Spring. Ware was being held without bail after allegedly violating conditions of bond for a case involving drug and weapons charges unrelated to the disappearance, according to NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston. More than 200 men in Harlem celebrated a huge accomplishment Saturday. https://youtu.be/zgNlD6X7Ro8 Netflix has dropped Meghan Markle’s animated series as part of a wave of cutbacks prompted by the streaming service’s drop in subscribers. Pearl, the working title for Markle’s show, has been officially cancelled, Deadline reported Sunday. The show, which was created by the Duchess of Sussex through Archewell Productions, was still only in the development stage. Markle and Prince Harry established Archewell Productions in autumn 2020 in an effort to create scripted series, docuseries, documentaries, features and children’s programming. Pearl was expected to be the first animated series created by the production company. Despite dropping Pearl, insiders allege Netflix remains optimistic about the Archewell deal and has a number of projects planned including a documentary series called Heart of Invictus, which follows the recent Invictus Games. The Walt Disney Company’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Geoff Morrell is throwing in the towel just months after taking on the position, according to reports. Morrell served in the role during a turbulent three-month period, after the company failed to condemn Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Disney found itself in hot water after initially failing to speak out publicly against the Florida legislation, which was signed into law by Gov Ron DeSantis on March 28. “It has become clear to me that for a number of reasons it is not the right fit,” Morrell wrote in an email to his staff, according to Fox News. “I have decided to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.” The touring company of the Tony Award-winning musical “Tootsie The Musical” has made its way to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where performances will run through May 15, 2022. I attended opening night and didn’t know what to expect from a musical created based off a climate that has changed since the original movie was made in 1982. https://youtu.be/EHCYFZNmYLQ The wait is finally over for Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, who was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the second of their two third-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft. The Titans moved up Friday night to select Willis at No. 86 overall after sending a third-round pick (No. 90) and a fifth-round pick (No. 169) to the Las Vegas Raiders. Willis was widely projected as a first-round pick and was invited to Las Vegas by the NFL to be on hand for the draft. That honor is typically reserved for a player that’s likely to be selected in the first round. Despite the wait, Willis remained in Las Vegas until he was selected and was elated when he heard his name called as he celebrated with his family. Willis said he didn’t pack a second suit so he and his group of 100 friends and family decided to go to a bowling alley to celebrate when he was selected. “I’m just blessed to have somewhere to call home and appreciative for the opportunity to play at the next level,” Willis said. “It hasn’t really been difficult. At the end of the day when you don’t have control over something, it’s not something that you can really get mad at. I’m just grateful to be here and to be a Tennessee Titan.” Legendary women’s basketball pioneer C. Vivian Stringer is retiring after 50 years and 1,055 wins as a head coach, she announced Saturday. Stringer, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, guided her teams to 28 NCAA tournament appearances and four Final Four berths across her storied career at Cheyney State, Iowa and most recently Rutgers. Stringer’s retirement will be effective Sept. 1. “My life has been defined by coaching and I’ve been on this journey for over five decades. It is rare that someone gets to do what they love for this long and I have been fortunate to do that,” Stringer said in a release. “After recently celebrating the first women’s Final Four team at Cheyney State University, where it all started, it sat with me that I have been at this for a long time. It is important to step aside and challenge others to step up and take this game forward. “This was the hardest decision of my life, but I thank God he has allowed me to do the thing I love most. I am ready to start my new journey and spending more time with my family, children, and grandchildren. I am truly blessed to have had so many wonderful people in my life.” The school said a national search for Stringer’s replacement will begin immediately. Charles Young, the first Black US Army colonel whose groundbreaking military career was hampered a century ago by the racism of the era, was posthumously promoted on Friday to brigadier general. Young’s promotion retroactively makes him the first Black American recognized with that rank, the Army said. The honorary designation, following years of efforts to posthumously promote him, was the focus of an official promotion ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point on Friday. After Young was passed over for promotion before his death in 1922, a Black service member wouldn’t join the general officers rank in the Army until Benjamin Davis Sr. was promoted to brigadier general in 1940. https://youtu.be/07robjEqIaM Looking for a juicy alternative to oat bran and milk? Tropicana is introducing a new cereal that’s made specifically for orange juice. Tropicana Crunch, a crispy honey almond cereal, will be available starting May 4, which also happens to be National Orange Juice Day. “Prepare your mind and cereal bowl for an unforgettable breakfast experience,” the juice company says on its website. The cereal box features a smiling orange holding a spoon and orange juice being poured into a bowl of almond cereal. It also comes with a paper straw. https://youtu.be/aHq1D25w27Q “I got my daughter together….and had my son record it” said Ellen Hayes about the title track to her new Christian album of the same name, “We Owe It All to You” (Song & Melodies Records). “I had songs I recorded in 2018…used a few of those songs on the album. The title song spearheaded the album. It was a song I had written in 2006. It was titled ‘I Owe It All to You,” because of the big healing that’s needed the Lord put the song back in my Spirit, so I changed ‘I’ to ‘We’.” https://youtu.be/Dos53qK5e88 Two-time GRAMMY®-Award winner Jason Crabb is known for being one of the most encouraging and inspirational voices in Christian music, sharing songs full of hope.Today, he continues encouraging the listener with the driving, hope-filled, new song, "Good Morning Mercy." Written by Crabb, Jay DeMarcus, Caleb Ward and Jordan Ward, the song reminds the listener that God is always working things out for our good - even the messes we make ourselves. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xcjzxo4-kSY&list=RDAMVMxcjzxo4-kSY DJ Kay was buried on April 24 after succumbing to Covid-19 complications a week earlier. However, his being laid to rest has not marked the end of his larger-than-life legacy. The Hip Hop star will continue to inspire many generations through his music, radio show Straight Stuntin’ Magazine, family and numerous friends. To ensure his contributions to the culture will always be remembered, Van Silk (veteran New York City Hip Hop promoter) has made several moves that will keep him relevant for generations. This is according to his promoter Jarrod “General” Whitaker, according to HipHopDx. Shaq is the latest guest on the new episode of “The Pivot,” and during the show, he opened up about his divorce from ex #ShaunieONeal, and took accountability for their breakup. He said, “I wasn’t protecting her and protecting those vows. Sometimes when you live that double life, you get caught up. So I’m not gonna say it was her, it was all me.” Shaq continued to explain that Shaunie did everything that she was supposed to in their marriage and that he was at fault for what went wrong. By now, ya’ll know both Shaq and Shaunie have both moved on in their romantic relationships after divorcing back in 2011.Shaunie is now engaged to Pastor Keion Henderson. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcieXXwlKKK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again DL Hughley is NOT happy with the way folks on social media are coming for Megan Thee Stallion after her interview with Gayle King. “I got a chance to see Megan Thee Stallion and Gayle King‘s interview. I like everybody else don’t know what happened I wasn’t there I just speculate like everybody seems to be doing but there are some things I know for sure. One is that that young lady was shot. The other thing that I don’t understand is what are people so angry with her about I mean she is actually the victim.” https://youtu.be/nVPEhobyuhI Tyga finds himself in the middle of another lawsuit. This time, his sneakers’ creativity is at the center of confusion.? #Billboard reports that #NewYork based design studio MSCHF is going at it with Vans’ legal team to determine if the rapper’s “Wavy Baby” sneakers are illegal knockoffs. MSCHF is the same company responsible for Lil Nas X’s Satan blood-drawn shoes.? MSCHF claims the “Wavy Baby” shoes that look similar to the original Vans “Old Skool” collection are free speech, and Tyga is protected under the First Amendment.? Tyga says the shoes sold out within 10 minutes.? DaBaby is now facing criminal charges over an alleged attack on a man during a music video shoot. According to @tmz_tv, DaBaby has been hit with felony battery by the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office over the incident that went down in December last year. The alleged victim, Gary Pagar, was left with serious injuries. https://youtu.be/jVUHqaKu9yo The parents of Tyre Sampson — the teenager who fell to his death at a ride in Florida — now claim the 14-year-old should not have been allowed to get on board the “Free Fall” ride in the first place. Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson have filed a wrongful death suit against ICON Park, via attorneys Michael Haggard (the managing partner of Harrard Law Firm) and Ben Crump. The suit is also against ICON Park’s pertinent associates and the operators of the free-fall ride itself. The parents claim negligence caused their son’s death, reports TMZ. According to the lawsuit details, the parents allege the park had height and weight restrictions that their son violated because he never saw the signs or the staff at the site never pointed out these. The parents say there were no signs to guide people and nobody working there said anything either, hence Tyre Sampson got in on the assumption all was safe. “You didn’t want to miss a dollar. But you stripped me of my son. So yeah, it’s disgusting,” Dodd said at a press conference, sitting with the lawyers. Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed on Friday that he would make Florida a so-called constitutional carry state, which would allow people to publicly carry firearms without permits. “The legislature will get it done,” DeSantis said during a news conference in north Florida. “I can’t tell you if it’s going to be next week or six months, but I can tell you that before I am done as governor, we will have a signature on that.” In Florida, people must obtain concealed weapon permits in order to carry hidden guns in public. About 2.5 million people have permits, more than any other state where they are required. The permit can be obtained by taking a gun training course and submitting proof of competency. In most cases, gun owners in Florida cannot openly carry firearms without permits, either, except in certain circumstances, like while hunting. https://youtu.be/DFINEAzqvWI In 1992, years of frustration and angst literally exploded to the surface in many of the Black communities of Los Angeles after the Rodney King verdict saw the four officers who violated the civil rights of King got off on all the most serious charges. A young man by the name of Keith O’Derek seized the opportunity to wade into the void of misinformation, fearmongering and general mainstream dereliction with nothing but his wits and a video camera. Like many, he did witness the looting, the burning, and the screams of despair. But unlike most of us, he was able to capture firsthand the deeper communal mindsets as articulated by the likes of Jesse Jackson, Denzel Washington, Ice Cube, Ice T, Dick Gregory, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, gang leaders representing most of the crews south of Wilshire, community activists in the streets and a myriad of other community leaders on the local, state and national level. The result of his works would become known as “Straight from the Streets” for the most obvious of reasons. https://youtu.be/0MkEmT2np6o Russia and the West are closer to nuclear war than during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev has said. Nina Khrushcheva, an academic whose great-grandfather was leader of the Soviet Union during the 1962 standoff, warned the conflict in Ukraine is more dangerous because neither side appears prepared to ‘back off’. Ms Khrushcheva said despite a ‘war of words’ during the period of Cold War brinkmanship, both President John F Kennedy and Khrushchev agreed to de-escalate as soon as there was a real threat of nuclear action. Speaking on the Today program, she said it was ‘clear’ the current conflict was a proxy war between the West and Russia in which Ukraine is ‘to some degree a pawn’. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/04/30/2686731966760531362/640x360_MP4_2686731966760531362.mp4 Russian state TV has brazenly simulated how Vladimir Putin would launch a nuclear strike on three capital cities in Europe, declaring there would be ‘no survivors’, in response to comments made by the UK’s Armed Forces Minister supporting Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure. Hosts on Channel One’s 60 Minutes programme announced the cities of London, Paris and Berlin could be hit within 200 seconds of nuclear missiles being launched, as tensions ramp up amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. It comes as ex-Nato chief Richard Sherriff warned the West must ‘gear itself up’ for a ‘worst case scenario’ war with Russia in Ukraine, amid reports the Russian president could use the country’s victory day parade on May 9 to declare ‘all-out war’ on its neighbor. On Thursday’s show the chairman of the nationalist Rodina party, Aleksey Zhuravlyov, pondered what would happen if Russia launched nuclear weapons against the UK, saying: ‘one Sarmat missile and the British Isles will be no more.’ In January, author and founder of Proverbs 31 Ministries Lysa TerKeurst announced she’d filed for divorce from her husband, Art. The couple married in 1992 and have been separated since November 2020. North Carolina, where the TerKeursts live, requires that a couple be separated for a continuous year before instituting a divorce proceeding. In February, Art filed a response to the petition for divorce, asking for post-separation support, alimony, an equitable division of property, damages, and the rescission of a post-nuptial agreement which he says was unconscionable and based upon fraud. According to the court filings, Art asserts the post-nuptial agreement was executed under duress at a time when he was suicidal and about to enter a treatment facility for alcoholism. He says, based on the harassment and demands of his wife, friends, and family, he signed the agreement without “the opportunity to consult with counsel.” After he finished the treatment, he and Lysa renewed their vows and Art claims he believed the post-nuptial agreement was invalidated as part of their “fresh start.” Oprah Winfrey spoke out about how medical racism and access to healthcare impacted her own life — including the time a doctor misdiagnosed a thyroid issue that caused heart palpitations. “And she said, ‘What was I gonna do? You’re Oprah Winfrey, and I wasn’t going to have you die on me without having done everything I thought I could do,'” Winfrey told The Los Angeles Times. Winfrey said she thought the doctor had acted “irresponsible.” “And I also thought, for the first time, ‘I can see now that when you show up and you’re a known person, although everybody seems excited to see you, they’re also nervous because they’ve got to also cover themselves,'” Winfrey said. Winfrey spoke about her experiences as a Black woman when dealing with the healthcare system. The 68-year-old talk show legend said being a celebrity accessing healthcare had its drawbacks, but also its advantages. “I noticed that things change for you when you are a person who is known. You get the doctor’s appointment. You don’t have to wait in line. You don’t have to deal with a lot of excess delays that other people have. And so I have lived this life of privilege and advantage, and then been exposed to the best of healthcare. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is currently headed by a black CEO. Damola Adamolekun, 33, has been at the top of the US-based, popular Asian casual-dining restaurant chain since 2020. Damola has been instrumental in the success of P.F. Chang’s, one of the largest and most popular restaurant chains across many countries worldwide. He believes the company should not rely on its strong brand alone; instead, it should continue to embrace change to prepare for the uncertain future. Damola is a partner at Paulson & Co. that became one of the principal owners of P.F. Chang’s in 2019 after the latter was bought at $700 million. Additionally, he was part of the International Tower Hill Mines LLC board of directors. Adamolekun attended Brown University for his bachelor’s degree in economics and got his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. It is not an easy task pulling off a successful wedding on a budget, but one Los Angeles couple did just that. Kiara and Joel Brokenbrough devised simple ways to lower costs on their big day, managing to hold a reasonable wedding for only $500. According to a report by The Knot, a wedding-planning website, that is a fraction of the over $30,000 spent on most weddings nationally. “Our goal was to just be as minimal as possible,” the bride explained to “Good Morning America.” “And to spend the least amount of money as possible.” So why did they spend that less? They said they were able to have a less expensive wedding because they focused on not getting into debt while starting their marriage. Kiara, on her part, kicked off their low-cost wedding by going for an affordable wedding dress, which she found and bought on Shein’s website (digital fashion retailer) for just $47. https://youtu.be/aZMzCt7le7g Tyrese is getting candid about managing his grief following the death of his mother in February after a battle with COVID. In a lengthy Instagram post, the singer/actor also admits he’s still mourning the loss of his “Fast & Furious” co-star Paul Walker as well as director John Singleton, and songwriter LaShawn Daniels. His ongoing divorce battle with ex Samantha Lee is also weighing him down. “Paul I promise you I got you bro,” his IG post begins. “#FASTX I think I need more therapy I’m still not over losing my mom, Paul, John Singleton, and Lashawn Daniels. When people pass on? They just leave us all here to deal with it. That’s really painful stuff pray for me y’all….. lately I’ve e been unraveling, painfully processing this all… This divorce has to end she has dragged this all out for a year and 8 months. I just want peace and to be left alone.” Naomi Judd — the Grammy-winning country star and one half of the mom-and-daughter duo The Judds — has died … this according to her kids. Wynonna and Ashley Judd released a statement Saturday, saying … “Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness.” They add, “We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.” ER actress Jossara Jinaro passed away on Wednesday, April 27, after a battle with cancer. Her husband Matt Bogado announced the sad news in a Facebook post along with a family photo. ‘With great sorrow, I announce the passing of my wife, Jossara Jinaro on this date, April 27, 2022,’ he wrote. She was 48-years-old. In a bitterly divided Congress, music brought together Republicans and Democrats to honor Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and lobby for laws to protect artists. “We are celebrating 20 years of advocacy. We passed a music omnibus bill that would make things better. During the pandemic, we pushed for health and Congress provided unprecedented assistance through the Save Our Stages Act, the biggest investment in the arts in American history. We’re all here united in our belief that music can change the world. It serves the hopeful, it brings people together providing the common language for justice and peace. Music has the power to unite, enrich, heal and change the world,” Mason declared. Fans of the Michael B. Jordan-produced superhero drama series “Raising Dion” will be sad to know that Netflix has canceled the series. The news comes less than three months after the series’ second season premiered, EW reports. “Sad to say that Raising Dion is CANCELED,” series star Sammi Haney announced on Instagram Tuesday. “Thank you for all of the amazing support we got from all of our wonderful fans! Season 2 was a success, equal to Season 1, even if just looking at how many people watched all of it and wanted a season 3!” https://youtu.be/CnORv97hCDM The “Jurassic Park” franchise is still going strong as the new trailer for “Jurassic World: Dominion” has arrived. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film picks up four years after the end of the previous movie and sees stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard joined by the original “Jurassic Park” cast Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. As reported by Complex, the trailer also gives fans a glimpse at the Giganotosaurus that terrorizes the team throughout the film. “I wanted something that felt like the Joker,” Trevorrow said of the dinosaur to Empire. “It just wants to watch the world burn.” Goldblum told PEOPLE recently that he and the original cast “fell back into step.” https://youtu.be/k-RY-1UPFgQ During a recent interview, Lizzo said she would be open to going head-to-head against Saweetie in a food-themed ‘Verzuz’ to let everyone know she is not to be played with. @Billboard reports, while appearing on Los Angeles radio station Power 106, Lizzo was asked by the show’s hosts if Saweetie could hang with her when it comes to her unusual food concoctions—and she made it clear that in reference to Saweetie, “We not the same!” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc6O2mfFpno/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rapper Coi Leray and her father, Source founder Benzino, have been sparring online recently, which spilled over into a war of words with 50 Cent and trans model Shauna Brooks. Leray and Benzino have put their dysfunctional father-daughter relationship on full display for public consumption, and the criticism to his style of parenting seems to have prompted Zino to take a social media break. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcrAfd5Jxm5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Soon after Snoop Dogg took ownership of the Death Row Records catalog, he had all the music pulled off Spotify and the other streaming music services. His explanation was that he wanted to transform Death Row into the “first major label in the metaverse.” “Death Row will be an NFT label,” he said during a Clubhouse chat shortly after acquiring the label. “We will be putting out artists through the metaverse. Just like we broke the industry when we was the first independent [label] to be major, I want to be the first major [label] in the metaverse.” https://youtu.be/pggrScDSSrg A young man by the name of Keith O’Derek seized the opportunity to wade into the void of misinformation, fearmongering and general mainstream dereliction with nothing but his wits and a video camera. Like many, he did witness the looting, the burning, and the screams of despair. But unlike most of us, he was able to capture firsthand the deeper communal mindsets as articulated by the likes of Jesse Jackson, Denzel Washington, Ice Cube, Ice T, Dick Gregory, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, gang leaders representing most of the crews south of Wilshire, community activists in the streets and a myriad of other community leaders on the local, state and national level. The result of his works would become known as “Straight from the Streets” for the most obvious of reasons. https://youtu.be/0MkEmT2np6o Downton Abbey fans have revealed that they were left in ‘tears’ after watching A New Era, the much-anticipated sequel film to the period drama. Viewers flocked to Twitter to share their emotional reactions after watching the film, which was released in cinemas on Friday. Many fans admitted that they were left both laughing and crying as they went through a ‘rollercoaster of the emotions’, while others expressed their surprise at how ‘sad’ the storyline was. One fan wrote: ‘Just watched Downton Abbey A New Era. As expected – absolutely loved it! Such a feel-good film (a few tears too!)’ Another penned: ‘Just wow! There was laughter and there was tears. A new era indeed #DowntonAbbeyANewEra.’ A third tweeted: ‘Watched this evening laughter and tears thank you.’ And a fourth said: ‘Back with old friends from #DowntonAbbey tonight. South of France, Hollywood, laughter & tears…felt like the closing chapter of a beloved story. Bloody Marvelous!’ It’s been several years since Colin Kaepernick played in the NFL, but that has certainly not stopped those who still hope to see him back on the field one day—and that now includes the owner of one of the top teams in the league. Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis recently stated that not only would he love to have Colin Kaepernick be part of the team, but that he “deserves” it. @Deadline reports, while being interviewed earlier this week by NBC Sports, Raiders owner Mark Davis had extremely kind words and high praise for Colin Kaepernick—while sounding hopeful that he would one day suit up wearing the team’s black and silver colors. “I believe in Colin Kaepernick. He deserves every chance in the world to become a quarterback in the National Football League. I still stand by it. If our coaches and general manager want to bring him in or want him to be the quarterback on this team, I would welcome him with open arms,” he said. However, he wasn’t done speaking about Kaepernick, adding that he’s “misunderstood”: “I think Colin is a very misunderstood human being. I’ve gotten a chance to talk to him. I never really knew Colin, and I didn’t understand him. I didn’t understand the kneeling, what that meant initially. Over time, I have learned a little bit more about it. Before the Jaguars selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker was involved in a “serious” car accident in Athens, Ga., according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Walker crashed into two parked cars but sustained no injuries, per Rapoport, and no citations were issued. After being selected in the draft, he said the accident was a “fender bender” and took place two weeks ago. Walker shot up draft boards in recent weeks after it was believed for much of the offseason that edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux would be selected with the first and second picks. The 21-year-old had six sacks and 37 total tackles on his way to a national title with the Bulldogs in 2021. A 71-year-old woman is behind bars after slapping a 17-year-old Little Caesar’s employee and calling him the n-word for not having any crazy bread. Rachel Scheuerman went to an Oklahoma Little Caesar’s in hopes of getting her hands on some crazy bread, but became crazy herself when the worker told her they were out. She then called him the n-word. When the worker was not phased by the slur, she got the car and smacked him in the face! https://youtu.be/ViQnh_Lb2Tw Snickers has responded to social media rumors that it removed the "veins” from the popular candy bar. The Mars-owned brand tweeted, “contrary to what’s trending on Twitter… THE VEINS REMAIN!” It seems rumors about the vein removal started when a photograph circulated on social media that showed a Snickers bar without its distinct “veins.” The fact-shaking site Snopes.com concluded that the smooth bar could possibly be due to a manufacturing error, and noted: “Mars has not removed a ‘dick vein’ from candy bars after being pressured by a ‘woke mob.’ In fact, we find no calls for this ‘vein’ to be removed.” "This song came from finite beings not having the verbiage or vocabulary to accurately describe an infinite and extraordinary being. What else could you call a move of God? He leaves us completely floored most times. He’ll tell you to go where no one else can or will. He’ll tell you to say something that may seem out of order, or do something that nobody, including you, will understand at the time. All for his intended purpose and design, and it always works out for the good of them who love God and are called according to His purpose. That’s CRAZY! He asks for your complete and utter devotion and commitment, and that in itself is deemed CRAZY by the world, but for believers it’s just our normal. It’s actually our necessity and the truth is that anybody who experiences what it is to be in relationship with Christ would rather be looked at as CRAZY for living for the King, than be outside of the Kingdom." It's another song "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight!!! The Walls Group "Crazy" https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/v0msu2a5b4sge2a6e552l/h?dl=0&preview=The+Walls+Group+-+Crazy.mp3&rlkey=slzfjepxdiazecg2tuq0p4yyl "OUTPOUR" is a song crafted for anyone who is expecting more from life and knows it will take something greater than them to provide it! Coming through a global pandemic, "Outpour" serves as a reminder that while rough times can touch us all so can the blessings of God! Here is another song "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight!!! GARY SWINDELL, JR. drops "Outpour" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49CIVT6OGmY Jehovah Jireh is one of the most widely used names for God. Jehovah Jireh means "the Lord will provide" and through faith, believers trust God on this promise. Stellar Award-nominated choir Zak Williams and 1AKORD (Zak & 1A) have given us a simple praise chant sweeping across the country called "Jehovah Jireh". His single is a steadfast reminder of this promise. The Gospel Spotlight is on Zak Williams. The rags to riches journey of R&B veterans SWV will be the focus of a biopic courtesy of Lifetime. An insider to the project said they are “working on the script,” according to The Jasmine Brand. Hailing from New York City, the Sisters with Voices consists of Cheryl “Coko” Gamble, Tamara “Taj” Johnson, and Leanne “Lelee” Lyons. As reported by MadameNoire, SWV released their first album, “It’s About Time,” in 1992. After they released their third album, “Release Some Tension,” they disbanded in 1998 due to personal issues within the group. The ladies reunited in 2005 and released the albums “I Missed Us” in 2012 and “Still” in 2016. https://www.instagram.com/therealcokoswv/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2496548e-6748-41a2-9a65-3efdbda890ba Malcolm X reminded the world on May 22, 1962, “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman.” Nearly 70 years later, POLITICO has offered the latest confirmation of the civil rights icon’s truthful words by publishing an article not only having the audacity to question Vice President Kamala Harris‘ choice of treatment for COVID-19 but also for referring to the most powerful Black woman in the free world by only her first name. It was announced on Monday that Harris had tested positive for the virus. But it was also the latest disrespect shown to Harris, the first Black and woman vice president in the nation’s history, and carried on a very American tradition of doing discourtesies to Black women, to put it mildly. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1519454344248274944/4fxk6ltA?format=jpg&name=small Some may think that’s a bit of an overstatement—there are white people who appear to get it for the most part, after all—but, by and large, trying to explain the nuance, the implicit and explicit ways in which systemic racism operates, is like tossing balls of styrofoam at a brick wall hoping to have an eventual breakthrough. That’s the only way to explain why Greg Kelly, a host at Newsmax, thinks the existence of interracial relationships disproves the existence of white supremacy. It might blow Kelly’s mind to know that interracial relations have existed throughout America’s history. Mixed race people who existed during slavery and Jim Crow weren’t cloned in some miscegenation lab, they existed because, at a time when systemic racism couldn’t plausibly be denied, Black people and white people were having relations (also slavers were raping slaves, but that’s another post for another day). So, Kelly thinks white supremacy is all a lie because negroes aren’t regularly getting lynched for hunching with the whites—but that only shows his understanding of systemic racism is as remedial as his understanding of race in general. https://twitter.com/i/status/1519296359484084232 The Supreme Court justices this week expressed sympathy for a white high school football coach who was fired from his job for kneeling and praying on the field following games, drawing a stark contrast to the country’s collective reaction to Colin Kaepernick‘s controversial kneeling protest before NFL games. While not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, critics wonder what would have become of Kaepernick and his career had his plight to raise awareness about police brutality against Black people been viewed through the same empathetic filter that the Supreme Court employed on Monday, when it heard the football coach Joseph Kennedy’s case. Three Texas Black men were arrested and charged with felony drug possession in Clay County, Texas after police accused the men of having edibles in their car during a traffic stop. According to ABC 13 the men, Dandre and Dante Burroughs, and their roommate, Samuel Serrano-Griffiths, were driving home from Colorado after celebrating one of the boy’s 21st birthday when Clay County officers stopped them for speeding and making an unsafe lane change. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office has not released the exact amount of drugs they claim to have found in the vehicle, but the boys are each being held on a $50,000 bond. Raquel Burroughs, Dante and Dandre’s mom told ABC 13 that she believes the boys are good people and the punishment far outweighs the crime. A doorbell camera showed the moment a couple was chased into their home by a black bear while walking their dog in Apopka, Florida. The shocking occurrence took place on Tuesday night when the couple was walking their dog near a neighbor’s home when the angry animal approached them. According to the Daily Mail, local police weren’t notified about the incident. In the clip, the couple is seen running and yelling at their dog as the dog looks back and barks at the bear before entering the home. ‘We were letting the dog out to potty and a bear charged us from our next-door neighbor’s house. We made it safely into the house, and closed and banged on the front door,’” the woman said in an interview with Viral Hog. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc7LivXDw9M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Migos rapper Quavo is set to star in a new feature-length action thriller, “Takeover,” that has been greenlit for production by entertainment content and technology house Trioscope in partnership with Quality Films (Ice Cold, How High 2). In the film, penned by acclaimed screenwriter Jeb Stuart (Die Hard, The Fugitive, The Vikings) and directed by Trioscope Chief Creative Officer Greg Jonkajtys (The Liberator), Quavo plays Guy Miller, a recent parolee who’s attempting to rehabilitate his life, when circumstances propel him back into Atlanta’s thriving and dangerous takeover scene. He must live up to his reputation as one of the slipperiest street operators in a lethal, head-long race against time. Per press release, set and filmed in Atlanta, a hotbed of the street takeover car culture, “Takeover” will underscore the fascination and controversy surrounding “sideshows,” which Trioscope will bring to stunning life by fusing live-action performances with animation. https://www.instagram.com/quavohuncho/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=16821d43-ce1b-4997-b7f7-37a14d8b6e25 Simone Biles is ready to be a wife! The Olympic gold medalist chatted with Access Hollywood’s Scott Evans about planning her wedding with Houston Texans player Jonathan Owens! “So far the wedding process has been pretty seamless but now it’s getting towards the stressful part. I’ve already picked out my dresses and stuff. They are in production right now. It is kind of like whenever I met Jonathan. You had a feeling and you went with your gut. When I tried on the dress I had my Maid of Honor and Mom there with me, and we just started balling. I just knew. https://youtu.be/yU2mLepFp4A A former U.S. Marine was killed while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces after the private security firm he worked for sent him to war. The family of Willy Joseph Cancel, 22, of Orange County New York, confirmed that the husband and father of a seven-month-old son had died in the Ukraine fighting Russian forces on Monday, CNN reported. He is survived by his wife Brittany, who he married in July 2019, as well as the couple’s seven month-old son Anthony. Cancel’s mother, Rebecca Cabrera, said her son was working for a private military contracting company when he agreed to take up a job to fight in the Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February. ‘He wanted to go over because he believed in what Ukraine was fighting for, and he wanted to be a part of it to contain it there so it didn’t come here, and that maybe our American soldiers wouldn’t have to be involved in it,’ Cabrera told CNN. The circumstances of Cancel’s death remain unclear, including how and where he was killed. His mother added that those fighting alongside Cancel were not able to retrieve his body during the conflict that killed him. LaDonia Boggs, 39, was found unresponsive by police in the doorway of her DC apartment around 3am on Wednesday with ‘an apparent stab wound.’ Carl Jones, 44, who shares a child with Boggs, reportedly stabbed her during a ‘domestic dispute,’ authorities reported. She was awaiting trial in November for allegedly killing the pair’s son Kyon Jones after accidentally rolling on top of him while high on angel dust. After discovering her son was dead, she allegedly wrapped him in a blanket and threw him in the trash. She was originally charged with murder and evidence tampering, but the murder charge was dropped after authorities were unable to locate the body. People who want South Carolina to become the 49th U.S. state to pass a hate crimes law have explained, bargained and begged Republicans in the state Senate to just hold a debate on the bill. On Wednesday, with just days left before the measure dies, they turned to one of the survivors of one of the most heinous racist attacks in modern America seeking to persuade senators to at least take a vote on the bill. They showed a two-minute video of Polly Sheppard to the Senate chamber, where the bill has been stuck for months with eight Republican senators objecting and only eight more legislative days to take action. The racist gunman who killed nine of Sheppard’s church friends in 2015 pointed his gun at the woman, but said he would spare her life so she could let people know he was killing Blacks because he hated them. One of the dead from the attack was Sheppard’s pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, whose portrait hangs in a place of honor in the Senate chamber. “Eight members of the South Carolina Senate are giving a safe haven to hate. Every time you look at senator Pinckney’s photograph, you should be reminded that hate killed him,” Sheppard said. NAACP President Derrick Johnson on Tuesday tweeted at Elon Musk, inviting him to an open conversation on the social media platform one day after the Tesla CEO purchased the site. “If you believe in free speech on your platform, let’s talk openly on Twitter Spaces. People have a few questions and a few recommendations,” Johnson tweeted. His invitation was in response to an earlier tweet from Musk on Tuesday saying that “the extreme antibody reaction from those who fear free speech says it all” after his acquisition of the site. “Let’s have a conversation about our democracy,” Johnson said in another tweet. The Tesla CEO on Monday reached an agreement with Twitter to purchase the company for approximately $44 billion. A Michigan man accused of terrorizing residents by leaving nooses and racist handwritten notes around his community to stop people from supporting Black Lives Matter has been charged with hate crimes, the Justice Department said Wednesday. Kenneth Pilon, 61, was charged with six counts of interfering with federally protected activities for incidents dating to June and July 2020, the height of nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death. Floyd, a Black man, was killed May 25, 2020, after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes. Authorities allege in an affidavit that Pilon went to stores in Saginaw leaving nooses attached to a note that read: “An accessory to be worn with your ‘BLM’ t-shirt. Happy protesting!” The messages were found in several places, including a Goodwill parking lot, inside a beverage cooler at a 7-Eleven and in a Walmart parking lot. He also left a noose and a note in a vehicle owned by Regina Simon and her then-husband, Donald Simon, according to the affidavit. Regina Simon said she thinks her family was targeted after Pilon drove by and saw her in her yard wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt her son made. They found the note and the noose the next day when her husband went to get coffee. Regina Simon is Mexican and white, and her ex-husband is Black. The former Grambling State University volleyball players who were cut earlier this month by the team’s new coach are telling their own stories in a new piece from USA Today. Chelsea Lucas was hired to coach the Louisiana school’s volleyball squad in February; she had come from the University of Arkansas at Pine-Bluff after posting a sub-.500 record after three seasons. That below-the-line performance didn’t dissuade her from feeling she needed to make big changes to her new roster, though. By the end of March, Lucas had cut all 19 players. Not only did that mean they no longer had a uniform or a role to play on the court, but they no longer had scholarships to pay for their education. The former players now tell USA Today that they felt something was off from the very beginning. Nothing makes Dyree Williams feel more like himself than his hair, which he has proudly worn in twists, braids and locks all his life — it’s part of his identity and a direct connection to his ancestors. But Williams’ locks became an issue after the 17-year-old moved from Cincinnati, Ohio, to East Bernard, 50 miles outside of Houston, Texas, in February. His new school’s dress code policy stated that “braided hair or corn rows will not be allowed,” a policy that went against his very sense of self. “Once you cut that hair off, you cut off your line to your ancestors, you cut off your lineage, you cut off everything,” Williams’ mother, Desiree Bullock, said. “And just it’s not an option … We don’t consider them dreadlocks because we don’t dread them we love them.” The school’s student handbook, where the district’s policy on hair is spelled out, states that “Boy’s hair may not extend below the eyebrows, below the tops of the ears or below a conventional standup shirt collar, and must not be more than one-inch difference in the length of the hair on the side to the length of the hair on top.” Bullock told CNN that having Williams change hairstyles to comply with the policy is not an option for either of them. Kim Kardashian’s ex-boyfriend Ray J is denying her claims that Kanye West retrieved a hard drive containing their infamous sex tape. On Thursday’s episode of The Kardashians, Kim, 41, was crying uncontrollably after claiming that ex-husband Kanye, 44, had got hold of ‘unseen footage’ from the 2002 incident preventing another leak. However, Ray J – real name William Ray Norwood Jr., who dated Kim for three years – has branded the whole narrative of the story as ‘lies.’ https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/04/28/194550279811514825/636x382_MP4_194550279811514825.mp4 The appeal of this song reminds us that no matter what we have done, no matter how broken we may feel, God will continue to come after us and love us with his redeeming, unconditional love. She wanted a song that conveyed how God is always fighting for us. The song’s lyrics remind us how we aren’t hidden, we aren’t forgotten, and we aren’t without hope. They share the message of how God hears the S.O.S. cries of our souls and will send out an army to find us even in the middle of the darkest night. When Kelly opted to sing this song on her show, the audience was stunned by her emotional and pitch-perfect performance. Kelly has also never shied away from sharing her faith on her daytime talk show and it’s easy to see how God is on the move, even in Hollywood. And what a beautiful way to reach others for Christ. https://youtu.be/WQs5mvPEe7M Kim Kardashian has been slammed as ‘disgusting’ and ‘unhinged’ for seemingly ‘darkening’ niece Stormi’s skin to match other niece True’s in a Disneyland snap which she recently admitted to doctoring. The reality star, 41, recently sparked outrage on social media after finally admitting she Photoshopped her niece True’s face onto her other niece Stormi’s body in a series at the theme park because it suited her Instagram ‘aesthetic’. But Kim now faces fresh controversy as eagle-eyed Reddit users have spotted that Kim went as far as altering Stormi’s hand with a darker tone to match True’s skin color, in a bid to fool people into believing that it was indeed Khloe Kardashian’s child in the snap. Taking a generous amount of Black excellence and mixing it with two parts fantasy, chef Nyanyika Banda managed to come up with an entire Wakanda cookbook. “The Official Wakanda Cookbook” is one of Marvel’s latest projects and was carefully crafted by the Malawian American chef over the course of three months. More than 70 recipes inspired by the superhero Black Panther’s fictional nation fill the book’s pages, which hit shelves on April 12. Banda dug deep into her imagination in order to whip up the flavorful lineup of dishes which include items like market food, desserts and even gluten-free and vegan meals. The experiences of panicked concertgoers who couldn’t breathe and had no clear path to escape a massive crowd surge at last year’s deadly Astroworld music festival in Houston are featured in a documentary set for release Friday. But lawyers for Live Nation, which is being sued for its role as the festival’s promoter, say they’re concerned that publicity from the documentary, “Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy,” could “taint the jury pool.” A gag order has been issued in the case, but Live Nation’s lawyers say an attorney who filed lawsuits related to the tragedy also co-produced the documentary. Charlie Minn, the film’s director, said he believes he has made a balanced and fair film that tries to show the public what happened. “My job is to make the most truthful, honest, sincere documentary from the victim’s point of view … We need to know about these stories to prevent it from happening again,” Minn told The Associated Press. Around 500 lawsuits have been filed following the Nov. 5 concert headlined by Scott, a popular rapper. Ten people died and hundreds of others were injured during the massive crowd surge. Scott is also being sued. The documentary, opening in 11 Texas cities including Austin, Dallas and Houston, includes interviews with several people who survived the crowd surge. The film also features cellphone video shot by concertgoers in which people can be heard repeatedly screaming for help. “It’s hard to explain to friends and family what we saw and what we actually went through and I think (the documentary) will give a lot of people the opportunity, if you weren’t there, to understand,” said Frank Alvarez, who attended the concert but does not appear in the film. The film highlights what concertgoers experienced and what led to the tragedy, said Minn, who has also made documentaries about the deadly 2018 shooting at a suburban Houston high school and violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. The film suggests Scott could have done more. One of the cast members of the hit TV show Little People: Atlanta is in such poor health she is receiving professional care. Shirlene ‘Ms Juicy’ King Pearson, 50, has been placed in the ICU – the intensive care unit – in a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, according to her agency which made a post on her Instagram page. It is not known what is ailing the reality TV star – who calls herself The Queen of Atlanta – but the news comes as a bit of a shock to her fans as Baby has been on a health kick lately, according to TMZ. Hailey Bieber has revealed how she underwent a procedure to fix a hole in her heart after suffering a ‘mini-stroke’ last month, while she was having breakfast with her husband Justin Bieber. In a new video, posted to her YouTube Channel on Wednesday afternoon, the 25-year-old supermodel recalled feeling a ‘weird sensation’ in her right arm and numbness in her fingertips before she was admitted to hospital. After explaining to her fans that she wanted them to hear about terrifying incident in ‘own words,’ the Vogue cover girl said her spouse noticed that something was off and repeatedly asked if she was okay. https://youtu.be/665iGAG-ZqU Talk show host Tamron Hall is entering May sweeps with a COVID-19 diagnosis. “I wanted to share the news with you that I have tested positive for COVID-19,” Hall informed her “Tamron Hall Show” staffers Tuesday in an email obtained by Page Six. “I am following CDC guidelines, staying home and taking every precaution to ensure everyone’s safety,” she wrote. Just days before, Hall, 51, was posting Instagram videos with Elmo and Cookie Monster to celebrate her son Moses‘ 3rd birthday. The family also welcomed a new dog, Exodus, whom they gifted the toddler for his b-day. Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst is being honored by her family and loved ones. Kryst’s family has released a statement ahead of what would have been the Extra correspondent’s 31st birthday on Thursday. “On April 28, Cheslie would have turned 31 years old,” wrote parents April and David Simpkins. “As that date approaches, we are already experiencing a remarkable outpouring of love and support for our Cheslie, for which we are tremendously grateful.” “Many have asked how best to honor Cheslie’s memory on her birthday,” they continued. “This is an individual decision, and we would not presume to decide how any fan, friend, or former colleague should remember Cheslie or memorialize her on her upcoming birthday.” However, they noted there are only four “approved organizations that are set up to receive charitable donations in her honor.” Those organizations are Dress For Success – The Cheslie Kryst Women’s Advancement Fund; Wake Forest University School of Law – The Cheslie C. Kryst Social Justice Scholarship; University of South Carolina – The Cheslie C. Kryst Scholarship Fund; and The Dean’s List – The Cheslie C. Kryst Woman In Media Award. Her parents said no other groups are currently authorized to use Kryst’s name and likeness for advertising or trade, warning against those “seeking to profit improperly from our daughter’s memory.” Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker was today jailed for two years and six months for flouting the terms of his bankruptcy by hiding £2.5million worth of assets and loans to avoid paying his debts. The former world number one tennis player was led to the cells at Southwark Crown Court in London as his girlfriend Lilian De Carvalho Monteiro blew him a kiss, after he was blasted by a judge for showing no remorse. Becker, 54, was declared bankrupt in June 2017, owing creditors almost £50million over an unpaid loan of more than £3million on his estate in Mallorca, Spain. The BBC pundit transferred around £390,000 from his business account to others, including those of his ex-wife Barbara Becker and estranged wife Sharlely ‘Lilly’ Becker. He also failed to declare his share in a £1million property in his home town of Leimen, Germany, hid a bank loan of almost £700,000 – worth £1.1million with interest – and concealed 75,000 shares in a tech firm, valued at £66,000. Becker – who got a two-year suspended sentence for tax evasion and attempted tax evasion worth £1.4million in Germany in 2002 – was found guilty on April 8 of four Insolvency Act offences between June and October 2017. Each count carried a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. This afternoon, Judge Deborah Taylor sentenced the six-time Grand Slam champion to 30 months’ imprisonment, of which he will serve at least half. The United States is out of the Covid-19 pandemic phase, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden‘s chief medical adviser and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “We are certainly, right now, in this country, out of the pandemic phase,” Fauci said on PBS NewsHour Tuesday. “Namely, we don’t have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at a low level right now. So, if you’re saying are we out of the pandemic phase in this country? We are,” he said. Covid-19 cases in the US have tumbled dramatically over the past couple of months as the Omicron wave receded. Attorneys representing the families of Floyd and Amir Locke — another Black man who died at the hands of Minneapolis police — praised the findings as “historic” and “monumental.” “We hope this leads to placing the city and the police department under a state-ordered consent decree, which would give us assurance, at last, that real change in policing is possible, and Minneapolis can become a safer city for its Black residents,” said the statement from Ben Crump and co-counsel Antonio Romanucci and Jeff Storms. “We are grateful and deeply hopeful that change is possible and is imminent. We call on city, state, and Police leaders to accept the challenge of these findings and make meaningful change at last to create trust between communities of color in Minneapolis and those who are sworn to protect and serve them.”The Minnesota Department of Human Rights said on its website that it will “meet with community members, MPD officers, City staff, and other stakeholders to gather feedback on what should be included in a consent decree to address racial discrimination in policing in Minneapolis.” https://youtu.be/RVpUlQI-A7Q The federal government has labeled as “unconstitutional” Mississippi’s Parchman State Prison‘s treatment of inmates. In a 59-page report that calls out inadequate mental health treatment, failure to roll out sufficient suicide prevention measures, or protect inmates from prison violence, the Department of Justice blasted the state prison as much as Jay-Z and Yo Gotti had done. The report concludes Parchman’s conditions “violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.” The amendments bar state prisons from meting out cruel and unapproved punishment. https://youtu.be/zFkH-J7Baiw Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has signed a bill forbidding the use of nonbinary gender markers on state birth certificates. People who are nonbinary do not identify with traditional male or female genders. Experts say it’s the first ban of its kind written into law in the nation. The new law made permanent an executive order from Stitt who last year blocked the Oklahoma State Department of Health from issuing nonbinary birth certificates. It went into effect immediately when the governor signed it on Tuesday. The bill followed a flap last year over the Department of Health’s agreement in a civil case allowing a nonbinary option. The birth certificate, in that case, was issued to an Oklahoma-born Oregon resident who sued after the agency initially refused the request. A 49-year-old woman in London has tied the knot with … her cat. Deborah Hodge has been forced to give up three pets — two Huskies and one cat — and she is refusing to do it again, according to the New York Post. To circumvent her landlord’s no-pet policy, the British woman has elevated her cat India from pet to spouse. She apparently has no religious qualms about the unorthodox union. “I do not want to lose another beloved pet,” Hodge told the South West News Service. “I vowed in sickness and in health, in death do us part, and I meant it. I don’t believe in organized religion; however, I do have faith. India always came back, even after losing a leg. I am her universe and that is why I married her.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1518684085337694211 Vladimir Putin has vowed to use nuclear weapons against any country that dares to ‘interfere’ with Russia’s war in Ukraine in his latest chilling threat to the West. The despot, addressing legislators in St Petersburg today, said his response to anyone who ‘threatens’ Russia will be ‘lightning-fast’ and deadly. ‘If someone intends to interfere in what is going on from the outside they must know that constitutes an unacceptable strategic threat to Russia. They must know that our response to counter strikes will be lightning fast. Fast,’ he said. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/04/27/5914288705355102553/636x382_MP4_5914288705355102553.mp4 President Joe Biden is considering reneging on a campaign promise to cancel limited amounts of student debt, and is now mulling far more substantial coverage of the $1.6 trillion owed by 43 million people. Biden alluded to his plan during a meeting on Monday with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, where he told Rep. Tony Cardenas, a California Democrat, that he had plans that would please the group. The president previously supported canceling up to $10,000 of debt per student, but is now said to be open to forgiving a larger, unspecified amount. It also remains unclear exactly how many students could be affected, although Biden has indicated that he’d be willing to forgive debts owed to public and private colleges. The DeKalb County School Board fired Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris at a meeting on Tuesday. The board approved a separation agreement, effective immediately. No reason was stated for the termination. “I want to thank Mrs. Watson-Harris for her service to DeKalb County School District and we wish her the best in her future endeavors,” Board Chair Vicki Turner said during the meeting. A statement released after the meeting said the board’s relationship with Watson-Harris had been “deteriorating for some time to the point the association became irreconcilable.” “The Board lost confidence in Mrs. Watson-Harris’ ability to provide the leadership the district needs in the face of significant challenges,” the statement said. Nearly 60 years after his conviction on what he claimed were racist and retaliatory federal charges, the first Black U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to a presidential detail has been pardoned by President Joe Biden. Chicagoan Abraham Bolden, 87, who served on the security detail for President John F. Kennedy, was among 78 people granted pardons or commutations of their sentences on Tuesday as part of Biden’s first use of his executive clemency powers. Bolden, who’d warned about lax security practices around the president, was charged in 1964 with attempting to sell a copy of a Secret Service file to a ring of counterfeiters. His first trial ended in a hung jury, and after he was convicted in a retrial, key witnesses said they lied at the prosecutor’s request. A longtime resident of Chicago’s South Side, Bolden served about three years in federal prison. He has long maintained his innocence and wrote a book in which he argued he was targeted for speaking out against racist and unprofessional behavior in the Secret Service. Bolden on Tuesday recalled when Kennedy asked him to join his security detail. He said he was denied to see the president but Kennedy approached him, asking if there had ever been a “Negro” on the White House detail. President Joe Biden marked “Second Chance Month” on Tuesday (04-26-22) at the White House by issuing three full pardons and 75 commutations for non-violent drug offenders. The Biden-Harris administration also announced a comprehensive set of plans to support formerly incarcerated persons re-entering society. In a statement released by the White House, Biden wrote, “During Second Chance Month, I am using my authority under the Constitution to uphold those values by pardoning and commuting the sentences of fellow Americans.” He also stated, “As I laid out in my comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crime, helping those who served their time return to their families and become contributing members of their communities is one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism and decrease crime.” https://youtu.be/EPunPRQ3v7Y R&B crooner Usher recently hit up Rockefeller Center to host the opening of Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace. Some of his celebrity pals also turned out for the event, including Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Jermaine Dupri, Michael Strahan, Floyd Mayweather and Meek Mill, Page Six reports. “Ya’ll see me in the studio, yeah, yeah, yeah ya’ll see me in the studio and you also see me skating,” the singer told his fans on his Instagram live. “Ya’ll know what time it is, it’s getting that music right now so to get the buzz right, the energy. Ain’t nothing like skating ya’ll know this.”As reported by Yahoo, the performer has reportedly added skating to his Las Vegas residency concerts when he performs “Don’t Waste My Time.” “Now imagine how hard it is to skate and sing!” Usher told Essence. “But looking at artists like Gene Kelly as a kid, I managed to be able see these things that became inspiration to me. I don’t know if I could even see myself in those characters because they were white. But there was something amazing about what they were doing that made me say, one day I’ll have the opportunity to be that.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1516878535205433344 The Proud Family is back. The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is streaming every Wednesday night on Disney+. Executive Producer Bruce Smith, creator of The Princess and the Frog, and Executive Producer Ralph Farquhar of the popular television series Moesha, starring singer and actor Brandy, and The Parkers starring comedian and actor Monique, teamed up once more to bring the updated version of The Proud Family into your living room. The animated series, which originally graced screens nearly 20 years ago, keeps the focus on the main character Penny Proud and her everyday adventures navigating family life and friendships. The series addresses issues that families face every day, including societal biases, the complicated dynamics of friendship and racial issues. Take for example a recent episode guest-starring Tiffany Haddish whose character is that of a homeless teacher. The debate surrounding teacher pay is an ongoing and unsettled issue for educators throughout the country. Megan Thee Stallion clapped back at critics who have too much negative to say about her new interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings. during the conversation Megan addressed the 2020 shooting involving rapper Tory Lanez. Lanez pleaded not guilty to an assault charge related to the incident. Several fans of Tory take issue with Meg being able to discuss the case publicly, while Lanez has been prohibited by a judge from speaking on it. “Crazy how Meg gets to speak on whomever platform or song about the situation but tory or he goes to jail being its still an open investigation,” one hater tweeted. To which Megan responded: “So A man can shoot me, chop up horse legs in music videos to taunt me, pay blogs to spread false information from what’s happening in court, record studio albums and make diss tracks … but when I talk to gayle king that’s the last straw? F*CK YALL.” https://youtu.be/AtjzVI5bFao Andrew Woolfolk, a longtime saxophonist for Earth, Wind & Fire, has passed away at age 71. His death was announced Monday on social media by lead singer Philip J. Bailey. “We lost him today, after being ill of over 6 years,” Bailey wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of the two. “He has Transitioned on to the forever, from this Land of the dying to the Land of the Living.” As reported by USA Today, it’s unclear what illness Woolfolk was battling. “Great memories. Great Talent. Funny. Competitive. Quick witted. And always styling. Booski… I’ll see you on the other side, my friend,” Bailey concluded his post. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcwT90tJPtH/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0112f60c-a75b-4ea1-a407-f9bc656eb7ec Ne-Yo remarried his wife, Crystal Renay, Sunday night in Las Vegas. The couple’s wedding went down on the rooftop of the new Resorts World complex in Las Vegas, TMZ reports. The event comes two years after their brief separation. According to Page Six, wedding guests included former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes and “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” alum Tammy Rivera. TMZ shared footage of Ne-Yo and Crystal dancing to Ne-Yo’s “Miss Independent” and Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” https://youtu.be/AvHFYTuCcRk Last week, Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton, California’s only Black D.A., joined the state’s Attorney General Rob Bonta and Acting Richmond Police Chief Louie Tirona to announce that they have identified the man who killed 28-year-old Meekiah Wadley in 1999. During an emotional news conference, a representative of the three agencies said Jerry Lee Henderson murdered the Contra Costa Community College student inside her Richmond home. Tirona said Henderson died 11 days after the killing. He was identified through DNA left at the scene. “I know it’s been a long 22 years since this heinous crime was committed, and justice doesn’t always come swiftly,” said Becton. “Today’s announcement is a major testament to the determination of our law enforcement partners, forensic scientists, and investigators who continued to work on this case for over 20 years and who never gave up the search for the truth.” Investigators solved the murder using California’s familial DNA search program. https://youtu.be/yLda_AzA60g Keke Palmer has a message for fans who feel entitled to harass her in public and film her without permission. “No means no, even when it doesn’t pertain to sex,” Palmer wrote on Twitter on Saturday. Her comments come after she had an unpleasant encounter with a fan who the actress said filmed her against her will after Palmer wouldn’t take a picture with her. Palmer explained in a post shared on Twitter that a fan she met at a bar wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. “I was at the bar the other day and this girl asked me three times for a picture and I told her three times nicely that I did not want [to] take one with her. She still preceded to film me against my will.” “If I went off on her I would’ve been wrong, so I just nervously laughed while my privacy was invaded upon,” the actress continued in a follow-up tweet. Palmer later noted in an Instagram post that she’s still “upset about it,” she wrote in the caption. “I hated that I smiled, but that is my defense mechanism to laugh or joke in an uncomfortable situation and it misleads people every time.” Today, multi-platinum, award-winning superstar Lil Nas X has unveiled that he will embark on his first-ever tour – check out the announcement video HERE. Produced by Live Nation, the Long Live Montero tour will make stops across North America and Europe this fall. The North American leg kicks off at The Fillmore in Detroit on Tuesday, September 6th, and will make stops in Chicago, Nashville, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in San Francisco, CA at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on Sunday, October 23rd. The European leg begins Tuesday, November 8th in Amsterdam and concludes Thursday, November 17th in Barcelona, Spain. https://youtu.be/Awk5nTdt9rg Damon Thomas has one goal: reclaim his narrative. In an interview with VladTV, the award-winning songwriter and producer shared his side of the narrative of his brief marriage to #KimKardashian. He said he’s proud of Kim and her family, but also clarified that he had no knowledge or involvement in her allegedly being high on ecstasy when they eloped. Damon is Kim’s first husband. The pair eloped in Las Vegas in 2000 and divorced in 2004. In addition to calling her blanket statement “irresponsible,” he also labeled her comments “unfair,” especially now that they both have children. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc0kmuSlJAW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Netflix has canceled a number of animated shows and reportedly fired several executives following the company’s highly publicized subscriber loss. The streaming service recently announced a loss of 200,000 users over the first three months of 2022. It was reported earlier, via CNN, that the streaming giant, whose stock had already dropped more than 40% year-to-date, blamed the attrition on increased competition for viewers and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Netflix said its decision to pull out of Russia cost the company 700,000 subscribers. This has prompted Netflix to cancel certain animated shows, such as the highly anticipated adaptation of the “Bone” comic series. https://youtu.be/Llgg8dSkBiA The legendary and honorable Judge Greg Mathis, Sr. and his family are ready to share their unfiltered lives with the world. The Judge might rule the courtroom, but at home he is just “Dad.” Judge Mathis and his wife, Linda Mathis and their four grown children – Jade Mathis, Camara Mathis Webb, Greg Mathis, Jr., and Amir Mathis – along with their own careers, relationships, personalities, and off the wall dynamics are ready to take Los Angeles by storm. The family docu-series offers a rare look into the Mathis’ exclusive Hollywood lifestyle and family fun. “Mathis Family Matters” premieres with back-to-back episodes on Sunday, June 19 at 10:00pm and 10:30pm ET/PT on E!. https://youtu.be/99yoNvEMojM This video – viewed a whopping 14 million times in five days – shows a shrewd car owner using a handheld massager to whip up piles of hidden dirt in his car carpet. This video – viewed a whopping 14 million times in five days – shows a shrewd car owner using a handheld massager to whip up piles of hidden dirt in his car carpet. The video was shared on TikTok by netizens ‘Queenfirecrotch’, better known as Lanie Green, 19, from Houston in Texas, where it has been viewed 13.9 million times in less than a week. In the footage, Lanie’s boyfriend William Vaughan is seen using a massage gun to whip up huge amounts of hidden dirt in his car carpet before scooping it up with a vacuum cleaner. https://youtu.be/Og__uImKRpU Kanye West is turning his pain into art. The Yeezy founder, 44, seemed to compare himself to Jesus and referenced being away from his four children—North, 8, Saint, 6, Psalm, 2, and Chicago, 4—who he shares with ex-wife Kim Kardashian on Pusha T‘s newly released album, It’s Almost Dry. “Born in the manger, the son of a stranger/When Daddy’s not home, the family’s in danger,” Ye rapped on the track “Dreamin of the Past.” The lyrics echoed the Donda rapper’s sentiments from earlier this year when he called out Kim for allegedly keeping the children away from him. In March, he shared a picture of North’s backpack, which was decorated with three pins—one of her mother, one of an alien and one of her father. “This was on my daughters back pack when I was ‘allowed’ to see her last week,” he captioned the now-deleted post. “This is why I go so hard for my family I am wired to protect my family at all cost. As the priest of my home Don’t worry Northy God is still alive.” A clinical psychologist hired to review Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s turbulent relationship told jurors the actress suffers from two personality disorders and ‘grossly exaggerated’ her PTSD after the couple’s bitter split. Depp’s legal team called expert witness Dr. Shannon Curry to the stand on Tuesday as the Hollywood star’s highly publicized defamation trial against his ex-wife entered its ninth day. The clinical and forensic psychologist told the court she concluded Heard had traits consistent with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) – two conditions found in people with patterns of emotional instability and attention-seeking behavior. Dr. Curry testified that she was initially hired by Depp’s lawyers early last year to review files in the legal battle between the two feuding exes and identify behavior in their relationship that may be consistent with ‘intimate partner violence’. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/04/26/7306313208823826398/636x382_MP4_7306313208823826398.mp4 Nicolina Bozzo stunned “American Idol” judges with her powerful performance of “Hallelujah” on season 20 of “American Idol.” The 18-year-old Canadian singer has been wowing viewers all season with her powerful vocals. But on Sunday, Bozzo reached new heights after singing a song with deep emotional meaning to her. Bozzo dedicated her performance of Leonard Cohen’s track “Hallelujah” to her grandmother who battled cancer. https://youtu.be/dU-Bq_3Irkc Alisha’s Testimony, is a new memoir written by author, Alisha L. Boykin that can start you on a healthy journey of healing in Jesus name! Followers of Christ know that Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy through any form of sin you are part-taking in. This inspirational Christian memoir chronicles spiritual encounters with demons, encounters with Jesus Christ, the testimony of turning away from sexual sin, asking for forgiveness and asking God to direct one’s path. Alisha hopes those who are believers in Jesus Christ or who want to believe in Him will learn from her mistakes. If you are living the sinful path she speaks about, she prays her past sins will encourage you to turn away from your current lifestyle and seek Jesus Christ because he can renew you like he did Alisha. D’Aundre Holmes-Wilfork pleaded guilty to theft of property greater than $300,000, according to court documents reported on by the Galveston Daily News. Holmes-Wilfork, the son of former Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, was arrested in 2021 on the charge of stealing valuable sports memorabilia from his father, including two Super Bowl rings Wilfork won playing in New England. Earlier in April, he pleaded guilty and received a deferred judgement. It means that Holmes-Wilfork will face five years of probation, with the promise that the conviction will be vacated if he avoids any violations in that time. District Court Judge Jared Robinson also ordered that Wilfork’s stolen property be returned to him. Beyond the Super Bowl rings, Holmes-Wilfork stole two AFC championship rings, a college football national championship ring (from Wilfork’s time at the University of Miami), and other jewelry. Lauren Bernett, a standout James Madison University softball player who helped the school to a historic run to the Women’s College World Series last year, died suddenly at the age of 20, officials said Tuesday. The death of the sophomore catcher, who was third on the team in home runs and second in RBI, was announced by JMU president Jonathan Alger. “Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes,” Alger said in a statement. “Lauren Bernett was a high-achieving member of our softball team and a great ambassador of JMU and our athletics program.” Here is an exclusive clip for the new episode of “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition,” airing Thursday, April, 28, at 9pm on WE tv. Per press release, this season stars Hip Hop superstar K. Michelle (K. Michelle: My Life) and Kastan, Rich Dollaz and Mariahlynn, (Love & Hip Hop: New York) Lyrica and A1, (Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood) and Gangsta Boo (First Female Member of Three 6 Mafia) and Emmet as they head to Marriage Boot Camp to face the music. Dr. Ish & Judge Toler help them confront lies, betrayal, and bitter rivalries, but when secrets are exposed, will their relationships survive? https://youtu.be/gzZHVXlescA Ja Morant exploded into life during the fourth quarter — including an acrobatic game-winning lay-up with one second remaining — to lead a dazzling comeback from the Memphis Grizzlies as they stunned the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-109 on Tuesday to take a 3-2 series lead in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The star guard scored 18 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter and sealed the deal with his dramatic lay-up to wrap up the game. “‘Go get a bucket, Ja,'” Morant said when asked reporters what the plan had been ahead of the last play of the game. Ahead of her 50th birthday next month, actress Lavern Cox is reflecting on life. On Tuesday, the Orange Is the New Black star shared a sexy black and white video of herself to Instagram, wearing a cute lingerie set. Below the post, she wrote a lengthy caption about her life. The award-winning star said, “In a little over a month on May 29th I turn 50 years old. It’s hard to believe I’m still alive, that I’m almost 5 decades old. This body has been through so much, both inside and outside: traumas, transition, classical ballet, successes, failures, abuse, injuries, healing, weight gain, weight loss, illness, pleasure, ecstasy. This body has been through a lot of negative self talk about it from me. I’ve been cruel, abusive, punitive in the ways in which I have talked to and treated to this body.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc28iGuMO_i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Central City Productions announces the 7th Annual Black Music Honors live tapping at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Ga. on Thursday, May 19. The star-studded two-hour event will honor artists and musicians who have influenced and made significant contributions to American music. This year’s remarkable group of honorees include Multi-Platinum, Award-Winning Supergroup Dru Hill who will receive the Urban Music Icon Award; Five-Time GRAMMY Nominee Tevin Campbell who will be honored with the R&B Icon Award and Multi-Award-Winning; Gospel Duo Mary Mary will be presented with the Gospel Icon Award; NAACP Image Award-Winning Singer Karyn White will also be recognized with the Soul Music Award; Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Keri Hilson will be honored with the Music and Songwriter Icon Award for her accomplishments penning songs for some of the biggest names in music and the Legendary R&B Group The Whispers will take home the Legends Award for their incredible nearly six-decade music career. Mobile carriers claim 5G technology is the preferred and most effective method to connect with everyone and everything. As reported by Qualcomm, 5G is the 5th generation mobile network “meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/_CTUs_2hq6Y Rick Ross hit up The Breakfast Club recently to dish about building his brand and he also shared details about his sex life. Ross claims no woman has ever faked an orgasm with him, as he explained to co-host Angela Yee. “Imma tell you this. I can’t tell you what somebody did, but when Rozay in the zone … You can’t fake that mess they make for Rozay! That splash! You woulda thought the fire alarm come on the way that splash come out. You can’t fake that. You feel me? That’s what I look forward to,” the rapper shared. He then asked Yee if she is a squirter. https://youtu.be/HWQd1Qb0SWY YOLANDA ADAMS AND SERAYAH HEADLINE THE NEW BET+ SERIES “KINGDOM BUSINESS” AVAILABLE MAY 19TH ON BET+ Michael Beach, Michael Jai White & Chaundre A. Hall-Broomfield Star As Series Regulars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nMUOrrMKxE CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Decor Remixed, continues on April 27 at 9 p.m./8C. Hosted by interior designer Dominique Calhoun, the hot new show shines a spotlight on the art of decorating and transforming dull spaces into new, fresh and innovative environments. In this episode, Dominique meets with her sister Christina, a realtor, to stage a client’s home, only to discover a tiny budget and short timeline. Challenged to be frugal and creative, Dominique’s ideas and unexpected discovery turn a dated home into a show-stopper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBW3F1wLoY8 CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Global Gourmet, is back on April 27 at 9:30 p.m./8:30C. Hosted by the renowned Chef Essie Bartels, the show highlights the joys of delicious food and stories of wanderlust travel. Essie gets in the kitchen in this episode and shows us a few recipes that she and her foodie friends love. She starts with a creamy and delicious Lobster Mac and Cheese. Then she cooks up tender and juicy Oxtail Curry, best described in one word “Yum!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5WLv2sKTL4 As a continuation of a breakout year for TV One Networks, an Urban One Company, Austyn Biggers joins the network as the new Senior Vice President of Programming and Production. Before joining the TV One team, Biggers was the Head of Unscripted Programming at GET LIFTED FILM Company led by Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning producer Mike Jackson, EGOT recipient and award-winning producer John Legend, and CEO of Friends At Work, Ty Stiklorius. Before joining Get Lifted Film Co. in May of 2019, Austyn developed and produced a variety of shows for MTV, LOGO, & VH1 and from 2008 to 2016 served in various original series development and production roles at BET Networks. Julia VanTuyl has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Advertising and Sales for TV One and CLEO TV. VanTuyl has been a notable leader in the advertising, sales and marketing industries, joining TV One Networks in 2010 as a Sales Account Executive. Her trajectory then took her to Sales Director in 2014, advancing to Vice President of National Advertising Sales and Marketing in 2020. She is a four-time President’s Award recipient, an honor acknowledging her accomplishment of being the highest sales performer across Urban One. Prior to joining TV One, Julia held positions at NBCU Comcast and Universal McCann WorldWide. She earned her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from George Washington University. The French Quarter Festival presented by Chevron returned after a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Boasting twenty stages, fest goers were able to immerse themselves into the full spectrum of music genres presented at the French Quarter Festival presented by Chevron: traditional jazz, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, New Orleans funk, brass bands, folk, gospel, Latin Jazz, Cajun and Zydeco and more. French Quarter Festival presented by Chevron offered the best of both worlds, good food, music and vibes. Pharrell Williams has announced the return of his summer music festival “Something in the Water,” produced by Redrock Entertainment and Live Nation. The festival will take place in Washington, DC on Juneteenth weekend (June 17-19) with the rapper and producer included on a lineup that also features Lil Baby, Chloe x Halle, Lil Uzi Vert, Tierra Whack, Run the Jewels, Pusha T, Dave Matthews Band, and more. The festival first opened its stages in Williams’ hometown of Virginia Beach back in 2019, however, the festival has since been relocated to Washington, D.C. In a press statement released last October, Williams shared that the festival would not take place in Virginia due to “toxic energy” from local authorities. The fallout was a result of the March 2021 death of Donovon Lynch, Williams’ cousin, who was killed by a Virginia Beach police officer, Solomon Simmons, not wearing an active body camera amid other alleged affairs. Rapper Trina was profiled on the recent episode of TV One’s original docu-series “UNCENSORED,” and revealed that her raunchy lyrics have complicated her love life over the years. Trina dropped her debut album “Da Baddest Bi–h” in 2000, and rose to fame with hit singles such as “Da Baddest Bi–h,” “Pull Over,” and “Here We Go.” As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, Trina explained how potential partners couldn’t separate her rap persona from her real personality. “The song is the streets, that’s what it is. But when I’m with you, it’s a whole different person. That’s the Katrina person. The song is my alter ego. You can lust and do all of those things with that, but when it comes to me, it has to be real,” she said. https://youtu.be/wmTqjg5O-Rc After Elon Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion, former President Donald Trump says he will not return to the social media platform if his account is reactivated. Trump officially releases a statement after Elon Musk wins a $44 billion bid for Twitter In a statement provided to Fox News, Trump said he will not return to Twitter if his account is restored and plans to officially join his own social media platform, Truth Social. “I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on Truth, I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth. The bottom line is, no, I am not going back to Twitter,” his statement reads. Last year, Twitter permanently banned Trump’s account after citing concerns about his influence surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection of the Capitol building. Truth Social was originally scheduled to be released in February of this year but the app for iOS was temporarily unavailable for unknown reasons as reported by Tech Crunch. A community in northwest Atlanta has reportedly been littered with flyers claiming to be from the Ku Klux Klan. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the flyers have appeared in numerous driveways, prompting the Atlanta Police Department to investigate the disturbing incidents. A community in northwest Atlanta has reportedly been littered with flyers claiming to be from the Ku Klux Klan. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the flyers have appeared in numerous driveways, prompting the Atlanta Police Department to investigate the disturbing incidents. “I just didn’t think it would happen in 2022 let alone in our neighborhood,” resident Andy Zirger said, per the report. “It was really disheartening especially as a mom of two black boys. It really unsettled my nerves,” Lenice Williams said. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/flyers-ku-klux-klan-in-atlanta-neighborhood Will Smith is said to be on a “spiritual tour” of India with his family amid the fallout from his Oscars slap. Per Page Six, the trip is part of Smith’s vow to do “the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.” According to theJasmineBrand, the Smith family getaway to India had been planned before Will slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars last month. An insider tells the outlet that “Will and Jada have taken the family on [a] vacation that was already planned…There had been talk of canceling [the trip] but Jada insisted.” One insider tells Page Six, “Will’s ‘spiritual journey’ to India for yoga and meditation seems cynical and ridiculous, given that he hasn’t apologized personally to the one person he assaulted in front of millions. Russia’s top diplomat has warned that NATO is now fighting a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine and there is a ‘very serious’ risk the conflict could turn nuclear. Sergei Lavrov, speaking on Russian state TV last night, accused western leaders of risking a third world war by supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine with the goal of ‘wearing down the Russian army’ – an aim he described as an ‘illusion’. Accusing NATO and its allies of attempting to bully Russia on the international stage, Lavrov said that tensions between east and west are now worse than during the Cuban missile crisis at the height of the Cold War. Asked directly about the possibility of a nuclear war, he replied: ‘The risks are very significant. I do not want the danger to be artificially inflated [but] it is serious, real. It cannot be underestimated.’ https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/04/26/757147659882613531/636x382_MP4_757147659882613531.mp4 Mankind is set to face natural disasters on an increasingly frequent basis as a result of the impact humans are having on the earth, according to a UN report released Monday. The report, produced by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), said humanity has experienced between 350 to 500 medium or large scale disasters each year globally in the past two decades. But the UNDRR expects to see this number increase to about 560 catastrophes a year by 2030. By comparison, the world suffered just 90 to 100 medium to large scale disasters a year between 1970 to 2000. If the assessment proves to be accurate, it means disasters such as fires and floods, but also other hazards such as pandemics or chemical accidents, would occur at a frequency of 1.5 per day by 2030, putting millions of lives in danger. Climate change is causing more extreme weather events, the report said, adding that humans have made decisions which are too narrow in focus and have been over-optimistic about the risk of potential disasters, leaving them unprepared. The impact of disasters has also been heightened by growing populations in areas more prone to natural catastrophes. Vice President Kamala Harris has tested positive for Covid-19. Her press secretary Kirsten Allen said in a statement Tuesday that Harris – who is fully-vaccinated and double boosted – received positive rapid and PCR test results after returning from a week in California. ‘She has not been a recent contact to the President or First Lady due to recent travel schedules,’ Allen said. The vice president initially took two rounds of the Moderna vaccine and took her second booster shot on April 1. Harris, 57, is not currently experiencing symptoms. Her husband Doug Emhoff contracted the virus in mid-March. Harris returned from a week-long trip to her home state Monday night. The last time she was at a public event with Biden was at the White House Easter Egg Roll on April 18. It is unlikely the Senate will be able to pass anything this week without Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who both also tested positive on Tuesday, and without Harris as the tie-breaking vote. Harvard University is setting aside $100million for an endowment fund and other measures to close the educational, social and economic gaps that are legacies of slavery and racism, the university´s president has said. The email from Lawrence Bacow included a link to a 100-page report by his university´s 14-member Committee on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery. The panel was chaired by Tomiko Brown-Nagin, a legal historian who is dean of Harvard’s interdisciplinary Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. The move comes amid a wider conversation about redressing the impacts of centuries of slavery, discrimination and racism. The report laid out a history of slaves toiling on the campus and of the university benefiting from the slave trade and industries linked to slavery after slavery was outlawed in Massachusetts in 1783 – 147 years after Harvard´s founding. The report also documents Harvard excluding Black students and its scholars advocating racism. Stymied in their calls for a renewed investigation into the killing of Emmett Till, relatives and activists are advocating another possible path toward accountability in Mississippi: They want authorities to launch a kidnapping prosecution against the woman who set off the lynching by accusing the Black Chicago teen of improper advances in 1955. Carolyn Bryant Donham was named nearly 67 years ago in a warrant that accused her in Till’s abduction, even before his mangled body was found in a river, FBI records show, yet she was never arrested or brought to trial in a case that shocked the world for its brutality. Authorities at the time said the woman had two young children and they did not want to bother her. Donham’s then-husband and another man were acquitted of murder. Make no mistake: Relatives of Till still prefer a murder prosecution. But there is no evidence the kidnapping warrant was ever dismissed, so it could be used to arrest Donham and finally get her before a criminal court, said Jaribu Hill, an attorney working with the Till family. “This warrant is a stepping stone toward that,” she said. “Because warrants do not expire, we want to see that warrant served on her.” There are plenty of roadblocks. Witnesses have died in the decades since Till was lynched, and it’s unclear what happened to evidence collected by investigators. Even the location of the original warrant is a mystery. It could be in boxes of old courthouse records in Leflore County, Mississippi, where the abduction occurred. A relative of Till said it’s long past time for someone to arrest Donham in Till’s kidnapping, if not for the slaying itself. “Mississippi is not the Mississippi of 1955, but it seems to still carry some of that era of protecting the white woman,” said Deborah Watts, a distant cousin of Till who runs the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation. Now in her late 80s and most recently living in Raleigh, North Carolina, Donham has not commented publicly on calls for her prosecution. Jeremiah Daniels IV may technically be the second in his class, but he made history as the first African American male to be named salutatorian at Boca Ciega High School. His mother, Brittney Daniels, says it’s something that he always wanted to do. “He told his father and I four years ago that he wanted to be the salutatorian and we knew that he could achieve, it in the end. For him to work at it, year after year, straight As, since third grade,” Daniels said. Jeremiah always had a propensity to learn. “He’s very academically inclined. As a kindergartner, he taught himself how to get on a laptop, get on a computer and go onto programs by himself,” said Daniels. Novak Djokovic will be eligible to defend his Wimbledon title after event organizers at the All England Club said players will not need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to compete at the 2022 tournament. In a press conference Tuesday, All England Club CEO Sally Bolton said that while vaccinations are encouraged, unvaccinated players can compete and will not need to quarantine upon arrival in England for the tournament, which begins June 27. “The requirements set up do not include mandatory vaccination,” Bolton said, per ESPN. “It will not be a condition of entry for the championships this year.” Djokovic, a 20-time Grand Slam winner and defending champion at Wimbledon, missed the Australian Open in January after being deported from the country because he had not received a COVID-19 vaccination. He also missed tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami because he couldn’t travel to the United States due to his unvaccinated status. All signs had been pointing to Ben Simmons making his Brooklyn Nets debut in Monday’s Game 4 against the Boston Celtics. But then the Celtics beat the Nets in Game 3 on Saturday night to go up 3-0, and all of a sudden, Simmons reported more back soreness and now won’t play in Game 4. This move has led to a cacophony of criticism across NBA Twitter and from major media personalities. TNT’s Reggie Miller went hard at Simmons, calling him out for lacking competitive fire. Fellow TNT analysts Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley also reacted to the Simmons situation, with Shaq blasting the decision as a “punk move” and Chuck agreeing with this sentiment: https://twitter.com/i/status/1518462075927900160 Viola Davis is aware that not everyone loves her portrayal of Michelle Obama in the Showtime series, “The First Lady.” She told BBC News that it is “incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work” but comes with the territory. “How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?” she said. “But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.” Some on social media have criticized Davis for her performance, focusing on what they viewed as her exaggerated facial expressions. Davis told the media outlet that “Critics absolutely serve no purpose. And I’m not saying that to be nasty either.” https://youtu.be/GA70FUpMXm4 The chief of police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Monday identified Christopher Schurr as the officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya earlier this month. Lyoya’s shooting took place on April 4 after Schurr pulled him over for an allegedly unregistered license plate. Rev. Al Sharpton calls for authorities to release the name of the police officer involved in Patrick Lyoya’s death. Police Chief Eric Winstrom previously declined to release Schurr’s name, arguing the city had a long-standing policy not to release the names of employees under investigation even as the officer’s name was circulating publicly. Winstrom said he decided to identify Schurr “in the interest of transparency, to reduce ongoing speculation, and to avoid any further confusion.” Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey issued a statement regarding Elon Musk’s $44 billion dollar takeover of the company. Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey issued a statement regarding Elon Musk’s $44 billion dollar takeover of the company. Dorsey called Twitter the “closest thing we have to a global consciousness.” Per CNN, Twitter has agreed to sell itself to Musk in a deal valued at around $44 billion, the company said Monday. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders will receive $54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own, matching Musk’s original offer and marking a 38% premium over the stock price the day before Musk revealed his stake in the company. “The Twitter Board conducted a thoughtful and comprehensive process to assess Elon’s proposal with a deliberate focus on value, certainty, and financing,” Twitter independent board chair Bret Taylor said in a statement, calling the deal ” the best path forward for Twitter’s stockholders.” Comedian Kevin Hart reportedly raised $100 million from private equity firm Abry Partners to launch a new media company HARTBEAT. The new venture is a combination of his two production companies, Laugh Out Loud and HartBeat Productions, per The Hollywood Reporter. According to the outlet, Hart plans to use use the funding to grow the brand, hire more employees, and develop new content. “The creation of HARTBEAT and our capital raise with Abry represent a new era in comedy,” Hart stated. “This all started out with a mission to keep the world laughing together, and I’m so proud our teams have delivered on that, putting in the hard work to build the most innovative and inclusive comedic storytelling company.” Terry Crews claims Chris Rock “saved Hollywood” by keeping his composure after Will Smith slapped him at the Academy Awards last month. While promoting his new memoir “Tough: My True Journey to Power” in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Crews also weighed in on the Smith/Rock dynamic and the fallout from the infamous Oscars slap. “Both Will Smith and Chris Rock are dear, dear friends of mine,” he told the THR. “I love them both as brothers, but there was a time in my life [where] I was Will Smith at that moment, and let me tell you, I’ve done worse than Will.” Crews went on to explain why Rock “saved Hollywood” after being slapped by another Black man in a room full of their white colleagues, on live television. “When I look back, by what Chris did, by just deciding to hold everything together, it actually, I think in a lot of ways saved Hollywood,” Crews explained to THR. “Because if there would’ve been a brawl on that stage, I don’t know if Hollywood would’ve ever gotten any respect again, you know? It’s hard to even imagine what would’ve happened.” Breakfast Club host Angela Yee is set to teach millennials and Gen Z about financial literacy via her new YouTube show. The new online series titled “The Up and Coming with Angela Yee,” was made in partnership with the saving and investing app Acorns, per Black Enterprise. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1517618107837296640/8I4enljB?format=jpg&name=small Last week, the Biden Administration submitted its first National Drug Control Strategy to Congress, as the drug crisis continues to soar. The administration’s plan places a large emphasis on harm reduction tools and proper funding to help drug enforcement shut down trafficking in affected areas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been nearly 100,306 drug overdose-related deaths in the United States for the 12-month period ending April 2021. That represents a 28.5 percent increase from the 78,056 deaths during the same period the year before. States like Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Wisconsin have been hit hard by the drug epidemic. A Jackson State University alum is paying it forward by empowering the next generation of scholars at his alma mater who will shape the world of business. Attorney Joe N. Tatum donated $50,000 to the institution’s College of Business. Tatum—who has practiced law for over two decades—graduated from JSU cum laude, earning a degree in accounting. After working in the industry at top firms throughout the city of Detroit, he transitioned into law and received his Juris Doctorate from the Mississippi College School of Law. Throughout his career, he’s worked on over 3,500 consumer bankruptcy cases and has provided counsel for medical malpractice and personal injury cases. He credits the Mississippi-based HBCU for helping him nurture his passion for serving others and equipping him with the skills to thrive in business and law. Tatum hopes his contribution will inspire other HBCU alums to invest in the colleges and universities that have transformed their lives. Beyond his music, lyricist Chance the Rapper is known for leading philanthropic efforts centered on supporting underserved communities within Chicago. In celebration of his birthday, the Grammy award-winning music artist—whose real name is Chancelor Bennett—distributed thousands of free meals in the city, People reported. Bennett hosted a food giveaway on April 16 through his organization, SocialWorks, a nonprofit that interweaves arts education and civic engagement. SocialWorks strives to eradicate socioeconomic issues that cause homelessness and food insecurity. The organization also ensures youth from impoverished communities have access to mental wellness and academic resources. SocialWorks teamed up with the Conscious Alliance, Taste for the Homeless, Gyrls In The Hood, Discover and Ben & Jerry’s for the effort. Acts of generosity like the one led by Bennett for his 29th birthday are needed as food insecurity remains an issue within the city of Chicago. Feeding America reported nearly half a million people in Cook County live in food-insecure households. Whether it’s cultivating youth empowerment initiatives through his Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation or backing historically Black colleges and universities, NBA star Stephen Curry has displayed his dedication to uplifting underserved communities and underrepresented groups. For his latest project, the Golden State Warriors guard has set out to diversify the world of golf. The sport has historically lacked representation and remains white-male dominated. Research shows that 9.5 percent of professional golfers are Black, and 14 percent are Latinx. Women account for only 8 percent of golf professionals. Cognizant of the racial and gender disparities and barriers to entry, Curry uses his lifestyle brand Underrated to make the sport more accessible. Through the company—which he founded in 2019—he’s leading a project dubbed Underrated Golf that is centered on creating pathways in the sport for youth through education and equity. Student-athletes who are part of the program will have access to exclusive golf courses and will have the opportunity to network and foster connections with power players and leading corporations to learn about career paths within the sport. The top youth golfers will compete in the brand’s upcoming Underrated Golf Tour for a Curry Cup. Called “Bookchella” by some, the L.A. Times Book Festival showcased authors from many different genres and communities. Scenes from the book festival showed a mixture of panel discussions and live book talks on the University of Southern California’s campus. The book festival brought together a meeting of minds and good vibes. A two-day event, the festival was the first major in-person event for some authors since the start of the pandemic. While virtual opportunities opened a new way for authors to connect with their audience, being in person with colleagues and readers offers a different experience for authors. The presence and energy of several Black authors stood out in the pictures and clips from the weekend’s festivities. Pictures from the festival’s official photo studio captured the radiant fierceness of Stuart K. Robinson, author of “It All Begins With I” and “Pleasantville” author Attica Locke. Singer, songwriter, and pastor William Demps is the manifestation of the living word. Demps is bridging the gap between the church and the people of deferred faith with the intention to call them back to love and the love of God. Through his music, Demps challenges his listeners to put hope before everything and love unconditionally to find themselves on the other side of adversity. Now signed to Los Angeles-based record label Legacy Music Group, Demps has released a fresh new single, "Alright" that conveys the hope of the Gospel with the bold, energetic sound of Urban Inspirational music. Here's another song "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMIJi3UBMv0 Sing In Unity is a new Global choir created during the pandemic to unify, inspire, and promote peace. Dove nominated Japan Mass Choir director, Jenna, has formed this group of voices. Having created a buzz with the Japan Mass Choir and charting on the Gospel Sales chart at #3 with their "Powerful" EP, Jenna was poised to create another international movement. Sing In Unity will touch the hearts of Gospel music lovers. The new single “My Faith Has The Final Say” is available for pre-order wherever music is sold and will officially release for consumption on 4.29. It's another song "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlRqt2mKfVg The deal caps off a whirlwind news cycle in which the Tesla and SpaceX CEO became one of Twitter’s largest shareholders, was offered and turned down a seat on its board and bid to buy the company — all in less than a month. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders will receive $54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own, matching Musk’s original offer and marking a 38% premium over the stock price the day before Musk revealed his stake in the company. “The Twitter Board conducted a thoughtful and comprehensive process to assess Elon’s proposal with a deliberate focus on value, certainty, and financing,” Twitter independent board chair Bret Taylor said in a statement, calling the deal ” the best path forward for Twitter’s stockholders.” https://youtu.be/oDIKXhV-8oY The father of USC Basketball recruit Aaliyah Gayles says she will return to the court despite being shot multiple times last weekend. Gayles, 18, was wounded by gunfire at a North Las Vegas house party on April 16 after someone started shooting. https://youtu.be/wMbwYiJBwws A New Jersey teacher has gone viral over a clip showing her saving the life of a third-grader who was choking on a water bottle cap. The incident occurred at East Orange Community Charter School, where veteran educator JaNiece Jenkins has been working for the last five years. As reported by Because of The We Can, one of her third-graders apparently attempted to open the bottle with his teeth and got the cap got lodged in his throat. Realizing he couldn’t get it out, he ran directly to Jenkins for help. Jenkins quickly sprang into action and potentially save the child’s life. https://youtu.be/qQqJIERZ_jY The family of a 24-year-old woman last seen in Houston on April 15, is pleading for help in finding her after her bloody cell phone was discovered near a park in West Houston following her disappearance. According to community activist Quanell X, who is the leader of the New Black Panther Nation in Houston, Felicia Marie Johnson traveled to Houston from California, hoping to gain employment at the Cover Girls Night Club. Johnson reportedly called an Uber after leaving the club, but when the Uber was taking too long to get there, a man at the club offered to give her a ride to where she needed to go, Quanell X said. “Felicia has not been seen since. No cell phone activity, no credit card activity, no social media activity. She has absolutely just vanished off the face of the earth,” Quanell X said at a press conference on Wednesday in Houston. Quanell X said his organization has been looking into the disappearance, along with a private investigator hired by the family. The Houston Police Department (HPD) says Johnson’s disappearance is considered a missing persons case, though they couldn’t say whether foul play is suspected. Police did not comment on the details about Johnson’s disappearance provided by Quanell, but said they have been in touch with Johnson’s family, and anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to contact HPD’s missing persons unit. Jill Scott shut down a recent conversation on Twitter that compared her to singer Lizzo. It all started when pro-Black conservative Charrise Lane tweeted a side-by-side photo comparison of Scott and Lizzo. She captioned the pic: “Your size isn’t the reason Men won’t date you. It’s the level of class you have. For instance, let’s compare Jill Scott to Lizzo. Men, which one would you date?” And with that — it wasn’t long before Jilly from Philly caught word of the comments under Lane’s post and responded as well. The late-great George Michael will narrate a documentary about his personal life that will premiere in theaters this summer. The singer-songwriter was “heavily involved and dedicated” in the production “George Michael Freedom Uncut,” making it “an incredibly special posthumous release and a poignant and moving tribute to his legacy,” reads the movie’s press release, per EW. The new documentary was narrated and co-directed by Michael before his death in 2016. The project will be released in theaters worldwide three days before his birthday on June 22. https://youtu.be/kDXtCEMPsEc Dark & Lovely’s virtual Masterclass, A Black Girl’s Guide To Mentorship, is taking place TODAY, April 25th at 5:30 pm ET. Per press release, the event will be hosted by Symone Sanders, author, advocate and host of the upcoming show, SYMONE on MSNBC and MSNBC’s streaming platform, Peacock. Dark & Lovely Brand ambassador, actress and producer, Storm Reid will offer key advice and takeaways for young Black women who are navigating their academic and career journeys, alongside NAACP Chief Strategy Officer, Yumeka Rushing. There will also be a musical set by DJ Kiss along with prizes and giveaways. The event is open to everyone and free of charge. Two white people who are said to be advocates for “diversity and inclusion” falsely accused the Scottsdale Unified School District’s Hopi Elementary PTA of hiring a DJ to perform in blackface at a charity event. As it turned out, the DJ named Kim Koko Hunter, 56, was actually a Black man, Black Enterprise reports. Per the outlet, Stuart Rhoden and Jill Lassen saw a photo online of Hunter with three white men at the ’70s-themed party and assumed the DJ was donning blackface. Lassen fired off an angry email to the PTA accusing them of hiring a DJ in blackface. “The DJ that the Hopi PTA hire[d] was, in fact a Black man,” Hopi PTA president Megan Livengood wrote in response, according to the report. “It is insulting that you feel myself or PTA condone racist behavior or encourage it by posting on social media.” https://youtu.be/pqlD-eZm1ck Cuba Gooding Jr., who recently pleaded guilty to forcibly touching a woman, has been hired by Sapphire strip club to host a party. The party is set to go down next month at the club’s location in Times Square, Page Six reports. Manhattan is the same city where the Oscar winner was charged with three counts of forcible touching after he grabbed a woman’s breast at the Magic Hour Rooftop. Gooding has been accused of inappropriately touching several women in Manhattan bars. The actor recently entered a plea of guilty to a misdemeanor charge of forcibly touching a woman at the LAVO nightclub in 2018. Gooding admitted to kissing the waitress at the club on her lips without consent. He also admitted to two other incidents of non-consensual contact in October 2018 and June 2019. https://youtu.be/b2ezHnn2liM It’s art with a purpose. Damon Lamar Reed has spent the past year creating vibrant murals of Black women and girls who have been missing from the Chicago area for some decades. One of them is Jerrica Laws, who has been missing now for six years. Her loved ones are still searching and hoping. The murals will be on display inside the Cultural Arts Center for two months. Basing the murals off family photos, the artist uses bright hues and distinct lines in an effort to honor the women and girls who have been missing.https://youtu.be/Igh9QVtJIBA Couples in crisis turn to the honorable Judge Lynn Toler for a life-altering decision to get married or break up for good in the new WE tv series, “Commit or Quit with Judge Lynn Toler,” premiering Thursday, May 12 at 10pm on WE tv. In the eight, one-hour episodes, eight couples are under Judge Lynn Toler’s microscope. Secrets are exposed, core issues uncovered, and those closest to them give shocking testimony. When it’s all said and done, ultimately, it’s up to the Judge to have them…Commit or Quit! New episodes become available on popular AMC streaming service ALLBLK, every Monday following their premiere on WE tv. https://youtu.be/MM0pkvXNa1o CNN+, the streaming service that was hyped as one of the most significant developments in the history of CNN, will shut down on April 30, just one month after it launched. CNN+ customers “will receive prorated refunds of subscription fees,” the company said. The decision was made by new management after CNN’s former parent company, WarnerMedia, merged with Discovery to form Warner Bros. Discovery earlier this month. Via the video below, CNN‘s Brian Stelter breaks down the decisions behind the CNN+ streaming service being shut down and how it ties into the streaming industry’s landscape. Donald Trump has said that the Queen should strip Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of all their royal titles. The former US president previously claimed the actions of both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex caused pain to the monarch. It comes after the royal couple flew from their home in the US and stopped off in England to visit the Queen before heading to The Hague in the Netherlands for the Invictus Games. Their attendance at a reception at the games marked their first public appearance together in Europe since quitting as senior working royals more than two years ago. In an upcoming interview, Piers Morgan asked Trump if the Queen should strip them of their titles, it was reported by The Sun. The hole in Sylvia Scarbrough’s living room floor appeared in a spot near the front door five years ago when Hurricane Harvey tore through Houston. It’s through this hole that a couple of feet of water came rushing into her home. In February, Scarbrough, who’s in her 70s, pointed at the hole. “Look at that down there, that’s the earth,” Scarbrough said. She keeps it out of sight by covering it with a brightly-colored rug. If you move a rug or peek behind a picture frame, remnants of the hurricane, which went down as the heaviest rainstorm in US history, can be found hidden all over Scarbrough’s home. Located in the residential Kashmere Gardens neighborhood of northeast Houston, Scarbrough’s home looks like an ordinary single-story three-bedroom home built in the 1950s. Wind chimes sing from her front porch. Inside, a golden portrait of Cleopatra hangs in her living room. There’s a warm and inviting ambiance. A few piles of paper and a large, clear filing cabinet are stacked on top of Scarbrough’s coffee table. They offer a window into what the last five years have been like for her. The papers include every document she submitted and all correspondence she’s had to secure money to fix her house. Up until now, she’s been awarded $1,800, which is a fraction of what she believes she’s entitled to. It’s also far less money than she needs to make all the repairs to return her home to its pre-Harvey state—which is why there’s still a hole in her living room floor. A former New England Patriots linebacker reportedly died in a car accident this weekend at the age of 62. Clayton Weishuhn, a longtime NFL linebacker, reportedly died in a car accident near his home town of Wall, Texas on Friday. The former Patriots linebacker was reportedly ejected from his vehicle in a one-car rollover accident, per the Texas Department of Public Safety. The San Angelo Standard Times first reported the news. Former MTV “Making The Band” star Chopper has been arrested as the feds accuse him of being a pimp! According to @tmz_tv, Chopper was arrested earlier this month in Maryland on drug trafficking charges. New legal docs obtained by the news site states that an undercover vice detective in Nevada posed as a sex worker and was talking directly to Chopper on Instagram. Apparently, he messaged them on IG with an apparent offer to make money through prostitution. The undercover cop says they searched Chopper’s IG account and noticed several posts related to prostitution and pimping, including posts where Chopper flaunted wealth and made references to being a pimp. Last week, Mayor Curtis Hayes, a Black recipient of an NAACP diversity award, signed a proclamation delegating April Confederate History Month in Livingston, Tennessee. During the announcement, mayor Hayes was joined by six white members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV). According to the Daily Mail, there is no party affiliation on record for Mayor Hayes. While the SCV’s website condemns racism while commemorating the history of the Confederacy, it is clear that the Confederacy fought loud and proud in support of slavery, sought to continue slavery, and left the U.S. after the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln. Southern states saw slavery as a material interest and were heavily dependent on a plantation system of enslaved Africans to pick cotton. The Confederacy suspected President Lincoln would free the slaves, which he ultimately did. Tennessee joins a larger body of states already commemorating the Confederacy. According to News4Jax, Apr. 26 legally remained Confederate Memorial Day in Florida last year. Georgia removed the holiday from its official state calendar in 2016 after the Charleston, S.C. church shooting—though it remains a state holiday. Recently, disgraced former national security advisor Michael Flynn—a man who, for various reasons, should be shutting up about all things Russia-related at this point—made an appearance on Emerald Robinson’s show on Mike Lindell TV where he was asked what he thought about Malcolm Nance. A snippet of the interview was posted on Twitter, and that clip is all one needs to hear to know that all Flynn did was reach into a bag of generic right-wing platitudes in denouncing Nance. https://twitter.com/i/status/1516881638948491266 A 21-year-old Zambian has been arrested in Russia for twerking in front of the World War II Memorial. She has been charged with “rehabilitating Nazism” under Part 4 of Art. 354.1 of the Criminal Code. Russian investigators termed her behavior “obscene” and “insulting.” The Zambian native is named Rebecca Ziba; she was caught after posting a video of herself on Instagram. In the video, she can be seen dancing near a World War II memorial in Khanty-Mansiysk. She shared it with a funny caption. The Glory Memorial honors servicemen who perished during the “Great Patriotic War” against Nazi Germany. “Shaking arse for the dead, I’m sure they’re resting soundly tonight,” her caption read. https://youtu.be/ae3ml0O4dY0 Women and children are among the scores of people killed in an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in a border town in southern Nigeria, authorities say. “The fire occurred in an illegal bunkering site situated at the boundary between Rivers State and Imo State,” the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) said in a statement sent to CNN on Sunday. It said the fire had led “to the death of men, women and children in the hundreds,” adding that the remains of some victims “were burnt beyond recognition.” According to local media reports, emergency response teams have counted 109 bodies, while others remain missing. https://youtu.be/J_AJUsSgTAU After declining for years, the First Presbyterian Church of Des Moines in Iowa, which has been in operation since 1848, will gather for its final collective hallelujah on Sunday, unable to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were declining and the pandemic killed us,” Kathy Smith, who has been a member of the church since 1984, told the Des Moines Register. Already, the nearly 170-year-old church is offering up things for sale such as “hymnals, Bibles, communion sets, sanctuary furniture, choir music, tables, chairs, dishes, kitchen supplies” that will be available at the end of Sunday’s service, according to a notice published by the church. Some items will be available for pick up earlier. The church property is also expected to be sold to another church, business or commercial developer according to KCCI. Riz Nwosu was a huge fan of Tesla’s products and a big fan of Tesla owner Elon Musk. So much so that when Tesla released its Cybertruck in 2019, Nwosu began developing a backpack based on the vehicle. Nwosu developed the Cyberbackpack and even pitched it to Musk and Cybertruck designer Franz von Holzhausen. The Cyberbackpack comes with a bevy of features, including a TSA-approved lock, a USB charging port, and an extra-wide opening. https://youtu.be/gUsJqzDTdPE The judgmental world of social media can’t stop talking about Dwyane Wade’s daughter Zaya Wade openly kissing her boyfriend as seen through posted pics. The Wades shared highlights from their Easter celebration through a series of photos posted by Zaya and Gabrielle Union, Zaya’s stepmom. The two are close. Union helped Dwyane come to terms with Zaya, who was born a male, wanting to transition to living as a female. But social media is debating over the intimate photos Zaya posted with her boyfriend, who attended the Wade’s Easter festivities. Union was the first to share a family photo showing her and Dwyane smiling proudly next to their three kids and two plus-ones. Dwyane’s eldest son Zaire, 20, was seen cuddling alongside his girlfriend while Zaya, 14, did the same with her boyfriend. Little Kaavia James held onto Daddy Dwyane while beaming from ear to ear. Zaya followed up Gabrielle’s post with her own praising how she spent her Easter surrounded by love. The University of Wisconsin campus is mourning the death of a beloved track and cross country star. Sarah Shulze, 21, died by suicide on April 13, her family announced. “Balancing athletics, academics and the demands of every day life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment,” Shulze’s family said. “Like you, we are shocked and grief stricken while holding on tightly to all that Sarah was.” The California-born runner was a junior and member of the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams at the University of Wisconsin. Wisconsin officials released a statement Friday regarding the beloved student, who was described as a gentle soul and decorated student-athlete. Tomorrow (04/25/22) on CBS MORNINGS, music megastar Megan Thee Stallion sits down exclusively with CBS MORNINGS co-host Gayle King for her first TV interview addressing the 2020 shooting allegedly involving rapper Tory Lanez. Tory Lanez pleaded not guilty to an assault charge related to the alleged shooting. https://twitter.com/i/status/1518220810095316993 Chris Rock’s mother is breaking her silence on the Will Smith Oscars slap. In a new interview with South Carolina’s WIS 10 News, Chris’ mother, Rose Rock, a Carolina native, opens up about family life and her work as a motivational speaker, family and youth advocate and author. Nearly a month ago, the Chris and Will confrontation went down at the Oscars and set the internet on fire for weeks to come. Will eventually apologized to Chris, but only after the Academy of Motion Pictures condemned him and threatened to revoke his ‘King Richard’ Best Actor award and remove him from the Academy. Chris remained silent while his brother Tony Rock slammed Will and his wife Jada at his own comedy show in Raleigh, North Carolina. Meanwhile, another Rock brother, Kenny, spoke out in his brother’s defense as well. Chris eventually broke his silence on the incident, but only to say that he’s not saying anything until someone cuts the check for the exclusive. https://www.instagram.com/p/CctksicujJj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Barack and Michelle Obama’s podcast contract with Spotify Technology SA is coming to an end in October, and they will not renew it. Bloomberg reports that Higher Ground, the Obamas’ production company, failed to strike an agreement with Spotify. The former First couple wanted the popular streaming service to expand coverage so that the show could reach a larger audience, but it seems Spotify is not willing to do that. Higher Ground signed a three-year deal with Spotify in 2019 but the terms of the agreement made it hard for the project to reach a wider audience. This didn’t go down well with the Obamas. For that reason, there will be no renewal of the contract. Already, their media company is reported to be in talks with other alternatives such as Amazon’s Audible and iHeartMedia, among others. https://youtu.be/vMtCIBJ4n1E Russell Wilson and Ciara have decided to sell their stunning lakefront home in Seattle now that the NFL QB has been traded to the Denver Broncos. The home is going for $36 million, according to a report by PEOPLE. The 6-bedroom, 5¼-bathroom estate sits on two acres and has been listed by Windermere Real Estate. The glamorous mansion is just meters away from Lake Washington and provides a perfect view of the city’s skyline as well as stunning views of the lake. The home was built in 2007. It has amenities such as a yoga studio, a professional gym, a play structure, and a sports court. A dock was constructed there three years ago. There is also a double Jet Ski lift, according to People. https://youtu.be/TtpGOg4vqvQ Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner is scheduled to appear in court on May 19, and the upcoming case could determine her fate in Russia. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is currently being held on drug charges in the war-torn country and if convicted, she could face up to 10 years in a Russian prison. Legal experts say that investigators may request to extend the basketball player’s time in detention in order to gather more evidence, while others speculate that Russian officials will formally bring charges against the 31-year-old. Back in March, Russian authorities opened up a criminal case against Griner stemming from her arrest at Sheremetyevo Airport in late February. The WNBA player was detained after the Russian Customs Service found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner’s defense team will have the opportunity to object or request additional evidence in the case during May’s court appearance, according to Yahoo Sports. An official trial will be scheduled after. Thursday, Carlson went on live air to share a theory with his viewers about why traffic accident deaths rose in 2020 and why Black people were disproportionately represented in those deaths. His insightful conclusion? He thinks police officers stopped pulling over Black drivers because they were afraid of being accused of racism. https://twitter.com/i/status/1517295111910080513 The Independent Office for Police Conduct recently released a report on the stop and search tactics performed by the Met Police. According to Mirror, the police watchdog organization laid out a laundry list of discriminatory and racially biased police practices while warning that such practices are eroding public trust in London police. But perhaps the most disturbing revelation in the report revolved around a 17-year-old Black male who said that between February 2018 and May 2020, he was stopped and searched by police officers more than 60 times. So, basically, while he was between the ages of 14 and 16, he couldn’t walk to a corner store without wondering if another patrol car was going to pull up on him for walking while Black. Vice President Kamala Harris enjoyed a brief reprieve with family and friends over the Easter Holiday weekend. Stepping out in a stunning ensemble, Harris and her husband, second gentleman Douglas Emhoff joined the congregation at Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E. Church for Resurrection Sunday. Harris and Emhoff entered to cheers and applause from attendees. This is the first time the vice president was able to attend an Easter service in person due to COVID-19. “Never know what’s gonna happen in church,” Sr. Pastor Matthew L. Watley said. Tennis powerhouse Serena Williams has been a fierce advocate for equity within the realm of sports and beyond, and she’s furthering her efforts to ensure individuals from underrepresented groups have a seat at the table across different industries. For her latest project, Williams has joined forces with the cloud technology platform Karat to increase the representation of Black engineers in tech. The athlete and entrepreneur is supporting the company’s Brilliant Black Minds initiative. The program was cultivated to eradicate barriers that aspiring Black engineers often face when trying to launch their careers in the technology industry. After conducting research, Karat discovered Black developers lack access to practice interviews and the company has pledged to use its Interviewing Cloud technology to fill the gap. Through the project, Karat is providing engineers of color with free access to technical interviews, mentorship support from an ecosystem of experienced engineers and tech-focused career development workshops. A new poll shows most #Americans want people to wear masks on planes, trains and other forms of public transportation. Mask on, mask off? Back then, they didn’t want them. Now they’re protecting them, and they want to keep them. Since mask mandates have been implemented, people have been going back and forth between whether or not they want them to be required. Well, according to a new poll, most Americans want them, at least on transportive vehicles and aircraft. The poll was conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Relations Affairs Research, and in it, they found 56 percent of Americans prefer having mask mandates on planes, trains and public transportation. Twenty-four percent were against mask mandates for those locations, and 20 percent said they were neutral on the matter. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcvOzLZDwLr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rick Ross is busy preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in 2024. The rapper revealed this during an interview with the Full Send Podcast, where he was talking about his future plans. But why is he not climbing this year, or next year? He has a ready answer. “For the rest of this year I’m getting ready, prepared mentally,” he explained. “Next year I get prepared physically.” He added that he believed when he put his heart to something, he could do anything. “I make my mind up, it’s not really that big. I just gotta get it done. And what you gotta realize, if you notice I said 2024. So for the rest of this year, I’m getting prepared mentally, next year I get prepared physically.” https://youtu.be/AGMZeA-h-d0 The Rev. Al Sharpton on Friday demanded that authorities reveal the identity of the Grand Rapids police officer who fatally shot a Black man during a traffic stop earlier this month. “How dare you hold the name of a man who killed this man?” Sharpton said at the funeral for Patrick Lyoya, held at a crowded Renaissance Church of God in Christ in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Every time a young Black man or woman is arrested in this town, you put their name all over the news. Every time we’re suspected of something, you put our name out there.” Both Sharpton and attorney Benjamin Crump, who has represented the families of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Michael Brown and other high-profile victims of police violence, called for justice for Lyoya during the service. Sharpton additionally called on the Department of Justice to investigate the shooting. Welcome to the Coachella stage, Harry Styles and Lizzo! While headlining weekend two of Coachella on April 22, Styles recruited Lizzo for a crowd-pleasing duet of Gloria Gaynor's “I Will Survive” as well as the One Direction calling card, “What Makes You Beautiful.” The best part? The pair hit the stage in matching hot pink outfits complete with oversized feathered coats. Underneath the campy outerwear, Styles wore a hot pink jacket, strawberry-embellished vest, and matching pants, while Lizzo paired her own lace-up fuchsia pants with a ripped t-shirt. For her beauty look, Lizzo opted for complimentary pink eyeshadow, a holographic lip, and adorable pink hearts affixed to her hair. In 1984, Tracey Meares was on her way to becoming her Illinois high school’s first Black valedictorian, with the highest academic ranking at Springfield High. Instead, she was declared “top student” – alongside Heather Russell, a white student. Thirty-eight years later, Meares is valedictorian at last, after she was finally presented with the title last Saturday after a screening of the documentary No Title for Tracey. Directed by Maria Ansley, an Illinois film-maker, it tells a story of systematic racism in America. For Meares, now a legal scholar at Yale College of Law, the hurt is still fresh. “It was incredibly upsetting when I was 17. I remain angry about it today, and sad,” she said. Meares recalls odd events in the lead-up to graduation. She says a white assistant principal was caught removing her file from a cabinet in the school counselor’s office. “I was called to my counselor’s office, and she told me what had happened. She said she put a lock on the file cabinet to keep anyone from getting in there again and tampering with my school record,” Meares has said. Several national law student associations are calling for Amy Wax, a University of Pennsylvania Law School professor who for years has espoused openly racist rhetoric, to be suspended from campus and prevented from speaking to students. The National Black Law Students Association, the National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, and the North American South Asian Law Students Association jointly released a letter on Wednesday, shared first with NBC Asian America, condemning Wax’s comments. In recent interviews, Wax has said that the U.S. would be “better off with fewer Asians,” and that “Blacks” and Asians are resentful of Western success. “That Wax has been permitted to teach, supervise, and ridicule minority law students for over twenty one years is alarming,” the letter said. “Few understand how much more burdensome law school is for students who continuously receive the message that they are ‘less than’ or do not belong.” The message, co-written by student leaders, enumerates action Penn can take to remedy the situation, including removing Wax from all teaching duties and investigating if her grading of students of color has been fair during her two decades at the school. The investigation should be completely transparent to students, the letter says, and Wax should be suspended from campus grounds during the process. According to the law school’s website, she’s currently teaching two courses. Kurt Russell, a history teacher from Oberlin High School in Ohio, has been named the 2022 National Teacher of the Year. He was selected out of four finalists by the non-profit Council of Chief State School Officers. His students say he is known for emphasizing cultural relevance and representation through his classes. “He’s enthusiastic and relates his curriculum to real-world experiences,” Oberlin High School Senior Nia Mitchell said. “He does a really good job of fostering conversations where everyone can have a perspective,” another student said. Russell told “CBS Mornings” that he is proud of the school district he works for and that he gets his inspiration from his students. In December, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted the first federal Maternal Health Day of Action at the White House, where she issued a call to improve health outcomes for parents and infants in the U.S. Months later, she is still using the vice presidential bully pulpit to push for policy and structural changes aimed at saving lives. “In our nation, we are looking at the fact that more women are facing death because of childbirth than in any other developed nation,” Harris told journalists during a call on Thursday during Black Maternal Health Week. “We are looking at the likelihood that Black women are three times more likely to die in connection with childbirth, that Native women are twice as likely to die, that rural women are one and a half times more likely to die.” Black Maternal Health Week is an education and advocacy campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance that is observed each April. The White House officially recognized the designated week in 2021, and President Joe Biden issued a proclamation for it this year. In 2018, then-Senator Harris introduced the first congressional resolution recognizing Black Maternal Health Week, along with Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C. In 2019, Adams co-founded the Black Maternal Health Caucus with Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., a nurse who recently said the issue should be elevated “as a national priority.” “The maternal health crisis demands urgent attention and serious action to save lives and advance birth equity across the country,” Underwood said. A 4-year-old girl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has died after her grandmother forced her to drink whiskey, police say. The girl’s blood alcohol content was 0.680%, a “lethal dosage,” according to the arrest warrant. A level of .25% can cause alcohol poisoning, and anything higher than .40% can lead to a coma or death, according to a University of Notre Dame chart. Roxanne Record, 53, and the girl’s mother, Kadjah Record, 28, were booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for first-degree murder, according to inmate records. It is unclear whether either woman has an attorney. The two women became angry with the child on Thursday because she “may have drunk from a Canadian Mist bottle” that was on a counter, the warrants said. The grandmother then forced the girl “to consume the remainder of the bottle which was possibly over half full while on her knees in the hallway,” the warrants said. The mother was present and didn’t try to intervene, according to police, according to police. A Black Kansas City police sergeant claims in a lawsuit that two officers racially profiled him when they stopped his car and falsely accused him of misconduct. Sgt. Herb Robinson, a 30-year veteran of the Kansas City Police Department, said the two officers yelled at him as they approached his unmarked police car on March 11, 2021. He alleges in the lawsuit that officers Cole Modeer, who is white, and Marco Olivas, who is Hispanic, stopped him because of his race, The Kansas City Tar reported. They let him go after he stepped out of his car and identified himself. Robinson, 59, who was a detective at the time he was stopped, is suing Olivas, Modeer and the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, which oversees the department. “If they treat one of their own this way, I’m afraid to see how they are treating minorities who are not cops,” Gerald Gray, an attorney representing Robinson, said Thursday. The officers are also accused in the lawsuit of falsely accusing Robinson of misconduct and other violations, and urging others to do the same. Robinson said he reported the encounter to the police department but no action was taken. Capt. Leslie Foreman, a police spokeswoman, said the department generally does not comment on pending litigation. Florida’s Department of Health (DOH) has rebuked the guidance issued by the Biden administration on gender dysphoria treatment for children and adolescents, releasing its own guidelines instead. The Sunshine State said on Thursday that puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones should not be used to treat gender confusion in children. “The federal government’s medical establishment releasing guidance failing at the most basic level of academic rigor shows that this was never about health care,” State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said in a press release. “It was about injecting political ideology into the health of our children. Children experiencing gender dysphoria should be supported by family and seek counseling, not pushed into an irreversible decision before they reach 18.” The department crafted the state’s new guidance using published and peer-reviewed data that calls into question the motives of the federal Health and Human Services Department. Guidance of this magnitude requires a full, diligent understanding of the scientific evidence, Florida’s DOH said. A middle school in San Marcos, Texas is hosting a “Queer Week” this week, encouraging students as young as 11-years-old to celebrate the four-day LGBTQ+ event, which could be in direct violation of Texas state law based on an assessment by the state’s attorney general. Doris Miller Middle School (MMS) is urging children as young as the sixth grade to dress in “pride” colors, wear nametags with preferred names and pronouns, and “protest” LGBT discrimination, according to The Federalist. “The goal of the week is to provide a school culture that values diversity, equity and inclusion,” MMS Principal Saumnya Hart told parents in a school email which was forwarded to the news outlet. According to the “Miller Queer Week” schedule, the school set aside four days in April “to provide support for students in the LGBTQIA+ community, their allies, and the greater student and staff body,” The Federalist reports. The night after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Pope Francis lay awake in bed at the Vatican thinking about what he could do to prevent “one more death in Ukraine. Not one more,” he told the Argentine daily La Nacion in an interview published Thursday (April 21). The next day he jumped on a papal white utility vehicle to meet with the Russian ambassador to the Holy See to voice his concerns about the war in a last-ditch attempt to preserve the last remnant of peace in Ukraine. The war, of course, continues today, and the pontiff’s hope for a meeting between the pope and Russian Orthodox leader Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has been shelved. For all his peacemaking efforts, the media’s primary takeaway about Francis regarding the war is that he refuses to call out President Vladimir Putin directly as the aggressor. In his interview with La Nacion, the pope said: “I am willing to do everything” to prevent further bloodshed, explaining why he believed mentioning Putin was inappropriate. “A pope never names a head of state, much less a country, which is superior to its head of state,” Francis said. A California man threatened to bomb Merriam-Webster’s HQ over the dictionary’s definition of the word female as ‘a gender identity that is the opposite of male.’ Jeremy David Hanson, 34, of Rossmoor, California, faces a federal charge of interstate communication of threats to commit violence. Hanson’s alleged antics forced the firm to shutter its offices for five days. He could now face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, and is also said to have been upset over the firm’s definitions of the words girl and woman. Woman is defined by the site as ‘an adult female person,’ while a girl is described as ‘a female child from birth to adulthood’ or ‘a person whose gender identity is female.’ In October 2021, Hanson is alleged to have sent threatening messages to the Massachusetts-based Merriam Webster headquarters over specific gender identity definitions through the site’s ‘Contact Us’ page, as well as in the comment sections for various words. And on October 2, 2021, Hanson allegedly used the handle ‘@anonYmous’ to write on the page for the word ‘female’: ‘It is absolutely sickening that Merriam-Webster now tells blatant lies and promotes anti-science propaganda. There is no such thing as ‘gender identity.’ The imbecile who wrote this entry should be hunted down and shot.’ As a child growing up in Richmond, California, the future held one of two possibilities in Darrell Jobe’s young mind: play for the NFL or become a microbiologist. But at 13, everything changed when he became homeless, dropped out of school and joined a gang. That he celebrates Earth Day on Friday as the owner of Vericool, which produces environmentally safe packaging products, speaks to his unpredictable journey. He says it also speaks to his never-wavering interest in protecting the earth, even after he’s served short stints in prison. “I love animals and if you do, you care about the environment because that’s how they live,” Jobe, 42, said. “All the stuff that went on in my life, that respect for the earth never left me. To get beyond all that and to be able to do something to protect the environment is rewarding.” He invented the world’s first recyclable or biodegradable ice chest cooler in 2017 and developed a compostable and recyclable thermal solution for shipping Covid-19 vaccines in place of environmentally unfriendly Styrofoam coolers. According to the latest updates on the airline beat down, the man Mike Tyson repeatedly punched on a JetBlue plane has lawyered up, and possibly looking to file a lawsuit. Attorney Matt Morgan from Morgan & Morgan, who reps Melvin Townsend III, tells @tmz_tv, “Our client is a big Mike Tyson fan. When Mike Tyson boarded the plane, he became overly excited. At first, their interaction was cordial.” He goes on to say, “At a certain point, Mr. Tyson clearly became agitated by an overly excited fan and began to strike him in an excessive manner. This situation could have been avoided simply by contacting the flight attendant. Our client denies throwing a water bottle prior to being struck by Mr. Tyson.” Tennessee is cracking down on drunk drivers and giving them more than just a prison sentence for fatal crashes caused by their incompetence! According to (news outlet) WGCL, the state has passed a bill requiring someone convicted of vehicular homicide due to intoxication to pay child support if they kill a parent. The Bill was introduced following a tragic case where Janet Hinds fatally struck police officer Nicholas Galinger as a result of driving while intoxicated. Although Hinds fled the scene, footage from the bar she visited that night, showed that she consumed 5 drinks. Galinger’s family and two children requested $50 Million in their wrongful death suit and it appears that the state understands. The money will be used to care for the children. House Bill 1834, will assure that other children forced to face this kind of tragedy, will be taken care of monetarily by the person who causes it. Thoughts? https://youtu.be/lioYatbygro Radio personality Angela Yee is lending her talents to a new show to teach millennials and Gen Z all about financial literacy. Dubbed “The Come Up With Angela Yee,” the YouTube show was made in partnership with the saving and investing app Acorns to normalize conversations around money and sharing diverse success stories. The series welcomes some of the biggest names in entertainment to have honest conversations about money, so everyone gets a little more comfortable talking about it on their come up. Each week, Yee will lead conversations with celebrities and industry professionals who will provide exclusive takes on financial literacy. Celebrity guests include comedian and TV Host Nick Cannon, rapper Remy Ma, and Vice President of Roc Nation, Lenny S, to name a few. https://youtu.be/sccia_2f4ZA Jasmine Guy Breaks Down in Tears as She Opens Up About Problems She Faced After Painful Divorce With Tamron Hall. Jasmine Guy knows first-hand that strength and love is what helps us get through our struggles. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=937557120477723 For T.C. Stallings, acting wasn’t always the plan. Known for his roles in faith-based movies like “Courageous” and “War Room,” Stallings has carved out a niche for himself in the entertainment industry. It wasn’t until he landed a very small featured extra role in the 2010 film “Secretariat,” though, that he even knew he wanted to make a career out of acting. Stallings’ original plan was football. But, as is often the case, God had something different in store. The 44-year-old actor explained this week on “The Prodigal Stories Podcast” that acting was something he was always interested in, but wasn’t sure it would pan out. Regardless, Stallings — a Christian — said his No. 1 priority is using his work, wherever it might be, as a vehicle to share his faith. “For me, when I read Scripture, I realize that’s why I’m here,” he said. “Once I realized that, I want to live out my God-given purpose — and I trade in what I want for what He wants — that’s why I just try to use all my gifts and talents for Him.” Acting, he continued, “just gives me an opportunity to reflect all the glory toward Him.” While Stallings is known for starring in faith-based films — including the upcoming Christian movie “No Vacancy” — he wasn’t raised in a devoutly Christian home, though his mother was a strong believer who kept him in church. Sinqua Walls will star in the remake of “White Men Can’t Jump” according to Deadline. He is set to take over the character originally played by Wesley Snipes. The original movie recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, and that’s why talk of a remake is in order. The movie’s original cast recently reunited briefly at the Oscars to present an award. Walls is having a busy schedule. He recently starred in “Resort to Love,” a Netflix movie. He will also appear in “Nanny,” a horror film by Nikyatu Jusu. He has also appeared in shows such as MTV’s “Teen Wolf,” BET’s “American Soul,” and VH1’s “The Breaks.” Most of the conversation surrounding the Oscars incident involving Will Smith walking on stage during the televised event and slapping Chris Rock after the comedian made a “joke” about Jada Pinkett Smith have considerably died down. Though, now people are hyper-fixating on Jada and Will amid new rumors that the two might be heading towards a rather ugly divorce. Following the Oscars incident, Will publicly apologized for his actions and was banned from the event for the next ten years. After some time, Jada also issued a statement regarding the slap, posting a simply graphic on Instagram, which read, “This is the season for healing, and I’m here for it.” However, it has been reported that following the altercation, Will and Jada have barely spoken to one another. In a statement to Heat Magazine, a source revealed that Will and Jada have not been getting along following the slap. “Ever since the Oscars scandal, the tension between them is palpable. There have been problems for years, but they’re barely speaking right now.” The source continued, saying the impending divorce would be incredibly messy. “If they were to split, Will has a fortune of $350 million that Jada would be entitled to under California law. It could be one of the ugliest divorces in showbiz history and drag on longer than Angelina [Jolie] and Brad [Pitt’s] did.” Will Smith was all smiles as he landed in India where he was seen for the first time since the infamous Oscar’s slap. Smith was pictured touching down in a private airport in Mumbai on Saturday where he was greeted by adoring fans who he took snaps with. Smith is reportedly in India to meet spiritual leader Sadhguru, who Smith and his family met with back in 2020 in Los Angeles. Dressed casually in a white t-shirt, dark grey shorts over white compression tights and a pair of Nike sneakers, Smith looked relaxed and happy after landing in the South Asian country. As staff helped him unload his things from his vehicle nearby fans excitedly scream ‘Will, Will Smith!’ Smith then takes a couple of selfies with security and turned to the fans yelling his name, giving them a wave while flashing a smile before continuing to take a few more selfies and entering a building where he gives someone a hug. This is the first time Smith has been spotted in public nearly a month after slapping master of ceremony and comedian Chris Rock on live TV and in front of his co-stars after he n made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s buzzcut. The Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah says the Grammys can do more than entertain; It can address some serious issues such as what is taking place in the Ukraine right now. Noah believes some music artists will express their thoughts on what is taking place in the Ukraine along with other serious things through song. “It’s one of those interesting balances in life we try to achieve, which is acknowledging what’s happening in the world whilst allowing yourself the grace to celebrate some of the moments that are also going on,” said the comedian and host of “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” on Comedy Central. Noah said most of his show’s coverage has focused on Ukraine, so he’s looking forward to an entertaining night at the Grammys — a place where world issues can be acknowledged as well. This will be his second year hosting the Grammys which will air live on CBS and Paramount+. Last year, the Grammys had a music festival vibe with parts of the show held outdoors in an intimate in- person setting with music artists mixed with pre-taped performances. But for the upcoming ceremony, Noah anticipates a hybrid model that includes fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Stephen A. Smith doesn’t want to hear anything about Colin Kaepernick‘s new attempts to rejoin the NFL. Smith says he is sick and tired of hearing about it. “…utter nonsense. I’m sick of it,” Smith said in an episode of his ESPN show “First Take.” Kaepernick is reportedly desperate to join NFL to the point he says he is willing to accept a backup quarterback position. In 2016, Kaepernick was so disappointed when he lost his QB position with the San Francisco 49ers that he refused to stand during the national anthem preceding the start of the game. https://youtu.be/8oItBT0yBz8 Kendrick Lamar is finally back after five years, and with a bang! He announced he is dropping a new album named “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.” Lamar revealed the album’s title and release date on his Oklama website link he tweeted. The 34-year-old rapper also shared the news on his Instagram with a “appreciate your patience” note. The new album is set for release on May 13. Lamar last released a full album in 2017, with his tracklist entitled “Damn.” Lamar is a native of Compton, California. He is partly well-known for the hit album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” https://youtu.be/AUEI_ep9iDs Around the United States in different locations, you can see statues of musical icons in their hometowns or cities where they have made a major impact. Musical legends like Elvis Presley (Tupelo, Memphis, Las Vegas, etc.), Louis Armstrong (New Orleans), Billie Holiday (Baltimore), Ray Charles (Albany), James Brown (Augusta), Jimi Hendrix (Seattle), and Michael Jackson (Las Vegas) have all been immortalized with statues bearing their likeness. So, why has this same honor not been bestowed upon her Royal Highness, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, in the City of Detroit? Aretha Franklin is known to many, as the greatest singer that ever lived in any genre. She is worthy of being honored with a life-size bronze statue, in the City of Detroit, for all the world to see. A major push to make this a reality is coming from the Founder/CEO of the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame Foundation and American Basketball Hall of Famer, LaMont “ShowBoat” Robinson, who also has plans to build a state-of-the-art, permanent facility, dedicated to the legacy of rhythm and blues music. Coachella fans roared when hip hop icon Chuck D stepped on stage earlier today, making a surprise appearance during DJ Lord’s set. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer performed electrifying versions of his classics “Bring The Noise” and “Fight The Power” with DJ Lord, Public Enemy’s longtime turntablist, marking his first return to the festival since 2009. A solo artist in his own right, DJ Lord has been Public Enemy’s DJ for more than 20 years and was a member of Prophets Of Rage alongside Chuck D and former members of Rage Against The Machine and Cypress Hill. He has been a finalist in the DMC World DJ Championships twice and has embarked on over 100 worldwide tours. PushaT kept it crystal clear on where he stands with Drake since their 2018 exchanges, when Pusha T revealed that Champagne Papi fathered a child. Pusha T told #TheBreakfastClub that it’s “really good” that Kanye and Drake resolved their issues, but when it comes to him he’s “still outside.” “Me personally, I don’t really stand anything to gain from like squashing anything,” Pusha T said. “I’m not entertaining it, but there’s nothing I want from the situation. I don’t want to do a record, I don’t want to do none of that.” In his words, “there’s nothing to talk about” because they’ve “been through it and that’s just that.” He clarified that he’s really purposeful right now about his music and who he wants to work with and Drake doesn’t fall in those lines. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccp9Js7Fn5g/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A media watchdog is warning parents about the apparent ramping up of pervasive sex and inappropriate content on HBO’s hit show “Euphoria,” warning the second season is “more deranged than before.” The Parents Television and Media Council (PTC), a non-partisan advocacy group working to protect kids and families from violence, sex, and profanity in media, has been actively breaking down the most troubling content embedded in each episode of the show. And the results are nothing short of disturbing. PTC recently noted on its website reports indicating season two of “Euphoria,” which premiered Jan. 9, would be “darker” than season one — a point raising alarm bells with the organization due to the show’s younger audience. “When the dark, depraved, degenerate and nihilistic program ‘Euphoria’ first premiered, its creator, Sam Levinson, proudly proclaimed that ‘there are going to be parents who are going to be totally f***ing freaked out,’” PTC wrote. “His omen was correct, and unsurprisingly so, because Euphoria centers on the lives of high school children, and features a Disney Channel starlet as the lead actress.” PTC believes the series poses an “imminent threat to the health and well-being of children.” In the first few months of season two, PTC has tracked some truly shocking content, finding 13 instances of sex shown with nudity, 21 instance of male nudity, and 19 moments including female nudity. Netflix shares plunged this week after the platform reported its first subscriber loss in more than a decade. One factor the company pointed to as hurting revenue: widespread password sharing. It could mean that Netflix subscribers around the world may have to pony up to keep their kids, friends or colleagues on their accounts. For years, Netflix has allowed subscribers to share their passwords with little interference. In fact, the service admitted in its letter to investors Tuesday that the policy likely helped fuel its growth by “getting more people using and enjoying Netflix.” Yet that growth has severely stalled, and Netflix said Tuesday that it’s now looking into how “best to monetize sharing.” The company noted that of its 222 million paying households around the world, it estimates that “Netflix is being shared with over 100 million additional households.” Dwayne Haskins was laid to rest on Friday by his widow. The memorial service for the NFL star, who died after being fatally struck by two cars on April 9, was attended by friends, loved ones, teammates and coaches, including former teammate Ryan Shazier, former Ohio State University coach Urban Meyer and OSU’s current coach Ryan Day. Other guests included Steelers’ defensive tackle Cam Heyward, offensive coordinator Matt Canada, team president Art Rooney II, general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin. Haskins’ widow Kalabrya welcomed these attendees to the Allegheny Center Alliance Church in Pittsburgh, where Steelers chaplain and pastor Kent Chevalier delivered the eulogy, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Tribune-Review also reported that three white doves were released into the air at the conclusion of the service, and guests were handed yellow roses as they exited the church. Steelers beat reporter Noah Strackbein shared the program from Friday’s memorial. Guy Lafleur, a longtime Montreal Canadiens player, died on Friday at the age of 70, his family said in a statement on Facebook. The cause of death was not revealed but recently he had been struggling with lung cancer. “Guy I love you, you are done suffering we will miss you greatly,” his sister Lise Lafleur wrote on Facebook. Lafleur won the Stanley Cup five times between 1973 to 1979 with the Canadiens and was named of the “100 greatest NHL Players” in history by the league in 2017. He played 14 seasons for the Canadiens after being drafted as the first overall pick in 1971, and played there until his first retirement in 1985. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 before coming back to the NHL the same year. He played one season for the New York Rangers and two seasons for the Quebec Nordiques before his final retirement in 1991. On a late summer night two years ago, Tiburon police asked Yema Khalif to prove he owned Yema, the local clothing store that bears his name. At the time, Khalif and his wife, Hawi Awash, were the town’s only Black business owners. The fallout from that August 2020 encounter shoved the quiet coastal enclave to the center of a racial justice moment that began just months earlier with George Floyd’s murder. But after initially threatening a $2 million lawsuit in federal court, the couple says they were able to achieve meaningful reforms by staying out of the courtroom and directly engaging with town officials. On Tuesday, the couple stood in front of their store in Tiburon’s casual but tony downtown to announce those reforms. Changes include police policy and training updates as well as the formation of a Citizen’s Advisory Panel to provide a forum between residents and police; one of the store owners is expected to serve as a member. The couple also received a $150,000 payment, a portion of which they say will go to a scholarship fund they run through the store. Khalif and Awash haven’t reached a settlement with the neighboring city of Belvedere, which also had an officer at the store that night. David Anderson, one of their attorneys, said Belvedere’s leaders weren’t up for the conversation that those in Tiburon were. A message left with the city manager wasn’t immediately returned Tuesday. Khalif said he and his wife never wanted to involve the courts. In 2011, former NBA star Al Harrington founded Viola, one of the nation’s leading producers and licensed wholesalers of premium quality cannabis products. Now he’s on a mission to create 100 millionaires in the industry. “Viola produces a range of cannabis products catered to individuals’ palates and needs. From cultivating premium flower to processing butane extracts, Viola manages every aspect of their production process, applying the latest and most proven technologies to ensure the consistency and quality of their products,” per press release. The cannabis industry generated $25 billion in legal sales last year, but only 2% of companies are Black-owned. Harrington is looking to change that now that marijuana is legal in some form in 37 states. Serena Williams and Lewis Hamilton have joined Martin Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea. Their offer is one of three being considered by Roman Abramovich, club executives and the US bank Raine, which is overseeing the sale. Williams, the winner of 23 tennis grand slam singles titles, and Hamilton, a seven-times Formula One world champion, have pledged what are understood to be small sums of money relative to a bid of more than £200m. Broughton’s partners also include the World Athletics president, Sebastian Coe, and the owners of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team, Josh Harris and David Blitzer. Harris and Blitzer also have stakes in Crystal Palace and they will need to sell those to become shareholders at Chelsea. U.S. Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu and her father Arthur Liu were among those targeted in a spying operation that the Justice Department alleges was ordered by the Chinese government. The father is a former political refugee. The Justice Department announced charges against five men accused of acting on behalf of the Chinese government in a series of brazen and wide-ranging schemes to stalk and harass Chinese dissidents in the United States. Arthur Liu said he and his daughter were included in the criminal complaint as “Dissident 3” and “family member,” respectively. China has denied these allegations saying it was “not aware of the specifics” and that China is “firmly opposed to the U.S. slandering by making an issue of this out of thin air.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters, “China always asks Chinese citizens to abide by the laws and regulations of host countries, and we would never ask our citizens to engage in activities that violate local laws. The so-called transnational harassment schemes are just trumped up.” The father said he agreed to let his daughter compete in the Olympics after receiving assurances from the State Department and U.S. Olympic Committee that she would be closely protected while competing in China, with at least two people escorting her at all times. He did this to show China that they will not “silence me from expressing my opinions anywhere.” “They are probably just trying to intimidate us, to … in a way threaten us not to say anything, to cause trouble to them and say anything political or related to human rights violations in China,” Arthur Liu said. “I had concerns about her safety. The U.S. government did a good job protecting her.” Former NBA player JR Smith has scored a name, image and likeness deal with apparel brand Lululemon that will make him the brand’s golf ambassador. Smith, who went straight from high school to the NBA in 2004, has been a walk-on on the North Carolina A&T golf team after returning to school in 2021. Smith currently is in the second semester of his freshman season at the HBCU. He is the first male golfer to sign a brand ambassador deal with Lululemon. And his standing as a 16-year NBA veteran has made him one of the most popular college athletes in the sport. In January, Smith signed with Excel Sports Management for NIL representation. Smith’s agent, Lance Young, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski at the time that there was high interest from golf apparel and equipment manufacturers in sponsoring Smith. Last year was the first time college athletes could profit off their name, image and likeness via sponsorships. Number 1 songstress, KARIMA, returns with the new song “It’s Alright To Cry,” released to digital outlets today. The heartfelt ballad is KARIMA's follow-up to her DARE Records debut, chart-topping song “Redeemer.” “It’s Alright To Cry” showcases a different side of Karima’s artistry and ministry, giving listeners easy and effortless vocals. Here is another song that's "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=UDEok19kUIo&list=OLAK5uy_n_hmHD9uxI_aHap6pHszY99odyTQKGiSc SEMAJE releases his exciting new single "YOU." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ymNKzxAOTQ Diverse audiences with hearts focused on worship join together to experience the presence of God and the experience is captured in TRIBL NIGHTS. Jesus reigns supreme in "Never Lost" as the worshipers gather en masse declaring a secured victory based on track record, Jesus has never lost a battle and He never will. Here is another song that's "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brnlnjYe52o Refreshing, bold, and innovative; “The Flow,” ReFresh Worship’s debut album takes listeners on a journey that inspires a deeper connection with God. Recorded live in New York, “The Flow” features a breakout single, “Cry Out” - a passionate declaration featuring GRAMMY award-winning artist Naomi Raine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfz2g4WDB-M Lifetime's Seven Deadly Sins Anthology movie installment, Greed, from executive producers T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams and Shaun Robinson continue this Saturday, April 23 at 8/7c. Based on the series of books by Victoria Christopher Murray, Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story is headlined by Monique Coleman (A Christmas Dance Reunion), LisaRaye McCoy (A House Divided), Eric Benét (Real Husbands of Hollywood) and Nathan Witte (Merry Liddle Christmas Baby). Below are the movie descriptions and premiere dates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gckr-jxcu0 3x Grammy Nominee, Brian Courtney Wilson stops by the Wendy Williams Show today to celebrate guest host Sherri Shepherd’s birthday! Wilson performed his #1 song “Still.” An all-new episode of TV One’s True Crime Mondays is back on April 25. This week's episode of FATAL ATTRACTION unpacks the mysterious death of a young woman on a busy highway. Watch the story unfold on Monday at 9 p.m. ET/8C. After a young woman is found dead on the side of a Nashville highway, questions swirl about who could have killed her. Was it an angry ex, a jealous love interest, or was greed the motive? An unexpected source will reveal the truth. Find out this Monday! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaCqhCoXGRM If Zendaya's goal when she attended the HBO Max FYC Euphoria event this week was to simultaneously freak us out and make us want to chop our hair off, well, achievement unlocked. On April 20, the actor, model, and all-around untouchably cool specimen of a human walked the red carpet at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures alongside her Euphoria costars Alexa Demie, Hunter Schafer, Maude Apatow, Barbie Ferreira, and Sydney Sweeney. Every last one of them was serving serious lookage—that Betty Boop hair on Demie, oh my goodness—but our jaws dropped when we saw the Dune star with what appeared to be significantly shorter hair than what she had during her last public appearance, at the Oscars and Vanity Fair after-party. It's not that we haven't seen Zendaya wear a short hairstyle before. Remember her red baby bangs and wavy bob at the 2018 Met Gala? Or when she went through a pixie phase in 2015? Hell, she even tricked us into thinking she'd chopped it off just last fall. It's just that we're so used to seeing it long—and friggin' stunning—lately thanks to Euphoria and Zendaya just generally existing in a perceptible way that it's a shock to the system when it seems to have been chopped off. All-new episodes of TV One’s original docu-series, UNSUNG Presents: The Decades and UNCENSORED, are back this Sunday, April 24. UNSUNG: The Decades leads with the influential music from the early 2000s at 9 p.m. ET/8C, followed by the season finale of UNCENSORED, which features female rap music pioneer, Trina at 10 p.m. ET/9C. Each episode will also be published on TVOne.tv and TV One’s social media platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5-wC6xmXwA Pope Francis has said he has dropped plans to meet in June with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who has backed Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Francis, who has several times implicitly criticized Russia and Putin over the war, told Argentine newspaper La Nacion in an interview that he regretted that the plan had to be ‘suspended’ because Vatican diplomats advised that such a meeting ‘could lend itself to much confusion at this moment’. In Moscow, the RIA news agency quoted Metropolitan Hilarion, a senior Russian Orthodox Church official, as saying the meeting was postponed because ‘the events of the last two months’ would have created many difficulties in its preparation. Activist Pamela Moses will not face a second trial over illegal voting registration accusations, the Shelby County District Attorney announced Friday. Moses was sentenced to six years by a judge in January, after she was found guilty of making or consenting to false information on an election document. But that same judge later granted her a new trial, saying information about a previous conviction should not have been considered by the jury, and that a document from probation officials was not disclosed at trial. A trial had been set to start April 25. A Black Lives Matter activist has slammed New York City’s black mayor for his alleged failure to combat the city’s skyrocketing crime rates. ‘Let’s get back to Eric Adams. This mayor who’s a Democrat but he spews conservative and Republican talking points,’ Hawk Newsome, co-founder of BLM Greater New York, told Fox News Thursday morning. ‘At the end of the day, we have a name for someone like this, and this is someone we call a c**n.’ ‘He’s a white man in black face, and a very conservative minded white man, at that.’ Newsome blasted Adams’ efforts to combat crime in NYC, alleging the mayor’s new policing model was a ‘monumental failure’ and accused him of ‘deflecting’ by questioning BLM’s role in condemning bloodshed. ‘What we have is a man with hundreds of people on the city’s payroll, billions of dollars in budget and 40,000 police officers. He has 10 victims in one night. The night before he had 16 shooting victims on the train,’ the activist said. ‘[He’s asked] rd what are you going to do about policing and he says, “what about BLM?” Is America not smart enough to see him deflecting?’ Adams last week slammed BLM for failing to act after a series of shootings ripped across NYC, leaving two dead and 13 injured. All the victims were black. Rapper Archie Eversole was shot in the face and died before he could tell cops who killed him. Arthur ‘Archie’ Eversole, 37, who recorded We Ready, was found with a gunshot wound at a Chevron gas station just east of Atlanta on March 25, and died at a hospital April 3, DeKalb County police said. It is unclear how he got to the gas station from his bed or whether his home is nearby. Eversole’s brother, Alexander Kraus, 41, was arrested at a home near the gas station on assault charges before those were upgraded to murder, Lt. Shane Smith from DeKalb County police said. Kraus was also charged with possession of more than an ounce of marijuana. He is being held without bail at Dekalb County jail. A$AP Bari claims another member of the entertainment group snitched on A$AP Rocky, which led to his arrest at LAX earlier this week. A$AP Rocky was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday morning, fresh off his vacation in Barbados with pregnant girlfriend Rihanna. The hip-hop artist, 33, was detained at LAX by the Los Angeles Police Department and charged with assault with a deadly weapon (firearm) in connection to a November 2021 shooting, the LAPD said in a news release. As reported by thejasminebrand, in a recent Instagram story, A$AP Bari, 30, posted a picture on social media of the group’s video director, A$AP Relli, along with the caption: “This rat a** n****a told on rocky F****g rat” The passenger that was aboard the same flight as Mike Tyson, and seen on video bothering the boxing legend, has an extensive criminal record. The man, identified as Melvin Townsend III, has had a few encounters with cops. As @tmz_tv reports, Mr. Townsend has been convicted of fraud, grand theft, burglary, possession of controlled substances and trafficking in stolen property. The 36-year-old once broke into a property back in 2018 and allegedly stole a trailer that he hitched to his pickup. As for the drug possession offense, that was reportedly for oxycodone. Official docs don’t mention other specifics, TMZ notes. Now, it was said that he served time in the slammer… twice! One for 20 months and another time for 15 months. The parents of the late Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins say they will skip his funeral services in Pittsburgh on Friday after he was fatally struck on a Florida highway earlier this month, saying they’ve never met his widow and do not wish to under those circumstances. ‘We have never met or spoken to the wife, and we didn’t want our son’s funeral service to be the place we met her for the first time,’ Dwayne Sr. and Tamara Haskins said in a statement, referring to their son’s widow, Kalabrya Gondrezick-Haskins. The Haskins family will still honor their late son at a memorial service in his native New Jersey on Saturday and then again on Sunday in Potomac, Maryland, according to Scott Abraham of Washington DC’s ABC affiliate. DailyMail.com’s attempts to reach Dwayne Sr. and Tamara Haskins have been unsuccessful. Arabian Prince, a founding member of hip hop’s N.W.A. is reinventing the American healthcare system through the metaverse. The Compton, California native is building a “photo-realistic digital twin” of the U.S healthcare system, where patients can access affordable doctors, feedback from healthcare professionals as well as fill prescriptions, NFT Evening reports. “We didn’t want to do something that looks like the other metaverses, that looks very cartoony,” Arabian Prince, born Kim Renard Nazel, told MarketWatch. “And we knew with health care, you have to be serious about it. You can’t have somebody that looks like Luigi from Mario Brothers talking to you as a doctor.” Blac Chyna was questioned about her finances during her testimony for the ongoing trial between herself and Kardashian-Jenner family. On Thursday, Kardashians’ defense lawyer, Michael Rhodes grilled the former stripper about her taxes and Chyna (born Angela White) admitted she hadn’t filed since 2018 or 2019. She says the last filing was for her businesses — Lashed LLC, 88 Fin, and Blac Chyna Inc. … she tells Rhodes the last time she personally filed was back in 2015. She also said she doesn’t have any personal bank accounts. Chyna also revealed she’d made about $2 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018 … and makes money through celebrity appearances — like $25k for an upcoming celebrity boxing match. However, her main moneymaker seems to be OnlyFans, on which she claims she’s made $1 million. https://youtu.be/eQcUwobZXIE Trey Songz is being accused once again of sexual assault and this time the act was caught on camera. A woman is accusing the R&B crooner of forcibly removing her breast from her bikini top, and video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Per TMZ, the woman in the clip, Megan Johnson, says the incident occurred in August 2013 during a party at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. A new letter from attorneys George Vrabeck and Ariel Mitchell on Thursday claims the R&B star came up behind Johnson, pulled the top, and chanted “titties in the open” four times. (The video appears to feature him saying “titty in the open.”) Her team says she was embarrassed by the incident and is seeking damages over lasting emotional distress and self-harm. Stephen Curry is putting down the basketball and picking up the golf clubs for a good cause. The professional basketball player is launching his own golf tour, aimed at providing access and opportunity to underrepresented student-athletes. The tour, called Underrated, announced the launch citing its commitment to balancing participation in the sport “to truly reflect our society.” “Our passion is rooted in statistics. Today there are only two Black men in the top 100 worldwide rankings and only one Black woman in the top 300,” Underrated Golf wrote on its website, adding, “Meanwhile, Tiger Woods, who is recognized as the most important golfer of all time, is of Thai, White, Black and Native American descent. Although his reign on the sport is celebrated, the number of professional golfers coming up in his shoes continues to be less and less.” Janelle Monáe wants you to know that she identifies as non-binary. The queer artist discussed her gender identity with Jada Pinkette Smith in the season 5 premiere of Red Table Talk, co-hosted by Jada’s daughter Willow Smith, and her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris. “I’m nonbinary, so I just don’t see myself as a woman, solely,” Monáe told the hosts. “I feel all of my energy. I feel like God is so much bigger than the ‘he’ or the ‘she.’ And if I am from God, I am everything. I am everything. But I will always, always stand with women. I will always stand with Black women. But I just see everything that I am—beyond the binary.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=725592481787414 Rapper/actress Eve shared a new photo on Instagram of her cradling her 11-week-old son, Wilde Wolf, along with the caption, “Never been this tired. Never been this happy.” Last month, she shared a video of her newborn son with her husband Maximillion Cooper. The couple welcomed their first child together in February, and the footage shows her sleeping newborn cozied up on her chest. “Wilde, my precious baby,” Eve says in the clip. “This is heaven. This is heaven right here.” https://www.instagram.com/therealeve/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c6495038-a98b-4ab0-a02f-657568218437 The Russian army is planning to establish full control over the Donbas and Southern Ukraine and to ensure a land corridor to the Crimea, according to Rustam Minnekaev, deputy commander of the Central Military District. He also warned taking back control over Southern Ukraine will provide Russian troops with another outlet to Moldova’s pro-Russian breakaway region of Transdniestria, which borders Ukraine. Kyiv fears this could be used as a launching pad for new attacks. Minnekaev said at the annual meeting of the Union of Defense Industry Enterprises of the Sverdlovsk Region: “Since the beginning of the second phase of the special operation, it has already begun just two days ago, one of the tasks of the Russian army is to establish full control over the Donbas and Southern Ukraine. “This will provide a land corridor to the Crimea, as well as influence the vital facilities of the Ukrainian military forces, the Black Sea ports, through which agricultural and metallurgical products are supplied to other countries. “Control over the South of Ukraine is another outlet to Transnistria, where there are also facts of oppression of the Russian-speaking population. As Russian troops tighten their grip on the strategic port town of Mariupol, their strategy is finally becoming clear. Russian military commander Rustam Minnekaev now says the second phase of President Vladimir Putin’s “special operation” is focused on establishing a “land corridor” from the Donbas all the way to Moldova, which would cut off the rest of Ukraine from the sea. “One of the tasks of the Russian army is to establish full control over the Donbas and southern Ukraine. This will provide a land corridor to the Crimea, as well as influence the vital objects of the Ukrainian economy,” Minnekaev said Friday at a meeting with the Union of Defense Industries, as reported by the Russian state-owned Interfax. “Control over the south of Ukraine is another way out to Transnistria, where there are also facts of oppression of the Russian-speaking population.” Transnistria is a separatist region of Moldova that has so far not been officially involved in the war despite hosting a Russian military base since the 1990s. The general’s words suggest that Moldova’s sovereign borders would also come under threat from further Russian expansion. Phony efforts to protect Russian-speaking peoples have often foreshadowed Putin’s imperial invasions. In reality, Russian speakers have been struck down in the hundreds in eastern Ukraine during the brutal invasion. Pope Francis has said he has dropped plans to meet in June with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who has backed Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Francis, who has several times implicitly criticized Russia and Putin over the war, told Argentine newspaper La Nacion in an interview that he regretted that the plan had to be ‘suspended’ because Vatican diplomats advised that such a meeting ‘could lend itself to much confusion at this moment’. In Moscow, the RIA news agency quoted Metropolitan Hilarion, a senior Russian Orthodox Church official, as saying the meeting was postponed because ‘the events of the last two months’ would have created many difficulties in its preparation. Reuters reported on April 11 that the Vatican was considering extending the pope’s trip to Lebanon on June 12-13 by a day so that he could meet with Kirill on June 14 in Jerusalem. Kirill, 75, has given his full-throated blessing for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine since it began on Feb. 24, a position that has splintered the worldwide Orthodox Church and unleashed an internal rebellion that theologians and academics say is unprecedented. Francis, 85, has used terms such as unjustified aggression and invasion in his public comments on the war, and has lamented atrocities against civilians. This must be the most unlikely place you’d expect to see a member of her super-rich family, but pop star Janet Jackson has been spotted at a pawnbroker’s in Chelsea. The American singer, 55, who has an estimated fortune of £150million, was seen leaving Prestige Pawnbrokers where a Hermes handbag can cost up to £29,000 and is said to have become something of a regular there. Janet seen leaving clutching a blue jewelry box under a sign which read ‘Posh Pawn’ and got into a Range Rover parked outside – and apparently it wasn’t her first visit. Jada Pinkett Smith says her family is “focused on deep healing” in the aftermath of her husband Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock on the stage at this year’s Oscars. Pinkett Smith didn’t talk about the incident directly on her show Red Table Talk on Wednesday, but in the opening titles she hinted that the show would address the subject at a later date. “Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focused on deep healing,” the title cards read. “Some of the discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls. Until then… the table will continue offering itself to powerful, inspiring and healing testimonies like that of our incredibly impressive first guest.” That guest was singer Janelle Monáe. Shares of Netflix lost more than 35% of their value in New York on Wednesday, after the streaming giant announced it had lost more than 200,000 subscribers in the first three months of the year and said it and expects to lose 2 million more over the next quarter. The sharp drop wiped $50bn off Netflix’s value and comes as subscribers rethink their commitment to streaming services that grew their numbers sharply during the homebound months of peak lockdown. Netflix had anticipated it would add 2.5 million customers in the first quarter. A number of rival services, including Disney, Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount, often with deeper content libraries to draw on, have also entered the market. Netflix stock, which was already down 40% for the year, has now dropped from $700 in November to $244 when the market opened, a fall approaching two-thirds. The company said on Tuesday that it had experienced “revenue growth headwinds”. It recently raised subscription prices despite signs that consumer growth was slowing, with a basic monthly package now costing US customers $15.49. Duane Chapman, star of the A&E series, Dog the Bounty Hunter sang a touching rendition of Amazing Grace to the surprise of many of his fans. Chapman recently performed on the Fox series, The Masked Singer, dressed as an armadillo. https://youtu.be/JSgZvfT2vh4 A Texas junior college baseball conference has suspended a pitcher for four games after he tackled an opposing batter after a home run, and the batter also was suspended for two games because he was ejected for taunting. The North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference announced Thursday it suspended both players and many more from both teams due to the resulting brawl. Online video of the play showed North Central Texas College’s Josh Phillips rounding third after his sixth-inning home run, only to have Weatherford College pitcher Owen Woodward charge off the mound and level him with a violent blow to the midsection. Several players then charged on to the field. Weatherford officials have said Woodward could face expulsion from school as the play caught widespread online attention. But the league office handed out most of its punishment for the North Central Texas program because of the players who ran onto the field after the hit. The league suspended for two games ‘all team members for NCTC that were in the dugout or bullpen’ and any assistant coaches who stepped onto the field. It also suspended four additional Weatherford players and assistant coaches for two games. It was reported today that CNN’s new paid streaming service, CNN Plus will be going bye-bye after just a few weeks (3, actually) of life. The news of the service’s demise comes via m Variety and The New York Times, which cited multiple anonymous sources. The New York Times reports that the service will shutter on April 30. CNN Plus launched on March 29: For $5.99 each month, the service offers access to a library of new and old shows starring well-known faces from the cable news channel. Thirteen women who were sexually abused by disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar each filed claims against the FBI for $10 million, saying the agency failed to properly investigate his crimes. Attorney Jamie White, who is representing the women, said the FBI’s mishandling of the Nassar case is ‘a law enforcement failure of historic proportions,’ with the women’s claims totaling $130 million. White says agents ignored early reports of Nassar’s abuse, and left him free to continue molesting victims on an industrial scale. ‘We spend so much energy and resources encouraging children to come forward when they have been abused, so the fact that people came forward to the most powerful law enforcement agency in the world and were rebuffed – it’s a slap in the face,’ White said. ‘This is the largest failure on the part of law enforcement in the history of the world as it pertains to the protection of children, and there must be institutional accountability to make sure this doesn’t happen again.’ Nassar was convicted and sentenced to 40 to 125 years in prison in 2018 for sexually abusing hundreds of young female athletes, with many of the victims, including gold medalist Simone Biles, slamming the FBI in a series of hearings last year for allegedly turning a blind eye to his abuse since 2015. The Kardashians’ attorney requested that she not be allowed in court due to “veiled physical threats” against them online. “She can’t be in the courtroom,” the famous family’s attorney Michael Rhodes said ahead of opening statements that day. Chyna’s lawyer, Lynne Ciani, then argued that while she has no control over Tokyo, she also told the mother that the behavior was “unacceptable:” “I can’t control her mother,” Ciani said. “My client wants a fair trial. I already told her it was unacceptable, and she can’t be in the courtroom.” In a series of videos, Tokyo Toni talked about how she felt and in one clip, she shared her displeasure with the judge: “I’m gonna get that judge,” Tokyo said. Now, this could be a problem for Tokyo because even a small threat against a judge is taken seriously by law enforcement,TMZ reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cck1DsmAXXF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Center Theatre Group presents Blues For An Alabama Sky, now playing at The Mark Taper Forum. Opening night brought out the usual galaxy of stars, Debbie Allen, Norm Nixon, Dawn Lewis, Kiki Shepherd, Susan Kelechi Watson (This Is Us) and many more. As the lights rose, the audience was transcended to Harlem, New York in the 1930’s due to the clever writing of Pearl Cleage. The characters in the story weave a delicate balance of ambition, danger and reality. Angel (played by Nija Okoro) dreams of being a famous entertainer and has swapped seeking love in lieu of any man who can support her ambitions. Guy (played by Greg Alverez Reid) dreams that his fashion designs will finally be admired by Josephine Baker, to whom he has been writing in Paris. The demure but strong-willed Delia (Kim Steele) is on the front lines for women’s rights and family planning. Meanwhile Leland Cunningham (Dennis Pearson) and Sam (Joe Holt) anchor the story as two men with opposing values of faith, family and women’s reproductive choices. An entertaining relational debacle ensues as each moment unfolds thanks to the skillful eye of director Phylicia Rashad. NeNe Leakes is taking legal action against Bravo, Andy Cohen and the production companies behind “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” accusing all of racism and fostering a hostile work environment. “NBC, Bravo and True foster a corporate and workplace culture in which racially-insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated — if not, encouraged,” the complaint alleges, which was filed in an Atlanta federal court, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Leakes, 53, names the Bravo network, her former boss Cohen, NBCUniversal and production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original as defendants. She also notes that her former costar and friend Kim Zolciak-Biermann, 43, often made racist comments which were largely ignored by Cohen and the most white Bravo executives. Leakes claims when she complained about Kim’s racism, she herself was punished. A&E Network has announced the documentary series “Origins of Hip Hop” will explore the rags-to-riches journey of some of the genre’s most celebrated stars. Per press release, the series, produced by Mass Appeal (“Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men,” “Rapture”), will unpack the origins of Busta Rhymes, Eve, Fat Joe, Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, and Uncle Luke as they reflect on their personal and artistic journey. “’Origins of Hip Hop’ expands our boundary-pushing nonfiction programming slate and celebrates the artists and sounds that have helped define a genre and culture,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, EVP and Head of Programming for A&E. “Alongside our partners at Mass Appeal, we are excited to elevate the voices and stories of this incredible group of artists who helped create and continue to shape the genre today.” According to @tmz_tv, Mike Tyson lost his cool on his flight from San Francisco International Airport to Florida when a fan allegedly kept annoying him. The news site reports that the incident between him and another passenger went down at around 10:30 PM PT. A witness shared that Tyson was initially cool with them and the other passengers, and even took selfies with a few of them. However, one passenger got a little too excited and kept trying to talk to the 55-year-old fighter as he sat behind him. It was said that Tyson eventually got super frustrated with the guy behind him who kept talking in his ear off and even asked him to chill. When the man didn’t, that’s when the witness said Tyson started to throw several punches at the man’s face. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcncW8LLL0x/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Former First Daughter Sasha Obama got herself a new beau. He’s none other than Clifton Powell Jr. He is the son of veteran actor Clifton Powell and he’s also a former college basketball player. Sasha, now 20, apparently hooked up with Powell Jr., 24, after she made the switch to USC last fall from the University of Michigan, where she had been a student for two years. That’s according to The Daily Mail, which broke the story. Powell Jr., a former hoops star was awarded a four-year basketball scholarship at the University of California at Santa Barbara … he’s now jumped into the world of commercials … working with big brands like Peloton and Nike. GSN-Thandie Newton is said to be smitten with a young musician amid the split from her husband of 24 years. According to The Post, Newton has a close friendship with 23-year-old musician Elijah Dias, who goes by the name Lonr. Per the report, the LA-based artist is only two years older than Newton’s oldest daughter, Ripley. His song “Save My Love” appears on the soundtrack for Newton’s 2021 film “Reminiscence.” “From the relatively short time I’ve been fortunate to spend with her, I know Thandie and Oliver care deeply about the welfare of their children,” Lonr. told The Post. “That’s all I care about right now.” Shahid Khan, the billionaire who has been financing the Black News Channel since 2018, will loan the network funds so the media outlet can keep operating. The Black News Channel/BNC has run desperately low on funds and is on the verge of shutting down entirely. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is now operating on a smaller scale. The BNC had a staff of 230 — a vast majority of whom are people of color — and most are now out of work. Many of them still haven’t been paid for work done just before the bankruptcy, Bloomberg reports. During a hearing Tuesday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Karen Specie said the television network can borrow about $1.6 million from an entity affiliated with Khan while it searches for a buyer. The cash will let BNC pay vendors and a few remaining employees. Prior to this latest development, Khan (the owner of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars) reportedly decided to stop investing in the news outlet. Omarosa Manigault Newman — a former staffer on Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign who then worked for Trump’s White House — was awarded more than $1.3 million in attorney’s fees and costs this week after previously prevailing in a dispute over whether she had violated a Trump campaign non-disclosure agreement. The award was handed down Tuesday and determined by Andrew Brown, of the American Arbitration Association, who had served as the arbiter in the dispute. The Trump campaign filed the lawsuit in arbitration in August 2018, on the same day of the release of Manigault Newman’s book “Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House,” her behind-the-scenes look at working for Trump. https://youtu.be/tl3KzFw4Egg Stevie J has officially been dropped by his legal team amid his divorce from his estranged wife Faith Evans. Per RadarOnline, court documents show that Stevie J’s now-former attorney Kimia Klein of Fox Rothschild LLP filed a motion to no longer represent him. Attorney Klein wrote in the motion that there was a breakdown in the relationship between the two parties and they couldn’t reach a resolution. “There has been an irremediable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship such that a genuine conflict has arisen between Fox and Steven,” said Klein. “Despite several attempts by my office to informally resolve the issues with Steven, we have been unsuccessful in resolving the issues.” Kid Cudi wants fans to know he’s done making music with former friend Kanye West. West and Cudi fell out earlier this year allegedly because of Cudi’s friendship with Pete Davidson, who is allegedly dating Kanye’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Cudi’s remarks come amid the release of Pusha T’s new album “It’s Almost Dry,” produced by Pharrell Williams and West, which includes a song titled “Rock N Roll,” featuring Kid Cudi alongside Ye. Cudi took to Twitter on Tuesday (April 19) to clarify that he and Ye are still not on good terms and that the song will be the last the two make together. Apple TV+ has landed “Hijack,” a new seven-part thriller starring Idris Elba, who will also serve as executive producer. The series marks the first project under Elba’s first-look deal with Apple TV+. According to Deadline, Elba will produce global series and feature films for the streaming service through his Green Door Pictures production company. The company is behind such titles as Ricky Staub’s Concrete Cowboy, the comedy In The Long Run, and Quibi’s Elba vs Block. Green Door also produced the Netflix comedy series Turn Up Charlie, per complex. Lil’ Wayne has settled an ongoing legal case involving a nightclub doorman who says the rapper assaulted him after the BET Awards in 2016. The alleged victim filed a battery report with LAPD. The bouncer, Andrew Nunemacher — who is white — was working the door at Hyde nightclub on Sunset, where Weezy and 2 Chainz were hosting an after-party. Law enforcement sources said things got heated when several members of Lil Wayne’s entourage were turned away at the door. Per TMZ: “We’re told Wayne and the bouncer started arguing about who was getting in, and the bouncer says that’s when Wayne uncorked a punch to his face. The Hyde staffer went to a hospital for treatment, and called police.” Wayne’s camp denied the punching, and said there was “a brief altercation, but only because the bouncer mistakenly grabbed Wayne by the arm … not realizing who he was. He later apologized, according to our Wayne sources,” the outlet writes. https://www.instagram.com/liltunechi/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ff3827c6-84aa-4eb5-a82a-ac44063e7586 With the premiere of “Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story” arriving soon, the cast is discussing all things, Mahalia! Ledisi, Keith David, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Janet Hubert, Corbin Bleu, and Columbus Short, all star in “Remember Me” portraying the life events of Mahalia Jackson’s career. n the film, David plays a label executive who in the beginning wants the best for Jackson but as time goes on, becomes worried about the label and making money or the lack thereof. “He has his own best interest at heart,” said David. “I think initially he cares about Mahalia as someone who can be nurtured through but once she decides she’s only going to sing spiritual music – and that’s not selling – he’s like, ‘I’m not interested.’ Because he’s interested in numbers and the money.” David also shared his love for Jackson, even as a child, when his father would play her music. https://youtu.be/VXyLBHcJ1MY Last week, in Redlands — a San Bernardino County city about 63 miles east of Los Angeles — U.S. military vets joined Assemblymember James Ramos (D-Highland) at a rally in support of Assembly Bill (AB) 1623. The legislation would implement a statewide tax exemption for military retirees. Jeff Breiten, a Marine Corps veteran who lives in Redlands, says this bill would be a way to give back to service members. “California’s military retirees appreciate the fact that Assemblyman Ramos has stepped forward to carry this bill,” said Breiten. “This legislation will not only provide a well-earned benefit to those who served our country for 20 years or more, it will also help retain and attract to California these retirees who will lend their skills during second careers in a variety of key industries and professions across the great state of California.” Ramos, who is the only Native American in the California Assembly, introduced the bill in January along with Assemblymember Kelly Seyarto (R [1] Murrieta). https://youtu.be/yKOo9bk3X7Y Blac Chyna took the stand today in her case against The Kardashians. She said she was joking when she pointed the Glock at Rob Kardashian’s head…and wrapped (an) iPhone cord around his neck. Blac Chyna detailed the night from her view. She said she and Rob were celebrating their show being picked up for a second season. They were fooling around doing some lil ratchet stuff in the house…having fun. Blac Chyna’s lawyers showed the jury a clip from the night she allegedly put the paws on him, which showed Rob with a lil’ torn shirt on. Despite years of lofty commitments and massive pledges to diversify the tech industry, not only has progress not been made but in some cases, previous gains have been undone, according to a new report from the non-profit Kapor Center and the NAACP. “Unfortunately, it didn’t shock me,” Rachel Goins, Director of Implementation at the Kapor Center and a co-author of State of Tech Diversity: The Black Tech Ecosystem, told The Plug. Russian state TV hosts giggled uncontrollably as they discussed nuking New York City with one of Vladimir Putin’s new intercontinental ballistic missile. The television hosts laughed as they talked about striking the US city of eight million people with the Sarmat missile, also known as Satan 2. A presenter laughed on a state-owned Russian television channel Russia 1 as he spoke of how New York would be ‘completely gone’ if Moscow decided to launch the nuclear weapon. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/04/21/3437728861201911583/636x382_MP4_3437728861201911583.mp4 Queens mother Orsolya Gaal and her lover had been having an on-off affair for two years before he murdered her with a kitchen knife in her basement last week while her 13-year-old son was upstairs. David Bonola, 44, was arrested on Thursday in the early hours of the morning. He was spotted by police on Wednesday night and brought in for questioning then confessed to murdering Gaal in her home on April 16 shortly before 1am. As he was put in a police car on Thursday in front of journalists asking why he killed her, he screamed: ‘F**k you motherf****r!’ The pair started seeing each other in 2020 after he worked in the family home where Gaal lived with her husband Howard and two sons. It was an on-off relationship which they rekindled in April, but which had recently ended again. On Friday night, not long after midnight, Gaal let Bonola into her home. It’s unclear if she had invited him over, or if he showed up unannounced. They went inside and down to the basement because her youngest son, Leo, was upstairs at the time. Her husband Howard and oldest son Jamie were out of town looking at colleges. A pastor’s wife faces life in jail after she was convicted of hiring a hitman who’s said to be her toyboy lover – to kill her husband after tiring of his demands for orgies. Kristie Evans, 48, admitted the March 2021 first-degree murder of her husband David Evans at a court in Ada, Oklahoma, on Monday. The killer – who has a grown-up daughter with her late husband – will be sentenced in August. Evans was arrested in March 2021 along with Kahlil Square, 26. Square had threesomes with Evans and her late husband David, 50, at David’s behest. David, the late pastor of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church in Ada, is said to have branded his wife a ‘frigid bitch’ for her inability to match his voracious appetites for group sex. Evans allegedly asked Square to shoot David dead to free her from the domestic violence she says he’d inflicted. She and Square had their own affair behind David’s back. Square has denied charges filed against him, with his lawyer saying there are no plans to amend the plea until Evans is sentenced. Kristie is now at risk of facing a maximum sentence of life incarceration but her lawyer, Joi Miskel, said on Monday that the mother-of-two ‘understands there has to be accountability for her actions’ but that she also ‘wants the court and the public to know the reasons behind her actions.’ The effects of a deepening pension scandal that has rocked the nation’s oldest Black church group are still being assessed by local church officials, though they’re hopeful that a federal investigation could help recoup about $90 million missing from its pension fund. Experts are concerned the African Methodist Episcopal Church’s pension problems could become the norm for many nonfederally protected pensions as the aging population retires in larger numbers. In early March, the AME Church suspended its pension payments to retirees after new leadership found significant financial irregularities. News of the pension crisis has spread to AME churches across the country, including in Chicago, where church leaders say they’re waiting to receive more information about the pending investigation. John F. White, presiding bishop of the AME’s Fourth Episcopal District, headquartered in Bronzeville, said he has not heard from any area retirees hurt by halted pension payments, but expressed confidence church leadership that took over last year will fix the problem. Veteran actor and Mad Men star Robert Morse has died at the age of 90. Morse’s son Charlie confirmed his father’s death to ABC7 on Wednesday, and declined to reveal a cause of death. He died in Los Angeles, where he owned a $1.8 million three-bed, three-bath bungalow situated in the leafy Sherman Oaks neighborhood that Morse bought in 1992. The actor’s talent agent, David Shaul, told Entertainment Weekly that the actor died ‘peacefully at home yesterday after a short illness.’ Rich Sommer, who played Harry Crane on Mad Men, was among the first to pay tribute. He tweeted: ‘Just about every person working at MM came down to watch him do this. ‘We were all a mess. It was beautiful and strange, and so was he. RIP Bobby.’ Sommer had attached a video showing Morse singing and dancing to The Best Things in Life are Free during his final appearance on the show. Morse’s acting career spanned six decades on stage and screen. Born on May 18, 1931 in Newton, Massachusetts to father Charles, who managed a chain of movie theaters and mother May, a pianist. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was struck by at least two vehicles, and not just a single dump truck, when he was killed along a Florida highway in the early hours of April 9, it has been revealed. In addition to the dump truck, which was previously reported to have collided with Haskins, the 24-year-old was also ‘partially’ struck by a Subaru Outback, according to a crash report provided to DailyMail.com by Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). The dump truck struck Haskins in the center lane of the highway, sending him into the path of the Subaru, which hit him in the left-hand lane, the report explains. One witness told FHP investigators that a third vehicle may have also been involved. Haskins was declared dead on the scene minutes after being struck. Both drivers stopped immediately after striking Haskins, according to investigators. Neither driver was tested for drugs or alcohol. Investigators determined that Haskins was improperly in the roadway and did not find the drivers culpable. It’s not yet clear why Haskins was walking alongside the highway, but a FHP investigation is ongoing. The wife of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins called Florida 911 dispatchers shortly after he was fatally struck by a dump truck earlier this month, saying his car had run out of gas and she was worried because he wasn’t answering the phone, according to recordings released Wednesday. Kalabrya Haskins, who was calling from Pittsburgh and unaware of the accident, told a Florida Highway Patrol dispatcher on April 9 that her 24-year-old husband had called from near Fort Lauderdale to say he was walking to get gas and would call her back. When the former Ohio State star didn’t, she told the dispatcher she tried to call him but he wasn’t answering. “I just want somebody to go in the area and see if his car is there and if he’s OK and if anything happened to him,” she said, her voice breaking. “It’s not like him” to not call back, she said. The highway patrol had already received numerous panicked calls about the accident that happened about dawn on Interstate 595 near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. But the dispatcher did not appear to know yet that paramedics had arrived and found Haskins dead. He had been in South Florida training with Steelers teammates. Carolina Panthers linebacker Damien Wilson was arrested in Frisco, Texas, last week after his ex-girlfriend said he threatened to kill her, according to the Dallas Morning News. Wilson, 28, who was signed last month by the Panthers, faces a charge of assault with bodily injury of a family member, Frisco Police Sgt. Stephen Byrom said in an email to the newspaper. Wilson’s attorney, Toby Shook, denied the allegations. “Damien Wilson did not commit any type of assault,” Shook told the newspaper. “We look forward to all the facts coming out so his name can be cleared.” Byrom said he had no information about on whether Wilson had bonded out. Jerry West’s legal team wants an apology and retraction for his portrayal in HBO’s Los Angeles Lakers-focused series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. In a statement obtained by ESPN, which the outlet states was sent to the network and executive producer Adam McKay, representatives for the former Lakers player, coach and general manager said the series “falsely and cruelly portrays Mr. West as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic.” The series, centering on the Showtime era of the storied Lakers franchise during the 1980s, includes Jason Clarke as West and John C. Reilly as then-team owner Dr. Jerry Buss. “The portrayal of NBA icon and LA Lakers legend Jerry West in Winning Time is fiction pretending to be fact — a deliberately false characterization that has caused great distress to Jerry and his family,” said the statement from attorney Skip Miller of law firm Miller Barondess, LLP. “Contrary to the baseless portrayal in the HBO series, Jerry had nothing but love for and harmony with the Lakers organization, and in particular owner Dr. Jerry Buss, during an era in which he assembled one of the greatest teams in NBA history.” West’s team is asking that the show issue a retraction within two weeks, according to ESPN. “Jerry West was an integral part of the Lakers and NBA’s success,” the message continued. “It is a travesty that HBO has knowingly demeaned him for shock value and the pursuit of ratings. As an act of common decency, HBO and the producers owe Jerry a public apology and at the very least should retract their baseless and defamatory portrayal of him.” Ron Summers wants you to believe what the scriptures say. So he's penned a fun feeling song of actualization. It is So features the vocals of Elements and the incomparable Tasha Page Lockhart. Its a bold testament to what God will do when we align ourselves with the Word. We are going for adds today. This song is "Shining Bright" in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUvOY0gh7cg An independent autopsy performed by a world-renowned forensic pathologist not only confirmed that Patrick Lyoya died from being shot in the back of his head by a police officer but also that the officer “pressed” his gun into the unarmed Black man’s head before firing the “contact shot” in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Werner Spitz said Tuesday during a press conference in Detroit that Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee, was also “conscious and aware that a gun was being held to the back of his head” at the moment before he died on that fateful morning of April 4. Those findings based on scientific evidence only bolster claims that lethal force was used in a situation in which it was not merited because the officer clearly had control over Lyoya, civil rights attorneys said during the press conference. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/patrick-lyoya-shot-in-back-of-head-independent-autopsy-confirms/ Monday, a federal judge gave a group of Georgia voters the Greene light to move forward with legal efforts to disqualify congresswoman and sentient (white) trash compactor Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from running for re-election. Now, there are plenty of reasons why Greene shouldn’t be anybody’s lawmaker. She’s racist, outwardly Islamaphobic, and transphobic, and she has at least subliminally threatened Democrats with deadly violence, which she got called out for after she went full KK-Karen on Jimmy Kimmel for his Will smith joke, which she erroneously claimed amounted to “threats of violence” against her. She’s also a serial misinformation spreader and a QMoron conspiracy theorist whose relationship with reality is akin to Donald Trump’s relationship with comprehensive sentence structure (also his relationship with reality). But, according to the New York Times, none of that has much of anything to do with why the group represented by Free Speech for People—which describes itself as “a national non-profit non-partisan organization,” and “a catalyzing leader in the country challenging big money in politics, confronting corruption in government, fighting for free and fair elections, and advancing a new jurisprudence grounded in the promises of political equality and democratic self-government”—is seeking to bar Greene from running for re-election. Instead, the group is claiming she played a role in the Jan 6 Riot at the U.S. Capitol. Rapper A$AP Rocky was taken into custody Wednesday morning at Los Angeles International Airport in connection with a shooting in Hollywood last year, authorities said. The performer, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was detained on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Wednesday. Mayers, 33, was wanted in connection with a Nov. 6, 2021 shooting after an argument escalated, authorities said. Mayers is accused of firing a handgun at an acquaintance, who sustained a minor injury and later sought medical treatment, police said. Mayers and two other men ran after the gunfire, police said. Officers were also seen outside of his LA home, smashing into the gate with a battering ram, before apparently raiding the property. Detectives seized multiple boxes of evidence from the house. Mayers was taken to LAPD headquarters for questioning and will be booked soon, according to TMZ. He is said to have requested the presence of his lawyers. The LAPD issued a statement saying officers ‘worked to diligently’ to investigate the November 2021 shooting, which left the victim with minor injuries, and ‘identify the suspect(s) involved.’ If convicted, Mayers could face up to one year jail time, a $1,000 fine and misdemeanor probation, per California Penal Code. If he received a felony assault with a deadly weapon conviction, Mayers could spend up to four years in state prison, be fined up to $10,000 and have mandatory probation. The rapper was arrested shortly after he arrived at LAX on a private plane, NBC News first reported. He was returning home from a vacation in Barbados with his pregnant girlfriend, Rihanna. The couple recently denied rumors of a split and cheating. Do you remember Maurice Symonette? The Black guy who used to stand behind trump at all his rallies holding the sign “BLACKS FOR TRUMP,” while dawning a T-shirt imprinted with the words, “TRUMP & Republicans Are Not Racist.” (Some folks said he was in a cult.) On Sunday, April 17, a 22-year-old man was killed while attending an Easter party at the Florida home of Maurice Symonette. According to Newsweek, one man was shot dead and three others were wounded after a confrontation over a cell phone. One of the wounded was a 14-year-old, who was hit by shrapnel. About 50-60 people attended the event. Symonette claims that although the Jet Ski party was at his house, it wasn’t his event and if it was he would have had better security. “If I was throwing a party, I would have security, first of all. We wasn’t throwing anything, people just came to the house. It was Easter,” said Symonette in an interview with Local 10. Symonette uses his Miami-Dade home, which is known as the ‘Boss Mansion,’ to regularly host parties that he says are to promote racial harmony. Florida lawmakers have voted to strip Disney of its special status as a self-governing area as the war between Governor Ron DeSantis and the company rumbled on. The Republican-led Senate decided to end the Reedy Creek Improvement District, meaning the firm will no longer be able operate as a self-contained government. They backed the measure by 23-16 and it will go to the state House before being passed to the governor – with it potentially coming into effect on June 1, 2023. It rips up the 55-year-old deal that allowed Disney to regulate land, enforce building codes and treat wastewater – and could cost the company millions in lost local taxes. But it could also see two Florida counties saddled with $1billion of debt currently owed by Walt Disney World. Orange and Osceola counties may end up shouldering the huge sum amid the toxic fallout between DeSantis and the firm over the Parental Rights in Education bill. It comes amid claims Disney could turn to former CEO Bob Iger to steady the ship, which has become increasingly turbulent under Bob Chapek. If you thought now-former MSNBC foreign-policy analyst Malcolm Nance was just going to sit back where it’s safe and report the news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine—then you don’t know Nance. On Monday, the combat veteran-turned-journalist revealed that he has returned to his roots as a soldier and left the world of news reporting in order to join the fight against the Russian forces. Nance, who served as an intelligence collections operator for the Navy, made the announcement during an interview with Joy Reid on The ReidOut saying that he joined Ukraine’s international legion about a month ago. “The more I saw of the war going on, the more I thought, ‘I’m done talking, all right? It’s time to take action here,’” Nance said while suited up in full uniform and gripping an assault rifle. “I am here to help this country fight… what essentially is a war of extermination. This is an existential war and Russia has brought it to these people and they are mass murdering civilians, and there are people here like me who are here to do something about it.” https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1516194469967659009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1516205215267102724%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4322473%2Fmalcolm-nance-joins-fight-in-ukraine%2F The man who fatally shot #Jacqueline Avant, wife of famed music executive #Clarence Avant, was sentenced to life in prison. #AarielMaynor, 30, of #LosAngeles, pleaded guilty in March to one count each of murder, attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of residential burglary with a person present. An L.A. County judge handed down his sentence Tuesday. Maynor opened fire on the 81-year-old philanthropist after breaking into the Beverly Hills home last December. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcizKiEDRot/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Justice Department has reached a settlement to settle four lawsuits by protesters who were forcibly cleared out of Washington’s Lafayette Square during a racial justice protest outside the White House in 2020. The US Park Police and the US Secret Service have agreed to revise their policies toward demonstrations and crowd control, according to a settlement filed in DC’s federal court. “The federal government is committed to the highest standards for protecting civil rights and civil liberties in any federal law enforcement response to public demonstrations,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement Wednesday. “These changes to agency policies for protest responses will strengthen our commitment to protecting and respecting constitutionally protected rights.” https://youtu.be/AeZ1inTSzOs The killer who stabbed Queens mother Orsolya Gaal left a ‘sloppy’ crime scene which suggests he did not plan the attack, police sources revealed. The murderer stabbed Gaal in a frenzy in her home in Forest Hills, puncturing her neck, torso and arm 58 times before eventually killing her. He then stuffed her body in a bag and dragged it less than a mile through the quiet neighborhood where she lived, before dumping it on the side of a road to be found the next day. It left a trail of blood that police sources followed back to her home like a ‘trail of bread crumbs’. As crime scene investigators work through the scene, processing DNA evidence and gathering tips, sources say it’s likely they will find a match to the suspect through what was left in the house. ‘He left a blood trail for five blocks from the house. It was like a trail of bread crumbs. ‘If you want to kill somebody, you try to make it a little cleaner, be a little more prepared. He didn’t go with something to move her body. He took something from the house. A growing band of Kremlin insiders fear their Russian leader will resort to nuclear weapons to defeat Ukraine and halt a palace coup, reports say. Some elite members in Moscow are also questioning President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of its neighbor and its economic and political impact. Putin’s critics are spread across senior positions in government and state-run business, according to Bloomberg who cited ten sources with direct knowledge of the situation. Putin’s opponents believe the war against Ukraine has been a terrible blunder and will set Russia back decades. The sources shared the concerns previously expressed by US intelligence officials that Putin could use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine. During an interview on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov didn’t give a direct answer to repeated questions on whether Russia might use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Michelle Obama’s brother Craig Robinson, and his wife Kelly, have filed a lawsuit against an elite private school in River Hills, Milwaukee, alleging racial bias in the curriculum. The lawsuit claims the University School of Milwaukee expelled the couple’s two sons after the Robinsons called out the racial and socioeconomic bias in the school’s curriculum and the conduct policies, per Blavity. “As a lot of parents, we heard what was going on in the classroom because of COVID and there were repeated use of racial and ethnic stereotypes that were in actual assignments,” said Craig on “Good Morning America” this week. “The use of the word plantation and things of that nature. In addition to the racial and ethnic stereotypes, there was an insensitivity to socio-economic status and as well as a disregard for the children who weren’t physically in the classroom,” he explained to host Robin Roberts. https://twitter.com/i/status/1516385714895740937 For the 30th anniversary of the LA riots Tavis Smiley and Dominique DiPrima will co-host a special on KBLA Talk 1580 live from Los Angeles. “Historic anniversaries, to my mind, are only worth pausing to commemorate if our reflections are instructive, informative and empowering for how to make America a nation as good as its promise,” said Smiley, as reported by Radio Facts. “We want to take this opportunity to amplify the voices of the African American community in this moment of solemn reflection and continue the quest for accountability,” added DiPrima. The police-involved beating of Rodney King in 1991, and the subsequent acquittal of four LAPD officers on charges of assault — ignited the Los Angeles riots that lasted for days. Nearly 100 people were reportedly killed during the riots, more than 2,000 people were injured, and more than 11,000 were arrested. The civil disturbances occurred in Los Angeles County from Apr 29 to May 4, 1992. Shaquille O’Neal opens up about his divorce, relationship with Penny Hardaway and what really went on between him and Kobe Bryant in a rare look back into his life as he shares with the guys what keeps him up at night. For the most part, Shaq says how he’s lived life his way but as he’s become older, he looks back with a couple of regrets, the main one being his divorce and the other never reaching out to Kobe after they finished playing together. As Ryan leads the conversation about family and all of them making mistakes at one point or another over the years- the men discuss the point of coming to a realization that sometimes mistakes become decisions that can be difficult to come back from. The conversation takes a somber tone as Shaq shares how he is to blame for his marriage ending and the struggles he faced after not having his family with him everyday. Channing lightens the mood, by talking shit with Shaq about his reputation of missing free throws, his eyes being close together and can’t resist asking about the sexual challenges Shaq faces by being such a large human and curious to how it all goes down. https://youtu.be/m3vozVLCYwo Music executive Art Rupe, whose Specialty Records was a premier label during the formative years of rock ’n roll and helped launch the careers of Little Richard, Sam Cooke and many others, has died. He was 104. Rupe, who was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2011, died Friday at his home in Santa Barbara, California, according to the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation. The foundation did not release his cause of death. The Greensburg, Pennsylvania, native was a contemporary of Jerry Wexler, Leonard Chess and other white businessmen-producers who helped bring Black music to a general audience. He founded Specialty in Los Angeles in 1946 and gave early breaks to such artists as Cooke and his gospel group the Soul Stirrers, Little Richard, Lloyd Price, John Lee Hooker and Clifton Chenier. “Specialty Records’ growth paralleled, and perhaps defined, the evolution of Black popular music, from the ‘race’ music of the 1940s to the rock n’ roll of the 1950s,” music historian Billy Vera wrote in the liner notes to The Specialty Story, a five-CD set that came out in 1994. Errol Spence declared “I’m the best fighter at 147 pounds and arguably the best fighter in the world” before Saturday’s 10th-round technical knockout over Yordenis Ugas in front of nearly 40,000 spectators at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Remaining undefeated at 28-0 with an equally impressive 22 KOs, Spence made his case once again in the ring. The Desoto, Texas, resident nicknamed “The Truth” added the Cuban’s WBA crown to his IBF/WBC versions by out-landing Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs) by more than 2 to 1 in both power shots (192 to 77) and overall punches (216 to 96) with a 24-19 advantage in jabs. Viola Davis, may have a lot of similarities to her former character on ABC’s ‘How to Get Away with Murder,’ Annalise Keating. In her memoir ‘Finding Me’ the 56-year-old actress details her life in poverty as a child living in Central Falls, Rhode Island: Davis endured trauma and heartbreak: being so hungry she and her five siblings had to dumpster-dive for food; incessant bullying from boys who threw rocks at her for being Black. In her interview with People, she reflects on her tactics to survive, “How you react is based on survival.” “The key is to survive. I did what was at my hand to do at eight years old. I fought. And that fighting served me because I’m still on my feet.” On the Tuesday, April 19 edition of “Daily Blast Live,” NBA legend Magic Johnson joins “DBL” co-hosts to talk about why now is the right time to share his story in the new Apple TV+ documentary, “They Call Me Magic,” and opens up about how his son’s coming out changed his life. Johnson shares a hilarious story about his unlikely friendship with Larry Bird and his thoughts on HBO’s “Winning Time” which was made without his input. https://youtu.be/2z1iyRCKAxE The winners of the recent Baltimore “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference’s National Talent Competition via Zoom included Illinois’ rapper King Moosa for “ULMII Best Songwriter” (29 years-old), Florida’s Adiah Ford for “ULMII Best Vocalist” (11 years-old) and New Jersey’s Kah’Ni Myers-Rich for “ULMII Best Actor” (5 years-old). Celebrating 23 years the “ULMII” Entertainment Conference was presented by The Baltimore Times and Security Square Mall. TNT has announced it will be airing a special presentation for the basketball series “The Pathway” TONIGHT at 10:30pm PT / 1:30 a.m. EST. The special is set to air during TNT’s first round coverage of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Directed by James D Stern, The Pathway is produced by Endgame Entertainment (Last Chance U and Last Chance U: Basketball), Film 45 (Being Serena), and executive produced by two-time NBA Champion and Inside the NBA’s Kenny “The Jet” Smith; and prolific producer/director Deon Taylor (The Intruder). In its entirety, The Pathway, is a seven part series. https://youtu.be/3BTEZE7lHvY Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story” is a film recalling the events that took place in Mahalia Jackson’s life and career. The movie has a stellar cast including Janet Hubert, Ledisi, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Keith David, Corbin Bleu, and Columbus Short. https://youtu.be/VXyLBHcJ1MY Looks like Benzino is ready to hit 50 Cent where it hurts… hits pockets! The former reality star recently appeared on @rocktopics’ podcast “It’s Tricky” where he talked about his feud with the rapper. As many know, 50 has been trolling Benzino after he made headlines over claims that he had been with transgender actress Shauna Brooks. While speaking with Harper, Benzino said 50’s latest comments are disrespectful, especially after he claims he helped the Power executive producer and star early in his career in connection with a stabbing incident at the Hit Factory in 2000. Although Benzino said he didn’t want to talk about 50 Cent that much during the interview, he suggested that he has lawyered up, and “it’s about to go down.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CciHZi3PWoc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Master P is ready to lead the Los Angels Lakers after team owner Jeannie Buss fired head coach Frank Vogel on April 11. During a chat with TMZ on Sunday (April 17), the hip-hop icon, entrepreneur and the No Limit Records founder said he would tap former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neil to coach the team with him. https://youtu.be/dLaJ7GUSHGI CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Decor Remixed, continues tonight, April 20 at 9 p.m./8C. Hosted by interior designer Dominique Calhoun, the hot new show shines a spotlight on the art of decorating and transforming dull spaces into new, fresh and innovative environments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNLVVkAdKks CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Global Gourmet, is back on April 20 at 9:30 p.m./8:30C. Hosted by the renowned Chef Essie Bartels, the show highlights the joys of delicious food and stories of wanderlust travel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdT8ebGOKt4 The boyhood home of late Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton is officially a historical landmark after the Maywood Village Board voted unanimously to approve the designation Tuesday night. Hampton’s son, Fred Hampton Jr., and his mother, Akua Njeri, led an effort to preserve the two-story building at 804 S. 17th Ave. in Maywood with the hopes of turning it into a museum where the works of the Black Panther Party can be displayed for visitors. “The fight to save and maintain the Hampton House is bigger than a building and more significant than a structure,” Hampton Jr. said in a statement. “Amongst other purposes, it serves as a major aspect of preserving the extraordinary legacy of Chairman Fred Hampton, the Black Panther Party, and that of service to the people in general.” Columbia University will add historical markers to four residence halls to acknowledge legacies of slavery and racism and to commemorate African American students, a university professor said on Tuesday. The markers, part of a university-wide project initiated by President Lee Bollinger after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, include signs at residence halls John Jay Hall and 50 Haven Avenue, formerly Bard Hall, noting that slave owners John Jay and Samuel Bard had close ties to the university. A marker at Furnald Hall will tell the story of a morning in 1924 when men in Ku Klux Klan robes and hoods burned a seven-foot-tall wooden cross near the dormitory. Furnald was home at the time to law student Frederick W. Wells, the first Black student to live on-campus at Columbia during the academic year. While the cross burned, students ran outside his door shouting racist insults. The high percentage of students of color, among them poet Langston Hughes, who lived at Hartley Hall in the early 20th century will be commemorated with a plaque there, according to Columbia Professor Thai Jones, who taught a “Columbia & Slavery” course and has led the effort to erect the markers. Columbia will join Harvard Law School, Rutgers University, the University of Mississippi and the University of South Carolina in erecting plaques in recent years acknowledging the institutions’ relationship to slavery. Three years after an arsonist torched three small Black Baptist churches in rural Louisiana, rebuilding is well under way. Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas is months from reopening, with visible progress at St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre and Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas, The Daily World reported. “We began in a dark moment, but it’s getting brighter and brighter every day,” said the Rev. Gerald Toussaint of Mount Pleasant. “Now it’s a bright day as we’re looking forward to being back together in the church.” A would-be “black metal” musician pleaded guilty in 2020, saying he set fire to the churches in late March and early April 2019 to promote himself in the heavy metal subgenre. Holden Matthews is serving simultaneous 25-year federal and state sentences in federal prison. The first fire occurred March 26, 2019, at St. Mary. Greater Union burned down four days later, with Mount Pleasant set ablaze two days after that. Toussaint holds fellowship, prayer and Bible study via conference call and preaches live on Facebook, as he has since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, the congregation gathered in the Equine Center in Opelousas. A judge has ruled Amazon must reinstate a former warehouse employee who was fired in the early days of the pandemic, saying the company “unlawfully” terminated the worker who led a protest calling for Amazon to do more to protect employees against COVID-19. The dispute involving Gerald Bryson, who worked at an Amazon warehouse in the New York City borough of Staten Island, has stretched on since June 2020, when Bryson filed an unfair labor practice complaint with The National Labor Relations Board, claiming Amazon retaliated against him. Later that year, the NLRB said it found merit in Bryson’s complaint that Amazon illegally fired him for workplace organizing. Amazon didn’t accept the findings, and the federal board filed a formal complaint against the company, triggering a lengthy administrative court process. On Monday, administrative law judge Benjamin Green said Amazon must offer Bryson his job back, as well as lost wages and benefits resulting from his “discriminatory discharge.” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement that the company will appeal the ruling. Syracuse police are under fire over a viral video that captured three white cops taking an 8-year-old black boy to a patrol car after he allegedly stole a bag of Doritos from a convenience store. The footage shot by Kenneth Jackson and widely shared on social media shows the crying boy being detained by the officers on Sunday, the Post-Standard reported. “What is y’all doing?” the bystander asks an officer holding the little boy by the arms. “Guess. Take a guess what I’m doing,” the cop replies, but Jackson continues to question them. “He looks like a baby to me. I don’t know what you’re doing. So what’s going on, then?” Jackson says. Another officer tells him the boy “was stealing stuff.” “Nah, man, so he’s stealing a bag of chips, you’re treating him like an old cold—– killer?” Jackson says, swearing at the officers as they put the child in the car. Lil Kim teamed up with streetwear brand Supreme for a capsule collection that sold out in minutes. The collaborative line pays tribute to the rapper’s debut album “Hard Core,” and features the iconic image from the promotional poster for the project. The full poster shows Kim squatting in a leopard print bikini and high heels. As reported by Revolt TV, the image has been emblazoned on a T-shirt, a short-sleeve button-down, and a skateboard. “Wowwww! Everything sold out in 2 and a half minutes! God is Good! Thank U so much for your support,” Kim shared via Instagram. In a recent interview with Essence, the Queen Bee said she started working with Supreme on her capsule collection during the COVID quarantine. Tiffany Haddish appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” this week and poked fun at her own DUI arrest. Back in January, Haddish was arrested by Peachtree City PD officers in Georgia after cops responded to a call about a driver who’d fallen asleep at the wheel. Officers had a description of the vehicle and were on the lookout for it when they spotted Haddish pulling into a neighborhood, reports TMZ. They stopped her and arrested her for DUI and improper stopping on a roadway. Cops believe she was also buzzed on that chronic. Haddish was in police custody for a few hours. According to records, obtained by TMZ, she posted $1,666 to bond out of jail. While guest-hosting Ellen’s show on April 15, Haddish, 42, cracked a few jokes about her arrest. She told the audience that since her break up with Common in November, she had been praying to God to send her a good man. https://youtu.be/agJgArpS0lc Blac Chyna has reportedly landed a new reality show that will give viewers a glimpse of her busy day-to-day as a single mother. Chyna (born Angela White) is currently in production for a new reality series that will show viewers how she earns her own money. Per theJasmineBRAND, the series will focus on “different aspects of the media personality’s life, from working on her album to her attempt at finding true love.” https://www.instagram.com/blacchyna/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f90e6def-02e4-4069-9f62-7d905fe4fdd4 Jaden Smith revealed during a 2018 interview with Big Boy that late rapper Tupac Shakur proposed to his mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, but she turned him down. The old interview was uploaded to YouTube recently and shows Jaden speaking about his musical journey and living up to the success that his famous parents. “Once I went out into the world and I saw how people feel about my parents [I felt pressure],” Jaden said. “I didn’t understand, and I’m still understanding more and more every day that they’re just a staple in the world and they made people feel a type of way that nobody has ever made anyone feel.” “So I just didn’t understand just how deep-rooted they are in hip-hop as well,” he added. https://youtu.be/9R67QOOH_6w It was the wedding that went viral and cost less than a used car. Joel and Kiara Brokenbrough did not want to go into debt by tying the knot, so they got creative planning their February wedding on a scenic turnoff on Angeles Crest Highway. The Brokenbroughs spent about $500 on their wedding, including $42 for Kiara’s dress and $100 for Joel’s suit. The wedding party at the ceremony was less than 30 people, so they did not require a permit to congregate on the side of the road. The couple did not break the bank with their reception either, because guests paid for their own food and drinks. Family and friends helped pay for some costs, but overall, Kiara said, it was her plan to have not a dream wedding, but one done with the available resources. “We knew that it would not be wise for us to go into debt over a wedding or to spend a lot of money just to have a wedding,” Kiara said. Even the dress will live to see another day. Kiara, 28, plans to cut a slit into the gown and use it again. “I’ve just seen how, culturally, how we’ve gotten so far away from how weddings were something so simple as bride and groom coming together, vowing to God to stay together and vowing to each other to stay together and in front of witnesses,” Kiara told The Times. “I’m not going to go into debt over this. I’m not going to spend a whole bunch of money, or stress and get in people’s pockets over such an event that’s going to last one day.” Oreology: The study of the creme-filled cookie sandwich. Haven’t heard of it? Well, you’ve probably studied it — experimenting with dunking, twisting and separating to find the best Oreo eating experience. Whether you prefer the filling intact on one half of the cookie or spread evenly when you open it up, researchers have asked the long-plaguing question: How do you make sure you get the Oreo just the way you want it every time? “When I was little, I tried twisting wafers to split the cream evenly between wafers so there’s some on both halves — which in my opinion tastes much better than having one wafer with a lot of creme and one with almost none. This was hard to do when I was trying it by hand,” said Crystal Owens, lead author of a study published Tuesday in the journal American Institute of Physics and a researcher in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://youtu.be/XskGHoqYBtE Black women love cycling too, and one national organization is striving to reinforce the sentiment. Founded by diehard cyclist Monica Garrison in 2013, the Black Girls Do Bike organization is a bustling community dedicated to uniting women of color who love cycling from all walks of life. The group, which initially started in Pittsburgh, has since expanded to include more than 100 chapters across the U.S. and has connected over 180 women with its thriving network of passionate cyclists. Garrison and other BGDB group leaders organize a number of activities for members including group rides, skill-sharing, and bike advocacy programs. For Chyri McLain-Jackson, the founder of BGDB’s Indianapolis chapter, it was a chance to promote a space for Black women in her community to participate in “fitness, freedom, and fun.” Her passion for the sport sparked after training for her first triathlon with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “As I was biking, I realized that no one really looked like me in those groups I was going out biking with; there were not very many women, there were not many women of color,” McLain-Jackson, who launched the Indianapolis chapter in 2014, told the IndyStar. omen of all ages come out to ride amongst their BGDB counterparts and while the group is inclusive of all races and genders, Garrison hopes to shine a special light on Black women and women of color. Highly-regarded music executive Phil Thornton has been appointed Senior Vice President of Capitol Christian Music Group (Capitol CMG), it was announced today by the company’s co-presidents, Brad O’Donnell and Hudson Plachy, to whom Thornton reports. In his newly created position, Thornton will focus on New Business development, signing talent and the development of label, media and touring partnerships on behalf of Capitol CMG artists. Thornton assumes his new position on May 3, and will be based at Capitol CMG’s headquarters in Nashville. “Dancing with the Stars” is headed to streaming. Disney announced Friday that the series, in which celebrities compete to be named the best ballroom dancer, will exclusively air on Disney+ in the US and Canada starting in the fall. It’s the first live series to debut on the streaming service, and it will no longer appear on ABC. Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, cited “the show’s broad appeal, as well as the overwhelming popularity of its Disney-themed competition nights,” saying the move will help Disney+ “expand our demographic reach.” “Dancing with the Stars” premiered in 2005 on Disney-owned network ABC, and since then it’s garnered a loyal following and solid viewership for 30 seasons. In its announcement, Disney noted the show’s most recent fall season’s viewership put it in the top five most-watched unscripted series for adults age 18 to 49. Famed television producer Carlos King has been tapped to host a new late-night show on OWN. The Oprah Winfrey Network announced Wednesday that King will lead a new series titled “The Nightcap with Carlos King,” per Urban Hollywood 411. Here’s the official description of OWN’s new show: “In each episode of The Nightcap with Carlos King, Carlos will welcome guests from OWN’s most popular shows to let their hair down and break down their juiciest storylines. The half-hour series will also feature surprise guests from Carlos’s ‘little black book’ of celebrity friends who will dish on pop culture headlines and participate in fun games and revealing challenges.” “The Nightcap with Carlos King” will premiere on OWN Saturday, May 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT immediately following the series debut of “Love & Marriage: D.C.” (9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT). ”Star Wars” conductor Anthony Parnther — whose credits include “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett” and ‘”bi-Wan Kenobi’— will make his Carnegie Hall debut with an all-Black orchestra. Per THR, on April 24, Panther will serve as guest conductor and lead the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra in performances of works by composers George Walker, Florence Price and Jon Batiste. According to the report, Batiste will join the orchestra on piano for the premiere of his new work “I Can.” https://youtu.be/OhwSFtTPWHA Lisa Collins, publisher of L.A. Focus and founder of the First Ladies High Tea announces the 24th L.A. Focus 24th Annual First Ladies High Tea on Saturday, May 7, 2022, @ 11 AM, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, 9876 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Emmy Award-Winning Actress Loretta Devine will receive the Legacy Award; Cookie Johnson, NY Times bestselling author, founder of CJ, a premium denim line, and wife to Earvin “Magic” Johnson will receive the Spirit Award; renowned Dr. Jerry Abraham, a visionary leader in increasing vaccination rates for the most vulnerable will receive the CDPH Community Award; and LADWP Board President Cynthia McClain-Hill will receive the Corporate Award. Amber Rose has reached out to her fans with a plea for help raising money so she can continue her annual Slut Walk in Los Angeles. On April 18, Rose, 38, revealed via her Instagram account that she needs sponsors to assist with her efforts, as reported by thejasminebrand.com. “To be clear this is not about money for me. Never was. I personally have never made one dime off of The Amber Rose Slut Walk we’ve donated so much. I love helping women in anyway I can, I love protesting against injustice,” wrote Rose on IG. She continued, “But, to be honest with you guys… I personally can not do slut walk by myself anymore. I just can’t. Like, I need a lot of sponsors, I need a lot of money to put it on.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccf_GrbJY_R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The police department in Stockton, California is under fire after an officer fired more than 30 bullets into the car of an unarmed Black woman on Feb. 22. As reported by NBC News, body cam footage released April 7 shows Tracy Gaeta, 54, is fatally shot after officer Kyle Ribera emptied multiple clips at the grandmother’s vehicle. The fatal shooting occurred after the victim backed her car into a police patrol car. “No matter what was going on with her — even if she had committed a heinous crime — he didn’t have the right to shoot her. She never threatened him,’ said Gary Gwilliam, a lawyer for the family, as reported by Black Enterprise. “The excessive force is shocking,” Gwilliam added. https://youtu.be/ArUpkxUb3hY After a federal judge in Florida struck down the Biden administration’s mask mandate for airplanes and other public transport methods, airlines are starting to act. Several US airlines announced Monday that masks are now optional on their aircraft — Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue. Delta Air Lines says it is making masks optional, and warned travelers they “may experience inconsistent enforcement during the next 24 hours as this news is more broadly communicated.” “Given the unexpected nature of this announcement, please be aware that customers, airline employees and federal agency employees — such as TSA — may be receiving this information at different times,” the airline said. The Department of Education is making more changes to the federal student loan system that will help bring millions of borrowers — some of whom may have previously been in forbearance — closer to receiving debt forgiveness. The Department of Education is making more changes to the federal student loan system that will help bring millions of borrowers — some of whom may have previously been in forbearance — closer to receiving debt forgiveness. https://youtu.be/tIabHobRXII Veteran actress Sheryl Lee Ralph is speaking out about the massive success of ABC’s mockumentary-style comedy series “Abbott Elementary”. Created by Quinta Brunson, per Deadline, “Abbott Elementary” follows “a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal —as they navigate the Philadelphia public school system. Despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life, and though these incredible public servants may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don’t love the school district’s less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.” In the series, Ralph plays Barbara Howard, a God-fearing kindergarten teacher. The Tony-nominated actor dished with HuffPost about this role and the importance of valuing real-life educators. https://youtu.be/_RObnudYWk8 While many assumed that Will Smith’s career was over after his infamous Oscars outburst last month, it appears as if Hollywood studios are keeping the door open to continue their working relationship with the actor. After reports claimed that Netflix had halted Will’s forthcoming projects on its platform following the controversy stemming from the incident involving Chris Rock, it’s now being reported that despite his 10-year Oscars ban, the 53-year-old will continue to remain booked and busy. According to the Daily Star, Will is being “flooded with offers” from studios and streaming giants eager to work with the Hancock star, with one source insisting that the altercation at the Oscars ultimately wasn’t going to leave the Philadelphia struggling for his next acting gig because Hollywood “loves nothing more than a redemption story.” Joseline Hernandez allegedly shouted “Gucci Gang” during the physical assault on four contestants on her reality show “Joseline’s Cabret: Las Vegas.” per @tmz_tv and Hollywood Unlocked, that Hernandez is being sued for $25M after several dancers from her show claimed Joseline and her boyfriend Ballistic Beatz attacked them on set. A total of four women have filed a $25 million dollar lawsuit against Joseline, Ballistic and the Zeus Network. In docs obtained by the news outlet, one woman claims Joseline violently kicked her in the ribs, while another claims Joseline dragged her during the reunion show taping. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcdRK9EPrmG/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b21b3ae9-b7bf-460a-8596-f6311e3792a7 Keith Grayson, better known in the entertainment industry and culture, as #DJKaySlay has passed away (from COVID) at age 55. Harlem-raised, DJ Kay Slay relied on his grind and talent to create his own lane! ?? He made records, spun them, sourced new artists, gave popular hits their stamp, built a decades-long home at Hot 97 and ran the hip-hop magazine Straight Stuntin’. The Drama King had a lot to give and definitely gave it. DJ Kay Slay reportedly succumbed to complications of COVID-19 after being hospitalized with the disease in December and put on a ventilator, the Sun reported. The NY Post reports that the week prior to his death, Wack 100 had revealed on Instagram that the musician was “still fighting” and needed all the prayers he could get. Recently it was announced that longtime Bloodstone lead singer Charles McCormick has died. He was 75 years old. Initially formed as a high school act called the Sinceres, Bloodstone would grow to world acclaim over the course of 50 years with such hits as “Natural High,” and “We Go A Long Way Back.” McCormack initially played bass while Charles Love played guitar, Melvin Webb was on drums, Harry Williams on percussion and Willis Draffen on guitar. https://youtu.be/f8KSxB4oiq8 Roderick “Pooh” Clark, an original member of Hi-Five, has passed away. The news was confirmed by Marcus Sanders, a fellow Hi-Five member, who spoke with @tmz_tv. Sanders told the news site that Clark died on Sunday from complications from an infection and pneumonia at a hospital in Waco, TX. Clark was involved in a car crash 30 years ago in Florida that left him paralyzed from the neck down. The news site notes that he was unable to walk and later developed an infection that spread through his body; one that persisted for some time. Sadly, he also developed pneumonia over the last 2 weeks and had been in and out of the hospital up until his death. https://youtu.be/vF3MB0U6DO8 Gayle King is catching heat for not asking author Alice Walker about her past remarks about Jewish people. King and Walker sat down for a candid conversation on CBS Mornings to discuss the release of Walker’s new book, “Gathering Blossoms Under Fire,” but some viewers were left disappointed that King didn’t grill the author about her views on the Jewish community. https://www.instagram.com/gayleking/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d1f855fe-d058-4c64-b623-e6a1b27fdb13 Robin Roberts has officially been at “Good Morning America” for 20 years! Access Hollywood’s Scott Evans visited her on set for her anniversary celebration, and they chatted about her career, her friendships with Gayle King and Hoda Kotb, and the advice she’d give her younger self. Plus, Robin revealed her thoughts on Chris Rock after the Oscars slap. “I respect the fact that he [Chris Rock] has not spoken to this point. I respect the dickens out of that.” https://youtu.be/WQdBFMURYDk Eight-time NBA All-Star Stephen Curry is about to experience a taste of the most terrifying movie of the summer … exclusively on ESPN and ABC. Today Universal Pictures, Monkeypaw Productions and Disney CreativeWorks announced an exclusive new spot for Oscar® winner Jordan Peele’s new horror epic, Nope (in theaters July 22), featuring Curry in an homage to the film’s trailer. https://youtu.be/-8YfMhCJcAE Dwayne Wade’s transgender child Zaya Wade (who was born male but identifies as female) is allegedly dating a white girl who identifies as a boy. D. Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union celebrated Easter with Zaya’s significant other, Hudson. Unison shared several pictures of the family on social media. The images also include the couple’s 3-year-old daughter Kaavia, and Wade’s other son Zaire Wade along with his girlfriend, Lola Ann Clark. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccdva-VP7w0/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=721c65b0-19df-484d-ad09-f35fb62891ea Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms took to Twitter last week to call out the Capital Grille after turning her away for wearing leggings. “I was just turned away at @CapitalGrille at Perimeter Mall because I have on leggings,” she tweeted Friday. Several of her followers noted that the restaurant has a dress code, but Bottoms said it was “odd” that the eatery would not allow mall attire since it’s located inside a mall. Many Twitter users were also quick to agree with comedian and Washington Times columnist Tim Young who tweeted, “The irony of someone who wanted to force people to show vaccine status to enter a restaurant being upset at a restaurant for setting a standard with a dress code.” Cities and towns in eastern Ukraine have been rocked by fresh explosions as Russia stepped up its all-out assault on the Donbas region last night. After weeks of having their assaults on Kyiv thwarted at every turn, Putin’s commanders are now refocusing their efforts on the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, along with other regions of Ukraine’s eastern flank, in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday dubbed ‘The Battle of the Donbas.’ Ukrainian media outlets and Telegram channels reported a series of explosions along the front line in the Donetsk region, with shelling taking place in Marinka, Slavyansk and Kramatorsk throughout the evening. Local officials and media also said explosions were heard in Kharkiv in the northeast of Ukraine, Mykolaiv in the south and Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. ‘We can now confirm that Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, which they have been preparing for a long time. A large part of the Russian army is now dedicated to this offensive,’ Zelensky said in his daily presidential address last night. An ex-Ukrainian MP has urged Vladimir Putin to use weapons of mass destruction against his own country amid growing fears that Russia could resort to using nukes. Ilya Kiva, an opposition politician banned from parliament for supporting Russia’s invasion, posted the appeal to his Telegram channel on Sunday – just a day after Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Putin could go nuclear. Underneath the image of a nuclear explosion, Kiva wrote: ‘REMEMBER!!! – THEY ARE AFRAID AND RESPECT ONLY POWER!!! ‘Zelensky, his entourage and Western curators, are most afraid of a [Russian] pre-emptive strike [with] weapons of mass destruction. ‘This is what can put an end to today’s confrontation, not only with the Ukrainian authorities, but with the entire West which actively and already openly takes part today in the military conflict in Ukraine… ‘If anyone thinks that this is not according to the rules, remember: the West wrote these rules in its own interests and only in order to more effectively destroy you.’ He spoke out after President Zelensky sat down for an interview with CNN in which he warned that the West needs to prepare for the possibility that Putin will resort to using nuclear or chemical weapons against his country. The leader of an alleged polygamist cult has been arrested on rape, and false imprisonment, police said. The man identified as Eligio Bishop, 40, who often refers to himself as ‘3God’ and ‘Nature Boy’ of the cult ‘Carbon Nation,’ was arrested on April 14, officials said. The arrest follows a Wednesday night raid at Bishop’s Georgia home in Decatur, Georgia. Officers from the Dekalb County Police Department and detectives executed search and arrest warrants, a spokesperson the Dekalb County Police told DailyMail.com. An investigation was launched by the ‘special victims unit’ after they received a complaint concerning Bishop on March 30, according to a police spokesperson. He has been arrested for numerous charges including rape, false imprisonment, and prohibition on nude or sexually explicit electronic transmissions. Josh and Leona Kimes, the co-pastors of Hillsong Boston, announced on Monday (April 18) that the two have “made the difficult decision to resign.” The announcement of their departure comes a week after the results of an investigation into Hillsong New York City, where the couple worked previously, were leaked to a Christian online news outlet. The Kimes’ departure is the most recent in a slew of upheavals at the global megachurch and multimedia empire, including the resignation two weeks ago of its global senior pastor Brian Houston after allegations of sexual misconduct. Co-founded by Houston in Australia nearly 40 years ago, the church had grown to some 30 locations before scandals closed three of its U.S. churches. The couple, who helped launch Hillsong NYC under now-disgraced former pastor Carl Lentz before planting the Boston campus, were “ready for a fresh start,” Kimes said in an Instagram post featuring photos of the two with their young children. “It was never our plan to ever leave Hillsong Church. It’s been home for 22yrs of my life. It’s where I’ve pastored for the last 16yrs,” Kimes wrote, noting that many of his life’s milestones had occurred while he worked for the church, including meeting and marrying his wife, having kids and moving to the U.S. Kimes did not give a reason for their resignation but apologized for any part he played in “perpetuating a culture that at times valued the building of the church at the expense of those building it.” Civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton is scheduled to deliver the eulogy on Friday for Patrick Lyoya, the motorist killed by a Grand Rapids police officer following an April 4 traffic stop, Lyoya family attorney Benjamin Crump said Monday. The funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at Renaissance Church of God in Christ in Grand Rapids. Sharpton heads the National Action Network and has “vowed” that he and the network will pay for the funeral costs of Lyoya, 26. Crump said he will “make a call to action” during the services. The announcement came on the same day that Crump and Metro Detroit attorney Ven Johnson said they planned to hold a Tuesday press conference in Detroit to detail the independent results of an autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Werner Spitz. The medical examiner has not released the results of his autopsy of Lyoya. Originally from South Carolina, the Rev. Marvin Youmans is not about to call himself an expert on the city of Detroit. However, there is one section of the city that Youmans is proud to claim. “You can say the North End is my area,” said Youmans, who for the past 25 years has been the pastor of Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church located on Oakland Avenue in the North End. “What I know about Detroit is the North End, and the North End is where I got my grounding in this city.” On Sunday, Youmans, 77, and his congregation will come together — to celebrate their faith and spiritual sense of place — for the first in-person Easter services in the Mt. Carmel sanctuary since 2019, before the pandemic took hold. It is a scene that is likely to be echoed across churches in Detroit, but few will have the distinct North End flavor that will be felt at Mt. Carmel. Youmans’ strong ties to the North End can be traced back to 1977 when the former Northern High School principal came North to pursue a career in education. Taco Bell has announced the return of its Mexican Pizza, thanks to rapper Doja Cat. The Mexican Pizza was discounted in 2020 and prompted pleas for the menu item’s return via a Change.Org petition that received 200K+ signers. “Like many Indian-Americans who grew up vegetarian, we had limited access to the ‘fun’ fast food, so Taco Bell became a bridge to belonging in American culture for many kids like me who grew up in immigrant households,” said the organizer of the Change.org petition, superfan Krish Jagirdar. “That’s what made it especially devastating when the Mexican Pizza was pulled from menus in 2020, but fast forward two years later and I found myself on a conference call with the Taco Bell team as they shared news of the return of the Mexican Pizza, showing that listening to their fans is clearly embedded in their DNA. It’s one of the many reasons Taco Bell is more than just another fast-food restaurant.” 50 Cent has compared Jay-Z to late-great artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. In 2019, Jigga signed a deal with the NFL to head the league’s musical entertainment, which includes the Super Bowl Halftime show. 50’s remarks about the hip-hop star are in response to claims made by N.O.R.E., who said on the Drink Champs episode with Snoop Dogg that Jay-Z told him Eminem only agreed to perform at the halftime show if Fiddy also agreed to hit the stage, Complex reports. “[Jay] said to me—and I’m sorry for everybody who don’t understand—and he said, ‘the white guy called for 50 Cent.’ I said, ‘Who is the white guy? Jimmy Iovine?’” N.O.R.E. recalled, per HipHopDX. “And he said, ‘No, Eminem called directly for 50 and he said I can’t do it if I can’t bring 50 with me.’” 50 claims it didn’t quite go down that way. He took to Instagram over the weekend to refute N.O.R.E.’s claims and compared Jay-Z’s hairstyle to that of Basquiat’s. https://www.instagram.com/50cent/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5ce9abd8-f82a-4147-b3f6-2040259ac14e Meet Jessica Toni. She loves God with all of her heart and sings his praises daily for all the world to hear. For a couple of months now you've seen her and heard her on social media as she covered a wide spectrum of music This young lady is a North Carolina native who bears the reside of inspiration from Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Daryl Coley, Twinkie Clark and Rev. John P Kee has also crafted a very special gift and the world is taking a listen. Rhyme & Reason Production in conjunction with Enon Music Group is proud to present Jessica Toni as she celebrates her Identity in Jesus Christ. The Gospel Spotlight is on Jessica Toni, "Shinning Bright." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACF3Kph6Xt8 An all-new episode of TV One’s True Crime Mondays is back tonight. This week's episode of FATAL ATTRACTION unpacks the mysterious disappearance of a young college woman. Watch the story unfold at 9 p.m. ET/8C. When a young college student vanishes near campus, police move quickly to locate her. As the mystery unfolds, reinforcements are called in. While they went through a myriad of suspects, investigators finally uncover the truth – but will a jury agree? Find out tonight! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33vNO2Lh73A Monday marks two weeks since a still-unidentified police officer shot an unarmed Black man in the back of his head following a pretextual traffic stop over a nonviolent moving violation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Monday will also be the fifth day since graphic video footage from the police shooting showed the Grand Rapids officer never tried to de-escalate the encounter and instead was the aggressor up until he shot Patrick Lyoya in the back of his head at point-blank range. Lyoya was driving with a passenger on the morning of April 4 when the officer initiated a traffic stop because the car had license plates registered to a different vehicle. Lyoya did not comply with the officers’ commands, but it was unclear whether there was a language barrier that prevented the driver from fully understanding what was happening. That may have prompted the officer’s apparent frustration and subsequent physical contact with Lyoya, who ran away slowly before the two struggled outside a home on the residential street as rain fell from the sky. The officer pulled out his Taser and tried to deploy it as Lyoya pushed it aside, scrambling to get away. But the officer managed to wrestle Lyoya to the ground, place him face-down and shoot him in the back of his head. The killing was recorded by Lyoya’s passenger as well as a doorbell camera across the street. The officer’s bodycam was deactivated seconds before the single shot was fired. It was in that context that Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher R. Becker was expected to make a decision in the case, although it was not clear when that would happen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwv4vPin5WY Black women are dying at an alarming rate during childbirth. Along with disparities in reproductive health and post-care, Black maternal health requires direct intervention beyond a week of action. Last week, Tufts launched the Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice, spearheaded by professor Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha. Amutah Onukagha is the Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health at Tufts University School of Medicine. “The country is in a crisis around maternal health. The majority of Black maternal deaths are completely preventable,” Amutah-Onukagha, dean of the university’s Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, said in a statement. “The vision of the center is to protect the Black birthing experience by advocating for quality, equitable, and respectful care in childbirth.” https://www.instagram.com/blackmamasmatter/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9a880511-697c-4128-9f1b-eeed523052ac Black women are changing the narrative surrounding diversity in higher education and making history in the process. Amongst those breaking barriers in academia is Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby. She has been selected by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents to serve as the next president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The appointment is historic as it marks the first time in the institution’s history that a woman will be at its helm. Ashby—who currently serves as the dean of Duke University’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences—has been a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion. The North Carolina native—who earned her B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and led her postdoctoral research in Germany—has dedicated her work to increasing underrepresented groups within the STEM space. Before her tenure at Duke, she was the chair of the University of North Carolina’s chemistry department. Ashby was also part of the institution’s Research Advisory Council and Arts & Sciences Foundation Board of Directors. She also served as the chair of the university’s College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Diversity Task Force and led the UNC National Science Foundation Alliance for Graduate Education. Twenty-five years ago, Howard University alumna Denique Graves made history by becoming the first player from an HBCU to be selected in the WNBA draft. Over two decades after that monumental moment, Jackson State University grad Ameshya Williams-Holliday is now carrying the torch. According to CBS Sports, she became the first HBCU scholar to be drafted by a WNBA team in 20 years. The Gulfport native, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, was the No. 25 overall pick and is taking her talents to the Indiana Fever. The prevalence of food insecurity is one of the nation’s most pressing issues. The creators behind the hit ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary are using the show’s platform to spread awareness about the disparities surrounding food injustice. According to Variety, the show’s team joined forces with Disney-ABC TV and Warner Bros. Television to donate thousands of meals to the nonprofit Feeding America. Child hunger is a critical matter that the pandemic has exacerbated. Feeding America—an organization dedicated to eradicating food insecurity—reported that 12 million children live in food-insecure households throughout the country. Due to systemic racial inequities, Black, Native American and Latinx communities faced higher hunger rates. Staying true to using Abbott Elementary to underscore the lived experiences of students and educators at underfunded public schools, the show’s team partnered with the production companies to contribute 150,000 meals to Feeding America. The show also created the ‘Think Outside the (Lunch) Box’ campaign in which it dedicated its social media platforms to amplify the transformative work being led by the nonprofit. Dr. Thomas W. Cole, Jr., who oversaw the consolidation of the two higher learning institutions in the late 1980s that would become Clark Atlanta University died Thursday. He was 81. Cole was born on January 11, 1941, in Vernon, Texas, the second of four children to Eva and Thomas W. Cole Sr. While attending public school during his childhood, he watched and was mentored by his father who was President of Wiley College from 1958 to 1971. Cole would become an Eagle Scout and graduated from high school in 1958, He then attended Wiley College where was active in the Kappa Chi and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor societies. Cole would graduate summa cum laude in 1961, receiving a Bachelor’s of Science and the Southern Regional Fellowship. He then attended the University of Chicago where earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1966. Dr. Cole would then head to Atlanta in 1966 after accepting an assistant professor position at Atlanta University Center. He would rise the rinks during his tenure there. From 1970 through 1979, Cole served as the chemistry department chair. From 1969 through 1979, he served as the Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Chemistry, and in 1979 he was named Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs until 1982. The City of Philadelphia was sued Saturday by a group of business owners and residents alleging its upcoming mask mandate is illegal, court documents show. Philadelphia is the first major US city to reinstate its indoor mask mandate, which went into effect last week, with enforcement beginning today. The new mandate comes as the city announced Level 2 Covid-19 response levels, which were triggered when the city saw an increase in confirmed Covid-19 cases more than 50% than the previous 10 days. Level 2 precautions mean masks are required in all public indoor spaces in Philadelphia, including schools, businesses and restaurants. Businesses can stay mask-free if they require everyone to provide proof of vaccination. A pair of Arizona diversity, equity and inclusion ‘experts’ have been blasted for falsely accusing an African-American DJ of wearing blackface at an event. Jill Lassen and Stuart Rhoden, who advocate for diversity at the Scottsdale Unified School District in various capacities, wrote scathing letters of complaint after DJ Kim Koko Hunter appeared at a PTA event, and they mistook him for a white man. Stuart and Rhoden have since apologized, with some noting the irony of ‘diversity and inclusion’ activists rushing to such false conclusions. But Rhoden also sought to double down on his initial allegation, and speculated as to whether Hunter may have used cosmetic products to make his skin appear darker. ‘When you are so hell bent on pointing out everyone as a racist, only to uncover yourself as the racist,’ one person tweeted. Hunter, the Scottsdale school district and the Hopi PTA did not immediately respond to requests for comment from DailyMail.com. The PTA at Hopi Elementary in Phoenix hired Hunter to entertain the crowd at its largest fundraiser of the year on April 9. THIS is the chilling moment one of Vladimir Putin’s nuclear bombers was caught flying close to the Ukrainian border in a major military escalation. The TU-160 strategic bomber was seen in the skies over Western Russia amid huge pressure on the Kremlin over the sinking of the Moskva flagship in the Black Sea. Videos today caught four aircraft – one used to carry nuclear bombs – over Kaluga region, between Moscow and the Ukrainian border. The Defence Ministry in Moscow had not immediately announced the purpose of the mission. Larger Tu-95s have been used a number of times to strike targets in Ukraine with non-nuclear weapons, notably Kh-55 and Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles. Latest attacks by Russia have concentrated on major cities including Kyiv and Lviv. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that Israel grant his country control of the Alexander Courtyard in Jerusalem as the previous Israeli government had promised, in a letter delivered to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday. Putin’s letter came barely a day after the Foreign Ministry in Moscow slammed Foreign Minister Yair Lapid for accusing Russia of war crimes in Ukraine, saying that Israel is using Ukraine to cover up for its own conflict with the Palestinians. The Russian Foreign Ministry also summoned Israeli Ambassador Alexander Ben Zvi for a reprimand on Sunday. Transferring the ownership of the church land could cause diplomatic trouble for Israel at a time when its Western allies have been sanctioning Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The Alexander Courtyard, also known as the Alexander Nevsky Church and the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, is in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised Putin that Russia could take over the landmark in 2020, as one of a series of gestures meant to help free Naama Issachar, an Israeli woman held in a Russian jail on drug charges. Soon after, Israel’s Land Registry commissioner listed the Russian government as the owner of the church. According to a report from Bloomberg.com, the Food Bank for the Heartland in Ohama, Nebraska had to cut its food-spending budget. That, of course, resulted in about 2 million fewer pounds of food for the people in the 93 counties it serves. In another situation, the Open Door pantry in Eagan, Minnesota, is handing out 4 pounds less per person, on average. The news outlet also reports that for the first time in its 35-year history, the West Alabama Food Bank is having to cap the amount of food it gives out. Fresh off his five Grammy wins including Album of the Year, Jon Batiste has joined the cast of “The Color Purple” musical movie. the project’s executive producers include Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Quincy Jones. Per Deadline, “Batiste will make his big-screen acting debut as Grady, a debonair, sweet-talking piano man who is the epitome of charm and eloquence and husband of Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson). Bennet Guillory played the role in the 1985 feature,” the outlet writes. Oscar winner Batiste has served as band leader and musical director on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” since 2015. Serena Williams says she is open to several “King Richard” sequels that focus on her and her sister’s journey to global tennis champions. “King Richard had a perfect ending with Venus on the tennis court. Venus goes in her direction, and I go in my direction,” Williams explained in an interview with Insider. “It’s two completely different stories,” she said. Williams views “King Richard” as an origin story. “I had a rough journey,” she said. “I didn’t do well and then I did. It’s a lot of drama. It’s a telenovela.” Based on the true story and starring Will Smith, “King Richard” follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. On Monday (04/18/22), “The Talk” the hosts were surprised live on air with news that the Daytime Emmy-winning show is renewed for Season 13! Natalie Morales announces, “The producers are just telling me there is some breaking news. This is just coming in right now, ‘The Talk’ has been renewed for Season 13.” After the cheers and confetti, Akbar Gbajabiamila reacts, “That was crazy, this feels so good.” Jerry O’Connell jokes, “Now I know why all our bosses showed up today.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1516118031323303942 Tattoo Artist, Television Personality and Entrepreneur, Katrina “Kat Tat” Jackson has signed a First-Look, Development and Executive Producer deal with Paramount, it was announced today. Included with the agreement, Jackson will develop and Executive Produce original content for Paramount in collaboration with her production company, Enigma Entertainment Group. “I couldn’t feel more blessed and I’m excited to partner with Paramount as they continue to bolster a new generation of BIPOC and women creators,” said Jackson. “I’m thrilled to not only return to TV, but to also create and produce new, fun, fresh, compelling and impactful content across all platforms.” https://www.instagram.com/kattatgirl/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8d4c9f4b-004f-4b0e-b0ea-6a5baf358ec5 A white nationalist reporter had a meltdown during a recent broadcast over all the Black people who attended this year’s Country Music Awards. “I don’t know who this Black guy is who’s hosting it. It’s supposed to be country music,” Patrick Howley whined about CMT host Anthony Mackie. “No offense. I mean, y’all have Hip Hop and basketball. You know what I mean,” Howley continued. As reported by NewsOne, he then mocked Black people by using a racist blaccent while touching on the historic influence that Blacks have had on all aspects of popular music. https://twitter.com/i/status/1514245363309457414 An upcoming episode of Donald Glover’s hit drama series “Atlanta,” hilariously depicts an office scene of two white people discussing reparations for slavery. “It’s cleared the way for personal litigation. Now they can look you up and force you to pay the price,” one of the white males says, as reported by TheWrap. The two continue, “Yeah, it’s scary. I’m looking at my family tree right now to make sure I’m in the clear. Everybody else is, too.” Per the outlet, the men then glance over at their Black coworkers who are laughing. “Lucky them. Not a care in the world.” https://youtu.be/pSc_xuRHju8 Viola Davis is being mocked on social media over her portrayal as Michelle Obama in the Showtime series “The First Lady,” which debuted Sunday. Some folks on Twitter are questioning why the actress seems to constantly purse her lips on camera. One scene in particular has drawn a lot of eyeballs, and people are having a field day with memes and jokes over Viola appearing to constantly put on an exaggerated duck face while she talks to TV Barack Obama. Per TMZ, another scene in the series that seemed to annoy viewers shows Viola-as-Michelle posing for a photoshoot, and she’s making the duck-face. https://twitter.com/i/status/1515754557728567297 A federal judge has slashed the $137 million dollars in damages awarded to a former Tesla employee who successfully sued the company last year for racial discrimination. A San Francisco federal court awarded former Tesla worker, Owen Diaz, 53, about $137 million after he sued the auto-maker, claiming he endured racist abuse working as an elevator operator at the production facility in Fremont, California. He came forward with the allegations in 2018, two years after he reportedly quit his job. https://youtu.be/lJyUF5ZoOdk The man who fatally shot Angela Simmons‘ ex-fiancé in 2018 has been sentenced to life. Michael Williams fatally shot Sutton Tennyson, 37, outside of Sutton’s garage in southwest Atlanta. Tennyson, who has a child with Simmons, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds inside the garage in an upscale southwest Atlanta community, police said. As most of you know, Simmons, 34, is the daughter of Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons, one of the founding members of the rap group Run–DMC. Days after the killing, Williams surrendered to police and was charged with murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during a felony. Lizzo served as host and the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend and performed two songs from her forthcoming album “Special.” During her opening monologue, the singer joked about online rumors, her crush on actor Chris Evans, and her obsession with posing semi-nude on Instagram for her fans. “While I’m here, I do want to address some rumors,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot of gossip online that I’m dating every little white boy in Hollywood? They think I’m collecting members of One Direction like Infinity Stones.” She continued, “I even heard a rumor that I’m pregnant with Chris Evans’ baby?? I have no idea where that one started. It could be the TikTok I did where I said, ‘I’m pregnant with Chris Evans’ baby.'” “It’s called manifesting,” Lizzo concluded. https://youtu.be/9B75B-kkYGI Joe Budden’s former podcast co-host Rory has compared singer Trey Songz to disgraced artist R.Kelly. Songz, like Kellz, has been accused of a slew of sexual assaults on women, and he’s facing a $20 million dollar lawsuit. “In 15 years however f**k long it’s gonna be, that Trey Songz doc is gonna be crazier than the R.Kelly one,” said Rory during an Instagram Live session, cassiuslife.com reports. “Trey Songz is the most nasty, abusive, rapey, beats the sh*t out of women. Like he’s the scum of the f***ing Earth. Trey Songz is fucking disgusting. Like, his doc is going to surpass, if you ever thought you could surpass an R.Kelly doc, I promise you in 15 years Trey Songz will. He’s an awful human being, like a terrible, terrible f***ing human being. Somebody is going to knock him the f*** out.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7prl2KdgF1k For the 47th year, Long Beach CA was the place to be for what is now the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The week was filled with thrills, spills and excitement! After the last few years of dealing with the Covid pandemic, the racing world is again drawing crowds who are eager to hear and feel the roaring engines of Indy Cars racing through the famous streets of Long Beach. Colton Herta #26, the pole sitter for the race, took the lead from the start. However, after the first pit stop, Herta found himself in second place behind 2021 Indy Champion Alex Palou #10 who was in the lead. Two young people were fatally shot and at least nine others were injured by gunfire overnight in Pittsburgh’s East Allegheny neighborhood, officials said early Sunday morning. The shootings stemmed from a large party at a short-term rental property where as many as 200 people had gathered, the city of Pittsburgh said in a news release. Many of those at the party were underage, the release said. As officers responded to the scene, they saw several young people running from the area, officials said. “As many as 50 rounds were fired inside, prompting some party-goers to jump out the windows, sustaining injuries such as broken bones and lacerations. Several more shots were fired outside the home,” the news release said. The two victims who died were male juveniles, city officials said. On Saturday at a crowded South Carolina mall, a gunman opened fire near the food court, shooting 10 and leaving two others injured when they were trampled in the chaos. Fortunately, there have no fatalities reported. Three “persons of interest” were detained by police after they were seen with firearms in the mall, said Columbia Police Chief W. H. “Skip” Holbrook at a press conference. At least one of the three fired a weapon, but he said police were still sorting out exactly how the gunplay unfolded. None had yet been arrested and it was not yet clear how many shots had been fired. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=529318535394290 50 Cent has never hidden his recently acquired distaste for the STARZ network, which, interestingly, is home to his successful TV shows “Power Book II: Ghost,” “Power Book IV: Force,” and “Black Mafia Family.” 50 is frustrated by the current state of things at Starz, where he is still producing the Power universe of TV shows. Only recently, he vented his feelings on social media about the treatment he was getting from STARZ. He even went as far as to threaten to move his shows from the network because of its refusal to announce any renewal for the next few seasons of the “Power” spinoffs currently showing. https://youtu.be/GK-FsdSMeno Today is April 17, Easter Sunday. April is also National Brunch Month and Easter is one of the best days to have brunch! With that in mind, we’d like to ask, if you’re down for cream cheese stuffed French toast with caramel, pecans and blueberries? If your mouth is watering just thinking about it, then the “Culinary Cutie” has just the recipe for you. The Culinary Cutie, by the way, is Tracy Williamson, a Chicago native and a self-taught chef with a passion for food, cooking and sharing real food with real people in real life. Tracy is the owner of Peppers Cuisine & Flavo and has been featured on the syndicated national radio show, “Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell.” She has also been the featured chef for the ABC7 Chicago staff’s Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and was the featured chef for the Nordstrom-Oakbrook Black History Month Celebration. https://abc7chicago.com/11759635/ Vernon Jones, a Republican congressional candidate, has said that being gay is a choice and that LGBT rights should not be compared with civil rights for Black people. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Jones in February for Georgia’s 10th congressional district race. This was only ten days after Jones bowed out of the Peach State gubernatorial race. Jones spoke on Friday in an interview with Steve Bannon, a former aide to Donald Trump. He stated that “civil rights for Blacks, and gay rights for gays, are two different things.” When Bannon pointed out that “they say it’s the same thing,” Jones shot back that “but it’s not the same thing,” https://youtu.be/bS6vRuzTvhc A man who witnessed the struggle between Patrick Lyoya and the Grand Rapids police officer who fatally shot him told CNN on Friday he knew the incident wouldn’t end well. “I knew when the tussle began,” Wayne Butler said. “If you tussle with a White man with a gun, and you’re Black in America, you end up dead.” Lyoya was fatally shot April 4 in the Michigan city after he and the officer — who has not been identified — had a physical encounter. Lyoya’s family has called for the officer to be prosecuted; the officer is on paid leave while Michigan State Police conduct an investigation. Butler, was outside his home watching the scene unfold and can be seen with his identity blurred on some of the videos released by police. “It’s just a regular, regular neighborhood. I mean it’s not super fancy, we’re just regular folk,” said Butler, who has lived there a few years. Unfortunately, most folks have to drive to get from one place to another. As a result, burning gas is inevitable, but the speed at which you burn it can be decreased. Obviously, you can buy a more fuel-efficient car or drive less to save money. For folks in California, the state has incentive programs for drivers looking to switch to electric vehicles. Unfortunately, that’s not an option for everyone. The reality for most is that you’ve got to do the best you can with what you already have. CNN spoke with David Bennett, Repair Systems Manager at AAA, about ways all of us can try to be a little more fuel-efficient while gas prices are at record highs. https://youtu.be/84pViT82A08 DJ Khaled was honored with the 2,7119th star on the Hollywood Hall of Fame this past Monday at a ceremony attended by Jaz-Z, Fat Joe and Sean “Diddy” Combs, among others. https://youtu.be/DvA9uAqFz3E A devastating NBA playoff debut from Anthony Edwards powered the Minnesota Timberwolves to a shock 130-117 Game 1 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. The 20-year-old scored a game-high 36 points to stun the Western Conference’s number two seed in their own backyard at the FedExForum, dazzling in a statement win for a T-Wolves team that only reached the playoffs via the play-ins. Adding two rebounds and six assists, Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history — and only one of four under the age of 21 — to score 35 points in a playoff game, according to ESPN Stats and Info. https://youtu.be/zJaeiDk8osY It looks like Thandie Newton may be heading to rehab following her dramatic departure from the film “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.” The “Mission: Impossible 2” actress had been in London filming the third installment of the ‘Magic Mike’ series with Channing Tatum when staffers on set became worried about her health and behavior. Reportedly, her behavior caused such a concern that her agent flew in from Los Angeles in hopes of rectifying the issue. However, on Tuesday ( Apr.12), Thandie Newton was flown back to the States to hopefully check into a facility. According to sources, the 49-year-old “Westworld” actress has been battling both emotional and family problems after separating from her husband Ol Parker. They have been married for 24 years and have three children. A source on set said: “Thandie had been acting strange on set, she has been very highly strung. Her apparent breakdown caused so much disruption, it became clear she couldn’t play the role…There is a lot going on in her personal life, she and her husband have separated. She seemed so stressed, she even brought her two pet rabbits to her hotel for emotional support.” The source went on to confirm that Newton’s team wants the actress to go to rehab. Prime Video released the official trailer for the second season of the highly anticipated hit YA series “The Wilds.” All eight episodes of the Amazon Original series will premiere on Friday, May 6 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. The trailer gives a sneak peek at the even higher stakes the girls face as they remain trapped on a mysterious island, and a look into what has been part of the experiment all along: the boys. https://youtu.be/k76fRx1iW5w Power couple Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert are on the cover of Ebony’s April issue. The couple got open and honest about their life and love and how fame intersects with these. The cover photo also features their two daughters, June 6, and Rose, 1. The couple has extensively talked about their family and legacy. You may recall that in February, there were widespread rumors triggered by TikTok about the couple’s marriage. There were claims the marriage was going south, with Teyana abusing drugs after learning that her husband was allegedly cheating on her around the time he was starring in the Season 30 of Dancing with the Stars. According to these rumors, her drug use got her hospitalized, forcing her to cancel one of her tour dates in November 2021. “These types of rumors and lies hurt the most because I take pride in being a mother and would never be that irresponsible. I’ve never used drugs a day in my life, nor do I smoke, and only drink occasionally. My health issues were never a secret. We actually outwardly shared them with the world on our reality tv show, We Got Love,” Teyana explains to Ebony, pointing to the cancer scare and surgery she underwent to remove small lumps discovered in her breast. https://www.instagram.com/teyanataylor/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bde11d8a-0284-4cb4-96d6-3c074aeb1ff7 Pope Francis implicitly criticized Russia for dragging Ukraine into a “cruel and senseless” conflict and urged leaders to strive for peace as he marked what he called an “Easter of war” on Sunday. The 85-year-old pope made the comments in his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) address – traditionally an overview of world conflicts – to about 100,000 people in St. Peter’s Square. It was the first Easter since 2019 that the public was allowed into the square to hear the twice-yearly address following two years of COVID-19 restrictions. Francis dedicated much of the message to Ukraine, comparing the shock of another war in Europe to the shock of the apostles when the gospel says they saw the risen Jesus. The hilltop compound housing the mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam, while it is the holiest place for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount. The competing claims to the site have sparked numerous rounds of violence. This year the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Christian holy week culminating in Easter Sunday and the week-long Jewish Passover are all occurring at the same time, with tens of thousands of visitors flocking to the city after coronavirus restrictions have been mostly lifted. Israeli police accused Palestinians of “defiling and desecrating” a holy site, while Palestinian officials accused Israel of trying to divide the sensitive holy site. “What happened in Al-Aqsa Mosque is a dangerous escalation, the repercussions of which are to be borne by the Israeli government alone,” said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Police said they entered the compound to facilitate the routine visit of Jews to the holy site. They said Palestinians had stockpiled stones and set up barriers in anticipation of violence. Omer Barlev, the Israeli minister in charge of the police, said it was important to ensure freedom of worship “but we will not compromise when violence and terror take place.” The police cleared Palestinians out of the sprawling esplanade outside the mosque itself early Sunday, while dozens of Palestinians remained inside the building chanting “God is Greatest.” Video released by police showed small groups of youths throwing stones, as well as fireworks being fired from inside the mosque. It’s quite an academic accomplishment to be accepted to all eight Ivy League schools. It’s another to be enrolled in medical school and law school at the same time. That’s the case for Victor Agbafe, a 2015 graduate of Cape Fear Academy. The Wilmington native completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard University. Now, two years into medical school at the University of Michigan, he’s also enrolled in law school at Yale University. “What happens is it’s like a staggered structure for me,” Agbafe said. “Last year during my M1 year in med school, I applied to law school. I was lucky to have some options and chose Yale and I decided to defer the beginning of it for two years. So, after my third year of med school, I’ll head over to New Haven — do those three years — and then I’ll come back for my last year of med school.” Agbafe found himself thrust into the media spotlight his senior year at Cape Fear Academy in Wilmington. The straight A student who also played on the basketball team was newsworthy after receiving acceptance letters from all eight Ivy League schools. Agbafe quickly found his passion early on in medical school — surgery. He says he’s drawn to the exceptionally challenging ones. As the largest bank home mortgage originator, and largest bank originator of home loans to minorities over the last decade, Wells Fargo believes it has a responsibility to develop solutions that help close the gap. As a next step in meeting that responsibility, Wells Fargo announced a new initiative to help advance racial equity in homeownership across the country. The company will develop a Special Purpose Credit Program (SPCP) to help minority homeowners, whose mortgages are currently serviced by Wells Fargo, refinance those mortgages. Initially, through the program, Wells Fargo will identify eligible Black homeowners who could benefit from a refinance product, according to a press release. Wells Fargo will commit $150 million to lower mortgage rates and reduce the refinancing costs to help these homeowners further benefit from refinancing. This program goes beyond the usual lending programs and puts the company’s own money to work refinancing minority families’ homes. The company will assess its progress and will publicly disclose it annually. On the 75th anniversary of Major League Baseball’s Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in the sport, however America’s favorite pastime has been failing to gain traction amongst Black youth players. An Atlanta-based mentoring program however, has been working to change that narrative. Headed by Atlanta native and former Chicago Cubs outfielder CJ Stewart, L.E.A.D., which stands for launch, expose, advise, direct, aims to assist low-income Black youth by igniting the spark of playing hardball. Stewart, equipped with a history of coaching major league players like Jason Heyward and Dexter Fowler, is doing all he can to keep the spirit alive despite rising inflation costs. The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education (CAFE Group)—will award five $1 million grants to Black leaders in education during the 1954 Project Luminary Awards on Apr. 28. Actor and comedian Cedric the Entertainer, whose mother was an educator, kicks off the 2nd annual event. Musician and education advocate Pharrell Williams and actress Vanessa Bell Calloway are featured presenters in the virtual awards show. The 1954 Project has raised nearly one-third of its $100 million goal through contributions from its founders, Don and Liz Thompson; the Walton Family Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and many other donors. A beloved Texas television news anchor has died after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Shatanya Clarke, 27, was “bigger than life” and optimistic despite being diagnosed with the tumor in 2020, her television station family at KFDX said. Her spirit will live on in Wichita Falls along with fundraisers she helped spearhead. She died at her home on Thursday, April 14. Through a series on Clarke’s YouTube channel, she revealed her battle with the Myxoid Mesenchymal tumor she was diagnosed with at 25. The Jamaica native underwent major brain surgery, chemotherapy and treatments for the tumor that was initially thought to be a severe headache. According to KFDZ, Clarke remained optimistic about treatments prior to her death. BL Grocery, founded by couple Ursula Martin, 44, and Jerrell Spencer, 45, is located at 1464 Valse Road in the Hamilton neighborhood. They aim to bring fresh produce and hot meals to the neighborhood. “We wanted to provide access to food in a food desert,” Martin said. “We’re not at all saying that we won’t provide traditionally what you will see in a corner store. We will, but you will also be able to come in and buy an apple, buy a bell pepper, an onion, one pound of ground beef. That kind of old-school grocery store feel is what our vision is.” In February 2018, Kroger closed two of its locations in South Memphis. Martin noted the impact the grocer’s absence has had on the community and hopes BL Grocery can help mend that gap. “South Memphis lost their Kroger right before COVID, and it was a big blow,” Martin said. It was a big blow because now you have people having to travel. If you live in South Memphis and you want to go to Kroger, you can either go to Whitehaven or Midtown.” The Timberwolves aren’t done with protesters delaying their games. An animal rights activist chained herself to the basket stanchion Saturday during Game 1 of the Timberwolves-Grizzlies playoff series in Memphis, Tenn. The woman, wearing a T-shirt that read: “Glen Taylor Roasts Animals Alive” — appeared during a stoppage of play in the second quarter with yellow chains and attempted to secure herself to the stanchion after throwing flyers on the floor. https://twitter.com/i/status/1515431857717858304 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is warning that Russia could use tactical nuclear weapons during its invasion of Ukraine – and cautioned that it was a matter grave concern for the entire world. ‘Not only me – I think all of the world, all of the countries have to be worried because it can be not real information, but it can be truth,’ Zelensky said, speaking in English. ‘We should think not be afraid, not be afraid but be ready. But that is not a question for Ukraine, not only for Ukraine but for all the world, I think,’ he said. Zelensky was responding to a question by CNN’s Jake Tapper about CIA Director William Burns warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin might use a tactical nuclear tactical weapon as a desperate act amid military setbacks in its invasion, which has continued for 50 days. He mentioned nuclear weapons as well as chemical weapons as a potential threat. ‘Chemical weapons, they should do it, they could do it, for them the life of the people [means] nothing. That’s why,’ Zelensky said, speaking in sometimes imprecise English. His dire comments in the interview come as it was reported Zelensky personally asked President Joe Biden to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism – a move with substantial implications for trade and sanctions. A top trans psychologist who has helped hundreds of teens transition has warned it has ‘gone too far’ amid fears many youngsters are making life-changing decisions because it is ‘trendy’. Dr Erica Anderson, who has worked as a clinical psychologist in the US for 30 years, has raised concerns that the rise in trans or non-binary children is the result of peer pressure. The 71-year-old, who is transgender, said clinicians are failing to carry out thorough mental health evaluations before recommending hormones or surgeries to teenagers. She is a former clinical psychologist at the University of California San Francisco Child and Adolescent Gender Center, where she provided support for hundreds of young people transitioning. ‘For a while, we were all happy that society was becoming more accepting and more families than ever were embracing children that were gender variant,’ she told the Los Angeles Times. In 1950s Air Force parlance, a pilot who crashed and died was said to have ‘bought the farm.’ The euphemistic saying could also be applied to boxing sensation Errol Spence Jr. were it not for two things: He miraculously survived his horrifying single-car crash in 2019, and instead of a farm, he technically bought a ranch. ‘A ranch has livestock and [you’re] raising animals – a farm is more like you have a green house or crops, and things like that,’ Spence told DailyMail.com, clarifying the distinction between the two. The novice rancher and undefeated welterweight champion will face WBA title-holder Yordenis Ugas in a unification bout on Showtime pay-per-view this Saturday from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas – just his second fight in the 30 months since he nearly killed himself by rolling his $300,000 Ferrari over a median. Much of that time has been spent on his 60-acre Texas ranch with his new Ferrari, a horse ironically named for the Italian sports car he totaled. The property has served as unexpected therapy for a city guy who was born on Long Island and raised in the Dallas suburbs without any notion of country life. Now the 32-year-old is raising horses, cattle, and chickens along with his 17-month-old son, Errol III, and six-year-old twin daughters, Ivy and Violet. ‘It didn’t start out with me wanting a ranch,’ he said. ‘It was more about trying to find some peace of mind, away from the city life, away from people. I just wanted a big property so I can go outside with my kids and play and not be bothered. It just so happened that I found this ranch on Zillow.’ And it’s not just therapy for Spence, who admitted to having some post-traumatic stress since his wreck. The rigors of ranching have also helped him mature, albeit incrementally, ‘I still have some ways to go,’ he laughed. ‘It’s still tug of war a little bit.’ May Edward Chinn made history as the first black woman to graduate from Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1926. She also was the first black woman to intern at Harlem Hospital, but because of her race could not go on to a hospital residency. Now an activist is pushing to honor Chinn, who went on to do pioneering work despite the racial discrimination she faced, by naming a street for her near her alma mater, which is now the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Michelle Deal Winfield, a retired educator, is gathering support to name the corner of East 29th Street and First Avenue for Chinn. Chinn eventually opened her own practice in Harlem and was the first woman to join New York City ambulance crews on emergency calls. Hampton University made several announcements regarding student tuition and fees on Thursday. “In keeping with the University’s efforts to help our students, there will be no increase in tuition, fees, room and board for the 2022-2023 academic year,” said Dr. William R. Harvey, Hampton University President. “In addition, on behalf of the University, I am pleased to announce that all outstanding balances for the Spring 2022 semester will be erased. We hope that this action will continue to assist our students and their families at our Home by the Sea.” University officials say the decision was made in light of ongoing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Florida teen says he is celebrating after being accepted to 27 colleges and universities, including Harvard, Stanford and MIT, and receiving over $4 million in scholarship money. “It was just a surprise just to see that they were interested in me and they wanted me to attend their institution, that they were offering me admission… it was just a ton of excitement,” Jonathan Walker said during an interview with ABC News’ Linsey Davis. Walker, a high school senior from Panama City, Florida, said he found something he liked at every school and only applied to schools where he could be “happy.” https://youtu.be/afWXsyz0nLM The NAACP called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate years of allegations of widespread welfare fraud and misspending in Mississippi totaling over $94 million, according to a letter obtained exclusively by ABC News. NAACP President Derrick Johnson called on the Department of Justice “to aggressively investigate and prosecute those responsible for the massive theft of federal funds that apparently took place in Mississippi in fiscal years 2017 through 2019.” He noted that “funds from these programs are to be used for the neediest and most vulnerable in our society.” Mississippi State Auditor Shad White alleged that money set aside from the federal government for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) programs were misappropriated under the leadership of John Davis, then-head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, according to the letter. The fraud allegations were first revealed in 2020 by state prosecutors in one of the largest cases involving embezzlement claims in state history. Six people have been indicted on state charges, including Davis. Davis has pleaded not guilty, court records show. His trial, which was supposed to start last year, has been delayed several times. An attorney for Davis did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment. Though medical research, knowledge, and technology continue to advance year after year, there is still little known about the root cause of uterine fibroids—a.k.a. noncancerous growths that present themselves inside or outside of the uterus. What is clear, however, is the fact that those benign tumors disproportionately affect Black women. According to the Black Women’s Health Imperative, Black women are 2-3 times more likely to have fibroids, to develop them at younger ages, to have bigger fibroids, to have more fibroids, and to have more symptoms. By age 35, nearly half of Black women will have experienced them. That number jumps up to 80 percent by age 50. Black women are also hospitalized three times more than white women are when it comes to dealing with fibroids. (I would know, I was one of them.) And on top of all of that, fibroids can also negatively impact a woman’s fertility, potentially cause pregnancy complications, and project a negative outlook when it comes to Black women’s prospects for bearing children. And it’s for those exact reasons that, in honor of Black Maternal Healthcare Week, The Root talked with a handful of women to discuss their journeys with fibroids and fertility and how they came to be at peace with their bodies, their wombs, and ultimately themselves. When Oprah talks, people listen. So hopefully, her latest partnership with the Smithsonian Channel will get people to listen to the cries for better access to quality healthcare for people of color. On April 14, the network announced its Color of Care campaign, which is focused on equity in health care across racial lines. The highlight of the year-long multi-platform campaign is “The Color of Care,” a documentary produced by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions that will premiere on May 1 on the Smithsonian Channel. The film, directed by OSCAR®-nominated and Emmy® award-winning director Yance Ford, explores the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the fact that people of color often receive second-rate health care. There will be a national screening of the film at various nursing schools, medical schools, nonprofit organizations and Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country. The celebration of Jackie Robinson continues! Yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson becoming the first African American baseball player to play in Major League Baseball. The man is not only an example and legend in the sports world, but he was also an icon and leader in the world of social justice and activism as Robinson faced a lot of racism and scrutiny during his 10-year career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although he was the first African American to play for The Show, he for sure was not the last. He opened the door for a wave of talented young Black players to showcase their skills on baseball’s biggest stage and many of them became some of the greatest baseball players of all time. Per a press release sent to The Root, on Saturday, June 18, The HISTORY Channel is set to premiere the two-hour documentary, “After Jackie,” in association with MLB. It will tell the untold story of the second wave of Black players who took the majors by storm and continued the fight for racial equality. Five young women at North Carolina’s Saint Augustine’s University are making history. They will compete as the first historically Black university women’s crew team, ever. “We are trailblazers. We are literally Black history,” sophomore Breanna Dorway said. “I’m just really excited for what’s in store for us.” Saint Augustine’s is a small liberal arts university established in 1867 by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Rowing first came to Saint Augustine’s as a virtual sports program in the School of Business, Management & Technology. There, Professor Mark Janas has introduced students to golf, motorsports and cycling that may have otherwise been unavailable at the school with an enrollment of nearly 1,000 students. Rowing is not a cheap sport to participate in, which is why it’s more common at Ivy League institutions like Harvard and Yale. That is until the Howard University men’s crew team made history as the first HBCU crew team in the mid-1960s. Saint Augustine’s women do not pay to participate in the sport and will rely on fundraising to obtain the money they need to compete. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson played his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers, forever changing baseball and society. Robinson was Black, and the integration of all-white major league baseball was perhaps the most important story about civil rights in the years immediately following World War II. The integration, Jules Tygiel wrote in his groundbreaking book “Baseball’s Great Experiment,” “captured the imagination of millions of Americans who had previously ignored the nation’s racial dilemma.” As Martin Luther King Jr. famously put it, Robinson “was a sit-inner before sit-ins, a freedom rider before freedom rides.” Major League Baseball celebrates the 75th anniversary of Robinson’s historic career on April 15, 2022, in stadiums and ballparks across the nation. But in my view, those celebrations will fall short if they don’t address how Robinson confronted white supremacy with class and dignity during a time before he joined the Dodgers, when his own minor league manager once asked, “Do you really think a nigra is a human being?” I’ve written or edited four books about Jackie Robinson. When I give a lecture or a talk about him, I often mention that he was a Republican. Given the modern-day opposition that the Republican Party has toward civil and voting rights protections – and the teaching of racism in American history – this invariably provokes an audible gasp from the audience. Lawyers for the family of a California grandmother fatally shot by authorities accused police of excessive force Wednesday, saying that even though she backed her car into a law enforcement vehicle, she was unarmed and never threatened officers. Tracy Gaeta, 54, died after a K-9 officer in Stockton fired more than 30 shots into her car Feb. 22, according to body camera video released April 7. A lawyer for the family, Gary Gwilliam, said that the officer acted against policies adopted by many departments that bar or discourage police from firing at moving vehicles. “No matter what was going on with her — even if she had committed a heinous crime — he didn’t have the right to shoot her,” he said in an interview. “She never threatened him.” “The excessive force is shocking,” he added. In a statement, Angelina Austin, a lawyer with Gwilliam’s firm, added: “Like too many Black women across this country, Tracy Gaeta is yet another victim of preventable police violence.” In a video statement released last week, the police department said the incident began after Gaeta — who was initially identified as a Black male — was captured in surveillance video striking a police SUV that was stopped at a red light. Nearly nine months after authorities found an 18-year-old dead at a metro Atlanta park, police have secured warrants for felony murder and aggravated assault in the case. Gwinnett County Police said 20-year-old Austin Ford was already in jail in another jurisdiction for an unrelated matter. Now, he is facing charges in Tori Lang’s death. “I believe that he was actually a friend of Tori’s at one point and that is how they knew each other,” said Gwinnett Police Sgt. Jennifer Richter. On July 28, 2021, authorities were called to Yellow River Park around 6:30 a.m. and found the teen dead from a gunshot wound. Her car was found a week later burned and hidden in a wooded area of Hidden Acres Nature Preserve in DeKalb County, about five miles from the park. Last year, her friends told 11Alive they didn’t now why Lang would be in the Gwinnett County park; they sent their condolences to the family. https://youtu.be/xmm0Icf_9sI The Prairie County sheriff claims he is not racist and said nothing wrong after a recorded phone line captured him responding to news of a shooting with a comment about black people living in the area. The call was made by the county’s communication center to Sheriff Rick Hickman after a triple shooting left three people dead. The call, first shared on social media and requested under the state’s public-record law, lasted about 90 seconds. The dispatcher can be heard describing where the shooting happened. “The house next to the apartments,” the dispatcher told Hickman. The sheriff replied, “Oh, really. Black people then.” Jimel Brown has lived in Des Arc all his life and said the sheriff’s comments are concerning. “It doesn’t sit right with me,” Brown said. “That’s not somebody you would want representing your town, protecting the people, serving the people.” https://www.kark.com/news/working4you/prairie-co-sheriff-says-he-said-nothing-wrong-about-black-people/ Luke Dixon, a long-time Los Angeles resident, respected community leader, and successful businessman passed away peacefully at the age of 109 years old on March 14, 2022. Life Celebration services for Mr. Dixon will be held Friday, April 15, 2022, 11am, at Crenshaw Christian Center, 7901 South Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA. Born in Mound, Louisiana, November 29, 1912, Mr. Dixon was a World War II veteran. He was a student at Arkansas Baptist College before being drafted into the U. S. Army in 1941 and was celebrated by his Alma Mater in 2018 in a special ceremony honoring him as their oldest living student. Following his discharge from the U. S. Army to Los Angeles, California, Mr. Dixon and his wife, Mary, began achieving notable milestones that changed the course of their lives and endeared them to their community. Always eager to learn and improve his life, Mr. Dixon began a career at the Los Angeles Post Office (Terminal Annex) in 1947 where he remained for over a decade. Actress Liz Sheridan, famed for playing Jerry Seinfeld’s sitcom mom and telling all about being James Dean’s 1950s lover, has died at the age of 93. The star passed away from natural causes around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, TMZ reports. Sheridan starred as overprotective mom Helen Seinfeld in 21 episodes of “Seinfeld” from 1990 to 1998. She is the only “Seinfeld” star — apart from the four main leads — to be featured in all nine seasons of the hit sitcom. Seinfeld paid tribute to his “TV mom” on Twitter Friday afternoon. “Liz was always the sweetest, nicest TV mom a son could wish for,” he wrote. “Every time she came on our show it was the coziest feeling for me. So lucky to have known her.” Her death comes less than two weeks after the passing of Estelle Harris — another famous “Seinfeld” star, who played George Costanza’s mom. Like Sheridan, Harris was also 93. The actress also had a recurring role as Raquel Ochmonek in the NBC smash sitcom “ALF,” which ran from 1986 – 1990. Sheridan, who was born in New York, first began her career working as a dancer in Big Apple nightclubs, where she met Dean in her early twenties — shortly before his massive “Rebel Without a Cause” and “Giant” film fame. The 30th Anniversary Bounce Trumpet Awards has been rescheduled for April 23, 2022, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood and will air on Juneteenth, Sunday, June 19, at 7 p.m. ET. Produced by Magic Lemonade Production Company, the gala event will be televised on Bounce, the nation’s popular entertainment television network serving African Americans. The event was rescheduled from January because of COVID-19 concerns. “It’s fitting that we will honor Black excellence and achievement on a day that is a commemoration of such a significant moment in our history as African Americans,” said Cheryle Harrison, head of Bounce. “We appreciate everyone’s patience in our having to adjust this year’s schedule. Health and safety are a priority for our guests, honorees, and staff.” Broadway is awash with Tony award-winning musicals where protagonists stop at nothing to achieve their dreams. But there has never been a dream-fulfilling musical like “A Strange Loop,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning story by Michael R. Jackson. “‘A Strange Loop’ is a musical about a young Black gay man (Usher) who is working as an usher at a Broadway show and writing a musical about a young Black gay man who is working as an usher at a Broadway show,” Jackson, a Detroit native, said. The production didn’t begin as an ensemble musical about his self-perception. Instead, he looked through a first-person singular lens for the show. “It started off as a monologue, a thinly veiled monologue that I wrote right after I graduated from undergrad in 2002 or 2003. That was at that time something for me because I was 22 or 23 years old and not sure of my place in the world. I just wanted to sort of try to give myself a little bit of a life raft to sort of understand what was going on with me,” Jackson recalled. “I never expected to go to Broadway. In the earlier stages of working on ‘A Strange Loop,’ I was ushering at Broadway theatres. So, I saw what was onstage. I couldn’t imagine that my sort of punk rock kind of musical could ever be on the stage.” In 2021, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Lifetime joined forces to bring audiences “A Seven Deadly Sins Story.” The series began with “Lust” starring Keri Hilson and “Envy” starring Serayah and Kandi Burruss. Due to the success of both films, the network green lit Jakes’ next two films. “Wrath” follows Chasity Jeffries (Michelle Williams), a lawyer who falls head over heels for a guy she meets, who soon becomes obsessed with her. https://youtu.be/RriZzZZqhac STARZ releases the new teaser trailer for season two of its critically acclaimed series “P-Valley,” a kaleidoscopic story of a little strip club that could located down deep in the Mississippi Delta, and the big characters who enter its doors. The hit drama from creator and executive producer Katori Hall, premieres Friday, June 3 at midnight on the STARZ app, STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and internationally on the STARZPLAY premium streaming platform across the UK and Latin America. On linear, it debuts on STARZ at 9pm ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. The upcoming sophomore season reveals a whole new Pynk as it struggles to remain open during a pandemic, a battle for the throne and the possibility of some new blood shaking up the locker room. https://youtu.be/RhOKJM_pDBM Atlanta’s own Ludacris is about to “Roll Out” of the spring season with a new degree. Georgia State University announced Monday they are granting Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges with an honorary degree during their commencement ceremony on May 4 after the University System of Georgia Board of Regents made an approval. The actor, entrepreneur, and Grammy award-winning rapper once took classes at GSU in the early 1990s before he signed a record deal with Def Jam. “We are proud that Chris Bridges got his start at Georgia State,” Georgia State President M. Brian Blake, who nominated the multi-platinum artist, wrote in a statement. According to a statement from the university, Ludacris is receiving the honor for his “support of Georgia State’s creative media arts and law programs, his substantial commitment to the metro Atlanta community and his nationwide philanthropic endeavors.” Jackson’s production will be on the stage of the Lyceum Theatre on the Great White Way beginning Tuesday, April 26, 2022. As the playwright, lyricist, and composer of “A Strange Loop,” he promises music that’s spicy and ear warming. In addition to being the best in the series of “Fantastic Beasts” magical adventures, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” is a feast for our taxing times. When the cast returned to its old New York stomping grounds prior to a screening of “The Secrets of Dumbledore,” it was like a breath of fresh air. They came the same day a mad man smoke bombed a train and shot numerous riders. That, coupled with a non-stoppable maniac allowed to perpetuate unimaginable atrocities on the people of Ukraine, and the never-ending assault and murder of people of color, who wouldn’t want to escape into the magical world of “Fantastic Beasts?” https://youtu.be/Y9dr2zw-TXQ “Stranger Things” 4 Vol. 1 premieres May 27th, only on Netflix. It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down. https://youtu.be/4DUZAtoTO4c Tope Awotona, the forty-year-old Nigerian who founded the Calendly app, has joined the club of the richest immigrants in the US. The Calendly, scheduling software for streamlining work-life, meetings, and appointments, is now worth $3 billion after it took Silicon Valley by storm. This windfall has made Awotona one of the richest immigrants. Forbes has estimated his personal net worth at $1.4 billion. He is also the CEO of Calendly. https://youtu.be/Hit7SXi1Ccs We have heard of all sorts of “bad” relationships, but Patti LaBelle’s was what many considered the “perfect” relationship, so its ending took many by surprise. For starters, LaBelle used to be a wife to a man called Armstead Edwards. They married way back in 1969. It was a perfect marriage because they never argued. They had been good friends before they married, and perhaps they were meant for each other. However, one day Patti decided they might as well go their separate ways, according to ILoveOldSchoolMusic. What is gradually coming out is that long-lasting marriages are a thing of the past. These days it is hard to come by marriages that last over 10 years, especially in the entertainment industry. Yet Patti remained married to Armstead for over 30 years. Armstead was actually her manager before they even fell in love. He asked her to marry him three times, and she turned him down three times. But one day, she caved in. It was her turn to ask him. https://youtu.be/fU-faNkf_qU Naturi Naughton wedded in Atlanta and she took to social media to share her joy with her fans and followers. She was joined at the huge wedding party by some of her former co-stars from the Power show. They stood alongside her and Two Lewis, the groom. There were 11 groomsmen and 8 bridesmaids. The best man happened to be Omari Hardwick, her onscreen husband. La La Anthony and Angela Yee were among the bridesmaids. https://youtu.be/0PQAzew9XlY Rihanna became a trending topic yesterday, not for her fashionable maternity wear, or any new music tease, but because a wild rumor began circulating about her and A$AP Rocky. The story that went viral claimed Rihanna called it quits with the New York rapper after she caught him cheating with Amina Muaddi — the shoe designer for Rihanna’s Fenty brand. A Thursday tweet from fashion blogger Louis Pisano read: “Rihanna & ASAP Rocky have split. Rihanna broke up with him after she caught him cheating with shoe designer Amina Muaddi.” He continued: “Amina was responsible for designing Fenty’s footwear offering and Rihanna is often seen in custom shoes from her own label. ASAP & Amina is not new though as she was seeing him years ago and also collaborated with him on a collection of shoes. Things apparently hit the fan at Craigs in LA.” While those claims weren’t confirmed as the stars did not comment on the matter, it didn’t stop Twitter from going into a meltdown. Joseline Hernandez was recently accused of beating down some girls on her show and now it looks like she will have to beat her way through court! According to @tmz_tv, the reality star is being sued for $25M after a bunch of dancers from “Joseline’s Cabaret” claimed she put the paws on them on set! A total of four women are accusing her of ambushing them while trying to film. In docs obtained by the news outlet, the dancers claim they showed up in high heels for the reunion show taping, but Joseline had other plans for them. One woman claims Joseline violently kicked her in the ribs, while another claims Joseline dragged her by her hair and kicked her in the back. A third dancer alleges Joseline grabbed her by the neck and shoved her to the ground, TMZ reports. The fourth woman said Joseline pushed her and only threatened to beat her up. As his death date draws near, a South Carolina death row inmate has chosen to be executed by firing squad. Richard Bernard Moore became the first prisoner in the state forced to choose how he wanted to die. The electric chair is South Carolina’s default, but inmates may also choose to be shot to death. Moore has spent over two decades on death row for the murder of James Mahoney, a Spartanburg store clerk, in 1999. Moore’s attorney’s argued that he entered the store unarmed with only the intent to rob it. However, during a scuffle with Mahoney, he took hold of the clerk’s gun and shot him with it. Moore was convicted in 2001 and sentenced to die for the slaying. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcbHiEvDRxN/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Walden University, a for-profit school, deliberately put up a scheme to lure and trap students in a cycle of debt and despair, according to a class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland against the institution. The scheme targeted mainly Black and female students. The class-action suit was filed by the National Student Legal Defense Network in January on behalf of several ex-students who allege that the school went against consumer protection laws and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by targeting minorities and women when it misrepresented the costs and credits required to acquire an advanced degree. Aljanal Carroll joined Walden University in 2017 for a doctorate in business administration. At that time, she was told she could complete her course in 18 months. She easily made it through the coursework hoping for timely graduation. But she ran into many issues when she got to her “capstone project.” That is her dissertation. https://youtu.be/Ss_5fucqlIs Officials in Sacramento and Washington frequently point to the low unemployment rate in the state and around the country as proof that the U.S. economy has recovered from the downturn experienced during the global COVID-19 crisis. But the total unemployment rate for Black Californians seems stuck at almost three times higher than the national rate – despite steady increases in overall hiring of African Americans in the state. A sharp drop in the national unemployment rate for all Americans – down to 3.6 % in February — brings the number of people without jobs across the United States to just one tenth of a point above the pre [1] pandemic level of 3.5% (February 2020), according to data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the U.S. Department of Labor. https://youtu.be/f7oqefnQJCQ Low-income Americans who missed signing up for 2022 Affordable Care Act coverage can now enroll in plans with $0 premiums through the federal exchange’s website. Those with incomes less than 150% of the federal poverty level — $19,320 for an individual and $39,750 for a family of four — can select policies on healthcare.gov through a special enrollment period, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told CNN exclusively on Monday. Most people will be able to select plans with no premiums, while others may have to pay a few dollars. The agency is launching advertising and outreach campaigns to spread the word about the new special enrollment period, which lasts for the rest of the year. The effort will also target those experiencing certain life changes, such as losing job-based coverage, getting divorced or aging out of a parent’s policy, which have always allowed them to sign up for Obamacare policies during the year. https://youtu.be/YEGpriv2TAc Rapper Bankroll Freddie was in an Arkansas jail Friday after being arrested on federal drug and weapons charges, officials said. The 27-year-old performer, known off stage as Freddie Demarus Gladney of Conway, Arkansas, was arrested about 6:30 p.m. Thursday during a traffic stop for speeding on Interstate 55 in Marion, Arkansas, almost 20 miles from Memphis, Tennessee, according to the Arkansas State Police. A search of Freddie’s pickup truck yielded a gun, 21 pounds of marijuana and 171 grams of the prescription sedative promethazine, said Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler. Freddie was booked into the Crittenden County Detention Center on state drug and weapons charges and held for the FBI on equivalent federal charges. Jail and court records list no attorney for him. Emma Raducanu won on her Billie Jean King Cup debut to give Britain a crucial point in their qualifier against the Czech Republic with a hard-fought 7-5 7-5 win over Tereza Martincova in windy conditions in Prague on Friday. U.S. Open champion Raducanu, 19, was playing her first professional match on clay and gradually adjusted to the surface as she battled back in both sets to level the best-of-five tie after Harriet Dart lost 6-1 6-0 to Marketa Vondrousova. Raducanu was trailing 4-5 and saved a set point before winning three games on the bounce to take the opening set. She then found herself 1-4 down but rallied to win six of the last seven games to close out the win. “This one means so much to me because it is my first match in the Billie Jean King Cup and representing the team in my first match on clay,” said Raducanu, whose last match on clay was at the 2019 junior French Open. “Playing on clay took some adjusting even now. With the wind and some tricky bounces, to adjust and adapt in the situation was very challenging but I’m proud of how I dug in.” Tiger Woods has added another start to his itinerary. The 15-time major champion, who tied for 47th in last week’s Masters in his first official start in more than 500 days, will play in the JP McManus Pro-Am, a two-day event in Ireland beginning 10 days before The Open Championship. Following the final round at Augusta National Golf Club, Woods told Sky Sports he would play in the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews, the Home of Golf. However, Woods did not commit to playing the PGA Championship in May at Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma; Woods won the 2007 PGA there. Woods said he’d try to play. A Brazilian man is celebrating the end of his country’s mask mandate by having both of his ears removed as his latest body modification. Michel Faro do Prado (a/k/a Human Satan) added the newest modification to a long list of tattoos and piercings to fit his “devil” image. According to The Sun, his teeth were even customized to appear satanic-like. Prado aka “Diabão” posted images of his new modification on social media where commentators on Reddit were shocked by the ears removal. One user mentioned how ears are not only used for masks but serve other purposes. https://youtu.be/ylvhg9ATW64 A New Jersey man was sentenced to 375 years in prison for the 2016 murders of two children and a college student and the stabbings of three others — crimes so heinous the judge called the bloody scene a “house of horrors.” On Friday, Judge Ronald Wigler sentenced Jeremy Arrington, 32, to three consecutive life sentences for fatally stabbing Ariel Little Whitehurst, 7, and her brother, Al-Jahon Whitehurst, 11, and fatally shooting college student Syasia McBurroughs, 23, a friend of the family who happened to be visiting their home on November 5, 2016, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a release. Arrington, who had known the victims for years, attacked the family after he became enraged about a Facebook comment, prosecutors said. One of the stabbing victims had reposted an alert on Facebook about Arrington being wanted in connection with a previous shooting and sexual assault, NJ.com reported. Furious, Arrington broke into the Whitehurst’s apartment in Newark with a loaded firearm. A troubling video has struck a nerve amongst African Americans in the Plymouth Canton community. The recording appears to show a white high school student threatening to shoot and lynch African-Americans—while calling them a number of racial slurs. Plymouth Canton Community Schools Superintendent Monica Merritt addressed the video during a board meeting and in a letter to parents and students Monday night, saying, “We do not condone or tolerate reprehensible acts of this nature.” “I am not able to give details, there is not an active threat I will say, at our school at this moment,” Merritt said Tuesday night. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/students-racist-video-threatening-to-kill-black-classmates-leaves-plymouth-canton-community-shaken When Peter and Dorcas Lyoya moved their family to the United States eight years ago to escape violence in their home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo, they believed they had found “a safe land,” Dorcas Lyoya said. That notion was shattered earlier this month, when their eldest child, Patrick Lyoya, was fatally shot by a Grand Rapids, Michigan, police officer during a traffic stop. “I’m surprised and astonished that it is here that my son was killed with a bullet,” Dorcas Lyoya said Thursday through a language interpreter. The family’s native language is Swahili. In their first comments since videos of the deadly encounter were released to the public, the Lyoyas called for “justice for Patrick” and demanded that the officer who shot him be held accountable. They also said they were shocked that their son had died in their adopted home country. “I didn’t believe in this country that there is genocide,” Peter Lyoya said. “I didn’t know that in America there can be an execution style to kill someone with a gun and be a police officer.” Lyoya, 26, was killed on the morning of April 4 after he was pulled over by an officer, who told him his license plate didn’t match the car he was driving. Four videos of the encounter, released Wednesday, showed Lyoya and the officer struggling before Lyoya was shot. Lyoya, a Black man, was facedown on the ground when he was fatally shot in the back of the head, one of the videos showed. Russia accused the Biden administration of ‘adding fuel’ to the conflict in Ukraine and warned there could be ‘unpredictable consequences’ if it continued to supply the most sensitive weapons to the war-torn nation, according to details of a diplomatic message published on Friday. It came after Washington stepped up its support to Ukrainian armed forces with an $800 million package that for the first time included 155 mm howitzer long-range artillery, as well as armored vehicles, and coastal defense drones. The supply of weapons – particularly anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems – has been credited with thwarting Russian efforts to seize the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. A two-page diplomatic note or démarche, dated Tuesday, was sent to the State Department by the Russian Embassy in Washington. It accused the U.S. and N.A.T.O. allies of trying to force Ukraine to ‘abandon’ negotiations with Russia ‘in order to continue the bloodshed,’ while pressuring other countries to end military and technical cooperation with Moscow. ‘We call on the United States and its allies to stop the irresponsible militarization of Ukraine, which implies unpredictable consequences for regional and international security,’ the note said. Shanghai’s residents are rebelling against draconian curbs brought in as part of the Communist regime’s failing zero-Covid policy. Chilling videos show outraged citizens in China’s biggest city scuffling with hazmat-suited police who have ordered them to surrender their homes to Covid patients. Dozens of buildings in the city have been converted to make-shift isolation hubs as local officials struggle to contain record daily infection rates, which have breached 25,000 in recent days. Separate clips posted online seems to show police pinning angry protestors to the ground and forcibly restraining them in both Shanghai and Haining, located 125km southwest. Residents stuck in Shanghai, which has been locked down since April, have flooded social media with complaints of food shortages and over-zealous officialdom which has forced them into an ineffective state quarantine. Footage has even shown desperate citizens bursting through barricades demanding food. Israeli security forces entered the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem before dawn on Friday as thousands of Palestinians were gathered for prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, setting off clashes that medics said wounded at least 67 Palestinians. Israel said its forces entered to remove rocks and stones that had been gathered in anticipation of violence. The holy site, which is sacred to Jews and Muslims, has often been the epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian unrest, and tensions were already heightened amid a recent wave of violence. Clashes at the site last year helped spark an 11-day war with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. In a gray sharkskin suit and aviator sunglasses, Pastor Christopher Benek stands on a patch of astroturf at the edge of the First Miami Presbyterian church parking lot. “Here’s the thing,” he says. “Right now this is a parking lot.” A developer has a plan to make it much more than that, and Benek is buying in. Benek was hired in 2018 as a “crisis-management specialist” to lead First Miami Presbyterian, the oldest congregation in the city, away from what seemed like impending ruin. The church has been a fixture in the community since 1896, peaking in membership at about 1,400 in the late 1980s before dwindling to 140 in the early aughts and continuing to decline. “They’ve been a financial wreck for years,” Benek says. “Those problems don’t get solved overnight.” With the church facing over $7m in back taxes, Benek has negotiated a potential deal to sell 2.2 acres of its 3.4 acre lot to a local developer for $240m. (Just four years ago, it was valued at $66m – a symptom of the rental market’s blistering recent inflation.) This last slice of undeveloped waterfront property in downtown Miami’s financial district has been coveted by developers for years. Most Black Americans consider race to be central to their identity, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center. Over three-fourths, 76 percent, of Black Americans said that being Black is either extremely important or very important to their identity, the survey found. Thursday’s report comes roughly six months after the Pew Research began its online survey in which 3,912 Black Americans responded. The survey is also the latest installment in a series of studies from the center on the diversity of Black Americans. Out of the survey respondents, 54 percent said that being Black was extremely important to their identity while 22 percent said it was very important. That sentiment was even stronger among non-Hispanic Black Americans, the survey found, with 78 percent of those respondents reported that being Black is very or extremely important “to how they think about themselves.” Anthony Parnther was on a mission. When chatting via Zoom in late March, the conductor and bassoonist was calling in from a hotel room in Kansas City. “I actually came up here to buy a very specific contrabassoon, which is sitting right over there,” he said, pointing to the cumbersome woodwind behind him. “I grabbed it this morning and I’ll be heading back to L.A. with it now.” As soon as he returned, Parnther would play the instrument on the score for the highly anticipated Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (premiering May 27). The contrabassoon seems especially fitting: It looks like a Star Wars weapon, and its tone is as deep and otherworldly as Jabba the Hutt’s voice. “I think it was played in the cantina band [from 1977’S Star Wars],” Parnther said, without missing a beat. “That’s a rather bassoon-y looking instrument.” Allyson Felix, who finished last year’s Tokyo Games with more Olympic medals than any US track and field athlete in history, has announced her intention to retire after the 2022 season concludes. ‘This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy,’ Felix said in an Instagram post Wednesday. ‘If you see me on the track this year I hope to share a moment, a memory and my appreciation with you.’ At age 35, Felix won a bronze medal in the 400 meters last summer in Tokyo, then followed it up with a gold medal in the 4×400 relay. Those were her 10th and 11th Olympic medals, which helped her pass Carl Lewis in the US record book and left her behind only one runner in history, Finland’s Paavo Nurmi, who won 12 medals between 1920 and 1928. ‘As a little girl they called chicken legs, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I’d have a career like this,’ read Felix’s post. ‘I have so much gratitude for this sport that has changed my life. I have given everything I have to running and for the first time I’m not sure if I have anything left to give. I want to say goodbye and thank you to the sport and people who have helped shape me the only way I know how—with one last run.’ In an interview with Insider, actor and entrepreneur Mark Wahlberg expressed that it has been difficult to find a church he can attend without being subject to movie pitches from other parishioners. “I mean, I would literally move around from church to church because I would get pitched a lot,” Wahlberg, who is Catholic, said. “Yeah. I’m not at church looking to find material. I’m trying to find some peace and quiet to be able to worship.” Ironically, it was a priest who pitched Wahlberg the idea for his latest film, “Father Stu,” a biopic about a boxer turned priest named Stuart Long. Wahlberg compared the circumstances of the pitch to a “bad joke,” according to RNS, as he was out to dinner with “two priests and a bottle of wine.” Chart-topper William Murphy releases a brand-new single “Just Us,” which is available now at digital music providers, and marks his lead single going out to Gospel radio. A powerful new anthem from his upcoming new album Worship & Justice, the three-time GRAMMY® nominated, Stellar Award-winning artist, songwriter and pastor also releases the music video for “Just Us.” Creating an uplifting atmosphere of communal purpose on “Just Us,” William Murphy delivers a potent live performance with a message of unifying to seek change, justice, and hope on the music video. The music video had its broadcast debut on the BET Gospel network, and showcases Murphy’s performance from his live album recording for Worship & Justice, which was filmed in December 2021 at his church, The dReam Center Church of Atlanta. Encouraging listeners in their faith, Murphy calls forth on the power of our voices and being able to make a change when standing together as a community, finding strength together with the choral refrain “Even if it’s just us, there’s still enough of us. We gon’ change the world.” Written by William Murphy, Dontavious Ladson, and Wendell Donald, “Just Us” is produced by Kenneth Leonard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blFREvx0Szc Lifetime's Seven Deadly Sins Anthology movie installment, Wrath, from executive producers T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams and Shaun Robinson continues this Saturday, April 16 at 8/7c. Based on the series of books by Victoria Christopher Murray, Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story stars Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), Tina Knowles-Lawson (Profiled: The Black Man), Romeo Miller (Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection) and Antonio Cupo (Blood & Treasure). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg-X-nJAWWU&feature=youtu.be Stellar, GRAMMY, Dove, and American Music Award winner, PDA delivers a hot new up-tempo single titled "We Go Hard" featuring J Moss. Teaming up with long time collaborator J Moss, on this new offering will proven to be just what your Spring/Summer playlist needs. "We Go Hard" is sure to inspire, invigorate, and spark excitement in Gospel music listeners. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/i7wfepzy9k39w60ansbp9/h?dl=0&preview=We+Go+Hard+PDA+ft.+J+Moss.mp3&rlkey=y08d5l8d66k193ijhtkbl06oc BET Sunday Best Season 9 Winner, Melvin Crispell, III took to social media to announce the launch of his new YouTube Series, Mel's Music Hall! https://www.instagram.com/p/CcTJTUrLqhC/ Too many people have had to endure the incredibly faith-shaking emotions from a life-threatening diagnosis or injury. For songwriter and singer Ken Gober, music powered by the word of God is a weapon to fight with and bring peace to emotionally charged situations. His new single, "Either Way" is a wonderfully written and emphatic glimpse into the very heart of these emotions. "Either Way" is written by Ken, Samuel Hart, and Jackson Michelson. Ken delivers this inspiring message over a soothing and impelling rhythm. The single is impacting radio now and will be available on all digital music platforms on April 22. https://www.dropbox.com/s/mpwwvr7j4tw8re0/Either%20Way%20-%20Ken%20Gober.mp3?dl=0 To recap, an apparently deranged gunman who detonated smoke bombs before indiscriminately opening fire on a subway train at the height of rush hour at a busy station was able to escape while wearing bright orange clothing and eluded capture for more than a day until a tipster alerted the cops. Yet the NYPD was readily taking credit for capturing Frank James, the alleged Brooklyn subway shooter who injured nearly two dozen people when he pulled out a gun on the N train on Tuesday morning and shot 10 people before fleeing and remaining at large until Wednesday afternoon. That’s why a growing number of memes mocking and ridiculing the NYPD in subways have been hitting social media in the day since James launched his attack at a train station in Brooklyn that was seemingly absent of any police presence during the attack. Nor was there any police officer reported to be on the train in question despite new Mayor Eric Adams assigning a “record” number of transit cops to patrol trains and stations as citywide crime surged. One single sentence written by the New York Times about police responding to Tuesday’s shooting sums up the NYPD’s role in apprehending James: “A uniformed officer approached, said his radio was not working and asked passengers to call 911.” That further explains why it shouldn’t really be a surprise that it wasn’t actually the NYPD that caught James, for all intents and purposes; it was Zack Tahhan, a man who works in a bodega — a convenience store of sorts, for the uninitiated — and recognized the 62-year-old prime suspect before taking the initiative to contact law enforcement, which had been scrambling ever since it became clear they were absolutely clueless where James was. https://twitter.com/i/status/1514302417399128064 New York City Mayor Eric Adams is once again reminding us that he used to be a cop. He’s doing that thing only cops and white people do when a Black person is killed by anyone other than a cop or a white person—he’s calling out the Black Lives Matter movement out of nowhere. “Where are all those who stated ‘Black lives matter?’” Adams said Wednesday on NY1 after multiple shootings were reported out of Brooklyn and the Bronx, according to the New York Post. “Do an analysis of who was killed or shot last night. I was up all night speaking to my commanders in the Bronx, in Brooklyn. The victims were black.” Three people were killed and at least 13 others were wounded in a series of shootings that rocked parts of the Bronx and Brooklyn late Tuesday and early Wednesday, police and sources said. The fatalities included a 23-year-old woman and two men, 22 and 21, all killed in separate Bronx shootings. At least five other shootings were reported in New York City during a roughly six-hour span, authorities said. “The lives of these black children that are dying every night matter,” Adams said. “We can’t be hypocrites.” President Joe Biden‘s Thursday address to the nation from one of the most prominent HBCUs in the country was expected to detail his plan to fight the current inflation issues the country is facing. The scene at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro will paint an interesting picture since Black students in higher education are some of the most heavily impacted individuals by the inflation crisis. A huge reason for that is because of the higher likelihood for Black students to be saddled with student loan debt. According to the Education Data initiative, Black and African American college graduates owe an average of $25,000 more in student loan debt than white college graduates. Hulu has ordered an eight-episode limited series exploring the life of #SammyDavisJr. The series, set to star Elijah Kelley, is told through the lens of Sammy’s racial identity and relationship with the Black community. #LeeDaniels will serve as co-writer and executive producer on the series and will even direct the first two episodes. Lee has worked to develop this project for years, with reports going back to 2013 that he was developing it as a movie for HBO. In addition to starring in the series, Elijah will produce and collaborate on some of the show’s original music. This will be the third time Lee and Elijah have worked together. The pair previously teamed on Lee Daniel’s “The Butler” and Fox’s “Star.” Cardi B and Offset have finally shared with fans the name of their 7-month-old son whom they welcomed on Sept. 4. Meet Wave Set Cephus, and he is the spitting image of his older sister, 3-year-old daughter Kulture. Offset is also dad to daughter Kalea, 7, and sons Kody, 7, and Jordan, 12, from previous relationships. On Thursday, Cardi B, 29, and Offset, 30, also announced the name of their son and shared photos of their adorable baby boy in the latest issue of Essence. https://www.instagram.com/iamcardib/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=94530635-2cbf-484a-9fcc-dec7ddf178ae Wendy Williams is reportedly planning a big return to television after her talk show was canceled and replaced by a new talker hosted by Sherri Shepherd — which will air this fall. While out in NYC on Wednesday night, Williams was overheard telling friends she’s ready to make a “big comeback on TV,” per Page Six. According to the outlet, Williams, 57, was spotted having dinner with financial expert and TV personality Baruch Shemtov at Fresco by Scotto. “Wendy was talking to Baruch about her situation with Wells Fargo and she confidently said ‘I’m getting my money back very soon,’” the unnamed source reported. Another witness claims Wendy looked “vibrant” and “No one was helping her.” “It was very different from the person who we’ve seen in the wheelchair,” the source said. “She was walking by herself. No one helped her get in her car. She climbed right in and it was a Suburban.” The president of the WNBA Players Association believes Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner is imprisoned in Russia “because of a gender issue.” The seven-time WNBA All-Star has been detained in Russian since February. She was arrested in the country after arriving at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport on a flight from New York. Officials found multiple vape cartridges containing “significant amounts” of cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner, 31, is reportedly charged with smuggling “narcotic drugs” into Russia. She faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to CNN. Griner has played in Russia during the offseason since 2015. She is “a member of the UMMC Ekaterinburg, a Russian basketball team that competes in the Russian Premier League and FIBA Europe’s EuroLeague Women,” per PEOPLE. Her arrest came several weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA Players Association, appeared on “Good Morning America” Tuesday to discuss Griner’s situation. https://youtu.be/15AaEFucyUk Atlanta rapper #ArchieEversole, best known for his ‘We Ready’ song, has died at age 37. #DeKalbCounty police said Thursday Eversole was shot on March 25, and his brother is being charged with his murder, WSB-TV Atlanta reports. Officers responded to a shooting at a Chevron gas station, where they found Eversole suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries on April 3. Police say Eversole’s brother, Alexander Kraus, shot him. At just 17, Eversole recorded his first album, “Ride Wit Me Dirty South Style,” which features the song ‘We Ready.’ The 2002 hit is a game-day anthem at football games and other major sporting events to this day. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcVlbUSrmAs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Comedian and former SNL star Molly Shannon is speaking out about how she was sexually harassed by Gary Coleman early in her career. Shannon previously mentioned her encounter with the late actor but her tale largely went ignored by the media. In a new interview on the Howard Stern Show to promote her memoir, Shannon recalled what went down when the “Diff’rent Strokes” actor invited her to his hotel room via his agent, who was also her agent at the time. As reported by Complex, Shannon said when this agent led her up to Coleman’s room, the agent suddenly “disappeared.” “I think he was like, ‘Sit down [on the bed].’ It was very sweet,” she said of Coleman. “And then he’s, like, tickling me a little. This and that.” https://youtu.be/uLOu0u3_jAo Alfonso Ribeiro and Will Smith remain lifelong friends since starring together on the hit 90’s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” just don’t expect the actor to read Smith’s memoir anytime soon. “For many, many, many years, people speculated about them as a family. They are laying it out there in a way that is their truth. I don’t know if I’ll read the book because I know the people,” Ribeiro explained to People. Smith’s memoir, published by Penguin Press in November, is an “inspirational tale of how [Will Smith’s] true self-knowledge helped to propel him to extraordinary success, and then evolve further to a place of deeper peace – with himself, his loved ones, and the world,” according to the press release, as reported by PEOPLE. There’s currently a bidding war underway to turn the memoir into a biopic. Kerrion Franklin, the estranged son of Kirk Franklin and reality star on Bad Boys: Los Angeles, has reportedly been arrested and is being held without bond. According to court documents from Beverly Hills Police, Kerrion was arrested around 7:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 10. He was allegedly driving a car belonging to a woman who was reported missing and is presumed to be dead. A gun was also discovered in the automobile, but the 33-year-old insists the firearm isn’t his and that he has no connection to the woman in question. Larry Reid of Larry Reid Live—an Atlanta-based entertainment news talk show—reported that Kerrion was “wrongfully detained” and was initially stopped by local authorities because of his taillight. However, it appeared the arrest stemmed from charges filed in Texas, but Kerrion feels the charges were piled on after officers claimed he resisted arrest. Kerrion spoke to Reid from jail. “I’m just keeping my mind positive. I really do aim to live a righteous lifestyle, all of this is unnecessary. I just want you guys to keep me in your prayers,” said Kerrion according to Reid. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s marriage counselor said Thursday that the actress initiated physical fights more than once, but that the couple engaged in ‘mutual abuse.’ Dr. Laurel Anderson, a marriage counselor who worked with the former spouses for a total of 21 sessions beginning in October 2015, gave revealing video testimony during Depp’s $100million defamation trial in Virginia. ‘I know she led (the fights) on more than one occasion and started it to keep him with her because abandonment and having him leave was her worst nightmare,’ Dr. Anderson said. ‘Miss Heard reported that it was a point of pride to her, if she felt disrespected to initiate a fight. Her father had beaten her, she was not going to end. ‘If he was going to leave she would strike him to keep him there. She would rather be in a fight than have him leave.’ Asked if it was her assessment that while Depp said he wasn’t violent with any of his other partners, there was violence from him towards Heard, she said yes. She said: ‘He had been well controlled for almost 20, 30 years and both (Depp and Heard) were victims of abuse in their homes. I thought he’d been well controlled for decades and with Miss Heard he was triggered and they engaged in what I saw as mutual abuse.’ The Grand Rapid Police Department has released footage showing the officer-involved fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya. Lyoya, a 26-year-old Black man, was fatally shot during an April 4 traffic stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after an officer pulled him over for an issue with his license plate registration. Police Chief Eric Winstrom explained during a press conference that Lyoya attempted to flee during the encounter but there was a brief struggle before the victim was shot in the back of the head by the cop. https://youtu.be/oCp_MNW3qBM The head of the World Health Organization has blasted the world’s focus on the horrific invasion of Ukraine, saying it shows the lack of ‘equal attention to black and white lives’. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed other crises such as in his home country of Ethiopia do not receive the same concern as Putin’s war which has had major geopolitical consequences. The health boss said current emergencies in Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria have only received a ‘fraction’ of the attention of Ukraine. Tedros said: ‘I need to be blunt and honest that the world is not treating the human race the same way. ‘Some are more equal than others. And when I say this, it pains me. Because I see it. Very difficult to accept but it’s happening.’ He acknowledged that the situation in Ukraine was globally significant, but questioned if other crises were being accorded enough attention. Tedros, who is from Tigray, said the siege of the region by Eritrean and Ethiopian forces was one of the longest in modern history and noted that a recent truce had still not allowed in significant amounts of humanitarian aid. He said an estimated 100 trucks per day of life-saving aid are needed in the region after the war broke out in November 2020. Vice President Kamala Harris, a long-time champion of tackling the Black maternal health crisis in the United States, brought that focus to the White House on Wednesday to convene the first-ever Cabinet meeting to specifically address maternal health. The meeting comes during the fifth annual Black Maternal Health Week; which was created to bring national attention to the alarming maternal mortality rate among Black women and birthing persons. Harris described the meeting as a follow-up to a number of initiatives from the administration, including expanding postpartum coverage and creating a “birthing friendly” designation for hospitals. https://youtu.be/sJuCQ9Mt12k In February, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Adetokunbo “Toks” Omishakin Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). Omishakin, 44, makes history as the first African American to serve in that cabinet-level position responsible for overseeing all state agencies that regulate and support transportation and administer services related to the sector. “@CAgovernor want to express gratitude for new appt to Cabinet Secretary @CA_Trans_Agency,” Omishaken thanked the Governor in a Twitter post after his nomination was announced in February. https://youtu.be/gyan5INi-H0 The Republican-controlled legislature in Kentucky voted Wednesday to override Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of legislation that would prohibit transgender athletes from competing in sex-segregated sporting events from sixth grade through college. The expected move came after Beshear refused to sign Senate Bill 83 last week and claimed it was most likely unconstitutional. He said the legislation “discriminates against transgender people” and therefore would not hold up in court. The measure is now law in the state after the Republicans overrode the veto of the legislation, which originally passed through the state House with a 70 to 23 vote and the state Senate with a 26 to 9 vote. Under the new law, a student’s gender will be determined by the “biological sex” indicated on the student’s certified birth certificate “as originally issued at the time of birth or adoption.” This means individuals who transitioned to female later in life could not participate on sports teams designated female in the state. Republican Sen. Robby Mills, the bill’s lead sponsor, has said the measure would ensure girls and women compete against other “biological females.” Immigrants arriving in Britain in search of a better life will be packed off to Rwanda without the right to return under plans unveiled by Boris Johnson today. Under a £120million agreement with Kigali, economic migrants arriving in the UK illegally will be refused asylum and detained in a former military base before being flown directly to the African nation. In a speech this morning – as more migrants arrived on the south coast – the Prime Minister invoked the spirit of Brexit in support of the scheme, saying: ‘The British people voted several times to control our borders.’ He said that while the UK’s compassion may be ‘endless’, its capacity to host people was not, adding: ‘We cannot expect the UK taxpayer to write a black cheque.’ But he immediately faces criticism over the cost of the scheme – which critics said could reach £1.4billion – and Rwanda’s dubious human rights record, after he said the nation was ‘dynamic’. Rwanda is best known in the West for a 1994 ethnic genocide that left up to 800,000 Tutsi people dead and it still has a mixed human rights records. Amnesty International says there are still concerns over ‘enforced disappearances, allegations of torture and excessive use of force’. Earlier this month the Refugee Minister Lord Harrington said there was ‘no possibility’ of migrants being sent there. A youth pastor has been arrested on several charges of sexual assault against a child, according to the Mesquite Police Department. Conner “Jesse” Penny, 32, was arrested on April 5 and booked into the Dallas County Jail for charges that include aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child with sexual contact and continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, court records show. According to a press release from MPD, an investigation revealed that Penny had sexual contact with a female victim under the age of 17 on multiple occasions between 2015 and 2018. “Since his arrest, additional victims have made outcries of abuse by Penny occurring between 2013 and 2021 with arrest warrants also obtained,” police said in the release. Penny worked as a youth pastor at Inspiration Church, formerly known as Mimosa Lane Baptist Church, in Mesquite, at the time of his arrest. He has previously worked at the City of Mesquite and as a teacher’s aide at the Mesquite Independent School District, where he was also a counselor through the Recreational After School Program. Yaya Mayweather has pleaded guilty to stabbing one of NBA YoungBoy’s baby mamas. Mayweather stabbed Lapattra Lashai Jacobs at the rapper’s Houston home in 2020. As reported by Complex, she appeared in court in Houston on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The stabbing occurred when Jacobs made the mistake of showing up at Youngboy’s home while Mayweather was there and things allegedly went south. The two women reportedly had an argument. Jacobs told Mayweather to leave and Mayweather allegedly responded by saying she was Youngboy’s fiancee and that Jacobs should leave. Mayweather and Jacobs ended up coming to blows in the kitchen, with Mayweather allegedly charging at Jacobs with two knives and stabbing her. A Houston woman days away from giving birth was found shot to death in her car Friday morning, authorities said. According to a Houston Police Department news release, 27-year-old Amber Butler was discovered in the driver’s seat of her white Chevrolet Malibu “parked in the main lane of traffic and the engine still running.” She suffered from a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead on the scene. Shortly after her death, loved ones paid tribute to the young mom on social media. “We love you! Watch over us,” one post read. “Rest In Peace, beautiful,” said another. Police in Miami have arrested a 41-year-old woman in the deaths of her two young children after officers responded to repeated hang-up 911 calls from her apartment where they found their tied-up bodies. “Come get them, I don’t want them anymore,” Odette Lysse Joassaint told officers who responded to the scene on Tuesday night, according to the arrest report. Police said she appeared to be irrational. The officers entered the apartment and found a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. The children were lying in a prone position on the bed with their arms, legs and neck tied, a police report said. They tried to resuscitate the children until a Miami Fire Rescue crew arrived and pronounced them dead. Authorities have not released information on how they were killed, but the woman has been charged with two counts of murder. It is not yet clear how many calls were made to 911 or whether she spoke to a dispatcher. Miami police spokesperson Michael Vega said the father was not living there at the time but said there had been at least four calls made to the address in the past year over domestic violence, trespassing and disturbance. None of the incidents involved the children and no arrests were made, Vega said. Vincent Jean, a New Jersey man who repeatedly ran over a woman in a bizarre and horrifying road-rage attack. And it was all caught on video. Witnesses captured the harrowing scene on Tuesday in Elizabeth (NJ) and it shows Jean, 56, driving his silver Mitsubishi SUV over the 23-year-old victim after they had a minor traffic accident nearby, Union County authorities said Wednesday. https://youtu.be/tHtTl9mstrE Following the arrest of the Brooklyn Subway shooting suspect, his YouTube rants began to surface on the internet. Frank James — who made a video last month warning viewers that he was “entering the danger zone” — rented a U-Haul van fastened to the N train attack in Sunset Park and is being sought for questioning, police said at an evening conference. “Mr. Mayor, I’m a victim of your mental health program,” James said in one prolonged video. “I’m 63 now full of hate, full of anger, and full of bitterness.” He also chastised the mayor for not doing more to withstand homelessness. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcUX_hSg-e4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Summer Of Soul, the Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson-directed film that won the Oscar and the Grammy for documenting 1969’s now-famed Harlem Cultural Festival, has inspired a reboot of the landmark music event. Ambassador Digital Magazine editor-in-chief Musa Jackson, who attended the 1969 event and appeared in Summer of Soul, said Tuesday that he, BNP Advisory Group strategist Nikoa Evans and event producer and Captivate Marketing Group president Yvonne McNair are teaming to launch the Harlem Festival of Culture in the summer of 2023. The multi-day outdoor concert event will be a reimagining of the 1969 fest and take place in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, where the original took place when it was known as Mount Morris Park. Official dates have not yet been announced. Organizers told Billboard that a series of events leading up to the HFC kicks off Friday with an open-mic night at the Museum of the City of New York to pay tribute to the 25th anniversary of the film Love Jones. Other musical events are being planned throughout the year featuring contemporary R&B, soul, hip-hop, gospel, jazz, reggae and Latin artists, along with community events and panel discussions. Game of Thrones actor Joseph Gatt has been arrested for allegedly having sexually explicit chats online with a minor across state lines. The 50-year-old British actor was arrested and served with a search warrant at his Los Angeles, California home on April 6, TMZ reports. LAPD sources have said Gatt was taken into custody and arrested on an outstanding felony warrant for ‘contact with a minor for a sexual offense.’ The LAPD’s Juvenile Division, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, are now seeking to identify any additional victims after the arrest. On Thursday (04/14/22), Elon Musk offered to buy Twitter and take the social media company private. According to an SEC filing, Musk has made a “best and final offer” to buy up all existing shares at a valuation of $43.4 billion, representing a 38-percent premium over the company’s closing price on April 1. Musk, who calls himself a “free-speech absolutist,” has tweeted about plans to “transform” Twitter and make “significant improvements.” He’s been a vocal critic of efforts by companies like Twitter and Meta to moderate platform content and restrict the spread of hateful and threatening speech and disinformation. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has reportedly spread his vast fortune across multiple bank accounts. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has reportedly spread his vast fortune across multiple bank accounts. Antetokounmpo has reportedly earned a total of $146,344,870 from playing basketball since 2013. Born and raised in Greece, Antetokounmpo previously dished with The Undefeated about his Greek heritage and Nigerian parents. The history-making athlete says his upbringing was more rooted in the Nigerian culture and heritage because of his strict parents. The popular Tyler Perry’s “Ruthless” on BET Plus is being renewed for another season. It tells a riveting story of Ruth, who becomes entangled in a scandalous cult of powerful sex-crazed fanatics led by a handsome but violent madman. She finds herself having to play along with the “Highest” who leads the cult until she can find a way to free herself and her young daughter. https://youtu.be/chYVtf87ofM Meet Paulo Goude, the 42-year-old son of Grace Jones who is also a model and a music artist like his famous mother. Goude’s father is Jones’ ex-husband, celebrity photographer Jean Paul Goude. Goude famously shot Kim Kardashian’s naked photo spread in Paper Magazine. Grace Jones touched on this in her book, “I’ll Never Write My Memoirs,” writing: “I asked him [Jean Paul Goude] why he was giving her [Kim Kardashian]– a basic commercial product – his ideas? This seemed to contradict his spirit of integrity, which he has protected for so long. Why was he repeating himself, just to give her a little flare of publicity, quickly absorbed by the next puff of self-promotion?” Grace said Goude’s responded: “Well, he replied, ‘I got the feeling that if I didn’t do that photograph, she would have simply copied the idea anyway. I might as well copy myself.’ His ideas are are so powerful that repeating them decades later still causes a hell of a fuss, however temporary…He might have done it to wind me up a little as well. Which he did.” https://www.instagram.com/nappymogul/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=02e582a8-8a85-4dc5-b340-4f3b3db29630 Garcelle Beauvais recently reflected on her brief romance with Will Smith back in the 90s and why they ultimately called it quits. “I was an ingenue [and] he was single and a TV star so we went out a couple of times — it wasn’t a long-lasting relationship,” Beauvais said on the Las Culturistas podcast about her history with Smith. Smith and “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star met on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” set after his divorce from Sheree Zampino, with whom Will shares a son, Trey Smith. “I remember one day calling him and he was in the car. And his son, with Sheree, [they] were in the back,” Beauvais said. “So you know, he picked up on the car or Bluetooth or whatever it was back in the day, or speakerphone — whatever it was — and he said, ‘Hey how are you doing?’ And I said, ‘I’m great.’” “And I heard this little voice in the background go, ‘Is that Miss Jada?’ And that’s when I was like okay — I’m not the only one. Exit stage left,” Beauvais shared with a laugh, adding, “If a kid knows somebody then that person’s a little bit more important, right?!” And the rest is history… as Will would go on to marry Jada and together they have two adult children, Willow and Jaden. A billboard in San Antonio, Texas promoting the critically acclaimed multi-season series about the life of Jesus Christ titled “The Chosen” appeared to have been defaced with a message of hate towards the show. However, it is a marketing scheme by its distributor, Angel Studios. The billboard in San Antonio shows an image of the actor Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus in the series, next to the words “ChosenSux.com. Binge Salad (eww).” The URL directs users to a website called “The Chosen Is Not Good.” The website features a satirical video titled “Stop watching the Chosen…It’s not good.” The video depicts an actor playing Satan teaching a classroom of demons and saying, “Hello class. Wellcome to hell,” in front of the words “Intro to Damnation” written on the chalk board. Julia Roberts, 54, has three children with her husband of 20 years, cinematographer Danny Moder, 53. And now the two eldest ones – 17-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus (who goes by Finn) – are heading to college in the fall, she shared with Extra as she plugged her new series Gaslit. The Hollywood power couple, who are now based in San Francisco, also have 14-year-old son Henry Daniel. ‘I mean, it makes me a little lightheaded. You say that, I mean, I’m completely excited for them. It’s really thrilling and I wasn’t lucky enough to have a college experience,’ said the Pretty Woman actress. At age 18, Julia was already landing small parts as an actress; she got her break in 1988’s movie Satisfaction with Justine Bateman, Scott Coffey and Liam Neeson. ‘And so to see how it’s happening for them is really fascinating. And yeah, I’m just, I’m excited for them.’ Roberts also said she loves living in San Francisco after moving there two years ago. Thandie Newton denies she was booted from “Magic Mike 3" after sparring with Channing Tatum over the Will Smith Oscar slap. Newton reportedly exited the film after 11 days of filming. Per Daily Mail, a Warner Bros. Pictures spokesperson said: “Thandie Newton has made the difficult decision to step away from the production of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Magic Mike’s Last Dance to deal with family matters.” The Sun reports that the alleged argument between the actors took place on location in Paddington, London, and was described as “unimaginably vicious.” A source said: “Channing Tatum is the producer and number one on set. Thandie Newton is the number two star. But 11 days into shooting and it’s all over. They fell out over the debacle at The Oscars. I was on set. I watched her and watched him. They were in and out of the house where we were filming having this confrontation.” Music legend Mary J. Blige will be honored with the Icon Award at this year’s Billboard Music Awards! It was announced earlier this morning. The ICON Award recognizes entertainers who have achieved excellence on the Billboard Charts and have made a lasting mark on the music industry. Blige who has 10 BBMA wins in total, will join the class of honorees including Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Pink, Jennifer Lopez, Garth Brooks, Cher, Neil Diamond, Celine Dion, Prince, and Stevie Wonder. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcVWKXYAmCn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again An exclusive clip for the new episode of “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition,” airing TONIGHT, April 14 at 9pm on WE tv. Per press release, this season stars Hip Hop superstar K. Michelle (K. Michelle: My Life) and Kastan, Rich Dollaz and Mariahlynn, (Love & Hip Hop: New York) Lyrica and A1, (Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood) and Gangsta Boo (First Female Member of Three 6 Mafia) and Emmet as they head to Marriage Boot Camp to face the music. Dr. Ish & Judge Toler help them confront lies, betrayal, and bitter rivalries, but when secrets are exposed, will their relationships survive? https://youtu.be/4uC9UduMSoE Music legend Patti LaBelle rocked a stylish red suit for her recent performance in St. Louis. Apparently, the outfit has sent fans into a frenzy. According to BET, LaBelle was styled by Angela Dean in the custom dress suit designed by Deanzign. https://www.instagram.com/crazy_handz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a4e28255-8e7a-41eb-8b5b-682c57bf22fa Brooklyn rapper Maino wants y’all to know that he was only joking about enjoying slave-sex role-playing with white women. But we don’t believe it was a joke. During an interview on Angela Yee’s Lip Service, Maino revealed that he likes to role play as a disobedient runaway slave while having sex with white women. “I’ve never talked about this before,” he explained. “I play like they whooping me, but most of them don’t even wanna play like that.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CcS3Kbwu3OB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. entered a plea of guilty on Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of forcibly touching a woman at a New York City nightclub in 2018. Gooding admitted to kissing the woman, a waitress at the club, on her lips without consent. He also admitted to two other incidents of non-consensual contact in October 2018 and June 2019. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Gooding is to continue alcohol and behavior modification treatment for six months and have no new arrests. After that time, he can re-plead to harassment and potentially have his case sealed. If he successfully follows the terms and re-pleads to the lesser charge, Gooding can face a sentence to time served. If he does not comply with the terms, he could face up to one year in jail. “Cuba Gooding Jr. entered into a re-pleader today whereby in six months his case will be disposed of with a violation, which is not a crime, resulting in no criminal record,” Gooding’s attorney, Peter Toumbekis, said in a statement to CNN. https://youtu.be/TpRE-neDNeg The Pan African Film and Arts Festival will kick off its 30th year with a world premiere opening night showing of “Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story.” The Pan African Film and Arts Festival will kick off its 30th year with a world premiere opening night showing of “Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story.” https://youtu.be/VXyLBHcJ1MY New York Democratic Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned Tuesday, the state’s governor said, after being arrested and indicted on charges in connection with his alleged participation in a scheme to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for securing a state grant. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had “accepted Brian Benjamin’s resignation effective immediately.” “While the legal process plays out, it is clear to both of us that he cannot continue to serve as Lieutenant Governor. New Yorkers deserve absolute confidence in their government, and I will continue working every day to deliver for them,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. https://youtu.be/sgFU475deS8 The 62-year-old man suspected of shooting 10 people on a subway train in Brooklyn on Tuesday was arrested by patrol officers in New York’s East Village neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon, three law enforcement officials told CNN. Frank James, who police initially described as a “person of interest,” was taken into custody hours after officials declared him a suspect in the shooting. His status was elevated after investigators determined he purchased the gun recovered at the scene, law enforcement officials said. He was the target of a manhunt for less than a day and was captured in Manhattan about five miles from the shooting location. James was arrested after police got a tip on its Crime Stoppers hotline. “My fellow New Yorkers, we got him. We got him,” Mayor Eric Adams said. https://youtu.be/YuAXzUhpN4k It’s been nearly two years since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer and while the most concerning aspects of his case have been resolved—because Derek Chauvin has been thoroughly brought to justice—the story isn’t concluded because the fates of three more officers are still up in the air. On Monday, prosecutors revealed that they offered plea deals to former officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, according to NBC News. The specifics of the deals were not revealed by lead prosecutor Matthew Frank outside of the fact that all three defendants received the same deal, that the deals were offered on March 22—after the trio was convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights in a federal trial— and that they all ultimately rejected the deals. This was all revealed during a hearing that was mostly about Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill deciding if whether he has the authority to allow live video coverage of the upcoming state trial in which the three officers are charged with aiding and abetting manslaughter and murder in Floyd’s case. That trial is set to begin in June. Miya Ponsetto was famously dubbed “SoHo Karen” in 2020 after she physically assaulted a Black teenager she wrongly accused of stealing her cell phone at a hotel in New York City. On Monday, Ponsetto, 23, pleaded guilty to a felony — unlawful imprisonment in the second degree as a hate crime — for accusing 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr. of stealing her phone and then attacking him. Per The Washington Post, via MSN, under New York state law, second-degree unlawful imprisonment is to “interfere substantially with [a victim’s] liberty by moving him or her from one place to another, or by confining him or her.” Several other charges were reportedly dropped in Ponsetto’s plea agreement, but if she gets into legal trouble within the next two years, she faces up to four years in a state prison in New York. https://youtu.be/b5N8THIOwyc It’s a tale of two GoFundMes. Two Black men who were each killed in recent brutal slayings for which there has been no accountability are receiving different monetary responses to their deaths as both of their families grieve, demand justice and seek financial assistance for mounting posthumous costs. Online donations via GoFundMe to the family of Christian Toby Obumseli have soared since his girlfriend — a white woman named Courtney Clenney who models on Instagram under the moniker Courtney Tailor — stabbed him to death on April 3 in Florida, where she remains a free woman and has not been arrested for the grisly act that her lawyer claims was committed in self-defense. That was a far cry from the GoFundMe that was set up following the police shooting of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which happened one day after Obuseli was killed. A family spokesperson who claims to have seen the dashcam footage from the April 4 shooting said an officer shot Lyoya in the head following a “lengthy struggle” stemming from a traffic stop over an unregistered license plate. The National Urban League released its annual report on the State of Black America on Tuesday, and its findings are grim. This year’s Equality Index shows Black people still get only 73.9 percent of the American pie white people enjoy. While Black people have made economic and health gains, they’ve slipped farther behind whites in education, social justice and civic engagement since this index was launched in 2005. A compendium of average outcomes by race in many aspects of life, it shows just how hard it is for people of color to overcome systemic racism, the civil rights organization says. “These numbers change so little and so slowly. What it tells me is that this institutional disparity based on race seems to be built into American society,” National Urban League President Marc Morial said in an interview. The index shows not only that median household income for Black people, at $43,862, is 37 percent less than that of white people, at $69,823. Black people also are less likely to benefit from home ownership, the engine of generational wealth in America. Census data shows Black couples are more than twice as likely as whites to be denied a mortgage or a home improvement loan, which leads to just 59 percent of the median home equity white households have, and just 13 percent of their wealth. A Fort Worth toddler who has been on a respirator for most of her life has been sent home following a legal battle to keep her alive. Tinslee Lewis has been at Cook Children’s Medical Center since 2019 after she was born with a rare heart condition. Her mother, Trinity Lewis, announced that the child had returned home on social media on Tuesday. The post did not go into detail about whether Tinslee was still on a respirator, but her mother said she was doing well. “I am truly blessed I was able to do everything I can to bring her home,” Lewis said in the Facebook post. “She’s doing so good.” Viola Davis says that it was stressful playing former first lady Michelle Obama, 58, in Showtime’s new series The First Lady — because high expectations come with portraying a person that is beloved by so many. Davis, 56, took on the role in the ten-part series, which she also produced, but she admits now that she is relieved the production is finished. I’m glad it’s over!’ she said on Monday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. ‘I mean, the stress. Because everybody likes — loves — Michelle Obama. They know what she sounds like, they know what she looks like. ‘And I’m like, “I don’t want Michelle Obama calling me, cussing me out.” ‘The First Lady premieres Sunday, but Kimmel and his wife already got a sneak peak — and he sang Davis’ praises on his show. ‘That’s crazy how good you are at this,’ he told her. ‘It’s not just the voice you have down, it’s [also] the walking? It’s crazy how much you became Michelle Obama,’ Jimmy Kimmel said. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/02/17/387205901312936375/1024x576_MP4_387205901312936375.mp4?_=1 Viola Davis has released a new memoir titled Finding Me. In the book she shared that she grew up so poor in Rhode Island that she had to dive into dumpsters to find food with her five siblings. The actress also shared that she had rocks thrown at her by racists. And worst of all, she saw her father Dan physically and emotionally abused her mother Mae Alice. In an interview with People magazine, the 56-year-old actress explained why she was able to eventually forgive her father, who passed away due to pancreatic cancer in 2006. ‘I wanted to love my dad,’ The First Lady star told the magazine. She continued, ‘And here’s the thing: My dad loved me. I saw it. I felt it. I received it, and I took it. ‘For me, that’s a much better gift and less of a burden than going through my entire life carrying that big, heavy weight of who he used to be and what he used to do,’ the Hollywood veteran added. ‘That’s my choice. That’s my legacy: forgiving my dad.’ Trail-blazing San Francisco Giants assistant Alyssa Nakken made major league history on Tuesday night by becoming the first woman to serve as an on-field coach during a regular-season game. The 31-year-old Nakken took over at first base in the third inning of San Francisco’s 13-2 win over visiting San Diego after Giants assistant Antoan Richardson was mysteriously ejected. Later, Richardson said he was tossed over an altercation with Padres third base coach Mike Shildt, whom he accused of using racially charged language. Cedric McMillan, a champion American bodybuilder, has died at the age of 44, sponsors confirmed. McMillan reportedly suffered a heart attack while on a treadmill, according to fitness network Generation Iron. The champion strongman had been open about suffering from long-term Covid-19, which had caused him heart issues, as well as pneumonia, the network has also reported. It was unclear exactly what heart issues the athlete suffered from. Black Skull USA, a supplement company that sponsored McMillan, confirmed his passing Wednesday on Instagram. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/04/13/8399072054118823741/1024x576_MP4_8399072054118823741.mp4?_=1 Whoopi Goldberg is taking a long break from “The View” while she is off in Scotland filming a new project. “If you’re wondering where Whoopi is, the girl’s got a movie she’s making and she will be back when she finishes whatever she’s doing,” Joy Behar announced during Monday’s episode of The View. “So she’s gone for a while.” Goldberg is reportedly starring in Amazon’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “Anansi Boys,” which is currently filming in Scotland. According to Variety, Goldberg is playing the “menacing” Bird Woman from the novel, and she is described as: Bird Woman is the God of Birds and a key antagonist in the series. She’s the embodiment of birds. Not just beautiful stately birds in flight. Anyone who’s had a close encounter with a seagull knows that some birds are more dangerous than others, and Bird Woman is the most dangerous of them all. Long ago Anansi did her wrong. Now may be her chance to turn the tables. Gilbert Gottfried’s last Instagram post invited people to weigh in on “the slap.” The comic, whose family announced Tuesday that he died at the age of 67 after a long illness, shared a photo of him and fellow comedian Chris Rock. Rock was slapped by Will Smith while presenting at the Academy Awards after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. “Which is the worst crime?,” the caption on the photo of Gottfried and Rock read. “Chris Rock being physically assaulted or Chris Rock telling a joke?” Black content creators continue to speak out about racial inequity on social media. Last summer, Black TikTokers began exploring what the app would be like without their contributions. Many are major influencers on the app but white users tend to go viral and reap all the rewards for ripping off trends set by Black TikTokers. Per Yahoo Lifestyle, “a Forbes list of TikTok’s highest paid creators, released in January 2022, confirmed that the issue persists. Among the top five biggest earners were both Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, Addison Rae and Josh Richards, with the only person of color being Bella Poarch — despite the platform being chock full of trends originated by Black creators,” the outlet writes. “The issue is how we are indoctrinated to value Black labor,” Conscious Lee, a Black content creator/educator, tells Yahoo Life. “There’s an issue with fungibility of Black people’s labor throughout the Western world and social media created a new realm within our reality to make it worse.” According to Zillow’s latest Consumer Housing Trends Report, Black and Latino renters typically pay more in security deposits and application fees than white applicants. The typical white renter pays $35 in application fees, while Black, Latinx, and Asian renters all reported paying a minimum of $50 on application fees. Chance the Rapper appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night to perform his new song “Child of God.” Chance showcased the evocative track seated in front of the companion painting by global artist and collaborator Naila Opiangah. The new project explores the relationship between music, cinema, and contemporary art redefining the concept of ‘album art.’ Prior to the performance, Chance sat down with host Stephen Colbert to discuss his collaboration with Opiangah, who he met while visiting Ghana. Click HERE for the interview and HERE to watch the performance. Chance the Rapper appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night to perform his new song “Child of God.” Chance showcased the evocative track seated in front of the companion painting by global artist and collaborator Naila Opiangah. The new project explores the relationship between music, cinema, and contemporary art redefining the concept of ‘album art.’ Prior to the performance, Chance sat down with host Stephen Colbert to discuss his collaboration with Opiangah, who he met while visiting Ghana. Click HERE for the interview and HERE to watch the performance. https://youtu.be/13qwuPdE6DA All-new episodes of TV One’s original docu-series, UNSUNG Presents: The Decades and UNCENSORED, are back this Sunday, April 17. UNSUNG: The Decades leads with the influential music from the 90s at 9 p.m. ET/8C, followed by UNCENSORED, which features gospel music pioneer, Erica Campbell, at 10 p.m. ET/9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnFUqf4X1Cs After a twenty year break from CCM radio airplay…to have an artist hit Top 5 at radio, accumulate close to 50 million audio streams, win 5 Dove Awards, and receive 3 GRAMMY nominations is nothing short of extraordinary. The biggest question we’ve been getting asked lately is, “what’s next for CeCe Winans?” Well we’re glad you asked…“‘I’ve Got Joy’ is a powerful song written by Phil Wickham and Kyle Lee with a message everyone needs to hear – that we’ve got joy! As believers, we have that joy that surpasses all understanding – that unspeakable joy – the joy of the Lord as our strength. The only reason we can have that joy in the midst of sorrow is because we have Jesus. It’s the joy of Jesus that shines bright within us. In our darkest hour, we can rejoice because of Jesus. Because of what He accomplished on the cross, I’ve got joy now and I’ll have joy forever.” -CeCe Winans. Fair Trade and CeCe Winans are excited to present “I’ve Got Joy” – impacting May 13! ”The cross , you did not have to do it…but I’m grateful that you did.” These words express the theme of "Grateful," new music from Gospels leading gentleman Earnest Pugh as he offers praise to God for Calvary, “Grateful” is the 3rd Single from the “The Outpour Experience” project released in 2000. Recorded LIVE in Richmond, VA and Produced by two award winning producers: Michael Bereal and Keith Williams. A noteworthy accomplishment: The first two singles: “God Wants To Heal You" (2021) and “Thank You So Much” (2022) reached #1 on Billboard Gospel Airplay and Mediabase charts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u21qBkJf-YY Actress/singer Amber Riley has called off her engagement to Desean Black. During an appearance on the Nice & Neat podcast, Amber dropped a bombshell about her relationship status. “I am a single Black female. I am, but I’m not a crazy one like in the movie,” she responded when asked about her love life, The YBF reports. In December 2020, the “Glee” alum revealed her engagement to Black, but things have since cooled off. Riley said their breakup was “amicable”. “I’m recently single,” she said, adding “I wish him the best. I don’t have anything horrible or bad to say.” Riley went on to note that she has “learned lessons from every relationship I was in and I thank them and leave them with love and light.” https://youtu.be/05yDdVtGOIw Vice President Kamala Harris has often spoken in personal terms about the impact of medical debt; having witnessed firsthand the burden it imposes during her mother’s battle with cancer. In keeping with her advocacy around medical debt, Vice President Kamala Harris convened several senior officials at the White House on Monday to announce steps the Biden-Harris administration is taking to alleviate the burden of medical debt on American families. The steps range from reducing the impact of medical debt in the calculation of creditworthiness, to helping veterans get access to medical debt forgiveness, and more. https://youtu.be/t7H-37NVtSM The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans will hold its ninth meeting this week on April 13 and April 14 at Third Baptist Church in San Francisco. On both days, sessions begin at 9 a.m. During the meeting, the task force plans to discuss the challenges some members say the committee has been having with communications organizations it has hired to develop public information campaigns and handle public relations. The firms — the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA); Young Communications Group, a Los Angeles-based PR firm; and A/B Partners, a national social impact firm — are contracted to work with the task force through the California Department of Justice. https://youtu.be/cKNPYrngKX4 Rihanna opens up about her pregnancy in Vogue‘s May cover story. The singer and beauty mogul is expecting her first child with boyfriend A$AP Rocky, and she previously shared that she intends to be an overprotective mom to her child. Now RiRi is sharing her pregnancy cravings, which include tangerines sprinkled with salt, something commonly eaten in her home country of Barbados. “It has to be with salt and only with salt, because in Barbados we take our fruits to the ocean and soak them,” she told Vogue. “Trust me, it really is a thing.” https://www.instagram.com/badgalriri/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=90628ccf-4b46-4802-95cf-a83ce8a12cae Will Smith’s longtime pal and music collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff speaks out about the controversial Oscars slap on March 27. As you know, Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards last month over a joke the comedian made about Jada Pinkett’s Smith’s bald head. “Don’t get it twisted that it was something he was proud of. It was a lapse in judgment, you know?” said Jazzy Jeff, 57, during a Closed Sessions Legend Conversation at Dorian’s Through the Record Shop in Chicago last week, New York Post reports. “I think the thing that I’ve realized is I don’t know too many people that has had the least amount of lapse of judgment than him,” he continued. “I can name 50 times that [Smith] should’ve smacked the s – – t out of somebody and he didn’t,” Jeff continued. “So for him to have a lapse in judgment, he’s human. And I think a lot of the criticism comes from the people who don’t think people like that are human.”https://www.instagram.com/p/CcFtuympfq8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Today, TV One Networks announced its comprehensive slate of programming across linear and digital networks at the 2022 virtual Upfront presentation. The presentation was led by Michelle Rice, President, TV One and CLEO TV, Susan Henry, Executive Producer in Charge of Production and Senior Director, Original Programming and Production, and Walter Evans, Vice President, Advertising Sales and Marketing. Executives were joined by network talent including Grammy-winning artist Ne-Yo (URBAN ONE HONORS), Jake and Jazz Smollett (LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ), Taste Award winner Chef Jernard Wells (NEW SOUL KITCHEN) and Taste Award winner Chef Bren Herrera (CULTURE KITCHEN). Cam Newton is probably not in the best position to be telling anyone they need to know when to be quiet. And yet, here he is showing the world that he has learned nothing from the time he got dragged and lost endorsements over sexist remarks he made to a female reporter in 2017. Now, in 2022, Newton is out here denigrating women—who he essentially says are not women, but “bad b*****”—who “can’t cook,” and “don’t know when to be quiet.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1513556750657589254 A male train passenger put on a gas mask, deployed a gas canister and then opened fire, shooting 10 commuters as a Manhattan-bound subway train headed into a station in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday morning, authorities said. Five of the 10 people shot are in critical but stable condition and six others were injured in the attack during the morning rush, FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh said. None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening, NYPD commissioner Keechant Sewell said. https://youtu.be/BL4G82gm0Bw A Kentucky police officer is being sued for running over a Black man accused of trespassing at a hotel. The suit says Officer Justin Skaggs used excessive force and violated the civil rights of Anthony Gray, Black Enterprise reports. Last September, Radcliff, Kentucky police were called on Gray, 32, after he was accused of trespassing on the property of the Gold Vault Inn and refused to leave. When the police arrived, Gray reportedly tried to flee and Skaggs used “his vehicle to run over Anthony Gray, an unarmed Black man, who was suspected only of a violation punishable by a simple fine,” read the federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court, WDRB reports. Gray‘s attorney, Aaron Bentley, said his client suffered a shattered left tibia and other injuries, according to the Courier-Journal. The suit says Officer Justin Skaggs used excessive force and violated the civil rights of Anthony Gray, Black Enterprise reports. Last September, Radcliff, Kentucky police were called on Gray, 32, after he was accused of trespassing on the property of the Gold Vault Inn and refused to leave. When the police arrived, Gray reportedly tried to flee and Skaggs used “his vehicle to run over Anthony Gray, an unarmed Black man, who was suspected only of a violation punishable by a simple fine,” read the federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court, WDRB reports. Gray‘s attorney, Aaron Bentley, said his client suffered a shattered left tibia and other injuries, according to the Courier-Journal. The family of Christian Tobechukwu “Toby” Obumseli speaks about the hateful and vile tweets he wrote about Black American women which surfaced following his death. Nigerian-born Obumseli was fatally stabbed by his white girlfriend inside their luxury high-rise apartment in Miami in what authorities described as a domestic dispute.? Obumseli was pronounced dead after being rushed to a local hospital.? His girlfriend, OnlyFans model and Instagram influencer Courtney Clenney, 25, was detained after the fatal stabbing, and while at the police station, threatened to kill herself.? She was briefly hospitalized before being released on bail less than a week after her arrest in connection to the killing. As reported by MadameNoire, Clenney was spotted at the Grand Beach Hotel in Miami on April 8, having a drink, just days after she was released from suicide watch. Now the victim’s family speaking out about her white privilege while condemning Obumseli’s hatred for Black American women. https://youtu.be/oi606IgaDnE A pregnant woman who was found shot to death inside her car last week in southwest Houston has been identified, according to police. 27-year-old Amber Butler was found unresponsive in her Chevrolet Malibu on Friday morning. What makes the story even more heartbreaking is that Butler was just days from giving birth to her second son, according to her aunt, Phyllis Brown. Brown says the family has never experienced anything like this and is too upset to talk on camera right now, reports ABC13. Brown also said Butler was a college student and a mother of a 5-year-old boy who was anxiously awaiting the birth of another boy. Vladimir Putin today warned his enemies in the West they will face ‘consequences’ if they ‘worsen the situation’ in Ukraine, as the Russian strongman threatened to create ‘waves of migrants’ in Europe. Putin, speaking in front of dozens of rockets at the Vostochny space launch facility in Russia’s Far East, insisted that his faltering invasion of Ukraine would prevail as he warned of world starvation as a result of Western sanctions against Moscow. The Russian President claimed Russia’s economy and financial system withstood the blow from what he called the Western sanctions ‘blitz’ and insisted the move would backfire by driving up prices for essentials such as fertilizer, leading to food shortages and increased migration to the West. Despite Putin’s faltering invasion, which saw Russian troops retreat from Ukrainian cities and instead focus on the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, the leader said his war effort is going to plan as he vowed Russia would triumph in all of its ‘noble’ war aims. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey Friday signed two bills targeting transgender youth, setting up the state for at least one round of lawsuits. Ivey signed SB 184, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, which would subject doctors to 10 years in prison for providing puberty blockers and hormones to transgender youth. Ivey also signed HB 322, sponsored by Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, which forces transgender children to use bathrooms of their birth sex and bans discussions of “sexual orientation or gender identity” in kindergarten through fifth grade that is “not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate.” “There are very real challenges facing our young people, especially with today’s societal pressures and modern culture,” Ivey said in a statement. “I believe very strongly that if the Good Lord made you a boy, you are a boy, and if he made you a girl, you are a girl.” The Walt Disney Company will soon be airing an ad on all of its channels featuring the mother of a trans-identified child lambasting supporters of bills banning genital mutilation surgeries for children and the teaching of LGBT ideology in schools. The mother accuses these Americans of trying to “tear our families apart.” The LGBT advocacy organization GLAAD released the public service announcement called “Protect Our Families” last week. The 60-second ad profiles the Briggle family, which includes Amber Briggle along with her husband and her two children. The ad focuses on her trans-identified daughter, who now identifies as a boy and goes by the name Max. https://youtu.be/xbad3efCic8 Beloved comedian Gilbert Godfried has passed away. He was 67. Gottfried’s family confirmed his death in a statement on Twitter. “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor.” Although Gottfried’s family said the comedian died of a “long illness,” the exact cause of death has not been made immediately clear. It was reported in 2020 that Gottfried had heart issues, according to TMZ.Gottfried kicked off his comedy career in the 1970s as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” He also became a standout character on “The Cosby Show” and “Beverly Hills Cop II.” Gottfried is also the voice of the Aflac duck and Iago in Aladdin. Lizzo is back at it — showing her bare essentials and this time she’s doing it to promote her new shapewear line called Yitty. The singer shared a clip on social media in which she is seen wearing a revealing two-piece in black from her garments collection. Per PEOPLE, the barely-there outfit features “a classic bra top and high-waisted leggings with both hip and derrière cut-outs.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CcL0O6shkfU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In the wake of this recent divorce from actress Meagan Good, Hollywood producer and bestselling author DeVon Franklin is offering a personal twist on the African proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child” — It Takes a Woman. In this riveting and soul-stirring Audible Original, Franklin’s first audio-only memoir, he introduces us to the women who raised him: a “village of love” that selflessly came together to shape DeVon into the man he is today. It Takes A Woman is available on Thursday, April 21 at Audible.com. For the first time publicly, Franklin and his family discuss the aftermath of his father’s untimely death and the despair that could have destroyed their future. It Takes a Woman offers listeners an emotional journey of tragedy, triumph, and healing as Franklin, his mother, and his five living great-aunts recall how the women heeded the call to help raise him and his two brothers. The candid conversation—covering everything from marriage, death, divorce, and regret to colorfully frank advice about dating, sex, and money—uncovers old wounds that are still fresh and pain that is still piercing, as well as a family bond that is unbreakable. Veteran actress Nia Long is speaking out about being “ageless” in youth-obsessed Hollywood. “…there’s so much pressure in this industry to stay beautiful and to stay young. And I’m really not interested in leaning into this idea of perfection,” Long, 51, says in an interview with PEOPLE. “I am a proud 51, and eventually I’m going to age in a way where it’s obvious and I want it to happen beautifully and gracefully. I don’t really want the pressure of feeling like I have to be beautiful and perfect because I think beauty comes at any age,” she said. https://www.instagram.com/iamnialong/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c334e85c-cc9d-4f72-b747-03c354c0dde9 After two years of virtual worship services due to the Covid-19 pandemic, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is reopening its doors on Good Friday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. with internationally renowned faith leader and best-selling author Bishop T.D. Jakes and award-winning gospel artist John P. Kee. New Birth's reopening activities, called 'The Return', will culminate on Resurrection Sunday, April 17, with Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant and celebrated gospel artist VaShawn Mitchell beginning at 9:30 a.m. All planned events will take place at New Birth, located at 6400 Woodrow Rd in Stonecrest. "We are beyond thrilled to return to in-person worship services, to re-engage with our congregation and to welcome visitors who are thirsty for an extraordinary encounter with the Lord," said Dr. Bryant. "Bishop T.D. Jakes is a global force and one of the most prolific voices in ministry. We are truly blessed to have him join us for our Good Friday service with the legendary John P. Kee. We are equally excited that gospel sensation VaShawn Mitchell will join us as our guest psalmist on Resurrection Sunday." Gospel’s “Prince of Praise”, Byron Cage scores his second #1 single with the smash hit, “You Are” on Gospel Airplay Billboard and Mediabase! This is the second single from his most recent album, Isolation, to reach #1 status and fourth for his career overall (preceded by “The Presence of the Lord is Here”, “I Will Bless the Lord” and “I Can’t Give Up”). Cage has been in the gospel music industry for over thirty years, and we can see there’s no slowing him down! When asked of this amazing accomplishment, Cage says, “I am so grateful that God still allows me to put life changing music into the earth. ‘You Are’ is a passionate song reminding us that everything we stand in need of, ‘You Are’.” He continues, “I would also like to thank the entire team that has worked this project. Thank you Eboni Funderburk for all of your hard work on this along with Tommy Couch, the entire Malaco team, and my manager, David Robinson, for your unwavering support. None of this would be possible without you. I'm also so grateful to the song's producer Dontaniel Jamel Kimbrough for Keyemup Music and the writers Clarence Singleton, Eric Davis, and Damon Whitehurst for creating such an anointed song that is ministering to the hearts of people around the world. You all are the best!” CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Decor Remixed, continues tomorrow night, April 13 at 9 p.m./8C. Hosted by interior designer Dominique Calhoun, the hot new show shines a spotlight on the art of decorating and transforming dull spaces into new, fresh and innovative environments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16xPOSsfsn8&feature=youtu.be CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Global Gourmet, is back on April 13 at 9:30 p.m./8:30C. Hosted by the renowned Chef Essie Bartels, the show highlights the joys of delicious food and stories of wanderlust travel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msokYJ8duto The 2022 Proud Family revival is louder & prouder thanks to an all-star cast and numerous celebrity guest appearances. This Wednesday (April 13) Tina Knowles will make her debut as a no-nonsense beautician named “Ms. Gina,” who will style Penny Proud’s frenemy, LaCienega’s for her quinceañera. https://youtu.be/VbUD08lzLHY Michael Jackson’s estate has revealed that the outfit the late singer wore in the “Bad” music video is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. In a recent accounting document, the estate noted that Jackson continues to bring in “in excess” of two billion, money that provides for his three children, and his mother. “Michael Jackson provided the sole financial support for his children and was Mrs. Jackson’s primary source of support. The Executors have endeavored to continue to meet the financial needs of Mrs. Jackson and the children. The Executors have done so through a family allowance for Mrs. Jackson and the children as well as various other means,” the document states, according to the report. It continues, “Mrs. Jackson resided in the Estate’s real property on Hayvenhurst Avenue in Encino, California (“Hayvenhurst”) for more than thirty years. At the time of Michael Jackson’s death, the mortgage on Hayvenhurst was in default. The Executors paid the mortgage in full. The Executors made and continue to make from time to time necessary repairs and improvements to Hayvenhurst to address maintenance and other issues. The Executors have continued to provide for the maintenance of Hayvenhurst, including estate management, security, and staff.” https://youtu.be/Sd4SJVsTulc Walmart tycoon Rob Walton is expected to outbid billionaire Robert F. Smith to buy the Denver Broncos. According to Forbes, Walton, 77, is worth more than $70 billion. He is expected to submit a bid worth more than $4 billion on Friday. Per the New York Post, the bid is “the highest price ever paid for a professional sports team, according to sources close to the situation.” Meanwhile, private-equity tycoon Robert F. Smith — the nation’s richest African American — could potentially become the NFL’s first Black team owner as he has reportedly expressed interest in acquiring the team. It’s unclear, however, if he will submit an offer to buy to Broncos. Former Source owner Benzino was arrested for punching the truck of the man who went on a date with his ex/baby mama. Bodycam footage has surfaced showing the “Love And Hip Hop” star being arrested this weekend for taking his frustration out on the truck of Althea Hart’s new man. https://youtu.be/Mzs7N9i0Ans Reality star Amara La Negra gave birth to premature twin girls in March, and she reportedly left the hospital over the weekend without her babies. As reported by SandaRose, the “Love & Hip-Hop: Miami” star, born Diana Danelys De Los Santos, explained in a now-deleted Instagram livestream why her newborns have to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit for a few more days. The singer reportedly named her babies YourMajesty in Spanish (SuMajestad) and YourHighness (SuAlteza). La Negra previously suffered a miscarriage. She announced in November that she was expecting again with her Dominican business partner Allan Mueses. The pair are reportedly no longer a couple but plan to co-parent their twins. https://www.instagram.com/lasroyaltwins/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bd763e2d-f1c0-4581-88d1-56dca1dfff6a This episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast features Lorraine Lionheart, a singer and songwriter heating up the global music scene. Hailing from Botswana in Southern Africa and based in the UK, she boasts a sound that fuses traditional African music with contemporary Afropop. The sexy singer already has four independent albums and several singles under her belt that explore a new-ish African beat called amapiano. https://youtu.be/ZGYbCuJRugs The Biden Administration has quietly tapped a ‘racial equity czar’ to work in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, charged with carrying out the agenda laid out in one of President Joe Biden’s first executive orders. Adjoa B. Asamoah is HUD’s first ever senior adviser for racial equity and currently the only Black woman in federal government whose role is advising a Cabinet secretary, in this case HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, on how public policy contributes to structural inequity and how to mitigate those impacts. News of her appointment comes on the 54th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Fair Housing Act into law. The appointment comes at a crucial political moment for the Biden Administration, which needs Democrats to maintain control of Congress in this year’s midterm elections in order to continue pursuing its agenda. New York City Mayor Eric Adams tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, according to a statement from a spokesperson. “This morning, Mayor Adams woke up with a raspy voice and, out of an abundance of caution, took a PCR test that has now come back positive,” press secretary Fabien Levy said in the statement Sunday. “At this time, the mayor has no other symptoms, but he is already isolating and will be canceling all public events for the remainder of the week,” the statement said. “He is also going to immediately begin taking the anti-viral medications offered for free to New York City residents and encourages all New Yorkers eligible for these medications to take them as well.” https://youtu.be/SaN5i0Ie5FM A Republican official in Virginia refuses to resign after his racist social media posts surfaced. The Republican Party of Hampton, Virginia is calling on Hampton Electoral Board Chair David Dietrich to resign after his Facebook post surfaced in which he used the N-word and suggested “lynching” several “vile and racist” Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C., including secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, MSN reports. Dietrich condemned Austin for wanting to weed out white nationalists in the military, calling his efforts a ploy “to remove conservative, freedom-loving Americans from the roles.” He described Austin and other Democratic leaders as “stinking” N-words. The death of Patrick Lyoya, a Black man killed by a white police officer during a traffic stop in Grand Rapids, has drawn national civil rights attorney Ben Crump’s attention. “Justice for Patrick!” shouted Crump, holding a clinched fist high in the air, inside the Renaissance Church of God in Christ in the Family Life Center in Grand Rapids. “Justice for Patrick!” the packed crowd responded. Crump — who has represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Trayvon Martin — was one of half a dozen speakers to take part in a community conversation forum Sunday, April 10, at the Grand Rapids church. The forum, organized by Kent County Commission Robert Womack, featured Black clergyman from all over Grand Rapids and other Black community leaders. Womack reached out to Crump the days following Lyoya’s death and shared the news. “This is about a broken-hearted family,” Crump said, standing side-by-side with members of Lyoya’s family. “A broken-hearted Black family, who yet again has lost a loved one unjustly at the hands of the individual who was supposed to protect her son.” https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/sync/C4D27AQG6__eN6b43GQ/articleshare-shrink_800/0/1649720941855?e=1649811600&v=beta&t=dIFSNXt10wa0Cpnpj7xlSuA-wZuWAKM-pTEPB1fZ7ro April 11 – 17 is Black Maternal Health Week, a campaign founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance to create awareness and inspire activism around issues related to maternal health and reproductive justice for Black mothers. These issues are more important than ever as Black women continue to die at disproportionate rates during childbirth. Now Tufts University in Boston, MA, has launched a pioneering new initiative dedicated to helping find solutions that lead to positive outcomes for Black mothers. “The country is in a crisis around maternal health,” says Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha, the Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health at Tufts University School of Medicine. “The majority of Black maternal deaths are completely preventable.” Amutah-Onukagha, an associate professor and assistant dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, will lead the new Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice (CBMHRJ) at Tufts University. “The opportunity to create and launch a national Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice at this critical time will not only honor the work around maternal health equity but also position Tufts as a leader in this field,” she says. “The vision of the center is to protect the Black birthing experience by advocating for quality, equitable, and respectful care in childbirth.” The 30th Anniversary Bounce Trumpet Awards will feature a tribute to The Warriors of Justice honoring those institutions and their leaders who have been on the front lines fighting for social, political, legal, educational, and economic equality for people of color. The group includes: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Founder/President - Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Derrick Johnson, President/CEO – NAACP, Marc Morial, President/CEO, National Urban League and Dr. Charles Steele, Jr. President/CEO - Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) The event will also feature appearances from Honorees, including Courtney B. Vance, Senator Raphael Warnock, Stan Lathan, Princess Sarah Culberson, Senator Jon Ossoff, and Zaila Avant-Garde. Presenters and special tributes will includes Tamron Hall, Xerona Clayton, Caroline Wanga, Wendell Pierce, Sanaa Lathan, and more. Special musical performances by Dru Hill, Mary Mary, Tank, PJ Morton, Avery Wilson, and more. The 30th Anniversary Bounce Trumpet Awards will take place on April 23, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and will air on Juneteenth, Sunday, June 19, at 7 p.m. ET. Produced by Magic Lemonade Production Company, the gala event will be televised on Bounce, the nation’s popular entertainment television network serving African Americans. TV One announced today that filming for its Marvin Sapp biopic is underway. Chaz Lamar Shepherd (“Marvel’s Luke Cage” “The Game”) will take on the lead role as Marvin Sapp. Joining Shepherd is Ambre Anderson (“Power Book II” “Manifest Evil”) who is cast as Sapp’s wife, MaLinda Prince Sapp. The film is scheduled for an August 21 release on TV One. “It is an honor to tell Marvin Sapp’s life story,” said TV One’s Executive Producer Jason Ryan. “His vast contributions to gospel and American music are undeniable. We know this film will resonate with our viewers.” An all-new episode of TV One’s True Crime Mondays is back tonight! This week's episode of FATAL ATTRACTION unpacks a young woman's unfortunate demise when she is found dead in a car. Watch the story unfold at 9 p.m. ET/8C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WADxK2_2JBI David E. Johnson, Jr. is a singer, songwriter, and actor born and raised in Memphis, TN. David entered Gospel music as a new artist last year with the release of his Go-go Gospel single, "Shake Em Off" and official music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW4buW93YNc Jesse Williams has had his monthly child support payments drastically reduced. A court ruled that the former “Grey’s Anatomy” star would no longer have to pay his ex-wife, Aryn Drake-Lee, $6,413 a month instead of the $40,000 he was paying monthly in child support payments, Entertainment Tonight reports. The new payment arrangement is due to changes in his finances. Williams can pay half on the first of the month, and the other half on the 15th, and will continue until further court order. Last month, Williams explained in court documents obtained by Radar Online that his income from January 2021 to November 2021 was reduced to $660k. He is currently starring in a Broadway play Take Me Out and claims he makes only $1,668 from the show. He asked the courts in Los Angeles to reduce his child support payments, which his ex is fighting against. The actor is no longer pulling in a six-to-seven figure income following his exit from “Greys Anatomy,” and Aryan allegedly has no interest in getting a job. Chris Rock served up a stand-up show at the Fantasy Springs Resort-Casino in California on Friday, where he briefly touched on getting slapped by Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars. “I’m OK, I have a whole show and I’m not talking about that until I get paid. Life is good. I got my hearing back,” Rock joked, per Deadline. Rock also discussed the incident days prior during a comedy club performance in Boston. “How was your weekend?” he started his set. “I don’t have a bunch of shit about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I’m still kind of processing what happened. So, at some point I’ll talk about that shit. And it will be serious and funny.” Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are engaged — again, and the singer/actress shared a video on social media of her engagement ring. Lopez shared a video of her green engagement ring in her newsletter “On the JLo.” “So this happened. Love you @jlo @ben affleck,” her sister Lynda Lopez captioned photos from the video on her Instagram Stories. Ben and Jen met in 2001 on the set of the romantic comedy “Gigli”. The film flopped, and Affleck told Entertainment Weekly in January that he didn’t regret working on the project because he “did get to meet Jennifer, the relationship with whom has been really meaningful to me in my life.” Jen’s engagement ring, a green stone set on a silver band, has a special meaning to her. “I always say the color green is my lucky color,” Lopez, 52, previously wrote about the iconic Versace gown she wore to the 2000 Grammys. “Maybe you can remember a certain green dress.” “I’ve realized there are many moments in my life where amazing things happened when I was wearing green,” she continued. A white Stanford educator has been nicknamed “Professor Karen” after threatening to call the police on a Black UC Berkeley teacher who shared her home address online. The man also shared her $5,000 hourly consultation rate in a Twitter post, and now claims her reaction to his antics was racially motivated. The Stanford professor, Jo Boaler, has been sparring with Jelani Nelson — a computer science professor at UC Berkeley — over how to teach math to California’s K-12 students. According to numerous reports, Boaler, 58, is catching heat from Nelson over her support of a potential new math program in California’s schools. The “Fantastic Beasts” franchise is back, with its latest addition, “The Secrets of Dumbledore,” and fans can expect a lot more adventure, fun, and magic! In the new film, Jessica Williams reprises her role as Eulalie Hicks/Professor Lally Hicks who she said has an even bigger role this time around. “In “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” the second film, Lally is in it for one second,” said Williams. “That took me like an hour to film. That was a few years ago and in this movie, I’m in it for the entirety of the film, so that took like seven months. You really learn a lot about Professor Hicks. She’s really brilliant, she’s really formidable, she’s really confident and you get to see that in this film. https://youtu.be/Y9dr2zw-TXQ Cynthia Erivo stars in episode four of “Roar.” She portrays a wife, mother, and career woman. Her episode tells the story of a woman who has it all and does it all with a suspenseful twist. Erivo taks about her reaction to her character and the way this story was told. “What drew me to the series is it allows people to see the differences and complexities of the lives different women live,” said Erivo. “In this particular episode, I thought it was really well done. And that it physicalized something many women feel and experience.” Erivo’s character begins to feel the pressure of trying to be a successful career woman and a good mom to her daughter. Trying to be everything to everyone. That pressure can make anyone feel as if they’re being swallowed whole. Her character randomly begins to experience mysterious bites on her body. As if she doesn’t have enough to worry about now she has to focus on what’s going on with her body and why. Many times women often neglect themselves in the process of taking care of their loved ones. The cause of the bites will shock you! Tune into “Roar” on April 15th on Apple TV. When Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor died by suicide in November, her mother alleged that the 10-year-old Black and autistic student at Foxboro Elementary in Farmington, Utah, had been bullied because of her race and disability. When Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor died by suicide in November, her mother alleged that the 10-year-old Black and autistic student at Foxboro Elementary in Farmington, Utah, had been bullied because of her race and disability. https://youtu.be/bZJIUUBfa2U Legendary “Ad Man” Jo Muse of Muse Communications will be inducted into the 71st American Advertising Hall of Fame. The live annual gala and award ceremony is Tuesday, April 26, 2022, in New York City. Because of Covid, the ceremony for the Class of 2020 was delayed. This story has a lot of local flavor. Jo Muse has been creating ad literary magic in the LA area for decades. His learning disability also didn’t stop him from pursuing his dream. Jo crafted a company that has worked with some of the biggest fortune 500 companies in the country. This is an inspirational feel-good story. The award is just a small part of the story. “New Hollywood is a place where you don’t have to have to act, you can just be yourself,” shares Reach Records artist, WHATUPRG, about his forthcoming album of the same name! His trademark combination of Latin rhythms, trap music, flawless lyricism, and captivating storytelling has enshrined him as an artistic elite amongst his peers. With his second album, New Hollywood, releasing shortly, WHATUPRG is emerging from the Christian music scene and onto the world stage. Through his new song and video, “KIDS,” he sends a message on the behalf of the unaccompanied migrant children being kept in cramped government detention facilities on the US southern border with Mexico at the time of the song's recording. "I want them to be released from physical captivity and I want all kids freed from the expectations that they be anything other than themselves." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4bjW2t3enw Hip-hop veteran Master P has called out the fake love showered on the late Nipsey Hussle, as the rapper was under-appreciated while alive. Speaking to HipHopDX, Master P said many rap fans don’t appreciate an artist until it’s too late. “I just think in our culture, it just natural that people just self-hate,” he told the outlet via Zoom. “They don’t want to see somebody else make it until they gone. You don’t want to tell somebody they great while they alive. That’s the thing that I just couldn’t understand about Nipsey is that he was talented.” Nipsey was murdered by a known gang member in Los Angeles in 2019 outside his Marathon Clothing store in South LA. Master P had a close friendship with the LA artist. He recalled how Nipsey worked hard on his 2018 debut album, Victory Lap, only to have it seemingly ignored by the rap community. “He put the same record that sold millions of copies only sold 50,000 when he was alive and he couldn’t get it,” Master P said. “He was like, ‘Man, I put my all into this project.’ He was like, ‘Boss, I did it. This is it.’ And then when it didn’t happen, and just watching the people, this guy don’t know that his funeral was at the Staples Center. He didn’t know that he had that type of love. Let’s be honest, he was still in Inglewood and Crenshaw trying to figure it out […] People would tell him, ‘Well, I don’t think that you got it.’ What happened? I mean, it’s the same album. The same album that people love now. That’s the part that I don’t understand. That’s why we got to celebrate us while we here. Stop it with the fake love.” ESPN’s Malika Andrews and WNBA player turned analyst Chiney Ogwumike are speaking out about representation in professional basketball news. “We know that every time we step in front of a camera, we’re not just doing it for ourselves,” explains Ogwumike, 30, who co-hosts the daily ESPN show NBA Today with Andrews, in the March/April 2022 issue of Essence. “We’re doing it for the next generation that looks like us, who grew up not seeing those faces, and now they know they can do this, too.” As two fearless Black women, Andrews and Ogwumike bring a unique and rarely seen voice to major sports. “Representation matters,” Andrews, 27, says. “Diversity of roles for women is just as important as diversity as a whole.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1512166835038392334 Comedian Lauren Knight says there’s no bad blood between herself and rapper T.I. after he was recorded going off on her during a comedy show in Atlanta last week. Knight brought up the sexual assault allegations made against the rapper and his wife Tiny during her routine at a comedy club. “As many times as you joke on that shit n*gga, I’m gon check yo mother f*ckin ass as long as it takes,” T.I. (a would-be-comedian himself) told the on-stage comedian. “When you stop playing with me and mine, Ima stop saying something,” he continued speaking on the mic. “There ain’t no mother f*cking case. Ain’t never been no mother f*cking case. I ain’t did nothing wrong and my wife ain’t did nothing wrong. And if you keep on playing wit me n*gga, I’m going to continue to confront (you) publicly– verbally,” he said. “First of all, I think he overreacted,” Knight told TMZ, noting that “the beef is squashed” between them. “This is just about good comedy etiquette—if you’re a comedian you already know what we do is difficult,” she added. “So coming to a show as a comic, which he is, he’s already famous as a rapper. But you’re here as a comedian and heckling me, it’s just bad comedy etiquette… I mean look, everybody laughs at every Bill Cosby joke, every R. Kelly joke, all those jokes as long as they’re being told by men.” https://youtu.be/nKaphKwHo5o Before launching his infamous Death Row Records, Suge Knight worked as Bobby Brown’s bodyguard during the late 1980’s. According to I Love Old School Music, Bobby once had a hit placed on him and Suge stepped up to save the day. In an interview with Vlad TV, ex-LAPD officer Reggie White Jr. explained how Bobby’s non-payment of hefty cocaine purchase prompted a drug dealer to turn to some local gangster's to deal with the artist. https://youtu.be/1gDmB6foM2I The personal care and beauty industry is a trillion-dollar business, one that has many of us hooked on products that keep our hair, nails and skin on point. But while we’re spending a lot of money to look and feel our best, some of our favorite products may be doing much more harm than good. A new documentary is coming to HBO MAX, which explores some of the hidden dangers found in some of the everyday personal care products many of us use. Not So Pretty is a four-part series directed by Academy-award nominated filmmakers, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering. Actress Keke Palmer narrates each 30-minute episode that puts the $140 billion-dollar global skincare market on blast. https://youtu.be/cDcs6N44Aok Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Tomlin announced that the “Good Friday Nashville” concert will return to Bridgestone Arena on April 15. The event, which began in 2017, had to be postponed for the last two years due to the global pandemic. “After two years of having to worship together virtually due to COVID, I am so excited to be coming back to Bridgestone Arena, live and in person, for Good Friday Nashville,” Tomlin shared in a press release. “What an incredible opportunity to gather again as a church and as a local community to remember the hope we have in Jesus because of His sacrifice on the cross.” Good Friday Nashville benefits the non-profit foundation For Others which was established by Tomlin and his wife Lauren. The organization aims to raise awareness about the thousands of American children and youth involved in the foster care system. It’s over for Billy Ray Cyrus and wife Tish — again. The country singer, 60, and Tish, 54, are divorcing after more than 28 years of marriage, marking the third time they have gone their separate ways. Tish filed for divorce in Williamson County, Tennessee on Wednesday, citing “irreconcilable differences,” according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. She also said that the couple have not lived together in more than two years. Reps for the pair did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. TMZ was first to report the news. The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer and Tish married in 1993, and share five children: daughters Miley, 29, Noah, 22, and Brandi, 34, and sons Trace, 33, and Braison, 27. Dolly Parton has revealed one of the secrets to her longtime success, confirming that she starts her day at 3 AM. The 76-year-old musician and businesswoman was promoting her new line of Southern deserts with Duncan Hines in a new interview with Insider. She not only revealed that her work day starts at 3 AM, but she also insists that’s when she does some of her best work. ‘I don’t need a whole lot of sleep. I go to bed pretty early, but even if I’ve been up late — it’s just kind of like a little clock inside of me that says “It’s 3 o’clock!”‘ she said. ‘I do some of my best work there, but I get enough sleep. I don’t require as much sleep as a lot of other people do, that’s kind of a Parton family trait,’ she added. The country music legend added that her early rising traits were passed down from her father, Robert Lee Parton. Scottie Scheffler looked like a Masters champion even before he slipped into his green jacket, the model of calm as he methodically worked his way around the most stressful course in major championship golf. Sunday morning was different. That turned out to be the toughest test he had all day. “I cried like a baby this morning. I was so stressed out. I didn’t know what to do,” Scheffler said after winning his first major. “I was sitting there telling [wife] Meredith, ‘I don’t think I’m ready for this’ … and I just felt overwhelmed.” And then he capped off his torrid two-month stretch with his grandest feat of all, leading the entire weekend and strolling to a 1-under 71 — with one lapse in concentration at the end when it didn’t matter — for a 3-shot victory over Rory McIlroy. Tiger Woods said Sunday he will go to St. Andrews in mid-July and play the British Open. It’s unclear if he’ll play anything before then — including the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in May and the US Open at Brookline in June. “I am looking forward to St. Andrews,” Woods said in his post-Masters interview with Sky Sports. “That is something that is near and dear to my heart. I’ve won two Opens there. It’s the home of golf. It’s my favorite golf course in the world. So, I will be there for that one. But anything in between that, I don’t know. I will try. There’s no doubt.” Woods won British Opens at St. Andrews in 2000 and 2005. He played when the Open was last there in 2015 but missed the cut by eight strokes. Gary Brown, who spent seven seasons as the Dallas Cowboys‘ running backs coach, died Sunday after being treated for cancer. He was 52. “Gary Brown had a big heart partnered with a big smile and a big personality. His energy and spirit were infectious,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “He lit up every room he walked into and touched the lives of those who knew him in such a positive way. Everyone who knew him, loved him. He meant so much to the players he coached and the coaches he coached with. “His love for his family, football and life was evident each day. He continued to fight, and he never gave up.” Brown was with the Cowboys from 2013 to 2019 and had three different running backs reach 1,000 yards, including DeMarco Murray, Darren McFadden and Ezekiel Elliott. Murray (2014) and Elliott (2016, 2018) won NFL rushing titles under Brown’s tutelage. “Great Father, Husband, Coach, and Mentor. Appreciate you and your family more than anything GB,” Murray tweeted. “Thank you for teaching me the way on the field and in life. Appreciate you Gary Brown.” After Seeing the Beautiful Picture of this Young Lady, Natalia Bryant, It Would Be Nice if Kobe Bryant Was Here to See his Beautiful Daughters Grow Up. Pray for his Wife and All of his Daughters: Kobe Bryant’s daughter Natalia stuns in a blue gown at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz’s star-studded wedding in Palm Beach. Not only did it not go well when he recently went at female comic Lauren Knight, but rapper and fledgling comedian T.I. ran into his first tough crowd during a performance at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn over the weekend at a comedy show featuring actual comedians who are really funny such as Eddie Griffin, Tony Roberts, Bruce Bruce, Michael Blackson, and Joe Torry. https://twitter.com/i/status/1512982344264826880 According to Tyre Sampson’s mother and brother, YK Osiris “didn’t pay a dime” for his funeral after telling the world he would, and allegedly blocked them! Nearly two weeks ago, the Jacksonville, Florida rapper/singer took to his Instagram and said, “If anybody knows his family, tell them to dm me because I want to pay for his funeral cost.” While it appeared that Osiris got in touch with the family, apparently that wasn’t the case as Tyre’s brother, known on social media as JRocc Jr., claimed they’ve yet to hear from him. A few hours after sharing photos from his brother’s burial, JRocc shared, “YkOsiri or whatever dude name is canceled. Used lil bro for pure clout. Didn’t pay a dime but told the world otherwise. Even posted a fake screenshot of a GoFundMe donation. Stop pretending you about giving back to the community just to get your sales up. Lame as hell.” Reposting his message, Tyre’s mother, Nekia Dodd, added, “And he blocked me on IG too??” On Saturday in St. Louis Family, friends and former teammates said goodbye to the teenager who was killed in March after falling to his death from a tower ride in Orlando, Florida. The homegoing service for 14-year-old Tyre Sampson was attended by hundreds and was held at Saint Louis University. “There’s a lot of love here,” Kelly Southhall, a family friend said. “There’s a lot of support. No mother should have to go through this.” Sampson stood 6’4, 325 pounds. He was on the path to greatness on the gridiron before this tragic accident cut his life short. His older cousin, Reggie Rice, said he will always carry Tyre in his heart. “He was always asking me: What I wanted to do when I got older; who did I want to be like,” Rice said. “I said, ‘I don’t know. Who do you want to be like? He said nobody. I just want to be myself.’” The only thing bigger than his stature was his larger-than-life personality A man allegedly carjacked a woman’s car in Atlanta with her 9-year-old son still inside on Monday morning, the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement. Officers spoke with Jerrica Moore, who said she’d parked near Ralph David Abernathy Blvd and got out of her car, leaving her keys and son inside. After leaving her car, a man “jumped into her vehicle and sped away from the location with her child still in the car,” the department said in a statement. Police were able to locate the vehicle with the 9-year-old boy inside using iPhone’s tracking abilities in real-time, police said. Once officers caught up to the stolen vehicle, they were able to arrest the suspect “without incident.” “Not all heroes wear capes. We thank all the officers and agencies involved in apprehending this suspect and getting this child to safety. We are happy to report the child and his mother have been reunited,” the APD said in a statement. https://youtu.be/5jzHi6Xs0Qc Body cam video of a police encounter in Illinois that left a man with severe facial injuries was recently released. Police say the video shows the officers were justified when they tased the man, but his mother believes there’s more to the story than they are letting on. Officers stopped Tahir Kelly while searching, they say, for armed offenders in a vehicle. Police say Kelly initially gave them a false name. The exchange that followed can be heard in the video. Officer: “Son, what’s your real name? Because now you’re working your way into something else.” Kelly: “My last name’s Kelly, but that is my date of birth…” Officer: “So you still lied. Your name is Benson or Kelly?” https://youtu.be/bUsQvYHTegY A Louisiana woman who thought she was experiencing stomach pains actually gave birth in her hotel room during a business trip. Victoya Venise started experiencing stomach pains during a business trip in Atlanta, Georgia. Initially, she assumed she caught a stomach bug from her four-year-old daughter and went to use the bathroom. Moments later, Venise realized she was in labor after seeing her son, Rocky, on the toilet and quickly called 911: ‘I found a towel and I wrapped him up. I was sitting on the toilet and I called my mom. I was like, “Mom, I just had the baby.” I was like “he fell in the toilet,”’ ‘She was like, “Call 911, call 911.”’ According to the news outlet, Venise gave birth on April Fool’s Day and considered putting him up for adoption but changed her mind. ‘I feel like the experience made me connected to him and made me want to keep him. So I’m going to keep him,’ she added. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcKG70LP43i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Police are investigating after a man was fatally stabbed at a Miami high-rise over the weekend in what officials are calling a domestic dispute. The incident happened Sunday night at the One Paraiso luxury building at 3131 Northeast 7th Avenue in Edgewater. Miami Police officials said officers responded to a report of a man stabbed at the building and found the 27-year-old victim, who was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said a woman was detained at the scene and later taken for a mental health evaluation. Her identity wasn’t released. Police haven’t released the victim’s name, but friends identified him as Christian Toby Obumseli. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi606IgaDnE Americans are not reading the Bible as regularly as they used to do. The American Bible Society has released a report indicating there has been an “unprecedented drop” in the number of Bible users in the United States. The report dubbed “The 2022 State of the Bible” was released earlier this week. It is the 12th annual report by the society. The survey that was conducted in January is based on responses from 2,598 U.S. adults. In its preface, the report has also highlighted gradual changes in the percentage of Bible users across the United States. According to the American Bible Society, Bible users are “those who use the Bible at least 3-4 times each year on their own, outside of a church setting.” The status of Bobbie Houston, the long-time co-pastor and co-founder of Hillsong, the troubled global megachurch based in Australia, is uncertain after the church’s board and her husband, the church’s former head pastor Brian Houston, traded feuding online messages this week. Brian Houston, who co-founded Hillsong with his wife in Australia in 1983, resigned from his position as global senior pastor on March 21, less than a week after the board released a statement revealing he had sent inappropriate text messages to a staff member and spent time in a woman’s hotel room. No formal announcement has been made regarding Bobbie Houston’s role with the church. In addition to her role as co-global senior pastor, Houston is also the founder and leader of Hillsong’s annual women’s gathering, Color Conference and the Color Sisterhood, a “global movement of women united around a mandate to make the world a better place,” according to the church’s website. On Friday (April 8), her husband posted a message on Instagram claiming his wife was being “made redundant” by Hillsong. The Instagram post included a screenshot of a text message exchange that appeared to be between Bobbie Houston and a church leader, discussing her employment. Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) highly drive box office revenue, according to a study of the top 252 English-language movies released last year. The UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report chronicles the significant rise in on-camera representation in highly-rated movies in the past ten years. The finding is in the ninth installment of the respected group. The same report also documents a slow growth in behind-the-scenes participation by people of color, especially Latino women. “Last year, every time a big movie exceeded expectations or broke a box office record, the majority of opening weekend audiences were people of color,” said Ana-Christina Ramón, co-author of the report and the director of research and civic engagement for UCLA’s social sciences division. “For people of color, and especially Latino families, theaters provided an excursion when almost everything else was shut down. In a sense, people of color kept studios afloat the past couple of years. Studios should consider them to be investors, and as investors, they should get a return in the form of representation.” https://youtu.be/EEgEGJYL13I African American developers Victor MacFarlane and R. Donahue Peebles said Monday that city planning officials in Los Angeles have approved their Angels Landing project, a $1.6-billion hotel-housing-retail complex that will be among L.A.’s tallest buildings. The project will be located in downtown’s Bunker Hill area and have two towers and a plaza next to the historic Angels Flight funicular railway.The project will encompass 1.2 million square feet (111,484 square meters) and include two hotels, condominiums, apartments, restaurants and retail. Angels Landing project will bring thousands of new jobs to the city. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and his wife Ayesha announced Wednesday plans to create 150 “Little Town Libraries” around Oakland to encourage neighborhood book sharing and childhood literacy. The initiative is a partnership between Eat. Learn. Play., a nonprofit founded by Stephen and Ayesha Curry, and Little Free Library, a network of nearly 150,000 tiny libraries in front yards of homes and businesses around the globe for people to share books, according to organizers. The mini libraries will be constructed and maintained in under-resourced parts of Oakland, such as East and West Oakland, Fruitvale and Chinatown, with more than 50,000 free books also being distributed as part of the program. She’s a little girl with a big voice! Meet Victory Brinker, the world’s youngest opera singer. According to Guinness World Records, Victory is well on her way to become the next star. Adopted as a baby, the Latrobe, Pennsylvania opera singer is one of 11 children. From the age of a toddler, it was very clear Victory was special. Two days before her sixth birthday, she asked her mom to help her discover who could sing the highest notes, sparking a passion for opera singing. “I love the challenge of the difficult arrangements, the technique required to sing, all the runs, and the different languages all the arias are written in,” said Victory. In 2019, at the age of seven years and 314 days, Victory made history as the world’s youngest female opera singer, participating in eight professional performances at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre’s Lights and Legends show. Now 10 years old, the elementary student is just getting started, working overtime to maintain her voice and technique. https://youtu.be/vrRfBmMWpLY 10-year-old Marley Dias was sitting in a diner with her mom when they shared a conversation that would change the course of her life—and countless others. “My mom asked me what I thought I could do to improve or fix the issues that I was observing in school,” Dias, now 17, says. She told her mom, that day in the diner, that most, if not all, of the required reading in her school’s fifth- and sixth-grade curriculum centered around white male protagonists. She thought that students should be exposed to books that featured diverse voices and unique experiences. Her solution was a grassroots campaign called #1000BlackGirlBooks. The initial goal of the campaign was to collect 1,000 physical books that centered around the stories of Black girls. It eventually expanded to include the creation of a searchable database that would make it easier for teachers, parents, and students to find those stories. “We review all of the books to make sure they have Black girls as protagonists, characters of African descent, or the stories of Black women and girls,” Dias says. “I thought that this lack of literary diversity just existed in my town. But my mom challenged my thinking and encouraged me to research more,” Dias says. That’s when she learned that less than 10 percent of the books published in 2015 had Black main characters. The statistic would drive her as she expanded her vision not just to change her own school district, but “districts across America and across the world.” A statue of Earl Lloyd, the first-ever African American basketball player in the NBA, was unveiled in Alexandria this past weekend. The City of Alexandria honored Lloyd, a longtime Alexandria resident, on the anniversary of his birthday on April 3. The statue is located in the Charles Houston Recreation Center, the former location of Parker-Gray High School, where Lloyd attended. Lloyd made history when he became the first African American to play in the NBA in 1950. https://www.localdvm.com/news/virginia/alexandria-unveils-statue-of-first-african-american-nba-player-earl-lloyd/ A Democrat-turned Republican politician and staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump has come under fire for saying that civil rights protections shouldn’t extend to the LGBTQ+ community. Vernon Jones, 61, served in the Georgia State House of Representatives as a Democrat from 1993 to 2001 and 2017 to 2021, said that gay people ‘can actually change’ in a podcast interview with ex-Trump advisor Steve Bannon. ‘Let me tell you, civil rights for blacks and gay rights for gays are two different things,’ Jones, who once called himself the ‘black Donald Trump,’ said on an episode of Bannon’s ‘War Room’ podcast. ‘I don’t know what you are unless you tell me what you are if you’re gay, but when I walk into that room, you can tell that I’m Black,’ he added. ‘I’m Black from cradle to grave. Let’s not get that confused, but they can actually change.’ https://twitter.com/i/status/1512544594512302093 A legislative panel voted Friday to confirm a Maine judge who could become the first African American to serve on Maine’s highest court. Maine Gov. Janet Mills nominated Rick Lawrence to serve on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. He is a two-decade veteran district judge. Lawrence, 66, faced a confirmation hearing before the Maine Legislature’s Committee on Judiciary before the vote. Representatives from Mills’ office said during the hearing that Lawrence’s ascendance to the high court would be a milestone for the state, and that his long background in law makes him qualified for the job. The panel agreed, confirming him unanimously. Lawrence, a Portland resident, said during the hearing that his broad range of experience in law and business make him a strong candidate. He currently serves as deputy chief judge of the District Court. Before becoming a judge, he worked as an attorney at Pierce Atwood and as an in-house counsel for disability insurer Unum. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office will not file charges in the controversial shooting deaths of an Inglewood couple who were gunned down by police inside their car in 2016, according to a report made public Wednesday. Prosecutors said they had insufficient evidence to charge the five Inglewood police officers who opened fire on Kisha Michael and Marquintan Sandlin in February 2016. The office’s legal conclusion laid out in the 36-page document is largely centered on the determination that prosecutors could not disprove that the officers had a reasonable fear that either Michael or Sandlin would reach for the loaded gun that officers saw inside the car. In a separate report also made public late Wednesday, prosecutors said they would not charge the Pasadena police officer who shot and killed Anthony McClain as he fled from a traffic stop two years ago. The Aug. 15, 2020, shooting spurred protests by Black Lives Matter in the streets of Old Pasadena and gained the attention of nationally renowned civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. The decisions could engender political backlash against George Gascón, the embattled Los Angeles County district attorney, who is facing the threat of a recall and who was elected on a promise of holding police accountable in cases where they used deadly force in unnecessary situations. Will Smith is facing a 10-year ban from events held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for slapping Oscars presenter Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards in March. But the reaction to the film academy’s decision Friday was met with mixed results, ranging from disbelief to accusations of racism. While the “King Richard” star has repeatedly apologized and accepted the academy’s decision, the organization contended that its ban was “a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the academy.” But many people on social media didn’t see it that way (and celebrities were mostly silent). Some critics characterized the academy’s ruling against the “Fresh Prince” veteran as racially motivated, while others saw it as the group making up for lax repercussions for past transgressors. They cited inappropriate behavior by the likes of Oscar winner Adrien Brody, who planted a kiss on presenter Halle Berry in 2003, or that of comedian Jim Carrey, a critic of Smith who made live-show advances on an unwilling Alicia Silverstone at the 1997 MTV Movie Awards. “The ten year ban they gave Will Smith feels very ‘make a lesson of this Black person,'” tweeted author Frederick Joseph. “This is 100% racially motivated,” wrote Twitter user Somari, replying to a news story about Smith’s punishment. “Jim Carrey sexually assaulted a woman live on stage and she was visually distressed. Will Smith slaps a dude for mocking an illness and gets banned for a decade.” Jada Pinkett Smith looked glittering in gold on Saturday evening as she made her first public outing since her husband Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars. The Emmy-Award winner, 50, was attending the grand opening of The Rhimes Performing Arts Centre in Los Angeles and used the star-studded event to show off her style. Jada wore a strapless gown that spotlighted her toned arms and she accented the elegant ensemble with a subtle red lip and gold earrings. The actress boosted her sophisticated frame with a pair of killer gold heels which were the perfect complementation to her look. Jada was later seen concealing her striking gown with a thick white dressing gown as she watched the night unfold from the crowd. Saturday night’s event celebrated the opening of Bridgerton producer Shonda Rhimes ‘ latest project, at The Rhimes Performing Arts Centre. Viola Davis, who is one award away from becoming an EGOT recipient, is also weeks away from the release of her in-depth memoir, Finding Me. Though the pioneering, history-making actress will first appear in an intimate Super Soul Sunday-esque special on Netflix with Oprah. As described in a press release, “for the first time Viola shares memories of her childhood marked with unimaginable poverty, disturbing abuse and ‘all the things that cause you pain.’” Additionally, in the nearly two-hour special, “Viola reveals how ‘giving up hope that the past could be different’ has brought her peace, forgiveness and a sense of self. Viola also explains how she manifested the loves in her life and what it took to become one of the most celebrated and talented actresses of our time.” Both the book and onscreen sit-down will shed light on the Fences star’s upbringing and journey toward discovering her purpose. Davis considers the book to be a “deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self.” A veteran actor and member of the Motion Picture Academy blasted Will Smith’s 10-year Oscar ban, calling it a ‘toothless penalty’ and says the star should voluntarily return his best actor award. In a scathing Variety op-ed, Harry Lennix, 57, compared Smith’s punishment for slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars on March 27 to ‘an extended time out for a playground bully’ that ‘lays bare the shallowness of Hollywood morals.’ Lennix wrote that Smith needs to ‘come to grips with the gravity of the offense he committed’ and express-mail his golden trophy back to the Academy. The most ‘galling’ part of the ordeal, Lennix wrote, was Smith being allowed to accept his best actor trophy for his role in ‘King Richard,’ less than an hour after the violent onstage incident, and his reference to the ‘will of God’ in his speech. Less than an hour earlier, Smith slapped Rock on-stage after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s shaved head. Pinkett-Smith has been open in the past about her struggles with alopecia. After the slap, Smith returned to his seat and screamed ‘keep my wife’s name out of your f*****g mouth.’ He the then won the Oscar for Best Actor in his role as Serena and Venus Williams’ father Richard Williams, in the film King Richard. He used his speech to apologize to the Academy and to Rock, and he later posted an apology on Instagram. Rock has not yet addressed the incident and declined to press charges against Smith. ‘Smith’s brutality stripped the entire evening of its prestige,’ Lennix wrote in the op-ed piece. ‘That was proven when stunned Oscar attendees gave a standing ovation to someone who’d just committed an assault in front of their eyes.’ A woman who recently accused Snoop Dogg of sexual assault is dropping her lawsuit for now, federal court documents show. In a motion filed Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court, attorneys for the unnamed Jane Doe accuser asked a judge to dismiss the case “in its entirety.” But the request was “without prejudice,” meaning she could refile the case later. The filing did not explain why she was dropping the case. It came two weeks after Snoop moved to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that it was full of “innuendo and irrelevant statements” but devoid of valid legal accusations. The accuser’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Snoop for told Billboard: “It is not surprising that the plaintiff dismissed her complaint against the defendants. Her complaint was full of false allegations and deficiencies.” In her lawsuit filed on Feb. 9, the Jane Doe accuser alleged that both Snoop Dogg and Bishop Don “Magic” Juan separately assaulted her over a 24-hour span in May 2013. She also says she was not hired again because she rebuffed their advances. After T.I. insulted a comedian who made jokes about the sexual allegations against him and his wife during a comedy show on Monday (4th April), his wife Tiny Harris came out to defend him and set the record straight. The hip-hop star reacted when an Instagram user suggested her husband had been “speaking figuratively.” “He really was,” the 41-year-old Xscape singer replied to the post by The Neighbourhood Talk. She clarified that T.I. didn’t actually refer to the comedian as a b**h because he didn’t directly call her a b**h, reports AceShowbiz. “If u notice when he was speaking directly to her he was calling her ‘n***a.’ Consciously restraining himself from calling her a b***h. Not worth a million,” Tiny further explained. However, that didn’t mark the end of her reactions because one Sabrina Peterson chimed in, accusing the couple of sexual assault and saying she was “triggered” by T.I.’s video with the comedian. “Lmao she should be a comedian too!” Tiny shot back on reading that. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcB5SqNJrHJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Gladys Knight was threatened at gunpoint by a racist. The 77-year-old singer refused to sit back when a petrol attendant refused to fill up her car because of the color of her skin, but when she spoke up against him, he pulled out a weapon. She told Britain’s OK! Magazine: “The bravest thing I’ve ever done [was] early in my career, when I was travelling on the road with the Pips, we stopped at a gas station and the man behind the counter refused to fill our car, even though we’d paid upfront, because I was black. “I was very outspoken in those days and started to argue with him, and he pulled a gun on me. “I hate to think what might have happened if my friends hadn’t pulled me away.” Former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt is under fire for ‘disgraceful’ comments about the death of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and former Ohio State standout Dwayne Haskins. The 24-year-old football star was killed on Saturday morning after he was hit by a dump truck on Interstate 595 near Fort Lauderdale. Later on NFL Radio, Brandt went viral after he was asked about Haskins death. The 90-year-old Hall-of-Famer made several ‘disgraceful’ and ‘completely inappropriate’ remarks on the subject. ‘I hate anytime anybody is killed or anybody dies. But he was a guy that was living to be dead,’ Brandt told Vic Carucci and Dan Leberfeld of Sirius XM NFL Radio. ‘They told him don’t, under any circumstances, leave school early. You just don’t have the work habits. You don’t have this, you don’t have that. What did he do? Left school early,’ he said. https://youtu.be/_mlUGQ0a4f0 Gil Brandt, a longtime former executive for the Dallas Cowboys, has apologized for his immediate reaction to the death of NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins. “This morning while learning of Dwayne Haskins’ passing, I reacted carelessly and insensitively on a radio interview,” Brandt tweeted on Saturday. “I want to apologize to Mr. Haskins’ family and anyone who heard my poor choice of words. I truly apologize. My heart goes out to his family at this difficult time.” Haskins, the former quarterback of the Steelers and Washington Commanders in the NFL and the Ohio State Buckeyes, died on Saturday morning after being struck by a dump truck while walking on a highway in South Florida. Washington went 3-10 in games started by Haskins in 2019 and 2020. He was signed by the Steelers in 2021 as the third-string quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph, but was only active for one game this past season and did not appear on the field. Brandt, who is 90 years old, spoke on SiriusXM on Saturday morning in the immediate wake of the news. He said that Haskins was someone who “was living to be dead, so to speak.” Brandt said that Haskins ignored the advice of NFL draft evaluators who told him to remain an extra year at Ohio State, allegedly telling him that he did not have the work ethic. For over a decade, there has been a debate that Idris Elba should become the next lead actor in the James Bond movie series. The discussion heated up after Daniel Craig left the franchise. Craig played James Bond in the last movie. The search for his replacement is ongoing, and that’s where Elba comes in. Many say he could easily step into the role, thus becoming the first Black man to play the legendary special agent. However, Elba now says he is too old to play James Bond. He has not entirely given up hope on securing the role, but he thinks playing Bond for an extended period of time may not favor his old age. “I am 50 this year. Let’s say you sign up for three films – nobody wants to see Bond giving chase or beating up guys when he is 60,” Elba explained. “I am probably too old to take on the role now.” You may not hear country music booming out of the speakers of many cars in the inner cities of New York, Chicago or Detroit. But a new generation of country artists like Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton and Jimmie Allen are here to show the world that the genre isn’t just music by and for white people who wear cowboy hats. And an Amazon Music Original documentary wants viewers to know that country music has been Black music all along. On April 7, Amazon Music announced the release of For Love & Country, a documentary that shines a light on the complicated relationship Black musicians and artists have had with the country music industry throughout history. For Love & Country is directed by acclaimed director and photographer Joshua Kissi. “My hope is for people to watch this beautiful piece of film while having a different appreciation for the genre of country music and the artists who so boldly choose to stand in the light,” Kissi said. Washington got a crash course in risk-reward ratios after several big names tested positive for the coronavirus this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. got it. D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser got it. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine all announced they got it after attending the exclusive Gridiron Club dinner on April 2. Some 450 people packed into the National Gallery of Art for Thursday’s opening of “Afro-Atlantic Histories,” a groundbreaking exhibition of Black art and artists at the city’s most prestigious art museum. Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated during the day after presiding over the landmark confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, and then at night by touring the show and addressing the crowd. “A lot of history is being made today,” said Harris with a broad smile. “Tonight is exceptional because it is unlike any other in the National Gallery’s history.” The exhibit, she added, is “so extraordinarily significant and important. It tells the story of our shared past but also our shared future.” Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson marked her historic confirmation to the Supreme Court with a moving speech from the White House on Friday, in which she celebrated the “hope and promise” of a nation where it was possible for her family to go from living under segregation to a Supreme Court appointment in one generation. https://youtu.be/5x9oIvt_Gx8 China has accelerated an expansion of its nuclear arsenal because of a change in its assessment of the threat posed by the U.S., people with knowledge of the Chinese leadership’s thinking say, shedding new light on a buildup that is raising tension between the two countries. The Chinese nuclear effort long predates Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the U.S.’s wariness about getting directly involved in the war there has likely reinforced Beijing’s decision to put greater emphasis on developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent, some of these people say. Chinese leaders see a stronger nuclear arsenal as a way to deter the U.S. from getting directly involved in a potential conflict over Taiwan. It was a veneer of acceptance embraced by every GOP president from Reagan to Trump, and even the strongest abortion foes, that a woman should not be required to carry a rapist’s child. Just as states may be on the verge of regaining expansive authority to outlaw abortion, eliminating rape and incest exceptions has moved from the fringe to the center of the antiabortion movement. In 2019, Alabama gained national attention by passing a state law banning all abortions with exceptions only for lethal abnormalities and serious health risks to the patient. There was a brief backlash to Alabama’s law, but over the last four years, 10 states have enacted abortion bans in early pregnancy without rape or incest exceptions: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. All were blocked by the court, except Texas’ law, which is in effect. A large worm-like cloud materialized this week over Alaska’s Lazy Mountain, igniting conspiracy theories and prompting an investigation — and explanation — from Alaska State Troopers. It happened around 7 a.m. Thursday, April 7, and photos show the streak of smoke resembled everything from a falling meteor to a burning aircraft. Social media explanations included talk of an eruption, a crashing UFO and a Russian weapon linked to the ongoing conflict over Ukraine. “We saw this on the way to school this morning as well. Very eerie!” Christy Hronkin Swift wrote on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook page. “Looks like a meteor. I wonder where it landed,” Cassi Joi posted. “Could it be a satellite? It’s so strange,” Shannon Del Vecchio Watson said. “No wings,” Susie Kuke Martin noted. Rayfield Wright, the longtime Dallas Cowboys right tackle and two-time Super Bowl champion, died Thursday, his wife Di told the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was 76 years old. Wright had reportedly been hospitalized for several days after a severe seizure. The Griffin, Georgia native was a major player in the Cowboys’ rise to America’s team, joining them as a seventh-round pick in the 1967 NFL draft. Before that, Wright had been more interested in a basketball career as a three-sport athlete at Fort Valley State, but a call from Cowboys executive Gil Brandt changed the course of his life. Wright began his Cowboys career inauspiciously. He recalled in his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech fighting for a roster spot in training camp as one of 137 rookies invited, with only five making the team. An injury to starting right tackle Ralph Neely opened up a starting spot for Wright in 1969, the third season of his career. A Canton-worthy career would follow, blocking for Roger Staubach on the way to two Super Bowl rings. A Hampton, Va. man was arrested Thursday in Orlando in connection with the death of Joshua Owusu-Koramoah, 23, the older brother of Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Hampton police announced Thursday night. Ronald Ivan Scott, 33, was charged with one count of murder and one count of arson, and remains in custody at the Orange Country jail. Joshua, a former linebacker at William & Mary, was found dead inside his burned residence in Hampton on Tuesday. He earned his degree in chemistry in 2020, and was a science teacher at Hampton Christian Academy. Jeremiah was in Ghana conducting youth football camps at the time of his brother’s death, and flew home. Drew Barker, a former high school teammate of Joshua’s, described how close Joshua and Jeremiah, 22, were. They also have an older brother, Jerry Brooks, and were raised by their single mother, Beverly Mabson. “I don’t know of anyone who would be closer than those two,” Barker told the Associated Press. “And if Josh wasn’t at (a Browns game), he was watching it on TV or sending in prayers before the game and talking to him after the game.’’ The Real is coming to an end. After eight seasons on the air, Warner Bros. and Telepictures — who produce and distribute the daytime talk show — have canceled The Real, a rep for the series confirmed to PEOPLE on Friday. Co-hosts Loni Love and Garcelle Beauvais also confirmed the news, sharing messages about the cancelation on their respective social media pages. “In the end The Real cast & crew did everything we could to scale the show down,” Love, 50, explained in her post. “We shot 7-8 shows in 3 days, no audience, made a conference room into a studio, but in my opinion Covid costs killed this show.” “It’s been a great ride and thanks to the viewers for 8 great seasons!” she added. In a tweet of her own, Beauvais, 55, wrote of the series’ cancelation: “It as a fun ride!! Got to work with an [sic] group of amazing women and crew.” She also added three praying hand emojis. Fellow co-hosts Adrienne Bailon Houghton and Jeannie Mai Jenkins have not yet publicly commented on the news. Actress Vanessa Hudgens believes she has a “gift” and can see and hear spiritual things. “The Princess Switch 3” star made the revelation this week on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” explaining that she has “accepted” this supposed talent and has visited at least one graveyard in an attempt to connect with spirits. The conversation turned to the spirit realm when host Kelly Clarkson asked Hudgens if she’s newly “obsessed with ghosts,” to which the actress said her interest isn’t all that new. “It’s not really a new passion. You’re just kind of, like, finding out,” she said. “Yeah, I feel like I’ve accepted the fact that, like, I see things, and I hear things.” The actress, whose career exploded in 2006 with Disney’s “High School Musical,” shared a spiritual experience she claims to have had while growing up. “I remember getting ready for school when I was 8 years old, and there was, like — you know those ducks that, like, is like the duck thing that you pull?” she said. “It’s a toy. There was one of those on the dining room table, and I started walking, and it just started, like, going alongside me.” https://youtu.be/Sg-evdJ15ag Carrie Underwood became a household name after winning the fourth season of American Idol back in 2005. She won over the hearts of America with covers of songs such as Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and “Bless The Broken Road” from Rascal Flatts. https://youtu.be/2BuDJVEHyG4 Tennis great Boris Becker could face a prison sentence after being found guilty Friday of illicitly moving thousands of dollars from a bank account after he was declared bankrupt. A jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court convicted Becker on four charges under the Insolvency Act, including removal of property, concealing debt and two counts of failing to disclose estate assets. The German star was found to have transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds after his June 2017 bankruptcy from his business account to other accounts, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely “Lilly” Becker. He was also convicted of failing to declare a property in Germany and hiding an 825,000 euro ($895,000) bank loan and shares in a tech firm. Amid the Oscars slap drama involving Will Smith, 53, Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, and Chris Rock, 57, a 2018 clip of Jada on her ‘Red Table Talk’ show has resurfaced and includes her admitting she “never” wanted to marry the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ star. In the exhumed snippet from her Facebook series show, Jada said, “I was under so much pressure, you know, being a young actress, being young, and I was just, like, pregnant and I just didn’t know what to do.” Jada says her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, 68 and also known as “Gammy,” forced her and Will to tie the knot after becoming pregnant with their first son together, Jaden Smith, 23. With her husband, mom and daughter Willow Smith, 21, at her side, Jada added, “I really didn’t wanna get married. We only got married because Gammy was crying. It was almost as if Gammy was like, ‘You have to get married, so let’s talk about the wedding.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CcHd297vdXm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kandi Burruss is clapping back at comments her ex made about their daughter. In a recent interview, Russell “Block” Spencer suggested that Riley Burruss, 22, — he and Kandi’s adult daughter — is “jealous” of his other children. He also expressed frustration over having to pay child support because Kandi makes more money than him. “Every last one of my kids lives with me from when they’re born until they graduate except Kandi’s [daughter],” Block said, as reported by The YBF. “I’ve got an accomplished name, [and I gave my kids who lived with me] a lot of stuff. And I think it’s a lot of jealousy because Riley wasn’t in that situation because her mom put me on child support.” https://youtu.be/KpYOBTf0x30 In March, Cardi B and her lawyers asked that a permanent injunction be placed on Tasha K to force her to take down all the defamatory posts on the rapper. Cardi B also wanted YouTube to be ordered not to repost them. Cardi B emotionally explained that Tasha’s lies almost drove her into suicide. The “Bodak Yellow” rapper’s litigation has now borne fruit after the presiding judge over the case on April 4 ordered Tasha K to remove the over 20 defamatory videos. Tasha K, a YouTube vlogger and social media personality, has also been banned “from ever posting again about the rapper on a range of specific subjects” relating to the inaccurate information she broadcast about Cardi. Tasha K had already admitted that she deliberately posted lies about Cardi B, such as claims that the rapper has STIs, is a prostitute, cheated on her husband, and used cocaine, among other unproven lies or half-truths. A jury declared that Tash K is guilty of defamation of character, an invasion of privacy through portrayal in a false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Cardi was awarded $4 million in damages and attorney fees by the courts to be paid by the vlogger, after winning her federal defamation case in January. But the saga continues, for she has not called off the legal battle against the vlogger. Talking to Nija Okoro, it’s clear that she loves what she’s doing. You can hear the joy emanating from her voice when she talks about the theater, her acting career, and her latest show. Up next for the talented actress is the lead role of Angel, in the Pearl Cleage drama, Blues For An Alabama Sky, now playing at the Mark Taper Forum through May 8, 2022. Opening night is April 13, 2022. The character, said Okoro, has a lot of issues and has even more layers that she’s able to peel back and explore. She enjoys that process. “That’s the good stuff,” she said. Since taking on the role, Okoro has enjoyed the process of developing a rich, complex character, and is excited about sharing her with the audience. One look at the photo Tahir Kelly and it’s hard for some to believe that his injuries were caused by a fall on concrete and not at the hands of police officers who arrested him. In the wake of the incident, police in Michigan City released bodycam video of the officer-involved incident that left Kelly seriously injured. Police said the incident began Tuesday because Kelly matched the description of someone involved in a report of a suspicious vehicle. “It’s about who is worth it,” said singer/songwriter Terrill Paul about the meaning of the title to his new single “Worth It” (OLHO Entertainment. “I’m a married man. My first marriage, I picked. This one, I let God be in on it. It takes work and compromise. A lot of people don’t want to talk about it.” https://youtu.be/Lhcuz6CS36s Snoop Dogg acquired the Death Row Records brands plus many of its iconic albums. Over the past weeks, he has been busy trying to complete the collection as some vital releases such as his own “Doggystyle” and Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” were missing. As he negotiated the terms of the acquisition, these albums were unavailable for streaming. Initially, there was also confusion over the ownership of “The Chronic” but it seems the sticking issues have been ironed out, and Dr. Dre’s debut album is now back under the Death Row banner. So far, no word on “Doggystyle,” but Snoop Dogg shared a photo on Instagram captioned “The Chronic Is Bac Home.” This revelation fired up Snoop’s fans and fellow rappers, who expressed their excitement. “Something good coming from this,” predicted 50 Cent. Snoop had previously shown he planned to make Death Row the first “major in the metaverse.” He was to re-release the studio’s collection of seminal hip-hop hits as NFTs. Meanwhile, Snoop is still busy negotiating publishing profit shares for Tupac albums under Death Row. https://www.instagram.com/snoopdogg/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=18b79dba-dd91-43fa-bf05-d23558378654 TMZ recently chopped it up with rapper Fat Joe to get his thoughts on the wild Oscars slap. While speaking with reporter @seleahsimone Thursday in NYC, the rap star said he believes the crazy moment between Will Smith and Chris Rock makes minorities look bad. However, unlike other entertainers, Fat Joe did not slam Will Smith for defending his wife Jada Pinkett Smith by smacking Rock. In fact, he praised him for being a great person but says this situation is very unfortunate, especially for the former “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star who recently had to resign from the academy. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcGG6Bwrq4V/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kit Kat has announced its new flavor inspired by yummy blueberry muffins. The new Kit Kat blueberry muffin candy bar rolled out at retailers nationwide Wednesday. Per PEOPLE, “The bar promises blueberries and cake batter-like muffin flavors with graham cookie pieces folded into the bar. And it lives up to expectations.” https://youtu.be/MUF9cjHwIew Season three of the Emmy-winning sketch comedy series “A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW” is headed back to HBO. The show stars Robin Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black, and Skye Townsend. Thede also serves as creator, executive producer, writer, and showrunner. She said season three is the biggest yet and contains epic moments. One look at the all-star guest list featured over six episodes says that’s an easy bet. https://youtu.be/RNSpoKoW078 Alice (Keke Palmer) yearns for freedom as an enslaved person on a rural Georgia plantation under its brutal and disturbed owner Paul (Jonny Lee Miller). After a violent clash with Paul, she flees through the neighboring woods and stumbles onto the unfamiliar sight of a highway, soon discovering the year is actually 1973. Rescued on the roadside by a disillusioned political activist named Frank (Common), Alice quickly comprehends the lies that have kept her in bondage and the promise of Black liberation. Inspired by true events, Alice is a modern empowerment story tracing Alice’s journey through the post-Civil Rights Era American South. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5CHq89MPnE&feature=youtu.be On Wednesday, Greene got her Klan-taloons all in a bunch over possibly one of the most basic and relatively harmless jokes ever told by late show host Jimmy Kimmel. “Marjorie Taylor Greene—this woman, ‘Klan mom,’ is especially upset with the three Republicans who said they’ll vote ‘yes’ on Ketanji Brown Jackson who’s nominated for the Supreme Court,” Kimmel said. “She tweeted, ‘Murkowski, Collins and Romney are pro-pedophile. They just voted for KBJ.'” “Wow, where is Will Smith when you really need him, huh?” Kimmel continued. Now, come on, y’all—if Chris Rock’s joke directed at Jada Pinkett-Smith that prompted Will Smith to smack him was harmless, then so was Kimmel’s. And yet, MTG got so sensitive about it that she’s calling Kimmell out for “threats of violence” against her and, in turn, threatening legal action against the comedian for, well, being a comedian. https://twitter.com/i/status/1511816972610244615 It’s 2022 and there are still cops out there who don’t realize that their online activities can lose them their jobs. And that’s a wonderful thing because honestly, we need them to reveal themselves. Now, I know too many of us, calling a cop a white supremacist is like calling Bambi’s mother a deer (RIP *sobs*), but one now-former Illinois police officer has been outed as a Klan-ish cop in the most explicit sense. He told us who he is, and now he’s done patrolling Springfield, Illinois, streets because of it. Meet now-former Springfield Police Department Officer Aaron Paul Nichols. According to HuffPost, Nichols, 46, joined the police department in 2004, which means for the better part of two decades, a man who proudly hates Jewish people, Black people and, well, basically anyone who isn’t an Anglo-Saxon with cross burning, seasonless food and minimal showers in their blood, was tasked with enforcing the law without prejudice. Fortunately, Anonymous Comrades Collective (ACC), an organization HuffPost described as “a group of anti-fascist researchers,” exposed the cop—who would likely trade handcuffs for nooses and make the first day of the Holocaust an international holiday if he had his way—by unearthing social media posts Nichols made while having a job that allowed him to carry a deadly weapon. It its peak, the Confederate-era proved to be one of the most racially-segregated periods in American history. It’s for that very reason and countless others that many Confederate statues have either already been or are in the process of being removed across the nation. Unfortunately, we can’t erase all traces of the Confederacy, including the annual Confederate Memorial Day primarily celebrated by The Sons of Confederate Veterans. Even with current efforts from various activists to right the wrongs of America’s past, this organization still managed to get approval for a CMD event at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia by the park officials themselves. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Stone Mountain Memorial Association granted permission for the Confederate Memorial Day event to go down based on the reasoning that it’s a yearly tradition for the gathering to occur in front of a Mount Rushmore-style rock carving of Confederate Civil War leaders Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, and Robert E. Lee. The association’s CEO Bill Stephens refers to the yearly gathering as “small and respectful,” but it’s hard to ignore what each of those men represent when it comes to slavery, segregation, and racist ideologies in general. All-new episodes of TV One’s original docu-series, UNSUNG and UNCENSORED, are back this Sunday, April 10. UNSUNG leads with hip-hop pioneers, Das EFX, at 9 p.m. ET/8C followed by UNCENSORED, which features singer, actor and record producer, CeeLo Green, at 10 p.m. ET/9C. Each episode will also be published on TVOne.tv and TV One’s social media platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry70KR59b8w Head coach Eddie George and his Tennessee State University Tigers will be making history next year when they become the first football team from a historically Black college or university (HBCU) to play against Notre Dame’s storied program. The game will be nationally televised on NBC and provide great exposure for Tennessee State when the team travels to take on the Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana, on Sept. 2, 2023. With football, in particular, all HBCUs play in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), which is considered a lower tier of competition, often resulting in lopsided losses from the “payout games.” The announcement of the game earlier this week has drawn attention to the ongoing conversation about HBCU sports teams playing against typically mightier Power Five level competition in so-called “payout games” that offer generous financial compensation in return. The game will also be the first time Notre Dame plays a team from the FCS. Next time a white person tries to absolve themselves of any and all accusations of racism by declaring that they have a Black friend, remind them about Morgan Daniel Barnhill. Barnhill, 27, is currently a resident of Mobile County Jail in Mobile, Alabama. According to WTVY News 4, late last month, Barnhill killed a Black man by beating him over the head with a shovel and a large pipe. He told the police he did it because he believed his victim to be a burglar breaking into his shed. First, let’s acknowledge that catching a man breaking into a shed shouldn’t justify beating him to death if the owner of the shed isn’t in any immediate danger. Burglary, in and of itself, shouldn’t come with a death sentence. (Of course, this happened in Alabama, so this might not be a very popular opinion in that particular state.) CNN+ host Chris Wallace has interviewed/debated “1619 Project” author Nikole Hannah-Jones, challenging her claim that the generation of Americans that fought in World War II were guilty of ‘brutally suppressing democracy’ for black Americans. Wallace interviewed Hannah-Jones for his new series on CNN’s new streaming service and while the discussion was civil he admitted that it got a ‘little heated’ at times. During the interview, Wallace read Hannah-Jones a passage from her Pulitzer-winning New York Times series, which aimed to ‘reframe the country’s history to focus on the consequences of slavery, the DailyMail reports. They’re not taking his recently won Oscar away, However, Will Smith will not be allowed to attend the Academy Awards for the next 10 years, as a result of his slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage during this year’s Oscar ceremony, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences announced in a statement obtained by CNN. “The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,” Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement on Friday. The decision was made during a Board of Governors meeting held earlier in the day in Los Angeles. The meeting, initially scheduled for April 18, was expedited after Smith announced his resignation from the Academy last week. The decision came following “tons of debate” on what the consequences of his on-stage slap should be, a board member tells CNN. The Academy’s letter added: “The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.” The Black male accused of killing a white female Uber driver appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom for the first time Wednesday. Calvin Crew, 22, is accused of using his girlfriend’s Uber account to order a ride in February. When driver Christi Spicuzza, 38, picked him up, he held a gun to the back of her head. The startled Uber driver said, “Come on, man. I’ve got a family. What are you doing?” Crew answered, “I got a family too. Now drive.” https://youtu.be/cbdpI28XH30 21 Savage‘s immigration status has been delayed due to the rapper’s ongoing criminal case in Georgia. in 2019, Savage –real name She’yaa Bin Abraham Joseph — was detained by ICE officials for living in the US illegally for years on an expired visa. According to the report, there are currently no pending court dates for the criminal case, and the artist is allowed to travel domestically, but he can’t leave the U.S. Recalling the moment of the arrest, the Atlanta-based artist said in 2019: “I was just driving. And I just seen guns and blue lights. And, then, I was in the back of a car. And I was gone. “They didn’t — they didn’t say nothing. They just said, ‘We got Savage’. It was definitely targeted,” the hip-hop star added. 21’s legal team said he “won his freedom” after he was released from detainment. Magic Johnson and his gay son Earvin “EJ” Johnson are speaking out about their bond and how EJ coming out changed the NBA icon. “It wasn’t new for me, but they had to really take that in and digest it,” EJ, 29, told Variety about his parents’ initial reaction to his sexuality. “Especially my dad, because he was really the last person to talk to. I think it was just a lot for him to swallow in that conversation. A lot of just going back and forth. And he just was rattling off about things that weren’t particularly nice. But he’s not somebody who works great being cornered or surprised,” he continued. https://youtu.be/jfKkvnbvZ-E Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins has died at the age of 24 following an automobile accident. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin shared news of the tragedy in a statement Saturday. "I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins," Tomlin said. "He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community." Haskins was involved in a "fatal vehicle vs pedestrian crash" early Saturday morning at around 6:30 a.m., according to the Florida Highway Patrol in West Palm Beach. The football player was walking on "a limited access facility for unknown reasons" as he tried to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 when there was oncoming traffic, Lt. Indiana Miranda told NBC News in an email. That's when he collided with an oncoming dump truck. Haskins was pronounced dead on scene, Miranda said, adding that the incident remains an open traffic homicide investigation. The U.S. Senate has voted to confirm the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court! She becomes the first Black woman and only the third Black person to ever sit on the highest court in America. Jackson is also the first former public defender to joint the Court. Her confirmation fills a gap left after Justice Thurgood Marshall retired in 1991, bringing the perspective of someone who has done indigent defense back to the bench. Jackson will join Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Elena Kagan on the liberal side, replacing Justice Stephen Breyer, who will be retiring from the Court this summer. The 51-year-old also becomes the second-youngest member of the Court, behind Justice Amy Coney Barrett who is 50. Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney were the only three Senate Republicans who voted to confirm Judge Jackson. All three senators made it clear that they don’t always agree with Jackson’s ideas but said she was extremely qualified, which outweighed the differences in beliefs. Prosecutors declined to file charges against the Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Amir Locke or any other officers involved in the no-knock warrant service that led to the 22-year-old Black man’s death in early February. An officer shot Locke within a few seconds of entering the apartment after prosecutors said Locke emerged from a couch with a handgun and raised it toward an officer. The officer, and others on the Minneapolis SWAT team, were there serving a warrant in a homicide investigation. “After a thorough review of all available evidence … there is insufficient admissible evidence to file criminal charges in this case,” according to a statement from the county attorney and state attorney general released Wednesday. At the time Locke was shot, he was in legal possession of the firearm, inside the apartment, according to prosecutors, but they said that wasn’t relevant to the investigation. According to the statement from prosecutors, Locke’s actions after officers entered the apartment “on a judicially authorized search warrant” constituted a “specifically articulable threat.” Security industry pioneer Mary Parker, CEO of ALL N ONE Security Services is breaking new grounds and rebuilding communities in the process. In fact, she recently purchased Junction 2800, formerly called Campbellton Road Community Center. This investment will help revitalize southwest Atlanta communities. “I believe revitalization without gentrification is possible,” Parker states. The newly named development, Junction 2800, is a multi-purpose use property equipped with co-working space and will include a technology hub with construction and entrepreneurialism programs. The 30,000 square foot property is also a verified vaccination site and voting poll. Parker is passionate about these issues as well. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens recently announced that Junction 2800 in conjunction with the Mary Parker Foundation will serve as one of the five newly resourced small business incubators as the city’s economic arm satellite office through Invest Atlanta as part of its ATLinBusiness program. For weeks, we’ve been watching Republican legislators line up to tell demonstrable lies about Jackson’s judicial record and bend themselves into white nationalist pretzels to link her to whatever they think critical race theory is. But it’s the arguments themselves that would be embarrassing to Republicans if conservatives knew shame. This brings us to Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton (R). As HuffPost reported, on Tuesday, Cotton during a Senate hearing use Jackson’s common AF surname to draw the stupidest parallel imaginable in insinuating that she’s a Nazi sympathizer based on her record as a public defender. “You know, the last Judge Jackson left the Supreme Court to go to Nuremberg and prosecute the Nazis,” Cotton said, referring to Robert Jackson, who was appointed by President Harry Truman to lead cases against German war criminals. “This Judge Jackson may have gone there to defend them.” Cotton’s absurd leap echoes a GOP theme dwelling on Jackson’s stint as a public defender representing Guantanamo Bay detainees accused of terrorism. As a public defender, Jackson did not pick her clients. https://twitter.com/i/status/1511442180497416197 Thankfully for Stacey Abrams, Democratic hopeful in the upcoming 2022 Georgia governor election, her riches have come the honest way by abiding by the law while also putting herself in a position of power to make positive changes within it as well. The recent headlines surrounding Abrams’ millionaire status aren’t to solely gloat on her behalf. The matter of her current financial standing actually shows great potential for a win in the 2022 Georgia gubernatorial election being that her lack of funds was negatively thrown against her during the 2018 run. As AP News reports, Abrams faced criticism from then-opponent and current Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for owing $54,000 to the IRS in self-employment taxes she didn’t pay on time — the money was used instead to help her parents raise a granddaughter and medical bills relating to cancer treatments. There also was $96,000 in student loan debt and $83,000 in accumulated credit card debt. Thankfully she was able to pay it all off in 2019. “Seth Bringman, an Abrams campaign spokesperson, said she gave 37 paid speeches in 2021, including a 12-stop fall tour of stand-alone appearances. She’s written, co-written, or reissued six books since 2019, with another reissue on the way later this year. Abrams was also paid more than $700,000 over three years as executive director of the Southern Economic Advancement Project, an affiliate of the Roosevelt Institute that seeks to improve economic equity in the South. Abrams has reported no income from Fair Fight Action, the voting rights group she founded and formerly chaired. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbiXH4IldGz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Veteran rapper The Kidd Creole of Grandmaster Flash fame has been convicted for the fatal stabbing of a homeless NYC man. On Wednesday, a New York Supreme Court jury found Creole, born Nathaniel Glover, guilty of first-degree manslaughter, ABC 7 reports. The 62-year-old Bronx native was arrested in 2017 for allegedly stabbing 55-year-old John Jolly, a homeless man he thought was hitting on him, the New York Daily News reported. Glover allegedly stabbed the man on the streets in Midtown, Manhattan. Police described Jolly as a level 2 sex offender. The incident occurred before midnight as Creole was walking to his maintenance job. “They had no prior relationship,” a source told the Daily News at the time of Glover’s arrest. “They had words. Things got out of hand. It was some sort of diss.” https://youtu.be/PI6Hy7ISAjE Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors is clapping back at a report by New York Magazine that claims the organization purchased a $5.8 million Southern California home with BLM’s donation funds. Cullors calls the story is a “racist and sexist” attack on the movement. The article accused BLM figureheads– Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Melina Abdullah of buying the 6,500 square foot home that reportedly consists of “more than half a dozen bedrooms and bathrooms, several fireplaces, a soundstage, a pool and bungalow” in addition to “parking for more than 20 cars.” The activist explained that the property was purchased in 2020 to house the organization’s Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, where Black creatives, dancers, filmmakers, and musicians could come together and “work, create content, host meetings, and foster creativity.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb-DRkXA18h/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Lawyers for former Miami Dolphins‘ head coach Brian Flores, who is suing the NFL for racial discrimination in its hiring practices, added two more longtime NFL coaches to an amended complaint Thursday. Steve Wilks, who was the Arizona Cardinals‘ head coach for one season in 2018, and Ray Horton, an NFL assistant since 1994 who interviewed for the Tennessee Titans‘ head-coaching job in 2016, are now part of the lawsuit filed against the league, the Dolphins, the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, the Houston Texans, the Titans and the Cardinals, plus 26 other “John Doe” NFL teams. The Titans, Cardinals and Texans were added to the suit as part of the amendment as well. Flores’ attorneys allege in the amended complaint that the Texans “retaliated” against Flores by removing him from consideration for their head-coaching vacancy “due to his decision to file this action and speak publicly about systemic discrimination in the NFL.” The amended lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York. It asks for, among other things, increased transparency in NFL hiring, incentives for hiring lack coaches and increased visibility for Black assistant coaches. Lawyers say that Wilks was discriminated against as a “bridge coach” who was “not given any meaningful chance to succeed.” Wilks was 3-13 in one season with Arizona before being fired and replaced by Kliff Kingsbury. Lawyers wrote that while Kingsbury has been successful, “Mr. Wilks, given the same opportunity afforded to Mr. Kingsbury, surely would have succeeded as well.” Easter weekend 2022, AURN Inspirational Network and some of the top Gospel and Urban stations in the country will broadcast an Easter Special hosted by recent Grammy Award-winning Gospel Artist CeCe Winans. “The CeCe Winans and Friends Easter Special” will feature inspirational music and messages of hope and faith from some of the most celebrated stars in the Gospel community. Along with words of praise from AURN Inspiration’s syndicated radio hosts Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Dr. Bobby Jones and Tye Tribbett, other celebrated contributors will include Anthony Brown, Bishop Leonard Scott, Byron Cage, Earnest Pugh, Fred Hammond, Isabel Davis, J.J. Hairston, Jabari Johnson, James Fortune, Jekalyn Carr, Kirk Franklin, Martha Manuzzi, Pastor Mike Jr., Renee Spearman, Rudy Currence, Tamela Mann, The Walls Group, Travis Greene and Vashawn Mitchell. Winans is fresh off of her multiple Grammy wins taking home three including Best Gospel Album for “Believe For It” as well as Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song “Believe For It” as well as “Best Gospel Performance/Song” for “Never Lost.” Chris Rock told the crowd during his surprise set at Comedy Cellar in New York Tuesday night that he would not talk about the Will Smith slap. “He literally only addressed it as the crowd was going wild for his surprise appearance, and he got on stage and said, ‘Lower your expectations. I’m not going to address that s–t,’” an audience spy tells Page Six. Meanwhile, Rock’s brother Kenny has been speaking out about the Oscar slap. “It eats at me watching it over and over again because you’ve seen a loved one being attacked and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Kenny, 42, told the Los Angeles Times. https://youtu.be/hd6WS-1p4j4 After a long wait, Tiger Woods is back in his natural habit — the professional golf arena at the Masters at Augusta National. For one of golf’s greats, it’s been an uphill struggle for Woods following a car accident in February 2021 when he suffered serious leg injuries requiring surgery. His only prior appearance on the golf course had come with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship in late 2021, but a rare sighting of Woods’ private jet landing at an airport near Augusta last week caused speculation to circulate that the 15-time major winner could be in line for a stunning return to action. After some practice rounds, Woods is indeed making his return to competitive golf. http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=33692169 Russell Wilson the #DenverBroncos quarterback sat down with the crew of “Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Radio” show in February and revealed how he got with the “Body Party” singer. During his interview on the SiriusXM show, one of Hart’s co-hosts asked Wilson what the one line “that made him bag Ciara was.” Wilson confessed that he used his old tattered wallet to attract Ciara, but it’s not what you think. “First of all, I had this wallet, and it was broke down; it was kinda tore up. I had it for a while, you know?” he told the panel. Wilson continued, “First day we met— and we had been talking for two-and-a-half hours, hanging out — she saw the wallet sitting on the table. She said, ‘What the hell is that? You’re losing with that.’” The NFL star said he made it clear to Ciara that he never lost and proceeded to school her on the value of his torn-up wallet. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcBiWKpDHXL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has apologized for his criticism of LeBron James for acts he considers “embarrassing.” Per The Spun, the acts he takes issue with are the “celebratory dance LeBron displayed during a game earlier this season in addition to the superstar’s Instagram post in which he questioned the difference between COVID-19 and the common flu or cold,” the outlet writes. Abdul-Jabbar apologized for his recent comments about the LA Lakers star during an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Monday night. “All I have to say is this: I was there to give Carmelo Anthony the NBA Social Justice Champion Award. I’ve been talking to the press since high school, that’s 60 years of making statements. And I haven’t always gotten it right. And Sunday was one of those nights,” Abdul-Jabbar said, via ESPN.com. “It wasn’t my intention to criticize LeBron in any way. He has done so much for the Black community as well as for the game of basketball. We may not always agree, but I want to wholeheartedly apologize to LeBron and make it clear to him that I have tremendous respect for him. And if he can accept that, I’ll be very happy,” he continued. Kenan Thompson and his wife Christina Evangeline are reportedly calling it quits after 10 years of marriage. The Saturday Night Live star and interior designer are getting a divorce, a source close to the couple told TMZ. The pair — who were together for 15 years — have reportedly been separated for more than a year but no official documents for divorce have been filed. Representatives for Thompson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. Thompson, 43, and Evangeline, 33, dated for four years before tying the knot in November 2011 in a private ceremony at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The comedian and actress are parents to daughters Georgia Marie, 7, and Gianna Michelle, 3. Though their marriage has been fairly private, Thompson opened up last year about his wife’s initial reaction to the plot of his sitcom, Kenan, during an appearance on The Tonight Show. After a two-year hiatus, “Late Late Show” host James Corden has returned with his Carpool Karaoke segment and Nicki Minaj joined him in the passenger seat. Corden and the “Queen” rapper sang her 2014 hit “Anaconda,” and Minaj also served up an impression of British songstress Adele. “It’s felt over the past year — very, very slowly, in one sense or another — like we started to get our show back,” Corden said recently, as reported by the New York Post. “But this was, this is obviously a big part of our show — this segment. The entire pandemic … there [were] so many things that we couldn’t do, and I think that’s true of every show. But for us, our show is very much about getting out there, whether that’s running out into the street and doing musicals in a crosswalk or big taped bits or having all the guests together on a couch at the same time.” https://youtu.be/HD4kk7tA6D8 Here is an exclusive clip for the new episode of “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition,” premiering Thursday, April 7 at 9pm on WE tv. Per press release, this season stars Hip Hop superstar K. Michelle (K. Michelle: My Life) and Kastan, Rich Dollaz and Mariahlynn, (Love & Hip Hop: New York) Lyrica and A1, (Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood) and Gangsta Boo (First Female Member of Three 6 Mafia) and Emmet as they head to Marriage Boot Camp to face the music. Dr. Ish & Judge Toler help them confront lies, betrayal, and bitter rivalries, but when secrets are exposed, will their relationships survive? https://youtu.be/CKLwhSWgVA0 A&E has green-lit an Ol’ Dirty Bastard documentary that chronicles the late rapper’s life and career. The project is being made with the approval of ODB’s estate, and “will include interviews with the artist’s family and closest friends, as well as never-before-seen personal archival footage from his wife, Icelene Jones,” per Complex. https://youtu.be/XXTzm5GtqVo The end of an era is slowly upon us, as it has been officially confirmed that popular crime-drama #Snowfall is coming to an end. FX network made the announcement that ‘Snowfall’ has been renewed for a sixth season, which will also be the series’ last. Starring #DamsonIdris and created by the late John Singleton, the finish line for critically-acclaimed 1980s drug drama series ‘Snowfall’ is officially in sight. @Deadline reports, FX just renewed the series for season six, but unfortunately for the show’s legion of devoted fans, season six will be the very last one. The return of One Chicago has arrived with the return of “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.” Fans can tune in games, special interviews and so much more throughout the day as they get ready for a blockbuster Wednesday to remember. The yearly tradition continues in 2022, as this year’s. Today, One Chicago Day will be presented as a one-hour virtual event for fans across the world. After the event, viewers will be greeted with brand new episodes of all three “Chicago” series on NBC, ending the franchise’s mid season hiatus. https://youtu.be/NcPvLCe5iJo Angel Studios describes itself as a “community-driven movie studio” with a mission to amplify stories of light. One of its first projects, The Chosen, is one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in Hollywood history, earning hundreds of millions of views around the world. Dry Bar Comedy was another successful project launched by brothers Neal and Jeffrey Harmon. And there are even bigger projects in the works. But it hasn’t always been easy. The brothers sat down with CBN’s Studio 5 to discuss a former lawsuit with Disney that nearly took the family business down. CBS had a conference, I was at the same table as the V.P. of BSO…found out we want to entertain in each others’ arenas,” said Wordsmith about his partnership with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra that lasts until 2024. Baltimorean Wordsmith, born Anthony Parker, rewrites classical pieces bringing that urban flavor or as he said bringing the pieces, “to current times.” “I wrote tons of music for television and games…now I’m a part of the classical realm…rewriting older pieces,” he humbly stated. Aside from his partnership with the BSO Wordsmith is an entrepreneur via Wordsmith Music and NU Revolution Entertainment and a philanthropist through his non-profit Rise with a Purpose. Currently, Wordsmith’s non-profit is raising funds for the people of Ukraine. It so happens that his label has a Ukrainian Punk-Rock band on its roster. Over the last two months, Gov. Gavin Newsom has met with some of the state’s counties to promote CARE Court. CARE Court – the acronym stands for Community, Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment – is a mental health framework the state created to help people who are suffering from mental illness and Substance Use Disorder by providing alternatives to arrests and jail if they have run-ins with the law. Newsom announced the initiative at a press conference in San Jose last month. At the event, the governor said the new statewide initiative will receive funding from his administration’s multi-year mental health budget proposal totaling nearly $10 billion per year in behavioral health programs and services. https://youtu.be/eUcvYHvTvPY Ed Sheeran is keen to keep the chapel being built on his £3.7million Suffolk estate under cover as construction continues. New photographs taken this week of the build, which started in January, show the church, which includes a burial crypt, being constructed under a giant white tarpaulin. Ed is continuing work on his huge estate after winning his high profile copyright court case this week, which saw a judge rule his hit track Shape Of You was not a copy of Grime artist Sami Switch’s song. Photos of Ed’s estate taken on April 5 show the huge white scaffolding structure which is covering the chapel and tower, now dominating the local landscape. It was revealed in February that Ed had been granted permission to build a burial chamber as part of the church. Traditional broadcast television will die with its audience, experts have warned, saying young people prefer interactive forms of entertainment like the metaverse. This is a loose collection of virtual worlds, gaming platforms and other forms of interactive media, including Minecraft, Roblox and Meta Platforms. Frederic Cavazza, co-founder of Sysk, a French firm specializing in digital transformation, said young people have evolved from passive spectators of television, to active players in interactive mediums. ‘They’ve turned away from screens to smartphones,’ Cavazza explained, adding ‘TV channels are going to die with their audiences,’ unless networks adapt. Older people tend to be more wedded to broadcast television, with middle aged people leaving for streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. But viewership of network television among the under 35s has halved in the past decade, and is expected to drop further as the metaverse continues to develop. If they want to compete with the metaverse, and gaming platforms like Roblox, Fornite and Minecraft, broadcasters will need to adapt. The Groove with Carl Brister and special guest Bri Blvck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybWfh0tzKRM When former President Barack Obama walked into the White House on Tuesday, it was his first time in the building since he welcomed then-President-elect Donald Trump for coffee on the morning of Trump’s inauguration. That friendly greeting at the North Portico — including the awkward handoff of a blue Tiffany’s box the Trumps had brought as a gift — couldn’t foretell the acrimony that would lie ahead, as Trump shattered the relative amity that had once existed between former and current presidents. Obama’s return to the White House didn’t include any of that ugliness. Instead, he was celebrating one of his signature achievements, the Affordable Care Act, alongside the man who served with him in the building for eight years. “It feels like the good old days,” President Joe Biden said alongside his onetime boss, whose return to the East Room resembled a reunion of his top allies, many of whom are now serving in Biden’s Cabinet or in Congress. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/connectedworld/obama-returns-to-the-white-house-for-aca-expansion/vi-AAVTDIq Police have arrested a third suspect in connection to a mass shooting in downtown Sacramento, California, this weekend that left six people dead and a chaotic crime scene littered with more than 100 shell casings. The suspect was taken into custody for “being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm,” police said. The 31-year-old was seen carrying a gun in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police said, but they believe that gun was not fired in the melee. Earlier Tuesday, Smiley Martin, 27, was taken into custody. He was found at the scene of the shooting early Sunday with “serious injuries from gunfire” and taken to a local hospital, the Sacramento Police Department said in a news release. Police “quickly identified” him as a “person of interest” and kept him under police supervision at the hospital, the release said. https://youtu.be/f46gOOQGc_I A former Yale University administrator pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Hartford, Conn., for stealing the school’s electronics and reselling the items. Jamie Petrone, 42, has been charged with two counts of wire fraud and a tax offense for her role in the nearly decade-long scheme to steal millions of dollars of computers and iPads from Yale University’s School of Medicine, as reported by NPR. Starting in 2013, Petrone would order, or have a member of her staff order, computers and other electronics, which totaled to thousands of items over the years, from Yale vendors using the Yale School of Medicine’s money. She would then arrange to ship the stolen hardware, whose costs amounted to millions of dollars, to a business in New York, in exchange for money once the electronics were resold. Investigators said Petrone would falsify documents about the fraudulent purchases and used the money she received from resells to buy real estate and travel. She was busted in August 2021 when Yale officials received an anonymous tip that Petrone was ordering “suspiciously high volumes of computer equipment,” court records state. That’s when Yale auditors began to investigate her purchases and scour her emails and ultimately turned over their shocking findings to law enforcement. As part of her guilty plea, Petrone agreed to forfeit her luxury vehicles, several homes in Connecticut and Georgia, and more than $560,000 that was seized from her bank account, according to the report. Federal prosecutors say her scheme resulted in a loss to Yale totaling $40,504,200. Joe Biden has canceled more student loan debt than any other President — a notable fact that’s flown under the radar. Taking a piecemeal approach, the Biden administration has expanded existing loan forgiveness programs for borrowers who work in the public sector, those who were defrauded by for-profit colleges and borrowers who are now permanently disabled. Those moves have delivered significant relief to more than 700,000 borrowers, totaling more than $17 billion. Yet some voters feel misled by the President, who had supported canceling $10,000 for each of the 43 million federal student loan borrowers while on the campaign trail. “He’s not delivering on his promise,” said Jennifer Lewis, a 57-year-old nurse practitioner in Washington state who has about $80,000 in student loan debt. https://youtu.be/bsVrUpkgKGs The top US military officer told lawmakers Tuesday that the world is becoming more unstable and the “potential for significant international conflict is increasing, not decreasing.” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin appeared before the House Armed Services Committee in their first testimony before Congress since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two Pentagon leaders said the threats from both Russia and China remain significant, while they defended the US approach to the war and the flow of arms the US is sending to Ukraine. Milley said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “the greatest threat to peace and security of Europe and perhaps the world” in his 42 years serving in the US military, but added it was “heartening” to see the world rally around Ukraine. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine is threatening to undermine not only European peace and stability but global peace and stability that my parents and a generation of Americans fought so hard to defend,” Milley said. “We are now facing two global powers: China and Russia, each with significant military capabilities both who intend to fundamentally change the rules based current global order,” Milley added. “We are entering a world that is becoming more unstable and the potential for significant international conflict is increasing, not decreasing.” Hundreds of workers at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., say they are planning a one-day strike next week over complaints of low wages. The District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA), the labor union representing over 300 nurses, pharmacists and social workers, said the workers are understaffed and underpaid — and as such, they are demanding a fair contract and safe staffing in order to protect patients. The union argued that nurses and other licensed healthcare professionals working at the hospital have also been understaffed throughout the pandemic. The strike is scheduled for April 11 at 7:30 a.m., according to DCNA. “It really comes down to treating us with dignity and respect. They are understaffing in the hospital, and they are taking from us as costs continue to rise,” nurse Jeanette Ethridge said in a release regarding the upcoming strike. “Allowing us to maintain our financial dignity reflects respect. Providing enough staff so we can care for our patients the way they deserve to be cared for reflects respect.” Chris Rock‘s brother would like to see Will Smith stripped of his new best actor Oscar. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kenny Rock discussed his feelings about his brother being slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars. “It eats at me watching it over and over again because you’ve seen a loved one being attacked and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Kenny Rock told the Times. “Every time I’m watching the videos, it’s like a rendition that just keeps going over and over in my head.” “My brother was no threat to him and you just had no respect for him at that moment,” he added. “You just belittled him in front of millions of people that watch the show.” Smith hit Chris Rock after Rock joked about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s close-cut hairstyle. Kenny Rock said his brother didn’t know about her medical condition and told the Times he would like to see the the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences take back the best actor Oscar Smith won that night for his performance in “King Richard.” Days after the Oscars, the Academy announced that it had “initiated disciplinary proceedings” against Smith. https://youtu.be/UE-ySzM5jhQ Chris Rock ‘doesn’t want the Will Smith slap to define him’ and ‘the rest of his career’ so it doesn’t seem like he will be accepting Will’s apology anytime soon. Just like the rest of us, Chris Rock is still reeling from when Will Smith slapped him at the Oscars. In fact, the 57-year-old comedian doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to accept the Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air star’s apology. “He can’t imagine forgiving Will, being friends with him. It is just a very weird thing to fully envelope,” a source close to Chris EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife. Chris also knows that it’s not something people are going to forget about anytime soon. “Chris Rock doesn’t want the Will Smith slap to define him and the rest of his career. It sucks that it is now part of his life forever,” our insider divulged. Magic Johnson admits he wanted to physically assault shock jock Howard Stern during their disastrous 1998 interview. “So many times, I wanted to say something and hit [Stern] at the same time — on air,” Johnson recalled in a Variety cover story. He added, “I was mad when they booked him. But there’s nothing you can do. When people look for ratings, this is what happens.” The interview went down on Johnson’s former talk show “The Magic Hour,” during which Stern made several racist comments and sexist remarks to bandleader Sheila E., and told Johnson, “At least you had fun getting AIDS.” As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Stern pressed Johnson for details about his sex life, and when the ex-NBA star clarified that he had HIV, not AIDS — and that “nobody has fun” contracting the potentially deadly disease, Stern replied, “Believe me, brother, you did. It sounds like fun to me.” Stern went on to offer Johnson some unsolicited advice. https://twitter.com/i/status/1511448538118512643 Singer August Alsina, the ex-lover of Jada Pinkett Smith, released a new song called “Shake the World” on Tuesday that appears to address his “entanglement” with the actress. “Well, of course some s— is bound to go down when you tangled up with the world’s favorite,” Alsina sing in a video shared on Instagram. At the beginning of the song, he alludes to being canceled, singing: “I heard I was canceled. Well, let’s not speak on that. Red dot on my back, I became a target. And I’m flawed but flawless. That’s what makes me August.” Fans were quick to assume that the phrase “tangled up” referred to how Jada described her affair with Alsina as an “entanglement.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb9OGIWjoK0/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b856fed4-ab13-40f4-a697-e7b6c09fd18b A UK man has been indefinitely detained at a hospital after strangling his grandmother to death before having sex with her corpse. Donovan Miller, 31, choked his grandmother, Phyllis Grant, 76, and beat her over the head with a vase at their shared home in East London’s Plaistow area. He then had sex with her body multiple times. Ms Grant, who had recently been released from hospital after recovering from COVID-19, has been described as a “matriarch of the community” and regular churchgoer by her neighbors. Miller reportedly called police and confessed to the crime on March 25, 2021. He told the paramedic on the night of his arrest: “I raped her as well for what it’s worth, yesterday and today.” A Georgia State University professor has sparked outrage after allegedly calling the police on two black students who were late for class by only two minutes. Student and TikToker Bria Blake, 20, shared a video about the incident last week that has since been viewed over 400,000 times.In the footage, Bria explains that her black classmates Taylor and Kamryn were two minutes late for an English class and that the police were called as a result. Bria said the students had “paid to be here” and refused to leave. The professor then left the class and came back with two armed cops. She says: “Stuff like this cannot keep happening to black youth in America. Stop weaponizing the police against black people.” Bria, who has 137,000 followers on TikTok, named the professor as Carissa Gray, and Georgia State University (GSU) said it is investigating the incident. Boris Johnson jumped two-footed into the row over trans rights today as he said biological males should not be allowed to compete in female-only sports events. The Prime Minister also said that parents should have ‘involvement at the very least’ in decisions made by children to alter their gender. He made his weightiest comments so far on the issue as he faced a Tory split over a ban on conversion therapy. The PM backs making the ‘abhorrent’ practice of trying to force gay people to become heterosexual illegal. But he has refused to extend the proposed ban on the practice to trans people – despite opposition from backbench MPs and the Scottish Tories. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/04/06/7596938370540878770/636x382_MP4_7596938370540878770.mp4 A Chicago church has announced it will be ‘fasting from whiteness’ for Lent by abstaining from performing any hymns composed or written by Caucasian musicians. The First United Church of Oak Park announced that for 2022 the church would do a mix of ‘giving something up’ and ‘taking something on’ for Lent by not using music written or composed by white people but instead focus on music from other cultures. ‘In our worship services throughout Lent, we will not be using any music or liturgy written or composed by white people. Our music will be drawn from the African American spirituals tradition, from South African freedom songs, from Native American traditions, and many, many more,’ the church’s website said. ‘For Lent, it is our prayer that in our spiritual disciplines we may grow as Christians, united in the body of Christ with people of all ages, nations, races, and origins.’ First United has even erected an outdoor sign to promote their choice for the 40-day religious observance despite the fact that the church’s lead pastor, Rev. John Edgerton himself white. E-40 has announced he’s expanding his Good With the Spoon brand by launching a line of ice cream products. The rollout includes six flavors: Cookie Dough, Bourbon Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate, and Salted Caramel, Complex reports. “Ice cream has been 4 years in the making but the vision is now a reality!” the rapper captioned an Instagram post. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb29yuCpKDP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again There’s a city buried under Lake Lanier (Georgia’s biggest lake), and submerged with it is a secret: An American horror story filled with terror, death, genocide, and ghosts. If you spend any time in or around Atlanta, you’ve heard tales of Lake Lanier. There are the eerie accounts of fishermen seeing ghostly kayaks floating on the water, or women with no hands roaming the Jerry D. Jackson bridge. Every so often, someone loses their life at the lake and leaves behind stories of good swimmers being snatched under the water, unexplainable boating accidents, or vehicles crashing into the lake without cause. Many folks who live close by will tell you straight up, “Don’t go to Lake Lanier.” And its death toll certainly validates their point. There have been well over 500 deaths since the lake’s inception and more than 200 since 1994. Whether the lake is cursed or not is entirely up to you. But, one thing’s for certain, its horrifying past adds a much-needed perspective to understanding its haunting present. It’s been a rough week for right-wing propaganda ministries. On Monday Donald Trump‘s Truth Social app had put nearly 1.5 million users on an access waiting list because the platform for MAGA minions who think Google is a government conspiracy has been experiencing technical difficulties since its launch in February and no one seems to be able to figure out why. Now, DirecTV is set to drop One America News Network, which is basically the Walmart brand version of Fox News. According to Bloomberg, DirecTV said it’s ditching OAN starting on Tuesday despite pressure from the “news” outlet and its supporters. Of course, conservative outlets and talking heads have been trying to bully DirectTV into changing its mind. In March, Herring Networks—which owns OAN and A Wealth of Entertainment (AWE), which the satellite TV giant is also dropping—sued AT&T and DirecTV alleging there was a breach of contract and that “the economic consequences of losing carriage with DirecTV could be devastating to OAN.” The same month, Republican attorneys general in six states sent a letter to DirecTV whining that it was “highly troubling and disappointing” that the platform was bowing down to “powerful left-wing voices.” We want to thank Jeff Bezos for going to space because while he was up there, we were signing people up.” – Christian Smalls. Chris Smalls, the fired Amazon worker who is quickly becoming the corporation’s worst nightmare, is currently on the winning side of a union battle most thought couldn’t be won, but he and his group of former and current Staten Island, New York, warehouse workers still have a road ahead of them before they can claim success. As the Associated Press reported, Smalls helped lead a victory for the Amazon Labor Union Friday, when Amazon workers voted 2,654 – 2,131 in favor of the union despite Amazon executives spending millions on a campaign to quash the whole thing. Amazon pr-union employees in other states weren’t so fortunate. A super-pissed-off TI was recorded going off on a comedian who (brought up) the sexual assault allegations made against the rapper and his wife Tiny at an Atlanta comedy show Monday night. “As many times as you joke on that shit n*gga, I’m gon check yo mother f*ckin ass as long as it takes,” T.I. (a would-be-comedian himself) told the on-stage comedian Lauren Knight. “When you stop playing with me and mine, Ima stop saying something,” he continued speaking on the mic. “There ain’t no mother f*cking case. Ain’t never been no mother f*cking case. I ain’t did nothing wrong and my wife ain’t did nothing wrong. And if you keep on playing wit me n*gga, I’m going to continue to confront (you) publicly– verbally,” he said. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb-5LusjRQi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Paula Patton has responded to the outrage over her strange fried chicken recipe. The actress shared the clip on Instagram last month, where she shows fans how she cooks her mother’s famous fried chicken recipe. The clip is only now going viral thanks to a TikToker who called out Patton for not washing the meat long enough and for adding the seasonings to her grease and not the chicken. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb-4H9LD2sM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again LisaRaye McCoy is currently promoting her new Lifetime movie “Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story”— and she’s speaking out about the challenges of navigating Hollywood. “Not to be confused with your ego, being too big — you’re in a business where you hear more no than yes, and you still got to feel like you want to go back to another audition,” she tells Page Six. “You will be told that you were not right, that you are too short, or you weren’t strong enough for this character or your look wasn’t right. So you got to find a way to be able to move on and go on confidently,” the veteran actress explained. “Hollywood will tear you down. It is not for everybody that’s for sure,” McCoy continued. https://youtu.be/7gMmtByDffA A 101-year-old Black man has finally received his high school diploma. Merrill Pittman Cooper attended Storer (then a Normal School) as a high school student from 1934 to 1938. His schooling took a detour however when he moved with his mother to Philadelphia for financial reasons during his high school senior year. He lived in Philadelphia for the next fifty years, pursuing a career in transportation and rising to the position of union vice president, per press release. In 2018, Cooper visited the former Storer College campus and expressed regret over never earning his high school diploma. “As time went on, I thought it was probably too late, so I put it behind me and made the best of the situation,” said Cooper, who grew up in Shepherdstown, W.Va., near Harpers Ferry, and now lives in Union City, N.J., per The Washington Post. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqIEL2OA2x/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ca7ad672-1400-4f43-b171-7f0a59e582e2 Several tattoo artists are speaking out about customers wanting permanent ink of the Will Smith /Chris Rock Oscars slap. “I thought, let’s do it. It’s hilarious,” Tattoo artist Jon Arton of Birmingham told SWNS about one request he received, New York Post reports. “It’s quite small and discreet – if it wasn’t I probably wouldn’t have done it.” Meanwhile, New Jersey tattoo artist Oscar Aguilar Jr. also received a request for the Will Smith slap tattoo. He shared a video on his Instagram of the finished product, which commenters called “unnecessary,” “childish” and “so dumb,” per the Post. Italian tattoo artist Giovanni Bracciodieta also posted a picture on Instagram of an Oscar slap tattoo, along with the caption, “Violence is never justified. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbp-OaOh904/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again For the first time in her long career, Rihanna has made Forbes’ annual billionaires’ list. The singer and beauty and fashion mogul reached billionaire status in 2021 with an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion, thanks to her stake in her Fenty Beauty cosmetics line—which makes up the majority of her wealth. “It’s tricky because it’s hard to even accept that’s where you’re at because I know where I’ve come from,” she said to the New York Times in September 2021 about reaching the milestone. “At the same time, it feels good to be able to inspire young women and boys, who like me, come from humble beginnings, who come from parents who are immigrants or who are immigrants themselves, to be able to do this.” According to Forbes, Rihanna is ranked No. 1,729 out of the 2,668 billionaires in the world who have a collective net worth of $12.7 trillion. Tech mogul Elon Musk topped this year’s list with $219 billion. Jeff Bezos takes the No. 2 spot with $171 billion; followed by LVMH owner Bernard Arnault with $158 billion. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet take the 4th and 5th spots $129 billion and $118 billion, respectively. Tennis superstar Serena Williams has opened up about her harrowing childbirth experience — and how “being heard and appropriately treated was the difference between life or death for me” — in a new essay for Elle. According to Williams, who shares 4-year-old daughter Olympia with husband Alexis Ohanian, her pregnancy was largely uneventful. Though she won the Australian Open early on in her pregnancy, she otherwise enjoyed being able to take some time off from her rigorous schedule, and basked in the positive media attention her pregnancy brought about. “I guess I’m one of those women who likes being pregnant; I enjoyed the positive attention. I’m used to getting negative attention from the press and critics, but this was different. I settled into a whole new way of being. I was relaxed not playing: My life was just sitting at home, and it was wonderful,” she wrote. She even enjoyed the labor cramps, something many moms describe as being one of the hardest parts of delivery. “It was great! I know that’s not what people are supposed to say, but I was enjoying it, the work of labor. I was completely in the moment. I loved the cramps. I loved feeling my body trying to push the baby out,” Williams, 40, shared. Bobby Rydell, the popular teen heartthrob singer who rose to fame in the 1950s and ’60s, has died at 79. The singer died Tuesday of pneumonia, Variety reports. Rydell’s biggest musical success came in 1960 with the release of his singles Volare and Wild One, though he would also branch out into acting as his career progressed. The singer, who was born Robert Louis Ridarelli in Philadelphia in 1942, got his big break when he was still a child in 1950 after he won a contest put on by jazz bandleader Paul Whiteman. He appeared on Whiteman’s TV Teen Club talent show for multiple years and eventually changed his name to Bobby Rydell. Sunday Best alum and Uncle G Records recording artist Keyla Richardson is set to make her acting debut in the upcoming BET+ film ‘Due Season,’ which will premiere on April 14th. Written and directed by Cecil Chambers, the film also stars Vivica A. Fox, Barry Shabaka Henley, Dorien Wilson, Rolonda Watts, BeBe Winans and Justiin A. Davis. The film follows Keyla’s character Vicky Waters, who’s been accepted into the conservatory of her dreams but now must win a competition to stay. To do so, she'll need a secret weapon that she finds through an unexpected source: gospel music. Fox plays “Vicky Waters’” mom “Gwen Waters.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSOsr51hPzE Juan Winans reaches the top of the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart, with “Never On My Own,” entering this week at Number 1. This is Winans' second consecutive Number 1 song, previously hitting Number 1 with his first single, "It Belongs To Me," last year. "Never On My Own" hits the peak slot this week after spending a few weeks in the Top 5. This week, the groovy R&B-tinged duet with sister actress Deborah Joy Winans is Number 2 on the Mediabase Gospel Airplay Chart. The Warryn Campbell produced tune has connected with audiences thanks to the pair's soulful vocals and the old-school R&B feel. Winans, who was thrilled when heard the news, said, "For the first two songs off my debut solo album to go number #1 feels incredible!" "Ultimately it's a testament to my incredible team at Dare Records! They have tremendous belief in the work I'm doing and, as an artist there's no better feeling. I'm sharing this with my sister Deborah Joy Winans which is amazing. I specifically wanted to do "Never On My Own" with her because we've always had each other's backs. We are keeping it in the family! Thank you to all the radio stations and program directors across the country for this support. I'm deeply grateful.” CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Decor Remixed, premieres tomorrow night, April 6 at 9 p.m./8C. Hosted by interior designer Dominique Calhoun, the hot new show shines a spotlight on the art of decorating and transforming dull spaces into new, fresh and innovative environments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71BfeamDpnI CLEO TV's new lifestyle series, Global Gourmet, premieres tomorrow night, April 6 at 9:30 p.m./8:30C. Hosted by the renowned Chef Essie Bartels, the show highlights the joys of delicious food and stories of wanderlust travel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzg_Rtu_KsU Fashion always plays a leading role during “Music’s Biggest Night,” as the creative expressions of artists from every genre are front and center on the red carpet. This year, Jekalyn Carr was a standout head turner, and she is making the rounds in the press for the show-stopping red carpet look that she chose, in collaboration with stylist J Bolin. Jekalyn Carr was nominated in the Best Gospel Album category; it was her fifth nomination. Additionally, the singer recently launched Jekalyn Beauty Skincare and Jekalyn Beauty Haircare, offering a suite of products to simplify the needs of women of all ages. Products can be purchased at www.JEKALYNBEAUTY.com. Jekalyn Carr is a featured performer on the third annual Stellar Music of Hope Easter Special airing in syndication later this month. A nearly unified wall of G.O.P. opposition to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson cracked slightly on Monday as two more Senate Republicans said they would side with Democrats in supporting her, paving the way for her confirmation as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. Senators Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined a third Republican, Susan Collins of Maine, in lending their support to Judge Jackson, defying deep resistance in their party to the nominee. The G.O.P. opposition was underscored anew on Monday when all 11 Republicans on the Judiciary Committee voted against the nomination. That prompted Democrats to use an unusual procedure to force the nomination out of the deadlocked panel with a vote of the full Senate, which agreed to the move by a vote of 53 to 47. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Rep. Matt Gaetz got into a heated argument during Tuesday’s House Armed Services hearing after the Florida Republican accused the Pentagon of being too focused on “wokeism” and not defense. Austin charged that Gaetz appeared to be “embarrassed for his country” by questioning the US military’s capability, and the two men shouted over one another at several points. “This is the most capable, most combat critical force in the world, it has been and it will be so going forward, and this budget helps us to do that,” Austin said. “Not if we continue down this path. Not if we continue to embrace socialism,” Gaetz charged. https://youtu.be/zwUkLLN84v8 Ukraine’s president said that over 300 people had been killed and tortured in a Kyiv suburb. As he prepared to speak to the Security Council, U.S. and European allies vowed to hold Russia accountable for the killings. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was preparing to address a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday as the United States and European allies demanded accountability for alleged atrocities by Russian forces, amid signs that Moscow was shifting the focus of its seven-week war to Ukraine’s east and south. Britain, France and the United States were expected to use the Security Council meeting to present evidence of atrocities that some officials, including President Biden, have described as “war crimes” in northern areas that Russian troops abandoned amid fierce resistance. In one of those places, Bucha, a suburb of the capital, Mr. Zelensky said that more than 300 bodies have been found since Russian forces pulled back last week, some with their hands bound or shot in the back of the head. The leaders of the Black Lives Matters organization allegedly laid out a whopping $6 million that was donated to the activist group to buy a 6,500-square foot Southern California mansion, according to published reports. News of the 2020 purchase was first reported by New York Magazine on Monday, as the organization allegedly hoped to keep the house’s existence a secret – despite three of its former leaders reportedly filming a series of videos dining and drinking Champagne outside the estate last spring. It’s unclear exactly where the opulent property is located because it is hidden hidden behind an LLC purchase. But according to New York Magazine, it boasts more than half-dozen bedrooms and bathrooms, multiple fireplaces, a soundstage, a pool and bungalow and parking for more than 20 cars. The news comes as the foundation continues to face federal scrutiny for the alleged misuse of donated funds – and comes on the heels of widespread criticism for BLM’s co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who resigned last May in the wake of revelations she had spent millions on a slew of lavish homes. Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed an $11 billion relief package to assist Californians struggling with the skyrocketing costs of gas, food and other commodities. …Direct payments to individuals; suspension of public transportation fares tax rebates; and support for state, county and municipal programs that align with the governor’s goal to make California a zero-emissions state by 2035. The state will provide about $9 billion in funding to cover $400 direct payments to car owners whose vehicles are registered in the state — with a limit of two rebates per person. The payments will be sent to car owners on debit cards. “We’re taking immediate action to get money directly into the pockets of Californians who are facing higher gas prices as a direct result of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,” said Newsom. https://youtu.be/RWOvhNm8nw4 Kansas beat North Carolina 72-69 in the NCAA men’s basketball title game in New Orleans on Monday, the program’s 4th national championship and the second for longtime coach Bill Self. But this was far from a surefire win for the No. 1 seed against the No. 8 seed. Kansas jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead to start the game, but North Carolina soon settled in, going on a 16-0 run late in the half. Kansas trailed UNC by as many as 16 points in the first half and was down 15 at halftime. According to the NCAA, the 16-point comeback is the largest in title game history. Additionally, per the NCAA, the previous record for largest halftime deficit overcome in a men’s title game was 10, by Kentucky against Utah in 1998. https://youtu.be/yXGw0bfKDNM Dawn Staley is known for her no-nonsense coaching style. But she’s also sentimental. After the Elite Eight, she scooped confetti into a cup to cherish later. After the 2017 national championship, she delivered a piece of the net she cut down to Carolyn Peck, the first Black woman to win a championship. Peck had given Staley a piece of the white nylon she had saved from when Peck won the title with Purdue in 1999. Four years after Staley won her first championship, she mailed another snippet of the 2017 net to every Black woman coach in the nation. Sunday night in Minneapolis, she stuffed a slice of that first net into her pocket as she coached top-seeded South Carolina against No. 2 seed UConn. A few hours later, she was adding to her collection. South Carolina beat UConn 64-49 for Staley’s second national title. She ascended a ladder under the Target Center nets, cut the last dangling parts of rope her players and assistants had not yet chopped off, then put the whole thing around her neck, savoring the moment as she danced on one of the top rungs to Mary J. Blige’s “Just Fine.” NBA Hall of Famer Chris Webber is turning his memoir “By God’s Grace” into a TV series by Picturestart. The book is being considered for the small screen ahead of its official release on November 15. Per Deadline, the project is currently being shopped to networks and streamers. “I’ve been waiting over 25 years to tell my story and I’m honored to partner with Erik Feig and Picturestart,” Webber said in a statement to Deadline. “This series offers a unique opportunity to provide perspective on my upbringing, to explore the nuances of high school sports, and share details from my career and personal events that shaped my life. I’m so grateful for all of the thrilling peaks and challenges throughout my journey and for the platform to convey my narrative to both new and established audiences and viewers.” https://www.instagram.com/realchriswebber/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3a853677-0c8e-46b9-875e-3c20460a1a5c Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is once again criticizing Los Angeles star LeBron James and the way he uses his platform. “Some of the things he’s done and said are really beneath him, as far as I can see,” Abdul-Jabbar said Sunday before the Lakers’ 129-118 loss to the Denver Nuggets, TMZ reports. “Some of the great things that he’s done, he’s standing on both sides of the fence almost, you know? It makes it hard for me to accept that when he’s committed himself to a different take on everything. It’s hard to figure out where he’s standing. You’ve got to check him out every time.” Abdul-Jabbar went on to say he has high expectations for James “because he understands the issues and [has] spoken to them quite forcefully and eloquently. I think he has so much going for him in terms of respect and accomplishment and he shouldn’t stoop to those moments,” Abdul-Jabbar said. Kanye West has backed out of headlining Coachella, a source close to the artist confirmed to CNN Monday. West, who now goes by Ye, had been set to be one of the headliners of The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival along with Billie Eilish and Harry Styles. The source said that West did not want to take the stage in the midst of his divorce battle with Kim Kardashian and in the wake of his one-sided feud with “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah. https://youtu.be/83ci7enAGG4 LL Cool J has announced his hip-hop festival Rock the Bells will go down this summer in his native Queens, New York. The hip-hop icon is set to perform along with a stellar line-up that includes Rick Ross, Ice Cube and Lil’ Kim, with Roxanne Shanté hosting the event, Complex reports. https://youtu.be/9PdBKSm9cOw Tosin Cole and Courtney B. Vance star alongside each other in the upcoming AMC series “61st Street.” The series follows Moses Johnson (Cole), who is a high school athlete destined for greatness, however, things take a turn for the worst when he gets caught up in Chicago’s corrupt criminal justice system when they accuse him of being a gang member following a drug bust gone wrong. Franklin Roberts (Vance) steps in to defend Johnson as his lawyer and to seek out justice. https://youtu.be/QQpfF9trmi4 En Vogue singer Cindy Herron and her MLB star husband, Glenn Braggs, are calling it quits after being married for almost three decades. According to new legal documents, obtained by The Blast, Cindy Herron-Braggs filed for dissolution of marriage in Los Angeles County Courts citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. The former couple shares four children together Donovan, Jordan, Natalia, and Solomon. It should be noted, that three of the kids are now adults, so it won’t factor in the divorce. The couple has been married for so long, that it is unclear if they signed anything like a prenuptial agreement going into the relationship. But, since they were together for so long, most likely they will split everything financially down the middle. Betty Maxwell shows her sash that she humorously got dirty from spray tans. Betty says that she sang opera as her talent and she has been singing since the age of three. Her biggest dream is to be the voice of a Disney princess. She shares her voice impersonations of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Roz from Monster’s Inc, and Ariel from the Little Mermaid. https://youtu.be/Ss9dJEVeRtk A DJ Khaled look-alike was spotted at a Waffle House and the footage has gone viral on social media. On Sunday (April 3), Instagram user @st.mark85 shared a video of himself with the DJ Khaled doppelgänger who appears to be ordering food at a Waffle House. The man looks amazingly similar to the Miami-based super producer.” St. Mark, who is filming the look-alike with his cell phone, tells the faux DJ Khaled to drop one of the artist’s signature ad-libs. “Hey bro, hit ’em with that shit,” St. Mark tells the doppelgänger, who then looks into the camera and says “Another one.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb545OhATd3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Bosses at Will Smith’s talent agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), are divided over what to do with the Oscar-winner following his shocking on-stage slap of presenter Chris Rock at this year’s Academy Awards. Smith smacked the comedian in the face after he made a joke about his wife’s hair loss. Jada Pinkett Smith has been open about her struggle with alopecia, a disease which often causes bald spots. The incident immediately thrust CAA chiefs Bryan Lourd, Richard Lovett and Kevin Huvane, who represent countless A-list stars throughout media and sports, into a quandary: their bankable star was a pariah, despite picking up the industry’s biggest award. According to an account of the incident’s aftermath in The Daily Beast, a furious debate took place within the agency over whether Smith should be dropped. A Black male Law professor and author penned an editorial for the NY Post titled “Why more black women should consider marrying white men.” The writer of the piece, Ralph Richard Banks, believes “Black women should not be held hostage to the struggles of black men.” “Rather than partner with men of other races, many heterosexual black women either don’t marry or marry black men with whom they are not especially well matched,” Banks writes. According to Banks, Black women should “marry out” not “marry down.” In the article, Banks, co-founder & faculty director of the Stanford Center for Racial Justice, cites his book “Is Marriage for White People?” and writes: “I explained in the book why black women should not be pressured to sacrifice their own chances for happiness out of some misplaced loyalty to black men. Nor should black women feel beholden to black men under the guise of advancing the race. If the price of racial solidarity is a bad intimate relationship, then the cost is too high. Black women should not be held hostage to the struggles of black men.” Albert Pujols announced Monday that he and wife Deidre are splitting up, days after she underwent successful surgery to remove a brain tumor. “I’ve been asked a lot of questions over the past few days regarding what’s been going on at home and sadly, after 22 years of marriage, I have made the decision to file for divorce from my wife, Deidre,” Pujols said in a statement released by his agent, Dan Lozano. “I realize this is not the most opportune time with Opening Day approaching and other family events that have recently taken place. These situations are never easy and isn’t something that just happened overnight.” This offseason, Pujols signed a one-year deal to return to the Cardinals, where he previously played from 2001 to 2011. He and Deidre had been married since 2000. “As a devout Christian, this is an outcome that I never wanted to see happen,” Pujols continued in his statement. “For many long days and nights, I prayed, asking the Lord for His guidance.” The metro Atlanta housing market has officially been classified as unaffordable. According to the Federal Reserve Bank’s 2022 index, “the average metro Atlanta resident can no longer afford to buy a house inside the perimeter,” per WSBTV. “You’ve got to be willing to pay more than you think you should… probably more than what the house is worth right now,” said realtor Eric Decker. https://youtu.be/TrRwu6fXF60 ”iCarly” the original influencer is back for season two! The 10-episode season picks up right where the first season ended, with Carly refocusing her attention on her friends and family after her romantic complications, all while working to boost her revived web channel. Laci Mosley says she’s “excited for people to see Harper achieve a lot more in her fashion design career as she works with some amazing drag queens from “Rupal’s Drag Race” and is designing for bigger artists.” Miranda Cosgrove said “it feels great” to find out iCarly is considered the template on how to reboot a show. “It was really exciting for all of us when it came out and it had mostly positive reactions. It was just really an amazing feeling,” said Cosgrove. https://youtu.be/37psnSqExY8 Pioneering Black American pilot Bessie Coleman will appear on quarters in 2023 as part of the U.S. Mint’s four year series celebrating the contributions of women in the United States. Along with Coleman, next year’s diverse honorees include Jovita Idar, Edith Kanaka’ole, Eleanor Roosevelt and Maria Tallchief, according to a press release. “The range of accomplishments and experiences of these extraordinary women speak to the contributions women have always made in the history of our country,” said Mint Deputy Director Ventris Gibson of the latest round of honorees. https://youtu.be/4fSwHryVWZE A Minnesota TV station has unearthed archival footage of the late, great music icon Prince at 11 years old. Staffers at WCCO, a CNN affiliate station in Minneapolis, discovered the footage of young Prince being interviewed about local public school teachers on strike in 1970. The footage was found while reporters were pulling old footage to include in a piece about a recent strike. In the video, the interviewer asks young Prince if most of the kids gathered at the strike scene were in support of their teachers’ picketing. The future hitmaker replied, “Yup.” “I think they should get some more money because they work extra hours for us, and all that stuff,” little Prince said in the clip before walking away. https://cbsloc.al/36LHSGJ On Monday, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee met to discuss Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the US Supreme Court and were deadlocked 11-11 along party lines on whether to send her nomination to the full Senate floor for consideration, per Reuters. According to The Associated Press, Democrats have planned a vote to "discharge" Jackson’s nomination from the committee on Monday evening and then will launch "a series of procedural steps in the coming days to wind it through the 50-50 Senate. https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1vAGRkNLbaNJl CECE WINANS' three (3) Grammy wins last night was nothing short of AMAZING!! Last night's wins marked the 15th GRAMMY AWARDED to Cece, sliding her closer to the TOP FIVE MOST GRAMMY AWARDED FEMALE ARTIST OF ALL TIME (All Genres)!!! This is Absolutely Remarkable!! JEKALYN CARR, who was also nominated for BEST GOSPEL ALBUM (!!) last Night, Looked absolutely STUNNING on the Grammy Red Carpet, showing the world that GOSPEL has CLASS & BEAUTY!! She is featured on several major outlets this morning like E! News, VARIETY, ESSENCE, PEOPLE, Deadline and many more!!! Multi-platinum super group Maverick City Music today have become GRAMMY Award winners after taking home the award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Old Church Basement with Elevation Worship. The moment was punctuated with a very special performance of their No. 1 smash hit “Jireh” from the top of the MGM Grand. Of the win, co-founder of Maverick City Music Tony Brown says, “Maverick City Music started with a dream to make the most segregated hour in America, Sunday mornings, an ancient past time. Breaking barriers by being nominated in every inspirational GRAMMY category is only the beginning. The empowerment of every unlikely voice is what’s next for Maverick City.” Maverick City Music recently announced their largest co-headline arena tour to date with Kirk Franklin. The tour, dubbed Kingdom, begins on June 1st and will make stops in 37 cities in North America including Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up in Denver, CO at Ball Arena on July 31st. They will be joined by Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires on all dates. https://youtu.be/byDt2bsFFOA Today, CLEO TV announced the premieres of two, new lifestyle series that shine a spotlight on the joys of delicious food, the art of decorating and stories of wanderlust travel, with “Decor Remixed'' and “Global Gourmet”. “Decor Remixed”, hosted by interior designer Dominique Calhoun, and “Global Gourmet”, hosted by the renowned Chef Essie Bartels, debut with back-to-back episodes beginning Wednesday, April 6 at 9 p.m./8C on CLEO TV. Grammy Nominated songwriter, Grammy and Dove Award-winning producer, and chart-topping recording artist Rudy Currence and Grammy-winning songstress Chrisette Michele have released the official music video for “No Greater Love” on Friday (March 25). Written by Rudy, “No Greater Love” is the #1 song in the country on the Mediabase Gospel radio chart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3vjDj5mMBg The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has joined forces with actor Harry Lennix and prominent national community organizations to increase awareness about prostate cancer among Black men during National Minority Health Month (NMHM) in April. Through social media outreach, the National Black Church Initiative and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., will encourage men to understand their personal risks and to take proactive measures to protect their health. Lennix will be a guest speaker for a special webinar about prostate cancer disparities. Lennix is one of PCF's celebrity ambassadors who lends his voice to encourage men to know their numbers and their risks. "Men, especially Black men must be on high alert for prostate cancer. It disproportionately affects Black men who are about 75 percent more likely to develop the disease than white men and are more than twice as likely to die from it," said Lennix. "That is why it is important for Black men to be informed and proactive about their health, such as taking proper preventative lifestyle measures and receiving regular screenings. Taking those small, impactful steps can help save lives." Ricky Dillard Drop a song shinning bright in the Gospel Spotlight!!! Keep Going (Live At Family Christian Center, Munster, IN / July 9, 2021) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07ORYeVvBgk Being the only Black person in a predominately white space can put one in the spotlight and with a target on their back if anything goes wrong. In the case of Emanuel Fair, it was that reality that cost a Black man more than eight years of his life—which he spent in lockup without a single conviction. Fair is now suing everyone involved with his imprisonment. According to Rolling Stone, Fair attended a Halloween party at the Valley View Apartments in Redmond, Washington, in 2008. It was essentially a small block party where numerous residents had their apartment doors open to party-goers. But Fair was not a resident. Fair had been staying with a friend, Leslie Potts. Fair didn’t know anyone else at the party, which he had no idea was taking place as he had just begun his stay in Potts’ apartment. So a few of Potts’ neighbors helped him pull together a “construction worker” costume to celebrate the festivities. Rolling Stone’s report noted that others who attended the party said he was relatively quiet—which makes sense if he knew next to no one—but mostly, he was referred to as “the Black guy,” as he was apparently the only Black man there. And that’s exactly what made him the one and only suspect arrested when 24-year-old software engineer Arpana Jinaga, one of the party’s hosts, was found beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled to death in her apartment on November 1 of that year. While Fair, who had been charged with first-degree murder, was being held in King County Jail on a seven-figure bail his family couldn’t afford, he had his first trial in 2017. The jury deadlocked and he was tried again in 2019 when a jury found him not guilty. It was a crime in which there were no witnesses, no confessions, and, ultimately, no justice for Jinga. And now Fair wants everyone involved in his imprisonment to say “I’m sorry” with their wallets. Tucker Carlson, a host at Fox News is for whatever reason, randomly circling back to an old gripe he has with rapper Cardi B. Yes, Carlson is just being weird at this point. No, Cardi did not send for Carlson before he decided to come for her. Yes, it is as clear as day that Carlson’s love life is a case study for the ultimate definition of “vanilla sex.” (Actually, Ben Shapiro has been holding that spot down longer than he’s ever held down any of his wife’s spots, but for the purposes of this article, it’s Tucker.) Anyway, apparently, Carlson is big-fake mad that Cardi will be making an appearance on an episode of Baby Shark’s Big Show! on Nickelodeon. “So you’re a fuddy-duddy if you note that American culture is becoming, like, not really culture anymore,” Carlson said on his show, the Daily Beast reported. “It’s like a lot of growling and sexless talking about sex. And if you think it’s an overstatement, check out this song from someone calling herself Cardi B.” On March 19, Jada Davis made history after she was crowned “Miss Milwaukee.” The bustling law student and business owner became the first Black woman in the state to be honored with the prestigious title. “It was an incredible moment,” Davis shared of the big accolade to Wisconsin’s Afternoon News. “To have a piece of history be a part of my life, during Women’s History Month, is one of the most special things about this experience,” she added. Due to the pandemic, the state held its first virtual Miss Milwaukee Competition. Davis competed against eight other beautiful contenders for the title. According to Fox 6, the 23-year-old was awarded a $700 scholarship and earned an additional $100 upon winning “the top talent award.” Davis performed a contemporary dance piece to a spoken word poem called “Dear Black Girl” by Candice Nicholas. Now, Davis is preparing to advance to the Miss Wisconsin Competition in Oshkosh in June, which is a state preliminary to the Miss America Competition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8FbpWijb-E Police on Monday said they have arrested one man who is a suspect in Sunday’s mass shooting in Sacramento that killed six people and wounded 12 others. Dandre Martin, 26, was identified as a “related suspect” and was booked on assault and illegal firearm possession charges, according to a release from Sacramento police. CNN is seeking comment from legal representation for Martin. During the initial investigation, detectives found more than 100 shell casings and discovered at least three buildings and three cars that had been hit by bullets. Police served search warrants at three homes and at least one handgun was recovered. Authorities said they have received more than 100 video or photo files in a tip portal. An alleged hitman was captured on video counting stacks of cash he received for the killing of a Transportation Security Administration agent, “Another day in the office,” Javon Carter says in the brief video footage as he flips through the $100 and $20 bills, per NBC Miami. Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 3, the California Abolition Act, has one more hurdle to clear before voters can approve or reject it in the General Election in November. The state Assembly voted 59-0 to approve the legislation on March 21, which would amend the Constitution of California to end involuntary servitude in the state. Should the Senate vote in favor of ACA 3 before the end of June of this year, it will go to the voters for a final decision. Article 1, Section 6 of the California Constitution currently allows the practice of involuntary servitude as a means of punishing crime. Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), who authored ACA 3 in 2020 while serving in the Assembly, says involuntary servitude is a euphemism for forced labor, a practice she says is much more nefarious and is comparable to slavery. Tommy Davis, a two-time National League batting champion who won three World Series titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has died. He was 83. He died Sunday night in Phoenix, the Dodgers announced Monday. They did not provide a cause of death. They were informed of Davis’ death by his daughter, Morgana. Davis was an athletic standout at Boys High School in Brooklyn, where he was a basketball teammate of future Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens. Davis also played baseball and was a long jumper on the school’s track and field team. Davis was set to sign with the Yankees in 1956 when a phone call from Jackie Robinson changed his mind. Robinson was playing what would be his final season with the Dodgers that year when he called Davis’ house and encouraged him to sign with the Brooklyn organization. Scouting director Al Campanis knew Davis’ mother was a Dodgers fan. “My mother wondered who was calling,” Davis said in 2019. “I pointed to the receiver and mouthed the words, ‘It’s Jackie Robinson!’ I couldn’t believe I was speaking to one of my heroes, although I don’t remember doing much talking.” Colin Kaepernick was invited to Michigan’s spring game on Saturday where he threw to undrafted receivers at halftime for NFL scouts. Kaepernick was invited to Michigan by coach Jim Harbaugh, who mentored the athlete during his time with the San Francisco 49ers. Kap served as honorary captain for the spring game, where he also delivered a message to prospective NFL teams, ESPN reports. “I can help make you a better team, I can help you win games,” Kaepernick said during an interview with told WXYZ. “I know right now the situation likely won’t allow me to come in, step into a starting role. I know I’ll be able to work my way to that though and show that very quickly. “So to the teams that have questions, more than anything I would say I’d love to come in for a workout. I’d love to sit down with you and have that conversation about how I could help you be a better team.” https://youtu.be/iQ8PE3P7iSc Tiger Woods will make a “game-time decision” on competing at next week’s Masters, the five-times champion said on Sunday as he continues his recovery from the serious leg injuries he suffered in a car crash in February 2021. Woods said six weeks ago that he had a “long way to go” in his recovery but speculation mounted with each passing day that his return could come at the April 7-10 Masters as he refrained from removing his name from the field of competitors. “I will be heading up to Augusta today to continue my preparation and practice. It will be a game-time decision on whether I compete,” Woods said on Twitter. Chris Rock is reportedly being showered with lucrative offers following the Oscars slapping incident with Will Smith. “Chris has handled the situation with Will with such grace and poise – and it is paying dividends. Hollywood just can’t get enough of him and while people are turning away from Will in droves, they’re queuing up to see Chris,” a source said, as reported by Bang Showbiz. Tickets for Rock’s new comedy tour have surged since he was slapped by Smith at the Oscars. The insider told The Sun newspaper: “His comedy tour is now sold out for months in advance and he has added more dates on thanks to the increase in demand.” https://youtu.be/GHB7IlUeZ3w Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah set up expectations moments into Sunday night’s show: Music’s biggest night is essentially one big concert where awards happen to be given out. It was that, but because of a mid-show appearance from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke of Ukrainian musicians in body armor and appealed for support, everything landed in a context that seemed to escape last week’s Oscars. For a moment, the night of music and celebration stopped and the focus turned to the ongoing invasion and the plight of the Ukrainian people.“ It was a big night for three artists in particular, who walked away with the night’s four biggest honors. Jon Batiste won album of the year for “We Are,” Silk Sonic won record and song of the year for “Leave the Door Open” and Olivia Rodrigo walked away with best new artist. Doja Cat and SZA also scored a memorable win — both for Doja Cat’s emotional response and her ill-timed bathroom break that almost robbed her of her moment. It all worked out, though, for the new winners of the best pop duo/group performance award. https://eurweb.com/2022/04/03/grammy-awards-2022-all-the-highlights-including-silk-sonics-wins-performance-videos/ During an interview with Fox News on Friday, actor-director Mel Gibson spoke about faith, ego, and redemption, while promoting his latest film Father Stu. As CBN News has reported, Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson teamed up for the new biographical movie that’s filled with grit, faith, and redemption. It’s scheduled to hit theaters nationwide on Wednesday, April 13. Father Stu has been a project of Wahlberg’s for the past six years, according to The Hollywood Reporter‘s exclusive story. The actor wanted to make a movie about the boxer-turned-priest’s life after he died almost seven years ago. Both Wahlberg and Gibson are professed Catholics. The pair formed a friendship when Gibson was hired to play Wahlberg’s father in the 2017 comedy Daddy’s Home 2, according to MovieGuide. Wahlberg will portray Long in the new movie and reportedly gained 30 pounds for the role. Gibson will play Long’s father. https://youtu.be/DHREzAdyCPs Sources say that days after the Oscar slap flap, Will was flown by his BFF, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, aka “Fazza,” to the middle Eastern kingdom so he could cool out while his bad press burns like a California wildfire. The 39 year old Fazza, as he is known, is a good looking 39 year old entrepreneur, sports man, and businessman. He was married off to a cousin in 2019 and now has a set of twins. When the babies were born, Smith sent custom made gifts to them. Fazza posted a picture of Will with the gifts to his Instagram account. The children call Smith Uncle Will, according to reports. Zaila Avant-garde, is only the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee which happened last summer, she’s also a serious basketball prodigy. Not too long ago, the 14-year-old rising star met her basketball idol, Dallas Wings guard and former UConn star Moriah Jefferson. Avant-garde, who hopes to one day play in the WNBA, and Jefferson got together and even though the pro was able to show the youngster a lot of stuff, it was Jefferson who also got schooled by Avant-garde. https://youtu.be/nSDYIjer6X0 There is much controversy surrounding the book titled “The 1619 Project” – a book created by author and Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones and The New York Times Magazine. The origins of the book began when the Times ran two publications of Hannah-Jones’ story and concept in 2019. Ultimately, the Times staff embraced the concept and “ran with it” to help create the book which was released in 2021. Today’s narrative of White Americans, that Black Americans vote democratic because they want a “free lunch” does not hold up when you read how enslavement provided free labor enforced by the whip and other cruelties. The profit from the production of cotton in the 1800’s is comparative to the value of oil in today’s market. Historian Joshua Rothman wrote in his book Flush Times and Fever Dreams, “Americans built a culture of speculation unique in its abandon” [That culture would drive cotton production up to the Civil War, and it has been a defining characteristic of American capitalism ever since. It is the culture of acquiring wealth without work, growing at all costs, and abusing the powerless. It is the culture that brought us catastrophic downturns, like the Panic of 1837, the stock market crash of 1929, and the recession of 2008. It is the culture that has produced staggering inequality and undignified working conditions. https://youtu.be/Q14BTdS6BRc Former NFL player Channing Crowder went viral over the weekend after saying Ciara is only with her NFL star husband Russell Wilson because he’s a “square.” Crowder made the shocking statement during his recent podcast “The Pivot,” and claimed Ciara, who used to date rapper Future and shares a young son with him, would not be married to a “square” like Wilson if he was not wealthy. “If Russell didn’t have that bread Ciara wouldn’t be with him…Russel is square…Ciara has a good situation, but you don’t leave Future and get with Russell Wilson,” said Crowder. “You’re going to leave Future for Russell Wilson? He’s so goddamn square, I love him on the field…he’s a square. He’s a f*cking square,” he added. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2022-04-03-040322-channing-crowder-1387938/ The Montero artist showed up at the 2022 Grammys in a look from Balmain, telling Live From E!‘s Laverne Cox that the ensemble was chosen because he wanted “eat the whole night up.” As he put it, “We gonna knock it out tonight.” Lil Nas X had good reason to go all out: He’s nominated for Best Music Video, Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year, a truly impressive feat considering Montero is his debut studio album. And though he previously won a Grammy alongside Billy Ray Cyrus for “Old Town Road,” the star noted that people a/k/a haters didn’t think he’d attend another Grammy ceremony: “A lot of people did not expect me to be back here,” he said. “But I’m here, baby. Five nominations—let’s take some home!” https://youtu.be/jRP7cq6vfhM BIZARRE footage circulating online appears to show mourners raving alongside the rapper Goonew at his funeral. An event titled The Final Show Goonew was held at Bliss nightclub in Washington DC on Sunday – weeks after the star, 24, was shot dead. Pictures circulating online shows what appears to be the rapper standing up at the event. Speculation online suggests his embalmed body was erected inside the club but The Sun has been unable to verify the claims. It’s not known if it is his embalmed body or a mannequin. https://youtu.be/4HvRVim2xAc Diana Ross celebrated her 78th birthday on March 26 and her daughters partied in style by rocking custom-made t-shirts to honor the music icon. Tracee Ellis Ross shared a post to Instagram on Thursday that featured photographs of herself and sisters Rhonda Ross Kendrick and Chudney Ross wearing “Straight Outta Diana Ross” to-shirts, a play on N.W.A’s 1988 album “Straight Outta Compton.” https://www.instagram.com/traceeellisross/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=03824dda-8e68-48af-8e2a-eb222371f6e7 Saweetie is going with the flow! On the red carpet at the 2022 Grammys, the rapper chatted with Access Hollywood’s guest correspondent Emily Orozco about her glamorous look and confessed that she actually got dressed in the parking lot of the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. https://youtu.be/AOr3vIE1O_E Blac Chyna is moving forward with her lawsuit against the Kardashian family, claming they got her reality show with Rob Kardashian canceled after one season. Chyna shared an update Saturday regarding her upcoming trial against the Kardashian/Jenner klan, which is set for later this month. “I plan to re-focus my attention on my trial against Kris Jenner and her daughters Kim, Khloé, and Kylie which starts in 13 days,” she wrote in the statement on Twitter. “When they got my No. 1 hit show killed back in January 2017, that not only hurt me financially and emotionally, that hurt my beautiful KIDS.” When Will and Jada’s daughter Willow Smith was a young girl she wrote a letter to deceased rapper Tupac Shakur begging him to come back so her “mommy can be happy.” MTO News unearthed the letter Willow wrote when she was just 11 years old, which has gone viral following Will’s Oscar slap. Social media influencer Kevin Samuels has questions for the Smith family after he read the letter on his podcast. “You could become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, squeaky clean image, women love you around the world — and this is what’s going on in your house? Your wife is in love with a dead man,” Samuels said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. Samuels then read Willow’s letter: “I know you are alive someplace. I think that my mommy really misses you. Can you please come back? Can you come back so me and my mommy can be happy? I wish you were here. I really do.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbysHnYgXAJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sacramento police are asking the public’s help in finding whoever opened fire downtown Sunday morning, killing six people. Another 10 people were injured in the melee near 10th and K streets, Sacramento Police Chief Katherine Lester said. “9th St to 13th St is closed between L St & J St as officers investigate a shooting with multiple victims,” Sacramento police tweeted. “Conditions unknown at this time. Please avoid the area as a large police presence will remain and the scene remains active.” A large crowd was gathered in the area when gunfire erupted around 2 a.m., Lester told reporters Sunday morning. https://youtu.be/nbgGmQKNxFE Recently, hundreds of protesters demanding justice in the death of Donnell Rochester marched through Baltimore. Rochester was shot dead by a police officer on 9th Feb. The march started in the Coldstream Homestead Montebello neighborhood, East Baltimore, right where Rochester, 18, was shot. According to WBFF FOX45, the protesters made attempts to enter Baltimore City Hall to have a conversation with Mayor Brandon Scott and Police Commissioner Michael Harrison. The hall has been out of reach to the public because of the COVID-19 regulations. https://youtu.be/n_-qBcuqcg8 Gloria Williams requested the court to have her 18-year prison sentence reduced for kidnapping Kamiyah Mobley in 1998, however, a Duval County Circuit Court judge didn’t rule in her favor. Williams made a plea in hopes of reassuring the judge that she is working hard to improve while (serving her) prison sentence–which has already been four years after she was convicted of stealing an hours-old infant from a Jacksonville maternity ward. The motion to cut her time in half was not filed on time, Judge Jeb Branham stated and his one-page response issued on Tuesday also said he declined to address the motion’s merits. “The court commends the defendant for her efforts to rehabilitate herself and sympathizes with Ms. Mobley’s perspective,” Branham wrote. “However, even if the motion was filed on time, the court would not find a basis to undo the original sentencing judge’s decision.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb28auMjZgB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A man accused of killing a Queens nurse he met on a dating app was extradited to New York City from California Thursday to face a murder charge in the nearly 4-year-old case, police said. Danueal Drayton, 31, was hauled to a Queens Village police station and charged in the strangulation death of Samantha Stewart, 29, who was found dead at her Jamaica home on July 17, 2018, police said. Drayton also faces charges including grand larceny, identity theft and sexual misconduct, according to the NYPD. Drayton had an alleged history of violence against women that he met online, in both the tristate area and in Los Angeles, authorities said. Five young people were jailed on murder charges Friday in the March 25 fatal drive-by shooting that claimed the life of an 8-year-old boy on the east side of Warner Robins. In a statement posted on Facebook late Friday, Houston County sheriff’s officials announced four arrests in the death of Jermarrion Pachino Cherry. On Saturday, officials announced a fifth arrest. At least three of the suspects, who range in age from 17 to 21, have criminal records. Cherry was shot in the head while he was in a parked car with some other children at a home in a neighborhood near Robins Air Force Base. He died Monday at an Atlanta children’s hospital. Sheriff’s investigators have said a car rode past the automobile that Cherry was in and that “multiple shots were fired” from the passing car. An adult with the children had “just stepped away” from their car and “was several feet away” when the barrage began. A 17-year-old business owner was shot and killed outside of the barber shop he ran with his mother in Clayton County Saturday night. Police said Anthony ‘China’ McClain was just an innocent bystander who got caught in the crossfire when gunshots broke out at a shopping center off River Station Boulevard. A witness told Channel 2's Justin Carter that he was doing maintenance in the area when he saw a man start shooting at a white car, and someone started shooting back. Employees at the Wayfield Food grocery store next door said a bullet pierced a window. Family members gathered outside the store Saturday afternoon as Clayton County police blocked off the area to investigate. McClain’s cousin, LaShawn Hood, said she believes it all started because of a fight inside the shop that spilled into the parking lot. “He was just standing outside the barber shop, and there was some commotion and something happened and a stray bullet is what,” Hood said. A five-year-old Florida girl died after her mother kidnapped her and led police on a high-speed chase that ended with her vehicle crashing into a retention pond. Pamela Tereza Cabrera, 32, led police on a 30-mile pursuit through North Jacksonville on Thursday night, reaching speeds of 90 mph, before she crashed her vehicle into the pond as she tried to exit the interstate. Officers pulled Cabrera out of the water, but were unable locate her daughter, Vanity, WJAX reported. A dive team eventually found the five-year-old dead at the bottom of the pond. Throughout five explosive seasons and one film, Bounce TV’s “Saints and Sinners” has been a fan favorite. On Sunday, April 3rd, the final season kicks off. The series stars Vanessa Bell Calloway and Clifton Powell. Michael Anthony joins the cast this season as the infamous Uncle Ray Ray, alongside Tray Chaney, Jasmine Burke, Keith Robinson, Donna Biscoe, J.D. Williams, Christian Keyes, Karlie Redd, David Banner, Dawn Halfkenny, Lisa Wu, Ashani Roberts, and Kaye Singleton. https://youtu.be/dZw_D1k-qBw If this were a presidential contest, Chris Rock would be winning in most states, according to an article published on The Hill. As of now, he has 41 states under his belt against Will Smith’s 9 states. This is about the Oscar ceremony incident where Will Smith ended up slapping the comedian. The sports gambling company BetOnline.ag on Tuesday released a map based on geotagged Twitter data that shows most Americans support Rock over the “Men in Black” star. Most Twitter users in the 41 states think Will Smith was wrong to slap Rock, while only 9 states have many siding with Will Smith on the public drama that took many by surprise, including Rock himself. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina and New Hampshire sided with Smith. Now you already knew the moment the “The Slap” happened, “Saturday Night Live” was gonna go in on it and that’s exactly what happened last night. The skit my have been kind of uncomfortable to watch and hilarious at the same time. https://youtu.be/nTRng89HjJw After Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and Sunday night’s Oscars, Denzel Washington was seen comforting Smith. Now, 6 days later, he’s speaking his mind about the mind-blowing situation. “Well, there’s a saying, ‘When the devil ignores you, then you know you’re doing something wrong,’” was what Washington said Saturday (04-02-22) morning during a discussion about his career and faith with author and bishop, T.D. Jakes during his (Jakes) leadership summit, according to Variety. “The devil goes, ‘Oh no, leave him alone, he’s my favorite,’” he continued. “Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe it’s because he’s trying to do something, right? And for whatever reason, the devil got ahold of that circumstance that night.” https://youtu.be/2mTKPoQAoNs Today BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) celebrated the best and brightest in gospel music at the 2022 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards held at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville. BMI’s Gospel Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the top 20 songs of the previous year were all honored at the private event hosted by BMI’s President & CEO, Mike O’Neill and BMI’s Vice President, Creative-Atlanta Catherine Brewton. BMI’s Gospel Songwriter of the Year was a four-way tie between Aaron Lindsey, J Drew Sheard II, Kierra Sheard and Jeshua “TedyP” Williams. GRAMMY, Dove and Stellar Award-winning songwriter, Aaron Lindsey was honored for two chart-topping songs, “It Belongs to Me,” co-written and performed by Juan and Lisa Winans (feat. Marvin Winans) and “Thank You for It All,” co-written by Jarmone E. Davis and Marvin Sapp. J Drew and Kierra Sheard were honored for co-writing “His Love” and “It Keeps Happening.” GRAMMY Award-winning songwriter/producer Jeshua “TedyP” Williams was honored for his work on “Hold Me Close” and for co-writing “Trouble Won’t Last” with Keyondra Lockett, who won her first BMI award for the hit single. Throughout the ceremony, the music continued with featured performances by gospel greats and BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Icons Marvin Sapp and Kirk Franklin, as well as rising gospel star DOE. After being honored with his sixth BMI Gospel Award for “Thank You for It All,” Sapp gave a moving performance of the chart-topping single. Sisters Alexis Jones and Arin Jackson‘s desire for more diverse children’s music has led to a Grammy nomination. The duo, known as “The Magic Jones,” contributed to the 1 Tribe Collective, whose “All One Tribe” is up for best children’s album. Neither Jackson nor Jones are new to the music industry. Jackson is a member of the previously Grammy-nominated R&B group Brownstone, and Jones has performed as a member of Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir. She also acts, with credits that include Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Christmas.” They told CNN they began thinking about representation in children’s music during the pandemic and their desire for children of color to “be able to see themselves.” https://youtu.be/z1_RDbhslWo Estelle Harris, who played George Costanza’s (Jason Alexander) mother Estelle on the iconic NBC sitcom Seinfeld, died Saturday evening of natural causes in Palm Desert, California, just weeks before her 94th birthday. “It is with the greatest remorse and sadness to announce that Estelle Harris has passed on this evening at 6:25pm,” her son Glen Harris, who held her as she drew her final breath, told Deadline. “Her kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her.” Born Estelle Nussbaum in New York City on April 22, 1928, Harris appeared on 27 episodes of Seinfeld between 1992 and 1998. (The character had been named Estelle before she landed the part.) She began pursuing acting at assorted amateur community theaters while raising her children, and went on to find incredible success both on stage and on screen, also featuring in such series as Futurama, The Looney Tunes Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, iCarly, ER, Mind of Mencia, Phil of the Future, Dave the Barbarian, Kim Possible, The Proud Family, House of Mouse, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Godzilla: The Series, The Wild Thornberrys, Hercules, Cybill, Living Single, Moesha, The Mask, Night Stand, Star Trek: Voyager, The Tick, Aladdin, Good Advice, Mad About You, Married… with Children and Night Court. A man nearly lost his penis after injecting it with #cocaine, which left it black and rotted.? While not much is known about the male’s identity, The Sun reported that doctors at the #BronxCareHospitalCenter were stunned when the 35-year-old turned up in the emergency room in complete agony. He told staff that he spent three days in excruciating pain after he injected cocaine directly into the dorsal vein of his penis, which runs the full length of the shaft. ?The patient admitted to injecting at the sight multiple times. However, this was the first time the penis injection was nearly fatal. The man had a longstanding drug problem and resorted to injecting cocaine into his penis once all other injection sites were damaged.?? https://www.instagram.com/p/CbxhXktDbBH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Raven-Symoné has lost whopping 40 pounds and she has her wife to thank for it, plus sticking to a sugarless diet. She says she decided to take her health issues seriously after it became a concern to her wife, Miranda Pearman-Maday. https://youtu.be/pv_lGzRcWE4 It looks like we won’t be seeing Kanye wilding out on Instagram any time soon. According to @pagesix, Kanye told Kim he was “going away to get help” after all the online drama. Kanye has been open about his mental health issues before, but his recent behavior on Instagram towards Kim and her new boo Pete, had fans wondering if he was okay mentally. Now, according to a source close to the family, he has agreed to stop harassing the couple and stop making public appearances so he can fully heal and move on. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb3WHJOJjcf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3dbd3056-f428-478a-a68c-41f1064e656a Todrick Hall, choreographer and former “Celebrity Big Brother” contestant, once announced he bought a home, meaning he would not be paying rent to anyone anymore. But this might have been, well, just for the cameras. It turns out he rented a Sherman Oaks (CA) home. The truth wouldn’t have come out if not for the fact that he can’t pay the rent on time, for he has been sued by Avi Lavian for $60k after falling 60 days behind schedule. The lawsuit details indicate that the accused should be paying a rent of $30k each month for the Sherman Oaks home but is now 60 days behind, reports TMZ. https://youtu.be/--oMuijqP1M Denzel Washington broke his silence Saturday on Will Smith’s Oscars slap, addressing his conversation with Smith immediately following the actor’s assault of Chris Rock onstage at the ceremony. Smith shocked everyone when he walked onto the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke at the expense of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. During the commercial break after the slap, Washington and Tyler Perry were seen talking with Smith and seemingly encouraging the actor ahead of his first Oscar win for Best Actor. Washington appeared with producer and author T.D. Jakes at the mega pastor’s Leadership Summit on Saturday (the livestream of which TheWrap hosted exclusively) for a conversation about his career and faith, and he addressed what happened at the Oscars. “You stepped in the middle of World War III,” Jakes said, asking Smith about what occurred. “There’s a saying when the devil ignores you, then you know you’re doing something wrong,” Washington began. “The devil goes, ‘Oh no leave him alone, he’s my favorite’ (laughs). Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe it’s because he’s trying to do something right. And for whatever reason the devil got a hold of him that night.” Washington declined to say what he specifically discussed with Smith and Perry, but revealed that they prayed. https://twitter.com/i/status/1508273120473325573 The Delaware Department of Justice is searching for additional victims of a former Ellendale pastor who has been accused of attempting to use scripture to coerce female parishioners into sexual relationships. According to the DOJ, Major Foster, of Lincoln, was employed as a pastor at Ellendale’s Philadelphia Pentecostal Holiness Church between 2013 and 2020. While there, the Attorney General’s Office said it received multiple reports he was inappropriately touching female parishioners. “I am grateful to the women who have come forward to the Delaware State Police and our prosecutors,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “We have reason to believe that Foster’s alleged years long pattern of abuse includes as yet unreported, additional instances. We ask that any additional victims or witnesses with information come forward. We will be there to support you.” In November, a Sussex County Grand Jury indicted Foster on three counts third-degree unlawful sexual contact and offensive touching. In addition to using scripture to corrupt women in his congregation, the DOJ also alleged Foster made inappropriate comments, and “instigated prolonged hugs” during which he would make inappropriate sexual contact with the victims. The offensive touching charge comes from an alleged incident where Foster is said to have pushed a victim’s husband when he was confronted. The state is asking any additional victims to call the Delaware State Police at 302.752.3813. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into the internationally known televangelist Perry Stone nearly two years after allegations of sexual harassment and assault surfaced against the Cleveland, Tennessee-based faith leader. The TBI has interviewed at least five people who claim to be victims or who are connected to Stone’s ministry, according to three people who were present for the conversations. The state’s investigative agency is in possession of a list of at least nine alleged victims as well, according to a recording of a phone conversation obtained by the Chattanooga Times Free Press. A TBI spokesperson confirmed by email the agency is investigating Stone at the request of Steve Crump, district attorney general for Bradley, McMinn, Monroe and Polk counties, and that as of this week, the investigation is active. No further details about the nature of the investigation were provided. Crump confirmed by phone he requested the investigation but said he would not provide further comment as the investigation is ongoing. The results of the investigation, if approved by the TBI, would be given to Crump to decide whether to press charges. Mel Gibson’s handler abruptly shut down an interview with Jesse Watters on Friday after the Fox News host asked the veteran actor, who is no stranger to onstage conflict, about the confrontation between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars. ‘You understand it probably better than a lot of people, with your career,’ Watters told Gibson, referring to Smith slapping the comedian after he made a joke about his wife last Sunday. ‘And I was wondering if, you know, you had been the one that jumped up out of his seat and slapped Chris Rock, if you would have been treated the same way. Mel?’ Gibson points his finger into the camera, grimaces and shakes his head, then waves his other hand. ‘Hello, Jesse? Um, thank you, that’s our time,’ cuts in a female voice from off-camera. Gibson continues to smile awkwardly, looking sideways off-camera and then into his lap. But Watters pressed further. ‘Have you ever thought about that?’ Russian prosecutors warned Western companies that criticism of Moscow’s war on Ukraine could lead to arrests of corporate leaders or seizure of assets in the country. Companies that received the warning included Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, IBM and Yum Brands, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. The threats came in the form of calls, letters and visits threatening to take legal action against the companies and seize assets including their trademarks, the newspaper reported. Sources told the Journal that the threats prompted at least one of the companies to limit communications between its Russian business and the rest of the organization. Since Moscow attacked Ukraine, many private companies – ranging from oil companies and retailers to sports organizations and media – have cut ties with Russia as the country becomes ever more isolated from the global economy. “Russia’s attack on Ukraine is an act of aggression which is having tragic consequences across the region,” Helge Lund, chairman of BP, said in a statement at the time of his company’s withdrawal last month, noting it worked with “brilliant” Russian colleagues over 30 years in the country. A former high school football champion whose lawyer said he disarmed a gunman during a fight at a California restaurant and was shot by police remained hospitalized Thursday. Attorney Adante Pointer called K’aun Green, 20, a “hero” who prevented a shooting inside the La Victoria restaurant early Sunday before a San Jose police officer opened fire, striking Green. “The police yelled ‘drop the gun,’ and without giving my client a second to understand it was the police, or turn around and see what was going on, or even to drop the gun, he was shot multiple times,” Pointer told NBC Bay Area. Green was shot in the abdomen and leg and twice in the arm, Pointer said. San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata on Tuesday said that Green did not respond to repeated orders to drop the weapon, which he described as a “ghost gun,” as he backed out of the restaurant’s front door. Mata said the shooting occurred roughly one block from a homicide scene that involved a gun. Fleeing customers told officers that a fight with a firearm was happening inside the restaurant, and police believed an “active shooter scenario [was] unfolding or about to unfold,” Mata said. The 12-year-old boy who was shot to death in Brooklyn on Thursday night was remembered by friends in East Flatbush on Friday as a polite and quiet youngster – as police probed the possibility he and his family were targeted in a case of mistaken identity, law enforcement sources said. The boy’s barber and a co-worker of his mom at the Faith Beauty Salon in the neighborhood told The Post they were heartbroken by the news of his killing. The slain 12-year-old was identified by sources and a family member as Kade Lewin, who lived in Flatlands with his mother. “I’ve been cutting his hair for the last three years. He was here three weeks ago,” said the barber, a 52-year-old man who did not give his name. “He is a nice little boy — intelligent, always well-groomed,” the hairdresser said, adding that the boy used to wear his hair in a mohawk. Kade was shot in the head while he was sitting in a car. The House has voted with a slim bipartisan majority to federally decriminalize marijuana. The vote was 220 to 204. Republicans Tom McClintock of California, Brian Mast and Matt Gaetz, both of Florida, joined the majority of Democrats in supporting the bill, while Democrats Henry Cuellar of Texas and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire voted against. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, will prevent federal agencies from denying federal workers security clearances for cannabis use, and will allow the Veterans’ Administration to recommend medical marijuana to veterans living with posttraumatic stress disorder, plus gains revenue by authorizing a sales tax on marijuana sales. President Joe Biden is naming actor Taraji P. Henson and the NBA’s Chris Paul to a presidential advisory board on historically Black colleges and universities. They are among nine men and nine women Biden is appointing to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the White House announced Thursday. Several HBCU presidents, the president of United Airlines and the first Black woman to become administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency are among Biden’s selections. They will join Tony Allen, the president of Delaware State University, and Glenda Glover, the president of Tennessee State University, who are serving, respectively, as chairperson and vice chairperson of the board, which was established during the Carter administration. Henson is a Washington, D.C., native who studied acting at Howard University, a historically Black school and the alma mater of Vice President Kamala Harris. Paul is a 12-time NBA All-Star with the Phoenix Suns and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Besides Allen and Glover, the presidents of five other HBCUs will also join the board. They are Virginia State University, Norfolk State University in Virginia, Alabama State University, Prairie View A&M University in Texas and Dillard University in New Orleans. Lisa Jackson, who became the EPA’s first Black administrator in the Obama administration, and United Airlines President Brett Hart will also join the board. A Winston-Salem State University student will represent the entire HBCU community in the world of NASCAR this Saturday. 19-year-old Rajah Caruth will compete in his first NASCAR race in the Xfinity Series at Richmond Raceway this weekend. Caruth will become only the third Black driver currently racing in a major NASCAR series. The HBCU student will be driving a Virginia State University-themed car with the number 44 on it. The car will be decked out in Virginia State’s orange and blue color scheme and represent all the proud Trojans out there. Virginia State University is sponsoring the car managed by Alpha Prime Racing in the ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday. The race is the first of several that Caruth has signed with Alpha Prime Racing for this upcoming season. The sponsorship is a huge step for HBCUs and minorities in the racing community. A Houston area student who was allegedly harassed and bullied by her teachers for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance has won a $90,000 settlement, according to the civil rights organization American Atheists. The Texas Association of School Boards paid to resolve the case after the Klein Oak High School student’s 12th-grade sociology teacher agreed to settle before things went to trial, the organization announced in a Tuesday news release, which was first reported by the Houston Chronicle’s Rebecca Hennes. In the 2017 suit, the nonreligious student says she was discriminated against and harassed by several teachers after choosing to abstain from saying the pledge out of objection to the words “Under God” and her belief that “liberty and justice for all” is not guaranteed for people of color in the U.S. New Orleans Public Schools now has a new superintendent and the choice is a historic one. Dr. Avis Williams will be the first black woman to serve as superintendent and the first woman to permanently serve the position in the city. She was unanimously voted by the school board to lead the district. Williams was one of 50 candidates overall and one of 15 interviewed by the board. She will now enter into contract negotiations with the board. Williams was previously the superintendent of Selma City Schools in Alabama. In Selma, schools during her tenure increased their State Report Card score by 8 points, from 68 to 76, and one letter grade. Graduation rates also increased by 6 percent, reading scores by 6 percent, and math by 8 percent. Dr. Williams started her professional career serving as a sergeant in the United States Army before becoming a teacher and physical education coach in Huntsville, Ala.; an English teacher and assistant principal in Salisbury, N.C.; a principal in Huntsville, an adjunct education college professor in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and the Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction in Greensboro, N.C. These roles have afforded Dr. Williams the unique privilege of serving as an elementary, middle, and high school principal, as well as a college professor – giving her a full perspective of what it takes to lead at all levels. They say no pain, no gain – and is seems Chris Rock stands to earn a veritable fortune after being slapped in the face by Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars. The 57-year-old comedian was given a sharp smack to the face by 53-year-old actor Will while presenting the Best Documentary award at last weekend’s event after he made an ill-judged joke about 50-year-old alopecia sufferer Jada Pinkett-Smith’s bald head. And while Hollywood has been divided over whether Will – who received a Best Actor gong and a rapturous standing ovation just minutes after his violent outburst – did the right thing, it could be Chris who ultimately gets the last laugh. Reports have suggested talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and rival talk show host and Hollywood villain Ellen DeGeneres are battling to secure a chat with Chris following the global headline grabbing incident. And Chris could even bag himself as much as £2 million as ticket sales to his current tour have skyrocketed and interview offers are being lined up. A source told The Sun: “Chris has handled the situation with Will with such grace and poise – and it is paying dividends. “Hollywood just can’t get enough of him and while people are turning away from Will in droves, they’re queuing up to see Chris. ESPN is going all out to honor the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the MLB color barrier. Per a press release provided to The Root, the sports network will launch Jackie 75, a season-long project that will “honor Robinson’s lasting legacy, as well as showcase the continued work of Robinson’s wife Rachel as she approaches her 100th birthday on July 19.” The programming starts April 4 with the 10 episode video series Jackie to Me, featuring interviews with civil rights leaders, entertainers and athletes like Ruby Bridges, Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, Rev. Jesse Jackson, tennis great Billie Jean King and hockey pioneer Willie O’Ree “speaking about Robinson’s many legacies and lasting impact across generations.” Every day a video premieres on SportsCenter, Get Up and First Take, with the last video debuting on the April 15 anniversary as part of the network’s all day celebration. Robinson’s impact on professional sports is well-known and immeasurable. However, hearing how he influenced other athletes and artists could lead to fascinating new discussions. It’s more important than it’s ever been that everyone really understands the full scope of how Black people have shaped the history of America. Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods, who is trying to come back from serious leg and foot injuries he suffered in a car wreck about 14 months ago, played 18 holes at Augusta National Golf Club on Tuesday, sources told ESPN. Woods, 46, played all 18 holes with his son, Charlie, and PGA Tour pro Justin Thomas, his close friend, sources said. “He played every one of them,” a source told ESPN. “He looked good to me.” Woods and his team arrived Tuesday morning at Augusta Regional Airport on his Gulfstream private jet, stirring anticipation on social media that he was preparing to play in the Masters. Augusta National, because of its many hills and length, is considered one of the most difficult walks in competitive golf. This past weekend, a since-deleted video emerged of Woods playing at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. Woods is listed among the expected 91 participants for next week’s Masters, the first major championship of the season. But he’s yet to officially say whether he’s playing. There’s no better way to learn history than from the people who lived it. And for years, Betty Reid Soskin — a.k.a. Ranger Betty — brought her invaluable perspective to work at the National Park Service, sharing experiences that otherwise would have been gone unacknowledged. “What gets remembered is a function of who’s in the room doing the remembering,” Soskin, who turned 100 last fall, has said. For years, Soskin was the oldest active ranger in the park service, leading public programs at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif. That chapter of her rich life has finally come to a close: She retired on Thursday, capping a career that saw her enrich histories of the World War II home front with her own experience as a woman of color facing segregation and hours of toil. While Rosie the Riveter was the famous public face of women’s industrial work during the war, Soskin literally had to create the space to tell stories like her own. “That really is a white woman’s story,” Soskin said of the iconic bandanna-wearing worker, in a 2014 interview with NPR. Jessica Chastain won the best actress Oscar on Sunday night for her portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” In her acceptance speech, she said she was inspired by the televangelist’s radical love towards all people, including members of the LGBT community. Chastain was honored at the 2022 Oscars ceremony for her performance in the film that follows the rise and fall of Jim and Tammy Bakker and their “Praise the Lord” empire. In her speech, the actress thanked everyone that helped her accomplish the task, including director Michael Showalter and co-star Andrew Garfield. She also thanked the film’s hair and makeup team, which also scored an Oscar for transforming Chastain into the colorful televangelist. https://youtu.be/4Rso0yrwO2s Bill Maher dived into the Oscars controversy in his show on Friday, saying that Jada Pinkett Smith should ‘thank God’ that alopecia is her biggest medical concern. ‘If you are so lucky in life as to have that be your medical problem, just say ‘thank God,” the HBO Real Time host joked to his panelists, attorney Laura Coates and former presidential and New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang. ‘I mean, alopecia, it’s not leukemia, OK?’ Maher said at the start of the show. ‘Alopecia is when your hair falls out, there are worst things.’ https://youtu.be/W34ueQvL938 Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe spent an entire season relentlessly chasing and pulling down seemingly every rebound that came his way — and plenty that didn’t, too. “I want to be the greatest rebounder I can be,” Tshiebwe said. The 6-foot-9, 255-pound junior put up better rebounding numbers than anybody in Division I in decades. And it’s a big reason why he is The Associated Press men’s college basketball national player of the year. Tshiebwe was the clear choice for the award announced Friday, receiving 46 of 60 votes from AP Top 25 voters. Johnny Davis, a 6-5 sophomore who averaged 19.7 points and led Wisconsin to a share of the Big Ten regular-season title, was second with 10 votes. Iowa sophomore Keegan Murray (three) and Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn (one) also earned votes. Tshiebwe, a West Virginia transfer and native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is only the second player in the history of the storied history of the Wildcats program to win the AP’s top honor. The other was one-and-done star Anthony Davis, who led Kentucky to its eighth NCAA title a decade ago before becoming the No. 1 NBA draft pick. Terrell Owens, one of the greatest receivers in NFL history, has agreed to come out of retirement and will return to professional football with startup league Fan Controlled Football, a source told Reuters on Thursday. The 48-year-old Owens, whose NFL career ended in 2010, is in great shape and wants to show he can still play at a high level, according to the source who said an official announcement is expected next week. Owens, whose talent and athleticism on the gridiron were undeniable, became famous for his entertaining touchdown celebrations during a 15-year NFL career that earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The charismatic Owens is by far the most high-profile player to join Fan Controlled Football, a league that includes former college standout Johnny Manziel, whose much-hyped NFL career fizzled after two seasons. According to the source, Owens will likely join the Zappers team alongside Manziel, who recently announced his return to Fan Controlled Football for the second season. The source said Owens will be mic’d up and wearing a helmet camera for games. He will also provide content for streaming provider fuboTV by interviewing team owners and players during games when he is not playing. Hope Solo, the former goalie for the US Women’s National Team, was arrested for alleged DWI in North Carolina on Thursday. Police told TMZ that Solo, 40, was taken into custody in the parking lot of a Walmart in Winston-Salem, and processed in the Forsyth County jail. Solo allegedly had two young kids in the car at the time. She is married to former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens and they have 2-year-old twins. It was not immediately clear if it was the twins who were in the car with her at the time, but TMZ says it was “likely” the case. “On the advice of counsel, Hope can’t speak about this situation, but she wants everyone to know that her kids are her life, that she was released immediately and is now at home with her family, that the story is more sympathetic than the initial charges suggest, and that she looks forward to her opportunity to defend these chargers,” her lawyer, Rich Nichols, said in a statement that Solo tweeted out. In addition to DWI, Solo is charged with resisting arrest and misdemeanor child abuse. In 2014, Solo was arrested for alleged domestic violence against her sister and nephew while intoxicated. Those charges were dropped in 2018 after the city of Kirkland, Wash., ruled that the incident was “unlikely to recur.” Jerry Jones has paid nearly $3 million to the woman who says she is his biological daughter, including her full tuition at SMU and a $70,000 Range Rover on her 16th birthday, and to her mother, according to the Little Rock, Arkansas, lawyer who delivered the payments on behalf of the Dallas Cowboys owner. Lawyer Don Jack told ESPN on Thursday that he made regular payments on Jones’ behalf to Alexandra Davis, the 25-year-old congressional aide who filed a paternity lawsuit against Jones on March 3, and her mother, Cynthia Spencer Davis, whom Jones met in 1995 when she was a ticket-counter agent for American Airlines in Arkansas. “On numerous occasions I have made payments on behalf of Mr. Jones to Cindy and Alex Davis,” Jack said in a statement. A longtime friend of Jones, Jack said he struck an agreement on Jones’ behalf with Spencer Davis in 1995, paying her $375,000 and providing “for monthly payments for child support which ultimately totaled over $2 million.” Jones has not acknowledged that Davis is his biological daughter. Asked why he used the term “child support” in his statement, Jack said, “I used the term child support because that’s what the agreement calls it.” Asked if the “child support” payments indicate that Jones is Davis’ father, Jack paused for five seconds before saying, “I am not going to answer that one. My statement speaks for itself.” Asked why Jones paid millions to Davis and her mother if Davis was not his daughter, Jones spokesman Jim Wilkinson declined to comment. Venus and Serena Williams’ stepmom has filed for bankruptcy in a last-ditch bid to keep the now crumbling home where estranged husband ‘King’ Richard turned his daughters into tennis legends, DailyMail.com can reveal. The move by Lakeisha Williams, 43, is another twist in the often bitter saga of her marriage to the 80-year-old former coach – including new divorce court papers revealed by DailyMail.com in which she claims they have reunited and enjoy regular steamy sex. It’s also one more bizarre turn in events surrounding ailing dad-of-nine Richard Williams, the focus of hit movie King Richard whose star Will Smith sensationally slapped Chris Rock before picking up a now controversial Oscar for best actor. Bruce Arians is stepping down after three seasons as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ head coach and moving into a front-office role with the organization, the team announced Wednesday night. Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will replace Arians as head coach. A league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Bucs finalized a new, five-year head-coaching contract with Bowles earlier Wednesday. Arians told ESPN he doesn’t see the change as a retirement. “No, moving to the front office,” he said in a text message. “I’m still working.” Arians played a key role in evaluating draft prospects, and a move to the front office ensures that will continue. His new job title will be senior football consultant. Despite multiple health scares throughout his career, Arians, 69, said this move was in no way motivated by his health. Arians and the Buccaneers had been working on a succession plan over the past several weeks, and Arians informed players and members of his coaching staff of the news before the team’s announcement. Arians went 31-18 (.633) in three campaigns with Tampa Bay, the highest win percentage of any coach in Buccaneers history, and led the team to victory in Super Bowl LV following the 2020 season. He won five playoff games with the Bucs; the previous Tampa Bay coaches won six combined. I knew that this was the way to get me to the next stage of my career,” said Grammy-winning Jackie’s Boy, who just released a new single titled “Recipe” (Houla Entertainment), about his songwriting success as Carlos Battey that garnered him 12 #1 Billboard songs for such artists as Justin Bieber (“Down to Earth”), Charlie Wilson (“I’m blessed”) and Madonna (“Revolver”). “They’re songs not fit for me.” Jackie’s Boy was part of a duo writing team called The Jackie’s Boyz (Universal Music Publishing) with Steven Battey (his brother) which ended in 2017. He has so much talent that I had to ask which skill is closest to his heart and he said, “It’s singing, though it’s hard to choose because I love songwriting too, but I love to perform and connect to the audience.” As a performer his last single “No Lifeguard” peaked at #2 on the Indie R&B Streaming Chart. Jackie’s Boy’s last three EPs were titled “The Show,” “The After Party,” and “The Hotel.” https://youtu.be/7tsL_09IjBw Tyre attended middle school in the St. Louis area but was practicing at his future high school across the river with Gregory and his players at East Saint Louis High School in East St. Louis, Illinois. Smith’s mother, Victoria, also took notice of Tyre, who she said was always respectful and well-mannered and that, despite his tall stature, “you had to lean in to hear him cause he talked so softly.” “As a mother, it hurts. As a football family, it hurts,” she said. “It’s a loss for all of us.” “He had a great future ahead of him, he was so amazing, so respectful,” she added. “He was the first one to support my son when he’d get done with a practice or a drill or something like that, so I was thankful.” Jerrod Carmichael’s latest stand-up special might be his most revelatory yet. The acclaimed comedian comes out as gay in his new HBO special, “Rothaniel,” a few years after he first referenced relationships with men in a previous film for HBO. In the intimate special, filmed by fellow comic Bo Burnham at a New York jazz club, Carmichael said he’d been “feeling like a liar” after his father’s infidelity came to light within his family. He called his identity a “secret” that he kept from his immediate family, friends, colleagues and fans because he didn’t want it to change others’ perception of him. “I thought I’d never, ever come out,” he said in the special, which debuted Friday night (04-01-22). “At many points in my life I thought I’d rather die than confront the truth of that, like, to actually say it to people.” https://youtu.be/N7nmHDJN_8k Erica Mena is finally officially single, and she is celebrating it. She let the news out during a club appearance in Tampa, Florida. “I said I’m officially divorced,” she screamed on the mic. “We celebrating life, we celebrating freedom and we celebrating that we bad b******.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CTdzTrOHmdY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again All-new episodes of TV One’s original docu-series, UNSUNG and UNCENSORED, are back this Sunday, April 3. UNSUNG leads with one of the greatest hip-hop duos of all time, P.M. Dawn, at 9 p.m. ET/8C followed by UNCENSORED, which features actor turned director, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, at 10 p.m. ET/9C. Each episode will also be published on TVOne.tv and TV One’s social media platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn3cL4a38Zo President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 stimulus package, the American Rescue Plan, has allocated $2.7 billion in funding to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The White House released a detailed breakdown of the funding,“showing the funds that were provided by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) over the past year, according to a press release. As reported by per moguldom.com, the White House touted the “infusion of federal funding” as “among the largest ever in the country’s HBCUs.” However, not everyone is pleased with the amount Black educational institutions received compared to other groups. The Kardashians sat down with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts to dish about their romances and new Hulu series. Roberts grills Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian about their relationships in an ABC primetime interview set to air this month. Roberts, 61, probes Kim, 41, about her whirlwind romance with Pete Davidson and ongoing divorce from Kanye West, Khloé 37, about her current status with adulterous on-off beau Tristan Thompson and Kourtney, 42, about her PDA-packed engagement to Travis Barker. “I’m excited for you. A new love in your life. So, will we see Pete a lot in the show?” Roberts asks Kim in a trailer published by People Thursday. https://twitter.com/i/status/1509504766686154755 Eddie Murphy is reportedly in talks to play George Clinton in an upcoming biopic. The project will chronicle Clinton’s early life in North Carolina up until the formation of his famed funk group Parliament and Funkadelic, Variety reports. Murphy will star and serve as a producer on the biopic which is said to be a passion project for the actor/comedian. In related news, Murphy will reprise his role as Alex Foley in the fourth installment of “Beverly Hills Cop.” Netflix picked up the rights to expand the franchise with Jerry Bruckheimer reportedly set to produce. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project comes after a one-time licensing deal between Netflix and Paramount to produce another installment of the hit cop franchise. Viacom CEO Bob Bakish said the licensing deal “will produce a new film based on an iconic IP and further expands our relationship with this important original production client.” Like many people who watched the encounter that ended with Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on stage Sunday at the Academy Awards ceremony, Oscars lead producer Will Packer thought it was a planned bit. But as Smith — angered by a joke Rock told about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith — yelled obscenities from the audience before he walked on stage to confront Rock, Packer realized it was real. “Once I saw Will yelling at the stage with such vitriol, my heart dropped,” Packer told ABC’s “Good Morning America’s” TJ Holmes in an exclusive interview that aired Friday. “And I just remember thinking, ‘Oh no. Oh, no. Not like this.'” “And Chris was keeping his head when everybody else was losing theirs.” Packer gave insight into what swiftly has become one of the most famous and controversial moments in Academy Awards history. https://youtu.be/PPNOv8j5Zps According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, synthetic opioids are now the drugs most commonly involved in the United States. As of 2017, nearly 60 percent of opioid overdoes were caused by fentanyl-compared to only 14,3 percent in 2003. Oftentimes, certain social ills are purposefully overstated in order to scare folks into compliance, but fentanyl is exactly what they said it was, death incarnate. Peter Piraino, CEO of Burning Tree Programs treatment facilities says As far back as 2009 we saw fentanyl being abused. It was a prescribed medication and just like Percocet and Vicodin, people started using it on the street because it was much stronger. At least in Texas, we noticed that it became a drug of choice, where people were solely using and abusing fentanyl, around 2017. Waka Flocka Flame has confirmed he and wife Tammy Rivera have called it quits. “That’s my best friend, that’s my dawg,” Waka said of the “Love and Hip Hop star” on TMZ’s podcast, “It’s Tricky With Raquel Harper,” on Thursday. “People evolve for the better,” he added, telling Harper, “We ain’t nasty. It’s love, though.” Waka and Rivera were married for nearly eight years before they separated. While he has no kids of his own, the hip-hop star helped raise Rivera’s daughter Charlie from a previous relationship. https://www.instagram.com/wakaflocka/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=89c96aef-9ee0-49f3-8638-3baba4232500 Disney has responded to Florida’s controversial “Don’t Groom Kids” bill (aka Don’t Say Gay/Parental Rights in Education bill) by announcing that half of all its characters going forward will represent LGBTQIA or racial minorities. In other words, parents of young children can expect to see queer characters (mostly likely of color) in more Disney titles — from live-action to animation. The Walt Disney Company, a powerful player in Florida politics, halted political donations in the state as the Don’t Say Gay bill moved through the legislature. After Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law on Monday, Disney released a statement saying, “Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that.” https://youtu.be/sw3_LZDTi78 A Florida high school student who was sucker-punched during a track race is not pressing charges over the incident. The assault occurred during a 1,600-meter race at the Tohopekaliga Tiger Invitational in Kissimmee on Saturday, as reported by Canadian Running Magazine. https://twitter.com/i/status/1508925010483814400 Jada Pinkett Smith has been publicly sharing her hair loss battle due to alopecia for years now. Per the Mayo Clinic, “Hair loss (alopecia) can affect just your scalp or your entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent. It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it’s more common in men.” The disease causes the immune system to attack hair follicles, causing hair loss. Prior to the Oscars debacle that saw Jada’s husband Will Smith smacking presenter Chris Rock over a joke the comedian shared about Jada’s bald head, the actress shared a video update about her hair battle with alopecia. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYB7dMppvjk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In celebration of Women’s History Month, Live Nation Urban has partnered with Polly Irungu’s Black Women Photographers Organization. Together, they’ve launched a first-of-its-kind contest to spotlight the work of up-and-coming black female and non-binary photographers. Irungu and the Live Nation Urban team will select a handful of photographers to be paid to officially shoot one of Live Nation Urban’s 2022 music festivals. Their photos will be amplified on various social media channels, yielding to an unprecedented amount of visibility that could land the photographer even more work. Going live today, established, and emerging photographers may apply to shoot at LiveNationUrban.com, BlackWomenPhotographers.com, or submit their work via Instagram by posting their photography with the hashtag #BWPLIVE22 and reposting the competition flier. The deadline for submissions is April 15th, 2022. Creatives can apply at https://blackwomenphotographers.com/live-nation-urban The House returns with its much anticipated second season, exploring topics relevant to the Black LGBTQIA+ experience. Episode 1 features Funky Dineva, the vlogger turned host, exploring his journey from corporate America to living authentically by using his gifts to create his own success. Friday, April 1st at 6:00 PM PT / 9:00 PM ET https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=707675150273138 Jim Carrey is planning to take a step away from Hollywood. While discussing his new film with Access Hollywood’s Kit Hoover, the funnyman revealed that he’s “probably” retiring from his career and is “fairly serious” about it. “I am retiring. I am being fairly serious. It depends – if the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink, that says to me that it’s going to be really important for people to see, I might. I might continue down the road, but I’m taking a break. I really like my quiet life, and I really love putting paint on canvas, and I really love my spiritual life, and I feel like – and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists – I have enough. I’ve done enough. I am enough.” https://youtu.be/6-uk66ko1Nw Jon Batiste goes into THE 64TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS® on Sunday with 11 nominations, more than any artist this year. But for Batiste, who is also the bandleader and a producer on CBS’ THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT, success is not without challenges. Batiste and Suleika Jaouad, whom he calls the love of his life, talk about his music, her battle with leukemia and more, in an emotional and revealing interview with Jim Axelrod for CBS SUNDAY MORNING, to be broadcast Sunday, April 3 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. https://twitter.com/i/status/1509513419149516801 Veteran actor Omar Epps dish about his latest film “The Devil You Know.” The gritty crime-thriller drama about family, morality, and redemption centers on once-incarcerated Marcus Cowans (Epps) who trying to turn over a new leaf with the support of his loving family. Upon discovering that one of his brothers (Will Catlett) may have been involved in a horrific crime, Marcus grapples with the limits of brotherhood and loyalty. He and his family, increasingly weary of the justice system’s failings, end up in the crosshairs of a seasoned but jaded detective (Michael Ealy). https://youtu.be/eb_ZpN98pg8 HBO has announced the “Game of Thrones” prequel series, “House of the Dragon,” will premiere on August 21. The series is set 200 years before “Game of Thrones” “and will recount the height of the Targaryen empire in Westeros—specifically, chronicling what happened before and during the Dance of the Dragons, a destructive civil war between the Targaryens as they vied for the Iron Throne,” per Complex. George R. R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood” serves as the basis for the new series. He wrote in a March blog post that he watched snippets of the 10-episode season and “loved” it. https://twitter.com/i/status/1445373212079140864 Thursday (03-31-22), marks the three-year anniversary of the shooting death of Grammy-award-winning rapper and Los Angeles native Nipsey Hussle, who was killed outside The Marathon, his clothing store in South L.A. Yesterday, fans on social media have already started paying tribute to the late star by looking back on some of his greatest hits and most memorable quotes and moments. Fans are also sending extra love and prayers to his family online. One fan said, “Long live Nipsey Hussle the great. Three years ago, we lost a man who stood on principle and embodied his community. His message stands the test of time and his impact sparked so many brains and inspires us still. ????” Another added, “thinking of Lauren London and the rest of Nipsey’s family today??????” A third fan said, “Nipsey, That’s all we listenin’ to today. Celebrating the life of the GREAT.” FOX SOUL, the Black community’s premiere free streaming platform serving unapologetically Black, consumable by all content 365 days a year, announced today that they will bring on platinum-selling recording artist, Maino’s Kitchen Talk series on their streaming platform. Co-hosted by Platinum-selling recording artist, Maino along with Georgie and Hala, Kitchen Talk is not a cooking show or a love show; it’s a show that provides a vibe with in-depth conversations about life. Sometimes the stories are funny, sometimes the stories are motivational, but at the end of the day, it’s stories for the culture. https://youtu.be/SEwC2jgzoZ0 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that Disney’s woke ideology is a significant threat to the state and he threatened to strip the company’s privileges, including its right to build anything it wants in its theme park. The governor’s comments on Fox & Friends Friday come after some Republican legislators in Florida are considering punishing Walt Disney World for taking a public stand against the so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill by repealing a 55-year law that allows the company to govern itself. ‘They have gotten incredible treatment from the Florida legislature and are treated on a pedestal, this one corporation is treated differently than anybody else,’ DeSantis said. ‘That is not something I’ve ever supported. In the legislature you see a move to reevaluate the special privileges.’ Florida House Rep. Spencer Roach tweeted on Wednesday that lawmakers held two meetings this week to discuss revoking the 1967 Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which he said ‘allows Disney to act as its own government.’ Spencer, a Republican, added: ‘If Disney wants to embrace woke ideology, it seems fitting that they should be regulated by Orange County.’ Fox News announced it has hired Olympic champion and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner as a paid contributor, with her first appearance set for Thursday on Sean Hannity’s program. Jenner, 72, the former Olympic decathlete, ran an unsuccessful campaign for California governor last year as a Republican. She was defeated by incumbent Gov Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, finishing 13th in the recall election. The network said Jenner, who is a transgender woman, will offer commentary and analysis across various Fox News Media platforms. ‘Caitlyn’s story is an inspiration to us all,’ said Suzanne Scott, Fox News Media CEO. ‘She is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community and her illustrious career spans a variety of fields that will be a tremendous asset for our audience.’ Jenner wrote on her Instagram page, which is followed by 12.7million users: ‘I am humbled by this unique opportunity to speak directly to @foxnews millions of viewers about a range of issues that are important to the American people.’ Last month, when Mayor Eric Adams’s decision to hire three people with histories of homophobic views and statements was met with outrage from members of the L.G.B.T.Q. community, he agreed to meet to hear their grievances. Some attendees described the meeting as productive, but Mr. Adams dug in on his appointments and refused to fire the three appointees, political allies whom he said deserved a second chance. On Tuesday, the mayor found himself under renewed scrutiny, after it was disclosed that the Rev. Kathlyn Barrett-Layne, one of Mr. Adams’s appointees to the Panel for Educational Policy, a board that advises the chancellor, had written a book that called homosexuality a sin. In the book, Ms. Barrett-Layne, a pastor from Staten Island, equated homosexuality to pedophilia, stealing and lying. Hours after The Daily News reported on the book, City Hall officials forced Ms. Barrett-Layne to resign. Amaris Cockfield, a spokeswoman for Mr. Adams, said that the administration was unaware of Ms. Barrett-Layne’s remarks before she was appointed to the board. A ‘genius’ black Harvard professor was forced out of his $600,000-a-year job after colleagues angered by his anti-woke views trumped up sexual harassment claims against him, a new documentary claims. Roland Fryer, 44, came under fire after it emerged in 2018 that he’d made inappropriate comments to two former assistants, with six of their complaints against him upheld, Rob Montz’s documentary claims. And his refusal to kowtow to common woke doctrines put him in the sights of Harvard’s social studies dean Larry Bobo and African-American studies scholar Claudine Gay. They ignored recommendations that Fryer be given workplace sensitivity training following a 2019 investigation into his behavior, and effectively ended his career. Fryer’s career was trashed after he escaped an impoverished and abusive childhood to become Harvard’s youngest tenured professor ever in 2007, aged just 30. https://youtu.be/m8xWOlk3WIw A TikTokker who used to work at a Cracker Barrel in Arizona has revealed a “code word” that some of her fellow employees allegedly used to refer to Black customers. In a video viewed over 237,000 times, @cinnamnhoney shared her experience working as a hostess at the popular restaurant chain. “a waitress used to complain SO MUCH if i sat ‘canadians’ in her section & i was so confused bc i thought canadians were stereotyped as nice,” she wrote in her caption. In the video itself, she looks pensive, as the on-screen caption reads, “me, a hostess at cracker barrel, wondering how every employee knew a table was full of canadians even though they didn’t have a telling accent.” After a few seconds, the video cuts to a new caption: “‘canadian was a code word for black people”. Cracker Barrel told Newsweek that while it was initially unaware of the video, it “will be looking into the matter further.” UNT received a federal grant to digitally preserve audio and video recordings from the archive of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, representing more than 40 years of Black cultural expression. The grant, totaling $126,989 from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission, will fund the library’s efforts to digitize over 1,800 pieces of archival media from the TBAAL archive. The recordings will be publicly available to stream through the Portal to Texas History. Works by artists Erykah Badu, Kirk Franklin, Dee Dee Warwick, Jennifer Holliday, and Margaret Walker are among those proposed for digitization. The two-year project is already underway and projected to be completed by summer 2023. “These are unique recordings,” Head of Special Collections Morgan Gieringer said. “They don’t exist anywhere else. They only exist in this collection.” Gieringer highlighted the importance of archiving the works of marginalized artists. A Louisiana police officer injured when violence broke out over the police killing of a Black man in Baton Rouge in 2016 has grounds to pursue a lawsuit against a protest organizer, Louisiana’s Supreme Court said Friday. The 6-1 opinion was not a ruling in a case, but an answer to questions posed by a federal appeals court considering whether an officer identified as John Doe, can continue his federal lawsuit against Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson. The case has freedom-of-speech implications, involving questions of who is liable for damages that occur during activities protected by the First Amendment. But the questions before Louisiana’s highest court involved whether state law could be read to place a duty on a protest organizer “not to negligently precipitate” a crime. The majority said it can. And it also said state law does not bar police officers from collecting damages under such circumstances. The officer suffered serious head and facial injuries when someone threw a hard object at him as protesters blocked a highway in 2016. The protest arose from the police shooting death of a Black man, Alton Sterling. A Georgia high school senior has received acceptance letters from 49 colleges and over $1 million in scholarship offers. Makenzie Thompson, 18, didn’t originally plan to apply to over 50 universities. But after attending college fairs and receiving fee waivers, she ended up applying to 51 schools. So far, she has been accepted to 49 — and is still waiting to hear back from one more. “It was a very, very good experience, just to see your hard work paying off and getting to see them just pile up in a folder,” she told CNN. “My family is ecstatic,” she said. “Getting 49 acceptances and over 1.3 million, they’re like ‘wow, you’re going places.'” Thompson has been a star student throughout high school, which she credited to strict time management. “Without time management, or knowing how to multitask, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything,” she said. Thompson serves as her senior class president at Westlake High School in Atlanta, the co-captain of the Blue Reign dance team, the vice president of Beta Club (a community service organization) and a varsity baseball manager. She’s also a member of the national honor society and the honor society of dance and arts. The Central Library in Downtown Indianapolis is home to the Center for Black Literature & Culture (CBLC), but you don’t have to even be in the State of Indiana to access one of its newest community resources. On Tuesday, the CBLC debuted interactive kiosks that allow uses to see videos, 3-D images and more relating to Black history, Black literature, Black culture, the Black diaspora and Black librarianship. The CBLC also has a new website, bringing users artifacts, videos, photo galleries and more. Users can learn about local Black leaders such as Amos Brown and Tamika Catchings, literary figures like Mari Evans and Etheridge Knight and more. “One thing I’m particularly excited about is the aspects that we’ve been able to 3-D scan … those are able to be turned around in 3-D space,” Amira Malcom, project manager, said. A white teacher has been pulled from Whitney Young Magnet High School after he hung a Black doll by its neck from a cord at the front of his classroom then argued with a Black colleague who was offended. Principal Joyce Kenner said Chicago Public Schools officials have taken over the investigation of the incident and removed the history teacher from the school as the latest scandal to roil one of the district’s selective enrollment high schools plays out. Kenner declined further comment Wednesday. In an email to the school community earlier in the afternoon, the principal said administrators and CPS’ Title IX office are working together “to not only investigate and respond, but to elevate student voice in the process.” Students later packed the school theater for a listening session in which students could ask questions of district officials and express concerns. “This session represents just the first step in our ongoing partnership,” Kenner wrote.“ They will be back in our building in the coming days to ensure due process and resolution.” A petition calling for the teacher’s removal said he had long been a problematic presence at the school. It had over 400 signatures by Wednesday evening. He could not be reached for comment. Jeff Avelar-Yanes, a Salvadoran American costume designer, has lived with his parents and his sister in Amityville, Long Island, since he graduated from college in 2017. Avelar-Yanes, who attended college in California, says the struggle of finding a steady job and student loans forced him to move back home. “I didn’t have a choice to stay where I was,” Avelar-Yanes said. “I put it all together and I was like, how am I going to pay off the student loans … and still be able to work and pay for an apartment? Like even having roommates, it’s still stressing me out. I don’t even think I’d be able to split and still have enough.” Now, Avelar-Yanes, founder of Vibe Costumes, who is just a few months away from his 25th birthday, hopes he can make enough money for his own apartment. “I’m pretty sick of being at home,” he said. New York’s high rents, however, keep him at home. “I want to get out so badly. I’ve been trying to for a while.” Like Avelar-Yanes, a report published Thursday by Pew Research Center found nearly 4 out of 10 men between the ages of 25 and 29 live with older relatives, including 26 percent of Hispanic, as well as Black Americans and 24 percent of Asian Americans, compared to 13 percent of whites. Researchers say people of color are more likely to live in multigenerational households due to financial reasons or caregiving for a relative. If you really concentrate, you can imagine the town that this community’s elders describe. There was the grocery store on the highway, and the gas station. There were the shops where children walked to buy lunch for 50 cents on school days. There was Ms. Sadie’s chicken shack and Dr. Minn’s office. All of that’s gone now. In their place, either vacant lots or dilapidated buildings. Today, you’re more likely to see loose dogs than people on Lincoln Street, the town’s main drag. There are a couple of horses in a yard just across from the town hall, which used to be the center of a bustling commercial district. Now, Lincoln Street has a handful of homes, the low-slung cinder-block town hall, two churches and just one storefront, Bates Barbecue. The once-thriving all-Black town of Tallahassee was ravaged by government policies that divested it and other Black communities, said Mayor Keisha Currin. And she says the city is owed reparations to get back on its feet. Last year, Currin joined Mayors Organized for Reparations and Equity (MORE), a group founded by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. It counts more than a dozen mayors across the country as members, and its goal is to become a laboratory for new reparations programs that address slavery and the decades of explicitly anti-Black government policies that followed. The Recording Academy has announced that 12-time Grammy-winner John Legend will be honored during its Black Music Collective event taking place during Grammy Week. Legend will be receiving the first-ever Recording Academy Global Impact Award for his personal and professional achievements in the music industry. Fast-rising R&B singer Summer Walker will perform and D-Nice will be spinning music throughout the night, with MC Lyte as the voice of the evening, Adam Blackstone as the musical director and legendary producer Jimmy Jam making remarks. Additional special guests to be announced at a later date. The inaugural Black Music Collective event, which has been on the Grammy Week calendar for several months, is taking place at Resorts World Las Vegas on Sat, April 2, 2022, the evening before the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. “It is our distinct honor to celebrate John Legend as the inaugural recipient of the Recording Academy Honors’ Global Impact Award,” said Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Co-President of the Recording Academy. “John is one of the most important artists of our time, someone who leads by example and pushes important boundaries consistently across music, philanthropy and activism. His contributions and impact to music and our culture are unparalleled.” Will Smith was not formally asked to leave the Oscars ceremony Sunday after slapping Chris Rock onstage, contrary to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences saying he was, sources close to the situation told The Hollywood Reporter. Instead, the sources said Academy leadership spoke with Smith’s reps backstage following the incident about potentially asking Smith to leave the Dolby Theatre. A rep then went out to speak with Smith about the matter, but didn’t relay any kind of official edict, according to the two sources who spoke Thursday to THR on condition of anonymity. However, Oscars producer Will Packer came out around the same time and said Smith should stay. There was never a chance for Smith to “refuse” to leave, the insiders said, nor did anyone in the Academy directly speak to the actor about such a request. Reps for Smith couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Reps for Packer and reps for the Academy declined to comment Thursday. A day earlier, the Academy issued a statement saying Smith was asked to leave the show following the slap, but that he refused. The statement didn’t provide details, but did say they also “recognize we could have handled the situation differently.” In Florida, a cop’s zeal in poking his chest out and unleashing his rage on a Black man who was already in handcuffs got so bad that he ended up choking out another cop who tried to intervene. This was an ugly scene and the cop who tried to stop it, a woman, was a victim of police violence who attempted to deescalate things before a Black man became the same. According to HuffPost, police officers in Sunrise, Florida, responded to a call about a man accused of attacking people outside a convenience store last November. The suspect, a Black man identified as 25-year-old Jean Similien, according to the Miami Herald, was already cuffed by the time Sgt. Christopher Pullease arrived at the scene, but since officers had apparently struggled to get him in the back of the patrol car, Pullease decided he needed to lose his absolute sh** on the Black man who appeared to already be under control. https://twitter.com/i/status/1506800253504266243 As reported by CNN, an interview was published Tuesday in which Trump called on his Russian BFF to spill the tea on Hunter citing unproven claims (the only types of claims Trump ever cites on literally anything) about his business dealings in Russia. “I would think Putin would know the answer to that,” Trump said, referring to questions about Hunter, Russia, and corruption there’s zero evidence of. “I think he should release it. I think we should know that answer.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1508955848298704901 Will Smith’s assault of comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars over a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, continued to be felt around the world Wednesday as the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences told members its leaders are “upset and outraged.” In a letter cited by CNN ahead of a meeting to decide what “appropriate action” will be taken against the star for slapping Rock, which has led to intense and diverse reactions, Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said that decision could take “take a few weeks.” While the world waits to see what happens, however, some Christian leaders have weighed in on the behavior of the actor, who just a few months ago firmly acknowledged he was a man of faith who loves the Lord. “You can’t get how I get if you don’t love the Lord,” Smith said in an interview with producer, author and motivational speaker Devon Franklin last November. “You don’t get to sit how I sit and move how I move if you don’t love the Lord. You’d be seeing a whole lot of other repercussions.” While Smith’s affirmations may be true, his reaction to Rock’s joke about his wife on Sunday was seen as a “letdown” by some Christian leaders, like civil rights activist Rev. Jeff Moore. “It was such a letdown and such a letdown for us as black men,” Moore told KPIX 5, a San Francisco-based news outlet. “I would have hoped that if anything he would have walked up and maybe said, ‘Hey man, just apologize to my wife.’ But to go to violence was not the answer.” Will Smith was asked to leave the Oscars after hitting Chris Rock but refused, the Academy said on Wednesday – also declaring that he had violated their code of conduct. The 53-year-old actor marched onto the stage on Sunday and hit Rock, after Rock told a joke about Smith’s wife. Shortly after, Smith was announced as the winner of the best actor award and went up to collect his statuette to a standing ovation from many of his peers. On Wednesday the Academy said it had launched ‘disciplinary procedures’ against Smith, and confirmed he ignored their request for him to leave his seat. They also apologized to Rock. Smith was asked to leave by David Rubin, the president of the Academy, and CEO Dawn Hudson, TMZ reported. Two sources told the site Rubin and Hudson were ‘furious’ at Smith, and there was plenty of ‘yelling’ and ‘heated conversations’ backstage with his reps after the incident. Verzuz is gearing up for more battles between artists—and, for the very first time, a label matchup. The music series took to Instagram this week to share some details about its forthcoming competitions, with Mary Mary versus BeBe & CeCe Winans slated for Easter on April 17. The next bout will take place on May 8, celebrating Mother’s Day, though Verzuz blurred out the names, making it anyone’s guess as to who’s performing. Verzuz did the same for its May 14 “Fight Night Music” boxing special, later announcing that Cypress Hill and Onyx would be sharing the stage. At this point, the Memorial Day Weekend special, the series premiere of its V-Series Live Show, its Juneteenth special, and its July and August battles are unknown, with the label matchup set to take place in July. Tammy Williams is majority owner of a new television studio in Atlanta. Up until now, Tyler Perry was the only Black person to own studio space in the state, but this deal makes her the first Black woman to own a $135 million studio and post-production facility. According to Black Enterprise, has worked on making this happen for over ten years. She says, “We’ve been patient,” she said. “This has not been an overnight thing, this vision for us.” Williams has over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry producing and directing mostly Christian based content. She has collaborated on this deal with business partner Gary Guidry who is CEO of G-Square Events founded Cinema South Studios. Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Danielle Brooks are set to star in the Broadway revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Tony Award nominee LaTanya Richardson Jackson is attached to direct the staging, making her Broadway directorial debut. She will also become the first woman to direct a Wilson play on Broadway. Arriving more than 30 years after its Broadway debut at the Walter Kerr Theatre in 1990, The Piano Lesson will begin performances at the St. James Theater this fall on Sept. 19. The show will run for 16 weeks. The production marks Washington’s Broadway debut in the same role Samuel L. Jackson originated at Yale Repertory Theatre in 1987, later serving as understudy in the role during The Piano Lesson’s Broadway run. Jackson last appeared on Broadway in the 2011 production of The Mountaintop, starring opposite Angela Bassett. Brooks co-starred with Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson in 2015’s Tony-winning revival of The Color Purple. “August Wilson dedicated his life and devoted his talent to dramatizing our stories and our experience,” Richardson said in a statement. “In doing so, he forever changed what it means to be Black in America. His plays built empathy, created community and showed us the power of representation. The Piano Lesson is one of his most enduring, profound and consequential masterpieces, and I am reveling in this opportunity to present it to Broadway audiences for the first time since its premiere.” For her championing of so many authors over the past quarter century, Oprah Winfrey is herself receiving a literary honor. The PEN/Faulkner Foundation is giving Winfrey its inaugural Literary Champion award, a lifetime achievement prize for contributions to literacy and for inspiring younger readers and writers. PEN/Faulkner is otherwise known for the annual fiction prize it has presented since 1981. “Oprah Winfrey is a literary force field,” PEN/Faulkner Board Vice President Mary Haft said in a statement Tuesday. “She has been like a lighthouse, standing sentry and shining a beacon of light onto literature and into the lives of writers and readers.” Winfrey, who has boosted the sales for dozens of authors through the book club she founded in 1996, received an honorary National Book Award in 1999. She will accept her PEN/Faulkner award during a virtual ceremony to be held May 2. By day, Rada Griffin works long hours as a software engineer for NASA, toiling away at the agency’s top-secret project that will send the first woman to the moon in 2024. By night, the Huntsville, Alabama-based space worker uses her spare time to expand her bustling wine business, Anissa Wakefield Wines. “It’s a big responsibility for us to ensure that everything goes perfectly,” Griffin told The Cornell Chronicle. “Whenever I can find the time, I do my thing with wine.” Griffin, who also works as a personal chef, explained that she’s been obsessed with wine ever since she could remember. “Wine to me is food. The same way you view food when a chef puts a plate in front of you and it’s beautiful and you can’t wait to taste it, that’s the same way I think about wine. So I just wanted to do more,” Griffin added. “It’s a big responsibility for us to ensure that everything goes perfectly,” Griffin told The Cornell Chronicle. “Whenever I can find the time, I do my thing with wine.” The nation’s justice system is flawed, between the United States having one of the highest recidivism rates globally and the school-to-prison pipeline continuing to have a destructive and disproportionate impact on youth of color. But what happens when we build physical spaces centered on peace rather than punitive measures? How can we envision justice beyond confinement? Architect and activist Deanna Van Buren—co-founder of the Oakland-based nonprofit Designing Justice + Designing Spaces—is using her passion for design to promote social change. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the incarcerated population in the U.S. has increased by 500 percent within the past four decades, with 2 million people behind bars throughout the country. The criminalization of Black and Brown youth often starts within the classroom as suspensions and expulsions funnel the school-to-prison pipeline, pushing students out of the education system and into the throes of an inequitable criminal justice system. Cognizant of the disparities, Van Buren has dedicated her career to developing architectural projects that counteract mass incarceration and centers healing, reconciliation and peacemaking. Conservative America has treated Kenosha killer Kyle Rittenhouse like he’s a celebrity, and now this fool, who is famous only for killing two people, injuring a third, and getting away with it all, thinks he is the one. Mans thinks that because he’s toured all the white nationalist platforms while swearing up and down he’s not a white nationalist, and because he was able to sit down with Donald Trump—a man who would sit down with James Earl Ray’s corpse if it made for a good photo-op—he thinks he can just dial up the sitting president of the United States for a chat. And now the teen killer with the cop haircut is big mad President Joe Biden ain’t even hitting him back. ccording to Newsweek, Rittenhouse made an appearance on The Jenna Ellis Show podcast in an episode published Tuesday to complain that he’s been reaching out to Biden, but Biden has not been picking up his phone. https://twitter.com/i/status/1508923482087821319 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has condemned Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock during the Oscars telecast on Sunday. According to TMZ, Rock allegedly had no idea Jada’s hair loss is due to alopecia — even though she’s been speaking publicly about it for years. In a blog post titled “Will Smith Did a Bad, Bad Thing,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote that “with a single petulant blow, (Smith) advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community.” The NBA legend went on to say that Smith’s act of violence perpetuates negative racial stereotypes. “One of the main talking points from those supporting the systemic racism in America is characterizing Blacks as more prone to violence and less able to control their emotions,” Abdul-Jabbar, 74, wrote. “Smith just gave comfort to the enemy by providing them with the perfect optics they were dreaming of. Many will be reinvigorated to continue their campaign to marginalize African Americans and others through voter suppression campaign.” Abdul-Jabbar said “Smith’s tearful, self-serving acceptance speech” was “about justifying his violence… Those who protect don’t brag about it in front of 15 million people. They just do it and shut up. You don’t do it as a movie promotion claiming how you’re like the character you just won an award portraying.” Abdul-Jabbar said “Young boys — especially Black boys — watching their movie idol not just hit another man over a joke, but then justify it as him being a superhero-like protector, are now much more prone to follow in his childish footsteps,” Jabbar wrote. Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” season 14 premieres Sunday, May 1st at 8pm ET/PT on Bravo. Catch all prior seasons on Peacock. Kandi Burruss, Kenya Moore, Shereé Whitfield and Drew Sidora return. Former friend Marlo Hampton is back, and this time, holding her very own peach. Newest Housewife Sanya Richards-Ross joins as a four-time Gold Medal Olympian, mother, wife, and businesswoman. One of Kandi’s longtime pals, Monyetta Shaw appears this season as a friend. Monyetta is a mother to two children and a recent newlywed to her husband, Heath. https://youtu.be/MZ8eL3enorg Jimmy Kimmel is calling for Jada Pinkett Smith to host a Red Table Talk with hubby Will Smith and Chris Rock to allow both men to settle their differences. The late-night host discussed the Oscar slap during Monday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” and noted that Rock didn’t deserve to be assaulted. “The weirdest part was that Will Smith initially laughed at that joke. But then he must have looked over and noticed that Jada was not amused and he was like, ‘uh oh, I better do something,’ and boy did he do something,” Kimmel said. By now you know that during the show, Chris made a joke about Jada’s bald head. The actress suffers from alopecia, so Will was not amused that Rock mocked her. The veteran actor walked on stage and slapped the comedian before returning to his seat in the audience and yelling “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” https://youtu.be/g2Al27LJ5-0 Chris Rock briefly addressed being slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars Sunday during his show Wednesday at The Wilbur Theatre in Boston. After a standing ovation that lasted minutes, Rock asked the roaring crowd, “how was your weekend?” and said he was still “processing what happened” at the Academy Awards. For those that thought he was gonna go all out as far as the Oscars incident, well, that wasn’t the case. Variety reported that Rock explained he was going to do the act he’d planned before the Oscars. “I don’t have a bunch of s*** about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend,” he said. But what about the performance overall? Well, since NO cameras (phones) were allowed (by the public) in the theater. President Joe Biden is announcing an unprecedented release of oil from US reserves and taking steps to punish oil companies for not increasing production from unused leases on federal land, the White House says. The steps are an attempt to reduce gas prices while also putting an onus on oil companies to increase supply. The dramatic step, which Biden was set to announce from the White House later Thursday, confronts what has become a looming political problem months ahead of the midterm elections. “After consultation with allies and partners, the President will announce the largest release of oil reserves in history, putting one million additional barrels on the market per day on average — every day — for the next six months,” the White House said. “The scale of this release is unprecedented: The world has never had a release of oil reserves at this 1 million per day rate for this length of time. This record release will provide a historic amount of supply to serve as a bridge until the end of the year when domestic production ramps up.” https://youtu.be/DNF43_FKEdg There’s a new drug on the street that is said to be 20 to 100 times stronger than Fentanyl. The new drug is called Isotonitazene, or “Iso,” and, as reported by Vlad TV, the narcotic is spreading like wildfire in Florida, where several overdose deaths have been linked to it. Per the report, “ISO is 20 to 100 times stronger than Fentanyl, which is already dangerously strong. The opioid is reportedly being mixed with other drugs and popping up in the drug market, allegedly showing up in pill or powder form,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/t5d3dBbHP40 Toni Braxton is still trying to come to grips with the loss of her sister — but she’s grateful for the time she got to spend by her side. During an appearance on Tamron Hall on Tuesday, Toni spoke publicly for the first time since her sister, Traci, died this month, opening up about how she’s been coping since. “I wake up every morning and I go, ‘Did I dream it? Did I dream it?’ and I have to remind myself ‘No, she’s gone but she’s been here with us for 50 years,’ ” Toni, 54, said. “So I try to relish in that moment and try to smile about it and just be grateful for the time you have and you have to always remember to be kind to one another.” https://youtu.be/jQRMu-GCYak Chris Rock issued an apology to Oscars 2022 host Wanda Sykes after he was slapped by Will Smith during Sunday’s ceremony. “I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this, but I saw Chris at Guy [Oseary’s] party,” Sykes said in a sneak peek of Wednesday’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” “And as soon as I walked up to him, the first thing he said was, ‘I am so sorry,’ and I’m like, ‘Why are you apologizing?’” Rock, 57, told Sykes, 58, that “it was supposed to be” her night, along with fellow hosts Amy Schumer, 40, and Regina Hall, 51. “Y’all were doing such a great job,” Rock continued. “I’m so sorry this is now gonna be about this.” Bruce Willis’ family has announced the actor is retiring from the profession after being diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder caused by brain damage that affects a person’s ability to communicate. Willis’ family members posted a joint statement to social media announcing the actor’s retirement. “To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” the statement reads. “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.” “This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,” the statement continues. “We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that.” Data from the Florida Department of Education shows that Black students in Florida are reading at much lower levels than white students. The data from the 2020-21 school year shows a gap of 29 percentage points between the reading levels of white and Black students across the state. And in Duval, St. Johns and Alachua county school districts, the gap is even wider. The Florida Department of Education tracks English Language Arts achievement and other subjects for all students and breaks it down by race each year on its website. It shows that in Duval and St. Johns county schools, the gap is even wider than the state average with a 32-point gap. Alachua County Public Schools has the largest disparity of reading levels between Black and white students in the state, with white students reporting 72 percent achievement and Black students reporting just 25 percent. In all other area school districts, the gap is below the state average. A black man who said he was stopped and searched by police officers in London for wearing a coat in hot weather has again been stopped and searched by officers only days later. Eric Boateng-Taylor, who also goes by Carter Jr, was stopped by police in Croydon on Wednesday and was accused of not dressing appropriately for the climate. Less than a week later, Mr Boateng-Taylor was stopped again by Metropolitan Police officers in South London around 9.45pm on Monday as he and a friend drove home through Thornton Heath after going to Nandos for dinner. “I’m very scared right now, I don’t feel like anywhere, I’m scared to go out, I don’t know how to explain my feelings but I’m scared right now,” he told The Independent. Mr Boateng-Taylor said he was stopped by three police cars who told him there was a section 60 in the area for drug misuse. He was then handcuffed while he and his friend were searched as well as the car they were in. “I was thinking what is going on, the way they came it was like they’re coming for some big guy. If it was a section 60 why is it me being stopped,” Mr Boateng-Taylor said. Two news stories dominated the headlines this week. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine reached its one month mark. And the Senate hosted confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to join the Supreme Court. It’s with the Jackson confirmation hearings that we begin our statistical journey into the news of the week. Jackson in the court of popular opinion Five recent surveys have indicated strong support for President Joe Biden’s decision to nominate Jackson for the Supreme Court seat retiring Justice Stephen Breyer is vacating. According to an average of polls by Gallup, Fox, Monmouth University, Quinnipiac University and the Pew Research Center, about 53% of Americans supported her confirmation, with about 26% of Americans opposed. This is good for a +27-point net popularity rating. If Jackson’s ratings hold up through her likely confirmation, she would be the most popular nominee to be confirmed since John Roberts in 2005. Jackson’s popularity should only help her in the confirmation process. https://youtu.be/1Fwl3tKaGjw New evidence has emerged suggesting that Vladimir Putin and his high command are based some or all the time in top-secret nuclear bunkers as the bloody war unfolds in Ukraine. Since Putin launched his ruthless invasion of Ukraine last month (February 24), his whereabouts have been unknown. But movements of planes used by top Kremlin officials show Putin may be in a hideaway near Surgut in western Siberia, it is claimed. His defense minister Sergei Shoigu – who has been mysteriously absent for several weeks sparking rumor's about his health – is believed to be in a bunker near Ufa in the Urals, 725 miles east of Moscow, said investigative journalist Christo Grozev. This theory is backed by his daughter Ksenia Shoigu, 31, visiting Ufa – where she was pictured – for up to three days from March 22 as speculation was rife that the defense minister had suffered heart problems. She also abruptly barred public access to her Instagram where she had posed with her baby in the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine. President Joe Biden on Tuesday will sign into law the first federal legislation that would make lynching a federal hate crime after the U.S. Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent this month. The legislation is named for 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was brutally murdered in a racist attack in Mississippi in 1955 – an event that drew national attention to the atrocities and violence that African Americans faced in the United States and became a civil rights rallying cry. The bill would make it possible to prosecute a crime as a lynching when a conspiracy to commit a hate crime results in death or serious bodily injury. “After more than 200 failed attempts to outlaw lynching, Congress is finally succeeding in taking a long overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said when the chamber passed the bill. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 422-3. The 94th Academy Awards featured one of the most shocking moments in the show’s long history. It also included a significant ratings bump for ABC. The show drew an average of 15.3 million viewers for ABC on Sunday, according to early Nielsen numbers. That’s a 56% increase from last year’s show, the lowest-rated Oscars ever, which brought in just under 10 million viewers. That’s welcome news for the Academy and ABC, but Sunday’s ratings was still the second-smallest audience for the show in history. Just eight years ago, the Oscars brought in more than 40 million viewers. After years of slumping ratings the Oscars were desperate to craft viral moments that would get people to tune in this year, like anniversaries of classic films and lots of musical acts. But no one could have predicted the Oscars moment everyone would be talking about on Monday: Will Smith striking Chris Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Will Smith is now “going to have to work hard to kind of redeem himself,” says one Academy member following Sunday’s slap incident at the Oscars. As reported earlier, during the show, Chris Rock made a joke about Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss. The actress suffers from alopecia, so Will was not amused that Rock mocked her for this. The veteran actor walked on stage and slapped the comedian before returning to his seat in the audience and yelling “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” “Wow, dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke,” said Rock — to which Will replied once again, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” “I’m going to, okay?” Rock replied, before adding, “That was the … greatest night in the history of television.” According to TMZ, Rock had no idea Jada suffers from alopecia. Roots drummer and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson can tick off another box on his achievement list after Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony: Oscar-winning director. Questlove took home the award for best documentary feature for Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), beating out fellow nominees including Attica and Writing with Fire. Available for streaming via Hulu, the film details the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which lasted for six weeks and saw performances from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Sly and Family Stone, among others. Questlove gave an emotional speech in which he thanked his parents, getting choked up as he referenced his father, musician Lee Andrews who died in 2016. “This is about marginalized people in Harlem that needed to heal from pain,” Thompson said in his acceptance speech. https://youtu.be/IPbOF4wpEVw Anthony Anderson’s wife of 22 years has decided to pull the plug on their marriage, and the move comes after the couple previously separated but reconciled. In documents filed last Friday, Anderson’s wife Alvina Anderson cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split, PEOPLE reports. She is seeking spousal support and wants Anderson to pay for her attorney fees. “All gifts and inheritance, all assets, earnings, accumulations, and debts acquired by Petitioner prior to the date of marriage and after the date of separation, the exact nature and extent of which are unknown,” the documents reportedly state. Alvina initially filed for divorce in 2015 but dismissed the petition and they appeared to be reconciled, E! News reported. However, the marriage remained rocky. Anthony and Alvina were high school sweethearts and got married in September 1999. They share two adult children: Nathan, 22, and Kyra, 26. When Stewart first filed for divorce, she listed April 1, 2014, as the separation date. In the latest filing, she claims the date of separation is “TBD.” For Will Smith’s mother, Sunday night was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for several reasons. Amid her joy over her son’s win for best actor, Caroline Smith admitted she was taken aback when her second-oldest child slapped presenter Chris Rock over a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald hairstyle. “He is a very even people person,” she said of her son in an exclusive interview with Philadelphia’s 6abc news station. “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime… I’ve never seen him do that.” Not long after the smack, Will Smith acknowledged his mother as he tearfully accepted an Oscar for his work in “King Richard,” explaining she didn’t want to come to L.A. for his big night. “To my mother, a lot of this moment is really complicated for me, but I — she didn’t want to come out,” he said. “She’s had her knitting friends. She has a knitting crew that she’s [with] in Philly watching with.” The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ‘strongly considered’ kicking Will Smith out of the Oscars ceremony after he slapped Chris Rock onstage, and revealed on Monday that it has launched a formal review into the incident. The film academy released the statement Monday afternoon, condemning the actor’s violent actions. ‘The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show,’ a spokesperson for the organization said. ‘We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.’ Academy leadership strongly considered removing Smith from last night’s broadcast following the incident, a source told CNN. ‘There were immediate discussions but the Academy decision makers were seated in various spots in the Dolby Theater and couldn’t mobilize to make a decision before he won best actor,’ the source said. Smith, 53, could face some type of disciplinary action or sanction, but it’s unlikely he would be made to hand over his Best Actor award for King Richard, Variety reported. The Academy states in its standards of conduct, it is ‘categorically opposed to any form of abuse.’ The fallout from Smith’s onstage assault continued Monday, as Hollywood and the public continued to wrestle with a moment that stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home, and may have passed all others in Academy Awards infamy. Tomorrow on CLEO TV, Chef JJ welcomes wine connoisseur Camillya Masunda to the season finale of JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ. Tune in to the flavor-filled episode on March 30 at 9:00 P.M. ET/8C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjXVwfE_EDw CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX will conclude tomorrow, March 30 at 9:30 P.M. ET/8:30C. Chef Jernard wraps the season with a tasty meal tip for parents! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdVezoMAdWI Colton Pete Norsworthy from Okeechobee, Glades, FL was captured on camera going on a racist tirade in Popeyes. In the clip, Norsworth, a white man is seen hurling the N-word at several Black employees at a Popeyes location in Okeechobee, FL., as reported by told TMZ. In the video, Norsworth enters a Popeyes and demand a refund at the register before threatening to beat and lynch a Black woman. “I’m white. That means I’m automatically better than you, b****,” he says. The woman tells Norsworthy to “suck a d*ck” and called him a “fat-ass cracker” before he exits the restaurant. Popeyes officials said the company has zero tolerance for “hateful aggression” at its restaurants. The famed fast-food fried chicken chain is also working with the franchise owner to provide support for employees. No police report was filed over the incident. https://twitter.com/i/status/1506298703472054273 The parents of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who died on an Orlando amusement park ride, have hired famed civil rights attorney attorneys Ben Crump and Bob Hilliard to take legal action against ICON Park. Sampson fell to his death on the Orlando Free Fall ride on Thursday night, and the tragic incident was filmed and shared on social media. Sampson’s father said he learned of his son’s death online. “I wish I was there to tell him I love him. That I’m sorry. For him to lose his life. So young, and I wish it was me,” Yarnell Sampson said in an interview with WESH 2. “I want to know what happened to my son. I want to know why my son is in a white bag, having to get shipped back home. He walked there. Why he can’t walk back? I want answers from everybody. Who all was involved in that?” https://youtu.be/fxSIouRAOUQ International singer/songwriter Maurice Griffin wowed the crowd with his rendition of the National Anthem on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Griffin sang his rendition of the National Anthem a-cappella ahead of Saturday night’s (March 12) matchup between South Bay Lakers and the Stockton Kings. He received a resounding standing ovation along with an invitation to return April 2, 2022, for their Family & Friends Day. Griffin is considered one of the most successful independent singers in the United States. His latest singles, including “Prove Me I’m Yours” and “Love Peace Happiness,” hit over 5 million streams collectively. “Love Peace Happiness” was incredibly well-received by the international community, further proving the universal appeal of its message. His latest release, “God of Miracles” currently has over 200 thousand streams across all digital platforms since its release last week. Maurice is currently on tour promoting his single “God of Miracles” and is accepting bookings for the remainder of 2022. Today, GRAMMY-nominated, Billboard Music Award-winning, platinum-selling, multi-racial, multi-cultural, and genre-bending collective Maverick City Music and 16-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist, songwriter, producer, and cultural icon Kirk Franklin have announced the Kingdom Tour featuring special guests Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires. Produced by Live Nation and Undivided, the 37-city tour kicks off on June 1st at FTX Arena in Miami, FL making stops across North America in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in Denver, CO at Ball Arena on July 31st. At the conclusion of the Kingdom Tour, a collaboration album, Kingdom, will follow featuring Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin. Today, MNRK Music Group announced the Risk Takers Tour featuring special guests Randy Weston, Crystal Atkin and Jabari Johnson. Tickets are on sale now RiskTakersTour.com. Produced by MNRK Music Group, the 8-city tour kicks off on April 19 at All Nations in Baton Rouge, LA making stops across the south in Durham, Memphis, Columbia, and more before wrapping up in Atlanta at Relentless on April 29. The tour is designed to encourage people of faith to trust God's promise, defy the odds and take risks in order to make their dreams happen. The father of Venus and Serena Williams is speaking out to condemn violence after Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars ceremony on Sunday. Richard Williams, via his son Chavoita LeSane, told NBC News, “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense.” LeSane, who has been serving as Richard William’s spokesman since his 80-year-old father had a stroke, declined to go beyond his statement when asked for comment on Smith’s Oscar acceptance speech, the news outlet notes. During the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday, Chris Rock made a “G.I. Jane 2” joke directed at Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head, which she shaved because she’s battling alopecia. The joke caused Will to sock Chris Rock in the face out of anger, something he has since apologized for twice. Jada Pinkett Smith posted a message on her verified Instagram account Tuesday, her first since her husband Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars for joking about her. The post was only words with no accompanying caption. “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it,” it read.https://www.instagram.com/jadapinkettsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d59b1879-ba68-4e3f-89d3-a5a57bc2edf1 Jim Carreyy held absolutely nothing back when asked to share his thoughts on Will Smith’s viral moment with Chris Rock. While speaking with CBS’s Gayle King, Carrey criticized Hollywood stars for giving Will Smith a standing ovation when it was announced at the Oscars that he won the best actor for “King Richard” following his shocking moment with Chris Rock. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbsmvkTJv6T/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tickets for Chris Rock’s upcoming comedy tour have reportedly surged since he was slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars on Sunday night. The comedian will kick off his Ego Death World Tour on April 2. Rock has teased that he will perform “all new material” at his Ego Death World Tour that starts this month in Boston, and will conclude in Los Angeles in November. This is his first major comedy tour in at least five years. “Lauded by peers and critics alike, Chris Rock is one of our generation’s strongest comedic voices,” reads the announcement of the tour from Live Nation, via Ticket News. “With a career spanning more than three decades, Rock has enjoyed ongoing success in both film and television as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and director.” As reported by New York Post, tickets prices for the tour rose from $46 per ticket on March 18 to $341 on secondary market platform TickPick since the Academy Awards slap incident. TickPick posted on Twitter, “We sold more tickets to see Chris Rock overnight than we did in the past month combined.” Rock will be joined on his Ego Death World Tour by Kevin Hart as a co-headliner in July. The joint effort is titled Only Headliners Allowed, and Complex reports that the five-date tour will see the two comedians perform consecutive nights at venues across New York and New Jersey. The performances will start at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh on July 21, and conclude at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on July 25. Live Nation presales kick off the day before tickets go on sale on Friday, March 11 at 10 a.m. ET. The seat of a teen who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in Florida last week was still locked, according to an accident report from the state. Tyre Sampson, 14, fell Thursday from the FreeFall drop tower that takes riders up 430 feet and then drops at speeds of up to 75 mph, according to ICON Park in Orlando, where the incident happened. Sampson came out of the seat when the magnets engaged to slow the ride during the descent, according to the report, which was based on ride employee witnesses and was obtained by CNN. “Harness was still in a down and locked position when the ride stopped,” said the report filed by the operator with the Fair Rides division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The report named three witnesses, all listed as employees. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/29/seat-was-locked-says-accident-report-in-florida-teens-tower-ride-death-video/ Dr. Carolyn Roberts, a professor at Yale University, agreed with the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The study will have detailed descriptions, both verbal and visual, of the horrific experiences Africans endured during the transatlantic slave trade. A historian of medicine and science, Roberts said the trauma descendants of enslaved Africans suffered during transportation to the United States was only the beginning of a “broken relationship” between African Americans and the United States’ healthcare system. “It is important for us to recognize that many critical issues that we are wrestling with today have long, old, and deep historical roots,” Roberts said. “These include racial bias and disparate medical treatment, race-based medicine, and medical exploitation. In our historical analysis, we must consider not only American slavery and its afterlife, but also the transatlantic slave trade.” https://youtu.be/X-bJrCAB_Y4 Jesse Williams and his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee are sparring once again over monthly child support payments. Williams has reportedly requested the courts decrease his $40,000 monthly child support payments, which his ex is fighting against. It seems Williams is no longer pulling in a six-to-seven figure income following his exit from “Greys Anatomy,” and Aryan allegedly has no interest in getting a job. Williams explains in documents obtained by Radar Online that his income from January 2021 to November 2021 was reduced to $660k. He is currently starring in a Broadway play Take Me Out and claims he makes only $1,668 from the show. “My current income is far from sufficient to maintain a $40,000 per month child support number, especially since I still pay one-half of the children’s private school tuition, the children’s extracurricular activities, medical care, and all of their expenses when they are with me including child-care and my own expenses,” the actor writes. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill into law which prohibits classroom instruction around sexual orientation and gender identity. Opponents say the vague law is intended to intimidate teachers, suppress gender topics, and target LGBTQ students. “The bill’s intentionally vague language leaves teachers afraid to talk to their students and opens up school districts to costly and frivolous litigation from those seeking to exclude LGBTQ people from any grade level,” said state Rep. Carlos G. Smith, a gay Democrat, as reported by The Associated Press. “Even worse, #DontSayGay sends a hateful message to our most vulnerable youth who simply need our support.” Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said the Don’t Say Gay bill (aka “Parental Rights in Education” bill) “is based on a falsehood, and that falsehood is that somehow we’re teaching kids inappropriate topics at an early age, and clearly we’re not,” Spar said. https://youtu.be/sw3_LZDTi78 Los Angeles County officials have announced a 6-month investigation into “deputy gangs” in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The move comes following “numerous reports” about rogue cops who operate like street gangs, CNN reports. “Numerous reports” show deputy gangs exist, but “their scope and impact is unknown,” said the county Civilian Oversight Commission, in a statement. The COC says the gangs have existed for 50 years, and that they “create a shadow-system of supervision and leadership” and create an “us-against-them culture.” “Deputy gangs have fostered and promoted excessive force against citizens, discriminated against other deputies based on race and gender, and undermined the chain of command and discipline,” said Loyola Law School’s Center for Juvenile Law and Policy commission chair and executive director Sean Kennedy. “Despite years of documented history of this issue, the Department has failed to eliminate the gangs.” https://youtu.be/p1zHwAy60KI Joe Rogan’s adopted daughter Kayja Rose has reportedly reemerged on social media after she allegedly went MIA weeks before his N-word scandal. Kayja Rose, 23, is the daughter of Joe’s wife Jessica and late H-town singer, Keven A. “Dino” Conner. After Joe and Jessica tied the knot, he adopted Rose. Over the weekend, Rose posted a series of photos on her Instagram, and it seemingly marked her return to the platform since December 12. As reported by RADAR, she captioned one self-photo: “Everything beautiful in the world is within you. No one really feels self-confident deep down because it’s an artificial idea,” she wrote. Kayja continued, “Really, people aren’t that worried about what you’re doing or what you’re saying, so you can drift around the world relatively anonymously: you must not feel persecuted and examined. Liberate yourself from that idea that people are watching you.” https://www.instagram.com/ggoldencurlss/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6f3ce580-859d-4f86-8ee6-46a724f68ed0 Earlier today (Mar. 28), rapper Jim Jones brought his Instagram-famous character “Weavahman Jim” to live TV and gave his iconic “Drip Report.” In 2019, Jim first started reporting the weather on his IG and it became recurring by 2020, during the pandemic. While appearing on FOX 5 New York to promote his ‘Drip Report’ series on REVOLT (which returned earlier this month), Jim gave his iconic report to FOX’s audience at home. Decked out in some fresh Air Forces, a white long sleeve thermal shirt (aka Long Johns), a green beanie hat, and black stunna shades with an iced out neck, wrists and fingers, Jim “did the weavah.” In the clip that’s gone viral, Jim scans the country, and calls out NYC for still being in the 20s while Miami remains in the 60s, despite it supposed to be having “beach weather.” To the girls in NYC tryna rock their hair out, he tells them, “Babygirl cover that lace front up, might get a lil’ chilly.” #Socialites, are you here for Weavahman Jim on live TV? https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqcuawMhWj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again NFL owners voted Tuesday to amend the playoff overtime rule in order to allow both teams to possess the ball regardless of whether a touchdown is scored on the first possession of the extra period. The change came over two months after the 2021 NFL playoffs, which saw six of the final seven games decided by three points or less. The previous rule came under renewed scrutiny after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills by scoring a touchdown on the first possession in overtime of their classic playoff game this past winter. Under the previous playoff overtime rule, each team was allowed to possess the ball in extra play unless the club that received the opening kickoff scores a touchdown. If the opening drive resulted in a field goal, the opposing team would get an opportunity to match the score or win with a touchdown. If there was a turnover, the first team to score would win. This rule is still in effect for the regular season. The NFL last modified the regulation, called Rule 16, in March 2012, when the league expanded the format from the playoffs to the regular season. Since 2010, Atlanta Falcons CEO Rich McKay – chairman of the NFL’s Competition Committee – noted there have been 12 postseason overtimes and the team winning coin toss has won 10 times. Seven of those victories came on the first drive, including the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Bills in January. Former motor racing boss and privacy campaigner Max Mosley died of a gunshot wound in the bedroom of his London home last May after being told his cancer was terminal, an inquest heard on Tuesday. His family had said at the time that the 81-year-old, youngest son of prominent 1930s British fascist Oswald Mosley, died after a long battle with cancer. British media said the remote inquest at Westminster Coroner’s Court revealed Mosley had been informed he had only weeks to live. A neighbor and his housekeeper summoned the emergency services after finding a note on his bedroom door saying ‘do not enter, call the police’. The inquest heard Mosley told his long-time personal assistant Henry Alexander a day earlier that he intended to take his own life. The BBC quoted coroner Fiona Wilcox saying she was ‘satisfied’ Mosley had intended to kill himself. A woman who was reported missing to the Fairburn Police Department is dead after an incident late Saturday night. According to the South Fulton Police Department, they responded to a home on Sable Chase Lane near Buffington Road in southwest Atlanta around 11 p.m. regarding a person deceased. Upon arrival, they discovered 30-year-old Teante Jones had been shot and killed. The suspected shooter, identified as 43-year-old Kenneth Southern, was barricaded in the attic of the home. South Metro Regional SWAT responded and crisis negotiators contacted Southern. However, he refused to surrender and shot and killed himself. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/video/1050719 Virginia Thomas, a conservative activist married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, repeatedly pressed White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to pursue unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in a series of urgent text exchanges in the critical weeks after the vote, according to copies of the messages obtained by The Washington Post and CBS News. The messages – 29 in all – reveal an extraordinary pipeline between Virginia Thomas, who goes by Ginni, and President Donald Trump’s top aide during a period when Trump and his allies were vowing to go to the Supreme Court in an effort to negate the election results. On Nov. 10, after news organizations had projected Joe Biden the winner based on state vote totals, Thomas wrote to Meadows: “Help This Great President stand firm, Mark!!!…You are the leader, with him, who is standing for America’s constitutional governance at the precipice. The majority knows Biden and the Left is attempting the greatest Heist of our History.” Co-hosts of The View slammed actor Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars Sunday night, calling his shocking outburst ‘immature and childish,’ but Whoopi Goldberg broke ranks to defend the actor, saying ‘sometimes you behave badly. The 53-year-old actor who won an Oscar later that evening marched onto the stage and hit Rock in the face, then returned to his seat and yelled, ‘Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!’ after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. The bizarre outburst led to swift backlash from millions of viewers, including The View co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro who discussed the ordeal on Monday, calling it ‘toxic masculinity’ and a ‘crime of assault.’ But co-host Whoopi stepped in with a different take. ‘I think he overreacted…I think he had one of those moments where it was like G.D. it, just stop,’ Whoopi said. ‘I get it, not everybody acts the way we would like them to act under pressure. And he snapped.’ Meanwhile, on the Today show, host Craig Melvin slammed Smith for aiding ‘this long-held perception that men of color can’t control their rage and anger.’ ‘It was really disappointing,’ Melvin said. ‘If you’re rearing a boy, especially in this country, you spend so much time talking to our kids about keeping your hands to yourself and this long health perception that man of color can’t control their rage and their anger and to see someone who’s been that beloved for decades – it was troubling on so many levels.’ Ever wish life granted second chances? What would you do with them? The Mulligan movie uses the game of golf to get you to ponder possibilities. The Mulligan cast features Pat Boone (Journey to the Center of the Earth, State Fair); Eric Close (Nashville, American Sniper, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit); Tanya Christiansen (I Still Believe, The Hate U Give), and Charmin Lee (Just Mercy, The 5th Wave). The film is based on the novel, The Mulligan: A Parable of Second Chances, by former PGA touring pro Wally Armstrong and author/business executive Ken Blanchard. Candace Cameron Bure is celebrating the baptism of her oldest child, Natasha, on Instagram. The “Aurora Teagarden Mysteries” star, 45, shared a video of Natasha, 23, being baptized in a pool by Dudley Rutherford, senior pastor at the California Shepherd of the Hills Church in Los Angeles. “My heart is overwhelmed by God’s goodness and grace ??????. Congratulations @natashabure !!!!” the proud mom wrote in the caption. “Thank you @dudleyrutherford and @shepherdchurch. As a mama, there’s nothing that tops this day. Nothing!! My three adult children have now all professed their faith, love, service and devotion to Jesus Christ; Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Savior of the world.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbVi9K0FWe9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died Friday in Colombia, had a heart that weighed double the average for men his age, according to a new report. Forensic experts during an examination found Hawkins heart weighed “at least 600 grams,” double the average of 300 to 350 grams, the Daily Mail reported Sunday. Hawkins, 50, was found dead Friday in a hotel room at the Four Seasons Casa Medina in Bogota. In his room, there were multiple drugs found, according to a report that cited Colombia authorities. “Colombian authorities found: marijuana, antidepressants, opioids, heroine [sic]. At least 10 different substances found,” journalist Luis Carlos Velez tweeted Saturday afternoon, citing Fiscalia Colombia, the national attorney general’s office. Velez initially reported that Hawkins, a California native, had overdosed, but later backtracked in a follow up tweet. Phil Collins bade an emotional farewell to Genesis fans alongside bandmates Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks in London on Saturday – as the iconic band played their final ever concert. London’s 02 provided the backdrop for the band’s last show on their The Last Domino? Tour – with frail frontman Phil, 71, telling the crowd he will now have to get a real job. Phil, who performed the show sitting down due to suffering from a number of different health conditions in recent years, later joined Mike, 71, and Tony, 72 for a standing ovation. The band first found fame in the 1970s and have sold more than 100million records. Phil told the crowd ‘It’s the last stop of our tour, and it’s the last show for Genesis. After tonight we all have to get real jobs.’ Lin-Manuel Miranda, one of this year’s most prominent Oscar nominees, will sit out the ceremony after his wife tested positive for COVID-19. Miranda shared the unfortunate news on Twitter Saturday afternoon. He said that even though he has tested negative himself, he will stay away from Sunday’s ceremony out of caution. “Made it to Hollywood,” Miranda wrote. “This weekend, my wife tested + (positive) for COVID. She’s doing fine. Kids & I have tested – (negative) but out of caution, I won’t be going to the Oscars tomorrow night.” The Oscar-nominated composer added he was “cheering for my TickTickBoom & Encanto families w my own family, alongside all of you, ALL of you.” Miranda is up for an Oscar for best original song for “Dos Oruguitas” from the animated film “Encanto.” Should he win, he would attain rare EGOT status, meaning he’d be an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner. The “Hamilton” creator also will be missing the first live performance of his hugely popular song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” also from “Encanto,” a film about a Colombian clan with magical powers. The addictive tune became the highest-charting song from a Disney animated film in more than 26 years. Hollywood actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher reached their goal of raising $30 million to help send relief supplies to the Ukrainian people. The couple shared the message on Instagram last week saying that they were “overwhelmed with gratitude” for the show of support. In total, $35,275,700 was donated toward the cause. “With your help, we have reached our $30 million goal,” the couple wrote. “While this is far from a solution for the problem, our collective effort will provide a softer landing for so many people as they forge ahead into their future of uncertainty.” CBN News previously reported that Kutcher and Munis launched the GoFundMe campaign as a way to assist refugees and humanitarian aid efforts. The campaign aims to benefit Flexport.org and Airbnb. Flexport is an organization that sends relief supplies to refugee sites in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova; Airbnb.org is providing free, short-term housing to refugees fleeing Ukraine. Will Smith issued a formal apology to Chris Rock after slapping the comedian on the Oscars stage Sunday night in front of the whole world. “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Smith wrote. “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.” The post continued: “I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress.” https://www.instagram.com/willsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=471148eb-9e1c-4c97-9b1b-162e6c5c0445 Call it the slap heard ’round the world. At least, that’s what it appeared to be after Will Smith confronted comedian Chris Rock after the 2022 Oscars host made a joke about the Academy Award-winning actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The version that American viewers saw Sunday night was censored, though not enough to keep people from seeing Smith march from the front row up on the stage to deliver five fingers of fury to Rock’s face after the comedian mocked Pinkett Smith’s acting career.https://twitter.com/i/status/1508270345819672582 Viewers in Japan, in particular, and likely elsewhere outside of the continental United States, heard the raw, uncut version of the exchange following Smith’s confrontation of Rock. “Will Smith just smacked the shit outta be,” Rock remarked in the unedited version that played live on Japanese TV. It was also revealed that among the things Smith said to Rock was, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f*cking mouth!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1508270345819672582 Will Smith ended up winning the best actor Oscar for “King Richard” and delivered an emotional acceptance speech without a single mention of Rock. “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family, Smith said through tears about his role playing tennis icons Venus and Serena Williams’ father in the film. “Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things.” Describing Rock’s treatment as “abuse” celebrities must endure when “people talk crazy about you,” Smith said, “I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people, and to be a river to my people.” Smith added: “You gotta smile, you gotta pretend like that’s OK.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1508283023099248646 Will Smith and Chris Rock reportedly agreed to make amends after Smith slapped the comedian on stage during the Academy Awards ceremony Sunday night. As reported exclusively by Page Six, both were expected to attend the annual Vanity Fair Oscars bash, “but it’s unclear if they’ll make amends before or during that soirée,” the outlet writes, adding “We’re also told Diddy talked to both Smith and Rock who agreed to make amends later in the evening.” Will eventually apologized for his actions and a rep said Chris Rock has decided not to file charges. So, where do the comedians stand with each other now? Well, Diddy aka Brother Love exclusively spoke with @pagesix and said they settled their beef after the wild moment: “That’s not a problem. That’s over. I can confirm that” Diddy, 52, told the outlet without elaborating on further details of how Smith, 53, and Rock, 57, had reconciled. “It’s all love,” he added. “They’re brothers.” Following the wild awards show, Smith attended the Vanity Fair bash with his family and was clearly unfazed by the drama that ensued hours earlier. The former “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” actor was seen dancing and rapping along to his song “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbpiQyJjXbd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Despite the histrionics, Rock and Smith were expected to try to resolve their differences following the eventful Oscars ceremony Sunday night. New York Post’s Page Six gossip page reported that Sean “Diddy” Combs played the peacemaker by speaking with both Rock and Smith, “who agreed to make amends.” Tyler Perry and Denzel Washington also reportedly spoke to Smith, according to a tweet from entertainment journalist Scott Feinberg. https://twitter.com/i/status/1508273120473325573 A video of a Rihanna look-alike went viral over the weekend and the seemingly pregnant woman was spotted in Brazil taking pictures with fans of the singer. n the video, Rihanna fans surround the mystery woman, with one fan hugging the doppelganger’s fake baby bump. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbk9XkLpwZH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Galveston County, Texas, challenging its redistricting plan for the Commissioners Court. The move comes following the county’s decision to adopt a new map after data was published about population growth in the 2020 Census. As previously reported, the agency found that between 2010 and 2020, communities of color had grown by 95 percent. On March 24, representatives from the DOJ filed a lawsuit alleging the county’s plan violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, noting how the new map did not give Black and Hispanic voters “the opportunity to elect a candidate of choice to the county’s governing body.” The DOJ also argued that the new provision intentionally excluded Black and Brown community members from the political process. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on Thursday. Black women are charting historic paths in spaces where they are significantly underrepresented. Amongst this generation of trailblazers is Aliyah Griffith, who recently became the first Black student to earn a graduate degree in marine sciences from the University of North Carolina, the Daily Tar Heel reported. Although diversity is a crucial component of innovation and progress within STEM, the industry is plagued by racial and gender disparities. Studies show 2.5 percent of marine biologists are Black. Griffith is using her journey to show people of color that there’s room for them in the space. The scholar developed an interest in aquatics as a youngster following a trip to Sea World at the age of five. Throughout her childhood, she visited marine parks and aquariums. After connecting with a dolphin trainer at the Baltimore Aquarium, she decided she wanted to pursue a career in marine biology. Staying true to her passion, Griffith went on to study marine sciences at Hampton University. After earning her undergraduate degree, she advanced her education at UNC, becoming the first Black student to be accepted into the school’s marine sciences program, which has been in existence for 50 years. MOBE, the Marketing Opportunities in Business and Entertainment Symposium, the leading advanced marketing conference and one of the longest-running marketing and business accelerating platforms, is proud to announce its first annual summit for K-12 educators, institution builders, and educational influencers. The “Independent Educational Narrative: HBCUs & Beyond” will be held virtually via the HOPIN platform on Thursday, April 21st. The inaugural education day event will be introduced by Sheryl Lee Ralph (ABC’s Abbott Elementary). https://youtu.be/IN4pv8qbqVU Rooted in historic systemic inequities, the ever-widening racial wealth gap has been a longstanding issue within the United States. Florida Memorial University and the Institute of Black Wealth have joined forces to move the needle forward in eradicating the economic disparities that disproportionately impact disenfranchised communities. Research conducted by the Federal Reserve System shows Black families hold a mere 2.9 percent of wealth. The median white household has a net worth ten times higher than African American households. To address the inequalities surrounding wealth creation, music mogul and philanthropist Ted Lucas teamed up with real estate developer Fabiola Fleuranvil to create the Institute of Black Wealth. The initiative strives to use education, technology, cooperative economics, financial literacy and civic engagement to empower the Black community. Michael Che has reportedly revealed that this is his last year serving up the “Weekend Update” segment on NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series “Saturday Night Live.” “This is my last year,” Che, 38, said during a set at a Minnesota salon, according to the Star Tribune. “You know my tie is a clip-on, right? What man wears a clip-on tie to work for eight years — that’s embarrassing.” Che became the first Black co-head writer in “SNL” in 2017. It’s not clear if he will remain a writer on the show or exit the series entirely. https://youtu.be/9X_HgJ3KMvY R&B superstar K. Michelle is excited to release the video to her new single “Scooch,” which premiered today on BETHer and BET Soul. Produced by Lil Ronnie, the video is directed by Derek Blanks and gives fans a feel-good visual that brings this new love anthem to life. K. Michelle treated fans to a YouTube Livestream last night in anticipation of today’s release. https://youtu.be/YL0ZWPJJhPY Anthony Anderson recently shared a hilarious video showing him hitching a ride with a couple of strangers he met at Best Buy in Manhattan. In the video, Anderson explains that he walked to the electronics store to buy some TVs for his new NYC apartment but after the purchase, he realized he had no way of transporting them back to his pad. That’s when a man named Alex who was ahead of him in the checkout line offered to give the actor a ride home. Watch Anderson explain what happened next. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYUkVNB-bQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The young daughter of late rapper Nipsey Hussle is at the center of a custody war involving family members and the child’s mother. According to legal documents, obtained by The Blast, the teenager’s mother, Tanisha Foster is objecting to the guardianship currently in place for 13-year-old Emani Asghedom. The guardianship consists of Nipsey’s family including his brother, Sam, according to the report. Nipsey was reportedly in a longtime relationship with actress Lauren London at the time of his death. However, in her filing, Tanisha claims she and the west coast artist had been in a “loving relationship” since the birth of their daughter in 2008. After Nipsey was murdered by a known gang member in Los Angeles in 2019, Tanisha “allowed a guardianship to take hold giving several of Nipsey’s family members custody of the child,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/NGjXSBjLSo0 Tiffany Haddish has responded to the slap heard around the world on Sunday night. We’re talking about Will Smith smacking Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards, which Haddish has called a “beautiful” moment. “When I saw a Black man stand up for his wife. That meant so much to me,” Haddish, 42, told PEOPLE at the Governors Ball following the Oscars ceremony. Haddish and Pinkett Smith starred together in 2017’s “Girls Trip.” In case you missed it, during the show, Rock made a joke about Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss. The actress suffers from alopecia, so Will was not amused that Rock mocked her. The veteran actor walked on stage and slapped the taste of Rock’s mouth before returning to his seat in the audience, and yelling back at the comedian, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” “Wow, dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke,” said Rock — to which Will replied once again, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” Songstress Ciara is expanding her imprint in the acting industry. According to People, the Texas native will join the cast of The Color Purple musical film. The movie is inspired by the Broadway adaptation of novelist Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning project. The book, which was released in 1982, delves into the story of Celie Harris as she traverses through life in the South during the early twentieth century. Trae Young is in the midst of a historic season. Trae Young is in the midst of a historic season. It’s flown under the radar due to the other powerhouses (and storylines) in the conference, as well as the underwhelming nature of the Atlanta Hawks’ season. And to be fair, Young’s less frequent but still-problematic apathy on defense has contributed to the Hawks’ issues this year. But as of this writing, Young leads the NBA in total points (1915) and assists (649). If it holds, he’ll become the first player since Nate “Tiny” Archibald in 1972-73 to lead the league in both categories. https://streamable.com/kzarxv President Joe Biden went directly after Vladimir Putin in an emotional speech on Saturday, where he said the Russian president ‘cannot remain in power’ and and warned if Putin’s ambitions went unchecked it could lead to decades of war in Europe. ‘For god’s sake this man cannot remain in power,’ he said of Putin, describing the Russian president as having a ‘craving for absolute power and control.’ The Kremlin reacted furiously at the quote and the White House moved quickly to clear it up, saying Biden was not calling for a regime change in Moscow. ‘The President’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change,’ a White House official said. The Biden administration has taken care to not call for a regime change in Russia, knowing Putin would see it as an escalation. ‘This is not to be decided by Mr. Biden,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response. ‘It should only be a choice of the people of the Russian Federation.’ https://youtu.be/gV3pkCXpA54 Virginia Thomas, a conservative activist married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, repeatedly pressed White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to pursue unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in a series of urgent text exchanges in the critical weeks after the vote, according to copies of the messages obtained by The Washington Post and CBS News. The messages – 29 in all – reveal an extraordinary pipeline between Virginia Thomas, who goes by Ginni, and President Donald Trump’s top aide during a period when Trump and his allies were vowing to go to the Supreme Court in an effort to negate the election results. On Nov. 10, after news organizations had projected Joe Biden the winner based on state vote totals, Thomas wrote to Meadows: “Help This Great President stand firm, Mark!!!…You are the leader, with him, who is standing for America’s constitutional governance at the precipice. The majority knows Biden and the Left is attempting the greatest Heist of our History.” Like any awards show, the Oscars are built on the inherently self-absorbed notion that what happens in the room and who takes home the trophies matters, in what should be a welcome distraction from the outside world. During the televised era three events particularly stand out: The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981, and the onset of the Iraq war in 2003. In the first two instances, the awards were postponed briefly, and there was discussion of doing so in 2003. (The Oscars were delayed one other time because of flooding in 1938.) https://youtu.be/_thW3N98cFQ In 2014, Tracy Morgan was involved in a car accident that killed his best friend. A Walmart truck driver crashed into the Limousine vehicle that Morgan and his entourage were traveling in. The “30 Rock Star” immediately went into a coma. The comedian later settled with Walmart. He didn’t disclose the amount. “I didn’t think I was going to walk again, and I did. I just fought,” Morgan says. “I fought to come out of the coma. I’d seen my daughter in the coma saying ‘daddy come back’ and she was only ten months and I fought and came out of the coma. Then I just wanted to be better. I wanted to be better at my life. I wanted to be a better person, a better human being to others, and that’s all I wanted to be. I know he spared my life for a reason.” https://youtu.be/BPfJatrGAJk The Foo Fighters longtime, charismatic drummer, Taylor Hawkins, has died at the age of 50. Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room in the north of Bogota, Colombia where the band were due to play at a festival on Friday night. No cause of death was immediately announced. Shortly after Hawkins’ death was announced, dozens of fans together with journalists and videographers began to gather outside the hotel where the band had been staying. Many appeared to be in complete shock at the news with some lighting candles. Ambulances and police cars could be seen stationed outside of the property. Later on Friday night, Hawkins’ body was finally brought out of the hotel, placed into a coroner’s van and driven away. The group had been scheduled to play at the Festival Estéreo Picnic in the Colombian capital where an announcement told concert-goers that the band would not be playing due to a ‘serious medical condition.’ The father of the teenage boy who fell to his death from a theme park ride is speaking out and demanding answers. In an exclusive interview with @fox35orlando, Yarnell Samson said his son knew he was in danger — and he wants to make sure no other child feels like that again. His son Tyre Sampson, 14, was visiting ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, as part of an American football program and joined his friends on the “Orlando Free-Fall” ride. The father explained to the outlet that “when the ride took off, that’s when [his son] was feeling uncomfortable. He was like, ‘this thing is moving,’ you know what I’m saying. And he was like, ‘what’s going on?’” Samson told Fox 35. “And that’s when he started freaking out,” the dad continued. The teen then told the friends beside him: “If I don’t make it down, tell … Please tell my mama and daddy I love them.” The father said, “for him to say something like that, he must have felt something,” Samson told the outlet. Sadly, his son tragically plummeted from the ride when it was about halfway down its 430-foot descent on Thursday. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. The heartbroken father is now demanding to know why his 6-foot-5, 340-pound son was allowed on the ride after he was stopped from getting on other rides due to his size. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbkqrEmrkWN/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again GOP lawmakers in Utah pushed through a ban on transgender youth athletes playing on girls teams Friday, overriding a veto and joining 11 other states with similar laws amid a nationwide culture war. The ban previously received support from a majority of Utah lawmakers, but fell short of the two-thirds needed to override it. Its sponsors on Friday flipped 10 Republicans in the House and five in the Senate who had previously voted against the proposal. A dozen states now have some sort of ban on transgender kids in school sports. Utah’s law takes effect July 1. Republican sponsor Rep. Kera Birkeland, who is also a basketball coach, welcomed the decision and said conversations with female student athletes compelled her to act. ‘When we say, `This isn´t a problem in our state,´ what we say to those girls is, `Sit down, be quiet and make nice,” she said. A Black pedestrian fatally shot by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy earlier this year was hit four times during the altercation in a busy North Carolina street, according to an autopsy released Thursday. The autopsy released by North Carolina’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said that 37-year-old Jason Walker had wounds to his head, chest, back and thigh in the Jan. 8 shooting in Fayetteville. “The cause of death is listed as multiple gunshot wounds,” the report said. The report noted that no alcohol or illegal drugs were found in his system. Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, was arrested with probable cause at a Los Angeles Police Commission meeting in 2018, a federal jury found Thursday after a two-day trial, siding with the city in her lawsuit alleging wrongful arrest. Abdullah, a Cal State L.A. professor and fixture at Police Commission meetings, was arrested on suspicion of battery against a police officer after an officer said she grabbed his arm, but the charges were dropped by the Los Angeles city attorney’s office. She sued the city and former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck in 2020, about six months after the charges were dropped. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning its verdict that Abdullah was not wrongfully arrested by then-LAPD Det. Jason Curtis. “I’m in shock,” Abdullah said outside the courtroom Thursday. “Just like the shock I felt when I was arrested.” In her lawsuit, Abdullah alleged she was singled out because she is a prominent Black activist. Her attorney, Carl Douglas, told the jury Abdullah attended hundreds of Police Commission meetings to criticize Los Angeles Police Department policies and the killing of unarmed civilians. As detailed in The Washington Post, Kamala Harris‘ team has been making a significant effort to change her political path in recent months. The US Vice President hired Jamal Simmons as her communications director. Simmons is a long-time democratic analyst. This incident happened when many people talked about her office inconsistency. People wanted to know her political wins and her daily duties. On several occasions, Kamala’s office was accused of dysfunctional communication. Political analysts have characterized this as unfair media coverage of the first female VP of Black and Indian roots. According to Politico, the vice president felt slighted by the white house staff, who didn’t stand when she entered a room. These kinds of perceived snubs are part of a book by Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin, the New York Times correspondents. The book, “This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America’s Future,” states that an uneasy relationship exists between president Biden’s West Wing and Kamala Harris’ staffers. A woman filed suit Wednesday alleging that her Black son has undergone repeated racial harassment at his junior high school since the U.S. Justice Department last fall punished the district for a pattern of discrimination and harassment. The civil rights complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, alleged, for instance, that Nicole Sieger’s son, a ninth grader, was called a “cotton picker” and was asked to give out an “N-word pass” so students could freely aim racially derogatory comments at him. The suit did not identify which school was involved, but the three staff members named in the suit are listed on the North Layton Junior High School employee roster. The district has been battered since September, when a two-year Justice Department investigation found “serious and widespread racial harassment” of Black and Asian-American students in district schools. In a settlement agreement with the district, the federal agency ordered a sweeping program to correct the problems. The department’s Civil Rights Division cited persistent failures to respond to reports of race-based harassment by district staff and other students. The investigation began in 2019 and covered the period of 2015-2020. The coronavirus pandemic ruined everyone’s future plans, especially prospective college students who might have been the most severely affected. But more than anyone, Black and Latino college students disproportionately canceled their plans to pursue a degree at a college or university, all because of COVID-19, according to a study. In a report by the Latino Policy & Politics Initiative at UCLA, almost a third of Black and Latino students had their plans ruined to pursue post-secondary education at a rate a lot higher than white students. The report used data from the Census Bureau to analyze and try to understand how the coronavirus pandemic affected (and still is) households across the country. During the peak of the pandemic in 2020, before vaccines were readily available, 11% of Latino students planned to cancel their plans for college in the Fall of 2021. Black students were 10% more to cancel their college plans. Only 6.4 percent of the total population canceled their postsecondary education plans, according to the study. But if you’re thinking, “things got better when the vaccine came along right?” you would be mistaken. Donald Trump is taking legal action against Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, and 26 other people and entities for falsely accusing him of Russian collusion. The federal lawsuit was filed this week and accuses a wide cast of characters of conspiring to undermine his 2016 presidential campaign. Named in the lawsuit are FBI Director James Comey, retired British spy Christopher Steele and several of Clinton’s campaign advisers, CNN reports. https://youtu.be/x0ZBWUqlWvo West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin announced on Friday that he plans to vote for President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, a move that all but guarantees she will be confirmed. In a statement outlining his decision, Manchin said, “I met with Judge Jackson and evaluated her qualifications to be a Supreme Court Justice. After meeting with her, considering her record, and closely monitoring her testimony and questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, I have determined I intend to vote for her nomination to serve on the Supreme Court.” Manchin’s announcement is notable since he is a closely-watched moderate Democrat and key swing vote in the Senate. His decision to vote “yes” helps solidify the vote math for Senate Democrats to confirm the nominee. Some serious craziness went down at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta on Tuesday after a man was arrested punched a Southwest Airlines employee. As you can see from the social media video of the incident (below), a shouting Courtney Drummond approaches the Southwest Airlines ticket counter and immediately punches an employee. What led to that incident was that Drummond refused to comply with flight attendants as his Southwest flight was being taxied from the gate to the tarmac. Police say the plane returned to the gate/terminal and Drummond was asked to leave the plane due to his “aggressive behavior.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1506704624090329093 It’s likely that before this month, many sports fans had not heard of Saint Peter’s, a university in Jersey City, New Jersey, with an enrollment of 2,637. That’s all changed now if you’ve been following the men’s NCAA tournament. The Saint Peter’s men’s basketball team has made history by becoming the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, upsetting the No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers 67-64 in Philadelphia on Friday night. That’s all changed now if you’ve been following the men’s NCAA tournament. The Saint Peter’s men’s basketball team has made history by becoming the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, upsetting the No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers 67-64 in Philadelphia on Friday night. The Peacocks, the third No. 15 seed to advance to the Sweet 16 in history, will face North Carolina in the Elite Eight on Sunday. This is the program’s fourth NCAA tournament appearance overall. https://youtu.be/oCpMehfhJs0 On the Friday, March 25 edition of “Tamron Hall,” Rachael Ray, Kandi Burruss and James Beard award-winning chef Aaro´n Sa´nchez join Tamron in the kitchen with delicious recipes for the most important meal of the day during a special show entitled, “Breakfast at Tamron’s!” Following her house fire in late 2020, celebrity chef and TV host, Rachael Ray, discusses how much more her kitchen means to her now following the incident. Reality TV star, Kandi Burruss details the meaning of family for her Atlanta restaurant, “Old Lady Gang” and Aaro´n Sa´nchez tells Tamron about working on the new season of “MasterChef Junior.” https://youtu.be/GBsvyUPUujE Hollywood has people of color to thank for keeping the movie businesses afloat during the pandemic because of their presence on screen and in the theater, According to a study from UCLA. It was found that most of the domestic tickets sales on opening weekends for six of the top 10 films in 2021 were bought by people of color. But also, households with people of color were overrepresented for streaming audiences for the top 10 films last year. The study, which is taken yearly, took the top 252 performing films that had theatrical and streaming releases in 2021 and looked for representation of women and people of color. It was found that both groups made significant gains when it came to directors and film writers while staying the same with actors in leading roles. Howard University will invest $785 million to build three new academic buildings and renovate other campus buildings in what it calls its largest construction real estate initiative in the school’s history. Howard, which has received record-breaking philanthropic giving and Wall Street’s blessing for a strong financial position, calls this expansion a watershed moment. “Because of the tremendously enhanced financial posture we have worked so hard to achieve, the state of the University has never been stronger,” said president Wayne A. I. Frederick. Howard University had record-breaking fundraising totals last year, with $170 million in philanthropic contributions in fiscal 2021. The university has also raised $120 million in gift commitments so far this fiscal year. In February, Fitch and Standard & Poor’s raised their ratings on $300 million in Howard-issued bonds from stable to positive. It will be the first time Howard has constructed new buildings on its D.C. campus since 1984. New construction will account for $670 million of the new investment. Howard University administrators and the union that represents faculty members have reached a tentative three-year agreement to negotiate fairer working conditions, averting a strike. After the early Wednesday deal, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500, agreed to call off the planned three-day walkout, the university said. The tentative pact still needs a vote of ratification by union membership, which is set to take place in the coming weeks. Faculty members in the union had been fighting for an agreement for about three years. Adjunct professors and full-time non-tenured professors were seeking better pay, the ability to teach enough courses to access Howard’s health insurance and ending a rule under which non-tenure track faculty are let go after seven years. The union had originally planned to strike from Wednesday to Friday if an agreement had not been reached. Faculty in the union would have not held their classes or taken part in other academic responsibilities. History was made in Birmingham on Tuesday after city leaders approved a massive project headed by an all-African American development team, which includes the general contractor. Mayor Randall Woodfin and the city council approved an ordinance Tuesday authorizing the $1.5 million sale and development of a 222-acre property with Green Meadow Apartments, LLC. In a press release, the city said “with over $2 billion, to date, this is the largest transaction led by African Americans in the city’s history.” “This is a great day for the city of Birmingham,” Woodfin said. “Not only because of the jobs, the homes, and the economic impact, but because of the history that is being made.” The land is located near Lakeshore Parkway at 1911 Tiger Walk to Green Meadow Apartments. CEO Michael German, former Alabama representative for HUD, is leading the multi-phased project with plans to develop the area into single-family, multi-family and senior housing, with an estimated 900 residents residing in the area. There are also plans for a commercial town center, a grocery store and commercial and retail office spaces. ”Black Panther,” a Marvel Studio production, is set to make a big comeback. On “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” celebrated actress Angela Bassett has given hints of the “Black Panther” sequel. The Hollywood veteran speaks passionately about the film and the cast. Although Basset didn’t want to reveal the nitty-gritty of the film, she confirmed the film date. “November. Look for it in November. It will be amazing,” Bassett said. “It is going to be amazing. It is going to top one.” She said that “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” would exceed the original “Black Panther” hype. She said, “It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to top the first one. Can I say that?” https://youtu.be/l32yiyGW0NI Donald Glover is singing Malia Obama’s praises after giving the former First Daughter her first post-college job as a writer on his new Amazon series, gushing that the 23-year-old is ‘amazingly talented’ and ‘really focused.’ The multihyphenate, who is also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, was at the season three premiere of his FX series ‘Atlanta’ on Thursday when he confirmed reports that he had recruited the Harvard University graduate to work in the writers’ room on his latest project. ‘She’s just like, an amazingly talented person,’ Glover, 38, told Vanity Fair of Obama. ‘She’s really focused, and she’s working really hard.’ The actor is writing and executive producing the upcoming Amazon series — potentially titled ‘Hive’ — that is reportedly about ‘a Beyoncé-type character.’ Glover did not reveal how Obama — who interned on Lena Dunham’s HBO series ‘Girls’ in 2015 and at The Weinstein Company in 2017 — landed the job after she graduated from college last year. Halle Berry had all but counted herself out. It was a cool March night in Hollywood in 2002, and she was just excited to have been nominated for her first Academy Award, in the best actress category, for her role as a waitress who has an affair with her convicted husband’s executioner in Marc Forster’s dark drama “Monster’s Ball.” Up against Nicole Kidman (“Moulin Rouge”), Judi Dench (“Iris”), Sissy Spacek (“In the Bedroom”) and Renée Zellweger (“Bridget Jones’s Diary”), Berry was only the seventh African American actress ever nominated. A win would vault her into the annals of history as the first Black winner. But Berry never thought it would happen. “Back in those days, if you didn’t win the Globe, you really didn’t get the Academy Award,” Berry, 55, said in a recent phone conversation, referring to the Golden Globe that she had lost to Spacek. “So I’d pretty much resigned myself to believing, ‘It’s great to be here, but I’m not going to win.’” But then the previous year’s best actor winner, Russell Crowe, opened the envelope and read her name, the camera zooming in on her teary, shocked face. She took a moment to collect herself, then walked to the stage in her now-iconic Elie Saab gown, the voluminous burgundy train trailing behind her, as the applause went on, and on, and on. “Oh my God,” were her first words when she finally had breath enough to speak, tears still rolling down her cheeks, hands trembling as she clutched the statuette. She hadn’t prepared a speech. She had no list of people to thank either. Music duo Kenny and Claire has spent the last several years modernizing and rewriting classic hymns as a way to reintroduce them to the Church. Yet for the married couple, their own musical journey is deeply connected to how these hymns helped them through times of deep suffering. Kenny and Claire Hilliard met in college at North Greenville University, where they quickly bonded over their love of music. Soon, they were writing music and traveling to various events to play together. Following the shocking documentation of his toe amputation earlier this month, NFL/MLB legend Deion Sanders is still going hard in the sports world as head football coach at Jackson State. One of his current priorities is the 2022 NFL Draft in April, especially after no HBCU players were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s hopeful that will change after hosting a HBCU Pro Day this past Monday (March 21), although the two-time Super Bowl champ took some time to call out 10 teams in specific that didn’t feel it was necessary to send out a representative. The event consisted of players not only from Jackson State but also Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State. Out of the 32 teams in the NFL, a total of two dozen showed up for the presentation. Jumping on Instagram (seen above), Sanders called the day “phenomenal” while tipping his hat to the students that participated and 24 teams that came out to witness their greatness. However, that’s where his feelings shifted to those that were no-shows, adding, “The Dolphins, the Broncos, the Texans, the Bills, the Buccaneers, the Ravens, the Panthers, the Browns, the Vikings, and the Eagles — where art thou? You could have sent somebody man. You could have shown up just a little bit.” While some Oscar-nominated movies are still playing in theaters, odds are if you want to catch up on the nominees, you’ll be going to Streaming Land. Streaming services backed a number of movies that secured key nominations on Feb. 8, in advance of the 94th annual Oscars, which will be televised March 27 on ABC. This means many of them are available to watch now, including “The Power of the Dog,” which led among nominated films with 12 nods, and “Coda.” Netflix-Best picture: “Don’t Look Up,” “The Power of the Dog.” https://youtu.be/LRDPo0CHrko Streaming services backed a number of movies that secured key nominations on Feb. 8, in advance of the 94th annual Oscars, which will be televised March 27 on ABC. This means many of them are available to watch now. Apple TV+ Best picture: “Coda.” Best actor: Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”). https://youtu.be/0pmfrE1YL4I Scientists have reportedly developed a new male birth control pill that is said to be 99 percent effective… in mice. According to research presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Wednesday, human testing of the nonhormonal male contraceptive could begin this year, per The Hill. Per the research, the pill “plummeted” the sperm count of mice for up to six weeks, without side effects, as reported by New Scientist. https://youtu.be/r_ZVuyfHW1w For the second time this month, a grand jury in Texas has declined to indict Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson over allegations of sexual assault. A grand jury in Brazoria County, south of Houston, announced Thursday that it would not be filing charges against Watson, who previously avoided prosecution over accusations from nine other women in Harris County on March 11. In Brazoria County, Watson was accused of touching an unidentified female masseuse with his penis and ejaculating on her arm and hand, according to a heavily redacted police report. His accuser in Brazoria County was one of 10 women who filed complaints against Watson in neighboring Harris County last year, but her case was relocated when it was determined that it fell out of Houston’s jurisdiction, according to a source familiar with the case. The Black News Channel will shut down today at 5 p.m. The Los Angeles Times broke the news the day after an email was sent to employees that they would not be getting their payroll checks on Friday. Majority stakeholder and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan had invested about $50 million into BNC, but audience and revenues failed to meet the company’s hefty cost structure. He decided he couldn’t keep throwing more money at the operation, which has 230 employees, mostly people of color, the Times story said. Biggest names on the channel included Mike Hill and former CBS46 anchor Sharon Reed during the morning, and an evening lineup that featured academic Marc Lamont Hill, New York Times columnist Charles Blow and former Fox News anchor Kelly Wright. Reed was based in Atlanta. The network has been based in Tallahassee, Florida, but hired dozens of employees in Atlanta, where CEO and former CNN executive Princell Hair had ambitious plans to eventually move its headquarters. Earlier this week, The Christian Post contributor Mark Creech wrote an op-ed, “Andy Stanley’s tweet about the Bible is seductive and harmful,” referring to a now-deleted tweet by Rev. Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Community Church, which said: “The Christian faith doesn’t rise and fall on the accuracy of 66 ancient documents. It rises and falls on the identity of a single individual: Jesus of Nazareth.” Like Creech, I was involved in the “Conservative Resurgence” in Southern Baptist life in the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. While it was true that moderates and liberals were badly overrepresented in the denomination’s organizational and educational apparatus, the vast majority of rank-and-file Southern Baptists believed that the Bible was inerrant and had “truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.” Russian leader Vladimir Putin made an unlikely reference to J.K. Rowling in his latest speech. During a televised address Friday on state TV, Putin cited the Harry Potter creator, who has come under fire for statements she has made relating to transgender issues, as proof the West likes to “cancel” people, adding that this was something Russia was now facing. Putin said that Rowling was canceled because she “didn’t satisfy the demands of gender rights.” He added: “They are now trying to cancel our country. I’m talking about the progressive discrimination of everything to do with Russia,” and likened “cancel culture” to Nazis trying to burn books in the 1930s. A Florida couple was arrested after their toddler died, but numerous reports of abuse and neglect are raising questions. Rashid Bryant, 22 months old, was pronounced dead at Miami Jackson North Medical Center in 2020. Police say that Rashid stopped breathing, but his mother allegedly didn’t call 911 until 83 minutes later. Police say that Bryant had foam coming out of his mouth and the coroner listed the toddler’s death as “homicide caused by complications of acute and chronic blunt force injuries associated with parental neglect.” Bryant’s parents, Christopher Bryant and Jabora Deris, were charged with manslaughter and aggravated child abuse. However, reports say that the parents were the subject of at least 24 investigations of abuse or neglect reports, 16 times by the Department of Children and Families concerning the couple’s eight children. Reports say Rashid suffered a fractured femur, a broken rib, and multiple cracks on his skull over the course of his life. Killeen Police are investigating a shooting at a cemetery that left a 52-year-old woman dead and a second victim suffering from minor injuries. The shooting occurred Tuesday, March 22 at the Calvary Baptist Church Garden of Memories Cemetery. KWTX spoke with the victim’s ex-husband, Kineh N’Gaojia, who identified the slain woman as Yolanda N’Gaojia. The couple, now divorced, had three children together. The husband said his ex-wife was visiting their son Amir’s gravesite on what would have been Amir’s 22nd birthday when she was struck by gunfire. Amir died on New Year’s Day 2022. Images captured at the scene by KWTX show a bullet-riddled, late-model Chevrolet Camaro taped off with yellow police tape. Cooler heads have prevailed. After a contentious split last year, Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Kobe Bryant, and Nike have renewed the partnership for Kobe’s shoes. “We’re excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue!” she wrote on Instagram Thursday. “I am so proud that my husband’s shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remain so desired by his fans around the world.” Bryant said that Nike will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from her late daughter Gianna’s shoes to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. “I am also grateful that Nike and I will work together to establish a youth basketball center in Southern California that will share the Mamba Mentality with youth athletes for generations to come,” her Instagram post continued. “I know this is an inspiring moment for my husband and daughter’s global fans, and I am very appreciative of each and every one of you!” Group Black Inc., a next-gen collective aimed at deepening the pipeline of Black-owned media companies, has attained a nine-figure media investment from consumer goods corporation Procter & Gamble. The new business accelerator launched last June with an initial ad-spending target of $75 million from the media investment company GroupM. While its debut racked in a hefty advertising spend, co-founder and CEO Travis Montaque confirmed that the P&G commitment is the largest single investment the company has secured. This latest pledge will drive the 30-person team to advance its mission of building Black-owned media businesses that embrace diversity in their organizations and audiences. According to Adweek, Group Black is striving to redistribute $500 million in Black-owned media. Kayla Michele, a Disney Dreamer of the 2013 class, is the Co-Founder and COO of PeduL, a diversity recruiting marketplace that enables employers to source and attract a curated pipeline of competitive, diverse candidates whose skills match job requisitions. The meaning behind the business name admirably incorporates the organization’s mission; at the center of their work is education, which Michele and her team believe is the bridge between ‘P’ – purpose and ‘L’ – life. PeduL wants to close the gap to access to education and create the link to career opportunities for all job seekers. The idea for PeduL developed from a conversation that Michele had with a college friend Chisa Egbelu while they were students at Rutgers University. They witnessed their friends struggle to land gainful employment at notable organizations like Google and NBC Universal. At the same time, those companies found it challenging to recruit diverse talent. Driven to spotlight the ingenuity and continued resistance of Black entrepreneurs, Citi has launched a new large-scale ad campaign to do just that. Known as “New Black Wall Streets,” the ad by one of the nation’s largest banks features Brian Tyree Henry, star of the FX series Atlanta. Produced by a mostly Black creative team, the ad shows how Citi is committed to doing its part to support and help build Black businesses. Tina Davis, Citi’s interim chief marketing officer, shared these insights about the ad with BLACK ENTERPRISE. Davis said the campaign highlights Citi’s Action for Racial Equity initiative. Exerting over $1 billion, Citi and the Citi Foundation announced the pledge to help close the racial wealth gap and boost economic mobility in the U.S. JPMorgan Chase commits $5 million to a fresh effort to help underrepresented businesses gain potentially new lucrative deals. The Diverse Supplier Grant Initiative launched by the nation’s largest bank aims to provide businesses owned by Blacks, Hispanics, and Latinos access to needed capital to obtain corporate contracts. The New York-based bank reported small and diverse businesses “often find it cost-prohibitive to meet industry requirements like cyber security, insurance, and bonding when bidding for new corporate business.” Fulfilling those conditions can cost a typical small business between $100,000 and $500,000. The bank added it can create a “very real barrier to entry to doing business with the financial services industry.” Hampton University is offering free tuition, room and board to Ukrainian and international students displaced by the ongoing Russian invasion of the Eastern European nation. University President William Harvey announced last week that up to 100 students displaced from Ukraine can continue their education free of charge at Hampton this summer. Additionally, they will have the option to stay at Hampton after the summer and pay regular rates for tuition and fees. “The collective Hampton University faculty, staff and students are heartbroken because the war-torn country of Ukraine must deal with atrocities like the bombing of maternity wards, hospitals and other civilian areas,” Dr. Harvey stated. “I think this partnership is something that can be beneficial to a great number of students and families,” he stated. “My entire career has been focused on helping people to achieve and meet their goals.” Angela Blocker-Loyd began figure skating at 9 years old. She was one of the youngest skaters at the Berkley Ice Arena and Recreation Center at the time, so another young skater decided to take her under their wing. “Angie was the little skater and I was the big skater,” said Candice Tamakloe, who was 14 at the time. “We were also only two of a few African American skaters at Berkley, and I had been skating there for a few years, so I took her on as a little sister.” Now, Blocker-Loyd and Tamakloe have decided to take on all the young, aspiring figure skaters as their little brothers or sisters. On Saturday, Dream Detroit Skating Academy (DDSA) launches the city’s first female-owned figure skating academy. Currently, DDSA is the only Black-owned figure skating club in the state of Michigan, Blocker-Loyd said. The academy will be run by Blocker-Loyd, Tamakloe and Crystal Stewart. It will provide classes for skaters with no experience all the way up to advanced skaters. Things will kick off from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Adams Butzel Recreation Center-Jack Adams Memorial Ice Arena, 10500 Lyndon St., on the city’s west side near the Littlefield neighborhood. A beach that was once a haven for Black music and celebrations will now be a place for anyone to come and learn about Black history along the Chesapeake Bay. That five-acre piece of waterfront land on the Bay, Elktonia Beach, will turn into a park with access to the water. “It’s a dream come true,” said Vince Leggett, the founder and president of Blacks of the Chesapeake. The land, he said, was purchased for around $7 million. The City of Annapolis, Blacks of the Chesapeake, Chesapeake Conservancy and the state of Maryland entered into an agreement with the Conservation Fund to acquire the property through a patchwork of funding, including federal, state and city Program Open Space funds. On Thursday, with the support of U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, the fiscal year 2022 spending bill also included $2 million in congressionally directed spending to the City of Annapolis, to support a state and local partnership effort to establish and develop a city park. The “Godfather of Funk” George Clinton is being honored in his native New Jersey this week as he celebrates his 80th birthday. The town of Plainfield, where Clinton worked for many years, was renaming Passaic Street after the music legend. A bronze plaque was being erected where the Silk Palace barber shop once stood and Clinton formed the Parliaments. The group started as doo-wop and evolved into Parliaments Funkadelic, incorporating funk, R&B, Gospel, rock, and more, with outlandish fashion and fantastic stage props like the Mothership. Love & Hip Hop star Apple Watts is fighting for her life after a serious car accident that left her vehicle in flames. Watt’s Mercedes flipped several times and burst into flames near Interstate 15 in Baker, California, after colliding with a Ford pickup truck, TMZ reported. She was ejected from the window of her burning car and airlifted to a hospital in Nevada with ‘life threatening injuries.’ The 36-year-old model and rapper is reportedly unresponsive and suffered a broken spine and fractured skull. Watts was on a road trip, driving from LA to Las Vegas when the horrific crash took place, her sister confirmed to The Shade Room. It is unclear if any of the passengers involved in the crash were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A source told TSR that it could be difficult for Watts to do daily functions such as walking and eating by herself because of the degree of her injuries. While many people are still rebounding from forces like the dire job-loss impact of COVID-19 and inflation at a 40-year high, there is some uplifting news for Black professionals. More than 1,000 jobs will be available from 16 different companies for qualified Black professionals in various fields at the Black Virtual Career Fair. The event today is hosted by the African American Employee Network (AAEN) and Onyx Community Connection (Onyx). Homeownership is not only a source of wealth for Black families, it is a source of pride. It goes without saying how hurtful it is for Black families to be forced to “whitewash” their homes in order to obtain the most accurate and highest appraisal value. At a Tuesday event convened by Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House, several Black families recounted their horrific but all too common experiences with appraisal bias. Their stories underscored the urgency of the newly announced Biden-Harris administration’s action plan. The plan ranged from higher accountability in the appraisal industry to cultivating a diverse and better training appraiser profession. Homeownership is not only a source of wealth for Black families, it is a source of pride. It goes without saying how hurtful it is for Black families to be forced to “whitewash” their homes in order to obtain the most accurate and highest appraisal value. At a Tuesday event convened by Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House, several Black families recounted their horrific but all too common experiences with appraisal bias. Their stories underscored the urgency of the newly announced Biden-Harris administration’s action plan. The plan ranged from higher accountability in the appraisal industry to cultivating a diverse and better training appraiser profession. The vibe was much more positive on the court and off following Naomi Osaka’s latest tennis match. After defeating Australian Astra Sharma 6-3, 6-4 in her first-round match at the Miami Open, the four-time grand slam champion told reporters she was feeling better. “I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells. It only took like a year after French Open,” Osaka said, referencing when she was heckled by a fan at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on March 12, and when she withdrew from Roland Garros in Paris last year after opting not to speak to the media at the grand slam event, citing her mental health. “I realize how helpful it is,” Osaka said of talking to a therapist. “I’m glad that I have people around me that told me to go in that direction.” https://youtu.be/dlzoPQsU7-M Veteran comic/actor Scoey Mitchell, best known for the TV version of “Barefoot in the Park” died on March 19. He was 92. Mitchell died from kidney failure at a long-term care facility in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Mitchell – who also was credited as Scoey Mitchlll – got his biggest break on the ABC sitcom version of “Barefoot in the Park,” which at the time was the first network sitcom in almost two decades to have a predominantly Black cast. The problem was the show’s writers were all white, which upset, understandably, upset Mitchell. He was so committed to getting more Black people behind the scenes that ABC fired him and canceled the show after a single 12-episode season. https://youtu.be/1o4pJ8LMVqo When Jerome Featherstone Jr. made his professional mixed martial arts debut against Matt Semelsberger in October 2018, he entered the ring feeling as if he had the strength of two men. The Frederick, Maryland-based Semelsberger felt the full force of that power as Featherstone scored a third-round knockout in his inaugural berth in Shogun Fights XX at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore. Featherstone’s 170-pound triumph over a fighter whose 3–1 record included three appearances at Shogun and two stoppage victories came 14 years after the death of Jerome Featherstone Sr. in January 2004 at the age of 43. “I’m still hurting over my father’s death. It was during such an important and pivotal time in my life,” said Featherstone Jr., 37, twice an All-Metro First-Team selection by The Baltimore Sun before graduating from Boys Latin High in 2003. https://www.instagram.com/_handsofstone/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1110a76c-1d7e-4f3d-bf9f-150b20a06ea2 No one is born a racist. People must learn to hate. But if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom. Systematic racism is engrained in world societal culture. The debilitating effects of racism against people of color, specifically against Black people continue to the present day, with startling frequency and fervor. The pain of racism has always been expressed through music, poetry and art to make a poignant statement against systemic racism. Artists such as Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone and Curtis Mayfield have always expressed protest against racism in their sensibilities and compositions. The historic project “Black Lives – from Generation to Generation,” a conglomerate of 25 musicians from the United States, Caribbean and Africa seeks to pick up in 2022 where their predecessors left off. https://youtu.be/vEH_gmM2x3c “Forget New York, I’m just trying to survive 7th Grade!” Sometimes following your dreams can feel hopeless and tiring but we’ll see just how far dreams can take you when “Better Nate than Ever” premiers on Disney Plus April 1st. Damon Dash disagrees with the #Grammys removing #KanyeWest from their lineup, claiming they have no right to judge him or any other hip-hop artist. According to TMZ, Dash told the outlet that artists should cancel the whole awards show and “We make our own Grammys.” Even though Kanye is still allowed to be in attendance at the show, he can no longer perform. Dash suggested that Ye not even attend the show and skip it altogether. Despite being previously nominated for a Grammy, Damon admits he did not attend because he believes the Grammys are outdated and out of touch with hip hop. According to Dash, he is tired of Academy execs deciding who’s hot and who’s not in the hip hop industry. “They gotta respect our culture,” he said. Many people have come to Ye’s defense, including Grammys host Trevor Noah, who Kanye chastised online and said he wanted the rapper to be “counseled rather than canceled.” In addition to Dash’s support, J. Prince called on hip-hop artists, including Ye, Drake, and Nicki Minaj, to protest against the Grammys and host an anti-Grammys concert on Tuesday. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbffoobugsp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Lizzo, Jerrod Carmichael and Jake Gyllenhaal have been tapped as hosts of Saturday Night Live in April. Carmichael and musical guest Gunna will kick things off on April 2. Gyllenhaal will host the long-running sketch comedy show for the second time on April 9, with Camila Cabello as the musical guest. Lizzo will serve as both host and performer on April 16. Meanwhile, her new reality series “Watch Out for the Big Grrrls” premieres on Amazon on March 25. https://youtu.be/tgNq_0bsTPU Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen was blasted by a Miami judge this week after he failed to show up to jury duty. Allen, 46, was ordered to pay a fine for his no-show, New York Post reports. He was selected as one of 14 permanent and alternate jurors in a deadly carjacking case. The trial was scheduled to begin on March 14 but was postponed by a day per Allen’s request as he had to attend Kevin Garnett’s jersey retirement ceremony in Boston, according to the Miami Herald. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke issued a show-cause order after Allen failed to show up. https://youtu.be/y93e5cAR_jc Jennifer Hudson‘s ex-fiancee, former WWE wrestler David Otunga, has auctioned off her engagement ring for $45,000, according to reports. Per TMZ, “David had Neil Lane design the 5-carat cushion cut diamond ring for Jennifer back in 2008, which has an estimated retail value of $45K.” After they called it quits in 2017, JHud returned the ring to David. David auctioned off the ring through IDoNowIDont.com and plans to give a portion of the proceeds to a fathers’ rights org, according to TMZ. In 2017 that after ending their engagement, Hudson filed a protective order against the former pro wrestler, alleging he was abusive with her and their son. Jennifer and David share a 12-year-old David Daniel Otunga Jr. “Today, Jennifer requested and received a protective order against her ex-fiancé. Jennifer’s actions are solely taken in the best interest of their son,” Hudson’s rep told PEOPLE in a statement at the time. Raven-Symoné and the cast and crew of her show “Raven’s Home” walked off the set in protest of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. As reported by Aljazeera.com, the “Parental Rights in Education” bill limits “classroom instruction” on “sexual orientation or gender identity”. Classroom instruction regarding adults’ views on sex and gender “may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” per the bill. The bill reportedly does not specify what age is considered appropriate for children to be groomed by their teachers, some of whom are sexual predators. According to the report, it prohibits “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels or in a specified manner.” “The bill allows parents to sue a school district, at the school district’s expense, if they believe the measure is not being enforced,” per Aljazeera.com. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbalBdRpf8e/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In case you’ve been wondering what Tawatha Agee of the ’80s R&B group Mtume is up to these days, the “Juicy” singer has been earning her coins by lending her voice to TV and radio commercial jingles. As reported by I Love Old School Music, Mtume is best known for their hits, “Juicy Fruit” and “You, Me and He,” while Tawatha has worked with everyone from Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Sting and R. Kelly. While in elementary school at Bragaw Avenue School in Newark, Agee, 67, received voice lessons from Whitney Houston’s mom, Cissy Houston. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwlHwjbDfyy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rapper Ice-T shared a post on Twitter describing his experience with the high gas prices at the pump. “I was robbed at a gas station in NJ last night,” Ice-T tweeted. “After my hands stopped trembling.. I managed to call the cops and they were quick to respond and calmed me down….. My money is gone.. the police asked me if I knew who did it.. I said yes.. it was pump number 9…” As reported by Uproxx, within hours, Ice-T’s tweet went viral and prompted hundreds of responses from people who can relate to the pain at the cost of gas. The White House has quietly assembled a team of national security officials to sketch out scenarios of how the United States and its allies should respond if Russian President Vladimir Putin — frustrated by his lack of progress in Ukraine or determined to warn Western nations against intervening in the war — unleashes his stockpiles of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. The Tiger Team, as the group is known, is also examining responses if Putin reaches into NATO territory to attack convoys bringing weapons and aid to Ukraine, according to several officials involved in the process. Meeting three times a week, in classified sessions, the team is also looking at responses if Russia seeks to extend the war to neighboring nations, including Moldova and Georgia, and how to prepare European countries for the refugees flowing in on a scale not seen in decades. Those contingencies are expected to be central to an extraordinary session here in Brussels on Thursday, when President Joe Biden meets leaders of the 29 other NATO nations, who will be meeting for the first time — behind closed doors, their cellphones and aides banished — since Putin invaded Ukraine. Russian propaganda claims Vladimir Putin will unleash his nuclear weapons early if NATO peacekeepers are put on the ground in Ukraine – which would spark World War 3. The Russian president’s tightly-controlled state TV went into overdrive to warn alliance leaders against deploying any troops even acting to maintain peace. The latest threats from the Kremlin came as footage showed the funeral with full military honors of deputy commander of the Black Sea fleet, Andrei Paliy, 51, killed during fighting in Mariupol on March 20. The broadcast saw blunt and concerted warnings from Putin’s propaganda mouthpieces on state television worrying that if NATO sends peacekeepers to Ukraine they will initiate World War 3. Olga Skabeyeva, host of state-owned Rossiya 1’s show 60 Minutes, said: “If NATO members send peacekeepers to Ukraine… “They should understand that this will represent a direct clash between the armed forces of Russia and NATO. The senior pastor of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in Jacksonville, took a moment during Sunday morning service to address a legal dispute between the church and its founding pastors. Tim Timberlake, who was installed as Celebration Church’s senior pastor in September 2021 to succeed Stovall Weems, acknowledged the civil court case that involves allegations of financial misconduct and fraud. https://youtu.be/j0gpPELTmuU Ohio University is investigating an incident in which a racist note attached to a large garbage bag was left outside a dorm room. The note, handwritten in black ink on lined notebook paper, includes the words trash, two racial slurs directed at Black people and a vulgarity directed at women. The stuffed black trash bag was left outside a room in Sargent Hall, two doors down from the dorm room of Naomi Hamner, a 19-year-old freshman who is Black. “It was kind of a scary moment, I can’t lie, because I have never dealt with anything like this before, and quite honestly I never thought I would have to deal with something like this,” Hamner said. A Tuskegee University football player was shot to death Friday night, and a suspect is now charged in his slaying. Authorities identified the victim as Reginald Tyrone Summage Jr., 20. He was a graduate of Jeff Davis High School in Montgomery and was a sophomore wide receiver at Tuskegee University. Tuskegee Police Chief Jennifer Jordan said officers responded at 11:50 p.m. to a report of a person shot at Washington Plaza in the 700 block of West Martin Luther King Highway. When they arrived, they found Summage wounded in the parking lot. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Jordan said the incident began as a fist fight and ended in gunfire. Summage is believed to have been trying to break up the fight at an off-campus party when he was shot, but Jordan could not yet confirm the circumstances surrounding the deadly shooting. The Rev. David Kennedy remembers well what it was like growing up in Laurens, South Carolina, during the Jim Crow era. He lived in an apartment with his grandparents marked “C” for “colored” and was forced off sidewalks when white people would pass. He recalls going into a shop one day as a kid to buy a collar for his dog, only to have an employee ask him, “Do you need one to fit your neck, too?” He tells the stories of Black people killed after being falsely accused of wrongdoing — including his great-great uncle Richard Puckett. “August the 11th of 1913 is when they killed him,” Kennedy said, detailing what unfolded that day: Puckett, who could not read or write, was delivering a letter from his roommate to a young woman who turned out to be married. The woman’s husband saw the note and turned his wrath on Puckett. Puckett was taken to jail. In the decades that followed, white residents would sell photos of Puckett’s lynching at the shop and give them to Black Laurens residents, telling them, “Stay in line if you don’t want this to happen to you,” Kennedy recalled. Five Pittsburgh police officers will be fired after an internal investigation of the death of a man following police use of a stun gun on him in connection with an alleged bicycle theft last fall, officials said. Director Lee Schmidt of the city’s public safety department said Wednesday afternoon that three other officers will retain their jobs. He declined to release names of officers or details of the investigation per the collective bargaining agreement that affords each officer the opportunity to use arbitration to challenge the discipline imposed. All eight officers were suspended with pay and faced disciplinary hearings after the death of 54-year-old Jim Rogers the day after police used a stun gun on him multiple times in October in the Bloomfield neighborhood. The medical examiner in January ruled the death accidental and resulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain. Mayor Ed Gainey said, “First and foremost, my heart and my prayers go out to the Rogers family, their friends and the entire city. My hope is that today is a day when we can move one step closer to healing his family and for our city.” The Black Future Co-op Fund, Washington state’s first Black-women-led philanthropy, recently announced $1.05 million in grants to 21 Black-woman-led organizations in their second round of statewide funding. These “We See You” grants represent the commitment the Black Future Co-op Fund has to investing in Black women who have invested in the wealth, health, and well-being of Black communities for generations. “Black women have long been at the forefront of our collective liberation — strategizing, organizing, leading, and caring for our communities,” says Fund architect and State Senator T’wina Nobles. “With these grants, the Black Future Co-op Fund recognizes Black women who are champions and vital shapers of Black self-determination.” The Black Future Co-op Fund was founded on the premise that Black communities know best what they need. Each grantee will receive $50,000 in unrestricted funds as an acknowledgment of and support for their work. Grants were made barrier free, intentionally breaking down obstacles to accessing needed resources. Black people and women were more likely to be dismissed from the Maryland Army National Guard Officer Candidate School than their white and male counterparts over the last five years, according to data provided to Congress and obtained by Military.com. The data has prompted seven Democratic members of Maryland’s congressional delegation to ask the National Guard‘s inspector general to investigate bias within the Maryland National Guard. “We are concerned that there may be a systemic issue within the MDNG OCS [Maryland National Guard Officer Candidate School] and that a thorough, independent examination is necessary to identify any root causes of inconsistencies in their implementation of United States Army and National Guard policies and regulations,” Reps. Anthony Brown, Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin and David Trone wrote Friday to National Guard Bureau Inspector General retired Maj. Gen. Laurie Hummel. From 2017 to 2021, 34 out of 85 Black candidates, or about 40%, were dismissed from the Maryland Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School, which provides training to become a commissioned officer, according to a letter the Maryland National Guard sent to lawmakers in December. By comparison, 32 of 153 white candidates, or about 21%, were dismissed during that time, according to the letter. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson (Showtime’s Attica) is teaming up with Jacqueline Olive (Lincoln’s Dilemma) to direct the feature documentary, The Color of Cola. The film now in production is based on Stephanie Capparell’s 2008 book, The Real Pepsi Challenge: How One Pioneering Company Broke Color Barriers in 1940s American Business. It sheds light on the experience of the all-Black sales team at Pepsi, which was the first of its kind for any major corporation—following their journey through the Jim Crow South after being tasked with tapping its African American market. The Color of Cola is being co-produced by the Los Angeles Media Fund under the leadership of co-founders Jeffrey Soros and Simon Horsman, in association with Pepsi’s in-house content studio. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon are exec producing under their JuVee Productions banner, alongside Michael Karbelnikoff and Peter Kline for Alldayeveryday, and Mark Landsman. CAA Media Finance arranged financing and will handle sales. Bob Saget allegedly said he didn’t feel well and that his hearing was “off” before performing a comedy set on the night of his death. “I did hear him say, ‘I don’t feel good but I’m ready to do the show. This is what I do this for.’ He seemed to be talking himself up,” showrunner Rosalie Cocci told Orange County police in an interview conducted after the actor’s death, according to audio obtained by Page Six. Cocci, who runs errands for talent and staff at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Florida, added, “He said that his hearing had been off and that was the case that night. He was asking the sound guys to turn everything up.” The showrunner further alleged that Saget said he hadn’t been feeling well the night before, and that in addition to his hearing being “off,” he had “a sore throat” and was “happy he had lozenges for the stage.” A grand jury in Brazoria County in Texas is considering evidence related to a 10th accusation of sexual misconduct against Deshaun Watson, the former Houston Texans quarterback who was traded to the Cleveland Browns just days ago, according to a lawyer for the complainant. A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, where Houston is, rejected nine criminal cases against Watson earlier this month. But a 10th criminal complaint filed with the Houston Police Department described an alleged incident outside the jurisdiction of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. The case, in Brazoria County, south of Houston, is the last known criminal case pending against Watson. The complainant told police that Watson ejaculated on her in a November 2020 massage appointment. Her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, said he expects the grand jury to deliberate and issue a decision on Thursday or Friday. Neither the Browns nor Rusty Hardin, Watson’s lawyer, were immediately available for comment. Shahem Mclaurin knows that it is difficult for people of color to find mental health professionals who look like them. And the licensed social worker is well aware that it is one of the main reasons many people of color don’t get the care they need. So, Mclaurin is one of a growing number of Black mental health professionals who are championing the cause of representation in the field of mental health and trying to reach people who need help where they are, on TikTok. “I am a Black, queer therapist, and I want to showcase myself being fully that,” Mclaurin said. “I always say, ‘My durag is part of my uniform.’” In that durag, Mclaurin keeps it real, answering tough questions and sharing raw personal stories. According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, Black Americans are more likely to report lasting feelings of emotional distress, including sadness, hopelessness and worthlessness, than white Americans. However, only one in three African Americans who need mental health care are actually getting it, which is likely due to the lack of diversity in mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, only 4 percent of psychologists in this country are Black. Five-time GRAMMY® nominated and Stellar Award-winning collective, Maverick City Music, celebrate earning their first #1 Billboard Gospel National Airplay single, “Jireh,” (Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music). “Jireh” is lifted from the 2021 album Old Church Basement, in collaboration with Elevation Worship and was written by Steven Furtick, Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine and Chris Brown. This Summer, Maverick City Music, with 16-time GRAMMY Award winning icon Kirk Franklin, have announced the largest tour of their career in support of their forthcoming collaboration album, Kingdom. Produced by Live Nation and Undivided, the 37-city tour, KINGDOM, kicks off on June 1st at FTX Arena in Miami, FL making stops across North America in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up in Denver, CO at Ball Arena on July 31st. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC-zw0zCCtg KT Ellis makes his Blacksmoke Music Worldwide debut with Proof. This Rhythm of Gospel Award nominee has made a name for himself in quartet circles around the southern part of the United States and brings together the elements of Soul music, rich Quartet and Contemporary Gospel for a song you will love to hear again and again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx-8R8RidEA Groove with Carl Brister tonite. Special Guest Nestor Martinez. https://live.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fb029947e67a57efb42b1ca96&id=fc26f4a217&e=e0b38f4f81 Over the weekend, xoNecole teamed up with Toyota USA for our Made For Me: ATL event. The two-day event took place on March 19th and 20th in honor of Women’s History Month. Attendees participated in workshops and wellness experiences that focused on the mind, body, and spirit. Special guests included astrologist Dani Simone, Christian psychologist Dr. Alduan Tartt, financial consultant, and yoga teacher Dr. Nicole Garner Scott, entertainment host Gia Peppers, and Meagan Good, who was the keynote speaker. Meagan is a veteran actress who is often admired for her beauty, style, and down-to-earth personality. But what stands out about the Harlem star is her spirituality and her connection with God. The 40-year-old actress took to the stage alongside Gia and opened up to the xoNecole audience exclusively about her faith, how she deals with rejection and how she really feels about the recent social media attention she’s been receiving since announcing her divorce from DeVon Franklin. Republicans Senators seem to be following a party strategy that is less about fitness and facts and more about grandstanding for the base. It’s one thing to disagree with and clarify points of contention with a given nominee. It Is entirely different to inject debunked claims and distortions into the confirmation process. At several points during Tuesday’s more than 12-hour confirmation hearing, Republican senators pushed an agenda clearly outside the scope of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson‘s professional background and judicial experience. People seeking to reach the highest Court in the country should be able to handle tough questions about their record, character, and other reasonable and relevant concerns. Continuing to distort the nominee’s record and experience, Republican senators echoed GOP talking points riddled with disinformation undermining the integrity of the confirmation process. As Politico reported, Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) said during a Tuesday press conference that the U.S. Supreme Court had legalized federal policies that should be left to states to decide. They’ve also spent generations being loud and demonstrably wrong in whitesplaining that the issue of state’s rights, not slavery, was the cause of the Civil War. Now, right-wingers are going to argue that Braun was hit with a “gotcha question,” but the fact is, it isn’t a “gotcha question” just because the question “gotcha.” Maybe Braun doesn’t know every piece of case law ever established off the top of his head. Maybe he wasn’t immediately familiar with Loving v. Virginia. But, in the end, he was asked a simple and direct question: “You would be okay with the Supreme Court leaving the issue of interracial marriage to the states?” And he said “yes.” Then later he essentially said, “Nah that’s not what I meant. I was just confused.” Pfizer has issued a recall for a high blood pressure medication distributed under three names, according to the company. Pfizer has issued a recall for a high blood pressure medication distributed under three names, according to the company. The recall is voluntary, and stems from the tablets containing higher levels of nitrosamines, which pose a cancer risk, although Pfizer said in a news release “there is no immediate risk to patients taking this medication.” https://youtu.be/FaY79MAzEaM In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the place where police brutality against a Black man led to protests which led to riots which led to a white killer getting away with slaughtering people with an assault rifle—the father of a 12-year-old Black girl wants prosecutors to charge an off-duty police officer who was seen on video pressing his knee into his daughter’s neck while handcuffing her after a school fight. On his Facebook page, he likened the encounter to that of George Floyd writing, “TELL ME WHATS THE DIFFERENCE LUCKILY HE AINT KILL MY BABIE.” Jerrel Perez told the Associated Press that Officer Shawn Guetschow “needs to be charged” over the March 4 incident at Lincoln Middle School. “This is a grown man we are talking about,” he said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8ObTqyXMKM Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s episode of “Growing Up Hip Hop,” which finds Tanice receiving a message from Sakoya asking if they can sit down and talk about what previously happened (Sakoya was going to throw a drink at her). But does Tanice want to make peace with Sakoya? Hear what she has to say. https://youtu.be/dhgHEHJjZ7A Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall have been tapped to host this year’s Academy Awards, and Sykes has already warned that she may not be sober throughout the entire event. Sykes was a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday and the two discussed the pay that Oscar hosts receive. “Out of all the jobs that I have, this one is actually going to cost me money,” Sykes told Kimmel, admitting she didn’t know how much she’s earning for the hosting gig. Kimmel hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018 and revealed that he was paid $15,000 to host. https://youtu.be/4V2HtyWZTQM Regina King has been tapped to serve as a co-chair at this year’s Met Gala. The Academy Award-winning actress will host alongside actors Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The Met Gala will take place in NYC on the first Monday in May. The event is expected to be King’s first public appearance since the death of her son in January. As reported by MadameNoire, Vogue’s Anna Wintour, fashion designer Tom Ford and Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, will continue as honorary co-chairs. Vogue announced Thursday that theme of this year’s exhibit, “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” is the second part of “the Met’s thoughtful homage to our country’s history.” Morris Chestnut has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The ceremony took place Wednesday morning and was streamed on the Walk of Fame’s website. Chestnut is best known for his roles in films such as “Boyz n the Hood,” “The Brothers,” “The Perfect Holiday,” “Think Like a Man,” “The Best Man” and its sequel, “The Best Man Holiday.” Most recently it was confirmed that he will reprise his “The Best Man” role in “The Best Man Wedding: The Final Chapters,” a 10-episode limited series set to stream on Peacock. Chestnut’s star is the 2,716th on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his gas rebate plan, which would send California car owners up to $800 from the state to help offset record high gas prices. Registered owners would get $400 per vehicle, capped at two vehicles. Even people who own electric vehicles or others that don’t use gasoline would also qualify. On the other hand, most businesses with fleets of vehicles would not be eligible. A TikTok user has revealed that R. Kelly and her father are incarcerated together, which led to the disgraced singer reportedly serenading her over the phone. “R. Kelly did me the favor and [sang] for me because he and my dad are serving time together,” TikTok user @Jizzlezoldykk, from New York City, told The New York Post. “[It wasn’t] for any other weird reason,” she said of the moment, video of which she shared online. “And it wasn’t for money,” she added. “I got him on the phone, and I just asked him if he could sing for me,” the woman said. “He did sing for me. It wasn’t for commissary, it wasn’t for money. He’s just a really nice dude [and a] genuine guy.” Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, released her second book earlier this year titled “Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Change Yourself and the World,” and she recently spoke to MADAMENOIRE on a segment of I GOT QUESTIONS about why and how we all should be abolitionists. “I’m interested in readers really being able to show up for the conversation and their lives around abolition. How do you practice it every day?” she tells the outlet. “… this word abolition or abolitionist or abolitionism or the concept of the abolitionist movement will probably make people think about the abolition of chattel slavery, the abolition of human beings being property. And that’s true. This movement, this modern-day abolitionist movement is actually a part of the legacy of the abolitionist movement to stop chattel slavery. But the problem is that we didn’t actually fully stop chattel slavery,” Cullors continued. Stacey Dash is set to make her TV return with a new reality series. Dash is to star in “A New Thing – with Stacey Dash,” which will show the actress leaving her Los Angeles home for New Hampshire to start her new life as an interior designer at Debbe Daley Designs, Deadline reports. The series from Michael Holstein and The Content Farm is currently in pre-production and is reportedly being shopped to broadcasters and streamers. “This has been a work in progress since I became clean and sober five and a half years ago,” Dash said. “Interior design has always been a personal passion and a dream of mine. This may not be easy, but it’s ‘a new thing,’ and I am excited to embark on this journey, work with top designers and inspire others to learn from their own mistakes and pursue their dreams, too.” “The first one we recorded is my favorite,” said vocalist Marsha Bartenetti about the upcoming release of the “Marsha Bartenetti Sings McNealy & Kuhns” album on Lo-Flo Records. “‘Why Does the Sky Keep Changing’ was the first song we recorded…then bam the covet pandemic. We were so happy (about recording the album) then everything shut down.” Marsha is the voice on songs written by veteran Jazz/Soul songwriters Jane McNealy and Alice Kuhns that will be released on McNealy’s record label Lo-Flo Records. The label was established in 2015 to release archive songs of the dual songwriters. McNealy and Kuhns met after Jane moved to Los Angeles, where she met then veteran Jazz musician and composer six-time Grammy Award-winning Harold Battiste, Jr. (Sonny & Cher musical director, Sam Cooke) who signed her to his publishing company At Last Publishing. Battiste, Jr. also launched AFO (All for One) Records. https://youtu.be/GLrzlK7hb3g The storm system that spawned deadly tornadoes across Texas and Louisiana this week will continue to push east Wednesday, leaving a large swath of the country under the threat of more severe weather. About 50 million people from Florida to Michigan and east to the Virginia coast are at risk of severe weather Wednesday, including the possibility of large hail, gusty winds and tornadoes. Cities in the threat area include Columbus, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Savannah, Georgia; and Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro in North Carolina. The system already cut a path of destruction in Texas, where 31 tornadoes were reported Monday, including two that damaged about 1,000 homes in Williamson County, near Austin, officials said. A 73-year-old woman was killed in Grayson County, north of Dallas, when her home was destroyed in the storm, local officials said. https://youtu.be/lEXZxy1ugvY During Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson‘s Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz pressed Jackson about critical race theory, an academic theory of racism’s systemic impact that has been assailed by conservatives. Not too much later in the exchange, Cruz held up books that he said were used at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C., where Jackson is a board member. An aide displayed posters showing enlarged pages from one of them — “Antiracist Baby” by Ibram X. Kendi — behind him. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/22/her-pause-said-it-all-breaking-down-the-jackson-cruz-exchange-watch/ The Chicago Police Department is lowering hiring standards for new recruits by dropping the college credit requirement for some candidates, as the agency like others in the country continues to face Covid-related staffing shortages and national and local reckoning that’s driven potential new police officers away from the profession. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown announced last week that the department would waive a college-credit requirement for recruits who have two years of military or peace officer experience, or three years in corrections, social services, health care, trades, or education. Under the old policy, those candidates were required to have 60 hours of college credits. About 3,800 people took the Chicago police department’s entrance exam over the four months it was offered last year, compared to as many as 22,000 in recent years. At least two other big-city police departments have made similar moves in recent years. https://youtu.be/sJM_6ss15No The owner of an Alabama liquor store is suing the city of Decatur after he was physically assaulted by law enforcement responding to his robbery call. Kevin Penn, who is Black, called police after tapping a shoplifter inside his liquor store. He held the suspect at gunpoint while waiting for officers to arrive. According to ABC 7, surveillance video shows Penn unloading his gun and setting the gun magazine down as cops approach. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=725642861521085 Three former athletes and a former employee of U.S. Ski and Snowboard have accused former longtime head coach Peter Foley of sexual misconduct including sexual assault, unwanted kissing and touching, and coercing them into taking nude photos, according to interviews and documents obtained by ESPN. The women lodged their complaints last week with the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a watchdog organization authorized by Congress to police issues related to sexual abuse in U.S. amateur sports. SafeSport then temporarily suspended Foley on Friday, pending its investigation. On Sunday, U.S. Ski and Snowboard announced that Foley was no longer employed by the organization. “Any allegations of sexual misconduct being made against him are false,” Foley’s attorney, Howard Jacobs, told ESPN on Sunday. “Mr. Foley has not engaged in any conduct that violates the SafeSport Code, and he will cooperate with the U.S. Center for SafeSport when and if they contact him.” Foley, the head coach of the U.S. snowboard team since its inception in 1994, led the national squad to seven Olympics, including the most recent Beijing Games. His athletes, male and female, won a combined 35 Olympic medals. Pierce County, Washington, has reached a settlement agreement of more than $4 million with the family of Manuel Ellis, a Black man who was heard crying out “I can’t breathe” before he died in police custody in March 2020. The Pierce County Council formally approved the $4,010,000 settlement agreement Tuesday afternoon, the council said in a statement. “As always, litigation settlements are made with risk management principles in mind. We recognize that the family and friends of Manuel Ellis are grieving, and we hope this settlement will give them some measure of closure,” said Adam Faber, a spokesperson for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington, named as defendants the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, six Tacoma officers — three of whom face criminal charges — and two Pierce County sheriff’s deputies. In a blistering social media post, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now a top Kremlin security adviser, lashed out at Poland for its support of Ukraine, reviving and escalating decades-long tensions between Moscow and Warsaw. Poland’s surprisingly spirited defense of Ukraine would prove “expensive and pointless,” Medvedev predicted, ominously adding that he was confident that Warsaw would “make the right choice” and embrace Russia again. Medvedev is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and served a four-year placeholder presidency when Putin was facing term limits. Medvedev went on to serve as Putin’s prime minister and is now deputy chairman of the Kremlin’s security council. Putin is the chairman. Hillsong megachurch founder Brian Houston has resigned amid allegations of inappropriate behavior. Houston was the subject of two complaints, including a 2013 incident involving inappropriate texts sent to a staffer. The second incident involved a 2019 complaint regarding a hotel room encounter with an unnamed woman. Brian Houston, the founder of the Australia-based Hillsong megachurch and also one of its pastors, has resigned following the church’s revelations that he behaved inappropriately with two women. “We would like to advise you that Pastor Brian Houston has resigned as Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church and the board has accepted his resignation,” said the church’s board in a statement on Tuesday. In New Orleans, police have arrested Black four minors in connection with a deadly carjacking where an elderly White woman was dragged to death Monday afternoon. Superintendent Shaun Ferguson says that a 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, and two 15-year-old girls were arrested. He further added that they will be facing charges of second-degree murder in what Ferguson called a “senseless and violent incident.” The broad-daylight incident took the life of Linda Frickey, 73. The four suspects carjacked her vehicle and sped off while she was still attached to it by her seatbelt, say witnesses. https://youtu.be/gwW-DpIhi4k TikTok has become a megaphone for a lot of people all over the world. One of those people who needed that microphone to get her story out is Stephanie under the account name @inverted_yogi. Stephanie put out a series of TikTok’s blasting her husband, who is an associate pastor, for abandoning their family after the death of their daughter. Stephanie explained the situation in a TikTok that was apparently flagged for harassment and bullying but appears to be back up on her TikTok. In the original TikTok, Stephanie explains that the nurse that her husband was now in a relationship with had changed her profile picture to be one of her and Christian Gray, Stephanie’s husband. https://youtu.be/WWnNNhCQ5RM Actress Kerry Washington, who starred in Disney-owned ABC’s hit drama Scandal, is the latest celebrity to slam the company for not publicly opposing Florida‘s so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. Washington posted a statement to her social media Tuesday that she ‘does not condone the actions or inactions of Disney in this moment’ – adding that she supports Disney employees who chose to walk out this week to protest the company’s slow response to the controversy and its political donations to the legislation’s architects. ‘I wholeheartedly support the LGBTQIA+ employees, and stand with them in this walk out today. Please know that you matter. Your rights matter. Your voices matter. I encourage you all to help their voices ring louder today.’ Last week, actress Gabrielle Union also criticized Disney for its response to the bill while she was attending the ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ premiere. Bravo has announced that “Real Housewives of Potomac” star Karen Huger is getting her own spinoff that will offer viewers a glimpse into her family’s history. The spinoff titled “The Real Housewives of Potomac: Karen’s Grande Dame Reunion” is a two-part special that centers on Huger, who is an ambassador of Surry County, her husband Ray, and daughter Rayvin at the first Wooden family reunion, per Urban Hollywood 411. In the teaser trailer, Huger reveals her ancestors were slaves and listed as “property” on official documentation. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbNh5c6ltY6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Cinema is unique in its ability to bring together groups of people who may otherwise not commune naturally. When The Passion of The Christ hit theaters in 2004, it was a monumental success, raking in more than six-hundred-and-twenty-three million dollars worldwide. The film was the most well-made and brutal depiction of the crucifixion ever committed to film. It is regarded as the most successful faith-based film of all time for many. It does what any great piece of cinema should do; it moves and makes us think. It challenges audiences to reconcile one of the most iconic images of our culture, a bleeding, tortured man nailed to a cross with a crown of thorns atop his head. The film also inspires the imagination in the realm of miracles, celestial beings, good and evil, and the meaning of loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness. For all these reasons and more, regardless of world view, we anticipate Mel Gibson’s next installment with curiosity, fear, love, excitement, pity, and shame; choose your emotion. According to actor Jim Caviezel who read a recent draft of the script, we’re in store for Mel Gibson’s magnum opus. The Empire Strikes Back of Christianity is apparently a masterpiece and must be seen to be believed. During a company-wide staff meeting on Monday, Walt Disney Company executives reportedly announced the company is planning to fight the state of Texas over its order to investigate transgender medical procedures on children as child abuse. In an exclusive story, The Daily Wire reported Disney’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Paul Richardson, announced the company is planning to “take action” against Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s order to the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate those performing some sex-change surgeries or puberty-blocking efforts on children. “Because of our presence in Texas,” Richardson reportedly said, “we want you to know that we’ve signed on to the Human Rights Campaign’s letter opposing the Texas bill that criminalizes parents who provide for their transgender children gender-affirming care.” Ben Shapiro, the editor emeritus of The Daily Wire tweeted a warning to parents on Tuesday. Ciara has joined the cast of the upcoming “The Color Purple” movie musical starring Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks and Taraji P. Henson. The Grammy winner, 36, will play Nettie, the younger sister of Celie (played by Barrino), Entertainment Weekly reports. “Honored to be a part of this beautiful ensemble and historic film, The Color Purple,” Ciara tweeted following the announcement. “Truly grateful.” As reported by Variety, the forthcoming Warner Bros. movie musical is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical from Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, which was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning epistolary novel by Alice Walker. Beyoncé is set to perform at the 2022 Academy Awards on Sunday, alongside Billie Eilish, Finneas, and the other artists nominated for Best Original Song. The music icon is nominated for “Be Alive,” which she recorded for the “King Richard” soundtrack. The project stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venis and Serena Williams. It’s unclear if Bey will be performing the song live from Dolby Theatre at Ovation in Hollywood, or if it will be pre-taped performance from the tennis courts where the Williams sisters used to train in Compton, Variety reports. The other Original Song nominees will also perform their nominated singles during the awards show, including Sebastián Yatra delivering “Dos Oruguitas,” Billie Eilish and Finneas performing “No Time to Die,” and Reba McEntire singing “Somehow You Do.” Van Morrison is also nominated for his song “Down To Joy” but is unable to attend the show due to his touring schedule. The new entrepreneur-focused podcast Mining Diamonds created by Steve Stoute’s UnitedMasters, has released their latest informative episode featuring A Donahue Baker & Vin Rock titled “Real Estate & Financial Development.” The podcast’s theme derives from 235 plus years of Black innovators and entrepreneurs being unrepresented and discredited in America, despite many of their contributions continuing to shape modern society. https://youtu.be/6a3W_YkLsjM Never one to hold back an opinion, Stephen A. Smith shared his thoughts on numerous topics, from James Harden partying to taking over “First Take” from Skip Bayless, during a stirring conversation on the latest episode of “The Pivot Podcast” with the show’s co-hosts and former NFL stars Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor. In a new episode debuting today at 12 p.m. ET on “The Pivot Podcast” YouTube Channel, Smith is joined by his ESPN colleague Clark, along with Crowder and Taylor, inside Smith’s home as he explained his feelings on his astronomical level of fame in the sports world. https://youtu.be/tBzQyiTPZ28 It’s no secret that Trey Songz is one of the latest male entertainers to be accused of sexual assault and according to Radar Online, his accuser is comparing him to one of his favorite artists…but it has nothing to do with singing! The alleged victim, Jauhara Jeffries, says Trey Songz “victimizes women of color, just like R. Kelly, because he knows no one will care or protect them.” If you can recall, she says Songz assaulted her after she met him at Diddy’s New Year’s Eve party. When they left to continue partying at a club, Jeffries says Songz inserted his fingers under her dress and into her vagina while she was standing on a couch. She also claims that his team has offered her $200K to change her story. However, his legal team denies her claims and says she’s upset because she was caught secretly filming Songz and was instructed to delete the video. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dbc319bf-ab70-4731-a0ec-21c0a1e6150d A video obtained by @tmz_tv shows the moment a guy pulls a gun out in front of Mike Tyson and while most people would be terrified at that moment, the boxing legend didn’t seem startled at all! In fact, the chaotic moment ended with a hug…It all happened at a small comedy show Tuesday night on a rooftop bar in Hollywood, and Mike was in attendance with a few friends, a source shared with TMZ. The show was reportedly interrupted by a random guy who approached Mike and attempted to chat him up, completely disrupting a comedian’s set. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbdCoyDtICR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tonight on CLEO TV, Chef JJ is making spicy gumbo that is full of flavor! JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ has returned for season 4. The popular cooking show airs March 23 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. In this episode, Chef JJ cooks up some of his favorite, flavorful dishes. On the menu this week is JJ’s version of delicious gumbo and he brings it home with a miso mushroom ramen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFCcxn3mNeg LEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX continues tonight, Wednesday, March 23 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. This week, viewers will get Chef Jernard's quick BBQ snapper sandwich! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wngLVYAUy5w Jamaicans appear to be over the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, as the government is reportedly in the process of removing her as head of state. The move comes amid Prince William and Duchess Kate’s royal tour, “which palace sources have described as a “charm offensive” to win over people of the Caribbean, where the queen remains the reigning monarch of eight countries,” per Harpers Bazaar. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Jamaica on March 22, as part of an eight-day Caribbean tour. They were greeted by protesters who are calling for reparations for the slave trade. “Good Morning Britain” reporter Noel Phillips, who is in Jamaica covering the visit, said: “I’ve been speaking to a source within the Prime Minister’s Government who has told me that as soon as they leave, Jamaica will begin the process of removing the Queen as head of state. Erica Campbell has shared her take on Kanye West’s latest online antics that have seen him calling out everyone from his ex-wife Kim Kardashian to comedian D.L. Hughley and “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah. When a TMZ reporter asked the gospel singer her opinion on Ye’s “erratic,” social media posts, Campbell replied, “I just think if you’re trying to be like God on Sunday, then you should be like him on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday [and Saturday] as well.“ “Does that mean perfection? Not at all,” she noted. “It means your choices should be governed by what you believe. If you believe in faith and being kind and being gracious and understanding and being patient, then you have to be that way all week long.” “But you know, we all go through things. We don’t always get it right so prayers up for Kanye,” she added. https://youtu.be/sN6Eq6PcnUs Season 2 of the hilarious comedy “Millennials” is back and we caught up with some of the cast members to dish about what fans can expect. The ALLBLK series centers around the lives of four 20-something roommates and their neighbor across the hall as they navigate the chaos of being young, finding success, and finding themselves in the city of angels. In the new season, the crew is back with a new roommate, new love connections, and a fresh set of challenges as they strive to go from no money to mo’ money, per press release. https://twitter.com/i/status/1505934557274640389 Kanye West recently tapped popular Instagram blogger Jason Lee, founder of Hollywood Unlocked, to serve as his social media manager and rumor has it that Lee is to blame for the rapper getting temporarily banned on Instagram. Lee spoke about joining forces with Ye in an interview with Variety prior to the official announcement. “I think after the interview on Hollywood Unlocked, it was clear that we had an aligned vision for leveling the playing field in media,” Lee says. “Ye voiced a vision for a company he was building, and that media was an arm of that, and he felt I could be an asset.” Lee made headlines recently when he falsely reported Britain’s Queen Elizabeth was dead. West’s online antics have seen him call out everyone from his ex-wife Kim Kardashian to blogger Perez Hilton and comedian D.L. Hughley.” Producers of this year’s Grammy Awards dropped him from the lineup of performers after he referred to “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah as a “Koon-Baya” on Instagram. That post prompted IG to ban him from the platform for 24 hours for violating its policy against bullying and harassment. Megan Thee Stallion and the boss of her record label Carl Crawford continue to trade jabs amid their ongoing legal battle over her contract. As reported by Vlad TV, Crawford took to social media to clap back at the rapper’s accusation that he is addicted to prescription pills. Crawford called Megan a “bonafide alcoholic,” and warned that she should expect a new defamation complaint very soon. The 1501 Certified Entertainment CEO recently told Megan to “Stop playing the victim” amid their strained professional relationship. A countersuit has been filed in Megan’s legal battle with Crawford. In the new complaint, the label refuses to acknowledge her 2021 effort “Something for Thee Hotties” as an album and therefore wants a judge to agree that it should not be counted toward their contractual agreement, Complex reports. In a bizarre FOX Business phone interview, former US President Donald Trump says Russian President Vladimir Putin loves the “n-word.” But, not that one — nuclear weapons. While phoning into ‘Varney & Co,’ No. 45 not only alleged that current US President Joe Biden has done very little to halt fast-rising gas prices and save lives in the Russian-Ukrainian war, but also spoke on his relationship with Putin. In the conversation, Trump also advised Biden on how to stop Putin from gaining additional momentum and prevent him from accessing his nuclear weaponry. On his call, Trump said, “I listen to him constantly using the N-Word. That’s the N-Word and he’s constantly using it, the nuclear word…We say, ‘Oh, he’s a nuclear power,’ but we’re a greater nuclear power. We have the greatest submarines in the world, the most powerful machines ever built and they got built under me. The most powerful machines ever built and nobody knows where they are. [Biden] should say, ‘If you mention that word [nuclear] one more time, we’re gonna send over and we’ll be coasting back and forth, up and down your coast. You can’t let this tragedy continue. You can’t let these, these thousands of people die.” #Socialites, thoughts? https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYl9ppPJhg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Master P is speaking out about why so many rappers die young. In a conversation with HipHopDX, P said “it’s because of the drugs and people not being held accountable.” “As a young person, we always say, ‘Oh, he’s young, but she’s young. Let them go, do. They going to figure it out.’ Everybody don’t figure it out,” Master P explained. “You either going to be a tragedy or testimony. A lot of people don’t get to be a testimony. It normally don’t work like your situation, my situation, it don’t happen that often.” The hip-hop veteran said many young rappers lack “the right leadership or the right older people around us to tell us that we wrong.” “Even the parents end up being friends. One thing I love about my parents and my grandparents, they never was my friends. When I went to them, I know that I got the real. I think that people as parents, if you got a young person that’s in Hip Hop, or just in general, in life, stop trying to cheat the game… Stop trying to just have fun with your kids,” he said. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbVUhDuls45/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sasha and Malia Obama were spotted hiking in the Hollywood Hills on Mar. 16. In pictures obtained by the Daily Mail, the siblings are seen dressed in black fitness attire while walking along a scenic trail in Los Angeles. As reported by MadameNoire, the images damn near broke the internet, with one Twitter user commenting, “I love how Malia look like Obama if he was a babe and Sasha look like 87% Michelle, 13% Obama. Gorgeous girls them East African genes strong asf.” Another wrote, “Will always love Michelle Malia & Sasha for being black women in the public eye who took all that shit in stride, minded their business and never let the haters see them sweat. And also serving looks. Dr. Bill Winston presents The 2022 Business & Leadership Conference (BLC), a multi-day hybrid experience that will equip entrepreneurs and leaders with strategies and tools to create their own economies and dominate their industries. From March 24 - 26, 2022, attendees from all over the world will enjoy this hybrid experience of in-person and virtual networking opportunities. With many of the COVID-19 restrictions recently lifted in Chicago, more than 2,000 people have already registered to attend in person, while thousands more are expected to attend online. Byron Allen, history maker, media mogul, and founder of Allen Media Broadcasting and Entertainment Studios – the first African American owned multi-platform media studio – has been added as a featured speaker on Saturday, March 26. Mr. Allen will share how he launched his career in media, how he amassed his more than $450 million fortune, and why now is the right time to become a business owner. Fresh from his 4th Number One Radio single to hit the BDS charts comes Earnest Pugh placing a new twist on an old favorite. The award winning singer, psalmist, author, teacher and worship leader has joy in his heart and praise on his lips as he wants the world to know that God Did It. Earnest revels in the release of the song, "I can't find anyone on this planet who doesn't love the inimitable Momma Evelyn Turrentine Agee's powerful declaration. The song became extraordinarily meaningful to me as I experienced a bout with Covid-19 last year. My body was attacked with a vengeance, but God gave me victory and I felt compelled to give sound as my response to God's faithfulness, that sound was simply God Did It! I want this song to be a blessing to the body of believers everywhere that a Sovereign God will take care of you and even sustain within the midst of something that other people die from. I am ever grateful." Rapper Pusha T penned the“I’m Lovin’ It” marketing campaign for McDonald’s back in 2003 and now he’s speaking out about not getting paid for the iconic jingle. Pusha T recently shared with Rolling Stone that he and his brother Malice, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams worked on the campaign together but claims he and Malice were only paid a one-time fee, and no royalties.“I am solely responsible for the ’I’m Lovin‘ It’ swag and the jingle of that company,” he shared with Rolling Stone. “That’s just real. I am the reason.” He added, “I did it at a very young age at a very young time in my career where I wasn’t asking for as much money and ownership,” Pusha told the publication. https://youtu.be/GApPXZAvkRI The Kansas City Chiefs traded six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for five draft picks: a 2022 first-round pick (No. 29), second-round pick (No. 50) and fourth-round pick, plus fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2023 draft on Wednesday. The Dolphins also are giving Hill a four-year, $120 million extension, including $72.2 million guaranteed and also including $52.535 million at signing, agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN. The deal, which is pending a physical, makes Hill the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. The $72.2 million total becomes fully guaranteed at the start of the 2023 league year. The three-year total of the deal is $72.5 million. Malik Willis brought electric energy and a cannon of an arm to his Liberty pro day Tuesday, where all 32 NFL teams were in attendance. The Flames quarterback, who turns 23 next month, showed off deep throwing ability and quick footwork to go with precise field vision, as he appeared to impress Steelers brass. Willis, a red-shirt senior at Liberty University and a top quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft, was all smiles after hitting a 65-yard target while on the move. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert, in particular, appeared to enjoy the show in viral videos. Willis opted out of running the 40-yard dash and any other testing Tuesday. After his stellar workout, Willis said he had dinner with Tomlin on Monday night. “He was eating chicken wings,” Willis said. “He’s like a normal dude.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3vpcx3Sv20 At least six people reportedly died and many more were injured after a small ferry collided with a cargo ship and sank on Sunday on the Shitalakshya River in central Bangladesh. According to reports, dozens of passengers on the packed ferry remain missing in the horrific accident that was captured on camera. As reported by TooFab, the small ferry was carrying around 50 people to Munshiganj, when it crossed the path of the gargantuan Rupshi-9. Several passengers are seen in the footage jumping from the ferry as the cargo ship forced them underwater. https://youtu.be/p2PHjj7JLoM Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson‘s writings, remarks and decisions as she wrestled with the highly sensitive issue of child pornography crimes are the focus of a new GOP line of attack on President Joe Biden’s pick for the Supreme Court. Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley zeroed in on that area of Jackson’s record, with a Wednesday night Twitter thread highlighting examples that he sensationally described as “a pattern of letting child porn offenders off the hook for their appalling crimes” — including a law review note she published as a law student, her work on the US Sentencing Commission and her approach to cases as a judge. “Every parent in America cares about child porn offenders. I do,” Hawley told CNN on Thursday. “I think everybody watching these hearings is gonna want to hear these questions asked.” https://youtu.be/mzahfYNuV60 Billy Turner was indicted in 2017 on a charge of first-degree murder related to the 2010 slaying of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright. On Monday, the Tennessee man was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Wright, who was 34-years-old when he died, played for the Memphis Grizzlies and four other NBA teams as a forward and center over 13 seasons before retiring in 2009. His badly decomposed body was found in Memphis on July 28, 2010, 10 days after his family reported him missing. He was visiting Memphis from his home in the Atlanta area in the summer of 2010 when he disappeared. Fox News reported that the father of six was last seen on July 18, 2010, as he left the home of his ex-wife, Sherra Wright. According to an affidavit, Sherra told police she saw him leave her home carrying money and a box of drugs. She also claims to have overheard her ex-husband on the phone telling someone that he was going to “flip something for $110,000.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1506040547823259650 Mayor Eric Adams has tapped former Brooklyn Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo as his cultural affairs commissioner. Cumbo confirmed to THE CITY on Wednesday that at the time she was unclear about what her role would be. “All I have done is filled out paperwork to be onboarded in a position in the Adams administration. It has not been confirmed to me which position at this time,” she said in a phone interview last week, Patch reports. Cumbo told the outlet that she is ready to “assist in achieving the goals and positions for Mayor Eric Adams,” she said. Cumbo previously came under fire for comments made about a bill to allow non-citizens to vote in city elections. “Where do African American voters fit in?” she asked at the time, as reported by New York Daily News. “This particular legislation is going to shift the power dynamics in New York City in a major way.” In 2015, Laurie Cumbo expressed concern over what she called “blocs” of Asian residents moving into public housing in her district, as reported by Documented NY. Baby Cino, whose real name is Timothy Starks, was fatally shot multiple times after being let out on bond from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Wednesday. According to WSVN, “Starks was picked up in a red Nissan — still wearing an inmate wristband — that was gunned down just minutes later, the news outlet adds. The shooter reportedly began firing at least 40 shots from another vehicle as Starks’ car entered Palmetto Expressway during rush hour. The Nissan hit a wall on the ramp, and Starks suffered several gunshot wounds, including one to his head, according to the Herald. He was 20.” Stark’s friend, Dante Collins Banks was also shot and taken to a local hospital after receiving injuries to his abdomen. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbZA23grpas/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again It wouldn’t be a Senate hearing without some self-righteous histrionics and political theater from Lindsey Graham. And that is exactly what happened on the second day of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson‘s confirmation hearing Tuesday after the South Carolina Senator argued with Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin over the release of Guantanamo Bay detainees following his line of questioning of the Supreme Court nominee. https://youtu.be/Rqd-3llo63o Horrifying footage shows the Boeing 737 jet’s final seconds after it plunged 29,100ft in around a minute and a half. The passenger jet flown by China Eastern Airlines came down in Guangxi, China, on Monday, state media said. https://youtu.be/U6pA53Vk1Fw An Alabama liquor store owner has sued after a police officer responding to a robbery call at his store punched him in the face and broke his jaw in March 2020. The Decatur Daily reports that Kevin Penn sued the city of Decatur and police officer Justin Rippen on March 11 in federal court. Penn is Black and Rippen is white. The suit alleges the incident is an example of systematic use of “excessive force” by the Decatur Police Department that the city often ignores. The lawsuit alleges Penn’s constitutional rights were violated by illegal seizure, false arrest and excessive force, seeking money damages. City Attorney Herman Marks said Thursday his department hasn’t yet received the lawsuit and declined comment. Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling said he regrets a lawsuit has been filed but referred questions to Marks. Prosecutors in California say a man and a woman accused of shooting and stabbing to death a Black Navy veteran at a gas station on March 15 committed a hate crime. Police say Justin Peoples, 30, was shot once and stabbed multiple times at a Chevron gas station in Tracy, California, shortly after 9 p.m. Christine Garner, 42, and Jeremy Jones, 49, were arrested and charged with murder the next morning. Images released by the San Joaquin County prosecutor’s office show what appear to be white supremacist tattoos on Jones’ body. Garner’s Facebook page indicates she and Jones are “in a relationship.” A third person, Christopher Dimenco, 58, was charged with accessory to murder for allegedly helping Garner and Jones “avoid or escape” arrest. Delane Gordon, a DoorDash driver, was a few hundred yards from his delivery destination when a police officer passed him, hooked a U-turn and pulled him over for speeding. On the side of the road in Collegedale, Tenn., Gordon “politely and repeatedly” asked to speak to the police officer’s supervisor, Gordon’s attorney says. But the situation escalated as the police officer demanded that Gordon get out of the car while Gordon refused, video of the March 10 incident shows. https://wapo.st/3NaF5a6 When Daye Covington visited her doctor for a routine physical last year, she expressed concern about weight gain in her belly that she said made her look seven months pregnant. But she knew she wasn’t pregnant, and she had a healthy lifestyle. An MRI revealed that she had multiple uterine fibroids — non cancerous growths in the uterus — the size of cantaloupes. “First, I was relieved to know that I was not pregnant because I was not trying to be pregnant,” she told NBC News, “and then I was scared, because I didn’t know much about fibroids.” Uterine fibroids are rarely discussed, despite being a common condition, particularly for Black women. Experts say that by age 35, about half of Black women have had them, and by age 50, 80 percent of Black women have them, compared to 70 percent of white women. Black women are also more likely to have higher fibroid growth than other racial groups. While most cases require no treatment, in some instances, they can cause weight gain, heavy periods, frequent urination or pelvic pain, and they may require surgery. When Mauise Ricard III paid a $560.43 application fee to Wells Fargo & Co. on Valentine’s Day in 2020 to refinance his mortgage on a four-bedroom brick colonial in a leafy suburb of Atlanta, he had every reason to expect an easy ride. The Microsoft Corp. engineer is married to a doctor and has a credit score north of 800, putting him in America’s credit elite. The loan officer at the bank even told him he was probably eligible for a fast-track appraisal. It didn’t take long for problems to appear. Ricard’s house—an investment property that was his home before he moved to another Atlanta suburb in 2017—is in a predominantly Black neighborhood, and in April, the loan officer emailed to say that “perhaps the area is not eligible” for a rapid valuation. By May, she was writing to say the underwriter had more questions. Soon after, Ricard was told he would have to pay a higher 4.5% rate, even though the Federal Reserve had slashed rates to historic lows. Within weeks, Wells Fargo had denied his application. “They kept moving the needle,” Ricard says. “They didn’t want to move forward for whatever reason.” Ricard wasn’t alone. Nationwide, only 47% of Black homeowners who completed a refinance application with Wells Fargo in 2020 were approved, compared with 72% of White homeowners, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of federal mortgage data. Brandon Manning and his wife were both born in the U.S. South and had been itching to return, but Manning didn’t want to go back to his native Atlanta because of the traffic, housing costs and sprawl. So, when he was offered a job teaching at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, the couple decided to give the smaller city a chance. They weren’t alone. The largest African American population growth in pure numbers over the past decade didn’t take place in Atlanta or Houston, long identified as hubs of Black life, but rather in less congested cities with lower profiles: Fort Worth; Columbus, Ohio; Jacksonville, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina. Each gained between 32,000 and 40,000 new Black residents from 2010 to 2020, according to 2020 census figures. Meanwhile, Black residents left the nation’s largest cities, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, by the tens of thousands. William Byron should not have felt comfortable as the leader with 10 laps remaining Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The leader typically has trouble controlling the race when the drivers behind him have the ability to use the aerodynamic draft to get a run from behind and a push to challenge for the lead. Bubba Wallace knew that and pretty much relinquished the lead to Byron. But the Hendrick Motorsports driver had a fast car, the drivers behind him failed to execute the move many expected, and Byron earned his third career Cup victory and first of 2022. Byron became the first winner at the newly configured Atlanta, a 1.54-mile track now designed to race like Daytona and Talladega, as the increased banking requires NASCAR to reduce horsepower to keep speeds manageable. “Captain America” star Anthony Mackie has reportedly purchased 20 acres of land in New Orleans East which he intends to use to build a new film studio. As reported by nola.com, the land is right off of the I-10 Service Road and Read Boulevard. The location will be the base for Mackie’s new production company, East Studios LLC, and he intends to buy more space nearby. The New Orleans native is a graduate of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), and is best known as Marvel’s The Falcon. Mackie has been tapped to star in the fourth installment of the Captain America film franchise for the studio. Mackie fans can currently catch him in the “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” series on Disney+. “Storage Wars” stars Rene and Casey Nezhoda uncovered some legendary memorabilia from an Olympic star during a Season 14 episode. According to TMZ, Rene dropped several thousand dollars on the memorabilia that he acquired eight years ago in the San Diego area. He initially planned to sell the items on eBay or to an auction house but once he made contact with the late athlete’s family, he decided to return the items to Flo Jo’s husband, Olympic gold medalist, Al Joyner. Al Joyner let two of his lockers go for auction upon Flo-Jo’s sudden 1988 death, due to suffocation in her sleep in an epileptic fit. He didn’t realize the amount of gems that were still left inside. He knew he had to reach out to Nezhoda and buy them off of him. https://youtu.be/-yp_icNCumg Rapper Theophilus London revealed over the weekend that he confronted D.L. Hughley about his recent comments regarding his friend Ye. In a recent interview with VladTV, Hughley clapped back at the artist formerly known as Kanye West (now known simply as Ye) after the rapper threatened to “hurt” the comedian for accusing the artist of stalking his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. London, who appears on Ye’s 2015 track “All Day,” hopped on his Instagram Story and posted a series of photos and clips in which he claimed he approached the comedian to directly demand that he apologize to West. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYh8DdlpQW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund hosted day one of its 25th Annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit, on Monday, March 21 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. The Summit kicked off with the Labor & Ministers Breakfast, hosted by legendary Radio and TV Personality G. Keith Alexander, followed by the session Wall Street Project’s Impact Then and Now: Expansion and Utilization of Diversity Broker-Dealers and Asset Managers. The Wall Street Project Business Luncheon honored John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer, Ariel Investments, Dr. Alan Greenspan, Former Chairman, Federal Reserve System, and BNY Mellon’s Pershing who received the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award in recognition of its Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Council. Representing the voices of diverse clients, members who bring real-time experience and collaborate with Pershing on ways to engage MBE Broker-Dealers and Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) to support their success in the marketplace. https://youtu.be/9cSC8-x3hAo Last week, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) announced the introduction of Assembly Bill (AB) 1655, legislation that would make Juneteenth a paid holiday in California. AB 1655 is co-authored by Assemblymember Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-South Los Angeles) and Mia Bonta (D-Oakland). Weber, Bonta and Jones-Sawyer are all members of the California Legislative Black Caucus. “It is time that June 19th has the status it deserves in California to honor the significant contributions of Black Americans to our nation and reflect on the long struggle for freedom,” Weber said, speaking during an Assembly session Jan. 15. “By making Juneteenth an official state holiday, California would demonstrate its commitment to celebrating the emancipation of all slaves.” If the Legislature approves AB 1655 and Gov. Newsom signs it into law, it would amend current statutes to include June 19th as an official state holiday for public schools, community colleges, and California State University systems. It would also grant paid time-off to all state employees. The cause of death for Walking Dead actor Moses J Moseley could not be determined. According to documents obtained by TMZ, the investigation was unable to resolve whether the shooting was intentional or accidental. In January, Moseley’s body was found in his car. Family and friends believed something was going on. They thought he was kidnapped or murdered; however, Georgia police were investigating the incident as a possible suicide. TMZ reports, “The death certificate states Moses shot himself, but the doc also says the intent behind the fatal gunshot is unknown.” President Biden offered his condolences to the family in a letter. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYGHYrBCGw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again After releasing an electrifying music video supporting the new red-hot single “Bakin,” hip hop artists Desiigner, DJ Whoo Kid, and Slushii are still on a roll – and they took the late actor-comedian Bob Saget along for the musical ride a few weeks before his death. The video, shot in Los Angeles this past December, stars Saget as a master chef. He hilariously switches the word “Bakin” – the song’s title – with the word “bacon,” the food. With Desiigner squarely upfront with his smooth rap style, DJ Whoo Kid and Slushii add to the hot video with timely antics and visual energy. Scantily-clad women – one of whom is porn star Kendra Sunderland, are in the video, with co-star Sunderland standing next to Saget while his bacon sizzles. https://youtu.be/xtgt2PI7roA Last night, on his 42nd birthday, Jamal Crawford announced his retirement from the NBA. Crawford is one of eight players in NBA history to play for 20 seasons; only Vince Carter (22), Robert Parish (21) and Kevin Willis (21) had a longer career. Crawford will go down as arguably the greatest sixth man of all-time, and he’s one of just two players to win the Sixth Man of the Year award three times. He was known for creating instant offense off of the bench, and he was one of the league’s best ball-handlers — consistently coming up with new moves and wowing fans with his handles. He scored the second-most points off the bench in NBA history (trailing only Lou Williams), per StatMuse. https://youtu.be/rG_DUD-cKFE After seven years—Multi-Stellar Award Nominated Gospel Recording Artist Alexis Spight is being released from her recording contract assumed by Uncle G Promotions and Entertainment in 2015. Following Ms. Spight’s successful run on season five of BET’s Gospel Music competition “Sunday Best” in 2011, Alexis was signed to Music World Gospel in 2012 and further released to Uncle G Promotions and Entertainment in 2015. Miss Spight’s sophomore album—, executively produced by Greg “Uncle G” Lyons—“Dear Diary” debuted at the top of the Gospel Album Chart. After record breaking success with Hit singles “All The Glory” which was No. 1 on the Gospel Indicator charts for three consecutive weeks, No. 5 on Mediabase and No. 7 on the Gospel National Airplay charts and “It Will Be Alright” was a success, Alexis recognizes the hard work and dedication Uncle G Promotions put in to working her first and second albums and how that collaboration was an essential part of Alexis’ personal and professional growth after her time on Sunday Best. “I am thankful to God for the opportunity and am looking forward to all that God has in store for the future of my career. Thank you Mr. Lyons for all that you taught me. I’m so grateful for you. I wouldn’t be who I am today had it not been for all of your significant contributions. May God continue to bless you.” After a seven year anticipation, Spight is finally gearing up to get back in the studio, soon to record her comeback single. Just shy of her thirtieth birthday July of next year, Alexis is excited to catch listeners up on her growth as well as illuminate God’s faithfulness by way of expression through her highly anticipated new music. Jason Crabb, 2-time GRAMMY winner, 2018 inductee in the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and an internationally renowned male vocalist, author, actor, TV host, and musician visited Western Kentucky last week to announce his partnership with Relevant Church of Paducah and the Kentucky Dream Center. Crabb along with Pastor and NY Times best-selling author, Jentezen Franklin of Gainesville, GA, and the disaster relief group, God’s Pit Crew, made a significant donation of toys, bicycles, and household items to aid in a Christmas in July event planned for Western Kentucky families in tornado affected counties. Joel Cauley, lead pastor at Relevant Church, is planning a “Christmas in July” event this July to distribute toys to children and families affected by the tornadoes. He said there would be multiple days planned in different communities so that families did not have to travel far to get donations. “This was just an incredible response to the need,” Cauley said of the toy donations that arrived Monday. “And so now, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kids [are] gonna get an amazing second Christmas here in just a couple of months.” The specialty footwear and lifestyle chain, The Athlete’s Foot, (TAF) announced GRAMMY-winning gospel artist turned entrepreneur, Tasha Cobbs Leonard as the first female recipient of TAF USA’s new signature program, StAART which stands for Strategic African American Retail Track. The program was founded by TAF, in the summer of 2020 at the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement to generate awareness and promote change for one of the great disparities in the footwear industry. "Grateful is the word that comes to mind when I explore my feelings about my new venture with The Athlete's Foot. I'm grateful that I have an opportunity to be a leader and an example that black and brown girls need in order to believe they can be whatever they want to be," shares Tasha Cobbs Leonard about her next chapter as a franchise owner. The multi-award-winning singer currently owns several successful lifestyle brands and with a passion for the fashion and clothing industry, the self-professed "sneakerhead" is now taking on the footwear world. As a new franchise owner of The Athlete's Foot, Cobbs-Leonard is currently scouting locations for her store which will be located in her hometown of Greenville, S.C. and giving the city its first TAF. The family says the trailblazer of The Anointed Pace Sisters, Lashun Pace has died. The gospel singer-songwriter was 60 years old. Pace was on dialysis for five years waiting for a kidney and died of organ failure Monday morning, her sister, Lydia Pace told 11Alive’s Shiba Russell. The Atlanta native was part of the renowned sibling gospel group The Anointed Pace Sisters. Born in Atlanta’s Poole Creek community, the Grammy-nominated group made up of nine sisters first shared their family melody in church and local talent shows before rising to gospel stardom. Known for her hit songs “I Know I’ve Been Changed” and “Act Like You Know,” Pace also carved out her own career and released solo albums. A snippet of LaShun’s 1996 hit ‘Act Like You Know’ recently became a TikTok trend, which Lydia said LaShun was so excited about, encouraging her to start working on another album. The Gospel Spotlight's LaShun Pace.... http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/lashun_pace.htm Bringing something new and diverse to music is Reach Records artist WHATUPRG, whose name is synonymous with innovation and authenticity. His trademark combination of Latin rhythms, trap hip-hop, flawless lyricism, and captivating storytelling has enshrined him as an elite amongst his peers. When hip-hop artists express their faith, they're often confined to the CHH genre. RG's art is prolific, progressive, and challenges the culture in a way too eclectic way for any subgenre's limitations. His new single, "KIDZ," the first from his forthcoming album, New Hollywood, is about setting new standards. He punches over 808 drums and haunting synths while chanting the album's theme, "We don't pretend more" and "kids don't die we go up high." In this case, high means higher to God, an exalted level. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ03T_bo3xI Will Smith continues to pick up awards for his performance in the biopic “King Richard,” in which he stars as Richard Williams, the father of tennis champs Venus and Serena Williams. During his acceptance speech for the Best Actor win at the National Board of Review gala in New York City, Smith showed some love to fellow actor Bradley Cooper. “We all have that thing in us. We have a dream, and it seems crazy, the thing that you want to do,” Smith told the attendees, according to People. “I look at Bradley Cooper. I’ve seen pictures of him when he was young — he didn’t look like this! He grew into that,” he added. “He let the dream blossom inside of him. I can’t even concentrate; he’s so beautiful.” Some might say Smith fueled gay rumors about himself by gushing over Cooper’s beauty. Later in the event, Cooper, who is said to be openly gay in Hollywood, was presenting awards to “Licorice Pizza” film’s stars and replied to Smith’s comment about his looks, saying, “I’m not gonna forget that, Will.” Kanye West has been pulled from performing at this year’s Grammys due to “concerning online behavior,” three sources close to the artist confirmed to CNN. The decision, which was first reported by The Blast, comes days after West, who now goes by Ye, was temporarily banned from Instagram after using a racial slur directed at “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah. Noah is also the host of next month’s Grammy Awards. West’s derogatory social media post was in response to Noah expressing concern over the artist’s recent treatment of his former wife Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend, “SNL” star Pete Davidson during an episode of his show last week. A source close to Noah told CNN that he had nothing to do with West’s performance being canceled and that he has not had any conversations with producers or the Recording Academy, who produces the show, about West. “Trevor never asked the Grammys to ban Kanye from performing. He was not offended by Kanye’s Instagram post and Trevor responded on Instagram. The notion that Trevor or his team asked the Grammys to ban Kanye is ridiculous,” the source said. CNN has not yet received comment from the Recording Academy and West has not commented publicly. https://youtu.be/KWvr0biy0Kw Lisa Bonet’s ex Lenny Kravitz shared a photo on Saturday of him and her current husband Jason Momoa enjoying a motorcycle ride. Ride or die. Brothers for life,” the “Fly Away” Kravitz captioned the photo. Lenny’s daughter with Bonet, actress Zoë Kravitz, commented under the photo: “Well isn’t this just adorable. love you both so much.” Bonet and Momoa are said to be working on their marriage after the “Aqua Man” star announced in a since-deleted Instagram post in January that they were separating after 17 years together. https://www.instagram.com/lennykravitz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cfe5c929-27f3-4119-8628-b62c89f31b79 Former rapper turned-preacher Ma$e called out Diddy in a recent Instagram post in which he shed more light about artists being mistreated under Bad Boy Records. Diddy signed Ma$e more than two decades ago and after they parted way, Ma$e claims Diddy refused to accept his $2 million dollar offer to buy back his music publishing. Diddy allegedly purchased the publishing rights for $20,000 in 1996, per Complex. Ma$e said he’s speaking out on behalf of all the Bad Boy alum who were mistreated by Diddy. “When I see the hurt and the pains of other people on Bad Boy, that motivates me to say something, so I don’t be deemed as a person who just made a bunch of money and turned a blind eye,” he said via Instagram Live. “I’m not going to be like the rest of the people around Puff that don’t tell him he’s wrong. I’m not gonna be like the ‘yes’ men around him that see him ruining people lives and never tell him he’s wrong. More people on here will tell me I’m wrong, but won’t say anything to him. They’ll judge my beliefs, they’ll judge my Christianity, and they’ll say nothing to Puff. They’ll say nothing about it’s a concert for Biggie, and Biggie own daughter couldn’t get in. They don’t say nothing about that. But all of his friends got 50 and 60 tickets. We’re done with your games.” Tammy Williams is set to become the first Black woman to own a multi-million dollar film studio in Georgia. Tammy is an entertainment industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience. She has written, developed, or produced several documentaries, network news biographies, and other film varieties. “We’ve been patient. This has not been an overnight thing, this vision for us,” Tammy said to AJC earlier this month. She added that she has wanted to build her own studio space for the past 12 years. The facility, named Cinema South Studios, will be located in Fayetteville, just a few miles from Tyler Perry Studios, which is in Atlanta. She has partnered with investor Gary Guidry to build the facility. It will cost $135 million. Guidry, who is also her business partner, said that the demand for soundstages is, “happening globally and the ownership rarely looks like us, let alone an African American woman.” “When I choose to invest, I evaluate the need of the business and the ownership,” Guidry added. “Investing in Tammy Williams and her team of professionals convinced me that buying the land in Fayetteville, GA was a sound decision with the talents of her at the helm.” https://youtu.be/LuDfLbEN4Us Will Smith recently made clear that he and wife Jada Pinkett Smith do not have an open marriage. Industry insiders and folks who claim to know the couple personally are speaking out about their Hollywood marriage. One industry source told The Post: “Look at all the A-list couples on the red carpet — who knows what goes on with them. At least with Jada and Will, there is no pretending.” “Their love is deeply rooted and it goes to the core and neither one is going anywhere,” said a Smith family source. “But just because that love is present does not mean that every need is necessarily met within the marriage. An outside experience is occasionally desired or, one would say, needed.” One insider who knows the couple told The Post: “It’s not true to say they were never monogamous to begin with — this is the evolution of a marriage.” In 2020, the couple admitted to being on a break when Jada began an “entanglement” with R&B singer August Alsina. The following year, Will told GQ that he and Jada had “given each other trust and freedom” because marriage “can’t be a prison.” He added: “Jada never believed in conventional marriage.” Will told GQ last September that he and Jada’s relationship had evolved beyond monogamy. Will Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson Make History as the First Black Woman on the Supreme Court? The Senate confirmation hearing for Harvard law grad and DC native Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51 gets underway today. She is the first Black woman under consideration and has gone through the Senate confirmation process three times previously. She has served less than a year in her current role on the DC US Circuit Court of Appeals. Before that, she was a judge on DC’s federal trial court for eight years. Raised in Miami, she was also vice-chair of the US Sentencing Commission between 2010 and 2014. All three roles required Senate confirmation testimony, yet those were not as high profile as the SCOTUS position, a lifelong job. https://youtu.be/k7aupVWHM7c The “People’s Convoy” in DC was disrupted on Saturday by a lone cyclist who brought the truckers’ protest to a standstill, as seen in viral videos shared on social media. The convoy was inspired by Canada’s “Freedom Convoy” of truckers. Per Newsweek, “Hundreds of truckers and other motorists made their way to Washington D.C. earlier this month after traveling across the country to voice their frustration at COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other grievances.” The truckers are against Biden’s vaccine mandates. The D.C. protest has disrupted traffic and angered residents, including one man who responded by hopping on his bike and moving at a snail’s pace in a lane of traffic in front of the truckers. https://twitter.com/i/status/1505312396839206912 A new lawsuit filed against Google accuses the company of systemic bias against Black employees. In a lawsuit filed on Friday, April Curley, the plaintiff, alleges that the tech giant puts Black staffers in low-paying, low-level positions. According to Reuters, the lawsuit claims Google maintains a “racially biased corporate culture” that favors white men. The complaint is seeking class action-status and notes that Black employees “make up only 4.4 percent of employees and only 3 percent of leadership,” per the report. Additionally, Curley said “Google subjected Black people to a hostile work environment, often requiring them to show identification or be questioned by security at its Mountain View, California campus,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/ugxqbE832Jw Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was admitted to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC, on Friday evening “after experiencing flu-like symptoms,” the court’s public information office said Sunday evening. “He underwent tests, was diagnosed with an infection, and is being treated with intravenous antibiotics,” the court’s press release said. “His symptoms are abating, he is resting comfortably, and he expects to be released from the hospital in a day or two. Justice Thomas will participate in the consideration and discussion of any cases for which he is not present on the basis of the briefs, transcripts, and audio of the oral arguments,” it added. https://youtu.be/9z_KMC_X8T8 Virginian-Pilot newspaper reporter and former CNN news assistant Sierra Jenkins was among the individuals shot and killed in an early Saturday morning shooting that left one more person dead and three others injured, Norfolk, Virginia, police said. She was 25. Jenkins was leaving a downtown Norfolk restaurant, Chicho’s Pizza Backstage, when an argument started outside the establishment, followed by gunfire. Officers responded to the scene around 2 a.m. and found Jenkins and two men with life-threatening gunshot wounds. One of the men, 25-year-old Devon M. Harris, was pronounced dead on scene, and the second was transported to the hospital, police said in a news release. Jenkins was also transported to the hospital, where she later died, police said. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/20/news-reporter-sierra-jenkins-killed-in-norfolk-va-shooting-video/ This is the shocking moment a passenger plane with 132 on board nosedives vertically into a mountain at 350mph. Horrifying footage shows the Boeing 737 jet’s final seconds after it plunged 29,100ft in around minute and a half. The passenger jet flown by China Eastern Airlines came down in Guangxi, China, on Monday, state media said. https://youtu.be/U6pA53Vk1Fw Ukraine’s president on Sunday called on Israel to take a stronger stand against Russia, delivering an emotional appeal that compared Russia’s invasion of his country to the actions of Nazi Germany. In a speech to Israeli lawmakers over Zoom, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was time for Israel, which has emerged as a key mediator between Ukraine and Russia, to finally take sides. He said Israel should follow its Western allies by imposing sanctions and providing arms to Ukraine. “One can ask for a long time why we can’t accept weapons from you or why Israel didn’t impose sanctions against Russia, why you are not putting pressure on Russian business,” he said. “It is your choice, dear brothers and sisters.” As Coloradans celebrate Black History Month, a trailblazer among Black aviators is working to make sure more young Black Coloradans have opportunities to take to the skies. United Airlines Captain M’lis Ward, a Denver resident, said she is working with her employer to make sure those in marginalized communities can access a future in the airline industry. “In 1998 I became the first Black woman to become captain at United Airlines,” Ward said. Ward was not only the first Black woman to become a captain for United, but she was also the first Black woman captain for any commercial passenger airline in the United States. However, even nearly 25 years after she made the historic move to being a captain, there are few Black women working as pilots in the profession. Black women entrepreneurs are using their businesses as vessels to drive change within their local communities. Amongst those impactful founders is Forty Acres Fresh Market creator and CEO Elizabeth Abunaw who recently received a multi-million dollar grant from the city of Chicago to advance her business. Although Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, when it comes to securing capital for their ventures they’re faced with barriers that stem from an unleveled playing field. Research shows they receive a mere 0.27 percent of all U.S. VC funding. Despite the odds, women like Abunaw are rising above the inequities and charting transformative paths in the realm of entrepreneurship. A Bronx mother of two who days ago told relatives she was scared of her boyfriend was found dead in her apartment, police and family members said. Bjana James, 37, was found dead in her apartment in the Bronx’s Betances Houses on Friday, with her throat slashed, according to police sources, who said James’ death will likely be investigated as a homicide. There were no signs of forced entry or robbery, an NYPD spokesman said. Family members who gathered to light candles outside James’ apartment on Saturday said she had expressed concern to a family member earlier in the week that her boyfriend was acting unusual, and possibly going to hurt her. James stopped replying to texts on Wednesday night, the relatives said. The family of James Williams, a Black man who was fatally shot without warning by a white Ohio police officer minutes into the New Year, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the officer and the city of Canton in federal court. Williams, 46, had been firing celebratory gunfire skyward from behind a 6-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) privacy at his home when officer Robert Huber fired multiple rounds through the fence as smoke rose into the air. Footage from Huber’s body camera showed him shouting “Get down!” after he had shot Williams, who died at a hospital. Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo on the day of the shooting said the officer was outside his vehicle and confronted someone who began shooting a firearm. Angelo said the officer feared for his safety and fired his duty weapon at the person, striking him. Jajuan Henderson is seeking a jury trial and damages after he was allegedly ambushed, shot and ultimately paralyzed from the chest down by plainclothes police officers last month after he went to his car to get an iced tea from his car. Henderson, 29, was visiting the mother of his daughter on Centre Street in South Trenton on February 12 when a dark vehicle pulled up alongside him as he fetched the drink from his car, according to a civil suit filed by attorney Derek Demeri of Zeff Law Firm. According to the lawsuit, a group of masked men wearing dark clothes ‘jumped out of this mysterious vehicle and started yelling at [him]’ and began banging on his driver’s side window. Henderson allegedly picked up his cellphone and called the mother of his child for help – then, ‘appearing as any other group of dangerous criminals from a horror movie,’ the masked men broke his car window and shot him four times, at least once in the spinal cord. https://youtu.be/T42KfVz1Fvg R&B singer Keke Wyatt is a perfect example of a woman who has successfully pursued motherhood and a career. Her journey in parenthood, though, hasn’t always been easy. The mother of 10 is expecting her 11th child, whom she recently announced during a concert has been prenatally diagnosed with Trisomy 13, a genetic disorder that can cause severe intellectual disabilities and physical abnormalities. Wyatt, 40, tearfully sang about her unborn baby’s diagnosis during a March 13 concert.While the rhythm-and-blues singer was met with an outpouring of love from many fans, she also faced cruel comments from some Instagram users who saw the clip of her riffing as she shared the heartbreaking news, according to Us Weekly. After 14 seasons and becoming the best quarterback in franchise history, Matt Ryan is moving on from the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta traded Ryan on Monday to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2022 third-round draft pick, the team announced. The Falcons moved quickly to add Ryan’s possible successor, agreeing to a two-year contract with quarterback Marcus Mariota, who is familiar with coach Arthur Smith’s offensive scheme from their time together with the Tennessee Titans. Smith and Mariota worked together in multiple capacities in the five years they were together with the Titans, including Mariota’s six games as a starter during the 2019 season. That was Smith’s first year as the Titans’ offensive coordinator. The Colts were desperate for a quarterback after they traded Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders for third-round picks in 2022 and 2023. Ryan will be the Colts’ seventh different Week 1 starter in as many years and the fifth different starting quarterback in coach Frank Reich’s tenure. An all-new episode of TV One’s True Crime Mondays is back this Monday, March 21. FATAL ATTRACTION documents a thrilling love story gone bad at 9 p.m. ET / 8C. When a woman goes missing, police are reluctant to jump on the case because of her past. When they begin investigating the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, detectives find alarming evidence, leading to an even more disturbing crime. Find out how this story ends this Monday, March 21 at 9 p.m. ET / 8C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6CZx85pS3A All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series, UNSUNG and UNCENSORED are back this Sunday, March 20. UNSUNG leads with Grammy-award-winning singer, Thelma Houston at 9 p.m. ET/8C followed by UNCENSORED, which features hit-making producer and entrepreneur, Master P, at 10 p.m. ET/9C. Each episode will also be published on TVOne.tv and TV One’s social media platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwMvE9jqpsQ With the launch of Skims swim, Kim Kardashian is officially here to revamp your vacation mood. The cult-favorite shapewear brand has expanded its empire into swim with a highly anticipated drop of bikinis, one-pieces, and sarongs. The new collection includes 19 pieces in seven colors, including the brand's signature skin and earth tones, plus seasonal hues like periwinkle and cobalt. As much as Republicans love pointing out the Democrats started the Ku Klux Klan, it is an undeniable fact that here in the 21st century (and at least half the 20th for that matter) KKK members identify strongly with today’s Republican party. KKK members are showing up at GOP campaign rallies forcing the Republican candidates they’ve taken selfies with to work themselves up into a “wait, I don’t even know buddy” frenzy. Republican lawmakers are out here defending the Klan as protectors of law and order, and former grand wizard David Duke, who has run for office multiple times as a Republican, wanted credit for basically being a white supremacist template for Donald Trump’s presidency. According to an investigation launched by CBS46, Chester Doles, 61, is a former Klan leader-turned self-described “white civil rights activist.” On March 8, Doles filed an affidavit to qualify to run for Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners District 3. CBS46 said it “received the signed document from the county when they confirmed that he qualified,” but after reporters from the network started poking around and asking local and state elections officials questions about Doles and his felony record, the Georgia Republican Party “confirmed they started looking into it after we brought it to their attention.” According to Georgia code, for a convicted felon to run for office they need two things—their civil rights restored and 10 years since their last prison stint. Doles had the latter locked down, but according to the Georgia Republican Party, his rights “were not restored in time for the qualifying deadline,” which was March 8. Members of Howard University‘s faculty have threatened to go on strike over complaints of their working conditions. During a demonstration Wednesday that saw multiple Howard professors in attendance along with students, some university faculty threatened to execute a strike starting next week if they could not reach an agreement with the university by this Friday. https://twitter.com/i/status/1504120837921820673 In Dumas, Arkansas, a heartbroken and apologetic Wallace McGhee spoke about the Saturday (03/19/22) shooting that left one person dead and 24 others – including several children, injured – said that the event was being held to promote nonviolence. He added that Delta Neighborhood Empowerment Youth Organization had been holding the “Hood-Nic” event for 16 years without any previous incident. McGhee said that the group was standing behind the community and sharing their condolences with those injured. “We the hood, the committee, and we very send our deepest, our deepest condolences to the family or the tragedy that took care of today. It was some, some shooting that happened in the day, man. And we don’t really know what happened, you know what I’m saying? But we just wanna send our prayers, all our condolences to our friends and community. We here with y’all man, the ‘Hood Nic’ is here and we apologize for all this to happen. This had never happened with us in our event ever.” Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, a groundbreaking nominee, appears before senators Monday for a seat on a Supreme Court that itself has been moving in reverse. The court has allowed Texas to ban abortions since September and appears on the cusp of obliterating a half-century of reproductive rights nationwide. It has retrenched on voting rights protection and racial remedies. And it has increasingly sided with conservative believers in disputes over the separation of church and state. Jackson’s hearings will showcase her status as the first Black woman nominated to the high court. Yet the televised sessions will also bring into national focus the trajectory of America’s highest court, now controlled by a conservative supermajority. Solidified by the 2020 succession of Amy Coney Barrett to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat, the majority is likely to produce an even greater sea change in American law by the summer when its current session ends. https://youtu.be/m4vn5tGW4qE A man died after he was shot and then struck by a car and two others were wounded in an unrelated shooting at an East Oakland sideshow early Saturday morning (3-19-22). The initial call to police said that a person had been injured after being hit by a vehicle at 2:45 a.m. Saturday near 42nd Avenue and I-880, officials said. With the sideshow attracting an estimated 500-600 vehicles, delayed police from reaching the victim, they said. They found an Oakland resident with “massive trauma” to his body, police said. After taking him to a hospital, it was discovered that the man had also been shot. The AME Church has halted making payments to retired ministers on its pension plan after it unearthed possible payment irregularities. The denomination is one of the largest Black Protestant churches, having as many as 2.5 million members, according to a Wall Street Journal report. According to the same report, the church had approximately $120 million in retirement assets in 2017. The church has released a press release stating that an independent investigation agency is handling the case. It’s also working with law enforcement to investigate a possible crime. “The AME Church takes this crime severely,” read the release. “We’re additionally dedicated to creating each fund participant complete by restoring their full funding plus curiosity.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he is ready to sit down with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to try and end Moscow’s brutal invasion — adding that a failure to negotiate peace could result in World War III. ‘I’m ready for negotiations with him. I was ready for the last two years. And I think that without negotiations we cannot end this war,’ Zelensky told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. Kyiv’s wartime leader said he is prepared to meet Putin in whatever format it takes to get the autocrat face-to-face on the same day the United Nations announced more than 900 civilians have been killed since the attack began. Months before Disney CEO Bob Chapek tiptoed into a roiling debate in Florida and before the legislation that opponents would call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill was even filed, Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered a threat to business leaders who got in his way. “If you are in one of these corporations, if you’re a woke CEO, you want to get involved in our legislative business, look, it’s a free country,” the Florida Republican said last June. “But understand, if you do that, I’m fighting back against you. And I’m going to make sure that people understand your business practices, and anything I don’t like about what you’re doing.” DeSantis this month made clear he wasn’t bluffing. A day after Chapek publicly condemned a controversial Florida bill that would ban classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity before fourth grade, DeSantis ripped Disney in a room of supporters. He called Disney a “woke corporation” and criticized its business interests in China. Fox obtained and posted a video from the private event, and DeSantis and his staff helped spread it on social media. https://youtu.be/IunmML9Ghr4 This is the shocking moment a personal trainer flew into a fit of rage after finding his wife cheating on him with a homeless man. CCTV shows Eduardo Alves walk up to a parked car and peek through the windscreen, only to see his partner inside with another man. Enraged, he slams his fists on the glass before opening the car door and climbing inside to give the man a beating. The wife, a churchgoer, later told a friend she had received a ‘message from God’ to ‘help’ the rough sleeper. The incident took place in the neighborhood of Jardim Roriz in Brazil’s Federal District, in the early hours of March 10. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/03/19/7671041948977286634/636x382_MP4_7671041948977286634.mp4 Fans of the 57-year-old media maven have been eagerly awaiting her return to her Fox TV hit daytime talk series The Wendy Williams Show, but the former Hot 97 personality’s health has struggled to recover since contracting a breakthrough case of COVID-19 in early September, now it appears as though Wendy’s health is on the mend. Back in February, the star became embroiled in a tough legal battle against Wells Fargo after her former financial advisor Lori Schiller told the institution that she wasn’t of “sound mind” to handle her own finances. Schiller feared the TV pioneer would become a victim of “exploitation, dementia or undue influence,” Page Six noted. The bank swiftly froze Williams assets, citing her as an “incapacitated person.” https://youtu.be/qrluEgiy45s On February 12, 2020, Jacque Hollander sat in a conference room on the third floor of an Atlanta courthouse and told prosecutors she thought James Brown had been murdered. District Attorney Paul Howard listened, took notes, and accepted a green plastic bin full of items that Hollander said were corroborating evidence. The DA said his investigators would look into her claims about Brown’s death. But it seems not much was done, according to a CNN review of internal documents released in recent weeks. Potential evidence went untested. A key witness died without being interviewed. There is no indication that anyone tried to obtain Brown’s medical records. And when the DA’s office returned Hollander’s property in a cardboard box in March 2022, she said all the most important items she’d handed over were missing, without explanation. https://youtu.be/ETNWrulIDic A Nevada father was arrested on an open murder charge after allegedly beating his 5-year-old son who later died, according to police. Gerald Oglesby, 33, was arrested Wednesday after he whipped his son (General Sema’j Oglesby) with an electrical cord and punched him in the stomach after he became frustrated with the child for “not listening to him and talking back to him,” according to an arrest report obtained by CNN affiliate KTNV. In the report, Oglesby said he knew “something was wrong” after the incident because his son “was not acting normal.” The boy began to vomit, was unable to walk properly and had trouble breathing, the report states. Oglesby attempted compressions and rescue breaths on the child but couldn’t get him to start breathing on his own, according to the report. The father said he didn’t want to call the police for help because he was worried about losing custody of his child, adding that officers “would not understand his method of discipline,” the report says. After Oglesby realized his son was dead, he texted his sister and told her that his son “had died because he had whipped him too hard,” the report noted. https://youtu.be/wQS4sSSbNpg On the First Monday in May, the Met Gala will return to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The annual event will celebrate the Costume Institute’s exhibition on American fashion, titled In America: An Anthology of Fashion. Every year, the glitzy affair—which provides the Costume Institute with its primary source of annual funding—welcomes a red carpet full of A-list actors, singers, designers, and models. At this year’s event, Regina King, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda will host as the evening’s official co-chairs. Designer Tom Ford, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour will continue their roles as the event’s honorary co-chairs. The 2022 theme and exhibition, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, is part two of the Met’s thoughtful homage to our country’s history. Part one, titled In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, opened in September last year due to the pandemic. Still on view at the Anna Wintour Costume Center, the exhibition includes pieces from American standard-bearers such as Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein. (The 2021 Met Gala was also held in September, but this year, both the exhibition and gala mark a return to their usual May calendar spots.) Later this month, more than half of the pieces in the Lexicon exhibition will be rotated out in order to include garments by designers not yet featured, as well as designers whose work appeared in the first rotation. These additions will reflect the vitality and diversity of contemporary American fashion. Seven people have been charged after an armed robbery was staged last month on the French film set of hit Netflix series ‘Lupin’. Around twenty hooded thieves attacked the film crew by launching fireworks at them, a Netflix spokesperson said. They stole more than €300,000 (£250,000; $330,000) worth of equipment during the heist, in broad daylight. None of the cast or crew who were on set – reported to include the show’s star Omar Sy – were injured. The crew were attacked while they were filming in the Nanterre district, west of central Paris, forcing production to briefly pause. Marvel’s newest ‘Captain America’ and New Orleans native Anthony Mackie has reportedly purchased 20 acres of land in New Orleans East with the intention of building a new film studio, sources tell The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate. Sources close to the situation say the purchase of the land was finalized last Friday, according to land records. The land is right off of the I-10 Service Road and Read Boulevard. The negotiation has reportedly gone on for months. Mackie plans to base his new production company, East Studios LLC, at the new facility and is looking to buy more space nearby. Mackie is a graduate of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), and has maintained a close relationship to the city, even into his ascent into becoming a Hollywood mainstay. Perhaps best known for his role as The Falcon in the Marvel anthology films, Mackie has also had major roles in films like “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Notorious,” “Eagle Eye,” and “The Hurt Locker,” among countless other credits. Another syndicated daytime talk show is coming to an end: NBCUniversal’s veteran tabloid talker Maury, hosted and executive produced by Maury Povich. The show will end original productions at the end of this season, when Povich plans to retire. Original episodes will air through September, after which repeats of Maury will continue to air in syndication. This is the second show canceled by NBCUniversal this spring, joining Judge Jerry. Other syndicated daytime talk shows that recently got the ax include Sony TV’s The Good Dish as well as Debmar-Mercury’s Nick Cannon and The Wendy Williams Show, the latter to be replaced by a new talker, Sherri. The Maury Povich Show was launched in 1991 by Paramount Domestic Television. It shortened its name to Maury in the mid-1990s. In 1998, Studio USA took over the program. The company was subsequently acquired by NBCUniversal. The National Women’s Law Center has been blasted for dismissing critics of controversial transgender swimmer Lia Thomas as ‘misogynists.’ In a tweet published Friday, the non-profit wrote: ‘Lia Thomas deserves all the celebration for her success this season, but instead is being met with nationwide misogyny and transphobia. Lia, we need people like you. Not only as a swimmer, but to inspire women athletes—cis and trans—everywhere.’ The message also contained a link to a supportive Newsweek op-ed written by swimmer Erica Sullivan, who won silver in the 1,500 meter freestyle at Toyko 2020. Many users took issue with tweet, as Nigel Betteridge suggested that the organization ‘need to change their name…’ A parody account of twentieth century American composer Sam Barber pointed out that ‘allowing Thomas to compete against women IS misogyny. Allowing Thomas to colonize women IS misogyny.’ Another user, going by ‘Dame Squiggs’, suggested in her tweet that The National Women’s Law Center should ‘cis off.’ Warriors star Stephen Curry has been diagnosed with a sprained ligament in left foot that will sideline him indefinitely, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. X-rays on the foot returned negative Wednesday night – meaning no fracture or major damage. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry underwent an MRI on his injured left foot following the team’s 110-88 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. https://youtu.be/eDo0Npsz67U March Madness indicates many things. Upsets, the overuse of the term bracketology, the start of spring. But for NBA fans, it’s also a friendly reminder that the playoffs are only a stone’s throw away. At BasketballNews.com, they figured it was time to start preparing you for the game’s second season. Almost three years ago, the Toronto Raptors infamously built a wall in front of Antetokounmpo’s path to the rim. The following season, the Miami Heat reinforced this structure on their way to a 4-1 gentleman’s sweep. Last season, however, Antetokounmpo was able to overcome his postseason demons on route to an NBA championship and Finals MVP award, prompting some to wonder whether past defensive tactics were growing outdated. https://streamable.com/zh7pqo A few days ago, Mary J. Blige made a virtual appearance on E! News’ Daily Pop to share details about her latest album and the Super Bowl performance. That’s something a lot of folks and Mary’s fans are still excited about. Justin Sylvester, the show’s host, and self-proclaimed MJB fan, had something else on his mind that he wanted Miss Mary to respond to: motherhood. Here’s how he set things up. In his mind, He saw Mary as a mom with who he described as, “the cool aunty … that comes with the bags for Christmas,” the Mary he aspires to be in the future because he “ain’t havin’ no kids.” “Do you ever think you’re gonna get to the day where you’re like, ‘Damn, I maybe shoulda done it?’” Sylvester asked to open the chat. https://youtu.be/ke1DlUkrEvk Bounce TV presents a new crime thriller titled “Don’t Hang Up,” which stars Wendell Pierce (“The Wire,” “Suits”), Lauren Holly (NCIS), and Eden Cupid. Inspired by a true story, Chris Daniels (Pierce) is a college professor, husband, and father whose world is turned upside down when he receives a phone call claiming that his daughter has been kidnapped and demanding a ransom. The series of events takes him into a twisted 24-hour odyssey where he must complete several missions to save his daughter’s life while staying on the phone with the menacing kidnappers. Meanwhile, as the hours race by, the growing number of unanswered texts and calls from his wife Tracy (Holly) leads to escalating fear and even police interference – which unwittingly puts the safe return of their daughter in even greater jeopardy. https://youtu.be/ascmA20xPxU Yea, I’m an alumnus,” said Country music’ rising star Ian Flanigan about being on Team Blake Shelton on NBC’s “The Voice,” making it to third place in the 19th season. “It does feel good, it’s a great group.” Still riding high on his hit single “Grow Up” featuring Blake Shelton, Ian is currently promoting his new single “Under a Southern Sky.” Flanigan is opening act for Blake Shelton’s Ole’ Red concert series, taking place during the month of March. https://youtu.be/wHCVDAw96pM While Quinta Brunson is enjoying the success of her hit sitcom, “Abbott Elementary,” it looks like there is a previous job that she isn’t too fond of. According to Brunson, the job description was looking for someone to “Play a character for someone to call you up and have a good time” — which sounded “fun” to her. She was given the name Crystal for her persona, and was sent a picture of video vixen “Buffie the Body.” https://youtu.be/by5wL2TbNzs The Rams and Matthew Stafford have reached agreement on a four-year, $160 million extension that includes $135 million guaranteed and should allow the veteran quarterback to finish his career in Los Angeles, sources tell ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Stafford is cashing in on his spectacular debut season with the Rams after 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, who traded the 2009 No. 1 overall pick to Los Angeles a year ago. Stafford would be 38 years old in the final season of the extension. Stafford is headed into the final year of his previous five-year, $135 million deal signed in Detroit, but he repeatedly said he had no interest in going anywhere. His new deal also is clearly calculated to allow the Rams to retain more of their championship core while adding new pieces, since Stafford almost certainly could have received more money at the top of the quarterback market. Aaron Rodgers‘ new deal with the Packers is essentially a three-year, $150 million contract. Lakers forward LeBron James climbed to second all-time on the NBA’s points list with a drive to the basket and a lay-up that earned him a standing ovation from the crowd at Capital One Arena. James, with his lay-up, had put up 21 points against the Wizards in a brilliant second quarter. At the time of his historic basket, he’s totaled 36,930 career points. It was good enough to pass Hall of Famer Karl Malone for sole possession of second place. Earlier in the quarter, he moved into a tie for second place with a 3-pointer and a hand in his face in part of a ridiculous stretch where he scored 15-straight Los Angeles points to open the frame. The last points of that stretch were the points that moved him into second place. A Dominican drug trafficker who was jealous of David Ortiz and felt disrespected by him had him shot at a Dominican nightclub in 2019, according to private investigators the Red Sox slugger hired to look into the attack that nearly killed him. The findings by former Boston police commissioner Edward Davis reported by the Boston Globe on Saturday contradict the theory of the crime developed by Dominican prosecutors. Davis told the newspaper that he identified the drug-trafficker César Peralta as having orchestrated the shooting by placing a bounty on Ortiz and sanctioning the hit squad that tried to kill him. Dominican authorities did not cooperate with the private investigation. Peralta is being held in held without bail in Puerto Rico on unrelated charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and heroin. The U.S. Treasury designated Peralta a drug kingpin in 2019 and he was extradited to the U.S. territory in December. Ortiz’s spokesperson, Joe Baerlein, told the Globe that Davis’ findings were withheld for Ortiz’s safety until Peralta was in U.S. custody. There’s another must-see Juwan Howard video from a handshake line. Howard, Michigan’s basketball coach, wrapped his arms around sobbing Tennessee star Kennedy Chandler after the No. 11 seed Wolverines upset the No. 3 Volunteers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16. https://twitter.com/i/status/1505333962130227202 A 13-year-old boy drove the pickup truck involved in a fiery head-on collision in Texas that killed nine people, including six University of the Southwest golfers and their coach, a National Transportation Safety Board official said Thursday. The 13-year-old died in the wreck, along with an adult who was riding with him in the pickup. Investigators were able to identify the remains of the driver by his size, NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said. Preliminary information indicates the left front tire of the pickup was a spare that failed, causing the vehicle to pull hard to the left into oncoming traffic of a two-lane roadway, Landsberg said. Both vehicles were probably moving close to the posted speed limit of 75 mph, he said. In Texas, a minor can begin the classroom part of a driver education course at 14 but must be at least 15 to apply for a learner license, according to the public safety department website. A ‘depressed’ Vladimir Putin is ‘set to hold a nuclear evacuation drill’ having ‘moved his family to a ‘secret underground city’ with the Kremlin’s doomsday plan, insider sources have claimed. One source that previously said Putin is suffering from multiple and serious medical problems, and also claimed that Russian death toll in the Ukraine war was higher than even Kyiv’s estimates with over 17,000 casualties in 23 days of fighting. Putin ‘often pours his anger out on those close to him,’ the latest account said from the source – a Telegram channel supposedly linked to an ex-Kremlin intelligence insider who claims to retain close links to those in Putin’s circle. ‘He has no deep conversations with almost anyone, and limited contact even with his children – not only his [adult] daughters but also his [undisclosed] children with [Olympic gold medal winning gymnast, 38] Alina Kabaeva’. The source said that Putin shocked his top generals recently by demanding nuclear drill be undertaken, increasing fears he is preparing for a nuclear conflict. Vladimir Putin has deployed the use of deadly hypersonic missiles in Ukraine for the first time ever, as the conflict in Ukraine takes a dark turn. The Russian military says it used the Kinzhal hypersonic missile to destroy an underground ammunition depot in Delyatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, according to local news outlet Zvezda. Details about the operation remain scarce, but Russia has previously bragged about its hypersonic weapons arsenal. Missiles such as the 3M22 Zircon are said to be so fast and able to fly so low that they evade traditional anti-missile defense systems. Such weapons are believed to have a range of around 1,000 kilometers, military.com reports. House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill banning race-based discrimination on hair, specifically textures or styles associated with a particular race or national origin such as dreadlocks, Afros and braids. The bill, known as the CROWN Act, was co-sponsored by Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley, among others, who cited research showing that Black students were significantly more likely to face school detention, often for dress code violations based on their hair. “I want my two girls to grow up in a world where they know they will not be discriminated against because of their hair or the way they look,” Omar said in a press release on Friday after the vote. “Natural Black hair is often deemed ‘unprofessional’ simply because it does not conform to white beauty standards,” Representative Watson Coleman, a co-sponsor, said. “Discrimination against Black hair is discrimination against Black people.” The legislation attracted derision from some Republicans, including Representative Lauren Boebert, who referred to it as “the bad hair bill.” The CROWN Act passed with some bipartisan support in the House and will now move to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Democratic Senator Cory Booker. It will need to secure 60 votes in the evenly divided chamber to pass. A Florida high school came under fire last week for prohibiting a Black honors student from walking across the stage at his high school graduation without cutting his dreadlocks. Abeka Academy in Pensacola issued an apology on Tuesday after the student’s mother launched a Change.org petition in protest, gaining over 53,000 signatures. “Abeka Academy apologizes for the insensitive rule of ‘no dreadlocks’ in the dress and hair guidelines for our optional homeschool graduation,” the school said in a statement posted to Instagram and Facebook. “This does not reflect our desire to respect and serve the broad diversity among ABA students. Therefore, we have removed this reference from our requirements.” In screenshots shared with Black With No Chaser, Latrenda Rush revealed how the school had denied her straight-A son Jacob Rush the opportunity to participate in his graduation ceremony without removing his dreadlocks. “I noticed that Jacob’s hair does not meet the requirements for marching at graduation,” said an email from administrator Karen Northrop last week, according to a screenshot. “As a reminder, for the graduates participating in the ceremony, we ask the gentlemen to have hair tapered and may not come over the ears, eyebrows, or collar [no braids, dreadlocks, buns, or ponytails].” The “King of Staten Island” will no longer be making his first out-of-this-world appearance. “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson was scheduled to fly to the edge of space next week on a rocket and capsule by Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company created by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. However, the company announced Thursday night that the flight, originally slated for Wednesday, was being rescheduled to March 29. “Pete Davidson is no longer able to join the NS-20 crew on this mission,” a company spokesperson said in a written statement. “We will announce the sixth crew member in the coming days.” Davidson, 28, had been slated to travel to space with Party America CEO Marty Allen; philanthropist and real estate mogul Marc Hagle and his wife, Sharon Hagle, the founder of the nonprofit SpaceKids Global; explorer and University of North Carolina professor Jim Kitchen; and Dr. George Nield, the president of Commercial Space Technologies and former manager of the Flight Integration Office for NASA’s space shuttle program. An aspiring Miami rapper was shot and killed just moments after he was released from jail. Baby Cino, whose real name is Timothy Starks, was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Wednesday after being arrested on a gun charge, the Miami Herald reports. Starks was picked up in a red Nissan — still wearing an inmate wristband — that was gunned down just minutes later, the news outlet adds. The shooter reportedly began firing at least 40 shots from another vehicle as Starks’ car entered Palmetto Expressway during rush hour. The Nissan hit a wall on the ramp, and Starks suffered several gunshot wounds, including one to his head, according to the Herald. He was 20. Dante Collins Banks, Starks’ friend who picked him up from jail, was also shot in the abdomen and treated at a local hospital. The identity of the shooter is not known; however, Miami-Dade Police Department detectives said, per the publication, that “a dark-colored vehicle was seen fleeing the area at a high rate of speed.” Police sources added that they are investigating to determine if the shooting is connected to previous incidents with a possible link to street gangs. Merri Dee was described by the late performer Nancy Wilson, in her 2013 memoir. with the words “trailblazing TV and radio icon,” and “girl-next-door” in Dee’s “Merri Dee: Life Lessons on Faith, Forgiveness & Grace.” Having spent 43 years in Chicago broadcasting, primarily at WGN-Ch. 9, Dee was an on-air reporter and anchor for WGN from 1972-1983 and was director of community relations until 2008, when she retired. But these are just a few of the titles for Dee, born Mary Frances. Also from her memoir: “I’ve been a bag girl in a grocery store, computer demonstrator, runway model, auto show commentator, disc jockey, newscaster, radio and TV talk show host, editorial spokesperson, mistress/master of ceremonies, broadcast administrator, AARP Illinois state president, commissioner on the Illinois Human Rights Commission, U.S. Army ambassador, successful fundraiser, adoption advocate, children’s champion and one of Chicago’s first African American females in the broadcast business.” Dee died this week at the age of 85. Her death was reported Wednesday by WGN and family members, who said she died overnight in her sleep at her home. A judge in Chicago has ruled that an attorney for Jussie Smollett might have defamed two Black brothers who testified that they participated in a fake racist and homophobic attack on the actor when she suggested they had been wearing “whiteface.” The Chicago Tribune reported that U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland’s ruling centers on comments Tina Glandian made on NBC’s “Today” show in March 2019, shortly after the Cook County State’s Attorney announced it was dropping charges accusing Smollett of lying to police about the incident two months earlier. Discussing how Smollett had told police that one of his attackers was white, Glandian said the very dark-skinned brothers might have “put makeup on” to disguise their color. Further, she criticized Chicago police for their alleged failure to investigate an online video showing one of the brothers “in whiteface doing a joke monologue with white makeup on.” Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo filed a defamation lawsuit, alleging that the comments were part of a effort to portray them as racist, homophobic and violent men who truly attacked Smollett. Kanye West will not be performing at the Grammys this year. The move by the folks who run the show was because of what insiders are calling YE’s “concerning online behavior.” Sources close to West and his team and his team say he received a phone call Friday evening, informing him he has been pulled from the line-up of performers for the show, reports The Blast. The Grammy situation spread to other artists, including rapper The Game, who defended Kanye West on his social media. “Time & time again they show us that they only want to STEAL the culture, not allow you to ever be their equals. In a more than obvious move for reasons of minuscule actions…. The Grammys have at the last minute decided to pull (Kanye West) from performing on the show as if we didn’t know it was coming,” Game wrote. He continued, “Could be because (Trevor Noah) is hosting and there was a conversation held amongst his team & the academy that led to the decision or because Ye’s account was suspended just days ago for reasons unknown, especially in a world where all the negativities of the world can be found on the same app with no repercussions or suspensions…. We’ll just say it’s all of the above & a continuous disrespect for us & all that we have brought to the table in entertainment, media & sports over the last 100 years especially.” Former President Donald Trump, RayJ, and Kodak Black were under one roof as they attended dinner Thursday evening at Donald’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. The dinner was a fundraiser for Vernon Jones. According to @PageSix, Ray brought Kodak as his plus one and introduced the two after Trump issued him a commutation in the final hours of his presidency in 2020! Ray spoke to Page Six, stating, “It was the right thing to do. Trump pardoned him.” Other attendees included #RudyGiuliani, Pastor #DarrellScott, and former NYPD Commissioner #BernardKerik. Ray's take on politics, ” I support many of the policies and positions of Vernon Jones, President Trump, and others who are committed and fighting for the soul of America. Every child should have a right to attend a performing school and receive a quality education.” He continued stating, “The middle class want and need good jobs with fair wages. Starting a small business is part of the American dream. Education and economics are non-partisan and go hand in hand. I support individuals who fight for these causes.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbQ534EJPaZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again It is been a decade since the tragic death of Whitney Houston, and CBS is out to put in an hour-long special in commemoration. Houston accidentally drowned in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel room. The toxicology reports pointed to her multiple drug use. The special titled “Whitney, A Look Back” will air on CBS on Saturday, April 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT to mark the 10th anniversary. It is produced by Entertainment Tonight and contains footage from ET’s own vault. It will also livestream on Paramount+ but via an on-demand basis. Erin Johnson is the Executive Producer, while Leslie Kawaguchi and Whitney Wallace serve as Co-Executive Producers. https://youtu.be/6J538b-OLRU The legendary Denzel Washington joins us for the Season 4 premiere to talk about his latest project “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” growing up in Mount Vernon, controversial pizza toppings, his late mother (and her appreciation for Billy Dee Williams), coming up in the theater, and always keeping “an attitude of gratitude.” https://youtu.be/eCt8dF2temY The Cleveland Browns have agreed to trade for Houston Texans‘ quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to ESPN and NFL.com. Watson posted an edited picture of himself in a Browns uniform on Instagram Friday with a caption saying, “Cleveland, LETSSSS GOOOO!! #DawgPound Ready To Work!” Last week, a Harris County grand jury declined to charge Watson over allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct. Watson still faces 22 civil lawsuits, many of them alleging sexual assault and misconduct. The NFL is also investigating the accusations and if Watson is found to have violated league rules, he likely would be suspended. https://youtu.be/p46vDvSgmoQ New York Times best-selling author Carl Weber is taking “The Black Hamptons” to BET. Based on Weber’s novel of the same name, the new four-part original limited series takes place in the town of Sag Harbor, Long Island, NY, also known as “The Black Hamptons.” As reported by BET, the star-studded cast includes Lamman Rucker, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Elise Neal, Brian White, Karon Riley, Mike Merrill, Blac Chyna, Aaron Spears, Daya Vaidya, Cameo Sherrell, Franklin Ojeda Smith, Jordan Smith, Jennifer Freeman, David Andrews, and more. The story follows the brewing feud between old money families the ‘Brittons’ and the ‘Johnsons,’ per the report. Rapper/actress Eve took to social media on Friday to share a rare video of her newborn son Wilde Wolf, with husband Maximillion Cooper. The couple welcomed their first child together last month, and the new footage shows her craddlign her sleeping newborn on her chest. “Wilde, my precious baby,” she says in the clip. “This is heaven. This is heaven right here.” Eve and Cooper welcomed their son Feb. 1. https://twitter.com/i/status/1504843794163843078 Pixar’s forthcoming Toy Story prequel Lightyear has decided to put a same-sex kiss back in following an internal backlash to Disney’s handling of Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The movie, which is out June 17, features Chris Evans as the voice of the character Buzz Lightyear. One of Buzz’s colleagues on his mission is a character named Hawthorne, voiced by Uzo Aduba. It was stated that Hawthorne is in “a meaningful relationship with another woman.” While that was always a part of the story, a kiss shared by the couple had been cut from the film. Now that came to a head in recent weeks as the company was revealed to be funding government officials who supported Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill which is soon expected to be signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The legislation would limit what teachers can say about gender and sexuality in the classroom. It was said that the company ignored those allegations until its own Pixar employees called them out! They claimed that Disney execs cut “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection… regardless of when there is a protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.” The bold move forced CEO Bob Chapek to acknowledge the controversy and, finally, put an end to the political funding. The letter clearly worked as the kiss to Disney’s upcoming summer blockbuster was also restored, Variety reports. The Queen of Basketball, a best documentary short Oscar nominee, received some good news on Wednesday, a week ahead of the start of final voting for the Oscars, The Hollywood Reporter has learned: Stephen Curry, the NBA star, has joined Shaquille O’Neal, the retired NBA legend, as an executive producer of Ben Proudfoot’s New York Times Op-Docs film about Lusia ‘Lucy’ Harris, a trailblazing women’s basketball player who died in January. “We’re honored to join the talented team behind The Queen of Basketball and play a role in uplifting the story of the trailblazing Lucy Harris,” Curry and Erick Peyton, co-founders of Unanimous Media, said in a statement. “Lucy, a true pioneer in the game of basketball and an inspiration for many, deserves to be recognized for her achievements. Through this compelling short subject documentary, her legacy will continue to live on and impact audiences all over the world.” Added O’Neal: “Stephen Curry is one of the NBA’s most iconic players whose voice speaks volumes on and off the court. I’m thrilled to have him join the team to help immortalize Lusia Harris, aka ‘The Queen of Basketball.’” https://youtu.be/vPFkcoTfr7g SNL's Chris Redd may be treading lightly around the volatile situation involving cast member Pete Davidson and Kanye West, but Davidson’s “SNL” castmate Chris Redd has some jokes ready when the time is right. “I think Pete’s handling it well and you know, he’s starting to talk again, and he is handling that well,” Redd, who has impersonated West on the sketch comedy show, told Sirius XM’s The Jess Cagle Show this week. “So, I think these jokes gonna start flying soon.” Davidson is currently dating West’s ex-wife, Kiim Kardashian. In recent alleged text exchanges between West and Davidson, posted to Instagram by Davidson’s longtime friend and comedian Dave Sirus, Davidson stated that he was the driving force behind “SNL’s” decision to avoid jokes aimed at West. “You have no idea how nice I’ve been to you despite your actions towards me,” Davidson’s text read. “I’ve stopped ‘SNL’ from talking about or making fun of you which they’ve wanted to do for months. I’ve stopped stand up comedians from doing bits about you cause I don’t want the father of my girls kids to look bad out there.” Redd added that some angles of the conflict are, however, off-limits. Steve Harvey has issued a warning to Kanye West after the rapper said he “can afford to hurt” D.L. Hughley. Kanye’s threats came after Hughley called him a stalker in a recent interview with VladTV. “He’s stalking her,” Hughley said of West’s antics amid his divorce from Kim Kardashian. “You can think it’s cute. If it was my daughter, I’d do something about it. I don’t think it’s funny… If you want your family back, stop doing the shit you did that made her leave.” Ye responded in a post on social media, saying “…DL Hughley is a pawn Yeah I know a king not supposed to address a pawn but I address everything and find addresses DL So don’t speak on me or my children I can afford to hurt u.” He also uploaded a video of Hughley passing out onstage in 2020 amid his battle with COVID-19. “We gone stop letting practicing drug addicts be used by leftist to Willie Lynch our Future Black people with our own opinion are not allowed to speak in public,” the hip-hip star captioned the clip. “I am the glitch DL God does not like you You have no favor Your family hates you I would hate to be related to somebody who used to be famous Now you just known as a broke pawn at least Oprah got billions ‘allegedly’ Come on leftist Y’all gotta do better than DL This Ye Bring the real smoke baby.” During a new episode of the “Steve Harvey Morning Show,” the host defended his fellow comedian by issuing his own threat to Kanye. “Pull up, it ain’t what you want. If y’all do get to scrapping, all my cash on D.L., cause you have no idea. You been a lil politically, socially conscious rapper—we from a ass-whoopin’ era. … We from a whole ’nother era,” Harvey, 65, said. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbNNGSgg5_k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A woman who was shot and killed after a dispute at an #Atlanta bowling alley was the mother of one of Young Thug’s children. The Atlanta Police Department responded to #MetroFunCenter last night after receiving a report that a 31-year-old woman had been shot. When authorities arrived, they found #LaKeviaJackson dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Cops said Jackson was involved in a dispute inside the venue over a bowling ball which eventually escalated to gunfire in the parking lot. Jackson’s mother confirmed her death to a local reporter, saying LaKevia was at the bowling alley to celebrate a friend’s birthday when the dispute started. She also said the alleged shooter waited in the parking lot for at least 20 minutes to confront the woman again as she left the celebration. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbQaR2RNGbs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Some people with pain, anxiety or depression who obtain medical marijuana cards may overuse marijuana within a short time frame, leading to cannabis use disorder while failing to improve their symptoms, a new study found. Cannabis use disorder, also known as marijuana use disorder, is associated with dependence on the use of weed. People are considered dependent on weed when they feel food cravings or have a lack of appetite, irritability, restlessness, and mood and sleep difficulties after quitting, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Heavy use of marijuana by teens and young adults with mood disorders — such as depression and bipolar disorder — was linked to an increased risk of self-harm, suicide attempts and death, according to an earlier study published in 2021. A collection of letters from Black Americans to their former enslavers provide a rare firsthand glimpse into the lives of enslaved men and women and the people who controlled their lives. The letters were published by The Washington Post, with the spelling standardized and paragraph breaks added for readability, the outlet noted. Per the publication, “Three of these five letters were written by formerly enslaved people directly to their onetime enslavers.” One was written by famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and another was written by an enslaved woman searching for her daughter. Lincoln was never a slaveholder, but as president during the Civil War, he held the fate and freedom of millions of Black Americans in his hands. As such, he received hundreds of letters from Black Americans, both free and enslaved, many of which are collected in a new book. When Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation, he did not free enslaved people in slave states that remained in the Union, like Maryland, where Annie Davis was held. Belair, Aug. 25th, 1864 Mr. President, It is my Desire to be free. To go to see my people on the Eastern Shore. My mistress won’t let me. You will please let me know if we are free and what I can do. I write to you for advice. Please send me word this week, or as soon as possible, and obliged. Annie Davis Belair, Harford County, MD. There is no evidence Lincoln responded. However, the state of Maryland ended slavery months later, a move the president had urged. The board of directors of Hillsong, the global megachurch and music empire co-founded by Australian pastor Brian Houston, released a statement Friday (March 18) addressing two complaints about Houston, including an accusation that the married pastor had spent time alone in a hotel room with a woman in 2019. In the statement, which came as the story was breaking in the Australian press, said the Hillsong board has been “dealing with two complaints made against Pastor Brian over the last 10 years,” and said each was investigated by a board member, or “a body appointed by the global board,” and dealt with confidentiality. The other complaint related to an accusation that Houston had flirted with a staff member over text message a decade ago. Prior to the statement being released, Hillsong reportedly held a video meeting with 800 Hillsong staffers around the world in which interim senior pastor Phil Dooley, who is leading the church while Houston is on leave due to ongoing legal troubles, discussed the complaints for the first time with the church at large. Dooley explained the texts, according to Australia’s ABC News, as being to the effect of, “‘If I was with you, I’d like to kiss and cuddle you,’ words of that nature.” A Chinese aircraft carrier sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Friday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said, just hours before the Chinese and U.S. presidents were due to talk. China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, and has over the past two years stepped up its military activity near the island to assert its sovereignty claims, alarming Taipei and Washington. A source with direct knowledge of the matter, who was not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the carrier Shandong sailed close to the Taiwan-controlled island of Kinmen, which sits directly opposite the Chinese city of Xiamen. “Around 10:30 a.m. the CV-17 appeared around 30 nautical miles to the southwest of Kinmen, and was photographed by a passenger on a civilian flight,” the source said, referring to the Shandong’s official service number. The USS Ralph Johnson, an Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyer, shadowed the carrier at least partly on its route. The Shandong did not have aircraft on its deck and sailed north through the strait, the source added. Taiwan also sent warships to keep an eye on the situation, the source said. Jussie Smollett’s release from jail on Wednesday night has spawned a wave of disbelief, outrage and mockery of the entire case against Empire actor, with many considering it the latest episode in a long-running farce that began when he falsely claimed he’d been beaten up. Smollett was convicted of five counts of felony disorderly conduct in December after a jury found he did lie to police in January 2019 and repeatedly since then by claiming he was attacked up by two white, homophobic Trump supporters in January 2019. In reality, the men were two black brothers who say Smollett paid them to carry it out in an attempt to raise his celebrity profile. Justin Bieber shared with fans during his latest “Justice” tour stop how his wife, Hailey Baldwin, is doing after her recent health scare. “Most of you probably know or have seen the news about my wife … but she’s OK, she’s good, she’s strong,” the “Peaches” singer, 28, said during a vulnerable moment at his concert in Denver Wednesday night, which he later posted on Instagram. “But it’s been scary, you know, it’s been really scary,” he added. “But I know for a fact that God has her in the palms of His hands, and that’s a good thing.” Baldwin, 25, revealed on her Instagram Story last Saturday that she had been hospitalized after suffering a medical emergency that included “stroke like symptoms.” “They found I had suffered a very small blood clot to my brain, which caused a small lack of oxygen, but my body had passed it on its own and I recovered completely within a few hours,” she wrote. A black child was subjected by police to a strip search at her London school that involved exposure of intimate body parts, according to an official investigation which found racism was likely to have been an “influencing factor” in the officers’ actions. No appropriate adult was present during the 15-year-old girl’s ordeal, described by a senior local authority figure as “humiliating, traumatizing and utterly shocking” and which took place without parental consent and in the knowledge that she was menstruating. Details of her treatment in her secondary school’s medical room have emerged in a child safeguarding review initiated by Hackney council after the incident in December 2020. The child was made to bend over, spread her legs and use her hands to spread her buttocks while coughing, and she is now in therapy and self-harming, according to family members’ statements to the inquiry. The damning report said: “Having considered the context of the incident, the views of those engaged in the review and the impact felt by Child Q and her family, racism (whether deliberate or not) was likely to have been an influencing factor in the decision to undertake a strip search.” Parenting is hard for everyone, and for people of color, the challenge of raising children can also stir up racial trauma that goes back generations. When Yolanda Williams got pregnant at 36, she was confronted with a host of emotions. She never really wanted children — partly because of how she felt when she was a child. “I didn’t like children and I didn’t want to be around them, and I realized, it wasn’t until after I had my daughter Gia, I realized that was because of how I was raised,” she says. “I felt like I was a burden. And so I saw children as burdens. I didn’t see them as the wonderful teachers that they are, that now I can see them as.” While pregnant, Williams went through all sorts of emotions and began a journey of studying up on childhood development and getting to the bottom of her own childhood trauma. https://youtu.be/BDWocIBc26s A white high-schooler has been charged with a hate crime after being caught on video throwing cotton balls at a Black student and whipping him with his belt, authorities said Wednesday. The 15-year-old freshman at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma was arrested Tuesday on battery and hate crime charges after authorities reviewed a recording showing what happened inside the cafeteria on March 9. The video shows the white student walking up behind a Black student sitting in the crowded lunchroom. He throws a handful of cotton balls at him, and then whips him repeatedly with his belt until the Black student stands and pushes him, news outlets reported. “I’m very pleased that the school took a front stand on this,” Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Tim Soignet said in a news release. “When we received the complaint, we immediately put our detectives on it. They worked through the weekend so we could get to this point,” Soignet said. “My officers did a good job handling it and working with the school to get this case to where it is now.” News outlets reported that the victim is one of only a few Black students at the school. Authorities didn’t identify the students, and it wasn’t clear if the arrested teen has a lawyer who could speak for him. The FBI once again called attention to the case of Jelani Day, reminding the public on Thursday of a $10,000 reward for information related to the Illinois State University graduate student’s death. Day, 25, was reported missing on Aug. 25 after he failed to return messages from his professor and family. His car was located a day later, and his body was found Sept. 4 floating in the Illinois River in Peru. The LaSalle County coroner identified the body as Day’s weeks later. His case went national following media coverage of Gabby Petito, 22, the subject of global attention after she was reported missing Sept. 11 and found dead eight days later. Critics noted that missing people of color often don’t get the same kind of media attention. Authorities said Day was last seen the morning of Aug. 24 at Beyond/Hello, a cannabis dispensary in Bloomington. Surveillance video showed Day wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt, a Detroit Lions baseball hat, light-colored shorts, and black shoes at the dispensary. His clothing was found in his car, police said. The FBI initially announced the $10,000 reward in December. It was a part of a nationwide, multiplatform social media campaign through the Jelani Day Joint Task Force to seek new leads “regarding Day’s final hours leading to the identification of new witnesses or evidence in this case.” Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower said Tuesday that he will be taking control of the finances of Mason, Tenn. a majority Black town of about 1,500 people located within five miles of the future site Blue Oval City, the Ford electric truck and battery plant that represents one of the largest manufacturing investments in the state’s history. “I’m sad for the taxpayers of Mason,” he said. “We will be working hard to step in and get their finances in shape.” The Comptroller’s move comes over the objections of Mason’s elected officials, who have been fighting to maintain control over their town since Mumpower issued an ultimatum last month: either cede control of Mason’s 153-year-old charter or face a financial takeover by the state. Relinquishing its charter would have placed the majority Black, majority Democrat town under control of largely White and Republican-led Tipton County. On Monday night, the town’s Board of Aldermen, in an emergency meeting, passed a resolution to keep their charter, Vice Mayor Virginia Rivers said Tuesday. It was that decision that the Comptroller said led him to act. Mumpower’s staff will likely finalize their takeover plans by the end of the week. She's back! Erica Campbell drops "Positive." This song is in The Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XBGhhdEuzA The stage is being set for the biggest night in Gospel Quartet music. The inaugural Quartet Music Awards (The QMAs) will take place on Saturday, June 18 at Center Stage Theater, 1374 West Peachtree Street in Atlanta, GA. The ceremony will be a history-making night of electrifying performances and memorable moments. The QMAs will showcase the rich legacy the genre of Quartet has contributed to the landscape of Gospel, Soul, Blues, Rock, and R&B music. The award show will be hosted by 'the hottest host on the east coast' Justin Rufus and The Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones. The Quartet Music Awards is the vision of D. Chubbs Morton. Morton is a songwriter, musician, and front-man for the popular group D. Morton and Gifted. The QMAs will not only recognize today's most talented Quartet artists, groups, and rising stars but will honor the icons and legends who have helped lay the footprint and have kept the genre thriving. The first class of QMA Honors (living and posthumous) will be presented to the late Lee Williams (Lee Williams and The Spiritual QC's), Tiffanie Tutu Agee (The Truthetts), George Dean (The Gospel 4), Evelyn Turrentine-Agee, Harvey Watkins, Jr. (The Canton Spirituals), the late Cleve Graham (The Pilgrim Jubilees), Spencer Taylor (The Highway QC's) and the late Percy Griffin (The Swannie Quintet). Your Girls, Adriann, Ashley, Aundrea, and Kanika are back with a BANG! The 2x Stellar Award winners have managed life, marriage, school, and children to reunite to share with you their new music ?“He’ll Be There!” Here is another song in The Gospel Spotlight!!! https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/6963671?date=20210324&user_id=668306&signature=0gOlHR-Zbw8CtpInlsXQq6Omk-4%3Ae9gjy6Yg US basketball star Brittney Griner‘s legal team has seen her several times a week throughout her detention in Russia and they reported that she is well, a source close to the situation told CNN Thursday. News of Griner’s condition comes after a Moscow court announced it extended the arrest of Griner until May 19, according to Russian state news agency TASS. “The court granted the request of the investigation and extended the period of detention of the US citizen Griner until May 19,” the court said, per TASS. The source added that the Russian investigation is ongoing, and a trial date has not been set. According to Russian authorities, the two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested on allegations of drug smuggling significant amounts of narcotic substance at a Moscow airport. US Rep. Colin Allred of Texas said she was arrested on February 17. https://youtu.be/FD6uXV8V6rM Moderna announced Thursday that it’s asked the US Food and Drug Administration for authorization for a second Covid-19 booster shot for everyone 18 and older. Moderna is seeking an amendment of the FDA’s emergency use authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine to allow a fourth vaccine dose for any adults who’ve gotten an initial booster of any of the authorized or approved vaccines. “The request to include adults over 18 years of age was made to provide flexibility for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and healthcare providers to determine the appropriate use of an additional booster dose of mRNA-1273, including for those at higher risk of COVID-19 due to age or comorbidities,” the company said in a news release. “This submission is based in part on recently published data generated in the United States and Israel following the emergence of Omicron.” https://youtu.be/hhJx2oymsZ8 An employee with the Walt Disney Company has filed a $20 million dollar lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department for racial profiling. According to legal documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Ernest Simon Jr., who is Black, was working on a location shoot for “Grey’s Anatomy” in Tarzana, California as a driver for the series’ production crew. Simon claims he was stopped by police on suspicion of stealing the Ford van he was driving. The involved officers reportedly mistakenly matched the plates of the van with a BMW sedan that was reported missing. Kanye West is set to headline the 2022 Coachella music festival but a petition has been launched calling for organizers to drop him from the lineup. The new Change.org petition says organizers “should be ashamed of themselves” for giving West “a platform” amid his latest rants toward his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, and her alleged new boyfriend, Pete Davidson. “We have watched Kanye harass, manipulate, and hurt Kim, Pete, and others for over a year now,” reads the petition, which has amassed more than 5000 signatures by Friday morning. “No one seems to want to stand up to him, and the ones that do, he puts under fire as well. This is ridiculous that he is allowed to freely do this." Former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has been hired by the NFL to help defend it against a major class-action lawsuit. We reported earlier that the case, brought by ex-Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores, has him suing the league for racial discrimination after being overlooked for job openings. There are only 2 Black head coaches in the NFL which is made up of 32 teams and 70 percent of the players are Black. When news broke that the NFL had hired Lynch, HBCU Pride Nation posted on Instagram Feb. 17: “This feels like betrayal and we don’t understand why she would take on this case.” Lynch, 62, is a Harvard grad and the first Black Female Attorney General in US history. She was appointed by former President Barack Obama. https://youtu.be/PluS6codECM Boosie Badazz posted a video on Instagram Thursday in which he defends using a magnifying glass to examine women’s genitalia with his 18-year-old son. This incident reportedly occurred during a pay-per-view event hosted by Boosie. In select footage shared online, the rapper can be heard the video, saying, “Look at the p*ssy, son. Look at that pearl. Her f*cking turtlehead is sticking out.” Boosie moves on to another woman: “Let me see your p*ssy. Let me see this muthaf*cka.” The clip has infuriated many who have shared their criticism of his parenting style on social media. Boosie hopped on social media and responded to the outrage by asking online users, “if it’s wrong for his son to look at a woman’s private part, what is the right thing for him to look at.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbN4a65JX4R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rihanna is opening up about impending motherhood as she enters her third trimester. The singer is expecting her first child with rapper A$AP Rocky, and in a new interview with ELLE, RiRi noted that she is a fan of “The Real Housewives franchise,” so her parenting style will be similar to that of series star Teresa Giudice. “Teresa from Jersey does not play about her kids. She will flatten you about those kids. And that resonates with me a lot because I feel like that’s the type of mom I’m going to be,” Rihanna told the outlet. “Psycho about it.” Meanwhile, a source told PEOPLE that Rihanna is “excited to be a mom” and “couldn’t be happier.” Everybody’s favorite funkateer, George Clinton, is being honored in his native New Jersey this week as he celebrates his 80th birthday. As an example, the town of Plainfield, where Clinton worked for many years, is renaming Passaic Street after the music legend. A bronze plaque was being erected where the Silk Palace barbershop once stood and Clinton formed the Parliaments. For those not up on their music history, George and the crew started as doo-wop and evolved into Parliaments Funkadelic, incorporating funk, R&B, Gospel, rock, and more, with outlandish fashion and fantastic stage props like the Mothership. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/17/new-jersey-honors-george-clinton-80th-bday/ Tamron opened up today’s show with a message of encouragement and healing for Wendy Williams in the wake of her ongoing health issues on the heels of T.J. Holmes’ interview with Williams on this morning’s “Good Morning America.” Later in the Thursday, March 17 edition of “Tamron Hall,” Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis sat down with Tamron to discuss her critically acclaimed role in “King Richard.” Set to star in AMC’s upcoming drama “61st Street” opposite Courtney B. Vance, Ellis opened up about her journey to becoming an actress after growing up in a small town in Mississippi, and why she made it her mission to bring Oracene Williams’ story to life. Also on today’s show, Hall took a dance break with renowned dancers and siblings Julianne and Derek Hough, who taught Tamron how to salsa. https://youtu.be/fGTWEEph9yM An exclusive clip of this week’s all new episode of WE tv’s “Love After Lockup,” which finds Tiffany calling Kevin to tell him her getting out has been postponed due to hooking up with another inmate. https://youtu.be/SJSN6F6sYFw Following months of reports and rumors about her mental and physical well-being, Wendy Williams is speaking out to set the record straight and to share when she will be returning to her show. Wendy began her exclusive phone interview with @goodmorningamerica letting her fans know that she is doing very well after her health struggles kept her from returning to her show for a 13th season. “Health is very well. And I’ve actually had a few appointments. You know, I’m 57 now. And I have the mind and body of a 25-year-old.” Wendy, who has been battling Graves’ disease went on to talk about her big problem with Wells Fargo bank and how they allegedly stopped her from accessing her account: “They say that I need somebody to handle my account and I don’t want that. I want all my money. I want to see all my money that I’ve worked hard for my entire life. My entire life. I don’t lie, I don’t cheat and I don’t steal. I am an honest, hard-working person.” Further, into the conversation, Wendy discussed if she was well enough to return to her show. She said, “Well, give me give me about three months. There are private things that I have to deal with and then I’ll be ready to come back and be free and ready to do my thing.” She then shared a message to her fans: “This is what I would love to say to my Wendy watchers. Keep watching because I’m going to be back on the Wendy show. Bigger and brighter than ever.” Kandi Burruss says she and her former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star NeNe Leakes no longer keep in contact because Leakes allegedly called her a ‘coon.’ “I don’t know what her problem is with me. I’ve seen her say all kinds of stuff,” Burruss said on TMZ’s “It’s Tricky with Raquel Harper” podcast Thursday. “This right here pissed me the f–k off … when she said somewhere calling me a ‘c–n’ or something,” she claimed. “That right there, that’s when I was like, ‘OK, you know what …’” Burruss said Leakes likely has issues with her because she’s jealous of her ongoing relationship with Bravo. Leakes and the network parted ways when she exited RHOA ahead of Season 13 in 2020. In growing anticipation of high school basketball’s most iconic annual showcase this year, McDonald’s has announced that hip-hop star Lil Baby will perform live during halftime of the 2022 McDonald’s All American Games on March 29 at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Games, which brings together 48 of the most elite boys and girls high school seniors in the country. The Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum artist with chart-topping hits like “Drip too Hard” and “Yes Indeed” will grace the court with a high-energy performance for fans and players to enjoy. Tickets for the POWERADE® Jam Fest on March 28 and McDonald’s All American Games on March 29 are on sale now at mcdaag.com and through Ticketmaster. When asked about this year’s performance, Lil Baby shared the following quote: “I’m excited to perform the Halftime Show, especially because I’m a big basketball fan and have respect for these players, knowing what it’s like to go hard in the paint on your craft and chase your dreams to be the best. The McDonald’s All American Games are legit and I’m proud to be a part of it.” https://www.instagram.com/lilbaby/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d1776e43-67d9-41e4-b183-b7bd3289b825 Last summer, the NCAA introduced Name Image and Likeness deals that allow college athletes to accept payment from sponsors and brands — including anything from endorsement deals to TikTok sponsorships. In this episode, WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu sits down with Roy Wood Jr. to discuss what this means for college athletes, the future of compensating players, and how she is involved with navigating deals for students at her alma mater, University of Oregon. #DailyShow #BeyondTheScenes https://youtu.be/6SKskqttDPQ The BA.2 variant is spreading fast in the United States, with infections nearly doubling every week, according to CDC data. — BA.2’s prevalence is the highest in the Northeast of the country. In the region spanning New York and New Jersey, the CDC estimated 39 percent of circulating viruses were BA.2. Early studies showed that BA.2 may be up to 30 percent more transmissible than the original Omicron. But so far it does not appear to cause more severe diseases. The BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant now makes up nearly a quarter of new COVID-19 infections in the United States, according to the latest data of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This data is up from around 1 in 10 new cases just a week prior. The BA.2 variant is spreading fast in the country, with infections nearly doubling every week, according to CDC data. BA.2 accounted for only 1 percent of new cases in the week ending Feb. 5, rising to 2.2 percent in the week ending Feb. 12, and 4.1 percent in the week ending Feb. 19, and 7.1 percent in the week ending Feb. 26, CDC data showed. The variant was responsible for 23.1 percent of coronavirus infections in the country in the week ending March 12, up from 13.7 percent in the previous week ending March 5, according to the CDC estimates. Russia warned the United States on Thursday that Moscow had the might to put the world’s pre-eminent superpower in its place and accused the West of stoking a wild Russophobic plot to tear Russia apart. Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president from 2008 to 2012 and is now deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said the United States had stoked “disgusting” Russophobia in an attempt to force Russia to its knees. “It will not work – Russia has the might to put all of our brash enemies in their place,” Medvedev said. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the United States and its European and Asian allies have slapped sanctions on Russian leaders, companies and businessmen, cutting off Russia from much of the world economy. President Vladimir Putin says that what he calls the special military operation in Ukraine was necessary because the United States was using Ukraine to threaten Russia and Russia had to defend against the “genocide” of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine. When money takes precedent over morals, bad things tend to happen. Monica Cannon-Grant, CEO and founder of the nonprofit Violence in Boston, found that out the hard way after she and her husband were indicted then charged with federal fraud crimes. The couple allegedly used money from their nonprofit organization for lavish spending and personal expenses. According to officials, the husband-and-wife tandem used public and private funding for hotels, groceries, gas, car rentals, food deliveries, Uber rides, and vacations instead of supporting their organization. The two also kept employees in the dark, hiding their fraudulent crimes from bookkeepers and financial auditors. Monica Cannon-Grant and her husband’s elaborate scheme to use their social justice organization to enrich themselves took advantage of people on so many levels. Court records show the couple had been stealing money through their nonprofit for years. Officials say the couple collected $100,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Vice President Kamala Harris and the U.S. Department of Education are setting aside resources to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that have been impacted by the recent slew of bomb threats. The Department of Education announced Wednesday that HBCUs that experienced bomb threats could apply for grant funds and other resources as a part of the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program. This program will provide $50,000 to $150,000 per school along with access to a plethora of resources across the federal government. The goal of the program is to try to restore a safe environment and could be used to help increase mental health resources and enhance security on campus. The announcement of the program comes after dozens of threats were made to some of the most prominent HBCUs in the nation during the first few months of the year. As the Washington Post reported, the front runner in the Republican Senate race to represent Georgia made an appearance at an event at Sugar Hill Church in Sugar Hill, Ga. (No, this is not the same Sugar Hill where Wesley Snipes and Eddie Kane were high-profile drug dealers, and I really wish y’all would stop asking me that.) During the event, Walker appeared to think he was really on to something when he asked Chuck Allen, the lead pastor at the church a common question asked by creationists who think faith should supersede peer-reviewed science. “At one time, science said man came from apes. Did it not?” Walker asked. “Every time I read or hear that, I think to myself, ‘You just didn’t read the same Bible I did,’ ” Allen responded. “Well, this is what’s interesting, though,” Walker said. “If that is true, why are there still apes? Think about it.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1503831932693528585 Nine people have died in a fiery, head-on collision in West Texas, including six students and a coach from a New Mexico university who were returning home from a golf tournament, authorities said. Those killed in the Tuesday evening crash included University of the Southwest students from Portugal and Mexico. Two Canadian students were hospitalized in critical condition. A pickup truck crossed the center line of a two-lane road in Andrews County, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of the New Mexico state line and crashed into a van carrying members of the university’s men’s and women’s golf teams, said Sgt. Steven Blanco of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The agency later identified the deceased as: Golf coach Tyler James, 26, of Hobbs, New Mexico; and players Mauricio Sanchez, 19, of Mexico; Travis Garcia, 19, of Pleasanton, Texas; Jackson Zinn, 22, of Westminster, Colorado; Karisa Raines, 21, of Fort Stockton, Texas; Laci Stone, 18, of Nocona, Texas; and Tiago Sousa, 18, of Portugal. Also killed were Henrich Siemans, 38, of Seminole County, Texas, and an unidentified 13-year-old boy who had been traveling with him in the 2007 Dodge 2500 pickup. Kanye West has been suspended from Instagram after he posted a racial slur directed at “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, a spokesperson for Meta confirmed to CNN. West violated the platform’s policies on hate speech, bullying and harassment, according to Meta. He is restricted from posting, commenting and other actions for 24 hours and the company will take further action if necessary, the spokesperson said. West posted a slur directed at Noah on Wednesday after the talk show host had addressed the rapper’s treatment of his former wife Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend comedian Pete Davidson in a “Daily Show” segment Tuesday. “You may not feel sorry for Kim because she’s rich and famous,” Noah said in the segment. “But what she’s going through is terrifying to watch and shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave.” https://youtu.be/DEZdsisM8ZI On Wednesday, Kanye West hopped on Instagram and posted a screenshot of Trevor Noah’s Google panel with the caption “All in together now… *oon baya my lord *oon baya *oon baya my lord *oon baya Oooo’ lord *oon baya.” IG later suspended his account for 24 hours claiming the rapper violated its policies. Comedian Trevor Noah has responded to Kanye West in a lengthy post admiring him while also expressing concern. He said: “There are few artists who have had more of an impact on me than you Ye. You took samples and turned them into symphonies,” Noah began. “You took your pain and through the wire turned it into performance perfection. I thought differently about how I spend my money because of you, I learned to protect my child-like creativity from grown thoughts because of you, sh*t I still smile every time I put on my seatbelt because of you.” He added, “You’re an indelible part of my life Ye. Which is why it breaks my heart to see you like this,” Noah continued. “I don’t care if you support Trump and I don’t care if you roast Pete. I do however care when I see you on a path that’s dangerously close to peril and pain.” Noah continued, “Oh, and as for Koon…clearly some people graduate but we still stupid,” Noah added. “Don’t ever forget, the biggest trick racists ever played on black people was teaching us to strip each other of our blackness whenever we disagree. Tricking us into dividing ourselves up into splinters so that we would never unite into a powerful rod,” Yahoo quotes. Jussie Smollett was ordered released from jail Wednesday by an appeals court that agreed with his lawyers that he should be released pending the appeal of his conviction for lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack. The ruling came after a Cook County judge sentenced Smollett last week to immediately begin serving 150 days in jail for his conviction on five felony counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police. In an outburst immediately after the sentence was handed down, the former star of the TV show Empire proclaimed his innocence and said “I am not suicidal. And if anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself. And you must all know that.” The appeals court, in a 2-1 decision, said Smollett could be released after posting a personal recognizance bond of $150,000, meaning he doesn’t have to put down money but agrees to come to court as required. It was unclear late Wednesday how soon he may be released. Instagram is rapidly becoming the go-to source of Jussie Smollett defenders. Today, Smollett’s fellow Empire castmate Taraji P. Henson took to the service to plead for home confinement rather than jail for Smollett, who was sentenced Thursday to 150 days incarceration for his role in creating a hate hoax. She posted a stark black and white message with the hashtag #FreeJussie and a full-throated call for his release. Smollett is reportedly in Cook County Jail’s psych ward where high-profile prisoners are kept. “I am not here to debate you on his innocence,” Henson wrote. “But we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime. Emmett Till was brutally beat and ultimately murdered because of a lie, and none of the people involved with his demise spent one day in jail, even after Carolyn Bryant admitted that her claims were false. Henson added, “No one was hurt or killed during Jussie’s ordeal. He has already lost everything, EVERYTHING! To me as an artist not able to create that in itself is punishment enough. He can’t get a job. No one in Hollywood will hire him and again as an artist who loves to create, that is prison. Former NBA star Michael Beasley broke down in tears during an emotional interview with former NFL players Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor on “The Pivot Podcast,” where he got candid about his trust issues. Beasley revealed that his mother, his financial advisor and several others have stolen money from him. “I don’t know no one that ain’t stole from me,” Beasley said. “Everybody except for my kids stole from me.” “Every step of the way, I asked for help.” The distrust he has for those around him has forced him to isolate himself from the world. https://youtu.be/v_YLK2VcNGc Kelly Rowland is speaking out about reuniting with her estranged father after 30 years, and she did so on the advice of rapper JAY-Z. Rowland opened up about her journey in a recent episode of “Today” with Hota Kotb. She was joined by her father, Christopher Lovett who spoke about his attempts to have a relationship with his famous daughter during a period when she wasn’t ready to meet him. The singer was raised by her mother and had “feelings of abandonment” due to her father’s absence. When Destiny’s Child took off, Rowland instructed security to ban her father from certain events. https://youtu.be/jN1xdkL-EoQ It’s been 20 years since Al Roker had gastric bypass surgery and the longtime TODAY weatherman is marking the occasion by looking back on his former self. “Hard to believe it was 20 years ago today, I wore these size 54 Levi jeans to my #gastricbypass at 340 lbs and here I am today,” he captioned pictures him holding the oversized pants. “It’s still a struggle but I’m never going back. I have setbacks and struggle every day, but I never forget how far I’ve come.” https://www.instagram.com/alroker/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=847d9bb8-931e-4ebe-8b5f-1ad6fad72326 Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex will launch her first Spotify podcast series this summer. Meghan and her husband Prince Harry inked a multi-year partnership with the platform and their production company Archewell Audio in 2020 with the goal to “build community through shared experience, narratives and values.” The couple debuted their first podcast in December 2020, and welcomed a slew of celebrity guests including Elton John, Tyler Perry, Stacey Abrams and James Corden. Adele, the British singer who now calls LA/Beverly Hills home, stopped by The Graham Norton show, where Norton pointed out the large diamond on Adele’s finger and probed for a relationship update. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/17/adeles-big-ol-diamond-ring-brings-her-a-lot-of-questions/ This year’s nominees for the only entirely fan-voted award show in country music are in! The 2022 CMT Music Awards announced the artists that’ll go head-to-head on April 11, and country’s best and brightest are all represented, including Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton, Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean. “Lose It” singer Brown leads the pack this year with four nominations, including video of the year, male video of the year and CMT performance of the year. Trailing him with three nominations each are co-host Kelsea Ballerini, Mickey Guyton, BRELAND and Cody Johnson, with the latter two artists each notching their very first CMT nominations. Elsewhere, a whopping 12 acts are up for the coveted video of the year award, including Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean, Brandi Carlile, Cody Johnson, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson, Kacey Musgraves, Brown, Ballerini feat. Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift feat. Chris Stapleton. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 26 points apiece and the Boston Celtics’ defense suffocated the Warriors well before Golden State lost Stephen Curry to a foot injury in the second quarter of a 110-88 nationally televised blowout Wednesday in San Francisco. Marcus Smart chipped in with 20 points for the Celtics, who held Golden State to a season-low 32 points in the first half. Boston earned its sixth win in seven games. Curry got hurt in the second quarter when Smart landed on the back of his left leg while diving for possession. He exited with what the Warriors labeled as left foot soreness. The two-time league MVP was due to undergo an MRI exam, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said postgame. Jordan Poole led all scorers with 29 points for the Warriors, who saw their four-game winning streak end. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, who have teamed together for 20 NFL seasons in the broadcast booth, have signed multiyear agreements to join ESPN as the new voices for Monday Night Football, it was announced Wednesday.The duo, who both have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will also contribute content to ESPN+. “When you have the opportunity to bring in the iconic, longest-running NFL broadcasting duo, you take it, especially at a time when we are on the cusp of a new era in our expanding relationship with the NFL,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Disney’s chairman of ESPN and sports content. “The NFL continues to ascend, and we now have more games than ever before, providing additional opportunities for Joe, Troy and our deep roster of commentators.” In 2022, Buck and Aikman will match the legendary broadcasting duo of Pat Summerall and John Madden with their 21st season together in the booth. Buck and Aikman have called six Super Bowls, surpassing all other pairings/booths except for Summerall and Madden. https://twitter.com/i/status/1504127666630275073 Warrior Women With Lupita Nyong’o, a documentary about a forgotten female army, is heading to Smithsonian Channel. The Paramount Global-owned cable network will launch the doc, which was originally commissioned by Channel 4 in the UK, in the U.S. on Monday March 28. It will also air on its network in Latin America later this year. It forms part of its Women’s History Month programming. In the one-off film, the Black Panther star journeys across Benin, West Africa to uncover the ‘Agoji’ – or as Europeans labelled them, the ‘Amazons’ – who helped inspire the Dora Milaje of Marvel’s film. Actor Stephen Baldwin says he has “been on his knees before my God” after his daughter, Hailey Bieber suffered a frightening health scare last week. The model and wife of pop star Justin Bieber was admitted to the hospital on March 10 after experiencing stroke-like symptoms. Doctors determined she had suffered a blood clot in her brain. Baldwin asked his followers to continue to pray for Justin who is on tour while Hailey is now home recovering. “Thank you so much for all the prayers for the wonderful … Hailey. Lets keep praying for … JB on tour so love, peace, & joy may touch this world. God Bless to You All,” the actor wrote. He concluded the post glorifying God, saying, “He is my father … love Him so much as always, He’s a good father.” Keke Wyatt is expecting her 11th child and the singer revealed this week that her unborn baby has been diagnosed with the genetic disorder Trisomy 13. The announcement came during an emotional performance at the City Winery on March 13, 2022. She sang, “When the doctors told me that my son Rajjah had Leukemia cancer …I said Hallelujah. And recently I found out the doctor say my baby has Trisomy 13… Hallelujah.” Sadly, several social media users reacted to the news with rude comments, prompting Wyatt to fire off a lengthy response on Instagram. “I’d like to send a special prayer out for the rude, cruel people that took time out of their day to get on social media and make disparaging and morbid comments concerning my pregnancy,” Wyatt, 40, captioned a Wednesday, March 16, Instagram video of herself singing. “This past weekend at my show I was very transparent with my amazing fans (who I see as family) about the status of my pregnancy. I explained to them, the day after my maternity photo shoot my husband, [Zackariah Darring], and I received the news that our baby tested positive for Trisomy 13 per the doctor.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbMCIK6jUff/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rapper Tory Lanez was previously called out by Madonna for sampling her music on his new album. Now the estate of late-great George Michael is speaking out against Lanez for the same reason. As reported by Uproxx, Lanez uses part of Michael’s “Careless Whisper” on his ’80s-themed album “Alone At Prom.” The sample appears on the song “Enchanted Waterfall” and the estate wants it removed, noting that it previously rejected Tory’s request to use the song. “It was brought to our attention that the song ‘Enchanted Waterfall’ by the artist Tory Lanez incorporated an unauthorized sample of ‘Careless Whisper’ written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley,” reads a statement given to Variety. “Requested permission for this use had been declined in June 2021 so we took immediate action on behalf of the writers, in collaboration with our publishers Warner Chappell Music, to prevent further exploitation as we will not tolerate any unauthorized use of any songs within the catalogs of George Michael and/or Andrew Ridgeley.” https://youtu.be/izGwDsrQ1eQ In Chicago, a good-hearted businessman and former mayoral candidate, Dr. Willie Wison, made a lot of folks very, very happy on Thursday because he donated $200,000 in gas at select locations. Dr. Wilson’s much-appreciated generosity comes as prices spiked to as much as $4.55 for regular and $5.32 for premium in Illinois, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). Starting at 7 a.m., each customer at 10 different locations received $50 in gas until the $200,000 was exhausted. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/hundreds-of-cars-line-up-for-chicago-businessman-willie-wilsons-dollar200k-free-gas-giveaway-thursday/vi-AAVbTLT LaKeith Stanfield is speaking out for the first time about his battle with alcoholism. In a new interview with GQ Hype, admits that he realized he had a problem while shooting the Netflix western “The Harder They Fall,” in 2020. “This is something I never really had talked about before, but I think it’s something that I need to talk about, because I want people to understand that it’s something that you can get through, that it’s something that you can get past,” Stanfield told GQ. “And I want people to feel empowered by the fact that the person they’re looking at on that screen has gone through addiction and survived it.” “I just got up, canceled the massage, and told [the masseuse] to leave,” he recalled. “And she was probably like, What the hell is going on? And I didn’t really know what was happening either. I just thought, I’m anxious, let me just drink some wine. As soon as I drink the wine, the anxiety goes away.” Stanfield added, “I had become completely dependent upon it. To the point where I wasn’t able to move or function a whole day without having it.” Amazon.com Inc on Thursday said it had closed its $8.5 billion deal to buy MGM, combining the fabled moviemaker behind “Rocky” and James Bond with the online retailing giant as it looks to draw consumers through more streaming video. In a statement, Amazon said it would welcome all MGM employees to the company and work with the studio’s leadership, indicating there would not be layoffs. Its decision to close comes after a deadline passed for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to challenge the deal. The Seattle-based retailer announced the transaction in May 2021, saying MGM offered a trove of content to draw consumers to its fast-shipping and streaming club Prime, which costs $14.99 per month in the United States. On Saturday, March 26, 2022, iconic singer-songwriter-businesswoman Jody Watley is set to receive her first “Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy” from T.I.U.A School of Business. The honorary degree recognizes successful leaders in entrepreneurship. Ms. Watley will accept the honorary doctorate on March 26th at 2 pm EST, virtually. TIUA School of Business offers the Entrepreneur Honor’s Program for entrepreneurs who have shown leadership and integrity in the world of business. TIUA School of Business is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. “I am extremely honored to receive this recognition from the TIUA School of Business,” says the iconic singer. “I feel privileged to be considered in the same company as the incredibly talented individuals who have also received this distinction over the years.” Mikaela Shiffrin claimed the overall World Cup title with two races to spare when she took second place in the final super-G of the season in Courchevel, France, on Thursday. The American opened an unassailable 236-point lead at the top of the standings over second-place Petra Vlhova of Slovakia, who finished in 17th place outside the points. Shiffrin, who now has four overall World Cup titles to her name and three Olympic medals, recovered from a disappointing outing in the Beijing Winter Games to finish the season in style. The 27-year-old unexpectedly won Wednesday’s downhill to take a major step towards winning the overall title, which she secured with a precise performance on Thursday. She finished just 0.05 seconds behind race winner Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway, who clocked one minute 13.68 seconds. Swiss Michelle Gisin was third, 0.13 seconds off the pace. Shiffrin, who won three consecutive overall World Cup titles from 2017-19, is now level with fellow American Lindsey Vonn on four, two shy of the women’s record of Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell, winner from 1971-75 and in 1979. Voiceover actor Eric Hollaway is said to have the lowest voice of any human on earth. Hollaway is an oktavist, and as reported by Voice Shop Coaching, he is often booked as “The Voice of God.” Per Oktavism.com, “the term oktavist is most precisely used to refer to basses that sing down to contra B flat and lower in a choral setting.” https://youtu.be/PkryVvAf3Sk A tsunami advisory was issued by Japanese officials Wednesday following a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that hit off the coast of Fukushima prefecture, where a 2011 quake caused a disaster at a nuclear power plant. The tsunami advisory was made for Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures in eastern Japan following the quake that had a preliminary epicenter depth of 60 kilometers (37 miles), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The advisory warns of tsunami heights reaching up to 1 meter above normal tidal levels, with the initial waves reaching shore around midnight local time (11 a.m. ET). According to the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, a Pacific-basin-wide tsunami is not expected at this time. Vladimir Putin said today that the West’s ‘attempt to have global dominance’ is coming to an end and its ‘economic blitzkrieg’ of sanctions will only ‘strengthen Moscow’ in a bombastic televised Kremlin address. The Russian President, speaking in a televised government meeting in Moscow, insisted the ‘military operation’ in Ukraine is going to plan despite his troops’ advance remaining largely stalled on the outskirts of Kyiv. Putin claimed that the conflict was merely a pretext for the West to impose sanctions because ‘they just don’t want a strong and sovereign Russia’ and said that its economic measures were short-sighted as ‘most countries do not support sanctions.’ https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/03/16/5115875380954481087/636x382_MP4_5115875380954481087.mp4 Russia may have already started World War III, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with NBC News on Wednesday. The outcome of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has yet to be decided, but it’s possible the decision has already begun a path to a full-scale global war, Zelenskyy told “NBC Nightly News” anchor Lester Holt when asked whether he understood concerns from President Joe Biden about escalating provocations. “Nobody knows whether it may have already started. And what is the possibility of this war if Ukraine will fall, in case Ukraine will? It’s very hard to say,” Zelenskyy said. “And we’ve seen this 80 years ago, when the second world war had started … nobody would be able to predict when the full scale war would start.” He further emphasized that the outcome of this war has the “whole civilization at stake.” Zelenskyy gave a virtual address to both chambers of Congress on Wednesday morning, reiterating his push for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. He appealed for more aggressive support from lawmakers and Biden in his speech, saying this is a “terror that Europe has not seen for 80 years.” “I have a dream. … I can say, I have a need, a need to protect our sky,” he told Congress, invoking Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech. “I need your decision, your help, which means exactly the same, the same you feel when you hear the words ‘I have a dream.'” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is going through its own version of September 11th and Pearl Harbor every day since Russia invaded and he urged the US to protect his skies while invoking Martin Luther King and the Founding Fathers in a heart-wrenching speech to Congress on Wednesday morning. He also confronted President Joe Biden and told him to become the ‘leader of the free world’, demanded more sanctions for Russia to stop the ‘war machine’, asked for fighter jets and shared devastating footage of civilians being maimed in Kyiv as he called on lawmakers to ‘do more’ to protect his country. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/03/16/9183742502490817309/636x382_MP4_9183742502490817309.mp4 Antony Blinken claims U.S. sanctions on Russia will only be reversed when Vladimir Putin totally withdraws from Ukraine and warned China to avoid getting involved in the conflict as the U.S. sent thousands of troops to Australia because of the threat posed from Beijing. 'China’s already on the wrong side of history when it comes to the Ukraine,’ the State Department secretary told NPR in an interview published Wednesday. He added: ‘If China actually provides material support in one way or another to Russia in this effort, that would be even worse, and that’s something we’re looking very carefully at.’ The warning comes after President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with his Chinese counterpart in Rome on Monday – and as the U.S. reveals Russia requested equipment and economic assistance from China after the invasion. “Women at Christianity Today were touched at work in ways that made them uncomfortable,” according to the CT news story. “They heard men with authority over their careers make comments about the sexual desirability of their bodies. And in at least two cases, they heard department heads hint at openness to an affair.” Eight women alleged that Mark Galli touched them inappropriately, including one former employee who said Galli caressed her bare shoulder during an event in the early 2000s, while another said Galli’s hand got “stuck under her bra” when he rubbed her back. According to the report, Galli was reprimanded in 2019 after three women in three days reported to human resources that he’d inappropriately touched them — allegedly hugging a woman from behind, grabbing another woman by the shoulders and shaking her and putting a hand on another woman’s butt. According to the report, more than half a dozen employees reported harassment from Galli or Olawoye between the mid-2000s and 2019. But none of those reports resulted in a formal write-up, warning or reprimand. In a phone interview with Religion News Service, Galli said he was deeply troubled by the allegations in the story, which he denied. Several of the incidents in the story were taken out of context, he said, or were simply false. After all the attention the Black Lives Matter-led racial justice movement generated after George Floyd’s death in 2020, new data show that the number of Black people killed by police has actually increased over the last two years. According to data collected by The Washington Post, police shot and killed at least 1,055 people nationwide last year, the most since the newspaper began tracking fatal shootings by officers in 2015. That is more than the 1,021 shootings in 2020 and the 999 in 2019. Black people, who account for 13 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for 27 percent of those fatally shot and killed by police in 2021, according to Mapping Police Violence, a nonprofit group that tracks police shootings. That means Black people are twice as likely as white people to be shot and killed by police officers. “It’s bad and it’s sad, but it’s not shocking that we’re still being killed at a higher rate,” said Karundi Williams, the CEO of re:power, a national organization that trains Black people to become political leaders. “When we have moments of racial injustice that is thrust in the national spotlight, there is an uptick of outrage, and people take to the streets. But then the media tends to move on to other things, and that consciousness decreases. But we never really got underneath the problem.” Almond Brewer attempted to deposit a $3,200 check at the Pinal County Federal Credit Union in Apache Junction in October. While he was waiting, the bank manager called the police. The check, the manager told the police, was fake. In fact, the bank would later admit that the authenticity of the check was “inconclusive.” But the manager didn’t tell police that when he called 911. Brewer had just sold a boat to a woman on Facebook Marketplace. She paid with a check. His own bank suggested he take the check to the woman’s bank to get faster access to the funds. He said when he gave that information to the credit union teller, she “kind of looked surprised.” The Pinal County Federal Credit Union told 12 News the bank manager called 911 after running Brewer’s check through a 3rd party verification system. The results came out inconclusive. The credit union also stated that the manager was able to get ahold of the customer who wrote and verified the check while officers were on their way. The death of a young Black man who was found hanging from a tree in Indiana nearly 100 years ago has finally been ruled a lynching, officials said. Even though 19-year-old George Tompkins’ hands had been bound behind his back, the Indianapolis slaying was ruled a suicide in 1922 and no one was ever arrested. The record was corrected Saturday as Marion County Deputy Chief Coroner Alfie McGinty displayed a new death certificate that listed Tompkins’ passing as the result of homicide. “We will bring justice to something that was unconscionable to me,” McGinty said. “We are proud to be a part of this history some 100 years later, and we will remember George Tompkins.” Activists with the Indiana Remembrance Coalition had been pushing for Tompkins’ death certificate to be changed. Phil Bremen, a volunteer administrator with the group, said Tompkins’ case stood out because it was so casually brushed aside with no follow-up by local authorities. “It got written off in two days as a suicide. His lynching was buried before his body was, if you can fathom that,” Bremen, a retired Ball State University communications professor, said Monday. Two former HBCU football coaches are joining NFL coaching staff, hires that observers say are a small but significant step toward filling the NFL’s coaching pipelines and bolstering Black colleges’ reputations for preparing pro-level coaching talent. The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Tuesday that they hired Isaac Williams as assistant offensive line coach. Williams coached North Carolina Central University’s offensive line in the 2021 season, when the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school went 6-5. From 2018 through 2020, he coached tight ends, offensive linemen and was the run game coordinator for Morgan State University, another MEAC program. Williams played college football at Alcorn State, another HBCU which if famous for producing the late Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair. In the United States, the average amount of student loan debt is $39,591, a price tag that has many students asking if higher education is really worth it. This number is even higher for Black students, with the average African American bachelor’s degree holder having $52,000 in student debt. Though Black students are increasingly questioning the value of college, there are several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) where alumni see higher median salaries than other Black graduates in the same state, according to recent data from OnlineU, a higher education resource for aspiring students. Famous for their rich culture, historic significance and family-like campus community, some HBCUs have significantly lower tuition rates than other four-year institutions. Through grants, scholarships, and other financial aid resources, HBCUs are often able to better help their students with college costs. OnlineU identified that Xavier University, in New Orleans, Louisiana, offers the highest financial payoff for Black graduates. The median salary for XULA graduates is $52,582 compared to the $36,962 median salary for other Black graduates with the same level of education in Louisiana, a $15,619 difference. The untold story of Reverend Jesse Jackson is to be made into a theatrical documentary feature and limited TV series, with Jackson’s son Yusef D Jackson set to co-exec and Peabody Award-winning Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed director Shola Lynch attached. Expanded Media and Lawrence Elman/Nick Fraser’s Docsville Studios are behind the as-yet-untitled big-budget project, which will include exclusive access to the influential U.S. heavyweight figure and his family, along with unseen archive footage over a period of 60 years. The producers described the film and series as “Reverend Jackson’s personal story, in his own words, for the first time.” The civil rights leader and two-time Democratic presidential candidate was born in 1941 in the segregated south and the film will explain and explore what drove him and continues to drive him, detailing his omnipresence wherever civil rights, human rights and injustice are present. Tennis star Novak Djokovic won’t be able to compete at this week’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the existing COVID-19 regulations would remain in place. Djokovic, who was the number 1 men’s tennis player in the world, has been banned by other countries and events because he’s unvaccinated. The 34-year-old got bumped down to the number 2 spot as other tennis players won championships he wasn’t allowed to compete in. He is a vocal skeptic of COVID vaccines and has refused to say if he got the shot, according to Sporting News. Scott Hall, legendary WWE wrestler, has died. He was 63. The World Wrestling Entertainment website shared the news in a statement on Monday, writing, “WWE is saddened to learn that two-time WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall has passed away.” Earlier on Monday, pro wrestling newsletter PW Torch reported that Hall was on life support in a Georgia hospital following complications from hip replacement surgery earlier this month. He reportedly suffered three heart attacks over the weekend, according to the outlet. Hall’s friend and former pro-wrestling colleague Kevin Nash wrote on Instagram Sunday night that Hall would be taken off of life support once “his family is in place.” Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant can’t seem to make sense of New York City’s vaccination rules, which allow his teammate Kyrie Irving to attend but not play in games. Durant’s frustration came after Irving was granted near total freedom inside Barclays Center, except the ability to play on his team. Durant then called out just how illogical the rules are. Irving earned media attention Sunday for sitting court-side in the Barclays Center when the Nets competed against the New York Knicks. Irving was able to attend the game because New York lifted its vaccination mandate but was not allowed to participate in the game because New York City has not removed its vaccine mandate on the private sector. “It’s ridiculous; I don’t understand it at all,” Durant said, visibly frustrated. “They lifted all of that in the arena, right? I don’t get it. It just feels like, at this point now, somebody’s trying to make a statement or point to flex their authority.” Polo Ralph Lauren has created some conversation amongst the HBCU Community in their latest release involving Spelman College and Morehouse College. The well-known HBCUs and famous fashion company announced their partnership to create a limited-edition collection that is inspired by these institutions’ history, culture, and traditions. The partnership is the first-ever creative collaboration that the brand has established with collegiate institutions. Spelman and Morehouse’s students were photographed with the clothes that were a part of the licensing agreement. The students had their photographs taken at some historic places on campus to try to recreate some of the iconic shots of students from as far back as the 1920s. James Jeter is the man who is largely responsible for the new collection. As one of the company’s design directors in New York who also graduated from Morehouse in 2013 has spent his full professional career at the brand. He is the one who educated Ralph Lauren on the significance of Morehouse. https://youtu.be/pghBWnm5NeA Working mothers in today’s world have a tremendous amount of challenges on their plate, from the global COVID-19 pandemic to the soaring costs of child care and education. It’s a lot to juggle and some moms don’t have extra support from family or a partner to help balance all of the ups and downs of raising children. However, this week, Ursula Burns, the first Black CEO of XEROX, argued a different stance. The 63-year-old businesswoman said during an interview with CNBC Make It, that moms shouldn’t be expected to do it all in today’s society. “I would not be able to be CEO of the company unless I outsourced the caring for my kids,” Burns, who became the first Black CEO of the Fortune 500 company back in 2009, explained. “I was not a believer that you had to go to all your kids’ games. I just don’t understand what that’s all about.” Even when she did make time to attend her children’s games, the busy CEO admitted that she didn’t watch “every second” of it. Burns said she would use some of the free time to do a crossword puzzle instead, according to CNBC. This year’s installment of Equal Pay Day comes as the nation tries to dig itself out from a recession that is giving way to a full-fledged inflation crisis in a collision of unfortunate economic circumstances that is making the racial wealth gap is even more pronounced than it was when the pandemic first hit. The recovery has been especially elusive across certain demographics, including Black women, who have historically borne the brunt of the earning disparities across the U.S. Nowhere is this more clear than in a couple of damning charts that underscore where Black women rank on the wage gap totem pole. The NCAA tournament is arguably the biggest event in all of college athletics. The craziness of this tournament on both the men’s and women’s sides has led to heartbreak, joy and unforgettable moments for everyone involved. It also brings a sizable payday for many conferences. Some more than others. HBCU conferences like the SWAC and the MEAC find themselves on the lower end of the spectrum. According to USA Today, from 1997 through 2018, the Big Ten Conference has been paid the most at $340.4 million, while the SWAC got only $25 million which is nearly the minimum amount that a conference can receive during that time. Where are all of the anti-critical race theory warriors when school lessons make Black students uncomfortable? Because that’s what all of this anti-CRT hoopla is supposed to be about, right? Legislators are falsely claiming that CRT teaches that certain races are inferior to others or that white people, at the individual level, are inherently racist. So, Republicans trot out these anecdotal instances where educators separate their classrooms by race and/or single out white students to tell them they experience white privilege (which is true, but whatever) and they cite these instances as reasons to ban what they think CRT is from the classroom. One can only wonder why they never have the same energy when time and time again, teachers trivialize the institution of slavery through class activities where students are instructed to reenact Black oppression. Where are all these concerned legislators when mock slavery auctions are happening in the classroom? According to The News & Observer, a mock slave auction recently took place at J.S. Waters School in Goldston, North Carolina. During the “lesson,” Black students were reportedly “sold” by white students presumably to demonstrate what went on during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But why though? While Black history in America is often whitewashed and satirized for Caucasian consumption, one fact is so universally recognized as indisputable: Black people were slaves and white people owned them. No one needs a slavery show and tell to be educated on that much. Keturah Herron, a former lobbyist with the ACLU of Kentucky, is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year, for her significant impact in the community. Herron, the first openly LGBTQ state representative, fought for justice for Breonna Taylor and was integral to getting no-knock warrants banned in Louisville, Kentucky, following the killing of Taylor, 26, in March 2020. The emergency medical technician was fatally shot in a botched raid when three officers with the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department entered her home with an illegal no-knock warrant. Per The Louisville Courier-Journal, Herron hopes her story resonates with people “who don’t know what to do or are looking for somebody to look up to.” Jocqui Smollett shared the news Monday night with TMZ while thanking people on social media for their support in the “Free Jussie” movement. He told the outlet that Jussie’s removal from the psych ward is a big step forward and gets him out of a restrained bed and into a normal one. “Cook County doesn’t really move until they get bad publicity … keep continuing to call Cook County Jail checking in on him and keep saying that you believe he should be free,” he added. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbIi2GCpk7f/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Cardi B is being sued by a female security guard who claims the rapper spit on her, called her racial slurs and physically attacked her back in 2018 in Los Angeles. Cardi responded to the allegation in new legal documents in which she argued that her actions were “reasonably necessary” to protect herself from the “assault.” According to the report, Cardi B commented on the case in a now-deleted tweet, saying, “Why don’t you guys post the part where the doctor’s office said that that’s not what happen? and if I assaulted why she didn’t press charges? Why would I put my hands on some1 twice my size by myself while I’m experiencing sharp pain 4 months pregnant?” However, Cardi admits in the new filing that it “was reasonably necessary for her self-defense and safety and was justified by (the security guards) assault. A federal judge has ruled against former Trump administration official Omarosa Manigault Newman and ordered her to pay more than $60,000, in a lawsuit the Justice Department brought against her after then-President Donald Trump fired his former apprentice. The case found that Manigault Newman hadn’t complied with federal ethics requirements that public officials file financial disclosures when they leave a government job. Though it revolved around a compliance matter, over the last few years, Manigault Newman’s departure and litigation spun into a juicy drama between the powers of the Trump White House and a combatant, well-known personality once in its fold. https://youtu.be/mwKqm0euSBA A new teaser has dropped for “The Kardashians” on Hulu, which is set to premiere on April 14th. In the clip, Kris Jenner is chatting with daughter Khloe and Scott Disick, Kourtney’s baby daddy, when she tells them, “Never go against the family.” While the show was filmed months ago, fans are convinced Kris was issuing the warning to Kanye West amid his post-marital drama with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbFeAozsL-g/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again BET HER, in partnership with producer Tressa Azarel Smallwood of MegaMind Media who is serving as Executive Producer for the series, announces four original 20-minute dramas which will premiere during Minority Mental Health Month (July 2022) and during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October 2022). Dedicated to telling stories that support and celebrate Black women in front of and behind the camera as well as bringing awareness to important issues directly affecting the Black community, producer Smallwood spearheads the Health Initiatives under the “Her Stories” banner, which spotlights women-centered short films and highlights the next generation of Black women filmmakers. Special invited directors include a who’s who list of TV and film icons including Meagan Good (Harlem), Naturi Naughton (Power), Tichina Arnold (Martin), and LisaRaye Mccoy (The Family Business). Dolly Parton, one of popular music’s most beloved stars, is taking herself out of the running for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2022 class of inductees. In a statement shared to her social media accounts, the country chanteuse said that while she was “extremely flattered and grateful” for the nomination, she didn’t feel she’d “earned that right.” “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out,” she said. Parton was the sole country star on this year’s ballot, which also included Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest and Dionne Warwick. She said she hoped the hall of fame would consider her again one day if she’s “ever worthy.” https://youtu.be/3na9XpddoPs Mike Tyson took a memorable bite off Evander Holyfield’s ear during a 1997 heavyweight match, and now the boxing legend has announced ear-shaped cannabis gummies called “Mike Bites.” The marijuana edibles are the latest product from Tyson’s cannabis company, and the gummies will be sold at dispensaries in Massachusetts, California, and Nevada, Complex reports. In a 2019 episode of his Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson podcast, Tyson and Holyfield discussed the idea of ear bite cannabis gummies while recounting their infamous moment in the ring. https://youtu.be/zKPMVex-UKk Deion Sanders, head football coach at Jackson State University, is being sued by the organizers of the Southern Heritage Classic for calling the game “a hustle.” Sanders and the university are named in the lawsuit filed by Summitt Management Corporation, which runs the event, after the ex-NFLer ripped the game and pulled his team from participation in the annual event. “It’s a hustle,” Sanders said recently on the “Pardon My Take” podcast, via Football Scoop. “We’re losing money, tremendously. This particular classic that you’re talking about, first of all, why would two colleges need a promoter? You’re two colleges and you have A.D.s, why would you need a promoter, that’s No. 1. “Secondly, I think the fee was like over 30 years, $6 million. That’s peanuts. So by the time you take seven buses for the band, four buses for the players, couple (buses) for people, assistants, hotel accommodations, food, you’re out of that. That $180-200 grand, you’re out of that. So you didn’t make nothing. You really came up there on a blank trip. We gotta stop that foolishness. The first thing we need to take care of as HBCUs is the business aspect of everything, and that’s something we’re changing right now. We’re taking care of business,” he added. The gas thieves are “drilling holes into the tanks … catching the fuel before it hits the ground,” per TMZ. As reported by Complex, there have been reports of gas theft all over the country. “There have been reports of people siphoning gas directly out of the tanks putting a hose down into the gas tank, sucking out,” said gas station technician Emery Shen. “We are also hearing reports of people drilling right in the gas tanks, taking gas out of cars directly.” Per WSILTV, Washington state police have urged drivers to purchase lockable gas caps. “We often discover these thefts later when the owner goes to the gas station to fill up and finds all the fuel dumping out under the vehicle from the cut filler line,” said Hoquiam Chief of Police Jeff Meyers. https://youtu.be/xgP6SsU2dH8 Neyo White, the man who went viral after a trip to a chemical peel from Georgia spa, turned into a nightmare, said he’s ready to take legal action. According to TMZ, White claims this ordeal that began when he went into a spa in Buckhead for a chemical peel on February 17th was not a stunt for clout. White said he had gone to the Spa before to get other procedures to help with discoloration and evenness in his skin, but he wanted to try something a little more substantial, so he went in for a chemical peel. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2022-03-04-030422-neyo-white-burns-1373458/ President Joe Biden will travel to Europe next week to meet with world leaders and discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday. The President will travel to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in a NATO summit on March 24 and will also join a European Council meeting, Psaki told reporters at a White House briefing. The trip, which will be one of the most closely watched visits to Europe by an American president in decades, comes weeks after Russia launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Biden will “discuss ongoing deterrence and defense efforts,” during the NATO summit and reaffirm the US’ commitment to its NATO allies, Psaki said. Young Dolph was shot 22 times in the hail of gunfire that ended the famed rapper’s life at a Memphis bakery last November, new autopsy results reported by WHBQ-TV reveal. The findings from the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center say that the musician, born Adolph Thorton Jr., was shot in his left chest, left abdomen, right chin, right neck, right shoulder, both arms and multiple times in his back, the station reported. The Senate on Tuesday passed a measure that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the United States. The Sunshine Protection Act passed the chamber by unanimous consent. The bill would still need to pass the House and be signed by President Joe Biden to become law. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a sponsor of the legislation, said he doesn’t have any assurance the House will take it up, but “it’s an idea whose time has come.” https://youtu.be/QqXedKcZhDg Thirty million people in 13 cities across China have been put back into a Covid-19 lockdown with hazmat-wearing officials back on the streets on a scale not seen since the pandemic began. China reported 5,280 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, more than double the previous day’s tally, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant spread across a country that has stuck tightly to a zero-Covid strategy. That approach, which pivots on hard localized lockdowns and has left China virtually cut off from the outside world for two years, appears stretched to the limit as Omicron finds its way into communities. At least 13 cities nationwide were fully locked down as of Tuesday, and several others had partial lockdowns, with some 15,000 infections reported nationwide in March. Scenes of closed neighborhoods, panic buying and police cordons cast back to the early phase of the pandemic, which first emerged in China in late 2019. A Fox News cameraman was killed in Ukraine on Monday, when the vehicle he was traveling in alongside correspondent Benjamin Hall was struck by incoming fire, the network confirmed Tuesday. Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, had been covering Russian’s invasion of Ukraine with Hall when their vehicle was hit in Horenka, outside of Kyiv, Ukraine, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said in an email to staff. ‘It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we share the news this morning regarding our beloved cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski,’ Scott wrote. ‘Pierre was killed in Horenka, outside of Kyiv, Ukraine. Pierre was with Benjamin Hall yesterday newsgathering when their vehicle was struck by incoming fire.’ The network announced on Monday that Hall, the reporter with Zakrzewski, had been injured in the attack, and remained hospitalized, but added they have a ‘minimal level of details.’ News of the attack comes after American reporter Brent Renaud was killed on Sunday after Russian forces opened fire on his vehicle. A Wells Fargo Economic Group report shows Black Americans have made significant economic progress in recent years, taking control of their financial futures. According to Wells Fargo, 35% of Black women in the U.S. owned a business in 2019, 15% higher than the share of female-owned businesses in the overall U.S. economy. Additionally, Black women have made gains in corporate board seats and even though just 4% of Black women are on corporate seats today, that is an increase of 25% from 2019, double the rate of women overall. Black women have taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic, using their skills to start businesses in numerous disciplines including lingerie, beauty, and even feminine products. Additionally, a number of brands have made pledges to help Black women-owned businesses including Sephora, Target, Walmart, and other retail brands. Rodney Priestley, a well-celebrated engineer, professor, and mentor, has been named dean of Princeton University’s Graduate School. He is expected to assume his new role on June 1st. According to a press release, the Pomeroy and Betty Perry Smith Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering has been promoted from his 2020 appointed role as vice dean for innovation. He has now been entrusted to lead the university’s Graduate School of nearly 3,000 enrolled students. “My interest in becoming dean of Princeton’s Graduate School originates with my own personal experience of graduate school,” said Priestley, as per the press release. “The mentorship, encouragement, and support I received has enabled every goal I have reached throughout my career. My advisers’ belief in me has always inspired me to give back to others to whatever extent possible.” Cynthia Bailey can still remember the physical and mental drain from having fibroids — even though it’s been a decade since they were treated. The former Real Housewives of Atlanta star says that having the benign tumors growing in her womb left her in a “dark place” mentally and impacted so many aspects of her life that she felt like a “disaster.” “It’s very hard to be in a good space mentally when you’re bleeding all the time and when you don’t have any energy, and you’re anemic and you don’t have the sex drive you used to have,” Bailey, 55, tells PEOPLE. “Mentally, I found that I was just in a dark place without really knowing I was in a dark place. When I look at photos of myself during that time, it was like the light was gone because I was bleeding to death in a lot of ways.” The former model is reflecting on that time of her life during Women’s History Month for a special reason. She has teamed up with USA Fibroids Centers to educate women about a non-invasive, non-surgical way to treat the condition that plagued her for 14 years. In a video that has swept the internet, sparking outrage at how a substitute teacher in Dallas, Texas, was treated, a student is seen throwing a heavy classroom metal chair and striking him on the head. A letter from Dr. Larry Lewis, interim superintendent of schools at the DeSoto Independent School District of Texas, confirmed the DeSoto West Middle School altercation that occurred on Wednesday between several students and the substitute teacher. Video and pictures are making their rounds on social media of the incident, where after the chair is thrown at the teacher’s head, he retaliates by throwing two chairs of his own, both missing the student, MEAAWW reports. The teacher then goes to sit down while the students attacking him leave, to wipe the blood streaming down his face. Amidst the chaos, the rest of the kids in the classroom are heard screaming and laughing. https://twitter.com/i/status/1502099362993696771 Cora Faith Walker, the former Missouri representative from Ferguson who then served as St. Louis County Executive Sam Page’s policy chief, has died at 37. The cause of death has not been announced. The Missouri Democratic Party said Thursday that “we are devastated to learn of Cora Faith Walker’s passing.” “She was a perfect example of a dedicated public servant who deeply cared for the St. Louis community,” it said. “We’ve lost someone very special and too soon.” First elected in 2016 to represent the House’s 74th District, the Democrat in 2019 resigned to take the job with Page’s administration. Her county biography says she had overseen government relations, regulatory affairs and public policy operations. Among other things, Walker served on a task force studying women’s participation and advancement in the workforce. On behalf of Page, she had also commented on efforts to bring Afghan refugees to St. Louis. She also had worked on Medicaid expansion and health reform, the county biography said. Last spring, a math teacher at a middle school in Fort Riley, Kan., called a student “miss” to get the student’s attention at the end of class, court records state. After class, another classmate emailed the teacher, Pamela Ricard, to let her know that the student now used he/him pronouns and a different first name. But the next day, when Ricard used the student’s last name — avoiding the new name or any pronouns at all — the classmate grew frustrated, leaving a note on Ricard’s desk accusing the teacher of being “transphobic.” The note ended with a remark on the classmate’s own gender identity: “my pronouns are he/they btw.” In a lawsuit, Ricard — who is Christian — says she was uncomfortable with referring to the students by names and pronouns that were different from what was listed in the district’s enrollment system. After some disagreement with school officials on how to handle the situation, Ricard was suspended and later issued a written reprimand for her refusal to comply with the district’s policies on diversity and inclusion. Now, Ricard is suing Geary County Schools Unified School District board members, the superintendent and Fort Riley Middle School’s principal, alleging that they violated her First Amendment rights by forcing her to use language and implementing policies that breached her personal and religious beliefs. A member of Russia’s parliament called for reparations from the United States on Sunday — including the return of historic settlements in Alaska and California — over the west’s vast economic sanctions. The Kremlin has been flooding the airwaves of its state-run channels with pro-war propaganda that paints a vastly different portrait to reality and shields the Russian people from the horrors of Vladimir Putin’s bloody invasion of Ukraine, the Daily Beast first reported. Moscow’s TV pundits and show hosts have also begun endorsing the idea of publicly hanging Ukrainians who are standing against Russia — something the Kremlin has reportedly already mulled, according to Bloomberg. Putin’s ‘spin doctor,’ Duma member Oleg Matveychev, appeared on Russian state news on Sunday, outlining a series of demands for both Washington and Kyiv ‘after Ukraine’s demilitarization is completed.’ It comes as Russian and Ukrainian officials meet for another round of peace talks Tuesday. Jane Campion is apologizing for a controversial comment she made about Serena and Venus Williams while accepting the best director prize at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards. The filmmaker said in a statement, “I made a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved. I did not intend to devalue these two legendary Black women and world-class athletes.” Campion continued, “The fact is the Williams sisters have, actually, squared off against men on the court (and off), and they have both raised the bar and opened doors for what is possible for women in this world. The last thing I would ever want to do is minimize remarkable women. I love Serena and Venus. Their accomplishments are titanic and inspiring. Serena and Venus, I apologize and completely celebrate you.” Record-breaking Olympian Allyson Felix, who famously walked away from a contract with a major sponsor while standing up for maternity and post-partum rights, is now teaming up with Pure Leaf Iced Tea to support women saying “no” in the workplace. The partnership was announced in honor of Women’s History Month, along with the launch of the premium ice tea brand’s Say “No” grants. In addition to Felix, the SeekHer Foundation, a women’s empowerment and mental health nonprofit, has also joined in on the initiative, according to a press release. In addition, Pure Leaf is committing $1 million over the next three years to fund opportunities that will “support women who want to say “no” at work so that they can say “yes” to other personal, social, familial, and cultural things in their lives.” “Since its launch in 2020, Pure Leaf’s ‘No is Beautiful’ campaign has encouraged people everywhere to say ‘no’ to the things that don’t matter, so they can say ‘yes’ to things that do,” Julie Raheja-Perera, general manager, North America, Pepsi Lipton Partnership, shared in a press statement. The LADWP Board of Water and Power Commissioners has approved an agreement with Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering (AMIE) to help achieve diversity in the engineering workforce. AMIE, a nonprofit organization that develops industry, government and university partnerships, will coordinate technical and scientific research on behalf of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) with the 15 Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Schools of Engineering. The universities are: Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, Jackson State University, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of the District of Columbia and Virginia State University. The Otis Redding Foundation is excited to announce the planned 9,000 square foot Otis Redding Center for the Arts and Amphitheater located in a place that is famous for its musical talent and heritage. It is envisioned as a central destination for youth educational programs in music and the arts. “There is no better place to be located, where musicians like a young Otis Redding, Little Richard, and Lena Horne started right here,” said Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller at the Mar. 1 announcement, according to a press release. The Center will feature two stories of art lab spaces, practice rooms and studio space for students to explore songwriting, production, performance and more. An outside amphitheater will open onto downtown Macon’s main thoroughfare and serve as a venue for student performances, a music-filled community gathering space, and a public face on the Otis Redding Foundation’s commitment to preserving Macon’s musical legacy and investing in the city’s next generation of artists. Four honorees for the 2022 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards were announced Wednesday ahead of the event being held March 24 at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Nia Long (You People), 2022 Oscar nominee for best supporting actress Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) and Chanté Adams (A Journal For Jordan) will be celebrated at the ceremony that marks the 15th anniversary of the affair. This year, the Black Women in Hollywood Awards will be themed to “The Black Cinematic Universe” and hosted by Snowfall‘s Damson Idris. The gala will be featured in Essence‘s March/April print issue and a special digital issue. Additional talent is set to be announced soon for the event taking place in the lead-up to the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony on March 27. ABC on Monday announced that it has renewed freshman comedy Abbott Elementary for a second season after the series starring, created and written by Quinta Brunson has become a breakout for the Disney-owned network. The series, a co-production between Warner Bros. Television and Disney’s 20th TV, is tied with CBS’ already-renewed Ghosts as broadcast’s No. 1 comedy among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic. The cast and creatives announced the pickup with a cheeky “memo” from Abbott Elementary principal Ava Coleman (co-star Janelle James) encouraging fans to support schools via DonorsChoose.org as the show continues to support education. (Read it, below.) The series, it’s worth noting, is inspired by Brunson’s mother, a retired teacher. The workplace comedy has also drawn comparisons to NBC favorite The Office for its documentary-style format. New episodes return March 22 at 9 p.m. In honor of Black History Month, the authors of the book “The Little Black Book Of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women” have launched a social media campaign where they share career advice to help inspire, motivate, and propel women of color. As co-authors Marsha Haygood, Elaine Meryl Brown and Rhonda Joy McLean wanted to celebrate in an innovative way where they can reach their audience. They wanted to provide practical advice that can serve as support and mentorship to the next generation of Black women at every level of work and life. The social media graphics the authors push and promote on their social media platforms serve as sparknotes for the advice provided in their book, which offers invaluable insight for Black women who seek guidance on how to get to the next level. In 2019, Sonia Robinson opened SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service in Fort Mill, S.C., after more than six years working as a regional service manager for Mobility Works, a leading dealer of wheelchair-accessible vans. Robinson wanted to apply her industry experience to business ownership with an established brand. After researching different opportunities and meeting with some of the other franchisees, she knew SpeeDee was the right choice for her because it allows her to offer a full range of oil change and mechanical services that she wouldn’t be able to elsewhere. With Robinson’s background in customer service, owning her own shop lets her focus on building relationships and working with people, which she loves most about the business.She has seen excellent growth in her SpeeDee store since opening, reporting 17% growth year over year. But women have not always been so successful in business. In 1972, approximately 4.6% of businesses in the United States were owned by women. As of 2019, women own 42% of companies and that number continues. A MOM-of-two has revealed how she earned $100,000 in FIVE months with a simple side hustle. Tech-savvy Jasmine McCall decided to take a bad experience and use it as inspiration to keep on top of her financial affairs, while helping others along the way. The 30-year-old explained how she had a rude awakening after realizing how a poor credit history can hold you back. Forgetting to repay her first credit bill left her unable to open a bank account just as she headed to college at age 18 and with a bad credit score on her record. Raised by a single mother alongside five of her siblings, Jasmine was no stranger to financial hardship. She said: “At this point in my life, I’ve done really well for myself, but I will never forget the feeling of constantly being rejected because my mom had bad credit.” Her money mismanagement encouraged her to delve behind the digits – which would later form the basis for her spectacular side hustle. Not many 16-year-olds can say that they have a successful business under their belts, let alone two. Yet, that’s exactly what Paris Mckenzie is doing. This young lady is currently juggling a beauty supply store and a salon while tackling her education. What’s even better is that this is far from the end of her journey. It might not seem strange for Paris to open a beauty supply store when you know her history. According to her interviews, her mother opened a salon a few months after giving birth to her. As a result, Paris grew up helping around the store. From as early as the age of 10, she’d mastered cleaning the barber tools, wiping down the salon chairs, and shampooing the clients’ hair. Within a couple of years, her mother was asking her to color and install wigs, according to a press release. This start at the salon led to her working with clients when she wasn’t in school. Paris notes that she saved all the money she earned because she had no responsibilities to take care of. Since this money would be integral to the next step in her life, it’s a good thing that she did. When the Build Back Better Act passed the House of Representatives last year, there was some excitement about a provision in it authorizing a payroll tax credit for local news organizations. If the bill had not died in the U.S Senate last month, it would have provided tax savings for local media outlets amounting to nearly $1.7 billion over 10 years. Supporters of the bill in the U.S Congress have vowed to bring it up again this year with the hope of funding a range of social, economic, education health and national security priorities. Researchers at the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Media and Journalism found that there are at least 200 counties in the U.S. lacking a local newspaper and the Pew Research Center reported a decline from 71,000 journalism positions in 2008 to 31,000 in 2020, a 57 % drop. The dismantling of local news reporting has diminished its role in providing important public oversight that holds our government accountable; promotes fairness, honesty, equity and justice; and preserves the integrity of our democracy. https://youtu.be/JHjwwRmag5o Last week President Joe Biden signed an executive order on digital assets that “helped lift the price of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies,” Forbes writes. “The executive order is really a call for coordination—playing quarterback to ensure that regulators are working together to feed into a clear and consistent framework for crypto regulation rather than engage in disparate work streams,” said Ari Redford, Head of Legal and Government Affairs at TRM Labs. https://youtu.be/_suSLXMifzA A KTLA reporter was doing a live report about one of LA’s most dangerous streets about car crashes when the segment was interrupted by car a crash. KTLA reporter Gene Kang was reporting on a deadly hit-and-run in South Los Angels, in the area of Hoover and 84th streets, when he was interrupted by a car wreck Thursday afternoon. According to KTLA, the site is known for it’s has many traffic incidents, “with double the number of traffic collisions occurring in the area since the onset of the pandemic,” the outlet writes. Kang was in the middle of his report when two sedans slammed into each other behind him and one appeared to speed away. https://youtu.be/2W-Rx2NLTO8 You are invited to attend the inaugural MILLIONS. BILLIONS. TRILLIONS. SUMMIT on March 31, 2022, in metro Atlanta, GA. Organizers promise a power-packed day of inspiration, information, and networking. The Summit, themed "The Courage It Takes To Be Great", aims to empower budding entrepreneurs and leaders and those who want to elevate their mindset. The MILLIONS. BILLIONS. TRILLIONS SUMMIT is the brainchild of Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and fashion entrepreneur Travis Malloy. The day will feature exclusive performances and appearances from today's leading culture influencers, thought leaders, executives, and entertainers. Presenters include Malloy, award-winning actor Malik Yoba, pastor and recording artist Bishop William Murphy III, motivational speaker Ivy McGregor, celebrity photographer Derek Blanks, Grammy Award-winning singer Q. Parker, and more. Instagram is now blocked in Russia amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The move came after the platform reportedly changed its hate-speech policy to allow Ukrainians to share messages such as “Death to the Russian invaders,” as reported by New York Daily News. Prior to the shutdown, a Russian communications regulator suggested users remove all their photos and videos from the platform before they are no longer accessible, per the report. “We need to ensure the psychological health of citizens, especially children and adolescents, to protect them from harassment and insults online,” regulator Roskomnadzor said. The Instagram block affects 80 million users on the platform. Loni Love has shut down reports saying “The Real” is getting canceled. Rumor has it that the syndicated daytime talk show will end after its current 8th season. Love has revealed that “No official decision has been made.” “It’s been a busy few days but I got a call from the studio,” she wrote on Twitter Sunday. “No official decision has been made about #TheReal …I will be OK but please give grace to the 150 crew members this may affect… we will finish Season 8 and wait for official word.” Love co-hosts “The Real” with Adrienne Houghton, Jeannie Mai Jenkins, and Garcelle Beauvais. The show, which launched in 2013, has recently been struggling in the ratings, according to Urban Hollywood 411. Reports about potential cancellation following news of Nick Cannon’s showing getting the ax. Tyrell Zimmerman is a man on a mission to address the wave of mental health challenges impacting urban youth, many of whom are struggling with trauma, childhood PTSD, and depression due to the harshness of their environments. With the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering, the mental health battle has only gotten worse as schools seek solutions. One of the ways Zimmerman is making a difference is through his children’s book, “Carter: My Dream, My Reality,” which promotes literacy and serves as a powerful guiding tool, assisting children with positive coping mechanisms, healing and recovery. https://youtu.be/8I_ARVr4Ycg 50 Cent says he’s ready to give Mo’Nique a second chance in Hollywood and he has called on Oprah and Tyler Perry to apologize for allegedly “blackballing” her in the industry. “I’m sure Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry would not want to continue to allow there influence to damage @therealmoworldwide career and this has went on for way to long,” 50 wrote on Instagram, Complex reports. “So now would be a great time to apologize because i’m gonna put her back on. ??GLG??GreenLighGang ??I don’t miss! #bransoncognac” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbGY1L_jg0U/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Will Smith is being open about his relationship with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, saying the two have never cheated on one another during their marriage.? The couple’s relationship has been a hot topic ever since Pinkett told viewers during a 2020’Red Table Talk interview that she had an “entanglement” with singer August Alsina.? But the “Bad Boys” actor isn’t concerned with people talking about his marriage.? “I have decided that chatter about my life can be of a benefit to people,” the Oscar-nominated actor told Gayle King during an episode of CBS Sunday Morning. “Chatter is the first stage to having a real conversation and to be able to truly explore if some of the things in your heart are loving or poisonous.” ? Timmy Thomas passed on March 12. He was 77. Thomas was best known for creating one of the most enduring songs of the 1970s – a song whose meaning still resonates in 2022. Thomas topped the charts in 1972 with the mesmerizing plea for peace, “Why Can’t We Live Together.”No cause of death has been given. His family wrote on his Facebook page: “With appreciation and gratitude, the family extends a thank you for the prayers, support, precious words and other expressions of love and kindness during this time.” https://youtu.be/zJ38KmkQPik Longtime Chicago-based radio man Pervis Spann is now broadcasting from the great beyond. Spann, a legendary broadcaster, died Monday at age 89. A one-time disc jockey for WVON-AM – who ended up buying the station – was a voice for Black Chicago during a time when many were fighting to be heard. “Pervis Spann was very much involved in the community and he had a lot of love for his people,” said Dorothy Tillman, WVON talk show host and former Chicago alderman. Mike Mora who married singer/chef Kelis 8 years ago, after a battle with stomach cancer, has passed away. He was 37. A rep for Mora, who was a professional photographer, confirmed the death on Monday, March 14, which comes 6 months after he learned of his cancer diagnosis. “Sadly, it’s true that Mike Mora has passed away,” Steve Satterthwaite of Red Light Management said. “We would ask all to respect Kelis and her family’s privacy as of right now. Thank you.” Mora made the public aware of his cancer diagnosis in October last year. https://youtu.be/MQIL8YHjtB0 Casting Director Dr. Veryl Howard makes her Hollywood ALLBLK acting debut in ‘Double Cross!‘ Now adding acting to her long list of credits, Howard stars in the third season of the hit series finale, alongside Samira Baraki, Ashley A. Williams, Jeff Logan and Darrin D. Henson, Judi Johnson, Faith Malonte, Tremayne Norris, Candice Van Beauty, Lisa Renee Marshall and Gabriela Smith. Howard’s standout EPIC performance in episode 6 as a “Madam” is one of the most talked-about episodes in the series. North Point Community Church Pastor Andy Stanley tweeted a message to his 40,000-member church that has since been deleted:There is one glaring flaw that must be pointed out upfront: everything we know about Jesus is from the Bible. Everything we know about the identity of Jesus is relayed to us in the scriptures. If they are not infallible and inerrant, giving us the absolute truth about Christ and what he did and who he is, including his resurrection, we would have nothing. Stanley explains, however: “The truth is, Christians are not expected to believe what we believe based on a collection of ancient manuscripts written by men who never met each other over the course of hundreds of years in a time when everybody was superstitious, and everybody believed in the gods and there was no modern science…The foundation of our faith is far more substantial than that. It’s far more sustainable than that. https://youtu.be/F125Ccfu13U Family members of Emmett Till gathered at the Mississippi State Capitol Friday to call for justice for his murder 66 years later. “We will bear witness to the hatred that has been embedded in our DNA since the slave ships arrived,” said Deborah Watts, a cousin of Till and co-founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation. “We made a promise to Mamie (Till) that we would persist and that’s why we’re here today.” They are asking for murder charges against Carolyn Bryant Donham, whose false accusations led to the 14-year-old’s kidnapping and lynching in the Delta region. She is the only living accomplice in the crime, they said. Bryant, then 21 in 1955, was working at the grocery store Till went to with family. On their way out, he whistled at her. She told her husband Roy Bryant that Till grabbed her and made advances against her. After being beaten, shot and dumped into the Tallahatchie River, Till’s face was unrecognizable. His mother Mamie’s decision to have an open casket funeral helped launch the civil rights movement. On Friday, Watts said Donham has not reached out to the Till family to apologize. Watts said she doesn’t have hatred for the woman and said charges will help hold her accountable for Till’s death. Five Florida middle school students were charged with hate crimes after allegedly attacking a group of children while exclaiming “brown power!” — an incident police are calling a racially motivated crime. The five juveniles, who were in sixth to eighth grade at Lyons Creek Middle School, were arrested on charges of battery and evidence of prejudice while committing a battery, a third-degree felony. In Florida, evidencing prejudice while committing an offense is considered a hate crime. The arrest reports list four victims. According to the arrest reports, the students approached the victims, yelled “It’s Opposite Day!” and “brown power!” and beat them. The arrest reports noted that the comments were made before and during the alleged attack. For a long time, Dawn Ison was hesitant to talk about the deep personal loss that shadowed her early life in Detroit. Her first-grade teacher relayed the tragic news that her 5-year-old cousin had been run down by a drunk driver. The skid marks left in the street are seared into her memory still. At 9, her father was murdered, a devastating consequence she attributes to an “unhealthy” lifestyle. Ison is recalling those painful moments more frequently now because as the newly-confirmed U.S. attorney and chief federal prosecutor for her beloved hometown – the first Black woman to hold the office – her life experience resonates in a community long-scarred by similar losses. “I’ve been both a defense attorney and a prosecutor, but it’s this lived experience that brings value to this job,” Ison said. While the historic nomination of the first Black woman to the Supreme Court has drawn much of the national spotlight, the Biden administration has been quietly moving to install one of the most diverse classes of U.S. attorneys in recent history. Of the 43 chief federal prosecutors nominated so far to lead the 93 federal districts, 48% are Black, including 16 people of color who represent firsts for their districts, according to the Justice Department. The numbers represent a dramatic pivot from the Trump administration. A 2020 analysis by the Associated Press found that 85% of Trump’s Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys were white men. Denver police announced on Friday that they found a large supply of various illegal drugs at two homes in the Denver metro area and arrested a 59-year-old man who was allegedly planning to deal them. Arthur Mills was arrested on Thursday. The homes where the drugs were found were in Denver and Aurora. https://youtu.be/QGVuUGwdFrA Several celebrities and organizations tried their best to keep Jussie out of jail by writing letters to the judge pleading with him to take it easy. Samuel L. Jackson and Alfre Woodard were among the few who went to bat for Jussie, according to Daily Mail. Samuel and his wife LaTanya Richardson begged the judge not to throw Jussie in the slammer, and said they were ‘incredulous’ about the entire case against him. “My husband, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and I have known Jussie since he was a baby living down the street from us in New York City. We have often broken bread with this young man as we discussed the right and wrong ways to live,” she reportedly wrote. “It is incredulous to Sam and to me that this entire criminal situation even exists. Jussie has already suffered a great deal of punishment, as this situation has destroyed his career and impugned his reputation.” Actress Alfre spoke about meeting Jussie in South Africa years ago in her letter to the judge. There’s a bidding war currently underway to turn Will Smith’s memoir into a biopic. A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Some feared that Will’s brutal honesty in his book could harm his reputation. But it’s done the opposite and helped him connect with his audience like never before. When he signed his book deal he did so with an accompanying biopic in mind. Now all the streaming services are clamoring to pick up the rights.” Smith’s memoir, published by Penguin Press in November, is an “inspirational tale of how [Will Smith’s] true self-knowledge helped to propel him to extraordinary success, and then evolve further to a place of deeper peace – with himself, his loved ones, and the world,” according to the press release, as reported by PEOPLE. “The idea is to communicate visually the evolution of a person, from childhood through adulthood, and at major stages of their life in between.” Film director Jane Campion is receiving a lot of backlash after (weirdly) mentioning Venus and Serena Williams in her acceptance speech for best director, in which she beat out a category full of men. “I’d also just like to give my love out to my fellow — the guys, the nominees,” she said during her speech. “And Serena and Venus, you are such marvels. However, you do not play against the guys like I have to.” The camera then cut to Venus, who looked very uncomfortable by the statement, and Serena, who was visibly less bothered by the remark. Multiple Twitter users quickly condemned her comments calling her a white feminist, and lowkey racist. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbF5aBsA759/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Country music pioneer Bobbie Lee Nelson — the sister of Willie Nelson, and a vaunted pianist in her own right — died Thursday at age 91. Her death was announced by her family via social media. They did not reveal the cause of her death, but said that she had died “peacefully and surrounded by family.” Nelson was the first member of her younger brother’s band, performing as a pianist and singer. Like her brother, she grew up in Abbott, Texas, where they were raised by their gospel music-loving grandparents. Their parents, Myrle and Ira, divorced early; Myrle left when Willie was six months old, and Ira departed soon after, handing the children to the care of their paternal grandparents. Born Jan. 1, 1931, Bobbie Nelson learned to play the piano by reading four-part shape-note harmonies in hymn books. And she fell in love with boogie-woogie, which she played for her school classmates. In his 2015 autobiography, It’s a Long Story: My Life, Willie Nelson wrote: “Bobbie became accomplished at an early age. I lagged behind — and remain so to this day. Bobbie is a musician in the true sense of being able to play with great facility in any style. She learned to read beautifully and was known far and around Hill County as a genuine piano prodigy.” Kassidy Parnell a high school student from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been accepted to 106 colleges and awarded a total of $4.5 million in scholarships! With a 4.1 GPA, Kassidy is graduating at the top of her class at Tara High School, and while in high school. Miss Parnell is not just a high school student. She’s also enrolled at Baton Rouge Community College where she’s taking computer science classes. Kassidy received acceptance letters from several colleges including Southern University, Saint Louis University, Butler University, Oklahoma State University, Marquette University, Seton Hall University, Loyola University Chicago, University of Kansas, and Kent State University. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaTMAJAolPv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again All-new episodes of TV One’s True Crime Mondays are back tonight, Monday, March 14th. "Fatal Attraction" leads the night with a thrilling love story gone bad at 9 p.m. ET / 8C. "Sins of the City" follows with the season finale, telling the story of the late Breonna Taylor at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWDYJBvBAHg Rihanna continues to flaunt her growing baby bump and sexy maternity style. The Bajan beauty, 34, had her belly on full display on Saturday for the launch of Fenty Beauty at Ulta Beauty in Los Angeles. Per Page Six, “Rihanna wore a cropped, criss-cross silver top that accentuated her bust for the outing. She paired it with a sparkly silver skirt and a bedazzled chain that draped around her burgeoning belly,” the outlet writes. “Right now I’m really into pushing the idea of sexy. When women get pregnant, society tends to make it feel like you hide, hide your sexy, and that you’re not sexy right now [but] you’ll get back there and I don’t believe in that s—t,” Rihanna told Refinery29 about her maternity style in February. “So I’m trying stuff that I might not have even had the confidence to try before I was pregnant. The strappiest, the thinnest, and the more cut-outs the better for me.” An Instagram influencer is suing the New York Police Department for mistakenly using her photo on a ‘wanted’ poster for a hooker who was robbing clients. Eva Lopez, 31, filed a $30 million lawsuit against the NYPD “for defamation, libel, slander, intentional infliction of emotional distress.” The New York Post reports. The Queens native found out she was a wanted woman last August when a friend texted her about the poster. “I thought it was something fake. I really couldn’t believe the police would put me on a wanted poster,” she told the New York Post. D.L. Hughley has clapped back at Kanye West (now known simply as Ye) after the rapper threatened to “hurt” the comedian for accusing Ye of stalking his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. In several posts shared online, Ye also called out Charlamagne Tha God and Perez Hilton. West took to Instagram on Sunday morning (March 13) and shared a screenshot from a TikTik video of Kim in Goth face paint along with daughter North West, the eldest child they share together. In the video, Kim and North sing Machine Gun Kelly’s “Emo Girl.” “I told y’all before about this tik tok stuff Now my 8 year old on here singing she fell in love with an emo girl,” West wrote. “Leftist don’t want fathers to have no say in our childrens lives I don’t want my kids at godless Sierra Canyon school I got a voice and I’m not having this And Perez Hilton you still ain’t answer my question And never put my name next to the word abuse Don’t play with my name like that I’m a real person who wants the best for my children.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbDKDADlPau/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Dallas Cowboys agreed to trade wide receiver Amari Cooper and a sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for a 2022 fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday. The deal is pending a physical and should be finalized by the middle of next week. The Browns entered this offseason on the hunt to rebuild Baker Mayfield‘s wide receiving corps, which was a massive disappointment last year. The Browns had high hopes that Odell Beckham Jr. could return to being a No. 1 wide receiver after suffering a season-ending injury in 2020. Instead, he was released by the team in early November. OBJ went on to win a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams, while Cleveland’s passing game cratered on the way to a disappointing 8-9 finish. The Browns, in fact, didn’t have a single wideout top 600 receiving yards, and only Jarvis Landry had more than 35 receptions. The Dallas Cowboys have finalized a five-year deal, $62.5 million deal with wide receiver Michael Gallup, according to sources. The deal includes a $10 million signing bonus. Gallup’s return comes a day after the Cowboys agreed to trade wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That deal is pending a physical and can’t be announced until the start of the new league year on Wednesday. Cooper’s $20 million base salary would have been fully guaranteed by March 20, but the deal has instead opened up $16 million in salary-cap room. Gallup was set to hit the free-agent market next week, but he opted to remain with the team that drafted him in 2018 and rehab with the athletic training staff he trusts after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January. Gallup, who turned 26 on March 4, had surgery in February to repair his ACL, but the expectation is he would be ready for game action in September. Damien Sneed, the multi-talented bandleader, composer, musician, and vocalist, finishes the final week of his 25-city sold-out North American tour, A Tribute to Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul. Presented by IMG Artists, this dynamic presentation celebrates the amazing musical legacy of the late Ms. Franklin, arranged and musically directed by Sneed, and features an accomplished cast of jazz, gospel, and soul musicians and vocalists. The tour kicked off Thursday, February 3, 2022, at the Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and concludes on Sunday, March 20, 2022, at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College in Flushing, NY, where both Karen Clark Sheard and Valerie Simpson will be featured as special guests. After announcing the March 11th premiere of his forthcoming music video on social media earlier this week — along with dropping the trailer, chart-topping recording artist Bryan Popin takes time to appreciate his blessings like only he can with the release of his official music video for “So Good 2 Me,” featuring Steven J Collins (H.E.R./Rodney Jerkins/Snoop Dogg/DaniLeigh). This song is in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsqB4pvtKlk Psalmist Kim Washington is elegantly poised with a powerful presence and God-inspired confidence. Her gifting as a singer, songwriter, and composing musician has blessed and enriched the lives of people who experience her in worship. God's word inspires her music, and an endearing passion fuels her delivery to promote healing and hope. Over the past few years, Kim's spirit-filled anointing through worship has been experienced throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas region. She was also a part of the Emmy Award-winning production Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All In The Family" and "The Jeffersons" presented by Jimmy Kimmel. She released her high-octane single "I Will" featuring James Fortune in 2020 and has now returned with an all-new single of inspiration, "I See It". This is another song that shines bright in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETSY0fLskrs Fred Jerkins drops I believe featuring Bishop Paul S. Morton. This is another song that shines bright in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxslkwKkvyI Breonna Taylor is more than a hashtag. Two years after Louisville Metro Police killed Breonna, it’s still tough to process. Breonna deserved better from authorities in Louisville and the state of Kentucky as a whole. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron made a mockery of accountability. As writer Hannah Drake explains, “there is no glass half full” when thinking about Breonna Taylor’s life and legacy. The Louisville-based truth-teller sums up the feeling of memorializing Breonna. “Louisville has reminded me that it is yet another city in the long line of cities where the lives of Black women are expendable,” wrote Drake. “This city has reminded me that Black women will be asked to labor to transform this city with little to no reward. Daily I am reminded that leaders will ask for our labor, disregarding the laborious undertaking that Black women shoulder trying to right a city that still refuses to face the historical and current ramifications of racism.” No one has been held accountable for Breonna’s killing. And it’s possible none of the officers ever will be held responsible given the lack of moral willpower on behalf of people in positions of decision-making power. https://twitter.com/BerniceKing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1502990320191090695%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4303690%2Fbreonna-taylor-life-mattered-because-she-deserved%2F According to new data, the number of Black people killed by police has increased over the last two years, following the death of George Floyd. According to data collected by The Washington Post, at least 1,055 people were killed by police nationwide last year. Black people accounted for 27 percent of those fatally shot in 2021 by law enforcement, according to the nonprofit group Mapping Police Violence. In other words, Black people are twice as likely as white people to be killed by police officers. Rashawn Ray, a senior fellow at the think tank Brookings Institution, said bringing attention to police brutality will not result in less police brutality. This month, McDonald’s launched “Future 22,” a new creative campaign that celebrates the work of 22 young, gifted, and Black leaders whose passion and talent are creating meaningful change in communities across the country. The integrated campaign launched for Black History Month and will run through summer, featuring TV and radio spots voiced over by award-winning actress, singer and entertainer, Keke Palmer. McDonald’s Future 22 campaign elevates the unique stories of 22 Black heroes and the impact they are having on their communities. Marveon Mabon of Watts, CA has been selected as a Future 22 honoree, highlighted for his teaching kids about health food options by building community gardens, which also serve as safe spaces for neighborhood kids and a home base for his anti-bullying program. Mabon joins the likes of other young Black leaders focused on creating a better future for the next generation. https://youtu.be/DmjgBMxHqSA Bismack Biyombo is expanding his efforts to advance healthcare in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Phoenix Suns center—who hails from the country—has pledged to donate his entire 2022 NBA salary to build a hospital there, CBS Sports reported. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has endured a multitude of setbacks that impact access to healthcare treatment. According to The Borgen Project, there are only 0.28 physicians and 1.19 nurses and midwives for every 10,000 people. The remote locations of villages in the country’s rural regions have also contributed to limited access. Aware of the state of healthcare in his home country, Biyombo—who inked a $1.3 million deal with the Suns and returned to the court in January after taking time off—was determined to cultivate a solution. In honor of his late father Francis—who passed away last year—he wanted to develop a medical facility that would significantly impact people’s lives. Biyombo is building the hospital through his philanthropic imprint, the Bismack Biyombo Foundation. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1502685737782702080/lxybLfjh?format=jpg&name=small As New Edition makes tour stops throughout the country, members of the collective are giving back to communities in need. According to WLWT, singer Ronnie DeVoe recently visited a Salvation Army in Cincinnati to donate gifts to local residents. The Boston native provided children with school supplies, bikes and helmets. He also donated laundry carts and other essential items to senior citizens. DeVoe says the impact and influence that the Salvation Army had in his life while growing up inspired him to pay it forward. “Any time that I am able to provide somebody some type of that feeling I got as a child and keep them away from negativity, that’s what this is all about,” he said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “To be blessed, to be a blessing to others.” Social good efforts like DeVoe’s are needed in Cincinnati as the city’s poverty rate is one of the worst in the country. Research shows one out of every 3.5 residents lives below the poverty line. https://t.co/tc0rLFL0DA Whitney Houston poured her heart out when she re-created Dolly Parton’s timeless classic “I Will Always Love You” in 1997. Last year, rapper Lil Nas X attempted to land the high pitch cadences of the country singer’s hit “Jolene.” Now, Parton says she would love to hear a rendition of her 1974 classic sung by none other than Queen B herself, Beyoncé. This week, the 76-year-old revealed the particular tidbit during an interview on “The Daily Show.” “I think she’s fantastic and beautiful, and I love her music,” Parton told the show’s host Trevor Noah. “I would just love to hear ‘Jolene’ done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney [Houston] did my ‘I Will Always Love You,’ just someone that can take my little songs and make them like powerhouses,” she continued. “That would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does do ‘Jolene.'” Noah asked the country music icon if Beyoncé was aware of her request, to which she replied: “I don’t know if she’s even got the message, but wouldn’t that be killer?” https://youtu.be/KRdJaoM5KvI Yesterday, Lady Gaga attended two major awards shows in one night! First at the BAFTAs in London, where she was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani in “House of Gucci.” Then at the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, where the 35-year-old was also nominated for Best Actress for her role in “House of Gucci.” Gaga lost both noms – Joanna Scanlan won the BAFTA for “After Love” and Jessica Chastain won the Critics Choice Award for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” https://youtu.be/9ZWqa9kPSi4 Apple TV+ has released the trailer for its four-part documentary series chronicling basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Per the network’s press release, “They Call Me Magic” offers a rare glimpse into the incredible real-life story of Johnson, who left his mark on history through his work—both on and off the court—and continues to impact our culture today. The series features intimate, never-before-seen interviews with Magic, his family, and an all-star lineup including Cookie Johnson, EJ Johnson, Larry Bird, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neil, President Obama, Fred Stabley Jr., Dwayne Wade, Jerry West, Michael Wilbon and more. https://youtu.be/7sgS3SssDX4 In Regina Hall’s upcoming film “Master” she’s tapping into the horror space. Hall stars as Gail Bishop the master of dorms at a fictitious prestigious PWI (predominantly white institution). Gail is the first Black woman to hold the position at the school. She will soon learn why there hasn’t been a Black person in that role before. The school is located in a town with a history of witches who died during a witch hunt and the community still has people practicing the traditions. The atmosphere around the school is very weary and Gail begins to experience strange events happening around the campus. She also slowly begins to realize the sinister energy isn’t just from the city being on old witch town. The three main characters are dealing with their own issues but are all connected by the one thing they have in common…Discover what that is when ”Master” starts streaming on Prime Video and in select theaters on March 18th. Showtime has released the first five minutes from its upcoming sci-fi series “The Man Who Fell to Earth” starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as an alien on Earth who works as a tech titan. The series is based on the 1963 novel by author Walter Tevis. The book spawned the 1976 film starring David Bowie and directed by Nicolas Roeg. In the film, the late singer played an alien stranded on Earth who turns to alcoholism. “Chiwetel Ejiofor’s stage and film career are staggering in their bravery, commitment and quality,” co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet said in a statement. “He’s everything we could imagine and a million things we can’t. We couldn’t be more thrilled.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_M-Dh_jl-w Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy almost co-starred together as Batman and Robin for a feature film. In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Murray discussed the Batman film that would have been helmed by director Ivan Reitman, CBR reports. “I talked to Eddie Murphy about it, and Eddie wanted to play Batman… That’s as far as that conversation went,” he explained. When asked if he would have taken on the role of Robin, Murray stated, “I don’t wanna be the Boy Wonder to anybody… Maybe much earlier when I was a boy. But it was too late for that by the ’80s. Also, I couldn’t do the outfit. Eddie looks good in purple, and I look good in purple. In red and green, I look like one of Santa’s elves. There was just a lot of vanity involved in the production. It wasn’t gonna happen.” https://youtu.be/mqqft2x_Aa4 An exhibition at the New York Historical Society showcases hundreds of Black dolls made from the 1850s to today. Specifically, the exhibition explores handmade cloth dolls made primarily by African American women between 1850 and 1940 through the lens of race, gender, and history. The exhibition immerses visitors in the world of dolls, doll play, and doll making while examining the formation of racial stereotypes and confronting the persistence of racism in American history. It features more than 100 cloth dolls, alongside dozens of historical photographs of white and Black children posed with their playthings and caregivers. https://cbsnews2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2022/02/25/fa034ddc-b0bf-4385-993f-846e2579b2bf/thumbnail/1280x720/32433e521c66aa011fd9e4cf0379cfe9/4c49b0457c6bb7a83476d25a5ea53b50.jpg Tyrese Gibson announced on Instagram last month that his mother, Priscilla Murray, died after a battle with pneumonia and COVID-19. On Friday, the actor/singer shared a condolence message he received from R. Kelly, who is currently incarcerated following his conviction for sexual sex crimes against women and young girls. The “Fast & Furious” star took to Instagram to share the comforting words from Kelly in response to the death of Tyrese’s mother. […] Hey Lil Bro,” the message began. “My Condolences To You About Mom… She Is In A Better Place With My Mom & They Both Smiling Down On Us.. I Pray For You & Keep It Going On Love. I know it a lot having to deal with this in the limelight but keep ya head up ~Rob~.” Tyrese said he “broke down” after receiving the message. In the caption of the post he wrote, “Yup….. just broke down in my trailer took me 45 mins to recover love you Kellz damn he is on the inside and still took time to get Condolences out to me and my family…” He added, “Love you Kellz……. No comments needed…” “Selfishly I wish they could sneak a protools rig and a mic in your jail cell so that you can unload all of those ideas cause I know you don’t write all of your hits have been freestyled off the top,” he continued. “But that’s just me…. R&B King!” Tyrese caught some heat from fans over this. Per Love B. Scott, “Some things are meant to be kept private,” one user noted, while another said, “Weird flex.” A third fumed, “We excuse pedophiles because they send condolences? Gtfoh.” ERNIE HAASE & SIGNATURE SOUND joined MICHAEL W. SMITH for an epic version of his iconic hit, “Friends.” The group released the video collaboration on Friday, March 11, 2022 via their Facebook and YouTube channels. Haase says: "We've crossed paths with Michael W. Smith many times during the years and I’ve always wanted to connect and collaborate but with all of our schedules, it just never worked out. During the pandemic, when no one was really traveling, we were able to make this a reality. This really was a dream come true.” EHSS & MWS will reunite once again for an Alaskan cruise this July 2022. A Franklin County, Ohio, jury declined to indict the police officer who fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant, a Black teenager, last April, state Attorney General Dave Yost said in a news release Friday. Yost also released investigative materials in the case, including more than a dozen interviews, crime scene and evidence photos and other records. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which was called in to investigate the officer-involved shooting, completed its probe and referred the case to the prosecuting attorney in July, the attorney general’s office said. Bryant, 16, was fatally shot by police officer Nicholas Reardon on April 20, 2021, outside her foster home, after an argument with two other young women over housekeeping escalated, Ma’Khia’s foster mother previously said. https://youtu.be/eh-IxPNI2Pw Former President Barack Obama tested positive for COVID-19, the former president announced on Sunday. “I just tested positive for COVID. I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise. Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, and she has tested negative,” Obama wrote on Twitter. “It’s a reminder to get vaccinated if you haven’t already, even as cases go down,” the former president urged. Obama has been a strong proponent of vaccines since they’ve become available. He has also been a strong proponent of public health measures like masking and social distancing meant to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Obama is among a number of high-profile politicians who have contracted the virus at some point throughout the pandemic. Nearly 200 members of Congress have caught the disease, according to GovTrack, a public accountability project. William Hurt, the Oscar-winning actor of Broadcast News, Body Heat and The Big Chill, has died. He was 71. Hurt’s son, Will, said in a statement that Hurt died Sunday of natural causes. He said Hurt died peacefully, among family. Deadline first reported Hurt’s death. In a long-running career, Hurt was three times nominated for an Academy Award, winning for 1985’s Kiss of the Spider Woman. After his screen debut in 1980’s Paddy Chayefsky-scripted Altered States as a psychopathologist studying schizophrenia and experimenting with sensory deprivation, Hurt quickly emerged as one of the 1980s’ foremost leading men. In Lawrence Kasdan’s 1981 steamy neo noir Body Heat, Hurt starred alongside Kathleen Turner. In 1983’s The Big Chill, again with Kasdan, Hurt played the Vietnam War veteran Nick Carlton, one of a group of college pals who gather for their friend’s funeral. Having started in New York theater, Hurt then returned to the stage to star on Broadway in David Rabe’s Hurlyburly, for which he was nominated for a Tony. Shortly after came Kiss of the Spider Woman, which won Hurt the best actor Oscar for his performance as a gay prisoner in a repressive South American dictatorship. Vladimir Putin will ‘destroy the world’ if he is left unchecked and is ‘crazy enough’ to use nukes, a Russian opposition politician has warned. Leonid Volkov, the former chief of staff for Alexei Navalny’s 2018 presidential bid, said ‘We can expect unfortunately everything’ from the Russian President. And his fears have been echoed by Poland’s premier, Andrzej Duda, who believes Putin could use ‘anything’ right now. Mr Volkov told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on the Sunday program an ‘enormous cost’ must be paid to stop the war. ‘There are all the sanctions, of course, they also create a burden on the European economy that is quite clear. ‘But this cost has to be paid because otherwise Putin will just destroy the world. ‘He is clearly not winning the war against Ukraine and he might think about other solutions, more powerful weapons, more powerful solutions to change the course of this war which is now not so successful for him.’ And he described the war as ‘enormously painful’, adding: ‘This is Putin’s war, not my war. This is not our war, not in our name. He is doing it. Not in our name.’ Explosions have been heard on the outskirts of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv after Russian forces launched an attack on a military base just 12 miles from the Polish border, killing at least nine people and injuring dozens more. According to Ukrainian sources, Vladimir Putin’s forces had launched a missile strike on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, also known as Yavoriv military complex, just before 6am this morning. Initial reports suggested the base had been targeted by eight missiles, but Maksym Kozytskyi, Governor of the region later confirmed 30 cruise missiles had been fired, killing 35 people and injuring 134. The base has previously been used to host Nato drills and housed foreign military instructors, but Nato has said none of its personnel were on the base at the time. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov renewed calls for a ‘no-fly zone’ over the country following the attack.’ Russia has attacked the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security near Lviv,’ he wrote on Twitter. Roughly two months after announcing his retirement, quarterback ?Tom Brady? announced Sunday he will return to play for his 23rd season and do so "in Tampa." https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FNxAUm7WQAANYOO?format=jpg&name=small According to a reliable United Nations climate report, tens of millions of people across the African continent are at risk of a looming drought, famine, displacement, and diseases in the coming decades. The report released on Monday forecasts immense effects of global warming across the continent in the future. The findings are a section of the far-reaching reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The latter is a team of hundreds of scientists and thousands of contributors from 195 territories and countries. The team is split into three working groups and the second one recently studied the dangers of climatic change and how societies should adapt to them. The findings from the second group show that rising temperatures will affect the whole world. Still, Africa will be immensely hit compared to other continents considering that most African countries are already approaching the limits of coping with climate-related issues. Saturday night, the City of Atlanta highlighted the life and achievements of civil rights leader Andrew Young, who is celebrating his 90th birthday. A gala was held in his honor to raise money for the Andrew Young Foundation, which supports and promotes education, leadership and human rights. The gala was held at the Georgia World Congress Center. Young has been a civil rights leader, Georgia congressman, U.N. ambassador, mayor of Atlanta and businessman. From barrier-breaking pioneers like Alice Ball, who was one of the first Black women to earn a master’s degree in chemistry, to modern-day trailblazer Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett, who played an instrumental role in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, African American women have historically shaped the world of STEM. Spelman College is on a mission to contribute to the legacy of excellence by educating and empowering the next generation of innovators in the space through a new partnership. The Atlanta-based HBCU is joining forces with the nonprofit SMASH—an organization centered on eradicating socioeconomic barriers around access to education—to increase racial and gender representation within the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Through the multi-year initiative—dubbed SMASH x Spelman—25 high school students will have the opportunity to participate in an immersive STEM-focused program. Mary McLeod Bethune walked into the White House, carrying an urgent message about the plight of Black Americans. The year was 1943, and the country was roiling with racism, segregation, Jim Crow laws and terror lynchings. Bethune, the only woman in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Black Cabinet,” a council of African American presidential advisers, had demanded a meeting with the president. Bethune was widely considered a shrewd political organizer and an architect of the early civil rights movement. She was a Black woman with power, with access to the White House, when few Black people were allowed in. She was often greeted on her White House visits by her friend, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who would embrace Bethune warmly at the White House gate. The two women would walk arm in arm down the circular drive, into the White House, past the hostile stares of White Southerners, many of whom made up the White House staff. Inside, Bethune would talk privately with the president about “the problems of my people.” “I discussed with him the problems of my people in many an off-the-record private talk held in the President’s study in the White House,” Bethune wrote in an article titled “My Secret Talks With FDR,” which was published in 1949 in Ebony magazine. “I often expressed to him my impatience with the slowness of the democratic process.” Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler during her defeat at Indian Wells on Saturday, sparking an extraordinary and at times unprecedented series of incidents in which the four-time Grand Slam champion was left in clear distress. Osaka, who is ranked 78th in the world after her third-round exit at the Australian Open, was taunted in the first set by someone in the crowd yelling ‘Naomi, you suck.’ The 24-year-old, who took a break from tennis last year to focus on her mental health, went on to lose the match against Veronika Kudermetova 6-0, 6-4 and addressed the crowd afterwards to explain exactly why the incident had upset her so much. The loser of a match addressing the crowd after a match is almost unheard of in tennis outside of major finals. Osaka was trailing just 0-1 to Kudermetova when the heckle came from the stands. The Japanese star, 24, was visibly upset by the incident and instantly began to cry. She immediately approached the chair umpire to ask for something be done. But, the umpire explained that she didn’t know who it was and could not take any action. As a result, Osaka asked if she could use the umpire’s microphone during the match to address the crowd herself as it was ‘weighing’ on her heart. However, the chair umpire, who sought the advice of the court supervisor, denied Osaka’s request – despite the fact the 24-year-old, who had tears streaming down her face, promised not to ‘curse.’ Jussie Smollett has been placed in the psych ward at the Cook County Jail. His brother Jocqui Smollett says it’s because the official paperwork says Jussie is at risk of self-harm. “So Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail. What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today saying that he’s at risk of self-harm,” Jocqui said via Instagram on Saturday. However, Jussie’s brother is calling it BS: “I want to make it clear that he is in no way, shape, or form at risk of self-harm. He wants to let folks know that he is very stable, he is very strong, he is very healthy and ready to take on the challenge that… has been put up against him.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CbB3TgJl2_M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jussie Smollett believes he was sent to jail because … he’s black?! According to TMZ, sources connected, and in constant communication, with the star said Jussie knew going into his sentencing that the judge wasn’t going to be on (his) side based on the energy he was giving him in the courtroom. Jussie apparently told his defense team that he felt his sentencing was going to be more severe than other defendants convicted of a non-violent crime … because he’s black. Jussie told his defense team after the sentencing that he was right, and has called the situation “sad.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca9rYbxDOKh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kanye YE West is not happy with Kim Kardashian again. Now he’s pleading with his ex to stop “antagonizing” because she’s allowing their 8-year-old daughter, North, to post videos on TikTok. YE is again taking issue with North’s presence on the video-sharing app. He has a problem with the “Emo Girl” TikTok Kim K and North filmed with Kourtney Kardashian’s daughter, Penelope Disick. “I told y’all before about this tik tok stuff,” West captioned an Instagram post on Sunday, referencing the video of the trio lip-syncing to the Machine Gun Kelly song. “Now my 8 year old on here singing she fell in love with an emo girl Leftist don’t want fathers to have no say in our childrens [sic] lives,” he continued. West, 44, also shared a video telling fans he raised the issue with Kim as well. https://www.instagram.com/p/CbDPwEkLfdW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mary J. Blige recently released a studio album dubbed “Good Morning Gorgeous.” Besides the launch, the singer was also part of the performing team at Super Bowl LVI — the audience enjoyed an exciting and dramatic performance from the singer. The two events brought Mary J. Blige a significant wave of attention that she has been riding on for the past few weeks, creating an ideal opportunity to Executive Produce an upcoming Lifetime Movie inspired by “Real Love” – one of her iconic songs. Tanya Lopez, EVP Scripted Content, Lifetime, describes Mary as one of the most phenomenal and all-around talents that can do it all. Lopez added that they were thrilled to partner and work with the singer once again on the upcoming project bringing Mary’s music to life through a movie – a unique idea that the audience will love. Featured on Blige’s 1992 debut album, What’s the 411?, “Real Love” was certified gold just two months after its release. https://youtu.be/90c9pEtZquw For years, people have debated whether Tevin Campbell is gay or not. The debate may have come to rest, thanks to his own recent tweet. The 45-year-old singer, actor and songwriter revealed something about his sexuality when he responded to a tweet by a fan. His response even trended on Twitter. A fan tweeted: “My mom continues telling me Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, and Tevin Campbell were gay.” Tevin, in responses, clarified that “Tevin is” and then added a rainbow flag, which is an LGBTQ community used to demonstrate Pride. He also used a chill emoji. He has since deleted the tweet, but not before many fans screenshotted it. Throughout his entire career, the RnB singer had never addressed his sexuality until now. https://youtu.be/aL4Ah6qbdj8 In the month leading up to the Fall-Winter shows in Paris, it was widely believed that the event would mark a significant return to business as usual — a celebration for the fashion world after two years of pandemic-related disruptions. Coronavirus cases were relatively low, international travel to and from France had opened up and more brands were scheduled to stage physical instead of virtual shows. But days before Paris Fashion Week was due to begin, the optimistic mood shifted. On February 24, the world watched in disbelief, then in horror, as Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his brutal attack on Ukraine. In Kyiv, a three-hour flight from Paris, pictures of families camped out in subway stations were akin to historical images of people in London seeking shelter below ground during bombing raids in World War II. https://youtu.be/_M3TGGGBJS4 Most young teens are nagging their parents to teach them how to drive or searching for the perfect homecoming dress. But 15-year-old Tamia Hawkins-Coleman has accomplished most of her entrepreneurial goals already — and she plans to keep her foot on the industry’s neck. Standing alongside your grandmother or parents while they cook seems like a stepping stone for all talented culinary connoisseurs and Tamia’s journey starts out the same. She reminisces on helping her grandmother make lasagna. Although she was constantly in the kitchen, her journey began a few years later. https://youtu.be/XNFYNFjXx6o Short films made by kids and for kids from around the world are being submitted for the 6th annual “Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Fest” (ILICFF), to be held via Zoom Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 1 – 3pmEST. Shorts from India, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States – to name a few – have been submitted in hopes of being selected to be screened at ILICFF 2022. The deadline for short film submissions is May 31, 2022, with a late submission deadline of June 30. Notification of selected shorts will be July 31. https://youtu.be/7MLDvQnnyFo The poet, activist and educator Sonia Sanchez is this year’s winner of the Edward MacDowell Medal, a lifetime achievement honor started in 1960 and previously given to Robert Frost, Toni Morrison and Stephen Sondheim among others. “I had tears in my eyes as I learned about this award,” Sanchez, 87, said in a statement released Sunday by MacDowell. “When I consider my dear friend, Sister Toni (Morrison), and so many others who have been given this award, I feel so welcomed to be part of that group. It is a great honor to be this year’s awardee. MacDowell has such a great herstory and history of caring and concern for artists; it is a joy this place exists to keep the world on a path toward re-civilization, peace, and humanity.” MacDowell is an artist residency founded in 1907, with fellows over the past century including James Baldwin, Leonard Bernstein, Louise Erdrich and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Sanchez was a prominent figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and is known for such poetry collections as “Homegirls and Handgrenades” and “Shake Loose My Skin.” Novelist Walter Mosley will present Sanchez her medal on July 10 on the MacDowell grounds in Peterborough, New Hampshire, the first in-person ceremony since 2019, the year before the pandemic. After being incarcerated himself, a local man is on a mission to keep prisoners connected to loved ones and educate former convicts, so they can make a possible difference in the community. Marcus Bullock was raised in both Northeast D.C. and Prince George’s County. At 15-years-old, he was arrested for carjacking. That really changed my life.” He said he didn’t truly understand the ramifications of his actions at the time. “It wasn’t until two years into me not only getting arrested, and then getting sentenced to eight years in adult maximum-security prisons as a 15-year-old kid when things started to shift for me,” Bullock said. Stevie J agreed to do an interview with Leah A. Henry for Leah’s Lemonade and he decided to go raw so to speak and do the interview while in bed at Diddy’s Star Island crib. Anyway, all the while he’s shirtless speaking to Henry from his phone. As Henry was about to start the interview, Stevie J requested oral sex from a mystery woman who was in his room while on camera. In the video, he looked away from the camera and said “Yo, come suck me off” to whoever was in his room. That didn’t stop Miss Henry, she went on with the interview and questioned him about being so authentic during his early days on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. https://youtu.be/H_zLwdiSuFM Once more, the Sacramento Kings are toiling in the NBA’s version of no man’s land. On the verge of missing the playoffs for the 15th straight season, when will a light finally shine at the end of this franchise’s depressing tunnel? After the Kings traded away very promising second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for All-Star center Domantas Sabonis at last month’s trade deadline — a blockbuster deal for both sides — they decided the time was now to push some chips into the middle of the table. With the long-standing postseason drought still in full effect, the Kings are trying to capitalize on the new Play-In era of the Association. Although Sacramento is 20 games below .500 at 24-44, the team is within shouting distance of the final Play-In slot at No. 10 in the Western Conference. https://twitter.com/i/status/1500255932294434817 A powerful winter storm is bringing heavy and blustery snow to the Northeast and hammering the nation’s eastern third with strong winds — and it’s about to usher freezing temperatures that could trouble crops in the South. About 4 to 8 inches of snow are forecast from the southern Appalachians to New England Saturday into early Sunday. However, areas of high elevation in the interior Northeast could see up to a foot of snow. Eight inches or more already had fallen by late Saturday morning in parts of eastern Kentucky, southeastern Ohio, West Virginia, western Pennsylvania and upstate New York. Russia has made dire threats to the West that any military shipments to Ukraine will be seen as ‘legitimate targets’, prompting fears there could be an escalation of conflict that could suck in other countries. Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the US ‘that pumping weapons from a number of countries it orchestrates isn’t just a dangerous move, it’s an action that makes those convoys legitimate targets’. The warnings came after Joe Biden personally intervened to stop a shipment of Polish MiG fighter jets to Kyiv, fearing the move could lead to ‘World War Three’. But Volodymyr Zelensky has slammed the West for its inaction, saying today he ‘doesn’t see any bravery from NATO’ as he pleaded for more involvement from allies in peace negotiations and offered to pay for more anti-missile systems. In response, the US made lukewarm promises of taking ‘diplomatic steps’ to help the Ukrainian government. Zelensky, who claimed 1,300 Ukrainian troops have been killed so far and 500 Russians surrendered yesterday, also said Putin’s forces can only take Kyiv if they ‘raze the city to the ground’, with Kremlin troops inching closer to the capital and conflict raging nearby today, endangering attempted evacuations. A top Ukrainian adviser and an Israeli official on Saturday pushed back against a media report suggesting Israel tried to nudge Ukraine into caving to Russian demands during talks. Israel has been engaged in diplomatic efforts to try to end the war in Ukraine. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. A report carried by Israel’s Walla news, the Jerusalem Post and U.S. news site Axios had suggested, citing an unidentified Ukrainian official, that Bennett had urged Ukraine to give in to Russia. Israel, “just as other conditional intermediary countries, does NOT offer Ukraine to agree to any demands of the Russian Federation,” Ukrainian adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter. “This is impossible for military & political reasons. On the contrary, Israel urges Russia to assess the events more adequately.” A senior Israeli official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, called the report “patently false.” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are condemning vaccine inequity and are urging “world leaders to do what is necessary to end this crisis and unite behind a People’s Vaccine.” Meghan Markle and Prince Harry joined “more than 130 world leaders, scientists, faith leaders, humanitarians” who signed an open letter titled The People’s Vaccine in which they call for an end to “vaccine monopolies,” PEOPLE reports. “Two years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic – and faced with disturbingly unequal access to COVID-19 vaccines – we urge world leaders to do what is necessary to end this crisis and unite behind a People’s Vaccine,” the letter begins. Yara Shahidi is one step closer to her college degree. The Grown-ish actress revealed in a sweet Instagram video Wednesday that she finished her very lengthy thesis at Harvard University. In the clip, the 22-year-old is standing outside in the snow, announcing the accomplishment in a format similar to a boxing match introduction. “Weighing in at 32,508 words and 136 pages, is this thesis writer, Yara Sayeh Shahidi! Let’s go,” she celebrated with a laugh, flexing her muscles while decked out in her Harvard gear. “YOUR FAVORITE THESIS WRITER IS OFFICIALLY DONE WRITING ????? TRY NOT TO BE INTIMIDATED BY MY STATS #ThesisComplete #Harvard #classof2022#LESSSGOOO” she captioned the post. Followers of Shahidi raved about the jaw-dropping length of her thesis in the comments. She also received a number of congratulatory messages from fellow celebrities like Lena Waithe, Jennifer Garner, Teyana Taylor, Tika Sumpter, and more. Alec Baldwin filed legal papers Friday denying any responsibility for shooting dead Halyna Hutchins — even blaming the late cinematographer for giving him the directions that led to the deadly accident. The 63-year-old actor insisted that every single mistake leading to the Oct. 21 shooting on the New Mexico set of “Rust” was “performed by someone else.” His filing Friday also revealed that Baldwin made an “exhaustive effort” to get the crew back together to finish the doomed movie even after a flurry of lawsuits blamed him for Hutchins’ death. “This is a rare instance when the system broke down, and someone should be held legally culpable for the tragic consequences,” the star’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, wrote in an arbitration filing Friday shared by Deadline. Jussie Smollett, the actor sentenced to five months in prison for faking a hate crime in Chicago, will serve his time in protective custody, officials said. Smollett, who ranted that he was not “suicidal” as he was hauled away after sentencing, will be housed in his own cell, and will be under video monitoring at all times, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office told The Post. Smollett also shouted his innocence on Thursday during his sentencing. “I did not do this and I am not suicidal and if anything happens to me when I go there, I did not do it to myself and you must all know that,” he yelled. The protective custody arrangement was requested by Smollett and his legal team, TMZ reported. Hailey Bieber has been released from the hospital after being admitted for a brain condition. The model, 25, was hospitalized in Palm Springs for a medical emergency earlier this week, PEOPLE can confirm. Bieber was admitted to the hospital with stroke-like symptoms caused by a blood clot in her brain, she shared in a statement on Saturday. “On Thursday morning, I was sitting at breakfast with my husband when I started having stroke like symptoms and was taken to the hospital,” Bieber posted in a statement on her Instagram Story. “They found I had suffered a very small blood clot to my brain, which caused a small lack of oxygen, but my body had passed it on its own and I recovered completely within a few hours,” she continued. “Although this was definitely one of the scariest moments I’ve ever been through, I’m home now and doing well, and I’m so grateful and thankful to all the amazing doctors and nurses who took care of me!” Bieber added, “Thank you to everyone who has reached out with well wishes and concern, and for all the support and love.” Keshia Knight Pulliam and Patti LaBelle are the latest screen team for an upcoming Lifetime Holiday film, “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime.” The duo has signed up for their 2022 roles in the film “A New Orleans Noel,” Whoopi Goldberg is the executive producer. Besides the two stars, the film will also feature Brad James, Pulliam’s husband, and veteran actor Tim Reid. The film is Goldberg’s second project to EP for the cable over the past few years after “Caught in His Web,” which will be released by the end of the year. ”It is with the utmost regret that we inform you of the passing of our sister, Traci. Needless to say, she was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister, a loving mother, wife, grandmother and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly. Traci passed this morning as the snow was falling, our angel is now a snowflake. We ask that you respect our privacy as we plan to send her home with love, celebrating her life. We are family forever. Love, The Braxton Family.” “We have come to a time where we must inform the public that after a year of privately undergoing a series of treatments for Esophageal cancer our beloved Traci Braxton has gone on to glory,” Traci’s Husband Kevin Surratt told TMZ. Traci has been battling cancer for a year, doing so very quietly. She lost her battle Friday. Traci’s sisters and mom Evelyn were by her side when she passed, the site also reported. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2022-03-12-031222-traci-braxton-last-time-1377367/ On “Tamron Hall,” NBA veteran and radio/TV personality Jalen Rose joined the Tam Fam to discuss his widespread career and how his late mother Jeanne continues to inspire him to help others. Rose also gets a surprise video from one of his students at his public charter school, the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. https://youtu.be/K-SQme6rP0c HBO is debuting their new late-night sports talk show that aims to inform you while also making you laugh. “Game Theory with Bomani Jones” features the Emmy award-winning journalist discussing timely issues in the world of sports. ESPN fans first became familiar with Jones through his appearances on “Around The Horn” and later as the co-host of “Highly Questionable” and “High Noon.” Jones is also currently a contributor on HBO’s “Back on The Record with Bob Costas.” https://youtu.be/tVmXz1RCDHo Bill Maher has fascinating and hilarious takes on America’s view of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The way he sees it knuckle-headed Americans are making the war about them. As the “Real Time” host said on Friday night: “Everything proves what we already believed and everything goes back to the thing we already hate.” As he puts it … Biden supporters blame Trump’s policies for the war, and vice versa. He hilariously references a comment Trump made about the war, saying it wouldn’t have erupted but for a rigged American presidential election. Maher’s reaction … “Kanye thinks less about Pete Davidson than Trump thinks about the rigged election.” BTW … it wasn’t rigged. https://youtu.be/mXdzAZvid0E “This is a new role,” said actress Marita de Lara about her current role on ABC’s “General Hospital” where she previously had a role. “This is a different role from the one I had in 2017 (which ran until 2021); she was the head of Pediatrics.” The Baltimore native plays Dr. Maria Fleming, a neonatologist, in the soap-opera “General Hospital” which is about life in upstate New York in a town called Port Charles. De Lara said growing up with a mother who was an OB/GYN doctor helped her prepare for her medical roles. “It was 5 or 6 episodes. It was fun to do. I love it, a great group of people,” she said about her experience on the “General Hospital” set. Currently residing in Los Angeles Marita is an in-demand actress whose credits are long and include “Hawaii Five-O,” “The Shield,” “This is Us,” NBC’s “Days of Our Lives,” CBS’ “Bold and the Beautiful,” and ABC’s “Port Charles.” “I have a role on ‘Now and Then’ on Apple TV+. I shot it in Miami. It was a bi-lingual set, the director is Spanish, so I had to listen really hard,” she said lovingly. “It was nice.” https://youtu.be/mMExR0_6S8U WWE star Big E said Saturday he was recovering from what he called a broken neck, suffered during the live WWE Smackdown show in Alabama the previous night. Wearing a neck brace on a hospital bed in Birmingham, the wrestler whose real name is Ettore Ewen tweeted in a video his C1 and C6 vertebrae were both fractured, but he had “some really good news … all things considered.” He said he suffered no displacement of the spine nor spinal cord or ligament damage and did not need surgery. “And a pro tip: if you’re going to break your neck, do it in Birmingham,” he said in a video posted on Twitter. “They’ve been great, everyone here at UAB (Hospital) has been great. But for real, it’s meant a ton to me that so many of you have been so kind and reached out, stopped in to see me, texted me. I know I sound like a broken record but I feel very grateful and I’m going to be alright.” https://youtu.be/aCeVrmrYBKA Academy Award winner H.E.R. will co-host this year’s Women in Film (WIF) pre-Oscars party with producer and the organization’s board president emerita Cathy Schulman. The 15th annual event will take place on March 25 at Bar Lis at the Thompson Hollywood hotel. The party honors all 60 women who have been nominated for an Academy Award this year. H.E.R. earned her first Oscar last year for original song for “Fight for You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah.” She is set to make her acting debut as Squeak in the feature adaptation of “The Color Purple” movie musical. Directed by Blitz Bazawule, the movie is currently shooting in Atlanta. Founded in 1973 as Women in Film, Los Angeles, WIF advocates for and advances the careers of women working in the screen industries, to achieve parity and transform culture. Membership is open to all screen industry professionals. A Las Vegas judge agreed Thursday to postpone hearing evidence in the criminal case accusing ex-Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs of driving drunk and causing a high-speed crash that killed a woman last November. Ruggs’ defense attorney, David Chesnoff, asked for more time to examine evidence that police say shows Ruggs was driving 156 mph (251 kph) with a blood-alcohol level twice the Nevada legal limit before the fiery rear-end crash early Nov. 2 that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor in her vehicle. Prosecutors did not oppose the delay. Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman set a new date, May 19, for the hearing at which she’ll determine whether Ruggs will stand trial in state court on felony driving under the influence and reckless driving charges. Ruggs faces a mandatory two years in prison and maybe more than 50 years if he’s convicted. He also is charged with misdemeanor gun possession after police reported finding a loaded handgun on the floor of his demolished Chevrolet Corvette. The 23-year-old former first-round NFL draft pick didn’t have to appear with Chesnoff in court. He remains on house arrest with electronic GPS and alcohol monitors. Ruggs and his girlfriend, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, were hospitalized after the crash. The extent of their injuries has not been made public, although Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has said prosecutors were told Ruggs suffered a leg injury and Kilgo-Washington underwent arm surgery. Kilgo-Washington’s attorney is fighting in court to prevent prosecutors from obtaining her medical records, which prosecutors need to prove the crash caused substantial bodily injury. Ruggs wore a neck brace and remained seated in a wheelchair during his initial court appearance the day after the crash. By then, the Raiders had released him from the team. YE, formerly known as Kanye West, appointed Jason Lee, founder and CEO of Hollywood Unlocked to its executive team as the Head of Media and Partnerships. As YE builds out various entities committed to amplifying narratives and humanizing black voices in media and storytelling, Jason in this new role, will work to bring in like-minded institutions and content that will further expand YE’s media empire. As head of media and partnerships, Lee will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of all media content, providing insight for the operation and management of the media department and streamlining partnerships and networking efforts to increase the visibility and credibility of YE’s new brand. Most recently, Lee helped launch YE’s Stem Player and Donda 2 album release which has grossed more than $3 Million since its release on February 22, 2022. Christopher Coleman appeared on a recent episode of “Wheel of Fortune” alongside other contestants Laura Machado and Thomas Lipscomb. However, things took a different turn after none guessed the correct and obvious answer to the puzzle: “Another feather in Your Cap.” Coleman and his team were immensely trolled on social media for their ignorance, and eventually, the contestant has had enough of the trolls. Coleman opened up about the ridicule, telling TMZ about the widespread hate that followed the episode’s airing. He said he learned the idiom (“Another feather in Your Cap”) at around 6 or 7 years of age but hasn’t heard it in over 30 years, which explains he wouldn’t get it right. Combined with the pressure and scrutiny that accompanies production on the show’s set, it is reasonable to forget even the simplest things. It is easier for viewers comfortably seated on couches in their homes, relaxed, to scream and yell at the contestants on TV, forgetting that the latter are in real-time and moment struggling to find answers to the puzzle. Coleman adds that it is sad how everyone is treading on (him and his team’s) intelligence and belittling their college degrees without thinking of the surrounding circumstances at the time. https://youtu.be/-tjYgh8TFVw #CardiB has pulled out of her first lead acting role, putting the highly anticipated film on the shelf, at least temporarily. Last January, it was announced that the “Be Careful” star had landed the starring role as Amber in the Thembi Banks directed comedy, “Assisted Living.” The film would follow Amber as she goes on the run inside a retirement home, disguising herself as her grandmother. However, just a week before filming began, the 29-year-old backed away from the flick due to an “overextended” work schedule. The #Grammy-award-winning rapper is hard at work on her highly anticipated sophomore album, slated to be released this year. In addition to music, she also stars in her Facebook Watch docu-series titled “Cardi B Tries,” which follows her as she tries different occupations and hobbies. She is also the visionary behind her popular Reebok collaboration and the first-ever creative director at Playboy. Her schedule is jam-packed, so an abrupt pause on her acting endeavor is understandable. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca-CF32sMOH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again This is what Virgil Grant, owner of California Cannabis, has to say about Cat Packer resigning as Director of the Department of Cannabis Regulation. “Cat Packer should have stepped down as the Director of the Department of Cannabis Regulation a long time ago. Cat stepping down is not going to fix all of the problems. Everybody else in that department needs to go as well. They should revamp the whole department because everybody participated in the destruction and the demise of LA’s cannabis market. LA should have been the number one cannabis market in the world. LA looks like the biggest joke in the world because of everyone in that department — Michelle, Rocky, and Jason Killeen. https://youtu.be/PFhYbTJoI4w Kyle Thomas, a pop culture astrologer, has penned a lengthy article for the New York Post about Oprah Winfrey’s birth chart. Thomas writes, “One of the strongest features of her astrological aspects is that her sun is in the exact same place as her Venus. This brings her a charming and cheerful persona, but also makes her beautiful inside and out. She’s deeply invested in the arts and her relationships and can connect with people in a soft, yet empowering, way.” Thomas adds, “Her sun links gorgeously with her moon, representing that she’s innately very balanced and confident, while her moon smiles upon Venus, making her especially popular. “With her sun under siege from Saturn, she was blocked by a significant lack of love and support in her life, but this caused her to find her perseverance,” Thomas writes. A father of seven is finally back home in New Mexico after spending 549 days in the hospital battling COVID-19. Donnell Hunter, 43, was treated at nine different hospitals after he contracted COVID-19 in Sept. 2020, PEOPLE reports. Hunter, 43, was “heavily sedated and on a ventilator for most of that first year,” the outlet writes. https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/roswell-man-who-spent-more-than-500-in-hospital-for-covid-returns-home/6410837/ Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to create a ‘man-made catastrophe’ at Chernobyl which he plans to blame on Ukrainian ‘saboteurs’ in order to justify further escalating his war against the ex-Soviet country, Kyiv’s intelligence service has claimed today. Ukrainian spies say the ‘terrorist attack’ will be carried out by Russian operatives who moved in yesterday amongst a group of ‘specialists’ sent by Belarus to take over safety operations at the partially-destroyed nuclear power plant, which was seized by Russian forces in the opening days of the invasion. Belarus sent the team in after Putin’s men disconnected Chernobyl from monitoring systems which report the status of its nuclear safety systems to UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and cut power to the plant – meaning water used to keep its fuel rods cooled will no longer automatically top itself up. The Ukrainian warning comes against the backdrop of western governments saying Russia appears to be laying the groundwork to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine – an attack that would also be blamed on Kyiv with the aim of justifying a further increase in violence. The 2020 census undercounted Black people, Latinos and Native Americans, and overcounted people who identified as white, according to estimates from a report the U.S. Census Bureau released Thursday. Latinos — with a net undercount rate of 4.99% — were left out of the 2020 census at more than three times the rate of a decade earlier. Among Native Americans living on reservations (5.64%) and Black people (3.30%), the net undercount rates were numerically higher but not statistically different from the 2010 rates. People who identified as white and not Latino were overcounted at a net rate of 1.64%, almost double the rate in 2010. Asian Americans were also overcounted (2.62%). The bureau said based on its estimates, it’s unclear how well the 2020 tally counted Pacific Islanders. The report notes that the census has long undercounted Black people, Latinos, and Native Americans. https://youtu.be/Eq-FMB4epyw Major League Soccer has joined forces with several Black-owned banks in an effort to help economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. MLB has reportedly taken out a $25 million loan “facilitated by the National Black Bank Foundation (NBBF), a network of Black-owned retail financial institutions that seeks to close the racial wealth gap by helping underserved communities gain access to capital,” per Boardroom TV. “Major League Soccer’s partnership with the National Black Bank Foundation (NBBF) is a tangible step in the efforts to close the racial economic gap in the United States, and it’s the right business decision for us,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber in a release. “In order to make a genuine impact, economic justice must be part of the equation. It is our hope this will raise awareness of the importance of Black-owned banks and their impact on the economy.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1502079357380018178 On Tuesday, Travis Scott announced the launch of Project HEAL, an initiative that aims to make events safer and protect youth. He wrote on Instagram: “Over the past few months I’ve been taking the time and space to grieve, reflect and do my part to heal my community. Most importantly, I want to use my resources and platform moving forward towards actionable change.” He added, “This will be a lifelong journey for me and my family.” The philanthropic effort will also provide $5 million for community-based initiatives in Scott’s home state of Texas. The big move comes months after the tragic Astroworld Festival festival where 10 fans were crushed to death and hundreds were injured. Travis faced major backlash following the horrific event. However, he says “I feel as a leader in my community, I need to step up in times of need,” he wrote. “I will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever,” he added. It’s not every day that a defending NBA champion loses its starting center and doesn’t miss a beat, but like its superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks have long proven to be successfully unorthodox. From the drama surrounding Ben Simmons and James Harden, to the struggles of the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, there have been a number of interesting storylines to focus on this NBA season. The defending champs not skipping a beat, though? It’s not a headline that would necessarily sell newspapers, so the Bucks have managed to somehow fly under the radar. https://youtu.be/NcpNAnzjL08 Starz has renewed ”Power Book IV: Force” for a second season. “Fans have been eagerly awaiting Joseph’s return as the iconic ‘Tommy Egan’ and from the show’s record-setting debut, it was clear right away that they want to see another season of him taking on this new city,” Jeffrey Hirsch, president and CEO at STARZ, said in a statement, as reported by Urban Hollywood 411. “We are thrilled to have Joseph back in the ‘Power’ Universe and to be expanding the world with a new tapestry of power players brought to life by our fantastic cast.” https://youtu.be/Ivdy4VzQY_U Kim Kardashian is catching heat over comments made in a new interview with Variety. The publication’s latest cover story on the Kardashians unpacks their new TV series at Hulu titled, “The Kardashians,” and how it will differ from their former E! Series “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. Kim said the new series will showcase different sides of the Kardashian clan, such as highlighting their business ventures. “I have the best advice for women in business. Get your f***ing a** up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days,” Kim said (peep the YouTube clip below). “You have to surround yourself with people that want to work. Have a good work environment where everyone loves what they do, because you have one life. No toxic work environments and show up and do the work.” https://youtu.be/XX2izzshRmI Mikaila Murphy doesn’t care if you don’t like her “twerk” videos. She also gives zero f*cks about that guy she used to date – ol what’s his name. The douchebag. It’s a familiar story – relatable to most girls in her age group (she’s 22). “He cheated, I caught him in a lie,” Murphy recalls, sounding as if there might still be some leftover agitation at the thought of what happened. “I even spoke to the girl he cheated with. We’re friends now.” https://youtu.be/jnJHOzPLymc During Thursday’s episode of his eponymous daytime talk show, Nick Cannon reacted to the talker being canceled after one season. “This is show business, right? And we know the biggest word in that is ‘business’, and this is a business,” he explained. “As a businessman, I know that as much fun as we have on the show, business is the thing that makes this whole thing tick and operate.” Honestly, I show up each and every day bright and early to give you a show, but I’m also a businessman, and you understand when there’s certain forms and certain platforms,” he said. “This has been a dream come true for me to be able to do this for you each and every day, but my business mind, I want to expand and elevate in a way.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7eW0uo7i7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) are working with the State Department to get WNBA star Brittney Griner released from Russia. The Phoenix Mercury basketball player was arrested in the country on February 17 when she arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport on a flight from New York. Per SandraRose, “A drug sniffing dog alerted customs officials to Griner’s carry-on bag. Officials found multiple vape cartridges containing “significant amounts” of cannabis (weed) oil in her luggage.” https://youtu.be/AXo_fvpG3vA One of the biggest, long-standing historical debates in American history has been that of education, especially as it pertains to underserved, minority communities. However, educator, entrepreneur and consultant Tiffany Ford, known as “The Childcare Guru,” believes she has the answers to giving urban youth the academic spark they need to flourish. With COVID-19 impacting the mental health of children and young adults, she says curriculums that embrace the arts are crucial. A native of Philadelphia, Ford has worked passionately in the fields of childcare and education for the last 15 years. She is the owner of Little Leaders Learning Academy, co-owner of Stages Community School, and the founder of Leaders and Legends Performing Arts Academy, which teaches Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern Dance, Drama, Karate and vocal classes in southwest Philadelphia. Ford’s curriculums have thrived since 2009, offering both students and parents exposure to various resources and setting them up for success. A grand jury on Friday declined to indict Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson following a police investigation sparked by lawsuits filed by 22 women who have accused him of sexual assault and harassment. The grand jury’s decision came about a year after the women first filed their suits, accusing Watson of exposing himself, touching them with his penis or kissing them against their will during massage appointments. One woman alleged Watson forced her to perform oral sex. Houston police began investigating Watson in April 2021 after a criminal complaint was filed. The FBI also was reviewing the allegations. A federal appeals court on Thursday said the pop superstar Katy Perry and her team were not liable to a hip-hop artist who claimed they copied her No. 1 hit Dark Horse from his Christian rap song. In a 3-0 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Flame, whose given name is Marcus Gray, did not deserve damages for copyright infringement over a musical pattern he said Perry, 37, borrowed from his song Joyful Noise. The Pasadena, California-based court said the eight-note pattern, known as an ostinato, consisted ‘entirely of commonplace musical elements’ that lacked the ‘quantum of originality’ needed for copyright protection. A Los Angeles jury had in July 2019 awarded Flame and two other plaintiffs $2.79 million, including $550,000 from Perry and $1.29 million from her label Capitol Records, part of Universal Music Group. The CMT Music Awards will have country star Kelsea Ballerini returning as co-host, joined this year by actor Anthony Mackie, CBS announced Thursday. Ballerini is taking on hosting duties for a second straight year. In 2021, she co-hosted with fellow country star Kane Brown, who was then in his second year in the role. Mackie, best known for his roles in Marvel’s “Avengers” franchise, most recently as the co-lead in the Disney Plus limited series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” is a surprise choice to host a country awards show, although he did present an award on last year’s telecast. The CMT Awards have primarily been hosted by country music figures in recent years, but the show does have a long history of bringing in actors to share the duties. Sarah Hyland co-hosted with Brown and Ashley McBryde in 2020; prior to that, Brittany Snow, Kristen Bell, Pamela Anderson and Kathy Najimy had been drafted at various points. On the ACM Awards stage Monday night in Las Vegas, Dolly Parton said she would rather pass a kidney stone than get political at an award show. But that didn’t stop the Country Music Hall of Famer and show host from dedicating this year’s Academy of Country of Music Awards to “our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.” In her opening monologue, Parton said: “I do want us before we start all our fun to take a serious moment. … I want us to send our love and hope to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.” She continued, earning applause from onlookers: “Why don’t we just dedicate this entire show to them? And pray for peace around this crazy ‘ole world.” Matthew Carnahan (House of Lies), Emmy nominee Nadia Hallgren (Becoming), and Ben Crump are developing the legal series Stokes, based on Crump’s life and work as a civil rights attorney. The series will also follow Crump and his team as they travel the country fighting to change the problems within the justice system. Carnahan, creator and showrunner of Stokes, developed the script with Hallgren. Crump and Carnahan’s producing partner, Joel Ehninger, will executive produce. “Working with Ben Crump is a stark rebuttal of the old saying about never meeting your heroes. Three years in, through a documentary and this wonderful scripted series, Stokes, Ben is more my hero than ever, and his work has undoubtedly changed the culture,” said Carnahan in a statement to Deadline. Added Hallgren, “Ben Crump is one of the most nuanced, complex, and interesting characters I’ve ever met. The last two years I’ve spent documenting Ben during this historical time, gave me a front row seat to his singular perspective. Ben brings together the history of America with the present moment in unimaginable ways and I’m thrilled to be working with Matthew Carnahan to share this story through a scripted narrative format.” Today, GRAMMY-nominated, Billboard Music Award-winning, platinum-selling, multi-racial, multi-cultural, and genre-bending collective Maverick City Music and 16-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist, songwriter, producer, and cultural icon Kirk Franklin have announced the Kingdom Tour featuring special guests Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires. Produced by Live Nation and Undivided, the 37-city tour kicks off on June 1st at FTX Arena in Miami, FL making stops across North America in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in Denver, CO at Ball Arena on July 31st. At the conclusion of the Kingdom Tour, a collaboration album, Kingdom, will follow featuring Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR-D3bvi-4E&feature=youtu.be The single, "Who Hurt Who?" written and produced by Kameron Corvet is the first song he has released since his Kathy's Basement EP (2020). Written, arranged, and produced by Corvet, "Who Hurt Who is an ode to the classic post break-up songs of the 60s and 70s. Rooted in guitars and Corvet's signature vocal blend of falsetto and natural melodies, he uses his Grammy Award-winning songwriting to address failed relationships from the man's perspective. " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv4hk-q-OLM Semaje drops new single "Lovely Day." This song is in the Gospel Spotlght!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xb88KfQk5k Accomplished, TigerBeat-featured new artist and 20-year-old singer, songwriter and guitarist Coby James releases “Shackles (Praise You)” to radio and digital / streaming outlets everywhere today from Centricity Music. The song features Motown Gospel / Capitol CMG’s Evvie McKinney and pays tribute to Mary Mary as a new version of their career-launching debut single released at the turn of the century. With John Mayer, Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes and other influences apparent in his music, James infuses his popular music stylings with soul, urban gospel vibes on “Shackles (Praise You).” This song showcases his rare talent alongside McKinney, winner of the inaugural season of the TV singing competition The Four: Battle for Stardom on FOX. This song is in the Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pd35RuRdAE Gold-selling, Dove Award-winning pop recording artist and songwriter Jordan Feliz releases Say It (Deluxe) worldwide today (March 11) via Centricity Music. The 18-track deluxe version of Feliz’s acclaimed, third full-length album Say It features the celebratory radio hit “Jesus Is Coming Back” and its remix version featuring both GRAMMY Award-winning Mandisa and Motown Gospel/Capitol CMG artist Jonathan Traylor. Hitting No. 7 and No. 4 on the Billboard NCA Monitored and AC Indicator charts respectively this week and continuing to climb, the multi-format radio single “Jesus Is Coming Back” points to the hope of Christians around the world, giving voice to those longing for a home other than ones built on earth. Here is another song in The Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/user/jordanfelizmusic Actor and rapper Kaalan “KR” Walker is accused of raping over 30 teens and women that he allegedly met via social media while posing as a photographer. per MadameNoire, that the rape and sexual abuse allegations date back as far as 2013. Walker pleaded not guilty to 6 counts of rape and 2 counts of unlawful intercourse with a minor, in addition to multiple felonies, AceSHowBiz reported. Walker’s attorney argued that all the encounters with the alleged victims “was in consensual and voluntary contact.” “There’s no abduction rape. There’s no forced rape. Purportedly, he is giving them information like, ‘Hey, I could put you in a movie. I could put you in a rap video. I could create a star.’ And that’s what gets them to do things they might not normally want to do,” the attorney continued. During a hearing on Tuesday (March 8), prosecutors described Walker as a “digital age” serial rapist who used the “little blue checkmark” on his social media accounts to “hunt” for his victims, according to Rolling Stone. A former business partner of Akon has described the artist’s Senegal city plans to a Ponzi scheme. As reported that Akon is not only building a futuristic city in Senegal, the former singer is also developing a similar cryptocurrency-based system of living in Uganda. Per Complex, the Ugandan government has allotted Akon one square mile of land to build Akon City. Akon has reportedly bagged a $6 billion contract to build a cryptocurrency-themed city in Senegal. He shared the exciting news in a post on Instagram, writing, “KE International awarded US $6 Billion construction contract for Akon City.” Former First Lady #MichelleObama and #NBA superstar #ChrisPaul kicked off the VOTE LOUD HBCU Squad Challenge — When We All Vote’s first-ever #HBCU campaign. The Squad Challenge’s goal is to empower HBCU students to take a leading role in voter registration, education and mobilization efforts on their campuses and their surrounding communities ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Baller Alert, along with other partners such as BET, Watch The Yard, HBCU Buzz and Xceleader’s Vote HBCU program are among the founding partners of the Squad Challenge. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5MvaqjCBC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Smokey Robinson has made clear that he does not prefer to be called an “African American.” The Motown legend explained during a recent appearance on “The View,” that he prefers to call himself “Black” and “Black American.” “I resent being called African American … I think that when you do that, you’re disclaiming all the things, all the contributions that Black people have made to America. I consider myself to be a Black American and I enjoy being called Black,” Robinson, 82, told the hosts. https://youtu.be/MsAYHxjjLzg Another day, another senseless killing. In Chicago, a 17-year-old boy and his 22-year-old brother have been charged with first-degree murder after a security guard (Salena Claybourne, 35) was shot and killed Monday afternoon. She had just left work and stopped for gas in the South Shore neighborhood before the shooting. Dameonte Watson, 17, and his 22-year-old brother Gregory Watson are both charged with first-degree murder. Dameonte Watson is charged as an adult. Claybourne’s mother organized a GoFundMe to pay for funeral costs, and to support Claybourne’s 15- and 14-year-old daughters. Donors gave more than $12,500 toward the fundraiser’s goal of $30,000 as of Wednesday afternoon. Details surrounding the arrest of former “Basketball Wives” star Royce Reed’s arrest are a bit shocking! Royce was arrested for child neglect and it appears it’s because her son sexually molested her boyfriend’s child. According to police records, “The incident occurred at Braylon’s (Royce’s son) home. It’s unknown if Braylon, who is around 13-years-old and the other child resided in the same home at the time of the incident. Braylon has a history of sexual behaviors. He is currently in treatment at TrueCore Behavioral Solutions. He has been in treatment for 8 months. Officer Chamberlin responded to Braylon’s residence where he met with Braylon’s mother, Royce Reed. She explained Braylon recently revealed new information about a sexual incident between the two boys that occurred approximately one year ago. Royce notified her son’s sexual treatment counselor, who in turn contacted CF. For years, the girls have held down the title of “bad”, while the fellas have stood on the sideline -- but now, it’s the guys turn to lay claim to the crown. Reality star Milan Christopher, celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Wright, notorious offspring Kerrion Franklin, and Insta-famous stars Relly B and Andrew Caldwell, join a cast of some of today’s biggest personalities to establish a “brand”, start some mess, and take over LA! While the girls may be baddies, the boys are setting out to prove that they are the baddest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Au9dDNSEQ The Biden administration’s swift declaration of temporary protected status (TPS) for Ukrainian refugees spotlight the anti-Blackness within the American immigration system. Before his election, President Biden promised to undo harms caused by his predecessor, yet immigration groups point to his continuation of the same policies he said he would undo. Speaking with NewsOne, UndocuBlack’s National Director of Policy and Advocacy Haddy Gassama says that comparatively, Black people have a higher threshold to prove their worth when seeking asylum or refuge. In the past year, the Biden administration deported or expelled at least 20,000 Haitian migrants. UndocuBlack and other Black-led immigration organizations also point to the dire condition for Cameroonian nationals as needing protection afforded under TPS. She cited a Human Rights Watch report documenting abuses of Cameroonians after they are deported back to their home country. Words are not always harmless. Sometimes they can be the catalyst to violence, especially if those words are derogatory and demeaning. Two Florida men had to learn this the hard way after an altercation left one dead and the other charged in his death. Corey Pujols pleaded guilty to felony battery this week for throwing the punch that killed Vonelle Cook in a Tampa Dunkin’. According to authorities, Cook, who was a regular at the Dunkin’, became upset at the service while trying to order coffee from the drive-thru. Dunkin’ workers claimed they had problems hearing the 77-year-old man which made him even more upset. Employees then asked Cook to leave, but instead, he parked his car and headed into the Dunkin’ to continue to harass the staff.Corey Pujols, who was an employee of Dunkin’, urged his co-workers to call the police, but the altercation continued to escalate. Cook continued his verbal tirade towards Pujols and his co-workers eventually calling Pujols the n-word. Pujols immediately took offense and warned Cook not to use the disgusting word again. When angry white men are asked not to say the n-word, we all know what happens next. Cook defiantly called Pujols the n-word a second time, completely set him off. Pujols reached over and punched Cook square in the jaw knocking him off his feet. The punch resulted in Cook hitting his head on the floor with nothing to support his fall. Three days later he was pronounced dead. Pujols was originally charged with manslaughter, but charges were reduced to felony battery after prosecutors took into account Cook’s behavior and actions during the incident that resulted in his death. Vice President Kamala Harris sought to reinforce cooperative ties between the United States and Poland as she met with the country’s President in the wake of an apparent disconnect between the two NATO members over providing Ukraine with fighter jets. “I want to be very clear. The United States and Poland are united in what we have done and are prepared to help Ukraine and the people of Ukraine, full stop,” Harris said alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda during a joint news conference. The Biden administration is set to cancel over $6 billion in federal student loan debt. On Wednesday, the U.S. Education Department announced that 100,000 borrowers are eligible for $6.2 billion in student debt forgiveness. The move expands upon the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program — which “forgives student debt for various public servants who make 10 years of monthly payments,” per Complex. PSLF was created about 15 years ago with the intention of helping borrowers who worked in education, health care, emergency services, and more. However, the Biden administration expanded the program back in October, after it was criticized over its strict and confusing requirements that resulted in a 98 percent denial rate for applicants. https://youtu.be/_ujHke2gF5k A spokesperson for Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said in a statement, according to 11 Alive, that “Herschel Walker isn’t smart enough to debate anybody,” and that “He and his team know he’d be humiliated.” Black is one of Walker’s opponents in the Republican primary race to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. But Walker doesn’t seem to understand that he has to campaign against his primary opponents before he can go up against Raphael Warnock, the Democrat who currently occupies the Senate seat he’s aiming for. “It’s time for Herschel Walker to get out and discuss these issues and we’re going to help him with that in the coming weeks,” Black said. Black was asked by reporters if Walker had accepted any debate challenges and he answered, “No. And if I was his consultant, I’d keep him hidden as well.” Walker was asked if he was willing to debate any of his opponents in the GOP primary and he answered, “I’m thinking about debating with Raphael Warnock. That’s who I need to be debating right now.” “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler was detained by police in Atlanta after being falsely accused of robbing a bank. Police are now calling the incident a “mistaken arrest.” https://youtu.be/s8wOnkEbWyI The woman who accused Chris Brown of drugging and raping her on a yacht docked outside of Diddy’s home in Miami in December 2020 has withdrawn a lawsuit she filed against him after several of her explicit text messages to the singer were leaked. According to TMZ, Ariel Mitchell, an attorney representing the woman (only identified as Jane Doe) wasn’t aware of the messages she sent to Brown in the wake of the assault allegations. Brown put the woman on blast on Instagram where he shared an old voicemail from her in which she said, “I just want to see you again … just let me know. If you want me to leave you alone, I will. But I really just wanna f*ck the shit again.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca3DIyCpsWf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jussie Smollett after being sentenced to 150 days in jail and 30 months of probation for making false reports to police of a hate crime, actor Jussie Smollett said to the courtroom: 'I am innocent, and I am not suicidal' https://youtu.be/81cLAL6plUo https://youtu.be/81cLAL6plUo Some Black students reportedly were “sold” by classmates at a recent “slave auction” at a Chatham County school, prompting the superintendent to send a letter to families condemning “recent unacceptable incidents.” In a letter sent Tuesday night, Chatham County Superintendent Anthony Jackson told families that the district had “become aware of recent incidents involving students using racially insensitive language and offensive imagery.” Jackson’s letter doesn’t specifically describe the incidents. But a Chatham County parent who has been in contact with district officials detailed in Facebook posts about the “slave auction” and a video that used the N-word. “Our son experienced a slave auction by his classmates and when he opened up we were made aware that this type of stuff seems to be the norm so much that he didn’t think it was worth sharing,” Ashley Palmer wrote in a Facebook post Friday. “His friend ‘went for $350’ and another student was the Slavemaster because he ‘knew how to handle them.’ “We even have a video of students harmonizing the N word. Since when were children so blatantly racist?” When Tamika Huston went missing in 2004, Rebkah Howard went into overdrive trying to get media attention for her niece. Nearly 20 years later, the world can finally hear Tamika’s story in the new Audible Original series “Finding Tamika.” Released Thursday, “Finding Tamika” is a neo-noir true-crime drama that tells Tamika’s story through the voices of friends, family and Tamika herself. Narrated, co-written and co-produced by actress and writer Erika Alexander, “Finding Tamika” provides an intimate insight into Tamika’s life. In an interview with NewsOne, Howard shared her disappointment in the lack of media interest in Tamika’s disappearance. After high-profile cases of missing white women like Laci Peterson and Chandra Levi, she assumed outlets would pick up Tamika’s story. As a lawyer and PR maven, Howard knew how to craft the right pitch for her niece’s case. But she had difficulty getting outlets to pick up Tamika’s story. It was Black media and Black journalists that kept Tamika’s story alive. Paybill announced that “Emmett Till, A New American Opera” will be premiering at New York City’s John Jay College on March 23. The show was written by a white woman and has a white woman as its main character. Many people expressed that the show’s framing is inappropriate and disrespectful on Twitter. “Emmett Till, A New American Opera” was written by Claire Coss and follows Roanne Taylor, a white woman who “is against Jim Crow laws, segregation and the racial inequality that she sees around her but remains silent,” according to Playbill. Taylor is also the show’s only fictional character; the opera mainly features Coss’ adaptations of real people involved in Till’s story, including his mother Mamie Till and Carolyn Bryant, the white woman who said Till whistled at her, which led to the teenager being lynched. The show is also presented in conjunction with John Jay College, Opera Noire International, the Harlem Chamber Players, and Harlem Arts Alliance, as reported by Playbill. Coss has also written other works about Till’s story. While Playbill’s tweet announcing the premiere of the show has less than 200 likes at the time of publication, it had more than 2,000 retweets and quote tweets, the latter of which shed light on how many people of color feel about Coss’ take on Till’s tragic story. A Santa Clara County judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought against Palo Alto by six police officers who claimed harassment and discrimination for being “forced” to walk past a street mural in 2020 depicting 1970s Black Liberation Army member and fugitive Assata Shakur. The civil complaint against the city — filed last year in Santa Clara County Superior Court by Palo Alto police officers Eric Figueroa, Michael Foley, Christopher Moore, Robert Parham, Julie Tannock and David Ferreira — claimed in the lawsuit that they were “forced to physically pass and confront the mural every time they entered the Palo Alto Police department.” The officers described it as “offensive, discriminatory and harassing iconography” that fostered a “hostile” and “retaliatory” work environment. The work — which was painted on Hamilton Street across from city hall — was commissioned by the city in June 2020 to commemorate protests against the police killing of George Floyd. The mural featured several images inside each letter of the phrase “Black Lives Matter” and included a quote from Shakur within the letter “E” of the word “Matter” — “We must love each to support each other” — and a re-creation of the cover of her autobiography. The five officers suing the city were seeking physical, mental and emotional damages, including health care services, economic damages, attorney fees and court costs yet to be determined but “in excess of $25,000.” The discovery of human remains that could possibly be victims of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre in Oklahoma shows that the search for mass graves should continue, researchers said. A report submitted to Tulsa’s committee overseeing the search said one body, believed to be a Black male in his mid-to-late 20s, is a possible massacre victim and had three gunshot wounds with two bullets recovered from the remains, including one from the head. Forensic anthropologist Phoebe Stubblefield said Wednesday that DNA could provide circumstantial evidence linking the remains to the massacre. But she said that it likely can never be confirmed with certainty that any remains were massacre victims. The man was shot, Stubblefield said, but when and the circumstances of the shooting will never be known. “The person had a death that involved another human, so that part is clear, but when that death occurred, there are no definitive indicators and the exact context of … how did the bullets get introduced, there’s no indications under the earth for that,” Stubblefield said. A Florida father was crushed to death in a porta-potty when a coworker accidentally ran it over in a bulldozer. The incident occurred Friday evening at the North Central Landfill, according to authorities. TooFab reports that Aaron Henderson was employed as a spotter, who provided “traffic control for the incoming and outgoing dump trucks,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/uMg4jVPdJL0 Tiger Woods cried. Woods’ 14-year-old daughter, Sam, as she presented him as a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday night at the PGA Tour’s sparkling new headquarters, said, “Dad, I inducted you into the Dad Hall of Fame long time ago.” The 46-year-old Woods, joining his daughter on stage, melted into her arms and lost it. The same Woods who used to sear burn marks into his competitors. https://youtu.be/eZQie5HFeUg A 25-year-old congressional aide who grew up in North Texas has sued Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, alleging he is her biological father. Attorneys for Alexandra Davis filed the lawsuit Thursday in Dallas County, saying that Jones and her mother had a relationship in the mid-1990s from which she was conceived. According to court documents, Jones and Davis’ mother, Cynthia Davis, reached a settlement to financially support the mother and child as long as they didn’t publicly identify Jones as her father. Alexandra Davis is asking a court to find that she isn’t legally bound by the agreement between Jones and her mother if she were to attempt to legally establish that he is her father. She doesn’t want to be sued or lose her financial trusts. She is also seeking declaration from the court that such settlement agreements should be “unenforceable” in Texas. The lawsuit was temporarily sealed Wednesday ahead of a hearing scheduled for March 31, court records show. The Dallas Morning News obtained the lawsuit through the county’s online court records system before the file was sealed. Apple TV+ has landed the rights to a new feature documentary about the groundbreaking life and career of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton, who has broken both records and barriers to become one of the greatest Formula One drivers in history. The documentary will feature full access to Hamilton and his team, on and off the track, and an all-star cast of guest interviews. Hamilton has blazed an uncharted trail professionally, socially, and culturally, and transformed the sport on a global scale. Coming from a working-class family, Lewis succeeded in a sport where the odds were stacked against him but where his talent shone through, allowing him to dominate the sport for over a decade. Hamilton is currently the only Black driver to race in the Formula One series. He embraced what made him different and his rise to the top of his career has made him fiercely committed to using his platform to influence positive change for future generations. Russian Daniil Medvedev and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka called for peace amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine that caused tennis officials to strip any mention of their home countries from the Indian Wells tennis tournament. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 in the biggest assault on a European state since 1945. Russia calls the action a “special military operation”.“ My message is always the same – I want peace in all of the world,” world number one Medvedev told reporters on the eve of the first round of ATP action in the Southern California desert “I think every tennis player is going to say the same.” Indeed, support for the Ukrainian people has been pouring out from the tennis community. Former world number ones Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray have pledged to support relief funds for children affected by the invasion. Two million people – mostly women and children – have now fled Ukraine. Zoë Kravitz is calling out clickbait journalism after she was quoted saying she wanted to audition for a role in “The Dark Knight Rises,” but was rejected because she was too “urban.” Kravitz has previously spoken out about not being able to audition for the film because of her race. “I don’t know if it came directly from (director) Chris Nolan,” she said in a recent interview with The Observer. “I think it was probably a casting director of some kind, or a casting director’s assistant,” Kravitz explained. “Being a woman of color and being an actor and being told at that time that I wasn’t able to read because of the color of my skin, and the word ‘urban’ being thrown around like that, that was what was really hard about that moment,” she added. Nicki Minaj chopped it up with Joe Budden for an in-depth discussion on Wednesday, during which she dished about her legacy and influence on women rappers and having plastic surgery. ”I was one of the first people to be shitted on on social media,” she explained to Budden. “It wasn’t acceptable to have surgery at all or anything. At that time, I didn’t have surgery. I had a** shots, which till this day I realized…even what I did and even with me not consulting with anyone to do something like that…how insane that was. It’s not like you’re going to a doctor, a professional person. No. It’s some random person, comes in. I was in Atlanta at the time.” At that time, Nicki hung around Lil Wayne who surrounded himself with a bevy of big-bootied beauties that Nicki described as his muses. She said Wayne and the Young Money crew always talked about big booties, which made her insecure about her own body. https://youtu.be/LSmMQEsBzmE From the streets of New York City to the Coachella stage alongside songstress Beyonce´, violinist Ezinma has used her artistry to change the narrative around representation within classical music. The Nebraska native is introducing youth from underrepresented groups to the art form through the creation of her foundation Strings by Heart, ABC7 reported. She recently launched Strings by Heart; an organization designed to make music education accessible to youth in underserved communities. Through the nonprofit, youngsters will have the opportunity to participate in music lessons led by accomplished educators, attend cultural events that will broaden their perspectives and have access to quality instruments and supplies. The program was created to use music as a vessel to teach youth lessons they can apply in other areas of their lives. After only six months on air, Nick Cannon’s eponymous daytime talk show has been canceled due to low ratings. Enough episodes have been pre-tapped so the show will run through May, according to Variety. “It’s never easy to cancel a production with clear potential, but after a great deal of deliberation and examining various options, we have made the difficult business decision to end production on Nick Cannon,” Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein, co-presidents of the chat show’s producer/distributor Debmar-Mercury, said in a statement. “We plan to offer viewers original episodes of the daytime talk show through the remainder of this season. Our thanks go to the very talented Nick Cannon and our wonderful production team, and we wish Nick continued success with his many hit ventures.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca2wgD5lgz8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again There’s talk on the street that daytime talk show “The Real” is getting its cancellation orders. If true, the news comes on the heels of Nick Cannon’s show getting the axe. News of the cancellation of “The Real” was first reported by theJasmineBrand. However, the site is not specifying why the show is allegedly ending after 8 seasons in production. The show has seen a few different hosts over the years but currently, Adrienne Bailon, comedian and actress Loni Love, television host and fashion stylist Jeannie Mai, and actress and model Garcelle Beauvais do the hosting honors. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca4_-24Aijm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again March 9 marked the 25th anniversary of the murder of rapper Notorious B.I.G. To memorialize the celebrated hip-hip icon, his estate has announced the first-ever official The Notorious B.I.G. NFT (non-fungible token) collection. The collection is an exclusive partnership with the Quincy Jones-backed NFT platform OneOf, Stereogum reports. “We are excited about our partnership with OneOf and their expertise to memorialize my son Christopher with this first official NFT drop to give his fans an opportunity to participate in and honor their love of him and his music,” says Biggie’s mother Voletta Wallace. Today, BET+ announced the return of “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless,” available now exclusively on BET+. Season 3 picks up with even more drama, jealousy, and deception as The Highest plans to grow the Rakudushis cult. While a growing number of his flock are trying to escape paradise, the FBI infiltrates the cult. Bodies begin to pile up in the pursuit of all of the deserters and agents are jeopardized. All the while, Ruth tries to gain power in the compound, with her number one mission being to get Marva out of power. “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” stars returning cast Melissa Williams, Matt Cedeño, Lenny D. Thomas, Baadja Lyne, Blue Kimble, Colin McCalla, Stevie Baggs, Jr., Alise Willis, Michelle Nuñez, and Samantha Thomas. This season, new cast members joining the series, include Josh Adeyeye and Nadège Augu. The one-hour drama will drop three episodes on its premiere date, with new episodes launching every Thursday exclusively on BET+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoOPUbB47vo After a two-year hiatus, the incomparable, soul-stirring Festival of Praise is set to kick off its fifth nationwide tour in March 2022. The 30-city tour will be headlined by Gospel music icon Fred Hammond, along with Gospel superstars Marvin Sapp and Hezekiah Walker. Produced by Face to Face, Inc. and booked exclusively by Jeff Epstein and Adam Zagor of Universal Attractions Agency (UAA), the renowned Festival of Praise Tour follows in the footsteps of 1997's The Tour of Life, which saw Hammond sharing the stage with Kirk Franklin and Yolanda Adams in front of crowds of more than half a million people. Festival of Praise Tour once again promises to be an unforgettable "Hand clapping and foot stomping, get up out your seat" worship explosion with production and stage sets unmatched in any gospel tour. For the first time in Gospel music history, 2022's Festival Of Praise will offer a talented local choir in each city of the tour the opportunity to perform on the show. All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series, UNSUNG and UNCENSORED are back this Sunday, March 13th. UNSUNG leads with the trailblazing British rapper, Monie Love at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by UNCENSORED, which features hit-making producer, Stevie J, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. Each episode will also be published on TVOne.TV and TV One’s social media platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrJQtWKYytY An exclusive clip of this week’s episode of “Growing Up Hip Hop,” which finds Jojo Simmons surprising his wife with a romantic dinner in order to address why they’ve “been off.” https://youtu.be/pllPDV0QoVQ Tonight at CLEO TV, Chef JJ is taking our taste buds on a trip to Italy! JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ has returned for season 4 on CLEO TV. The popular cooking show welcomes serial entrepreneur Tyra Myricks tonight, Wednesday, March 9th at 9 P.M. ET/8C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmcmiZ4VQ2c CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX continues tonight, Wednesday, March 9th at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. This week, we're getting a spicy taste of Jamaica! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpX3X7QxCs0 Dolly Parton has dropped a few names of artists that she’d like to collaborate and among them are Cher and Cardi B. “She’s a character,” Parton told E! News’ Daily Pop of Cardi. “I know she’s an original.” And when it comes to music icon Cher, Parton said: “I would love to do something with [Cher] sometime, a TV show, or a movie. We’ll have Cardi B on that same show, let Cher host it, and me and Cardi B will be the entertainment.” https://youtu.be/_IBDHa0yrY8 Kanye West’s new album “Donda 2” is only available via his $200 Stem Player, so Billboard has decided that the release is not eligible for inclusion on its official charts. “That’s because the album is being sold with a device that can be used for other means besides the playing of the album,” according to Billboard. “As such, the Stem/Donda package would fall within Billboard’s latest merch bundle policy, where albums sold with merchandise are not chart eligible.” Meanwhile, controversial NFL star Antonio Brown, who was recently named head of Kanye’s Donda Sports, said he and Ye are “extremely serious” about buying the Denver Broncos. https://youtu.be/p-CGBj8OXiY Jada Pinkett Smith took to Instagram this week to praise Rihanna for wearing sheer Black lingerie to the Dior Autumn-Winter 2022 fashion show. “She’s a queen that loves helping other women find and hold their own crowns. As women, it’s important that we seeeee one another, help heal one another, love one another and support one another. Here’s to one more of my favorites for International Women’s Month.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Caz6mPaBCNt/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d879cc9a-a124-436c-9335-1a1e35004092 Sean Combs appears to have responded to a viral video by former Da Band member Freddy P who blames the hip-hop mogul for making him suicidal. In the video, Freddy P trashes Diddy for allegedly “sending him back to the hood” and not paying the group members after featuring on MTV’s “Making the Band” reality show back in the day. During an interview with The Neighborhood Talk, Freddy, 41, said he despises Diddy for making “me hate life so much.” He added, “I don’t care about death.” “Puffy you ain’t never had a talent in your life, man. Somebody gave you opportunity to open the door and find talent,” Freddy said in reference to Diddy’s Making the Band program. https://www.instagram.com/p/Camy3dvK1Hh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again This week on episode #4 of The Big Hit Show’s second chapter — the series unpacks the mastermind of Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and how the song viral ALRIGHT was used to galvanize protesters. The song ALRIGHT quickly became a defining protest song amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, but the backstory of the song’s creation was wrapped in Kendrick’s self-criticism following the Ferguson protests. The episode goes on to detail the initial studio sessions with Pharrell, and how the hit song almost didn’t make the album. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/09/kendrick-lamars-alright-blm-movement/ GSN-As Russian troops tear through Ukraine, swathes of Africa are gearing up to bear the brunt of a potentially drawn-out conflict between the ex-Soviet republics — two of some of the continent’s most cherished trading partners. African economists sound the alarm over a looming and likely catastrophic lowering of trade volumes between the continent and its warring partners if Russia’s widely condemned incursion into Ukraine isn’t short-lived. Russia and Ukraine are key players in the global agricultural trade, with both nations accounting for a quarter of the world’s wheat exports, including at least 14 percent of corn exports in 2020, and a joint 58 percent of global sunflower oil exports in the same year, analysis show. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/08/the-russia-ukrain-war-could-plunge-africa-into-hunger-higher-food-prices-predicted-v McDonald‘s and Starbucks are shutting their restaurants and cafes in Russia, and Coca-Cola is suspending its operations there in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. PepsiCo is also pulling some products from the country. “McDonald’s has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement Tuesday. There were 847 locations of McDonald’s in Russia at the close of last year, according to an investor document. A Wisconsin woman reportedly told police that they “were going to have fun trying to find all of the organs” of the dismembered 25-year-old man she killed during sex while high on meth. Taylor Schabusiness, 24, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, and third-degree sexual assault after admitting to severing the head of Shad Thyrion while high during sex. The New York Post reports that the victim’s mother discovered her son’s severed head in a bucket in the basement of her home. Police also recovered a “male organ” in the bucket and an upper torso inside a storage tote. “The investigation very early on led us to another location … where officers took a person of interest into custody,” said the police chief. https://youtu.be/ntW27oZgsLs Richard Sherman will avoid jail time after pleading guilty Monday to two misdemeanor charges and a traffic violation related to a July domestic incident in a Seattle suburb. As part of a plea arrangement, Sherman pleaded guilty to negligent driving in the first degree, criminal trespass in the second degree, and the infraction of speeding in a roadway construction zone, according to King County Court documents. Sherman was arrested on July 14 after attempting to break into his in-laws’ home in Redmond, Washington. https://youtu.be/Eyap2FkSJco The Chernobyl plant in Ukraine is disconnected from the grid due to damage inflicted by Russian occupying forces, sparking concerns of radioactive contamination if the cooling of spent nuclear fuel stops. The 750 kV Chernobyl-Kyiv high-voltage line is currently disconnected “due to damage by the occupiers,” Energoatom, or the state-run National Nuclear Energy Generating Company of Ukraine, said Wednesday. The Chernobyl station and all nuclear facilities of the Exclusion Zone are without electricity. The regulator explained that there are about 20,000 spent fuel assemblies stored at the facility that require constant cooling. Without electricity to cool the pumps, the temperature in the holding pools will increase, prompting the release of radioactive substances into the environment. The Kremlin on Wednesday said that the U.S.has declared an “economic war” on Moscow with its actions in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The comments by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov came after President Biden announced on Tuesday that the U.S. would no longer import Russian oil, Reuters reported. “The situation demands a rather deep analysis — those decisions announced by President Biden,” Peskov said. “If you are asking me what Russia is going to do — Russia is going to do what is necessary to defend its interests.” “The United States definitely has declared economic war against Russia and is waging this war,” he added. Along with the recently announced ban on Russian oil, the U.S. has imposed harsh economic sanctions on many aspects of Russia’s economy and sanctioned at least 26 high-profile politicians and oligarchs. And the ACM for album of the year goes to… Morgan Wallen. Wallen, 28, took home the award for album of the year for Dangerous: The Double Album at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards on Monday. “When I started this album, I was a kid. By the time I put it out, I was a father,” Wallen — who is dad to 20-month-old son Indigo Wilder with ex-girlfriend KT Smith — began in his acceptance speech. “That’s become more important to me than anything else,” he continued. “To my son, this album and this award will signify that his daddy was a fighter, and he chased his dreams and worked hard to make them a reality.” Wallen added, “I want to say a special thank you to all of the songwriters, producers and musicians that played on this album. I wish you were standing here next to me now. This project would not be complete without each of them.” “I’d also like to thank my good lord and savior Jesus Christ, my family, my friends, my team in Nashville, country radio and everyone who has shown me grace along the way,” he said. “Most importantly, I have to address my fans personally and directly: thank you, thank you, thank you!” Kanye West has posted another bizarre poem in which he wrote that he was murdered and even references Kim Kardashian owning the family home amid their divorce. The 44-year-old rapper took to Instagram on Tuesday morning to share his latest piece of writing which was titled DEAD. In it he references many of his recent struggles which left him deceased but did not realize it until now. At one point he appears to reference his 41-year-old estranged wife keeping the $60million Hidden Hills estate they once shared as he wrote: ‘My kids would dance for me in a home I once led.’ It was reported that the two had negotiated a buyout price over the mansion back in October as their divorce process has rolled on. Paramount Pictures actress Laurel Goodwin has passed away at the age of 79, her family revealed in an obituary. Goodwin, who has worked with the likes of Elvis Presley and Jackie Gleason, died on February 25 in Cathedral City, California. ‘If she knew you, you quickly became family,’ read a line from her obit. Laurel was born in 1942 in Wichita, Kansas and signed a contract with Paramount when she was just 19 years old. She would go on to co-star with Elvis Presley in the 1962 musical comedy Girls! Girls! Girls! as Laurel Dodge. Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson helped fund a 1960s prison experiment when a group of majority-black Pennsylvania prisoners were injected with asbestos to determine whether the substance was safe to use in talcum powder. Documents confirming the company’s involvement were obtained by Bloomberg, tying the New Jersey-based company to controversial experiments led by Dr Albert Kligman, a University of Pennsylvania dermatologist whose human experiments have widely condemned as brutal and unethical. He died in 2010 aged 93. Inmates at Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were offered $10 to $300 – equivalent to between $100 to $2,500 in today’s money when adjusted for inflation – to take part in the study – though they were likely unaware of the significant risk they were undertaking. A mother of a Chicago Public School student who CTU said died from COVID-19 after her daughter was quarantined due to an outbreak at her school actually died from chronic ethanolism, the Cook County Medical Examiner confirmed Monday. Denisha Henry, 32, was the mother of a student at Jensen Elementary — located in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. In a press release from last September, the Chicago Teachers Union said, “We are in mourning with the Jensen school community, with COVID claiming the life of one 47-year-old school mother last Thursday, and a second 32-year-old mother on Friday. Both mothers had children sent home from quarantined classrooms. One mother complained bitterly on social media that she was never contacted by a contact tracer. Within a week she was dead.” Henry died on Sept. 24. Deion Sanders had two toes on his left foot amputated because of blood clots stemming from a previous surgery. The Jackson State coach and NFL Hall of Famer revealed the severity of his foot injury in an episode of his “Coach Prime” documentary series that will air Tuesday night on Barstool Sports. Sanders was hospitalized for around a month in the middle of last season. The Tigers finished 11-2. He had a dislocated toe along with an inflamed nerve. His initial procedure was in September and he later returned to the field for practice using a golf cart and crutches. He roamed the sideline for a game with the help of a push scooter. As he healed, his toes began to darken under the bandages. “They were talking about the amputation of toes,” Sanders said. “Then they were talking about the amputation of my leg from the knee down. Then, they were trying to ensure I had life.” Sanders, 54, underwent several surgeries. He developed a femoral arterial blood clot. He also had compartment syndrome, which meant his leg swelled, and doctors had to flay open his leg to drain fluid. Sanders later had his left foot’s big toe and second toe amputated. At the 142-year-old Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton, New Jersey, the 1,500-member congregation has learned that tending only to spiritual needs is not enough. So, the predominantly Black church works together through its nonprofit Shiloh Community Development Corporation to address spiritual, physical and mental health, said the Rev. Darrell Armstrong, who leads the church and is executive director of the corporation. “You don’t find in most schools of religion an intense focus on bridging religion and mental health,” said Armstrong, who arrived at Shiloh in 2000 and has a particular interest in strengthening family health. His mother was addicted to cocaine, and he spent most of his childhood in foster care or living with relatives in Los Angeles. Armstrong, mindful of the effects of family disruption and dysfunction, is pursuing a doctorate in social work with a focus on developing trauma-informed, resilient houses of worship. A series of historic NFTs (Non-fungible token) created by Wendell Scott Ventures will be introduced and sold to commemorate the iconic and groundbreaking life and legacy of Wendell Scott. On December 1, 1963, Scott broke NASCAR’s color barrier by becoming the first African American NASCAR driver to win a Grand National race, NASCAR’s highest level. Until Bubba Wallace’s win on October 4, 2021 there had never been another Black driver to win a NASCAR race. To this day, Scott is the only Black NASCAR team owner. Despite his triumphant victory, he was never awarded a trophy for this win. It wasn’t until August 28, 2021, nearly 60 years after his Jacksonville win that his trophy was posthumously awarded to his family. Black and Latino soccer players were heckled with monkey noises and barking during a championship game in California — behavior condemned by the state’s high school sports governing body as “unacceptable” and the players’ coach as “blatant racism.” The jeers took place Saturday during the Northern California championship between Buchanan High School in Clovis and Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills. The “high-pressure game” resulted in a penalty shootout, Buchanan girls soccer head coach Jasara Gillette said in a statement, and that’s when the heckling was heard coming from the stands. “Our third kicker, who is of African American descent, was subjected to monkey noises and gestures that came from the Oak Ridge stand as she took her PK (penalty kick). The player before her who is Hispanic was also barked at,” Gillette said. The harassing noises came from “one individual in the Oak Ridge side of the stands,” the El Dorado Union High School District, which oversees Oak Ridge High School, told NBC News in a statement. Gillette called out the Oak Ridge High School administration, saying they “stood by and did nothing to address the problem. No fan was removed, and the stands were not cleared.” The coming of age story can lead to a beautiful destination. Datreese Thomas dived into a journey of self-discovery after experiencing growing pains during her freshman year at the University of Houston. Datreese Thomas’ season of becoming led to her first business venture, The Melanie Dolls. The student turned entrepreneur wanted to empower Black girls in their journey of becoming. “I wanted to help Black girls feel beautiful, gain courage, and just develop self-love. I do that by providing a product that helps young Black girls individually see themselves better. I truly believe the company I created is a clear reflection of the journey that I had to go through with myself,” Datreese Thomas told AfroTech. The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to trade Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “Denver is trading its 2022 first-round pick (No. 9 overall), its 2023 first-round pick, its 2022 second-rounder (No. 40 overall), another second-round pick in 2023 and a 2022 fifth to acquire Wilson,” per CBS Sports. Wilson agreed to waive his no-trade provision and passed his Broncos’ physical on Tuesday night, sources told ESPN. These moves clear the way for the Seahawks to send him to Denver, ending his historic 10-season run in Seattle that included nine Pro Bowl selections, one Super Bowl title and more wins than any quarterback ever has posted during his first 10 seasons in the league. The Broncos were Wilson’s preference, if he was traded, sources told ESPN’s Brady Henderson. On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain put together arguably the greatest performance in NBA history, scoring 100 points in the Philadelphia Warriors’ 169–147 win over the New York Knicks. The game wasn’t televised, and only 4,124 people were in attendance. Sixty years later, no player has seriously challenged Wilt’s 100 points. Kobe Bryant came the closest, dropping 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. https://youtu.be/-GnTgEHjFpQ Wilt Chamberlain has a number of NBA records that are seemingly unbreakable; in addition to the single-game scoring record, he once averaged a ridiculous 27.2 rebounds per game in the 1960-61 season and played 48.5 minutes per game during the 1961-62 campaign. To celebrate Wilt’s historic 100-point outing, Sarah Kustok hosted a special episode of “NBA Flashback” — a podcast produced by the NBA in partnership with iHeart that revisits some of the best moments in league history. https://youtu.be/og9s2PhTcYs?t=5 Rosario Dawson goes to battle in a fictional American civil war in a trailer for “DMZ.” The HBO Max four-part limited series is based on a DC Comic and is produced and directed by Ava DuVernay. In the show, the United States enters a second civil war when a group called Free States of America battles the remainder of the country. New York City has no government and is overrun with criminal gangs. https://youtu.be/aDsrZk9yxwk “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” starring Samuel L. Jackson on Apple TV+, is based on the acclaimed novel by best-selling author Walter Mosley, and follows an ailing man (Grey) forgotten by his family, friends, and even by himself. https://youtu.be/5UBs9K9CmJk Russell Westbrook and his wife Nina are speaking out about the death threats they are receiving from Lakers fans. On Monday, Nina unleashed a series of tweets about the harassment and death threats directed at her family. The hate seems to stem from Lakers fans being disgruntled over Westbrook’s issues on the team. Nina revealed in a series of tweets Monday that she’s been “harassed on a daily basis.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1501062643880136705 Nicki Minaj‘s “Queen Radio” will return to the airwaves thanks to a new partnership with Amazon. On Apple’s App Store today, Amazon’s new live audio app will stream the radio show, according to Rap-Up. In addition to DJing, the app lets users access “tens of millions” of songs from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and independent labels. Initially, Amp will be invite-only and require an access code, which Amazon will distribute via a waitlist, social media, and email. Pusha T, Tinashe, Lil Yachty, Big Boi, Travis Barker, and Lindsey Stirling are among the creators of the Amp show. Nicki is reportedly expected to make the official announcement on Instagram Live later today. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f5bbf2c8-c17a-44dd-8bf5-922ab0186868 Season three of “Good Trouble” left us with so many unanswered questions! Finally season four is premiering Wednesday, March 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform. Season three of “Good Trouble” left us with so many unanswered questions! Finally season four is premiering Wednesday, March 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform. https://youtu.be/IXA7x5iWWes Black Panther director Ryan Coogler was mistaken for a robber while trying to withdraw money from his bank. According to @tmz_tv, the incident happened back in January at a local Bank of America in Atlanta. The news site reports that Coogler walked into the bank wearing sunglasses, a hat, and a mask and asked the cashier to “discreetly” withdraw $12,000 from his account. He reportedly passed the cashier a note which read: “I would like to withdraw $12,000 CASH from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I’d like to be discreet.” That spooked the teller and cops were called for an attempted robbery. When officers arrived, they detained 2 people waiting outside for Ryan in an SUV and then went in and brought him out in handcuffs. Following an investigation, cops eventually realized it was a big mistake and everyone was released, with Ryan reportedly asking for the badge numbers of all involved. Addressing the situation to @metro.co.uk, he said: “This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on.” Dr. Mehmet Oz’s family feud with his sister is making headlines amid his battle over their late father’s estate. Dr. Oz claims that his sister, Nazlim Oz — who lives in Turkey– has stolen thousands of dollars from their dying father and took over his estate without permission, according to Page Six. She is also accused of forging their father’s will to make her the beneficiary of a majority of the money. “Dr. Oz ceased the distributions because he, Seval, and their mother (Suna Oz) uncovered evidence that Nazlim had been stealing her father’s money,” Dr. Oz’s lawyer, Michael J. Cohen, wrote in court papers. Starting a foundation is no easy feat for anyone, especially for a teenager, but the injection of a little youthful exuberance is exactly what is needed in the nonprofit section. Starting a foundation is no easy feat for anyone, especially for a teenager, but the injection of a little youthful exuberance is exactly what is needed in the nonprofit section. The Destiny Education Project is a BIPOC-led 501(c)3 founded in the fall of 2021 by 16-year old Burbank-CA based Destiny Helligar as a solution after being attacked with racist slurs in her middle school in 2018. Thanks to her bravery and compassion, several school districts are taking a closer look at their curriculums, their policies, and themselves. Facebook user Kimberly Manning had a skydiving excursion that left her questioning her own sanity. “I was boosting myself to be hype until we jumped. Then I lost MY MF MIND YALL. I cried, snot flew everywhere and then I died and woke up and started crying again. Save ya money y’all DONT DO IT!!! Im gone stick to jumping for a leap of faith before I EVER jump out am other [sic] plane,” Manning captioned the collage of photos showing her skydiving. https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/274290224_10101452862419041_4016926128498585565_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s370x247&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=110474&_nc_ohc=Hqjq7Wc76ioAX_eHnkU&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&edm=AN6CN6oEAAAA&oh=00_AT9PFlGeiNNWpb520slqP4meLZ10jhpGIAPNq9iL7OHbdA&oe=622D763C The Senate passed the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act of 2022 on Monday night by unanimous consent. The bill, which would make lynching a federal hate crime, now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. The legislation was approved by the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 422-3. Passage of the bill is a long-sought goal of advocates, who have been working for years to secure its approval in Congress. “After more than 200 failed attempts to outlaw lynching, Congress is finally succeeding in taking the long-overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. Hallelujah. It’s long overdue,” said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in remarks on the Senate floor after the bill’s passage. https://youtu.be/GU_9x3upz90 President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced his administration is banning Russian oil, natural gas and coal imports to the US in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Today I am announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said in remarks from the White House. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.” The US expected to make the move unilaterally, without its European allies, due to disagreement among European nations about whether to ban Russian energy imports. EU countries have significantly more exposure to Russian energy than the US. Not long before Biden’s announcement, the United Kingdom announced that it planned to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of the year. https://youtu.be/kZ1xazDfcws President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced that the U.S. will ban imports of Russian oil, a major escalation in the international response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The move came as Western-allied nations work to sever Moscow from the global economy to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for his unprovoked aggression. “Today I am announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said at the White House. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.” “This is a step we’re taking to inflict further pain on Putin,” Biden said. Maria Baronova resigned as editor-in-chief of Russia Today, a state-run media operation also known as RT, last week after condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. She’s well aware that anyone who speaks out against the Kremlin could be in danger – but personal safety is the least of Baronova’s concerns. “The problem is, I know these people very well. They never send threats, they just kill, so there is kind of [a] weird silence around me, but I really think we’re on the brink of a nuclear war right now. I’m not exaggerating,” Baronova told Fox News Digital from Moscow, via a WhatsApp call. “I have a son, I can’t leave because his father won’t allow me to leave with him, and so I just prefer to stay in Moscow … It seems like we’re either in North Korea or we are going to be killed by a thermonuclear mushroom,” she said. “I wouldn’t quit, and I wouldn’t lose my salary and job if I was sure that we are going to be alive for many years, but I really don’t know what is going to happen to all of us next.” While many around the globe are gravely concerned Putin would resort to nuclear weapons, Baronova is worried his behavior will make Russia the target of a catastrophic attack. “I suspect the Western world will use it,” Baronova said. “This is a very dangerous situation.” President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced that the U.S. will ban imports of Russian oil, a major escalation in the international response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The move came as Western-allied nations work to sever Moscow from the global economy to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for his unprovoked aggression. “Today I am announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said at the White House. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.” “This is a step we’re taking to inflict further pain on Putin,” Biden said. A conservative Christian beauty queen plunged to her death from an upscale Miami condo building after taking a mystery cannabis substance and suffering a ‘breakdown,’ DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. Zoe Sozo Bethel, the 2021 winner of Miss Alabama for America Strong, began ‘acting strange’ before she ran at ‘full speed’ towards a third-floor balcony railing, according to police. Zoe, who has a five-year-old daughter, was overheard praying in the seconds before her February 10 fall and an eyewitness told officers she saw the 27-year-old jump. However Zoe’s brother contradicted that account of her final moments, insisting in a police interview that his sister did not see the railing and simply slammed into it and toppled over accidentally. Tragic Zoe, an aspiring media personality from Loxley, Alabama, was in a coma for more than a week before her family announced she had succumbed to devastating brain injuries. Cops ruled out foul play and investigated her death as a suicide attempt before later determining it was a ‘tragic accident’. Zoe’s family also pushed back against suggestions she would have meant to kill herself, insisting in a statement that the ‘devout believer in Jesus’ would still be alive ‘if she had a choice.’ A police report obtained by DailyMail.com reveals that Zoe took an ‘unknown amount of unknown suspected narcotics’ while she was at a restaurant with her brother, Santiago Roman. ‘The victim ingested a small amount of the substance. Mr Roman asked what’s that substance and she replied that it was a form of cannabis that helps her relax given to her by a friend,’ the report states. The pair headed back to Roman’s apartment at the seven-story La Piazza Navona condo building in Miami’s waterfront Edgewater neighborhood where Zoe complained she was feeling hot. Florida Atlantic University has made an effort to decrease the number of students dropping out due to financial issues, found the Hechinger Report. The students who have dropped out from the school between freshman and sophomore year has decreased from 25 percent to 18 percent, the report found. The administration has implemented resources to intervene in situations when a student is at risk of discontinuing their education. According to the Hechinger Report, half of the FAU Black and Hispanic student population comes from low income families. The administration had taken a look into how to resolve this issue by realizing the faults of the institution. Instagram announced Monday that it will introduce a special tag for professional accounts and influencers that ensures they receive credit for their content, an attempt to address complaints that Black users are not credited for starting trends or are shut out from profiting from them. The tag is available to business and creator accounts, and comes on the heels of nationwide discussions and content strikes by Black content creators who pushed out viral posts saying they do not receive credit for their work. Alexis Michelle Adjei, a data analyst, and Cameryn Boyd, an engineer, envisioned and created the label with these disparities and Black creators in mind, particularly that creators make a living off producing social media content and that Black creators should share equally in that, too, they said. Adjei said, “Black creators and addressing that inequity in the creator ecosystem” was top-of-mind when developing the new feature. A former Kansas City, Mo., police detective who fatally shot a man who was in a truck at his own home in 2019 was sentenced Friday to six years in state prison. Eric DeValkenaere received a three-year sentence for involuntary second-degree manslaughter in the death of Cameron Lamb, 26, and a six-year sentence for armed criminal action. The sentences will run concurrently. Prosecutors said Lamb was chasing his girlfriend’s convertible in an allegedly stolen pickup on Dec. 3, 2019. Police initially said they tracked the truck to a home, and two officers confronted Lamb who was in the pickup in the driveway. DeValkenaere, who opened fire, said in court that he feared for the life of his fellow detective because Lamb pointed a gun at him. Prosecutors said DeValkenaere shouldn’t have confronted the suspect on the property of his own residence without a warrant. They also questioned police evidence by asserting that Lamb had his left hand on the truck’s steering wheel and his cellphone in his right hand before the shooting. An officer who was at the scene after the shooting said in court he didn’t see a gun near Lamb’s body, even though it was later seen in police photographs. The victim’s left hand was hanging out the pickup’s driver’s side window, the officer testified. Historian Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs, founder of the More Than a Fraction Foundation (MTAFF), announced recently that The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation has awarded MTAFF with a $10,000 grant for its heritage program, the Merry Tree Memorial – renamed “1872 Forward.” The More Than a Fraction Foundation is presenting the “1872 Forward: Celebrating Virginia Tech” series of events in partnership with the Council for Virginia Tech History. The three-day event, happening on March 24-26, 2022 at Virginia Tech (VT), is celebrating 150 years of Virginia Tech history, which includes recognition of the Merry Tree’s importance to the enslaved African community, and it’s continued importance to the local community today. The Merry Tree fell from a storm in 2020. The event will also recognize the culture and history of the communities that make the history of the site that is today Virginia Tech University (Indigenous, European, and African). #Nas is in hot water after posting a picture of him and #2pac to social media. Photographer #AlPereira is suing the rapper for sharing an infamous photo of himself and 2pac on Instagram. In 1993, Pereira took a photo of the two rappers hanging out in New York. However, in 2017, Pereira republished and had the picture copy written. According to the lawsuit, in 2020, Pereira noticed the image on Nas’s Instagram account. He claims the rapper posted the picture without permission or licensing the work. The photo hitting social media didn’t sit well with Pereira since he says he makes a living off of selling licenses to his images. He also adds that the photo’s value has decreased since it’s on the internet now. On top of that, Pereira is accusing Nas of posting the picture to heighten his social media stats and gain profit from his work. Pereira is suing for unspecified damages plus an injunction against the rapper for using his work. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cazhbc5DCk1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again On the Monday, March 7 edition of “Tamron Hall,” R&B star K. Michelle, reflected on the plastic surgery that almost took her life and how the experience led to her new show, “Killer Body.” K. Michelle on her decision to get the injections: “Before I even got into the business, I had this perception of how I should look, what it was supposed to be. So before my first record deal, I was determined – ‘Oh I need to get my teeth done and I needed a bigger butt and all of this.’ I was already super curvy and had a butt. I just looked at certain people and felt like I needed more. So I was able to find a person – a known person within the music industry that a lot of my favorites had used — For the silicone injections. So for me, it was just part of the package of getting into the industry, so I never thought about any consequences. You know, I never heard of any consequences. So I did it. And years and years pass. Like I didn’t have any health issues that I knew of, until probably about seven or eight years later.” https://youtu.be/SsE1cN-rSio Dr. Dre’s lawyer has issued a statement regarding ownership of the rapper’s “The Chronic” album amid reports that Snoop Dogg had acquired Death Row Records. Snoop Dogg suggested in a recent interview with Tidal that the iconic west coast label had secured ownership of Dr. Dre’s debut album. However, Dre’s lawyer is setting the record straight. “There are false reports out regarding ownership by Death Row of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic,” attorney Howard King said in a statement to Complex. “Dr. Dre owns 100 percent of The Chronic.” Snoop Dogg rose to fame during the ’90s on Death Row Records, now he has acquired the label from MNRK Music Group, which is controlled by a private equity fund managed by Blackstone, per Variety. Richard Saghian, owner of the online fashion outlet Fashion Nova, has reportedly copped a mega-mansion in Los Angeles worth $141 million. The 105,000-square-foot house on a Bel-Air hilltop – also known as “The One,” is the largest home in LA, the Los Angeles Times reports. “The One Bel-Air is a once-in-a-lifetime property that can never be duplicated. There is nothing else like it. As a lifelong Angeleno and avid collector of real estate, I recognized this as a rare opportunity that also lets me own a unique property that is destined to be a part of Los Angeles history,” Saghian said Sunday in an emailed statement. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FNN4zi8XwAE5t-N?format=jpg&name=small "To Thee I Pray" new from Howard Hewitt. This song is in The Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHSitOERRE To say Jekalyn Carr has been busy is an understatement. Between ministry appearances, hosting her radio show and launching the skin care line for her Jekalyn Beauty brand, the young music and business mogul is making the most of every minute. This week, the fruits of Jekalyn Carr’s labor take her to new platforms, as she makes her daytime television debut on THE REAL and ends the week at the State Farm Arena where she will sing during halftime and postgame of the Atlanta Hawks v. LA Clippers. Carr talked to the ladies of The Real about her beauty line, her fourth Grammy nomination and more. She also gave a spine-tingling performance of her latest single “My Portion” The segment airs Tuesday, March 8. Entrepreneur and Hip-Hop legend JaRule has been busy at staying ahead of the curve. JaRule took to a SOLD-OUT crowd at NYC’s Sony Hall for a once in a lifetime fan experience where he unveiled his VIBES Concert Series. The crowd was able to hear JA perform tracks off of his # 1 Billboard Hot 200 chart-topping PAIN IS LOVE album. This was also in celebration to the 20th Anniversary of this album. “This was not only the first time for fans but a first time for me as an artist. There were tracks that I hadn’t ever performed live before, so it was certainly a treat for both me and my audience!” the legacy artist explained. Future plans to release the album PAIN IS LOVE LIVE FROM SONY HALL will be on Ja’s new ICONNicSound label as an NFT. Seven time Stellar Award-winner and gospel legend, Byron Cage, is releasing the newest talk show everyone will be talking about on Thursday, March 3 at 9pm. This show will inspire lots of thought-provoking topics that leave viewers empowered, inspired, and entertained by Byron Cage and his incredible guests. Special guests include Mumen Ngenge (OWN's Ready to Love), Palmer Williams Jr. (Tyler Perry's House of Payne), TC Carson(Living Single), Bebe Winans (Multi Grammy-winning recording artist), Trina Braxton (Braxton Family Values) and more! "The Byron Cage Show" will air weekly on Cage's Instagram Live (74K Followers), Facebook Live (140K Followers), and Malaco's YouTube channel (600K Followers) at 6pm PST/ 9pm EST. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFOasU98gek Bestselling author and “wellness queen” Queen Afua Helen Robinson claims a landlord tricked her elderly mother into signing over the deeds to her Brooklyn home, now the family with the support of the community is fighting to prevent the landlord from taking over the property. The Robinson family claim their landlord, Menachem Gurevitch, took over the home in 2015 after telling 98-year-old Ida Robinson he would help refinance the property and then forging the deed. The Robinson family was the first Black family on the block when they moved in in 1951, they said. Gurevitch’s latest attempt to evict the Robinson family has been in the works since at least January 2020, based on a claim at the time that the tenants owed him $279,000, records show. The Robinson family say he has been trying to evict them since 2016. https://youtu.be/kGVtye47wq0 The arrest of WNBA superstar and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner over alleged drug charges in Russia has left family members, friends and supporters with little information about her well-being and anxious for her safe return. And the heightened tension between the US and Russia over the latter’s invasion of Ukraine means that a resolution may prove difficult to reach. Griner’s wife, Cherelle, wrote on Instagram on Monday, “People say ‘stay busy.’ Yet, there’s not a task in this world that could keep any of us from wondering if you are safe. Kandi Burruss has revealed that she and Marlo Hampton had an explosive fight while filming “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” Season 14. “Marlo, first of all, me and her bumped heads,” Burruss tells Page Six. “Child, she was throwing peaches at people!” Burruss was left quite stunned by the on-set tension because the singer pushed for Hampton to join the latest installment of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” as a full-time “Housewife.” “I was like, ‘Of all people, why is she coming for me?’” Burruss tells Page Six while promoting her new reality show “Kandi and the Gang.” “Like, we’re supposed to be on the same page! I don’t even know what happened,” she added. Hampton has appeared on RHOA for the past ten seasons as a “friend of” and she joins the show following the departures of veteran cast members Cynthia Bailey and Porsha Williams. Chris Rock will be joined on his Ego Death World Tour this year by Kevin Hart as a co-headliner this July. The joint effort is titled Only Headliners Allowed, and Complex reports that the five-date tour will see the two comedians perform consecutive nights at venues across New York and New Jersey. The performances will start at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh on July 21, and conclude at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on July 25. Live Nation presales kick off the day before tickets go on sale on Friday, March 11 at 10 a.m. ET. “Chris has forever been a mentor of mine and more importantly a brother and a friend to me in this comedy game,” wrote Hart on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Caz0yCKB-Kf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5f85ddee-d16b-470a-80fd-ba1d2008daaf Rapper Jack Harlow has been cast as the lead in the remake of the 1992 sports comedy “White Men Can’t Jump.” The film will making the acting debut of the Grammy-nominated artist. The remake was first announced in 2017 with NBA athletes Blake Griffin and Ryan Kalil attached as producers along with “Black-ish creator Kenya Harris as co-writer and producer, Screen Rant reported. Doug Hall, story editor on “Black-ish,” has joined Barris in writing the script for the remake. he original “White Men Can’t Jump” starred Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson as basketball players who hustle money from other players in street games. The film also starred Rosie Perez, Tyra Ferrell and Kadeem Hardison. https://youtu.be/NHRvNAENaxk DaBaby is speaking out about the bowling alley fight involving him and DaniLeigh’s brother, and the reported lawsuit stemming from the incident. During a “Breakfast Club” interview on Monday, the rapper jokingly said the’s “still scared of that situation.” “Yeah man, I don’t know how the world works today,” DaBaby said. “I’m still scared of that situation now,” he added. “I heard it was gonna be rough for me so I don’t really speak on that. N***a might pop up downstairs.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Cazl8LzjYDY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Snoop Dogg has revealed that JAY-Z threatened to end his partnership with the NFL unless they allowed Dr. Dre to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. This year’s Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show was headlined by Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and 50 Cent. NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl LVI averaged 99.2 million viewers, while 1.9 million tuned in on Telemundo. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, the total number of viewers who watched the game across the small screen as well as streaming and digital platforms climbed to 112.3 million, according to Nielsen. The highly-anticipated halftime show averaged 103.4 million viewers, per the report. Snoop Dogg said JAY-Z, whose company Roc Nation co-produced the show, faced many challenges in getting Dre, Snoop, Eminem, Blige, and Lamar to perform at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. GRAMMY® winner Toni Braxton returns to Lifetime this April to executive produce and star in the Fallen Angels Murder Club anthology movie series as Hollis Morgan, an ex-con turned amateur sleuth set out to investigate a series of murders at her book club. The first movie, Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die For premieres on Saturday, April 2 and will be followed by the second installment, Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons on Saturday, April 9. The movies are based on the books Fallen Angels Book Club by R. Franklin James. Marvin Sapp is an artist of vast repertoire and style, and he is a singer with an undeniable musical signature. There is a certain way that Sapp punctuates songs with unbridled, deeply felt emotion that beckons from a place of someone who knows what they are singing about. It is the place where tested faith resides - a place where most people have been, are or will be going. Demonstrating through song that there is victory in that faith-tested place is Marvin Sapp’s signature, and it shows up in stunning fashion on his new single “All In Your Hands,” which is available today everywhere digital music is sold. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-lUJWwjAO4 Vincent Bohanan & SOV had the honor of not only being the headlining choir, but teaching a new generation of singers some of the ensemble’s most enduring songs during Ohio State University’s Gospelfest. The event was held recently in Columbus, Ohio as part of the city’s African American Heritage Festival, now in its 44th year. Bohanan and two of SOV’s lead singers – Bre Holly and Carlton Ellen – taught “Oh Give Thanks,” “Any Day Now,” “Jesus Saved the Day,” and “I Believe God” to enthusiastic university choir members, who delivered outstanding performances of the songs. https://vincentbohanansov.lnk.to/LiveInChicagoWE!VB. ; Grammy® Award Nominated, Billboard chart-topper and Stellar award-winning producer, songwriter, and musician Bart Orr celebrates his first win at the 53rd NAACP Image® Awards. As a co-songwriter (Justin Pearson, LaTia Mann, Phillip Bryant, Tamela Mann, Tiffany Mann) he was awarded for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song for Tamela Mann’s Billboard #1 hit song “Help Me,” featuring The Fellas. The song hit the #1 spot on the Gospel Airplay Chart in September 2021, spent 4 weeks in that position and to date has generated over 5.4 million audio streams. The Memphis, Tennessee native who’s insanely famous on his Instagram and YouTube social media platforms kicked off 2022 on a high note with his contemporary jazz instrumental album NO FEAR. Released on January 31 via Anderson Music Group, the 10-track project is produced by Bart Orr and Jonathan Anderson. Marketing efforts powered by BMo Designs and publicity by HARDY PR. For Bart, music represents an all-encompassing surrender, a pledge to self-honesty or what he calls Barthology, the truth that’s too good to be true. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com 17-year-old New York based R&B/Pop Singer-Songwriter Asha Maclean released the acoustic video for her debut single “Serial F Boy” following an exclusive premiere with Atwood Magazine. This acoustic music video is the next taste of what’s to come from this talented young R&B/Pop singer-songwriter and highlights Asha’s sultry voice stripping back the song to just her and a guitar. The Fall 2021 release of “Serial F Boy” was a slow burn that has carried into 2022. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE93TYiW5rAIisISrubmLUA Vice President Kamala Harris walks across the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge to mark the 57th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday commemorates when, in 1965, 600 people began a march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, demanding an end to discrimination in voter registration. At the Edmund Pettus Bridge, state and local lawmen attacked the marchers with billy clubs and tear gas, driving them back to Selma. Seventeen people were hospitalized and dozens were more injured by police. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/06/kamala-harris-walks-across-edmund-pettus-bridge-on-bloody-sunday-anniversary-watch/ Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended indefinitely for gambling on NFL games during the 2021 season, the league announced Monday. The suspension will last at least through the conclusion of the 2022 season, the NFL said. Ridley, 27, may petition for reinstatement on or after February 15, 2023. In a letter to Ridley notifying him of his suspension, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote, “Your actions put the integrity of the game at risk, threatened to damage public confidence in professional football, and potentially undermined the reputations of your fellow players throughout the NFL. “For decades, gambling on NFL games has been considered among the most significant violations of league policy warranting the most substantial sanction. In your case, I acknowledge and commend you for your promptly reporting for an interview, and for admitting your actions.” https://youtu.be/Sa8m7uaU-Mw A team of artists and writers from “diverse racial backgrounds” have been tapped to edit a series of unseen sketches drawn by Dr. Seuss that are set to be published for the first time. The group of rising authors and illustrators will create “inclusive” storylines inspired by the drawings that will “represent a diverse cross-section of racial backgrounds to represent as many families as possible,” according to reps for Dr. Seuss Enterprises, a company founded by the family of the children’s book author. “We look forward to putting the spotlight on a new generation of talent who we know will bring their unique voices and style to the page, while also drawing inspiration from the creativity and imagination of Dr. Seuss,” Susan Brandt, the president and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said in a statement. Russian forces are firing rockets at a physics institute in the city of Kharkiv that contains nuclear material and a reactor which could lead to a ‘large-scale ecological disaster’ if hit, according to Ukraine’s national security service. The service said on Facebook on Sunday that the Russians were firing at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology from Grad launchers. Missiles fired from Grad launchers do not have precise targeting, raising concern that one could damage the reactor and release deadly radiation across Europe. The science institute houses the Neutron Source nuclear research facility and contains 37 nuclear fuel cells in its core, according Ukrainian foreign minister Emine Dzheppar. The Supreme Court said Monday it will not take up the sexual assault case against comedian Bill Cosby, leaving in place a decision by Pennsylvania’s highest court to throw out his conviction and set him free from prison. The high court declined prosecutors’ request to hear the case and reinstate Cosby’s conviction. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court last year threw out Cosby’s conviction, saying the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor´s agreement not to charge Cosby. As is typical, the Supreme Court did not say anything in rejecting the case. The case was included in a long list of cases the court said Monday it would not hear. Cosby’s spokesperson Andrew Wyatt released a statement on Monday saying he was grateful for the decision. ‘On behalf of Mr. & Mrs. Cosby and the Cosby family, we would like to offer our sincere gratitude to the justices of the United States Supreme Court for following the rules of law and protecting the Constitutional Rights of ALL American Citizens of these United States. ‘Mr. Cosby’s Constitutional Rights were a “reprehensible bait and switch” by Kevin Steele, Judge Steve T. O’Neill and their cohorts. British rapper Dizzee Rascal was convicted Monday of assaulting his former girlfriend, then smashed a press photographer’s camera outside the courthouse minutes after a jury found him guilty. The 37-year-old musician, whose full name is Dylan Kwabena Mills, had denied headbutting Cassandra Jones at a home in south London in June. Prosecutors said he pressed his forehead against hers and pushing her to the ground during a “chaotic” argument that began over custody arrangements for their two children. When police, called by neighbors, arrived, Mills said “I’m the aggressor,” but later gave a prepared statement in a police interview, denying the allegations and claiming Jones had assaulted him. After the guilty verdict, Mills left Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court, grabbed a camera from Press Association photographer James Manning and threw it across the street, before walking away. Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample and his wife, Angelina, are trying to extract family members from Ukraine, as Russia’s invasion into the country extends into its second week. Angelina, who goes by Ang, was born in Ukraine. In an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” she revealed that she still has her maternal grandparents, an aunt and their families, as well as her paternal grandmother and uncles and their families, stranded in the city of Chernivtsi, which is in the southwestern part of the country. Before Zoë Kravitz sunk her claws into Catwoman for Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” the actress said she was told she didn’t have the right look for a role in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” due to her skin color. After attempting to audition for the film back in 2012, she was told she was too “urban” to star in the movie. “I don’t know if it came directly from Chris Nolan,” Kravitz recently told The Guardian. “I think it was probably a casting director of some kind, or a casting director’s assistant.” Kravitz, who is of Black and Jewish descent, added, “Being a woman of color and being an actor and being told at that time that I wasn’t able to read because of the color of my skin, and the word ‘urban’ being thrown around like that, that was what was really hard about that moment.” An “American Idol” contestant’s heartwarming relationship with his sister has touched fans and the show’s judges. Cole Hallman, 22, showed up recently to try out for the show and was accompanied by his mom and his sister Katie, who has a chromosomal deletion that has impacted her developmental and behavioral skills. “She has a chromosomal deletion. It’s just like a small part of her chromosome is not there,” Hallman said during his “American Idol” interview. “I’m grateful to have her here. She keeps me calm.” https://youtu.be/MNOjRsagUSk Whether it’s as a bat cave scavenger — the task chronicled in the first episode of his hit television series “Dirty Jobs” — or revealing what it’s like to be a journalist in flyover country — the subject of a recent episode of his viral podcast “The Way I Heard It” — Mike Rowe has a knack for telling stories. Over the years, Rowe has worn many hats. He’s been an author and an actor, a show host and a commentator. The nucleus of all these roles, though, is the same: Mike Rowe is a storyteller. When asked how best to teach Americans the value of hard work and integrity — particularly in a smartphone era when everyone is accustomed, and even conditioned, to expect instant gratification — Rowe said storytelling is at least part of the answer. https://youtu.be/rqnPHeWD9F8 There’s a good chance that you’ve never heard the music of singer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist Khari Rhynes. He is not an R&B, soul, or hip-hop artist but has creative flavors that touch and totally recreate music from those genres. So who is Khari Rhynes, and what kind of music does the artist play? would call my music alternative rock,” Rhynes told Lee Bailey in a recent interview. “There is a certain element of that, but I understand when someone hears my music, and my voice is a little bit different. People hear me, and it’s something different from what they’ve heard before.” Alternative rock is a category of rock music that emanated from independent underground music that began in the 1970s and morphed over the decades. https://youtu.be/bNwI8k7oHm8 Peacock’s critically-acclaimed drama series ”Bel-Air” has reunited with original “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” stars Daphne Maxwell Reid (Frank’s Place, Snoops) and Vernee Watson-Johnson (General Hospital, Bob Hearts Abishola). Both will guest star in the new hit series. Daphne Maxwell Reid will play “Helen” and Vernee Watson-Johnson will play “Janice,” members of the Art Council Board of Trustee. The two will guest star in episode 109 of BEL-AIR, streaming March 24 on Peacock. Maxwell Reid played Aunt Viv and Watson-Johnson played Viola “Vy” Smith in the original The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air series. Bel-Air is currently streaming on Peacock. New episodes are released every Thursday. The season one finale will stream on Thursday, March 31 on Peacock. https://youtu.be/_-_P9DPMuy8 Insider has learned that police knew a 3-month-old baby was in the front seat of a car when they opened fire on the vehicle during a confrontation with the boy’s father last May. Last month, Insider reported on the May 2021 death of La’Mello Parker, which at the time was under investigation by Biloxi Police. Just a day after Insider published our story on La’Mello’s death, Biloxi Police announced that they had completed the investigation and turned the case over to the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office, which will take the case to a grand jury. The DA’s office did not return Insider’s request for comment on whether the case had been presented to a grand jury yet on Tuesday. La’Mello’s cousin, Lashunda Parker, told Insider that the family has been given little to no information about the shootout — including whether it was an officer’s bullet that fired the fatal shot. As Insider previously reported, Eric Derrell Smith kidnapped his son after murdering La’Mello’s mother and her nephew at a home in Louisiana on May 3, 2021. Drake has reportedly purchased a mansion in Beverly Hills that was previously owned by British singer Robbie Williams. The artist dropped around $70 million for the Tuscany-style Beverly Crest mansion, according to Hip Hop DX. Originally listed for $85 million, the massive 20,000 square foot estate is one of the most exclusive luxury pads in the city of L.A., sprawling out over more than 20 acres — which is the most land of any property in the Beverly Hills area code of 90210. Other amenities include 10 bedrooms, 22 bathrooms, an 11-car garage, an elevator, wine cellar and a private orchard. Meanwhile, according to a recent report, Drake was one of the top earners in Hip Hop in 2021. The actor-turned rapper bagged $50 million last year, Forbes reports. https://www.instagram.com/housesofcelebs/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c410ad87-9a4b-47c6-a18b-916d189e21c1 Desiree Lindstrom, the fiancée of the late hip-hop icon DMX, is speaking out about how she is managing her grief following the rapper’s death last April. “I haven’t moved on. It’s hard, you know? It’s really hard. I just take it to minute by minute,” said Lindstrom during an interview on the It’s Tricky with Raquel Harper podcast. DMX died on April 9 following complications stemming from a drug-induced heart attack. “Some people say you could take it day by day, but it’s second by second. My life changed so fast [in] the blink of an eye,” added Lindstrom, who shared 5-year-old son Exodus with the hip-hop icon. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQV0CWJlIST/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Brittney Griner‘s wife is speaking out about the WNBA star being detained in Russia on drug charges. Griner, who plays for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, was arrested after vape cartridges containing hashish oil were found in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow. Her wife, Cherelle Griner, hopped on IG Sunday to post a photo of the pair together along with a caption that read … “Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wife’s safe return from Russia. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life.” She adds, “I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely.” Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, 72, who represents Griner’s hometown of Houston, is “demanding” that Russia release the two-time Olympic basketball champion from custody. “Let me be very clear, Brittney Griner is a United States citizen. She was a guest in Russia … I will be demanding her release,” she told the crowd at Saturday’s press conference aired by FOX 26 Houston. “Please, allow Miss Griner to leave. Allow her legal representation to handle her matters,” Lee said before calling on Russia to release all prisoners. https://youtu.be/AXo_fvpG3vA Several conservative critics have taken to social media to express their annoyance that “The Batman” starring Robert Pattinson is too “woke.” One problematic scene is “when Batman and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) are chatting about who the Riddler is targeting … rich, corrupt politician types … all in the name of social inequality and justice,” per TMZ, and Catwoman calls them “white privileged a*****es”. Another criticism is the number of Black actors cast for significant roles, including James Gordon and the Mayor-elect. As reported by TMZ, a handful of critics are calling it “woke casting.” There’s also LGBT representation, as Kravitz revealed that she played her version of Catwoman as bisexual. https://youtu.be/mqqft2x_Aa4 British actor Daniel Kaluuya has reportedly fired his agents and publicists and is said to be taking personal and professional advice from a “life strategist,” and the move has those closest to him concerned. The woman calls herself Heir Holiness and describes herself on social media as “Head Mistress” for “The International Alma Mater, Blessed University,” as reported by Page Six. “To be honest, we can’t quite figure out who she is…we really have no clue as his team has shifted camps,” said a well-placed source, per the outlet. According to The Post, Heir was by Kaluuya’s side as he filmed “Nope” with director Jordan Peele and her behavior on set allegedly had many on the production scared of her. “People on the ‘Nope’ set were very concerned that Heir had ‘taken over’ DK’s life and all decisions had to go through her,” said an industry insider. “I’ve heard there were multiple blow-ups and the production people were afraid of her.” Mary J. Blige and Pepsi proudly announce the inaugural “Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit” in partnership with Live Nation Urban. The festival will take place in the vibrant city of Atlanta, GA with three days devoted to music, comedy, and community building between May 6-8th, 2022. Presale tickets go live Tuesday, March 8, 2022 at 10am ET, while general on-sale begins on Thursday, March 10th at 10AM ET. https://youtu.be/wIYdAstSG_g WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner is currently detained in Russia after being arrested last month at a Moscow airport for having vape cartridges in her luggage. “The Olympic gold medalist spends her WNBA offseasons competing for Russian club UMMC Ekaterinburg,” per Business Insider. WNBA players earn higher salaries overseas than in the US, according to the report. For the last seven years, Griner has played in Russia in the winter, earning over $1 million per season. “This year, Griner is set to take home a league-maximum $227,900 annual salary from the Mercury, but only in recent years has her payday climbed into the six-figure range,” per Business Insider. According to The New York Times, Griner’s arrest is possibly linked to Russia’s effort “to create leverage for a potential prisoner exchange with the American government or a reduction in sanctions related to the [Ukraine] invasion.” https://youtu.be/2_Jfx9rOfic Jason Momoa is speaking out about “separating in the public eye” following his brief split from wife Lisa Bonet. The pair are said to be working out their marital problems after announcing their separation last month. The “Aquaman” actor took to Instagram on Thursday to share photos of himself with the two kids the shares with Bonet, Nakoa-Wolf and Lola at the premiere of “The Batman.” The film stars Momoa’s stepdaughter Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman. As you know, Kravitz is Bonet’s daughter whom she shares with rocker Lenny Kravitz. “Mahalo to the fans and press for being generous and giving us space for the children,” he captioned the post. “It’s hard enough separating in the public eye. We appreciate the continued privacy through these times.” https://www.instagram.com/prideofgypsies/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=17220703-6493-447b-974e-c4db1127e090 Sherri Shepherd is “so thankful” for Wendy Williams after announcing her new talk show will takeover Williams’ timeslot as “The Wendy Williams Show” has been given the ax. “I’m so thankful to Wendy for letting me fill in for her and letting me fill the gap to support her as all the other co-hosts have also done,” Shepherd told Deadline. She added: “I’m thankful because if it wasn’t for Wendy the eyes wouldn’t have been on me. I’m so thankful to her. We’re all praying for her.” Williams has not hosted her eponymous talk show since last summer when she went on a health-related hiatus. The show has since used a lew of celebrity guest hosts, including Sherri. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaS8Y-rJ1LQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again D.L. Hughley is not impressed with Ye stalking his ex-wife on social media. The comedian chopped it up with DJ Vlad recently and shared his thoughts on the rapper’s Instagram posts in which he takes aim at Kim Kardashian and her alleged new boyfriend Pete Davidson. Most recently, Ye dropped a disturbing video showing a claymation version of Davidson being buried alive. The rapper has also shared private messages between him and Kardashian online. https://youtu.be/CI3qoLDcMBc Gas prices continued to climb Monday, rising to just short of a record high. At their skyrocketing pace, the price per gallon record of $4.11 will probably be broken in just a day or two. The average price of a gallon of regular gas hit $4.07, according to AAA’s survey taken Sunday at 140,000 stations nationwide. That’s up 6 cents from the previous day’s average. The average price hit $4 a gallon over the weekend for the first time in 14 years. The record high was set in July 2008. “It is conceivable that we’ll see price moves of 15 cents to 35 cents a gallon this week, and it’s difficult to predict even one day where prices might dip,” said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis for the Oil Price Information Service, the firm that tracks gas data for AAA. “Most stations are on auto-pilot, they are buying as much product as they can as soon as they can and this can inspire another round of crazy increases.” If you are a part of the 2nd Amendment community in your local area, you probably have been searching for a way to connect with 2A advocates in the Black community nationwide! Calibr Magazine could be that missing link in the 2A community chain. The premiere hard copy issue was distributed nationwide a few weeks ago. But it’s also available in digital format. Gwen Witherspoon is Executive Editor. She appeared on 2nd Amendment Sis podcast with Eurweb correspondent Steffanie Rivers to discuss the premier issue and why this magazine was overdue. https://youtu.be/WBlgQO1hiDI Connie Boatman-Tate grew up in Cabrini-Green and had an unconventional path, but ended up as an inventor. “When I was growing up, I couldn’t really afford to get my hair done,” said Boatman-Tate. “I spent many years being a DIY stylist.” Her experience struggling with one style led her to create Kwik Fingers. It is a dual-sided comb with a retractable parting tail. “I had this prototype, and it worked,” said Boatman-Tate. The comb is supposed to serve as a detangler, while also protecting fingers. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/07/eurvideonews-chicago-woman-creates-kwik-fingers-for-hairstyling-watch/ Nearly 70 years ago, John S. Chase became the first Black person in Texas to become a licensed architect. Inspired by his late father’s legacy, his son—entrepreneur and educator Tony Chase—has set out to empower the next generation of innovators in the architecture space. According to the Houston Chronicle, Chase, and his wife, Dr. Dina Alsowayel, have gifted the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture with a $1 million endowment. The donation will go towards creating the John S. Chase Family Endowed Graduate Fellowship, a program designed to recruit HBCU graduates in an effort to diversify the architecture industry. A portion of the endowment will be allocated for the John S. Chase Family Endowed Professorship in Architecture, which aims to cultivate a community of educators that can contribute to the evolution of the school’s program. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1499518895077703681/uI1llrMj?format=jpg&name=small "This is a compelling musical pictorial of The Resurrection Story by saxophonist Mel Holder and vocalist Michelle Brooks-Thompson. It’s the first single from the Mel Holder album, Phenomenal - Music Book Volume IV." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni6CHwcHf1A Hip Hop music has been a male-dominated genre. However, there are incredibly talented and elite female rappers and Emcees who have broken barriers to become some of the most respected and successful artists in music. Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Missy Elliot, Lizzo, Wande, HeeSun Lee, Jacki Hill Perry, and A.I. The Anomaly are of the giant and iconic women who flow on the mic and create rhyme and beats topping the charts. Add another name to the list of women rappers making an impact in Hip Hop music - Brea Miles. Brea delivers commanding lyrics on top of banging tracks with a fearless stage presence. She is transparent, inspiring, and rooted in the Word of God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_kEAUNfLDA Shelia D drops "He Will Make A Way." Check out this song in The Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.dropbox.com/s/lixmnovf2qaxqeb/He%20Will%20Find%20A%20Way%20Video_with_lyrics.mp4?dl=0 Alexia Curry delivers on her debut single entitled "Hear His Voice," a message that is undoubtedly straight from God. When asked what the song reminds her of when singing it, Alexia said, “It reminds me of the old gospel hymn Yes, Jesus Loves Me.” Check out this song in The Gospel Spotlight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7rW82Ks_p0 Russian forces are firing rockets at a physics institute in the city of Kharkiv that contains nuclear material and a reactor which could lead to a ‘large-scale ecological disaster’ if hit, according to Ukraine’s national security service. The service said on Facebook on Sunday that the Russians were firing at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology from Grad launchers. Missiles fired from Grad launchers do not have precise targeting, raising concern that one could damage the reactor and release deadly radiation across Europe. The science institute houses the Neutron Source nuclear research facility and contains 37 nuclear fuel cells in its core, according Ukrainian foreign minister Emine Dzheppar. The attack comes two days after Russian forces shelled Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, sparking fears of a nuclear disaster similar to the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. Americans around the country, including legal scholars and Black women, are praising President Joe Biden’s announcement last week nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Associate Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. If confirmed, Jackson would make history as the first Black woman and the first former federal public defender to serve as a Supreme Court justice. https://youtu.be/JoFQEMc99uc According to reports, Meghan Markle is being sued by her half-sister, Samantha Markle for defamation after the duchess and Prince Harry’s, 37, explosive tell all interview with Oprah Winfrey last March. Samantha, 57, claimed in court documents Meghan, 40, lied about her and their family during the sit-down. She also accused her sister of making up stories about growing up in “virtual poverty” and claims Meghan publicly bashed their father, Thomas Markle, 76, in an attempt to sell a false “rags-to-royalty” narrative of her life and gain sympathy. The complaint reads, “Meghan falsely claimed that: (a) she essentially raised herself from virtual poverty; (b) she was forced from the age of 13 to work in a series of low-paying jobs to ‘make ends meet.’” The lawsuit goes on to accuse Meghan Markle of misleading the public regarding her father’s absence from her 2018 royal wedding. Tristan “Mack” Wilds strives to bring to light all misconceptions associated with the Black man through “Profiled: The Black Man,” his new Discovery + show. The star was featured in “The Wire” and he recently appeared on “TMZ Live” where he addressed the false beliefs – misconceptions and stereotypes – attached to Black males from leaving their families to devaluing the Black women, among others. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2022-02-23-022322-tristan-wilds-1369046/ Actor Tim Reid was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and attended Norfolk State University. He was the writer of “WKRP Cincinnati,” among other great shows. Together with his wife Daphne Maxwell- Reid, they opened New Millennium Studios in 1997, where they have been doing film production since. He is now launching a streaming service dubbed “The Legacy of A People.” The platform is exclusively designed for sharing the Black experience among Africans in the diaspora. Reid, who has more than 40 years of experience in acting, production, and comedy, with more than 100 credits to his name, told NBC 12 that “Legacy of A People” would cover all aspects of Black entertainment from music to science, culture, and history. https://youtu.be/3u20po-_GFc Donald Glover and his colleagues – writers for the FX series “Atlanta” recently opened up about being racially harassed in London during the show’s final season shoot. During a TCA press conference, Stephen Glover, the show’s executive producer and Donald’s younger brother recounted how they were approached by a group of blokes while filming and engaged them in what initially seemed like an innocent conversation. According to Stephen, 31, a group of white people walked up to them and seemed to notice or recognize Donald. She had to stop what she was doing, and the group – a girl and about two or three guys — started asking for a good place they could get a drink. During the short conversation, one of the guys said that the crew could probably break into a bar since they (crew) all carry hammers around– slang for guns. Sadly, since all the ‘Atlanta’ writers are Black, that meant that – in the stereotyped reasoning of the white people – every crew member owns a gun and can easily break into the place for a drink. Despite being insulting, they ignored the ugly remarks. However, when the team didn’t take the remarks too severe or personally, the bully in the white group became more specific and told that team that they had probably gone to jail for unlicensed weapon ownership, theft among other crimes. The bully kept doubling down on his totally unfounded accusations, and another guy (from the bullies) even told their female counterpart to run away because she could probably be raped. The girl was dragged away amidst her “I am sorry” remarks, and Stephen described the situation as pretty bad. A Black Lives Matter activist serving more than six years in prison for voter fraud has been released after new evidence in the case shows state officials admittedly made an error. The Tennessee judge who sentenced Pamela Moses said the activist knew she was not qualified to vote but “tricked” officials into giving her clearance. New evidence unveiled by reporters shows state officials did not check their own files and were responsible for the error. It is one of several errors the state made in the handling of Moses’ quest to restore her rights. Moses registered to vote in 2019 but had permanently lost her right to vote because of a 2015 conviction. Tennessee officials corresponded with Moses throughout her restoration process, but Moses said she was never told that she could never vote again, according to reports. The state never removed her name from the voter rolls. “The Batman,” the most anticipated film of the year, lives up to the hype. The compelling Caped Crusader had some big shoes to fill and he filled them superbly. Matt Reeves’ Batman iteration strikes all the right chords cinematically and emotionally. Batman and Catwoman’s (Zoe Kravitz) charged relationship is a conduit for some of the movie’s most magnetic scenes. https://youtu.be/u34gHaRiBIU Better Brothers Los Angeles (BBLA), the most prominent Black LGBTQ+ organization, in association with award-winning actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary) and her non-profit organization, The DIVA Foundation, announces that the 8th Annual Truth Awards will be co-hosted by Emmy-Award-winning host Loni Love and Scott Evans along with a live musical performance by R&B sensation, Kelly Price in Hollywood at the Taglyan Complex on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at 6:00 pm. This year’s award honorees includes Colman Domingo (Candyman), who is the recipient of the History Maker Award, AMAAD Institute (LGBTQ+ Community Based Organization), who will receive the Advocate Award, and TEA-G-I-F (Claudia Jordan, Al Reynolds, Funky Dineva) with the Media & Arts Award. Additional honorees, presenters will be announced next week. https://youtu.be/C5k2sS3h5Q0 Jeannie Mai is back to reality, this time about breastfeeding, saying it’s harder than childbirth. The talk show host opened up about the challenges she’s having trying to produce enough milk to feed her young daughter, Monaco. “Been tackling this breastfeeding thing for two months,” she wrote alongside photos of herself using a breast pump. “Listening to a lactation nurse, reading advice online, and getting so much help from other moms. Hands down, it’s been the most difficult part of this entire mom journey. I already HEARD it was gonna be, but I never imagined this. For me, it’s was even more difficult than giving birth.” “It’s groundbreaking…like Porky & Bess was,” said Soprano opera singer Cheryl Warfield about her role in the Terence Blanchard opera based on the life of New York journalist Charles M. Blow titled “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” to premiere at the Lyric Opera House of Chicago March 25 – April 8, 2022. “Being specifically about Black people like ‘Porky & Bess’ which was by a New York Jewish composer.” Five-time Grammy-winning and two-time Academy Award nominee Terence Blanchard, a Jazz trumpeter, pianist/keyboardist and composer, stars in the opera along with Kasi Lemmons (Director of Harriet and Eve’s Bayou). The musical takes the audience on a journey through the life of Charles Blow, his life as a youth in Louisiana dealing with a traumatic experience. Daniela Candillari is the conductor. https://youtu.be/IIDG4GkqrhE If you are between the ages of 13 to 19 or know someone within this age group, the Disney Dreamer’s Academy educational mentorship program is worth learning more about. Each year Walt Disney World selects 100 students and teens throughout the country to participate in a coveted opportunity. The annual program is four days long but packs decades of career training, networking, and career education within that timeframe. Applying to the Disney Dreamers program is worth the effort. https://youtu.be/OCp821hYDWw Tom Fleischman, an Oscar-winning rerecording mixer best known for his decades-long collaboration with Martin Scorsese, has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences over its controversial plan not to present eight categories live during the broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. A move that has been met with a storm of criticism, the Academy plans to present Oscars in documentary short, film editing, makeup/hairstyling, original score, production design, animated short, live-action short, and Fleischman’s own discipline, sound, inside the Dolby Theatre in the hour before the March 27 broadcast commences, recording and editing these into the subsequent live telecast. Lamar Odom, 42, is a former professional basketball player. Most people were used to seeing him on the court, but he intends to break the norm after retirement. During an interview with his “Entertainment Tonight” this week, the former NBA- player disclosed his intentions to take over the Rhodes Island head coach ship. https://twitter.com/i/status/1496483215346962440 As more clips from his ‘Drink Champs’ interview surface, The Game continues to cause more controversy! In a new clip, the LA rapper changes his stance on a rap battle with Eminem, the Detroit legend. Game says, “Eminem is Eminem. I like Eminem, he’s one of the good emcees–great emcees. I used to think Eminem was better than me. He not. He not. He’s not. Challenge it.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CavhLCmtqh8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again As “Gangsta Grandma,” Evelyn Wilson nurtures troubled men and women in a way that not many are capable of doing. A Harlem, New York, native, Wilson says she became addicted to alcohol and cocaine following the deaths of both her parents before her 13th birthday. Now 80, Wilson is an ordained minister in the Unity movement and will mark 50 years of continuous sobriety in May. Wilson is a former prison counselor who was known by the inmates as “Gangsta Grandma.” She now lives in Savannah, Georgia, and operates two sober-living homes — one each for men and women. A Chicago Public school mom wants to know why her daughter came home from school with a broken collarbone and she was never called! CBS 2’s Marissa Perlman reports from Parkside Elementary School. https://cbsloc.al/3ICPoRM Cindy Parlow Cone won re-election as U.S. Soccer Federation president on Saturday in a narrow vote over her predecessor and said she has plenty of work left to do after “righting the ship” during her first two years in the position. Parlow Cone secured 52.9% of the weighted vote taken by the federation’s membership during their annual general meeting, earning 785.12 of the votes compared to the 698.26 that went to Carlos Cordeiro. “I am really proud of what I’ve done in my first two years as president, I think we’ve accomplished a lot, but there is a lot more left to do,” Parlow Cone told reporters after being elected to a four-year term as president. Former national team player Parlow Cone had served as vice president of the national governing body until taking over the top job in 2020 when Cordeiro resigned under pressure after a legal filing that was widely condemned as misogynistic. Guillermo Rigondeaux lost roughly 80% of his vision following an accident involving a pressure cooker late Thursday afternoon at his Miami home, the former champion’s manager, Alex Boronte, told ESPN. The 41-year-old was cooking Cuban black beans when something went awry, causing the pressure cooker to explode. The boiling water splashed into his eyes, his manager said, leaving him with two severely burned corneas. His chest was burned as well. The two-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba was transported to Kendall Regional Medical Center, Boronte said. Rigondeaux’s eyes were injected with anesthesia and bandaged before he was released Friday. “He’s only done it a million times,” Boronte said of one of Rigondeaux’s favorite meals to cook. “They make bombs out of [pressure cookers]. If one of those beans clogs up where the steam is going to go out, it’s like a bomb. It could have killed him.” Black retired football players who were denied payments for dementia in the NFL’s $1 billion concussion settlement can seek to be retested or have their claims rescored to eliminate racial bias in the testing and payout formula, under a revised plan finalized Friday. Outrage over the use of “race-norming” in the dementia testing — which assumed that Black people have a lower cognitive baseline score, making it harder for them to show mental declines linked to football — forced the NFL and players’ lawyers back to the negotiating table last year. The revisions could allow many retired players to resubmit their claims and add $100 million or more to the NFL’s legal tab. The NFL, through the fund, has paid out more than $800 million to date, nearly half for dementia claims. The dementia awards average about $600,000. “Thousands of Black players stand to benefit from these changes to the settlement,” said lawyer Cyril V. Smith, who represents former players Najeh Davenport and Kevin Henry, whose 2020 race discrimination lawsuit brought the issue to light. President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Western sanctions on Russia were akin to a declaration of war and warned that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would lead to catastrophic consequences for the world. Putin reiterated that his aims were to defend Russian- speaking communities through the “demilitarization and de-Nazification” of the country so that Russia’s former Soviet neighbour became neutral and no longer threatened Russia. Ukraine and Western countries have dismissed this as a baseless pretext for the invasion he launched on Feb. 24 and have imposed a sweeping range of sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow. “These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that,” Putin said, speaking to a group of flight attendants at an Aeroflot training center near Moscow. He said any attempt by another power to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would be considered by Russia to be a step into the military conflict. Such a step he said would have catastrophic consequences for Europe and the world. The NATO military alliance has rejected Kyiv’s request for a no-fly zone, on the grounds it would escalate the war beyond Ukraine into a far wider conflict, potentially pitting the United States against Russia. WNBA star Brittney Griner is in some serious trouble in Russia. She was reportedly detained after vape cartridges containing hashish oil were found in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow. The detainment comes amid the escalating conflict created by Russia attacking Ukraine. USA Basketball said it is monitoring the situation. “Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and wellbeing are our primary concerns,” the tweet read. The man arrested for the #LA home invasion and shooting death of #JacquelineAvant, wife of famed music executive #ClarenceAvant, has pleaded guilty.? #AarielMaynor, 30, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of robbing a home with a person present, according to CBS Los Angeles. He also admitted to shooting at the Avant’s security guard, who was unharmed during the home invasion.? Maynor faces up to 170 years to life in prison.? “This crime continues to shock the conscience. Mrs. Avant’s death was a tragic loss felt by our entire community,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “In this case, the defendant is facing 170 years to life in prison and is ineligible for elderly parole. Our Bureau of Victim Services will continue to be in contact with the family and their representatives to offer trauma-informed services.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CaqacbtMphS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Human remains discovered in the area where white residents slaughtered Black Oklahomans in the 1921 Tulsa race massacre may be the bodies of more victims.? #CBS News reports that one of the bodies found is believed to be a Black male in his mid-to-late 20s, according to a report submitted to a committee overseeing the search. The news outlet reports the male may be a Tulsa, Oklahoma race massacre victim; three gunshot wounds along with two bullets were recovered from the remains.? The bullets were from a .38 caliber and are believed to have come from a Colt revolver.? On Wednesday, Phoebe Stubblefield, a forensic anthropologist, said there is no way to confirm if the remains can be confirmed as a Tulsa race victim. However, DNA could provide some evidence connecting the remains to the massacre.? “The person had a death that involved another human, so that part is clear, but when that death occurred, there are no definitive indicators and the exact context of … how did the bullets get introduced, there’s no in dications under the earth for that,” Stubblefield said, CBS News reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaqLes2PvIM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again While the pandemic is not over, experts say the US may be in for, at the very least, a “near normal” spring and summer, based on new US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. “I think the move from pandemic to endemic appears to be accelerating,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the division of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. According to the CDC’s updated data on Covid-19 community levels, the number of counties with “high” Covid-19 levels dropped from about 1,200 on February 24 to 472 on March 3. The CDC recently switched how it measures community levels. Actor Johnny Brown, who played building superintendent Nathan Bookman on the 1970s sitcom “Good Times,” has died, according to an Instagram post from his daughter, Sharon Brown. He was 84 and died on March 2, his daughter said. “It’s too terrible. It will never not be. It’s a shock. He was literally snatched out of our lives. It’s not real for us yet,” Sharon Brown, an actor and composer, wrote Friday. “So, there will be more to say but not now. Dad was the absolute best. We love him so very much.” https://youtu.be/lXUmjMo-N6k Australian cricketer Shane Warne, one of the finest leg-spin bowlers of all time whose talent and personality transcended the sport, died aged 52 on Friday. Warne, who ended his spell-binding international career in 2007 with a remarkable 708 test wickets, died from a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand, his family confirmed in a statement. “Shane was found unresponsive in his Villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” the statement read. “The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.” Thai Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious. Warne’s associates staying in the same villa tried unsuccessfully to revive him, police added. His death comes hours after another former Australian cricket great, wicket-keeper Rod Marsh died on Friday at the age of 74. Warne’s last post on Twitter, 12 hours before his death was reported, was a tribute to Marsh. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s creeping authoritarianism got a lot more overt on Friday when he signed a censorship bill into law making it impossible for news organizations to accurately report the news in or from Russia. The law, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, makes it a crime to disseminate “fake” information about the invasion of Ukraine, with a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for anyone convicted. The definition of “fake” is, of course, left up to the Russian government. The New York Times reported that the law, which could take effect as soon as Saturday, could make it illegal to merely refer to the Ukraine war as a war. The law prompted urgent meetings inside news outlets on Friday and pushed them to make difficult decisions. The BBC, bluntly saying that the law “appears to criminalize the process of independent journalism,” said that it had no choice but to “temporarily suspend the work” of its journalists and staff in Russia as it assesses the “full implications of this unwelcome development.” CNN said the network “will stop broadcasting in Russia while we continue to evaluate the situation and our next steps moving forward.” The three men who cornered and killed Ahmaud Arbery will spend most of the rest of their lives behind prison bars, but what about the officials accused of misconduct? In May 2020, the Georgia Attorney General’s office requested the state’s Bureau of Investigation (GBI) determine whether Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill and former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson’s actions in the case amounted to prosecutorial misconduct. Johnson was initially appointed to investigate Arbery’s murder. However, four days later, she wrote the District Attorney of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit and asked for the appointment of another prosecutor because Greg McMichael, one of the men convicted of Arbery’s death, was a former investigator in her office. With the surprise announcement by Southern Baptist Convention President Ed Litton that he will not seek a traditional second term, speculation has quickly turned to who will run for the leadership post within a deeply fractured denomination. Less than 24 hours after Litton’s announcement, a pastor quite similar to Litton in many ways announced his candidacy. Willy Rice, pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Fla., said he will run for the post. Rice currently serves as a trustee of the North American Mission Board, is a past president of the Florida Baptist Convention, served as president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference in 2015, chaired the 2010 SBC Committee on Committees and chaired the 2016 SBC Committee on Nominations. He delivered the convention sermon at last summer’s SBC Annual Meeting where Litton was elected. In that sermon Rice said Southern Baptists can sometimes be “jerks” by opposing the right things in the wrong way. A seriously pissed-off New Jersey man is behind bars after police say he poured gasoline in a barbershop filled with people while in a fit of rage. It happened at The Zone barbershop on 61st Street in North Bergen. Police say 30-year-old Humberto Vanegas walked into the shop with a 5-gallon gasoline can and started yelling as he poured the fuel in the entryway. HBO recently has an upcoming show based on the Showtime Lakers. Unexpectedly, however, the Lakers organization and the players from the era have become the biggest loathers of the show, and you are probably wondering why. A report released earlier discloses why they feel the way they do. According to Lacey Rose of The Hollywood Reporter, the HBO series dubbed “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” is set to premiere on Sunday, March 6. The series retells the Los Angeles Lakers 1980s era experience. https://youtu.be/7DdH2Z5WyGU Davontae Stewart, a man with 75% body scarring keloids, recently opened a GoFundMe account asking for financial support to help him get the necessary medication. Despite having health insurance, Stewart can’t get the surgery he needs because his insurance coverage doesn’t include Keloid surgery – it is considered a cosmetic procedure by the insurer. Sadly for Stewart, he says that people don’t even understand what he is dealing with. Fox 2 Detroit reports that the condition began when Stewart was a kid, similar to chickenpox, which he scratched off, but woke up to tiny bubbles on his whole body the following morning. A Detroit-based doctor at the time suggested to Stewart’s mother to have all the keloids removed at once – a step that worsened the situation. The keloids came back in stitch form, on his whole back, and keep growing every day. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/mans-keloid-scarring-growing-over-75-percent-of-body-but-insurance-wont-cover-surgery CNN announced today that CNN+ will debut this spring with an exclusive content offering that will be available for purchase at $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Early subscribers that sign up within the first four weeks directly will have access to the “Deal of a Lifetime,” or 50% off the monthly plan – for life – as long as they remain subscribers. “We’re thrilled to offer CNN+’s world-class journalism, premium storytelling and Interview Club platform at this attractive price,” said Andrew Morse, CNN EVP, Chief Digital Officer and Head of CNN+. “Nothing like CNN+ exists. There is no news and non-fiction streaming subscription offering available today, and only CNN can create and deliver a global news product with this kind of value to consumers.” https://youtu.be/93cqvt-gOW4 Wearing single-use masks was extremely critical in curbing the spread of coronavirus. Sadly, these masks have become a significant pollution threat as the world dumps 129 billion facemasks every month – about 3 million masks per minute. These masks are discarded everywhere, from city sidewalks to significant niches of the internet. The shores of Hong Kong deserted Soko Islands, and coasts of France are filled with this filth, depriving them of their beauty. The growing waste mountain explains why environmental advocates and scientists expressed alarm about the potential effects from the jump … dire ecological ramifications. The filth has made its way into the world’s waterways affecting aquatic life besides other animals. Will Smith is set to star in a sequel to “I Am Legend,” nearly 15 years after the release of the original post-apocalyptic thriller. Warner Bros. is developing a follow-up with Smith starring opposite Michael B. Jordan, who will co-produce the movie alongside his co-star, Complex reports. Akiva Goldsman adapted the 2007 film from Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel and is returning to pen the sequel script. “I Am Legend” was released theatrically on Dec. 14, 2007, and reportedly earned $585 worldwide. https://youtu.be/dtKMEAXyPkg ? Ciara guest-hosted “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Thursday and was joined by her husband Russell Wilson who surprised his wife with an unexpected proposal. As reported by PEOPLE, the Seahawks quarterback, 33, asked Ciara, 36, if she wanted to have another baby. The couple is already parents to 19-month-old son Win Harrison, daughter Sienna Princess, 4, and Ciara shares son Future Zahir, 7, with her ex, rapper Future. During the segment, Wilson asked Ciara: “I have a question for you. Serious question. Can we have more babies?” https://youtu.be/vfKSXqsEi00 Grammy-award-winning artist, Kelly Rowland was on hand yesterday (03/03/22)for the kickoff of the 15th annual Disney Dreamers Academy program. The Disney Dreamers Academy is a mentorship program for students in underrepresented communities. 100 Black and underrepresented high school students and teens throughout the United States are selected each year to participate. The goal of the program is to expose those students to opportunities and access to mentors that would likely not be available to them. The program aims to broaden career awareness and create exclusive enrichment opportunities for those selected. Rowland is this year’s program ambassador, one of its mentors, and an advocate for the 2022 Dreamers: “Mentorship is an experience I treasure, and the opportunity to invest my time into these students is incredible,” Rowland said. “I’m excited to work with them and watch how they grow throughout the program.” When it’s all said and done, ironically, the biggest winner of the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade might be neither James Harden nor Ben Simmons. The Beard will make his home debut for the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, while Kevin Durant prepares to return from a six-week absence on Thursday. And it stands to reason that Durant and Simmons will eventually find themselves flanking Kyrie Irving — the biggest beneficiary of them all. Kyrie has long been the most interesting man in the NBA, and that was true even before we’d ever even heard of a thing called “COVID.” https://youtu.be/yZtzqA62TBw “I was about 5, and my father bought me a wonder horse,” said Emeline King. That horse was a mustang – and who would have thought that years later, another Mustang would be Emeline King’s claim to fame. It was King who designed the 1994 Ford Mustang interior. “It also won car of the year,” she said. Emeline King was Ford’s first Black woman designer – hired in 1983. She also worked on the 1989 Thunderbird – the wheel program, the 2000 Thunderbird, and designed cars in Europe. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/fords-first-black-woman-car-designer-writes-book-about-blazing-a-trail-in-auto-industry On a recent segment of The View, The Nation’s Justice Correspondent Elie Mystal shared a feeling many Black people share about the constitution. ‘The Constitution is kind of trash,” Mystal said. Six simple words carry the weight and fire of those who spent generations trying to push through the limitations built into a system that never considered their humanity in the first place. Speaking about his new book, “Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution,” Mystal told the ladies of The View that his book offered a commonsense approach to the constitution and understanding democracy. “This document was written without the consent of Black and Brown people in this country and without the consent of women in this country,” he explained. “If that is the starting point, the very least we can do is ignore what those slavers and colonists and misogynists thought and interpret the constitution in a way that makes sense for our modern world.” Isn’t it curious how before white conservatives discovered critical race theory in 2020, legislators were not commonly proposing and signing bills into law that limited discussions on race in the classroom? It’s almost as if this relatively obscure academic study that has existed in academia since 1989 suddenly became a mainstream conversation once Republicans figured out it was a galvanizing tool for white grievance propaganda and we’re all supposed to believe that, by some huge coincidence, there’s suddenly a massive influx of educators teaching white students that they’re inherently racist and directly responsible for America’s racist past. Well, one day after the West Virginia Senate voted 21-12 to pass the bill and send it to the House, Mississippi’s Republican-controlled House voted 75-43 to pass Senate Bill 2113, another anti-CRT bill that includes nearly the same language as that of West Virginia. The Bluest Eye is one of the late Toni Morrison’s most iconic bodies of work and surprisingly has become one of her most controversial as well. Following a longstanding lawsuit that saw the book taken off shelves at libraries throughout the Missouri School District, a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union has now resulted in the book being returned to its rightful place. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPleJP_B-8b/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c2a36f4a-bafd-4e1d-9812-c928dd178ffc With the raging debates surrounding critical race theory and efforts to remove noteworthy pieces of literature penned by Black authors from school bookshelves, the absence of truthful and authentic African American narratives from curriculums across the country have prompted many parents to step up and fill in the gap when it comes to educating children about the fullness of Black history. Amongst those is author and educator Andrea Stephenson who is using literature as an avenue to show youngsters of color that they come from a lineage of excellence. A study conducted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture and Oberg Research revealed merely 9 percent of time in history classes throughout the U.S. is allocated to highlighting Black history. Further research illustrated some schools omit covering the topic at all. For Stephenson, teaching her children about Black innovators who have contributed to shaping the landscape of American history was an intentional decision early on. Now, she’s set out on a mission to empower others to do the same through her latest book Our-Story Black History for Kids: Scientists. Celebrating Black History Month, TV One will air The Soul of the Nation Gospel Concert, featuring remarks by First Lady Jill Biden and performances by top Gospel artists such as JJ Hairston and Tamela Mann. The prerecorded event will re-air on Sunday, March 6 at 5 pm EST/4C on TV One. The celebration will be hosted by Grammy-nominated Juan Winans and will feature musical performances by Madeline Howze, Tamela Mann, JJ Hairston and The Morehouse College Glee Club. Closing the event is Bishop William Murphy, III, the founder and lead pastor of The Dream Center Church of Atlanta, one of the nation’s most influential ministries leading the way in worship and community outreach. The program celebrates the history and impact of Gospel music and is sure to bring warmth and solace to both American and global viewers alike. On the heels of last year’s popular Lust and Envy movies seen by over 9.4 million viewers in their airings, Lifetime announces the next two Seven Deadly Sins Anthology movie installments, Wrath and Greed, from executive producers T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams and Shaun Robinson. Based on the series of books by Victoria Christopher Murray, Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story stars Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), Tina Knowles-Lawson (Profiled: The Black Man), Romeo Miller (Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection) and Antonio Cupo (Blood & Treasure) while Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story is headlined by Monique Coleman (A Christmas Dance Reunion), LisaRaye McCoy (A House Divided), Eric Benét (Real Husbands of Hollywood) and Nathan Witte (Merry Liddle Christmas Baby). Below are the movie descriptions and premiere dates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWysL_YYvvw The legendary R&B group, The Whispers, are back with a new Steppers Remix of their 2009 gospel gem, "Praise His Holy Name." The breezy, feel-good track is perfect for springtime worship as the foursome praises the Lord atop an infectious new rhythm by the GRAMMY Award winning Chicago-based DJ Maurice Joshua. https://capitalentertainment.disco.ac/track-new/75643224?user_id=187292&signature=9x72Z6tluH8u-oydQKtjBxs3zvg%3AMoX6PDGr Zeke Locke & Nu Experience drops I'm Walking...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDtc-UcwZxQ Danielle Sunny Bryant is that powerhouse singer who kicks off her shoes and belts out a dynamic performance that turns the room into a sanctuary of unrestricted praise. Danielle's "churchy" and effortless voice ushers you into a one-on-one spiritual session with God. "Don't Give Up is our anthem of motivation and encouragement during these difficult times," Danielle says. "It's a song that everyone can listen to and enjoy. Whether you are at the gym, studying and doing schoolwork, or hanging out with the family, this is that song to get you through!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8E7Ruy5hzE&feature=youtu.be AT&T continues to recognize Black culture shapers and futuremakers who empower our global community, including Kirk! To celebrate, they had an epic IG Live with Kirk Franklin, Tobe Nwigwe, Devale Ellis, and Terrence J. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cai3-nCFPUe/ Catch DOE’s docuseries. There was a powerful moment when DOE spoke on your value not being connected to your gift in the third episode. This is sure to be a blessing to you and anyone you feel led to share it with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjWminq6stM Melvin Crispell, III partnered with MultiTracks Gospel and spoke on the future of Gospel music. Enjoy this snippet from him and drop a comment on the post sharing how we can stay focused on spreading The Good News. https://www.instagram.com/p/CailKIRFOB9/ “Cry Out” by Refresh Worship is a simple song of prophetic-spontaneous worship by ReFresh Worship led by Naomi Raine of the Fresh Start Christian Center (Mt. Vernon, NY). Pastor G. Morris Coleman serves as the Senior Pastor of Fresh Start Christian Center. “Cry Out” is a song of celebration and triumph that encourages believers to remember the goodness of God despite the challenges in the world. Refresh Worship consists of six to sixteen diverse millennials who call Fresh Start Christian Center their home church. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZsgdEHSQs4 Samuel L. Jackson is one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars, appearing in the “Star Wars” and Marvel franchises, commercials and more. Yet, his latest project, the limited series “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,” took 12 years to get made. Jackson talks about the new series, his career and more in an interview with Kelefa Sanneh for CBS SUNDAY MORNING, to be broadcast Sunday, March 6 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. https://youtu.be/C_T1IqlQba4 Bozoma Saint John joined Netflix in 2020 as the streaming giant’s Chief Marketing Officer. Less than two years later she and the company are parting ways and Marian Lee has been tapped to take over the position. “Marian is a strategic marketer with deep experience not just in entertainment but also more broadly having worked at fashion and media brands,” Ted Sarandos, co-CEO and chief content officer, said in a statement. “When she joined Netflix last year, she had an immediate impact on the marketing team and has demonstrated that she’s an exceptional leader, who understands how to drive conversations around brands and popular culture.” https://youtu.be/t7NZ3-HORpo President Vladimir Putin was denounced for his “recklessness” after Ukraine said that Russian forces attacked a nuclear power plant, raising the stakes in the nine-day-old war and prompting calls for an even more robust response to the Kremlin’s aggression. NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday condemned what Kyiv described as an assault on the Zaporizhzhia facility in southeast Ukraine, Europe’s largest atomic generator. If confirmed, it would be the first time an operating nuclear plant has been deliberately targeted by military forces. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that “all channels” had been used to communicate to Russia that it shouldn’t commit such an act. “There are rules in this world, even for the Russian president,” she told reporters. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its forces have held the nuclear plant since Feb. 28 and accused Ukraine of a “provocation.” While Ukraine’s nuclear agency said that radiation levels at the site were normal, stocks dropped and commodities pushed higher as investors digested the implications of such an attack for the course of the war. The United Nations Security Council is due to hold an emergency session later on Friday. A big party for Spice went down in Atlanta last night and some of the cast from “Love & Hip-Hop” were in attendance and possibly filming. Videos posted online showed Karlie Redd, Lil Mama, and Safaree performing as they celebrated the Jamaican artist and the success of her music. Sources told say that Mena abruptly interrupted the event, “yelling at Safaree” while attempting to serve him: “In the middle of the event, she could be heard yelling at him: ‘You’re being a f*cking coward!’“ Sources also told The Jasmine Brand that LHH cameras were there and captured the whole moment. (So far, neither party has publicly spoken out to deny or clarify these claims.) Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is being sued by a former attorney for the city after she allegedly berated him during a meeting over the removal of the Christopher Columbus Statue. George Smyrniotis, 65, who served as First Deputy General Counsel for the district, is suing Lightfoot for defamation and claims she used obscene language ver a Zoom call. Under Lightfoot’s orders, the Columbus statue was removed in July 2020 amid unrest over the murder of George Floyd, during which protesters attempted to topple the monument. https://youtu.be/GpIQ2E4gXj0 Hundreds of international students trapped in the Ukrainian city of Sumy by Russia’s invasion have appealed to the world: “Help us, we are stranded.” Vivian Udenze, 21, a Nigerian medical student at Sumy State University told CNN: “This is the 8th day since the crisis began. A lot of places have been evacuated. There are more than 600 of us who are foreigners and students.” She said most of the group are medical students, and they are from Nigeria, Morocco, Tanzania, Congo and India, among other countries. Sumy lies in the northeast of Ukraine, only around 30 miles from the border with Russia. https://youtu.be/q7yBa2MlXu8 Three-month-old La’Mello Parker was killed by police during a shootout involving his father in May. Police call log related to the car chase show officers knew the baby was in the front seat when they opened fire on the vehicle. Biloxi Police launched an investigation into the shooting and turned the case over to the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office. It’s unclear whether the case had been presented to a grand jury yet. A bystander video was shared online showing the moment the car came to a stop, and officers circled the vehicle before opening fire. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene, while La’Mello died at a hospital the following day, per the report. https://youtu.be/TRVCAP7KJeU Over a year ago news broke about two California brothers who went missing while under their adoptive parent’s supervision. At the time, the adoptive parents denied having anything to do with their disappearance. However, they were arrested TUESDAY on suspicion of killing the toddlers. Trezell West, 35, and his wife Jacqueline West, 32, are currently locked up at the Kern County Jail. They both have been hit with several charges from two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of willful cruelty to a child and making a false report of an emergency. “This morning I’m saddened to announce that the investigation has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased,” Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said at a press conference. “The investigation has also revealed that they died three months before their adoptive parents reported them missing.” The bodies of Orrin and Orson West have not been found. (DA Zimmer) declined to provide further details, due to the criminal trial. https://www.instagram.com/p/Can-mn7AKy0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Florida woman was left outraged after Gov. Ron DeSantis told students during a press conference to remove their facial masks. Gov. DeSantis met with students at the University of South Florida recently and before giving his speech he told a group of boys standing on stage to remove their face masks. “You do not have to wear those masks,” DeSantis said, as reported by WFLA-TV. “I mean, please take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything and we’ve gotta stop with this COVID theater. So if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.” One mom put DeSantis on blast in an interview with WFLA-TV, as her son is one of the high schoolers who immediately removed his mask at the suggestion of DeSantis. https://twitter.com/i/status/1499188095736025091 Weeks after Miss Alabama Zoe Sozo Bethel died from injuries sustained after a mysterious “fell” off a third-story balcony on Feb. 10 in Miami, those closest to her are speaking out about the dark past she so desperately tried to keep secret. Bethel, 27, was the daughter of two radical preachers, Orlando and Glynis Bethal, who called themselves “The Apostle” and “The Prophetess,” as reported by the New York Post. “They took their kids all over the South, having them participate in inflammatory homophobic rhetoric and wear T-shirts reading “God Hates Gays” or “God Hates Whores,” sources said,” per the report. “Zoe tried to remake herself so no one would know she was the kid from Baldwin County (Alabama) who yelled ‘God hates you’ to people,” her sister Kezia Bethel, 26, told The Post. “She was able to keep it a secret on a national level. No one knew who she really was unless she came back to Baldwin County.” Her parents’ views were so extreme that Westboro Church threw them out. “My parents were too extreme even for them,” Kezia said. Incarcerated rapper YFN Lucci claims his life is in danger in jail as he awaits trial in his murder case. According to new legal docs, a fellow inmate at the Fulton County Jail stabbed YFN Lucci last month while on a video call with someone on the outside, TMZ reports. Lucci also says “he’s been told there’s a bounty on his head among inmates,” per the report. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, YFN Lucci claims an inmate used a homemade shank to stab him from behind on Feb. 9. He now reportedly fears his life is in jeopardy if he remains in custody. Per TMZ, the hip-hop star is “asking the judge to grant him bond so he can get the hell outta jail … and he says he would be down with 24-hour home confinement and wear a monitoring device.” Philadelphia police provided more details Wednesday on a deadly incident, in which officers chased and shot a boy after a shot was fired into the officers’ car. Police identified the boy as 12-year-old Thomas Siderio Jr., and said in a statement he was shot in the back by an officer during a foot chase and he had a gun. Immediately following the shooting in South Philadelphia on Tuesday night, police said they believed the boy who was shot was a teenager. The shooting happened around 7:24 p.m. as four officers dressed in plain clothes were inside an unmarked car on a surveillance assignment related to a gun investigation, Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Naish said Wednesday during a virtual news briefing. Music legend Morris Day claims the Prince estate is prohibiting him from using “Morris Day & the Time” as a band name. Day has been the group’s frontman for four decades. “Now that Prince is no longer is with us, suddenly the people who control his multi-million-dollar estate want to rewrite history by taking my name away from me,” Day wrote on Facebook, accusing the estate of “impacting how I feed my family.” As reported by Star Tribune, representatives of Prince’s estate say Day’s claims in posts Thursday on social media, including Instagram, are “not entirely accurate.” “Given Prince’s longstanding history with Morris Day and what the Estate thought were amicable discussions, the Prince Estate was surprised and disappointed to see his recent post,” the estate said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “The Estate is open to working proactively with Morris to resolve this matter.” SiriusXM radio host Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo joined Stephen A. Smith Wednesday on ESPN’s “First Take” and the two got into a screaming match over NBA star Steph Curry. Russo went ballistic when Smith said Curry is among the top 10 NBA players of all time. “No he’s not! Are you kidding me?!?” Russo yelled before rattling off names of legendary players who deserve more credit than Curry. https://twitter.com/i/status/1499107077381402625 Louisiana’s Supreme Court will decide whether the man who killed former NFL running back Joe McKnight in 2016 can be tried again for murder after his conviction on a lesser charge was overturned, the Associated Press reports. Ronald Gasser shot McKnight in a road rage killing. Prosecutors argued Gasser was the aggressor, while his attorneys argued he shot McKnight in self-defense. Authorities in the New Orleans suburb of Jefferson Parish originally charged Gasser with second-degree murder. The jury instead convicted Gasser of manslaughter. That verdict was overturned by a United States Supreme Court ruling in 2020 that outlawed split-jury verdicts. The jury in Gasser’s trial convicted him in a 10-2 vote. Quinta Brunson was able to make a difference in the lives of real teachers with her elementary school comedy, Abbott Elementary. Brunson, 32, who is creator and showrunner of the hit ABC sitcom, revealed during a recent interview with NPR’s Fresh Air that she shifted some of her show’s marketing money to donate supplies to teachers. “We chose to put the marketing money toward supplies for teachers,” Brunson said, explaining that the production team and network agreed to reallocate some of the money. “It’s about being able to make those kinds of decisions that really excite me, things that can really materially help people.” Brunson also opened up about the inspiration behind her series, in which she stars as a second grade teacher at an under-resourced, predominantly Black school in Philadelphia. She explained to Fresh Air that she has strong ties to the education system as the daughter of a teacher; the school in Abbott Elementary is not unlike the school where her own mother taught years ago, she said. “Despite it getting harder, despite teachers not having all the support they need, despite kids growing even more unruly than they’ve been in recent time … she still loved the job,” Brunson said of her mom.” The beauty is someone being so resilient for a job that is so underpaid and so underappreciated because it makes them feel fulfilled.” Yasmine S. Murray has been named chief operating officer at H.J. Russell & Co., making her the first Black woman to fill the role in the company’s 70-year history. Based in Atlanta, Russell told BLACK ENTERPRISE the company projects 2022 revenues of $274 million, up from over $170 million in 2021. The company attributes the expected growth to expansion this year into new markets like Boston and New York and boosting its number of standalone projects in the Southeast and other growth markets it is pursuing, stretching from Texas to Massachusetts. Russell is one of America’s largest Black-owned construction companies. It last ranked No. 25 on the BLACK ENTERPRISE BE 100s list, an annual ranking of the nation’s top Black-owned businesses. In honor of Women’s History Month, the National Youth Foundation (NYF) presents the almost uncaptured history of Hettie Simmons Love — the first African American to graduate from the preeminent University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Students from the Philadelphia, Pa. area interviewed Mrs. Love, who is 98-years old, and wrote and illustrated an original picture book entitled “Hettie Simmons Love: Penn Pioneer” that chronicles her life. The story begins in Jacksonville, Fla. in the 1920s, where a young girl, less than 60 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, attended the prestigious Boylan-Haven Boarding School. After graduating from Boylan-Haven, Hettie Simmons enrolled at a top HBCU, Fisk University, where she excelled in mathematics and joined the renowned Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The year former NFL player Jason Brown stepped away from the game, he took a leap of faith to start a farm. Just over a decade ago, Brown made a name for himself as the highest-paid center in the NFL. He began his football career as the fourth draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens and later signed a five-year deal with the St. Louis Rams franchise in 2009 worth $37.5 million. Inspired by the life and service of his late brother Lunsford B. Brown II, the ex-St. Louis Rams player believed that there was something greater in store for him, TODAY reports. His brother passed away in 2003 while serving in Iraq, so he was determined to discover his calling in a new light. Visa announced Frank Cooper III will join the multinational financial services company as its chief marketing officer in May. According to a BusinessWire release, Cooper will also serve on the company’s Executive Committee and report to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Al Kelly. Cooper will lead Visa’s global marketing organization to help drive demand for its products, services, and solutions. The Harvard Law School alumnus will also guide all facets of the brand from ad campaigns to global sponsorships. New Profit, national venture philanthropy organization has announced Shawn Dove has joined the non-profit as a managing partner. In his role Dove, the former CEO of the Campaign For Black Male Achievement (CFBMA), will be part of a leadership team member and advisor to social entrepreneurs across New Profit’s network. He will also use his experience in community organizing to co-curate New Profit’s efforts to create a new era of justice, opportunity, trust, and collaboration among minority entrepreneurs. Dove is part of New Profit’s accelerating its effort internally and across its partner network, which focuses on addressing systemic injustices exposed by the pandemic and the 2020 deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others. Dove said in a statement he’s excited to join New Profit and support the role it plays in helping social entrepreneurs. The NFL and NFL Players Association have suspended all leaguewide COVID-19 protocols effective immediately, pausing two years of largely successful efforts to play through the pandemic. Teams received a memo Thursday morning detailing the decision, which was “based on current encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity” of the coronavirus. Many of the league’s most severe protocols had been dropped by the end of the 2021 season, including mandatory testing for asymptomatic players and staff, requirements to wear contact tracing devices and distancing limitations in weight rooms and cafeterias. There is no football activity underway at club facilities at this point in the offseason, and the earliest it can begin is April 4 for teams that have hired new coaches. But Thursday’s change will still affect coaches and other staff members who are attending this week’s scouting combine in Indianapolis or who work year-round in local markets. Those employees will no longer face surveillance testing, regardless of vaccination status, or mask requirements. Teams can choose to impose their own mask policies if desired, and the memo does leave open the possibility of reverting to a level of protocols if circumstances warrant. “NHL Bound,” a four-part series about two Black coaches interning with the Arizona Coyotes, premiered at the 2022 Truly Hard Seltzer NHL Fan Fair Friday. The first episode of the weekly series, which followed Duante Abercrombie and Nathaniel Brooks when they participated in the Coyotes’ inaugural coaching internship program at the team’s development camp in September, aired at the Ticketmaster at the Fan Fair, according to a press release. Abercrombie, Brooks and Arizona president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez said they hope the series not only serves as a launching pad for the two coaches involved, but for other Black coaches who dream of being behind an NHL bench. Everybody has a go-to sneaker that they can’t live without. Maybe it’s the adidas Stan Smith’s or perhaps it’s a pair of PUMA Suede Classics – no matter what, everyone has a certain sneaker that encapsulates their personality and personal style. For Jasmine Jordan, it’s the Jordan Ones. “You can’t not have AJ 1’s. I feel like I could sleep in my Ones,” she laughed. “They could be house shoes, out shoes, whatever I want to be and I love them for that.” Between her Air Jordan Ones and a pair of Jordan x Billie Eilish Air Jordan 15s from the brand’s collaboration with the “Bad Guy” singer, Jordan always keeps a fresh pair handy when she’s on the move. As the daughter of legend Michael Jordan, Jasmine isn’t new to the sneaker game but that doesn’t mean that she’s taken the power of her platform lightly. While serving as a field rep in the Jordan Brand’s sports marketing division, Jasmine makes it a point to unapologetically shine a well-deserved light on Black female athletes in the WNBA. Jasmine’s primary goal for the Jordan Brand is to not only promote inclusion, diversity, and equity but to practice it and show Generation Z why the Jordan Brand’s legacy has skin in the game far beyond sneakers. NBA Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal made waves recently when he suggested that the Cowboys should hire former star player and current Jackson State coach Deion Sanders. Sanders responded to that notion in a recent interview with The Spun: “First of all, it shows he’s watching and is well-aware of what we’re accomplishing at Jackson State. That’s a tremendous blessing not just for me, but for us. He’s a friend, and I’m thankful for him. We didn’t even discuss it. I’m thankful he mentioned me, but I have no desire to coach in the NFL.” The UN human rights chief slammed Russia’s attack on Ukraine on Thursday and cautioned that heightened nuclear threat levels showed all of humanity was at risk from Putin’s invasion. Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Michelle Bachelet warned that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched a week ago, ‘is generating massive impact on the human rights of millions of people across Ukraine.’ ‘Elevated threat levels for nuclear weapons underline the gravity of the risks to all of humanity,’ she added. Her comments, during an urgent council debate on the Ukraine conflict, came after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday ordered Russia’s nuclear forces be put on high alert. Earlier on Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western politicians of fixating on nuclear war. China is using survey ‘scanning ships’ to stake disputed claims in the South China Sea, a US think tank has claimed. Fears are rising that China may be plotting an invasion of Taiwan, which China has long claimed sovereignty over. Data analyzed by the think tank shows an increase in Chinese vessel activity, which are being used to detect deposits of oil and gas and identify potential hiding places for enemy submarines. The increase in activity shows China is more active in conducting maritime surveys than previously thought, with some concerned the survey operations could be linked to a possible invasion of Taiwan. The think tank analysis showed the increase in Chinese vessel activity, which is said to be a tool used by China to assert control over the strategic sea lanes of the South China Sea. Katie Meyer, the goalkeeper and captain of the Stanford women’s soccer team, has died, the university announced. Meyer was 22 years old. Her death occurred in an on-campus residence, according to the university, but a cause of death was not provided. A senior studying international relations and history, Meyer made two key saves in a penalty shootout to help Stanford win the national championship in 2019. “Her friends describe her as a larger-than-life team player in all her pursuits, from choosing an academic discipline she said ‘changed my perspective on the world and the very important challenges that we need to work together to overcome’ to the passion she brought to the Cardinal women’s soccer program and to women’s sports in general,” Stanford said in a statement. The family of the 22-year-old star soccer player who was found dead in her dorm room at Stanford University on Tuesday said they are ‘brokenhearted’ by her loss. Katie Meyer’s sister Sam Perez posted on her Instagram Stories honoring her sister, a goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team who majored in international relations and minored in history who was found dead in a residential building the day before. "There are no words,’ Perez wrote on Instagram. ‘Thank you for all the kindness extended to my family. I’m not ready to post anything big yet. We are broken-hearted and love Kat so much.’ Perez also shared a link to a GoFundMe page to help pay for Meyer’s memorial costs. It has raised almost $41,000 of it’s $60,000 goal in just two hours. A jury in Louisville, Kentucky, has found Brett Hankison, the former police officer charged with recklessly shooting into a neighboring apartment during the course of the raid that ended with the death of Breonna Taylor, not guilty on all three counts. Hankison was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment for firing multiple shots into a neighboring apartment that endangered the lives of three people on March 13, 2020. The jury deliberated for just three hours before returning its verdict. Hankison fired 10 shots into the neighboring apartment, where a man, child and pregnant woman were living, according to prosecutors. The prosecution delivered its closing arguments Thursday. “This is not a case to decide who is at fault for the tragic death of Breonna Taylor,” prosecutor Barbara Whaley told the court. “This is not a case about civil rights violations under federal law or the United States Constitution. And this is not a case about Kenneth Walker. Whether what he did that night was right or wrong, this is not your decision.” Married Republican Rep. Van Taylor dropped his bid for reelection Wednesday after apologizing for having a nine-month affair with the so-called ‘ISIS bride.’ ‘Today I am announcing I will not continue my campaign to seek reelection to Congress,’ Taylor emailed supporters, according to The Dallas Morning News. ‘About a year ago, I made a horrible mistake that has caused deep hurt and pain among those I love most in this world. I had an affair, it was wrong, and it was the greatest failure of my life.’ Taylor had been headed to a runoff against former Collin County judge Keith Self, when he didn’t hit the plus-50 percent threshold in Tuesday’s Texas GOP primary, after his nine-month affair with Tania Joya was exposed by conservative news outlets. Joya, born in London to a Muslim Bangladeshi family, became radicalized at age 17 after the September 11 terror attacks. In 2004, she married an American Muslim convert named John Georgelas, who went by Yahya al-Bahrumi. Georgelas took her and their three children to Syria against her will in 2013. She says he was the ‘highest-ranking American’ in the Islamic State. After three weeks, she reported him to U.S. authorities and fled Syria to the United States. She’s since lived in Plano, Texas – her now ex-husband’s home state – and works to reprogram those who’ve been radicalized. This work, according to the Morning News, is how she was introduced to Taylor. Jinger Duggar has revealed that she came down with COVID-19 in December of 2020, just weeks after giving birth to her second child — and over a year later, the former reality TV star still doesn’t have her sense of smell back. Jinger, 28, made the shocking health confession on Instagram on Tuesday, telling followers that she had COVID 14 months ago but still has not regained her ability to smell almost anything. The mother-of-two called her ability to just slightly smell coffee ‘a gift from God,’ but admitted that the few other things that her nose can detect ‘stink.’ ‘So last December, I lost my smell after having COVID,’ she began, later clarifying that she meant December 2020. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/03/02/7038308908444594579/636x382_MP4_7038308908444594579.mp4 Prominent Republicans are starting to come to glory on the fact that they have a serious issue when it comes to Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and her white nationalist ways. Of course, they didn’t come to their revelation after the congresswoman filmed herself ranting about an “Islamic invasion” of the U.S. government because Muslims were being elected to office; or when she referred to Muslim members of Congress as the “Jihad Squad” and claimed Congress members weren’t official unless they were sworn in on the Bible, or when she referred to Black people as “slaves” to the Democratic party and compared Black Lives matter to the KKK; or when she claimed white Jan. 6 Capitol riot suspects were being discriminated in jail “because of the color of their skin;” or when she denounced the celebration of Kwanza. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com It turns out the law is designed in a way that as long as you have the complexion for the protection, a hate crime doesn’t have to be a hate crime—it can also just be a placeholder while a racist is granted time to do better. Miya “Soho Karen” Ponsetto, the woman who left her phone in an Uber, accused Keyon Harrold Jr., the first Black teen she spotted, of stealing it then tackled him to the ground after he and his father refused to bend to her will and prove to her he wasn’t a thief? The woman who has shown no real remorse for traumatizing the minor she assaulted and has been so rude and entitled that she once interrupted the judge presiding over her case to demand that she doesn’t get any jail time? According to the New York Post, it was revealed Monday that Ponsetto has struck a plea deal that will allow her to avoid jail time as long as she can “live a law-abiding life” for the next two years. “Under the agreement, the 23-year-old would cop to the top count against her, unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime,” the Post reported. “She’d then be required to ‘live a law-abiding life’ for the next two years, continue with her therapy and abide by the terms of her probation in California, where she lives, Assistant District Attorney Sarah Marquez said.” The GOP has shown us once again that they only care about racial “discomfort” or “divisiveness” when it comes to white people and their fragile feelings. All this time, Republicans have been performing all manner of mental gymnastics to frame their war against critical race theory as a fight for unity in post-racial America, but on the last day of Black History Month, they had a chance to vote in favor of a simple thing to end what Black people consider “divisive” because it causes us racial “discomfort”—hair discrimination. According to HuffPost, On Monday, “the Crown Act failed to pass the House with a needed two-thirds majority as part of an expedited voting process, with 235 votes for and 188 votes against the bill, the latter all by Republicans.” This was actually the second time Republicans blocked the bill prompting a pledge from Democratic members of Congress to bring the legislation back up for another vote. President Joe Biden delivered a strong, middle-of-the-road State of the Union address on Tuesday night seemingly aimed at galvanizing moderate, bipartisan support that still managed to be glaringly devoid of any real mention of issues specifically facing Black America. It was tantamount to making a U-turn from the pro-Black lane Biden has been cruising in since the 2020 campaign trail after he made repeated appeals for support from the Black voters who ultimately secured his election. The speech even included language espoused by the same Republicans who have tirelessly and repeatedly blocked legislation that would address the very issues polling shows are of the utmost importance to Black America. https://youtu.be/wxBHHGgO494 Autherine Lucy Foster, the first Black student to enroll at the University of Alabama, has died at age 92. Foster’s daughter, Angela Foster Dickerson, confirmed her mother died Wednesday morning, The Associated Press reports. University officials also announced her death in a statement. “Dr. Foster will always be remembered as one who broke barriers, reminded us of the respect due to every individual and lived a life of strength in steadfast service to her students and community,” University President Stuart R. Bell said in a statement. Former President Donald Trump and a right-wing lawyer were part of a “criminal conspiracy” to overturn the 2020 presidential election, the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot alleges in a court filing Wednesday. The filing is part of an attempt to convince a judge to allow the panel access to emails from lawyer John Eastman, who is claiming attorney-client privilege. The committee said he helped to orchestrate the plot. The filing is the most extensive release to date from the House’s January 6 investigators as they try to obtain Eastman’s emails — and comes well before the House select committee releases its final report on its findings on Trump. House members have also signaled they may make a criminal referral to the Justice Department about Trump, depending on their findings, and the House’s arguments Wednesday could be seen as a preview of a case that could be made by federal prosecutors. A white woman appeared to be very angry during a dispute at a #Georgia gas station. The woman seen sitting behind the wheel of her car was caught on video telling a black man, “this is why we want to take back Buckhead.” In the viral clip circulating on #Twitter, a black man records the woman in the middle of her meltdown. “You just mad I’ve got more money than you,” the man responds. No word on what sparked the argument, but at one point in the 90-second video, the white woman accuses the black man of “attacking white women.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ0VMH8jzq7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tucker Carlson‘s racism is once again on display for the world to see in the wake of President Joe Biden’s nomination Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Black woman to the Supreme Court to replace retiring justice Stephen Breyer. And with that in mind, Carlson wants the White House to release Brown Jackson’s Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score. And the bottom line question is for WHAT?! After Biden described Jackson as “one of our nation’s top legal minds” during his State of the Union address, Carlson questioned her credentials. After all, last month, after Biden announced he was nominating her, Carlson commented that Jackson was chosen “on the basis of appearance.” Carlson’s request/comment got the attention of a lot of people including Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison wrote on Twitter: “Judge Brown Jackson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard, Cum Laude from Harvard Law, & was the editor of the Harvard Law review. She is the real deal. I’ve never heard ‘Tie Too Tight’ ask about lsat scores for other nominees, but typical of those who feel a bit ‘inadequate.'” https://twitter.com/i/status/1499191856948662272 #KimKardashian‘s request to be declared legally single amid her divorce proceedings with #Kanye “Ye” West was granted by a judge in a Wednesday morning hearing. The ruling also concluded that the reality tv star will be dropping her “West” last name. While Ye did not appear at the virtual hearing, his lawyers were present and did not object to restoring Kim’s single status, but did list out his requests before she was declared single. He asked that any right to get reimbursement of money that’s supposed to be divided up will be preserved in case either of them dies, which the judge granted. However, the judge rejected two other requests which included Kim would not transfer any assets she had in trust and that if Kim remarries she would waive the “marital privilege,” TMZ reports. https://www.instagram.com/p/CanMpsWrp3u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again As a NASCAR co-owner, Michael Jordan reportedly has a new financial model he wants the sport to explore. Jordan’s financial advisor, Curtis Polk, claims the former NBA star wants “NASCAR teams become less reliant on sponsors and find revenue through additional avenues, such as media,” per The Spun. Polk says he, along with Jordan and his 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin, have discussed how to shake things up for the future of NASCAR. https://youtu.be/Pvdc2bNQSzU Target announced Monday that the starting wage for some workers at stores and distributions centers will increase from $15 to $24 an hour. The increase will apply to hourly workers at its discount stores, supply chain facilities, and headquarters in the most competitive markets, such as New York. The Minneapolis-based retailer said currently pays a universal starting wage of $15 an hour. “The market has changed,” said Target CEO Brian Cornell in an interview. ”We want to continue to have an industry-leading position.” On March 11, Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz lead Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Batman.” Pattinson stars as Batman – in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire. Kravitz stars as the enigmatic, fan-favorite – Catwoman. Evenly matched with Batman, she is initially at odds with him, presenting another puzzle for the superhero to solve. https://youtu.be/1knRCqhG4f4 The inaugural “Black Movie Hall of Fame” is launching this March in the historic Vine District of Kansas City. The event is part of the Critics’ Choice Association’s Celebration of Black Cinema, which has partnered with the Kansas City Film Fest International to elevate Black cinema icons who have roots in the area and show the deep and unexpected connections to Hollywood. https://youtu.be/ohIKVtq4qrw The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) held the 13th Annual AAFCA Awards tonight in Los Angeles at the SLS Hotel. As previously announced “King Richard” and “The Harder They Fall” each won four AAFCA Awards with “King Richard” taking top honors for Best Actor (Will Smith, whose award was accepted by presenter Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Mr. Smith was unable to attend in person), Best Supporting Actress (Aunjanue Ellis), Breakout Actor (Saniyya Sidney) and Emerging Director (Reinaldo Marcus Green) and “The Harder They Fall” winning Best Picture, Best Ensemble, Best Music (Jeymes Samuel, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z) and Best Director (Jeymes Samuel) honors. Other winners included Best Actress Jennifer Hudson (“Respect”) who was unable to attend and accepted via video, Best Supporting Actor Corey Hawkins (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”), Best Screenplay (“Don’t Look Up” written by Adam McKay), “Who We Are” for Best Independent Feature and “Summer of Soul” for Best Documentary. The ceremony was presided over by AAFCA president Gil Robertson, and co-hosted by Charlamagne Tha God and Alesha Reneé. The Mocha Podcasts Network (MPN) is proud to announce and celebrate the groundbreaking win of the “Two Funny Mamas” podcast hosted by veteran comedienne and actress Kym Whitley and actress, comedian, author, and television personality Sherri Shepherd NAACP Image Award. During the 53rd NAACP Image Awards’ Virtual Experience presented by Wells Fargo and hosted by actor and comedian Affion Crockett, the show won Outstanding Podcast in the Lifestyle and Self-Help category. “What a magical moment to win my very first NAACP Image Award on the most unique day (2/22/22) of the century. Sherri and I are truly honored that people enjoy our chaotic journey through motherhood,” exclaims Whitley. Tyler Perry released his latest film “A Madea Homecoming” on Netflix last week, and the end of the movie includes a Beyoncé skit that even the singer found amusing. “A Madea Homecoming” follows the last installment in the hit franchise, “A Madea Family Funeral,” which debuted in 2019. At the time, Perry said that he was retiring the character after nearly 20 years. Perry uploaded a video on Instagram last June announcing Madea would be coming out of retirement. “Madea’s coming to Netflix. We need to laugh, man. Too much is going on in the country,” Perry said in a video he posted on Instagram at the time. https://www.instagram.com/p/CafJKCgp3GI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Here is an exclusive sneak peek clip from the all-new season premiere episode of WE tv’s “Love After Lockup,” premiering March 4. https://youtu.be/qJrzvDyx6Dw The GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to host a special evening celebrating the life of legendary Motown superstar, Mary Wilson. The program will consist of a panel discussion featuring Mary Wilson’s daughter Turkessa Babich, Claudette Robinson, and other family, friends, and celebrities. The event will be held on March 4, in celebration of Mary’s birthday on March 6 and the release date of Mary Wilson’s The Motown Anthology, a deluxe 2-CD set that marks the first-ever comprehensive overview of Wilson’s Motown discography. Attendees will have a chance to purchase a copy of The Motown Anthology as well as Mary’s book, Supreme Glamour, in the GRAMMY Museum’s Retail Store during the program. https://youtu.be/_UFH__W9uhU Nia Long, Quinta Brunson, Aunjanue Ellis and Chanté Adams are among the honorees at the 2022 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards. The 15th annual event is honoring the four “phenomenal ladies who are making and have made their marks on screen in unforgettable ways,” per Essence. This year’s theme is The Black Cinematic Universe. Actor Damson Idris will host the 15th Annual ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards, set to take place on Thursday, March 24, in Beverly Hills, CA. The virtual awards show will stream Monday, March 28th, from 7-10 P.M. (ET) via ESSENCEStudios.com and ESSENCE.com. Viewers can access the exclusive Black Women In Hollywood red carpet & pre-show livestream, beginning at 11:30 a.m. PST/2:30 p.m. EST. Wendy Williams‘ ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, is suing the production company of her eponymous daytime talk show for wrongful termination. In 2019, Hunter was terminated as executive producer on “The Wendy Williams Show” amid reports that he fathered a child with his mistress (Sabrina Hudson). Williams filed for divorce and Hunter says his employment status changed days later, PEOPLE reports. Hunter’s new complaint claims he was fired “on the basis of his marital status, which is barred by the New York City Human Rights Law.” In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Hunter is suing Debmar-Mercury, claiming he received a notice from the company’s founder Ira Bernstein informing him that his firing was “effective immediately,” after Williams filed for divorce in April 2019. “Grey’s Anatomy” star, Jesse Williams and his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee have reached a child custody agreement — after Aryn sought to strip her ex of joint custody. Their new amended agreement will allow Williams’ children to visit him while in New York to do a Broadway play. He will also have the power to veto COVID-19-related issues with their two kids, TMZ reports. Per Radar Online, that the actor’s ex wanted primary custody of their children and accused Jesse of failing to follow a custody schedule they originally agreed on. As a result, she wanted a court order to strip Williams of joint custody and award her the primary caregiver of the children. She also accused Williams of threatening to call the police on her over their custody disputes. As part of the DISH promise to “tune in to you,” USDISH went and found out. They asked one thousand American adults what they think of movie reviews, nominations, and awards. Here’s what they said.A sizable majority (69%) of our filmgoers said they care about tuning in to movie awards shows each year, with nearly half that group saying that their interest depends on a specific actor or movie nomination. Of the remainder, about half still care enough to get the scoop after the show. Over 80% of our survey takers find movie awards shows offensive or at least distasteful—64% cited concerns about politics and diversity, and 21% want classier jokes. Most viewers aren’t as bothered by the running time, with only 15% citing length as the main issue. Movie nominations influence the movie choices of a good 70% of our survey takers—the same percent that cares about watching the awards ceremonies. Only 30% said an award nomination doesn’t affect what they watch on movie night. Most of our moviegoers (59%) consider the timing of the awards show when watching nominated movies, with preferences for before and after split right down the middle. The remaining 41% may not care to watch at all, or they just don’t care about watching at the same time as everyone else. Nearly half of our survey takers (48%) value movie scores and ratings most, because they believe reviews better reflect the average viewer’s taste. Only 15% put more stock in movie nominations, while a sizable remainder of survey takers (37%) trust both sources equally or not at all. “Access Hollywood” is teaming up with the Black and Missing Foundation to call attention to missing persons of color, with monthly on-air segments. These true crime segments, led by correspondent Zuri Hall, will also be promoted on Access’ social/digital platforms. This continues “Access Hollywood’s” work with the Black and Missing Foundation from January when “Access” highlighted the case of 39-year-old missing mom, Cynthia Bah-Traore. Now, with the committed goal to highlight one on-air story a month, “Access” is reporting on Tiffany Foster. Tiffany is a mother of three who went missing in Georgia last year. “It is my honor and privilege to play even a small role in highlighting the cases of missing Black men, women, and children in America. The fact that Black cases remain unresolved four times longer than those of our white counterparts is heartbreaking proof that there is so much more to be done in this fight for equity, parity and justice. Our lives matter. The work that the Black and Missing Foundation does is so vital to protecting, fighting for, and honoring these lives. I’m grateful to be a part of a show that is dedicated to amplifying our stories — including the painfully important ones — in such a meaningful way,” said “Access Hollywood” correspondent Zuri Hall. Usher has revealed that he regrets not dating late singer Aaliyah back in the day. While speaking with Daily Pop, the singer spoke about his friendship with fellow music legend Aaliyah, and how he should have taken their relationship more serious. “Somebody that I was really good friends with that I wish I would have taken more serious, ’cause she was a really, really close friend of mine for a small amount of time, and then we just kind of disconnected—it was Aaliyah,” Usher explained. “And we just didn’t get around to it, we just kinda talked but didn’t do it,” he added. https://youtu.be/YyvdWVyw7J8 Kanye West (AKA Ye) has taken his vitriol for SNL star Pete Davidson to the next level by releasing a disturbing video showing a claymation version of the actor being buried alive. West 44, took to his Instagram account on Wednesday to drop the visuals for his song “Eazy”, featuring rapper The Game and the footage finds him taking aim at Davidson, 28, who is allegedly dating the rapper’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. In the video, a claymation Davidson is kidnapped, tied up, and buried alive. A garden of roses then grows around the grave that West is then seen standing on top of as the lyrics, “God saved me from that crash, just so I could beat Pete Davidson’s ass” are heard. https://www.instagram.com/kanyewest/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=38a5fcf9-a45e-4fc7-954b-03f5d362012e Indiana was lauded for a deadline deal that swapped Domantas Sabonis for Tyrese Haliburton. But lost in the shuffle of this major deadline deal is Malcolm Brogdon. It’s understandable that Haliburton, a 21-year-old averaging 20.7 points and 10.0 assists per game in only his sophomore season, attracts serious attention. But as recently as last season, it was Brogdon who was seen as the team’s future point guard. The former Rookie of the Year is quietly averaging 18.5 points, 5.9 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game this season. Granted, he’s shooting poorly (31% on three-pointers), but he leads the Pacers in assists, and he’s their third-leading scorer (prior to the trade) – not too shabby. https://youtu.be/NcatlluCcwU President Joe Biden sounded an optimistic note in wrapping his first State of the Union address, citing the response of the American people and lawmakers in the House chamber to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a reason to be confident in the face of a critical moment. In a speech that focused on the war in Ukraine before pivoting to domestic challenges, Biden said the American people are ready for the task ahead of them in keeping the world united in the face of autocracy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVIXLQrC9rE Russia faces the specter of a full-blown financial meltdown. Punishing sanctions leveled by the West have sent the ruble crashing to record lows, shuttered Moscow’s stock market and made Russian assets toxic on the world stage. The White House has even taken aim at Vladimir Putin’s financial fortress, removing access to at least a chunk of Russia’s $630 billion rainy-day fund that was designed to cushion the economic blow of this very crisis. Now comes the big question: How will Putin — who is also facing sanctions on his personal wealth from the West — fire back in what is rapidly morphing into economic warfare? There is growing concern that Putin could retaliate by using not just natural gas but also crude oil as a weapon against the West. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/02/if-putin-slashes-the-wests-oil-supplies-all-bets-are-off-videos/#:~:text=00%3A13,01%3A35 Bodies of the five victims of a rocket strike on Kyiv’s television tower were on Wednesday morning piled into a van and removed from the site by police – as the capital’s mayor Vitali Klitschko warned that Russian forces were ‘getting closer’. Klitschko also today defiantly vowed ‘we will fight’ to defend the city, amid fears it could soon be battered by artillery fire from a 40-mile long death convoy parked nearby. An opening salvo on Tuesday night struck the Ukrainian capital’s largest TV tower and damaged a nearby Holocaust memorial, killing five bystanders in the process. Hours later, US intelligence said the huge Russian convoy appears to have stalled near Kyiv though it could just be regrouping for a more-determined attack. Klitschko said that fighting is still ongoing in the cities of Bucha and Hostomel, on the outskirts of Kyiv, where a large number of destroyed Russian vehicles were pictured on Wednesday. He implored people in the city ‘not to lose endurance’, saying all critical infrastructure is still running and humanitarian supplies are being handed out. ‘I ask everyone, for security reasons, not to go outside unnecessarily. At the alarm – go to the shelters,’ he said. ‘The enemy is gathering forces closer to the capital… We are preparing and will defend Kyiv!’ Watch the sickening moment a man with possible links to the Proud Boys calls a young black woman the n-word before punching her straight in the face. Andrew Walls, 26, handed himself in after a video emerged of the thug calling the 23-year-old Cameron Morgan racial slurs before hitting her in Akron on Sunday night. Morgan’s father, a high-school English teacher and author, said on social media that his daughter was walking in Highland Square with friends before she was attacked. The assailant turns around to attack another bystander before two men jump in to stop him. The video shows Morgan with a split lip after the attack, which the father said was unprovoked. After the video ended, the attacker dragged Carmen into the street by her hair, her father told Huff Post. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/03/02/8730142099075974199/640x360_MP4_8730142099075974199.mp4 An Estée Lauder executive who was earning $10 million a year was swiftly fired after he posted a racist meme that included rapper Chingy’s name. “It doesn’t mean much to me because I think it was just an honest mistake the guy made,” Chingy reportedly said after John Demsey was dismissed for posting a since-deleted meme on Instagram that showed Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus along with a racial slur and a joke about COVID-19. Demsey served as executive group president of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and claimed he did not read the meme prior to sharing it on his account. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FMtO3xlX0AER0Yz?format=png&name=small The vice president of student life at the University of Alabama has resigned from his position after he was arrested Thursday on a charge of soliciting prostitution. Very few details were released Friday afternoon, but Tuscaloosa Police Spokeswoman Stephanie Taylor confirmed 50-year-old Myron Pope was arrested by members of the multi-agency West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force. Pope was released from jail after posting his $1000 bond. UA President Stuart Bell said the university would only be releasing the following statement on the situation: “I have difficult news to share today. Vice President of Student Life Myron Pope has resigned from the University following his recent arrest. We understand this news will be difficult for our community. I will appoint an interim Vice President of Student Life and that person, along with the many professionals in the division, will remain available to all of us. Please continue to take care of yourselves and one another.” Tuscaloosa police said no officers employed by the university were involved in the arrest. Broadway’s Cort Theatre is getting a famous new name. The venue on W. 48th Street, which has been called the Cort since the day it opened in 1912, will soon be renamed for the venerable actor James Earl Jones, the Shubert Organization announced Wednesday. Beyond appearing in more than 100 films such as “Star Wars” and “Coming to America” during his storied career, Jones, 91, has been on Broadway in 21 shows. The man with one of stage and screen’s “most memorable voices” made his main-role debut in 1958’s “Sunrise at the Campobello” — in the very theater that will soon bear his name. “For me, standing in this very building 64 years ago at the start of my Broadway career, it would have been inconceivable that my name would be on the building today,” Jones said in a statement. “Let my journey from then to now be an inspiration for all aspiring actors.” The gentleman burglar of Paris just got a taste of his own medicine. Netflix’s hit international heist-thriller “Lupin” had $330,000 of equipment robbed from its set in France while filming for a third installment Feb 25, Variety reported Wednesday. The news comes on the heels of another Netflix production, the royal drama “The Crown,” falling victim to a similar, $200,000 jewel, silverware and antique theft Feb. 24. Those pricey props in England were stolen while the show was producing its 10-episode fifth season, which will cover the life of the British monarchy in the 1990s. About 20 masked robbers reportedly busted onto the “Lupin” set, throwing mortar fireworks while the show was filming with lead actor Omar Sy — who plays Assane Diop, a goodhearted thief inspired by Maurice Leblanc’s character Arsène Lupin — in the Parisian outskirt of Nanterre, according to news outlet AFP. They also noted that local police have launched an investigation into the coordinated robbery. Netflix — which confirmed the “incident” in a statement to Variety — also noted that “cast and crew are safe and there were no injuries” as a result of the violent theft. Tougaloo College announced a $10 million donation to fund scholarships for low-income students from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin as part of the pair’s efforts to financially support historically Black colleges. The donation will be shared equally with Brown University, Carmen Walters, Tougaloo’s president, said at a press conference on Monday. Tougaloo will use its portion to bolster its $22 million endowment and set up a need-based scholarship for low-income students. The remaining $5 million will create a scholarship fund at Brown University in Rhode Island to support students who participate in the long-running academic partnership between the two colleges. Hastings’ donation is the largest that Brown-Tougaloo Partnership has received in its 58-year history. The partnership began in 1964 after state lawmakers attempted to revoke Tougaloo’s charter during the civil rights movement. The $5 million scholarship fund will support at least 10 undergraduate students and four graduate students will benefit from the scholarship fund each year, Walters said. Roman Abramovich is selling Chelsea Football Club after almost two decades of ownership amid unrelenting scrutiny over his ties to Russia. The billionaire, who transformed the team’s fortunes since his 2003 purchase, said he’s instructed the board to set up a charitable foundation that will receive all net proceeds from the sale. “The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine,” Abramovich said in a statement on the Chelsea website. “Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the club in this manner.” The extraordinary disclosure came hours after U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson fielded questions over why Abramovich hasn’t yet been sanctioned. While the U.K. has sanctioned more than 100 Russian individuals and entities in response to the invasion of Ukraine, Abramovich, 55, has so far remained off the list. The five major Hollywood studios are taking a stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Universal, Paramount, and Sony have joined Disney and Warner Bros. in halting the releases of their upcoming films in the territory. Most of them had tentpole debuts on the docket. Disney was the first to make moves on Monday, as Pixar’s Turning Red, which is going straight to Disney+ in the U.S., was once scheduled for distribution in Russia on March 10. “Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming Turning Red from Pixar,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement to EW. “We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees.” Warner Bros. followed suit shortly after. Days before the release of Robert Pattinson-led The Batman, which was scheduled to open in Russian theaters this Friday, the premiere plan has been pause. Hearing LeBron James’ famous call for “Taco Tuesday” is like clockwork on his social channels. It’s a time that brings the taco lover and his family and friends together. For the next venture of the NBA star and his LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF), the same feel of communing over meals is set to be taken to families across his hometown of Akron, OH. The Foundation and Old El Paso will be opening their first-ever restaurant, The Taco Shop by Old El Paso, according to a press release. The new dining venture is an extension of LJFF and Old El Paso’s ongoing partnership, where they’ve held taco Tuesday nights and donated meals for James’ I PROMISE School. The Taco Shop — located in LJFF’s House Three Thirty — will have a menu that features meals from Old El Paso and selections “inspired by taco dishes created in the James household.” “We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with LJFF and the House Three Thirty community, because we know that meaningful connections are created while enjoying good food together,” said Maria Jaramillo, General Mills Business Unit Director for Old El Paso in a statement. “Our hope is that the opening of the first-ever Taco Shop by Old El Paso restaurant will foster a new Taco Tuesday tradition among I PROMISE families and become something that they can look forward to with family and friends.” On THE REAL airing Wednesday, March 2nd, award-winning recording artist H.E.R. talks about being cast in the musical film adaption of “The Color Purple,” her first acting role. https://youtu.be/tbaf1gJ1HE8 50 Cent has taken to his Instagram account to once again to slam Starz as his contract with the network comes to an end. The hip-hop star help build up the network with his “Power” franchise, so he is understandably frustrated that the cabler renewed the drama “High Town” for a third season while overlooking Power Book IV: Force, the highest-rated show on Starz. Fif shared several images of suitcases in separate posts, and in each one the expressed his eagerness to part ways with Starz. In one post of a gif, a man is seen stuffing a bag with clothes — symbolizing 50 Cent’s exit from Starz. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cakl_CODBvh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A popular TikTok user has been linked to a string of robberies across Detroit after Federal agents connected the shoes he wore in his viral videos to each crime. As reported by the Detroit News, Chozen Terrell-Hannah, 22, confessed to crimes after he was arrested by FBI agents on Wednesday. Terrell-Hannah is accused of robbing four convenience stores over a three-month period. https://youtu.be/FzR7KMDwzR4 Kanye West appears to have gone Instagram official with his new bae who happens to be a Kim Kardashian clone. The Shade Room shared a recent paparazzi photo of Ye with IG model Chaney Jones and a caption that reads, “It appears #Ye and his new boo #ChaneyJones are going strong.” The rapper shared the same screenshot to his Instagram on Tuesday and in his own caption, West included a black heart emoji. He also added a black heart emoji in the comments section of The Shade Room‘s post. Jones also wrote, “My love,” alongside a black heart emoji and a fingers crossed emoji. Fans of the artist lit up the comments section of his post with praise that he’s dating a clone of his ex. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cak_jZ4uroY/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d2f7e1ff-3f7f-43e4-82f8-5fefb49ed7c0 This Friday, fans and stans will have a chance to geek out over the Warner Bros. Pictures Matt Reeves’ written “The Batman.” Set in Bruce Wayne’s (Robert Pattinson) second year of fighting crime. Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family, while facing a serial killer. A trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot aka Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Carmine Falcone crime lord (John Turturro). https://youtu.be/9xzpkpBIRuo Skip Bayless, host of FOX Sports’ Undisputed, and hip-hop star Lil Wayne have an unlikely friendship that fans of the rapper seem to be quite intrigued with. Bayless and his wife made time on their vacation to hang out with Weezy for a night at his Los Angeles mansion, Hip Hop DX reports. “Ernestine and I drove out to visit our friend Lil Wayne,” Bayless wrote on Instagram on Sunday (February 27). “Great time, lotta laughs, talking sports, music and life. Ernestine took this and didn’t quite get the LeBrons I was wearing just for Laker fanatic Wayne. (OK, I was being a little sarcastic since his squad is five under .500.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CagQ-xLLMpm/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c5300de3-5b21-4805-a116-fc9a685dd8c3 Reggae hitmaker Skip Marley, born to the late Bob Marley’s daughter, Cedella Marley and David Minto, was thrown into the deep end of the Marley music legacy when, at thirteen, his Uncle Stephen Marley brought him up on stage to sing his grandfather’s iconic hit, One Love in front of tens of thousands of fans. From that moment on, music wasn’t an option, but a family imperative for the now twenty-five-year-old singer-songwriter. The Marley family dynasty crowned its new prince in Skip Marley. https://youtu.be/JjVym7YatCQ Nspyre Music Group International Recording Artist Lisa Bellamy is known in Gospel circles as a consummate vocalist, a gifted interpreter of song and a psalmist who creates an atmosphere of worship. The BET Gospel Diva Search Competition Finalist, who has toured with greats such as the late Edwin Hawkins and Liz McComb, is not only known for her stirring sacred vocals but for her jazz stylings and her classical training. isa, a Duke Ellington School of the Arts graduate, captured the hearts of music fans and radio programmers alike with her track, “Nothin’ But The Spirit,” from the EP, What Will It Take, which featured R&B vocalist Tony Terry and legendary guitarist Jonathan Dubose. More recently, Lisa hit the airwaves – and the charts – again with a new song, “In This House.” https://youtu.be/8xYo_oSydqo After the Philadelphia 76ers crushed the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Joel Embiid said he felt his partnership with the newly acquired James Harden was “unstoppable.” It’s hard to blame the big man for feeling confident. Philly is 2-0 with Harden in the lineup, having blown out both opponents by a combined 45 points. https://twitter.com/i/status/1489287381031297027 In the future, everyone will likely be able to obtain a digital identity card for their smartphone alongside their traditional identity card. So, what does the term “digital identity” actually mean? Digital identity, which has the potential to change these processes, is both the ability to authenticate who we are online safely and seamlessly – and the tools and services that make it happen. This can make it easier to navigate the digital world, reduce the costs to buy and sell online, and help people who lack formal proof of their identity access essential services, powering economic gains across the globe. Some countries, companies and organizations have already adopted digital identity services to make this happen. https://youtu.be/dZ813bu0Q-E Following the week-long virtual experience, tonight the NAACP celebrated the stellar achievements of the “53rd NAACP Image Awards” winners during a special LIVE broadcast on BET hosted by seven-time NAACP Image Awards winner Anthony Anderson and presented by Wells Fargo. Watch an encore presentation of the “53rd NAACP Image Awards” on BET. Internationally, the show will air on BET France on March 2 at 8:45 pm CEST, and MTV Brazil on Thursday, March 3. #NAACPImageAwards. Winners of the night included Jennifer Hudson (Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture – “Respect”), Angela Bassett (Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series - “9-1-1”), Will Smith (Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture - “King Richard”), Sterling K. Brown (Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series – “This is Us”), Issa Rae (Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – “Insecure”), Anthony Anderson (Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – “black-ish”), Nikole Hannah-Jones (Social Justice Impact) and “The Harder They Fall” (Outstanding Motion Picture). During the ceremony, NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, presented the President’s Award to Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex who together have heeded the call to social justice and have joined the struggle for equity both in the U.S. and around the world. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Two-time Academy Award winner and 2022 nominee Denzel Washington will be speaking at the 2022 International Leadership Summit, which is taking place March 31 through April 2 in Charlotte. The annual conference was founded by T.D. Jakes and brings together aspiring and tenured entrepreneurs, leaders and influential change agents to revolutionize the future of leadership. At this year's event, Washington will join Jakes for a master class discussing Hollywood, faith and life in the spotlight. Washington, who is also a producer and director, is considered one of the greatest actors of his generation and holds the title as the most Oscar-nominated Black man of all time. Washington has 10 Academy Award nominations under his belt, including one this year for his work in The Tragedy of Macbeth. In 2019, Washington was honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award, one of the highest honors for a career in film. At the 2016 Golden Globe Awards, he received the Cecil B. deMille Award for lifetime achievement, which is bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment. In addition to the Academy Award nomination for The Tragedy of Macbeth, Washington expanded his directorial portfolio in 2021 with A Journal for Jordan, starring Michael B. Jordan. Washington has previously directed the films Antwone Fisher (2002), The Great Debaters (2007) and Fences (2016). All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series, UNSUNG and UNCENSORED debut this Sunday, March 6. UNSUNG leads with Soul For Real at 9 p.m. ET / 8C followed by the season debut of UNCENSORED, which features the platinum-selling R&B singer, Keyshia Cole, at 10 p.m. ET / 9C. Each episode will be published on TVOne.TV and TV One’s social media platforms. We're doubling up the flavor tonight at CLEO TV, thanks to Chef JJ! JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ has returned for season 4 on CLEO TV. The popular cooking show is airing an all-new episode tonight, Wednesday, March 2nd at 9 P.M. ET/8C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCcfumlxdWo CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX continues tonight, Wednesday, March 2nd at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is back with the remix, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' condensed, 30-minute format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dau_TB-_3Rc The Atlanta Hawks today announced that they will host its Faith & Family Night during the team’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, March 11. As part of the entertainment, the dynamic and multiple award-winning Gospel artist Jekalyn Carr will perform at both halftime and postgame. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpQqFD008HE Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Homecoming” is one of the most popular movies on Netflix right now. The film premiered on the platform on Feb. 25 and is already the #1 movie on Netflix’s ‘Top 10’ list in the U.S. Per Urban Hollywood 411, the comedy is the #2 program overall in the U.S. after the drama series “Vikings Valhalla.” Perry posted Saturday on his Twitter account: “Well!! Y’all still got this old broad’s back!! What a blessing after all these years. Still number one! #AMadeaHomecoming” Perry stars in, directed, and wrote the film that centers on Madea’s great grandson’s college graduation, “but family drama and surprise guests cause some funny revelations,” per the outlet. “Atlanta” star LaKeith Stanfield has raised eyebrows with his latest photo spread for Replica Man Magazine. One photo in particular has fans giving Stanfield, 30, the side-eye, as the actor is seen in an all-black ensemble, sporting a durag and high heel platforms with lacey high knee socks. His chest is exposed in a plunging V-line tank top and he is sitting with his legs crossed — which many social media users claim is a no-no when it comes to seemingly heterosexual males. Stanfield stares off into the distance, appearing to bask in his feminine energy as he blurs gender lines. Many of his fans call the image “artistic.” The photo will appear in Replica Man’s Spring 2022 issue. https://www.instagram.com/p/CahyedytbUv/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fd784d20-7534-410f-879f-bab14ef28b3e Kimora Lee Simmons‘ estranged husband Tim Leissner, a former Goldman Sachs banker, admitted in court Friday that he faked two divorces – one in the U.S. and the other in China. Leissner said he submitted fake documents to marry Judy Chan, a former analyst at Goldman, in 2000 while married to another unidentified woman, the Daily Mail reports. Leissner also photoshopped divorce documents to marry Simmons in 2014. He and Kimora share one son, Wolfe Lee Leissner. The former model also shares two daughters with disgraced music mogul Russell Simmons and a son with actor Djimon Hounsou. Leissner’s admission comes as he testified in the trial against former colleague Roger Ng, who is accused of helping defraud billions of dollars from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. Leissner is charged for helping Ng and Malaysian financier Jho Low steal hundreds of millions of dollars in the Malaysia 1MDB corruption scandal. “I photoshopped the divorce document,” Leissner told the jury, according to Bloomberg. He admitted that Chan was aware of the forgery but Simmons did not know he faked a divorce to marry her. “We’ve all been locked down for quite some time and I thought it would be wonderful to remind us of the silver linings of life’s obstacles…it will get better,” said Jazz guitarist Norman Brown about the meaning of the title to his newest solo album “Let’s Get Away,” on Shanachie Entertainment. “‘We’ will get better.” https://youtu.be/o3ZxhT5P09I Art Briles informed Grambling State University on Monday that he’ll no longer be the school’s offensive coordinator, saying in a statement obtained by ESPN that he did not want to be a “distraction” to the football team. Briles’ decision comes after the hire by first-year coach Hue Jackson was met with a wave of backlash. Briles was fired by Baylor in 2016 after a campuswide sexual assault investigation led to an independent investigation and his subsequent dismissal. Briles thanked Grambling State for the opportunity to be part of the staff in his statement and added: “Unfortunately, I feel that my continued presence will be a distraction to you and your team, which is the last thing that I want. I have the utmost respect [for] the university, and your players.” Briles’ hiring on Thursday was met with sharp criticism, including from former Grambling State star and coach Doug Williams, who told ESPN’s John Keim that he “can’t support it” and that late Grambling State coach “[Eddie] Robinson is turning over right now.” The father of New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson III has been found safely. Robinson III took to his Instagram story last week to express concern regarding his father, Mitchell Robinson Jr., who had gone missing on Feb. 11. He had been urging anyone with information to reach out and word quickly spread nationwide. Escambia County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office chief public information officer Amber Southard reported that Robinson Jr. has been located safely. He was found by the Clayton Police Department in Clayton, Missouri. The Clayton Police Department says Robinson Jr. was found during a routine traffic stop. When they ran his name through the system, he was shown to be a missing person in Escambia County. Investigators with the Clifton Heights Police Department (near Philadelphia) are searching for an Amazon delivery driver who they say shot a man Sunday afternoon. Witnesses say they saw the two men arguing before the altercation got physical. If you’re wondering about the driver having a gun in his truck, in a statement, Amazon said its drivers are not allowed to carry a firearm even if they are legally licensed. The victim, 58, was transported to the University of Penn Hospital, where he is in critical condition. Police have identified Anthony Jones of Philadelphia as the Amazon delivery driver and shooter. A warrant is out for his arrest. https://eurweb.com/2022/03/01/warrant-issued-for-amazon-driver-in-road-rage-shooting/ In the speech given on behalf of the CBC/Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas.) will discuss the implications of the President’s agenda and the way forward on behalf of Black America. https://youtu.be/3_kLOD92HKU Since President Biden and Vice President Harris were inaugurated, their administration has taken historic action to create jobs, provide immediate pandemic relief for Black Americans, invest in Black communities and businesses, and create a government that looks like America. https://youtu.be/uRTMfBu6zLg While taking to her Instagram, Amanda Seales calls out and condemns global racism amid the current war between Russia and Ukraine. In addition to a series of videos showing global racism, she also reposts a statement that says, “Racism. Always. Has. Time.” Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports surfaced of Africans being stopped from leaving the country. Among many celebrities speaking out, Amanda took to her Instagram to share tweets and videos showing the harsh reality of global racism. In several reposts, Amanda called it out and later shared an original video of herself, condemning the situation. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaiofLqloWt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Donald Trump appeared at Saturday’s Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida where the weighed in on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During his speech, Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “playing Biden like a drum,” The Guardian reports. “We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine,” Trump said in his speech. “God bless them all. As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president.” https://youtu.be/RnEaa6a8qXg RUSSIA today issued a chilling warning for Ukrainians to flee parts of Kyiv NOW ahead of another massive bombardment. At least five people were killed after Russian missiles rained down on the city, hitting a Holocaust memorial and the biggest TV mast in the Ukrainian capital. The attack on the Babyn Yar memorial, the site of one of the Nazis’ deadliest individual war crimes, sparked outrage across Ukraine. Between September 29 and 30, 1941, the Nazis and their collaborators murdered more than 33,000 Jews, dumping their bodies in a ravine. It was the largest single massacre in the history of the Holocaust up to that point. Decrying Russia’s apparent indiscriminate targeting of a non-military site in Kyiv, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted: “To the world: what is the point of saying ‘never again’ for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar? “At least 5 killed. History repeating…” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko appears to have indicated Vladimir Putin’s forces have plans to invade Moldova. Putin’s war-mongering sidekick addressed security officials today while standing in front of a battle map that seems to show a planned operation from southern Ukraine into its tiny neighbor. The map also showed proposed battle plans for Russian troops across the country. It detailed Russian lines of attack heading into Ukraine, some of which have materialized in the first few days of the invasion – such as forces storming towards Kyiv from the north, and towards Kherson from Crimea. But they also showed off several attacks that have yet to come to pass – with one even appearing to point from the port city of Odessa into Moldova, suggesting Russia plans to march troops into Ukraine’s neighbor. Benton County sheriff’s deputies have completed an initial search of the Hanford site building where shots were reported fired Tuesday morning. They have found no evidence of shots fired and no one injured. Law enforcement will continue to do additional searching in the building. The Department of Energy contracts with Benton County for law enforcement services at the nuclear reservation. Hanford officials say they still have no reports of anyone injured. Teams of law enforcement officers continue to methodically search the two-story office building where shots were reported at 10:40 a.m. Ukraine’s president has given Boris Johnson a ‘shopping list’ of weapons that are needed in the fight against Vladimir Putin’s forces, it was claimed last night. A source told The Sun that Volodymyr Zelensky ‘made specific requests for military hardware during near daily phone calls, and we are working round the clock to get them into Ukraine.’ Boris Johnson responded by saying that the latest batch of weapons would be flown to Poland within ‘hours and days’ before being driven to Ukraine. The PM will today fly to Poland to visit British troops manning Nato’s eastern border with Russia. The UK has already shipped 2,000 Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapons (NLAW) to Ukraine, whilst the U.S., Germany, and Belgium are among other countries that have sent or are set to send weapons. It comes after Russia promised that it would hit back against the EU following its support of Ukraine and warned the West against supplying weapons. A spokesman for the country’s foreign ministry said the steps the bloc has taken against it following its invasion of Ukraine, which include sanctions, will ‘not go unanswered’. The Castroville city council placed their police chief on administrative leave Tuesday night, days after he was accused of repeatedly using the N-word at a murder scene earlier this month. Jackson, who is accused of saying the racial slur at least three times, was recorded on a body camera worn by a Medina County Sheriff’s Office deputy, a source familiar with the incident confirmed Monday. Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown told the KSAT 12 Defenders late Monday that he contacted several Castroville city officials after hearing inappropriate language in the footage. Brown declined to discuss the exact nature of Jackson’s comments and referred additional inquiries to Medina County District Attorney Mark Haby. Haby was in court Tuesday morning and unavailable for comment. Morgan Freeman and his producing partner Lori McCreary have been brought on as executive producers of the new documentary: 2 Richards! The African Company. The film tells the story of America’s first black theater company, established by William Alexander Brown in Greenwich Village in 1821, 44 years before the passage of the 13th Amendment. 2 Richards! The African Company will be produced under Freeman and McCreary’s production company, Revelations Entertainment. It will be directed by Kamilla Blanche. “Just a Kid from Akron” is about to get his own museum in his hometown. The LeBron James museum will be part of the transformation of the former Tangier entertainment complex in Akron, which is being completely reshaped and rebranded into the House Three Thirty. The museum will occupy much of the basement of House Three Thirty, which also will be home to restaurants, bars and retail space when it opens next year. No exact date is set for the opening of the museum, which will charge an admission. Details about the various exhibits are being worked out with Upper Deck Sports, the trading card and collectables company that is the title sponsor for the museum. Maurice “Mo” Creek, a former college basketball player at Indiana University Bloomington and George Washington University, is making his way out of Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion into the country. On Monday, the American athlete, 31, shared an update on social media that he was traveling out of the war-torn region after getting stranded in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, while playing for Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague. Creek retweeted Chris Kubecka’s post which stated, “@Mo_Creek just called, sounded like he was in a car because he’s in a car on the way to the border leaving #Ukraine! Mikhail arranged a driver by some miracle. If I had anymore tears left, I’d be crying with joy right now. A rare glimmer of hope during a war” and added his own message, writing, “GLORY TO GOD.” The athlete posted about his situation on Twitter on Sunday, writing “NEVER FELT SO HOPELESS IN MY LIFE” before attempting to exit the country. The basketball player had initially planned to leave Ukraine on Saturday but was delayed due to air raid sirens sounding in the area, according to a tweet. Texas has adopted new certification standards for teachers that some education advocates fear will make it more difficult to staff classrooms and find diverse candidates. Before its vote Feb. 11 to move forward with the new requirement, the Board for Educator Certification heard from both sides of the issue with speakers and board members agreeing the current certification test, the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities, needs improvement. Unlike the PPR, the replacement certification, edTPA, is not a one-time test. Developed by Stanford University faculty and staff at the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity, edTPA involves student teachers preparing a portfolio of materials during their clinical experience. The portfolio involves a written reflective measure from the candidates in which they analyze whether their students are learning and how they adjusted their instruction to be more effective. Candidates are also required to submit unedited videos of themselves at work in a classroom. The price of edTPA is $311 for the initial submission, $195 higher than the PPR. If students fail certain elements of the edTPA assessment, they can resubmit that portion with fees varying from $100 to $300, depending on how many tasks they are resubmitting. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is launching a program called the Autopsy Initiative, a service designed to give families of those who die in police-related deaths a second, free autopsy with full access to the findings of the report. The program will work with “board-certified pathologists” to perform the autopsies, according to Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp website, which states, “The Initiative seeks to be a resource to victims’ family members by providing confidence in the forensic procedures and comfort in knowing the pathologists will conduct the autopsy with neutrality.” Several cases in recent years have been substantially impacted by the conducting of multiple autopsies, including the cases of Ronald Greene in 2019 and Cedric Lofton late last year. Greene’s second autopsy contradicted the police report that claimed Greene died on impact in a car accident, when in reality he was wounded and later died because of injuries suffered when officers removed him from his car and had a physical altercation with him. Lofton, who died in September following an altercation in a juvenile intake facility, sustained life-threatening injuries that staff in the facility did not initially report and were revealed during a second autopsy in December. Kaepernick’s initiative defines police-related deaths as those that occur “when an individual is harmed by police officers while using deadly force which results in the individual’s death. A police-related death includes in-custody deaths. In-custody deaths include deaths that arise during contact with law enforcement officers during arrest, pursuit, booking, transport, or incarceration.” On the second anniversary of her son’s death, Wanda Cooper-Jones wants the world to think of one thing: Change. “Laws changing is just the beginning,” she said. “Next we must change the minds and the perception of Black men in this country.” Cooper-Jones established The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation in hopes no other family will endure the pain hers has since Ahmaud, then 25, was shot and killed on Feb. 23, 2020. Three white men were convicted of state murder charges last year and this week were also convicted of federal hate crimes charges. Speaking at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta on Wednesday, Cooper-Jones said that the nonprofit foundation will award six $3,000 scholarships to students at Brunswick High School, where Arbery graduated in 2012. The recipients will be announced on May 8, which would have been Arbery’s 28th birthday. “We believe in helping to create opportunities for young Black men to further their education, to start a business, to simply build a life. Something Ahmaud did not have the chance to do,” Cooper-Jones said. “Justice goes beyond judgment made in the courtroom. Justice ensures every child, no matter what their skin color, his socioeconomic situation, is safe and has equal opportunities to realize their dreams.” The Black men who drove horse-drawn carriages through the streets of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia were both everywhere and invisible during the Jim Crow era. Their wooden coaches helped conjure up the late 18th Century for visitors including Queen Elizabeth, Sir Winston Churchill and then-Gen. Dwight Eisenhower. And yet the men were forced to use separate bathrooms and water fountains, among the many other sanctioned indignities of segregation. “These guys were resilient,” said Paul Undra Jeter, the living history museum’s director of coach and livestock. “I tell my young (Black) drivers that they face nothing compared to what they faced back in the day because (racism) was okay.” Colonial Williamsburg has begun to honor the coachmen by naming a new carriage after one of them, with hopes that more will follow. The first is for Benjamin Spraggins, who was sometimes said to be the most-photographed man in Williamsburg — although few captions bore his name. A carriage processional and ceremony will also celebrate Spraggins on Saturday. The tribute is part of the museum’s ongoing reckoning over race and its past storytelling about the country’s origins and the role of Black Americans. Colonial Williamsburg tells the story of Virginia’s late 1700s capital and includes more than 400 restored or reconstructed buildings. Black hair care and beauty products just became more accessible for students of color on the University of Michigan’s campus. Youniversity, a new vending machine at the Michigan Union, sells black hair care and beauty products, making them more accessible to students on campus. It sells beauty products like hair oil, durags, and bonnets. Founders Mia Wilson and Rico Ozuna-Harrison have been friends since middle school, but they came up with the idea more recently; in 2020. “I feel like the idea stemmed from social unrest that the country was kind of in,” Ozuna-Harrison said. “I remember the beauty supplies were closed,” said Wilson. “The only things that were open were like essential stores. Even during that time, it was really hard to get certain products for my hair type.” https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/two-students-open-a-vending-machine-that-sells-black-beauty-products-on-u-of-ms-campus Rumor has it that Jeannie Mai could be replacing Kandi Burruss on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Mai, co-host of “The Real,” is said to be joining the RHOA cast next season, as Burruss may not return. Filming for Season 14 has reportedly wrapped and will air later this year. Per Black America web, Sources say that the cast will be shaken up with Cynthia Bailey and Porsha Williams leaving, Shereé Whitfield returning, and Marlo Hampton promoted finally getting her peach. The returning housewives Kandi, Kenya Moore, and Drew Sidora will be joined with newcomer track and field athlete Sanya Richards-Ross. Mai is rumored to be taking Kandi’s spot due to Kandi being “boring” in this season’s filming. Teyana Taylor is deadening all speculations about infidelity in her marriage and says she doesn’t do drugs. After fans assumed that a viral TikTok video – allegedly detailing the infidelities of a reality tv family with two daughters and a husband (Iman Shumpert) featured on Dancing With The Stars – was based on Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert, Teyana responded denying anything from the story was related to her. Earlier this week, a Tik Tok account that reenacts “unconfirmed stories and parodies”, posted a story allegedly submitted by an anonymous celebrity assistant – that extremely resembles recent life situations of R&B singer Teyana Taylor. After social media users quickly put two and two together and put Teyana’s comments in “shambles”, the 31-year-old singer/actress addressed the story denying all allegations and offering sensible rebuttals as to why the alleged story is fabricated. Aretha Franklin’s granddaughter served up her musical talents when she auditioned for “American Idol” during Sunday’s episode. Grace Franklin, 15, also paid tribute to her late grandmother by performing Aretha’s classic “Ain’t No Way” and the Lauryn Hill version of “Killing Me Softly,” to judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan. “Stop right there. That is your grandma?” said Richie before revealing that he has kept voicemails from the Queen of Soul, who was his longtime friend. After Grace performed, Richie and Bryan voted “no” while Perry gave her a “yes,” and urged her fellow judges to change their vote. https://youtu.be/_-w15cQwIgI Laverne Cox had an awkward moment with Jada Pinkett Smith when she mentioned Jada’s extramarital “entanglement” in front of Will Smith on the SAG Awards red carpet. Cox was referring to Pinkett Smith’s intimate relationship with singer August Alsina, which allegedly occurred when she and Will briefly split. The actress made the bombshell confession on a July 2020 episode of her show “Red Table Talk,” calling it an “entanglement.” Cox brought up Jada’s “entanglement” on the Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet on Sunday. “Thank you for all the years of joy you’ve brought us, thank you, we can’t wait for more ‘Red Table Talk’ and more entanglements,” Cox said to the couple. “No more of those,” Pinkett Smith replied as both she and Smith laughed. Jada Pinkett Smith was overcome with emotion while filming her hair cutting scene in the 1996 movie “Set It Off.” The drama centers on four close friends in Los Angeles who plan to rob a bank. Directed by F. Gary Gray, the film stars Smith, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Smith’s character cuts her hair after the robbery when she escapes to Mexico, and the actress recalled the emotional moment in a new interview. “That particular scene, I had already had so much loss and I had already, like, lost so many friends, and so I really reflected on those that I loved that I had lost, you know, and how everybody doesn’t make it and how you can be sitting with great fortune and have so much loss, have so much pain,” Pinkett Smith said. She described the film as “a real easy movie to make as far as being able to dredge up all that emotion.” Grammy® Award-Winning Recording Artist Tamela Mann is celebrating wins at the 53rd NAACP Image® Awards for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album for Overcomer and Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song for “Help Me,” featuring The Fellas. The award-winning, Billboard Gospel music charting album, Overcomer, features the single, “Help Me,” which added to Tamela’s bank of personal bests; the track was her eighth No. 1 on Billboard's Gospel Airplay chart. The public and NAACP members cast this year's award votes, and industry and fans showed their support of Tamela by honoring her with these prestigious awards. “I am so thankful to God, the NAACP, and the fans for recognizing my album and song. This is the most important musical body of work I’ve ever done. To be recognized for the project is a big blessing,” said Tamela. Compton rapper The Game paid a visit to N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN’s “Drink Champs” podcast and he stirred up some controversy by taking shots at Dr. Dre. Wearing a black ski mask and sunglasses, Game implied Dre has barely had an impact on his hip-hip career after he signed to the famed producer’s Aftermath Records. “It’s crazy that Ye did more for me in the last two weeks than Dre did for me my whole career,” said Game, who recently collaborated with Ye on “Eazy” and performed with him at his DONDA Experience in Miami last week. The Game also addressed being kicked out of G-Unit, saying: “I’m kicked out the group… Well, guess what, you don’t fu**ing kick me out the group. I’m the G in G-Unit. F**k you mean?” The full “Drink Champs” interview drops later this week. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cahl4voswuq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Ten brothers and sisters have followed in their mother and father’s footsteps, and now they’re making history in the state of Texas. Specifically, that North Texas family believes they have made history as the first Black family in the state to race Quarter Horses. The bottom line is that the Hatley family has been getting a lot of attention thanks to their horse named “Black Lives Matter.” That name certainly got our attention. ?? According to CBSDFW.COM, they won their first race at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, but they say the best part is hearing the name called over the loudspeakers. That moment soon went viral on TikTok. Russia appears to have used banned cluster munitions to indiscriminately shell civilian areas in Ukraine’s east that had stood up to Vladimir Putin’s invasion in what would constitute a war crime. Kharkiv, which has witnessed some of the heaviest fighting of the war so far, was hit by rockets fired from Russian positions on Monday – with video showing a shopping centre in the Serpnia area blanketed by explosions. A military source told MailOnline that the videos showed ‘cluster’ munitions had been used. ‘The BM-21 Grad is a multiple launch rocket system used for ‘area denial’, dropping cluster bombs on a concentrated area,’ the expert said. ‘It’s mainly used on enemy troops before an offensive. Used against civilians, it’s not only a war crime, but has only one purpose – to spread terror and alarm among the civilian population.’ https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/02/28/2655489926843315752/636x382_MP4_2655489926843315752.mp4 The Biden administration on Monday dispatched former senior defense officials to Taiwan in a show of support as the world wonders whether Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could trigger a Chinese invasion of the self-governing island. The visit will be led by Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to a senior administration official. It comes after months of Chinese aggression directed at Taiwan, including nine Chinese aircraft entering its air defence zone on the day Russian troops invaded Ukraine. At the same time President Tsai Ing-wen ordered Taiwan’s military and intelligence security apparatus on to high alert, amid warnings that China could sense Western weakness after failing to prevent Russia’ attack. Kurt Campbell, Biden’s Asia czar, described the delegation as ‘unofficial’ during an online discussion with the German Marshall Fund on Monday. Cops on Saturday arrested a male cousin of the 35-year-old Manhattan mother found dead inside of a storage container in The Bronx, police and sources said. Khalid Barrow, 21, of The Bronx, was slapped with a murder charge in the death of Nisaa Walcott, of East Harlem, after her body was found Friday afternoon in a plastic container that was left across the street from a storage unit at 950 University Ave. in the Highbridge section, sources said. The woman was reported missing earlier this week, the sources said. Barrow is additionally charged with concealing a human corpse, cops said. Barrow was grilled by NYPD detectives at the 23rd precinct in Harlem on Saturday after police obtained video of Walcott going into her East Harlem apartment building with Barrow on Friday — but only Barrow was seen leaving, sources said. Sources said the video also showed the cousin at Walcott’s building, removing a plastic container early Friday. The record for most expensive collectible sports ticket was set twice with Heritage Auctions early Sunday. Concurrently, a ticket stub from Jackie Robinson’s 1947 debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers and a full ticket from Michael Jordan’s 1984 debut with the Chicago Bulls, both graded by PSA (Professional Sports Authenticators), sold for $480,000 and $468,000, respectively. The previous record for the most expensive collectable sports ticket was $264,000, a ticket stub from Jordan’s NBA debut — the same game, albeit a checked ticket — is now the third-most-expensive collectible sports ticket ever. Mike Cole, the director of admissions for operations at Quinnipiac University, was a freshman at Northwestern University in 1984. A lifelong Bullets fan, his father surprised him with two tickets to an October Bulls-Bullets matchup. “I was only a month or two into school,” said Cole, who asked multiple classmates to attend. “I wasn’t that surprised or disappointed no one could go with me.” Cops are searching for a man behind the nauseating and sickening crime that recently happened at a New York subway station. A video obtained by The New York Post shows a 43-year-old woman sitting on a bench on the southbound platform of the Wakefield–241st Street station Feb. 21 when a man walks up to her holding a black plastic bag filled with human feces. He then smashes the bag and smears the poop on the back of the woman’s head. The assailant took off after the attack and as of Monday morning, cops are still looking for him. Police are now asking anyone with information to contact NYPD’s Crime Stoppers. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cahw6E4ssPO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again T.I was a guest on Godfrey’s Youtube series/Podcast, ‘In Godfrey We Trust, so two could clear the air over the rapper’s newfound career in stand-up comedy. T.I. has seemingly embarked on a new career journey as a stand-up comedian and comic veteran Godfrey is not impressed. In a recent interview, Godfrey spoke about being the headliner at a recent stand-up show and after his set, T.I. went on after him “and that’s a no-no, according to Godfrey,” per HotNewHipHop, so Godfrey opted not to watch the rapper’s set. https://youtu.be/LLTld0HXviM Samuel L. Jackson has weighed in on Joe Rogan’s past use of the N-word, which the podcaster claims have been taken out of context. In a statement posted on Feb. 5, Rogan admitted, “most regretful and shameful thing I’ve ever had to talk about publicly.” Meanwhile, Jackson, 73, claims “there is no context where a white person is ever allowed to say that word, never mind publicly on a podcast.” In a new interview with the Sunday Times, Jackson gave the side-eye to Rogan’s claim that his words were taken out of context. “He is saying nobody understood the context when he said it,” Jackson told the Times, which describes him as rolling his eyes over Rogan. “But he shouldn’t have said it. It’s not the context, dude — it’s that he was comfortable doing it. Say that you’re sorry because you want to keep your money, but you were having fun and you say you did it because it was entertaining.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZlnH8MAb8L/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A&E has announced a docuseries about the life and legacy of James Brown that will premiere next year. Directed by Deborah Riley Draper, the four-part documentary event titled “James Brown: Say it Loud” is timed to coincide with what would have been Brown’s 90th birthday, Urban Hollywood reports. Executive producers include Mick Jagger, Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, Peter Afterman, David Blackman, Victoria Pearman, Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter, Shawn Gee, Zarah Zohlman and Charlie Cohen. https://youtu.be/7PtI_xVfuUM Nicole Scherzinger sent the Internet on fire when she showed off her fit body in a blue bikini in a video shared with fans on social media. The clip shows her “rolling her hips to the classic Pussycat Dolls song “Buttons” with a slight twist. This is the Showmusik TikTok Remix of the song,” per The Blast. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaaTKjWuT9f/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Will Smith took home the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role for his part in “King Richard” at the 28th Annual Screen Actor Guild Awards on Sunday. After his win, the actor made time to appreciate his close relationship with “mentor” Denzel Washington. “We’ve spent a lot of time together. So we’ve been talking, he’s always been a mentor for me and he grabbed me and he said, ‘This is your year,’ ” Smith told PEOPLE (the TV Show!) host Kay Adams after he won his award. “He just hugged me and he said, ‘I’m so happy for you. Just love who you’re becoming,’ ” he said. Continued Smith: “He knew me years ago, I would go to Denzel for advice so he’s seen me through the years and he was just telling me how proud he is of who I’ve become and what I’ve become. He was saying that he felt like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders somehow.” https://youtu.be/8yESxnS34b8 Atlanta, aka ‘ The Hollywood of the South’ just welcomed its newest addition to the entertainment industry. Wendy Schofield made history as the first Black woman to become director of Operations at West End Production Park Film and TV Studios. Schofield, who owned her marketing and production company, had WEPP studios as one of her clients for a year before being hired. It’s something that she never expected to happen. “We were just talking and they just said, ‘Hey, you know what? We need somebody to be over the WEPP. You’ve got a great history, a background in broadcasting and in production. We’d love for you to take this position,’ and so that’s how it happened,” she said. Schofield joins the small percentage of women in the entertainment space in the U.S. According to the Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, women account for 25% of those working in key behind-the-scenes roles on the top 250 grossing films in 2021. This includes directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors and cinematographers. https://blackchristiannews.com/2022/02/wendy-schofield-makes-history-as-first-black-woman-to-become-director-at-atlantas-west-end-production-park-film-and-tv-studios/ Frasier star Kelsey Grammer has just landed his next main role. Per Deadline, the actor has boarded the cast of the upcoming movie Jesus Revolution, a collaboration between the Kingdom Story Company and Lionsgate that’s “inspired by the true story of a national spiritual awakening in the early 1970s and its origins within a community of teenage hippies in Southern California.” Grammer joins the cast with Anna Grace Barlow, Jonathan Roumie, and Nicholas Cirillo, with the film also starring Joel Courtney, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Ally Ioannides, Julia Campbell, Nic Bishop, and Jolie Jenkins. The synopsis reads: “In the 1970s, young Greg Laurie (Courtney) sets out to redefine truth through all means of liberation, and instead, meets Lonnie Frisbee (Roumie), a charismatic hippie street preacher. Laurie and Frisbee, along with Pastor Chuck Smith (Grammer), open the doors of Smith’s languishing church to an unexpected revival by way of rock and roll, newfound love, and a twist of faith leading to a Jesus Revolution that changed the world. Laurie went on to start Harvest Christian Fellowship, one of the largest churches in America, and the Harvest Crusade events, which have been attended by over six million people.” “The movie is set in a very specific time and place, but the theme of finding a deeper meaning to life, in the midst of a fractured and broken world, is timeless,” said Erwin. “In his iconic performances, Kelsey has a proven ability to connect with audiences in a real, vulnerable way, which will make him a tremendous presence in this film.” A month after announcing their shocking split, Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet have reunited. Momoa, 42, has reportedly moved back into the family home with Bonet, 54, as they’ve decided to pump the brakes on ending their marriage. “Jason moved back in with Lisa about two weeks ago and they are very much back together,” an insider tells HollywoodLife. “They decided to work on things rather than throw in the towel because they have so much invested in each other.” Momoa announced his separation from Bonet on January 12. The couple shares two children, 14-year-old daughter Lola and 13-year-old son Nakoa-Wolf. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Megan Thee Stallion claims she’s receiving death threats after DJ Akademiks tweeted there was “NO DNA” from Tory Lanez found on the weapon used in the 2020 shooting incident involving the former lovers. Megan alleged she was shot by Tory in July 2020 during an argument following a party with “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” star Kylie Jenner. Lanez was arrested and ultimately charged with felony assault, and nearly two years later, the case is still ongoing. On Wednesday (Feb. 23), Ademiks tweeted there was “NO DNA” from Lanez found on the weapon and Megan was quick to clap back. She accused Akademiks of spreading fake news. “Y’all got breaking news 15 minutes before court started, and nobody has even been called in yet??” Megan said on Instagram. She even tagged Ademiks directly and asked, “Why are you lying?” “What did you gain?” Tory Lanez reportedly interjected to note in a now-deleted post that he is only guilty of “f*cking 2 best friends” — not shooting Megan Thee Stallion. The largest dating app for Black singles called BLK recently conducted an in-app survey on whether or not Gen Z/Young Millennial Black women feel safe dating online, and some readers may find the results surprising. Here’s a breakdown of the results via MSN citing BLK Survey: Dating as a Black Woman: 78% of respondents ages of 18-34 don’t feel safe as a Black woman in America, 34% of respondents ages 18-34 don’t feel safe on mainstream dating apps, 67% of respondents feel safer dating on BLK, 64% of respondents don’t feel safe as a Black woman in America, and 29% of respondents don’t feel safe dating on mainstream dating apps. Per the survey, “64% Of Respondents Don’t Feel Safe As A Black Woman In America.” 25 musicians from the United States, Caribbean and Africa each compose a song to fight against systemic racism in the world. Global musicians, singers, poets, spoken word, rap, hip hop, funk, world music, classical and jazz composers on this special music project: Cheick Tidiane Seck – Immanuel Wilkins – David Gilmore – Marque Gilmore – Sharrif Simmons – Stephanie McKay – Andy Milne – Kokayi – Sonny Troupé – Reggie Washington – Alicia Hall Moran – DJ Grazzhoppa – Adam Falcon – Jeremy Pelt – Grégory Privat – Marcus Strickland – E.J. Strickland – Oliver Lake – Jacques Schwarz-Bart – Gene Lake – Tutu Puoane – Yul – Marvin Sewell – Jean-Paul Bourelly – Terence “Sub Z“ Nicholson. https://youtu.be/vEH_gmM2x3c David Frazier is the musical genius behind iconic Gospel hit songs "I Need You To Survive", "Power Belongs To God", "Release", and many more. The Grammy®, Stellar and Dove Award-winning songwriter and producer has now teamed up with BET's Sunday Best season 2 winner and powerhouse vocalist Y’Anna Crawley to recreate one of his classic Gospel hit songs “2nd Chance.” "2nd Chance" was initially recorded by Bishop Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Choir in 1997 released on the LIVE IN NEW YORK: BY ANY MEANS... album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdTS90BKhCo Rick Ross previously made clear that he cuts his own grass in an effort to save money – which is exactly why he took on a massive landscaping project at his Atlanta estate over the weekend. The hip-hop star took to his Instagram Stories to explain to fans that he needed to chop down 10 oak trees on his property to make room for his farm animals. But when an outside contractor gave him a quote of $10,000—$1,000 for each tree, Ross decided to take on the task himself. “Instead of me paying $10,000 to an outsider, went to Home Depot and bought two new saws for $2,000,” Ross said. “Was really only $5,000 worth of work. You take the $5,000, give that to your homies… You still got $3,000 for ya pockets. Come on, man, you could go get Wing Stop, man.” https://youtu.be/ee8D5lLQPr8 The Lakers have enough going on with their performance on the court. But all of the negative media surrounding the team has just made things more complicated, and things have reached uncomfortable levels. LeBron James fueled a lot of that fire with comments he made during the All-Star break. James openly said that he wouldn’t close the door on a potential return to Cleveland at the end of his career. That led many to believe he was taking a subtle jab at the Lakers. But this latest report could really change up the dynamic. Ric Bucher of Fox Sports reported that GM’s he spoke to suggested that Bron wanted Rob Pelinka out of the front office role. That would be huge, if accurate. Time truly slowed down during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Entertainers and musicians alike were hit hard by the deadly spreading virus, which halted performances, canceled tours and changed the creative process for better and worse. Technology took center stage, while release dates were forced to be pushed back. Grammy-nominated R&B star J. Holiday worked diligently to compose a masterpiece. His album “Time,” released on Feb. 7, focuses on the nuances that come along with time. A calculated play on words, this album highlights the one word that we were all forced to pay closer attention to at COVID’s peak: time. https://youtu.be/2-FcTsHYYKg Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood has a serious food insecurity problem – and it is only getting worse. As CBS 2’s Steven Graves reports, free food is going in minutes at giveaways. https://eurweb.com/2022/02/28/grocery-giveaways-begin-amid-food-insecurity-in-chicago/ As Covid-19 deaths and George Floyd protests swept the country and world in the summer of 2020, journalists Lauren Williams and Akoto Ofori-Atta discussed the urgency of the times. The women saw an opportunity to expand the media landscape and become catalysts for meaningful change. “The moment felt apocalyptic,” Williams told NBC News. “Raw and filled with unknowns. It seemed like a time to make a difference. We both thought, why not?” Leaving behind their respective jobs, the two friends began laying the groundwork for what became Capital B, a nonprofit local and national news organization centered on Black voices. The name is a nod to the B in Black, the team says, and “the argument that capitalizing it indicates the importance and singularity of Black people in America.” The newsroom launched in late January with a national website, and a virtual newsroom in Atlanta, the first of other planned bureaus across the country. And Capital B Live, its events program, will allow audiences to experience journalism through yet another medium. The overarching goal is to reach a multi-generational demographic of Black audiences nationwide. Scores of African migrants (and students) in Ukraine are being blocked from fleeing to safety as Russian attacks continue to devastate the country, those trying to make border crossings have told The Independent. Black people living in the region say they have been left to languish with some taking to Twitter in recent days to share accounts of abandonment. Speaking to The Independent, Osarumen, a father-of-three, said he and his family members were waved away from the border on Saturday and told “No blacks.” https://youtu.be/rHtZ1Ch8bNE Cities across the United States have seen rallies in support of Ukraine this weekend as the invasion by Russian forces continues. Crowds gathered on Saturday in cities including Atlanta, Washington, DC, and New York — where Olga Ladygina told CNN at a rally in Times Square that she hasn’t slept for the last three nights. Her friends in Ukraine have stayed up, too, Ladygina, who is from Kyiv, told CNN. But they’re making homemade bombs to try to stop Russian tanks. Ladygina has been up crying, watching the news and trying to call her loved ones who remain in Ukraine. It’s a stark contrast to what she sees in New York, she said. On Saturday, she saw people sitting and eating in restaurants who “don’t think that the war can come to their houses,” she told CNN. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko tonight issued a chilling threat that the West’s sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into a Third World War, after Vladimir Putin put his nuclear deterrent forces on ‘alert’. Lukashenko’s comments came as Kyiv and Moscow agreed to hold peace talks at the border with Belarus – though Volodymyr Zelensky admitted he wasn’t confident of a positive resolution, adding that he owed it to his people to at least try and engage. This evening also saw the EU unveil a fresh package of sanctions against Putin’s regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik. ‘Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector, gas, oil, SWIFT,’ Lukashenko said. ‘It’s worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a Third World War. We need to be restrained here so as not to get into trouble. Because nuclear war is the end of everything.’ Ukraine’s health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia’s invasion. It also said that 1,684 people, including 116 children, had been wounded. Ukrainian President Zelensky’s office had earlier said the two delegations will meet ‘without preconditions’ near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Lukashenko himself. A spokesperson added that Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation’s travel, talks and return. Zelensky described his discussion with Lukashenko as ‘very substantive’, adding that he had made it clear he did not want troops to move from Belarus to Ukraine and Lukashenko ‘assured him of this’. After reports of him being in critical condition after being shot in the neck in Houston, it’s being confirmed by family and friends that Memphis rapper Snootie Wild has sadly passed. Yesterday, ABC13 reported that the rapper was left in critical condition after authorities found him in a ditch, next to an SUV, with a gunshot wound to his neck. After receiving CPR at the scene, Snootie was rushed to the hospital with a 50/50 chance of surviving. Taking to social media to update on his critical condition, family shared that the rapper was fighting for his life on a breathing machine. Several hours later into Saturday (Feb. 26), family and close friends began updating that the rapper had sadly passed from his injuries. https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodunlocked/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e198b7e1-134a-4f62-b2ea-182e61fb3282 Police found the bodies of two girls and their parents during a welfare check at a North Texas home Thursday afternoon in what authorities suspect to be a murder-suicide. Marcus Buchanan, 36 and his wife, Rita Buchanan, 34, were discovered next to two girls – aged 13 and 3 – fatally shot in their home, police said. A neighbor who lives directly across the street says the adults worked from home, and that all four had moved to Granbury from Las Vegas about six months ago. ‘None of us heard anything. Nobody in the neighborhood heard any gunfire whatsoever, especially four rounds,’ Crystal Blanchard told KDFW. ‘Marcus was the happiest guy. He always talked. He always hung out with us.’ Police have not made a final determination, but investigators at the scene found evidence pointing to a murder-suicide. ‘Who does that to a child? Those children were innocent. They didn’t deserve that,’ Crystal said. Marcus didn’t have a criminal background, but Rita was charged with disorderly conduct in Henderson, Nevada in 2014, KDFW reports. Child Protective Services did not clarify if the family had a history with them. The Granbury Police Department told DailyMail.com there are no updates on the investigation as of Sunday morning. The 2022 NAACP Image Awards, which honor achievement by people of color in culture and entertainment, were presented on Saturday. Jennifer Hudson and Will Smith were among the night’s big winners. Hudson earned the event’s awards for Entertainer of the Year and outstanding actress in a motion picture for her performance as Aretha Franklin in the film “Respect.” https://youtu.be/bvFjz5tVhxA Will Smith was named Outstanding Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams in “King Richard” at The 2022 NAACP Image Awards https://youtu.be/3VfzKnIWrKI Winners from some of the more than 80 categories were also announced in virtual ceremonies throughout the week, with Regina King, Kevin Hart and Taraji P. Henson among the artists recognized pre-telecast. Check out Mary J. Blige from The 2022 NAACP Image Awards https://youtu.be/p7l2WuCxvZ4 Winners from The 2022 NAACP Image Awards include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle https://youtu.be/HTODFDEBQpw DEN-ZEL Washington, the Academy Award-winning powerhouse actor recently took the internet by shock through a re-surfaced video interview in which he was correcting his name’s pronunciation. The video originates from the actor’s appearance on the Graham Norton show in 2013. Interestingly, it only went viral recently, causing an uproar on the internet and trending on multiple high-profile social media pages. Expectedly, most internet users were shocked and amazed by the Training Day actor’s explanation. As reported by Black Enterprise, the video clarifies that his name is actually Denzil and not DenZEL, as everyone calls him. https://youtu.be/ZwULdrDijbI On Wednesday, #ColumbiaUniversity’s top psychiatrist was suspended after suggesting that a black model’s dark skin made her a “freak of nature.” “Whether a work of art or freak of nature, she’s a beautiful sight to behold,” tweeted Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, chairman of the school’s psychiatry department, in response to a photo of South Sudanese-American model #NyakimGatwech. So far, Columbia has not issued a statement in response to Lieberman’s remarks. However, the Manhattan school said he was removed as the psychiatrist-in-chief at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital and was suspended from his department chair role. https://www.instagram.com/p/CacupqRjvvo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Throughout history, trailblazers in Black media have used the power of storytelling to reclaim their narratives as mainstream publications gave a narrow lens into the American experience. Howard University received an endowment to preserve and honor the voices of these Black writers, editors and publishers who instrumentally shaped the landscape of journalism. The $2 million grant—provided by the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation—will be donated to the Howard University Moorland-Spingarn Research Center. The gift will support the digitization of the HBCU’s Black Press Archive; a vast collection that features over 2,000 newspaper titles from the United States and Africa, 2,847 microfilm reels of newspapers and over 100,000 newspaper issues. The digital conversion of these pieces of journalism will make them accessible to the masses and ensure they are etched in history for generations to come. The endowment will also be used to fund scholarships for students, hire staff and purchase supplies and equipment for the digitization process. Camille Henderson said she was asked to move to the back of the plane mid-flight to make room for two passengers who claimed to have first-class tickets, but couldn’t produce them to flight attendants. Henderson traveled to Atlanta with her boyfriend to visit her family in late January. Her mother had only met her boyfriend in passing, so this was the big meet and greet. Atlanta is a major Delta hub. Henderson said she flew exclusively with the airline, but that all changed with this most recent trip. “I just want them to acknowledge that they made me feel powerless and they can’t do that to customers moving forward,” she said in an interview with ABC7 News. On Henderson’s return flight on February 3, she said she experienced what amounted to a game of mid-flight musical chairs. She was ticketed a window seat in row 15, but by the end of the flight, she would be sitting in row 34. Henderson said the two women seated in the row next to her in the aisle and middle seats, who appeared to be flying together, complained to flight attendants about their seat assignment. “They felt like they were ticketed first-class seats, but they couldn’t provide the tickets,” said Henderson. CBS 2’s Marissa Perlman reports the Parker family Ring video showed the terrifying moments as Taneisha Parker and her two daughters pull up to park outside their South Calumet Avenue home in Chicago. They were soon to be victims of carjackers. “As soon as he walked up, he had his hand in his pants, and he was like ‘I don’t want to kill you’… He immediately started grabbing for my purse, so we started tussling,” Parker said. The mother says she’s lucky the suspected carjackers didn’t have a weapon. Within minutes, the two ran off without anything but Parker’s house keys. She credits her daughters for stepping in and scaring off the attackers. NFLer Travis Kelce has recently been drooling over girlfriend Kayla Nicole through her latest social media posts. Recently, the Strong is Sexy creator posted a new collection of photos on her Twitter and Instagram accounts. From the photos, she rocks a pair of black tights and black halter top with a keyhole in the middle, accessorized with black heels and a football-shaped Judith Leiber clutch – an admirable sexy look captioned “A lot to handle.” The awesome post didn’t go unnoticed by Kelce, 32, on both platforms –Twitter and Instagram, reports Page Six. Kayla is the girlfriend to Travis Kelce, Chiefs tight end, and the two have been linked together since 2017. Besides Travis, who commented with heart-eyed and drool face emojis on Twitter and “I’m tryin to handle ALLLLLL THAT!!!” on Instagram, Patrick Mahomes – Chiefs’ quarterback fiancée, Brittany Mathews responded with “AHHH HELL ????????.” Black women and beer may not be top of mind when thinking of likely pairings, but Celeste Beatty and other Black women brewers like herself are working hard to change that. Enter Harlem Brewing Company founded in 2000, the brewery that made Beatty one of the first, if not the first Black woman to launch one. The North Carolina native moved to New York in 1993, and began a home brewing business in Harlem shortly after. And while she has yet to open a taproom in the Black mecca, she is soon to launch Harlem Brew South, that is, if she manages to get enough financial backing. Beatty and her team are currently crowdsourcing funds to open a space that will serve not just as a taproom, but as an educational center as well. “The project we’re working on in Rocky Mount is really a digging-in kind of project where we want to create the Brewers Village to try to create a space where people in the community — many of whom I meet day to day — have never imagined they’d be brewing beer. So we’re about to start our first class for people who want to just learn some basics about brewing and give them an opportunity to do that intergenerationally.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told President Joe Biden ‘I need ammunition, not a ride,’ when offered the chance of a US-backed evacuation. Zelensky said in response to the offer of refuge: ‘The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,’ according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation, who described Zelensky as upbeat. He spoke as Biden authorized the release of $350million of military assistance to Ukraine after taking his latest weekend break to Delaware as Russian troops began to invade Kyiv. https://twitter.com/i/status/1497462778013102081 Ukraine’s armed forces were engaged in a fierce battle for Kyiv on Friday night, with footage on social media showing explosions close to a metro station in the western center of the capital by the zoo; a battle ongoing for control of a thermal power plant to the north; and multiple reports suggesting fierce fighting 20 miles south, near a vital airbase. In Kyiv, footage shared on social media showed a bombardment close to Beresteiska metro station, in the west of the city, which is near the zoo. More than 50 explosions and heavy machine gun fire were reported in the district of Shulyavka, near Beresteiska metro and the zoo, according to The Kyiv Independent. A bridge near the metro was blown up, according to reports. It was unclear whether the explosion was caused by artillery or by Ukrainian forces intent on stopping the Russian advance. The district is under the control of the 101st Independent Security Brigade of the General Staff. The Russian Grand Prix has become the latest big ticket sporting event to be canceled in Russia, after the UEFA Champion’s League Final, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Friday, Formula One, the sport’s governing body, revealed that the Russian Grand Prix, due to be held in Sochi on Sept. 25, has been cancelled following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, after a meeting on Thursday. “The FIA Formula 1 World Championship visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together,” Formula One tweeted on Friday. “We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation. On Thursday evening Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances.” The three men convicted of murder and hate crimes in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery will spend the rest of their lives in prison. But Arbery’s mother says this isn’t the end of the battle and the family will continue to fight for justice in the name of their son. Former Glynn County DA Jackie Johnson was indicted by a grand jury in September on a felony a charge of violation of oath of a public officer and a misdemeanor for obstruction of a police officer. According to the indictment, Johnson tried to use her prominent position of power to protect the men who killed Arbery. Greg McMichael, one of the men convicted in Arbery’s death previously worked for Johnson as an investigator for the district attorney’s office. Evidence presented in the state trial for the death of Arbery introduced phone records that show McMichael called Johnson shortly after his son shot and killed Arbery. Arbery family attorney Ben Crump believes Johnson is just as responsible for Ahmaud’s death as anyone. A GOP congressional candidate forgot about the whole “back the blue” thing when he got pulled over by a Sarasota, Florida, police officer who stopped him for speeding. Actually, a better lede would be: A white man in Florida got pulled over and tried to give a cop his white privilege card instead of his license and registration and he got all pissy when that didn’t work so he threatened to call her boss and get her fired. Then when that also didn’t work, he chided her for being an immigrant. https://twitter.com/i/status/1496486028936364036 An East Boston Municipal Court judge has reminded us how racism-friendly America often is. On February 15, 2020, a 46-year-old Latino woman and her 15-year-old daughter were walking home from the mother’s birthday dinner when rabid white women caught them speaking Spanish to each other,” according to 10 Boston. Now, we all know white women tend to suffer from severe allergic reactions after being exposed to the mere concept of minding their own business, but in this case, things went well beyond garden-variety Karen nonsense. Prosecutors said the two women shouted, “This is America,” and told the victims to “speak English” and “go back to your f****** country” as they punched, kicked, and bit them. One of the women admitted to the attack, which, again, involved a 15-year-old child, but she won’t be doing any jail time because of the way whiteness is set up in America, even racists who attack children don’t deserve to have their freedom taken away. “Jenny Leigh Ennamorati admitted to sufficient facts to five charges last week in connection with the February 2020 incident, and a judge in East Boston Municipal Court continued the case without a finding for a 15-month probationary period,” 10 Boston reported. “That means the charges could be dismissed if Ennamorati complies with the conditions of probation, the Suffolk district attorney’s office said in a statement Thursday.” The mother of Trayvon Martin used the 10th anniversary of the teen’s death Saturday to say she’s “standing strong,” while urging others to continue fighting with her for social justice. “We have to continue to hold people accountable for killing our loved ones,” Sybrina Fulton, while speaking at a meeting of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network in Harlem. “We have to continue to support our children, our families … We can’t give up. We’ve come too far.” “If you don’t do anything else, don’t give up – that’s my message,” Fulton added. “Don’t ever give up. Ten years later, I’m still standing strong.” The unarmed black teen was shot dead by George Zimmerman while walking in a Florida neighborhood in 2012. Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the 17-year-old’s death in July 2013, on grounds of self-defense. The acquittal led to widespread protests, national debates on the use of force and helped spur the Black Lives Matter movement. Jenice Hodge, a Black woman, was delivering food in 2019 when Calvin Pham, a Minneapolis Parks (Minnesota) traffic cop, pulled her over for what she thought was a routine stop. The body camera footage from the incident shows the cop telling the woman that he had pulled her over for not wearing her seatbelt and being on her phone. Hodge, however, clarified to Pham that she had never been pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt, and she was also using her phone’s GPS to make a food delivery. The officer then asked the woman for her license. Talking to KSTP, Hodge says that she hadn’t even retrieved the license from her purse, and a gun was pointed at her head. In less than a minute after pulling her over, the cop commanded Hodge to step outside her car – which left her confused, scared, and unaware of what to do. Eventually, she chose to raise her arms through the car’s sunroof, but she didn’t leave her car amidst the cop’s threats of ripping her out. https://youtu.be/DPvEspNifIY WARNING! This story contains GRAPHIC Photo/Video … Talmika Bates, a Black woman, was severely bitten by a Brentwood (CA) Police K-9 in 2020, gruesome photos and video shows. Bates, who was 24 at the time, (now 26), was suspected of shoplifting Ulta Cosmetic products worth $10000, an incident that led to the vicious attack that left her scalp and braids ripped off. https://youtu.be/8nUNEKp6ygw Jussie Smollett wants to have a do-over in court and is asking for a new trial in Chicago. Smollett’s defense team filed new documentation requesting the judge to reverse his verdict and change his guilty verdict of disorderly conduct for falsifying a police report. If not, his legal team is also asking for a new trial. As previously reported, Smollett was found guilty of five out of six felony counts. According to TMZ, the new legal documents claim the court violated Smollett’s constitutional rights by preventing his defense team from actively participating in the jury selection process. Additionally, Smollett states his lawyers were not allowed to ask potential jurors questions and believe the jury pool for his case was corrupted. He also accused prosecutors of being racist based on the selection of jurors. The judge was also blamed for barring the media and public from the courtroom. Denzel Washington is one of the biggest names in Hollywood. He is also a fantastic human professionally, and his Thursday radio interview on Nova FM’s breakfast show with Fitz and Wippa proved why. “The Equalizer” actor revealed that it is habitual for him to go out with his leading actresses, grab some coffee together and get to know each other ahead of the exotic and sex scenes. He reveals that when he did the first scene of Flight with actress Nadine Velazquez, the latter was supposed to be naked. So, he felt that it would have been appropriate to go out, have a little chat while eating something, probably a turkey sandwich and familiarize with each other before walking around naked all day with each other. Nestled in communities across the country are storied landmarks that provide a lens into Black history. Amongst these pillars is the Bray School—the nation’s oldest standing schoolhouse for African American children—which recently received a $5 million preservation grant. Founded in 1760, the school—which is located in Williamsburg—served as a learning institution for free and enslaved Black youth. Under the tutelage of educator Ann Wager, over 400 children learned the fundamentals of reading, writing and religion. Although the students were equipped with literacy skills, the school’s curriculum incorporated problematic doctrines by “directing the enslaved to accept their circumstances as divinely ordained,” the College of William & Mary shared. The Bray School shuttered following the death of Wager in 1774. It was acquired by William & Mary in 1930 and utilized by the college as a hub for its military science department. As decades passed, the structure’s history faded into obscurity. In 2003, retired English professor Terry Meyers unearthed the structure’s forgotten legacy and brought attention to its existence. It took 20 years for researchers to confirm the 260-year-old building on William & Mary’s campus was indeed the Bray School. Last year the college sold the structure to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; the country’s largest outdoor living museum. On THE REAL airing Friday, February 25, actor Anthony Anderson reveals that he’s only 15 credits away from getting his degree from Howard University and will graduate this spring. https://youtu.be/qTdorg-ZXkk Mick Jagger and Questlove are exec producing a four-part docuseries about “I Got You (I Feel Good)” star James Brown for A&E. The cable network has ordered James Brown: Say It Loud (w/t), directed by The Legacy of Black Wall Street helmer Deborah Riley Draper. It is the latest doc on the Godfather of Soul after Alex Gibney directed Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown for HBO in 2014. Jagger was a producer on that project. James Brown: Say It Loud is set for a 2023 release, marking what would have been Brown’s 90th birthday. It will explore Brown’s legacy with interviews with friends, family, collaborators and proteges as well as his beloved music catalog and includes never-been-seen-before archival footage. It will trace his life from a seventh-grade dropout arrested for armed robbery in the Jim Crow-era South to an entertainment legend. The happiest place on earth becomes one of the most soulful ones during February in celebration of Black History Month as Disneyland Resort kicked off its “Celebrate Soulfully” showcase. For two weekends in February, new interactive experiences highlighting Black heritage and culture will be available throughout the resort through music, food, and art programming. 2022 marks the first time the event has taken place at Mickey’s west coast headquarters – the event has taken place at the Walt Disney World resort in previous years. There are concerts and installations in Downtown Disney and the park. Stroll through and see artwork from Black artists inspired by the Disney and Pixar Academy Award-winning film “Soul,” which stars Jamie Foxx. Emerging Black artists featured included Bee Harris, Bianca Pastel, Arrington Porter, and Cory Van Lew. It might be tough finding a nice place to settle down in the U.S. as a family, especially when there are so many factors impacting the world, from high rent prices and inflation to safety and job security. Luckily there are a few sweet nooks around the good ole U.S. of A that are still affordable and might be great for first-time parents or married couples looking to expand their family trees. These states offer great rent prices and a few of these locations are emerging into booming hubs that will provide a wealth of thriving entrepreneurial and economic opportunities for families and couples. If you fancy warm weather or prefer the changes of the season, these four states are perfect for Black families or couples who are on a mission to find a new safe place to call home. San Antonio, TX, Orlando, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia and Raleigh, North Carolina are the hot spots. The California Task Force to Study and Development Reparations Proposal for African Americans is holding its seventh meeting this week. During the two-day virtual conference, the task force will pay homage to Black History Month as well as African American heroes who initiated the fight for reparations – and kept it alive over the years — in the United States. “Happy Black History Month! The first-in-the-nation California Reparations Task Force met again on Wed-Thurs Feb 23-24,” tweeted Kamilah Moore, chair of the task force. The tweet added: “Join us as we celebrate past and current reparations efforts!” Moore, a Los Angeles native, is an attorney and activist whose scholarship and work has focused on the study of reparations. https://youtu.be/lc_3Pir6Bjo On February 16, 2022, Dream Corps JUSTICE recognized that it received a $500,000 donation from the Sony Music Group Global Social Justice Fund. As a recipient, Dream Corps developed an advocacy training cohort program, spanning 17 states, and was based on teaching organizing tools that Dream Corps JUSTICE used to lead passage of the First Step Act in 2018 and pass bipartisan criminal justice legislation in states across the country. Within the program, twenty formerly incarcerated and justice-impacted individuals were given a six-month training program to develop organizing, legislative, campaign, and media literacy skills. As a result of the advocacy cohort, participants have already become nonprofit leaders, media spokespersons, and leaders of grassroots advocacy campaigns that reimagine justice, create alternatives to mass incarceration and make communities safer. https://youtu.be/TI2IXNiiyU4 Former Auburn and San Diego Chargers running back Lionel James, who made a name for himself for being unstoppable despite his small stature, died Friday after a lengthy illness, the university said. He was 59. Auburn announced the death of James, a 5-foot-6 player nicknamed “Little Train,” but provided no additional details. James played five seasons with the NFL’s Chargers, who have since moved to Los Angeles, after being drafted in the fifth round in 1984. He set an NFL record with 2,535 all-purpose yards in 1985 after leading the Chargers in rushing, receiving and kickoff and punt return yardage. He led the AFC in receptions that season with 86 while setting the NFL record for receiving yards by a running back with 1,027. One of the rarest Kobe Bryant cards in existence recently sold for $2 million, setting an all-time record for a Kobe card and placing it among the most expensive basketball cards of all time. The card was a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Emerald Kobe Bryant, and the deal was brokered by PWCC Marketplace. Why did this rare card command a record price? The Emerald variations of the Precious Metal Gems issue are highly coveted, as there are only 10 of each issue in existence. While the Kobe card is numbered 004-of-100, there are only nine other Emerald versions (as the remaining 90 cards are the Red version and they aren’t worth as much). In its February 18 issue, The Baltimore Sun’s editorial board finally apologized for 185 years of racist coverage. The authors wrote that the newspaper had “sharpened, preserved and furthered the structural racism that still subjugates Black Marylanders in our communities today.” For its culpability, “We are deeply and profoundly sorry.” The Sun’s half-performative apology contributes to the normalization of whiteness in U.S. culture, even while the magazine profits from the cultural capital it gains for (partially) apologizing for racism. Full disclosure: I got my start as a journalist for The Sun in 1997 when I was 19 years old writing for the Metro Section. I enjoyed working in that newsroom and had a great rapport with reporters and editors. The editors even allowed me to step beyond my reporter role to write pieces for the Op-Ed section said Stacey Patton. In fact, my first opinion piece carried the following headline: “Apologize for slavery? Yes – with deeds.” Over the years as a journalism professor, I’ve proudly watched a few of my HBCU students work on collaborative projects and as interns for the paper. Actor Quinton Aaron, star of “The Blind Side,” has shed almost 100 pounds. Quinton, 37, tells TMZ that he gained weight during the COVID-19 pandemic by pigging out on sugary snacks and junk food. “I used the new year as a way to get a new me,” he told the outlet, revealing that he dropped from 559 pounds to 462 pounds. Aaron is now all about walking and stretching, eating Cobb salads for lunch and following a keto diet. His goal is to drop another 64 pounds by May 10 to honor his late mom on her birthday, per the report. The Queen Bee has paid adequate attention to maintaining her sexiness for the longest time, which explains the stylish ensembles she rocks all the time. She is famous for rocking the biggest brands in the market, from Versace to Marc Jacobs and the Notorious K.I.M., known for her exquisite taste. So, it would be natural for Lil’ Kim to serve her ample assets in the sexy Savage X Fenty lingerie. https://www.instagram.com/lilkimthequeenbee/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=26af2158-8cfb-4d50-b414-e48db940b090 Remember last month when Snoop Dogg exposed his UberEats driver for not delivering his food? Well now, that driver says he plans on suing Snoop Dogg because he fears for his safety after Snoop shared his information to his millions of followers! The driver, Said, spoke with KCAL LA to share how much Snoop Dogg’s post has affected his life. Said claims because Snoop shared his picture and his license plate numbers, he has extreme anxiety whenever he goes out. “There’s my picture there and also there is my first name,” said the driver. “After I see the video, I’m kind of like…I have anxiety and I fear for my family’s safety.” Sayd says he didn’t even know he was delivery to a celebrity and followed the right protocols before eventually driving away. He says since the video has been posted he hasn’t returned to work and feels like he’s been thrown into a spotlight that he didn’t ask for. https://www.instagram.com/p/Caadnetgq8P/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Planet YAHWEH, formerly known as YMMG, just signed the latest hot Latina music sensation, Wilkenia C. Pujols, also known as “Ecstrah” to the label. Ecstrah is the first cousin to Albert Pujols, a Major League Baseball player. Ecstrah previously released “Aim to Please” in 2021 and is scheduled to release an EP in Fall 2022. https://youtu.be/dWq9Y-6BZW8 The Texas governor has called on citizens to report parents for abuse if they have a child(ren) undergoing Gender-Affirming Care. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on “licensed professionals” and “members of the general public” to report the parents who approve of their minor children to receive gender-affirming medical care, NBC News reports. Abbott laid out the directive in a letter sent Tuesday to the Department of Family and Protective Services, urging it to “conduct a prompt and thorough investigation” of reported cases of minors undergoing “elective procedures for gender transitioning.” Abbott has warned teachers, nurses, and doctors that they could face criminal penalties for failing to report “such abuse.” A woman in Mexico who was crushed to death while trying to lift a 400-pound barbell. On top of that, it happened right in front of her daughter. Viral video of the incident, which happened last Monday ()02-21-22), shows the mother attempting to raise the massive weight in front of her daughter at the Club Fitness Sport gym in Mexico City. Unfortunately, it didn’t go well because she simply was not strong enough to keep the barbells from falling on her. The 400 pounds of weight slammed her neck into the bench and the woman died on the spot. https://youtu.be/R8ONYQYJ6cE President Joe Biden will reportedly announce Friday his pick for the forthcoming supreme court vacancy will be Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Jackson is expected to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer, who is set to retire. If confirmed, Jackson, 51, will be the first Black woman to serve on the court. https://youtu.be/2FLz6BfNeDw Quintez Brown, a prominent BLM activist, was charged last week with firing a gun at a mayoral candidate in Louisville. Brown, 21, is charged with attempted murder and four counts of wanton endangerment after allegedly firing shots inside the campaign office of Craig Greenberg. “It’s all been since he started college,” his mother Cecilia Brown told The Post about her son, “who was once honored by President Obama and appeared on MSNBC to push gun control,” per the publication. “I haven’t really heard from him. He’s always busy. He’s been living with his dad. I don’t know what was on his mind. Only God can judge that.” Louisville Metro Police do not yet have a motive to explain the shooting, but Chief Erika Shields told reporters that Craig Greenberg, the victim, “is Jewish, so there’s that. We don’t know if it’s tied to the candidates or is political or if we are dealing with someone with mental issues or is venomous,” Shields said. “We are looking at this from all angles.” The United States ambassador to the United Nations (UN) urged the intergovernmental organization to take immediate action as Russia invaded Ukraine in what the president called an “unprovoked” attack. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned that the UN’s peace-keeping arm needed to draft an emergency resolution amid dwindling diplomatic options in what appeared to be a last-ditch effort to convince Russia to stop its attack that had already begun Wednesday night. The UN Security Council was expected to hold an emergency meeting Thursday after Thomas-Greenfield referred to the military conflict as a “message of war” sent by Russia to the entire world. Plummeting Covid-19 case counts across the United States are leading to lifted mask mandates and more conversations about steps toward normalcy — but more people are dying of the coronavirus now than during most points of the pandemic. Before Omicron became the dominant coronavirus strain in the US, there were only about 100 other days when there were more than 2,000 Covid-19 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The only other time that deaths have been this high for this long was during the first winter surge, before vaccines were available. The Omicron wave has also been deadlier for longer than the Delta surge: In September, when Delta was dominant, average daily deaths topped 2,000 for half as long. More than 120,000 people in the US have died of Covid-19 since Omicron became the dominant variant in December, and Covid-19 has accounted for more than 1 in 5 deaths reported in 2022. Nations that build walls to keep their people separated usually end up on the wrong side of history. But that hasn’t stopped the Dominican Republic from beginning construction on a border wall with the neighboring country of Haiti. The 13-foot tall structure will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology including more than 70 watchtowers, drones, movement sensors, cameras, and much more. It will also stretch over 120 miles of the Dominican-Haitian border. Ex-NFL player Zackary “Zac” Stacy has been hit with five more criminal charges stemming from a domestic attack on his ex back in August. According to court records, Stacy was hit with three misdemeanor domestic violence battery charges last week, as well as two misdemeanor criminal mischief charges. In court documents, officials say the charges stem from an Aug. 16, 2021 incident with his ex-girlfriend, Kristin Evans — the same woman Stacy was seen on video brutalizing in November 2021. The beating was captured on hidden cameras in Evans’ studio apartment in Oakland, Florida. https://youtu.be/lZM-Nsvxhnc Katrina Cooke Brownlee retired last year as one of the New York City Police Department’s top-ranked detectives. That she is alive is a miracle. In her first primetime television interview, Brownlee shares her emotional story of being shot by an abusive ex-fiancé, then pleading for help from the police, who she says ignored her, and how she used that experience to become a top police officer, in 48 HOURS: “Katrina Brownlee: The Good Cop” to be broadcast Saturday, Feb. 26 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) and streaming on Paramount+. Anchored by Michelle Miller, co-host of CBS SATURDAY MORNING, “Katrina Brownlee: The Good Cop” takes viewers inside Brownlee’s inspirational journey from survivor of a horrific attack to top-ranked detective in the NYPD. Brownlee opens up about the abuse she says she suffered, how she met the so-called blue wall of silence, how she fought to live, and how she vowed to be a good cop. https://youtu.be/v0CSof8rASs Wendy Williams is said to be considering taking legal action against Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein over being replaced by Sherri Shepherd. A Williams insider tells RADAR, “Wendy has been reading the news where Chris Cuomo is suing CNN for $60 million and Megyn Kelly get $60 million when she was kicked out of NBC. Knowing Wendy, she will think she can get the same amount too. This is going to get ugly. She was hired because of her big mouth, well now that big mouth is going to bite the hand that fed her.” Earlier we reported that “The Wendy Williams Show” is set to end in June and the timeslot will be filled by the new talk show “Sherri” with Sherri Shepherd as host. In the wake of that announcement, Williams responded earlier this week via her rep, Howard Bragman. Sherri’s takeover of Wendy’s timeslot has reportedly left the former radio shock jock angry. “Wendy is on sick leave and has basically been fired. This isn’t right and Wendy isn’t going to take this,” sources tell RADAR. “She is considering legal action again her producers and is also deciding on what to do about Sherri Shepherd. Sherri was supposed to be a friend filling in for Wendy while she was sick, but instead, Sherri stabbed Wendy in the back. If anyone thinks Wendy is going to disappear without a fight they are a fool.” Mary J. Blige recently chopped it up with the hosts of The Breakfast Club and revealed she has a memoir releasing soon and she’s working on a new album with hip-hop icon Dr. Dre. https://youtu.be/6BW-xNymEZc Former “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” star Apryl Jones and actor Taye Diggs are apparently the Internet’s favorite new couple. Rumors of the two being an item were initially sparked when the pair was spotted attending a holiday party together in Hollywood late 2021,” per MadameNoire. The pair haven’t publicly confirmed their relationship but both Apryl, 35, and Taye, 51, have posted several photos and videos of each other on their respective social media accounts. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZcGAphFRp5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Actor Olly Sholotan, who plays Carlton Banks on the new “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reboot, is clapping back at trolls who are mocking his appearance on social media. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FMEtBFbVQAAGATS?format=jpg&name=small An exclusive clip from the new episode of “Power Book IV: Force” airing Sunday, February 27th on Starz. In “Storm Clouds,” when Tommy’s (played by Joe Sikora) former foe turned friend is at the mercy of a notorious criminal organization, who resurface to reclaim what’s theirs, loyalties are tested. https://preview-g.starz.com/p/promos/new/vers0236431_pbf1_104_press_clips_approved_pbr_36792_22_169_get_mines___tune_in___no__2000k.mp4 An African American woman (Victoria Coleman) has become a wine industry trailblazer in the famed Napa Valley. As John Ramos reports, she is not only making great wine, she’s making history. https://cbsloc.al/3scjoyg On the final “Future Made” on Facebook and Instagram will be an intimate conversation between WNBA basketball star Candace Parker and her daughter Lailaa. Featuring six multi-generational family groups, “Future Made” is a new interview series and Reels challenge on Instagram and Facebook capturing intimate conversations between public figures and their children. Recent “Future Made” public figure interviews include YouTuber and actress AmbersCloset with her father, former NFL football star Arthur Whittington; WNBA basketball player Lexie Brown with her father Dee Brown. Billboard chart-topping singer, rapper and actress Monica Arnold with her son Rodneyy. https://www.instagram.com/candaceparker/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c07d6b76-960e-483f-8ac3-5fdd56abccdf Christine Taylor ‘never even dated other people after they separated’ before becoming a couple again, it has been claimed. The pair announced their split in 2017 but remained friendly through the years, then resumed their romance after self-isolating together in the COVID-19 pandemic. Now a People insider shared that Ben, 56, and Christine, 50, are ‘the kind of couple that friends hoped would get back together. They were never estranged.’ The source divulged: ‘Ben just had such a busy career for years. It drove them apart a bit. They didn’t spend much time together. But when they did, it was always obvious that they loved each other.’ Harry Styles’ stalker has been charged by police for allegedly forcing her way into the singer’s home three years after being hit with a restraining order. Diana Tarazaga-Orero, 28, previously known as Pablo, is said to have assaulted a woman who was working at the star’s home in north London during the incident last Wednesday. The transgender woman shouted ‘I’m not going to hurt him, I love him’ before she was remanded in custody on Friday. Tarazaga-Orero, originally from Spain was wearing a dirtied cream sweater and made continuous outbursts in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.’ Sally Kellerman, who was Oscar nominated for her supporting role as Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H” feature film, died Thursday in Woodland Hills, Calif. She was 84. Her publicist Alan Eichler confirmed her death. Among her other roles were a cameo in Altman’s “The Player,” a professor in Rodney Dangerfield’s “Back to School” and a Starfleet officer in the “Star Trek” episode, “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” The willowy blonde actress with the characteristically throaty voice appeared in two Altman films in 1970; the other was the more experimental “Brewster McCloud,” in which she starred with Bud Cort and Michael Murphy. In this film, which did not have a conventional narrative, Kellerman played Louise, the mother of the bewinged Cort character, Brewster. DeVon Franklin is staying put at CBS Studios. The producer, motivational speaker and bestselling author, who is executive producing CBS’ Early Edition drama pilot, has re-upped with the studio with a multi-year overall deal. Franklin has multiple projects in development in addition to executive producing the recently ordered CBS drama pilot Early Edition, a reboot of the Kyle Chandler-starring late-‘90s fantasy newspaper drama co-produced by CBS Studios and Sony Pictures Television. Franklin, who has been under a deal with CBS Studios since 2020, serves as President and CEO of Franklin Entertainment production company, which is under a first-look film deal at Paramount Pictures and a first-look television deal at CBS Studios. Jenna Nicholson runs Franklin Entertainment’s TV division as Vice President of Television and Alexander Mosby was recently promoted to Manager of Television. Franklin most recently produced the inspirational films Breakthrough starring Chrissy Metz for Disney/Fox, and Sony’s The Star and Miracles From Heaven. A college student from Euless, Texas has landed a national award for her activism while away at school. Channing Hill is the 2021 NAACP Youth Activist of the Year. She’s in California to be part of the nationally broadcast award show celebrations. “It makes me feel incredible,” Hill said. “I am just so proud of myself and my friends, and the conviction we displayed in the last semester.” Hill is currently the president of the NAACP Howard University Unit. She’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree before heading to law school. Hill led a 34-day peaceful sit-in protest at Howard last semester about housing conditions. Hill said it’s just the start of being a voice for others. Art Briles, who was fired as Baylor‘s head football coach in 2016 following the university’s investigation into campuswide allegations of sexual assault, has been hired as Grambling State‘s offensive coordinator, athletic director Trayvean Scott confirmed to ESPN on Thursday. Former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson was hired as Grambling State’s head coach in December. Briles, 66, has been out of college coaching since May 2016, when Baylor officials suspended him with intent to terminate for his role after sexual assault allegations were made against students, including football players. He later reached an undisclosed financial settlement with Baylor, where he coached from 2008 to 2015, posting a 65-37 record and winning a share of back-to-back Big 12 titles in 2013 and 2014. Former Baylor coach Art Briles has been the subject of controversy for years since his departure from the program. Now, according to an ESPN report, Briles is on his way back to the college ranks and has been hired as the offensive coordinator at Grambling State. And it didn’t take long for the backlash to begin, with former Grambling quarterback and NFL Super Bowl winner Doug Williams firmly speaking out against the hire. “I’m not a fan at all,” Williams told the Washington Post. “I’m very, very disappointed in Grambling, I really am.…I talked to the A.D. a couple times. They knew where I stood, but they did it and if that’s what they want to do, that’s fine. I’m out.” Odell Beckham Jr. just added another title to his resume — father! The L.A. Rams star and his girlfriend — model and fitness instructor Lauren Wood — welcomed their first child together, baby Zydn, just four days after the Rams won Super Bowl LVI. OBJ announced the news Wednesday on Instagram with an adorable photo of the lovely couple bundled up in bed while the footballer, now recovering from knee surgery, cradles the newborn. The Super Bowl champ also posted a lengthy caption on his post that read in part, “2-17-22, 0605. THE biggest blessing I’ve ever had in my life arrived here on earth! The words, I can’t even put together for the overwhelming emotions that ran thru me … a moment I will never forget and cherish forever. Zydn was born n at that moment I knew my life changed for the better.” https://www.instagram.com/obj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4939cb08-eaaa-41e1-bec6-5674fdd1feaf Deion Sanders’ daughter, Shelomi Sanders, is headed to college, but she won’t be going far. Shelomi, a 5-foot-7 shooting guard at Rockwall-Heath High School in Heath, Texas, has committed to Jackson State. She joins her father and siblings Shedeur and Shilo at JSU. “Shelomi Sanders, guard for Rockwall-Heath in Texas and daughter of JSU football head coach Deion Sanders, announces her commitment to the Jackson State women’s basketball team,” one fan tweeted. Today, platinum-selling Tauren Wells released his new single, “Fake It” Feat. Aaron Cole, via Capitol Records/CCMG, marking the 10-time GRAMMY® nominee’s first release on the label. On this upbeat, infectious track Wells celebrates the joy that comes from being loved as you are, freed from any need to “fake it”. Listen to “Fake It” HERE. Wells and Cole wrote “Fake It” with Chris Stevens – who produced the track with Tedd T. – and Emily Weisband. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRYoOB1cQh8&feature=youtu.be CHART-TOPPING CHRISTIAN HIP-HOP ARTIST KB has a new track “King Jesus,” a co-artist release recorded with hit Christian rapper nobigdyl. The new track is available now on digital music platforms, and the official music video for “King Jesus” was also released. The music video also made its broadcast premiere on the BET Gospel network. ON THE FIERY TRACK, WHICH IS ALSO INSPIRED BY A SAMPLE OF VICKIE WINANS’ HIT “LONG AS I GOT KING JESUS,” KB AND NOBIGDYL. TRADE VERSES WITH THEIR DISTINCTIVE LYRICAL PROWESS. THE TWO Billboard-charting hitmakers deliver energetic performances hyping Jesus and celebrating the freedom and blessings to be found in serving Him. The music video stars KB, nobigdyl. and actor/comedian Kel Mitchell. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4-F9I5UNXHO Last year, Chloe picked the song "Miracle" on Elle Magazine's Song Association, and this year she performed it with Mali Music at the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration. Look what the Lord has done! https://www.instagram.com/p/CaP3GhUJz9P/ The All-Star Gospel Celebration (ASGC) kicked off NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio with an unforgettable celebration in its 15th year during the NBA All-Star Weekend! The celebration hosted by 3x NBA All-Star host Jacinda Jacobs and NBA Veteran & former National Basketball Players Association Vice-President Maurice “Mo” Evans was the most anticipated event during the weekend. NBA Chaplains rocked the stage after an electrifying opening by Kierra Sherard-Kelly. Special appearances by Maverick City Music and DOE wowed the crowd, and the new artist showcase was one to remember with Anthony Hall & Keyla Richardson both giving a championship performance. Saxophonist Angella Christie, took the entire audience to church, while the Red Hand Band had the crowd on their feet. Mali Music delivered the SLAM DUNK performance to end the show. Following the show, guests enjoyed a post-reception catered by Pearl's Kitchen. Catch the 15th All-Star Gospel Celebration Encore Presentation Sunday, February 27, 2002 4pm EST/1pm PT. A winter storm bringing heavy snow and ice to parts of the Northeast on Friday is causing rough road conditions after prompting school closures and hundreds of flight cancellations. Some 40 million people remain under weather alerts. In areas north of Interstate 90, up to 8 inches of snow could fall, with extra ice expected in some places, creating hazardous travel. The storm will begin moving out of the northeast late Friday afternoon into the early evening. Earlier Friday, with heavy snow falling in the Boston area, a commuter train hit an unoccupied snow plow, affiliate WFXT reported. No one was injured. State police said two lanes are closed on the Mass Pike east in Auburn after a tractor-trailer rolled over, the station said. And affiliate WFXT reporter Vicki Graf tweeted video of a minor crash, also without injuries. Officials have urged people to avoid driving if possible. https://eurweb.com/2022/02/25/northeast-struggling-with-rough-driving-conditions-in-winter-storm-video/ WE tv’s “Love During Lockup, finds Emily telling Haley she has feelings for her but doesn’t want to cross a boundary. “Love During Lockup” is the latest installment of the “Love After Lockup/Life After Lockup” franchise. This season follows even more riveting firsts through the early stages of love, with plenty of romance, suspicion, and investigation, all long before a scheduled prison release. https://youtu.be/U2CyS5fFJWs Homelessness is a longstanding national issue that has been exacerbated by the pandemic, and an 8-year-old from South Carolina has set out on a mission to support individuals facing housing insecurity. Taji Johnson is paying it forward by providing tents for those who have been displaced, WJBF reported. In January, the youngster launched Taji’s Tents; a fundraiser created to purchase tents for people facing homelessness in his local community. Within 10 days, Taji garnered $2,700 in donations and was able to buy 34 tents. He and his family traveled to Columbia, South Carolina to distribute the tents to people in need. For the first time ever, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a condom specifically for anal sex. “The risk of STI transmission during anal intercourse is significantly higher than during vaginal intercourse. The FDA’s authorization of a condom that is specifically indicated, evaluated and labeled for anal intercourse may improve the likelihood of condom use during anal intercourse,” said Courtney Lias, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Office of GastroRenal, ObGyn, General Hospital, and Urology Devices in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The risk of STI transmission during anal intercourse is significantly higher than during vaginal intercourse. The FDA’s authorization of a condom that is specifically indicated, evaluated and labeled for anal intercourse may improve the likelihood of condom use during anal intercourse,” said Courtney Lias, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Office of GastroRenal, ObGyn, General Hospital, and Urology Devices in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Shaquille O’Neal’s generosity knows no bounds. Shaq is one of the wealthiest players in the NBA, having amassed a small fortune during his career in the NBA as a superstar. On top of that, he made a lot of smart business decisions and investments and is reaping the reward for that these days. Shaquille O’Neal is clearly a very wealthy man. But unlike a lot of wealthy people, Shaq uses his money to give back to the community. O’Neal has been very generous on numerous occasions. When he once bought a bike for a young kid, he explained that every time he leaves the house, he wants to bless someone and help the needy. https://www.instagram.com/thecollinskids/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d7e66b7a-fd9c-4450-9d28-5079f897eb41 Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine could drive prices even higher at a moment when inflation is already rising at the fastest clip in decades. Economists are racing to assess the impact of the attack, which could spark the biggest war in Europe since 1945. The conflict is unlikely to tip the global economy back into recession, they say, but market tumult, the threat of punishing sanctions and potential supply disruptions are already pushing up the wholesale price of energy and some agricultural products. Consumers will pay more for gasoline and food as a result. “Inflation is likely to peak at higher levels that we were envisaging just a few days ago,” said Ben May, director of global macro research at Oxford Economics. https://eurweb.com/2022/02/24/russias-attack-on-ukraine-means-even-higher-prices-for-us/ Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine and gave a chilling warning to its allies in the West in an early Thursday morning address in Moscow. Explosions were heard in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, as Putin announced that Russia was launching a military attack on Ukraine. ‘To anyone who would consider interfering from the outside – if you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history,’ he said on a television broadcast around 6am Moscow time. The United Nations Security Council had just convened an emergency meeting Wednesday night when Putin took to Russian airwaves to announce the invasion at 5:50am Moscow time.Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, had urged Putin to stop his tanks. ‘If indeed an operation is being prepared, I have only one thing to say from the bottom of my heart,’ said Guterres. ‘President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance. Too many people have already died.’ Putin ignored the plea, going on TV to describe the invasion as a ‘special military occupation’ and said he wants to ‘demilitarize’ and ‘de-Nazify’, not occupy, the country. Ukraine was under siege on Thursday after Vladimir Putin announced he was invading in what he termed a ‘special military operation’ – sending in tanks from the northern border with Belarus in a combined Russian-Belorussian offensive, and launching attacks from the east and south, including on the capital Kiev. Hundreds of Ukrainians were killed in the onslaught, the interior ministry said, and videos on social media showed the scale of the invasion. Five Russian jets and one helicopter were shot down over the east of the country, near Kharkiv, Ukraine’s military said. Percy L. Julian, an African American inventor, once said, “I have had one goal in my life, that of playing some role in making life a little easier for the persons who come after me.” As the holder of 130 patents – including industrial chemicals used in firefighting – Julian, who died in 1975, certainly has made a difference in society. He is just one of a wealth of Black inventors – some of them former slaves or the sons or daughters of slaves – whose devices, inventions, processes, and innovations have made our lives better. To compile a list of some of them, 24/7 Tempo consulted numerous sources including History, Biography, Parents, and Invent (the website for the National Inventors Hall of Fame). Many of the creations of these inventors were new devices or improvements on existing ones found in the home. These include the portable ironing board, the dustpan and the eggbeater. To maximize space in small apartments, one woman created a bed that could fold into a cabinet. For greater convenience, a man reduced treks to the post office by inventing the street letter box. A Black inventor developed a refrigeration system in long-haul trucks that revolutionized the grocery industry. Others invented ways to improve safety outside the home, such as the three-way traffic light and automatic doors on elevators. An African-American’s development of a process for separating plasma from blood, allowing it to be stored for up to a week, has helped save countless lives. Social media is celebrating iconic singer Jody Watley with #JodyWatleyAppreciationDay on February 28, 2022! For fans in the States and across the globe, Watley set the standard as a trendsetting pioneer in music, video, fashion and style. She is one of the architects of 21st-century pop, and one of music’s most versatile song stylists. Telling her story in her own words whether in interviews, social media or in her sold-out concerts, the iconic singer always remains true to herself. https://youtu.be/Xy493_HBqAk The wait has ended. Yeezy Gap revealed the first look at its highly anticipated collaboration with fashion powerhouse brand Balenciaga. The 25-piece collection includes a denim jacket paired with jeans, logo tees and hoodies, with some of the items featuring a dove motif representing “hope.” Eight of the items went on sale Wednesday at 9 am ET, but five of the limited-edition unisex styles sold out within minutes after they were posted online. Prices range from $120 to $440 for the eight pieces, which are available for purchase on YeezyGap.com and Farfetch.com. Gap said the collection reflects “timeless silhouettes translated through the lens of Kanye West and Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna’s, shared vision of utilitarian design.” Detroit Police have arrested two teenagers for the “execution-style” killings of a 5-year-old boy, his mother, and his stepfather in a home invasion on Sunday evening. Caleb Harris was shot multiple times in the face. His mother Lashon Marshall, 28, and her boyfriend Aaron Benson, 32, the boy’s stepfather, were also shot dead, TooFab reports. https://youtu.be/ReFJle5ePCQ Alexia Curry delivers on her debut single entitled "Hear His Voice," a message that is undoubtedly straight from God. When asked what the song reminds her of when singing it, Alexia said, “It reminds me of the old gospel hymn Yes, Jesus Loves Me.” Alexia is a devoted Christian with a genuine love for God, a woman of prayer, an entrepreneur, wife, mother, and now a new gospel artist. She believes that throughout her life God was preparing her for such a time as this, and now He has manifested her dreams into reality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7rW82Ks_p0&feature=youtu.be Multi-genre recording artist Damien Sneed returns to his Gospel roots with the release of his brand-new project, Damien Sneed UNPLUGGED on Friday, February 25, 2022, on his boutique label, LeChateau Earl Records. UNPLUGGED is a collection of soulful and inspirational songs, recorded in a free-form, spare studio setting with Sneed on piano and vocals alongside several noted vocalists, including Chenee Campbell, Linny Smith, Tiffany Stevenson, and Matia Washington. The album’s first single, “Jehovah God, You Are My All” has recently been serviced to Gospel radio. UNPLUGGED is available on all digital retail and streaming platforms. The physical release of UNPLUGGED also coincides with Sneed’s special guest appearance at the Hammond Organ Summit at Berklee College of Music’s Piano and Voice departments today, February 24. He will lead two sessions titled Gospel Keyboard Techniques and Band Rehearsal Techniques, which are open to the Berklee community. While in Boston, Sneed will continue to headline his 25-city North American tour, A Tribute to Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul featuring special guest singer-songwriter Valerie Simpson at Berklee Performance Center tomorrow, Friday, February 25. The tour also features Gospel legend Karen Clark Sheard, who is not featured on this Berklee date. TV One announced the premiere date of its four-part documentary special UNSUNG PRESENTS: THE DECADES, an examination of the music and social consciousness of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Following on the success of TV One’s groundbreaking ‘Music and the Movement’ special, these four ‘Decades’ episodes put a spotlight on songs that were chart hits, while also showing how they became signifiers for what was going on in the wider culture of Black America, from politics to fashion to business. UNSUNG PRESENTS: THE DECADES kicks off a night of back-to-back episodes on Sunday, February 27 starting at 9 p.m. ET/8C, beginning with the 1970s, immediately followed by the 1980s episode at 10 p.m. ET/9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHl4hjMjtf8 For those wondering, yes, even one of America’s most decorated modern actresses still gets butterflies when stepping into a new role, especially when she’s playing one of the most iconic women in American history. In a conversation with media on Wednesday, Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis said playing former first lady Michelle Obama in Showtime’s upcoming limited series “The First Lady” involved “a huge amount of fear.” “You don’t want to insult them by your portrayal,” she said during a panel for the show at the Television Critics Association press tour. https://youtu.be/j36nGWGC5FI Veteran actress Victoria Rowell is set to recur on the CBS medical drama “Good Sam.” The actress and creator/star of the “Rich & The Ruthless” took to Twitter to share the details along with a photo of herself with the show’s director, Oz Scott, and series actor Evan Parke. She captioned the image, “To my loyal ??@CBS @YandR_CBS @diagnosismurder medical drama fans pls join me on NEW Series @GoodSamCBS Wednesdays! It was a joy reuniting w/consummate Director @OzScott @ArimatheaMedia? #TinaKingsley #drama starts March 2nd!” Growing Up Hip Hop,” finds Tee Tee having a meltdown over having to get married under an ugly red tent on a rainy day. Meanwhile, her fiancée Shawn is not being as helpful as he can be. https://youtu.be/_DfIlZjmZ5U Hip-Hop icon Da Brat and her lady-love Jesseca “Judy” Dupart tied the knot at the Horse Mansion in Fairburn, Georgia on Feb. 22. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CaXbjuaDRUN/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c791e0c8-b5a6-4e04-b636-5d245607ca4b Wendy Williams has informed her spokesman, Howard Bragman, that he is not authorized to make any statements on her behalf. Following news that her beloved talk show is being canceled and her time slot will be filled by Sherri Shepherd‘s new show simply titled “Sherri,” Bragman released a statement Tuesday saying Wendy “understands” the business decision and expressed her “gratitude” to Shepherd, SandraRose reports. Wendy clapped back in a statement shared on her new Instagram page, informing Bragman that he is not “authorized” to speak for her. “Mr. Bragman although I appreciate your concerns and respect you immensely I have not authorized you to make any statements on my behalf regarding my current status with Debmar Mercury. Again thanks for your continuing concern and support.” In his written response to PEOPLE, Bragman suggested someone other than Wendy may have posted the statement. He wrote: “I’m not honestly convinced of the source of that social media post, so when my old friend Wendy FaceTimes me personally and we alone have a chance to discuss recent events, together we can figure out the best path forward.” Hip-hop icon MC Lyte admits she was “very distraught” after her marriage to John Wyche ended with a divorce in 2020. The rapper’s ongoing separation from her ex was initially hard to navigate emotionally, MC Lyte said while as a co-hosting on “The Real” on Feb. 21, MadameNoire reports. “I’m actually still going through it,” Lyte told the ladies of “The Real.” “When the press got a hold of it, I think people thought we were [divorced]. I had just filed and so we’re still going through it right now.” https://www.instagram.com/mclyte/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c4cf78c1-952a-4398-baf8-ae3d1df5c968 Over the recent All-Star weekend, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James hinted at the possibility of returning to Cleveland, something many sports fans think is a mistake. Apparently, LeBron is unhappy with his current team and “said he would play his final season alongside his son, Bronny — all of which reportedly came as a surprise to the Lakers,” per New York Post. James played his 18th consecutive All-Star Game on Sunday night in Cleveland and stated that he plans to sign with whichever NBA team drafts his son Bronny James when he becomes eligible to play in 2024. The teenager is currently a junior in high school. The vibe between James and the Lakers is comparable to “the early days of war,” one source told The Athletic. James and Rich Paul are reportedly putting pressure on the organization, with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka wanting to avoid engaging. Clearly, James wanted Pelinka to make a trade at the deadline, which he did not do. The report goes on to note that the Lakers “want to do everything possible to keep James, but if that means pushing Pelinka — Kobe Bryant’s former agent — out of his job, then it’s not clear whether that would be a step too far.” The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has announced that media king Charlamagne Tha God (The Breakfast Club) and actress Alesha Reneé (The Rich & the Ruthless) will host the 13th AAFCA Awards on March 2 in its first live gathering since 2020. Winners of this year’s AAFCA Awards include “King Richard” stars Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, as well as “Respect” star Jennifer Hudson for Best Actress and “The Harder They Fall” for Best Film. Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois teenager who was acquitted of all charges in the shooting deaths of two protesters in Kenosha, Wis., was seen on Tucker Carlson on Monday where he disclosed plans to sue individuals who publicly called him a murderer. Rittenhouse revealed he and his team have initiated the Media Accountability Project to fundraise and plans to take media corporations and individuals to court. In his interview, he named one of the people that he’s coming for and name-dropped The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg. “Right now we’re looking at quite a few,” Rittenhouse said. “Politicians, celebrities, athletes. Whoopi Goldberg’s on the list. She called me a murderer after I was acquitted by a jury of my peers. She went on to still say that. And there are others. Don’t forget about Cenk Uygur from The Young Turks. He called me a murderer before the verdict and continues to call me a murderer.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CaTwwkuNAe3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The family of Zoe Sozo Bethel previously said she died of serious head injuries sustained from an unspecified accident on Feb. 10. The Miami Police Department initially investigated her death as an attempted suicide but clarified Tuesday that it was a “tragic accident,” and ruled out foul play, The Daily Mail reports. Bethel, 27, Miss Alabama who represented the Cotton State in the 2021 pageant, reportedly fell from a third-floor window of a residential building and was transported by Miami Fire Rescue to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition, police say. She died on Friday (Feb. 18). https://www.instagram.com/p/CaOUZjADXxB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In Houston, Henry David Cossette was given a $1,200,000 bond for his alleged part in the murder of Sara Goodwin, who was reported missing in early February. Cossette, 27, is accused of strangling Goodwin, 18, before dismembering her body and hiding the remains. Police say Cossette then set fire to his apartment in a suicide attempt. https://eurweb.com/2022/02/23/houston-man-accused-of-dismembering-18-year-old/ Black trans woman in Atlanta was just awarded $1.5 million after she spent six months in jail on trumped-up cocaine charges, and her story reminds us of two things: The Black Lives Matter movement isn’t complete unless it involves all Black lives, and cops lie just like anyone else, only their lies tend to have bigger consequences. According to WSB-TV 2, in October 2015, Ju’Zema Goldring was walking with a group of friends when two Atlanta police officers stopped the group and arrested Goldring for jaywalking, which she said she didn’t do. Now, already, this is a story about racist cops profiling Black people and then fishing for reasons to put them in handcuffs. Besides the fact that Goldring said she wasn’t guilty of it, who sees jaywalking as an immediately arrest able offense? Can it be dangerous? Sure. But, at best, it’s worth a citation, not putting someone behind bars. “During the arrest, an officer searched Goldring’s purse and found a stress ball. He cut it open and tested it for cocaine,” WSB-TV reported. “Defense attorneys said that despite the fact that the test was negative, the officer charged Goldring with trafficking cocaine.” Recently, Kenosha killer Kyle Rittenhouse sat down with Tucker Carlson to talk about his list of politicians, celebs, and media organizations he plans to sue for what he describes as “lies” told about him after his acquittal. “We’re looking at quite a few politicians, celebrities, athletes,” Rittenhouse said before specifically calling out Whoopi Goldberg and Cenk Uygur from the Young Turks. “Whoopi Goldberg is on the list, she called me a murderer after I was acquitted by a jury of my peers. She went on to still say that,” he said. “And there’s others, don’t forget about Cenk from the Young Turks. He called me a murderer before the verdict and continues to call me a murderer.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1495938071396855816 Russia’s audacious military mobilization in and around Ukraine is the first major skirmish of a new order in international politics, with three major powers jostling for position in ways that threaten America’s primacy. The challenges are different than those the U.S. and its network of alliances faced in the Cold War. Russia and China have built a thriving partnership based in part on a shared interest in diminishing U.S. power. Unlike the Sino-Soviet bloc of the 1950s, Russia is a critical gas supplier to Europe, while China isn’t an impoverished, war-ravaged partner but the world’s manufacturing powerhouse with an expanding military. In deploying a huge force against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding that the West rewrite the post-Cold War security arrangements for Europe and demonstrated that Russia has the military capability to impose its will despite Western objections and economic sanctions. Ukraine’s security council has declared a nationwide state of emergency, a top security official has said, as Vladimir Putin boasted of the battle-readiness of Russia’s armed forces and Joe Biden warned of an impending full-scale invasion of the country. Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine would introduce a 30-day period of emergency in a ramping up of precautions as Russian troops and blood supplies headed to frontlines in what US officials said were ‘plans for war’. It came as Russia began evacuating diplomatic staff from Ukraine after President Putin boasted of Russia’s preparedness and ‘advanced weapons’ including hypersonic missiles in a saber-rattling speech. As President Biden is due to deliver his first State of the Union address, new polling data suggests that many Black Americans aren’t happy with the direction of the U.S. economy. The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies published results of a poll which found 65 percent of Black Americans rated the economy as just fair or poor, while 61 percent said their personal economic situations were also just fair or poor. The center polled 600 Black Americans between Feb. 12 and 15, ranging in age from 18 to 64. About 50 percent of Black Americans surveyed said they think things in the U.S. have gone seriously off track, while 45 percent indicated they think things are going in the right direction. A majority of Black Americans surveyed, 73 percent, agreed that up to $50,000 of student loan debt should be forgiven, while 76 percent agree with forgiving all student loan debt. When it came to racism and discrimination, 81 percent of Black Americans surveyed said they believe it’s the federal government’s responsibility to reduce the impact on Black Americans, while 51 percent currently disapprove of the job the federal government is doing on this matter. A new short documentary and exposé published by Vanity Fair accuses Jerry Lewis of sexual harassment and assault. The interviews with actresses such as Karen Sharpe and Hope Holiday were conducted by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, the duo who tackled Mia Farrow’s allegations against Woody Allen in the HBO documentary series “Allen v Farrow” and the directors of the Oscar-nominated “The Hunting Ground.” Lewis was one of the most popular performers in the world in the 1950s and ’60s, first as part of a comic team with Dean Martin and later as the star of hits such as “The Nutty Professor” and “Cinderfella.” He died in 2017 at the age of 91. Sharpe met the actor during his commercial zenith. She was cast as Lewis’ love interest in the 1964 comedy “The Disorderly Orderly.” The actress said she was being fitted for costumes in Lewis’ office when he ordered everyone but her out of the room. Lewis allegedly “started moving in on me,” Sharpe said. “He grabbed me. He began to fondle me. He unzipped his pants. Quite frankly, I was dumbstruck.” “I put my hand up and said, ‘Wait a minute. I don’t know if this is a requirement for your leading ladies, but this is something I don’t do,’” Sharpe added. “I could see that he was furious. I got the feeling that that never really happened to him.” Sharpe could not quit the film because she had already signed a contract. When she returned to set days later, the entire crew was asked not to speak to her except the director and assistant director. The actress said Lewis also mandated he not rehearse with her. The comedian did not interact with her or acknowledge her unless they were on camera together for a scene. My Unorthodox Life star Julia Haart has been accused by her estranged husband, Silvio Scaglia, of having ‘a boob job’ and charging it to their company, Elite World Group. In new court documents, Scaglia, 63, and Haart, 50, are battling it out over whether or not she misused company resources prior to getting fired, Page Six reported on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Silvio sued Julia for ‘illegally’ withdrawing $850,000 from a company account and she fired back by accusing him of ‘bullying’ and seeking a restraining order. These latest accusations are part of the couple’s acrimonious divorce following just a few years of marriage. Haart allegedly had her breasts enhanced in December 2021 and the company she co-owned with husband Silvio is said to have footed the bill, according to Page Six. Scaglia previously fired Haart as CEO of Elite World Group, a talent agency founded by Silvio in 2011, and in court documents claims she ‘abused her role of CEO and overspent on the company’s dime.’‘Julia had a boob job in Westchester over Christmas,’ a source revealed to the outlet. ‘Her assistant Robert Brotherton also had a big makeover, all followed by the cameras for Netflix [and paid for by Elite].’ Several of the 23 categories which were presented live on the air during last year’s 93rd Oscars telecast will not be presented live on the air during the 94th Oscars telecast on March 27, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. In a move that is already causing tension within the leadership of the Academy, but is likely to be well received by the general public, the presentations and acceptance of eight awards — documentary short, film editing, makeup/hairstyling, original score, production design, animated short, live action short and sound — will take place inside the Dolby Theatre an hour before the live telecast commences, will be recorded and will then be edited into the subsequent live broadcast, a variation of a controversial approach that the Academy first adopted and then abandoned in 2018. (The Tony Awards employ a similar model.) The Academy declined comment. The move comes less than a year after the lowest-rated Oscars telecast ever provoked considerable consternation within the ranks of the Academy’s longtime broadcasting partner ABC, which owns the exclusive rights to air the ceremony through 2028, and the fees from which largely finance the operations of the Academy. The family of former America’s Got Talent star Jane ‘Nightbirde’ Marczewski has shared their ‘devastation’ over her death, after the talented singer passed away at age 31 following a four-year-long battle with cancer. The singer, from Ohio, died on Saturday, six months after she revealed that the disease had spread to her lungs, spine, and liver – forcing her to leave the singing competition show mid-way last August. Her family has now spoken out about their ‘unimaginable loss,’ while paying tribute to Marczewski’s ‘larger-than-life personality.’ ‘It is with the deepest heartache that we confirm that after a four-year battle with cancer, Jane Marczewski, known to many of you as Nightbirde, passed away on February 19, 2022. We, her family, are devastated by her passing and unimaginable loss,’ they said in a statement to DailyMail.com ‘Many remember her from America’s Got Talent, where she performed her song It’s OK and inspired millions of people around the globe with her messages of faith and never giving up. "Those who knew her, enjoyed her larger-than-life personality and sense of humor. She had a witty joke for every occasion – even if the joke was on her. A former Tesla construction manager has filed a lawsuit against the electric car company, alleging he was fired in retaliation for reporting a multitude of safety violations, shoddy oversight, and racial discrimination at Tesla’s factories. The lawsuit, filed by former employee Marc Cage in Alameda County court on Friday, marks the latest in a string of lawsuits filed by individual employees or government regulators against Tesla, revolving around allegations of racial or sexual harassment and discrimination. In his lawsuit, Cage, who is African American, alleges that he “witnessed and reported countless violations to dozens of Tesla personnel in various departments, including to the highest levels of the company” during his roughly two years working for Tesla, according to a statement from his attorneys issued Tuesday. Rather than address the issues he brought to the fore, the company fired him, the lawsuit alleges. Cage reported violations to several superiors, including a welding violation that could have led to “catastrophic, fatal explosions” at the company’s battery factory in Nevada, according to the lawsuit. Labeled as a would-be murderer, 15-year-old Martell Williams said he spent two nights last week in lockup at Waukegan’s police department. He was wrongly accused of shooting a local Dollar Store employee in the face on Feb. 4. Surveillance photos of the suspect were released by the police department in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. “The officers said that multiple people came to him and said it was me,” said Martell Williams, the teen wrongly accused of shooting the employee. The high school freshman, who is also on the basketball team, was confirmed to be at a game in Lincolnshire at the time of the shooting. A time-stamped photograph provided by the family helped to clear him. Jackson Mahomes appears to be at the center of yet another internet controversy. Rare Munchiez, a retailer that specializes in exotic food and drinks, recently called out the younger brother of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, alleging he “scammed” the company. In a video recently posted to Rare Munchiez’s TikTok page, the business claimed Jackson had reached out to them, with the company agreeing to send him a care package. The clip also features what appears to be direct messages between Jackson and Rare Munchiez, who asked the TikToker to tag them on social media upon receiving the treats. Rare Munchiez said in the alleged exchange with Jackson that the package was sent on Feb. 1, with the parcel apparently being delivered days later. In follow-up messages, Rare Munchiez asks, “did you receive it,” “when will you be posting us on your story,” and “so are you ignoring us or just haven’t received the box. A simple answer would be nice.” Jackson, who has been at the center of a few controversies this past NFL season, replied to Rare Munchiez’s post in the comments section, stating: “Never received anything from these guys…” Bodycam video of Jon Jones’ arrest in September shows the UFC star headbutt a police car during a verbal tirade with officers. Jones, the former light heavyweight champion, was arrested in Las Vegas on charges of misdemeanor battery domestic violence and injuring or tampering with a vehicle just hours after he was honored by the UFC Hall of Fame. https://youtu.be/7ejDXG4OcjY A Florida gymnast earned a perfect 10 with a sky-high floor routine set to the Squid Games theme song – after overcoming two ankle injuries that forced her to stop training for the 2020 Olympics. https://youtu.be/hhBhinIFQaU Michigan men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard has been suspended for the remaining five games of the regular season and fined $40,000 by the Big Ten Conference for slapping a Wisconsin assistant coach and igniting a brawl following Sunday’s loss in Madison. The Big Ten Conference also on Monday suspended three players one game for the altercation following the Badgers’ 77-63 win on Sunday: Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II, and Jahcobi Neath of Wisconsin. Wisconsin coach Greg Gard was fined $10,000 for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy, but was not suspended. Howard is expected be back for the Big Ten tournament, which begins March 9 in Indianapolis. ‘After taking time to reflect on all that happened, I realize how unacceptable both my actions and words were, and how they affected so many,’ Howard said Monday in a statement released by the university. ‘I am truly sorry.’ Phil Martelli will serve as Michigan’s interim coach in Howard’s absence. Michigan’s final five regular-season games are home contests with Rutgers on Wednesday, No. 15 Illinois on Sunday, Michigan State on March 1 and No. 25 Iowa on March 3 plus a visit to No. 22 Ohio State on March 6. ‘Big Ten Conference coaches and student-athletes are expected to display the highest level of sportsmanship conduct,’ Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. ‘I am grateful for the partnership with Michigan Athletics Director, Warde Manuel and Wisconsin Athletics Director, Chris McIntosh,’ Warren continued. ‘Our expectation is that the incident yesterday will provide our coaches and student-athletes with the opportunity to reflect, learn and move forward in a manner that demonstrates decorum and leadership on and off of the court.’ Maurice Griffin announces, “Life After Sunday”. Life After Sunday is a reality-based television show about arts and culture of the black community. Filmed on location in Los Angeles, CA, Houston, TX, and Atlanta, GA, Maurice has laid the groundwork for what will be a long running hit show. After being a finalist in the second season of BET’s Sunday Best, Maurice realized that there was much more to life than just being a contestant. After gaining new friends and comrades, Maurice assessed the different areas of growth in those that came before and after him in the series. Maurice said, “I’ve seen so many accomplishments of my fellow Sunday Best alumnus, they should be celebrated and have a spotlight to show their amazing careers to date.” Maurice has tapped into Kefia Rollerson, Shontelle Norman-Beatty and Alexis Spight, along with other extras for the first few tapings. The episodes are strategically crafted around each artist, where they are in life as well as their current projects. No reality show goes without its cliff hangers, and this one doesn’t disappoint. This reality show is one to look out for. Atlanta-based record label, Pebble Street Records proudly signs a new artist to their roster, Pastor Michael Lampkin. Lampkin, both a talented pianist and vocalist is known for finishing as a Top 3 Finalist on Season 5 of BET’s Sunday Best. In 2020 he released his First Ep “The Right Time” featuring notable songs, “Better” and “The Fight is Over.” Pebble Street Records was founded and launched by E. Dewey Smith at the end of 2021 and already experiencing expansion! When asked about signing his new artist, E. Dewey had this to say, “I became familiar with Michael Lampkin as a contestant on 'Sunday Best'. When I heard his voice I knew immediately that he was special! We developed a brotherhood almost four years ago and I’ve been working on signing him to the label for quite some time! He will be a mainstay in the Gospel Music industry for years to come! I’m absolutely overwhelmed with excitement about the music that we will produce together.” Followers of four-time best-selling author, financial expert, and money motivation coach, Ash Cash, will not be surprised to discover that he has released a new single, "Living In Abundance" featuring Fedarro. Ash Cash who recently released his memoir, From The Block To The Bank, is taking a few pages out of his own book, "Do Whatever You Feel (As Long As It Feels Good)" available on all music streaming outlets on February 22nd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeWFBu-fxP0 Tonight, the NAACP celebrated the second night of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards announcing the next round of winners in the non-televised award categories, which featured categories short form series, directing and writing across film and television, as well as the esteemed Activist of the Year Award, which was presented to Scot X. Esdaile. The winners were revealed tonight during the NAACP Image Awards’ Virtual Experience presented by Wells Fargo and hosted by Affion Crockett at naacpimageawards.net and YouTube. Tonight’s winners included Issa Rae for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series, “When The Sun Sets (Lakutshon' Ilanga)” for Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action), Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas- (Judas and the Black Messiah) for Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture, Bashir Salahuddin & Diallo Riddle - “South Side” – “Tornado” (208) for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series, Shaka King- “Judas and the Black Messiah” for Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture, Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren- “Black and Missing”- Ep 103 for Outstanding Directing in a Documentary, Us Again for Outstanding Short-Form (Animated). Kerry Washington is honoring Rosa Parks by recreating the civil rights activist’s famous 1955 mugshot. “A lot of people think that Rosa’s activism started with her refusing to give up her seat on the bus,” Washington wrote Monday in an Instagram post of the side-by-side photo. “But she lived a life of activism long before that. Fighting, boycotting, marching, and even working as an investigator for the NAACP, advocating against sexual assaults on Black women.” “It was Rosa Park’s act of civil disobedience on that bus that sparked a revolution,” she continued. “She took that seat in order to take a stand. That seat on the bus was her fighting stance – and so we continue the fight today, in whatever way we can!” Washington’s post continued. “Lets ask ourselves, what can we do! Sit. Stand. March. Make calls. Volunteer. Talk to your family and friends. Do whatever you can and however you can. Rosa taught us that. And we are forever grateful. It was an honor to honor her. ????????????????????????????,” she added. Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said team owner Stephen Ross offered him millions of dollars to keep quiet after he was fired in January. In his first interview since joining the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff, Flores, who is suing the Dolphins, the NFL and other teams alleging racial discrimination, told HBO Real Sports’ Bryant Gumbel he refused to sign a nondisparagement agreement (NDA) so he could speak out about his experience. Flores’ attorneys, Doug Wigdor and John Elefterakis, joined him on the show. https://youtu.be/zB4iYQAIKSs Antiracist libraries are surfacing throughout the Bay Area to in an effort to push back against the current banning of Black-themed books by conservative school boards across the country. The Walnut Creek-based nonprofit, Rise Up Against Racism, builds “Little Free Antiracist Libraries” from the ground up, filling each structure with books for children and adults that center on historically marginalized perspectives, reports the Bay Area’s ABC7. https://eurweb.com/2022/02/23/antiracist-libraries-popping-up-throughout-bay-area-amid-nationwide-school-board-whitewashing-video/ Idris Elba is ready to put his acting career on hold and focus solely on his music career. Speaking to Vanity Fair for the magazine’s 2022 Hollywood Issue, the Hollywood hunk said he hopes to “lean away from the acting work” and dedicate more time to music-making. “Some may think, ‘Well, it will be the death of your acting if your music’s s—.’ I’ve dealt with the internal struggle of that over the years. So now I’m at peace and I’ve chosen: This is what I’m doing, and I’m going to do it. Some will love it and some will hate it,” Elba said of pursuing music. He added, “The thing about making music is it’s a very consuming process. It’s very difficult to shoot a movie and then go off into the studio or make a song. It’s like trying to build a soufflé while making a brick wall.” https://youtu.be/lBA9ckGyKcw Chad Ochocinco has reacted to the news that singer KeKe Wyatt is expecting her 11th child by admitting he is ready to compete with her. On Sunday (Feb. 20), Wyatt announced on social media she’s adding another addition to her family. Keke shared the exciting news on her Instagram with a series of pictures of her baby bump and her family. In the caption, the 39-year-old wrote, “My husband, Zackariah David Darring and I are proud to announce that our family will be adding a ‘plus 1’ to the Wyatt Bunch!” She also mentioned her fourth child who was a stillbirth, adding, “Our other daughter @0fficial.kaylaaaa wasn’t available for the picture but you’re with us in spirit Shuga! #Baby11.” Upon seeing Keke’s announcement, Chad tweeted has made clear that Wyatt will not outdo him in having babies. “KeKe Wyatt really think she finna outdo me….,” the former NFL star wrote. Per Ace Showbiz, “Chad has at least eight children with seven different women. His youngest child and his first with fiancee Sharelle Rosado was born in January this year.” https://www.instagram.com/keke_wyatt/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4611d30f-ae55-4064-bc61-b4eb1c41d4c1 Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliot took to Instagram with a video showing off the bling, made by B&B Jewelry and featuring white and yellow diamonds on the chain. The pendant that represents one of her looks from the song’s video, itself an iconic visual kaleidoscope from director Hype Williams and visual designer Ron Norsworthy. The most iconic part of the video is that patent leather blow up suit, aka the “trash bag” outfit she wears during a fisheye lens shot. https://www.instagram.com/missymisdemeanorelliott/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ee00ed4e-ab31-4109-a2e8-796b2a3311d0 Megan Thee Stallion is “still in court” battling with 1501 Certified Entertainment CEO Carl Crawford over her music and contractual obligations. The rapper’s legal team “filed a petition last week asking for her 2021 project “Something for Thee Hotties” to be considered an album under her recording agreement,” per Complex. In court documents obtained by Complex and filed on Friday, Megan’s legal team at Holland & Knight claimed 1501 didn’t classify the 21-track Something for Thee Hotties as an “album,” and that the label said it didn’t satisfy her “minimum recording commitment.” Meg’s lawyers now say that, given the label’s argument, “1501 wants to tie [Megan Thee Stallion] down to release more albums under the Contract to the financial benefit of 1501.” Per Complex, “Megan owes one more album on her contract if Something for Thee Hotties gets counted as an album.” Cardi B has responded to Tasha K admitting that she does not have the $4 million dollars a judge ordered her to pay after losing a defamation case against the rapper. In a recent interview (see clip below), the blogger was asked about the case and if she had millions to pay Cardi B. “I ain’t got it,” said Tasha K in an interview with @kendallkyndall and @kendragmedia. “Listen, I ain’t got it. Don’t ask me for no money. I ain’t got it. But listen, we have business things in place that takes care of things like this.” Tasha added that she doesn’t intend on paying Cardi as the suit is headed to an appellate court. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaQhIGQgB1j/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Records acquisition won’t include 2Pac and Dr. Dre albums, according to reports. he new owner of Death Row Records, the rapper has revealed plans for it to be the first NFT record label. “Death Row will be an NFT label,” Snoop said in a Clubhouse room on Feb. 15. “We will be putting out artists through the metaverse. Just like we broke the industry when we was the first independent [label] to be major, I want to be the first major [label] in the metaverse.” Snoop Dogg rose to fame during the ’90s on Death Row Records, now he has acquired the label from MNRK Music Group, which is controlled by a private equity fund managed by Blackstone, per Variety. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed. An unnamed young man in New England is making headlines after suffering organ failure and undergoing multiple amputations from eating a leftover lo mein noodle meal. The curious case of the 19-year-old (identified only as JC) was documented in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2021 and went viral recently on the YouTube channel Chubbyemu, which created a fictional portrayal of the incident, narrated by a licensed medical provider called Dr. Bernard. https://youtu.be/EqHpnoV00j4 White “beauty influencers” on TikTok have taken tanning to a dangerous new level, and it appears to be gaining in popularity. Forget tanning lotion, beds and the ol’ fashioned UV rays from the sun. Melanin-deficient girls are now into “tanning nasal sprays,” which claim to increase production of melanin in the skin upon inhalation. Dermatologists are appalled. The sprays reportedly contain dihydroxy methylchromonyl palmitate, “a self-tanning ingredient which helps increase melanin production when used topically.” However, the ingredient has not been approved for inhalation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Also, “There’s no proven safety of ingesting dihydroxy methylchromonyl palmitate at all,” dermatologist Dr. Nancy Samolitis told Allure magazine. “Whether or not it works, we don’t know.” Dr. R. Peter Manes, a rhinologist with Yale Medicine, told Everyday Health that inhaling unapproved substances can result in a number of serious side effects that could last indefinitely. “Nasal use of medications can affect things like one’s sense of smell. They can also potentially be toxic to the cilia of the nose, which allow the nose to move mucus through it normally,” he stated. “They reached out to our manager two years ago, with the pandemic things have been postponed and push back. We’re glad to return,” said trumpeter Rodney Marsalis about his upcoming concert in Fort Myers at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on March 3, 2022. https://youtu.be/VfCVKBw6UhU T.I. has embarked on a new career journey as a stand-up comedian and comic veteran Godfrey is not impressed. In a recent interview, Godfrey spoke about being the headliner at a recent stand-up show and after his set, T.I. went on after him “and that’s a no-no, according to Godfrey,” per HotNewHipHop, so Godfrey opted not to watch the rapper’s set. “As a headliner, no one is supposed to go up after you,” he said on an episode of his In Godfrey We Trust podcast. https://youtu.be/0LuAFHz5KY0 An elite group of entertainment industry professionals to speak on the panel of the 23rd annual Baltimore “Uplifting Minds II” (ULMII) Entertainment Conference via Zoom Saturday, April 16, 2022 between 1-3pmET/10-12noonPT. The free event offers a Q&A Session with the panelists, a Professional Talent Showcase and a National Talent Competition where 10 acts – singers, songwriters, dancers or actors – compete for the Los Angeles ULMII Best Artist Award and over $17,000 valued in products ad services. The panelists consist of legendary Jazz saxophonist Dr. Marion Meadows (Shanachie Entertainment); Houston Judge Dedra Davis, a veteran entertainment attorney and current circuit court judge for the state of Houston (www.MusicLW.com); artist manager Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs, whose client is a multi-award winning SAG/AFTRA actor and filmmaker (www.Anthony-Michael.com); Consul Paul Gardner, II, Founder and General Manager of The Gardner Law Group and Entertainment Contract Specialist (www.TheGardnerLawGroup.com); Soprano Opera Singer Cheryl Warfield, who has performed on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera House (www.MoreOpera.com); Digital Magazine Publisher Dr. Lee Bailey (www.EURweb.com), who began in entertainment as a pioneering syndicated radio show jockey; Performing Arts Specialist Nadiyah Kareem (Super Star Entertainment), who managed Talib Kareem to include co-writing/producing Solange Knowles first album/single “Solo Star” and joining the Jive Records Pop group Imajin, and Multi-Award winning Anthony Michael Hobbs (www.ImaginationLunchbox.com), whose credits as an actor include Emmy nominated PBS series The Abolitionist and a project for DreamWorks and as a filmmaker he has garnered over 20 awards for his short films. Atlanta’s 11Alive is streaming live from Brunswick, Georgia where a federal court announced at 10:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Feb. 22 guilty verdicts for all three hate crime defendants in the trial of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Watch above, courtesy of 11Alive. The trial sought to determine if father and son, Gregory and Travis McMichael, and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, violated Arbery’s civil rights, which is a hate crime. The three men also faced an attempted kidnapping charge. The McMichaels faced additional charges for using and carrying a firearm during a violent crime, with Travis specifically being charged with discharging his weapon. According to 11Alive, the lone Black man on the jury shed tears during the verdict. https://youtu.be/EvOQScTjTgU Miss Alabama 2021 Zoe Sozo Bethel died Friday, eight days after she sustained serious head injuries in an undisclosed accident. “On Friday, February 18, 2022, at approximately 5:30AM Eastern time in Miami, Florida, our beloved Zoe Sozo Bethel passed from this life into the next as a result of succumbing to her injuries,” her parents wrote in a Sunday post to her Instagram page. As reported by the New York Post, Bethel’s family previously disclosed that she’d been in an accident, writing: “Zoe had an accident Thursday night, February 10th, & sustained severe damage to her brain/brainstem & is in a coma.” “Unfortunately the doctors are saying the damage cannot be repaired & that she may not have much time left,” they added. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaOUZjADXxB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again President Joe Biden speaks on the Russia and Ukraine situation, a day after the White House said the United States, in coordination with allies and partners, will announce severe new sanctions and export controls against Russia in response to Moscow’s decision to recognize two breakaway regions of Ukraine as independent and send troops there. President Biden spoke from the East Room at the White House on Feb. 22, making remarks about sanctions in response to Russia’s deployment of troops into two pro-Russian separatist regions of Ukraine. https://youtu.be/9yGINzJHKao As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to boil to a potential tipping point, evangelist Franklin Graham is encouraging his followers to pray for Russian President Vladimir Putin — and he’s facing rebuke as a result. “Pray for President Putin,” Graham wrote on Twitter and Facebook, noting his request could spark frustration. “This may sound like a strange request, and I might get some angry comments, but we need to pray that God would work in his heart so that war — and the loss of thousands of lives — could be avoided at all cost.” The evangelist went on to ask for wisdom for the world leaders involved in the dispute, noting prayer could have a life-saving impact. “Our prayers might make the difference between life and death,” Graham said. But some took immediate issue with Graham’s call. As The Christian Post noted, Democratic congressional candidate Scott Huffman lambasted the evangelist’s prayer call. “Franklin Graham asks his followers to pray for Putin. Guess he forgot about the Ukrainians and our NATO allies,” he wrote. “It’s almost like he supports the enemy who is about to declare war and kill people.” Democratic operative Jon Cooper added his dismay into the mix. “Trump-loving evangelist Franklin Graham just told his followers: ‘Pray for President Putin today,’” he tweeted. “Unreal. The shooting death of Walking Dead actor Moses J. Moseley – initially believed to be a suicide – is now being investigated as possible foul play due to new evidence, as family members suspect he was kidnapped and murdered with his death made to look like suicide. The 31-year-old Moseley, who who appeared on the Walking Dead from 2012 to 2015 playing the armless and jawless Mike, a pet zombie, was found dead in his car late last month in Stockbridge, Georgia, a city on the outskirts of Atlanta, with a bullet to the head and a gun on his lap. Relatives said they hadn’t heard from the actor since January 23. They filed a missing person’s report on on January 26, TMZ reports. They then contacted car security company OnStar, which tracked his vehicle to where his body was found that day. Cops originally suspected that Moseley took his own life. On Sunday, @bscott broke the news that “The Wendy Williams Show” will be coming to an end. Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury, the producer-distributor of The Wendy Williams Show, is now confirming the report. A daytime syndicated talk show hosted by Sherri Shepherd (The View, Dish Nation) will succeed The Wendy Williams Show, according to Deadline citing a statement. “Sherri” will make its syndication debut on the Fox Television Stations and broadcasters nationwide in fall 2022 and will inherit the Fox O&O time slots of Wendy. “Sherri is a natural who proved her hosting skills for many years as a panelist on The View, on Fox’s Dish Nation and again this season as a popular guest host of Wendy,” Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said. “Like our viewers, we have been impressed by the unique comedic twist Sherri puts on our daily live ‘Hot Topics’ segment, her creativity, and interactions with our guests. Her love for the content and daytime fans is obvious, and we are excited to partner with her to create another long-term talk franchise.” Shepherd said, “OMG! I am so excited to have my dream come true and debut my very own talk show SHERRI in the fall. I can’t wait until I return to NY to host the show and merge everything I love…pop culture, talk, entertainment and comedy. I am thankful to Debmar-Mercury and FOX for partnering with me on this show and look forward to this new journey.” “The Wendy Williams Show” had been canceled and will be replaced by “Sherri” with Sherri Shepherd as host. In the wake of that announcement, Wendy Williams released a statement through her rep, Howard Bragman. “It’s been a challenging time for Wendy as she deals with her health issues. She is incredibly grateful to Debmar-Mercury, to Sherri and everybody else who has supported the show through this time,” Bragman said in his statement to Deadline. “She, more than anyone, understands the reality of syndicated television — you can’t go to the marketplace and sell a show that’s The Maybe Wendy Show,” Bragman added. “She understands why this decision was made from a business point of view, and she has been assured by Debmar-Mercury that should her health get to a point where she can host again and should her desire be that she hosts again that she would be back on TV at that time.” https://youtu.be/k8Uz6fOv1g8 Boosie Badazz sat down for a lengthy interview with VladTV about the backlash to his controversial remarks about the LGBT community. The Louisiana rapper has released his latest album “Heartfelt,” and revealed that the project lacks features from fellow artists because many have stopped associating with him “after all the gay sh*t.” Boosie tells the outlet that his past comments about the LGBT community and openly gay rapper Lil Nas X and Dwyane Wade’s transgender daughter, Zaya, have rappers in the industry giving him the side-eye. https://youtu.be/OIdHSOHzSrY Gabrielle Union opens up in the latest issue of PEOPLE about her haircare journey and the relaunch of her product line, Flawless by Gabrielle Union. Speaking to the publication ahead of her participation in Sally Beauty’s first-ever roundtable discussion, with host Taraji P. Henson, Union said she began using chemical treatments on her hair, such as relaxer, in order to “fit in” with societal standards when it comes to beauty. Per People, “Union began using the treatment, starting at age eight and not stopping until 15 years later.” vhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CZze1EojIME/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Halle Berry’s daughter was shocked to see her mother kiss a woman in her film Bruised. The actress, 55, plays mixed martial arts fighter Jackie Justice who is making a comeback to the sport after falling from grace while battling some personal issues. And Jackie enjoys a short romance with trainer Bobbi Buddhakan, played by Sheila Atim, 31, prompting Halle’s 13-year-old daughter Nahla to demand a conversation with her mother about love on screen and sexuality. Halle said, according to The Sun: ‘So Nahla watches the love scene (with a man). She’s looking at me and she’s like, “Oh, whoa, mum. Really? Wow!” So then, my editor, who’s sitting next to me not really realising my daughter is there, says, “Go to the second love scene, I want to see what that looks like.” Well, that’s a love scene with a woman. ‘My daughter’s like, “Whoa, Mum, we need to have some conversations. You didn’t tell me.” The sister of actress Lindsey Pearlman, who was discovered dead in Los Angeles last week days after being reported missing, is now advocating for suicide prevention by sharing the link of a hotline that helps those struggling with thoughts of self-harm. Pearlman, 43, was known for her work on television series such as Chicago Justice, General Hospital and Empire. She was the subject of a desperate five-day search after abruptly disappearing February 13. Her cousin, Savannah Pearlman, posted a tweet Saturday on behalf of the actress’s sister, Marni Pearlman ‘Please know that you are never truly alone,’ she tweeted. ‘Lindsey’s sister has asked that we share the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255.’ Her older sister Marni, 46, posted a brief statement Saturday on Facebook, saying: ‘Thank you to everyone who helped spread the news to search for my sister. She’s been found. She is gone. We are broken. Please respect our privacy at this time.’ Justin Bieber has tested positive for COVID-19. The 27-year-old learned about the diagnosis on Saturday and is feeling OK, a representative for the Baby singer told TMZ. Justin’s concert at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, set to take place today, has now been postponed to the summer. It is unknown when exactly Justin contracted the virus, and it remains to be seen whether or not his shows in Arizona and Los Angeles – both scheduled for this week – will also be rescheduled. It was revealed the Las Vegas show had been postponed to June 28 in a statement posted to Twitter on Saturday. Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy is an Amazon Original three-part docuseries now premiering exclusively on Prime Video. Stand-up comics remember the urban comedy explosion of Phat Tuesdays. In the words of Anthony Anderson, Tiffany Haddish, Steve Harvey, Regina King and more, Phat Tuesdays tells the unbelievable story of how one man, Guy Torry, moved mountains to launch an all-Black comedy night at The Comedy Store. What started as an experiment in 90’s Los Angeles, turned into a breeding ground for today’s greatest comedians, elevating Black voices to have their turn on the stage which helped changed the trajectory of their careers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnoyUIwJb68 If “walk it like I talk it” was a person, it would be Robin Rue Simmons. The former alderman in Evanston, Illinois, made history in 2019 when she successfully instituted a reparations program specifically geared toward her city’s Black constituents who are linked to earlier generations of racist discrimination. Simmons’ efforts have unequivocally helped bolster interest in pending legislation for a national reparations program. But even with the pomp and circumstance of cultural observances like Black History Month, the Martin Luther King federal holiday and things like honorary street naming's helping to raise awareness of the movement for reparations, Simmons cautioned that any rejoicing from her program was premature. “We have still not done the work to repair past harm that was intentionally anti-Black,” Simmons said. Being a respected news outlet comes with much responsibility, especially one that heavily covers race relations — take it from us! One of the longest-running publications that also happens to serve a predominately Black audience is the Baltimore Sun, and it recently drew public attention to a past history of racism that’s gone ignored for the newspaper’s entire 185 years in print. That is, until now. Lifting the paywall that usually requires readers to subscribe to read online articles, the Baltimore Sun editorial board released a lengthy apology in article form last week to call out its own legacy rooted in its founder, Arunah S. Abell. https://www.instagram.com/baltimoresun/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1686fa2d-be1c-48e9-ad83-82735930362d According to #KTLA, #SugeKnight‘s former lawyer has been permanently disbarred from practicing law after pleading guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy and perjury charges.? #MatthewFletcher, 57, who represented Knight when he faced murder charges in 2016, pleaded no contest to conspiracy and perjury charges.? During Knight’s murder trial, Fletcher was accused of bribing potential witnesses.? Prosecutors charged Fletcher with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit subornation of perjury, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, and accessory after the fact after obtaining a warrant to listen in on Fletcher and Knight’s jailhouse phone calls.? It is alleged that Fletcher attempted to pay witnesses to testify that there were guns near the scene of the 2016 incident when Knight struck two men with his truck, which would corroborate his claim that he acted in self-defense.? Fletcher also allegedly told Knight it would cost him “$20,000 to $25,000” to obtain his freedom. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaIuZaLr97b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The CIAA basketball tournament is one of the biggest events in all of HBCU sports every year. The historic all-HBCU athletic conference crowns a champion in front of some of the most unique fans in the country. Yet, the play on the court is far from the only thing that sets this nearly week-long spectacle apart. The CIAA tournament holds a significant place in HBCU culture and there are usually a plethora of events and activities that span every age demographic. That includes famous musicians showcasing their talents at some of the marquee events. This year will be no different when artists like The Magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Legendary DJ Kool, DJ Kid Capri, Chubb Rock, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, YoYo, Monie Luv Rakim, and Michel’le pull up and show out in Baltimore from Tuesday through Saturday. While the lineups rock year, the true essence of the CIAA tournament isn’t in the music or basketball — it’s in the camaraderie, tradition and legacy passed down from generation to generation in the HBCU community. https://twitter.com/i/status/1495443354837991424 The legendary Mo’Nique recently joined TS Madison and did she bring the heat! She opened an interview about the falling through of her past shows, her Netflix lawsuit, and drama with Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. The Queen of Comedy said that Tyler Perry agreed to meet with her on two conditions: she would have to come without Sidney Hicks – her husband and manager – and publicly apologize for accusing them (Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey) of being responsible for the demise of her thriving career. https://youtu.be/AOiXBlG7gsA Kim Kardashian’s sisters Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner have unfollowed Kanye West on social media after Kim deleted him from her follow list. Their mother, Kris Jenner, still follows the rapper, as insiders claim she allegedly owns a great percentage of his royalties and brand. Kanye (aka Ye) has spent several weeks harassing his estranged wife and her new boytoy Pete Davidson online. He took to Instagram recently to ask fans for divorce advice amid his co-parenting drama with Kim and has expressed his concerns over their eldest daughter North West having a TikTok account. “SINCE THIS IS MY FIRST DIVORCE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO ABOUT MY DAUGHTER BEING PUT ON TIK TOK AGAINST MY WILL ?” Ye captioned a screenshot of one of North’s TikTok videos. Actor and director Kadeem Hardison is known for his iconic TV role as Dwayne Wayne on the groundbreaking NBC sitcom A Different World, which aired for seven seasons, from 1987 through 1993, and highlighted the lives and relationships of Black college students attending the fictional HBCU, Hillman College. The show also starred Lisa Bonet, Marisa Tomei, Jasmine Guy, Sinbad, Jada Pinkett Smith, Cree Summer and Darryl M. Bell among others. Actor and director Kadeem Hardison is known for his iconic TV role as Dwayne Wayne on the groundbreaking NBC sitcom A Different World, which aired for seven seasons, from 1987 through 1993, and highlighted the lives and relationships of Black college students attending the fictional HBCU, Hillman College. The show also starred Lisa Bonet, Marisa Tomei, Jasmine Guy, Sinbad, Jada Pinkett Smith, Cree Summer and Darryl M. Bell among others. https://youtu.be/EtvG9mBJJO4 Dr. Dre‘s “Still D.R.E.” music video featuring Snoop Dogg has hit one billion views on YouTube. The two hip-hop icons performed the track as part of a melody of Dre’s hits during Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, alongside Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and special guest 50 Cent. https://youtu.be/_CL6n0FJZpk Pepsi has decided to no longer sponsor the Super Bowl Halftime Show but will remain a sponsor of the National Football League. “The rights to the halftime show are being pitched with an annual price tag of $40-50 million, with one of the factors being whether the brand already serves as a league sponsor. Contenders mentioned by SBJ include Verizon and Amazon. Yes, that’s a lot of money for fewer than 15 minutes. But it’s a massive audience,” per Pro Football Talk. Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter previously explained that the league is looking for ways to make the halftime show bigger by “taking different aspects of it making it stand way outside of the 12 minutes.” The extra content could include, “documentary footage around the preparations for the show or behind-the-scenes access, or footage from dress rehearsals or bonus performances.” The bonus content would result in more value for the sponsor. Meanwhile, we reported earlier that NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl LVI averaged 99.2 million viewers, while 1.9 million tuned in on Telemundo. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, the total number of viewers who watched the game on TV as well as streaming and digital platforms climbed to 112.3 million, according to Nielsen. Ricky Dillard has released a new collection of songs following the release of his recent album Breakthrough: The Exodus! Listen to the Begins With Me https://rickydillard.lnk.to/BeginsWithMeEM?utm_campaign=177782_MOTG%202.21_231797_US&utm_source=dotmailer&utm_medium=email&dm_i=4YUT,3T6E,4SQSQ,I39Z Tye Tribbett drops We Overcome which including songs like “If He Did It Before… Same God,” “You Are Everything” and more, this collection of songs from Tye Tribbet are certain to get you in the worship mood. Listen to We Overcome now! https://tyetribbett.lnk.to/WeOvercomeEM?utm_campaign=177782_MOTG%202.21_231797_US&utm_source=dotmailer&utm_medium=email&dm_i=4YUT,3T6E,4SQSQ,I3AJ,1 Inspirational, Christian, and Gospel recording artist Greg Monk has released another warm, full-hearted, relatable song. We all have dreams and plans, but somehow they don't always work out the way we think they would, and we eventually come to realize God has a "Better Plan." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8mykhV7EJ8 Vladimir Putin ordered a ‘peacekeeping mission’ in Ukraine’s eastern breakaways of Donetsk and Luhansk after Joe Biden hit the two regions with sanctions following Russia declaring them ‘independent republics’. Putin’s decrees declaring DPR and LPR as sovereign states also included so-called ‘peacekeeping’ missions – the first real step toward a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Biden immediately issued on Monday economic sanctions on the two regions, which was met with criticism that the punishment did not extend directly to Russia or Putin. Jim Scuitto, a CNN national security who served as chief of staff to the U.S. Ambassador to China under Obama, said of the sanctions: ‘Is this really it?’ White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki assured in her Monday statement that there will be further measures taken in coordination with U.S. allies and partners if Russia further invades Ukraine. ‘We are continuing to closely consult with Allies and partners, including Ukraine, on next steps and on Russia’s ongoing escalation along the border with Ukraine,’ she wrote. Racism within fire departments is not new. But firefighters at a Pennsylvania fire department sunk to a new level after getting caught making racist statements about an eight-year-old Black child killed last summer. Caught on tape, a member of the Briarcliffe Fire Company mocked Fanta Bility, who three police officers killed in Sharon Hill, a town near Darby Township. This isn’t the first time firefighters at Briarcliffe have been accused of racist misconduct. Tim Eichelman, president and deputy chief of the township’s Goodwill Fire Company, told WHYY News that the company has received complaints of racism for years. The two-hour-long call, which Eichelman recorded, only shined a small light on a long history of racial injustice embedded within the squad. “Letters have been written to the township before about their behavior, and their racist remarks, but there was no action taken because nobody ever heard it,” Eichelman told the outlet, noting how some firemen would refuse to service Black areas of Darby Township. Former NFL player and coach Charley Taylor passed away Saturday at the age of 80. Taylor first joined the NFL in 1964, playing for the Washington team. According to ESPN, Taylor played in eight Pro Bowls and still has the most receptions in league history. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984, Taylor spent 14 years with the Washington team first as a halfback and then wide-receiver. He later transitioned from player to scout to member of the coaching staff. While his cause of death was not released, news reports indicate he had been in an assisted living facility in Virginia at the time of his death. Born in Grand Prairie, Texas in 1941, Taylor is best known for football but was an all-around athlete also playing baseball in high school and college. He went on to attend Arizona State University and was the number three pick in the first round of the 1964 NFL draft. His hall of fame profile highlights, he was the first rookie player in 20 years to finish in the NFL’s top 10 in rushing and receiving. “He had those great, smooth, classical moves that you just don’t teach,” Arizona State head coach Frank Kush said in a prior interview with NFL Films. “I still feel very strongly that he would have to be one of the all-time greats. He had it all. He was poetry on a football field.” A member of the Arizona State inaugural Sports Hall of Fame, Taylor still holds the Washington franchise record for total touchdowns. https://twitter.com/i/status/1495214370800177152 A Mississippi-based dentist is on a mission to eradicate socioeconomic barriers that impact access to quality dental care. Dr. LaMonica Davis Taylor has launched a mobile dentist facility to serve underprivileged youth in her community. Dr. Taylor—who founded Smiles on Broadway Dental Care in Jackson—has taken her practice on the road to bring dental services to schools in neighborhoods where health care shortages exist. She and her team provide emergency and preventative dental care for nearly 100 students at each school. The Spelman alumna—who holds a degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s School of Dentistry—says her awareness of the inequities prompted her to use her practice as an avenue to develop a solution. An East Cleveland police officer was caught on camera kicking a black man in the back while he was complying with the officer’s demands. According to Police Chief Scott Gardner, the officer has been placed on administrative leave but will stay on police payroll through a collective bargaining agreement. The incident began when officer Ian McInnes approached the black man outside of Best Steak N Gyros House in East Cleveland. He ordered the man to get on the ground or he would get tased. But the viral video, as well as the police bodycam show the man complying with the officer’s demands. Once the man was knelled to the ground, Officer McInnes kicked him in the small of his back, jolting him forward until his face smacked against the concrete. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-jOmHDufg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A white teacher in Queens, NY was arrested Thursday after he was accused of brutally throwing a Black student into a wall, then slamming him to the ground. Colin McNally, the PE teacher and Varsity Boys tennis coach at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, was caught on video during a physical altercation he had with a 14-year-old student. According to reports, McNally approached the student after he was playing basketball in the gym. Officials say McNally took the ball from the student, when the young boy tried to take the ball back from McNally, he grabbed the boy by the shirt, tossed him against the wall with one hand, then flipped him on the ground. McNally continues his assault on the student, holding the boy’s head between his legs until another student comes to break it up. https://twitter.com/i/status/1494429639971856399 Now-former NBC Sports reporter Michele Tafoya has recently left the world of Sunday Night Football with big plans to enter the political arena. According to the New York Post, she’s “co-chairing the Minnesota gubernatorial campaign of Republican candidate Kendall Qualls.” In an interview with Fox News hostTucker Carlson, she described herself as someone with a “middle-ground moderate viewpoint,” but that’s not who she is. Tafoya is a white woman with a white viewpoint who is joining an infinite chorus line of white conservatives who are denouncing critical race theory without having a clue what CRT is. Juan Williams of FOX News recently published an opinion piece in which he slams drill music and blames it for America’s racial problem. In the article titled “Rap and drill music is part of America’s racial problem,” Williams writes, “Gangsta rap,” said the senior political analyst, “has grown even more deadly, evolving into drill music.” “And make no mistake, the person doing the ‘drilling,’ is a young Black man firing at another young Black man,” Williams wrote. “There are real world consequences coming from these celebrations of Black-on-Black violence.” The 67-year-old journalist noted that “most of the bloodshed is among young Black men and in Black communities.” The handshake line after Sunday’s Michigan-Wisconsin game erupted into chaos and culminated in a Michigan coach Juwan Howard hitting a member of Wisconsin’s coaching staff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHb7vjieEis One of the suspects in the murder of rapper Young Dolph is missing after he was released from an Indiana jail in January. U.S. Marshals arrested Shundale Barnett along with accused killer Justin Johnson on Jan. 11 in Indiana. Barnett was a passenger in the vehicle driven with Johnson when he was captured. Officials in Indiana say Shelby County told them to release Barnett. Barnett was charged with being an accessory to a role in helping Johnson flee from Memphis, officials said. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Barnett also faced charges of criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder and theft of property. He was held in Indiana and was supposed to be extradited to Memphis with Johnson but officials say that did not happen. He is now wanted by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Clay County Sheriff Paul Harden said they have “no idea” where Barnett is. Music pioneer Jamal Edwards has died at age 31. As reported by PEOPLE, Edwards helped launched the careers of various British artists including Ed Sheeran, Jessie J and Rita Ora. Jamal’s mother, Brenda Edwards confirmed his death in a statement shared on social media Monday. “It is with the deepest heartache that I confirm that my beautiful son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness,” she wrote on Twitter. “Myself, his sister Tanisha and the rest of his family and friends are completely devastated. He was the center of our world.” “As we come to terms with his passing we ask for privacy to grieve this unimaginable loss,” Brenda — a host on the UK daytime show “Loose Women” —continued. “I would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support.” Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski, the singer whose breakout performance as a contestant on the latest season of “America’s Got Talent” made her a fan favorite, has died at 31 after battling cancer. Show host Terry Crews shared the news on social media Monday. Crews shared a photo of Nightbirde to Instagram, writing, “We are saddened to learn about @_nightbirde’s Passing. Our Condolences goes to her Closest Family & Friends in such of This difficult time. We Love you, Nightbirde.” USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Marczewski and “AGT” for comment. TMZ first reported the news of the singer’s death. Ohio singer Marczewski had to withdraw from the NBC competition show midway through the 16th season in August, revealing at the time her health had “taken a turn for the worse” since her audition. The singer-songwriter’s exit came just after she captured America’s heart during her emotional performance of her original song about being more than her cancer, titled “I’m OK,” which earned her a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell. “I am so sad to announce that I won’t be able to continue forward on this season of AGT,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “Life doesn’t always give breaks to those that deserve it — but we knew that already.” Kanye West (aka Ye) could face criminal charges for allegedly punching a fan seeking an autograph. Per TMZ, “… cops have nearly completed their investigation into the case, and will soon ship their findings off to the L.A. City Attorney’s Office, who will decide on whether to file any criminal charges against Kanye.” According to the report, paparazzi video of the January incident and witness statements is enough evidence for a criminal charge. The rapper’s busy schedule is the reason why he has not been interviewed by the police, according to the report. https://youtu.be/W3IvQ68Fk2s Ne-Yo recently appeared on “The Cruz Show” on Real 92.3 in Los Angeles and called out “super misogynistic” music that he is urging women to stop embracing and dancing to. “It’s gotten super misogynistic, which I don’t understand,” the singer said of R&B music, as reported by Black Enterprise. “And, mind you, I can only blame us men halfway for that. Because as a woman, if a man sings the word ‘bitch’ to you and you smile at him, then he’s probably going to do it again.” “The more misogynistic the lyrics get, the more y’all accept it, the more it’s gonna happen,” Ne-Yo added. “That’s just kinda what that is. So, ladies, I love y’all to death but if y’all want men to stop calling you ‘bitches,’ stop dancing to them records.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CaD-MT8Fk0_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A rodent infestation at a Family Dollar warehouse in Arkansas has prompted the discount chain to recall a wide range of products and temporarily close more than 400 stores in six states. The states include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Per the report, “more than 2,300 rodents were collected between March 29 and Sept. 17, 2021, according to the FDA.” The contaminated products include “human foods (including dietary supplements (vitamin, herbal and mineral supplements), cosmetics (skin care products, baby oils, lipsticks, shampoos, baby wipes), animal foods (kibble, pet treats, wild bird seed), medical devices (feminine hygiene products, surgical masks, contact lens cleaning solutions, bandages, nasal care products) and over-the-counter (OTC) medications (pain medications, eye drops, dental products, antacids, other medications for both adults and children).” Per the report, “rodent contamination may cause salmonella and infectious diseases,” the FDA said. https://youtu.be/PHsJaY3rWxc Millions of people around the world rely on GPS technology every day to navigate roadways, the sky and the oceans. What was once relegated to large paper maps, or sometimes multiple small maps, now works seamlessly on tiny smartphones or navigation devices at the touch of a finger. And the development of that technology is thanks in large part to the intellect of one trailblazing Black woman. Global Positioning System (GPS) was developed and originally used for military purposes, but these days the technology is used in ways that few could have predicted decades ago, including one of the developers herself, innovator and pioneer, Dr. Gladys Mae West. West programed large-scale computers in the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division and worked as a project manager for data-processing systems used for information gathered by satellites. The results of the work she did eventually led to the creation of GPS. https://youtu.be/McIemoQWv64 With AT&T’s 3G network shutting down next week, and other carriers following suit later this year, a range of products are about to stop working, including some home alarm systems, medical devices such as fall detectors, and in-car crash notification and roadside assistance systems such as General Motors’ OnStar. Just as many mobile carriers have urged customers to swap their older 3G iPhones, Android phones, e-readers and other handheld devices for newer models ahead of the shutdown, other businesses are urging customers to upgrade or replace some of the everyday products and services in their homes and cars before they drop connectivity. Award-winning actress Viola Davis plays Michelle Obama in Showtime’s new drama series “The First Lady.” The cast also features Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaFmxhdgelF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Beyoncé and Zendaya are in talks to join forces to remake Douglas Sirk’s classic 1959 drama “Imitation of Life.” The original film starred Lana Turner, Juanita Moore and Sandra Dee. The film “is based on the best-selling novel by Fannie Hurst, revolves around a white woman who takes in an African-American widow and her daughter, Sarah Jane, whose fair skin allows her to pass as white,” per New York Post. The film deals with issues of race, class and gender, and was nominated for two Academy Awards. If the project moves forward with the two stars, Beyoncé is reportedly interested in producing while Zendaya will star. https://youtu.be/HaanE7v6uJI Two generations of GOAT's shared an embrace at the NBA All-Star Game Sunday evening and instantly went viral, before one of them went on to go viral again for his last second shot to win the game … on his hometown court. After the presentation of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Michael Jordan and LeBron James had a moment. Jordan was the last player introduced, surprising many by flying up from Florida following his appearance at the Daytona 500. The former Chicago Bulls star and the current Lakers star shared a hug on the floor, as cameras soaked it in. https://youtu.be/mt3FT14IOTM Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, Tabitha Brown and many more Black actresses have had to deal with the horrors of the beauty trailer on set because stylists were not trained on how to do Black hair or makeup. Luckily, Black Beauty Roster, a platform for diverse hair and makeup education, has partnered with WarnerMedia to train professional stylists how to treat Black hair and skin. This partnership aims to increase the diversity of beauty professionals in the media industry as well as improve the ways in which Black characters are styled and costumed for the screen. BBR Co-founder Simone Tetteh said BBR was inspired by the racial reckoning of summer 2020. While reflecting on the value of Black life and Black talent, she realized one group that needed advocacy were Black beauty professionals. “I think we’ve all seen the stories and the tweets and heard about these horror stories that happened when there is just a lack of diversity behind the camera. We’re in a really interesting place where for the first time, I think in my lifetime, I’m able to turn on any channel or any streaming service and see someone who looks like me. And as great as that diversity is, we recognize that at same diversity is not in the hair and makeup chair,” said Tetteh. The partnership with WarnerMedia was a result of their summit held last year. The WarnerMedia team reached out to BBR and they joined them in a panel, learning more how they can be a better ally and advocate. Tamar Braxton has responded to artist and influencer Todrick Hall calling her a drag queen on a recent “Celebrity Big Brother” episode. “It’s so funny because I think her personality sometimes supersedes her talent and sometimes people focus on that,” he told fellow housemates on the show, as reported by Shine My Crown. “She is deemed ‘extra’ and stuff. She’s basically, like to me, a gay man or drag queen trapped in a woman’s body. She’s hilarious. She’s so funny to me.” Hall continued, “She can cook. Her voice is out of control. Her range … she can sing so high. She can belt so high. There’s not a note I know of that she can’t sing.” Following his comments, Braxton made clear that there is no love lost between the two. A Chicago elementary school has unveiled a new sign letting people know it is leaving behind the name of a racist and will instead honor a woman known for helping Black people escape slavery, Harriet Tubman. The sign comes about a year after a group of parents successfully pushed for the school — long named after Swiss American biologist Louis Agassiz — to change its name to the Harriet Tubman Elementary School. Officials at Chicago Public Schools are letting other schools in the city change their names after the Chicago Sun-Times reported in late 2020 that 30 of its schools were named after slaveholders and others were named after racists such as Agassiz. The Board of Education could vote on an updated policy for school name changes next week, the Sun-Times reported. CPS said in a statement that the new name is “more inclusive and representative” of the district’s values. Delta Air Lines is bringing Hampton University as its first HBCU to be a part of their Propel Collegiate Pilot Career Path Program in an effort to “broaden diversity and build upon the significant legacy people of color have contributed to aviation.” The program launched in 2018 to groom the next generation of pilots. According to the press release, The Hamptonites are now eligible to join the program and will have the opportunity to receive a job offer after the program once passing the airline’s rigorous standards. “Adding Hampton University as a Delta Air Lines Propel partner evokes a myriad of thoughts and emotions,” said First Officer Monique Grayson, an interviewer for the Propel program. “Delta says connecting the world requires that we first respect the world through seeking diversity, promoting inclusion, creating equity, and driving accountability towards these goals. Considering the history of HBCU’s and that of Delta, I am proud to see the company doing just that. I am grateful to the individuals who have worked behind the scenes to provide opportunities to a group that has been underrepresented in this field for far too long.” Actress and entrepreneur Issa Rae is furthering her efforts to empower her hometown. The California native recently teamed up with Airbnb and Nasdaq to gift the Los Angeles-based nonprofit LeadersUp with a donation. Since its inception in 2014, LeadersUp has been dedicated to advancing economic equity. With a focus on addressing youth unemployment, the organization leads initiatives to eradicate socio-economic barriers standing in the way of educational and career opportunities. The nonprofit aims to bridge the gap between untapped talent and corporate America. Over the past eight years, LeadersUp has served 60,000 young adults and supported 200 companies in diversifying their talent pools. The $100,000 donation will create more impactful and effective career development programs and job creation in South L.A. According to a study conducted by USC, there are nearly 73,000 opportunity youth living in the city of Los Angeles. The endowment will also support the creation of a community impact fund that will help provide those from marginalized communities with access to mental health services, enrichment opportunities and tech tools. LeadersUp will join forces with organizations that include the Brotherhood Crusade and Central Neighborhood Health Foundation for these efforts. Stephen Curry got another 3-point record. LeBron James got another All-Star win. Not a bad night in Ohio for the two All-Stars from Akron. ‘It’s right on the nose of how it should go,’ Curry said. Curry turned boos to oohs and aahs with the greatest long-distance shooting performance in All-Star Game history, then James made a turnaround jumper that gave Team LeBron a 163-160 victory over Team Durant on Sunday night. Curry made 16 three-pointers and scored 50 points, two off Anthony Davis’ record. He was clearly hunting it, asking on the sideline during a sizzling third quarter how many points it would take. On a night both players were among the greats of the game who were honored during a half-time ceremony celebrating the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, Curry and James showed why they continue to stand out among today’s best. A Virginia high school senior who was born with no right leg and a left leg that ends at the middle of his thigh took home a state wrestling championship, surprising everyone but himself. “Really if you work hard, you can do anything — even win a state championship without legs,” Adonis Lattimore said Saturday, after winning first place in the Virginia High School League Class 6, 106-pound weight class at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. The Virginian-Pilot reports that the Landstown High School senior, who also has just one finger on his right hand, had Eagles coach James Sanderlin cheering wildly while the crowd roared its approval during the final seconds as he defeated his opponent. “Amazing,” Sanderlin said. “He did all the work. I just get to be a part of the journey. It’s an amazing feeling to watch him do it and have the support of the crowd. It was awesome. He’s a hard-working young man. I’m just speechless.” Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian troops to invade Ukraine, intelligence sources in the US claimed on Sunday afternoon. Sources alleged Russian commanders on the ground have received orders to proceed with an invasion of Kiev and they are now making specific battle plans on how they will attack. No less than 75 per cent of Putin’s conventional forces are now poised at the Ukrainian border, it emerged tonight, as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warned that ‘we are on the brink of an invasion’. It is thought Moscow will start the invasion with a cyber-assault before unleashing a campaign of missile and airstrikes before ground troops attempt to take Ukrainian cities and towns, reports CBS News. The invading Russian force reportedly has the ability to invade and take much of the country. The dire warnings come as Putin and his ally Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko extended military drills in Belarus that were due to end on Sunday, meaning an estimated 30,000 Russian troops will remain there. The Queen has tested positive for Covid, Buckingham Palace has said. The monarch is experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms” but expects to continue “light duties” at Windsor over the coming week, the palace said. “She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines,” it added in a statement. The Queen, 95, had been in contact with her eldest son and heir, the Prince of Wales, who tested positive last week. It is understood a number of people have tested positive at Windsor Castle, where the Queen resides. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from Covid and a rapid return to vibrant good health.” Ukraine’s president has called on the West to stop their ‘appeasement’ of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts, to a standing ovation from world leaders. Volodymyr Zelensky told a security forum in Munich that his country deserves stronger international support after acting as a buffer against Russian expansion. The conference had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler’s Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war. Zelensky said today: ‘Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security … ‘But we have a right – a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace.’ He added: ‘For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield. For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world.’ Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine appear to be ‘in motion’ and could cause ‘the destruction of a democratic state’ and ‘the shock will echo around the world’. The Prime Minister said that aggression in separatist-held areas in the east of Ukraine had the potential be a ‘prelude to bigger action’, with the West fearing a so-called ‘false flag’ operation that could give Moscow cover to wage war on Kyiv. Mr Johnson made the comments to broadcasters following his speech to the Munich Security Conference, where he is meeting world leaders to discuss the tension in eastern Europe. Speaking at the summit today, Mr Johnson said the ‘omens are grim’ from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not ‘underestimate the gravity of this moment’. While in Munich, Mr Johnson has held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – to whom he offered the UK’s ‘unequivocal support’ – and has met German chancellor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of Latvia and Estonia. A helicopter crashed into the ocean just off Miami Beach on Saturday afternoon, law enforcement said. The crash happened around 1:10 p.m. near 10th St. The video footage was shared by the police department showing the helicopter falling out of the sky rapidly as beachgoers were having a regular day in the sun. According to authorities, no casualties were reported, but two people who are in stable condition were transported to the hospital. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaLoWDNlV9n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again According to scholar Dr. Gerald Horne, former President Barack Obama‘s father was Africa’s Central Intelligence Agency asset. The scholar who holds the Moores Professorship of History and African Studies at the University of Houston believes that the Kenyan- born U.S. – educated Barack Husein Obama Sr. worked for the CIA. Dr. Horner is an author of 17 books, including “Black & Brown: Africans and the Mexican Revolution, 1910 – 1920.” The publication ConvertAction by Horne explains that Barack Obama Sr. was recruited by the CIA and served as a protégé of Tom Mboya. The latter was a Luo- Kenyan anti-communist and pro-capitalist who served as a representative of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions – ICTFU. The union received convert CIA funding via the AFL- CIO – the leading American federation of unions. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations comprises national and international unions. According to the scholar, the U.S. was grooming Mboya to replace Jomo Kenyatta, who was more radical, according to Moguldum. From legendary draft picks to a Grammy Award-winning music lineup, the buildup to the 71st NBA All-Star game has reached a fever pitch. The game, which will air live Sunday on TNT at 8 p.m. ET, will see LeBron James and Kevin Durant face off at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the second consecutive season in which team Lebron and Team Durant will go head-to-head. Skills Challenge. https://youtu.be/UeMz945EdpU From legendary draft picks to a Grammy Award-winning music lineup, the buildup to the 71st NBA All-Star game has reached a fever pitch. The game, which will air live Sunday on TNT at 8 p.m. ET, will see LeBron James and Kevin Durant face off at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the second consecutive season in which team Lebron and Team Durant will go head-to-head. 3- Point Contest. https://youtu.be/ueC9Tem-Qag From legendary draft picks to a Grammy Award-winning music lineup, the buildup to the 71st NBA All-Star game has reached a fever pitch. The game, which will air live Sunday on TNT at 8 p.m. ET, will see LeBron James and Kevin Durant face off at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the second consecutive season in which team Lebron and Team Durant will go head-to-head. Slam Dunk https://youtu.be/0JQja8EHblg Actress Joey King, who played a little girl afflicted by the supernatural in the demonic-themed horror film, “The Conjuring,” recently shared strange details from her time making the movie that still make her “shudder.” King, 22, said earlier this month in an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show” that she developed a strange blood disorder while playing Christine, one of the Perron children in “The Conjuring.” The condition was so severe that she had to go to the hospital for treatment before and after filming each day. “It was pretty intense. Some weird stuff happened on the set, along with the movie being scary,” she told fellow actress Drew Barrymore. “It’s true, I developed this bizarre, rare, out-of-nowhere blood disorder, and basically, my body, like all the red platelets from my body were like drained. They were just gone.” https://youtu.be/cqjhqa3kFRs The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals will not require proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 tests for attendees. Neither of the California festivals will require masks for their April events either, though face coverings are recommended for the dust. Stagecoach, which will be held after Coachella’s two-weekend run at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, posted on social media Tuesday that the country festival had updated its attendance policies to reflect local guidelines. The health and safety page of the festival’s website further explains that there is an inherent risk of exposure to the contagious disease in any public place and that the event does not guarantee that those in attendance will not catch COVID-19. “By entering the festival, attendees voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19,” the site reads, noting that those exposed are expected to self-quarantine based on local and CDC guidelines. When Brittney Johnson floated on stage in a magic bubble Monday night, she got a standing ovation. Johnson also got a two-minute ovation at the close of the show. As the full-time Glinda in the Broadway musical “Wicked,” Johnson made history on Monday as the first Black woman to play the lead role in the Broadway production. (She previously performed as Glinda in the understudy position in 2019.) “Wicked” opened in 2003 at the Gershwin Theatre in New York. The show focuses on the unlikely friendship between the witches of Oz Elphaba and Glinda. The show has earned several Tony awards and a Grammy. Atlanta‘s fourth season will be its last, FX chairman John Landgraf revealed during an executive session on Thursday. News of the comedy’s fourth and final season comes a little more than a month before season three is set to drop on FX on March 24. “After a four year absence, we’re graced with the return of Atlanta. Donald Glover and his team have shot the final two seasons of the series,” Landgraf said. The 10-episode third season marks the first time Atlanta will be available for in-season streaming on Hulu. He continued, “The fourth and final season is slated to debut in the same manner in the fall. The new season is everything you’d expect from Atlanta – which is to say expect the unexpected. Sit back and enjoy the trip.” Lauren London recently became a trending topic on Twitter after some gross men tried to body shame her after pics/clips from an upcoming Netflix film were released. Most people indeed have an audacity today, but men who body shame women are more annoying. Netflix recently revealed a huge trailer of 28 films set to premiere on the platform (streaming) in 2022. One of these films is a comedy film that will be starring Lauren London, Nia Long, Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, Deon Cole and Mike Epps, among others. The film features an interracial couple visiting each other’s families and is directed by Kenya Barris (Black-ish). After the death of Nipsey Hussle, and the birth of her second-born Kross, Lauren has been trying to find her way into the acting world. Sadly, the internet hasn’t been friendly to her, especially her current looks. Despite being gorgeous in her current body, some men took to the internet to body shame her after releasing the 2022 comedy trailer by Netflix. The internet soon gathered the body-shaming culprits. The disgusting behavior – publicly disrespecting a woman’s body – shows more about the kind of men, which applies to Lizzo and the rest. Erykah Badu recently dropped a limited-edition version of her Badu Premium Incense dubbed “Underwater P*ssy.” The release comes ahead and in honor of her debut album “Badsuizm.” The latest drop was released on Feb 11, 2.22 p.m. CST and comprises handmade and sundried incense made from herbs and essential oils as described on Badu World Market – the mystical artist’s website. The incense packaging also features art by Jackie Musial, a reputable multidisciplinary illustrator. Each incense pack costs $60 and comes with 20 sticks for every box. In a video posted last Friday, Badu showed her fans the incense’s packaging ahead of the big launch. The front of the box shows the songstress in a beautiful camo-print headwrap, while the back has an inscription ‘Baduizm 25” – highlighting the artist’s award-winning album at the 1997 Grammy. The album remains a cultural reset to date due to its iconic songs popular among the young and old fans, such as Next Lifetime, On & On and Otherside of the Game. https://www.instagram.com/erykahbadu/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f1e983c5-8681-41bf-aead-ef24b790dff6 According to reports obtained by @NBC6, the Miami Beach Police are investigating assault allegations made by a second woman who claims she was involved in a 2020 Incident with #ChrisBrown. If you recall, we reported recently that the first initial woman filed a lawsuit last month after she claimed she was drugged and raped by the singer while at a party on a yacht that was docked near #Diddy‘s home on Dec. 30, 2020. Police reports obtained Wednesday show the second victim was at the same party but decided to leave because she was not comfortable. The report continued stating two days later, the same woman, along with a friend, was invited to meet at Chris’ Miami Beach hotel suite when he approached her and allegedly shoved one of his fingers in her mouth, which had a white powdery substance on it. The woman said after that, she blacked out for several hours and woke up in the suite without her friends or cellphone. Following the incident, the woman filed a report with Miami Beach Police after learning about a lawsuit filed in January by the initial woman who was at the same party she left. Attorney #ArielMitchell is representing both women in a lawsuit. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaIq7jWFihl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has vowed to end tenure for new hires at public universities and colleges in an attempt to stop the teaching of critical race theory. Patrick spoke at a press conference Friday where he responded to a resolution by the Faculty Council at the University of Texas this week that affirmed the “fundamental rights of faculty to academic freedom,” including the teaching of race and gender theory. “Hiding behind this academic freedom argument just doesn’t work,” Patrick said. “We believe in academic freedom, but everyone has guidelines in mind. Everyone has barriers, everyone has boundaries, everyone’s held accountable to someone.” https://youtu.be/svj_6w0EUz4 As reported by Page Six, the former “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star Rob Kardashian filed to dismiss his assault lawsuit against Blac Chyna without prejudice for the sake of their daughter, and a judge has approved the motion. “My love for Dream far outweighs my desire to proceed with my claims against her mother in a public trial,” Kardashian told the gossip site on Friday. “Now that the court has ruled that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial on my claim for assault, for our daughter’s sake, I am dismissing the action and focusing on my co-parenting relationship with Chyna.” Well, that’s all and well for Mr. Kardashian, but apparently, Blac Chyna isn’t ready to let him off that easy according to her attorney, Lynne M. Ciani. In an email sent to EURweb, the lawyer outlined what Rob and the Kardashian clan can look forward to from her client – Angela White a/k/a Blac Chyna – on the legal front. https://youtu.be/eaUELxqVndg “Uncharted” is the new Sony Entertainment film starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. Based on the popular video game series of the same name. The movie takes viewers on a quest for five billion in gold treasure that includes lots of high-powered action along with a global backdrop. We meet Nathan Drake (Holland), a streetwise pickpocketing bartender, and a mysterious stranger, Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Wahlberg). The duo battles a vicious treasure hunter, Mocanda (Antonio Banderas) with vast resources. https://youtu.be/4wCH1K-ckZw A hairstylist by the name of “Millie” is calling out singer K. Michelle for not paying her and being unprofessional during their session. She asks, “Why would you get your hair done naked?” Taking to her IG Story, the stylist shared a DM with the singer, where she asked “Do you travel.” The stylist responded, “No I don’t travel. I’ve done your hair before through my other hair business (Closure Perfection) and I wasn’t happy with the experience. Sorry for the inconvenience ??. ” K says, “You’re the girl that burnt me up huh? Good rebranding! These pictures are beautiful. Good day beauty ??.” The stylist fires back, “Yeah that’s me. You was naked. That made me nervous. And since you want to take it there. You still owe me $1,000 ?? rather you was burn or bleeding. But thank you for still admiring everything I do. You will hear about me some more. Good day to you also Beauty ??. China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong made sure the Beijing Games’ controversial figure skating competition ended in celebration on Saturday by winning the pairs title for the sport’s final gold medal to the rapture of local fans. Xi Jinping watched the Winter Olympics closing ceremony on a velvet cushion from inside Birds’ Next stadium as the curtain comes down on a games that has been tarnished by a doping scandal, grim looking food, barren venues and human rights concerns. Much fanfare was given to the common man as two weeks of acrimony, secrecy and bitterness, which were sugar-coated with moments of breath-taking athletic prowess, ended. China‘s President XI Jinping and his reverential followers banded together inside the iconic Birds Nest Stadium to parade 365 ‘ordinary people’ to mark the closing of the games. This, they said, was not about ‘stars, professional singers, dancers or actors;’ but about your average Joe getting his moment. They were a small number from China’s 1.4 billion population who were ferried into the ground, showcased to the watching world as prime examples of the ‘harmony’ among the Chinese people. But as he sat back on his velvet cushion and watched the fireworks spectacle, Xi and China believed they had got away with it. Sunday (02-20-22), Juwan Howard got physical with another coach after his team’s bitter loss in a basketball game and ended up in a nasty fight. Not a good look. https://youtu.be/aHb7vjieEis Juwan Howard, the University of Michigan’s men’s basketball head coach got into it Sunday while shaking hands with Wisconsin Badgers‘ head coach, Greg Gard. The Badgers beat the Wolverines 77-63 in a hard-fought game.During a post-game press conference, Howard said he was expressing his frustration to Gard about a late-game timeout he’d taken — at which point, Gard started to touch him in a way that Howard felt was totally unnecessary. It certainly sounds like Howard’s claiming self-defense, but the reality is he’s the one who took the swipe well after Gard was removed from the situation. Don’t be surprised if a suspension against Howard is announced shortly. https://youtu.be/yUrfIIJoULo Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James on Saturday reaffirmed his plan to play his final season in the NBA with his oldest son, Bronny, on a team he ultimately lands with. LeBron has said numerous times that a long-term goal of his is to play with Bronny in the NBA. He is in his 19th season in the NBA and signed with the Lakers through the 2022-23 season when Bronny is scheduled to graduate high school. Based on the current rules by the NBA, Bronny wouldn’t be eligible for the draft until 2024. However, the league could eventually allow players to declare for the draft straight out of high school, which would be next year when LeBron can be a free agent. Whenever Bronny can enter the NBA, LeBron plans to play with him. “My last year will be played with my son,” James said in an interview with Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.” #KekeWyatt just announced she’s adding another addition to her family! Keke shared the exciting news on her Instagram with a series of pictures of her baby bump and her family. “My husband, Zackariah David Darring and I are proud to announce that our family will be adding a “plus 1" to the Wyatt Bunch!” Together, the little one will be KeKe and her husband Zackariah’s second child. The couple welcomed their first child, Ke’Riah Darring, in January 2020. However, this baby will be making Keke a mom for the eleventh time. Nevertheless, congratulations to Keke and Zackariah on their newest bundle of joy! https://www.instagram.com/p/CaNmVtMJ17C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Vladimir Putin is putting on a show of military strength today with new nuclear drills as he sends a MIG armed with a hypersonic missile over the Mediterranean amid increasing fears of an imminent invasion of Ukraine. The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving ‘strategic forces’ which will include practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko is joining Putin in the situation room in the Kremlin to watch over the strategic drills. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today’s drills ‘should not cause anyone concern’ and said Russia had informed the proper channels. Russia holds huge strategic drills every year but today’s manoeuvres include the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine and were forced to flee to a bomb shelter before leaving the area. President Joe Biden for the first time on Friday said he believed President Vladimir Putin had made up his mind to invade Ukraine. He delivered his verdict at the end of an intense week of diplomacy and amid reports of explosions in territory held by pro-Russian separatists which officials believe could be false-flag attacks and a precursor to an invasion. After delivering an update on the crisis, Biden was asked if Putin had made up his mind. After delivering an update on the crisis, Biden was asked if Putin had made up his mind. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2022/02/19/368820733250485373/636x382_MP4_368820733250485373.mp4 Another black woman has fallen victim to the injustices and cruelty of the United States Corrections system. #TaNeashaChappell’s family is asking for justice after she was killed while in the custody of an #Indiana jail. Chappell- who was being held on charges stemming from an alleged theft and high-speed chase—died July 16, less than two hours after being taken from the county jail to the Schneck Medical Center. For hours, The 23-year-old pleaded with the staff of an Indiana jail for medical care. She repeatedly vomited blood, became dehydrated, and asked to be taken to the hospital several times. On Thursday’s episode of #RolandMartinUnfiltered, the family of Ta’Neasha Chappell shared the disturbing last words of their loved one while she was in custody. Martin also shared the heartbreaking audio recording of Chappell crying out for help while guards disregard her. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ9vghKDnKm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Amazon reportedly suspended Black Lives Matter from their charity platform claiming that it failed to disclose what the millions of dollars in donations were used for. AmazonSmile said in a statement that they had to temporarily suspend the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation after it failed to comply with their policies. “States have rules for nonprofits, and organizations participating in AmazonSmile need to meet those rules. Unfortunately, this organization fell out of compliance with the rules in several states, so we’ve had to temporarily suspend them from the program until they come into compliance,” a spokesperson said. According to the New York Post, the company also plans to hold additional funds that were donated to Black Lives Matter until they are “back in compliance.” #RockmondDunbar sues Disney and 20th Television over vaccine mandate. The ‘9-1-1’ actor is accusing the studios of discrimination based on race and religion. You may remember back in November reports surfaced that the star was leaving the popular series indefinitely over COVID vaccine regulations. Dunbar later explained that “[He] applied for religious and medical accommodations pursuant to the law and unfortunately was denied by [his] employer.” According to the suit, Rockmond claims he submitted paperwork seeking both a religious and medical exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine. He says producers assured him they wanted him to remain on the show, and that his schedule would be adjusted to accommodate him being unvaccinated. But according to the suit that never happened. Rockmond claims that the studios not only refused to accommodate his vaccine exemption requests, but they went on to deliberately make it sound like he was an anti-vaxxer. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Ava DuVernay’s Array has parted ways with Spotify and will no longer be making podcasts for the audio giant, a spokesperson for Array confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday. Last year, Array and Spotify had announced a multiyear first-look deal for Array to produce scripted and unscripted podcasts with Gimlet, the studio owned by Spotify. Though no podcasts or shows had yet been released under the pact, multiple projects were in development, according to the Array spokesperson. A Spotify representative declined to comment. Array’s exit from Spotify comes as the streaming company has faced continued scrutiny over its marquee podcaster, Joe Rogan, who hosts the Spotify-exclusive The Joe Rogan Experience show. Prominent musicians like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell have pulled their music from the service in protest of COVID misinformation that has spread on Rogan’s show, while other artists like India.Arie have condemned the host for repeatedly using a racial slur about Black people in past clips that circulated on social media. (Rogan has apologized for using the N-word, calling his actions “regretful and shameful.”) Cary Grant. Frank Sinatra. Tracy Morgan. Three very different men, each among the very few recipients of the Friars Club’s top honor. On May 26, Morgan is set to become only the ninth winner of the Entertainment Icon Award by the private New York roast-house. Other past recipients are Douglas Fairbanks, Tony Bennett, Martin Scorsese, Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro and, most recently, Billy Crystal. “The Friars is a legendary part of New York City and Comedy, two of my favorite things,” said Morgan. “Some of my biggest influences were in and out of there…I’m following in the footsteps of greatness…I’m humbled and looking forward to a crazy night.” The event is set for an in-person gala at Manhattan’s Ziegfeld Ballroom, with Al Roker and George Lopez among early attendees announced to honor the comic. Little Richard, the late Rock N’ Roll icon, led one of the most interesting lives. He publicly confessed to struggling with a range of challenges from church sermons to angel dust, alcoholism, orgies, Bible sessions, cocaine and same-sex attractions. However, his love for the stage didn’t change regardless of the life circumstances. In an interview with GQ Magazine in 2010, the artist revealed numerous details about his life: entertaining, straight up and others tragic. His Good Friend Killed His Father for Kicking Him (Richard – 19 Years) Out of The House. Born Richard Wayne Penniman on 5 Dec 1932 in Macon, he was the third born among the 12 children. His father, Bud, sold moonshine and put him out of the house at 19 years for being gay. He said he wanted seven boys, and he (Richard) had spoiled it. His best friend Frank shot Bud outside a local bar and went to jail for the incident. However, he was released in a week, and they never knew what happened. https://youtu.be/Q0cBzyYlJuo The iconic ‘90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” has made its return to TV. The reboot “Bel-Air” will look a lot different from the original. “Bel-Air” has the same characters and storyline but this time the show will be an hour drama versus a 30-minute sitcom. The new show allows for the story to be told with a more serious and dramatic tone. The show also has more focus on real-life drama young urban adults face today. https://youtu.be/rQ1uG91Bbls Dave Chappelle is still very much on Netflix’s home team. The streamer announced Friday the release of four upcoming comedy specials executive produced and hosted by the controversial comic. The series of specials is dubbed Chappelle’s Home Team, and each will feature a different comic introduced by Chappelle. The first to be featured is Earthquake (real name Nathaniel Martin Stroman), and his special, called Earthquake: Legendary, premieres on Feb. 28. Another special will spotlight Donnell Rawlings. One similarity shared by all the featured comics is they’ve been in the stand-up game for at least 30 years. “I’ve been doing this a long time and comedians like Quake and Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career,” Chappelle said. “Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment.” Martin Lawrence and the surviving cast of his hit comedy series Martin are set to reunite 30 years later as part of a BET+ reunion special, hosted by Affion Crockett. Taping will take place February 20 and the special will air later this year. Announced participants also include Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold and Carl Anthony Payne II. Thomas Mikal Ford, who played Martin’s best friend Tommy in the series, died in 2016 at the age of 52. “To be able to sit here 30 years later with this amazing cast that has had such an impact on pop culture is truly a blessing,” Lawrence said. “I am always humbled that the fans still want more of the show and its characters. I am looking forward to the reunion special.” BET+ also teases the participation of “surprise guests,” and the streamer surely has a wide array of big-name series guest stars to choose from. Throughout the Fox series’ five-season run from 1992-1997, the show featured appearances by Tracy Morgan, Kim Coles, Tommy Davidson, Jackie Chan, Chris Rock, Snoop Dogg, Billy Dee Williams and Mr. T among others. Actor Mark Wahlberg is opening up more about his turn toward faith in Christ and its impact on his work. In recent years, he’s acknowledged that movies he made earlier in his career did not honor God, but now he’s working to change that. Wahlberg says his faith played an integral role in his latest project, a new film called Father Stu. While reading the movie script, Wahlberg, who is a devout Catholic, said he reflected on his own past, the present, and his life’s purpose. “God has continued to bless me and put me in this situation,” he told Fox News‘ Raymond Arroyo. “Not to continue to grow and work on Mark Wahlberg the person, but to do His work and finally giving me the skills and tools to go out there and articulate the message that He wants me to articulate.” The biographical movie is based on the life story of boxer-turned-priest Father Stuart Long. A biopic of Afeni Shakur — the late mother of rapper Tupac and a prominent member of the Black Panther party — is in the works from Amaru Entertainment and the Shakur Estate. Titled “Peace, Love & Respect; the Afeni Shakur/Panther 21 story,” actor/writer/director Jasmine Guy and writer/director Jamal Joseph — who was arrested as one of the “Panther 21” with Afeni — are on board as executive producers, while Dina LaPolt, who worked with the estate for many years, is a producer. The film, titled “Peace, Love & Respect, the Afeni Shakur/Panther 21 story,” is the first to have the full backing and approval of the Shakur estate. The film will span a pivotal two-year period — from April 2, 1969, when she and 20 other Black Panthers were arrested and charged with conspiracy to bomb police stations in New York, through June 16, 1971, the day Tupac was born — along with flashbacks to childhood and teenage years. LaPolt — who worked for many years with Afeni to settle Tupac’s estate, ultimately releasing nine posthumous albums as well as books and a documentary — says the story is close to her heart, as Afeni was a hero to LaPolt’s activist mother. “My mother was very much a part of the civil rights movement — she taught me about Afeni and how she was arrested as a member of the ‘Panther 21.’” Born in North Carolina as Alice Faye Williams in 1947, Afeni Shakur moved to the Bronx with her mother as an 11-year-old. She joined the Panthers after hearing Bobby Seale speak in 1968, and married fellow Black Panther member Lumumba Shakur soon after. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is perhaps best known for his accomplishments on the basketball court. But when he was a middle school student, Abdul-Jabbar thought the contributions of Black Americans went underrepresented in the classroom — and now, he’s hoping to rectify that with a new documentary. “We aren’t taught in schools about Black soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary and Civil wars in defense of their country, a country who continued to mistreat them when the wars were over,” the NBA Hall of Famer and bestselling author told HuffPost. “Yet, even that did not dim the intensity of their patriotism. Now we have a chance to set the record straight and Black children can take pride in their heritage.” “Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War,” a one-hour documentary set to premiere Feb. 21 on the History Channel, drops viewers into the heart of the Civil War and takes a comprehensive look at the lives of relatively unknown heroes. Abdul-Jabbar narrated the film and executive produced it alongside Deborah Morales of Iconomy Multi-Media & Entertainment. https://youtu.be/RmN7o6eqISY The family of the black New Jersey teen who was handcuffed and pinned to the floor by cops who let the white boy he was brawling with sit on a couch has retained civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump. The famed attorney — who has repped the families of George Floyd, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery — confirmed Thursday that he has been retained to help 14-year-old Z’Kye Husain. Crump insisted that the now-viral video of the seventh-grader’s arrest Saturday at Bridgewater Commons mall showed the aftermath of him trying to protect a pal from “being bullied by a much older 11th-grader.” “It is evident that officers immediately assumed that because of the color of Z’Kye’s skin, him acting nobly was not even in the realm of possibility,” Crump said. “That video says it all,” he said of the incident being investigated by the police department with the help of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office’s Internal Affairs Unit. The video caught two Bridgewater cops breaking up the fight — then allowing the older, lighter-skinned boy to sit alone on a couch while they pinned Z’Kye to the floor. One of the officers placed a knee near the back of the black teen’s neck as the two handcuffed him. Last weekend was a blast for many fans who supported Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl LVI, played at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. A lot of fans, celebrities, and other athletes were in attendance for the big game. Besides the Los Angeles favorites LeBron James, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard, another star with California links made it to the game. Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors also watched the Rams beating the Cincinnati Bengals live, but while he was having a great time at the stadium, some criminals broke into his house. TMZ reports that the 3x NBA champion’s house was burglarized while he watched the big game. They stole jewelry, watches, and more stuff worth over $1 million. The Faculty Council at the University of Texas approved a nonbinding resolution Monday defending the academic freedom of faculty members to teach about race, gender justice and critical race theory. The resolution, approved 41-5 with three members abstaining, states that educators, not politicians, should make decisions about what to teach, and it supports the right of faculty members to design courses and curriculum and to conduct scholarly research in their fields. The UT Faculty Council is an organization that represents the faculty members at the university. Faculty members approved the resolution partly in response to legislation around the country seeking to limit discussions involving race in schools, colleges and universities. The resolution expresses solidarity with K-12 teachers in Texas who are seeking to “teach the truth in U.S. history and civics education.” State lawmakers approved GOP bills last year limiting classroom discussions of race and gender amid a conservative backlash against critical race theory, a framework of scholarship to examine racism. The Legislature has not, however, targeted the teaching of critical race theory and related topics in Texas universities. “State legislative proposals seeking to limit teaching and discussions of racism and related issues have been proposed and enacted in several states, including Texas,” the resolution says. “This resolution affirms the fundamental rights of faculty to academic freedom in its broadest sense, inclusive of research and teaching of race and gender theory.” The DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic pairing have been cooking lately. Since Jan. 1, DeRozan and Vucevic have been the NBA’s most frequent ball-screen partnership, per Second Spectrum. The Chicago Bulls have scored 1.11 points per possession on trips featuring a DeRozan-Vucevic ball screen — the second-best mark among high-volume pairings. It makes sense that the duo works. DeRozan is a downhill savant with mid-range guile that reminds you of a former Los Angeles Laker. Vucevic can get busy as a roller, a short-roller and a pick-and-pop threat. That type of versatility makes life difficult for a defense, as we saw during the Bulls’ 120-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. https://streamable.com/9mlu17 If you ever wondered what happened between NFL star Cam Newton and Kia Proctor, the mother of four of his children, he decided to open up about it during a recent interview between himself and fitness model/Instagram influencer Brittany Renner. Both parties came together for his ‘Funky Friday‘ YouTube series to set the record straight about themselves. During their chat, when Renner posed the question to him about why he didn’t marry Proctor, he didn’t shy away from answering. “That’s a great question…The thing is that person that I was while we were having children together, I couldn’t be the best husband,” he said. “I wasn’t prepared to be a husband then.” The couple started dating in 2013 before reportedly breaking up in early 2020, and Newton says she did make it clear that she wanted to be married. As he put it, “the hourglass was shrinking” for Proctor. But he’d seen successful marriages and wasn’t ready to commit in that way. #KanyeWest has had a lot to say about his pending divorce on social media as of late, but it looks like he might be warming up to the idea of Kim K being declared single amidst their proceedings–so long as things are done on his terms. According to @TMZ_tv, Kanye is worried about the fate of him and Kim’s assets if she’s considered legally single, and has reportedly filed legal documents outlining his conditions for her to be back on the market. TMZ reports Ye’s lawyer fears Kim might remarry and move some of their assets to different accounts once she is declared single, and is asking the following: if either Kim or Kanye pass away, According to Kanye’s legal team, his requests have already been rejected by Kim’s attorneys, which wouldn’t be odd given that the two have a prenup in place that keeps all of their property separate, reports Radar Online. Several states are dealing with severe autopsy backlogs due to staffing issues, and the situation has reached a critical level in Maryland. As reported by Black Enterprise, the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has turned a parking garage into a makeshift morgue where hundreds of bodies are being stored and awaiting autopsy. “The backlog is holding up funeral services, criminal investigations, and prosecutions,” per the outlet. The state’s backlog is expected to hit 300 by the end of the month, Washington Post reports. Per the report, New Hampshire, Georgia, New Mexico, and New York City are also dealing with autopsy backlogs. https://youtu.be/3lpsQToGdUQ This vacation went from fun to tragedy! A woman on a Carnival cruise ship jumped to her death after being detained by the cruise ship security guards for allegedly getting into a fight with a man in the hot tub. According to a video of the accident, the cruise security guards had the as yet unidentified passenger detained with her arms behind her back following a fight. She was not handcuffed, despite some reports from other passengers. While detained she started screaming the name ‘Alicia’, before getting escorted off the dock of the ship. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaIOPKPp2Ob/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Louisiana school teacher who admitted to lacing cupcakes with her ex-husband’s sperm and feeding them to school children now faces nearly 40 years in prison, according to a report. n 2019, Louisiana sheriff’s lieutenant Dennis Perkins and his wife Cynthia Perkins were arrested and charged with creating child pornography, video voyeurism, and first-degree rape. A report from The Advocate said Cynthia Perkins had worked as a school teacher at the time for Westside Junior High School in Walker, Louisiana. Per the agreement, Cynthia admitted to helping her ex-husband sexually assault a juvenile, film a juvenile bathing, and lace cupcakes with sperm from her ex-husband, which were fed to school children, the report added. Cynthia allegedly filed for divorce after the couple was arrested and charged. Cynthia’s attorneys said she was manipulated by her ex-husband into committing child sex crimes. Her attorneys called Dennis the “mastermind” behind the couple’s criminal activity. Magistrate James Lammey, on Feb 8, handed down a 51-year prison sentence to Shanynthia Gardner. In her mid-30s, the Tennessee woman was sentenced to prison five years later after she stabbed and killed her four small children. Fortunately for her eldest son, who was seven years old at the time, he escaped and survived. Despite pleading for insanity, Lammey dismissed the claim leaving her to serve her sentence before eligibility for parole. During the bench trial of Dec 21, the magistrate found Gardner guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, child endangerment, and child abuse. https://youtu.be/D7QfbnyGCLM NBC has dropped the trailer for the much-anticipated return of “Law & Order” — which sees former cast members Anthony Anderson (Kevin Bernard), Sam Waterston (Jack McCoy) and Camryn Manheim (Kate Dixon) reprising their roles. Per PEOPLE, franchise newcomers include Hugh Dancy (Nolan Price), Jeffrey Donovan (Frank Cosgrove) and Odelya Halevi (Samantha Maroun). According to a statement from series creator Dick Wolf and his Wolf Entertainment, the series will return to NBC for Season 21, and “will continue where the show left off in 2010, with the classic format that explores two separate, yet equally important groups: ‘the police who investigate crimes and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.’ “There are very few things in life that are literally dreams come true,” Dick Wolf said in the statement. “This is mine.” https://youtu.be/fLAoM6Oaaqs The Emmy-winning comedy “Atlanta” will come to an end after its fourth season, FX confirmed Thursday at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour. “Death is natural,” said series star Donald Glover at TCA, per Variety. “I feel like when the conditions are right for something, they happen, and when the conditions aren’t right, they don’t happen. I don’t feel any longevity. Because then things start to get weird.” The award-winning comedy-drama will return March 24, 2022, kicking off with a two-episode premiere on FX, and streaming on Hulu the following day. The second season finale aired on May 10, 2018. Production on season 3 was shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Both seasons 3 and 4 resumed filming in Paris and Amsterdam in January 2021. https://youtu.be/nynDxkGWnh4 Patrick Mahomes has blasted a report that he banned fiancee Brittany Matthews and his controversial TikTok influencer brother Jackson from attending his Kansas City Chiefs games. The 26-year-old superstar quarterback took to Twitter on Friday to write ‘Y’all just be making stuff up these days [three laughing while crying emojis]’ in response to a series of tweets from former NFL lineman and current radio host Rich Ohrnberger. The 36-year-old former professional athlete had eyebrows raised as earlier that day he posted: ‘Another interesting note… I’ve been told, Patrick Mahomes had a sit down following the season with his brother and fiancé. Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has a new home. The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the hire of Flores, who is suing the NFL and three teams, as a defensive assistant and linebackers coach Saturday. “I am excited about Brian Flores joining our coaching staff given his history of developing and teaching defensive players during his time in the NFL,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said in a news release. “Brian’s resume speaks for itself, and I look forward to him adding his expertise to help our team.” Flores’ hire significantly boosts a defensive unit that recently saw the promotion of Teryl Austin to defensive coordinator following the retirement of Keith Butler, who also coached the team’s outside linebackers. Flores spent the past three seasons as Miami’s head coach, compiling a 24-25 record before he was fired last month. And prior to that, he was the defensive playcaller for the New England Patriots, including in Super Bowl LIII. In the UK, A West Midlands zoo hired a Marvin Gaye impersonator to do his thing in hopes that his crooning of “Let’s Get it On” and “Sexual Healing” will inspire its endangered monkeys to ‘get busy’ for mating season. The soul singer, Dave Largie, was enlisted by the staff at Trentham Monkey Forest in Stoke-on-Trent to sing some of the late soul legend’s greatest hits to the Barbary macaques. And would you believe that keepers reported seeing some classic Barbary macaque ‘lovey dovey’ action as a result of the impromptu concert? ?? https://youtu.be/jXGkMd676jU The GOAT debate is something that has not yet been settled to this day. While Michael Jordan is viewed as the GOAT by a lot of people, a lot of younger fans believe that LeBron James is the GOAT, as basketball continuously evolves, and LeBron James is clearly the best player of this generation. Charles Oakley has recently stated that Michael Jordan is the GOAT, and stated that he “put the bar so high” when it comes to that debate. There is definitely some truth to that, as it’s hard to beat an undefeated Finals record and two separate three-peats. Oakley added that LeBron James “passed” Kobe Bryant, but hasn’t “passed” Michael Jordan. Jon Greenberg of The Athletic relayed the news. Ex-police officer Kim Potter, who was convicted of manslaughter in December for shooting and killing Daunte Wright in the Minneapolis area, has been sentenced to two years, 16 months of which will be served in prison. The remaining eight months will be on supervised release. Judge Regina Chu said that this was the case of a “cop who made a tragic mistake. She drew her firearm thinking it was a Taser and ended up killing a young man.” The court approved a downward departure from the typical sentence, as Chu said Potter never intended to use her firearm and the scene was chaotic. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/02/18/kim-potter-sentenced-daunte-wright/ A superintendent, school principal, assistant principal and two coaches at a $13,000-per-year Texas Christian school were arrested for failing to report an attack that saw a ninth-grade boy raped with a baseball bat by an older student on ‘freshman initiation day’ as other students looked on and cheered. Midland Christian School Superintendent Jared Owen Lee, 41, secondary school Principal Dana Elizabeth Ellis, 42, assistant secondary school principal Matthew David Counts, 27, athletic director Gregory Neal McClendon, 55, and baseball coach Barry Lee Russell, 62, were all charged on Wednesday with failure to report with intent to conceal neglect or abuse, a felony in the state of Texas. All five employees were released on $5,000 bonds on Wednesday. The tenth-grade student who carried out the attack, who was not named due to his status as a minor, was arrested on Thursday, police said. The beloved comedian was speaking with his wife during an October episode of his podcast “Bob Saget’s Here for You.” Months before he was found dead, comedian Bob Saget made a haunting comment during an episode of his podcast. “I don’t have long to live. I’m going to be found dead in bed,” he told his wife, Kelly Rizzo, during an October broadcast of “Bob Saget’s Here for You.” Three months later, he was found dead in a Florida hotel room. https://youtu.be/bXDSejxQzzo Earlier this month, actor Columbus Short was arrested for domestic violence. Short, 39, has now been charged with one charge of domestic violence and one charge of child endangerment, both misdemeanors. Per People, “The child endangerment charge was filed because the incident allegedly took place in front of a child, per the outlet. The charges were issued by L.A. City Attorney Michael N. Feuer this week.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams has blamed the “drill” rap genre for contributing to the city’s sharp uptick in violence this year – and late Tuesday night, he met with some of those rappers to talk about solutions to the problem. Adams previously said he wanted to meet with prominent drill rappers to talk about the gun violence on the city’s streets. Through last Sunday, shootings year to date are up 37% versus the same period in 2021 – an average of nearly 4 people shot every day. A video posted to Instagram by the Brooklyn rapper Maino shows the mayor in a City Hall office, gathered with more than a dozen other men. Maino indicated it was being recorded at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. “There’s been a lot of talk about drill rap, drill music in New York City, connecting violence with the culture, and I just wanted to create a conversation with the mayor,” Maino says. Artists including Fivio Foreign, B-Lovee, CEO Slow, Bucksy Luciano and Bleezy joined the meeting as well. Brad Pitt is suing his ex-wife Angelina Jolie for selling her share of a jointly owned estate and winery to a Russian businessman. The actor, 58 filed a lawsuit against the actress, 46, after she offloaded her share of the French estate Château Miraval the Correns, France winery to Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler. Shefler is the owner of S.P.I. Group which produces and sells more than 300 brands of alcohol including Stolichnaya vodka and he has a net worth of around $2.5 billion, according to Forbes. Brad said in court documents he and Jolie initially purchased the winery in 2008 for $28.4 million, at which time she put down about 40 percent of the funding (about $11.36 million). Joseph H. Rainey, who was born into slavery in 1832 and went on to become the nation’s first Black congressman, was honored at the U.S. Capitol last week. “Study the history. Know their history,” said Representative Jim Clyburn in an interview with CBS News. Clyburn noted that when he was elected in 1992, he was only the ninth Black American from South Carolina elected to Congress. “The problem is there are 95 years between No. 8 and No. 9,” said Clyburn, who is now the Majority Whip and third-most powerful member of Congress. “Anything that’s happened before can happen again. Jim Crow happened once and it can happen again. Study the history.” Rainey’s great-granddaughter Lorna Rainey said in an interview that her great-aunt, Rainey’s daughter, used to tell her about him since he was in very few history books. Lorna Rainey said her great-aunt would say “Lorna, you’re going to be the one to tell everyone about the Congressman.” She said that Rainey’s father, Edward, worked as a barber, one of the few other professions that slaves were allowed to take on, even though law required them to give the master part of their earnings. Over the years, he saved enough money to buy the family’s freedom. Soft-drink giant PepsiCo has announced it will create a new North American organization dedicated to accelerating efforts to help address inequalities for historically underserved businesses and communities. It is part of PepsiCo’s racial equity initiative announced in 2020 that will invest $570 million over five years to increase Black and Hispanic representation and create more financial opportunities for both. The new Multicultural Business and Equity Development Organization will be led by Derek Lewis, the first president of PepsiCo’s Multicultural Business and Equity Development. Lewis has been with the soft-drink company for more than three decades, and in his new role, he will address end-to-end business inequalities. There are 2,755 billionaires in the world, but only 15 are Black and of that 15, only two are women and nine are American. Forbes tallies a list of the world’s billionaires annually using a snapshot of financial information including stock prices, exchange rates and more. Aliko Dangote is currently the richest Black man on Earth. Dangote, who was born in Kano, Nigeria, is worth more than $10 billion according to Forbes and is overseeing the construction of what will be one of the world’s largest oil refineries, which is expected to end the country’s dependence on foreign refined oil. Once completed, the refinery is expected to produce 650,000 barrels of refined oil per day. Sports apparel giant Nike has pledged $140 million to its Black Community Commitment, which invests in organizations focused on increasing economic and social justice opportunities. Nike’s Black Community Commitment will invest the money over the next 10 years to national and local organizations, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Black Girls Code, Black Girl Ventures, and Black Voters Matter. Nike will also invest an additional $2.75 million to support 44 local organizations in seven U.S. cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Memphis as part of its commitment. “NIKE, Inc.’s purpose is to move the world forward, breaking barriers and building community to change the game for all,” Karol Collymore, senior director of Inclusive Community for Social & Community Impact, said in a statement. “Our Black Community Commitment embodies this belief and drives how we are showing up to advance racial equality for Black people.” Kanye West infuriated fans as he revealed his new Donda 2 album will only be available on his own device Stem Player. Instead of being able to listen to the album on Apple Music, Spotify or other streaming services, fans will be required to shell out $200 to listen to the album on the music gadget. Fans took to Twitter in their droves expressing their disappointment the rapper, 44, who boasts an estimated £1.8billion net worth, is charging an extortionate amount which many won’t be able to afford. One wrote: ‘I love Kanye West, but I’m sorry capitalism that I can’t afford to make rich people richer. I ain’t gonna buy the new Stem player just for DONDA 2, even if he emailed it to me personally. If he wants to put it out on, perfect, if not, then hope his album makes numbers.’ (sic). Another fan added: ‘very, very, very sad that Donda 2 has to be purchased with that speaker, $200’. Byron Allen, head of a major media company that includes the Weather Channel, TV stations, cable networks and more, says he sees his company as leverage to affect real change in the way corporate America does business, in an interview with Lee Cowan for CBS SUNDAY MORNING to be broadcast Sunday, Feb. 20 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. Allen is planning to bid for the Denver Broncos, which, if successful, would make him the first Black majority owner of an NFL franchise. He tells Cowan his media company is worth billions, but he won’t sell it. He sees it as a powerful tool to help not only increase Black issue-oriented programming – but also to demand more widespread inclusion in all areas of the business world. https://twitter.com/i/status/1494415305564733448 In 2019, Robyn Crawford dropped a memoir about her friendship with late singer Whitney Houston. Crawford, rumored to be Whitney’s longtime lover, describes Houston’s wedding to Bobby Brown in the book as well as the chaotic and abusive years that followed. Her book reportedly fails to mention the extortion plot against Whitney over her secret same-sex relationship with Crawford. As reported by I Love Old School Music, highly-redacted FBI files were released a few years ago about an investigation into an extortion plot against Whitney. The docs include claims made by the singer’s former bodyguard, Kevin Ammons, and author Ian Helperin, about Whitney’s alleged romance with Crawford. Quinta Brunson, writer of “Abbott Elementary,” is speaking out about the massive success of her hit ABC mockumentary series that is based on her high school years. Speaking to PopSugar about her new show, the actress said: “I would love to be able to make this show for a very long time because I enjoy making it and I enjoy being with these people,” Brunson explained. “I enjoy our crew, our writers room, [and] honestly, the partnership we have with WB and ABC. It’s really respectful and strong. And for all those reasons, I would like to continue to make this show and tell these stories with these teachers, for sure. So hopefully it can just keep going.” https://youtu.be/cO-_7oi-61Y In 2018, he came in second place at his first Daytona 500 and this Sunday he’s back on the track for the NASCAR Cup Series motor race in Florida – Bubba Wallace. The only full-time Black driver in NASCAR’s three national series also has a Netflix docuseries dropping two days after his 500-mile long race. “Race: Bubba Wallace” chronicles the personal and professional life of the stock car racing driver. With exclusive access to Wallace during the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, his first with Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s 23XI Racing, the six-episode series also traces the turbulent aftermath that followed his decision to speak out about racial injustice. https://youtu.be/smOImnuSnEE After the Lakers were embarrassed by the Bucks at home recently (before LA lost to a bad Blazers team missing half their roster), a reporter asked LeBron James how his squad stacks up against Milwaukee and the league’s other elite teams. When asked if he believed the Lakers could eventually reach the Bucks’ level this season, James replied, “Where they are right now? I don’t know. Do I think we can reach the level where Milwaukee is right now? No. Is that what you want to hear from me? No.” James continued, “We can’t get to where they are right now. They’re the defending champions for a reason and I guarantee you if you would’ve asked teams coming out of the bubble if they could get to the level that we were playing at when we won a championship, they would’ve said the same thing.” Let’s flashback to the championship group for a second, shall we? It may seem like it’s been 16 years or so since LeBron led LA to a title in the bubble, but, incredibly, it’s been less than 16 months. The Lakers beat the Heat in Game 6 of the Finals on 11 Oct., 2020. The team’s two cornerstones, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, remain, but the rest of the rotation has been turned over completely. So, how did this team go from raising the Larry O’Brien trophy, to being four games under .500 and fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament just a year-and-a-half later? https://youtu.be/K7qakbUAR9w The national anthem has never sounded better – thanks to Grammy Award-winning iconic singer Jody Watley. She delivered a rousing rendition of the National Anthem to a packed crowd where the Los Angeles Lakers played the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, February 16 at Cypto.com Arena. The celebrated trendsetting pioneer in music, video, fashion and style is one of the architects of 21st-century pop, and one of music’s most versatile song stylists. https://youtu.be/_BJjLUHq04o 50 Cent has clapped back at haters and trolls who fat-shamed him following his performance at the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI halftime show on Sunday. As reported by AceShowbiz, 50 Cent wore a white tank top and black pants while rapping his hit “In Da Club.” Many social media users were quick to call out the rapper for packing on the pounds. “Dr. Dre looks old as s**t, and 50 Cent is fat as f**k,” one person tweeted, while another said, “50 cent is too fat to hang upside down pls.” In the meantime, someone else wrote, “Yo 50 cent got fat AS F**K.” Per the report, one Twitter user defended the rapper, writing, “Am I the only one who doesn’t think the 50 Cent fat jokes/memes are funny? Like, we fat shaming folx for gaining weight during the panny? Not cool.” In the meantime, another fan said, “People calling 50 cent fat and can’t even do a pull up.” On Thursday, 50 Cent took to Instagram to respond to the critics by promoting a line of G-Unit tank tops and headbands. “Get your G-Unit Tank tops & Headbands Now,” he tweeted. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ8fwznjC14/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again During an appearance on The Language of Love podcast with Dr. Laura Berman on Wednesday, Nick Cannon shared his views on monogamy and was asked if he planned to have eight children. *During an appearance on The Language of Love podcast with Dr. Laura Berman on Wednesday, Nick Cannon shared his views on monogamy and was asked if he planned to have eight children. https://www.instagram.com/drlauraberman/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=76f59473-f390-4817-8cd7-5cf02d421183 Amazon Prime Video has dropped the trailer for Lizzo’s new dance competition series, “Watch Out For the Big Grrrls” “It’s hard to love yourself in a world that doesn’t love you back,” Lizzo tearfully tells the cast in the preview. “You were created specially in your image for you to enjoy.” As the camera cuts to a contestant, they add, “You don’t have to be light-skinned. You don’t have to be skinny. You’re just beautiful the way you are.” https://youtu.be/tgNq_0bsTPU Russian figure skating sensation Kamila Valieva appeared devastated to have missed out on first place at the Beijing Games yesterday after the 15-year-old found herself at the centre of a doping scandal that shocked the world. And now the Olympic chief Thomas Bach has blasted Russia‘s figure skating coaches for the ‘chilling’ treatment of the Moscow school girl after her error-strewn long program and failed quest for gold at the Beijing Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Bach hit back at the coach, saying: ‘I was very disturbed yesterday when I watched the competition on television. I saw how high the pressure must have been on her. ‘This pressure is beyond my imagination. In particular for a girl of 15-years-old. To see her struggling on the ice, seeing how she tries to compose herself again and finish her program.’ His remarks came hours after the 15-year-old’s controversial coach was heard on microphones at the skating rink berating the Moscow schoolgirl who failed a doping test and found herself the main story of the Winter Olympics. LeBron James told U.S. Olympic basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski to “fix that motherf–ker” Kobe Bryant during a particular game in the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, according to an SI.com excerpt from the new book on Krzyzewski’s career by New York Post sports columnist Ian O’Connor. In an exhibition victory over Australia in Shanghai — O’Connor reports in his new book “Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski” — Bryant took some low-percentage shots that didn’t fit the team-first culture Krzyzewski was trying to install. The Duke coach was trying to ensure the Americans didn’t relive their disastrous Olympic experience in Athens four years earlier under then-Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown. layers noticed, including James. “Everyone knew it,” one Team USA staffer says in the book. “They know when another player is being selfish. Players can police themselves, but in this instance, as LeBron was coming out of the game, he said to Mike, ‘Yo, Coach, you’d better fix that motherf–ker,’ as he walked by. He was talking about Kobe.” The following morning, Krzyzewski asked Bryant for a meeting. “Coach was nervous,” says one of his staffers. “He knew he had to do it.” During the meeting, Krzyzewski pulled out a laptop, and showed Bryant video examples of his “bulls–t shots,” before telling him, “There has to be more movement.” “Bryant just looked right at him and said, ‘I got it, Coach. I got it. Don’t worry about it. Sorry about that,’” a team source told O’Connor. The US would go on to win its first of three Olympic gold medals under Krzyzewski. Ciara took to Instagram Wednesday to share images and clips of her family’s time Saturday at the Super Bowl Breakfast in Los Angeles, where her husband Russell Wilson was presented with the 2022 Bart Starr Award. The Texas-born singer, 36, captioned a series of shots, ‘That Proud Feeling,’ with an emoji of a trophy as she tagged Wilson, 33, into the post with the hashtags, #BartStarrAward and #Family. The Grammy-winning songstress shared a clip on the site of the Seattle Seahawks quarterback as he was joined by his family as he received the trophy at the event. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/02/17/4902731935257836788/1024x576_MP4_4902731935257836788.mp4?_=1 Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson and his wife, Samaria, introduced their newborn son on the Today show on Wednesday after welcoming him the night of the Super Bowl. Samaria, 24, went into labor in the middle of the game and gave birth later that evening. Van, 25, didn’t learn she had gone into labor until after his team beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. The high school sweethearts, who are also parents to a five-year-old daughter, Bella, revealed they are stuck between two names for their son after Van suggested a moniker inspired by his Super Bowl win. ‘When he was born, Van walked into the room and he said, “I have a great idea for a name…Wynn Jefferson,”‘ Samaria shared, explaining they would spell the name W-Y-N-N. ‘So, we’re torn between Wynn and Miles Jefferson.’ https://youtu.be/W17h0VF80tc A postgame handshake line erupted into a two-team fracas in Fargo when Oral Roberts University men’s basketball coach Paul Mills confronted North Dakota State over some perceived showboating. The incident took place after Mills’s Golden Eagles fell, 77-59, to an NDSU team that punctuated its victory with an emphatic, celebratory dunk as time expired: Guard Maleeck Harden-Hayes stole the ball from Oral Roberts’ Max Abmas with the game in hand and only a few seconds on the clock before cruising in for an uncontested dunk just after the buzzer. Although the basket didn’t count, some NDSU players celebrated as if it had, while others lined up to shake hands with the defeated Golden Eagles. Michael Masi has been removed from his position as F1 race director after the investigation into his handling of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. Masi botched the finish of the title decider between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton last year. The race was settled by a one-lap sprint, which saw Verstappen pass Hamilton to win the title after the safety car restart rules were incorrectly applied by Masi. Masi created that last-lap showdown when he only let a certain amount of lapped cars overtake Hamilton, moving Verstappen right up behind him on brand new tyres, before restarting the race one lap before the regulations said he was supposed to in that situation. On Thursday, new FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem confirmed that Masi had been removed from the position and replaced by an overhauled system of controlling and officiating F1 races. The decision is effectively an admission by the FIA that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix should not have been restarted in the way it was. Jekalyn Carr believes in well-rounded self-care, which includes caring for and enhancing our God-given beauty. With that belief in mind, the inspirational powerhouse will release JEKALYN BEAUTY SKINCARE this Friday, February 18, followed by the release of JEKALYN BEAUTY HAIRCARE by the end of the month. Products can be purchased at www.JEKALYNBEAUTY.com Featuring natural ingredients that Carr uses herself, JEKALYN BEAUTY’s haircare and skincare lines are for women who want a streamlined system of effective products to meet their beauty needs. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com MAVERICK CITY MUSIC SET TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE ON THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR-D3bvi-4E&feature=youtu.be Motown Gospel, a division of Capitol CMG/Capitol/Universal Music Group, announces the signing of South African singer, songwriter, and television personality HLE to an exclusive recording agreement. The partnership is the first of its kind, representing the only direct signing of a global artist in the famed label’s 23-year history. Today’s announcement comes after a whirlwind season of success for HLE, spurred on by her acclaimed Your Kingdom on Earth. The project peaked at the #1 position on Apple Music’s Gospel Albums chart in 7 countries and landed key positioning in the U.S. & Canada across various streaming platforms. Among the many accolades that followed were 3 South African Music Award (SAMA) nominations, including Female Artist of the Year and Best Live Audio Visual Recording, ultimately winning the honor for Best Contemporary Faith Album. In addition to her thriving solo career, HLE recently began hosting VIP Invite, an uplifting television series that offers viewers a front-row seat to entertaining and uplifting musical experiences each week. Season 2 of the popular program will premiere this Sunday, February 20th at 17:00 CAT on Mzansi Magic Music DSTV channel 321. Today, the I Stand With Immigrants initiative celebrates To Immigrants With Love (TIWL), an annual effort around Valentine’s Day to share messages of love and support for immigrants from people across the country - including artists, activists, and public figures. The #ToImmigrantsWithLove campaign honors each of our families’ sacrifices, struggles, and successes because America’s strength is reflected in our diversity built over generations. The campaign includes both online and in-person art and letter-writing components to show positivity and support for all immigrants across the United States. A number of artists, activists, and public figures are all lending their voices to the campaign, including Aimee Carrero, Alyssa Milano, Bambadjan Bamba, Cara Santana, Carolina Sandoval, Debra Messing, Emily Tosta, Estelle, Hailey Sani, Hari Kondabolu, J.R Martinez, Jenna Ushkowitz, Julissa Calderon, Karan Brar, Marlene Favela, Paola Mendoza, Phillipa Soo, Piper Perabo, Reshma Saujani, and Tatyana Ali. Apparently, the education system in Indiana is struggling with its honoring of Black History Month. Just Tuesday, we reported about a teacher in Indianapolis who thought it was a good idea to create a BHM assignment that involved having students draw pictures of Black people picking cotton. Now, it appears that another educator is giving parents the option of exempting their children from participating in BHM-related lessons altogether. Obviously, this is an excuse for white parents who think BHM is critical race theory to shelter their children in white purity and keep them away from learning evil in school. And by “evil,” I mean “all things Black history and white fragility-inducing.” According to a screenshot of the form shared on social media, a Sprunica Elementary School councilor aptly named Benjamin White authored the letter to parents essentially saying that while “February is a time for caring and growing for our students,” it doesn’t necessarily need to be a time for white parents to care about their kids growing to know anything about Black achievement in America. Almost no one outside of academia knew of CRT before Republicans discovered it was a good and scary base-galvanizing issue they could bring up to keep red states red and possibly swing the racism in swing states all the way to the ballot box. But now that it’s out there and when we’re debating around it, we’re talking very publicly about systemic racism and white privilege as we’re seeing those concepts unfold in real-time. We’re seeing white legislators—who have not even remotely demonstrated knowledge of what CRT is and are instead using it as an umbrella term for all things that make the whites uncomfortable (*gestures widely towards everything Black*)—proposing and passing laws specifically designed for white people’s comfort that everyone of every other race will be affected by. White people aren’t ending the fight against white supremacy by banning CRT, they’re fueling it. Anyway, in Texas—where banning Blackness from education is as American as apple pie, baseball, and hanging negroes from trees then pretending it didn’t happen—the “Faculty Council at the University of Texas approved a nonbinding resolution Monday defending the academic freedom of faculty members to teach about race, gender justice, and critical race theory,” according to the Austin American-Statesman. Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday spoke to thousands at the funeral of 22-year-old Amir Locke, who was fatally shot by Minneapolis police during a no-knock warrant search. “Amir was not guilty of anything but being young and Black in America,” Sharpton said, according to The Associated Press. Locke was shot by a member of the SWAT team that carried out a no-knock search warrant at the beginning of this month. Sharpton on Thursday spoke out against the no-knock searches in Minneapolis, arguing that had they been banned “we wouldn’t be at a funeral this morning,” the news outlet noted. In his remarks, Sharpton also spoke on Black History Month and connected the history of slaves being forced to take on names their masters gave them to Black people today being seen as “nameless suspects,” according to AP. Milwaukee has moved closer to electing its first Black mayor in city history following a special election on Tuesday. Cavalier “Chevy” Johnson, who is currently the acting mayor of Milwaukee, advanced to April’s general election following Tuesday’s primary that whittled down the field of candidates to two. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Johnson won 42% of the vote, the highest share of any of the seven candidates, four of whom are Black. He will face off against former city Alderman Bob Donovan, who is white and nabbed 22% of the vote in a city where nearly 39% of the population is Black. In the interim, Johnson will continue to run Milwaukee with one caveat: He was appointed and not duly elected. Milwaukee will have a chance to change that in less than two months. Ironically, Johnson is not the first Black acting mayor in Milwaukee. It appears as though officers with the Rialto Police Department in California have nothing better to do than to harass and physically abuse teenage girls. The department has issued an apology after a video went viral showing two officers kneeling on a Black teen girl and gripping her neck for the crime of riding a bike. After viewing body-camera footage, Police Chief Mark Kling claimed that the girl appeared to have resisted arrest but also said that the department was looking into the “officer’s decision to trip the juvenile to the ground” and put his hand on her throat during the arrest. The teen was later released to her family at a detention center. https://twitter.com/i/status/1493780849669591040 Singer-turned-actress LeToya Luckett’s latest starring role is in Lifetime’s “Line Sisters” — and it’s a project she hopes will change the perception about her journey since leaving Destiny’s Child. “I’m never annoyed when somebody brings up Destiny’s Child. I’m so blessed and grateful for the experience of everything,” she tells Page Six. “I was a little girl, I was 11 years old when I became a part of that group. But when they overdo it and make me feel like that’s my only accomplishment, then it’s like, ‘Now wait a minute.’” She adds: “I feel like I’m in a place in my life, in my career, where people [aren’t saying], ‘The former member of Destiny’s Child’ … and that’s because of my present work.” Luckett, 40, was with Destiny’s Child for 3 years and sold millions of records with the hit R&B group. She and LaTavia Roberson departed the DC in 2000. https://www.instagram.com/letoyaluckett/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=eb30a10b-b393-475b-9439-20baf33302cd Wendy Williams has shared a 5-minute video in which she gives an update on her health, but fans are convinced the clip is old. The video was uploaded to Wendy’s new Instagram page Wednesday. In the clip, Wendy is walking along the beach in Miami. Her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., appears to be the one recording the video, as the two are reportedly living together in Miami. In the video, Wendy makes clear that she intends to return to her show. “I want to be all I can be and then get back to New York and get on down with ‘The Wendy Williams Show,'” she says. “I’m doing okay, ya know?” she adds. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaC_bE5pPVG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=invalid&ig_rid=b53b1d36-aea0-4cf5-89e7-462510f30979 OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced season three of courtroom drama “All Rise” returns in June with Roger Guenveur Smith and Christian Keyes joining the cast led by Simone Missick, who serves as an executive producer this season alongside showrunner and executive producer Dee Harris-Lawrence. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, Smith (Do the Right Thing and Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker) will portray Judge Marshall Thomas, OWN announced in a recent press release. Keyes (All the Queen’s Men and The Boys) will play Robin (previously played by Todd Wiliams), Lola Carmichael’s husband who has stepped away from the FBI to become a full-time dad. MTV Entertainment Group today announced that Comedy Central’s Tha God’s Honest Truth with Charlamagne Tha God, created and hosted by multimedia mogul Lenard “Charlamagne” McKelvey and executive produced by Stephen Colbert and Aaron McGruder, has been renewed for a second season and slated to premiere this summer. Leading up to the series return, Charlamagne will host a special series of exclusive, intimate one-on-one interviews as an extension of Tha God’s Honest Truth, which will feature notable names in entertainment, politics, comedy, publishing, and more. Married professional wrestling stars Cody and Brandi Rhodes are leaving All Elite Wrestling, with Cody said to be eyeing a move back to WWE. As reported by TMZ, AEW CEO Tony Khan said “Cody and Brandi Rhodes were integral to the launch of All Elite Wrestling.” “Sources tell us there was a fallout between Cody and Tony recently … as Khan’s visibility within the company grew. Of course, Cody — who served as Executive VP of the company — was pretty much the OG face of AEW when it debuted in 2019.” “Cody’s ability combined with his boldness and his passion for our industry and his love for community outreach helped AEW deliver on our mission to give fans what they needed for far too long — something new, innovative and lasting,” Khan added. “I have immense respect and appreciation for Cody and Brandi, and I wish them both the best as they move on from AEW.” David Lee Smith, A.K.A. Bigg Feva, was born with a musical spirit. At the young age of five, Bigg Feva began singing, for friends and family with an enormous amount of passion. At the beginning stages of his musical career school talent shows were an outlet for his high-energy performances. Bigg Feva captivated the audience. As he won first place in every talent show his confidence grew and he became determined to attend every musical opportunity that life had to offer. As a Hip Hop Artist producers are constantly amazed by his ability to arrange vocals as well as his vocal range. Bigg Fev is also a talented writer who writes R&B and Gospel zealously for himself and other artists. The mixture of formal musical training, passion for writing, and a love for quality music transfers to a live performance that is forever remembered by audiences that Bigg Feva captivates while performing across the United States. Most recently Bigg Feva won The Las Vegas Black Music Awards Best Hip Hop category. https://youtu.be/YxoI-TLx1a0 W. Kamau Bell seems concerned that defenders of Bill Cosby think more about protecting one man’s legacy than supporting the Black women he allegedly victimized. “I know some black people say, ‘Don’t tear down this black man,’” Bell tells Page Six. “But a third of the survivors are black women. Why are we prioritizing one man over all these black women?” Cosby was convicted of sexual assault in 2018 and sentenced to three-10 years in prison. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated his conviction last June and Cosby was released. https://youtu.be/qVr0xrvGK1Q Mary J. Blige stopped by the Hot 97 studio this week to dish about her Super Bowl LVI Halftime performance alongside Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem. “I was nervous until I got on the stage,” she told Ebro Darden. “I was nervous in all the rehearsals—everybody was nervous. Everyone. But that was a huge moment.” Blige then reacted to conservative viewers who expressed outrage over the all-Black halftime show. https://youtu.be/xGaZqLw6yNI Showing no sign he will allow tensions to subside, Vladimir Putin demanded on Thursday that the U.S. remove all of its forces from Eastern and Central Europe and expelled U.S. Deputy Ambassador Bartle Gorman from Russia. Soon after President Biden told reporters he believes Putin will invade Ukraine ‘in a matter of days,’ while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the shelling of a kindergarten in Eastern Ukraine was a ‘false flag’ operation designed to give Russia a pretext for an attack. Taken together the diplomatic and military moves represent a new, dangerous phase in the crisis. A day earlier the U.S. accused Russia of lying about its intentions. A senior administration official said it was talking deescalation but ‘privately mobilizing for war.’ Thursday began with shelling in Eastern Ukraine, with Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces accusing the other of being responsible. Pictures soon emerged of a rubble-strewn kindergarten just behind the Ukrainian side of the frontline. Kanye West took to social media Wednesday to ask for God’s help after admitting to harassing estranged wife Kim Kardashian. ‘God…please watch over me and keep mind sane,’ West, 44, said in an Instagram post. ‘I could use it right now. To anyone who feels alone, im with u and I love you.’ West, who shares children North, eight, Saint, six, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two, with the reality star, captioned the post, ‘Love you family.’ West on Tuesday took to the social media site and erased past posts he had made on the topic, with a contrite message after sharing screengrabs of discussions he’d had with Kardashian and Davidson. Tom Hanks – who is widely considered ‘America’s Dad’ and a beloved ‘normal guy’ in Hollywood – has been criticized by his own son. Chet, 31, claimed he did not have a ‘strong male role model’ during his teens while he was struggling with the pressures of having celebrity parents. Hanks and Rita Wilson – who have been married 33 years – have two sons together – Chet and Truman, 25. The Forrest Gump star also has a son Colin, 43, and daughter Elizabeth Ann, 38, from a previous relationship. Although Chet assured the public that ‘I love my parents’ and ‘wouldn’t want any different parents,’ he confessed having a famous family is ‘a double-edged sword.’ He said many people had ‘contempt’ for him as a movie star’s child, and while trying to navigate the ‘s***-talking’ and the ‘d***-riders,’ he lacked ‘a strong male role model’ who could have told him: ”Hey, bro, f*** these people. They are just jealous of you.” He shared that ‘my experience was even more complicated because on top of fame already being toxic, I wasn’t even famous. You know, I was just the son of somebody famous so I hadn’t even done anything to deserve any sort of recognition and that created a lot of contempt, a lot of contempt for me.’ Chet shared that while his father was ‘on this pedestal,’ he himself was ‘assumed’ to be ‘a really arrogant, entitled spoiled brat even though I really wasn’t.’ Discovery Plus has unveiled the trailer for its three-part docuseries “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed,” an investigation into the church made famous by its celebrity congregation, such as Justin Bieber, various Kardashians and other stars. All three episodes will drop on the streamer on March 24. The series explores the rise of Hillsong, which was founded in Australia by Brian Houston as an offshoot of his father Frank’s Sydney-based Pentecostal church. Hillsong stood out by putting an emphasis on music as a part of worship. Later, Houston decided to export Hillsong internationally, and recruited pastor Carl Lentz to lead its New York City chapter. Lentz became famous in his own right — and was often photographed alongside Bieber and other celebrity congregants — until Houston fired him in November 2020 for “moral failures,” among other issues. https://youtu.be/5iU5OVH33as Today, the NAACP and BET revealed the performers and presenters for the “53rd NAACP Image Awards.” Nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer and two-time Academy Award-nominated actress and producer Mary J. Blige will take the stage to perform at this year’s show. The “53rd NAACP Image Awards,” hosted by seven-time NAACP Image Awards winner Anthony Anderson, airs Saturday, February 26 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET. Presenters for the LIVE show include Issa Rae, Kerry Washington, LL Cool J, Michael Strahan, Morgan Freeman, Paula Patton, Questlove, Simu Liu, Tiffany Haddish, Zendaya, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, and NAACP Board Chairman Leon W. Russell. As previously announced, actor Samuel L. Jackson will be presented with the NAACP Chairman’s Award and Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project, will be presented with the Social Justice Impact Award. Last night, BMI hosted a listening party for three-time GRAMMY® nominated Gospel singer/songwriter DOE in support of her full-length debut album Clarity. Gathered at Black Coffee Atlanta, BMI’s Catherine Brewton, and Life Room Label’s Jonathan McReynolds co-hosted the intimate event where fans and industry executives were treated to an early listen of the 11-track album featuring singles “When I Pray” and “So Good.” Clarity will be available February 18th on Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration. Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and David Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon have partnered with Netflix to produce the film adaptation of “Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun.” Based on the upcoming book by British-Nigerian author, journalist and hair care educator T?lá Okogwu, “Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun” tells the tale of a teenager who learns she has powers and travels to Nigeria to learn more about her origins, where she discovers a threat to her newfound magical community. Described as “Black Panther” meets “X-Men” or “Percy Jackson,” the book is the first in an action-packed series for middle-grade children and will be published by Simon & Schuster in the U.S. and U.K. this June. Okogwu is represented by CAA and Claire Wilson at RCW Literary Agency. Popular voiceover artist Cayman Kelly opened up to candidly discuss a catastrophic health event he recently suffered. This past Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on January 17, Kelly began experiencing a rapid loss of feeling and sensation in his right hand. Throughout the day, as symptoms progressed to include a slowing down of motor-response time and cognitive impairment, Kelly tried to ignore what was going on because he had a busy work schedule. It was not until Kelly’s wife first noticed his symptoms that he was rushed to a hospital. The ER doctors confirmed what she suspected: the popular voice of Monday Night Football was suffering from an ischemic stroke due to a blood clot in the brain. It was absolutely unreal, that whole day,” said Kelly. “Early on, I had stretched out on the floor for a few minutes, so when my hand started going numb, I just figured I had laid on it too long. The symptoms got much more intense – I was trying to type an email on my phone and noticed how difficult it was to try to complete the message. Then, I started dropping my phone on the floor repeatedly. When I went to wash my hands, I started to notice how I was cognitively slowing down because I wasn’t actually washing my hands, although I was standing there with the water running. But even though the feeling in my fingers never returned, I ignored it and went about my day.” https://youtu.be/I93pLBqUgqw Nick Cannon says it was Kevin Hart who gifted him a condom machine as an early Valentine’s Day following reports that the “Masked Singer” host is expecting his 8th child with a new baby mama. “Looks like somebody just sent me an early Valentine’s Day gift!! Vending Machine full of Magnums,” Cannon wrote Feb. 7 in the caption of an Instagram photo of the machine packed full of Magnum condoms. In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Cannon said Hart’s prank did not go over well with the mothers of his children, who pressed him with “Who sent you that?” questions, he said. But once Hart admitted that he was behind the condom vending machine, “everybody relaxed,” Cannon added. Hart confessed to the prank in an Instagram post of the photo Cannon shared after receiving the condom vending machine. https://www.instagram.com/nickcannon/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=56b252b9-1902-453a-aecd-5f2bbb427820 Are you ready to go on a globe-trotting adventure to recover a billion-dollar fortune lost 500 years ago?! That’s the premise of the new Sony Pictures Entertainment film “Uncharted” starring Tom Holland (“Spider-Man: No Way Home”) and Mark Wahlberg (“TED”). The flick is based on the 2007 PlayStation video game of the same name. Holland plays street-smart bartender Nathan Drake, who is recruited by a mysterious treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Wahlberg). He makes an offer for the two to team up and recover a fortune in gold, with the bonus of potentially discovering what happened to his older brother Sam who disappeared years earlier. https://youtu.be/4wCH1K-ckZw Romeo Miller has welcomed his first child, a baby girl, with girlfriend Drew Sangster. The actor/singer and son of Master announced the exciting news on Instagram Monday. “It’s been hard to hold this in, but it was important for us to make sure our baby girl got here safe and healthy before making any announcements to the world during this sacred journey,” Miller wrote alongside a 39-second video of him and Sangster. “Psalms 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.” “My great granny always said if you live long enough, you’ll realize that everything (and the best things) are on God’s time, never yours,” he added. “The best Valentines ever. Been waiting for this moment my entire life. Thank you @drewsangster. ?? I’m a #GirlDad babbbbbyyy.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-BL0aAJXh/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=091ebb53-57b0-4a32-a6ea-9c307dc8add1 Video has surfaced of blatant racial bias happening right before your very eyes at a New Jersey mall. Police are shown breaking up a fight between two teen boys – one Black and one white – at the Bridgewater Commons mall in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. Police pinned one teen to the ground and put a knee on his back while handcuffing him. Cops sat the other teen on a nearby sofa, left him uncuffed and did nothing as he stood over the arrested teen and talked smack as he was face down on the ground in cuffs. Needless to say, the Bridgewater Police Department is now under investigation over the blatant racial disparity of the arrest. Also, the town’s mayor and state governor have denounced the behavior of the two cops. https://www.facebook.com/609613641/videos/1104369650347055/ Retired New York Giants star Tiki Barber is catching heat for declaring that the NFL is “not racist” after former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the league and several teams. Earlier this month, Flores sued the NFL, the Dolphins, the Broncos, and the Giants, alleging racist practices during the hiring process for coaches and executives. “This is about changing the hiring practices in the National Football League, and that’s what this lawsuit is about,” Brian said on CNN. “I want to coach football that’s what I’m called to do.” In the lawsuit, he alleges that the NFL “is racially segregated and is managed much like a plantation.” Daily Show” host Trevor Noah will headline this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 30. It will be the first time the event will take place since being put on hold in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Trevor is an incredible talent who keeps us laughing — and thinking — four nights a week,” said a statement from Steven Portnoy, the association president and a reporter for CBS News Radio. “We can’t wait for him to help bring our 100-year Washington tradition ‘Back to Abnormal.’” The annual correspondent’s dinner raises money for scholarships and is normally attended by celebrities and prominent influencers such as journalists and politicians. The event traces back to 1921. https://youtu.be/HHckZCxdRkA Perhaps you’ve heard vinyl albums are making a big comeback, even as we stream music on our phones. A couple of African American entrepreneurs are riding vinyl’s renewed popularity to worldwide sales from their small store on Chicago’s Southside. CBS 2’s Jim Williams reports. https://cbsloc.al/3Jq7q9U The All-Star Gospel Celebration (ASGC) will kick off NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio with an unforgettable commemoration celebrating its 15th year during the 75th NBA All-Star Weekend! The celebration is slated to take place on Thursday, February 17th at Mt. Zion in Oakwood Village at 8 P.M. EST. ASGC will be hosted by 3x NBA All-Star host Jacinda Jacobs and NBA Veteran & former National Basketball Players Association Vice-President Maurice “Mo” Evans. There will also be special appearances and performances by Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Mali Music, Maverick City Music, DOE, saxophonist Angella Christie, Keyla Richardson, and Anthony Hall. The commemoration will honor doers and game-changers in the sports industry. Honorees include co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, Valerie Daniels Carter, with the Slam Dunk "Game Changer" award, former Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, Billy Hunter, with the "Faith & Endurance" award, as well as father and son duo Pastor Larry Macon Jr. and Pastor Larry Macon Sr. with the "Living Legend" award. On the Tuesday, February 15 edition of “Tamron Hall,” iconic R&B group New Edition sat down with Tamron for a special hour-long daytime exclusive interview with all six members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant the day before their new U.S tour kicks off in Columbus, Georgia. https://youtu.be/4LC-wLK_ttc A woman has hit Trey Songz with a $20 million sexual assault case, claiming he raped her at his home on March 24, 2016. The unidentified woman said she initially had a consensual relationship with the singer but Songz allegedly became a “savage rapist,” she said in the lawsuit, as reported by Complex. “Earlier today, the attorney who drafted this suit was credibly accused of trying to pay a woman to falsely accuse Trey,” the rep said in a statement. “Hours later, that same attorney has filed this suit on behalf of an anonymous client. It isn’t hard to see what’s happening here, and it is a shame for genuine victims of sexual assault.” Songz is also dealing with two additional sexual assault cases. We reported earlier that former UNLV basketball player Dylan Gonzalez has also accused Trey of raping her. Pray.com, the world’s No. 1 app for Christians, today introduced GRAMMY® Award-winning global entertainer and entrepreneur Lecrae as its latest brand ambassador. The collaboration with Lecrae will see the release of several new content series led by the artist on the Pray.com website and mobile app. “Transform Yourself,” a seven-part meditative prayer series, will guide listeners through messages of mindfulness in faith to reduce everyday stress and improve their relationship with God, while an additional seven-part motivational prayer series will aim to inspire listeners in the morning to lead a productive day. In addition, Lecrae has narrated “Hope in a Dark World,” a Pray.com Bedtime Bible Story centered around Noah’s Ark that helps parents and families share lessons with children about having faith in tough times. Award-winning gospel and worship singer-songwriter Maranda Curtis lends her voice to promote prevention of liver cancer in the African American community. The acclaimed music artist has partnered with Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association to create a new public service announcement (PSA) campaign and live cast with medical doctors and experts on Saturday, February 19 at 1:00 pm ET in partnership with the National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) for faith-based communities titled "Love Your Liver." The campaign and live cast aims to educate about the importance of liver cancer screenings, which can help at-risk populations catch and treat cancer in its early stages. Within the African American community, liver cancer is far more lethal than it is for the U.S. population. In fact, in 2019, chronic liver disease was the eighth leading cause of death for non-Hispanic black people ages 45-64. Often, liver cancer develops due to Hepatitis C, which is twice as prevalent in the Black community compared to the general population. Hepatitis C is the leading risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer in U.S. adults. However, in recent years, researchers have discovered that earlier interventions can make all the difference in saving lives. This week at CLEO TV, we're taking a trip to Puerto Rico with Chef JJ! JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ has returned for season 4. The popular cooking show highlights Chef JJ's roots, childhood memories and of course, his delicious cuisine on tonight's all-new episode, February 16th at 9 P.M. ET/8C. In tonight's episode, Chef JJ takes our taste buds on a beautiful tropical journey to the Island of Puerto Rico with his fun and tasty Pastelón recipe. He also shares some of his special memories of cooking, eating, and celebrating his Puerto Rican roots. Chef JJ starts by cooking up a layered Plantain Lasagna called Pastelón. He then serves a fresh bowl of soupy rice known as Asopao to compliment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvucIAEo5cQ Hot on the heels of the season three finale of CLEO TV's NEW SOUL KITCHEN, Chef Jernard's condensed version of the show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX, airs tonight, February 16th at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells may be short on time in the kitchen, but he is not short on taste! One of CLEO's favorite chefs is back to cook up delicious homemade meals in 30 minutes or less! The best way to a person's heart is through their stomach and no one knows that better than Chef Jernard. In this episode, he puts his twist on Honey Crispy Shrimp and Tasty Rice Noodles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A21O4gSYUYA&feature=youtu.be "Different Morning” is the first single taken from “Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly”, the upcoming third studio album from two-time JUNO Nominated and two-time Polaris Prize listed, Toronto’s Soul/R&B powerhouse Tanika Charles. The single will be available on all digital platforms on February 18th. “Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly” will be released worldwide on April 8th on Milan-based Record Kicks label on CD, LP and “Different Morning” sees the collaboration between Tanika and rising Toronto MC DijahSB, whose album “Head Above the Waters” was featured in Exclaim Magazine top 50 albums of the year and granted them a nomination and a performance at the Junos. According to Tanika: “So much of our days are spent dwelling on the same mistakes, the same misfortunes. That thing we wish didn’t happen, or what we wish we hadn’t done. “Different Morning” is about starting a new day without that baggage, about finding a way to correct course and move past it. What starts as a pitiful interior monologue evolves into a celebration of getting over that hump by being your biggest cheerleader. DijahSB is someone who was able to carry that triumphant spirit that the second half of the song needed. “I’m alive today” is enough of a blessing, enough of an accomplishment, and enough to be thankful for.” Naturi Naughton is set to tie the knot with her boo-thang Two Lewis, a man she has kept on the low until now. In a new interview with ESSENCE magazine, the “Power Book II: Ghost” star explained why she decided to keep mum about their relationship. She also shared details about her upcoming nuptials and her fiancee’s relationship with her daughter Zuri. “For me it was important to be cautious about sharing it, especially at the beginning of our engagement, so we could focus on that bonding time,” she told ESSENCE about her relationship with Lewis. “Sometimes in the industry people put their opinions on things and make you feel like you need their opinion, and I don’t.” Naturi and her fiancé met through her “Power” co-star Omari Hardwick. https://www.instagram.com/naturi4real/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8428b760-b92f-4be5-a817-1035998863ca The Valentine’s Day Special Verzuz was held at a sold-out Avalon in Hollywood, California, one day after Valentine’s Day. The crooner from North Carolina (Anthony), and the neo-soul specialist from Philly (Musiq) went back and forth, showcasing song after song, including Anthony Hamilton’s hits “Can’t Let Go,” “You Made a Fool of Me” and “Charlene” and Musiq Soulchild’s hits “Love,” “Teach Me” and “BUDDY.” The evening had a litany of guests. Anthony brought out Raheen Devaughn, Kevin Ross, Donnell Jones and Leela James. Not to be undone, Musiq brought out Meelah (from the group 702) and Lucky Daye, who sampled Musiq’s “Half Crazy.” At the end of the evening, all of the guests joined Anthony and Musiq onstage, and a crowded stage it was. Anthony Hamilton... https://twitter.com/i/status/1493803720085282816 ; The Valentine’s Day Special Verzuz was held at a sold-out Avalon in Hollywood, California, one day after Valentine’s Day. The crooner from North Carolina (Anthony), and the neo-soul specialist from Philly (Musiq) went back and forth, showcasing song after song, including Anthony Hamilton’s hits “Can’t Let Go,” “You Made a Fool of Me” and “Charlene” and Musiq Soulchild’s hits “Love,” “Teach Me” and “BUDDY.” The evening had a litany of guests. Anthony brought out Raheen Devaughn, Kevin Ross, Donnell Jones and Leela James. Not to be undone, Musiq brought out Meelah (from the group 702) and Lucky Daye, who sampled Musiq’s “Half Crazy.” At the end of the evening, all of the guests joined Anthony and Musiq onstage, and a crowded stage it was. Musiq Soulchild... https://twitter.com/i/status/1493782795843375107 NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl LVI averaged 99.2 million viewers, while 1.9 million tuned in on Telemundo. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, the total number of viewers who watched the game across the small screen as well as streaming and digital platforms climbed to 112.3 million, according to Nielsen. “The Super Bowl once again delivered a massive audience, which included NBC and the unmatched power of broadcast television as well as first-ever presentations on Peacock and Telemundo, and led into our most-watched Olympics coverage in four years,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, in a press release. Per Nielsen data, via Variety, “this year’s Super Bowl telecast was up 8% from 2021’s showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs, which drew about 91.6 million,” the outlet writes. The Los Angeles Rams are the new Super Bowl champions after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals on their home field at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday. The highly-anticipated halftime show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar averaged 103.4 million viewers, per the report. https://twitter.com/i/status/1493077429249847300 Longtime Cleveland radio personality Lynn Tolliver passed away Sunday after battling an undisclosed illness. As reported by Cleveland 19, Tolliver was credited with putting the rhythm-and-blues station WZAK on the map in the 1980s, and worked at the station until the early 2000s. While at WZAK, he hosted the shows “Three’s Company” and “Just the Two of Us.” After leaving the station, Tolliver started his own online radio station, Radio 9311, where he continued to host and promote R&B music. He was also a songwriter of tunes like “I Need a Freak,” in 1983. In 2011, Tolliver won a $1.2 million lawsuit against the Black Eyed Peas for copyright infringement, when the band sampled “I Need a Freak” in their hit song, “My Humps.” More recently, Kanye West had sampled another song that Lynn Tolliver wrote, “Extacy,” for one of his tracks. https://youtu.be/hK04Mo4EPdc The Roots Picnic will return to the Mann Center in Fairmount Park this June, with the multistage music and culture festival curated by the Philadelphia hip-hop band expanding to two days and featuring headliners Mary J. Blige, Summer Walker, Wizkid, Kamasi Washington, and Jazmine Sullivan. This year’s Picnic will take place on the Mann campus on June 4 and 5. It will be the first to be staged as an in-person event since 2019, when the festival drew a crowd of 25,000 as it made the move to the Mann after over a decade on the Delaware River at the Festival Pier, which no longer exists. The Picnic will feature two performers from Sunday’s Super Bowl telecast in Blige, who was part of the Dr. Dre-led hip-hop halftime show, and country singer Mickey Guyton, who sang the national anthem. At the Picnic, Blige will perform with The Roots as her backing band. The lineup is deep. The J. Period Live Mixtape, a showcase for MCs that is always a highlight, will feature Roots rapper Black Thought, plus Rick Ross and Benny the Butcher. A Soulquarians Jam Session will find Roots drummer Questlove and other neo-soul musicians backing Keyshia Cole, SWV, and Philly R&B singer Musiq Soulchild. Cops say that Bob Saget died after hitting the back of his head on his bed’s headboard – despite doctors saying that his injuries were so severe they looked like he had been hit with a baseball bat. Saget was found dead aged 65 of a brain bleed on January 9 in his hotel room at the Orlando Ritz-Carlton. His death was ruled an accident with no signs of foul play. Sources told TMZ that the electronic front door lock to his hotel room shows no one else entered the room after him. It was only opened again the next afternoon, when hotel staff found him dead. Police believe he most likely slammed his head on a wooden portion of his hotel headboard and was knocked unconscious, sources close to the investigation told TMZ on Wednesday. But his autopsy revealed that his injuries were severe and suggest a much more serious accident. One analyst even compared them to injuries consistent with being hit with a baseball bat or falling 30 feet. Saget’s family have since filed an injunction to prevent the release of further records about the tragedy. A Black Lives Matter activist and candidate for Louisville’s metro council has been charged with attempted murder, accused of opening fire on Monday on a mayoral candidate whose shirt was grazed by a bullet in his campaign headquarters. Quintez Brown, 21, also faces four counts of wanton endangerment, Louisville police spokesperson Aaron Ellis said. Brown, who is a student at the University of Louisville, pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Tuesday and his bond was set at $100,000. A judge ordered him not to have contact with the alleged victim, 46-year-old Craig Greenberg, a Jewish Democrat running for Louisville mayor, or Greenberg’s campaign staff. Police said Brown appears to have acted alone and the motive remains under investigation. Brown remained in the Louisville Metro jail late Tuesday afternoon. After Brown briefly disappeared last year, family members said they were concerned about his mental health. His lawyer, Rob Eggert said Tuesday in court that ‘there are serious mental issues at play here’ and he will have Brown undergo a psychiatric evaluation. ViacomCBS Inc missed Wall Street profit forecasts on Tuesday as the company announced it will change its name to Paramount and unveiled a broad range of new programming in the battle for viewers in the crowded streaming market. Shares of the media conglomerate that owns CBS, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV and other networks, which initially fell 3%, slipped to a 6% loss as the company’s two-hour presentation of its streaming strategy continued after the markets closed. ViacomCBS reported adjusted earnings per share of 26 cents for October through December, below analyst projections of 43 cents. Simone Biles, the most accomplished American gymnast in history, revealed she has a new piece of hardware for her large collection: an engagement ring. Biles, 24, announced her engagement to Houston Texans defensive back Jonathan Owens on social media Tuesday. “THE EASIEST YES,” Biles wrote in the caption on Instagram, adding, “I can’t wait to spend forever & ever with you, you’re everything I dreamed of and more! let’s get married FIANCÉ” “Woke up this morning with a fiancé,” Owens said of the Valentine’s Day engagement. Both Biles’ and Owens’ posts show off the moment he got down on one knee, as well as a picture of him lifting her up. https://www.instagram.com/simonebiles/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=57c14984-3188-44ae-bfad-f5a6d5548402 National College Resources Foundation producers of the 23rd Annual Black College Expo™ is proud to present the expo IN PERSON this year Saturday, February 19, 2022, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90015 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Attendees can meet with colleges and participate in workshops from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an After Show from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Students can get accepted on the spot, get their college application fees waived, and receive millions in scholarships. This event helps high school seniors and college transfer students looking to transfer to a four-year college. In addition to getting connected to college recruiters, students will have access to motivating and informative seminars and workshops which includes Boomin’ Careers, How to Find Money for College, Internships and Careers, Why Attend an HBCU, a special seminar on Crypto Currency for Kids and Young adults, and new this year a President’s Forum featuring HBCU Presidents. The Black College Expo™ is open to students, educators, parents, and caregivers of all backgrounds. Black College Expo will have (48) scholarship recipients. This is the largest number of scholarship winners in the 23-year history. A Texas A&M women’s basketball assistant coach hit back after facing backlash for wearing pink leather pants and stilettos to a game. ‘I’m unapologetically myself every day, I could care less if anybody thinks that I’m being extra,’ Sydney Carter said in response to her critics. ‘I’m not gonna turn up turn my light off because somebody else is offended or intimidated by the fact that I embrace myself.’ The 31-year-old Aggies assistant coach believes race plays a major factor in the criticism. ‘I just think that people are uncomfortable with a black woman being in a power position,’ she told Yahoo. ‘When you see a black woman who is actually confident and embracing herself, I think that that’s very intimidating.’ The furor began when Carter shared photos of herself at the February 6 game against the Kentucky Wildcats. She was wearing the tight pink leather pants paired with a white turtleneck, clear heels and a pink breast cancer awareness pin at her chest. The Dallas Cowboys paid a confidential settlement of $2.4 million to members of their cheerleading squad after an alleged 2015 incident involving a team executive in their locker room, ESPN reported Wednesday. The suit followed allegations against longtime senior vice president for public relations and communications Rich Dalrymple, whom cheerleaders alleged stood behind a partial wall in their locker room with his iPhone extended toward them while they changed clothes. Dalrymple was also accused of taking “upskirt” photos of Cowboys executive vice president/chief brand officer Charlotte Jones, the daughter of team owner Jerry Jones, during the 2015 NFL draft. A fan signed an affidavit that he saw the alleged incident while watching a livestream of the team’s war room, ESPN reported. Dalrymple retired this month after 32 years with the organization. He told ESPN that allegations “had nothing to do with my retirement from a long and fulfilling career, and I was only contacted about this story after I was retired.” Dalrymple denied accusations that he took photos or video in either incident, saying his presence in the cheerleaders’ locker room was “accidental.” Serena and Venus Williams stunned in black swimsuits on the cover of the March issue of Harper’s Bazaar. The tennis superstars donned sexy one-shoulder one-pieces for the fashion magazine’s Legacy Issue and talked about life after future retirement in the accompanying interview. ‘From such a young age, all we’ve done is work,’ Venus, 41, told Harper’s. She continued, ‘So I think for Serena and I to explore that freedom is surreal. We’ve never been free.’ On the cover image, Serena rested her cheek on her sister’s toned bicep as they gazed down at the camera. Serena showcased her incredible figure in a Norma Kamali one-piece and accessorized with dazzling Cartier High Jewelry including diamond necklaces and large round earrings. Venus’s svelte physique was on full display in her Sara Christina swimsuit which she paired with diamond drop Panthère De Cartier earrings. The siblings sported similar hairstyles with their long locks braided back from their foreheads and down in voluminous waves. The four-time Olympic champions modeled the swimsuits as they struck identical poses with their hands on their hips for a photo inside the magazine. Following a racist bomb threat Jan. 11 that disrupted operations and terrified students, faculty and staff at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) in Los Angeles, Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) is calling on state and federal authorities to investigate. CDU is the only historically Black college in California. It is also designated a “Minority-Serving Institution” by the U.S. Office for Civil Rights. “As I heard about the violent threat leveled against California’s current and future doctors, nurses, and first responders, I was utterly enraged and pissed off! How can anyone threaten to take the lives of those who have committed themselves to providing life-saving services? This makes me sick to my stomach,” said Gipson in a statement. The National Football League has hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to defend it in a high-profile race discrimination case filed earlier this month by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. Lynch, a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, is working with the law firm’s chairman Brad Karp on the litigation, according to four sources familiar with the situation. The Dolphins, also named as a defendant in the Flores case, and their real estate billionaire owner Stephen Ross have turned to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan litigator William Burck, the sources said. Bruce Beal Jr., president of the Ross-controlled Related Cos., has right of first refusal to take control of the Dolphins. Beal is being represented by Boies Schiller Flexner partner Joshua Schiller—who returned to the firm last year after a three-month leave of absence stemming from domestic abuse charges that were later dropped—said three sources knowledgeable of the matter. The NFL, Dolphins, Beal, and the three firms declined to comment.The National Football League has hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to defend it in a high-profile race discrimination case filed earlier this month by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. Lynch, a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, is working with the law firm’s chairman Brad Karp on the litigation, according to four sources familiar with the situation. The Dolphins, also named as a defendant in the Flores case, and their real estate billionaire owner Stephen Ross have turned to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan litigator William Burck, the sources said. Bruce Beal Jr., president of the Ross-controlled Related Cos., has right of first refusal to take control of the Dolphins. Beal is being represented by Boies Schiller Flexner partner Joshua Schiller—who returned to the firm last year after a three-month leave of absence stemming from domestic abuse charges that were later dropped—said three sources knowledgeable of the matter. Tens of thousands of Rams fans celebrated Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald and the rest of the Super Bowl LVI champions for a curiously short victory parade in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Spectators lined up for the parade route that started at 11am local time and ran only a mile through the city, culminating in a noon rally just outside LA Memorial Coliseum, the club’s former home. Stafford, seated atop a double-decker bus with wife Kelly, was seen enjoying a cigar and a beer during the parade. At one point, retiree Tom Brady shared a word of advice for the Rams quarterback on Twitter. ”Mix in a water Matt…trust me,’ tweeted Brady, who was famously inebriated during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ victory parade a year ago. Also appearing with Stafford were his favorite target, Kupp, the Super Bowl MVP who was wearing a Kobe Bryant Lakers jersey, and left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who appeared with his children atop the double-decker bus. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/02/16/5571394052117907289/1024x576_MP4_5571394052117907289.mp4?_=2 On Friday’s edition of The Young Turks, co-host Jayar Jackson condemned the racist firefighters of the Briarcliffe Fire Company Station 75 who were caught on tape mocking Fanta Bility, an 8-year-old girl who was killed by police. Volunteer firefighters from a Philadelphia-area station thought their Zoom call was disconnected and proceeded to use the N-word and other racist language to disparage an all-black fire company, and mock the name of Fanta Bility who was fatally shot by police last year. Three police officers are facing charges in connection with Fanta’s death. “A bunch of f*cking n*ggers down there,” one Briarcliffe firefighter can be heard saying in reference to the all-Black Darby Township Fire Company. The Briarcliffe firefighters also discussed there being too many African-Americans living in the area. “That’s the f*cking problem,” one Briarcliffe firefighter said. “Blacks are taking over sh*t.” They also mocked Fanta Bility, saying “Fanta soda, yeah, orange or Fanta grape,” one Briarcliffe firefighter reportedly said on the call while laughing. https://youtu.be/pYjwKckG5Pc A week after Tyrese Gibson asked fans to pray for his mother Priscilla Murray, who had been being hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia, the actor announced Monday that she has passed away. “On behalf of my family and everyone who ever spent anytime praying for my mother This is the saddest moment of my life………. My sweet Valentine just passed away…..” Gibson, 43, captioned a video of himself holding his mom’s hand in her hospital bed while crying. “May the lord Jesus Christ and his angels open the doors of heavens and embrace her………. We as a family are broken and just can’t believe this……. May the lord Jesus Christ honor your walk with him and embrace you into the heavens…….” he continued. “From here on I ask that you HOLD MY HAND MOTHER and never let my hand go………. Like you held my hand as a child and a teen never let my hand go mother…..” concluded Gibson, who is the youngest of four siblings in his family. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-rfSYpIVc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In this first episode of “History Refocused,” we learn how a former slave’s story shows both the immense power of the vote and the community-shattering effects when it’s taken away by violence. Abby Phillip talks with CNN’s Brandon Tensley to discuss why federal intervention was key both in the Reconstruction years and still today. https://eurweb.com/2022/02/15/black-power-was-at-its-height-during-reconstruction/ After a week of backlash, the University of Alabama System’s Board of Trustees voted Friday to name a building after the school’s first Black student instead of having her share the name with a Ku Klux Klan leader. The trustees reversed a February 3 decision to name the building Lucy-Graves Hall after its first Black student and civil rights activist Autherine Lucy Foster and Bibb Graves, a former Alabama governor and a Ku Klux Klan leader. Students, faculty and community members cried out, saying it was wrong to recognize the legacy of these two people in one building. “This has been a challenging time. The work group in making its recommendations certainly intended for that paired name to generate educational moments that can help us learn from our complex and rich history,” trustee emeritus Judge John England Jr. said at the special called Friday meeting. “Somehow, the honoring of Autherine Lucy Foster sort of took the background and that’s not what we wanted,” England said. “We’ve heard enough from people whose opinion matter to us — students, faculty, staff — that we can do that in a better way than what we’ve done.” An all-clear was issued at Howard University on Monday afternoon following another bomb threat — the fourth since early January. Students and employees had been instructed to stay indoors until officials determined the campus was safe. The university tweeted around 1:15 p.m. that D.C. and campus police had issued an all-clear. It comes amid several other bomb threats targeting historically Black colleges and universities since Jan. 4. At least two dozen campuses said they have been threatened. Bombs have not found at any of the locations, officials said. Vincent Simmons, a Louisiana man who fought for 44 years to overturn his conviction on attempted aggravated rape charges, has had the judgment vacated and the charges have been dismissed, according to his attorneys Justin Bonus and Malcolm Larvadain. “He’s a free man. He was released a couple of hours ago from Angola State Penitentiary,” Larvadain said Monday. A judge had ordered a new trial because exculpatory evidence had not been turned over to the original defense team, Larvadain said. In 1977, it took just minutes for a jury of 11 White men and one Black woman to convict Simmons, who is Black, for the attempted sexual assault of 14-year-old twin sisters. “God. God kept hope alive in me,” Simmons said as he walked Monday through the courthouse in Marksville, Louisiana, according to CNN affiliate KALB. “God did this for me today.” Avoyelles Parish District Attorney Charles Riddle III said he dismissed any further charges against Simmons. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has determined that an Orange County sheriff’s deputy was justified in shooting and killing a homeless Black man who deputies stopped on suspicion of jaywalking in San Clemente. DA officials cleared Deputy Eduardo Duran of criminal wrongdoing in the Sept. 23, 2020, killing of 42-year-old Kurt Andreas Reinhold, according to a letter to Sheriff Don Barnes publicly released Friday outlining the results of an investigation into the fatal shooting that led to community protests in San Clemente. DA’s Office officials, as well as Sheriff’s Department leaders, say Reinhold was reaching for a deputy’s gun while struggling with Duran and his partner. “Based on the totality of all the available evidence, it is clear that Deputy Duran was justified in believing Reinhold posed a significant threat of death or serious injury to his partner, himself and the surrounding civilians,” wrote Steve McGreevy, an assistant district attorney and head of the office’s homicide unit. Neil Gehlawat, one of the attorneys representing Reinhold’s family, said the DA’s Office report is “disappointing but not surprising.” He described the police stop as “racially motivated,” saying the deputies had no reason to detain Reinhold in the first place. A Massachusetts Montessori school apologized and fired a teacher for instructing young children to make and wear Blackface masks as a Black History Month project. The incident, which happened in a classroom with toddlers, took place last Tuesday at IC Kids in Newton. When one mother, Nadirah Pierce, picked up her children and learned what had happened, she complained and pulled them out of the school. “This is unacceptable and don’t really understand the concept of this project,” Pierce told NBC10 Boston. IC Kids apologized about the incident in a Facebook post, which drew criticism, then posted a statement on a window at the facility. The statement said the school’s day care had closed over “safety concerns,” explaining that “hearing of protests happening at the center will put the children and staff at risk.” “To celebrate ‘black history month’, a teacher in toddler classroom [sic] at ICKids planned and carried out an activity that involved black masks ‘blackface.’ [sic] One of the parents brought it to our attention and was offended; The teacher apologized to the parent,” the statement read. https://www.nbcboston.com/on-air/as-seen-on/newton-school-apologizes-fires-teacher-over-blackface-masks-in-black-history-month-lesson/2645449/ The three white men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery had histories of making racist comments or using slurs in text messages that stunned their friends and colleagues, a federal prosecutor told jurors Monday as the trio stood trial on hate crime charges in the 25-year-old Black man’s death. During opening statements in the case, defense attorneys admitted their clients had each expressed offensive and indefensible opinions about Black people. But they insisted the trio’s pursuit of Arbery as he ran in their neighborhood was prompted by honest, though erroneous, suspicion that he had committed crimes — not by his race. “I’m not going to ask you to like Travis McMichael,” Amy Lee Copeland, the defense attorney for the man who fatally shot Arbery, told the jury. “I’m not going to ask you to decide that he had done nothing wrong. But I’m going to ask you to return a verdict of not guilty to this indictment.” McMichael and his father, Greg McMichael, armed themselves and chased Arbery in a pickup truck after he ran past their coastal Georgia home on Feb. 23, 2020. A neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, joined the pursuit in his own truck and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael blasting Arbery with a shotgun. Arrests came only after the video leaked online two months later. All three were convicted of murder and a judge sentenced them to life in prison last month. Rosario Dawson and Sen. Cory Booker have called it quits after more than two years together. A source close to the New Jersey lawmaker confirmed to PEOPLE that the two remain good friends. Dawson and Booker first met at a political fundraiser in 2018 and went public with their relationship a year later. “I am just grateful to be with someone that I respect and love and admire so much,” said Dawson in an interview with TMZ at the time. “I mean, gosh, that night we talked for hours and hours,” Booker told The Washington Post in 2019 about the moment the and Dawson first met. “I had trouble asking for her phone number … I think I said something really stupid like, ‘Uh, how would I get in touch with you?’ And she mercifully said something like, ‘Oh, you want my phone number?’ And my insides were like, ‘Hell, yeah!’ ” LeBron James has never had a shortage of critics throughout his career. Right now, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is facing the wrath of a high-profile Republican author, commentator, and activist in Candace Owens. In a recent interview on the Full Send podcast, Owens, who is also known to be a devoted Donald Trump supporter, went on an all-out attack on LeBron. The 32-year-old talk show host decided to take aim at James’ intellect level, which according to her, isn’t at all impressive: Owens went on to belabor her point against the Lakers star. Shed heaped praise on LeBron as a basketball player, but when it comes to matters outside the hardwood floor, Owens clearly believes that James should just keep his mouth shut. Brian Flores has another claim to add to his lawsuit against the NFL. The former Dolphins coach, suing the league for discrimination against black coaches and executives in its hiring process, is amending the lawsuit to add a retaliation claim against the Texans, Pro Football Talk reported Sunday. Flores was one of the reported finalists for the Texans’ head coaching job, but filed his lawsuit against the league while the interview process was ongoing. The team ultimately hired Lovie Smith, the veteran black head coach who had served as Houston’s defensive coordinator last season. During Smith’s introductory press conference, Texans GM Nick Caserio insisted that Flores’ pending lawsuit did not affect his chances of getting the job. “Speaking specific to Brian, I’ve known Brian a long time personally and professionally. I have a lot of respect for Brian as a coach and a person. He was a part of this process,” Caserio told media. “He’s been a good coach in this league for a number of years. Part of my responsibility was to spend time with as many quality candidates as possible and Brian was one of those.” People are trying to figure out why hundreds of birds in a particular species literally fell from the sky all at once in perhaps the creepiest thing you’ll see in all of 2022. Security footage in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua showed a flock of yellow-headed blackbirds suddenly falling to earth, the majority of them dead on arrival. According to the New York Post, the birds flew in from northern Canada and had been wintering in Mexico. Some speculate the birds may have been suffering from the effects of high pollution, which has plagued the region lately. https://youtu.be/sz9T0nQZXKc JT Brown and Everett Fitzhugh are about to make history. The duo is set to host the NHL’s first-ever all-Black television broadcast, taking place when the Seattle Kraken face the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. Fitzhugh is usually the Kraken’s radio play-by-play announcer, and will be joining Brown, a regular Kraken analyst, on the TV side. Seattle’s incumbent television play-by-play voice, John Forslund, will be working on a different network Thursday night. That created an opportunity for Fitzhugh and Brown to collaborate in a truly meaningful way. “It all goes back to representation matters, that’s the overarching theme here,” Fitzhugh told NHL.com. “I didn’t have Black broadcasters [and] play-by-play people to look up to when I was growing up. I didn’t know play-by-play was an option until I got to college, as far as a career goes. So to have that stage, to have that platform with [Brown] and to show people that, ‘Hey, there are two Black men calling hockey games,’ is something that I think will hopefully inspire other people.” TMZ caught up with Dr. Dre Monday following his Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show performance at SoFi Stadium, where he was joined by fellow artists Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and special guest 50 Cent. Dr. Dre chopped it up with TMZ Live and admitted he was still “buzzing” about the show. He also revealed that Kendrick had to omit the “and we hate po-po” line from his song “Alright.” Dre said discussions were had about the opening line from the song, “m.A.A.d city,” where Lamar says, “If Pirus and Crips all got along. Dr. Dre chopped it up with TMZ Live and admitted he was still “buzzing” about the show. He also revealed that Kendrick had to omit the “and we hate po-po” line from his song “Alright.” Dre said discussions were had about the opening line from the song, “m.A.A.d city,” where Lamar says, “If Pirus and Crips all got along. https://youtu.be/BBovUo_OEHg Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall have been tapped to host this year’s Academy Awards. “Imagine having one of the funniest women in comedy today hosting the Oscars… Now, multiply that by three,” says Craig Erwich, president, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment in a statement. “I know the fun Regina, Amy and Wanda will be having will translate to our audience as well,” says Oscars’ show producer Will Packer. “Many surprises in store! Expect the unexpected!” https://eurweb.com/2022/02/15/regina-hall-wanda-sykes-and-amy-schumer-oscars-hostsreport/ Tubi is the Fox’s ad-supported streaming service (like NBC’s Peacock), and it’s celebrating Black History Month with a free offering of “Howard High,” a musical from former Immature singer Marques Houston and the group’s former manager-turned-filmmaker Chris Stokes. Houston executive produces and stars in the film about a high school musical group that must compete against a rival school in order to save their arts program, while also battling issues from the inside. Much like ABC’s brilliant “Abbot Elementary,” “Howard High” sheds light on the challenges schools face in underfunded neighborhoods. Houston, father of 2-month old daughter Zara with wife Miya, plays Howard High teacher Michael Kirsh, who spearheads his students’ effort to battle their rival school led by teacher Emit Turner, played by Keith Sweat. The Associated Press caught up with Sweat to talk about the film. https://youtu.be/HhpFyDzZDQ4 Tubi is the Fox’s ad-supported streaming service (like NBC’s Peacock), and it’s celebrating Black History Month with a free offering of “Howard High,” a musical from former Immature singer Marques Houston and the group’s former manager-turned-filmmaker Chris Stokes. Houston executive produces and stars in the film about a high school musical group that must compete against a rival school in order to save their arts program, while also battling issues from the inside. Much like ABC’s brilliant “Abbot Elementary,” “Howard High” sheds light on the challenges schools face in underfunded neighborhoods. Houston, father of 2-month old daughter Zara with wife Miya, plays Howard High teacher Michael Kirsh, who spearheads his students’ effort to battle their rival school led by teacher Emit Turner, played by Keith Sweat. The Associated Press caught up with Houston. https://youtu.be/Xf56pEUO4jM Photographer Jaimie Milner has released her must-have coffee table book “Gifted” on February 1. Through unseen images, raw unfiltered full-length interviews, and thought-provoking perspectives, “Gifted” showcases the voice of black men today.Photographer Jaimie Milner has released her must-have coffee table book “Gifted” on February 1. Through unseen images, raw unfiltered full-length interviews, and thought-provoking perspectives, “Gifted” showcases the voice of black men today. Featured in the book are remarkable men in the Arts, Business, Politics, and Finance including Kris Bowers (“Bridgerton”), David Oyelowo (“Selma”), Michael Strautmanis (Obama Foundation), Hisham Tawfiq (“The Blacklist”), Chris Lyons (Andreessen Horowitz), Nate Parker (“American Skin”), Dean Garfield (Netflix), and Steven Caple Jr. (“Creed II”) and more. JUDITH CHRISTIE MCALLISTER returns with new music, GOD IS ON MY SIDE. As we kick off a new year, this upbeat, familiar mastery of PRAISE & WORSHIP is exactly what audiences need. Written by Dr. McAllister's daughter, Destiny, Judy delivers a splendid track that will definitely have praise teams singing and everyone on their feet while being reminded that God is for and with us. https://www.dropbox.com/s/vqf4c94o3vqcyw4/God%20Is%20On%20My%20Side.mp3?dl=0 During critical times in human history, great art and artists emerge! Rapper, pastor, and founding member of the 116 Movement, TRIP LEE, is back and this time it’s for good! In 2021, he surprised 116 fans with a new song, “You Got It,” a single released on Reach Records' Summer ’21 Playlist. He followed quickly behind with “Supernatural,” a warm-up song for a forthcoming album. He officially announces his return with a creative video which also reveals the album title, The End." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TgI1WADob8 “Silly Love Songs,” the Paul & Linda McCartney classic, has been released by 7-time Grammy Award Winners, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. in a new music video tribute from the couple’s bestselling EE1 BMG album, blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons, a “Civil Rights are Human Rights” recording project, honoring Black History Month. “We lift our voices in honor of those whose voices have been silenced. When people become iconic in death, we fail to appreciate the great loss of happy, loving moments. Their joy and laughter is forgotten,” said Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., who are named by Clive Davis as the ‘First Couple of Pop & Soul,’ in a joint statement. https://youtu.be/LCsDk6ptGNk Channing Tatum’s latest film, “Dog,” was inspired by his relationship with a four-legged friend. “Dog” is the story of two former Army Rangers who are linked up against their wishes for a life-changing road trip. Tatum stars as Briggs, a man recovering from a brain injury who receives an assignment to escort an unruly and anxious Belgian Malinois named Lulu to her former handler’s funeral. Along the way, things go awry in the craziest ways possible. https://youtu.be/V4tAtp-TyzQ #JuliaFox‘s rep confirmed the “Uncut Gems” star and #KanyeWest have officially called it quits.“Julia and Kanye remain good friends and collaborators,” her rep said in a statement to E!, “but they are no longer together.” Before the breakup was confirmed Monday, Fox clapped back after Daily Mail reported she was seen tearfully leaving #LAX alone without #Ye. https://youtu.be/QSsGo9j61zs The family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer fatally shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of the movie “Rust” last year, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on Tuesday in New Mexico against crew members and producers, including Mr. Baldwin. The suit, filed by Ms. Hutchins’s widower, Matthew Hutchins; her 9-year-old son; and the personal representative of Ms. Hutchins’s estate, accused Mr. Baldwin and the other defendants of reckless conduct and cost-cutting measures that endangered the crew, including failing to follow basic industry standard safety checks and gun safety rules. “Halyna Hutchins deserved to live, and the Defendants had the power to prevent her death if they had only held sacrosanct their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present,” the lawsuit said, “instead of cutting corners on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations.” Ms. Hutchins, 42, was shot on Oct. 21 while the production was lining up camera angles for a scene in which Mr. Baldwin draws an old-fashioned revolver from a shoulder holster. Shortly before the gun went off, discharging a bullet that killed Ms. Hutchins and injured Joel Souza, the film’s director, the crew had been told that the revolver did not contain live ammunition and was safe to handle. Naomi Campbell is giving fans a glimpse of her 9-month-old daughter as the two grace the cover of British Vogue‘s March issue. Campbell, 51, gushes about motherhood in the issue, and her baby reveal comes after she announced back in May that she welcomed her first child via a surrogate. “She wasn’t adopted – she’s my child,” the model tells British Vogue, adding that not many people knew she was going to become a mom at the time. “I can count on one hand the number of people who knew that I was having her,” she shares. “But she is the biggest blessing I could ever imagine. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.” To mark Megan Thee Stallion‘s 27th birthday on Tuesday, the rapper is announcing the launch of the Pete and Thomas Foundation — and she’s giving back in a special way. The foundation is a non-profit organization which generates awareness around campaigns and programmatic activities — while focusing primarily on education, housing and health and wellness, according to a press release. Meanwhile, she is also surprising a senior citizen, a student and a cancer survivor with financial assistance on her birthday. The foundation is named after her parents, Holly Thomas and Joseph Pete Jr., to honor the values they instilled in her. Under the education sector, the foundation will provide scholarships, school supplies, and resources to support students in high-need communities. Meanwhile, for housing, the foundation will aim to address housing issues for senior citizens, single mothers and families impacted by financial emergencies and natural disasters. Method Man is not impressed that Twitter users are using Photoshop to remove his facial hair. The rapper famously known for being a member of the Wu-Tang Clan took to Twitter on Friday to condemn the user who altered his image by digitally shaving off Method’s beard. This person then asked his followers if “y’all ladies still choosing.” Method Man caught wind of the post and called it “suckash*t,” he wrote. “u still hv time to delete it… Love and light my brother,” the hip-hop icon added. https://www.instagram.com/theshaderoom/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3c062a58-4f73-4468-a4f7-7e4a4e0d6af5 This past weekend, QC Sports, a full-service sports representation agency, held “The Pregame” event at the Highlight Room in Los Angeles in celebration of the Super Bowl LVI. QC Sports curated a one-of-a-kind experience for their clients and guests by merging the world of sports and entertainment to celebrate one of the biggest moments in football taking place in So Cal. The monumental afternoon featured an elevated experience including sponsored activations – on-site gaming with XSET, audio station by VIWONE, a cigar lounge curated by Escobar, crafted cocktails by Dano’s Tequila – and libations with some of the industry’s favorite celebrities and influencers including music trailblazers Quavo, Jamie Foxx, London On Da Track, Lecrae and more. Also spotted at the event was BMF actress Seraya, Love and Hip Hop star Princess Love, Wild “N Out comedian Dan Rue, Selling Tampa star Sherelle Rosado, and NBA All-Star Charles Oakley plus many more. The president of one of Africa’s wealthiest and most stable countries is bringing his international leadership and expertise to the International Leadership Summit. The annual conference, founded by T.D. Jakes, brings together aspiring and tenured entrepreneurs, leaders and influential change agents to revolutionize the future of leadership. At this year’s event, set to take place in Charlotte from March 31 to April 2, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo will participate in a “master class” conversation with Jakes, during which the two will discuss creating economic opportunities, technology and the future of both nations. Widely regarded as a model of democracy, Ghana is one of the wealthiest and most progressive of Africa’s 54 countries. The West African nation is the continent’s largest producer of gold and the world’s second largest producer of cocoa. Akufo-Addo was first elected in January 2017, and reelected in 2020 for a second and final term. Since becoming president, Akufo-Addo has worked to build strong economic and cultural ties between his country and Africans in the diaspora, particularly African Americans. Last year, Twitter announced it would be moving its African corporate headquarters to Ghana. Akufo-Addo is a lawyer and a champion of human rights, justice and democracy. He has worked on constitutional cases to help protect the independence of the judiciary, the rights of citizens to demonstrate without police permits, and for equal access to state-owned media for all political parties. Vladimir Putin played magnanimous peacemaker today insisting that he ‘of course’ doesn’t want war in Ukraine hours after announcing a theatrical ‘withdrawal’ of some of his forces while massing tens of thousands of troops along the border. The strongman, speaking at the Kremlin alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said he is ‘ready to go down the negotiations track’ and engage over issues such as arms control, transparency around military drills, and other measures aimed at reducing sky-high tensions between East and West. Russia’s apparent withdrawal is being treated with extreme scepticism in the West, where intelligence agencies suspect is could be part of a ruse to launch a smaller military operation in the regions of Eastern Ukraine where Russian separatists are fighting. Putin also insisted that the fate of two breakaway Ukrainian regions – where Moscow-backed rebels are fighting the government – should form part of talks because ‘genocide’ is underway there. And he again accused the West of ignoring his demand that Ukraine is banned from NATO, underlining how far apart the two sides still are. Is Nick Cannon pining for lost love this Valentine’s Day? The talk show host dropped a new song on Monday that serves as a love letter of sorts to his ex-wife, Mariah Carey. In Cannon’s new song “Alone” — which tellingly sample’s Carey’s 1990 single “Love Take Time” — the 41-year-old artist and TV personality belts out some particularly poignant lyrics that allude to him still having feelings for the famed diva. “I say I’m cool when I know I miss it/ I’d trade it all for the case/ If I could have you back/ If I could go back to where we started at,” an apparently emotional Cannon croons on the track. This is for anybody else who is #ALONE on Valentines Day… I had to come Raw from the heart on this one. #Broken #Shattered #Toxic #RAW&B #Alone https://t.co/nGrqLoZIem pic.twitter.com/TeRJCOa9jt— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) February 14, 2022. Cannon shared the song to Twitter and wrote in the post, “This is for anybody else who is #ALONE on Valentines Day… I had to come Raw from the heart on this one. #Broken #Shattered #Toxic #RAW&B #Alone.” While the song is described specifically as “an ode to Mariah Carey” in a press release for the single, some of Cannon’s lyrics are particularly specific, and autobiographical. For example, at one point Cannon sings, “As much as I want you back/ It’s probably better where you at/ ‘Cause I’m still running the streets/ I’m still all in the sheets/ Having babies, models and singers and actresses saying they pregnant by me.” Kyler Murray is well aware of what people have been saying about him and the ongoing drama with the Arizona Cardinals. The 24-year-old NFL star finally broke his silence on Monday evening with a newly-released statement. “I play this game for the love of it, my teammates, everyone who has helped me get to this position that believed in me & to win championships,” Murray wrote. “All of this nonsense is not what I’m about, never has been, never will be. Anyone who has ever stepped between those lines with me knows how hard I go. “Love me or hate me but I’m going to continue to grow and get better.” The original movie premiere of Single Black Female did “crazy good” for Lifetime, luring in 1.8 million total viewers for Live +3. The movie ranked as TV’s top entertainment telecast across all key demos on premiere night and marks Lifetime’s best movie premiere since last year’s Wendy Williams: The Movie debut, garnering 730K A25-54, 551K W25-54, 598K A18-49, and 447K W18-49 in Live +3. The movie also accrued 116k video starts across Lifetime’s Everywhere On-Domain platforms. With all the telecasts on linear and video starting on digital, the movie was seen by over 5.1 million total viewers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wauBCtrcBeM&feature=youtu.be Alice” (Keke Palmer) yearns for freedom as an enslaved person on a rural Georgia plantation. After a violent clash with its brutal and disturbed owner, Paul (Jonny Lee Miller), she flees through the neighboring woods and stumbles onto the unfamiliar sight of a highway, soon discovering the year is actually 1973. Rescued on the roadside by a disillusioned political activist named Frank (Common), Alice quickly comprehends the lies that have kept her in bondage and the promise of Black liberation. Inspired by true events, Alice is a modern empowerment story tracing Alice’s journey through the post-Civil Rights Era American South. Multiple Award nominee and popular Gospel singer-songwriter KARIMA expands her growing business operations with the launch of the second label, "K A R I M A B R A N D." Giving a gift of hope and smiles to everyone, this Valentine's Day, KARIMA’s inaugural collection will feature a variety of activewear for every style from hoodies and tees to yoga pants and joggers, as well as windbreakers, biker shorts, and headbands. The comfortable and affordable line is versatile and stylish. She will also introduce options for men and a limited line of Mommy & Me items. Each piece is crafted with the person's inner beauty in mind. Made for an active lifestyle this first launch will present two collections in a range of sizes "Make It Rain Sunshine (M.I.R.S.)” and “Redeemed” which are available now on shopkarimabrand.com. JoJo Martin drops Never Left Alone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RXz1iJBBv8&feature=youtu.be KT Ellis is a newcomer to the Blacksmoke family, but he is not short stopping on raising the sounds of praise. He is living proof of God's grace and favor and wants the world to bear witness to the truth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx-8R8RidEA&feature=youtu.be Gospel superstar Zacardi Cortez is coming out strong with You've Been Good To Me and the reviews have been overwhelming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dEWFGEHiY0 Archie “Pastor Tré” McInnis III, is “Gen Z” worshipper for Christ. The Brooklyn, NY native grew up as preacher’s kid but is not confined to the “PK” stigma. Fresh Fire...https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/10121228?date=20220214&user_id=668306&signature=juvhIJeYWL0RxtMo6L0dCey3Kg0%3ApoOLUQKE Following his new album Breakthrough: The Exodus, Ricky Dillard releases a collection of songs from the album that have meant a lot to him this year. These songs will prepare you for an exodus this year! Checkout Get Ready! https://rickydillard.lnk.to/GetReadyEM?utm_campaign=175667_MOTG%202.14_231797_US&utm_source=dotmailer&utm_medium=email&dm_i=4YUT,3RJN,4SQSQ,HUWW,1 Black women are shattering glass ceilings in industries where they are often underrepresented. Susan M. Collins, Ph.D was recently appointed to serve as the president and CEO of The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, making her the first Black woman to sit at the helm of a Fed bank. Collins—a Harvard University alumna who holds a doctorate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—has led work that sits at the intersection of global economics and policy. The macroeconomist, who grew up in New York City, has held several roles in the realm of academia including working as an associate professor of economics at Harvard and teaching at Georgetown University. She also served as a senior staff economist at the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. Collins is currently the University of Michigan’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and the Edward M. Gramlich Collegiate Professor of Public Policy and Economics. https://twitter.com/i/status/1491488584590925831 Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) led a bipartisan letter to Congressional leadership calling for the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act to be expeditiously considered by Congress. The MORE Act ends the federal prohibition on marijuana and seeks justice for those who have been convicted on marijuana-related charges. Ten of Strickland’s colleagues joined her in signing this letter. “To create a society that is just and secure, we must restore the lives of those convicted on marijuana-related charges,” Strickland said. “Cannabis being listed under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act has impacted our local and Tribal businesses, families, communities of color, and countless residents across the South Sound. It is time for Congress to decriminalize marijuana by passing the bipartisan MORE Act to promote racial justice, spur economic growth, and protect retailers and their employees.” Boris Johnson will lead a last-ditch diplomatic blitz this week to avert war in Ukraine. With the next 48 hours said to be crucial, the Prime Minister will make a whistle-stop tour of Europe as the world braces for an imminent Russian invasion. Intelligence suggests Vladimir Putin’s troops are planning to cross the border ‘at any moment’, possibly as soon as Wednesday. Mr Johnson warned last night that the crisis in Eastern Europe was at ‘a critical juncture’ and he and other allies will spend the coming hours and days attempting to pull Russia ‘back from the brink.’ Britain yesterday pledged ‘further economic support to Ukraine’ as more than 130,000 Russian troops stood massed at its borders. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will attend a meeting with his Nato counterparts in Brussels this week to prepare the security alliance’s response to any attack on Ukrainian sovereignty. US intelligence briefed by the Pentagon reportedly points to a detailed plan in which Moscow will launch a barrage of missile and bomb attacks this Wednesday followed by a full-blown ground invasion. Black Republicans in California are applauding the Feb. 8 election of Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) as the new Minority Leader of the 19-member Assembly Republican Caucus. Gallagher,40, succeeds Marie Waldron (R-Valley Center), who led the caucus from 2018 until last week. “James has always been a measured leader. He’s a good man. I know him and his family. He’s the right man for the position,” said Tamika Hamilton, a Black Republican, U.S. Air Force veteran and candidate to represent California’s sixth Congressional District (in the San Diego area) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hamilton praised Gallagher for his “common sense” approach to politics, adding that the lawmaker believes in building consensus around important issues. Shocking video footage captured the live-or-die moment of two cars wrestling to keep the lead on the NJ highway before one of them lost control, veered off the road, and flipped over. The driver of a Honda Accord can be seen determined to have his way by aggression. The car tries to overtake a Ford F-150 Raptor, but it will not give way. The incident happened on the Palisades Parkway in New Jersey last month. Seeing that there was no way, the Honda driver now attempted to undertake and force the car between two vehicles that were driving at the same speed. This was the most reckless mistake the Honda driver made, for the car lost control and veered off the two-way highway. It crashed on the guardrail and flipped over on the roadside. https://youtu.be/idIBlnPB4tc Adrian Peterson was arrested during #SuperBowl weekend at LAX on his way out of Los Angeles. According to TMZ, the airport police received a call around 8:30 AM about a disturbance on an aircraft leaving LAX and en route to Houston, Texas. The publication reports that the aircraft had to turn around and link up with the gate again after a verbal and physical altercation between a man and woman. Peterson was arrested and booked for felony domestic violence. Sources say that the alleged victim sustained a small mark from the incident. The alleged victim has been said to be his wife, Ashley Peterson. After Adrian was arrested, the flight departed as planned with his wife on board with the other passengers. Peterson and his wife were in town during Super Bowl weekend for an event hosted by DIRECTV. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ71mgRjCux/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again About 130 children a year are arrested in schools, found an analysis by USA TODAY. Out of the three children they profiled, one of them was Kaia Rolle who was arrested at six years old. Though USA TODAY reported Black boys were more likely to be arrested than Black girls, there is a discussion to be had about the intersectional conflicts Black girls are exposed to before they finish elementary school. A survey by Education Week showed more teachers were in favor of police officers in schools, yet this aids the statistic that Black children are arrested at higher rates than their counterparts, according to USA TODAY. It was also reported that data from the National Center for Education Statistics found about 50,000 officers are employed at schools around the country. Additionally, USA TODAY shared a report from the American Civil Liberties Union that arrests at schools with police occurred at 3.5 times higher rate than schools without officers. The fence that once stood between protesters and the White House at Lafayette Park during the summer of 2020 (also known as the Black Lives Matter memorial), displayed hundreds of signs, posters and artwork left by protesters following the murder of George Floyd. While authorities took down the fence in early 2021, activists made it their mission to preserve every artifact — knowing that each sign represents a part of the nation’s history. Now, thanks to the help of activists and archivists, the pieces of artwork that once served as a memorial of the movement are being displayed in a new online exhibit on the Library of Congress’ website. According to the Library, more than 30 pieces of artwork are now available online. “[The Library] wants people to see those signs, the messages and contextualize them with other parts of our collection that talk about similar issues,” said Aliza Leventhal, head of technical services for the prints and photography division of the Library of Congress. At first glance, the construction along the Brooklyn streets appeared routine. “You wouldn’t think anything of it,” said Fabian Rogers, a community organizer in Brownsville, a majority Black neighborhood where construction began in 2017. It wasn’t until years later, in 2020, that he learned that the overturned streets were making way for a fracked gas pipeline. “It just felt like a big slap in the face – to have [a pipeline] in my backyard that I didn’t know about,” he said. Rogers and other residents have spent the last two years protesting National Grid’s 7-mile pipeline, which zigzags through predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods, bypassing whiter, wealthier parts of Brooklyn. Formally known as the Metropolitan Reliability Project, the pipeline is often referred to as the north Brooklyn pipeline. They have blocked the pipeline’s construction at demonstrations and some have stopped paying part of their utility bills, in an effort to divert funding from the project. Last summer, they went a step further, filing a complaint against the utility and state that argues the pipeline has resulted in racial discrimination, violating Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. (Title VI prohibits federally-funded entities from discriminating on the basis of race, gender, and other protected identities Sotheby’s has sold 200 pairs of sneakers designed by the late Virgil Abloh for a “record breaking” collective $25.3 million, the auction house said Wednesday — more than eight times the initial $3 million estimate. The special edition Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” sneakers were designed for the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022, Sotheby’s said in a press release. The auction marked the first time the sneakers were released for sale, Sotheby’s said. A spokesperson told CNN Thursday that, as a collection, the sneakers had secured “a record auction total” for fashion. Individual pairs of sneakers have, however, commanded a higher price. This includes a pair of Nike Air Ships worn by basketball star Michael Jordan, which sold for $1.47 million in October. Abloh, who was the artistic director for Louis Vuitton menswear — and the fashion house’s first Black artistic director — died in November at the age of 41 after privately battling a rare form of cancer for two years. Hours after trending on social media for his rant against Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson, 22-time Grammy winner Kanye ‘Ye’ West made it to his Sunday Service on time at noon in Los Angeles. The 44-year-old rapper-designer filmed his eight-year-old daughter North and six-year-old son Saint on Instagram Live despite blasting his estranged wife Kim Kardashian for creating a TikTok account for North. At one point, Kanye’s eldest child could be overheard telling him she had to step out of the performance because her ‘braces were hurting.’ While the kids ran around the weekly gospel gathering, West sang along with his choir as they chanted: ‘If not for your grace we would all be lost.’The separated father-of-four previously announced he was taking North and Saint to a Super Bowl party as their 41-year-old mother was last seen in New York Saturday with the 28-year-old comedian. As a black female country artist, Mickey Guyton has spent the past year breaking color — and gender — barriers in the predominantly white male genre. She gave a powerful performance of her song “Black Like Me” at the Grammys, was the first African-American woman to co-host the ACM Awards and rocked a supersize Afro when she did “Love My Hair” at the CMAs. Now, the 38-year-old singer — whose debut album, “Remember Her Name,” is up for three Grammys in April — will have another memorable moment when she performs the national anthem at the Super Bowl on Sunday. “It’s Black History Month, and a black country singer gets to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Wow,” Guyton told The Post. “This is a huge moment for me. It’s a huge moment for black people. And I want to represent that in the best possible way that I can.” Cielito Vivas is a Philadelphia-born-and-raised photographer with, as she puts it, a name most people can’t pronounce (it’s /sh’lee·tow/). This past Christmas season, she photographed the Chocolate Ballerina Company (CBC), which put on an all-Black performance of The Nutcracker, a historic first in Philadelphia. The company’s founder and artistic director, Chanel Holland, was a dancer herself, and her experience in the dance world led her to strike out on her own. “I walked into an institution where I had been accepted as a member of the corps de ballet,” Holland said in a 2019 interview with Philadelphia Dance. “I guess because of the way I was dressed — my ‘swag’ personality — they thought I was lost and looked at me like I was in the wrong place. I showed them my acceptance letter, took off my Adidas pants, and put on my pointe shoes. I was the only Black girl. And it didn’t matter to them, but it mattered to me. I walked out of that rehearsal and cried.” Holland founded her company in 2017 to offer free lessons, leotards, and rehearsals to empower and support young ballet dancers in Philadelphia. Destinee Lashaee, the first transgender cast member of the TLC reality hit “My 600-lb Life,” has died at 30. “No no no I’m sorry bro,” Destinee’s brother Wayne Compton wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “I accept you for who you are, I accept every flaw that come with you, I’m sorry you felt alone, I’m sorry you felt you had nobody else to turn too, I’m sorry you felt you had no other option Destiny wouldn’t of wanted this, lord why keep taking my siblings away, how much can I take????.” Destinee was born Matthew Ventress and raised in foster care. Her cause of death has not been revealed but according to reports, she had another sibling who died recently. https://youtu.be/-1s0TphTDk4 Black culture in Inglewood, Compton and South Los Angeles took the spotlight on the world stage Sunday, February 13, 2022, in a Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI win, 23-20 over the Cincinnati Bengals in SoFi Stadium, located in the heart of the African American community. Many would say that Los Angeles is the womb that birthed West Coast Hip Hop and Super Bowl 56 did nothing to dispel that notion. The sporting extravaganza, NFL Football’s culmination of the season, the Super Bowl, which took place in Black History month, put a bright light on the achievements of African Americans and people of color in business, sports and entertainment. From the beginning of the game, the production was an easel that painted the many unheralded achievements of Black football players that shaped the game. As the players were taking the field for the game, Cameron Jordan, a defensive end for the New Orleans Saints, spoke of the contributions of some of the pioneers of football players of color, “The Forgotten First,” which included Kenny Washington, Woody Strode, Marion Motely and Bill Willis. Prior to the game, Rams defensive end Aaron Donald, in an interview with former football star Rodney Harrison. https://youtu.be/Duf61SeoGd0 Issa Rae has made monumental strides throughout her career as a producer, actress, and businesswoman. Still, she’s always stayed true to her West Coast roots, often crediting the city of Inglewood for shaping her into the creative she is today. People reported that the “Insecure” star recently received a major honor from her hometown when she was bestowed with a key to the city. The honor is historic as Rae is the first person to be awarded a key to the city of Inglewood. She received the accolade at the Taste of Inglewood festival on Saturday. During the event, Rae reflected on her family’s history within the community and the influence it has had on her journey. School officials from Nyack High School are speaking out after a racist incident occurred during a varsity game. On Feb. 9, the Nyack RedHawks faced off against Peal River High School on their home court. Members from the Nyack team were outraged when they witnessed crowd-goers in the Peal River gym making monkey and ape noises as some of Nyack’s Black players prepared to make shots from the foul line. “It happened three different times,” Harrison Jordan, Nyack’s varsity basketball team captain, told Lohud. “You hear it, but you don’t believe it.” Another player named Kameron Kukielczak said he was “surprised” when he heard the racist chants from the crowd. “I wouldn’t think anyone would want to do that during the game, especially to young kids,” he said. The incident was shared on the RedHawks’ official Twitter account and has amassed over 138 thousand views and 200 retweets. “Allowing monkey noises to echo through a gymnasium while an African American player shoots free throws sanctions racism and hatred,” the post read. “Pearl River missed the mark to correct abhorrent behavior. Stop the Game. Remove the Offenders. Do Better!” The COVID-19 winter surge has impacted different age groups in different ways, as caretakers struggle to take care of the elderly during this pandemic and parents remain wary of their children returning to in-person classes. “It’s been here but it’s been everywhere for like the last 14 days,” said Los Angeles County resident Clarence Johnson whose wife, Tanesha Johnson, decided to shut down their daycare last year. Across the United States, 1,099 children under 18 have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In California, the state Department of Public Health reports that 47 children have died of the disease. This past December saw a four-fold increase of children admitted to hospital over the past year, according to the African American Wellness Project. https://youtu.be/gHJ1oY7BgUA RuPaul has been tapped to host the CBS reboot of the word-based game show “Lingo.” As reported by TV Line, there have been many international forms of “Lingo,” since the late 1980s, including the U.S. version that aired on Game Show Network in the early 2000s.“We give you a letter, and you guess the rest! The word game craze is sweeping the nation, and ‘Lingo’ will deliver a fast-paced, fun and addictive show for the whole family,” said Graham. “We’re all ready to have fun again, and Lingo is the answer,” adds host and executive producer RuPaul says in a statement. And Layla Smith, CEO of Objective Media, says, “We are O-V-E-R the M-O-O-N to be making Lingo for America with CBS and the amazing RuPaul.” Eminem took a knee (apparently to show support for Colin Kaepernick) during the star-studded Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday night. https://youtu.be/eQFBQjaYdlA Marvel has shared the official trailer for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” starring Benedict Cumberbatch reprising his role as the titular character. The trailer aired on Super Bowl Sunday and features Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) joined by Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) as the three ponder on the mystery of an evil version of Dr. Strange. https://youtu.be/aWzlQ2N6qqg The Emmy-winning series “Killing Eve” is set to return for its 4th and final season in April. Per the network’s press release, after the emotional climax of Season 3, Eve (Golden Globe® winner Sandra Oh), Villanelle (Emmy® Award winner Jodie Comer) and Carolyn (BAFTA winner Fiona Shaw) are in very different places. Following Eve and Villanelle’s exchange on the bridge, Eve is on a revenge mission, while Villanelle has found a brand-new community in an attempt to prove she’s not a “monster.” Having killed Paul, Carolyn goes to extraordinary lengths to continue to chase down The Twelve and the person that ordered Kenny’s hit. This season follows extraordinary women, each driven by passion, revenge and obsession, building towards a messy, nuanced and totally glorious series finale. Jordan Peele tapped KeKe Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya for his upcoming horror movie “Nope” — and the first trailer dropped on Sunday. As reported by People, the teaser doesn’t reveal too much of the plot but introduces Palmer and Kaluuya’s characters as a pair who work on Hollywood’s only Black-owned horse training ranch. https://youtu.be/In8fuzj3gck Model icons Beverly Johnson, Veronica Webb and Gisele Zelauy were featured on the runway of Sergio Hudson during New York Fashion Week on Sunday, showing off vibrant, safari-inspired pieces with a cheeky twist and a nod to the hues favored by the Ndebeles of southern Africa, according to The Associated Press. “If Whitley Gilbert from ‘Different World’ or Cher Horowitz and Dionne from ‘Clueless’ were to go on safari, what would they wear? It’s just really fun, really cheeky, and clothes that girls can really, really wear and women can really, really wear,” Hudson told The AP. https://youtu.be/pVUkMeKeMVE Lately Mary J. Blige has been back in the spotlight because of her starring role on “Power Book ll: Ghost” and of course, her rousing appearance in Sunday’s Super Bowl hip-hop/R&B Halftime show. And lest we forget she just released her latest album, Good Morning Gorgeous. Blige recently performed “Rent Money” from the album with rapper Dave East, on an iHeart Radio special. https://youtu.be/-mKntauDD_c In a candid new interview with People, music icon Lionel Richie admits that his kids “turned me into my parents.” Richie is dad to reality TV star Nicole Richie, 40, his musician son Miles, 27, and model daughter Sofia, 23. “I don’t know why I’m so shocked with what my kids are doing. I scared my folks to death!” Richie told the publication. “Nicole was actually a godsend. She was a little girl who needed a shot,” he says of his daughter, whom he adopted at age 9 with his first wife Brenda Harvey prior to their divorce in 1993. “She was used to people coming and going. She looked at me and I’d say, ‘I’m not going anywhere.'” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2DkdysJ9x/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Last week, Ye demanded that singer Billie Eilish apologize to him after he accused her of dissing Travis Scott — she didn’t, so therefore Billie did not oblige. Now Kanye has cut rapper Kid Cudi from the upcoming album “DONDA 2,” due to Cudi’s friendship with Pete Davidson, Page Six reports. Davidson and Ye’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian wants us to believe that they are in a committed relationship. Meanwhile, many folks are convinced it’s all a PR stunt. Some folks across social media have noted that they believe the Kanye and Jeffree Star romance rumors before accepting that Kim and Pete are boo’d up. Super Bowl Sunday wasn’t the only big event yesterday! The highly-anticipated reboot of the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” titled “Bel-Air” premiered on NBC’s Peacock. “Bel Air” tells the story we all know – a kid from Philly moves to one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Los Angeles. But do we really know the story? “Bel Air” takes a different approach than its predecessor which was a 30-minute sitcom. This newly reimagined version is an hour-long drama that digs deeper into the backstory of the main character. Both new and old fans will experience this story in a fresh way. For fans of the original, you’ll get to see the experiences the character Will (Banks) went through living in west Philadelphia instead of just going off of your own imagination. This reboot has a bit more grit so get ready for this show to be your new favorite TV drama. In 2002, Michael Jackson famously and inexplicably dangled his son Blanket over a fourth floor hotel balcony in Berlin, needlessly and selfishly endangering the child’s life for the thrill of screaming fans below. Twenty years later, a woman in India has taken dangling a child over a high rise balcony to a whole new level of selfishness. But she did have a reason. In 2002, Michael Jackson famously and inexplicably dangled his son Blanket over a fourth floor hotel balcony in Berlin, needlessly and selfishly endangering the child’s life for the thrill of screaming fans below. Twenty years later, a woman in India has taken dangling a child over a high rise balcony to a whole new level of selfishness. But she did have a reason. https://twitter.com/i/status/1492113075256041472 Interwoven within the tapestry of history are stories about Black women that illustrate resilience in the face of systemic oppression. Many Black women have dedicated their life’s work to reclaiming their narratives and opening doors for generations behind them. Pioneers like journalist Ida B. Wells tapped into the power of storytelling to magnify ugly truths about racism in America. Trailblazers Carole Simpson made history as the first Black woman to anchor a major network newscast in the United States. Standing on the shoulders of these phenomenal women is entrepreneur Judith Jacques-Laguerre is using her platform Black Women in Media as a vessel to amplify the accomplishments and celebrate the brilliance of Black women. For Jacques-Laguerre—a first-generation Haitian American who hails from Long Island, New York—the importance of representation was made evident to her at a young age. Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood, she rarely saw herself represented in her surroundings. Jacques-Laguerre’s venture into the media industry was one of luck. Within her community, the perceived viable options for career paths included becoming a doctor, lawyer or engineer. As she navigated motherhood as a teenager, her loved ones wanted to ensure she pursued a career that provided financial stability. Vladimir Putin ‘doesn’t give a s**t’ about the risk of Western sanctions if his country were to invade Ukraine, Russia’s ambassador to Sweden said as US staff began withdrawing from eastern Ukraine amid warnings of an ‘imminent’ invasion. In an outspoken interview yesterday, Viktor Tatarintsev told the country’s Aftonbladet newspaper that ‘the more the West pushes Russia, the stronger the Russian response will be’. He claimed Russia had become more ‘self-sufficient’ amid the threat of sanctions and accused the West of not understanding his country. ‘We are more self-sufficient and have been able to increase our exports. We have no Italian or Swiss cheeses, but we’ve learned to make just as good Russian cheeses using Italian and Swiss recipes’, he said. His comments came as dramatic photos today showed U.S. staff members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has monitored the eight-year conflict in Ukraine’s separatist east, packing up and leaving the rebel-held city of Donetsk. They were fleeing as Britain’s Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said a Russian invasion could be ‘imminent’ and Germany warned that tensions between Russia and Ukraine have reached a ‘critical’ point. There are an estimated 130,000 Russian troops and heavy firepower amassed along Ukraine’s border. A future variant of Covid-19 could be much more dangerous and cause far higher numbers of deaths and cases of serious illness than Omicron, leading UK scientists have warned. As a result, many of them say that caution needs to be taken in lifting the last Covid restrictions in England, as Boris Johnson plans to do next week. At the same time, demands are growing for Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance, the government’s most senior advisers on Covid, to hold a press conference to reveal what evidence there was to back the decision to end all pandemic restrictions. The dangers posed by accepting the widespread assumption that Covid-19 variants would continue to get milder in their impact was highlighted by epidemiologist Prof Mark Woolhouse, of Edinburgh University. “The Omicron variant did not come from the Delta variant. It came from a completely different part of the virus’s family tree. And since we don’t know where in the virus’s family tree a new variant is going to come from, we cannot know how pathogenic it might be. It could be less pathogenic but it could, just as easily, be more pathogenic,” he said. This point was backed by virologist Prof Lawrence Young of Warwick University. “People seem to think there has been a linear evolution of the virus from Alpha to Beta to Delta to Omicron,” he told the Observer. “But that is simply not the case. The idea that virus variants will continue to get milder is wrong. A new one could turn out to be even more pathogenic than the Delta variant, for example.” US speed skater Erin Jackson won the women’s 500m gold medal at the Winter Olympics in a time of 37.04 on Sunday. Jackson almost missed competing in the 500m at the Olympics after she had slipped during qualifying trials, but her teammate and friend Brittany Bowe gave up her own spot to ensure the world No. 1 was able to go to Beijing — and it paid off. The 29-year-old Jackson is the first US woman to win a speed skating gold at the Olympics since Bonnie Blair did so in 1994, as well as the first Black woman to win an individual medal in speed skating at the Olympics, according to Team USA. https://youtu.be/wSTMSOJPPy4 It’s another Power Universe hit! The premiere of “Power Book IV: Force” on Starz last Sunday was a monster smash as far as ratings. Specifically, it was the most-watched premiere in Starz’s history. We’re talking 3.3 million cross-platform viewers in the U.S., according to Nielsen. That’s a record number for the premium network. The crime drama also set a record on-air and delivered the highest-rated premiere ever on the channel. The third Power spinoff also set records in linear viewing alone, delivering the highest-rated premiere in Starz history. https://youtu.be/Ivdy4VzQY_U ”Space Jam: A New Legacy” is one of the films that got nomination into the controversial Golden Raspberry ‘Razzie’ awards. The goal of these awards is to honor the worst films and performances. Razzie recently announced its 42nd nomination, with some categories being the worst actor, worst actress, worst director, and worst remake. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” got nominations in all four categories. The Warner Animation Group production starring LeBron James will compete against Infinite, Diana the Musical, and The Woman in the Window, among other Razzie favorites. Besides James, other actors nominated for the worst actor- category include Scott Eastwood of “Dangerous,” Ben Platt of “Dear Evan Hansen,” Mark Wahlberg of “Infinite,” and Roe Hartrampf. https://youtu.be/olXYZOsXw_o Get ready for some California love. Five of hip hop’s biggest names are hitting the stage Sunday for the Super Bowl halftime show. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar will headline what is sure to be a rousing rendition of their greatest hits. Ahead of their performance, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Mary J. Blige spoke at a press conference and said the time has come for hip hop to take center stage. “This is what it’s about. This is what hip hop and the NFL is supposed to be about: representing about a change, about moving forward, so we appreciate the NFL for even entertaining hop hop because we know there are a lot of people who won’t [have] hip hop on stage,” Snoop Dogg said in part. The ‘Friday’ Star, Anthony ‘AJ’ Johnson, passed away in September 2021 at age 55. The cause of his death was previously unknown as the actor’s nephew told TMZ that the latter was found unconscious in a Los Angeles store in early September. His rep, LyNea Bell, confirmed the comedian’s death. The toxicology report done at the time did not identify any traces of drugs or alcohol in his system. However, the latest autopsy report obtained by TMZ shows that the actor passed away from chronic ethanol as he had been drinking heavily over the years. His widow, Lexis Jones Mason, recently launched a foundation to teach the youth about the dangers of alcoholism. Talking to TMZ, Mason said that she wants to use her late husband’s legacy to ‘inspire others to quit drinking.’ She further added that she has some close friends who have lost their children due to alcoholism, which is another thing that inspired her to begin the foundation. Since then, she has also constantly and vocally been talking to youths, especially at church, about this deadly reality (voluntarily). https://youtu.be/K-8Uowbadl0 New York City Mayor #EricAdams is working on tackling the violence in the city, and while doing so one of the methods he is working towards, is having drill music pulled from social media. According to @billboard, on Friday, during a press conference, Mayor Adams spoke about the music and the connections it has to violence, as he urged social media platforms to pull the music. He said, “I had no idea what drill rapping was, but I called my son and he sent me some videos, and it is alarming. We are going to pull together the social media companies and sit down with them and tell them that you have a civic and corporate responsibility.” He also spoke about Trump being banned from social media last year after the Capitol riots and continued, “We pulled Trump off Twitter because of what he was spewing. Yet we are allowing music, displaying of guns, violence, we’re allowing it to stay on these sites.” Billboard reports that Mayor Adams also mentioned a conversation with “very top known” rappers is in the works, though he did not provide information on the participating artists or when the meeting would take place. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ3Pw8SlPqf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again RNC National Spokesperson Paris Dennard was featured in an exclusive Newsweek cover story on the GOP’s growth amongst Black conservatives. The article mentions the numerous Black Republican candidates running for office like Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears and others that won elections in 2021. The article also highlights the Indiana GOP’s, Diversity Leadership Series Class, a training program for young diverse leaders within the party, and the RNC’s multi-million dollar Black engagement efforts at the ground level with the RNC Black American Community Centers. “2022 is shaping up as a breakthrough year for the GOP on at least one diversity front: Black candidates… a lineup of well-funded House and Senate candidates poised to break the record for the number of Black Republicans elected to Congress, a decade-long effort to broaden the appeal of the GOP is finally bearing fruit—and could play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the upcoming midterm elections.” “The GOP is an inclusive party making significant inroads and, with recent wins already, we are optimistic about our chances in having even more Black conservatives elected to serve in 2022.” https://youtu.be/IVIoC5ROaHk The first Black federal judge in Alabama spoke out against one of President Biden‘s potential Supreme Court picks in a letter addressed to the commander in chief that was obtained by NBC News. U.W. Clemon, a former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, urged the president not to consider Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the vacancy. The retired judge said that there are “several exceptionally well-qualified black female aspirants for the Supreme Court” but that he “strongly” believes Jackson should not be considered. Clemon referenced the case Ross v. Lockhead as reasoning for his opposition to Jackson, a class-action suit she presided over on behalf of 5,500 Black Lockheed Martin employees. Clemon wrote that Jackson refused to approve the settlement that was reached, which would have provided $22 million to the workers. “She refused to approve the settlement because in her view there were no common factual questions,” Clemon wrote. In protest of the streaming service Spotify for airing a podcast that featured a figure spreading misinformation about the coronavirus, Joni Mitchell is joining Neil Young and is pulling all her music from Spotify. “Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives,” Mitchell said Friday in a message posted on her website. “I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.” Spotify, according to its policies, has removed more than 20,000 podcasts related to the COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Is it all about money? However, the main person in the controversy, Joe Rogan, whose podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” has not been removed. Rogan is one of the streaming service’s biggest stars, with a contract that could earn him more than $100 million. Rogan interviewed on one of his most recent podcasts Dr. Robert Malone, an infectious disease specialist who has been banned from Twitter for spreading COVID misinformation. Pop singer-songwriter Adele proclaimed, “We love being ****ing females” after coming under attack and being accused of transphobia for saying that she loves “being a woman” at the sex-neutral Brit Awards. “We love being females, we love being a ****ing female,” Adele proclaimed at G-A-Y’s Porn Idol event at Heaven in London, appearing to double down on her proclamation that she loves being “being a woman” after facing criticism over her Brit Awards acceptance speech on Tuesday. https://twitter.com/i/status/1491988913937948676 GAWVI, a Christian hip-hop rapper, has been booted from his record label following allegations from several different women that he sent a number of unwanted photos of his genitals to them. Reach Records announced it would no longer work with the rapper after the women came forward to complain he was filling their images gallery with photos of his penis. https://youtu.be/P0p9uDh17I4 Dementia is NOT what Wendy Williams is dealing with, so says her attorney, LaShawn Thomas. Attorney Thomas has notified various media outlets with statements saying that Wendy is only being treated for Graves’ disease and thyroid concerns — and she’s “fine,” according to LoveBScott. Here’s what Attorney Thomas wrote in response to Wells Faro Banks assertions that the ailing TV host needs someone to handle her financial affairs: “It saddens Wendy that Wells Fargo has chosen to believe the allegations of a former employee who is upset because she no longer has direct and unfettered access to Wendy’s financial affairs. Wendy had to, unfortunately, bring this action because Wells Fargo has refused to honor her Power of Attorney, granting her son authority to make inquiries to the bank on Wendy’s behalf.” “Wendy further believes that all of the false narratives currently making the rounds derive from this source and she is saddened that she once considered this person a friend. Wendy can’t believe that Wells Fargo has wrongly denied her access to her funds without justification. https://youtu.be/JMpsd9VVAZ4 Three people were shot at a Justin Bieber Super Bowl party last night. It’s now confirmed that rapper Kodak Black (pictured above) was one of that was hit, with him being shot in the leg. We shared that as Kodak, Lil Baby and Gunna were talking with fans near the street, a fight broke out and at least 10 shots were fired. We initially reported that three people were shot, and another was injured. It’s now being reported that the fight began with someone in Kodak’s crew being jumped by an unknown assailant. Kodak tried to intervene, allegedly swung on the person and that’s when a gunman opened fire — it’s unclear if it was the same assailant attacking his friend. Upon shots ringing out, Kodak was hit in the leg and rushed to a hospital, where he’s been treated and in stable condition. The identities of the other two people shot and the third injured from the incident have yet to be released. #Socialites, let’s pray for those injured. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ5FQMHgZO9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Former NFLer Antonio Gates and his wife Sasha are calling it quits after 11 years of marriage. As reported by The Blast, Sasha, who starred in the E! reality show ‘WAGS.’ filed for dissolution of marriage in Los Angeles County Courts. The couple tied the knot in June of 2011, and have two children together. Antonio reportedly has two other children from a previous relationship. Per the report, Antonio has opened up at the struggles of marriage and raising children while playing in the NFL. “It’s very difficult because of the demands of this profession,” Gates said. It was the trade that shook up the NBA world before Thursday’s deadline. The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers completed a blockbuster trade centered around former MVP James Harden and former No. 1 pick and NBA All-Star Ben Simmons, who had been disgruntled and holding out for the season. Brooklyn received: Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, 2022 first-round pick (unprotected) and 2027 first-round pick (protected) Philadelphia received: James Harden and Paul Millsap. https://youtu.be/SSa5RfJXeaY Singer, producer, songwriter and virtuoso guitarist Andre Cymone gives huge props to iconic singer Jody Watley. Cymone talked about Watley’s impact and influence on female artists such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, Selena, and future generations during a sit-down interview backstage at her recent sold-out 35th-anniversary blockbuster self-titled album and birthday celebration at Sycuan Casino and Resort in San Diego. Cymone says, “Her music and incomparable style is pure and stands the test of time still today, 35 years later.” When asked if he knew her debut album would reach its platinum status and beyond, Cymone responded, “Yes, I did. I knew we had something really special.” https://youtu.be/Fu7_9jdWElE Titus Showers reaches Billboard Gospel Most Added Chart with his latest chart-topping release, Name On It! He first made his mark in Gospel as the lead singer for the two-time Stellar Award-nominated family band, The Showers. He stepped out with his debut solo EP WHO in 2019 that debuted at #1 on Billboard Top Gospel Albums Chart. https://youtu.be/qDEve4ncrB4 The highly-anticipated 23rd Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration returns to television with faith, family and football during the biggest weekend in sports! Premiering with a brand new trio of distribution partners, Super Bowl Gospel Celebration will be simulcast today, Saturday, February 12 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on Bounce TV and for the very first time will stream on Prime Video and on IMDb TV, both without need of a Prime membership. The debut telecast will be followed by an encore on ION Sunday, February 13 at 12am ET/11pm CT, and will continue to be available to stream in front of the paywall on Prime Video and on IMDb TV throughout February in celebration of Black History Month. https://youtu.be/gH_20rFobGA In honor of Black History month in February, the Memphis-based studio, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and its music academy in Tennessee, are offering an online concert and a virtual tour. In its first online concert and virtual tours in 2021, more than 130,000 students and adults viewed the programs. This year’s online concert will have Stax Music Academy students performing videos featuring songs from B.B. King, the Pointer Sisters, Ike & Tina Turner, Rufus Thomas, Duke Ellington and Beyonce, Stax said. Study guides and other activities will accompany the productions. Registration is available at the Stax Museum website. The U.S. ordered most embassy staff to depart Ukraine after warning that a Russian military invasion could happen at any moment, while Moscow also began withdrawing its diplomatic presence. While Russia, which has massed some 130,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders, denies that it intends to invade its neighbor, Moscow Saturday said that it, too, had begun withdrawing diplomatic personnel. The developments further ratcheted tensions after Washington warned on Friday that Russia could launch a massive military operation against Ukraine, with tens of thousands of casualties, in the coming days. On Saturday, President Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone for just over an hour in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to ward off military conflict. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia had decided on a “certain optimization” of staffing at the Russian Embassy in Kyiv and its consulates in Kharkiv, Odessa and Lviv because it feared “certain provocations by the Kyiv regime or third nations.” She said consular services will continue. In an earlier phone call Saturday, Mr. Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron that Russia had no intentions of attacking Ukraine and remained open to dialogue, according to a close aide to the French president. Mr. Macron, who recently traveled to Moscow for talks, told Mr. Putin that sincere dialogue was incompatible with an escalation, according to Mr. Macron’s office. The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kiev as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. U.S. officials told AP the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that all American staff at the Kiev embassy will be required to leave the country ahead of a feared Russian invasion. The State Department would not comment. The department had earlier ordered families of U.S. embassy staffers in Kiev to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The new move comes as Washington has ratcheted up its warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The officials said a limited number of U.S. diplomats may be relocated to Ukraine’s far west, near the border with Poland, a NATO ally, so the U.S. could retain a diplomatic presence in the country. Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine as early as next Wednesday, February 16 according to respected German publication, Der Spiegel. American intelligence services briefed NATO allies of a possible impending Russian invasion against its western neighbor in a series of secret briefings. The Secret Service, CIA and the Pentagon are said to have received credible information that was passed along to the federal government, reports the German newspaper. A fun night turned into chaos on Friday after a shooting went down outside of Justin Bieber’s big Super Bowl party in Los Angeles. According to @tmz_tv Bieber had performed in WeHo at the Pacific Design Center and had an afterparty nearby at The Nice Guy. A bunch of celebs showed up including Drake, Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Kendall Jenner, and Khloe Kardashian. However, at around 2:45 AM, as Kodak Black, Gunna, and Lil Baby were standing on the street and talking with fans, a fight broke out. In the clip obtained by the news site, Kodak can be seen taking a swing at someone, and then you hear gunshots. While it’s still unclear what exactly led to the fight and gunshots, law enforcement told TMZ that there were a total of 10 shots fired. Four people were hit and taken to the hospital. They are said to be in stable condition. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ4Z7BHMkiR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Three people were shot at a Justin Bieber Super Bowl party last night. It’s now confirmed that rapper Kodak Black (pictured above) was one of that was hit, with him being shot in the leg. We shared that as Kodak, Lil Baby and Gunna were talking with fans near the street, a fight broke out and at least 10 shots were fired. We initially reported that three people were shot, and another was injured. It’s now being reported that the fight began with someone in Kodak’s crew being jumped by an unknown assailant. Kodak tried to intervene, allegedly swung on the person and that’s when a gunman opened fire — it’s unclear if it was the same assailant attacking his friend. Upon shots ringing out, Kodak was hit in the leg and rushed to a hospital, where he’s been treated and in stable condition. The identities of the other two people shot and the third injured from the incident have yet to be released. #Socialites, let’s pray for those injured. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ5FQMHgZO9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Capital One continues its efforts in ensuring a more equitable society that celebrates the achievements of the Black community. As part of an initial $200 million multi-year pledge, Capital One announced that they will commit a next wave of its Impact Initiative grants to support underserved and underrepresented communities, according to a press release. An additional $10 million will be invested in existing and new partnerships to “address structural barriers to racial equity” and “promote socioeconomic mobility.” The organizations that will receive grants are: African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB), Prosperity Now, Vera Institute of Justice, Braven, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), United Negro College Fund (UNCF), finEQUITY, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF), Black Girl Ventures; Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), and Jobs for the Future (JFF). Among the world’s largest restaurant companies, YUM! Brands is kicking off a franchise accelerator fellowship that could help more women and minorities become their own bosses. Counting KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell among the brands it owns, YUM! Brands is uniting with the University of Louisville and Howard University to support underrepresented people of color and women interested in the franchise restaurant industry. YUM! Brands is introducing the Franchise Accelerator, a “one-of-a-kind MBA elective opportunity,” according to a news release. Ten second-year MBA students from the two universities were chosen to partake in a five-month fellowship where two of them will gain a chance to become future franchisees of Yum! Brands. The Louisville-based company reports it operates 52,000 restaurants in over 150 countries and territories. The company indicated the debut of the Yum! Franchise Accelerator follows last year’s rollout of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence at the University of Louisville College of Business. The Omaha-based construction software company Buildertrend fired an employee on Wednesday following the delay of a Delta Air Lines flight on Monday due to unruly and allegedly racist behavior by a passenger. A Buildertrend review found that an employee called a flight attendant the N-word when being asked to put on a face mask in preparation for takeoff. The flight was delayed more than two hours. Buildertrend CEO Dan Houghton apologized for the disturbance and said an investigation “with internal and external parties to learn as much as possible so that we can take appropriate action” led to the termination of one employee. The 3rd Annual Sports Power Brunch, presented by Champion, kicked off Super Bowl Week in Los Angeles. It was an epic, star-studded celebration of the most powerful women in sports held at the Beverly Wilshire. Created by LaTonya Story, the event honors leading women in sports who have made an indelible mark in the sports industry. This event is held every year at each Super Bowl host city. This year, the Los Angeles Rams are not only in the Super Bowl, but also making Los Angeles proud as people from all over the world descend on the city to celebrate sporting. This year, the 2022 Sports Power Brunch honored Vanessa Bryant, President of Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation with the ‘Be Your Own Champion Award’, Terri Hines, Executive Vice President, Communications at FOX Sports with the ‘Power of Spirit Award’, Denise White, CEO & Founder of EAG Sports Management with the ‘She-Mogul Award’ and Natalie White, Senior Vice President of the Los Angeles Sparks with the ‘Trailblazer Award.’ On Wednesday, Google Doodle continued its series of highlights for Black History Month by honoring the late baseball pioneer Toni Stone. Stone passed away in 1996 at the age of 75 after making history as a female professional baseball player. During her career, Stone was the first of three women to play professional baseball for the franchise and the first woman to play as a regular on an American big-league professional baseball team. The animated image, created by San Francisco-based artist Monique Wray, showed Stone playing for the Indianapolis Clowns as a male athlete runs past her on the field. Stone was recruited to the team back in 1953 as the second baseman and filler for future Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron. “The moving image not only draws inspiration from baseball action photography while incorporating Stone’s sense of humor and iconic curly hair, it also brings Stone’s legacy to life for new generations,” a Google spokesperson told People. For Gayle Jessup White, landing the job of Public Relations and Community Engagement Officer at Thomas Jefferson’s historic home, Monticello, was more than a chance to share her passion for American history. It was the result of a lifelong search for the truth about who she was, and America’s third president. It started when she was a young girl growing up in 1970s Washington D.C. “At the time Jefferson was my favorite president because he’d written the Declaration, and I believed and still believe in the principles put forth in that document,” says Gayle. She was thirteen when her sister shared a bit of family lore regarding the main author of the Declaration of Independence…they were related. Gayle recounts, “Well I was shocked. And I went to my dad first, ‘Daddy, how could we be descended from Thomas Jefferson? This doesn’t make sense to me.’ All Daddy said to me was, ‘That’s what they say.’” For years, Gayle would dream of one day finding out if what “they said” was true. She says, “I always felt that if I could determine my ties to Jefferson, I could find out more about my family. We are the sum total of our backgrounds of our ancestors, and I didn’t know who mine were. I needed to know that to feel whole.” Black creators say they were excluded from a TikTok event for Black History Month, which featured rapper Nicki Minaj and was dominated by non-Black voices. While some creators took direct issue with the non-Black TikTokers who were present at the event held on Zoom on Feb. 8 and accused them of monopolizing the space, others saved their criticisms for the platform itself. “I don’t see how inviting a celebrity or creating an event last minute and sending the invite to people who aren’t Black makes sense for a Black History Month event,” said creator Erick Louis, who has just under 1 million followers on TikTok. He told BuzzFeed News that he was not invited to the meetup. “I feel like there’s no due diligence and really catering to the Black creators on their app even when it comes to something as simple as setting up an event, paying respect to the culture, the architects, and the people who run the trends,” he said. TikTok had billed the event as “Black History Month Creator Meet Up x Nicki Minaj,” according to emails shown in a TikTok by creator Dessy Joseph. “We are kicking off Black History Month with an exclusive virtual TikTok Creator Meet Up with a very special musical guest,” the calendar invite read. Those in attendance said it missed the mark. Joseph recounted her experience to her 636,000 followers on TikTok, where she alleged that the capacity for the meetup was approximately 300 participants and that some Black creators were not given a link to join for up to 10 minutes after the event started at 6 p.m. “When we finally did get in, it was giving very 2% Black, honestly,” she said in a TikTok. “You also had non-Black people asking Nicki to say their name and shoutout.” “Knowledge of Self,” created by Indianapolis native Jamaal Nelson, is a trivia board game about black culture and history for all generations. “You might pick up a card about Beyonce, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby,” laughed Nelson. Up to five people can play the game, guessing questions and the goal is not to get eliminated. https://twitter.com/i/status/1378453351730450436 Two public officials from DeKalb County are accused of using COVID-19 relief funds to line their own pockets. According to the Department of Justice, Jason Lary, the former mayor of Stonecrest (Georgia), and Lania Boone, a bookkeeper for the entity that administered COVID-19 relief funds awarded to Stonecrest, have pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft of pandemic relief funds. U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine says under the CARES Act, the federal government distributed $125 million in COVID-19 relief funds to DeKalb County. In July 2020, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted to disburse some of the relief funds to its municipalities, including a $6.2 million grant to Stonecrest. According to the Department of Justice, Lary, as Mayor, signed a resolution in September 2020 acknowledging the CARES Act requirements and adopting a funding plan for Stonecrest’s relief funds. The plan provided $1 million to the Stonecrest Cares Program for mask distribution, COVID-19 education and testing, and other purposes for churches and non-profit organizations in and around Stonecrest. The plan also provided $5 million to the Small Business Program. According to the #EssexCounty Prosecutor’s Office, a 75-year-old gospel singer from #Newark has been charged Thursday with criminal sexual contact, unlicensed practice of medicine, and luring of an adult.? A 41-year-old Congolese national claims Albert J. Lewis promised him a job with New Jersey Transit, then directed him to a specific address, which later was Lewis’s home.? Afterward, prosecutors claim the defendant told the victim he would have to undergo a physical to ensure his fitness for the job.? During the purported physical examination, the defendant allegedly instructed the victim to undress, after which he reportedly committed criminal sexual contact with the victim.? Ultimately, the victim alerted authorities to the incident, and Lewis was arrested without incident on Tuesday.? In Essex County, he was charged with third- and fourth-degree offenses and is expected to be released from custody pending trial. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ3PGRYMOf_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kenneth Branagh always has a way of bringing new meaning to the projects he takes on. Agatha Christie’s “Death on the Nile,” directed by Branagh is no exception. It’s infused with lush, opulent images of Egypt. Viewers will be swept away by the epic landscape of sweeping desert vistas and the majestic Giza pyramids. However, what is most notable about Branagh’s iteration, as with all his undertakings, is its diversity. Even in “Belfast,” written and directed by Branagh, there is a Black soldier. Some MCU fans lost their minds when Branagh cast Idris Elba as Heimdall, the Norse deity in “Thor.” https://youtu.be/dZRqB0JLizw As part of NBA All-Star 2022, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) will work alongside local community organizations to provide programming and support that focus on youth, education, health equity, food insecurity and economic inclusion. Additionally, building off the success of NBA All-Star 2021, the league will again uplift the HBCU community as part of the weekend and empower the next generation of leaders. More than $3 million will be contributed to the Greater Cleveland and HBCU communities through these combined efforts. NBA All-Star Game Greater Cleveland-Based Beneficiaries – As part of the NBA All-Star Game format, every quarter will count to support two Northeast Ohio organizations, with Team Durant playing for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Team LeBron playing for Kent State University I Promise Scholars Program. Additionally, throughout the past six seasons, the NBA and State Farm have helped turn on-court assists into off-court assists in communities around the country through the State Farm Assist Tracker. For NBA All-Star 2022, the NBA and State Farm will donate $1,900 for every assist made during the game, with the total amount split between the two-Cleveland based beneficiaries. Bengals defensive back Michael Thomas has perhaps the most incredible overcomer story of all the players planning to hit the field on Super Bowl Sunday. Just consider that Thomas didn’t have a team when the season started — and now, just months later, he’s playing with Cincinnati in the NFL’s most important game of the year. Jason Romano, director of media at Sports Spectrum, an outlet covering the intersection of faith and sports, recounted Thomas’ remarkable faith and football journey. “Michael is an amazing individual,” Romano recently told Faithwire. “He’s a strong follower of Jesus.” Thomas’ journey to the Bengals was certainly unconventional. He came into the league undrafted back in 2012 and journeyed throughout the NFL as a special teams player. As of last summer, Thomas was without a team. Many players would be worried and panicked about the future, but Romano said Thomas patiently waited and relied on God. Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott just revealed the name of their newborn son. Welcome to the world, Wolf Webster! On Friday (Feb. 11), the billionaire beauty mogul announced her baby boy’s name via Instagram Story. The post simply read, “Wolf Webster” followed by a white heart emoji. Last week, Kylie announced she gave birth to her second child with the rapper on Feb. 2. “?? 2/2/22,” the proud mom captioned a black-and-white photo of her newborn’s hand on Instagram. TMZ reports that Kylie and Baby Wolf are doing great. The media outlet also revealed that 4-year-old Stormi Webster is excited to be a big sister. At this time, it is unclear what inspired the little one’s name. However, we are sure Kylie will give fans the deets in the future. The “Taken” star fell in love with a “taken” woman. Liam Neeson revealed during a press tour for his new film, “Blacklight,” that he fell for an Australian woman while filming on location. “I loved Melbourne, I loved our Australian crew,” the action star, 69, said on the Australian morning talk show “Sunrise” on Sunday. “Every department was superb but they were their own people, do you know what I mean?” “They had a great sense of humor,” he added. “I made a couple of pals and fell in love once while I was there, but she was taken.” Neeson did not disclose whether the unnamed woman was a co-star or someone else on set. However, “Sunrise” noted in their package that “Blacklight” was a $43 million production that created more than 500 local jobs for cast and crew, and 550 roles for extras. Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay Murder Trial Gets Starting Date. Karl Jordan and Ronald Washington are accused of conspiring to kill the turntablist at his recording studio over an alleged drug deal gone bad. https://www.bet.com/naacp-image-awards/video-clips/w5i0h9/jam-master-jay-murder-trial-gets-starting-date. Dave Chappelle has been trending these past few days after a video of him at a recent town meeting went viral. From the quick clip, his comments seem as though he’s “killing an affordable housing” proposal by local politicians in Yellow Springs, Ohio — but he says that’s not the case. FYI, the proposal includes over 100 single-family homes valued at $250,000-$600,000 — or a second option of building 64 single-family homes, 52 duplexes and 24 townhomes with 1.75 acres of affordable housing. at a later date. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ0LPFhLXXq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again All-time big names in the rap industry are teaming up with SAG-AFTRA to form a hip-hop union to help members receive benefits. Chuck D and Kurtis Blow, two of the rap pioneers, collaborated their new organization the Hip Hop Alliance with the SAG-AFTRA executives to make this dream come true. Kurtis Blow is the vice president of Hip Hop Alliance, while Chuck D is the president. It has taken Hip-Hop 50 years to have the union. Hip Hop Alliance is an affiliate of the United Coalition for Humanity. The union aims to “build a better future for hip hop artists, and the entire music industry. “Well, we are actually proud to announce the partnership with SAG-AFTRA and the Hip-Hop Alliance.” Said Kurtis Blow in an interview with Chuck Creekmur of AllHipHop. “The Breaks” rapper added that what they would like to do is join forces to promote fair wages and fair royalties, together with benefits such as mental health, physical health, and retirement benefits. ‘About Last Night:’ Stephen and Ayesha Curry Spice Things Up On New Relationship Game Show. Hosted by the Currys, the hilarious HBO Max show peels back the many layers of some of our favorite Hollywood couples. https://www.bet.com/naacp-image-awards/video-clips/a26i8g/about-last-night-stephen-and-ayesha-curry-spice-things-up-on-new-relationship-game-show Before her own Olympic career began, Canadian figure skater Vanessa James had seen Black Girl Magic on the ice. It was on display at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, when French skater Surya Bonaly leapt into the air, kicked into a backflip and landed on one leg. The thrilling move has neither been widely attempted since nor accepted by judges for international competitions, such as the Olympic Games, and thus “the Bonaly flip” has never become a big thing. Yet despite the move being controversial at the time, Bonaly’s tenacity in attempting it has inspired many who have followed her. “I wanted to do a backflip, but I was always really too scared to try it,” says James, who is skating in Beijing in her fourth Winter Games after representing France in Vancouver and Pyeongchang. The Salchow, the Biellmann, the Charlotte spiral — these figure skating standards are named after white people from the 20th century. And in a century-old sport that was largely European until just a few decades ago, some wonder: How can more Black athletes make the same lasting imprint on it? “If you don’t see yourself in the sport, how can you believe that you belong, how can you believe that you can be the best, how do you know that you can be creative or that you’ll be accepted for your uniqueness?” says James, who in 2010 was one half of the first Black French pairs skating duo with Yannick Bonheur. Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said on Wednesday his refusal to throw games as a way to improve the football club’s chances of landing a top draft pick ultimately cost him his job. Flores, who was fired last month by Miami, alleged in a proposed class action complaint on Tuesday that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 for every loss in 2019 as incentive to help the team land a higher draft pick in 2020. Asked to comment on Flores’ accusations, the Dolphins referred Reuters to a statement the team issued on Tuesday that said “the implication that we acted in a manner inconsistent with the integrity of the game is incorrect.” The order for drafting players is mostly determined by each team’s finish in the previous season, with the teams ranked lowest in the standings getting the first picks. This could be the hottest Super Bowl kickoff ever. An unseasonable wintertime California heatwave — with temperatures in the 80s, maybe even as high as 90 — is forecast to continue this weekend. The out-of-season heat prompted the National Weather Service to issue a rare heat advisory through Sunday evening. The current record for the highest temperature during a Super Bowl is 84 degrees set in 1973, a game that was also played in Los Angeles. However, it looks like this year’s game might pull off a quarterback sneak past that mark. The forecast high temperature for Los Angeles on Sunday is 84 degrees. In Inglewood, the site of the Super Bowl, the forecast high temperature is 82 degrees. This means cracking the top 3 hottest Super Bowls on record is almost a certainty. This year’s Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show will be one of its kind. A deaf Detroit rapper, Sean Forbes, 40, is designated to perform alongside several big names from the hip hop industry. The Detroit Free Press reports indicate that the rapper will have his life experience this weekend, where he is set to share the stage with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige at the SoFi Stadium. The historic event will mark the first time the Super Bowl halftime show will feature Forbes, A.S.L. interpreters, and Warren (WaWa) Snipe, 50, another deaf rapper who will be performing sign-language interpretations of Sean Forbes’ music. https://youtu.be/HRtDjTQHG-g Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray made headlines this past Sunday when he removed several pictures from his Instagram account. On the latest edition of The Pat McAfee Show, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was asked about Murray’s situation in Arizona. His response was quite interesting. “He is definitely not happy about something,” Rapoport said. “I just don’t know what that is.” Rapoport reached out to Murray’s camp about his recent social media activity. It doesn’t sound like his camp saw this coming. “They’re asking questions too. I reached out to people close to Kyler Murray, and it didn’t seem like it was a planned strategy. It seemed more reactionary to me.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1492210985276301315 Nearly 45 years since he played his last game — and despite the sustained, almost two-decade run of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo — Brazilian luminary Pele is still considered by many to be the greatest to ever play the world’s beautiful game. That sentiment was reiterated this week with his rookie card becoming soccer’s first to sell for $1 million. As early as Monday, fractional ownership company Rally Rd. will finalize the sale of a 1958 Alifabologet #635 Pele rookie card for $1.33 million. According to population reports, there are only six Pele cards of this kind that have received at least a nine grade (out of 10) by card grader PSA, and none higher. Last November, collectables marketplace Goldin brokered a $900,000 sale of a different PSA 9 Pele card, a then-record. This Pele card (matched by PSA serial number) was sold at a Goldin auction in November 2020 for $288,000. Now, it’s the most expensive soccer card of all time and soccer’s first million dollar card. Health chiefs are now officially keeping tabs on a Covid variant that is a hybrid of the Omicron and Delta strains and has been spotted in the UK. The super-mutant Deltacron is thought to have evolved in a patient who caught both variants at the same time but it is not clear if it was imported or originated in Britain. UK Health Security Agency officials also don’t know how infectious or severe the newly evolved virus is or whether it will impact vaccine performance. A source at the UKHSA insisted officials were ‘not concerned’ by the variant because case numbers are ‘low’. The agency has not revealed how many times it has been spotted. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that it ‘shouldn’t pose too much of a threat’ because the UK has huge levels of immunity against the original Delta and Omicron strains. Bobby Brown is hiding nothing from the cameras, including a rare visit to the gravesite of Whitney Houston and their daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. During the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, the R&B singer and his wife, Alicia Etheredge-Brown, opened up about filming that “emotional” experience for the upcoming A&E series Bobby Brown: Every Little Step. “When the cameras were following me, I didn’t want to let anything get in between my life and what I was doing,” Brown shared. “So, I just wanted the cameras to follow me wherever I was going. That day I happened to be going to the gravesite.” “We also did our best to make that moment his moment,” said Etheredge-Brown, who accompanied him during the visit. “It was very emotional for both of us.” https://youtu.be/jmTPN1sjKOY Rihanna is paying her respects to veterans in a special way. The pregnant singer, 33 — who is expecting her first baby with boyfriend A$AP Rocky — visited the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus in California on Sunday and surprised veterans who have been battling homelessness. Activist and Mr. Checkpoint app founder Sennett Devermont shared several photos from Rihanna’s appearance, thanking her for her “amazing heart, time and energy.” “Thank you @badgalriri for pulling up with all the love and support and most importantly your ears to listen to Veterans,” he wrote alongside Instagram photos of the two. One veteran later discussed the singer’s visit, noting that she brought supplies and listened to the stories of several vets. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZxpVTCrsdO/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9d72dc10-2328-49ab-881b-4c139f81a83e A memorial service will be held in North Carolina for former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, relatives announced Thursday. The “public celebration of life” for Kryst — who jumped to her death from a Manhattan high-rise on Jan. 30 — will be held on Feb. 18 at Elevation Blakeney church in Charlotte. “The celebration will also be livestreamed,” a family spokesperson said in a statement to the Charlotte Observer. “The family will observe a private, invitation-only celebration prior to the public celebration, as they continue to ask the public to respect their privacy during this time.” In lieu of flowers, relatives encouraged mourners to make donations in the name of the 2019 Miss USA winner to Dress for Success, a global nonprofit that provides professional attire to low-income women. Kryst, 30, was a Michigan native who grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She was found dead in a Midtown street after jumping from a 29th-floor terrace at the luxe Orion building, where the North Carolina attorney lived on the ninth floor, law enforcement sources previously told The Post. Line Sisters follows four sorority sisters- Valerie (LeToya Luckett), Cassandra (Kierra Sheard-Kelly), Simona (Ta’Rhonda Jones;) and Dominique (Drew Sidora) – as they reunite at a Black Greek Weekend celebration held on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Having pledged the Alpha Beta Omega Sorority, Inc., they share more than the bonds of sisterhood, after the mysterious death of the dean of pledges 15 years prior. But the past comes knocking on their door as they arrive to the island and strange and inexplicable things begin to happen to each one of them, threatening to unearth the deadly secret that may tear them apart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2db5kvVD-E&feature=youtu.be Chart-topper William Murphy unveils a new live performance, with “Just Us,” giving a preview of his new music in the video. In this new release during Black History Month, the video delivers uplifting encouragement and a reminder of a greater purpose in the poignant musical number. Captured in Atlanta, three-time GRAMMY® nominee Murphy - who’s also the founder/lead pastor at The dReam Center Church of Atlanta - led this halftime live performance backed by his church’s worship ministry, at the Atlanta Hawks MLK Day game vs. the Milwaukee Bucks, honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 17th at State Farm Arena. Murphy’s live performance marked the first new song by the Stellar Award-winning recording artist/songwriter from his Worship & Justice album coming soon, his first new album following the 2019 release of his #1, GRAMMY®-nominated Gospel album Settle Here. William Murphy performs "Just Us" live at State Farm Arena on MLK Day (January 17, 2022) during halftime at the Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks game. https://WilliamMurphy.lnk.to/HawksvBucksHalftimePerformance Maverick City Music celebrates Black History Month 2022 with the release of the Breathe EP. The celebratory EP features the signature vocals of beloved Maverick City Music artist Joe L Barnes, Maryanne J. George, Naomi Raine, Chandler Moore and Dante Bowe backed by the Mav City Gospel Choir. The Breathe EP features live and studio versions of standout songs lifted from 2021’s Jubilee: Juneteenth album, including “Breathe,” “Joy of the Lord,” and “Make it Right,” plus three all-new original recordings. Israel Houghton, Jonathan McReynolds, Ahjah Walls, DOE and Todd Dulaney. The Breathe EP serves as a reminder to all who listen to take a moment to breathe and celebrate life and the legacy of black gospel music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR-D3bvi-4E Toronto based singer-songwriter Haley Smalls released the music video for her latest single “Do Better” today following an exclusive premiere with Amplify Music Magazine. This release follows a string of consistent singles over the last year from Haley, including Run-DMC influence track “Bass” that premiered with Hip-HopVibe & Rolling Out, as well as Summer 2021 buzz track “I Do.” “Do Better” is being released in the buildup to Haley’s 5th project set for release later this year. https://youtu.be/lB90Ll9PeF8 Gospel recording artist Yael Hilton has just released her brand new single, "Jesus" under Light Records/MNRK Music Group. Hilton has "no doubt in her mind" that Jesus will make a way. She proudly sings these lyrics on the new soulful track. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwKvrOcOmU4 4x GRAMMY®-nominated duo The Baylor Project is thrilled to announce that their debut album The Journey, originally released in 2017, will be available on all streaming platforms February 11, 2022. The re-releasing of the 5-year old album comes amid Black History Month and days before Valentine’s Day as a nod to the couple’s celebration of love, community, family and faith throughout their musical and romantic journeys. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eEB5_uY1ok Watch Mali Music, Chloe Bailey, CeeLo Green and more perform during the 2022 Gospel Super Bowl Celebration! Since 1999, this event is the ONLY Gospel concert sanctioned by the NFL. This year's event will be hosted by Sarah Jakes Roberts and DC Young Fly. Tune in on Saturday, February 12th at 8pm Eastern. The Gospel Spotlight's Tasha Cobbs Leonard https://youtu.be/sJHfHkDh5rE The 2022 Gospel Super Bowl Celebration! Tune in on Saturday, February 12th at 8pm Eastern. The Gospel Spotlight's Koryn Hawthorne and Lecrae. https://youtu.be/sRLtq06XrBI The 2022 Gospel Super Bowl Celebration! Tune in on Saturday, February 12th at 8pm Eastern. The Gospel Spotlight's Hezekiah Walker. https://youtu.be/1_8SCnfGN3A The 2022 Gospel Super Bowl Celebration! Tune in on Saturday, February 12th at 8pm Eastern. The Gospel Spotlight's Kirk Franklin. https://youtu.be/3OIH3NzXLnU Kierra Sheard Kelly on the Nick Cannon Show! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht0LEeq60ks DOE’s transparency fills her music and overflows to all her platforms. Her new album Clarity, releasing on February 18th. With her new docuseries, music videos, and travel tips, be sure to keep up with everything DOE. https://youtu.be/kQAu6WB-INc Just in time for Valentine’s Day, R&B superstar K. Michelle is sending lots of love to her fans with the release of her new single “Scooch,” out today via MNRK Music Group. Produced by Lil Ronnie, this mid-tempo feel good song and new love anthem will have you creating new connections in no time. K. Michelle will be premiering the new single with a performance on the Emmy-Award winning show The Real. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBB250nC1ak Sounds of Blackness released a song in 2021 about reparations that has been nominated in the Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song category for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards. As reported by Moguldom, the track, “Time For Reparations” was released during Black History Month and “includes lyrics that depict the systematic racism, oppression and brutality Black Americans have been subject to in the U.S.,” the outlet writes. “Pay up, time to pay up. Right now reparations. Time for reparations. Right now time for reparations,” the vocalists sing. “300 years of free labor, we ain’t asking for no favors. … Reparations are overdue, 40 acres and a mule.” https://youtu.be/KBG3Uc_D5ac A&E’s new definitive documentary “Biography: Bobby Brown” and the new series “Bobby Brown: Every Little Step” provide an intimate look at the Grammy Award Winner’s past, present and future. Per press release, the two new upcoming projects feature exclusive interviews and fans get an up-close and personal look at Brown’s journey to superstardom, the fallout from his personal struggles with sobriety, the tragic deaths of his two children and first wife, Whitney Houston as well as his life as a devoted father and husband to Alicia Etheredge-Brown in present day. https://youtu.be/pSHaSeYCAgQ Volunteer firefighters from a Philadelphia-area station thought their Zoom call was disconnected and proceeded to use the N-word and other racist language to disparage an all-black fire company, and mock the name of an 8-year-old Black girl who was fatally shot by police last year. ABC Channel 6 reported that firefighters from Delaware County’s Briarcliffe Fire Company Station 75 thought their conversation following a virtual meeting in late January was private. But their colleagues from the Goodwill station were still in the call. And hit record. “A bunch of f*cking n*ggers down there,” one Briarcliffe firefighter can be heard saying in reference to the all-Black Darby Township Fire Company. The Briarcliffe firefighters also called Darby’s chief a racial slur and a “piece of sh*t,” complained about Black firefighters being lazy, and discussed there being too many African-Americans living in the area. “That’s the f*cking problem,” one Briarcliffe firefighter said. “Blacks are taking over sh*t.” They also mocked Fanta Bility, the 8-year-old Black girl killed by police in Delaware County in August 2021. Three police officers are facing charges in connection with Fanta’s death. https://youtu.be/tRBnfan0Bj0 On Thursday, February 10, “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King sits down with the parents of Bakari Henderson – Phil and Jill Henderson, for their first interview before they return to Greece for a retrial in their son’s murder case. Bakari Henderson was 22-years old and on a business trip in Zakynthos, Greece in 2017 when he was chased down by an angry mob and beaten to death following an altercation in a bar. None of the men were found guilty of murder in the first trial. The retrial is scheduled to begin February 21. https://youtu.be/rWx60fQBU4w We reported earlier that Wells Fargo has frozen accounts belonging to Wendy Williams because the bank suspects she is being financially exploited amid reports about her ailing health. Williams is an “incapacitated person” who needs guardianship, her bank claimed Thursday, Page Six reports. The outlet writes, “Wells Fargo sent a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Arlene Bluth requesting a hearing to determine whether Williams needs a professional to intervene in her affairs.” “We are concerned about [Williams’] situation,” attorney David H. Pikus wrote on behalf of the bank in the letter, which Page Six obtained. “It is our hope that the Guardianship Part [of the court] will imminently appoint a temporary guardian or evaluator to review the situation and ensure that [Williams’] affairs are being properly handled.” Williams has not hosted her daytime talk show since July 2021 due to ongoing health issues. Video of a Purdue University police officer being extra violent while arresting a Black student has gone viral. The Feb. 4 incident took place after a woman called campus police to say she was being held against her will near Horticulture Drive. A witness video obtained by FOX59, apparently filmed by the student’s girlfriend, shows a Purdue police officer on top of a Black male student, pinning him into a mound of snow on the ground as the student yells repeatedly, “You’re choking me! You’re hurting me!” https://www.wrbl.com/video/youre-choking-me-purdue-police-conduct-review-after-viral-arrest-video/ NAACP California-Hawaii Conference President Rick Callender says he supports the decision of the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) to slap automaker Tesla Motors with a discrimination lawsuit. The complaint accuses the company of “systemic racial discrimination and harassment.” Callender says “racism is rampant” at the electric vehicle manufacturer’s plant in Fremont, an East Bay city located about 44 miles east of San Francisco. “We demand a racist-free workplace. Business & Gov. orgs should know racist behavior is not tolerated in CA. Who thinks they should own a @Tesla now?” tweeted Callender after DFEH filed the lawsuit Feb. 9. “Segregation at the Fremont factory, along with the absence of Black and/or African Americans in leadership roles, has left many complaints of rampant racism unchecked for years,” says the lawsuit filed with the Superior Court of California in Alameda County. An exclusive clip of TONIGHT’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Love During Lockup,” which finds Indie and her mother driving all the way from Maryland to Harry’s halfway house, but she finds out that they don’t allow visitations. https://youtu.be/9Fn855obgrs #DaBaby and #DaniLeigh’s brother, #BrandonBills, finally crossed paths, and the interaction ended with a few punches being thrown. Early Thursday morning, a viral video of DaBaby having a violent brawl with his ex-girlfriend’s brother hit the internet. The two men reportedly got into a physical altercation at a bowling alley in #LosAngeles. The clip begins with DaBaby swinging a punch towards Bills’ face. The rapper and his crew then start taking turns hitting Bills while standing in the middle of a slippery bowling lane. https://youtu.be/Bt6-x3G8rnQ Dolly Parton, Eminem and Lionel Richie are among the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees. The nominations for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 also features Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, Beck, Pat Benatar, Carly Simon, A Tribe Called Quest, Kate Bush, Devo, Judas Priest, Eurythmics, Fela Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine, and Dionne Warwick. The nominees who receive the top votes will be announced in May and the induction ceremony is scheduled for later this year. Quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks is said to be open to joining the Washington Commanders. On a recent episode of “The Kevin Sheehan Show,” Sheehan revealed Wilson “is not against being traded.” “I did talk to a few people in Vegas,” Sheehan said, via Audacy. “And the only thing that I will tell you is something that I feel confident in, based on the sources, and that is that Russell Wilson is not against being traded to Washington.” Meanwhile, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said a trade shouldn’t be ruled as it relates to Wilson’s future with the Seahawks. Globally-acclaimed label Motown Gospel is honored to announce the signing of legendary 4-time GRAMMY-winning singer, musician, songwriter, entrepreneur, and First Lady of COGIC (Church of God in Christ) Karen Clark Sheard, in partnership with Karew Records, with plans to release her first new album in over half a decade later this year. It will follow Clark Sheard’s 2015 live album Destined To Win, her highest-charting album in her solo career and her 2010 studio album All In One, which earned GRAMMY, Stellar, Dove and BET Award nominations and remains the largest selling release of her solo career to date. “No other female vocalist in gospel music has had as broad an influence as the legendary Karen Clark Sheard,” say Monica Coates and EJ Gaines, Co-Executive Directors of Motown Gospel. “She uniquely brings generations of gospel and R&B music-lovers together with the power of her voice and the purity of her spirit. We are so honored to work with her and the Karew team.” Carl Brister interviews Dionne Warwick on The Groove Tonight...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CvljCc3M08&feature=youtu.be Join Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter-producer, PJ Morton, and Morton Records recording artist, Jojo Martin, for a special Facebook Live on The Set A Part and Chosen Facebook page. They are getting together to swap stories about life, Jojo’s near-death experience, and Jojo’s new “Never Left Me Alone” music video and forthcoming debut album. It all goes down on Thursday, February 10 @ 7 PM EST on https://www.facebook.com/setapartandchosen1 On February 11th and just in time for Valentine’s Day, internationally acclaimed Grammy-nominated vocalist SOMI will release her new single, “Love Tastes Like Strawberries,” featuring two-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and vocalist Gregory Porter. The song is the third to be released from Somi’s fifth studio album, Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba, a deeply personal tribute to the legendary Miriam Makeba, and will be to be released on March 4th, which would have been Makeba’s 90th birthday. SOMI’s latest single, “Love Tastes Like Strawberries,” puts the jazz/soul singer in a shared spotlight with Gregory Porter. https://orcd.co/lovetasteslikestrawberries Watch KIERRA SHEARD-KELLY on THE REAL Thursday, February 10, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPahXjGGEbc&feature=youtu.be Rapper/actress Eve has welcomed her first child, a son, with husband Maximillion Cooper, she announced Thursday on Instagram. Our Beautiful boy was born Feb 1st 2022 ??,” Eve captioned a photo of her newborn, named Wilde Wolf Fife Alexander Somers Cooper. She added, “Words can’t describe this feeling ???.” Cooper shared the same photo and captioned it, “Let the wild rumpus begin!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZy7NR0MBrU/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a740bb4e-fe58-47f2-9433-abc4a64b1c9e Candace Owens announced Tuesday that she and her husband George Farmer are expecting their second child. Owens shared the news on social media with photos of her and Farmer and their son. “Family of 4. #July2022,” wrote Owens on Twitter. A separate post of the family on Instagram was captioned with the lyrics to “Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis. “Do what you love and call it work, Throw a little money in the plate at church, Send your prayers up and your roots down deep, And add a few limbs to your family tree… #FamilyofFour #July2022” https://www.instagram.com/realcandaceowens/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=02c60463-2ec5-4f4c-a2c1-b2ef3b56a667 Billionaire Bob Johnson is said to be frustrated with President Joe Biden’s lack of support of reparations for Foundational Black Americans (FBA).Johnson unpacked the Biden administration’s troubled Build Back Better plan during a Feb. 1 appearance on CNBC. Critics of the plan claim it fails to include initiatives and programs that aim to close the wealth gap between Black and white Americans. “Closing the Black wealth gap is not a job. It’s not giving us more consumption money to spend. It’s giving us more access to wealth sustainability,” Johnson, 75, said in an interview on “Squawk Box.” https://youtu.be/HpyVo5o2u-Y A key measure of inflation climbed to a near-40-year high last month. The consumer price index rose 7.5% in the 12 months ending January, not adjusted for seasonal swings, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday. It was the steepest annual price increase since February 1982. Stripping out food and energy prices, which tend to be more volatile, prices increased by 6% between January 2021 and January 2022, marking the largest increase since August 1982. In January alone, prices rose 0.6%, including seasonal adjustments, the same rate as in December. That served up some bad news for people who hoped the monthly data would indicate a slowdown of the price hikes. Prices increased across the board, including for housing, furniture, used cars and medical costs. Food prices climbed 0.9% in January, compared to just 0.5% in December. The father of beauty queen Cheslie Kryst claims family dysfunction most likely led to her suicide last month. Cheslie’s father, Rodney Kryst, 62, tells the New York Post that his daughter suffered from depression. “She was pure as can be, she didn’t take any kind of drugs or prescription medication,” Rodney Kryst told The Post. “She never had any kind of substance abuse problem.” He added, “I think it had a lot to do with family dysfunction, but it will be awhile before we can talk more. She was sad.” https://youtu.be/O3FfeWgYIh8 New Edition sits down (remotely) with Tamron Hall for the full hour of her daytime talk show “Tamron Hall” on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Yes, all six members – Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant – will, according to the show, talk about “their incredible careers spanning decades, from the inception of the original New Edition group back in Boston to their solo careers to their comeback as New Edition once again.” “Tamron digs deep with the group as they get candid, discussing their personal and professional trials and tribulations throughout their careers, including stories they’ve never shared. They also give fans a special performance and sneak peek behind the scenes as they get ready to launch their 30-city “The Culture Tour.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1491437947198996483 Ask any Black person who sings the best version of the national anthem and you’ll get one of two answers: Depending upon their age, it’s either Marvin Gaye at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game or Whitney Houston at Super Bowl XXV. And while we at The Root will gracefully bow out of this debate, as part of its Super Bowl LVI coverage, ESPN’s E:60 will explore the impact of Houston’s unforgettable performance in Whitney’s Anthem. Premiering Friday, Feb. 11, the 10 year anniversary of Houston’s death, the half-hour documentary features interviews with musical director Rickey Minor, commentators and players from the game, as they discuss “the story of the anthem,” per a press release provided to The Root. Hands down, the most revealing insights will come from the NFL exec who almost rejected Whitney’s version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Seriously!? I need to know how you heard that voice sing that song, and didn’t want it to open your game. What logical reason could you possibly have? https://youtu.be/jatxPuM-v_4 Donny Gerrard, who scored a hit with “Wildflower” as the lead vocalist for the group Skylark, has died. He was 75. Gerrard died Thursday and had been under hospice care amid a battle with cancer, publicist Bill Carpenter told The Hollywood Reporter. “Our dear brother Donny passed away early this morning at home, peacefully, surrounded by family,” said Adam Ayers from Red Light Management in a statement released Thursday. Born in Vancouver, Canada, on March 19, 1946, Gerrard was the singer for the early 1970s band Skylark, which counted producer David Foster as a keyboardist. Their 1972 breakout ballad “Wildflower” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was later sampled on Jamie Foxx’s 2005 platinum-certified hit “Unpredictable.” By 1975, Skylark had split up, and Gerrard focused on a solo career. He signed with Elton John’s Rocket Record Company and dropped the single “(Baby) Don’t Let It Mess Your Mind,” in addition to providing background vocals on John’s 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. The family of Bob Saget says that the comedian died of “head trauma” a month ago in his Florida hotel room. A statement from Saget’s family released Wednesday shared the conclusion from the medical examiner’s office investigating the Jan. 9 death of the “America’s Funniest Home Video” host and “Full House” star. “Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities’ investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us,” the statement sent by Saget’s longtime publicist Michael O’Brien said. “The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep.” “No drugs or alcohol were involved,” the statement added. Trauma surgeon Kari Jerge tells USA TODAY that a blow to the head can push the brain “up against the skull,” resulting in a concussion, a type of brain injury. Jerge says concussion can lead to two possibly fatal scenarios: “bleeding and bruising” of the brain or asphyxiation during unconsciousness. Tyrese Gibson is praying for a miracle as his mother continues to battle both COVID-19 and pneumonia. The “Fast & Furious” star, 43, asked fans to pray for his family when he revealed that his mom, Priscilla Murray, was in a coma in the ICU.“ The Doctor sat in this chair and just broke my heart by telling me there’s pretty much nothing else that can be done to turn things around,” he captioned a photo of a hospital hallway on Wednesday. Gibson said he asked the doctor, “You ever heard of a man name Jesus Christ?” adding, “Nothing is impossible for him…… Ha [sic] paused and couldn’t respond…!!” In a separate post, the singer pleaded with his mother to “keep fighting.” ”Love & Hip Hop‘s” Rich Dollaz, Yandy, Karlie Redd and Paris Phillips kick it with Radio & TV personality Jazmyn ‘Jaz’ Summers, host of EURweb.com Spotlight on a new TV project tracing their African roots. https://youtu.be/P75jlJ022JU Hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg rose to fame during the ’90s on Death Row Records, now he has acquired the label from MNRK Music Group. According to multiple reports, the rapper/mogul acquired Death Row Records’ brand from MNRK Music Group, which is controlled by a private equity fund managed by Blackstone, per Variety. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed. In a statement, Snoop Dogg said: “I am thrilled and appreciative of the opportunity to acquire the iconic and culturally significant Death Row Records brand, which has immense untapped future value. It feels good to have ownership of the label I was part of at the beginning of my career and as one of the founding members. This is an extremely meaningful moment for me. I would like to personally thank the teams at Blackstone, MNRK and especially David Kestnbaum, who worked collaboratively with me over several months to make this exciting homecoming a reality. I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of Death Row Records.” Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s episode of “Growing Up Hip Hop,” which finds Tee Tee and Shawn sparring over their wedding venue. Elsewhere in this week’s episode, JoJo and Tanice find themselves in a marriage crisis when JoJo’s stood up on a group date. Tee Tee and Shawn’s wedding plans spiral out of control. Sam seeks guidance from Layzie. Danger strikes for Briana when police come knocking at her door. https://youtu.be/W_SXAsX4Ze8 “Scream” kicks “Spider-Man” from first place within a month debuting with $30.6 million in ticket sales. Paramount Pictures predicts it will total $35 million including Monday’s grosses. “Scream,” which cost about $24 million to make, added another $18 million in 50 international markets. Most notably, “Scream” is the first box-office success in a year that Hollywood hopes will see a return to weekly stability at movie theaters. January is typically a quiet period at the box office, but the surge of the omicron variant in COVID-19 has further upended release plans of some winter movies. Even though “Spider-Man: No Way Home” slipped to second place, it continues to rise in the record books. “No Way Home” grossed $20.8 million in its fifth weekend of release. Sony Pictures predicts that with another $5.2 million on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, “No Way Home” will reach a domestic cumulative total of $703.9 million Monday, edging “Black Panther” and moving into fourth place all-time. Is Dave Chappelle against affordable housing which would obviously help people who need it during what’s becoming a housing crisis all across the country? Based on what happened after the comedian called the Yellow Springs, Ohio Village Council “clowns” and threatened that his business ventures would be “off the table,” it certainly looks that way. Obviously, Chappelle has some serious leverage in the community where he lives because the Ohio village on Monday failed to approve a zoning ordinance that would have included dozens of affordable housing units after his threat. https://youtu.be/c8FfabxrYRY Netflix’s workforce grew to more than half women and half people of color in 2021 according to Netflix’s latest internal diversity report, which represents a small uptick in representation for both groups compared to 2020’s report. Women now make up 51.7% of Netflix’s global workforce, up from 48.7% in 2020, and women who are in leadership roles of director level and above now totals 51.1% women, a growth of 6.9%. Netflix also says that half of the U.S. workforce, which is the only location where Netflix collects and reports race and ethnicity data, is now 50.5% people from historically excluded ethnic and/or racial backgrounds, up from 46.8% in 2020. This includes growth for Black employees specifically, from 10.9% to 13.3% – and Black leaders at the director and above level, from 11.2% to 13.5%. This also comes as a result of Netflix growing its employee base globally overall, from about 8,000 to 10,000 employees globally in 2021, and adding about a thousand employees – from 6,300 to 7,300, in the U.S. Last year, Netflix admitted a need for more Latinx recruitment, and in 2021 there was some minimal growth in that area in the U.S., moving up slightly from 7.9% to 8.6%, but the percentage of Latinx employees at the leadership level barely budged. Denzel Washington’s nomination for best actor in the Joel Coen film The Tragedy of Macbeth marks him as the most nominated Black actor in Oscar history, with ten nominations and two wins. Throughout his career, he’s been nominated for various roles, starting with his first nomination in a supporting role for the 1988 film Crying Freedom for his role as Steve Biko. Washington was nominated in the same category two years later for his role in the Edward Zwick civil war film Glory–and came away as that year’s winner for best-supporting actor. In between his next win, he received nominations for best actor in the Spike Lee-directed biopic Malcolm X and the Norman Jewison film Hurricane. It would be ten years from his first win to his second for best actor in Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day. He is one of four Black actors to win the award along with Sidney Poitier, Jamie Fox, Forest Whitaker. If you’re fans of Cari Champion and Jemele Hill, we’ve got some good news for ya. The award-winning broadcast journalists are joining CNN+ as hosts of a weekly show for the much-anticipated streaming subscription service debuting this spring. On Cari & Jemele: Speak.Easy., the co-hosts toast and roast the stories that have everyone talking. From the biggest stories in sports, entertainment, politics, and culture, they’ll tell you how they see it. The show will contribute to CNN+’s slate of original, live programming and be available at launch. “I’m so thrilled to join CNN+. The beauty and authenticity of my friendship with Jemele has always been at the heart of our creative partnership,” said Champion. “I couldn’t be more excited to be part of the CNN family and share our brand of ‘speakeasy’ with the world.” Kanye West had made a plea for his family to come back together just days after a war of words with estranged wife Kim Kardashian on social media. The 44-year-old rapper took to Instagram to share a gallery of snaps from Vogue magazine of his 41-year-old estranged wife with their children and the caption: ‘GOD PLEASE BRING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER.’ This comes just days after the former power couple squabbled on Instagram over their daughter North’s TikTok and after the reason for the standstill in their divorce was revealed. As the reality star has been trying to get her married status dissolved to single for months, the artist’s refusal to sign off on it is the reason the process has hit a snag according to a source for E! News on Monday. The insider told the publication: ‘Kim is still trying to get the “married” status dissolved to “single” before they finalize the divorce, but Ye has yet to sign. ‘Moving this divorce along isn’t something he’s acting quickly on, despite Kim’s efforts.’ A Carrollton church teacher and a church office assistant were arrested Tuesday and accused in the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in 2018. The men worked at Ministerios Bethania USA in Carrollton and they met the girl at the church, but the alleged assault did not happen on church property, police said. Carrollton police identified the suspects as church teacher Luis Escobar, 59, and office assistant Alvaro Jimenez, 71. who were living at the church, 2405 E. Belt Line Road in Carrollton. Jimenez handled various church office duties, while Escobar taught virtual church classes for adults, Carrollton police said. Officials at Ministerios Bethania USA did not return telephone calls Wednesday requesting comment. An investigation began in September 2021 when an 18-year-old girl reported the assault to a school counselor. The teen reported to Carrollton police that she was 14 when the sexual assault occurred. As we enter the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, it is the religious objections to routine vaccination that persist and perplex. In some religious circles, the rapid spread of the omicron variant is being taken as an antidote to medical arrogance. “These variants aren’t just variants,” the popular television preacher Tony Evans explains. “This is God showing medical science, politicians, people: ‘I don’t care what you come up with. I’m talking now.’” Opinions to start the day, in your inbox. Sign up. While conceding that “vaccines help,” Evans goes on to argue that “you should have a choice, whether it’s natural immunity or whether it’s therapeutics. You shouldn’t be mandated to put chemicals in your body. But you should be free to if you choose to. So our issue is against mandates, not against vaccinations if you choose to. … People don’t know what to do, so stuff keeps changing because God keeps messing stuff up. … So whatever decision you make, be able to trust God with it.” This position — which assumes that God introduces an element of uncertainty into the conclusions of science to expose human arrogance — is intended to justify a reasonable middle ground of personal choice on vaccination. The problem? It is a theological absurdity based on a bald-faced deception in service to a dangerous ideology. Ben Simmons got his wish, a trade out of Philadelphia. The 76ers got their second superstar, with James Harden coming over in a blockbuster multiplayer trade with the Brooklyn Nets. The Sixers sent Simmons, their disgruntled star, guard Seth Curry and center Andre Drummond to the Nets in a deal for Harden. The Sixers also will get Paul Millsap and the Nets get draft picks, according to people with direct knowledge of the decision. The move was confirmed Thursday by the people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced. The move came just five days after coach Steve Nash said the Nets wouldn’t trade Harden and only 13 months after they acquired the 2018 NBA MVP to play with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. But Harden could have left this summer as a free agent and the Nets decided it wasn’t worth the risk to wait, ending their Big Three experiment after the trio played only 16 games together. Media tycoon Byron Allen is preparing a bid for the Denver Broncos, a move that if successful would make him the first Black majority owner of a National Football League team. “NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft came to me in November of 2019 and asked me to take a good look at buying an NFL team,” Allen, chairman and chief executive officer at Allen Media Group, said in a statement in response to inquiries about his interest in the Broncos. “And after serious consideration, I strongly believe I can effectuate positive changes throughout the league,” Allen said in a statement. “And for that reason, I will be making a bid for the Denver Broncos.” A representative for the NFL didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Allen, 60, is a Detroit native who came to prominence as a comedian appearing on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He went on to become a television producer and later founded Allen Media, which consists of the Weather Channel and more than 15 local network stations. Allen had recently bid for the regional television operator Tegna Inc., however acquisition talks are still ongoing. In a press conference earlier today (02/10/22), hip-hop legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige previewed the Super Bowl LVI halftime show, saying, “we’re going to do it so big.” CNN’s Chloe Melas reports in the video above. In other news from the presser, “This should’ve happened a long time ago,” offered Dre, who spent the most time on the mic at the packed event hosting well more than 100 reporters. “Hip-hop is the biggest genre of music on the planet right now, so it’s crazy that it took all of this time for us to be recognized. I think we’re going to go on and do a fantastic show and we’re going to do it so big that they can’t deny us anymore in the future.” Last offseason, the NFL saw unprecedented movement at the quarterback position. Between the Los Angeles Rams trading for Matthew Stafford, and sending Jared Goff back to Detroit as part of the blockbuster, and the Indianapolis Colts poaching Carson Wentz from Philadelphia, it was a groundbreaking offseason. To a lesser extent, the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mitchell Trubisky, Sam Darnold, Teddy Bridgewater, Tyrod Taylor and Andy Dalton all changed teams. By signing Ryan Fitzpatrick, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, the Washington Commanders played a role in the sweepstakes. If you haven’t heard, they’re back in the market for a QB after Fitzpatrick suffered a dislocated hip in Week 1 and Taylor Heinicke underwhelmed as a backup. While Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr feel like pipe dreams at this point, Seahawks superstar Russell Wilson actually feels attainable. Cardiac lesions were found on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Lemina in medical checks by Confederation of African Football medical officials checking on their condition after contracting the coronavirus. Aubameyang is a striker for Arsenal in the Premier League, and Lemina is a midfielder with French club Nice. Both were released to return to their clubs where they will undergo more testing. They needed a John Deere Gator to reach the perimeter. Then, in the forested area behind a power plant in Williamsburg, Virginia, Colette Roots and her small expedition had to jump over ditches full of rainwater, where they could see tadpoles and mosquito eggs. They went in. The plot of land belonged to a Black congregation in the 1940s. The historic church, Oak Grove Baptist, is still active. Roots grew up in the congregation, and as a child, she helped her mother maintain the graves at the church’s main cemetery—a much larger plot roughly a mile from this one, with about 150 graves. The church lost access to this smaller graveyard decades ago, thanks in part to a massive land seizure by the federal government. By the summer of 2021, most everyone who knew the exact whereabouts of the Christians buried back here had died themselves. Hidden away like this, in the trees and brush, the graves remind Roots of the Sunday school song about hiding your light under a bushel. When she saw them that day, she had the same reaction: No. There were a dozen markers, some lying flat and others standing upright. The inscriptions showed that most of the deceased were children, and at least three were related to Roots by marriage. For a moment she was overcome with grief. The dead needed to be taken care of. They belonged with the other deceased saints at the main burial grounds. The World Health Organization (WHO) lamented Tuesday that half a million COVID-19 deaths had been recorded since the Omicron variant was discovered, calling the toll “beyond tragic”. The WHO’s incident manager Abdi Mahamud said that 130 million cases and 500,000 deaths had been recorded globally since Omicron was declared a variant of concern in late November. It has since rapidly overtaken Delta as the world’s dominant COVID-19 variant because it is more transmissible, though it appears to cause less severe illness. “In the age of effective vaccines, half a million people dying, it’s really something,” Mahamud told a live interaction on the WHO’s social media channels. “While everyone was saying Omicron is milder, (they) missed the point that half a million people have died since this was detected. “It’s beyond tragic.” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, said the sheer number of Omicron cases was “astounding”, while the true number of cases and deaths could be much higher than just those known about. “It makes the previous peaks look almost flat,” she said. Though considered milder than other coronavirus variants, omicron has infected so many people that it has driven the number of daily deaths beyond where it was last spring, before vaccines were widely available, according to Washington Post data. Omicron has been particularly lethal to people over 75, the unvaccinated and the medically vulnerable, according to doctors and public health officials. The soaring death toll also illustrates why experts pleaded with the public to beware of the highly contagious variant even though it is less virulent than others. “That feels quite jarring to people who may have assumed omicron is generally on a per-case level less severe and given the fact we have vaccinated at least some portion of the country,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Even if on a per-case basis fewer people develop severe illness and die, when you apply a small percentage to a very large number, you get a substantial number.” What to know about the omicron variant of the coronavirus Yet the seven-day average of deaths during the omicron surge has reached 2,600 in recent days, climbing past the late September peak of about 2,000 average daily fatalities during the surge of the more dangerous delta variant, according to Post tracking. The ranks of hospitalized patients with covid-19 reached record highs in January. Coronavirus deaths lag hospitalizations. Betty Davis, the ex-wife of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, died Wednesday. She was 77. Davis’ longtime friend Connie Portis confirmed the news in a Facebook post “It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of Betty Davis, a multi-talented music influencer, pioneer rock star, singer, songwriter, arranger, model, and fashion icon,” Portis wrote. “Most of all Betty was a friend, Aunt, niece, and beloved member of her community of Homestead, Pennsylvania, and of the worldwide community of friends and fans.” Davis was known for singing hits such as “Get Ready for Betty,” “It’s My Life,” “If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up” and many more. Davis also wrote the Chambers Brothers song “Uptown (to Harlem).” Davis dropped her self-titled debut album in 1973 for Woodstock promoter Michael Lang’s Just Sunshine Records and two more records followed. She released “They Say I’m Different” in 1974 and a year later recorded the album “Nasty Gal.” https://youtu.be/b2B0FBdzGis Laugh Out Loud, the multi-platform comedy brand founded by Kevin Hart announced the addition of rapper-trying-to-turn comedian TIP “T.I” HARRIS along with Tony Roberts and special guest DJ Spinderella to the long-anticipated return of “All-Star Comedy Jam.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZuOTOUgo5i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Adele is being accused of transphobia for declaring at a woke gender-neutral awards show that she loves “being a woman.” The “Rolling in the Deep” singer made the remark at Tuesday’s Brit Awards as she collected the prize for Artist of the Year, a newly created category merging the old Best Male and Best Female Artist awards. “I understand why the name of this award has changed but I really love being a woman and being a female artist. I do!” she said to huge cheers. “I’m really proud of us, I really, really am,” she said. Despite support from the audience in London’s huge O2 Arena, her comments quickly sparked outrage online — making her the latest high-profile figure accused of being a TERF, or trans-exclusionary radical feminist. “Please, no, ADELE can’t be a TERF,” a “staunch feminist” performer named Jacob told his thousands of Twitter followers. “Who’d have thought Adele was a transphobe and would use her platform to call for the destruction of the trans community. Especially the confused teenagers,” another long-time Twitter user posted. We Are Messengers lead singer Darren Mulligan says he is “OK” and grateful to the Lord after his truck hit ice, lost traction, and flipped over, calling his survival “a miracle.” “It’s a miracle that I’m alive,” Mulligan wrote on the Christian band’s Instagram page. The singer shared photos of the accident and an account of the terrifying ordeal. He said he was in his truck driving when he hit ice last week and suddenly slid across lanes. Not wanting to hit another vehicle, he took swift action. “I couldn’t [bear] the thought of someone being hurt, so I did everything I could to flip my vehicle off the road, and that’s what I did,” he said. Mulligan said he is sore but that he walked away “without a scratch.” Perhaps most interesting is that he was praying just 10 seconds before the accident — and his invocation was about how his life is in God’s hands. “I guess God put that to the test, and He has once again proved Himself unbelievably kind,” he wrote. Mulligan also shared how a good Samaritan man named Efrain stopped on his way to work after seeing the accident to make sure the singer was OK. The man even drove Mulligan to the airport afterward to ensure he would make the band’s show in Greeley, Colorado. Three friends who have attended every Super Bowl are hoping for a memorable contest this year because it will probably be their final trip to the big game as a group. The three men are all in their 80s and have attended every game since the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game was held 55 years ago about 7 miles (11 kilometers) from this year’s venue, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. They are meeting at the game once again this year, but future meetings are in question. Don Crisman, a Maine resident and the eldest of the group at 85, said this is his last game. Gregory Eaton, 82, of Michigan, wants to keep attending but said his health concerns could get in the way. Even Tom Henschel, a football fanatic who spends the cold months in Florida, said Super Bowl LX in 2026 figures to be his last. The far-flung friends use the Super Bowl to meet up, spend time together and reminisce. But in recent years they’ve come to grips with the fact it must come to an end one day, said Henschel, 80. “I still think I have a few years left. I’m going to try to make it to 60. But old man age is catching up to all of us,” he said. The annual Super Bowl Breakfast is where faith and football meet. Sponsored by Athletes in Action, the event has taken place each year since 1988, drawing sellout crowds to hear from some of the biggest names in football. That includes Demario Davis, a lineman with the New Orleans Saints who is known for his faith as well as big plays on the field. “Ever since we came in the league, we learned about the Superbowl Breakfast, saw that it wasn’t just about the game, but it reflected a life of faith, a life of family and of football,” Davis told CBN News. Highlights of the outreach include messages of hope complete with a presentation of the gospel. The one-hour faith-filled event will be televised this weekend on the CBN News Channel. Donald Trump is urging Joe Rogan to stop apologizing for using the N-word. The ex-president issued a statement on Monday, saying, “Joe Rogan is an interesting and popular guy, but he’s got to stop apologizing to the Fake News and Radical Left maniacs and lunatics.” Trump continued, per the Hill, “How many ways can you say you’re sorry? Joe, just go about what you do so well and don’t let them make you look weak and frightened. That’s not you and it never will be!” Trump’s support comes after Rogan apologized over the weekend for repeatedly using the N-word. He also once described a movie theater packed with Black people as “planet of the apes.” Two teen boys were shot and killed within an hour of each other Tuesday in Chicago. A 15-year-old boy was killed in a shooting in Bronzeville Tuesday afternoon, Chicago police said. Chicago police said the teen was in the 3300-block of South Prairie Avenue around 3:15 p.m. when he was approached by someone who then pulled out a gun and opened fire. The teen was struck in the head and taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead, police said. A Black FedEx driver says two white males fired multiple bullets into his delivery vehicle in Brookhaven, Miss., late last month. Luckily the 24-year-old was not injured. D’Monterrio Gibson of Utica, Miss., told the Mississippi Free Press that the incident occurred on the night of Jan. 24, when he saw a white pickup truck driving toward him while on his delivery route. “In my mind I’m thinking (the driver) is leaving to go to the store or something like that, but then they get extremely close to me and start blowing their horn,” Gibson said. “I proceed to leave the driveway. As I’m leaving the driveway, he starts driving in the grass trying to cut me off. My instincts kick in, I swerve around him, and I start hitting the gas trying to get out of the neighborhood because I don’t know what his intentions are. Gibson said the police chief, Kenny Collins (who is Black) “tried to emphasize how unracist the town was, which seemed odd to me.” Per the report, Brookhaven has a history of lynching Black folks. Gibson learned from police that the driver of the white pickup truck was Gregory Case and the man in the road was his son, Brandon Case. Both turned themselves in at the police station on Feb. 1, per the report. Gregory was charged with conspiracy and Brandon with aggravated assault. They posted bail, $75,000 and $150,000 bonds, respectively, the next day, the Mississippi Free Press reports. Moore wants the U.S. Department of Justice “to prosecute this as a hate crime,” he said. Bounce has announced that the sixth and final season of “Saints & Sinners” will premiere in April, and a new trailer has been released to tease what fans can expect. Per Bounce, the saints and the sinners will have a winner-take-all clash this spring. Bounce, the popular broadcast and multi-platform entertainment network serving African Americans, will air the sixth and final season of its hit original drama series “Saints & Sinners” Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT, starting April 3. https://youtu.be/88590VgtTRU Wendy Williams is officially out for the rest of season 13 of her eponymous talk show, as producers prepare for a Sherri Shepherd takeover. “Wendy won’t be returning to the show for the rest of this season. Her healing is going slower than everyone had hoped. She continues to deal with a number of medical issues, including Graves’ disease, and she and her team are taking it one day at a time,” a source tells People. As reported by PEOPLE, “The Wendy Williams Show” announced a lineup of celebrity guest hosts for the entire month of February: Michael Rapaport, Sherri Shepherd, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Bevy Smith, and Terrence J. “But reports of a stroke, drugs or addiction issues or a dementia diagnosis are all false. Whether Wendy can return in the fall will depend on how her healing goes over the summer. Her health is the most important thing,” the source adds. This month, Apple TV+ announced “They Call Me Magic,” the highly anticipated four-part documentary event that takes an illuminating, holistic look into the life and career of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, one of the world’s most iconic figures, premiering April 22. “They Call Me Magic” offers a rare glimpse into the incredible real life story of Johnson, who left his mark on history through his work – both on and off the court – and continues to impact our culture today. https://www.instagram.com/appletvplus/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=94c523a7-9656-4519-9679-a4b5eaa413b7 Artist, musician and Compton, California native Gemaine is turning up R&B music to a new volume. His new single, “No Questions,” is a throwback to a previous age of romance and love songs. The 25-year-old singer/songwriter, who had viral success at 18 on TikTok predecessor Vine with his song “Freaky,” will be releasing his full-length debut album New Jack City sometime this spring- a collaborative project with super-producer DJ Charlie Heat, who has worked with Kanye West, Lil Uzi Vert, Kehlani and Madonna. https://youtu.be/JScj4JgcTsI Angela Bassett is reflecting on her friendship with the late-great Whitney Houston as the tenth anniversary of the singer’s death approaches. Houston and Bassett co-starred in the 1995 film “Waiting to Exhale” and they formed a close friendship outside of filming. “You know, working with Whitney…we were all such a fan,” Bassett told Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier in 2020. “So to come to know each other, to play cards, to go bowling, to that regular simple joys of life stuff? It was great. It was an awesome opportunity.” Bassett is remembering the music icon’s legacy in an interview with InStyle, in which the actress also spoke about how she has dealt with Houston’s death. “The loss can be overwhelming, but I try to remain grateful for the moments I’ve had with them and for the contribution that they’ve made to my life and to culture. Instead of leaning into the loss, I lean into the blessing that their life was and will appear to be in spirit,” said Bassett. Jim Jones was not happy with the lack of customer service he received at a Gucci store, and took to social media to let everybody know. The Harlem rapper went off while walking around the luxury store. With COVID mask pulled down around his chin, Jones said that he and his crew were in “VIP” for an hour, and had yet to be greeted by an employee. “Haven’t nobody came and showed us no courtesy, no amenities, no nothing. Period. Not even a drink of water,” he said in the video. Jones, who said he asked to speak to a manager, appeared offended that the store sent out a Black employee to deal with him. “They got the Black guy racial profiling on Black people,” he fumed, not realizing that assuming the Black man was not a manager is also a form of racial profiling. https://twitter.com/i/status/1491212798860603394 During an appearance Tuesday on “CNN Tonight,” India.Arie told host Don Lemon that she has accepted Joe Rogan’s apology for his repeated use of the N-word on his podcast, which prompted her to request that her music be removed from the streaming platform. “I don’t think Joe Rogan is racist for using [the N-word],” she told Lemon. “I think he’s insensitive for using it.” “So just don’t,” she continued. https://youtu.be/lFPZ3V_hD8E Trevor Noah swung at the Joe Rogan controversy during “The Daily Show” Tuesday night, zeroing in on the podcaster’s N-word montage video that went viral last week. “He’s dropping the N-word like he bought it in bulk at Costco,” Noah said at one point. Rogan’s racist reel came on the heels of pushback against his allowance of coronavirus vaccine misinformation to be spewed on his show. Musicians such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and India.Arie requested that their music be removed from the streaming service – Young and Mitchell because of Rogan sharing COVID misinformation, Arie because of the racism. https://youtu.be/D5SYrX41BtA Nelly’s team claims his Instagram account was hacked and an NSFW video was posted of him receiving oral servicing from an unidentified woman. The rapper issued a statement to TMZ in which he apologizes to the woman involved in the video and her family for the “unwanted publicity.” “I sincerely apologize to the young lady and her family, this is unwanted publicity for her/them,” the statement reads. “This was an old video that was private and never meant to go public.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1491183496416481283 As part of Biden’s plan to “advance racial equity,” Blacks on crack and white methheads will have access to “safe smoking kits/supplies”. The program’s funds will be distributed to nonprofits and local governments that will provide crack kits to drug addicts in “underserved communities.” According to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for HHS said these kits will include pipes for users to smoke crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine. The crack pipe kits will also “limit the risk of infection – typically users smoke out of glass pipes which can lead to cuts and sores that become infected,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/L6LXx_UoFk8 Cardi B has put the Instagram page of her 3-year-old daughter Kulture on lockdown after the account was flooded with hateful comments. Kulture has more than 2.3 million Instagram followers. After learning that trolls were calling her child cruel names in the comments, Cardi B set Kulture’s account to private on Monday. “Haven’t been checking my daughter account but now I’m going to lock her page,’ the mom-of-two fired on Twitter. “I don’t know wtf is going on but I hope y’all moms die for giving birth to you hoe a** weirdos.” https://www.instagram.com/iamcardib/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=72351682-f03a-4257-9b41-3c185a2c7e64 Musical artist, Tanya Nolan, known for her songs ‘Smile On My Face’ and ‘No Pressure,’ has recently released her latest R&B single, ‘Good Woman,’ to national radio and all satellite platforms. The emotional song debuted as the second most added song to R&B radio stations across the country, behind The Weeknd, who debuted at number one. In addition to National and local radio, ‘Good Woman’ was quickly picked up by Sirius XM’s Heart & Soul and the popular television network, Music Choice. https://soundcloud.com/user-88465534/good-woman-radio-edit-master A large crowd descended on downtown Los Angeles for the opening day of Super Bowl Experience presented by Lowe’s, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Saturday, February 5, 2022. Super Bowl Experience presented by Lowe’s is the NFL’s interactive football theme park, leading up to Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium, Sunday, February 13, 2022 between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. Capitol Christian Music Group (CCMG) has promoted EJ Gaines to SVP Marketing/Co-Executive Director of Motown Gospel. Gaines has served as Co-Executive Director of Motown Gospel and Vice President of Marketing at CCMG since 2018, prior to his position as Motown Gospel’s Vice President of Marketing. Gaines reports to Capitol Christian Music Group Co-President Hudson Plachy. Here at CLEO TV, we're kicking off the love season in the kitchen with Chef JJ. JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ has returned for season 4 on CLEO TV. The popular cooking show welcomes Lifestyle influencer and Content Creator Tiffany Battle tonight, February 9th at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Eating well and feeling good is the winning combo for Chef JJ’s guest Tiffany Battle. Tonight, he's making Grilled Ahi Tuna with Soba Noodle Salad. He's also making Mushroom Kale Fonio Bowls with a Ginger Citrus Spritzer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xqFB14CTT8 The season three finale of the popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN airs tonight, February 9th at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is going out with a bang, as he serves up international cuisine in the series' extended, 30-minute format. The best way to a person's heart is through their stomach and no one knows that better than Chef Jernard. In this episode, he puts his twist on Asian Cuisine. He makes a delicious Korean BBQ complemented by his version of General Tso’s Chicken. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rip9cq_YC5I Today, actor-comedian Leslie Jordan and actor, CEO and producer Tracee Ellis Ross announced the 94th Oscars® nominations, via a global live stream on Oscar.com. The 94th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. https://youtu.be/avbXw0kOlQc Bounce will premiere the highly-anticipated 23rd Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration on Saturday, February 12 at 8 pm ET. The debut telecast will be followed by an encore on Bounce’s sister network ION Sunday, February 13 at 12 am ET, and will continue to be available to stream in front of the paywall on Prime Video and on IMDb TV throughout February in celebration of Black History Month. Themed “Catch the Light,” the groundbreaking praise and worship extravaganza is an annual highlight of Super Bowl weekend, hosted this season by inspirational figure Sarah Jakes Roberts and funnyman DC Young Fly. This unique annual praise fest highlights NFL players and their faith, with uplifting songs of joy and shout-worthy, never-before-seen performances and mashups. Viewers are offered a rare glimpse into the spiritual lives of their favorite NFL players, as well as what inspires them to greatness each day. The hour-long show was taped in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Dallas as a concession to the still ongoing COVID pandemic. Super Bowl Gospel Celebration is making a special presentation to the 2022 Lifetime of Inspiration Award recipient Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, sponsored by the Amazon Black Business Accelerator Program. The current head coach for Jackson State University’s football team, two-time SuperBowl champion, Pro Football Hall of Famer, and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year is being honored for his commitment to bringing more visibility to HBCU sports franchises and reinvigorating HBCU sports into high-profile must-watch events. Coach Prime is one of only four NFL Players to ever receive this prestigious award. Country music legend and trailblazer Charley Pride's 'The Best of Charley Pride Volume II' is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Debuted in 1972 on Billboard magazine's country albums chart, it spent 16 weeks at the No. 1 spot and was Pride’s best-selling album during his career. Included on the album are hits like "Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'", "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone," "I'd Rather Love You," "I'm Just Me" and more fan favorites. In line with Black History Month, the celebration of this anniversary reminds us how Pride transcended racial barriers within the country music community and beyond. American Masters Charley Pride: I'm Just Me, a documentary about the life and career of the country music superstar was aired on PBS, BBC & CBC's documentary Channel and is available at PBS.com and Amazon.com. The documentary walks through Pride’s life journey, from his humble beginnings as a sharecropper’s son on a cotton farm in segregated Sledge, Mississippi to his career as a Negro League baseball player and his meteoric rise as a trailblazing country music icon. Narrated by Tanya Tucker and featuring country music royalty, including Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, and Marty Stuart, I'm Just Me traces Pride's love for music and perseverance in the industry. The film also features many songs from his repertoire of classic country hits, along with more modern cuts like "Standing In My Way," from his latest album Music In My Heart, released in 2017. Since retiring from the NFL, Marshawn Lynch has stayed busy with his charitable endeavors, business ventures, and acting projects. Lynch’s post-retirement life has seen him appear in commercials for Subway, Frito-Lay and Uber Eats, and TV shows including season three of HBO’s “Westworld.” Lynch is back at showing off his acting (and improv) skills in Netflix’s new murder mystery comedy “Murderville,” which is now streaming on the platform. Per The Hollywood Reporter, here’s the conceit: Will Arnett plays homicide detective Terry Seattle. Arnett — along with the cast of other regulars including Haneefah Wood as Seattle’s boss slash ex-wife, Chief Rhonda Jenkins-Seattle, and Lilan Bowden as coroner Amber Kang — gets a script. Each episode, a guest star “trainee” is paired with Seattle and tasked with helping him solve a grisly murder. They do not get a script, and must react to Seattle’s prompts as they interrogate three suspects and examine the crime scene for clues, culminating in a lineup where they guess whodunit. It’s like one of those murder mystery dinner party games where the host is Lego Batman. https://youtu.be/4IBi7gN2THE Prior to this Sunday’s iconic Super Bowl half-time show, Mary J. Blige will be hosting her iHeart Radio Album Release Party for Good Morning Gorgeous exclusively on iHeart and FOX SOUL this Friday, February 11 at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT. Good Morning Gorgeous is Mary J. Blige‘s 15th full-length studio album following 2017’s Strength of a Woman. She also teamed up with H.E.R. on the album’s title track “Good Morning Gorgeous.” Good Morning Gorgeous showcases 13 new songs, including guest appearances from artists like DJ Khaled, Dave East, Usher, Anderson .Paak and Fivio Foreign. https://youtu.be/jr1CRMkBVs8 GSN-Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks have been tapped to star in the upcoming Warner Bros. movie musical “The Color Purple.” As reported by Variety, the forthcoming Warner Bros. movie musical is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical from Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, which was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning epistolary novel by Alice Walker. The upcoming film follows the classic 1985 film adaptation from director Steven Spielberg and centers on Celie, a Black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity amid decades of abuse. Whoopi Goldberg played Celie in Spielberg’s film. Spielberg’s film was a box office success, grossing $142 million against a budget of $15 million. Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has started assembling vehicles in Nigeria beginning with the Land Trek, 3008, 5008, and the new 508. Business Insider reports that Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited (DPAN) has started assembling vehicles at the new Greenfield Ultima Assembly Plant, located in the northwestern region of Nigeria. The plant will reportedly assemble 120 vehicles per day. “With the New Green Field Ultima Assembly Plant, a lot is being done by DPAN to ensure visibility of the Peugeot brand and availability of spare parts to the network and the generality of Nigerians,” management of DPAN said. “DPAN will be encouraged by our technical partner to reposition the brand in the short, medium, and long term as we ensure customer satisfaction and sustainability. https://youtu.be/XRBGX59O-gg Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson initially supported Joe Rogan, but has “become educated” since learning of Rogan’s use of a racial slur. Rogan has been the center of controversy over his podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” where he has made inaccurate claims about vaccinations and Covid-19. Spotify has come under fire for the podcast and several artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell have removed their music from the streaming service in protest. Last week Rogan posted a video on his verified Instagram account sharing his thoughts about the controversy and Johnson offered his support in the comments. “Great stuff here brother,” Johnson wrote in response to Rogan’s post. “Perfectly articulated. Look forward to coming on one day and breaking out the tequila with you.” https://eurweb.com/2022/02/08/dwayne-johnson-takes-back-support-of-joe-rogan/ Did you know that an enslaved chef named James Hemings created Mac and cheese but Thomas Jefferson, third president of the U.S., often gets credit for it? The story, passed down through the generations, goes that while traveling in Europe in the late 1700s prior to becoming president, Jefferson first tried a European version of macaroni pasta and cheese. He brought the recipe back when he returned to Virginia. But what is left out of that lore is that Jefferson was traveling with a slave who was his chef, and it was Hemings who came up with a version of mac and cheese for Americans’ taste. But Jefferson and his wife, Martha, took the credit. Hemings became the property of Jefferson at age 8, serving as the “valet, chauffeur, and chef,” according to the James Hemings Society. Jefferson allowed Hemings to hone his culinary skills under a French chef in Annapolis, and with chefs at the Chateau Chantilly, the “five-star kitchen of 18th century France.“ After completing his training, Hemings was made the head chef at Jefferson’s private residence in Paris, known as the Hôtel de Langeac. Retired Pope Benedict XVI asked forgiveness Tuesday for any “grievous faults” in his handling of clergy sex abuse cases, but denied any personal or specific wrongdoing after an independent report criticized his actions in four cases while he was archbishop of Munich, Germany. “I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate,” the retired pope said. But Benedict’s lack of a personal apology or any admission of guilt was likely to rile survivors and further complicate efforts by German bishops re-establish credibility with the faithful. Demands for accountability have only increased as the church has come to terms with decades of sexual abuse by priests and cover-up by their bishops. Benedict, 94, was responding to a Jan. 20 report from a German law firm that had been commissioned by the German Catholic Church to look into how cases of sexual abuse were handled in the Munich archdiocese between 1945 and 2019. Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, headed the archdiocese from 1977 to 1982. A PhD student is today suing ‘Britain’s wokest university’ over claims they failed to protect her from trans activists who harassed her after she said only biological women can give birth. Raquel Rosario-Sanchez said she made the comment in response to a row over the word ‘maternity’ which diversity chiefs had branded ‘problematic’. Ms Rosario-Sanchez says bosses at Bristol University, called the country’s ‘wokest’ by a women’s rights group, didn’t tackle the transgender activists who subjected her to a two-year ‘hate campaign’. She said she was targeted for attending feminist meetings that opposed allowing men who identify as women into female-only spaces such as toilets and domestic violence refuges. Rosario-Sanchez says she was also harassed over her involvement with the campaigning group Woman’s Place UK. As part of her civil action, Ms Rosario-Sanchez claims she was told by diversity chiefs that the term ‘maternity’ was now ‘problematic’ and ‘exclusionary’. She said when she pointed out that only a biological woman can give birth, she was reported to human resources bosses for being ‘transphobic’, investigated by the university and ordered to apologize. Chicago soul treasure Syl Johnson, known as one of the most sampled artists ever thanks to his track “Different Strokes,” which has been used by a slew of notable hip-hop artists, has died at the age 85. His family announced the news in a statement Sunday, though they didn’t reveal his cause of death. “It is with extreme sadness that our family announces the passing of Soul & Blues Hall of Fame Legend, Syl Johnson,” his family said. “Dad, Brother, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Uncle, Friend & Artist, he lived his life as a singer, musician, and entrepreneur who loved Black music.” Mr. Johnson’s death is the third big loss for the blues community in the last eight days. His older brother, Blues Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Johnson, died Monday at his home in Harvey at age 93; and drummer and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Sam Lay died Jan. 29 at 86. A Black FedEx driver in Mississippi said he was shot at while making deliveries by two white men who deemed him “suspicious.” D’Monterrio Gibson, 24, told the Mississippi Free Press on Friday that he was delivering a package on the evening of January 24 when he noticed a white pickup truck blocking a driveway. He presumed the truck’s driver was leaving the driveway, so he tried to move. “They get extremely close to me and start blowing their horn,” Gibson told the outlet. “As I’m leaving the driveway, he starts driving in the grass trying to cut me off. My instincts kick in, I swerve around him, and I start hitting the gas trying to get out of the neighborhood because I don’t know what his intentions are.” Gibson said as he drove down the street, he saw a man in the road. “There’s another guy standing in the middle of the street pointing a gun at my windows and signaling to me to stop with his hands, as well as mouthing the word, ‘Stop.’ I shake my head no, I hide behind the steering wheel, and I swerve around him as well. As I swerve around him, he starts firing shots into my vehicle,” Gibson told the outlet. As he fled, one of his FedEx managers called him, and when Gibson told her what had happened, she ordered him to return to the station. As he drove, Gibson noticed the pickup truck was following him. “I just went as fast as I could,” Gibson told the outlet. “He chased me all the way to the interstate.” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced his plans to invest $318 million into the long underfunded Nashville-based HBCU, Tennessee State University (TSU). On Monday, Lee unveiled the proposal during his State of the State speech, WTVF reports. If passed, it would become TSU’s largest investment in its history. “Back in November 2020, the Speakers appointed a Joint Land Grant Committee, chaired by Rep. Harold Love, to explore how the state can better understand the new needs of Tennessee State University,” Lee said. Some $250 million of the massive $318 million investment would be allocated to improve the school’s infrastructure through repairs and renovations for multiple buildings, a new library, and a new food science building. Another $60 million from the budget proposal would go toward a new state-of-the-art engineering building, and the remaining $8 million would be used for maintenance. TSU President Dr. Glenda Glover is working with government officials to get the proposal passed and says the school administration is pleased by the gesture. Whether forming business partnerships or serving on nonprofit boards, Victor Branch is known for stepping up to help make a difference for Black Americans in Richmond, Virginia. He is the first African American president of the Bank of America Richmond region. As such, Branch oversees nearly 2,000 employees at 25 branches in Richmond and several surrounding counties and cities along with a technology and operations center in Henrico County. He is a banker with a passion to help others. He has worked for Bank of America for 38 years, having evolved from its entry-level management training program to serving in multiple executive roles. His duties now include managing over $4 million in marketing sponsorships and grants statewide. Amid February being celebrated as Black History Month, Branch is all about helping Black Americans. For instance, he played an influential role in Bank of America’s decision in March 2021 to expand its five-year commitment to $1.25 billion to advance racial equality and economic opportunity in communities across the country where the nation’s second-largest bank operates. Dr. Mautra Jones makes history as the first Black woman to become president of Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC). She is also the first woman ever to lead the institution. Her appointment as the President of OCCC makes her the first Black woman to lead any higher education institution in Oklahoma that is not an HBCU. With a BA in journalism from the University of Oklahoma, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and a doctorate of education from Vanderbilt University, Jones has years of experience under her belt. Jones currently serves as vice president of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs at Langston University, which is the only HBCU in Oklahoma. She is the site administrator for the University’s Oklahoma City campus and a member of the Board of Directors for BancFirst. Dr. Charles Steele, Jr., president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the organization co-founded and first led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., issued the following statement today calling for Americans to support NFL Coach Brian Flores and other victims of racism and discrimination in all arenas. “The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the legendary civil rights organization co-founded and first led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stands with Miami Dolphins’ Coach Brian Flores who has exposed racism and discrimination in the National Football League. We are calling for our leaders in all industries and the American people to stand with Coach Flores and other former coaches and leaders in the NFL, who have not only called for an end to racism and discrimination in the NFL but in America, because as Coach Flores has clearly stated, this is bigger than football. And the SCLC agrees. Since the SCLC was established in 1957, the organization remains on the frontlines fighting to end racism, discrimination and other injustices every day in all arenas. Children who live in the Mississippi Delta can now experience state-of-the-art mobile dentistry provided by Dr. LaMonica Davis Taylor, a pediatric dentist with a private practice called Smiles on Broadway Dental Care located in the city of Jackson. She has been providing dental services to children in the Delta since 2015 and currently has students in Boyle, Shelby, Mound Bayou, Cleveland and Shaw. Dr. Taylor and her team at Smiles on Broadway Dental Care travel to schools where they provide preventive and emergency dental care to children. All of the schools are in a health care shortage area. Prior to purchasing the mobile clinic, she and her team would carry portable equipment to each school. The mobile clinic will allow them to treat more students in a safe environment. The students have enjoyed having Dr. Taylor and her team visit their school. Many of the parents have followed through with the recommendations and have taken their children to local dentist where more comprehensive treatment can be performed. The goal of the clinic is to serve the most vulnerable children in that area. There is a great need. Many of the students have either never been to a dentist or have been for emergency treatment only, causing heightened anxiety and long-term fear of the dentist. At the age of just 15, Kamila Valieva has emerged as the breakout star of the Winter Olympics. The Russian sensation, nicknamed ‘Miss Perfect’ and already anointed by many judges as the greatest female figure skater in history despite having scarcely started her senior career, has delighted viewers across the world with her dazzling skills. She made history yesterday as the first female figure skater in Winter Olympic history to land a quadruple jump – and has been setting records since making her figure skating debut just six months ago. But if that wasn’t already enough, the superstar, who started skating lessons before the age of five and dreamt about being an Olympic champion since she was three years old, also boasts a Vogue Russia photoshoot and a dog gifted to her by her fans. Meanwhile, Hollywood A-lister Alec Baldwin took to Instagram yesterday to congratulate Valieva on her achievements, saying: ‘Thank you, Kamila Valieva, for your gift of heart-stopping beauty to the world.’ Valieva, who has 320,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares glimpses of her training and lifestyle, has admitted, however, that she already feels a ‘burden of pressure’. ‘I do feel this burden a bit, this pressure, because this is my first season among adult skaters,’ Valieva said. ‘I believe that I’m coping with this pressure, and sometimes it even pushes me forward. It helps me.’ ‘I was little nervous going into the competition,’ said Valieva, one of three Russian skaters hailing from the famous Sambo-70 club in Moscow, before adding: ‘I am thrilled to be at the Olympic Games.’ ‘When I was three years old, I made a wish to become an Olympic champion,’ Valieva said after her free skate at Beijing’s Capital Indoor Stadium. ‘My childhood dream has come true.’ Fans were impressed by her skating at the Olympics – even one celebrity, with Alec Baldwin sharing a clip of one of Valieva’s performances to her Instagram account. Like many of Jordan Brand’s most loyal consumers, Craig Williams, who assumed the president role in January 2019, vividly remembers lacing up his first pair of NBA icon Michael Jordan’s signature shoes at the age of 17: a white Air Jordan 1, which he beat up on a basketball court not long after opening the box. And like his customers, he’s equally passionate about sports, community and culture, as Footwear News reports in an exclusive interview. On the photo shoot with FN last month, he was quick to debate the best NBA players and greatest rappers of all time. When the opportunity came about to lead the iconic label, he didn’t hesitate. And more than three years later, he has the same level of passion. “I don’t feel pressure. It’s excitement. I feel a great sense of responsibility. When I eventually pass the company off, I want it to be healthy and vibrant and have so much runway in the future,” said Williams, who previously spent nearly 14 years as a top exec at The Coca-Cola Company. That commitment is driving results. Jordan Brand reported sales for fiscal 2021 hit a new record of $4.7 billion, up from $3.6 billion in the previous fiscal year. For those who know Williams best, the president role is a natural fit. Jillian Tirath, the VP of consumer science and insights at Jordan Brand, worked closely with him at Coca-Cola and has seen Williams blossom as a person. “He has a huge amount of empathy,” Tirath said. “He is focused on the business, but there is a human element to him that during the course of my career, I have found to be super helpful. Craig first sees the person and then he sees the employee.” She continued, “At Jordan Brand, he’s in his element. It’s just great energy to be around. I can’t speak for him, but as an observation, he’s working on a brand that aligns with his interests, and he’s making a real difference.” The legendary duo of Ted & Sheri – Ted Winn and Sheri Jones-Moffet, are back together again after a sixteen-year recording hiatus! The Stellar Gospel Music Award winning pair have teamed up with the GRAMMY® Award nominated siblings, The Walls Group, to drop “Now I Know” (Ted & Sheri, LLC / Black Smoke). The soulful, feel-good groove releases to all digital music platforms on Friday, February 4th. https://fanlink.to/TedSheriNowIKnow AT&T announces an Instagram Live Dream Talk, “Representation Matters: I want to Feel Seen,” with newly revealed Black Future Maker and Gospel superstar Kierra Sheard-Kelly. She will join YouTuber and fellow 2022 Black Future Maker Terrell Grice as part of the campaign geared toward economic empowerment and access. The company is also revealing the second group of 2022 Black Future Makers including Kierra Sheard-Kelly; actress Erika Alexander; actor and content creator Devale Ellis; artist and photographer Kennedi Carter; musician VINCINT, and entertainer Peppermint. AT&T will also debut vibrant, stylized portraits of this week’s announced Black Future Makers including a living portrait of VINCINT inspired by the afro-futuristic artwork of Black Future Maker Georgie Nakima along with an exclusive interview with VINCINT revealing what it means to be a Black Future Maker. A caravan of about 50 vehicles drove through Minneapolis on Sunday to demand justice for the death of Amir Locke, the 22-year old Black man who was fatally shot by Minneapolis police while they served a no-knock search warrant. The caravan was organized by the Racial Justice Network and other police accountability groups, according to the Associated Press. Some in the caravan then gathered outside the home of interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman. They chanted the names of Locke as well as Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was killed by Kentucky police during a no-knock raid in 2020. https://youtu.be/H7yrVx3MzHY Travis Reinking, the man who fatally shot four people at a Nashville Waffle House in 2018, was sentenced on Saturday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Reinking was arrested after a manhunt on April 23 and later found guilty in the fatal shootings of Taurean Sanderlin, Joe Perez, Akilah DaSilva and DeEbony Groves. Police said he also injured Shanita Waggoner and Sharita Henderson. As reported by Associated Press, Reinking, 33, was found guilty on 16 charges, including eight counts of murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder and four counts of unlawful employment of a firearm during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony. He was sentenced to 4 life sentences with no possibility of parole. https://youtu.be/Tcujc0_gkJ4 Tyrese Gibson is asking fans for prayer as his mom, Priscilla Murray Gibson, is in ICU with Pneumonia and COVID-19. Tyrese asked fans to “pray and even write out the prayers in the comments so that me and my family can read and be encouraged.” Gibson shared the news on Instagram on Saturday, writing: “In the middle of filming and just got the worst phone call I’ve ever gotten… I just had to ask the director let me pause for a second close my eyes and pray,” he began his message. “My mother is in a coma, in ICU, with Pneumonia and she caught Covid they got her so sedated she can’t breathe or even eat on her own,” he added. “This has been going on all week I haven’t posted [ I’m doing it this time cause I feel helpless this is my cry for help.” “I need prayers the most sincere prayers from you prayer warriors…. Hold on mother I’m there by your side in a few days….. God is able to do things, he’s pulled you OUT of a coma before,” the 43-year-old singer went on noting. “Oh God I seen the light things have been going so well…. Now this….” Whoopi Goldberg is catching heat from white-identifying Jewish people in America for calling them white. She has been suspended from co-hosting “The View” for two weeks for commenting on the Holocaust. Amid the backlash, Goldberg’s (born Caryn Johnson) recipe “Jewish-American Princess Fried Chicken,” has resurfaced, further pissing off the Jewish community, according to the Daily Mail. Goldberg wrote the recipe in 1993 for the charity cookbook “Cooking in the Litchfield Hills.” The New York Post obtained a copy of the book that contains recipes for Diane Sawyer’s “roasted potato skins with scallion dip” and Eartha Kitt’s “summer zucchini soup with nasturtium blossoms.” https://youtu.be/QF4xotY3BZ8 Wells Fargo bank has reportedly put an account belonging to Wendy Williams on lockdown as the bank suspects “financial exploitation, dementia or undue influence.” As reported by The Sun, Wendy, 57, is asking the court for an emergency order requiring Wells Fargo to unfreeze her accounts. In the filing, Williams claims the bank is in “possession of several million dollars’ worth of funds” that she has not been able to access for more than two weeks. Wendy’s former financial advisor has reportedly advised the bank that Wendy “was of unsound mind”, but Wells Fargo has denied her access to her accounts and statements, according to Wendy’s attorney. The move comes amid reports that Williams is battling dementia. Wells Fargo has reportedly cited its client agreement to justify freezing Wendy’s accounts. The bank has the authority to “pause or reject instructions for a proposed transaction,’ pending judicial or administrative remedies, should they suspect financial exploitation, dementia, or undue influence,” per the petition. https://youtu.be/JlJ5wOcSQqE Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars — better known together as Silk Sonic — have teamed up with Epic Games to bring their image and likeness to Fortnite. As reported by All Hip Hop, “the popular video game is adding Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars outfits as well as a Silk Sonic radio station to its digital world,” the outlet writes. The Silk Sonic Cup tournament launches February 7. “When Fortnite asked me if I wanted to create an outfit for the game, I asked, ‘Are CGI muscles off the table?’” Bruno Mars said in a press statement. “They said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Deal.’ I’ll see you on the Island.” Anderson .Paak added, “When Fortnite agreed to give Bruno CGI muscles, I said, ‘I’m in.’ He could use the help, so I support it. And it makes me cool. Win, win.” https://youtu.be/sELli-PsYYU In 1963, Duke University admitted its first five Black undergraduates. When I walked onto campus as a freshman 29 years later, most of my Black classmates and I were still the first in our families to attend the prestigious university. We—like many lower-income students across racial and ethnic backgrounds and first-generation college students—could not benefit from the legacy preference that was extended to our white, wealthier peers—a privilege bestowed upon applicants whose parents or grandparents are alum of the school. While the United States Supreme Court prepares to decide whether race-based affirmative action should persist, legacy admissions—essentially “affirmative action” for wealthy and white students—remain untouched. It’s time to demand colleges and universities end the unfair, unjust, and unearned privilege of legacy admissions that has excluded students of color and low-income students for decades. Among the top 30 universities, legacy students have a 45% greater chance of being admitted than non-legacy students and fill between 10% and 25% of all available slots in an incoming class. By definition, zero first-generation college students are admitted under a legacy preference, and virtually no legacy student attending an elite institution is low-income. At the top 10 universities, there have been more white students admitted who have benefited from an “alumni preference” than there have been Black or Latinx students admitted through affirmative action policies. The threat to voting rights may be different than what it was 40 or 50 years ago, but struggles remain. This came fully into focus with the failure of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. The vulnerability of our democracy was on full display with the Jan. 6 attempted coup at the U.S. Capitol last year. But we’ve long noticed assaults on democracy given the 19 states that have introduced 34 laws to restrict voting in 2021 alone. The need to protect the franchise has also been crystallized with the redistricting process, which has at turns seen lawsuits on gerrymandered and racially discriminatory maps and state proceedings devoid of public involvement. In Florida, a sitting governor – one who is both up for reelection and rumored to be a 2024 presidential contender – submitted his own congressional map. Gov. Ron DeSantis tendered his plan on the eve of the federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Even for someone who has governed with a strong arm, threatening school districts and employers that instituted mask and vaccine mandates, the move was unusual. There are now maps drawn by the Senate, the House and a sitting governor. This questionable power play should be challenged and reigned in. Governors typically do not insert themselves into redistricting. In addition to being bad form, DeSantis’ plan would enshrine Republicans’ stronghold on the state and adversely limit the number of congressional seats traditionally held by African Americans. A since-deleted tweet featuring photos of a mask-less Stacey Abrams posing among masked schoolchildren has prompted swift backlash from political opponents who chastised the Georgia Democrat for what they describe as hypocritical behavior after she championed more stringent masking policies in schools. The photos were originally tweeted Friday by the school’s principal, Holly Brookins, who wrote, “Extraordinary way to kick off the 3rd Annual African-American Read-In at Glennwood and Black History Month. Thrilled to host @staceyabrams author of Stacey’s Extraordinary Words!” Abrams, a prominent Democratic organizer running for governor in Georgia, quote-tweeted the photos and thanked the principal for hosting her. Both tweets have since been deleted, and it appears as though Brookins’ account has also been deactivated. The photos of the event at Glennwood Elementary School in Decatur, Georgia, prompted intense backlash from many who voiced frustration at masking policies — at a time when Covid-19 policies in schools have emerged as an intensely fraught issue in today’s politics. The city extended its indoor masking requirement on January 18 through February 22, and the City Schools of Decatur enforce similar masking rules. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbYc4BV9w4w The lead pastors of Hillsong’s London campus have announced their resignation. Robby Lewis and his wife Jenny are moving on after 12 years. Making the announcement, Robby said, “We’re standing here because of you, because of the encouragement, because who you are has rubbed off on us. We couldn’t be more grateful.” Hillsong UK youth and young adult pastors Daniel and Jo Watson have been confirmed as their successors. Commenting on his new role, Daniel said, “I’m expectant for what God is going to do in and through every single one of us. “There are more people who need to hear the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ.” The Lewises did not say why they were leaving or what their future plans are, but their resignation came on the same day as Hillsong senior pastor Brian Houston stepped down. Houston resigned as global senior pastor as he faces trial for allegedly concealing sex abuse committed by his father decades earlier. He denies the charges. A former pastor from Georgia who was conducting missionary work in Uganda when he sexually assaulted a girl under the care of his church has pleaded guilty to his crime in federal court. Eric Tuininga, 44, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell. Upon entry of his guilty plea, Tuininga was taken into custody pending his sentencing. Tuininga faces a maximum 30 years in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release up to life and a maximum $250,000 fine. In addition, Tuininga will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Sentencing has been scheduled for May 3, 2022. “Eric Tuininga used his trusted position as a pastor to sexually assault a young Ugandan girl in his care,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said. “This was a challenging case, but law enforcement worked diligently to ensure that Tuininga did not escape justice for his crime overseas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our national and international law enforcement partners, will do everything in our power to catch child predators and hold them accountable for their crimes.” A gunman in Texas killed four people – including the four-year-old son of his ex-girlfriend – before turning the gun on himself as police approached Saturday. His ex-girlfriend was also injured in the mass shooting that began in Corsicana, 50 miles south of Dallas. Cops became aware of the massacre when gunman Kevin Milazzo, 41, called shortly after midnight to report that he’d ‘killed his family members.’ Police arrived to find his stepfather William Mimms, 68, and mother Connie Mimms, 61, dead. Two others suffered gunshot injuries, investigators said in a release. Meantime, the Navarro County Sheriff’s Department responded to another home in Frost – about 20 miles west of Corsicana – to find Milazzo’s son Joshua, 21, fatally shot. The body of Hunter Freeman, four, was also discovered. A woman with multiple gunshot wounds was rushed to a Dallas-area trauma center; a family friend identified the survivor as the boy’s mom Pattie Freeman and said she was in ‘stable’ condition. The founder of Black Lives Matter Memphis has been sentenced to six years in prison for illegally registering to vote after pleading guilty to felonies in 2015. Pamela Moses, 44, voted illegally six times since she pleaded guilty to evidence tampering, forgery, perjury, stalking and theft under $500, seven years ago. The activist is now claiming she was unaware she was still on probation, which lasted seven years, and believed her voting rights were reinstated in 2019. ‘I did not falsify anything. All I did was try to get my rights to vote back the way the people at the election commission told me and the way the clerk did,’ she said at her sentencing hearing on January 26. Judge Mark Ward accused Moses of ‘tricking the probation department’ to illegally obtain the right to vote. He said: ‘You tricked the probation department into giving you documents saying you were off probation. After you were convicted of a felony in 2015, you voted six times as a convicted felon.’ However, Moses argued that when she pleaded guilty in 2015, no one told her she didn’t have the right to vote. Yet another controversial clip from Joe Rogan’s podcast has surfaced, as the media personality faces backlash over past racist comments on his show, and sharing misinformation about coronavirus vaccines. The latest video to pop up, from a 2011 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, shows the host cracking up at a guest who boasts of forcing female comics to give him oral sex if they wanted a performance slot at Los Angeles’ famed Comedy Store. Rogan, who recently apologized for repeatedly using the n-word on his podcast, is shown laughing uncontrollably as comedian Joey Diaz tells the story. “You think I’m f****** kidding? Yeah, you’ve got to suck my d*** to get up in the [Comedy Store’s] Belly Room. I’ll make a call for you. That’s the f****** gateway into coming to Hollywood, everybody knows that,” said Diaz. “How many girls did you have do that?”Rogan asked, prompting Diaz to respond: “Oh, 20 of them.” Rogan reared back and hollered. Diaz continued on, referring to a “little blonde open mic chick…that used to come up to the Comedy Store…and just take me up to the Belly Room and suck my d***, then go do her set. She was tremendous. https://youtu.be/LooqBE2tnRE As food insecurity remains one of the country’s most pressing issues, several grassroots efforts have been launched to provide relief for vulnerable communities. According to 11 Alive, Goodr recently opened a free grocery store for senior citizens in Atlanta. The Atlanta Community Food Bank reported 1 in 8 people in Georgia are facing hunger. Individuals who are over the age of 60 account for 8 percent of those who are food insecure. Aware of the alarming statistics Goodr—a company that uses technology to address hunger and food waste—opened a store within Midtown’s Lutheran Towers to provide the elderly with free healthy food options. The shop, which will serve over 300 seniors, is stocked with produce, canned goods, meat, beverages and other items. Many of the products included in the store are low-sodium and sugar-free. Shoppers can also find an array of medical necessities on the shelves. Jasmine Crowe, who serves as CEO of Goodr, says her own experiences working with senior citizens prompted her to cultivate the initiative. Yesterday, self-made billionaire, YE, invited 50 Black journalists to discuss the disparities in Black media, the importance of reclaiming the narrative and taking ownership in one’s brand at “The Future Brunch” in Los Angeles.Moderated by Hollywood Unlocked’s Jason Lee, “The Future Brunch” was opened with a few words from YE and his mission on creating a movement rather than a moment during Black Future Month (a redefinition of Black History Month). “This is the future,” declared Ye. “There is no looking backward – only forwards.” Then a heartfelt video explaining how the visionary wants to start taking control of his narrative played. “Me and Virgil (Abloh) believed in Black design. Now we need to invest in Black media. God uses me as a vessel – we declare Black Future Month. The future – not the past,” proclaimed Ye. After the clip a town hall discussion lead by Meta’s Strategic Communities Program Manager, Media Partnerships, Michelle Mitchell, touched on elevating the culture, the importance of equity and having a seat at the table, redefining Black stories and humanizing how we’re portrayed in media, as well as the metaverse. Black journalists from Essence, Ebony, Vibe and EURweb connected with Black executives from Amazon Studios, FOX SOUL, BET and Spotify to see how Black media can build a brighter future for the next generation and unionize together to help amplify more Black voices. Awkwafina returned to Twitter over the weekend after a 2-year hiatus to address the controversy surrounding her Black accent in films. the Asian American actress is catching heat for using a “blaccent,” after making clear that she refuses to use Asian accents. “I refuse to do accents,” Awkwafina said in an interview with Vice. “I’m not OK with someone writing the Asian experience for an Asian character. I make it very clear, I don’t ever go out for auditions where I feel like I’m making a minstrel out of our people.” Chicago Black Restaurant Week has returned this year, featuring restaurants, bakeries and more during Black History Month 2022. Chicago Black Restaurant Week is set to return this year from Feb. 6 to Feb. 20. It’s the seventh year of Black Restaurant Week, founded by Lauran Smith, who decided that it was simply time for African American-owned food and beverage businesses to have increased visibility after realizing that there were so many in Chicago that were not heard of. “This idea actually blossomed out of learning that a very popular restaurant in Chicago was black-owned. It sparked my interest to not only patronize this particular establishment, but to also give other Black-owned restaurants, bakeries, mobile eateries, beverage companies the opportunity to have their businesses recognized on a larger scale,” Smith said. https://www.instagram.com/theblackveganchi/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9375d2d4-e0e6-4f85-bd6f-1a5872f411eb Stormi Webster is a big sister! Kylie Jenner, 24, welcomed her second baby with Travis Scott on Feb. 2, she announced on Instagram Sunday. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians alum shared the news with a black-and-white photo of the infant's hand. She also revealed the newborn arrived one day after Stormi's birthday with the caption, "?? 2/2/22." President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis to serve on the the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The White House said that, if confirmed, she would be first Black woman from Michigan to serve on the 6th Circuit and only the second Black woman ever to serve on the Sixth Circuit, which handles appeals from Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. Davis, a former federal prosecutor from Farmington Hills, was appointed by former President Donald Trump nearly three years ago to sit on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote in December 2019 and is based at the U.S. courthouse in Flint. “Judge Dawkins is a talented lawyer, an outstanding judge and a person of great integrity,” said former U.S. Attorney Barb McQuade, who has known Davis for 25 years and now teaches at the University of Michigan law school. “We could not find a better candidate to serve on the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. In fact, she would make an excellent Supreme Court justice.” Former University of California at Berkley basketball legend Gene Ransom was killed as he was driving on a freeway during an apparent road-rage incident in the crime-ravaged Bay Area and the suspected gunman has been arrested. Ransom, 65, was found dead in his car after being shot, crashing into the median and coming to stop in the middle of Interstate 880 in Oakland around 5:15pm on Friday, the city’s Fire Department said. California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrested 25-year-old Juan Angel Garcia of San Francisco on Saturday and charged him with murder. A friend said Ransom was driving to pick up his girlfriend at the West Oakland train when the shooting occurred. Ransom’s girlfriend ‘was waiting for him to pick her up and not knowing that he had been murdered,’ said Doug Harris, former teammate and long-time friend of Ransom. CHP investigators said the motive appeared to be road rage and the shooting was targeted. They said Ransom was in a black Honda Civic and Garcia was traveling north on I-880 in a black Lexus. Garcia allegedly pulled up on his Ransom’s left side and opened fire at least once. Columbus Short was arrested for domestic violence. It went down this past Wednesday night when police were called to a home in the San Fernando Valley. Apparently, Short and his wife were arguing about something and the situation got so heated it became physical, reports TMZ. The actor claimed his wife punched him in the face … but he had no marks. On the other hand, cops say when they then spoke to his wife and noticed a minor injury. Even though the injury did not require medical attention, cops still busted Short for felony domestic violence … felony because of the injury. This isn’t the first time short and his wife got into it and cops had to be called. Back in 2018, he was arrested for domestic violence and ended up pleading no contest and serving 34 days behind bars. At the time of that arrest, he was already on probation for a bar fight in 2014. Regarding his latest arrest, Short spent about 12 hours locked up before posting a $50K bond. So far he hasn’t been charged. https://youtu.be/kIRgFgFn4jg The Bronzeville community in Chicago is mourning this week after police identified a woman tragically killed after getting caught in the middle of gunfire. Bobbye Johnson, 55, was leaving Chase Bank on Tuesday afternoon at 3500 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr when Victor Brown, a security guard at a nearby liquor store, allegedly grabbed another guard’s gun and wantonly fired 20 shots down the street, intending to hit a man who had just shot him in the leg during an argument. Instead, police said Brown’s bullets fatally struck Johnson in the chest. The 34-year-old is facing one felony count of first-degree murder and one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon in Johnson’s death, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said in media conference Friday following Brown’s arrest. Victor Brown was hospitalized before being taken to Cook County Jail for the injury to his thigh. “Chicago Police Department sincerely hopes the arrest and charging of the offender responsible, Victor Brown, who is charged with first-degree murder, brings some small measure of closure to her family during this unimaginable time,” Supt. Brown told reporters. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of downtown Minneapolis on Saturday demanding justice in the fatal police shooting of a young Black man, Amir Locke, during a “no-knock” raid on his apartment earlier this week. The boisterous but peaceful crowd, chanting Locke’s name and the slogan “no justice, no peace,” rallied at Government Plaza in Minnesota’s largest city three days after Locke, 22, was shot on his couch by police. The day after the killing, police released video footage from the raid, which showed Locke was holding a gun as he twisted beneath a blanket on his sofa after being roused by officers moments before he was slain. Police have said the officers were exercising a “no-knock” search warrant, which authorizes police to enter private property without first alerting occupants or announcing their presence. The warrant was issued in relation to a homicide probe led by detectives from the neighboring Saint Paul Police Department. Locke was not named in the warrant, and Minneapolis police have acknowledged it was unclear how or whether he was connected to that investigation. You’ve seen the logo everywhere by now. You see it emblazoned on t-shirts and team shirts, billboards and surfboards, buses and bus stops. It’s everywhere. Black Lives Matter. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF), which is widely considered to be the umbrella for most BLM grassroots organizations, raised $90 million dollars in 2020. Now it may stand as one of the biggest charity scandals in recent memory. Founding BLMGNF member Patrisse Cullors didn’t waste any time in finding herself in a financial scandal and has since stepped down. Cullors, a committed socialist and a woman who once bragged she was a trained Marxist, suddenly found herself the proud owner of over $3 million in personal real estate holdings. Two of those purchases, making up the bulk of her real estate assets, came after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 — the same year her nonprofit exploded with donations. Cullors denies that any ‘organizational resources’ went toward the purchase of her properties. But regardless, it looks like social justice can be a very lucrative business. The father of a missing pregnant mother’s unborn child has been arrested and charged with killing them both — nearly five years after the Maryland woman disappeared. Investigators allege that Akia Eggleston — who was featured in a September 2021 PEOPLE cover feature on missing moms — was misled by her boyfriend, Michael Robertson, into believing they were on the verge of moving in together. She withdrew money for a down payment from a Baltimore Inner Harbor bank on May 3, 2017. Her social media activity abruptly stopped that day, according to a probable cause statement. Eggleston, then 22 and eight months pregnant, subsequently missed a May 7 baby shower she’d organized for herself, causing panicked friends and family to search and then report her missing. Neither she nor the child have turned up since then. Robertson, 41, was arrested Tuesday in Michigan, where he moved in late 2017 accompanied by another woman with whom he already had two children, authorities said. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has been branded a hypocrite after old video resurfaced of the former wrester giving a racist impression mocking the Chinese language. Twitter users posted clips of the video after Johnson pulled his support for controversial podcaster Joe Rogan – just three days after he had back the host – when the Spotify star was called out for his repeated use of the N-word. ‘I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I’ve become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me,’ Johnson, 49, tweeted Friday after author and political activist Don Winslow called out the action movie star for his support of Rogan. https://twitter.com/i/status/1487805512561266688 Halle Berry has finally come out to clear the air about her prank that not only broke the internet but also backfired after it was taken for fact. Speaking on The Tonight Show on January 26, the ‘Catwoman’ star put all the blame on the people who do not flip images to see what’s next. https://youtu.be/pePMLmErvHE Halle Berry hopes her history-making Oscar win inspired other artists. The Moonfall actress, 55, became the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress on March 24, 2002, for her performance in Monster’s Ball. Since then, no other Black woman has won in that category, which is disappointing to Berry. “You know, I’ve been asked this question so many times as if I should have the answer. But I don’t,” she said in ABC’s Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising special when asked her thoughts on whether doors were opened after the landmark win. “But I will say this: I do feel completely heartbroken that there’s no other woman standing next to me in 20 years.” “True, I thought, like everybody else, that night meant a lot of things would change, that there would be other women. I thought that I would have the script truck back up to my front door and I’d have an opportunity to play any role I wanted. That didn’t happen,” the Bruised actress/director added. “But what I do know happened that night is that so many people of color got inspired.” She continued, “When I look around and I see my brothers and sisters working and thriving and telling their own stories from their point of view. I’m proud of that, and I see the movement Queen Latifah has finally spoken out about the dismissal of Chris Noth from The Equalizer after a couple of sexual assault allegations came into the limelight last month. Days after these allegations came to the surface, CBS released a public statement to confirm that North, 67, will no longer be cast in the series. He had starred alongside Queen Latifah. Some of the allegations date as far back as the 1990s. “Chris Noth will no longer film additional episodes of The Equalizer, effective immediately,” the statement released on Dec. 20 announced. A month or so after the statement, Latifah, 51, has figured out it is now safe to say something. She talked on the People (the TV Show!) about her ex-co-star. https://youtu.be/CHAhRMTaZOs CBS has announced the new reality series BEYOND THE EDGE, which features nine celebrities trading their worlds of luxury to live in the dangerous jungles of Panama, where they face off in epic adventures and endure the most brutal conditions, as they push themselves to go far beyond their comfort zone. From the producers of “Naked and Afraid” comes the most intense celebrity adventure ever attempted, where only teamwork, perseverance and finding the inner strength they never knew they possessed can get them through another day and raise money for their chosen charities. BEYOND THE EDGE will premiere Wednesday, March 16 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. SHOWTIME Sports announcer Mauro Ranallo hosts. https://twitter.com/i/status/1489047922943561729 Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is a disruptor. He is a man who understands his power and feels a responsibility to lift up his community. No doubt, many think Flores should be grateful just to be counted among the few Black coaches in the league. He entered the coaching ranks in 2008 and spent 11 seasons with the New England Patriots under coach Bill Bellichick before he was hired in Miami in 2019. He’s got Super Bowl rings to show for his work. No one expected Flores, who seemed to have a long career in front of him at the age of 40, to disrupt the NFL. But disrupt he did. Flo Anthony could not fall asleep and had to weep over and over. Reason? She had not seen her name in the list of the invitees to the opening night of the Michael Jackson musical on Broadway dubbed “MJ: The Musical.” The show started on Tuesday and tickets sold like hot cake. Anyone who ought to be there was there, except Flo Anthony, who believed she had the right to be there because Michael Jackson and many other members of the Jackson clan used to be her pals. She was close to them because she covered their careers as a reporter. She covered Jackson’s trials and tribulations for many outlets throughout the Eighties and Nineties. The gossip maven wept bitterly, soaking her bed with tears. According to her, she had been shunned from attending the first night of the show because she was just a press, not an influencer. Tired and sick of weeping, she took to Facebook early Thursday morning. “I normally don’t complain about anything, but it is almost 2 a.m., and I can’t go to sleep over the fact that I wasn’t invited to the opening night of ‘MJ: The Musical,'” she wrote. “I have been crying all day that I was not invited and was told, I was not an influencer or a community advocate and only press. I am so hurt.” https://youtu.be/M-WkcvyqDnA Commissioner Roger Goodell said the NFL will re-examine policies regarding head-coach diversity in the league, saying its efforts have yielded “unacceptable” results. In a memo sent to all 32 teams Saturday morning, he also said matters involving “the integrity of the game” must be addressed. Goodell’s memo comes days after former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the NFL, charging an interview he had with the New York Giants was a “sham” intended to meet diversity hiring rules. Flores also alleged he had been offered money by Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to intentionally lose games to secure a better draft position. Both teams have denied the allegations. Flores’ lawsuit got the attention of Goodell, however, even though a league statement said Tuesday that the NFL said the suit was “without merit.” “Racism and any form of discrimination is contrary to the NFL’s values,” Goodell wrote. “We have made significant efforts to promote diversity and adopted numerous policies and programs which have produced positive change in many areas, however we must acknowledge that particularly with respect to head coaches the results have been unacceptable.” After the January firings of Flores and David Culley with the Houston Texans, the NFL has one Black head coach – Mike Tomin of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of the nine head-coaching vacancies, five have been filled so far, all by white men. Kanye West claims Kim Kardashian accused him of ‘putting a hit out on her’ in a scathing new post as the divorced couple feud over their oldest daughter’s TikTok use and the rapper having once been barred from his younger child’s birthday party. West, 44, has been lashing out at Kardashian’s parenting tactics for weeks, most recently criticizing her for allowing daughter North, eight, to use TikTok without his permission. The Grammy-winning musician – who has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion by Forbes estimates – rehashed old family drama on Instagram in an all-caps rant. He reiterated claims he was barred from attending his younger daughter Chicago’s fourth birthday party. accused of stealing, and forced to take a drug test. In his latest Instagram tirade, he claimed Kardashian – worth $1.4 billion – accused him of planning a ‘hit’ on her. ‘These ideas can actually get someone locked up,’ West said. ‘They play like that with black mens’ lives weather [sic] it’s getting them free or getting them locked up. I’m not playing about my black children anymore.’ The couple called it quits last February although West refused to let go of the relationship, claiming God would bring them back together after his curvaceous reality star ex moved on last November with comedian Pete Davidson. Lata Mangeshkar, one of India’s best known cultural icons and a singer who defined music for generations of her countrymen, died on Sunday and was given a state funeral as politicians and personalities united in mourning. Mangeshkar, 92, made her name in the world of Bollywood and her voice has rung out on television sets, on crackly airwaves and from movie theatres for most of independent India’s three quarters of a century, earning her the name “the Nightingale”. “I am anguished beyond words,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter. “She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled.” Modi joined mourners at a packed open air state funeral late on Sunday after her body, wrapped in the Indian flag, had been paraded through the streets of her home city Mumbai on a truck decorated with flowers. Thousands of people gathered round Shivaji Park, where she was cremated, climbing walls and trees to get a glimpse of the proceedings and pay their own respects however they could, despite police erecting barricades and restricting public entry. When Jamhal Johnson started Moor’s Brewing last year, he joined a very small club — less than 1% of breweries are Black-owned, according to a 2020 study by the Brewers Association. “It’s very hard, right? When you don’t see anyone that looks like you … I think you kind of get discouraged,” said Johnson, co-owner of Moor’s Brewing. “We’re looking to be more diverse and bring more people into the space and grow the space, not just here in Chicago, but nationwide.” Johnson launched his brewery on June 19, 2021 — Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The brand has already seen a good amount of success: It is available in 130 retail locations, including Jewel Osco, and is sold in Wintrust Arena. Upon entering her final semester of high school, 17-year-old Imunique Triplett decided that would take her another step closer into the professional world—she earned a nursing degree before graduating high school! The Milwaukee teen is one of the first to complete the M-Cubed College Connections program, where she earned her nursing degree in December. The program is an innovative dual-enrollment initiative of Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) that “allows eligible students to complete their high school graduation requirements while earning college credits from both MATC and UWM at no expense to the student.” The nursing track Triplett completed only reserved 36 spots out of generally 150 applicants. Students receive MCAT training and can earn their state certification as a nursing assistant (CNA) and possibly their license as a practical nurse (LPN). Recent reports show that 82% of Milwaukee’s public school system students are considered economically disadvantaged. Out of a 77,700 student population, 54% are Black, 27% are Hispanic, 11% are white, and 7% are Asian. Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is joining the chorus of voices opposing vaccine mandates. Speaking on his show, “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” O’Neal urged people to “be safe” and make wise decisions for themselves and their families, but argued no one should be “forced” to take the therapeutic shots. “There’s some people that don’t wanna take it,” the famous athlete said. “And you shouldn’t have to be forced to take something you don’t want.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1489421001918083073 Ulta Beauty CEO Dave Kimbell said it is not enough for stores to put Black-owned brands on shelves. Instead, he said, the retailer wants to make sure those brands gain a fan following and ultimately, have staying power. “It’s one thing to arrive on our shelves, but it’s another thing to thrive,” he said. “And that’s what we want, every brand that we carry — and certainly BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] founded brands.” On Thursday, Ulta said it plans to spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion initiatives this year, including investments to ratchet up support for emerging brands. The company plans to start an accelerator program to mentor entrepreneurs of color, invest $5 million in a venture capital fund for their early stage companies and lean into marketing efforts to get their products in front of more consumers. That includes putting $3.5 million toward in-store merchandising, such as displays that grab shoppers’ attention. About $25 million of the annual spending will go toward company ads, social media campaigns and similar investments to reach beauty consumers of diverse backgrounds. Ulta plans to spend an additional $8.5 million on ads and marketing for Black-owned, led or founded brands. A daredevil driver took a significant risk to perform a 26-point turn on a narrow, cliff-edge road, and the clip has gone viral. The driver boldly performs a 26-point turn, painstakingly maneuvering on just inches of space. The beauty of the video is how he utilizes every tiny piece of road available. https://youtu.be/lsFZwxW6_JQ Freestyle Skiing – Women’s Moguls – Final 3 – Genting Snow Park, Zhangjiakou, China – February 6, 2022. Jakara Anthony of Australia celebrates after winning gold. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez Jakara Anthony of Australia won gold in the women’s freestyle skiing moguls event on Sunday, barreling down a steep course and landing backflips to earn her country its first gold medal at the Winter Games in over a decade. Host nation China nabbed its first gold medal on Saturday as dazzling performances on snow and ice nudged the political drama that has dominated the Beijing Olympics toward the sidelines. “You can always trust China” began trending in posts on social media platform Weibo after its short track skaters won the mixed team relay, an event making its debut at the Olympics and that the country has dominated in international competition. The golden dream was almost cut short in the semi-final when the United States crossed the finish line ahead of the hosts, only to be disqualified along with the Russian Olympic Committee, after a lengthy video review. “My heart was almost jumping out of my throat!” wrote “egg’s heartbeating diary” on Weibo. Six gold medals were up for grabs on Saturday as athletes overcame pandemic obstacles to shine on the world’s stage, even as political storylines continued to swirl around the Games. The City of Minneapolis has released body camera footage showing Wednesday’s deadly encounter between a police officer and a 22-year-old man inside a downtown apartment. Public information documents released Thursday evening confirm that Officer Mark Hanneman fatally shot Amir Rahkare Locke Wednesday morning at the Balero Flats apartment building. A handgun was recovered at the scene of the shooting, police say. The weapon was loaded with with 5.7mm rounds. Locke’s relatives say he was licensed to carry a weapon. He has no criminal history in Minnesota. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEjaULV59yk Interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman and Mayor Jacob Frey held a press conference Thursday night after the footage was released, which quickly turned contentious. Huffman said police went to the building just before 7 a.m. as part of a St. Paul Police Department homicide investigation, in which several suspects were identified, as well as three locations in Minneapolis. Huffman said her department’s SWAT team was asked to execute warrants on three apartments within “the building on Marquette.” Huffman said both a knock and no-knock warrant were obtained so that the SWAT team could make its best assessment. She said when Officer Hanneman saw Locke holding a gun, he had to make a “split-second decision” on if there was a threat of great bodily harm or death, and to protect himself and his partners. She said his decision would ultimately be examined by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office when it gets the case. https://youtu.be/Hqo6BRy-Qtg William Marcus “Marc” Wilson finally caught a break in his case. For months Wilson’s attorneys have been trying to get a new judge assigned to the case, alleging issues with bias and prejudice. A decision early Friday afternoon requires the judge overseeing the case to recuse himself. Senior Judge Michael L. Karpf issued a seven-page order for Wilson’s case to be rescheduled according to the usual procedures of the local court. While Karpf’s ruling did not make a finding of bias or inappropriate conduct on behalf of Judge Michael T. Muldrew, he found that there could be an appearance of bias against Wilson or his attorneys. “While the court does not ascribe actual bias or prejudice by the trial judge against defendant or his counsel, the series of events outlined above do create such an appearance,” wrote Karpf. The senior judge recounted the incident that gave rise to the request for recusal. He noted the prosecutor handed a notebook with evidence to Muldrew that had never been given to the defense team during the discovery process. The notebook was handed back to the defense by mistake prompting attorney Francys Johnson to request the clerk take possession of the notebook to “preserve a chain of custody.” Johnson was found in contempt and detained. During a conversation with Johnson’s co-counsel, both Black attorneys, Muldrew claimed that he had several lawyers express “concern about the quality of representation afforded to defendant.” Solano County (CA) District Attorney Krishna Abrams explains why she refused to investigate the fatal Vallejo (CA) police shootings of Sean Monterrosa, Willie McCoy. A local District Attorney who refused to investigate two fatal shootings by police is running for another term. Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams answered all of I-Team reporter Melanie Woodrow’s questions in a one-on-one interview. “It was clearly an execution,” said Kori McCoy referring to the body-worn camera video of the Vallejo police shooting that killed his brother, Willie McCoy. It’s some of the last images Kori has of his brother Willie. On February 9, 2019, six Vallejo police officers shot Willie McCoy more than 50 times at a Taco Bell drive-thru. “I am so hurt by the fact that he will not ever have that chance to complete his life and see what he could have become,” said McCoy. https://youtu.be/eZiu50AtuQE Comedian and Spotify’s premier podcaster Joe Rogan responded to an old clip that resurfaced from his podcast in which he used the N-word over 20 times, apologizing and calling it ‘the most regretful and shameful thing I’ve ever had to talk about publicly.’ Rogan, 54, has been under fire in recent weeks from progressives and others in favor of canceling the Joe Rogan Experience host’s $100million deal with the world’s most popular streaming service for what’s been called misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Singer/musician India Arie has also pulled her music from Spotify and Joe Rogan is partly to blame, again. Other music artists who have removed their music from the streaming service include Graham Nash, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. Joe Rogan has made “Covid misinformation” statements, but that is not the main reason India is backing out. It has to do with Rogan’s “language around race.” Comedian Stewart Lee has said he also asked Spotify to remove his material. Spotify had hosted recordings of some of his stand-up routines. Neil was the first to pull out after Spotify paid Rogan $100 million in 2020 to his popular podcast laced with misinformation. “Neil Young opened a door that I MUST walkthrough,” wrote India. “I believe in freedom of speech. However, I find Joe Rogan problematic for reasons OTHER than his Covid interviews. For me, it’s also his language around race.” The temperature was turned up further when Grammy-winning R&B singer India Arie posted the problematic clips Friday afternoon, while explaining why she decided to part ways with the world’s most popular streaming service and calling for her followers to ‘delete Spotify,’ using the hashtag. ‘Hey ya’ll,’ the 46-year-old singer says in the first of a series of stories posted to her Instagram account. ‘I’m going to leave a short message here about why I decided to ask my music be pulled off of Spotify. ‘Check this out,’ Arie adds, before relaying a barrage of more than 20 clips of the longtime UFC commentator using the slur on his podcast – which then were posted to YouTube before Rogan signed with Spotify in 2020 – over the years, on several separate occasions, to her nearly 1 million followers. Rogan, in an Instagram video posted early Saturday, responded to the resurfaced clip by admitting ‘it looks f***ing horrible. Even to me.’ https://youtu.be/H9tRqUWssCg Venue Church Lead Pastor Tavner Smith denied having an affair or being “sexually involved” with a married church employee but acknowledged the two had kissed and planned to pursue a relationship after both finished divorce proceedings. The statements from the Chattanooga megachurch pastor came during a Dec. 17 meeting with more than 100 church volunteers just hours after nearly all staff quit citing a years-long alleged affair. Audio of the meeting, obtained by the Times Free Press, provides the first opportunity to hear Smith’s perspective as the church has declined interview requests and the pastor has been on sabbatical since Jan. 5. Smith says on the audio that the church’s board of directors quit over the alleged affair, and he acknowledged he paid for counseling, vehicles and vacations for people connected to the church without notifying church staff. The megachurch on Lee Highway, which was once among the fastest-growing churches in the nation, has been in crisis since mid-December. In the weeks since, the ministry has struggled to attract worshippers. Former members described to the Times Free Press an organizational culture focused on growth and money with little patience for dissenting views. During the Dec. 17 meeting, multiple volunteers said they were misled by the church or lied to as rumors of the alleged affair circulated for years. Smith apologized for not having been fully transparent with people in the past two years. https://soundcloud.com/user-883485745/question-to-tavner-smith-about Not enough food. Inedible meals. No training equipment. Some Olympic athletes unlucky enough to test positive for the coronavirus at the Beijing Olympics feel their quarantine conditions are making a bad situation much worse. “My stomach hurts, I’m very pale and I have huge black circles around my eyes. I want all this to end. I cry every day. I’m very tired,” Russian biathlon competitor Valeria Vasnetsova posted on Instagram from one of Beijing’s so-called quarantine hotels. Her problem wasn’t with any symptoms of the virus. It was the food. Vasnetsova posted a picture Thursday of what she said was “breakfast, lunch and dinner for five days already” — a tray with food including plain pasta, an orange sauce, charred meat on a bone, a few potatoes and no greens. She said she mostly survived on a few pieces of pasta because it was “impossible” to eat the rest, “but today I ate all the fat they serve instead of meat because I was very hungry.” She added she lost a lot of weight and “my bones are already sticking out.” The quarantine hotels are increasingly the target of criticism from athletes and their teams, who are lobbying organizers for improvements. There’s a lack of transparency, too, with only some virus-positive athletes forced into quarantine hotels where their teams don’t have access, while teammates in similar situations are allowed to isolate within the Olympic village. The rules for athletes who test positive say those without symptoms go to a dedicated hotel for isolation. Anyone who has COVID-19 with symptoms will go to a hospital. In both cases, they’ll be unable to compete until cleared for discharge. A trend which involves people mourning the loss of a loved one by rapping, dancing and even pulling pranks at funerals and then uploading the videos to TikTok has sparked debate. While TikTok’s about grief are nothing new, with the #grief page filled with videos of people sharing stories of loved ones or reading poetry, things took an odd turn in 2020 when people began sharing clips from funerals. The trend erupted in popularity last September when Trinity Wright, 21, filmed herself and her 12-year-old sister rapping Soulja Boy’s ‘Rick & Morty’ meme song in front of their mother, Michelle Wright’s open casket after she died of COVID-19. ‘Day one of singing ‘Rick & Morty’ to our mom until she comes back from the d3@d,’ the onscreen caption on the viral video read. While Wright and others have said the moment served as a therapeutic way to laugh while coping with grief, others said it was crossing the line at what is appropriate. ‘If this is real, it’s really inappropriate. I hope this whole thing is a joke,’ one TikTok user wrote. Another one added: ‘This is wrong – really wrong.’ And another said: ‘ I don’t get what people find funny with this its just too far.’ Rescue teams have today confirmed they finally reached a five-year-old Moroccan boy who has been trapped more than 100ft underground for four days. Rayan Awram fell into a 32-metre (105ft) shaft outside his home in Ighran village, in the northern province of Chefchaouen, on Tuesday evening – sparking a rescue mission which has captivated the North African nation. The world watched on with bated breath as fears persisted that the cave could collapse at any moment. Medical teams were on standby after rescue crews finally reached the ‘motionless’ boy 96 hours after he became trapped on Tuesday. Moroccan media have reported that resuscitation specialists have entered the tunnel alongside rescue crews, fueling fears that the five-year-old requires potentially life-saving medical care. Experts have warned that it is ‘impossible’ to confirm if the youngster was still alive, having fallen into the well five days ago, as the rescue team finally reached the stranded boy on Saturday afternoon. Rayan’s condition remains unknown at present, but it is understood he will be rushed to hospital for urgent checks. Oxygen and water had been given to the child, but it is not known if he was able to use them. Onlookers applauded, sang religious songs and prayed. At one stage, they chanted in unison ‘Allahu akbar’ or ‘God is greatest’ as rescuers prepared to finally enter the cave. Spider-Man: No Way Home passed the $1 billion mark at the international box office over the weekend, as the Sony/Marvel film has made more than $1.74 billion at the global box office. The blockbuster is the 10th film in history to achieve the milestone, Deadline reported, after taking in $21.1 million over the weekend in global markets. The superhero movie is the sixth-highest grossing film all-time on a global level, and has not yet received a release date in China, making its international totals more impressive. The film, which stars Tom Holland and is directed by Jon Watts, took in $11 million in domestic totals in its seventh week of release, bringing its total domestic intake up to $735.9 million, according to the outlet. Spider-Man: No Way Home, which has been the top-earning movie for six of its past seven weekends, is moving toward Avatar’s mark of $760 million at the domestic box office, which is the third-highest domestic grossing film of all-time. The film prevailed in a sluggish weekend at the domestic box office due to a blizzard in the Northeast and surging numbers of the coronavirus omicron variant. Scream came in second with $7.4 million, while Sing 2 finished in third with $4.8 million. Redeeming Love made $1.9 million for fourth place, and The King’s Man took in $1.8 million for fifth place. Rounding out the top 10 included The 355 ($1.4 million), American Underdog ($1.2 million), Ghostbusters: Afterlife ($770,000), Licorice Pizza ($691,000) and West Side Story ($614,000). Movies slated to hit theaters next week include comedy Jackass Forever and the Halle Berry action film Moonfall. Other tentpole films slated for release later in the year include Jurassic World: Dominion, The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick. Issa Rae is giving fans a chance for a romantic stay at her South Los Angeles home over Valentine’s Day weekend. Teaming up with Airbnb, the “Insecure” and “Awkward Black Girl” star and creator even curated an itinerary for the lucky guests. Booking will open on Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. EST for one stay at $56 a night from Saturday, Feb. 12, to Valentine’s Day on Monday, Feb. 14. The actor, writer, and producer, 37, revealed that the idea was to spotlight LA’s black culture, referring to herself as a “proud South LA native.” “I’m inviting guests to spend a weekend in my hometown to experience the culture, businesses and communities that influence my storytelling on screen,” Rae said in the Airbnb listing. “I can’t wait to show guests all the things that make black LA so special firsthand.” “The streets, sights and sounds of my hometown have long been a main character in my creative work. You may have heard that I’m rooting for everybody black — and this mission is inspired by my LA community. During this epic weekend, I hope you come to appreciate my community’s rich history and its many contributions to LA,” Rae continued. Candace Cameron Bure admitted she and her former “Full House” co-star Bob Saget had a trivial argument in their last text messages just two weeks before his sudden death. “We were going to have dinner. And we got into a little tiff. And his flight was delayed. We ended up not having dinner,” Cameron Bure, 45, emotionally said on the “Today” show Thursday. “But in Bob fashion, the next day he wrote me, like, what would be pages long of a text. And he was apologizing, saying he was cranky and he was just so sorry.” Saget then compared himself to his beloved mother, Dolly, who died in 2014. “He said, ‘Oh, now I feel even worse. I was so wrong. You’re, like, my favorite person on the Earth and I acted like Dolly. I was getting ready to take a late flight, and I was annoyed,’” Cameron Bure said of the actor. “Bob went on and on and on in the text. And he said at the end, ‘I love you more for the trouble you’re giving me, if that’s even possible.’” The actress began to choke up as she recalled texting Saget that she loved him. “I wrote back … ‘I could never be mad at you. Roll my eyes at you? Yes. But never mad,’” she shared, adding that she then told the actor, “‘And I love that [you’re being like] Dolly. That made me laugh out loud. I loved your mom.’” Saget replied, “I love you. My mom loved you too.” Dr. Malika Mitchell-Stewart, who began working at the Valley Oaks Medical Group in Houston, said she tried depositing her first paycheck of $16,000 at the bank, only to be met with skepticism as employees questioned the validity of her check and her job. According to the lawsuit filed against the bank and two employees, Mitchell-Stewart was ‘immediately treated like a criminal’ when she walked into the First Colony Branch in Sugar Land, Texas. ‘It was an unfortunate situation. They took my special moment away,’ Mitchell-Stewart told ABC 13. ‘I felt like a criminal. I’ve never done anything wrong.’ JPMorgan Chase has apologized for the incident and said they will be conducting an investigation on the incident. Eric Adams issued an apology Friday for a boast he made years ago about his time as a New York City cop. A video shows Adams speaking to a 2019 Harlem Business Association meeting, saying, “Every day in the police department, I kicked those crackers’ ass.” Adams said in a press conference Friday that the question he was answering had used the word and he echoed it in response. “But clearly, it’s a comment that should not be used and I apologize not only to those who heard it but to New Yorkers because they should expect more from me and that was inappropriate,” he said. The head of the Police Benevolent Association, the NYPD’s union, said, “Whenever a controversial video of a police officer surfaces online, we ask for fairness instead of a rush to outrage.” https://youtu.be/VKVKrMJBryU It’s been nearly three years since Ronald Greene died in Louisiana State Police custody, and the agency has not fired anyone for his death or the subsequent cover-up. But the organization did fire the trooper who blew the whistle on it. Trooper Carl Cavalier formally appealed his termination Tuesday, 24 hours after State Police fired him. Last June, Cavalier sat down with the WBRZ Investigative Unit to talk about what was going on at his place of employment. During the interview, Cavalier brought a portion of Trooper Albert Paxton’s notes which detailed a cover-up tied to the death of Ronald Greene. Greene led troopers on a high-speed chase through the Monroe area before he was stopped. When he exited his vehicle, he was alive and apologizing. That’s when body camera videos, which leaked two years after his death, show he was brutally beaten. Cavalier was fired Monday. State Police cited the WBRZ interview, his lack of “loyalty” to the department, making public statements and dissemination of information. “The message it sends is you can kill somebody, right, commit horrific acts—what the governor calls criminal acts—nothing will happen to you,” Attorney Jill Craft said. “But, the guy who says the emperor has no clothes… you’re fired.” Tuesday, Governor John Bel Edwards held a news conference distancing himself from the Greene case. During that news conference he said he had nothing to do with the cover-up. As a teenager growing up in Little Rock, Ark., Laquanda “Faye” Jacobs worked at Burger King, sang in the church choir and looked forward to college and a career beyond. But as the youngest in a blended family with 12 kids, one dream ranked above all others — to have a baby of her own one day. It’s a dream she birthed as a girl combing her Barbie doll’s hair. “It’s something I’ve always wanted,” she says. “I couldn’t wait to get older to have someone to love me, someone I can love and call my own. That’s what motherhood is for me.” That dream was suddenly shattered when Jacobs, at 16, was arrested and later convicted for a crime that she and others insist she did not commit: the 1992 shooting murder of a former elementary school classmate, 17-year-old Kevin Gaddy. Her nightmare began on Feb. 9, 1992, when Jacobs was driving with her mother near 29th and Jefferson streets in Little Rock and they stopped to check out a commotion. On the spot an officer asked Jacobs her name, then handcuffed her and took her to the police station. A test for gun residue on her hands was negative. But nine days later she was charged with killing Gaddy, allegedly because she wanted his Chicago Bulls jacket. “I couldn’t believe it,” Jacobs tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. Timberland is launching a new “From the Root” campaign for Black History Month to celebrate Black creatives. The campaign is focused on cultural unity and connections with nature as they bring together a collection of designers, craftsmen and storytellers to celebrate the month and amplify Black voices, per Timberland’s press release. To continue Timberland’s initiative for strong community building, this campaign will create an inclusive environment for Black creatives and entrepreneurs. Timberland says he aims to show the ways Black culture and style have influenced the brand and honor our contributions. “Timberland has an evergreen connection with Hip Hop and Black culture. From the craftsmanship, the design and the rugged individualism and spirit of adventure; the streets adopted this brand early and never looked back. Timberland understands the invaluable nature of this organic relationship,” said Chief Creative and Executive Director Dabo Che. Innovation has always been a natural gift for young Black minds. Opportunity on the other hand has always been more of a struggle to obtain. This is where the Propel Center, a new learning center created for HBCU students, will help fill the gap. The 50,000 square foot center based in the Atlanta University Center Consortium will assist Black students attending HBCUs by allowing them to gain key skills through innovation and professional teaching both virtually and in person. The Center was funded largely by $25 million investments from Apple and Southern Company and will look to expand its reach to other HBCUs in the future. The organization focuses on programs that give HBCU students the resources and inspiration to accomplish major feats in their respective industries. NewsOne spoke exclusively with new Propel Center CEO, Gene Wade, who has been a leader in education and social entrepreneurship for 25 years. He believes the Propel Center can play a significant role in providing students at HBCUs a chance to bridge the opportunity gap. A University of Alabama building named for a former governor who led the Ku Klux Klan a century ago will also bear the name of the first Black person to attend the school, trustees decided. Graves Hall, an academic building named for two-term Gov. Bibb Graves, a progressive who also was Grand Cyclops of the KKK before leaving the group in the late 1920s, will become Lucy-Graves Hall to recognize Autherine Lucy Foster, who in 1956 became the first Black person to enroll at Alabama. She briefly attended classes in Graves Hall but was expelled three days later after her presence brought protests and threats against her life. In 2019, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university, where she had returned and earned a masters degree in education in 1992. Trustees voted to approve the change during a meeting Thursday, news outlets reported. Now 92, Foster expressed thanks for the honor. “I am so grateful to all who think that this naming opportunity has the potential to motivate and encourage others to embrace the importance of education, and to have the courage to commit to things that seek to make a difference in the lives of others,” her statement said. The student newspaper, The Crimson White, published an editorial saying Graves’ name doesn’t belong on the building beside Lucy’s, given his association with the violent, racist organization. A’Ziah King, the inspiration behind the successful 2020 film “Zola,” is not taking it lying down after A24 failed to invite her to this year’s Independent Spirit Awards for the film. A24 is the production company behind the film based on King’s series of viral tweets she posted on Twitter in 2015. The film has scored several nominations in this year’s awards show. The awards show is put together by an organization called Film Independent. King is disappointed and furious, judging by her latest Twitter thread. On Sunday, Jan. 30, she retweeted a Twitter post by Film Independent with a stern comment: “I think it’s hilarious ‘Zola’ is up for 7 awards and no one thought to invite me nor include me IN the writers award category. As if there would’ve been a film or a script to write if I didn’t um… write it?” https://youtu.be/wogwo8aqTfU While promoting her new film “God’s Country,” actress Thandie Newton apologized to dark-skin Black women for not representing them. As reported by Sky News, Newton said her role in the film allowed her to heal as a black woman. “God’s Country” was adapted from a short story by James Lee Burke – but the lead character has been switched from an older white man into a Black woman. Per the report, Newton plays a grieving professor who confronts two white hunters on her property. She was hesitant to take on the role because of colorism issues — believing she wasn’t “dark-skinned” enough for the role. “My internalized prejudice was stopping me from feeling like I could play this role when it’s precisely that prejudice that I’ve received,” she said. https://youtu.be/ZOt9NZITdLs Comedian, radio and TV personality Rickey Smiley has inked a new deal with Reach Media and Urban One to extend his highly-popular, award-winning and long-running morning show for another five years. The Rickey Smiley Morning Show has become the most compelling, engaging and inspiring radio show, thanks to Rickey’s genuine southern appeal, playful style of comedy and commitment as a community activist. The radio show, based in downtown Atlanta, is syndicated to more than 60 cities across the country. In November 2021, he won his second National Association of Broadcasters’ Marconi Award for Network/Syndicated Person of the Year. Part of the new deal includes crating The Rickey Smiley Podcast Network meant to amplify voices in the black community. It will feature storytellers, from comedians to dramatists. https://youtu.be/TYcQ1GUnrkg A 21-year-old pregnant woman died after her hair became tangled in a machine during a job interview at a #Belarus plant, causing a portion of her scalp to be pulled off.? Despite being seven weeks pregnant, #UmidaNazarova applied for a job at the #Svarmet factory in #Borisov that makes welding wire and electrodes, according to East2West News.? As she was touring the facility, her hair got caught in one of the industrial machines.? “Her hair got wrapped around her neck, and she was pulled into the mechanism,” her mother, Olga, told the news outlet. “If her scalp had not been torn off, she would have been strangled there and then by her own hair.”? Nazarova never regained consciousness after being freed from the contraption and died from her injuries.? “They took two lives; she was seven weeks pregnant. They saw she had long hair, so why didn’t they give her something to cover it?” said her father, Dmitry.? According to the Belarus Investigative Committee, a factory employee who was showing Nazarova how the equipment worked paused while making a note in a register. https://youtu.be/AiO8nvxA_18 Claressa Shields has spent years turning calamity into relative serenity. Raised in an impoverished section of Flint, Michigan, where there has been a years-long water crisis, Shields witness her mother struggle with alcohol abuse. Her father was imprisoned until she was nine, two years later introducing her to pugilism. Today, Shields, 26, is arguably the most accomplished boxer in history, male or female, as well as the Greatest Woman Of All Time (GWOAT). “T-Rex” Shields is the only American amateur boxer to earn back-to-back gold medals at the Olympic Games, doing so in 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. https://youtu.be/MANd3ZLsggE VH1 today announced Love & Hip Hop: Lineage to Legacy, a special two-part event celebrating Black history and African ancestry, will premiere Monday, February 7, 2022 at 9PM ET/PT. For the first time ever, cast members from powerhouse franchises Love & Hip Hop and Black Ink Crew will come together with host Dometi Pongo (MTV News) in this thought-provoking special that will examine the harsh effects of slavery and challenging stereotypes about Black culture, while also celebrating Africa’s rich history, music, craftsmanship, style, dance and food. https://youtu.be/bjhgIAUutrQ Kanye West took to Instagram this Friday morning to ask fans for divorce advice. He shared a screenshot of his daughter North West’s TikTok video and asked: “SINCE THIS IS MY FIRST DIVORCE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO ABOUT MY DAUGHTER BEING PUT ON TIK TOK AGAINST MY WILL ?” the 44-year-old captioned the image.” Kanye previously expressed his concerns with North West using the platform in an interview with Jason Lee. He said at the time, “Don’t have my daughter wearing lipstick on TikTok or don’t have her on TikTok at all, if I’m not there to approve that,” Kanye told Jason. “It was done without me knowing,” West said in reference to his oldest daughter having an account. “I feel like it’s poking the bear, trying to antagonize me or create this ‘crazy’ narrative,” Kanye said of what he believed his estranged wife was doing by allowing their daughter to have a TikTok against his wishes. “To say someone is crazy, they’re trying to take the power away and do anything to get people to not pay attention to me,” Ye said. Kim (Kardashian-West) is now responding to all of this in a statement posted to her Instagram Story. She said this Friday: “Kanye’s constant attacks on me in interviews and on social media is actually more hurtful than any TikTok North might create,” she wrote. “As the parent who is the main provider and caregiver for our children, I am doing my best to protect our daughter while also allowing her to express her creativity in the medium that she wishes with adult supervision – because it brings her happiness.” Actress #AJJohnson detailed how she celebrated her 50th birthday with a “beautiful” #threesome. The ‘House Party’ actress revealed some risqué information about her sex life during her visit to Angela Yee’s #LipService podcast. The ladies were discussing the normalization of threesomes with one woman and two men. While on the topic, Johnson shared her experience. “Honestly, I’ve only done that, two men. They traded off. They were friends, and they traded off. It was the best 50th birthday ever. It was never like them together. They were flip-flopping me, and it was like, oh my goodness. It was like doing the salsa with two guys at the same time. Just romantic and sexy and never intertwined, but at the same time, it was two.” A.J. goes on to add more details about her birthday fling. She mentions that the two guys were black men from France and spoke French during their encounter. But Johnson wasn’t out of the loop because she speaks French fluently. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZkXwTgjS2C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again AT&T Dream in Black’s signature program, Black Future Makers, returned with the unveiling of its 2022 inductees and a month-long program highlighting their continued commitment to economic empowerment in the Black community. Now in its fourth year, this celebration recognizes future-forward Black luminaries, including powerhouse musicians John Legend and Kirk Franklin, who are shaping culture, advocating for equity and creating pathways for the next generation of Black achievers. Throughout the month, AT&T is also shining a national spotlight on emerging artists and others to help them attain their wildest dreams. Featured in video portraits inspired by Nakima’s art are 2022 honorees such as award-winning actress and author Meagan Good, musicians Tobe Nwigwe and VINCINT along with Youtuber Terrell Grice. AT&T has and will continue to reveal inspiring static and video portraits of several Black Future Makers every week in February on AT&T’s IG and att.com/dreaminblack. https://vimeo.com/671834428/f940d0184e Gospel artist Jabari Johnson is in what many would call his "winning season" after winning a Stellar Award, performing "Try Jesus" with Tobe Nwigwe at the BET Awards, and earning his first #1 record on the Billboard Gospel National Airplay Chart for "Fixed Fight." Johnson's new album ONE TOUCH will be available this Friday, February 4th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwfQy1GeL1E&feature=youtu.be Today, the NAACP and BET announced that Academy Award-nominated actor and producer Samuel L. Jackson will receive the prestigious Chairman’s Award during the “53rd NAACP Image Awards.” The Chairman's Award is bestowed in recognition of individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service and use their distinct platforms to create agents of change. Past honorees of the Chairman's Award include the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis and Ruby Dee, Danny Glover, Rev. James Lawson, Tyler Perry, then-Senator Barack Obama, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin. It was also announced that Scot X. Esdaile will receive the Activist of the Year award and Channing Hill will receive the Youth Activist of the Year award. The “53rd NAACP Image Awards,” hosted by seven-time NAACP Image Awards Winner Anthony Anderson, airs Saturday, February 26 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET. "Samuel L. Jackson is an incredibly talented actor with a remarkable career in film and theater spanning over four decades," said Leon W. Russell, chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors. "Many might not know that prior to his acting career, Jackson was a staunch activist during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, even serving as an usher at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral. His continued public service and advocacy for social change make him an excellent recipient for the Chairman’s Award.” The “53rd NAACP Image Awards,” hosted by seven-time NAACP Image Awards Winner Anthony Anderson, airs Saturday, February 26 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET. UNPLUGGED reunites Sneed with singers whose careers he has seen grow over the years and with whom he has strong relationships. "This album contains songs that were previously recorded on my earlier albums, but they were not rehearsed by this new ensemble for this UNPLUGGED project. We wanted people to just hear the raw execution of what transpired in the studio. The lyrics of this song featuring Matia Celeste Washington, speak directly to what so many people have found to be true over the past 2 years." https://www.dropbox.com/s/yvahjh4b08cwn37/Jehovah%20God%2C%20You%20Are%20My%20All%20%28Radio%20Edit%29.mp3?dl=0 James Johnson is an award winning singer and songwriter and AGREE is the song that makes a statement on believing in the power of God in spite of the odds. James delivers a powerful Gospel message based on his own life experiences to encourage and uplift the hearts and minds of people everywhere to trust God and AGREE with what the Word of God has already said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYQXJvjp7e4 Reeling from the death of her beloved father and a difficult breakup, Monica (Raven Goodwin), is ready to move forward with her life as she tries to land the new hosting job for an afternoon talk show. When she hires a new assistant, Simone (Amber Riley), the two quickly become close friends as Simone moves in next door and completely immerses herself in Monica’s life. But underneath her sweet exterior, Simone harbors a dark secret and as time goes on cracks in her façade begin to appear. Monica decides to sever ties once and for all with Simone, but Simone has other plans and is determined to take over Monica’s life for good. K. Michelle also stars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvmb4bf2M9c Recording Artist Andrea Rene Williams To Perform Black National Anthem! 17-year-old New York based R&B Singer-Songwriter and Street Dancer, Asha Maclean, recently released her debut single “Serial F Boy” at the end of 2021. This debut single/music video is getting a taste of success as it has been added in rotation at MTV’s Spankin’ New Channels, MTVu, and is spiking up the BET SOUL Chart. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE93TYiW5rAIisISrubmLUA Fox News host Harris Faulkner clashed with political commentator/former reality star Wendy Osefo over President Joe Biden’s pick to fill the forthcoming Supreme Court vacancy, and whether his choice could make or break his political future. Osefo joined Faulkner on Wednesday for a conversation about Biden’s first-year performance in office. At one point, the conversation turned to the president’s pledge to nominate an African American woman as Justice Stephen Breyer’s successor. “Let me be clear on this because people have stated a black woman ‘Well we need someone that’s qualified,’” Osefo said. “Being a black and a woman and being qualified, those [three] things are not mutually exclusive.” Faulkner interjected to challenge her stance. https://youtu.be/i6qri9bDXJE Spike Lee will direct a documentary about Colin Kaepernick that will air across multiple nights on EPSN. The multi-part documentary features extensive interviews with the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and never-before-seen footage from Kaepernick’s archive to provide “a full, first-person account of his journey.” No title or release date for the docuseries has been announced, ESPN reports. Meanwhile, Kaepernick was heckled by a hater while on his way out of Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. As reported by TMZ, the ex-QB was called “bum,” with the troll adding “You could never throw a football.” “Get in that car,” the heckler added. Kaepernick never acknowledges the man as he walks to a waiting car. https://youtu.be/kJEnOXz5V7Y A man has been arrested after his two-day-old daughter went missing and her mother was shot to death in Memphis.? Wednesday Memphis police said Brandon Isabelle admitted to taking two-day-old Kennedy Hoyle out of her mother Danielle Holye’s car, driving to a Tennessee boat ramp, and tossing the baby into the water. He then threw the gun he used to shoot Danielle into the #MississippiRiver and Wolf River Delta.? According to police, Isabelle is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, murder in the perpetration of aggravated kidnapping and tampering/fabricating evidence.? https://youtu.be/fsQ5wW-pezM Two former pastors at the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in California are facing up to 20 years in prison for allegedly defrauding churches across the state out of $14 million. Sheila Quintana, 67, and Staccato Powell, 62, who were leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion), were arrested and indicted on wire fraud and conspiracy charges, the Los Angeles Times reports. The duo is accused of securing the loans under false pretenses, and using the funds for personal expenses, authorities said Tuesday. Powell and Quintana each face two counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of California. Powell also faces one count of mail fraud. Authorities claim Quintana and Powell allegedly falsified bank statements to scam the federal government out of $14 million. The scheme reportedly unraveled in 2019 when the loans on the churches began to default, per the report. The More Than a Fraction Foundation (MTAFF) announces an $8,000 grant from Virginia Humanities for its Merry Tree Memorial heritage program, currently titled “1872 Forward: Celebrating Virginia Tech” by Virginia Tech. The three-day event happening on March 24-26, 2022 at Virginia Tech (VT) celebrates 150 years of Virginia Tech history. Program activities include the “1872 Forward: A Cultural Arts Celebration” on Friday, March 25th at 8pmEST (Moss Arts Center) and on Saturday, March 26th tours of Historic Smithfield and the Solitude house as well presentations on “Contested Spaces: A Tri-Racial Conversation.” These programs are funded in part by this grant from Virginia Humanities. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia on the campus of the University of Virginia, Virginia Humanities is a state humanities council that aims to share the stories of Virginians and find ways for people to share their own stories. This focus is to connect Virginians with their history and culture. Virginia Humanities seek to help Virginians to know each other a little better. Virginia Humanities funding partners are the University of Virginia and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Last week, Actor Anthony Mackie and Kainon Jasper Co-Founders of Brew Brothers, LLC announced their commitment to investing in Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. – 1st Black-Owned craft beer brand in Inglewood, CA. The announcement came during the Crowns & Hops Investor Event held at The Miracle Theatre in Inglewood, CA. In August, Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. invited the community to own equity in the brand, and to date, they have over 980+ investors and raised over $700k towards their $1M goal. During the event, they were able to raise over $15k within only a few hours. On Jan 17th their equity raise will be closing, so time is running out to own equity in this historic brand. Crowns & Hops is on track to becoming one of the 1st Black-Owned, Female-Owned, and Veteran-Owned breweries to raise $1M dollars via equity crowdfunding. Twenty years ago on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, there was one black head coach in the National Football League, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. Tony Dungy in Tampa and Dennis Green in Minnesota had been fired earlier that January. This year on MLK Day, the NFL had just one black head coach, Tomlin. Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who had been fired in January, filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan Feb. 1, charging the Dolphins, Giants, Broncos and the NFL with discrimination against black head coaches and executives. This comes despite the league’s Rooney Rule, which was implemented in 2003. Crafted by civil rights attorney Cyrus Mehri along with the late Johnny Cochran, the Rooney Rule requires NFL organizations to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching vacancies. The rule is named after Dan Rooney, the former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers who pushed the adoption of the initiative in 2002. In honor of Black History Month, Madame Tussauds is spotlighting incredible icons and their contributions across entertainment, social justice and culture. The star-studded ensemble includes Angela Bassett, Beyonce, Billie Holiday, Jennifer Hudson, Maya Angelou and Serena Williams, among others. These figures will be on display at multiple Madame Tussauds locations across the country for consumers to enjoy and appreciate throughout the month. Madame Tussauds wax figures represent some of the most beloved and respected personalities within the Black community, ranging from actors and musicians to athletes and activists. Madame Tussauds strives to acknowledge those who have impacted society by celebrating their talents, efforts and achievements. Gospel singer Kierra Sheard-Kelly doesn’t allow her female friends to spend the night at her home so that her husband isn’t tempted to have sex with them. “My momma has already told me don’t have too many people around your house … I don’t care how good you trust them or whatever it is, I’m very mindful and careful. I would buy a friend a hotel room before I let them stay at my house,” she tells Page Six. Per the report, Sheard married landscaper Jordan Kelly in 2020, and she wants all her female pals to know that she’s not “sharing” him. “Am I supposed to let them into my home? Because we as believers, we believe that what we have we are supposed to share with others, but I’m not sharing my man,” she told Page Six. “Since I’m not sharing my man, I have to be cautious with everything else that I share as far as with him being there too.” “I think it’s such a thing as boundaries. Some friends don’t know that balance and can’t understand the balance,” she added. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZN8kmcpWRI/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a899cff8-76b1-40e7-9ca7-24e621c53d00 The newest and third installment of WE tv’s “Love After Lockup/Life After Lockup” franchise, “Love During Lockup,” returns with another new episode TONIGHT (2/4), and we have an exclusive clip of what fans can expect! The news season has kicked off and follows even more riveting firsts through the early stages of love, with plenty of romance, suspicion, and investigation, all long before a scheduled prison release. https://youtu.be/POQgeSy0lFE A #UK woman is speaking out after a horrific encounter she said she experienced after joining the metaverse. The #metaverse refers to 3D virtual worlds which simulate real life.? #NinaJanePatel, who serves as vice president of Metaverse Research at an immersive technology firm said she was sexually harassed and “virtually gang-raped” by other users in the virtual game Horizon Worlds developed by Meta, formerly known as Facebook.? “Within 60 seconds of joining,” she wrote in a Medium blog post, “I was verbally and sexually harassed by 3-4 male avatars, with male voices, essentially, but virtually gang-raped my avatar and took photos.”? The woman then described how she witnessed her avatar being assaulted by a group of male avatars who then sent her messages like “don’t pretend you didn’t love it.”? “A horrible experience that happened so fast and before I could even think about putting the safety barrier in place. I froze, ” she added. “It was surreal. It was a nightmare,” she said.? https://www.instagram.com/p/CZhFJttsVHi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Sean Penn appears to not be too fond of men wearing dresses. “There has been an absence of male behavior,” Penn, 61, said in an interview with British outlet iNews. “I don’t think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women [has] anything to do with masculinity, or ever did. But I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.” Speaking to the Independent about the same topic, Penn blamed “feminization” for men with “cowardly genes.” “I think that men have, in my view, become quite feminized,” he explained. “I have these very strong women in my life who do not take masculinity as a sign of oppression toward them. There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.” https://youtu.be/zvkQ8xGDLqc ”Friday” star Anthony Johnson is getting a new tombstone on his grave … and it comes four months after his death in September. The guy who honored Eazy-E and Nate Dogg with grave markers designed Johnson’s new tombstone in honor of what would have been the actor’s 56th birthday on Feb. 1. In a statement, Johnson’s rep said, “Our BH Talent family is saddened about the loss of an amazing iconic legend in comedy, our client and friend Anthony “AJ” Johnson.” The rep added … “We are praying for all those that were touched by his comedy, acting, but most of all his life. We are especially praying for his beloved Wife, Children, Siblings and Manager.” https://youtu.be/gt6rQAzkEto A Wichita Falls woman arrested by Burkburnett police Tuesday was wanted for a death last November police say was caused by her sitting on another woman until she suffocated. According to an obituary from November 2021, the deceased woman, Gloria Farmer, was the mother of the suspect, Gloria Jordan. Gloria Jordan is jailed on a $150,000 bond on a manslaughter charge. The arrest affidavit states that on Nov. 21, 2021, police went to 1811 Las Cruces to investigate a death. It was initially handled as an apparent medical death. However, a few days later a family friend of the victim, Gloria Farmer, raised concerns, and a follow-up investigation was initiated. Police contacted the justice of the peace and an autopsy was ordered. Police interviewed the only other person who was in the home at the time of Farmer’s death other than Jordan. They say she told them she did not tell officers she suspected Jordan caused Farmer’s death that day because she was afraid of Jordan. She told officers that Jordan had been praying, and put her hand on Farmer’s forehead and pushed her back into a chair until the chair and Farmer fell over. She said Jordan then straddled Farmer’s body and sat on her chest while Farmer was yelling for her to get off because she couldn’t breathe. https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/police-wichita-falls-woman-dies-after-roommate-sits-on-her-to-pray-over-her/ The leaders of Russia and China pushed back against U.S. pressure on Friday, declaring their opposition to any expansion of NATO and affirming that the island of Taiwan is a part of China, as they met hours before the Winter Olympics kicked off in Beijing. Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping issued a joint statement highlighting what they called “interference in the internal affairs” of other states, as both leaders face criticism from Washington over their foreign and domestic policies. “Some forces representing a minority on the world stage continue to advocate unilateral approaches to resolving international problems and resort to military policy,” it read, in a thinly veiled reference to the U.S. and its allies. The two leaders are looking to project themselves as a counterweight to the U.S.-led bloc, as China shows growing support for Moscow in its dispute with Ukraine that threatens to break out into armed conflict. China and Russia are committed to “deepening back-to-back strategic cooperation,” Xi was quoted as telling Putin. “This is a strategic decision that has far-reaching influence on China, Russia and the world,” Xi said, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. A prominent German archbishop advocated loosening celibacy rules for Catholic priests in comments published Thursday before a meeting of a German reform assembly. Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the archbishop of Munich, told the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung that “it would be better for everyone to create the possibility of celibate and married priests.” His comments come as his diocese has been shaken by an independent report on the church’s handling of sexual abuse cases over decades, which faulted Marx and predecessors including retired Pope Benedict XVI. Marx, a prominent reformist ally of Pope Francis, said last week that the church needs deep reform to overcome the “disaster” of sexual abuse. “For some priests, it would be better if they were married — not just for sexual reasons, but because it would be better for their life and they wouldn’t be lonely,” he said in the newspaper interview. “We must hold this discussion.” He insisted that celibacy won’t be scrapped altogether, but said he sees a “question mark” over “whether it should be taken as a basic precondition for every priest.” A 22-year-old man who was shot and killed in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday afternoon has been identified by police as Tahjay Dobson, a rising star in the Brooklyn hip-hop scene who goes by the stage name TDott Woo. Dobson was shot in the head outside his home on Avenue L in Canarsie, a residential area in Brooklyn, police told ABC News. EMS was rushed to the scene and he was transported to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The NYPD is investigating and no arrests have been made as of Thursday afternoon, police said. The up-and-coming rapper was friends with Pop Smoke, the late Brooklyn hip-hop star who was shot and killed on Feb. 19, 2020. Dobson was killed hours after signing a record deal with Million Dollar Records, which was announced on the record label’s Instagram stories earlier this week, according to a Complex report. The label confirmed Dobson’s death and shared a tribute to him on its official Instagram page, along with photos of the rapper. “It’s an honor to remain your friend until your last moments. Your memories will always stay with us no matter where we go & what we do Sleep in peace. #LongLiveTdott,” the message said. “Just know his legacy will always live, from his laugh to the dance everyone across the world does, some of us know him a friend, brother, cousin or just a fan but we all come together to tell you FLY HIGH.” The Library of Congress announced that pop singer Lionel Richie will receive the national library’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He will be bestowed the prize at an all-star tribute in Washington, D.C., on March 9. PBS stations will broadcast the concert on May 17. “This is truly an honor of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to be receiving the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song,” Richie said in a statement. “I am proud to be joining all the other previous artists, who I also admire and am a fan of their music.” Lionel’s other achievements include four Grammys, an Oscar and the distinction of MusicCares Person of the Year in 2016. He was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2017. New allegations of sexual harassment emerged Thursday about Washington Commanders team owner Daniel Snyder during a congressional roundtable investigating the team’s “toxic workplace” and what some members of Congress are calling the NFL’s “cover-up.” Tiffani Johnston, a former marketing and events coordinator for the team, told a congressional committee that she was “strategically” placed next to Snyder at a work dinner “not to discuss business, but to allow him, Dan Snyder, to place his hand on my thigh under the table.” “I learned that job survival meant I should continue my conversation with another co-worker rather than call out Dan Snyder right then in the moment,” Johnston continued. “I also learned later that evening how to awkwardly laugh when Dan Snyder aggressively pushed me toward his limo with his hand on my lower back, encouraging me to ride with him to my car. I learned how to continue to say no even though a situation was getting more awkward, uncomfortable and physical. I learned that the only reason Dan Snyder removed his hand from my back and stopped pushing me toward his limo was because his attorney intervened and said ‘Dan, Dan, this is a bad idea. A very bad idea, Dan.’ I learned that I should remove myself from Dan’s grip while his attorney was distracting him.” In an emailed statement from the team, Snyder apologized again for past misconduct that took place in his organization but denied the new allegations. As one of the very first celebrities to come forward with her personal health struggles after silicone injections nearly took her life, R&B chart-topper K. Michelle will help men and women desperate to correct plastic surgery procedures and get their lives back in "My Killer Body with K. Michelle." With the number of cosmetic surgeries on the rise and an alarming number of these procedures resulting in post-surgery suffering and trauma, each episode will follow two patients who desperately need help as well as K. Michelle’s ongoing personal story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-wsCJOHIjo&feature=youtu.be Singer and Musician Robert Jones Releases Lyric Video "I Still Believe" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNz2WYJML6c Six “tech savvy” juveniles have been identified as persons of interest by the FBI in threats to historically Black colleges and universities that appear to be racially motivated. More than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities received bomb threats on Tuesday, the first day of Black History Month. A law enforcement official says the FBI has identified six persons of interest around the country, all juveniles, who are suspected of making the threats. The official says they appear to be “tech savvy,” using sophisticated methods to try to disguise the source of the threats, which appear to have a racist motivation. Howard University was among the first to issue a shelter-in-place order early Tuesday — just a day after the school and several other historically Black colleges and universities received similar threats. A bomb threat against the university is being investigated,” an alert from Howard University said, according to NBC Washington. “All persons on campus are advised to shelter in place until more information is available.” The emergency alert was timestamped at 3:29 a.m. Tuesday, the first day of Black History Month. An all-clear was later issued for Howard following a probe. Several “drug crew” members have been arrested for allegedly being responsible for the deadly batch of fentanyl-laced heroin that killed actor Michael K. Williams. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the NYPD announced that they arrested four men, including one who they allege sold the drugs to Williams, who was found dead in September after overdosing on the drugs. The criminal complaint claims to have video proof of a hand-to-hand drug transaction that allegedly included the fatal batch of heroin. “Today, along with our law enforcement partners at the NYPD, we announce the arrests of members of a drug crew, including Irvin Cartagena, the man who we allege sold the deadly dose of drugs to Michael K. Williams,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement that was accompanied by still shots from video footage allegedly showing Williams buying the drugs. The Valdosta County Sheriff is offering half a million dollars of his own money as a reward for information leading to the arrest in the curious death case of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson. The Valdosta County Sheriff is offering half a million dollars of his own money as a reward for information leading to the arrest in the curious death case of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson. https://youtu.be/TlbzVazQ0ls The body of a 25-year-old Houston man, who had been missing since December, was found in the trunk of his vehicle in a different Texas city, police announced. The body of Taylour Young was discovered in the trunk of his car at an impound lot in Dallas, Texas, on Jan. 19, the Houston Police Department said Monday. His corpse was found in “an advanced state of decomposition,” according to the Dallas Police Department. Young was last seen Dec. 9 driving a 2019 Silver Honda Civic, according to police. It’s not clear how his vehicle got to Dallas. The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of his death. Investigations with Dallas Police Department and Houston Police Department’s homicide division are ongoing. https://youtu.be/B3fwwjft70I Fans of Motown icons Gladys Knight and Diana Ross may not know that they had a nearly 40-year feud that didn’t end until 2005. Knight spilled the tea in a prior interview with The Insider, claiming the feud stemmed from when Gladys Knight & The Pips were signed to Motown Records. As reported by I Love Old School Music, Gladys touched on their beef in her memoir. “Knight pretty much revealed that Diana was apparently hatin’ on her voice when they went on tour together during their Motown Days,” the outlet writes. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10153630077005480 A bombshell lawsuit accuses the NFL of racism in hiring coaches — and now former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores who filed it is speaking out for the first time on CBS MORNINGS. Flores was joined by his attorneys Doug Wigdor and John Elefterakis to talk about his race discrimination lawsuit against the NFL. The NFL says the claims are “without merit” and that it is “deeply committed to ensuring equitable employment practices.” https://www.cbsnews.com/video/former-dolphins-head-coach-brian-flores-on-his-lawsuit-alleging-race-discrimination-at-nfl/ ”black-ish” celebrates Black History Month as seen through the lens of a Black American family. The show has presented cultural topics in a comedic way, opening up dialogue for further discussions in families and communities. Some of the casts’ favorite episodes deal with dropping ‘Black Facts’, including the episode honoring Juneteenth Here is a video recap of the cast sharing their favorite Black History moments in black-ish fashion. https://youtu.be/o4jjO4tMZ1M In an exclusive clip of this week’s episode of “Growing Up Hip Hop,” we finds Tee Tee and Shawn discussing the logistics and cost of their wedding. https://youtu.be/xUUzw096kXE Diamond ‘Baby Blue’ Smith announced on Tuesday that he plans to begin his prison sentence next week for his role in a massive COVID-19 loan scheme. “Turning myself in to the Feds on Monday, February 7th. If you wanna write me or send me anything, see info below,” Smith wrote in an Instagram post. Smith, 37, was arrested in 2020 for using coronavirus relief money to fund a luxury lifestyle, such as splurging on a $96,000 Ferrari. Smith and his co-conspirator Tonye C. Johnson were charged in a $24 million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scam. The duo is accused of wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, per Complex. https://www.instagram.com/babybluewhoaaaa/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=34d3d0a0-5b92-4d53-bf28-8001ecbabceb Rihanna has officially confirmed she is expecting her first child following reports about the singer expecting her first child. On Wednesday, Rihanna took to Instagram to share her first post about her pregnancy, writing, “how the gang pulled up to black history month,” alongside a selfie of her baby bump. https://www.instagram.com/badgalriri/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b12228d0-9942-49d0-8e1c-f60e7ddaddd8 It should surprise absolutely no one that Virginia’s first Black woman lieutenant governor and resident Republican Winsome Sears appears to be out here trying to “all lives matter” Black History Month. On the first day of BHM, Sears tweeted a video message that seemed to be very careful about making sure “all people of all colors” were comfortable instead of just recognizing the month as a celebration by, for and about Black people and our historical achievements. https://twitter.com/i/status/1488571939773943813 Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst was suffering from depression before she committed suicide on Sunday — and her mother is speaking out about her daughter’s private battle. Kryst’s mother April Simpkins says … “I have never known a pain as deep as this. I am forever changed.” https://youtu.be/BzGligbbUNs It looks like Whoopi Goldberg is not sticking around to see how the aftermath of her recent suspension plays out. According to a source, Whoopi tells her co-host that she plans to quit the show. Whoopi Goldberg is apparently “livid” after she recently was suspended from “The View” over her claim that the Holocaust was “not about race.” Whoopi feels “humiliated” at being disciplined by ABC executives after she followed their advice to apologize for the ill-conceived comments. Whoopi thinks the ABC executives played her, ”She feels ABC executives mishandled this. She followed their playbook. She went on ‘The Late Show With Steven Colbert’ and then apologized again on ‘The View’ the next day. Following Whoopi’s apology tour, ABC News president, Kim Godwin, announced her decision to suspend Goldberg for two weeks late Tuesday,she expressed to the staffers that such decisions “are never easy, but necessary.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZfFguOJDNZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=560c17a5-712c-40b0-b8f9-d6ce9767741e In recognition of Black History Month, ABC News will air two primetime specials featuring exclusive interviews, in-depth profiles, and a celebration of Black culture. “While we remain dedicated to telling the impactful and important stories around the Black community all year long, ABC News will provide special coverage throughout February to salute Black excellence,” said Kim Godwin, president of ABC News. “We will celebrate and honor Black culture across all programs and platforms, taking an in-depth look at issues past and present while spotlighting those who have overcome significant obstacles and paved the way for a better future.” ABC News’ groundbreaking “Soul of a Nation” kicked off on Tuesday, Feb. 1 with the special “Screen Queens Rising,” exploring how Black actresses, a historically overlooked and under-valued group in Hollywood, have in recent years begun to ascend to the top echelons of entertainment and American culture. Following the airing of “Screen Queens Rising,” the special X / o n e r a t e d – The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice will discuss the men who were wrongfully accused of killing the civil rights leader. “Soul of a Nation: Screen Queens Rising” airs Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC followed by “Soul of a Nation: X / o n e r a t e d – The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice” at 9 p.m. EST. https://youtu.be/8rMK-hLm7DU Power Book II: Ghost star Method Man is featured on ESSENCE.com’s February digital cover issue! In the cover story, The Man Means Business, the iconic rapper turned actor talks about his legendary thirty years in the industry, being taken seriously, his successful transition to acting and more. Check it out. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Actor Michael Ealy was a guest on SiriusXM Urban View’s “The Clay Cane Show” to promote his new Netflix series ‘The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window,’ and opened up about his thoughts on critical race theory and Black history. https://youtu.be/ufNyT_RDr6o Since breaking the NBA’s all-time three-point record on Dec. 14, Stephen Curry had been averaging a modest 24.1 points while converting a paltry 33.6% of his threes. He kept flinging ’em (11.4 attempts) and kept missing ’em. It didn’t matter if they were contested or open. Curry blew the roof off the building on Monday night. 40 points while converting 6 of his 9 two-pointers, and 7 of his 14 (!) three-pointers. But it wasn’t just the 40, it was also the 9 assists (with a single turnover). The Warriors had a 128.2 Offensive Rating in his 38 minutes, and scored just 104.8 points per 100 possessions in the 10 minutes he sat. He was simply unguardable. And because he was unguardable, so were the Golden State Warriors. https://streamable.com/58fixe Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles, is catching heat for praising how Janet Jackson’s late father, Joe Jackson, is portrayed in the singer’s new A&E documentary. Despite family reports of Janet and her famous siblings being abused by Joe during their childhood, Knowles took to social media to applaud Jackson for choosing to speak highly of her father. “The first half was dedicated to her childhood which unveiled the curtain on how much, although a strict disciplinarian, Joe Jackson loved his kids, wanted the best for them, and was an extremely smart, strategic, and effective manager, unlike the villain that mainstream media have painted,” Knowles shared in his lengthy caption. “Janet, Randy, and Tito repeatedly said “if not for Joe, we would have not had the success,” Knowles added. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZXOhOEuX2h/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=89724c49-cd42-48e5-bead-584d3c318813 Brandy admits she was quick to point fingers after her friend Whitney Houston’s untimely death. “It’s natural for people to want to place blame. I placed a lot of blame on a lot of people too, when it came to Whitney,” the “Boy Is Mine” singer, 42, writes in the foreword of journalist Gerrick Kennedy’s new book, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All: In Defense of Whitney Houston,” out Tuesday. “We loved her so much and needed something or someone to attach blame to because it was so hard to accept that she was gone.” Brandy notes she ultimately realized that only Houston herself knew what it was like to walk in her shoes. “We don’t really have the right to speak on anything that she had to go through in her life,” she writes. “No one knows what she was running from. No one knows what she was trying to overcome. No one knows the costs that came with being Whitney Houston. That level of fame, that level of expectation, that level of pressure.” The “I Will Always Love You” singer died at age 48 on Feb. 11, 2012, which was Brandy’s 33rd birthday. Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) recalled feeling unwelcome by many people in her church community in the aftermath of her 2016 breakup with Justin Bieber, who is now her husband. Before the model married the “Justice” singer in 2018 (and then again in a larger 2019 wedding), they briefly dated two years prior. Both practicing Christians, the couple regularly attended religious services at the same churches. When they broke up months into their relationship in 2016, Hailey, 25, said some of the church-goers’ behavior toward her shifted. “There were a lot of people in the church world that made me feel very outcast,” she told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Tuesday. “When did church become a social club? That was such a bad feeling.” In the years before Justin, 27, and Hailey reconnected at a 2018 church conference in Miami, some of the model’s longtime friends, such as Churchome pastors Judah Smith and Chelsea Smith, stood by her side throughout the fall-out, she explained. HBO Documentary will release the documentary Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches on February 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT via HBO and HBO Max, from executive producers Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Dyllan McGee. The project is inspired by David Blight’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom. Actors Nicole Beharie, Colman Domingo, Jonathan Majors, Denzel Whitaker, and Jeffrey Wright will draw from 5 of Douglass’ speeches representing different moments from the tumultuous 19th century America and the anti-slavery activist’s long and celebrated life. Contextualizing Douglass’ writings are scholars David Blight, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Sarah Lewis and Keidrick Roy, artist Bisa Butler, poet Nzadi Keita, and Douglass descendant Ken Morris who offer perspective on Douglass’ modern relevance and the unprecedented level of fame and influence to which he rose. The speeches featured in the documentary are as follows: “I Have Come To Tell You Something About Slavery” (1841) performed by Denzel Whitaker. At an anti-slavery convention, Douglass recounts his story of being raised as a slave publicly for the first time. Hulu’s Black History Month series Your Attention Please is returning for Season 3, and The Root has an exclusive look at the premiere. Beginning Feb. 1, the four episodes debut every day, with all of them available on Feb. 4. Hosted by Craig Robinson from “the secret mountain lair known as the Fortress of Blackness,” Your Attention Please “takes us on a visual journey into the lives, ideas, and purpose of a diverse group of Black innovators and creators who are leaving their mark on the world.” This clip from Episode 1 features a look at the journey of NASCAR pit crew member Brehanna Daniels. https://youtu.be/lstuEKfNAb0 Country artist Mickey Guyton will sing the National Anthem, R&B singer Jhene Aiko will perform “America the Beautiful,” and gospel act Mary Mary will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” accompanied by the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, as part of the pre-game ceremonies for the Super Bowl on Feb. 13, the NFL announced on Tuesday. Also, actress Sandra Mae Frank will perform the National Anthem and “America the Beautiful in American sign language on behalf of the National Association of the Deaf, and veteran DJ-producer Zedd will act as the official pregame DJ during player warmups. The choices speak to the NFL’s recent moves toward greater diversity, announced when it first teamed up with Roc Nation as an entertainment consultant in 2019. Guyton is the first Black artist to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album and has been outspoken about the racism she has encountered from some fans while working in the genre. Six-time Grammy nominee Aiko, has a diverse background that includes grandparents who are Japanese and Creole/Dominican. Mary Mary is a long-running gospel duo from Los Angeles comprised of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell. Frank plays a deaf character in the show “New Amsterdam” and is also deaf in real life. Former “Real Housewives of Orange County” cast member Meghan King revealed she is dating again after splitting from her husband, Joe Biden’s nephew, Cuffe Owens, a little over a month ago. The mom of three, 37, joined the “Two T’s In A Pod” podcast with former “Real Housewives” co-star Tamra Judge on Tuesday to discuss life after reality television and her split from Owens. “I’m going on dates and stuff,” King told Judge. “I was married, but it was such a whirlwind, and from start to finish with him was only three months, which was just stupid of me to marry him, but I did.” King said the partnership with Owens did not feel like a marriage. “It feels like a three-month dating relationship that was an abrupt start and an abrupt end,” she shared. King said her therapist has helped her along the way. “I’m talking to my therapist about it, and she’s like, ‘Meg, you’re fine. It seems like it should be serious because you put the title ‘marriage’ on it, but it wasn’t,’” King said. Former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis says the kinds of sham interviews that Brian Flores details in his lawsuit against the NFL have been going on for decades. Lewis said on ESPN today that in 2002 he saw media reports that the Panthers were going to hire John Fox as their next head coach, but the Panthers convinced Lewis to come in for an interview anyway. Lewis said he firmly believes then-Panthers owner Jerry Richardson just wanted to be able to say he interviewed a Black candidate, even though Richardson told him at the time it was a real interview and he hadn’t yet made up his mind to hire Fox. “I did interview with the Carolina Panthers before John Fox got the job,” Lewis said. “I ended up going down to Charlotte to meet with the Richardson family and they said that wasn’t true and so forth, and then they named John the head coach.” The National Football League will investigate an allegation by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores that team owner Stephen Ross offered to pay him $100,000 per loss in order for the team to tank and obtain a high draft pick, a person familiar with the matter said. The explosive allegation from Flores was made in a lawsuit he filed against the NFL and three teams that alleged Black coaches, such as himself, are discriminated against in the coaching market. The league plans to review various allegations Flores made in the lawsuit, the person said. But the allegation that an NFL owner attempted to financially incentivize his coach to lose may prove to be the most problematic for the league to grapple with. If true, it would undermine the competitive integrity of a billion-dollar industry and raise legal questions involving anti-bribery laws and sports. “His allegations are false, malicious and defamatory. We understand there are media reports stating that the NFL intends to investigate his claims, and we will cooperate fully,” Ross said in a statement through a spokesman. “I welcome that investigation and I am eager to defend my personal integrity, and the integrity and values of the entire Miami Dolphins organization, from these baseless, unfair and disparaging claims.” Former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson and the head of his foundation accused the Browns of paying Jackson to lose games during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The allegation came on the heels of Brian Flores suing the NFL and three teams — the Dolphins, Broncos and Giants — alleging discrimination regarding his interview processes with Denver and New York and his firing last month by Miami. In the lawsuit, Flores also alleged that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross attempted to incentivize him to tank, aka purposely lose games, shortly after he was hired in 2019, with Ross allegedly offering Flores $100,000 for every loss that season. Kimberly Diemert, who is the executive director of the Hue Jackson Foundation, which works to prevent human trafficking, claimed the Browns made a similar offer to Jackson when he was the head coach in Cleveland, tweeting that “we have records that will help” Flores’ case. Diemert said in a phone interview with ESPN that their proof is “well documented” and previously had been “presented to the league.” Diemert declined to say how much money was discussed. A spokesperson for the Browns called the charge “completely fabricated” and said that “any accusation that any member of our organization was incentivized to deliberately lose games is categorically false.” In the category of “You Knew This Was Coming,” two more Dallas Cowboys standouts are joining Dak Prescott in saying “no thanks” to this weekend’s Pro Bowl. Quarterback Prescott backed out of being an alternate on the NFC roster to instead take some time off after a year and a half of surgery, rehab and games. This decision was made right about the time Dallas receiver CeeDee Lamb was named an alternate and apparently does plan to play in Sunday’s game in Las Vegas. And now comes the predictable part: The NFC Pro Bowl roster will have an alternate replacement for Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith, and for Cowboys right guard Zack Martin. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is ready to put The Money into NASCAR. The long-delayed debut of The Money Team Racing team is set for the Daytona 500 later this month, with Kaz Grala as the driver. The team secured sponsorship from sunglass company Pit Viper and Grala will drive the No. 50 Chevrolet for the retired boxing great. Mayweather is the latest A-lister on the grid and joins Michael Jordan and Pitbull as celebrities over the last two years who have become NASCAR team owners. UFC President Dana White struck a marketing partnership deal this week with Pitbull’s Trackhouse Racing starting with the exhibition Clash in Los Angeles. Mayweather’s team, though, does not have a charter that would guarantee it a spot in the field and will run Daytona as an open car. That means with some 42 teams hoping to qualify for a spot in the 40-car field, Grala will have to race his way into the field. “I love fast cars and I love to compete. I know NASCAR will not be easy, but anything easy isn’t worth doing to me,” Mayweather said. “With that being said, this move into auto racing seems to be a perfect fit for the Mayweather brand.” Team general manager William Auchmoody told The Associated Press on Tuesday the plan is for TMTR to run four races beyond Daytona with an emphasis on road courses. Auchmoody said the team would like to run up to 15 races. Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn pulled his name out of consideration for head coaching jobs to return to Big D in 2022. In his first comments since the decision last week, Quinn told CowboysSI.com that he wants to finish the deal in Dallas before potentially moving on. “I have unfinished business here,” Quinn said this week. “We have the right people in place to accomplish the things everyone in this building is working to accomplish. We’re doing that right now. We’re doing it today — grinding toward a goal.” The Cowboys finished 12-5, winning the NFC East, but were ushered out of the postseason in the Wild Card Round by the San Francisco 49ers. DOE has released a brand new single and official music video for “So Good,” available now. Announcing her upcoming new album CLARITY and unveiling the album cover, the three-time GRAMMY® nominee will release her album on Friday, February 18th, 2022. Released by Jonathan McReynolds’ Life Room Label in partnership with RCA Inspiration, the chart-topping artist/songwriter/producer’s new songs “So Good” and “When I Pray” are the first featured singles from her upcoming full-length album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQAu6WB-INc Luther Wardlaw has a captivatingly dynamic voice on stage, fluidly flows in worship, and pierces any atmosphere to make room for the presence of the Lord. He is one-fifth of the Dove and Stellar Award-nominated group The Wardlaw Brothers (TWB5). Today, Luther is premiering the official music video for his reassuring song on his YouTube channel. "On The Way" official music video is directed by Young Nina Films. The video captures Luther flowing in his genius at the piano. Through this visual experience, Luther personally shares his compassionate and uplifting song to remind us that God hears and sees all things. Whatever the need, desire or situation, it's on the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReNQJWqAyDI Here at CLEO TV, we can't think of a better place to kick off Black History Month than in the kitchen. JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ has returned for season 4 on CLEO TV. The popular cooking show welcomes beauty & makeup guru Schenika Quattlebaum tonight, February 2 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Rice is culture and rice is love for Chef JJ! If you didn't know, Chef JJ has built the foundation of his career off of his passion for rice. Tonight, he shares his true love with beauty and makeup mogul Schenika Quattlebaum. JJ makes his Cast Iron Pantry Paella and then tops things off with his Three Cheese Chicken Risotto Balls with Basil Mayo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sFZU1G72As Season three of the popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN continues with an all-new episode tonight, February 2nd at 9:30 P.M. EST/8:30C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells is doing what he does best by preparing even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. The heart and soul of many families can be found in the kitchen and no one knows that better than Chef Jernard. Chef Jernard shows us how he wows dinner guests in tonight's episode. He's pulling out all the tricks as he serves Creamy Collard Green Dip with Crostini, complimented by a Shrimp Cocktail, that’s out of this world! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doI25whb8pE Roland S. Martin, award-winning journalist, host of the daily digital program #RolandMartinUnfiltered, and CEO of the newly-launched Black Star Network, is premiering four new shows on his OTT channel this week with two launching this week just in time for Black History Month. Black Star Network is one of the only 100% Black-owned OTT networks targeting African American consumers with politics, news and culture content. Building upon the breakout success of his leading Black news and information-focused series #RolandMartinUnfiltered, Roland is curating and debuting streaming programs on Black Star Network representing a range of topics and interests: business series “Get Wealthy!” with America’s wealth coach Deborah Owens; health and wellness show “A Balanced Life” with Dr. Jacquie Hood Martin; an examination of Black issues with “The Black Table with Dr. Greg Carr;" and a daily news talk show, “The Culture with Farajii Muhammad.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9jpJd2z9Ck&feature=youtu.be AT&T Dream in Black’s signature program, Black Future Makers, returns with the unveiling of its 2022 inductees and a month-long program highlighting their continued commitment to economic empowerment in the Black community. Now in its fourth year, this celebration recognizes future-forward Black luminaries, including powerhouse musicians John Legend and Kirk Franklin, who are shaping culture, advocating for equity and creating pathways for the next generation of Black achievers. Throughout the month, AT&T is also shining a national spotlight on emerging artists and others to help them attain their wildest dreams. “At AT&T, we believe that access opens the door to opportunities that help create equality for all,” says Corey Anthony, SVP, Chief Diversity and Development Officer, AT&T. “That is why we will continue to invest in programs like Black Future Makers, that honor and elevate this community to support them in reaching their full potential.” Consumers can also visit AT&T retail stores to discover video portraits inspired by Nakima’s art of 2022 Black Future Maker honorees such as award-winning actress and author Meagan Good, musicians Tobe Nwigwe and VINCINT as well as YouTuber Terrell Grice. AT&T will reveal inspiring static and video portraits of several Black Future Makers every week in February on AT&T’s IG. Don't miss the Season 2 premiere of The Groove with special guest Kenny Bobien https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlTH47RLpQ4 President Joe Biden has offered Russian President Vladimir Putin access to NATO bases so that Moscow can verify the US does not have Tomahawk cruise missiles in Romania or Poland in a bid to avoid war in Ukraine. Sources close to Biden told Bloomberg on Tuesday the proposal would only come to fruition upon agreement with American allies, especially Poland and Romania. Russia would also need to share similar information about a number of bases housing ground-launched weapons. Biden’s proposal reportedly aims to diminish the Kremlin’s fears that the US could use the missiles to target Russia. News of the proposal comes as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to travel to Europe to attend a NATO defense meeting on February 16 and 17. The devastated father of former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst who jumped to her death from a Manhattan high-rise Sunday revealed that he believed she may have been depressed due to ‘family dysfunction.’ Rodney Kryst, 62, broke his silence Tuesday from his Charlotte, NC, home Tuesday and said his daughter was ‘pure’ and that she didn’t have any sort of substance abuse problem. ‘She was pure, she didn’t take any kind of drugs or prescription medication,’ he told New York Post. ‘She never had any kind of substance abuse problem.’ Kryst, 30, was found on the sidewalk next to her luxury apartment building The Orion in Hell’s Kitchen at 7:15am on Sunday. She was last seen on a 29th-floor terrace of the building, where she lived alone in a ninth-floor apartment. Robert Kryst and Cheslie’s mother, April Simpkins, who have four children together, split up when Cheslie was young, he said. Gawvi, an artist and producer in the Christian hip-hop community, has been dropped by his label, Reach, and from an upcoming tour in light of a developing scandal involving his allegedly sending unsolicited sexually explicit photos to women. Gawvi had announced he was getting divorced on his Instagram account Saturday, saying he and his wife had separated back in 2020. His divorce announcement was shortly followed by a tweet from a visual artist who identifies herself as Cataphant. “Years ago I made album artwork for Gawvi,” tweeted the San Diego-based designer, also known as Catalina Bellizzi-Itiola. “For my next project I’m going to make a collage of all the unasked-for dick pics he sent to women while he was still married.” When another user admonished the designer that “dragging people in public is not scriptural,” and that any admonishment of Gawvi should have been kept to church circles, Cataphant responded, “Do u think I’d be doing this if he actually listened to his circle? They did address it, he cut them all off. He’s got like 3 friends left.” Cataphant also had exchanges on Twitter with other users who claimed to have had or know of similar incidents involving the rapper. The website Rapzilla posted a detailed story that originally included a series of TikTok videos from Gawvi’s estranged wife, Brianna Azucena, that the article said “seem to allude to infidelity, trauma, and healing,” but the TikTok account was made private after the story was posted. Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah are getting ready to work together once again. The Matrix Reloaded actress, 50, and the Last Holiday star, 51, will co-star in an upcoming episode of The Equalizer, Latifah’s hit television show. Smith is set to star as a character named Jessie Cook, a genius thief with a photographic memory. Her character will also have a history with Queen Latifah’s Robin McCall. The two worked together on a mission for the CIA. The CBS show is a reboot of the classic 1980s series, the 2014 film and its 2018 sequel. It is centered around a former CIA agent who helps out people in need who have no one else to turn to. It is currently in its second season which premiered on October 10 of last year. While the pair worked together on the 2017 movie Girls Trip, their work on The Equalizer will be their first opportunity to work on an intense action project since acting in the heist film Set It Off more than 25 years ago. An Alabama woman was charged with reckless murder in the death of another woman’s unborn child during an altercation, news outlets reported. Iveonna Samone Turner, 20, was arrested by Dothan police on Friday night. Evidence indicated Turner kicked and punched a 37-year-old victim in the stomach, causing her to lose the early-term fetus, police said. Turner was jailed with bail set at $500,000. Turner had filed a request in Houston County on Thursday seeking court protection from the woman, WTVY-TV reported. She alleged that the woman and her son, with whom Turner has an 8-week-old child, “jumped” her during a dispute while she was picking up the child. A hearing on the motion is set for Feb. 10. Roland S. Martin is teaming up with McDonald’s USA to help out Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). According to an official press release, the partnership will distribute over $100,000 in scholarships to shining juniors and seniors attending HBCUs. The contribution will celebrate Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and their 115 years of scholarship and Black excellence. The aim is to ensure the financial challenges impacting many HBCU students will be addressed by providing financial relief. “HBCUs and their students are vital to the fabric of our nation and I will always champion for their success,” said the media mogul and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Roland S. Martin, in a statement. “I’ve witnessed first-hand the financial struggle that impacts Black college students, especially those in their final semesters. So, I’m pleased to partner with McDonald’s and TMCF to celebrate my beloved fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, and provide a resource that will help Black students graduate.” To create a more hopeful future for HBCU students, seven juniors and seniors will receive $15,000 scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year through a joint effort from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The financial backing will support the fraternity and McDonald’s shared belief that students should receive relief to spearhead educational pursuits and find community. After an enrichment program at Sally Ride Elementary School, a young Jessica Watkins realized what she wanted to do when she grew up: study the geology of other planets. Today, at 33 years old, Watkins is training for a mission to do just that. This April, Watkins is set to become the first Black woman to live and work on the International Space Station for an extended mission. She will arrive there onboard a SpaceX capsule and then spend six months on the ISS as part of NASA’s Artemis program, a multi-billion dollar effort designed to return humans to the surface of the moon in 2025. “We are building on the foundation that was laid by the Black women astronauts who have come before me,” Watkins told NPR’s Morning Edition. “I’m definitely honored to be a small part of that legacy, but ultimately be an equal member of the crew.” Of the roughly 250 people who have boarded the ISS, fewer than 10 have been Black. Prior to the inception of the space station, Mae Jemison, an engineer and physician, became the first Black woman to travel to space in 1992. Other Black women have followed, including NASA astronauts Stephanie Wilson and Joan Higginbotham. The Justice Department has said it will not reopen the federal investigation into the 2014 death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot to death by Cleveland police, notifying Tamir’s mother after she had participated in a federal training event for state prosecutors on investigating police misconduct cases. Attorneys for Tamir’s mother Samaria sent four letters to top officials in the Justice Department and met with them last October in the hope of renewing federal interest in her son’s death, and again in December. One of the letters was signed by 50 scholars on constitutional, criminal and civil rights law who wrote that they believed the case must be scrutinized. The decision comes as the Justice Department is being criticized by civil rights groups over a proposed plea deal on federal hate crimes charges in Georgia with the white men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, who was Black, that burst into the spotlight after a judge rejected the agreement for one of the men. Attorney General Merrick Garland has promised to refocus the department’s priorities around civil rights and police reform. Kristin Clarke, the head of the department’s Civil Rights Division, wrote that the 2020 decision not to charge the officers stood. She said in her letter to Tamir’s family that “by no means should you view the department’s 2020 decision as an exoneration” of the police officer’s actions. Lisa Cook, a Michigan State University economics professor, is one of President Joe Biden’s recent nominees to the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. As expected, Cook is facing a racist smear campaign amid reports that she has called for Black Americans to receive reparations for years of economic discrimination and slavery, The Huffington Post reports. If confirmed, Cook would be the first Black woman to be part of the seven-person board. “Everybody benefited from slavery. Everybody,”? ?Cook? ?said in a September 2020 “EconTalk” podcast?, Fox Business reported?. “So, I think that we absolutely need some sort of reckoning with that. There are many proposals on the table to study the possibility of reparations, many economic proposals being put forward, and I think they should all be taken seriously?,” she said. https://youtu.be/TCigAU0fVyw Jarrion Walker a 4-year-old was fatally shot inside a parked car while two adults smoked marijuana in the front seats, according to Jefferson Parish, Louisiana deputies. The shooting happened Saturday (01-29-22). The youngster was in the back seat with his younger siblings, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Jason Rivarde. “Our initial investigation has led our investigators to believe that the child was injured not by a hostile act, but by a negligent one,” Rivarde said in a statement. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto believes the 4-year-old accidentally shot himself. He died at a local hospital. Initially, Lopinto said he thought Walker may have been shot by one of his siblings, but investigators learned the only other children in the car were a 1-year-old and 22-month-old. The mother and her friend sitting in the front seat told police they did not see the kids playing with the weapon in the backseat. Lopinto said, “The bullet did enter from the front into the back of the car, so it is more probable than not that it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound at this time.” Meanwhile, authorities say the mother and her friend are cooperating, but have not yet been charged with a crime. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=310721654417060 In the wake of Cheslie Kryst’s tragic death by suicide, Tamron Hall opened today’s show with a touching and emotional tribute to the former Miss USA. Tamron shares a clip of her interview with Kryst from December 2019 and encourages others who are struggling with mental health to reach out and receive support and help from others. https://youtu.be/MwR71l-RCow #RKelly and his legal team have been granted a two-week extension on his deadline to appeal his federal racketeering case after he tested positive for COVID on Tuesday. Kelly’s team has fought for his release on various occasions, and have even pulled the COVID card a few times before. According to. report by @RollingStone, U.S. District Judge Ann M. Donnelly ruled that R. Kelly now has until Feb. 17th to formally appeal his September conviction of at least 10 years in prison. When Covid-19 began to sweep the country in February 2020, closures were a gut punch to the entire live performance industry. Opera companies looked for ways to keep afloat, engaged, and relevant until it was safe to stage live events once more. The waiting game frayed nerves and played havoc with schedules and incomes. How did the industry cope? “We were in the same sort of bizarre kind of mourning that all of our colleagues were all over the world, because we’re a live performing art company. And to lose that connection to our audience was devastating,” says Patrick Summers, Artistic and Music Director of Houston Grand Opera. “And all of us not knowing what the long-term effects on the art would be. We still don’t know that.” Taraji P. Henson has been tapped to star as Shug Avery in Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple.” As reported by Variety, the forthcoming Warner Bros. movie musical is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical from Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, which was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning epistolary novel by Alice Walker. The upcoming film follows the classic 1985 film adaptation from director Steven Spielberg and centers on Celie, a Black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity amid decades of abuse. Whoopi Goldberg played Celie in Spielberg’s film. Spielberg’s film was a box office success, grossing $142 million against a budget of $15 million. https://youtu.be/KJKt0JEtq9w Whoopi Goldberg’s comments about Hitler and the Holocaust have gotten her suspended from “The View” for two weeks. As reported by Variety, the co-host of the long-running daytime talk show has been catching some major heat lately for stating on the show that the Holocaust was “not about race.” “Let’s be truthful about it because [the] Holocaust isn’t about race,” Goldberg said on Monday’s episode. “It’s not about race. It’s about man’s inhumanity to man.” She noted that the Holocaust was between two groups of “white people,” and that triggered many folks across social media who are calling for Whoopi’s ouster from “The View” altogether. The remarks drew immediate criticism from Jewish organizations. Jonathan Jackson, the middle son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Jacqueline Jackson, has announced his intention to run for the U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st congressional district. His formal announcement will follow shortly. “I have been fighting for working people my entire life and am dedicated to social and economic change,” Jackson said. “As a businessman, college professor and activist, I have been on the forefront of the struggle for civil and human rights.” If elected, Jackson, 56, said he would focus on creating jobs and increasing workforce skills, family economic security, improving public transportation, increasing access and affordability of health care and expanding daycare so parents can work without having to worry about their children. Nick Cannon announced he was sticking to celibacy in October, but following news that he is expecting his 8th child with a new baby mama, he is clarifying his celibacy journey. The actor and comedian, 41, shared on his eponymous talk show Tuesday that he started decided to be celibate after learning he and model Bre Tiesi are expecting a baby. https://youtu.be/vsq7t0VdxfQ Reality TV star Saaphyri Windsor, who appeared on Flava Flav’s dating show “Flava of Love”, allegedly dated the legendary Ron Isley for two years. As reported by I Love Old School Music, Windsor revealed in a past interview with Sister2Sister Magazine that she dated the music icon while he was dating his then-girlfriend (now his wife), Kandy Isley. The singer reportedly dumped Saaphyri right before his wedding. I was involved with a guy who was a celebrity, who was older than me – very wealthy. And he came to me in 2005 and told me that he was getting married to somebody else. … After we had been together for two years.” Saaphyri continued: …He got married in 2006. That really broke my heart. …Even though I was still like, ‘There is maybe somebody out there for me,’ it broke my heart to the point I didn’t know exactly how I was going to react in another relationship, or if I was even ready for another relationship. And this person. That’s the way love goes…the love for Miss Janet herself overflowed as Janet Jackson’s self-titled documentary event averaged 3.1 million total viewers across its premiere airings on Lifetime and A&E. Janet Jackson. is cable’s best non-fiction debut since ESPN/ESPN2’s The Last Dance (4/19/20 – 5/17/20) with total viewers, A25-54, A18-49, W25-54 and W18-49. The delivery on Lifetime marked the net’s best non-fiction performance since Surviving R. Kelly (1/3/19 -1/5/19) with total viewers, A25-54, A18-49, W25-54 and W18-49. On A&E, part 4 was the network’s most-watched telecast since Biography: WWE Legends with A25-54 (4/18/21). The doc also accrued 3.7 million video views across Lifetime and A&E TV Everywhere On-Domain platforms. With all the airings on linear and video views on digital, the documentary event reached over 15.7 million total viewers. https://youtu.be/nJ4OD76xUpA Jody Watley celebrated the 35th anniversary of her massive blockbuster self-titled album in true festive style coupled with a birthday balloon drop into the audience on Friday, January 28th at Sycuan Casino and Resort in San Diego. The sold-out concert began with a standing ovation from her fans when the Grammy award-winning iconic singer appeared on stage. Watley’s 90-minute set did not disappoint! She delivered a high-energy performance from beginning to end. https://youtu.be/QQ4NBnYpYJk “I wrote a song, a centerpiece for ‘A Man Born Black.’ Now it has become the main focus…writing something you’re passionate about,” said Mykal Kilgore about the new single “The Man in the Barbershop” from his “A Man Born Black” album. Mykal is on tour to promote that album in February and it arrives in my home state of Maryland at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis Friday, February 18, 2022. https://youtu.be/wK0uEzKK4OI President Biden was aware of the threats, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said at a news conference on Monday. “I will say that these are certainly disturbing,” Ms. Psaki said. “And the White House is in touch with the interagency partners, including federal law enforcement leadership, on this.” The F.B.I. said in a statement that it was “working with our law enforcement partners to address any potential threats.” The authorities have so far not described any of the threats as credible. But school officials at many of the universities took precautions, such as sweeping campus buildings and moving to remote instruction. Some of the H.B.C.U.s have received multiple threats this year. Representative Val B. Demings, Democrat of Florida and a former police chief, said on Twitter on Monday that the threats against historically Black colleges “demand a response.” “As a former law enforcement officer I’ll keep working to make sure our institutions and law enforcement have the resources they need to keep all of our students and communities safe,” Ms. Demings said. On Monday, at least seven H.B.C.U.s, including Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, La., and Delaware State University in Dover, Del., received bomb threats. Jury selection has been rescheduled to Thursday in the trial of a former Kentucky police officer who was involved in the botched raid that killed Breonna Taylor. Brett Hankison’s trial was initially scheduled to begin Aug. 31, 2021, but was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Now Hankison’s trial is being delayed due to an unscheduled recent surgery. Hankison is charged with three counts of wanton endangerment for firing into a neighboring apartment while serving a “no-knock” warrant on Taylor’s apartment on March 13, 2020. He and Louisville Metro Police Department officers Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly fired 32 shots into Taylor’s apartment. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has called Taylor’s death a “tragedy” but defended the officers’ decision to shoot. None have been charged with Taylor’s death. The NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, on Tuesday urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to bring federal civil rights charges against the white Chicago police officer who fatally shot Black teenager Laquan McDonald. A letter to Garland, sent by NAACP President Derrick Johnson, comes days before former officer Jason Van Dyke is scheduled to be released from prison after serving less than half of his state prison term of six years and nine months. Van Dyke was convicted of murder in October 2018 in the killing of McDonald and is scheduled to be released from prison on Thursday. The 2014 shooting prompted massive protests in Chicago after a judge forced the city to release video that showed Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times. Many of the shots were fired when the 17-year-old was already on the ground. The police superintendent was subsequently fired, the county’s top prosecutor was voted out of office and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was widely criticized for his handling of the case, decided not to run for reelection. Brian Flores filed a class-action lawsuit Tuesday against the NFL and all 32 teams alleging discrimination against black head coaches and executives. The suit, filed in the Southern District of New York, claims the Giants interviewed Flores for their head coaching position, despite having already chosen Brian Daboll for the job. Flores maintains his interview was a “sham” in order to comply with the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” which compels teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and general manager jobs. “Mr. Flores was forced to sit through a dinner with Joe Schoen, the Giant’s new General Manager, knowing that the Giants had already selected Mr. Daboll,” the suit reads. “Much worse, on Thursday, January 27, 2022, Mr. Flores had to give an extensive interview for a job that he already knew he would not get — an interview that was held for no reason other than for the Giants to demonstrate falsely to the League Commissioner Roger Goodell and the public at large that it was in compliance with the Rooney Rule.” “Sorry — I f–ked this up,” the alleged text from Belichick reads. “I double checked & I misread the text. I think they are naming Daboll. I’m sorry about that.” The Giants denied Flores’ allegations. Two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, America’s death toll is closing in on one million. Federal authorities estimate that 987,456 more people have died since early 2020 than would have otherwise been expected, based on long-term trends. People killed by coronavirus infections account for the overwhelming majority of cases. Thousands more died from derivative causes, like disruptions in their healthcare and a spike in overdoses. Covid-19 has left the same proportion of the population dead—about 0.3%—as did World War II, and in less time. Unlike the 1918 flu pandemic or major wars, which hit younger people, Covid-19 has been particularly hard on vulnerable seniors. It has also killed thousands of front-line workers and disproportionately affected minority populations. It robbed society of grandparents, parents, spouses, sons and daughters, best friends, mentors, loyal employees and bosses. Those lost include a 55-year-old Rhode Island correctional officer; a 46-year-old Texas dental-office receptionist who helped care for her granddaughter; a 30-year-old Iowan who fatally overdosed; and an active 72-year-old and grandmother of 15 who was Nashville’s first female city bus driver. “It’s catastrophic,” said Steven Woolf, director emeritus at the Center on Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University. “This is an enormous loss of life.” Many Americans don’t support President Joe Biden’s commitment to replacing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer with a Black woman. According to a new ABC News poll conducted with Ipsos over the last two days with 510 adults, “76 percent of respondents said Biden should consider all possible nominees, while only 23 percent believe he should consider exclusively Black women for the nomination,” Biden pledged during his 2020 campaign trail to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, if elected. He recently reaffirmed that he will keep the promise. New York Mayor Eric Adams wants you to believe that the NYPD officers on his new anti-gun task force have been trained not to engage in misconduct and target Black people. “If you don’t follow the law, you’re not going to serve in my police department,” Adams said of his cops in an interview with WBLS 107.5FM. Police reform advocates have expressed concern that Adams’ anti-gun team will repeat the same mistakes as the controversial anti-crime unit of the past, New York Post reports. “We know what was wrong with the unit. It was an abusive unit. It targeted and profiled,” Adams said. https://youtu.be/1w1x6tJTQJs NFL Green kicked off Super Bowl LVI community greening projects last fall in Inglewood (CA), by planting 56 trees at Edward Vincent Jr. Park and concluded Green Week events in the City of Champions, Super Bowl Host City. On Saturday, January 29th, 9am-12pm, The City of Inglewood partnered with NFL Green, The Super Bowl Host Committee and Verizon for the Queen Park Improvement Project. A group of energetic, enthusiastic volunteers replaced soil and planted twenty raised gardens beds, planted camphor trees, painted picnic tables, benches, planter boxes, cleaned and beautified the quaint Queen Park Community Garden, on a nice, cool overcast day. Queen Park Community Garden is located 652 E. Queen Street, a half-block west of Prairie Avenue. Hillsong Church will be led by husband and wife pastors Phil and Lucinda Dooley, while its founder steps aside to focus on fighting a charge of illegally concealing child sexual abuse by his late father. Brian Houston, the church’s leader, said he had asked the Dooleys to take on the role of interim global senior pastors until the end of the year while he prepares to “vigorously defend” himself against the charge. The couple “are well-loved by many in our church, having successfully served as our youth pastors in Australia for many years,” Houston said in a statement posted on Hillsong’s website on Sunday. A mother-daughter duo behind the first Black-owned business at Downtown Disney started their symbolism-rich shop specializing in craftspeople of color as a tribute to the historic struggles and perseverance of Black businesses in America. Mother Juana Williams and daughter Blair Paysinger created Post 21 as a place where they would want to shop. The Post 21 premise: A comprehensive marketplace focused on design-forward apparel, decor, art, jewelry and beauty products made by Black creatives and businesses. The goal of Williams and Paysinger: Turn their favorite products made by Black craftspeople from exciting discoveries into household names — all while filling an untapped consumer gap and backing the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. “Our whole purpose is to advance Black businesses,” said Williams, 59, who handles the business side of the shop. “We’re bringing all the Black businesses that we work with along with us so they have the Disney opportunity as well.” Downtown Disney sought out Post 21 as the massive entertainment giant strives to introduce more diversity and inclusivity into its theme parks, workforce and company culture. Whoopi Goldberg stoked more controversy on Monday evening when she tried to apologize for saying the ‘Holocaust isn’t about race’ by asserting race is only about skin color and the Nazis ‘had to do the work’ to find out who was Jewish. During an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert after her comments on The View about the Holocaust caused international outcry, Goldberg, 66, said she understood why she had angered people. But she didn’t stop there, and instead tried to explain why she thought the killing of six million Jews by the Nazis was not about race because Jews are white. ‘When you talk about being a racist, you can’t call this racism,’ she said. ‘This was evil. This wasn’t based on skin. You couldn’t tell who was Jewish. You had to delve deeply and figure it out. My point is: they had to do the work. Actor Moses J. Moseley, who played a zombie on the hit show The Walking Dead, was found dead from a gunshot wound on Wednesday in what authorities are investigating as a possible suicide. Moseley, 31, was found in the Hudson Bridge area of Stockbridge, a city on the outskirts of Atlanta, his family told TMZ, adding that he died of a gunshot wound. Law enforcement sources told TMZ they’re investigating his death as a possible suicide. The Henry County Police Department did not immediately respond to questions from DailyMail.com. Relatives said they hadn’t heard from the actor since January 23. They filed a missing person’s report on Wednesday, TMZ reports. They then contacted car security company OnStar, which tracked his vehicle to where his body was found that day. His representative, Tabatha Minchew, told The Wrap: ‘He wasn’t just a client for me. We have been best friends for 10 years. He was at my wedding. Historically, access to financial literacy education has not been equal to everyone. To address this inequity, Brandon Parkes, CEO and Founder of social impact consulting firm, Parkes Philanthropy and Hill Harper, Award-Winning Actor, Philanthropist and CEO and Founder of The Black Wall Street App are teaming up for a social media campaign that honors Black history by investing in Black futures. During Black History Month, this campaign will donate free premium subscriptions from the investment research platform Moby to youth of color through a partnership with a national financial literacy organization, which empowers youth across the United States to learn about, and become comfortable with, saving, investing, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. “These platforms can help solve the racial wealth gap and create cooperative economic solutions,” said Harper. “I helped create Moby in order to empower everyday investors with technology, data and content that will help them on their road to financial freedom. It is my privilege to be able to donate subscriptions to further complete our mission and educate America’s youth”, said Justin Kramer, CEO and Co-Founder of Moby. Today, labor economist Valerie Wilson took the helm of the National Economic Association (NEA), which was founded in 1969 to increase the representation of Black economists and other people of color within the profession. She takes on a one-year term as president of the NEA, which also produces and distributes knowledge of economic issues to promote economic growth among native and immigrant African Americans, Latinos, and other people of color. Wilson will remain as director of the Economic Policy Institute’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy (PREE), a nationally recognized source for expert reports and policy analyses on the economic condition of America’s people of color. Prior to joining EPI in 2014, Wilson was vice president of research at the National Urban League Washington Bureau, according to a press release. She has written extensively on various issues impacting economic inequality in the United States — including employment and training, income, wage and wealth disparities, access to higher education, and social insurance — and has appeared regularly in print, television, and radio media. Legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement Tuesday after 22 record-breaking seasons. The 44-year-old posted a photo and statement to his social media accounts explaining his decision to stop playing football. Brady wrote he felt he could no longer make the commitment required to succeed in the NFL. “This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore,” he said. “I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.” Brady steps away from the sport after winning seven Super Bowls and setting a bevy of league passing records. The quarterback’s unmatched success came with a dose of venom from opposing fans, who may have watched him too often dispatch their favorite team or associated him with allegations of cheating that dogged the New England Patriots during his long tenure with the team. In announcing his retirement, Brady posted a photo of himself playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom he spent the last two seasons of his career after 20 seasons with the Patriots. He thanked the Buccaneers organization, the team’s head coach, Bruce Arians, and its fans, but not the Patriots or the team’s head coach, Bill Belichick. Brady and his Patriots coach won six Super Bowls together. Tom Brady announced his retirement from professional football after 22 seasons on Tuesday which ended his two year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Soon after his ex partner Bridget Moynahan supported the 44-year-old athlete with whom she shares 14-year-old son John Edward Thomas Moynahan. The 50-year-old And Just Like That… actress shared her thoughtful note on Twitter. Bridget tweeted, ‘So proud of @TomBrady. Yesterday and today and I know you will do great things tomorrow. Looking forward to the next steps.’ https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/02/01/19/53649831-10465167-image-a-10_1643743109131.jpg Bishop Noel Jones, the senior pastor of the City of Refuge Church in Gardena, California and formerly one of the cast members of Preachers of L.A., has decided he is finally ready to marry his longtime lady love, Loretta. His decision comes after being in a relationship with his longtime partner for twenty-eight years and was made public during a recent church event. Standing center stage, Bishop Jones started to talk to the congregation about what it might look like when he gets older before surprising his congregation when he said, “I decided that I’m gonna get married.” After hearing cheers from the congregation, the 72-year-old then said “Loretta come up here please.” Once she arrived he then looked at the congregation and said, “I thought about should I give up my freedom coat for a straightjacket. She I get married to someone younger than me. I thought about should I give up not having to answer to anybody,” and he continued to question several other things he might have to give up if he gets married. But he later changed his tone when he said, But then when I look at her, and said, should you have to push a wheelchair when I can’t walk? Should you have to deal with an old man when you have had many suitors who were young? Should you have to listen to a man who was intoxicated with the exuberance of his own verbosity or who is set in his ways? He then said, if I keep on thinking about these shoulds, I won’t get this thing done. Bishop Jones then reached for a cracker jack box and pulled out a ring. While now holding the ring, he said, “I got away from all of the shoulds. “Should I? Should you? And I’ve decided simply to say”, as he folds to one knee, and puts the ring on her finger, “Will you marry me?” as he quickly stands back up. He then said, “I’m getting married.” After she excepted the ring and started to receive hugs from friends and loved ones, Bishop Jones said, “What did you say,” and she said “yes!” Singer-Songwriter, Bryan Andrew Wilson, best-known for songs such as “Overflow” and “Turning Away,” has dropped a music video for his current Top 30 single, “The Ride.” The city groove is a joint production by Awaz Beatz, and The Exclusives who are best known for their collaborations with DJ Khaled, Chris Brown, and August Alsina. The video recently premiered on BET’s Soul Channel and has also been featured on TIDAL’s New R&B Videos playlist and Vevo’s Incoming R&B playlist. “The song is about learning to let God lead us through this ride called life,” says Wilson. “The video itself is pretty simple. I’m just riding through the city in the backseat of a car and letting God lead the way.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5qUiaE5I6g Returning from the success of "It's Gonna Be Alright," from A&P Music's Billboard award-winning gospel artist, Titus Showers releases his new single, "Name On It," now available across all digital outlets. The song was produced by Lucius Hoskins and written by Titus Showers and Lucius Hoskins. The powerful lyrics of "Name On It" celebrate God’s blessings for his people: “He’s holding it for me. He tailored it for me, I got my name on it.” The Sports Power Brunch: Celebrating the Most Powerful Women in Sports today announced Champion, an innovator at the intersection of lifestyle and athletic apparel, as the Presenting Sponsor at the third annual event and unveiled the complete list of distinguished honorees. The 2022 Sports Power Brunch presented by Champion will be held during the most exciting week in sports on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, in Beverly Hills, CA. Hosted by Eboni K. Williams, Executive Producer and Host of 'REVOLT Black News,' the event recognizes leading women who have made an indelible mark in the sports industry. This year, four groundbreaking women will be celebrated for their contributions to the field: Vanessa Bryant, President of the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation; Natalie White, Senior Vice President, Los Angeles Sparks; Denise White, CEO & Founder, EAG Sports Management; and Terri Hines, Executive Vice President, Communications, FOX Sports. Unfortunately it’s all over for Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman. After 8 years they’re going their separate ways. Kotb, a “Today” show co-host made the announcement at the top of the 10am hour of Monday’s show. “I wanted to address something that, I think a few of you maybe noticed. People have written in and asked why I wasn’t wearing my engagement ring,” Kotb, 57, began. “Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and meaningful conversations over the holiday and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple.” She continued, “So we decided that we are going to start this new year and begin it kind of on a new path as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children and friends.” https://youtu.be/_uMYhdbGdzs Singer/songwriter Tamar Braxton is speaking out about mental health and sharing encouraging words with people who have “gone through a mental illness situation.” In an Instagram video captioned: “Ima take this down later. Cause some of y’all man….smh,” Braxton addresses some of the challenges she’s facing amid her own mental health struggles. In the 7-minute clip, she encourages others with similar experiences to “stay in a good safe place” to keep going, as reported by thejasminebrand. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZPud_5vPuK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Secrets of Playboy” is a new 10-part docuseries on A&E that unpacks the “real truth” behind Hugh Hefner’s empire. In Monday’s episode, former Playboy “bunny mother” P.J. Masten alleges that “Soul Train” creator, the late Don Cornelius, sexually assaulted two Playboy bunnies decades ago. “It was probably the most horrific story I’ve ever heard at Playboy,” Masten said of Cornelius’ alleged actions, PEOPLE reports. “This story is the story of a massive cleanup that never hit the press.” According to Masten, Cornelius was a Playboy VIP, and one night he invited two new recruits (sisters) to go back to his house where he was throwing a party. “These two young girls got in his Rolls-Royce, went up to his house and we didn’t hear from them for three days,” Masten alleged in the episode. “We couldn’t figure out where they were.” That three-day silence was broken when one of the girls called a bunny mother at the Playboy Mansion, allegedly saying that she and her sister had been held at Cornelius’ house and she was finally able to get out. Joe Piastro, Playboy’s head of security, went to pick them up and found them “bloodied, battered [and] drugged,” Masten said. https://youtu.be/RY8z4BK61bQ Tisha Campbell recently took to Instagram to share a story about being nearly kidnapped by sex traffickers in Brownsville, Texas, while working on an independent film. When the Brownsville Police Department heard about her tale, they responded in a message shared on Facebook. “The Brownsville Police Department is committed to providing proactive, professional, and effective public safety. Regrettably, our department became aware of Ms. Campbell’s ordeal via social media and not through traditional reporting means as would be expected from a victim of an attempted heinous crime.” The police are giving the side-eye to Campbell’s claims by addressing the validity of the incident. “Upon reviewing facts presented by Ms. Campbell in her video, BPD Investigators quickly launched an investigation as such cases are not the norm in our city. Through numerous interviews and reviews of security camera footage, we could not validate Ms. Campbell’s stay in Brownsville hotels nor any other claims made in the video,” the department’s post states. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRzsOvIhTv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Da Brat and her fiancé Jesseca Dupart are expecting their first child together. In a joint Instagram statement shared on Monday, the couple posted a photo of them cozied up along with the caption that they “are EXTENDING the family”. As reported by Complex, Brat previously opened up about parenting and what she’d name her child if she were to have a daughter. “My child will have all of my names, honey,” Da Brat said on Dish Nation. “Her name would be Legacy Shawntae Dupart. Shawntae is my first name and Dupart is my baby’s last name. Yes honey, carry on the legacy of your parents darling.” https://www.instagram.com/darealbbjudy/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5468817f-8b5f-4242-a32f-dd46e957f05a This is what went down Monday (01-31-22) on the “Drew Barrymore Show” when Sheila E was a guest. She spilled the beans on how she pranked the crap out of Prince one time. https://youtu.be/MQOeDaDhygs This evening, lawyer, minister, and peace advocate, Dr. Bernice King, sat down with FOX SOUL’s Cocktails with Queens to explore her most recent achievements. The youngest child of civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, discussed her new children’s book, It Starts with Me. She also provided insight on how she continues to honor the legacy of both her parents and what she has learned from both of them while sharing childhood stories and experiences. https://youtu.be/m1s8QYTGBHg #AliciaKeys feels “some kind of way” after showing a screenshot from an article back in 2008 where #JanetJackson admits that if she were into women, then Keys would be the one.? In an Instagram post, the “Billions” singer screenshotted the article and captioned, “I always knew I was BAE but when @janetjackson says it ????????.”? Some fellow celebrities and artists responded. Gunna says, “For P she turn ???esbian !” Some fans admitted to also having a crush on the 15-grammy winning singer. ? https://www.instagram.com/p/CZaRO2KMKHt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again La La Anthony is a beauty entrepreneur! Today, Anthony, 39, introduces Inala, a leave-in hair-strengthening treatment, Inala ($55). Speaking exclusively to People, Anthony opens up about how the opportunity to practice self-care during the pandemic led her to create a “power potion” even her 14-year-old son Kiyan approves of. Prior to the pandemic, Anthony, like most, was always on the go. But when it forced her to slow down, she realized her self-care routine needed a reboot. “A lot of my hairstyles had been clip-ins or wigs or braids or weaves,” she tells PEOPLE. “And I realized how damaged my natural hair was because I wasn’t taking care of or paying attention to it.” When Anthony looked in the mirror, she saw damage all over, from thinning along her edges to breakage on her ends. “And I was like, ‘It’s not okay to just be happy when your hair looks good when you have all this other stuff in it,” she admits. That moment inspired Anthony to seek a solution. “I started researching and experimenting with rice water. I was even tweeting about it. I found a village in China where women have hair down to the floor.” Guy Torry came up with Phat Tuesday’s back in 1992. “Everything happened, and all the stars aligned at the right time, and at the right moment. [And the stories about it are] coming out at the right time now on Prime Video,” said Torry. He’s referring to Amazon Studios latest project “Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy.” The new docuseries is all about the comedy explosion and is bringing together all the big names in comedy, who we’ve laughed with over the years. Telling the story of when Black comedians were being shut out of many places in Hollywood and how Phat Tuesdays at The Comedy Store, gave them a voice to speak their truth and provide levity to the community in a very dark time. “I tell young comedians [now], tell your story. No one can tell your story, better than you can tell your story, and make it, but be honest, tell the story and make it funny,” said Torry. Torry, the executive producer of the series and Reginald Hudlin, the director, say now is a great time for comedians to rise again and utilize all the platforms and tools to be seen and heard. https://youtu.be/EnoyUIwJb68 Gangster rapper/actor Ice-T is now the face of Honey Nut Cheerios. The hip-hip icon has teamed with the cereal giant, which is owned by General Mills, on a new initiative called “Pour Your Heart Into It,” where Ice-T and the brand’s mascot Buzz Bee encourage people to improve their health. “This stuff doesn’t have to be hard. It can be as simple as a bowl of Cheerios and a walk around the block,” Ice-T explained. “That’s why I wanted to join Buzz to share some different ways to start to get your heart pumping regularly, and help make diet and exercise a happy part of your day.” To promote the message, limited-edition boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios’ happy heart shapes will hit shelves and in yellow-box original Cheerios, as well as its Apple Cinnamon, Chocolate and new Strawberry Banana flavors. https://www.instagram.com/cheerios/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=50d9af4f-9884-4e2b-8dea-731f353587a4 Cheslie Kryst, a former Miss USA winner, ended her life on Sunday by allegedly jumping from a Manhattan high-rise. “Cheslie wasn’t just my daughter; she was my best friend,” Kryst’s mom, April Simpkins, told Gayle King on Monday. “Months earlier, Cheslie had told me the exact same thing: Her mother was her best friend,” King wrote in an essay published Tuesday. Kryst opened up in an essay last year in which she discussed her struggle with turning 30, her pageant journey, and dealing with trolls on the internet. In the essay, which was published just weeks before her 30th birthday on April 28, Kryst reflected on aging. “After a year like 2020, you would think we’d learned that growing old is a treasure and maturity is a gift not everyone gets to enjoy.” Kryst wrote. Speaking about her Miss USA win in 2019, Kryst said “my reign ignited a heightened desire to commit myself to passion, intent, and authenticity.” She said noted that “pageant girls” are “supposed to be model-tall and slender, don bouffant hair, and have a killer walk.” “But my five-foot-six frame won with six-pack abs, earned after years of competing in Division I Track and Field, and a head of natural curls in a time when generations of Black women have been taught that being ‘too Black’ would cost them wins in the boardroom and on pageant stages,” she said. A federal judge on Monday rejected a proposed plea agreement for one of the Georgia men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, paving the way for a federal hate crimes trial. Under the proposed agreement, Travis McMichael — one of three white men convicted in the 2020 killing of Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was out jogging — would have avoided a trial on charges that he violated federal civil rights laws. The deal also would have allowed him to serve the first 30 years of his life sentence in federal prison, as opposed to a state facility in Georgia. Prosecutors had submitted court filings on Sunday formalizing the deal with McMichael and his father, Greg. Arbery’s family had denounced the agreement. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ayPBxudWbiw/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Federal prosecutors have reportedly reached plea agreements in the federal hate crimes case against two of the three men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery. Shooter Travis McMichael, 35, and his ex-cop dad, Gregory McMichael, 66, were both handed life sentences without the possibility of parole in a state court earlier this month in the death of the unarmed Georgia jogger. Their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, also got a life sentence, but with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years. But the three men face another trial on federal hate crime charges, accused in an indictment of violating Arbery’s civil rights by attacking him because of his “race and color.” GSN-The mayor of a Connecticut city has ordered two police officers be placed on administrative leave amid criticism over their handling of the deaths of two Black women. On Sunday, Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim said he is “extremely disappointed with the leadership of the Bridgeport Police Department,” specifically with their handling of the mysterious deaths of Lauren Smith-Fields and Brenda Lee Rawls. “I want you to know that I am extremely disappointed with the leadership of the Bridgeport Police Department and find actions taken up to this point unacceptable,” Ganim said in a statement, CBS News reports. “After reviewing the matters even more closely and in the absence of the Police Chief, I have directed Deputy Chief Baraja to immediately put on administrative leave the two officers who are the subject of a Bridgeport Police Office of Internal Affairs (OIA) Investigation and disciplinary action for lack of sensitivity to the public and failure to follow police policy in the handling of these two matters.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XjItK9Roz58/hqdefault.jpg A documentary on civil rights champion and politician Tyrone Brooks is set for release in the fall of 2022, detailing the life and career of the lifelong activist who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and is responsible for banishing the racist Georgia Confederate flag. Scheduled for October, “Tyrone: The Story of An American Statesman,” will cover Brooks’ journey from the age of 15, when he entered a life of activism as a member of Dr. King’s SCLC organization, to becoming a social justice icon and respected Georgia State Representative. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/huIKbWxKHww/hqdefault.jpg Former President Donald Trump has teased plans to enter the presidential race in 2024 and if successful, he will pardon the white folks charged in the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot. “If I run, and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly,” Trump said at a rally Saturday in Conroe, Texas, New York Post reports. “And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons,” he added. “Because they are being treated so unfairly.” The House Select Committee is examining the events that prompted a Pro-Trump mob to storm the Capitol during the certification of the 2020 presidential election. The Department of Justice has charged more than 700 people in the riot. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uU5l5ZUegas/hqdefault.jpg A 61-year-old Brooklyn pastor was stabbed to death by her adult son in their shared Brooklyn home over the weekend, cops said. Tracey Sydnor, the executive pastor of Upper Room Baptist Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant, was stabbed multiple times in a domestic dispute with her 40-year-old son Kenji Francis inside their home on Wyona Street near Livonia Avenue in New Lots just after 2 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. Sydnor was rushed to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Francis was taken into custody on scene and charged with murder, as well as an unlawful activity-dangerous weapon rap, authorities said early Monday. He does not have a previous criminal or psychiatric history, according to police. No further information was known Monday about the dispute. Sydnor was appointed to the pastor role just two months ago, according to a post on the church’s Facebook page. GSN-Howard University and other historically black colleges and universities received bomb threats Monday morning, disrupting campus operations and launching police investigations. The schools, Southern University and A&M, Howard University, Bethune-Cookman University, Albany State University, Bowie State University and Delaware State University all received bomb threats Monday morning, according to campus spokespeople or social media posts. Five schools continue to investigate the threat and remain either on lockdown or have issued shelter in place orders. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nzsExhV3Fog/hqdefault.jpg Gas stoves and ovens emit more planet-warming gases than previously thought. According to new research from scientists at Stanford University, “the emissions from gas stoves in US homes have the same climate-warming impact as that of half a million gasoline-powered cars — far more than scientists have previously estimated,” CNN writes. “This new study confirms what environmental advocates have been saying for over a decade now, that there is no [such thing as] clean gas — not for our homes, not for our communities and not for the climate,” Lee Ziesche, community engagement coordinator for Sane Energy, a non-profit climate justice group that was not involved in the research, told CNN. “From the drilling well to the stoves in our kitchens, fracked gas is harming our health and warming the planet.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q_I8xc9hLoU/hqdefault.jpg Angola President João Lourenco has made good on his promise to the family believed to be the descendants of two of the first enslaved Africans in America. Vincent Tucker and his sister Wanda Tucker are the co-founders of The William Tucker 1624 Society. Born to Antoney and Isabella, William is known as the first child of African ancestry born in Virginia. Many of his descendants continue to live in the Hampton Roads area today. Antoney and Isabella are Angolan and believed to have been captured by the British off the Portuguese slave ship known as the San Juan Bautista, and eventually became servants on the plantation of Captain William Tucker and his wife. The siblings previously met President Lourenco at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Lourenco learned more about the Tuckers, their family, and promised to host them in Angola. Growing up in the South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles in the 1970s, Ghuan Featherstone only remembers riding a horse once as a child. His parents took him riding at nearby Griffith Park when he was eight years old. But ever since, he’s been chasing that sense of freedom and power he felt on the horse that day. “I felt like the Lone Ranger,” he said “I felt like I could conquer anything,” Featherstone, now 51, said in a StoryCorps interview last month with Jordan Humphreys, a 13-year-old horseback rider. After serving in the Army for eight years, Featherstone remained determined to realize his childhood dream of becoming a cowboy. When he returned to Los Angeles, he learned to ride at stables known as “The Hill” in Compton. Riders there would hop on their saddles and take their horses into the city streets. In 2012, a fire burned down The Hill. What had become a refuge for youth was suddenly gone. Sensing a void after the fire, Featherstone opened his own stables in the nearby city of South Gate. He founded Urban Saddles in 2019 to create a space where he could teach kids like Humphreys to care for and ride horses. Rihanna has confirmed that she is pregnant with her first child with rapper A$AP Rocky. As reported by PEOPLE, the couple was photographed out in New York City over the weekend, where Rihanna, 33, debuted her baby bump. Back in May, A$AP Rock, 33, told GQ about his romance with the Bajan beauty, calling her the “love of my life.” At the time, Rocky was asked by reporters how it felt to be in a committed relationship. “So much better. So much better when you got ‘the One.’ She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones. I think when you know, you know. She’s the One,” he said. Speaking about fatherhood, A$AP Rocky said starting a family is “in my destiny, absolutely.” “I think I’d be an incredible, remarkably overall amazing dad. I would have a very fly child. Very,” he said. Gayle King has no plans to part ways with CBS anytime soon amid reports that networks are expected to explode in a bidding war for the veteran journalist when her contract with CBS News expires in May. King, 67, reportedly earns around $9 million a year as an anchor on “CBS Mornings,” and Page Six reports that CBS sources said they “will do everything we can to keep King.” According to Urban Hollywood 411, King signed a new contract with the network on Friday, Jan. 28, and shared the news with listeners on her SiriusXM radio show. “I called my favorite daughter Kirby, favorite son Will, and called Oprah of course… and said I just signed with CBS today,” King shared. “I officially signed on the dotted line.” Amidst widespread reports that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will retire when the current term ends this summer, names for his replacement have already begun circulating. Biden vowed to put a Black woman on the Supreme Court on the campaign trail, which would be a historic first. In conjunction with Change Research, Higher Heights for America, the only national organization exclusively dedicated to harnessing Black women’s political power from the voting booth to elected office, conducted a poll this month of 500 Black women voters, according to a release. When asked about the future of the Supreme Court, 86% of Black women voters say they support prioritizing nominating the first Black woman to the Supreme Court when the next seat becomes available. There is a great deal at stake for this next Supreme Court nomination, and Higher Heights wants to ensure that the voices of Black women are at the forefront of these decisions. The suspects in the killing of rapper Young Dolph were arrested earlier this month and charged with first-degree murder. During their first two appearances before a judge, the two declined a court-appointed attorney. Judge Lee Coffee has now given them a week to find representation, Uproxx reports. “If you have a lawyer hired, that’s fine, but as I told you 10 days ago, I cannot allow you to sit in jail week after week, month after month, without a lawyer,” Judge Coffee told Smith and Johnson during the hearing. “If you don’t have a lawyer hired on Feb. 4, I’m going to hire a private attorney to represent both of you all.” We’re kicking off Black History Month in celebration of #BlackTikTok — an industry-defining community that is continuously originating, innovating, and trendsetting. Creators who have inspired the mainstream and continue to drive culture right now. We’re celebrating and honoring #BlackTikTok all month and beyond, with a billboard takeover of the Pendry West Hollywood, new in-app stickers, Black music playlists and TikTok LIVE programming that spotlights Black creators making waves on and off the platform. For the month of February, TikTok will host LIVES that will highlight Black creators, musicians, businesses and organizations. Kicking off on February 4th and every week this month, we will launch a variety of themed programming celebrating those who are making an impact in the entertainment industry and in their community. On February 23rd, TikTok will partner with iHeartRadio for iHeart Living Black!, a LIVE event celebrating Black Music on TikTok and beyond. Hosted by DJ Envy, the LIVE show boasts an all-star lineup of performances from A-List talent, including Lizzo, Big Sean, H.E.R., Lil Durk, Moneybagg Yo, and Ari Lennox, and will feature special appearances from Saweetie, radio personalities like Charlamagne and Angela Yee, actress Niecy Nash, and many more. Tune in on 2/23 @ 5pm PT/8pm ET on @iheartradio to view iHeartLivingBlack and help celebrate the culture. Gearing up for love day, VERZUZ—the streaming series launched by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland—reveals the details for its first-ever Valentine’s Day Special. Two of R&B’s most notorious crooners GRAMMY® Award winner Anthony Hamilton and GRAMMY® Award nominee Musiq Soulchild square off live from Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. This marks the first appearance by both Hamilton and Music Soulchild, and it also stands out as new territory for the series. On THE REAL airing Monday, January 31, co-hosts Garcelle Beauvais, Adrienne Houghton and Loni Love discuss Garcelle’s fellow “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’” castmate Erika Jayne having to potentially surrender $750,000 worth of diamonds after a bankruptcy trustee alleged they were bought with stolen money. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/c5JqYti-1vg/hqdefault.jpg Jay-Z’s former mentor, rapper Jaz-O, recalled in a recent interview the time Jigga borrowed his gun and used it to shoot his own brother. As reported by Vibe, Jay was 12-years-old when the incident occurred. Speaking to Vlad TV, Jaz-O, explained: “Yeah, I can’t remember, but it was a shot to not fatally wound but just, you know… to be honest, I don’t think he was aiming to really hit him, in his defense.” The incident is documented on the song “You Must Love Me” from Hov’s 1997 album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Jaz-O noted, “And it was my gun.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pzls5R8lu8A/hqdefault.jpg The effort to support young athletes is crucial to their developmental journey, especially during their college career. Under Armour agrees. The Baltimore-based sportswear giant has announced new initiatives to “improve training and access to sports for teenagers, pledging to help millions of youths by 2030,” according to AD AGE. “Under Armour is committed to sports at all levels and will continue providing our innovative products to all athletes, while also continuing to offer events and experiences that recognize and elevate athletes as they work towards their daily goals,” a company spokeswoman said. “We understand that to get to the collegiate level, you need to have access to sport at a young age, which is why we are making this commitment to support more youth athletes on their journey to compete.” The world’s youngest billionaire is reportedly a 9-year-old Black boy from Lagos, Nigeria. As reported by the UK Mirror, Mompha Junior, whose real name is Muhammed Awal Mustapha, is a social media influencer with nearly 27,000 followers on Instagram. The kid owned his first mansion at the age of six and has a fleet of supercars. In one post of a photo captured from his private jet, Mompha Junior wrote, “Never look down on any broke nigga, Real Hustlers go broke but never stay broke ….. Hustlers are different from Ritualists!!! God Bless all Hustlers (Amin).” The kid’s father is Ismailia Mustapha, a multimillionaire who goes by the name Mompha Snr. He often shares photos of his family’s extravagant lifestyle with his 1.1 million followers on Instagram. KnowledgeWorks, a Cincinnati- based national education nonprofit, has named School District of Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite its new CEO and president, effective July 1, The Philadelphia Tribune reports. The leader in education transformation teams up with school districts, state education departments, and education agencies to “imagine, build and sustain vibrant learning ecosystems that allow each student to thrive,” as per its website. Last September, Hite announced that he would not renew his current contract at the end of the 2021-22 school year, according to the outlet. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the school district has long been peppered with financial troubles and may default on a massive $600 million in debt. While it is uncertain why Hite is leaving his post after serving for a decade, the Philadelphia Board of Education said in a statement on Friday that he will remain in his current role with the school district through the end of the school year. “We are grateful for his continued leadership and service to the school district, and we support his ongoing efforts to ensure a safe and consistent school year for the children and families of Philadelphia,” Board President Joyce Wilkerson wrote. “Dr. Hite will be instrumental in the plan to onboard his successor, and we look forward to collaborating with him to support a smooth transition to a new superintendent.” Due to behavior that is inconsistent with our core values, we have ended our professional relationship with GAWVI. This was a tough decision for us because of the level of complexity and because we invest in our artists not just for their talent, but also as brothers and sisters in Christ. This is something we have been processing for over a year and have wrestled with what would be the right way forward. New details that were provided made us realize today’s decision was necessary. We also want our actions to be a reflection of love, care, and concern for those who fail and those who are affected by our failures. Each of us needs God’s grace and we invite you to pray for the families and individuals whose lives are being impacted. This is not a chance to throw anybody away. We continue to hope for restoration to be the outcome. - Reach Records Phoenix Suns’ point guard Chris Paul is putting up points for a Black-owned wine company he has joined as an equity partner. Donae Burston, the founder & CEO of La Fête Wine Co., announced that the 11-Time NBA All-Star has joined as an equity partner. “I’m thrilled to partner with La Fête Wine Company and work with them to continue to grow the business and fulfill their brand vision,” said Paul in a written statement. “I fully support their efforts in creating a better and more equitable society by helping underserved youth, advancing racial justice, and making wine more inclusive.” According to a release, La Fête Wine released its flagship wine, La Fête du Rosé, in May 2019. Nick Cannon revealed that he suffers from insecurity and body image issues that have impacted his sex life during during Wednesday’s episode of his eponymous talk show. The 41-year-old host asked his panel guests including Jersey Shore’s Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino, Marriage Boot Camp star Dr. Ish Major, comedians Chris DeStefano and Rip Micheals, if they have any insecurities in the bedroom. ‘I will tell you off top — I definitely have an insecurity when it comes to being intimate,’ Nick admitted. He continued, ‘I’ve been skinny all my life, therefore I never liked to be completely naked,’ said the ex-husband of Mariah Carey. ‘It’s usually like, I hide under the covers. As much as I boast about being in shape.’ When Micheals explained that he also experiences insecurity during intimate moments, Nick said, ‘Women don’t think about that. That’s when we are at our most vulnerable, when we are making love. Nick Cannon is reportedly expecting his EIGHTH child with the ex-wife of football star Johnny Manziel. As reported by The Blast, Cannon celebrated a gender reveal party with his newest baby mama, Bre Tiesi, and photos from the event in Malibu, California were shared online over the weekend. Cannon and Tiesi are expecting a boy, and the announcement comes a month after he lost his 5-month old son Zen – whom he shared with Alyssa Scott — to brain cancer. This will be Tiesi’s first child and Cannon’s eighth. https://www.instagram.com/jalanda39/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2922cb19-d61d-4613-8d8a-e7344272982d Jason Lloyd of The Athletic takes a ruthless shot at former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. after his Los Angeles Rams punched their ticket to the Super Bowl. Odell Beckham Jr. gets to do something the Cleveland Browns never have before in franchise history: Play in a Super Bowl. Beckham left the Browns midway through the season in dramatic fashion. He ended up with the NFC-contending Los Angeles Rams, helping offset their season-ending loss of Robert Woods in the receiving corps. While most people are happy about Beckham finally getting to play in a Super Bowl, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic is not. While Beckham may have left Cleveland on bad terms, now is not the time to dunk on him publicly. Los Angeles will be the second team in a row to host the Super Bowl in its own stadium. The Rams will take on the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. Should the Rams protect their home turf, it will be the second Super Bowl championship in franchise history, but only their first since they called Los Angeles home. The Bengals are in the Super Bowl for the third time overall and first since 1988. They are seeking the franchise’s first win. https://omny.fm/shows/stacking-the-box-an-nfl-podcast/chiefs-bills-classic-aaron-rodgers-debate-title-ga Dallas Cowboys fans are highly aware of the “cap hell” accusations hurled annually in the direction of team owner Jerry Jones’ club. Here we go again with the panicky accusations … And here we go again with the already-built-in solution. Quarterback Dak Prescott’s new $160 million deal, signed last spring, is part of the “problem” as presently constructed. But team sources tell CowboysSI.com that part of the construction of the deal, when executed, will give Dallas about $16 million in 2022 cap relief. This is a common bit of craftsmanship as performed by COO Stephen Jones’ “big calculator” people here inside The Star. It is a pre-designed “switch” that can (will) be “flipped.” It requires no renegotiation with Prescott. It requires no sacrifice from Prescott. It requires no approval from Prescott. Broadway’s longest running show, “The Phantom of the Opera,” now has a historic cast member. Emilie Kouatchou is taking over as the show’s first Black leading actress. At just 25 years old, Kouatchou is a part of Broadway history. “You are a first on Broadway. How do you feel?” CBS’ Danya Bacchus asked. https://cbsloc.al/3o1zXdQ The death of a Black teenager whose body was found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat at his Georgia high school in 2013 was an accident, the local sheriff announced this week, affirming a previous investigation’s finding that there was no evidence of foul play. The teenager, Kendrick Johnson, 17, most likely crawled headfirst into the mat to retrieve a pair of sneakers that he had thrown inside earlier and became trapped, Sheriff Ashley Paulk of Lowndes County said. “It’s a weird accident,” he said on Thursday, one day after he had released a 16-page report that detailed his findings and echoed the ruling made by a previous sheriff in 2013. For years, the case has confounded residents in Valdosta, Ga., a city of about 56,000 in southern Georgia. It inspired a 2021 documentary questioning the findings of law enforcement officials and prompted calls for murder charges by Kendrick’s relatives, who believe he was killed by two white students at Lowndes High School. Federal prosecutors began reviewing the case in 2013 after the family requested a separate investigation. The National Portrait Gallery, public home to the presidential portraits, has named Clive Davis, Ava DuVernay, Venus Williams and Serena Williams among its 2022 honorees for its annual Portrait of a Nation Award. The legendary record producer and music executive, the Oscar-nominated director and recording-breaking athletes-turned-producers will be awarded during the biennial Portrait of a Nation Gala, held on Saturday, Nov. 12. As part of the private event, which will feature a special performance, each honoree will be presented with their award by a person of their choice at the Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C. The 2022 recipients’ portraits — commissions by notable contemporary artists — will also be on public display from Nov. 10 through Oct. 22, 2023, as part of the institution’s “Recent Acquisitions” exhibition. “These honorees are innovators in their respective disciplines and advocates for social causes who use their voices to care for and lift up others,” Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery, said in a statement. “The Portrait of a Nation Award reminds us that history is living and the choices people make have an impact on the nation’s legacy.” #PowerBookII: Ghost star #MichaelRaineyJr. wants to make it clear that Ghost won’t be rising up from the grave: “The n***a died.”? Power fans just can’t get over the legend that was James “Ghost” St. Patrick, who actor #OmariHardwick brilliantly played. The next chapter, Power Book II: Ghost, follows the life and happenings of Ghost’s son Tariq. And while this series is just as compelling and action-packed as its predecessor, watchers just won’t let go of their fan favorite. ?Whether we like it or not, Ghost ain’t coming back, and Rainey Jr. wants fans to understand that. ?“They asking me if Ghost will come back,” said Rainey Jr. during an Instagram Live. “The n***a died. Like, I don’t understand, y’all n****s think this is some fake show where n****s comin’ back from the dead. This is Power. It’s not that s**t. It’s not like when Kanan got set on fire and came back. He ain’t get set on fire, he caught a Figi [gunshot to the face].” https://www.instagram.com/p/CZTIfZ6NABQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=em bed_video_watch_again Rapper Lil Nas X has found himself in hot soup after another rapper alleged that he stole her promotion idea for his album “Montero.” Dana Dentata, a Canadian-born metal rap artist who once modeled for Kim Kardashian, says the “Industry Baby” rapper stole every part of the promotional campaign from her copyrighted video “Pantychrist.” As the release of the controversial album neared, Lil Nas X revealed he was pregnant and would give birth to the album. He created a promotional teaser that showcased a prosthetic pregnant belly. One of the videos was titled “Lil Nas X Gives Birth,” and it went viral, garnering 15 million views on YouTube. According to Dana Dentata, the pregnant prosthetic, format, style, and anything about the promotional video were her ideas. So she shot a cease-and-desist letter to Lil Nas X, demanding he takes down his pregnancy promotional material from social media. In the letter, she stated ‘Lil’ Nas X Gives Birth’ video is “essentially identical to the “Pantychrist“ music video and clearly used the work as its basis.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_SAGCe5oWTQ/hqdefault.jpg Last night in the Janet Jackson documentary on Lifetime, she spill the tea on why she and Jermaine Dupri split. In fact, both Janet and Jermaine spoke on their long-ago failed relationship. They were an item from 2000 to 2008. At one point in their relationship, Dupri, who was blazing hot as a record producer, proposed to Janet. Unfortunately, it seems distance played a part in their relationship ending in infidelity. When asked why they split, Janet’s response was: “I had heard he was cheating.” JD admitted that he had been reckless and that being with Janet had attracted even more women. Jackson also said that JD was “constantly working” and that she wasn’t “getting enough from him emotionally.” Naturally, social media had a lot to say about the news Miss Jackson delivered and it was mostly bad for JD. The other thing that Jackson revealed that was much more shocking than the details of her breakup with Dupri was her revelation that she’d spoken to Justin Timberlake just once after their infamous “wardrobe malfunction” incident at the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show and advised him to remain silent. “I don’t want any drama for you,” she recalls advising him. “They’re aiming this at me. If I was you I wouldn’t say anything.” Black-owned boutique hotel is opening in the Haughville neighborhood of Indianapolis this summer to cater to the needs of guests looking for unusual accommodation experiences in the heart of the city. The hotel, Tiny Urban Escapes, is to be built using repurposed shipping containers. According to the hotel’s owner, travelers have grown tired of cookie-cutter hotels and are now seeking trendy and more intimate places to stay. A one-night stay in the suites will cost $179. Each suite will have access to wellness and culinary experiences and on-demand concierge service. The suites will be made using 20-foot high-cube containers. There will be a fifth building named The Scene for dining and events, and it will be made using a 40-foot high-cube container. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Mayor Joe Hogsett on Friday at the Haughville Indianapolis Public Library. https://cbs4indy.com/video/tiny-urban-escapes-breaks-ground-as-citys-first-container-boutique-hotel/7337461/ Who, or what killed Kendrick Johnson? After a second investigation, the question still hangs in the air because no answer has come forth. The Lowndes County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office reopened the case in March. However, the case is now closed. The 17-year-old boy’s body was discovered inside a wrestling mat at Lowndes County High School on Jan. 11, 2013. The federal investigation that started in 2016 has concluded there is ‘insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges’ according to a CNN report. It has now been ruled an accident by the office of Lowndes County Sherriff. The sheriff, Ashley Paulk, has said in a report there was nothing relating the found body to criminal activity. “Evidence and other information do not produce anything to prove any criminal act by anyone that would have resulted in the death of Kendrick Johnson,” he stated. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9x40iETsQ2s/hqdefault.jpg The founder of the Evangelical Hillsong Church in Australia, Brian Houston, dropped a bombshell on his worshippers today, announcing he was stepping aside from all church activities while he defends allegations he concealed his father’s child sexual abuse. The pastor for the powerful evangelical church was charged in October last year with one count of concealing the serious indictable offence of another person. Police allege Houston knew from September 1999 that his father Frank Houston had indecently assaulted a male in 1970. Frank Houston was a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and Australia. On Sunday, Brian Houston told the church’s congregation that the criminal charge came as a “complete shock” and he intends to “vigorously defend” it but this meant some changes. The woman who leaped to her death from a Midtown high-rise Sunday was former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, law-enforcement sources told The Post. The 2019 pageant winner and 30-year-old lawyer jumped from the 60-story Orion building at 350 W. 42nd St. around 7:15 a.m. and was found dead in the street below, sources said. “In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie,” the former beauty queen’s family said in a statement Sunday. “Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined. “Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA and as a host on EXTRA,” her family said. “But most importantly as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague — we know her impact will live on.” Kryst, who lived on the ninth floor of the building, was alone when she jumped and was last seen on a 29th-floor terrace, sources said. A former Miss North Carolina, she won top honors at the 2019 Miss USA pageant, wearing a sparkly winged outfit for the National Costume competition, a nod to Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” A conservative commentator on Fox News once dismissed Robert Shine Sr. and the impact of the group of Black Christian clergy he led in Philadelphia with a wave of his hand. “They’re not kingmakers,” he said. “They probably lose more than they win.” But that wasn’t how Shine measured the ministers’ witness. That wasn’t how he understood the job. “We represent the kingdom of God,” he told a Philadelphia newspaper in 2002. “We are the voice calling for conscience, appealing to do the right thing.” Shine, who spoke out for “the least and the last and the lost” for more than 40 years, pastored a Black Baptist church in the East Germantown neighborhood for more than 30, and taught pastors and deacons at a Bible institute for more than 20, died at home on January 4. He was 82. Throughout the bitter winter, during rain and snow, Jon Vaughn has alternated between sleeping in a tent or a campervan outside former University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel’s house. A former University of Michigan and NFL football player, Vaughn is one of more than 1,000 people — mostly men — who says they were abused by athletics doctor Robert Anderson, who worked for the university from 1966 to 2003 treating students across sports including football, track, and wrestling. Anderson, who died in 2008, subjected students, 90% of whom were men, to “sexually abusive conduct” and invasive exams, including unnecessary genital and rectal examinations, according to a 2021 independent report commissioned by the university. Many of Anderson’s victims were Black — and survivors say this has played a part in why the abuse was allowed to continue for decades. In his roles at the university, including director of its health service, team physician for the athletic department and a clinical instructor at the university’s medical school, Anderson abused men and women from different racial backgrounds, undergraduate and graduate students, student athletes — including a two-time Super Bowl champion and former world-class wrestler — and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community, the report found. This month the university announced a $490 million settlement with over a thousand victims of Anderson’s alleged sexual abuse, pending approval by the Michigan Board of Regents and the claimants. Michael Phelps’ intersex ex-girlfriend has hit back against the decorated Olympian after he compared transgender women competing against people who are born female to those who use steroids. Speaking to CNN earlier this month, Phelps, 36, was adamant that something needed to be done about current NCAA guidelines that allow transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete against swimmers born female. ‘I think this leads back to the organizing committees again because it has to be a level playing field. That’s something that we all need. Because that’s what sports are. For me, I don’t know where this is going to go. I don’t know what’s going to happen.’ Phelps, the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals, said he simply wants to see fairness across the sport. ‘I believe that we all should feel comfortable with who we are in our own skin, but I think sports should all be played on an even playing field,’ he said. ‘I don’t know what it looks like in the future. It’s hard. It’s very complicated and this is my sport, this has been my sport my whole entire career, and honestly the one thing I would love is everybody being able to compete on an even playing field.’ But now his intersex ex-girlfriend Taylor Lianne Chandler, who was born with male genitalia with no testicles and a uterus but no ovaries, is calling those remarks ‘hypocritical’ and ‘hurtful,’ claiming the decorated athlete has his own inherit advantages due to his size and lung capacity. Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood has been arrested on suspicion of rape and assault following allegations on social media. Greater Manchester Police said it was made aware of “social media images and videos posted by a woman reporting incidents of physical violence”. It added “we can confirm a man in his 20s has since been arrested on suspicion of rape and assault.” He remains in custody for questioning and inquiries are ongoing. Manchester United earlier said the player would not return to training or matches until further notice. Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to hold talks with Germany, France and Ukraine as NATO fails to take action on the rising conflict in Eastern Europe and President Joe Biden’s announcement on Friday that he would deploy troops ‘in the near term’ without backing from NATO. The blow to NATO and exclusion of America in negotiation talks on the Russian-Ukraine crisis came after Putin accused the U.S. and NATO of ignoring the Kremlin’s ‘fundamental concerns’ over NATO’s growth during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. During the call, Putin argued that the West had refused Russians demands of ‘preventing NATO expansion, refusing to deploy strike weapons systems near Russian borders’ and withdrawing allied forces to positions they held in 1997, prior to NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europe, Politico reported. Rather than meet with NATO, Putin has agreed to discuss the issue with the European-led Normandy Format, a grouping that includes France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. Their meetings center on the cease-fire agreement that the countries brokered in eastern Ukraine in 2015, and it also offers a path to a broader settlement. Afghanistan in 2021 and Ukraine in 2022 stand out for their profound shock and the strategic importance of President Biden’s failure in those two settings. Both are flashpoints in understanding what is fast coming together to be President Biden’s ‘America Last’ foreign policy. In national security, perhaps more than any other area, the impact of a single decision by an American president can be immediately felt and alter the very nature of a policy challenge, if not the broader geopolitical dynamics, as the aftermath of the Afghanistan and Ukraine crises might bring.In such settings, a president’s own judgment and instinct are brought to bear, and the quality of his advisors matters most. Biden and his advisors failed us in Afghanistan and appear to be heading in the same direction in Ukraine, as Putin’s Russia continues to mass military forces for a possible invasion. Unfortunately, the current administration’s view could not be more different from the one we had when President Trump was in the White House. Our America First plan did not mean ‘America Alone,’ but it did mean we would embrace a world view of what was good for America, first, and then how our actions affected the rest of the world. President Trump had the perfect background to marshal our actions, having had none of the baggage of a Washington politico and the needed experience of dealing with risk, profit and loss that his business background offers. Text messages obtained by The Associated Press show Louisiana’s governor was informed within hours of the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene that troopers engaged in “a violent, lengthy struggle” that ended with the Black motorist’s death. Yet Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards remained publicly quiet as police clung to a much different story: that Greene died from a crash following a high-speed chase. What the governor knew and when have become questions in the federal investigation of Greene’s death. The governor’s spokesperson says he’s not under investigation and that he’s been tight-lipped to avoid impeding the probe. Two south Texas teen brothers are in police custody following the death of their stepfather whom they are alleged to have beaten to death for sexually abusing their half-sister. 18-year olds Christian and Alejandro Trevino, together with their friend Juan Eduardo Melendez, beat the 42-year-old Gabriel Quintanilla and left him in a field in McAllen, where a farmer later discovered his body. Many media reports indicate that the body had what appeared to be severe blunt force trauma to the head when it was found. The investigation was handed over to the Pharr Police Department by McAllen Police Department. Meanwhile, Andy Harvey Jr., the Pharr Police Chief, told Fox News they are working on a press release, which is expected any time. Harvey, in an email, explained that there seems to be some misinformation surrounding this case. Hopefully, the press release will clarify everything. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lPkw2etHgws/hqdefault.jpg Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will announce his retirement after 22 seasons, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports’ Mike Jones. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about announcement. The decision comes less than a week after the Buccaneers were eliminated in the divisional playoff round by the Los Angeles Rams. Brady, 44, said after the game that he hadn’t made a decision on retiring and would talk to his family concerning any decision. “I haven’t put a lot of thought into it,” Brady said. “So, you know, we will just take it day by day and kind of see where we are at.” This season, Brady, a three-time NFL MVP, set a career high with 5,316 passing yards and led the league with 43 touchdown passes. Brady hangs up his cleats as the NFL’s greatest champion; winning six Super Bowl titles in 20 years with the New England Patriots and another last season with the Buccaneers. He left New England after the 2019 season in one of the most stunning free agency moves in NFL history, splitting with longtime coach Bill Belichick. Brady ends his career holding NFL records for the most career touchdown passes, passing yards (84,520) and completions (7,263) of any player in history, and his 15 career Pro Bowl nods and five Super Bowl MVP awards stand as all-time bests. His ultimate legacy, however, is likely his winning record, with his seven Super Bowl titles, 243 regular-season wins, 35 postseason wins all unparalleled. After dumping a half-foot of snow on areas from New York City to Maine — creating blizzard conditions in some regions — a powerful winter storm (Kenan) is bringing a mix of more heavy snow and strong winds to the East Coast Saturday. Winter weather will spread from the mid-Atlantic coast to the Northeast coast throughout Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The conditions are expected to taper off by Sunday as the storm moves into Canada, the NWS said. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LKUvmLWm3-M/hqdefault.jpg The only criminal trial to arise from the botched police raid that left Breonna Taylor dead began on Friday, as hundreds of potential jurors gathered at a Kentucky courthouse in what activists see as a chance for some measure of justice. Individual questioning of jurors is scheduled to start next week. The former Louisville officer facing trial, Brett Hankison, was not charged in Taylor’s shooting death but is standing trial on three lower-level felony charges for allegedly firing his service weapon wildly into Taylor’s neighbors’ apartments during the March 13, 2020, raid. Whatever the verdict, the trial could leave a bad taste in the mouth of protesters who took to the streets of Louisville for months chanting, “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” as part of racial injustice demonstrations that exploded across the country that year. Officials in #LosAngeles are looking for answers after a Black teen girl’s lifeless body was dumped on the freeway.? In the early morning of Jan. 8, the body of 16-year-old #Tioni Theus was found dumped on a busy off-ramp in L.A. The teen was last seen on Jan. 7 when she was leaving her father’s Compton home on her way to a party. #CNN U.S. reports that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined Tioni died from a gunshot wound to the neck. According to the news outlet, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is leading the investigation.? During a news conference on Wednesday, CHP Assistant Chief Jesus Holguin said someone out there knows something. “There has to be an individual out there that witnessed at least a portion, if not the entirety, of this case. We know that people out there witnessed something that we can follow up on and hopefully get to the bottom of this crime as soon as possible,” said Holguin.? Local leaders in the community are asking the public help. A $110,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Tioni’s killers has been offered; the reward was gathered together by state, county and city officials. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZQijPLL0NA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Billionaire Robert F. Smith, a native of Denver, might just become the first Black owner of an NFL franchise in the 101 years history of the NFL. He is currently one of the leading bidders for the Denver Broncos, according to a report by Front Office Sports. The sale of the Broncos could net in a whopping $4 billion or even more. That alone would break the record as the wealthiest team sale in the history of U.S. sports. Smith founded Vista Equity Partners in 2000. He still serves as its chairman and CEO. The company had assets worth $86 billion as of last September. According to Forbes, the 59-year-old philanthropist and entrepreneur is worth around $6.7Billion, making him the richest Black American. Other bidders Smith is competing with include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, John Elway, Peyton Manning, and Brittany Bowlen, who is one of the daughters of the late Pat Bowlen, who was the owner of the Broncos. During a recent episode of the “Daily Show” Noah, who was born in South Africa, reacted to Rogan’s take on the term “Black.” In case you missed it… during a recent podcast interview with conservative YouTuber Jordan Peterson, Rogan made remarks about racial identity and skin tone. At one point during the conversation, the two recalled the time author and academic Michael Eric Dyson described Peterson as a “mean, mad white man” back in 2018. “Depending on who you ask, either you’re a voice of reason and rationality and personal responsibility, or a voice of intolerance and bigotry and anger and hateful. … What did Michael Eric Dyson call you? A mean angry white man?” Rogan said. “Hilarious. You’re not mean at all. That’s what’s dumb about that statement.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bJ6SgJNE0sQ/hqdefault.jpg Suspense thriller “Dear Best Friend” is now available on BET and is streaming on BET+. The highly anticipated movie premiere of “Dear Best Friend” boasts an All-Star cast of familiar and new faces, including Asi’ah Epperson, Angel Love, Trina, Andra Fuller, Jeremy Meeks, Vernon Davis, Dennis “LA “White, Ashley Rios, and Genise Shelton. “Dear Best Friend” was written by former football player Deshon Hardy and produced by super film producer Tressa Smallwood’s MegaMind Media. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1qlJqkV6oCM/hqdefault.jpg Hip-hop artist Kanye West will have to be fully vaccinated if he wants to play concerts in Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday, after media said the performer planned an Australian tour in March. The warning comes just two weeks after tennis superstar Novak Djokovic’s hopes for a Grand Slam title were dashed when a court upheld the government’s decision to cancel his visa over COVID-19 rules and his unvaccinated status. “The rules are you have to be fully vaccinated,” Morrison told a news conference. “They apply to everybody, as people have seen most recently. It doesn’t matter who you are, they are the rules. Follow the rules – you can come. You don’t follow the rules, you can’t.” Morrison’s remarks followed a report on Friday in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, citing industry sources, that said West planned to play stadium concerts in Australia in March. Representatives of West, who released his latest album, “Donda”, in July, were not immediately available for comment. read more. The vaccination status of West, a 2020 U.S. presidential candidate, is unknown. In a 2021 interview on social media he said he had received one vaccine dose, but in a 2020 interview with business magazine Forbes, he had called getting vaccinated “the mark of the beast.” Australia, one of the nations most heavily vaccinated against COVID-19, has been battling an explosive wave of infections in the past month driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, with about 2 million cases recorded. Until then, it had just 400,000 cases since the pandemic first hit nearly two years ago. Famed crypto investor and rap star Nasir Nas Jones has joined hands with the tech giant Google, Riot Games, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and others to raise $20 million for Carry1st, a South African mobile gaming startup company. The company now employs at least 35 people across 18 countries. Some of the games released by Carry1st are Mine Rescue, Football Clash, SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off, Match League, among others. Other investors who participated are Konvoy Ventures, TTV Capital, and Avenir. Based in Cape Town, Carry1st serves the gaming needs of the first generation of African smartphone users. Already, it has millions of users across the continent. We’re pleased to join with this world-class group of investors who provide expertise across gaming, fintech, and web3 in addition to capital,” said Cordel Robbin-Coker, co-founder and CEO of Carry1st, a company founded in 2018. Actress/singer Tisha Campbell recently found herself in a very strange situation right of some dark and dangerous looking, Hollywood production. The incident was so harrowing and over the top, Campbell took to social media to tell her story of being on the verge of being scooped up by what she thinks are human traffickers. The hyped-up and emotional actress says she was leaving a building when she asked them for a number to call a taxi. As she explains in very colorful detail, she called the number and a really sketchy vehicle with two equally sketchy-looking men pulled up and the driver told her to get in. She noticed the vehicle was dirty and busted so she told the driver she wouldn’t get in. That’s when he told her to get in the front seat. At this time, the second person in the backseat started motioning his body towards her. Campbell went back inside to the front desk but the man who gave her the number was gone. She spoke to a woman, who informed her that the number he gave her was NOT the usual number they use for taxis. Andrew Jones, a basketball standout at Texas who underwent treatment for leukemia earlier in his college career, will donate a portion of his NIL money to cancer research. Jones announced Friday that he will partner with The V Foundation, created by ESPN in former NC State coach Jim Valvano’s honor, and donate 10% of his name, image and likeness proceeds to the foundation. Jones was diagnosed with leukemia in January 2018. At the time, he was the Longhorns’ leading scorer. While undergoing chemotherapy, Jones missed a significant portion of two seasons. This season, Jones is averaging 10.1 points per game for the Longhorns. “The money donated to the V Foundation played a major part not only in my ability to receive proper treatment but maintain confidence in both my recovery and eventual return to basketball,” Jones said in a statement. “To be able to share my story on how this foundation has impacted my life while paying that forward to future families impacted by cancer is an honor.” Members of the U.S. Olympic Bobsled team pose for a photo before departing on Delta Airlines for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Getty Images for USOPCCOVID-19 is already throwing a wrench into plans for Team USA, a week before the 2022 Winter Olympics begin. Multiple members of the United States bobsled and skeleton team have tested positive for the virus, Yahoo Sports reported on Friday night. Bobsledder Josh Williamson announced Wednesday in an Instagram post that he had tested positive for COVID-19 last Sunday, but he is reportedly not the only one. There is at least one other athlete, in addition to multiple coaches and support staff, who tested positive, according to Yahoo. A team official confirmed to the website that there were multiple positive tests but did not specify details. A 35-year-old man has been found guilty of stalking U.S. Open tennis champion Emma Raducanu, British media reported on Saturday. Bromley Magistrates' Court convicted Amrit Magar on Friday after he was captured several times on door camera footage at the 19-year-old player's house in south London, where she lives with her parents. Magar, a former delivery driver, left Raducanu flowers, a love note and a hand-drawn map, picturing his 23-mile (37-km) walk from his house in northwest London to reach her, the court heard, according to the Daily Mail. He will be sentenced by the court next month. Deion Sanders has called attention to NCAA rules around social media activity in recruiting by tweeting at top recruit Shemar Stewart. The Jackson State coach responded to Stewart’s announcement of his top 3 schools being Georgia, Miami and Texas A&M, and his announcement set for Feb. 2, with a statement that Coach Prime’s Tigers should be in the mix as well. Sanders later deleted the tweet, but it was saved by a screenshot. Stewart is 6-foot-6 and 272 pounds from Opa Locka, Florida, and the 5-star is the No. 10 overall prospect and No. 3 defensive lineman in the Class of 2022, according to the 247Sports Composite. The issue for Sanders is it’s against NCAA rules to directly and publicly tweet at recruits. In a first for a high-profile ex-professional athlete, North Carolina A&T freshman golfer J.R. Smith — a retired 16-year NBA guard — has signed with Excel Sports for NIL representation, agent Lance Young told ESPN. Smith, 36, is beginning his second semester for the Aggies, and his emergence as perhaps the most well-known Division I golfer has inspired significant endorsement possibilities that could earn him well into the six figures under the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness legislation. There’s significant NIL interest among golfing equipment and clothing manufacturers and video game companies, Young told ESPN. Smith has expressed a desire to become a bridge to the sport of golf for underrepresented minority groups, and his matriculation as a full-time undergraduate at N.C. A&T — an HBCU in Greensboro, North Carolina — has captured significant attention. Smith has a considerable social media following, too, including 6 million followers on Instagram. Few players have accomplished as much as Patrick Mahomes, so early in his career, and he’s one win away from another unprecedented accomplishment. If the Chiefs beat the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl LVI, Mahomes will start in his third Super Bowl, and he will be the youngest quarterback in NFL history to start three Super Bowls. There’s no question that Jordan Myers is a hard worker. As a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, the 29-year-old typically works 12 to 13 hours a day, six days per week. During the business week, Myers works about five hours of overtime each day, and takes on even more on the weekends. Living in Memphis, Tennessee, Myers earns a base salary of around $41,000 per year. But with overtime, he’s able to bring in far more: In 2021, Myers earned over $90,000. Myers’ work ethic is especially impressive to Kevin O’Leary, O’Shares ETFs chairman and judge on CNBC’s “Money Court." “He’s delivering mail for over 12 hours a day. This guy knows how to work hard,” O’Leary says as he watches Myers’ episode of Millennial Money, which was published in November 2021. Most days, Myers walks around 14 miles. He delivers mail to up to 500 houses each day, and because he has a walking route, he’s outside all day, regardless of the weather. “Jordan [Myers] has a strong work ethic, and it’s important to have a work ethic, because it’s a discipline and you work for a reason,” O’Leary says. “You need money to live. No one’s going to take care of you if you don’t take care of yourself.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g43DRw1twwQ/hqdefault.jpg “I want to bring hope to the hopeless,” said rapper/singer/songwriter Deshawn White about his “Based on a True Story” Christian/Gospel project that consist of an EP titled “The Trailer: Based on a True Story” and the album “Deshawn White: Based on a True Story.” “Shout-out to Devine Jamz, they help me tell my story to a wider platform.” “I always felt my life was a movie. I’ve stepped over dead bodies – all that,” White pointed out. “The album is like my life, it’s like a movie and like a movie first is the trailer before the movie is released.” https://youtu.be/_y3L1aI4Tlk Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center say there are at least three cases of a new form of omicron, “stealth omicron,” in North Texas. Texas is one of a few states where stealth omicron has been detected. Along with the cases in North Texas, three cases have been identified in Houston. Stealth omicron cases have been found in 40 countries. In the U.S., there are about 100 cases. Stealth omicron is a subvariant of omicron. Why is it called stealth omicron? You cannot identify the type of variant through a PCR test like you can with omicron. Genomic sequencing has to be conducted in a specialized lab to identify the variant, which takes longer. In Denmark, where stealth omicron cases are rapidly increasing, it went from 20% of cases in December, to 45% of cases two weeks ago, and now it’s about 65% of cases. “It’s moving fast, it’s taking over the landscape,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, infectious disease specialist at University of California San Francisco. China’s ambassador to the United States issued a warning Thursday: The U.S. could face “military conflict” with China over the future status of Taiwan. In his first one-on-one interview since assuming his post in Washington, D.C., last July, Qin Gang accused Taiwan of “walking down the road toward independence,” and added, “If the Taiwanese authorities, emboldened by the United States, keep going down the road for independence, it most likely will involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in a military conflict.” It was an unusually direct statement about the U.S. and Taiwan. Observers say China more commonly speaks in more general terms, such as saying that the U.S. is “playing with fire.” Though American eyes may be focused thousands of miles away toward a threatened war in Ukraine, U.S. officials and analysts have voiced increasing concern about Taiwan’s ability to defend itself. This week, 39 Chinese military aircraft flew near Taiwan, the latest of several such demonstrations. It’s widely believed that the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of war, though no formal treaty requires it to do so. Ambassador Qin spoke of Taiwan at his official residence Thursday, where he welcomed NPR’s team to discuss U.S. relations with China and the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing. He is a veteran diplomat who previously served as the chief of foreign affairs protocol for China’s President Xi Jinping. The Biden administration has allegedly canceled $15 billion in student loan debt, according to a press release from the Department of Education. According to the report, more than 675,000 borrowers have benefited from Biden’s loan forgiveness. Per the Education Data Initiative, over 43 million Americans still owe $1.75 trillion, or roughly $40,000 per student loan recipient. Late last year, Biden extended the pause on student loan debt payments until at least May 2022. “Given these considerations, today my Administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments for an additional 90 days—through May 1, 2022—as we manage the ongoing pandemic and further strengthen our economic recovery,” he wrote, as reported by Complex. “Meanwhile, the Department of Education will continue working with borrowers to ensure they have the support they need to transition smoothly back into repayment and advance economic stability for their own households and for our nation.” A bridge has collapsed this Friday morning in Pittsburgh just hours before President Biden was scheduled to visit the city to talk about infrastructure. Around 6:50 a.m. Eastern, the city of Pittsburgh’s Public Safety Department tweeted there had been a confirmed bridge collapse in the area of Forbes and Braddock and that authorities were on scene: “There’s a bridge collapse in Pittsburgh. There is a strong smell of natural gas in the area. Please avoid if at all possible.” In a second update, the department tweeted, “Gas line has been cut. Updates on injuries will be provided once PIO is on the scene. Red Cross has been contacted for victim assistance.” A local area news station, “@KDKA, tweeted photos from the incident. Videos posted by local outlets also show the major damage. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRrjWxqoEI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Three Houston police officers were shot Thursday afternoon by a suspect who fled, carjacked a white Mercedes and barricaded himself in a home for several hours before being taken into custody, authorities said. Houston police said that the officers are all in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. They are being treated at Memorial Hermann Hospital. One officer was hit in the arm, another was hit in the leg and the third officer was shot in the foot, the police said. The woman who was driving the Mercedes was unharmed. The family of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black jogger who was chased by three white men in pickup trucks and gunned down in south Georgia in 2020, says that the men's federal hate crimes trial will do what the state court did not - reckon with race. The three men - a father and son and their neighbor - were convicted last November in a Brunswick, Georgia state court of murdering Arbery, 25, and sentenced to life in prison. "That's not enough," said Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, who believes issues of race raised in the new trial may have an impact beyond the courtroom. "My son isn't coming back," but "maybe it'll save another Black son," he said. Civil rights activists say the new trial, which begins on Feb. 7, is a key moment in the country's reckoning with racial injustice. Arbery's murder was another example of deadly violence being used against a Black man, they say. Gregory McMichael, 66, a former police officer, his son Travis McMichael, 36, and William "Roddie" Bryan, 52, are each charged with interference with rights, a hate crime which carries a maximum of life in prison. All are also charged with attempted kidnapping, and the McMichaels face gun violations. All three have pleaded not guilty to all charges. Their attorneys have declined to comment to Reuters. Charity auditors have expressed alarm at the management of Black Lives Matter’s $60 million in donations, after it emerged that people announced as leading the organization never took up the role, and no one seemed able to say who was handling the finances. The most recent tax filing for the charity, from 2019, gives an address in Los Angeles that does not exist, and the two remaining BLM directors identified by The Washington Examiner were not able to assist – with one even scrubbing BLM associations from his social media after he was contacted by the paper. They are yet to file a 2020 return, a Form 990, as required – which could see BLM fined by the IRS. Laurie Styron, executive director of CharityWatch, said the findings were deeply troubling, and said they should have filed their 2020 form by now. Camrin Williams, aka C Blu, was locked up in Brooklyn on gun and assault charges for shooting Officer Kaseem Pennant (right), 27, just a week earlier in the Bronx. Williams was arrested after officers responded to reports of unrest on January 18. He refused when officers asked him to take his hands out of his pockets and got into a scrap with the cops. During the battle, a gun Williams – identified as a member of a subset of the Crips – was holding fired and a single bullet struck and wounded Pennant and hit Williams in the groin. Williams, who is already on probation for a 2020 gun possession arrest, posted $250,000 bond to get out of the juvenile facility on Thursday, reportedly with an advance on his contract with Interscope Records. A man who spent nearly 20 years in prison for murder has been released after his identical twin brother confessed to the crime. Kevin Dugar was freed from the Cook County Jail in Chicago on Tuesday night after a motion for bond was granted, his lawyer, Ronald Safer, told The Post. “He is overjoyed to be free but is also adjusting to a world that is quite different from the world he left 20 years ago when he was arrested for this crime he did not commit,” the attorney said Thursday. Dugar had spent the last two decades in prison after being convicted in the 2003 fatal shooting of a rival gang member. But the case was called into question when his twin brother, Karl Smith, came forward in 2016 to issue the stunning confession that he was responsible for the deadly shooting. Four teenagers have been shot in less than 48 hours in Buffalo, and the community is reeling. Tuesday afternoon, a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed in a house on Koons Avenue, reports WKBW. A 19-year-old man was also shot. Then, at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, a 15-year-old boy was shot on Grider Street. Police said the shooting occurred inside a home. 22 hours later, a 17-year-old girl was shot inside her home on Jefferson Avenue. Police said shots were fired outside the girl’s home, hitting her when she was inside. Police don’t believe the shootings were connected. “It’s very concerning when we have juveniles being shot. The unfortunate thing is there are a great number of those cases where they are targeted due to some activities they are involved with. We certainly have some cases of crossfire where they’re too close to other events going on,” Buffalo Police Deputy Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/st-HGVMahGc/hqdefault.jpg Two 76ers fans were tossed out of their court side adjacent seats at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center Thursday after hurling a racially offensive term at Los Angeles Lakers star Carmelo Anthony. During a stoppage in play in the fourth quarter, Anthony had heard enough and stepped to the two fans to address their chirping. A ref quickly intervened, and the officials and security eventually escorted the men out. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ciWr6VAkEr0/hqdefault.jpg ABC’s new primetime comedy, “Abbott Elementary” has made history as the network’s first comedy “quadruple its ratings” since its premiere. The Quinta Brunson created series debuted in December, and per ABC’s metrics, the show received a 0.6 rating in their target demographic, with only 2.71 million viewers watching, per Deadline. https://twitter.com/i/status/1487093186250088450 Hollywood actor Mel Gibson has stated that the Catholic Church needs to undergo “housecleaning,” after being mired in scandal over the years. The Catholic Church has faced a number of unflattering headlines recently, most prominently for its record of handling sexual abuse cases. And The Passion of the Christ director Gibson, who was raised a Sedevacantist traditionalist Catholic, believes a clean-up behind the scenes would greatly help the image of the church. Sedevacantists believe that since the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958 (or, in some cases, the death of Pope John XXIII in 1963) subsequent popes have been neither true Catholics nor true popes, but rather heretics because they espoused Modernism. In an interview with Extra host Billy Bush, Gibson was asked if his decision to team up with fellow Catholic Mark Wahlberg for the upcoming faith-themed biopic Father Stu was part of an effort to “get back to the good” of the church. “Back to basics,” Gibson, 66, responded. “Of course, it’s lamentable all the stuff that’s gone on. Like any institution, it’s capable of being corrupt. And, you know, it is sad to see, but as always, I don’t think it’s the institution that’s at fault. In an interview with The Associated Press, Susanna Mälkki, after conducting the New York Philharmonic in a challenging program the day before the January 6 performance, said the following: “Of course, it’s always an honor to be mentioned in this kind of context. It’s really, really fun to be with the orchestra. But the `l’actualité,' as they say in French: This something that the orchestra will take their time. They will try out a lot of people.” Mälkki brought a “focused energy” to the podium, said Leelanee Sterrett, the acting associate principal horn. Sterrett called it “one of those performances where in the concert everything was kind of taken up a notch, dialed up a notch.” Mälkki is among five woman conductors at the Met this season. She is one of 21 to lead the Philharmonic, including four so far this season. TOUCHBBCA and Breastcancer.org announced the upcoming launch of When We Tri(al), a movement dedicated to empowering and educating Black women on the importance of clinical trial participation. The movement aims to change the devastating breast cancer mortality rates for Black women, who are 41% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. Black women are drastically underrepresented in clinical trials; only 3% of clinical trial participants leading to FDA approval of cancer drugs between 2008 and 2018 were Black. The consequences are dire: too many Black women are missing out on access to newly emerging and often life-extending treatments. Until more Black women are included in the research, they will continue to face worse breast cancer outcomes. When We Tri(al) is focused on the urgent need to end these disparities. Wendy Williams is not returning to host her namesake talk show, as her health-related hiatus has been extended. As reported by PEOPLE, “The Wendy Williams Show” announced a lineup of celebrity guest hosts for the entire month of February: Michael Rapaport, Sherri Shepherd, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Bevy Smith and Terrence J. Rapper Fat Joe and Remy Ma will co-host through Feb. 7 – 11, Smith and Terrence J will team up between Feb. 14 – 18 and Shepherd will return as co-host between Feb. 21 – 25, per the report. A source close to “The Wendy Williams Show” revealed to The Sun that Williams has also stopped talking to production staffers. The insider said: “She hasn’t been talking to anybody, not producers, not senior producers- no one. She has disappeared and the only line of contact production has is through her manager.” https://www.instagram.com/wendyshow/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=df5d5122-8f73-4f13-8998-8dbfad9c24b2 Singer Chris Brown is back in the headlines for his alleged violence towards women. Brown has been hit with another sexual assault allegation and the accuser has hit him with a $20 million dollar lawsuit. According to the suit, the woman claims she also felt “disoriented, physically unstable, and started to fall in and out of sleep” … and that’s when she says Chris led her into a bedroom while she was “drugged” and “half-asleep.” In the docs, the woman claims Chris closed the bedroom door, barring her attempt to leave, removed her bikini bottoms and started kissing her. She says she mumbled for Chris to stop, but he persisted and raped her. After Brown ejaculated inside her, he announced he was “done,” and the next day he texted her and “demanded she take Plan B,” the outlet writes and she complied. The woman is suing the artist for $20 million claiming she is suffering from severe emotional distress. Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty are reportedly facing yet another lawsuit for allegedly physically assaulting one of their security personnel. The incident stems from a March 2019 show in Germany where Nicki allegedly became irate with a female security staffer over a male concertgoer getting onstage during her performance. Thomas Weidenmuller, head of security, decided to step in when the guard started crying after the rapper was yelling and calling her a “f**king bitch.” Per the report, Nicki turned her anger towards Weidenmuller and he claims she threw a shoe at him but missed. According to his lawsuit, Petty punched him in the face and broke his jaw. Weidenmuller allegedly recorded the interaction. According to the report, Weidenmuller is seeking an unspecified amount in damages, as well as coverage of his medical bills. In the Arizona desert, a new school model has Black parents driving across city lines to drop their children off each morning. Frustrated with what they say is their public schools’ failure to provide quality education and nurturing environments for Black children and fearing the persistent school to prison pipeline, a group of mothers, many public school teachers, have created a network of their own schools. Launched mid-pandemic just one year ago, the mothers’ goal is to grow the seven microschools into 50. “We could be advocating 24/7, and still not make the impact that we wanted to see. So, what do you do, do you go charter? Do you try to keep working in the public school system? Nope, nope, not us. We said, well, we can do it ourselves,” said Debora Colbert, executive director of the Black Mothers Forum, a Phoenix-based parent advocacy group. In mixed-grade classes, students learn at their own pace and are guided by two teachers. Restorative discipline techniques, not punitive strategies, are the norm. The Weeknd has reportedly dethroned Justin Bieber on Spotify — becoming the #1 artist with the most monthly listeners on the music app. As reported by TMZ, The Weeknd has about 85.6 million streams on the platform. Biebs had been holding the top spot since last year, when he claimed the top spot at 83.3 mil. Dr. Robin Holmes-Sullivan’s professional journey has been marked down in history as she now steps into a role she never expected. According to the college, after a six-month national search, Holmes-Sullivan will be the first woman and the first person of color to serve as Lewis & Clark’s 26th president in the college’s 155-year history. Holmes-Sullivan was a top choice of all three deans and President Wim Wiewel, out of more than 100 applicants. According to the college, her accomplishment is a product of the continuous support she receives from the faculties of all three schools. “I am humbled and thrilled at the opportunity to serve as Lewis & Clark’s next leader,” Holmes-Sullivan said in a press release statement. “I have the utmost respect and admiration for our students, staff, and faculty.” Last year, recording artist and philanthropist Ciara connected with Meta to support small Black-owned businesses. Due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the impact on small businesses, Ciara committed to assisting Black entrepreneurs by nominating 10 enterprises to receive one-on-one mentorship from Meta. Now the singer has announced those 10 businesses. “The 10 businesses I’ve nominated are dear to me because they embody determination, community, empathy, and empowerment,” said Ciara in a written statement. “The success of Black-owned small businesses is key to wealth building in our community, which is why connecting Black owners to these opportunities is so important to me.” The small businesses taking part in the program to receive one-on-one marketing mentorship from Meta Elevate include: Round House Paper, Nicole Grace Collection, The Coil Brush, Boss Branding on a Budget, Aliyah Kamala Enterprises, The Self Care Suite, Manifest It, Sis, For Our Daughters Beauty, Kyra’s Shea Medleys, and Zion’s Greek Boutique. Not even a full day into his tenure as the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is already “deeply involved” in the team’s search for its next head coach, according to co-owner Mark Wilf. Speaking at his introductory news conference Thursday, Adofo-Mensah reiterated that the conversations he has had regarding candidates are only in the beginning stages but that the direction the franchise wants to go in is clear. “We know what we want to find,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We want leadership, we want somebody who is going to value the collective over the individual, we want somebody who has a vision, who can communicate, who has a solid football foundation, who understands how football is interconnected and what that means. That’s been our focus in these last few days honing in on what we want. In terms of specific names, we’re going to meet after this and talk about that further.” The Vikings’ search has been narrowed down to six candidates after sources confirmed to ESPN that the Denver Broncos had hired Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as head coach and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn withdrew his name from head-coaching searches, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini. When Gatorade told Shedeur Sanders he would be the first college football athlete to sign a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with the national brand, he was at a loss for words.Sanders has been a part of other NIL deals with big brands, including Beats by Dre and famed quarterback Tom Brady’s new apparel line, but being the first to represent an iconic athletic sports drink, and to do it at a historically Black college and university (HBCU), meant Sanders’ plan was working.He’s proud to represent these companies, but he considers his path — playing quarterback for his father, head coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State – a movement to help others around him and to continue making noise on a nontraditional route. “This whole HBCU thing that’s going on right now is bringing national attention,” Sanders said. “We got players from Power 5 actually coming to HBCU schools now, it wasn’t like that a couple years ago, so it’s just really exciting to see that competition will go up. Everything’s going to go up, and honestly, other players in HBCUs should get deals also.” A Minnesota gymnast earned herself a perfect 10 and viral fame after nailing her incredible floor routine set to an instrumental medley of songs from Beyoncé’s Homecoming. Mya Hooten, 19, wowed the judges with her flawless performance on Monday night when the University of Minnesota Gophers faced off against the University of Michigan Wolverines. Mya Hooten, 19, wowed the judges with her flawless performance on Monday night when the University of Minnesota Gophers faced off against the University of Michigan Wolverines. https://youtu.be/x6aH8rujEJA American skiing prodigy Kai Owens has made the U.S. Olympic team, giving the 17-year-old athlete the opportunity to return to her birth country of China and compete for America in the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. Owens was abandoned as an infant at a town square in China before she was adopted when she just 16 months old by a Colorado couple, Amy and John Owens. Now, the blossoming moguls standout said she’s excited to return to China as she hopes to win a gold medal for Team USA in the freestyle competition that features lots of bumps and requires sharp turns and skills. She’s currently sponsored by Toyota, Oakley and Rocky Mountain Vision Group in Colorado. Now, the blossoming moguls standout said she’s excited to return to China as she hopes to win a gold medal for Team USA in the freestyle competition that features lots of bumps and requires sharp turns and skills. She’s currently sponsored by Toyota, Oakley and Rocky Mountain Vision Group in Colorado. ‘It becomes full circle when I step off that plane in China,’ Owens told The Associated Press on Friday after it was announced that she made the Olympic team. ‘When my skis touch the snow in China, it’s going to be a really special moment for me because I get to ski in the Olympic Games in my birth country. It’s crazy how life works.’ ‘It becomes full circle when I step off that plane in China,’ Owens told The Associated Press on Friday after it was announced that she made the Olympic team. ‘When my skis touch the snow in China, it’s going to be a really special moment for me because I get to ski in the Olympic Games in my birth country. It’s crazy how life works.’ Owens’ celebration draws parallels to Californian skier Eileen Gu, 18, a fellow Chinese-born athlete, who turned her back on Team USA to compete for China, who is hosting the Winter Olympics in Beijing next month. The New York Giants fired Coach Joe Judge a day after general manager Dave Gettleman retired. There was speculation that Gettleman and others would hire a new general manager who would decide Judge’s fate. Co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said they felt it was best for the Giants to move in another direction after five straight seasons of double-digit losses. There was no doubt the Giants played hard under Judge. They never gave up. They just didn’t win enough, especially this season which was marked by at least a dozen season-ending injuries. The Giants did not seem to be one under Judge’s leadership. Judge demanded his players comply with the rules. Everything had to go his way. The Giants have already put together a list of nine GM candidates they plan to interview. President Joe Biden reportedly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday to brace his country for a certain Russian invasion. Biden told Zelensky that an invasion is virtually certain and to ‘prepare for impact,’ CNN reported. He said Kiev could be ‘sacked’ by Russian forces. He reportedly said Ukraine would not be getting significantly more military help, including reiterating that no U.S. troops would be deployed there, nor would there be preemptive sanctions on Russia or any progress with NATO. The warning was not part of a White House readout provided after the call. Rihanna is giving the people what they want: five Savage X Fenty brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S. Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC residents, you’re the lucky ones to get to experience this first in 2022. The singer-turned-mogul announced the news on her Instagram. “2022, we coming in HOT!” she wrote. “We bout to bring you a whole new #SavageXFenty experience with the launch of our brick-and-mortar retail stores! can’t believe it’s actually that time, and I can’t wait for you to have this experience irl….” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Rumors that The Weeknd and Angelina Jolie are dating have been circulating for months now. Both have remained mum on the subject, but did The Weeknd just confirm their relationship in his new song? Some fans are convinced. The new track, titled “Here We Go... Again”—off his new album, Dawn FM—contains lyrics talking about a “movie star.” And some think the “movie star” in question is Jolie. “And my new girl, she a movie star/My new girl, she a movie star,” The Weeknd sings on the track. “I loved her right, make her scream like Neve Campbell/But when I make her laugh, swear it cures my depressin' thoughts/'Cause baby girl, she a movie star/Baby girl, she a movie star/I told myself that I'd never fall/But here we go again.” “my new girl, she a movie star” me: ang—angelina jolie?" one fan tweeted. https://open.spotify.com/track/1NhjYYcYTRywc0di98xHxf?si=6e69ecc10b2045d5 Sinead O’Connor’s 17-year-old son, Shane O’Connor, died after he went missing earlier in the week, the Irish singer announced on Twitter Friday. “My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God,” she tweeted. “May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.” The death was confirmed by O’Connor’s management company. “Regrettably, we can confirm that Sinead’s son Shane has indeed passed. We would politely ask that the utmost respect and compassion be observed at this most difficult time for Sinead and family,” 67 Management said in a statement on Saturday. Shane had apparently been on suicide watch at a hospital in Dublin, according to tweets posted on Sinead O’Connor’s personal Twitter account. The singer blamed the hospital for letting the teen “out of their grasp.” “This is a message for my son, Shane. Shane, it’s not funny any more all this going missing. You are scaring the crap out of me. Could you please do the right thing and present yourself at a Gardai station,” she wrote. “If you are with Shane please call the Gardai for his safety.” In another message, Sinead O’Connor pleaded with her son not to harm himself. “Shane, your life is precious. God didn’t chisel that beautiful smile on your beautiful face for nothing,” she tweeted. “My world would collapse without you. You are my heart. Please don’t stop it from beating. Please don’t harm yourself. Go to the Gardai and let’s get you to hospital.” Ralph Neely, dubbed “one of the first great offensive linemen in team history,” died Jan. 5, according to the Dallas Cowboys. He was 78 years old. The team did not say what caused his death. Neely, who was born Sept. 12, 1943 in Little Rock, Arkansas and raised in Farmington, New Mexico, played his entire career with the Cowboys. Before Neely came to Dallas, he played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners from 1962-64 under head coaches Bud Wilkinson and Gomer Jones. He joined the Cowboys as a starter in 1965 and played for 13 years, wearing the No. 73 jersey. After spending the first five years of his career at right tackle, Neely moved to the left side, where he played for the rest of his career. Ross Browner, former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end, has died. He was 67. Browner’s death was confirmed by his son, former NFL offensive lineman Max Starks, who shared the news of his father’s death on Twitter Wednesday. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my Father, Ross Browner,” Starks wrote. “The world has lost a Titan, @CFBHOF [College Football Hall of Fame] member, @Bengals Legend, but he was most proud of being an @NDFootball [Notre Dame Football] alumnus. Our hearts are heavy but he is at peace now.” As one of the highest-earning actresses in television, Angela Bassett is speaking out about being paid fairly in the industry. “Now, it’s good to be paid. That is one thing that I’ve said to myself since early on in my career. I mean, I literally would say, ‘I want to work in roles that can change me and change the conversation. I want to work consistently. And I want to be paid fairly,’” the actress explained in an interview with InStyle magazine published Wednesday. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JYh5Ft3a_yc/hqdefault.jpg Antonio Brown has revealed that he was asked to play hurt against the Jets, and a big spat with Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians led to him leaving MetLife Stadium the way he did. After that revelation, Brown found a new supporter in former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III. Taking to Twitter, Griffin said that he’s seen a lot of differing opinions on what led to Brown’s actions on Sunday. But he believes that the message of being forced to play hurt is being lost because of who Brown is. “A lot of people have opinions on Antonio Brown. His Mental State. His infamous exit from the field. His complaints about good customer service. But his message of being forced to play hurt or else is being lost because of who the messenger is,” Griffin wrote. Brown asserted in a statement that he was dealing with an injured ankle but was ordered to keep playing by Arians. When he refused, Arians effectively told him he was done, at which point Brown ripped off his pads and undershirt and dramatically left the stadium. According to DailyMail, Antonio Brown snuck an Only fans model into his hotel room the night before he stormed off the field in the middle of the Buccaneers game. The model that claims Brown snuck her in his room went viral on TikTok previously for licking a toilet seat. Reports say, Brown, 33, snuck the lingerie model Ava Louise into his hotel room despite the NFL’s covid precautions. Blonde Louise, who first was known in 2020 after she recorded herself licking a toilet seat in a skit to catch Covid, shared with the Daily Mail.com that she spent an hour with the Bucs wide receiver and got past security to join Brown and filmed pornographic sex videos. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYaJDjTqJba/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Baker Mayfield calls report that he and head coach Kevin Stefanski aren’t seeing eye to eye, and that he may request a trade “clickbait”. Chris Broussard explains why he doesn’t mind Baker pushing back at the media, but advises him to do it with ‘more class’. Plus, if there’s any truth to Baker looking for a trade, Broussard lays out why Baker may get his feelings hurt by what’s waiting for him on the market. https://youtu.be/jMCc-DGNKzA Ambulances in Kansas speed toward hospitals then suddenly change direction because hospitals are full. Employee shortages in New York City cause delays in trash and subway services and diminish the ranks of firefighters and emergency workers. Airport officials shut down security checkpoints at the biggest terminal in Phoenix and schools across the nation struggle to find teachers for their classrooms. The current explosion of omicron-fueled coronavirus infections in the U.S. is causing a breakdown in basic functions and services — the latest illustration of how COVID-19 keeps upending life more than two years into the pandemic. U.S. labor board prosecutors are trying to violate Whole Foods Market’s copyright and constitutional rights by forcing it to let employees wear “Black Lives Matter” masks at work, the Amazon.com Inc. subsidiary claims. In a Dec. 17 filing with the National Labor Relations Board, Whole Foods denied the agency general counsel’s allegations that the company violated federal labor law by banning employees from wearing “Black Lives Matter” insignia and punishing staff around the country who did. The filing is a response to the labor board’s accusation that by prohibiting Black Lives Matter messages at work, the company interfered with employees’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act to engage “in concerted activities for their mutual aid and protection.” Whole Foods counters that it’s the one whose rights are being violated. The company’s filing, obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, accuses the labor board’s general counsel, Jennifer Abruzzo, of trying to unconstitutionally “compel” speech by Whole Foods in violation of its First Amendment rights. The upscale grocer also accuses her of “unlawfully infringing upon and/or diluting WFM’s protected trademarks” by trying to mandate that it allow the display of a “political message in conjunction with” its trademarked uniforms and logos. The New York Police Department’s first black female commissioner has slammed newly elected Manhattan district attorney’s policy ordering prosecutors to downgrade serious crimes because it endangers the lives of New Yorkers – and puts police officer’s lives at risk. Newly appointed commissioner Keechant Sewell sent an email to NYPD officers on Friday saying she’s concerned about the effects of DA Alvin Bragg’s sweeping changes, which include ditching felony armed robbery charges and instead charging suspects with petty larceny – even when a weapon is involved if the firearm did not ‘create a genuine risk of physical harm.’ In a memo sent to his staff, Bragg announced that he will ‘not seek carceral’ sentences for criminals, unless they were guilty of murder or a handful of other crimes he deemed serious enough to warrant prison. ‘I have studied these policies and I am very concerned about the implications to your safety as police officers, the safety of the public and justice for the victims,’ Sewell wrote in the email obtained by the New York Post. Sewell wrote that among her biggest concerns included Bragg’s refusal to prosecute resisting arrest charges unless they part of a larger felony case. A 32-year-old Black veteran and father of three was shot and killed in Fayetteville, North Carolina, this week after a road rage confrontation with a white father and son riding in a pickup truck ended with the motorcyclist being shot in his chest. Stephen Addison was shot by 51-year-old Roger Dale Nobles Sr. as the biker argued with Roger Dale Nobles Jr. on Monday, Jan. 3. Police state Nobles Sr. fired at Addison from the driver’s seat on the inside of his 1992 Chevrolet pickup after his son got out of the vehicle at a stoplight to confront Addison. A bystander shot a video of the confrontation and sent it to local station WRAL. Shot from a distance, the footage only shows Noble Jr. standing outside of the passenger side of the truck and then walking toward Addison. The two appear to be arguing when the shotgun blast comes from the pickup. The video does not record the argument. After Addison falls to the ground from the blast, Nobles Jr. walks away without assisting him. Police and Cumberland County sheriff’s deputies later located Nobles Sr. at his home. After presenting him with a warrant, he and his son were apprehended. Nobles Sr. admitted to shooting Addison, authorities say. One neighbor said, “They put them in handcuffs, and then it went from there. They started searching the truck.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tviTN-oCVO8/hqdefault.jpg A lawsuit seeking to hold a former Collier County sheriff’s deputy accountable for the 2004 disappearance of a Naples man was denied on appeal Wednesday. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, whose firm is representing Terrance Williams’ family, said his team is pursuing other avenues for justice, including sharing information with the U.S. Department of Justice in hopes the agency will open a federal investigation. Terrance Williams was 27 when he disappeared on Jan. 12, 2004, after witnesses saw him get into Steven Calkins’ patrol car in North Naples. Marcia Williams, the mother of Terrance Williams, sued Calkins in a 2018 wrongful death action on behalf of her son’s estate and four children. But the Collier County suit came to an abrupt close in 2021 after Crump’s team missed a deadline to file for trial. Marcia Williams appealed to a Florida appellate court. https://www.naplesnews.com/videos/news/local/2018/09/04/video-tyler-perry-gives-update-case-missing-men/1195855002/ An eighth-grade Livonia Public Schools student who allegedly posted a video that is circulating on social media threatening to kill Black people while he held a gun is no longer in school and was visited by police at home, school officials said on Friday. The nine-second video shows the Emerson Middle School student holding a handgun and saying: “I am ready for the n——. Gonna kill them now because I want a lawsuit right now mother——.” As he speaks, the student adds a magazine to the weapon and racks the slide as if to load the weapon. A Confederate flag hangs on a wall behind him. Livonia police Lt. Charles Lister said his department was notified of the Snapchat video on Dec. 23 and made a visit to the child’s home that day. The gun shown in the video, which is a BB gun or airsoft gun, was confiscated, Lester said. Lester said the video, which was first posted in May, is “reprehensible” but it is not clear it violates any laws. “We currently have an open investigation. We are working with Livonia Public Schools,” Lester said. “At this point, we don’t believe we have anything that rises to the level of criminal activity to submit a warrant request to the prosecutor’s office.” A dozen Black lawmakers and leaders from metro Detroit sued Michigan’s redistricting commission Wednesday, arguing that recently approved state legislative and congressional maps are racially discriminatory and violate the Voting Rights Act. The group is asking the Michigan Supreme Court to order the commission to draw new boundaries that keep “minority-majority” districts intact. The new maps eradicate 17 of the 19 predominantly Black districts in Congress, the state Senate and the state House. “The new voting district maps drawn by the Commission will thwart the Black Civil Rights Movement that this nation is famous for; that this nation is proud of,” attorney Nabih H. Ayad wrote in the suit. “Should this Court not stop the Defendant from implementing their Plans, the Black voters of Michigan will be cast backwards in time to the days before Civil Rights heroes like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks led the fight for the representation that Detroiter’s currently have. The community of interest that is the Detroit Black community, will go from one that can unite to become powerful enough to win the United States presidency for their chosen candidate to one that cannot even elect state congresspersons and senators; no matter what their voter turnout.” Without predominantly Black districts, the lawsuit argues, African Americans will lose representation in Congress and the state Legislature. An N.C. State University professor, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, says museums and researchers should change how they treat Black people and their remains. Ann Ross, a forensic anthropologist who has worked on many cold cases in North Carolina, teaches biological sciences at N.C. State. She and lead author Shanna Williams at the USC School of Medicine Greenville wrote “Ethical dilemmas in skeletal collection utilization: Implications of the Black Lives Matter movement on the anatomical and anthropological sciences.” The article was published in The Anatomical Record last month. “It’s a call to have that conversation,” Ross said in an interview. “These collections — that [forensic researchers] use a lot and have been using, you know, for training and everything — most of them were acquired by dubious means.” In anatomical and anthropological research, skeletal remains are key in and out of the classroom. They are used for training and to study how human societies and their bodies have changed. But Ross and Williams say many of these remains have been collected without consent, in ethically dubious ways, or to advance explicitly racist anthropological theories. “We’re at this tipping point where this discussion of race, and ancestry, and identity really has come to the forefront,” Williams said. “There’s always been those kind of rumblings, but now there’s more of a willingness to face or, perhaps more appropriately, a demand to face these types of issues.” Sabrina Lima said her mom, a nurse, inspired her to pursue a career as a doctor. “I’ve been on medical missionary trips with her, so seeing her in medicine — she’s this amazing woman,” she said. “I just love how she serves others, and I want to serve people in a similar way.” Lima, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, began classes at the Tufts Medical School in the fall. She is part of a small group of Black students pursuing careers as physicians, though that number is increasing as schools adopt new procedures to attract and reduce barriers for students of color. Among Tufts’ 195-member class of 2025, Lima is one of 26 students who identify as Black or African American — a major jump from nine the year before. And across the country, the number of first-year Black students is up 21%, an unprecedented spike since 2020. “We have never seen such an increase within a short amount of time,” said Norma Poll-Hunter, who leads workforce diversity efforts at the Association of Medical Colleges. She points to research that shows, across all races, patients are more likely to report satisfaction with their care when their doctors look like them. But only 5% of the country’s doctors are Black, according to the association’s latest data, released in 2019. “When Black physicians, male physicians are working with Black male patients, we see better outcomes in preventative care or on cardiac care,” Poll-Hunter said. “We’ve also seen that in terms of infant mortality, as well.” Black News Channel, the cable and streaming service aimed at Black audiences, has been hit with a gender discrimination lawsuit by 13 current and former women employees who claim they were paid substantially less than male counterparts and disciplined for being too aggressive in the workplace. The Tallahassee, Fla.-based outfit, which has about 300 employees, is also accused of terminating several of the women last month in retaliation for their complaining to the company’s human resources department. The amended lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Cook County, Ill., is an expansion of a suit filed on behalf of two former employees — Ashley Flete and Claudia Jean — last summer. It seeks class-action status and punitive damages of at least $1 million plus attorneys fees. Several plaintiffs in the suit state they were paid less than their male counterparts. In one case, a female supervisor was allegedly paid less than the men who reported to her. BNC, a privately held company with the majority stake held by Shad Khan, owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, denied the allegations raised in the suit. On CBS’s “The Talk,” Ava DuVernay and Kaci Walfall dish on The CW’s new superhero drama “Naomi.” On her character, ‘Naomi’, Walfall says, “She’s just cool, she’s confident, she’s loved because she isn’t afraid to be herself.” Seeing giant billboards of “Naomi” in Times Square, she admits, “It was really surreal and a dream to be there and to see myself. That was definitely like top five biggest pinch-me moments.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/story/the-talk-ava-duvernay-talks-naomi-normalizing-different-kinds-of-heroes/vi-AASxUIJ Kid Capri is among those dealing with COVID-19 these days. In fact, the legendary DJ Kid took to Instagram on Thursday (01-06-21) to let folks know that he is having a rough time battling the virus. He also urged people to avoid crowds and prioritize staying at home amid the ongoing spread of the virus. Kid Capri told viewers, “I’m sick as sh*t, man. Y’all gotta be careful out there, man. Y’all be careful ’cause it’s bad out there. I’ve been sick for the last three days. F**king head is pounding. Back hurt. I’m pretty far from good. I just wanted to pop on here and tell y’all take care of yourselves, man. F**k them parties. F**k hanging out. If you ain’t gotta be somewhere then don’t go. Just relax, ’cause this sh*t is no joke.” He added: “Force MDs, Jessie D died today,” referring to Force MDs lead vocalist Jessie Lee Daniels. https://www.instagram.com/kidcapri101/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ebede7ed-7e1a-4f82-8986-faefe1442727 #GreysAnatomy star #EllenPompeo accused #DenzelWashington of going “ham” while he directed an episode of the show. It took a while, but now the actor has responded to her comments.? Pompeo appeared on her “Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo” podcast last year, saying it was difficult for her to work with Washington when he helmed “The Sound of Silence,” which was the ninth episode of the 12th season of Grey’s Anatomy.? She also told Patrick Dempsey, who happened to be a guest on the podcast, that she and Washington “went at it” after she improvised a line of dialogue.? During Washington’s recent interview with Variety, he said that he doesn’t recall the incident and insists things are all good.? When asked about Pompeo’s comments, he replied, “No, no,” and then added that he cannot recall having a spat with Pompeo while on set. With a “slight grin,” as interviewer Clayton Davis noted, he then said, “But it’s all good.”? https://www.instagram.com/p/CYdAZDsNK7F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Blue Ivy Carter the daughter of Beyonce and Jay Z turned 10 on Friday. Among the b-day salutes she received was this one from her grandmother, Tina Knowles-Lawson. “My beautiful Talented and super smart Grandaughter Blue Ivy turned 10 today,” the “Talks With Mama Tina” podcast host wrote on Instagram. “God it seemed like yesterday you came into the world running things. Blue is my little Capricorn Twin.” Lawson had even more to say about her beloved granddaughter. “I prayed for her to be born on my birthday, but she did what she always does, she came when she got good and ready ??three days later, but we still share the bond,” she shared. “She reminds me that ‘Grandma you are acting just like a Capricorn.’ Blue gives the best advice like a grown person I sometimes forget that she is so young!!!??!??. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mJLckxuk-f4/hqdefault.jpg ? Sally Moore’s belief in her power to “make magic” is unshakable. As Moore has faced challenges dished out by law school, high-stakes litigation cases and competitive entrepreneurial competitions, along with the destructive impact of breast cancer on her support circle, the magic has still been with her. Even during this present time of uncertainty for many, due to a global pandemic that does not seem to be lessening, Moore’s response is guided by her own magic, which in this instance involves opening a new business in the city she loves. “Energy is going to flood the space and we’ll watch what grows from having a collective group of individuals that are going in the same direction,” said Moore, four days before the grand opening of Parker Avenue in Rivertown, the only Black woman-owned yarn shop in the city of Detroit. A practicing attorney for 25 years and a self-described student of people for even longer, Moore has added “business owner” to her resume to “positively impact socioeconomic and racial disparity” in Detroit. More Black Americans are choosing plants. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 8% of African Americans identify as vegan or vegetarian compared to just 3% of the general population. Many people of color say they switched to a plant-based diet for the environment, animal rights and their health. Levi Tafari is the owner of The Good Life Food Truck in St. Petersburg. The business opened a little more than a year ago with a goal to veganize familiar foods. Tafari said he thinks more people of color are switching over to a plant-based diet because of the increase of information about nutrition currently available. “In this era, the age of information, I think people realize that it’s in the food we eat. It plays a role in our health.” Meanwhile, across the Bay in Tampa, Nick Alami is the owner of The Vegan Halal Cart with an all-vegan menu of gyros, wraps and shawarmas. He said about 40% to 60% of his clients are people of color. “It’s definitely growing in terms of people of color who want to participate more in a plant-based diet,” said Alami. Jean Oriol says he switched over to a plant-based diet four years ago to improve his health. “I could never forget my doctor, he was like, ‘you look like a Lamborghini with bad parts in it.’ And that changed my life,” said Oriol. According to Express, (via MSN) efforts have been made to eliminate private car ownership. A new measure in Southern California, the 2021 Regional Transportation Plan, was recently passed by the San Diego Association of Government’s board of directors. The Plan is a $160 billion initiative is an effort to boost public transportation for the metropolitan area. With such a price attached to the Plan, the question is how do officials fund it. Express notes of the options on the table, which is to levy a per-mile driving tax against citizens. Critics of the Plan and other fines and fees associated with it say that these options are designed to eliminate personal vehicle ownership for everyone but the wealthy. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eEDoITcc46Q/hqdefault.jpg On Friday, sentences for the three men who were found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery have been handed down. The judge in the case, Timothy Walmsley, sentenced the three killers to life in prison, two of them without the possibility of parole. https://youtu.be/IQVA4uTBahk An NFL spokesperson recently said that the Super Bowl will take place in L.A. as originally planned, despite reports that replacement venues are being considered. The NFL is said to be eyeing a move to Dallas’ AT&T Stadium because of California’s strict mask mandate. But an NFL official said that Super Bowl LVI is still on for the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Feb. 13, per NBC Los Angeles. https://youtu.be/VdzUyYPN2S8 Screen legend and civil rights activist Sidney Poitier has passed away at age 94. His death was announced by the Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Independent reported. The actor was a dual citizen of the U.S. and the Bahamas, and served from 1997-2007 as Bahamian Ambassador to Japan, per TMZ. Poitier’s cause of death has yet to be confirmed. Tributes are pouring in on social media amid news of his passing. In a tweet, Emmy-winning actor Jeffrey Wright called Poitier “one of a kind” and noted his classic film “To Sir With Love.” Sidney’s legendary screen roles also include 1967’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and Detective Virgil Tibbs in “In the Heat of the Night” in 1967. “What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man,” Wright wrote. “RIP, Sir. With love.” Poitier was the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor for his starring role in “Lilies of the Field” in 1963. In 2009, President Barack Obama presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Poitier for his tireless civil rights activism. Poitier is survived by his 6 daughters and wife of 45 years, Joanna. A savage attack captured on surveillance video shows a man suddenly and inexplicably strangling a woman with his shoelace, then pummeling her until a stranger comes to her rescue. The incident took place at a bus stop near Miami International Airport where riders pick up their rental cars. A woman was seated on the bench when a man who was tying his shoes, 27-year-old Aaron Quiñones, walked behind her with the shoelace and began strangling her. They struggled and fell to the ground. Quinones then began punching the woman repeatedly before a bystander carefully intervened, eventually grabbing him from behind before the video stops. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYXO1VXh08Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Peter Bogdanovich, the legendary director of “The Last Picture Show,” died shortly after midnight Thursday at his home. He was 82.The Oscar-nominated writer-director died of natural causes in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles, his daughter, Antonia Bogdanovich, shared Thursday with The Hollywood Reporter (THR). https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FIb9OCCVgAANhHj?format=jpg&name=small Jessie Lee Daniels, founding member of the R&B group Force MDs, has died, the group announced via Facebook on Tuesday (Jan. 4). He was 58. No cause of death has been revealed at this time. “To one hell of a entertainer ‘Jessie D’ of legendary Force MDs. He ate, sleep and breathe music everyday,” read Force MDs’ message. “Please put a heart up for him. He was loved!!!!!!!!!! To the family, friends and fans today we lost a real talent. Our condolences goes out to his siblings, kids and the Force MDs….” Daniels was born July 4, 1963, in Staten Island, New York, where he and his nephews Stevie D. Lundy, Antoine “T.C.D.” Lundy and Rodney “Khalil” Lundy formed Force MDs — which stands for “Musical Diversity” — in 1981. Their friends “Trisco” Pearson and Charles “Mercury” Nelson later joined. Lawrence N. Brooks, the oldest World War II veteran in the U.S. — and believed to be the oldest man in the country, period — died Wednesday at the age of 112, reports the Associated Press. Born on Sept. 12, 1909, Brooks was known for his good-natured sense of humor, positivity and kindness. When asked for his secret to a long life, he often said, “serving God and being nice to people.” “I don’t have no hard feelings toward nobody,” he said during a 2014 oral history interview with the National WWII Museum (watch above). “I just want everything to be lovely, to come out right. I want people to have fun and enjoy themselves — be happy and not sad.” https://youtu.be/xbmAGqDA3ew On Thursday, former #NFL running back #ClintonPortis was sentenced to six months in prison and six months of home confinement after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.? Portis pled guilty in September to defrauding the program of nearly $100,000 by filing bogus medical equipment claims.? According to court documents, Portis permitted former NFL linebacker Robert McCune to make reimbursement claims for an oxygen chamber and a cryosauna on his behalf.? https://www.instagram.com/p/CYcBbi0lhOH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Gymnast Sunisa Lee recently revealed her new relationship to the world via an Instagram post. The Olympic gold medalist is now dating USC football player Jaylin Smith. The couple seemed very happy and comfortable with one another as they snuggled up from the gram. Smith, who plays defensive back for the Trojans was a standout Freshman who played in 9 games, had 11 tackles, a forced fumble, a sack, and inception. The former Bishop Alemany High star also appeared on Snoop Dogg’s Netflix show, “Coach Snoop.” After Suni Lee announced their relationship, she revealed that she’s been facing serious backlash from some of her fellow Hmong Americans because her boyfriend Jaylin Smith is black. https://www.instagram.com/sunisalee/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=01e35051-89e7-4d74-8ad4-b0f766c8bbd4 Last weekend, former Ohio State defensive back Marcus Williamson, who apparently retired from football before the Buckeyes’ Rose Bowl game on Saturday, posted a lengthy Twitter thread recalling his experiences as a “young Black college athlete at the highest level.” Much of what Williamson had to say about the team was unflattering and had to do specifically with the exploitation of young Black athletes, an issue that has plagued college sports for some time now. And mentioned in the tweet-storm was former OSU football coach Urban Meyer, who left the team after the 2018 Rose Bowl and was fired as Jacksonville Jaguars coach last month. But there was one tweet from Williamson that stood out and sent Black Twitter into an easily understandable frenzy. Williamson revealed that in 2017, a team staffer used a photo of Trayvon Martin to illustrate a rule barring players from wearing hoodies in the football building. According to TMZ, On Sunday, Meyer denied the photo was used to enforce the rule and said Williamson’s tweets were way out of line. https://twitter.com/WW_Marcus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1477450297018654720%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4271922%2Fohio-state-football-team-staffer-used-a-photo-of-trayvon-martin-to-enforce-teams-no-hoodie-rule%2F The Karen videos keep getting wilder and wilder while offering more proof that Black people can’t mind their own business in peace without the entitled and privileged whites trying to assert their perceived authority over us. In the latest episode of The Wild And Washclothless, a white couple got all in their feelings when a Black man was served before them at a Hilton hotel in Rio de Janeiro on New Year’s Day, according to the Daily Dot. The Black man reportedly had priority as a Diamond member, but that fact didn’t stop an unhinged and violent white woman from attacking the Black man and getting her partner knocked out in the process. https://twitter.com/i/status/1477181245750755331 Dr. Dre could lose millions if his star-studded Super Bowl LVI halftime show is canceled due to COVID. As reported by TMZ, Dre is fronting the majority of the money for the show, which is scheduled to go down on Feb. 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The event is expected to feature Eminem, Snoop, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige. Since its creation, Amazon’s gender recognition software (“Rekognition“) has been on the wrong side of the radar for people of color. Former First Lady Michelle Obama and Serena Williams are experiencing first-hand how off the mark the company’s controversial system is, as it identified the women as men. Although the error is very hard to swallow, Sandra Rose cited MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini in revealing Amazon’s reaction, noting how the tech giant was dismissive in reiterating that its software is not “facial recognition, it’s gender recognition.” Still, Amazon’s gender and facial recognition software has more than enough critics who have put the system on blast for displaying gender and racial bias. A look at recent studies led by Buolamwini adds weight to the complaints as they found Amazon facial recognition software flawed with huge racial and gender bias on its part. https://youtu.be/NlJSDa_zLiQ Meagan Good says she is focusing on her continued therapy sessions following her divorce from pastor DeVon Franklin. Good and Franklin announced last month that they are calling it quits after nine years of marriage. The actress appeared on “The Real” on Wednesday where she opened up about her personal growth over the past year. “It’s been amazing, like so many transitions,” she said, as reported by People.”Projects that I prayed for, just health transitions, just taking a moment to really take everything in and get myself, my spirit, my soul ready for 40.” Good added, “It’s been a whirlwind with the show and the movies. It’s crazy. It’s a blessing.” https://youtu.be/XLEYKUlvQf0 The newest and third installment of WE tv’s ‘Love After Lockup/Life After Lockup’ franchise, “Love During Lockup,” premieres TONIGHT (Jan. 7), and follows even more riveting firsts through the early stages of love, with plenty of romance, suspicion, and investigation, all long before a scheduled prison release. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9hb5_ZA0jc0/hqdefault.jpg Larsa Pippen has finalized her divorce from NBA icon Scottie Pippen after more than 20 years together. “I can confirm that Scottie and Larsa Pippen are now divorced and that the divorce was finalized on December 15, 2021,” said Larsa’s attorney David Glass in a statement, EW reports. “All issues were resolved amicably. The parties are now focusing successfully co-parenting their remaining minor children.” Scottie initially filed for divorce in October 2016 and he and Larsa would go on to attempt a reconciliation. The divorce was called off until Larsa refiled two years later, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. We reported at the time that the former couple had multiple issues over the years — including reports of infidelity and spousal abuse. Prior to Larsa’s filing, cops came to their former family home for domestic disturbance calls, but no one was arrested. During one call, Larsa told cops Scottie scared her, TMZ reported. Rapper Jim Jones is trying to clean up a mess he created by running his mouth and saying crazy things that’s now come back to bite him. What he said about his mama Nancy showing him how to tongue kiss. Yep, he’s tryin’ to clarify his remarks once he became a trending topic on Twitter. “For the record, I love my momma more than anything in the world,” he said in an Instagram video. “And for the record, it was a joke. People take things way too far. It don’t bother us anyway, but let’s get it clear. That’s weak what y’all trying to project.” Jim Jones also tried to downplay the controversy in the post’s caption. “Knock it off enjoy the laugh stop takin life so serious,” he wrote. “Th media loves to take something so simple and tune into a head line smh lol. Stop it 5. My child hood was better than urs and I was raised to b a respectful young man by nothin but queens. But carry on don’t forget to stream. We set th trends Thnku for all th support.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYaFGVuqOtk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Singer-songwriter DOE, aka Dominique Jones, banks her second straight career-opening leader as a soloist on the Gospel Airplay chart, as “Brighter” hops from No. 5 to No. 1 on the list dated Jan. 8. In the tracking week ending Jan. 2, the single increased by 24% in plays, according to MRC Data. “Brighter” is DOE’s second solo Gospel Airplay entry and her first in a lead role. As featured on Travis Greene’s “Good & Loved,” she led for a week last May. (The song became Greene’s fifth No. 1.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykEUTNoFhaA One of the Dove Awards' highlights was an electric performance by Jonny x Mali. The seamless mash-up of "Best Thing" and "Jump Ship" was the experience we didn't even know we needed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK4rdlskLPM ONE MORE TIME: KORYN HAWTHORNE AT THE DOVE AWARDShttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6RR00sorE4 How can we best describe the meteoric rise of Blacksmoke recording artist Pastor Mike, Jr. other than AMAZING. In just a short time, this media influencer and celebrated life catalyst has admonished people from all walks of life to follow their passions and dream BIG, that was followed with the 'nu school" hymn of affirmation and actualization I Got It, today the 2021 Stellar Awards Artist of the Year echoes his awe inspiring Stellar Awards performance with the release of AMAZING. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8096502?date=20210730&user_id=668306&signature=aiYgZH8kf2zYq-8gYYCH7HhWavI%3AYE1IYNeq Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) and the Congressional Black Caucus released the reflections on the anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection: “We watched in horror as armed insurrectionists laid siege to the seat of our democracy. We feared for our lives and the lives of our staff. We bunkered down and sent prayers up — despite this, former President Trump refused to call off his sea of sycophantic supporters hoping to dismantle democracy as we know it. That infamous day is a painful stain that will resonate for years to come,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty. “January 6, 2021, is just one of the reasons why it is paramount we remain committed to ensuring voting rights are a priority. Passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act will fortify our democratic process, combat barriers to the ballot box, and targeted gerrymandering of our districts. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action so that we never see a day like January 6th, 2021 again.” Former President Jimmy Carter has warned democracy is in danger, that there is a risk of ‘civil conflict’ and urged Americans to ‘set aside their differences’. Writing in an op-ed in the New York Times as part of a series to mark the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, Mr Carter said that ‘our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss.’ He said he had hoped the breach of the Capitol would have ‘shocked the nation into addressing the toxic polarization that threatens our democracy’ but lamented that it had not. ‘Our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss. Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late,’ he wrote. Last year, the 97-year-old joined fellow former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in denouncing the Capitol insurrection as Congress was certifying Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election. And on Wednesday, Mr Carter set out five steps ‘for American democracy to endure’ including that people ‘of all political stripes’ must agree on fundamental constitutional principles and the rule of law. He also called for the US to pass electoral reforms; resist the polarization of politics; recognize that violence has no place in politics; and stop the spread of disinformation. It comes as President Joe Biden prepares to mark the anniversary of the insurrection today with a speech blaming then-President Trump for the ‘chaos and carnage.’ The social media accounts Rosalind Page created are not easy to scroll through. On them, the names and photos of Black women and girls lost to violence appear one after another. There you will find the smiling face of Hope Cutts, a 43-year-old woman who was killed on Christmas Eve. There you will find the barrette-framed face of Aziya Matthews, a 3-year-old who was murdered on Dec. 20. There you will find the faces of 26-year-old Tabitha Collard, 54-year-old Jeazell Woodruff and 16-year-old Azariah Miller, all taken too soon from their communities. Page is a 52-year-old nurse who has been working in the health-care industry since she was 20 years old. She is also a Black mother of four daughters and someone who noticed about seven years ago that Black women and girls seemed to be dying at the hands of others at an “unacceptable rate.” “Not that any rate is acceptable,” she tells me on a recent evening. “But it was such a high rate I couldn’t understand why nothing was being said or done about it.” She also couldn’t understand why it wasn’t easier to find clear, accessible information about the victims. The numbers collected by federal agencies seemed an undercount to her, based on what she was seeing in the medical field and in the news. She also noticed the names and stories of the women and girls were scattered across news sites and often squeezed into briefs that said little about them. Several Midstate mayors were sworn in on Monday, but one is making history and that’s Gettysburg’s Rita Frealing. She’s the first African American and the first woman in the job. Frealing says there were many emotions in reaching this historic moment but also says it’s time to get to work. In position and set to be an ambassador for her community, Mayor of Gettysburg Rita Frealing says the community of Gettysburg molded her to who she is currently. https://www.abc27.com/news/local/breaking-barriers-first-african-american-and-woman-swore-in-as-mayor-of-gettysburg/ Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Wednesday formally pardoned Homer Plessy, the long-dead civil rights pioneer whose stand against racial segregation led to an infamous U.S. Supreme Court case. Edwards issued the pardon on the grounds of what is now the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, where Plessy bought a ticket for a train to Covington as part of an 1892 challenge to Louisiana’s racist Jim Crow laws. Plessy, a Creole man of African descent, was ultimately convicted of sitting in a Whites-only section of the train. Keith Plessy, his first cousin thrice removed, hailed the pardon as he stood near Edwards on Wednesday. “I feel like my feet are not touching the ground today, because the ancestors are carrying me,” Plessy said. After he was kicked off the train, Homer Plessy was charged in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. His case wound up in the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices said in the notorious 1896 decision Plessy v. Ferguson that Louisiana’s “separate but equal” laws were constitutional. Plessy pleaded guilty 125 years ago this month. He died in 1925, the conviction still on his record. The ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson stood until the Supreme Court reversed segregation laws, starting with Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. Airbnb hosts in Oregon will soon be blocked from initially seeing the full names of guests, in an experiment aimed at curbing discrimination against Black travelers, the booking service announced. For two years, starting on Jan. 31, vacation landlords in Oregon offering houses and apartments for rent via the popular travel website will be able to see only the first initials of prospective guests. The guests’ full names will appear only after the booking is confirmed, Airbnb said. An Airbnb representative couched the policy change as an experiment in one state. “Given that the impact of this change is unknown, the implementation will be limited” to Oregon, Airbnb spokeswoman Liz DeBold Fusco said in a statement to NBC News on Tuesday. The COVID-19 Omicron variant is punishing small businesses across America, including those run by Black entrepreneurs. A fresh Alignable’s Omicron Pulse Poll shows that 69% of minority business owners are worried that the latest variant will affect their recovery and could hurt their business. That was the highest rate out of four different business segments surveyed. Minority businesses are not the only ones expressing concerns; 52% of women small business owners—or most of those firms—have similar sentiments. An online referral network for small businesses, Alignable’s poll last month of 5,632 small business owners reveals overall that 44% of small businesses are concerned about Omicron hurting their economic recovery, which was already challenging before the most recent poll. The latest figures show that minority businesses fear being hit harder by Omicron than some of their small business peers. Kanye West will headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, a source close to the artist said Wednesday. The news was first reported by Billboard. West (who now goes by Ye) is in the final stages of confirming festival-closing sets on consecutive Sundays, April 17 and 24. The April 17 set, which falls on Easter Sunday, would reportedly be a version of his Sunday Service gospel-themed show, which West brought to Coachella in 2019. An official announcement from Coachella promoter Goldenvoice is expected in the next few days. Other rumored headliners and top acts include Billie Eilish and the reunited EDM trio Swedish House Mafia. West recently performed at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Dec. 9 with Drake, in a benefit show for the imprisoned former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover. He released his latest album, “Donda,” on Aug. 29, after a string of high-profile listening sessions. Global superstar, actress and activist Becky G released the latest episode of her Facebook Watch show, “Face to Face with Becky G.” She is joined by country singer and multi-Grammy nominee Mickey Guyton who shares her personal experiences confronting racism and sexism in the world of country music as a Black female artist. Guyton talks to host Becky G about how her destiny in music ultimately found her when meeting Nick Cannon’s DJ, DJ D-Wrek. “So, really, truly, your destiny finds you. And so of all the places, of all the people, I met this DJ,” Guyton shares on the show. “Like, Nick Cannon’s DJ, DJ D-Wrek. I ran into him and he said, ‘Hey, like, don’t you sing?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I do.’ He goes, ‘Well, what kind of music do you sing?’ This was a hip-hop DJ, okay? So I’m thinking, like, he has no connection to help me. And I was like, ‘Well, I sing country music.’ And he goes, ‘My boy, Julian, has been looking for a Black female country singer.’” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=601474704299405 Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o is the latest celebrity to test positive for COVID-19, a diagnosis which forced the star to cancel virtual interviews for her new movie “The 355.” Nyong’o shared news of her test results on social media, tweeting, “I too have tested positive for COVID-19. I’m fully vaccinated and taking care in isolation, so I trust I will be well. Please do all you can to keep yourself and others protected from serious illness.” The actor added the hashtag “#StayMaskedAndVaxxed” at the end of her message. Prior to testing positive, Nyong’o intended to join her co-stars Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Fan Bingbing, Sebastian Stan and director Simon Kinberg for a round of virtual interviews promoting the espionage thriller, which lands in theaters on Friday. Nyong’o plays Khadijah, a former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist, in the fast-paced, globe-trotting movie which brings together a formidable foursome of top agents (Chastain, Kruger, Nyong’o and Cruz) as they try to retrieve a top-secret weapon that’s fallen into mercenary hands, all while staying one step ahead of the mysterious Lin Mi Sheng (Fan), who is tracking their every move. Things aren’t looking great for one of hip-hop artist 2Chainz‘s businesses. Workers at one of his restaurants in Atlanta have accused the rapper of hiring a manager who is a known sex offender and maintaining an environment that is harmful to the employees who work there. Also, the business is also accused of issuing bounced checks. An employee at Escobar Restaurant & Tapas posted the accusations and misdeeds to her Instagram account last week. Shalyse (playgirllysiee) posted on December 20 that the general manager, Lawrence Robertson, shot at her as she was leaving the restaurant. Shalyse didn’t know why he would attempt to shoot her but that he “fled the scene” before facing any repercussions. After stating that no one from management checked in on her, 2Chainz’s co-owner, Snoop (Mychel Dillard), actually rehired Robertson to work at the other restaurant the two co-own, Esco Seafood despite knowing what he had done that night. The Manhattan Theatre Club’s Broadway production of Dominique Morisseau’s Skeleton Crew starring Phylicia Rashad has canceled performances through Sunday, Jan. 9, due to breakthrough Covid cases within the company. The play’s opening night, originally scheduled for Jan. 19, will be moved to a later date. Previews are expected to resume the week of Jan. 10. Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Skeleton Crew began performances Dec. 27 at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The production marks the play’s Broadway debut. In addition to Rashad, the cast includes Chanté Adams, Joshua Boone, Brandon J. Dirden and Adesola Osakalumi. There are white teachers who have no business teaching Black students and then there are teachers who don’t belong anywhere near a classroom at all. One “educator” who was recently fired from a Louisville, Kentucky, high school appears to fit both descriptions. Meet William Bennett. According to Louisville Courier-Journal, Bennett was a teacher at Marion C. Moore High School up until December when he was finally terminated more than three months after being caught on video fighting a Black student back in August. Bennett can be seen in footage recorded by a bystander pinning the Black teen to the ground while other students attempted to pull him off. The video also shows Bennett forcefully grabbing the student’s hair and bending him over while the student swung blindly. https://twitter.com/i/status/1431243510695464968 The HBCU community received some disturbing news to start the New Year. Multiple institutions were on alert after receiving threats of potential violence on Tuesday. Howard University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, Prairie View A&M University, Texas Southern University, Xavier University of Louisiana and other historically Black colleges and universities each received bomb threats on Tuesday. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com During a Tuesday press conference in which the mayor urged businesses to return to the office instead of working remotely so employees can better protect themselves from Omicron and the pandemic, Adams made a mistake one would usually expect from conservative Republicans—he referred to undervalued laborers as “low skilled.” Adams went on to say that businesses need to remind workers that they are part of the “ecosystem of this city” and that means contributing to its economy. “My low-skilled workers, my cooks, my dishwashers, my messengers, my shoe-shine people, those who work at Dunkin’ Donuts—they don’t have the academic skills to sit in the corner office,” he continued. https://twitter.com/i/status/1478455659054223366 Considering the mounting opposition to critical race theory, it’s important to put the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in its proper historical perspective and document the decidedly racist elements that helped fuel the riots and define that moment’s legacy. One year after the violent uprising that left five people dead, a glaring double standard along racial lines remains impossible to ignore for anyone paying attention. The purpose of the so-called “Stop the Steal” rally was to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden‘s presidential election based on “the big lie” that nonexistent voter fraud played a role in his victory over Donald Trump, a racist whose rhetoric is being blamed for helping to incite the rioters. But if you peel back a few layers of that racist onion, you might recall how Trump falsely blamed states with significant Black voting populations that provided the deciding electoral college votes to secure Biden’s win. https://twitter.com/i/status/1346920198461419520 Last Jan. 6, photographer Mel D. Cole had only recently turned his lens from musical events to political ones. That day, he simply planned to capture President Donald Trump’s rally near the White House. He had no idea how the day would unfold. His compelling images show rioters struggling with police, tending to their pepper-sprayed eyes, forcing their way into the Capitol and dragging an officer down the building’s steps. “In no way, shape or fashion did I expect people to do what they did that day,” he said. “Some people got in [to the Capitol], there were fights, there was craziness. It was the craziest day of my entire life. Cole remembers feeling panic set in as the rioters made their way to the Capitol after Trump’s speech at the rally. “Walking down to the Capitol building,” he said, “that’s when I started to fear for my life.” Before he began shooting protests and riots, Cole spent decades as a music photographer, capturing images of hip-hop and R&B stars, including Kid Cudi, Snoop Dogg, SZA and Kanye West. A suspect wanted in connection to the murder of rapper Young Dolph has been identified by U.S. Marshals. A warrant has been issued by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for 23-year-old Justin Johnson, Complex reports. Authorities and Crime Stoppers are offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Johnson is facing a first-degree murder charge. “Johnson has ties to organized criminal gangs and should be considered armed and dangerous,” according to a statement posted Wednesday on the Twitter account of the Memphis Police Department in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. https://youtu.be/6GswayYSx-k Looking radiant, well-rested and sporting a sweatshirt with the words “Over It,” Whoopi Goldberg dropped into “The View” Wednesday to update viewers on her health after testing positive for COVID-19. https://youtu.be/VzlHCMu7_Io Jill Scott sparked pandemonium on Twitter Tuesday night when she became a trending topic on the platform over an explicit sex tape that doesn’t exist. “Jill Scott sex tape? Somebody link me please,” read one tweet, as reported by Rap-Up. Another Twitter user asked, “What’s this bout Jill Scott? And most importantly where.” A third joked: “If Jill Scott got a sextape ….. I’m calling out of work tomorrow.” That fact that there is no evidence that such a tape exists, Scott’s fans seem to be relentless in their pursuit of the clip, with one tweet reading: “The way we’re all searching for this link among these tweets and finding a whole lotta nothing…” “I sing/act out all kinds of stories. You should cum to my shows,” she joked at the time. “After a Jill Scott show, most people get splendidly laid by whoever they came with…They also usually go on 2happier, more productive, focused, wealthy lives.” https://youtu.be/dDCQbYplqRA Tampa Bay wide receiver Antonio Brown released a statement via his lawyer explaining why he removed his jersey during Sunday night’s game against the Jets and walked off the field. The move reportedly prompted Bucs head coach Bruce Arians to boot Brown from the team after he said he was too hurt to continue playing. Brown had missed several games due to an injured ankle and apparently, the athlete had not fully recovered ahead of Sunday’s match-up against the Jets. “Coach was telling me that if I didn’t play hurt, I was done with the Bucs,” Brown claimed. After his refusal to play because of his ankle injury, he claims Arians “threw me out like an animal,” Brown added. “I said, ‘Coach, I can’t.’ He didn’t call for medical attention. Instead, he shouted at me, ‘YOU’RE DONE!’ while he ran his finger across his throat. Coach was telling me that if I didn’t play hurt, then I was done with the Bucs.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1477736729331343362 The team announced Thursday that Brown’s contract has been terminated effective immediately. In a statement, the Bucs claimed the wide receiver never indicated he was too hurt to play in last Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. Brown, on the other hand, claimed in a lengthy statement released yesterday that he did inform the club that he could not play, however, Coach Bruce Arians still wanted him in the game. “While Antonio did receive treatment on his ankle and was listed on the injury report the week leading up to last Sunday’s game, he was cleared to play by our medical team prior to the start of the game and at no point during the game did he indicate to our medical personnel that he could not play.” “We have attempted, multiple times throughout this week, to schedule an evaluation by an outside orthopedic specialist, yet Antonio has not complied. Maintaining the health and wellness of our players is of the utmost importance to our organization,” the Bucs said Thursday. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYZfOCjJAvX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Model Chanel Iman and New York Giants player Sterling Shepard are divorcing after 4 years of marriage. As reported by Page Six, Shepard reportedly filed for divorce from Iman on June 7, 2021, citing irreconcilable differences that “existed for at least six months” prior to Shepard’s filing. The documents note there is “no reasonable prospect of reconciliation.” Shepard is requesting joint legal custody of their two children. https://youtu.be/dPm5bnz0GNo Don Lemon clapped back at his haters during a drunken rant while hosting CNN’s live New Year’s Eve celebration stream along with fellow anchor Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulce Sloan on December 31. Lemon’s antics became meme material on social media. During the broadcast, he ranted about his “haters” and why they target him. “I don’t give a — what you think about me, what do you think about that. I am who I am,” Lemon said. “I’m a grown, successful black man who a lot of people hate because they’re not used to people seeing me – and people like me – in the position that I am. To be able to share what I…my point of view on television, it freaks people out. And you know what? You can kiss my behind. I do not care.” Lemon continued, “I don’t care. I really don’t care. I have one life and this is who I am and I feel very, um…” before Sloan completed his sentence by saying: “blessed”. “To be able to do this. So all the hate I get? It’s motivation to me. Bring it, I don’t care.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1477160183742840836 Urban One announced the superstar group of honorees for the upcoming URBAN ONE HONORS including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Lifetime Achievement; Timbaland, Music Innovation; Gamble and Huff, Living Legends; Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Inspirational Impact; and Oscar, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Jennifer Hudson, Entertainment Icon. Hosted by Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and producer Ne-Yo, the two-hour telecast premieres Monday, January 17, 2022, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, at 8/7c, on TV One and Cleo TV, a division of Urban One. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHkNV8xJuhE Line Sisters follows four sorority sisters- Valerie (LeToya Luckett), Cassandra (Kierra Sheard-Kelly), Simona (Ta’Rhonda Jones) and Dominique (Drew Sidora) – as they reunite at a Black Greek Weekend celebration held on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Having pledged the Alpha Beta Omega Sorority, Inc., they share more than the bonds of sisterhood, after the mysterious death of the dean of pledges 15 years prior. But the past comes knocking on their door as they arrive to the island and strange and inexplicable things begin to happen to each one of them, threatening to unearth the deadly secret that may tear them apart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2db5kvVD-E CLEO TV will air a the season finale of CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Wednesday, January 5th at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPzuwyXj8C4 Powerhouse real estate broker and designer Egypt Sherrod and her husband, builder Mike Jackson, know plenty about juggling booming property businesses, pleasing clients, managing a home and raising three daughters—and they make it look effortless and fun in their new HGTV series Married to Real Estate. In the eight-episode season, which premieres on Thursday, Jan. 13, at 9 p.m. ET/PT and is available to stream on discovery+, Egypt and Mike will marry their considerable complementary talents to help families land a perfect home in their ideal neighborhood. Egypt will leverage her knowledge of the housing market, financial prowess, and design sensibilities—skills she honed in her business life and as the star of her HGTV hit series Property Virgins and Flipping Virgins—to find affordable houses in desirable Metro Atlanta locations for her clients. And, with smart expenditures that yield breathtaking results, Mike and his team will renovate the properties to help increase their value and return on investment. Collide Distribution and Iconic Events announce the release of inspirational film TYSON'S RUN. Featuring Major Dodson ("The Walking Dead," "American Horror Story," LEFT BEHIND), Rory Cochrane (ARGO, "CSI: Miami"), Amy Smart (THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT, JUST FRIENDS), Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi (CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, BLADE RUNNER 2049) and Reno Wilson ("Mike and Molly," "The Cosby Show"), TYSON'S RUN will release in select movie theaters nationwide on March 4, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEqSj5esw7k The Gospel Spotlight's "Firm Foundation (He Won't)" written by Chandler Moore, Cody Carnes & Austin Davis. This video was captured in Chicago, IL during Maverick City’s national tour, Welcome to Maverick City, October 1st, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOP4s8fOEm0 A conservative journalist for the Christian Broadcasting Network David Brody, didn’t even bother waiting for the subject of BLM to come up before he lashed out at the movement because *checks notes* he made the decision to drive in the snow Monday. “Today in DC. They knew a snowstorm was coming for days,” Brody tweeted accompanied by a photo he presumably took of the icy D.C. road he was driving on (which is a weird thing to do if one is concerned for their safety). “Apparently, ‘black lives matter’ but the lives of people driving in a snowstorm don’t.” Brody eventually tried to clear things up by pretending those responding to him were the ones who were lacking in logic. “Congratulations to those who have misunderstood my words,” he wrote. “Not surprising on Twitter. I’m not talking about black people. I’m talking about the BLM movement and the support they get from the DC Government. Settle down trolls.” Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet is now former Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet now that she has finally resigned following the fallout from an N-word-laced rant being caught on camera and going viral. First, let’s just acknowledge a tiny bit of sweet irony. A Black man allegedly tried to burglarize Odinet’s home setting off a series of events that led to a racist judge removing herself from the bench and away from a position to hold the lives or livelihoods of Black defendants in her hands. I’m not saying the Black man should have tried to rob her, I’m just saying the universe works in mysterious ways. https://twitter.com/i/status/1470957535675006979 Kamala Harris aide has said adios and joined the exodus of staffers leaving the vice president’s office amid claims of turmoil and dysfunction. On Wednesday, CNBC reported that Vincent Evans, Harris’ deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs, has quit to take on a role on Capitol Hill. The now another ex-Harris staffer is departing the VP’s office to join the Congressional Black Caucus, which is chaired by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) and advocates for minorities. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yxDLKgO9jvw/hqdefault.jpg Manhattan’s new district attorney Alvin Bragg has ordered his staff to stop seeking prison sentences for a slew of low-level offenses, and to only seek bail in certain cases. Bragg’s prosecutors are to never seek life sentences for any crime, according to a memo sent to employees on Monday, the New York Post reports. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Q9Nfhp4eeg/hqdefault.jpg Teachers in the nation’s third-largest school district voted Tuesday for a temporary return to remote learning amid the omicron surge, and city leaders reacted by canceling classes for most of the district’s 330,000 students. The Chicago Teachers Union voted late Tuesday to pause in-person learning in the nation’s third-largest school district and work remotely until Jan. 18, or until the current surge in COVID-19 cases dips below a particular threshold. The move has angered Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who accuses the teachers of hindering the district’s 330,000 students unnecessarily. https://cbsloc.al/3HG4xRB George Floyd’s 4-year-old great niece Arianna Delane was hit by a stray bullet while asleep in her Houston bedroom, in what her father claimed was a targeted attack of their home. Arianna survived the shooting and is recovering following emergency surgery for a punctured lung and liver. She also suffered three broken ribs. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-sIWnZSRoSk/hqdefault.jpg A mother and Mississippi police officer was in for a terrible surprise after she was dispatched to respond to a shooting that had taken place Sunday night. Upon arriving to the scene, Officer Laquandia Cooley found her son dead. “We initially responded to the call, not knowing when I made it over there, the person was going to be my son that was laying there,” Officer Cooley told WLBT-TV. “As we get out, I look and I was like, ‘This is my son, this is my son.’ So, I literally just go into a break down you know? Like, why? Who would do this to my son?” “I couldn’t even believe what I was seeing,” she said. “I was seeing my own son laying there on the ground dead. It was pretty much a panic. It was just, it was too much.” Cooley’s 20-year-old son, Charles Stewart Jr., died from a gunshot wound to the head. The family says his death is traumatizing. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYWaX-sKYUS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Nicki Minaj has denied bribing the woman who was allegedly raped by the rapper’s husband in 1994. The woman, Jennifer Hough, is locked in a legal battle with the couple after accusing them of trying to intimidate, threaten, bribe, and harass her. She accused Kenneth Petty of rape when they were both 16. He was initially charged with first-degree rape but pleaded guilty to attempted rape, and he served more than four years in a New York state prison. Minaj addressed the accusations in a filing last month. “During the call, I never asked her to change her story; I never offered her any money in return for a statement, and I did not threaten her with any type of harm if she chose not to provide a statement,” Minaj reportedly claimed in legal documents, as reported by Complex. “In fact, I emphatically told her that I did not want her to lie about anything and to tell the truth about what she had just revealed to me only if she was comfortable with doing so.” Lil Wayne’s security guard is said to be considering taking legal action against the rapper for allegedly pulling an assault rifle on him during an argument. As reported by TMZ, the incident occurred at Weezy’s Hidden Hills, CA home in early December, and the altercation escalated to physical violence. The outlet writes, “We’re told the guard claims Wayne told him to get outta the house after the initial dispute, but the guard went to the bathroom first and he claims that’s when Wayne dramatically escalated things.” The hip-hop star allegedly brandished a firearm during the argument about accusations that the guard had leaked pictures online. The security guard reportedly called police and by the time authorities arrived, Wayne had fled, according to the report. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2IH8tNQAzSs/hqdefault.jpg A completely unsubstantiated rumor about an alleged sex tape of the celebrated soul singer, songwriter and actress Jill Scott went viral on Tuesday night and seemed to break the entire internet — or, at least, the portion where Black users log online. That was evidenced by Black Twitter, in particular, which, um, reacted, er, strongly, shall we say, with a wide range of virtual emotions expressed with the wittiest, timeliest — and most hilarious — memes and gifs. https://twitter.com/i/status/1478515920763039750 Maralee Nichols via her spokesman has released a statement reacting to confirmation that Tristan Thompson is the father of her child. ristan confirmed that he did father his third baby with Maralee while publicly apologizing to his ex-girlfriend Khloe Kardashian for his actions. He said, “Today, paternity test results reveal that I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols,” Thompson, 30, wrote on Monday. “I take full responsibility for my actions. Now that paternity has been established I look forward to amicably raising our son.” He continued, “I sincerely apologize to everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both privately and publicly.” In a statement sent to @Pagesix, Maralee Nichols’ publicist said: “There was never any doubt that Tristan Thompson was the father of Maralee Nichols’ baby. Kanye West is the subject of a captivating new biography by author, professor and Hip-Hop culture analyst Dr. Joshua Wright. Scheduled for release on February 1st, it is entitled, “Wake Up Mr. West: Kanye West and the Double Consciousness of the Black Celebrity.” Wright, a professor at Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., and host of the NPR One podcast Woke History, may have figured it out. “Kanye is the ultimate contrarian,” Dr. Wright said. “Whatever people say he should do, he will do the exact opposite. For example, when the norm was for rappers to wear baggy clothes and talk about drugs, hustling, and gangsta stuff, he came out with the pink Polo, backpack, and loafers saying, “I’m so self-conscious.” Then, when you fast-forward to the 2018 TMZ interview, and he’s wearing the MAGA hat and saying slavery is a choice, here is the contrarian again.” Dr. Wright indicates that his theories are solely to open the doors for more dialogue around one of the music industry’s first billionaires. He expects a broader discussion regarding black celebrities and the tightrope they must inevitably walk between two worlds – one black, one white. This dilemma is the double consciousness that the noted scholar W.E.B. DuBois spoke of in the late 19th century. Jamie Foxx is back as Electro/Maxwell Dillon in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” after last playing the role in 2014’s “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the first $1 billion grossing global title of the pandemic, and now there’s talk of an Electro solo project starring Foxx, Hip Hollywood reports. While we wait for confirmation on that, check out excerpts below from Foxx’s conversation with Marvel.com about reprising the role opposite Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6KLanif-F9k/hqdefault.jpg A slew of iconic Black music artists will be honored at the 2022 Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame awards ceremony on Feb. 17 in Atlanta. The event is timed with Black History Month, with Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy, Jr., Cicely Tyson and Ray Charles named 2022 foundational inductees. Per Billboard, “For the first time, the organization is unveiling its international fan favorite category, in which Bob Marley and Fela Kuti are in the running. The category enables fans to participate by casting votes for their favorite artist,” the outlet writes. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXuHvOlvASy/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2aa17a31-a494-4526-85c2-20921eca9d13 Dallas resident Thalía LeBlanc (@thalialeblanc on TikTok) has been making TikToks documenting her symptoms after getting infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Leblanc has talked at length about the disease after it killed her father, a north Texas pediatrician, in December 2020. Tulane University’s Dr. Susan Hassig also weighs in on the symptoms and how long LeBlanc should wait before getting her vaccine booster. The omicron variant of Covid-19 now makes up nearly all sequenced cases in the U.S., driving a massive increase of infections across the nation that threatens to strain hospitals and disrupt daily life. Omicron represented 95% of sequenced Covid cases in the U.S. during the week ending New Year’s Day, while the once-dominant delta variant is now only 4.6% of sequenced cases, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC regularly collects specimens of the virus that causes Covid and analyzes their genetic sequences to identify new variants and determine which strains of the virus are circulating in the U.S Soulja Boy claims he is done with rapping and is now focused on becoming a serious actor. “I’m an actor now,” he said while promoting a new TV show on Instagram Live. “2022, my new TV show coming out January 21 [with] Revolt TV, shout-out to P. Diddy.” The hip-hop star continued, “Being Draco, new TV show January 21, 2022, we going into the year with all positive energy, you know what I’m saying?” Soulja Boy also noted that he is no longer beefing with some of his rap rivals. “I ain’t got no smoke, no problems, no nothin,’” the Chicago native said. “All I’m doing is TV show and movies.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYPAD2tAyjV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Snoop Dogg was tapped to help announce the nominees for the 2022 Golden Globe Awards in December and he hilariously mispronounced some of the names. He botched Ben Affleck’s name, director Denis Villeneuve’s name and Ciarán Hinds’ first name. Affleck laughed it off during his appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on Monday. https://youtu.be/pBZuJ5zjtO8 Cher and Saweetie have joined forces for MAC cosmetic’s newest campaign, Challenge Accepted. Per Variety, the campaign dropped on Jan. 4 alongside an inspirational promo video. In it, Cher is seen wearing her iconic outfit from the 1975 cover of “Time.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bvhkrUkAu98/hqdefault.jpg The sixth season of “Growing Up Hip Hop” kicked off earlier this year with deep-seeded family heartbreak and broken relationships…ending mid-season with an explosive talent showcase where everyone was butting heads, per WE tv press release. Season 6 returns this week with 12 brand new episodes and its biggest cast to date! https://youtu.be/ogUQGPQWYXg A photo showing a 2-year-old Black boy mesmerized by his resemblance to a character in Disney’s “Encanto” has gone viral, with viewers pointing to the power of representation on screen. ABC News’ Will Ganss interviewed the family behind the image of 2-year-old Kenzo gazing at the character of Antonio, a young boy in the film who is gifted with the ability to speak to animals, and has an uncanny resemblance to Kenzo. “I truly believe that he thought it was him,” said the toddler’s mom Kaheisha Brooks. “He kept staring at the screen and looking back at us and smiling.” His father, Keith Brooks, added: “It did make me feel a little bit emotional, just to think that my son was able to see this and have this experience. And just for so many other Black and brown boys and girls to be able to have that same experience now, I think that is amazing.” https://youtu.be/YM7t6Pa5KOc Andrea Rene Williams Sings National Anthem For Georgetown Hoyas This Friday! TV ONE announced today that JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ returns for season 4 on CLEO TV. The popular cooking show will kick off its premiere episode featuring popular television personality and Harlem native, Bevy Smith on Wednesday, January 12th at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Chef JJ, one of the culinary world’s most sought after stars, invites you into his kitchen to experience his delicious delights with celebrity friends and influencers. In this season of the hot cooking show, Chef JJ will introduce exciting global cuisine to celebrity friends while turning up the heat with friendly cook-offs. This season welcomes guests Bevy Smith, LeA Robinson, Camillya Masunda, DJ Cool V and many more. January gives us time to refllect upon the life of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who believed that collective efforts would help us to make the world a better place. Even through Black Lives Matter and Covid, we believe in the power of these words"Peace on that bright shore, where we'll study war no more" Someway, somehow, someday. Ryan Vincent Ford & Ministry drops Someday (Tribute to Edwin Hawkins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWC0vcfC5DE&feature=youtu.be James Johnson is an award winning singer and songwriter and AGREE is the song that makes a statement on believing in the power of God in spite of the odds. James delivers a powerful Gospel message based on his own life experiences to encourage and uplift the hearts and minds of people everywhere to trust God and AGREE with what the Word of God has already said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYQXJvjp7e4&feature=youtu.be Famed film and television producer Tracey Edmonds is speaking about her latest work as EP on BET’s hit drama series “Games People Play.” Based on Angela Burt-Murray’s critically acclaimed book, “Games Divas Play,” the series, per press release, is a sexy, stylized one-hour drama about the L.A. high life, featuring a cast of characters where everyone plays to win, including a basketball player navigating both his equally rocky personal life and NBA career, a newly appointed team marketing executive who’s got a lot to prove, a tenacious journalist desperately seeking the truth and a struggling actress with a scandalous past. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YerJNi4hEbQ/hqdefault.jpg The Recording Academy is seeking a new venue to host the 64th annual Grammy Awards amid the rise in the COVID-19 Omicron variant. “They’re having trouble finding a venue and they’re looking at the Hollywood Bowl because it’s outside,” one source said, Page Six reports. The telecast was originally set to go down live at the Los Angeles Crypto.com Arena, formerly the Staples Center, on Jan. 31, 2022. But on Monday Billboard magazine reported that the show will likely be postponed due to the pandemic. “They have to block off a venue for a week or like ten days to provide rehearsal time. That’s at least the requirement for the Crypto.com Arena, so that complicates things. They’re having a hard time getting it for that block,” one insider said. The top nominees for the 64th annual Grammy Awards are Jon Batiste (11), Justin Bieber (8), Doja Cat (8), H.E.R. (8), Billie Eilish (7) and Olivia Rodrigo (7). https://youtu.be/UrW352Kc1mQ Songstress and radio personality Alyson Williams, the first lady of Def Jam, has been hospitalized with an undisclosed illness but is said to be doing better, according to insiders with knowledge about her ailing health. Williams, host of Love Notes w/ Alyson Williams In The Chill Zone on WHCR 90.3 FM, reportedly has a long road to recovery, sources state. As reported by SoulTracks, her reps have indicated that “she is moving in the right direction but it will take some time” https://youtu.be/Tk32jv1mCrk La La Anthony says she wants to find love like married couple Ciara and Russell Wilson‘s. The actress and divorced mother of one son hit up her Instagram on Saturday to share a photo of her rocking brown lingerie. She captioned the image: “I brought in the New Year a little different this year. Kept things calm which is not my usual AT ALL lol but instead of being down about it I had to remind myself maybe that’s exactly what I needed.” “Time to myself & time with me & Kiyan just to reflect & be grateful for all the blessings in our lives,” La La added. “We wrote down some goals & manifestations for 2022 so cheers to that. Wishing everyone an amazing New Year with more LOVE more BLESSINGS, GOOD HEALTH and most of all HAPPINESS.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYNWB_Stjae/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2f262547-6c1d-4d2d-8b57-1380aab0cec6 Rapper Eve kicked off the New Year by sharing photos on Instagram of her pregnancy journey. “Can’t believe how soon I’m gonna be meeting this little person ???????” she captioned a post of her herself showing off her baby bump. Eve and her husband Maximillion Cooper are expecting their first child together in February. The Grammy Award winner initially announced the big news in October. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYQ4EfxMXAP/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ffb13de7-54e2-4d89-ab24-abc231fbf887 During Lamar Odom’s 2019 interview with TV One’s “Uncensored,” the former pro basketball player revealed that he dated actress Taraji P. Henson back in the day, but dumped her for his now ex-wife Khloe Kardashian. “I met Taraji at [an] HBO party. I met her and we hit it off right away,” the retired NBA player explained, as reported by AceShowbiz. Odom said he “really, really started liking her,” and noted that he should have “done things [differently] with her.” “She was a little older than me but I learned a lot from her because that was the most significant relationship as a grown-up that I had with a black woman,” Lamar said. “I used to carry her picture on the road with me,” he added. “She gave me inspiration… A black woman working like that, that’s just as good at her craft as I am in my craft,” he continued. Lamar said he ended things with Taraji as he fell in love with Khloe. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Cq07Gztz4A0/hqdefault.jpg Singer Omarion has been at the center of online jokes and memes amid the rise of the latest variant of COVID-19, Omicron. The R&B artist has heard all the jokes about his name compared to this latest variant, and he too seems to be having a bit of fun with it. “Hi, this is Omarion. I am an artist, not a variant,” he said in a TikTok video posted Saturday. “So please be aware, if you just so happen to run into me on the street, you don’t have to isolate for five days, nor do you have to have a negative test result to dance to my music.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1477339953961082880 It looks like #AndyCohen isn’t losing his holiday gig with #CNN, despite bubbling rumors! The television host went viral just a few days ago for his rant against former New York City Mayor #BilldeBlasio, along with additional unprofessional comments. His opinions of the mayor being “horrible” influenced calls for CNN to cut him loose from the holiday special. But, according to a statement provided to @people, we’ll be seeing Andy host ‘New Year’s Eve Live’ again. “Andy said something he shouldn’t have on live tv,” a CNN spokeswoman told People. “We’ve addressed it with him and look forward to having him back again next year.” The morning after saying “sayonara sucka” to Bill on live television, Andy admitted he might’ve had a touch too much drank. He wrote on Twitter saying, “um, I was a bit overserved last night.” Andy’s commentary about the former mayor centered on how folks, including himself, Democrats and Republicans, felt about Bill’s time in office. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYSu0fzB-OP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The lieutenant governor of Texas, a Republican who has attempted to politicize the pandemic along racial, age and party lines, tested positive for COVID-19 last week, according to reports. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been isolating himself and has since tested negative after experiencing mild symptoms, his senior adviser Allen Blakemore said in a statement on Monday. He was being treated with Regeneron’s monoclonal antibodies, which the FDA granted emergency authorization because of the pandemic. It was unclear when exactly Patrick tested positive for COVID-19. However, critics are likely to wonder not only why Patrick wasn’t more forthcoming immediately following finding out his diagnosis, but also whether he knew how he was infected by the virus. A Little Rock police chief is on administrative leave after accidentally shooting a woman while aiming at a suspect. According to the Daily Mail, Chief Keith Humphrey was involved in the New Year’s Eve shooting after he encountered a disturbance in front of a Superstop in the 5100 block of Asher Avenue. Humphrey was arriving at the scene when he saw an altercation involving a man and a woman, identified as 22-year-old Kelecia Mayo. In a video shared on social media, a second woman identified as 29-year-old Taz Hayes is seen shooting into a crowd of bystanders in an attempt to defend the man, Black Enterprise reports. That’s when Humphrey pulled out his service weapon and aimed at Hayes – but he missed and injured Mayo. She was hospitalized in critical condition. https://youtu.be/S80rYTywZ5E Herschel Walker the ex-football player who is looking to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate brought in 2022 with a message for the American people—which is to say he mumble rapped through a bunch of generic right-wing talking points and called it “a few things to think about as we start the New Year.” Now, it’s not exactly easy to make out what all Walker was saying in the video because he was either drunk or there’s a noxious gas leak in the sunken place that whoever does maintenance down there needs to see about, but, according to The Guardian, he was attacking Democratic policies like that of his opponent Sen. Raphael Warnock and President Joe Biden. https://twitter.com/i/status/1477430332827869188 It’s always been clear that Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has made it her political goal to become the Donald Trump sequel. Well, Greene should be happy now that she’s followed in the ex-president’s footprints and gotten herself permanently suspended from Twitter for spreading dangerous misinformation—and yet she appears to be really salty about it. Greene said in a statement through her office on Sunday that she got her Twitter fingers chopped off for tweeting statistics from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). According to NBC News, “anyone can report an adverse event to the system, which operates under the Department of Health and Human Services.” In other words, any QMoron with a medical degree from the prestigious University of If It’s On YouTube It Must be True can post nonsense on the site, which is why the department has warned that VAERS is “not designed to determine if a vaccine caused a health problem.” But Greene’s suspension didn’t happen over one incident, according to Twitter, which said in a statement that “repeated violations” landed her on the permanently unfollowed list. “We permanently suspended the account you referenced (@mtgreenee) for repeated violations of our COVID-19 misinformation policy,” the statement read. “We’ve been clear that, per our strike system for this policy, we will permanently suspend accounts for repeated violations of the policy.” Dr. Ben Carson appeared on Hannity on Fox News last week where he touted the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as treatments against COVID-19. “The Biden White House – they downplay anything that is not ‘Get the shot. Boost, boost, boost,’” said Hannity guest host Pete Hegseth. “That’s pretty much all we hear time and time again. Why can’t they make a shift to the things that have actually worked or there’s evidence they are effective as well?” “It’s very sad because the rest of the world looks to the United States for leadership,” said Carson. “And we’re not providing it.” Carson continued, “Look around the world. “Nigeria, for instance. The mortality rate in Nigeria from Covid 14 per million. In this country, it’s 2,200 per million.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1476866423011962883 Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs was arrested on Monday for misdemeanor DUI following his team’s win against the Indianapolis Colts. As reported by TMZ, police found Hobbs, 22, asleep inside his car, which was parked on the exit ramp of a parking garage near The Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas. He was arrested after failing field sobriety tests. Hobbs was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on January 3 on one count of misdemeanor DUI. A court date is set for May. A spokesperson for the Raiders told NFL.com: “The organization has been in communication with local law enforcement and is in the process of gathering more information,” the statement read, per NFL.com. “We will have no further comment at this time.” The Duggar family invited dozens of guests to their Arkansas home on New Year’s Eve. Jim Bob and Michelle were seen speaking to friends and praying together. Other family members in attendance included Justin and his wife Claire, Jason, Johanna, Jennifer, Jordyn, and Jana, who recorded the scene for Instagram. The festivities included a musical performance, drone play outside, and over a dozen boxes of Domino’s pizza. The Duggars’ oldest son Josh, 33, was found guilty on December 9 of receiving and possessing child pornography. He is in solitary confinement and is currently awaiting sentencing, which could land him up to 20 years behind bars. Jay Weaver, a musician with the contemporary Christian band Big Daddy Weave, has died following a battle with COVID-19, his brother announced. The bassist, who also performed vocals for the group, was 42. His brother, Mike Weaver, said in an Instagram video late Sunday that “Jay went to be with Jesus just a couple hours ago.” Jay and Mike Weaver helped launch Big Daddy Weave in 1998 in Mobile, Ala. Known for songs such as “Redeemed” and “Jesus I Believe,” the band has released eight studio albums that landed within the top 20 on the U.S. Christian music charts, including three that cracked the top 10. Mike Weaver, who is the band’s lead singer, praised fans for supporting his brother during an “uphill battle.” Jay, whose given name was Jason Weaver, was diagnosed with diabetes years earlier, and had both feet amputated in 2016 after he contracted an infection, according to the website Christian Post. “The Lord used him in such a mighty way out on the road for so many years,” Mike Weaver said Sunday. “Anybody who’s in contact with him knows just how real his faith in Jesus was. I believe that even though COVID may have taken his last breath, Jesus was right there to catch him.” Rapper J $tash, 28, allegedly shot his girlfriend of one year Jeannette Gallegos, 28, in the master bedroom of their LA home on New Year’s Day while Gallegos’ children were in front of the room’s door. The three boys, aged seven, nine and eleven fled the home after calling 911. They are unharmed and are now staying with other family members. Police said that the pair were having an argument before the rapper from Florida took his girlfriend into the master bedroom of their California home, before locking the door behind them. He allegedly killed himself after fatally shooting his girlfriend. Rapper Lecrae sparked a mixture of frustration, furor, and support with a simple tweet he sent Sunday about partaking in communion. “Just did communion at home with wheat bread and apple juice,” he wrote. “I hope this still counts.” Lecrae placed a shrugging man emoji at the end of his message. But what he possibly assumed was just a basic and light-hearted tweet about the eucharist turned into a heavy handed back-and-forth among his followers. Some supported Lecrae and said his at-home communion act passed muster. Others, though, had a starkly different take, pondering whether Lecrae was showing a “disregard” for God’s holiness. Lecrae tweeted: For clarity about my communion post. I learned a lot. Didn’t realize it was such a touchy subject. Thanks for grace. This link specifically resonated with me. Thanks for the dialogue. https://t.co/jATfKXbiI9 It was a loss for the Dallas Cowboys in their crucial Week 17 game against the Arizona Cardinals, but not only with the final score. Michael Gallup, one of the team’s game-breaking wide receivers, went down with a knee injury toward the end of the first half after reeling in a touchdown throw from Dak Prescott and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. This was ominous, yes, as was how he was quickly ushered to the locker room and later seen on crutches. Following the game, owner Jerry Jones dropped an unfortunate bombshell regarding one of his best receivers, in that Gallup is believed to have suffered a torn ACL that will end his 2021 season. The injury caps a brutal year for the 25-year-old, who suffered a calf strain following the regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — an injury that cost him half the season and one he did not return from until Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons — and sidelines him just ahead of the postseason. Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed that Lionel Messi has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Monday’s Coupe de France round of 32 clash with Vannes OC with the Ligue 1 trip to Olympique Lyonnais also now in major doubt. The French giants updated their medical bulletin on Sunday ahead of head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s pre-match press conference and the Argentina international is one of four players to have returned a positive test along with Juan Bernat, Sergio Rico, and Nathan Bitumazala. “The four players that tested positive for Covid-19 are Leo Messi, Juan Bernat, Sergio Rico and Nathan Bitumazala,” read the bulletin. “They are currently in isolation and are subject to the appropriate health protocol.” Bernat was with the squad on Saturday for the resumption of training so the possibility that this is not the final positive case is strong as Pochettino hinted during his press conference while also confirming that Messi will remain in the pair’s homeland until he tests negative. Kyler Murray can’t lose at AT&T Stadium. He grew up 44 miles from Arlington and won five high school games at Jerry World, one game during his freshman year at Texas A&M, one game at Oklahoma and the Cardinals beat the Cowboys 38-10 in Week 6 of the 2020 season before holding on for a 25-22 win Sunday. “Coming home, I feel like me personally, I can’t lose coming home,” Murray said. “That’s the mentality. That’s just how I feel. Again, though, it’s not just about the mentality. It’s about coming out and executing. I think the guys feel great, too, when they come back here. I don’t know what it is. A great stadium, the fans, I don’t know what it is. You know when you come back to Cowboys Stadium, it’s a big-time game, because that’s the feeling around here. I’m glad the guys had my back today.” Sometimes you are destined for greatness, then life brings you adversity. But the lesson isn’t in the adversity, it’s in how you respond to said adversity; that is what defines you as a person. On Oct 23, 2021, LiAngelo was drafted 14th overall in the Greensboro Swarm in the NBA G League draft and when getting chances he’s shinning. In his G-League debut, he scored 22 points. He’s also had a game when we scored 14 points in 15 minutes, going 6 for 8 from the field. Although he’s averaging 9.6 points per game, some insiders even believe he is ready for the league right now. It hasn’t been easy for LiAngelo Ball. One mistake almost ended everything, but he made it a journey, and with his father’s help he created a path that has been unique to his story. Adversity could have easily pushed him away from his dreams to be in the NBA, but he hasn’t stopped balling. https://twitter.com/i/status/1469682028425756676 Urban One announced the superstar group of honorees for the upcoming URBAN ONE HONORS including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Lifetime Achievement; Timbaland, Music Innovation; Gamble and Huff, Living Legends; Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Inspirational Impact; and Oscar, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Jennifer Hudson, Entertainment Icon. Hosted by Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and producer Ne-Yo, the two-hour telecast premieres Monday, January 17, 2022, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, on TV One and Cleo TV, a division of Urban One. Wireless provider T-Mobile, America’s 5G leader with the largest, fastest and most reliable 5G network, serves as Presenting Sponsor of the celebration. Previously announced presenters included Jermaine Dupri, Marlon Wayans and Vashawn Mitchell, alongside performances by Inspirational Impact honoree Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, Kelly Price and Tank. Additionally, TV & Radio Personality Eva Marcille will host a special backstage pass segment, featuring exclusive interviews with the show's honorees, performers and presenters. Tony McCuin serves as Director with Kim Burse on board as Musical Director. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com After a two-year hiatus, the incomparable, soul-stirring Festival of Praise is set to kick off its fifth nationwide tour in March 2022. The 30-city tour will be headlined by Gospel music icon Fred Hammond, along with Gospel superstars Marvin Sapp and Hezekiah Walker. For the first time in Gospel music history, 2022's Festival Of Praise will offer a talented local choir in each city of the tour the opportunity to perform on the show. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com RadarOnline is reporting that court documents have shown that Stevie J’s now-former attorney Kimia Klein of Fox Rothschild LLP filed a motion to no longer represent him. Attorney Klein wrote in the motion that there was a breakdown in the relationship between the two parties and they couldn’t reach a resolution. “There has been an irremediable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship such that a genuine conflict has arisen between Fox and Steven,” said Klein. “Despite several attempts by my office to informally resolve the issues with Steven, we have been unsuccessful in resolving the issues.” https://www.instagram.com/hitmansteviej_1/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fe246c4d-e6f6-4f33-8ef6-0c4282b6ca92 Jim Jones saved his photographer’s life when he suddenly collapsed while they were in Florida at a crypto event for his capo coin. The two sat down for an exclusive interview with Inside Edition to speak about the frightening incident. “We was just literally just hanging out on a break from work. Just hanging out,” photographer Jerry Flete said. “It just happened so fast. Basically, I woke up, Jim giving me chest compression and telling me, ‘Wake up. Wake up.’ He basically saved my life. I’m here today because of Jim.” Jim said he was on a phone call when his partner, Doug, screamed his name frantically, which prompted him to turn around and see what was going on. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYP6yCmK6jT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The actor, Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman, appeared on the game show’s celebrity version to raise money for Goodwill Southern California. Her competitors were Tori Spelling and figure skater Tara Lipinski. The category was “‘70’s Song Lyrics.” After Lipinski suggested an incorrect letter, Raven-Symoné was next. “I kind of want to solve it,” she said with a grin. Host Pat Sajak warned: “I’m just going to alert you to be real careful as you solve it. Go slow. Go ahead if that’s what you want to do.” Raven-Symone listened and spun the wheel several more times to bank more money. Finally, ready to complete the puzzle, she answered: “‘Ah ah ah ah stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive,'” from the Bee Gees classic “Stayin’ Alive.” That glaring wrong answer buzz sounded. Spelling, who was next, said, “Oh, I feel bad” and hesitated before giving the correct answer. “‘Ah ha ha ha stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive,.'” The “Beverly Hills 90210” star was correct. https://youtu.be/at1Aq26srZ4 A newly released study reveals that there is a 30% drop in aspiring teachers in Louisiana. Further alarming is the lack of diversity in the K-12 classroom —23.5% of teachers in Louisiana are Black and of that number only 5% are Black men. Research shows that just 1 Black male teacher in 3rd, 4th or 5th grade for young Black men substantially decreases his chances of dropping out of high school by 40%. This is the message of BE2T Co-founder and CEO, Larry Irvin Jr.’s TED Talk: A program to empower Black teachers in the US. Released last month, Irvin’s talk is at nearly 800,000 views. https://youtu.be/rX7XECKz9iY This episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast features a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand, a board-certified OB/GYN for 20 years and the Founder and CEO of The Estrogen Doctor Company, LLC. After being in private practice for several years in the greater Orlando, Florida area, Dr. LaReesa, as she’s affectionately known as, wanted to focus more on than routine gynecological exams and obstetrician duties. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Wxv1G0Qrx2y1n0aJtq6wM Several Los Angeles-area groups are calling for the arrest and prosecution of the police officer who inadvertently shot 14-year-old Valentina Orellana Peralta to death while confronting a suspect inside a North Hollywood Burlington store. Demonstrators rallied outside of the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters downtown on Sunday, calling for the arrest of Officer William Jones – who was identified by police last week as the officer involved in the shooting. Najee Ali of Operation Hope told City News Service on Sunday that at a minimum, he would like to see Officer Jones charged with involuntary manslaughter, similar to the charge against former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter, who was convicted in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright. Potter said she mistook her gun for a Taser. A former Georgia school administrator was indicted on murder charges in early December for the 2019 death of his wife. As reported by Law and Crime, Edward Judie, 67, was indicted by Macon-Bibb County grand jurors on charges of felony murder after allegedly killing his wife with a lethal amount of cocaine. Judie served as Bibb County’s deputy superintendent of student affairs from 2011 to 2015. He and another woman, Aliyah Danielle Walker, were indicted for murdering his wife in November of 2019, local NBC affiliate WMGT reported. They also face charges of possession and distribution of cocaine. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rm2ErhbjNIY/hqdefault.jpg The late Desmond Tutu will undergo aquamation instead of cremation following his death late last month. As reported by The Blast, his body will undergo aquamation, an environmentally friendly method of cremation that uses water instead of fire. Aquamation is also known under its official name, “alkaline hydrolisis.” During this process, a deceased body is submerged in a mixture of water and a strong alkali in a pressurized cylinder for about three to four hours. During this process, the cylinder is heated to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The process causes skins, organs, and hair to liquefy until only the bones are left. These bones are then dried and crushed into a white powder. The remains are then placed in an urn, which can be given to relatives. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_L23UifKc9c/hqdefault.jpg The University of the District of Columbia is one of the latest institutions to receive a historic donation amongst the wave of support for HBCUs throughout the country. The institution closed out 2021 with a multi-million endowment from an anonymous donor. The $2.3 million donation—which marks the largest private gift the school has received in its 171-year history—will go towards the university’s Developing America’s Workforce Nucleus (DAWN) initiative; fostering the creation of scholarships for Black and brown students who are in need of financial support. UDC has used its DAWN program to build a pipeline of talent in the STEM industry. The DAWN Deans’ Scholarships by Degree and Programs initiative will provide aid for undergraduate students and workforce development programs under the school’s College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Business and Public Administration and College of Arts and Sciences. The Community College and Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning will also receive funding through the donation. Under the umbrella of DAWN is the Deans’ Community Leaders Scholarship initiative which was cultivated to support students who have displayed their dedication to civic engagement. It will be funded under the endowment as well. https://t.co/q9ZCj96EB7?amp=1 NBA Star Lonzo Ball partnered with one of the nation’s leading fatherhood initiatives based in Chicago, The Dovetail Project, and surprised two young hard-working fathers with $2,000 shopping sprees for the holidays. Rewriting the narrative of fatherhood for young Black and Brown communities, The Dovetail Project gives young fathers within marginalized communities a better understanding of the responsibilities of fatherhood and their importance in the lives of their children. The two young fathers are Kevin McNair (23), who is a father of 3, and Kawan Nicholson (21), who is a father of 2. Both are Chicago Bull fans and are recent graduates of The Dovetail Project’s 22nd graduating class where they experienced a transformative 12-week curriculum that emphasized the roles, rights and responsibilities of fatherhood, felony street law and how to maintain an active, engaged presence in their children’s lives. During the graduation ceremony and completion of the program, the fathers receive a stipend, are coached and are prepared for job opportunities, GED registration and completion, or enrollment in a trade training program. Kevin and Kawan were able to use the money to buy gifts for their children this holiday season. Historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country serve as pillars that sit at the intersection of education and culture, and this year a new institution will open in the city of Detroit. According to WXYZ Detroit, a former business school will be transformed into Michigan’s only HBCU. The school—dubbed the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design—was cultivated for emerging Black designers, engineers, business leaders and creatives. It was previously the Lewis College of Business; a historically Black institution founded nearly 94 years ago. It initially served as a secretarial school for Black women and emerged into a business school; producing Black leaders that would go on to work at companies that included Ford and Michigan Bell. The HBCU functioned in Detroit between 1939 through 2013; shuttering 26 years after receiving its historically Black college accreditation. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1477339676583337990/XmFW7HUo?format=png&name=small Rep. Val Demings is primed and ready to snatch Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat after the Florida senator tweeted a reckless comment about the latest pandemic surge. As COVID-19 cases surge in his home state of Florida, Rubio tweeted that widespread concern over the Omicron variant was “irrational hysteria.” Rubio downplayed the seriousness of the Omicron variant, as news reports warn of the speed at which the virus is spreading. But Rubio’s refusal to take the surge of the Omicron variant seriously could be an opening for Demings, his likely general election opponent. Demings used the opportunity to point out the simple facts of the current state of things. She tweeted about the number of people who have died since the start of the pandemic and encouraged voters to choose leaders who take their health and well-being seriously. Throughout the country there are physical structures embedded in the fabric of African American history; the walls of these spaces harbor stories that illustrate Black resilience and Black joy. The National Park Service is making a concerted effort to ensure these historic sites are around for generations to come. According to the Michigan Advance, the site of Vaughn’s Bookstore in Detroit has received a preservation grant from the NPS. The bookshop—which was operated by Michigan politician Ed Vaughn—was the city’s first Black-owned bookstore. Vaughn—who served in the state’s House of Representatives during the 70s and 90s—opened the store in the early 60s. In the midst of the civil rights movement, Vaughn’s Bookstore quickly emerged into a pillar within the community; serving as a space for Black authors and poets to share their work and also becoming the backdrop for meetings hosted by leaders within the local neighborhood. Over the course of its nearly 40-year existence, the store had many lives. It shuttered in 1967 following the civil unrest in Detroit, but Vaughn eventually reopened. No matter how many times he reinvented the bookshop, he stayed true to his initial mission of celebrating Black literature and making it accessible. Vaughn’s Bookstore shuttered during the late 90s. Representation matters and a Cincinnati social entrepreneur has set out on a mission to ensure that Black children see themselves reflected within the books they read. Arin Gentry, founder of the As Told By Foundation, is using her nonprofit as an avenue to empower youth through literature, WCPO reported. Although racial diversity within the pages of children’s books has increased, there remains significant room for growth. According to a study conducted by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, a mere 11.9 percent of books for youth featured a main character who was Black. Gentry realized the lack of representation was a generational issue. As a child, she noticed there weren’t many books that illustrated positive stories about Black characters. There were also limited books penned by Black authors. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1477959668299296769/FDXkXch4?format=jpg&name=small Rapper Kodak Black was arrested on New Year’s Day in Broward County, Florida, and charged with trespassing, according to local reports. Black, who was born Octave Dieuson and then legally known as Bill Kapri after he changed his name, was taken into custody in the early hours of New Year’s Day, his representatives confirmed. Broward County sheriff’s deputies said they “made contact with Bill Kapri” around 1:30 a.m. ET in the Pompano Beach area. Black is originally from Broward County. Black bonded out at about 4 a.m. The sheriff’s department did not immediately respond to a request for information about the circumstances of Black’s arrest and the trespassing accusations, which were not immediately clear. In a time where segregation was at the forefront of American issues, Betty White rejected attempts to keep a Black dancer off her show. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on “The Betty White Show” that aired in the 1950s. When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined. “I’m sorry, but, you know, he stays,” White said, according to a PBS biography. White died on Friday, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, news that prompted a look back on a career that included advocacy on many fronts. Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2017 that White gave him his first job on TV during the premiere of Harvey’s “Little Big Shots: Forever Young.” Actor and comedian Kenan Thompson is putting the focus on empowering creatives in the entertainment space to have ownership of their artistry through the launch of a new production company, Variety reported. The company—dubbed Artists for Artists—was cultivated to support creators in the content development process. AFA, which he co-founded with John Ryan Jr., will align artists and brands with global distribution platforms and ensure the creatives maintain the rights to the projects they develop. Thompson and Ryan’s company will also serve as an incubator for creators to produce an array of projects across different mediums. TS Madison is bringing entertainment to Fox Soul TV, as you have never seen before! The Social Media and LGBTQ icon will ‘turn-up’ her personality ‘loud, live and in color,’ in Turnt Out with TS Madison, a new variety talk show hosted by the darling media maven set to debut on Fox Soul TV’s programming, Tuesday, January 4th at 8 pm EST/ 5 pm PST. The much-anticipated variety show includes pop culture talk, comedic sketches, celebrity interviews and live performances. Turnt Out with TS Madison will not only have viewers laughing but also expose them to discussions on culturally and socially relevant topics. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYMaZXdBvBA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The company that produced the “Ace Ventura” films has sued Netflix over the use of footage from “Ace Ventura 2” in its hit documentary series “Tiger King”. Morgan Creek Entertainment said in the Monday complaint, filed in Los Angeles federal court, that the first episode of “Tiger King” infringes its copyrights by using two clips of Jim Carrey’s title character with exotic animals without its permission. “Tiger King,” a true crime series set in the world of private zoos and their eccentric owners, became one of Netflix’s most successful releases when it first aired in March last year. The show’s second season premiered in November. The complaint says Morgan Creek contacted attorneys for Netflix and “Tiger King” production company Goode Films last June to negotiate an “after-the-fact license,” but the companies weren’t able to resolve the dispute. “Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls” grossed over $100 million worldwide after it was released in 1995, according to the complaint. Morgan Creek has also produced films including “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” “Last of the Mohicans,” and “Major League.” Morgan Creek asked the court to block Netflix from using the “Ace Ventura” clips and to award it damages, including $300,000 in statutory damages. Netflix didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Morgan Creek or its attorney David Berke of Berkes Law. Goode Films couldn’t be reached for comment. Berry shared a photo of her and Hunt kissing at an altar during their tropical vacation on New Year’s Day. She captioned the images, “well…IT’S OFFICIAL!” And with that, many fans assumed the couple tied the knot. However, Berry quickly set the record straight on Sunday. Halle Berry sparked a frenzy among her fans on social media on Saturday when she intentionally led many to believe she wed her boyfriend, singer Van Hunt. https://www.instagram.com/halleberry/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ba210f5b-bbfd-433a-a432-998ee63bd535 The Weeknd hit Twitter Monday (Jan. 3) with an announcement. A teaser trailer revealed that the crooner’s new album, “Dawn FM,” will be released on Friday featuring assists from Jim Carrey, Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones and Oneohtrix Point Never. “Dawn FM,” his fifth studio album, will follow the March 2020 release After Hours, and will come with the “After Hours til Dawn Stadium Tour,” traveling this summer to North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. https://youtu.be/u5IrGXTpSkc On the first 2022 broadcast of “The View,” it was announced that co-host Whoopi Goldberg has tested positive for COVID-19. Co-host Joy Behar broke the news at the top of Monday’s episode, sharing that Goldberg, 66, has mild symptoms after being vaccinated and receiving the booster shot. Behar and the rest of the panel, including Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines and guest host Ana Navarro, were back in filming the talk show from their various homes, but Behar said she hoped it would be only temporary. “They say there’s no place like home for the holidays and that’s exactly where we are this year,” she said. “Happy New Year from all of our living rooms. As you can see we’re back in boxes and doing the show remotely — hopefully for just a week, I’m praying that it’s just a week but you never know because this omicron thing is all over the place.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1478041128071016450 DeVon Franklin says he is experiencing both “pain and peace” following his split from actress Meagan Good. Good and Franklin reportedly split months before they announced last month that they’re calling it quits. We reported earlier, Franklin filed legal documents in December in an L.A. courthouse. The date of separation is listed as Aug. 21, 2021, and the reason he cited for the divorce is “irreconcilable differences.” Good and Franklin tied the knot on June 16, 2012, and have no children together. They initially met on the set of the 2011 film “Jumping the Broom,” and got engaged in May 2012. Franklin rang in the New Year with a throwback selfie that he captioned: “I took this picture a few months ago, I’m not much of a crier so in a moment of deep pain and peace, I took this picture. It captures best how I feel,” the preacher wrote on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYNWulWpxZ_/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6dcaf033-8e9d-494c-8ace-cd891a772012 Oprah Winfrey celebrated the holiday season from the comforts of her own home, where a chef whipped up savory dishes that are popular in various cultures around the world. “Every night during holiday season we eat delicious foods from different countries,” Oprah captioned her Instagram video of chef Gregory Gourdet talking about the foods he’s cooking. “Tonight we had Haitian cuisine with Chef @gg30000,” she wrote. “To my Haitians friends everywhere, enjoy your soup joumou on January 1st!” As reported by The Blast, Oprahdaily, Oprah’s lifestyle account, commented, “We need to make a trip over to @kannrestaurant to try all this deliciousness!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CX2SuWwjGgk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic and declining donations, the Potter’s House of Denver has decided to sell its $12.2 million, 137,000-square-foot megachurch in Arapahoe County, Colorado and go completely virtual, Pastor Touré Roberts has revealed. Roberts, who leads the multicultural church along with his wife, Sarah Jakes-Roberts, made the announcement in an interview with The Denver Post published on Monday. “COVID-19 forced every church in America to rethink how to best serve their parishioners and the broader community,” Roberts told the publication. “Due to the inability to gather and the economic instability of the pandemic, our church, like many other churches in the nation, experienced declining donations.” Instead of trying to do upkeep on an “old building that needed significant repairs,” which they have occupied for more than a decade, Pastor Roberts explained that selling the property and going fully virtual with their services made the most sense. “We decided that the best way forward would be to sell the property, continue our online offering that had proven a successful alternative and maintain our hands-on community outreach operations, which includes our food bank that feeds thousands of families per year,” he said. The shuttering of The Potter’s House of Denver comes as many churches nationwide are being forced to make the difficult choice of abandoning their buildings due to dwindling attendance — sometimes without the prospect of a virtual alternative. Janet Jackson hit up her Instagram account to share the extended trailer for her forthcoming documentary, “Janet Jackson Doc.” A+E Networks ordered a two-night, four-hour documentary event about the life and legacy of the music icon. The project coincides with the 40th anniversary of her debut album, which came out in 1982. Jackson also serves as an executive produce the doc with brother Randy Jackson, and it promises to offer unprecedented access to her life. The doc features cameos from Samuel L. Jackson, Teyana Taylor, Whoopi Goldberg, Q-Tip, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Ciara, Paula Abdul, and more. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYMqSMhq542/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Katt Williams recently said that comic legend Eddie Murphy should NOT top your list of favorite comedians. As reported by The Blast, via Atlanta Black Star, Williams said, “Don’t tell me Eddie Murphy is your favorite comedian because Eddie Murphy hasn’t done comedy since the 80s. It just doesn’t make sense.” He added, “It’s about how much [of] the body of work you can put out. So, nobody knows was beefing with Mozart, because the guy beefing with Mozart didn’t put up any material. You know what I mean? That’s why history takes care of all of that.” “I’m only the greatest comedian living because I have more female fans than any comes on the globe,” said Williams. https://youtu.be/s8qwrdpd6rA Meet British Ghanaian graphic artist Peniel Enchill, the woman behind the icon “Black Woman Stepping Into The New Year” artwork. As reported by Buzzfeed, the image first appeared on the internet in 2014 and has since gone viral each year around New Year’s Eve. The artwork has “become synonymous on Black Twitter with the saying “New year, new me,” ” the outlet writes. “I did that artwork in hours. It usually takes me a while to finish up an illustration. But I had what I like to call these days a ‘download,’ where you literally see the picture in your mind and it’s just a matter of transferring that image from your mind to the paper. I rarely get that, but that was one of them,” Enchill, 29, told BuzzFeed News. https://www.instagram.com/p/xFOdc9oJEx/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dcc33c27-287f-4b8f-a829-cbcb26582255 Antonio Brown’s latest messy departure from an NFL team, the Buccaneers, was not about an injury, coach Bruce Arians said Monday. Yes, the Buccaneers are moving on from Brown, whose NFL career is on hold yet again after another in a series of incidents, including two women accusing him of sexual assault in 2019. But Arians dispelled the notion that Brown stormed off the field Sunday — tossing some of his gear into the stands and waving to fans at the Jets’ MetLife Stadium — after refusing to go back in because of an ankle injury that had sidelined him for several weeks. https://twitter.com/i/status/1477733392611524616 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. Prichard Police have arrested the woman accused of firing the shot that killed Grace Carter Tuesday night. On Thursday, police arrested Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris. Carter was hit by a stray bullet and died while attending bible study this week. Now, her husband Cecil Carter Sr. is speaking out after this tragic death. He feels it was a place where his wife should’ve been safe. “I just don’t think that people should be shooting in places where you don’t know where a stray bullet could do,” Carter said. Cecil Carter is pastor-elect at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, something he now won’t get to share with his wife of 35 years. “She was really looking forward to it. She was very proud, and very happy, and very proud of me,” Carter said. “But right now the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me.” Carter says the thought of having to go on without her is something he never imagined, but he’s trying to find the strength. “Sweetheart I love you as always…right now my heart is empty because she’s not by my side but I know that she’s there spiritually,” Carter said. “Right now I’m getting strength from knowing that God is able and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the lord, and no doubt about it that she loved the lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all.” Carter says the family plans on holding funeral services for Grace next Saturday. A man and his children grieving the loss of their wife and mother were blessed Christmas Eve by a Cincinnati church congregation who gave them presents, toys, and a $6,700 check to help pay utilities for the next year. Travis Feltner, a father of eight kids ranging in ages from three to 20, stood before the Compass Community Church congregation Friday to accept these surprise gifts. Joined by some of his young children, he visibly became emotional as he thanked congregants for coming alongside his family after his wife, Amber, died in September of COVID-19. “I just can’t believe all the things that this church has done … it’s amazing what you guys have done for us,” he said, as he began to tear up. “I had no idea what I was going to do. Thank you so much for reaching out and being there for us.” It has been a difficult time for the Feltners. Before Amber’s death, Travis was in a serious car accident after his vehicle was struck by a man fleeing police, WLWT-TV reported. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year’s message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for ‘greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women’ as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is ‘almost satanic’ during an Italian television program. He said in his homily: ‘And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. ‘How much violence is directed against women! Enough! ‘To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.’ Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. Royal courtiers are discussing plans to strip Prince Andrew of his Duke of York title if he loses the lawsuit brought by sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, according to the Sunday Times. Other ideas allegedly being considered by the Royal household include sending the Duke into some form of ‘internal exile’ and asking him to relinquish any links he still has to charities. Ms Giuffre alleges that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her three times when she was 17, which he denies, and is suing for unspecified damages. The Duke stepped down from public duties in November 2019 ‘for the foreseeable future’ over his friendship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in the wake of the disastrous News Night interview he had hoped would clear his name. A source said: ‘If [Prince Andrew] loses the case, the question is what do you do with him? You can’t make him resign like you would a normal person but he would be asked to put his dukedom into abeyance.’ Royal insiders said it would be difficult to persuade the Queen to remove the title of Duke of York as ‘it was held by her father, George VI, before he became king and she bestowed it on her favorite son. But he has disgraced that title’, the Sunday Times reported. A young pregnant woman has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. The woman tested positive for both viruses in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva city, Israel, on Thursday. She is suffering mild symptoms and Israeli health officials are studying her case to determine whether the combination causes any greater severity of illness. Her case is first documented in the world but doctors believe there could be more ‘flurona’ infections in the country. A recent article via Health Canal says that night sweats, one of the symptoms our friend is having, has been identified as one of the symptoms of the Omicron variant. It’s a key signal that our friend needs to get tested. Omicron is the latest Covid 19 variant that’s sent the world into a panic. Some of the highlights of the new strain are the new symptoms. According to Dr. Amir Khan, a UK doctor, night sweats are at the top of this list. This revelation by the doctor alerts people to watch out for bad night sweats. Dr. Khan, a physician with the UK NHS[1] (United Kingdom National Health Service), detailed that “those kinds of drenching night sweats where you might have to get up and change your clothes.” are part of the symptoms. Understanding the symptom is crucial, and health workers need to explain this to people. That way, if a patient experienced the drenching night sweats, they can get tested for the Omicron variant. Dr. Khan emphasized that “This is important, and it’s important that we keep on top of these symptoms. If we’re going to track Omicron and track it worldwide, we need to be able to test people with these symptoms.” Dr. Khan[2] was speaking with The Sun, a UK newspaper. Up to 1,000 homes have been destroyed and thousands of residents have left their homes as massive wildfires sweep through #Colorado. ? At least 580 homes and have been burned down and 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires damaged neighborhoods Friday morning, Fox News reports. Six people were sent to hospitals as a result of the fires. Winds were reportedly blowing at 105 miles per hour. ?“The end won’t come until the wind subsides,” Joe Pelle, the Boulder County sheriff, said, per Fox News. “This is the kind of fire you can’t fight head-on. We actually had deputy sheriffs and firefighters in areas that had to pull out because they just got overrun.”? The fires hit residents in Colorado’s front range between Denver and Boulder. Officials say the fires as “twice as destructive as the Black Forest Fire” that struck the state 10 years ago. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYLH86NFclu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again U.S Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz made some interesting claims on Thursday that children are struggling to learn to speak because they can’t see their teachers’ mouths, as he criticized COVID restrictions for “hurting” children. “Issues like closing schools, which was not following the science, in my opinion, and I always said that on this program two years ago, is because causing other [indecipherable] published today an article from Brown showing that kids born during the pandemic are developmentally delayed.” He continued, “Think about that. We’re hurting our children with some of these policies. Kids who can’t see the mouths of their teachers move don’t learn to speak. Five percent of kids wear glasses. They fog up. They can’t read. These are the penalties we pay and we weren’t any safer because of these destructive, authoritarian restrictions. I believe we should empower the people of Pennsylvania. That’s what I [indecipherable] my whole career. I know what works. People are smart. They know what to do. What they want medicine is transparency and they want to make sure they know who their doctor is. We’re not doing either for them.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYMYzOOqCtp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again It looks like the former POTUS and FLOTUS were feeling festive and spunky on the first day of 2022. On Saturday, former First Lady Michelle Obama, 57, rang in the new year with a pic of herself all up close and personal with hubby and former president Barack Obama, 60, during a New Year’s Eve celebration. In the snap shared to Michelle’s 48 million Instagram followers, the two wore 2022 novelty glasses as they literally got close for the camera. As you can see, Barack opted for dark pants, a short-sleeve black shirt with a gray print and black leather sneakers. Meanwhile, Michelle dazzled in an embroidered black blazer paired with a black top and shorts that showed off her sexy bare legs. Oh yeah, if you look closely you’ll see bright blue toenails peeking out from her strappy heeled sandals. “Happy New Year from me and my boo!” the Becoming author wrote. “Wishing you all a year filled with happiness, love and good health.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6qu4whgUVFs/hqdefault.jpg Actor Max Julien, who came to fame for his leading role as “Goldie” in the 1973 blaxploitation film “The Mack” has died in Los Angeles. He was 88. Julien died on New Year’s Day at Sherman Oaks Hospital, his wife of 30 years, Arabella, told The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death had not been determined, she said. In a statement to TMZ, Julien’s PR team paid tribute to the actor: “During Julien’s decades-long career, he was known for being bold, honest and straightforward. He would live and speak his own truth both professionally and privately. He was thought of as a rare ‘man among men.’” Comic book writer and film producer David F. Walker broke the news about Julien’s death in a social media post, honoring his friend. “I met Max back in 1996. He was a great human being, and we had so many amazing conversations. He was brilliant and hilarious and charismatic… R.I.P” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYNP8boPXHp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d50be455-8087-4fbe-8bd1-5f244e2a139a Recently, rapper Fat Joe took to Instagram to give a beautiful happy birthday shoutout to his first born son Joey, who is on the autistic spectrum. For parents raising autistic children, the fight to ensure the safety and happiness of one’s child is paramount. “Life is full of surprises. I was just a kid at 19 years old when i had Joey. It was one of the scariest days of my life. Doctors said he wouldn’t be normal and kids like this are hard to deal with,” the 51-year-old rapper began his Instagram post. “He’s my jr.,” he wrote, adding that “it’s a lot of work and it’s constant sacrifice that parents make to keep their children happy and most of all safe.” Fat Joe, real name Joey Cartegena. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXgvdxqLQtw/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=154a8060-9255-481b-bb3f-cc7a62b9fd10 It has oftentimes been said that if you want something done, ask a black woman to do it; well, maybe it hasn’t been said often but it is the truth. Many times the thing that drives black women and serves as a call to action is trauma or hardship. This is exactly what drove entrepreneur Arion Long to create a brand that would support women during their most trying times, their period, and postpartum. Although we are living in a time in which white men in tacky blue suits have the power to police and make life-altering decisions about women’s bodies, no man could never know the pain of losing a child or being diagnosed with a reproductive disorder caused by feminine care products that are supposed to offer support. This is Arion Long’s short story, her why and the birth of Femly a menstrual care brand that offers natural period care. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYFi-AGFZK7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Journalist Paula Faris has had a fascinating career at ABC News, anchoring and hosting shows like “Good Morning America Weekend” and “The View.” But after leaving her broadcasting success behind, she’s now focused on more fully living out her mission to “love God” and “love people.” If this seems like a familiar clarion call, it should. These are the two central commandments Jesus gave to all believers, as evidenced in Matthew 22:36-40. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment,” Christ proclaims in these scriptures. “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Faris, who openly speaks about her Christian faith, has been on an exciting mission to live out these values in new and unique ways. https://youtu.be/p4QYRMOv_O0 The house that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones built continues to be the house that Alabama coach Nick Saban owns. In No. 1 Alabama’s seventh appearance in the College Football Playoff, the sport’s dominant power over the last decade defeated No. 4 Cincinnati, the playoff’s first non-Power 5 team, 27-6 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The win puts Alabama (13-1) in the title game for the fifth time in six years and one step closer to winning their fourth title since the introduction of the playoff system. The school will try for a seventh title since Saban became the program’s head coach against either No. 2 Michigan or No. 3 Georgia on Jan. 10. Behind Bryce Young‘s three touchdowns, as well as Brian Robinson Jr.’s 204 rushing yards (an Alabama bowl record), and a defense that held the ninth-best scoring offense in the nation to single digits, Alabama outgained the Bearcats 483-218 and controlled the pace of the game from start to finish. “We knew the battle in the trenches would be a big deal,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. “That’s where the game was won.” Said Robinson Jr.: “We just proved we were the more physical team.” The Crimson Tide are now 6-0 at AT&T Stadium under Saban. We’ve got a rematch for the national championship. No. 3 Georgia put No. 2 Michigan away in the first half of the Orange Bowl on the way to a 34-11 win Friday night. Georgia’s win sets up a game with No. 1 Alabama for the national title on Jan. 10. Alabama beat Georgia, 41-24, to win the SEC title on Dec. 4 and take the top seed in the College Football Playoff. The rematch between the two teams is the first in the playoff era and just the second national title rematch since the BCS was put in place in 1998. The only other title game rematch in the BCS and playoff era came in January of 2012 when Alabama beat LSU for the national title after LSU beat the Crimson Tide in the regular season. Basketball Hall of Famer Sam Jones, the Boston Celtics’ “Mr. Clutch” whose sharp shooting fueled the league’s longest dynasty and earned him 10 NBA titles — second only to teammate Bill Russell — has died, the team said. He was 88. “Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history. His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, “The Shooter.” He was also known as “Mr. Clutch,” the Celtics said in a statement Friday. “Only Bill Russell won more championships in his NBA career. The Jones family is in our thoughts as we mourn his loss and fondly remember the life and career of one of the greatest champions in American sports.” Dan Reeves, who won a Super Bowl title with the Dallas Cowboys and made four Super Bowl appearances as a head coach, died at age 77 on Saturday. Per the Associated Press, Reeves died of complications from dementia but passed away "peacefully and surrounded by his loving family at his home in Atlanta." winning team in 1971, as Dallas defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. After his playing career, Reeves moved up the coaching ranks in the Cowboys' organization. A protégé of Tom Landry, Reeves was the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys when they defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII in the 1977 season, spending four years in that role before earning his first head coaching job with the Broncos in 1981. Reeves spent eight years as a player in the NFL, all for the Cowboys, rushing for 1,990 yards and 25 touchdowns while also catching 129 passes for 1,693 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was part of the Cowboys' first Super Bowl. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is out for Sunday’s game against the Packers, after the team placed him on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday. Cousins, who is unvaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero — who said the quarterback self-reported experiencing COVID symptoms to the team, and then tested positive. “I’m going to be vigilant about avoiding a close contact,” Cousins said during training camp. “I’ve even thought about should I just set up literally plexiglass around where I sit, so that this can never happen again. I’ve thought about it, because I’m gonna do whatever it takes.” The Vikings’ backup quarterback Sean Mannion is also out on the COVID-19 reserve list, but could return before Sunday’s NFC North matchup. He was placed on the list last Sunday. Rookie quarterback Kellen Mond is next up on Minnesota’s depth chart. Kyle Sloter is also available. Race alone cannot explain why pregnant black women born in the United States show higher rates of dangerous preeclampsia than black women who have immigrated to the country. Preeclampsia is a form of high blood pressure that during pregnancy can endanger both mother and baby. Preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. It affects 1 in 25 pregnancies in the United States, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease later in life. A new analysis of medical records shows that a combination of cultural, social and biological factors rather than race alone is responsible for high rates of preeclampsia among black women born in the United States. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open, the research used 28 years of data from the Boston Birth Cohort study, which examined environmental and genetic characteristics linked to premature birth. Alphonso Ribeiro is a Broadway vet for his performance in “The Tap Dance Kid.” Actor for his stint as Carlton Banks on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” TV host for “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” the GSN game show “Catch 21,” ABC Family’s “Spell-Mageddon,” and the TV show “Dance 360.” Dancer for winning Season 19 of “Dancing with the Stars “with professional partner Witney Carson. Yet for all of his achievements and work, the entertainer cannot escape the occasional jab. That was the case when Ribeiro posted a Holidays/Christmas picture of his family on Twitter. According to MTO News, the photo did not escape the sight of Black Twitter, who caught sight of the pic, which featured Ribiero’s wife, who is white, and their four fair-skinned kids. Needless to say, folks on Black Twitter had a field day roasting the former “In the House” star and calling his family the “whitest” Black family in history. https://www.instagram.com/p/CX6qxfwPLlZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=151fab0b-ef76-4bf2-bbc4-5ff7ed1280f8 Comedian Dulcé Sloan became a highlight of CNN’s live broadcast after she shared her personal New Year’s resolution. Comedian Dulcé Sloan became a highlight of CNN’s live broadcast after she shared her personal New Year’s resolution. While speaking with hosts Don Lemon and Alisyn Camerota from their celebration in New Orleans, Sloan shared that her resolution for 2022 was “no more broke dick.” Lemon and Camerota looked confused as they tried to figure out if she really said that. Sloan then hilariously clarified, “No more broke dick.” “Did you say broke dick?” “Yes!” Sloan confirmed again, before adding, “No more penis from a man who has no money.” ?? Sloan confirmed, adding in case of confusion, “To anyone who is acquiring male genitalia, it needs to be attached to someone who can also fly you to the Caribbean.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYMXOCCKIzV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Singer Jack Harlow is calling for a Georgia police officer to be fired after footage showed him putting his hand around the neck of a Black female fan. As reported by TMZ, video shows the unnamed woman exchanging words with two cops who refused to let her inside the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta on Tuesday night, where Harlow was performing. Harlow caught wind of the video showing one of the officers putting his hands on the woman’s neck and issued a response on Instagram calling for the cop’s firing. Speaking of the video, Jack said, “… I was disgusted by that cop and all I wanted to do was make something good happen for this girl immediately…I told the world to help me identify her so I could find a way to give her a hug and give her as many tickets to as many shows as she wants.” https://www.instagram.com/jackharlow/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4b5fc448-8782-4a57-845c-1dd0ea68efa1 For two young girls, Christmas turned real, with an ugly experience in racism and discrimination. The experience, highlighted in a 2015 YouTube video titled “Parents Give White girls black baby dolls,” shows the girls, who are white, being given gifts from their aunt and uncle. As the 43-second clip plays, the girls open the gifts. Their reaction is less than positive. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hM5HtS_mMcc/hqdefault.jpg The veteran Los Angeles police officer who fatally shot a 14-year-old girl as she was shopping at a mall with her mother has been identified as 42-year-old William Dorsey Jones Jr. According to The Daily Beast, Jones is said to be known as a “community advocate and reformer,” the outlet writes. The Kentucky native launched an apparel line called “Use of Force Fitness” but dissolved it in December 2020, amid protests against police violence. Valentina Orellana-Peralta, 14, was killed in a Burlington Coat Factory dressing room (in North Hollywood) on Dec. 23 as LAPD officers shot recklessly at a suspect in a department store where she was trying on a dress. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ekdzNQxm57M/hqdefault.jpg Lashanda Lafaye Allison was cooking Christmas Eve dinner when she was fatally shot by her partner, Allison’s daughter-in-law Makayla Ridley told Channel 2 Action News in an exclusive interview. Looking on in horror, Ridley and Allison’s two daughters also became victims of the shooting at the Mansell Apartment Homes in Alpharetta. At least four people called 911 to report the shooting, which happened around 4:30 p.m. Friday, according to police. Gunfire filled the home after Allison, 41, got into an argument with her partner, 51-year-old Stephanie Francesca Agee, while she and Ridley were cooking, Channel 2 reported. It escalated and Ridley told the news station that Agee just snapped. “I seen her cop the gun, and she went over there and just start shooting with a straight face,” Ridley told Channel 2. The 21-year-old told the news station that Agee turned toward her and Allison’s two daughters after shooting Allison. Ridley is now recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest. “I seen her cop the gun, and she went over there and just start shooting with a straight face,” Ridley told Channel 2. The 21-year-old told the news station that Agee turned toward her and Allison’s two daughters after shooting Allison. Ridley is now recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest. Chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, William Anderson, has been in constant communication with Spencer’s family. “This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed. It will never be the same … this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times,” Anderson said. There are calls for an arrest after a Jamaican immigrant was shot and killed in western Pennsylvania earlier this month. The coroner in Venango County said Peter Spencer was shot several times. The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers because no charges have been filed. A statement was released Monday, saying in part, “We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County District Attorney, the U.S. Attorney General and the PA State Attorney General.” BPEP CEO Tim Stevens talked to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 about Spencer’s death. He says Spencer had a fiancée and an unborn child. https://youtu.be/UlA6E1tBmIk Pennsylvania will have a new acting secretary of the commonwealth beginning on January 8, according to an announcement Monday by Gov. Tom Wolf’s office. Leigh M. Chapman will assume the role of acting Secretary of the State, replacing Veronica Degraffenreid, who had to assume the same role following the sudden resignation of Kathy Bookvar in February. The secretary, among other things, oversees the state’s elections process, and Ms. Bookvar and Ms. Degraffenreid have been frequent targets of lawmakers — those loyal to former President Donald Trump — who have criticized the 2020 election and sought to overturn the results. Ms. Degraffenreid was thrust into the role after the February departure of Ms. Bookvar, who failed to advertise a constitutional amendment — one that would have appeared on the May ballot. The referendum would have allowed a two-year window for adult victims of childhood sex abuse to sue the perpetrators and institutions that covered up the crimes. The amendment had been fought for by advocates and followed a 2018 grand jury report that exposed child sex abuse within the Roman Catholic Church. A New Hampshire court ruled a woman violated the state’s civil rights law when she called a Black child a racial slur and threatened to kneel on his neck. As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, Kristina Graper, 51, was accused of threatening a Black child in a New Hampshire park in May after he accidentally broke her son’s toy in a park. Graper called the 9-year-old boy a racial slur after he broke the toy. Additionally, “The court found that on May 10, 2021, Ms. Graper threatened physical force against the victim, a nine-year-old black child, when she threatened to “kneel on his neck” and called him a racial slur after he accidentally broke a toy that belonged to Ms. Graper’s son,” a New Hampshire Justice Department press release stated. “The court concluded that this conduct was motivated by the victim’s race and had the purpose to terrorize or coerce the victim. The court reached this conclusion after the defendant defaulted by not filing a response to the Attorney General’s complaint.” What started out as a genuine passion and curiosity about wine and its rich history has turned into a new wine label curated to enhance and educate the Black community. Howard University alum Aaron “Michael” Coad and Terrence “Lavelle” Low founded Michael Lavelle Wines, a luxury private wine label, on Juneteenth of 2020 after recognizing a void in culturally relevant wine craftsmanship offered to millennials and minority audiences. Aiming to change the way people of color experience wine, the founders partnered with Sommelier Devin Kennedy and Brandon Crump, a client service and operations specialist. Now, the four friends are working to disrupt the predominantly white-owned industry that, according to Bloomberg, had less than 1 percent of Black ownership (out of 8,000 winemakers, negociants, and brand owners) in the U.S. in 2020. “Out of passionate curiosity, we started to dive into wine and its rich history and noticed that our peer group’s appreciation for wine was growing, but there was also a lack of education around its offerings,” says Low, who serves as Head of House at Michael Lavelle Wines. In comparison to other spirits like tequila or vodka, “there wasn’t a real understanding of what premium wine actually is,” he told BLACK ENTERPRISE. There is a shortage of Black women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but this woman is on a mission to make a change that’ll make a difference. Diana Wilson created the nonprofit, Yielding Accomplished African Women (Yaa W) to discover and support Black collegiate women in tech and finance. Now, she’s raising $1 million to equip those same women with the resources that they need to be holistic leaders and achieve their STEM career goals. As a global women development skills center, Yaa W trains Black women across the diaspora while also giving them opportunities to work with renowned Fortune 500 companies. Within three years, Wilson’s organization has trained more than 700 young African women and she currently maintains a large following across social media. Yaa W has been backed by companies including Google, Bank of America, IBM, MTN, Corporate Finance Institute, and more. The city of Santa Monica, California, will start offering priority placement for its coveted affordable housing program to families and their descendants who were displaced by urban renewal projects in the 1950s and 60s. The new effort aims to repair some of the historical actions that predominantly hurt Black and brown communities, as aggressive construction projects and highway-building some 70 years ago resulted in hundreds of families being evicted from their homes in the southern California coastal city. “The city of Santa Monica is eager to share the new affordable housing priority for historically displaced households with families who were displaced from Santa Monica in the 1950s,” Constance Farrell, the public information officer for the city of Santa Monica, told ABC News on Monday. “We encourage our former residents and their descendants to learn more about the program and we look forward to working with you to access this new opportunity,” Farrell said. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has donated $3 million to fund a new research institute at Indiana University. It’s the the latest effort in Irsay’s campaign to raise mental health awareness. The Irsay Family Research Institute will be located on the university’s main campus in Bloomington and will focus on mental health and the complications it can create with other illnesses. “The stigma surrounding mental health is a matter of life and death, and we must do everything possible to lessen that stigma and remove this obstacle to people getting the help they need,” Irsay said in a statement. “Indiana University already has been one of the world’s leaders in studying mental health, and we’re so pleased this outstanding resource is in our home state so together we can advance this important conversation.” Betty White, the trailblazing television star whose more than eight-decade career saw her go from unforgettable roles on “The Golden Girls” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” to becoming a cultural icon in her 80s and 90s, has died less than three weeks before her 100th birthday. Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Mike Lopez told The Post that officers responded to a radio call Friday at about 9:30 a.m. concerning “a natural death investigation” at the 99-year-old’s home in Brentwood, Calif. Her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas later confirmed the news to People magazine. “Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever,” Witjas said in a statement. “I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband, Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again.” The eight-time Emmy winner had just spoken to People for this week’s issue celebrating what would have been her birthday and said that she was “in such good health.” “I try to avoid anything green. I think it’s working,” she quipped at the time. White held the record for the longest TV career of any entertainer — making her debut in 1939 when the medium was just an experiment and going on to appear as an actress, host and in-demand guest well into her 90s. Lil Nas X is one of the biggest music stars on the planet with the hit “Old Town Road” and his new album “Montero.” The singer-songwriter/rapper, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, talks with Tracy Smith about reinventing himself, his childhood, and his love of social media, in an interview for CBS SUNDAY MORNING to be broadcast Jan. 2 (9:00 AM ET) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/r7qovpFAGrQ/hqdefault.jpg The dazzling widescreen adaptation and Spielberg’s first musical, “West Side Story” was one of the year’s most eagerly awaited titles. With a script by Tony Kushner and Rita Moreno returning to her breakthrough film 60 years later, the $100-million “West Side Story” epitomizes a grand-scale prestige film that Hollywood infrequently produces anymore. It hit theaters on a wave of glowing reviews and expectations that it could play a starring role in March’s Academy Awards. But despite critical acclaim and two years-worth of anticipation, Steven Spielberg’s lavish “West Side Story” revival did not pull the audience in as expected. It debuted a mere $10.5 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. And this is not good for the movie industry struggling to get back on the fast track. Although audiences have steadily returned to multiplexes in the second year of the pandemic, older moviegoers, who made up the bulk of ticket-buyers for Spielberg’s latest, have been among the slowest to return. “West Side Story,” too, is among the most beloved musicals. . If anyone could reignite moviegoing, the thinking went, it was Spielberg. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Dior has indefinitely postponed Travis Scott’s “Cactus Jack Dior” line amid the career hit the rapper has taken following his deadly Astroworld music festival last month. Scott’s line of products with the French luxury house was slated for release in January 2022. In a statement shared with Women’s Wear Daily, a Dior rep said: “Out of respect for everyone affected by the tragic events at Astroworld, Dior has decided to postpone indefinitely the launch of products from the Cactus Jack collaboration originally intended to be included in its summer 2022 collection.” The news comes after a Congressional panel launched an investigation into Live Nation, the organizer of the Astroworld Festival that left 10 people dead and hundreds injured when a crowd rushed the stage and trampled concertgoers. https://youtu.be/FS9SvGvbSgw Gilbert Arenas and Kwame Brown continue to trade jabs on social media, with Arenas now threatening to release a 54-minute video exposing Brown. The former NBA player posted a lengthy IG message in which he rips his former teammate both as a player and as a man. The contents of the video remain a mystery but Arenas claims it’s worthy of public viewing amid him and Brown’s latest argument over who is an “alpha male.” “@kwan_low I have 54 minutes of who u were as a wizard ?????? nothing but truth supported by facts and articles ???????so let’s not do this anymore OKAY?” Arenas began his post. Arenas and Brown played together for one season in Washington, with Arenas claiming Brown was “booed in every city.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYHco5Iv0d8/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7f1ddeaa-a8fc-4eb1-b73c-1eacb34699ef #Quavo is in some legal trouble, according to a lawsuit obtained by @tmz_tv. Apparently, the Migos rapper is being sued by a Las Vegas limo driver for a physical assault that happened over the summertime. The driver said the beatdown happened because someone from Quavo’s crew was left behind during a scheduled pick-up. The lawsuit says the driver was hired to transport Quavo and his posse from a local nightclub to the Virgin Hotel. But after the driver accidentally left a passenger, the group immediately got active. When the driver tried to calm everyone, someone told him to “shut the f*ck up.” Then, he was reportedly hit with a bottle. The driver said up to five people were repeatedly punching and kicking him. His lawsuit states that hotel staff and security saw the violent interaction. However, instead of helping him, the driver says everyone fled inside of the hotel. The driver didn’t specify how much he’s seeking in damages, but he’s looking at Quavo, Migos Touring Inc., and the Virgin Hotel for a payout. Rapper T-Pain hit up social media to share a list of music streaming platforms that are not profitable for many artists. T-Pain took to Twitter on Tuesday (Dec. 28) with a list of how many streams it takes for an artist to make $1 on platforms such as YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify. Per XXL Magazine, Napster’s payout of $1 begins after 53 streams, while YouTube’s payout for a buck starts after 1,250 streams. Meanwhile, Amazon Music and Spotify give artists a dollar after 249 and 315 streams, respectively. https://twitter.com/TPAIN/status/1476032631255060490/photo/1 Madonna recently called out rapper Tory Lanez for allegedly sampling her music illegally. On Wednesday, the pop star hit up the comments section of Tory’s Instagram post, accusing him of using her hit 1985 song “Into the Groove” on the track “Pluto’s Last Comet” from his new 80s-inspired album, “Alone at Prom.” “Read your messages [for] illegal usage of my song get into the groove!” she wrote. Lanez hasn’t publicly responded to Madonna’s message. Madonna’s allegations come as Lanez is embattled in a legal case with rapper Megan Thee Stallion. He is accused of shooting the hip-hop star in the foot after a party last summer. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/52iW3lcpK5M/hqdefault.jpg Ice-T took to social media this week to urge his fans to use caution amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in the Omicron variant. As reported by The Blast, the rapper and “Law & Order” star tweeted: “FYI: I’ve got 5 friends fighting Covid right now… 2 in the hospital,” he stated, adding, “I know it’s been a long run…… But it’s NOT gone. Stay safe people.” Around this time last year, Ice-T shared an update about the health status of his father-in-law Steve who contracted the virus last summer. Steve had to be hospitalized in Arizona in July 2020 due to the coronavirus. Ice revealed last December that Steve is now “on Oxygen indefinitely. “My father-in-law ‘Coco’s dad’ was a serious ‘No Masker’ COVID hit him,” he wrote on Twitter at the time. “Pneumonia in both lungs.. 40 days in ICU close to death.. Now he’s on Oxygen indefinitely.” Ice-T also shared a photo of his father-in-law wearing an oxygen mask, writing, “Ohhh he’s a Believer now.. #COVIDisNotAGame.” The Netflix series “Cheer” is set to return for a second season and the show will tackle the child porn charges against breakout series star Jerry Harris. Harris was arrested in late 2020 on child pornography charges. At the time, the U.S. Attorney’s Office released sexually-explicit evidence to support the case against him, including photos and screenshots of messages from Harris to his alleged victims. Harris admitted to exchanging photos and videos with underage boys (upwards of 15 boys) and repeatedly soliciting them to connect in person. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7SafV8n_saA/hqdefault.jpg Ice Cube claims religion is the reason why his “Friday” costar Chris Tucker turned down $12 million to reprise his role in the sequel. The actor and hip-hop icon claims the comedian refused to appear in the two sequels: 2000’s “Next Friday” and 2002’s “Friday After Next” because of “religious reasons.” “We were ready to pay Chris Tucker $10-12m to do Next Friday but he turned us down for religious reasons. He didn’t want to cuss or smoke weed on camera anymore,” Ice Cube tweeted Wednesday when someone asked whether Tucker “quit over money” reasons. Tucker recently spoke out about why he has no interest in reprising the role of Smokey for the “Friday” movie franchise. “It probably was good for me because it kept me moving to the next phase and next movies,” Tucker said in an interview with All Urban Central. “Back then, I gotta tell you, one of the reasons why I didn’t do the second one was because of the weed,” Tucker added. “Because I said, man, that movie became a phenomenon. I don’t want everybody smoking weed and I never really told people this because I kind of forgot about it, but it was one of the reasons why I didn’t do it. Because I said, ‘I don’t wanna represent everybody smoking weed.’ “ A 22-year-old female inmate is the latest to be dubbed #prisonbae by the internet. As reported by MadameNoire, Nyla Tomeka Murrell-French is currently serving a 7-year jail sentence for stabbing a teenage girl during an altercation at a gas station. She is now social media famous after sharing several jailhouse photos of herself on Facebook. She captioned the image “Merry Christmas from the Pretty Gangsta.” The pictures quickly went viral with men wondering how they can post her bail or send money to her commissary, with some even offering to help her find a better lawyer so she can get an early release. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2225808877572511&set=a.267742366712515&type=3 Former Miami coach Manny Diaz was hired as defensive coordinator at Penn State less than a week after he was fired by the Hurricanes. Diaz, 47, was a longtime defensive coordinator, with stints at Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, Texas and Miami before becoming the Hurricanes’ head coach after the 2018 season. He went 21-15 leading Miami but was let go on Monday and replaced with Mario Cristobal. “Manny is a veteran defensive play caller whose head coaching experience will bring tremendous value to our organization,” Penn State coach James Franklin said Saturday in a statement. “He has an innovative approach to complement his extensive Xs & Os knowledge which he developed through his stops at multiple Power Five conferences. Manny’s defensive philosophy is in line with our scheme and will help in the transition with our current team.” An Ohio high school football player who says coaches forced him to eat a pizza covered with pepperoni grease in violation of his religious beliefs is suing his former district and the ousted coaches. The former Canton McKinley High School athlete and his parents filed a federal civil rights suit this week seeking millions of dollars in damages and alleging violations of his religious freedom and constitutional rights. The athlete says in the lawsuit that coaches were notified he doesn’t eat pork or pork residue as a member of the Hebrew Israelite religious faith, but that they ordered him to eat the pizza as punishment for missing an offseason workout — and indicated his spot on the team was at risk if he didn’t. The coaches say the player chose to remove pepperoni and eat the pizza rather than an alternative food. They weren’t aware it violated his religious beliefs, according to a defamation case they filed previously against the teen’s father, his attorney and school officials. An attorney representing most of the coaches, Peter Pattakos, told The Repository newspaper of Canton that they have statements from over a dozen eyewitnesses that indicate the family’s allegations are false. Canton City School District Superintendent Jeff Talbert said in a written statement that the claims in the family’s lawsuit are meritless and the school board will address them through the legal process, the newspaper reported. The district suspended several coaches after the allegations arose. The board subsequently voted not to renew coaching contracts for four coaches and deemed three other assistant coaches as ineligible for future coaching positions. Tourists famously stand in front of British guards outside of London’s royal landmarks and do things to try and break their famous unflappable stands at attention. A kid unwittingly (or not) took things a bit further in a recent TikTok video that has amassed more than 5.7 million views, and counting. The youngster is seen getting in the way of two Queen’s Guard soldiers outside the Tower of London. One of the guards shouts “Make way!” before stepping over the child, knocking him underfoot in the process. The unidentified boy scrambles to his feet as soon as the guard walks past. Meanwhile, the guards have neither looked back to see if the boy is okay, nor broke sync with each other in their continued march. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eZ9xNgXajyQ/hqdefault.jpg The First Annual “Level Up Conference,” an inspirational virtual one-day event, took place Saturday, December 11 at 11:30 am ET (8:30 am PT). The conference was a collaboration between Earth Wind and Fire icon Philip Bailey’s Music Is Unity Foundation; The Felix Organization, co-founded by award-winning casting director Sheila Jaffe and Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels; …and The Purple Project founded by former foster youth LaTasha Watts. Together, their mission with the “Level Up Conference” is to inspire, educate and prepare foster youth aging out of the foster care system. All foster youth, present and former between the ages of 14-24 were invited to participate in the FREE conference. Fred Jerkins drops "I Believe" featuring Bishop Paul S. Morton https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/9017342?date=20211014&user_id=668306&signature=8hbleNozjWudNc-Pk4piJDPlHAI%3ATxYLOoVW Danny Jones drops "Reach For The Stars." https://orcd.co/reachforthestar Brian Courtney Wilson to perform on GMA 3 Friday, December 31, 1pm ET/12CT The prime suspect in a deadly mass shooting in and around Denver has been widely described on social media as a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer who also harbored hatred toward women. And the folks making these claims came with receipts. After keeping his identity secret for more than 24 hours following a shooting spree in multiple locations that claimed five lives on Monday night, law enforcement officials in Denver finally named Lyndon James McLeod as the gunman who ultimately died after a brief shootout with police. McLeod had been criminally investigated this and last year for unspecified suspicions, according to reports. However, no arrests ever came from the probes. He is accused of killing two people and injuring another at a tattoo parlor at around 5 p.m. Monday in Denver; firing shots at a Denver intersection and forcing his way into a home; killing a man at his Denver home; shooting at police while they tried to pull him over; driving to nearby Lakewood and killing another person there; and killing a woman who was in a hotel in Belmar before an officer shot him. Law enforcement, which said McLeod used to own a tattoo parlor in Denver, suggested he knew at least some of his victims and called the shootings targeted attacks. The Denver Post reported that McLeod may have been dressed as a police officer when he carried out the killings. The 47-year-old’s motive had not been publicly revealed as of early Wednesday morning, but a growing number of viral tweets suggested McLeod’s alleged history as a white supremacist may have had something to do with it. Dr. Anthony Fauci is urging Americans to “stay away” from large New Year’s Eve gatherings amid the rise in the omicron variant. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, noted that omicron is highly transmissible but less severe than the delta strain of the coronavirus. “All indications point to a lesser severity of omicron versus delta,” said Fauci on CNN Monday. But “we should not become complacent,” he noted. “I have been telling people consistently that if you’re vaccinated and boosted, you can have a family setting in the home with family and relatives,” he said. “But when you’re talking about a New Year’s Eve party — we have 30, 40, 50 people celebrating, you do not know the status of their vaccination — I would recommend strongly stay away from that this year.” https://youtu.be/8cKvFRYaWsc NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has condemned NBA superstar LeBron James for posting a COVID-19 meme that appears to encourage vaccine hesitancy. The meme shows three Spider-Mans each labeled COVID, flu and cold, and pointing at each other. James’ captioned the meme, “Help me out folks” with a shrugging emoji, implying that there is no difference between COVID, the common cold virus or the flu. Pro-vaxxer Abdul-Jabbar took to his Substack page to slam LeBron. “The meme’s implication is that LeBron doesn’t understand the difference among these three illnesses, even after all the information that’s been presented in the press,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. One can only wonder if members of the Republican Party, which has essentially gone to war against Critical Race Theory, despite their abject inability to accurately define it, will have the same energy when it comes to a little thing call “Critical White Theory.” Actually, there’s nothing to wonder about there, because white conservatives have already shown their racism and hypocrisy by either ignoring or advocating for the decades-old “great replacement theory,” which generally revolves around white people’s paranoia that they’re being replaced by non-white immigrants and Black people, and also a theory that implies white people have an inherent right to be the dominant race in the Western world. There’s apparently now a homeschool curriculum being offered to Caucasian parents that includes a field of study titled “White Wellbeing.” According to the Daily Beast, a site called The School of the West recently launched an online “educational resource for homeschooling parents.” The course study, which is advertised for students as young as four, boasts that it will help children “understand the gift of being born a member of Westernkind and the qualities that separate us from the other races,” and then later clarified that “the White race is known as Westernkind.” “It also promises to teach them how to spot and respond to the ‘anti-white propaganda’ that supposedly suffuses modern life, why white people are the only true citizens of Western nations, and how ‘feminism destroys the family unit,’ the supposed backbone of all Westernkind, ‘thus weakening our societies,’” the Daily Beast reported. Last week Harvard Kennedy School released a scathing retraction of a paper their Shorenstein Center on Media had released in January of 2021 attacking the #ADOS or American Descendants of Slavery movement along with its leaders Yvette Carnell and Antonio Moore. According to Science.org “… retractions appeared to be relatively rare, involving only about two of every 10,000 papers.” https://twitter.com/tonetalks/status/1476673903866966021/photo/1 The woman who slapped and spit on a man in a viral video allegedly has a history of mental illness and violence with her mother and step-father. They’re calling #PatriciaCornwall, 51, #DeltaKaren after video footage went viral last week. Since her arrest, other stories about the woman have come to light, including her allegedly threatening to kill her parents. Cornwall was accused of making death threats toward the couple while living in their Los Angeles home, the New York Post reports. This led her step-father, Robert Spoeri, to file a restraining order against her back in July 2020. Spoeri also claims Cornwall physically attacked him and her mother, Yolanda Spoeri.? “Patricia kicked me, punched me, threatened to kill me, jumped on me, pulled my hair very hard, pounded my head into the floor and more because I would not divulge where her mother was hiding,” wrote her step-father in the restraining order documents. “Her real goal was to do far greater injury to her mother,” he continued. “She threatened my wife a few weeks ago and my wife had to hide in the garage and flee and spend the night at a friend’s house.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYF2XI2l7qg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Florida family is demanding answers from law enforcement after a 13-year-old boy was killed during a traffic stop. The incident occurred Sunday afternoon after Stanley Davis Jr. filled up his dirt bike at a Chevron gas station. Surveillance cameras captured the moment the teenager noticed a police car turning to the same station, and the officer appears to follow Davis Jr. as he takes off, CBS Miami reports. The video does not show the actual crash and the footage has no audio. According to police, the boy’s dirt bike went down during the attempted stop, and Davis died. The police cruiser that was involved in the incident was “not equipped with a dashcam,” according to the Boynton Beach PD. https://youtu.be/838r6LRmRlE A Chicago 911 dispatcher has condemned Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s handling of the city’s crime wave, calling her “a disgrace” for turning the Windy City into “a death zone.” Dispatcher Keith Thornton called out Lightfoot in a viral online rant last week and warned tourists about the dangers in the city. “If you are a Chicagoan, living here or doing business here, even just visiting as a tourist here, your safety is compromised and in jeopardy,” he said according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Thornton appeared on “Fox & Friends” Tuesday and noted that Lightfoot has failed to support cops, adding, “the blood is on her hands.” https://www.facebook.com/100001004167377/videos/274234451354849/ The inauguration of Ed Gainey as Pittsburgh’s new mayor — expected by many to be a boisterous and grandiose in-person celebration like inaugurations past — will instead be held virtually on Jan. 3 because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, transition officials announced on Tuesday. The public can view a livestream of the inauguration and swearing-in ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. on Jan. 3 on the city’s YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter, as well as its TV channel. City and transition leaders made the decision “in accordance with guidance from public health officials,” according to a release. There will also be an interfaith prayer event the day before the inauguration, Jan. 2 at 3 p.m., livestreamed on Mr. Gainey’s Facebook page and Twitter. Legendary firefighter Willie “Chick” Carter, one of the first black firefighters to integrate the Winston-Salem Fire Department, has passed away Wednesday. The WSFD tweeted as they mourned the loss of their fellow retired firefighter. He was a part of the original eight black men hired in North Carolina’s first integrated firehouse E-4. WSFD recognized Carter during a Black History Month Celebration in 2020. He courageously served with honor for 35 years, according to the WSFD. On March 1. 1951, Winston-Salem hired and formed the first integrated fire company in the city and the state of North Carolina on Dunleith Avenue. The eight firefighters were Raphael Black, John Thomas, Lester Ervin, John Henry Ford, Robert Grier, John Meredith, George Penn, and Willie Carter. By 1967, the fire department was fully merged, as mentioned by the city of Winston-Salem Fire Department website. https://www.wfmynews2.com/video/news/one-of-winston-salem-fires-first-black-firefighters-passes-away/83-ad367d73-4dcf-4baf-bd1c-0274a36f0ec7?jwsource=cl Hip-hop legend and overall pop culture superstar LL Cool J has tested positive for COVID-19 just days ahead of New Year’s Eve when he was scheduled to perform as a headliner at an annual show on network TV counting down until it turns 2022. The 53-year-old rap pioneer made the announcement on Wednesday and referenced the “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” on ABC that he had to withdraw from because of his diagnosis. “I know it’s disappointing to the millions of fans but my test came back positive for COVID, which means I’ll no longer be able to perform as scheduled at NYRE,” LL Cool J said in a statement published by Deadline. “We were ready and I was really looking forward to ringing in 2022 in my hometown in a special way, but for now I wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year. The best is yet to come!“ A handwritten poem from Tupac titled “All Eye Was Was Lookin 4” is up for auction and going for $95,000, according to reports. Per TMZ, the auction house says the poem, dated Aug. 26, 1995, ended up in a private collection and it’s hitting the market 26 years later. Moments in Time, the autograph dealer, noted on its official website that the poem is billed as “the genesis for” the title track to Pac’s 1996 album “All Eyez on Me.” Earlier this year, Jada Pinkett Smith honored the late rapper on what would have been his 50th birthday by sharing a never-before-seen poem that Pac penned while incarcerated at Rikers Island. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQJjmooHTjI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Dwayne Johnson has made clear that he will not set foot on the “Fast & Furious” set for the film’s tenth installment, and he seems to especially have zero interest in working again with the star of the franchise, Vin Diesel. Johnson has issued a response to Diesel who last month said he is ready to end his feud with Johnson, calling on the former pro wrestler to appear in the next and finale “Fast & Furious” movie. Johnson and Diesel have been feuding since wrapping production of “The Fate of the Furious” in 2016. While filming, Johnson referred to several of his male co-stars as “candy asses.” Diesel wants to put their differences behind them, as he made clear in an Instagram post in November. https://www.instagram.com/p/CV_M4NEhnvE/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4753bd47-2864-42d7-baa3-a85d6501a636 #SFGate reported that #DoorDash’s new program, WeDash, will require all non-delivery employees to dash at least one order each month beginning in January.? However, company employees are less than thrilled.? “What the actual f – – k?” said an employee in a viral post, which revealed the person’s yearly total compensation of $400,000. “I didn’t sign up for this, there was nothing in the offer letter/job description about this.”? On the anonymous social media service, Blind, techies and other white-collar jobs, received the complaint, which was titled “DoorDash making engineers deliver food.” The anonymous employee’s complaint drew over 1,600 responses from other employees who were enraged by the new corporate policy’s implementation and enforcement.? “This is not acceptable in any way,” wrote one user.? “I hope other companies don’t draw inspiration,” joked another. “Otherwise LinkedIn employees will be required to go job hunting once a month going forward.”? https://www.instagram.com/p/CYGS9dqsmPv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Dasani Williams, known as Tyger Booty on social media, flew to Accra, Ghana to visit a local billionaire and allegedly service him and his friends, according to reports and social media fodder. Williams was also there to promote an event, MTO reports. According to Ghanaweb, Williams, a single mother, was in the country to “give pleasure to the big men at the parties she was billed to attend during the holiday season.” https://twitter.com/Naija_PR/status/1476091846795350019/photo/1 Jada Pinkett Smith shared a video update this week about her hair loss journey and her battle with alopecia. “Now at this point I can only laugh,” she said in a clip shared on her Instagram page, pointing out line of hair loss on her bald head. Pinkett Smith said the line appeared “just all of a sudden one day.” “Y’all know I’ve been struggling with alopecia,” she explained, adding, “look at this line right here…it just showed up like that. And this is going to be a little bit more difficult for me to hide, so I thought I’d just share it so y’all not asking any questions.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYB7dMppvjk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Amanda Gorman is ringing in the new year with a new poem. The National Youth Poet Laureate, who is most famous for her poem “The Hill We Climb,” which she recited at President Joe Biden’s inauguration earlier this year, partnered with Instagram on the new poem “New Day’s Lyric.” Gorman shared a video of her reciting the poem on her Instagram, as did the platform, on their own account. In the clip, Gorman wears a a white dress and powerfully recites “New Day’s Lyric” in an empty theater. “New Day’s Lyric” reflects on 2021 and looks ahead to 2022. “May this be the day / We come together,” she says. “Tethered by this year of yearning, / We are learning / That though we weren’t ready for this, / We have been readied by it. / We steadily vow that no matter / How we are weighed down, / We must always pave a way forward.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CYEpCgxBTAf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tami Roman is back on the reality show that birthed her fame, and we are all the better for it. Just like old times, 28 years ago to be exact, the reality TV maven is driving the drama on Paramount+’s “Real World Homecoming: Los Angeles” series, and an exchange from this week’s episode has gone viral over her attempt to get the roommates straight on when they are allowed to say the N-word, which is never. Tami was in the corner taking a smoke break when Glen uttered the full epithet while explaining how someone used it against one of his friends. In her Bonnet Chronicles bonnet and cigarette dangling from lip, Tami explained to Glen that he shouldn’t even say the word in a second-hand context. https://twitter.com/i/status/1476190912338300934 The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has confirmed that it tracks the content posted to social media usage by Kenyans in an effort to enforce tax compliance. As reported by BBC, Kenya’s taxman uses communication technology such as “blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data mining technologies,” to monitor the lavish items, including gifts, meals, clothing, and vacation photos that taxpayers are posting on social media. “KRA has a dedicated team whose work, apart from other intelligence-led risk-based analysis, is to look at lifestyles of targeted taxpayers. “This may in some instances involve viewing the social media profiles of targeted individuals,” a KRA spokesperson shared with the outlet. The Today Show’s “Morning Boost” on Thursday featured video of a precious moment filmed in 2018, when Beyonce and Jay-Z were on the road with their On the Run II Tour, but posted to TikTok this past August. The clip featured a woman surprising her co-worker with tickets to the concert, which were nestled inside of her birthday card. The heartwarming part is that the co-worker began tearing up at the card alone, using the folded ticket printout as a means to fan her welling tears while reading the message written on the card. https://www.today.com/video/woman-surprises-her-coworker-with-beyonce-concert-tickets-for-her-birthday-129823813710 “Jeopardy!” contestant Amy Schneider was born a man, but she’s being toasted as the highest-earning woman in the show’s history, much to the chagrin of those decrying the accolade as an example of stolen female glory. The transgender trivia whiz hit $706,800 in total earnings with her Friday win, prompting NBC News and NBC OUT to declare her the show’s “top female earner,” surpassing Larissa Kelly, who won $655,930 during her run in 2008-09. “Schneider buzzed her way to victory, becoming the highest-earning woman contestant,” said Entertainment Weekly. From People magazine: “Jeopardy! contestant Amy Schneider just became the show’s highest-earning woman, beating Larissa Kelly’s previous record.” Among those who had a problem with the “top female” designation were Rachel Bovard, senior policy director of the Conservative Partnership Institute. The 2021 Grammy Awards, originally scheduled for January 31, 2022 has been postponed due to concerns of the increasing cases of coronavirus. No New Date has been set. However several sources are stating that a March 2022 date is being considered. The Gospel Industry Network Grammy Award Weekend has been postponed due to a rise in the Covid and Omicron variants. A March date is also being considered. The New York Film Critics Circle has announced it will postpone its 2022 awards ceremony, which was set to take place on January 10, 2022. The postponement comes after a rise in COVID-19 cases throughout the country. Hailing from the one of the most musical cities on the planet, Detroit - Don, Courtney, Drea, Trent and Amber are professionally known as Shelby 5. The family group first came to notoriety on the Oxygen network’s hit reality series, Preachers of Detroit, where their father Don Shelby, Jr., was one of the principal cast members. At the top of 2021, Shelby 5 was a part of the Grammy® nominated song “Come Together,” written by multi-platinum songwriter and producer, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. Jerkins was so impressed with their vocal prowess, that he signed the group to his Lifestyle Music Group label. Shelby 5 is a group of amazing young people who vow to deliver an inspirational, yet versatile sound to gospel music, which is evident on their upcoming single, BOOM, which features Hip Hop legend Lecrae. The song was written and produced solely by Shelby 5 and is most certainly a sound that is needed in today’s gospel music landscape. https://drive.google.com/file/d/15zxv7hjVF3OUt7WkBaBL_BmOrNgB6Cjm/view HelloBeautiful, the digital news, lifestyle, fashion, and beauty destination for today’s Black woman, releases its December digital cover themed “The Evolution of Sarah Jake Roberts.” In an effort to capture the true authenticity of the modern women of faith, best-selling author, wife, and mother, HelloBeautiful solicited the help of author Candice Marie Benbow, who is known for giving a voice to Black women and their shared experiences of faith, healing, and wholeness. The new issue pulls back the curtain and offers a glimpse into Jakes Roberts’s life beyond what millions witness through her social media platforms. Readers will learn from the monumental interview of Roberts as she explains her journey of showing up authentically for herself to Benbow, including how she navigates life as a wife, mom, daughter, and someone with influence. Roberts also shares with Benbow her call and responsibility to her ministry. This feel-good article exudes Robert's joy and gratitude and just in time for the holiday. Furthermore, Robert's longstanding friend and celebrity stylist, J. Bolin, styled her, bringing the epitome of Robert and the cover to life. London-based UK Music Apps Ltd has today launched the 'ultimate play along' app for iPad and iPhone: Jazz300 features over 300 professional jazz, blues, soul, funk and pop backing tracks aimed at practising and improvising musicians. The brand new app offers musicians of all abilities the opportunity to play along to a huge collection of tracks - including over 200 jazz standards - recorded by 21 of the world's finest musicians including twelve-time GRAMMY® nominated Kirk Whalum (Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross), seven-time Billboard #1 Chris Standring and jazz impresario Jason Rebello (Sting, Jeff Beck). The New Mayo Clinic Diet, the official diet developed by the Mayo Clinic, has launched nationwide. Through a medically-supported, scientifically rigorous and proven approach, The New Mayo Clinic Diet helps people lose weight to improve their health. Built by a team of weight-loss experts at the Mayo Clinic, the program is built on a powerful new digital behavior change platform. The New Mayo Clinic Diet is designed to help members reshape their lifestyle by adopting healthy new habits and breaking unhealthy old ones. The program includes Mayo Clinic-approved meal plans and recipes, based on a weight loss solution that consistently ranks on the US News & World Report Best Diet list and #1 on The New York Times bestseller list. Members can choose from flexible meal plans, vegetarian, Mediterranean, high protein, and a new healthy keto program. "The New Mayo Clinic Diet partners a whole-health weight loss program with an innovative digital platform." said Donald D. Hensrud, MD, MS, Medical Director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program." Fandom, the world's largest fan platform, announces the fan-favorite choices in TV, movies, video games - and more! - for 2021. With over 250,000 fan-powered wiki communities on every topic imaginable in entertainment and gaming, Fandom is the center of the pop culture ecosystem. Whether you venture to Fandom to discover facts about TV shows, movies or video games, to share knowledge with like-minded fans, or to immerse yourself in your favorite imagined world, Fandom is a place where every fan has a home. Fandom analyzed billions of first-party data points across its 40 million pages of content to uncover fun facts, fan-favorite movie scenes, and even the most popular superpowers of the last year based on web traffic. Want to know the state-by-state analysis of most popular movies, video games and TV shows according to fans? Fandom's got you covered! Soulful songstress Y'Anna Crawley just released her highly-anticipated EP "This Is Me" under her independent label Sassy Soulstress Music. The EP is available today wherever music is sold and streamed. “This Is Me” arrives just in time for the new year, during a time where everyone has much to be thankful for post-pandemic, reflecting on the trying year and preparing for a new one. The six-track EP is Crawley's latest and most vulnerable body of work to date. “This Is Me is authentically Me! I wanted to sing my heart’s position without constraint. It’s been a while since I released a body of work and I wanted to make sure I embodied the essence of me," says Y'Anna. "Every song has a specialty to it. Just give me 24 minutes of your time! Sit with the music and allow these songs to play as I tell a story through melodies and lyrics.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isCH1b-cc4I&list=OLAK5uy_l-pOOmHLDXY_s9F0JLHhqFRounApMMnrc&index=1 The family of a young teenage girl who was killed two days before Christmas as police in Los Angeles shot recklessly at a suspect in a department store where she was trying on a dress will be legally represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump as they seek justice for their loss. Crump and co-counsel Rahul Ravipudi announced on Monday that they had been retained by the family of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was reportedly killed in a Burlington Coat Factory dressing room. Orellana-Peralta’s parents were expected to appear Tuesday morning alongside Crump and Ravipudi for a news conference at LAPD Headquarters. https://twitter.com/i/status/1475694498667634689 The former minority leader of the Rhode Island legislature seems desperate for attention on social media. Legislator Karen, also known as Republican Rep. Patricia Morgan, claims her “Black friend” suddenly acts hostile and unpleasant. So instead of talking to the alleged Black friend, Morgan decides she should tweet about it and make a false point about racial division for political points. “I had a black friend,” Morgan tweeted. “I liked her, and I think she liked me, too. But now, she is hostile and unpleasant. I am sure I didn’t do anything to her except be white. Is that what teachers and our political leaders really want for our society? Divide us because of our skin color? #CRT.” Christian Walker, the son of Herschel Walker, the ex-NFL player and resident GOP “Black friend” who is campaigning to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate, is absolutely his father’s son. In fact, Herschel Walker’s son is such a staunch Republican bootlicker that he’s looking to be his generation’s Candace Owens after having told New York Magazine he wants to be “the face” of Gen-Z’s conservatism. On Tuesday morning, the Walker for young people whose parents think Jim Crow was a fine American who gets a bad rap because of Critical Race Theory took to Twitter to be loud and wrong about crime in blue states. “Blue states are literal hellholes,” Walker Texas Stranger tweeted. “Move to red states and vote red, or stay in your crime invested liberal utopias.” The fundamental foundation of journalism has always centered on the primary principle of accuracy. But as the Omicron variant fuels the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, far too many mainstream media outlets have been quick to erroneously assign carte blanche blame to the entire continent of Africa without doing their due diligence, according to a progressive civil rights advocacy group. Yes, it is true that Omicron was discovered by scientists in South Africa. But that doesn’t mean that’s where the exponentially contagious yet much less mild variant is from, let alone the part of the world where it is raging the most. https://twitter.com/ColorOfChange?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1475506263408713733%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4267429%2Fomicron-anti-black-news-coverage%2F Harry Reid, the former Senate majority leader and Nevada’s longest-serving member of Congress, has died. He was 82. Reid died Tuesday, “peacefully” and surrounded by friends “following a courageous, four-year battle with pancreatic cancer,” Landra Reid said of her husband in a statement. “Harry was a devout family man and deeply loyal friend,” she said. “We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support from so many over these past few years. We are especially grateful for the doctors and nurses that cared for him. Please know that meant the world to him.” Funeral arrangements would be announced in coming days, she said. Days after a fatal Learjet crash in San Diego County, audio featuring the last words of the pilot has surfaced. TMZ detailed the audio, stating that everything appeared normal before the crash. The pilot seems to be relaxed as he speaks to the tower. The business as usual atmosphere is soon disrupted as the panic abruptly sets in. The pilot is then heard screaming, “Oh s***, Oh s***, Oh S***!” The comments are then followed by a scream, which marked the pilot’s last transmission. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-12-28-122821-plane-crash-audio-1329806/ The murder case of Jam Master Jay is presenting a new chapter as one of the men accused of killing the Run-DMC founder plans to present a witness that will prove his innocence. AllHipHop.com cites a document it obtained that reveals the prosecutor’s case could be jeopardy, due to Karl Jordan Jr. having an alibi. Jordan, along with Ronald “Tinard” Washington have been charged with the October 30, 2002 murder of Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell. According to the heavily redacted document, Jordan, also known as “Lil D,” was not near Jay’s recording studio the night of the murder. He was at an associate’s house. That associate is planning to testify on Jordan’s behalf when the case goes to trial. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ltRI11495wk/hqdefault.jpg A revolver fired by Baldwin during a “Rust” rehearsal on October 21st killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and left a projectile lodged in the shoulder of director Joel Souza which doctors later removed. Baldwin was told the revolver was “cold” and had no live rounds, investigators say. But new leads have come up as authorities searched the premises of an Albuquerque-based firearms and ammunition supplier. The search took place after a provider of firearms and ammunition to the ill-fated movie production for “Rust” told investigators that he “may know” where live rounds came from, describing ammunition he received from a friend in the past that had been “reloaded” by assembly from parts. Seth Kenney and his business PDQ Arm & Prop provided movie-prop ammunition and weapons to the “Rust” production. Kenney told a detective on October 29th that “a couple years back, he received ‘reloaded ammunition’ from a friend,” and that the ammunition stood out in his memory because of a star-shaped company logo, according to an affidavit from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office that is leading the investigation. As 2021 closes, TV viewers are looking towards 2022 and what it brings on the small screen. Among those things is an Ava DuVernay directed show for CW called “Naomi.” It’s the newest edition to the network’s roster of shows featuring superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Based on the 2019 comic book series of the same name, “Naomi” centers on the title character, a comic book-loving teenager, who sets out to uncover the origins of a supernatural event that shakes her hometown to its core while pursuing her hidden destiny. “Naomi” stars Kaci Walfall in the title role, Mary-Charles Jones as Annabelle, Cranston Johnson as Zumbado. Barry Watson as Greg, Mouzam Makkar as Jennifer, Alexander Wraith as Dee, Daniel Puig as Nathan, Aidan Gemme as Jacob, Will Meyers as Anthony, Camila Moreno as Lourdes and Stephanie March as Akira. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LsjoSlvT090/hqdefault.jpg The first full trailer for OWN’s juicy new drama, “The Kings of Napa,” has been uncorked. From acclaimed writer and executive producer Janine Sherman Barrois (“Claws,” “Self-Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker”) and Warner Bros. Television, the Napa Valley-set series follows an aspirational African American family whose wealth and status land them on the pages of design magazines and society pages. The wine business has brought them success and acclaim, but following the patriarch’s sudden exit from the company, his three children must grapple for the reins to the kingdom — as well as their own power, wealth, and legacy. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PPBXxgK3LcA/hqdefault.jpg Colin Kaepernick could be doing more harm than good in helping his SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) succeed in furthering causes he believes in. Awful Announcing (via the Wall Street Journal) reports the SPAC, Mission Advancement Corp., was close to finalizing a lucrative deal to acquire California-based lending firm The Change Company, but hopes were dashed, due to Kaepernick’s refusal to promote his work and do interviews. The Change Company is known for helping minority borrowers who have had difficulty getting loans from traditional banks. The firm’s mission statement is “To bank the underbanked, fairly and responsibly.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nA5YaN93cJE/hqdefault.jpg Roundabout Theatre Company has brought the musical masterpiece, CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, back to Broadway for a very limited engagement, with a cast led by London’s three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D. Clarke, who delivers “a performance that people will talk about forever” (Theatermania). This story of a Black woman working as a maid for a Jewish family in 1963 Louisiana—created by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner and Tony Award® winner Jeanine Tesori—pulses with the urgency and passion that’s shaping the world today. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tPKEvE-Eo_s/hqdefault.jpg “The Music Man” just cancelled all performances from now through January 1st. They’ll try and return on January 2nd. Hugh Jackman has tested positive– see his video below. Of course he got it. Star Sutton Foster and at least 8 other actors in the company have really gotten hit hard by COVID. What a shame. Losing the holiday season is very rough on the Broadway economy and psyche. Wishing everyone a speedy recovery! Friends of mine saw the show on the 26th and loved it even with Sutton out. But so many cast members being sick means they’ve got to take the time to regroup and re-set! “Michelle Obama … and they’re going to bring in (Vice President Kamala) Harris,” Rogan surmised Wednesday on his podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience.” “Harris comes back as the vice president and Michelle Obama is the president. We get a double dose of diversity.” https://youtu.be/z1qF9yQqBqA Remember when there were plans to put Harriet Tubman’s face on the front of the $20 bill? It was more than five years ago when news broke that the famed abolitionist and activist would replace former President Andrew Jackson as the new face of the $20. As it stands now, Jackson still occupies the $20. And Tubman’s family is making it known how disappointed they are that more of an effort has not been taken to honor Tubman in this way. “Our family has three nonagenarians — Women in their 90’s,” Michele Jones Galvin, Tubman’s great-great-great-grand-niece, told Spectrum News. “When this was talked about right out of the gate in the Biden Administration, they thought it would happen in their lifetime. We are hoping that is done.” The journey to having a Harriet Tubman $20 bill started on April 20, 2016, when then-Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced in an open letter to the American people that Tubman would be the first woman to have her face on the front of U.S. currency, replacing Jackson. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9yIeCuifJtI/hqdefault.jpg During an appearance on an episode of “Hollywood Unlocked Uncensored with Jason Lee,” Tiffany Haddish admitted that although she misses the rapper, she is “fine with it.” “I miss him,” Haddish confessed. “I miss him from time to time but that’s with, I think, any intimate relationship that you might have, you miss them. But I’m fine with it. It’s cool.” Haddish’s comments come after gave his take on the “Hollywood Unlocked” podcast earlier this month. According to the rhymesayer, it was a case of he and Haddish having different and busy schedules that caused the end of their relationship. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z_kCdVSfq-s/hqdefault.jpg While speaking with Comedy Hype, actor Faizon Love revealed that he only made $2,500 as Big Worm in “Friday” and said he turned down reprising his role in the franchise’s sequels (“Next Friday” and “Friday After Next”). “See, it wasn’t really about the money then,” said Love on why he was willing to accept the deal. “I got to say I’m working, pay my rent, I ain’t out in the street doing no bulls—t.” He continued, “It wasn’t iconic when we did it.” Faizon went on to say, “Next Friday,” was not the case. “They wanted to give me double-scale. The scale was $2,500, right. So that was $5,000,” he added while acknowledging the payout was simply not enough to reprise his role. Instead, he accepted a role in “The Replacements” for $100,000. When it comes to boombap and classic rap, there isn’t anyone who does it like the trailblazers, name-makers, and ground-shakers like Arrested Development, and their newest single, “Vibe” — available now! The 2x GRAMMY Award-winning hip hops group credited with a culture-shaping 30 years of experience, Arrested Development was the first hip hop group to ever receive the GRAMMY for Best New Artist while also receiving one for Best Rap Single; the song of honour was their anthemic, prayer-like track, “Tennessee” — which has gone on to be named by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as one of the Top 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DNLs7SrZtRY/hqdefault.jpg Nikole Hannah-Jones, project creator for the New York Times’s 1619 Project, shared she did not “understand this idea that parents should decide what’s being taught” in schools, during an interview on Meet the Press on Sunday. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYAjjU7KIA4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Oprah Winfrey, 67, hosted a grand welcoming party on December 23 for her best friend Gayle King’s grandson Luca, who was born three months ago, but she had a strict ‘policy’ for her guests to follow – one even her best friend failed to follow. ‘Everyone who is spending Christmas at my house has to be vaccinated, boosted, tested, and quarantined,’ the star said on Instagram. ‘Stedman [Graham] calls it “The Policy” cause I’m that serious about it. ‘This was release day for our bubble and we knew we had to throw a welcome celebration for Baby Luca, who none of us had met yet!’ she wrote on Instagram. It seems even best friends don’t get to bypass ‘The Policy,’ as King, 67, was forced to miss out on the Lion King-themed fun because she didn’t ‘complete the policy!’ It is unclear what step King didn’t meet, but she suggested she hadn’t received her test results back in time, writing on Instagram the following day: ‘Followed all the protocols…test results in! So [I’m] cleared to join the group…so happy!’ Even with rules in place that are designed to improve diversity, the NFL has struggled to build a pipeline for bringing Blacks and other minorities into coaching and front-office positions. The lead investigator for the latest NFL Inclusion and Diversity Report gives a nod to the less-than-satisfying nature of the numbers in that report by leading off his opening message with the reminder: “Progress is a process.” In 2021, the process produced these statistics: Black players make up about 70% of team rosters but the league has only three Black head coaches, while it had eight in 2011; Black coaches who fail in their first try in the jobs get inordinately fewer second and third chances than their white counterparts; the NFL this year recalibrated its much-celebrated Rooney Rule, which ensures minority candidates for front-office positions are identified and interviewed, to make sure teams talk to at least two such candidates for front-office positions and coordinator roles. Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced Tuesday. Arians is isolating at home. He told ESPN he is OK and is dealing with mild symptoms, mainly a cough. “I tested positive for COVID-19 this morning but have only experienced mild symptoms to this point,” Arians said in a statement issued by the team. Beyoncé’s name carries a lot of weight to it. No question. So much so that a realtor trying to use the former Destiny’s Child singer’s name to sell a lot in Houston. The vacant property in question is located on Rosedale Street, right next to one of Beyoncé’s childhood homes, according to TMZ. As for the cost, the lot was listed for $315k earlier this year but was pulled off-market in November. Those who are interested in buying the property are still welcome to do so by calling a number and asking about it. A house was previously on the lot but burned down in a fire four years ago, TMZ reports, noting that realtors are making more of the fact that Beyoncé lived next door to the property, despite that being many years ago. Not one to let opportunity slip by, a huge sign on the lot, which is about a tenth of an acre, says “Build On Beyoncé’s Old Block.” Thanks to her supportive husband, a social media influencer had the pleasure of becoming a stay-at-home mom. So she returned the favor by paying off his student loan debt for Christmas. Jayla Brenae went viral after sharing a post revealing her investment to help her husband go into the new year student loan debt-free. In a lengthy Instagram caption of a since-deleted post, Brenae explained the talk she and her husband had at the start of 2021 about going into 2022 with no debt. https://www.instagram.com/p/CX7RZXDjFNd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Stephen Curry became the first player in NBA history to make 3,000 career 3-pointers on Tuesday night in a game where the Denver Nuggets barely held off the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors 89-86. Denver’s Nikola Jokic blocked a potential game-tying shot by Jonathan Kuminga in the final seconds to preserve the win after his team nearly blew a 24-point halftime lead. The Warriors got one more chance to tie the game, but Andre Iguodala missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. “I couldn’t be more proud of our guys,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I thought Will Barton, down the stretch, made a couple of big, big plays.” Barton had 21 points, while Jokic led Denver with 22 points, 18 rebounds, five assists and four steals. ANTI-VAXXER kickboxing champion Frederic Sinistra has died from Covid complications after he discharged himself from the hospital. The 41-year-old, known as The Undertaker, died at his home in Ciney, Belgium, after deciding to treat the “little virus” himself at home. The three-times world champion who was forced to get medical help by his coach back in November shared pictures of himself in a hospital bed in intensive care breathing through an oxygen tube. Indiana University is faced with making a decision: Who should we rename this street after? a 19th century president? a black family? The president was part of the school and he supported eugenics. The black family rose to prominence after escaping the horrors of slavery. The IU Board of Trustees voted Friday to approve changing the name of Jordan Avenue to Eagleson Avenue. Generations of the Eagleson family, a black family, is cited for making significant contributions to the city, university, state, and nation, starting with Halson Vashon Eagleson Sr., who was born into slavery in 1851 and came to Bloomington in the 1880s. His family included Preston Emmanuel Eagleson, the first African-American to earn a master’s degree from IU, and Frances Marshall Eagleson, who was the first Black woman to graduate from IU and became a teacher and administrator at North Carolina Central University. Standing in the white-domed Capitol, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey presented Ashley M. Jones with a commendation for the honor, bestowed earlier this year by the Alabama Writers Cooperative for a four-year term that begins in January. Ashley M. Jones is being recognized as the state’s first black poet laureate. She is a creative writing teacher who delves into inequality and the difficulty of being Black in America. The ceremony will take place in the same building where Southern delegates voted to form the Confederacy 160 years ago. Jones’ most recent book, released earlier this year, is a collection of poems titled “Reparations Now!” In it, she writes about reparations not just in terms of money but in the fuller sense of rebuilding a society fractured by generations of racial violence, division, and prejudice. In an interview, Jones said she believes both poetry and history should tell the truth. “I’m hoping that through my position I can continue to spread that message and show that when we actually confront the truth it’s good for everyone. Hiding things doesn’t help at all. It actually hurts more than it helps,” she said. Jones teaches at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, which she also attended. A 13-year old boy died in Florida Sunday after crashing his dirt bike while police were trying to pull him over for driving recklessly. According to a Florida NBC affiliate, the boy has been identified as Stanley Davis Jr., who gained officers’ attention because he was driving erratically on Boynton Beach Boulevard. Video obtained by NBC shows Davis at a gas station and a police SUV follows him after he exits the station. Davis lost his life several minutes later when his dirt bike hit a curb, throwing Davis from the bike into a street sign. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene. “That’s the prejudice of the Boynton Beach police that we’ve been having problems for all these damn years.” Palm Beach County Attorney Michael Pike said the minimum age to ride a dirt bike in the state is 16. When the worlds of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and photography intersect, it becomes a space to help protect art and amplify its longevity. The stories behind the photos and the artist behind the lens are a part of what keeps history alive. It’s the power of storytelling through street photography that birthed visual artist Enrico Moses’ idea of how to help preserve historical moments within Hip-Hop. Flash Mints, an innovative NFT platform, features collections from legendary Hip-Hop and street photographers including Chi Modu, Jamil GS, T. Eric Monroe, Ricky Powell, and Yaasmyn Fula. “Hip-Hop is something that we as a culture we cherish. I think that we’re still learning so much more about the history of Hip-Hop because it’s so new,” Moses told AfroTech. “It’s something that was born recently in the 80s and really developed in the 90s. And here we are today in this multi-billion dollar industry. I think that these images are preserving this history that we’re all even discovering how much it means to us.” A Georgia man was released from prison on Monday after serving 23 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and 10 years after DNA evidence presented in court pointed to another man as the rightful suspect. Devonia Inman received a life sentence without parole after a Taco Bell night manager, Donna Brown, was shot and killed in the parking lot in 1998. The assailant stole $1,700 in that day’s cash receipts and fled in the victim’s car. When the car was found, authorities discovered a distinctive homemade ski mask left inside. There was no evidence to tie Inman to the crime and prosecutors relied on testimony from four key witnesses. Three of them later recanted, according to Atlanta Journal Constitution. After another man, Hercules Brown—no relation to the victim—allegedly confessed to the murder, Inman’s legal team wanted to have him testify in the case, but the judge refused to allow it. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y3O3UfUKBEY/hqdefault.jpg The Los Angeles Police Department released bodycam video footage and audio recordings Monday that shows the moments before and after an officer opened fire with a long rifle inside a North Hollywood Burlington store on Thursday, killing a 14-year-old girl and the assault suspect. The footage captures the suspect’s erratic movements in the store, his attacks on multiple customers and the moments the officer opened fire. It also shows that police didn’t give any commands to the suspect, who was shot down the aisle from his bloodied victim. Video showed that the officer who opened fire was told more than a dozen times by other responding officers to “slow down” before he fired. That officer has been placed on administrative leave. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YqAce3dubZE/hqdefault.jpg In an autopsy report released Monday, Kansas officials deemed the September death of Black teenager Cedric Lofton while in police custody a homicide, PEOPLE confirms. The report, obtained by PEOPLE, indicates Lofton, 17, died from “complications of cardiopulmonary arrest sustained after physical struggle while restrained in the prone position.” According to the report, Lofton had no pulse four minutes after being placed on the floor on Sept. 24, 2021, after an altercation with corrections officers at the Sedgwick County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center in Wichita. The handcuffed, shackled teen had been placed face-down on the floor after allegedly assaulting a staff member. Police arrested Lofton on suspicion of four counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, and transported him to the facility early that morning for an assessment. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is telling young Republicans to “stop” wishing people a happy Kwanzaa. The controversial lawmaker, whose habit of stirring up controversy posted a holiday message to College Republicans via Twitter on the first day of the African American cultural celebration. “Wishing you a happy and prosperous Kwanza!” the political group wrote Dec. 26, misspelling the name of the holiday which was created in 1966 as an alternative to Christmas that embraces family, community and culture and is based on African traditions. “Stop. It’s a fake religion created by a psychopath,” Greene wrote in a reply tweet. “You aren’t bringing in new voters, you are turning them away. People are tired of pandering and BS.” Supply issues and the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have a stronghold, but the power of the shopper could not be denied. AP News references reports that holiday sales rose 8.5% in the last few weeks of the holiday season. Mastercard Spending Pulse, a company that tracks various types of payments, including cash and debit cards, revealed the percentage Sunday, adding that it expected an 8.8% increase. The rise, which was fueled by purchases of clothing and jewelry, covered the period of November 1 through December 24. Compared with the pre-pandemic 2019 holiday period, holiday sales were up 10.7% Breaking down further into categories, clothing sales rose 47%, followed by jewelry sales (32%) and sales in electronics (16%). https://i.ytimg.com/vi/O_ihw_NyOmk/hqdefault.jpg ; Popular “woke” jail bond organization “The Bail Project” is under fire after they contributed to the bond of a man who was later arrested and charged with the murder of a man in a drug deal gone wrong. An Indiana mom is speaking out against the organization because she believes this could’ve been prevented. Nikki Sterling is the mother of Dylan McGinnis, who was murdered in October after going with a friend to get drugs. At the drug deal, McGinnis, who was not there for drugs only to go with a friend, was sitting in the car when Travis Lang opened fire on him and the female Friend over money. The female was shot in the leg but McGinnis, unfortunately, lost his life. Sterling was shocked to find out that The Bail Project helped free Lang for his previous offenses. Lang was originally arrested for possession of cocaine and three felony charges of breaking and entering but was bailed out with money from The Bail Project and other money raised by his family back in January. The Bail Project has released a statement claiming they aren’t responsible for Lang’s actions. Televangelist Perry Stone. He circled the room singing along to the music. He cracked jokes about gaining weight over Thanksgiving. That Tuesday night’s “special service” was supposed to be a joyous one for televangelist Perry Stone. He circled the room singing along to the music. He cracked jokes about gaining weight over Thanksgiving. But as Stone was describing to his followers how some people walked away from religion in recent years, the voice of a woman in the back brought the auditorium to silence. “Probably because you keep touching them, you nasty perv,” she yelled. “Why don’t you tell them the real reason why they left? Because you kept touching them.” But as Stone was describing to his followers how some people walked away from religion in recent years, the voice of a woman in the back brought the auditorium to silence. “Probably because you keep touching them, you nasty perv,” she yelled. “Why don’t you tell them the real reason why they left? Because you kept touching them.” “Ma’am, I’ll have you arrested, and I’ll bring a lawsuit against you for making statements like that,” Stone said, as his security guards rushed toward the woman. His voice held steady for a few more words before he began yelling, “You’ve talked to people who told 16 lies on my wife and I! That’s who you’ve been talking to.” Last month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began questioning people connected to Stone and his Cleveland-based ministries, according to five people with direct knowledge of the interactions. At least seven people connected to the ministry, including some couples, have shared information that investigators sought about sexual misconduct allegations against Stone as well as the evangelist’s connections to Bradley County law enforcement, according to the five people. For the second straight year, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the brakes on Diddy’s annual New Year’s Eve party. Sources with direct knowledge of the situation mentioned to TMZ that Diddy’s plans included having Miami as the place Friday night for 500 of the media mogul’s closest friends to invade the city for the bash. But, like many grand events, rising COVID cases in Florida and around the nation caused Diddy to cancel the event. The decision to cancel was made earlier this month. The cancellation mirrors the fate of the 2020 NYE bash, which Diddy cancelled, due to most of the people invited to the soiree not being vaccinated. The NYE bash is known for its high-powered guest list of celebrities. The Potter’s House of Dallas will be holding a New Year’s Eve celebration virtually due to COVID-19’s recent surge of cases. Founded by bishop T.D. Jakes, the Dallas megachurch will hold a service that people can watch live on the church’s platforms including its website and YouTube channel. The service will happen at 10 p.m. on Dec. 31. https://twitter.com/i/status/1475844144769732615 Dennis Rodman isn’t playing basketball, but he seems to have another, more troublesome game that he’s taken up. It’s one that didn’t earn him any new fans and relates to the federal mandate regarding face masks. TMZ reports the 60-year-old former Chicago Bulls forward was causing problems with JetBlue employees who approached him about adhering to the mandate The incident took place early last week on a JetBlue flight from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale. Rodman was repeatedly asked by flight personnel to place his face mask back on his mouth and nose during the flight after he took the mask off several times. Law enforcement sources provided more details on the situation, telling TMZ Rodman played a game of cat and mouse by initially placing his mask on, then repeatedly pulling it down, saying that he was having trouble breathing. Once the plane arrived last Monday at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida, Broward Sheriff’s Office Airport District deputies were on hand to greet Rodman, who was seated in first class. “Mr. Rodman cooperated with deputies and exited the airport grounds on his own with no issues,” according to a statement from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jpqMWiG6J_Y/hqdefault.jpg Not only did Houston Rockets center Christian Wood commit a turnover against the Hornets in Charlotte Monday night, he unwittingly committed assault on a Hornets fan in the process. During the final 10 seconds of the first half, Wood grabbed a defensive rebound and beamed a two-handed, cross-court pass intended for teammate Josh Christopher. Instead, it went way over Christopher’s head and hit an unsuspecting fan who was walking behind the courtside seats at Spectrum Center. She appeared to be OK moments afterward. Wood also took to Instagram to offer the fan courtside tickets to a Rockets game of her choice. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0jSMiI7bwOg/hqdefault.jpg HBO’s upcoming mini-series on the Los Angeles Lakers is churning up plenty of interest. Just not from Magic Johnson. The basketball icon and centerpiece of the 1980s “Showtime” Lakers who won five NBA championships got caught by TMZ’s cameras on Sunday. He was asked his thoughts on the upcoming show titled “Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty.” He’s not interested. “I’m not really looking forward to it,” Johnson told TMZ. “I’m gonna leave it at that.” Asked if he’s planning on watching, Johnson was succinct in his reply. “No.” “Ain’t Too Proud,” a jukebox musical about the Temptations that opened on Broadway in early 2019, will close on Jan. 16, the show’s producers said on Tuesday. The musical is the fourth Broadway show to announce a closing in the last eight days, as the spike in coronavirus cases from the Omicron variant has exacerbated the financial woes of an already pandemic-damaged theater industry. Last week, the musicals “Jagged Little Pill” and “Waitress,” as well as the play “Thoughts of a Colored Man” announced that they had closed without so much as a farewell performance — all were already on hiatus because of coronavirus cases among cast or crew. The Broadway production of “Ain’t Too Proud,” about the powerhouse Motown group, has not run since Dec. 15, citing coronavirus cases. It is planning to resume on Tuesday, Dec. 28, and hoping to run for three more weeks before closing for good. The musical also has a touring production that had to postpone shows at the Kennedy Center in Washington because of coronavirus cases; it is scheduled to have its delayed start on Tuesday night, as well. John Madden, the legendary NFL coach, announcer, and namesake for one of the greatest sports video games of all time died unexpectedly Tuesday morning at the age of 85, the league announced in a statement tonight. Madden was an absolute legend in everything that he did and his amazing life story was beautifully told just a few days ago in a must-watch documentary that aired on Fox before the Browns-Packers Christmas Day Game. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement: “Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.” A BBQ restaurateur is moonlighting as a mechanic to help his community. Eliot Middleton fixes vehicles in need of repair and gives them away to people in need in his rural area — and his good deeds got the attention of WLTX, the CBS affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina. According to the station, Middleton — the owner of Middleton & Maker Village BBQ in Awendaw — created his own foundation to donate fixed cars to people who don’t have their own transportation. https://youtu.be/M31pnviEH9E Oprah Winfrey launched the mainstream career of Dr. Mehmet Oz (Dr. Oz), helping to propel him to a coveted status of universal name recognition across virtually all U.S. households. But after a nearly 15-year affiliation between the two that has blessed the good doctor with an estimated net worth of $100 million, he has effectively told Oprah to kick rocks, according to a new report. At least, that seems to be the sentiment being offered from the Republican U.S. Senate candidate running for office in Pennsylvania who is apparently looking to ramp up the conservatism and fend off any perceived guilt of Democratic allegiance by distancing himself from the all-world media maven. Oz said as much during a fundraiser in New York City last week that included the likes of renowned conspiracy theorist and disgraced former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. It was there that Oz told the intimate gathering of Republicans that he told Oprah to fall back, the New York Post reported. “I asked her to stay out,” Oz reportedly told attendees. “Don’t support me because if you get involved in any way, you’ll get hurt and I don’t want my friends hurt.” https://youtu.be/YjJbQQZQcaA Right-wing outlets continue their war against critical race theory and “The 1619 Project” creator and New York Times writer Nikole Hannah-Jones. After a recent appearance on MSNBC’s Meet the Press, outlets ran stories claiming Jones said she wasn’t an educator or that she didn’t think parents should have a say in their children’s education. Hannah-Jones tweeted Monday morning that it seems like such coverage is coordinated as if writers for these outlets and the people who follow them are simply waiting to pounce. https://youtu.be/PF6wuD9cJOo As the year comes to an end, the wave of support for historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country continues. Philander Smith College is one of the latest HBCUs to receive a historic donation. The Little Rock-based institution was awarded a $2.5 million endowment; marking the largest individual gift the school has received in its 134-year history. The donation—which was given by an anonymous donor—will help fund Philander Smith College’s Generational Access and Affordability Program (GAAP). The initiative is designed to eradicate socio-economic barriers that impact access to higher education. The program aims to take a holistic approach to addressing the individual needs of students, so they don’t have to rely on student loans to advance their education. Research shows HBCU students are disproportionately affected by loan debt burdens. Since its inception three decades ago, the National Action Network has been dedicated to evoking social change and providing resources for underserved communities. The nonprofit is continuing that tradition this holiday season. According to NY1, the organization provided hundreds of Harlem residents with free meals on Christmas. Food insecurity is a pressing concern that has plagued the city of New York, and the public health crisis has deepened the issue. According to City Harvest, 1.2 million New Yorkers were food insecure before the pandemic, and that figure has increased by 36 percent amid the crisis. Founded by the Reverend Al Sharpton, the civil rights organization wanted to ensure that individuals facing hardships didn’t go without a meal this holiday season and distributed food to Harlem residents. The NAN also used the meal distribution event to ensure COVID-19 testing was accessible amid the rise in Omicron cases. A testing site was set up outside of the nonprofit’s headquarters. Lieutenant Governor of New York Brian Benjamin and New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams were among the volunteers. Trailblazing actress Cicely Tyson and music legend Ray Charles played instrumental roles in shaping their respective industries, and the two will be posthumously honored for their contributions to the arts. According to WSBTV, Tyson and Charles will be inducted into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022. Founded in 2021—by the Black American Music Association and Georgia Entertainment Caucus—the BMEWOF was created to celebrate and amplify the legacies of Black luminaries and organizations that have tapped into the power of the arts to uplift and empower. Nestled in the heart of Atlanta’s Vine City neighborhood—along the sidewalks of Northside Dr. and Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.—the BMEWOF serves as an ode to Black visionaries who have broken barriers and inspired other innovators to follow suit. The 2022 inductees will include Black artists and music moguls whose work spans generations, including Tyson, Charles, Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Prince, Ms. Lauryn Hill, TLC, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Lionel Richie. Entertainment visionary Tyler Perry will also be inducted. https://t.co/cSIuedSpxQ?amp=1 Meghan Markle was blessed with the ultimate Christmas gift over the weekend. The Duchess of Sussex recently won her privacy infringement case against the Associated Newspapers, the same publishers who produced the UK’s Mail on Sunday. According to PEOPLE, the publisher finally offered a public front-page apology to the 40-year-old mother of two, “as required” by multiple court rulings, buried in the holiday shuffle. In February 2019, The Mail on Sunday breached Markle’s privacy by printing a few sensitive experts from a five-page letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle, shortly after her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018. Season 5 came the final stretch of “Insecure” took us through a whirlwind of emotions, but it also taught us so much about life, love, friendships, careers, family and more. Season 1, Episode 1 begins on Issa Dee’s birthday. As she’s at work dodging insulting questions from inquisitively rude teenagers, she realizes that at age 29, she’s not doing what she loves, she’s in a 5 year potentially dead-end relationship, and she’s ready for something to change. She’s completely insecure about her current stage in life, and we get to watch her figure it all out. Over the course of 6 years, Issa Rae’s character grows and stretches in ways that catapulted her into the securely insecure boss we meet in season 5. For 5 seasons, we fell in love and identified with fictional characters that somehow represented an entire generation. Chef’s kiss to the show that single-handedly changed the way we were perceived on screen. Kudos to the series that showed the many ways a boss can look. From Molly’s HBIC lawyer energy to Dee’s entrepreneurial spirit, we got to see why the world needs both. There are so many reasons why this show is important to Black culture. “Insecure” is an alluring taste of the modern-day Black renaissance, as told through the eyes of Rae, her many talented writers, her director, and the actors and actresses who have now become our family. Bounce, the nation's popular entertainment television network serving African Americans, will present the 30th Anniversary Bounce Trumpet Awards -- a night of inspiration, history and crowd-rousing performances celebrating African American achievements and contributions -- on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m. ET. The 2022 Bounce Trumpet Awards will honor: Courtney B. Vance (Excellence in Entertainment Award), Stan Lathan (Living Legend Award), Tyrese Gibson (Luminary Award), Zaila Avant-garde (Rising Star Award), Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff (Xernona Clayton Award of Distinction) and Princess Sarah Culberson (Impact Award). Among the special guests paying tribute to this year's honorees are Wendell Pierce, Sanaa Lathan, JB Smoove and Tamron Hall. Musical performers and more presenters will be announced soon. The gala event will go down at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on Saturday, Jan. 15. Tina Knowles-Lawson didn’t have to look far when seeking out a theme song for her new Facebook Watch series, Talks With Mama Tina. The 67-year-old mom of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles recruited her grandchildren for the special tune. Tina previewed the series and the song on Instagram Tuesday, posting a preview clip which included guests Kevin Hart, Zendaya, Ciara, Kelly Rowland, and Tiffany Haddish. The theme song starts off with Tina’s four grandkids — Solange’s son, Julez, 17, and Beyoncé’s children, Blue Ivy, 9, and twins Sir and Rumi, 4, shouting, “Let’s talk about it, grandma!” It then cuts to Beyoncé singing, “Whatever it is, we can talk about it. Tell me how you feel, we can talk about it. Say what’s on your mind, we can talk about it. Simple conversations with no limitations, come and have a talk with Mama Tina.” Tina was clearly appreciative of the special treatment, writing, “Thank you to my baby @beyonce and my beautiful grand babies for making this special theme song for the show.” Dallas Buyers Club and Big Little Lies director Jean-Marc Vallee reportedly died of a heart attack at his Quebec log cabin and is believed to have lost his life on Christmas Day. The filmmaker likely died of heart failure on December 25 while preparing to receive guests the following day, multiple sources told Deadline. Vallee won an Emmy for directing the hit HBO series Big Little Lies. His 2013 drama Dallas Buyers Club earned multiple Oscar nominations. The filmmaker died suddenly in the cabin outside Quebec City, Canada over the weekend, according to his representative Bumble Ward. He said Vallee’s death had been unexpected. The 58-year-old Canadian was a fitness buff and a teetotaler, meaning he abstained from drugs and alcohol, according to Deadline. Vallee’s family and close advisors are also reportedly ‘shocked’ by the death, with his producing partner Nathan Ross also confirming his passing and paying tribute in a statement. ‘Jean-Marc stood for creativity, authenticity and trying things differently. He was a true artist and a generous, loving guy,’ Ross said. ‘Everyone who worked with him couldn’t help but see the talent and vision he possessed. He was a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me,’ Ross added. ‘The maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work he shared with the world will live on.’ Jean-Marc Vallée died suddenly at 58 when in a cabin outside Quebec City on Sunday which his family said came as a big shock to them. And on Monday morning the tributes started coming in for the Hollywood director. Reese Witherspoon was one of the first as she said in an Instagram post that her heart was ‘broken.’ The Oscar-winning actress and the famed helmer worked together on the series Big Little Lies as well as the critically acclaimed movie Wild. Franklin A. Thomas, highly regarded for his work at the Ford Foundation and with the late, legendary leader Nelson Mandela, has died at 87. Thomas climbed from humble beginnings in Brooklyn to become the first Black American to lead a large-scale philanthropic organization in the United States. He did so as president of the Ford Foundation, the nation’s largest foundation supposedly for much of its history, from 1979 to 1996. He became an essential ally of the anti-apartheid movement and partnered with Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president. He helped support South Africa’s constitution, advocated for peaceful change, and led the opening of the foundation’s first office in that country. The Black Film Critics Circle has named Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “King Richard” the best film of 2021. The drama that focuses on the rise of Venus and Serena Williams picked up three additional awards, including best actor (Will Smith), supporting actress (Aunjanue Ellis) and original screenplay (Zach Baylin). Denis Villeneuve, who helmed “Dune,” walked away with best director, his first precursor prize of the awards season, while the film also nabbed best cinematography for Greig Fraser. The critics’ group recognized Tessa Thompson’s powerhouse performance in “Passing” with the best actress prize, her second of the season so far. Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog” nabbed two prizes for supporting actor (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and adapted screenplay (Jane Campion). Along with recognizing films in 13 categories, the group also gave the Pioneer Award to “Zola” co-writer and director Janicza Bravo and the Rising Star Award to “The Harder They Fall” co-writer, director, producer and composer Jeymes Samuel, whose film was the runner-up for the top prize. Fortunately, for the most part when we go to church it’s mainly a peaceful experience. However, that wasn’t the case at a house of worship in Tennessee ’cause that’s where a dude out of nowhere attacked an assistant minister. It went down at the Olivet Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee Sunday, when suddenly one guy comes up to another sitting in the front row and starts swinging. The guy who was sitting instantly fully engages, and the 2 go off-screen as they continue punching each other, reports TMZ. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-12-27-122721-church-fight-1329521/ A Texas father of five killed the mother of his children and then turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide after the family returned from a Christmas party on Christmas Eve. Arsenio Gonzalez, 45, and wife Maria, 42, were found dead on the family’s front lawn outside their trailer home in Houston. Christmas morning, authorities said. Their five children, ranging in age from seven to 16 years old, were found inside the trailer home on the 5600 block of Daun Street. Police discovered their mother with significant head trauma and Arsenio with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A gun was recovered a the scene. ‘This couple, a man and wife were at a family function earlier. They came home and then this incident occurred, so the investigation is ongoing,’ said Sgt. Greg Pinkins of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. ‘None of the kids were injured, nor did they witness anything at the time.’ Chicago’s grim crime-ridden year continued its familiar path over the Christmas weekend and into Monday, with three people fatally shot and 22 injured in a city run by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Murders are at a 25-year high, with 793 recorded so far in a city with 2.7 million people. By comparison, New York City, which has a population of more than eight million, has had 479 murders to date. On Christmas Day, 24-year-old Giovanni Lozano was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head in Logan Square on the Northwest Side. On December 26, Clifford Jeffrey, 37, was shot and killed in East Garfield Park. And Monday, a 30-year-old man was fatally shot as he walked on the sidewalk in Little Village on the Southwest Side. His name has not yet been released. A grand jury has accused a former Bibb County deputy school superintendent and another woman of killing his wife. The grand jury indicted Edward Judie on charges of felony murder and of giving cocaine to his wife in Nov. 2019. The woman, Aliyah Danielle Walker, now faces the same two charges. In July, the sheriff’s office said Judie poisoned his wife, Joyce Judie, who was being treated for dementia. Investigators said she had a lethal amount of cocaine in her system when she died, and that Edward Judie was the one who bought it that night. He spent two months in jail, but was released in September on a $220,000 bond. He was Bibb County’s deputy superintendent of student affairs from 2011 to 2015. https://youtu.be/rm2ErhbjNIY An Indiana-based bank has agreed to direct more housing loans to majority-Black neighborhoods in settling a federal discrimination lawsuit filed by a fair housing organization. Evansville-based Old National Bank faced allegations in the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana’s October lawsuit that the bank engaged in housing discrimination against Blacks in Indianapolis in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The settlement agreement calls for Old National to originate more than $27 million in loans to qualified Black applicants and contribute more than $3 million to create programs to help Black home seekers secure mortgages and to invest in majority-Black neighborhoods, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported. Fair Housing Center executive director Any Nelson said the agreement will provide more mortgage opportunities, bank branches, neighborhood stabilization grants and fair lending education. A white woman who was shown on video harassing and attacking at least one passenger during a recent commercial airplane flight is reportedly being investigated by federal law enforcement officials. Patricia Cornwall was taken into custody last week after the plane landed in Atlanta in what is seemingly the latest example of a so-called “Karen” being brought to justice for flagrantly flouting the law. The fateful Delta Air Lines flight was one of the rare instances of a white woman trying to weaponize her privileges against a fellow white person. But still, the episode ended like most of the other viral Karen videos — with her being held accountable for her actions, albeit much more swiftly than those instances involving Black victims, but we digress… https://twitter.com/i/status/1474552407707242498 No answer is off-limits to the game show host’s reactions as viewers noticed Steve Harvey’s reaction to an answer he didn’t agree with during a recent “Family Feud” episode. The question: “Past or present name the greatest female singer of all time.” Harvey’s reaction was one of happiness, with Good Housekeeping noting his declared that in his 12 years on the show, it was the best question he’s ever read. For the contestants, answers came easily, with Tegi from the Ruffin family guessing Aretha Franklin, which ended up ranking second on the board. Although Tegi’s answer was a great one, it was the opposing side that hit the mark with the number one answer. Jaime from Team Makings hit the correct answer for his family when he answered with Whitney Houston. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W72kRKJ2lv4/hqdefault.jpg Kanye West recently dropped millions to buy a home right across the street from his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian. West, who shares four children with his ex, recently closed on the 3651 square-foot, 5-bedroom home in LA’s exclusive Hidden Hills. Kanye bought a $4.5 million home across the street from his estranged wife … so says the Daily Mail. He reportedly paid $421,000 over asking … proof the real estate bidding war in SoCal is alive and well. Aunt Fanny’s Cabin, an iconic World War II-era restaurant that attracted countless diners to Smyrna over several decades, appears set to fade into history. A city task force this week decided to demolish the 70-year-old cabin. Its decision was partly based on the decaying state of the aging building, which has a number of structural issues. The cost to renovate the cabin would likely have eclipsed $500,000, according to city estimates. Task force members were also unable to get past Aunt Fanny’s Cabin’s sordid history. The restaurant became world famous in the 1940s, hailed for its southern recipes and family-like atmosphere. But it was notorious as a themed diner that used racially demeaning stereotypes from the “Old South” to entertain guests. Black boys hired as servers wore wooden menu boards around their necks. There were reports that framed slave advertisements decorated the walls. And city officials recovered some racially derogatory relics from the past inside the cabin. “The story of Aunt Fanny’s Cabin was so troublesome to me, I just think it was time for it to go,” said task force chairman Travis Lindley, a Smyrna city councilman. LeBron James appeared to compare Covid-19 to both the flu and the common cold online Friday amid a nationwide outbreak of cases which are mostly being attributed to the Omicron variant. The Lakers star posted a Christmas Eve meme on Instagram which used the popular Spider-Man Points at Spider-Man meme format. The image shared by James showed three identical Spider-Man characters pointing one another, and it implied there is no distinction between Covid and the other illnesses. The star commented, “Help me out folks.” The post of course drew a mixture of condemnation and praise from prominent NBA fans on Twitter. Human rights activist Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa has died. He passed away on Sunday, December 26 at the age of 90. “The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement. Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work towards ending apartheid. Ramaphosa said Tutu was a “patriot without equal.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nhAm0II-bpg/hqdefault.jpg RemyMa is making moves for the new year. The NY rapper is starting an all-female battle rap league called Chrome 23. Remy recently interviewed with OTFMZ Battle Rap Media where she shared her plans for her newest endeavor. Remy began by speaking on how women need a safe space within the battle rap community. “I just want all the women that have ever put their blood sweat and tears into this, [and] that’s been doing this for years to get a chance to really make some decent money,” Remy says. https://www.instagram.com/p/CX5miwoM8Yn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “I was not living my full potential, said Karima Trotter (Virtue) about coming out with a new solo single “Redeemer” (Dare Records), even though she had a very successful and lucrative career in retail and home furnishing design. “You get comfortable doing the same thing. I didn’t feel satisfied, there was still an emptiness…I said this can’t be it. So I asked God to open a door for me to do my music again. I reached out to a writing partner in Atlanta…to put some kind of music out, create cute videos with my pictures.” Well God answered Karima because doors started opening up. Her single “Redeemer,” produced by Aaron Lindsey, reached #5 shortly after its release on Billboard’s “Gospel Radio Chart.” She also recorded and released for the holidays “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “This Christmas,” and “My Favorite Things.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aSrA4NWBiHs/hqdefault.jpg Join 12-time Grammy winner, CeCe Winans along with her guest host/daughter, Ashley Phillips along with CeCe’s husband and son, Alvin Love II & Alvin Love III for a cozy conversation celebrating the meaning of Christmas. https://youtu.be/oQus0jO0s_8 What an amazing year gospel legend CeCe Winans has experienced. The classic quote of Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” can easily be used to explain the past 18 months, but the powerful music and voice of Winans was extremely instrumental in spreading love, hope and encouragement to millions this year and countless of others throughout her career. What comes from the heart finds its way to the hearts of others and makes a difference. All the awards, accolades and numerous testimonies the singer has received for her first live recorded album, Believe for It, speaks volumes. Included in Billboard’s Top 10 Gospel Labels, Pure Springs Gospel & Fair Trade Services couldn’t be more excited with the album’s impact. Jeff Moseley, Founder/President Fair Trade Services stated, “We had high hopes and dreams for our partnership with CeCe and have been overjoyed with the success that we’ve experienced. It’s an honor to partner with an icon like CeCe.” The year-end Billboard Charts listed Winans as Top Gospel Female Artist of the year with the single, “Believe For It” dominating the Gospel Digital Song Sales Chart and holding the #1 slot for 18 weeks. The Omicron variant is not a disaster and may even signal the end of the pandemic crisis, say two prominent physicians affiliated with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Speaking to international reporters on Zoom through Media Central, professor Zvika Granot and professor Amnon Lahad said the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is more infectious and less aggressive than previous variants — which is a good sign. “Usually, viruses that are very aggressive are not very infectious, and viruses that are very infectious are not very aggressive,” said Granot, who heads a developmental biology and cancer research lab at the university. “We have been living with corona for two years, and we’ve seen new variants appearing. By definition, a new variant is more infectious than the previous variant,” he said. “Omicron is indeed more infectious than Delta and is overtaking it — but is it more aggressive? This still needs more investigation but at least according to the World Health Organization, there were no deaths from the Omicron variant worldwide as of last week. I can only speak for myself, but it’s a little difficult to feel basketball right now. The game itself has seemingly improved — there’s somehow more physicality and a better game flow — but that progress has been derailed by absences. The injury bug has affected a multitude of stars this year. COVID has run roughshod through the league, with rosters looking like they’ve been through fantasy drafts. With these circumstances, you have to find joy where you can. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a consistent source of that, with their 19-12 start being one of the great surprises of the early season. Though Darius Garland isn’t getting to the rim as often as he did last season, he’s been much more successful when he gets downhill. He’s converting a career-best 64.8% from inside of three feet, an improvement of 6.2 percentage points. https://streamable.com/5yg20e #Tesla has updated its cars to allow vehicles to have the ability to work as a megaphone. If honking wasn’t enough, now you can’t tell someone to get out the way through a megaphone if you have a Tesla. The new feature is a part of Tesla’s annual holiday software update, which Electrek reportedly spotted. The Verge reports that external speakers were installed in newer Tesla models to meet U.S. regulations. With how quiet electric cars can be, regulations require them to be able to alert pedestrians of their presence while they are driving or operating at low speeds. When a driver is speaking into the speakers, their voice seems to distort when the audio goes through the vehicle. There are no details on whether or not the distortion can be changed. https://www.instagram.com/p/CX68RItsDPs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In the most recent interview on the Spout Podcast, host Tamara Dhia chatted with Grammy-winning superstar, Adele, about basketball, her friendship with Drake, and the one song on her long-awaited fourth studio album, 30, she will never perform live. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3irN7EPrmWj6omnPDyf5hV?si=nUn2ge3cTkm7z6Gre1AMZg In the latest episode Off the Record with DJ Akademiks, Hit-Boy joined a live conversation on the Spotify Greenroom app. He’s a multi-Grammy-winning producer that has worked with the likes of Kanye West, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Nas, Big Sean, and others. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4seGyFA3VqnXi78Z9CrO7S?si=yIqPAGMpSCqDVaCqCx3DcQ China launched three warships, including two for export, on Thursday, as it expands its naval construction strength. The vessels – a 071E landing platform dock (LPD) and two Type 054 frigates – were launched at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding yard near Shanghai, according to the China Maritime Safety Administration and Chinese media. The LPD was ordered by Thailand in Sept 2019, the first export contract for a ship of this class. The vessel can be used to deploy helicopters and is expected to perform patrol missions, logistics tasks and disaster relief operations. The Chiang Rai Times news site reported that Thailand would use the warship to conduct naval transport missions. It could also be used for civilian purposes, such as disaster relief and humanitarian rescue missions. Thousands of Russian troops are reportedly withdrawing from the Ukrainian border after conducting drills for roughly a month. Reuters reported on Saturday that more than 10,000 Russian troops were leaving a number of regions near Ukraine – including Crimea, Rostov and Kuban – and returning to permanent bases. The news service pointed to reporting from the Interfax news agency, which cited the Russian military. “A stage of combat coordination of divisions, combat crews, squads at motorized units… has been completed. More than 10,000 military servicemen… will march to their permanent deployment from the territory of the combined arms’ area of drills,” the Russian army is quoted as saying in the Interfax report, according to Reuters. Russia had amassed tens of thousands of troops in regions north, east and south of Ukraine, Reuters noted, which alarmed Kyiv and Western nations that Moscow may be planning an attack. U.S. intelligence earlier this year revealed that Russia was planning a military offensive against Ukraine as early as next year that would involve the deployment of 175,000 troops near the border. A family is seeking justice for their loved one featured in a newly released police body camera video that showed Norfolk, Virginia, police tackling a Black bicyclist, Derrick Rountree, for riding around without a headlight nearly three years ago on Christmas Eve. The Virginian-Pilot newspaper obtained the nearly 30-minute police body camera video, which they noted was submitted as an exhibit to the case a few weeks ago by attorney Christina Connell on behalf of Rountree’s family. In a 1:38 minute clip posted to YouTube, Norfolk cop Aaron Nkrumah Christie’s body camera shows him running at full speed toward Rountree, tackling him to the ground. The man is heard asking the cop, “Why you do that?” The audio was muffled, but Rountree asks, “Why you do that to me, bro? I ain’t do nothing.” Christie responds, “You have no light [on your bicycle]. We tried to stop you. You tried to run.” Seemingly shocked, Rountree fired back, “Is you serious, man? I didn’t know you had to have a light for a bike.” Rountree suffered a broken right tibia and fibula due to the tussle. The document stated that he was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for treatment, where he was hospitalized for several days. A 20-year-old man was fatally shot in an apparent road rage incident in southeast Dallas, police said. And now his mother is begging the public for help in locating the shooter. Officers responded about 7:30 p.m. Thursday to a report of a shooting on eastbound LBJ Freeway at the Haymarket Road exit, according to a police news release. When they arrived, they found the victim, Reginald Jeffery, inside his vehicle with a gunshot wound. Dallas Fire-Rescue took Jeffery to a hospital, where he died. “I’m just right now in disbelief,” his mother, Tilina Jeffery said. “I’m still trying to process this. In my mind, I keep telling myself this isn’t real. That’s how I’m getting through it.” https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/local/20-year-old-national-guardsman-killed-in-dallas-road-rage-shooting-police-say/287-027210f4-aa45-4931-881c-85ca8a0267ed?jwsource=cl Four men have been arrested and face charges of killing a Louisiana National Guardsman in his Terrytown home, according to a report from The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. Booked with first-degree murder, the four men are Myron Lee, Matthew Smith, Isaiah White, all 20, and Kewayne Edwards, 21, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office told The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. The four men allegedly shot and killed 21-year-old Jemond Cador on Dec. 6 in his apartment in the 200 block of Wright Avenue, the report said. JPSO deputies investigating the shooting after reports of gunfire at the complex said they found an apartment door kicked in. https://www.wwltv.com/video/news/local/4-arrested-in-terrytown-murder-of-louisiana-national-guardsman-report-says/289-dbdbeddb-d52d-4cb6-be7d-71efea5132f2?jwsource=cl A Black U.S. Navy veteran has filed a claim against the San Diego Police Department after being assaulted in 2020. The 32-year-old called the police after being attacked, but instead of receiving assistance, an officer knocked out his teeth and arrested him. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, on Oct. 11, Stephen Keith filed a claim against the department and is seeking over $25,000 in damages for injuries, pain and suffering, legal costs and lost wages, and unspecified punitive damages. Details of the incident, as recorded in the claim, state that a stranger approached him while he was on his property and asked him for a cigarette. When he refused to give him a smoke, the man attacked him — despite him being on crutches due to a recent knee surgery. Keith alerted authorities that he had been assaulted and waited for the law to arrive. When they did, four officers mistook him for the criminal and attacked him. The filing states, that “when the San Diego Police Department officers arrived on scene, they immediately tackled Mr. Keith to the ground and began brutalizing Mr. Keith. Prior to taking Mr. Keith to the ground, the officers did not direct any order towards Mr. Keith and Mr. Keith did not do anything to cause a reasonable peace officer to believe that any force used on Mr. Keith would be justified.” A distinguished military couple who were shot dead outside their Virginia home six months ago were allegedly targeted over their son’s suspected involvement in an earlier robbery, according to court records and witness testimony. US Army Colonel Edward McDaniel Jr, 55, and his wife, 63-year-old Brenda McDaniel, a retired colonel and nurse, were found shot to death from a point-blank range in the driveway of their Springfield, Virginia, home on May 26. A day later, police arrested two suspects, identified as Ronnie Marshall, 20, and D’Angelo Strand, 19, charging each with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Police at the time did not disclose a motive, but during a preliminary hearing earlier this month, Strand, who has agreed to testify against Marshall in exchange for having his charges downgraded, told the court that the two of them had gone to the McDaniels’ home to confront their son, Mike McDaniel, reported The Washington Post. According to Strand, Marshall was looking for Mike because he had been part of a group that had robbed Marshall a few days prior. All three men knew each other from working together at a FedEx warehouse. Meanwhile, prosecutors have downgraded Strand’s charges to a single count of accessory after a homicide, to which he is expected to plead guilty next month. According to court filings from Marshall’s former attorney, prosecutors claim that Mike McDaniel and two others attacked Marshall, stole money from him and called the police on him while he was at the McDaniel family’s home on May 24. Police in Virginia are investigating the scene of a car crash that killed Washington Football Team player Deshazor Everett’s girlfriend after they collided into a tree Thursday night. Everett, 29, was driving a 2010 Nissan GT-R, which has a top speed of 200 mph, along with his passenger, 29-year-old Olivia S. Peters of Las Vegas, when he crashed, according to TMZ. No arrests or charges have been made as of Friday and alcohol is not thought to be a factor, however authorities said the crash is still under investigation. Peters was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The outlet reported that Everett was also transported to an area hospital, where he remained as of Friday. His injuries are serious but not life-threatening. Everett’s girlfriend, Olivia, was the founder and owner of OSP Therapy in Las Vegas, according to her Facebook profile. A professional boxer from Maryland was killed in front of his girlfriend and three kids in a possible road rage shooting on Christmas Eve, according to police. Danny Kelly Jr., a 30-year-old resident of Clinton, Md., was driving to a holiday gathering with his children and gal pal in nearby Temple Hills on Friday afternoon when a suspect pulled up his vehicle next to the family’s SUV and someone inside the other car opened fire, according to the department’s preliminary probe. “At this time, detectives are looking into whether this was possible road rage,” local police said in a statement. Cops found Kelly unconscious in the driver’s seat of the SUV with multiple gunshot wounds, Prince George’s County Police Department announced Saturday in a statement. He was later pronounced dead. Neither his girlfriend nor three children were harmed in the shooting, police said. Joe Biden’s nephew Cuffe Biden Owens, 42, and Meghan King, 37, have split. LA-based attorney Owens, is the son of Joe Biden’s sister Valerie Owens, who advised his 2020 campaign. Reality TV star Meghan King, 37, had only revealed they were together in September a month after meeting on a dating app. The pair then got married in October, but Owens was rarely seen in King’s pictures with the last one seen on November 24, six weeks after their wedding. Earlier this month, King was asking for marriage advice as she confessed it felt as though the pair had been married for ‘a million years’ as she posted solo on a hotel bed. A new partnership can be timeless and just as rich as its traditions and core values. HBCU Morehouse College has announced its promising partnership with the London and New York-based elite fashion house, Huntsman Savile Row, to prepare enterprising business, mathematics, and computer science majors for success within their future careers. According to Morehouse news reports, “We are delighted to partner with Morehouse College on the new Huntsman Scholarship, and applaud the talented young recipients,” said Pierre Lagrange, owner of Huntsman. A new partnership between Purdue University, the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR), and a consortium of minority-serving institutions is working to grow the number of underrepresented minority researchers in STEM fields. African Americans and Hispanics comprise 32% of the country’s population, but 7% of the science and engineering workforce, and 11% of U.S. academic faculty. Studies show that underrepresented minority students are just as likely as their white peers to enter STEM fields, but that there are significant gaps in the persistence rate of minority students completing these fields. “We call this a quiet crisis,” said Luciano Castillo, Purdue’s Kenninger Professor of Renewable Energy and Power Systems in Mechanical Engineering, the program’s principal investigator. “It’s not just a matter of trying to raise numbers. Minority students feel that they don’t have the tools to succeed in science and engineering careers. We want to give these students every available opportunity to overcome those barriers, to solve the big problems of tomorrow.” The proposed program, called Blue Integrated Partnerships (BIP), has received a $2.8 million grant from ONR’s Mission Capable, Persistent and Survivable Platforms Department. In addition to Purdue, partners will include Tuskegee University; the University of Puerto Rico and its 11 campuses; the U.S. Naval Academy; NASA; and a growing list of industry partners, government agencies and universities. Spiraling to new heights, Renee Rhem has been named to the Subaru of America Executive Team. Her appointment makes her the first African American woman to hold a C-Suite position at Subaru. Vice president of customer advocacy and an executive team member, Rhem runs the Subaru customer experience across all channels. That ensures the Subaru Love Promise is present at all interactions with Subaru customers, the automaker announced. She reports directly to Thomas J. Doll, president and CEO at Subaru of America Inc. “Since joining our team in 2020, Renee has gone above and beyond to ensure the Subaru Love Promise Customer Commitment shines in all interactions with our valued owners,” Doll stated. “We’re proud to welcome Renee to the Subaru executive team and are confident she will deliver the strong results that keep Subaru best-in-class for our customer’s experience with our brand.” Rhem joined Subaru as vice president of vice president of customer advocacy in 2020. Before than, she held positions in operations, sales support, and customer service, including roles at Prudential Financial, Independence Blue Cross and Bank of America. She lives in Delaware with her husband and two sons. LeBron James is nicknamed The King. He even refers to himself as such. But he's now also the King of Christmas as he suited up for his 16th Christmas Day game, tying all-time leader Kobe Bryant, who played 16 times on Christmas during his 20-year career. That's not the only Christmas Day record of Bryant's that James chased down when the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the COVID-riddled Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. James entered Saturday only 13 points away from passing Bryant to become the all-time leading scorer on Christmas Day. He overtook Bryant's all-time record of 395 Christmas Day points during the second quarter. James also needed just two field goals to pass Bryant's 137 for the most-ever on Christmas Day, a feat he also accomplished by halftime thanks to a strong 7-for-11 showing from the field in the first half. They all wanted to catch it, and they all wanted to be the one to present the ball to Aaron Rodgers, but it was Allen Lazard who had the honor of catching the Green Bay Packers quarterback’s franchise-record-setting 443rd career touchdown pass. It happened in the first quarter of Saturday’s 24-22 win over the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field, when Lazard took a short out and drove for the right pylon. History was made. “My reaction was just like, ‘Oh, s–t, I caught it,'” Lazard said. “I wasn’t focused on it or anything. I didn’t have a plan after to do anything special for him or anything. But I think, once I caught it, I knew I was in and saw the ref signal it. It was a pretty great feeling. It was just being on that part of history. Jaden Rashada, one of the best quarterbacks in next year’s college football recruiting class, is already cashing in on his budding fame by signing his first endorsement deal, with a recruiting app company, this week. Rashada, who wrapped up his junior season in Pittsburg, California, as ESPN’s top-rated dual-threat quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class, will be paid a four-figure sum to help promote the AIR (Athletes in Recruitment) app via social media posts. While some high school basketball players have signed endorsement deals in recent months, Rashada is believed to be the first high school football player to profit from endorsements since the NCAA changed rules this summer that previously would have made Rashada ineligible to play in college if he accepted money. “It feels pretty good,” Rashada told ESPN. “Maybe it can open up more opportunities for others and people can be more aware of it. It’s a blessing to be able to make some money and promote a good brand.” The coveted prospect said he plans to narrow down his list of potential college destinations to his six top choices at some point in the next couple of months. He doesn’t think that NIL earning potential will be a factor in where he decides to play. Lifetime has released the dates of two thrillers by two of your favs as Nicole Ari Parker and Tatyana Ali will appear in leading roles. “Safe Room,” stars Nicole Ari, “Safe Room,” is produced by Astute Films and directed by Nicole Ari Parker’s real-life husband Boris Kodjoe, it tells the story of Ian, who is on the autism spectrum. When Ian watches a break-in at his neighbor’s house and sees the murder, Lila does everything she can to keep her son safe from the intruders who are trying to take down the video evidence Ian has from his house. She hides both of them in a panic room her late husband built many years ago. “Safe Room” will air on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 8pm E/P. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UIWoeCKgSSU/hqdefault.jpg On Lifetime Tatyana Ali star in “Vanished: Searching For My Sister.” In “Vanished,” produced by Big Dreams Entertainment, Ali will play twin sisters. In “Vanished: Searching for My Sister,” twins Jada and Kayla couldn’t be any more opposite: Jada is a reserved office worker, while her sister Kayla is the wild one out of the two. After divorcing her husband (played by Justin Bruening), Kayla asks Jada to watch her daughter while she sets up her new apartment. It is slated to air on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 8pm E/P. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XTrmSiFTCBQ/hqdefault.jpg It looks like Tik Tok is no joke. The video social media app just proved it’s here to stay by beating out Google as the No. 1 most popular site this year. TikTok was founded in 2016 and has been climbing the social media ladder ever since. Mostly popular to the young crowd, millennials and Gen Z’s have pushed the app for so long. Now parents, teachers and even corporate America are all guilty of using the addicting app to pass some time in their long days. You could say TikTok has the pandemic to thank for its popularity. Millions, if not b millions of people have turned to TikTok to keep them entertained for hours! It even beat well-known domains like Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/b72HkiH0N4o/hqdefault.jpg Producing without much of your playoff rotation is a pain for anyone. Kyle Lowry’s 13.7 points and 8.3 assists – along with 4.7 rebounds per game – have come on just 42/33/83 shooting splits, it’s upticked to 16.0 points and 9.4 assists on 44/35/78 splits since Nov. 27, a 13-game stretch. As much as some people would like more 20-point games out of him, that’s not where Lowry needs to be at his best. The definition of a point guard is convoluted in the modern-day, but old-school floor generals were taught to make their teammates better, first and foremost. As the game has grown more perimeter-centric and with smaller guards being more ball-dominant, it’s more common to see guys accumulating 22 points and 5 assists at the position instead of what Lowry’s box scores look like. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Kd8TCvBPZA0/hqdefault.jpg Snoop Dogg isn’t here for a #Christmas classic created in his likeliness.? This holiday season, there has been a frenzy on the internet over a Snoop version of the wholesome Elf on the Shelf doll, which has been named Snoop on the Stoop, the New York Post reported.? Usually, the popular toy which is inspired by the eponymous 2005 children’s book looks like a cherubic, which is a white elf who is Santa’s best friend in the story. The rapper-inspired version features the 50-year-old smoking a blunt while wearing sunglasses and an elf outfit.? Now online retailers are selling different dressed takes on the elf. But the problem is, none of the concepts were authorized by Snoop, who also went on Twitter to say he does not endorse the novelty item.? https://www.instagram.com/p/CX4RDpJML89/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Karrueche Tran says she was triggered by DaniLeigh and DaBaby’s viral feud last month that resulted in DaniLeigh being charged with two counts of simple assault. per TMZ and a video posted by DaniLeigh, that Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD was called by DaBaby to his North Carolina home as he and DaniLeigh sparred on camera. The recording of their argument was posted online. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ktaS4hhUR6E/hqdefault.jpg It sounds like the plot of a bad sci-fi movie, but NASA really is recruiting a priest to help prepare for humanity’s contact with aliens. No, they aren’t being launched into space to fight a space demon. NASA is hiring the help of 24 theologians as part of a plan to work out how the world’s different religions would react to news about extraterrestrial life. Amongst them is British clergyman Reverend Dr Andrew Davison, a theologian at the University of Cambridge who also holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the rival University of Oxford. The Collins dictionary says: “A theologian is someone who studies the nature of God, religion, and religious beliefs.” The reason NASA is hiring the experts now is because of advances in humanity’s efforts to find life in the great unknown. A range of new missions is expected to further our understanding of space, including the James Webb Telescope, which is due to launch on Christmas Eve. Additionally, the European Space Agency’s Rosiland Franklin rover, built in Stevenage, takes off next year. The Rosiland Franklin will drill into Mars’ surface looking for fossilized microbes in a direct effort to detect traces of life. Meanwhile, scientists in Cardiff have indicated that ammonia found in Venus’s atmosphere could potentially have been put there by living organisms. The NFL’s chief medical officer claimed that players and coaches without symptoms aren’t responsible for spreading the Omicron variant in their facilities despite an outbreak that has forced the league to postpone games and sidelined some 300 players. Dr. Allen Sills contends the league ‘has its hands full’ because of symptomatic players, coaches and staff. ‘Can I tell you tonight that there has never been a case when someone without symptoms passed it on to someone else? No, of course, I can’t say that. But what I can say to you is that I think it’s a very, very tiny fraction of the overall problem, if it exists at all,’ Sills told ESPN. He also said ‘asymptomatic transmission inside our facilities just didn’t fit with what we were seeing.’ He told the NFL Network that the key to limiting the problem is ‘symptom recognition and prompt testing.’ Alex Rodriguez’s goals in business started as soon as he turned pro. Now on the other side of one of the most successful—and controversial—careers in baseball history, his ambitions are accelerating. “I came to a place of accountability,” Rodriguez said in an interview. “I had good moments and I had very tough moments [in baseball], but I have a clean slate when it comes to being a father, to being a partner, to being a businessman, to being a friend. So I draw incredible motivation from that.” During a series of wide-ranging interviews in Miami for the Quicktake Originals series “Athlete|Empire,” the 46-year-old Rodriguez laid out a vision for a network of businesses under his A-Rod Corp. umbrella that builds on his success in real estate dating back two decades and now includes private equity and venture investments, a SPAC and an ownership stake in two professional basketball teams. A tragic Instagram post this week from Emma Kelly, wife of Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly, revealed the loss of the couple’s unborn baby, Mary Katherine. The heartbreaking death has left the couple confused and struggling, but Emma wrote that their “faith is unshaken” amid the unthinkable. “I don’t think we’ll ever understand why God decided to call her home when he did but our faith is unshaken,” Kelly wrote. “He knows better than we [and] she was needed back home, in Heaven.” Kelly explained that she lost Mary Katherine last week when she was 19 weeks along in her pregnancy, just one-week shy of her halfway point. She said doctors are unsure why the baby’s heart stopped. Noting that women only have a 1% chance of losing a baby at this point in pregnancy, she said “somehow, here we are,” and proceeded to offer a vulnerable reflection on the tragic ordeal. At this point, it’s not even much of a controversial thing to say the GOP has a white supremacist problem. But to be more specific, the Republican party has an issue with MAGA-fied conservatives who don’t actually know anything about anything getting elected to office by MAGA-fied voters who also don’t know anything about anything. That’s how Georgia got stuck with Marjorie Taylor Greene, and if Michigan Democrats don’t stay on their toes, their state might get stuck with their own KK-Karen who insists on perpetuating the dumb blonde stereotype. Meet Republican state legislature candidate Mellissa Carone. Carone is most known for sitting beside former NYC mayor, disgraced attorney Rudy Giuliani while testifying to state lawmakers that ex-President Donald Trump‘s “big lie” regarding voter fraud was not a lie at all. Michigan Advance reported that on Tuesday, Carone posted a Facebook Live video during which she turned up the Republican notch on condemning Critical Race Theory while demonstrating that she has no earthly idea what CRT is. But Carone decided to ramp up the crazy with a new claim that public schools and the U.S. government are working to “eliminate” white people in America. https://www.facebook.com/100011127785440/videos/1133429143857914/ Christian Walker, the 22-year-old son of former NFL legend-turned Republican politician Herschel Walker, has built quite a name for himself; well, online, at least. The outlandish social media personality has used his platform to sound off on a number of controversial topics from soaring gas prices (which he has blamed President Biden for) to his undying devotion for former President Trump. During a recent interview with New York Magazine, the UCLA student said that he wanted to be “the face” of Gen-Z’s conservatism. https://youtu.be/RdJPdPQ17gc Jenna Ryan, the Jan. 6, rioter who thought her “blonde hair white skin” would get her out of jail time for storming the U.S. Capitol and was stupid enough to parade her white privilege around on social media? Well now, she is singing a different tune and whining about how her “social media” presence and negative media attention caused her to get a harsh sentence and she’s begging her fellow MAGA buddy's for their loose pocket change to cover her legal fees. “Hello, I am a woman who went to the ‘Stop the Steal Rally’ in Washington DC on January 6th,” Ryan posted to her fundraising site. “I got caught up in the crowd and entered the Capitol for 2 minutes and 8 seconds. I was sentenced to 2 months in prison yesterday.” Ryan added: “The Judge says that everything I said at the protest was considered free speech, and the harsh sentenced I received is because I have a social media presence. The problem is, that the attention I received on social media was due to the extreme amount of negative publicity I received from the Mainstream Media. So basically, I’m getting a worse punishment because they want me to serve as a deterrent to others.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1375307583100162048 Washington University is the latest to experience racism on its campus, this time in the form of vandalizing a prominent mural featuring historic Black icons that was defaced with symbols of white supremacy. Officials at the school in St. Louis have vowed to identify whoever is responsible. It appears the crime happened sometime over the weekend, with students at the St. Louis school reporting the racist symbols to university officials on Saturday night. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the markings appeared to be of a logo synonymous with a white supremacist hate group linked to the infamous 2017 “Unite the Right” rally. The football world is reacting to news that Deshazor Everett, a safety for the Washington Football Team, was reportedly involved in a fatal car accident on Thursday night. A 29-year old woman named Olivia Peters, his passenger in the car, was killed by injuries sustained in the accident, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. “The driver of a 2010 Nissan GT-R was traveling north when the vehicle left the right side of the roadway, struck several trees, and rolled over,” the report reads. Everett, for whatever reason, is not named in the sheriff’s office release, but has been confirmed as the driver by multiple reports, as well as the team. He is “being treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries,” according to the sheriff’s office. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QyFfaXpXLCI/hqdefault.jpg Baltimore Police Officer Keona Holley died Thursday one week after being shot in an ambush while she sat in her patrol car, the police department announced. Holley, a 39-year-old mother of four who joined the police department two years ago to make a difference, was shot in the head while working an overtime shift early in the morning of Dec. 16 in Curtis Bay. She had been on life support at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. The Baltimore Police Department said in a news release Thursday evening that her family, in consultation with doctors, made “the most difficult decision” to remove her from life support. She was pronounced dead shortly after, police said. Officials including Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and Mayor Brandon Scott offered their condolences Thursday. A week before Christmas, several staff members at Venue Church in Chattanooga quit over concerns about the conduct of the megachurch’s lead pastor, Tavner Smith, according to church members and others informed of the departures. Eight employees quit last week after confronting Smith about rumors he was having an affair with a longtime employee, according to two former employees and four volunteers or members connected to the church for between three and eight years. On Friday afternoon, staff and volunteers met with Smith in a series of meetings to discuss the allegations after a video surfaced showing Smith allegedly kissing a woman in North Georgia, according to two long-time volunteers who participated in a meeting. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=606677127226070 Rapper Diamond “Baby Blue” Smith has been sentenced to over a year after being arrested in a COVID-19 loan scheme. Smith, 37, was arrested late last year for using coronavirus relief money to fund a luxury lifestyle, such as splurging on a $96,000 Ferrari. Smith and his co-conspirator Tonye C. Johnson were charged in a $24 million COVID-19 relief fraud scam. The duo faced charges of wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, per Complex. Smith, who was featured on “Love & Hip Hop: Miami,” allegedly falsified documents for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, for which he received $427,000. He’s also accused of fraudulently obtaining another loan worth almost $1 million. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H0LdUPpRM-c/hqdefault.jpg A Congressional panel has launched an investigation into the organizer of the Astroworld Festival that left 10 people dead. The House Oversight Committee announced on Wednesday that it will launch a bipartisan probe into what caused the tragedy at rapper Travis Scott’s music festival. The committee sent a letter to Michael Rapino, CEO of LiveNation, requesting information about the concert promoter’s role at the event. “Concert attendees have provided firsthand accounts of being crushed within the crowd as it surged towards the stage,” the letter read, People reports. “Live Nation Entertainment (Live Nation) was the concert promoter reportedly responsible for ‘planning, staffing, putting up money, securing permits, finding vendors, communicating with local agencies,’ for Astroworld Festival.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LGXwJnZSIkQ/hqdefault.jpg Travis Scott, continuing a holiday tradition he started last year, distributed more than 5,000 toys for children around Houston as part of the second annual Cactus Jack toy drive. This was one of the rapper’s first appearances since the Astroworld Festival in November. Families showed up Thursday afternoon at various locations to snap up bikes, scooters, dolls and golf sets. The Cactus Jack Foundation, Scott’s nonprofit, also replaced several hundred toys that were stolen from a local church. The toy drive was expanded from last year’s inaugural event in Sunnyside that benefited students, family and staff at Bastian, Reynolds and Young elementary schools. Scott, Kylie Jenner and daughter Stormi helped pass out toys. A former Colleyville Heritage High School principal, who left his job amid backlash over critical race theory, is running for the State Board of Education. James Whitfield filed as a Democrat earlier this month to challenge Republican Pat Hardy to represent North Texas, according to state records. The District 11 seat, which includes parts of Tarrant, Parker and Dallas counties, helps shape what 5 million Texas public school students learn. Among the next major tasks the state board will undertake is a review of the social studies curriculum, which will put the fight over how race and racism should be addressed in classrooms further into the spotlight. Whitfield did not immediately return a request for comment. He gained national attention earlier this year as he decried the efforts of those in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD who tried to push him out as a school leader. Over the summer, a former GCISD trustee candidate said Whitfield wanted to introduce critical race theory into the district, which the principal denied. The controversy stretched for months, sparking student walkouts in support of Whitfield, who is Black. The Wendy Williams Show” and “The Nick Cannon Show” are on pause amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in New York City. Producers for both shows made the announcements Tuesday on social media. “Due to the growing number of new COVID-19 cases and to ensure a safe return for our crew members and staff, The Wendy Williams Show will now return with new live episodes on Monday, January 10, rather than Monday, January 3, as previously scheduled,” the show shared on Instagram. “@MichaelRapaport, @KymWhitley & @FinesseMitchell and @sherrieshepherd will guest host the shows as previously announced. We continue to observe all relevant New York City health and safety protocols, and wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season,” the statement continued. Nick Cannon posted a similar statement on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXw6Ktrrkxq/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=92068b12-3daf-4348-9558-427b3aa0fb5d Former President Donald Trump shocked right-wing media personality Candace Owens in an interview when he voiced support of the COVID-19 vaccines, saying vaccines “work” and that those who get sick with the virus “are the ones that don’t take the vaccine.” In a Tuesday episode of the Daily Wire show “Candace,” Trump takes credit for the “incredible speed” of how the vaccines were developed under his administration. “I came up with a vaccine, with three vaccines,” Trump told Owens, as reported by People. “All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tgZCljdh_sQ/hqdefault.jpg The transportation industry has been bracing for pre-pandemic-level crowds this holiday season, but now two major U.S. airlines have been forced to proactively cancel some Christmas Eve flights due to the fast-spreading omicron variant of COVID-19. As of Thursday evening, United Airlines has proactively cancelled 112 flights for Christmas Eve. “The nationwide spike in omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation,” United said in a statement. “As a result, we’ve unfortunately had to cancel some flights and are notifying impacted customers in advance of them coming to the airport.” And it’s not just United that’s feeling the impact of the variant on crews. Delta Air Lines also proactively canceled around 90 flights for Christmas Eve. The airline says the “flight cancellations are due to a combination of issues, including but not limited to, potential inclement weather in some areas and the impact of the omicron variant.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tV8TZVbG0_A/hqdefault.jpg Apollo Nida, ex-husband of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Phaedra Parks, has filed a petition to terminate his criminal probation after he was arrested earlier this year in Miami. According to court documents obtained by Radar, Nida was arrested on May 30, 2021, for a local ordinance violation after trying to enter his hotel. He was charged with resisting an officer, and resisting arrest without violence. Nida’s attorney is requesting his client’s probation be dropped as he has effectively “reintegrated into society” since his release from prison in 2019. While he was incarcerated, Nida filed for divorce from Parks after 5 years of marriage. They share two boys. Phaedra and Apollo were married in 2009 but called it quits in 2014, the same year he was sentenced to an eight-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to bank fraud and identity theft in May 2014. His sentence was reduced by one year in 2019. He checked out of prison on May 27, 2019, and was arrested for allegedly violating his parole just days after his release. The widow of former NFL receiver Vincent Jackson is speaking out about his Stage 2 CTE diagnosis following his death in February. Jackson was found dead on Feb. 15 at the Homewood Suites in Brandon, Florida, five days after his family had reported him missing. He was 38. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner said that the former NFL wide receiver died from chronic alcohol use, SI reports. The manner of his death was “natural.” The report comes days after the Concussion Legacy Foundation confirmed that Jackson was diagnosed with stage II chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, the progressive brain disease associated with repeated head trauma. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fvSkeZBHS8k/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Motown Records has appointed Courtney Lowery as Executive Vice President of Media Strategy and Lifestyle. In this new role, Mr. Lowery will oversee media strategy and execution for the label and it’s diverse roster of artists. Additionally, he will play an integral role in a wide range of the label’s cultural and lifestyle initiatives. Mr. Lowery is based in Los Angeles and will report to Motown’s Chairwoman & CEO, Ethiopia Habtemariam. When a white model posted a TikTok in which she tearfully slammed the fashion industry’s body standards, a Black TikToker responded by pointing out her privilege as a white woman. She was then threatened with legal action. The initial video, which has since garnered over 28.7 million views, showed Anna Gantt tearfully talking about a hurtful experience with a casting director and producer. She explained in the TikTok that they told her to lose weight for a shoot in two months. Through tears, she said that she has been modeling since 2014 and used to be a size 0/2. Now, she says she’s a size 4/6 and healthy, after previously suffering from an eating disorder. Soon after Gantt posted this, TikTok user Sevyn Sativa (@sevynsativa) responded to the video and prefaced their commentary by expressing sympathy for Gantt’s experience. Then, she said, “Women of color, specifically Black women, have been pointing out this problem within this industry for years. Notice how you as a white woman were able to get on this app and tell us your experience, get over 10 million views, 2 million likes, and over 30,000 comments with immediate responses.” Alicia Keys has admitted her children get ‘a bit frustrated’ when she has to leave for work. The “No One” songstress, 40, parents two boys, Egypt, 11 and Genesis, six, with husband of 11 years Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Daoud Dean). And in a new interview with Ross King, which aired on Friday’s “Lorraine”, she spoke of how she handles tough questions from her sons such as ‘why are you always gone.’ ‘They get a little bit frustrated cos they’ll say things like, “why do you have to go?” or, “why are you always gone?” That’s the killer. No one wants to hear, “why are you always gone” – that’s not exactly what you want to hear,’ she told the LA correspondent. She continued: ‘But we talk about why, why is it you have to go. I try my best to tell them what’s coming up. “I’m here this week but next week I’m gonna be gone. It’s gonna feel kinda long but I’m gonna be back!”‘ Jada Pinkett Smith’s mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, is celebrating 31 years of sobriety. “I’m outside, and I just wanted to take a few minutes to be peaceful and still,” the 68-year-old “Red Table Talk” co-host said in an Instagram video. “Today is my anniversary, my clean date. 31 years. One day at a time.” Banfield-Norris said she “spent so many years in that insanity of active addiction,” which she remembered being a “revolving door” until she was ultimately able to get her “life back together.” “That surrender was a struggle,” she admitted. “But it was the surrender that was the beginning of the change in my life.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXy3VSpBJla/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Pastor Jamal Bryant states they have no choice. The reality is the majority, 76% of people now do their Christmas shopping online. So it is only the church that doesn’t understand the trends that are happening. Culture changes every four years; church culture changes every twenty years. So the average church is 15 years behind schedule. So imagine the average church is excited that they’re on Facebook, but all the children are on Snapchat. Yeah. So we’re going to have to really evolve and push to where technology is. https://youtu.be/JVnUgsU__ys An Atlanta UPS driver has gone viral for leaving a sweet message to a new mother using the home’s doorbell camera. Dallen Harrell, 24, was making deliveries at the home located in the area of Roswell earlier this month when he noticed a stork yard sign announcing the birth of a baby boy. After leaving the packages on the porch, Harrell used the doorbell camera to leave a message of encouragement for new mom Jessica Kitchel. “If this is the ‘It’s a Boy’ house … I hope all is going well with your newborn,” he said in the video. “I had a child around the same time you guys did and I just hope everything is going good. God bless and happy holidays,” he added. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vZ3eKvOeqwE/hqdefault.jpg Wild crimes continue in Los Angeles with a woman shoplifting with a pickaxe in broad daylight. The bizarre moment was captured on camera showing a woman dragging a basket full of merchandise across the floor of the Rite Aid, in Venice, California, on Thursday morning. In the clip you can see the woman walking around before stopping by the counter and telling an employee she’ll come back: “I’m not f*****g around,” she says to one employee who tried to ask her to stop as she grabbed beauty products. “I don’t want to smell like sh** when I’m knocking these b****** out,” she adds as she drops a spray into the basket. Before leaving, she tells everyone at the store, “Don’t say sh**. Shut the f*** up. Be quiet and follow suit.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CX4DVWdKedQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again An outcome has been reached in the trial of Kim Potter, the former Minnesota police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop. Potter, 49, was later charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter. Thursday, a Minneapolis jury found her guilty on all charges. Potter, who is white, killed the young Black man during a traffic stop on April 11, 2021. Although Potter believed she wielded her taser and yelled out, “Taser! Taser! Taser!” during the incident, she pulled her gun and fired a single shot, fatally striking Wright. Potter resigned days after the fatal encounter, was eventually arrested, and later released on $100,000 bond. https://twitter.com/i/status/1471918438449041408 What the local sheriff called a “major industrial accident” led to a huge fire early Thursday at an ExxonMobil refinery in Baytown, Texas, near Houston. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted that “initial reports indicated some type of explosion occurred inside the plant.” CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV reported that the flames were in the part of the facility that makes gasoline, but the rest of the refinery was still operating. The company said four people were injured and were in stable condition. Gonzalez’s office said three were airlifted out and one was removed by ambulance. No deaths were reported. Gonzalez said there didn’t appear to be any need for anyone to evacuate or shelter-in-place. Frank Reaves Jr. will become the first African-American mayor of Culpeper in the town’s 262-year-history when he is sworn into office at the start of 2022. He said he didn’t realize the milestone when he decided to run. “It feels good, real good,” Reaves said in a recent meeting at Raven’s Nest downtown. “Now I gotta get the board and everybody working together.” Saying he wants to bring people together is his tagline. The 69-year-old worked in law enforcement for most of his professional career, but he’s more like a diplomat. “I just wanted to run wanted to see this town survive,” Reaves said, asked about being the first African-American mayor. He added, “You can’t have special groups when you’re mayor, you gotta work with everybody, everybody’s gotta be special. Can’t show no favoritism.” A Culpeper native, Reaves started his high school education at the region’s African-American school at George Washington Carver and ended with the first integrated class at Culpeper High. He’s never been particularly political, but he noticed what happened in town the past few elections with local partisan candidates. “It just got out of hand,” Reaves said. “I want to get the people back together. This town right now is so much hate and we don’t need that.” A Georgia high school quarterback and class of 2022 recruit has died after complications from a routine surgery. Robbie Roper, 18, was hospitalized in Gainesville, Florida, on Sunday after experiencing undisclosed complications, his Roswell High School football coach Chris Prewett told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He died Wednesday morning, his family confirmed in a statement posted to his social media. “He was the biggest joy to our family,” the statement read. “We are proud of the young man he has become. He will be missed by his friends and family dearly.” Roper finished his last season at Roswell High School throwing for 3,010 yards and 37 touchdowns, according to ESPN. Earlier this month, he was named the Georgia Region 5 Class 7A player of the year. Following the news of his death on Wednesday, his coach shared condolences on Twitter, writing: “Heartbroken is a gross understatement.” “Robbie was a fantastic young man and a fighter all the way thru!! You will be missed in so many ways!! Prayers to this grieving family and our community,” Prewett added. Ben Carson, the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who landed the position despite having zero experience in housing or urban development, recently made an appearance on conservative Fox News to give bad medical advice about COVID-19 testing despite being a certified doctor who was also a member of Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force. “I personally think we should seriously give thought to not testing people who are asymptomatic,” Carson said. “Like I said, we’re going to end up with a real problem. We’re going to have massive numbers of people who test positive. What are we going to do? We’re going to shut everything down? It just doesn’t make any sense, and, particularly, when you’re dealing with something that doesn’t make people very sick.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1473479257456209921 The University of Utah apparently has a uniquely elusive racism problem, because students keep reporting instances of potential racism and administrators who investigate the reports don’t seem to be able to find evidence that they happened. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, school administrators at the college are currently looking into two incidents: One where a Black student said they found feces spread over the door to their dorm room and, in the same building, an incident where students said they saw white students dressed in Ku Klux Klan robes. The two incidents reportedly happened in September and October, respectively (exactly one month apart, actually), but new attention was drawn to the problem Sunday after a student took to social media to question why the on-campus racism isn’t being properly addressed by school officials. In response, administrators said that security footage from both incidents was combed through and neither incident was caught on camera. Farming is what Wayne Swanson knows best. “That grass you see over there is money. The cows can eat that.” For years, he has owned and operated Swanson Family Farms in Georgia. Now, he is using his expertise to educate the next generation of Black farmers. Nineteen Black families from metro Atlanta who purchased together more than 500 acres of farm land in Toomsboro, Georgia, which is located two and half hours outside of Atlanta. It’s a part of the Freedom Georgia Initiative. Greg Mullins is one of the new owners. “It started off as one little thing but now it’s just this huge platform,” Mullins said. The initiative is a Black-owned innovative community for environmentally sustainable-living, health and wellness and agricultural development. Channel 2's Audrey Washington tagged along as Swanson and Mullins drove around portions of the sprawling property. “It’s not like moving a mountain, it’s pretty easy if we just do what we’re supposed to do,” Mullins said. Swanson is helping Mullins and other new land owners learn how to maintain the farm, both physically and financially. Dawn Ison, a Detroit native, is Southeast Michigan’s first Black female U.S. Attorney. “I graduated from Cass Technical High School. I’m a daughter of a single mother who worked at the post office and struggled to take care of her children. I’m the daughter of a father who was murdered on the streets of Detroit. I’m also the wife of a police, retired police officer,” Ison said. Ison has decades of experience as both a prosecuting and defense attorney. She has been a public servant her entire career. “I just hope to get out there and rebuild community trust between law enforcement and in prosecution and just work with community partners, work with our local and state law enforcement partners, and get back into community and build that trust,” Ison said. Ison said she also wants to look at violent crime. The process of making an arrest can be stressful for both the officer and suspect alike, and we all know that one wrong movement or assumption on either side can lead to fatal circumstances. Unfortunately, in many cases we’ve seen lately, authority figures have been the trigger-happy ones. That was the sad case for Damian Daniels, a Black military veteran who was shot to death in front of his home in Texas while suffering from a mental episode during his arrest. To make matters worse, the cop who killed him will not be charged after a grand jury on Monday chose not to indict Bexar County Deputy John Rodriguez. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released a new holiday card on Thursday featuring the first photo of their daughter, Lilibet Diana, who was born on June 4. Photographer Alexi Lubomirski snapped the family photo at Harry and Meghan’s home in Barbara, California. The adorable image also features the royal couple’s 2-year-old Archie Harrison. “This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a ‘Mama’ and a ‘Papa’, and Lili made us a family. As we look forward to 2022, we have made donations on your behalf to several organizations that honor and protect families – from those being relocated from Afghanistan, to American families in need of paid parental leave,” Harry and Meghan said in a statement. In an interview with ABC News Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he would run for re-election if he was “in good health” and he believed “fate” would help bring him a second chance for another term. If I’m in the health I’m in now – I’m in good health – then, in fact, I would run again,” Biden told “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir, adding that he would welcome a rematch with former President Donald Trump. “I’m a great respecter of fate. Fate has intervened in my life many, many times.” “Why would I not run against Donald Trump if he were the nominee? That would increase the prospect of running,” the 79-year-old Democrat said. Researchers studying the wreckage of the last U.S. slave ship, buried in mud on the Alabama coast since it was scuttled in 1860, have made the surprising discovery that most of the wooden schooner remains intact, including the pen that was used to imprison African captives during the brutal journey across the Atlantic Ocean, reports the Associated Press. While the upper portion of the two-masted Clotilda is gone, the section below deck where the captured Africans and stockpiles were held is still largely in one piece after being buried for decades in a section of river that hasn’t been dredged, said maritime archaeologist James Delgado of the Florida-based SEARCH Inc. At least two-thirds of the ship remains, and the existence of the unlit and unventilated slave pen, built during the voyage by the addition of a bulkhead where people were held as cargo below the main deck for weeks, raises questions about whether food and water containers, chains and even human DNA could remain in the hull, said Delgado. “It’s a stunning revelation,” he said in an interview. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OAlzo3ParMA/hqdefault.jpg Kimberly Bryant, the founder of the nonprofit Black Girls Code, has been removed as leadership head amid allegations of workplace impropriety. As reported by Black Enterprise, an email statement to Insider revealed that Black Girls Code’s board noted that Bryant remains on the company’s staff while “serious allegations of workplace impropriety are being investigated.” An interim executive director has been appointed in the meantime, according to the email. Bryant tweeted in response, “Press release: so it’s 3 days before Christmas and you wake up to discover the organization YOU created and built from the ground up has been taken away by a rogue board with no notification.” A 911 operator in Philadelphia has been named godmother of a baby she helped deliver through the phone. As reported by Today.com, when Charlotte Fatoma suddenly went into labor while driving to the hospital, 911 operator Elyce Rivera calmly coached her through delivering her baby in her car by the side of the highway. The two women later met for the very first time live on air. Fatoma was working as a nurse at an assisted living facility when intense contractions prompted her to drive herself to the hospital which was 40-minutes away. She thought she could make it but got stuck in traffic, that’s when Fatoma called 911 and reached operator Rivera. “I just told her, listen, you’re gonna see your baby sooner than you think,” said Rivera. “She told me to position myself in the car, move the seat back, push yourself all the way to the edge of the chair, put your legs up, prop yourself and make a way for that baby,” Fatoma explained in an exclusive video interview. With Rivera coaching, Fatoma gave birth to a 7lb, 1oz baby girl on the side of Montgomery County’s Interstate 476. The ambulance arrived shortly afterward the baby was born, according to the report. Cardi B has scrapped plans to drop a new line of dolls, citing ongoing production delays and concerns over the quality of the product. TMZ reports that Cardi and fashion doll brand Real Women joined forces to make a limited edition Cardi B doll at $35 a pop. Pre-orders started in March, but when shipping deadlines were missed, Cardi fans accused the company of scamming and demanded refunds. Cardi B announced her new line of dolls earlier this year when she gushed about the project in an Instagram post. “BARDI GANG!! I’m dropping my own doll TODAY!” she captioned a photo of the dolls on IG. “Inspired by me. Created by me. Designed by me. Thank you @officialrealwomenare This means sooo much.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CMCt7b2As8F/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cbab5c5f-0320-4dd1-8b82-6082ea9cba0f Season 18 “Bachelorette” Michelle Young and her fiancé Nayte Olukoya made their first public appearance as an engaged couple on the After the Final Rose special Tuesday night, during which they received a special gift from some of “The Bachelorette” producers. Young and Olukoya were gifted with $200,000 to put toward a down payment on a house in her home state of Minnesota. “That right there is from us in the Bachelor family,” said host Kaitlyn Bristowe as the couple received the check. “And that is a — I’m going to cry — that’s a down payment on your first home together.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3_9kY_CNjuU/hqdefault.jpg FX has announced the premiere date for the third season of “Atlanta.” The award-winning comedy-drama starring Donald Glover will return March 24, 2022, kicking off with a two-episode premiere on FX, and streaming on Hulu the following day. “We are thrilled to have Atlanta back with a new season on March 24th,” FX Entertainment President Eric Schrier said in a press release. “Once again, Donald Glover, the producers and stellar cast have delivered another signature season synonymous with the excellence that makes Atlanta so great.” The second season finale aired on May 10, 2018. Last month, Glover hit up Twitter to share a long-awaited teaser for Season 3. Big Sean is catching some serious heat online after his comments about Black women in a recent interview. During a chat with ESSENCE, the hip-hop star spoke about his role in the BET dramedy, “Twenties” and working with the all-female-lead show. The Detroit native said Black women “are magical” and that they’re “the closest thing to God.” “Y’all be creating life. It’s funny how this doctor broke it down to me. He was like we all come out of a Blackhole just like the universe was birthed and it’s really deep when you get down to it,” he continued. And with that – Black Twitter was quick to remind the artist about his dating history, most notably his girlfriends have been light-skinned, mixed-race women. https://twitter.com/i/status/1471542225045798924 A New Jersey woman has been collecting Black Santa dolls for over two decades, a tradition she started with her late husband. As reported by The Root, Crystal Kittles received her first Black Santa as a housewarming gift from her husband. After his death, she continued to build the collection and now owns hundreds of dolls. “So many different ones, but I’ve never taken the time to count them,” she said, as reported by WPVI. “To me, it’s not always about the gifts. It’s just about the gathering, just seeing each other enjoying each other.” https://eurweb.com/2021/12/23/new-jersey-woman-has-massive-collection-of-black-santas-video "The Real Santa" children's book images....https://youtu.be/lZyRSP01y4M Forest Whitaker has joined global economist and author Dr. Dambisa Moyo to become the latest among a group of African business leaders and ex-basketball players to invest in NBA Africa. They are strategic investors who bring money, brainpower and activism to the body. Whitaker’s Oscar came from The Last King of Scotland, playing the tyrannical former Ugandan leader Idi Amin. “The game of basketball is incredibly inspirational, and my decade working in Africa has shown me how sports can be a transformative method of helping to foster peace, as well as an economic engine for socioeconomic development in areas of conflict,” Whitaker said. “ I too deeply believe in the league’s commitment to youth empowerment and am so excited to work alongside the NBA Africa family. Last July, former President Barack Obama joined NBA Africa as a strategic partner. Strategic investors in NBA Africa also include a consortium led by Babatunde “Tunde” Folawiyo, Chairman and CEO of Yinka Folawiyo Group, and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation (HFP), led by Co-CEO Tope Lawani. Additional investors in NBA Africa include former NBA players Junior Bridgeman, Luol Deng (South Sudan), Grant Hill, Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin), Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Joakim Noah (ties to Cameroon). Sherri Shepherd is sharing her thoughts on Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin’s split. On Tuesday, PEOPLE exclusively confirmed that Good, 40, and Franklin, 43, are filing for divorce, and Shepherd reacted to the news on her Instagram page later that day. “Not gonna lie … this news completely ***** me up,” the View alum, 54, began in the caption. “Just goes to show you – you can have all the tools and best intentions … you can post all day how happy you are on social media.” She continued, “At the end of the day nobody knows what goes on inside your home and how much work it takes to make a marriage actually work. I am sorry this Union didn’t work out … don’t know if I am in fairytale land, but I still hope it does.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXw67qcJzgF/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=35e61009-0df3-44ed-ba9d-1f6c865b67d5 Actress, Alicia Witt, 46, had asked a relative who lived in the area to check on Robert Witt, 87, and Diane Witt, 75, at their Worcester home after not hearing from them for ‘several days.’ ‘I reached out to a cousin who lives close to my parents to check on them. Sadly, the outcome was unimaginable,’ Witt said in a statement. ‘I ask for some privacy at this time to grieve and to wrap my head around this turn of events, and this surreal loss.’ Police said they had received reports that the couple, who a neighbor described as having been ill for ‘some time,’ had been experiencing ‘furnace problems’ and were using a space heater to heat their home, according to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. However, firefighters who responded to the scene reportedly checked the air quality inside the residence and detected no noxious gases. 'There were no signs of foul play. It is under investigation,' police said after the bodies were found in the Sussex Lane home Monday. As the NFL and the sports world is reeling due a surge in COVID-19 positive tests over the past couple of weeks, the Dallas Cowboys, who at one time led the NFL in players who missed games due to the virus, seem to be on the other side of the spectrum. Although defensive line coach Aden Durde and assistant special teams coach Matt Daniels tested positive over the past couple of days, the Cowboys have had no positive tests among their players this week. And the two players who missed last week’s game with COVID-19 are on their way back. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuma returned to practice on Wednesday and Trysten Hill should be back Thursday or Friday. With three games left in the regular season and a trip to the playoffs on the horizon, the Cowboys are taking no chances. The team has gone to a fully virtual status at the team’s headquarters and has uniformly decided to cancel all Christmas visits with family and friends. At 10-4, the Cowboys can clinch the NFC East title with a win against the Washington Football Team Sunday night at AT&T Stadium. But more importantly, the Cowboys, who are riding a three-game winning streak, are still in the running for the No. 1 seed and the spoils that go with it — the lone first-round bye during the wild-card weekend of Jan. 15-17 and playing only home games until the Super Bowl in Los Angeles on Feb. 13. Mahogany Films in collaboration with Son of Oakland Films and Arise Media has released the trailer for the highly anticipated film “Entanglement.” The video features Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends, Monogamy) as Layla, a wife still reeling from her husband’s past infidelity. As the couple tries to rebuild their marriage, they rent out the vacant unit in their duplex to a much younger man with a dark past, who becomes obsessed with Layla. https://youtu.be/ROzIpDuanZc Imagine being a dancer in an ensemble situation, believing you’ve got the routine memorized, only to find out in front of thousands of onlookers that you don’t. All of the dancers around you are in sync, and you are baffled. Horrified, wondering when the choreography changed and why no one bothered to tell you. This happened to Utah Jazz dancer Danielle Bush, who began looking around at the other dancers and half-heartedly trying to follow them to save face, all while believing she would be fired once the routine was over. But there would be a happy ending for Bush. As the music abruptly switched to “Marry You” by Bruno Mars,- and she began dancing along in confusion and horror with a painted on smile – her boyfriend, Brandon, entered the court and got down on one knee. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXu80SBs95p/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The most dynamic new duo in the game Lil Wayne and Rich The Kid reveal the music video for “Trust Fund.” It stands out as the latest single from their collaborative mixtape, Trust Fund Babies, out now via Young Money Records/Republic Records. In the visual directed by Mooch [Iann Dior, Trippie Redd], Wayne and Rich The Kid take over a skate park. As halfpipe shredding moves abound, they trade head-turning and hypnotic bars with the airtight chemistry of lifelong friends. The clip jumps between footage of them superimposed on mini-bodies and video game avatars as the frenetic action never stops. https://youtu.be/kSl8EwMrwjE In October, Alicia Keys appeared on The Morning Hustle show, where the hosts jokingly asked if the 15-time Grammy-winner ever forgave Lil Mama for crashing her performance with Jay-Z at the Video Music Awards. “Of course,” Keys answered at the time. “Listen, to this day, I truly never knew she was even on the stage—that’s the craziest part of the whole thing for me. I was on that stage, Jay was in the middle, she was on the other side of Jay, and I never saw her. Never.” The legendary rapper is finally speaking on the viral moment over a decade later and sharing his thoughts. In a recent conversation with Genius’ Rob Markman on Twitter Spaces, Jay recalled Lil Mama joining him and Alicia onstage in 2009 while they played their hit song “Empire State of Mind.” https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodunlocked/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=810f9dd4-4a4c-461c-a880-b2eca8a1b94b Thirty-one poems fill the pages, packed with reflections and curiosities. In I am… a Young Black Man they reveal their hopes and dreams, greatest triumphs and deepest fears. The book features writing by youth who are a part of the Gentlemen’s Quest of Tampa Inc., an organization that mentors and supports Black teens through a variety of programs. “This book is an act of defiance,” the introduction reads. “This is a testimony for every Black boy that your worth is not defined by your toughness or your tendons. This world is for you and you don’t have to be a martyr to receive love. You don’t have to be a casualty to leave your mark on this world.” Each summer, the Gentlemen’s Quest runs a STEM, or science, technology, engineering and mathematics camp. This past summer, executive director Tavis Myrick added a writing component. One of the exercises, called “I am,” was a 15-minute free write that the students would later present to the class. As Myrick and another teacher listened to the presentation, they thought about how the teens’ words deserved more than one moment. They’d capture them in a book, edited only for spelling, not grammar. “It was their words,” Myrick said. “The book really captures their stories.” TV ONE will presents REPRESENT OUR VOICE, a town hall episode that breaks down the year's pivotal moments including COVID-19, racial justice, politics, and the economy, and how they’ve impacted the African American community. CNN Commentator and Political Analyst Karen Finney will moderate the final episode of this year's series on Sunday, December 26, 2021 at 12 P.M. ET/11C. Featured speakers include Marc Morial, President & CEO, The National Urban League, Latosha Brown, Co-Founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, Dr. Reed Tuckson, Co-Founder of The Black Coalition Against COVID, and Michelle Singletary, Author/Award-Winning Columnist The Washington Post. The Biden administration has decided to extend the pause in federal student loan payments another 90 days. The President announced the extension in a Wednesday statement saying, “Now, while our jobs recovery is one of the strongest ever,” Biden said, adding, “we know that millions of student loan borrowers are still coping with the impacts of the pandemic and need some more time before resuming payments.” He went on to say, “Given these considerations, today my Administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments for an additional 90 days — through May 1, 2022 — as we manage the ongoing pandemic and further strengthen our economic recovery.” The current pause on payments was set to expire on Jan. 31, and Millions of borrowers were set to resume payments starting in February after a nearly two-year hiatus. The president of Meharry Medical College in Tennessee announced Monday that all of its 956 students will be gifted $10,000 each, with no strings attached. Days later, the money began arriving via direct deposit into the accounts of the HBCU’s future doctors, dentists and health researchers, or via check that they could pick up on campus. The funds came from federal COVID relief funds in the CARES Act that was sent to higher learning institutions. Meharry President Dr. James Hildreth, also an infections disease expert, delivered the news via a video message sent to students just before Thanksgiving. “We’ll gift each of you $10,000 in cash. You heard me right,” he said, only asking that they be “good stewards” of the windfall. He said that scripture tells him to give thanks in all circumstances and to keep thankfulness in our hearts. He’s thankful for students and the future of healthcare, public health and research that’s entrusted to them. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pMYHTzJVHHM/hqdefault.jpg Kim Kardashian has added her voice to those of 4.6 million others who are calling for clemency for a 26-year-old truck driver whose brake failure caused a fiery crash that killed four people, and who was sentenced to 110 years in prison. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles – including four other transporters stuck in rush-hour traffic. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people. On October 15, a jury found him guilty, and on December 13 he was sentenced to 110 years by Judge A. Bruce Jones – the minimum allowed by Colorado’s sentencing laws. He was found guilty on 27 criminal charges and his harsh sentence drew criticism among millions of people – including a juror who found him guilty. A seventh member of Congress announced on Tuesday he tested positive for COVID this week. Democratic Rep. Antonio Delgado, 44, of New York is the latest to announce a breakthrough case, saying he has mild symptoms which he credits to being vaccinated and boosted. ‘Yesterday, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am currently experiencing mild symptoms,’ he said in a statement. ‘I’m grateful for the protection of a safe and effective vaccine and booster and encourage all who are able to get both.’ His announcement comes after two more lawmakers announced on Tuesday they tested positive for COVID – despite being vaccinated – as Washington D.C. surpassed all other states in the nation in its coronavirus infection rate. Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of California and Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York announced their diagnoses, becoming the latest positive cases since Sunday. ‘This week, I received a breakthrough positive COVID-19 test result. Fortunately, I have only mild cold-like symptoms. I know it could have been much worse had I not been vaccinated and boosted,’ Lee said in a statement. ‘After experiencing mild symptoms and a slight fever, Congresswoman Malliotakis, who is vaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. She is quarantining at home and is feeling well,’ her office announced. The announcements come as Washington D.C.’s COVID cases rose by 369% in the past week, the largest gain in the nation, as the Omicron variant spreads across the nation. The number is based on a seven-day rolling average of daily new cases per 100,000 residents. A labor strike is underway at a Kellogg’s plant in Memphis and two other cities that have been going strong for two months. As reported by MSN, workers are also striking in Battle Creek, Michigan, Omaha, Nebraska, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Memphis plant produces cereals including Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, and Rice Krispies. The labor dispute is over details of the company’s proposals for a two-tiered wage and benefit system. The growing frustration is over new workers permanently receiving lower pay and worse benefits than longtime employees who enjoy a good benefits package. The union said the strike will continue after workers rejected a proposed agreement. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yh8bilaGvpg/hqdefault.jpg W. Kamau Bell is serving up a four-part Showtime series that explores Bill Cosby’s falls from grace after accusations of sexual assault. Per press release, the doc titled, “We Need to Talk About Cosby,” hails from Emmy-winning director W. Kamau Bell (United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell) that offers an in-depth look at the revolutionary career and personal descent of Bill Cosby. “We Need to Talk About Cosy” will screen at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, ahead of its SHOWTIME premiere on Sunday, January 30 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Cosby was convicted of sexual assault in 2018 and sentenced to three-10 years in prison. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated his conviction in June and Cosby was released. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/raCuh_Q6Ve8/hqdefault.jpg On the (next) edition of “60 Minutes,” Trevor Noah sat down and spoke with Leslie Stahl. The comedian Trevor Noah, was asked about his thoughts on the controversy surrounding Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix special “the closer” that had him trending for weeks. Noah shared his thoughts on the special when asked if Dave Chappelle crossed the line? “Did Dave Chappelle cross the line?” Noah asked. “Yes, no. It immediately puts me in a position where I have to choose a side when I think that the matter is a lot more complex than that. I think everybody is defining the line for themselves.” Stahl disagreed that “society defines the line,” and Noah respectfully pushed back while elaborating on how “there is no line.” A Pennsylvania family is warning parents about a dangerous TikTok challenge after their 10-year-old daughter died attempting to hold her breath until she passed out. Nyla Anderson, 10, passed away on December 12 in her bedroom at her family’s Chester home after attempting the viral ‘Blackout Challenge.’ The online dare, which has been linked to several child deaths, encourages participants to hold their breath until they pass out. While it predates social media, the deadly challenge has recently made the rounds on TikTok. Now, Nyla’s mother, Tawainna Anderson, is warning other parents about the deadly trend. ‘Make sure you check your kids’ phones,’ Tawainna told ABC 7. ‘You never know what you might find on their phones. You wouldn’t think 10-year-olds would try this. They’re trying because they’re kids and they don’t know better.’ Anderson’s family rushed her to a nearby hospital as soon as they found her unconscious, but despite their efforts, doctors were unable to save the tween. A gunman was caught on camera fatally shooting a New York City mother-of-two, 39, while she was getting in her car to go to work. The shooting happened when Dawn Peterson left her home on Foch Boulevard and 155th Street in Jamaica, Queens just before 6:30 a.m. on Friday to go to work. In the video, the shooter opens fire on Peterson multiple times from a distance, then fires from close range one time as they scamper away. Surveillance video showed the gunman driving away in a silver sedan. Peterson was found lying in the street with multiple wounds to her chest and back. She was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead after attempts to revive her. Her death has been ruled a homicide. Police have no details yet on the suspect, including whether or not they knew Peterson, who leaves behind an 18-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN2OzRf3ync A Florida mother was billed more than half a million dollars following the birth of her son – and the hospital offered to let her cover the tab in a dozen $46,000 monthly installments. Bisi Bennett, 38, of Orlando, Florida, welcomed her firstborn Dorian, now one, in the family’s Mitsubishi Outlander as her husband drove her to the hospital near midnight on November 12, 2020. Already a startling entrance to the world, as the baby boy was born premature in the breech position – meaning his head came out last – the new parents received an extraordinary bill of $660,553, with the patient responsibility being $550,134.76. The payment plan wasn’t any better, as the hospital Advent Health Orlando – an in-network facility that accepts Bennett’s insurance – offered to let the new family cover the bill in $45,843.73 installments over the course of a year. The offer was populated by the medical facility’s billing system, as all non-profit hospitals have to offer financial assistance under the Affordable Care Act. The financial assistance policy went into effect in 2010. ‘It was ridiculous, I don’t have $46,000 to pay a month,’ Bennett told CBS Mornings. The cause of the gigantic bill came down to miscommunication, as Bennett’s health insurance switched from United Healthcare to UMR the first of the year – a move Bennett made sure the hospital knew of in advance. The mother of Drakeo The Ruler is speaking out about his senseless killing amid claims that her son was “taken out” by an associate of rapper YG. the LA-bred rapper, 28, died after being stabbed at the Once Upon a Time in L.A. music festival on Saturday. In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, Drakeo’s mother, Darrylene Corniel, revealed that she plans to sue over the death of her son. She also said that he was attacked when a fight erupted backstage after forty to sixty people rushed Drakeo when YG appeared in the area. “He was hit in his neck. I saw him when I went to the hospital. They said it’s a homicide, so I wasn’t able to hug him or kiss him or anything like that. I had to look at him through a window,” said Corniel. “I need this to be out there. I need people to know. And I do want justice for my son. And I do believe that justice will be served. I will not rest until justice is served.” According to Black Twitter, YG’s crew clashed with members of Drakeo’s crew the rising star was stabbed during the melee. A woman has filed a $20 million lawsuit alleging that Trey Songz sexually abused her in 2018 after attending a New Year’s Eve party at Diddy’s mansion. The woman reportedly filed the lawsuit this week in Florida, and also names Diddy and E11EVEN nightclub as defendants. Jahuara Jeffries claimed in the suit filed this week in Miami-Dade Circuit Court that Songz, whose real name is Tremaine Neverson, “assaulted, battered and falsely imprisoned” her after the two attended Diddy’s bash in the early morning hours of January 1, 2018. The suit alleges that as Jeffries danced with friends on a couch at the club, Songz digitally penetrated her. “While Plaintiff was dancing on the couch, she noticed Defendant Songz standing on the floor next to her. She then felt fingers being inserted into her vagina, turned around, and saw Defendant Songz pulling his hand away from her bottom,” the suit says. Jeffries “immediately” got down off the couch and was left “in a state of shock,” according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit says after Jeffries left the club with her friends and Songz in Songz’s car — driven by his security guard — more bizarreness unfolded. Per the report, Songz took off his shirt once inside the car and Plaintiff began recording him “for her own safety,” the suit states. Songz attempted to take her phone, and when she refused, his driver, under direction from Trey, “grabbed Plaintiff and violently pulled her out of the vehicle, while Defendant Songz pushed her, and threw her onto the street,” the suit says. The suit alleges Songz “threatened and ridiculed” her in the process and “threw water in her face. The woman claims Diddy is liable because he and the servers at his New Year’s Eve party supplied Songz alcohol. ” A retired NYPD cop assigned to the cushy Yankee Stadium detail says her captain raped her “nearly every game day” for a year at the ballpark, according to a new lawsuit. Gillian Roberts says that Capt. Jeffrey Brienza, her boss at the 44th Precinct, even changed her schedule to make sure he would have more time with her, her suit filed in Bronx Supreme Court said. When she denied his advances or tried to avoid him, Brienza turned hostile, leveraging his power as her boss to give her undesirable posts and showing open hostility, according to the complaint. The situation turned so grave, the former cop says, she “felt that she was no longer there to perform the duties of a police officer, but to provide unconsented sex to the Captain.” Roberts, who had been a cop since 1998, is seeking $35 million in damages. Brienza is now stationed at the 25th Precinct, according to the suit and online databases. NeNe Leakes is reportedly dating a rich Liberian businessman named Nyonisela Sioh … and her new relationship comes three months after the death of her husband Gregg Leakes. As reported by TMZ, Sioh “owns a couture suit company in Charlotte, NC and he hails from Liberia, Africa … though it’s unclear how long they’ve been dating,” the outlet writes. Leakes’ former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star Peter Thomas, the ex-husband of fellow ‘RHOA’ star Cynthia Bailey, introduced NeNe to Nyonisela, per the report. Sioh is said to be a married man with children. His wife is reportedly named Kweeta Tehmeh, and they share a son named Nyonisela Sioh Jr. Sioh is also a father to another son named, Michael Dannah, according to reports. Sioh allegedly has a net worth of around $5 million. He reportedly owns a men’s suit company named Nyoni Couture, based in North Carolina. His wife is said to be devasted by his alleged affair with NeNe. https://youtu.be/yWNy3gwMomw Meagan Good and her estranged husband DeVon Franklin says no one is at fault amid their divorce despite rumors of cheating. The couple released a joint statement confirming that they are heading for divorce after almost a decade of being married. DeVon Franklin filed the petition for divorce from actress Meagan Good on December 20, but the couple’s joint statement on Tuesday night said the pair who reportedly met on the 2011 romantic comedy Jumping the Broom both came to the decision to divorce after long contemplation and prayers.“ “We celebrate almost a decade of marriage together and a love that is eternal. There’s no one at fault, we believe this is the next best chapter in the evolution of our love. We are incredibly grateful for the life-changing years we’ve spent together as husband and wife. We are also extremely thankful to God for the testimony being created inside us both and for blessing our lives with each other.” “After much prayer and consideration, we have decided to go into our futures separately but forever connected,” Good, 40, and Franklin, 43, said. Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin continued that there is no one at fault for the divorce as millions of fans of the couple reacted to the news. The petition cites “irreconcilable differences” as the ground for divorce and says that the couple apparently split in August this year. Franklin also asked the court not to grant spousal to neither of them. Kate Winslet has revealed she ‘couldn’t stop crying’ when she reunited with her Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. Kate, 46, and Leonardo, 47, who have known each other since their early 20s after working on the 1997 film, hadn’t seen each other for three years due to the pandemic. They met up while they were both in Los Angeles and Kate told The Guardian of that moment: ‘I couldn’t stop crying. I’ve known him for half of my life. It’s not as if I’ve found myself in New York or he’s been in London and there’s been a chance to have dinner or grab a coffee and have a catch-up.’ She added: ‘We haven’t been able to leave our countries. Like so many friendships globally, we’ve missed each other because of COVID. He’s my friend, my really close friend. We’re bonded for life.’ Kate also discussed her Emmy-winning lead role in Mare of Easttown star as she admitted she was unsure if there would be a second season. A Suge Knight biopic is officially in the works. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, producer Steve Whitney and his company TSW Films have purchased the rights to tell the authorized version of Suge’s life. “Over the last 30 years, there has been so much talk about Compton, me, the inner cities, and Death Row – A lot of talk. Even when it comes to making my movie there has been so many imposters saying they have my rights, or they got the deal – that was, and is, all talk,” Knight said in a statement, Deadline reports. “So when it came time to do a real movie and tell the truth about it he [Mike Klein] introduced me to Steve Whitney. Now, Steve, Mike, and I, and the woman that has my back, are making this movie. Taking it to the next level!” he added. According to the report, Nick Cassavetes(God Is a Bullet) will write the script alongside Anthony Thorne (After Exile). The release date has not yet been announced. Lifelong friends and now multi-award-winning filmmaking trio Samuel Ladouceur, Director and Producer (A Great Day in Harlem, Power, Boardwalk Empire, True to the Game, Flatbush), Harry Jeudy, Screenwriter and Producer (A Great Day in Harlem, The Sweetest Girl, Flatbush) and Yanatha Desouvre, Screenwriter and Producer (The Sweetest Girl, Flatbush) have signed with Crystal Ship Artists Agency for representation ahead of their long-awaited feature film, Flatbush, inspired by true events. Flatbush is a true-crime thriller written by prolific screenwriter Harry Jeudy and set in the unforgiving streets of 1990 Brooklyn, NY. The close and loving relationship between Haitian American teenager Harold and his mother are tested when they are caught between two worlds: survival or loyalty. Faced with insurmountable obstacles that put their lives in imminent danger, they are forced to find unorthodox ways to survive. Iman Shumpert believes LeBron James “ruined basketball.” The former Cavs guard said as much during a recent appearance on the “Bootleg Kev” podcast. Per The Spun, when the host suggested that Kevin Durant “ruined basketball” by jumping from OKC to The Bay in 2016, Shumpert said LeBron did it first. “It wasn’t KD. It was LeBron first going to Miami,” Shumpert explained. Adding, “[LeBron] knows he ruined basketball.” “He thought he was making it better,” Shump continued. “I get it. Me personally, I love the NBA for the loyalty that I thought was there. He basically knocked the fourth wall down.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HpuordGykBc/hqdefault.jpg Cedrick The Entertainer is speaking out about the cancel culture movement coming for Dave Chappelle in response to his controversial Netflix comedy specials “The Closer.” Chappelle took aim at the transgender community in his latest special, which triggered strong reactions on Twitter. “Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on earth. That is a fact,” Chappelle said in “The Closer.” “Now, I am not saying that to say trans women aren’t women, I am just saying that those p—ies that they got… you know what I mean? I’m not saying it’s not p—y, but it’s Beyond P—y or Impossible P—y. It tastes like p—y, but that’s not quite what it is, is it? That’s not blood,” he said. “That’s beet juice.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gyVjIKu4DHg/hqdefault.jpg “Love is messy, love is complicated,” said Lily Diaz, played by Emeraude Toubia in the TV series “With Love,” produced by writer and former producer of the 2017 remake of “One Day at a Time,” Gloria Calderón Kellett. Many complex issues of love in 2021, including love in the transgender community, are explored in “With Love,” a romantic comedy that premiered on Prime Video on December 17. One of the featured stars includes trans star Isis King, who shines in the role of Sol Lopez, illuminating the complexity of relationships in modern times. Indeed, while no one can explain what being in love and falling in love is exactly, we can all agree that love is exhilarating, joyous and soul-fulfilling, but also bewildering, complex, messy and complicated, especially when family and friends get involved. Most of us have experienced the joys and tribulations of being in love, and, in 2021, love is as complex as it’s ever been. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AUnONbLnkXM/hqdefault.jpg Kurt Warner, 50, true-life story is heading to theaters on Dec. 25, and he truly exemplifies the scripture Psalm 118:22 “the stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone.” he movie aptly titled “American Underdog” is a certified tear-jerker, inspirational, will induce goosebumps – the good kind and is entirely apropos considering the time of our nation, now entering year two of a global pandemic amidst economic strife. With its uplifting message, this film is what is needed in this trying season. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_6rn-6lKBJ8/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Mariah Carey recently filmed her family’s two dogs getting into the holiday spirit while singing the Yuletide tune that has made her the unofficial Queen of Christmas. In the clip shared on Carey’s Instagram page, she enters a festive room decorated with poinsettias, white lights and a bright Christmas tree and belts the song’s title. On the “is you” part, her twins with ex-husband Nick Cannon – Moroccan and Monroe – shout the two words and hold the final “youuuuuu” like they were Soulja Boy, prompting an excited response from the family’s two dogs. Carey gave a nod to the pets in the caption of her post, writing: “All I Want For Christmas Is… ????.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXxBd8oBCWS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again James Wright Chanel went viral in 2015 after his hilarious review of Walmart’s Patti LaBelle pies. Let James tell it, and he is the reason why Pattie’s pies flew off the shelves and sold out in the blink of an eye. He previously spoke to BET about why he almost had to “check” Patti when she failed to properly appreciate the impact he had on her pie sales. “The pie made 11 million dollars and sold 2.5 million pies in just two days. No Walmart in any county had a pie,” said James. People were even selling those pies for like twenty times the price, all because of…me.” In the same interview, he explained that Patti LaBelle took issue with him receiving all the credit for her pie success. As reported by I Love Old School Music, the iconic singer said at the time that she and she alone was the reason for the massive pies sales. Patti ultimately made things right. “She called my phone and was like, ‘James?’, revealed James. “And I was like, ‘Who is this?’ She said ‘It’s Patti LaBelle honey.’” “I sat that phone down, like the bishop just preached the word and shouted all over that house. And I was like, ‘Patti?’ …She was like, ‘James?’ And I was like ‘Hey girl!’And she was like, ‘That was an amazing thing you did with that video. I want you to come to my house for Thanksgiving.’” After bonding over Thanksgiving dinner, LaBelle and Chanel are now great friends. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eQRwFn7WPk8/hqdefault.jpg CLEO TV will air a new episode of CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Wednesday, December 22 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Season three of the popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN continues with an all-new episode this Wednesday, December 22 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells returns to prepare even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com The second season of “Games People Play” kicked off on Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. It becomes clear that the spiders have weaved a larger web and our crew finds themselves wrapped up further in that web than ever before. Marques must face the challenge of pursuing his own interests or the safety of those around him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VqlbPLSXnI Donald Trump has filed a retaliatory lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia “Tish” James and accusing her of trying to “harass, intimidate and retaliate against” him. The irony, of course, is that Trump’s lawsuit is quite obviously designed to in an apparent effort to “harass, intimidate and retaliate against” James, whose office has been making serious headway into its investigation of Trump and his investigation. Trump’s lawsuit aims to stop James’ against him and his company. The lawsuit screamed of desperation and came less than two weeks after James suspended her short-lived gubernatorial campaign in order to seek re-election as attorney general because, as she said at the time, “There are a number of important investigations and cases that are underway, and I intend to finish the job.” Monday marks the 35th year since a group of young white male thugs violently confronted three Black men who became stranded after their car broke down and brutally attacked them with baseball bats and chunks of wood, leaving one of them dead in the Howard Beach neighborhood of New York City’s Queens borough in 1986. The person who died, 23-year-old Michael Griffith, was chased into highway traffic, where he was fatally struck by a vehicle driven by the son of an NYPD officer. The teens responsible had been shouting racial slurs at the Black men, one witness told the New York Daily News at the time. The death of Griffith, a Trinidadian immigrant who had been employed as a construction worker, was compared by then-New York City Mayor Koch to “lynching parties that existed in the Deep South.” He reportedly ran into traffic on the Belt Parkway while unaware of the road and trying to flee from his attackers. “The white guys were yelling, ‘Come here, n—–,'” John Patterson, said he was with Griffith moments before he was killed. Two full doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are not effective at all against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, but a third “booster” shot helps, said Dr. Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit at Sheba Medical Center, at a Dec. 11 press conference. In cooperation with the Health Ministry’s Central Virology Lab at Sheba, the study compared blood work from 20 Sheba healthcare workers who received two doses five or six months ago (but not a third dose) with another 20 who received the booster one month ago. “We compared the ability to neutralize the Omicron from these sets of blood, and we have good news and bad news,” said Regev-Yochay. Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis have collectively spoken out over the allegations of sexual assault against actor Chris Noth. The three stars of new Sex And The City spin-off And Just Like That… posted a joint statement on Monday – their first reference to the historical claims made by two women. ‘We are deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth,’ the short announcement began. ‘We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences. We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it.’ Noth’s famed character Mr. Big was killed off after suffering a heart attack in the first episode of the Sex and the City revival, titled And Just Like That…, earlier this month. Last week the actor, 67, was accused of rape by two women, who both shared details of their alleged assaults with The Hollywood Reporter. Chris Noth is off The Equalizer. The series regular has been fired from the CBS drama after sexual assault allegations against the actor. Noth played William Bishop on the Queen Latifah-fronted drama, which is produced by Universal Television in association with CBS Television Studios. “Chris Noth will no longer film additional episodes of The Equalizer, effective immediately,” Universal Television and CBS said in a short statement. It’s understood that Noth will be seen in one original upcoming episode of the drama series, which has aired seven episodes of its second season and is currently on hiatus, as well as future repeats of episodes that have already aired. The man who killed Nicki Minaj’s father in a hit and run has been formally indicted by a Nassau County, D.A. on two felonies. Charles Polevich, a white man from Mineola, was arraigned on December 17th and indicted for the death of Robert Maraj by a grand jury on November 16th. Polevich is charged with fleeing the scene after the accident and tampering with evidence. Robert Maraj, 64, died after being struck by Polevich, who fled the scene. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JhTAngyv5VE/hqdefault.jpg America has recorded its first death caused by the COVID Omicron variant, with the victim a Texas man in his 50s who was unvaccinated and had already been infected before. The news was announced by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Monday night, around the same time the Centers for Disease Control confirmed that Omicron is now the dominant COVID strain in the US, accounting for 73 per cent of all new cases. Hidalgo did not name the victim, who had undisclosed underlying health conditions, and who was treated with Regeneron antibody therapy in an unsuccessful attempt to save his life. Harris County health department said his death showed the importance of getting vaccinated, even if you have already been infected. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/12/21/8482749153804791894/636x382_MP4_8482749153804791894.mp4 Reports of racism and sexism at Google are not surprising, and even less shocking is the company’s alleged treatment of Black female workers. California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing is taking seriously claims made by multiple Black women who have worked for Google’s parent firm Alphabet, and experienced incidents of harassment and discrimination, Business Insider reports. Reports of racism and sexism at Google are not surprising, and even less shocking is the company’s alleged treatment of Black female workers. California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing is taking seriously claims made by multiple Black women who have worked for Google’s parent firm Alphabet, and experienced incidents of harassment and discrimination, Business Insider reports. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yt5CUCfEkWM/hqdefault.jpg The new Sony Pictures Entertainment film “A Journal For Jordan” stars Michael B. Jordan as First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, a soldier deployed to Iraq who begins to keep a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Back at home, senior New York Times editor Dana Canedy (Chanté Adams) revisits the story of her unlikely, life-altering relationship with King and his enduring devotion to her and their child. The film is directed by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FOzrXqf5pvE/hqdefault.jpg The former Brooklyn residence of late rapper Notorious B.I.G. has been sold for the asking price of $2 million. The home, located in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood, closed on December 14 — three months after it first hit the market for $1.7 million, The New York Post reports. Biggie lived in the home in 1994 with his wife, singer Faith Evans. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/phaJXp_zMYM/hqdefault.jpg The trailer for season two of HBO’s “Euphoria” is out, and Zendaya’s drug-addicted Rue appears to be in even more trouble than in season one. The two-and-a-half minute video begins with Rue rolling a suitcase into what appears to be a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Her sponsor, Colman Domingo’s Ali, whom viewers got to know in Rue’s holiday special from January 2020, is also in attendance. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JdwZwrs8Qt0/hqdefault.jpg Stephen A. Smith has tested positive for COVID-19, the ESPN personality announced Tuesday on “First Take.” Smith, 54, appeared virtually on the show and said his positive test result was the reason he missed Monday’s episode. The longtime broadcaster said he is experiencing mild symptoms and had a fever over the weekend. Smith noted that he has gotten two Pfizer vaccine shots, but has not yet received a booster. https://youtu.be/5YJpMEL-q3Y Michael Jordan and his son Jeffrey Jordan are looking to drive the six-time NBA champ’s legacy into the world of NFTs and next-generation entertainment. The Jordans have launched Heir Inc., a new holding company that plans to build a consumer-facing community platform for athletes to connect with fans — as well as other lines of business, including an entertainment studio and consumer products. (“Heir,” of course, is a play on the Air Jordan brand at Nike.) The company was co-founded by Jeffrey Jordan along with marketing exec Daniel George, founder of agency Limitless Creative, and Jeron Smith, former CEO/co-founder of Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media. Heir Inc.’s first tech product, called “Heir” (heir.app), is envisioned as a Web3 personalized community platform for athletes. For the Heir product, the startup closed a $10.6 million seed funding round led by Thrive Capital, marking the venture-capital firm’s foray into NFTs. Investments also came from Solana Ventures, the investment arm of public blockchain platform Solana, along with angel investors including tech entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit), New York Knicks EVP and senior basketball adviser William Wesley and Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball. Amid rumors that Angela Simmons is joining the cast of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”… as it turns out, she’s not. Meanwhile, celebrity insider and blogger B. Scott was first to reveal on “The Real” that Simmons would be joining the show. “Yes. Angela Simmons has been taping and the network loves her, but she’s under contract with someone else. So, we may not see her on the show. We will see her a little bit on the show,” Scott said. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXtf2C8PFpb/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=49976add-a2ba-4715-963c-ade9796e8d5b Big Sean has responded to Kanye West dissing him during a recent episode of REVOLT’s “Drink Champs” podcast, where he said signing the Detroit rapper was the “worst thing I’ve ever done.” When Big Sean appeared on the podcast, which aired over the weekend, he said he initially thought Ye’s remarks were “hilarious,” but eventually took it “personal.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kA377Vrryvc/hqdefault.jpg Beyoncé’s mama Tina Knowles Larson has just launched a new Facebook Watch series called “Talks With Mama Tina,” and the theme song is belted by her famous eldest daughter, with an assist from her grandkids. Tina shared a teaser on Instagram Monday, which begins with her grandbabies Blue Ivy, Sir, Rumi, and Julez saying “Let’s talk about it, grandma!” Beyoncé then sings: “Whatever it is, we can talk about it. Tell me how you feel, we can talk about it. Say what’s on your mind, we can talk about it. Simple conversations with no limitations, come and have a talk with Mama Tina.” The promo also reveals future guests, including Zendaya, Kelly Rowland, Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Chloe and Halle Bailey, Storm Reid, Ciara and more. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Shaquille O’Neal recently moved to Miami after living in Orlando for 20 years, and the NBA icon reportedly dropped $16 million on a new home. The four-time NBA champion turned analyst for “NBA on TNT” shows off his new home the latest episode of his YouTube series, Shaw Life. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nl2z6_NyN4M/hqdefault.jpg Mike Tyson launched his U.S.-based cannabis brand Tyson 2.0 in October and now the company has explained to over 100 retailers across California. “With the launch of products in California, consumers throughout the golden state can now experience some of my favorite cannabis products and strains. Each Tyson 2.0 product has been personally tested and approved by me. I’m better today thanks to the healing powers of cannabis, and I’m eager to share what we’ve created so others can benefit from this magical plant the way I have,” said Tyson in a statement. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVjXfSEtjfB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Larry Buford writes, there has been much ado about abortion and Roe v. Wade with the passing of the unpopular and dangerous Texas law that prohibits the practice and enables citizens to become bounty hunters for offenders. Is there any difference between abortion and homicide? There are two sides to the coin of taking someone’s life. People are being killed with legal and illegal guns every day in America, but the outcry for gun control is falling on deaf ears. The Bible calls murder a sin. It does not specify born or unborn, so why can’t some church leaders and lawmakers who are bent on overturning Roe v. Wade have the same vigor for stemming the epidemic of gun violence? The world is hostile to life in general. Consider the outcry of pro-choice women and the outcry of mothers who have lost children to senseless gun violence: What’s the difference? Born or unborn, true democracy invites all parties, pro and con, to the table to reason and try to reach a consensus that everyone can live with. An Oklahoma legislator has proposed a bill that would essentially penalize schools for failing to lie about slavery in America. Specifically, the bill prohibits educators from teaching, among other truths, that white people were largely responsible for the institution of slavery in the U.S. and that Black people were largely the victims. Imagine trying to teach about the slave trade in America and having to start your lecture off by saying, “OK, class, listen: Some people held some other people captive for roughly 250 years, forced them into endless labor, forced their children to be born into servitude, separated families and erased entire heritages—but let’s not get into a whole racial who did what to whom kind of thing and just say there were very fine people on both sides.” according to NBC News, this month Republican state Rep. Jim Olsen filed House Bill 2988, which would prohibit teaching “that one race is the unique oppressor” or “another race is the unique victim in the institution of slavery.” https://t.co/mIKjBA8lAw?amp=1 It turns out that, despite what Anglo-America tends to believe, rioting and looting aren’t things that happen exclusively during Black Lives Matter protests. Of course, we already knew that after the angry whites rebellion at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, not to mention the unrest of the unseasoned that often happens after sporting events. But America far too often associates riots and specifically looting with Black people and Black neighborhoods. In Graves County, Kentucky, six people of the non-melanated persuasion were arrested Friday after they were accused of using a devastating storm as an opportunity to loot homes and vehicles and now officials in the area are warning that anyone caught engaging in that kind of activity will be prosecuted to the extent of the law. According to WPSD 6, deputies and state troopers made the arrests after a “caravan of suspects” were stopped at an intersection and all of the people in the vehicle were allegedly caught with stolen property taken from homes and vehicles that were ravaged during a recent storm. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068235378126&fref=nf Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has regained complete ownership of Sean John, the fashion brand he founded over 20 years ago. Combs sold a majority stake in the company to Global Brands Group in 2016. The company then filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York. The hip-hop star is now back in charge after winning a $7.55 million bidding victory on Monday, per Women’s Wear Daily. “I launched Sean John in 1998 with the goal of building a premium brand that shattered tradition and introduced Hip Hop to high-fashion on a global scale,” Combs says in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. Infamous Lifestyle coach Kevin Samuels seems to never miss a beat when it comes to taking aim at Black women. In his latest rant, Samuels claims Black women’s biggest enemy is “Hispanic” women. “Your biggest enemy is the Hispanic women. She understands how to season food. She understands sensuality, feminity and she was raised in a patriarchal environment,” Samuels says. “The difference between feminity and fake feminity is amazing. Black women you have a problem– the Latina problem.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXr5q75APyF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The HBCU football community was in an uproar this weekend following the 31-10 beat down that South Carolina State gave Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl. The game stirred up conversation across Twitter and from multiple schools about who should be the Black College Football national champions. South Carolina State obviously won the game that is supposed to be branded as the HBCU National Championship but many around the country weren’t giving them their respect because of their early-season losses to SWAC opponents like Florida A&M, and Alabama A&M. They also lost to HBCU foe North Carolina A&T who is now in the Big South Conference. https://youtu.be/JjwNKjI9df0 Blac Youngsta, a longtime rival of late rapper Young Dolph, has taken disrespect to a whole new level after filming the music video for his new track “I’m Assuming” in front of a tombstone bearing the name “Thornton,” which is the family name of Young Dolph, born Adolph Thornton, Jr. Dolph was gunned down last month at his favorite bakery in Memphis. He’s had beef with fellow Memphis rappers Yo Gotti and Blac Youngsta over the years, including an incident five years ago where Youngsta allegedly fired 100 shots at Dolph’s car. Last Friday, Youngsta performed his 2016 Dolph diss track “Shake Sum” at the Aces of Dallas nightclub in Dallas. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXrWo8mAb1z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again This week Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Morpheus! The 35-year-old is playing the wise and worldly guide to Neo (Keanu Reeves) in “The Matrix Resurrections.” Warner Bros. Pictures fourth installment of “The Matrix” franchise also stars Jessica Henwick (Bugs) – a hacker on a mission to discover the one who sacrificed himself for humankind. Before the films December 22nd premiere, we talked to Abdul-Mateen and Henwick about planets and retina burns. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AZv7s32tfO0/hqdefault.jpg Rapper Future, Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, caused an online stir on Friday when he went on a Twitter spree and claimed he was bigger than rap legend Jay-Z. ‘In the streets im bigger then jigga. Ima run me a B up easy,’ the Atlanta-born musician confidently declared to his 7M followers while referring to Jay’s status as hip-hop’s first billionaire. In another boastful statement Future, also known as Mr. Hendrix, writes, ‘I’m the only one can get YE to pull up whenever wherever..tuh’, referring to Kanye West’s surprise appearance during his Rolling Loud show. He continued to get things off his chest on the social media platform adding, ‘Everything I do legendary or it want get done. Tuh’, adding, ‘100M’s not the goal anymore.’ The statements were met with a wide range of reactions, but certainly caused an uproar with more traditional hip-hop heads who were outraged by the comparison. Jay-Z, Shawn Corey Carter, has over 125 million records sold, and regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists in history. The Brooklyn-born star has won 23 Grammy Awards in his career and is also the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2019 Forbes officially declared him hip hop’s first billionaire, and estimated that his art collection alone is worth roughly around $70 million. In comparison, Future has received one Grammy Award for his performance on ‘King’s Dead’ (with Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and James Blake). As of 2021, his net worth is estimated to be $40 million. The NHL is beginning a leaguewide shutdown Wednesday amid a rise in positive COVID-19 test results among players, and with 10 of the league’s 32 teams’ schedules already paused and their facilities closed. The league announced Monday night that it will open its annual holiday break two days earlier than scheduled and have it run through Saturday. The decision, reached in coordination with the NHL Players’ Association, means five additional games scheduled for Thursday will be postponed, bringing the total this season to 49. Two games slated for Tuesday are still set to go on as scheduled. Teams will then report back for COVID-19 testing and practice on Sunday, a day before games are set to resume. Players and members of each team’s traveling party will be required to test negative before being allowed back in their respective facilities. The decision to begin the break early comes a day after the NHL and NHLPA issued a joint statement announcing they were attempting to avoid a leaguewide shutdown by making decisions on a team-by-team basis. The holiday break was previously supposed to run from Friday to Sunday. Of the 49 games postponed, 44 have occurred over the past two weeks with the delta and omicron variants spreading across North America. Vincent Dancy and Mississippi Valley State were among the most active HBCU programs in the country during the early signing period — receiving 16 commitments last week. The Delta Devils, however, landed a cornerstone acquisition in coveted junior college quarterback Jamari Jones, who ranks No.1 at his position in the nation. “Don’t Ask me Why Valley, Just Watch This … Like Deion said, Let’s Level The Playing, Field,” Jones wrote on Facebook Sunday night. https://www.facebook.com/100052224105319/videos/333988905208111/ Today, NPR Music premiered a special Tiny Desk Concert featuring GRAMMY-winning artists Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music. Coming off the release of their collaborative album, Jonny x Mali: Live in LA, and the Jonny x Mali Tour earlier this year, the two artists showcase their prolific talents in this holiday themed performance. The concert, which closes out the NPR Music series for the year, includes some Christmas classics and a high energy rendition of "Movin On," which earned Jonathan and Mali a GRAMMY for Best Gospel Performance / Song at the 2021 awards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ta8ftzNvek&t=319s “Someday all our dreams will come to be. Someday in a world where men are free. Maybe not in time for you and me, But someday at Christmas time.” Get yourself in the holiday spirit with Brian Courtney Wilson’s EP, At Christmas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz1WW8kppX0&list=PL1Fn3iTspOrpKQ5Q6KhMDo046-1gAHd_V&index=2 Tasha Cobbs Leonard blessed us with a new version of “The First Noel” available now, exclusively on Apple Music. https://tcleonard.lnk.to/firstnoelEM?utm_campaign=161564_MOTG%2012.20_231797_US&utm_source=dotmailer&utm_medium=email&dm_i=4YUT,3GNW,4SQSQ,GCQO,1 Ryan Vincent Ford & Ministry drops Someday (Tribute to Edwin Hawkins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWC0vcfC5DE&feature=youtu.be Recently, Pastor Mike Jr., of Birmingham, AL visited the Ronald McDonald House to present a monetary donation and surprise families with Christmas gifts. Pastor Mike Jr is one of five 2021 McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour artists, coming together to give $50,000 worth of gifts to Ronald McDonald Houses around the country. Other participating artists included Yolanda Adams, Kurt Carr, James Fortune, Stephanie Summers, The Walls Group and Brian Courtney Williams. The Ronald McDonald House is a charitable organization that helps families remain close to their children as they undergo necessary treatments and hospitalizations. Pastor Mike Jr presented a $10,000 check to Dale Thornton, Local McDonald’s Owner/Operator. Rep. Ayanna Pressley joined the chorus challenging Sen. Joe Manchin’s sudden about-face claiming he will not vote in favor of the Build Back Better Act. In a Sunday morning interview on Fox News, the West Virginia senator claimed he could not support the legislation, which has been the subject of negotiations most of the year. The legislation has been a core part of President Joe Biden’s agenda to get the country back on track after historic setbacks due to the pandemic and the economic crisis. Speaking with Jake Tapper on State of the Union earlier today, Pressley said she never trusted Manchin to do what was right. https://twitter.com/i/status/1472590148764377092 A Black scholar who made history last year as one of the youngest people to receive a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston is continuing to break barriers at the institution. 18-year-old Salenah Cartier recently became the youngest person to earn a master’s degree from the Texas-based school. This fall she will graduate with a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction. For Cartier, the road to academic success has been far from an easy feat. She says she always had a passion for learning, however, was often bullied in school due to her intelligence and talent. The difficult experiences she encountered led her to be homeschooled. Through homeschooling, she was able to learn at an accelerated pace and ended up graduating from high school at the age of 14. Two years later, she graduated from Lone Star College with an associate degree in science and biology. On Dec. 18, the Senate confirmed President Biden’s 40th federal judicial nominee just in time for the holiday season–ushering in a new milestone for the administration. The New York Times noted that Biden has officially confirmed the most judges during a president’s first year in the last 40 years. As the president and White House officials gear up to take off for the holidays, lawmakers swiftly confirmed ten more district court judges. The news comes as Biden, a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pledged to diversify the judiciary process with candidates from different ethnic backgrounds and a bevy of professional experience. Chuck Schumer of New York. “It is no longer a bench that is simply prosecutors, partners in large law firms — but rather many, many others from walks of life with different and needed perspectives on the federal bench, such as public defenders, civil rights lawyers, election experts, and more,” he added. Some of the nominees chosen are making history this year. According to the White House’s website, Biden has chosen “three African American women” for Circuit Court vacancies, including the former sentencing commissioner, Kentaji Brown Jackson, and Judge Tiffany Cunningham. The diverse roster also includes “the first AAPI woman to ever serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of D.C., and the first woman of color to ever serve as a federal judge for the District of Maryland.” Back in June, Zahid Quraish became the first Muslim American federal judge under Biden’s legislative plea. Black women are making historic strides in the realm of sports. According to CBS News, diver Kristen Hayden recently became the first African American woman to win a U.S. national senior title. The New Jersey native competed alongside Quinn Henninger at the USA Diving winter national championships. The two came out victorious in the synchronized 3-meter, earning a collective score of 286.86 points beating Anne Fowler and Carson Tyler. Hayden—who has been swimming since the age of 10—says she was amazed she hit the milestone and hopes to use her journey within the sport to inspire Black youth to pursue diving. “I don’t think words can even describe the feeling,” the 23-year-old said in a statement. “You read about people like that, you watch Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Simone Manuel, but when it’s yourself, it’s insane. I think the whole diving community is headed in the right direction, and I just want to be a good example for young Black Americans or any minority really for diving in the U.S.” https://t.co/eExt4ngISW?amp=1 Whether it’s through a song that celebrates Black entrepreneurship or an initiative designed to uplift underserved youth, music visionary Pharrell Williams has continually used his platform to inspire, and the Virginia native was recently honored by an HBCU. According to The Virginian-Pilot, he received an honorary doctorate degree from Norfolk State University. Williams served as the commencement speaker for the institution’s fall graduation ceremony. The Virginia Beach native spoke before nearly 400 graduates and reflected on the impact and influence the historically Black university, and the city of Norfolk has had on his journey. https://t.co/WEv0m0bQpT?amp=1 The Department of Justice announced earlier this month that it is closing the cold case investigation into the murder of Emmett Till. The move comes ahead of the release of a six-part limited TV series and documentary about the death of the teenager. Till was age 14 when he went to visit family in Mississippi and was killed after being accused of whistling at a white woman named Carolyn Bryant. Till was kidnapped by a group of white supremacists and viciously beaten before his body was dumped in the Tallahatchie River. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fjr6XLcCXgU/hqdefault.jpg Stacey Abrams is calling on Congress to act on voting rights, and has a plan on how to get the bill past the Senate, as the Democrat launches a second bid to become Georgia’s governor. Abrams’ close ally, Georgia Democrat Raphael Warnock, and other senators have been arguing in recent days that the Senate must try again on federal voting standards, despite earlier setbacks. In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, Abrams said senators need to override Republican opposition to new federal voting guarantees by weakening the legislation-blocking filibuster to allow the Democrats’ bare majority to pass new rules. Otherwise, Abrams said, more Republican-dominated state legislatures nationwide will adopt voting restrictions like Georgia did this year. https://youtu.be/IC7pmcmZ-lw Ex-cop turned security guard Gregory Livingston has been indicted with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Alvin Motley at a Kroger gas station in Memphis, Tennessee. Originally charged with second-degree murder, the grand jury decided to indict Livingston on this new charge after viewing surveillance footage and additional evidence and testimony. Livingston was only a security guard for two weeks, and repeatedly failed to get licensed as an armed guard, when he and a nearly blind Motley got into an argument over Motley’s music on Aug. 7. The argument continued to escalate, until finally Motley approached Livingston saying “Let’s talk about this like men,” and Livingston fired a fatal shot to his chest. According to the Commercial Appeal, Livingston is still in custody with a bail set at $1.8 million. Tallahassee-based Black News Channel announced it was laying off an unspecified number of its 300 employees, 75 of whom are based in Atlanta. The startup network, which has been heavily funded by Jacksonville Jaguars owner and billionaire Shahid Khan, has struggled to draw viewers. The Wrap tracked the Nielsen ratings of 124 basic-cable channels with Fox News at top. BNC came in 123rd with an average of 4,000 viewers at any given time. According to a memo that The Atlanta Journal-Constitution received, CEO Princell Hair broke the news Friday to employees: “I am reaching out to you today with some very unfortunate news about a reduction in our workforce. As you know, throughout the course of this year, we have been expanding at a rapid rate. At the same time, the U.S. economy is facing some tough challenges, several of which are heavily impacting the media industry and the revenue streams that fuel our emerging enterprise. STEVE on Watch is AVAILABLE NOW on Facebook Watch! In today’s new episode, couple Rosie and Duane Phillips share their beautiful love story of rekindling their love through Facebook. Steve Harvey highlights the lessons from their relationship and shares how his own wife, Marjorie, got him to agree on setting a wedding date. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2093252330813199 After two women came forward to accuse “Sex and the City” actor Chris Noth of sexual assault, an old National Enquirer article has resurfaced about Noth beating up his ex, former supermodel Beverly Johnson. The allegations were made in court documents filed by Johnson in 1995, who tried to get a restraining order against Noth after he threatened to kill her and her dog, The Daily Mail reports. No criminal charges were brought against Noth at the time. He and Johnson dated from 1990 to 1995. Noth’s alleged violence against Johnson comes in the wake of sexual assault allegations made against him by two unnamed women. Per The Daily Mail, the women, using the pseudonyms Zoe and Lily told The Hollywood Reporter that Noth raped them. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MiD2mNGm5aM/hqdefault.jpg Chris Noth has lost a $12million deal to sell his tequila brand after being accused of sexual assault by three women. Entertainment Arts Research, Inc., a Nevada-based beverage company that often buys into celebrity drink brands, said Sunday that it's immediately ending discussions to buy Noth's Ambhar tequila. 'At this point in time it doesn't make sense for us to move forward with this deal in light of the claims, which must be taken with the utmost seriousness,' said Bernard Rubin, CEO of EARI in a press release. 'That said, we continue to be on the lookout for spirits brands that fit EARI's ethos of social responsibility.' http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Bridget Moynahan, 50, reprised her role as Mr. Big’s ex-wife Natasha Naginsky in HBO Max’s And Just Like That. When asked about allegations against Noth – who has been accused of rape by two women – she said: ‘I don’t know anything about’ it. She added: ‘It would be inappropriate for me to comment on things I don’t have any knowledge of.’ However, she did say she thought it was ‘okay’ and ‘made sense’ that Big died because death is ‘part of the lives of women and men of a certain age.’ Last week, a report detailed allegations from two women who say that Noth, 67, raped them, with each sharing similar details of their assaults. Noth – who has been married since 2012 and has two children – has denied the allegations. Subsequently, another woman came forward to claim Noth assaulted her, while actress Zoe Lister-Jones called him a ‘sexual predator.’ The NBC show is set to return to TV screens January 3 2022! “Kenan” follows morning talk-show host Kenan Williams (Kenan Thompson) as he struggles to find a balance between being a high-profile working man and a widowed single father to his two preteen daughters (Dani and Dannah Lane). He’s also housing a strongly opinionated father-in-law (Don Johnson) and his hyper-imaginative brother (Chris Redd). The show beautifully sifts through tough subject matter like grief and loss while seamlessly interjecting humor in a real and grounded way. Djimon Hounsou is no stranger to having a significant role in some of the top action adventure franchises. His latest project, “The King’s Man” is a prequel to the hit “Kingsman” film franchise. “The King’s Man” gives the origin story of the very first independent intelligence agency. A collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions and the one man who must race against time to stop them. Hounsou plays Shola, a combination of caretaker, servant, and warrior. One that is always ready to fight! https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5zdBG-iGfes/hqdefault.jpg Tributes have poured in for Il Divo star Carlos Marin who died in hospital after his life support machine was turned off following a Covid battle last night. Bandmates praised the ‘beautiful soul’, 53, saying ‘there will never be another voice or spirit like Carlos’ after the singer died in Manchester Royal Hospital. The Spanish baritone, who had been vaccinated, fell ill with the virus on December 7 and was later placed in a medically induced coma. He had been in the intensive care unit and was intubated after having his oxygen ‘compromised.’ Confirming his death on Twitter, Il Divo said: ‘It is with heavy hearts that we are letting you know that our friend and partner, Carlos Marin, has passed away. A newly-ordained pastor from Chicago is dressing up in drag in order to lead church services with children. Aaron Musser, who was ordained this summer, can be seen addressing children from a pulpit in his church dressed in a blonde wig, white dress, and makeup before spreading the word of the Lord to children at his parish at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square. The event took place last Sunday, and saw Musser read a religious book about Joy to a group of children. ‘I have an awesome story to share with you today,’ Musser could be heard telling the story as he tossed his hair either side reports The Post Millennial. ‘I am also a boy most of the time when I’m here, but today, I’m a girl,’ he explained. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/12/20/7456810363438909077/636x382_MP4_7456810363438909077.mp4 A Brooklyn-based photographer and graphic designer has earned over $200,000 in less than a year selling her art as NFTs, or nonfungible tokens. As reported by CNBC, Elise Swopes “lists her art on NFT marketplaces like SuperRare and Nifty Gateway. Her pieces depict animations of cityscapes that she photographs. She frequently adds elements of nature that she designs digitally to her photographs,” the outlet writes. “When I make a sale, I make sure that I’m giving back to the community that’s giving back as well,” Swopes says, “because there’s a cycle [of support].” “But I have also found quite a bit of difficulty with the [NFT] community as far as representation of people of color and Black women specifically,” she says. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWB972nDUpt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Lori Harvey partnered with the LA Mission to deliver Christmas gifts to nine young girls from the Dangerfield Institute of Urban Problems on Saturday. The 24-year-old socialite went to the foster home in Los Angeles with a sack of gifts from KimChi, Chic Beauty, Hammitt Handbags and even some products from her own line, SKN by LH. ‘It’s a blessing to give back,’ the LA Mission posted on their Instagram on Sunday as Lori shared the messages on her Instagram Stories. ‘We partnered with Lori Harvey to make a surprise visit to a girls foster home in mid-city LA. We are so grateful to be able to share joy this holidays and know that others want to join us in supporting those who may not always get special times like this,’ it was added. The Dangerfield Institute of Urban Problems was founded by Elouise Dangerfield in 1985. The former licensed vocational nurse became concerned about the growing number of drug addicted infants without quality rehabilitative care available. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Drakeo the Ruler was fatally stabbed at the Once Upon a Time in L.A. concert at Banc of California Stadium over the weekend. Meanwhile, fans, and celebrity friends have been sending tributes and prayers to Drakeo’s family and now Jim Jones is doing the same while urging other rappers to protect themselves. The 45-year-old took to Instagram Sunday to say, “Rip to this brother drakeo this is sad. To all rappers I urge u to protect urself start to move tactical. Preservation of life is everything they do not value our lives anymore we are targeted. They know who we are ‘cause of our fame but we don’t know who they are because of our fame. I pray every day I make it home to my family because it’s [that] serious out here for us. Feels like we lost a rapper every week this year. There was a time when we protected in [the] community[,] we were treated as super [heroes.] Not no more. Stay safe & stay dangerous. I pray I never have to make a decision. Say ur prayers n move sturdy. Rappers have [the] most dangerous job in [the] world. I stand on my statement.” ???? A judge has ruled that R. Kelly will sit for a videotaped deposition over allegations he broke up a Mississippi sheriff’s marriage. The disgraced singer has been sued by Kenny Bryant, a Mississippi sheriff, who claims R. Kelly ruined his life and his marriage when he began having an affair with his wife. Bryant will question the singer under oath as part of his lawsuit, according to court documents obtained by RadarOnline. In his legal docs, Bryant claims he was aware that Asia Childress had a relationship with Kelly prior to their marriage but was told it was over. Bryant and Childress tied the knot in 2012 and the marriage was good until Kelly returned. Bryant claims Kelly and Childress engaged in an intimate extramarital affair in October 2012. He accuses the singer of carrying out an affair with his wife for five years. He even says Kelly gave his wife Chlamydia. Kelly has denied having an affair with Childress. A never-before-heard Whitney Houston recording has broken NFT(Non-Fungible Token) sales after it was auctioned for $999,999 on the Tezos blockchain. According to the New York Daily News, the song was reportedly “uncovered” last year, and the late singer allegedly recorded the track at age 17. The title of the song has not been disclosed and the winning bidder has not been identified. “Whitney was 17 years old when she recorded the song. Both come from Newark, both have the same middle name. Whitney had the desire to always help others help themselves, especially young people,” Houston’s estate chief Pat Houston said in a statement. “She established the Whitney Houston Foundation in 1989 and she had events each year centered around young people, so it was a no-brainer when we were introduced to Diana.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LTAPlqF0uOM/hqdefault.jpg Trevor Noah is taking legal action against a doctor for a procedure that left him with “permanent, severe, and grievous” injuries, the legal complaint claims. As reported by PEOPLE, Noah filed a lawsuit against Dr. Riley J. Williams III and the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan for an alleged botched surgery he underwent in 2020. In the court papers, Noah says that the defendants “were negligent and careless in failing to treat and care for [him] in a careful and skillful manner.” It also accuses the defendants of “failing to use approved methods in general use in the care and treatment.” The comedian also alleges that the defendants failed “to prescribe proper medications,” failed to “discontinue certain prescription medications,” and failed “to use proper tests and examinations in order to diagnose the conditions” that he “was suffering” from. The lawsuit does not specify what surgery Noah underwent while he was a patient between Aug. 25, 2020, and Dec. 17, 2020. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qiyx_DPDOpA/hqdefault.jpg American Airlines has tapped Walton Isaacson as its new multicultural agency to help the company “better connect with Black travelers.” As reported by Black Enterprise, Walton Isaacson, led by CEO Aaron Walton, is one of the nation’s largest advertising agencies, previously ranked No. 1 on the outlets 100s list for advertising agencies. According to AdAge, the Los Angeles-based company will “advise the brand team on key developments, trends, strategies, and issues affecting the consumer target while providing POVs on opportunities relevant to the consumer and brand experience.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sZHSOjNozb4/hqdefault.jpg The world has not yet fully recovered from the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the past two years have not been particularly kind to the travel industry. In fact, travel restrictions, and to a greater extent, bans still exist for Americans in many of the world’s most popular destinations. Still, that did not deter 23-year old Issia Lee from taking the plunge and launching her company, Issia’s Traveling Co., which has become one of the fastest-growing travel agencies in the U.S. You might ask, how has this savvy millennial managed to succeed in such a volatile industry during what many would consider an inopportune time, and at such a young age? Well, how she got started is not how you would imagine. During the early stages of the pandemic, Lee was laying in her bed, sick and with a lot of time to think about her future. “I was feeling unproductive and bored, so I decided that I wanted to learn something new,” she said. “I came across this $69 course that was teaching people about the travel industry, and I thought to myself, why not? I had never even thought of working in travel, but that small investment ended up being one of the best decisions of my life. After taking the course, I continued to study and learn as much as I could about the subject and the rest is history. My big break came when I posted about a luxury mansion vacation in Las Vegas and it went viral.” That post accumulated more than 2 million views. Today, Issia’s Traveling Co. boasts more than 50,000 followers on Facebook, over 6 million page views and thousands of trips booked. Artur Beterbiev faced more adversity in Friday’s IBF/WBC 175-pound title defense against slick-boxing southpaw Marcus Browne than perhaps at any time in his career. The following night, David Morrell dropped and stopped Alantez Fox in a fourth-round TKO victory. The Russian-born Beterbiev trailed on two of the three judges’ cards and struggled to see through the mask of crimson while bleeding profusely from a gash in the middle of his forehead caused by a third-round clash of heads that also cut Browne over his right eye. A ringside physician granted Beterbiev “one more round” before the fifth, having examined the damage to both fighters and allowed their bloodbath to continue. Beterbiev would have lost a split decision had the fight been stopped with four completed rounds. YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul defeated UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in a rematch on Saturday. The event followed a boxing match earlier this year, where Paul beat Woodley — leaving fans utterly stunned. As reported by PEOPLE, the most recent event took place over the weekend at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, where Paul, 24, knocked Woodley, 39, out cold during the sixth round in the rematch. https://twitter.com/i/status/1472454565937262592 Black women are making power moves in the finance industry. According to MarketWatch, Sharon Bowen has been appointed to serve as the New York Stock Exchange board chair. The appointment is historic as it marks the first time a Black woman has served in the role. Bowen has broken barriers and changed the narrative surrounding representation in the finance space throughout her entire career. She made history as the first African American to serve as the Commissioner of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Before joining the CFTC, she was selected by former President Barack Obama to serve as vice-chair and acting chair of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Bowen, who holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Northwestern University, has focused on transactional and corporate law throughout her career. She’s also been a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion, serving on the boards of organizations centered on civic engagement. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FG578IWXoAIP1BG?format=jpg&name=small The holiday break came for the U.S. Senate without passage of the Build Back Better Act or action on voting rights. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has finally found his voice regarding voting rights and the ever-present threat to Democracy, but it might be too little. Speaking at South Carolina State University’s commencement, a fired-up Biden talked about how a once bipartisan process has become a contentious, polarizing battle. “I’ve never seen anything like the unrelenting assault on the right to vote,” Biden said. “Folks, I was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee for a long time. At the end of my stint, before I became Vice President, I was able to pass the extension of the Voting Rights Act for 25 years — and guess what? — and convinced Strom Thurmond of South Carolina to vote for it.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1469396567060885505 Outgoing National Institutes of Health (NIH) director Dr. Francis Collins says the US could see one million COVID-19 cases per day as new shapeshifting variants take hold and cases snowball. Collins’ forecast comes as the highly-contagious Omicron iteration spreads like wildfire throughout the nation and the Delta variant continues to sicken masses of people ahead of the winter holidays. Confirmed cases of Omicron reached 830 as of Saturday morning – a 50 per cent increase from Friday – and the variant has been detected in nearly every state. During the week ending December 18, 127,692 overall cases were reported on average throughout the US, but Collins warned that figure could swell to one million per day. ‘We cannot afford to let down our guard,’ Collins told NPR. ‘Even if it has a somewhat lower risk of severity, we could be having a million cases a day if we’re not really attentive to all of those mitigation strategies.’ On average, 1,290 people have died from the virus daily during the past week; the virus has killed more than 800,000 Americans since the pandemic began. More than 50.7 million others have contracted the virus. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Under the cover of night, the Senate moved to confirm one of the most controversial nominees this year. Rahm Emanuel will officially become the U.S. ambassador to Japan. With many senators already departed for the holiday break, the Senate voted 48-21 to confirm Emanuel. Thirty-one senators did not vote. No deal on Build Back Better, which would extend the child tax credit, keeping millions of children out of poverty. There is no action on voting rights and democracy reform but it's Emanuel as ambassador in a late-night vote. ‘As we approach the first anniversary of the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, we – all of us former senior military officials – are increasingly concerned about the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election and the potential for lethal chaos inside our military, which would put all Americans at severe risk,’ the generals penned. ‘We are chilled to our bones at the thought of a coup succeeding next time,’ they added. In such a polarized political atmosphere, ‘with loyalties split,’ the generals observed that ‘some might follow orders from the rightful commander in chief, while others might follow the Trumpian loser’. ‘In this context, with our military hobbled and divided, US security would be crippled. Any one of our enemies could take advantage by launching an all-out assault on our assets or our allies,’ the column read. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com McDonald’s has settled a racial discrimination lawsuit with former Oakland A’s outfielder and Black franchisee Herb Washington, who owned and operated 14 restaurants. Washington was previously the fast-food chain’s largest Black franchisee in the country — at one point owning 23 McDonald’s restaurants. When he filed his lawsuit, Washington owned 14 restaurants. According to CNBC, under the settlement, Washington will exit the McDonald’s franchise system and dismiss the pending litigation, and McDonald’s will purchase 13 of Washington’s restaurants for $33.5 million. In a statement, McDonald’s said it was confident in its defense, but the settlement allows the company to move forward. “The court did not find that the company violated any laws,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “Discrimination has no place at McDonald’s. While we were confident in the strength of our case, this resolution aligns with McDonald’s values and enables us to continue focusing on our commitments to the communities that we serve.” A man who is shown in a Santa photo at the Mall of Louisiana, in which the man appears to be holding a gun, has been apprehended on an outstanding warrant from the state of Texas, the Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) said Friday. The photo shows two men holding large amounts of cash posing with Santa inside the mall located on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge. One of the men also appears to be holding a weapon. The photo was circulated on social media with some questioning mall management about their security measures. ”How in the world would you allow something like this to even take place in the middle of your mall,” one person who posted the photo to the mall’s Facebook page asked. An independent autopsy for Glenn Foster Jr., the former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman who died while in custody in west Alabama, showed some evidence of neck compression strangulation, his attorney said on Friday. Foster was taken into police custody Dec. 4 after a speeding violation. He died two days later after being found unresponsive in the back of a police cruiser upon arrival at a medical facility. He had been held in the Pickens County Jail. Civil Rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump and his team are representing Foster’s family. Crump obtained an independent autopsy by Dr. Michael Baden, who testified in the O.J. Simpson case, and claims Foster didn’t die from natural causes. “Glenn Foster Jr.’s death, while in the Pickens County Sheriff’s custody and care, was not from natural causes as the independent autopsy suggests there was some evidence of neck compressions and strangulation,’’ according to Crump’s Friday statement. “As we continue to investigate the case, we are learning that Mr. Foster’s death in Pickens County appears to be part of a disturbing trend of Black men dying while in the custody of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.” Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said on Sunday that she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her, and that a social media post she had made early last month had been misunderstood. Peng's well-being became a matter of concern among the global tennis community and rights groups when she appeared to allege that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past. After that post, she was absent from public view for nearly three weeks. "First, I need to stress one point that is extremely important, I have never said or written that anyone has sexually assaulted me, I have to clearly stress this point," Peng said in the video posted by Lianhe Zaobao, a Singapore media outlet. Peng's remarks on Sunday marked the first time she had addressed the matter on camera in public. She spoke on the sidelines of a cross-country skiing event in Shanghai that she attended. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com From earning a Bachelor of Science degree in health administration from Texas Southern University to dropping chart-topping music, Megan Thee Stallion has had nothing short of an extraordinary year, and she recently was honored for philanthropic work. According to People, the Texas native, Megan Pete, received the 18th Congressional District’s Humanitarian Award in Houston. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1470403172095217665/V-laZFf5?format=jpg&name=small Rapper and activist Meek Mill is furthering his efforts to empower individuals whose lives have been significantly impacted by the flawed criminal justice system. According to Billboard, the Philly native, Robert Rihmeek Williams, teamed up with fellow leaders from the REFORM Alliance to treat youth from his hometown to a 76ers game this holiday season. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1471477352177618945/xEk0MAcl?format=jpg&name=small A white Michigan police officer has been reinstated, months after he was fired for an off-duty incident in which he followed and pointed a gun at a 19-year-old Black man who was delivering newspapers. An arbitrator reinstated Chad Vorce this month to the DeWitt Police Department, near Lansing, with no back pay but with his seniority restored, the Lansing State Journal reported. Vorce is required to undergo sensitivity training. Arbitrator Thomas Barnes cited mitigating factors, including Vorce’s clean record and lack of past citizen complaints. He wrote in his decision that while Vorce’s actions did have an impact on the department, it wasn’t to a degree that it “otherwise undermined or significantly impaired the otherwise good reputation of the department.” Barnes also wrote that Vorce “testified he was not a racist and was upset by any inference that he was.” Vorce, an 18-year veteran of the department, appealed after he was fired in May for using excessive force and violating other departmental policies and regulations. He told investigators he thought the 19-year-old man was a suspect in recent break-ins when he followed him on Jan. 14, and called 911 to report that he had seen a “suspicious” Black man parked near his DeWitt Township home. Vorce asked the man what he was doing. The man, who had been putting newspapers in bags, told Vorce, “I’m just doing me,” according to police reports. California’s civil rights regulator is investigating Google’s treatment of Black female workers following alleged incidents of harassment and discrimination, according to two people familiar with the matter and emails from the agency seen by Reuters. Attorneys and analysts at the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) have repeatedly interviewed several Black women who have worked at the Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) company about their experiences there, according to the documents and the sources. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing the work. Questions have centered on alleged harassment and discrimination in the workplace, according to the emails. Conversations have taken place as recently as last month, one of the sources said. The DFEH declined to comment. Google said it is focused on “building sustainable equity” for its Black workers and that 2020 was its largest year for hiring what it calls “Black+” workers, a designation inclusive of people belonging to multiple races. “Our goal is to ensure that every employee experiences Google as an inclusive workplace,” it said. “We’ll continue to focus on this important work and thoroughly investigate any concerns, to make sure our workplace is representative and equitable.” He was the only Black male teacher at a Boston public high school and he had to share an office with the school police. Charles Sherman Neal was at Boston Community Leadership Academy to start a gym program, an effort that began about a decade ago and earned him strong job reviews. But after he repeatedly raised concerns about being discriminated against — including in complaints with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination — school district leaders fired him. Now, after more than five years of legal fighting, a Suffolk Superior Court jury this week found that the headmaster and other school officials retaliated against him for exercising his legal right to raise concerns about workplace discrimination without fear of retribution, and awarded him $1.7 million. The jury, however, didn’t agree BPS discriminated against him. “What the Boston Public Schools did to him is despicable,” said the teacher’s attorney, Ilir Kavaja. “This is a man who had cancer and overcame it and went to work right away and he was put through the wringer. … They had no basis to believe that this person couldn’t fulfill the obligations of his job. They just got tired of his complaints and didn’t want to deal with him.” He said Neal was emotionally shattered by the termination, causing him to experience both depression and anxiety so severe at times he couldn’t leave his home or even focus on watching television. That swayed the jury, he said, noting that $436,500 of its award was specifically for the injuries he incurred. The remainder of the award broke down this way: $950,000 in punitive damages, and the rest for interest that accrued from when the case was initially filed. Cardinal Peter Turkson, seen by some as a candidate to become the first African pope in about 1,500 years, has abruptly offered his resignation from a key Vatican department, sources familiar with the matter said on Saturday. Turkson, 73, from Ghana, has been a key adviser to Pope Francis on issues such as climate change and social justice, and is the only African to head a Vatican department. According to the Vatican sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the pope has yet to decide whether to accept the resignation. Turkson heads a large Vatican department known as the Dicastery for Integral Human Development. It was formed in 2016 to merge four offices that dealt with issues such as peace, justice, migration, and charities. One source said Turkson, who is about two years shy of the mandatory retirement age of 75 for bishops, had become “fed up” with internal disputes. Another source said Turkson had told staff he would say more after the pope made his decision. His departure would leave the Vatican with no African heading a major department, following the retirement of Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea earlier this year. Ten days before Christmas, and Turquoise LeJeune Parker maybe the happiest elf in North Carolina. The Lakewood Elementary School teacher just pulled off her biggest foodraiser yet for her neediest students: $106,000. “Amazing, speechless. It leaves me speechless,” said Parker. “I’ve cried a little bit today. I cry a little bit every day.” They are tears of joy. Parker and her ever-growing list of donors and community partners donated over six figures for this year’s foodraiser. Parker and her small army of volunteers took the cash to the Costco on North Pointe Drive to buy non-perishable groceries for over 5,100 students from a dozen Durham public schools, whose families could go hungry over the holiday break. “Two weeks is a long time to be out of school without lunch or breakfast at school. Three meals. Children eat a lot. Food is expensive,” Parker said. Deion Sanders had a pretty incredible season as the head coach at Jackson State, but it ended in pretty disappointing fashion. Jackson State fell to South Carolina State, 31-10, in the Celebration Bowl on Saturday afternoon. While Sanders is naturally disappointed by the loss, he had a pretty classy postgame message for his opponent. “Congratulations to South Carolina State for a incredible win in the Celebration Bowl. They flat out kicked our butts and we WILL learn from this and prayerfully return next year. God bless,” the college football head coach tweeted on Saturday evening. The Athletics’ quest to build a waterfront ballpark at Howard Terminal in Oakland took a big step Friday when the city released a 3,500-page Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf told ABC7 News’ Casey Pratt on Thursday that the EIR is “thorough and exhaustive, and it ensures that the project is environmentally safe and sustainable.” A’s team president Dave Kaval spoke to Pratt on Friday about what the EIR means for the club and the planned project. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Herschel Walker it turns out he’s been pretending to be a college graduate. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Walker’s campaign removed a false claim from his website Thursday that the U.S. Senate candidate “graduated from UGA with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.” Now, that’s a pretty explicit claim. It’s not the kind of innocent mistake borne from someone misconstruing a few facts—we’re talking about a very specific type of degree in a very specific field. It’s also not the first time the claim was made. AJC noted that his fictional educational credentials were “proliferated elsewhere, including in an online biography advertising Walker’s book, at a campaign rally for his bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, and even during his introduction this year at a congressional hearing.” The falsehood is also included on Walker’s Amazon author site, his Speaker Booking Agency page and his New Georgia Encyclopedia entry. The Daily Beast published an explosive report Friday documenting the Republican influence behind the artist formerly known as Kanye West’s short-lived presidential campaign. Now going by Ye, the rapper’s campaign received services almost exclusively from Republican-affiliated organizations and operatives. According to the Daily Beast, FEC filings for Ye’s campaign conveniently failed to report payments to various individuals for services rendered to the campaign, including Jill Vogel, an attorney and Republican member of the Virginia State Senate. Vogel’s law firm is a fixture in Republican circles. The Daily Beast pointed out that Vogel’s firm was at one point representing both the Trump and West campaigns. But GOP involvement in Ye’s campaign wasn’t exactly a secret. Angela Lang, executive director of the Milwaukee-based Black Leaders Organizing Communities (BLOC), wrote an op-ed for Up North News calling out the campaign. https://t.co/nvOUUMLCRQ?amp=1 Call it déjà vu all over again. Nearly one full month after the world saw killer Kyle Rittenhouse‘s acquittal following a perfectly times emotional outburst replete with “white tears” while testifying in his own defense, a former police officer trying to convince a Minnesota jury that killing a Black man was an honest mistake employed a similar strategy that she hopes will result in her own not guilty verdict. Kim Potter, who was a veteran Brooklyn Center police officer when she shot and killed Daunte Wright after she purportedly mistook her Taser for a gun — a flimsy theory in which prosecutors have already poked several holes — took the stand on Friday during the second week of her manslaughter trial and at first appeared relatively stoic as her lawyer questioned her. https://twitter.com/i/status/1471901837167112201 Russell “Maroon” Shoatz, a former Black Liberation Army soldier and ex-Black Panther who became an influential prison abolitionist while in solitary confinement for more than two decades during a nearly 50-year prison sentence, has died. He was 78 years old. The Abolitionist Law Center — a group that successfully worked to help get Maroon out of solitary confinement — confirmed the death. The Abolitionist Law Center said he died in his sister’s home 52 days after he gained his freedom from prison on Oct. 26 following a compassionate release because of his advanced stage of colorectal cancer, the presumed cause of his death. A father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Maroon was widely described as a political prisoner over the details of his murder conviction in 1970 for killing one police officer and injuring another in Philadelphia. https://youtu.be/4XF7_K1GoT8 A huge concert on Saturday in LA’s Exposition Park went down. That's were the news of the fatal stabbing of rapper Drakeo the Ruler happened. Drakeo was one of the dozens of billed performers at the huge all-day event that was headlined by Snoop Dogg and Fifty Cent. Drakeo was backstage around 8:30 PM when a fight broke out — and during the altercation, he got stabbed … according to law enforcement sources. LAPD, California Highway Patrol and the fire department responded, and Drakeo was rushed to a hospital — but multiple sources say he died from his injuries. There are reports he was stabbed in the neck, but that haven’t been confirmed yet. We’re told cops are investigating and will try to interview all artists and their entourages who were in the area when the fight started. After the fight and Drakeo’s stabbing, concert organizers shut down the festival. Snoop Dogg says he was informed about the stabbing while he was in his dressing room, and immediately left the grounds. In the same breath, he sent condolences to Drakeo’s family. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tu7jd_f-k7k/hqdefault.jpg The number of confirmed Omicron cases in the US has nearly doubled in a period of 24 hours, with the variant now confirmed in all but six states. As of Saturday morning, there were 830 cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant confirmed by DNA sequencing across the country, a 97 percent increase from Friday morning’s tally. In reality, the true number of Omicron cases is much higher, as only 1 to 2 percent of all cases are sequenced for variant markers, but the testing data shows a disturbing national trend. The CDC estimates that Omicron accounts for at least 13 percent of all new cases in New York, which on Friday recorded its highest single-day tally of new COVID-19 cases ever at 21,027. ‘The winter COVID-19 surge is here,’ warned New York Governor Kathy Hochul, urging everyone to get vaccinated and boosted. Though New York’s hospitalizations, which tend to lag new cases, remain below their peaks, they have climbed 25 percent in the past two weeks, straining the state’s healthcare system. Testing has now confirmed the presence of Omicron in every US state except for Oklahoma, Montana, North and South Dakota, Indiana, and Vermont, though the eventual confirmation of the highly transmissible variant in every state now seems assured. Almost exactly one month after Mayor Bill de Blasio triumphantly announced tens of thousands of fully vaccinated people could return to Times Square to celebrate New Year’s Eve in person this year, the state saw it’s highest single-day reporting of new COVID infections. The previous record, set 11 months ago on Jan. 14, crumbled when Gov. Kathy Hochul announced 21,027 new positive cases statewide Friday. The old record for most reported cases in a single day was 19,942, when reported hospitalizations were on the brink of 9,000. Now, the number of people admitted is down by more than half. New York reported close to the same number of tests taken last Friday, but of that batch (over 260,000), there were 10,000 less positive cases one week ago. Also, when you compare hospitalizations to one week ago, the number of people in hospitals for COVID-19 has risen by about 300, reflecting an increase of 8%. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/omicron-variant-in-the-tri-state-everything-you-need-to-know-for-dec-17/3457423/ The UK should go into lockdown before Christmas or it will be ‘too late’, a Sage adviser has warned as scientists call for a two-week ban on household mixing ‘very soon’. It is hoped a circuit breaker could stop Omicron hospitalizations peaking at 3,000 a day, according to Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews and a member of Sage, who spoke in a personal capacity. He said it was clear that Plan B measures alone would not be enough to stop the spiraling numbers of cases and that the Government needs to ‘act now’. He added: ‘Now, you could have it after Christmas, the problem is after Christmas it’s probably too late, it’s probably by then we will have had a huge surge of infections with all the impact upon society.’ The surging statistics came as Professor Neil Ferguson — whose projections have spooked No10 into lockdowns before — called for curbs to be tightened by New Year on the back of his latest modelling of the mutant strain. He told BBC 4’s Today Programmed hospitalizations could be overwhelmed by Christmas as Omicron cases rise in the next week with a ‘very large epidemic underway’. He added: ‘The level of protection against severe disease is not perfect and the very large case numbers may still translate into very large numbers of hospitalizations.’ During the Sage meeting on Thursday, the experts backed a ban on indoor social contact and hospitality. In what could be a blow to Britons planning New Year parties, they want fresh measures to come in before January 1. Leaked minutes from Sage, seen by the BBC, said scientists had told ministers that tougher measures need to be brought in ‘very soon’. Pastor Shane Vaughn recently told the congregants at First Harvest Ministries in Waveland, Mississippi that the COVID-19 pandemic would not end until Christians stopped wearing masks and placed their faith in God rather than vaccines. While the pastor of what appears to be a small congregation, Vaughn has a far reaching online presence, making headlines last year when he posted a video discussing what might happen if Donald Trump did not accept the results of the 2020 presidential election. That video earned him a fact check from USA Today. First Harvest Ministries has an active YouTube channel, on which they post sermon and worship clips, as well as a recurring program called “Toto Tonight.” Vaughn refers to himself as “Professor Toto” in the videos, because he sees himself as pulling “back the curtain on all those liberal lies,” in the same way that the dog Toto revealed the true nature of the wizard in the classic film “The Wizard of Oz.” https://youtu.be/xXOv-JcR6-c Chris Noth was dropped from his agency Friday following newly surfaced accusations of sexual assault against the Sex and the City actor. The Hollywood Reporter revealed Friday that Noth’s now-former talent agency A3 Artists Agency had parted ways with actor, a rep for the agency confirmed. News of the dismissal came after a third woman came forward with an allegation that she was sexually assaulted by Noth in 2010 when she was 18 years old and Noth was 55. Speaking to the Daily Beast, “Ava” said she was hired as a hostess and singer at a Times Square-area restaurant frequented by Noth. “I cannot remember in detail how many times we spoke, but with great familiarity, one night he told my boss I would sing with him even though I hadn’t filled the restaurant yet,” “Ava” said. After performing together, they talked about Noth’s career and Ava’s hometown of Toronto. “I love Canadian women,” she said Noth told her as he pulled her onto his lap, groped her and was “pressing me onto his erection.” After her shift, Ava went to her manager’s office for payment; Noth followed her but “acted as if we had intentionally snuck off together clandestinely.” Once there, Noth began kissing her and pressed her body against a desk. “At first, it felt as though I was the only person in the universe who could hear me saying no,” she said. Elon Musk has clashed with Joy Reid over his feud with Sen. Elizabeth Warren after the MSNBC host accused him of culturally appropriating the insult 'Karen' from black people. The Tesla CEO shot back that Reid was nothing more than a lobbyist for Warren. The argument began when Musk, 50, was named by Time magazine as the person of the year - leading Warren, who has long campaigned for higher taxes for the wealthiest, to say that Musk was unworthy because he had not paid enough tax. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10319469/Shes-lobbyist-Senator-Karen-Elon-Musk-turns-fire-MSNBCs-Joy-Reid.html#v-6208108433373742374 A judge has declared a mistrial in the Dayonte Resiles murder trial, and the move comes after the jury rescinded its manslaughter verdict when a juror later objected.“I don’t know what to expect honestly, I feel like the journey has just been nervewracking like being here every day and then being told okay you gotta come back tomorrow, you gotta come back tomorrow, and I’m just happy,” Dayonte Resiles’ sister, Amelida said after the announcement, WSVN reports. According to reports, the jury foreperson said three jurors were unwilling to convict Resiles based on his race. “[The three jurors] said, ‘I don’t want to send a young Black male to jail for the rest of their life or have him get the death sentence,’” said the foreperson. Resiles faces life in prison (or death penalty) for the murder of Jill Su, a 59-year-old woman that he allegedly tied up inside her home and fatally stabbed in September of 2014. His DNA was found on a knife and inside the home, according to reports. https://cbsloc.al/3ECxpsO In Little Rock, Arkansas the Black Chief of Police, Keith Humphrey, has been targeted by the police union and other old-guard officials to unseat him. Among a growing cohort of Black police chiefs, Humphrey has been gunning for substantial LRPD (Little Rock Arkansas Police Dept.) reforms since his appointment in 2019 by Mayor Frank Scott, the city’s first Black elected chief executive, according to an investigative deep-dive by The Intercept. As reported by Radley Balko, author of the best-selling book “Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces,” the feature also details a pattern of historic discrimination against Black officers and the influence of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). This is an epic tale about a police department riven by race and the strength of the forces arrayed against change — a tour de force of reporting that speaks to policing issues across the country. https://youtu.be/kDCMNpaDNsg Andre Olivas, from Buffalo, New York, is suing the Los Angeles Country Sheriff’s Department, after video footage revealed authorities holding the man down and beating him in the head during a traffic stop for expired tags in Long Beach, California. Olivas’ attorney, James DeSimone, documented the unnecessary force lawsuit on his behalf on Wednesday, Dec. 8, expressing to Fox 11 that the deputies’ procedures during the stop went “beyond excessive force.” “His explanation to me was, usually in his experience, if there’s an expired license plate or bad license plate, usually the truck is stolen,” Olivas explained. The man stated he told the deputies that he was uninformed that the tags were expired. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXhqtQ6Fnfq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kamala Harris the Vice President had to make sure Charlamagne knew that the President of the United States is Joe Biden and NOT Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) when asked by the host to name the country’s “real president.” “It’s Joe Biden – and don’t start talking like a Republican about asking whether or not he’s president,” Harris told the “Tha God’s Honest Truth” host on Friday in an interview on the weekly late-night program. “It’s Joe Biden,” Harris repeated, her voice escalating. “And I’m vice president, and my name is Kamala Harris.” “The reality is, because we are in office, we do the things like the child tax credit, which is going to reduce Black child poverty by 50 percent,” Harris continued, highlighting the administration’s efforts to lower the price of prescription drugs, lower the Black maternal mortality rate and enact police reform measures. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0y43hm8ceSw/hqdefault.jpg A Journal For Jordan is based on a true story. Deployed to Iraq, First Sgt. Charles Monroe King keeps a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Back at home, Dana Canedy revisits the story of her unlikely, life-altering relationship with King and his enduring devotion to his family. To be released December 25, 2021 (USA). https://youtu.be/Nj4pK0s0Blo AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (AMC.N) said on Friday nearly 1.1 million people watched “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in its theaters in the United States, a record opening for a movie across the company’s theaters in December. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfVOs4VSpmA Spike Lee has inked a deal with Netflix that will see the acclaimed director produce and direct a number of narrative projects, while the streaming giant will provide financial support for his “ongoing mission to develop new talent and increase representation in the entertainment industry.” Lee previously collaborated with Netflix on a number of projects, including the film “Da 5 Bloods” and the TV scripted series “She’s Gotta Have It.” “There is no better way for me and my company Forty Acres and a Mule Filmworks to begin the new year than renew our partnership with Ted, Scott, and Tendo—da fearless leaders of Netflix,” Lee said in a statement. “Besides my joints, we together will focus on the new diverse storytellers, YOUTH MUST BE SERVED. And dat’s da truth, Ruth. YA-DIG? SHO-NUFF.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RiFCL__8iZs/hqdefault.jpg The world-famous Rockettes have been forced to put their famed kick-line on ice for the remainder of their Christmas Spectacular shows at Radio City Music Hall after production members were hit with Covid-19 on Friday as cases in New York City continue to climb. ‘We regret that we are unable to continue the Christmas Spectacular this season due to increasing challenges from the pandemic,’ a press release stated. The Rockettes, who have been a beloved holiday staple enjoyed by kids and adults since 1933, are the latest not able to return to the stage anytime soon because of the resurgence of the virus and the new Omicron variant. Nearly eight percent of COVID tests are coming back positive and the positivity rate from December 9 to December 12 has doubled from 3.9 percent to 7.8 percent, Jay Varma, senior public health advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, said. The pandemic forced the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes to cancel all shows last year. Earlier on Friday, the production said it was canceling just its Friday shows. ‘We regret to announce that the four shows scheduled for today, Friday, December 17 have been canceled due to breakthrough COVID-19 cases in the production. We apologize for the inconvenience, and will make announcements about future shows as soon as possible,’ MSG Entertainment said in a statement. The Christmas Spectacular is not the only production that has fallen victim to COVID, major Broadway shows – including Hamilton, Moulin Rouge The Musical, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Ain’t Too Proud – were forced to go dark this week after at least one of the members of the cast or crew tested positive for the virus, ABC 7 News reported. The hip-hop and music world is mourning the passing of the legendary Kangol Kid, who emerged as one of Hip-Hop’s earliest stars in the 80s from the group UTFO. He succumbed to his battle with colon cancer. He was 55. Kangol, born Shaun Shiller, learned of his diagnosis back in February. He took to Instagram (on 10-27-21) and revealed that he’s been hospitalized for cancer-related complications. His procedure was scheduled for Thursday morning (10/29/21) at the North Shore University Hospital in New York, according to Revolt. “Please forgive me for not returning calls and more,” he penned in his caption. “Things have become and are becoming a little more difficult than imagined. I’ve been admitted again for complications related to my condition. Thank you to those who have been instrumental in my latest ordeal. Your actions have been well received and greatly appreciated. I am blessed to have you by my side through this. I love you all. ~Kang. #kangolkid #kangol #utfo #roxanneroxanne #fu*ckcancer.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_AxN837LSLw/hqdefault.jpg Author J.K. Rowling walked the red carpet with ‘her’ Harry – actor Daniel Radcliffe – and noticed that the 12-year-old was trembling. She put her arms around the youngster to try to reassure him that he was going to be all right. My, how the tables have turned. Rowling, 56, created the boy wizard and has ruled over every aspect of his fictional life, not to mention his financial exploitation in films, on stage and in theme parks. The total worth of the Harry Potter empire today is estimated to be £180 billion. But she has now been repudiated by Radcliffe and the other young actors whom she turned into rich-beyond-dreams stars – all for daring to challenge the hard-line dogma of trans activists who insist biological sex does not exist. Denzel Washington fans have come to support the actor who’s mourning his late mother, Lennis Washington, after an emotional conversation during an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Lennis died in June at the age of 97, according to People magazine. During the conversation, Washington became choked up between his words as he reflected on his relationship with his mom. https://twitter.com/i/status/1471278372554686465 A surge in COVID-19 cases across the NFL and United States as a whole has resulted in the postponement of multiple Week 15 games. The league announced Friday that Saturday’s game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cleveland Browns has been moved to Monday, while Sunday’s meetings between the Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams have been moved to Tuesday. Raiders-Browns will air exclusively at 5 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Washington-Eagles and Seahawks-Rams will air at 7 p.m. ET on FOX. “We have made these schedule changes based on medical advice and after discussion with the NFLPA as we are seeing a new, highly transmissible form of the virus this week resulting in a substantial increase in cases across the league,” the NFL announced in a statement. “We continue to make decisions in consultation with medical experts to ensure the health and safety of the NFL community.” The Brooklyn Nets are welcoming back seven-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving for games and practices in which he is eligible, after he missed the first two months of the season over his refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Irving was ruled ineligible to play at home due to a New York City mandate requiring proof of vaccine to enter large indoor spaces and the Nets previously said the guard would not play or practice with the team until he could be a full participant. "We arrived at this decision with the full support of our players and after careful consideration of our current circumstances, including players missing games due to injuries and health and safety protocols," General Manager Sean Marks said in a written statement Friday, citing a need to balance the "physical demand" on the roster. The 29 year old, who averaged 26.9 points per game last season and joined Brooklyn in 2019, told ESPN in October that he was "being true to what feels good" by choosing not to get the vaccine. The streak is alive. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 34-28, in overtime Thursday night and extended their winning streak to seven games. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with tight end Travis Kelce for the 38-yard, game-winning touchdown just over minute into the first possession of overtime. The Chiefs spilled onto the field at SoFi Stadium in celebration after the “walk off” touchdown. “It was a battle,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “This was two heavyweights going after each other.” Mahomes threw a costly interception and misfired on a what looked to be a sure-touchdown in the second half. But he made up for it with late-game heroics as the Chiefs (10-4) solidified their spot atop the AFC West with a two-game lead over the Chargers (8-6). In May, the home shared by Erica Mena and Safaree Samuels was burglarized. Mena reportedly heard through the grapevine that a woman named Christy Mahone was spotted rockin’ her stolen jewelry and handbags and took to social media in a blistering tirade. “So this stripper Christy Mahone is now allegedly wearing my jewelry and has all my purses,” Mena wrote on Instagram. “Girl be smart and give up all my belongings. If anyone knows her please contact me. I got a cash reward on her as well. 10,000 in cash to anyone who can lead me to the arrest of this woman as well.” Last May, after our home was burglarized and some of my property stolen, I was informed by a number of sources that an individual named Christy Mahone had been seen in possession of my stolen property, under circumstances that suggested she knew it was stolen, and I posted statements to that effect on my Instagram account. I have since learned that the information I received about Ms. Mahone was not accurate, and so I now wish to take this opportunity to retract my earlier assertions concerning Ms. Mahone. To be clear, I no longer have any reason to believe that Christy Mahone was ever in possession of property she knew to be stolen from me, or that she had anything at all to do, directly or indirectly, with the robbery of our home. I apologize to Ms. Mahone. Mahone was not moved by Mena’s apology at all. She reposted it on her story and replied, “GIRL BYE!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMa3z2hCwb/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=630ebdb7-aa15-42f7-9bd6-cdbf4613caef Saturday Night Live canceled their live audience for tonight’s show with Paul Rudd hosting, and also limited the cast and crew on set due to an outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases. The weekly sketch comedy show was on the verge of shelving the entire production after ‘four actors’ tested positive for coronavirus and ‘three others’ have called out because they are now ‘fearful’ about coming to NBC Studios at 30 Rockefeller Center, according to the New York Post. Insiders told the publication that executive producer Lorne Michaels had tested positive, adding that the ‘show must go on but don’t expect to see Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman or (Aristotle) Athari.’ Sources said the ‘cast and crew were currently in rehearsals at Studio 8H for the episode,’ but its unclear how tonight’s episode would proceed and that ‘everyone is fearful here.’ ‘Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the show will have limited cast and crew,’ a statement read. The insider revealed that Cecily Strong was one of the cast members ‘who has voiced concern over the outbreak.’ This week’s episode is set to star Paul Rudd and marks his fifth time hosting the popular comedy program. Los Angeles Chargers tight end Donald Parham was diagnosed with a concussion after being removed on a stretcher during a game against Kansas City on Thursday night. Parham appeared to lose consciousness and was helped off the field on a stretcher early in the first quarter. He was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he had further tests and stayed overnight. Friday the team announced Parham was resting comfortably and was alert. He will likely be discharged from the hospital later in the day. Parham, in his second year with Los Angeles, got his hands on a 5-yard pass from Justin Herbert in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-goal, but he dropped the ball when the back of his head slammed into the ground. A camera zoomed on his face showed his eyes closed and his mouth open. A teammate briefly tried to move Parham’s left arm, but it was frozen in a bent position. Trainers and medical personnel removed Parham’s facemask from his helmet and placed him on a backboard. The 24-year-old’s arms were shaking as he was wheeled off while concerned players from both teams watched. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has a proposal for new anti-CRT legislation. In promoting the “Stop Wrongs against Our Kids and Employees Act,” DeSantis claimed CRT “violates Florida standards to scapegoat someone based on their race, to say that they are inherently racist, to say that they are an oppressor, or oppressed or any of that and that’s good and that’s important.” Of course, CRT does none of those things because examining the racism of institutions isn’t remotely the same as examining the inherent racism of white people at the individual level. But the causality train didn’t stop at DeSantis blatantly lying about CRT while claiming “we have a responsibility to stand for the truth.” He also went on to continue the Republican tradition of invoking Martin Luther King Jr.’s name in justifying racist white nonsense. https://twitter.com/i/status/1471126604189519873 The son of a suspected white supremacist judge in Louisiana who starred in a home video that showed her family repeatedly using the N-word has been revealed to be anti-mask amid reports his disgraced mother has stepped away from the bench — but not resigned. The latest developments in the racist controversy surrounding Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet came as Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Thursday echoed increasing calls for her to quit while legal officials contemplated investigating the cases she presided over involving Black defendants. In case you missed it, Odinet and her family were shown on a video recorded in her home while they looked at security surveillance footage from an attempted robbery at the residence. The suspect was a Black man, a virtue that prompted the family’s commentary while watching the video of the attempted burglary. “And mom’s yelling n****r, n****r,” a voice that presumably belongs to Odinet’s son can be heard attributing to his judge mother before a woman’s voice, presumably belonging to Odinet herself, chimed in saying, “We have a n****r, It’s a n****r, like a roach.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1470957535675006979 Claudette Colvin was 15 years old when she got arrested for not moving to the back of that bus in Montgomery, Alabama, on that fateful day when she and another Black teenager didn’t realize they were sitting next to two white girls, a big no-no in the south during the time. Colvin’s arrest came about nine months before the Montgomery bus boycott began following the arrest of Rosa Parks for the same Jim Crow-era offense. MORE: Overshadowed By Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Catalyst Finally Recognized. Now 82, nearly 67 years later, a judge in Montgomery has granted Colvin’s petition to have her arrest record wiped clean, CBS News reported. “My record was expunged,” Colvin told “CBS Mornings” in an exclusive interview on Thursday. “And my name was cleared. And I’m no longer a juvenile delinquent at 82.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1471472077127495685 Kyle Rittenhouse has one claim to fame—he crossed state lines with an assault rifle he shouldn’t have been able to legally carry and he used it to shoot two people dead and seriously injure a third. In fact, Rittenhouse’s shooting spree represents the only reported deaths or serious injuries that happened during civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August of last year. However one feels about his acquittal and whether or not his actions were in self-defense, reasonable people would agree that he isn’t a person to be made into anybody’s hero. Not only is Rittenhouse set to speak, but he was invited to a private Dallas Cowboys club for a photo-op. Joy Reid ripped into hosts of Fox News for downplaying the deadly Jan. 6th insurrection on-air, while behind the scenes they frantically tried to convince former President Donald Trump to condemn the violence. Reid addressed the hypocrisy on her MSNBC show “The ReidOut,” saying, “Fox News, and particularly a number of their on-air hosts, acted as his unofficial advisors, and time and again tried to play defense for the autocrat president.” “No matter how they try to downplay or blame ‘antifa’ or the left, or provocateurs or whatever, their texts tell the truth. Only Donald Trump could call off the insurrectionists because they were his insurrectionists,” she said, Urban Hollywood 411 reports. “He is the one who called on those gullible, thugged-out MAGA fans to bring the fight to the Capitol that day, to try to overthrow a legitimate election. Period.” Wanda LaFaye Rogers, famously known as Wanda Young, co-lead singer of Motown group The Marvelettes, has died at age 78. No other details on her death have been publicly shared. Her passing was confirmed by Claudette Robinson of The Miracles. Motown’s first No.1 hit was The Marvelettes’ single “Please Mr. Postman.” “We were all surprised when ‘Postman’ hit so big,” member Katherine Anderson told the group’s biographer, Marc Taylor, as reported by udiscovermusic.com. “The most surprised was Motown.” “Motown became even more known once we hit with Please Mr. Postman.’ In my opinion, where Motown wanted to go. The Marvelettes came in and kicked the door open.” https://youtu.be/t524-6hd6LQ TV One celebrates the holiday season with iconic legend and "Godmother of Soul" Patti LaBelle this weekend with PATTI LABELLE'S HOLIDAY PARTY airing this Sunday, December 19th at 7 P.M. EST/6C. Viewers can join Ms. LaBelle along with fellow R&B singer Tamar Braxton, as they officially usher in the holidays. The night will be full of heartfelt conversations, mouth-watering dishes and soulful singing that is sure to lift the spirits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEbKuSo5qME&feature=youtu.be International gospel artist Maurice Griffin announces, “Life After Sunday”. Life After Sunday is a reality-based television show about arts and culture of the black community. Filmed on location in Los Angeles, CA, Houston, TX, and Atlanta, GA, Maurice has laid the groundwork for what will be a long running hit show. After being a finalist in the second season of BET’s Sunday Best, Maurice realized that there was much more to life than just being a contestant. After gaining new friends and comrades, Maurice assessed the different areas of growth in those that came before and after him in the series. Maurice said, “I’ve seen so many accomplishments of my fellow Sunday Best alumnus, they should be celebrated and have a spotlight to show their amazing careers to date.” Maurice has tapped into Kefia Rollerson, Shontelle Norman-Beatty and Alexis Spight, along with other extras for the first few tapings. The episodes are strategically crafted around each artist, where they are in life as well as their current projects. No reality show goes without its cliff hangers, and this one doesn’t disappoint. This reality show is one to look out for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6BfEytlVI4 Earlier this month, DOE participated in VOUS Basel honoring the late fashion legend, Virgil Abloh. Her unique sound and amazing range as a musician and artist continues to push boundaries. To see and hear more of DOE’s various projects and content, follow her on Triller. https://triller.co/@doejonesmusic VaShawn Mitchell and Chante Moore drop "Home With You." https://capitalentertainment.disco.ac/track-new/50656721?user_id=187292&signature=9EZvqJaW0kJ6V-v7RNApJf73ShI%3AZSDtKmK1 Bay Area-rapper Saweetie recently sat down with the Associated Press to talk about her Grammy nominations, her upcoming album “Icy Season” and the competitive nature that runs in her family. “I played football, track and volleyball,” Saweetie told The Associated Press, which has named her one of its Breakthrough Entertainers of 2021. “You might be invited to the playoffs, but you have to win. So I felt like I was invited to the Grammys, but have to win.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aRJewRW9SIs/hqdefault.jpg Aaliyah’s estate teamed with The Weeknd to serve a new track called “Poison.” The track comes courtesy of Blackground Records 2.0 and Empire, per Complex, and serves as the first single for Aaliyah’s upcoming posthumous album, “Unstoppable,” which will be shared in 2022. https://open.spotify.com/album/2t0AfNqhtlMnjFxbTzmPqO James Brown‘s estate has been sold to publishing and management company Primary Wave, for an estimated $90 million. The company now owns ownership over the late musician’s music rights, and how his name and likeness are used. The deal comes after Brown‘s family settled a 15 year legal battle over the late singer’s estate. Brown reportedly specified in his will that very little of his riches would go to his heirs, other than a $2million scholarship fund for his grandchildren. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/c7lSDzsbrQQ/hqdefault.jpg According to a report from the medical examiner, the ten people who died at the Astroworld music festival last month died of compression asphyxia. As reported by Variety, one victim had a “contributory cause” of death on account of the “combined toxic effects of cocaine, methamphetamine and ethanol.” The report was issued Thursday by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston. Rapper Travis Scott has so far been named in more than 200 lawsuits related to the Astroworld tragedy that left 10 people dead and hundreds injured at Houston’s NRG Park on Nov. 5. A $2 billion lawsuit was filed against Scott, Drake, Apple Music, Live Nation, and NRG Stadium, where the event was held, on behalf of the 282 victims who were physically or mentally impacted by the tragedy. https://youtu.be/Z4ydERoN_b0 The former manager and business partner of late rapper Biz Markie is said to have been an informant. As reported by Vlad TV, Lamont Wanzer “began working closely with the U.S. federal law enforcement agency once he was exposed for working with a drug organization that involved a drug lord named Richard Byrd and an attorney named Kenneth Ravenell,” the outlet writes, citing a warrant. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9aofoBrFNdg/hqdefault.jpg A story of the old west sets a new standard for nominations at the 22nd Annual Black Reel Awards. “The Harder They Fall” shoots down all the competition by racking up a record twenty nominations for awards this year. “The Harder They Fall” blasts past the previous record held by the phenomenal “Black Panther” which received 17 nominations in 2018 and become the first western to be nominated for Outstanding Picture and Outstanding Screenplay. Setting a record of its own, “Zola” receives a total of nine nominations, the most for any independent film. Director Jeymes Samuel ties with Radha Blank for the most individual nominations in a single year with seven for his work with “The Harder They Fall“. Most interestingly, all the nominees for Outstanding Director are receiving their first Black Reel nomination in that category this year. Police in New Mexico have issued a search warrant for Alec Baldwin’s phone, after the fatal October 21 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film, Rust. The search warrant, requested by Santa Fe sheriffs, authorizes police to review all text messages and photos on the actor’s iPhone, as well as any stored location data, as part of their investigation. Judge David Segura, a magistrate in Santa Fe, approved the request on Thursday afternoon. Allegations against the 67-year-old American actor were detailed in a new report from The Hollywood Reporter published on Thursday. Two women who don’t know each other approached THR separately and months apart with claims of being sexually assaulted by the actor. The alleged victims – using the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 – said recent promotions of the Sex And The City‘s sequel stirred up painful memories. The women say the incidents occurred in Los Angeles in 2004 and in New York in 2015, respectively; Noth married his wife Tara Wilson in 2012. Noth and Wilson met in 2001 – three years before the first alleged assault – and have two children together, sons Keats, one, and Orion, 13. In a statement to THR, Noth admitted that he had ‘consensual encounters’ with the two women, but vehemently denied any accusations that he ‘assaulted’ them. ‘The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false,’ he stated. Scarface actor Steven Bauer witnessed an alleged rape by a man now arrested in the suspected overdose deaths of a Los Angeles model and her designer friend, he has told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview. And former Scorpions bassist Ralph Rieckermann also told DailyMailTV that the suspect, actor David Pearce, kept a stack of women’s IDs in his apartment which he handed out to young girls, as well as dozens of credit cards not in his name and several high-end laptops. Pearce, 39, a self-professed movie producer and club promoter, is allegedly one of the last people to see model Christy Giles and interior designer Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola alive. He and two other men allegedly took Christy and Hilda from an East LA warehouse party to his West Hollywood apartment in the early hours of November 13, according to the women’s phone location records. Bonner and Bernard Ziglor hoped to spend Christmas with their grandmother at the house on Janet Lane where they grew up. nstead, the brothers stood outside the smoldering brick home Tuesday morning and watched as DeKalb County firefighters came and went, attempting to rescue all 10 people trapped inside. Four were found dead, and a fifth died at a hospital. They were identified by family as Terryona Regular, her two daughters 6-year-old Aliyah and 3-year-old Angel, and her uncles Pedro Coney and Timothy Regular. Three others, including the Ziglors’ grandmother Octavia Cooper, were injured. Only two people escaped unharmed. “It’s tragic. Sad,” Bonner Ziglor said from outside his childhood home. “We’re trying to make it through.” The fire broke out around 12:20 a.m. According to a DeKalb fire spokesman, the first crews to arrive in the neighborhood off Glenwood Road did not know there were people trapped by the flames. The home was nearly fully engulfed, and they had to act fast. Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams joins New Day to discuss recent Covid-19 outbreaks on college campuses across the US. https://youtu.be/htTC5ohrQZU The family of former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson said Thursday he was battling stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he was found dead in a Florida hotel room earlier this year. Researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center posthumously diagnosed Jackson, 38, after his family donated his brain to be analyzed following the shock discovery of the three-time Pro Bowler’s body in a hotel room in Brandon on Feb. 15. “Vincent dedicated so much of his life to helping others,” his widow, Lindsey Jackson, said in a statement. “Even in his passing, I know he would want to continue that same legacy.” Jackson said she hoped to see advancements in CTE research following the revelation that came just days after the same researchers announced another former NFL player, Phillip Adams, who killed six people before taking his own life in April, also had stage 2 CTE. “There is still a lot to be understood about CTE, and education is the key to prevention,” Jackson’s statement continued. “The conversation around this topic needs to be more prevalent, and our family hopes that others will feel comfortable and supported when talking about CTE moving forward.” Megan Thee Stallion has inked an exclusive first-look deal with Netflix. The rapper has been tapped by the streaming giant to create and executive produce various projects, Urban Hollywood 411 reports. “I’ve always had a passion for telling creative and entertaining stories, so I’m thrilled about this partnership with Netflix,” Megan said in a statement. “Venturing into production is the next step in my journey as an entrepreneur and I can’t wait to bring all my ideas to life and for my Hotties to watch.” Tracey Pakosta, Netflix’s head of comedy, said: “Megan is a multi-talented creative force who has consistently made her mark on culture. She’s always growing and evolving as an artist, and we’re thrilled that she’s making a home at Netflix.” https://www.instagram.com/theestallion/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=51c68206-377e-40a6-95a7-2428628e5d46 Last year Netflix vowed to address systemic racism by shifting 2 percent of its cash holdings, or $100 million, to financial institutions that support Black communities in the U.S. Last week, the streaming giant confirmed that the cash was allocated to six financial institutions: Hope Credit Union, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), The Change Company, Enterprise Community Impact Note, OneUnited Bank and Calvert Impact Capital’s Community Investment Note. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mOHUA-wOT6I/hqdefault.jpg President Joe Biden is being called out for falling back on his promise to wipe out student loan debt. White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed last week that student loan repayment will resume on Feb. 1 as scheduled. “We’re still assessing the impact of the [COVID-19] Omicron variant,” Psaki said. “But a smooth transition back into repayment is a high priority for the administration. The Department of Education is already communicating with borrowers to help them to prepare for return to repayment on February 1st and has secured contract extensions with loan servicers.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qWSh-vzB6Bw/hqdefault.jpg As we approach the New Year, this is the perfect time to look back at the last 12 months and celebrate the music that helped us all survive another abnormal year. Today, to give listeners a chance to check out the tracks he had on repeat this year, President Barack Obama unveiled an all-new playlist, curated for Spotify, sharing his favorite songs of 2021! The tracklist includes songs that defined 2021 for many of us – including Brandi Carlile’s “Broken Horses,” Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” Mitski’s “The Only Heartbreaker,” The War On Drugs’s “I Don’t Live Here Anymore,” Little Simz and Cleo Sol’s “Woman,” Parquet Courts’ “Walking at a Downtown Pace,” Cardi B and Lizzo’s “Rumors,” Nas and Ms. Lauryn Hill’s “Nobody,” Aventura and Bad Bunny’s “Volvi,” Courtney Barnett’s “Write A List of Things To Look Forward To,” and many more. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX4ORnUUsfv3c Tristan Thompson’s alleged baby mother has finally spoken out after all the drama that has transpired over the last few weeks. In an exclusive statement she gave to E! news, Maralee Nichols says that she doesn’t want a relationship with Tristan but she wants her child taken care of. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=33f7a24c-938b-4918-8a6d-c756dd860daf Swizz Beatz has responded to rumors that he’s cheating on wife Alicia Keys with actress LaLa Anthony. The famed hip-hop producer referenced the cheating rumors in a post on Instagram in which he noted that his wife’s song “LaLa (Unlocked)” “is the only ‘LaLa’ I’m rocking with,” he wrote. Check out the post below. Meanwhile, Swizz Beatz was suspected of cheating on his ex-wife Mashonda Tifrere with his current wife, but Keys has denied being the mistress-type. Mashonda has said otherwise. Most recently, Alicia Keys spoke out about the joy of watching her 11-year-old son Egypt in his first live performance at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards. The 15-time Grammy-winner recalled sharing the stage with her son for her song “Raise a Man” during an interview with People (The TV Show!)‘s Kay Adams. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xMj8sFIuugs/hqdefault.jpg Several California restaurants and retailers are suing the state to block a new law from going into effect that could negatively impact the sale of pork. California is the nation’s largest market for pork, and the law that is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 could drive up the cost and create a shortage of pork, The Sacramento Bee reports. The lawsuit in Sacramento Superior Court centers on Proposition 12, a 2018 ballot measure that prohibits the production or importation of pork raised from pigs kept in confined spaces. It requires in part that breeding sows be kept in a space no smaller than 24 square feet. The plaintiffs include the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the California Grocers Association, the California Restaurant Association, the California Retailers Association and Monrovia-based pork processor Kruse & Son. The lawsuit argues that while the liability portion of the Prop. 12 provision is set to go into effect in the new year, the state has yet to implement clarifying regulations that were supposed to be final in September 2019. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eBc-xAFAFcQ/hqdefault.jpg For chocolate lovers, there is nothing better than indulging in that culinary escape. For those who enjoy supporting Black-owned businesses as well as that sweet treat, you can find both with Askanya Chocolates, a Black Woman-Owned enterprise. Connoisseurs of the confection can get the taste of Haiti as Askanya Chocolates is the country’s first and only premier bean-to-bar chocolate company with delectable candies made exclusively with Haitian cocoa, which boasts as some of the highest-ranked chocolate in the world. The cocoa beans are then handcrafted into bars by women in Haiti. The company assures that their all-natural ingredients are directly sourced from a network of 3,000 Haitian Farmers who provide the necessary cacao, as well as sugar cane, limes, oranges, and cashew nuts. From an entrepreneurial side, the company provides direct revenue opportunities to Haitian farmers located in rural areas. With the price ranging from $7.65 and up, their gluten/soy/nut and preservative-free goodies are ideal for health-conscious chocolate lovers. There are also multi-sized dairy-free and vegan options. Earlier this week, Shams Charania reported that the Boston Celtics are expected to listen to trade discussions surrounding Dennis Schröder. It makes sense. Schröder is entering the prime of his career and producing with the Celtics to the tune of 17.5 points, 4.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. He also signed a one-year contract in the offseason for just $5.89 million, and logic signals that he’s intending to turn that into a much larger payday next summer. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gYqGez_WUZo/hqdefault.jpg Mercedes has opted not to appeal the result of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which saw Max Verstappen controversially beat Lewis Hamilton to the Formula One title Sunday. The decision removes any doubt about Verstappen’s status as 2021 world champion. Mercedes was furious at how the race finished, after FIA race director Michael Masi appeared to ignore certain parts of the sporting regulations in order to ensure the title battle was decided by one final lap of racing after several laps behind the Safety Car. The hasty restart gave Verstappen the opportunity to pass Hamilton on the final lap, helping him secure the championship with a race victory. Hamilton’s Mercedes team protested the race results after the chequered flag, with a focus on the articles of the sporting regulations that had been ignored to get racing back underway for one final lap. Those protests were dismissed, but Mercedes lodged its intention to appeal, giving the team four days to build a case. However, on Thursday, the team confirmed it will not be pursuing any further action. The team cited the FIA’s commitment to “a detailed analysis and clarification exercise” over what transpired over the final laps as key to dropping its appeal. KARIMA, celebrated vocalist and New Orleans native, marks her first solo Top 5 single this week with her DARE Records debut single “Redeemer.” KARIMA bridges the gap between Gospel and CCM while sounding effortless on “Redeemer,” which has connected with audiences across the country and sits atop the Billboard Gospel Radio Airplay chart at Number 5. Hear Karima In Her Own Words In The Gospel Spotlight... http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/karima_kibble_intvw.htm Ricky Dillard releases another powerful song from his upcoming album Breakthrough: The Exodus coming this January. He's dropping a new song “He Won’t Fail” as well as other songs from the album “Breakthrough” and “All Of My Help” now! https://rickydillard.lnk.to/BreakthroughEM?utm_campaign=160567_MOTG%2012.13_231797_US&utm_source=dotmailer&utm_medium=email&dm_i=4YUT,3FW7,4SQSQ,G8JT,1 Welcome to the world of transformational marketing, a multi-billion-dollar industry dominated by women whose glamorous lifestyles are supported by a gritty, competitive world of selling products and events and self-branding at all costs. Million Dollar Hustle follows health and fitness influencer, author, entrepreneur and self-made millionaire Stormy Wellington and her elite group of unstoppable leaders, called the Circle of Bosses, including Dianna Williams (aka Coach D from Bring It!), Maniya Essence Canty (Stormy’s daughter), Nathalie Nicole Smith, Bawselady, Tammy Price, Bianca Shadai and Ana Cantera. WATCH TAMELA MANN THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17TH ON THE TAMRON HALL SHOW. TAMELA DROPS NEW SINGLE....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yz0iQID6yQ Who knew back in 1991 when JDI Records quietly released a simple unassuming 18-word song, to little fanfare, that "Emmanuel" would become such an enduring & beloved Christmas classic. Translated into 29 languages, "Emmanuel” by Norman Hutchins & JDI Christmas celebrates 20 years this season as a holiday classic that bridges the gap between cultures & denominations around the world as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. With over nearly 50 million views/streams, “Emmanuel” is one of the top selling Christmas CDs of all time. Produced by Jason White (Kanye West) and Professor James Roberson (Dr. Bobby Jones), “Emmanuel” is a collection of holidays gems including “Silent Night” featuring Aretha-protégé DeNetria Champ, “Go Tell On The Mountain” by Chester D.T. Baldwin, “Joy To The World” (Nikki Potts – Kurt Carr Singers) and so much more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5STFrnFl5k On this week’s two-hour season finale episode of WE tv’s “Life After Lockup,” Daonte crashes Nicolle and Tia’s wedding and all hell breaks out when he and Tia come to blows. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wv42zm2-YWU/hqdefault.jpg From the Emmy-award winning team from World of Wonder (RuPaul’s Drag Race), the new series Leave it to Geege follows Geege Taylor, an Atlanta area single mother of two whose life could be a Lifetime movie. The twice-divorced, breast cancer survivor is also an advocate for autism acceptance, hoping to educate and help others navigate their way through the ups and downs of raising a child with autism following her first-hand experience with her non-verbal 19-year-old son Pootie. Surrounded by her “family” consisting of her southern to the core mother Puddin’, daughter Harper and best friends Nicky, George and Tyler, Leave it to Geege provides a glimpse into the chaos and charm of this authentic modern family filled with love and laughter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9_At4N0BZs "Married at First Sight: Afterparty" is a talk show that airs following every new episode of “Married at First Sight" and is hosted by the incredibly talented, Emmy nominated, actor, host and MAFS fan, Keshia Knight Pulliam. Fresh off screening that night’s episode, Keshia dishes with the MAFS current cast to get the inside scoop on the action, romance, and behind the scenes drama. Whether it’s laughter, tears, conflict or exclamations of true love, there is never a dull moment! GSN-Wendy Williams’ son has reportedly told her to shape up or he’s shipping out! “Wendy’s relationship with Kevin Jr. has been strained,” a source told The Sun. “He gave her an ultimatum. He told her he won’t be in her life unless she fixes herself. Her son has been doling out the tough love, telling Wendy, ‘Get yourself help, mom.’” According to Wendy insiders, the beloved talk show host has relapsed and has been drinking alcohol daily. “Wendy drinks every day and the only time she was sober was when she was at the sober house,” they said. According to the report, Williams would also drink on the show and often smelled like booze. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xnGaO30kQmQ/hqdefault.jpg Kel Mitchell of “All That” and “Kenan & Kel,” fame is speaking out about his career shift from actor to pastor. “It’s a lot of ups and downs in life and a lot of emotional walls that a lot of people need to break through,” he said Tuesday during a visit to the 3rd hour of TODAY. “And that’s what happened in my life. In those down times, God was with me, and he was always there helping me get through. “In my times of going through depression, suicidal thoughts, all these different things, and working on shows at the same time, God was there.” Mitchell continued, “Similar to Robin Williams when he was doing characters and bringing happiness to us all, right, same way with the characters that I was doing. I was bringing happiness within it but going through my own battles, you know?” he said. “And it was really finding that joy despite the circumstances.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/suUHeIdfjL0/hqdefault.jpg Reality has apparently finally set in for Derek Chauvin, who on Wednesday officially pleaded guilty to a pair of federal civil rights charges stemming from his murder of George Floyd and another incident in which the former Minneapolis police officer injured a Black teenager. Previously, Chauvin — who was found guilty and convicted in April of murdering Floyd by kneeling on the unarmed, handcuffed Black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes last year. He had implausibly maintained his innocence in that case and was seemingly set to do the same in the upcoming federal case before he likely realized it was only a matter of time before a jury in that case found him guilty, as well. A Louisiana judge recently became the subject of a viral video in which she and members of her family can be heard repeatedly using the N-word following an attempted burglary of her home. No faces can be seen in the video, but the judge confirmed it was taken from inside her home. The man suspected of breaking into her property with the intent of robbing her happens to be a Black man, which is likely why the family members who were captured on camera let racial slurs fly through the air like some kind of white supremacist COVID variant. (O-merica?) According to The Advocate, Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet is asking for “understanding, forgiveness, patience, and prayers” for her and her son amid mounting calls for her resignation prompted by the video that appears to show her and her family watching security footage of the break-in, which 59-year-old Robert Handy is accused of committing. “And mom’s yelling n****r, n****r,” a voice that presumably belongs to Odinet’s son can be heard attributing to his judge mother before a woman’s voice, presumably belonging to Odinet herself, chimed in saying, “We have a n****r, It’s a n****r, like a roach.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1470957535675006979 Earlier this year, President Joe Biden put Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of addressing the border situation, according to senior administration officials. Since then, Harris has faced criticism for her handling the surge of migration at the border. In November, CNN published a behind-the-scenes exposé on Harris’, in which insiders alleged that the Biden and Harris teams continue to be at odds over tasks assigned to the vice president that put her in “no-win political situation[s]”. According to the report, the West Wing has been especially annoyed by her handling of the border issue, a job she did not want to be tasked with, per the report. Harris recently announced “$1.2 billion in private-sector investments in Central America as part of a program aimed at reducing migration from the region,” VOA writes. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/y5Opz94BoQs/hqdefault.jpg Letitia Wright suffered an injury while filming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in late August in Boston and had to be hospitalized. As she recovers, production on the highly anticipated “Black Panther” sequel was shut down. It was reported earlier that filming will resume in January 2022 in Atlanta, with Wright is expected to reprise her role of Shuri alongside actors Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, Florence Kasumba and Angela Bassett. Letitia Wright suffered an injury while filming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in late August in Boston and had to be hospitalized. As she recovers, production on the highly anticipated “Black Panther” sequel was shut down. NeNe Leakes is reportedly dating a businessman named Nyonisela Sioh … and her new relationship comes three months after the death of her husband Gregg Leakes. As reported by TMZ, Sioh “owns a couture suit company in Charlotte, NC and he hails from Liberia, Africa … though it’s unclear how long they’ve been dating,” the outlet writes. Leakes’ former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star Peter Thomas, the ex-husband of fellow ‘RHOA’ star Cynthia Bailey, introduced NeNe to Nyonisela, per the report. NeNe was spotted getting cozy with her new boo at her birthday bash in Georgia. The event was held at NeNe’s Linnethia Lounge, and guests included Keke Wyatt and Porsha Williams. Leakes’ former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star Peter Thomas, the ex-husband of fellow ‘RHOA’ star Cynthia Bailey, introduced NeNe to Nyonisela, per the report. NeNe was spotted getting cozy with her new boo at her birthday bash in Georgia. The event was held at NeNe’s Linnethia Lounge, and guests included Keke Wyatt and Porsha Williams. Kierra Sheard Kelly and her hubby Jordan Kelly celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary recently and shared photos and videos with fans on social media. As reported by The YBF, the couple wed last year in a lavish ceremony held at the Westin Cadillac in Kierra’s hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Per the outlet, Kierra “stunned in a custom white Eye Azenabor gown to marry the love of her life, who looked debonair in a tux designed by Times Square Custom Clothing,” The YBF writes. https://www.instagram.com/kierrasheard/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=788cf7f6-2062-422e-a4c2-5ba26e69c74a The nation’s number one college football prospect in the Class of 2022 has decided to attend Jackson State University and play football for the Tigers next fall. Travis Hunter announced on Wednesday that he switched his commitment from blue blood powerhouse Florida State University to sign with the current SWAC Champions and attend the historically Black university (HBCU). Hunter is one of the best athletes in the class of 2022 and has superstar-level talent as a defensive back. https://twitter.com/i/status/1471167268310888450 Televangelist Kenneth Copeland, the richest pastor in America, avoids paying an annual property tax bill of $150,000 by claiming that his massive lakeside mansion is a clergy residence, which qualifies it for a complete tax break. Copeland, 85, enjoys the spoils of his six-bed, six-bath house – with a sweeping spiral staircase, crystal chandeliers and a tennis court – without contributing a single dime to the area’s schools and first responders. The $7 million estate, located right outside of Forth Worth, Texas, is even driving distance from an airport bearing his name, from which he commands a fleet of private jets, including a Gulfstream V he bought from filmmaker Tyler Perry, according to an investigation by the Houston Chronicle. Copeland has previously said that God told him to build the home for his wife Gloria. ‘You may think that house is too big,’ he said at the 2015 Southwest Believers’ Convention in Fort Worth. ‘You may think it’s too grand. I don’t care what you think. I heard from heaven. Glory to God, hallelujah!’ Omicron cases in the US have soared by 32 per cent in 24 hours, with White House COVID tsar Dr Anthony Fauci warning of of the variant’s ‘extraordinary’ ability to spread, before revealing that cases will double every three days. Confirmed US Omicron cases jumped by a third overnight, from 241 on Wednesday to 319 on Thursday. But experts have warned those are the tip of the iceberg, and that American cases likely already number in the tens of thousands. Immunologists have also forecast a potential triple-whammy of Omicron, Delta and regular flu infections this winter. Two doctors interviewed by DailyMail.com said those who haven’t received a booster shot should consider returning to Spring 2020-style self-isolation, when COVID’s Alpha variant raged through the US, and no vaccines were available. Speaking on Good Morning America on Thursday, Fauci also confirmed Omicron was on track to be the dominant Covid strain in America within weeks. He said: ‘Certainly what [Omicron] is showing us in other countries [is that it spreads faster than other variants] and I believe soon in our own country. ‘It has an extraordinary ability to transmit efficiently and spread. It has what we call a doubling time of around three days. ‘And if you do the math on that, if you have just a couple of percentage of the isolates being Omicron, very soon it’s going to be the dominant variant. We’ve seen that in South Africa, we’re seeing it in the U.K. and I’m absolutely certain that’s what we’re going to be seeing here relatively soon.’ Kasinal Cashe White was at her brother’s bedside when the Army infantryman died in 2005 from severe burns he suffered while rescuing fellow soldiers from the flaming wreckage of their vehicle in Iraq. Sixteen years later, her late sibling on Thursday was awarded the government’s highest military decoration for acts of valor. Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, who served in the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Georgia, became the first Black U.S. service member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions since Sept. 11th. “My baby brother will go down in history,” White told the Ledger-Enquirer. “His name and his actions will be forever memorialized.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bu6qIDnzhBA/hqdefault.jpg Today Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock spoke with SiriusXM’s Joe Madison “The Black Eagle,” and said it was “irresponsible” for senators to head into a holiday recess without making progress on voting rights. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/o6AFX_Ijy0E/hqdefault.jpg Following a year of professional milestones born of her work on America’s history of slavery, Pulitzer Prize-winning Black journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones said she is clear-eyed about her mission to force a reckoning around the nation’s self-image. “I’ve gone from being just a journalist to becoming some sort of symbol for people who either love me and my work or revile me and my work,” she said in an interview with the Associated Press. Hannah-Jones spoke about the ongoing controversy over The 1619 Project, a groundbreaking collection of essays on race that first appeared in a special issue of The New York Times Magazine in 2019. Now in book form, the project has become a touchstone for America’s reckoning over slavery and the reverberations for Black Americans. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4-Ifu17U5Bk/hqdefault.jpg Denzel Washington‘s dear mother passed and he spoke about it last night (12/15/21) on the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Washington got very emotional as he shared just how much his mother, who passed away this year at age 97, meant to him. https://twitter.com/i/status/1471278372554686465 Justin Bieber was given a parking ticket as he attended a Churchome religious service in Beverly Hills on Wednesday. The singer, 27, cut a casual figure on the outing as he sported a white cardigan which he wore over a mauve T-shirt. The hitmaker also wore a pair of blue jeans along with a teal beanie heat and a pair of white-rimmed sunglasses. Justin added to his outfit with a multi-coloured necklace and completed the look with a pair of white trainers. A parking ticket was seen poking out of the star’s windshield as he attended the Christian church service. Khloe Kardashian’s NBA star ex Tristan Thompson has conceded that his ‘hook up’ with alleged baby mama number three was actually a months-long series of hotel sex sessions, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. The philandering Sacramento Kings center had previously admitted to sleeping with his former personal trainer Maralee Nichols, 31, although the paternity of the little boy she gave birth to on December 1 is yet to be established. But while Thompson said they had sex several times at his 30th birthday celebrations in March – around the time he was also publicly dating Khloe – he’s now conceding that the pair had been meeting up for months. In court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Thompson said he communicated with Nichols via Snapchat under the username ‘blkjesus00,’ only discussing when and where they would meet up for sex. The music world has lost a bright beacon this week. Ken Kragen died of natural causes at age 85 at his home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, California on Tuesday, his family shared in a statement. The personal manager was best known for organizing the hugely successful We Are The World song with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie as writers and Quincy Jones as a producer. The chart-topping tune helped raise $64million for aid in Africa. The Harvard business school graduate also worked with top acts of the Seventies and Eighties including the Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John and Kenny Rogers. He is also known for putting together the event Hands Across America where people held hands all the way from California to New York to help raise $34million to fight hunger and homelessness in the United States. ‘To have been married to someone of such character and loving goodness is the honor of my life,’ his wife Cathy Worthington said in a statement. They were wed for 43 years. The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired head coach Urban Meyer, ending a tumultuous tenure with the franchise after only 13 games. “After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement released early Thursday. “I informed Urban of the change this evening. As I stated in October, regaining our trust and respect was essential. Regrettably, it did not happen. “In the spirit of closure and recharging our players, staff and fan base, I will not comment further until some point following the conclusion of the NFL season.” Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season and GM Trent Baalke will remain in place, Khan said. In Meyer’s only season with the Jaguars, the team went 2-11, its 10th season with double-digit losses in the past 11 years, but issues off the field are what doomed him. From hiring a strength and conditioning coordinator who had been accused of making racist remarks and bullying Black players, to a video of Meyer with a woman who was not his wife at a bar, to tensions between Meyer and his staff and players, there was dysfunction almost from the moment Meyer was hired. he latest embarrassment was a report Wednesday in the Tampa Bay Times in which former kicker Josh Lambo alleged that Meyer kicked him in the leg while he was stretching in warm-ups before a practice during the week of the final preseason game. The Browns are dealing with a serious COVID-19 outbreak. Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield has tested positive for COVID-19, Adam Schefter reported Wednesday — a day after the team placed eight players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Mayfield reportedly “feels completely normal” despite the positive result. Cleveland also announced Wednesday that head coach Kevin Stefanski tested positive for coronavirus. According to reports, the team is expecting more positive tests throughout the day. Mayfield, per NFL health protocols, must submit two negative tests to return to the team. Backup Case Keenum is next in line to start Saturday’s game against the Raiders. Nick Mullens is the third-stringer. Racing driver Lewis Hamilton today received his knighthood – just days after his F1 championship heartbreak in Abu Dhabi. The Formula One ace, 36, was awarded the honor by Prince Charles at an Investiture at Windsor Castle this morning. He was accompanied at the ceremony by his mother Carmen Larbalestier, who along with his father, Anthony, has been an enthusiastic supporter of his racing career. Hamilton, a seven time F1 world champion, received the knighthood for services to motorsport. He joins Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jack Brabham as the fourth F1 racer to be knighted. It comes just days after Hamilton lost out on his record-breaking eighth F1 world championship title – being pipped by Dutch driver Max Verstappen in controversial style in Abu Dhabi. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/12/15/4587439694111162287/1024x576_MP4_4587439694111162287.mp4?_=2 The importance of the superstar Black quarterback in major college football can never be understated especially if that star is attending an HBCU. It’s the most important and most recognizable position in American team sports. This not only makes him an integral piece of his respective team but often it makes him a key part of the culture as well. Over the years, the Black community has seen its fair share of electric talents dazzle audiences at PWIs and take their talents to the NFL but rarely have we seen a signal-caller at an HBCU be able to capture that same level of success in recent memory. The legendary GRAMMY® Award winning Chicago House Music DJ, Maurice Joshua (Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey), teams with the equally iconic, Shekinah Glory Ministry, to jettison their 2001 worship classic, "Reign Jesus," from the church sanctuary to the uptown dance floor with this brisk, electrifying House Remix. https://capitalentertainment.disco.ac/playlist-new/9582153?date=20211206&user_id=187292&signature=SbFkyl2yfls_wcaICUQ2kaGj4p0%3AsRz Nearly nine months after he was scheduled to be released, Bobby Sneed remains incarcerated. Louisiana parole officials refuse to release Sneed despite two separate court decisions ordering his release. Civil rights attorney Scott Hechinger tweeted a thread about Sneed’s case Monday, amplifying news of the latest injustice and highlighting the uncertainty of where the older man would be spending his 75th birthday this weekend. “A judge has twice ordered Bobby Sneed to be released,” Hechinger Tweeted. “Judge acknowledged warden & Parole Board are openly breaking the law. 3 days ago, finally, he was released. While waiting for pickup, parole issued an arrest warrant for a new fake contraband charge. Caged again.” A Monday morning visit to “The Breakfast Club” by Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to tout the Biden Administration’s dedication to historically Black colleges and universities left a lot to be desired as hosts Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy asked him questions about HBCUs. But when the topic turned to the recent student protests at Howard University over campus living conditions, Cardona — who explained that part of his job is to secure funding for institutions of higher learning — was all but stumped about one of the biggest storylines centered on HBCUs this year. o be sure, Charlamagne and Envy — the latter of whom is an HBCU graduate, himself — didn’t throw any so-called “gotcha” questions at Cardona to try to trip him up. They asked him fairly basic and straightforward questions that theoretically should have been anticipated, like why President Joe Biden has failed to keep campaign promises to cancel student loan debt. https://youtu.be/lIQ5CHsyACA Georgia Republican primary elections in 2022 are sure to be a white nationalist circus of ultra-MAGA proportions. David Perdue is still licking his wounds from his U.S. Senate loss last year, but that hasn’t stopped him from gunning for Gov. Brian Kemp’s office and it looks like he’s whipping out old, stale and thoroughly debunked talking points about a 2020 election rigged through absentee ballots despite his claim that he’s “trying to run a campaign not based on the past but on the future.” https://t.co/R8pw4MXgis?amp=1 Three central Florida residents are the latest examples of Republicans ‘do as I say and not as I do’ regarding alleged voter fraud. All three were arrested for allegedly casting ballots out of state while also voting in Florida during the 2020 election. An investigation by Orlando’s News 6 found that Jay Ketcik, Joan Halstead and John Rider all resided at The Villages and were registered Republicans in Florida. According to the outlet, Ketchik and Halstead had posts supportive of former President Donald Trump on their social media. Republicans are quick to use the alleged existence of voter fraud to justify restricting voting rights. Still, in many instances, alleged cases of voter fraud involve members of their own party. By all accounts, alleged voter fraud is extremely rare. It is not nearly prevalent enough to justify the fixation that Republicans across the country place on the issue. And on the rare occasion it does happen, built-in safeguards catch the alleged fraud, rarely impacting the outcome of an election. Terrence Howard is speaking out about his former “Empire” co-star Jussie Smollett being convicted of staging a hate crime. “It’s interesting, it’s an uncomfortable question because anyone that’s aware of the show or my relationship with Jussie would know that Jussie is, for six years, he was my son,” Howard explained in an interview on Mark Vargas’ Mark My Words radio show. “He was my son that I had the most difficulty with on that show as far as the character world goes. So you end up getting very close to individuals that you have the most struggle with. Whose characters you have the most struggle with.” Last week, Smollett was found guilty on five felony counts of disorderly conduct for making false police reports after he staged a hate crime attack against himself in Chicago in January 2019. The partial human remains of Frank “Frankie” Little Jr., guitarist for legendary R&B group The O’Jays, have been identified nearly 40 years after they were discovered in a garbage bag in Twinsburg, Ohio, in 1982. “Thanks to the genealogical research of the DNA Doe Project, unidentified remains discovered on February 18, 1982 have been identified as Frank ‘Frankie’ Little Jr., born in 1943, from Cleveland, Ohio. His identity remained a mystery for almost 40 years,” a press release from Twinsburg Police Department reads. Investigators took DNA from living relatives to help identify Little’s remains and his identity was “confirmed by Dr. Lisa Kohler of the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office.” The circumstances surrounding his disappearance or murder remain unclear. Dr. Kohler confirmed the manner of Little’s death was homicide, per the press release. Let’s keep #FlavorFlav in our prayers. He was involved in a near-fatal car accident while driving today. According to @people Flav was on the road from Las Vegas to Los Angeles when rain caused a boulder to fall down a cliffside and land on the side of his car. The cliffside was in La Tuna Canyon, and once the boulder hit the side of his car, the impact caused Flav to lose control briefly. However, he was able to get to the other side of the road safely. Reports say another motorist saw the accident and pulled over to ensure the rapper was safe. A representative for Flav says if he had been driving just a few feet in a different direction, the incident might have killed him. The rep also stated Flav is doing okay. “Thank God he survived and is okay, although a bit emotionally shaken up,” said the rep. We’re wishing him a speedy recovery. Tory Lanez allegedly told Megan Thee Stallion to “dance, b*tch” before firing four shots at her during their wild night out together last July. He then offered her hush money to cover it up. According to testimony from a detective on the case, LAPD Det. Ryan Stogner, said in court Tuesday during a preliminary hearing that Megan told him Tory was intoxicated during the July 2020 incident, TMZ reports. The shooting reportedly occurred during an argument in the Hollywood Hills around 4:30 AM after a party at Kylie Jenner’s house. It happened in NBA’s unofficial Mecca, Madison Square Garden, with 3-point record holder Ray Allen looking on from the stands, previous record holder, Reggie Miller, calling the game for TNT’s national broadcast, and New York Knicks fan Spike Lee in his usual front row seat. The setting for Steph Curry to become the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers Tuesday night couldn’t have been more storybook. https://twitter.com/i/status/1470920281573236740 Incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to announce on Wednesday that he is appointing a woman to serve as the police commissioner for the first time in the NYPD’s 176-year history. Keechant Sewell, 49, who currently serves as the Nassau County Chief of Detectives, will also be just the city’s third black police commissioner after Benjamin Ward served from 1984 to 1989 under Mayor Ed Koch, and Lee Brown served from 1990 to 1992 under Mayor David Dinkins. She is expected to take office on January 1, taking over for outgoing commissioner Dermot Shea, amid an increase in violent crime and low morale amongst police officers after years of outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio’s anti police reforms. ‘I’m here to meet the moment,’ Sewell told the New York Post, adding: ‘I’m very humbled to even be considered for this and it’s an extraordinary opportunity. ‘And I take it very seriously, the historic nature of this.’ According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, the Philadelphia 76ers are garnering much more interest in potential two- or three-team deals involving Simmons as more than 85% of the NBA’s players will be eligible to trade next week. https://youtu.be/Y8kKtInDH-4 On THE REAL airing Wednesday, December 15th, TV personality and celebrity blogger B. Scott shares exclusive details about the upcoming season of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” revealing to co-hosts Loni Love and Adrienne Houghton and guest co-host Cynthia Bailey that Angela Simmons and Monyetta Show will be joining the show. https://youtu.be/ByNpj78tPjg Comedians of “Yearly Departed” dish about the groundbreaking comedy special that returns to Prime Video on Dec. 23. Per press release, hosted by Yvonne Orji (“Insecure”) and featuring a lineup of emerging and all-star talent including Jane Fonda, Megan Stalter, Aparna Nancherla, Dulcé Sloan, X Mayo, and Chelsea Peretti, “Yearly Departed” bids a raucous, celebratory farewell to everything from Hot Vaxx Summer to Zoom to Ignoring the Climate Crisis. After another tumultuous year, the women of Yearly Departed invite you to reflect, rejoice, and raise a glass (or several) to everything we’re leaving in the past, capped off by a special performance by Grammy-winning pop star Alessia Cara. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CxWXTBqn8ss/hqdefault.jpg On Dec. 12, 2021, the New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) made its selections for the best in film for 2021. “The Power of the Dog” was awarded Best Picture. “Passing” garnered three awards: Debut Director (Rebecca Hall), Best Actress (Tessa Thompson), and Best Supporting Actress (Ruth Negga). Wins for “The Power of the Dog” also include Benedict Cumberbatch (Best Actor), Jane Campion (Director), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Supporting Actor), Jane Campion (Screenplay), Best Ensemble Cast, and Ari Wegner (Cinematography). https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LRDPo0CHrko/hqdefault.jpg Billie Eilish has shockingly revealed that she started watching pornography when she was just 11 years old, and now believes it has ‘really destroyed’ her brain. The 19-year-old pop star made the alarming comments while appearing on the Howard Stern Show Tuesday and shared her thoughts on porn and its effect on her first sexual experiences. ‘As a woman, I think porn is a disgrace,’ Billie told talk show host Stern, 67. She continued, ‘I used to watch a lot of porn, to be honest. I started watching porn when I was like 11.’ ‘I think it really destroyed my brain and I feel incredibly devastated that I was exposed to so much porn.’ The Happier Than Ever hitmaker explained that watching porn negatively impacted her first sexual experiences. ‘The first few times I, you know, had sex, I was not saying no to things that were not good. It was because I thought that’s what I was supposed to be attracted to.’ Chadwick Boseman’s brother Derrick is on board with his late sibling’s Black Panther role being recast so T’Challa can continue inspiring Black fans of the superhero films. Derrick told TMZ Tuesday that though Boseman didn’t specifically say before his death that he would want his role to continue with another actor, he is confident the actor was aware the character was bigger than himself. In November, Marvel VP of Development Nate Moore reflected on the decision not to recast Boseman’s character for the franchise’s future films during an appearance on the Ringer-Verse podcast. “I’m being quite honest: You will not see T’Challa in the MCU 616 universe,” he said at the time, referencing the primary timeline for the events in Marvel comics. “We couldn’t do it.” Moore added, “When Chad passed, it was a real conversation we had with [director Ryan] Coogler about, ‘What do we do?’ and it was a fast conversation. It wasn’t weeks, it was minutes of we had to figure out how to move that franchise on without that character. Because I think we all feel so much of T’Challa in the MCU on the screen… is tied to Chadwick’s performance.” An online petition, however, has attracted more than 43,000 people who want the role to continue on and not be retired. Derrick supports the Change.org petition, which was started by film critic Emmanuel “E-Man” Noisette. Jill Duggar’s husband Derick Dillard has written his most scathing criticism of Jim Bob Duggar yet, accusing the reality TV patriarch of lying, being verbally abusive, and using ‘manipulation and deceit’ that has led to ‘what is akin to human trafficking.’ Derick, 32, pulled no punches with his latest critique of his father-in-law, which he posted on Facebook just hours before Jim Bob, 56, suffered an embarrassing loss in his run for Arkansas State Senate on Tuesday, securing just 456 votes. ‘I used to have much respect for Jim Bob, as my father-in-law, and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt for years,’ Derick wrote early Tuesday afternoon. ‘Unfortunately, it’s only become clearer to us over time just how deep this man’s manipulation and deceit will go for his own gain, at the expense of others. He has lied to my wife and I numerous times.’ A clean-living church pastor whose wife thought he had started drinking in secret discovered he has a rare condition which sees his gut turn carbohydrates into alcohol. Adam Stump, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, would become drunk, black out and slur his speech without drinking a single sip of alcohol, while he was forced to temporarily give up driving due to his symptoms. His bewildered wife Jana Stump, 37, was convinced he was leading a ‘double life’ and concealing a drinking habit after he regularly became belligerent and stunk of alcohol. But after visiting baffled doctors who believed he was a secret alcoholic and urged him to stop drinking, the church pastor was diagnosed with auto-brewery syndrome (ABS) in February. A Florida bride has gone viral for wearing a backless, apron style-dress and thong while serving up a lap dance to the groom. The bride, known simply as Rochelle, is seen in the clip, along with her bridesmaids, performing a choreographed burlesque routine that has amassed more than 2.9 million views on Twitter. https://twitter.com/i/status/1470165292382920710 How Sweet The Sound was originally established in 2007 and sponsored by Verizon. During its initial six-year run, the competition awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to promising artists, making it a critical destination and a springboard for successful careers. Now under the new ownership of Gentle Giant Music Ministries, How Sweet The Sound will continue to welcome a diverse array of up-and-coming gospel performers competing for cash prizes and recognition. Hosting and performing at the event will be distinguished songwriter/producer/composer Donald Lawrence, one of gospel music's biggest influencers. His numerous honors include over 30 Stellar Awards, four Dove Awards and a Grammy. He also led the beloved Tri-City Singers, widely acclaimed as one of the world's best choirs. The Music Ministry of Terri McConnell will certainly “Encourage your heart” and “Lift your Spirit” with a joy felt message of God’s love for all. She is an Inspiring and gifted Songstress and International Recording Artist, whose “warm smile” expresses her dedication and determination to spreading the Gospel to the world. With billboard charting songs, two European world tours including Italy and Switzerland, two-time Rhythm of Gospel Music Award Winner for Traditional Female Vocalist of The Year, VOGMA Award Winner to name a few, . Terri is no stranger to the Gospel Music Industry. With reports revealing over $9 billion spent on plastic surgery in 2020 alone just in the United States, Lifetime takes a deep dive into the darker side of achieving physical perfection with the premiere of the highly anticipated series, My Killer Body with K.Michelle on Thursday, February 3rd at 9/8c. Prior to the premiere, fans will be given an early look with a sneak peek of the series on January 28th at 10/9c. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI_nLIvOTLA&feature=youtu.be Azealia Banks claims her former manager pretended to be in love with her so he could steal from the rapper. According to Rolling Stone, Banks is counter-suing Prospect Park CEO, Jeff Kwatinetz, for breach of contract and fraud after she failed to get paid her share of the revenues from her debut album, “Broke With Expensive Taste.” In new paperwork obtained by Rolling Stone, Banks says Jeff Kwatinetz was 49 years old and single when he presided over an “egregious” dealmaking process in 2014 that gave his company a 15-year license to her album Broke with Expensive Taste – an album she already owned that had been produced and paid for by another record company, according to her recent filing in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Brandi Davis, the founding principal of LeBron James’ I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, has resigned after she allegedly slapped a student. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Davis’ resignation comes after an investigation that began in September, when she reportedly slapped a boy, 11, for swearing — busting his lip. The student was reportedly wearing a mask when the school official struck him. Davis called the child’s mother and told her about the incident. The mother allegedly asked why she physically assaulted her child, and Davis responded that she had “just reacted and slapped him.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1S5GkLUoX6s/hqdefault.jpg A brand-new episode of STEVE on Watch is AVAILABLE NOW on Facebook Watch! In this episode, Susan Ellis and Tia Wimbush were co-coworkers at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta when they discovered that they were both in similar situations with their husbands going through kidney failure and found they were kidney matches for each other’s spouses. Steve Harvey surprises-both couples with an all-paid vacation! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=644532010058242 The second season of “Games People Play” kicked off on Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. Kareem tries his hardest to reconcile with family, but things may not be quite as they seem. Laila is faced with a difficult decision to keep hiding or rise-up and confront her past. Marques starts inching closer to the answers he’s been looking for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpFjpdJGa_8 Actress Letitia Wright suffered an injury while filming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in late August in Boston and had to be hospitalized. As she recovers, production on the highly anticipated “Black Panther” sequel has been shut down. Wright returns to reprise her role of Shuri. The “Black Panther” sequel has also been plagued by backlash about Wright’s alleged anti-vaxxer views. With the future of the franchise seemingly in peril as far as Marvel fanatics are concerned, MCU die-hards are calling on the studio to recast Boseman’s role. Marvel Studios has previously made clear that Chad’s role will not be recast. Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige previously confirmed that “everyone is also very excited to bring the world of Wakanda back to the public and back to the fans. We’re going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud.” That would mean breaking Marvel’s vow to not cast another T’Challa following the actor’s tragic death. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/k0V0h9WNUtU/hqdefault.jpg New Edition is gearing up to hit the road, as the iconic R&B band has announced their “Culture Tour,” kicking off in Columbus, Georgia on February 16. As reported by Soul Tracks, joining New Edition on the road will be a reunited Jodeci and legendary singer Charlie Wilson. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGgW7fhUYAkKCig?format=jpg&name=small Becky G just went live in a Live Audio Room on Facebook with actress, singer and songwriter Christina Milian, singer and dancer Normani and mental health and relationship expert Rhonda Richards-Smith titled “How We Manage Anxiety.” Becky G, Christina Milian, Normani and Rhonda Richards-Smith discussed how they recognize and manage anxiety. During the Live Audio Room, a “donate” button was available, with all proceeds going directly to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) which seeks to provide advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives. On THE REAL airing Tuesday December 14th, actress and entrepreneur Shantel Jackson reveals why she and ex-boyfriend Nelly broke up after seven years together and explains to co-host Loni Love and guest co-host Julissa Bermudez why she considers it “a break.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BLmIPxzZK44/hqdefault.jpg ZacStacy said the savage attack on his ex-girlfriend, Kristin Evans, was “staged,” and that she set him up because he didn’t want to be with her and that she was “bitter.”? TMZ Sports obtained video of the former #NFL running back’s interview with police after he brutally attacked Evans in her Florida home.? In the video, you can hear Stacy detailing the events leading up to the attack on Nov. 13, claiming that the altercation was “all staged.”? “It’s just a case of just bitterness, man,” Stacy told the police. “That’s why she did this. The whole assault thing, she staged it. She set me up.”? Stacy continued, “The whole thing was staged. All she’s trying to do is get money out of me. She got a reaction out of me.”? Stacy claims that his ex-girlfriend, who’s also the mother of his son, was upset because he didn’t want to be in a relationship with her. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-12-13-121321-zac-stacy-1321486/ FOX SOUL, the Black community’s premiere free streaming platform serving unapologetically Black, consumable by all content 365 days a year, released its official trailer today of its original movie, WHERE HEARTS LIE, premiering December 18. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vveNECuebp8/hqdefault.jpg Do life’s challenges ever get you discouraged? NFL Hall-of-Famer Kurt Warner’s wild journey from castoff to superstar could inspire you to keep pursuing your dreams. In 1999-2000, quarterback Warner emerged from obscurity to lead the St. Louis Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. Named the league’s Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl MVP, he set performance records en route to football’s summit. But five years earlier he was making $5.50 per hour stocking shelves nightly at the Cedar Falls, Iowa, Hy-Vee grocery store. Warner’s “bags to riches” story is the subject of Lionsgate’s compelling film opening Christmas Day (USA). Faith, family and determination fueled his rise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVK4hB1YC9Q The late fashion designer Virgil Abloh joined forces with Mercedes-Benz before his passing to design an electric concept car. Mercedes-Benz honored Abloh by unveiling their Project Maybach Design collaboration, an electric concept version of their Mercedes-Maybach luxury. Per Car and Driver: Mercedes says that every piece of the Project Maybach, which stretches nearly 20 feet in length, was built from scratch. The electric coupe is decked out for off-roading, with thick, knobby all-terrain tires and an exterior roll cage sprouting up and over the cabin. There are also tough metal skid plates at the front and rear and body cladding with exposed rivets over the wheel wells. https://youtu.be/kL3ti3_cCUo Donald Trump Jr. reportedly begged former chief of staff Mark Meadows to urge former President Donald Trump to stop the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. On Monday, Trump Jr.’s text messages to Meadows were read aloud during the House select committee investigating the Capitol insurrection. “He’s got to condemn this sh*t ASAP,” Trump Jr. texted Meadows, PEOPLE reports. “The Capitol Police tweet is not enough.” “I’m pushing it hard. I agree,” Meadows responded. “We need an Oval Office address. He has to lead now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand,” Trump Jr. replied. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IvvOQy3yaYE/hqdefault.jpg New data from South Africa and Europe hint that Omicron cases are poised to explode in the U.S., where the vast majority of the population isn’t well protected against infection. A new analysis by South Africa’s largest private insurer paints a picture of Omicron’s clinical risk: Two doses of Pfizer’s vaccine appear to be significantly less effective against severe disease with Omicron than previous variants. The variant is less likely to lead to hospitalization in adults than the original version. Wearing a $1,200 Givenchy hoodie, Herschel Walker’s son Christian tried to go after the president for the high price of gas. And yet, local news outlets are running stories that gas prices are going down in the Peach State. A trend that is expected to continue. It seems like the Walker family is more focused on viral shenanigans and empty rhetoric instead of substance. Pro tip: if you’re going to try to make a relatable pitch about why your dad and his party need to govern, maybe don’t wear a hoodie the price of some people’s rent. And while Walker could be a Trump favorite, that doesn’t mean Georgia Republicans plan to send him to the Senate. It definitely doesn’t mean he’s heading to the Senate next year. In some ways focusing on Walker and his family is a bit presumptuous, considering he still has a hotly contested primary to overcome before facing Sen. Raphael Warnock in the general election. A quick glance at Ballotpedia shows seven candidates in the Republican primary, including the current Commissioner of Agriculture, Gary Black. Meanwhile, Warnock remains focused on making good on his promises to all Georgians. https://twitter.com/i/status/1470546065065750534 It turns out that there is a world where an incident involving a violent and overzealous school resource officer (SRO) body-slamming, manhandling and/or brutally assaulting a student results in immediate action that doesn’t include putting a victim on trial for their own attack—it’s the world where the officer is Black and the child is, well, not. A video taken from a classroom inside Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois, that was released by authorities on Friday shows a Black school employee grabbing and throwing a non-Black student to the ground. The video, which was published by ABC 7, is pretty grainy. But what is abundantly clear is a grown man treated a much smaller teenager like an amateur MMA fighter—there is no question as to whether he’s in the wrong. https://youtu.be/0uKU7-CuMSA Throughout the chaos of the deadly tornado that devastated a wide swath of Kentucky and other states over the weekend, a Black woman has emerged as one of the heroes from a candle factory that was hit hard by the extreme weather in the western part of the state. Kyanna Parsons-Perez made the media rounds describing her experience in harrowing terms while trying to calm co-workers during the storm late Friday night and into Saturday morning in the town of Mayfield, where they were all working for Mayfield Consumer Products when the tornado struck. But it was perhaps her own social media documentation of what happened inside the candle factory during the tornado that was most compelling as she went live via her Facebook account and streamed a pair of separate videos to her followers. https://twitter.com/i/status/1469684638062891017 Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin reportedly plans to change his not guilty plea to federal charges that he violated George Floyd’s civil rights. In April, Chauvin was convicted of second- and third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter. Under Minnesota law, the sentences are likely to run concurrently, meaning he would serve no more than 40 years in prison. Meanwhile, a new filing in U.S. District Court in Minnesota indicated that Chauvin will enter a new plea this week to charges that he violated Floyd’s civil rights. Chauvin, Thao, Kueng and Lane also face a charge for failing to give Floyd medical aid while detained. Nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he plans to move forward with a lawsuit against Louisiana’s agency overseeing child welfare over years-old allegations that Black children were sexually abused while in the state’s custody. Crump, who represents a woman claiming that she and her sibling were raped by “wealthy white men” when they were underaged, held a press conference to announce the lawsuit on Monday morning in Baton Rouge. While the contents of the lawsuit were not immediately made available to the media, it is all but guaranteed to take aim at John Mack, an accused child rapist stemming from separate allegations. Crump referenced Mack last week while announcing his intentions to take up the case on behalf of the unidentified alleged victims. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGfzsH3WQAMzyR_?format=jpg&name=small A teacher get's busted for having sex with a student. Her name is Ayanna Davis. She’s 20 and she used to be a substitute teacher at Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida. This past Friday (12-10-21) she was arrested on sexual battery charges, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced in a news release. An investigation was started on Dec. 3 after a student at the school reported to school resource officers the existence of a video on Snapchat showing Davis having sex with a student, the sheriff’s office said. The student told authorities the video was shown to a large group of LHS football players. Davis and the student, who is 16 or younger and has not been publicly identified, had unprotected sex on four occasions — twice at her Lakeland home and twice at the student’s home, according to the news release. https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/lakeland-substitute-arrested-after-alleged-snapchat-video-of-her-having-sex-with-student-deputies-say/ GSN-A Mississippi woman reveals she “cried for a week” after she mistakenly live-streamed herself having sex with her husband on Facebook. The woman, who goes by the TikTok name as @rroberson16, made the honest confession in a video shared to the social site on Saturday, reflecting on how dozens of her Facebook friends tuned in to saw the X-rated footage — including her own father. “Randomly remembering that one-time last year when I accidentally went live on Facebook while I was in pound town, and 46 people saw it, including my own father,” the brunette captioned her video. “I cried for a week straight.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXcz_0Ar9Bu/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a1b3f601-78f8-4430-acd3-7b094cf5043e GSN-Black African immigrants are more religious than U.S.-born and Caribbean-born Blacks, the Pew Research Center said this week in the results of its latest study of faith among African Americans. More frequently than Blacks born in the U.S. or the Caribbean, Black African immigrants attend church services, read Scripture and see a duty to convert nonbelievers. Black African immigrants also are more likely to view religion as very important, to believe in God as He is described in Scripture, and to believe that Scripture should be taken literally, Pew said in the findings released Wednesday (Dec. 8). Charles Grant, executive director of African American relations and mobilization for the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, hailed the findings. “I am excited about the opportunities this report reveals for advancing the Great Commission in partnership with our SBC networks and ethnic fellowships of the entire African diaspora,” Grant said. “I praise God for the spiritual engagement level of our African brothers and sisters here in the U.S., and I thank the Lord for our U.S.-born and Caribbean-born Black adults who are expressing an obligation to practice the spiritual disciplines listed.” GSN-Snoop Dogg was tapped to help announce the nominees for the 2022 Golden Globe Awards on Monday and hilariously mispronounced some of the names. Snoop joined Helen Hoehne, new president of the Hollywood Foreign Press (HFPA), at the Beverly Hilton to read the nominations for the 79th annual Golden Globes, which recognizes the excellence in film and television. As reported by CNN, multiple media outlets, including NBC, have opted not to participate in this year’s award’s broadcast because of diversity issues within the HFPA. The organization announced in October that the show will go on as planned in January. The group caught major heat last year for snubbing Black films, so this year’s noms feature several Black performers, including Will Smith and his “King Richard” costar Aunjanue Ellis, Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”), Ruth Negga (“Passing”), and Mahershala Ali (“Swan Song”). Beyoncé landed her fifth Golden Globe nomination in the Best Original Song category for her song “Be Alive,” which appears on the “King Richard” soundtrack. Noticeably absent from the list of nominees are Jennifer Hudson’s performance as Aretha Franklin in “Respect.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1470422246573461507 GSN-“A Journal for Jordan” is the new Sony Pictures film directed by Denzel Washington and starring Michael B. Jordan and Chanté Adams. It’s based on the true story of First Sgt. Charles Monroe King (Jordan). While deployed to Iraq, King keeps a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Back at home, New York Times Journalist Dana Canedy (Adams) revisits the story of her life-altering, once-in-a-lifetime relationship with King and his enduring devotion to his family. Charles gifts Dana with a CD filled with songs that symbolize their love in the film. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FOzrXqf5pvE/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Over the summer, Dre was ordered to pay his ex $3.5 million a year in spousal support. Dre also must continue to cover expenses for Nicole’s health insurance, security costs, and maintaining her two homes, the judge said. The order shall remain in place “until the party receiving support remarries or enters into a new domestic partnership, death of either party or until further order of the court,” Judge Powell ruled. Dr. Dre and ex-wife Nicole Young have reportedly reached a settlement in their bitter divorce battle. In recent filings, Dr. Dre claims he isn’t exactly as wealthy as many might believe based on new reports. In November, the legendary rapper disclosed his entire estate to the court which consisted of $183 million in cash, $269 million in property and assets, and over $6 million in stocks. Although the musician’s wealth is massive, it’s under half of what was after he sold his shares in ‘Beats’ headphones — which reportedly made him a Billionaire. As for the exact amount Nicole will receive from Dre, it’s not being revealed at this time. But, we’re told the amount is so substantial — Nicole will be a very, very wealthy woman. If you do the math, she is getting a large chunk of his fortune that is near $500 million. GSN-It is with heavy hearts that the Simon family announces the death of Bishop Joe Simon (former R&B singer), who passed away Monday, December 13, 2021. Joe Simon was best known as a Grammy Award-winning, rhythm and blues legend, and most recently as a celebrated gospel singer and minister. Joe Simon (known as the “Mouth of the South”) was born in Simmesport, Louisiana. He pursued a solo singing career, and in 1964 debuted his first major hit single with the song “My Adorable One.” This was quickly accompanied by other fan favorites such as “Teenager’s Prayer,” “Hanging On,” and “The Chokin’ Kind.” https://youtu.be/WTWYH96CX5k TV One recently announced the premiere date for the new original docuseries One Stage To The Next, starring R&B singer, actress and TV host, Syleena Johnson. The series will follow award-winning singer Syleena Johnson as she continues to navigate through life and the entertainment industry. One Stage To The Next is set to premiere this Tuesday, December 14th with back-to-back episodes at 10/9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t600SR_DRfY&feature=youtu.be The Disney Resort is celebrating 2022 with the thrills, magic, fun and adventure that have made the "Happiest Place on Earth" one of the most popular family vacation destinations on the planet. In spring 2022, the imaginative "Main Street Electrical Parade" will light up Disneyland Park for the iconic parade's 50th anniversary year, and guests will be treated to the return of three nighttime spectaculars: "Fantasmic!", "World of Color" and the "Disneyland Forever" fireworks spectacular. Throughout 2022, the Disneyland Resort will be the place for friends and families to make memories together, for little ones to see a favorite Disney character, for foodies to savor a splendid meal or Disney treats, and for seasoned park-goers to begin their next adventures. The choices range from exciting attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance to captivating entertainment, limited-time festivals and seasonal celebrations for Halloween in the Fall and for Holidays beginning in November. "Celebrate Gospel!": Disneyland Resort will celebrate the soulful spirit of Gospel music with the return of "Celebrate Gospel!" For 2022, "Celebrate Gospel!" will expand and feature live choir performances, each sharing its own distinctive style and inspiration. This powerful event moves to the Fantasyland Theater at Disneyland Park where guests will be able to enjoy uplifting choir performances on select days during the month of February. "Celebrate Gospel!" is offered as part of the Disneyland Park experience. More details will be shared soon on the Disney Parks Blog. A former teacher at Boston Community Leadership Academy won his lawsuit against the school district. The teacher, Charles Sherman Neal, was awarded $1.7 million according to coverage from the Boston Globe. As reported by the Globe, Neal’s journey for justice began several years ago when he began documenting his treatment at the school. Despite positive work reviews, Neal was pushed out of his position for raising discrimination concerns. Hired to start a gym program, Neal was the only Black male teacher on staff. He began working at the school in a part-time capacity starting in 2008 and was brought on full-time in 2012. But Neal alleged disparities persisted in the way he was treated as compared to his white colleagues. At least one person has died in the United Kingdom after contracting the Omicron coronavirus variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, the first publicly confirmed death globally from the swiftly spreading strain. Since the first Omicron cases were detected on Nov. 27 in Britain, Johnson has imposed tougher restrictions and on Sunday cautioned that the variant could overcome the immune defenses of those inoculated with two shots of vaccines. Britain gave no details on the death or whether the patient had been been vaccinated or had underlying health issues. Deaths from Omicron may have occurred in other countries but none has been publicly confirmed yet outside Britain. “Sadly at least one patient has now been confirmed to have died with Omicron,” Johnson told reporters at a vaccination center in London. Health Secretary Sajid Javid told parliament the variant now accounted for around 44% of infections in London and would be the dominant variant in the capital within 48 hours. Anjanette Young, the social worker who was forced to stand naked before a dozen male Chicago police officers while they executed a search warrant at the wrong address, will get $2.9 million under a settlement unanimously advanced Monday. The voice vote by the City Council’s Finance Committee sets the stage for full Council approval on Wednesday, culminating a yearlong ordeal that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has acknowledged breached public trust in her administration. “We all saw that horrific video. We all saw the way in which she was treated. … It’s a good thing that this matter is resolved,” Lightfoot said Monday. “Assuming City Council approval, this will provide her with a substantial amount of resources. That’s a good thing. It’s a good thing for our city. We need to heal from this and move forward.” Bodycam video of the February 2019 raid on Young’s home that the Lightfoot administration tried to conceal was so damaging, Corporation Counsel Celia Meza made the presentation to alderpersons during Monday’s hearing. Meza told the Finance Committee that officers were at Young’s home “executing a valid, legal search warrant” that turned out to be based on false information that a male with a gun was living at that address and that the officers “knocked and announced” themselves before entering Young’s home. A Kentucky-born man, Jim Finch, has been hailed as a hero after deciding to drive down to Mayfield and cook food for the people dealing with the aftermath of the tornadoes that struck the state over the weekend. The total loss of life due to the tornadoes is still unclear and it is feared there could be as many as 100 people dead. Journalist Victor Ordoñez posted two videos of him speaking with Jim Finch and praising him for the work he was doing for the community after the tornado. https://twitter.com/i/status/1470140177175781376 The grief-stricken Denver Broncos honored the late Demaryius Thomas with a coordinated demonstration on the first play of Sunday’s game after the 33-year-old retired receiver collapsed and died in the shower of his Georgia home last week. Following a moment of silence and a video tribute at Denver’s Empower Field, the Broncos took the field with just 10 men in honor of Thomas, a member of the club’s last Super Bowl-winning team six years ago. As the crowd chanted, ‘DT! DT!’ the Lions declined the delay of game penalty. Players knelt in tribute to his number 88 painted on their sideline and didn’t bother fighting back tears as a montage of Thomas highlights played on the scoreboard. ‘The best way to honor his legacy is to go out and play great football,’ quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said after the Broncos routed the Detroit Lions 38-10, a thrashing capped appropriately with an 88-yard touchdown drive. ‘He probably was out there with us,’ said choked-up receiver Tim Patrick. https://twitter.com/i/status/1470139359097765889 A pilot suspects he spotted UFOs flying over the Pacific Ocean at around 39,000 feet. The 53-second video was reportedly filmed on Nov. 24 and uploaded to a UFO tracking website. The footage was captured the same day the U.S. Defense Department announced the establishment of a UFO task force. In the video, you can hear the pilot who recorded the footage saying, “That is some weird s***!”. As reported by Complex, “the video shows three sets of mysterious light formations moving through the clouds near Hong Kong before quickly disappearing,” the outlet writes. “I don’t know what that is. That is some weird shit,” a person is heard saying in the video, before the lights vanish one by one. “Gone.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1468340361697402886 Before she became the first female vice presidency, Kamala Harris’ aides endured a “constant amount of soul-destroying criticism,” a former staffer said. Several former Harris aides spoke to The Washington Post about their experience working for her years ago. The Post writes: Critics scattered over two decades point to an inconsistent and at times degrading principal who burns through seasoned staff members who have succeeded in other demanding, high-profile positions. People used to putting aside missteps, sacrificing sleep and enduring the occasional tirade from an irate boss say doing so under Harris can be particularly difficult, as she has struggled to make progress on her vice-presidential portfolio or measure up to the potential that has many pegging her as the future of the Democratic Party. Several staffers said a major issue was Harris’s refusal to analyze briefing materials and then scolding her aides when she appeared to be unprepared. “It’s clear that you’re not working with somebody who is willing to do the prep and the work,” one former staffer told the newspaper. “With Kamala you have to put up with a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism and also her own lack of confidence. So you’re constantly sort of propping up a bully and it’s not really clear why.” Former Harris aide Gil Duran said the VP only has herself to blame for the high turnover in her office. Miss India, Harnaaz Sandhu, is your new Miss Universe, and her crown came at the expense of becoming a viral meme. he 70th annual international competition took place in Israel on Sunday and featured 80 contestants vying for the tiara. India bested runner up Miss South Africa, and third place Miss Paraguay, whom Harvey mistakenly referred to as “Miss Portugal” (of course) just before announcing the winner. He alluded to his infamous 2015 blunder when correcting the mistake. https://twitter.com/i/status/1470193388301570050 “Dragons Rescue Riders: Heroes of the Sky” has flown onto Peacock to show kids the power of kindness and friendship. “Dragon Rescue Riders” follows twins, Dak (Nicolas Cantu) and Leyla (Brennely Brown), as they combine forces with their dragon friends to help rescue the people of their town and neighboring villages! In this special friendship, the five dragons – Aggro (Marsai Martin), Winger (Zach Callison), Summer (Skai Jackson), Cutter (Andre Robinson), and Burple (Noah Kaye Bentley) – all have incredible powers that are unique to their personalities; reminding us to embrace our differences! https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PieavGBCBTo/hqdefault.jpg The family of entertainer James Brown has reached a settlement ending a 15-year battle over the late singer’s estate, an attorney involved in the mediation said Friday. David Black, an attorney representing Brown’s estate, confirmed to The Associated Press that the agreement was reached July 9. Details of the settlement were not disclosed. Legal wrangling over the Godfather of Soul’s estate has been ongoing since his death at the age of 73 on Christmas Day 2006. The performer’s death touched off years of bizarre headlines, beginning with Tomi Rae Hynie — a former partner who claimed to be Brown’s wife — being locked out of his 60-acre (24-hectare) estate while photographers captured her sobbing and shaking its iron gates, begging to be let in. Brown was renowned for hundreds of iconic musical works including hits like “I Feel Good” and “A Man’s World,” and was known around the world for his flashy performances and dynamic stage presence. But years of drug problems and financial mismanagement caused his estate to dwindle. An Idaho church has replaced a stained glass window of Robert E Lee, George Washington and Abe Lincoln with the country’s first black Methodist bishop wearing an LGBTQ scarf. The late bishop Leontine Kelly, who passed away at age 92 in 2012, had lived in Richmond, Virginia with her family where monuments of former Confederate leaders, such as Lee, had lined Monument Avenue. The statue of Lee, a former Civil War general and slave owner, was later removed by the city on September 8. The call to remove the statue had been recommended by Governor Ralph Northam in June 2020 as Lee represented a time of racial injustice. The stained glass window at the Cathedral of the Rockies First Methodist Church in Boise, Idaho, which featured Lee was taken down in August 2020. The window, erected in 1960, featured Lee standing with Washington and Lincoln who were ‘selected to show historic and contemporary leaders of our nation,’ according to the Idaho Statesman. Sherri Shepherd won’t be filling in for Wendy Williams as host of “The Wendy Williams Show” for most of this week because she had to undergo emergency surgery for appendicitis! “Due to appendicitis, Sherri Shepherd underwent an emergency surgery yesterday. The procedure was successful and Ms. Shepherd is doing fine and resting,” Shepherd’s publicist said in a statement to Deadline. “She is absolutely devastated that she will not be able to guest host The Wendy Williams Show today, but she is following doctors orders and expected to make a full recovery. Thank you all for understanding and respecting her privacy.” While Williams recovers from complications of Graves disease, Shepherd has been among a rotating list of guest hosts for the show. Now that Shepherd is down for the count, it means someone will have to fill in for her. New York City natives and rap personalities Alec “Despot” Reinstein, Ashok “Dap” Kondabolu and Aleksey “Lakutis” Weintraub invite their famous friends to join them at the edge of nature in HBO’s “Chillin Island,” a six-episode unscripted series debuting Friday, December 17 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT). The series will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The series features music industry icons including Young Thug, Lil Yachty, Rosalía, Gunna, Killer Mike, Ski Mask the Slump God, Lil Tecca, Coi Leray, and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koening. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/k9PELxNum0A/hqdefault.jpg Travis Scott will reportedly no longer be performing at #Coachella, as the fallout continues in the aftermath of the tragedy of the #Astroworld festival. KESQ reports that an online petition calling for Scott’s removal from the festival was created last month. The petition has garnered nearly 60,000 signatures. The outlet cited the city of Indio and Community Services Manager Jim Curtis as sources of the report. However, the Desert Sun was unable to substantiate the report with the city of Indio. They were told by Director of Communications and Marketing Brooke Beare that “any confirmation about the festival lineup would come from Goldenvoice.” The outlet reached out to Goldenvoice, the organizers behind Coachella, and has not received a response. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXPQ2IlQOh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Ashanti is speaking out about her decision to re-record her 2002 self-titled debut album now that she has control of her masters. “It’s so surreal,” Ashanti said during an appearance on the “Tamron Hall Show” in September. “I have an amazing legal team, and I got my first record deal when I was 14 years old, so understanding and seeing how things have changed so much from then to now and conceptually understanding what you’re singing is so imperative, it’s so important nowadays. The fact that I’ll be able to re-record my first album, and put everything together.” She dished further about the move during a recent interview on The Breakfast Club. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/59ogwEfop7U/hqdefault.jpg Former NBA All-Star Baron Davis is dropping a Black Santa Holiday Collection NFT via Crypto.com. Davis created his Black Santa character to celebrate diversity, and the move comes after he dressed up as Santa Claus one Halloween, Vibe reports. “My vision for Black Santa was to give children a magical world of untold possibilities filled with enchantment, adventure, and positive characters of color while imparting the importance of giving year-round,” said Davis in a press release. “NFTs offer a modern technology-driven platform for expanded Black Santa experiences for collectors and fans. With Crypto.com NFT, the Black Santa collectibles are not just possible—they truly capture the integrity and soul of the character.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cSpasTKqSL4/hqdefault.jpg Rappers Killer Mike and T.I. have teamed to renovate a popular staple of Atlanta culinary, Bankhead Seafood. “It’s been a part of my life as long as I’ve been on earth,” said Killer Mike. “If you’re writing a show or a book about Michael Render and his family, (Bankhead Seafood) would definitely be one of the characters.” According to WSB, Killer Mike and T.I. recently filed a building permit to start their rebuilding efforts. Bankhead Seafood first opened in 1968 and closed in 2018. Killer Mike and T.I. announced in 2019 their plans to resurrect the restaurant as part of their efforts to invest in their community. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EcmM16tNFL8/hqdefault.jpg The Black maternal health crisis is a pressing issue that is indicative of the racial disparities that permeate the public health system, and an initiative has been launched to address the inequities. Carol’s Daughter has teamed up with the Mama Glow Foundation to provide resources and support for ‘Black birthing people’ as they navigate their pregnancy journeys. Dr. Dre and Anderson .Paak are featured as characters in a new expansion for GTA Online. “GTA Online: The Contract” drops December 15th, and sees the return of GTA V character Franklin Clinton, as reported by Consequence Sound. The online expansion also features new music from Dre and Anderson .Paak, along with Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and DJ Pooh. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aLUGHQq2aek/hqdefault.jpg Madonna filmed what she called a “delayed clapback” to 50 Cent to address his apology to her for making fun of her recent bedroom photo spread on Instagram. And true to form, 50 has hit back twice as hard with clap back videos of his own. “Your apology is fake, it’s bulls–t, and it’s not valid,” Madonna said in her video response about a week after 50 cent apologized. Madonna shared a throwback photo of herself with 50 Cent. It was captioned: “Here is 50 Cent pretending to be my friend. Now you have decided to talk smack about me. I guess your new career is getting attention by trying to humiliate others on social media. The least elevated choice you could make as an artist and an adult. …You’r [sic] just jealous you won’t look as good as me or have as much fun when you are my age.” 50 followed by mockingly apologizing, saying: “I must have hurt Madonna feelings, she went and dug up [an] old MTV photo from 03. Ok Im sorry i did not intend to hurt your feelings. I don’t benefit from this in anyway [sic.] i said what i thought when i saw the picture because of where i had seen it before i hope you accept my apology.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXUx28nhYqt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A professor at Fordham University, who is white, was fired after mixing up the names of two Black students. Christopher Trogan, 46, called the incident an “innocent mistake,” but his students said he made matters worst when he emailed a nine-page explanation to his Composition II classes that detailed his “entire life” working on “issues of justice, equality, and inclusion,” the campus newspaper reported, per New York Post. “The offended student assumed my mistake was because I confused that student with another Black student,” Trogan wrote, according to a Nov. 29 article in the Fordham Observer. “I have done my best to validate and reassure the offended student that I made a simple, human, error. It has nothing to do with race.” https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1468711484356186125/dnlgnY6P?format=jpg&name=small GSN-Husband and wife, Ryan and Vernay O’Neal are still moonwalking on the clouds after attending the 7th annual “Thriller Night” charity costume party, held at the end of October at the famed Jackson family estate in Encino, California. Hosted by Prince Jackson, the oldest son of the late Michael Jackson, the O’Neils were among approximately 300-plus guests at the festive event. Proceeds raised from the donations for admission to the Halloween-themed affair went to Prince’s nonprofit Heal Los Angeles Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to empower the quality of life for Los Angeles’ inner-city youth. The famed Jackson house on Hayvenhurst Avenue was purchased in 1971 by Joe Jackson, father of the renowned Jackson family. It’s reported that Michael Jackson lived at the two-acre compound, from 1971 to 1988. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/csfcalcheJc/hqdefault.jpg In 2010, a Nigerian couple made global headlines after welcoming their newborn daughter who was born with blonde hair and blue eyes. “The first thing I said was, ‘What the flip?’ ” said the father, Ben Ihegboro. “We both just sat there after the birth staring at her for ages — not saying anything.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K7Rsunl3N3A/hqdefault.jpg Recently, Tyler Lepley and Miracle Watts, who both starred in the hit series P-Valley, were hot and heavy at the premiere of the Prime Video series Harlem at the Magic Johnson Theater. This was their first red carpet appearance as a couple. The couple dressed to the nines and matched in all-black outfits, as seen in the snapshots. “My baby has a new show coming out,” Watts captioned photos of the night on Instagram. “We went to the premiere like this…..” https://www.instagram.com/miraclewatts00/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=93ca3372-ccbc-4042-9fd9-ef754720af80 TMZ is reporting that Nelson Thomas, star of “The Challenge,” is “challenging” a story given by the man who snuck him in Vegas at ARIA Resort and Casino. Supposedly, the anger management candidate husband of a woman he is alleged to have been flirting with punched him. “The criminal who attacked me lied to the cops because we tried to find her for questioning and he never showed up to a court date. The guy is a criminal. He snuck up on me, attacked me, then robbed me,” he told TMZ. He also claims the video shows him walking out of ARIA and simply asking for directions to where the Uber spot is and WHAMO! The assailant, Kevin Dixon, claims Nelson actually tried to talk to his wife on the elevator and, when Dixon exited, his wife STAYED ON THE ELEVATOR and continued to talk to him. Looks like Chad Ochocinco is ready to be a stay-at-home dad and his fiancée, Sharelle Rosado, doesn’t seem to be bothered by it one bit! Rosado is one of the new cast members in the upcoming “Selling Sunset” spinoff, “Selling Tampa.” Owned by military vet Rosado, this all Black, all-female real estate firm has its eyes set on dominating the Suncoast. These ladies are equally as fun as they are fiercely ambitious, with all of them vying to be on top of the lavish world of luxury waterfront real estate. Sharelle has big plans for her brokerage and won’t let anyone or anything get in the way of making her dreams a reality. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com When Chris Paul signed a 4-year, $120 million extension with the Phoenix Suns, many outside The Valley looked around in bewilderment. “$120 million for a 36-year-old point guard?!” Yes, you read that correctly, but the value of Paul with the Suns goes well beyond on-court metrics. Paul’s leadership and holding others accountable helped cement Phoenix into an instant contender last year in the loaded Western Conference. It reached an immediate goal that many felt was unrealistic, an NBA Finals berth. This was Paul’s first taste of a Finals run this deep into his illustrious career, plus the Suns had missed the playoffs for 11 years prior to his arrival. The marriage and instant chemistry between Paul and the Suns led to a seamless, easy negotiation regarding a new deal after the team’s disappointing Finals collapse against the Milwaukee Bucks. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ev9aQpopOs0/hqdefault.jpg Lewis Hamilton will receive his knighthood on Wednesday as the British driver comes to terms with controversially losing the Formula One world title. Hamilton is due to attend an investiture at Windsor Castle to be honored for services to motorsports. The 36-year-old was given his knighthood in the New Year Honors list in 2020 following pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to approve the accolade. Despite being one of the UK’s most successful sportsmen, Hamilton, who matched Michael Schumacher’s record seven world titles in 2020, had previously been overlooked. Hamilton’s knighthood was awarded in the overseas list as he relocated to Monaco in 2010. A change of uniforms hasn’t affected Tom Brady’s mastery of the Buffalo Bills. The 44-year-old quarterback beat his former AFC East rivals for the 10th straight time Sunday, becoming the NFL’s all-time completions leader and throwing his 700th touchdown pass for the winning score in Tampa Bay’s 33-27 overtime victory. The Buccaneers are on the brink of their first division title in 14 years. In his first game against the Bills since moving to Tampa Bay in 2020, Brady threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also scored on a quarterback sneak set up by the 7,143rd completion of an unmatched 22-year career that includes seven Super Bowl titles. U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss this week’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, it was announced on Monday. Raducanu is in the midst of preseason as she prepares for her first full season on the WTA Tour. She will also compete at the Australian Open in January, her first Grand Slam since claiming the U.S. Open title and the third major of her career. “I was very much looking forward to playing in front of the fans here in Abu Dhabi, but unfortunately after testing positive for COVID-19, I will have to postpone until the next opportunity,” Raducanu said. “I’m isolating as per rules and hopefully will be able to get back soon.” Organisers said that they are looking at “alternative top female competitors” to replace Raducanu at the event. Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has been fined $25,000 for directing obscene language towards a fan during their last game in Atlanta, the National Basketball Association (NBA) said on Sunday. The NBA said the incident took place with 28 seconds remaining in the second quarter of the Nets' 113-105 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Friday's game at State Farm Arena. Durant scored 31 points in that game as the Nets improved to an 18-8 record this season. They play at Detroit Pistons later on Sunday. A suspected white supremacist and drug addict who planted a bag of explosives at a Black Lives Matter protest in Pittsburgh last year had the privilege of avoiding any jail time, thanks to a lenient sentence that was apparently inspired out of sympathy for the convicted felon’s history of substance abuse. Pittsburgh man Matthew Michanowicz on Monday was sentenced to just three years of probation that included the first six months to be served at his home, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGBQCYlWQAE7RPP?format=jpg&name=small A man (identified by friends as Jay Black) shot his ex-girlfriend to death Saturday afternoon, and then went to his ex-wife’s apartment complex and killed her as well, and then turned the gun on himself. In between the shootings, the suspect got on Facebook Live outside of his ex-wife’s apartment complex and opened up about the custody issues he was dealing with both women and going through depression. “Anyway, I just did something crazy, man. I just shot my ex-girlfriend in the head,” he says. “Felt like a dream. I never thought I would be that guy. I can’t go to prison, so the person that really started my depression and all of this is my ex-wife. So, she next. Then I’m going to do myself too.” His ex-wife then comes out of the building, and he can be heard saying, “Oh, there’s my ex-wife right now,” and then it cuts. This is very very unfortunate situation all around. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZBWEKgGRp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again While the artist formerly known as Kanye West is raising awareness around Larry Hoover’s case, a woman who previously served as his publicist made headlines for allegedly trying to coerce a Georgia election worker into confessing to election fraud. Reuters reported that 62-year-old Ruby Freeman received death threats forcing her to leave her home. None of the threats have been investigated by local, state or federal authorities. Claiming she wanted to help Freeman, Trevian Kutti offered to help the embattled election worker if she would confess to non-existent fraud. Two days before the Jan 6. Capitol attack and the day before the Georgia Senate runoff election, Kutti offered to move Freeman for her security and claimed to connect by phone with a person named Harrison Ford, a crisis professional, not the “Star Wars” actor. https://twitter.com/i/status/1469281995184168961 Black Panther actress Letitia Wright the 28-year-old who is best known for playing the role of Shuri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe smash hit has been the center of controversy ever since last year when she made comments that got her labeled an anti-vaxxer. Now, inside sources are reporting that her alleged reluctance to get the shot has led her to toy around with the possibility of not returning to the MCU after she’s done filming Black Panther 2, a film that she’s set to star in as the new Black Panther. On Saturday morning, Megan, 26, graduated from Texas Southern University in Houston with a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration. “I know my parents are looking down on me so proud,” Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete, wrote on Instagram. “?? Thank you everyone for all the love today.” In related news, the university has created a scholarship fund that is set up in Megan’s name, known as “Thee Megan Fund.” According to the university, donations that are submitted to the page will help other students succeed and graduate. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ND-D2D6gojk/hqdefault.jpg A push to free movement elders from prison is taking it up a notch on International Human Rights Day. The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement organized a virtual celebration to raise awareness around the case of political prisoner Mutulu Shakur as a part of broader efforts to free movement elders. Friday’s Fête for Freedom brings together a virtual audience to celebrate Shakur’s life and work and encourages people to join the fight for his release. Initially arrested in 1986, the Intercept reported it is over five years since Shakur was first eligible for release. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=875055279864741 The holidays are supposed to bring families together to share good times. But last year, Christmas changed the dynamic for LaRicha Rousell. Her 14-year-old son, Ja’ Mere Alfred, was gunned down outside a drugstore in New Orleans. Ja’ Mere is described as a fun-loving kid who loved his family, football and band. His life was cut short on Christmas Day 2020. The gunmen are still at large. To help cope with her grief and to help others going through similar situations, Rousell founded two nonprofits: the King Ja’ Mere Alfred Foundation, which focuses on kids who have lost siblings to gun violence; and Mothers Empowered For Justice, which helps families seeking justice stay abreast of their loved one’s cases. Rousell, for her part, refuses to give up on obtaining justice for Ja’ Mere and continues to uplift his memory. The family of convicted pedophile Josh Duggar have told of their anguish at his conviction, the day after the reality TV star was found guilty of downloading and possessing child sex abuse images. Duggar, a 33-year-old father of seven, faces up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced. On Friday, his parents Jim Bob and Michelle said they were devastated by the conviction. ‘This entire ordeal has been very grievous,’ their statement read. ‘Today, God’s grace, through the love and prayers of so many, has sustained us. ‘Our hearts and prayers are with anyone who has ever been harmed through CSAM (child sex abuse material).’ The couple, who starred on TLC’s reality show 19 Kids and Counting, continued: ‘In the days ahead, we will do all we can to surround our daughter-in-law Anna and their children with love and support. ‘As parents, we will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children. Larry W. Baraka, a pioneering jurist whose life traced a path from his childhood in the St. Louis housing projects to prominence as the first Black district judge ever elected in Dallas County, died Monday. He was 71. Baraka’s death was confirmed by his widow, Belinda, who said he died after an extended illness. Baraka was born Larry Wallace and grew up in the Pruitt-Igoe housing project in St. Louis. In a 1990 D Magazine profile, he described the neighborhood as a “human garbage dump,” where “crime and drugs and murder were just part of life.” “Almost every time I went outside, I would get in a [fight],” Baraka said in the profile. “Other kids resented me because I wouldn’t join their gangs or go out and steal with them. There were some things I just wasn’t going to do no matter how many times people beat me up.” Baraka attended Cornell College in Iowa before enrolling at the University of Houston to study law. After graduating, he was offered a job as an assistant prosecutor by then-Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Black parents and students at East Bernard High School are calling for disciplinary action to be taken against a group of white students who took part in racial comments posted in a text thread. The social media group chat with white students has Black students at the school fearing for their lives. “I mean, I couldn’t believe it. My stomach dropped,” said parent Tiffany Seydler. Seydler’s 16-year-old daughter, Tyra, got wind of the text thread after a friend showed it to her. “I was at the lunch table and my friend showed me,” Tyra recalled. “She was in the group chat and saw everything going on. It was supposed to be about prom, but it just ended up being racist.” ABC13 blurred the names of the students posting in the text thread, as well as the language used. Tyra said the group was discussing a party bus for their prom coming up on Feb. 5. In the chat, one student responded to the thread saying, “No Black people” were allowed on the prom bus. Another student responded by saying, “Amen.” A follow-up message from another student responded saying, “All (expletive) must hang.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/racist-texts-from-white-students-at-east-bernard-hs-has-black-students-afraid-for-their-lives/ar-AARFBjo A former San Diego-area police officer who pushed a Black man during an arrest last year was acquitted Friday of lying on his report about the incident, which was captured on video and sparked widespread looting and arson amid nationwide racial unrest. A jury deliberated over three days before finding former La Mesa police Officer Matthew Dages not guilty on one count of providing false testimony. Dages, 30, dropped his head to his chest in relief after the verdict was read. Defense attorney Jeremiah J. Sullivan III criticized San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan for prosecuting the case. “The progressive DA is choosing criminals over cops,” he said in a text to The Associated Press. Stephan released a statement saying she was “proud that my team courageously fought for justice without prejudice against or favor towards anyone.” “The integrity of our criminal justice system depends on police officers filing truthful police reports, and our thorough review of the facts and evidence led us to bring the charge and present the case to the jury,” she said. Dages testified he was truthful when he wrote in his report that Amaurie Johnson, 24, balled his fists and took a fighting stance when he stopped him for smoking on a trolley platform on May 27, 2020. He also said Johnson hit his arm. A major winter storm ramped up Sunday with snow in Northern California that forced drivers to wrap their tires in chains and light rain in the lower elevations. The storm promises to drop up to 8 feet of snow on the highest peaks and drench other parts of California. It’s expected to intensify overnight into Monday and bring strong winds that could lead to power outages, forecasters said. Winds throughout the state could reach speeds of 65 mph, according to the National Weather Service. As much as 2-4 inches of rain is possible with totals as high as 4-7.5 inches for areas like Grass Valley. ‘This is a pretty widespread event,’ said NWS meteorologist Anna Wanless in Sacramento. ‘Most of California, if not all, will see some sort of rain and snow.’ https://twitter.com/i/status/1470058588005486596 The downside about having a public relationship is that, when things are over, everybody believes they deserve an explanation as to why things didn’t work. That’s the dilemma ESPN analyst Jalen Rose and Molly Qerim, an ESPN media personality, find themselves in. After three years of marriage, one of which saw them living separate for a year, the couple now has publicly called it quits. “After being separated for almost a year, Molly and I have officially decided to go our separate ways,” Rose, a former NBA player and current ESPN analyst, wrote on his Instagram Story, Wednesday. “We both agree remaining friends and colleagues is the best course of action for our relationship going forward,” he said. “Please respect our privacy at this time.” Qerim has not publicly addressed this in any form. Rose said the marriage came to an end once Qerim moved to Connecticut, where ESPN is headquartered. He filed for divorce in April. Rose played for a number of teams during his NBA career, including the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors and the New York Knicks. He retired in 2007. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/As9GYWL8bi4/hqdefault.jpg Dionne Warwick, legendary Grammy-winning recording artist received her star on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, December 9, 2021. Warwick, who has sold 75 million singles and 25 million albums worldwide, was present for the ceremony at 11 a.m. Dec. 8 when her star was installed at 100 S. Palm Canyon Road in Palm Springs near the Welwood Murray Memorial Library. With all the country’s problems, Peggy Noonan seems to think fixating on Vice President Kamala Harris is what the country needs most right now. In her latest column for the Wall Street Journal, Noonan again focuses on the vice president claiming she’s not taking things “serious” enough. Noonan cites a Washington Post article claiming Biden’s team accused Harris of “dysfunction and a lack of focus” to support her attack on Harris. Sorry to tell Noonan, but Harris isn’t the greatest danger facing the country. There are much bigger issues with alleged White House leaks and what seems like the willingness of some within Biden’s team to throw Harris under the bus at a critical time in the nation’s recovery. If Harris is struggling, it’s not a matter of her ability and could point to a more significant issue in the Biden administration. The Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir continues to stretch the boundaries of the Gospel Choir. Based in Canada, the multiple award-winning choir extend their music ministry and their brand prowess throughout the North American continent through live performances and throughout the globe via significant television and film appearances. Powerhouse has released an outstanding new Christmas album with choir founder and director Shawn Cotterell and has made another key appearance on film. THE BEST GIFT is the 6-song EP release from Powerhouse featuring Cotterell in their best voice. From the divinely arranged sacred hymn “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”, to “The Manger” featuring Grammy award-winning R&B singer Chrisette Michele, Cotterell and Powerhouse deliver a passionate and joyous holiday album. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jEaNgz6rOu0/hqdefault.jpg Rapper, pastor, husband, father, and 116 Clique founding member, TRIP LEE, is back with another single, "Supernatural!" "This song, Supernatural, is about some of the things I wish were different in our world. Some of them are big and important— and others are lighthearted— but all of them represent exactly how I felt when I wrote it," shares Trip. "We've all been through A LOT in the past few years. And when we look at how messed up our world is, it's clear that we can't fix everything on our own. Some things are just too big and out of our control. If it's gonna change, we need supernatural help! But, if we just call on God, nothing is too big for him." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zBDdiwkFkY Have you ever wondered how many Black Heisman trophy winners there are? Now, there are officially 36, thanks to University of Alabama star quarterback Bryce Young being awarded the coveted prize on Saturday night. He was not just the second consecutive Crimson Tide player to be crowned the best college football player for a season, but he was also the second-straight Black player to win it. Unofficially, though, there are only been 35 to win the Heisman trophy. (Reggie Bush of USC forfeited his 2005 trophy in 2010). Eight Heisman trophies went to Black players in the 1980s alone. Twenty-two were running backs. Now, eight have been quarterbacks and three were wide receivers, including the University of Alabama’s DeVonta Smith, who earlier this year in January became last season’s winner of the award. That ceremony was held a month later than normal because of residual delays caused by the pandemic. Smith was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman award in nearly 30 years, Desmond Howard of the University of Michigan won for the 1991 season. There has also been one defensive back who’s won a Heisman. The winners are: 1961: Ernie Davis, Running Back-Syracuse, 1965: Mike Garrett, Running Back-USC, 1968: O.J. Simpson, Running Back-USC, 1972: Johnny Rodgers, Wingback/Running back-Nebraska, 1974 and 1975: Archie Griffin, Running Back-Ohio State, 1976: Tony Dorsett, Running Back-Pittsburgh, 1977: Earl Campbell, Running Back-Texas, 1978: Billy Sims, Running Back-Oklahoma, 1979: Charles White, Running Back-USC, 1980: George Rogers, Running Back-South Carolina, 1981: Marcus Allen, Running Back-USC, 1982: Herschel Walker, Running Back-Georgia, 1983: Mike Rozier, Running Back-Nebraska, 1985: Bo Jackson, Running Back-Auburn, 1987: Tim Brown, Wide Receiver-Notre Dame, 1988: Barry Sanders, Running Back-Oklahoma State, 1989: Andre Ware, Quarterback-Houston, 1991: Desmond Howard, Wide Receiver-Michigan, 1993: Charlie Ward, Quarterback-Florida State, 1994: Rashaan Salaam, Running Back-Colorado, 1995: Eddie George, Running Back-Ohio State, 1997: Charles Woodson, Defensive Back-Michigan, 1998: Ricky Williams, Running Back-Texas, 1999: Ron Dayne, Running Back-Wisconsin, 2005: Reggie Bush, Running Back-USC, 2006: Troy Smith, Quarterback-Ohio State, 2009: Mark Ingram, Running Back-Alabama, 2010: Cam Newton, Quarterback-Auburn, 2011: Robert Griffin III, Quarterback-Baylor, 2013: Jamies Winston, Quarterback-Florida State University, 2015: Derrick Henry, running back-University of Alabama, 2016: Lamar Jackson, Quarterback-University of Louisville, 2018: Kyler Murray, Quarterback-University of Oklahoma, 2020: DeVonta Smith, Wide Receiver-University of Alabama and 2021: Bryce Young, Quarterback-University of Alabama. https://youtu.be/XJFXHQAVlkQ Nearly 55 years ago, when actress Nichelle Nichols graced the screen as Lt. Nyota Uhura on the television series “Star Trek,” it illustrated the importance of representation. The 88-year-old trailblazer was recently honored by NASA for driving diversity in STEM forward, People reported. Throughout her entire career, Nichols used her artistry to show Black women and girls the limitless possibilities that awaited them within the realm of space exploration. The Robbins, Ill. native made history as the first African American woman to play a lead character on television as Lt. Nyota Uhura. A songstress and dancer, Nichols went on to be featured in different projects under the “Star Trek” franchise, including “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,” “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,” “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” and “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.” In the 70s, Nichols founded the company Women in Motion, Inc. to use education as a vessel to empower people of color to pursue careers in the space industry. https://t.co/x0QG3XvhqU?amp=1 Hip-hop legend LL Cool J‘s career has stood the test of time, and the Queens-raised rapper was honored by his hometown for his pioneering contributions to the music industry. A statue created to pay homage to the emcee—whose real name is James Todd Smith—was recently unveiled in New York, Revolt reported. The sculpture dubbed “Going Back to The Meadows, A Tribute to LL Cool J and Performance at FMCP” is nestled inside Flushing Meadows-Corona Park at the David Dinkins Circle. Created by artist Sherwin Banfield, the statute is a commemorative ode to Smith’s artistry. The piece of poignant public art was constructed using bronze, resin, stainless steel, winter stone, wood and other materials. It captures the rapper’s likeness, complete with his iconic Kangol bucket hat and holding a boombox, including a cassette tape of his 1985 debut album “Radio.” https://t.co/cGfdEBygS7?amp=1 Denzel Washington, 66, was out promoting his new film, “A Journal for Jordan,” when he was approached by an interviewer at the premiere of the new film. The Two Bees.org interviewer mentioned how British actor Damson Idris (Franklin Saint on FX’s “Snowfall”) auditioned to act alongside the veteran actor in his 2016 film “Fences,” as well as bringing up when Damson did a funny impersonation of Denzel just last week. https://twitter.com/i/status/1469503243780775939 ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, and ESSENCE Girls United, the premier destination for young Black women leaders and cultural disruptors, will present the 2021 ESSENCE and Girls United Entrepreneur Summit, The Bossed Up Edition, Presented by Coca-Cola®. Many African-American women entrepreneurs continue to navigate the challenges stemming from the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and the business landscape overall. The purpose of the Summit is to present proven solutions to propel Black women business owners forward—as well as to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to excel. The Summit will take place on Wednesday, December 15th, 6PM–9PM (ET) via ESSENCEStudios.com and ESSENCE’s Facebook Live platform. The new infrastructure package has language therein which mandates automakers to install new technology that prevents folks from driving drunk. The provision, which was originally reported by the Associated Press, states that the monitoring systems should begin to appear in new vehicles no later than 2026. Of the funds allocated from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, $17 billion will go toward auto safety. Analysts say this is the largest amount of federal funds allocated to road safety programs in decades. Some say the bill will create more protected bike paths alongside busy roadways, like Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/njzrzxqrdsk/hqdefault.jpg Keisha Knight Pulliam is headed to Clark Atlanta University to talk entrepreneurship in a partnership with Now and Later candy, talk about a blast from the past! This will part of #RecognizetheCHEW Class in Session Series. “I’m excited to partner with Now and Later,” Knight Pulliam told The Root. “The ‘Chew’ stands for ‘Champion, Hustle, Empower, and Win’. It’s an awesome opportunity to bring light to historically Black colleges and universities, but also to support them with the $10,000 financial grant toward starting a scholarship.” https://www.instagram.com/keshiaknightpulliam/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=af6479db-e4f5-4e5e-8695-ed4bdad9e3aa Kenny Atkinson always saw more in Jarrett Allen. When Allen, drafted No. 22 overall by the Brooklyn Nets in 2017, hit a rookie wall the following March, the then-head coach of the Nets (and now Golden State Warriors assistant) pivoted to saying the near 7-footer’s struggles will make him a better player. When the towering Texan would show just a hint of touch in games and practices, Atkinson would tell us that he’d hope Allen would expand his range to hit corner threes. And while the Cleveland Cavaliers’ center still hasn’t quite adopted that, he hasn’t needed to. He has a shot at being one of the league’s only first-time All-Stars in 2021. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OJZPXNqq-8U/hqdefault.jpg Mexican singer Vicente Fernandez, 81, passed away on Sunday at a hospital in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara, according to a post published on his official Instagram account. The ranchera star was in poor health after a fall in August that forced him to have surgery. Locally known as El Rey, the king of Mexican music, Fernandez recorded more than 300 songs, sold more than 65 million albums worldwide and won three Grammys and eight Latin Grammys. He was best known for his songs “Volver, Volver,” “Por Tu Maldito Amor,” and “El Rey.” Fernandez — who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — was named Person of the Year by the Latin Recording Academy in 2002. Michael Strahan said he’d do it and he did it! Today (12-11-21), the ex-footballer and now news anchor took a trip to the edge of space! After a short hold at 15 minutes., Blue Origin went into space with Strahan and 4 other astronauts on board, including Laura Shepard Churchley, the oldest daughter of America’s first astronaut, Alan Shepard. Basically, it was a perfect flight. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-12-11-121121-blue-origin-landing-1321398/ At least 50 people are thought to have been killed in Kentucky, and there are multiple fatalities at an Amazon distribution center in Illinois, after at least 24 tornadoes ripped across the South and Midwest of the US on Friday. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear estimated the toll would ‘exceed 50’ but could reach 100 after ‘some of the worst tornado damage’ the state has experienced ‘in a long time’. ‘This has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history and some areas have been hit in ways that is hard to put into words,’ Beshear told a news conference early on Saturday. ‘I fear that there are more than 50 dead in Kentucky… probably closer to somewhere between 70 and 100, it’s devastating.’ https://youtu.be/IpUsDGtCFWE The Omicron COVID-19 variant is now in half of U.S. states, after Arizona, Iowa, Michigan and Virginia joined the growing list on Thursday or Friday morning. Now, 25 states have recorded at least one Omicron case. While Omicron dominates headlines, the Delta variant continues its spread nationwide, causing a 30 percent increase in new daily cases and 20 percent increase in deaths over the past two weeks. America’s worsening Covid situation, combined with the Omicron variant and general apathy the population has for the pandemic at this point has one expert sounding alarms that things may get worse for the nation. Dr Gregory Poland is one of the nation’s top experts on vaccination and immunology, and works as an epidemiologist for the Mayo Clinic and is editor-in-chief of the scientific journals ‘Vaccine’. As deaths in America continue to rise, he warns that people should not let their guard down. ‘32,000 Americans who think they’re going to be alive to celebrate Christmas and New Years are, no pun intended, dead wrong,’ he told DailyMail.com, as his calculations show that with the current death rate in America, around 32,000 more people are likely to die between now and New Years. ‘Not one of them believes [they will die].’ The former nurse who allegedly raped and impregnated an incapacitated woman at a health care facility was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Dec. 2. Nathan Sutherland was arrested and charged in 2019 for allegedly sexually assaulting the unnamed woman at Hacienda HealthCare in Phoenix, Arizona. He is accused of raping the comatose woman, who was 29-years-old at the time, after police matched his DNA to the baby boy the victim gave birth to on December 29. Staff at the center were unaware she was pregnant until she went into labor. Per MadameNoire, after serving his time, Sutherland will be on lifetime probation and required to register as a sex offender. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x-eyg1S9zik/hqdefault.jpg Rapper Slim 400 was gunned down in front of a home in Inglewood, California, it was pure savagery, Footage of the incident was captured on a home surveillance camera, which investigators are also using to try to identify the shooter. The chilling video shows the rapper talking to the assailant but there’s of course no audio. Words are exchanged, things escalate, and Slim 400 is shot, then dragged through the front yard by the lone gunman, who continues firing rounds into him as he does so. Sheer madness. https://www.instagram.com/streetpeopleoflosangeles/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=595c5b4a-759e-48a4-92c4-34ab145ced1f An LAPD Detective called the crime surge in the city something akin to “The Purge,” a dystopian action-horror movie in a not-so-distant future in which all crime is legal for a select timeframe every year. Also, you have to take into consideration the source. Detective Jamie McBride was on Fox News when he said he’s telling people “don’t visit because we don’t think we can keep you safe right now.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/M6FEwBdFBr8/hqdefault.jpg The Phantom of the Opera is back inside Universal’s heart. The studio is tackling a reimagining of its famous cinematic horror story with a modern musical update, picking up a spec titled Phantom by John Fusco. Emmy- and Grammy-nominated producer Harvey Mason Jr. and singer-songwriter slash EGOT recipient John Legend will produce alongside Mike Jackson, Legend’s partner at production banner Get Lifted Film Co. The company’s Ty Stiklorius will executive produce. Phantom of the Opera, written in 1909 and 1910 by Gaston Leroux, told the tale of a masked murderer who stalks a Paris opera house and tragically falls in love with a gifted understudy whom he tries to bend to his will and make a star, killing those who get in his way. While many a modern audience will know the story via the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, it was also one of the first hit movies for Universal, which adapted it in 1925 as a silent horror film starring Lon Chaney. The first year of any job can have its share of ups and downs. For Rashida Jones, her new stint as president of MSNBC includes a full slate of challenges, with her on the frontline of an internal struggle that’s added to her network staying solid in a competitive news channel landscape. Caught in the middle is Rachel Maddow, the popular fixture of MSNBC’s primetime lineup. According to Variety, MSNBC and its corporate parent are in talks with Maddow, about a new content portfolio that could have the news anchor fall back on her 9 p.m. MSNBC program and produce a wider array of projects. Should the talks become successful, Jones could find herself rebuilding MSNBC’s primetime lineup. That situation would come as the network finds viewers shifting out of the must-see TV mode of election commentary and analysis and into other options such as on-demand streaming. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/t1mXqU-CYiQ/hqdefault.jpg The wildly popular ABC show Black-ish will be ending soon. , DJ Envy asked star Anthony Anderson what the deal is with a bastion of black positivity being taken off the air. “You’re gonna have to ask ABC that, man. But we had a nice run, a nice eight-year run,” Anderson responded. “You know, I would have loved to have squeaked out ten years.” Later in the interview, the actor said making a great show costs a lot of money. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/h_6UMBsUykM/hqdefault.jpg Actor Denzel Washington does not mince words when it comes to his faith in God. And in a recent interview with the New York Times, Washington reiterated that he is a “God-fearing man” while also warning people to not become too self-focused. “This is spiritual warfare. So, I’m not looking at it from an earthly perspective,” he said in the interview. “If you don’t have a spiritual anchor you’ll be easily blown by the wind and you’ll be led to depression.” As CBN News has reported, Washington gave his life to God early on, but it took a few years for him to understand the weight of that decision. “Three times…I think we all go through that. I was filled with the Holy Ghost and it scared me,” he said. “I didn’t want to go this deep…I want to party. It was a supernatural, once in this lifetime experience that I couldn’t completely understand at the time.” Now, the 64-year-old actor lives out his tenets of faith daily. “I’m a God-fearing man,” he told NYT. “I try not to worry. Fear is contaminated faith.” Jana Duggar was charged with endangering the welfare of a child on Sept. 10, according to court docs obtained by Page Six. The ex-reality star, 31, pled not guilty to the charge and her next court date is scheduled for Jan. 10, a court clerk for the city Elm Springs, Ark., told us Friday. Per Arkansas law, the charge could be considered a “Class A or B misdemeanor” and could result in jail time, a fine or both for Duggar. News of the “19 Kids and Counting” alum’s charge comes just one day after her brother, Josh Duggar, was found guilty on one count each of receiving and possessing child pornography. The 33-year-old faces up to 20 years behind bars and fines of up to $250,000 for each count. The 39-year-old actor stood rigid and showed no emotion as the guilty verdicts on five of the six counts of disorderly conduct were read out in the Chicago courtroom by Judge James Linn on Thursday. He then scuttled out of court with his family, refusing to answer questions, and he is yet to make a public comment. His sentencing date has not yet been set but he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. After Smollett left the courthouse, prosecutor Dan Webb tore him to shreds in front of the media and a crowd of people who had gathered for the verdict. He shamed Smollett for wasting police time and said while the Chicago Police Department was not ‘perfect’, it had worked tirelessly to solve his claims and took him seriously. Gloria Schmidt, the attorney for brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo – who Smollett paid to attack him – then took the mic. ‘People will forgive you. It is time to cut the act. Just come clean.’ https://youtu.be/gO-3w7z_7aE Kim said she’s DONE! According to TMZ, Kim Kardashian has filed for a judge to declare her legally single, even though Kanye had been practically begging for them to get back together! Last night Kanye West performed his song “Runaway” begging Kim to come back home to him. Kim wasn’t moved because she filed this morning to a judge to be legally single. She’s requesting the judge to separate child custody and property separate from the actual divorce. Kim also says she wants her maiden name restored and the West dropped. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7f5ff836-dabf-42ce-8c91-243d0df2ed18 Rapper Travis Scott’s vanity hard seltzer brand, Cacti, will be yanked from shelves after Anheuser-Busch said it will no longer sell the product in the wake of the Astroworld scandal. ‘After careful evaluation, we have decided to stop all production and brand development of CACTI Agave Spiked Seltzer,’ Anheuser-Busch said in a statement. ‘We believe brand fans will understand and respect this decision.’ A spokesperson for Scott said cancelling the alcohol-infused drink was the rapper’s idea so that he can focus on more important matters after 10 people were killed during a stampede at his Astroworld concert in Houston on November 5. ‘Travis was clear in his interview that he is not focused on business right now and his priority is helping his community and fans heal. CACTI asked AB InBev to inform their wholesalers there will not be product at this time,’ his spokesperson told TMZ. Scott finally broke his more than month-long silence on Thursday about the tragedy during a sit down with podcaster Charlemagne Tha God. In the interview, Scott blamed his ‘in-ear’ person for not urging him to stop the show sooner, and claimed that he wasn’t aware of or responsible for the fatal stampede and crowd crush. Steven Spielberg brings the 1961 award-winning “West Side Story” back to the big screen and it retains the magic that made it a big hit. Adapted from the 1957 Broadway musical based on the tragic “Romeo and Juliette” tale, the play and `61 movie scooped up numerous accolades and trophies. Spielberg’s “West Side Story” has a new cast that does its own singing, fierce dancers, and a renowned production team. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/A5GJLwWiYSg/hqdefault.jpg Rhonda Stubbins White, a television actress who appeared in various titles from the 1990s until this year, has died. She was 60. White’s death was confirmed to PEOPLE via her manager, who said the actress died Monday after a battle with cancer. A friend also shared the news in a comment on White’s Facebook page on Wednesday. “To the friends of Rhonda: It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my dear friend Rhonda Stubbins White,” the statement read. “She was an amazingly talented woman, full of positivity and energy, and grounded by her faith. We were all fortunate to have known her and shared her short time on this earth.” Former NFL coach Hue Jackson was named head coach at Grambling State on Friday. Jackson, 56, last served as a head coach with the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to ’18. He also coached the Raiders in 2011. Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee State. Jackson brings more than three decades of coaching experience to Grambling. Before transitioning to the NFL in 2001, he spent 14 seasons as a college assistant, including nine in the Pac-12 at Arizona State, California and USC. https://twitter.com/GSU_TIGERS/status/1469343163798200322/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1469343163798200322%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblackchristiannews.com%2F2021%2F12%2Fformer-nfl-coach-hue-jackson-named-head-coach-of-grambling-state-university%2F Brazilian soccer legend Pelé has been hospitalized for chemotherapy treatment of a colon tumor Wednesday, a spokesperson at Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein hospital confirmed to CNN. “He is in stable condition and expected to be released in the next few days,” the spokesperson told CNN. Pelé, 81, underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his right colon in September 2021, which was found by doctors during routine examinations. “When the path is difficult, celebrate each step of the journey,” Pele wrote on Instagram at the time. “Focus on your happiness. It’s true that I can’t jump anymore, but these past few days, I’ve been punching the air more times than usual. For decades Kathie Lee Gifford was known as one of the best daytime talk show hosts, and this year she even received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gifford is also a bestselling author, actress, singer, and playwright, but her favorite thing to share with others is her love for Jesus. In her new book, The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is, Gifford shares details about conversations she’s had with Christians and non-believers who were willing to talk about the role He plays in their lives. Gifford told CBN’s The 700 Club that it was difficult to share her faith with others when she first entered the entertainment industry. “It was a challenge because back then in the ’70s when I really began in earnest by moving to California and seeking God’s will for my gifts, there was a lot of obstacles,” she recalled. “There was a lot of attitude from the Christian community that a nice Christian girl like you doesn’t go into show business. But I’ve known since I was a child that the gifts God put into my heart when I was in my mother’s womb, He was calling me to the mission field, but that was the world.” Chaka Khan detailed in her autobiographical book, “Chaka! Through The Fire,” that she and her ex-husband Richard Holland were once violently assaulted by Natalie Cole’s ex-husband, Rufus drummer, Andre Fischer. According to Chaka Khan, businessman Richard Holland (married to Chaka from 1976-1980), walked into a studio session while Andre Fischer was listening to a playback recording of Richard’s song, “Better Days,” for their then-upcoming Rufus ft. Chaka Khan album, “Ask Rufus.” Chaka says Richard told Andre the recording sounded great. A few minutes later Andre reportedly asked Richard, to talk in the restroom down the hall, for privacy…things quickly got ugly. Chaka says Andre went off on Richard, yelling “Don’t you ever tell me what to do!”. He then punched Richard in the head, but Richard couldn’t completely defend himself, given that he was 5’9" and about 140 pounds, while Andre was 6’5" weighing about 350 pounds, according to Chaka. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9sP6OuTA5EE/hqdefault.jpg Recently, recording artist/actress Kashdoll took to the Twitter-verse to give her opinion on why women find themselves in relationships with dudes who hurt them repeatedly. “I think women take men [back] over and over again [because] they’re afraid of being alone,” she tweeted. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d12d4b65-fbb3-4751-9c45-d37553a8296e Johnny Gill says he’s ready to go hit-for-hit in a Verzuz battle with Charlie Wilson, Frankie Beverly or Keith Sweat. Speaking with Roland Martin, the New Edition member explains why he wants to share a stage with the three music icons. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rEoTuSIrmVw/hqdefault.jpg Today, GRAMMY Award-winning multi-platinum-selling musician, director and philanthropist, Anderson .Paak, has announced the return of his beloved annual .Paak House event. After one year off due to COVID, the fourth annual .Paak House event Presented by The Brandon Anderson Foundation & Vans, is set to return on December 22nd and will take place in .Paak’s hometown, Oxnard, CA for the very first time ever. As with years past, the event’s cornerstone will be about raising funds to give back to the community with live performances, children’s activities, community outreach & resources, gifting, food, and more. “The place where we’re doing the (benefit) concert is Hope City church, they have a drug program for women that spiritually transforms. Someone gave them a house for a women’s center,” said Brandon Camphor, founder of Brandon Camphor & OneWay or BC1Way, about the reason for their December 10, 2021 benefit concert. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Sp2hVpx6yn4/hqdefault.jpg The National African American Gun Association aims “to have every African American introduced to firearm use for home protection, competitive shooting, and outdoor recreational activities,” according to the group’s mantra. Phil Smith, the President of (NAAGA), aims to “expose, educate, and motivate as many African American men and women” to become proficient with firearms. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aDctZIzclWE/hqdefault.jpg TV One is getting viewers ready for the holiday season with its original programming starting this Sunday, December 12th with the TV One original film, SOMEDAY AT CHRISTMAS airing at 7pm ET/6C. After being stuck in a train station on Christmas Eve, two strangers meet at a bar, only to lose complete contact with each other hours later. They reconnect after an unexpected series of events, but on much more complicated terms. On Sunday, December 19th 7pm ET/6C, viewers can join legendary R&B icon Patti LaBelle along with R&B sensation Tamar Braxton, as they officially usher in the holiday with PATTI LABELLE'S HOLIDAY PARTY. The night will be full of heartfelt dishes and soulful singing that is sure to lift your spirits! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DsWCdhuHXc Grammy award-winning artist Kirk Franklin has had quite the year. Including becoming the true star of the #OmarionChallenge, recently taking the viral dance from the stage to the pulpit, the Gospel legend has been a topic of conversation throughout 2021. In the midst of that conversation, he’s announced a slew of new music, film, and television projects. VIBE caught up with Franklin ahead of the release of his debut holiday film, Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas, to discuss what inspired him to participate in the movie and (of course) its soundtrack. The Christian crooner also discussed his own holiday traditions, his new single with Mariah Carey and Khalid, and the two burning questions we (along with the world) were dying to ask about Omarion and Plies. https://youtu.be/3tH195XLrWE Earlier this week Kirk Franklin, Tamar Braxton, and Buddah Bless joined Sony Music and Sony Music Publushing to partner with the nonprofit organization, Pay Away the Layaway. Together, they paid off lay away balances for Atlanta families! Thank you all for your prayers, and a big thank you to everyone who came out to support last week’s live recording with William Murphy. The testimonies are pouring in and we trust even more grace and favor are on the way with the new music dropping soon! Sign up to receive Worship + Justice exclusives! https://forms.sonymusicfans.com/campaign/bishop-murphy-email-list-sign-up-final-2/ The Supreme Court has ruled that Texas abortion providers can sue over the state’s ban on most abortions, but the justices are allowing the law to remain in effect. The court acted Friday, more than a month after hearing arguments over the law that makes abortion illegal after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo. That’s around six weeks, before some women even know they are pregnant. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. The law has been in place since Sept. 1. The outcome is at best only a partial victory for abortion providers. The same federal judge who already has once blocked the law almost certainly will be asked to do so again. But then his decision will be reviewed by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has twice voted to allow enforcement of the abortion ban. The case could return to the justices and so far there have not been five votes on the nine-member court to put the law on hold while the legal fight plays out. The court’s conservative majority also seems likely to roll back abortion rights in a Mississippi case that was argued last week, although that decision is not expected until the spring. An impassioned Mayor-elect Eric Adams delivered a tough-on-crime speech in Manhattan on Thursday, while repeating his warning to Black Lives Matter leader Hawk Newsome not to mess with New York. “We’re not going to surrender to those who are saying, ‘We’re going to burn down New York.’ Not my city,” Adams said at a Police Athletic League event at the Harvard Club. Last month, Newsome threatened “riots, fire and bloodshed” if Adams makes good on a plan to reinstate the NYPD’s anti-gun unit. A billboard honoring Memphis rapper Young Dolph stands above the memorial to him outside Makeada’s Cookies, where he was shot and killed on November 17. “Black Men Deserve to Grow Old” is a campaign from the brand Shop Mom-E-O, formed by Young Dolph’s longtime girlfriend, Mia Jerdine. Jerdine started the campaign after her brother, Jeremy Jerdine, was killed. One-third of the proceeds from merchandise sold on the Shop Mom-E-O site currently goes to three families chosen by the brand, who experienced the loss of a Black son, father, or husband. The brand’s website says that a portion of that money will be used to pay for therapy, financial advisors, and financial support of the families. Meet Marcia Paige, the founder and CEO of Melanin-RX.com, a comprehensive online directory that houses culturally competent doctors, medical professionals, and Black-owned businesses that are allied to the medical community. These include Doulas, Trichologists, Medical Staffing Agencies, Medical Suppliers, and Wellness Products to name a few. Her goal is to bridge the gap between sought-after Black doctors and patients looking to get healed or serviced by someone who looks like them. With the lack of visibility online, Paige became inspired through her own frustration to create an online destination that will not only introduce visitors to providers in their area, it will also stimulate the black economy whether they practice medicine in the inner city or the suburbs it will keep the Black dollar circulating all while healing black families physically and financially. According to U of M Health, during a Stanford University study, they paired black men in Oakland, California with Black and non-Black doctors, the men seen by the Black physicians were more likely to engage with them and even consented to preventative services like cardiovascular screenings and immunizations. The study estimates this approach could reduce the black-white mortality gap due to heart disease by 19%. The Dallas City Council voted Wednesday to approve a resolution that would paint the phrase “All Black Lives Matter” at multiple intersections in southern Dallas. The vote happened during the Dec. 8 public meeting and appeared to be unanimous, with no audible objections. According to the resolution, Abounding Prosperity, Inc., a group whose purpose is “to respond to social and health disparities” for Black Dallas residents, would pay for the installation of the crosswalks. The group would also maintain them for the next 10 years. No taxpayer funds would be used, according to the council. https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/local/full-video-all-black-lives-matter-crosswalks-approved-by-dallas-city-council/287-d0c09ee8-d11c-4b43-b111-5be4d1513e77?jwsource=cl This week, reporting from WAMU and DCist was recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) 2021 Salute to Excellence Awards. The awards celebrate journalism and content that best cover and portray the Black experience or address issues affecting the worldwide Black community. WAMU and DCist won the NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards in the following categories: Radio — Top 15 Markets — News: Series For Black Emergency Doctors In Washington, The Pandemic Is Personal Daniella Cheslow, Tyrone Turner, Ingalisa Schrobsdorff Radio — Top 15 Markets — Public Affairs: Segment Rev. William Lamar Talks About White Supremacy, The Black Church And Civil Rights Richard Cunningham (The Kojo Nnamdi Show) Digital Media — Online Project: News The Standoff Over D.C.’s Black Lives Matter Plaza, Illustrated Ruth Tam, Rachel Kurzius WAMU and DCist were nominated among several regional and national news organizations for digital media, and among other radio stations in the Top 15 markets such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago and Chapel Hill. The nominees were judged based on content, creativity, innovation, use of the medium, and relevance to people or issues of the Black diaspora. Two more Black women have stepped forward with allegations of discrimination and retaliation within the Metropolitan Police Department. Their lawsuit is the third brought by current and former Black, female officers who say the department has a toxic work environment. Lisa Burton and Felicia Carson said they were pushed out of MPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau for complaining about bias, racism and sexism. “I personally was bullied by the white officials in IAB,” Burton said. Burton and Carson spoke at a town hall meeting held Wednesday night at a church in Southeast D.C. “The higher-ups are willfully blind to this behavior,” Carson said. “It’s blatant. My termination was blatant.” After 29 years on the force, Carson says she was unjustly terminated for refusing to look the other way in an internal affairs investigation she led into alleged excessive use of force by a white officer against a Black man. With its latest slate of nominees for the Executive Committee, the USGA is set to have its first Black president in the association’s 128-year history. For 2022, Fred Perpall has been nominated as president-elect, a position the USGA created in 2019 to help with the transition of leadership on the Executive Committee. He would then be in line to take over as president in 2023 after current president Stu Francis finishes the third year of his three-year term. A native of the Bahamas who lives in Dallas, Perpall is CEO of The Beck Group where he oversees the company’s architectural design, planning, real estate consultancy and construction businesses. He has served on the USGA Executive Committee since 2019 and currently chairs the Championship Committee as well as working on the Amateur Status Committee. He also is a member of the Board of Trustees that helped build Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas. Perpall, 47, played basketball and ran track at the University of Texas at Arlington and was a member of the 1994 Bahamian national basketball team. Sinclair Eaddy Jr., of Baltimore, Md., and Kevin Hammer of Boyton Beach, Fla., also have been nominated to serve three-year terms on the Executive Committee, replacing the outgoing Mike Bailey and Stephen Beebe. The association’s candidates will be voted on at the upcoming USGA Annual Meeting in February. Former Newport News city councilman, Purple Heart recipient and pastor Woodrow M. Brown Jr. died last week at age 77. Brown was the first Black man elected to the Newport News City Council and spent years serving the First Baptist Church East End. He was a member of the 1st Infantry Division during the Vietnam War when he was wounded in action. Brown’s sister, Woodrena Curtis, heard from one of her brother’s fellow soldiers that Brown was believed to be dead and had been placed inside of a body bag. “He heard movement in one of the black bags and when he unzipped the bag, it was my brother Woodrow,” Curtis said. “He told me he had to take a water hose and spray it to get the mud off — that’s when they found my brother alive.” Brown returned home and worked at the Newport News Shipyard and sold life insurance before becoming a minister and councilman. “From that experience and all that he went through recovering from his injuries, he felt that God brought him back and that was his reason for going into the ministry,” Curtis said. Joe Morrow had just finished a 12-hour shift as an “order picker” at a grocery distributor in Hopkins last year when he stopped at a U.S. Bank branch in Columbia Heights to cash his paycheck. Despite having an account with the bank and showing his ID, that simple transaction led to a call to police, threats of arrest, and Morrow being placed in handcuffs. A bank manager told officers he suspected the check was a fake, but police body camera video shows he only called Morrow’s employer for verification after the 23-year-old Black man was removed from his office. https://kstp.com/news/banking-while-black-police-video-shows-how-cashing-a-paycheck-led-to-handcuffs/6324616/ A Fayetteville State University senior communications student was nominated to participate in the inaugural Black News Channel HBCU Journalism Project. DorMiya Vance, a Goldsboro native, was one of the 20 HBCU students who were chosen to participate in BNC’s Virtual Media Day. Following the virtual event, students had to write and publish an original story in their student newspaper within 10 days about topics that were discussed during the virtual event. Eight students were chosen for the projects’ next stage, including Vance. As one of the eight finalists, Vance has her work showcased on the Black New Channel’s website with an online poll that allowed fans to vote for their favorite stories. The final four finalists, who will be chosen around Dec. 20, will be offered paid internships at BNC in the summer of 2022. Vance said she took on the 10-day assignment that helped her become one of the finalists with ease. At first glance, the image looks like a standard drawing that could easily be found in the pages of a medical textbook or on the walls of a doctor’s office. But what sets apart the illustration of a fetus in the womb that recently captured the attention of the internet is a simple, yet crucial, detail: its darker skin tone. The image, created by Nigerian medical student and illustrator Chidiebere Ibe, struck a chord with countless people on social media, many of whom said that they had never seen a Black fetus or a Black pregnant woman depicted before. It also brought attention to a larger issue at hand: A lack of diversity in medical illustrations. (While most fetuses are red in color — newborns come out dark pink or red and only gradually develop the skin tone they will have for life — the medical illustration is intended to represent patients who aren’t used to seeing their skin tones in such images.) The estate of TuPac Shakur is celebrating the late rapper’s legacy with a newly unveiled NFT (non-fungible token) series entitled “The Immortal Collection,” which drops next week. As reported by Complex, “the four-piece range was created in partnership with Digital Arts & Sciences and Impossible Brief, one of the world’s leading specialists in digital art and collectibles,” the outlet writes. “The four-piece Immortal Collection is based on and connected to what Tupac saw in himself, in the stories he felt were worthy of telling, and what connects everyone to each other: ARTIST, ACTIVIST, SINNER, SAINT,” a press release reads. Ralph Tavares of the R&B group Tavares died Wednesday at his home in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. He was 79, and would’ve turned 80 today, Dec. 10. His cause of death has not yet been released. The Grammy-winning group featured Ralph and his four other brothers, Antone Laurence “Chubby” Tavares, Perry Lee “Tiny” Tavares, Feliciano Vierra “Butch” Tavares Jr., and Arthur Paul “Pooch” Tavares. Ralph Tavares was the eldest. In 1975, they released their smash hit “It Only Takes a Minute.” They performed it on “Soul Train.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zMd7hGAI4js/hqdefault.jpg Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, whose quiet demeanor belied a burning desire to achieve what he routinely called “everyday greatness,” has died at the age of 33, according to police. Roswell, Georgia, police said Thursday night that Thomas was found dead in his home. Preliminary reports, according to the police, indicated Thomas’ death might have resulted from a medical issue. Thomas, who would’ve turned 34 on Christmas, had officially announced his retirement from the NFL this past June with a short video with a peace sign and his characteristic smile. “I’m Demaryius Thomas. I finally came to a decision to hang it up … I’m going to retire and I’m going to retire a Denver Bronco … I’m done and I did well.” Several former teammates and opponents took to social media early Thursday night as reports of Thomas’ death began to appear. Multiple former teammates said Thursday night Thomas might have suffered from seizures in recent months. https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1469175047130595330%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblackchristiannews.com%2F2021%2F12%2Fformer-denver-broncos-wide-receiver-and-super-bowl-champion-demaryius-thomas-dies-at-age-33%2F Superfly” actor and rapper Kaalan “KR” Walker is accused of raping over 30 women that he allegedly met via social media while posing as a photographer. As reported by MadameNoire, the rape and sexual abuse allegations date back as far as 2013. Walker pleaded not guilty to 6 counts of rape and 2 counts of unlawful intercourse with a minor, in addition to multiple felonies, AceSHowBiz reported. Walker’s attorney argued that all the encounters with the alleged victims “was in consensual and voluntary contact.” Walker’s attorney continued, “There’s no abduction rape. There’s no forced rape. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-cJz4KzfdQY/hqdefault.jpg Showtime is coming to HBO. HBO’s new drama series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” chronicles the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties. The team, collectively christened “Showtime,” defined an era, both on and off the court. It will debut March 2022 with ten episodes on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The ensemble cast includes: John C. Reilly, Quincy Isaiah, Jason Clarke, Adrien Brody, Gaby Hoffman, Tracy Letts, Jason Segel, Julianne Nicholson, Hadley Robinson, Dr. Solomon Hughes, Tamera Tomakili, Brett Cullen, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Joey Brooks, Sarah Ramos, Spencer Garrett, Molly Gordon, DeVaughn Nixon, Delante Desouza, Jimel Atkins, Austin Aaron, Jon Young with Rob Morgan and Sally Field. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TYOlUZrHRT8/hqdefault.jpg It’s not possible to defeat Father Time. We all know this. But that doesn’t mean that LeBron James isn’t going to go 12 rounds with him. At 37 years old, it’s incredible that LeBron is able to play at such a high level. He’s averaging 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game, and has scored over 30 points in each of the Lakers’ last three games. The team is on a mission to win a championship, and it starts with King James. The Patriots are one of the NFL’s most successful franchises, winning six Super Bowls under the disciplined operation coach Bill Belichick has cultivated over the past two decades. They aren’t exempt from having room to improve when hiring minority assistant coaches. Eighteen of the 56 assistants (32%) Belichick has employed in full-time roles during his 22 years in New England have been minorities. Excluding strength and conditioning coaches, the number drops to 13, or just 25%. Both numbers fall below the 36% of minority assistants on coaching staffs across the NFL in 2020, according to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports’ most recent Race and Gender Report Card. Of Belichick’s hires during his tenure in New England, former Browns and Texans coach Romeo Crennel, Dolphins coach Brian Flores and Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham are the only ones to have risen to the coordinator or head coaching ranks. Belichick is trying to change that. The Patriots began this season with eight minority assistants: longtime running backs coach Ivan Fears, receivers coach Troy Brown, defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, assistant offensive line coach Billy Yates, strength coaches Moses Cabrera and Deron Mayo, and defensive coach Ross Douglas, a Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellow. Covington, Brown and Yates are also alums of NFL fellowship programs. It is the most minority assistants Belichick has ever had on his staff in a single season Tony Elliott, Clemson’s offensive coordinator and a staple on the Tigers’ championship teams under Dabo Swinney, has been hired as the next head football coach at Virginia, the school announced Friday. Elliott traveled to Charlottesville on Wednesday with his family to meet with UVa athletic director Carla Williams and school officials but returned on Thursday without a deal in place. He was also heavily pursued by Duke for the Blue Devils’ head-coaching job. After spending Thursday night and much of Friday contemplating his options, Elliott informed Virginia officials on Friday afternoon that he was taking the job. At one point, a source close to Elliott indicated that he was torn about what to do. Earlier Friday morning before Elliott decided to take the Virginia job, the Virginia Board of Visitors approved a request from the athletic department to transfer $10.3 million from the UVa endowment to go toward a proposed $65 million football facility. Congratulations to actor/singer Marques Houston and wife Miya Dickey who just welcomed their first baby! The two confirmed the big news to Us Weekly. “Miya chose the name Zara because she just felt like it was exotic. [There was] no special reason,” Houston, 40, told the outlet today. “She just wanted our girl to have a memorable name that wasn’t the average name. It still feels surreal, like, it hasn’t set in yet that we are actually not just babysitting one of our friends’ kids. But not getting any sleep definitely reminds us that we are now parents.” The pair who kept their pregnancy under wraps got engaged in March 2019 after five months of dating. Miyah , 20, said yes and the two tied the knot in August 2020 in California, two months after Houston defended their age difference. Known for playing diverse characters, Rhonda Morman is one of the ‘shining’ stars in Hollywood. Full of talent, charisma and resilience, Morman will be seen in the new Hallmark movie, “Sister Swap: Christmas in The City,” directed by Sean McNamara and produced by Neal Dodson which also stars Keith Robinson, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Ashley Williams, Jacob Buster, and Logan Donovan. The ‘feel-good’ romantic holiday movie will air on the Hallmark Channel, the night of December 12th. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6p5olweoY-M/hqdefault.jpg Porsha and Simon finally have a date for their wedding! Last week Porsha appeared on the Tamron Hall Show, where she shared she didn’t have a date set yet for the wedding, that had many people questioning whether the couple were serious about getting married but Porsha has revealed the date is set… we just won’t know it yet. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXPrcd-AN_B/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The owners of Kai’s Crab Boil in Columbus, Ohio, are searching for a customer who slapped an employee, and the incident was captured on video. The assault reportedly happened Thursday night, when the customer had trouble with a credit card payment. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kkS2GuxYepE/hqdefault.jpg An obsessed Halle Berry fan is suing her for harassing him, but the problem with his case is that he does not know the actress nor has he ever met her. “Ms. Berry agrees she does not know [the person]. She has never had any communications with him — whether electronic, electromagnetic, or otherwise. She does not recognize his phone number, mailing address, or email address and she has never spoken with, texted, or emailed him,” reads the legal response filed by Berry. Time magazine named 24-year-old, 4x Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles the 2021 Athlete of the Year. Time magazine named 24-year-old, 4x Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles the 2021 Athlete of the Year. The footprint of the Orlando Magic’s 2021-22 campaign is buried at the bottom. They tout the league’s worst net rating (-11.0) and second-worst record (4-17). Each of their Southeast Division counterparts are above .500 and in the playoff hunt, including a pair of top-three seeds. Along with the Detroit Pistons, they’re one of just two Eastern Conference squads more than two games removed from a play-in spot. Do not confuse short-term struggles as a harbinger for a rebuild spiraling awry, though. Through the season’s quarter poll, Orlando is cultivating a crystalized vision of future success. After a troublesome rookie year, Cole Anthony is operating with more poise and shot-making prowess to assert himself as a bona fide ball-handler. Despite a thorny beginning, fifth overall pick Jalen Suggs is establishing some footing in recent weeks. New head coach Jahmal Mosley is diagramming creative schemes and deploying the young guys in predominantly optimal settings. Aside from Anthony’s newfound exploits, the crux of all these encouraging developments resides in the Magic’s frontcourt of Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba. Together, this trio is showcasing a complementary offensive portfolio to amplify a lead initiator (Anthony or otherwise) and anchor a stingy defense. https://streamable.com/sw2xdh Just in case some of you missed it, this past weekend we saw two of America’s top lightweights go at it against some very tough and relentless opponents in an effort to defend their respected titles this past Saturday and Sunday night. First, we saw Devin “The Dream” Haney defend his WBC lightweight title against Jojo Diaz in a bout that took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Folks I got to tell you something, this young man is only 23 and has the maturity and skill level of someone much older and showed us why he deserves to be given his props as he displayed superb boxing skills through 12 rounds. He was constantly sticking and moving using the jabs and hooks to the body and uppercuts throughout to the chin of Diaz who himself fought a game and courageous fight landing his own power punches as the fight progressed but he just couldn’t match the speed and counterpunch of Haney who some have compared to Floyd Mayweather Jr. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/68su02jgpts/hqdefault.jpg Tessica Brown — famously known as ‘Gorilla Glue Girl’ – has reportedly received stem cell therapy to restore her hair after a botched dye job. Brown is making headlines once again over her hair mishaps. This time, the viral Instagram star uploaded a new video to the platform in which she explains that her hair is falling out. In the video, Brown says she keeps her natural hair, but when she noticed a “gray hair here, a gray hair there,” she decided to dye her hair. “So me thinking that my hair is strong enough to take chemicals, dude no it wasn’t,” she says in the video “I put the dye in, jumped in the shower rinsing it out and as I’m rinsing it out, dude, my hair, my hair is coming out as I’m rinsing my hair out.” She goes on to show her followers that clumps of hair is falling out. https://www.instagram.com/p/CW_TiROAtHU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Hallmark Channel launched a slate of holiday films that are airing throughout the month of December. A Holiday In Harlem: Olivia Washington (“Mr. Robot,” The Little Things), Will Adams (“The Oval”) and Tina Lifford (“Queen Sugar,” Babe) star in “A Holiday in Harlem,” a new, original movie on Hallmark Channel, as part of the network’s “Countdown to Christmas” programming event – your home for the holiday. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lAS6rod7bF4/hqdefault.jpg The Hallmark Channel launched a slate of holiday films that are airing throughout the month of December. A Christmas Treasure: Jordin Sparks (“American Idol,” Sparkle) and Michael Xavier (“Christmas Comes Twice,” Beware of the Midwife) star in “A Christmas Treasure,” on Hallmark Channel as part of the network’s annual “Countdown to Christmas” programming event. Sparks sings two classic Christmas songs in the movie, covering “This Christmas” and on the piano, “Oh Holy Night.” Her original song from her 2020 Christmas album Cider & Hennessy, “Oh, It’s Christmas,” will also be part of the movie. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1GFCmfyO6Tw/hqdefault.jpg The Hallmark Channel launched a slate of holiday films that are airing throughout the month of December. Christmas In Harmony: Ashleigh Murray (“Riverdale”) and Luke James (Little, Star), star in “Christmas in Harmony,” alongside Loretta Devine (Queen Bees, Family Reunion) and Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child, The Masked Singer) a new, original movie premiering on Hallmark Channel as part of the network’s annual “Countdown to Christmas” programming event, your home for the holiday. Michelle Williams sings two original songs in the movie, “Christmas Star” and “Run,” and Luke James also sings an original song, “Ebb N Flo.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l-0-XjH3Avc/hqdefault.jpg The Hallmark Channel launched a slate of holiday films that are airing throughout the month of December. Our Christmas Journey: Holly Robinson Peete (“American Housewife”) Lyriq Bent (Acrimony), Nik Sanchez (“The Rookie”), Aloma Wright (“Suits”) and newcomer Hilda Martin are a family at a crossroads in “Our Christmas Journey,” a new original on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries as part of the network’s annual “Miracles of Christmas” programming event – your home for the holiday. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/V00kwaZeve0/hqdefault.jpg The Hallmark Channel launched a slate of holiday films that are airing throughout the month of December. THE SANTA STAKEOUT: Tamera Mowry-Housley (“The Real,” “Christmas Comes Twice”), Paul Campbell (“Turner & Hooch,” “Christmas by Starlight”) and Joe Pantoliano (Bad Boys for Life, The Matrix) star in “The Santa Stakeout,” a new, original movie on Hallmark Channel as part of the network’s annual “Countdown to Christmas” programming event, your home for the holiday. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AE5o8WJLCdY/hqdefault.jpg A jury in Chicago has convicted Jussie Smollett. The actor was found guilty on 5 felony counts and not guilty on the 6th. He was charged with 6 felony counts of lying to police. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ar9QTODJHp8/hqdefault.jpg On the Thursday, December 9 edition of “Tamron Hall,” actors Kristin Davis and Nicole Ari Parker, co-stars of HBO Max’s “And Just Like That…,” which premiered today, joined the show to discuss what it was like returning to work on the legendary “Sex and the City” revival and how an emphasis on diversity plays a role in this new iteration. Davis and Parker also spoke about the devastating passing of their castmate Willie Garson. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1iKFlPQIF6Q/hqdefault.jpg GHallmark Channel launched a slate of holiday films that are airing throughout the month of December, starring some of your favorite celebs, including Jordin Sparks, Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, Loretta Devine, Holly Robinson Peete and Tamera Mowry-Housley. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lAS6rod7bF4/hqdefault.jpg Disgraced reality TV star Josh Duggar faces decades in prison after he was found guilty today of downloading a vile trove of ‘the worst of the worst’ child porn. Jurors deliberated for six hours before returning guilty verdicts on charges of possessing child pornography and receipt of child pornography, both punishable by 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine. Duggar, 33, glanced anxiously toward his wife Anna and dad Jim Bob but showed little emotion as each juror was asked individually to reaffirm their decision. https://youtu.be/GY-gps3Uxcs The 33-year-old performer, whose real name is Vincent Cohran, was gunned down at around 7.50pm on Wednesday in Inglewood near the intersection of Manchester Boulevard and 7th Avenue. No arrests have been made and the motive and circumstances of the shooting were not immediately clear. The shooting came just hours after Slim 400 released a new music video for the song Caviar Gold, and follows a brush with death in 2019 when the rapper was shot eight times. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10292689/Rapper-Slim-400-shot-dead-Los-Angeles.html#i-805aced1e1892587 Prophetess Juanita Bynum goes off on women who go to church with no bra, no panties, and no stockings, and who Dress Immodestly. This article was transcribed from a recording of a message delivered on January 30, 2017 https://youtu.be/UNbbm4fHuwg A Catholic diocese in Michigan has instructed its pastors to deny baptism, confirmation and other sacraments to transgender and nonbinary people unless they have “repented” — possibly the first diocese in the United States to issue such a sweeping policy about those who identify with a gender other than their sex assigned at birth. The guidance issued by the Diocese of Marquette also stipulates that transgender people may not receive Communion, in which Catholics believe the body and blood of Jesus Christ are truly present. In most circumstances, they cannot receive the anointing of the sick, which is meant to provide physical or spiritual healing to those who are seriously ill. The guidance was issued in July but only recently sparked a debate after a prominent priest and advocate for LGBTQ Catholics shared it on Twitter. “Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers” is setting even more records after becoming Fathom Events’ best-selling and most highly attended event in its history. THE CHOSEN’S depiction of the Christmas story soared to $9 million in sales last weekend, according to Forbes. The film, which depicts the birth of Jesus Christ from the perspectives of Mary and Joseph, can be seen in 1,700 movie theaters across the county until December 12th. Despite becoming a box-office hit this holiday season, the film’s creator, writer, and director, Dallas Jenkins, told CBN’s “The PrayerLink” he does not look at numbers as a measure of success. “For me, it’s about impact and seeing what God is doing,” Jenkins said. “God has something to say and I’m just wanting to be a part of it.” Tiger Woods is returning to competition next week with 12-year-old son Charlie in the PNC Championship, just 10 months after his right leg was badly damaged in a car crash. ‘Although it’s been a long and challenging year, I am very excited to close it out by competing in the PNC Championship with my son Charlie,’ Woods tweeted. ‘I’m playing as a Dad and couldn’t be more excited and proud.’ It will be his first competition, even in a tournament Woods described last week as the ‘hit-and-giggle’ variety that he can play, since he and his son tied for seventh a year ago in the unofficial event that pairs family members. Former New Orleans Saints defensive end Glenn Foster Jr. died in custody on Monday. Foster, 31, was arrested Saturday morning after he was involved in a high-speed chase with police that ended in a crash and a short stint in jail during which he was unable to receive medical help, his family says. He was later involved in a fight with a detainee and two guards, and his father, Glenn Foster Sr. said he saw an ambulance arrive at the Pickens County Jail on Monday. The elder Foster said he had asked if the ambulance was there for his son, and was told it was at the jail because his son had fought with another detainee and two prison guards. Jail records obtained by the Tuscaloosa News show that Foster was charged on Sunday with three counts of simple assault and one count of third degree robbery. He was accused of being involved in a fight in which he allegedly sought ‘to prevent a sheriff’s deputy and correctional officer from performing a lawful duty.’ Foster’s father said he later learned that deputies at some point drove his son in a patrol cruiser to a hospital and that he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Olympic bobsledding champion Kaillie Humphries is elated over one of her latest titles: American citizen. Humphries, a native of Canada who is a two-time Olympic gold medalist for that country, is slated to compete on the U.S. Olympic team after officially becoming a citizen in San Diego last Thursday — a development she has been exuberant to discuss. “I wanted to become an American. This is more than just sport. It’s a way of life. It’s who I am becoming,” she told USA Today. “And I think there was much more to it than just one opportunity at the end of the rainbow.” Humphries shared a photo of herself smiling after getting her citizenship. The image shows her wrapped in a U.S. flag while holding a smaller American flag in her right hand. Today, Urban One announced the superstar group of honorees for the upcoming URBAN ONE HONORS including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Lifetime Achievement; Timbaland, Music Innovation; Gamble and Huff, Living Legends; Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Inspirational Impact; and Oscar, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Jennifer Hudson, Entertainment Icon. Hosted by Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and producer Ne-Yo, the two-hour telecast premieres Monday, January 17, 2022, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, on TV One and Cleo TV, a division of Urban One. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kMYx3Eunmg Globally acclaimed record label Motown Gospel (a division of Capitol CMG/Capitol and Universal Music Group) announces the signing of four-time GRAMMY® nominated duo The Baylor Project to an exclusive distribution agreement, in partnership with their artist-owned label, Be A Light. Their celebrated latest project, Generations, becomes available for the first time across all streaming platforms on December 10, 2021. The Baylor Project features vocalist Jean Baylor and drummer Marcus Baylor, married musical partners with backgrounds deeply rooted in the church. Before forming The Baylor Project in 2013, Jean Baylor burst onto the scene in the mid-1990’s as part of the groundbreaking R&B duo Zhané. Marcus Baylor first rose to prominence in the early 2000’s as the drummer for the world-renowned, GRAMMY®-Award-winning fusion group Yellowjackets. Their debut album, The Journey, spawned two GRAMMY® nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance. Last year, their pandemic-era single “Sit On Down” was GRAMMY® nominated in the latter category for a second time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1FAcdimVS8&feature=youtu.be Sunday, December 12 at 8 p.m. ET, McDonald's USA will deliver the gift of music to McDonald's fans through its Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour Holiday Experience. In partnership with BET, award-winning and emerging gospel artists including Yolanda Adams, Kurt Carr, James Fortune, The Walls Group, and Brian Courtney Wilson, and BET's Sunday Best winner Stephanie Summers, will grace the virtual stage to ring in the season with some of their chart-topping hits and holiday carols and gospel music many love. Show performers will come together to premiere "Christmas Spirit," a feel-good song written and produced by chart-topping gospel artist, Sir the Baptist. Written exclusively for this Holiday Experience, the tune merges traditional gospel music with contemporary hip-hop sounds. Bryan Abrams, former front-man and founding member of the Billboard chart-topping iconic 90’s R&B/Pop crossover group Color Me Badd, is set to embark on his long-held dream of a solo career with the release of his new single, “Because of You” on December 10. Available for pre-order since November 23, the stirring ballad was co-produced by long-time collaborator Hamza Lee. The song is also featured in the Leslie Small-directed motion picture, For The Love of Money, which premiered in theaters nationwide on November 24 starring Kat Williams, Rotimi and Keri Hilson. https://ffm.to/bryanabramsbecauseofyou!PR GSN-Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black and woman vice president, on Wednesday cast the historic tie-breaking vote in the U.S. Senate to confirm Rachael Rollins as the first-ever Black woman to be U.S. attorney for Massachusetts. It was a long time coming, too, as Rollins — a progressive prosecutor from Boston who has been serving as Suffolk County District Attorney for nearly the past three years — and her Senate confirmation hearing faced multiple delays amid staunch Republican opposition. Harris’ vote broke a partisan 50-50 tie as Senate Republicans insisted on branding Rollins as “a radical intent on dismantling the criminal justice system from the inside,” as the Boston Globe put it. GSN-The writing was already on the wall as Rittenhouse had the benefit of an overwhelmingly white Wisconsin jury, a judge who probably has his face tatted on his lower back by now and an army of right-wing pundits, politicians and MAGA-mutts rallying behind him. So it wasn’t so much the acquittal that folks was dreading as much as it was the righty-whitey fame that was sure to follow. So now, the “kill, cry and skate” poster child is making appearances on Republican link network Fox News, Donald Trump and being interviewed by conservative podcasters. In fact, just this week, Rittenhouse was featured on the You Are Here show, which airs on BlazeTV—which is basically Fox News for redneck, where he expressed his super saltiness over NBA superstar LeBron James laughing at the non-existent white tears he fake cried while taking the stand in his own defense. https://youtu.be/deAZ8_Jzcsk GSN-Rich Paul might be the most influential person in all of sports outside of Lebron James and he can’t dunk to save his life. Paul, who is a childhood friend of Lebron James, started as James’ agent in 2012, Now KLUTCH Sports represents some of the sport’s biggest names. Over the past decade, Paul has grown well from beneath the shadow of Lebron and has turned himself into a master negotiator and his bold approach has frustrated many NBA executives. During the 2018-2019 NBA season Paul made it public that his client Anthony Davis had no interest in returning to the New Orleans Pelicans. This forced the Pelicans to have to trade Davis before his contract had expired. Bold moves like these are why Paul is driving the league crazy. Recently Paul has come under scrutiny for his handling of Sixers star Ben Simmons. Simmons and Paul have both stated that Simmons wants out of Philly, but Simmons hasn’t shown up to play a game this season. Sports insiders believe Rich Paul has been behind most of the decisions coming from the Simmons camp and calculated risks are where Paul shines the most. Here are things you might not know about Rich Paul, the most powerful man in sports. Love seems to be blossoming for Adele after a years-long contentious divorce battle with her ex-husband Simon Konecki, which was finalized back in March. Romance rumors involving the crooner began to surface after she was spotted on what appeared to be a hot date with big-time sports agent Rich Paul. The Sun obtained photos of the suspected lovebirds flirting while out at New York’s posh restaurant Cipriani. A week before, Rich and Adele were caught canoodling courtside at Game 5 of the NBA Finals. GSN-Travis Scott has given his first interview since the Astroworld Festival tragedy, telling Charlamagne Tha God that he’s been on an “emotional rollercoaster” in recent days. The rapper appears quite detached in the interview and does not take responsibility for the fatalities at his hometown music festival in Houston last month. “I’ve been on different types of emotions, an emotional rollercoaster, I mean,” he said. “It gets so hard because, you know, I always feel connected with my fans. I went through something and I feel like fans went through something and people’s parents went through something. And it really hurts. It hurts the community, it hurts the city. There’s been a lot of thoughts, a lot of feelings, a lot of grieving, and just trying to wrap my head around it.” Scott has so far been named in more than 200 lawsuits related to the Astroworld tragedy that left 10 people dead and hundreds injured. Meanwhile, a $2 billion lawsuit was filed against Scott, Drake, Apple Music, Live Nation, and NRG Stadium, where the event was held, on behalf of the 282 victims who were physically or mentally impacted by the tragedy. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FS9SvGvbSgw/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Chris Cuomo has lost a book deal and severance pay from CNN after he was fired by the network on Saturday. Cuomo was canned four days after being suspended following an investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James that uncovered his efforts to help his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, respond to accusations of sexual misconduct. The sexual harassment allegations led Andrew Cuomo to resign in August. Now comes word that the news anchor has lost his book deal and severance. According to the Daily Beast, the publishing company HarperCollins will no longer be publishing Cuomo’s upcoming book “Deep Denial,” which was slated to release in the fall of 2022. A spokesperson simply said, “We do not intend to publish the book.” GSN-Wendy Williams insiders claim she is “never coming back” to resume hosting her daytime talk show. Now comes word that her health-related hiatus will extend through at least February 2022. Wendy Williams insiders claim she is “never coming back” to resume hosting her daytime talk show. Now comes word that her health-related hiatus will extend through at least February 2022. As reported by Page Six, guest hosts will continue to fill in throughout January when the show returns from its holiday hiatus. Williams is reportedly battling Graves’ disease complications, and recovering from a breakthrough case of COVID-19. She also voluntarily checked herself into Beth Israel hospital for psychiatric care. GSN-Here is an exclusive clip from three-time NBA champion and two-time MVP Stephen Curry’s upcoming new interview podcast Fifteen Minutes from Home, which debuts TODAY (Dec. 9) on Audible. The clip is from his interview with Kevin Hart who discusses the perception of Black fathers. Listen below. Per press release, Fifteen Minutes from Home, which is based on the current hit series 5 Minutes from Home on YouTube, gives listeners a disarming and intimate peek into the lives of superstars. In each episode, Curry rides home from one of his games with a celebrity or expert, seeking insights on subjects like comebacks, work-life balance and more. https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51hU9sLjBbL._SL500_.jpg GSN-Footage of a white woman accusing a Black man of stealing her phone has gone viral, but the phone was in her purse the entire time. The incident reportedly occurred at Spencer’s inside the Sunrise Mall in Sacramento, and the footage has gone viral. The clip was originally uploaded Monday by a person claiming to be the spouse of the Black man named Kinley. The video has amassed over 2.2 million views and has the caption: “Karen really pulled this at a Spencer’s. Racism alive and well.” In the video, the unnamed woman accuses the Black man of walking behind her and taking her cell phone out of her bag. “I had it, and then you walked right behind me and you took it,” she says in the video. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/12/09/4765919930880050712/1024x576_MP4_4765919930880050712.mp4 GSN-Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo is one of the world’s leading spinal and orthopedic surgeons. His specialty is treating degenerative spinal diseases, spinal deformities, and cervical, lumbar, and thoracic conditions. As head of The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care, Dr. Okubadejo has offices in Englewood and Jersey City, New Jersey, and New York City. Dr. Okubadejo, through his Institute, specializes in treating patients with herniated discs, sciatica, neck and back pain. He performs spinal fusion surgery, robotic spine surgery, laser spine surgery, and addresses issues to help patients manage pain. While Dr. Okubadejo, who is often called Dr. Bo, is a master spinal and orthopedic surgeon, he believes in the power of preventive measures that can often prevent surgery. A huge part of his preventive philosophies and strategies are rooted in core strengthening exercises. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/b5Qqu91wIg4/hqdefault.jpg Boris Johnson is poised to announce Plan B restrictions TODAY that will require Brits to work from home and use vaccine passports imminently. Experts have warned that cases of the Omicron variant could cause 1,000 hospitalizations a day by the end of the year. Government sources told The Sun that the tough measures could take effect as early as tomorrow morning. Senior Cabinet Ministers are meeting to rubber-stamp the changes that signal a fresh blow to hopes of a normal Christmas. Leaked minutes from Sage seen by the BBC show that if extra restrictions aren’t implemented, then there will be a rise in hospitalizations. At present there are around 680 people a day being admitted to hospital with the bug. Jurors in the trial of Minnesota police officer Kim Potter were shown the dramatic moment she collapsed to the ground screaming ‘I shot him, oh my god’ after she had aimed her gun instead of her taser at fleeing Daunte Wright. Prosecutors played distressing never-before-seen dash cam footage of the April 11 incident which also showed how Wright sped off in his car shortly after being shot, before coming to a stop when he hits another vehicle down the road. At the same time, the stunned former officer can be heard shouting hysterically, ‘I just shot him. I grabbed the wrong f**king gun’ immediately after firing her weapon. Potter, 49, claims she shot the 20-year-old ‘by accident’ when she reached for her gun instead of her taser during a traffic stop. Her defense in the high-profile trial is expected to lean heavily on the fact that Wright was attempting to flee when she did so. Prosecutor Erin Eldridge told jurors that Potter, who was with the police department in Brooklyn Center, a suburb of Minneapolis, betrayed her badge, her oath, and Wright when she drew her Glock 9 mm and shot him in the chest at point blank range as opening statements got underway Wednesday morning. The 39-year-old actor was pictured arriving on Wednesday surrounded by his family, who have supported him throughout. He held hands with his mother Janet and his sister Jurnee. Then they suggested that the pair wanted to scare him into thinking that he needed security, and that he’d hire them as his bodyguards. The brothers say Smollett paid them $3500 to carry out the attack so that he’d get more attention, and that he never intended for the case to be reported to police much less become a national scandal. The jury of five white men, five white women, one Hispanic woman and one black man will have to consider six counts of felony disorderly conduct. All are class four felonies, the least serious, and carry a maximum sentence of three years behind bars each, but attorneys say they don’t think it’s likely Smollett – who has no criminal record – will spend ‘a day in jail.’ The Justice Department’s decision to close its investigation of Emmett Till’s slaying all but ended the possibility of new charges in the teen’s death 66 years ago, yet agents are still probing as many as 20 other civil rights cold cases, including the police killings of 13 Black men in three Southern states decades ago. The department is reviewing the killings of six men shot by police during a racial rebellion in Augusta, Georgia, in 1970, according to the agency’s latest report to Congress. The city best known for hosting golf’s Masters Tournament had been engulfed by riots after a Black teenager was beaten to death in the county jail. The agency also is investigating the killings of seven other Black men involved in student protests in South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana during the societal upheaval of the late 1960s and early ‘70s. And investigators are looking at cases in which seven more individuals were killed, including a girl in Pennsylvania, the report showed. The Tacoma Police Department has announced that Avery Moore, former Dallas police investigations leader, will be the department’s new chief. According to Tacoma police, Moore was confirmed as the new police chief by the Tacoma City Council on Tuesday. He starts on his new role on Jan. 18, 2022. He was previously selected by Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli, and Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards confirming the selection. Moore, 55, is a 31-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. He previously served as assistant chief of police for the Investigations Bureau. He also about 700 officers in the East Patrol Bureau, worked as a SWAT commander, and the legislative affairs liaison during his tenure with the Dallas Police Department. Moore and the other finalists faced a recruitment process that involved taking questions and answers from the city council and the public. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com A white man in Tennessee has been hit with an assault charge and his mother fired from her banking job for allegedly harassing a Black man inside their apartment complex, who was actually a hired parking attendant. Johnny Martinez was checking cars parked in the River House’s garage for permits on Nov. 27, when he realized he was being watched by two people, identified as Edward Brennan and his mother, Bitsy. Martinez told the Daily Beast he worked to avoid them, but that he was eventually approached by Bitsy. “You don’t belong here,” she told him. “How did you get here?” In a video originally posted on YouTube, Martinez can be seen filming the mother and son as they question him and threaten to call the cops. Just a few seconds into the conversation, Brennan can be seen taking a swing at Martinez, knocking a bottle opener off his keychain. When Martinez went down to pick it up, he said Brennan attempted once again to hit him. The ongoing, and years-long, fight over the forthcoming Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago is heating up. Activists recently released a new set of demands for the project aimed at combating gentrification. They aren’t protesting the center itself but are working to stop development from displacing them. “We’re not against the center,” Dixon Romeo, an organizer with the Obama Community Benefits Agreement Coalition, told Insider. He added that South Shore residents were among those who sent Obama to Springfield as an Illinois senator and later the White House. “The issue is if you’re not investing in community members and the costs are going up, there’s nothing in place for folks to stay, it becomes harder for folks to live there,” he added. Even though residents of the South Shore neighborhood voted overwhelmingly for the Democrat both in 2008 and 2012, they stand to lose their homes should the project cause rents and home prices to skyrocket even further. A federal jury in Arkansas has begun deliberations in the trial of former reality TV star Josh Duggar, who is accused of receiving and possessing child pornography. The jury began its deliberations at midday Wednesday, a week after the trial began in northwest Arkansas. Duggar, 33, faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts if convicted. He was featured on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” which was pulled in 2015 over revelations that Duggar had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter. Duggar was charged in April after child pornography was discovered on a computer at his workplace. Defense attorneys for Duggar have argued that someone else downloaded or placed the child pornography onto the work computer, noting that no child pornography was found on Duggar’s phone or laptop. But federal prosecutors showed jurors detailed logs showing, minute by minute, the activity on Duggar’s computer that alternated between him sending personal messages, downloading child porn and saving pictures of notes. Duggar’s trial is happening as his father, Jim Bob Duggar, runs in a special election for a vacant state Senate seat in northwest Arkansas. Jim Bob Duggar was also featured prominently on the TLC show and previously served in the Arkansas House. Alec Baldwin whipped around and barreled toward a reporter questioning his claim that he’d never pulled the trigger of the gun that shot dead Halyna Hutchins before he skulked into Woody Allen’s Upper East Side townhouse on Monday night. ‘You’re not allowed to photograph onto someone’s private home,’ Baldwin shouted at New York Post reporter Jon Levine, gesturing with the umbrella gripped tightly in his hand and sending Levine backing up onto the sidewalk. ‘Did you really not pull the trigger? Do you believe it went off without you pulling the trigger? Was it a malfunction?’ Levine asked as the door closed behind the Baldwins. Steve Harvey is back to host the Miss Universe 2021 competition — but this time, he’ll be sharing the moment with his daughter Lori Harvey. The Family Feud star, 64, will be joined this year by his 24-year-old daughter, who will be a part of Miss Universe selection committee, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal. The selection committee will also include supermodel Adriana Lima, Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere, actresses Urvashi Rautela, Marian Rivera, Adamari López, as well as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Rena Sofer. “This is my sixth time hosting the Miss Universe competition and it is always a highlight of my year. Each show I’m in awe of the smart, fiery, and talented women who take the stage,” Steve tells PEOPLE. “I continue to champion this show and participate, not only as a host but as a producer, to show the world what you can do, if you put your mind to it.” “I’m so blessed I get to share this experience with my own daughter this year, who embodies that ideal every day,” he adds. CLEO TV will air a new episode of CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Wednesday, December 8 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sV6hHYk_YE Season three of the popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN continues with an all-new episode this Wednesday, December 8 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells returns to prepare even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foj1mGEtPcE Lifetime unveils airdates for two new suspense-filled original movies— Safe Room and Vanished: Searching For My Sister—scheduled to premiere on back to back weekends in January 2022. Marking his directorial debut, Boris Kodjoe directs real-life wife Nicole Ari Parker (Chicago P.D., Empire), Drea de Matteo (The Sopranos), Nik Sanchez (The Rookie) and Mackenzie Astin (The Magicians) in the home invasion movie Safe Room (formerly known as Safe Space), premiering Saturday, January 15th at 8p/7c. The Lifetime thriller, Safe Room, centers on recently widowed Lila Jackson (Nicole Ari Parker) and her 14-year-old autistic son Ian (Nik Sanchez). Since the death of her husband, Lila is grateful for their kind neighbor Neil (Boris Kodjoe), who looks out for them. After Ian accidentally witnesses a break-in in the house across the street and records the horrific murder of the homeowner, Lila becomes embroiled in a deadly struggle to protect her son from intruders Dominic (Mackenzie Astin) and Rocco (Drea De Matteo), who will stop at nothing to retrieve the video evidence of the crime and silence them. Hiding and trapped in a makeshift panic room created by her late husband, Lila and Ian must use all of their strength and intelligence to outsmart the intruders to save themselves. The chills and thrills continue with the story of a sister who poses as her missing twin in Vanished: Searching For My Sister, starring Tatyana Ali (Love That Girl) playing both twins, Justin Bruening (Sweet Magnolias) and Jasmine Guy (Grey’s Anatomy). Vanished: Searching For My Sister premieres on Saturday, January 22nd at 8p/7c. Twins Jada and Kayla (both played by Tatyana Ali) could not be more opposite: Jada being the mild-mannered sister with an office job, and Kayla the wild child. Recently divorced from her husband Warren (Justin Bruening), Kayla asks Jada to watch her daughter while she sets up her new apartment. But after a few days with no word from Kayla, Jada begins to worry and reports her sister missing. With no leads and the police investigation at a standstill, Jada takes matters into her own hands. She disguises herself as her sister and gets pulled into a world of drugs and deceit in order to learn the shocking truth about what really happened to Kayla. Vanished: Searching for My Sister also stars Jasmine Guy, Carolyn Hennesy and Anthony “Treach” Criss. Something glorious is happening in New York City this holiday season! On December 20-22, Times Square Church will host “Christmas On Broadway” with gospel music legend CeCe Winans and an extraordinary lineup of singers and musicians. Winans, whose latest Christmas album is entitled Something’s Happening!, is a 12-time Grammy Award winner and one of today’s most accomplished and celebrated artists. At Times Square Church, she will headline three free-admission concerts filled with hope, joy, and the spirit of Christmas as the Gospel message comes alive at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on 51st and Broadway. Times Square Church will host Christmas On Broadway on December 20, 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. each evening. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Gospel music legend, John P. Kee, will drop a one-song, 16-track holiday album entitled, “No Christmas Without You” (Kee Music Group / Tycsot), on all digital music platforms on December 10th. This one-of-a-kind rarity is comprised of sixteen unique versions of the feel-good yuletide track that was written and produced by Kee, a gold-selling artist known for gospel standards such as “Show Up!,” “Standing in the Need,” and “Jesus is Real,” among many others. Each of the renditions of the song is distinct in some manner. The first version is a We-Are-the-World kind of affair featuring The Family which is comprised of most of the artists who also perform individually on the album. The next version is John P. Kee himself, turning in a warm, contemporary R&B-flavored track about enjoying the holiday with loved ones. There are other solo versions by gospel heavyweights such as Kim Burrell, Gene Moore, and Jason Nelson. https://smarturl.it/dn4moc Gospel Artist Gene Hoskins Spreads Hope & Joy With Video For Single “Make It With Jesus” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb0ghC6GNV8 Kanye West and Drake will be performing together for the first time in over 5 years this Thursday in Los Angeles. Ye has joined forced with Amazon Music to bring his prison reform benefit concert to Prime Video in an effort to raise awareness about the Larry Hoover case. The Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert will go down at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Dec. 9, and will feature Drake. Per press release, Kanye has dedicated the benefit concert to raising awareness of the need for prison and sentencing reform, and supporting legal reform and community advocates including Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, Hustle 2.0 and Uptown People’s Law Center. Vanessa Bryant says she’ll forever live in fear that photos of her late husband Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna, will go viral. Kobe, Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash last year in California. Vanessa Bryant filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and its deputies, accusing them of sharing images of the crash site with people who were not involved in the case. Her suit is seeking damages for negligence, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. James Crumble purchased the 9mm Sig Sauer piston for his son, and didn’t secure it as the law – or common sense – would dictate. James and his wife, Jennifer, are the same parents who either allowed their 15 year-old son to take the gun to school, and didn’t alert school administrators who expressed well-placed concerns to the Crumbleys about their son’s state of mind BEFORE the shooting. Or these parents didn’t care enough to be concerned if their son had a gun in his book bag. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/v0lf-SQZrHo/hqdefault.jpg Kamala Harris staffers are said to be exiting the White House due to burnout, more lucrative job opportunities, and apprehension to being labeled a “Harris person,” according to an Axios report. In November, Ashley Etienne, vice president’s communications director, announced she was leaving to pursue “other opportunities.” Earlier this month, Symone Sanders, the chief spokesperson for Kamala Harris, submitted her resignation. Sanders announced her exit in a letter to her colleagues following rumors of a toxic work environment in Harris’ office. The end of December is the period that Sanders, who is also Harris’ senior adviser, has announced that she will leave the White House. In November, Ashley Etienne, vice president’s communications director, announced she was leaving to pursue “other opportunities.” Earlier this month, Symone Sanders, the chief spokesperson for Kamala Harris, submitted her resignation. Sanders announced her exit in a letter to her colleagues following rumors of a toxic work environment in Harris’ office. The end of December is the period that Sanders, who is also Harris’ senior adviser, has announced that she will leave the White House. CNN is facing calls to fire Don Lemon after Jussie Smollett testified that the CNN anchor warned him via a text message that Chicago police didn’t believe he was the victim of a hate crime. The case is all about Smollett being accused of lying to police about being the victim of an attack in Jan. 2019. At the time, Smollett said that two men yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, kicked him, poured bleach on him, put a noose around his neck, and told him, “This is MAGA country.” Smollett originally told police he was attacked by two white supremacists. He later claimed he was attacked by Nigerian brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo. The Avant and Sarandos Families have issued a joint statement about the loss of Jacqueline Avant and how you can help donate to one of her beloved projects, the MLK Children’s Center in Watts with the establishment of the Jacqueline Avant Memorial Fund. he entire Avant and Sarandos families wish to thank you for the heartfelt condolences over the loss of our beloved Jacquie. We feel incredibly blessed to have received the support, kindness and prayers over the last week. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com On this day, December 7, in 1941, Doris “Dorie” Miller defends U.S. ships during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was the first black American to be awarded the Navy Cross, the highest decoration for valor in combat after the Medal of Honor. Less than a month before his twentieth birthday, Miller enlisted in the United States Navy. Following boot camp training in Norfolk, Virginia, he was assigned to the USS West Virginia as a messman, an enlisted man on temporary duty in the sailors’ or officers’ dining quarters who serves food, clears the tables and other duties. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Miller was doing laundry below decks. During the attack, he helped several sailors who were wounded, and while manning an anti-aircraft machine gun for which he had no training, he shot down several Japanese planes. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JI1HD_u97Gs/hqdefault.jpg 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of Oprah’s Favorite Things and Gayle King, co-host of “CBS Mornings” and editor-at-large of Oprah Daily and Adam Glassman, creative director of Oprah Daily conducted a nationwide media tour to discuss highlights from this year’s list. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5zdxoXdJxYg/hqdefault.jpg Tyra Banks could be replaced as host of “Dancing with the Stars” next year. As reported by The Sun, “In light of the past season’s low ratings, DWTS will not return to its twice annual broadcast next year,” the outlet writes, noting that Banks’ future with the show is uncertain. The source claimed senior executives within the BBC Studios LA have been tasked with finding “at least one or ideally two major household names that fascinate fans.” Their brief is to “think big” and lure “an Oscar, Emmy or Grammy winning star, who will make headlines on and off screen.” Per the report, one insider said, “the network sees ratings, not page impressions, as the cornerstone of their business.” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com The kid whose side-eye at a Popeye’s became a meme is now a New Jersey high school star offensive lineman whose team just won the state championship. The original video in 2013 showed Dieunerst Collin being mistaken for another viral star known as Lil Terio. His reaction to the mistaken identity was captured on camera and went viral on Vine, amassing over 19 million views. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/N3XQFKIYO9Y/hqdefault.jpg Kyle Rittenhouse appeared on The BlazeTV’s “You Are Here” show Monday and briefly shared how he feels about NBA star LeBron James, who was vocal about his trial. “I liked LeBron,” the Kenosha shooter said Monday. “And, then I’m like, ‘You know what, f*** you, LeBron’” he told the hosts. A middle school teacher in Fresno, California has gone viral after video of him surfaced dancing to “You’re a Jerk,” surrounded by a gaggle of impressed students. A middle school teacher in Fresno, California has gone viral after video of him surfaced dancing to “You’re a Jerk,” surrounded by a gaggle of impressed students. https://www.tiktok.com/@tenayas_msjenny/video/7038082339087338798?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F&referer_video_id=7038082339087338798&refer=embed BET+, the leading streaming service for the Black community, announced today the series leads and cast for the upcoming KINGDOM BUSINESS – an eight-episode series that will take viewers behind the scenes and into the world of the gospel music industry, one that is as complex and riddled with conflict, money, and fame as it is with faith. The series will be led by Yolanda Adams as the reigning “Queen of Gospel” Denita Jordan and Serayah as Rbel, a talented up-and-coming gospel star with a troubled past who threatens Denita’s crown. Both Adams and Serayah will accompany their leading roles with equally powerful musical performances. HBO’s new dramedy “The Sex Live of College Girls” premiered on Nov. 18 and the series has already been renewed for a second season. Per TheWrap, the comedy, created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, follows four college roommates as they arrive at New England’s prestigious Essex College. Check out the rest of our conversation with Lauren Spencer. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XHGfPt7Yrz8/hqdefault.jpg The legendary life of Academy Award-winning actor, filmmaker, activist and human-rights trailblazer Sidney Poitier set to be a new Broadway play produced by Ron Gillyard (Born for This, Mr. Soul); Poitier’s daughter, filmmaker Anika Poitier; and Barry Krost. Chosen by the Poitier family, Charles Randolph-Wright (author of Blue, director of Roundabout Theatre Company’s critically acclaimed revival of Alice Childress’ Trouble in Mind, and the upcoming American Prophet: Frederick Douglass In His Own Words) has penned SIDNEY, based on Poitier’s best-selling autobiography The Measure of a Man. The family has also selected Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson (author, director and star of Lackawanna Blues, director of the Tony-winning Broadway premiere of August Wilson’s Jitney, director of the upcoming Broadway premiere of Dominique Morisseau’s Skeleton Crew) to direct. Travis Scott has responded to the slew of lawsuits that name him as a defendant regarding last month’s Astroworld music festival that left 10 people dead and hundreds injured. On Monday, Scott’s attorneys filed a response to 11 lawsuits. PEOPLE obtained six of the responses, “each of which was nearly identical,” the outlet writes. Per the report, in the filings, Scott (legal name Jacques B. Webster II )— and his company, company Cactus Jack Records, LLC, “generally deny the allegations” made in the lawsuits, and “respectfully request that the claims against these Defendants be dismissed with prejudice,” the response read. “And that these Defendants be granted such other and further relief, both at law and in equity, to which they are entitled.” Scott, 30, has so far been named in more than 200 lawsuits related to the Astroworld tragedy. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2iYf8fJNlNU/hqdefault.jpg Nick Cannon announced Tuesday that his 5-month-old son Zen died of a brain tumor over the weekend. The 41-year-old TV host made the tragic announcement on “The Nick Cannon Show.” Zen was Cannon’s seventh and youngest child, born in June with Alyssa Scott. “Over the weekend I lost my youngest son to a condition called hydrocephalus that is pretty much a malignant, midline brain tumor — brain cancer,” Cannon said. Hydrocephalus is characterized by an abnormal increase in the amount of fluid on the brain. Cannon broke down in tears as he explained his son’s medical condition. https://youtu.be/2JcCc7ZivXY Jussie Smollett said that he put the noose that had been placed on his neck back on before calling police because his manager told him ‘you can’t be f—–g with evidence’ on cross-examination at his trial in Chicago Monday. The actor took the stand for three and a half hours of direct examination from attorney Nenye Uche’s team at Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago Monday. Smollett admitted to hooking up at a gay bathhouse with one of the two brothers involved in attacking him but said ‘there was no hoax’ – as the fired Empire actor testified Monday in his trial for lying to police about being the victim of a hate crime. He was then questioned for the remainder of the day by special prosecutor Dan Webb on cross-examination. Smollett did testify on direct that he and Abimbola Osundairo had been to gay bathhouses together where they had done drugs and ‘masturbated together’ in a private room. The actor’s attorneys have claimed that it was a ‘real’ attack and that Osundairo and his brother, Olabinjio, made up the story about a hoax then asked Smollett for $1 million each to not testify against him at trial. A lifelong ‘best friend’ of the Duggar family broke down in court today as she described how Josh Duggar confessed in his teens to molesting four of his sisters during Bible time and while they slept. Bobye Holt (pictured right with her husband) told the disgraced reality star’s child pornography trial how Jim Bob Duggar asked her and her husband Jim Holt, a former Arkansas state senator, to urgently come over to their house on March 30, 2003. After they arrived, Duggar, who was 15 at the time, proceeded to tell the stunned Holts that he had sexually assaulted one of his sisters, referred to only as Jane Doe 4, earlier that day. ‘He had Jane Doe 4 on his lap during Bible time and he touched her private area, her breast area and her bottom area,’ said Holt, adding that the sister in question was five when the abuse happened. ‘He ended up confessing that, on and off, since he was 12 years old, he would touch Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3. He said he touched their breast area, their private area, on top of their clothes, sometimes under, when they were sleeping.’ In the aftermath of ProPublica’s investigation into the juvenile justice system in Rutherford County, Tennessee, things have begun to fall apart for Judge Donna Davenport. The investigation shined a light on Davenport’s 2016 policy that all children charged with crimes be processed at the local detention center. Since the article was published, several state lawmakers have called out the judge for her policy. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund has called for a federal civil rights investigation and Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) has cut ties with the judge who was an adjunct professor. Under Davenport’s filter system, police would bring children they arrested, typically after a school fight or if a child was found to be a truant, straight to jail, where staff decided whether or not to detain them until their detention hearing, which could take days. AT&T is celebrating the top 25 honorees from its inaugural Dream in Black Rising Future Makers class which recognizes students currently attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are making a positive impact within their communities and campuses. This initiative continues AT&T’s ongoing commitment to empower future leaders and dedicate resources toward initiatives that foster economic growth and innovation within this educational community. This program is an extension of AT&T’s Dream in Black Future Maker program – an annual selection of leaders, innovators and activists who are dreaming big and making a difference. The selected honorees hail from colleges and universities such as Howard University and North Carolina A&T who aspire to become future professionals such as state senators, news reporters, entrepreneurs or to complete their education with PhD degrees. These students were selected for not only their previously notable accomplishments but also their planned future endeavors A Tennessee teacher was fired last school year for teaching his students that white privilege is real, not a theory. Matthew Hawn, a high school teacher in Sullivan County, Tenn., was accused of being insubordinate and unprofessional for the way he engaged with students about America’s racist past. Hawn reportedly taught a contemporary issues class at Sullivan Central High School for more than a decade. More than 94 percent of students in the district are white. Hawn allegedly violated the teacher code of ethics when he failed to provide students with “varying viewpoints” about the existence of white privilege during lessons on police brutality and white supremacy. Hawn, who was tenured, was fired amid conservative outrage about critical race theory. In May, the same month he was terminated, the Tennessee legislature passed a law banning CTR from its schools. https://t.co/HPZrZUNuTw?amp=1 Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo is set to sue the network over his reported contract worth $18 million. Cuomo, 51, is preparing to take legal action if CNN fails to pay the remainder of the four-year contract he signed last year. Per New York Post, “his contract was reportedly worth $6 million annually, leaving between $18 million and $20 million that he would be owed, sources said,” the outlet writes. Cuomo is also likely to seek damages. But CNN has “no intention of paying [Chris] Cuomo a penny,” an insider said. “If he gets a settlement, there would be uproar,” the source added. GSN-Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has apologized on behalf of the state for the government-operated indigenous schools that aimed to assimilate Native American children into white society. NPR writes: “The Stewart School in Carson City is among more than 350 residential schools that the U.S. Interior Department plans to examine as part of the Federal Boarding School Initiative Review, which includes an investigation into student deaths and known and possible burial sites.” The report goes on to state: “Native children as young as 4 were forcibly taken from their families and sent to off-reservation boarding schools. Their hair was cut. They were converted to Christianity. And they were prohibited from speaking their native languages. They were often subjected to military-style discipline and, until reforms in the mid-20th century, curriculums focused heavily on vocational skills and, for girls, homemaking.” The state is cooperating with a federal investigation into the Stewart Indian School located near Carson City, per the report. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gRNcCCgnauI/hqdefault.jpg Faith Evans wants a judge to shut down Stevie J’s request that she pay him spousal support. According to court documents obtained by Radar, on December 3, Faith filed her response and is demanding the request be denied by the court. She also wants “all property acquired prior to marriage, by gift, inheritance, or devise, and after the date of separation” to be awarded to her. Faith claims she and Stevie split on May 29, 2020, and there doesn’t appear to be a prenuptial agreement in place. Stevie J wrote in the filing: “The true nature and extent of the community/quasi-community assets and debts are unknown at this time.” A few months back the couple Miguel and wife Nazanin Mandi were done, so to speak, but it looks like they are back together. It seems the two were spotted having a nice romantic dinner at Bavel in Downtown Los Angeles in the Arts District. “Miguel at Bavel. Sharing same side of booth with his on-again wife. Not gonna lie, was disappointed to see he was a booth sharer,” the envious source told Deuxmoi. The dinner comes only a week or so after Nazanin posted a video on her Instagram Story showing Miguel accompanying her to get Lasik surgery on her eyes. https://www.instagram.com/p/CW7V_TtFzHF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Alphonso “Tucky” Blunt, owner of a marijuana product store in Oakland called Blunts and Moore, says his business is located in the same zip code where he was arrested for selling weed illegally in 2004. Now that he is legit in the business – he opened his store in a little over three years ago– Blunt says it is nearly impossible for Black and other minority-owned cannabis startups like his to make a profit in California. “Where’s the tradeoff? I’ve been in the business for a few years and I’m still in the red. California has one of the highest tax rates on cannabis businesses anywhere. Oakland is in the top four of anywhere in the country,” said Blunt. “We also pay the most for armed guards. It costs like $25 to $30 per hour. The city requires us to have them – unlike Berkeley where they are not required. But police respond faster there.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_H2Ew_aPkhU/hqdefault.jpg Smooth jazz saxophonist, flutist, singer, composer, arranger, and recording artist Johnny “Dr. J” James has an extra pep in his step and glide to his stride. After all, he’s celebrating the high positioning of his latest single, Slippin’ (Nigel Lowis Stepper’s Mix). https://i.ytimg.com/vi/F0vhnwyPrvU/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Just in time for the holidays, Stellar TV announces the airing of its holiday special, "Stellar Tribute to the Holidays," proudly presented by Verizon. Returning host Jekalyn Carr celebrates the magic of the season with heartwarming holiday memories and jovial performances. Among them, Kierra Sheard Kelly soulfully belts out 'O Come O Come Emanuel,' Mali Music brings a fresh take to "Little Drummer Boy," Charles Jenkins introduces his original holidays songs 'Christmas Music' and 'Christmas Hop,' and Natalie Grant is going to bring some 'Joy to the World' with her performance. Kelontae Gavin will bring a youthful vibe to Donny Hathaway's 'This Christmas' and Evvie McKinney offers a hype new twist to 'Go Tell It on the Mountain.' Leon Timbo embodies his gospel roots with classics 'Angels We Have Heard on High' and 'O Holy Night.' Take Six Member, Mark Kibble, presents his solo original 'Christmas Here.' And former Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir member turned group leader, Brandon Camphor joins with OneWay in debuting their latest holiday offerings 'Happy Birthday Jesus' and 'Christmas Joy.' Jekalyn Carr rounds out this jam-packed holiday special with her rendition of Whitney Houston's masterpiece 'Who Would Imagine a King.' The Stellar Tribute to the Holidays is currently airing in national broadcast syndication until December 31. Bounce TV will air the special on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25 at 1PM EST. To find the local airdate and time in your city, visit www.stellarawards.com. Music and brand strategy company Creative Classic Agency (CCA) celebrates this Christmas season with the release of holiday single “Oh Holy Night” through the newly launched All God Music brand. The ASCAP and BMI Award- winning creative agency partners with Indieblu/MNRK Music Group for distribution on their inaugural release. “Oh Holy Night” is produced by ASCAP Award-winning songwriter and publisher Marcus Calyen for Mamie & Marcus Productions (“You Just Don’t Know”-Zacardi Cortez) and features select vocalists from the CCA all-star roster; Zacardi Cortez, Will McMillan, Shenell Dixon, Wess Morgan, Cardell Booker and Kierre Bjorn. The visual for the advent single is directed by CCA’s principle Nicole Heyward and edited by D. Smith of Atmosphere Productions; it will premiere on the MNRK Music Group Youtube Platform. Last night in Atlanta, IMDb TV hosted an exclusive Season 2 premiere event for “UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers.” Held at The Wxllxm Culture Center and co-hosted by V103 Atlanta Radio personality Ms. Basketball and HBCUBuzz host Juice On Da Loose, guests were immersed into a bespoke basketball experience including concession stand inspired treats, locker room photo booths, NBA gaming station, and even sat on bleachers while enjoying season two’s premiere episode. , provided sounds for the premiere event. “UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers” is available December 17, exclusively on IMDb TV, Amazon's free streaming service. Special guests in attendance included: Swae Lee, Mike Will Made It, Southside, Metro Boomin, J King, Cam Kirk, Damez, Dawn Halfkenny, Corey "Mr. Hanky" Dennard and Rueben Wood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3CMN8LXh1A The second season of “Games People Play” kicked off on Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. After a major gaffe on live TV, Kareem faces backlash and must make amends. As MJ gets a larger peek behind the mysterious curtain, Nia spots flags that are deeper than red. During all this, the Vipers must band together for the game of their lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8BYVA6kn30&feature=youtu.be The CEO of a mortgage servicing company, who said he needed to shed 15 percent of his workforce, has gone viral over the way he did it … by firing some 900 of his employees all at once via Zoom. The CEO of a mortgage servicing company, who said he needed to shed 15 percent of his workforce, has gone viral over the way he did it … by firing some 900 of his employees all at once via Zoom. https://youtu.be/gpjqbvLkPUw Lil Wayne is reportedly being investigated for allegedly pulling an AR-15 on one of his own security guards. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … one of the rapper’s guards told cops he and Wayne got into a fight at Weezy’s Hidden Hills, CA home, and cops say they were told the altercation escalated to physical violence and a brandished firearm. We’re told the guard claims Wayne told him to get outta the house after the initial dispute, but the guard went to the bathroom first and he claims that’s when Wayne dramatically escalated things. Per the report, Wayne denies the incident even happened and an insider tells TMZ that the rapper doesn’t have a gun. DaBaby can now put his Las Vegas battery case behind him since it has officially been dismissed. The misdemeanor battery charge was dismissed with prejudice meaning the case is over and done, and can’t be refiled, online court records show. The Clark County District Attorney’s Office also explained to TMZ that the charges were dismissed because DaBaby satisfied everything prosecutors asked him to do in order to resolve the case; he paid the alleged victim $7,500 and stayed “out of trouble.” The folks that brought you live remakes of “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons” are back to do the same tonight with “Diff’rent Strokes” and “Facts of Life.” ABC’s “Live in Front of a Studio Audience,” produced by Jimmy Kimmel and Norman Lear, sees classic sitcoms get recreated for one night only with superstars taking on the roles. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Xgw-l82P0Tg/hqdefault.jpg Cardi B was headed inside popular hotspot E11EVEN in Miami over the weekend when a group of Black women insisted that they were being denied entry, so the rapper intervened. In the viral videos, the women explain that the bouncers only allowed white women inside. In response, Cardi demanded that they also “let the Black women in here.” “Let the Black women in here… Security, let them in,” Cardi B is heard saying, with her husband, rapper Offset, also seen entering the nightclub with her. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXG6s2JlzjF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Civil rights activist Shaun King has turned to the public for prayers for his teen daughter who was recently hit by a car while in New York. In an emotional Instagram post on Dec. 5, King said his daughter Kendi, a 19-year-old NYU student, “had suffered a brain injury” along with “several serious head and body injuries” from the incident. “I’ve been here in the ICU with her since yesterday morning,” King continued. “We have every reason to believe she will recover and she is receiving excellent medical care. The doctors and nurses and staff have been so kind and so thorough.” King asked his fans and followers to pray for his daughter and wife who is struggling to cope following the accident. Nichelle Nichols, best known as Nyota Uhuraone on the original “Star Trek” series, made her final convention appearance at L.A. Comic-Con over the weekend. As reported by PEOPLE, the “iconic actress, singer and dancer signed autographs, posed for photos and attended an early birthday celebration,” the outlet writes, as she turns 89 on Dec. 28. Per the report, several panels paid tribute to Nichols, who did not make any public statements. Nichols was diagnosed with dementia in 2018 and has since been at the center of a conservatorship battle with her son, Kyle Johnson. One of Nichol’s friends filed docs last year opposing Johnson’s conservatorship. The friend claims he’s merely out for his mother’s money, and questioned the dementia diagnosis. Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz promised fireworks during Sunday’s clash for Davis’ WBA “regular” 135-pound title, and the two combatants delivered an explosive and breathtaking toe-to-toe battle for 12 action-packed rounds. Davis (26–0, 24 KOs) didn’t earn his 17th straight knockout, but he gutted out victory over the steel-chinned Cruz (22–2–1, 15 KOs) of Mexico City in the most difficult fight of his career to retain his crown by narrow unanimous decision (115–113 twice, 116–112). En route to victory, Davis had to overcome a left-hand injury suffered during training that was aggravated in the fight’s sixth round before nabbing a victory in front of a sold-out crowd of 15,850 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. A Black Bay Area couple whose home was undervalued by a white appraiser is now taking legal action claiming discrimination. Paul and Tenisha Tate Austin said they spent about $400,000 to renovate the 1960s-built home that they purchased in 2016. After the major modifications, they had the house appraised and were stunned by the valuation. “I read the appraisal, I looked at the number I was like, ‘This is unbelievable’,” Tenisha Austin told ABC7. The Austin’s believe their race played a factor in the appraisal. The appraiser – an older White woman named Janette Miller of Miller & Perotti appraisers.– used coded language including “Marin City is a distinct area” in her estimate, according to the report. She valued the couple’s home at $989,000, which was only $100,000 more than the previous estimate the couple received before their massive renovations. “It was a slap in the face,” Austin said. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cI48hPRDaYo/hqdefault.jpg A defense attorney for Jussie Smollett called for a mistrial Thursday and accused the judge presiding over the case of lunging at her during a sidebar. “Judge, you physically moved towards me,” Tamara Walker told Cook County Judge James Linn during the trial Thursday, the Chicago Tribune reports. The incident occurred during a sidebar when the defense asked Linn for a mistrial after he described the cross-examination as “collateral.” “As soon as I made the motion, Judge Linn reacted with shock and seemed to become upset, and at that moment had a reaction to physically move toward me with the upper portion of his body,” Walker told the Tribune. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3OWwWlYU5Xw/hqdefault.jpg Janet Hubert, affectionally known as the original #AuntViv from the hit sitcom, ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’ shared that she was hospitalized. Though she didn’t give a reason, Hubert did go into detail about anger and what it can do to someone. Posting a picture from the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ reunion that happened last year, Hubert expressed that holding on to anger would eat you alive. She also addressed Will Smith and told him that she loved him. Her caption read, “Don’t waste precious time people in anger. Yes people will do you wrong and you must fight for truth no matter how long, and IF you can get the TRUTH you seek…find love again as we have.” Hubert continued, “Life is too short as I am in hospital as I write this to all of you. Holding onto anger will eat you alive. But truth at any cost[.]” Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday single “All I Want for Christmas Is You” received the Recording Industry Association of America Diamond Award on Friday, making it the first holiday song to receive the award. “The continued love for my song never ceases to amaze me and fill my heart with a multitude of emotions,” the ‘Queen of Christmas’ said in a press release. “It blows my mind that ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ has endured different eras of the music industry. The RIAA DIAMOND award?! Wowww! I’m so fortunate to have the greatest fans on Earth, my Lambily, who continue to support my legacy. I love you.” https://www.instagram.com/mariahcarey/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=08a8fb6a-3d52-40dd-b93e-2939cde3730c Singer Syleena Johnson is bringing TV One cameras along as she continues to navigate through life and the entertainment industry in the new reality series, “One Stage To The Next,” set to premiere on Tuesday, December 14th with back-to-back episodes at 10/9C. The Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, talk show host and author has recently entered the world of fitness competition. The docuseries will show her struggles in the new athletic field as she fights to lose 60 pounds, while simultaneously maintaining her nonstop music career. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/t600SR_DRfY/hqdefault.jpg Chicken tenders now join the growing list of items that have become scarce or more expensive amid the holidays. As reported by Today.com, “Chicken tenders, which are the smaller fillet of a whole chicken breast, require more processing to package and sell than chicken nuggets, which are made of scrap meat from the whole bird. That is why tenders can be harder to find or more costly, according to industry experts,” the outlet writes. The article goes on to note that major chains like Kentucky Fried Chicken and A&W have omitted chicken tenders from marketing campaigns to avoid selling out of them. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-de4Yuom4o4/hqdefault.jp Now you and anyone else can learn from seven of the country’s most preeminent Black history college professors and thought leaders, thanks to the app, MasterClass. Now you and anyone else can learn from seven of the country’s most preeminent Black history college professors and thought leaders, thanks to the app, MasterClass. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eyDIVnzep10/hqdefault.jpg Since he arrived to the NBA as the No. 1 pick in 2017 for the Philadelphia 76ers, there has been so much misreported about Markelle Fultz. Fultz went through two tumultuous years of misinformation by the media and fans, conspiracy theories, unfounded rumors, criticisms and internet jokes, and he was labeled a bust by people who are paid a king’s ransom on ESPN — namely Stephen A. Smith, who called Fultz “the biggest bust in NBA history.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JjKMviYPcPc/hqdefault.jpg A Ghanaian actress will go to prison (for 90 days) for taking a nude photo with her son on his 7th birthday, according to reports. After her appeal was denied Wednesday, Rosemond Brown — known as Akuapem Poloo — shared a post on Instagram: “SON I LOVE YOU AND GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS YOU KNOW … BE GOOD TILL MUMMY COMES BACK …GOD IS IN CONTROL ALWAYS.” “The court is bothered with posting nude photos on social media. There is no doubt that apart from the canker of rape, defilement, physical assault, the publication of obscene materials is on the increase,” Judge Christiana Cann ruled in April, according to the agency Newsflash. “A harsh sentence will serve as a deterrent.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXHy-UNvFFP/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e7d397fc-9992-483f-9c5e-2cd0d7ff30c6 Adele announces WEEKENDS WITH ADELE, an exclusive residency in the Colosseum of Las Vegas’ famed Caesars Palace Hotel beginning Friday January 21, 2022. The global superstar will perform two shows each weekend through Saturday April 16, 2022 This announcement comes on the heels of Adele recently releasing her fourth studio album 30 on Columbia Records. The album is being heralded by fans and critics alike as Adele’s boldest and most ambitious album yet. 30 debuted at #1 on album charts in 30 countries and is already one of the biggest selling albums of 2021. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U3ASj1L6_sY/hqdefault.jpg Netflix has committed to addressing systemic racism inherent in banking by moving 2 percent of its cash holdings into banks and credit unions that support Black communities, according to a statement released by the company. The streaming production company/network has spread the funds through six banks: Hope Credit Union, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), The Change Company, Enterprise Community Impact Note, OneUnited Bank and Calvert Impact Capital’s Community Investment Note. The aim is to make sure more home and business loans are distributed throughout the African American community. Listen, this country owes a lot to Black women. From being the backbone of the Black Panthers, to swaying major elections, to carrying corporate America, the needle doesn’t move without our endless contributions. Although there are far fewer bronze statues and park monuments in our honor, one St. Louis based arts institution aims to change that. The Griot Museum of Black History is one of ten recent recipients of the The Monument Lab Re:Generation grant. The $1M award, distributed evenly across the cohort of grantees, is a part of the Philadelphia-based nonprofit’s initiative to reimagine history through the installation of public monuments across the country. According to the website, “The participants were selected through a far-reaching open call conducted earlier in 2021, which brought in hundreds of applications from every state, most territories, and numerous tribal communities.” In a project known as the “Black HerStory Initiative”, Lois Conley, founder and executive director of The Griot, intends to collaborate with artists and activists throughout the city to create awareness around the role Black women have played in the region. In Greenville, Miss., pop. 27,000, a modern, brightly lit juice bar stands out in the small downtown lined with mostly mom and pop businesses and a few taverns near the town’s riverbank casino. The chorus of friendly, neighborly hellos is a customer favorite, but what’s really turning heads is the owner of Kay’s Kute Fruit, 30 year-old Kenesha Lewis. “I’m really excited for the young people to walk in, and they say, who’s the owner, and they’re like, what? I had somebody do that to me,” Lewis says laughing. Growing up here, she can’t recall any prominent Black-owned businesses like hers (today the town is about 81% Black). She and her husband Jason Lewis opened up this brick-and-mortar last Spring after a few years of making edible fruit arrangements and smoothies and selling them out of their home on the side of their regular jobs. “Being a young woman here in the Delta, it’s not a lot of health options,” Kenesha says. “It’s not a lot of places you can go and get a healthy wrap and then you can go in the same place and have nice service.” A Black man whose fate was decided by an all-white jury who deliberated in a room containing Confederate symbols will receive a new trial after a Tennessee's Criminal Appeals Court ruling. Tim Gilbert was sentenced in June 2020 to six years in prison for aggravated assault and other charges connected with a 2018 altercation. But Gilbert and his attorney argued the symbols on display at the Giles County courthouse, the jury's racial makeup and specific evidence allowed, violated his right to a fair trial. Unbeknownst to Gilbert or his attorney at the time of the trial, the jury considered whether Gilbert was innocent or guilty in a room where an antique Confederate flag and a portrait of Confederate President Jefferson Davis hung. The average rate of alumni giving at the nation’s 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has hovered around 10% for the past few decades, with private HBCUs having slightly higher rates of giving than their public counterparts. However, some HBCUs have alumni giving rates that any college in the country would covet. Claflin University, in Orangeburg, South Carolina, for example, has an alumni giving rate of nearly 48%. Spelman College, in Atlanta, Georgia, and Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina — institutions that educate Black women — both boast a nearly 39% alumni giving rate. These three small colleges work hard to instill a culture of giving from the first day students arrive on campus, resulting in committed alumni and ample giving. Recognizing that HBCU alumni might give more if giving was easier, Howard University alumnus Dominique King founded I Heart My HBCU, a mobile app that allows people to donate their spare change to HBCUs. The app works like other spare change technology — allowing users to round up their credit and debit card purchases and donate to five of their favorite HBCUs. Users can also make monthly or one-time donations to HBCUs using the app. Negro League baseball players Buck O’Neil and Bud Fowler were elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. They were two of seven Negro League and pre-Negro League players who were being considered Sunday for induction into the Hall of Fame. O’Neil and Fowler join four other candidates — Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso and Tony Oliva — as part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2022. The six players will officially be inducted in Cooperstown, New York, on July 24, 2022, according to the Hall of Fame website. O’Neil, who was known as an ambassador for baseball, played 10 seasons with the Memphis Red Sox and Kansas City Monarchs, according to the Hall of Fame. After his playing career, O’Neil became a scout for the Chicago Cubs and would go on to become the first Black coach in American League or National League history with Chicago. O’Neil, who died in 2006, also helped found the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit collapsed and died after a workout Monday at Santa Anita. The 3-year-old colt trained by Bob Baffert had just completed five furlongs in his second workout since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic a month ago at Del Mar, according to Craig Robertson, Baffert’s attorney. Baffert said in a statement that the horse suffered a heart attack. “My entire barn is devastated by this news,” Baffert said. “Medina Spirit was a great champion, a member of our family who was loved by all, and we are deeply mourning his loss. I will always cherish the proud and personal memories of Medina Spirit and his tremendous spirit.” Santa Anita released a statement saying the track veterinary team took blood, hair and urine samples from Medina Spirit and sent them to the California Horse Racing Board. The colt will undergo a full necropsy, as required by the racing board, to try to determine the exact cause of death. The United States will not send government officials to the 2022 Winter Olympics due to China's human rights "atrocities," the White House said on Monday, after Beijing threatened unspecified "countermeasures" against any diplomatic boycott. President Joe Biden said last month that he was considering such a boycott amid criticism of China's human rights record, including what Washington says is genocide against minority Muslims in its western region of Xinjiang. The move – despite a recent effort to stabilize ties with a video meeting last month between Biden and China's leader Xi Jinping – is certain to further strain the two superpowers' relations which have been at their lowest point in decades. The increasingly tense Formula One title fight between defending champion Lewis Hamilton and his formidable challenger, Max Verstappen, will head to the last race of the season with the fierce rivals level on points. Next weekend’s Abu Dhabi showdown will see Hamilton crowned for a record eighth time — or Verstappen win his first title. Hamilton’s nail-biting win at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday was his third straight to pull him level with Verstappen on 369.5 points. The British veteran is within touching distance of title No. 8 to move one ahead of Michael Schumacher and stand alone among F1 greats. Verstappen still leads by a hair’s breadth, only because he has more wins: 9-8. "Of course it’s exciting,” said Verstappen, who won last year in Abu Dhabi. “We’re starting again like we started the season.” Hamilton’s win in the heat and humidity of Jeddah saw him pass Verstappen with six laps remaining of a chaotic race, as the pair tangled again this season following high-octane crashes at the British GP and the Italian GP. In a report by The Blast, Stevie J is asking a court to order Faith Evans, his estranged wife, to pay spousal support in their ongoing divorce case. Legal documents show that the record producer wants a monthly payment made to him by Evans and is brazenly requesting the court to not allow her to collect anything from him. In the filing, Stevie J, whose real name is Steven Jordan, confirms the marriage took place on July 17, 2018. However, he’s claiming they “separated” on October 19, 2021. Jordan cited “irreconcilable differences” as the basis of their separation. The couple has no children, so child support is not an issue. The filing shows that he filled out the box that says “spousal or domestic partner support payable” to “petitioner” (Jordan). Plus, he also marked the spot asking to “terminate the court’s ability to award support to (Faith).” The inter-webs are all abuzz with disdain for rapper Asian Doll aka AsianDaBrattt aka What Did You Expect From a Black Woman Calling Herself Asian Doll? MadameNoire is reporting she’s getting skewered after announcing an Indian-themed birthday party that set to take place at Revel in Atlanta, Georgia next week. Attendees must be dressed in “Indian garb” in order to be allowed in. It was when she shared examples of what she felt was “Indian-themed” that all hell broke loose. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9ZpzRsPKxk8/hqdefault.jpg Gervonta “Tank” Davis should fight George “Ferocious” Kambosos for the undisputed 135-pound title if he gets beyond tonight’s (12-05-21) WBA “regular” 135-pound title defense against Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, according to boxing historian Cliff Rold. Davis (25–0, 24 KOs) will pursue his 17th straight knockout in his third straight pay-per-view event against Cruz (22–1–1, 15 KOs) of Mexico City at Staples Center in Los Angeles in a Premier Boxing Champions event on Showtime Pay-Per-View (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT). https://i.ytimg.com/vi/i9mt2iiDDmY/hqdefault.jpg Alec Baldwin wept as he described accidentally shooting dead his cinematographer on the set of his film Rust, saying ‘I didn’t pull the trigger’ during an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. Baldwin said accidentally discharging his gun and killing Halyna Hutchins (left inset) was the worst thing that’s ever happened to him. The set’s rookie armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed is pictured inset at far right. https://youtu.be/ZOKpiWrUPUI One of the attorneys representing Jussie Smollett called for a mistrial Thursday, claiming the judge presiding over the case ‘lunged’ at her during Illinois court proceedings. Tamara Walker, one of several lawyers representing the embattled Empire actor, accused Cook County Judge James Linn of ‘physically lunging’ at her Thursday. The case looks to determine whether Smollet, an openly gay, African-American man, lied to police in 2019 when he said he was the victim of an alleged hate crime attack in Chicago in January of that year. Prosecutors allege that Smollett paid $3,500 to two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, to stage the attack, though Smollett vehemently denies such charges. On Thursday, Smollet’s legal team, particularly Walker, grilled Olabinjo (inset) about his past use of homophobic slurs. While racial and gender diversity in sports leadership remains stagnant, several individuals are using their career paths to challenge the status quo and change the narrative, including Kiesha Nix. According to Sports Illustrated, she was appointed to serve as vice president of charitable affairs for the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. The appointment is historic as it marks the first time a Black woman has held a vice president role in the organization’s history. Although her career path wasn’t traditionally in the social impact space, Nix had developed opportunities that would allow her to work on projects designed to drive change. While serving in roles at Merrill Lynch and Bank of America, she would organize community events. A fourth-generation white supremacist is running for office in Georgia, according to Atlanta’s 11 Alive. Motivated by the potential fall of the federal government, Chester Doles says it is local elected bodies that will run things in the aftermath of an attack on the government. He seeks a seat on the Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners and has made the false Republican narrative around critical race theory a tenet of his campaign. Newsweek reported Doles wants to replace politicians with “patriots.” In an older interview with 11 Alive, Doles said he hung up his Klan robes. “I’m a fourth-generation Klansman. What do you think happened to the robes?” Doles asked during a September 2019 interview with 11Alive News. “They’re hanging up. They’re family heirlooms.” Doles was not just a member of the KKK. In addition to his KKK ties, Doles was connected to the neo-Nazi National Alliance and the Hammerskins, a group that marched in the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. https://www.11alive.com/video/news/local/4th-generation-klansman-seeks-lumpkin-county-office/85-f4374461-a048-4a69-bfc9-d06f807c0e62?jwsource=cl The Mount Vernon Police Department will undergo a pattern and practice investigation by the Department of Justice. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke held a press conference Friday to announce the investigation. “An effective and accountable police department is a hallmark of a healthy and well-functioning democracy,” Clarke said in a statement. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that law enforcement agencies across our country use their authority in a manner that is constitutional, transparent and free from discrimination.” The DOJ will specifically look at the department’s use of force, strip and body cavity searches, and handling of evidence. Clarke’s office will also look at the accountability measures undertaken by the Mount Vernon Police Department. This includes complaint intake, review, and discipline. Former President Barack Obama has been a fierce advocate for youth empowerment, and he’s advancing his efforts to uplift youngsters from underserved communities. According to the Chicago Tribune, Obama recently made a surprise visit to a Chicago-based YMCA community center. The city of Chicago has been a backdrop for pivotal moments throughout the former president’s life; it’s the hometown of his beloved wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, the place where he began to lay the foundation for his grassroots-focused civic engagement work, the city where the Obamas raised their children and where he launched his first political campaign. Chicago will also be home to the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center, a museum and public space designed to cultivate community and pay homage to the Obamas and trailblazers who came before them. Assassinated on Dec. 4, 1969, Chairman Fred Hampton was one of the major figures in the original Black Panther Party that rose to prominence during the civil rights era of the 1960s. Police killed Hampton and his comrade, Mark Clark, 52 years ago, an example of the politics of law enforcement using unnecessary force against Black men — an unfortunate trend that has lingered for centuries in America and continues to thrive in 2021. https://youtu.be/Wy1gveC3GVs Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that he plans to restart the state’s civilian defense force, a temporary entity formed during World War II. The state has survived over 70 years without such a force raising concerns about DeSantis’ motivations. Columnist Jamelle Bouie suggested there’s a thin line between DeSantis making liberals freak out and him seriously wanting to take specific actions. As he’s shown over the past few years, anything is possible with DeSantis. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1466563988611870722/7PLeE_eH?format=jpg&name=small From launching fashion brands to inking production deals, tennis powerhouse Serena Williams has expanded her repertoire beyond the realm of sports, and her next project will be centered on empowering youth through literature. According to People, she’s releasing a children’s book next. The book—titled “The Adventures of Qai Qai”—is inspired by her 4-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.’s doll. After making its debut on social media a few years ago, the beloved toy emerged into a fan favorite, leading the family to create an Instagram account for the doll in 2018 featuring imagery of her daily chronicles paired with witty captions. After Qai Qai continued to amass popularity, Williams launched a line of dolls inspired by the toy in 2020. Legendary NFL cornerback Deion Sanders isn’t just teaching his student-athletes the game on the field as head football coach at Jackson State University, he’s also teaching them about the game of life, the game of love and, apparently, the game of gold diggers. Basically, Sanders knows some of his students might make it to the NFL and become professional athletes someday, which means they’ll be making a lot of money, which means their wallets may attract as many “fans” as their skills on the field do. On Thursday, Sanders posted a video of a coaching session to his Instagram account, but this wasn’t a normal class. He was putting his players up on game, but not necessarily the game they seek to play professionally. For this class, Sanders brought in Instagram model Brittany Renner, the woman who literally wrote the book on getting in the pockets of famous celebrities. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXALcZtgLh9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again When it comes to the subject of Critical Race Theory and whether it should be taught in schools, one thing is abundantly clear: Only white people overwhelmingly oppose it. Poll after poll after poll shows that a majority among Americans consider the college-level academic study to be inherently divisive, but once you break those numbers down into demographics, they all show that the strong majority of those who have adopted CRT as their new resident Devil are overwhelmingly Republican and conservative and just as overwhelmingly Caucasian. (Most of those polls also show that the majority of Americans don’t have even a remedial idea of what CRT is.) Sean “Diddy” Combs became the hip-hop mogul that he is recognized as today by branching outside of music to develop businesses in fields like philanthropy, spirits, media production, fragrance and most notably fashion. One major source of the empire was his pioneering namesake label Sean John, which at the moment is 90% owned by apparel wholesaler GBG USA Inc. After Global Brands Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this past summer, it now appears the company is hoping for someone to buy their majority share of Sean John — that person, thankfully, just might be the man it was originally named after. TMZ has obtained exclusive documents that suggest Diddy — call him “Love” if you can keep up with his ever-changing aka’s — has put up a $3.5 million bid in hopes of getting full ownership of Sean John. So far he seems to be in the lead in terms of bids, but he still has just under two weeks before he can truly claim victory. Cathy Hughes, Urban One’s renowned founder and chairperson, and Alfred Liggins III, CEO of Urban One and TV One, were inducted into the Cablefax Cable Center Hall of Fame earlier this week. Every year Cablefax — a media company and community for cable, broadcast and digital professionals — selects pioneers and change-makers who have had a significant impact on the cable industry. And this year Hughes and Liggins are being honored for their work in diversifying cable television. The mother and son combination has made Urban One arguably the most successful Black-owned media company in history. Starting in radio, the duo has since branched out into television success by launching TV One in 2004 and CLEO TV in 2019. “I don’t know life without radio. It’s been a constant in my life because it was my mom’s dream to provide an opportunity for Black people to have our own voice and tell our own stories,” Liggins said in a Q&A with Cablefax. “She sacrificed and put everything she had into her business. I grew up walking the hallways of WHUR at Howard University, being babysat by staff, attending events with my mom, and watching her carve her own path in what has always been a male-dominated world.” There are so many lost black stories hidden inside the crevasses of American history. Some of these stories are fascinating, but to find them you’ve got to do some serious digging. History books paint a bleak existence for blacks in America during the end of the nineteenth century. But slavery and bondage weren’t the only lives for a black person in the early 1900s. Blacks all over the country were building communities to escape persecution from white landowners and the Ku Klux Klan. While researching some of these communities I came across the story of Georgia native Francis Marion Boyer, who didn’t want to live under the thumb of the Ku Klux Klan any longer. After the Civil War in 1865, the Ku Klux Klan made it their mission to terrorize blacks all over the country and squash any newly gained civil and political rights by blacks in the south. The KKK was dangerous their members were able to hide among neighbors and keep their identities a secret. A white person you saw every day could be the same person terrorizing your family once the sunset. The Alabama Crimson Tide, Michigan Wolverines, Georgia Bulldogs and the Cincinnati Bearcats will compete in the College Football Playoff, the selection committee announced on Sunday. In the semifinal games scheduled for December 31, No. 1 Alabama (12-1) will face off against No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0) at the Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, while No. 2 Michigan (12-1) will play No. 3 Georgia (12-1) at the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The winners will square off in the national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on January 10 (8 p.m. ET). Former Yankee Derek Jeter has just welcomed his third child with wife, Hannah Jeter. The MLB great’s website “The Players’ Tribune” announced the news Saturday afternoon via Twitter, surprising fans who had no idea that the couple was expecting. “Congratulations Derek and @hannahbjeter on the birth of your baby girl, River Rose Jeter, born Thursday, Dec. 2.,” reads the tweet. Hannah, 31, was seen just three months ago with their two eldest daughters, Bella, 4, and Story, 2, attending Jeter’s National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The Sports Illustrated model did not appear to be pregnant at the event, leading some to believe they’ve welcomed their latest bundle of joy via surrogate. Ben Roethlisberger privately has told former teammates and some within the organization that he expects this to be his final season playing quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, league sources told ESPN on Saturday. Roethlisberger has not made any such public proclamations, and likely won’t, since he doesn’t want the latter part of the season to be about him as Pittsburgh tries to make a playoff push. But sources say he and those within the organization are now operating as if he is entering the final five games of his Hall of Fame career, with two of them fittingly coming against the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh’s opponent Sunday and in the final regular-season game. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com The Golden State Warriors crushed the Phoenix Suns 118-96 on Friday night in California. The loss for the Suns ended their 18-game winning streak. The two teams played earlier in the week on Tuesday when the Suns won in Arizona 104-96. After the game on Friday, Curry spoke to ESPN’s Malika Andrews. https://twitter.com/i/status/1467021131743997952 Deion Sanders and Jackson State captured the SWAC Championship Saturday with a 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M. Sanders’ first traditional season at the helm netted a conference title for Jackson State for the first time since 2007. The Tigers (11-1) meet South Carolina State, champions of the MEAC, in the sixth edition of the Celebration Bowl, Dec. 18 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It is first appearance for both Jackson State and South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl, which pits the SWAC and MEAC champs in the de facto national championship of Black college football. Jackson State got excellent play from a suffocating defense against Prairie View A&M as the Tigers limited the Panthers to 230 yards of offense and forced five turnovers. Shedeur Sanders, the son of Deion Sanders, completed 8 of 16 passes for 85 yards with a touchdown and interception. The offense was sparked by running back Peytton Pickett’s 97 yards and a touchdown. Deion Sanders was named the SWAC Coach of the Year last month for his efforts this season. “Jackson State’s Sanders led the Tigers to a 10-1 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in SWAC regular season play,” the press release said. “Under Sanders’ leadership the Tigers are currently ranked in the top 15 of the FCS Coaches Poll and are also ranked in the top 25 of the Stats FCS Poll. The Tigers claimed the SWAC East Division title for the first time since the 2013 season. For his efforts Sanders has been named a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson award.” Much respect was given at the Soul Train Awards to the late R&B singer, Aaliyah. Koryn Hawthorne, Musiq Soul Child, Tone Stith, Jac Ross, and Elle Varner came together and flipped Aaliyah's hit song "Rock The Boat." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZbuWBy1Ltc Kirk Franklin has yet another piece of hardware to add to the shelf! During last weekend's Soul Train Awards, he took home the Best Gospel/Inspirational Award! RCA show some love under their congratulatory post on the 'gram! https://www.instagram.com/p/CW3N_STgjSI/ Consider singer Michelle-Lee a candle in this strikingly nocturnal era of modern music. In an age where the themes of misogyny and drugs are universal yet monotonous, the bright talent lights up the room with a refreshing, ear grabbing voice that must be identified when heard. Invoking the soulful melody of legends like Anita Baker and Jill Scott, she also provides progressive songwriting in the build of new age Christian vocalists Kierra Sheard and Mali Music. Stylish, spiritual, and an incredibly fun-loving person, Michelle is the "one stop shop" artist; she offers a truthful, intimate sound enveloped by a warm and inviting aura. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h5nps1e5mpb1grh/AAAMtSQ1-yXQQkt1Ahu5b4CAa?dl=0&preview=This+Year+(mastered+1)+(1).wav Debbie Winans drops BRAND NEW CHRISTMAS MUSIC: "The Story" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzatnixYFJY Saying her son’s case has not been prioritized, the grieving mother of Jelani Day, the Illinois State University graduate student whose body was found in the Illinois River in September, said Friday it’s time for the FBI to take over the investigation. “I’m asking you. I’m imploring you. I’m begging you. I need to know what happened to my son,” an emotional Carmen Day said. “I need the FBI to come in and take over. … They need to make Jelani a priority.” Day was supported in the request for federal assistance by prominent activists including Rev. Jesse Jackson and civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. Carmen Day spoke from the Rainbow Push Coalition’s headquarters in Chicago, a civil rights organization founded by Jackson. “We are asking the FBI to make this young, Black man named Jelani Day a priority just like they did the young white woman, Gabby Petito, because his life matters just like hers,” Crump said. Day’s case went national following the media coverage of the disappearance and death of Petito, 22, who was the subject of global attention after she was reported missing Sept. 11 and found dead eight days later. Critics noted that missing people of color often don’t get the same kind of media attention. When Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand began rehearsing to play the Macbeths, he asked her how she thought the couple had met. Oh, she replied blithely, the Macbeths met when they were 15. They were Romeo and Juliet, but they didn’t commit suicide. They just stayed married for 50 years. But they didn’t have any kids and his career stalled, so thinking legacy, they suddenly went gangster and killed their nice, old friend, the king. “This is one of the only good marriages in Shakespeare,” said Joel Coen, who adapted and directed “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” opening widely on Christmas Day. “They just happen to be plotting a murder.” James Shapiro, a Shakespeare scholar at Columbia, backed up the director, adding dryly, “But there’s not much competition, is there? The Capulets? Richard II and his nameless Queen? Richard III and the doomed widow, Anne?” Now Mr. Coen and Ms. McDormand, who are married and who met on the Coen brothers’ debut feature, the 1984 film noir “Blood Simple,” have teamed up with Mr. Washington to do another noir, the Scottish saga of “Blood will have blood.” “Frances McDormand is a beast,” Mr. Washington said, admiringly. A few weeks into filming, she asked her leading man if she had earned the right to call him “D,” as some close to him do. “Sure,” he replied. A member of the New Orleans city council is pushing to change a street currently named after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and replace it with one the city’s most famous musicians, Allen Toussaint, who died in 2015. Councilmember Jared C. Brossett introduced an ordinance to rename the street that goes through the northern part of the city near Lake Pontchartrain after Toussaint. Toussaint was a songwriter, producer, pianist and performer whose decades-long career helped make such hits as “Working in the Coal Mine,” and "Southern Nights.” “The City of New Orleans should prioritize celebrating our culture bearers, our diversity, and everything that makes our City special, not those who worked to tear us apart and represent a horrible history of racism that we are still dealing with today,” said Brossett in a news release announcing the effort. “Allen Toussaint is a New Orleans native and world-renowned musician. He represents the very best of our city.” Brossett sent a letter to the city’s planning commission, which now has 60 days to hold a public hearing and then present a report before the matter goes to the full council, according to the press release. Andre Coleman, 16, doesn’t fight anymore. When he gets angry now, he steps away. Or takes a few minutes to flow through some tai chi moves he learned from his mentor. He gets some weird looks from classmates if he starts tai chi while sitting at this desk at school, but the looks are worth the chance to avoid a fight. “It was a new life,” he said. “I had to learn how to breathe.” That’s exactly how his mentor, Halim Ali, hopes Coleman and the other young Black men under his tutelage will approach challenging situations in the future. Ali founded the nonprofit From the Heart Enterprises to help young Black men address the trauma and anger that can turn into isolation, violence and suicide. Ali is particularly concerned about rising gun violence among teens in metro Denver — especially after nine students were injured in two shootings outside a pair of Aurora high schools in one week — and about rising suicide rates in Colorado’s Black male population. “It’s a matter of life and death,” Ali said. The age-adjusted rate of suicide for Black men in Colorado has nearly doubled since 2013, when the rate was 10.2 suicides per 100,000. By 2020, that rate grew to 20.2 suicides per 100,000, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data. CNN announced on Saturday that anchor Chris Cuomo has been “terminated” following an investigation into exactly how Cuomo aided his brother, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, when the then-governor was accused of sexual harassment. “We retained a respected law firm to conduct the review, and have terminated him, effective immediately,” the statement said. The network added that despite the termination, it will continue to review the matter after additional information became available. Another 75 cases of the super-mutant Omicron variant have been identified in England, health officials confirmed, after it was revealed that the majority of sequenced infections of the new variant are in fully vaccinated people. It comes after health officials revealed earlier today that more than half of England’s Omicron Covid cases that have been genetically sequenced were in double-vaccinated people. It is not yet known whether today’s additional 75 cases were in double-jabbed or non-vaccinated individuals. And Boris Johnson insisted last night that he wanted Britons to enjoy Christmas as ‘normally as possible’ – just as Ireland was told it was going into semi-lockdown. Following a week of mixed messaging from his ministers, the Prime Minister admitted there had been ‘quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing’ on Christmas parties. A mostly white jury was seated Friday for the trial of a white suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she drew her handgun by mistake when she fatally shot Black motorist Daunte Wright following a traffic stop. Nine of the first 12 jurors seated for Kim Potter’s trial are white — roughly in line with the demographics of surrounding Hennepin County, but notably less diverse than the jury that convicted former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin this spring in the death of George Floyd. Potter, 49, is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 shooting in the suburb of Brooklyn Center. Opening statements are scheduled for Wednesday. Legal experts have said juries that are diverse by race, gender and economic background are necessary to minimize bias in the legal system. The Chauvin jury that was split 50-50 between whites and people of color was “mostly just luck of the draw,” said Ted Sampsell-Jones, a professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul. He said racial and ethnic diversity matters in terms of the perceived legitimacy of the jury, but attitudes about police and policing are much more important for the case outcome. Alec Baldwin is speaking out in his first interview since the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film “Rust.” The accident took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico when Baldwin was filming a scene that required someone to fire the prop gun. Thought to be loaded with blanks, the gun’s bullets struck director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Authorities said in a statement that Hutchins died from her injuries and Souza was airlifted to a nearby hospital and later discharged after treatment for non-life threatening injuries. Baldwin sat down with George Stephanopoulos for an extensive interview about the fatal shooting on the set of his Western film. https://twitter.com/i/status/1466588963632783360 The monumentally popular “Left Behind” books have collectively sold well over 60 million copies and have inspired a number of feature films. And fans of the iconic end-times series — who haven’t seen a “Left Behind” movie hit the big screen since 2014 — will soon have a reason to rejoice, as a new film is in production, reviving the franchise’s beloved characters and eschatological storyline. “Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist” is currently filming in Canada and CBN News and Faithwire exclusively spoke with director and star Kevin Sorbo and co-star Greg Perrow to hear their heart behind the project, and what audiences can expect from the next chapter in the beloved saga. https://youtu.be/f8f3FufWVes Former South Africa paralympic superstar, Oscar Pistorius, jailed in 2016 for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, has been moved closer to her family ahead of reconciliation talks that could help pave the way for his early release from prison. Pistorius, known as “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs, went from public hero to convicted murderer in a trial that drew worldwide interest. He becomes eligible for parole after serving half of his 13-year sentence. Pistorius is set to speak to Steenkamp’s parents, June and Barry Steenkamp, in a process known as victim-offender dialogue – an integral part of South Africa’s restorative justice program in its prison system that brings parties affected by a particular crime together in a bid to achieve closure. In the name of “gender equity,” the Chicago Public Schools system is doing away with boys’ and girls’ bathrooms, opting instead for gender-neutral restrooms. CPS Title IX officer Camie Pratt introduced the sweeping changes at the beginning of the week, stating: “On top of ensuring that each of our schools is a safe environment, we’re also taking steps to create more inclusive and supportive schools. One change that will be implemented this school year relates to our school bathrooms.” “In compliance with the new federal guidelines,” she continued, “all CPS students and staff will have fair and equitable access to bathroom facilities that align with their gender identity.” Pratt said the district “will be providing schools with updated signage that makes our bathrooms more inclusive” and “will identify the fixtures available in each restroom and make it clear that all restrooms are open for use by anyone who feels comfortable.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1465742664163287052 He signed a massive 12-year extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers worth a whopping $365million in July 2020. But the most important day of Mookie Betts’ life may have happened this week. The 29-year-old superstar right fielder married longtime love Brianna Hammonds in a stunning beachside ceremony at Terranea Resort in Rachos Palos Verdes, California on Wednesday. The couple also have a two-year-old daughter named Kynlee together as the youngster was seen being carried down the aisle during the ceremony. The two began dating at teenagers when Mookie was a baseball standout at John Overton High School in Oakhill, Tennessee. Brianna, 27, looked absolutely stunning in a strapless white mermaid dress with shimmering details. Mookie – born Markus Lynn Betts – was also dressed to the nines as he sported a dark green tuxedo complete with crisp white dress shirt and black bowtie. Newly released police body camera footage shows Atlanta Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna choking his wife moments before his domestic violence arrest in May. Ozuna was arrested May 29 on charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and battery after police officers said they witnessed him attacking his wife, Genesis. The newly released body camera footage corroborates officers’ statements. ‘Get your hands off her,’ one officer can be heard yelling at Ozuna, who is seen with one hand around the woman’s neck. ‘Get on the ground! Get on the ground!’ Ozuna quickly dropped his hand and raised his arms in the air as an officer drew his taser. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Ozuna then complied with an order to get down with his chest on the floor. ‘He was actively chocking her when I walked up,’ the first responding officer told an arriving colleague. Officers ordered the Dominican native to put his hands behind his back, which he did with some difficulty because he had a cast over his left hand following a thumb injury. Jussie Smollett’s defense team let out a brutal cross-examination against the prosecution’s star witness on Thursday. The witness claimed the pair were dating, had masturbated together at a gay bathhouse, and the attack was fueled by a desire to be the actor’s security guard. Abimbola Osundairo, 28, testified on the stand at a Chicago criminal court and was questioned for two hours by the actor’s defense attorney Shay Allen on day four of the trial. Allen attempted to make Osundairo look like a liar, drug dealer, and opportunist who used his relationship with Smollett to further his career. He is also accused of telling the star he’d make this “all go away” and not testify if he and his brother, Olabinjo, were paid $1 million each. “You told him if he gave you and your brother a million dollars each, you wouldn’t testify?” Allen asked Osundairo, but his response was, “No.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CXBU-uyFHl2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Blavity reports Ronell and Roja-John “John” Stephenson got way more than they bargained for when they were arrested for killing two boys from an indigenous family in 2017. The crime resulted in a sentence of 34 years and eight months for John and Ronell, despite being busted without evidence for possession of guns, drug trafficking and murder. In a two-part interview, titled “Americans Seek Justice In Ecuador Prison,” posted in June on the You Tube channel dcbornrob – Erasing Borders, John Stephenson retraced what led to their current situation, which started as an attempt to live a simple life without complications after falling in love with Ecuador while participating in a 2012 exchange program. At the time, John was living in Ecuador’s capital, Quito, as a student of Washington and Jefferson College. Two years after graduating from the school, John moved back to Ecuador with this dad. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LvWtK95ohoY/hqdefault.jpg Meagan Good is beyond just being concerned about the recent rise of home invasions in LA. She’s downright frightened about the prospect of becoming a victim. So frightened, she wants to become a gun owner. The actress hasn’t always felt this way about owning a weapon and Friday night (12/03/21) she explained her change of mind in an interview with Charlamagne Tha God on his Comedy Central show “Tha God’s Honest Truth” … saying she would feel more comfortable with a gun after seeing home invasions on the rise in Hollywood. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-12-03-120321-megan-good-1317246/ Major league baseball went out of business for the first time in a quarter century when the collective bargaining agreement expired Wednesday night and owners immediately blocked players, threatening spring training and opening day. This strategy, the equivalent of a management strike under federal labor law, ended the work calmness in sports after 9,740 days in 26 1/2 years. The teams decided to force the long-awaited confrontation in the offseason, rather than risk players leaving in the summer, as they did in 1994. Players and owners had successfully reached four consecutive agreements without a work stoppage, but they were gradually heading towards collision. more than two years. Negotiations, which began last spring, ended on Wednesday after a short session lasting a few minutes, when the parties parted ways on dozens of key economic issues. Management representatives left the union hotel about nine hours before the deal expired at 11:59 pm ET, and players said MLB did not make any new central economic proposals this week. MLB’s 30 controlling owners held a short digital meeting to confirm their lockout decision, and MLB, in an email to the Major League Baseball Association, announced its fourth-ever lockout, accompanied by five strikes. Meghan Markle has emerged victorious in her privacy and copyright infringement case over a letter she sent that was published by UK media outlets. The Duchess of Sussex scored a major legal victory on Thursday when the Court of Appeal in London ruled in her favor against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Mail on Sunday after they printed parts of the private letter, PEOPLE reports. The newspapers will now pay Meghan substantial financial damages as well as print a public apology on the front page of the Mail on Sunday and the homepage of the Mail Online, per the report. “This is a victory not just for me, but for anyone who has ever felt scared to stand up for what’s right,” Meghan said in a statement after the judgment. “Today, the courts ruled in my favor—again—cementing that The Mail on Sunday, owned by Lord Jonathan Rothermere, has broken the law,” Meghan added in her statement. “The courts have held the defendant to account, and my hope is that we all begin to do the same. Because as far removed as it may seem from your personal life, it’s not. “Tomorrow it could be you. These harmful practices don’t happen once in a blue moon—they are a daily fail that divide us, and we all deserve better.” Jazmine Sullivan will be serving up her Heaux Tales in a city near you when she kicks off a 25-city tour on Valentine’s day in 2022. As reported by MadameNoire, the news comes after the beloved singer won two Soul Train Awards for Album of the Year and Best R&B/Soul Female Artist. She has also nabbed three Grammy Awards nominations for Best R&B Album, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for “Pick Up Your Feelings.” During her acceptance speech at the Soul Train Awards over the weekend, Sullivan said that she wrote Heaux Tales to encourage Black women to love themselves. https://www.instagram.com/p/CW4a95tp04d/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Recently, Rolling Stone reported that Jermaine Dupri has made “JD’s Vegan” ice cream. Dupri, who has been vegan for decades, has started a gluten-free, plant-based, non-GMO line of frozen treats after noticing the lack of these types of items for vegan consumers. A lot of people who are involved in the vegan brands are not vegan,” said Dupri. “I don’t know how people who are not vegan can be trustworthy in his space for us. I felt it was important for somebody like myself to produce something,” he told Rolling Stone. The products will be created in conjunction with Malcolm Stogo and Big Innovations Group Inc. It’s reportedly made from a base of coconut cream instead of dairy. Dupri also partnered with Walmart to make the product accessible to the general public rather than a bougie subset clamoring for public approval “I was working with a company…about doing a commercial using ‘…Country Roads,’ Kent Well produced it,” said Country artist Mary Sarah (“The Voice”) about her holiday single “Country Roads.” “He produced a regular version and it was around Christmas and Thanksgiving…I was saying this could be for Christmas because Christmas is about going home for the holidays.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5ZFaiz5da2c/hqdefault.jpg Philemon Chambers is speaking out about being the first queer Black actor to land an LGBTQ Christmas Rom-Com at Netflix. Chambers, 27, has appeared in a couple of small roles on TV series like “Criminal Minds,” and “All Rise.” He has been tapped to star in his first major role for the Netflix Christmas movie “Single All the Way.” “Two weeks after I got better from COVID, that’s when the audition came,” the Compton, California native says. “And I remember having this conversation with myself of, ‘If I’m going to do it, and if I want this to be my career, then I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.’” As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, “the plot of the film follows all the familiar tropes of the genre — disenchanted big-city dweller falls in love in a small town — but had one major difference: The central love triangle is among three gay men,” the outlet writes. Few could pull off bringing prime time swag to the Southwestern Athletic Conference. But as soon as Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders stepped off the plane for the first time in Jackson, Mississippi, things immediately changed for the landscape of HBCU (Historically black college and university) sports. “What is a win to us at JSU, if we win the championship — and we are going to do that — OK, and no one goes pro, I don’t feel like we won,” Sanders said after clinching the SWAC East division in his first full season. “If our graduation rate has not increased, did we win? It’s not just games, we are trying to change the game in all facets.” Sanders’ presence brought more notoriety and attention to a conference whose legacy is as great as that of any major conference in America. The cavalcade of Pro Football Hall of Fame players and NFL All-Pros stands above most football programs in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision. From Walter Payton to Jerry Rice and from Doug Williams to Steve McNair, these schools have produced great legends of the game. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XMjyLK1MWFI/hqdefault.jpg This week Billboard announced that Ye reigns as the Top Gospel Artist for 2021 setting a record for having top 23 spots on Hot Gospel Songs with “Donda.” Previously known for being a rap artist, Kanye transitioned to creating Gospel Music in 2019 with the release of his albums “Jesus is Born” and “Jesus is King.” As a result of his growing popularity in the Christian and Gospel music world, the conversation of whether or not Ye’s new Gospel fame should be fairly revered as “Gospel” has been brought to the forefront. According to Breakout Gospel Star and Stellar Awards “2021 Artist of the Year,” Pastor Mike Jr, the answer is “nah.” In an Instagram post picked up by TheShadeRoomChurchh, Pastor Mike Jr. had this to say about the Donda Album and Ye’s new title of Billboard’s Gospel Artist of the Year: “Kanye West isn’t a Gospel Artist. He’s a rapper who did a Gospel Album… So many people are afraid to speak up for fear of being cancelled! Something about this doesn’t feel right.” He later went on to say that the Donda listening party felt “so demonic.” A bride-to-be in Florida has gone viral after she passed out at her wedding, vomited, and got pooped on by her baby nephew. “I kept trying to tell my husband I didn’t feel good and he thought I was joking,” Hollee Lynnea-Kolenda Darnell, 23, captioned a TikTok of her marriage mishap, as reported by the New York Post. https://www.tiktok.com/@hollinator1424/video/7036138370447297839?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F&referer_video_id=7036138370447297839&refer=embed Beverly Hills police have made an arrest in the killing of Jacqueline Avant, a prominent Los Angeles philanthropist, political insider and the wife of businessman and music legend Clarence Avant. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aDand7uB220/hqdefault.jpg This is the image that has sparked fear among scientists, prompted ministers to turbocharge the UK’s booster vaccine rollout and seen the return of mask mandates in England. It details the new super-mutant Omicron variant’s 32 spike protein mutations which experts fear will make it the most infectious and vaccine-resistant strain yet. The graphic, released by the country’s top variant monitoring team, also lays bare how it is far more evolved than even the world-dominant Delta strain, with nearly five times as many alterations on the spike. As of yesterday, just 32 cases of Omicron have been detected in the UK but hundreds are expected to emerge in the coming days and there are signs it is spreading domestically already. The new strain shares mutations with all of the main ‘variants of concern’ — including Alpha, Beta and Delta — but has dozens more which all point to heightened transmissibility and vaccine escape. ABC will add historical context to its upcoming limited series Women of the Movement with the companion docuseries Let the World See. Premiering Thursday, Jan. 6 at 10:01 pm, “Let the World See is a fresh and deep examination of Mamie Till-Mobley’s fight to bring her son’s body home to Chicago and her pivotal yet heartbreaking decision to have an open-casket funeral for the public to see, which ultimately served as a turning point for the civil rights movement.” Let the World See is executive produced by Shawn Carter, Will Smith and Aaron Kaplan, with an original soundtrack from GRAMMY nominated producer Salaam Remi. The three-part series airs after each episode of Women of the Movement. It features interviews with “Emmett Till’s cousins Rev. Wheeler Parker, who was a witness to the abduction, Ms. Ollie Gordon and Amos Smith, and Ms. Thelma Wright, Ms. Mamie Till-Mobley’s cousin.” There have rumors of that the work environment in the Harris camp is toxic. Simone Sanders has announced her exit in a letter to her colleagues on Monday, following rumors of a toxic work environment in Harris’ office. The end of December is the period that Sanders, who is also Harris’ senior adviser, has announced that she will leave the White House. “Symone has served honorably for three years,” a source told CNN. “The President and vice president are grateful for Symone’s service and advocacy for this White House. She is a valued member, a team player, and she will be missed. We are grateful to have her working through the end of the year.” https://youtu.be/1AXYi8xno3w #DonLemon is reportedly devastated about #ChrisCuomo being suspended from #CNN. emon and Cuomo have been coworkers at CNN and friends for quite some time. The men launched a podcast together, The Handoff, though its future is uncertain following the severe accusations against Cuomo. He has been accused of looking up information about the women accusing his brother, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, of sexual misconduct. A source close to CNN shared that Lemon dropped to his knees and was “inconsolable” after learning that Cuomo was not returning to his position as host of “Cuomo Prime Time.” The source also claimed that Lemon was “lost” before Cuomo arrived at the network, who helped to guide Lemon’s career. Cuomo was initially going to remain in his position despite his brother facing a high-profile sexual assault case. https://www.instagram.com/p/CW_bBLtrytZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Chris Cuomo, CNN’s star anchor and brother of disgraced, former New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, is speaking out about being “indefinitely” suspended by the network. Cumo broke his silence during his SiriusXM radio show, “Let’s Get After It,” on Wednesday, admitting his recent suspension is “embarrassing.” “Quick note, the obvious,” Cuomo said at the start of the broadcast, Complex reports. “I’ve been suspended from CNN. You know this already. It hurts to even say it, it’s embarrassing, but I understand it and I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did. I’ve apologized in the past and I mean it. It’s the last thing I ever wanted to do, was compromise any of my colleagues and do anything but help. I know they have a process that they think is important. I respect that process, so I’m not gonna talk about this anymore than that. So for right now, let’s just get after it, and there’s plenty to do on that score.” Cuomo claims he never “made calls to the press” about his brother’s sexual misconduct scandal, nor did he try to “control CNN’s coverage of my family.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AVomWpbQ9ac/hqdefault.jpg Halle Berry has signed a multi-title deal with Netflix following the success of her directorial debut “Bruised,” which is now streaming on the platform. Per Netflix, “Bruised” is the top film in the United States this week, and was also the No. 2 English language film around the globe, Variety reports. “My directorial debut, ‘Bruised,’ was a labor of love and I knew that Scott and Ted would treat it with great care,” Berry said of Netflix film head Scott Stuber and co-CEO Ted Sarandos. “The Netflix team has not only been collaborative and creative, but extremely passionate and a delight to work with. I am beyond grateful for the partnership and look forward to telling more stories together.” An exclusive clip from this week’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition” airing Thursday, Dec. 2. Siir Brock talks to his younger self as part of an exercise aimed to help the cast understand how they behave in their current relationships. The boot-campers explore their formative years and how those experiences shaped them as adults today. Emotions run high when past traumas are confronted head-on. https://youtu.be/bCTFoMcZHgk Season 2 of Michael K. Williams‘ docuseries, “Black Market with Michael K. Williams,” is set to premiere on Jan. 10 — and Vice TV has dropped a trailer. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CE8K1YHKLE8/hqdefault.jpg Gabrielle Union has been tapped to star in the LIVE remake of “Facts of Life” that will air one night only on ABC. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, the “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” event will star Jennifer Aniston as Blair, Gabrielle Union as Tootie, Allison Tolman as Natalie, Kathryn Hahn as Jo, and Ann Dowd will play Mrs. Garrett, ABC announced Monday. “I cannot imagine a better group than Jennifer Aniston, Allison Tolman, Gabrielle Union, Kathryn Hahn and Ann Dowd, and I can’t wait to do their hair,” said executive producer Jimmy Kimmel. The “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” presentation of “The Facts of Life” and “Diff’rent Strokes” airs Tuesday, Dec. 7 from 9:30-10:00 p.m. ET on ABC. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com As December lights, eggnog, and sugar cookies have become synonymous with this time of the year, one man is rapidly establishing himself with the holiday season on the small screen, actor Jaime Callica. In the last few years, Christmas movies have been a refuge for family-friendly entertainment and have grown quite the following in that time. Hallmark Channel and Lifetime Network have been at the forefront of December entertainment with enough content to create their own streaming service. Canadian-born Callica appears in several films this holiday season, including Lifetime’s “Merry Liddle Christmas Baby,” with singer/actress Kelly Rowland. Hulu on Wednesday released a new documentary special — “Astroworld: Concert From Hell,” recapping the deadly events at a Travis Scott festival in Houston last month — but quickly pulled it from the service after a social-media backlash. The news special was produced by KTRK, ABC’s owned-and-operated local station in Houston. The 50-minute documentary can be viewed at this link. In a statement, a Hulu spokesperson told Variety, “This was an investigative local news special from ABC13/KTRK-TV in Houston that originally aired on November 20th. This was not a Hulu documentary and has since been removed to avoid confusion.” In 2020 the pandemic was a rough year for everyone but personally traumatic for me. I lost my brother to Covid-19 and this song HE KEPT ME means more to me now than it ever did. Most can relate that God has kept some from it, and brought some through it; not only physically but mentally. God is and will forever be A Keeper! https://www.dropbox.com/s/65nhttxsovccq5y/Lamont%20Sanders%20-%20Thank%20You%20Video%20-%20No1%20Billboard%20Gospel%20Indicator%20Chart.mov?dl=0 DAD Speak features Evan Lionel (comedian), Ruffin Patterson (athletic coach) and Mark Winkler (author of My Daughter’s Keeper) sharing heart felt insights into what they endured as fathers who sought to remain active in their children’s lives, despite changes in their various relationships with the children’s mothers. LaRita Shelby was inspired to make the film after a forty year journey to reunite with her father, the late Calvin Thomas Shelby. As she shared news of what occurred in her life, she was shocked by the scores of men who confessed their pain and struggle of being separated from their children or their own fathers. DAD Speak also features Dr. Loren Hill and Rev. Jerrold Smith. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bD1oUBaJW18/hqdefault.jpg Recording Artist Andrea Rene Williams To Sing National Anthem for Georgetown Hoyas! A Greensboro, North Carolina woman is speaking out after becoming a first-time mom at 50. Susie Troxler and her 61-year-old husband Tony Troxler wed in 2008 and immediately tried to get pregnant but were plagued by a slew of health issues. The couple admits that they struggled with fertility problems for decades before the birth of their miracle baby in September. “We got married later in life, obviously, and we just assumed we would get pregnant like most people,” Susie Troxler said. “One year turned into two, then three, but when it got to be nine, 10, 11 years, we were like, something is up, and I’m not sure what it is.” She continued, “I had a boatload of uterine fibroids. I was too old, and Tony had some medical issues, so, between the two of us, there was not going to be a baby.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/r4zbLA4nrBI/hqdefault.jpg Sandra Bullock recently dished with “Red Table Talk” hosts Willow Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris about the challenges of raising her two adopted Black children. “To say that I wish our skins matched, sometimes I do. Because then it would be easier on how people approach us,” Bullock, explained in the episode. “And I have the same feelings as a woman with brown skin being her babies or a white woman with white babies.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1465927277225525248 Malikah Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X, was found dead in her Brooklyn apartment by her daughter last month. She was 56. Her cause of death has not been determined but she had been battling a long-term illness. According to Business Insider, police said her death appears to be due to natural causes. Shabazz is the youngest of Malcolm X’s six daughters with his wife Betty Shabazz. Their other daughters’ are Qubilah Shabazz, Attallah Shabazz, Gamilah Lumumba Shabazz, Ilyasah Shabazz, Malaak Shabazz, and Malikah Shabazz. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/S0WoXVTV89o/hqdefault.jpg Former child actress Jonshel Alexander, who co-starred in 2012’s “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” was reportedly shot and killed Saturday night in New Orleans. She was 22. Alexander and another man were sitting inside a car in New Orleans’ 7th ward when they were shot by an assailant who fled the scene, according to the Associated Press and The New Orleans Times-Picayune. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CDaIycO_b2Q/hqdefault.jpg On March 5, 2020, Nathanial Woods was executed in Alabama for the murder of three white Birmingham police officers. But he was not the one behind the gun that murdered them. In a documentary by The New York Times that’s premiering on FX at 10 p.m. Eastern time, they explore the case of Woods and what led to his execution by speaking with his family, lawyers, and family members of one of the murdered officers per the story from The New York Times.This documentary comes on the heels of Julius Jones being taken off of death row hours before his scheduled execution because of the call by many celebrities to bring attention to his case. But in the case of Woods, his execution has already happened and unfortunately, there is no hope for his life to be saved. But there is a chance for his story to be told. NYC based organizations, Black Women’s Learning Institute (BWLI) and national research organization NDRI-USA partnered this year to bridge the gap between research and practice in public health. The partnership centers around advancing evidence-based and emerging practices to support public health practitioners with a focus on the health, wellness and social disparities that affect Black women across their lifespan. In September 2021, BWLI launched its Engage. Empower. Educate. survey nationally with a focus on Louisville, KY and Baton Rouge, LA. According to America’s Health Rankings (2018), these two cities represent a population of Black women known to be vulnerable to higher rates of serious health issues. Today, Urban One announced the return of the annual URBAN ONE HONORS taping in Atlanta, GA on Friday, December 3, 2021. Themed, "the Soundtrack of Black America," the two-hour telecast premieres Monday, January 17, 2022, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, on TV One and Cleo TV, a division of Urban One. Wireless provider T-Mobile, America’s 5G leader with the largest, fastest and most reliable 5G network, serves as Presenting Sponsor of the celebration with this year’s honoree class recognizing an esteemed group of individuals that have left an indelible mark in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Music Innovation, Entertainment Icon, Living Legend and Inspirational Impact. Jermaine Dupri, Marlon Wayans, and Tony McCuin will appear as presenters alongside performances by Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, Kelly Price, Tank, Vashawn Mitchell and Kim Burse with additional names to be announced. Additionally, TV & Radio Personality Eva Marcille will host a special backstage pass segment, featuring exclusive interviews with the show's honorees, performers and presenters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtFnUPEB6f0 Today, TV One, announces the premiere date for the new original docuseries One Stage To The Next, starring R&B singer, actress and TV host, Syleena Johnson. The series will follow award-winning singer Syleena Johnson as she continues to navigate through life and the entertainment industry. One Stage To The Next is set to premiere on Tuesday, December 14th with back-to-back episodes at 10/9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t600SR_DRfY It looks like the next season of ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta‘ is having a few hiccups at the moment. Sheree Whitfield’s friend, Tyrone Gilliams, isn’t fooling with her at the moment because he’s in his feelings about his portrayal on the show in past. According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Sheree’s lil pen pal had his legal team draft up a cease and desist letter to Bravo chile. Tyrone claims the network has been using his lil name and likeness without his permission. https://www.instagram.com/theneighborhoodtalk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=db517630-781a-4356-a379-c1f728962f16 Halle Berry got herself a drank and filmed herself doing a little celebratory dance after finding out that her new movie, “Bruised,” – which marks her directorial debut – reached No. 1 on the U.S. and No. 2 worldwide. Dressed in an all-black outfit with hip-hugging pants and a sheer, fitted corset, the 55-year-old Oscar winner held a glass of champagne while grooving to H.E.R.’s “Automatic Woman,” a song off the film’s soundtrack. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CW6jafRAesJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=52a866b3-cb93-4ca4-9cc9-661dcf9721cd Alice Sebold, the New York Times best-selling author of “The Lovely Bones” has apologized to the Black man wrongly accused of raping her in the ‘80s when she was a student at Syracuse University. Per Complex: Anthony Broadwater was recently exonerated in the 1981 rape case. Broadwater was found guilty of raping Sebold and served 16 years in prison, later getting out in 1998. Sebold was 18-years-old at the time of her assault and later based her 1999 memoir Lucky on the experience. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zuPix9gDTqI/hqdefault.jpg Baron Jay Littleton Jr. is the prolific producer, actor and founder of his own non-profit organization: The Baron Jay Foundation. He is one of the minds behind the new sitcom House Out Of Order. Littleton, has created House Out Of Order with Christopher J Moore, writer from Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne and Meet The Browns. Bentley Kyle Evans, legendary television writer, actor, producer and director, with credits from classic programs Martin and The Jamie Foxx Show, will direct the sitcom. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sGdYw6dhTY8/hqdefault.jpg Georgia’s Stacey Abrams announced Wednesday that she is running for governor a second time, setting up a potential rematch with Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp. Abrams ran for governor in 2018, losing to Kemp by 1.4 points. At the time, Kemp was Georgia’s Secretary of State, also responsible for overseeing state elections and vote counts. She became a household name that year after accusing Republicans of engaging in voter suppression affecting mostly Black voters. She was credited with helping organize Black voters in the South to help push Democrats to key victories, including President Joe Biden’s narrow 2020 win in Georgia. https://twitter.com/i/status/1466140248887418885 Jacqueline Avant, the wife of Clarence Avant, a virtual legend in the music business, was shot and killed in a home invasion robbery. The Avants have been married for 54 years. The scene of the crime is the Trousdale Estates area of Los Angeles. It’s a high-end area neighboring Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills PD got a call at 2:30 AM for a home invasion. The caller told the dispatcher someone had been shot. By the time they arrived, Mres Avant had already been rushed to a nearby hospital. The Black Virginia Beach police officer, Solomon Simmons, who fatally shot Pharrell Williams’ cousin Donovon Lynch has been cleared after a grand jury found “no probable cause” to charge him. In June, Williams revealed in an emotional post that one of the victims in the Virginia Beach shooting on March 27 was his cousin, 25-year-old Donovon Lynch. The victim’s father has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and the Virginia Beach police. Police claim Lynch had a handgun when he came in contact with officers responding to the shootings. He was fatally shot by a Black cop, Solomon Simmons, whose body camera had not been activated. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FWqUMdP4PIo/hqdefault.jpg In a moving new memoir, Black Prep: Life Lessons of A Perpetual Outsider, author Kimberley Baker Guillemet provides a how-to guide for not just surviving, but thriving in the face of adversity. “I learned early in life that mindset matters,” says Baker Guillemet. “I repeatedly received the message that I wasn’t privileged enough, connected enough, smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough, even Black enough. And for a time, I believed it. Only after I decided to reject those messages, did I begin to thrive.” In Black Prep, the South Los Angeles native who later became a successful lawyer, chronicles how she navigated educational and professional environments that were both foreign and uncomfortable. LaVar Ball wants you to know that his white wife’s parents disapproved of him initially due to his race. As reported by Fadeaway World, a video surfaced online of Tina Ball’s parents, Robert and Catherine Slatinsky, speaking candidly about the first time they learned their daughter had fallen in love with a Black man. According to Robert: “My daughter said that she had a boyfriend, and being I’m white and he’s black, I didn’t know how to take that at first. I probably didn’t take it very well.” Catherine added: “I will give LaVar a great deal of credit because he didn’t push. He was very willing to wait until Tina’s parents who were acting a little “bullheaded” at that time were ready to accept him.” In the end, they accepted him, and LeVar and Tina went on to have three sons who are NBA stars. https://www.instagram.com/kicks/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b69881f2-49ea-4c60-9011-4af687a2b95a Katt Williams will reportedly avoid prison for a 2016 attack on a group of women, and the alleged victims are not happy that he was not properly punished. “We cannot ignore that this man has not only traumatized not only us. Several other people,” said Lutisha Martinez, one of the victims, as reported by WSB-TV. “We felt very ignored throughout this entire wait,” said Salena Boston, another one of the women who claims Williams attacked her. On Tuesday, the list of nominees for the 64th Grammy Awards was announced and Dave Chapelle was one of many stars to earn a nod. Chappelle’s Grammy nomination is for the Netflix special, 8:46, in the best spoken word album category. This come just one month after he faced calls to be canceled over jokes he made in the stand-up special “The Closer.” At the time, LGBTQ activists slammed Chappelle for his jokes about the trans community, prompting employees at Netflix to stage a walkout to protest the streaming service for airing the special. Kevin Hart’s new Netflix drama series “True Story” is not actually based on a true story but the racist airplane passenger scene really happened to the comedian. In the drama series, Hart plays a character seemingly inspired by himself, a comedian named The Kid. A tour stop in Kid’s hometown of Philadelphia becomes a matter of life and death for one of the world’s most famous comedians when the consequences of a lost evening with his wayward older brother (Wesley Snipes) threaten to destroy everything he’s built. The project marks Hart’s dramatic series debut and he also serves as an executive producer. As reported by Insider, Hart said his character is “based off of just the onslaught of shit that you deal” as a celebrity. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QP1PAEaszVM/hqdefault.jpg Donald Trump Jr. took aim at LeBron James after the NBA star had two Pacers fans ejected from the Los Angeles Lakers match-up on Nov. 24 in Indianapolis. As reported by theJamsmineBrand, at one point during overtime, James took a referee to the pair of courtside Pacers fans, pointing out a man and woman. LeBron can vaguely be heard saying: “This one right f**king here.” Lakers player Russell Westbrook then enters the frame and seemingly sides with him. The two Pacers fans are then booted. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWycvHBAe5R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again James Merritt will not be a visiting professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS). It was announced on social media that the scandal plagued Merritt would decline the job. SEBTS President Danny Akin made it official on Twitter. He said, “Today my dear friend @drjamesmerritt asked me to allow him to decline serving as a visiting professor @SEBTS, not wanting to be a distraction to the school. I have honored his request. His integrity, character & love for the gospel is a model for us all. A great man & friend!” Marcus Lamb, a televangelist and founder of Daystar Television Network, has reportedly died of COVID-19 after maligning vaccines and allegedly taking ivermectin to prevent infection. Daystar Television confirmed Lamb’s death on Tuesday, although the network’s announcement didn’t mention a cause of death. However, Marcus’ wife, Joni Lamb, confirmed her husband died from COVID-19, saying that he had been hospitalized after his oxygen dropped and alternative treatments proved ineffective. Lamb, according to Joni Lamb, was diabetic, which made him a high risk for becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and the 64-year-old was just on the cusp of being considered high risk because of his age. Josh Duggar used his car lot’s worktop computer to download a sickening trove of child pornography with titles including ‘Daisy’s Destruction’, ‘Playtoy Sweetie’ and ‘Pedo Mom,’ a court heard on Wednesday. Prosecutors described the sordid findings during opening statements of the reality star’s child porn trial at the federal courthouse court in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The warped cache obtained between May 14 and May 16, 2019 included videos of two girls aged seven and nine being ‘penetrated’ by an adult male. A second download contained 65 still images of a girl aged seven to eight adopting nude poses and exposing her genitals, prosecutors alleged. An ‘explosive’ upcoming docuseries will explore the alleged ‘exploitation’ of Hillsong Church, which grew to more than 150,000 global members before it was rocked by a series of scandals. Discovery+ will air the three-part exposé, Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, in 2022, which will include interviews with former pastors, volunteers, and church members. The series will also feature jewelry designer Ranin Karim, who alleged that she had been involved in a relationship with married pastor Carl Lentz for five months in 2020. Prior to Karim’s revelations, Lentz, 42, was ousted from his position as at the megachurch, where he counseled the likes of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, because of reported ‘breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.’ Isaiah Gyamfi, a 2-year old boy from Ghana, is getting international attention as a child prodigy that knows how to count in at least 4 different languages and how to solve complex math problems. Isaiah started showing extraordinary intelligence at the age of five months, his mother Jazelle told Mirror. She said she noticed him enjoying learning one day when he was watching a video on her phone on YouTube and then she decided to put on a video about Japanese numbers. Jazelle said Isaiah listened to the video repeatedly until he could recite the numbers back to back. He learned to count up to 40 in Japanese by himself in just less than 24 hours. When Isaiah was just 4-months old, Jazelle, who is an early childhood education teacher based in London, already started creating a learning environment for him. She put numeracy and literacy flashcards in their living room so Isaiah could learn through visuals. Wednesday was Rosa Parks Day in Montgomery. Sixty-six years ago on Dec. 1, 1955, Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on a city bus to a white man. To memorialize the occasion, and her legacy, a new work of art was unveiled in Parks’ honor in front of the Rosa Parks Museum downtown. Before Parks became the mother of the modern-day civil rights movement, she worked on Maxwell Air Force Base, and Col. Eries Mentzer, the first Black commander of the base, described Parks’ experience. “You might just say Maxwell opened my eyes up,” explained Mentzer. “It was an alternative to the ugly policies of Jim Crow.” Parks’ legacy first started when she walked onto that bus. Instead of standing up when she was told to, she stayed in her seat and stood her ground. After hosting the 2021 ceremony, comedian and “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah is back to host the 2022 Grammy Awards. Noah made the announcement on CBS Wednesday morning with Gayle King. “It was fun, it was really, really fun. It was a great team. I was just lucky to be a part of it. We had such a good time, imagine if we had people there, how much more fun we would have had,” Noah said of the socially distanced Grammy Awards in 2021. “This year, the Grammys are going to be back. Hopefully it’s gonna be the full show. Everybody is gonna be there. We’re excited to celebrate a record night and I’m gonna host.” When asked if he had any hesitation about hosting two years in a row, Noah dismissed the thought and cracked a few jokes at the expenses of Kevin Hart and Jay-Z, who made history as the most Grammy-nominated artist of all time. Brotherly love has cost CNN’s Chris Cuomo. Specifically, the star anchor and brother of disgraced, former New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has been “indefinitely” suspended. The action by the news network comes after new documents released this week indicated that the anchor was more intimately involved than previously known in helping his brother come up with a defense amid various sexual misconduct allegations. “The New York Attorney General’s office released transcripts and exhibits Monday that shed new light on Chris Cuomo’s involvement in his brother’s defense,” a CNN spokesperson said Tuesday evening. “The documents, which we were not privy to before their public release, raise serious questions.” “When Chris admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother’s staff, he broke our rules and we acknowledged that publicly,” the spokesperson continued. “But we also appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first and job second.” “However, these documents point to a greater level of involvement in his brother’s efforts than we previously knew,” the spokesperson added. “As a result, we have suspended Chris indefinitely, pending further evaluation.” https://youtu.be/9c1SrNS8IfQ The #Caribbean country #Barbados is cutting ties with the Queen to become a republic. Barbados will be a republic, which is a government ruled by the representatives of the citizen. It has been 55 years since the country declared independence from Britain.? The country’s governor, Sandra Mason, said the revival plan had been in motion since last September. She says, “the time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind.” Mason will be sworn in as the country’s first president. A shock for some but the small country claims this has been a long time coming.? The country will remove #QueenElizabethII Monday in a ceremony. Prince Charles will also be in attendance and give a speech. His presence shows the relationship between the two countries will remain friendly and resourceful to one another.? On November 30, pop star Rihanna was named a National Hero of Barbados, her home country. https://www.instagram.com/p/CW4RVP1j18S/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tiger Woods says it is not likely that he will be a full-time golfer following a car crash earlier this year that left him with several injuries. “I think something that is realistic is playing the tour one day — never full time, ever again — but pick and choose, just like Mr. [Ben] Hogan did. Pick and choose a few events a year and you play around that,” he told Golf Digest, referencing golfer Ben Hogan, who was hospitalized in 1949 following a car accident with a bus. “You practice around that, and you gear yourself up for that. I think that’s how I’m going to have to play it from now on,” Woods explained. “It’s an unfortunate reality, but it’s my reality. And I understand it, and I accept it.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1462448711682957322 Multi-platinum-selling performer and award-winning songwriter Dante Bowe is closing out a record year with two GRAMMY Award Nominations. He is up for Best Gospel Performance/Song for “Voice of God” as well as “Joyful,” the lead single from his critically acclaimed album, Circles. Dante is also nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song with Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music for “Wait On You”, Best Gospel Album with Maverick City Music for Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition, and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album with Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music for Old Church Basement. The 64th GRAMMY Awards will air live from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on January 31, 2022 at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST on CBS and Paramount+. The acclaimed San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of master conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, joins forces with Oakland's 200-member Interfaith Choir to present "Holiday Soul" featuring the music of the Norman Hutchins & JDI Christmas classic "Emmanuel" - Wed, Dec 8th at 7:30 pm at Davies Symphony Hall. An evening of exuberant gospel and Christmas classics, you don't want to miss the chance to experience this special holiday concert that’s sure to lift your spirits. Grammy winners PJ Morton and Yolanda Adams come together for a warm, slightly Jazzy Christmas song about the birth of Jesus. The mid-tempo track which closes PJ's #1 album, "Gospel According to PJ," is a holiday track that can be played all year round. The gentle horns, simple message and the mellow blend of the voices of Adams and Morton, makes this a delicious saucer of Christmas cookies. https://spaces.hightail.com/space/nkTakFLgjj/files/fi-2f5e51b8-745f-47a9-bf17-5fcf2839dcda/fv-abf74d52-15fd-438d-8701-01db8e7f4512/13%20Do%20You%20Believe_rvsd%20EQ%20-%20varispeed02-01_(2488%20mastered)%20192.mp3 On the second season of “Games People Play” Marques and crew embark on a journey to his old high school for an honor to be bestowed on him, but family matters threaten to put a damper on the occasion. Unbeknownst to all, MJ may have foolishly reached the point of no return in the rabbit hole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KToZLn7q5Yg Tribl Records celebrates the reason for the season, with the release of GRAMMY® Award nominated, Stellar & Dove Award winning, Maverick City Music’s brand-new Christmas EP, A Very Maverick Christmas - featuring holiday favorites and original songs. A Very Maverick Christmas is available now wherever music is sold and streamed digitally. A Very Maverick Christmas was recorded live at Atlanta’s historic Paradise Baptist Church (started by a slave). The brand-new Christmas EP features a celebration of Maverick City Music’s original songs and beloved holiday favorites. A Very Maverick Christmas features signature vocals from Naomi Raine, Chandler Moore, Lizzie Morgan, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Ryan Ofei, Tianna Horsey and more; plus offers an all-star lineup of collaborations featuring the voices of: Natalie Grant, Todd Galberth, Melvin Crispell III, Isaac Carree and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EEhlm2OTXY Christian Recording Artist, Janicka Newbill is best described as Called, Anointed, and for many, A Voice in the Wilderness. She is often recognized for her ability to lead others in worship and above all else minister the Word of God through song. Because she desires for people to encounter the presence of God, she avails herself to the Church body as a psalmist and worship leader. Janicka’s music and powerful vocals have opened the doors for her to reach hearts and souls on national and international platforms. I See Heaven - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMLIipP-E_M Howard Hewett has put new window dressing on yet another one of his classic songs. Last year, the former Shalamar singer gave new life to “That’s Christmas,” a George Duke written and produced song from his 2008 holiday album “Howard Hewett Christmas.” The artist decided to dust off another track for a fresh music video polish – this time, “To Thee I Pray,” from his 1992 album “Allegiance.” Director Shana Mangatal returns to helm the visual with an iPhone camera. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Iy7K7jbVhH8/hqdefault.jpg Tiffany Haddish and Common have called it quits after over a year of dating. “They are never in the same city together and both of them are just too busy for a serious relationship,” a source says of the pair, PEOPLE reports. Common and Haddish met on the set of the 2019 film “The Kitchen” and immediately clicked. Haddish said in an interview with Steve-O on his podcast Steve-O’s Wild Ride in August 2020 that when she and the rapper met it “wasn’t anything sexual or anything like that because my eyes were set on something else.” After they went on a virtual Bumble date in April, they decided to take their friendship to the next level. “And then he got tested for everything, I got tested for everything and yeah, we’ve been f—ing,” she said. https://youtu.be/rTIWCSfrzcI Trey Songz is once again the subject of an investigation into an alleged sexual assault that took place in Las Vegas. he Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department filed a report on Sunday regarding an incident that allegedly occurred at The Cosmopolitan. It’s still unclear when exactly the alleged assault took place. Songz is said to be cooperating with the investigation. A source for The Cosmopolitan told TMZ that Songz and his friends brought a few women back to the hotel after celebrating his 37th birthday at Drai’s Nightclub Saturday night. It is believed that the alleged assault happened sometime afterwards. As of this writing, no arrests have been made. Songz has been linked to a string of alleged physical assaults against women. In May he reportedly hit a woman’s car and her hand following an argument. The singer got sued earlier this year for allegedly punching a bartender working at a Cardi B concert in 2019. https://www.instagram.com/treysongz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b530c00d-0f93-4f63-86bd-b15fca0b3d01 Rapper T.I. is reportedly spreading false information that an Atlanta, Georgia mayoral candidate wants to “shut down all strip clubs in the city” if elected. Per The Blast, T.I .took to Instagram to share an article from MTO about mayoral candidate Felicia Moore and a video clip of her discussing city code enforcement. T.I. slammed Moore on Instagram, claiming that his way of life is “being threatened.” “If you’re a club owner, a bartender, a dancer, promoter, valet driver, or just a visitor who subscribes to the culture of this city… understand that OUR LIVELIHOODS & WAYS OF LIFE is being threatened. I’d hate for you to wake up tomorrow and your destiny now rests in the hands of people who could care less about your concerns or best interests… THE TIME IS NOW??” he wrote. “Your hustle WILL be halted & our city WILL GO to the right-wing conservatives who been looking for ways to stop the shine of the culture. Don’t wait till it’s too late to make a difference?? GO VOTE (Andre Dickens) TOMORROW?? Or pack it up & head elsewhere cause it’ll NEVER be the same again.” https://youtu.be/q9beeHsEmBs There is a movement of students at Arizona State University who are campaigning to get teen killer Kyle Rittenhouse kicked off campus. Rittenhouse, 18, was found not guilty in the killing of two men and the wounding of a third last year during a tumultuous night of protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse appeared emotional as the verdicts were read on Nov. 19. After being cleared on all counts, Rittenhouse broke down in tears and hugged one of his attorneys. As reported by New York Post, four groups led by Students for Socialism are behind a rally planned for Wednesday. They are calling for officials to remove Rittenhouse, who is reportedly taking online classes, from the campus, where he is said to be living. “KILLER OFF CAMPUS,” reads the flyer, calling for the university to “protect students from a violent, blood-thirsty murderer.” https://youtu.be/dzFIL-rcCpw Comedian Bill Bellamy is speaking out about the nightmare that is cancel culture and the faux outrage that the movement pushes to fuel the flames of controversy. Bellamy believes part of the problem is audiences have become “so sensitive.” Bellamy spoke with Urban Hollywood 411 about the current state of comedy and the heat the fellow comedian Dave Chappelle is catching over comments about transgenders in his Netflix special “The Closer.” https://youtu.be/tPBESCzFWzk If President Joe Biden decides not to seek re-election in 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris and former first lady Michelle Obama are the top two picks for the Democratic presidential nomination. According to the Hill-HarrisX poll, Harris received support from 13% of respondents in the survey, despite her historically low approval ratings, while Obama was backed by 10 percent. New York Daily News writes, “Other likely candidates included Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang.” Michelle Obama has made it clear in the past that she has no plans to run for office. In 2017 she said, “I wouldn’t ask my children to do this again because when you run for higher office, it’s not just you. It’s your whole family,” according to The Independent. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-E8fs61KD0w/hqdefault.jpg Both WBO champion Stephen Fulton and WBC counterpart Brandon Figueroa predicted knockout victories entering Saturday’s 122-pound unification clash of unbeatens at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas. Although neither cashed in on his vow, they nevertheless engaged in a toe-to-toe, Fight-Of-The-Year-caliber classic that kept members of the crowd thrilled and either on their feet or likely on the edge of their seats. In the end it was Fulton (20–0, 8 KOs) largely abandoning his stick-and-move routine during his disputed majority decision triumph over the ninth unbeaten fighter he has vanquished. The switch-hitting Figueroa (22–1–1, 17 KOs) failed to earn his third straight knockout and his 10th in 11 bouts despite wobbling “Cool Boy Steph” once each in the ninth and 10th rounds. The Suns are shining, and there’s simply no other way to put it. They’ve won 16 games in a row and truly look like a team that’s on a mission. Chris Paul, his impact on that team and their development can’t be denied, especially after last season’s run. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ev9aQpopOs0/hqdefault.jpg Trendsetting Gospel duo Dawkins & Dawkins had not released music in 10-years. This year, they returned to present a colossal dose of their iconic sound and innovative production and songwriting through a series of album releases called NEVER GETS OLD. Brothers Anson Dawkins and Eric Dawkins released NEVER GETS OLD Vol 1: LOVE & LIGHT featuring their hit "In My Feelings" and NEVER GETS OLD Vol. 2: FAITH & FAVOR this summer. Vol 2: Faith & Favor gave the duo a recent Top 30 Billboard and Mediabase Chart Gospel radio single, "Come By Here". With two more volumes of music still to be released to their fans, Dawkins & Dawkins are adding their first Christmas album to this anthology of music, NEVER GETS OLD: HOLIDAY. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFnW7QjeXZ8 Donnell Isaac is back, with Love in the atmosphere as only he can articulate with his signature sultry, soulful sound! Accompanying him is producer and Hip Hop artist Sonny King. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=3UmzesieZfY&list=RDAMVM3UmzesieZfY Police have made an arrest in the cold-case murder of a teenager in the Bronx whose body was dumped like trash. Joseph Martinez, 49, of New Rochelle, was charged with murder Monday more than two decades after Minerliz Soriano was killed. The 13-year-old Soriano, who went by Minnie, was killed in 1999 and her body was discovered in a dumpster in the Bronx. Soriano would be 35 years old now. She was on her way home in Co-Op City when she was strangled. It took three agonizing days to find her. For her family, the years have not closed the wounds and the pain has not ebbed — not even a bit. “We will never forget what happened, because she’s still in our heart,” the victim’s aunt Amelia Soriano said. A Bible-thumping security guard who is charged with shooting dead his four kids and his mother-in-law after his wife filed for divorce posted self-righteous Facebook rants about ‘being attacked by the devil,’ ‘learning from the worst mistakes’ and ‘being a good person to the wrong people’ before Sunday’s massacre. Germarcus David, 29, turned himself in to Los Angeles authorities on Monday after the bodies were found at the Lancaster house that David jointly owned with his wife, Tyanna Brown. Ericka England, a Los Angeles correctional officer in her 50s, and four children under the age of 12 were found dead by their mother, who reportedly screamed ‘My babies are gone! They’re all dead!’ upon arriving at the scene, a neighbor said. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/11/30/4896977376639169683/636x382_MP4_4896977376639169683.mp4 Fallen reality star Josh Duggar ignored questions today as he arrived for day one of a federal child pornography trial that could see him locked up for 40 years. Duggar, 33, clasped hands with his wife Anna and strode purposely past TV cameras as the pair arrived at the John Paul Hammerschmidt federal courthouse in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Tuesday. Asked how he was feeling, Duggar, wearing a dark navy suit, white shirt and polka dot tie, and Anna, wearing a black dress, both stared straight ahead before entering the building, where phones and electronic devices have been banned for the duration of proceedings. Duggar, famous for appearing in TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, was charged in April with two counts of downloading and possessing child pornography. He faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 on each count if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty and jury selection is due to start today. Months before police discovered the body of an autistic girl in a trash bag miles from her Georgia home, a devastating find that immediately raised suspicions of foul play, her mother had allegedly beaten her and at least two other children and had been investigated by the state’s Department of Human Services. The murder warrant against Brittany Nicole Hall, 27, details her apparent efforts to cover her tracks after she allegedly called 911 and told dispatchers her 8-year-old daughter Nicole Amari Hall had vanished on Nov. 21. Authorities in Gwinnett County said they later discovered the child’s battered body in a trash bag dumped in a wooded area 15 miles from the HomeTowne Studios Hotel in Peachtree Corners where Hall and her daughter were staying. Authorities said at that time that it was not immediately clear what caused the little girl’s death but police quickly countered her mom’s claims that the girl had simply wandered off. By the end of the week, murder charges had been filed against both Hall and her partner, Celeste Owen, 29. One Florida family has suffered a devastating legal blow, months after their two-month infant was left unattended and died while in the custody of a state-licensed daycare. A grand jury voted not to indict the establishment caring for the child, despite the fact the local police department is still investigating the case. According to an exclusive interview with WCTV, Mar’Tasha Robinson relied on the recommendations of friends before enrolling her newborn in Hugger Family Daycare in Perry, Florida. She dropped her daughter, Jersi Dior McKnight, off at the in-home daycare on Aug. 9 at 8 a.m., never to see her alive again. While under the care of the family-run business, the Florida Department of Children and Families reported that Robinson’s daughter “was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in a mop bucket when she reportedly rolled off of a changing table while at a daycare.” Perry Police Chief Jamie Cruse shared that his department was notified by someone at the daycare around 3:30 p.m. about a child in crisis. However, Robinson reportedly found out about an incident with one of the children from another parent. After receiving the frantic call, Robinson said, “My heart stopped.” She added that when she arrived at the residential business, despite seeing an “ambulance … detectives and police lights,” she didn’t realize the severity of what was going on. She didn’t even know it was her child. The next Miss USA is a proud journalist from Kentucky. Elle Smith took the crown on Monday night at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Smith was crowned by Miss USA 2020 Asya Branch, and will go straight to Israel to compete at the Miss Universe pageant on December 12. During the Miss USA question and answer round, Smith revealed that her “most important core value” was honesty. She also spoke on sustainability and encouraging businesses to be more environmentally conscious. “We’ve got to look at it from a macro and also a micro level,” Smith said. “So at the macro level, companies need to switch to green energy — I think that’s something we can all agree on.” “But then, at the micro level, we all know how to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and those are all things we can implement in our daily life,” she added. A new HBO docuseries highlighting racial disparities in missing persons cases across the country is receiving praise on Twitter for bringing attention to an issue many say is oft-overlooked. The four-part series Black and Missing is a joint effort from Emmy-winner Geeta Gandbhir and journalist, author and activist Soledad O’Brien. It follows Derrica and Natalie Wilson, sisters-in-law and founders of the Black and Missing Foundation, a nonprofit that strives to prove “equal opportunity for all missing.” The series highlights the foundation’s “uphill battle to bring awareness to the Black missing persons cases that are marginalized by law enforcement and national media.” The first two episodes debuted on Nov. 23, with the final two episodes airing the following day on Nov. 24. All four episodes are now available to stream on HBO Max. Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-1 on Tuesday to reject clemency for a man convicted of killing two Del City hotel workers in 2001, with two members noting the particularly heinous nature of the killings. The vote paves the way for the state to execute 45-year-old Donald Grant on Jan. 27 unless a court intervenes. Grant admitted killing Brenda McElyea and Felicia Suzette Smith, both employees of the LaQuinta Inn in Del City, so that there would be no witnesses to his robbery of the hotel. Both women were shot and stabbed, and court records show Grant also repeatedly bludgeoned McElyea as she begged Grant to spare her life. “I can’t change that,” Grant said of the crime during a 20-minute address to the board that was occasionally rambling and disjointed. “If I could, I would, but I can’t change that.” Grant also expressed “deep, sincere remorse” and apologized for the killings. Grant’s attorneys, both from the federal public defender’s office, argued that he was mentally ill and had suffered brain damage that made him a candidate for mercy. They also discussed Grant’s childhood growing up in a New York City housing project during the crack epidemic of the 1980s, a time when he was frequently beaten and members of his family experienced alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness. When Russia blows up a satellite in space with a missile (as it did this month), or when China tests a new hypersonic missile (as it did last month), the ongoing arms race in space leaps into the news. But in between these “Sputnik”-like moments, outside the public’s view, the United States and its adversaries are battling in space every day. While Washington officials and experts warn of the risks of an arms race in space, the United States’ adversaries are constantly conducting operations against U.S. satellites that skirt the line between intelligence operations and acts of war. The pace of conflict is intensifying, according to a top Space Force general, who told me that China could overtake the United States to become the number one power in space by the end of the decade. “The threats are really growing and expanding every single day. And it’s really an evolution of activity that’s been happening for a long time,” Gen. David Thompson, the Space Force’s first vice chief of space operations, told me in an interview on the sidelines of the recent Halifax International Security Forum. “We’re really at a point now where there’s a whole host of ways that our space systems can be threatened.” Teyana Taylor is on the mend after landing in the hospital over the weekend. In a candid Instagram post on Sunday, the “We Got Love” singer, 30, revealed that her body “shut down” during a stop on her The Last Rose Petal…Farewell Tour. She shared a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed as she thanked her Connecticut fans for understanding the last-minute cancellation of her Mashantucket show on Saturday. She wrote, “Y’all know Petunia don’t miss no shows & most importantly, know I’ve been leaving it all on tha [sic] stage for a month straight 1000%. So I am really saddened to have not been able to do the same for you last night. My team & I tried everything down to the very last second to get me out on that stage, but my body simply just gave out, which actually started a few days ago.” Taylor promised fans the show would be rescheduled for a future date and that all tickets would be honored. Carrie Meek, the grandchild of a slave and a sharecropper’s daughter who became one of the first Black Floridians elected to Congress since Reconstruction, died Sunday. She was 95. Meek died at her home in Miami after a long illness, family spokesperson Adam Sharon said in a statement. The family did not specify a cause of death. Meek started her congressional career at an age when many people begin retirement. She was 66 when she easily won the 1992 Democratic congressional primary in her Miami-Dade County district. No Republican opposed her in the general election. Alcee Hastings and Corrine Brown joined Meek in January 1993 as the first Black Floridians to serve in Congress since 1876 as the state’s districts had been redrawn by the federal courts in accordance with the 1965 Voting Rights Act. On her first day in Congress, Meek reflected that while her grandmother, a slave on a Georgia farm, could never have dreamed of such an accomplishment, her parents told her that anything was possible. She retired in 2002 and shifted her focus to the Carrie Meek Foundation, which she founded in November 2001, to provide the Miami-Dade community with much-needed resources, opportunities, and jobs. Meek spearheaded the Foundation’s daily operations until 2015 when she stepped down due to declining health. PGA Tour pioneer Lee Elder, the first black player to compete in the Masters, has died at age 87. The tour confirmed his passing on Monday morning. No cause of death has been revealed publicly. Elder, a four-time PGA Tour winner, made his groundbreaking appearance at Augusta National in 1975. He was celebrated at the Masters this past April when he was named an honorary starter alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Up to 10 people went inside a #California #HomeDepot on Friday night and took off with various tools. Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Deputy #MiguelMeza told CNN that the incident occurred around 8 p.m. in Lakewood, a city in #LosAngeles. The group of thieves made off with #hammers, #sledgehammers, #crowbars, and other tools. Meza added that they ran out of the store and got into their getaway car that was parked outside. Similar tools have been used in several smash-and-grab robberies that have occurred across high-end stores in several major US cities this month. At least 18 people broke into a Los Angela’s Nordstrom department store on Monday night and took off with thousands of dollars in merchandise, the city’s police chief said. Similar crimes have been reported in other major cities, including San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago. https://www.instagram.com/p/CW0SY93jNiR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Celebrity stylist Law Roach’s three-year-old nephew has passed away after he fell out of a 17-story window in Chicago. The tragic news was confirmed by Roach earlier this week after Chicago Police said three-year-old Lamar Roach Jr. died on Tuesday after he was found unresponsive on the sidewalk. Authorities also reported that the window screen of the apartment had been pulled inward and the boy was found around 10:40 p.m. He was transported to Lurie Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead but there are no suspects in custody at the time as reported by PEOPLE. The investigation is currently ongoing. Roach thanked everyone in an Instagram story post for their condolences regarding his nephew’s sudden passing, writing “Thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. This is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. No one should have to bury a 3 yr old baby. I keep reading this over and over hoping to not recognize his name … my God! I love you all especially my Tribe.” In recent coverage about NYPD struggling to solve murders, the New York York Times ran an article with a clickbait headline distorting the number of murders happening in the city. “After Murders’ Doubled Overnight,’ the N.Y.P.D. Is Solving Fewer Cases” carelessly gives the impression that the number of murders in New York City has rapidly increased in a short period. As several Twitter users pointed out, not only was the headline, misleading, the outlet’s reporting didn’t support it. While the headline has since been changed to a question about whether murders have been harder to solve during the pandemic, the Times’ initial carelessness speaks to a larger issue with crime reporting. American R&B singer Ari Lennox was arrested at Amsterdam Schiphol airport on Monday for disturbing public order, Dutch military police said, after she had accused airline staff of racial discrimination. “I’m being arrested in Amsterdam for reacting to a woman racially profiling me,” Lennox wrote on Twitter on Monday morning, following a tweet in which she had accused “Amsterdam security” of hating Black people. Dutch military police, who are responsible for security at Schiphol airport, said Lennox was held because of her aggressive behavior towards an airline official, and for being drunk in public. “Our unit found a woman full of emotions, that wouldn’t calm down,” spokesman Robert van Kapel said. “That’s why she had to be taken into custody.” It was unclear on Monday afternoon how long Lennox would remain in custody, Van Kapel said, as police were investigating claims of possible threats made by Lennox during the incident. Lennox (30), whose real name is Courtney Shanade Salter, is best known for her 2019 single Shea Butter Baby, which has been streamed almost 114 million times on Spotify. Legendary musician and actress, Mary J. Blige appeared on the Monday, November 29 edition of “Tamron Hall,” for a powerful one-on-one conversation about how she learned to fully love and accept herself. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-1O8aPFDl3k/hqdefault.jpg The lieutenant governor of North Carolina has sparked outrage for proclaiming that straight people are “superior” to gay people. As reported by The Charlotte Observer, Mark Robinson was speaking at a church in Winston-Salem on November 14 when he made the remarks captured on video. Robinson recalled a gay man once asking him, “So, you think your wife and you — you think your heterosexual relationship is superior to my husband and my homosexual relationship?” After serving up a resounding YES, Robinson told congregants that his stance stems from the FACT that two men can not conceive a child together. “These people are superior because they can do something these people can’t do,” he said. “Because that’s the way God created it to be. And I’m tired of this society trying to tell me it’s not so.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1462813906037088257 A former University of Alabama track star and Olympian was killed in a shootout with another man, authorities say. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office on Monday identified Emmit King and Willie Albert Wells as the two men who died after exchanging gunfire in Bessemer on Sunday, AL.com reported. King, 62, was a sprinter and a member of the U.S. relay team for the Summer Olympics in 1984 and 1988, but he didn’t compete. He ran for Jefferson State Community College and for the University of Alabama, where he became the 1983 NCAA national champion in the 100 meters. That same year, he won the bronze in the 100 meters at the first World Championships. Authorities said King and Wells, 60, knew each other and were arguing outside a house Sunday afternoon when they both pulled out guns and fired. Wells was pronounced dead at the scene, and King died later at a hospital. Sabrina Williams, stepsister of Serena and Venus Williams, is speaking out about Will Smith’s latest project “King Richard,” a biopic about Richard Williams, father of the Williams sisters. Sabrina is the daughter of Richard Williams and his first wife, Betty Johnson. She has made it quite clear that she is not impressed with the biopic. In a new interview, Sabrina slammed Smith for the biased portrayal of her father. Speaking with The Sun, Sabrina said that Smith (who also produced the movie) and director Reinald Marcus Green should have done more research before moving forward with the project. “I get it, every movie is slightly economical with the truth, but because it’s Venus and Serena, nobody is going to put anything bad about them or make it seem like they were part of something bad,” she said. Richard Williams reportedly abandoned his first wife when Sabrina was 8 years old. Sabrina takes issue with the movie’s storyline that he was a dedicated father after he moved on to marry two more times. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z_DnlS_H6jo/hqdefault.jpg Prime Video celebrates the release of the Amazon Original series Harlem with a weekend of festivities designed to capture the energy and pride of Harlem. On December 3 and 4 at the historic Harlem Parish on W. 118 Street, Prime Video’s “Harlem Ever After” event will feature Black female creators and entrepreneurs, celebrate sisterhood, and pay homage to the beloved neighborhood. The Amazon Original series Harlem, which focuses on strong Black women and follows them as they chase their dreams, serves as inspiration for the event. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0nf9gqWex10/hqdefault.jpg For Bronx-bred designer, Jevaughn Williams—better known as Mugzy McFly—walking through the doors of his fashion studio nestled in the heart of the borough is a full-circle moment. The neighborhood noises of the MTA trains passing by and the faces of longtime residents conjure up a sense of nostalgia, a reminder of how the Bronx has instrumentally shaped him into the creative he is today. The Wakefield space—which intertwines art, fashion, and culture—tells an evolutionary story about his past, present and future; it sits on a street where he hung out as a youngster, it harbors garments that are products of his creative expression, and it serves as a source of inspiration for him to push the envelope in the industry and use fashion as an avenue to cultivate community. “The Bronx exudes creativity,” he shared. “The fashion, culture and heritage that exist within the Bronx all seep into every crevice of the creative mind.” The items in his athleisure collection—which have been seen on the likes of Young Thug, Post Malone and Doja Cat—include an array of hoodies, tracksuits, t-shirts, pins, scarfs, hats and one of his proudest creations: footwear. For Williams, it’s bigger than clothes. He has continually tapped into the power of fashion to uplift his community. Five years ago, he launched an annual Bronx-based pop-up shop to amplify the work of Black entrepreneurs and celebrate their businesses. Late Hollywood icons Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis revealed in their joint autobiography that they had an open marriage and this alternative lifestyle strengthened their bond. In their memoir “With Ossie and Rubie: In This Life Together,” Ruby and Ossie note that “extramarital sex was not what really destroyed marriages, but rather the lies and deception that invariably accompanied it.” American Mikaela Shiffrin tied the all-time mark for World Cup wins in a single discipline when she beat Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova to capture her 46th slalom victory on Sunday in Killington, Vermont. “We decided to give ourselves permission to sleep with other partners if we wished,” Ossie wrote, “as long as what we did was honest as well as private, and that neither of us exposed the family to scandal or disease.” At the end of their open partnership experiment, Ruby and Ossie came to realize that “they were very fortunate that, in all of the deep profound, fundamental ways, they really, really only wanted each other.” Mel B. aka Scary Spice may be in the news infrequently in the United States, but she’s still pretty big in her native Great Britain. Indeed, she was even asked to appear on an ITV segment paying homage to singer Adele, the current R&B export from across the pond. However, according to the Sun, Mel B. was removed from the segment because of joke about a sex toy that flopped. Mel was given a question to ask Adele about the best gift she had ever received. However, Mel decided to “spice” it up a bit by ad-libbing the vibrator joke which got her segment cut from the show, “An Audience with Adele” TV special. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K_Jybf4CFwk/hqdefault.jpg Sherri Shepherd has been tapped to return to guest host “The Wendy Williams Show” amid Williams’ ongoing health issues. Shepherd will take over the popular daytime talk show Dec. 13-17, New York Daily News reports. “I was thrilled to learn that my hosting week in November was so well received by the loyal viewers of this show,” Shepherd said. “It’s not easy to do what Wendy has successfully done for so many years. I am grateful to Wendy, the entire Wendy Williams team and Wendy’s fans for trusting me to host for another week. It’s been a dream come true, and I can’t wait to bring back my brand of flirty-fun, fabulous guests and feel-good excitement when I return in December.” Today, the Critics Choice Association announced the complete list of honorees and presenters for the inaugural Celebration of Latino Cinema, taking place virtually on Thursday, December 9. For the first time, the Critics Choice Association is celebrating groundbreaking achievements in Latino Cinema, from the outstanding work of Latino performers and creators in ten categories. The virtual event will be hosted by writer, producer, actress, and comedian Cristela Alonzo. Invited guests will include members of the Critics Choice Association, AMPAS, PGA, WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, BAFTA, press and many in the Latino film production community. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/d2F2n8Q6LLA/hqdefault.jpg Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is celebrating the success of his new Netflix movie “Red Notice,” which is the streamer’s most-watched film of all time. “Red Notice” follows an Interpol agent (Johnson) who partners with an art thief (Ryan Reynolds) to hunt down and capture another of the world’s most wanted criminals, played by Gal Godot. Johnson hit up Instagram Thursday to announce that the film is “shattering all records,” and he toasted with a glass of his own Teremana tequila. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWuONu2lUqO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Janet Jackson‘s Super Bowl halftime show stylist, Wayne Scot Lukas, is sharing his side of the story on the alleged wardrobe malfunction during Janet and Justin Timberlake’s performance. Plus, Wayne explains why he cut ties with Justin after he “blamed” him for what happened. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tAz6GoE3NqU/hqdefault.jpg The government of Malawi wants former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson as the country’s official cannabis ambassador. Malawi’s agriculture minister Lobin Low has invited Tyson to become the face of the country’s growing cannabis industry in an effort to attract investors and tourism, according to CNN. The invite has received push back from Malawi’s Centre for Public Accountability (CPA), which claims the government is ignoring Tyson’s criminal history, specifically his 1992 rape conviction, for which he served six years in prison. “Yes he paid his debt three years he was in jail, but we are saying to be the face of a nation is something beyond reformatory,” said Kondwani Munthali, acting director of the CPA. “We would want a less controversial character than Tyson.” Cardi B announced earlier this month that she and her husband, rapper Offset, purchased a new mansion in New York City. But as noted by the New York Post, the house is actually located in New Jersey. The Grammy winner shared a photo of herself standing in the foyer of her new home, calling the residence “a dream.” “These days I don’t just live one place, I’m everywhere due to my work,” Cardi explained. “One thing for sure I needed a home in my home city of NY!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CVym4IXMFha/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b0e07224-f4c1-4b8b-ba2b-b93e730536f7 Todd Dulaney teams up with powerhouse and Gospel great Smokie Norful for his latest release to radio "Satisfied". This infectious track is a fan favorite and gives listeners a good ole hand clapping foot stomping song to add to their Gospel lineup. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, "where you lead I'll go, I will trust your word. You have complete control, I will be satisfied with You...". It's one of those songs that grabs the listener, stirs their soul, and sticks. Dulaney and Norful prove to be a dynamic duo. https://music.apple.com/us/album/satisfied-feat-smokie-norful-radio-edit-single/1592010479 Birthed from the city of Brunswick, GA. It's the sounds of the local artist performing together for unity, peace, love, understanding and healing. Larry E. Rogers Jr. - Why I Run https://pd.heracle.net/drive/s/kyVrsOHsjL8TE3TkdyD8Ax2ifwAEvw The leader of Anthony Brown & group therAPy, the R.I.A.A. certified gold-selling Maryland-based gospel act with numerous No. 1 chart hits and over 300 million digital streams, has overcome many hurdles on his journey to the top of the gospel music field. Despite his past obstacles, Brown is now celebrating the third GRAMMY® nomination. Hear Anthony Brown In His Own Words in the Gospel Spotlight. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/anthonybrown_intvw.htm Tyrese Gibson recently appeared on the FAQ podcast to dish about racism in Hollywood and the 20-year history of the “Fast & Furious” franchise. The actor/singer also addressed his infamous crying video, and described himself as “out of my mind on psych meds,” an experience he said lasted for months, The Blast reports. During the interview, Tyrese reacted to accusations of child abuse that were leveled against him from his ex, noting that at the trial he was “100% exonerated” due to the lack of evidence. https://www.instagram.com/tyrese/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ce7a2e69-7fc5-471c-9a2a-e8717f0ccc1d It’s finally come. The criminal case against former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett. It began today (11/29/21) in Chicago with jury selection. The case is all about Smollett being accused of lying to Chicago police about being the purported victim of an attack in Jan. 2019. At the time, Smollett said that two men yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, kicked him, poured bleach on him, put a noose around his neck, and told him, “This is MAGA country.” His account of the alleged incident drew the support of a number of politicians and celebrities, including then-Sen. Kamala Harris and Empire co-creator Lee Daniel. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/25U4IG2fSfE/hqdefault.jpg 50 Cent made time to troll Madonna on social media after she posted a few risque images on Instagram. The hip-hop mogul posted a screenshot on his own IG page from Madonna’s latest photoshoot, in which she is seen baring her nipples and wearing fishnets that expose her derriere. 50 shared a pic of Madonna laying on the floor and partially under a bed with her butt in the air. “Yo this is the funniest shit! LOL ??” he wrote in the caption. “That’s Madonna under the bed trying to do like a virgin at 63. she shot out, if she don’t get her old ass up. LMFAO.” When a social media user recreated the image, 50 shared the post and captioned it: “This is the like a virgin 63 challenge,” he wrote, referencing the singer’s 1984 hit song. https://www.instagram.com/50cent/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e1ed6c99-b772-4de9-8ef2-31114057bb4d When Michigan secured victory with 58 seconds left Saturday, screaming erupted at the rear of the press box, as offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and other staffers ran toward the elevators. As the coaches rushed to join the team, fans stormed the field at Michigan Stadium, celebrating Michigan’s first win over Ohio State in a decade, and the first under coach Jim Harbaugh. Fifth-year senior safety Brad Hawkins cried, and he wasn’t the only Wolverine getting misty as light snow fell. Michigan already had engineered an impressive turnaround after bottoming out at 2-4 in 2020. The team had reflected Harbaugh’s vision of power football, which surfaced early in his tenure then vanished. https://youtu.be/FeF5-Ppi_dA Lincoln Riley, the fifth-year Oklahoma coach, is the next head coach at USC. The school announced the hiring hours after Yahoo Sports broke the news that the final details of the hiring were being worked out. Riley was 55-10 at Oklahoma. The Sooners won the Big 12 in his first four seasons and also has three College Football Playoff appearances under his belt. The Sooners lost to Oklahoma State on Saturday night to drop to 10-2 on the year. With the loss, the Sooners will miss out on the Big 12 title game and the CFP. https://twitter.com/USC_FB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1465123324044972033%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblackchristiannews.com%2F2021%2F11%2Fwow-lincoln-riley-leaves-oklahoma-to-be-head-coach-at-usc%2F Deion Sanders was named SWAC Coach of the Year on Monday. The pro and college football Hall of Fame player turned coach led Jackson State to a 10-1 regular season and the program’s first SWAC East Division title in eight seasons. The Tigers will host Prairie View A&M for the conference championship Saturday. Sanders had never coached at the college level before taking over at Jackson State in 2020. The Tigers went 4-3 during a pandemic shortened season last year. His son, Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, garnered the Freshman of the Year Award. Outspoken professional basketball player Enes Kanter will legally change his name to Enes Kanter Freedom to celebrate becoming a US citizen. The Swiss-born, Turkish-raised Kanter, 29, will reportedly have his citizenship ceremony on Monday afternoon. He has repeatedly condemned human rights violations in China and Turkey. The NBA star has said his Turkish passport was revoked by authorities in 2017. In an interview with CNN, Kanter, who plays with the Boston Celtics, said the name change will reflect his “fight” for freedom throughout his life. “Here [in the US] there is freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press,” he said. “I didn’t have any of those with Turkey.” Today, Urban One announced the return of the annual URBAN ONE HONORS taping in Atlanta, GA on Friday, December 3, 2021. Themed, "the Soundtrack of Black America," the two-hour telecast premieres Monday, January 17, 2022, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, on TV One and Cleo TV, a division of Urban One. Wireless provider T-Mobile, America’s 5G leader with the largest, fastest and most reliable 5G network, serves as Presenting Sponsor of the celebration with this year’s honoree class recognizing an esteemed group of individuals that have left an indelible mark in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Music Innovation, Entertainment Icon, Living Legend and Inspirational Impact. Jermaine Dupri, Marlon Wayans, and Tony McCuin will appear as presenters alongside performances by Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, Kelly Price, Tank, Vashawn Mitchell and Kim Burse with additional names to be announced. Additionally, TV & Radio Personality Eva Marcille will host a special backstage pass segment, featuring exclusive interviews with the show's honorees, performers and presenters. The fashion world is in shock due to the death of Virgil Abloh, the artistic director for Louis Vuitton’s men’s line. He died Sunday at 41. Abloh, who came up on the streets of Chicago, had been battling cancer “privately for several years” before succumbing to the disease, according to his company. And because Abloh kept his cancer diagnosis a secret, hence the shocking news.The famed designer had been diagnosed with “a rare, aggressive form of…cardiac angiosarcoma” in 2019 but had chosen to keep it private, according to a statement posted on his personal Instagram account. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bzZsGeyg3Kw/hqdefault.jpg Jeff Bezos is giving big time to the Obama Foundation to the tune of $100 million, and of course that’s the largest single single gift to the philanthropic organization sharing President Barack Obama’s name. The owner of Amazon and space cadet said he made the donation in honor of late-Congressman and Civil Rights icon John Lewis in order to “help expand the scope of programming that reaches emerging leaders in the United States and around the world,” Courtney Williams, a spokesperson for the foundation, said in a statement. “As part of the gift, Bezos has asked for the plaza at the Obama Presidential Center to be named the John Lewis Plaza.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sYVwEIQ7X9k/hqdefault.jpg The attorneys who defended #TravisMcMichael and #WilliamRoddieBryanJr. say they plan to appeal their clients’ murder convictions. McMichael, Bryan, and #GregoryMcMichael were found guilty for the murder of #AhmaudArbery. Jason Sheffield and Bob Rubin—attorneys for Travis-told #CNN that they are already discussing what courtroom they plan to appeal his conviction. https://www.instagram.com/balleralert/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d3f7aa18-9a0f-49d0-881b-941f591fab84 A woman died after being stabbed in her home following a Thanksgiving Day attack by her 18-year-old son, according to Gwinnett County police. Officers received a call about a “domestic-related assault” around noon Thursday and found the woman, identified as 42-year-old Marcia Chance, of Misty Valley Court in unincorporated Lawrenceville, police said. She had already died from her injuries by the time police arrived at the scene. Chance’s son, Varian Hibbert, was taken into custody and booked into the Gwinnett County jail, according to police. He was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. NBC and E! announces that entertainment powerhouse, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and former WWE star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will be honored with “The People’s Champion” award at the 2021 “People’s Choice Awards.” 15-time “People’s Choice Awards” nominee and two-time winner, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will be recognized for his contributions to the entertainment industry, entrepreneurial endeavors, and unwavering commitment to supporting children and families in need through multiple philanthropic partnerships. The 2021 “People’s Choice Awards” will air simultaneously on both NBC and E! on Tuesday, December 7 at 9pm ET/PT from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA. https://youtu.be/Spei41Y6e0g Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and pray about the blessings of the last year. One long-time member of the FOX 5 family is counting her blessings even amid new challenges in her life. FOX 5 reporter Aungelique Proctor took some time off this past fall to try to figure out why she was feeling so fatigued and why her stomach hurt. The answer was not what anyone expected. Doctors diagnosed her with stage 2 stomach cancer. Despite the answer, she said she’s in a really good place emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. And even with the difficult news, she’s ready to face it head-on. Proctor in her 26 years with FOX 5 Atlanta has impacted so many lives, meeting hundreds of thousands and people and telling their stories. But it’s her own story she now feels she is ready to share. “I just always seek truth, and I’m always being upfront. I am a transparent person,” Proctor told the FOX Medical Team’s Beth Galvin. “And so now, I think it would almost be hypocritical if I didn’t share what’s happening with me.” It is news that hit too close to home for the FOX 5 family. “To find the mass was really shocking…” Proctor shared. An alum of Beyoncé’s media and management company will lead one of the country’s most prestigious ballet companies — a significant move in a historically White-dominated world. Janet Rollé, formerly the general manager of Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment for five years, will be the new CEO and executive director of the American Ballet Theatre. Her role goes into effect January 3, 2022, and her hiring marks the first time a person of color has led the company. Rollé credited her mother, an immigrant from Jamaica, for forming the foundation of her career, by taking her to her first dance class at the age of 8. “Through dance, I learned how to be a professional, the value of discipline and technique, and my love for the creative process. These lessons have always been at the core of my professional life and work,” Rollé said in a statement. Inspired by the groundbreaking Netflix Original musical Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, shortlisted by the Oscars and heralded by Rotten Tomatoes as the Best Reviewed Family Film of 2020, this all-new picture book, The Perfect Gift: A Jingle Jangle Story is the sequel to The Square Root of Possible and follows Journey as she shows The Buddy 3000 the true meaning of Christmas. The world-wide response to our film was so overwhelming that we knew these characters needed life outside of the film,” said David E. Talbert. “Our partnership with Penguin Random House is bringing these beloved characters into homes across the world, creating fun and wholesome stories for the entire family.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2sprcNhZWIU/hqdefault.jpg Chance the Rapper recently purchased a mansion in the northern Chicago suburb of Bannockburn for $2.3 million. Chance, his wife Kirsten and two daughters Kensli and Marlie Grace will enjoy a six-bedroom, six fireplace, large beams-havin’ live space that is 9,251 square feet. The new crib is cheaper than his previous condo, which had a $3.7 million price tag, and bigger too as his previous residence was 4,500 square feet. Kanye West is continuing his quest to win back the affections of Kim Kardashian eight months after news broke that the reality star was filing for divorce. On November 26, the rapper shared an old photo originally posted by Kardashian to her Instagram Stories back in 2019. The photo featured West and Kardashian kissing in matching sweat suits. Over the photo, West added a TMZ headline, reading, “Kanye West Says God Will Bring Kim and Him Back Together, Inspire Millions.” West tagged the publication as well as his ex-wife. The article West referenced detailed the speech he gave while dropping off meals at the L.A. Mission on November 24. “The narrative God wants is to see that we can be redeemed in all these relationships,” West said, per People. “We’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve publically done things that were not acceptable as a husband, but right now today, for whatever reason — I didn’t know I was going to be in front of this mic — but I’m here to change the narrative.” Faith Fennidy is a change-maker, advocate and the teen inspiration behind Mickey Guyton’s “Love My Hair.” In 2018, Faith, who was 11 at the time, said she was told to leave a Louisiana private school because she was wearing braided hair extensions. At the time, the school had a policy against students wearing hair that isn’t natural. “When I went to school that day, and they told me that I couldn’t wear my braids there, it was a heartbreaking experience,” Faith told “GMA.” “Especially something that I had never expected from a school that I had been going to for at least a couple of years … to tell me that it was an issue, it was a problem.” Faith’s brother, Steven Fennidy, recorded a video of Faith in tears in the school office after the incident and posted the video on social media, where it went viral, garnering national attention and outrage over the school’s rule. The school later rescinded its policy following the backlash from this incident. Faith, now 14, decided not to return to the school, opting instead to start fresh at a new school, according to her family, and she said she’s grown to love it. A pharmaceutical science major at the University of Georgia is the latest headline making crusader for the natural hair movement. Niyah Brown was looking for a way to create a safe and celebratory space for Black hair on the predominately white campus, where you are far less likely to see afros on full display in the dining hall. “I used to always be ashamed of wearing my natural hair out.” Brown shared with The Red & Black. “I used to feel like I had to imitate the Eurocentric hairstyles that I was constantly surrounded by. It took me a while to actually appreciate my natural hair, and I realized that a lot of Black girls are still like this today, so I just wanted to break them free of the chains that I used to be in.” Enter #NaturalNovember, the hashtag campaign launched by Brown to encourage and promote the embracement of natural hair and its styling. If you’ve embarked on this particular journey yourself, you know that it’s not the easiest of transitions. Let’s talk about not being able to make plans due to entirely dedicated wash days, sitting for hours to get that protective style tight and right, or a blow out being completely derailed by even the thought of rain drops. The maintenance of natural hair can feel like a part time job for sure, but many of those who commit to the process come to feel that not only is it a solid styling choice, but that it’s a conscious political decision as well. Brown says she wants Black students to appreciate “the natural hair that grows from our head, while also breaking the boundaries of Eurocentric beauty standards.” Beyond his presence on the court, NBA star Trae Young is known for his philanthropy, and he’s continuing to pay it forward this holiday season. According to Sports Illustrated, the Atlanta Hawks point guard recently led a social good project to feed underserved families in Atlanta. The initiative was organized through the 23-year-old’s organization, the Trae Young Family Foundation. The nonprofit assisted the Atlanta Mission—a homeless shelter in the city that serves thousands of men, women and children—in helping over 500 families experiencing food insecurity during Thanksgiving weekend. The organization reportedly donated over $15,000 to support the project. Efforts like the one led by the Trae Young Family Foundation are needed as food insecurity remains a pressing issue in Georgia. The Atlanta Community Food Bank reported that the percentage of individuals battling hunger in the state increased from 13 percent to 16 percent amid the pandemic. Dwyane Wade is a three-time NBA champion, 13-time All-Star and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. Among all players throughout league history, he totaled the 35th-most points (23,165), 43rd-most assists (5,701) and 32nd-most steals (1,620). Wade had a legendary career, and he’s a lock to become a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer once he’s eligible for induction in 2023. However, his career was nearly over before it even began. “This is a game that I fought very hard to play,” Wade told CBS News last week. “My mom went to jail when I was 9. My dad was in and out of jail. Growing up, I did not pass my ACT test to go to college. I had a baby in college. [There were] all these things that will stop you from reaching your goals, and I kept fighting. I kept fighting because it was my dream.” Wade took the ACT a third time, but his score was even worse. When Wade told Crean his results, they both cried. Shortly after, Wade’s girlfriend, Siohvaughn, got pregnant. Some people may have quit basketball and tried to find a different career path, but Wade decided to continue pursuing his dream, and Crean (who had emerged as a “father figure”) stood by him. Wade sat out his freshman season because he wasn’t academically eligible. After working hard with tutors, he managed to improve his academic standing and become eligible as a sophomore. From there, he became one of the best players in the nation, averaging 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.3 blocks. In 2003, Wade led Marquette to the Final Four for the first time since 1977. Then, he became the No. 5 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. One-in-ten passengers who landed in Holland from Johannesburg today also had Covid, although it was unclear which were infected with the Omicron strain. The Dutch health ministry said Saturday that at least 61 new cases of Covid entered the Netherlands from South Africa, leading Dr Anthony Fauci to sound the alarm about the dangers Omicron poses to Covid-weary US residents. ‘It has a large number of mutations, particularly in that area of the virus that relates to its ability to bind to the cells in your nasal pharynx and in your lung,’ Fauci told the Today Show Saturday morning. ‘You have to be careful and assume that that’s the case,’ he added, noting that Omicron could possibly ‘evade’ vaccinations. Fauci’s concerns about ‘transmissibility’ come as Biden has imposed a ban on travelers from from eight African countries – Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi – which won’t go into effect until Monday. Two cases of the ‘monstrous’ new Covid variant have been detected in the UK. Health Secretary Sajid Javid today said that cases of the strain, named Omicron and designated a ‘variant of concern’ by the World Health Organisation on Friday, were found in Nottingham and Brentwood in Essex. Both are linked to travel to southern Africa, the suspected origin of the mutation. The infected individuals and all members of their households have been told to enter self-isolation after the UK Health Security Agency confirmed the sequencing. The Prime Minister will hold a Downing Street press conference at 5pm today with the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser to lay out new measures to combat the strain. Four more countries – Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola – will be added to the no-fly list on Sunday. All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were banned by Mr Javid yesterday amid growing international panic about the variant, which scientists believe is more transmissible and has an increased risk of reinfection. A Richmond mother has been searching for her missing daughter, Keeshae Jacobs, for five years now with little to no cracks in the case. She’s now featured in a new docuseries that focuses on cases that may not have initially grabbed national headlines. It’s been five long years for Toni Jacobs, but she hasn’t given up hope that her daughter will return home. Jacobs spends a lot of time blasting her daughter’s picture online, connecting with missing persons foundations, and handing out flyers, but there have still been no signs of her daughter. Jacobs says having a child that’s missing is difficult enough, but add racial bias and it’s even worse. A new HBO docuseries called ‘Black and Missing’ is trying to raise awareness about disparities in missing persons cases. https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/mother-of-keeshae-jacobs-featured-on-new-hbo-series-black-and-missing/ A 4-year-old boy died after police said he shot himself in the face in East Liberty. “This was a devastating tragedy. We believe it was an accident. A 4-year-old boy got a hold of a gun and shot himself in the face,” said Pittsburgh police spokesperson Cara Cruz. The family identified him as Ajani Lane. “Medics were there immediately,” said Cruz. “It was literally minutes after this happened and they transported the child to Children’s Hospital in extremely critical condition and very sadly he passed away a short time later.” One guardian was in the home on North Negley Avenue when the shooting happened around 8:15 Monday, police said. Yellow crime tape surrounded the home with children’s toys filling the front porch. At 41, Stephanie Perry quit her job as a pharmacy tech to travel for a year in Asia on her savings and never looked back. The entrepreneur, house-sitter, and creator is now inspiring Black women to take a career break to travel the world (and live their best lives) by house-sitting in exchange for travel accommodations. Through Trusted Housesitters – the world’s largest pet sitting network – Perry has embraced her new nomadic career by way of over 30 pet-sits, from cats in Boston to dogs in Chapala, Mexico. Stephanie sees house-sitting as a win-win: owners are able to rest confidently knowing that their four-legged friends are well-cared for, and she gets a little bit of companionship along with a new town to explore. Since 2015, she has ventured to Hawaii, the Netherlands, and more, providing resources along the way. Stephanie has co-founded the Exodus Summit, started the blog Vaycarious, and posts tips and tricks to her YouTube Channel. “A lot of people get discouraged in the city, like you would never be enough or just becoming a product of the environment,” said Tari Wright. “So, any way we can switch that up. I think this is the perfect way.” Wright says he used to spend too much time worrying he could only do wrong. “I had no confidence in myself, especially being like a black man in Philadelphia,” he said. “Like, we don’t get that push, we don’t get that support. So just like, I always thought I was gonna fail.” Despite this, Wright looked to his daughter, who has autism, for inspiration. “She was always going to be told that she was not going to be right,” he said. “And Wright is my last name. So I told her to own it.” Thus, he embraced the wordplay and created “Not Wright Brand LLC,” to push back against the stigma. Today, he sells basketballs, shorts, socks, and a special travel bag. Wright credits a chance meeting with Roneece Dent at a pop-up event that caused his entrepreneurial spirit to spark. The law firm that represented Maryland’s historically Black universities in a long-running lawsuit against the state is donating $12.5 million to colleges and nonprofits from the fees it was awarded when the case settled. The Kirkland & Ellis firm, led by attorney Michael D. Jones, represented alumni and supporters of Maryland’s historically Black colleges and universities as they challenged systemic underfunding of the schools by the state government. After a 15-year legal and political saga, the case was settled this year when state lawmakers approved hundreds of millions of dollars in extra funding for the HBCUs in future state budgets. As part of the settlement, the state agreed to pay $22 million in legal fees and costs, with $12.5 million going to Kirkland & Ellis. The remainder went to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, which also provided legal representation for plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Kirkland & Ellis is now sending all of the money it received back into the community because it took the lawsuit on a pro bono, or charitable, basis. Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped the American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century with his intelligent, intricately rhymed lyrics, his use of evocative melodies and his willingness to tackle unusual subjects, has died. He was 91. Sondheim’s death was announced by his Texas-based attorney, Rick Pappas, who told The New York Times the composer died Friday at his home in Roxbury, Conn. Sondheim influenced several generations of theater songwriters, particularly with such landmark musicals as Company, Follies and Sweeney Todd, which are considered among his best work. His most famous ballad, “Send in the Clowns,” has been recorded hundreds of times, including by Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins. Tributes quickly flooded social media as performers and writers alike saluted a giant of the theater. “We shall be singing your songs forever,” wrote Lea Salonga. Aaron Tveit wrote: “We are so lucky to have what you’ve given the world.” The Las Vegas Raiders-Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving football game turned violent Thursday night with separate fights breaking out between not only the players, but also fans. Several fights broke out at the NFL game, including two fights between Raiders and Cowboys players erupting with players wrestling each other to the ground, grabbing helmets and violently pushing one another. The anger and violence spread to the stands, as well, with fans also throwing punches and attacking each other with hair pulling and brutal punches. A bloody brawl broke out between players during the third quarter, ending with two ejections and a bloody referee. https://twitter.com/i/status/1464255607184277510 Newly acquired Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is slated to get his entire bag for the season in the form of Bitcoin. In fact, he took to Twitter earlier this week to announce the that he will receive the entirety of his in Bitcoin. This comes after once upon a time star receiver joined in on the NFL craze with the purchase of CryptoPunk. However, he isn’t the first NFLer to get his money in this new-fangled form of currency. Back in October, Green Bay Packers star signal caller Aaron Rogers, none other than Mr. Discount-Double check himself, announced that he teamed up with Cash App to have a portion of his salary paid in Bitcoin. https://twitter.com/i/status/1462836953888534528 Earlier this week, comedian #DaveChapelle visited his alma mater, D.C.’s #DukeEllingtonSchooloftheArts where students expected him to apologize for his comments on the Netflix special, “The Closer.”? According to Politico Playbook, many students had a few things to say to the comedian. One attendee at the event said, “I’m 16 and I think you’re childish, you handled it like a child,” adding that Chapelle is a “bigot.”? Chapelle responded “My friend, with all due respect, I don’t believe you could make one of the decisions I have to make on a given day.”? Over the years Chapelle has faced years of criticism and accusations that he is “transphobic” for many of his stand-up jokes, especially following the Netflix release of “The Closer,” in which he made comments like “gender is a fact.”? The trans community and several Netflix employees were not receptive to the special, although it received positive reviews from the general public. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWv4Cr3pDhF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again WBC super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa is predicting a late-round knockout in Saturday’s 122-pound unification clash of unbeatens with WBO counterpart Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton, who specifically vows to KO “The Heartbreaker” in the ninth. The switch-hitting Figueroa (22–0–1, 17 KOs) is seeking his third straight knockout and his 10th in 11 bouts. Meanwhile, Fulton (19–0, 8 KOs), pursues his ninth victory over an undefeated opponent at the Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) in a Premier Boxing Champions event. New York is not playing any games. Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency ahead of potential COVID-19 spikes this winter due to the already-circulating Delta and a new variant. Hochul’s declaration on Friday is one of the first emergency steps taken by a state in the U.S. against the new variant, known as Omicron, following its discovery on Thursday. As NBC News reports, the declaration, which goes into effect on Dec. 3, will allow the state to not only acquire pandemic-fighting supplies, but also increase hospital capacity and fight potential staffing shortages. Music producer, reality show personality Stevie J has come out and issued a public apology to his wife, the lovely Faith Evans, following the leak of a video showing him looking bad. “I’d like to make this video for my wife. A video was released last week that showed me talking crazy to my wife,” he began the clip. “Publicly humiliating my wife. I’d like to apologize.” Stevie J has claimed that someone stole the laptop on which the disparaging video was stored, but we’d be buggin’ if we didn’t ask why the video existed in the first place. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWrDmGxh6Bk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Over 200 singers were invited,” said Patrick Lundy, choir director and founder of the Ministers of Music (Ebenezer AME Church), about the “Way-Maker” album. They are currently promoting the newest single, “He’s Still the Light,” off the project. Their eighth album marks the 25th anniversary of the choir. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OhN33qFyNXM/hqdefault.jpg Christopher Frierson’s new documentary “Don’t Try To Understand” will take fans of late rapper DMX inside his personal life as part of HBO’s Music Box docuseries. Frierson’s cameras followed DMX everywhere between January 2019 and March 2020 — to shows, record label meetings, and though the streets, as reported by Complex. “The team behind Don’t Try To Understand captured the full scope of X as an artist, as well as Earl Simmons as a human being,” Per the Complex. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-fjywXu_KW8/hqdefault.jpg Even when promoting her son’s new business venture, the singer is one to say what’s on her mind, with a touch of humor thrown in for good measure. “I’m what is known as a loose cannon,” a laughing Warwick confessed to The Los Angeles Times. “That thing called a filter, what is that? I threaten my friends who bring me all their troubles that I’m gonna hang my shingle out. It’s gonna cost them $50,000 a session.” Although she is known for timeless music and gained a new generation of followers with innocent inquiries on today’s hitmakers on Twitter, the “Don’t Make Me Over” vocalist has a new gig making use of her voice. A family affair aimed at putting people in a different state of mind. Welcome to the Ohm Zone, a creation owned by Warwick’s son Damon Elliott that combines a recording studio, sound bath and meditation center. A sound bath is an experience in meditation that uses music to produce sound waves through various instruments that help reduce stress and anxiety. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UHQbl3byYiY/hqdefault.jpg A teen athlete in NYC is transferring high schools after a “racist” remark from one of the school’s assistant athletic directors. Tony Humphrey, 16, a star baseball player at Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, stated that the decision was sparked after a conversation with a faculty member that left him furious. “He comes up to me,” Humphrey said of the administrator, “and asked why was I doing track.” Humphrey explained to the assistant AD that he was trying to get faster. “It never hurts to gain speed,” he said. But the administrator told the teenager that he “gained that speed by running from the police.” That was racist. There was no reason for him to say that,” he said. https://youtu.be/609rqvj_fgU President Joe Biden has announced travel will be banned from eight African countries including South Africa starting from Monday in an effort to stop a highly transmissible new variant of COVID that has been given the name Omicron from entering the US. The countries travel will be banned from are South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. US citizens and green card holders will still be able to travel into the US from the banned countries, but no one else will be allowed. Biden announced the ban on Friday hours after his top COVID expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said in an interview that it was too soon to enact such measures. U.S. stocks dropped sharply on Friday as a new Covid variant found in South Africa triggered a global shift away from risk assets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped about 930 points, or 2.6%, for its worst day of the year, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite slid 2.3% and 2.2%, respectively. The Dow was down more than 1,000 points at session lows. Friday is a shortened trading day because of the Thanksgiving holiday with U.S. markets closing at 1 p.m. ET. The downward moves came after WHO officials on Thursday warned of a new Covid-19 variant that’s been detected in South Africa. The new variant contains more mutations to the spike protein, the component of the virus that binds to cells, than the highly contagious delta variant. Because of these mutations, scientists fear it could have increased resistance to vaccines, though WHO said further investigation is needed. Advisers to the World Health Organization are holding a special session Friday to flesh out information about a worrying new variant of the coronavirus that has been detected in South Africa, though a top expert says its impact on COVID-19 vaccines may not be known for weeks. The technical advisory group on the evolution of COVID-19 was meeting virtually to discuss the so-called B.1.1.529 variant that has caused stock markets to swoon and led the European Union to recommend a pause in flights to southern Africa. The group could decide if it’s a “variant of concern” — the most worrying type, like the well-known delta variant — or a “variant of interest,” and whether to use a Greek letter to classify it. “We don’t know very much about this, yet. What we do know is that this variant has a large number of mutations, and the concern is that when you have so many mutations it can have an impact on how the virus behaves,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, in a social-media chat Thursday. Global authorities reacted with alarm on Friday to a new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, with the EU and Britain among those tightening border controls as researchers sought to find out if the mutation was vaccine-resistant. Hours after Britain https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-says-new-covid-19-variant-is-most-significant-yet-found-2021-11-26 banned flights from South Africa and neighboring countries and asked travelers returning from there to quarantine, the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned against hasty travel bans. The ex-district attorney in the Ahmaud Arbery case was booked into a Georgia county jail on Wednesday, the same day his three attackers were convicted of murder. Jackie Johnson, 49, a former Brunswick Judicial Circuit district attorney, was booked into the Glynn County Jail after she turned herself in, authorities reported. She is accused of discouraging the police from making arrests in connection with Arbery’s death. She was released the same day, reportedly on her ‘own recognizance,’ and did not have to pay the posted $10,000 bail, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She was indicted by a grand jury last week and faces felony charges for violating her oath of office and a misdemeanor for obstructing police work. A gospel singer saw her dreams come true as her song climbed to the top of the charts this year, until COVID-19 almost left her without a voice to sing it. She might say Jesus fixed it. Shontelle Norman-Beatty, who grew up in the Raleigh neighborhood of Memphis, is considered one of gospel’s artists to watch. She’d been singing all her life when she finally made it to the top. “Jesus Will Fix It” started climbing the charts early this summer and made it all the way to the No. 1 spot on the charts in September. https://www.wreg.com/news/local/jesus-will-fix-it-singer-regains-voice-after-covid/ The investigation continues in Fall River after a man was shot and killed during an altercation with police Monday evening. Anthony Harden, 30, “was misunderstood,” according to his twin brother Antone Harden, and now his family wants answers. Officers went to an apartment on Melville Street to speak to Anthony about an alleged domestic incident that a woman reported over the weekend. Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said when police arrived, an altercation broke out and in less than 15 minutes, Anthony was shot by one of the officers and pronounced dead at the hospital. Quinn noted that it appeared Harden had a knife on him at the time, but did not specify whether he threatened the officers with it. Hours later, Anthony’s family reached out to 12 News to try and clear his name. “The family wants answers. We want everyone that’s listening to this to know what’s happening because it will not be swept under the rug,” said his uncle, Don Mack. A criminal charge against a former Ladue police officer in connection to a 2019 shooting was dismissed, officials announced Monday morning. Julia Crews, 39, was charged with second-degree assault after trying to arrest an alleged shoplifting suspect, later identified as Ashley Hall. Police got a call from the Ladue Schnucks about two shoplifters inside the store in April 2019. During the arrest, Hall reportedly resisted and a struggle began. That’s when the gun was fired, police said. The dismissal stems from the Hall’s request following restorative justice mediation, a process where the victim and offender participates together to resolve matters. Their facilitator Seema Gajwani said Hall made it possible for the women to find a resolution. A Fulton grand jury on Tuesday indicted six deputy sheriffs on five charges, including felony murder, in the 2018 death of an inmate at the county jail. The three current and three former deputies also were charged with aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of office in connection to the Sept. 11, 2018 death of Antonio May, who had been repeatedly shocked with a Taser. The Fulton District Attorney’s office presented the results of its three-year investigation on Tuesday. “It is now the duty of my office to prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury at trial. My staff and I will continue to work to ensure that justice is done in this case,” DA Fani Willis said in a statement. May, a 32-year-old father of three from Macon, had been arrested and taken to the Fulton County jail after he was accused of throwing rocks at the windows of the American Cancer Society building downtown. His lawyer, Michael Harper, said May died of cardiovascular collapse due to physical restraints. A federal judge gave a white former St. Louis police officer less than half the prison time his own defense lawyers had asked for on Monday after he was convicted for his role in the beating of an undercover Black colleague during the 2017 racial justice protests in the city. Dustin Boone, 37, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for aiding and abetting the deprivation of civil rights under color of law of undercover officer Luther Hall. He was convicted in June after a nine-day trial. Prosecutors had asked that Boone be imprisoned for 10 years; his own defense team had asked for just over two years. By sentencing Boone to one day over the one-year sentence, US District Judge E. Richard Webber ensured the former police officer will also be eligible to have time taken off his sentence for good behavior. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com The Lifetime original movie Miracle In Motor City, starring Tia Mowry, Mark Taylor and Smokey Robinson is set to premiere this Sunday, November 28 at 8/7c. Amber Dupont (Tia Mowry) bites off more than she can chew when she takes charge of her church’s annual Christmas pageant and inadvertently promises to deliver a special performance by Motown Legend Smokey Robinson. When her best friends secretly enlist Amber’s former flame Eddie (Mark Taylor) to help – the pair reconnect in a quest to find Smokey and convince him to appear. With the clock ticking, family, friends, and superstar Smokey Robinson come together to stage the most special pageant yet. https://aenetworks.app.box.com/s/kwsa5x9jjopokgn78w99uxxax87wxd9e TRIBL celebrates its nominations categories for the 64th GRAMMY® Awards, which will take place on January 31, 2022. TRIBL’s nominations mark the most for an inspirational independent label – this milestone gives TRIBL the title for the most nominations ever for a gospel artist (Maverick City Music) in one year. Tribl’s #1 best-selling record-breaking collective, Maverick City Music, received five nominations across the categories, Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, Best Gospel Album, Best Gospel Performance/Song. Additionally, Maverick City Music artist Dante Bowe received a Best Gospel Performance/Song solo nomination for his single “Joyful.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3TYG7Q_fj4 The family of Young Dolph has released a statement a week after the Memphis rapper was fatally shot at a local bakery. Dolph was killed on Nov. 17 while shopping at Makeda’s Butter Cookies. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Maurice Hill, the owner of the shop, told FOX13 his employees said Dolph walked into the store to buy cookies when a vehicle drove up and fired at the bakery. The gunmen were caught on camera driving up to the store and firing shots at the 36-year-old father of two. As reported by Complex, Dolph’s family’s statement included a quote from author Rudyard Kipling. There are no words that exist, that sufficiently express the pain we are feeling as a family. Losing Adolph, Dolph, Man-Man, changes our lives forever. And while we will take each day as it comes, we are comforted in knowing that he leaves a legacy that reflects his heart. A heart that was for his family. A heart that was for the people. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love. We are grateful that his godly obligation to show kindness to the world is being acknowledged. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WaoL6cGOOMQ/hqdefault.jpg Travis Scott has reportedly been laying low at his Houston home following the Astroworld tragedy but on Tuesday, the rapper was spotted in Palm Springs visiting a local golf course. As reported by TMZ, the rapper was spotted with Michael Jordan, Mark Wahlberg, Kris Jenner’s alleged boyfriend Corey Gamble, and actor Said Taghmaoui. Travis Scott, Drake, Apple, Live Nation and others have been hit with a $750 million lawsuit brought by more than 125 people who attended the rapper’s deadly Astroworld music festival earlier this month. As reported by TMZ, the massive suit, filed by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, “claims it’s to cover both physical and mental health injuries as well as the loss of life.” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FE-MAWsXoAY51zk?format=jpg&name=360x360 Michigan State’s head coach Mel Tucker has become the highest-paid Black coach in American sports after agreeing to a historic 10-year, $95 million contract extension. Per USA Today, “Tucker’s $9.5 million annual deal trails only Saban’s $9.75 million annual contract at Alabama.” During an appearance on “The Draymond Green Show“, Tucker addressed the extension talks: “I always made it clear that I thought Michigan State was a destination job, not a stepping stone. I have Big Ten roots. Played at Wisconsin. I’m from Cleveland, Ohio. My parents are 3 hours and 15 minutes away. My wife is from Chicago. I know the Big Ten landscape. This is where I started my career as a graduate assistant for Nick Saban. Michigan State is a special place for me. It was never my intention to come here and just pass through. I believe that we’re building something special here, and I have tremendous support here, and we’re on the right track.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1461350002807033870 Smokey Robinson spent nearly two weeks in the hospital battling COVID-19 late last year. As reported by The Daily Mail, Robinson spent 11 days in a Los Angeles hospital after contracting the virus last December. The singer claims he was so weak from the virus that he nearly died. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, he said, “I am very happy to share (my story) because I hope it helps someone, COVID just comes on and the people ask me today, who knew that I had it… where did you get it, how did you get it- I don’t know. I have no idea how I got it. All I know is I looked up and I had it.” The music legend added, “It was a horrible, horrible thing and while I was going through it I wasn’t really thinking about ‘Hey man, perhaps you will never get out of this hospital alive,’ I wasn’t thinking like that. I was just thinking about (how) I got to get myself together.” Halle Berry teamed with rapper Young M.A for the soundtrack of Berry’s latest film “Bruised,” for which the rapper contributed a song to the project, now streaming on Netflix. “Bruised” marks Berry’s directorial debut, and she also stars in the movie about an MMA fighter (Berry) who attempts to make a comeback after reconnecting with the son she put up for adoption years before. In a video promoting the soundtrack that was executive produced by Berry and Young M.A, the two set Twitter on fire with a flirty moment as they discussed their “weird” turn-ons. “Only ‘cuz you’re asking me,” Berry teased the rapper before answering. “I don’t know if this is weird, but I like when you’re kissing someone, and they like, kinda suck the tongue. It might not be weird, but that turns me on.” “That’s not weird, that’s not weird. That is absolutely perfect,” Young M.A responds. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EMu8K0l8ggA/hqdefault.jpg Janet Jackson reportedly wants nothing to do with the documentary about her 2004 Super Bowl halftime controversy with Justin Timberlake. As Deadline reports, the doc is the latest installment in the New York Times Presents series, entitled “Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson,” that will stream on Hulu. “She wants that documentary to go away. She didn’t ask for a ‘Free Janet’ documentary. She’s not interested,” Jackson’s former stylist Wayne Scot Lukas, who created the singer’s Super Bowl costume, tells Page Six. Jackson declined to participate in the New York Times/FX project. Will Smith has embarked on a book tour to promote his new memoir titled “Will,” and during his latest stop in London, the actor unpacked more details about his personal life. Smith shared his past financial troubles during a Thursday book-tour appearance in London, Yahoo reports. The actor revealed that he once borrowed $10,000 from a friend who was a drug dealer after racking up tax debt in the early 1990s. After receiving the money Smith said he sold everything and moved to Los Angeles. During a Thursday appearance at the Savoy Theatre in London to promote his autobiography, Smith and actor Idris Elba dished about his financial problems after becoming famous. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWDzCMmInfQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The beautiful “Love and Hip Hop Miami” reality star and singer, Amara La Negra is super excited about her hot new show “Don’t Cancel Me With Amara La Negra” premiering December 1st at 11pm on Fuse. “I can be totally myself and not get canceled for voicing my opinion. We go hard for topics from immigration to the LGBTQ community to colorism in our community to sex. I wanted to hit some real important topics that are somewhat taboo and nobody wants to talk about. I want to give a judgement free zone where you can be transparent, be yourself and just express yourself.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nvMiNZX6Hjw/hqdefault.jpg A 65-year old Detroit is speaking out after discovering she is the victim of a landlord scam and now facing eviction. June Walker finished paying off what she had hoped would be her forever home more than 2 years ago, but her hard work was all for nothing as she is apparently the victim of the “fake landlord” scam, Black Enterprise reports. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2VKLfkToS_s/hqdefault.jpg In an unprecedented move, NAACP partners with venture-backed technology company Hello Alice to support the NAACP’s proactive mission of improving the lives of African Americans and their communities through increased economic opportunities and building generational wealth. Today, NAACP announced their newly acquired ownership stake in Hello Alice, the largest online platform helping small businesses launch, attract, and retain more diverse customer sets. The announcement is a first for the NAACP and will provide substantial resources towards advancing the organization’s goals for economic equality for Black communities. “To champion true racial equity, we need to address the long-standing economic inequality that has left Black communities underfunded and undervalued for centuries,” said NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wsI3UtXPoHM/hqdefault.jpg The HBCU Black College Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 42 nominees for the inaugural class of 2022 today. Last week the HBCU Black College Basketball Hall of Fame announced that it was planning to build the first ever basketball hall of fame for HBCU players, coaches and contributors in a HBCU city. The founder of the HBCU Black College Basketball Hall of Fame, LaMont “ShowBoat” Robinson a former HBCU player at Central State University, said this has been long overdue to honor the HBCU basketball history both from a standpoint of an annual induction ceremony and a world class facility. Steph Curry and Seth Curry had a brotherly showdown during the 76ers’ trip to the Chase Center to take on the Golden State Warriors. In the end, Steph and the Warriors came out victorious, extending their record to 16-2, the best in the NBA. Both the Curry brothers played very well during the game. Steph Curry scored 25 points during the game, whereas Seth was just one behind with 24. Steph pulled ahead in the final minutes of the game, thus securing the personal victory in the battle of the brothers (3:44 mark). But Steph didn’t even realize that Seth was outscoring him until after the game. https://youtu.be/v-gRXXHVdMw Food snobs can be so obnoxious when they offer criticism of those meal unsolicited pics that people are so fond of gratuitously posting to social media. But on Thanksgiving, Black Twitter disproved that theory in a resounding fashion as users reacted with humorous facts to the whitest versions of macaroni and cheese, a holiday staple that has somehow been bastardized by cooks with predilections for infusing any given meal with raisins and other inappropriate additives that dilute the beautiful simplicity of what standard mac and cheese recipes call for. Three men were convicted of murder Wednesday in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man who was running empty-handed through a Georgia subdivision when the white strangers chased him, trapped him on a quiet street and blasted him with a shotgun. The February 2020 slaying drew limited attention at first. But when video of the shooting leaked online, Arbery’s death quickly became another example in the nation’s reckoning of racial injustice in the way Black people are treated in their everyday lives. Now the men all face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. The judge will decide whether their sentences are served with or without the possibility of parole. As the first of 23 guilty verdicts were read, Arbery’s father had to leave the courtroom after leaping up and shouting. At the reading of the last criminal count, Arbery’s mother dropped her head and quietly pumped her fists. “He didn’t do nothing but run and dream,” Marcus Arbery Sr. said of his son. Outside the courthouse, dozens of Black supporters hugged and cried. In Chicago a mother was shot and killed just two days after her 14-year-old son met his demise in the very same spot. On Wednesday (11-24-21) the grieving family and friends of Delisa Tucker and Kevin Tinker Jr. spoke with CBS 2 Chicago’s Suzanne Le Mignot. They are in shock and are asking why. They are also in unimaginable pain – losing two loved ones, just two days apart, and now planning two funerals.“We need justice for Delisa and Kevin,” said family friend Michelle Tharpe. “That’s all we want.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FzJjWwpb-fY/hqdefault.jpg Kathie Lee Gifford has issued a blistering condemnation of both “cancel culture” and today’s money-driven church, urging the Body of Christ to remember that the way of Jesus is one of kindness, humility and empathy. In an interview with The Christian Post, the four-time Emmy Award-winning entertainer lamented the fact that today’s society abides by the mantra, “If you don’t believe in what I say and you don’t agree with my opinion, then I’m just going to cancel you as if you’ve never existed.” “When have we ever lived in life [like] this, except for maybe during McCarthyism where we just called somebody as communist and wrote them off like they never existed? I don’t know it in my time on this planet,” Gifford emphasized. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Shaquille O’Neal claims he was stiffed by a partner in a legal cannabis business venture, and now the Hall of Famer is suing for more than $1 million to recoup his investment and damages. Attorneys for O’Neal, 49, and another investor, Jerome Crawford, filed suit this week against Darron Campbell, his LLC, and 10 John Does, claiming that Campbell mismanaged the cannabis company, Viceroy LLC, wasted investments, and failed to properly account for spending. Campbell did not immediately respond to a request for comment submitted by DailyMail.com to his personal website. O’Neal and Crawford claim they invested $100,000 and $50,000, respectively, in 2016 ‘to pursue opportunities in the field of legal cannabis,’ according to the lawsuit obtained by DailyMail.com. The problem, according to the filing, was that Campbell didn’t appear to do anything with that initial $150,000 investment. It became apparent after Monday night’s 30-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that New York Giants coach Joe Judge couldn’t take it anymore. He was tired of coordinator Jason Garrett’s stale offense, which had continuously failed to get the ball to its playmakers in space and perform the most basic of services — like score points. The result was 42 offensive touchdowns in 26 games for the Giants (3-7), the fewest of any team (including the New York Jets) since the start of last season. It ultimately got Garrett fired on Tuesday, the day after Judge was uncharacteristically critical of him following the loss to the Bucs. Garrett was the first major piece to fall as a result of another disappointing season. He’s unlikely to be the last. LeBron James’s Thanksgiving week got worse on Wednesday when he ordered two young fans be kicked out the arena for abusive language – three days after receiving his first ever suspension. James, 36, was two minutes from the end of the LA Lakers vs Indiana Pacers at the stadium in Indiana. He is seen gesturing to the referee and marching him over to where two young fans were sitting courtside. He points to them, yelling: ‘This one, right f****** here!’ A YouTuber who claimed to be sitting court side near the couple said they made disparaging comments about Lebron’s eldest son, Bronny. ‘The girl said “I hope Bronny dies in a car wreck” [and] the guy kept chirping… like a chicken sound. “Bronny’s a bih bih bih”… it was very weird and they were asked by staff to cool it once or twice but hey.’ https://twitter.com/i/status/1463701481308123139 Kanye ‘Ye’ West said on Wednesday that God will reunite him and estranged wife Kim Kardashian. West, 44, spoke out about his marriage as he appeared at the Los Angeles Mission to deliver 1,000 meals to Skid Row ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. ‘The narrative God wants is to see that we can be redeemed in all these relationships,’ the Grammy-winner said, according to Page Six. ‘We’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes.’ He continued: ‘I’ve publicly done things that were not acceptable as a husband, but right now today, for whatever reason – I didn’t know I was going to be in front of this mic – but I’m here to change the narrative.’ West spoke out on the status of the relationship as Kardashian’s new romance with Pete Davidson continues to make headlines. West, referencing the Kardashian family’s reality TV franchise, told those in attendance, ‘I’m not letting E! write the narrative of my family. I’m not letting Hulu write the narrative of my family … I am the priest of my home.’ JAY-Z is now the artist with the most Grammy nominations of all time. The rapper, 51, received three more nominations from the Recording Academy on Tuesday, bringing his total count to 83. JAY-Z was nominated in the album of the year category for his work on Kanye West‘s Donda, and received two nominations for best rap song for his features on DMX’s “Bath Salts” and West’s “Jail.” With his record number of nominations, JAY-Z has now beat out Quincy Jones, the previous record holder with 80 nods, PEOPLE reported. He ranks just above Paul McCartney, who has 81 nominations following Tuesday’s announcements. JAY-Z last released an album in 2017 titled 4:44; while he was nominated for multiple awards that year, he did not win any, according to Variety. He’s won 23 Grammy Awards so far, with his most recent win for Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé’s collaboration “Savage,” which was awarded best rap song at the 2021 ceremony. JAY-Z was credited on the track as a songwriter. A New York City Barnes & Noble threw Twitter into a tizzy over a snarky display for ‘Unproblematic Wizarding World’ books in an apparent slap at JK Rowling as the Harry Potter author continues to face backlash for her comments about the trans community. The bookstore, located in Union Square, set up the display in early November, taking a jab at Rowling, 56, who enraged the trans community last year after she mocked an online article which used the words ‘people who menstruate’ instead of ‘women’. The display at one of the few book stores left in the city features the works of Ursula Le Guin, Brandon Sanderson, Deborah Harkness and others who have written about magic and witchcraft, but are more obscure when compared to Rowling. The Twitter storm comes as Rowling blasted three trans activists on Monday for trying to ‘intimidate’ her after they protested outside her house in Scotland before posting a picture of her address on social media. Lacey Chabert, 39, shared the tragic news in a heartbreaking Instagram post on Tuesday, November 23. The actress said she was ‘so broken’ over the loss and that her ‘heart was shattered into a million pieces.’ It appears that Wendy – who was very private and didn’t use social media – was living in Texas at the time of her passing, and she had two sons. Many celebrities flooded the comment section of Lacey’s post to send her their love and support, including Tamera Mowry, Melissa Joan Hart, and others. Recently it was announced that the Emmy-winning writer will be producing new television programming through Hilman Grad, her production company. The entities include HBO Max as well as cable, WarnerMedia’s five broadcasting networks and external streaming services. The exclusive, multi-year agreement between the Emmy-winning writer was announced recentlyy in a press release. First up is a scripted project inspired by the cult classic 90s basketball documentary “Hoop Dreams,” which followed two Black teens as they tried to navigate Chicago’s supremely competitive basketball circuit and make it pro. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w9XmF2fYOZM/hqdefault.jpg Black unity is a very powerful thing, as an Oregon-based company got a taste of it firsthand to the tune of $7 million. According to Business Insider, the company, A Kids Company About, raised the hefty funds, which came from a group of black investors. The startup’s founder, Jelani Memory, detailed the investments, telling Insider first-time investors contributed donations as small as $5,000. Among the companies leading the effort was Pendulum Opportunities, a subsidiary of Pendulum Holdings LLC, the VC firm led by former president Barack Obama‘s ex-financial advisor Robbie Robinson. In addition to Pendulum Opportunities, the investor group also includes Backstage Capital and Emerson Collective, who are known for investing in underrepresented founders. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnaltG5N8nE/hqdefault.jpg Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cKYfwATqaBc/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Several celebrities have stepped up to help feed the hungry over the Thanksgiving holiday. “The Real” co-host and radio personality Loni Love joined a growing list of celebrities working with Project Angel Food’s 200 volunteers and staff to deliver 2,000 traditional turkey dinners to critically ill men, women, children, and their caregivers throughout Los Angeles County on Thanksgiving 2021. Volunteers will deliver contactless pick-ups of meals that include vegetarian options. Meals are sponsored by the Stanley and Joyce Black Family Foundation, Glamazon (Amazon’s affinity group for the LGBT+ community), and 94.7 The Wave, which will broadcast live from the Project Angel Food kitchen all morning long. Social media personality Jayda Cheaves held a giveaway in Savannah, Georgia, where she handed out 500 turkeys and set aside time for those who wanted to take pictures with her. Rapper Quavo, reality star Marlo Hampton, and actress Naturi Naughton also handed out turkeys and other items in Georgia. Rapper Pardison Fontaine hosted a turkey giveaway at The Cathedral at the House in his hometown of Newburgh, New York, helping dozens of people in need. Actor Wendell Pierce is speaking out about the not guilty verdict in Kyle Rittenhouse’s murder trial, noting that Americans have “embraced” violence. “The Wire” and “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” star no longer resides in the U.S. because the nation has normalized violence and hate. “I’m home in America for the month of November. I have lived abroad for 4 of the last 5 years. Sadly, what I’ll be thankful for this holiday is leaving the US for a more peaceful life. The violence in America has been normalized. Violent crime, political violence, open carry laws,” the New Orleans native tweeted Sunday night. “My trip home was a palpable feeling of danger. In all parts of the country, small town, big city. The realization is that we have always been violent but decided to evolve away from it. Now we have embraced it full on,” he wrote. Idris Elba fans will recall that the English heartthrob starred in American Gangster back in 2007. n the film, which is fictionally based on the story of ex-drug trafficker Frank Lucas, Idris Elba specifically played the role of Tango–who was shot in the head at one point in the movie. Now, 14 years after the film debuted, director Ridley Scott is dishing the aforementioned scene–and he had quite a revelation about how Idris Elba reacted to it! Ridley Scott, 83, revealed that the gun in question had a filled-in barrel that didn’t allow for bullets or blanks to be used. While the gun was essentially useless with a solid barrel, Idris Elba, 49, allegedly still thought he had been shot for real during filming! Apparently Ridley Scott instructed Idris Elba to “lean on the gun” with his head so that he would be shocked by the firearm recoiling–even though nothing would come out–for realistic effect. “He pulled the trigger and it goes ‘Bang!’ Idris thought he’d been shot and dropped to the sidewalk and said ‘I’ve been shot!’” By virtue of a 106-100 loss to the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, the Lakers will celebrate Thanksgiving Day as one of the Western Conference’s non-winning teams, and you’ve gotta kinda wonder not when they’ll get it together. LeBron James was missing in action and Anthony Davis was under the weather, but the Lakers were noticeably missing the necessary pep in their step, as they fell behind New York by 25 points in the first half on Tuesday. They battled back valiantly in the game’s second, but simply didn’t have enough to overcome a determined Knicks team. “They jumped out, made some shots, we weren’t playing hard enough. Simple,” Russell Westbrook said after the contest. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/r_5RhhWfaeQ/hqdefault.jpg Season three of the popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN continues with an all-new episode this Wednesday, November 24 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells returns to prepare even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKEMr8iWlKE CLEO TV will air a new episode of CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Wednesday, November 24 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8Ws9gQocvs Award-Winning Artist, Accomplished Actress, Songwriter, Producer, and Businesswoman, Tamela Mann is releasing her first-ever Christmas single, “What Christmas Really Means,” this Friday, November 26, to all digital platforms. The single is from her new movie, Soul Santa, which also stars Tamela’s husband, NAACP Image Award-Winning Actor/Comedian David Mann. Soul Santa, executive produced by Tamela, David, who was also the music supervisor on the film, Brainstorm Media, and Reuben Cannon Entertainment, is directed by Terri Vaughn and now playing on the BET Network and BET+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phW-VSpnQLM Today, RCA Inspiration celebrates two nominations for the 64th GRAMMY® Awards, with nominations for artists in both Gospel and the Contemporary Christian Music categories. Nominated in the Best Gospel Album category is Mali Music as a co-performer on the Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music collaboration album Jonny x Mali: Live in LA. Their EP project of live performances was released in September 2021, in partnership between Mali’s imprint K Approved Enterprises, RCA Inspiration, Jonathan’s Life Room Label and eOne Music (now named MNRK Music Group). Separately, Kirk Franklin received a nomination in the Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song category, as a co-performer on the Lil Baby x Kirk Franklin track “We Win.” Released in May 2021, the song was featured on the Space Jam: A New Legacy Official Soundtrack, which was released by Republic Records and Warner Bros. Pictures. Singing sensation and R&B Chart-topper, Chloë recently sat down with ELLE Magazine for a second round of Song Association. One of the songs sang was “Miracle” from Jonny x Mali: Live in LA! Check out the snippet. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWgi2ITv8sl/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet Watch the 2021 Soul Train Awards on BET/BET Her this Sunday. Kirk Franklin is nominated for the BET Gospel / Inspirational Award and Koryn Hawthorne is performing in the Soul Cypher! Tune in Sunday, November 28th at 8pm ET. https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/2021-soul-train-awards-performers-presenters-1234636608/ DOE shares insight on her current EP, what it was like to pen her relationship-based ballad Hey You, and what to expect from her upcoming full length project slated to release next year. https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=250408916987476 The Holiday season continues with the Stellar Awards Tribute To The Holidays. The tribute is airing now through the end of the year with a special performance on Christmas day. Multi Award-winning recording artist Jekalyn Carr is hosting this year with performances by Mali Music, Kelontae Gavin, Kierra Sheard, and more of the Christian and Gospel artists we love to see! https://www.thestellarawards.com/ Share some music from RCA's Hip Hop History Month Playlist with your family and friends for the Holidays! Listen to Kierra Sheard, DOE, Donald Lawrence, and more of your favorites. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLcSq3J265i_-Q4-0F4R57Yimpa5FVw7N Nominees for the 64th annual Grammy Awards have been announced. Jon Batiste leads all artists with 11 nominations, followed by Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. with eight. Nominated in the Gospel Categories are listed below. Best Gospel Performance/Song “Voice of God,” Dante Bowe featuring Steffany Gretzinger and Chandler Moore; Dante Bowe, Tywan Mack, Jeff Schneeweis and Mitch Wong, songwriters “Joyful,” Dante Bowe; Dante Bowe and Ben Schofield, songwriters “Help,” Anthony Brown & Group Therapy; Anthony Brown and Darryl Woodson, songwriters “Never Lost,” CeCe Winans “Wait on You,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music; Dante Bowe, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Tiffany Hudson, Brandon Lake and Chandler Moore, songwriters Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song “We Win,” Kirk Franklin and Lil Baby; Kirk Franklin, Dominique Jones, Cynthia Nunn and Justin Smith, songwriters “Hold Us Together (Hope Mix),” H.E.R. and Tauren Wells; Josiah Bassey, Dernst Emile and H.E.R., songwriters “Man of Your Word,” Chandler Moore and KJ Scriven; Jonathan Jay, Nathan Jess and Chandler Moore, songwriters “Believe For It,” CeCe Winans; Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee, CeCe Winans and Mitch Wong, songwriters “Jireh,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music featuring Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine; Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine, songwriters Best Gospel Album “Changing Your Story,” Jekalyn Carr “Royalty: Live at the Ryman,” Tasha Cobbs Leonard “Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition,” Maverick City Music “Jonny X Mali: Live in LA,” Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music “Believe for It,” CeCe Winans Best Contemporary Christian Music Album “No Stranger,” Natalie Grant “Feels Like Home Vol. 2,” Israel and New Breed “The Blessing (Live),” Kari Jobe “Citizen of Heaven (Live),” Tauren Wells “Old Church Basement,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music Best Roots Gospel Album “Alone With My Faith,” Harry Connick, Jr. “That’s Gospel, Brother,” Gaither Vocal Band “Keeping On,” Ernie Haase and Signature Sound “Songs For the Times,” The Isaacs “My Savior,” Carrie Underwood The ceremony will be held on Jan. 31, 2022, at the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) in Los Angeles. MNRK Music Group celebrates its nominations categories for the 64th GRAMMY® Awards, which will take place on January 31, 2022. MNRK artist Jonathan McReynolds, along with Mali Music, received a nomination for Best Gospel Album for Jonny x Mali: Live in LA. A co-artist release between the chart toppers, the live project follows on the heels of their GRAMMY®-winning #1 hit song, “Movin’ On.” Featured in a new performance take on the EP, the prolific songwriters and musicians have taken their artistic collaboration further, co-writing all the songs on the album. Silk Sonic, comprised of Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak, has officially earned four GRAMMY nominations after Tuesday(11-23-21)’s announcement for the 2022 GRAMMY Awards. https://youtu.be/adLGHcj_fmA On Monday night’s episode of NBC’s “The Voice,” viewers witnessed a passionate performance by contestant Jeremy Rosado as he sang Cory Asbury’s “Reckless Heart” during the Top 11 live playoffs. Rosado’s rendition brought the audience to their feet, including his coach Kelly Clarkson, as he proclaimed God’s endless love for everyone. “Last night wasn’t about me, it was about HIM,” the singer shared on Instagram. “I’m not sure how America received this performance, it’s seems mixed between people online but what I do know for sure is that, the millions of lives that were impacted and told about the love of Jesus is worth it! Thank you family for sticking with me and for voting last night, praying for the best! I love you.” https://youtu.be/MAZyxnbRP7I Today (11-24-21) after about 11 hours of deliberations , the verdict was reached shortly after 1:20pm Eastern. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iimgKaqnR0E/hqdefault.jpg After three white men who chased down and killed Ahmaud Arbery were all found guilty of various murder charges Wednesday afternoon, Arbery’s mother spoke to enthusiastic supporters outside the Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Ga, saying this day is nearly two years in the making. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/P7W5B--L2MU/hqdefault.jpg Father and son Greg McMichael, 65, and Travis McMichael, 35, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, all faced the same nine criminal counts in Georgia state court: one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony. They pleaded not guilty to all counts. https://youtu.be/JPKHk1hAL6w More than four years after hundreds of racist white supremacists and neo-Nazis gathered for the so-called “United The Right” rally to hold tiki torches and inflict terroristic violence against anyone who opposes them in Charlottesville, Virginia, a jury has found the organizers and organizations involved guilty of federal conspiracy charges … to the tune of more than $26 million. More than $14 million of that figure was levied against James Alex Fields Jr., the raging white supremacist who is in prison for using his car to plow through counter-protesters and kill Heather Heyer on Aug. 12, 2017, in the tiny college town in Central Virginia. The verdict also means that the defendants must each pay $500,000. The defendants include such despicable figures as Richard Spencer, the white supremacist who coined the term “alt-right” and was famously seen getting his face punched during a live television interview back in 2017 at a separate event in Washington, D.C. A man who was convicted of raping award-winning author Alice Sebold 40 years ago has been exonerated after a producer working on a Netflix adaptation of the writer’s memoir noticed inconsistencies in the story. Anthony Broadwater, 61, who spent 16 years behind bars, broke down in tears on Monday after being officially cleared by a judge of the rape which was the basis of Sebold’s 1999 bestseller, Lucky. https://youtu.be/zuPix9gDTqI An actor who plays Judas in the US tour of Jesus Christ Superstar was charged with storming the Capitol on January 6 after officers matched the Michael Jackson jacket he wore to the riot with photos from social media. James Delisco Beeks, 49, was arrested Tuesday in Milwaukee – where the musical was set to kick off an eight-show engagement – on a felony count of obstruction of Congress and a misdemeanor count of unlawfully entering a restricted building. The actor, who goes by the stage name James Justis, was part of a mob that attacked law enforcement, according to the Department of Justice. Records show he paid dues to the far-right, anti-government Oath Keepers group in December. Beeks, who lives in Orlando, made his initial court appearance at the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He was released pending further court proceedings. He has been suspended from Jesus Christ Superstar, which is set to tour through August 2022. His role has been given to an understudy, a tour spokesman told DailyMail.com. A Netflix employee who spoke out against Dave Chappelle’s controversial stand-up special “The Closer” said she has resigned, capping a volatile period for the streaming giant marked by protests, lawsuits and mea culpas. The employee, Terra Field, a senior software engineer, said in a letter posted online that she voluntarily exited the company as of Sunday. Field, who is transgender, has been critical of Chappelle’s Oct. 1 special, which included remarks about the trans community many took as disparaging. “This isn’t how I thought things would end, but I’m relieved to have closure,” Field said in the resignation letter posted late Monday. The same day as her resignation, Field and her former coworker, B. Pagels-Minor, a game launch operations program manager who also is trans, dropped a complaint against Netflix filed with the National Labor Relations Board, according to the streaming giant. The complaint alleged that the company kept employees from speaking up about working conditions. Louis C.K. and Dave Chappelle both grabbed Grammy noms — despite their individual battles with “cancel culture” — a signal maybe “canceling” people is on the wane. The Academy announced its picks Tuesday … Louis received a nom for Best Comedy Album and Chappelle for Best Spoken Word Album. Of course, Twitter was quick to react, mostly full of people who have had it up to HERE with C.C. One user wrote, “Louis CK just got nominated for a Grammy, in case people wanted to keep clutching their pearls about the long-term effects of cancel culture.” Another said, “only one grammy nom each for dave chappelle, kevin hart, and louis CK!! cancel culture strikes again!!” Travis Scott has been hit with another lawsuit over the Astroworld tragedy, and this time, members of the festival’s security are going after the rapper, his record label, event organizers, and more. According to reports, the 30-year-old is being sued for $1 million by two security guards who claim they suffered permanent scarring due to what they saw go down at Astroworld. Samuel and Jackson Bush say they were hired by AJ Melino and Associates to work the November 5 festival in Houston, Texas. Samuel and Jackson allege they suffered mental and physical injuries from that deadly night, which resulted in 10 dying and 300 more injured. In the documents, Jackson outlines in detail the horrific events that played out. According to him, not only did he witness several lifeless bodies getting CPR, but he also pulled one out of the crowd as thousands of fans surged towards the stage. Vikings defensive lineman Everson Griffen posted a series of disturbing text messages and videos to his Instagram early Wednesday. The screengrabs included texts with his agent in which he said someone was trying to kill him. “Vikings representatives and the team’s mental health professionals have been on-site at Everson Griffen’s home since early this morning and are cooperating with law enforcement,” the team said in a statement. “Our only concern at this time is the safety and well-being of Everson and his family. We will have further comment at the appropriate time.” NFL star JJ Watt, a Wisconsin native, says he’ll pick up the costs of funerals for the six victims of Sunday’s tragic Christmas parade attack. The Arizona Cardinals defensive end, a Waukesha native who graduated from Peewauken High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, made the announcement through local media this week, Fox News said. “JJ Watt is covering the funeral costs for everyone that lost their life in the Waukesha Christmas Parade,” journalist and author Cory Jennerjohn wrote on Twitter. “That is an amazing gesture,” Jennerjohn wrote. “He has such a huge heart.” Watt took to Twitter himself just hours after the deadly tragedy on Sunday. Two books about LGBTQ+ experience previously banned have been returned to school shelves in a Missouri School District. George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and “Fun Home” by Alison Bechdel was removed from four high schools in North Kansas City last month, according to the New York Daily News. Part of the pushback against the removal of the books came from students themselves. According to the Kansas City Star, a student-led petition had more than 1,000 signatures. Parents in another nearby district also pushed back against a proposed book ban. The push is part of the uninformed panic around school decision-making and student opportunity to learn about valuable perspectives. Both books discuss perspectives and experiences not commonly represented in literature, providing a more representative selection for students. Claims that the content is “pornographic” are unfounded. Johnson tweeted Monday that the book has been threatened or pulled in several states, but the fight isn’t over. Locked away at the age of 18, Kevin Strickland will finally be free. Joining the ranks of exonerated people, Strickland had spent his entire adult life locked away for a crime he didn’t commit. His release comes over 42 years after he was convicted of a triple homicide. It is the longest wrongful conviction in Missouri History and one of the longest in the country. Eric Garner Jr. has clapped back at the leader of a Black Lives Matter (BLM) chapter in New York over comments made about Mayor-elect Eric Adams. New York BLM chapter leader Hawk Newsome said the city would erupt in “riots and bloodshed” if Adams reinstates a plainclothes police unit, as reported by Black Enterprise. Garner responded to his comments in a statement to the New York Post. “Hawk Newsome threatening to burn down our city in response to Mayor-Elect Eric Adams’s proposal of bringing back the anti-crime unit in plain clothes is an insult to injury to my family and the movement at large,” Garner said. “On behalf of the entire movement I must ask you to retract your statement and redirect that righteous anger to help all of us form a more constructive way of accomplishing our goals because at the end of the day, we all we got!” https://youtu.be/DQfyUu8pzeM Country singer Jimmie Allen called out the “lazy doctors” who discharged his 5-week-old daughter, only for her to end up in a second hospital. “Attention Doctors , if the parent of your one month old patient tells you the child [is] having a hard time breathing and the only thing your lazy self wants to do is check heart heart [sic] and temperature find another career,” Allen, 36, tweeted late Tuesday night. “Your job is to save lives so do it.” In a second tweet, the “Freedom Was a Highway” singer continued, “now thanks to the lazy doctors at a hospital in TN that just sent our daughter home, our daughter Zara lost color stopped breathing and is being rushed to another hospital.” Allen went on to thank the “amazing EMT team that brought Zara’s color” back so that she “can breath [sic] again” before adding, “Gonna be a rough night.” The former “Dancing With the Stars” contestant’s wife, Alexis Gale, shared earlier this week that both Zara and the couple’s 1-year-old daughter, Naomi, were sick, but she didn’t elaborate on their illnesses. Good Morning America” anchor Michael Strahan is set to be a passenger on Blue Origin’s third human flight into space next month. As reported by PEOPLE, Strahan shared the exciting news with his GMA co-anchors on Tuesday along with footage of himself preparing for the flight. “Blue Origin, they approached me and they asked if I wanted to be a crew member,” Strahan explained on GMA. “Without hesitation, I said yes.” Strahan said watching Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who owns Blue Origin, take the first human flight inspired him to join the next launch. The original “Law & Order” is returning to television after more than a decade off the air, and one of its series regulars is also reprising his role on the beloved cop drama. According to PEOPLE, Anthony Anderson, who appeared in 50 episodes during the final seasons from 2008 to 2010, is returning for the NBC show’s revival. Anderson portrayed Detective Kevin Bernard in “Law & Order,” which ended in 2010 at the end of its 20th season. The 21st season is airing this fall. T-Pain has hustled a book project out of his hit single “Buy U a Drank.” The singer spoke to The Associated Press about his new cocktail recipe book, “Can I Mix You a Drink?” described by publisher Penguin Random House as “a high-end liquor guide inspired by Grammy Award-winning Platinum artist T-Pain’s hit songs, blending innovative drinks with humorous anecdotes that only T-Pain can deliver.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kCE4ty1MRGo/hqdefault.jpg GSN-Makeda’s Cookies, the Memphis-based Black-owned bakery where Young Dolph was fatally shot last week, is planning to pay homage to the late hip-hop star. According to WREG, operations manager, Raven Winton, revealed that they intend to rename Dolph’s favorite cookie, the chocolate chip, after him. “That was one thing that Dolph did, [he] use to say when you get off the expressway. He was like, ‘I can smell y’all. I’m getting off the expressway. I had to come in,” Winton said. “To know that we’re not going to see that face anymore is I’m trying to hold back tears.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gNZJMveWdsI/hqdefault.jpg Kanye West shared a clip on Instagram of his son Saint West playing a game of catch with Tom Brady in one of the Buccaneers’ luxury suites. “Try not to let the other person get it. Oh, you catch it good too!” Brady said as Kanye films. “Say, ‘Daddy, you’re gonna have to throw me a ball all the time now,’” Brady said to Saint as they continued to play catch. “Oh yeah, you’re gonna keep daddy super busy.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWmpymEDxrd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Call the name of Jesus. There is power over Satan in His name,” said Grammy winning Howard Hewett discussing his new single “To Thee I Pray” (LaKiva Music). “I actually wrote this song over 30 years ago…unfortunately the lyrics still ring true today. It was meant for my last album with Elektra (Records). I brought it to these cats, Wav3Pop, and said flip it.” Rooted in Gospel music Howard was performing on stage since the age of three as a Gospel artist. Even when, as a teen, he started performing and then recording R&B and Pop music he still included Gospel/Inspirational music in his repertoire. In fact, as an R&B/Pop artist his signature song is the Inspiration/Gospel single “Say Amen.” This success was accomplished as a solo artist, even though he rocketed to fame as a member of the R&B/Pop group Shalamar (“For the Lover in You,” “Make That Move”). “It asks us to examine ourselves…to ‘make a stand, put down the gun and hold your brothers’ hand.’ We need these words,” Howard pointed out about the new single’s lyrics. “It’s up to us.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy7K7jbVhH8 Wyclef Jean was on hand for the Range Rover Leadership Summit in Los Angeles on Nov. 15 that saw the rapper serve up a live performance at the one-day event for company bigwigs. As reported by TMZ, things went left when Jean accidentally dropped Jaguar Land Rover North America CEO Joe Eberhardt on his head. The incident happened at an afterparty and was captured on video. The brother of rapper Offset has been behind bars for over a decade, but on Thursday, the hip-hop star took to social media to celebrate his release. “15 years and he back,” Offset captioned a video on his IG Stories. A series of clips on Offset’s IG account offers fans a glimpse of what his brother’s first day home was like. https://youtu.be/dbGVCJs75RU Katt Williams, Keith Sweat, LisaRaye McCoy, Keri Hilson, Rotimi, Jason Mitchell, DC Young Fly, Cedric Pendleton, Jazzy Jade, Latto and Lyfe Jennings light up the big screen in “For The Love of Money.” Opens Nov 24, 2021 in Theaters Nationwide. https://youtu.be/wHJFvqnO-NY Who deserves a second chance? “The Unforgivable,” from Netflix, puts this very question to the test! The film follows Ruth Slater (Sandra Bullock) as she navigates through life as a convicted felon. After serving 20 years in prison for committing a murder, she re-enters society with the single-minded goal of finding her younger sister whom she lost contact with during her imprisonment. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JNUjx7LZoiU/hqdefault.jpg The family of singer Bobby Caldwell is asking for prayers for the ailing singer. As reported by Soul Tracks, a recent post on Bobby’s social media channels states: “Please take a moment to say a prayer for Bobby and his family. There is power in prayer. God Bless you all.” Over the summer it was reported that the blue-eyed soul singer canceled a few live shows after suffering an injury. https://youtu.be/C8Y0SZrPdX0 Gayle King and her bestie Oprah Winfrey did an interview a while back and addressed the longstanding gay rumors about them. The dynamic duo has been friends for four decades and rumor has it that at some point their close friendship turned intimate. Oprah said in an interview, I understand why people think we’re gay. There isn’t a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women. So I get why people have to label it—how can you be this close without it being sexual? How else can you explain a level of intimacy where someone always loves you, always respects you, admires you? Gayle says, The truth is, if we were gay, we would so tell you, because there’s nothing wrong with being gay. Yeah. But for people to still be asking the question, when I’ve said it and said it and said it, that means they think I’m a liar. And that bothers me, Oprah said. This Thanksgiving, the Reese’s brand is giving the traditional pie an upgrade like you’ve never seen before by unveiling a super-sized, 9-inch peanut butter cup…making this pie the largest Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup ever for sale! Introducing Reese’s Thanksgiving Pie – a spin on a tried-and-true holiday treat that contains the only two ingredients a dessert really needs…chocolate and peanut butter. Oh, and did we mention that this peanut butter cup is the size of a real pie? Reese’s Thanksgiving Pie is the largest Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup to date, featuring a 9-inch diameter and 3.25 pounds of solid peanut butter and chocolate. Zak Williams & 1/Akord drops Jehovah Jireh....https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8628415?date=20210914&user_id=668306&signature=j9cdLyRso5eHz5jNtTGrqf1-CqI%3ADio3VP6A Today, BET announced the 2021 “Soul Train Awards” will showcase an even bigger lineup of performances, special moments, and appearances, by some of the biggest stars in R&B, Gospel, Urban Adult Contemporary and Soul. On the heels of her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 Chart for her second studio LP, Still Over It, R&B singer-songwriter Summer Walker joins the exciting line-up of performers at this year’s Awards. Fred Hammond, and BET Amplified artists Elhae and Marzz will take the stage, along with Soul of Justice honorees Ciara and Russell Wilson and Marley Dias. Rap legends Fat Joe and Ja Rule as well as R&B icon El Debarge will make special appearances. Additionally, BET announced the second group of presenters who will take the stage: Jazmine Sullivan, Normani, Hosea Chanchez and Wendy Raquel Robinson from The Game, a Paramount+ Original series, Devale Ellis and Crystal Hayslett from the cast of Tyler Perry’s Sistas on BET. The 2021 “Soul Train Awards” presented by BET premieres Sunday, November 28th at 8 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. New Haven Records recently announced that international gospel music ambassadors Chicago Mass Choir’s much-heralded release, My Soul Says Yes, will debut in deluxe digital format. The project was recently nominated in six categories in the 36th Annual Stellar Awards and helped earned them Best Gospel Entertainer of the Year honors at the 39th Annual Chicago Music Awards. In addition to the eleven tracks on the original version of the album, the expanded collection will include nine performance videos shot live during the recording of the album. This Deluxe Edition also includes a bonus “virtual choir” version of their hit single, “My Soul Says Yes / I Say Yes to My Lord,” featuring Chicago Mass members performing the song from their homes during COVID-19. WATCH THE GAME CATCH UP TO EVERYONE IN SEASON TWO OF BET'S “GAMES PEOPLE PLAY” THIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD AT 10PM ET/PT “GAMES PEOPLE PLAY” AIRS EXCLUSIVELY ON BET EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT AT 10PM ET/PT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn_qSmOwWAk The 2022 GRAMMYs Awards show, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, is just around the corner. Today, the Recording Academy announced the nominations for each of the 86 categories. The Recording Academy will present the 2022 GRAMMY Awards on Mon, Jan. 31, on the CBS Television Network(opens in a new tab) and stream live and on demand on Paramount+ from 8–11:30 p.m. ET / 5–8:30 p.m. PT. Prior to the telecast, the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held at the Microsoft Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UrW352Kc1mQ/hqdefault.jpg According to reports, Ruggs avoided jail time after missing the alcohol test and was allowed to remain on house arrest while wearing two ankle monitors. Ruggs is facing over 50 years in prison after the deadly vehicle crash he was involved in. The collision sparked a fire in the Toyota that killed Tina Tintor and her golden retriever. Ruggs and his female passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the fiery wreck. As reported by TMZ, he had a .161 BAC — more than two times the legal limit of .08. Ruggs has reportedly passed more than 77 breath-alcohol tests since his November 3 release from jail on $150,000 bail. The mother of Tamir Rice is calling for the U.S. to be “overthrown” following the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse. “I’m very annoyed about how minor, a white little boy, is not in jail for the murder of other people,” Samaria Rice said in a new interview with TMZ (see video below). “That’s just not right. His mother should go to jail too because why would you give him a gun and he’s a minor? That’s not how you’re supposed to raise your children… You knew he was going to a protest, what did you think he was going to do? He wasn’t helping out the police he killed innocent police and for that right there, he should be in jail.” On Friday, Rittenhouse was found not guilty in the killing of two men and the wounding of a third last year during a tumultuous night of protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jKeCmCct0u8/hqdefault.jpg He's at it again. Kwame Brown gets on Russell Westbrook for wearing a skirt, Kwame Brown thinks BET is pushing kids to be homosexual, Kwame Brown calls former NBA player Matt Barnes “Becky with the good hair,” alluding to his complexion. Now this is his, what, fourth or fifth video saying this type of thing? Now, his take on the Rittenhouse verdict. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/e15WkGJjymk/hqdefault.jpg A defense attorney in the trial of the men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery has sparked outrage after making mention of the victim’s dirty toenails in closing arguments on Monday. Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan face nine charges, which include malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. Lawyers for the McMichaels argue their clients were justified in chasing down Arbery when they saw him on a property that was under construction. The trio allegedly attempted to make a citizen’s arrest and killed Arbery when he resisted their threatening tactics. Arbery, 25, was called “F–king n—-r” as he lay dying on the pavement after being shot while allegedly jogging through his Georgia neighborhood on February 23, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1300789587056316 Jurors in the Ahmaud Arbery murder case started deliberating Tuesday over the fate of the three white men accused of killing the black unarmed jogger in Georgia last year. Gregory McMichael, 65, his son Travis McMichael, 35, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, are charged with murder, aggravated assault and other crimes in the shooting death of Arbery, 25, who they suspected was fleeing a burglary as he ran through their neighborhood near Brunswick. Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley told the jurors Tuesday, “It is your duty to consider the facts objectively without favor, affection, or sympathy to anyone.” The primarily white 12-person jury deliberated through lunch after hearing a two-hour rebuttal from the prosecution of the defense’s closing arguments. Lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski had asked the jurors to find all three defendants guilty and accused their lawyers of trying to blame Arbery for his own death. The World Health Organization’s Europe office says projections show its 53-country region could face another 700,000 deaths in the coronavirus pandemic by next spring, topping 2 million in total. WHO Europe, which is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, also cited growing evidence of a decline in protection against infection and mild disease through vaccines, and said a “booster dose” should be given as a priority to the most vulnerable populations — including people with weakened immune systems — as well as people over age 60 and health care workers. The U.N. health agency’s international headquarters in Geneva, however, has repeatedly called for a moratorium on the use of boosters through year-end so that doses can be made available for many developing countries that have faced a severe lack of the COVID-19 vaccines compared to the rich world. Attorney Ben Crump is reacting to the viral video of a White Texas student hitting and insulting her Black teacher, calling the situation “outrageous.” The now-viral clip taken by a fellow student at Castleberry High School in Fort Worth shows the young female going up to her Black teacher in a Texas classroom and slapping her hard on the arm, before threatening to call her mother. The educator was in th middle of using her phone when the student attempted to hang up the call before lashing out physically. “No, no, no, You touched me. I did not touch you!” The angry teen then replies, “I am calling my momma, you ain’t about to f*** me up b****!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1461830462314369028 Malikah Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X, was found dead in her Brooklyn apartment by her daughter on Monday. She was 56. According to Business Insider, police said her death appears to be due to natural causes. Shabazz is the youngest of Malcolm X’s six daughters with his wife Betty Shabazz. Their other daughters’ are Qubilah Shabazz, Attallah Shabazz, Gamilah Lumumba Shabazz, Ilyasah Shabazz, Malaak Shabazz and Malikah Shabazz. Following news of Shabazz’s death, Bernice King, daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr., offered her condolences on social media. ‘I’m deeply saddened by the death of #MalikahShabazz. My heart goes out to her family, the descendants of Dr. Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X. Dr. Shabazz was pregnant with Malikah and her twin sister, Malaak, when Brother Malcolm was assassinated. Be at peace, Malikah.,’ King wrote. LeBron James will serve a one-game suspension after his on-court altercation with Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, who has been suspended for two games. The Los Angeles Lakers star and the Detroit Pistons forward were ejected following an all-out brawl Sunday in which James elbowed Stewart in the face and Stewart tried in vain to retaliate. Iman Shumpert is not the first pro athlete to take home the mirrorball trophy on “Dancing with the Stars.” However, he’s the first former NBA player to do it. Monday night Shumpert, along with his pro-partner, Daniella Karagach, won all the marbles this season on the ABC dance competition show. The Oak Park, Illinois native told the audience he dedicated his win to his mother, who is a big fan of the show. “I apologize for being a little bit emotional,” he said, adding his mom had tested positive for COVID-19 so she couldn’t be there to see his win. “I hope Chicago’s watching this!” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rhmDIddLpIQ/hqdefault.jpg Wendy Williams’ brother has shut down reports that she is wheelchair-bound and suffering from early stages of dementia. The “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” reported that Williams may not be returning to host her beloved daytime talk show amid her declining health. The show claims, “It’s not looking really good… Word on the street is Wendy is confined to a wheelchair.” The “Ricky Smiley Morning Show’s” Toine The Don explained that she “has lost all blood circulation in her legs and in her feet” and her TV return remains uncertain. “We gotta pray for Wendy. We know that she’s been battling with addiction, alcoholism, all that good stuff, and it’s also been reported that Wendy has been suffering from the early stages of dementia.” Meanwhile, Wendy’s brother Tommy reportedly spoke with The Sun and refuted Toine’s claims. “We haven’t had any alerts like that and I haven’t seen anything like that or have had conversations with her that would lead me to believe that,” he said. “We routinely go up and check on Wendy even though we’re all down here in Florida… I try to make it up there and my dad speaks with Wendy frequently. So no, we don’t have any concerns concerning her mental state. It’s all physical.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWmBiFLgtLd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The “House of Gucci” film spans three turbulent decades of the Gucci family empire and is lead by two Oscar nominees, Lady Gaga (Patrizia Reggiani-Gucci) and Adam Driver (Maurizio Gucci). Inspired by true events and the 2001 book “The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed” by Sara Gay Forden – the movie follows the heirs to the Italian fashion throne. https://youtu.be/eGNnpVKxV6s Sunday night (11.21), Brittney Spencer performed a “soulful rendition” (Billboard) of the Dean Dillon written “Tennessee Whiskey” at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which honored Dillon. Earning a standing ovation led by Dillon himself, Spencer was preceded by Kenny Chesney and followed by a performance from George Strait. She wow’d the crowd, and Hall of Famer Brenda Lee even shouted “Let’s all go home. I give up. I quit!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWjwXbTqSeE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again This week’s new episode of Peace of Mind with Taraji, featuring comedian and actress Nicole Byer discussing her experience with being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, is now available on Facebook Watch. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=434219221441468 Christian recording artist Zach Williams came out of 2020 with a better understanding of who God is as our provider. “It kind of woke everybody up, I think, just to see how quick everything can change in just an instant,” he recently told Faithwire. “You can lose everything you’ve worked for overnight, and a lot of people did.” Debuting a new Christmas album, “I Don’t Want Christmas to End,” Williams said he is filled with gratitude to get back into his tour bus, perform his music, and lead people in worship. https://youtu.be/mi_3pi8H9pc The pastor of a New York City Seventh-day Adventist church who said in a sermon earlier this month that husbands may rape their wives has been placed on administrative leave. Burnett Robinson, senior pastor of Grand Concourse Seventh-day Adventist, a church located in the Bronx borough, was preaching on Nov. 13 about wives submitting to their husbands’ leadership, when he said, “Gentlemen, the best person to rape is your wife.” Now the Greater New York Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church said it has placed Robinson on administrative leave. “Pastor Robinson deeply regrets the statement and knows it caused injury and has given an unqualified apology,” a statement from the New York Conference said. https://youtu.be/n2b-N-lNbpk Citing a rise in hate attacks, Damian Williams, the new U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the creation of a civil rights unit in the office’s criminal division on Friday at a ceremony at the Harlem Armory, signaling a new focus for one of the country’s most powerful prosecutor’s offices. “White supremacist groups are on the march,” said Mr. Williams, the first Black person to hold the post in the office’s 232-year history. “Antisemitism is on the march. Anti-Asian violence is on the march. Abuse of the most vulnerable in our society is on the march.” Enforcement of civil rights violations in the office has largely been handled through civil lawsuits rather than criminal charges. But at a time when calls for a reconsideration of the way the justice system confronts issues of race and discrimination have grown louder, Mr. Williams said creating a civil rights unit within the office’s criminal division would elevate the work and “make us more effective.” Lawyers for Los Angeles County on Monday asked the court to issue a summary judgment in Vanessa Bryant’s lawsuit, which would lead to dismissal of her damage claim over photos taken at the helicopter crash site of her late husband, Kobe Bryant. A hearing in the matter was scheduled for late next month. Bryant’s attorney, Luis Li, said by email that he had no comment. But he confirmed that her legal team planned to file a response in December. The county’s motion, filed before federal magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick and U.S. District Judge John F. Walter, argues that because the photos were not shared with the general public, any harm Bryant suffered has been “hypothetical.” “It is undisputed that the complained-of photos have never been in the media, on the Internet, or otherwise publicly disseminated,” county lawyers said in Monday’s documents. “Plaintiff Vanessa Bryant has never seen County photos of her family members. There is no … standing to sue for a hypothetical harm.” Bryant’s suit, the motion says, “Is without legal merit and should be dismissed.” A Tallahassee doctor has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a $28 million health care fraud scheme. Moses deGraft-Johnson had pleaded guilty to all 58 counts against him in federal court in Dec. 2020. The judge also ordered him to pay nearly $28.5 million in restitution. DeGraft-Johnson himself spoke directly to the judge, saying this behavior was an outlier for him. “I stand before you to let you know I’m very remorseful,” he said. “I take full responsibility. I did wrong. I’m very sorry. Even though I’m not going to practice medicine, I feel that there is a lot of good left in me.” He said his full intent when he arrived in Tallahassee in 2013 was to help people, particularly in Gadsden County. He said he held free clinics and took on complex cases that other doctors wouldn’t. DeGraft-Johnson also spoke about the charges against him, pointing out that putting a patient in harm’s way is a different crime than committing healthcare fraud. As it gears up to reimagine Black Friday as “Black-Owned Friday” for a second year, Google has tapped T-Pain to be the face of a unique campaign presenting 55 small businesses to potential buyers through a shoppable film. As viewers watch the interactive Black-Owned Friday film, soundtracked by a new song from T-Pain and Normani, items which appear to simply be part of the décor are spotlighted as a pop-up. Clicking on any of these pop-ups, with as many as five on screen at once, pauses the film, enlarges the item and offers shoppers the opportunity to go directly to the vendor’s website. https://youtu.be/hWuAFclmWsg A women’s college in the Atlanta area has bestowed a new honor on its first Black graduate, who earned her degree 50 years ago. Agnes Scott College in Decatur held a ceremony Wednesday for Edna Lowe Swift, commemorating her 1971 graduation with a bench and plaque on the campus lawn, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The 72-year-old Swift said she was thrilled by the honor. She received a scholarship to attend Agnes Scott and arrived on campus for the fall semester in 1967. Violence had broken out in Black communities across the U.S. that year amid ongoing segregation and discrimination against African Americans. Six years earlier, Charlayne Hunter-Gault faced racial slurs and a mob outside her dorm after she and Hamilton Holmes integrated the University of Georgia. Agnes Scott admitted its first Black student, Gay Johnson McDougall, two years before Swift enrolled, but McDougall did not complete her studies at the college. In a 2010 interview for a school oral history project, she recalled receiving hate mail and feeling “profoundly lonely.” Daveia Odoi, owner/ illustrator of Black-owned stationery brand, The DynaSmiles by DNT, has launched 3 of her designer journals in Target stores online. Each journal features artwork that celebrates the beauty and joy of Black women. The announcement comes a year and a half after the future of the brand was presumably wiped away due to the unexpected cancer diagnosis and subsequent death of Daveia’s husband, Edmund, who was also the co-founder of the company. “2020 was a very rough year for my family. With so many uncertain situations arising at once, the business was indefinitely put on hold. The day I decided it was time to try again was the day I learned that Target was interested in carrying our journals,” says Daveia. “Knowing that some of our products are now on their website is the culmination of a dream that my husband never got to see. Yet, he saw this opportunity from the very beginning,” she acknowledges. Duane “Myko” Cheers, co-founder of Everything Legendary, and his team have one mission—to produce the best gourmet plant-based meat alternatives in the world and to get them into as many hands as possible. Since Cheers and his co-founders appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank and struck a deal with Mark Cuban, the company has boomed with products now in over 1,400 stores. Cheers is successfully leading his team to become a household name. While the shark’s investment and mentorship has helped the company increase its production capacity, Cheers’ unrelenting grit and stellar promotion strategies are largely behind its recent success. A new study from anti-gun violence nonprofit ManUpPHL offers solutions to the city’s gun violence crisis from those most at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of that violence — young Black men. Their experiences around gun violence and the behaviors that drive the city’s gun culture are absent from most research, said ManUpPHL board chairperson Brian Ellis. The findings are based on hours of conversations with nine young Black men aged 19-35 living in communities plagued by gunfire. “We all try to come up with solutions, but no one’s ever asked them what could be done,” said Ellis, an expert in global leadership and a qualitative researcher. The recommendations: Develop a program with community groups for incarcerated individuals to serve as mentors to other inmates who will be at risk of violence when they leave prison or jail. Create 300 jobs for at-risk individuals. Establish a new educational experience for middle and high school students at risk of gun violence. Set up mental health substations in communities affected by violence. Train individuals to connect those engaged in gun violence with resources and alternatives. Chart-topping Christian hip-hop artist KB has released a brand-new track “So Tired,” available now on digital music platforms. Also releasing the official music video for “So Tired,” KB’s high-energy freestyle displays the versatile wordplay talents he’s known for, with his rapid flow and incisive lyrics, backed by vibrant beats. KB, “So Tired” (Official Music Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ddXilKluNQ The person shown on video Sunday speeding through a holiday parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and mowing down multiple people, killing at least five and injuring up to dozens of others, has reportedly been identified as a Black man. The name of Darrell Edward Brooks Jr. was a trending topic late Sunday night and into Monday morning after journalists and social media sleuths alike reportedly learned the suspect’s alleged identity amid unsubstantiated claims he may have been exacting purported revenge for the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, which was delivered on Friday in Kenosha, which is about an hour’s drive southeast of Waukesha. Karol Markowicz, a journalist with conservative news outlets, tweeted from her verified Twitter account on Sunday night that, “Darrell E. Brooks, black male, late 30s is the suspect in custody in Waukesha.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1462560504208146438 Lawyers for one of the three men charged with the murder of Ahmaud Arbery has reportedly offered the prosecution a plea deal, but it was immediately rejected, according to an attorney representing Arbery’s mother. William “Roddie” Bryan — who not only filmed the grisly killing last year but also allegedly used his own vehicle to trap Arbery on the same street in Brunswick, Georgia, where Travis McMichael, aided and abetted by his father, Gregory, trapped the 25-year-old jogger and shot him to death — apparently had his lawyers offer up the appeal as both the prosecution and defense rested their cases on Thursday. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was ejected from Sunday’s game in Detroit after delivering a brutal blow to the face of Pistons center Isaiah Stewart. James was tossed after his left elbow and fist struck Stewart during Pistons forward Jerami Grant’s third-quarter free throw attempt at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday night. NBA league officials will now review footage of the incident and conduct follow-up interviews to determine whether fines or suspensions are in order. A league spokesman told DailyMail.com that a ruling on the matter will be completed before the Lakers and Pistons play their following games on Tuesday night in New York and Detroit, respectively. The Lakers will be facing the Knicks on TNT on Tuesday night, which means the league is faced with a decision on whether or not to sideline its biggest star ahead of a nationally televised game. https://twitter.com/i/status/1462581131681755137 Whether it’s serving inspiration through her viral videos or dishing out recipes to help folks live their best vegan lives, actress Tabitha Brown has continually used her platform as an avenue for empowerment, and her latest project will be centered on uplifting youth. According to Shadow and Act, the North Carolina native landed a deal to create a children’s series. The YouTube show dubbed “Tab Time”— geared towards preschoolers—takes a holistic approach to teaching children valuable life lessons. Each episode explores a different theme and is designed to help youngsters develop a sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy, educating children about everything from the importance of paying it forward and bouncing back from mistakes to going green. A new study says 44% of U.S. adults who are non-parents between the ages of 18 to 49 probably won’t have children. Amid a decline in the birth rate among white people in the U.S., adults (both men and women) who don’t have children cited reasons such as financial instability or the lack of a partner for why they are unlikely to have kids, according to a new study from Pew Research Center, Bloomberg reports. The survey of 3,866 American adults ages 18 to 49 was conducted over a week in October. https://youtu.be/S9Q644-1lNE In a sneak peek of his interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Kyle Rittenhouse said he isn’t a racist and that he supports the Black Lives Matter movement. “This case has nothing to do with race. It never had anything to do with race. It had to do with the right to self-defense,” Rittenhouse said. “I’m not a racist person. I support the BLM movement. I support peacefully demonstrating.” His acquittal has received a polarized response, with some conservatives praising the verdict and progressives denouncing it. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vtMntCO_kAw/hqdefault.jpg Brandy’s daughter Sy’Rai Smith appeared on “The Real” Wednesday to dish about her weight loss journey and revealed how she once thought her famous mom was “embarrassed” by her once being overweight. “Sometimes I would feel a little sad or feel like she was embarrassed of me,” the 19-year-old said on the daytime talk show, Page Six reports. Adding, “These are just insecurities in my head.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CRHnXUMJqtl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Whitney Houston’s iconic talent and legacy is being celebrated with a debut NFT collection announced today by OneOf, the green music NFT platform backed by Quincy Jones. This exclusive collection culminates in a single “OneOf One Iconic” item: an early never-before-heard full-length song demo recording Houston made at age 17. This recording will be auctioned in December, with auction details revealed on December 1 at OneOf.world, a two-day immersive art, music and NFT experience during Miami Art Week. The winner of the auction will have personal access to this recording in their OneOf Vault along with a digital video created by breakout 17-year-old artist Diana Sinclair, who has recently been featured in TIME, Teen Vogue and Hypebeast. Interested bidders can register and get pre-qualified at https://oneof.com/whitney starting today. Proceeds from the sales of the collection will go to the Whitney E. Houston Foundation, a non-profit which continues Houston’s work to empower, support, and inspire young people. If you’re a big fan of R&B supergroup Silk Sonic (Buno Mars and Anderson .Paak), we know you definitely got your groove on Sunday evening/night (Nov. 21). Bruno and Anderson (plus their backup singers/band) did their thing and did not disappoint as they kicked off the 2021 AMAs with a smokin’ hot rendition of their new single “Smokin’ Out The Window.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nAUwKeO93bY/hqdefault.jpg Richard Williams, the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, is in declining health and being cared for by his son Chavoita Lesane. Lesane, 48, who has a criminal past according to the New York Post, has power of attorney over the 79-year-old. Court documents show Williams is suffering from irreparable “brain damage” and “dementia.” The report noted that Richard is “totally incapacitated to conduct any business,” the documents, which include testimony from his own doctor. The former tennis coach has barely been seen in public over the last few years, as he’s been fighting a messy divorce with wife Lakeisha Williams, 41. The couple married in 2010 and have a young son, Dylan, born in 2012. https://www.instagram.com/p/CU1Sn6BN0RC/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=afd2677c-1513-417d-9277-86f0253d287b Four MVP Awards. Four championships. 17 All-Star Game selections. And now eight straight years topping Forbes’ list of the highest-paid players in the NBA, with more than $110 million earned. According to Forbes, James’ 41.2 million salary for the upcoming 2021-22 season and an estimated $70 million from his off-court ventures has the Los Angeles Laker set take in $111.2 million in a single year to smash the $96.5 million NBA earnings record he put up over the 12 months ending in May. Forbes’ top ranking is the latest financial happening in a year that saw James surpassing $1 billion in career earnings before taxes and agents’ fees. The magazine estimates the financial milestone has elevated King James pushing his net worth to roughly $850 million. “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling said Monday she had received a flood of death threats, as she slammed three transgender rights activists who posted her home address on Twitter. Rowling thanked police in Scotland for their support after the activists tweeted a photograph of them standing outside Rowling’s home in Edinburgh, with the address visible, on Friday. Rowling said that she and other women who have spoken out on gender issues had faced “campaigns of intimidation”, stalking and harassment, but vowed she would not be silenced. The 56-year-old writer said she had received “so many death threats I could paper the house with them”, and that “families have been put into a state of fear and distress” by transgender activists. “Perhaps… the best way to prove your movement isn’t a threat to women, is to stop stalking, harassing and threatening us.” Hollywood icon Tom Hanks is back with another one that is sure to pull at your heartstrings and take viewers on an emotional rollercoaster. Hanks stars in the new Apple TV+ release “Finch,” about a robotics engineer and one of the few survivors of a cataclysmic solar event that has left the world a wasteland. Per the studio’s press release, Finch, who has been living in an underground bunker for a decade, has built a world of his own that he shares with his dog, Goodyear. He creates a robot, played by Caleb Landry Jones, to watch over Goodyear when he no longer can. As the trio embarks on a perilous journey into a desolate American West, Finch strives to show his creation, who names himself Jeff, the joy and wonder of what it means to be alive. Their road trip is paved with both challenges and humor, as it’s as difficult for Finch to goad Jeff and Goodyear to get along as it is for him to manage the dangers of the new world. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-0bYWnP3jH4/hqdefault.jpg Candace Owens was quick to defend teen killer Kyle Rittenhouse during his murder trial this month. Following his Not Guilty verdict last week, the conservative pundit celebrated by trolling LeBron James. On Friday, Rittenhouse was acquitted in the killing of two men and the wounding a third last year during a night of Black Lives Matter protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse appeared emotional as the verdicts were read, and he broke down in tears after being cleared on all counts. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FEl_G0EX0Agocav?format=jpg&name=small A woman has created a dating app solely for people who aren’t having sex, after she said God ‘called to her’ and asked her to make it. Shakia Seabrook, 33, from Tampa, Florida, started ‘The Sexless Tribe’ last year as a hub for people who are sexually abstinent – a community she thought was being underrepresented. The entrepreneur, who made the decision to be abstinent when she was 13 years old, explained that it’s more than just a dating app – but that it’s also a place where abstinent people can ‘come together and connect.’ Per its website, The Sexless Tribe App ‘makes it easy for sexually abstinent people to access abstinence resources, find accountability partners, form friendships, and make romantic connections.’ Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai’s recent video appearances have done nothing to remove concerns over her freedom, according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Peng’s welfare became a matter of international concern nearly three weeks ago after she alleged she had been raped by China‘s former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli. The former doubles world number one appeared at a dinner with friends on Saturday, and at a children’s tennis tournament in Beijing on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Peng, 35, held a Zoom call with International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach. A WTA spokesman said today: ‘It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don’t alleviate or address the WTA’s concern about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion.’ The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority released its list of 2021 Honorary Members on Friday, which includes journalists Joy-Ann Reid (MSNBC) and Abby Phillip (CNN), and singer Ledisi. On day two of the sorority’s 55th annual National Convention, the list of new honorary members was announced. Six female trailblazers received the organization’s highest honor for “significant contributions to society while excelling in their chosen fields,” which vary from trailblazers in journalism to leaders in sports and music, per Black Enterprise. The complete list of honorary sorors includes former Navy Admiral Michelle J. Howard, Ambassador Attallah Shabbazz and Collette V. Smith, the NFL’s 1st Black female coach. Tiger Woods has golf folks abuzz today after posting a two-second video of himself swinging a wedge on a golf course. He captioned it with two words: “Making progress.” Woods has been publicly silent since May regarding injuries suffered in his Feb. 23 car accident in Los Angeles. Woods was wearing a black compression sleeve on his right leg, with a large bucket half-filled with golf balls on a practice range. Behind him was also a launch monitor, which measures such metrics as distance and ball speed. https://youtu.be/48tdjfck2dQ The trial of a former Fort Worth officer charged in the killing of Atatiana Jefferson will happen in January. Aaron Dean’s trial had been scheduled to begin Nov. 16, more than two years after he shot the 28-year-old Jefferson through a window during a late-night wellness check, but it was delayed. During a court hearing on Tuesday, a judge set the new date for Jan. 10. Court proceedings had been paused during the pandemic. Under the new timeline for the trial, motions will be heard on Dec. 6, 2021, and a jury will be seated on Jan. 4, 2022. Dean is charged with murder in Jefferson’s Oct. 12, 2019 death. On that night, a neighbor had called police requesting a welfare check after he saw the door open at Jefferson’s Fort Worth home. Jefferson, 28, was playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew when Dean walked into the backyard. She grabbed her gun and had gotten up to look out the window when she was shot, police records show. Jefferson died at the scene. Former college basketball stars Angela and Ray Weathers have made headlines for supporting a new generation of champions. But now, the couple is taking action against a Texas charter school for alleged abuse of their six-year-old son. According to an initial release from The Witherspoon Law Group, the couple’s six-year-old autistic son came home from school in late August missing the underwear he left home wearing. They promptly reported the incident to school officials but received little to no action. The school, the International Leadership of Texas Katy K-8, located in Katy, Texas, boasts as part of its mission that it aims to strengthen “the mind, body and character” of students. It seems to have failed as it pertains to the Weathers’ young son. The school refused to give the parents any real information about follow-up on the allegations from the information provided. There was no evidence of an incident report or investigation into what transpired. After the August incident, the Weathers’ child became ill and displayed signs of possible inappropriate sexual conduct. The attorney’s statement says the child finally told his parents he had been touched inappropriately in the genital area by one of his teachers. When Uchenna Ndubisi first noticed the African American notation on a diagnostic test on her kidneys, she was shocked; she wondered what her race had to do with the lupus she had. Race-based algorithms and medical testing have been used for decades to diagnose and determine treatment plan issues such as kidney and lung disease, dementia, and other issues. That has led to researchers studying racial disparities in healthcare and are now exploring how and when race is used in diagnostic medical testing. Some organizations have recently apologized for the practice, including the NFL and the American Psychological Association. Now, the University of Maryland Medical System and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have announced they will also abandon the practice of race-based diagnostic medical testing to estimate kidney function. Medical advocates believe the practice is a factor in Black patients qualifying for transplants later than they should. Ndubisi told the Washington Post she wasn’t surprised by the situation. Black men deserve to grow old. Mia Jaye rallies behind this cause — a campaign dedicated to raising awareness and money for families who have lost their husbands and fathers due to violent crime. Jaye is the mother of the late rapper Young Dolph’s children. He was shot and killed Wednesday in Memphis. He was 36. Jaye, the CEO of Momeo (pronounced Mom-E-O), a social cause initiative involved in campaigns that will support families who face hardships, started the “Black Men Deserve to Grow Old” campaign on Aug. 22 — what would have been her brother Jeremy’s 35th birthday. Her brother was shot and killed by another black man over a “$3,000 car deal by an unhappy customer,” according to the campaign video. The campaign was started to help support her brother’s family and two other families “who have experienced loss due to violent ‘intraracial’ crime.” The latest digital roll out for the NMAAHC is first class, and the time to board is now. This past Thursday, the museum launched its first digital initiative, aptly named, The Searchable Museum. The innovative platform will host a wealth of rotating exhibitions, archives, and videos of the museum’s 40,000 artifacts. Since doors opened in 2016, the museum has in large sold timed tickets for entry. And although tickets have remained free, they are often claimed quickly. (Tickets for December are nearly sold out.) Museum director Kevin Young has communicated a plan to broaden the reach of the museum since stepping into the role in March of this year. NBA legend Grant Hill is putting the focus on empowering individuals to take charge of their health. The basketball player-turned-broadcaster is teaming up with the biopharmaceutical company, Dendreon Pharmaceuticals, to spread awareness about the racial health disparities surrounding prostate cancer through the creation of a new initiative. Studies show that Black men are 1.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men. Further research revealed one in seven African American men would develop the form of cancer within their lifetime. Contributing factors include the lack of access to equitable preventive care, which often stems from socioeconomic-related barriers. The campaign—dubbed Start Strong—was launched to bring attention to the staggering statistics, encourage individuals to take actionable steps towards seeking the best treatment for better outcomes through regular screenings and foster conversations around what can be done to change the narrative. Hill believes addressing the disproportionate impact prostate cancer has on Black men starts with educating individuals about their options. Latonya Payne, the legal guardian of her nephew Corinthian Giles, has sued the city of Houston, Texas, and Union Pacific Railroad after her nephew died from leukemia, which she believes was caused by toxic chemicals in the neighborhood. Payne is one of thousands of individuals in Houston who have brought forward lawsuits that claim the railroad company is responsible for the ill effects they’ve suffered from their properties and groundwater being contaminated with toxic chemicals that came from the nearby rail yard for decades. The lawsuit was filed last week in Harris County District Court and claims that Union Pacific attempted to cover up how serious the contamination was and furthermore, failed to clean it up. The suit also claims that the city of Houston failed to warn the residents of the potential dangers or reduce the risk of poisoning which several reports claimed caused cancer. When NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins launches to the International Space Station next year, her debut spaceflight will make history. Watkins is set to become the first Black woman to join the space station crew, and live and work in space on a long-duration mission on the orbiting outpost. The agency announced Tuesday that Watkins will fly to the space station in April 2022, alongside NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Robert Hines and astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency. They are slated to launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission, known as Crew-4, is expected to last six months. Hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri is expanding his business portfolio with a new line of vegan ice cream. The So So Def CEO is throwing his hat into the vegan food industry with his newly launched JD’s Vegan Ice Cream. The Grammy Award-winning producer is also cross-branding his music catalog with his assortment of ice cream flavors. Flavors include “Strawberry Sweetheart” (in reference to Mariah Carey’s “Sweetheart”), “Chocolate My Way” (a nod to Usher’s “My Way”), and “Welcome to Atlanta Peach Cobbler” (an homage to JD’s 2002 Atlanta anthem with Ludacris). Dupri has been ahead of the curve when it comes to living life as a vegan. The “Confessions” producer has been vegan for nearly 20 years and was inspired to start the line of gluten-free, plant-based, non-GMO frozen treats after noticing a lack of quality vegan dessert options, Rolling Stone reports. Delroy Lindo, currently shooting up bad guys in The Harder They Fall, is in final negotiations to join Mahershala Ali in Marvel Studios’ Blade. Bassam Tariq, known for directing the rap drama Mogul Mowgli, is in the director’s chair for the vampire-centric adventure-thriller, with Stacy Osei-Kuffour, who worked on HBO’s acclaimed Watchmen series, behind the keyboard on script duties. Created as a supporting character by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, Blade first appeared in Tomb of Dracula No. 10 in 1973, becoming a cult favorite. He is a human-vampire hybrid thanks to his mother being bitten and killed by a blood-sucker during childbirth. On top of comic aficionados, Blade has built up a generation of fans who grew up watching the Blade trilogy that starred Wesley Snipes from 1998-2004. Plans for a new incarnation of the character were first revealed during Marvel’s senses-shattering presentation at 2019’s San Diego Comic-Con. According to The Bleacher Report, Iman Shumpert is the first NBA player to reach the finals of “Dancing with The Stars” and, pun intended, Shumpert knows a little something about the finals. Dancing to Kanye’s “Dark Fantasy”, which wife Teyana Taylor just so happens to sing the vocals on, Shumpert and dance partner Daniella Karagach, made their way to the finals in something of a shock. A Cook County judge refused Thursday to dismiss a defamation suit against radio show host Mancow Muller that was brought by James MacDonald, the founding pastor of megachurch Harvest Bible Chapel. But Judge Eve Reilly did dismiss claims that Muller intentionally inflicted emotional distress. Muller asked for the entire suit, filed in 2019, to be dismissed. The suit alleges Muller defamed MacDonald in comments and recordings Mancow broadcast on his radio show and a podcast. The judge issued an insightful ruling in dismissing some of the major counts in the complaint. We are pleased with the court’s ruling,” said Mark Roth, Muller’s attorney. Phillip Zisook, MacDonald’s attorney, said, “We look forward to proceeding in this case and proving the falsity of Mr. Muller’s repugnant on-air and podcast statements about James MacDonald.” Meghan Markle’s father has called for the Duchess of Sussex to be stripped of her royal title and said she has ‘insulted’ the royal family with her surprise interview on the Ellen show. Thomas Markle, 77, who lives 70 miles away from the Sussexes mansion, was left feeling ’embarrassed’ after watching his daughter earlier this week in the former actress’ first major TV interview since her notorious Oprah tell-all alongside Prince Harry. Meghan’s estranged father, who is a retired Hollywood lighting director, called the Duchesses appearance a ‘stupid stunt’ and said she had ‘insulted the Queen, the royal family and the British people.’ During the interview, Meghan, 40, left a group of street vendors open-mouthed in shock by dancing and singing in front of them while referring to herself as ‘mommy’ as part of a cringe-worthy on-the-street prank during the show. A potential $5 billion would be created in economic value by bringing Black farmers to revenue and profit parity with non-Black farmers. That astonishing finding is among new research from McKinsey & Company on racial disparities within farming. The report examines some of the historical causes of racial inequity within farming and steps that public and private stakeholders can consider to addressing the disparities. It also covers the potential economic result of taking action to overcome the problem. The report surmises several factors have contributed to the decline of Black-owned farms in the United States. They include: Federal programs and policies that excluded Blacks from land purchases; the absence of legal protections, such as wills, that could have facilitated transfer of property to the next generation (heirs’ property ); and limited access to capital through discriminatory lending practices. Thus, the inability of Black Americans to fully act in the land market has caused a lost chance for generational wealth creation. Beyond his artistry, rapper 21 Savage is known for advocating for youth empowerment, and he’s furthering his efforts to ensure financial literacy resources are accessible to teenagers from underserved communities. The music artist—whose real name is Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph—has joined forces with the banking platform Chime again to expand their collaborative Bank Account Financial Literacy Campaign. The initiative was created to address socio-economic barriers standing in the way of cultivating generational wealth. The project, launched three years ago, was designed to amplify the importance of money management and equip youth with the knowledge needed to build a foundation for financial success as they step into adulthood. Through last year’s campaign, 100 high school students were awarded $1,000 scholarships for completing a virtual financial wellness program—launched by Abraham-Joseph’s Leading By Example Foundation, Chime, Juma Ventures and EVERFI—that explored the different facets of budgeting, building credit and banking. This year’s campaign sat at the intersection of financial literacy, education and art as $100,000 was donated for the creation of more scholarships and an Atlanta basketball court was refurbished with vibrant artwork by a local muralist. A married couple moved to Atlanta to expand their business, but both are now dead in a heartbreaking murder suicide, reports the Daily Mail. On November 6, Keianna Burns, 44, fatally shot her 46-year-old husband, Ronnell Burns, then turned the weapon on herself. Keianna reportedly shared a video online in which she was dancing, singing and seemingly in a great mood just hours before the shooting, according to police. Weeks earlier, however, on October 30, she called on her friends to help her through a difficult time. https://www.facebook.com/100000152392445/videos/551807612580484/ Last month, rapper #FettyWap was arrested on federal gun charges. On Thursday, he spoke out about the incident on Instagram. “Loyalty can be both a great trait and a deadly one … choose wisely with who you stand with but never change what you stand for Never bend Never Fold … Head up like a nose bleed #ImOnBorrowedTime if it ain’t life it ain’t forever,” he wrote in his caption. Fetty was arrested in New York City at Citi Field on Oct. 28. It was the same day he was supposed to perform at Rolling Loud New York. In fact, the arrest occurred right before he was to go on stage. Rap-up reported that the indictment had charged the rapper with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances. Fetty pleaded not guilty and was released from jail on a $500,000 bond. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWgR8nMlJDm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The skies the limit when it comes to Sandra Bullock’s aspirations for her nine-year-old daughter Laila. During an appearance on Red Table Talk in May 2020, when she publicly introduced her girl to the world, the Oscar-winning actress declared, ‘She’s the one that’s going to save the world in our family!’ Now, a year-and-a-half later, The Blind Side star was adamant that Laila ‘is going to be president of the United Sates… it’s just a fact.’ R&B supergroup New Edition is headlining this year’s American Music Awards, slated to go down TONIGHT ( Nov. 21) at 8pm EST on ABC. Cardi B is hosting the event, marking the fifth consecutive year that a Black female star will front the AMAs. The rapper follows actress Tracee Ellis Ross (2017-18), R&B star Ciara (2019) and actress Taraji P. Henson (2020). Per People, the list of previously announced performers at the award show includes Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny with Tainy and Julieta Venegas, Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Diplo, Måneskin, Mickey Guyton, Tyler, the Creator, Walker Hayes, Zoe Wees, and New Edition with New Kids on the Block. https://twitter.com/i/status/1462473884800888832 The buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine has left U.S. officials perplexed, muddying the Biden administration’s response. Some Republican lawmakers have been pressing the U.S. to step up military support for Ukraine. But that risks turning what may be mere muscle-flexing by Russian President Vladimir Putin into a full-blown confrontation that only adds to the peril for Ukraine and could trigger an energy crisis in Europe. But a weak U.S. response carries its own risks. It could embolden Putin to take more aggressive steps against Ukraine as fears grow he could try to seize more of its territory. And it could cause more political damage for President Joe Biden at a time his popularity is dropping. Knowing how to strike the right balance would be easier if the U.S. had a better understanding of what Putin was trying to accomplish. But top officials admit they don’t know. As the USS Porter entered the final hours of a transit across the Black Sea last week, an announcement came over the ship’s speaker system, portending a potential threat. A Russian military helicopter was minutes away, set to join a Russian frigate and cruiser that had been shadowing the ship for days. Russian President Vladimir Putin had just warned that U.S. ships in the Black Sea now were in his nation’s crosshairs. “This is a serious challenge for us,” he said. On the Porter, a destroyer, sailors quickly filled the deck, some with long lenses mounted on cameras, all looking up to see how close the aircraft would get. With military discipline, sailors called out distances as they monitored and measured. Tensions were already escalating between Washington and Moscow. Russia had deployed ground forces along Ukraine’s border, raising fears within the Biden administration of a new invasion, despite Russian denials. The troop movements came alongside a migrant standoff on the European Union’s border with Belarus, a Moscow ally. And a Russian missile test recently spewed debris into space, posing a danger to space travelers aboard the International Space Station. Here is a statement from Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, regarding the not guilty verdict in the trail of Kyle Rittenhouse: “The verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case is a travesty and fails to deliver justice on behalf of those who lost their lives as they peacefully assembled to protest against police brutality and violence. Rittenhouse’s decision to go to Kenosha and provoke protesters was unwarranted. Moreover, the outcome of this case sets a dangerous precedent. We have seen this same outcome time and time again; a justice system that presents different outcomes based on the race of the accused. This verdict is a reminder of the treacherous role that white supremacy and privilege play within our justice system. In the midst of this disappointing verdict, we must continue to work to ensure that those who seek to harm progress do not find refuge for their illicit acts in a system meant to protect victims.” Prominent civil rights lawyer Sherrilyn Ifill will leave her post as the head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund this coming spring after holding the position for nearly a decade. Ifill will be succeeded by Janai Nelson, who currently serves as LDF’s associate director-counsel.“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead LDF for nearly 10 years. I began my career as a civil rights lawyer at LDF more than 30 years ago and every day leading this extraordinary, dedicated staff has felt like a dream come true,” Ifill said in a statement. “I have given this work my all, and I am proud of our accomplishments, including our increased growth and strength. But I am most proud of the leadership role LDF has played during one of the most tumultuous and volatile periods for civil rights in recent memory.” Earlier in the year, Ifill made Time’s annual 100 Most Influential People list. Officials in Aurora, Colorado, have agreed to pay $15 million to Elijah McClain’s family to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit over his 2019 death, which followed a violent confrontation with police, attorneys representing his family said Friday. The agreement is the largest police settlement in the city’s history, likely the largest in Colorado history, and among the largest ever in the United States. It was reached in federal court Friday, NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver reported. “No amount of money will ever bring Elijah back to his mother. Ms. McClain would return every cent for just one more day with her son,” the Denver law firm representing Sheneen McClain said in a statement that confirmed the settlement figure. The firm, Rathod Mohamedbhai, said an upcoming allocation hearing would determine how much of that would go to McClain, who it says raised Elijah, and how much would go to his father, LeWayne Mosley. In a statement released by his attorney Friday, Mosley said the settlement wouldn’t make up for his loss, but said, “hopefully this sends a message to police everywhere that there are consequences for their actions.” A manhunt, that lasted for days through multiple states, ended in tragedy in Western Maryland Thursday. Maryland State Police confirmed Robert Vicosa was found dead along with his two children and his alleged accomplice, Sgt. Tia Bynum in what they say was a murder-suicide. Police say Bynum was found in the driver seat of a car-jacked Ford Edge. Vicosa was in the backseat with his two daughters, Aaminah and Giana. As police were closing in, the SUV crashed into a fence in Smithsburg and crisis negotiators soon moved in. After multiple verbal commands yielded no response, police utilized two 40 mm sponge rounds to break the front passenger side window. https://cbsloc.al/3kSY3FR Travis Scott is facing a $2 billion lawsuit in the fallout of the Astroworld tragedy. At least two criminal investigations are underway into the deadly crowd surge at the opening night of the festival, November 5, in which 10 people between the ages of nine and 27 lost their lives. Harrowing footage has emerged from the night of the incident, showing people appealing with the crew to stop the show. Earlier this week, a $750 million lawsuit was filed against Scott, Drake and other defendants on behalf of 125 people caught up in the events, either having attended or being relatives of those who died. Now, a new lawsuit seeking $2 billion in damages from Scott, Drake, Live Nation, Apple Music and others has been filed on behalf of 282 plaintiffs linked to the tragedy, coming from lawyer Thomas J. Henry. ‘The defendants stood to make an exorbitant amount of money off of this event, and they still chose to cut corners, cut costs, and put attendees at risk,’ Henry said in a statement, Rolling Stone reports. Chuck D of Public Enemy has never been one to mince words on injustice. Recently he penned an open letter to those that organized the Astroworld event for Travis Scott. In his letter he wrote, “I cannot believe we’re at the point where I [got to] say this out loud: Travis Scott is a performer, an act, not a concert promoter. He doesn’t run the sound or venues or festivals or their staff. He doesn’t build stages or coordinate logistics, he’s not an expert in crowd control or security or emergency medical services. But he does trust Live Nation and all the other concert promoters who are supposed to do all of this. And yet here we are, 10 deaths and counting. 10 broken families. The world is mourning,” his letter began. “I’m tired of these corporations shucking their most crucial responsibility. These folks simply say Rest In Peace and move on. This negligence can’t continue. Folks want answers. I’m not buying the Young Black Man did it. He’s being blamed for a crime while the old white men running the corps that Travis and his fans trusted with their lives stay quiet in the shadows, counting their money and watching their stock prices go up and up. “The excuse of Scott’s irresponsible actions don’t wash – if his act had a history of that behavior why promote him to bigger venues, why partner with him in the first place and let him headline a bigger audience? Live Nation controlled this show. They control almost all of the concert venues. Artists ain’t speaking out because these same cats are already bought by these corporations. No one can say a word against them unless they want to be Blacklisted and hurt their careers.” A SAGE adviser has moved to reassure Britons the UK will not see a spike in Covid-19 cases like Austria and Germany – but warned Europe’s soaring infection rate and lockdown riots should act as a ‘warning’ as he urged people to get their booster jabs. Professor John Edmunds said today that opposition to stringent restrictions on the continent have demonstrated the importance of booster jabs, warning, ‘it is pretty clear immunity does wane’. ‘What you see now in central Europe with these rapid increase in cases, you see the importance of vaccination,’ Mr Edmunds told Sky. This comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was ‘very worried’ about the spread of Covid-19 within Europe as the continent battles a fresh wave of infections. Regional director Dr Hans Kluge told the BBC that some 500,000 more deaths could be recorded by March unless urgent action is taken. Lisa Dawn Stabeno was sentenced to five and-a-half years in federal prison – having taken a plea deal in May for embezzlement. She admitted she stole more than $450,000 from Church on The Rock in Lubbock. Stabeno began working for the church’s Dream Center in July 2013. She later became the church accounting manager. Stabeno used church credit cards to pay for medical and dental expenses. She also bought clothing, salon services, and restaurant meals on the church’s credit cards. The original indictment against her in December 2020 laid out some of the items she put on the church credit cards. They included payments of medical debts for her family members, rent payments for family members and car loan payments for family members. She also used church credit cards to pay down credit card debts of family members. The indictment said she used church money, “to supplement her business income; pay for personal expenses, including restaurant meals and spa services; and pay for vacations to various destinations, including Disney Land, LegoLand, Six Flags over Texas, and Las Vegas.” During the sentencing hearing, she took the stand and tearfully apologized. A gunman fatally shoots a barber in East Baltimore before being fatally shot himself seconds later by the customer in the deceased barber’s chair, who happened to be an armed off-duty Baltimore police officer. https://twitter.com/i/status/1461491334691188740 When Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey appeared on the “OG Chronicles,” they dished about the heart-stopping moment Gayle caught her then-husband having sex with her friend. King’s ex-husband is Connecticut Asst. Attorney General William Bumpus. They were married for 11 years and share a son and daughter together. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Mvx6OgrPh2I/hqdefault.jpg #KevinHart is set to play #ArnoldJackson; a role made famous by #GaryColeman in an ABC special which will recreate classic episodes of the iconic 1980’s sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes.” ABC announced in a press release that they will air the 90-minute event, titled “Live in Front of a Studio Audience,” on Dec. 7. John Lithgow will play Mr. Drummond, Damon Wayans will play Willis Jackson, and Ann Dowd will play Mrs. Garrett. The 90-minute special will also feature a recreation of an episode of another 80’s sitcom, “The Facts of Life,” which was a spin-off from “Diff’rent Strokes.” Friends and associates of slain rapper Young Dolph handed out Thanksgiving turkeys at a neighborhood church Friday in Memphis, Tennessee, two days after he was gunned down in broad daylight inside his favorite bakery. Known for acts of charity in his hometown, the hip-hop artist and label owner had helped organize the event at St. James Missionary Baptist Church and was going to participate before he was fatally shot Wednesday. Undaunted, members of his music label, Paper Route Empire, along with church volunteers and community activists, distributed dozens of turkeys, stuffing mix and cranberry sauce — and said “happy Thanksgiving” — to people driving past the church. It was the type of event Young Dolph, who grew up in the Castalia neighborhood where the church is located, has been organizing for years, often without the reporters and cameras present Friday. Before the event, volunteers spoke quietly among themselves or sat in solemn reflection as his music played outside the church on the sunny afternoon. Label employee Bee Bee Jones, 38, helped hand out the food, honoring his friend of 30 years. Mickey Guyton is sharing positive news about her son Grayson’s health after a stomach bug landed the 9-month-old in the ICU. Guyton, 37, posted an update to Instagram Saturday morning sharing improvements in her son’s condition. Grayson, who initially “fell ill” on Nov. 11, was sent to the hospital for “dehydration because of a severe stomach bug,” the country singer explained. While Guyton admitted, “Seeing my baby boy like this was truly terrifying,” she shared that Grayson has since turned a corner and is doing better thanks to the care of a pediatric doctor and their family doctor. “A pediatric doctor named Dr. Grace, stayed by Grayson’s side the entire time we were in the ER, discovered the problem and help[ed] create a plan to heal baby Grayson,” Guyton shared. “Our family doctor, Dr. Nathan Ford also took action and helped Grayson secure a bed at the hospital when all the hospital’s [sic] were maxed out and understaffed because of nurse shortages.” She continued, “I truly believe Grayson would not be on the road to a full recovery without them,” before assuring fans that Grayson is “doing much better” and is “stable” and “improving.” A Penn State student is dead after a bizarre accident earlier this month. Justine Gross, 19, was found at the Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority transfer station in the early hours of Nov. 12 after she had been reported missing the night before, State College police said in a statement Friday. Around 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 10, Justine plunged nearly a dozen floors after she fell “inside an 11th floor solid waste disposal chute” in an apartment building and “into a waste receptacle on the ground floor,” police said. “Video evidence suggests she was alone in the 11th floor hallway and in the waste disposal room when she fell,” police said. Justine was reported missing at 5:15 p.m. Nov. 11, and found hours later at the recycling and refuse station at 2:45 a.m. Nov. 12. In between her fall and the discovery of her body, the waste receptacle had been emptied by a Borough of State College refuse truck. Justine, who is from New Jersey, had reportedly had a “smoke” in the apartment building with a man before her fall, her mother told NJ Advance. She did not clarify what they were smoking. Francoise Gross told the outlet that she had spoken with the man, who told her that Justine had “a really bad reaction” to the smoke and went into a “panic.” The NAACP Image Awards will return with an in-person ceremony on Saturday, February 26, 2022 — and broadcast live on BET. The NAACP announced Thursday that it has added new podcast categories to the mix as well. Nominations for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards will be announced on January 11, while the submission deadline for this upcoming awards show is this coming Monday, November 22. Four new podcast categories include Outstanding News and Information Podcast; Outstanding Lifestyle / Self-Help Podcast; Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast; and Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast. The NAACP Image Awards traditionally honors achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 categories, including film, television, music and literature. “Black artists over the past year have not only showcased our history and uplifted values of progressive change, but have also redefined genres and brought our stories to the screen in so many creative ways,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. “Now more than ever, we need Black voices to push the envelope, educate, and inspire audiences around the world. We’re proud to once again provide a space that both elevates and celebrates these voices through the 53rd NAACP Image Awards.” While removing his LifeAid necklace before going to bed, 68-year-old retired Marine Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. accidentally pressed the alert button. Sound asleep, he did not hear the LifeAid callback. Officers were sent to do a welfare check on Chamberlain — a move that would cost him his life. Chamberlain had refused to open the door. Police broke it down and after a series of events, an officer shot Chamberlain. He died later in the hospital. Nov. 19 marks the 10-year anniversary of that tragic evening. “The Killing Of Kenneth Chamberlain,” a must-see film, is now available on YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Vudu, Apple TV and Amazon Prime. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HI1XGFx4Vbc/hqdefault.jpg The “Ghostbusters” sequel “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” directed by Jason Reitman, is terrific and a must see. Expectations for a “Ghostbusters” reboot was nil after the 2016 “Ghostbusters” film, which was a disaster. The New York premiere of “Afterlife” was more than a screening, it was an event for fans who showed up in jumpsuits, some with proton packs and PKE meters. “Afterlife” has all the elements that make for great entertainment–a fantastic script and an endearing, talented cast. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R2h0gkDip9I/hqdefault.jpg Many may recall the original 1988 action comedy “Midnight Run,” starring a young (er) Robert De Niro and a cranky-faced Charles Grodin. Now, Variety is reporting, Universal Pictures has tabbed actress Regina Hall to star in, not a remake but, a sequel to the original and MAY star alongside De Niro. MAY! The original was so critically-acclaimed that it resulted in three made for TV movies, but neither De Niro nor Grodin appeared in any of those. Hall will reportedly also served as a producer on the film under her RH Negative production company. Additionally producers will include Jesse Collins (“The New Edition Story), and Jane Rosenthal through Tribeca, with Berry Welsh executive producing through Tribeca as well. Universal Pictures’ senior VP of production development Sara Scott will oversee on behalf of the studio. Comedic actress Aeysha Carr is scheduled write the screenplay. However, the current plot is unknown. The old story centered on De Niro as a bounty hunter in pursuit of a former Mafia accountant, played by Charles Grodin. Unfortunately, Mr. Grodin succumbed to bone marrow cancer earlier this year. On Saturday, November 20th 2021 from 10AM to 4PM PST (1PM to 7PM EST and 12-6PM Central time) join the Los Angeles Black Business Expo as a Virtual and Global Experience featuring Dr. Dennis Kimbro, author of What Makes the Great Great; Dr. George Fraser, author of Success Runs in Our Race; Byron Nelson, celebrity speaker and self-made millionaire; Treasure Owens, Credit Guru and Motivational speaker; Dr. Adrianne M. Toney, Transition Expert, Author & Philanthropist and many more. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5br3GzCrWO8/hqdefault.jpg “The album is to make people feel,” said Trombonist Steve Austin about the debut album release, “Head of the Street,” of Steve Austin and The Bioniq Brass Band. “Brass music does it different. American music was birth in Congo Square, especially black American music…the rhythm element; it’s in brass band, R&B and Hip-Hop music.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VKcG3P9Vi8I/hqdefault.jpg The Athletes Commission of the International Olympic Committee on Saturday said it was “very concerned” for Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai and hoped contact with her and fellow athletes could be established soon. Meanwhile, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai has been staying at home “freely” and will make a public appearance “soon”, Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin, a prominent state-media journalist, said on Saturday. On Friday, Kyle Rittenhouse got to walk away free despite killing two people and wounding another during anti-racism protests last year in Kenosha. Rittenhouse, 18, faced charges including two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide but was acquitted in full on the grounds of self-defense. Following the verdict, Rittenhouse broke down in tears and collapsed to the floor before being helped back into his chair, with his hands shaking. His mother also wept following the news. In a video taken right after court, Rittenhouse spoke out for the first time to say he’s happy with the outcome, noting that “Self defense is not illegal.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWgSHeopPqh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said lax gun laws are leading the United States down a "dangerous path" after a jury on Friday acquitted teenager Kyle Rittenhouse in fatal shootings during racial justice protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Jurors found Rittenhouse, 18, not guilty of homicide for killing two men and attempted homicide for wounding a third man. Rittenhouse claimed self defense. The protests in Kenosha were in response the police shooting of Black man Jacob Blake. Kerr, who is one of the NBA's leading voices on social issues, said he was not surprised by the verdict but was concerned about its implications. "We are seemingly all right with a teenager's right to take an AR-15 to an area where there is civil unrest. That's really scary and concerning," he told reporters ahead of the Warriors matchup against the Detroit Pistons on Friday. With three games in a 12-day span starting Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Dallas Cowboys will be without wide receiver Amari Cooper for at least two of them after he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday. Sources told ESPN that Cooper tested positive for COVID-19 and is unvaccinated, which mandates a 10-day quarantine and will knock him out of the Thanksgiving game against the Las Vegas Raiders, his former team. Cooper should clear the protocols in time to play against the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 2. Kinadee Jordan is an effervescent, sassy 13-year-old. When asked what’s the secret sauce of the Montessori School of Englewood, she quips, “Me!” With 420 students, the charter school at S. Hermitage Ave. is almost entirely free to its predominantly Black population. Kinadee has been at the school since first grade. Now in eighth grade, she loves to sing and read. She’s currently reading “Inside Out & Back Again” by Thanhha Lai. The novel, about a young girl whose family flees to the U.S. during the Vietnam War, is one Kinadee deeply relates to. “No wars have happened since I was born, that I know of, but it’s just violence in the community, violence in the world, that I wish I could migrate away from. But I can’t,” said Kinadee. “It haunts me every night. I feel like it follows me, like the clouds.” Kinadee’s reading has helped her empathize with others on a deeper level, but one thing has always bothered her. “I know there are Black authors in the world,” she said. “I want books on my culture.” There are more than a few studies out there that point out how the COVID pandemic has put a big strain on the interpersonal relationships. Well, in the instance of Ne-Yo and his wife Crystal Renay Smith, COVID actually did the complete opposite. “The pandemic saved my marriage,” Ne-Yo told Good Morning Britain “We were talking full-on divorce. It forced us to sit down and talk about our problems and re-connect with our kids. There’s only so much FaceTime you can do.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RwdS6yKxzy8/hqdefault.jpg Season two of the hit Hulu series “The Great” debuted yesterday! Catherine (Elle Fanning) has finally taken the Russian throne for her own – but after coup-ing her husband Peter (Nicholas Hoult). Catherine will have to tackle the realities of ‘liberating’ a country that doesn’t want to be. She’ll battle her court, her team, even her mother in a bid to bring enlightenment to Russia. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/azqXzb0xeBI/hqdefault.jpg A junior who played on a winning basketball team stayed behind with arena staff for three hours to help clean up the stands and pick up the trash left behind by fans. Dexter Dennis who is known for his for his fast moves on the court was praised for what he did off the court long after the game, held in Wichita, Kansas, was over. Dennis who was on the Wichita State University men’s basketball team that beat Tarleton State 65-51 decided to help tidy up the stadium after the game instead of heading off to celebrate the victory with teammates. Dennis, who hails from Louisiana, helped propel the team, known as the Shockers to victory and into a tournament in Las Vegas. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/11/20/1738702823261883472/1024x576_MP4_1738702823261883472.mp4?_=1 TRIBL, the new leading premiere recording home for Christian and Gospel artists, announces it’s new partnership with JJ Hairston’s JamesTown Music today. Hairston’s brand-new single, “Thankful” is available today wherever music is sold and streamed. “Thankful” arrives just in time for the holiday season, during a time where everyone has much to be thankful for post-pandemic. “Thankful” if lifted from Hairston’s upcoming worship EP due 1ST quarter 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQFnVRJniRM Chicago rapper and rising star, Nia Kay is set to release a new single titled, “Go Best Friend” on Friday, November 19 following an exclusive premiere today with Hollywood Life. Nia releases this new single on the heels of the successful debut of the song “Ignored” which ranked #2 on the BET Jams Fresh Face Friday countdown. To date, Nia has collaborated with Asian Doll and received industry co-signs from Cardi B and Dreezy. She has also been featured in Vogue Italia, Wonderland Magazine, Untitled Magazine, LA Weekly, Sweety High, Hello Beautiful and other publications. https://www.youtube.com/NiaKay Remy Ma and Fat Joe will take over “The Wendy Williams Show” as guest hosts while Wendy Williams continues to take time off for health-related reasons. According to an announcement on Williams’ Instagram page, Fat Joe and Remy Ma have been tapped to host the beloved daytime talk show on Nov. 23 and 24. As reported by MadameNoire, regular guest hosts Bevy Smith, Michael Yo, Devyn Simone and Elizabeth Wagmeister will return on Nov. 22. https://www.instagram.com/wendyshow/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ae467dc3-590d-4e72-977f-5d1220e1881e Tina Turner is taking legal action against a longtime impersonator over her unofficial tribute show based in Germany, entitled “Simply The Best.” Despite selling her name, likeness, image, and entire catalog to BMG as her final farewell to the music industry, Turner is allegedly hellbent on shutting down Dorothea “Coco” Fletcher—who’s been impersonating the music icon for nearly 20 years. Per Vibe, “Turner’s lawyer argues that Fletcher’s resemblance to the 81-year-old is so uncanny on the promotional flyer that fans may have trouble differentiating the two,” the outlet writes. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UqneAsRxh9s/hqdefault.jpg You can’t tell the story of Richard Williams without showcasing his daughter’s Venus and Serena’s iconic journey to the top of the tennis world. With Will Smith taking on the lead role of Richard and Aunjanue Ellis as Oracene Williams in the new Warner Bros. film, “King Richard,” the parts for the sisters had to be filled out with two equally dynamic stars – Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton! https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FIsNbpJIa6k/hqdefault.jpg Fans of Taylor Swift and Whitney Houston are sparring on Twitter over who is the better artist. Curses and epithets are being tossed around on Twitter between the ferocious fan camps of the 31-year old “Cardigan” crooner and the late “I Will Always Love You” chanteuse. And the digitally dueling sides both insist that their preferred musical powerhouse is more talented than the other. “Whitney Houston is better than Taylor Swift by a long shot. This shouldn’t even be a question,” a die-hard devotee of the six-time Grammy winning singer said. “…Taylor’s talent is in her song writing abilities,” a Swift stan stated in part. “From the music to the lyrics, she is a complete artist.” The debate sparked after Barstool Sports staffers Brandon Walker, Eric “Barstool Nate” Nathan and Kelly Keegs discussed the divas in a viral video. Kyle Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two men and wounded another amid protests and rioting over police conduct in Kenosha, Wis., was found not guilty of homicide and other charges on Friday, in a deeply divisive case that ignited a national debate over vigilantism, gun rights and the definition of self-defense. After about 26 hours of deliberation, a jury appeared to accept Mr. Rittenhouse’s explanation that he had acted reasonably to defend himself in an unruly and turbulent scene in August 2020, days after a white police officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black resident, during a summer of unrest following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Mr. Rittenhouse, 18, sobbed and was held by his lawyers after the jury finished reading their verdict. When Julius Jones was 19-years-old he was convicted of a murder he says he did not commit. Jones was scheduled to be executed on Thursday evening at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester but Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt granted him a last-minute clemency. Jones will now serve life in prison with no possibility of parole, as reported by CNN. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2pEx71oJ1Ow/hqdefault.jpg A former New York Jets running back was exposed on video punching his ex-girlfriend before tossing her into her TV at her Florida home and is now on the run after his ex filed a restraining order and police issued a warrant. Home surveillance footage shows Zac Stacy, 30, attacking the mother of his child in front of their five-month-old son at her Florida home on Saturday. The footage was posted on social media by the victim, Kristin Evans, who claimed in an Instagram story earlier Thursday that Stacy’s friends are hiding him. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/11/18/6700084236110021795/480x270_MP4_6700084236110021795.mp4 Zackary “Zac” Stacy is behind bars in Florida after he was busted on Thursday after getting off of a flight from Nashville. Stacy is accused of brutally beating his his baby mama and ex-girlfriend Kristin Evans, with whom he shares a 5-month-old son. The beating was captured on hidden cameras in Evans’ studio apartment in Oakland, Florida last Saturday. After the attack, Stacy fled the state, but law enforcement was able to convince him to man up and return to Florida to deal with the reality of his actions. Orlando Police took him into custody and he was booked into the Orange County Jail late Thursday, according to OPD spokesperson Heidi Rodriguez. https://twitter.com/i/status/1461294643400916994 Former NFL running back Zac Stacy was held on $10,000 bail and forced to surrender his passport in his first appearance in court Friday after he was arrested when footage showed him brutally beating his ex-girlfriend and throwing her around an apartment in a jealous rage. Shocking home surveillance footage shows Stacy, 30, repeatedly punching Kristin Evans and tossing her into the TV and their son’s bouncy seat as she begged for him to stop on Saturday. Stacy was arrested by police in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday evening upon arriving at Orlando International Airport on an inbound flight from Nashville after Evans, 32, pleaded for help in tracking her ex down who she suspected was being hidden by his friends. Bucs receiver Antonio Brown obtained a fake COVID-19 vaccination card so he could avoid NFL protocols, according to his former live-in chef. Brown’s girlfriend, model Cydney Moreau, told Los Angeles chef Steven Ruiz in a text message July 2 that Brown was willing to pay $500 if he could get a Johnson & Johnson vaccination card. “Can you get the COVID cards?” Moreau texted Ruiz on July 2, according to a screen grab he provided to the Tampa Bay Times. “I can try,” Ruiz responded. “JNJ shot. Ab said he would give you $500,” Moreau texted. The text exchange between Moreau and Ruiz does not refer to Brown by name. The wide receiver is often called A.B. by friends, coaches and teammates. Brown wanted the Johnson & Johnson vaccine card, Ruiz alleged, because it’s the only one that consists of a single shot and would require less paperwork. Between 2002 and 2018, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy — the founder of a Philippines-based megachurch — and his accomplices recruited women and girls as young as 12 to work as Quiboloy’s personal assistants, or “pastorals,” prosecutors said. Under Quiboloy and his accomplices’ orders, women and girls prepared his meals, cleaned his multiple residences in the Philippines and the United States, gave him massages and accompanied him on trips around the world, court records state. For over 15 years, the victims were forced to devote their lives and bodies to the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name by writing “commitment letters” to Quiboloy, prosecutors state. Quiboloy, an ally of the Philippine president who has referred to himself as “the Appointed Son of God” and is believed to be 71, allegedly forced the women and girls to regularly engage in sexual acts with him in what he called the “night duty.” Quiboloy, also known as “sir” and “pastor,” and his accomplices would tell his victims that obedience to Quiboloy was “God’s will” and that “night duty” was considered a privilege and a means to salvation, court records state. A high school teacher from Maryland has earned the Varkey Foundation’s $1 million Global Teacher Prize. Keishia Thorpe, a teacher at International High School at Langley Park in Prince George’s County, was selected from more than 8,000 nominations of educators from 121 countries worldwide, CBS News reports. Per the foundation, Thorpe “completely redesigned the 12th-grade curriculum for the English department to make it culturally relevant to her students who are first-generation Americans, immigrants, or refugees from mostly Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and South and Central America.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1458530887252025354 A Richland florist mired in an 8-year legal battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court will retire after settling with the same-sex couple whose wedding was at the center of the lawsuit. Barronelle Stutzman announced the settlement Thursday, saying she has paid $5,000 to Robert Ingersoll. She also wished Ingersoll, who had been her customer for nearly 10 years, “the very best.” Ingersoll and his husband, Curt Freed, plan to donate the settlement payment to a local PFLAG chapter, and personally match the $5,000. The agreement allows Stutzman to “preserve her conscience” by not forcing her to act against her religious beliefs as a Southern Baptist, according to a news release from her attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom. “Saturday Night Live” veteran Kenan Thompson has reportedly bagged $1 million after selling his “humorous memoir,” according to Page Six. Per the report, Thompson is the latest “SNL” star to pen a memoir. He follows alumni including Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, David Spade, Colin Jost, Gilda Radner, Amy Poehler, and Jay Mohr. Thompson has been with “SNL” since 2003 and remains the longest-serving cast member. The actor previously stated that he would stay on SNL “forever.” Tessica Brown in May, fired off cease and desist letters to several different people/entities through her attorney Jeffrey R. Klein over a viral song called “Bad Idea” — a track which rips her voice from her infamous Gorilla Glue video and remixes it into a song. Months later, she has now recorded her own titled “Ma Hair,” which remixes snippets from her original viral TikTok video, with additional lyrics. Her manager, Gina Rodriguez, says Tessica recorded it in Hollywood last month, and the track was put together by independent music producer/engineer Phil Valley. It was said that Tessica and her team actually reached out to Nicki Minaj’s team in hopes of getting her on the track after the rap star shouted out ‘Gorilla Glue Girl’ in her recent song, “Fractions.” However, Rodriguez says they never heard back. In 2017, Come Meet A Black Person networking event became an international viral conversation across the internet. From applauders to haters, Come Meet A Black Person ignited emotions, conversations and an anti-racism movement that has evolved into a global tool for change. The organization has collected revealing white-privilege and ‘racism in action’ data that will be critical in future anti-racism and social justice efforts globally. To celebrate four years of work, Come Meet A Black Person is part of an upcoming holiday mixer in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Created on a thought of Blacktivist Cheryle Renee Moses, Come Meet A Black Person was an answer to an internal question of “What can I do to help change the perception — the fear and hate — that white people have for Black people?” Moses is the founder and producer of Urban Mediamakers Festival, an annual competition with content creators from around the world. Come Meet A Black Person started as a part of the Urban Mediamakers’ annual holiday event. The purpose of Come Meet A Black Person was to open up dialogue of race among whites and Blacks in light of the rising racial tensions in the United States that we saw in 2017. Now four years later, Come Meet a Black Person has evolved into an anti-racism education and action series that provides a white-privilege test for all races, Black culture training, white allyship, tools for recognizing and eliminating micro-aggressions, and cohort relationship building. The Walt Disney Co. is taking a gamble on sports betting. The entertainment giant, notoriously conservative when it comes to protecting its brand, will use ESPN as its entry point into the fast-growing sector. “Given our reach and scale, we have the potential to partner with third parties in this space in a very meaningful way,” Disney CEO Bob Chapek told analysts during a Nov. 10 earnings call. The decision to pursue a multibillion-dollar betting deal is something of a strategic pivot for the company, which for years said that the only role sports betting had at ESPN was as one more piece of its TV programming. The Los Angeles Lakers are in Boston for a Friday night showdown with the Celtics. LeBron James is questionable to play in the game as he works his way back from an abdominal strain, but he may need to add a nasty burn to his injury status. That’s because Celtics center Enes Kanter absolutely torched James on social media on Thursday, as Kanter continues to speak out against human rights issues in China. Kanter went for the throat on Thursday, going after James and his relationship with Nike. James has a lifetime contract with the sneaker conglomerate, and Kanter targeted both entities in his Thursday tweet. He criticized James for taking a “Money over Morals” approach on Nike’s use of slave labor in China. Kanter alludes to James being complicit to China and Nike’s practices for not speaking out against them. Olympic wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock, who delivered an exuberant and patriotic speech in Tokyo this past August after capturing the gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling, once again inspired audiences Wednesday night, when she was awarded “Most Valuable Patriot” at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards. Fox News host Laura Ingraham introduced Mensah-Stock to the roaring audience and reminded everyone that the Olympian “absolutely radiates a positive, infectious attitude.” This, of course, is already an indisputable fact for anyone who saw Mensah-Stock’s now-viral, post-win speech this past summer, during which her overwhelming love of country spread around the globe. “USA, USA, USA!” the crowd chanted as the Olympian made her way to the Fox Nation Patriot Awards stage. Mensah-Stock then briefly shared remarks about her notable victory and her life — and became visibly emotional. A former pastor in New York City this week admitted to killing his wife in a horrifically gruesome fashion in front of their young grandchildren. He ran over the victim multiple times before hacking her to death using a machete. Victor Mateo, 65, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of first-degree manslaughter for brutally killing 58-year-old Noelia Mateo in front of her home, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office announced. According to District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, Victor Mateo, a Yonkers resident, parked outside of Noelia Mateo’s house located on Ellsworth Avenue in Throgs Neck on the morning of Oct. 3, 2019 and waited for her to come outside. The couple had reportedly been estranged for about a month. An actress who starred in the Harry Potter film series has been praised for ‘standing up to bullies’ after she thanked J.K. Rowling for launching her career. Afshan Azad, 33, from Manchester, who played Padma Patil in the fantasy film franchise, took to Twitter to say she ‘owes everything’ to Rowling and the movie’s casting directors. Fans were quick to thank Azad for her tweets, dubbing her ‘braver and more gracious’ than several of her co-stars, who have distanced themselves from Rowling after she became embroiled in a row surrounding tweets about transgender people. It comes after it emerged Rowling, 56, will not appear in an HBO Max special celebrating 20 years of the Harry Potter films, despite creating the characters. Meghan Markle’s cringeworthy interview with friend Ellen Degeneres has been mercilessly mocked by Twitter users, who say it was ‘awful’ and ‘made them want to vomit’. Meghan left a group of Los Angeles street vendors open-mouthed in shock by dancing and singing in front of them while referring to herself as ‘mommy’ as part of a cringe-worthy on-the-street prank during the show. Having shared several insights into her ‘happy’ family life in California with Prince Harry and their two children, five-month-old Lilibet and two-year-old Archie – who was seen in a new picture shared by the Duchess during the show – Meghan, 40, made a clear attempt to distance herself from the royal family’s reserved image with the toe-curling bit. The interview sparked a wave of memes on social media, with several sharing a GIF of Kris Jenner exclaiming: ‘This is ridiculous!’ One critic commented: ‘Meghan popping up on Ellen further proves she never understood the difference between a Royal Member and a celebrity. What an epic fall from the top.’ Members of Afghanistan’s women’s youth development soccer team arrived in Britain early Thursday after being flown from Pakistan with the help of a New York rabbi, a U.K. soccer club and Kim Kardashian West. A plane chartered by the reality star and carrying more than 30 teenage players and their families, about 130 people in all, landed at Stansted Airport near London. The Afghans will spend 10 days in coronavirus quarantine before starting new lives in Britain. English Premier League club Leeds United has offered to support the players. Britain and other countries evacuated thousands of Afghans in a rushed airlift as Kabul fell to Taliban militants in August. Many more people have since left overland for neighboring countries in hopes of traveling on to the West. Women playing sports was seen as a political act of defiance against the Taliban, and hundreds of female athletes have left Afghanistan since the group returned to power and began curbing women’s education and freedoms. Hall of Fame defensive lineman Curley Culp announced Tuesday that he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. “To my followers, family and friends, I have stage 4 pancreatic cancer,” Culp wrote. “Do donate to your local cancer organizations so this dreaded disease is eradicated. Love life, family and friends. Pray to God for all physical and spiritual healing. Love, Curley Culp HOF#13.” Culp, 75, played 14 seasons in the NFL after the Broncos made him a second-round choice in 1968. Denver tried to switch him to offensive guard before trading him to the Chiefs during training camp. Mike Tyson was so scared of killing his opponents in the ring that he often needed to have sex with groupies before fights to take the edge off his rage, his former bodyguard and chauffeur has claimed. ‘He had to get laid to disengage some of the strength he had,’ Rudy Gonzalez told The Sun. ‘So I had girls tucked away in bathrooms and changing rooms. Mike Tyson was so scared of killing his opponents in the ring that he often needed to have sex with groupies before fights to take the edge off his rage, his former bodyguard and chauffeur has claimed. ‘He had to get laid to disengage some of the strength he had,’ Rudy Gonzalez told The Sun. ‘So I had girls tucked away in bathrooms and changing rooms. ‘His biggest fear was that he would kill someone in that ring,’ Gonzalez said. ‘He knew he could do it. Hundreds of pastors from across Georgia and the country are gathering outside the Glynn County courthouse Thursday to support Ahmaud Arbery’s family. The prayer vigil and rally are happening as the man who shot and killed Arbery testifies for the second straight day in his defense. Travis McMichael, his father Greg McMichael and friend William “Roddie” Bryan are on trial for Arbery’s murder. Travis McMichael took the stand Thursday for the state to cross examine the testimony he gave yesterday. https://youtu.be/VCJxzKFDs6w The governor of Oklahoma on Thursday called off the execution of a death-row inmate just hours before the man was to be put to death, in a case in which the state’s Pardon and Parole Board had twice recommended that his sentence be commuted. “After prayerful consideration and reviewing materials presented by all sides of this case, I have determined to commute Julius Jones’s sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement. The man, Julius Jones, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 2002. He was found guilty of killing Paul Howell, who was in a car in the driveway of his parents’ home when he was carjacked and fatally shot in 1999. The commutation came less than a month after the Supreme Court, with its three more liberal members dissenting, lifted a stay of execution that a federal appeals court had granted to Mr. Jones and another Oklahoma death row inmate, John Marion Grant, who was executed last A new poll found a decline in support among Americans for the Black Lives Matter movement, a year and a half after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other high-profile deaths of Black people in encounters with police sparked a global outcry. According to a national poll conducted by Civiqs, a nonpartisan online survey firm affiliated with the progressive media group Daily Kos, 44 percent of respondents said they oppose the Black Lives Matter movement. Another 43 percent said they support it, while 11 percent said they neither support nor oppose it. The survey has tracked respondents’ viewpoints at multiple moments from April 2017 to this month. According to the poll, support for the Black Lives Matter movement peaked in June 2020 at 52 percent, a month after Floyd was killed. At the height of the movement, protesters marched across the country to express their outrage at Floyd’s death, which was seen by millions in a disturbing video showing Floyd losing consciousness as a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost 10 minutes. A black man in Florida is suing the city of Miami and five of its police officers for $500,000 after they arrested him when he reported his car stolen, accusing him of being the actual thief. On June 1, 2018, Samuel Scott Jr, 44, called Miami Police Department to report that his 2006 black Jeep was stolen from outside his aunt’s house in Buena Vista. However, half an hour after calling 911 about the incident, Scott found himself handcuffed by five Miami PD officers instead of getting help. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com An R. Kelly associate has been sentenced to 96 months for witness intimidation in connection to the singer’s sex crime and racketeering case. The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York announced the sentencing Wednesday, about seven months after 38-year-old Michael Williams pleaded guilty to an arson charge. The Georgia resident admitted to authorities he had traveled to the home of one of Kelly’s accusers and set fire to a vehicle that was parked outside her Florida residence. Prosecutors say Williams’ deliberate actions were intended to scare the woman and prevent her from cooperating in Kelly’s federal trial. Williams, a relative of Kelly’s former publicist, reportedly arrived at the accuser’s house on June 11, 2020, and poured gasoline around an SUV that was leased by the victim’s father. Prosecutors say the witness—identified as Jane Doe in court documents— was inside the home at the time of the incident, along with three other adults and two children. The accuser’s mother reportedly called 911 after seeing the flames outside. MC Lyte doesn’t think she would make it in today’s rap game — because she likes to wear pants on stage. The hip hop legend — who in 1988 became the first female MC to release an album, “Lyte as a Rock” — told Page Six recently that today’s super-sexual rappers seem more interested in showing off their bodies than expressing their thoughts. “I recently told somebody it would be really old-school for me to perform on stage with pants,” she told us, “Nobody wears pants. It’s that type of thing where everybody’s giving Rockettes and Vegas showgirl flavor.” Lil Kim started to bring sex into female rap in the 1990s, but a recent wave of stars including Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj have found phenomenal success wearing skimpy stage clothes and making racy videos. “I’m happy that anyone feels great in their body. Perhaps if I had a different type of body I would be like, ‘Hey see this?,’” the 51-year-old said, “However my walk has been extremely different from that in the very beginning. I didn’t want people to look at me. I wanted them to hear me because I had something to say and I wanted them to pay attention to my words.” Sunday, Kanye West dropped a new deluxe version of his “Donda” album, featuring a new track with Young Thug and Kid Cudi and the infamous “Life of the Party” song with Andre 3000 and IRKO. Drake intensified his yearslong beef with Kanye West by leaking Ye’s André 3000-assisted song “Life of the Party,” which sees West diss Drizzy. 3 Stacks contributed a verse that was a tribute to his late mother, who died in 2013. He addressed Drake’s leak of the song in a statement to Variety, noting that when he initially received the track, Ye’s Drake diss was not on it. Per Rolling Stone, “Life of the Party” was first played at a private “Donda” listening party in Las Vegas before it was cut from West’s official “Donda” album. Drake got a hold of the track and played it on the radio while promoting his latest album. https://open.spotify.com/album/2Wiyo7LzdeBCsVZiRA6vVZ It looks like Wendy Williams can take all the time she needs to heal and not worry about coming back to to her show too soon. That’s cause ratings for “The Wendy Williams Show” continue to be strong in her absence with its slue of guest hosts, and Sherri Shepherd, in particular. According to The Wrap, for the week ending Nov. 7, episodes with Shepherd as guest host had a season high 0.9 rating! The show’s season premiere week (week ended Oct. 24) drew a 0.8 rating. Meanwhile, “Dr. Phil” still led all talk shows with a 1.8 rating, as it does most weeks. Because of her medical status, celebs like Leah Remini, Whitney Cummings and Shepherd have filled in for Williams on the first few weeks of the new season of her talk show, which debuted Oct. 18. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fqLdOjBuSVo/hqdefault.jpg DeVon Franklin sits down with his brother, mentor and friend, Will Smith, to talk about his new film #KingRichard which he will be bringing to theatre and HBOMax this Friday, Nov. 19th! The King Richard Film is an inspiring movie that chronicles the fearless faith of Richard Williams, father of Tennis legends, Venus Williams & Serena Williams. https://youtu.be/dzTGQm30R3w Tami Roman is 51 and her husband Reggie Youngblood is 34. The 17-year age difference seems to have strengthened their relationship over the years, but Roman admits she needs another woman’s womb to help her husband carry on his legacy. Roman recently explained to the hosts of “The Real” why she is open to Youngblood fathering a child with another woman, as the couple’s surrogacy journey is “on pause,” she said . “I feel like I’m at a point where my career is starting to do and reward me for all of the time and my efforts that I’ve been in this business, she explained. A week after music producer Stevie J filed for divorce from singer Faith Evans comes a disturbing viral video of them arguing over her alleged infidelity. The clip, which Stevie recorded, shows Faith repeatedly telling the former “Love & Hip Hop” star that she hates him. She then gets in bed with Stevie hovering over her and yelling about her cheating on him. He repeatedly calls her a b*tch while Evans pleads with him to leave her alone. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWXColEJSFc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Today, the NAACP and BET announced that the “53rd NAACP Image Awards” will broadcast Saturday, February 26, 2022 (at 8:00 PM, live ET/5:00 PM, live PT) on BET. Nominees will be announced on January 11, 2022. NAACP will also recognize winners in non-televised Image Awards categories February 21- February 23, which will stream on www.naacpimageawards.net and during the NAACP Image Awards Dinner, which will be held February 25 in Los Angeles. Recognized as the nation's preeminent multicultural awards show from an African American perspective, the “53rd NAACP Image Awards,” presented by Wells Fargo and sponsored by FedEx, celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 competitive categories spanning film, television + streaming, music, literature, and podcasts. The “53rd NAACP Image Awards” will also include four new podcast categories: Outstanding News and Information Podcast; Outstanding Lifestyle / Self-Help Podcast; Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast; and Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast. To say that Atlanta is merely having a moment would be to overlook decades of the region’s impact on hip-hop culture at large. From the emergence of Outkast and Goodie Mob in the early 90s to Ludacris and T.I. at the top of 2000, and more recently with Migos, Young Thug, Gucci Mane, and Future, Atlanta has proven itself to be an inimitable force. A new breed of artists taking the trap sensibility and elevating it into a new sound called “Street Gospel,” a term coined by Atlanta based Reach Records artist, 1K Phew. 1K Phew’s new project collaborative album with Lecrae, No Church In A While, features 10 tracks including: “Wildin” “Ready Or Not,” “Move It,” “One Call,” “What We Gon Do,” “Amen,” “Blockhead,” “Born Sinner” “Save Us,” and “No Church In A. While.” Lecrae was recording his mixtape, Church Clothes 4, when it occurred to him that people actually hadn't been to church to even put on those church clothes in a while because of the pandemic, church hurt, and other reasons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHFMZd065nM There was a growing number of social media reports linking Wednesday’s shooting death of rapper Young Dolph in Memphis to lingering animosity with a rival local rapper as the city mourned the loss of a talented and popular member of its community. There were also fears of possible retaliation following a different homicide in Memphis hours after Young Dolph died from the shooting inside a bakery, prompting law enforcement to urge residents to “remain calm” as an investigation into the rapper’s murder begins. People immediately began to gather near Makeda’s Homemade Cookies’ shop immediately after reports of Young Dolph’s shooting began spreading quickly. https://twitter.com/i/status/1461074732699336715 Two of the three men convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X are expected to be exonerated on Thursday, according to their legal team.As reported by NBC News, three Nation of Islam members were charged with the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X, and each was sentenced to life in prison. The civil rights icon was fatally shot on Feb. 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City, where hundreds had gathered to hear him speak. Muhammad Aziz, Mujahid Abdul Halim, and Khalil Islam were convicted of the murder in 1966 and sentenced to life in prison. The men were imprisoned for decades before Aziz, 83, was released in 1985. Islam was released two years later and died in 2009. Halim was reportedly granted parole and released from prison in 2010. Aziz and Islam always maintained their innocence. Aziz and Islam’s estate are represented by the Innocence Project and New York-based civil rights law firm Shanies Law Office. They worked with Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance to get the men’s names cleared, The New York Times reports. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q_AXiVFJl0U/hqdefault.jpg The prosecution in the Ahmaud Arbery killing trial rested Tuesday following more than a week of testimony from investigators and experts. The defense is now expected to call 30 witnesses to offer testimony and the process will stretch into early next week. Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan face nine charges, which include malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. Lawyers for the McMichaels argue their clients were justified in chasing down Arbery when they saw him on a property that was under construction. The killers allegedly attempted to make a citizen’s arrest and killed Arbery when he resisted their threatening tactics. Arbery, 25, was called “F–king n—-r” as he lay dying on the pavement after being shot while allegedly jogging through his Georgia neighborhood on February 23, 2020. Prosecutors rested their case “after the jury saw graphic photos of the shotgun wounds that punched a gaping hole in Arbury’s chest,” per The Associated Press. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6416oRHYNI TMZ Sports released a horrific video Wednesday that showed former NFL running back Zac Stacy violently punching and slamming around his ex-girlfriend in front of their 5-month-old son. The assault took place during an argument at Stacy’s home. He’s shown on surveillance video punching his baby’s mother in the head. She backs away from him and ends up seated on the sofa next to their baby. She’s heard saying, “Zac! Zac! The baby!” as he grabs her and flings her across the living room into the flat screen TV, which topples over onto her. Stacy then grabs an object near the screaming baby and beams it into his ex’s head as she covers her face on the ground. He then snatches her to her feet and slams her into their baby’s bouncy seat on the floor, destroying the apparatus. Stacy is then shown leaving, telling his son, “I love you” before slamming the door. http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhT25n0ok4nU4sVgLr LeVar Burton should have been the next host of “Jeopardy!” but that dream didn’t come to fruition. Burton hasn’t let that failure slow him down. The former ‘Reading Rainbow’ personality has teamed up with Hasbro and eOne to bring the family favorite trivia game “Trivial Pursuit” to television. Burton will host and executive produce the new show with help from his production company LeVar Burton Entertainment, Tara Long, and Geno McDermott from eOne. “’Trivial Pursuit’ is one of the best-known brands in the gaming universe,” Burton told Variety in an interview about the upcoming series. “I am thrilled to have partnered with Hasbro and eOne to bring this beloved game to market as a premium show for television.” The exclusive clip from this week’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition” airing Thursday, Nov. 18. Amber opens up about how Siir Brock coming out ruined their sex life. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AjHYaDiXP0Y/hqdefault.jpg Chris Tucker reportedly owes the IRS more than $9 million in taxes dating back to 2002. In a complaint filed to Nevada federal court Monday and obtained by USA TODAY, attorneys say the 50-year-old actor owes federal taxes, tax penalties and interest from 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2010 that amount to $9.6 million. The amounts of money the “Rush Hour” actor allegedly owes to the IRS range from approximately $481,000 in 2010 to $4.6 million in 2002, according to the lawsuit. The total amount attorneys are seeking in taxes from Tucker totals $9,684,452.07. Attorneys say Tucker entered several installment agreements in 2010, 2011 and 2016 to pay the IRS back in lump sums over a 10-year period but payments were overdue by 1,112 days. “Despite notice and demand for payment of the assessments set forth above, Mr. Tucker has neglected, refused, or failed to fully pay the assessments against him,” the 16-page lawsuit states. ESSENCE’s November/December holiday split-cover issue features three game-changers like you’ve never seen them before: GRAMMY award-winning singer Lizzo; Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles; and “1619 Project” Founder Nikole Hannah-Jones! ESSENCE’s groundbreaking issue reflects on “The Year of Radical Self-Care” with three incredible women who understood the power of saying “no” and instead bravely chose to say “yes” to themselves and their mental health in the face of societal expectations. Here’s a sneak peek on what each cover star tells ESSENCE in this special issue that will hit newsstands during the holidays. The track from Adele’s forthcoming “30” album that had critics salivating was “To Be Loved.” The singer took to Instagram and decided to give the rest of us a taste of what all the hype is about … from the comfort of her living room sofa. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gpzmn4ZoB5k/hqdefault.jpg A Black woman claims that her white neighbor called the police over her child’s Barbie car. “My neighbor called the cops because my kid’s Barbie car is beeping,” the woman says in the video, which received over 1.6 million views in a week. “This is just the most hilarious thing I’ve ever seen in my life. You can’t make this stuff up. Over a Barbie car, you guys. A Barbie car.” The video from TikTok user @lynaerican81817 shows her husband moving the small battery-powered Barbie vehicle in front of a police officer’s car, as if the cop had pulled it over. The latest Federal Trade Commission report shows how consumer fraud affects communities of color in the United States. While Latino consumers are frequently victims of imposter scams, African Americans report fraud mainly in debt collection through credit bureaus, while Asian Americans are cheated with fake health products. Across ethnic communities, scams via used-car sales and lending agencies have preyed on people with financial struggles. “Since 2016, we have established 25 law enforcement actions where we could identify conducts specifically targeting or affecting communities of color in a disproportionate way,” said Monica Vaca, acting deputy director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. Evelyn Player filled her days volunteering at Southern Baptist Church in East Baltimore, arriving early to greet worshipers and staying late to help the choir rehearse. The 69-year-old retiree was at it again Tuesday morning, arriving just after sunrise to let in construction workers, not long before she was found stabbed to death in a church bathroom, police said. “Who would want to hurt my mother?” asked Alethea Finch, crying on the porch of the East Baltimore home she shared with her mother. “How could someone hurt someone in such a sacred place? … My heart’s broken into a million pieces. I don’t understand why this happened.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2945301715721131 China’s hypersonic space weapons could be used to launch a surprise attack on the US, said vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Hyten, who also admitted that Beijing has more advanced hypersonic technology. Hyten, the second-highest ranking military officer in the US, revealed that during last summer’s hypersonic weapons test, China sent a missile around the world at more than five times the speed of sound, as reported by CBS News. Hyten told the news station: ‘They launched a long-range missile. It went around the world, dropped off a hypersonic glide vehicle that glided all the way back to China, that impacted a target in China’. The Rev. Al Sharpton has planned a vigil for Thursday, at which 100 or more Black pastors are “to stand in solidarity and prayer” with the family of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was fatally shot in southern Georgia. The vigil will take place outside the Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Ga., where three men are on trial for murdering Arbery following a confrontation on Feb. 23, 2020, in the nearby Satilla Shores neighborhood. Race and racism are key issues in the trial. One of the defense attorneys opened up the floodgates of criticism after suggesting Sharpton and other popular Black figures who were sitting in the gallery could be viewed as “improper” and taint the jury. Last week, Kevin Gough, who represents William “Roddie” Bryan, one of the defendants, complained about the presence of Black pastors at the trial. He said the high-profile members of the African American community “could be, consciously or unconsciously, an attempt to pressure or influence the jury.” Another theft charge was filed against an East Texas pastor. Jail records show that another theft charge was added to Jerome Milton’s charges, this one for theft of property worth between $30,000 and $150,000 from an elderly individual. His previous charges are theft of property between $2,500 and $30,000 and two counts of credit or debit card abuse of the elderly. This charge was filed two weeks after the first charges in early October. The affidavit states that Milton, since May 2021, was caring for and had power of attorney for an elderly couple at Open Door Bible Church in Tyler where he is a pastor. The elderly wife has “memory impairment” and her husband fell in February, leaving him completely bedridden. According to police records, Milton asked two other church members to help take care of the couple. One of the church members “became suspicious of Milton’s motives and activity” in regards to the couple’s finances and notified the elderly couple’s son. Will Smith’s latest film “King Richard” hits theaters Friday, November 19, 2021. And the 53-year-old blockbuster star has one wish for those who see it. “I want people to see the simplicity of aligning your will with divine will,” Smith told Hollywood producer, preacher, and personal friend DeVon Franklin in an interview they shared exclusively with CBN News’ Studio 5 program. “At this point in my career, I am taking films that are centered on ideas that I want to explore, and ideas that I want to illuminate.” “King Richard” follows the life of Richard Williams, the father, and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. And Will Smith plays the title role. With his wife, Oracene Price, by his side, Richard drafted a nearly 80-page plan to guide their girls from “prodigies to pros” two years before they were born. More than 125 fans sued rapper Travis Scott for $750 million over the deadly Astroworld Festival incident that left 10 dead and hundreds injured earlier this month. The lawsuit, filed by Houston Attorney Tony Buzbee – who had previously been representing at least 35 victims from the concert – accuses Scott and festival organizers of ‘gross negligence’ for the chaos at Astroworld on November 5. The suit also names Live Nation, Epic Records Drake and Apple as defendants for their involvement in organizing the festival, and Buzbee plans to file another lawsuit with 100 more plaintiffs in the coming days. ‘No amount of money will ever make these Plaintiffs whole; no amount of money can restore human life,’ Buzbee said in the lawsuit.‘ But, the damages sought in this case attempts to fix, help, or make up for the harms and losses suffered by these Plaintiffs — nothing more and nothing less.’ The lawsuit comes as W Magazine is reportedly scrambling to pull their next issue featuring Kylie Jenner and Scott on the cover after the Astroworld Festival tragedy. The cast and crew of the Harry Potter movies are coming together for a reunion, with one notable exception – the author, JK Rowling. HBO Max announced on Tuesday it would bring together the cast members from all eight Harry Potter films for a retrospective special entitled Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts. The release said it would feature stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint – who have not made a public appearance together since the premiere of the last premiere of the franchise, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, in July 2011, as well as filmmaker Chris Columbus, who directed the blockbuster film. But the release does not mention the person responsible for the creation of the characters, author JK Rowling, who has been criticized for her views on transgender people. Sources close to the project told TMZ that it will focus on the creation of the first film 20 years ago, and the central cast and crew. Nike is pressing pause on the release of its collaboration with Travis Scott “out of respect” for the victims of Astroworld. The footwear company sent out a statement via its official sneaker release app, “SNKRS,” notifying fans of the decision on Monday. “Out of respect for everyone impacted by the tragic events at the Astroworld Festival, we are postponing the launch of the Air Max 1 × Cactus Jack,” the statement said. There was no mention of a new release date. For this latest collab, Nike and Scott’s Cactus Jack Records united to create the “Air Max 1 x Cactus Jack,” a pair of brown and tan Air Max 1s. They were scheduled to be released on Dec. 16 with a $175 price tag. Law enforcement confirmed #YoungDolph was shot and killed in Memphis this afternoon. As of now, the circumstances surrounding the shooting are not clear. Maurice Hill, the owner of the shop told FOX13 his employees said Dolph walked into the store to buy cookies when a vehicle drove up and fired at the bakery. Reports of the shooting initially surfaced on Twitter as bystanders shared footage of police at the scene of the shooting. One person can be heard saying “Ain’t no way these folks just killed Dolph.” Another person at the scene added, “I told yall that’s that only **** in the city with that car. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-11-17-111721-young-dolph-1309191/ Zaire Wade’s sustainable clothing brand released its first NFT collection last month. The Worldwide Asset eXchange (WAX) partnered with Electric Token and Wade’s social conscious brand YNG-DNA to launch an assortment of NFTs related to the brand’s merchandise. “We’re beyond excited to partner with Electric Token, a team with a track record of being at the forefront of trends across many industries, and WAX to release sustainable NFTs tied to our brand,” said Zaire Wade, Co-Founder of YNG DNA. “Finding partners that understands how important sustainability is to not only the fashion and NFT industries but also to the world at large has been the most important aspect for us. We can’t wait to elevate our brand and its mission with a new group of consumers.” Zaire Wade is the 19-year-old son of Dwayne Wade. A few days before the NFT drop with YNG-DNA was set to launch, Zaire was drafted by the G-League team of the Utah Jazz. This year is proving to be a challenge for R&B veteran Keyshia Cole. Months after losing her biological mother, the late Frankie Lons, Cole, is unfortunately now coping with the recent death of her adoptive father, Mr. Leon Cole, Jr. The news of Mr. Cole’s loss gained public awareness after a fan account tweeted Keyshia directly with condolences over the weekend (seen above). “I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your father!!” wrote the fan account @KeyshiaColeF, also adding, “I’m praying for you and your family during this difficult time!!” Without saying much, Cole herself responded with a simple “Thank you” accompanied by a prayer hand emoji. It appears the fan account caught wind of her adoptive father’s passing by way of her adoptive mom, Yvonne Cole, who originally shared that her husband was in ICU after contracting COVID-19. The Cole family originally released a statement via Facebook on Nov. 6 addressing his illness, writing, “Mr. Cole is currently experiencing several health challenges due to Covid-19. He’s in ICU. We ask that you please send your support, love, well wishes and prayers of comfort and healing to Mr. Cole and his loved ones at this time.” Starz has dropped the trailer for the latest installment in the “Power” universe franchise. Producer 50 Cent and co-producer Courtney A. Kemp have released two out of the four spinoffs titled “Power Book II: Ghost” and Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” and now comes the third installment, “Power Book IV: Force,” which centers on Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora). https://i.ytimg.com/vi/08fMFjDWAyw/hqdefault.jpg Pop phenoms of any era “stem” from artists who are paying homage to nostalgic sounds of yesteryear with the benefit of contemporary sonic twists. What makes Silk Sonic, the side chick turned wifey of multi-talents Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, so much fun is that while the duo’s tongues are firmly in cheek in the presentation, the adoring authenticity of their homage to the craft, sound and vibe of the `70s could only have been done by cats with not only their fingers on the pulse but their heartbeats in-sync to the blood-rush within. Creamy chord changes, dreamy melodies, dime-stop punches, real drums, organ, wah-wah guitars, Roto-Toms and some Fender Rhodes (of course)…with horn and strings. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GG7fLOmlhYg/hqdefault.jpg A judge has ordered Vanessa Bryant to turn over her mental health records from the last four years as part of her lawsuit against Los Angeles County. Attorneys for Los Angeles County are seeking Vanessa’s therapy records amid her legal battle over the circulation of photos of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash site last year. Bryant claims the leak among sheriff’s deputies and others caused her emotional distress. In the court filing, as reported by ABC 7, “… the county argues that the request is necessary to defend itself from the lawsuit and to show that Bryant did not actually suffer from the circulation of photos taken at the site of the crash last year that killed the NBA legend, the couple’s 13-year-old daughter and seven others,” the outlet writes. Proud Boys leader and Cuban negro white nationalist, Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, asked a judge on Monday for early release before he finishes serving a five-month sentence for lynching a Black Lives Matter banner that was taken from a Black church in Washington, D.C. Tarrio’s reasoning for why he should be freed early appears to essentially be, ”Jail sucks and I’m scared.” According to the Associated Press, Tarrio is asking D.C. Superior Court Judge Jonathan Pittman to either reduce his sentence to 90 days or allow him to finish it under house arrest because he said he’s being harassed by correctional officers and the conditions at the jail are disgusting and inhumane. Again, Tarrio is also complaining that the jail’s conditions are not fit for men or Proud Boys, claiming his cell has been regularly flooded with dirty toilet water from a neighboring cell and that the hallways are filled with smoke. (This man is really on his Karen steez asking for a non-smoking section in jail. *snickers*) He also said medical neglect is an issue at the jail and that he saw an inmate have a seizure who was left laying on the ground for a half-hour before any help arrived. While Pittman said Monday that he will rule on Tarrio’s request by the end of the week, AP noted that “the judge struck a consistently skeptical tone that left Tarrio, testifying by video from jail, visibly slumped in frustration.” Tarrio reportedly said in the video: “I’ve been to jail before and what I’ve seen here, I’ve never seen anywhere else. This place needs to be shut down immediately.” Despite the irony, he added: “I’m deathly afraid that something is going to happen to me.” GSN-Rapper Yella Beezy allegedly raped a woman on their first date before she was able to flee his Texas apartment. The incident reportedly occurred in April after Beezy, Markies Deandre Conway, met the unnamed woman on Instagram. TMZ has obtained the arrest warrant and probable cause affidavit from Yella’s sexual assault case out of Collin County…. Yella Beezy allegedly forced himself on a woman during a first date. Per the docs, the woman says Yella contacted her on Instagram in late April — and they eventually made plans to grab a bite in Dallas, and for some bowling afterward. The alleged victim told police everything was going smoothly … that is, until she says he invited her back to his apartment while they waited for their bowling reservations at 10 PM — a two-hour window after they’d wrapped dinner. Once there, the woman claims Yella asked for a massage while he was shirtless, which she says she gave him. The woman claims that after the massage ended, Yella forcibly kissed her and pulled up her dress. The alleged victim claims she pleaded with him to stop but he was ultimately able to penetrate her, according to the report. https://youtu.be/m5sGW4gT1QU DJ Khaled has teamed with REEF, the world’s largest operator of virtual restaurants, to launch a new chicken wing delivery venture called Another Wing. As reported by Business Insider, Another Wing offers eight varieties of hot chicken wings, and prices start at $6.95 for six pieces. The meals are made in ghost kitchens in 150 locations spread out in five countries across 3 different continents, and in 18 states in the U.S. “Everything I do is big,” said DJ Khaled in a statement. “My team and I are focused on launching new partnerships, new ideas and spreading love to my fans all around the world. Partnering with REEF for this launch is another new exciting venture which allows me to introduce some amazing wings, to everyone, everywhere.” https://www.instagram.com/another.wing/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=11fd0c83-e915-43bc-af00-0debf791d89b It’s Staples Center no more. The venue where the Lakers and Clippers play in downtown Los Angeles is getting a new name for Christmas: Crypto.com Arena. The building, which opened in 1997, will wear the new name for 20 years under a deal between the Singapore cryptocurrency exchange and AEG, the owner and operator of the arena, both parties announced Tuesday. Crypto.com paid more than $700 million for the naming rights, according to sources familiar with the terms, making it one of the biggest naming deals in sports history, reports the LA Times. If you’re wondering, the arena’s new logo will debut Dec. 25, when the Lakers host the Brooklyn Nets, and all of Staples Center signage will be replaced with the new name by June 2022. Crypto.com’s chief executive, Kris Marszalek, hopes that the new name will come to be seen as a sign of the times. After dating for two years, Shaunie O’Neal and Pastor Keion Henderson have announced that they are engaged. “This was one of the most magical and special days of my life, being someone that had never officially been proposed to — like no down on one knee and asked ‘will you marry me’ moment,” Shaunie says in a statement to PEOPLE. “And honestly I’m the person that thought I would never in my lifetime experience a love like this. Everything about that night was incredibly amazing.” She continues, “I wouldn’t change a single thing. As a matter of fact, I wish I could experience it over and over again. Keion is an extraordinary man of God. He’s wise, he’s supportive, he’s so loving and attentive. He loves me and my children in a way that has changed my life and my heart. He makes me want to be better every day. And I pray that I do the same for him. This love is FOREVER and I’m honored and overjoyed to do forever with him.” The couple got engaged on a tropical island where Henderson proposed with “a custom 4.22-karat radiant-cut diamond ring with 50 round-cut brilliant white diamonds set in an 18-karat white gold band by Jason of Beverly Hills.” https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1460609677302054923/nR1_tEv5?format=jpg&name=small On the Tuesday, November 16 edition of “Tamron Hall,” “Fall… in Love” week continued with Grammy-nominated R&B singer Kenny Lattimore and his wife, “Divorce Court” star, Judge Faith Jenkins who both joined Tamron in-studio to discuss their marriage and finding love later in life. Lattimore discussed being molested as a child and shared how that trauma affected his relationship with Jenkins. Tamron was later joined by New York Times best-selling author and licensed psychologist ?Dr. Robin Smith who spoke about the importance of radical honesty, and Jon Heder who opens up about his nearly 20 year long marriage to his college sweetheart and gives a sneak peek at his new movie “Funny Thing About Love.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kA1JB9ddu8w/hqdefault.jpg The hosts of The Real all weighed in on DaniLeigh and DaBaby’s big fight and shared some good points. While all of them agreed that it was an unfortunate situation, co-host Loni Love brought up a good point and shared the one thing she always keeps in the back of her mind. She explained, “I know I’ve been in certain situations… but one of the reasons why, as a female, I say always have your own stuff so that nobody can sit back and tell you to get out of their house. Have your own stuff!” Speaking specifically on DaBaby she said, “if he was that upset he just should of left for minute or a day… you got the money go and leave!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWWai80LrWP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group feature film division, Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures, via its theatrical distribution unit Freestyle Releasing, in association with Global View Entertainment and producer Melvin Childs’ Melvin Childs Presents, is proud to announce its acquisition of the urban crime drama FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY for theatrical release. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wHJFvqnO-NY/hqdefault.jpg Marvel president Kevin Feige previously confirmed that Chadwick Boseman’s character of T’Challa will not be recast in “Black Panther II.” During an appearance on the Ringer-Verse podcast this weekend, Marvel’s VP of Development, Nate More also revealed that recasting Boseman’s character in any future MCU projects is not going to happen, Complex reports. “You will not see T’Challa in the MCU 616 universe,” Moore said. “We couldn’t do it. I will say, when Chad passed, it was a real conversation we had with Coogler about ‘what do we do?’ And it was a fast conversation. It wasn’t weeks, it was minutes of, ‘We have to figure out how to move this franchise on without that character.’” Unvaxed Jedediah Bila, a former conservative co-host of ABC’s “The View,” did a remote drop in to the Hot Topics table on Tuesday (Nov. 16) and landed right into a lions den when talk turned to the COVID-19 vaccines. “Let’s discuss the elephant in the room,” said co-host Joy Behar, segueing away from the discussion of her new memoir Dear Hartley. “You were supposed to join us in the studio weeks ago, but you couldn’t because ABC has a very strict policy that you can’t get into this building unless you’re fully vaccinated…and you made a conscious decision not to get vaccinated.” https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/16228/snapshot/901432.png Best known as an original member of the pioneering band The Jazz Crusaders (later The Crusaders), Nesbert “Stix” Hooper has enjoyed an illustrious career as a musician, composer, record producer, artist manager, the first national Vice Chairman of the national Academy of recording Arts and Sciences (an unprecedented three terms with that Grammy organization) and icon of Contemporary Soul-Jazz drumming. This month, he is adding radio show host to his hat collection with a Jazz program “Lay it On the Line,” its title lifted from a song Hooper wrote for the Crusaders’ album Unsung Heroes (Blue Thumb – 1973) which he later revisited as the title track of an album under his leadership circa 1989. On the radio, Hooper will be telling inside stories about heroes sung and unsung on his program which debuts Wednesday, November 17, 9 P.M. PST. LeBron James and Chris Paul represent the faces of the fight against Father Time in today’s NBA. Kevin Durant deserves more praise for his Luke Skywalker-esque brush-off of aging and injury. Durant, now 33, should be beginning the conventional decline of his professional career. Except he isn’t. The Brooklyn Nets star returned last season after tearing his Achilles, one of basketball’s most devastating injuries, and came two inches shy of a conference finals appearance in a thrilling playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. This season, one of the sport’s greatest players ever is somehow at his peak on a Nets team that has won six of their last seven contests. Durant has been an impossible matchup on a scale that might even surpass his 2013-14 MVP campaign. He’s on pace (small sample size alert!) to have the best offensive season of his life. Eight people are dead and just shy of 100 more have become infected with COVID-19 after an outbreak at a Connecticut nursing home. The outbreak at the Geer Village Senior Community, a nursing home and rehabilitation center in Canaan, started around the beginning of October when the nursing home was reporting three positive COVID-19 cases. Now, eight residents have died, and 67 residents and 22 staff members caught COVID-19 sometime in the past month and a half. Nursing home officials said 48 residents and 21 staff members have recovered from the virus. The state Department of Public Health said they’re monitoring and providing on-site consultation at this facility. https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/state-investigating-nursing-home-covid-19-outbreak/2653093/ Minnesota Police are investigating students at Prior Lake High School in Savage, Minnesota after a racist video about a 14-year-old black girl went viral on social media. The 57-second hateful rant was targeted at Nya Sigin by a young girl who had known Nya since she was in Elementary school. “I really couldn’t comprehend what I was listening to, it was just a wave of different emotions,” Nya said in an interview with CNN. “I was angry, I was disgusted, I was sad, I was confused.” In the clip, the young white girl said no one likes N***ers and that Nya should “[expletive] kill yourself right this time.” She also attacked Nya’s mental health in the video saying, “Cut deep enough this time, or f-cking tie the rope higher. Like, what the f-ck.” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com For more than a month, students at Howard University in Washington, D.C., have been fighting for answers from the school administration as they protested poor housing conditions on campus. But on Monday, an agreement with protesters at one of the nation’s top historically Black universities had been reached, the school announced in a tweet. The specific details of the negotiations between students and administration were not immediately available. NPR reached out to Howard University; they did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The university’s president, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, released a video message Monday addressing the end of campus protests and how the school will improve conditions for students. “The health and well-being of our students is the most important part of my job as president,” Frederick said. “As I have said before, even one issue in one of our dormitories is too many, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our pledge to maintain safe and high-end housing.” The case against three white men charged in the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery is underway in a Brunswick courtroom in Georgia. The judge has denied defense requests for a mistrial after civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson comforted Arbery’s mother in full view of the jury when she burst into tears during the trial. Last week, the attorney objected to Al Sharpton sitting with the family. “How many pastors does the Arbery family have? We had the Reverend Al Sharpton here earlier – last week,” said defense counsel Kevin Gough. “Your Honor, the seats in the public gallery of the courtroom are not like courtside seats at a Lakers game.” “There is no reason for these prominent icons in the civil rights movement to be here,” Gough said Monday. “With all due respect, I would suggest, whether intended or not, that inevitably a juror is going to be influenced by their presence in the courtroom.” Meanwhile, Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Baptist Church is calling on pastors from around the nation to join him to form a “human prayer wall” against racism and injustice this Thursday at the courthouse. This is Bryant’s response after Gough complained in court last week about Al Sharpton’s presence saying “we don’t want any more black pastors coming in here. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1373698233046859 SY'RAI SMITH CHATS WITH THE LADIES OF ?THE REALTODAY, NOVEMBER 16TH. (Check Local Listings for Showtimes) + Watch on Bounce, 5AM EST/3AM PST This week's explosive season one finale of STARZ hit series BMF, "King of Detroit," is written by showrunner and executive producer Randy Huggins and directed by executive producer Tasha Smith. As season one of the 8-episode series comes to it's suspense-filled climax, tune in to BMF on Sunday, November 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on STARZ and the STARZ App to catch all of the Flenory family drama. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CCPzD6zQ9qBF9YNYEWjaUyEt4EeEfLha/view Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas, Starring Demetria McKinney, Chaz Lamar Shepherd & Kirk Franklin - 12/4 at 8pm / 7c. When Olivia (Demetria McKinney), a young assistant pastor, gets assigned to be a lead pastor at a new church a month before Christmas, she’s fearful she can't manage the transition, including getting the choir ready to open the town's annual Winter Jamboree. Banding together with her new congregation, Olivia discovers a new home for herself, and even finds a little Christmas romance along the way! Featuring a special appearance and songs written and arranged by Kirk Franklin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1UEacWLFtk&feature=youtu.be IMDb TV announced today the second season of UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers, which will premiere Friday, December 17, exclusively on IMDb TV, Amazon's free streaming service. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxF5tZ7fKzE&feature=youtu.be In February of this year, Lisa released her WHAT WILL IT TAKE album with a successful Gospel radio single "Nothing But The Spirit". The single reached #1 on the Urban Influencer Gospel Radio chart. Lisa is offering a new single, "In This House," that showcases her soulful vocal stylings and mixes blues musicality with a traditional churchy sway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW2SNT5GOBU The second season of “Games People Play” kicked off on Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray “Games Divas Play,” “Games People Play” is a sexy, stylized one-hour drama about the L.A. high life, featuring a cast of characters where everyone plays to win, including a basketball player navigating both his equally rocky personal life and NBA career, a newly appointed team marketing executive who’s got a lot to prove, a tenacious journalist desperately seeking the truth and a struggling actress with a scandalous past. The talented ensemble cast includes Karrueche Tran, Lauren London in a limited role, Sarunas J. Jackson, Karen Obilom, Parker McKenna Posey, Jackie Long, and Kendall Kyndall and Brandi Denise. In addition, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vanessa Simmons, Shaun Robinson, Kevin Jackson, Barry Brewer, and Monti Washington reprise their recurring roles, with Cynthia Bailey, Nazanin Mandi, Ro Parrish, Hitman Holla, Leon, and Calvin Seabrooks to guest star in the ten-episode drama. #GamesPeoplePlay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIPE9xDyIe8 CLEO TV will air a new episode of CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Wednesday, November 17 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip8CTIGrcc0 Who Is Christmas Eve?” - a new Bounce original holiday movie centered around the emotional search for a young woman’s birth parents – will premiere during National Adoption Month on Sunday, November 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET with a primetime west coast premiere of 9 p.m. PT. Eve Simons (Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd, Power Book II: Ghost, Hawaii Five-O) was abandoned as an infant on the steps of a church 30 years ago on Christmas Eve. Now, struggling to move forward with her life, she embarks on a search to uncover the mystery of her birth. Eve is helped and supported by her boyfriend Chris (Romeo Miller, Romeo!, Empire) and famed investigative genealogist Pamela Slaton (Juliana Harkavy, Arrow). The movie is inspired by the investigative work of the real-life Slaton, who serves as an executive producer. Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd serves as a co-executive producer. Over the course of her career to date, Slaton has reunited thousands of adoptees with their families, including rapper Darryl McDaniels of RUN-DMC fame, who makes a cameo appearance as himself in “Who Is Christmas Eve?” Music producer and reality star Stevie J has reportedly filed for divorce from singer Faith Evans, after three years of marriage. However, the two have sparked speculation that they may still be together. On Sunday (Nov. 14), Faith’s shared several videos on her Instagram of her beach outing in Deer Creek, Malibu with Stevie. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWRhD_Rg64G/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A video that recently went viral on TikTok shows OJ Simpson grinning in the selfie video of a TikTokker and eventually moving in for a kiss, only to be curved hard before the clip abruptly ends. The woman, @mackenziegd1988, saw the disgraced former NFL star at a Las Vegas bar and started filming. He joined the video, and she is heard saying “O.J. baby, he’s out!” Suddenly, Simpson appears to move in for a kiss. She reacts to the man acquitted of criminal double murder charges by dipping back out of his reach and giving the camera a pained, frozen expression before the footage cuts off. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/a7sGfwWS0nA/hqdefault.jpg A TikTok video has gone viral with more than 2.5 million views on claims that workers at a Georgia Waffle House referenced nooses when a biracial family walked in to be seated. Angelia Tabor-Fells, who runs a Georgia non-profit, described the experience while still at the Waffle House in Gainesville on Nov. 7, with her 6-month-old adopted son, her 15-year-old step-daughter and her 53-year-old sister with special needs. In the video, Tabor-Fells claims that waitress and manager at the Waffle House off GA-129 in Gainesville joked about getting nooses out of a car when the family visited the restaurant. Attorneys Ben Crump and Alex Hilliard have filed lawsuits on behalf of 90 more victims of the deadly Astroworld Festival. The death toll from the Nov. 5 concert in Houston, Texas is now at 10, but some suspect this number is actually higher and being suppressed by local officials in Scott’s hometown. Hundreds were injured at the event during a crowd surge that rushed the stage. Ezra Blount, the 9-year-old who was on life support for a week after getting trampled at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, is the latest victim to succumb to the injuries sustained at the concert. Actor Brian Michael Smith has become the first female-to-male transgender to make it to PEOPLE’s “sexiest man alive” list. This year, the highest honor of the sexiest man alive in 2021 went to actor Paul Rudd. PEOPLE also published the 25 “sexiest men you can watch on TV now” and Smith, who played Paul Strickland on “9-1-1: Lone Star,” made the cut. https://www.instagram.com/the_brianmichael/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=62152de0-50e2-43ff-9c28-87f3bf55d1a0 Bond & Play – a portfolio holding company focused on building innovative products and platforms for the digital economy – announced today the inaugural FinTech BLK Fest will kick off on Tuesday, November 16 – 18 in-person in New York City and virtually. The three-day Fest features 70 diverse speakers from around the world who are leaders in finance, technology, education, entertainment, advertising and marketing, and culture. It includes expert led masterclasses on branding for the digital economy, financial empowerment for athletes, monetizing cultural IP, and more. Corey Benjamin’s daughter, who has not been identified because she’s a minor, sucker-punched Lauryn Ham during a girls basketball tournament” the outlet writes. The coach of Benjamin’s daughter addressed the incident on Saturday. “First, I want to mention that my sincerest apologies were expressed to the Ham Family on behalf of our Academy, the day Lauryn was injured,” wrote Alex Wilson, the head coach of the Dream Basketball Academy, MSN reports. “I want to assure that our Academy takes these matters very seriously and DOES NOT CONDONE this type of behavior. EVER. (sic).” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWBrtHNlZ0Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again CNN reporters Edward-Isaac Dovere and Jasmine Wright have dropped a bombshell exposé about the alleged dysfunction permeating in Vice President Kamala Harris’ office. The lengthy CNN piece features testimony from “nearly three dozen former and current Harris aides, administration officials, Democratic operatives, donors and outside advisers,” many of whom shed light on Harris’ growing tensions with President Joe Biden. “It’s hard to miss the specific energy that the White House brings to defend a white man, knowing that Kamala Harris has spent almost a year taking a lot of the hits that the West Wing didn’t want to take themselves,” a former Harris aide told CNN. On Sunday, CNN published the behind-the-scenes exposé on Harris’, in which insiders alleged that the Biden and Harris teams continue to be at odds over tasks assigned to the vice president that put her in “no-win political situation[s]”. According to the report, the West Wing has been especially annoyed by her handling of the border issue, a job she did not want to be tasked with, per the report. https://t.co/GeZuPKjrRI?amp=1 DaBaby’s baby mama DaniLeigh has reportedly been charged with two counts of simple assault after officers made two visits to the rapper’s North Carolina home on Sunday. According to TMZ and a video posted by DaniLeigh, Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD was called by DaBaby as the two sparred on camera and the recording of their argument was posted online. DaniLeigh has reportedly been charged with simple assault after the rapper told CMPD that she assaulted him, Complex reports. We reported earlier that DaBaby and his on-again, off-again girlfriend DaniLeigh confirmed that the two had a baby together after reports of them arguing on Instagram Live went viral. Check out the Kerry Douglas Gospel Mix Christmas and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Kerry Douglas featuring Monica Lisa Stevensonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeeEapCnmiQ This December, PBS and family entertainment network BYUtv will air "20 Years of Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir," a special two-hour anniversary retrospective program hosted by Broadway legend and Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell. The special will premiere on Monday Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS, and the PBS Video app; and on BYUtv, and the free BYUtv app on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. ET. A court has approved a settlement of more than $600 million — the majority of which will be paid by the state of Michigan — in a milestone in the years-long battle over contaminated water in Flint, one of the nation’s worst public health disasters. The $626 million deal to settle most lawsuits filed by Flint residents is one of the largest in the state’s history, according to District Judge Judith Levy’s ruling. Children in Flint who were exposed to dangerous lead-contaminated drinking water are set to benefit in particular from the decision. A Missouri man who has maintained his innocence in a triple murder got an opportunity to testify at a three-day hearing that could lead to his release after serving 43 years in prison. That decision is now in a judge’s hands. Kevin Strickland, 62, has spent 43 years at Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri, after he was convicted of one count of capital murder and two counts of second-degree murder in a triple homicide. He received a 50-year life sentence without the possibility for parole for a crime he says he wasn’t involved in — and Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker agrees. Four people were shot in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 25, 1978, resulting in three deaths, according to CNN affiliate KSHB. The only survivor of the crime, Cynthia Douglas, who died in 2015, testified in 1978 that Strickland was at the scene of the triple murder. A request by an attorney for one of the white men standing trial in the death of Ahmaud Arbery that the Rev. Jesse Jackson be removed from the courtroom was denied Monday. The lawyer, Kevin Gough, represents William “Roddie” Bryan who, along with father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael is charged with murder and other crimes in Arbery’s killing in February 2020. “He is, your honor, I think we all know, an icon in the civil rights movement,” Gough told Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley, adding that Jackson was “not just a witness to it, but the personification of it.” The jury was not in the courtroom when he delivered his remarks. “And in other circumstances, I think everybody would be happy to have their picture taken, maybe get an autograph, but in the context of this trial, we object to his presence in the public gallery inside the courtroom,” Gough said. Jackson was sitting in the back of the courtroom with Arbery’s parents. https://youtu.be/hCuf5oDr7H8 The principal of Prior Lake High School and district superintendent say they’re investigating after a video of students using a racist slur was shared on social media. Principal John Bezek confirmed in a statement that the “serious and disturbing racist video” was posted by a student and the school has launched an investigation into those involved. “Racist messages like the one in the video create an environment that is hostile to learning,” Bezek wrote in a letter to staff and families. “I want to assure students and staff that we are committed to their safety and emotional well-being.” https://www.kare11.com/video/news/local/kare11-sunrise/no-classes-in-prior-lake-on-friday/89-ee16dcc8-a96b-483c-93c9-a8d64b3a72b3?jwsource=cl A Lynn woman has pleaded guilty in connection with a racist incident outside The Cookie Monstah in Swampscott last year. Rhonda Wozniak, 61, pleaded guilty Tuesday to eight counts each of civil rights violation and assault with a dangerous weapon. She avoided jail time and was sentenced to nine months of probation, plus 40 hours of community service, according to a press release from the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. On July 28, 2020, three Black women and their five children, ages 5 to 12, were headed toward their cars after they were at The Cookie Monstah on Paradise Road in Swampscott, the release said. The body of a 72-year-old Black woman was found hanging from a tree in an Annapolis, Maryland neighborhood on Wednesday. According to an Annapolis Police Department statement, the “unattended death” was discovered at 7:30 a.m. on November 3. “On 11/3/2021 at approximately 7:30 a.m., officers from the Annapolis Police Department responded to the 600 block of Belle Drive for the report of an unattended death. When officers arrived, they located a 72-year-old female victim. Preliminary investigation reveals the incident does not appear to be criminal in nature. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending confirmation that the extended family has been notified.” Although investigators don’t suspect foul play, one community activist isn’t sure that’s the case. Carl Snowden took to his Facebook page to give the public more detailed information concerning the victim. His post revealed that the older woman was Black. Big Red’s Hot Sauce is a homegrown business, built literally from the ground up ten years earlier in owner Paul Ford’s garden. “I had a whole bunch of overgrown peppers and all kinds of ingredients and I came up with a sauce and I decided, let’s try out hot sauce, and I gave a bunch of sauces out,” said Paul. Turns out that decision has led to quite the hot streak for the husband and wife lead venture. Family, friends, and coworkers couldn’t get enough. So Paul and his wife Tasia jumped into the fire headfirst, cashing in their life savings and ditching the nine to five. “I found out she was pregnant with our first child after I started the company,” said Paul. Investor and philanthropist Robert F. Smith is advancing his efforts to financially empower students at historically Black colleges and universities, and he’s teaming up with media mogul Steve Harvey and his wife Marjorie to support HBCU scholars. The Harvey's have joined Smith’s Student Freedom Initiative, which aims to eradicate barriers standing in the way of economic mobility and change the narrative surrounding the racial wealth gap. Research shows students who attend HBCUs throughout the country are disproportionately affected by the burdens of student loans. The United Negro College Fund reported that students who attend historically Black colleges and universities borrow loans at higher rates and graduate with higher debt than those who attend non-HBCUs. The weight of student loans often lingers and is a detriment to many individuals trying to cultivate financial stability. Aware of the disparities, Smith created the Student Freedom Initiative to address historic social and economic inequities and close the racial wealth gap by providing African American students with grants and other enrichment opportunities. Historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country have been at the forefront of leading research surrounding racial health disparities. Two HBCUs recently received a significant boost to advance their efforts. The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Tuskegee University were awarded a multi-million dollar grant for the expansion of their biomedical research programs. The $13.7 million endowment—provided through the National Institutes of Health’s Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation initiative—will recruit a dozen new faculty members whose work sits at the intersection of healthcare and diversity and inclusion. These thought leaders will focus on neuroscience, cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes research. In their roles, they will lead groundbreaking research through an inclusive lens. Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton puts his Panthers’ return in perspective: ‘This time last week I was eating a bowl of cereal.’ This game is streaming live on the Yahoo Sports mobile app, or on NFL Network. Apple TV+ has scored rights to a four-part docuseries about NBA legend Magic Johnson. The streamer beat out a number of rivals to secure the series, which comes from non-fiction studio XTR and A New Slate Ventures, the fund behind Lee Daniels’ The United States vs. Billie Holiday. The project, which first emerged last year, explores Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson’s life on and off the court. From his humble beginnings in Lansing, Michigan, to becoming a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, he changed the conversation around HIV and transcended into a community activist and successful entrepreneur. The news comes ahead of the 30th anniversary of Johnson’s HIV diagnosis announcement on November 7. The TRYFE Live Show will debut on Nov. 20, 2021, at Karma DC Live Music Venue. The highly anticipated night will showcase the first official performance of Calvin G. Seino, better known as DJ TRYFE and his live band, the TRYFLINS with special guest R&B singer Tweet. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWTWK_7FD-D/?utm_medium=copy_link New music from JJ Hairston, "Thankful." https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y66k4jhcv8zmxk5/AADsRdf3q4Qg_O_-kqpeFv2-a?dl=0&preview=JJ+Hairston+-+Thankful+Radio+Edit.wav Georgia’s second-largest county is under attack with a new proposal to dilute the power of the local school board. Hiding behind an allegedly non-partisan school board lurks a glaring partisan agenda. Gwinnett County is one of the top ten most diversifying counties in the country. It also recently flipped Democrat within the past few election cycles. According to the SPLC Action Fund, the proposed map does not reflect the county’s diverse makeup. “While the county is majority non-white, there are no majority-minority districts in the proposed map that ultimately passed by the committee,” the statement read. Bills submitted during the Georgia legislature’s special session undercut the purpose of the special session. During an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” President Joe Biden’s top economic advisor urged Congress to pass the president’s major economic package arguing that the piece of legislation would help offset the rising cause of inflation. “Well, inflation is high right now, and it is affecting consumers in their pocketbook and also in their outlook for the economy. But those concerns underscore why it’s so important that we move forward on the Build Back Better legislation — this legislation that the House is going to consider this week,” Brian Deese, the director of the National Economic Council, told CNN’s Jake Tapper. As the war against unvaccinated Americans continues, health officials now claim vaccine hesitancy is the main obstacle in achieving herd immunity. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has pushed for achieving herd immunity. According to the Mayo Clinic, herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune. Americans have been told that once 70% to 85% of the population is vaccinated against COVID-19, the virus will go away. Now, the CDC is moving away from its herd immunity goal, LA Times reports. “Thinking that we’ll be able to achieve some kind of threshold where there’ll be no more transmission of infections may not be possible,” said Dr. Jefferson Jones, a medical officer on the CDC’s COVID-19 Epidemiology Task Force. Democratic strategist Donna Brazile and former Republican Gov. Chris Christie got into it on Sunday after he claimed that his wife pays $29 for toilet paper. During a panel discussion about President Joe Biden’s agenda on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie said: “Let me give you an example of what normal people really care about. I mean, first, they go to the gas station and as much as the Biden administration is against fossil fuels, until further notice we’re going to be using them … So they go to the gas station and the prices are way too high.” “I will tell you something,” he continued. “My wife just told me three days ago she walked into the supermarket and she picked up a big pack of toilet paper and she said to me, ‘Do you know how much this cost me today? $29. $29!” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/guqmmwL7glY/hqdefault.jpg The teen daughter of ex-Chicago Bulls player Corey Benjamin could be facing some serious criminal charges after she sucker-punched a 15-year-old girl. The incident occurred at a girls basketball tournament in Orange County and the moment was caught on camera. Per SandraRose.com, “Benjamin’s daughter, who has not been identified because she’s a minor, sucker-punched Lauryn Ham during a girls basketball tournament in Orange County,” the outlet writes. Lauryn’s mother Alice Ham shared the video on Instagram, captioning the clip: “THIS… this right here makes me SICK to my stomach. This happened to MY DAUGHTER at her game yesterday. There is absolutely no place for something like this in basketball, I don’t care how famous you are!!” Alice Ham says the mother of Benjamin’s 14-year-old daughter told the teenager to punch Lauryn. “This mom told her daughter to ‘go and hit her’ and my kid gets an unprovoked sucker punch. I’m sorry but it’s everything that’s wrong with youth sports. The girl and her mom showed absolutely no remorse and offered no apology. Youth sports needs to change.” Alice says her daughter suffered a concussion and has not been able to attend school for days since the assault. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWBrtHNlZ0Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Comedian Affion Crockett called out a “Karen” who interrupted his stand-up act on Saturday by storming the stage “like the Capitol,” he said. Crockett, who is Black, was in the middle of his routine when a white woman invaded the stage to complain that she was offended by his jokes. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWNABjogmKW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Lil Nas X will appear on an episode of “Maury” this week to promote his debut album “Montero,” and he will also confront his ex-boyfriend’s pregnant girlfriend. The hip-hop star will be featured on the Nov. 17 episode of the long-running daytime talk show, alongside his ex-boyfriend Yai Ariz and a woman Ariz may have a kid with. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DstSZiljTXg/hqdefault.jpg On November 24, “Encanto” is coming to charm, inspire, and move you to the magical rhythm of love and family! The Walt Disney Animation Studios film takes us on the journey of a young woman named Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz). https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CaimKeDcudo/hqdefault.jpg The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. Run the World...https://youtu.be/yriAaWlKnJw The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. A Christmas Journey...https://youtu.be/aYPUYVgwLWY The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. Holiday Rush...https://youtu.be/c2U6diYTnxA The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. Passing...https://youtu.be/trwq3CNCMkU The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. Southside: Season 2...https://youtu.be/6tQ6TRC6LHA The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. Insecure: Season 5...https://youtu.be/643HtpmzELk The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. First Wives Club...https://youtu.be/GVvS_XdAIAw The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. The Harder They Fall...https://youtu.be/Poc55U2RPMw The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. Motown Magic...https://youtu.be/26a5I7dvi5I The holiday season is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite shows with your family. Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with the kids or celebrating Christmas with a close loved one, there’s something everyone can enjoy on the tube on this list; from comedy and feel-good family flicks to TV dramas and romance, we’ve got you covered. Really Love...https://youtu.be/znz0rHCDeWY Chloe Bailey the 23-year-old singer, one-half of sister-duo Chloe x Halle, on Friday (Nov. 12) posted a since-deleted video of herself wearing white lingerie and seductively sucking a lollipop to thank her fans for their support. “To my four million followers, and counting, my candy kisses are my clovers. Thank you all so much for loving me. And I love you right on back. There’s a lot more to come,” the singer says between licks of the sucker. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gZMsc0gv4jA/hqdefault.jpg Geffen Playhouse announces the full cast for its West Coast premiere of Paradise Blue, written by Tony Award-nominated Dominique Morisseau (Ain’t Too Proud, Skeleton Crew) and directed by Stori Ayers (Blood at the Root, The Last O.G.). The cast includes Tyla Abercrumbie (The Chi, Utopia) as Silver, Wendell B. Franklin (The Good Fight, Madame Secretary) as Blue, Alani iLongwe (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Two Trains Running) as P-Sam, Tony Award nominee John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf, Sweat) as Corn, and Shayna Small (Parable of the Sower, Rags Parkland Sings Songs of the Future) as Pumpkin. Previews for Paradise Blue began Tuesday, November 9th in the Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse. Opening night is Thursday, November 18th and closing night is December 12, 2021. David Benavidez was once the youngest 168-pound world champion in history, but the unbeaten, 6-foot-2 switch-hitting 24-year-old wants to be an undisputed one. The two-time champion did his part on Saturday night to remain on track for an all-Mexican title bout against undisputed 168-pound king Canelo Alvarez, scoring a vicious, double-fisted, beat-down for his fifth straight knockout against Kyrone Davis, who was stopped for the first time in his career. Another option for the power-punching Benavidez is WBC 160-pound champion Jermall Charlo (32–0, 22 KOs), who is considering a rise into the 168-pound division primarily to face Alvarez. Enrique “Baby Bull” Gonzalez didn’t have the best record heading into Combate Global’s USA vs. Mexico eight-man MMA tournament Friday night in Miami. But he emerged with the biggest heart. Gonzalez of Laredo, Texas, won three fights in one night, including a grueling three-round decision in the finale over previously unbeaten Cristian “Puas” Perez of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. “It was crazy,” Gonzalez told Zenger after the bout. “It took me back to when I was a little kid at the karate tournaments, but this was a lot different. The competitors are much tougher. I loved it.” The three wins improved Gonzalez’ record to 12–4. He opened with a one-round decision over Jim “The Beast” Alers of Pembroke Pines, Fla., (14–5) and advanced to face Samuel “Alley Cat” Alvarez (6–5) of Manteca, Calif., where Gonzalez captured another one-round decision. For young entrepreneur Champion-Ikaika Nettey, some days are busier than others. “On my days off, I like to play soccer or go running, or I might go on my scooter and stuff,” said “Champ,” who also makes time for his “older by a couple of days girlfriend.” “On another day, I might also take a nap, just in case I’m tired. Or I might have my downtime — my TV time. Today I’m going to go to the pool and swim.” Champ might be all business on other days, selling T-shirts from his Aloha King Champ clothing line for “$25 a pop” in sizes for kids on Alohakingchamp.etsy.com. “Aloha means, ‘Hi,’ in Hawaiian. I’m Hawaiian and of African descent,” said Champ, an Olney, Maryland, resident who primarily operates out of his mother Neki’s, KaribFit dance studio in downtown Silver Spring. “We’re still working on developing jumpers, hats, jeans, maybe some kids shoes or something. You can buy them by checking out my website or getting the address to the studio.” Champ might be all business on other days, selling T-shirts from his Aloha King Champ clothing line for “$25 a pop” in sizes for kids on Alohakingchamp.etsy.com. The Queen was forced to miss the Remembrance Sunday ceremony today for the first time in 22 years due to a back injury, Buckingham Palace said, adding she is ‘disappointed’ to miss the event. The palace said the 95-year-old monarch made the decision on Sunday morning ‘with great regret’ and is ‘disappointed’ to miss the event. Queen Elizabeth had planned on attending the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday and it would have marked her first in-person public engagement since she was advised to rest following a night in hospital last month. It is understood the Queen’s back sprain is unrelated to her doctor’s recent advice to rest. Buckingham Palace said: ‘The Queen, having sprained her back, has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph ‘Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service. Erin Jackson made history Friday when she became the first Black American woman to take the winning title at the ISU Speed Skating World Cup. On Friday, Nov. 12, the 29-year-old athlete competed in the women’s 500-meter event at the Arena Lodowa in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland, and finished with a time of 37.613 seconds to clinch her first World Cup gold medal. Jackson beat out Japan’s defending 2018 Olympic champion Nao Kodaira by 0.13 second. The competing field also included all three of the medalists who competed at the world championships in February 2021, an event Jackson didn’t compete in. The Associated Press reported that prior to her win on Friday, Jackson’s previous best World Cup finish was in ninth place. The Florida native told Dutch broadcaster NOS that her win was a “big surprise,” adding, “I was hoping to be in podium position.” A Louisiana board on Friday voted unanimously to pardon Homer Plessy, whose landmark 1896 case Plessy v. Ferguson led to the US Supreme Court’s “separate but equal” doctrine that affirmed state-sanctioned segregation laws, according to The Washington Post. The Louisiana Board of Pardons approved the pardon for Plessy, a mixed-race Creole man from New Orleans who in 1892 bought a first-class ticket on a train headed to Covington, Louisiana, and sat in a “whites-only” rail car. He was asked to leave the car, and after refusing to give up his seat, was removed from the train and charged with violating the Louisiana Separate Car Act of 1890. Plessy, a 30-year-old shoemaker at the time of his arrest, pled guilty and was fined $25; he died in 1925 at age 62 with the conviction still on his record. Nearly 130 years later, Plessy’s record is one step closer to being cleared. “There is no doubt that he was guilty of that act on that date,” Jason Williams, the Orleans Parish district attorney, told the board during the Friday hearing. “But there is equally no doubt that such an act should have never been a crime in this country.” Dontae Sharpe had just finished discussing potential avenues with his legal team for getting pardoned for a murder he did not commit when he received a call from one of his attorneys. Sharpe, who is Black, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a White man in Greenville, N.C., in 1994. Sharpe, who maintained his innocence, was wrongfully imprisoned for 24 years until he was exonerated in 2019 when a judge found that a key witness in the case had “entirely made up” her testimony. Then, on Friday, Theresa A. Newman, one of Sharpe’s attorneys, greeted her client with the news he’d been waiting to hear since his exoneration. “Theresa called me and said, ‘Hey, Mr. Pardon Man.’ I was like, ‘What do you mean, “Mr. Pardon Man?”’” Sharpe told The Washington Post. “She said, ‘The governor just pardoned you.’ That just left me smiling on my couch and kind of awestruck.” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) announced Sharpe’s pardon after he “carefully reviewed” a case that’s been championed by criminal justice advocates for years. “Mr. Sharpe and others who have been wrongly convicted deserve to have that injustice fully and publicly acknowledged,” Cooper said in a news release. The governor’s pardon allows Sharpe, 46, of Charlotte to seek as much as $750,000 in compensation from the state for his wrongful conviction, Newman said. Detectives say the death of Chris Daughtry’s 25-year-old daughter is being treated as a homicide. Her boyfriend, Bobby Jolly, was arrested Friday, although police have not stated if he is connected to her death. Earlier, the singer and guitarist posted an emotional statement on his Instagram in which he revealed how he was struggling to comprehend what had happened. ‘We never got to say goodbye to our precious Hannah and it’s another huge hit to our family. Thank you all for your kind words and condolences. They are truly felt and appreciated. I am now taking time be present with my family as we attempt to heal from this devastating loss. Hannah, I love you. I miss you. I wish I could hold you. This hurts so deeply,’ he wrote. Hannah died at her home in Nashville and was found by law enforcement officers on Friday. An investigation into the circumstances behind Hannah’s passing is currently underway. Sam Huff, a Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker who was a two-time All-Pro and an NFL champion, died Saturday. He was 87. Deborah Matthews, the lawyer for the Huff family, told the Associated Press Huff died of natural causes in Virginia. He was diagnosed with dementia in 2013. “Sam was one of the greatest Giants of all time,” John Mara, the New York Giants’ president and CEO, said in a news release. “He was the heart and soul of our defense in his era. He almost single-handedly influenced the first chants of ‘Defense, Defense’ in Yankee Stadium.” Halle Berry is a household name. Oscar Award-winning and a legendary beauty. Young M.A., a popular 29-year-old hip-hop star, was taken aback by her first encounter with Halle. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EIv-nW39RKQ/hqdefault.jpg Kevin Samuels is reportedly being linked up with Brittany Renner. The two were reportedly spotted shopping together recently (reports SandraRose.com). Samuel, who often brutally “counsels” women who CALL HIM with advice on how to attract a “high value.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QsPnajMpmB4/hqdefault.jpg According to Allhiphop.com, Big Daddy Kane and KRS One are using the wave of interest that resulted in their Verzuz battle to put out new music together that features The Game. The song, which was originally recorded ten years ago, was completed two weeks after their duel of hits at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. The song has not been released, not sure when it slated to hit the streets. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7w5Za5cDK70/hqdefault.jpg La La Anthony revealed to SELF Magazine that in June, she had to have emergency heart surgery due to an irregular heartbeat she was dealing with for years! La La told SELF magazine that she had been dealing with heart problems for the last two years, but she would brush it off. Well her heart problems caught up with her this earlier this year. La La says she was at her home for a family Memorial Day Barbecue when she almost fainted because her heart was beating so fast. She says all of her family, including her 14 year old son Kiyan, convinced her to call the ambulance because she did not “look like herself.” La La was reluctant to go to the hospital but after an EMT worker told her it was best, she decided to go. Once she arrived at the hospital, the doctors told her they had to perform heart surgery on her ASAP before her conditions worsen. The procedure lasted two hours and she spent a total of 4 days in the hospital. Lala says it was one of the most scary experiences of her life. Ye has made some pretty savvy investments over the years. After a recent revelation surfaced that he invested in Ice Cube’s Big3 to the tune of millions to help grow the league, according to TMZ. The outlet is reporting that became an investor this past season and his total damage was “mid to high seven-figure mark.” Additionally, league co-founders Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz also invested additional funds into the 3-on-3 league. West dropped that little nugget, among many others, while appearing on Revolt TV’s “Drink Champs.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/27NstO1qOJk/hqdefault.jpg The Oklahoma Sooners, despite being undefeated, faced steep odds of making the College Football Playoff, as evidenced by their No. 8 ranking. Their chances of sneaking into the playoff hinged on the team winning out the remainder of the season. Those plans ended on Saturday, as they lost 27-14 to the No. 13 Baylor Bears. After the game, head coach Lincoln Riley shared his thoughts on what happened. First, he began with the field rushing by Baylor fans with one-second remaining in regulation, where he felt they should have been assessed a 15-yard penalty. Not only that, but he said that head coach Dave Aranda’s decision to call a timeout in the closing seconds to kick and make a 32-yard field goal went against a “code of sportsmanship.” In a social media post on Friday night, Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown admitted he had a bout with depression during the 2020 season, and his depression was so bad that he thought about taking his own life. Thankfully, Brown was able to get help for his struggles and says he’s doing better now. He also encouraged anyone who is going through what he went through to get help. https://twitter.com/i/status/1459314821111980040 It seems every week NBA superstar Steph Curry is making history. Earlier this week, he overtook Wilt Chamberlain to become the oldest player to record 50 points and 10 assists in a game. And on Friday night, the 33-year-old passed basketball great Ray Allen for the most three-pointers scored in all NBA games, including playoffs, in NBA history. Curry connected with nine of his 17 three-point attempts in the Golden State Warriors’ 119-93 win over the Chicago Bulls, taking his tally in regular season and playoff games to 3,366, surpassing Allen’s total of 3,358. He had come into the game just one behind two-time NBA champion Allen and equaled his record within the first few minutes of the game. And he became the all-time lead just minutes later, drilling a long-range effort over Alex Caruso. Astonishingly, Curry passed Allen’s record in 585 fewer games. Lamar Jackson’s jersey has officially been retired by the Louisville football program. At halftime of the Cardinals’ game against Syracuse, Jackson came to midfield for a ceremony honoring him just four years after he was playing on the same field. The Heisman Trophy winner and NFL MVP will go down as arguably the best player to ever play at Louisville, but also one of the best quarterbacks in college football history. In three seasons, Jackson had 9,043 passing yards with 69 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He also had 4,132 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns on the ground. https://youtu.be/tQak18873hg Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 107-83 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, Anthony Davis didn’t mince words when discussing his team’s struggles — particularly in the third quarter (when Los Angeles was outscored 40-12 by Minnesota). “We sucked,” Davis said. “No defense. Can’t score. That’s not just this third quarter; every third quarter we’ve played this season, we’ve come out slow, lackadaisical offensively and defensively. We got to get it together. Why? I can’t tell you. But we gotta do a better job. I mean, we scored 12 points in the third quarter, and they scored 40. That’s the game right there.”Davis is right: The Lakers have been outscored in the third quarter in eight of their 13 games (including five times by double digits). On the season, Los Angeles has been beaten 408-321 in third quarters. A white woman TikTok user who goes by the name of *adjusts glasses and squints* @themaggpie took to social media to tell her favorite white women a thing or two about themselves compared to Black women. https://www.tiktok.com/share/video/6997406831723236610?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F&referer_video_id=7026461174757903662&refer=embed Britney Spears was freed from her conservatorship during a court hearing on Friday, where a Los Angeles judge decided to grant her request for the termination of the 13-year conservatorship. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TESVVdHIqbg/hqdefault.jpg New York City mayor-elect Eric Adams challenged his fellow Democrats to condemn Black Lives Matter activist Hawk Newsome who said Adam’s new policing plans would trigger ‘riots and bloodshed’ in NYC streets. At a press conference on Friday, Adams – a centrist who has taken a tough stance on law and order – questioned why members of his party have not spoken out against Newsome’s calls to violence. ‘I think that this is an excellent moment for the local and state and federal Democratic Party to state: We could have justice without violence,’ Adams said. https://youtu.be/uZBQ7J7PocM Pope Francis on Saturday thanked journalists for helping uncover the clerical sexual abuse scandals that the Roman Catholic Church initially tried to cover up. The pope praised what he called the “mission” of journalism and said it was vital for reporters to get out of their newsrooms and discover what was happening in the outside world to counter misinformation often found online. “(I) thank you for what you tell us about what is wrong in the Church, for helping us not to sweep it under the carpet, and for the voice you have given to the abuse victims,” the pope said. Francis was speaking at a ceremony to honour two veteran correspondents — Philip Pullella of Reuters and Valentina Alazraki of Mexico’s Noticieros Televisa — for their long careers spent covering the Vatican. This week, an Alabama church congregation protested against their pastor, calling for him to step down amid accusations of financial mismanagement. Members of the Greater Saint John Baptist Church in Birmingham stood in front of the congregation on Sunday to protest for Senior Pastor Nathaniel Brooks to leave the church. Church members say Brooks engaged in misconduct with church finances. In April, the congregation voted to oust the pastor, who has been the church’s pastor for five years. This week, the Biden administration announced a plan to reverse a Trump-era policy that supporters said protected the religious liberty of federal contractors and put them “on an equal footing” with other contractors. At issue is a Trump Department of Labor rule that was initially proposed in 2019 but went into effect in the final days of the Trump administration. The new rule expanded religious exemptions for contractors related to non-discrimination laws by declaring that a religious organization is eligible for federal contracts and is exempt from non-discrimination laws if it is “organized for a religious purpose” and “holds itself out to the public as carrying out a religious purpose.” Author and pastor Tony Evans says a trip to Israel can strengthen your faith by bringing the Bible to life – thus allowing you to see the truth of Scripture “jump off the page.” Trips to Israel, though, are expensive – not to mention time-consuming. That’s one reason Evans and his family brought cameras with them during their last trip to Israel, which was part of an expedition with 700 people through his Urban Alternative ministry. The result is Journey with Jesus, a film that will be in theaters for three nights – Nov. 15-17 – and follows Evans and his family as they walk the sites where Jesus walked. The film is part-inspiring, part-educational and part-evangelistic. “We wanted people to share the experience of the truth, and not merely the knowledge of the truth,” Evans, the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, told Christian Headlines. From his passionate preaching to the wise words imparted to fellow clergy in Detroit and around the world, Bishop John Henry Sheard impressed others with a kind temperament and dedication to service. The longtime pastor and fixture in the city’s religious community died Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, at age 84. He “is one of the high statesmen of the church both here locally, nationally, and internationally,” said Bishop Edgar Vann, senior pastor at Second Ebenezer Church, who knew him for more than 40 years. “He was known for his strength, his conviction, his ability to get things done, and his straightforwardness.” Bishop Sheard led the Greater Mitchell Temple Church of God in Christ in Detroit and was long active in the denomination. His death came after he lost his wife of 64 years, Willie Mae, to COVID-19 in April 2020. This year, their son, Bishop J. Drew Sheard, was elected the presiding bishop for the Church of God in Christ, considered the largest Pentecostal denomination in the country. It has about 400 locations in Michigan. Police have arrested the mother of a 14-year-old New Jersey girl who had been missing for a month on charges relating to allegations of physical abuse and neglect. Authorities say Jamie Moore, 39, has been arrested on two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, as prosecutors cited allegations of abuse and neglect. Her two children, the 14-year-old and her 3-year-old brother, have been placed into the custody of child protectives services. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dnq-hRSUseI/hqdefault.jpg Jashyah Moore, the 14-year-old New Jersey teenager who went missing last month, has been found safe in New York City, officials said Thursday. “Jashyah is currently safe and is being provided all appropriate services. She will be returned to New Jersey shortly,” Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens said in a news release, CNN reports. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/O11TRfQr36Y/hqdefault.jpg The oldest living Tuskegee Airman visited Dallas on Thursday to see a display at the National Aviation Education Center at Dallas Executive Airport. He and his remarkable life are the star attractions at that display. His hope is that the stories of Black pilots who overcame incredible odds will encourage the next generation to take flight too. As Brigadier General Charles McGee stepped out of a car Thursday morning and donned a bright red blazer adorned with the medals he received during his 30-year military career, it was almost like the arrival of royalty: but so much more important than that. https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/local/oldest-living-tuskegee-airman-story-now-a-key-part-of-a-dallas-education-center/287-3f222fa7-2819-4ae6-9991-00c0508e7299?jwsource=cl Different people get different health care, and that can vary by race, gender and more. And it can make a big difference in outcomes. How does that play out in everyday life? Dr. Quinn Capers, an interventional cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, has long studied racial disparities and bias, especially among doctors and nurses. He likes to explain the concepts by starting with his own specialty. When two men of different races show up in the emergency room with chest pains, the most common symptom in cardiology, “the white man is more likely to be admitted to the hospital, the Black man turned away,” Capers said. If both are hospitalized, the white man is more likely to have a cardiac catheterization to unblock arteries, he said. When both get the procedures, the white man is more likely to get state-of-the-art stents. A high school in Washington, D.C., has postponed a planned fundraiser with Dave Chappelle after students threatened to stage a walkout because they were uncomfortable with remarks he made about transgender people in his recent Netflix special, according to a new report. In response to student uproar, Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown — which is Chappelle’s alma mater — first quietly canceled the November 23 fundraiser to raise funds for a new theater named after the comedian, according to Politico Playbook. After the newsletter first broke the news, the school sent out an email to patrons saying they had instead decided to postpone the event until April 22. “We recognize that not everyone will accept or welcome a particular artists’s point of view, product or craft, but reject the notion that a ‘cancel culture’ is a healthy or constructive means to teach our students how society should balance creative freedom with protecting the right and dignity of all of its members,” the school said in a statement, according to the newsletter. The event was up in the air after two students told the newsletter that their peers had a heated debated with faculty after they were told they would have to help put together an exhibition to honor the comedian on the same day as the fundraiser. Former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden is suing the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell in the wake of his private emails being leaked amid an investigation into the Washington Football Team. Gruden’s attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner of McDonald Carano, said in a statement that the lawsuit was filed in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada. “The complaint alleges that the defendants selectively leaked Gruden’s private correspondence to the Wall Street Journal and New York Times in order to harm Gruden’s reputation and force him out of his job,” Hosmer-Henner said. “There is no explanation or justification for why Gruden’s emails were the only ones made public out of the 650,000 emails collected in the NFL’s investigation of the Washington Football Team or for why the emails were held for months before being released in the middle of the Raiders’ season.” Seattle basketball coach Jim Hayford, who was placed on administrative leave last week while the school investigated allegations he used a racial slur, resigned from his post Thursday. Seattle athletic director Shaney Fink announced the news Thursday evening. “It is clear to me that Coach Hayford is no longer able to effectively lead the team,” Fink said in a statement. “We also recognize and appreciate the players’ desire to refocus on the season and each game in front of them.” Fink said the school is conducting an investigation of the climate within the program and Seattle plans to take other steps to ensure all concerns are addressed. The news comes one day after Seattle opened its season with a 69-66 win over Alcorn State. Hayford is alleged by one of his players to have used the racial slur on multiple occasions during a scrimmage last week, according to a report from Stadium’s Jeff Goodman. He was placed on administrative leave two days later. “I have always held the belief that the use of racial slurs has no place in society, despite their origin,” Hayford said in a statement to Stadium Thursday announcing his resignation. “However, my recent attempts at curtailing the use of a repugnant word within my own program was misguided and created division among our student-athletes to whom I have apologized.” The first part of Kanye West’s explosive Drink Champs interview managed to garner more than 3 million views within the first 12 hours of its release. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7IavRTSxvRo/hqdefault.jpg “Be Alive” appears in the upcoming “King Richard,” starring Will Smith who plays Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams. And just like the film which details Richard William’s unwavering belief that his daughters will “shake up this world” as he pushes Venus and Serena to succeed despite the odds are stacked against them, Beyoncé’s single is a battle cry to Black strength and perseverance. Beyoncé drops new music the highly anticipated single, “Be Alive.” https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Idc_K4E_YHg/hqdefault.jpg In his 54 years of living, Eric Benét has experienced many personal and professional ups and downs. Like anyone experiencing life, evolution results from each happening. But none of Benét’s downs equal the pain he took on after the death of his longtime girlfriend Tami Stauff. Tragically, Stauff was only 24 when a car crash took her life. At the time, the couple was transitioning in to life as parents with the birth of their first child, India. The young daughter was just 16-months-old when she lost her mother. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/i-AjMB4E964/hqdefault.jpg The runaway popularity of Yellowstone, which saw more than 8 million people tuning in to its season four premier, put it over the top of heavyweight favorites like 60 Minutes and NCIS (right). Yellowstone focuses on Kevin Costner’s John Dutton (left), a landowning rancher in Montana overseeing his wealth and family, a setting rarely seen among modern top-rated shows. And unlike shows like Succession that play up the drama of the modern Big Apple or America’s metropolitans, Yellowstone puts a lens on rural America where local businesses are losing their wealth and power in a changing nation. Former NBA rebounding champion Dennis Rodman and his daughter, 19-year-old Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman don't have the greatest of relationships. Trinity took to Instagram with a photo of the two embracing, which was taken after the elder Rodman surprised Trinity at a playoff game against the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League (TK) “This last game was an extremely emotional one. Yes Dennis Rodman showed up to an Nwsl game, but also my dad, after YEARS surprised me at a big game in my career, I was shocked, overwhelmed, happy, sad, everything,” Trinity captioned her post. “My dad doesn’t play a big role in my life at all and most people don’t know that, we don’t see eye to eye on many things,” the professional soccer player shared. “I go months if not years without his presence or communication. Being in spotlights has been hard for us, him and me.” We don’t have the best relationship, but at the end of the day he’s human I’m human… he’s my dad, and I’m his little girl that will never change I will improve and look forward everyday as I hope he does.” Trinity is something of a star herself, for those that don’t know. Last April she made history as the youngest American goal scorer in league history. https://www.instagram.com/trinity_rodman/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9b1f3329-115c-43a2-ac02-a6c14629ab1b Rhonda Smith is the uber talented bassist/writer/singer who has worked with a cornucopia of major league musicians such as Prince, Jeff Beck, Chaka Khan, Patrice Rushen, Little Richard, Erykah Badu, Beyonce’ and T.I. In the past, she has released two albums of her own. Now 15 years after her last full CD, she is returning with a bittersweet yet gorgeous new single/video entitled “Won’t Come Back” – thematically concerning a lover who hid things from her that destroyed her trust to the point where her love for them, sadly, will never return. Fittingly, the haunting ballad features Rhonda playing the ever-emotive fretless electric bass. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nkLBLZ3l76w/hqdefault.jpg Ashanti, once-dubbed the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, will get a new moniker at the Soul Train Awards later this month (November 28) when she is honored with the “Lady of Soul” award. “I’m honored to be recognized as this year’s ‘Lady of Soul,’” the singer-songwriter said in a statement. “This is a full circle moment for me because I received the ‘Aretha Franklin Entertainer of the Year’ Award at the Lady of Soul Awards in 2002. As we commemorate 50 years of Soul Train, I’m proud to be a part of this legacy and to return to the Apollo to celebrate,” she continued. https://www.instagram.com/ashanti/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dcc46c32-a430-452d-95dd-03bc11f58544 Jalen Rose, alleges something on national television without actually using the word “allegedly” to preface or punctuate those comments. While Jalen is an excellent analyst, he’s not a journalist and libelous statements may have simply slipped his mind in the moment. When you’re watching Draymond Green say the N-word, and you’re feeling offended that they “let him say it,” or when it’s time to pay DeAndre Ayton, and you’re calling him a lazy N-word, what’s gonna now happen is it’s going to affect your product on the floor, because people aren’t going to want to play for him,” Rose said. Steven A. Smith’s apology on behalf on Jalen Rose, who is reportedly out of the country. https://twitter.com/i/status/1458588768034820104 On Friday, former Baltimore Mayor and Travis’ current spokesperson #StephanieRawlings joined #GayleKing on @cbsmornings to help express his sorrow following the situation, and also his plans on helping those affected by the tragedies. Stephanie addressed the narrative that what happened at the festival was Travis’ fault and said, “They have a 59-page operations plan, and it clearly says the only two people that are, have the authority to stop the concert, were the executive producer and the concert producer. He was not responsible for this, but he wants to be responsible for the solution.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWL45hqJQr0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Issa Rae is calling on Black-owned businesses to certify their brands through the ByBlack initiative, which is the “first national certification program exclusively for Black-ownership designation.” Rae is supporting American Express and the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.’s (USBC) joint effort to expand their ByBlack initiative. The free first-of-its-kind platform — which was designed as a directory for Black-owned businesses — will now offer Black business-owners the opportunity to easily obtain approved accreditation that their customers and other companies can trust when spending with them. President Ron Busby tells AfroTech that the new program will provide new benefits and opportunities for Black-owned businesses in America to continue growing and flourishing. Shaquille O’Neal recently revealed that he was offered a prominent movie role but turned it down for a reason that may surprise you. Shaq joined Andrew Marchand and John Ourand on their sports media podcast this week and shared that he was offered the role of John Coffey in the Oscar-winning film “The Green Mile.” The role was famously played by the late Michael Clarke Duncan. “I didn’t want to play the down-South African American guy during slavery,” Shaq explained. “I didn’t want to play that role. But the guy who played it, Michael Clarke Duncan, did an excellent job. I think I made the right decision because he did way better than I could have done, but I got offered that role.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1458787938528026636 TRIBL, the new leading premiere recording home for Christian and Gospel artists, unveils its second installment of its award-winning artists gathering on an album filled with spirited-vertical worship. The new album, TRIBL NIGHTS ATLANTA, recorded live in Atlanta, is available now wherever music is sold and streamed. Preceded by the lead single, “We Have Hope,” featuring Joe L Barnes, Jonathan Traylor & Lizzie Morgan. “We Have Hope” was written by Timothy Reddick, Nate Moore, Dante Bowe & Joe L Barnes. TRIBL NIGHTS ATLANTA is available now wherever music is sold digitally and streamed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kJVDhRewmo Shawna Harris drops new single "In His Name ( Everything Changes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZUTHecqKWY Christmas Joy is here! It's in the atmosphere! People everywhere are excited about the season and being reunited with their loved ones and family members. If you are looking for new songs to awaken your inner joy, Brandon Camphor & One Way (BC1Way), one of the most exciting young vocal groups in Contemporary Christian Music present "Christmas Joy." Sure to become a holiday classic, the Motown/Jackson 5 inspired festive track celebrates all the things we love about Christmas: jingle bells, children laughing, families gathered by the fireside, and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp2hVpx6yn4 Check out the new retro disco dance remix of ”He’s Not a Baby Anymore” (Dance Remix) from Angelo & Veronica, ad this to your Christmas playlist. https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/angeloandveronica/hes-not-a-baby-anymore-dance-remix New Christmas Music from Rick Dorn "A Merry Christmas" from the Netflix Movie "Holiday Rush" https://www.dropbox.com/s/1eu4vg9euyn704i/A%20Merry%20Christmas_MSTR_RADIO_V3_4416.wav?dl=0 The Queen of Neo-Soul Gospel has returned with a super-soulful and hypnotically sonic single! Cynthia Jones is a three-time Stellar Award and three-time Grammy®-nominated singer and songwriter. She delivers smooth arrangements with a touch of sass and always with the uncompromising message of Christ. Cynthia has put her renewed spirit and fresh creative energy into her new single, "Ain't No Half Steppin." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-xtvuKUf8o Singer, songwriter, and producer Scott Simms makes music to offer people life through another lens by creating musical moments that can make a mess feel good, even if it is just for the three minutes the song plays. He has released independent singles and albums DAVID (2018), 5 STONES (2017) GAME NIGHT with K-Drama (2017), and SELL OUT (2015). Scott released his single "On Faith" this summer and has now released a fresh and funky official music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4k3nAvPLrA For more than two weeks, the circumstances surrounding the Oct. 19 death of Quinnzhahn Barnes, a beloved father, singer and pastor of the Selah Fellowship Temple in Houston, Texas, remained under wraps by those closest to him. “It is with profound sadness that we share that our beloved Quinnzhahn Barnes has passed away,” Barnes’ young son, Quinstin James Barnes, announced on Facebook on Oct. 20. “We know that Quinnzhahn, known to many as ‘Rodney Barnes,’ … impacted the lives of many and was loved locally, statewide and nationally because of his gift of singing and preaching and also his humor and love for people.” On Thursday, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences confirmed with CP that Motley’s son had indeed died by suicide. The 45-year-old pastor fatally shot himself in the head. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1187261951682923 Rice University has named Reginald DesRoches its new president — making him the first Black person and immigrant to serve in the top job in Rice’s 109-year history. A nationwide search was launched in May, after current Rice President David Leebron, the university’s second longest-serving president, announced plans to step down in June 2022, but they found DesRoches at home; he has served as provost for nearly two years. Robert Ladd, chairman of the Board of Trustees, welcomed DesRoches as Rice’s new leader Thursday afternoon at an event in Rice’s Cohen House — noting that trustees sought to choose a leader who would “build upon what (Leebron) has accomplished these last 18 years.” The presidential committee, which consisted of two students, three faculty members and 10 trustees, narrowed the search to 10 candidates from research universities around the country, before deciding on DesRoches. The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday, Nov. 11 the establishment of the HBCU Legacy Bowl Career Fair, presented by the New Orleans Saints. The HBCU Legacy Bowl Career Fair will be held February 17-18, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. The event will provide job opportunities and career counseling for graduating seniors from Louisiana’s four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Dillard, Grambling State, Southern, and Xavier) and feature expert panels, motivational speakers, and direct interaction with national and statewide corporate partners. Admission is free. In addition, eight HBCU graduating seniors will be selected as interns to gain hands-on experience during HBCU Legacy Bowl week. Doris Bunte was the first to do a lot of things, like being a Black woman elected to the Massachusetts Legislature. Though she died earlier this year, a group of Black women who said they follow in her footsteps as representatives want for Bunte to claim another first — being the first Black woman to have an official portrait hung in the Massachusetts State House. Reps. Liz Miranda, Brandy Fluker Oakley and Nika Elugardo made the case Wednesday for H 3204, a resolution that calls for a commemorative memorial portrait of former Rep. Bunte to be created and hung in the State House in a location determined in conjunction with the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. Rep. Chynah Tyler, an early bill co-sponsor who was not present for the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight hearing Wednesday, told the News Service that she is “absolutely supportive” of having a pioneer like Bunte prominently represented at the State House. A Chicago-based media group is calling on the Chicago Police Department to hire more African American officers to better reflect the makeup of the city. Thus far, the MEG Council, or Media Editing Group, say requests for updated hiring numbers have been ignored. “The hiring practices have been flawed for a long time,” retired CPD captain Corwin Calhoun said. Corwin Calhoun served 31 years with CPD, and feels that the department discriminates when it comes to hiring. “The African American community now rightfully demand that CPD balances its police force with the hiring of more African American applicants from its October, December 2021 in-person exams and thereafter,” Pastor Rich Redmond of Greater Missionary Baptist Church said. A report from Inspector General Joseph Ferguson’s office said white applicants are far more likely to get hired by CPD than African Americans. At the start of the initial application process, 37 percent of the department’s applicants were Black in a city where 30 percent of the population is Black. A puzzling, broad-daylight shooting at a small-town trailer park is renewing concerns among activists about how justice is doled out when a Black person is killed in Missouri. A neighbor killed Justin King, 28, on Nov. 3 at the neighbor’s mobile home in Bourbon, a town of 1,600 residents 75 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. While police say the initial investigation indicates the shooting was justified, King’s relatives and civil rights leaders on Thursday pressed for a more thorough probe. “I just think this is a nightmare and I’ll wake up,” King’s mother, Eva Bruns, said at a news conference. “He didn’t deserve to die like this.” Racial injustice activists cited other killings of Black men in Missouri that failed to result in criminal charges. Among them: Tory Sanders, who died after a white sheriff pressed a knee to his neck in a manner similar to George Floyd’s 2020 death in Minneapolis; and Derontae Martin, a teenager shot inside the rural home of a man with a history of racist comments. “When it’s a white assailant and a Black victim, it is so hard to get answers,” St. Louis activist leader Darryl Gray said. “It is hard to get justice.” The family of a 10-year-old girl who died by suicide has accused a Utah school district that was recently reprimanded by the U.S. Department of Justice for failing to address widespread racial discrimination of not doing enough to protect their daughter who they said was bullied for being Black and autistic. Salt Lake City police confirmed this week they are investigating the weekend death of Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor as a suicide. Her death has generated widespread outrage, including Wednesday from Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who called the case “sickening.” Tyler Ayres, an attorney representing Izzy’s family, said Izzy was bullied by a small group of other students who called her the N-word, told her she was smelly and made fun of her for being autistic. Ayres said the family reported the bullying to teachers, as well as school and district administrators, but nothing was done to stop the harassment. DRAKE went to a strip club with his crew for a private party a day after the deadly Astroworld disaster – which saw nine killed and around 100 injured, The Sun can confirm. In deleted posts seen by The Sun, dancers are filmed surrounded by cash at Area 29 in Houston, which was set to host the official after party for Travis Scott’s event, and the club thanked Drake personally for attending on Saturday. The rapper and his crew are believed to have been staying at the five star Post Oak Hotel, where Scott and pregnant girlfriend Kylie Jenner had also been spotted before the festival. Scott and Kylie have since been laying low at the pair’s $14million mansion in Houston, where lawyers have been seen visiting in recent days – as more than 100 suits have been filed against the performer and organizers. A celebrity chef who claimed to have invented the ‘world’s healthiest meal’ has died of a heart attack, aged 45. Gurpareet Bains, whose fans included Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow, penned several superfood cookbooks. The co-founder of Vedge Snacks, who lived in Enfield, London, was hospitalized following a heart attack last Thursday, his management have confirmed. While he regained consciousness a day later, his kidneys failed to restart and he passed away earlier this week as a result of heart and kidney complications, his spokesman confirmed. Sean “Love” Combs’ charter school will relocate to a larger campus in New York City. The music mogul announced Thursday that Capital Preparatory School will move to the Church of All Saints and School building in the city’s Harlem neighborhood. The relocation will allow the school’s capacity to grow from 500 to 700 students from grades 6th through 12th beginning with the 2022-2023 school year. The school’s new campus will feature 40 classrooms and offices, a sports room, science labs, a cafeteria, an outdoor communal courtyard, and an area called the “Great Hall” for all school assemblies and performances. “The kids of Harlem should have access to opportunity and a quality education and deserve to learn on a campus that reflects the level of excellence we aspire for them to achieve,” Combs said in a statement. “This new campus for Capital Prep Harlem reflects my commitment to empowering as many children as I can and creating spaces for the next generation of leaders to thrive in every aspect of their lives.” Former Chicago Bulls player Corey Benjamin has identified his daughter as the 14-year-old basketball player who was filmed sucker-punching her 15-year-old rival during a school tournament and apologized on her behalf for the attack. ‘This is not how I raised my daughter,’ said Benjamin, who played three seasons with the Bulls and had a brief stint with the Atlanta Hawks in 2003 before finishing his career overseas. Benjamin’s daughter has not been identified by name because she is a minor. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/11/10/1759826697532585360/1024x576_MP4_1759826697532585360.mp4?_=1 According to TMZ and ABC13, Travis Scott was allegedly partying at a Houston Dave and Buster’s when he found out about people who died in the crowd rush. TMZ reported that the party was hosted by Drake who was also unaware of the fatalities at the time of the party. An unnamed TMZ source said that Scott didn’t know the severity of the situation when he attended the party. One of Scott’s old managers, Shane Morris, even spoke out against the star because of the callousness Morris says he displayed and the lack of regard for other people in trouble. Morris went on to say that he inflated Scott’s popularity when he met the young rapper in 2009. https://youtu.be/-DG0h84wXUQ President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Plan aims to jump-start the U.S. economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As reported by the LA Focus Newspaper, “California is one of many states whose policies helped to shape President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion Build Back Better plan,” the outlet writes. “California’s values will be on the national stage with the Build Back Better plan. @POTUS is creating good jobs, investing in clean energy to fight climate change, helping families through at-home elder, disability & child care, universal pre-k, & more,” Gov. Gavin Newsom office tweeted. https://youtu.be/cK9bvXp9z1w In Swampscott, Massachusetts, a white woman was accused of driving her car towards and nearly colliding with three Black women and their five children. When one of the Black women told her to slow down, she started shouting racial slurs at them as well as making racist remarks. Clearly, a woman who would endanger the lives of parents and their children and them go full KK-Karen on them unprovoked is someone who is a danger to Black people and should at least do some kind of jail time. Unfortunately, a judge disagreed and the woman, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to probation and community service. According to WHDH 7, Rhonda Wozniak, 61, pleaded guilty to eight counts of civil rights violation and eight counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in Lynn District Court on Tuesday. Even the prosecutors in the case appeared to have taken an “Oh, she’s just a little old lady” approach to sentencing recommendation as they thought sixteen criminal counts involving the endangering of the lives of children as young as five was only worth one year of probation and 100 hours of community service. On August 27, an eight-year-old Black girl Fanta Bility was killed by police gunfire in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, outside of a football game at Academy Park High School. A month and a half later, only one person has been charged with murdering Fanta—a Black teenager who didn’t kill anyone. According to a press release sent out by Delaware County District Attorneys Office, Angelo “AJ” Ford, 16, was arrested on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, after authorities say he was partially responsible for Fanta’s death due to him and another teen, 18-year-old Hasein Strand, exchanging gunfire nearby, which prompted the police to start shooting. Strand is also charged in relation to Fanta’s death—although, it’s unclear what he’s been charged with—and law enforcement is currently seeking him for arrest. The Sheffield Lake Police Officer who was targeted with racial notes by his former boss is speaking out about the “demeaning” incident. Officer Keith Pool was the first Black officer to work at the agency and was immediately and repeatedly targeted by then-Police Chief Anthony Campo. https://youtu.be/C7e8A9wVDYs Will Smith had a candid conversation with Oprah Winfrey on a recent episode of “The Oprah Conversation” about his disappointment over the box office success of his 2007 post-apocalyptic zombie thriller “I Am Legend.” Directed by Francis Lawrence, the film opened to $77 million in U.S. theaters on December 14 and remains the biggest December opening for a non-Christmas release. Smith told Oprah that he was disappointed that the film didn’t have a record-breaking $80 million dollar box office. https://youtu.be/dtKMEAXyPkghttps://youtu.be/dtKMEAXyPkg Academy Award-winning actor Halle Berry was a beauty queen before she became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stars. As a child, though, rather than finding escape in the arts, she found her solace in boxing, she tells Kelefa Sanneh, in an interview for CBS SUNDAY MORNING to be broadcast Sunday, Nov. 14 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. https://twitter.com/i/status/1459189391570739201 Jeannie Mai wants you to know that she and hubby Jeezy enjoy having sex while she’s seven months pregnant. “One of my favorite positions is actually being on top of J because you see your belly, you see his face [and] he gets to play,” said Mai, 42, in the latest installation of her YouTube vlog “Hello Hunnay with Jeannie Mai.” “The Real” co-host and the rapper, 44, married in April and are expecting their first child together early next year. https://youtu.be/sr8-2gN50ug LeBron James is sayin’ what a lot of folks are sayin’ in regard to “Killer Kyle” Rittenhouse‘s “emotional” testimony where not one tear was seen. LeBron says dude ate “lemon heads” before his court appearance. “What tears????? I didn’t see one. Man knock it off!” James hilariously said in a tweet that included footage of Rittenhouse crying. “That boy ate some lemon heads before walking into court. ??????” https://twitter.com/i/status/1458521089152274442 Thursday at the Ahmaud Arbery death trial was an interesting day, to say the least. Defense Attorney Kevin Gough did not hold back when he expressed his displeasure in court after seeing Rev. Al Sharpton sitting beside the (Arbery) family during the trial. The lawyer stated that he feels like the presence of Sharpton and other black preachers is intimidating to the jury. “If their pastor is Al Sharpton right now, that’s fine, but then that’s it. We don’t want any more black pastors coming in here. Jesse Jackson, whoever was in here earlier this week sitting with the victim’s family trying to influence the jury in this case,” said Gough. Jesse Jackson was never even present in the courtroom. The judge wasn’t going for his nonsense and eventually shut down his demands and continued with trial. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWJwXUiA-CP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tamron Hall’s syndicated talk show has scored a two-season renewal by ABC, which means she’s sticking around through the 2023-24 season. Tamron Hall is a trusted and accomplished journalist and an outstanding talk show host,” said ABC News president Kim Godwin. “She is a breath of fresh air in daytime, approaching every show and segment with her personal mix of curiosity and compassion. We are delighted to continue this collaboration with Tamron and her stellar team in presenting their distinctive brand of talk to our valued station partners, the TamFam and beyond.” Per press release, Walt Disney Television has renewed “Tamron Hall” for its third season (2021-2022) with the ABC Owned Television Stations. The owned ABC stations carrying “Tamron Hall” are WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. https://twitter.com/i/status/1457743930922049547 The final chapter to TV One's popular Coins trilogy COINS FOREVER, is slated to air this Sunday, November 14th at 7:00 P.M. Returning to the Coins franchise includes Essence Atkins ("Ambitions," "Marlon"), Stephen Bishop ("Imposters," "Being Mary Jane"), TC Carson ("Living Single"), Kendrick Cross ("Ambitions") with newly added cast members Golden Brooks (“Girlfriends,” “Hollywood Divas”) and Demetria McKinney (“Saints & Sinners,” “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqskfZGvEQ0 Regina Hall is speaking out about her latest investment in Genexa, the world’s first clean, over-the-counter pharmaceutical company. Per press release, the company recently completed its unprecedented $60 million Series A of funding to advance its market leadership in this emerging space. Jared Stein, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Monogram Capital led the round and was joined by a roster of celebrity wellness advocates, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Donald Glover, Lily Aldridge, Jennifer Meyer, Regina Hall, Sanaa Lathan, Don Cheadle, Bridgid Coulter, Lana Parrilla, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Tony Kanal, Zoey Deutch, Brandon Shainfeld and Angela Fletcher. https://youtu.be/tad565dPKLs The incomparable EGOT (EMMY®, GRAMMY®, Oscar®, Tony®)-winning singer, songwriter, producer, actor, and social activist John Legend has signed with Republic Records the label announced today. The move kicks off another creative renaissance for the 12-time Grammy Award winning superstar. https://youtu.be/B-tOZxoNrFk Gayle King is speaking out about R. Kelly’s September sex trafficking and racketeering trial, calling his guilty verdict “justice.” “The judge said some of the evidence was so disgusting and despicable that they wouldn’t even allow it to be played in court,” King said in an interview published Tuesday by Bustle. “Let’s just say part of the evidence involved feces. Let’s just say that. It was so stomach-churning.” https://youtu.be/3MZRfxSgkLA Kyle Rittenhouse cried so hard on the stand Wednesday that the judge had to pause the trial. The 18-year-old is on trial for killing two men and wounding a third during protests surrounding the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The former police youth cadet was 17 when he traveled to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit, answering what he said was a call to help safeguard property from the unrest. https://youtu.be/H2kX1Nzi1I8 Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, claims his rape accuser is not as innocent as she wants the court of public opinion to believe. According to court documents obtained by Complex, Petty, 43, admitted to having sex with Jennifer Hough in 1994 but insists the encounter was consensual. “I never raped the Plaintiff and I deny her accusations of rape contained in the Amended Complaint,” he said, per the court filing. “I also deny all of Plaintiff’s allegations in the Amended Complaint that I committed any improper conduct, sexual abuse and/or sexual assault. The sexual encounter between Plaintiff and I, which occurred 27 years ago, was consensual and Plaintiff was a willing participant. I did not force Plaintiff into a house, I did not force Plaintiff to have sex with me and I did not sexually or physically assault Plaintiff in any way. Nor did I ever threaten Plaintiff.” Hough is locked in a legal battle with the couple after accusing them of trying to intimidate, threaten, bribe, and harass her. She accused Petty of rape back in 1994 when they were both 16. He was initially charged with first-degree rape but pleaded guilty to attempted rape, and he served more than four years in prison. He told the court he took the plea out of fear, per the report. Former Raiders player Henry Ruggs is facing over 50 years in prison after a vehicle crash he was involved in left a woman and her dog dead. The collision sparked a fire in the Toyota that killed Tina Tintor and her golden retriever. Ruggs and his female passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the fiery wreck. As reported by TMZ, he had a .161 BAC — more than two times the legal limit of .08. On Wednesday, Ruggs was officially charged with DUI resulting in death, DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm (presumably for the injuries caused to his GF, the passenger), and two reckless driving charges — all felonies, TMZ reported. https://youtu.be/F2ul7yIX76M Mariah Carey, already owning the holiday’s unofficial anthem “All I Want for Christmas,” is expanding her annual holiday queendom in a new collaboration with McDonald’s. The fast-food chain announced Wednesday that it’s teaming up with Carey for 12 days of free food. Beginning Dec. 13, the “Mariah Menu,” will feature a select free item each day through Christmas Eve with a $1 minimum purchase on McDonald’s mobile app. Carey said in a statement: Some of my favorite memories with my kids are our family trips to McDonald’s, and of course, each of us has our go-to order,” adding hers is the cheeseburger with extra pickles. https://youtu.be/uhpSHExkjQo Terry Crews fans are blasting him for “cosplaying as a poor person” in a new Amazon recruitment ad that shows him working at a distribution center. In the ad, Crews, 53, is seen wearing an Amazon uniform and packing orders with employees in a warehouse: The ad encourages people to apply for jobs at a company that has amazing benefits, flexible hours and paid college tuition. As reported by The Daily Mail, Crews, who has an estimated net worth of $25 million, is accused of “cosplaying as a poor person” to push “Amazon propaganda.” Here is the exclusive clip of this week’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Life After Lockup,” and in it, Daonte tells his mom that his felon bae Nicolle is getting married to Tia! https://youtu.be/PGVXZdfiVcs Adam #Pacman Jones will be back in jail after his involvement in a large bar fight earlier this year. In February it was reported that the former #NFL player had become engaged and assaulted employees at #ClutchOTR in #Cincinnati, #Ohio. Jones allegedly engaged in a huge brawl with the establishment’s personnel, during which the ex-football player allegedly knocked out a bouncer. TMZ was able to obtain video of the alleged fight, which showed complete chaos, with barstools being thrown and people falling to the ground left and right. Jones was detained and eventually charged with two misdemeanor assault charges over the incident, claiming he was acting in self-defense and “doing what I needed to do.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGnX8jhihS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Don Lemon is taking legal action against Megyn Kelly after she had the man accusing Lemon of sexual assault as a guest on her SiriusXM show. Dustin Hice filed the lawsuit against Lemon two years ago, accusing the openly gay CNN host of assault, as reported by Fox News. The incident occurred in the summer of 2018 and will finally be heard in court early next year. In an answer to the complaint, Lemon denied the accusations and called the suit “frivolous.” Hice is suing Lemon for unspecified damages. Lemon’s lawyer Caroline J. Polisi accuses Kelly of giving her listeners a “lopsided and inaccurate understanding” of what Hice claims went down between him and Lemon at a Long Island bar in the summer of 2018. “You permitted Mr. Hice’s statements to go unchallenged during your broadcast, clearly out of a vendetta you have against Mr. Lemon,” the legal letter reads, as reported by Radar. https://twitter.com/i/status/1457808141102419969 According to TMZ citing FoxLA, actor and former BET host Terrence “J” Jenkins was reportedly targeted in a follow-home attempted robbery. Law enforcement sources tell the news site that the incident happened at around 3 am when he was pulling into his driveway in Sherman Oaks and another car pulled up with 4 Black men inside, one of whom ordered Terrence out of his car. When he refused the command, he then fled off in his car, the news site notes. It was said that Terrence told cops the suspects chased him and even fired at his car before they fled! Thankfully, he was not injured as he managed to flag down a passing California Highway Patrol car, who called the LAPD. Police took a report for assault with a deadly weapon with shots fired … and police are now investigating. ???? https://youtu.be/o3ONbQ6YkDk Fans of “The Wendy Williams Show” are not impressed with Michael Rapaport’s guest-hosting duties. The actor is filling in this week for Wendy Williams amid her hiatus for health-related issues. “I’m so glad to be here, I am so excited to be here,” Rapaport told the audience on Monday. “Wendy, thank you so much for trusting me with your show.” Viewers quickly took to social media to express their displeasure with him. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWCrD1_oR51/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In recognition of the achievements of top Black executives, creators, and developers who have made a significant impact in the video gaming industry, The Black in Gaming Foundation will host its fifth annual Black in Gaming (BIG) Awards. The award show will be streamed on Youtube, Facebook, and Streamyard on Saturday, November 13th at 3 p.m. PST/6 p.m. EST. Hosted by long-time black game industry advocates Carl Varnado and gaming executive Laura Teclemariam, the BIG Awards is designed to educate the game industry and recognize Black game developers to honor outstanding accomplishments and help empower the next generation. Will Smith gets candid about his sex life with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith in his Apple TV+ interview with Oprah Winfrey. Smith wants you to know that during the early days of his and Jada’s relationship, they had sex multiple times a day, damn near every day. During the most recent episode of “The Oprah Conversation,” Winfrey read excerpts about it from his new memoir, “Will,” via E! News. “We drank every day, and had sex multiple times every day, for four straight months,” Winfrey read. “I started to wonder if this was a competition. Either way, as far as I was concerned, there were only two possibilities: (1) I was going to satisfy this woman sexually, or (2) I was going to die trying.” Winfrey said to Smith, “Since you’re not dead, we assume you won the competition.” Smith replied, “Well, it ended up being a lot more complex than that, Oprah.” Travis Scott has been seen for the first time since last week’s Astroworld disaster pacing outside his $14million Houston mansion where he’s hiding out with girlfriend Kylie Jenner, DailyMail.com can reveal. Travis, real name Jacques Webster, was spotted on the phone, wrapped in an Hermes blanket and pacing with his back turned to the cameras as it’s revealed another victim died Thursday, bringing the death toll from the crowd surge to nine. Bharti Shah ani, a 22-year-old college student from Texas, succumbed to her injuries sustained at last week’s festival after being declared brain dead on Tuesday. On Wednesday afternoon, Travis’ top-notch legal team led by high-powered attorney Neal Manne arrived at the gated mansion as several lawsuits with at least 150 plaintiffs have come flooding in against the rapper and Live Nation Entertainment. Manne and three other attorneys were met by Travis’ security team and quickly ushered inside, where they stayed for about 45 minutes. Far above her, orange flames shot skyward from the stage, illuminating the packed and sweaty Astroworld crowd. Just below her, sticky white floor tiles pressed into her left cheek and curly red hair. Down here, beneath a layer of bodies, everything sounded muffled to Cynthia Lira, as though she were in an underground tunnel. She saw only darkness. Days later, the petite college student would call this the “sinkhole” – the spot in the mosh pit where she was pulled down as she clawed through a mass of humans who seemed knit together and away from the catwalk where Travis Scott performed. Seconds before, she had heard the rapper, one of her favorite artists, instruct the crowd to move side-to-side, and she instantly knew what was coming: a massive wave that would topple her. The son of basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was sentenced to six months in jail for stabbing a Southern California neighbor with a hunting knife during an argument over trash cans, prosecutors said Wednesday. Adam Abdul-Jabbar, 29, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of carrying a dirk or dagger, with sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office. Abdul-Jabbar accepted a plea deal from an Orange County judge. The sentence was stayed until Jan. 7 so that Abdul-Jabbar can apply for home confinement instead of incarceration, the DA’s office said. Probation officials will decide whether he will be permitted home confinement. Prosecutors had sought a seven-year jail sentence and objected to the plea offer. Many Trump staffers blamed themselves for Herman Cain’s death from COVID-19, according to a new book. Cain attended Trump’s rally in Tulsa last year and tested positive for the virus days after.“We killed Herman Cain,” one senior Trump staffer reportedly said after his death. When news hit that former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died of COVID-19 a month after he attended then-President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa last summer, many of the president’s campaign staffers blamed themselves for his death, according to a new book. “We killed Herman Cain,” one senior Trump staffer reportedly told ABC News reporter Will Steakin, who also attended the Tulsa event on June 20, 2020. That’s according to an excerpt of ABC News’ chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl’s forthcoming book, “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show,” published in Vanity Fair on Thursday. The book is slated to come out on November 16. The Trump campaign flew in Cain, a prominent Republican who co-chaired the coalition Black Voices for Trump, to attend the Tulsa rally last year, according to the book. He, along with many other attendees, were photographed at the indoor event without masks. Trump’s team spent months organizing the rally, which was billed as the president’s comeback to the campaign trail since the start of the pandemic. Trump was “convinced” that getting back on the road would boost his low public approval ratings caused by the pandemic and his response to the outbreak, per the book. French police released Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Aminata Diallo from custody on Thursday without charge but are still investigating an attack on one of her teammates, prosecutors said. Diallo and one other person were detained for questioning on Wednesday about an attack on teammate Kheira Hamraoui last week, according to the Versailles prosecutor’s office. Both were released Thursday pending further investigation. The second person was not identified. No charges have been filed but the investigation will continue, the prosecutor’s office said. No other details were released. Hamraoui and Diallo, both midfielders, play for PSG and France’s national team. Quarterback Cam Newton has agreed to a deal with the Carolina Panthers that will bring him back to the team that he helped reach the Super Bowl in 2015, it was announced Thursday. The deal, which is pending a physical, is worth up to $10 million for the remainder of the season, including $4.5 million guaranteed and a $1.5 million roster bonus, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Panthers, who selected Newton with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, released him following the 2019 season after he had struggled for several years with shoulder and foot injuries. They began a new regime with coach Matt Rhule at that time. Suspended Georgia linebacker Adam Anderson was booked at the Athens-Clarke County jail Wednesday night after being charged with raping a 21-year-old woman as she slept. Anderson’s attorney, Steve Sadow, said in a statement released that Anderson ‘voluntarily surrendered’ at the Athens-Clarke County Sherriff’s office. Jail records show Anderson was booked at 7:45pm. ‘Adam is innocent of the charge brought against him and intends to vigorously defend himself in court,’ Sadow said in the statement. ‘He will seek release on bond. Once again, Adam hopes and prays that the UGA community and the public keep an open mind and afford him the presumption of innocence that the law demands.’ Anderson was suspended by Georgia last week while being investigated by Athens-Clarke County Police for the alleged rape. n her retelling of the story, Kim Mulkey is standing at the front of the room before members of LSU’s marching band. Hired as the Tigers’ new women’s basketball coach in April, this is her introduction to the famous Golden Band from Tigerland, a group notorious for playing a sample of the 1984 hip hop song, “Talkin’ Out Da Side of Ya Neck.” “Neck,” as it is referred to in Baton Rouge, is beloved here and also blacklisted during games because of the vulgar chant that students and fans attach to it when played. While addressing band members for the first time, Mulkey is moving through her normal talking points, but the band seems uninterested. She needs something to fire them up, to light a spark. A South Carolina preacher gave a live sermon as he filmed his house burning on Sunday, reminding his followers that ‘God is good.’ 'Apostle’ Sammy Smith, 64, founder of the Grace Cathedral Ministries in Piedmont, South Carolina, live-streamed his burning home on Facebook on November 7 saying he never lost faith – just his razor. Despite watching flames engulf his house, the chipper preacher still said ‘I’m doing church this morning. I can’t shave, I thought I could shave. Looks like I might not be able to shave much this morning. ‘But I just wanted everyone to know that God is good. He is blessing us. Everything gonna be alright. I always say He will make a way and sometimes we don’t understand and as I’ve been saying recently, God might not put the blessing in your hand, but in your reach.’ Ezra Blount, 9, whose father dropped him as he passed out holding him aloft above a surge of fast-compressing bodies at Friday’s deadly Astroworld Festival is one of hundreds injured at the Houston event – with extensive damage to his lungs, heart and brain, the trampled boy could soon join the eight who lost their lives there. The boy traveled from his mother’s in Dallas to see one of his favorite artists with his dad, Treston. The boy’s father said he passed out while holding the boy up so he wouldn’t be crushed – when he came to at the venue’s medical tent, his son had been admitted by himself to an area hospital as a John Doe. https://youtu.be/Q7JH6NetbIE Travis Scott faced new fury today as it emerged that he went to an after-party with Drake after eight people died at his Astroworld festival on Friday. ‘Travis didn’t know the severity of the situation when he arrived at the party,’ a source told TMZ, adding that the rapper left the party when deaths had been confirmed. But a ‘mass casualty event’ had been declared by city officials 30 minutes before he cut his performance short. And Scott, 30, faced a new wave of backlash today over an eerie video which shows him singing ‘yeah’ repeatedly into a microphone as an unconscious fan was carried out just a few feet away from him. He and Drake are being sued by 68 victims for ‘inciting mayhem’ and stand to lose ‘billions’ after more than 300 casualties were treated at an emergency field hospital in the aftermath, 11 others went into cardiac arrest and dozens more were knocked unconscious. Powerhouse Texas attorney Thomas J. Henry said his firm is being contacted by ‘more and more’ injured people by the hour and ‘the damages suffered by [the Astroworld tragedy’s] victims could total in the billions.’ The Black principal of a majority-white Texas high school who has been embroiled in a controversy over critical race theory was forced to resign after months of accusations that he indoctrinated students. The Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District board of trustees voted Monday to part ways with the principal, James Whitfield, who was suspended this year at majority-white Colleyville Heritage High School in the Fort Worth area. The school board had voted in September not to renew Whitfield’s contract, NBC Dallas-Forth Worth reported. “This is beyond me,” he said in an interview Monday with NBC News. “I’m hopeful that we can use this to move forward and to progress and get some true meaningful change and for people to be OK with teaching truth, people to be OK with embracing inclusivity and diversity, celebrating every student that walks through the doors of our schools.” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski is facing backlash for comments he made in a text message to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, in which he appeared to blame the death of two Black and Latino children who were killed on the childrens’ parents. In his text to the mayor this past April, Kempczinski was discussing the deaths of Jaslyn Adams, a 7-year-old who was shot and killed while sitting in a car with her father in a McDonald’s parking lot in Chicago, and Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old Latino boy killed by police in March. He called both deaths “tragic,” but then said that in each case, “the parents failed those kids which I know is something you can’t say. Even harder to fix.” The messages, revealed after an unnamed activist filed a public information request, were sent one day after Adams was killed. Kempczinski has since apologized for his remarks. “I have not walked in the shoes of Adam’s or Jaslyn’s family and so many others who are facing a very different reality,” he said in a letter to employees. “Not taking the time to think about this from their viewpoint was wrong. Joe Madison, host of SiriusXM Urban View’s Joe Madison The Black Eagle and member of the National Radio Hall of Fame, announced on his program that he’s starting a hunger strike in protest of voting rights not getting passed in the Senate. “As a political protest, I am beginning a hunger strike today by abstaining from eating until Congress passes, and President Biden signs, the Freedom to Vote Act or the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” Madison stated. Both bills were recently passed by the House of Representatives and both have stalled in the Senate. https://youtu.be/QyS3EtjipEY House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) issued an early endorsement in Wisconsin’s Democratic Senate primary on Monday, throwing his support behind frontrunner Mandela Barnes, who serves as the state’s lieutenant governor. “Mandela is hands-down the best candidate to defeat Senator Ron Johnson, expand our majority in the United States Senate, and deliver results for the people of Wisconsin,” Clyburn said in a statement. The Democratic whip noted Barnes’s “historic candidacy” in the same statement. Barnes would be the first Black senator from Wisconsin if elected. “Mandela is a proven leader who has shown he will always stand up for people from every corner of Wisconsin,” Clyburn said. “The son of a proud union family, Mandela learned firsthand what it takes to work hard and fight to create opportunities for middle-class families.” A Florida high school student was found safe after she went missing during a school field trip in Georgia, officials announced Monday night, according to multiple reports. Mia Brailford, 16, was located at an Alabama address, CBS News reported, citing police. Officials detained a male subject in connection with Mia’s disappearance, according to CBS News. Mia, who vanished over the weekend while on a field trip with her JROTC unit in Georgia, was found at a home in Phenix City, Alabama, CBS News reported. The man who was detained is expected to be charged with interstate interference with child custody, a felony, according to CBS News. Mia, an 11th-grader at Atlantic Community High School in Delray Beach, was last seen in her tent about 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the Gerald Lawhorn Scouting Base in rural Molena, WPTV News 5 reported. When Justin Duggar announced his engagement to his now-wife Claire the day after his 18th birthday last year, social media users found the timing suspicious — and now Claire has confirmed that Justin did, in fact, propose when he was just 17. On November 5 of this year, the 20-year-old bride said that it had been exactly a year since Justin popped the question — meaning he was ten days shy of being legally allowed to wed when he asked her to be his wife. Though Claire has limited Instagrammers’ ability to comment on her post, Redditors have called it ‘insane’ that the youngsters were planning their wedding before Justin was even old enough to vote.The couple had first announced their engagement on November 16, 2020, a day after Justin — who was born in 2002 — turned 18, the legal age to marry without parental permission. In Arkansas, children can marry at age 17 with parental consent, while only emancipated minors can marry at 16 or 17 in Texas. Fans and critics speculated that the timing was incredibly close, with many guessing that they’d already been engaged for some time — but waited to share the news publicly because they knew the optics weren’t good. But now Claire has officially confirmed what so many guessed: Her baby-faced husband was, indeed, still legally a child when he got down on one knee. More concerns over COVID-19 have struck the Minnesota Vikings this week, including a vaccinated player who was admitted to an emergency room Tuesday night.“One of our players that was vaccinated, he had to go to the ER last night because of COVID. It’s serious stuff,” coach Mike Zimmer told reporters Wednesday. “Like 29 guys are getting tested because of close contact, including myself.” Zimmer declined to name the hospitalized player but said he is in stable condition. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport later reported the player hospitalized was offensive lineman Dakota Dozier. Dozier was placed on the team’s COVID-19 list last Friday. Cleveland Browns running backs Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton tested positive for COVID-19, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Both players are vaccinated, so their status for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots remains in question. Each player would need two negative tests 24 hours apart to play. The Browns announced Tuesday afternoon that they had placed both Chubb and Felton on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The Browns had another running back, John Kelly, go on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday. With Kareem Hunt (calf) currently on injured reserve, Cleveland is down to just one running back at the moment — D’Ernest Johnson, who also is vaccinated, a source told ESPN. Aaron Rodgers returned to The Pat McAfee show on Tuesday to apologize for not following the league’s COVID-19 protocols. The Packers star quarterback took a moment to acknowledge his role as an athlete with fans that look up to him. “I acknowledge am a role model to a lot of people,” Rodgers said on the show. “I made some comments that people might have felt were misleading. To anybody who felt misled by those comments, I take full responsibility.” Tuesday’s show appearance for Rodgers comes four days after he openly discussed his reasons for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Rodgers said that he plans to stay out of the politics between the league and its COVID-19 policies. Los Angeles Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson recently recognized the 30th anniversary of his retirement from the NBA following his HIV diagnosis.On Sunday, Johnson, now 62, took to social media to reflect on how God has used the past three decades of his life. “God has really blessed me! Today marks 30 years living with HIV, so the message resonated with me in such a tremendous way. I thank the Lord for keeping me, giving me strength, and guiding me for 62 years but especially the last 30,” Johnson wrote in a series of tweets. God has really blessed me! Today marks 30 years living with HIV so the message resonated with me in such a tremendous way. I thank the Lord for keeping me, giving me strength, and guiding me for 62 years but especially the last 30. ???? — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 7, 2021 “Through it all, I learned to trust in Jesus, and I learned to trust in God!” he added. Through it all I learned to trust in Jesus and I learned to trust in God! — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 7, 2021 U.S. food banks already dealing with increased demand from families sidelined by the pandemic now face a new challenge — surging food prices and supply chain issues walloping the nation. The higher costs and limited availability mean some families may get smaller servings or substitutions for staples such as peanut butter, which some food banks are buying for nearly double what it cost two years ago. As holidays approach, some food banks worry they won’t have enough stuffing and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and Christmas. “What happens when food prices go up is food insecurity for those who are experiencing it just gets worse,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief operating officer of Feeding America, a nonprofit organization that coordinates the efforts of more than 200 food banks across the country. The woman who fatally shot a Brooklyn mother in a heinous act that was caught-on-video has been arrested in Florida. The victim’s family previously revealed that the alleged killer is a family friend. As reported by PEOPLE, Claudia Banton was taken into custody Monday in Jacksonville, Fla. and is awaiting extradition to New York. A NYC surveillance video shows the disturbing footage of the victim being executed on a crowded street in Crown Heights. A woman quickly approached the victim, identified as Delia Johnson, and shot her in the back of the head and again in her leg as she collapsed. The shooter quickly ran for cover and left the scene in a white SUV. https://youtu.be/4bx_Ahf_Gh4 Travis Scott reportedly attended an afterparty after his Astroworld show on November 5, and he was allegedly unaware that eight people had been killed at the concert. Several victims have filed lawsuits against Travis Scott and Live Nation, with the total number of lawsuits reaching 35. A nine-year-old boy is currently in a medically-induced coma after suffering life-threatening injuries at Astroworld. The boy’s family has lawyered up with famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Meanwhile, the team behind the Astroworld festival reportedly instructed security members not to mention the word “dead” over the radio as bodies were piling up. The deceased were instead referred to as “smurfs,” Radar reports. https://youtu.be/qh1nDpR4TlI A #Tennessee pastor prevented a possible mass shooting when he tackled a gunman during a Sunday church service.? During a #NashvilleLightMissionPentecostalChurch service, the mostly Black congregation was enjoying the word while 26-year-old Dezire Baganda sat towards the front of the sanctuary. Baganda pulled out a gun for no apparent reason and walked up to the altar where Pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana was praying with church members. The deranged man waved the gun around and demanded the congregation stand up as he pointed the weapon at them.? https://www.instagram.com/p/CWCe9AAtlRT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again R Kelly’s cellmate in Brooklyn has created a comic book about their life in jail together. Brendan Hunt, 37, a suspected white supremacist, was convicted of threatening to kill elected officials. According to reports, he targeted prominent Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, with anti-Semitic and racist rhetoric. Hunt filed the drawings in Brooklyn Federal Court as part of a request that he be sentenced to time-served. It’s not a secret that Black businesses across America need help growing and sustaining their respective service(s) or product-driven entities. And while the current pandemic has disproportionately impacted Black business owners and entrepreneurs, data show that even before the pandemic, many Black business owners and entrepreneurs across the country were experiencing poor business outcomes. Much of the downward trajectories of Black businesses and Black entrepreneurs can be attributed to the limited or even absence of supportive ecosystems dedicated to the startup, growth, and sustainability of African American businesses. In a quest to establish and maintain a strong and wide-sweeping supportive networking platform, specifically for Black businesses, entrepreneur Michael Sadler, in partnership with his brother Bryan Sadler, started The Black Business Company (BBCO). https://youtu.be/wlJYlXIGrH8 Brian Williams is exiting NBC News, Insider has learned. Williams is the longtime anchor of “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams,” on the NBCUniversal-owned cable news MSNBC. His departure comes after weeks of negotiations about his contract, which was expiring, several people told Insider. His contract was set to end next month. Williams was said to have had enough of the grind and considering his future, one person said. Some have tipped him as a possible anchorman at CBS News, which is in the midst of a shakeup. The well-dressed former “Nightly News” anchorman spent a decade in the early evening slot before being engulfed in controversy after he told a story in 2015 about being shot down on a helicopter. The recollection turned out to be mistaken and Williams blamed his confusion, but members of the military were not satisfied. Since that time, Williams has resurrected his reputation and been regularly tapped by NBC News for political specials in prime time. https://youtu.be/xJOvkrNQKk4 Season three of the popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN continues with an all-new episode this Wednesday, November 10 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells returns to prepare even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv4pcCa3drw An exclusive clip from this week’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition” airing Thursday, Nov. 11, where Amber opens up about how Siir Brock coming out ruined their sex life. https://youtu.be/LIkUh5cbvi0 Maverick City Music was launched in 2018, after hosting seventeen songwriting camps which brought together over one hundred Christian artists and songwriters. Maverick City Music made extraordinary headlines with their release Old Church Basement, a collab album with Elevation Worship, which broke streaming records at both Apple Music and Spotify. Old Church Basement features vocals from celebrated singers: Chandler Moore, Brandon Lake, Naomi Raine, Chris Brown, Dante Bowe, Tiffany Hudson, Joe L Barnes, and Amanda Lindsey Cook. Maverick City Music holds over 1M subscribers on YouTube and recently took home multiple GMA Dove Awards, multiple Stellar Awards and nominations for American Music Awards and 2021 Soul Train Awards. The collective is currently nominated for a 2021 American Music Award and a 2021 Soul Train Award. During a press conference at the final tour stop, The State Farm Arena, Maverick City Music, was presented a plaque for reaching 1M subscribers on YouTube; while at the Atlanta tour after party, Maverick City Music was surprised with their trophy from the Stellar Awards and Billboard Music Award wins. We are sending out birthday greetings to Jonathan Nelson today, who is blessed to be one of America's premiere songwriters. Radio has validated that with his latest creation, Manifest well on its way to the Number One spot on radio. Hear Jonathan Nelson In His Own Words, in the Gospel Spotlight. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/Jonathan_Nelson_intvw.htm Tulsa native Kode Ransom is nominated in the Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) for his Spoken Word recording of his original piece “Oklahoma Made.” In the poem the hip hop poet cleverly weaves in 31 names of the sons and daughters of the OK state, while celebrating their individual and collective accomplishments. A true story teller, his work as a hip hop artist is geared towards telling the stories that are rarely, if ever, told. “Oklahoma Made” was created for the forthcoming music compilation album 1921…The Black Wall Street Music Project. This is Ransom’s first nomination for the HMMA. Former President Barack Obama looked beyond his audience of delegates at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland Monday and focused his attention on the young activists watching online, pleading with the generation to adopt a more conciliatory approach to their fight. https://youtu.be/9xUgoxagJJA The pandemic-era economy has many unusual and uncertain features that have made it difficult to analyze. And one of the major open questions is what this economic period will do to wages and prices long-term. On one hand, wages are increasing at a faster rate than they have since the depths of the Great Recession. Many employers are raising their wages—especially in lower-earning jobs—to attract more workers at a time when unemployment is high; however, businesses are struggling to fill positions. At the same time, rising prices and inflation are a fear, but economic experts disagree about whether the economy is in the midst of a problematic inflationary period. Teyana Taylor was extra vigilant when she saw a fan in distress during the last stop of her The Last Rose Petal Farewell Tour at The Novo in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The singer was quick to stop her performance to make sure a fan in the crowd was okay. “Is she okay?” Taylor repeatedly asks. “Bring her up here. [Is} She okay?” She then seemingly references the tragic events at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in Houston this past weekend that left 8 dead and hundreds injured. The rapper has been hit with a wave of lawsuits and Taylor jokes, “I’m about to retire, you ain’t gonna sue me baby. Let’s make sure we’re good.” She then instructs security to help the fan sit on the edge of the stage. https://twitter.com/i/status/1458164098848501764 Casting is underway for In the Black and popular American actor Richard Gant has been attached to the project in the role of Harry Gairy. Produced by CaribbeanTales Media Group and directed by Frances-Anne Solomon, the feature film is an adaptation of entrepreneur and activist Denham Jolly’s memoir of the same name. In the Black focuses on Jolly’s journey from Jamaica to Canada, the enormous influence Jamaican political activist Marcus Garvey had on his life as well as Jolly’s fight to secure a licence for a Black-owned Toronto radio station, Flow 93.5. Experience the cinematic music event of the year featuring Oscar® and Grammy® Award winner and vocal powerhouse Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) as legendary singer Aretha Franklin in the inspiring true story “Respect,” available to own for the first time on Digital now and on Blu-ray™ and DVD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. https://youtu.be/qTtxoz3OIlU Friends and family of the eight young people who died and those of the hundreds who were injured at Travis Scott’s music festival in Houston are demanding that the rapper be held accountable for the tragedy, as his guest star Drake broke his silence to mourn the victims. Relatives on Monday were still coming to terms with the disaster, which saw victims aged from 14 to 27 crushed to death on Friday night as a sizable group of the 50,000 in attendance pushed toward the stage at NRG Park as a timer clicked down to the start of the performance. One woman, identified only as Rachel, was furious over the death of her friend Franco Patino, a 21-year-old from Illinois, studying at the University of Dayton in Ohio. ‘My friend is gone FOREVER because of Astroworld,’ she tweeted. ‘The anger I have over this is insane. Travis Scott is going to have to do a hell of a lot more than post a notes-app apology.’ A former Spanish Bishop has been accused of being “possessed” after he left the clergy to be in a relationship with an erotic fiction writer and began working at a company that exports pig semen. Xavier Novell, the ex-Bishop emeritus of Solsona, made headlines in September after Spanish media reported that he had fallen for Silvia Caballol, a psychologist and erotic novelist. Caballol has authored the books “The Hell of Gabriel’s Lust” and the “Amnesia Trilogy,” the Amazon summary of which includes the question: “What happens when attraction is stronger than any code of ethics or social norms?” Novell was widely considered a rising figure within the Spanish Catholic Church, where he performed exorcisms, according to the Spanish media. He also promoted (and reportedly underwent) harmful “gay conversion” therapy described by victims as “aggressive and destructive.” After resigning, Novell disappeared from public view and has not appeared in the media. Authorities in Minnesota have filed murder charges against two men — a father and son — for their alleged roles in the shooting death of 12-year-old London Bean. Online records accessed by PEOPLE confirm that Jeremiah Marquise Grady, 18, was charged late last month with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with London’s killing. The alleged shooter’s father, 40-year-old Letterance Demont Grady, was subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of aiding an offender to avoid arrest. Criminal complaints obtained by the Star Tribune allege that Jeremiah Grady fired the shots that killed London on Sept. 8, and that his father, Letterance Grady, drove his son to and from the scene of the violence. The younger Grady turned himself in late last month, and his dad was arrested on Nov. 4, the paper reports. Both remain in police custody, and neither defendant has entered pleas to the charges against them. Jurors were shown graphic, closeup police photos Monday of the gunshot wounds that killed Ahmaud Arbery, while the first officer to find the 25-year-old Black man bleeding in the road testified he did not try to render medical aid because it would not have been safe. Three white men are on trial for murder and other crimes in the slaying of Arbery, who was chased and shot Feb. 23, 2020, after he was spotted running in a neighborhood just outside the port city of Brunswick. Glynn County police Sgt. Sheila Ramos walked the jury through dozens of crime scene photos she took about an hour after the shooting. Several jurors could be seen squirming as Ramos showed Arbery’s body lying in the street under a bloodstained covering. Other images showed closeup views of the gunshot wounds to his wrist as well as grievous injuries to his chest and underneath one of his arms. A suspected serial killer linked to six recent homicides in Missouri and Kansas was busted by authorities on a federal weapons charge on Friday, a report said. Perez Reed, 25, has not yet been charged in any of the slayings — but at least one prosecutor is already preparing to bring a murder charge after he was arrested with the gun allegedly used in all the crimes, sources told KSDK-TV. The killings took place between September and late October in St. Louis, the surrounding area and Kansas City, Kansas, the report said. Most of the victims were women — some of whom were sex workers, the report said. The victims ranged in age from 16 to 49. Amy Grant was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame as the Classes of 2020 and 2021 were officially honored during a 50th and 51st Anniversary Hall of Fame Gala earlier this month. Induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is one of the nation’s highest songwriting achievements. The Hall of Fame has celebrated some of the greatest songwriters in Nashville since 1970. To honor her induction, Grant’s husband Vince Gill took the stage to perform her song “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song),” and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Gretchen Peters presented Grant with the honor. Dionne Warwick stole the show this weekend on Saturday Night Live… and it was technically her show to begin with. The six-time Grammy Award winner, 80, made a surprise appearance Saturday on the recurring sketch The Dionne Warwick Talk Show, in which cast member Ego Nwodim impersonates the iconic singer as the host of her own talk show. https://youtu.be/UHQbl3byYiY Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Lecrae, drops the first episode of his new six-part original web series, “Protect The Bag” today on his YouTube channel to provide fans and viewers with a blueprint for building a financial legacy. The weekly “edutainment” episodes are produced in partnership with Experian, a leading information services company, and Lecrae’s production company, 3 Strand Films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_2lH-9rrG8 Kirk Franklin's A GOSPEL CHRISTMAS is the story of Olivia (Demetria McKinney), a young assistant pastor, getting assigned to be a lead pastor at a new church a month before Christmas, she’s fearful she can't manage the transition, including getting the choir ready to open the town's annual Winter Jamboree. Banding together with her new congregation, Olivia discovers a new home for herself, and even finds a little Christmas romance along the way! Featuring a special appearance and songs written and arranged by Kirk Franklin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1UEacWLFtk Recently formed in 2021 under the direction of Lead Pastor Jeffrey Smith and Creative/Musical Director Richard T. Davis, Stronger Life Music releases their Freshman Album "Waves." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm5Vt2wNsvE TV One 's new series, Life Therapy with AJ Johnson airs tonight, November 9 at 10:00PM ET/9C. This is a must-see life-coaching series shares an intimate look at the stories of individuals' exposing their internal struggles in search of healing. Along with trained mental health professionals, Johnson taps into her natural instinct of nurturing people's suffering to exude positivity in a genuine approach to improve individuals' lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ6LyckPAQw&feature=youtu.be The second season of “Games People Play” kicked off on Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray “Games Divas Play,” “Games People Play” is a sexy, stylized one-hour drama about the L.A. high life, featuring a cast of characters where everyone plays to win, including a basketball player navigating both his equally rocky personal life and NBA career, a newly appointed team marketing executive who’s got a lot to prove, a tenacious journalist desperately seeking the truth and a struggling actress with a scandalous past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znVnyNWwCm8 Students at Howard University have reportedly taken over the Blackburn Center, where many are camping outside until the mold and rodent problem is addressed at the dorms. Howard University reportedly has a mold problem that many students are speaking out about. Mold has been identified in at least 38 dorm rooms out of 2,700 total rooms on campus, per NBC News. Students have reported to the university and shared on social media mold in the dorms, Wi-Fi connection problems, dining halls infested with rats and roaches. While many students claim the administration has been unresponsive, Howard University dean and former actress Phylicia Rashad claims that is not the case. A video of “The Cosby Show” alum surfaced over the weekend showing her with her sister Debbie Allen and commenting on the Blackburn Takeover sit-in protest that is currently happening on campus. https://twitter.com/i/status/1456717461429133317 Viola Davis is set to play former First Lady Michelle Obama in the anthology series titled “First Ladies” at Showtime, and now we have a first look. Per CNN, the first season of “The First Lady” will “peel back the curtain on the personal and political lives of these enigmatic women,” according to Showtime, and will revolve around famous First Ladies Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Ford. https://ew.com/tv/the-first-lady-first-look-viola-davis-gillian-anderson-michelle-pfeiffer/?utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweekly&utm_content=new&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_term=618958bd7ef03c00011cca3e Lionsgate is reportedly exploring plans to sell the Starz network, and 50 Cent is not too pleased by this news. The rapper and entrepreneur posted a screengrab of the news story on Instagram and noted that much of the network’s success is due to his two hit shows. “WTF is this, ?????No Raising Kanan, No BMF, what do you think made their stock jump,” 50 shared with his followers. “I gave them two hits back to back Smh ?these people be crazy, smart as hell but no common sense.” The mogul then proclaimed “I’m gonna look into buying the STARZ network.” https://www.instagram.com/50cent/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3cee6006-66d4-4488-a40a-52cdb9a748ab Singer and rapper Missy Elliot has been immortalized in the Hollywood Walk of Fame with her very own star. The music icon appeared at the ceremony Monday (Nov. 8) on Hollywood Boulevard in front of Amoeba Music. As reported by Vibe, the City of Los Angeles declared Nov. 8 “Missy Elliott Day” as the Virginia native received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Missy was joined by her longtime manager, Mona Scott-Young, and fellow artists Ciara and Lizzo. Chicago acclaimed rapper, Nia Kay’s music video for new single “Ignored” was featured last week on BET Jams Fresh Face Friday and landed herself on the #2 position. This news follows Nia’s summer buzzworthy single “Real” featuring Asian Doll, a cut that was as real as its title has really set the path for hopeful success for the budding rapper. https://www.youtube.com/NiaKay Days after performing at Astroworld on Friday, Drake has issued a statement on the tragedy that left eight dead and hundreds injured. “I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy. I hate resorting to this platform to express as emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself. My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering,” said Drake in the statement. He adds, “I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can. May God be with you all.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1457157853433810950 After just three years of matrimony, Stevie j and Faith Evans are done. On Monday Stevie j filed divorce docs in Los Angeles County Superior Court according to online records. Stevie and Faith got hitched in Las Vegas in July 2018, tying the knot with an intimate ceremony in their hotel room. The wedding totally blindsided their friends and family. Stevie and Faith did not have any children together … and it’s unclear at this time if there was a prenup. GSN-Attorneys for Los Angeles County are seeking Vanessa Bryant’s therapy records as part of her lawsuit over the circulation of photos of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash site. Bryant claims the leak among sheriff’s deputies and others caused her emotional distress, but the County ain’t buying it since the images were not publicly released. As reported by ABC 7: “In documents filed in Los Angeles federal court late Friday, the county argues that the request is necessary to defend itself from the lawsuit and to show that Bryant did not actually suffer from the circulation of photos taken at the site of the crash last year that killed the NBA legend, the couple’s 13-year-old daughter and seven others,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/dzowI4YoDWQ ComplexCon is a curated festival featuring brands, performances, and streetwear lines that are creating heat and trends in pop culture made its return to Long Beach over the weekend. The two-day fair and open marketplace featured Adidas, CoinBase, Hypland, and Netflix, performances from ASAP Rocky, Lil Yachty, and a Rihanna sighting. In addition, the event offers exclusive fashion collaborations, exclusive sneakers, NFT battles, and other unique merch. In 2014 Cardi B famously proclaimed that a hoe never gets cold, saying“ it’s cold outside but I’m still looking like a thottie — because a hoe never gets cold.” Researchers decided to test her claim and have confirmed it to be true in a scientific study titled, “When looking ‘hot’ means not feeling cold: Evidence that self-objectification inhibits feelings of being cold.” The study was published in the British Journal of Social Psychology in August. “This study tested self-objectification as a mechanism responsible for the muted awareness of bodily sensation demonstrated by Geordie girls and canonized by a quote from the iconic rapper Cardi B — ‘a ho never gets cold,’” the report stated. Jeff Bezos issues jokey Twitter death threat to Leo DiCaprio after his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez was caught ‘thirsting’ over him at gala event. The couple rubbed elbows with DiCaprio on Saturday night at the 10th Annual Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Art and Film Gala. The Oscar winner was one of the co-chairs of the star-studded event, which was sponsored by Gucci. DiCaprio, 46, seemed to make quite the impression on Sanchez, 51, who was visibly besotted with him, despite standing next to Bezos, 57. Twitter user @2cooI2blog posted footage of Sanchez cozying up to the Once Upon A Time in Hollywood star, and the post swiftly went viral. In a pre-emptive situation, MGM has secured a deal for the feature film project Jim Jones, with Leonardo DiCaprio in final talks to star as the 1970s religious cult leader who was behind the mass-Jonestown suicide on November 18, 1978 that took more than 900 lives. The Oscar winner will produce for his Appian Way company alongside Jennifer Davisson. MGM scooped up the Scott Rosenberg-penned script in what we hear was a seven-figure deal. The Venom scribe will also executive produce Jim Jones. Jones founded the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis in 1955, and hailed it as a fully integrated congregation promoting Christian Socialism. By the 1970s he openly rejected traditional Christianity and claimed that he was God. He constructed Jonestown in Guyana in 1974 and spurred a following to live with him there as he touted a socialist paradise free from U.S. government oppression. Amid rumors of human rights abuses, the U.S. government sent a delegation led by U.S. Representative Leo Ryan in November 1978. Ryan along with four other Jonestown defectors would eventually be gunned down by Jones’ followers. Following the shooting, Jones orchestrated a mass murder-suicide of his followers, which took 918 commune members, 304 of them children, in an act that entailed drinking Flavor Aid laced with cyanide. Once Abhimanyu Mishra and his father bought one-way tickets to get them from Englishtown, N.J. to Budapest, there was no turning back. The pandemic was still raging, but that tiny pathogen didn’t stop the countdown clock separating a 12-year-old boy known as Abhi from history. Mishra was on a mission to become the youngest ever chess grandmaster. “It was very scary and we knew it was a big risk,” Abhi said. “But we needed more tournaments. We had to try it. Former Mets relief pitcher Pedro Feliciano died in his sleep on Sunday night, according to ESPN’s Eduardo Perez. Feliciano, 45, had a nine-year MLB career, all with the Mets. The left-hander was a native of Rio Pedras, Puerto Rico. He was drafted by the Dodgers in 1995 and floated through systems in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, New York and Japan before landing with the Mets for a third time in 2006. After making the team out of spring training, Feliciano became a key lefty specialist for the team, leading the majors in games pitched in 2008 with 86. He ranks second in franchise history in games pitched with 459, behind John Franco. GSN-NFL Week 9 scores: Indianapolis Colts – 45 > New York Jets – 30 New York Giants – 23 > Las Vegas Raiders – 16 Atlanta Falcons – 27 > New York Giants – 25 Jacksonville Jaguars – 9 > Buffalo Bills – 6 Cleveland Browns – 41 > Cincinnati Bengals – 16 New England – 24 > Carolina Panthers – 6 Denver Broncos – 30 > Dallas Cowboys – 16 Baltimore Ravens – 34 > Minnesota Vikings – 31 Miami Dolphins – 17 > Houston Texans – 9 Los Angeles Chargers – 27 > Philadelphia Eagles – 24 Kansas City Chiefs – 13 > Green Bay Packers – 7 Arizona Cardinals – 31 > San Francisco 49ers – 17 Tennessee Titans – 28 > Los Angeles Rams – 16 Pittsburgh Steelers – 29 > Chicago Bears – 27 Congressional leaders and advocates joined together demanding tech companies take action on Spanish-language disinformation. According to a panel of expert researchers, rampant false information on Facebook and other major platforms persist as similar information in English is removed. Convened by the tech and civil rights organization Free Press, legislators and advocates gathered last Wednesday to lay out the current state of disinformation as it pertains to Spanish language content. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan pointed out that platforms spend more resources rooting out misinformation in English but often overlook the same false information in Spanish. He also called out the ways in which trust, a foundational principle of democracy, has been under attack. On Nov. 5, The Biden administration successfully passed their long-awaited infrastructure bill. The 78-year-old president gushed about the big victory after the $1.2 trillion piece of legislation passed through the House with a 228-206 vote. Biden has the Congressional Black Caucus to thank for the final push. Black lawmakers negotiated with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to sign off on the bill to pour trillions of dollars into damaged roads, bridges, tunnels, and transit. Initially, Democrats were steadfast in their decision to pass the infrastructure bill and the president social welfare and climate change proposal estimated at $1.85 trillion. Still, the idea was shot down by House officials. Black Caucus members pushed for Pelosi to pass the bill immediately and then hold a vote for the larger climate bill hopefully come mid-November, The New York Times noted. The mutual-aid organization, For The Gworls, recently launched a new effort to alleviate some of the barriers facing Black Transgender people. What started with a rent party in July 2019 has now turned into a holistic support program that recently expanded into offering gender-affirming wigs and spiritual consultations. “We understand the importance of expanding our offerings to provide Black trans people with services that help them feel comfortable with their gender expression,” said Asanni Armon, founder of For The Gworls, in a statement. “These new services act as an extension to the work we’re already doing, as physical wellness intimately intertwines with emotional and spiritual health.” Founded in 2019, For The Gworls has supported more than 300 requests for rental assistance and over 100 requests for medical funds. As of July 2021, the group has redistributed over $1.5 million in aid. Applications for support for affirmative surgery are expected to open in early 2022. Republican Winsome Sears, a gun-toting ex-marine, has been elected as Virginia’s new lieutenant governor. She made history by becoming the first woman and the first Black woman to serve in the position. I am at a loss for words for the first time in my life,” Sears said in an address to supporters on election night. “…What you are looking at is the American dream. The American dream.” Sears, 57, who was born in Jamaica, previously served in Virginia’s House of Delegates. CBS News writes: “she was the first Black Republican woman, first female veteran and first “legal immigrant” woman elected to that position, she says on her campaign website.” I am at a loss for words for the first time in my life,” Sears said in an address to supporters on election night. “…What you are looking at is the American dream. The American dream.” Sears, 57, who was born in Jamaica, previously served in Virginia’s House of Delegates. CBS News writes: “she was the first Black Republican woman, first female veteran and first “legal immigrant” woman elected to that position, she says on her campaign website.” Political pundit Jemele Hill tweeted on election night Tuesday that the victories by Republicans in the state, including Glenn Youngkin who defeated former Governor Terry McAuliffe, were wins for white supremacy. The Los Angeles police department allegedly targeted Nipsey Hussle’s The Marathon Clothing store before his death in 2019, labeling it a “hot spot” for crime. Hussle was fatally shot outside his store in Los Angeles in March 2019. According to reports, the suspected gunman, Eric Holder, became enraged when Nipsey talked back to him after he fired off two shots that hit the L.A. native. The L.A. County District Attorney charged Holder with 4 crimes, including premeditated murder. A Grand Jury indicted him on murder, 2 counts of attempted murder, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Additionally, the Grand Jury added 2 counts of assault with a firearm for the victims who were shot but survived. https://youtu.be/SF457Help0Q “Queens” star Eve is taking a break from the hit ABC series as she is going on maternity leave. The rapper announced last week that she is expecting her first child in February 2022. The singer-actress plays one of the leads on the new ABC drama, alongside Natuti Naughton, Nadine Velazquez, Brandy and Eve. We previously reported, the series per Deadline, tells the story of four estranged women who reunite to recapture their fame as a ’90s hip-hop group. Eve and her husband, Maximillion Cooper, both shared the news of her pregnancy via Instagram. Chris Pratt admitted in a Friday Instagram story that he woke up feeling ‘upset’ and ‘depressed’ after incurring backlash for a controversial Instagram post on Thursday November 4. The 42-year-old Guardians of the Galaxy star had sparked outrage with an early birthday post to his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, during which he thanked her for giving him a ‘healthy’ daughter which many saw as ‘ableist.”I went to bed last night really kind of upset and depressed and I woke up feeling crappy and I didn’t want to work out,’ Pratt said in excerpt. An Illinois mother was charged in the deaths of her five children on Wednesday after she allegedly left them unattended and they died in a house fire. Sabrina Dunigan, 34, was said to have left their apartment to pick up her boyfriend from work when the fire broke out on her birthday on August 6 at around 3am. Her children were identified as Deontae Davis, nine, twins Heaven and Neveah Dunigan, eight, Jabari Johnson, four, and Loy-el Dunigan, two. She was charged with five felony counts of endangering the life of a child resulting in death. The cause of the fire, however, has still not been determined. Democrats across Virginia expressed profound disappointment on Wednesday after Republicans romped to an unlikely victory in the governor’s race, an ominous sign for the Democratic Party ahead of next year’s midterm elections. But one group refused to be blamed for the party’s poor showing: Black voters and elected officials. Fears about Black turnout and a lack of enthusiasm did not materialize in Tuesday’s results, as former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, ran close to expected totals in the state’s majority-Black areas. Instead, Black state leaders and voters who backed Mr. McAuliffe said the results were a sign that the party could not rely on minority voters to cover its cratering totals in more white areas of the state, particularly in rural communities that voted heavily for Glenn Youngkin, the Republican businessman who won the governor’s race. “I believe that Black voters are easily the first target for when things don’t go for how they want it to go,” said Marcia Price, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates who won re-election. “It’s a trash take to look at us and not the middle,” she said. “The middle said Youngkin is more palatable than Trump and they were willing to take a chance with him.” Chloe Bailey is a force to be reckoned with. As she embarks on her solo career separate for her sister, Halle Bailey, the 23-year-old is without a doubt at the top of her game, having ruled the airwaves with her debut single, “Have Mercy,” and completely owning her confidence with it comes to showing off her beauty, body, and talent. Although she’s widely loved by many especially after her stamp of approval from Beyoncé herself, Chloe admits that this stage of her life could be described as “complicated” and sat down with Refinery29 to explain her struggles with self-love, imposter syndrome, and social media critics. “Some of the challenges that I’m navigating that no one really sees is that I’m still battling anxiety and I think I have imposter syndrome because no matter what I do, I feel like it’s never good enough,” she told the online publication. “I’m always trying to beat myself and outdo myself. If I can’t or if there’s like the slightest struggle, I tend to beat myself up.” Rutgers University has officially installed a new president. Jonathan Holloway is the first African American to hold the position in the school’s 250-year history. In his speech, Holloway said that Rutgers remains a work in progress and is never truly finished. “In my administration, I will continue to call upon our better spirits and present a new narrative about the university. One that points to the abundant excellence that is already here and the excellence that it can attain if we find ways to believe in ourselves,” Holloway said. The university Board of Governors appointed Holloway on Tuesday, but he has been in the position since July 2020. He had to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic while in his new role. What began as words of hope printed on the back of advertising flyers became a lifetime endeavor for Elise Ford Allen, founder of The Traveler Weekly newspaper. Allen died Nov. 3 at her home. She was 100 years old. Allen made history in 1966 by becoming the first Black woman to publish a newspaper in Peoria. The effort arose from her desire to fight discrimination and to lift up others. Her first editorial appeared on advertising flyers produced by the family’s printing company. Allen’s husband, James, ran the presses, and her 10 children distributed the flyers around the community. A building on the University of Alabama campus now bears the name of UA’s first Black faculty member. The building formerly known as A.B. Moore Hall, home of UA’s Department of Kinesiology, has officially been renamed Archie Wade Hall. Wade, who joined the UA faculty in 1970 and worked in the Department of Kinesiology for 30 years, said the Wednesday dedication ceremony represented “the peak of my association with the university.” “To look at the building where I worked for 30 years and to see it bear my name and my family’s name — there is no higher peak than that,” Wade said in a news release from UA. Wade earned his doctorate from UA and became a tenured professor. He was a founding member of the Black Faculty and Staff Association. He also contributed the integration of UA football on and off the field. In September 1964, Wade was one of three Black spectators to integrate the stands of Denny Stadium, which is now known as Bryant-Denny Stadium. Wade also helped legendary coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant recruit some of the first Black student-athletes to play for the Crimson Tide. Some residents of a Michigan community are calling for its treasurer to resign after she acknowledged referring to a Black official as a “boy.” A small group of people protested Thursday outside Mount Morris Township offices near Flint and 78 miles (125 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, MLive-The Flint Journal reported. Treasurer Gayle Armstrong told the newspaper she called township Chief Financial Officer Greg Eason a “boy” during a conversation with township Supervisor Jolena Sims, according to the newspaper. The word “boy,” when referring to Black men is considered derogatory. Armstrong, who is white, said it wasn’t meant as a racial slur. During an Oct. 11 township board meeting, Armstrong acknowledged using “boy” in reference to Eason. Armstrong said then that the comment reflected the way Sims uses Eason to carry out her directives and how Sims, who also is Black, treats him. Travis Scott has been hit by one of what is expected to be several lawsuits over the eight people who died Friday night at his Astroworld Festival in Houston. In the wake of the tragedy, the rapper/entrepreneur issued a statement: “I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” Travis said in the statement on Twitter. https://www.instagram.com/p/CV-0VP_Iwl_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kylie Jenner took to Instagram to defend Travis Scott, following the deaths of 8 people Friday night at his Astroworld Festival in Houston. “Travis and I are broken and devastated. My thoughts and prayers are with all who lost their lives, were injured or affected in any way by yesterday’s events,” Jenner said in a statement, Complex reports. Scott posted a video saying he would have stopped the show if only he had known how serious the situation was. He is offering to pay funeral costs for the families of the 8 people who passed away, TMZ reports. A father and son died in a freak accident while transporting bags of firecrackers to a family event on Thursday. As reported by the India Times, Kalainesan and his seven-year-old son Pradeesh were on their way to celebrate Diwali with family when both died in an explosion near the Puducherry-Tamil Nadu border. The two were traveling together on a motorbike and carrying bags of country-made firecrackers. Sadly, the fireworks exploded, killing both on the spot. https://twitter.com/i/status/1456320313726099460 Vin Diesel is ready to end his feud with Dwayne Johnson, and he’s calling on the former pro wrestler to return to the “Fast & Furious” franchise. Johnson and Diesel have been feuding since wrapping production of “The Fate of the Furious” in 2016. While filming, Johnson referred to several of his male co-stars as “candy asses.” Diesel wants to put their differences behind them, as he made clear in a Sunday Instagram post. “My little brother Dwayne … the time has come,” he wrote alongside a photo of himself with Johnson in Fast Five. “The world awaits the finale of Fast 10. As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes… but the time has come.” “Legacy awaits,” Diesel continued. “I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo. I swore that we would reach and manifest the best Fast in the finale that is 10! I say this out of love … but you must show up, do not leave the franchise idle you have a very important role to play.” https://www.instagram.com/vindiesel/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=aea6d09c-eb3e-4eb2-8527-cbc594a31318 The Apple TV Plus limited series “The Shrink Next Door” marks the onscreen reunion of Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd. Audiences that loved the duo in the hit comedy “Anchorman” are in for a different type of experience! This series is inspired by actual events and based on the podcast of the same name. https://youtu.be/HpbC72kXOsc Torrei Hart is telling people to calm down after a sarcastic comment she left on a heartwarming video had folks calling her, “bitter.” The Shade Room’s Instagram page shared video of a woman, Janelle Tinch, who gave her husband, Dre Tinch, his dream car for his 29th birthday, a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. Dre broke down in tears upon seeing the gift, which he eventually took for a test drive. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVzTrqNlItQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Coronji Calhoun Sr., the actor who at age 10 played the son of Halle Berry and Sean “Diddy” Combs in the 2001 film “Monster’s Ball,” died on Oct. 13 in Louisiana at age 31. Calhoun’s mother, Theresa Bailey, tells local news outlet 4WWL that the cause of death is congestive heart failure and problems with his lungs. Funeral arrangement are pending in St. Charles Parish for the New Sarpy, La. native. Bailey says her son did not have life insurance, so a GoFundMe account has been created. Calhoun was one of six children. He leaves behind a 10-year-old son and 13-year-old step-son. https://youtu.be/F7YC1TuKUao Silk Sonic, aka Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak – are back! If you thought “Leave the Door Open” was all that, their new jam, “Smokinn Out The Window” is guaranteed to have you rethinking things. https://youtu.be/ULjiI-jiqGs A weekend event featuring a b speech by George Zimmerman was cancelled by an Idaho hotel group after the company found out the man who murdered Florida teenager Trayvon Martin was set to be a headlining attraction at their venue. The gathering, billed as the Lethal Force Gun Laws 2021 Tactics & Strategies Conference, was suppose to start Friday and end on Monday at The Riverside Hotel in Boise. The Idaho Statesman released a statement that the hotelier scratched the event after learning about its “incendiary details” through social media. That report stated the hotel owners cited for its reason the “immense pain” Zimmerman caused its “guests, team-members and community” when he took the life of the unarmed Black teen in February of 2012. On Saturday, in the wake of the tragedy the Travis Scott‘s Astroworld festival, the rapper/entrepreneur issued a statement. “I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” the rapper said in the statement on Twitter. Scott went on to thank first responders and Houston’s NRG Park, where eight people were killed and dozens of others were injured at the event. https://www.instagram.com/laworion/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f6b25a62-a853-4c0a-872f-6787badd9618 Travis Scott shared his shock after eight people were crushed to death at his Houston concert on Friday – but the rapper has twice been convicted for encouraging fans to jump security barriers and rush the stage at previous concerts. Scott, born Jacques Bermon Webster II, posted an emotional video saying he was ‘devastated’ about the deaths at Houston’s Astroworld Fest on his Instagram Saturday. He added: ‘I can’t imagine anything like this happening.’ Police investigating a deadly crush that killed eight at a Travis Scott-headlined festival in Houston say a crazed man injected at least one person with opioids during the chaos. Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner made the shocking claim at a press conference Saturday after hours of rumors about the Astroworld Fest tragedy, after Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner revealed the victims were aged between 14 and 27. ‘One of the narratives was that some individual was injecting other people with drugs. We do have a report of a security officer, according to the medical staff that was out and treated him last night,’ Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner said at Saturday’s conference. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/11/06/7063776061798762843/636x382_MP4_7063776061798762843.mp4 Religious leaders and community members from Compton and surrounding areas came together for a press conference Wednesday following the killing of Compton pastor Reginald Moore. “We’re not going to hide,” said Dr. Michael J. Fisher, a pastor at Greater Zion Church Family. “We’re not going to live in fear and we as ministers, we’re not going to sit back and allow others to take care of our community.” 65-year-old Moore was walking to his car after bible study in late October near Compton Blvd. and Dwight Ave. when someone shot and killed him. Moore served at God of Christ Church for over 20 years. His family said his legacy and teachings will live on. Shawn Rhoden, bodybuilding star and former Mr. Olympia champion, has passed away at the age of 46 years old following a reported fatal heart attack. Rhoden was one of the biggest stars in bodybuilding, winning the Olympia in 2018 — the Super Bowl of bodybuilding competitions — defeating 7x Olympia champ, the legendary Phil Heath, who’d won 7 straight years. Interestingly, Shawn Rhoden’s reward/award for all the work he put in, came at age of Shawn was 43, making him the oldest to ever win the prestigious title. https://youtu.be/JEVbFoAt-Jo Award-winning Brazilian singer Marília Mendonça was killed in a plane crash along with four others after the private jet carrying the star, her producer and her uncle went down near a waterfall in southeastern Brazil on Friday. Just an hour before the deadly crash, Mendonça uploaded a video to Twitter and Instagram that showed her pulling her suitcase and carrying her guitar before she boarded the flight. Mendonça, 26, was on her way to a concert in the Minas Gerais city of Caratinga when the private aircraft crashed. Actress Paula Patton was a guest on SiriusXM Urban View’s “The Clay Cane Show” and spoke about her latest role in the BET+ series ‘Sacrifice’ and opened up about race and why she does not identify as biracial. https://youtu.be/m8EwonKT0Mg The first episode of the final season of HBO’s “Insecure” aired last month on October 24 where it focused on the strained relationship between Issa and Molly. At the end of the episode, it teased other upcoming story lines of the final season including Molly’s own strained relationship with her father played by legendary actor Gregg Daniel. https://youtu.be/kBb2Pbh20m4 In the latest episode of her AppleTV+ series The Oprah Conversation, Winfrey chops it up with Will Smith to discuss his upcoming memoir. While mentioning a paragraph in which Smith addressed his separation from Jada Pinkett Smith, whom he married back in 1997, the actor provided more clarity for those who believed the two were in an “open relationship.” “Ya know… It’s really funny… We didn’t… We never actually like officially separated,” Will, 53, finally replied. However, he explained that their relationship took a drastic turn following an argument during Jada’s 40th birthday. He had spent three years planning an elaborate party and apparently she hated the whole thing. Jay-Z went on the record defending his friend Dave Chappelle in the wake of backlash following his Netflix special The Closer. On Friday, in an audio conversation on Twitter, the 51-year-old rapper was asked about his thoughts on the 48-year-old comedian’s controversial stand-up show. ‘I think that Dave is super brave and super genius,’ he started out saying about the Half Baked star. And the music artist continued: ‘If you spend time with him, he’s brilliant and I think he pushed a lot of buttons. ‘I think that what happens with true art is it has to cause conversation and you know sometimes it’s going to be abrasive.’ When former Republican Representative from Oklahoma J.C. Watts decided to start a news channel many were pleasantly surprised at the realization that it was actually an earnest effort to air unbiased journalism from a black perspective. Now, all those positive vibes are in serious trouble with the report that the Black News Channel is having some trouble at the top and has just hired a team of independent consultants to steer leadership away from practices that have gotten them in a bad spot. According to sources, a top news executive has been suspended and three staffers have quit, reports Journal-isms. This comes on the heels of two terminated employees having filed a class action suit in Cook County (Ill.) Circuit Court claiming gender discrimination. “Women at Black News Channel are routinely paid less than men in equivalent positions, and forced to conform to sexist or misogynistic stereotypes about how women are supposed to behave,” Ashley Flete and Claudia Jean said in their Aug. 2 class action suit. “This action seeks to vindicate the rights of women employees at Black News Channel. Black Women Animate (BWA Studios) will host the second annual Black in Animation Awards Show. This initiative will continue to honor Black people in animation who have and currently are paving the way for this sector of the entertainment industry. This awards show will be the closing event for the fourth annual BWA Studios Boot Camp training event on November 14, 2021 at 5:00 PM PST / 8:00 PM EST. Attendees can watch the Black in Animation Awards Show virtually and can register to watch the show and participate in the BWA Studios Boot Camp through https://www.bwabootcamp.com/. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett disclosed that 2023 will be the year fans will see Ocean take the headliner spot for the annual music festival. The move will come three years after Ocean was among the entertainers slated to perform at the 2020 Coachella festival, which was postponed to October 2020 and April 2021 before it’s complete cancellation. Tollett took note of what he labeled a chaotic last year and a half, while telling the Times that fans deserve reassurance the “Thinking About You” vocalist’s appearance at Coachella will be a reality. https://youtu.be/fHKJCOgZY2Y Scotttie Pippen is on a national book tour to sell his memoirs “Unguarded,” which appears to be less about Scottie himself as a standalone individual and more about Scottie juxtaposed against Michael Jordan. Pippen has been upset ever since the ESPN docuseries “The Last Dance” aired and has been in the media lambasting is former teammate ever since. https://youtu.be/-if4-UIUWoA Allhiphop is reporting that Damon Dash will host and co-produce a 10-episode docu-series about the international growth of hip-hop called “Hip-Hop Invasion.” The deal is through a joint venture with 4Mat Factory, a Dutch broadcasting company. In a truly unique manner, the series will jump all over the world; from the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands through South Africa, China, Japan, Brazil and other countries across the globe. Police investigating a deadly crush that killed eight at a Travis Scott-headlined festival in Houston say a crazed man injected at least one person with opioids during the chaos. Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner made the shocking claim at a press conference Saturday after hours of rumors about the Astroworld Fest tragedy, after Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner revealed the victims were aged between 14 and 27. ‘One of the narratives was that some individual was injecting other people with drugs. We do have a report of a security officer, according to the medical staff that was out and treated him last night,’ Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner said at Saturday’s conference. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/11/06/7063776061798762843/636x382_MP4_7063776061798762843.mp4 Religious leaders and community members from Compton and surrounding areas came together for a press conference Wednesday following the killing of Compton pastor Reginald Moore. “We’re not going to hide,” said Dr. Michael J. Fisher, a pastor at Greater Zion Church Family. “We’re not going to live in fear and we as ministers, we’re not going to sit back and allow others to take care of our community.” 65-year-old Moore was walking to his car after bible study in late October near Compton Blvd. and Dwight Ave. when someone shot and killed him. Moore served at God of Christ Church for over 20 years. His family said his legacy and teachings will live on. Aaron Rodgers, suddenly the face of vaccine hesitation, no longer made much sense as the face of a medical clinic group that wants to encourage everyone to be vaccinated. Prevea Health, which is headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., dropped the Packers quarterback as a spokesman one day after Rodgers, on “The Pat McAfee Show,” ranted against the “woke mob” that has shamed him since it was learned he has refused the COVID-19 vaccine. “Prevea Health remains deeply committed to protecting its patients, staff, providers and communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” the health-care organization said in a statement released Saturday. “This includes encouraging and helping all eligible populations to become vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent the virus from further significantly impacting lives and livelihoods.” Screen grab from YouTube: @Harvester SportsOn a new episode of the Harvester Sports podcast, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback and outspoken Christian Derek Carr discusses his calling and his victory in Jesus. The QB says he thanks God “no matter what” and has “praised God through the hardest times in my life,” including when his firstborn son needed emergency surgeries in 2013. This season, in addition to facing off against NFL defenses, Carr is dealing with unexpected upheaval and leadership challenges. Last month, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden resigned in disgrace after offensive emails surfaced. And this week, the team released wide receiver Henry Ruggs III after he was arrested for allegedly killing a woman while driving drunk. David Carr, a former NFL quarterback himself, says although “life has thrown a lot” at his brother lately, Derek is “up to the challenge” because of “his strong Christian faith and life experiences.” At least eight people are dead after a crowd surge during the sold-out Astroworld music festival in Houston on Friday, the city’s fire chief said. A further 23 people were transported to the hospital after the crush, and 11 who were taken by ambulance were in cardiac arrest, officials said. They added that more than 300 people were treated throughout the event Friday at an on-site field hospital. Around 50,000 people were at the event at NRG Park, which was being put on by rapper and producer Travis Scott and kicked off Friday. The festival, which is in its third year, was expected to be a two-day event, but officials said that Saturday’s lineup had been canceled. https://youtu.be/hTSMMCKeGfg Travis Scott was filmed continuing to perform in between making calls for help after eight people were crushed to death and more than 300 were injured by a crush at Houston’s Astroworld Festival on Friday night. Distressing video showed an unconscious male concertgoer being rushed to a medical assistance area after he passed out in the crush, which happened after people surged towards the stage shortly after 9.15pm CST Friday night. At least 23 people were rushed to a hospital – 17 of which during the worst of the incident, including a 10-year-old, police said. The Houston Fire Department reported that 11 victims were in cardiac arrest and needed CPR. None of those killed or injured have been identified. Cops said 367 police officers and 241 security officers were working the event prior to the crush. The House approved President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill on Friday after months of Democratic infighting, clinching a major achievement for the president on a key part of his economic agenda. Over a dozen Republican lawmakers also lent crucial votes to pass it. The infrastructure vote was 228-206 with 13 Republican lawmakers joining House Democrats. Democrats were poised to approve a procedural rule for the social plan shortly after. The global death toll from COVID-19 topped 5 million on Monday, less than two years into a crisis that has not only devastated poor countries but also humbled wealthy ones with first-rate health care systems. Together, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Brazil — all upper-middle- or high-income countries — account for one-eighth of the world’s population but nearly half of all reported deaths. The U.S. alone has recorded over 745,000 lives lost, more than any other nation. “This is a defining moment in our lifetime,” said Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health. “What do we have to do to protect ourselves so we don’t get to another 5 million?” Talk show host and political commentator Candace Owens praised rapper Kanye West for being vocal regarding the issue of abortion on Friday night’s “Fox News Primetime,” adding that “this is something that he is very strong on and he’s actually very correct.” It is true that the Black population would be double what it is today if it wasn’t for abortion. It is true that Planned Parenthood was founded by a eugenicist, who did not want Black people to procreate. So, quite frankly, Margaret Sanger, she was a success story. She created Planned Parenthood, and she wanted to target people that she saw as not wanting to be reproduced in this society, and Black people were targeted. It has been successful, so Kanye West is right to continue to beat the drum and to draw attention to this issue. A Black man whom Louisiana State Police claim suffered fatal injuries in a minor car crash instead fell victim to factors that included a lengthy police restraint and officers’ blows to his head, according to an autopsy review ordered by the FBI into the 2019 death of that man, Ronald Greene. The autopsy, described for the Associated Press by a person who was not authorized to discuss the federal investigation and who spoke on the condition of anonymity, refocuses the investigation on the troopers involved while rejecting the claim by state police that Greene’s car crash led to his fatal injuries. Greene, 49, was pronounced dead at a hospital after medics who responded to the scene on May 10, 2019, found him unresponsive. His family initially was told he died in the car accident, according to The Washington Post. They have since filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The Raleigh Police Department fired a detective accused of planting fake heroin on a group of black men. Omar Abdullah, along with the city of Raleigh, were the subjects of a civil rights lawsuit filed back in April. The lawsuit accused officer Abdullah of falsely planting fake heroin on the men and then charging them with heroin trafficking. “Omar Abdullah was terminated from the Raleigh Police Department on Oct. 28, 2021,” Raleigh police said in a brief statement Monday. The plaintiffs faced more than seven years in prison and spent more than two years in jail before the charges were dismissed. The city later settled the lawsuit for $2 million. While Black boys bear most of the burden of minors who encounter police force, an investigation from the Marshall Project published Tuesday found that Black girls were involved in use-of-force incidents with police far more often than white girls. The investigation examined data from six large police departments and found that almost 4,000 children under the age of 17 from that data set experienced some form of police violence between 2015 and 2020. Of those people, about 800, or about 20 percent, were Black girls, compared to just 120, or roughly 3 percent, for white girls. Black boys accounted for more than 2,200 of the incidents. Many of the incidents analyzed in the investigation began with something minor, such as girls throwing candy or skipping school. Joseph B. Hill was four days from starting a new position as vice president, chief equity, diversity and inclusion officer at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, when he received an email that changed the trajectory of his career. The two-sentence note from Memorial Hermann’s human resources vice president, Lori Knowles, which was obtained by NBC News, read, “We regret to inform you that we are rescinding the offer of employment dated July 21, 2021. … We appreciate your interest in the position and wish you much success going forward.” “It was a shock, to say the least,” Hill said. “I was floored.” He said he was dumbfounded further when his lawyer, Mark Oberti of Houston, was told two weeks later over the phone the reasons Memorial Hermann invalidated its offer: that Hill “was not a good fit,” although he went through more than a dozen interviews over six weeks before he was offered the job. Hill said Oberti was also told by the company’s lawyer that it was uncomfortable with Hill inquiring about hiring staff to build his team; that Hill wanted a larger relocation budget; that he rented and charged a luxury car to the company; and that “I am too sensitive about race issues.” “The reasons they listed were just as shocking as rescinding the offer,” Hill said. Actress Halle Berry has been chosen as the ambassador for the 25th Annual American Black Film Festival, slate to run from Now through November 28. The Oscar-winner has been a vital support of ABFF for the better part of 25 years and even attended the first festival, so says ABFF president and CEO President Jeff Friday. Berry’s duties as ambassador include being active at several ABFF events and programs throughout the festival discussions in the ABFF’s talk series where she will discuss her career in the film industry, diversity in the industry and her future. Over 100 films will be screened at the American Black Film Festival and will be free to watch worldwide by way of the ABFF Play streaming platform. It will be the second year that ABFF will go virtual due to COVID. Tonight, Saturday, November 6, 2021, at 9:00 p.m. EST, SHOWTIME will premiere “ATTICA,” an in-depth and riveting documentary about the most violent and deadliest prison uprising in the history of America – perhaps the world. The documentary is produced and directed by Emmy-award-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson and co-produced and co-directed by Traci A. Curry. On the morning of September 9, 1971, Attica, a maximum-security level prison in upstate New York long known for its brutal conditions and inhumane treatment of prisoners – especially Black inmates – exploded when more than 1,200 prisoners took 39 prison guards as hostages. For four days, the inmates attempted to negotiate for more humane treatment and better prison conditions, while several hundred heavily armed law enforcement personnel stood vigilant outside of the prison and camped on rooftops overlooking the prison yard where the prisoners convened for four days. https://youtu.be/aElB8oEfbiU A Christian radio personality and financial advisor from Texas was given three life sentences with an additional 30 years on Monday for defrauding millions of dollars from his listeners. According to The Christian Post, William Neil “Doc” Gallagher, 80, pleaded guilty on Aug. 31 for bilking at least $23 million from more than 190 people, of which the majority were elderly Christians. In a press release on Monday, Lori Varnell, chief of the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Elder Financial Fraud team, described Gallagher as “one of the worst offenders I have seen.” Dallas rapper Yella Beezy has been arrested in Collin County. Markies Conway is being held on charges of endangering a child, unlawfully carrying a weapon, and an outstanding warrant for sexual assault. Plano police said his bond is $50,000 for a sexual assault charge, and the the investigation by the Plano Police Crimes Against Persons Unit remains ongoing. The 30-year-old was arrested Thursday, but no further details have been released at this time. Will Smith wants to share the man — and the father — behind his celebrity persona in his candid new memoir, Will. In this week’s issue, PEOPLE has an exclusive excerpt from the book, out Nov. 9, that details some of the actor’s hardest moments as a dad. Smith, 53, writes that he was devastated for his son Jaden, then 15, when their 2013 film After Earth was attacked by the press. “After Earth was an abysmal box office and critical failure,” the actor and singer writes. “And what was worse was that Jaden took the hit. Fans and the press were absolutely vicious; they said and printed things about Jaden that I refuse to repeat. Jaden had faithfully done everything that I’d instructed him to do, and I had coached him into the worst public mauling he’d ever experienced.” Smith was heartbroken when Jaden later asked about being emancipated. “We never discussed it, but I know he felt betrayed. He felt misled, and he lost his trust in my leadership,” Smith continues. “At fifteen years old, when Jaden asked about being an emancipated minor, my heart shattered. He ultimately decided against it, but it sucks to feel like you’ve hurt your kids.” A year before Tuesday’s deadly Las Vegas crash, disgraced Raiders star Henry Ruggs’ girlfriend filmed him gleefully speeding on a residential street in his brand-new custom Chevrolet Corvette as she repeatedly implored him to slow down and take her home. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/11/04/287203333249779499/1024x576_MP4_287203333249779499.mp4?_=1 Former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs is facing a lengthy stay in prison. Via TMZ, prosecutors have charged Ruggs with five crimes, four of which are felonies. He has been charged with DUI resulting in death, DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, and two counts of reckless driving, all of which are felonies. Ruggs also faces a misdemeanor charge of possessing a gun under the influence of alcohol. In all, he faces 46 years in prison. Prosecutors contend that Ruggs was driving his Corvette 156 miles per hour only two seconds before impacting, and that the car was moving at 127 mph when it struck the back of a Toyota RAV4, killing 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog. When Magic Johnson’s iconic basketball career was interrupted by a stunning HIV diagnosis three decades ago, the newlywed NBA legend had no idea how much time he had to live or how the virus would affect his wife and their unborn child. “You just sit there and say, what does this mean? Am I gonna die?'” he told “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King. Johnson, who remains HIV-undetectable to this day, opened up about living with the virus and his career in an exclusive interview for “CBS Mornings” nearly 30 years after he publicly announced his HIV diagnosis. Today, the Lakers star is a loving father and grandfather, a successful businessman, a philanthropist and the CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. He and Cookie have been together throughout this time, and neither she nor their son, Earvin Johnson III, have HIV. https://youtu.be/bZFX8N_u9Tw Kanye West has revealed that he still supports Donald Trump as he lashed out at the #MeToo Movement and said him and Kim Kardashian were ‘still’ married in a candid chat on Revolt TV’s Drink Champs on Thursday. ‘I’ve still got a red hat on today, I’ll let y’all know that,’ he said. ‘I might not got it on [at the moment] but I’ll let y’all know where I stand,’ he said. https://youtu.be/27NstO1qOJk Dionne Warwick will release her new single “Nothing’s Impossible” featuring Chance The Rapper through the label Kind Music Group on November 26th. The charities being supported by the single’s release are: SocialWorks, a Chicago- based non-profit that Chance founded to empower youth through the arts, education and civic engagement and Hunger: Not Impossible and Kind Music Academy, founded by Warwick and her son Damon Elliott. Hunger: Not Impossible is a text-based service connecting kids and their facilities in need with prepaid, nutritious, to-go meals from local restaurants. The Kind Music Academy offers a hands-on curriculum for kids to learn about music. https://youtu.be/nPPXVGt6H3w Jay-Z was ambushed on the street by a reporter this week and was an adorable encounter with 11-year-old online reporter Jazlyn from Bushwick, Brooklyn. With mic in hand, the tweener stepped to the rap mogul as he exited a building in New York City, and got her interview in on the sidewalk. https://www.today.com/video/jay-z-talks-to-11-year-old-reporter-125360709749 Keefe D, a reputed Southside Crip and uncle of the man many believe killed Tupac Shakur is spilling the tea. https://youtu.be/VV2Npd0GV14 Billy Porter has issued an apology to Harry Styles in regards to his comments regarding the singer’s Vogue cover. the Emmy-nominated “Pose” star criticized Vogue and Styles after he appeared on the December 2020 cover issue in a dress and made history as the first man to appear solo on the magazine cover. However, Porter did some self-reflection during his appearance on “The Late Show” and issued an apology to the singer for any criticism towards him. “The first thing I wanna say is, Harry Styles, I apologize to you for having your name in my mouth. It’s not about you. The conversation is not about you. The conversation is actually deeper than that,” he said. “It is about the systems of oppression and erasure of people of color who contribute to the culture.” https://youtu.be/YbD_LgHZoEI ”Love and Hip Hop: Miami” star Amara La Negra has announced she is expecting twins! The 31-year-old singer shared the exciting news on Instagram on Thursday along with the digital cover of her People En Espan~ol feature. “I’m Pregnant! I’m gonna be a Mom,” she captioned the post. “I’m Pregnant with Twins all Natural.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CV3e1QbAeDc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rapper Offset has been ordered to pay $950,000 in a lawsuit over a missing Bentley. Platinum Transportation Group in Los Angeles filed a lawsuit against the Georgia native over the luxury motor car, which he rented last year and never returned. According to legal documents, PTG executives claim they drew up a contract with Offset in May and rented him a 2020 Bentley Bentayga for a couple of days. At his request, the term was extended until late July. But early that month, Offset, 29, told PTG he didn’t know where the car was. He suggested it might have been stolen and he stopped making the rental payments after his lease was up on July 25. According to WENN.com, company bosses claim Offset failed to return the vehicle, and they filed a police report. A judge has now ordered the Migos member to pay for damages amounting to $950,027.35, after failing to respond to the lawsuit, per the report. Gladys Knight’s son, Shanga Hankerson, who’s also the former owner of the Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant in Atlanta, will now be spending time in a federal prison. He failed to remit payroll taxes, according to the US Attorney’s office. Hankerson, 45, was sentenced to serve two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $1,039,310.65, acting U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine said. Hankerson pleaded guilty July 21, reports the AJC. https://youtu.be/DawzEHWFi8A The funeral service for former Secretary of State Colin Powell is being held today at Washington’s National Cathedral. Powell was battling a rare blood cancer when he died last month at 84 from complications related to COVID-19. President Biden and first lady Jill Biden as well as former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama attended the services. https://youtu.be/9ra39V_VFJI Colin Powell’s widow Alma led mourners including Joe and Jill Biden, former presidents and the most prominent members of the political and military elite at his funeral on Friday following his death from COVID complications last month at age 84. Barack and Michelle Obama, George W. and Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton – without her husband Bill during his recovery from an infection – sat together in the front row for the Pentagon powerhouse’s ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, national security advisor Condoleeza Rice were also in attendance to pay tribute to the first black Secretary of State who served five administrations. The Powell’s children Linda and Michael Powell, their grandchildren and nieces and nephews followed the casket as it was carried to the front of the cathedral. Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) will soon get a huge gift on behalf of Bank of America. According to a press release, the banking institution has pledged $10 million to what is considered one of the leading private liberal arts Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the South. The funds are a part of Bank of America’s Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative in the Charlotte, NC region. It includes the company’s larger, $1.25 billion, five-year commitment to create more economic opportunities and push the advancement of racial equality within local communities. “Education is a gateway to a better life,” said Keith Cockrell, President of Bank of America Charlotte in an official statement. “Our long-term relationship with JCSU has set the foundation for this critical moment – a collective partnership among the public and private sectors working to eliminate existing barriers by providing unique opportunities to JCSU students. Together, we will grow a strong pipeline of the next generation of leaders in our area and beyond.” A Midlothian high school student was disciplined after a racist video, which included audio of a boy saying the N-word, was circulated on social media. In the video a boy is heard saying, “You think I care about what all those damn … have to say about me? … go back to Africa before I whip all of them.” Sheri Brezeale, communications director for the Midlothian school district, said the district was “swift with consequences” after being alerted of the video Monday. The district did not disclose which high school the student attends or the disciplinary measures taken, citing federal educational privacy laws. Midlothian ISD has two high schools, Midlothian High and Heritage. This is not the first racial controversy that the Midlothian district has faced. Louisiana‘s oldest college is celebrating its first lifetime appointment to a Black faculty member, and discussing why this racial milestone took nearly two centuries to accomplish. “I think that’s the million-dollar question. It’s something I know will be highlighted and discussed” at Centenary College of Louisiana’s event Thursday honoring the now-tenured associate professor Andia Augustin-Billy, college spokeswoman Kate Pedrotty said. Racism is why this took 196 years, said school archivist Chris Brown. “Structural and institutional and systemic racism has been present ever since the college was founded, largely by enslavers,” he said. This history is undeniable, but it’s also in the past, said Christopher Holoman, president of the Methodist-affiliated college in Shreveport. Influencer and meme queen Nenobia Washington, also known as “The Queen of Brooklyn,” has died. She was 38. New York City police officers responded to a building in Hamilton Heights, Manhattan around 7:40 p.m. on Saturday, NYPD spokesperson and detective Annette Shelton tells PEOPLE in a statement. “Upon arrival, a 38-year-old female was discovered unconscious and unresponsive in front of the location,” Shelton says. “EMS responded and transported the female to St. Luke’s Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.” David Jackson, the father of Washington’s son Tyeleck, has organized a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his funeral costs. Extra money will also be used to help him take care of their son. The deceased was identified as Washington. A cause of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner. The investigation is ongoing. Pop singer and professing Christian Justin Bieber and his wife, supermodel Haley Bieber, recently revealed on a podcast that they almost ended their marriage its first year. On Sunday’s episode of the In Good Faith with Chelsea & Judah Smith podcast, the Biebers told the Smiths about the rocky start to their marriage. Hailey, who married Justin in 2018, shared that her husband’s mental health struggles, which included him having “out of body experiences,” became so overwhelming for her that she thought about throwing in the towel on their marriage. The Cleveland Browns are working with Odell Beckham Jr.’s representatives to negotiate an agreement on terms under which they would release the wide receiver, the team announced Friday. “After careful consideration, internal discussions and conversations with Odell and his representation, we’ve determined that it is in the best interest of all parties involved that Odell no longer play for the Cleveland Browns,” said Browns GM Andrew Berry in a statement. “We appreciate all his efforts and contributions while in Cleveland, but we’ve just reached a point where it is best that we move forward as a team without Odell. We are finalizing the process of granting Odell his release and we wish him well as he continues his career.” The Browns are converting Beckham’s base salary into signing bonus to lower his cap number in an attempt to save money, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Georgia has indefinitely suspended starting linebacker Adam Anderson, who has been accused of raping a woman, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Anderson, a senior from Rome, Georgia, has not been arrested and denied the allegation through his attorney. According to an Athens-Clarke County Police Department incident report, a 21-year-old woman told police that she went to a house in Athens, Georgia, between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Friday. After having drinks, the woman said, she woke up while Anderson was raping her. She reported it to police later that day. Anderson played in Georgia’s 34-7 victory over Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday. “The investigation is still ongoing,” Athens-Clarke County Police lieutenant Shaun Barnett told ESPN. “No arrest or final determination, either way, has been made.” ESPN published an explosive piece on Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver, detailing his racist and misogynist antics throughout his 17-year tenure. The outlet spoke to more than 70 current and former Phoenix Suns employees who “revealed accusations of racism and misogyny against owner Robert Sarver,” ESPN tweeted on Nov. 4. per CBS, highlights from the ESPN report: Sarver repeatedly said the N-word in the coaches room after a loss against the Golden State Warriors in 2016, complaining that Draymond Green, who is Black, said it during the game. Then-coach Earl Watson told him, “You can’t f—ing say that.” At least six Suns employees described Sarver saying the N-word aloud when repeating something a Black player had said. In telling a Suns employee that he wanted to hire Lindsey Hunter, who is Black, instead of Dan Majerle, who is white, as coach in 2013, Sarver said, “These [N-words] need a [N-word],” according to an executive who heard the conversation. As the Suns tried to sign LaMarcus Aldridge in 2015, they knew that he would like to play near his children in Texas. Sarver said then that they needed to get Phoenix-area strippers pregnant with NBA-player children so the team could have an edge in recruiting. “A lot of the stuff he says is to get a big reaction,” a former employee said. “And who’s going to tell him that he can’t? He speaks in threats. He likes that awkwardness. He likes people to know that he’s in charge. He wants control. He wants control of every situation and every person.” A Houston mom has been left heartbroken after her special needs son was allegedly killed by another inmate at the Harris County Jail. Nineteen-year-old Fred Harris died at a Houston hospital after the attack, according to Randall Kallinen, the family’s attorney. He said Fred, who weighed 98 pounds, was stabbed, kicked in the head and beaten by a 240-pound inmate on Oct. 29. Kallinen said 25-year-old Michael Paul Ownby also bashed the victim’s head against the concrete floor. Ownby, who has a criminal history that includes violence against a family member, reportedly assaulted a guard at the jail the day before Fred’s death. Ownby has been charged with aggravated assault with severe bodily injury after the incident. https://youtu.be/4gj5bD7zZUA Former Raiders wide receiver #HenryRuggsIII was charged after a woman and her dog were killed after he slammed his Corvette into the back of her Toyota. Now footage from the crash scene has been released. https://www.instagram.com/p/CV2-QOppeuv/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=900c27e8-0bb8-49e5-ba62-6ad4e77ea67f Stephen A. Smith and Jay Williams insist they are friends, and that their intense arguments are not personal. With that in mind, the two have gone viral yet again over a second heated discussion related to Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine … this time, with an Aaron Rodgers twist. https://youtu.be/7mWUc5dwvj8 Last year Ayo Davis was appointed to the role of executive vice president of creative development and strategy. It has been recently announced that Davis has been promoted again, this time to president of Disney Branded Television. She will replace Gary Marsh, who gave her the promotion last year and is now stepping down to start his own production company after securing a deal with Disney General Entertainment to produce content for Disney’s streaming platforms. The Dillard University graduate will replace Gary Marsh after 33 years at Disney. https://youtu.be/PuNuVVq8_xQ Kanye West (who has officially changed his name to Ye) hit up this week’s episode of the “Drink Champs” podcast co-hosted by N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN, where he made time to diss rapper Big Sean and singer John Legend. He said that signing Big Sean was “the worst thing I’ve ever done.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1456454721154297859 Tyrese is speaking out after it was revealed by SandraRose.com, that he has filed a motion to block “unreasonable” demands by his estranged wife Samantha Lee Gibson, which includes paying her allegedly exorbitant attorney fees. In addition to that, she’s also petitioning the court to provide $20K a month in child support for their 3-year-old daughter, Soraya Gibson. According to her motion, Samantha allegedly claimed that the singer/actor kicked her and their minor child out of his $4 million Buckhead mansion “and then changed the locks.” It was said that Tyrese eventually changed the locks on the residence in September 2020 when it became clear to him that Samantha “had abandoned the residence and absconded with the parties’ minor child.” The site reports that she now has three attorneys to help fight her case and is running up a huge legal tab that Tyrese will reportedly be on the hook for. On Thursday, a clip suddenly surfaced online showing Joe Budden in Episode 485 of his popular podcast saying in no uncertain terms: “I’m bisexual. How do I spread this news? How do I spread the word? Listen, I like guys and girls. Spread the word. I’m down.” https://youtu.be/5W2FYr_NH9w Rudy Currence is no stranger to Gospel Music as a GRAMMY nominated songwriter and a Dove Award winning producer with a #1 Billboard Gospel radio single to his credit. Chrisette Michele, herself a GRAMMY winner, is a new voice to the Gospel airwaves, but together they’re lifting their voices to celebrate the ‘most high.’ “No Greater Love,” a GRAMMY entry this year, appears on the first round ballot and is available wherever digital music is available. https://youtu.be/TFa3T1dmvxQ Norman Gyamfi of The ICHO Group (Columbia, SC), and Matt M. Higgins of Doxology Creative (Savannah, GA), have merged their respective enterprises to create a dynamic new creative agency. This merge of talent will assume the Doxology Creative name, and the new 20+ member team is stacked and ready to usher in the next creative renaissance. The merger creates a resume with clients including, Netflix, Lifetime, BET, TV One, McDonalds, Google, TRIBL Records, and Bethel Music; this agency specializes in building brands and experiences that drive culture and empower their community. Doxology Creative will provide its clients with marketing, brand strategy and identity, content creation, and long-term consultation and creative services. https://vimeo.com/642066406 In just a short time, this media influencer and celebrated life catalyst has admonished people from all walks of life to follow their passions and dream BIG, that was followed with the 'nu school" hymn of affirmation and actualization I Got It, today the 2021 Stellar Awards Artist of the Year echoes his awe inspiring Stellar Awards performance with the release of AMAZING. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8096502?date=20210730&user_id=668306&signature=WTShWXX_J9yJsgAha7dO7kcYMPA%3AzcgLi7ZA The Lifetime original movie Highway to Heaven, starring Grammy® Award winner Jill Scott and Barry Watson, is set to premiere this Saturday, November 6 at 8/7c. A “first look” trailer for the film has been released by the network in anticipation of the upcoming premiere. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpI9fZFY2Ng In the short time since he’s been creating music professionally, Hulvey, has gone from sliding into Reach Records’ DMs with demo songs to recently being nominated for the 2021 Dove Awards for his song “Reasons” feat multi-Grammy award winning artist & Reach Records Press, Lecrae, and SVRCINA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imlt9qozNNk Shaquille O’Neal has revealed that he encourages his sons to create their own wealth rather than expect freebies and handouts from their rich father. In a recent interview with the New York Post, O’Neal said his kids have to earn his financial support. “There is a rule: education. I don’t care if they play basketball or not. I would like one of my kids to be a doctor, hedge fund owner, pharmacist, lawyer, business owner, someone to take over my business. But I tell them that I am not going to give it to them. They have to earn it,” Shaq explained. O’Neal’s stance has angered his sons, he says. “I am not going to give you anything,” the NBA icon reiterated. Jay-Z joined Instagram on Wednesday to promote the new Netflix western “The Harder They Fall,” but his account was deactivated a day later after a single post. The “hip-hop mogul quickly amassed more than 2 million followers in just about 12 hours on the platform, and he followed only one person: his wife Beyonce. https://youtu.be/Poc55U2RPMw The jury that will weigh the case of three white men accused of killing Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery is comprised of 11 white people and one lone Black person. The term “1 Black” was even a trending topic Thursday morning on Twitter. Prosecutors in the case blame defense attorneys for rejecting Black jurors, according to The New York Times. Lee Merritt, an attorney for Arbery’s family, tweeted Wednesday that the defense team had 24 strikes, 11 of whom were directed at Black people who might otherwise have been placed on the jury. After hearing the argument, the judge presiding over the case decided the jury would be seated as is. “This court has found that there appears to be intentional discrimination,” Judge Timothy Walmsley said of the defense’s jury selection on Wednesday, per CNN. But he said he would still allow the jury to be seated, saying the discrimination “doesn’t mean the court has the authority to reseat simply because we have this prima facie case.” https://youtu.be/m0XQqkVxGhU New Yorkers chose Democrat Eric Adams, a former New York Police Department captain, to become the city’s second Black Mayor in a landslide election that offered little surprise given that Republicans are outnumbered by a margin of about 7 to 1. Adams, who is currently the Brooklyn borough president and a former state senator, will take the reins from Bill de Blasio, whose second term was mired in the effects of the pandemic, historic job losses, skyrocketing housing prices and rental rates, extreme income inequality, and a broke transportation system. Throughout the race, the 61-year-old branded himself as the blue-collar mayor, gaining the approval of home owning voters across the five boroughs. As concerns grow over racial bias in artificial intelligence, Black Lives Matter (BLM) co-founder Opal Tometi urged the tech sector to act fast against perpetuating racism in systems such as facial recognition. Artificial intelligence is transforming the world and can be applied in diverse sectors, from improving the early detection of diseases to sorting out data and solving complex problems, but there are also concerns around it. “A lot of the algorithms, a lot of the data is racist,” U.S. activist Tometi, who co-founded BLM in 2013, told Reuters on the sidelines of Lisbon’s Web Summit. “We need tech to truly understand every way it (racism) shows up in the technologies they are developing,” she said. The tech industry has faced a reckoning over the past few years over the ethics of AI technologies, with critics saying such systems could compromise privacy, target marginalised groups and normalise intrusive surveillance. Some tech companies have acknowledged that some AI-driven facial recognition systems, which are popular among retailers and hospitals for security purposes, could be flawed. Kenneth Sharpton Glasgow, a Dothan minister and half-brother of the Rev. Al Sharpton, pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday following his indictment on federal drug charges. Glasgow, 56, was charged in Dothan federal court on one count of conspiracy to distribute drugs amid allegations he and another, unnamed suspect distributed cocaine, WDHN reported. Court records showed that Glasgow’s case had originally been under seal. A judge removed the seal Wednesday, but records were not yet publicly available. Glasgow, a prisoners’ rights activist and the half-brother of civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday. The Dothan pastor had previous legal troubles, including an arrest on capital murder charges in 2018 in the death of Breunia Jennings, 23, who was shot in the head in Dothan. Above all else, Kevin Durant wants to win. And while Kyrie Irving’s decision to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine has complicated that goal—the Brooklyn Nets banned the mercurial point guard from participating in any games or practices this season until he gets the jab—KD still has every intention of winning his 3rd NBA championship this season with or without the seven-time All-Star. But if he could have it his way, as he explained to reporters per ESPN, “none of this stuff would happen.” “Definitely want Kyrie to be around,” he told reporters on Thursday. “I wish none of this stuff would happen, but this is the situation that we are in. Kyrie made his decision on what he wanted to do and he chose to do what he wanted to do, and the team did the same. History was made in the Manhattan District Attorney’s race Tuesday as Democrat Alvin Bragg became the first Black man elected to that office. He defeated Republican opponent Thomas Kenniff. Bragg was celebrating Tuesday night with supporters in Harlem, the community he calls home. He told CBS2’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas he hopes to use his lived experience coupled with his 20-year career to inform his policies. https://cbsloc.al/3mBYLbZ Cities across the United States elected their first Black mayors in elections on Tuesday. Black candidates in Pittsburgh, Kansas City and St. Petersburg, Fla., rose to victory on Tuesday while making history as the cities’ first Black mayors. Pittsburgh elected state Rep. Ed Gainey (D) by a large margin, defeating Republican Tony Moreno. Gainey also beat fellow Democrat Mayor Bill Peduto in the May primary. Gainey said he decided to run for office after the 2020 death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a police officer, sparking racial justice protests around the country. “I was thinking this is the greatest time to build a bridge between yesterday and today, the greatest time to talk about why we need to be diverse, why we need to keep our real estate affordable and why we need to be safe,” Gainey had told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Kansas City elected former deputy police chief Tyrone Garner, defeating the one-term incumbent Mayor David Alvey (R), local station KCUR reported. Last week, rising designer Autumn Adeigbo called out Jeffrey Campbell for knocking off her fall ’21 shoe design that had yet to hit stores. As part of her new collection, Adeigbo, a Black female entrepreneur, designed an ankle-strap clog that included her signature mixed-match crystal buckles. Then, a similar-looking style from Jeffrey Campbell was made available at retailers, including Nordstrom. “For an established company like Jeffrey Campbell to knock off a still small, Black woman-owned brand, made their ‘commitment to Black lives and an equal future for all’ seem like lip service,” Adeigbo told Diet Prada. “They could have asked me for a collab. Why steal my design and ‘fast fashion’ it into stores before my own production run lands on shelves?” After the situation came to light on Diet Prada’s Instagram, Nordstrom — which carries Adeigbo accessories — removed the product. “When we learned about this situation, we immediately returned any remaining product. We have reached out to Autumn directly,” a Nordstrom spokesperson told FN. “We respect independent creativity and are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive retail experience.” Adeigbo also said Jeffrey Campbell reached out to begin a conversation while pulling the style from stores. NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya clashed with the hosts of “The View” during her two-day stint as the conservative guest host. As reported by The Daily Beast, she defended anti-vaxxers and sparred with Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin about critical race theory. She even caught some heat from the audience for criticizing former NFLer Colin Kaepernick and his new Netflix series “Colin in Black & White.” In “Colin in Black & White,” Kap compares the NFL’s scouting process to modern-day slave auctions. https://twitter.com/i/status/1455919144352862212 Republican Winsome Sears, a gun-toting ex-marine, was elected as Virginia’s new lieutenant governor on Tuesday. She made history by becoming the first woman and the first Black woman to serve in the position. “I am at a loss for words for the first time in my life,” Sears said in an address to supporters on election night. “…What you are looking at is the American dream. The American dream.” https://youtu.be/K-YUYX33VsM Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz take fans inside their luxurious La Jolla, Calif. mansion for the latest issue of Architectural Digest. The couple purchased the home in La Jolla in 2019 and have since worked with designer Kelly Behun to make the 11,000 square-foot property their own, filled with their tastes and important details from their life (like the grand piano Keys was given when she signed to Columbia Records at 16). Per the report, the home offers views of the Pacific Ocean and its design, which Cunningham tells AD is “a sculpture.” https://www.instagram.com/archdigest/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3e044252-a416-4246-8b35-5a5e405a81b5 In a TikTok from the Australian show “Big Brother VIP,” Omarosa Manigault Newman continued the about-face regarding her one-time devotion to Donald Trump, this time saying he “was fascinated” by attire worn by the Ku Klux Klan. The two first met in the early 2000s when she was a contestant on Trump’s reality-TV show “The Apprentice.” Their association continued through the production of two additional TV shows and Trump’s presidential campaign. She became an official in the Trump administration, serving as assistant to the president and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison until January 20, 2018. Her exit was announced days after Trump and several White House officials traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, in December 2017 for the opening of a civil-rights museum, a trip Manigault Newman said she helped organize. “It didn’t go so well because he was fascinated with looking at the KKK garb,” Manigault Newman said during a clip of her latest reality-TV appearance. “He was obsessed with the white supremacist kind of display.” Wendy Williams is not expected to return to her beloved daytime talk show anytime soon – and insiders claim she’ll be out for the entire month of November. According to show producers, guest hosts will continue to fill in while Williams takes time off to focus on her health. Michael Rapaport will fill in as the show’s host for the week of Nov. 8, and a new panel will take over for just Nov. 15. Comedian Bill Bellamy will then assume the position for the following two days. At the end of that week, famed talk show host Jerry Springer will guest co-host with Steve Wilkos. “I have always loved being a guest on my friend Wendy’s show!” Bellamy said in a statement released Wednesday. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be here for her, and I look forward to working with her amazing team.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1455973052785831936 TV One is making her the subject of an “Uncensored” that you can get on demand right now. The gorgeous Whitfield says it was a shock when she discovered she was a sex symbol. “I had no idea. Even at the peak of it, I still didn’t know. I thought this business was a meritocracy that you get everything by merit by being excellent. One day I was talking to this man and he said you are a sex symbol and I was like ‘what are you talking about?’ Guuurl, if I had known, I would have worked it so hard. If I could find the courage to really go for the sex symbol thing.” he elegant iconic actor Lynn Whitfield drops secrets and laughter with Radio and TV personality Jazmyn ‘Jaz’ Summers. Whitfield is well loved for her role as Lady Mae in “Greenleaf,” Brandi Web in “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate” and playing the legendary Josephine Baker among many other film and TV credits. The Great Resignation is creating immediate challenges for employers seeking to fill positions but could also be setting the stage for long-term changes in the economy that benefit workers. Many workers are reconsidering their values when it comes to work and seeking out positions that better match their preferences. In efforts to fill positions and retain current employees, many employers have been responding by increasing pay and benefits and offering more flexible work arrangements. This dynamic has changed dramatically over the course of the pandemic. In the spring and summer of 2020, businesses that were unable to open or operate at full capacity due to shutdowns and other restrictions laid off employees en masse or drastically cut their hours. A total of 16.3 million job separations took place in March 2020 with an additional 11.7 million in April, and the U.S. unemployment rate peaked near 15% last spring. But as the economy has reopened over time, employers have found themselves in need of workers. The number of job openings increased to more than 10 million per month this summer, but hiring has lagged behind at around 6 million hires per month. There’s been a lot of consternation by folks who were concerned about the US paying immigrant families who were separated at the Mexico border during the Trump administration. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden said it wasn’t going to happen and with the president’s pronouncement, there’s now doubt about the settlements the Justice Department has been negotiating to resolve legal claims by the families. “That’s not going to happen,” Biden told reporters at the White House. As was reported last week by The Wall Street Journal and other outlets, officials at the departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services were in talks to pay around $450,000 a person to settle lawsuits filed on behalf of the families, who say they suffered trauma from being separated in 2018 while illegally crossing the border. On THE REAL airing Thursday, November 4th, former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Nene Leakes revealed she would be “happy to return to the show” if she had a sit down talk with show executive producer Andy Cohen and says she has a lot of “unfinished business.” https://youtu.be/07PpZ_Rhf2Q The exclusive clip from this week’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition” airing Thursday, resident counselor Dr. Ish Major explains this week’s couples challenge! https://youtu.be/df6pEGncVCI Director and composer Jeymes Samuel joins Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1 to discuss his new film “The Harder They Fall” and it’s accompanying star-studded soundtrack which features Kid Cudi, JAY-Z, Coffee, Seal, and more. Samuel discusses the origins of the film, how he approached the soundtrack, Hollywood’s misrepresentation of Black people in Westerns, “Black Woman” by Fatoumata Diawara and Lauryn Hill, and more. Director and composer Jeymes Samuel joins Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1 to discuss his new film “The Harder They Fall” and it’s accompanying star-studded soundtrack which features Kid Cudi, JAY-Z, Coffee, Seal, and more. Samuel discusses the origins of the film, how he approached the soundtrack, Hollywood’s misrepresentation of Black people in Westerns, “Black Woman” by Fatoumata Diawara and Lauryn Hill, and more. The topic of Critical Race Theory has caused division across the nation as teachers and parents debate whether it should be taught in schools. The conversation has exploded in the public as numerous state legislatures are also debating bills seeking to ban its use in the classroom. https://www.instagram.com/p/CV0Y3U4p7yA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again After teasing us with a little Afrobeat flavor on Andy Mineo's "Coming In Hot," Afromix ft. Lecrae and Limoblaze, Reach Records films and releases "Everyday," the latest single to be released from their Summer '21 Playlist. Lecrae joins Nigerian American singer, Jidenna (“Classic Man”), and UK based Nigerian Afrobeat star, Limoblaze, and together the three keep the party lit! “Africa is doing it big and has exploded into pop culture - the food, the fashion, the music - we wanted to bring that authentic vibe to the video so I knew we need Limo and Jidenna together to make sure we captured it right,” shares Lecrae. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-4zxHUNqgI [Catch a quick vibe with another JonnyxMali experience. Get the good stuff behind the scenes in this snippet from their latest EP, "Live in LA." Watch the listening party, get comfortable and connect in the comments.] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4KUxbKAqgw Motown Gospel celebrates three nominations in this year’s 34th annual Soul Train Awards. Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Brian Courtney Wilson and Kelly Price were each recognized in this year’s Best Gospel/Inspirational category, a testament to the impact of their music over the past year. “It’s always incredible when our artists can be recognized for their musical contributions,” share EJ Gaines & Monica Coates, Co-Executive Directors, Motown Gospel. “It’s particularly special when that recognition comes from an institution like Soul Train, which has had such an impact on the culture of America.” [’Tis the season! Our favorites are kicking off the holiday season with a new Christmas song reminiscent of what the holidays are all about: faith, hope and LOVE! “Fall In Love At Christmas” features Mariah Carey, Khalid, Kirk Franklin and the gift of love. For you this joyous season: A wish for a very Merry Christmas! May it bring you joy and many blessings!] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tH195XLrWE Today, BET announced three-time GRAMMY® award-winning singer-songwriter and producer Maxwell will receive the ‘Legend’ award at the 2021 “Soul Train Awards”. Award-winning and multiplatinum singer/songwriter, actor, entrepreneur, and author Ashanti will be the recipient of the ‘Lady of Soul’ honor. The 2021 “Soul Train Awards” premieres Sunday, November 28 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. “It’s an honor to be presented with the Legend award by a community that’s been growing with me throughout my career,” said Maxwell. “I’m so grateful to be sharing this moment with everyone and returning to the Apollo for an evening of excellence.” Additionally, BET has released the official nominations for the 2021 “Soul Train Awards” recognizing the best in Soul and R&B, which will also celebrate Soul Train’s 50th anniversary. H.E.R. leads the 2021 “Soul Train Awards” nominations with an impressive eight nods for ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award (x2),’ ‘Best Collaboration (x2),’ and ‘Video of the Year’. Jazmine Sullivan and Chris Brown garnered the second most nods with six nominations each. Jazmine Sullivan’s nods include ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award,’ ‘Best Collaboration,’ and ‘Video of the Year’. Chris Brown’s nods include ‘Best R&B/Soul Male Artist,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award,’ ‘Best Dance Performance,’ ‘Best Collaboration (x2),’ and ‘Video of the Year.’ Wiz Kid and TEMS are the third highest with five nods each, followed by Blxst with four nods. Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic, Doja Cat, and Yung Bleu each have three nods. Dynamic best-friend duo Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold will return as co-hosts of the 2021 “Soul Train Awards,” bringing their irreplaceable energy and hilarious comedic talents to this year’s show. BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD nominees are BRIAN COURTNEY WILSON, JAMES FORTUNE, KELLY PRICE, KIRK FRANKLIN, MAVERICK CITY MUSIC and TASHA COBBS LEONARD. Tyler Perry’s been in the film industry for nearly two decades and has dedicated his writing skills to several movies and plays for his fans. Now it seems that Perry is planning to surrender some of the work to other aspiring television writers while he takes on more of a managing role. He told Hollywood Reporter that he plans to continue to write for about “three to four more years.” Expounding on that, Perry said, “My plan is to relinquish to a lot more directors and writers to take over a lot of these shows that I’ve started. So yeah, for sure.” Perry gloated a little about his “work ethic” in January 2020, when he tweeted a video of his scripts. He had several scripts for nine different shows laid out on the table and revealed that while most TV shows and films have a writers’ room, he does not. “I write it all,” he said. Zach Williams drops his first foray into Christmas music. He put his own unique spin on Christmas classics like “Mary, Did You Know?” and “Christmas Time Is Here.” He recorded the album at Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals. Williams and his band have called the album “a holly-jolly-party-turned-jam-session worthy of its title.” ”We knew we wanted it to have a rock ‘n’ roll edge, a southern rock feel,” said the “Chain Breaker” singer-songwriter. “That’s when we got the idea to go down to Muscle Shoals.” https://open.spotify.com/album/76Vw1t2n6PBb0GiQK7p5aj Former Republican Del. Winsome Sears defeated Hala Ayala, a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates in Tuesday’s race for Virginia’s lieutenant governor. Sears, made history as the first Black Republican woman elected to the House in 2002 after she ousted the 20-year Democratic incumbent of Virginia’s 90th District, William Robinson. A Jamaican immigrant, she also became the first naturalized US citizen to serve in the House. She is also the first woman of color to be elected to statewide office in Virginia, where politics have historically been dominated by white men. In 2004, Sears unsuccessfully challenged longtime Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District. She took another run at federal office in 2018 as a write-in alternative to Republican senatorial candidate Corey Stewart, but lost that race. Meet Shequeena McKenzie, who at 28-years old has become the first Black female judge in the city of McComb, Mississippi. “It was a surreal moment because I work hard, I have faith,” McKenzie told WJTV, “The next thing you know you start reaping the benefits of the things you have invested into. It was definitely a full-circle moment for me.” McKenzie, who grew up in McComb, has always wanted to become a lawyer to be the change. She took up Political Science with Human Rights minor at the University of Southern Mississippi. She then moved to Jackson and went to Mississippi College School of Law where she received her law degree and graduated Cum Laude. At that time, she also practiced law part-time. Las Vegas Raiders have released wide receiver Henry Ruggs III after a vehicle crash he was involved in left a woman dead. Ruggs and his female passenger were injured in the fiery wreck. According to reports, Riggs was treated at an area hospital before being released to police, ESPN reports. Riggs and his passenger did not suffer life-threatening injuries “after the Chevrolet Corvette he was driving slammed at high speed into the rear of a Toyota Rav4 on a busy thoroughfare in a residential area several miles west of the Las Vegas Strip about 3:40 a.m. Tuesday." https://youtu.be/F2ul7yIX76M The young pastor and his wife had lots of questions about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. What about the baby they wanted? Would it wreck their natural immune system, damage their hearts? Was it immoral due to the controversy surrounding its development, they asked themselves. “Answers to which no longer matter now that COVID crystalized his lungs and claimed his last breath,” a heartbroken Miracle King Wilson said after burying her 43-year-old husband, the Rev. Kermit Wilson Jr. Kermit Wilson, who had moved to Cary but was the pastor of New Life Ministries Church of Greensboro, spent 41 days in the ICU at WakeMed Hospital before his death Sept. 17, after contracting the deadly virus. He leaves behind three children ages 10, 6 and 2. A soulmate who despite her grief is opening the doors of the church he led to urge others to get the shot. New Life Ministries, which had yet to reopen for in-person services after closing in March 2020, has partnered with the Guilford County Health Department for a clinic on Friday with both appointments and walk-ins available to the public. Both initial and booster shots are available. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Steven Mattic, principal of David K Sellars Elementary in Fort Worth, died unexpectedly Monday after successfully overcoming health problems over the past several years, according to a news release from the school district. Mattic is being remembered for his love of students, employees and his community. Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Kent Scribner said in the release Mattic’s death is a “profound shock” to the Sellars Elementary community and asked for support and prayers for Mattic’s family and the students and employees at the school. “His loss will be felt by so many,” Scribner said. Mattic joined the district in 2002 and served as principal of Sellars Elementary for eight years. He was born in Mississippi and received his masters in education administration from TCU. Daniel Joseph Triplett, an Oklahoma business owner, has been arrested on charges of murdering his employee, Brent Mack, and burying the 50-year-old man under a septic tank last month. A search for the missing man began in September when Mack’s daughter, Raychelle Wilson, reportedly reached out to Triplett via Facebook Messenger asking about her father’s whereabouts, court documents revealed. Triplett claimed he fired Mack, citing alleged “violent demeanor.” In a since-deleted online text, Triplett told Wilson that after giving Mack “$1000 as severance pay,” he dropped him off outside of a local laundromat. “Lt. Bruning asked Dan about locations where he dropped Mack off and Dan changed the location several times. Dan was shown a copy of the video footage showing him driving by the Holiday Laundry and not stopping. When confronted with the inconsistencies in the story, Dan became very red faced and appeared to be angry,” the affidavit stated. Parents of Black students at a Florida high school are infuriated after they say their children were suspended for getting into an altercation with a white student who sent them a resurfaced video of two white boys making racist remarks but the students in the video were not disciplined. “Hold on, you see that?” a boy could be heard saying in a video that has since gone viral, before pointing directly at the camera and stating, “It’s a n-gger.” One of the boys in the video was spotted wearing a KKK-like hood. The clip was said to have been made over the summer but was only just recently shared. That clip was sent via the social media app SnapChat to several Black students, two of whom play football for Yulee High School in Nassau County near the Georgia-Florida border. The group ultimately confronted the student who sent the offensive video, which led to a physical altercation, Jacksonville’s Channel 4 reported. In the end, only the Black students and the individual who sent out the clip but did not appear in it were suspended for five days. There were no reported injuries. Kelly Price has responded to rumors that her husband is using her and taking her money.On Monday, the singer took to social media to address speculation about her marriage. She photo of herself and her husband and captioned the photo: “One down forever to go. Happy USaversary @_king_uf_kings_ ([praying hands emoji, heart emoji, praying hands emoji]).” She also mentioned the charity work that the couple do together. “Thank you Sheff GG cannot wait to speak to you so we can chat! It’s not my fault that people don’t know that he and I were doing charity work together long before the public knew who he was! Lol.” https://www.instagram.com/mskellyprice/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=931afd96-c1e4-4f7f-9d78-3c9ccd600b91 Season 14 of “The Wendy Williams Show” is rolling on without her as the beloved host continues to take time off to sort out her health issues. The new season kicked off last month and as reported by New York Post, the ratings jumped 33% for the week ending Oct. 24, according to TheWrap. The new season premiered on Oct. 18 with guest hosts Devyn Simone, Bevy Smith, Elizabeth Wagmeister, and Michael Yo. Leah Remini also hosted for four days. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVwHhweNRuD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Rapper DaBaby has been given a pass to perform again after the LGBTQ organization Relationship Unleashed announced that they have “forgiven” him for his homophobic rant during his set at Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival in July. Meanwhile, the group says comedian Dave Chappelle is still in the doghouse over the alleged transphobic jokes he told in his new Netflix special “The Closer.” The LGBTQ org says “ignorance” has earned DaBaby acceptance from the gays. “He’s learned a lot over the past few months,” Relationship Unleashed CEO Gwendolyn D. Clemons explained to TMZ about DaBaby. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVde5tAFT4H/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “Family Matters” star Darius McCrary recently sparked rumors that he’s dating male-to-female trans influencer Sidney Starr after kissing on a photoshoot. The actor has denied dating Sidney and revealed in a video shared on social media that he is engaged to be married, but he didn’t reveal who his fiancé is. According to Rhymes with Snitch, Darius is engaged to Rick James‘ ex-wife Tanya Hijazi. Rick and Tanya began dating in 1990 and their only child, son Tazman James, was born in 1993. The couple was sentenced to prison for kidnapping and torturing a 24-year-old woman during a weeklong drug binge. While out on bail, the couple kidnapped and beat another woman over a 20-hour period. They married in 1996 and eventually divorced in 2002. James died of natural causes in 2004 at age 56. Tanya never remarried. Darius has been married three times to women who claim he was physically abusive. It’s unclear how he hooked up with Rick James’ ex-wife. Michael Jackson’s youngest son Prince Michael Jackson II – formerly known as “Blanket” and now going by “Bigi” – is a whopping 19-years-old, and gave a rare TV interview this week. Appearing Monday (Nov. 1) on “Good Morning Britain,” Bigi toured a room filled with his dad’s memorabilia, reflecting on the entertainer’s legacy 12 years after his sudden death. “There’s a lot of really cool stuff here,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of history in this house and studio here. And that’s what he was all about and that’s just kind of what each of us want to do…make things that people hopefully enjoy, but also can benefit their lives.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1455077130111528961 Myla Hill made her amateur mixed martial arts debut on Friday, Oct. in Lakeland, Florida and secured the “W” in front of her proud parents, former NBA star Grant Hill and R&B singer Tamia. The 19-year-old made her debut against Jenna Loza at Rival Fight League: Halloween Havoc. She wasted no time getting the fight to the ground after landing a right hand, and ending up in full mount. She dropped a series of punches and was able to lock in a tight rear-naked choke to force the very quick tap in the opening round. https://www.instagram.com/rivalfightleague/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a3ce7496-2026-4de7-ae71-cbbdc7b80482 Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, a source confirmed to ESPN. The NFL has considered Rodgers as unvaccinated since the start of the season, sources confirmed to ESPN and as first reported by NFL Network. Under league protocol, if Rodgers tests positive and is unvaccinated, he must quarantine for a minimum of 10 days and cannot return until Nov. 13 at the earliest, if he remains asymptomatic. Atlanta’s Dansby Swanson had only four hits in all six games of this year’s World Series against Houston, but he made the most of them. Three days after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning to spark a game-winning rally in Game 4 of the World Series, Swanson swatted a two-run shot in the fifth inning Tuesday to give the Braves some much-needed cushion in Game 6. Swanson’s two-run homer put the visiting Braves up 5-0, helping quiet the home crowd and propelling Atlanta to a 7-0 Series-clinching victory. Dansby Swanson fielded the final out of the 2021 World Series, a chopper from Yuli Gurriel, and briefly glared at Atlanta Braves teammate Ozzie Albies. Seconds earlier, Albies had assured Swanson that he would be standing on second base to record Tuesday’s 27th out. When he wasn’t, Swanson had to pivot to complete the most important throw of his life — and maybe that was fitting. Swanson grew up 20 miles from Atlanta and was raised to love the local baseball team. Before he graduated high school, Freddie Freeman ascended to the major leagues and began to establish himself as one of the sport’s greatest first basemen. They became teammates, helped lead the Braves into another resurgence and grew close through the process. A potentially faster-spreading “sub-lineage” of the coronavirus Delta variant named AY.4.2 has been spotted by labs in at least 8 states, and health authorities in the United Kingdom say they are investigating a growing share of cases from this strain of the virus. Labs in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Washington state, plus the District of Columbia, have so far spotted at least one case of AY.4.2. While it may spread somewhat faster, health authorities have not found evidence of more severe illness caused by the variant, and they say current vaccines remain effective against it. A majority of Christians say they believe the United States has a God-ordained “special role” in history and that the nation has always been a force for good in the world, according to a new survey. The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) poll of 2,508 Americans, released Monday, found that 75 percent of White evangelicals, 67 percent of Black Protestants and 55 percent of “other Christians” believe “God has granted America a special role in human history.” Although White evangelicals are the religious group most likely to agree with the statement, the poll found a decline on the topic since 2013, when 84 percent of white evangelicals agreed with the statement. The survey also found a wide political divide on the issue, with twice as many Republicans (68 percent) as Democrats (33 percent) agreeing with the statement. Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen are no exception to dealing with real-life relationship woes. The Buccaneers quarterback — on the Oct. 26 episode of his SiriusXM podcast “Let’s Go!” — explained how his supermodel wife has put her career on the back burner while he collected seven Super Bowl rings. “But that’s an issue, and it’s a very difficult issue to reconcile without just saying, ‘Hey, it’s time to retire.’ And I think there’s, you know, we’re coming to the end here too, so I don’t want to miss any of the kids’ stuff,” Brady told co-hosts Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray. Jodie Turner-Smith and her husband Joshua Jackson star in a new holiday ad for J.Crew that finds them opening presents and kissing under a mistletoe. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVxqjMYhLw4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Last month, an excerpt taken from Will Smith’s new memoir titled “Will,” detailed how his father’s abuse “defined who I am today.” He wrote, “My father tormented me. And he was also one of the greatest men I’ve ever known,” Smith shared in “Will.” “He was one of the greatest blessings of my life, and also one of my greatest sources of pain.” In another excerpt exclusively taken by ET Canada, as his book is gearing up to be released, Will further explains the pain his abusive father caused him and his mother while revealing that he once contemplated killing his late dad. Video of injured New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson working out a healing broken foot became fodder for retired NBA stars Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal Tuesday night, as the “Inside the NBA” analysts roasted the 21-year-old for putting on weight during the injury. https://youtu.be/__JFeoChvu8 ”Love & Hip Hop” star Moniece Slaughter is accused of physically assaulting another woman at a Cardi B party. In the documents, the woman claims Moniece “spotted me then walked over with fist balled throwing a punch but I caught her arm.” The woman is now asking a judge to issue a restraining order, claiming the reality star “threatened that she will violently attack me and any female she sees with me.” She also accuses the reality star of “verbally abusing and spreading false allegations and harassing me and my family for the past 2 months every day.” The restraining order is now in the hands of a judge. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was released Tuesday from a Washington, D.C. hospital a day after falling and hitting his head while helping Howard University students who are protesting campus living conditions, according to a spokesman. Jackson, 80, left Howard University Hospital after an overnight stay and was back at the university working with students, Jackson spokesman Frank Watkins said. Various tests including a CT scan came back normal on Monday, but hospital officials wanted Jackson, who has Parkinson’s disease, to stay for observation, according to a news release from Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago. Jackson was attending a meeting Monday with Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick and the students, who were discussing their concerns about living conditions. The civil rights leader entered a campus building, fell and hit his head. The city of Athens used eminent domain to force Black families out of the Linnentown neighborhood in the 1960s as part of an urban renewal plan. It sold the land to the state Board of Regents, and dorms and parking lots for the University of Georgia went up after the homes were razed. Linnentown is among numerous Black neighborhoods around the country that were destroyed to make way for what were deemed revitalization projects. Linnentown was home to dozens of black families. The Linnentown purchase was supported by a federal grant. Although former residents are now demanding an apology from the university for the land seizure, Bobby Crook, a member of the Linnentown Project Group say that although he believes the university needs to pay compensation, he doubts that will ever happen. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended granting clemency to Julius Jones, a man sentenced to death for a murder he says he did not commit. Jones pleaded his case to the board less than three weeks before he’s set to be executed. The board voted 3-1 on Monday to recommend commuting Jones’ sentence to life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to the release from the inmate’s attorneys. “My son Julius has been on death row for over twenty years for a murder he did not commit, and every day of that has been a waking nightmare for my family,” said Madeline Davis-Jones, in a statement through their attorney. “I am grateful to the Pardon and Parole Board for again showing they are willing to listen to facts and reason, show compassion, and do what is in their power to right this terrible wrong. Now, I am asking Gov. Stitt to do the same by accepting their recommendation.” Gov. Kevin Stitt gets the final say on Jones’ fate. His office said he is aware of the board’s action and there will be no further comment until his decision. Jim Booker is trying to wrap his head around the news of his neighbor, John Blanchard, arrested during a two-day sting operation in Chesterfield County last week regarding prostitution solicitation. “We’ve shared pleasantries [and] we have discussed pastoring during the pandemic,” Booker told News 3. “This is a shock to me because I know him fairly well. He’s never given me any indication over the years that I’ve known him that he would be mixed up in anything like this.” Blanchard serves as the pastor of Rock Church in Virginia Beach. News 3 was the first to tell you about Blanchard’s arrest. Blanchard faces charges including felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZWupp8OE1s The Queen urged world leaders to ‘earn a place in history’ and ‘answer the call of those future generations’ in an impassioned speech to representatives at the COP26 summit tonight. Her Majesty, 95, who was forced to miss the conference after her overnight stay in hospital last month, told leaders via video ‘to rise above the politics of the moment, and achieve true statesmanship’ as Government representatives attended the reception for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. She went on to say that ‘none of us will live forever’ and ‘we are doing this not for ourselves but for our children and our children’s children, and those who will follow in their footsteps’ as she urged leaders to reach decisive COP climate change deals. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/11/01/6827946688496842215/480x270_MP4_6827946688496842215.mp4 Last month, beloved Atlanta news anchor Jovita Moore lost her seven-month battle with brain cancer. Colleagues, fans, friends, and people of note responded on social media with condolences. The longtime WSB journalist announced in July that she had undergone surgery in April shortly after doctors discovered two masses that were confirmed to be glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. “Good Morning America‘s” T.J. Holmes became emotional while paying tribute to Moore on Monday’s broadcast. “From our ABC News family, we are remembering Jovita Moore this morning, a beloved anchor at ABC affiliate WSB-TV in Atlanta,” he began. “I moved to Atlanta as a CNN anchor and she took me in, and that woman was special,” he said. “I’m sorry — I didn’t realize I had to do this read this morning, and Jovita was something special.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1455136368280195079 A 22-year-old Dallas mother was shot and killed while driving on Tuesday and the suspect arrested for the crime allegedly stalked her using a tracking device. Abigail Saldaña recently found a tracking device on her car and was worried that she was being followed, Blavity reports. “I had told her to go to the police and report it. I believe that she did report that,” her mother Jessica Contreras said. Sadly, she was shot and killed while driving last week in Fort Worth, Texas. Police believe she was murdered by a stalker, Fox 4 News reports. Police have arrested Stanley Frank Szeliga, 54, and charged him with murder, according to reports. https://youtu.be/uBNXe7rrO5c Coca-Cola has purchased the Kobe Bryant-backed sports drink company Bodyarmor, and the late athlete’s estate reportedly made $400 million from the sale. Bryant purchased a 10 percent stake in Bodyarmor for $6 million in March of 2014, according to The Wall Street Journal. “If it wasn’t for Kobe Bryant’s vision and belief, BodyArmor would not have been able to achieve the success we had,” BodyArmor co-founder Mike Repole said in a statement. Alfredo Rivera, Coca-Cola North America President said the company is now planning BodyArmor’s “next stage of growth.” The sale comes after news that Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant intends to immortalize the NBA star in the form of media, clothing, and trading cards through a new sports and entertainment company. Bryant has filed to trademark “KB24.” Today it was announced that Cardi B will be hosting this year’s American Music Awards! Cardi took to social media this morning to share the exciting news. She tweeted, “Im so proud to announce, I’ll be hosting the 2021 @AMAs! Tune in November 21 8/7c on @ABCNetwork.” The 29-year-old rap star also said in a press release shared by MRC Live & Alternative and ABC on Nov. 2, “When I received the invite to host the AMAs, I was so excited. I’m ready to bring my personality to the AMAs stage! Thank you to Jesse Collins, ABC and MRC for making this happen.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CVxlImzLmfz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Bravo has dropped the trailer for the four-part “The Real Housewives of Potomac” Season 6 reunion, and it features Nicki Minaj calling out some of the women for their shady antics this season. The hip-hop star expressed interest in hosting the reunion back in July, and last month she took to social media to share photos of her and Bravo boss Andy Cohen on the reunion show set. “GUESS WHO BTCHS?!!!!! #Andiconda #RHOP REUNION COMING SOON ON @BRAVOTV,” wrote the rapper, who is a superfan of the series. “#Moment4Life yall better binge watch this season chile.” Minaj didn’t host the reunion, she simply dropped in to ask the cast members some questions. Over the summer, Nicki posted a teaser trailer for the Bravo reality series along with the caption: “I’ll be hosting the reunion. lmk what y’all want me to ask chile.” https://youtu.be/WQYtu6xABRk Cynthia Bailey’s husband is shutting down allegations that he is already bored in their marriage and flirting with other women. Bailey and sportscaster Mike Hill tied the knot last fall but now he’s caught up in some serious allegations that fans are hoping will not threaten their marriage. According to reports, a Twitter user with the handle @Alist_xo claims Hill hit up her DMs with flirtatious messages and nude pics. Hill denies this. “Okay well let’s say this for starters. He has sent me nudes I have videos and no it’s not massive but it’s pretty. The nudes I’ll post some snippets of later on but those will cost ya,” the woman wrote. Recently, former NFL player and current businessman Jack Brewer was on FOX News to speak out against Colin Kaepernick’s new Netflix docuseries “Colin in Black and White,” written and directed by Ava DuVernay and narrated by Kaepernick himself. Within the docuseries, Kap compares the NFL’s draft combine to slave auctions. Though this juxtaposition has been made innumerable times, Brewer’s sudden appearance on a major cable news network is telling. “I’ll tell you what this new Colin Kaepernick doctrine is the single largest threat to black men in United States of America because it has them thinking they’re victims and they’re living in the most prosperous the most opportunity in any country.” In his diatribe, Brewer also says Colin has an “evil and anti-American” spirit. Though Kaepernick has never harmed anyone nor told anyone else to do so. https://youtu.be/v7wCnyXccL0 Fox News political commentator Juan Williams is catching heat for suggesting that the phrase “parents’ rights” is “code for white race politics.” Williams believes the GOP is exploiting concerns about critical race theory to scare parents in Virginia amid the Virginia governor’s race between Republican Glenn Youngkin and his Democratic opponent Terry McAuliffe. https://youtu.be/09EuPDFeA3g Damon Dash has offered an olive branch to his former business partner JAY-Z after the rapper gave him a shout-out in his speech during his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. JAY-Z is the first living solo rap artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The hip-hip icon acknowledged his mother, sister, and Dash in his speech during Saturday evening’s induction ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland, Ohio. “Thank you, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, for this incredible honor. And you know, growing up, we didn’t think we could be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We were told that hip-hop was a fad,” the rapper began his speech. “Much like punk rock, it gave us this anti-culture, this subgenre, and there were heroes in it.” JAY-Z also thanked the late Notorious B.I.G. and said to ex-friend Dame Dash… “Shout out to Dame, I know we don’t see eye to eye, but I can never erase your accomplishments. And I appreciate you, and I thank you for that.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1454656467672436737 “Band of Gold” singer Freda Payne has penned a memoir called “Band of Gold” in which she writes of her affair with US Senator John Tunney back in the day. He was a big deal then, the son of boxer Gene Tunney. He was also married. But she met him through Frank Sinatra at a charity event. When Holland-Dozier-Holland didn’t pay Freda for her hits, Tunney helped get her a top Hollywood lawyer who came, guns blazing, and got her a big settlement. It was Sinatra who pointed out to Freda that Tunney was head over heels for her. He was good-looking and had just been elected to the Senate from California after six years as a Congressman. Freda, who’d become a star, moved to Los Angeles and took up residence in the former home of Movie Star Maureen O’Hara. Tunney died in 2018 of prostate cancer at age 83. His successful campaign for a California seat in the U.S. Senate inspired the 1972 Robert Redford film “The Candidate.” Freda fell in love with Tunney, but she writes that she had other lovers, per the report. “I was in love with Quincy Jones too. I was so in love with him. Those were my three big love affairs: Quincy Jones, Eddie Holland, and John Tunney,” she writes. https://youtu.be/Fco8oPGu5EY Fans of R&B, Soul and club music have quietly observed the ascension of the vocal genius of one Cleveland P. Jones. Nearly a decade since the release of his debut album which earned him the Soultracks.com New Artist of the Year award, the star continues to rise for the in-demand singer who counts 2021 as a breakthrough year with three current acclaimed performances. https://youtu.be/i4mh9WxAXqQ Dallas Cowboy Dak Prescott paid tribute to his beloved grandmother, Margaret Ebarb via a series of Instagram stories last month. The star quarterback announced Ebarb’s passing on October 29, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. He wrote, “We wouldn’t be here without you, and I promise to make you proud.” As reported by Black Enterprise, he shared in one post that her teachings instilled in him “what it means to be a faithful servant.” “Rest easy, Mammy, and I love you so much… until we dance again,” he captioned a video of him dancing with Ebarb. https://www.instagram.com/_4dak/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c08e849b-305d-4197-ba98-17f827a43564 Newcomer Fae DC has compiled an impressive group of songs, most of them with a timely message, in which she either wrote or co-wrote and produced or co-produced each of them. I think the offering has something for everyone, whether you are into R&B, reggae, or mild rap. https://youtu.be/MN4Sz0OisJ4 Primetime, Deion Sanders, 54, the Florida State legend and current Jackson State head coach, has missed the last two games of the season with his team standing at 7 (wins) and 2 (defeats). Sanders was already recovering from foot surgery in September. But what’s got folks scratching their heads is that he’s been hospitalized for some unknown ailment, according to FootballScoop, reports. https://youtu.be/ERWRfBWCQpw Deleon Carr is back with new music! The One is a song that reminds us that its GOD who gives us our daily provision, meets our needs, helps us succeed. This is a groove song that's sure to get you praisin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvEQyprA20 CLEO TV will air a new episode of CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Wednesday, November 3rd at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WfY_M_HwYs Season three of the popular cooking show, NEW SOUL KITCHEN continues with an all-new episode this Wednesday, November 3 at 9:30 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. Chef Jernard Wells returns to prepare even more robust recipes in the series' extended, 30-minute format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF5QesvjjgQ&feature=youtu.be TV One welcomes new lifestyle series, Life Therapy with AJ Johnson to the network tonight, November 2 at 10:00PM ET/9C. This is a must-see life-coaching series shares an intimate look at the stories of individuals' exposing their internal struggles in search of healing. Along with trained mental health professionals, Johnson taps into her natural instinct of nurturing people's suffering to exude positivity in a genuine approach to improve individuals' lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekRhYzHFvww The second season of “Games People Play” kicked off on Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. The talented ensemble cast includes Karrueche Tran, Lauren London in a limited role, Sarunas J. Jackson, Karen Obilom, Parker McKenna Posey, Jackie Long, and Kendall Kyndall and Brandi Denise. In addition, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vanessa Simmons, Shaun Robinson, Kevin Jackson, Barry Brewer, and Monti Washington reprise their recurring roles, with Cynthia Bailey, Nazanin Mandi, Ro Parrish, Hitman Holla, Leon, and Calvin Seabrooks to guest star in the ten-episode drama. #GamesPeoplePlay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClIguBJvkHw Shawn Bigby is the creator of worship music that generates atmospheres of freedom and unrestrained worship. Many Gospel artists have recorded his songs, including Jason Nelson, Earnest Pugh, Hart Ramsey & The NCC Family Choir, and Marvin Sapp, who recorded "Great and Mighty" on his 2021 Dove Award-winning CHOSEN VESSEL album. Shawn is also a recording artist who landed on the Billboard Top 30 Gospel Albums Chart with his debut EP #THESETLIST VOL. 1. His teachings will now be available through his first book THE PLATFORM: ON & OFF - A Blueprint For Worship Facilitators. James Fortune delivers a new song of hope, gratitude, and faith with his new single "Never Let Me Down". Fortune continues to provide soul grabbing hit songs that resonate with listeners. Many are grappling with or are clinging tightly to their faith, and Fortune's new single reminds them that God has never let them down. It's an important and timely message with Fortune's signature sound infused with a contemporary feel. "Never Let Me Down" will be available for consumption 11.5! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iww-rRj16ns Karima, the Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated recording artist’s current single, “Redeemer” leaps to No. 15 on the Gospel Airplay chart, after more than 20 weeks on the charts. Written by Nicole C. Mullen, “Redeemer” is Karima’s offering of the international Christian anthem, with production by Grammy Award-winning super-producer Aaron Lindsey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxDsqXYnDFs Half Mile High returns with "Closet." https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rzhj21f5wtcetdr/AAC-mok4vMWP2jHdERyU4eIRa?dl=0 Keyla Richardson releases new song "We Worship You." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D6fRNsDoxc Ricky Dillard - “Behold Christ The Lord” “I am so excited to share another new song from my upcoming album. "Behold Christ The Lord" is out NOW everywhere you listen to music! "Behold Christ The Lord" - The Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, The Prince Of Peace and the King of Glory!” https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mLRvdmfX3SK2oE80z-p_3goNsfBTXsQRo Today, MNRK Music Group and GRAMMY® nominated artist Todd Dulaney announced the highly anticipated single, "Satisfied" featuring Smokie Norful is available for pre-order now. The track will become available everywhere on Friday, November 12th. Todd Dulaney had one of the biggest Gospel singles of the past year. “Your Great Name” spent 8 weeks at #1 on the Gospel Airplay chart and 9 weeks at #1 on the Mediabase Gospel chart. 'Satisfied' from his latest album 'Anthems & Glory' is expected to reach new heights on Gospel Charts! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKw1VD-aMcU Marquis Boone Enterprises is excited to announce they have developed the very first Gospel A.I. artist named J.C., who will be a forefront runner in the Metaverse on Meta. JC is the voice. While he is not a real person, he’s an artist created solely from artificial intelligence and technology. J.C’s forthcoming single “Biblical Love” is about unquantifiable love beyond description or measure - a love of biblical proportions that transcends to everyone and everything! The single, “Biblical Love” can be heard on Gospel radio as well as Metaverse. It is slated to premiere on all streaming platforms in the first quarter of 2022. JC has been in the works for a little over a year and our plan is to continue to develop and invest resources in this new space,” says Marquis Boone, President of Marquis Boone Enterprises. “We are excited to be one of the pioneers and trailblazers in this A.I. space in the gospel industry and we have more plans to release and develop even more A.I. artist like this.” Marquis Boone Enterprises has raised over one million dollars to support this venture and plans to roll out different assets that connects the fans and listeners to J.C. and his music. People love Taraji P. Henson and Women’s Health knows it. That’s why they’ve recently featured the fiery thespian as for their cover story. Henson reveals that she’s trying to introduce the world to her other side—a musician. She’s actually trying to release some of her work to the public as soon as next year. “I’ve been singing,” the 51-year-old said in the interview also, adding that being dairy-free may have helped her reach high notes. “It just came out of me!” “I’ve been secretly working on an EP,” she added. “But it wasn’t like, ‘Taraji wants to sing,’ and then 20 writers come and bring me their songs.” Donald Glover hit up Twitter on Sunday to share a teaser for Season 3 of “Atlanta,” and it comes after the second season finale aired on May 10, 2018. Glover posted a link to a website called Gilga, which visitors had to enter before viewing the teaser for the beloved comedy-drama. Deadline writes: “The video consisted of various b-roll footage, an eerie zoom on Paper Boi played by Brian Tyree Henry before the “Atlanta” logo was shown on screen with the number “2022” flashing shortly thereafter.” Willow Smith celebrated her 21st on Sunday, which happens to coincide with Halloween. Her famous parents paid tribute with loving messages shared on social media. Will Smith shared a touching video of him reading an excerpt from his upcoming book, “Will”, to his daughter about the day she was born. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVtAQmcoN7_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Former notorious drug kingpin Alberto “Alpo” Martinez was reportedly killed in a drive-by shooting in New York City on Sunday morning. According to multiple reports, Martinez, 55, was found dead in his 2017 Dodge Ram on the corner of Frederick Douglass Boulevard and West 147 Street in Harlem. Per Complex, he was charged in 1991 with conspiracy, operating a continuing drug enterprise, and using weapons during drug deals. Facing the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison, Martinez turned informant in exchange for 35 years behind bars. Following his release in 2015, he was placed in witness protection. Martinez was reportedly sitting in an SUV after leaving a club in Harlem around 3:30 a.m. Sunday when he was shot five times. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Martinez was portrayed by rapper Cam’ron in the 2002 movie “Paid In Full.” R. Kelly has turned to Bill Cosby’s lawyer Jennifer Bonjean to handle the appeal of his racketeering and sex trafficking conviction. Bonjean is the same lawyer who helped to overturn Cosby’s sexual assault case. She also reportedly represented Nxivm’s Keith Raniere, who was convicted of RICO + sex trafficking charges. In 2020, Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison. On Sept. 27, R. Kelly was found guilty of racketeering in his federal sex crimes trial in New York. Prosecutors accused Robert Sylvester Kelly of directing his employees to procure women for sex and sexually abused numerous women over the span of nearly 25 years. The New Orleans Saints beat Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a thrilling 36-27 victory, but it cost Saints quarterback Jameis Winston a game-ending knee injury. It appears, however, that it didn’t stop him from celebrating a “W” against the “GOAT” in the locker room. Viral video of the celebration showed Winston – crutches in hand – dancing alongside his teammates. The short clip begins with the newly-returned Mark Ingram dancing for the camera. Suddenly, the focus turns to Winston, who took center stage and danced on one leg while juggling his crutches. The Saints sealed the victory thanks to an interception return for a touchdown by P.J. Williams in the fourth quarter. https://twitter.com/i/status/1454957987982987267 Recently, Solange Knowles announced the debut of her free library led by Saint Heron creative agency. The library will feature rare books and art created by Black creatives. The stated mission is to educate readers as to the depths of Black creativity. The Saint Heron Library’s inaugural season will be guest curated by Rosa Duffy of the Community Bookstore and Reading Room, For Keeps Books and will be sponsored by Aesop Skincare and give readers the ability to borrow any book from the series free of charge for up to 45 days. https://www.instagram.com/saintheron/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0a76fe74-960b-4be3-9e7b-179a4704c386 This episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast features Tommy Miles, the host of the popular OWN network show Ready To Love. Nephew Tommy breaks down the new season in D.C., love connections on the show, dating tips, and how to make a marriage work. He also discusses his new venture – a grits company, Just Good Gritz (https://justgoodgritz.com/). https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Sa9qmXtkNia4ksmeata8d Offset gifted, his beautiful wife for her birthday, Cardi B a home. During the celebration, which included as many celebrity faces as one might imagine, Offset made the grand gesture on a big screen television- a new mansion in her native Dominican Republic. The home, which comes with a rooftop swimming pool, looks like something from a Disney fantasy complete with palm trees, sand and seclusion. According to the New York Post, the property is a seven bedroom, seven bathroom modern structure that is currently available on Airbnb for $836 a night. There’s no available record of how much Offset spent on the estate, it was most recently listed for $1.49 million. https://twitter.com/i/status/1447851255192297476 Commentator Tonetalks and Political Analyst Yvette Carnell discuss the Wall Street Journal reporting President Biden administration has been meeting about $450,000 reparations to individuals due to border separations. Moore and Carnell also discuss Biden telling Black politicians there will be no action on reparations for US slavery as reported by Politico. https://youtu.be/iMzjpuww3CU The brother of rapper 21 Savage was fatally stabbed in South London last November and now his killer has been brought to justice. errell Davis, 27, was killed in Brixton during an argument with an old friend, Daily Mail reported. Davis had gone shopping for his grandmother and was on his way to her home with the items when he encountered the friend. Some things popped off, words were exchanged and Davis, a drill rapper known as TM1way, was stabbed. 21 Savage shared a childhood photo of him and Terrell on Instagram, along with the caption: “Can’t believe somebody took you baby bro I know I took my anger out on you I wish I could take that s**t back.” GSN-Nicole Ari Parker announced last month that she joined the cast of the forthcoming HBO Max series “And Just Like That,” the 10-part reboot of “Sex and the City.” Now she wants to make it clear that her character is not replacing Kim Cattrall, as she had received some fiery reactions from fans to her casting. Parker was added to the ensemble cast after it was announced that Kim Cattrall would not reprise her role as Samantha Jones. When it first came out that I was replacing the Samantha character — which is not true at all, so please write that — I have been yelled at, and I’ve also been attacked with love,” Parker said, as reported by PEOPLE. “I’ve been photographed in places I should never be photographed. The fans are so excited and over the top. I had some idea of that because I am one of those fans but I had no idea [the extent of it].” Alec Baldwin is speaking out yet again about the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film “Rust.” https://youtu.be/8FnZcg0b5HA JAY-Z is the first living solo rap artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The hip-hip icon acknowledged his mother, sister, and former business partner Dame Dash in his speech during Saturday evening’s induction ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio. https://twitter.com/i/status/1454656467672436737 Keith and Kristyn Getty, songwriters known for creating well-known modern hymns and for hosting the annual Sing! Worship Conference, will release a new album titled “Confessio: Irish American Roots” this Friday (Oct. 29). Keith Getty told Baptist Press he and Kristyn spent an extended period of time in their homeland of Ireland with their four daughters in the fall of 2020, and this album represents “a hymn diary” of their time in the country. Shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic provided a much-needed opportunity to slow down after 20 years of the couple’s songwriting and music ministry. “We just thought here’s a chance to finally take a breath as it’s been a crazy, chaotic and extraordinarily wonderful 20 years and so much has happened during that time,” Getty said. Hank Aaron’s imprint is firmly stamped on the World Series. His No. 44 has been painted on the grass in center field at the Braves‘ Truist Park all season. It remained in big, bold green for Friday night’s Game 3 against the Houston Astros. The impact of Aaron, the Hall of Famer who died Jan. 22, is seen in much more than the number. “Hank’s footprints are all over this series,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. The Braves honored Aaron before the game, playing a video tribute to The Hammer. Aaron’s family, including his wife, Billye, was on the field for the ceremony. His son, Hank Jr., got a hug from Baker on the mound and threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Braves star Freddie Freeman. A son of Turner Sports broadcaster Ernie Johnson has died at the age of 33. Johnson tweeted about the death of his son Michael on Friday night. “We are grieving and at the same time so grateful for having been witnesses to a miraculous 33 years with michael,” Ernie Johnson wrote. Michael Johnson was born with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy that caused respiratory issues and required the use of a ventilator. He was one of four adopted children of Ernie Johnson and his wife, Cheryl, who have six children in total. “We are heartbroken over the passing of Cheryl and Ernie’s beloved son, Michael, a true hero who uplifted and brought joy to everyone he touched,” Turner Sports said in a statement. “The family’s love, faith and commitment to one another will forever be an inspiration to us. Our deepest condolences are with Cheryl, Ernie and their family, friends and loved ones as we mourn with them.” Start your Sunday with some morning praise, offered up by Maverick City Music at the 2021 Gospel Musical Association Dove Awards. The artists, who took home awards for New Artist of the Year and Worship Album of the Year, sing their No. 1 hit song, “Jireh,” featuring Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine. The chorus, “You are Jireh, You are enough/ Jireh, You are enough/ And I will be content in every circumstance/ You are Jireh, You are enough” speaks to the hope, peace, love and strength available to us as we seek real relationship with God. https://youtu.be/dMtk_lUkqQI Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s 2004 Super Bowl halftime controversy is getting the documentary treatment from FX and Hulu. As Deadline reports, the doc will be the latest installment in the New York Times Presents series, entitled “Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson.” Directed by Jodi Gomes, the documentary will premiere Nov. 19 and will “feature previously unseen footage and interviews with people involved with the production of the infamous halftime show,” Complex writes. Meanwhile, we previously reported that the stylist who worked with Jackson for her infamous 2004 Super Bowl appearance has revealed that it was Timberlake who pushed for the “wardrobe malfunction” that made international headlines. Jay-Z’s added another title to a resume that includes rapper, songwriter, Grammy winner, billionaire business mogul, and global icon — Hall of Famer. The self-proclaimed “greatest rapper alive” was inducted Saturday night as part of an eclectic 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class that included Foo Fighters, Carole King, Tina Turner, The Go-Gos and Todd Rundgren. Once a drug dealer on the tough streets of Brooklyn, New York, Jay-Z rose through the rap world with hard, straight-forward songs that often portrayed the struggles of Black people in America. His catalogue includes songs like “Hard Knock Life,” “99 Problems” and “Empire State of Mind” as well as 14 No. 1 albums. Following a video introduction that included President Barack Obama, LeBron James and David Letterman, Jay-Z was inducted by comedian Dave Chappelle, who praised him for being an inspiration. Otis Williams has been making music with the legendary Temptations for 60 years. The Texarkana, Texas native first started captivating fans with his deep, lush baritone voice when he was 20 years old. City College Center for the Arts in New York City is going to celebrate the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and multiple Grammy Award® winner with a special live, virtual conversation hosted by musician K. Sparks on Monday, November 1, at 7:30 p.m. ET. https://youtu.be/nvAM6zc6bP4 Indie rapper Bryson Gray’s song “Let’s Go Brandon” was banned from YouTube. Now, Gray has a great deal of redemption as it sits atop the Hip Hop Charts at iTunes. He tweeted, “YouTube has banned the “Let’s Go Brandon” song from YouTube due to “medical information.” What medical misinformation is in the song? Whoa.” “YouTube doesn’t allow claims about COVID-19 vaccinations that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities or the World Health Organization (WHO),” says the video-sharing site’s verbiage. https://youtu.be/wlHR7M-1fX4 Eve has reintroduced herself to the viewing via promoting her new ABC show “Queens,” the Philly rapper and one-time First Lady of the Ruff Ryders has been making all the expected late night talk show stops. Recently she gave her opinion on the current state of hip-hop while chatting with Trevor Noah on the Daily Show. https://youtu.be/L2SOrUlmRRU SiriusXM announced today that 15-time GRAMMY® Award winning artist Alicia Keys will return to her hometown, New York City, to perform at the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem for a special, intimate, and exclusive invitation-only concert for SiriusXM subscribers and Pandora listeners on Thursday, November 11. The special performance in Keys’ hometown is a part of SiriusXM and Pandora’s Small Stage Series. Alicia Keys’ return to the Apollo will feature Keys in all her glory and musical greatness as she performs her fan favorite hits as well as music from her latest album Alicia and preview all new music from her forthcoming, highly anticipated eighth studio album, including the sultry and timeless new single, “LALA. The performance will air on SiriusXM’s Heart & Soul channel on Tuesday, November 16 at 6:00 pm ET. The concert will also air in its entirety on Alicia Keys’ exclusive SiriusXM channel Alicia Keys Radio via satellite (channel 48) and on the SXM App on Friday, December 10 at 8:00 pm ET and PT. According to Radar, 50 Cent, Curtis Jackson, is going after “Love & Hip Hop” star Teairra Mari over damages awarded to him in a lawsuit she lost. Teairra Mari sued 50 and her ex-boyfriend Akbar Abdul-Ahad for alleged revenge porn. She had accused Abdul-Ahad, of hacking into her Instagram account and posting a photo of her with ejaculate on her face. The Fiddy man, being true to his brand, re-posted the photo on his Instagram and made fun of the leak. However, he denied doing anything wrong and called for the claim to be dismissed. Somewhat surprisingly, the judge in the case ruled in 50s favor, awarding him $30,000 in attorney fees. However, 50’s attorney claims Teairra has refused to hand financial documents and has not answered any question about her income. Fiddy’s legal team also has demanded to know where she holds bank accounts and how much she has made in royalties from her music. The judge eventually granted motions brought by 50 to the tune of thousands more in sanctions against Teairra, which brought the total to $50,000. https://youtu.be/WqUgaND-7Ik Hilaria Baldwin, 37, was seen Friday night comforting her grieving husband, actor Alec Baldwin, 63, at a private bar in Manchester, Vermont as he faces a criminal investigation into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film ‘Rust.’ At one point during the night, Hilaria could be seen wrapping her arms around her husband before they shared an intimate kiss. But Baldwin still seemed distraught, holding his head in his hands. The following day, Hilaria revealed that she is concerned for her husband’s mental health, and worries he may develop PTSD from the fatal shooting on October 21. Jeffery Williams, 30, who goes by his rapper name Young Thug claims an apartment concierge let an unknown person take his Louis Vuitton bag holding about 200 unreleased songs and more than $100,000 worth of jewelry and cash. According to the lawsuit, a concierge at Trace Apartments put the bag in a secure location after the rapper accidentally left it next to his vehicle on November 1, 2020, but another employee unaware of the situation, released it to someone else. The missing bag contained a hard drive with about 200 unreleased songs that are worth at least $1 million, the lawsuit said. The bag also held $40,000 in cash, a diamond-encrusted watch worth $57,000 and a $37,000 chain with inset diamonds. In a little peek of her upcoming sit-down interview with Joe Budden, Brittany Renner talks about the backlash she received over her controversial “hide your sons” tweet, which sparked a big debate online. Renner broke up with Charlotte Hornets’ star PJ Washington this year after he called her out for “faking” their relationship months after giving birth to their child. The 29-year-old IG model and author was also criticized by fans who accused her of “grooming” the younger Washington. To make matters worse, she received even more backlash after she shared a picture of herself at Jackson State University with the caption “Hide your sons.” Recently rising star and “Insecure” fan favorite Yvonne Orji issued a public apology to a fan who called her “the meanest celebrity” via Twitter. The reply came from a Tweet that asked respondents to recall the meanest celeb they had ever met. Though there were thousands of likes and retweets of the thread, the one from a fan named Crystal is what caused the commotion. “I met Yvonne Orji at a WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE,” a fan named Crystal recalled. “She was about to give her speech and I asked for a pic while she was waiting. She said no. I respect her privacy, move on and take my seat in the front row.” Okay. That doesn’t exactly seem rude on its face, though you can never tell how words, no matter how mundane they may seem, will impact an individual. Crystal says Orji came to a point in her speech where she seemed to take a dig at her while pointing out the need for persistence. “She’s like “I only got to where I got because I never took no for an answer.” And then she gestures over to me and says something like “That girl wanted a picture with me, but I said no. If she were more intentional about what she wants, maybe she’d have her pic,” Crystal claimed. Orji, who normally is quite popular on the bird app, threw herself upon the mercy of the court of digital opinion and issued an apology. A Florida TikTok star was arrested on Friday after he allegedly ran a light and provoked a 100-mile-per-hour high speed chase. Damaury Mikula, 18, of Pasco, Florida, has more than four million followers on TikTok and has frequently posted content featuring his Dodge Challenger, a vehicle that can go up to 141mph with a starting price of $29,065. The TikTok star, who is said to make $400,000 to $450,000 per year, was recorded being chased by Pasco County Police. The chase, which happened at around 10.30am, was considered to be ‘fun’ for Mikula who was later arrested in front of his home. https://www.fox13news.com/video/996059 Joe Louis once said of Billy Conn, “He can run, but he can’t hide,” before stopping his rival in the eighth round of their June 1946 return bout of “The Brown Bomber’s” 13th-round KO five years earlier. Jaron “Boots” Ennis is saying pretty much the same thing to the entire welterweight division. The switch-hitting Ennis (28–0, 26 KOs) twice floored Puerto Rican title challenger Thomas Dulorme (25–6–1, 16 KOs) en route to scoring his 11th first-round knockout and 18th straight stoppage win at Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas on Saturday, a terrifying performance announcing him a lurking menace if not a favorite against any 147-pound fighter or champion. Three-division champion Gervonta Davis and undefeated lightweight prospect Rolando Romero aim to knock each other senseless when they clash for Davis’ WBA 135-pound title on Dec. 5 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The combatants share a genuine animosity, with Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) calling his adversary “a scared chump,” and Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) vowing “to knock Gervonta the f*** out” in a Premier Boxing Champions event on Showtime Pay Per View (8 p.m. ET). “Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero are both very dangerous and determined fighters with the power in both hands to get you out of there,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. Theresa Buckson, an obstetrics and gynecology physician in South Miami, Florida, spent 15 years building a successful practice after completing her residency at Maryland General Hospital in Baltimore in 2001. She then became the first African American female physician to join one of the area’s largest multi-specialty practice groups. Already a volunteer in a number of women’s groups, she made the life-altering decision to devote more of her time and energy to helping those less fortunate than herself, in the wake of what she perceived as a hostile work environment at her place of employment in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. “I decided then that I really needed to live up to a greater standard of service to others,” said Buckson. “I was overworked and exhausted, and decided that if I was going to be exhausted, I wanted to be exhausted from helping those who could not help themselves instead of working endless hours and lining the pockets of a hospital that seemed more interested in maintaining its façade of greatness than helping patients.” Since joining the OB-GYN emergency room staff at South Miami Hospital in January 2020, the Sunshine State has become Buckson’s new launch pad for her commitment to volunteerism, particularly providing medical care to people of African descent. When India Walton beat Buffalo’s four-term mayor in a Democratic primary last June, New York’s second largest city looked like it was about to get a leader like no other in its history. She’d be its first female mayor and the first to identify as a democratic socialist. After becoming a mother at age 14, she grew up to be a nurse and strived through a lifetime of financial hardship that continued through the campaign, when her car was impounded for unpaid parking tickets. But rather than pack up his City Hall office of 16 years, Mayor Byron Brown has stayed in the race in pursuit of his own superlatives: He’s trying to become the first person to win a major race as a write-in candidate in New York state, and — if he gets a fifth term — Buffalo’s longest-serving mayor. Brown has gained traction by reversing his strategy from largely ignoring Walton to labeling her “an unqualified radical socialist” who will defund the police and raise taxes. Late Friday, Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh joined Chief Justice John Roberts and the Supreme Court’s three progressives in denying a preliminary injunction to a group of medical professionals who sought to be exempted from Maine’s vaccine mandate because of their religious convictions. Justice Neil Gorsuch filed a compelling dissent in the case, John Does 1-3 v. Mills, joined by his fellow conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. The dissenters stressed that, besides being likely to win on the merits, the religious objectors were merely asking to maintain the status quo — to keep their jobs despite being … President Joe Biden took communion when he attended mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Rome on Saturday night, the day after the president said Pope Francis told him he could continue to take the Holy sacrament. First lady Jill Biden accompanied him to the religious service. The English-speaking church is the main place of worship for the American Catholic community in Rome and is located near the U.S. Embassy. Speaker Nancy Pelosi attended mass there earlier this month when she was in Rome for a meeting of legislative leaders of G20 nations. Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, stopped at the church after his first day of meetings at the G20 summit. He and the first lady are scheduled to attend a formal gala for the leaders of the world’s biggest economies later Friday evening. While Biden regularly receives Communion in his home dioceses in Washington and Delaware, it was significant that he also received Communion in Rome. The pope technically is the bishop of Rome, and while he delegates that to his vicar, St. Patrick’s parish is technically in the pope’s archdiocese. As such, Biden received Communion in the pope’s archdiocese. President Joe Biden and Pope Francis met Friday at the Vatican to discuss big issues like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and poverty. The meeting between what are arguably the world’s two most powerful Catholics lasted 75 minutes, which church watchers say is an unusually long time for an audience with the pontiff. “Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution,” the White House said. “He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery.” After leaving the Vatican, Biden said he had a “wonderful” meeting with the pope and that Francis prayed for him and blessed his rosary beads. Asked what the prayer was about, Biden replied, “Peace.” U.S. President Joe Biden’s global energy security adviser said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is getting close to using natural gas as a political tool as Russia is holding back fuel exports to Europe as it suffers an energy crunch. “I think we are getting close to that line if Russia indeed has the gas to supply and it chooses not to, and it will only do so if Europe accedes to other demands that are completely unrelated,” Amos Hochstein, Biden’s adviser, told reporters, when asked if Putin was using gas as a weapon. Hochstein said gas prices in Europe have been driven higher not just by events in the region but also by a dry season in China that has reduced energy output from hydropower and increased global competition for natural gas. The mayor of St. Louis did not flinch during a press conference when gunfire erupted nearby, saying she was unfortunately used to it. Mayor Tishaura Jones was speaking to the press on Friday about her and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ efforts to reduce violent crime following a roundtable discussion about public safety when what sounded like gunfire went off nearby. But Jones did not miss a beat and sarcastically responded ‘Oh isn’t that wonderful,’ before getting back to the topic at hand. https://youtu.be/VrGS6wDNs88 Recently, a former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murder may regain his freedom soon. Mohamed Noor was convicted of third-degree murder in the 2017 shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, an Australian-American, and was hit was a seemingly apt 12-year sentence. However, that initial charge has been tossed out by the State Supreme Court. NBC reports that Noor has been resentenced to five years in prison and has already served just over two years. That means he could be eligible to get out next summer due to good behavior. https://youtu.be/XsoZhjkZs30 Fetty Wap was arrested yesterday prior to his Rolling Loud set. The New Jersey-born rapper, Willie Junior Maxwell II, could be facing life in prison because of his alleged involvement in a “multimillion-dollar bicoastal drug distribution organization.” According to Consequence, Fetty’s indictment accused him of distributing over 100 kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, crack cocaine and heroin across New Jersey and Long Island from June 2019-June 2020. United States Attorney Breon Peace says the rapper is, “deliberately contributing to the opioid epidemic that has devastated our communities and taken too many lives.” Fetty’s federal drug charges could land him life imprisonment. Fetty’s attorney, Navarro Gray, told TMZ: “We pray that this is all a big misunderstanding. He sees the judge today. Hoping he gets released so we can clear things up expeditiously.” Meanwhile, a rep for Rolling Loud says they had no prior knowledge of Fetty’s legal issues. Bullets flew at a College Hill gas station overnight, sparing a mother and a grandson but taking the life of their loved one. Diantes Kemper had just picked up his mom from work. Less than 12 hours after it happened, Kim Thompson stood on her front lawn and recounted how they decided to stop at the Sunoco station on West Galbraith Road in College Hill before heading home. They wanted to get some cigarettes and juice. It was just a few minutes before 1 a.m. Kemper was in the lot when the gunfire started. “He was pullin’ out to pay,” his mother said. “They just opened up fire.” The markings of shell casings were all around her and her son’s 4-year-old grandson who was also there. They were unhurt. The 42-year-old Kemper died as he arrived at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Two law enforcement officers have been charged over the killing of a man in Atlanta who was shot 76 times during an arrest attempt. Jamarion Robinson, 26, was hit dozens of times by police as 16 officers broke down the door and raided his girlfriend’s home in 2016. The incident took place because police officers believed the former college football player was responsible for pointing a gun at Atlanta officers and fleeing. Eric Heinze, an assistant chief inspector with the US Marshal’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and Kristopher Hutchens, a Clayton County police officer working with the task force, have now been charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, burglary, making false statements and violation of oath by a public officer. The US Marshals Service has said that the officers were trying to serve warrants on Mr. Robinson issued by Atlanta police and Gwinnett County police. Three men have pleaded guilty in connection with a summer shooting that left a 12-year-old New Orleans girl dead and outraged a city already struggling with a rise in murders. The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reported that the parents of Todriana Peters were in the courtroom Wednesday when the three men pleaded guilty. One man, Pernell Young, admitted to opening fire during the May 30 shooting outside a graduation party while prosecutors said the other two — 18-year-old Marcus Venible, and 19-year-old Tyrese Riley — were not shooters. Peters’ death was part of a wave of homicides starting last year that has rattled the city. After a 2019 that marked the lowest number of homicides in nearly half a century, New Orleans saw the number of people killed skyrocket in 2020. This year homicides are up 5% over the same time period last year, according to information on the City Council’s website. Councilman Faron Hamblin also declared that “I don’t go around walking on eggshells, worried about hurting someone’s feelings. But I never intended for this to be a racist issue.” Virginia Warsaw councilman Faron Hamblin has apologized for posing in blackface as one of Eddie Murphy’s iconic characters from Coming to America. Hamblin shared the image over the weekend and it quickly caused outrage, WWBT News reports. The white councilman serves the town of Warsaw in Virginia but moonlights as a musician. He decided to pay homage to Murphy’s character of Randy Watson but darkened his skin to do so. “In honor of my late friend, I went out as the legendary Randy Watson tonight. Give it up for my band Sexual Chocolate,” Hamblin wrote alongside the offending photo, according to WWBT News. The post quickly drew backlash from users. Hamblin deleted the post and others that were visible on his page. WWBT News was able to take screenshots before he deleted his posts which included an apology. “Folks I made a post of me dressed like the movie character Randy Watson. For those of you who know the movie, Randy is a [B]lack man. So I dressed the part. Suit, hair and yes my makeup was brown,” Hamblin wrote. “Many saw it degrading, which I did not. I did it to show my love for the character and the movie. But since I’m white it’s considered by some as offensive to dress as a black person.” Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is mourning the loss of his maternal grandmother, Margaret Ebarb. Prescott announced her passing on social media Friday. “We wouldn’t be here without you and I promise to make you proud,” he posted on Instagram. He added that he’ll forever be thankful to her for teaching him “what it means to be a faithful servant.” His Instagram stories ended with a video of him dancing with his grandmother and this quote — “Rest easy Mammy and I love you so much… until we dance again.” Students and staff at Leeds University have demanded senior staff introduce themselves with gender pronouns in meetings. They signed a letter insisting the university’s vice-chancellor Simone Buitendijk also includes her pronouns in email signatures to show solidarity with the transgender community. LGBT staff and student groups accused the university of having ‘a deeply entrenched culture of transphobia’ in the letter sent in August — a month before Ms Buitendijk took up the job. It called on her to ‘rapidly address and effectively rectify the current discriminatory situation’. And it accused the university of being ‘a hostile environment for trans staff and students’, according to The Times, a claim the university denies. The letter accused the university of storing transgender people’s ‘dead names’ — their pre-transition names — in computer systems. They called for ‘a culture which encourages the sharing of pronouns when, for example, in meetings and seminars’. Ice Cube has departed Sony’s upcoming comedy, Oh Hell No, in which he would’ve co-starred with Jack Black, after declining a request from producers to get vaccinated, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Sony had no comment. A personal representative for the star declined to comment. WME, his agency, declined to comment. Oh Hell No is being produced by Matt Tolmach and Black, who both did not offer a comment. Ice Cube and Black partnered on the project in June. The Sony film was looking to shoot this winter in Hawaii with Kitao Sakurai, the filmmaker behind Netflix’s breakout comedy Bad Trip, in the director’s seat. Producers on Oh Hell No made the request that cast on the project would need to be vaccinated. The film is pushing back its production start. Black injured himself in June while filming a gag for the last episode of Conan but is still attached to the project. Sources tell THR the studio is looking to find a replacement for Ice Cube, who walked from a $9 million payday. The NAACP has issued a letter to the players associations for multiple pro sports leagues, calling on free agents to consider signing with teams not based in Texas over the organization’s criticism of legislative actions taken in Texas earlier this year. “We are now pleading with you — if you are a free agent and are considering employment in Texas, look elsewhere. The Texas government will not protect your family,” reads the letter, which was signed by NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson and NAACP Texas State Conference President Gary Bledsoe. “Demand that Texas owners invest in your rights and protect your investments. Texas is not safe for you, your spouse, or your children. Until the legislation is overturned, Texas isn’t safe for anyone,” the two continued. Tami Roman is going back to her proverbial roots as part of “The Real World Homecoming: Los Angeles.” Tami, Beth Anthony, Beth Stolarczyk, David Edwards, Glen Naessens, Irene Berrera-Kearns, and Jon Brennan return to the same Venice beach house they all shared on “The Real World” in 1993. https://youtu.be/e9yQpx9cEUs On the latest Peace of Mind with Taraji the topic was “Why Do Women Stay In Hurtful Relationships?” Realty TV personality/talk show host, and daughter to Rev Run (Joseph Simmons), Angela Simmons, opened up about why she stayed in an abusive relationship for longer than logic advised her to. She described their relationship as “great” at first. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4603400396348332 This weeks episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast highlights Rae Shaw, the director and screenwriter of the upcoming web series Black Kung Fu Chick. Set in South Los Angeles, the web series is about a young African American girl (played by up-and-coming actress Taylor Polidore), who needs guidance with achieving her goal of becoming a doctor. One of her teachers (played by Chinese actor Peter Boon Koh) gives her the boost she needs to reach her dreams both professionally and personally. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vQsn0ZeaE7Dc44MjmWFjC “I’m a smorgasbord of influences,” said Shanachie Entertainment Gospel artist Gene Hoskins about growing up around music. “As I grew older…I searched out artists that spoke to me, like Mary Mary…Brandy, Tank, Anita Baker…as I got older Ella, even Country music. You may even hear a little rock because I love Journey (“Open Arms”). They made me want to write.” https://youtu.be/7IUXWbe7sYA This month, Ebony celebrated the best of Black excellence that is woven throughout our community! The past few years have been hard on everyone, but this year Ebony celebrated leaders in our community, with the Power 100 Gala at The Beverly Hilton. Living legends Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. When Jam and Lewis were being honored on stage, it was led by a tribute message from their longtime collaborator, Janet Jackson and the award was presented by Grammy-nominated singer, Major. The duo received a standing ovation and many cheers from the packed room. “For me, Lifetime Achievement isn’t a place to stop, it’s a bar that’s high and we’re going to continue to try to raise that bar every day that we’re living,” said Jam during his thank you speech. The first trailer for Will Smith’s new YouTube Originals docuseries “The Best Shape of My Life,” has dropped and shows him opening up about the time he considered taking his own life. https://youtu.be/S8p63B_xe2M It’s Me, Julissa! reintroduces fans to entertainment sweetheart Julissa Bermudez after years in the industry's background hosting various shows and helping others tell their stories. Bermudez’s show will air on Friday, October 29 at 9:30p.m. EST/8:30C https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVDnnYFR6BY Popular lifestyle show, TIA MOWRY'S QUICK FIX with air this Friday, October 29 at 9 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. The multi-talented actress, producer, author and entrepreneur, Tia Mowry, serves as host of the digital series that TV One and CLEO TV inked in a major syndication deal with Kin earlier this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INnjgEWRfx0 Two-time Stellar Award nominee, singer/songwriter, and entrepreneur Kelondra Lockett has had a dynamic breakout 2021. Lockett is back with new single “Made A Way” featuring Q Parker of famed R&B Group 112. “Made A Way” is a simple but timeless message set against the New Edition sample “Can You Stand the Rain” the song will envelope you in wave of nostalgia of music from the 90’s. Lockett’s fresh approach to the vocals and Q. Parkers smoothed out tone blend well together on the track. Multi-platinum selling and award-winning, TRIBL Records’ own Maverick City Music, continue their record-breaking year by adding a 2021 American Music Award (AMA) nomination for Favorite Gospel Artist to their resume. The 2021 American Music Awards are set to air Sunday, November 21st live on ABC from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles from 8p.m. to 11p.m. EST. Voting is now open through November 16th by searching AMAs on TikTok. Fresh off their 52nd GMA DOVE Award wins, for Worship Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year. The award-winning collective is completing the last legs of their headlining domestic tour, Welcome to Maverick City Music. Recently, the collective appeared on the national daytime talk show, The Nick Cannon Show, in which they inspired the audience with the song, “Man of Your Word.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUCPLm98Ges&t=2024s Congratulations to Kirk Franklin and Koryn Hawthorne on their 2021 American Music Award nominations for "Favorite Gospel Artist." Vote now by searching “AMAs” on TikTok. Don’t miss the #AMAs, November 21 at 8/7c on ABC! http://www.gospel-spotlight.com JonnyxMali have done it again. From their EP and state-to-state tour to the stage of the Dove Awards, they continue to lift up their unique sound and invite people into the dynamic musical experience they create. Check out their performance of "Jump Ship" at the Dove Awards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P-qCxHavyU Leave it to Koryn to continue to bring together music lovers from all over the place. Check out her "Speak to Me" performance at the Dove Awards which also paid homage to Pastor Donnie McClurkin's hit single "Speak to My Heart." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVpJjxGW-N8 November is Hip-Hop History Month - if you don't know, now you know! Check out our playlist with your favorites, from Kirk and Lecrae to Kierra and Missy Elliott. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLcSq3J265i_-Q4-0F4R57Yimpa5FVw7N In the Gospel Spotlight it's MELISSA BETHEA AS SHE RELEASES HER NEW SINGLE " YOU'RE COMING OUT. It the Gospel Spotlight song of the week....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3mqcdLuEIA On the surface, the Department of Justice’s $88 million settlement with the surviving family members of the nine people killed in the Emanuel AME Church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina, is historic in many ways. Not only is it one of the largest settlements in a civil rights case in U.S. history, but it could help offer closure to one of the most violent attacks by a white supremacist. Bakari Sellers, a civil rights attorney representing the 14 plaintiffs who sued the federal government, told South Carolina news outlet the State that the number 88 is near and dear to white supremacists’ cold and racist hearts. He pointed out that H — the 8th letter of the alphabet — is an offhand reference to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, a revered figure among white supremacists for slaughtering Jews during the Holocaust, which, obviously, also starts with the letter H. It gets deeper than that, though. He also reminded the State that Dylann Roof — the white supremacist who attended bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church before launching his hate-filled killing spree on that fateful day in June of 2015 in hopes of sparking a “race war” — was wearing shoes with the number 88 on them during his unprovoked attack that murdered nine innocent souls. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an anti-hate organization, has referred to the number 88 as a numerical hate symbol. Settlements for those who were murdered are anywhere from $6 million to $7.5 million. Survivors will receive $5 million each. A white man from Michigan won a $10 million discrimination lawsuit after a federal jury in Charlotte agreed with his claims that his former employer fired him because he was a white male. In the lawsuit, David Duvall said in 2018, while living in Charlotte, he was fired from his job with Novant Health as senior vice president of marketing and communication because of the company’s efforts to diversify some of its top leadership positions. The jury believed Duvall’s assertion of discrimination was correct and that he proved without a reasonable doubt that race and gender were motivating factors that led to his termination. The jury also stated that Novant Health couldn’t prove that it would have fired Duvall regardless of his race. But Novant Heath asserts that Duvall was fired because he had poor leadership skills. The company also said Duvall admitted in a deposition that he didn’t believe the company was discriminating against him. It looks like CNN’s chief national affairs analyst will be spending the months leading up to the 2022 midterm elections (and possibly beyond) giving precious media attention to the white women who didn’t vote for Trump last year. At least, that’s what Kasie Hunt said on Thursday in a tweet that promised (some might say threatened) coverage of how “suburban women who turned on the GOP over Trump are responding to Democratic governing in DC” if paid leave was left out of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislative framework. Hunt, who is fresh off of brain surgery to remove a benign tumor, accentuated her tweet by suggesting that the demographic (for which she used coded language for white women) was “especially” affected by a lack of provisions for paid time off “after the pandemic.” Beloved Atlanta news anchor Jovita Moore has lost her seven month battle with brain cancer. The longtime WSB journalist announced in July that she had undergone surgery in April shortly after doctors discovered two masses that were confirmed to be glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. https://youtu.be/cM58cU7QFfw The National NAACP has fired back at the Atlanta branch after its president warned voters not to put former mayor Kasim Reed back in office. Last week, Atlanta NAACP President Richard Rose accused Reed of pushing anti-black policies and programs during his first two terms as mayor. Rose reportedly attacked Reed’s record as mayor on the chapter’s Facebook page. In a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Reed spokeswoman Anne Torres called Rose’s claims “false and wholly without merit.” “Mayor Kasim Reed is a lifetime member of the NAACP and is committed to the mission and work of this path breaking organization,” Torres said in a statement. Our campaign is being attacked because we sought and received the support of the women and men of the Atlanta Police Department at a time when crime and violence is devastating our city,” Reed wrote in a statement on Monday. A Kentucky high school is in the national spotlight this week after photos of a recent homecoming celebration showing students giving lap dances to faculty and staff – including the principal, who is also mayor of the city – went viral. The pics were shared with the Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, Thursday after Hazard Independent Schools district announced Wednesday it had launched an investigation into this year’s homecoming celebration at Hazard High School that included a “Man Pageant” and led to photos being posted on the school’s Facebook page of students giving lap dances in their undergarments to adults, including principal and Hazard mayor Donald “Happy” Mobelini. https://youtu.be/-h6nX9ixTVU A hip-hop concert that was planned for November 7th at Detroit’s Masonic Temple has been canceled by promoters due to the venue’s new vaccine mandate. Promoters 2D Productions & Entertainment and Big Step Entertainment organized the show, which was supposed to feature Rakim, KRS-One, and Slick Rick. Chubb Rock and JJ Fad were also on the bill as special guests. But on October 1st, the operating company AEG Presents implemented vaccine mandates for all its venues, clubs, and theaters throughout the country. “Our hope is that our pro-active stance encourages people to do the right thing and get vaccinated,” said COO of AEG Jay Marciano. “I think everyone can agree that we don’t want concerts to go away again, and this is the best way to keep that from happening.” But instead of complying with the venue’s mandates, promoters decided to cancel the show and moved it to another venue on a different date. In an email, Derrick Kearney, a spokesperson for 2D, said they have received hundreds of text messages and voicemails from fans expressing their frustrations with having to be vaccinated to see the show. The director of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority is taking legal action against Issa Rae’s hit show “Insecure” for including the official AKA shield in their season 5 premiere episode. As reported by Black Enterprise, the backlash centers on “Amanda Seales’ character Tiffany DuBois wearing official AKA paraphernalia in the episode, the organization’s executive director is speaking out and asking her sorors to let them handle it,” the outlet writes. “We were made aware of the unauthorized use of our brand on the HBO show Insecure early yesterday morning (Monday, October 25, 2021) and are taking steps to protect our brand,” AKA Sorority Inc. Executive Director Cynthia D. Howell said in a statement. https://twitter.com/i/status/1452489471006580742 Colin Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay’s “Colin in BLACK and WHITE” premieres on Netflix, today, Friday, October 29. It is a series of powerful and necessary statements in response to those saying Colin Kaepernick has to say more than he has about his exile from the NFL https://youtu.be/ej42P9FTwZg Prayers up! Unfortunately, we have sad news about another old school rapper’s health condition. The Kangol Kid, a member of U.T.F.O., is telling the world he has stage 4 colon cancer and will have to undergo surgery. Kangol – who learned of his diagnosis back in February- took to Instagram on Wednesday (10-27-21) and revealed that he’s been hospitalized for cancer-related complications. His procedure was scheduled for Thursday morning (10/29/21) at the North Shore University Hospital in New York, according to Revolt. Above, in a video interview with PIX News, Kangol discusses his situation. https://youtu.be/LSJd4nCkIhw Tessa Thompson was ‘really terrified’ to tackle the role of Irene in Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut “Passing,” based on Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel of the same name. “Passing” follows two former childhood friends — Irene and Claire, played by Thompson and Ruth Negga. The duo, who pass for white, reconnect as adults and become obsessed with each other’s lives. On screen, “there’s this tension of us really being very different,” Thompson says in a new interview with USA Today. “There’s a kind of restraint that Irene has and the kind of vivacious, live-wire spirit that (Clare has).” https://youtu.be/trwq3CNCMkU Pharrell Williams recently shared a rare family photo with wife Helen Lasichanh and their 12-year-old son Rocket Ayer. As reported by People, Williams explained the meaning of Rocket’s name to Oprah Winfrey in 2014. “Metaphorically, it was because of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Rocket Love,’ Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man,’ and Herbie Hancock’s ‘Rocket,’ ” he said at the time. “All of my favorite musicians.” “In the same way the Indians named their children after a force or animal or element, we named him after a man-made machine that was meant to go up, meant to ascend,” Williams added. Chance the Rapper is opening up about mental health with actress Taraji P. Henson and Tracie Jade on the Facebook Watch series “Peace of Mind with Taraji.” In a preview of the episode, Henson asks Chance if mental health was discussed in his household, the rapper replies, “Wellness wasn’t something that we knew, you know?” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1275709842931329 People will be talking about this all season … the moment the Arizona Cardinals saw their perfectly undefeated season stunningly stolen away on the final play of a thrilling comeback against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Rasul Douglas, the Packers hero that secured the team’s 24-21 victory at State Farm Stadium on Thursday, was on the Cardinals’ practice squad just 22 days earlier. That’s when the Packers, with opening-day starting cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Kevin King both banged up, gave him a call. Winsome Sears has it all figured out. Black Virginians like her, she believes, are more conservative than they know and even more irked by a Democratic Party that takes them for granted. She hopes that with the right amount of righteous outrage she can bring them with her to the Republican promised land. Sears is the GOP’s nominee for lieutenant governor. https://youtu.be/mT0YcDcAJcQ Amazon Studios has closed a three-picture and first-look film deal with Academy Award-nominee and Emmy Award winner Eddie Murphy, it was announced today. Under the pact, Murphy will star in three films for Amazon Studios and develop original film projects for Prime Video and Studios with the potential to star. The deal formalizes Murphy’s relationship with Amazon Studios on the heels of the success of Coming 2 America. Following its March 5 release on Prime Video, the comedy was the #1 streamed movie of the weekend, with the #1 opening weekend of any other streaming movie in 2021 to date, and #1 opening weekend of any streaming movie in the past 12 months (post-COVID theater closures), per third party Screen Engine/ASI’s weekly PostVODTM ranking. “The Talk” co-host Sheryl Underwood is ready for Halloween, and on Monday she was hardly recognizable dressed as professional athlete Lamar Jackson for the show’s Halloween-themed episode. Co-hosts Amanda Kloots, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Jerry O’Connell and Natalie Morales also wore sports-themed costumes, which the show shared on Instagram. It was Sheryl’s costume as the quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens football team that fans are most wild about. Catalina Content, a Sky Studios company, has announced its partnership with the renowned Emmy-nominated director, producer and choreographer Laurieann Gibson to develop the talent competition series ICON, which seeks to develop the next global pop icon. Per press release, over the past twenty years, Gibson has established herself as a true innovator within the entertainment industry, having created pop culture moments for some of the world’s top music artists including Lady Gaga, Meg Thee Stallion, The Jonas Brothers, Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys and countless others. She has also dominated the unscripted television space, passionately building superstars on hit reality shows So You Think You Can Dance, Making the Band, Dance Moms and Beyond the Spotlight. https://twitter.com/i/status/1452498981569896450 The daughter of a California pastor who was murdered outside of his church on Sunday is speaking out about her late father’s legacy of faith, love, and forgiveness. Daney Moore, daughter of Pastor Joe Moore, told the “Edifi With Billy Hallowell” podcast that her family is struggling to process her father’s killing, but are relying on one another to make it through this difficult time. “It’s something we can’t process. It was so unexpected. It was so senseless,” she said. “My heart is broke.” As Faithwire previously reported, Moore, 65, pastor of the Upper Room Christian Church in Compton, California, was killed Sunday while walking to his vehicle in between Bible study and church. The daughter of a California pastor who was murdered outside of his church on Sunday is speaking out about her late father’s legacy of faith, love, and forgiveness. The daughter of a California pastor who was murdered outside of his church on Sunday is speaking out about her late father’s legacy of faith, love, and forgiveness. The daughter of a California pastor who was murdered outside of his church on Sunday is speaking out about her late father’s legacy of faith, love, and forgiveness. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/california-pastor-was-murdered-outside-his-church-just/id1401499962?i=1000540084700 A Black Lives Matter chapter in Washington state demanded that a white county sheriff resign after he was charged with falsely claiming that a Black newspaper carrier had threatened to kill him. Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer is charged with one count of false reporting and one count of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant, according to charging documents from state Attorney General Robert Ferguson’s office. The misdemeanor charges stem from an incident on Jan. 27, when Troyer followed Sedrick Altheimer along his newspaper route and called 911 claiming that Altheimer had threatened to kill him. News of the incident prompted the Washington BLM Alliance to file a complaint with the U.S. Justice Department, meet with officials at the Seattle FBI field office and, last week, call for Troyer’s resignation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYDgl6NU-bM The Columbia Police Department has announced that charges have been filed in connection with the shooting death of Knowledge Sims. Kwatez Carter and Travon Wilson have both been charged with murder, attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, and criminal conspiracy. Wilson, 24, was taken into custody around 6 p.m. by the CPD and U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Task Force. He is currently being held at CPD headquarters before being transported to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Carter, 21, is currently in custody on unrelated charges. Officals say arrangements for the service of the active murder warrants are currently underway. Knowledge Sims, 7, was shot and killed while in his home in April of 2020 on Tarragon Drive, which is off Farrow Road in the Capital Heights neighborhood of north Columbia. Knowledge’s sister was also injured in the shooting but survived. Two young boys drowned Wednesday afternoon at a residence in Belle Glade, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said the drowning occurred just after 1:15 p.m. at a home located in the 600 block of Northeast Second Street. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said the two boys, ages 2 and 3, were being watched by their grandmother when they wandered from a house she routinely cleans. A 15-year-old girl has been missing for over a week after last being seen in Atlanta’s metro area after arriving in the city via bus. Deputies are searching for Kalana Johnson from Columbia County, Georgia, who was last seen around 2 am on 18 October at the Holiday Inn Express in Augusta, east of the state capital. Ms Johnson was in the area along with her mother to visit her father, hopping on a bus later that afternoon from Augusta to Atlanta to visit friends. Her last known location is Palmetto, just south of Atlanta. She was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, green joggers, and black and white Nike sneakers. Oscar and Emmy-winning star Regina King received a new honor in Hollywood Thursday as she placed her handprints and footprints in cement outside the TCL Chinese Theatre. “You guys, I love my city. I love my city!” said King, a Los Angeles native. King recalled the wonder of first seeing this landmark when she was just a girl. “I remember that I was looking for Bette Davis’s hand and footprints. That’s all I wanted to see. But the thing that struck me was why it took me so long to find her footprints is because I kept getting hit with someone else’s,” said King. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/regina-king-calls-having-handprints-footprints-in-hollywood-surreal/2738472/ Ice Cube has dropped out of Sony comedy OH HELL NO, which also stars Jack Black, after declining to get vaccinated. He walks away from a $9 million payday in the process. The White House on Thursday unveiled a $1.75 trillion framework for President Joe Biden’s social-spending plan, dramatically curtailing its economic ambitions in an effort to appease the centrist holdouts Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and break a logjam in negotiations bogging down the party. CNN first reported the framework. It includes investments in childcare, housing, and climate, among other things. The agreement would encompass $1.75 trillion in spending over 10 years — half of Biden’s initial proposal for the Build Back Better plan. Some key provisions include: Universal preschool, One-year expanded child tax credit, Four-year extension of Affordable Care Act health-insurance subsidies, Tax breaks to encourage a transition to cleaner energy, Investments in affordable housing Christopher Baldner allegedly rammed into a vehicle that had fled a traffic stop, causing it to flip over, killing young Monica Goods, Attorney General Letitia James wrote in a Wednesday press release. Baldner had pulled over the girl’s father, Tristan Goods, for speeding in Ulster County on the night of Dec. 22, 2020. At some point during the traffic stop, Baldner deployed pepper spray in the car. Tristan, his wife Monica, and the girl’s 12-year-old sister were also in the car. Tristan then sped away and Baldner pursued the scofflaw with a vengeance — twice ramming his patrol car into the back of the Goods’ vehicle at a high rate of speed, according to the state’s top prosecutor. The second impact cause the car to flip over several times and ejected Monica, killing her, James alleged. In Bradenton, Florida, U.S. Marshals arrived with guns drawn at the home of Kada Staples, a white woman who is probably lucky she isn’t Black because she got to walk away from a raid conducted by the cops who were reportedly searching for a murder suspect—at the wrong apartment. “I cracked the door open and they pushed the door open and pushed me and my baby out of the way,” Staples told WFLA 8 while holding her three-month-old daughter. “They are holding us at gunpoint, screaming, there is a gun about a foot away from her face.” Staples said the officers kept saying, “We know Jamar is in there,” even though no one of that name lived there. “With that, they run in my apartment. There’s probably 6 or 7 of them out there with guns. Three or four of them run into my apartment and are running around. They are still yelling at me that I’m lying,” she said. Staples said she and her baby were taking a nap when the officers arrived and were alone in the apartment, but the officers were convinced their target was there—until they realized he wasn’t. https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/manatee-county/u-s-marshals-draw-guns-on-bradenton-mother-baby-after-knocking-on-wrong-apartment/ The Republican nominee for governor of Virginia is championing a mother known locally for her efforts to remove Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved from schools, saying it gave her teenage son nightmares. A recent campaign ad for Glenn Youngkin features Laura Murphy saying, “As a parent, it’s tough to catch everything, so when my son showed me his reading assignment, my heart sunk. It was some of the most explicit material you can imagine. I met with lawmakers. They couldn’t believe what I was showing them.” https://youtu.be/LDB4eLc5rfo Two teen girls and a teen boy are facing murder charges in connection to the killing of 18-year-old Dwight “DJ” Grant in Miramar, Florida. Grant made the fatal mistake of having sex with the ex-girlfriend of Andre Clements, 17, who became so enraged about it that he recruited two girls to help him kill Grant, according to WSVN. https://youtu.be/vtzOEZ7fgOU A Silicon Valley venture capitalist says that men who take six months of paternity leave are ‘losers’ and that ‘in the old days men had babies and worked harder to provide for their future’ which was ‘the correct masculine response.’ Joe Lonsdale weighed into the raging debate sparked by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s decision to take paternity leave after he and his husband, Chasten, welcomed adopted twins into their family. Buttigieg was criticized for taking paid time off while the country continues to suffer from the effects of a major logjam at ports that has exacerbated the supply chain crisis. Buttigieg, 39, has been on paid leave since mid-August to spend time with his family. Brett Favre, the Hall of Fame quarterback who was raised in Mississippi, this week paid the state back $600,000 that he owed after he improperly received welfare money as part of an extensive fraud scheme, according to the state auditor’s office. But Mr. Favre could still be sued if he does not pay the state the remaining $228,000 in interest that he owes, the auditor, Shad White, said. Two weeks ago, Mr. White issued a demand to Mr. Favre for $828,000, saying it was the outstanding balance that he owed after he was improperly paid $1.1 million in welfare funds in December 2017 and June 2018. Mr. Favre received the money from the Mississippi Community Education Center, a nonprofit organization, in speaking fees for appearances that he never made, Mr. White said. St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Thorofare, New Jersey, Is Being Accused of Rejecting Their Bishop-Appointed Pastor Ratona Stokes-Robinson Because of Her Gender. When you pulled up to the church, don't expected to see Rev. Sister, Ratona Stokes- Robinson in her pulpit. Instead, she will still be locked out of her church. Again, the officers have not given her the keys to the church since her appointment began June 20, 2021. Since that Sunday, she has shown up every week and preached from the front steps, without receiving any of her salary or other benefits. She has asked for email addresses so that she can at least hold service on zoom; and still, she hasn’t received anything. For years after the 2016 protest which effectively got him blackballed from the NFL, Colin Kaepernick didn’t do public interviews. His message, long detailed and long explained in 2016, had morphed into a stance of letting the world prove him right. By protesting police brutality and the fallacies of the criminal justice system, Kaepernick chose a unique approach to lay bare America’s modern sins at the feet of a base too prideful to acknowledge him and even too afraid to listen. He’s viewed plenty of talent-deficient quarterbacks get jobs after his exile and seen fans voice their displeasure every time. A simple Twitter search of Kaepernick’s last name gives you the best and worst of the app, for better or worst. In the five years since Kapernick last took a snap as an NFL quarterback, he’s emerged as a celebrity. A silent provocateur through his Know Your Rights camp, a dashing cover star with an unmistakable Afro and pointed thoughts about race, justice, and the structures which uphold the worst of America’s inalienable truths. With his limited series Colin In Black & White, he takes on a new role – the narrator of a story that is a mix between coming of age and historical retellings and explanations of the triggers of Black America. The show accomplishes through the lens of directors such as Ava DuVernay and Robert Townsend in select episodes to capture Kapenerick’s angst as a teen and match it with the tone of today regarding race, culture, and identity. A suspended college football player has been formally indicted on murder charges stemming from the killing of a trans woman he met on a dating app. Isimemen David Etute, a freshman who was recruited to play linebacker at Virginia Tech, was hit with second-degree murder charges in the death of Jerry Paul Smith in May. A grand jury returned the indictment on Wednesday. Etute, who was arrested back in June for the May 31 killing, has said that Smith presented himself as a woman named Angie on Tinder. Under the purported assumption that Smith was a woman, Etute, 18, said they got together in April and had oral sex. The next month, Etute said he suspected Smith, 40, was not a biological woman and, according to the Roanoke Times, “groped Smith to try to determine his gender, used his phone’s flashlight to get a better look at Smith in the dark apartment, then began punching him.” The phenomenon described by Etute is casually referred to as catfishing, a popular slang term for a person pretending to be someone who they are not on social media. According to Virginia law, a conviction for second-degree murder is punishable by up to 40 years in prison and no fewer than five years. A Houston Astros fan caught everyone’s attention during Game 1 of the World Series when he held a sign in the air at Minute Maid Park in Houston that read “The Chop Is Racist.” The Atlanta Braves have a unique fan celebration called the ‘Tomahawk Chop’ that has been a part of the city’s tradition for decades. It was made popular by Florida State university football fans in the 1980s. When Braves fans want to celebrate or help rally their team, they stick their arm out in front of them and simulate the chopping from an ax or a tomahawk while chanting rhythmic Native American sounds associated with their culture. The problem with the celebration is that it’s extremely racist and an absolute misrepresentation of Native Americans. According to a CNN article published in 2019, Chiefs from the Cherokee and Creek Indians believe ‘the chop’ is insensitive and inappropriate. But Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred defended the chop before the start of the World Series saying that Native Americans in Georgia are wholly supportive of the Braves program, including ‘The Chop.’ https://twitter.com/i/status/1453215615737647104 Netflix has released the first trailer for “True Story” starring Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes. In the drama series, Hart plays a character seemingly inspired by himself, a comedian named The Kid. A tour stop in Kid’s hometown of Philadelphia becomes a matter of life and death for one of the world’s most famous comedians when the consequences of a lost evening with his wayward older brother (Snipes) threaten to destroy everything he’s built. https://youtu.be/QP1PAEaszVM Fans of “Insecure” star Jay Ellis appear to be upset that he has seemingly kept secret his longtime relationship with a white woman. Meanwhile, a quick Google search turns up endless photos of the couple at industry events. As reported by Radar Online, Ellis and Serbian model Nina Senicar have been dating since 2015, but allegedly she never appears on his social media page. The couple shares a child, daughter Nora Grace born in November of 2019. It remains unclear if the couple is married. The actor reportedly spoke about his relationship in 2017, explaining that he likes to keep his personal life private. “I am in a relationship. I’m in a very happy relationship and that’s where I leave it,” he said, according to theJasmineBRAND. R&B songstress Chante Moore and former BET executive Stephen G. Hill have announced their engagement. The singer went public with their relationship while with Hill, who celebrated his 60 birthday on Tuesday (Oct. 26). Both shared the same photo on their Instagram accounts, showing them cozied up on a boat watching the sunset over the ocean. Moore captioned the photo with lyrics from “Happier Than the Morning Sun” by Stevie Wonder. “I couldn’t think of a better way to say~ what love, peace and joy I feel~ because of you @stephengranthill,” she wrote. “There are mountains, valleys and hidden coves, full of treasures I’ve never seen before … that are pouring out of your heart! Thank you for showering me with more than I ever expected!! Happy Birthday and I love you! Who knew 30 years ago~ through many chance meetings… we would end up H E R E!?!? ?? But, here we are…. WE will enjoy OUR gift of the ‘PRESENT!’ ??????” https://www.instagram.com/p/CVgYDe7J2_r/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cf909d8a-4a63-4802-bf7d-8dd8fbd7a98f Alicia Keys is speaking out about the joy of watching her 11-year-old son Egypt in his first live performance at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards. The 15-time Grammy-winner recalled sharing the stage with her son for her song “Raise a Man” during an interview with People (The TV Show!)‘s Kay Adams. The mother of two said of the magical moment with Eqypt… “this is the first time that he’s ever done anything like this,” she explained, adding “is he going to be okay? I don’t know. It just hit me like a ton of bricks outta the side.” Keys asked her son to perform with her, as Egypt, like his mother, has a natural musical talent. “I’m not the crying type; I’m really not,” said Keys. “But you get so sensitive just thinking about how life goes on, and seeing him next to me and remembering that moment. That moment was the first time that he performed with me on stage, and I remember being completely so wrapped up in him being okay because I asked him to do it.” https://youtu.be/xMj8sFIuugs Tashia and Diciembre Farries were posing for their wedding photos on a Santa Monica beach last week when Tom Hanks walked in out of nowhere – like a scene out of “Cast Away” – and greeted the stunned wedding party. “It’s Woody from Toy Story!” one person is heard saying in the video, which has since gone viral. Video showed the Oscar-winning actor excitedly meeting the same sex couple, and posing with the newly betrothed and their family. “We were gathering all the family together and next thing you know, Tom Hanks walks through the whole crowd and said, ‘Hey, I just had to stop and see these beautiful brides,’” Tashia Farries told KTLA. https://youtu.be/lcb9Do0GZtU ”Tiger King 2" will arrive on Netflix November 17th, and there is now a full length trailer. Joe Exotic will be featured phoning in from prison in the sequel, complaining about his sentence for attempting to kill Carole Baskin, and putting his spin on all that has happened since the end of the original docuseries. https://youtu.be/pT4NYto3abM Disney fans are raging on Twitter over a couple spotted wearing matching raunchy shirts at Disney World. As reported by Page Six, one shirt read, “I wanted the D,” while the other said, “I gave her the D” — both with Disney’s “D” calligraphy. The shirts are sold on Etsy and Amazon, and have sparked fury among Disney fans online. Over the weekend, fans posted a photo of the couple (with clown emojis over their faces) and called on the theme parks (Disney World and Disneyland) to band the non-family-friendly shirts. During Wednesday’s episode of her Facebook Watch series, Jada opened up to Gwyneth Paltrow about the challenges of maintaining a healthy sex life in her marriage to Will Smith, PEOPLE reports. “It’s hard,” she told Paltrow, who appeared on “Red Table Talk” to promote her new Netflix show “Sex, Love & goop.” “The thing Will and I talk about a lot is the journey. We started in this at a very young age, you know, 22 years old. That’s why the accountability part really hit for me because I think you expect your partner to know [what you need], especially when it comes to sex. It’s like, ‘Well, if you love me, you should know. If you love me, you should read my mind.’ That’s a huge pitfall.” Paltrow replied, “Isn’t it weird, though? It’s like someone doesn’t read your mind and we feel crushed.” “Crushed!” Jada replied, adding, “You tell me what you need. Tell me what you want, and on top of it, I know that I have to be accountable to do the same…I really try.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1231984313942522 Zazie Beetz boards “The Harder They Fall” as Stagecoach Mary, a fictional formidable, shotgun-toting saloon and brothel owner. Mary is based off a real life formidable, shotgun-toting mail carrier, “she was one of the first Black women carriers in the US. She owned a restaurant and was known for carrying a shotgun and smoking cigars,” shared Beetz. https://youtu.be/W7h9JeagEJw L.B. Alexander has entered the literary world with a boom, bang, blast and sizzle! Hot off the presses is her 3rd romance novel “Working Man” and it’s already a best seller. Its description is aptly noted in its subtitle: A Modern Day, Gender-Swapped Pretty Woman Romance. Gibson Public Relations hosted a cocktail reception for Ms. Alexander at Sarah’s Lingerie in Studio City, California earlier this month. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Lori Harvey is releasing SKN by LH and opened up to Access Daily’s Mario Lopez and Kit Hoover about how she keeps her skin looking fresh and how she got her boyfriend, Michael B. Jordan, onto his own skincare routine. She also shares how timing was everything in getting together with Michael and reveals why he calls her turtle. https://youtu.be/3Bwmb-ns5aQ Writer/Director Reggie Rock Bythewood has proudly made a career from elevating stories that have cultural impact. From his first screenplay “Get On The Bus” to “Notorious,” Reggie Rock Bythewood’s imprint is authentic. It is filled with heart & soul and the unsettling truth that despite our excellence, being Black in America comes with obstacles and consequences. Still we rise. Reggie’s latest creation is the new series “Swagger.” It’s Co-Created by NBA superstar Kevin Durant. https://youtu.be/87A_aLJOY4g The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis, a new biopic tracking the life of The Chronicles Of Narnia author, has been set for an event cinema release in theaters this November. Scroll down to watch the trailer. On November 3, venues in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, Miami Beach, San Francisco, and more will screen the film for a one night engagement. The release will be handled by Trafalgar Releasing. https://youtu.be/AWEjo6pr2Qk HBO announced the upcoming documentary Black And Missing from Emmy Award winners Geeta Gandbhir and Soledad O’Brien that will focus on Black missing persons cases. Black And Missing will premiere on HBO with two back-to-back episodes on Nov. 23 followed by the release of the remaining pair of episodes on Nov. 24. All episodes will be available to stream after airing on HBO Max. The four-parter, which was three years in the making, follows Black and Missing Foundation founders Derrica and Natalie Wilson as they dive into specific cases and break down how systemic behaviors and attitudes stem from centuries of deeply rooted racism. The docuseries also exposes the stark disparity in the media coverage of white and black missing persons. By keeping these stories and the missing in the news media, Derrica and Natalie put increased pressure on police departments to keep cases open and active. The docuseries will feature testimony from the families and loved ones of missing women, activists, volunteers, law officers, and historians with first-hand experience in this field. Former First Lady Michelle Obama has been tapped to guest-star in an upcoming episode of “black-ish” when the series returns for its eighth and final season next year. “#blackish is going all out for the final season!” the show’s official Twitter shared. “We are honored to have trailblazer @MichelleObama join us as an upcoming guest star.” Billy Porter has unpacked his childhood trauma and sexual abuse in his new memoir titled “Unprotected.” Porter, 52, details in “Unprotected” (Abrams Press, 288 pp., out now) that his stepfather raped him for years during his childhood. “I really, really, really have needed this past year to work on myself and try to become a better person,” Porter says in an interview with USA TODAY. Speaking of the trauma he has suffered from being abused by his stepfather Bernie, Porter explains, “I split off from myself at 7 years old and began to experience myself as a grown-(expletive) man,” he writes in the memoir. “I had no other choice. How was I to know that those sessions under the cloak of night with Bernie were wrong?” NBA star Enes Kanter isn’t backing down on China. The Boston Celtics center who previously condemned Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “brutal dictator” is now calling out Nike for profiting off “modern day slavery” in the communist country, which has mass detained Uyghur Muslims and is using them for forced labor, according to the U.S. Department of State. During Monday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, Kanter wore yet another pair of customized shoes with the words “Modern Day Slavery” and “No More Excuses” emblazoned on the sides of them. He also posted a video to his Twitter account, rebuking Nike for its hypocritical silence on the well-established injustices and human rights abuses occurring in China. Facebook has changed its name to Meta, the company announced on Thursday. “Today we are seen as a social media company, but in our DNA we are a company that builds technology to connect people, and the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. The company’s stock ticker will change from FB to MVRS effective Dec. 1, as reported by CNBC. Zuckerberg told The Verge in July that he wanted Facebook to become a “metaverse company.” The company reportedly intends to add augmented and virtual reality to the platform in the coming years. “Our hope is that within the next decade, the metaverse will reach a billion people, host hundreds of billions of dollars of digital commerce, and support jobs for millions of creators and developers,” Zuckerberg wrote in a letter on Thursday. “We believe the metaverse will be the successor to the mobile internet,” Zuckerberg said. https://youtu.be/gElfIo6uw4g Craig Robinson, best known for his acting roles in television’s “The Office” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” will star in “Killing It,” a new Peacock comedy series. “Killing It” is a comedy about class, capitalism, and one man’s quest – Robinson’s lead character role of Craig – to do anything to make his American Dream come true, even if the dream has something to do with hunting giant python snakes. Jury selection is proving to be a challenge in Brunswick, GA, in the trial of three White men charged in the murder of Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery. Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan face nine charges, which include malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. Lawyers for the McMichaels argue their clients were justified in chasing down Arbery when they saw him on a property that was under construction. The killers allegedly attempted to make a citizen’s arrest and killed Arbery in the process. Arbery, 25, was called a ““F–king n—-r” by his killer as he lay dying on the pavement after being fatally shot while allegedly jogging through his Georgia neighborhood on February 23, 2020. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. https://youtu.be/MJB9GK8t-Sk Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says he’s tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19. The mayor shared his test results in a statement released early Tuesday afternoon where he added that he is only experiencing mild symptoms. “This morning, I tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, I am fully vaccinated, and I am only experiencing mild symptoms,” Johnson said. “My wife Nikki, who is also fully vaccinated, has tested negative. Johnson said his primary concern at this point is for the health of the couple’s three children who are not yet old enough to receive a vaccine. The mayor said he began feeling ill Monday night and canceled his events on Tuesday prior to receiving his test results. After confirming the diagnosis the mayor cleared his schedule for the week, notified close contacts and his boys’ schools. A Houston woman and her boyfriend were arrested and charged by authorities on Tuesday for abandoning and neglecting her three young children in a home for months at a time while the kids’ eight-year-old brother’s corpse decomposed in the house for more than a year. Gloria Y. Williams, 35, has been charged with injury to a child by omission, failure to provide medical care and failure to provide adequate supervision, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Brian W. Coulter, 31, is charged with murder in connection with the child’s death, ABC 13 TV reported. The two were questioned and released hours after investigators performed their welfare check on Sunday, during which they made the gruesome discovery. https://youtu.be/lr0OCWm1QVg Friends and loved ones are mourning the senseless murder of a California pastor who was gunned down Sunday after teaching a Bible study. Joe Moore, 65, pastor of the Upper Room Christian Church in Compton, California, was killed while walking to his vehicle, with KTLA-TV reporting that he was carrying a Bible in one hand and his cane in the other at the time. Moore’s son, Damar Moore, called the shooting both “senseless” and cowardly and daughter Daney Moore expressed her disbelief and horror. “This is one of them things that we would never expect,” she told KTLA-TV. “He just finished Sunday school, walked across the street and this is what happened to him.” The motive in the case is unclear, but authorities are fast at work looking for the person or persons responsible. Authorities said the investigation is early, but that it appears Moore was potentially targeted. A trio of teenagers were arrested on suspicion of murder in Florida after an 18-year-old high school student was found dead. Dwight “DJ” Grant was missing for multiple days before his body was found last Tuesday in bushes by his apartment building, according to the Associated Press. Later that week, police arrested three teens in connection to the death — a 17-year-old boy and girl, plus a 16-year-old girl — and charged them with murder in the first degree, tampering with evidence and criminal conspiracy, the outlet reported. Last Tuesday, Miramar High School principal Maria Formoso tweeted, “May our forever Patriot Rest In Peace. Please pray for Dwight Grant’s family, friends and our community. I spoke with Ms. Grant to offer our condolences on behalf of the Patriot family. We will have grief counselors available on Thursday & Friday. We are here for you.” Caitlyn Jenner has come to Dave Chappelle’s defense amid controversy over his Netflix special The Closer, saying the comic is ‘100% right’ to stand up to transgender protesters angered by his gags. Jenner, the world’s most famous transgender woman, tweeted Tuesday: ‘Dave Chappelle is 100% right. ‘This isn’t about the LGBTQ movement. It’s about woke cancel culture run amok, trying to silence free speech.’ ‘We must never yield or bow to those who wish to stop us from speaking our minds,’ the retired Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete wrote. She spoke as LGBTQ activists continue to bash the comic for his jokes about the transgender community in the special. https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/10/27/14/49698555-10136147-image-a-17_1635342125238.jpg Lawrence “LAW” Watford’s Divine Write Pictures has optioned film, TV and digital rights to the book The Seminarian: Martin Luther King Jr. Comes of Age by Patrick Parr. Watford is planning to adapt the book for television via his Tyler Street Films partnership with Jack Manning III and Tiffany Elle Burgess; all are graduates of Hampton University, a historically black college in Virginia. Published by the Chicago Review Press in 2018, The Seminarian explores Martin Luther King’s Jr. life as a student at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his romance with a white woman, Betty Moitz, who was the daughter of the school dietitian. The deal was negotiated by entertainment attorney Laverne Berry on behalf of Divine Write Pictures and Susan Schulman on behalf of Patrick Parr and Chicago Review Press. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Former MSNBC host Touré Neblett has accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of being a “soldier for white supremacy” after she spoke negatively about critical race theory. The former National Security Adviser under both Bush presidencies recently was a guest host on “The View” and doubled down on the beliefs espoused by proponents of critical race theory during the Hot Topics segment. Rice argued that CRT – which is not taught in K-12 classrooms – makes white students “feel guilty” and condemns black students as “disempowered.” Co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Whoopi Goldberg attempted to challenge Rice’s belief, but the conservative Bush alum remained firm – to put it mildly – in making her point. https://youtu.be/Hdx4JsDIsWs A legendary outlaw and head of a ruthless crew famed for their robberies, Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), is being released from prison so he rounds up his gang; “Treacherous” Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield) in Netflix’s “The Harder They Fall.“ https://youtu.be/v6AzNgHxDxY The cast lineup for season 14 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” has finally been revealed, and fans will be pleased that some familiar faces are returning. As reported by Variety, longtime “friend” of the show Marlo Hampton is now an official full-time cast member. Shereé Whitfield is also marking her return after leaving the show in season 10. She joins series stars Kandi Burruss, Kenya Moore and Drew Sidora, along with newcomer Sanya Richards-Ross. Sanya is a Jamaican-American track and field star, and four-time Olympic Gold medalist. Longtime ‘Housewifes’ Cynthia Bailey and Porsha Williams previously announced their exit from the hit Bravo series. https://www.instagram.com/bravorhoa/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7b65cfe6-20bf-425d-bd46-f7922d807f54 Wesley Snipes and Tiffany Haddish have teamed to produce the new comedy film “Back On the Strip” which they will also star in. Per Urban Hollywood 411, the movie follows Merlin, a young man who moves to Las Vegas in hopes of becoming a magician after losing the woman of his dreams. “But when a costume malfunction reveals his physical ‘gifts,’ he is recruited to become the frontman of an infamous male revue group,” according to a press release on the film. Comedian Chris Spencer will direct the project based on a script he co-wrote with Eric Daniel. Here is the exclusive clip from this week’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition” airing Thursday. In the clip below, fans see an epic fight breakout between Mally Mall and his girlfriend Treasure about a lap dance! https://youtu.be/I3MAMmMLmNs In video footage that recently surfaced and went viral, Lil Baby is seen behind the wheel of a car that is surrounded by screaming fans, preventing his car from moving. The rapper looks around in … awe? Bewilderment? Fear? … as he attempts to escape the extreme adoration. At one point he laughs and even revs his engine, trying to clear a path. It didn’t work. “Hey, get out! Get out!” one female voice screams at Lil Baby. https://youtu.be/jSKh8BZzO-o Rapper Kevin Gates spoke about the mental, spiritual, and health benefits of semen retention during a recent interview on the“Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast. As reported by SandraRose, the 35-year-old Louisiana native shared his bedroom habits and the importance of men pleasing their partners. “And another thing… that’s like, really healing to your body, it’s gonna sound crazy, is semen retention,” he said. “Not releasing no semen. Like, you can have sex and it’s beautiful… You can have sex, but your intention should be to please your partner.” https://youtu.be/3LmXKiMuQFA Floyd Mayweather Jr. was caught on camera refusing to pose for a photograph with a male fan because he had painted nails. The incident occurred at the end of an NBA game in Los Angeles on Saturday. TMZ obtained video showing the teenager approaching Mayweather to ask for a photo, but the boxing legend responds: “You got painted nails, I don’t take pictures with guys with no painted nails.” And with that — Floyd is ushered away by his bodyguards. The fan then says into his handheld camera: “Floyd’s a homophobe. You guys saw that first. Floyd doesn’t want to take a picture with me because my nails are painted. Bro, really?” Mayweather’s representative slammed allegations of homophobia in a comment to TMZ on Tuesday. In related news, Mayweather posted a clip this week on social media in which he express support for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving over his vaccine stance. Mayweather praised the NBA star for “having some integrity and being your own man.” Irving has been barred from any team activities with the Nets until he takes the COVID-19 vaccine, which he refuses to do. Wendy Williams’ ex-husband (Kevin Hunter) is ready to begin a new chapter in his life as he proposed to his long term mistress, Sharina Hudson. For the past couple years the talk show host has opened up about her difficult marriage problems amid her 2019 divorce. For those of you who may have forgot Hudson has been having an affair wit Kevin Hunter “since the beginning,” says Williams. She described Kevin as a “serial cheater.” She first found out about Sharina while she was pregnant on bedrest with her son. According to the Sun, Kevin dropped $80,000 on his long term mistress’ engagement ring. Money seems like no problem for him after the large amount of coins Wendy had to pay him after their divorce. After their divorce was finalized Hunter and his now fiancée packed up and moved to Boca Raton, Florida. Wendy has yet to comment on her ex-husband’s engagement while she is still recovering from her recent health issues. The Wendy Williams show is still waiting for her return, but during her absence she’s had a series of guest hosts to take over. Back in 2014, a security guard at a Houston Astros game became famous overnight when he broke out in a dance battle with the team mascot, and destroyed it. The video shared by Willis Harris begins with Orbit dancing in front of another security guard, before making his way towards Harris, who was also working the game. At first, he stood stoically as Orbit danced all around him. Suddenly, Harris pushed the mascot aside and the rest is history. https://youtu.be/oVH3j31pV7Y Folks are talking about the roller skating skills of iconic singer Jody Watley! The Grammy-winning trendsetting pioneer in music, video, fashion and style showcased her smooth skating skills in an Instagram video. https://twitter.com/i/status/1452406797319372800 The stage is now set for Nia Kay to make her impact, starting with her debut EP. Slated for the first single to drop from her forthcoming album on her 20th birthday (December 8th), the project which looks like will drop first quarter of 2022 is described by Nia as “elevated” from her previous music, with an obvious growth as she enters into young adulthood. While her new geotag is in Atlanta, Georgia, she still retains some of her hometown energy. “I incorporate some elements of Chicago into my style, but my music isn’t that typical Chicago aggression,” she expresses. The goal is to reach worldwide, and Nia is well on her way. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Angela Spivey is a toe tapping, energetic "make you feel it" kind of singer. She joins up with the equally energetic Chicago based Paul Turner and CMI for this praise party Jesus Celebration that makes you want to sing and shout the name of Jesus. https://rgmc-impact.disco.ac/playlist-new/8795660?date=20211011&user_id=885555&signature=nz0SW4LpeMWbtLrwOJkQ_7raFM4%3AT7msb7dm A series of moves made by the judge presiding over Kyle Rittenhouse‘s upcoming murder trial suggests that he may not be as impartial as he’s supposed to be. At least, that’s according to a growing chorus of doubters across social media who were reacting to Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce E. Schroeder’s most recent rulings in the case that appear to give preferential treatment to the teenager who is accused of bringing a high-powered assault rifle across state lines and using it to murder two people and shoot another who were participating in the protest of a police shooting in the Milwaukee suburb. Schroeder on Monday — the final court hearing before the trial begins next week — ruled the people who 17-year-old Rittenhouse gunned down in a street can’t be referred to as “victims.” However, Schroeder will allow the two deceased men to be “referred to as rioters, looters or arsonists or other pejorative terms,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. To be sure, Rittenhouse’s shooting victims — Anthony Huber, 26, Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, both of whom were killed, and Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, who was shot in the arm and survived — were neither rioting nor looting. All three have been described as activists in their own rights who traveled to Kenosha to join in the demonstrations against local police for shooting a Black man, Jacob Blake, seven times at close range in the back, paralyzing him from the waist down. While white and blue entitlement and fear continue to wreak havoc on Black people who simply wish to be left alone, Black people and supporters of Black lives, at the very least, know their readily available recording devices might give them some kind of recourse. A recent video posted to TikTok shows a Black man being pinned to his car by a bunch of police officers while the woman recording the video is heard aggressively explaining to the cops that they have the wrong guy and it was actually a couple of white men who accosted the Black man they decided to go after. https://twitter.com/i/status/1451595113399001092 In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, Rep. Bobby Rush requested a federal review of the disappearance and death of Illinois graduate student Jelani Day. A student at Illinois State University, Day went missing at the end of August. It took several weeks before officials could identify him, but many questions remain unanswered. “As I learned the details of Day’s case, I was reminded of the lynching of Emmett Till, whose body was found floating in a river in 1955 and still, decades later, no one has been held legally accountable for his death,” Rush wrote. “The circumstances surrounding Day’s death are strikingly similar to past lynching's of Black Americans, both male and female.” A group of Howard University Students have been protesting the living conditions in their dorms for over a week. Using the Twitter hashtag #BlackburnTakeover, students organized a sit-in at the Blackburn Center, to bring attention to the horrid and unlivable conditions they have been forced into. Students have used social media, as well as traditional media to share first-hand accounts of the issues that plagued the campus. Photos of mold piling up in air vents and behind hanging photographs on walls were shared thousands of times on the internet. Students complained about roaches, rats and share stories of their friends being hospitalized because of mold exposure. As the students continue to get louder and more unified, the world is taking notice. Rapper Gucci Mane refused to perform at Howard University’s homecoming and announced he stood in solidarity with the protesters on Campus. https://twitter.com/i/status/145272021611968103 Malika Andrews’ name is quickly becoming a fixture in the world of sports, but who is she and why is everyone so excited about her new show “NBA Today?” Prior to her rapid come-up, the 26-year-old journalist built her chops for covering sports news as an online writer and sideline reporter with ESPN. Andrews spent the majority of the 2018-2019 season severing as a reporter covering the scoop on the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls. The Oakland, California native also worked at the Chicago Tribune as a reporter shortly before she joined ESPN that year. ast forward and now Andrews will replace Nichols’ popular weekday show “The Jump” with her very own. “NBA Today” kicked off on Oct. 18 and will feature a regular ongoing panel of heavy sports analysts including former NBA players Vince Carter and Kendrick Perkins as well as current WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike and writer Zach Lowe. It’s a huge deal for a young Black NBA correspondent like Andrews as the rising star attempts to turn a new leaf with the station following Nichols’ drama. The second season of “Games People Play” kicked off on Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray “Games Divas Play,” “Games People Play” is a sexy, stylized one-hour drama about the L.A. high life, featuring a cast of characters where everyone plays to win, including a basketball player navigating both his equally rocky personal life and NBA career, a newly appointed team marketing executive who’s got a lot to prove, a tenacious journalist desperately seeking the truth and a struggling actress with a scandalous past. The talented ensemble cast includes Karrueche Tran, Lauren London in a limited role, Sarunas J. Jackson, Karen Obilom, Parker McKenna Posey, Jackie Long, and Kendall Kyndall and Brandi Denise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk0ykZmvxnI Meech and Terry create a new system for “The 50 Boyz” to operate more efficiently, while a secret within their ranks threatens to tear the crew apart. BMF “STRICTLY BUSINESS” AIRS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31 ON THE STARZ APP AND ON STARZ AT 8PM ET/PT Pastor Mike, Jr. is quickly making his mark in Gospel music, and he’s making the rounds too! Pastor Mike, Jr. was among the esteemed celebrity presenters at the 52nd Dove Awards held in Nashville. Though he was a virtual performer at the 51st awards in 2020, this is Pastor Mike, Jr’s first time gracing the prestigious Dove Awards stage. Pastor Mike, Jr., who co-presented with PJ Morton, enjoyed the celebration of this year’s best and brightest in Gospel and Christian music. “It was an honor to present at the 52nd Dove Awards. Spirits were high all evening as we celebrated the Lord with song. This was my first live show with the Dove Awards, but I pray it will not be my last. I loved the production as well as the camaraderie of my peers.” Pastor Mike, Jr’s single “I Got It” hit #1 on the Gospel Airplay Chart, and has received over one million streams. More than four years after the tragic violence in Charlottesville, Va., organizers of the Unite the Right rally may finally be held accountable. Jury selection began Monday in the civil suit. The case is the first major attempt to use the Enforcement Act of 1871 in a civil suit context. Also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, the civil rights legislation was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1871. According to the Zinn Education Project, the legislation was the third enforcement act passed to protect the rights of Black people against white supremacist violence. Have you ever pulled your car into a random driveway in order to turn around and drive back the other way? Of course, you have. It’s such a normal thing to do that most motorists do it without even having to give it a first thought, let alone a second. But, apparently, it’s the type of mundane, barely noticeable activity that can get you killed. And if your killer is a white man, he might be treated almost like he just barely committed a crime at all. In Martindale, Texas, a white man shot and killed an African immigrant who had done nothing more to deserve his fate than what motorists do commonly every single day when there’s not a more convenient way to make a U-turn. But this shooter wasn’t arrested until nearly two weeks after the killing and instead of having a mob of police officers kick in his door to arrest a violent criminal, he was allowed to turn himself in—and he was released on bail shortly after. According to CBS-DFW, 65-year-old Terry Duane Turner has been charged with murder after fatally shooting 31-year-old Adil Dghoughi, an immigrant from Morocco who he spotted pulling into his driveway at around 3:40 a.m. on October 11. A team of Black fathers in Louisiana have joined forces to patrol a local high school after a series of fights broke out over the course of a week. As reported by TMZ, Dads on Duty is a team of about 40 men in the Shreveport, LA area who are hitting the hallways to keep kids safe. The children of these fathers attend Southwood High School, which has experienced a disturbing spike in violence. Last month there were nearly 2 dozen arrests in just 3 days. Dads on Duty was formed in response to the violent chaos at the high school, and they now serve as hall monitors to help curb the fighting among students. According to reports, their efforts are working, as there have been zero incidents since September. “I immediately felt a form of safety,” one of the students said, per CBS. “We stopped fighting; people started going to class.” https://youtu.be/OdPaqt6RY_Q A group of racial justice organizations wants Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to resign immediately after the explosive release of leaked internal documents. Kairos, 18 Million Rising, Media Justice, Action Center on Race and the Economy, MPower Change and U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights released a statement outlining how Facebook has misled the public and officials on the platform’s steps to address hate speech and disinformation on its site. The groups are a part of a larger effort to send a message to Facebook with an organized logout scheduled for Nov. 10. “Facebook pretends it’s not accountable to anyone, but the truth is this: users make or break Facebook’s business model,” reads the Facebook Logout site. “Ninety-eight percent of Facebook’s revenue comes from advertising, and Facebook relies on our engagement on its platforms to target ads to us. We can show Facebook that we have power by refusing to engage with their platform, even for a temporary period.” NFL star receiver Davante Adams is expected to miss at least one crucial game for the Green Bay Packers after testing positive for COVID-19. As a result, the Packers have placed Adams on its reserve/COVID-19 list, USA Today reported. Adams said he has been fully vaccinated, indicating that a breakthrough case of COVID-19 caused his diagnosis. In the event that Adams’ case was a false-positive, he will be expected to pass two consecutive tests taken 24 hours apart, leaving the door slightly ajar for him to play on Thursday. Adams joins Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry, who was already quarantining after he recently tested positive for the virus. Lendistry announced today that it will administer a new grant program to support independent live venues in California. The California Venues Grant Program, set to launch on October 29, 2021, will provide grants to venues that lost significant revenue in 2020 and 2021 and that gain most of their revenue through ticket sales and event promotion. To keep their communities and employees safe, spaces that host in-person events closed their doors for several months. While events are beginning to take place again, many venues need support to recover from the long period without income. The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) will announce winners of the 13th Annual AAFCA Awards honoring outstanding achievement in film on Jan. 17,2022, it was announced today by AAFCA President and co-founder, Gil Robertson. An in-person celebration will follow on March 2. The critics’ organization will announce its annual “top 10” list on Dec. 8. Submissions are open now. The deadline to screen films and/or provide screeners to the AAFCA membership for awards consideration is Dec. 3, 2021. Additional honorary awards to be presented at the 13th Annual AAFCA Awards will be announced later this year and include the AAFCA Stanley Kramer Award and the AAFCA Cinema Vanguard Award. Dressed in the red suit from Jordan Peele’s “Us” for the show’s Halloween theme, Iman Shumpert and his “Dancing With The Stars” partner Daniella Karagach shocked the world – including his friend LeBron James – by earning a perfect score. The routine was set to the Luniz’ “I Got 5 On It” remix. Iman channeled his athletic prowess to execute the choreography, earning four perfect 10s for a 40 out of 40. Judge Derek Hough even wanted to give them an 11, saying, “That was something people are going to watch over and over and over.” James tweeted of Shumpert’s dance: “Man my G Iman Shumpert in his f’n bag!!!!!! …LFG. Don’t even try to front, just respect the conglomerate!” Dwyane Wade also caught the act, saying, “Stop playing with this man Iman Shumpert.” https://youtu.be/XD1OqozHUYU The members of legendary hip-hop group 2 Live Crew have been hit with a lawsuit by a record label over control of the band’s catalog. The suit is the latest in the music industry related to copyright law’s termination right. The record label has also noted that 2 Live Crew never owned any rights to their music because their songs were created as part of a work-for-hire deal with their record label. In related news, earlier this year, Luther Campbell reacted to the group being snubbed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The hip-hop icon took to social media to address the fact that 2 Live Crew was not among the 2021 class. The Miami rapper wrote, “S**t another year of not getting inducted to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.” Director Jeymes Samuel introduces a vibrant tale of the wild west in “The Harder They Fall.” The Netflix film isn’t your “traditional Hollywood western where, Black people, Chinese people, and women are shown as subservient,” shared Samuel. https://youtu.be/14LohxBHWC8 Colombian reggaetón star J Balvin has apologized for a music video that portrays Black women as dogs wearing leashes and on all fours. The artist took to Instagram to apologize for the video of his track “Perra” with Dominican rapper, Tokischa. Per TMZ, the track is “all about how she (Tokischa) is a dog in heat … and looking for a male to bang,” the outlet writes. Colombia’s Vice President and Chancellor Marta Lucia Ramirez called the visuals sexist, misogynistic and racist. Amid the backlash — Balvin removed the clip from the Internet but many fans saved it and shared it online, such as the YouTube video below. https://youtu.be/-grBkG5ZCrI The people of Barbados have made history by electing its first president to replace Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. As reported by CNN, Sandra Mason was elected late on Wednesday by a two-thirds vote of a joint session of the country’s House of Assembly and Senate,” the outlet writes. “We have just elected from among us a woman who is uniquely and passionately Barbadian, does not pretend to be anything else (and) reflects the values of who we are,” Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said after Mason’s election. https://twitter.com/i/status/1450855024473559049 A former top Liberty University official is accusing the influential Christian school of firing him after he refused to participate in an alleged “cover-up” of mishandled sexual assault and harassment reports made by students. Scott Lamb, who was the university’s senior vice president for communications, filed a lawsuit against Liberty on Monday that claims his firing earlier this month was retaliation for his “vocal opposition” within the university to how it addressed reports of sexual misconduct. Lamb’s lawsuit accuses Liberty of illegal retaliation under Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education and requires universities to address reports of sexual misconduct. The Queen was forced to miss church yesterday after spending a night in hospital last week – but wants to resume official duties within days, a royal source has said. The 95-year-old monarch could carry out some of her engagements this week, though there are no public duties in her diary after she dramatically cancelled a two-day trip to Northern Ireland to mark the 100th anniversary of the partition on doctors’ orders. Aides insisted that the tests were purely ‘precautionary’ and the sovereign has been resting at Windsor after her stay in King Edward VII’s Hospital in London. Her priority remains to be able to lead the Royal Family at the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow from next week, where more than 120 world leaders including Joe Biden will gather at the Scottish Event Campus from October 31 to November 12. The University of Chicago Law School unveiled a portrait of Earl B. Dickerson, the first African American to earn a juris doctor in 1920. Chicago artist, Shawn Michael Warren, was commissioned to paint the portrait by recommendation from Andre and Frances Guichard, the owners of Gallery Guichard in Bronzeville. Warren has designed murals in several cities. His murals include the 1921 Black Wall Street Massacre in Tulsa, OK, Major Taylor World’s Fastest in Indianapolis, IN, and Oprah Winfrey in Chicago’s West Loop. Warren painted Dickerson standing in his home office, wearing a suit with a pocket square and a Kappa Alpha Psi lapel pin. The portrait of Dickerson is the first African American to be displayed in the building and the first portrait of someone who did not teach at the law school. Dickerson’s portrait joins the collection of portraits of Ernst Freund, James Parker Hall, Harry A. Kalven, Jr., Dean Edward Levi, Bernard Meltzer, and Soia Menschikoff. Almost five years after Gerardo Mendoza Ordaz drowned his 4-year-old daughter, Maria, in a church baptismal pool and spent months in a psychiatric hospital, it took a judge just three minutes Wednesday to sentence him to 11 years in prison. Ordaz told investigators that he was on a methamphetamine binge and hadn’t slept in three days, coming to believe he must exorcize “the devil” inside his two youngest children with “holy water” from church. He admitted to drowning his youngest, Maria Jose Ordaz Chavarria, in the 1- to 2-foot deep, cross-shaped pool on Nov. 20, 2016, inside St. John’s Catholic Church in Healdsburg. The 11-year sentence was predetermined, part of a negotiated plea to manslaughter that Ordaz agreed to as he was facing trial on murder charges, which could have put him in prison for 25 years to life. Evan Lacey, 19, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in January of 2020. Police say it was murder, but no significant breaks in the case have happened. In the living room corner of a home in south Arlington, photos of 19-year-old Evan Lacey sit on easels and are displayed towards the front door. To Van and Precious Lacey, they are a constant reminder that their son’s killer has never been brought to justice while detectives with the Arlington Police Department ask the public for tips on the case. “It’s hard,” Precious Lacey told WFAA. “I go to work every day and wonder whether or not I’m going to get a phone call to provide the information that we’re looking for or what we’ve been searching for all this time.” https://youtu.be/pRIXe-nGubs Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion is nearing her graduation from Texas Southern University, and like any proud student, she took graduation pictures. The three-time Grammy winner posted a preview to her Instagram. She showed off her bedazzled graduation cap which is very on-brand. The cap is a nod to her 2019 hit song, “Hot Girl Summer.” “I can’t wait for y’all to see,” she wrote. Megan is studying health administration at TSU and is expected to graduate this fall. Graduate student Jelani Day’s cause of death was drowning, according to LaSalle County Coroner Richard Ploch. The Illinois State University graduate student was last seen in Bloomington on the morning of Aug. 24. His abandoned vehicle was found two days later and when police inspected the car they reportedly found the clothing he was last seen wearing. Unfortunately, his body was found in the Illinois River on Sept 4. His cause of death was not immediately known but Day’s brain, eyeballs, spleen and more were reportedly removed from his body, an independent autopsy found. How Day got into the Illinois River remains “unknown,” CNN reports. https://youtu.be/cQry-CuYIyY Viola Davis was trending on Twitter Tuesday evening shortly after Netflix released the trailer for “The Unforgivable,” a new film starring the actress alongside topliner Sandra Bullock as Ruth Slater, a woman released from prison after serving a sentence for killing a cop. https://youtu.be/JNUjx7LZoiU Porsha Williams and her sudden engagement to Simon Guobadia will be explored on her new reality show “The Real Housewives of Atlanta: Porsha’s Family Matters.” As reported by PEOPLE, the new limited series premiers Nov. 28 on Bravo and will see Porsha’s family members offering their “unfiltered opinions” on her love life. https://youtu.be/yLJh_ToHV4c Actress, Nadine Velaquez from “Queens,” ABC’s new music-filled series starring casts members Eve, Brandy and Naturi Naughton was a guest on SiriusXM Urban View’s The Clay Cane Show and discussed Latin representation in Hollywood and shared her feeling towards the “In The Heights” controversy. https://youtu.be/3su8huaV3lY Iyanla Vanzant is opening up about the pain of losing her daughter and how the experience motivated her to help others. Speaking with Hoda Kotb on her “Making Space” podcast, Vanzant recalled the loss of her daughter Gemmia from a rare form of colon cancer on Christmas Day in 2003. “Well, it changes who you are as a woman. It changed who I was as a woman, first for the worse, and then for the better,” the spiritual healer said. “God must’ve really, really trusted me to give me a soul to bring into life and to trust me with the courage to send her out,” Vanzant added. Tammy Rivera shared some videos to Instagram Sunday to share what went down at her local CVS in DeKalb County, GA. In one of the clips, Tammy explained that she is a frequents shopper and knows all the employees, but the woman she encountered this time was new. Tammy claimed that the staffer followed her down every aisle and yelled at her for opening a hair accessory she intended to buy. Cops were called but she eventually left the store to avoid trespassing charges. However, Monday morning Tammy called her CVS to file a complaint. It was said that the general manager quickly called back to apologize. A rep for CVS spoke with TMZ and said that it has a “firm non-discrimination policy” and it’s committed to ensuring that all customers are “treated with respect and are offered courteous customer service.” According to the news site, the rep added they’ve also launched an investigation. Now despite this. The 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards were handed out Tuesday night, October 19th, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee. The show, under the banner Stronger Together, aired tonight exclusively on TBN and was simulcast on SiriusXM The Message. CeCe Winans and Jason Ingram led the night with the 4 awards each with Winans winning Gospel Artist of the Year and Ingram winning Songwriter of the Year (Non-Artist). for KING & COUNTRY took home three awards including Artist of the Year, the top honor of the night. Chris Brown of Elevation Worship and Steven Furtick also each won three awards including Song of the Year for “The Blessing.” Dynamic performers Maverick City Music claimed New Artist of the Year with Contemporary Artist of the Year going to We The Kingdom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpcQAYPL3UI RCA Inspiration celebrated two wins at the 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards, with Dove Awards for album releases by chart-toppers Marvin Sapp and Koryn Hawthorne. Marvin Sapp won Traditional Gospel Album of the Year, for his hit thirteenth album Chosen Vessel (Verity Records). Koryn Hawthorne won Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year, for her hit sophomore album I Am. With this year’s show theme of “Stronger Together,” Koryn Hawthorne also performed on the show, while chart-toppers Mali Music (K Approved Enterprises/RCA Inspiration) and Kelontae Gavin (Marquis Boone/RCA Inspiration) delivered two duet performances on the stage. Nominee and previous Dove winner Mali Music performed (with Dove Awards co-host Jonathan McReynolds) and presented an award. Nominee Kelontae Gavin performed (with Dante Bowe) and presented an award. Chart-topping nominee DOE (Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration) co-hosted and performed on the 52nd GMA Dove Awards Pre-Telecast, which announced winners in numerous categories during its online stream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCxmN887IyU TRIBL Records’ own Maverick City Music, took home awards for Worship Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year at the 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. The award-winning collective also performed their #1 hit, “Jireh” on the annual ceremony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-aEO_PGYww They tried to breach the building where the Brooklyn Nets play their home games but were unsuccessful in their attempts to break past human barriers made up of Barclays Center staff. Hundreds of people marched to the team’s home areana ahead of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Charlotte Hornets, demanding that Irving — who has refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 despite the professional basketball league requiring full vaccinations of all its players and staff — be allowed to play. https://twitter.com/i/status/1452429338784194572 Monday marks the beginning of a judicial inquiry into the killing of Eric Garner. Over seven years after his killing, police and city officials may finally be held accountable for Garner’s death. Advocates, including Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, have been undeterred in demand for accountability in the years since Garner was taken away from his family and community. As reported by the Gothamist, the inquiry is a rare legal maneuver. The Gothamist also noted that lawyers for the de Blasio administration argued the mayor and police commissioner do not have a duty to discipline; it’s “discretionary.” As community and political leaders with decades of experience driving change throughout the state, we’ve learned a few truths about the Black community. First, Black people are powerful. Despite hundreds of years of deliberate systemic oppression and being just 12-13% of the U.S. population, we have found ways to break barriers, make history, and influence every significant cultural and political conversation in the country. Black people have political power, too. Historically, Black voters have been at the forefront of fights for justice, equity and civil rights. There are few places, nationally or locally, in which Black voters and Black opinions are not decisive. Tensions have flared among students attending Southwood High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, this week. Twenty-three arrests were made in just 24 hours after students from the school were caught engaging in several violent altercations on campus. According to Yahoo News, Southwood’s campus security and officials say they tried everything to help tame the sudden uptick of violent confrontations, but to no avail. Now a group of local fathers has stepped in to help amid the controversy. Michael R. La’Fitte II formed the Dads on Duty coalition to keep the halls of Southwood High safe. A group of 40 fathers takes shifts patrolling the halls of the school to prevent fights from breaking out. Since La’Fitte launched the initiative, the school has not reported any new cases of violence. “We’re dads. We decided the best people who can take care of our kids are who? Are us,” La’Fitte said of the group’s mission. One of the country’s top evangelical universities is being sued by a dozen former students who claim that administrators made it ‘difficult or impossible’ to report sexual assault because the young women would be punished for ‘pre-marital sex.’ Liberty University, the Lynchburg, Virginia-based Christian university co-founded by the late Jerry Falwell Sr, would penalize the young women who came forward by claiming they violated the ‘Liberty Way,’ according to the lawsuit. News of the allegations against Liberty was first reported by ProPublica. Last year, the school’s president, Jerry Falwell Jr, left his post after it was learned that his wife was having an affair with a pool boy, Giancarlo Granda, who was trying to extort the couple. Also last year, a former Liberty University student who played in a band with Becki Falwell’s son came forward with claims she performed oral sex on him and pursued him on Facebook for months when he was 22. Danny Lawhorn, coach of an AAU girl’s basketball program founded by a former WNBA player was charged Tuesday with child enticement for the alleged sexual abuse of three players. He was already in custody on state charges of second-degree sexual assault. Lawhorn was a coach in the Bria Holmes Elite AAU program. He is accused of assaulting a team member who was staying at his home in June after asking her for a massage, according to court documents that were unsealed Tuesday. Two former players from the program later came forward to say they had been abused by Lawhorn in 2017 and 2019. Both girls, who were under the age of 18 at the time, said Lawhorn also asked for a massage before he sexually assaulted them. Lawhorn was removed as a coach by Bria Holmes Elite after his arrest in June on state charges. Students at Howard University are in their second week of protest after accusing university administrators of dismissing their reports of mold, roaches, mice, and housing shortages on campus. Members of the historically black university have organized in tents outside of campus and in sleeping bags inside the social hub and the university center. On social media, students have said the issues have been persistent for years and improvements are long overdue. They’ve shared videos of the unsafe living conditions in the dorms, showing cockroaches in the showers, walls covered with mold, mice skittering across dorm rooms, and flooding from burst pipes. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/10/24/3050687253625551199/636x382_MP4_3050687253625551199.mp4 In January 2014, GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel composer Tye Tribbett seemed to be on top of the world after earning his first two Grammys on his 38th birthday. But, behind the scenes, instead of celebrating the exciting win, the world-renowned songwriter and Christian entertainer was apologizing for failing his wife Shanté Tribbett and working hard to cling to a marriage that was falling apart. “I was in such a desperate and aggressive pursuit of worldly success,” confessed the 45-year-old pastor of LiVe Church Orlando in an interview on Trinity Broadcasting Network’s flagship program, Praise. Tribbett said chasing after carnal success “caused such negligence” in his relationship and ultimately tore it up. But the night of his triumph at the Grammys, he had an epiphany. “I sat there with the Grammys, and I’m like, I opened the bottom, and there wasn’t a check in there. It wasn’t anything that could add to my health in the Grammys, or to add any value to my family, or anything,” he explained. “With the Grammys in my hand, I apologized to my wife. The night I got it, I said, ‘I’m so sorry that I went so hard for these’”—a mistake the charismatic preacher said God “rebuked” him over. https://youtu.be/L0gkhzeKAgU Following scrutiny from online critics, Hillsong United and Chris Tomlin eliminated the “VIP” ticket option from their upcoming United States concert tour. The “Tomlin United Tour” concert tickets, which went on sale Oct. 22, no longer include a VIP option that allowed buyers to walk on stage with the artists and take pictures in a catwalk-style photoshoot. The VIP ticket option also allowed buyers to receive premium seats, exclusive gifts and meet-and-greets. However, the inclusion of a staged catwalk for the artists and their fan base took things a step too far, according to online critics, who said that Hillsong United and Tomlin were engaging in “celebrity-style commercialized worship.” The Wendy Williams Show is back—but without its host. Wendy Williams, 57, is “experiencing serious complications as a direct result of Graves’ disease and her thyroid condition,” per a statement posted to the show’s Instagram account on October 12. “It has been determined that more time is needed before she is able to return to her live hosting duties.” Instead, a series of guest hosts and panels will take Williams’ place. Although the post notes that the talk-show host is “making progress,” this is the third time Williams has delayed her return to TV since September 9, when she canceled all public appearances. Season 13 of The Wendy Williams Show was originally slated for a September 20 premiere; it was pushed to October 4, then to October 18. Now, it will return without its namesake host—for now. “Wendy continues to be under medical supervision and meets with her medical team on a daily basis,” the announcement continues. “We want her health to be her top priority. As soon as she’s ready, she will be back in her treasured purple chair.” Redbox, the 19-year-old entertainment mainstay known for its network of disc-dispensing kiosks, will become a public company on Monday. The DVD rental kiosk operator, which has been expanding into digital entertainment, announced that it completed its previously announced merger with Seaport Global Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. Divorce rates have been increasing around the world, and while much of that stems from huge cultural and social shifts, there is also a portion of divorces that stem from pure pettiness and absolutely mind-boggling grievances. For example, in August 2019, a woman from the UAE decided to divorce her husband because he cared for her too much. According to Khaleej Times, she complained that he never yelled at her, he was always so kind to her, he always helped her clean, and that she felt “choked by extreme love and affection.” Too much love – The woman added, “I long for one day of dispute, but this seems impossible with my romantic husband who always forgave me and showered me with gifts,” claiming that she preferred an argument, and clearly a divorce, over a “hassle-free life of obedience.” She couldn’t “let it go” – A 29-year-old woman reportedly divorced her husband after they watched ‘Frozen’ together and he told her, “I didn’t really care for it, personally. Did you really think it was that good?” She said that if he couldn’t appreciate it, something was seriously wrong with him as a human being. A 73-year-old woman left her husband of 22 years after she found out he planned to vote for Trump. “I felt like I had been fooling myself,” she explained, “It opened up areas between us I had not faced before.” Tennessee mom Ashley Brooks enjoys working in tech support at a Nashville firm, in large part because the job has been remote since the coronavirus pandemic erupted. But with her employer likely to summon employees back to the office in 2022, she is nervous: Like many Black Americans, Brooks finds the thought of returning to work discomfiting. Indeed, while polls suggest some employees are content to be back at their desks, Black workers told CBS MoneyWatch that being in predominantly White workplaces often exacts an emotional toll. Working from home offers a measure of inner peace and even helps them do their jobs better, they said. “It definitely feels more comfortable at home,” said Brooks, who was commuting to work before COVID-19 struck last year. “I don’t have to worry so much about my hair and the way I dress — you don’t have to answer dumb questions about your hair.” Such sentiments are common among people of color, including in corporate America. For decades, Black and Hispanic employees have reported feeling marginalized at work and being relegated to lower-paying roles even when their credentials qualify them for a higher-level position. Morgan State University today announced the return of competitive collegiate wrestling to its athletic programs, making Morgan the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the country to offer the sport of wrestling at the NCAA Division I Varsity level. Following a 24-year hiatus, the sport’s revival comes as the result of the largest donation in history to Morgan’s Athletic Department: a $2.7-million gift from HBCU Wrestling (HBCUW), a new initiative reestablishing wrestling programs on HBCU campuses, in partnership with billionaire philanthropist and former hedge fund manager Mike Novogratz. The University has also been working with Baltimore-based nonprofit Beat the Streets to make the return of wrestling at Maryland’s largest HBCU a reality. There was a special birthday celebration in Harlem honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson on Friday night. The civil rights leader and social justice icon turned 80 years old. He has dedicated his life and career to activism. Dozens of people, including local leaders, gathered at the National Action Network headquarters to salute Jackson’s historic work. Jackson recovered from COVID-19 in September. His family, friends and colleagues say he is not slowing down. Vernecelyn Allen may not consider herself a trailblazer, but trying to find a better term to describe the Southern Illinois University Carbondale aviation graduate is futile. Allen, who completed majors in aviation management and aviation flight in May and August, just earned her flight instructor’s certification. She has been navigating to new heights, pushing her own limits and helping others achieve since she enrolled at SIU as a freshman, The Southern reports. “I’ve never thought of myself as a trailblazer. I am more of a unicorn – they are few and far between,” she explained. “I don’t know the exact statistic, but out of some 170,000 airline pilots in the country, there are only about 150 who are African American women.” The 22-year-old is unique because of what she does and what she has accomplished since coming to SIU on a Chancellor’s Scholarship – a highly competitive financial award that covers tuition, fees and housing for four years. She has excelled in the classroom, in the flight program and in the air. Historically, very few African Americans have played polo, but that’s changing in Atlanta. “I’ve never ridden a horse outside of me starting this, let alone actually play polo, so I had to get over my fear of, like, thinking I would get kicked or that I will fall,” Gia Tejeda, a junior economics major at Spelman College, told ABC News. “I just feel as though if you can learn how to navigate a horse and really master a sport that you can also, in the same sense, conquer the world, because it takes a lot to ride a horse.” Tejeda’s three-woman team includes another Spelman student and one from Savanah College of Arts and Design. They’re sponsored by Ride to the Olympics, a foundation that exposes urban students to equestrian sports. “We break barriers,” Kim Watson, CEO of Ride to the Olympics, told ABC News. “It was almost, like, tear-jerking it to see what it does to their confidence level.” The group was founded in 2017 by men’s formal wear designer Miguel Wilson, who said he hoped one day of having its members qualify for the Olympics. One year ago this month, Media 2070 launched with a 100-page essay calling for media reparations and documenting how the media system harms Black lives. Since then, the need for a just media economy has only grown more apparent. Over the past month, we watched in horror the video of U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback whipping reins at Haitian children and adults seeking asylum at the southern border. The violence was unspeakable, but major media were more enthralled with the sensational visuals than the humanity of Black migrants and the historical context of the U.S. occupation of Haiti. Halle Berry is gushing about boyfriend Van Hunt as she promotes her upcoming MMA film “Bruised.” Appearing at Tuesday’s Elle Women in Hollywood Awards, Berry, referring to the singer as “My love, love, love — my sweetheart,” before adding: “I’ve never had a man that has lifted me up and let me be all that I am.” Speaking to PEOPLE on the red carpet ahead of the awards, Berry said Hunt contributed some music to, in which Berry stars as a retired MMA fighter who is pushed to get back in the ring when her young son re-enters her life. The project also marks Halle’s directorial debut. “I had a lot of support … [Hunt] was a big part of that,” Berry told PEOPLE. “He did some music for the movie. He actually wrote the title song.” Snoop Dogg shared the heartbreaking news on Sunday that his mother, Beverly Tate, died at the age of 70. Tate had been hospitalized earlier this year for undisclosed reasons — Snoop, whose real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., had asked his fans send good vibes while his mother was in the hospital. He later made an update, letting people know she was “still fighting” and had opened her eyes. On Sunday, Snoop shared several photos of mother, including one of them together along with the caption: “Mama thank u for having me ??????,” and, “Til. We. Meet. Again?????? #TWMA,” the rapper captioned the post. “Thank u god for giving me an angel ?? for a mother ?????????? TWMA,” he wrote alongside another photo of Tate. Another woman has come forward claiming to be the child of late hip-hop artist DMX. Page Six writes: “A Georgia woman named Raven Barmer-Simmons contacted DMX’s other adult children in the past few weeks. She and the fellow 14 alleged children of the late rapper will all be DNA tested to confirm their paternity.” DMX died in early April aged 50 following a cocaine-induced heart attack. We previously reported that the tapper, real name Earl Simmons, didn’t leave behind enough money to care for his 15 children — some of whom are still minors. https://www.instagram.com/p/CO_rgj8A6HG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Popular gay blogger Jason Lee is speaking out about how he was tapped to take over the Wendy Williams Show but the offer was withdrawn. https://youtu.be/IcIYz9EoA4s Palo Alto attorney Ajwang Rading announced his candidacy for California’s 18th Congressional District today. In an email to campaign supporters, community activists, loved ones, and voters, he laid out his vision. “We are living through an era of unprecedented challenges. As the world continues to face our greatest existential crisis—climate change—the pandemic has additionally affected every dimension of our livelihood, from physical and mental health to socioeconomic mobility to governance. The forming of the Memphis 13 Foundation was announced recently at a press conference at Bruce Elementary, which is one of the original schools that was integrated 60 years ago. The forming of the Memphis 13 Foundation was announced recently at a press conference at Bruce Elementary, which is one of the original schools that was integrated 60 years ago. Speakers included Dwania Kyles, Civil Rights Advocate and “Memphis 13” alum; Deborah Northcross, Lead Plaintiff, Northcross et al v Board of Education of Memphis, Tennessee; Dr. Joris M. Ray, Superintendent of Shelby County Schools; Myke Collins, Executive Director of Equity and Diversity Office, Shelby County Schools; Rev. Dr. LaSimba Gray, Pastor Emeritus of New Sardis Baptist Church and local Historical Consultant, City of Memphis; Dr. Archie Moss, Jr., School Design Partner of Transcend; Rosalind Withers, Founder, Withers Collection Museum and Gallery; and Daniel Kiel, Director of The Memphis 13 documentary. During the chaos following the police-involved deaths of George Floyd and Duante Wright, Jamal James and his Circle Of Discipline have been a source of refuge and hope for many in his native Minneapolis, Minnesota. James’ community engagement started years earlier but became more focused amid community protests and racial unrest in the wake of the killings of the two black men — Floyd in May 2020, and Wright in April of this year. James, the current WBA welterweight champion, lives and trains in the neighborhood where Floyd died at the hands of police, and near Brooklyn Center where a police officer shot Wright. Zaire Wade, son of NBA icon and Utah Jazz part-owner Dwyane Wade, at 19-year-old is foregoing college basketball to jump to the NBA G-League, on the Salt Lake City Stars. Zaire was ranked as a three-star combo guard and chose to attend Brewster Academy in New Hampshire for a post-grad year while looking over options. Five have said no to battling Busta Rhymes in a Verses battle. “I had to let @bustarhymes know that no one is worthy enough to battle him,” Crazy Legs wrote next to a photo of him, Swizz Beatz and Busta Rhymes. “Then he told me that 5 people already turned it down. Some things are just what they are. He has the unfortunate pleasure of being a god in the rap game. Shout out to @therealswizzz for the #BDP outfit of the day!” https://youtu.be/QR8M2sURAZE There will be very limited seating and it will be by invitation only,” spokeswoman Peggy Cifrino said. A private memorial service for Gen. Colin Powell will be held at the Washington National Cathedral on Nov. 5. Powell — America’s first Black national security adviser, first Black Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, and first Black Secretary of State — died Monday of complications from COVID-19. Powell, who was 84, was fully vaccinated but had a compromised immune system that made him more susceptible to contracting the virus. Powell had multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that hurts the body’s ability to fight infections. In 2003, The New York Times reported that then-Secretary of State Powell had surgery to treat prostate cancer, which was detected in its early stages. Vanessa Bryant revealed in a deposition how she learned about the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, and their daughter Gigi. Vanessa said she tried to take a helicopter to the crash site that day but was told that the weather conditions were too bad. According to USA Today, in the transcript Vanessa said she kept the clothes that Kobe and Gigi were wearing that day, out of concern that someone would take pictures of them. The deposition from Oct. 12 is part of her lawsuit against LA county. Vanessa is pissed at several officers because they took photos of the site and shared the images. She is suing the county for invasion of privacy and negligence. She wants to punish the deputy defendants and “make an example of them to the community.” Dallas Bishop T.D. Jakes is one step closer to building a community aimed at creating multigenerational wealth in Atlanta following the approval of his company’s development plan Thursday. The Fort Mac Local Redevelopment Authority authorized T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures LLC’s initial interim master development plan to redevelop a portion of the former Fort McPherson Army Base. Jakes, founder of The Potter’s House megachurch in southern Dallas, struck a deal in June to acquire 95 acres of land to create a community with affordable housing, mixed-use retail space and other quality-of-life enhancing amenities. The exact price of the project is still unknown, he said. Once given the green light to break ground in Atlanta, Jakes expects the development to be mostly complete within two and a half years. The land is located next to actor Tyler Perry’s eponymous film production studio. When Sydney Ambrose was a freshman at Lafayette High School she went to see a dermatologist about issues she was having with her skin. That visit would have a big impact on the rest of her life — not only because it improved her skin, but also because of her experience with the doctor. Her dermatologist did a great job in a caring and compassionate way that left Ambrose feeling valued and more confident in her own skin. She also appreciated that the doctor was a woman, something the teen hadn’t seen nearly as often when getting medical attention. The teen realized then that she wanted to — and could — help other young girls grow in their confidence and find healing like she had. Today, Ambrose is a 20-year-year-old junior in the pre-med program at Xavier University of Louisiana with plans to become a dermatologist herself. Thankfully, she’s receiving support to get there, including a new scholarship from Tampax, the well-known tampon brand from Procter & Gamble. The story of Chicago’s first Black mayor is one of several documentaries hitting the big screen at the 57th annual Chicago International Film Festival. “Punch 9 for Harold Washington“ explores the life and legacy of Harold Washington, and his historic rise to office. “He was able to galvanize the community with a message of fairness, and the idea that it’s our turn, and this is an opportunity for us to come together as a city, not just for Blacks, but for Whites, for Latinos, for Indian, Asian, whoever the case was, if we could all come together in a coalition, then we can make the city a better place for everybody, so I think that message is the message that resonated for me,” said Raymond Lambert, one of the film’s producers. Four years ago, a deadly white supremacist riot in Charlottesville, Virginia, led pastors in the Tennessee city of Franklin to call for the removal of a Confederate monument in their town square. A lawsuit and political maneuverings made that impractical, but a local leader of a Civil War history nonprofit had a different idea. Instead of taking the statue down, a new statue and historical markers could be erected to tell a fuller story of the Civil War — one that included the horrors of slavery and the Black people who fought to end it. That effort led to the unveiling this weekend of a statue, titled “March to Freedom,” honoring the Black enslaved men who enlisted in the United States Colored Troops, a segregated part of the Union Army during the Civil War, The Tennessean reported. It stands at the foot of Franklin’s historic courthouse, directly across the street from a monument to Confederate soldiers known as “Chip.” Pastor Tyrone Patrick’s grandfather, Robert Patrick, worked picking cotton in Mississippi and could “out-pick anybody.” The more cotton he picked, the more money he made, because he was paid by the pound. With 14 children to help raise in the late 1960s, however, Robert Patrick needed a better opportunity. So, in 1969, the Patricks packed up and moved from the South to the North, driving to Chicago before eventually settling in Waukegan, Illinois. The Patricks were among the 6 million black people who relocated from the rural South to cities in the North, West and Midwest from 1916 to 1970 for better socioeconomic opportunity, part of a historic movement called the Great Migration. Robert Patrick’s name, along with other members of Tyrone’s family who partook in the Great Migration, will soon be honored in an exhibit being built at Nehemiah Gardens, the Racine Journal Times reported. An assistant director on the film set of “Rust” was the subject of complaints over safety and his behavior on set during two productions in 2019, two people who worked closely with him tell CNN. The complaints against assistant director Dave Halls include a disregard for safety protocols for weapons and pyrotechnics use, blocked fire lanes and exits, and instances of inappropriately sexual behavior in the workplace. Halls was identified in court documents as the assistant director who handed actor Alec Baldwin a prop firearm, which when fired struck cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a live round. Hutchins was later pronounced dead at a New Mexico hospital. Maggie Goll, an IATSE Local 44 prop maker and licensed pyrotechnician, said in a statement to CNN that while working on Hulu’s “Into the Dark” Anthology Series in February and May of 2019, Halls neglected to hold safety meetings and consistently failed to announce the presence of a firearm on set to the crew, as is protocol. One orc among many in the Lord of the Rings movies was designed to resemble Harvey Weinstein as a “sort of f*** you” to the notorious producer, Elijah Wood, who played the hobbit Frodo in the series, told a Hollywood podcast. “It’s funny,” Wood told the actor Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert. “This was recently spoken about because Dom [Monaghan] and Bill [Boyd, who played hobbits Merry and Pippin] … were talking to Sean Astin [Samwise] about his first memory of getting to New Zealand [where the series was filmed]. “He had seen these orc masks. And one of the orc masks – and I remember this vividly – was designed to look like Harvey Weinstein as a sort of a f*** you. “I think that is OK to talk about now,” Wood said. “The guy is f***ing incarcerated. F*** him.” In the first major case of the #MeToo era, in which women have spoken out about abuse by powerful men, Weinstein faced numerous accusations of sexual assault. Convicted of rape in February 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in jail, he faces further charges in California, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The Phoenix Suns issued a preemptive denial Friday to unpublished accusations of misconduct by team owner Robert Sarver. “We understand that ESPN is considering publishing a proposed story that makes completely baseless claims against the Suns Legacy Partners, LLC organization concerning a variety of topics,” the statement said. The denial was issued before the Suns played the Lakers on Friday night at Staples Center. At tip-off, no story had been published. Kevin Johnson the former NBA All-Star and mayor of Sacramento, California is now moving into the restaurant business with a new soul food joint in downtown Los Angeles called “Fixins Soul Kitchen.” “Here in L.A. we have 140 jobs. Most of the people that work here are African American and Latino. To be able to provide jobs and good wages is something we’re super, super proud of,” Johnson said on the red-carpet last week. https://youtu.be/-_ZRzJSmjBUGSN- On January 11th, 2013, Kendrick Johnson was found dead in his high school gymnasium rolled up in a gym mat. The state of Georgia ruled his death as an accident, having died from positional asphyxia. When the family hired their own Forensic Pathologist, not only did he find KJ’s organs missing from his body during the autopsy, he determined the cause of death to be from non-accidental blunt force trauma. To this day, no one knows where KJ’s organs have gone.. So what really happened to KJ? FINDING KENDRICK JOHNSON is the feature documentary product of a 4-year undercover investigation into the facts of this case. From the creator of ‘Stranger Fruit’, this new documentary hopes to shed light on one of the most important American stories of our time. https://youtu.be/PI9m5_vgweo This weekend, HBO kicked off the final season of ‘Insecure’ with Insecure Fest in Los Angeles. The day, hosted by Crissle & Fran (Insecuritea Podcast) featured sounds by DJ R-Tistic, a local Black-owned marketplace and food vendors, surprise musical performances from Jazmine Sullivan, Schoolboy Q, Duckwrth, Flo Milli and Kamaiyah and an exclusive screening of the new season of ‘Insecure.’ The final season of INSECURE premieres exclusively on HBO on Sunday, Oct. 24, at 10 p.m. ET/PT and will be available to stream on HBO Max. Torrei Hart has to answer a bunch of questions she’d likely rather not answer since divorcing ex-husband and comedic actor Kevin Hart. That’s par for the course with celebrity marriages and divorces. A comedic actor herself, Torrei revealed during a recent interview with Too Fab that she is keeping her married name and there’s not a dag-on thing y’all can do or say about it. “‘Cause it’s mine, first of all,” she said while leaving LAX airport. “Second of all, ’cause Kevin never asked for it back — he don’t want [me] to give it back, he’s not trippin’. And third of all: my kids don’t want me to change my name.” “That’s something that people always ask me,” she continued. “And I’m like: That’s my name — get over it! They’re gonna always have something to say, but I’m gonna be a Hart until I decide not to be. And that’s just what it is.” A major New Jersey liberal organization has withdrawn its endorsement of a Democratic candidate for local office after discovering he is pro-life. Aaron “A.J.” Oliver is a Democratic candidate for commissioner of Morris County, N.J. – an area about 30 miles west of New York City – and had received the endorsement of NJ 11th for Change, an organization that promotes liberal causes and candidates in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. But after NJ 11th for Change learned Oliver opposes abortion on demand, the organization backed off its support, according to the New Jersey Globe news site. The assistant police chief in Washington, D.C., one of 10 Black women who filed a class-action lawsuit last month against the city alleging widespread discrimination, said this week that as a cadet she was told she had to get an abortion to keep her job. “My choice to have a baby was personal, and it should’ve been mine alone and not for an employer ultimatum,” Chanel Dickerson said Tuesday at a community meeting. “I was told I had to have an abortion or be fired from the MPD cadet program.” She said she was 18 at the time. It was unclear what happened afterward, but Dickerson has been with the department since 1988, according to the department’s website. Dickerson and the other former and current employees of the Metropolitan Police Department said in the lawsuit filed in September that they were discriminated against because of their race and gender, and that the division in charge of addressing harassment is run by a man who has expressed hostility toward female officers and tried to discredit women who have come forward. Officials in a Vermont town apologized and agreed to pay $50,000 to a Black motorist who was stopped by a police officer because of his race. The Chester select board posted the apology to Obadiah Jacobs on the town’s website. The document was signed Oct. 1. “The Town of Chester sincerely apologizes to Mr. Jacobs recognizing that no arrest or other action was take as a result of the traffic stop and that no basis was found during the stop to believe that Mr. Jacobs was engaged in illegal activity,” the statement said. The apology and payment followed a finding earlier this year by the Vermont Human Rights Commission that there were reasonable grounds to believe the town discriminated against Jacobs on the basis of race and skin color. The town and Jacobs went through a mediation process last month that wrapped up with the signing of the apology, Jacobs’ attorney Thomas Bixby said Thursday. “We understand that officers have a job to do and it’s a very dangerous job and we respect that,” said Bixby. “However, you can’t just pull somebody over based on the color of their skin. And so Obadiah stood up and he fought back.” Minneapolis police officer Brian Cummings is facing two felony charges after his squad car hit another car, killing its driver, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Friday. The driver, Leneal Frazier, was the uncle of Darnella Frazier, the teenager who won a special Pulitzer prize for filming the 2020 murder of George Floyd. “Police are supposed to protect and serve citizens, and to act in a manner consistent with their sworn oath to do so,” Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement. “Officer Cummings’ actions deviated from his oath and his negligence caused the death of Leneal Frazier.” While on duty on July 6, Cummings pursued a stolen vehicle whose driver was suspected of various thefts, officials said. The officer, who joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 2008, was going 90 miles per hour in an area with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour when his squad car collided with a car that was driving through a green light and was not involved in the chase. The driver, later identified as Frazier, was killed. Hollywood star Alec Baldwin says his “heart is broken” after he tragically discharged a “prop gun” that fatally injured cinematographer Halyna Hutchins while on the set of his forthcoming Western-style film. Baldwin, 63, shot and killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza — who is in critical condition — while filming for “Rust.” According to reports, the actor accidentally fired at the two crew members with a “prop gun” from the movie. “There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother, and deeply admired colleague of ours,” said Baldwin. “I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family.” Davis School District has intentionally ignored “serious and widespread” racial harassment in its schools for years — failing to respond to hundreds of reports from Black students after they have been called slaves, the N-word, and heard threats that they would be lynched, according to a jarring report from the U.S. Department of Justice. That refusal to intervene ultimately created an atmosphere that was so oppressive that some kids of color feared coming to class, the report said. Many stopped reporting acts of discrimination, which were often witnessed by teachers who didn’t step in, they said. A few told Justice investigators they felt the district was condoning the way they were treated by taking no action. “As a consequence of this dismissive attitude to serious racial harassment, a district-wide racially hostile environment went unabated,” the department concluded in the report released Thursday. And “the district left students of color vulnerable to continued abuse.” The findings from the Justice Department come after two years of investigation of the predominantly white northern Utah school district, starting in July 2019. The NBA today announced an extension of its ongoing commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with new programs designed to create greater opportunity for students and alumni, encourage economic advancement and further celebrate their rich traditions. As part of this partnership, the NBA will develop new programs and events focused on the HBCU community – specifically around professional development, career advancement and increased support and awareness for HBCU athletics and institutions. The NBA is committed to supporting the growth of the next generation of leaders from the Black community. HBCUs – which produce 20 percent of the country’s Black college graduates but only account for three percent of all colleges in the United States – have historically been under-resourced, averaging one-eighth the size of endowments of historically white colleges and universities. While African Americans only make up 13.4 percent of America’s population, the cause of death due to health disparities and inequities is considered to be much higher than their white counterparts. United Healthcare Insurance Group is working to change that by educating Senior Citizens that identify with the African American Community on ways they as a people could take care of themselves outside of annual checkups. This is done through United HealthCare’s second virtual health program known as “A Better You.” “I think the beauty of this is that this program is a health and wellness educational program that helps those souls who are approaching retirement,” Rita Tolbert, the Director of Multicultural Marketing at UnitedHealthcare stated. Tolbert believes that is more than just learning about health and wellness ,but educating caregivers and senior citizens on Medicare eligibility and other health care options. New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is bringing a homecoming-style celebration complete with a Battle of the Bands, a live performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard and other festivities on Oct. 24 beginning at 9 a.m. Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant will dedicate a portion of the program to honoring various community leaders and champions in DeKalb County. “While many members of our congregation and community join us in a virtual worship service each week, we want to take another opportunity to reimagine church in a new way and honor those men and women who have served as pillars in our community through this pandemic,” said Bryant. “We want attendees to feel free to come as they are, wear their college paraphernalia and enjoy New Birth’s homecoming celebration.” Honorees at the upcoming outdoor service include DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Michael Thurmond, President of Organization of DeKalb Educators Deborah Jones, radio host and philanthropist Frank Ski, founder of Sisters by Choice Dr. Rogsbert Phillip-Reed, and community organizer Flossie Varner. Each honoree will receive a special tribute during the event for their respective community contributions and impacts that have touched thousands of lives. Christian music’s mainstays — as well as several new faces — had a winning night at the 2021 GMA Dove Awards. After a socially distanced ceremony in 2020, the Nashville-based awards show returned to its former glory before a packed house at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena. For the second year in a row, the night’s top honor — Artist of the Year — went to Nashville rock/pop duo For King & Country. Gospel great and fellow local resident CeCe Winans picked up her second award for Gospel Artist of the Year. She and songwriter/producer Jason Ingram were the biggest winners of the night, each taking home four awards. Winans’ big win came after her powerful performance of “Believe For It,” when she was introduced by co-hosts Natalie Grant and Jonathan McReynolds as “one of the greatest of all time.” Still, she shook her head in disbelief as her name was called, and as the rest of the house rose to its feet. “I want to thank all of those who were in the category with me, and all of the artists that are here, the young — and us who are old,” Winans said. “God is faithful to every generation. And I am just honored to be a part of this industry. I’m honored to lift up the name of Jesus.” https://youtu.be/DpcQAYPL3UI Dorothy Steel demonstrated that it’s never too late to follow a dream. Born in 1926, she was 88 years old when she landed her first acting role, launching a career that would soon lead to her feature film debut as an elder of the Merchant Tribe in 2018’s Black Panther. Steel was reprising her character for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when Marvel Studios reportedly flew her from the Atlanta-based production to be with family in her birthplace of Detroit. She died at her home Friday morning at age 95, her agent, Cindy Butler of iSubmit Talent confirmed to People magazine, noting that Steel had predicted the sequel would be her “last role.” A cause of death was not given. “It was just amazing, it truly was,” Steel told Atlanta’s WSB-TV (Channel 2) in 2018 of landing a role in the record-breaking superhero blockbuster. “If anyone would have told me I would be an actor, I would’ve said you got to be out of your mind.” Floyd Mayweather’s daughter Yaya is reportedly facing serious jail time for stabbing a woman. According to The Jasmine Brand, Floyd’s daughter, Yaya Mayweather, is facing some lengthy prison time for a case that alleges she stabbed a woman multiple times at the home of her baby father, NBA YoungBoy. According to the outlet, Mayweather was arrested in April 2020 and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She is accused of stabbing NBA YoungBoy’s baby mother, Lapattra Lashai Jacobs, resulting in serious injuries and hospitalization. It’s been reported that Mayweather is facing up to 20 years in prison if and when the case goes to trial. In January, the 21-year-old Mayweather and the 21-year-old rapper, singer, songwriter welcomed a baby boy, making the addition NBA YoungBoy’s seventh child. Yet, Mayweather isn’t the only one with legal troubles. NBA YoungBoy is currently incarcerated. A woman has alleged she was sexually assaulted at a rural ranch in Utah after appearing on the long-running TV show “Dr. Phil.” She is now suing Phil McGraw, commonly known as Dr. Phil, and Viacom CBS for negligence, saying she felt pressured to attend the facility after appearing on the show. The faculty where the alleged assault took place is called Turn-About ranch, which is located in the rural town of Escalante, Utah. The lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles County Court and in the suit, Hannah Archuleta alleges after she appeared on “Dr. Phil” in October 2019 — she was 17 at the time — McGraw and his staff pressured her to attend the ranch to “have any chance at a good life,” according to a lawsuit obtained by the Los Angeles Times and The Wrap. An artist with DC Comics said this week he’s leaving the company because he’s “tired of them ruining these characters.” His decision comes on the heels of the announcement that the next iteration of Superman will be bisexual. Gabe Eltaeb, a colorist for DC Comics, said during an appearance on a YouTube show hosted by Ethan Van Sciver that he is exiting the brand when his contract runs out. “I’m finishing out my contract with DC,” he said. “I’m tired of this. … I’m tired of them ruining these characters; they don’t have a right to do this.” Eltaeb went on to say his grandfather “almost died in World War II,” adding, “We don’t have a right to destroy [expletive] that people died for to give us. It’s a bunch of [expletive] nonsense.” Simone Biles is sharing insight into her personal struggles. During this year’s Summer Games in Tokyo, 24-year-old Biles removed herself from four out of five event finals due to a case of the “twisties,” a disorienting condition athletes can experience when they lose air awareness, putting them at risk for injury when they land. She explained at the time that she withdrew from the competition to focus on her mental health, saying on social media that her “mind & body are simply not in sync.” While appearing on the Today show Thursday, Biles got emotional with host Hoda Kotb as she expressed frustration in seeing other athletes able to perform moves she no longer can. Kotb asked whether Biles still experiences the “twisties” while performing on the road for the Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour alongside other top gymnasts. “I don’t twist. I do … my signature moves on the floor, but that’s never affected me. Everything else just, like, weighs so heavy, and I watch the girls do it and it’s just, it’s not the same,” she said. “Is that weird?” Kotb, 57, asked. “Yeah. To do something that I’ve done forever and just not be able to do it because of everything I’ve gone through is really crazy because I love this sport so much,” Biles responded, holding back tears. “But it’s hard. I’m sorry. And I don’t think people understand the magnitude of what I go through.” Barack and Michelle Obama have officially started the construction of their long-awaited Presidential Library in Chicago, the Obama Presidential Center, CNN reports. The library has been in the works since 2015 and has had several setbacks due to lawsuits and complaints from the locals-some of whom are against the use of public lands being used for a private project. The lawsuits were tossed out by a federal judge, which paved the way for the former president and first lady to begin the project in the Jackson Park area of Chicago. https://youtu.be/QCwHG-LgC_E Lynette Adkins is proof that a leap of faith can create big results. Especially if the leap results in life as an influencer, switching from a high-paying job at Amazon to a new career online. Adkins currently has more than 105,000 YouTube subscribers, 22,000 Instagram followers and 101,000 followers on TikTok, according to the Los Angeles Times, which noted the 23-year-old self-taught content creator’s status as “a so-called micro-influencer on the ascent, someone with a sizable and engaged following but who isn’t a big brand personality or household name.” https://youtu.be/Hr8UjzeGm-M Doctors at #NewYorkUniversity Hospital successfully transplanted a #pig’s #kidney to a person whose immune system didn’t immediately reject the organ.? This surgery is ground-breaking, and the procedure could lead to the use of animals organs in life-saving transplants.? The surgery was performed on a brain-dead patient with the kidney of a pig whose genes had explicitly been altered so that its tissues no longer contained a molecule known to trigger near-immediate rejection in the recipient.? The patient’s family consented to the experimental surgery before doctors removed the woman from life support.? https://www.instagram.com/p/CVRSrrMrHsC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Recently, Ashanti, Ja Rule and Plies were in Charleston, West Virginia performing their greatest hit to a appreciative crowd when a disabled fan who attended the concert to celebrate her birthday got on stage and began twerking for him. https://youtu.be/OkiFw4G38g4 According to The Sun, producers behind The Wendy Williams Show are going through great lengths to have audience members fill up seats. Sources close to production spoke to the outlet and revealed that the show is struggling to keep the crowd full. One insider told The Sun: “Wendy’s show lives off the energy from the audience and without it, it doesn’t work.” Another source shared that the crowd was actually cut in half during Monday’s taping. Producers had a guest panel that included Bevy Smith and Michael Yo that day. It was said that the producers seemed defeated and not above trying out bribes to get the audience members to come back for another taping, The Sun reports. They allegedly handed out gift bags to anyone who agreed to attend another taping later in the day. Tempers boiled over on the Los Angeles Lakers bench Friday night when teammates Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard went at each other during a timeout. https://youtu.be/QASctlgPRfA The Ben Simmons story took another major turn on Friday. According to reports from ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the All-Star point guard met with the Philadelphia 76ers’ medical professionals and head coach Doc Rivers Friday morning to inform them that he’s “not mentally ready to play to his expectations.” He also reportedly spoke with his teammates about the situation. Simmons was suspended for the Sixers’ season opener after he was kicked out of practice for “conduct detrimental to the team” earlier this week. Yesterday, he showed up to team facilities complaining about “back tightness,” but was cleared to participate in workouts anyways. “Shout-out to the City Council and Mayor – doing a great job,” said Grammy winning living legend Howard Hewett to his home town Akron, Ohio’s leaders who re-named Cadillac Blvd, where he lived for 20 years growing up, to Howard Hewett, Jr. Way. “We moved into that house when I was like 3 years-old up ‘til I left for Los Angeles. Left a year later and went back home." Taraji P. Henson, 51, is sharing a piece of her story. In a new episode of her Facebook Watch series, ‘Peace of Mind with Taraji,’ the ‘Empire‘ actress opens up with entrepreneur Angela Simmons about an abusive relationship and the moment she decided to leave. “Sometimes as women what we do is we fall in love and we go, ‘You know what? I’ll fix it later. For me, it was when blood was drawn…” She added, “because it started with the bruises and grabbing, things like that. And then once the fist came — I’m missing a piece of my lip to this day — that’s when I knew I had to go.” Henson went on to describe her childhood, citing that abuse was something she experienced in her younger days. A new book about Bravo’s “Real Housewives” franchise details how NeNe Leakes once choked out Kim Zolciak-Biermann when the cameras weren’t rolling. The book titled, “Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of the Real Housewives From the People Who Lived It,” reveals that NeNe and Kim allegedly got into an argument that turned violent during season 2 but the cameras “missed the whole thing.” “The arguments between Kim and NeNe were always next level. All season 2, they went back and forth, fighting and making up,” producer Carlos King said. “Then there was an incident that happened off-camera where NeNe allegedly tried to choke Kim in a Target parking lot.” Former Housewife Shereé Whitfield said she witnessed the incident. Tommy DeBarge, part of the music industry’s famed DeBarge family and an original member of the R&B/funk band Switch, has died. He was 64.DeBarge suffered from liver and kidney failure over the years, but recently took a turn for the worse, a family member told TMZ. He was hospitalized a couple weeks ago, and died in the hospital Thursday. Tommy’s daughter, Marina DeBarge, said he also battled COVID-19 earlier this year, but never complained about the pain and recovered from the virus. She says she even spoke to him Wednesday, not long before his death, and he fought until the end. Tommy DeBarge rose to fame in Switch in the mid to late ’70s — the group recorded hits like “There’ll Never Be,” “I Call Your Name” and “Love Over & Over Again.” https://youtu.be/A3uvuOLMqVc A deadly shooting took place on the movie set of ‘Rust’ after the prop gun Alec Baldwin used misfired and shot two people, fatally injuring a cinematographer and injuring the film’s director on Thursday. The accident took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico when Baldwin was filming a scene in the film which required someone to fire the prop gun. Thought to be loaded with blanks, the gun’s bullets struck director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Authorities said in a statement that Hutchins died from her injuries and Souza was airlifted to a nearby hospital. https://youtu.be/2h96MpgvFe4 R Kelly’s attorney has revealed that after the singer was found guilty of federal sex crimes last month, he was placed on suicide watch. According to the Chicago Tribune, during a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, attorney Steve Greenberg told U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber that, “after he was found guilty [Kelly] was placed under suicide watch,” but that has since been lifted. Prosecutors accused the singer, Robert Sylvester Kelly of directing his employees to procure women for sex and sexually abused numerous women over the span of nearly 25 years. Dave Chappelle has reportedly said that he is willing to speak with the Netflix employees who feel offended by his LGBTQ jokes, and is waiting for them to reach out. TMZ reports that the comedian’s rep reached out and said that Dave would be open to dialogue if people from Netflix actually reach out to him for the discussion. Dave’s camp says no one from Netflix has approached Chappelle or his team about setting up a meeting or conversation … which is the opposite of what the woman who organized the Netflix walkout claims. TMZ reports that the comedian’s rep reached out and said that Dave would be open to dialogue if people from Netflix actually reach out to him for the discussion. Dave’s camp says no one from Netflix has approached Chappelle or his team about setting up a meeting or conversation … which is the opposite of what the woman who organized the Netflix walkout claims. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Rege-Jean Page has been revealed as the fans’ favourite to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond, according to new social media analysis. The Bridgerton star has emerged as one of the frontrunners to lead the 007 franchise after Craig bowed out with his fifth and final appearance in “No Time To Die.” The new social media analysis by OLBG’s Bond Breakdown reveals which of the leading names linked to the role of James Bond proved most popular among social media fans, and ultimately who they wanted to take on the role following Craig’s 15-year tenure. Acclaimed singer Stephanie Summers debuts her full-length album Mighty Strong God, available now. The brand-new album from the BET “Sunday Best” Season 10 winner showcases the powerhouse vocals, gift for ministry, and strong devotion to God that drove her to the top spot among fans on the hit Gospel competition. Featuring 11 tracks, the album is led by the single “Mighty Strong God” (feat. J.J. Hairston), which is out at Gospel radio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUt_KW5GWnU Ed'Drena Miller is a native of Queens, New York who currently resides in Charlotte, NC. Ed'Drena is a powerful and anointed voice who is known for the overwhelming passion she exudes while ministering through song, writing or preaching. As some say, she's more than a singer, she's an experience. "Never Forget" https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8507227?date=20210827&user_id=668306&signature=4rqLVN54VZDdG1hlAy9ZRwt5jT8%3AZFj6Npqj RITCHEA HODGE is a Canadian gospel artist born and raised in Brampton, Ontario who made her stamp in the music scene as a young aspiring singing for various local projects. She is apart of a Toronto worship collective MADE Music Group, which shares a unique passion for both music and community. Her debut single ?“I’ll Say Yes” encompasses a genuine, heartfelt expression that can be felt to the very core. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF9oxo29Ri4 It’s been a while since we heard from TRIP LEE, and he makes his return with a new video and single, “You Got It,” featured on the Summer ’21 Playlist presented by Reach Records. "The visuals pokes fun at the stereotypical inauthentic image that artists today are encouraged to promote," shares Trip Lee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdRtKRT0dpk The man cops were reportedly looking for on the night they shot EMT Breonna Taylor in the botched no-knock raid, was arrested on drug charges last August. Jamarcus Glover and Taylor used to date years ago, and he used her address and phone number as his own in the run-up to her death last March. Taylor, 26, was shot eight times while sleeping in her bed with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker when three plainclothes officers performed a no-knock arrest warrant at her Louisville apartment. A search warrant revealed cops believed Glover was hiding drugs or money at Taylor’s home. At the time of the raid, Glover was already in police custody 10 miles away. No drugs or cash were found at Taylor’s home. When Glover was in August 2o20, he reportedly told a Louisville paper that Taylor had no involvement in drug trafficking. Last week, Glover pleaded guilty to several drug charges in exchange for probation. https://youtu.be/v6pcA8_uUoY In 2017, a 23-year-old Black man was asleep in his parked car when two officers with the Euclid police department woke him and created a reason to kill him. Qualified immunity prevents the victim’s family from receiving justice. Luke Stewart was asleep in his legally parked car on March 13, 2017, in Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland, and was posing no danger when he was approached by police officers Matthew Rhodes and Louis Catalani. USA Today details what happened next: Catalani knocked on Luke’s window, startling him awake. They did not announce themselves as officers. Luke sat up and started the car. Catalani and Rhodes immediately opened Luke’s car doors and reached inside to forcibly remove him. Catalani grabbed Luke’s arm, and he wrapped his arm around Luke’s head and pulled, while Rhodes pushed from the passenger side. Scared, Luke attempted to drive away, but Rhodes jumped into the passenger seat. Luke looked at Rhodes and asked, “Why are you in my car?” Rhodes attacked Luke. He punched him, stunned him with a Taser six times, then used the Taser to strike him in the head. Luke never hit back. Moments later, Rhodes shot Luke five times, killing him. Rhodes had been in the car with Luke for only about one minute before he opened fire. https://youtu.be/NjsZBvR3oN4 The Eustis Police Department in Florida is under fire after bodycam footage was released showing officers tasing a Black man with severe autism. As reported by Yahoo, family members say Louis Grahai has the “mental capacity of a 4-year-old.” He is unable to speak and wears diapers. Grahai is tased once again as he appears to not comprehend what the officers are saying. Grahai’s family reportedly rushed to the scene and found him pinned on the ground by the officers and bleeding from his ear. https://youtu.be/2DYeWidXOho Batwoman” star Camrus Johnson said his former co-star Ruby Rose was fired from the show. She was fired,” he said on Twitter Wednesday night. His comments come after Rose detailed allegations of workplace misconduct on the set of the CW series. In a series of posts on her Instagram story, Rose explained: “what really happened on that set.” “[Former Warner Bros. Television Group Chairman] Peter Roth, you are first up,” Rose began. “You are chapter one. not sure if you left after getting promoted to the highest position because you couldn’t stop making young women steam your pants, around your crotch while you were still wearing said pants or if you left after putting a private investigator on me who you fired as soon as the report didn’t fit your narrative. either way, when it comes to you, there’s already an army waiting for u.” Rose also noted that she suffered a neck injury on set that required surgery. Her doctors also found a tumor and a “broken rib split in two.” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Alec Baldwin didn't know the prop gun that he fired was loaded with live ammunition and neither did the assistant director who handed it to him before the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a New Mexico film set Thursday, a search warrant document says. The assistant director yelled "cold gun" before the shooting that killed Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounded director Joel Souza on the set of "Rust" at Bonanza Creek Ranch, according to an affidavit filed in a court. The term "cold gun" is intended to indicate that the weapon did not have any live rounds, according to the document obtained by NBC affiliate KOB of Albuquerque and other news outlets. The assistant director did not know live rounds were in the prop gun, the Santa Fe County sheriff's detective wrote in the court document. Baldwin, 63, on Friday said that he was heartbroken after firing the fatal shot and fully cooperating in the investigation. Dionne Warwick has made clear that she wants no part of an upcoming biopic about the late-great Whitney Houston. The forthcoming film “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” follows Houston’s life and rise to fame. Executive Producer Clive Davis previously said that the project will be a “no holds barred” portrait of the artist, and he won’t sugar-coat anything. Davis signed Warwick and her young cousin Houston to Arista Records. Speaking to Variety, Davis said, “I have a mission here. I have a mission to make sure that for all time that the full picture of Whitney Houston is captured in a no-holds-barred film that is musically rich and shows her genius and more of her character than we have seen to date.” Warwick doesn’t want to be involved in the project. “I want them to let Whitney rest in peace,” Warwick told the Los Angeles Times. “Leave her alone. Ten years [since she died] – it’s time to let her sleep.” Deontay Wilder likely broke his powerful right hand in the fourth round while twice flooring Tyson Fury during his 11th-round TKO loss on Oct. 9. Wilder underwent a 90-minute surgery on Monday in Atlanta to repair the hand’s metacarpal bone nine days after he was dropped once each in the third, 10th and final rounds, and was ultimately stopped by the WBC heavyweight champion “Gypsy King,” both his co-manager and trainer confirmed. An appeals court has ruled that Robert De Niro’s estranged wife Grace Hightower isn’t entitled to half of the acting income he made after the divorce. Hightower argued that a 2004 prenuptial agreement entitled her to half of De Niro’s earnings, but, as reported by Page Six, “the Appellate Division rejected Hightower’s arguments, upholding a lower court’s ruling from February,” the outlet writes. “The husband’s income earned during the marriage and other business assets acquired during that time are his separate property,” reads the appellate court decision. Disgraced director Bryan Singer clashed with his A-list cast while making “X2: X-Men United” and things got so bad on set that Halle Berry told him to “kiss my black ass.” According to co-star Alan Cumming, Berry allegedly hurled the comment after the cast staged an intervention for the filmmaker on the set of the 2003 superhero flick. Cumming writes in his upcoming book, “Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life,” that Singer “has himself admitted he was using painkillers at the time”. Per Page Six, the director “exhibited troubling behaviors including mood swings, paranoia and tantrums in addition to disappearing from set for hours on end.” Production was subsequently halted but the unhappy cast was told to “muddle through” the rest of the shoot, per the report. Berry previously spoke out about having to curse out Singer on set. “I would sometimes be very angry with him,” she told Variety last year. “I got into a few fights with him, said a few cuss words out of sheer frustration. When I work, I’m serious about that. And when that gets compromised, I get a little nutty. But at the same time, I have a lot of compassion for people who are struggling with whatever they’re struggling with, and Bryan struggles. Conservative political commentator Candace Owens is trending again, this time for suggesting that the US military invade Australia in order to free its people “suffering under a totalitarian regime” over its strict COVID-19 restrictions. Comparing the nation to the regimes of Hitler, Stalin and the Taliban, Owens spewed this rhetoric on her self-titled Daily Wire TV show earlier this week, declaring the coronavirus had launched an “ideological and psychological” global war. Domestic violence against women of color, specifically Black women, has been a dilemma that has plagued the Black community for decades, perhaps centuries. According to The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) a non-partisan, non-profit research think tank, as of 2017, more than four in ten Black women experience physical violence from an intimate partner during their lifetimes. BET’s original film,”The Hotline,” premiere focuses on domestic violence. One of the 20 minute vignettes, Her Lyfeline, which stars 3-time Grammy nominee Raheem DeVaughn and mega singer/actress Keri Hilson, addresses the plight of domestic violence against Black women, a scourge in the Black community. Cynthia Bailey is speaking out about clashing with three different women on the “Housewives” spinoff titled “Ultimate Girls Trip.” Bravo recently dropped the official trailer for the “Real Housewives” spin-off starring “Real Housewives of Atlanta’s” Cynthia Bailey and Kenya Moore, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” OG Kyle Richards, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” castmates and sisters-in-law Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga, and “Real Housewives of New York City” icons Luann de Lesseps and Ramona Singer. https://youtu.be/PoBquo2zdGI Award-winning music producer Sha Money XL known for his producing and hit-making abilities and his success with 50 Cent, BIG K.I.R.T, Bobby Shmurda and G-Unit, has partnered with entertainment production company “Purple Rope Ent.” to release CHUBBS THE DREAMER debut EP; JUST BECAUSE… and his debut single THIS IS IT. THIS IS IT, is now available across all streaming platforms. https://music.apple.com/us/album/1578001922 https://vyd.co/Thisisit A right-wing parents group has sued a school district in suburban Boston alleging white students are having their civil rights violated because “a policy of segregating students by race” that favors minorities has been adopted. Parents Defending Education, which describes itself as “a national grassroots organization working to reclaim our schools from activists promoting harmful agendas,” recently filed the federal lawsuit claiming that Wellesley Public Schools “is flouting” a precedent established by the U.S. Supreme Court. Chief among Parents Defending Education grievances is the claim that Wellesley Public Schools teachers are “teaching white students to address their ‘shame, guilt, or sadness,'” the complaint says. The group specifically names Wellesley Public Schools’ racial “affinity group” policy, which the complaint claims “By definition and by design” is “exclusionary” to white students. A right-wing school board candidate in suburban Milwaukee has been shamed into deleting her Twitter account after racist and homophobic tweets — including one that downplayed and mocked “the threat of white supremacy” — were revealed by a local news outlet. Scarlett Johnson, who is also one of the organizers behind the Mequon-Thiensville School Board recall election, may have made those tweets disappear, but the controversy surrounding them doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. A couple of the tweets shared with the Journal Sentinel include one last year when Johnson sarcastically tweeted, “yeah, the threat of white supremacy keeps me up at night,” with those fateful words posted alongside a picture of a sloth yawning. She later tweeted without any hint of sarcasm that “there exists no white supremacist group in the history of America that has taken more Black lives than Planned Parenthood.” Johnson denied being a white woman and said she is a Puerto Rican who has previously been the victim of racism, which she points to proof of her inability to be racist. ohnson — who was named to former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. and current Republican gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch campaign’s “Grassroots Leadership Board” — on Twitter also offered up a transphobic question: “how many gay men want to date men with vaginas?” Pior to deleting her Twitter account, Johnson liked a tweet that supported the idea of wanting to “abolish public schools” and to “outlaw teachers unions.” Donald Trump is arguably the most hated commander-in-chief in recent history. Ross Wilburn, the first Black chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, received such violent and threatening hate from Trump cultists after penning an op-ed piece blasting Iowa Republicans for their support of their commander-in-twice-impeached that he had to beef up security for himself and his staff. According to the Des Moines Register, the drama all started when Wilburn authored an opinion piece titled “Iowa Republicans put loyalty to Trump over helping Iowans,” which was published on October 8, one day before Trump’s rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Wilburn said he received two threatening phone messages and one threatening email to his legislative email address, all from aggrieved Trump loyalists. He said that while he’s no stranger to taking heat over his political opinions, it was the flagrant use of racial slurs and lynching threats that made the messages he received stand out. “The voicemails include very explicit language. Every other word was the n-word,” Wilburn said, according to the Register. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos admits he “screwed up” with the handling of employee concerns over Dave Chapelle’s new stand-up special “The Closer.” Last week, Sarandos defended the comedian in a memo to employees that said “The Closer” isn’t “designed to incite hate or violence” and noted that “artistic freedom” is measured differently in stand-up comedy. His latest comments came ahead of the planned employee walkout at the streaming giant on Oct. 20— organized by trans and LGBTQ+ staffers and allies. “I screwed up that internal communication, “Sarandos said in a new interview about his initial memo to staffers. “I did that, and I screwed it up in two ways. First and foremost, I should have led with a lot more humanity. Meaning, I had a group of employees who were definitely feeling pain and hurt from a decision we made. And I think that needs to be acknowledged up front before you get into the nuts and bolts of anything. I didn’t do that. That was uncharacteristic for me, and it was moving fast and we were trying to answer some really specific questions that were floating. We landed with some things that were much more blanket and matter-of-fact that are not at all accurate,” he explained. Netflix Inc employees staged a walkout on Wednesday in an unprecedented show of defiance to protest the streaming giant’s decision to release comedian Dave Chappelle’s new comedy special, which they say ridicules transgender people. A group of employees calling itself Team Trans* scheduled a rally outside Netflix’s 13-story Sunset Boulevard offices in Los Angeles, where activists, public figures and other supporters plan to present Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos with a “list of asks.” “We shouldn’t have to show up quarterly/annually to push back against harmful content that negatively impacts vulnerable communities,” organizer Ashlee Marie Preston wrote in a social media post. “Instead, we aim to use this moment to shift the social ecology around what Netflix leadership deems ethical entertainment.” Last week it was reported that a pregnant Black woman who identifies as a transgender male was fired by Netflix for allegedly leaking confidential internal data about viewership of Dave Chappelle’s new special “The Closer,” and how the streaming giant paid a reported $24 million for it. “We have let go of an employee for sharing confidential, commercially sensitive information outside the company,” Netflix confirmed in a statement. “We understand this employee may have been motivated by disappointment and hurt with Netflix, but maintaining a culture of trust and transparency is core to our company.” The terminated employee reportedly requested that their name not be mentioned publicly, for fear of harassment. But now comes word that former staffer is B. Pagels-Minor, who is speaking out about the controversy and denies leaking the confidential data that was published in an Oct. 13 Bloomberg report. “I collected the data, but I did not leak the data,” Pagels-Minor told NPR. A former NASA employee and ex-cop has been found guilty of the 2020 killing of his mixed-race neighbor. Michael Hetle, 52, is accused of fatally shooting 24-year-old Javon Prather on March 3, 2020 in Springfield, Va. Prather was standing on Hetle’s front porch at the time of the shooing, and the killing was captured on Hetle’s Ring doorbell camera. Apparently, the two men had a dispute earlier in the day and Hetle’s attorney claims the shooting was in self-defense. Prather collapsed in Hetle’s driveway after being shot. Hetle then threatened Prather’s wife, saying to her “You want it, too?” She is reportedly seen on camera dragging Prather’s body away. Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said Prather was “executed” by Hetle. The former National Security Adviser under both Bush presidencies was a guest host on “The View” Wednesday and doubled down on the beliefs espoused by proponents of critical race theory during the Hot Topics segment. Condoleezza Rice argued that CRT – which is not taught in K-12 classrooms – makes white students “feel guilty” and condemns black students as “disempowered.” Co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Whoopi Goldberg attempted to challenge Rice’s belief, but the conservative Bush alum remained firm in making her point. https://youtu.be/Hdx4JsDIsWs Adele is bringing both her new music and her story to television. The British singer has teamed up with CBS for a new prime-time special titled “Adele One Night Only.” According to a news release the event will be filmed in Los Angeles and will welcome back the star “with an extraordinary concert performance that includes the earliest opportunity to hear her first new material in six years” as well as “some of Adele’s chart-topping hits, in addition to several never-before-heard songs.” But that’s not all. “The special will feature an exclusive interview with Adele by Oprah Winfrey from her rose garden, in Adele’s first televised wide-ranging conversation about her new album, the stories behind the songs, life after divorce, weight loss and raising her son,” the release states. Adele has been riding a successful wave and topping streaming charts since debuting her new single, “Easy On Me.” Her new album, “30,” is set for release on November 19. The two-hour event will be broadcast on Sunday, November 14, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. ET and 8 to 10 p.m. PT on CBS. It will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. In May, the CBS legal drama “All Rise” starring Simone Missick was canceled, with the series finale airing May 24. At the time, the cast took to social media to commemorate the show after the network announced the series would not be renewed for a third season. Months later in September, OWN announced that it revived the series for a 20-episode third season. Per THR, HBO Max and Hulu will share streaming rights to the series. The show will debut on both platforms on Dec. 1. Season three will return in 2022, with OWN also airing seasons one and two ahead of the debut of the third season. The pickup comes after creator and showrunner Greg Spottiswood was fired in March following allegations of racism and misconduct on the series. Showrunner Dee Harris-Lawrence was tapped to take over and will return for the 20-episode season on the OWN network. The Grammy Award winning singer was visiting Faneuil Hall with his family before his show Sunday night in Boston when he came across Radha Rao performing the hit song All of Me. Rao, 22, didn’t recognize him at first. He was wearing a mask and she didn’t even know he was in town. Then he took it off. https://youtu.be/0A1pXulM5CE A film and TV union representing 60,000 employees, reached an agreement with producers on Saturday, potentially averting a Monday strike that would derail the film industry. https://youtu.be/c1j4ezSK6Bc Casting has been announced today for the five-time Tony Award-winning production of “A Christmas Carol” playing Los Angeles with Tony and Emmy Award nominee Kate Burton (Ghost of Christmas Past) and Grammy and SAG Award nominee Alex Newell (Ghost of Christmas Present/Mrs. Fezziwig) joining the previously announced Bradley Whitford (Ebenezer Scrooge). This magical new interpretation of Charles Dickens’ timeless story, adapted by Tony Award winner Jack Thorne (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) and originally directed and conceived by Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus (“Matilda”), will play at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre from November 30, 2021 through January 1, 2022. A freshman at Howard University took to her social media to address issues that plagued the students at the historically black college. Chandler Robinson recently went live on her Instagram account to reluctantly call out Howard. In the video she said she had experienced some of the most challenging things in her first two months on campus. Robinson revealed that she has personal friends who don’t have a place to live and their property was damaged beyond repair from mold exposure. She went on to claim that some of her friends had to be hospitalized from coughing up blood and issues with breathing. Robinson also says she’s five months behind in all of her classes because she didn’t have wifi for her first month on campus. https://twitter.com/i/status/1450567423170654223 The man who brutally raped a woman on Philadelphia-area public transit is reportedly an illegal immigrant with a history of violence. Fiston Ngoy, a 35-year-old homeless man, has been arrested on charges of aggravated indecent assault without consent and rape and sexual assault. Upper Darby Township police say he raped a woman on a train last Wednesday, and not a single passenger stopped the attack. Several onlookers reportedly recorded the assault and no one called 911 to report it, SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel said. As reported by The YBF, Ngoy told cops the woman was drunk and that their encounter was consensual. https://youtu.be/ryhSpuvRoyY Multiple arrests have been made in connection to the murder of Chicago rapper FBG Duck. Among the 5 men charged are several members of Lil Durk’s Only The Family group, including Marcus “Muwop” Smart. FBG Duck, Carlton Weekly, 26, was gunned down last year in Chicago. Muwop has reportedly spoken out from jail via an app used to text with incarcerated individuals. “I’m great and thanks for reaching out,” said Muwop to a fan. “My head high as it could be love for reaching out ill be out soon.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1448363923149832203 Music’s inspirational power couple, multi-GRAMMY winners Teddy and Tina Campbell, have announced that a new single and video from the Teddy Campbell Band, “Marry Me,” will be released on October 22nd as a follow-up to the couple’s August anniversary anthem “21.” The single will be premiered a day early, on Thursday, October 21st, during an exclusive premiere on SiriusXM’s Praise in conversation with host Meta Washington. The video is set to premiere the same night via Teddy and Tina’s Facebook page and YouTube page and they are set for a Friday interview on Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell to discuss the release. Sherri Shepherd has been tapped to guest host “The Wendy Williams Show” amid Wendy’s ongoing health issues. The show made the announcement on Instagram Tuesday, and Shepherd shared the news with her social media followers. “I can’t even believe it. I am so thankful Wendy trusted me enough to host her show. And Wendy please get well, because that purple chair — that’s your chair. You’re supposed to be in it. So get well soon, girl,” the actress said in a video she shared on Instagram. “I am very thankful that the producers are trusting me enough to host for a third time.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CVPPtNZFFgZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Today, ABC announced the premiere date of the highly anticipated limited series “Women of the Movement.” The six-episode show will air in three parts beginning Thursday, January 6 (8/10 PM EST), for three consecutive weeks. The series is based on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley, who in 1955 risked her life to find justice after her son Emmett was brutally murdered in the Jim Crow South. Unwilling to let Emmett’s murder disappear from the headlines, Mamie chose to bear her pain on the world’s stage, emerging as an activist for justice and igniting the Civil Rights movement as we know it today. https://youtu.be/6QJw19B-GqY It's the first look trailer for Lionsgate’s adrenaline-filled action/thriller DANGEROUS which is set to hit theaters and on demand on November 5. The star-studded cast includes Scott Eastwood (Wrath of Man, Pacific Rim: Uprising, The Fate of the Furious), Tyrese Gibson (Fast & Furious franchise, Ride Along 2), Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I Am Number Four, Robin Hood), Famke Janssen (X-Men franchise, “How to Get Away with Murder,” The Vault), and Mel Gibson. The action-packed nail-biter is directed by David Hackl (Saw V) and written by Christopher Borrelli. https://youtu.be/rFq52e7wYws Issa Rae appeared on Tamron Hall’s daytime talk show on Tuesday to dish about her marriage to Louis Diame, as well as the final season of her hit HBO series “Insecure.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1450778826917781504 A 61-year-old Black man in Florida is making headlines for marrying his 18-year-old goddaughter. As reported by MTO News, Mike Haugabook married Deyjah Evans this weekend, in a private ceremony in Florida. The two have known each other since Deyjah was a child and they tied the knot days after she turned 18. Deyjah’s mom, who is a recovering drug addict, is not in support of the marriage. She allegedly once had sex with Mike in exchange for a cell phone and a “couple of dollars.” Comedian and actor Ricarlo Flanagan died from COVID-19 complications last week at age 40. “Sadly this pandemic has taken the life of an extremely talented performer and even nicer human being,” his representative told Variety. “Ricarlo will be greatly missed.” Flanagan’s passing comes weeks after he called out NBA star Kyrie Irving for not being vaccinated against COVID-19. “This covid is no joke. I don’t wish this on anybody,” Flanagan tweeted out on Oct. 1. He then suggested the Brooklyn Nets player take some of his “chest pain and see how he feels.” Flanagan’s family has launched a GoFundMe to cover burial costs. Charles Barkley says he and his “Inside the NBA” co-host Kenny Smith are good after they got into a heated conversation about Kyrie Irving and his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine. NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined the TNT broadcast to talk about Irving, among other league hot topics, and Silver reiterated that he hoped Irving would get vaccinated – for himself, his family, his community and for the league. The hosts talked about it amongst themselves after Silver left, and Barkley agreed that Irving should get vaccinated, moreso for the safety of those around him. Kenny the Jet, reportedly had a different take on the situation. https://youtu.be/neBdigUy0wQ Disney has pushed back the release dates for several highly anticipated Marvel titles that are set to drop next year. Per THR, the titles include the “Black Panther” sequel, which moves from July 8, 2022, to Nov. 11, 2022. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is moving from March 25, 2022, to May 6, 2022. At Paramount, the romantic action-adventure “The Lost City,” starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt, will now drop on March 25, 2022, instead of April 15, 2022. The next chapter in Marvel’s “Thor” series will open on July 8. “The Marvels” moves from Nov. 11, 2022, to Feb. 17, 2023, with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” moving to July 28, 2023. Disney’s “Indiana Jones” reboot has been delayed from July 29, 2022, to June 30, 2023. The shifts are primarily due to changes in the industry amid the ongoing COVID pandemic. In his riveting new book, “Race Against Time: The Politics of a Darkening America,” CNN political commentator, Keith Boykin, writes about how covert and overt strategies and efforts are being launched to stop the fast-moving population growth of Black and Brown people and voters in America. “My book is about the darkening of America that’s going on in our country right now,” Boykin tells Lee Bailey in an exclusive interview. “Our country is becoming blacker and browner. There’s a census report that came out in March of 2015 that said White Americans will no longer be the majority population of this nation by 2044. A few months after the report, Donald Trump launched his campaign to become president of the United States. And in October 2021, another census report revealed that the White population in America is declining for the first time in American history.” Boykin continues by saying, “This scares a lot of White people,” he explains. “America has now elected a Black president and a Black woman as vice president. And there are five states where Latinos will become the majority of the population in the next three decades. There’s also an Asian population that’s growing rapidly. That’s the race against time, the desire to stop this diversification of America. There’s the desire by some in White America to make America what it once was, which is a White male-dominated society.” Donald Trump went off on the media for what he said was too-favorable coverage of former Secretary of State Colin Powell after his death on Monday. “Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday,” Trump said in a statement. He went on to call Powell “a classic RINO,” (“Republican in name only.”) “He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!” Trump added. https://youtu.be/90LdVlPN8Ig Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) is speaking out about how the new Texas congressional map carves up her district, pitting her against her neighboring Black incumbent, Rep. Al Green (D) in the primary election. Critics of the redistricting plan say it’s a racial gerrymander intended to weaken Black voices in Congress, per the report. Texas state Rep. Ron Reynolds (D), said in a statement that “now the fight will be to keep the amendment on [the map] that corrected the pairing of Congressman Al Green and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.” https://youtu.be/VeW1BG2BJqs The Chicago Police Department (CPD) has begun curbing officers with no pay for not reporting their COVID vaccination status. In a news conference on Monday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) said a “very small number” of officers have been put on no-pay status for failing to comply with the vaccine mandate, The Hill reports. “Roughly 38% of the sworn officers on this job, almost 40% can lock in a pension and walk away, today,” Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, Jr. said. According to multiple reports, the deadline for Chicago city employees to report their vaccination status was at midnight Friday. https://youtu.be/nDfkTuCefDU A coalition of civil rights groups sued the state of Oklahoma on Tuesday over a law limiting instruction about race and gender in public schools. It is the first federal lawsuit to challenge a state statute implemented to prevent the teaching of critical race theory. The suit, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, argues that HB 1775, which took effect in May, violates students’ and teachers’ free speech rights and denies people of color, LGBTQ students and girls the chance to learn their history. https://www.msnbc.com/craig-melvin/watch/teachers-fear-for-their-jobs-after-oklahoma-governor-bans-teaching-systemic-racism-in-schools-113185349953 According to TMZ, the rapper and reality star Flavor Flav was arrested in Nevada on Oct. 5 by the Henderson PD. The Public Enemy co-founder was booked on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. The criminal complaint obtained by TMZ states that Flav allegedly poked his finger on the alleged victim’s nose, threw her down, and grabbed a phone out of her hand. The City Attorney reportedly confirmed that Flavor Flav has been charged with misdemeanor battery constituting domestic violence.However, Flavor Flav’s attorney David Chesnoff told the news site that “in alleged domestic violence cases, there are often 2 sides to the story and we will explain our side in the courtroom and not in the media.” No further details were shared on the incident. Meanwhile, Flavor Flav’s manager says today, Tuesday (10/19/21) will mark one year of sobriety from alcohol for Flav … and added that it’s been 15 months since he quit smoking cigarettes. A private school in Miami wants parents of vaccinated students to keep their child home for 30 days after each dose citing claims that components of the vaccine shed and can transmit the virus to others. “If you are considering the vaccine for your Centner Academy student(s), we ask that you hold off until the Summer when there will be time for the potential transmission or shedding onto others to decrease,” states a letter to parents from The Centner Academy’s CFO, WSVN reported. https://youtu.be/7cJDSr2uQF8 Actor and dancer #ChanningTatum responds to #DaveChappelle‘s recent controversial comments regarding the #LGBTQIA community: “I understand and hate that he has hurt so many people.”? Chappelle has been in the headlines for the past couple of weeks after he made what some feel are insensitive remarks about the LGBTQIA community. In his latest Netflix comedy special, The Closer, Chappelle suggested that DaBaby’s criminal background is less offensive than the homophobic comments the rapper made. ?In response to the matter, Tatum took to Instagram and reposted a post from D.L. Hughley’s page that included a clip of Chappelle’s 2019 speech when he accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. ? In the caption, Tatum wrote: “I understand that Dave is a very dangerous person to talk about at the moment. I understand and hate that he has hurt so many people with things he has said.”? “Any human can hurt someone (usually cause they’re hurt) but any human can heal and heal others just the same. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVOG-hiFx5L/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again ? Checkout this week’s all-new episode of WE tv’s “Life After Lockup.“ In it, Nicolle, Tia, and Daonte discuss having a polyamorous relationship, but is Daonte really feeling the arrangement with his felon bae? https://youtu.be/EUx6ZPpUIaU A video of a White woman hurling her drink at a Black police officer’s face while calling him a racial slur has gone viral on TikTok. he short clip is less than 20 seconds and was posted by TikTok user @nwoha_nation, who goes by Charles Canine Nwoha on his account. There’s not much context surrounding the incident, but a text overlay says the “White girl” called a cop “the N-word” and threw a “drink at him.” The event reportedly occurred in Dallas. Nwoha claims the woman was “banging on his squad car” before the video began and promised to post “a full breakdown of what happened with the cop and girl.” “He (Nipsey Hussel) was originally slated for this role…thought I’d do it justice,” said actor (“Vampire Diaries”)/producer (The Prospects) Robert Ri’chard about his new role in the Lifetime, based-on-a-true-story, movie California Love (known now as The Fight That Never Ends) airing October 24, 2021 8/7c about the struggles one goes through for love. “The character is great for me it took me back to my roots. I grew up in South Central L.A. through the 90’s. I had to walk through the Bloods neighborhood going to school.” https://youtu.be/K9hVtK-tKHk Snoop Dogg – global superstar, entrepreneur, cultural icon, and executive creative consultant of Def Jam Recordings – has announced his first project for the label: Snoop Dogg Presents THE ALGORITHM. THE ALGORITHM is introduced with the release of a new single and video today – Snoop’s 50th birthday – “Big Subwoofer” by Mount Westmore, the new supergroup comprised of west coast rap legends Snoop, Ice Cube, E-40 and Too Short. “Big Subwoofer” is the first blast from THE ALGORITHM, an all-encompassing new project that features artists from the legendary Def Jam label’s past, present & future. It’s Snoop’s mission to change the current algorithm of what we listen to today, by putting feeling back into music with the release of his new project. https://youtu.be/tqiXwx0NG0Q Vanessa Bryant will immortalize her late husband Kobe Bryant in the form of media, clothing, and trading cards through a new sports and entertainment company. Bryant has filed to trademark “KB24.” Vanessa submitted docs earlier this month to lock in the trademark for digital collectible items, websites, training camps, broadcasting platforms, podcasts, TV shows, movies, documentaries and music … as well as sports cards, food/drink containers and t-shirts. Kobe, Inc. — the Lakers legend’s company — is listed as the applicant of the filing … with Vanessa signing off as the president of the business. The move coincides with reports that Vanessa is being forced by LA County to take a psychiatric exam amid her lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Here is an exclusive clip of this week’s new episode of “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition,” airing Thursday on WE tv. Per press release, this season features Hip Hop legend N.O.R.E and NERI, two-time Grammy Award nominee MONIE LOVE and TUFF, Producer MALLY MALL and TREASURE, and Love & Hip Hop Hollywood’s favorite on again off again couple SIIR BROCK and AMBER LAURA — all head to Marriage Boot Camp to find out if their relationships are worth saving. https://youtu.be/RGuzeHCAd5E Actress Charlize Theron is opening up about turning to Black women to help her raise the two Black boys she adopted and raising as girls. Theron, who is white and South African, adopted sons— Jackson, 9, and August, 5 — who are both Black and allegedly transgender. Theron told Essence that she relies on a “village” of Black women who teach her how to best raise her “daughters.” “I am so grateful to the incredible village of strong Black women in my life who I can pick up a phone to [call], or come over to my house and they’ll tell me: ‘You need to stop doing this,’ or ‘These baby hairs are breaking off. What are you doing?’” she explained to the outlet. “So they put me in my place, and because of them I feel this great confidence in raising my girls.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CSHWL2Wj01K/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tiger Woods credits fatherhood for helping him through recovery after his car accident earlier this year. “Being a dad has helped him stay focused on his recovery,” a source tells PEOPLE of Woods and his son Charlie, 12 and daughter Sam, 14, whom he shares with ex-wife Elin Nordegren. “At times, it’s been very difficult for him both physically and mentally. His leg injuries caused him extreme pain. He is a fighter and has been determined to get better though.” Adds the source, “He has worked very hard in physical therapy. … He has had an incredible recovery.” Woods suffered significant injuries and fractures from his near-fatal car crash in February. Dr. Dre’s divorce to Nicole Young has been a mixture of pettiness but it appears that pettiness has been taken up another notch! According to TMZ, his ex-wife attempted to serve him court papers at his grandmother’s funeral! Per the report, Dre’s grandmother helped raise him and he was at the cemetery when a processor confronted him. Sources close to Dre say a server came up to him at the burial site as Dre was standing by his grandma’s casket and tried serving him. Sources connected to Nicole Young tell TMZ … Dre was served in the cemetery’s parking lot after the burial. It’s worth noting that rapper/producer/entrepreneur has already shelled out a payment of $2 million to his ex’s lawyers. And in the past year, he made two separate payments of $500,000 each. Dre, whose net worth is almost a BILLION dollars, objected to the excessive attorney’s fees – which now total more than $4.5 million, but the judge dismissed his complaints. A Black 10-year-old girl was arrested at school in Oahu, Hawaii, last year after making a sketch of another student that reportedly made a parent “very upset.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii is taking action, calling on officials to make changes and compensate the child and her mother $500,000 damages, according to a letter sent by the organization on Monday, both Hawaii News Now and The Associated Press reported. The letter was sent to the Honolulu Police Department and the state Department of Education with demands including prohibiting school staff from calling the police unless in a case where there is “imminent threat of significant harm” against another individual, according to reports. The letter said the Honowai Elementary School student, who has ADHD and is referred to as “N.B.” in the document, made the drawing in January 2020 after getting bullied by a student, Hawaii News Now reported. When Loretta Bruno got dropped off at the bus stop near her Florida City home in Tuesday morning darkness, the friend driving Bruno saw one of her children come out of the bushes behind the bus stop. And, the friend told Miami-Dade police, Andrew Eloissaint pulled out a gun and shot his mother. Bruno, 48, died at the bus stop. Eloissaint, 20, was arrested Tuesday morning and has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for also allegedly shooting at the friend who drove Bruno. Eloissaint is being held without bond by Miami-Dade Corrections. Police have made an arrest in the murder of Ja’Nyi Weeden, a 15-year-old Baltimore girl who was fatally shot in August. A 16-year-old boy was arrested Friday on a warrant charging him with first-degree murder in Weeden’s death, the Baltimore Police Department said Monday. It wasn’t immediately clear Monday whether the unnamed teenager would be charged as an adult. The shooting was initially reported Aug. 10 in the 3700 block of Gelston Drive in Northwest Baltimore. Officers called to the scene that morning found Weeden shot multiple times, including at least once in the head, authorities said. Yolonda Ross, star of the ground-breaking Showtime series The Chi, today announced with Rhonda Feinberg, a special donation of $100,000, funded by The Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, to three grassroots organizations serving women of color who are living with breast cancer. Based on personal life experiences and in tandem with her performance as “Jada” on The Chi (a single black mother diagnosed with breast cancer), Ross was inspired to get involved in Chicago’s WOC breast cancer survivor community and collaborate with three remarkable Chicago organizations that support women’s health. On the show, Ross famously shaved her long, beautiful hair on camera, as her character embarks on her breast cancer journey. A group of Howard University students gathered Wednesday for day two of protests over poor housing conditions on campus. Students say rats, roaches and mold are just some of the things they’ve had to deal with in on-campus housing. Videos sent to FOX 5 also show water pouring out of pipes, expired air filters with mold and mildew and mushrooms growing on ceilings and walls. With tuition being nearly $50,000 a year, students say they’re frustrated with how Howard’s administration has handled the situation. https://www.fox5dc.com/video/989597 Kanye West debuted yet another freaky face mask while jetting into New York City on Monday. The rapper, 44, who has legally changed his name to Ye, was spotted at JFK Airport wearing a prosthetic mask bearing the resemblance of a Caucasian person with eye makeup. Despite concealing his highly recognizable face, all eyes were still on Ye as he made his way into a cab. The haunting plastic mask covered the entirety of his head, but Kanye accessorized it with a black baseball cap and slick grey headphones. He teamed the creepy accessory with a black cap, leather Balenciaga jacket, faded jeans and knee-high boots – the same outfit he was seen wearing in Venice a day earlier. The rapper was busy on his phone, swiping away on the touch screen with an ungloved hand. Once he shed the face mask, Kanye looked just like any other traveler returning home. The music video for J Balvin‘s song “Perra” has disappeared from YouTube after online backlash to its depiction of Black women. After its debut on Sept. 10, the “Perra” music video, which features rapper Tokischa, received criticism that it perpetuated “misogynoir” for showing the Colombian singer, 36, walking with two Black women on leashes, plus a moment when Tokischa poses in a dog house. The song features lyrics about dogs in heat. The song is from Balvin’s album José, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, his fourth to do so, according to Billboard. The music video was directed by Raymi Paulus. TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSOREDconcludes the season with popular trap rapper Jeezy. The finale will air on Sunday, October 24th at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities told their story in their own words; including Lynn Whitfield, Anthony Hamilton, Swizz Beatz, Raven-Symoné, Kym Whitley, Loretta Devine, Bebe Winans and Tommy Davidson. The season finale will feature rapper Jeezy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpqk9NZgew0 Award-winning artist, actress and entrepreneur Kierra Sheard hits #1 on two Gospel radio charts, with her latest single “Something Has to Break” (feat. Karen Clark Sheard), topping the Gospel Airplay chart and the MediaBase Gospel chart. The family duet with Kierra and her mother, Gospel icon Karen Clark Sheard, marks a milestone as the first mother-daughter duo to hit #1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart. The two vocal powerhouses deliver a transcendent worship experience in their live performance, inspiring strength and hope in God’s constancy and guidance. This latest chart success for “Something Has to Break” also marks Kierra’s fourth #1 overall on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, following her third #1 for the hit single “It Keeps Happening,” which are both featured on her album KIERRA-Deluxe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbk256GJAjQ DARE Records reissues its holiday offering DARE Records Presents ‘A Countdown To Christmas’ featuring Keke Wyatt, Juan & Lisa Winans, Shontelle Norman-Beatty, and Travis Malloy. Recorded live at the Hard Rock Café in Atlanta, Georgia, DARE Records Chairman and CEO Michael-Anthony Taylor produced the five-song EP. The project is available now on streaming and downloading platforms everywhere. It’s #NationalChickenandWafflesDay. Not to be confused with National Fried Chicken and Waffles Day, which is observed in August, October 20, is now dubbed National Chicken and Waffles Day — a day we celebrate this brunch staple, which has been around for more than 150 years. Food scholars have theories of its origins, with many declaring the meal originated in Harlem in the 1930s. In contrast, others say it originated with Pennsylvania Dutch home cooks in the 1600s. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVQSvDfj0kJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again ViacomCBS Chief Executive Bob Bakish said that uproar over some content is inevitable for major media companies, following outcry over a Netflix Inc. special by comedian Dave Chappelle that some employees of the streaming service said was offensive to the transgender community. In his remarks Monday, made during a WSJ Tech Live interview, Mr. Bakish declined to address the Netflix dust-up directly but said that ViacomCBS has had its own brushes with controversy over the years and likely will again. As death approached, Colin Powell was still in fighting form. Secretary of State Colin Powell said in his last interview with Bob Woodward, “I’ve got multiple myeloma cancer, and I’ve got Parkinson’s disease. But otherwise I’m fine,” he said in a July interview. And he rejected expressions of sorrow at his condition. “Don’t feel sorry for me, for God’s sakes! I’m [84] years old,” said Powell who died Monday. “I haven’t lost a day of life fighting these two diseases. I’m in good shape.” Condoleezza Rice, director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, was secretary of state from 2005 to 2009. “General Powell would like to invite you to lunch.” The call from his secretary was a thunderbolt: Colin was the national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan. I was a 31-year-old Council on Foreign Relations fellow serving a year with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mostly what I remember about that lunch is how my initial nervousness dissolved into a certain level of comfort with the tall, elegant and already famous Colin L. Powell. He was inspiring but not intimidating. “I’m sure we’ll see each other many times in the future,” he said. He was, of course, right. Our professional and personal lives crossed and intertwined numerous times — and I am grateful for that. Country music superstar Travis Tritt announced this week he will not play at concert venues requiring guests to prove they’re vaccinated against COVID-19, wear masks, or test for the virus before the show. “This is a sacrifice that I’m willing to make to stand up for the freedoms that generations of Americans have enjoyed for their entire lifetimes,” Tritt wrote in a statement released Monday. “There are plenty of promoters and venues around the country that appreciate fans and the freedom of choice in this great country, and those are the promoters and venues that I will be supporting.” The entertainer’s announcement resulted in the cancelation of previously schedules shows in Muncie, Indiana; Philadelphia, Mississippi; Peoria, Illinois; and Louisville, Kentucky. ESPN Reporter Allison Williams announced she will be leaving the network over its COVID vaccine mandate to all employees. In a video posted to Instagram Friday, Williams said her request for accommodation was denied by ESPN and the Walt Disney Company and that she would be “separated from the company” effective this week. Williams shared on Twitter last month that she had decided not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine because she was trying to conceive her second child. She also thanked the women who reached out to her over the past few weeks about their experiences with getting the vaccine while pregnant. Season 13 of the “Wendy Williams Show” kicked off on Monday with guest hosts filling in amid Wendy’s ongoing health issues. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, TV personality Bevy Smith; comedian and TV host Michael Yo; MTV’s “The Challenge Aftermath” host Devyn Simone; and entertainment journalist Elizabeth Wagmeister kicked off the new season. “Wendy, I know you’re watching right now, and on behalf of myself, our panel, your co-hosts, we love you and can’t wait to have you back in that purple chair,” Yo said. The guest hosts didn’t mention Williams’ health struggles, nor is there an update on the show’s official Instagram page. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLlEWML6Rq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The American Black Film Festival has announced that the 2021 event will open its milestone 25th year with Warner Bros. Pictures’ eagerly anticipated film “King Richard” starring Will Smith. The biopic finds Smith portraying Richard Williams, father of legendary athletes Venus and Serena Williams. https://youtu.be/BKP_0z52ZAw Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was indicted last week on federal charges, and he made clear on Monday that he will not resign. A federal grand jury indictment claims Ridley-Thomas conspired with Marilyn Louise Flynn, then dean of USC’s School of Social Work, to steer county money to the university in return for admitting his son Sebastian into graduate school with a full-tuition scholarship and a paid professorship. https://youtu.be/qisKYl-x8Us Video of a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy slamming a Black woman to the ground by her hair in Louisiana has gone viral. An unidentified JPSO deputy is seen holding the wrist of Shantel Arnold as she’s lying on her back on the sidewalk. The deputy is seen dragging Arnold along the pavement, then lifting her up and slamming her to the ground several times. The deputy is eventually seen holding Arnold by her hair and slamming her body to the ground, ripping out some of her braids in the process. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUD3LIDDAJW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A white male flight attendant with Jet Blue was filmed siding with a white male passenger who refused to get up from his seat to let a Black woman into her seat. As reported by Daily Dot, the TikTok video, which was posted on Oct. 14 by Kali Ranting (@theekali), shows the flight attendant asking Ranting for her boarding pass. It is only when a Black female flight attendant intervenes that the seemingly rude male passenger gets up from his seat. Meghan McCain says she left The View because of purposeful hostility from co-hosts Whoopi Golberg and Joy Behar. In her upcoming memoir Bad Republican, McCain said that it was a comment from Behar in particular following her return from maternity leave in early January that was the final straw. After McCain had interrupted Joy to accuse her of being untruthful about the Democrats “fighting” amongst themselves, Behar became annoyed, but waited patiently until after McCain finished her point. She then made it clear that the conservative had interrupted her. “I was speaking! I was talking!” Behar asserted. McCain began teasing Joy about how much she must have missed her during the maternity leave. “I did not. I did not miss you. Zero,” said Joy, 100 percent serious. https://youtu.be/H3shURNYWto A Netflix staffer who called out the streamer for not canceling Dave Chappelle over his new stand-up special “The Closer,” has penned an emotional essay in which Dave is blamed for being a “symptom” of transphobia. “Dave is not, and has never been, the cause of this problem — he is a symptom of it,” Terra Field said Monday in an essay, “It Was Never About Dave,” posted online, as reported by Deadline. The message comes two days before transgender staffers plan a walkout at Netflix in protest over the special. Hooters had been using social media to show off new shorter, tighter shorts that its servers were required to wear. The servers had also taken the new garments to social media – but to complain about them being almost “panties,” thus creating a public relations hiccup. https://www.tiktok.com/@lexiusxoxo/video/7018371107522710790?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6958760933566055942&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0 R&B hitmaker Will Downing charts number one on the U.S. Indie Soul Chart with his first single, The Warmth of You from his forthcoming 25th album, Sophisticated Soul. The U.S. Indie Soul Chart is based on real airplay and one of the most respected music charts in today’s industry with a 2.2. million audience. https://youtu.be/btNCJmBq9CU Judge Judy’s longtime TV bailiff Petri Hawkins-Byrd was not invited to her new courtroom for IMDb TV titled “Judy Justice,” but he might be coming to your TV screens again soon. As reported by theJasmineBrand, “his manager is having ongoing conversations with TV producers who are currently working on a new court TV concept,” the outlet writes. Hawkins-Byrd isn’t actively seeking a new court show, per the report, but he will consider any offers. Hawkins-Byrd opened up to Entertainment Weekly about being booted after appearing on the show during its 25-season run. “My assumption is if you were going on to do something else, that you were at least going to ask me if I wanted to have the opportunity to audition for the role,” Byrd said. Monday, a Los Angeles judge approved Kanye West’s request to legally change his name to “Ye.” West applied in August to change his legal name to simply Ye. In the documents, obtained by PEOPLE, the hip-hop star cited “personal reasons” for the change. Following the release of his “Ye” album in 2018, West announced he would be changing his stage name. CMC Guapo continues to pursue a career that was almost cut short following a wild incident involving an ex-girlfriend, a flipping car and a shot that hit him in the right arm. He lost all feeling in his arm, which sent the rapper into a deep depression. But thanks to family, friends and other supporters, as well as strenuous rehab, he has regained full mobility in his arm, and become one of the bright spots on the Detroit rap scene. He also uses his platform to advocate for change in the foster care system that he once was a part of. A waist-cinching “illusion dress” has been wreaking havoc on TikTok thanks to its mystical fabric and a flattering print that tricks the eye. Fashionista @Xojemian, also known as Jem, was the first to captivate TikTok with the effects of Fashion Nova’s multicolored “Mind of My Own” maxi dress in a try-on testimonial. www.tiktok.com/@xojemian/video/7017121426570349829?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F&referer_video_id=7017121426570349829&refer=embed Singer, actress, Chlöe Bailey was a guest on SiriusXM Urban View’s The Mike Muse Show. She reacted to the backlash surrounding her first single “Have Mercy,” and spoke about how she has learned to embrace her sexuality and love her body, gain confidence from within, and realize that her voice matters. During the interview host Mike Muse asked Chlöe if she was shocked by the reaction from those who thought her recent performance was a bit “too sexy?” “Well, take me out of the equation. It’s always shocking when a black woman is confident in the skin that she’s in and isn’t afraid to show it. And I think as long as women who have inspired me and my peers continue to break down those walls and those barriers and say, screw what anyone else has to think, I will love who I am, and I will be proud about it and speak up loudly about it, then no one can really hold us back.” https://youtu.be/FfesqRkdSEk Former four-star general and U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell has died from COVID-19 complications at age 84. “We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American,” Powell’s family announced Monday. Forbes reports that Powell passed away Monday morning after receiving treatment at the Walter Reed National Medical Center in Maryland. He had been fully vaccinated. Powell is survived by his wife, Alma Johnson Powell, their three children, as well as grandchildren. A Black Louisiana State Trooper has received a notice of termination after speaking publicly about police brutality. Carl Cavalier, 33, is being fired for discussing the case of Ronald Greene, a Black man who died in State Police custody in 2019. Cavalier has also shared with the media his own treatment within the force. Now he’s being fired, with State Police Superintendent Lamar Davis claiming Cavalier violated department policy for speaking out about Greene’s death. “There are killers,” Cavalier told one local news outlet, “and there are people who are okay with the killers being on the job.” https://youtu.be/2YGjBZo1KiE Jury selection is scheduled to begin today in Brunswick, GA, in the trial of three White men charged in the murder of African American jogger Ahmaud Arbery. Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan face nine charges, which include malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. https://youtu.be/k6fcbeusCd8 Colin Powell, the first black Secretary of State who formulated foreign policy under several presidents, died Monday morning at the age of 84 of complications from COVID. The Pentagon powerhouse who served as a soldier in Vietnam and went on to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was fully vaccinated and battling blood cancer and Parkinson’s when he passed away at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland, according to his family. Retired Four-Star General Powell, who was also suffering from Parkinson’s, is survived by his wife of 59 years, Alma, and three children, and has a celebrated career that saw him rise up the military ranks after growing up in a Jamaican immigrant family in Harlem. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivered an emotional tribute to former Secretary of State Colin Powell Monday shortly after learning of the death of a man he called a mentor. ‘The world lost one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed,’ Austin. ‘Alma lost a great husband, and the family lost a tremendous father and I lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor,’ said Austin who as the nation’s first black secretary of defense followed in Powell’s footsteps. Powell was the first African American chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. ‘He has been my mentor for a number of years. He always made time for me and I could always go to him with tough issues. He always had great counsel. We will certainly miss him. General Colin Powell had a 13-point rulebook for life. He showed them to me when we spent the day together a few years ago at the National War College in Washington DC, and they made a huge impression – mainly because I agreed with every single one of them. They’re worth repeating again in full today as America mourns the loss – tragically, from complications due to Covid-19 – of perhaps the greatest president it never had: 1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. 2. Get mad, then get over it. 3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that, when your position falls, your ego goes with it. 4. It can be done! 5. Be careful what you choose, you may get it. 6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. 7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours. 8. Check small things. 9. Share credit. 10. Remain calm. Be kind. 11. Have a vision. Be demanding. 12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers. 13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Powell’s rules resonated so strongly with me because they sounded so real. This wasn’t the robotic soundbite claptrap of a dreary career politician. Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announced Thursday that $2.3 million Chicago Creative Worker Assistance Program will benefit members of the arts and entertainment industry with grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. This new relief fund launched by Chicago officials will give a helping hand to those in the entertainment industry–arts administrators, teaching artists, artisans, curators, independent cultural producers and technicians–who lost income during the pandemic. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said, “The pandemic took a particularly devastating toll on our arts and culture community as shows were canceled, music venues were closed, and artists faced financial insecurity.” A gang behind the kidnapping of 17 US and Canadian missionaries in Haiti will demand a ransom of up to $1 million per head, experts have warned. The captives, who include five children, the youngest just two years old, were forced out of a bus at gunpoint after visiting an orphanage on Saturday in the suburbs of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Authorities suspect they were snatched by the notorious 400 Mawozo gang, whose thugs have abducted dozens of people already this year, including foreign nationals. The missionaries belong to the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, an extremely well funded global organization founded by Amish and Mennonites in 1981. Ronnie Tutt, drummer and original member of Elvis Presley’s TCB Band and the Jerry Garcia Band and a famed session musician who performed alongside Billy Joel, Buckingham Nicks and more, has died at the age of 83. Elvis Presley Enterprises announced Tutt’s death Saturday, writing on the Graceland website, “All of us with Elvis Presley Enterprises were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ronnie Tutt. In addition to being a legendary drummer, he was a good friend to many of us here at Graceland.” No cause of death was provided. Bob Dylan, 80, is rolling once again and will roll through 2024. His Never Ending Tour came to a temporary halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. He has toured every year from 1988 until 2019.He is back on the road again, and concert tickets are on sale for a tour in support of last year’s album, “Rough and Rowdy Ways.” He plans to return to live performing November 2 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has 21 concerts scheduled through December 2, hitting cities like Chicago, New York, Boston, and Washington, as well as Moon Township, Pennsylvania, and Knoxville, Tennessee. Waiters wearing ‘Squid Game’ costumes carry trays with the honeycomb toffee at Strawberry Cafe in Jakarta, Indonesia, October 15, 2021. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana”Squid Game,” Netflix Inc’s (NFLX.O) biggest original series launch, is estimated to be worth almost $900 million for the streaming giant, Bloomberg News reported late on Saturday, citing figures from an internal Netflix document. Shocking footage has emerged of the moment a stuntman on America’s Got Talent was seriously injured after being slammed in between two exploding cars having misjudged his midair jump. Jonathan Goodwin’s stunt went wrong during a rehearsal of a new show, AGT: Extreme on Thursday. The clip, shot at the Atlanta Motor Speedway begins with the professional stuntman hanging in midair as two car halves come together. The 41-year-old Welsh escapologist was supposed to free himself and fall underneath the vehicles before they collided, but he miscalculated his timing and ended up being caught in the middle, crushed as the metal chassis came together before a huge fireball erupted. Goodwin then fell to the ground and hit his head. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition. The extent of his injuries is not currently known. https://youtu.be/ez3WIi5_9YU After over a decade of development, fans finally got a first look at “Black Adam,” the feature film starring Johnson as the DC Comics anti-hero and sworn nemesis of Shazam! Johnson unveiled the teaser on Saturday to open DC Fandome, the virtual fan event designed to promote the vast ecosystem of entertainment based on DC Comics superheroes. Along with Johnson’s character, “Black Adam” also focuses on the members of the Justice Society: Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, who can fly thanks to his special metal wings; Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, who can control his molecules and thereby change his size, density, and strength; Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, who can control the wind; and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, an archeologist who becomes a powerful sorcerer while wearing the Helmet of Fate. The incidence of violence and murder in the Black community is prevalent in recent times. In cities across the country, Black men and Black women have been killed at an alarming rate. The incidence of violence and murder in the Black community is prevalent in recent times. In cities across the country, Black men and Black women have been killed at an alarming rate. Ex-felon A.G. Deberry, a self-published author, who grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota has two books available on multiple platforms, “Carmelo’s Way:187 Assassins Part I,” and “Carmelo’s Way:187 Assassins Part II.” His books, some of which were written in prison, are about “a young man who grew up in poverty and had to do what he needed to in order to survive.” Currently, A.G. Deberry volunteers at Agape (on 38th and Chicago) in proximity to the area where the murder of George Floyd occurred by a police officer. “Their Agape model is turning street energy into community energy,” said A.G. Deberry. “They deal with a lot of former and current gang members and try to help them change their lives for the better, and I am a product of that.” After serving 19 years, 10 months and 8 days for murder, A.G. Deberry is not deflecting responsibility for his choices- he seeks to tell his story with the hopes that others avoid his mistakes. A viral TikTok video shows a Black man in a bathroom stall being repeatedly called the N-word by a white man banging on the door, upset that he beat him to the bathroom in a Chicago-area metro station. TikTok user @_melo2x filmed and posted the video on Thursday while seated on the toilet. The caption reads: “It’s Funny But Not Funny At The Same Time He Lucky I Had To [poop emoji] REAL BAD.” “This the sh*t we go through. I’m sh*ttin’. I ain’t did nothing to the man,” @_melo2x said. “Man just came and beat on the door and saying all this sh*t.” The second season of “Games People Play” premieres this Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT. Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray “Games Divas Play,” “Games People Play” is a sexy, stylized one-hour drama about the L.A. high life, featuring a cast of characters where everyone plays to win, including a basketball player navigating both his equally rocky personal life and NBA career, a newly appointed team marketing executive who’s got a lot to prove, a tenacious journalist desperately seeking the truth and a struggling actress with a scandalous past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnR0oUZab3Y Warner Bros. Pictures has dropped the trailer for Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne. Pattinson stars opposite Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis as Alfred; and Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot. https://youtu.be/mqqft2x_Aa4 ABC News has announced a new special The Real Queens of Hip-Hop: The Women Who Changed the Game, which takes an intimate look at the evolution and impact of women emcees and rappers, told by the trailblazing artists who helped create a musical and cultural empire. https://facebook.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=03270e5fb8d65204361e530a2&id=c67719b128&e=136c74e292 Last night, Director, showrunner and actress, Kaye Singleton, gave Atlanta VIP’s and influencers a sneak peek at ALLBLK’s latest original series, “COVENANT.” The advanced screening held at Atlanta’s SilverSpot Cinema included show cast members: Kron Moore, Dawn Halfkenny, Michael Anthony, Jasmine Burke, Phaedra Parks, Kaye Singleton, Nijah Brenea, Joslyn Hall, Erica Paige, Jennifer Sears, Ashani Roberts, and Palmer Williams Jr. in attendance. Additional special guests in attendance included: Remy Ma, Brad James, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Fred Mwangaguhunga and more. The faith-based anthology will be told in 2-parts (8 weeks total) exclusively on popular AMC Networks’ streamer ALLBLK (www.ALLBLK.tv), with new episodes available every Thursday. “Ron’s Gone Wrong” is sure to reprogram our hearts, as Ron and Barney embark on a journey to create the ultimate bond of friendship! The 20th Century Studios and Locksmith Animation film, tells the story of Barney, a shy socially-isolated middle schooler, who puts a high demand on high-tech gadgets – but what he really wants is friendship. Fortunately, Barney ends up with Ron, a technically-defective robot whose hilariously daring malfunctions shake Barney out of his cocoon and help him discover the true meaning of friends. https://youtu.be/8I8nMtzN05s Hollywood showed up to the “blue carpet” for the premiere of Netflix’s “The Harder They Fall!” The Shrine Auditorium was the scene for the western’s Los Angeles screening. Guests included; Jay Z – who also serves as an executive producer on the project – Swizz Beats and Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, Taraji P. Henson, Evan Ross, Logan Browning, Teyana Taylor, Kehlani, Karrueche Tran, Bre-Z, Seal, Damson Idris, Jesse Williams, Nas, Jay Electronica, Netflix CMO Bozoma Saint John, Tina Knowles-Lawson and Richard Lawson. https://youtu.be/Poc55U2RPMw Kyrie Irving will not play with the Brooklyn Nets because a New York mandate requires athletes on the city’s pro teams to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and he refuses to get one. Irving, a seven-time NBA All-Star, is not eligible to play in NBA games in New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles due to local coronavirus protocol. He stands to lose about $380,000 per game and more than $15 million if he continues to refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The NBA star still stands to bag close to $20 million without playing a single game, according to reports. CNN writes that the Nets, “will be required to pay Irving for about 40 away games should he remain on the team since it was their decision to keep him off the court.” https://youtu.be/5O0RDXETVIw The North American tour of Lincoln Center Theater’s My Fair Lady gives a performance worthy of the original stars. Shereen Ahmed and Laird Mackintosh utterly enthrall the audience from start to finish as Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins in Lerner and Lowe’s presentation of My Fair Lady, currently showing at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood through October 31st 2021. Miss Ahmed for being the first Arab-American to star as Miss Doolittle. https://youtu.be/OTR9V4pPqY8 Brian Courtney Wilson drops "At Christmas." “Someday all our dreams will come to be. Someday in a world where men are free. Maybe not in time for you and me, But someday at Christmas time.” Brian Courtney Wilson is kicking off Christmas early with his new EP, At Christmas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyKqpZg1g30&list=PL1Fn3iTspOrpKQ5Q6KhMDo046-1gAHd_V&index=2 The Gospel Music Association (GMA) has announced the full roster of performers for the 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards including all five New Artist of the Year nominees. Performers include Dante Bowe, CAIN, Lauren Daigle, Hope Darst, Elevation Worship, Natalie Grant, KB ft. Matt Redman, Koryn Hawthorne ft. Donnie McClurkin, The Isaacs, Brandon Lake, Maverick City Music, Jonathan McReynolds ft. Mali, We The Kingdom, CeCe Winans, and Zach Williams. The GMA Dove Awards will air exclusively on TBN, Friday, October 22nd at 8:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET and will simulcast on SiriusXM The Message. Renowned faith-leader, author, and pastor E. Dewey Smith, releases his first solo EP "God Period," today under his new record label, Pebble Street Records. The prolific teacher and Atlanta-based Senior Pastor releases an amazing project that presents a diversity of genres and captures the multifaceted musical approach of Smith. This project is focused on offering reverential adoration to God and showcases Smith's deep, resonant vocals and establishes him as a bonafide contemporary Gospel artist. Andrea Marie Brown of the Chicago-based gospel act, The Brown Sisters of Chicago, passed away on September 30, 2021, of COVID-19. The group shot to fame in the gospel world with their self-titled 2009 debut album that featured, “Awesome God,” a Billboard Top 20 radio single. “We are saddened by the loss of Andrea `Lil Bit’ who was a beautiful person inside and out, and was an amazing musical talent,” says Joan Sullivan of Kingdom Records. Jamie Foxx has revealed that he once used his celebrity pal Snopp Dogg to intimidate his daughter’s date. Foxx shared the tale when he stopped by “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to promote his book “Act Like You Got Some Sense” (out Oct. 19). “What happened was my daughter, who didn’t know that I had already run a background check on her boyfriend, he comes to the crib and Snoop happens to be there,” Foxx recalled. “And I said, ‘Snoop! There he is, right there. Shake him up!’ Snoop walked over to my daughter’s boyfriend and just said, ‘Hey, what’s up? What’s up, cuz? Hey, look here. You know, we her uncles, so act accordingly, homie.'” https://youtu.be/6SfUqf6d_RI Historically Black colleges and universities across the country have had banner years in terms of financial support and Howard University is the latest HBCU to receive a historic donation. The Washington, D.C.-based institution announced it was gifted a $5 million endowment from alumni couple Eddie C. Brown and C. Sylvia Brown. The multi-million dollar donation marks the largest alumni gift the school has received in its 154-year history. For the Browns—who share a deep passion for philanthropy—Howard University is embedded in the fabric of their union and individual journeys. As a teenager, pursuing a college degree didn’t seem attainable for Eddie but he was inspired by his 10th grade English teacher—who was a Howard alumna—to further his education at the HBCU. He enrolled at the age of 16 on a scholarship and studied at the school’s College of Engineering. Sylvia studied at Howard’s College of Liberal Arts. They met on Howard’s campus 64 years ago. A Georgia hospital released an elderly Black man onto the street, only for him to be returned to the emergency room by emergency responders. Located in Conyers, about 20 miles east of Atlanta, Piedmont Rockdale Hospital discharged a man who, by all accounts, was clearly in need of medical attention. CBS-46 interviewed Conyers Deputy Chief of Police Scott Freeman, who called the hospital’s behavior “inhumane.” Freeman told reporters he plans on filing a complaint with the Georgia Department of Community Health. It will make his second complaint against the hospital since August. Officers were called to the hospital to remove the man. Freeman said there was no indication he was acting disgruntled or belligerent, and it wasn’t their job to evict people from hospitals. A New report from First Draft News illustrates the depth of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation targeting Black communities. In a Twitter thread, journalist Jacquelyn Mason explained that the major narratives observed were also put in the context of broader political conversations. Mason and her colleagues explored the types of narratives facing Black communities online. But they also recognized that Black people weren’t a monolith and that some narratives had class and equity considerations. “For example, narratives which alleged a Black female scientist’s role in development of a Covid-19 vaccine was nefarious, that white liberals and ‘Black liberal elite’ are coercing Black people into being vaccinated, and that vaccines are experimental and unsafe were prominent,” Mason explained in a Tweet. The fallout from the NFL email scandal continues. While the NFL claims there are no other emails that rise to the level of offense as ex-coach Jon Gruden, the head of the NFL Players Association, wants a full accounting of all emails. DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, tweeted Friday that revelations of private email exchanges were disrespectful to players. “Our players deserve a full accounting of any other NFL misconduct, which is why we once again call for the league to release all of the emails from the Washington investigation,” tweeted Smith. “Any evidence or knowledge that this has been suppressed must be brought to light.” Tarana Burke, activist, survivor, best-selling author, and ‘me too.’ Movement founder embarked on her mission against sexual violence back in 2006. Burke recounts that she began the campaign from her all-too-human failing of not being able to bear the story that a 13-year-old Black girl, who attended an Alabama youth camp where Burke worked, told her about her mother’s boyfriend sexually violating her. Burke recalls: “I just watched her walk away from me, visibly struggling to recapture those secrets and tuck them back into their hiding place. I watched her put her “mask” back on her face and return to the world. And as I stood there, I couldn’t even bring myself to whisper the words circling my mind and soul: “me too.” Lifetime has a bunch of specials, with the first slated to drop starting October 24 with a special hosted by Tia Mowry and will jump to video on demand November 7. The “30 Movies in 30 Days” format will feature films that star such big names as Tia Mowry, Smokey Robinson, Kelly Rowland, Mario Lopez, Corbin Bleu, Tatyana Ali, Roselyn Sánchez, Mýa, Kirk Franklin and more, the network said in a recent press release. ABC has begun to develop Baratunde Thurston’s “How to Be Black,” an animated project based on Thurston’s best-selling memoir of the same name. The project will be written, and executive produced by Thurston along with Courtney Lilly. Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland will serve as executive producers through Cinema Gypsy Productions. The story reportedly takes place in 1980s Washington, D.C. and will focus on the family and community that raised Baratunde into a young man. https://youtu.be/U2y9e8i55Hk The true ladies of Hip Hop will be getting their love with the upcoming ABC News Special “The Real Queens of Hip-Hop: The Women Who Changed the Game.” The special will be narrated by Salt (of Salt-N-Pepa) and will feature interviews with City Girls, Monie Love, Yo-Yo and many others. https://youtu.be/xmxSn8PG2As Grammy Award winner Eve has BIG news. She’s pregnant and the baby is due to arrive in early 2022. Eve, 42, and her husband, Maximillion Cooper, both shared the news via Instagram on Friday. “Can you believe it,” Eve wrote, tagging her husband in the caption, “we finally get to tell everyone!!!!! You all know how long we’ve [sic] been waiting for this blessing!!! We get to meet our little human in February 2022. https://www.instagram.com/therealeve/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fc89f4a1-e2c7-4b2f-ad1f-fbf6a8da66aa Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month and the diversity within Black and Brown communities, the second episode of “My HAIRstory!” debuted on Friday, Oct. 15 at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT. https://youtu.be/zS0s5Zg5FwE Following the 2020 helicopter crash that killed her husband, Kobe Bryant, and 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, Vanessa Bryant filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and its deputies, accusing them of sharing images of the crash site with people who were not involved in the case. Her suit is seeking damages for negligence, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to a new report by USA Today, the county of Los Angeles is reportedly trying to force Vanessa and other surviving family members of the fatal helicopter crash to submit to psychiatric examinations to help the county prove a critical point in their legal dispute. They’re trying to figure out if “Vanessa Bryant and the others suffer emotional distress because photos of their dead relatives shared by county fire and sheriff’s department employees after the crash? Or did their emotional distress stem only from the tragic crash itself?” USA Today notes. Dr. Laila Hishaw turned an “ah-ha” moment three years ago into a mentoring program for youngsters of color who might want to pursue a career in dentistry. Dismayed by the small number of black dentists in the United States — fewer than 4 percent of the total, according to the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute — Hishaw took action. “I just put out a post, shared the stats, and said ‘whose kid can I mentor?” said Hishaw, a pediatric dentist in Tucson, Arizona. The Texas House of Representatives has approved a bill that would deny transgender athletes from taking part in school sports based on their gender identity. The bill, title HB 25, was passed in the Texas House by a vote of 76-54 after more than ten hours of emotional debate. It largely focuses on preventing trans women and girls from participate in women’s sports at schools. The move puts Texas on track to becoming the state with the largest LGTBQ+ community in the nation to pass such a law. The new law still needs final approval from the Texas Senate, which has previously approved similar legislation. Passage there is considered in favor of Republicans in the state, who have supported the bill. Frustrated shoppers complaining about shortages of everyday products in their local stores are attacking President Joe Biden online with the hashtag ‘Empty Shelves Joe’ as the US faces severe supply chain problems that could stretch into the new year. Dozens of cargo ships carrying hundreds of thousands of containers of goods from China and Asia are waiting to dock in California as concern grows about likely Christmas shortages. Some retailers such as Costco and Walmart are limiting sales of toilet paper in some areas and toy company CEOs are telling parents to buy their kids’ Christmas gifts now to avoid disappointment. There are similar problems with homegrown goods that can’t be transported quickly enough by truckers or on freight trains. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/10/11/3927026364114057586/636x382_MP4_3927026364114057586.mp4 A Philadelphia police officer has been placed on administrative duty and an investigation has been launched after a video surfaced showing him disparaging a young Black man last New Year’s Eve. The incident was made public only recently by YouTuber Dale Hiller, a retired combat veteran who shares content aimed at exposing police misconduct. In the clip, an officer with the nametag “Hoover” follows the young man, who is filming the encounter. The young man tells the officer that he’s not committing a crime, to which Hoover responds, “I’m allowed to be here; it’s a free country.” The young man responds: “All right; me too,” before the cop asks him “why are you chasing me?” The young man denies chasing the officer. The video appears to cut to the officer telling the individual “Shut your mouth, boy. You don’t live down here” and “Where you from?” He adds, “You too stupid to insult,” before later yelling “Worldstar!” https://youtu.be/gYoF_MReBWk The social media video-sharing website YouTube has suspended conservative commentator and comedian Steven Crowder’s channel for one week, claiming Crowder broke their rules about hate speech. The Daily Wire reports the platform’s attorney notified Crowder’s attorney by email telling him about the strike that had been placed against Crowder’s account and how a Sept. 30 video uploaded to Crowder’s channel “targets the transgender community in an offensive manner.” The email said that YouTube has also blocked Crowder from posting videos to any of his accounts for one week. According to The Daily Wire, the email said in part: “We write again on YouTube’s behalf regarding your client, Steven Crowder. YouTube has repeatedly instructed Mr. Crowder regarding its hate speech policy and warned him against continuing violations of that policy through content he uploaded to YouTube. YouTube specifically warned Mr. Crowder that videos he uploaded showed a pattern of recklessly targeting the LGBTQ+ community for abuse and insults. It warned that further uploading of content that targets, insults, and/or abuses the LGBTQ+ community would result in additional penalties.” Rev. Ruth Morse Woodliff-Stanley was ordained and consecrated as bishop on Saturday. She is the first woman to hold the position. She will lead 31 churches in the Eastern half of South Carolina as bishop, representing over 7,500 members. Woodliff-Stanley was raised and ordained in Mississippi. She previously served the Episcopal church in northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York and was vice president of a church building fund. More than a dozen bishops from across the nation attended the ceremony. The ex-bishop of Rochester today claimed ‘no church is perfect’ as he defended his decision to convert to Catholicism. Michael Nazir-Ali, who was the Bishop of Rochester from 1994 until 2009, could be ordained as a priest as early as next month after spending ‘some years’ considering the change. It comes as the Roman church faced hundreds of fresh allegations of historic sex abuse in light of a French probe. But Dr Nazie-Ali today said he was not deterred. When asked by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme why he still decided to convert, he said ‘the Catholic church is not the only church’ to face such accusations. He added: ‘No church is perfect and I am certainly not pretending the Catholic church is perfect. I think it is absolutely right that this business about the abuse of children should be fully investigated and brought out into the open.’ John Legend and his team are going further and will be teaming up with The Temptations producing team. Legend says he is honored to be part of the ‘Ain’t Too Proud’ team. “Ain’t Too Proud” traces the rise of R&B group The Temptations. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the group’s founding and a new album is due next year, kicked off by the single “Is It Gonna Be Yes or No” written by Smokey Robinson. Legend and his team also helped produce a 2017 Broadway production of August Wilson’s “Jitney,” for which they won the Tony for best play revival. Netflix has dropped the first trailer for Halle Berry’s MMF film “Bruised,” in which she stars and makes her directorial debut. https://youtu.be/EMu8K0l8ggA The new trailer for the second season of the hit Starz series “Power Book II: Ghost” has dropped and fans can expect to pick up right where season one left off. https://youtu.be/v9pprUeZRU0 Grammy Award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion is a franchise owner of a Popeyes chicken chain. She also has a new sauce name after her. Now you can try the Megan Thee Stallion Hottie Sauce-that’s in addition to limited-edition, co-branded merchandise. Starting on October 19, you can purchase Popeyes x Megan Thee Stallion merchandise will feature three exclusive releases, with the first collection, Thee Heat, dropping at Noon on the website: TheeHottieSauce.com. Additionally, Popeyes and Megan will be making a six-figure donation to Houston Random Acts of Kindness, whose mission is to promote empathy and compassion while encouraging selfless concern for the welfare of others in the Houston community. https://youtu.be/CN62FhsMW80 A Subway worker who posted a shocking videos of himself doing all sorts of unmentionable things such as walking on food. Fortunately for the world, he has been fired. But before he was shown the door, the worker, Jumanne Way, made several selfie videos of himself doing stuff with Subway food. In a video uploaded to YouTube on Oct. 14, the worker filmed himself walking on salad trays that he placed on the floor of a Providence, Rhode Island restaurant. He then placed the trays back on the counter to make sandwiches that he served to customers. https://youtu.be/wlhTB1vDM5s Jeannie Mai is getting real about motherhood. “The Real” co-host Jeannie Mai, is opening up about her pregnancy and motherhood. In a new episode of her YouTube series, ‘Hello Hunnay’ the 42-year-old expecting mother explains why she didn’t want children and what changed her mind. In 2018, Jeannie Mai revealed she was molested by a family member when she was just nine years old. For years, Mai was adamant about not having children of her own, citing the fear of not being able to protect them. In her video she says, “It still scares me whether or not I can keep a kid safe from someone else who might hurt them.” The host explained that the abuse continued throughout her teenage years until she ran away from home. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVDfXXDlant/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In an interview w @essence, Queen Latifah recalls an experience on ‘Living Single‘ when the cast was told to lose weight. She says, “I remember when I was doing Living Single, the word came down that we needed to lose weight and it was like, what? Now mind you, we have the number one show among Black and Latino, Latinx audiences, at the time. And we have a hit show and you’re telling us we need to lose weight.” Living Single, which was led by an all black cast, aired in Aug. 1993 and ran for six seasons on Fox network. As for changing their appearance Latifah said: “We look like real people. We look like real women. We all look different. And those are the kind of things that come to you that can chip away at your self-esteem. That’s the kind of insensitivity that we’re fighting against right now. That’s the kind of shame planting that can destroy self-esteem.” She added, “That did bother me. But of course, it didn’t make a difference. I didn’t change anything as a result of it. If anything, I’m just the rebel. Don’t tell me what to do, because I’m going to do the opposite. But it did make me cognizant.” Martin Luther King, Jr. is referred to as the founder of the American Civil Rights Movement. However, his co-founder, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy is someone many Americans are less acquainted with. “The Listening” is a compelling musical composition that bridges the gap between the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950-60s and the current Black Lives Matter Movement, through the power of music. The accompanying video (releasing Oct. 15) brings to light the story of King and Rev. Abernathy through rare photo and video footage. “The Listening” features Donzaleigh Abernathy (the Reverend’s daughter and goddaughter to King), as the lead soloist. https://youtu.be/7SCEIGrHC44 SpringHill Company, a media and entertainment company owned by LeBron James, announced recently that it will sell a large minority stake to an investment group formed by RedBird Capital Partners, Fenway Sports Group, Nike and Epic Games. The deal is being valued at $725 million. Current shareholder UC Investments will increase its stake, also. James, who serves as chairman of SpringHill, and Maverick Carter, CEO of the company, will retain controlling interests. “We started this company with the tagline ‘More Than an Athlete,’ which still defines everything we do to this very day,” Carter said in a statement. https://youtu.be/B4B07o2GLqQ Senior linebacker K’Vaughan Pope of Ohio State was dismissed after he was sent off the field by his own team. It all started when Pope tried to re-enter the game in the second quarter and was waved off by teammate Teradja Mitchell. Pope began walking to the locker room and got into an altercation with linebackers coach Al Washington. He was sent to the locker room after throwing his jersey and gloves into the stands. Pope wrote a derogatory tweet about Ohio State on Saturday that was later deleted and issued an apology on the platform Sunday. “Last night I let my emotions get the best of me. For that I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Buckeye Nation. I made a mistake and know that I need to be better and do better. I’m going to take this time to reflect and work on my mental well-being.” “K’Vaughan will continue to have the use of programs that benefit our student-athletes, such as our Student-Athlete Support Services Office, and we will support him with his progress toward graduation,” Ohio State Ryan Day said in a statement. “He will remain on scholarship through the duration of this semester.” Four games into the season, Auburn fires its wide receiver coach Cornelius Williams. Williams spent the last six years coaching receivers at Troy, where he played from 2006-09. Auburn had to replace its three top wide receivers — Seth Williams, Anthony Schwartz and Eli Stove — this season. Though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low, nearly 700 zoos across the country have received an experimental vaccine to help protect mammals from the virus. The Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana, has begun vaccinating its gorillas and orangutans against COVID-19, according to a statement from the zoo on Oct. 12. https://youtu.be/efZmGgomQDA A customer says a #WaffleHouse employee pulled a gun on him over some cheese eggs.? A Waffle House waitress in #Atlanta allegedly pulled a gun on a customer. “She was like she will ‘blow my brains out,’” #CandyFranklin said.? Franklin says the incident happened Wednesday morning at a Waffle House in Marietta in downtown Atlanta. Franklin says he and the waitress got into it over cheese eggs.? “It all happened over cheese eggs. At first, they didn’t bring them to me. Then they brought me normal eggs and I said that I ordered eggs with cheese on it. I tipped her and everything. It was all a normal dispute over food. I never in a million years thought it would come to gun violence,” Franklin told Fox 5.? He continued: “I was looking down at my food making sure it was right and that’s when I just saw people running. I look up and she had the gun at me. I didn’t think she would shoot, then she cocked it back. Former President Bill Clinton was admitted to the University of California Irvine Medical Center’s intensive care unit due to a urinary tract infection that spread to his bloodstream, according to his doctors that spoke with CNN. Angel Uren~a, spokesperson for Clinton, said in a statement Thursday, “On Tuesday, President Clinton was admitted to UCI Medical Center to receive treatment for a non-COVID-related infection. He is on the mend, in good spirits and is incredibly thankful to the doctors, nurses, and staff providing him with excellent care.” A joint statement from Dr. Alpesh Amin, chair of medicine at UC Irvine Medical Center, and Dr. Lisa Bardack, Clinton’s personal primary physician, also said that “He was admitted to the ICU for close monitoring and administered IV antibiotics and fluids. He remains at the hospital for continuous monitoring.” A week after the body of 29-year-old Christina Nance was discovered in an old, unused police van, the Huntsville Police Department says they have surveillance footage showing her getting into the vehicle on her own. Nance’s family had reported her missing until her lifeless body was reportedly discovered by an officer on Thursday (Oct. 7). According to ABC 31, Nance was found in a van parked outside the Huntsville Police Department headquarters in Alabama. An autopsy performed by Madison County Coroner Tyler Berryhill found no signs of “foul play” or “trauma.” https://youtu.be/tm7uz5lZasU A suspected white supremacist has been arrested after shooting an unarmed Black man in an unprovoked attack in Stockton, California on Oct. 8. Bobby Gayle Jr., 45, a cement mason, had just left a construction site when he was shot seven times by 31-year-old Michael Hayes. Gayle was reportedly struck twice in the face and the bullets missed major arteries and organs, KCRA reports. After being shot, Gayle was able to call his brother Marlon Gayle and left a voicemail that said, “Marlon, I’ve been shot. Pray for me. I swear to God. Please. In the name of Jesus. Hallelujah.” https://youtu.be/OFP3UENB9XU The work of Toni Morrison has been studied, revered and celebrated for decades, and if we have it our way it’ll be a tradition we hope never ends when it comes to future scholars. However, it appears that a Karen by way of Virginia Beach is hoping to ban one of Morrison’s most important pieces of literature from her school district, along with works by other Black authors that deal in themes of race. According to The Daily Beast, “at-large” school board member Victoria Manning and another named Laura Hughes have come together to demand that four books be removed from curriculums based on “pornographic nature” found in the reading. In a letter sent to Virginia Beach City Public Schools Superintendent Aaron Spence last week, Manning wrote, “It has been brought to my attention by some parents that there are some disturbing books in our district that are available to students,” also adding, “I would like to ask that you pull these books from shelves and also block any electronic access by students to getting these books IMMEDIATELY.” The book on the list by Morrison is her classic The Bluest Eye, which is also joined by Jonathan Evison’s Lawn Boy, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines and the memoir comic Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=234447862058624 The historically Black fraternity to which Jelani Day belonged is calling on federal law enforcement officials to either join or take over the existing investigation into the graduate student’s death in Illinois. Members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and the Nu Epsilon chapter at Alabama A&M University, a historically Black college where Day attended, launched an online petition to amplify their demands and said they won’t rest “Until the person responsible for killing Jelani is prosecuted and convicted.” As of Thursday afternoon, the petition had garnered more than 26,000 signatures out of its goal of 35,000. The petition was updated on Thursday to say the brothers of the Nu Epsilon chapter emailed “a formal letter to state and federal officials in Illinois to formally request that their officials take over the investigation into the killing of our dear brother Jelani Day.” https://youtu.be/e1VRIyfJP3k The defense attorneys for the white men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery are still bound and determined to put the victim on trial for his own death, despite the fact that the judge keeps telling them it's not happening. They’ve asked that Abbey's mental health records be admitted into evidence. Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley said no. They’ve requested that a jury hears about Arbery’s past run-ins with the law. The judge said no. Now, attorneys for Greg and Travis McMichael are scraping the bottom of the “See, the Black guy’s a thug” barrel and are arguing the jury should know that Arbery was on probation on the day of his killing. Pastor Damion O. Archat released the following statement on his Facebook page after news broke that he had been arrested and charged with domestic violence after attacking his wife, North Lauderdale City Commissioner Regina Martins: ON THE BEHALF OF THE ARCHAT FAMILY WE ARE SADDEN[ED] BY THE EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED. AS A FAMILY WE ARE WORKING AND GETTING THE HELP THAT WE NEED. WE THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PRAYERS. ???? HTTP://WWW.GOSPEL-SPOTLIGHT.COM Civil Rights veteran Bob Woodson has condemned the Roosevelt Institute’s decision to present Nikole Hannah-Jones with its freedom of speech award, insisting that her ‘insulting’ work demeans black people and goes against American values. Hannah-Jones won a Pulitzer for her controversial work for The New York Times, the 1619 Project – the date being when the first black slaves landed in the United States. She argues that inadequate attention is paid to how America is built in part from slave labor, and how the story of America’s founding has been sanitized and distorted, celebrating 1776 instead, and brushing over the past. Critics say she is labeling the United States as a racist country, and trying to make people hate their homeland. Woodson has been a fervent critic of the 1619 Project from the start, arguing that it insults black Americans by suggesting they are not in control of their own destiny. He founded in February 2020 a counter to the 1619 Project, named 1776 Unites, which sets out to ‘promote current and historical examples of prosperous black communities as a powerful refutation of the claim that the destiny of black Americans is determined by what whites do, or what they have done in the past.’ Woodson on Thursday criticized the Roosevelt Institution’s decision, accusing Hannah-Jones of ‘fostering anti-American sentiment.’ Dean Cain, the former Superman star, who has previously spoke out on Fox News about “woke-ism” and “anti-Americanism,” isn’t a fan of DC Comics’ recent announcement that Jonathan Kent, the current superman, will come out as bisexual in the series. On Fox & Friends on Tuesday, Cain said the move wasn’t particularly innovative or “bold or brave or some crazy new direction.” He said his daughter in the CW series Supergirl was gay and Superman would be better off focusing on the “real evil in this world.” “Brave would be having him fighting for the rights of gay people in Iran where they’ll throw you off a building for the offense of being gay,” said Cain. He accused the higher-ups at DC of “bandwagoning.” https://youtu.be/rtb4-ZdnjNk Above all else, Kevin Durant wants to win. And while Kyrie Irving’s decision to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine has complicated that goal—the Brooklyn Nets banned the mercurial point guard from participating in any games or practices this season until he gets the jab—KD still has every intention of winning his 3rd NBA championship this season with or without the seven-time All-Star. But if he could have it his way, as he explained to reporters per ESPN, “none of this stuff would happen.” “Definitely want Kyrie to be around,” he told reporters on Thursday. “I wish none of this stuff would happen, but this is the situation that we are in. Kyrie made his decision on what he wanted to do and he chose to do what he wanted to do, and the team did the same. Karl-Anthony Towns is a strong proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine after losing his mother and several family members to the virus. Towns, who also contracted COVID-19, is speaking out about NBA players who refuse to get the jab. He was recently asked his thoughts on Brooklyn Nets player Kyrie Irving who will not be allowed to play for the team until he is fully vaccinated. “I’m obviously a strong believer in the vaccine,” Towns told NJ.com. “I’ve been through so much and it would be kind of contradictory to not be on the pro-vaccine side.” Towns added, “But what I will say is that I believe in choice and I like to give people their choice and I have no problem with people having their choice.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1448749658851864610 Fans of Steve Harvey are over the moon about his chic new look. The “Family Feud” host, 64, shared a photo of him rocking leather on Twitter. Page Six writes, “Harvey paired a black turtleneck and leather pants with Bottega Veneta boots ($980) and a bright blue suede Berluti jacket ($5,650) for the much-loved style. His wife, Marjorie Harvey, even coordinated in a leather coat and pants for their trip to Paris.” Remembering Force MD. Four members of the Force MD’s died after success, with three passing at a young age. In 2016, group member Trisco Pearson passed away after battling stage 4 cancer. Charles “Mercury” Nelson died from heart attack in 1995; Antoine “TCD” Lundy battled Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) before his death in 1998. And DJ Dr. Rock, one of the group’s DJs died, reportedly due to natural causes, in 1996. https://youtu.be/N26FAa0ySQ4 It’s Me, Julissa! reintroduces fans to entertainment sweetheart Julissa Bermudez after years in the industry's background hosting various shows and helping others tell their stories. Bermudez’s show will air on Friday, October 15 at 9:30 p.m. EST/8:30C and is the first original series brought to CLEO TV by Kin x TV One Licensing Partnership along with Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix airing Fridays on CLEO TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVDnnYFR6BY CLEO TV will air CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Saturday, October 16 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOh6lJeSFYo Popular lifestyle show, TIA MOWRY'S QUICK FIX with air this Friday, October 15 at 9 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. The multi-talented actress, producer, author and entrepreneur, Tia Mowry, serves as host of the digital series that TV One and CLEO TV inked in a major syndication deal with Kin earlier this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJfxUvSzhM4 Adele has officially returned with her first new music in six years – the lead single from her upcoming fourth album, titled “30,” a nod to the age she was when she began recording the songs. It follows her similarly-titled previous albums “19” in 2008, “21” in 2011 and “25” in 2015. Adele opens the tune by saying she feels like she’s drowning in a river while desperately trying to find gold, before presumably reflecting on her relationship with ex Simon Konecki. “Baby, let me in,” she sings, asking him to “go easy on me, baby.” The chorus continues, “I was still a child / Didn’t get the chance to / Feel the world around me.” https://youtu.be/U3ASj1L6_sY Sharon Osbourne has revealed that CBS made her former “The Talk” colleague Sheryl Underwood attend anger management training because of the hostile way she interacted with the show’s producers. “Sheryl had three complaints about her from different producers about the way she treated them,” Osbourne alleged during a visit with SiriusXM’s “The Megyn Kelly Show.” Per New York Daily News, Osbourne said before she was booted from the daytime talk show, she defended Underwood when CBS execs came to her about issues involving Sheryl. “They called me and I said, ‘You can not get rid of Sheryl, there is no way, she can’t take that, you just can’t do it,’” Osbourne claimed. “So they sent her to anger management.” Osbourne exited “The Talk” after 11 years following a racially charged debate with Underwood. ”Clueless” star Stacey Dash dished with Dr. Oz recently about her past Vicodin addiction. The actress revealed that she used to pop 18 to 20 pills a day. Her dark past also includes suffering physical abuse by an ex, as reported by Page Six. “I was taking 18-20 pills a day,” Dash, 54, said in the interview that aired Thursday. Oz replied, “18-20 Vicodin a day, that’s expensive,” which prompted a tearful Dash to reply: “Yeah, I lost everything.” https://youtu.be/dll2PmuTd44 Larry Miller, chairman of the Jordan Brand, has revealed that when he was a teenager he killed a man and served prison time for the crime. The revelation comes ahead of the release of his autobiography “Jump: My Secret Journey From the Streets to the Boardroom,” which was co-written by his daughter Laila Lacy. Miller was 16 at the time when he fatally shot the 18-year-old male. Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Miller said the shooting “was for no reason at all.” “I mean, there was no valid reason for this to happen. And that’s the thing that I really struggle with and that’s—you know, it’s the thing that I think about every day,” he said. “It’s like, I did this, and to someone who—it was no reason to do it. And that’s the part that really bothers me.” Mickey Guyton is bringing a new dimension to Country Music, bringing another person of color to an industry that has been largely dominated by white males. ”If you go on and look at the charts and kind of research the chart history of country music, it’s been predominately white male,” said Mickey Guyton. “Every now and then, there’s a woman that can get through, black, white, whatever. It’s extremely difficult and I just personally think that is wrong.” https://youtu.be/zPH9hgKSai8 Kenyan long-distance runner Agnes Tirop, who finished 4th at the Tokyo Olympics, has died at age 25. The athlete was found stabbed to death in her home, according to a Kenyan athletic commission. Tirop was “allegedly stabbed” at her home in Iten, Kenya, and her husband is said to be the prime suspect in the killing. Tirop suffered stab wounds to her neck and abdomen, according to TMZ. According to reports, Agnes’ husband hasn’t been seen since her death. Athletics Kenya said it was “still working to unearth more details surrounding her demise.” https://youtu.be/RpVIwgw99iQ An Indianapolis police sergeant is facing two felony charges and an investigation by U.S. Justice Department after stomping a handcuffed man in the face. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Jermaine Vaughn was arrested Sept. 24 for disorderly conduct. Footage from the body camera of Officer Matthew Shores, one of three officers carrying out the arrest, shows Sgt. Eric Huxley stomping on Vaughn. http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhmJSoc2n107711CaL COVID-19 was the No. 1 leading cause of death in the U.S. in January, at the peak of last winter’s brutal coronavirus surge, but then vaccines became widely available and it dropped to No. 7 by July, the Kaiser Family Foundation says in a new analysis of COVID-19 fatalities. Then the Delta variant hit and found ample unvaccinated Americans to kick COVID-19 back up to the No. 2 killer in August and September, the leading cause of death for Americans age 35 to 54, and even the sixth or seventh leading cause of death for children. A Virginia school district says it properly followed procedures after two students reported being sexually assaulted, adding that the school district was not trying to cover up a s According to The Christian Post, Loudoun County Public Schools released a statement Wednesday acknowledging that it is “aware of the media and social media reports concerning alleged sexual assaults at two of our high school campuses.” The district maintained that the proper “process was followed with respect to these allegations.” The allegations came after the Loudoun County School Board approved a policy that allowed trans-identified students to use bathrooms that corresponded with their gender identity instead of their biological sex. According to The Daily Wire, a 15-year-old girl at Loudoun County’s Stone Bridge High School was sexually assaulted in a girls’ bathroom by a biological boy who identified as a girl. he lawyer for the victim’s father says the biological boy faces two counts of forcible sodomy, one count of anal sodomy and one count of forcible fellatio. Transgender Netflix employees and co-workers will stage a walkout next week protesting the streaming giant’s decision to release Dave Chappelle’s latest comedy special, multiple Netflix staffers have confirmed to the Los Angeles Times. On Oct. 20, members of the Netflix employee resource group Trans* and their allies will take a “day of rest” prompted by their concerns about Chappelle’s “The Closer,” which includes several transphobic remarks. “I encourage all [members of] Trans* and allies not to work for Netflix that day. … As we’ve discussed through Slack, email, texts and everything in between, our leadership has shown us that they do not uphold the values for which we are held,” a Netflix employee posted Monday in a public, company Slack channel comprising more than 800 staffers representing “gender minorities of all sorts and their allies,” in a message reviewed by The Times. The head of Netflix is taking heat for repeatedly defending Dave Chappelle’s controversial special, saying that the company believes that transphobic remarks by the comedian won’t result in “real-world harm.” Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, sent a company-wide memo this week addressing the controversy over “The Closer,” Variety reported on Wednesday. “We know that a number of you have been left angry, disappointed and hurt by our decision to put Dave Chappelle’s latest special on Netflix,” Sarandos wrote, according to the trade publication. “With ‘The Closer,’ we understand that the concern is not about offensive-to-some content but titles which could increase real world harm (such as further marginalizing already marginalized groups, hate, violence etc,)” he said. Dave Chappelle's controversial Netflix special The Closer has scored 96 per cent positive reviews from regular viewers on Rotten Tomatoes - but just 43 per cent from woke critics, many of whom have accused Chappelle of transphobia. Rotten Tomatoes, which collates reviews from critics and regular viewers for movies and TV shows, has attracted more than 2,500 notices from TV fans who've watched the special. Around 96 out of every 100 regular viewers has given it a near-perfect score. Many also wrote glowing reviews to accompany their ratings. A transgender actor blasted hit show Hamilton over claims producers fired them for requesting a gender-neutral dressing room at an LA production of the musical. Suni Reid, who uses they/them pronouns, filed a complaint with California's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Wednesday after claiming they'd been dismissed over the request in June this year. Their complaint alleges that the Eliza Tour, which is the name of Hamilton's Los Angeles production, offered to cordon or curtain-off an area of the main dressing room, and that they were removed from the cast list on saying such an arrangement was unsuitable. Jon Gruden won’t only be absent on NFL sidelines after he resigned as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders over a stream of vulgar emails, he’ll be gone from virtual ones, too. EA Sports, the company that makes the popular Madden NFL video game franchise series, announced that it will remove Gruden from the game through a software update in the near future. “EA Sports is committed to taking action in maintaining a culture of inclusion and equity,” the company said Wednesday evening in a statement. “Due to the circumstances of Jon Gruden’s resignation, we are taking steps to remove him from Madden NFL 22. We will replace him with a generic likeness via a title update in the coming weeks.” Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr suggested in his first comments since Jon Gruden resigned that all communication from front office personnel and coaches be made available. “If we just started opening up everybody’s private emails and texts, people will start sweating a little bit,” Carr told reporters on Wednesday, via ESPN. “Hopefully not too many, but maybe that’s what they should do for all coaches and GMs and owners from now on. You got to open up everything and see what happens.” Gruden resigned as head coach of the Raiders on Monday evening after a New York Times report that he’d sent hateful homophobic, racist and misogynistic emails over the course of a decade. The communication was found and subsequently leaked as part of the 10-month investigation into the Washington Football Team’s toxic club culture. Matthew Mindler, 19, killed himself with sodium nitrate he bought on Amazon. Lancaster County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Mindler’s death to be suicide by sodium nitrate toxicity. Sodium nitrate-related deaths are often accidental since the compound is frequently used as a preservative. Mindler’s mom Monica said that based off his recent Internet search history the overdose was intentional. He was found dead on August 28 after he was reported missing three days earlier when he skipped classes. The child actor was last seen in security footage walking from the West Villages residence hall toward the Centennial Driver parking lot. For confidential support in the US – call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255. The Real co-host and her husband, rapper Jeezy, are expecting a baby after doing IVF. She and her ex-husband Freddy Harteis, whom she was married to from 2007 to 2018, never had any kids, and Jeannie was adamant about not wanting any. She says now it was because her childhood trauma burdened her with a fear that something bad is going to happen. Jeannie was sexually abused by a family member seven or eight years older than her starting from the time she was nine. Her mother didn’t believe her when she asked for help, so Jeannie ran away. She said this left her scared about whether she could protect a child, but she now knows she was ‘meant to be a mom.’ https://youtu.be/sr8-2gN50ug ”Black Panther” star Letitia Wright has responded to a report claiming she is spreading anti-vaccination views on the set of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”. Wright previously came under fire for the anti-vax postings she made last year on social media. Those comments led to her staff quitting. She also deleted all of her accounts following a wave of backlash. The Hollywood Reporter (THR) reported that she is sharing similar views on the set of the “Black Panther” sequel. Wright returned to Instagram Tuesday and denied spreading anti-vaccination views while filming. Kyrie Irving said Wednesday he didn’t want to lose salary or a chance to compete for a championship with the Brooklyn Nets, but was doing “what’s best for me” by refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. After the Brooklyn Nets decided Tuesday that Irving would not play with the team – because a New York mandate requires athletes on the city’s pro teams to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and he refuses to get one – he took to Instagram Live Wednesday night with his thoughts. “I am doing what’s best for me. I know the consequences here and if it means that I’m judged and demonized for that, that’s just what it is,” Irving said. “That’s the role I play, but I never wanted to give up my passion, my love, my dream just over this mandate.” Irving would have been able to practice with the Nets and play in road games outside New York in states without such mandates. The Nets will pay him for those but he is giving up about half of his $35 million salary by missing the home games. “So what? It’s not about the money,” Irving said. “It’s not always about the money. It’s about choosing what’s best for you. You think I really want to lose money?” https://youtu.be/lJA8IDn8SUs The Phoenix Mercury hosted Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the Chicago Sky on Sunday, and during a post-win press conference with Phoenix stars Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Brianna Turner, a reporter asked a question in Spanish directed toward Taurasi, the league’s all-time leading scorer. Griner, seated next to Taurasi, appeared to be waiting for a translator to step in, only to discover that her teammate of eight years, who is of Argentine heritage, began answering the question herself. In fluent Spanish. Griner’s stunned reaction, and attempt to understand what Taurasi was saying – only recognizing a few words – has gone viral. After seeing Griner’s antics, a reporter jokingly asked Griner for a translation. The 6-foot-9 forward replied that they’d have to stick with Rosetta Stone for that. Wendy Williams has reportedly purchased a $4.5 million high-rise apartment in New York City amid her ongoing health struggles. Williams has pushed back the season 13 premiere of “The Wendy Williams Show” after she tested positive for COVID-19. Insiders also claim she is battling mental health issues and is expected to be on an extended hiatus. “Wendy continues to be under medical supervision and meets with her medical team on a daily basis,” Debmar-Mercury said in a statement on October 12. “She is making progress but is experiencing serious complications as a direct result of Graves’ disease and her thyroid condition. It has been determined that more time is needed before she is able to return to her live hosting duties.” The statement added that new episodes will begin airing on October 18 with guest hosts. The reunion special for Season 11 of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” kicked off on October 13, and a preview shows Garcelle Beauvais and Dorit Kemsley clashing in Wednesday night’s episode. The two have been at odds since Kemsley accused Beauvais of being a “bully,” per Page Six. https://www.instagram.com/p/CU-W1cUJWbA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The Marvel Universe continues to expand and this time, it expands in podcast form. Marvel Comics has released a new series called “Marvel Wastelanders: Hawkeye,” as part of the Wastelanders podcast series. The 10-episode second installment will follow Hawkeye (Stephen Lang) and the aftermath of his Avengers tribe being killed by their enemies thirty years prior. As the sole survivor of the group, the superhero now lives as a sideshow freak, re-living the worst day of his life for paying audiences. With vengeance on his mind, he gains an unexpected ally in his estranged 17-year-old daughter Ash (Sasha Lane), who is on her own mission to seek revenge after losing her best friend. According to a new study, heavy marijuana users who are also vaccinated could be more susceptible to breakthrough COVID cases. The study, published last Tuesday in World Psychology, found that those with a substance use disorder (SUD) — a dependence on marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, opioids and tobacco — were more likely to contract the coronavirus after receiving both of their vaccination shots. Those without an SUD saw a 3.6 percent rate of breakthrough infections, compared to a 7 percent rate in those with an SUD. At 7.8 percent, those with marijuana use disorder were most at risk for breakthrough infections, the study found. Motown legend Smokey Robinson has revealed that he spent nearly two weeks in the hospital battling COVID-19 late last year. As reported by The Daily Mail, Robinson spent 11 days in a Los Angeles hospital after contracting the virus last December. The singer claims he was so weak from the virus that he nearly died. “I got it severely and I was hospitalized for 11 days, and four or five of those I do not even remember,” he told DailyMail.com. Robinson revealed that he first felt “weird and funny after coming in off the road” just before Christmas 2020. Per the report, he tested negative at first, but after “still feeling bad at home” he tested again two days later and it was positive. #NickiMinaj and her husband #KenethPetty face a default judgment to the tune of $15 million for failing to answer #JenniferHough’s lawsuit. #HollywoodUnlocked reports that the papers were served back on September 13.? Hough’s attorney, Tyrone A Blackburn, asks in the court filing to “please enter the default of defendants Onika Tanya Maraj, and Kenneth Petty, AKA Zoo, pursuant to Rule 55(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for failure to plead or otherwise defend this action as fully appears from the court file herein and from the attached affirmation of Tyrone A. Blackburn, Esq.”? The couple was given 21 days from the date they were served to answer the complaint. Since they failed to do that, it clears the way for the default judgment.? Hough is locked in a legal battle with the couple after accusing them of trying to intimidate, threaten, bribe, and harass her. She accused Petty of rape back in 1994 when they were both 16. He was initially charged with first-degree rape but pleaded guilty to attempted rape, and he served more than four years in prison. Rosemond maintains he should be released from prison after former President Donald Trump offered him clemency., aka Jimmy Henchman, was a hip-hop manager who reportedly ordered the 1994 robbery and shooting of Tupac Shakur at Quad Recording Studios in New York City. He is serving nine life sentences after he was convicted of numerous drug offenses and ordering the murder of 50 Cent’s friend, Lowell “Lodi Mack” Fletcher. Rosemond maintains he should be released from prison after former President Donald Trump offered him clemency. Rosemond’s attorneys have filed a petition in federal court claiming that Trump had a conversation with Hall of Fame football player Jim Brown and his wife Monica about Rosemond’s case and urged Trump to grant him clemency, All Hip Hop reports. https://youtu.be/XsPcZXE7I-Y Check out this week’s new episode of “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition,” Thursday, October 14 on WE tv. Per press release, this season features Hip Hop legend N.O.R.E and NERI, two-time Grammy Award nominee MONIE LOVE and TUFF, Producer MALLY MALL and TREASURE, and Love & Hip Hop Hollywood’s favorite on again off again couple SIIR BROCK and AMBER LAURA — all head to Marriage Boot Camp to find out if their relationships are worth saving. https://youtu.be/sPGoYtmyMik Jabari Johnson offers his newest single to Gospel radio titled "One Touch". Its an infectious and reflective song that recounts the well known biblical story of the woman with an issue of blood. It cleverly tells the story and then draws the listener in to reflect on their own encounter with Jesus. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0wo0c6qc385zc68/AADeWQUk66MehdCGQxnYgEVoa?dl=0 TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with child star and acclaimed actress Raven-Symoné on Sunday, October 17th at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words. The season finale will feature rapper Jeezy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV3fwvQdaHA Demi Lovato believes extraterrestrials are emotional like humans and would take great offense to being called “aliens,” which is why the singer is encouraging folks to ban the word. In an interview with TMZ, astrophysicist and planetary scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson responded to her nonsense, noting that “All the aliens I’ve ever met, they have no feelings,” deGrasse Tyson said. https://youtu.be/7b2QdIxqlLA After playing their No. 1 1971 hit “Brown Sugar” at every concert since it was recorded in 1970, the Rolling Stones have decided to remove it from their set list going forward, due to its controversial lyrics regarding the rape of enslaved Black women. In an interview published last week in the Los Angeles Times, guitarist Keith Richards confirmed the song’s status after a reporter noticed its absence from the group’s current “No Filter” tour. “You picked up on that, huh?” Richards said. The chorus of “Brown Sugar” was inspired by the group’s African American background singer, and Jagger’s one-time girlfriend, Claudia Lennear. Lennear was interviewed about the song in recent years, admitting: “I don’t think we could sing Brown Sugar now.” https://youtu.be/0-t16PX1w8M Lil Kim wasted no time clapping back at 50 Cent for trolling her on Instagram. It all started when the rapper shared a TikTok clip from @oso_entertainment of a video comparing Kim to the Leprechaun in the popular horror-comedy franchise. “I’m sorry i know it’s early but i don’t know why shit like this is funny to me. LOL,” 50 wrote in the caption of the comparison video. The post has since been deleted but not before Kim caught wind of it and responded with: “Ur so obsessed wit me this is getting creepy,” she wrote in a comment, adding that 50 is “fallin off” and “we all kno whyyyyyyy.” “I ain’t bothered not one bit. My family & friends more mad than me,” she told 50 at the time. Kim claims the rapper can’t get over her previously turning down his dinner date proposition. “Let it go,” she added. https://www.instagram.com/theshaderoom/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=aba75c62-1d05-4dad-a640-2cbc93e5dfdf The countdown clock paused for about 30 minutes this morning so that mission personnel could monitor some winds in the area, but things were back on track for the launch of actor William Shatner and three other passengers into space today at about 10:35 am, EST. It’s the second crewed flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, which lifted off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One, near the West Texas town of Van Horn. A live webcast of the mission can be seen. https://youtu.be/WILEB3_5AnM A record number of 4.3 million people walked off the job in August, according to the federal Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. NBC News reports, job openings fell from a record 10.9 million to 10.4 million — an unexpected drop that experts say could be attributable to contractions in commercial activity due to the delta variant of the coronavirus, falling economic expectations, companies’ taking late-summer breathers from hiring, statistical noise or some combination of the above. But with more than 10 million unfilled job openings, it is clear that more workers are seeking greener pastures. The rate of people quitting their jobs reached a record 2.9 percent, leading with increases among people leaving hotel, dining and wholesale trade jobs. https://youtu.be/0dBR9mGHC98 Former New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) trader Lauren Simmons made history as the youngest full-time female trader and now she has launched a new podcast where she urges women to talk about money. The new project, “Mind Body Wealth with Lauren Simmons,” premiered on September 29, with new episodes dropping exclusively on Spotify on Wednesdays. Per Black Enterprise, Simmons became the second Black woman equity trader since the NYSE was established over two hundred years ago. Her story has inspired millions of women globally and Hollywood is reportedly producing a film about Simmons starring Kiersey Clemons. https://www.instagram.com/lasimmons/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6c772037-0062-49b4-a4af-c1368f190617 A Lowndes County woman has filed suit against Vibrant Church of Columbus, members of its leadership, an umbrella corporation the church operates under and 25 other yet-to-be-identified defendants on five counts, including discrimination/sexual harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence. It seeks actual, compensatory, pain/suffering and punitive damages as determined through a jury trial. The suit was filed Thursday in federal district court in Aberdeen by Columbus attorney Corky Smith on behalf of Laura Ashley Eagan. The suit covers events it alleges began in February 2020 through the end of the year. It alleges then senior pastor Jason Delgado made unwanted sexual advances by “various electronic means,” which came after Jason Delgado’s father, assistant pastor Ronald Delgado, told his son details of counseling sessions the father had with Eagan regarding her marriage difficulties. It’s one of the great puzzles of the pandemic. Most developed economies are now highly vaccinated with some of the most effective shots on offer, so why are the latest Covid-19 outbreaks more deadly in some places than in others? While it’s clear vaccines led to a drop in fatalities during the most recent delta variant-driven waves compared with earlier bouts with the virus, some countries saw deaths fall to a greater degree than others, an outcome scientists still don’t have answers for. Countries like Germany, Denmark and the U.K. have seen Covid deaths fall to roughly a tenth of previous peaks, according to Bloomberg calculations using data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. In Israel, Greece and the U.S., fatalities fell but remained more than half of the previous peaks. A “phenomenal young man” is how Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical high school senior Elijah Gorham is being described. Gorham, a 16-year-old student-athlete who played wide receiver for the Mustangs, died earlier this week. Head football coach and athletic director, Patrick Nixon, said Elijah Gorham was a silent leader on the Mervo football team and was a silent leader who was a steady presence for his teammates and even the adults. Gorham suffered a brain injury during a game Sept. 18, according to his GoFundMe page. He had been in the hospital since that injury until word came out Monday that he passed away. https://cbsloc.al/3awuGUh Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have confirmed that the Rolling Stones have shelved one of their most-played songs, because they were uncomfortable with the ‘nasty’ 50-year-old lyrics. Brown Sugar, written in 1969 and released in 1971, is the band’s second-most played song: only Jumpin’ Jack Flash has been performed by the band more often. But Jagger and Richards, currently in the middle of a 13-date U.S. tour, said they deliberately left the song off their setlist due to the lyrics, which begin: ‘Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields, Sold in the market down in New Orleans, Skydog slaver knows he’s doin’ all right, Hear him whip the women just around midnight.’ Jagger, 78, is performing in Nashville on Saturday night, said in 1995 that he would never have written the song nowadays, but told The Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that they were not opposed to bringing it back at some point. Richards, 77, (left) said he was bemused by the new-found anger at the lyrics, which he said were always about the ‘horrors’ of slavery, and he was trying to understand ‘quite where the beef is.’ He added: ‘Didn’t they understand this was a song about the horrors of slavery? But they’re trying to bury it. At the moment I don’t want to get into conflicts with all of this s***.’ The band will play in Los Angeles later this week, with two shows scheduled for Thursday and Sunday. It is their first ever tour without drummer Charlie Watts, who died in August aged 80, and Jagger and Richards both paid tribute to the beloved musician, who Richards said was a reluctant superstar but ‘one of the funniest guys I’ve ever known.’ Former NFL coach Jon Gruden resigned Monday night as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after emails surfaced of him using homophobic, racist and misogynistic language. The emails were uncovered by the New York Times during a seven-year investigation of workplace misconduct at the Washington Football Team. Since Gruden’s resignation, Colin Kaperernick has been trending on social media. Many folks are inferring that Gruden’s resignation proves that the former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who lost his job after kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality was right about the NFL all along. In 2017, at least three NFL owners were asked to turn over emails and phone records related to the collusion case Kaepernick brought against the league. In the lawsuit, Kaepernick claimed league owners colluded against him after he refused to stand for the national anthem during the 2016 preseason. The lawsuit ended with Kaepernick and fellow teammate Eric Reid settling with the NFL. No emails were ever released. After a 10-year absence, the “Scream” franchise is back with its fifth installment featuring original cast members Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette. Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past. https://youtu.be/beToTslH17s “Ron’s Gone Wrong” is a modern coming of age story following Barney and Ron – an unlikely pair in the form of a social-introvert (Barney) and a technically-deficient B-Bot (Ron) – as they bond and uncover the meaning of friends. In theaters October 22nd. https://youtu.be/8I8nMtzN05s Rapper #BoosieBadazz has been arrested for allegedly performing vandalism in #Atlanta. On Monday, Boosie – whose real name is Torrence Ivy Hatch – was booked into #FultonCounty Jail after being involved in an incident at the #StateFarmArena in downtown #Atlanta. Police say they responded to the scene a little after 12:40 a.m. on Saturday after it was reported that vandalism was taking place. A man told police that Boosie and some people from his crew crashed a stage during a performance by running up on the platform. Prior to the incident, Boosie performed as part of the ‘Legendz of the Streetz’ tour earlier that night. The man who’s behind the police report on the matter said Boosie’s squad damaged items that belonged to his production company. https://www.instagram.com/p/CU-fFUkDVO7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Blac Chyna was filmed in Miami International Airport on Sunday evening acting erratically about the COVID-19 vaccine. As reported by TMZ, Chyna was approached by a fan wanting a photo, but the former stripper wanted to know her vaccination status. “Go get checked out, it’s sad, and it really blows the f*ck outta me,” Blac Chyna, who is seen who is dressed like a cartoon character, says in the lip posted on social media. https://youtu.be/1fID-Ej-ILI Fans of Kodak Black are giving him the side-eye after a clip resurfaced of him dancing with his mother at an event while grabbing her butt and trying to kiss her. https://twitter.com/i/status/1447628277670100996 Singer Jesy Nelson has responded to accusations of blackfishing in her debut solo music video, “Boyz” featuring Nicki Minaj. “I personally want to say that my intention was never, ever to offend people of color with this video and my song because like I said, growing up as a young girl, this is the music that I listened to,” Nelson told Minaj during an Instagram Live on Monday. “These are the videos that I watched and thought were the best,” she continued. “For me personally, ’90s R&B were the best years in music. I just wanted to celebrate that.” Nelson, former member of the group Little Mix, noted that she did not darken her skin or curl her hair to look Black. https://youtu.be/u884fEIPY3g The Toronto Raptors on Monday played a game in their home arena for the first time in nearly two years due to COVID-19 restrictions, and their official “global ambassador” was of course front and center … not only physically, but also joining the TV broadcast from his court side seat. The Toronto Raptors on Monday played a game in their home arena for the first time in nearly two years due to COVID-19 restrictions, and their official “global ambassador” was of course front and center … not only physically, but also joining the TV broadcast from his court side seat. https://youtu.be/iaC3KSd-To8 JR Smith’s career as a college golfer got off to a crazy start Monday when he was attacked by a hive of yellow jackets during the third round. The retired NBA star turned North Carolina A&T student-athlete began Monday with the first two rounds of the Elon Phoenix Invitational in Burlington, North Carolina. He shot an opening 83, and followed up with a 78 in the second round later in the afternoon. On Tuesday, Smith started his third round on the back nine. He made par on his first two holes of the day before arriving at the 12th hole. That’s when all hell broke loose. As he was looking for his ball in the woods, he accidentally stepped on a nest of yellow jackets and was stung repeatedly. https://twitter.com/i/status/1447957804451512328 Whispers fans may not know that member LeaVeil Degree once carried out a $1.8 million dollar heist. According to the legal documents via I Love Old School Music: When LeaVeil Degree was 31, he and his brother David, whom was 24 at the time, pleaded guilty in a $1.8 million stolen jewelry case after U.S. attorneys agreed to drop some of the most serious charges against them in their 17-count federal grand jury indictment. LeaVeil’s wife, Kimberly, whom was 24 at the time, pleaded guilty to a felony count of possession of stolen mail and then 19 year old Rochelle Florio, pleaded guilty to obstructing the mail, a misdemeanor charge. About $800,000 of the stolen goods were retrieved. In the plea bargaining, the Degree brothers told U.S. District Judge Irving Hill that they would cooperate in an attempt to recover the remaining $1 million in jewels and furs still missing. The million-dollar jewels and furs were never recovered. https://youtu.be/rPJz3syNbtE The model who is suing Cardi B over her 2016 mixtape cover is now accusing the rapper of lying to a judge to attend Paris Fashion Week. Cardi is being sued by a Kevin Michael Brophy Jr. who claims she used his photo without permission and made it seem like he was performing oral on her for her mixtape cover. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Brophy is a married man with kids who was shocked to discover his photo on the cover of “Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 1,” a mixtape the Cardi released in 2016. According to TMZ, Brophy claims he never met the “Bodak Yellow” rapper but he recognizes his distinct back tattoo of a tiger fighting a snake. Brophy says he was “shocked, outraged, humiliated, and appalled” when he first saw the photo. In his suit, Brophy says he “has been devastated as a result” of the mixtape cover and he was worried that “his wife believed he had betrayed her.” He claims Cardi used the pic “in a misleading, offensive, humiliating and provocatively sexual way to launch her career in music and entertainment.” He claims the tattoo visible in the photo is “one of a kind” and was done over 10 years ago. Brophy is seeking damages in excess of $5,000,000. Cardi has reportedly been attempting to settle with him without much luck. The son of late-great comedian Richard Pryor is desperately in need of financial help, and he has turned to the public for support. Eric Harrison, a friend of Pryor Jr., has launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking funds to cover medical and basic living costs for Pryor Jr. At the time of this write-up, the campaign has raised nearly $5000 of its $9500 goal. “We’ve reached 25% of our goal,” Harrison noted in an update. “A huge thank you to everyone donating and sharing this campaign. Talked to Richard today. He’s in bed and not able to really move with his pain. His doctor is determining options for pain management. Still waiting for his approval on assistants, this can take weeks to months. Let’s keep it up!” DaBaby is being compared to another big artist! Over the summer, Lil Duval shared a tweet comparing DaBaby to rapper Ludacris which sparked a huge online debate. Now it looks like another one is about to happen as Fat Joe is comparing the rap star to the late Tupac Shakur. In a clip from Big Tigger’s Rap City, Fat Joe played a game where he had to share the 2021 version of some veteran rappers. When Tigger asked who’s the latest version of Tupac, Fat Joe named DaBaby, who also agreed. He reacted to the comparison on Instagram saying, “Agreed. But they gonna salt that down to Cr*ck. We are excited to bring you the first single from Kerry Douglas' Gospel Mix Christmas CD. Paul Turner and CMI (Creation Ministries Inc) are a Chicago based choir who have joined up with vocal powerhouse Angela Spivey for a rambunctious revival fire song that lifts the name of our Savior. Jesus Celebration is straight church and full of spirit and makes you find your tambourine and shouting shoes. It’s the perfect introduction to the holiday season. A Ferndale pastor is in jail after police say he tried to kill two Arenac County sheriff’s deputies with his car. The pastor’s name is David Jones, and according to the Hilton Oaks Baptist Church Facebook page, he gave sermons regularly at the church. Court documents show Jones had a long history of drinking and driving, and his latest arrest was in August in Oakland County. https://youtu.be/fhfRN-95Jc4 Shannon Jensen and Gina Kildahl both sent their sons to their elementary schools in masks. Jensen’s son attends Rose Glen Elementary School in Waukesha, outside Milwaukee. Kildahl’s son goes to school about 200 miles away at Fall Creek Elementary, between Green Bay and Minneapolis. Just weeks into the new school year, both boys tested positive for the coronavirus. Lawsuits filed this month in two Wisconsin federal courts blame what they describe as the schools’ lax policies on masks, quarantining and contact tracing. Both the boards of education for the School District of Waukesha and the School District of Fall Creek had voted to end many of the coronavirus mitigation policies that had been in place last year, according to the two lawsuits. That included getting rid of universal mask requirements. Jensen’s lawsuit was filed in a federal court in eastern Wisconsin on Oct. 6. Kildahl’s lawsuit was filed on Monday in Wisconsin’s western district court. In a new TED Talk released Thurs., Sept. 30, three-time Grammy-winning singer and rapper Lizzo took to the stage to present on a topic on which she’s undeniably well-versed: twerking. In the Ted Talk, originally recorded in Monterey, Calif. in August, Lizzo pointed to the spiritual roots and expressions of twerking, a dance move with West African origins. “Twerking is a deep, soulful, spiritual practice. It’s hip-opening. It’s empowering. When performed as the mapouka, it’s said to connect you to God,” Lizzo said, referring to a contemporary form of a traditional dance from the Ivory Coast. “It’s sacred. And now we’re practicing that on mainstream stages. We’re practicing that at home, and it’s contributing to the liberation of women and people around the world.” Netflix has suspended three employees for crashing a meeting of its top executives, including an out trans person who criticized a new comedy special from Dave Chappelle, sources tell Variety. Terra Field, a senior software engineer based in San Francisco, was among those suspended late last week for attending the “QBR” — Netflix’s quarterly business review, a two-day affair that convenes the top 500 employees at the company. A Virginia father who went viral after being dragged out of a Loudoun County school board meeting and arrested for protesting its proposed transgender policies has now revealed he was trying to tell the room that his daughter had been raped by a boy ‘in a skirt’ in the girls’ bathroom. Scott Smith was photographed on June 22 being dragged out of the heated meeting with his torso exposed in Leesburg, Virginia. The 48-year-old plumber was ridiculed on social media afterwards and was painted to be a deranged, right-wing bigot. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/06/23/2283584364982126817/636x382_MP4_2283584364982126817.mp4 Damian Williams is an unusual Manhattan U.S. attorney in some ways. President Biden nominated him from the Southern District of New York’s own ranks of prosecutors, choosing an insider for a role normally given to an outsider in modern times. But he is also a traditional choice in other ways. As the co-chief of the office’s securities-fraud unit, he is steeped in financial-crime prosecutions and has been involved in several high-profile white-collar trials that are the hallmark of the office. Count Michael Jordan among those who believe NBA players should do their part to end the COVID-19 pandemic by getting vaccinated. The NBA legend discussed the league’s COVID-19 protocols during a Monday interview with Craig Melvin on NBC’s Today (h/t Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports) and said he believes in the science and what the league is doing with the season approaching: “I am total in unison with the league. And I think everybody, you know, has been speaking about the vaccinations. And, you know, I’m a firm believer in science and, you know, I’m going to stick with that and hopefully everybody abides by whatever the league sets the rules. I think once everybody buys in, we’re going to be fine.” Faced with the prospect of playing home games without unvaccinated guard Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets have decided to completely sideline the NBA All-Star until a permanent solution can be reached. Irving, who is unvaccinated, was expected to miss home games this season due to New York’s vaccine mandate. He would have been able to practice in Brooklyn because the team’s training center is considered a private workplace and not a public arena. However, the Nets are now saying that Irving will not be playing or practicing with the Nets whatsoever. It’s unclear if Irving will be paid at all for the games he missed. He already stood to lose $381,000 for every home game he missed this season. The NBA and the players’ union have agreed that players will lose 1/91.6th of their salary for every game missed without proper cause this season. If that formula is applied to his entire season, he would stand to lose more than $31 million of his $34.9 million salary. Currently Irving stands to lose $15.5 million if he’s held out of all home games this year. The new Superman, Jonathan Kent — who is the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane — will soon begin a romantic relationship with a male friend, DC Comics announced Monday. That same-sex relationship is just one of the ways that Jonathan Kent, who goes by Jon, is proving to be a different Superman than his famous father. Since his new series, Superman: Son of Kal-El, began in July, Jon has combated wildfires caused by climate change, thwarted a high school shooting and protested the deportation of refugees in Metropolis. “The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity,” Tom Taylor, who writes the series, said in an interview. He said that a “new Superman had to have new fights — real world problems — that he could stand up to as one of the most powerful people in the world.” Austin Carr, a wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, has announced his retirement from the NFL. In a post on Sports Spectrum, Carr explained that he is trusting the Lord to guide him as he departs from playing professional football. “After much prayer and consideration, I’ve decided that it’s time to turn the page on my career in the NFL,” he wrote. “It feels surreal to be moving on from this 20-year stint of lacing up the cleats every fall, but I’m committed to following the voice of God, and it has become clear that up ahead, He has a new and exciting future prepared for my family and me.” NFL week 5 scores: Los Angeles Rams – 26 > Seattle Seahawks – 17 Atlanta Falcons – 27 > New York Jets – 20 New England Patriots – 25 > Houston Texans – 22 Minnesota Vikings – 19 > Detroit Lions – 17 Philadelphia Eagles – 21 > Carolina Panthers – 18 New Orleans Saints – 33 > Washington Football Team – 22 Tennessee Titans – 37 > Jacksonville Jaguars – 19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 45 > Miami Dolphins – 17 Green Bay Packers – 25 > Cincinnati Bengals – 22 Pittsburgh Steelers – 27 > Denver Broncos – 19 Chicago Bears – 20 > Las Vegas – 9 Los Angeles Chargers – 47 > Cleveland Browns – 42 Dallas Cowboys – 44 > New York Giants – 20 Arizona Cardinals – 19 > San Francisco 49ers – 10 Buffalo Bills – 38 > Kansas City Chiefs – 20 Baltimore Ravens – 31 > Indianapolis Colts – 25 The Georgia Bulldogs have reached No. 1 in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time since the 2008 preseason poll and for the first time in the regular-season poll since 1982. The Bulldogs opened 2008 with a 45-21 win over Georgia Southern, but apparently it wasn’t an impressive victory, as the Bulldogs fell to No. 2 the following week. Odds are a win against undefeated No. 11 Kentucky this weekend won’t cause Georgia, which received all 62 first-place votes, to fall in the poll next week. The Iowa Hawkeyes find themselves right behind Georgia at No. 2, moving up a spot following their 23-20 win over Penn State and Alabama’s 41-38 loss to Texas A&M. No. 3 Cincinnati has its best ranking ever. The music community is mourning the loss of a Gospel music legend with the passing of Shawn Mclemore after an extended illness. Shout Out to Radio! We appreciate all that you do to carry the Gospel to people around the globe. We are hope dealers and inspire people through great music. Asking for prayers for the McLemore family as we say farewell to Shawn McLemore this weekend. Shawn was a fantastic singer and all around great guy. He will be missed. Programmers are asked to play "I Believe" and "Sunday Morning" in his honor all this week. https://rgmc-impact.disco.ac/playlist-new/9001524?date=20211012&user_id=885555&signature=UQkaJXi6D2DlHwrHX5h5Fp6b3zw%3A7NzUwtIJ British actress Freeman Agyeman is best known as the first Black “Doctor Who” companion, and she is speaking out about the racist abuse she received over the role. Agyeman played Martha Jones in the BBC sci-fi series opposite David Tennant’s Doctor, and she would go on to reprise the role after joining the spinoff series “Torchwood”. Speaking at Ofcom’s Diversity in Broadcasting event as part of National Inclusion Week, the “New Amsterdam” star said she “didn’t anticipate” the racist response to her casting. “It is a game changer. My life changed completely overnight,” she said of landing the role. “You go from obscurity to people knowing who you are, in a good way. “And then we aired and I didn’t even mind that there was so much on the fact that I was the first black companion because I was. It never bothered me at all. It was something I was, and still am, so proud of.” https://youtu.be/E_IKhQt73DM Bravo has dropped the official trailer for the “Real Housewives” spin-off show “Ultimate Girls Trip.” Per EW, the returning “housewives” are Real Housewives of Atlanta stars Cynthia Bailey and Kenya Moore, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” OG Kyle Richards, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” castmates and sisters-in-law Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga, and “Real Housewives of New York City” icons Luann de Lesseps and Ramona Singer. https://youtu.be/PoBquo2zdGI With a Grammy Award, eight top 10 hits on the Billboard charts and a reputation for putting out timeless material, Monica has a firm place in the minds of R&B and pop music fans. With more than 25 years as a music industry veteran, the question becomes what musical direction is next? For Monica, the answer lies with exposing a natural love for a genre she’s not associated with. The reveal was made in June with “Pray,” Monica’s first foray in to country music with collaborating with Jimmie Allen and Little Big Town. https://youtu.be/Ch_nwWtMh0k Damon Wayans appears to have nothing but praise for Dave Chappelle’s new Netflix special, telling TMZ that Dave “freed the slaves” — referring to comics who are too afraid to touch on some of the topics that Chappelle tackles in “The Closer.” Wayans also called Chappelle the van Gogh of comedy when TMZ caught up with him. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-10-11-101121-damon-wayans-1267884/ Ted Sarandos, co-CEO at Netflix, has addressed the criticism of Dave Chappelle’s recent stand-up special on the streaming platform. The comedian has been catching heat for taking aim at the transgender community in his new stand-up special “The Closer”. In a company memo sent Friday, Sarandos said “The Closer” isn’t “designed to incite hate or violence” and noted that “artistic freedom” is measured differently in stand-up comedy, as reported by Complex. https://youtu.be/i1UEj_6T1RE A new companion series for BET’s original series “Twenties” from Lena Waithe is set to launch on Wednesday, Oct. 13, and here is your first look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJsL2UFJ0Pg Nicki Minaj believes she has been shadow-banned on social media following her comments about the COVID-19 vaccine. The statement comes a month after Nicki Minaj took to Twitter to reveal that she would be skipping the Met Gala this year because she was not vaccinated — as required by the event organizers. https://www.instagram.com/p/CU5pm9qAc_Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Black Children Were Jailed for a Crime That Doesn’t Exist. Almost Nothing Happened to the Adults in Charge. https://youtu.be/-faaJsJPHSY A 20-year-old woman is in a medically induced coma after she jumped into a hot spring to save her dog. Laiha Slayton, 20, suffered burns to over 90% of her body when she jumped into the 200°F (93°C) geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Her puppy, Rusty, jumped into Maiden’s Grave Spring on October 4 while visiting with her dad Woodrow, 48. Rusty ran from the car when they arrived at the park and jumped straight into the spring – he died from his injuries. Woodrow helped Laiha out of the water and she was treated by park rangers and a local fire service. She was then transported by helicopter to the burn center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. https://youtu.be/1bUDi_J6aD8 COVID-19 has triggered a “shadow pandemic” of sexual abuse, violence and exploitation against girls, a shocking new report reveals on International Day of the Girl Child, October 11. More than ever, girls face multiple threats to their safety, including sexual predators online, sex trafficking, and forced child marriage, says the report Young Victims Remain Hidden in the Pandemic’s Shadow (http://www.gfa.org/press/girls) by mission organization GFA World (www.gfa.org). International Day of the Girl Child is an annual awareness event. In more than 130 countries — including the U.S. — it’s legal for girls to marry under the age of 18. In North Carolina and Alaska, a girl can marry at 14 if she’s pregnant. In North Carolina, a 57-year-old man applied to marry a 17-year-old girl, the report says. On Sunday night, the Arlington Police Department partnered with the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington to host a panel on gun violence. Police say the event had already been planned weeks ago, but that the timing couldn’t be better in the wake of last week’s school shooting at Timberview High School. https://cbsloc.al/3mHWsmh A Black real estate agent has filed a federal lawsuit against Michigan city police after he and his clients were detained at gunpoint during a house viewing. Am Black realtor was showing a Black father and his 15-year-old son a Michigan home when they saw police outside the property with their guns drawn. “I knew once they surrounded the home, they were preparing for a standoff,” the father, Roy Thorne, told CNN’s Don Lemon. “And so my instincts told me we need to get out of here, we need to get to where they can see that we’re not a threat.” Apparently, a neighbor called the police and said that a suspect who was arrested at the same property a week before had returned to the home. However, the caller was wrong. Arlington’s Police Chief Al Jones was joined by parents and students to discuss how to keep kids safe, the events of last week’s shooting, and how to move forward. “We need to actually work together. This shouldn’t be a police issue. It’s a society issue and an Arlington community issue,” Chief Jones said. https://youtu.be/d3O-HElBnBk A Mississippi funeral home director recently had the unfortunate task of burying his wife and daughter. An NBC affiliate, 3 On Your Side, reported Thursday that Brian Stribling lost his wife Harmony because there wasn’t a hospital with a 24-hour emergency room close to their rural community. The outlet further reported the hospital nearest to the Striblings. Stribling described attempting to drive his wife to the hospital in the next town, which was 20-30 minutes away. He told 3 On Your Side that 911 had him pull over and administer CPR as his wife’s condition worsened during the drive. Unfortunately, Stribling lost both his wife and unborn daughter just days before her due date. Aaron Lowe from North Texas, who played for the University of Utah football team, will be laid to rest on Monday afternoon. Dozens of Utah players will fly in to honor Rowe. Outside of precious memories Duncanville’s funeral hall is for loved ones with broken hearts. Hundreds of people gathered to pay tribute to the former West Mesquite High School soccer star. https://youtu.be/2sI7lxHhVig After news broke of telecommunications giant AT&T’s alleged role in creating and sustaining the right-wing disinformation network One America News (OAN), calls for accountability has been swift. Released earlier this week, a special report from Reuters documented the allegations that AT&T not only encouraged the creation of another conservative news network but is its primary source of revenue. In a brief response to Reuters, an AT&T spokesperson claimed it doesn’t directly finance OAN. While this may be technically true, information uncovered by Reuters affirms the financial benefit to OAN from its relationship with AT&T. As documented by political journalist Judd Legum, AT&T was among the corporations financially supporting politicians who supported former President Trump’s “Big Lie.” Legum pointed out the network’s running a two-hour special from the MyPillow CEO as an example of the egregious content produced. NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill called out the “complicity of those who know better.” The president of Dillard University took to Twitter to debunk disinformation being spread about the Biden administration’s commitment to funding HBCUs. Walter M. Kimbrough, known on Twitter as @HipHopPrez, highlighted several accounts spreading the lie that the Biden administration cut $30 Billion from HBCUs. Holding elected officials accountable is a part of the Democratic system. But part of the accountability process is getting the facts straight. The current issue involving HBCU funding has to do with implementing Biden’s Build Back Better Plan and the reconciliation budget process making its way through Congress. During the process of creating a bill that is consistent with the Biden plan, Congress earmarked less money for HBCUs than the Biden proposal. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said she and her husband, David, have tested positive for COVID-19. Parker said they tested positive Sunday, and she only has mild symptoms. She added that she is fully vaccinated after getting the Pfizer vaccine in April. Parker is isolating at home and will work remotely, in line with the city’s COVID-19 protocols. Urban Meyer is still dealing with the fallout of his lap dance scandal and it’s not good. Reports are starting to hit the Internet about how the Jaguars players view Meyer following the scandal. According to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, several players and coaches on the team were “unhappy” with the way the head coach handled the scandal and are shocked he didn’t lose his job. A Florida veterinarian has been sentenced to 272 months in prison for collecting child pornography and sexually abusing dogs. Prentiss Madden was arrested in March and pleaded guilty in July to child pornography and animal cruelty charges, New York Daily News reports. Prosecutors said the 40-year-old had thousands of graphic images showing male infants and toddlers engaged in sex with adults and that he made several videos of himself having sex with dogs, which he shared online and through social media. He received many of the child porn images and videos via internet chats, where he also frequently discussed sexually abusing children. Madden was fired as the medical director of Caring Hands Animal Hospital in Aventura, due to his illicit behavior. https://youtu.be/KQZbtvHa-b0 As the R&B singer did a dance routine during his set, many folks online began commenting about how they didn’t know Quavo could dance. The dancer is indeed Jacquees himself and Quavo is now trending because Twitter couldn’t tell the difference. https://twitter.com/i/status/1447551047791222789 Former “Basketball Wives LA” star Brittish Williams has been hit with felony and fraud charges in St. Louis, Missouri. Williams, who also goes by the name “Cierrah,” was indicted on federal fraud and identity theft charges on Sept. 22, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Missouri said in a press release. Williams, who appeared on season three of VH1’s “Basketball Wives LA,” faces five felony charges of misuse of a Social Security number; four charges of bank fraud; three charges of making false statements to the IRS; three charges of wire fraud; and three charges of aggravated identity theft, as reported by Urban Hollywood 411. Former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Phaedra Parks is opening up about her busy life as an attorney, mortician, producer, actress, and single mother of two boys. “The single mom life is crazy, but I wouldn’t change it for anything,” Parks, 47, told Page Six. Parks’ shares sons Ayden,11, and Dylan, 8, with ex-husband Apollo Nida. “They’re my world,” she said of her boys. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUq4im1s-Dj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=251617eb-a05a-48e1-80d6-cefc24270ae5 Fitness trainer Shaun T. took to social media recently to reveal that he was repeatedly molested by his stepfather as a child. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUutGmxgWVI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The teen horror film “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is heading to Amazon Prime Video with a straight-to-series eight-episode order just in time for the Halloween season. Based on Lois Duncan’s 1973 novel, the series will take place one year after a fatal car accident that haunted a group of teenagers on graduation night. Finding themselves bound together by the dark secret and stalked by a brutal killer, they begin to unravel shocking secrets about their town and themselves while trying to figure out who is after them. https://youtu.be/P7PqRDJiWkU Mogul and comedian Kevin Hart is on a mission to change the narrative around racial and gender representation in the realm of entertainment. According to Deadline, the Philadelphia native’s production company has teamed up with NBCUniversal and the Sundance Institute for the creation of a screenwriting fellowship program for Black women. The lack of diversity in the writer’s room has been a longstanding issue. A study conducted by Color of Change revealed two-thirds of shows—featured on traditional networks and emerging streaming platforms—had no Black writers. Further research revealed a mere 17 percent of shows had one Black writer. Aware of the disparities, Hart’s company set out on a mission to cultivate an initiative that would help address the gaps which led to the development of the Women Write Now fellowship program. As part of the project, three scripts penned by writers Moni Oyedepo, Wilandrea Blair and Danielle Nicolet were selected amongst nearly 1,000 submissions. Through the fellowship, Oyedepo, Blair and Nicolet will have their work produced by LOL Studios. The women will also have the opportunity to be mentored by power players in the entertainment industry and pitch projects to the executive team at NBCUniversal. One of them will land a production deal with the mass media and entertainment company and their projects will be streamed on Peacock. Kim Kardashian made her hosting debut on “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. “I know. I’m surprised to see me here, too,” Kardashian began her opening monologue. “When they asked, I was like, ‘You want me to host? Why? I haven’t had a movie premiere in a really long time.’ Actually, I only had that one movie come out, and no one even told me it was even premiering. It must have slipped my mom’s mind.” During her opening monologue, Kim also referenced her infamous sex tape, her late father Robert Kardashian and his relationship with O.J. Simpson as well as her divorce from Kanye West. https://youtu.be/LQCQym6hVMo “Needle in a Timestack” is a time-bending sci-fi love story, directed by Oscar-winner John Ridley and starring Leslie Odom Jr. (“Hamilton,” “One Night in Miami”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”). The film asks, “if love is in the form of a circle, what lines would you cross to be with your soulmate?” Nick (Odom) and Janine (Erivo) are deeply in love and enjoying marital bliss. When Janine’s ex-husband (Orlando Bloom) attempts to warp time to try to tear them apart, Nick must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice to hold onto, or let go of, everything he loves. The film is based on the short story by Robert Silverberg. https://youtu.be/ZPKL9aSgbCw The clip shows a huge backdrop being lowered onto the stage behind the actors during a scene change, but Yevgeny Kulesh, 37, somehow became trapped underneath the backdrop and was subsequently crushed to death. A man can be heard shouting while the orchestra continues to play, before the music cuts off abruptly and the cast break out into screams at the sight of the accident. The incident occurred during a set change in Sadko, an 19th century opera by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The theatre said Yevgeny Kulesh, who had been with the theatre since 2002, died at the scene as the audience was promptly ushered out of the performance hall. Actress Debbi Morgan of “All My Children” fame previously revealed how her physically abusive father, who died of leukemia in 1975, affected her relationships with men. “Because I didn’t get nurturing from my dad, I kept looking for men to give me that love,” she shared with PEOPLE back in 1997. “I was a victim of bullying. I went through physical and emotional abuse at the hands of a teenage boyfriend. I suffered severe emotional abuse by three of my four husbands. I was just caught in this cycle. I mean, spinning like a washing machine,” Morgan told NewOne. As noted in her 2015 memoir “The Monkey on My Back,” Morgan admitted that her abusive father’s relationship with her mother had her seeking strong men for all the wrong reasons. Morgan also experienced domestic abuse in her 3 previous marriages to Charles Weldon (1980-84); to actor Charles S. Dutton (1989-94); and to photographer Donn Thompson (1997-2000). “So many times these men that I was looking to for protection were the ones I really needed protection from,” Morgan said. “There were times the emotional abuse was so bad that at times I felt ‘I don’t know if it would be better to be hit,’” she shared with ET. Judge Judy’s longtime TV bailiff Petri Hawkins-Byrd was not invited to her new courtroom for IMDb TV titled “Judy Justice.” Hawkins-Byrd opened up to Entertainment Weekly about being booted after appearing on the show during its 25-season run, starting in 1996. “My assumption is if you were going on to do something else, that you were at least going to ask me if I wanted to have the opportunity to audition for the role,” Byrd said. He heard about “Judy Justice” when she announced the show in March 2020. After the final season of “Judge Judy” aired in April, Byrd stayed busy caring for his wife, show producer Makita Bond-Byrd, as she prepared to undergo brain surgery. It wasn’t until July that I called the judge and asked, ‘Hey, should I look for something else or am I included in the Judy Justice project?'” Byrd recounted. “She informed me I was not being asked to come along on the project. I didn’t inquire as to why, that’s her choice. But she did inform me that, fundamentally, I was priced out as the new bailiff on her new show. My salary would have been too much. I was curious: How would she know? She didn’t ask me. She didn’t give me an opportunity to have accepted a lower salary.” He said the call “ended pleasantly enough,” but the conversation left him feeling “confused.” Among TikTok’s latest viral sensation is the “Omarion Challenge,” which started when an old clip of him recently resurfaced doing a military, syncopated, Michael Jackson-like move on stage. The original clip was from his performance at Verizon’s “Now Playing” music tour back in 2015. TikTok’s sudden interest took on a playful mocking of the regimented movements. Then it became a “challenge” and just took off, with a bunch of celebs joining in the fun. Then, Kirk Franklin took it to church – complete with his gospel choir – and now people are saying it must now be laid to rest. He won. https://youtu.be/l4lCrTiZxls Vincent Gross, the head of G Sharp Records, joins the panel of entertainment industry professionals Saturday, November 6, 2021 at the 22nd annual Los Angeles “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference via Zoom from 1-3pmPT. Gross’ label is self contained and interested in Jazz, R&B, Soul, Pop, Hip-Hop and Gospel acts. An artist himself, Vincent is a Black Music Award winning Jazz vocalist and trumpeter. The industry panel will lead the conference with a “Q&A Session,” a “Talent Showcase” from professional acts and ULMII winners follow, ending with a “National Talent Competition” where singers, songwriters, dancers or actors compete for the ULMII Best Artist Award and over $16,000 in prizes. Despite starting Saturday’s Red River Showdown win over Texas, Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler wasn’t the one who pulled off the comeback. And that has people wondering what his future with the Sooners is. Oklahoma backup quarterback Caleb Williams came off the bench in the second quarter and led the team to victory. Williams had two passing touchdowns and another one on the ground as the Sooners overcame an 18-point deficit to win the game, 55-48. With a performance like that, Williams probably deserves to be named the starting quarterback moving forward. And with Spencer Rattler likely heading for the bench, his future in Oklahoma could be in doubt. How Sweet The Sound was originally established in 2007 and sponsored by Verizon. During its initial six-year run, the competition awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to promising artists, making it a critical destination and a springboard for successful careers. Now under the new ownership of Gentle Giant Music Ministries, How Sweet The Sound will continue to welcome a diverse array of up-and-coming gospel performers competing for cash prizes and recognition. Gentle Giant Music Ministries CEO Nathanael Brown, an award-winning choral director and saxophonist, said How Sweet The Sound's absence left a void that was calling to be filled. His own experience with the event propelled his passion for reinvigorating it. Brown's group swept the 2013 How Sweet The Sound regional competition, taking first place and advancing to the finale in the year before going on hiatus. Per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, now-former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has spoken to his staff and informed team owner Mark Davis that he will resign from his position. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed the report. Gruden’s resignation comes in the wake of several bombshell reports from both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times in which it was revealed that Gruden, in 2011 in his capacity as talent for ESPN as the lead analyst for Monday Night Football, sent e-mails of a repugnant nature on several subjects. The New York Times report, published on Monday and written by Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman, indicated that Gruden, over a period of several years, used anti-gay and other slurs to describe NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and said that Goodell should not have “pressured” then St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher to select Michael Sam in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft. Sam is gay, as is Carl Nassib, the linebacker who has played for the Raiders since 2020. [Gruden] denounced the emergence of women as referees, the drafting of a gay player and the tolerance of players protesting during the playing of the national anthem, according to emails reviewed by The New York Times. Pope Francis has met with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Their meeting took place in Vatican City on Saturday, several weeks before Joe Biden is expected to meet the Pope when the the president is in Rome for talks between leaders of the Group of 20 major economies. The Vatican announced Pelosi’s audience with the Pope in its daily bulletin but gave no details. Biden, the second Catholic U.S. president, has said he is personally opposed to abortion but, as a politician, cannot impose his views. Pelosi has said she supports a woman’s right to choose. A Republican taking on Texas Governor Greg Abbott in the gubernatorial primary, who is unvaccinated against coronavirus, said his current case of COVID-19 pneumonia has only emboldened him to fight against vaccine mandates. Allen West, 60, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday due to concern over his oxygen levels. His vaccinated wife, Angela, also contracted the virus. A controversial celebrity pastor worth an estimated $50 million has returned $4.4 million in federal COVID relief loans his megachurch received from the government. According to the Houston Chronicle, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church has repaid the money after the stadium-sized facility was widely-condemned for accepting the cash last year. A spokesman claimed they needed the loan because the church, which is America’s largest, and can hold 16,800 worshippers at one time, was unable to take weekly collections during COVID closures which it says helps pay its 368 staff. But that sparked an outcry as details of Osteen’s extreme wealth were once again shared. Morgan Freeman says he rejects the idea of defunding the police across the country, saying that ‘most of them are doing their job’ while breaking with his typically progressive leanings. I’m not in the least bit for defunding the police,’ Freeman said in an interview with Black Enterprise’s Selena Hill. ‘Police work is, aside from all the negativity around it, it is very necessary for us to have them and most of them are guys that are doing their job. They’re going about their day-to-day jobs. There are some police that never pulled their guns except in rage, that sort of thing. I don’t know.’ The 84-year-old actor was there promoting his new movie, ‘The Killing Of Kenneth Chamberlain,’ a film about a police killing of an elderly black veteran. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUsLMCHAZl9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The GMA Dove Awards will return to a live, in-person event at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Tues., Oct. 19. The show will air exclusively on TBN on Fri., Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. ET and again at 10 p.m. ET. Dove Award-winning Artists Natalie Grant and Jonathan McReynolds will co-host this year’s GMA Dove Awards. A few of the artists set to perform on the show include Lauren Daigle, Elevation Worship, KB, CeCe Winans and Zach Williams. In a fight that is being talked about as one of the all-time great heavyweight bouts, Tyson Fury retained his WBC title after knocking out Deontay Wilder at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. “I’ve been in this business 57 years promoting fights and I truly have to say I have never seen a heavyweight fight as magnificent as this,” boxing promoter Bob Arum told reporters after the conclusion of the third installment of the two boxers’ trilogy meetings. After putting Wilder on the canvas in the third round, Fury found himself on the floor twice in the fourth. In a brutal, roller coaster fight in front of of 15,820 fans, the 33-year-old Briton regrouped and put Wilder down in the 10th before delivering two enormous right hands to win the bout with a knockout. https://youtu.be/ZDYk_O2nV4c “I played football for probably 16 years, total,” Dungy said, via ProFootballTalk. “I coached for 28 years. I never went to a game where the head coach didn’t come back with my team, me and myself for 13 years as a head coach, 15 years as an assistant, 15 years playing when the head coach went to a game, when we returned the head coach came back with us. So that to me, I just don’t know how you do that and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to stay in Ohio.’… That was the mistake to me. What happened in the bar or whatever, that’s secondary. You go back with your team. We finished by getting home and getting everybody — that’s your responsibility as the head coach to make sure everybody lands on that plane, safe, everybody gets back to the facility, then you do what you have to do.” “You are responsible for those guys until the trip is over,” Dungy added. “Someone could get sick on the plane. The plane might get rerouted and you have to land somewhere else. We had that happen where we had a snowstorm and we had to turn around and land back in the city we just left and spend the night. You never know.” Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss got emotional on ESPN’s “NFL Countdown” on Sunday morning during a panel discussion about race in the NFL. Moss was asked by host Sam Ponder how he might respond to a head coach who used racially tinged language like Los Angeles Raiders coach Jon Gruden did in an email a decade ago when referring to NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, who is Black. The 14-year NFL veteran talked about how his “civil rights were kinda messed with in high school over the color of my skin.” Then his voice began to quiver when addressing what it would be like to play for an NFL coach who did something similar. https://twitter.com/i/status/1447224075961708545 Emma Raducanu told a press conference she ‘needs to cut herself some slack’ after losing to the world number 100 in her first match since she won the US Open and parted with her longtime coach Andrew Richardson. The champion of New York turned out to be no queen of the desert at Indian Wells as she was soundly beaten on her first appearance since Flushing Meadows, going down 6-2 6-4 to Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the BNP Paribas Open. The jaunty and irrepressible air that Raducanu displayed during her astonishing Grand Slam victory appeared to be replaced by flat body language. Recently, rock/soul/R&B icon Tina Turner sold her enormous catalog to BMG, the company reported last week. The deal means that Tina’s name, image, artist’s and writer’s shares of her recordings are now owned by BMG. The company also stated they will continue to partner with Turner and that Warner Music will remain her record label. Though BMG did not give a specific number, British Broadcasting Company is reporting that the deal may be worth more than $50 million. Thanks to Common, a prison outside of Chicago, Illinois is now equipped with a recording studio, CBS 2 reports. Common reportedly gifted the inmates at Statesville Correctional Center a studio that is complete with mixing boards, musical instruments, microphones and sound panels. The stated goal is to create an environment of productivity for incarcerated individuals as they serve their respective sentences. https://cbsloc.al/3uGwXFK LeVar Burton the former “Star Trek: Next Generation” star and Reading Rainbow host was named the Grand Marshal of the 133rd Rose Parade next year (2022), the Tournament of Roses announced earlier this week. Burton was announced as an honored dignitary at the ceremony on Tuesday (0/05/21) in Pasadena, California. “I come from a family for whom the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl game to follow has been a part of our family for years and years,” Burton said during the announcement which was carried on YouTube. https://youtu.be/rUvwnh_3vWM Last week, Paramount released the new trailer for “The Game“ and a first look at Tasha Mack, the character played to perfection by Wendy Raquel Robinson, being just as big a boss as she ever was. The same trailer also shows Hosea Chancez return as Malik Wright. “The Game” will also relocate from San Diego to Las Vegas for the revival, according to Paramount. https://youtu.be/qzkFwLqQyKg Libby Leist, senior vice president of “Today” and NBC News recently named former Tamron Hall show producer Talia Parkinson-Jones as the new executive producer of the fourth hour of “Today”, hosted by Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Talia to ‘Today.’ Her extensive daytime television experience is matched by her energy and creativity, and we look forward to her joining our team,” Leist said in a memo to “Today” staff. She officially starts work on “Today With Hoda & Jenna” on October 18. The controversy swirling around Sage Steele is still hot as Rachel Lindsay, who co-hosts the “Higher Learning” podcast with Van Lathan, reveals that Steele had some very eye-raising things to say about Lindsay’s choice on ABC’s “Bachelorette” reality show. Steele, 48, who is of mixed raced, allegedly said the comments four years ago. “I like Sage,” said Lindsay, 36, adding that Steele is “problematic.” “She’s a woman of color who had a long career in the media and I’m aspiring to this but then I’m listening to you and the first thing you say to me is how thrilled you are that I didn’t choose Black. And I’m like… who is this woman? Since then, I’ve started to learn more about how problematic she can be.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1445559609100365837 In an effort to advance racial equity and revise New York City’s Charter, the city’s Racial Justice Commission has released its interim report, aimed at producing ballot initiatives for the Nov. 8, 2022 general election. If approved by voters, they would become law. That would change the City Charter, which governs how New York operates. Established by Mayor Bill de Blasio in March, the commission wants to eradicate systemic racism. It began by asking New York City residents to share experiences of inequality in housing, transportation, healthcare and education. Sha’Carri Richardson, who wasn’t allowed to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to a positive marijuana test, is tired of people coming for her. She took to IG to fully flesh out her disdain in her signature manner. “Yall get on this app to talk mess meanwhile in real life…” on a video where she says “All y’all suck a**.” She followed it up with a meme that read “I ignore a lot of shady s*** because y’all be ugly anyway” reports Madamenoire. https://youtu.be/8wCqvvcpHkI A U.S. Army sergeant whom police say shot and killed a pregnant woman carrying their unborn son on a Georgia highway earlier this week was arrested Thursday in North Carolina, where he is stationed, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Alonzo Dargan Jr., 30, an active duty staff sergeant at Fort Bragg, now faces charges of murder, feticide and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He allegedly killed Akeila Ware, 29, and the child she was due to deliver in about a month that Dargan had fathered, Troup County Sheriff James Woodruff said at a Friday news conference. https://youtu.be/tRAbCFxC2Fg Two Dayton police officers are under investigation after a traffic stop in which they dragged a #paraplegic Black man from his vehicle. on Sept. 30. Officers stopped Clifford Owensby for illegal window tint while reportedly conducting a drug investigation. After coming across past history records of drug use, they asked him to step out of the vehicle to conduct what’s called a free air smell test. After being commanded to exit the car, the disabled man informed the cops that he was unable to get out the vehicle because he required assistance because … he’s a paraplegic. “No you’re not. No you’re not. You don’t touch me. You’re definitely not about to touch me,” Owensby said in the body camera footage before threatening to file a lawsuit if they touch him and asking for a supervisor to witness the encounter. https://twitter.com/i/status/1446298299674214405 A Georgia State trooper is under investigation after appearing to stomp the head of a suspect during an arrest, the state’s department of public safety said. Video of the incident quickly went viral. The Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) said on October 3, a Black trooper with the Georgia State Patrol pulled over a driver, identified as Jamarco Lucas, because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. DPS said that Lucas initially stopped, but then fled, initiating a pursuit. The video, originally posted on Twitter by “Atlanta Uncensored,” shows Lucas on the ground as the trooper stomps his head twice, drags him across a sidewalk and puts his knee on him as he handcuffs him. https://twitter.com/i/status/1444796115833036802 The Department of Justice is not going to go after Rusten Sheskey with federal criminal civil rights charges. Sheskey is the Minneapolis cop who shot Jacob Blake in the back. The DOJ released its decision via a statement posted Friday. A team of prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division and the US Attorney’s Office determined there wasn’t enough evidence to prove Sheskey “willfully used excessive force.” https://youtu.be/vB-IxAFapNI North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is facing calls to resign after he was caught on video calling gay and transgender people ‘filth’. Footage, first posted online by advocacy group Right Wing Watch on Wednesday, shows Robinson addressing the congregation at the Asbury Baptist Church in Seagrove back in June. The Republican, who would take over if the state’s Democratic Governor Roy Cooper stood down or was impeached, is seen raging that children should not learn about such ‘filth’ in public schools and using a derogatory phrase for transgender people. ‘I’m saying this now, and I’ve been saying it, and I don’t care who likes it: Those issues have no place in a school,’ he says. DailyMail.com grabbed exclusive first pictures of John Eskilsden after he was flushed out of the safety of his house when three suspicious packages were delivered to his neighborhood. But still Eskilsden – who turns 48 next weekend – made no attempt to explain his seemingly racist behavior which has outraged his ethnically-mixed neighborhood in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Nor did his wife Marylou, 48. When DailyMail.com asked the jewelry store clerk if she had anything to say about the heartbreak her husband’s actions had caused, she tersely replied ‘No,’ and got in her car and drove off. The case on Jessamine Court has caused nationwide uproar since Eskilsden’s neighbor, Navy veteran Jannique Martinez, appeared on Don Lemon’s CNN show last week and played video of the blaring lights and obscene chants coming from her neighbor’s home. But Eskilsden refused to answer reporters’ questions – or even come to the door of his 4-bedroom home – as he was pilloried online. Neighbors told DailyMail.com they hardly ever see him. ‘The only time he ever seems to come out is when he puts out the trash on a Wednesday evening,’ said one. A Louisiana teen was arrested after she punched an English teacher with a disability in the face and caused her to be hospitalized. Authorities said she committed the act as part of the “Slap A Teacher” challenge. The incident took place at the Covington High School on Wednesday 18-year-old Larianna Jackson recorded herself punching the teacher moments after class was dismissed. In the video, Jackson approaches the identified 64-year-old woman and punches her in the face repeatedly before she falls off of her chair. The Covington Police Department said in a statement that the teacher was transported to a nearby hospital after sustaining injuries from the attack. Her disability was not disclosed to the public. https://youtu.be/N1eAgsFQEbo Boynton Beach, Florida’s first-ever black female firefighter has filed a $100,000 lawsuit against the city for defamation and negligence after it unveiled a mural last year that depicted her as a white woman. Latosha Clemons, who joined the Boynton Beach and Fire Rescue Department in 1996 and also became its first black deputy chief 20 year later, alleged she suffered mental anguish after seeing the mural last summer, which was meant to celebrate her and her department. ‘Being depicted as white was not only a false presentation of Clemons, it was also a depiction which completely disrespected all that Clemons, the first female black firefighter for the City, had accomplished,’ the lawsuit states. It added that Clemons experienced ‘mental and emotional harm, pain and suffering and damage to personal and professional reputation, as well as subjected her to ridicule, contempt, disgrace and/or humiliation both in the City Administration and in the community at large.’ Finding himself in trouble after a racist e-mail that he sent in 2011 emerged, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is in damage control and has issued a response. Andrew Beaton of The Wall Street Journal obtained an e-mail that Gruden sent to Bruce Allen – at the time, a high-ranking executive for the then Washington Redskins – in July of 2011. In the correspondence, Gruden refers to NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith as “Dumboriss,” and uses a racial trope when talking about him. “Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin tires,” Gruden said. Gruden issued a statement to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “I’m really sorry,” he said and says he’s reached out to Smith. “This is not the first racist comment that I’ve heard and it probably will not be the last.” DeMaurice Smith said. “This is a thick skin job for someone with dark skin, just like it always has been for many people who look like me and work in corporate America. You know people are sometimes saying things behind your back that are racist just like you see people talk and write about you using thinly-coded and racist language. Former President #DonaldTrump went on #SeanHannity’s show on Fox and criticized #Haitian immigrants at the US border, claiming they “probably have AIDS.” Trump said that allowing Haitians into the US is “like a death wish for our country.” “Haiti has a tremendous AIDS problem. AIDS is a step beyond, AIDS is a real bad problem,” he told Hannity. “So hundreds of thousands of people are coming into our country. And if you look at the stats, and if you look at the numbers, take a look what’s happening in Haiti. A tremendous problem with AIDS.” Contrary to his assertions, the prevalence of HIV among Haitian adults aged 15 to 49 is around 1.9%, according to data from the United Nations. While that’s higher than the global rate of 0.7%, reports say Haiti’s HIV prevalence rate has declined significantly in recent decades. Trevon Diggs’ assignment was clear. On third-and-5 Sunday, late in the third quarter, the Cowboys cornerback was in Cover 2, responsible for covering a deep half of the field. The playbook tells him to follow Carolina Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., who streaked into Diggs’ zone in threat of a 55-yard touchdown. His instincts told him differently. Diggs loitered about 12 yards from the line of scrimmage — allowing Marshall to run free 10 yards behind him — and jumped an intermediate crossing route instead. Interception. For over 20 years Taraji P. Henson has entertained us through her award-winning acting in a collection of iconic roles—but now she has set her sights on tackling another aspect of the entertainment industry. During a recent interview, Henson shared the surprising news that she is officially starting her music career courtesy of a forthcoming EP. While appearing on @GoodMorningAmerica, Taraji P. Henson shocked Robin Roberts and the rest of the crew when she revealed that she’s been cooking up something special regarding music—and that her fans should get ready to see a totally different layer to her talent. “I actually have an EP that I’m working on. Surprise!,” she said. However, she elaborated more on what sparked her decision to try music. Rick Ross the founder of Maybach Music has done quite well for himself. During a recent conversation with best-selling author and podcaster Dan Schawbel for Ross’ upcoming new book “The Perfect Day to Boss Up,” Rick dropped some pearls of advice about how he came to be as he is. https://youtu.be/ht2xZjuS25o Writer Matthew Lopez, who is remaking the classic film “The Bodyguard,” yet again, believes that the protagonist for the remake should be Latina. Lopez told movie bosses he’d like the woman taking on Whitney Houston’s most famous film role to be a Latina when he signed on for the project, reports Variety. A Tony Award-winning playwright, Lopez reportedly said the following about his casting desire. “When Warner Bros. approached me about the idea, I quickly said I would (do it) but I wanted the protagonist to be Latina. They agreed to that. “There’s been a lot of speculation about what I’d bring to the remake and some people were assuming that there’d be a gay storyline to it. Instead of focusing on an established star like the one Whitney Houston played, this is about a young Latina performer who has just become famous.” Among the names favored for the remake were Cardi B and Beyonce. However, the 1992 version was celebrated as much for the acting of Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner as it was for the incredible soundtrack. https://youtu.be/rFltWjw9d30 Hip-hop star Nas “shares his philosophy as a lyricist, breaking down how he used his life experiences and emotions to create incredibly raw yet cinematic lyrics with a message to inspire MasterClass members to do the same,” a press release states. Complex spoke with the rapper about MasterClass and why he is sharing some tools of the trade in his new workshop, which begins Oct. 14. https://youtu.be/qMFLu5aK3SA Ludacris (Chris Bridges) teamed with Netflix for his new CG animated series titled “Karma’s World.” The streaming giant ordered 40 11-minute episodes of the series inspired by the rapper’s oldest daughter, Karma Bridges. “I’ve had a lot of accomplishments in my life, but everything that I’ve experienced seems to have led up to this point to where I can leave a legacy for all my daughters,” Ludacris said in a statement. “Karma’s World is one of those legacies. I hope this series will show kids that there are many ways to overcome difficult situations. This show is going to move hip hop culture forward, and show young girls that they have the power to change the world. This project has been a long time in the making and I can’t wait to bring Karma’s World to the entire world.” “During the pandemic…all the tracks were done…going back and forth. We put live drums and live sax in the studio. The first single ‘Smooth Talk’ came out last year. It reached Top 30s. It did pretty good,” said Jazz guitarist dee Brown about his latest album “Deep Secrets” released in September, 2021. https://youtu.be/ezUkUCoD5PU This Saturday, Jared Anderson makes his highly anticipated pay-per-view debut on the undercard of the third matchup between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. Anderson, a rising heavyweight star, has won all nine of his professional fights via knockout. In fact, five of his bouts didn’t make it out of the opening round. That could change on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Anderson, 21, will face the undefeated Vladimir Tereshkin (22–0–1), who has 12 knockouts. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made his first rap debut by hopping on Tech N9ne’s new track titled “Face Off.” The former WWE champion showed off his skills while promoting the new song on Twitter. He tweeted, “Pumped (& humbled) to drop MY 1ST RAP SONG with my brothers, the GOAT @TechN9ne @therealkingiso & #joeycool. Honored to add some Rock gasoline to their FIRE. Im excited for you to hear this song, I think you’re gonna dig it.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CUxhFXEF2ab/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Whoopi Goldberg is opening up about why she stopped dating younger guys. During Wednesday’s episode of The View, Goldberg, 65, discussed age gaps in relationships with co-hosts Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines, and guest co-host Cindy McCain. https://twitter.com/i/status/1445803905422663682 Filmed live in Detroit Mi, Hollywood Confidential Salutes The Clark Sisters Special is a tribute to legendary group The Clark Sisters, in celebration of their outstanding career as the biggest selling girl group of all time, and in recognition of their 5x NAACP nominated Lifetime biopic, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel , which was executive produced by Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, and Queen Latifah. Held at the Saban Theater, the series brings out over 2,500 multicultural millennial attendees per installment, happening four times a year. But with COVID comes the series’ first virtual presentation. Covering a wide range of topics from faith, family, and forgiveness, the women gave several exclusives which are sure to reach the hearts of viewers! Noted for their impact on music of all genres, the special also includes commentary on the ladies from GRAMMY Award winning producers/singers Jermaine Dupri, Faith Evans, Ledisi, SWV, Mary Mary, Donald Lawrence, and EMMY nominated actress Aunjanue Ellis (who portrayed Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, the mother of The Clark Sisters in the biopic). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3GsfiVA0W0 Meech and Terry set up an undercover operation using a food truck to sell drugs to factory workers, while Detective Lopez provides files to uncover who killed Jay-Mo. https://www.starz.com/us/en/series/bmf/62264 Popular lifestyle show, TIA MOWRY'S QUICK FIX with air this Friday, October 7 at 9 P.M. EST/8C on CLEO TV. The multi-talented actress, producer, author and entrepreneur, Tia Mowry, serves as host of the digital series that TV One and CLEO TV inked in a major syndication deal with Kin earlier this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHA6vbHCAo4 CLEO TV will air CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Saturday, October 9 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeT37ulW1t8 It’s Me, Julissa! reintroduces fans to entertainment sweetheart Julissa Bermudez who spent years in the industry, hosting various shows and helping others tell their stories. Julissa's series will focus on her New York upbringing, nostalgic Dominican recipes, and some of her life's faux-pas, as well as the launch of her new body care brand República Skin. Netflix is facing a lawsuit over its hit Korean survival drama series “Squid Game.” The series became an international smash hit overnight after arriving on the platform in September. It has since boosted the social media profiles of the series’ stars and sparked a slew of funny memes. https://youtu.be/oqxAJKy0ii4 The man accused of playing monkey sounds and racist music whenever his Black neighbors come and go from their home in Virginia Beach has reportedly been identified as a 47-year-old white man who lives with his mother. Social media sleuths claim to have uncovered the name of the man who is seemingly being protected by local police, which claims they are powerless to get him to stop playing the racist recordings that likely disrupt the entire neighborhood and not just the home of the Black family that lives next door. According to a growing number of reports across social media, John Michael Eskildsen is the name of the man who is accused of setting up multiple surveillance cameras along with motion sensors to automate the playing of music that contains racist, anti-Black slurs and recorded monkey sounds that are on a loop whenever Jannique Martinez and her family arrive to or leave their home. “Whenever we would step out of our house, the monkey noises would start,” Martinez told local news outlet WAVY, which broke the news last week. “And it’s so racist and it’s disgusting.” For years, it appeared that Disney’s That’s So Raven star Orlando Brown was simply unable to get himself together and stay out of trouble with the law. From DUI charges to failure to show up in court to answer for DUI charges, to public intoxication and disturbing the peace, to drug possession and battery—not to mention his infamous Dr. Phil interview where he revealed he’s fathered multiple children who he never sees and who “don’t know me”—Brown pretty much stayed in the news for all the wrong reasons and fans across social media were left to wonder: Is this dude OK?” Well, it appears that Brown is, in fact, OK, and he’s well on his way to turning his life around. But, curiously, his redemption arc hasn’t received nearly as much media attention as his troubled past behavior. https://twitter.com/i/status/1446107298649329668 NHL forward Evander Kane is under investigation for allegedly using a fake COVID-19 vaccine card. According to AP News, a source told the publication that the league investing whether Kane submitted a fake card, but details of said investigation have not be announced by the NHL. Fake vaccination cards are starting to circulate throughout the United States and a new black market is on the rise. COVID-19 is once again on the uptick in the United States, proof of vaccination has become a hot topic amongst lawmakers and business owners. Many states have already mandated that government workers be vaccinated or tested weekly, now the private sector is following suit. As competition between the United States and China intensifies, more Americans now say the Asian country is more powerful economically, a reversal from two years ago when a plurality said the United States had an economic advantage, according to a survey released Thursday by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The nationwide survey also found that protecting U.S. jobs ranks ahead of other American foreign policy priorities such as fighting global pandemics, combating international terrorism and limiting climate change. But a majority do not see current policies as benefiting working-class or middle-class Americans. Instead, large majorities said that U.S. foreign policies help large companies, wealthy Americans, the government and the military. Almost a dozen sailors have been injured after a U.S. nuclear attack submarine hit an unknown underwater object in the South China Sea, USNI News has learned. The Seawolf-class nuclear attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22) suffered an underwater collision while operating in international waters on Oct. 2 and is returning to port in U.S. 7th Fleet, a U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesman confirmed to USNI News on Thursday. A RAFT of celebrities have paid for fake Covid passports to get onto TV shows without their required vaccinations. The Sun has the name of five stars who paid £750 each to hoodwink the NHS App system and secure their places on upcoming TV series — where executives had asked for proof of a double jab. Four of the individuals are reality TV stars while one is a musician with a string of UK chart hits. Broadcasters that have fallen foul to the scam are Channel 4’s sister broadcaster E4 and MTV. A source said: “Many TV series are now requiring stars to have double jabs and those who don’t want the vaccination are paying for them instead. “Shark Tank” regular Barbara Corcoran bared her teeth during her Thursday visit to “The View” – and now viewers are accusing her of fat-shaming co-host Whoopi Goldberg. The real estate mogul, 72, made a cutting comment after Goldberg jokingly asked if she’d be able to fit into jeans from Good American, a denim company co-founded by Khloe Kardashian and “Shark Tank” star Emma Grede. “Will they fit this COVID [butt]?” Goldberg, 65, asked, with co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro assuring her that she’d be able to rock the body-inclusive brand. Corcoran – seemingly out of the blue – felt the need to chime in. “When you get finished with those jeans, and decide you don’t like them, give them to me,” she said. “I’m gonna make two pairs!” https://youtu.be/q4lda20RV0o “Halloween Kills” star Jamie Lee Curtis wants young people to run away from the knife in real life. "The current trend of fillers and procedures, and this obsession with filtering, and the things that we do to adjust our appearance on Zoom are wiping out generations of beauty,” the 62-year-old actress told Fast Company. “Once you mess with your face, you can’t get it back.” Curtis has firsthand experience; after a minor plastic surgery operation on her eyes in 1989, she was prescribed painkillers, which led her to develop an opioid addiction she kept secret for a decade. https://youtu.be/tz3XdTV3nMo Eighteen former NBA players were charged Thursday with pocketing about $2.5 million illegally by defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan in a scam that authorities said involved claiming fictitious medical and dental expenses. “The defendants’ playbook involved fraud and deception,” U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss told a news conference after FBI agents across the country arrested 15 former players and one of their wives in a three-year conspiracy that authorities say started in 2017. Strauss said the conspiracy was led by Terrence Williams, he submitted $19,000 in fraudulent claims, Tony Allen and his wife were also indicted. Still, the 18 players combined to make $343 million in their on-court NBA careers, which doesn’t include outside income, endorsements or what any may have made playing overseas. Jacksonville Jaguars’ coach Urban Meyer has had quite a week after a video of him dancing suggestively with a young blonde woman made the rounds on social media over the weekend. TMZ reports that his wife, Shelley Meyer, is now speaking up after four days of silence. “We all make mistakes—we are all sinners,” she wrote. In her post, Shelley revealed she was going to leave Twitter because of the “hate, vitriol, and slander” she and her family have been subjected to following her husband’s weekend antics. “To my wonderful followers/friends: THANK YOU,” wrote Shelley. “For your love, support, friendship, laughs—I will miss this most. I love you ALL and wish God’s blessings on you. Thank you.” Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy named rookie Justin Fields the team’s starting quarterback going forward on Wednesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Starting in place of the injured Andy Dalton last week, Fields led the Bears to a 24-14 victory over the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field and earned his first career win as a starter in the NFL. Dalton began the season as Chicago’s QB1; however, he suffered a knee injury in Week 2, and Fields has started the past two contests. Many fans and pundits called for Fields to start from the onset, but he got his chance in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns. Can't Stop, Won't Stop, a popular hip-hop phrase, has new meaning for Andy Mineo, who finally released his 4th studio album, Never Land II, on October 1st. On the eve of his album release, Andy got a call from his lawyers advising him not to drop, Never Land II, because legal had flagged one song, "Been About It," ft Lecrae, for uncleared samples. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNMcZvL_B7M&feature=youtu.be Tonight October 7th 11PM ET*** Bishop Leonard Scott's newest single Great I Am. Premieres on youtube and you are inviting to join the premiere! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnjNwuvRD7g GRAMMY® Award winning producer and recording artist, Donald Lawrence, and GRAMMY® Award winning singer, Le’Andria Johnson, will perform their soul-stirring Billboard No. 1 hit, “This is My Exodus (Deliver Me),” on ABC TV’s “GMA3” this Friday, October 8 @ 1 PM EST/12 PM PST. It re-airs the same day on ABC News Live’s streaming site: www.abcnewslive.com. The Chicago-based Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, will accompany Lawrence and Johnson on the special performance of the song that hails from Lawrence’s concept musical and deluxe soundtrack, “Goshen.” The tune spent four weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart in 2019 and remained on Billboard’s Gospel Streaming Songs chart for 115 weeks. It was recently certified gold by the Recording industry Association of America (R.I.A.A.) for 500,000 shipment units or 75 million or more digital streams. Vincent Bohanan’s mother, the late Marie Bohanan, introduced him to songbooks when he was only six years old. He still has and cherishes the first one that she gave him. Moved by the spiritual and musical magic held in the tome, Bohanan wrote his first song that same year. Now, after more than 20 years of consistently writing and growing his craft, Bohanan is preparing to release a songbook of his own. Available later this year, the 2021/2022 Vincent Bohanan Songbook will feature “We Win,” “Any Day Now,” “He Reigns” and more Bohanan penned songs scored for everyone/anyone who knows how to read music. Bohanan is featured on Rich Tolbert, Jr’s single “Never Be Defeated,” which received a 2021 Dove Award nomination for Gospel Worship Song of the Year. Vincent Bohanan’s debut album on HezHouse Entertainment is expected for release next month and his current single, “Oh Give Thanks”, is quickly making impressions at radio. Amethyst is preparing to release her newest offering to the genre titled, “Redeemed”, which features Grammy Award winning artist, Mali Music. “Redeemed” is an urban Caribbean inspired cut. It speaks of gratitude for redemption. “Redeemed” highlights Amethyst’s musical versatility and is a track that will make listeners want to get up and dance joyfully. “Redeemed” echoes the message of believers’ access to freedom because of God’s grace. The single is set to release on all digital outlets October 8th. One of the most sought-after vocalists in contemporary gospel, Lena’s soulful and extraordinary vocal prowess has caught the attention of musicians and artists alike. Her gift has opened many doors. She has shared the stage with such luminaries as Tye Tribbett, Lalah Hathaway, Deitrick Haddon, Dorinda, John P. Kee, Doobie Powell, the late Thomas “TC" Clay, and more. And she was privileged to sing with the legendary Edwin Hawkins as part of the New Edwin Hawkins Singers—where it all began. Lena Byrd Miles drops "Watch Me." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGeWkrP8u2M TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with acclaimed actress Lynn Whitfield on Sunday, October 10th at 10 PM ET/9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCPSD-Ta0B0&feature=youtu.be Ray J used his downtime battling pneumonia in the hospital to file for divorce from his wife Princess Love… for the third time. The 40-year-old rapper (real name William Ray Norwood Jr.) filed divorce documents Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, via TMZ. The rapper and his 37-year-old ex have been married since 2016, though this marks the third time divorce papers have been filed. Princess first filed for divorce in May 2020, months after the couple got into a massive fight in Las Vegas. It was reported that they had been living separately since February 2020, but they reconciled that summer amid the COVID-19 quarantine. Ray-J filed for divorce in September, citing irreconcilable differences, also asking the judge to uphold their pre-nuptial agreement. A federal judge has blocked enforcement of Texas’ controversial new abortion law, granting an emergency request from the Justice Department. The department sought the preliminary injunction just days after it sued Texas over its new abortion law. Known as SB 8, the law bans almost all abortions in the state after about six weeks of pregnancy, even in cases of rape, sexual abuse and incest. In his 113-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman said that from the moment SB 8 went into effect last month, “women have been unlawfully prevented from exercising control over their lives in ways that are protected by the Constitution.” He added: “[O]ther courts may find a way to avoid this conclusion is theirs to decide. This Court will not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right.” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the court’s decision “a victory for women in Texas and for the rule of law.” Last week, University of Utah football player Aaron Lowe, 21, was shot and killed while attending a house party. Now, KUTV reports that the Salt Lake Police have arrested a 22-year-old man who is also accused of shooting and wounding another victim. Buk M. Buk was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, attempted murder, and felony discharge of a firearm. In a press release, Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown thanked the community for joining forces, saying that “because of those tips and the unrelenting pursuit of justice from our homicide detectives, we have arrested the person accused of murdering Aaron Lowe.” Lowe was in his third season on the team as a defensive back for the Utes. https://youtu.be/b4YiQHhR0Qw Greenville police believe they’ve identified the person behind a racist East Carolina University frat party invite that circulated earlier this year. The anonymous invitation for a Theta Chi party was posted on the social media site Yik Yak in August. It read: “Theta Chi rush party. [Potential new members] and girls only. No blacks.” The note also included the contact information for a member within the fraternity. Theta Chi denied any involvement with the post. After investigating, police found the party wasn’t real and the post was not actually from a member of the fraternity. Instead, they allegedly traced it to James Daniel Edwards IV, a Black student and a member of Pi Lambda Phi, another East Carolina University frat. He has been charged with cyberstalking, and police are not exactly sure why the 19-year-old even made the post. The family of an 18-year-old student suspected of opening fire and injuring four people at a Texas high school on Wednesday claims he was being bullied and brought the handgun to protect himself. Timothy Simpkins, a student at Timberview High School in Arlington, allegedly drew a .45-caliber handgun during a fight that broke out in a classroom around 9:15 a.m. before fleeing in a 2018 Silver Dodge Charger. After an hourslong manhunt, Simpkins turned himself in and is expected to be charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Following the incident, Simpkins’ family told reporters outside their home in Arlington that he was a target of bullying and had been robbed twice at school. “The decision he made, taking the gun, we are not justifying that. That was not right. But he was trying to protect himself,” said family member Carol Harrison Lafayette, according to FOX4 Dallas-Fort Worth. “We hope the police department does the investigation properly.” https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/local/family-of-suspect-in-timberview-school-shooting-releases-statement/287-d1eaf8cd-3541-48eb-81f7-cf2ebe468fda?jwsource=cl The Seattle Seahawks avoided their first three-game losing streak in a decade after beating the San Francisco 49ers Sunday with a 28-21 victory. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who accounted for three of the team’s four touchdowns, had even more to celebrate after achieving his 100th win during the fourth game of his 10th season with the NFL. The 32-year-old tweeted a chart of the 10 fastest quarterbacks to achieve 100 wins, then made sure to give credit to the Lord. “Jesus … YOU get ALL the Glory,” he said in the tweet. JESUS… YOU get ALL the Glory!!! ???????????? Archaeologists believe they have discovered the foundation of the original building of the First Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Virginia, one of the nation’s oldest Black churches. The announcement, shared first with descendants of First Baptist Church members, was officially made on Thursday (Oct. 7) by Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which runs the well-known outdoor living museum and historic district in Williamsburg. “The early history of our congregation, beginning with enslaved and free Blacks gathering outdoors in secret in 1776, has always been a part of who we are as a community,” said the Rev. Reginald F. Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church, in a statement. Andrew Lloyd Webber has said he disliked the 2019 film version of Cats so much he bought a ‘therapy dog’. The theatre impresario said he was let ’emotionally damaged’ by the star-studded big screen adaptation of his classical musical, which he described as ‘off-the-scale wrong’. The film, directed by Tom Hooper, was a critical and commercial flop, with criticism focusing on the CGI effects, plot and acting performances. It was also named worst film of the year at the 40th Golden Raspberry Awards. Lord Lloyd Webber, 73, told Variety: ‘There wasn’t really any understanding of why the music ticked at all. I saw it and I just thought, ‘Oh, God, no.’ ‘It was the first time in my 70-odd years on this planet that I went out and bought a dog. So the one good thing to come out of it is my little Havanese puppy.’ The pastor of a New York church that has halted in-person meetings since the coronavirus pandemic hit last year predicts the predominantly Black congregation won’t gather inside its sanctuary until the start of next year. A Pennsylvania minister is counting on warm fall weather to allow some of her congregants to meet for worship outside in October, as it did two Sundays in September. And a Virginia megachurch leader has twice met with his congregants at Maryland outdoor venues — usually reserved for concerts and football games — but doubts regular in-person worship will happen before December. While many congregations have been back to worship for weeks and months, often masked and socially distant, some African American clergy continue to hold off on in-person services. Others have found that when they do open, most members continue to watch the livestreamed services from home. “Every church has to make a decision on where they believe the line of safety is,” said the Rev. Howard-John Wesley of Alexandria, Virginia. “And in our mind, one member contracting COVID on the grounds of Alfred Street would be more than we believe glorifies God.” Pharrell Williams is pulling his Something in the Water music festival from his hometown of Virginia Beach following the police killing of his cousin by a local Black police officer Solomon Simmons, earlier this year. The move comes after two years of COVID-related cancellations. “The toxic energy that changed the narrative several times around the homicide of my cousin, Donovon Lynch, a citizen of Virginia, is the same toxic energy that changed the narrative around the mass murder and senseless loss of life at Building Number 2,” Williams wrote in a letter, referring to the 12 people who died in a 2019 mass shooting at a local municipal building. “Until the gatekeepers and the powers-that-be consider the citizens and the consumer base, and no longer view the idea of human rights for all as a controversial idea… I don’t have any problems with the city, but I realize the city hasn’t valued my proposed solutions, either,” he wrote. Williams fired off a letter to city manager Patrick Duhaney noting that Virginia Beach has been “run by and with toxic energy” for “far too long.” St. Paul, Minn. truck driver Jaleel K. Stallings, 29, fired three shots at a white cargo van with darkened windows after people in the vehicle fired at him and others who were protesting the death of George Floyd, which had taken place five days earlier. Stallings, an Army veteran with a permit to carry, said that protesters were running from the van and warned him that people were shooting from the vehicle as it rolled slowly down Lake Street. Stallings said that after being hit by a rubber bullet himself, he used his gun to shoot the vehicle in an attempt to scare the attackers off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9BDriydWqs Wayne Brady has revealed that his ex-wife and her boyfriend have welcomed a child together and the game show host is super excited to be a “Duncle” to the newborn. As reported by People, Brady announced on Instagram that his ex-wife Mandie Taketa and her boyfriend Jason Fordham welcomed a baby boy via adoption. Brady gushed in the post that he will be co-parenting along with the couple. “He’s gonna call me Duncle (Daddy/Uncle) because I plan on being around and doing all that stuff,” Brady, who is the baby’s godfather, shared in an Instagram video. https://www.instagram.com/mrbradybaby/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7f5959fe-57de-4a7f-b91b-aa3d230dca44 When Bryson “Cupid” Bernard created the “Cupid Shuffle” in 2007, he didn’t realize the lasting impact it would have on a wide-ranging audience. A timeless classic that appeals to every culture, the shuffle has shown the ability to unite the divided. During these tumultuous times, you can still find several videos of cops and civilians side by side, doing the popular line dance. So, when 17,000 people lined up in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2007 to follow the directions of the dance from Bernard, setting the Guinness World Record for largest line dance, he knew he had created something special. This Louisiana Legend has sold 4 million records, while providing the world with a soundtrack that’s guaranteed to get you dancing. https://youtu.be/h24_zoqu4_Q Kelis’ husband Mike Mora has revealed that he’s battling stage 4 stomach cancer, and he’s documenting the experience on social media. In a series of Instagram posts, Mora explains that he started to fell ill after his family moved to southeast LA to live on a farm, Essence reported. He assumed he was suffering from fatigue due to working long hours under the sun on the family’s farm. However, Mora began to experience brutal stomach pain, a “loss of appetite,” and severe back pain. Mora says that when he finally decided to do something about it he “was a bit late,” but also “just in time.” “I thought the whole time that I just had an ulcer. With no idea what was about to come my way,” he continued. “Here I was, in a hospital bed, during the middle of the pandemic. All alone,” he wrote. https://www.instagram.com/mikemorafotos/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=75fa0e93-60d8-4435-8000-0e148de6079b Giancarlo Esposito speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the veteran actor expressed his frustration with his unvaccinated colleagues who “have superstar agents and managers who can strong arm studios,” writes Uproxx. Esposito is calling them out, saying: “If you don’t want to vaccinate, go to a small island and sequester yourself,” he says. “[Otherwise] you’re saying ‘F*ck you’ to all you other human beings. We all have to do it if we want to live. I don’t understand how people don’t vaccinate. For me, I’ve lost dear friends, so I know it’s real. Not only in Europe but in America, friends who were completely healthy and uncompromised. The vaccine is the answer. I’m not downing anyone who doesn’t want to vaccinate. Don’t work. Go ride it out somewhere where you’re not going to compromise anyone else if you get it.” The popular social media app TikTok is reportedly owned and ran by China, as such, one Hollywood insider claims the platform’s algorithm centers behavior that will have the biggest negative effects in the US. The app pushes to the forefront users who injure themselves and vandalize property while calling it a “trend.” The challenge for October is “slap a teacher.” This follows the popular TikTok challenge involving students stealing school equipment. The California Teachers Association warned staffers to stay alert of possible assaults from students. “Slapping a teacher, regardless of whether it results in injury, is assault and battery and is completely unacceptable and illegal,” the notice read. “Recording in a classroom or on other school property without permission is illegal.” According to reports, very few students are participating in the TikTok ‘slap a teacher’ challenge, as there have only been a handful of isolated incidents reported in schools in Springfield, Missouri and South Carolina. So far, there are not enough students participating to consider this a widespread “viral” trend. Holly Robinson Peete took to Twitter on Monday to blast Air Canada for flagging her sons at the airport and leaving them stranded. Peete wrote to her followers, “Excuse me @AirCanada but you got some explaining to do! My sons have just been refused to get on the airplane and travel because they couldn’t produce our credit card that paid for the tickets. One of them is a minor and now they are stranded in the airport!!!” She continued, tweeting: “I have been traveling back-and-forth to Canada on your airline for 35 years and have never been asked to swipe the actual card that paid for the tickets. Why were these two refused??… The gate agent turned his back on them and refused to allow me to talk to him over the phone to try to explain that I paid for the tickets and I had the card. No more flights until first thing in the morning stuck at the airport.” MSNBC‘s Tiffany D. Cross reached out to Peete for updates on the situation. The veteran actress responded to the host on Tuesday morning, writing, “Thanks sis. The boys had to stay overnight in the airport hotel at our expense. Airline saying this happens sometimes -that they were ‘flagged.’ In any case we rebooked them hoping they don’t make them produce a credit card again this morning. I am on set at work standing by.” Peete said the airline flagged her sons because they were two boys sitting in business class on a one-way ticket. Variety caught up with actress Uzo Aduba as she prepared to start rehearsals for “Clyde’s,” a new Broadway production from writer Lynn Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey that’s set to open at the Second Stage’s Hayes Theater on Nov. 23. Aduba stars as Clyde, the owner of a truck-stop sandwich shop staffed by formerly incarcerated people. The cast also includes Ron Cephas Jones, Reza Salazar, Kara Young and Edmund Donovan. “When you’re on Broadway, the question that is always overhead is how long until we’re told we’re going to close?” Aduba tells Variety. On mounting a production during a global pandemic, she adds: “I’ve never been in a show where it’s been ‘Are we even going to open?’ because the drama’s happening so big offstage. There’s a character bigger than any of us at play here that makes all of this seem like it’s built on shaky ground.” A Richardson ISD junior and a teacher at the district’s learning center campus died last week of “complications from COVID-19,” the superintendent says. Sha’Niyah McGee, a junior at Berkner High School, and Eroletta Piasczyk, a teacher at the Christa McAuliffe Learning Center, died last week, Richardson ISD Superintendent Jeannie Stone wrote in a letter to district staff and parents on Monday. “Sha’Niyah McGee was a junior at Berkner High School and was a kind, respectful and valued member of the BHS family. Eroletta Piasczyk was a teacher at our CMLC campus and was a compassionate, gracious, and talented educator,” Stone wrote. “Both Sha’Niyah and Eroletta were highly cherished members of our RISD family and they will be fondly remembered and missed by their classmates and fellow teachers.” Stone wrote that district counselors would be available for staff and students who need help processing the deaths. A 10-year-old Virginia girl is dead from COVID-19 and her family is demanding answers after learning she was assigned as the ‘class nurse,’ escorting sick kids to the nurse’s office. Teresa Sperry died just five days after she first began experiencing symptoms of COVID with a headache. Her family didn’t learn she tested positive for the coronavirus until two days after her death. Nicole and Jeff Sperry, Teresa’s parents, say that they followed all safety measures to protect their daughter but later learned that her teacher had given her a ‘classroom job’ of walking with sick children to go to the nurse’s office. Nicole Sperry made the accusation in a Facebook post. It took three weeks of scheduled meetings, at least three law firms, dozens of statements, hours of closed-door briefings, and extensive back-and-forth debates across boardrooms, social media, and Zoom calls for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee (EC) to agree to the terms of a third-party investigation into its response to abuse. But on Tuesday, it did. The EC voted 44–31 on in favor of waiving attorney-client privilege in the investigation, after a half dozen members resigned and several switched their position in favor of the waiver. For a moment, it felt like the conclusion of a long and heated process, though the decision is only the start of a long investigative process. EC chairman Rolland Slade, who oversaw the proceedings, expressed his relief after the tally was announced. A Dallas police officer has been arrested and 12 others are under investigation for their participation in what authorities call a pyramid promotion scheme. One officer, Reginald Jones, turned himself in to the DeSoto Police Department after a warrant was issued Friday for his arrest. According to the arrest affidavit, the Dallas Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit received a complaint on Sept. 30, 2020 from another Dallas officer saying Jones was “… promoting a pyramid scheme by recruiting individuals to pay money to participants and then recruit new participants in order to receive money in return.” https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/crime/officials-dallas-officer-arrested-a-dozen-others-face-charges-in-alleged-pyramid-scheme/287-a6466504-4c7f-4c30-9116-3abd9ca52e42?jwsource=cl R. Kelly’s YouTube channels have been permanently removed after he was sent to prison for exploiting his fame for decades to recruit multiple women and underage girls for sex. In a statement, YouTube confirmed that two channels—RKellyTV and RKellyVevo—have been taken down for good and the convicted sex criminal won’t be allowed to create or own any other channel at any time in the future. However, Kelly’s music will remain on the company’s audio-streaming service YouTube Music, and other users will be able to upload videos of his music. Kelly’s songs are also still available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. The MuteRKelly campaign, which is trying to cut off Kelly’s revenue streams in light of his conviction, responded with a tweet that said: “Waiting on you @youtubemusic, and you too @Spotify @AppleMusic @AmazonMusic.” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Christian singer TobyMac opened up about his son’s death while performing in a concert last week, thanking fans for their support and acknowledging that he’s been walking through a “valley.” TobyMac also said he believes he will see his son again in heaven. Truett McKeehan died in 2019 at the age of 21. TobyMac made the remarks while performing the first leg of his Hits Deep tour in Moline, Ill. “Some of you said to me along the way, you said, ‘You’ll see him again.’ … I can say with perfect confidence, I believe, with all my heart, that I will see my boy again. “The question is this: Why do I get to see my son again? Because his good outweighed his bad? No – because it didn’t. He was my wild child. And my good doesn’t outweigh my bad. There’s only one reason I get to see my son again, and it’s this: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. The way I see it … is this: God gave His firstborn son so that I could see my firstborn son again.” ESPN has removed personality Sage Steele from programming for a week after she made controversial remarks in a podcast appearance, including calling the company’s coronavirus vaccine mandate “sick” and saying it was “fascinating” that former President Obama self-identifies as Black “considering his Black dad was nowhere to be found.” A source told Front Office Sports on Tuesday that Steele won’t appear in her regular noon “Sportscenter” slot for a week and she will no longer be the host for the 2021 “espnW: Women + Sports Summit,” which will take place from Oct 18-20. “At ESPN, we embrace different points of view — dialogue and discussion makes this place great,” ESPN said in a statement. “That said, we expect that those points of view be expressed respectfully, in a manner consistent with our values, and in line with our internal policies.” A bare-knuckle fighter has died in hospital six weeks after a brutal 19-second knockout left him partially paralyzed. Justin Thornton, 38, was taking part in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) 20 in Biloxi, Mississippi on August 20 when he sustained a brutal KO defeat. His opponent Dillon Cleckler caught him with a vicious right hook just 19 seconds into the first round, sending him face-first to the canvas before the referee quickly halted proceedings and rushed to his aid. According to his Facebook page, where a GoFundMe was set up shortly after the fight, Thornton was taken straight to hospital and was partially paralyzed and put on a ventilator for several weeks. Dealing with the fallout from viral videos showing Urban Meyer at an Ohio bar over the weekend, Jaguars owner Shad Khan released a statement saying Meyer “must regain our trust and respect.” “I have addressed this matter with Urban,” Khan said in the statement. “Specifics of our conversation will be held in confidence. What I will say is his conduct last weekend was inexcusable.“I appreciate Urban’s remorse, which I believe is sincere. Now, he must regain our trust and respect. That will require a personal commitment from Urban to everyone who supports, represents or plays for our team. I am confident he will deliver.” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com TV One has announced that production is underway in Atlanta for its new original movie STALKER, slated to premiere in March 2022. The movie tells the story of an actress that is stalked by a mysterious figure who hides out in her hometown, where she becomes involved with two men, and tries to determine if one is behind what is happening. The film’s stars include Meta Golding (Behind the Movement), Christian Keyes (Saints & Sinners) and Tationna Bosier (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit). http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Created by Kaye Singleton (Saints & Sinners, American Soul), Covenant will draw audiences into a world of thrilling, suspenseful drama where characters and stories of the bible are thrust into a vicious dystopia of present-day, real-life situations. The four-part anthology series will tell four remarkable tales of betrayal, love, revenge, and redemption – challenging viewers to examine how these sacred lessons of faith fit into today’s society. Each story will be told in 2-parts (8 weeks total) debuting exclusively on popular AMC Networks’ streamer ALLBLK (www.ALLBLK.tv), on Thursday, October 14th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShZc-AaR8wU This year the 2021 BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” brought the hottest names in Hip Hop back to Atlanta, GA for the annual taping. Comedy supergroup 85 South (Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly, and Chico Bean) hosted this year’s awards from The Cobb Energy Centre which premiered on Tuesday, October 5 on BET, BET Her, MTV2 and VH1. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion ruled the night by jointly snagging three wins each including ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Best Hip Hop Video’ and ‘Best Collaboration’ for their smash hit “WAP.” Tyler, The Creator took home two wins for ‘Hip Hop Album of the Year’ and ‘Best Live Performer’ in addition to his “Rock the Bells Cultural Influence Award” presented by LL Cool J. Jay Z scored double wins in the “Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse” and “Impact Track” for his Nipsey Hussle collaboration “What It Feels Like.” Newcomer Yung Bleu was crowned ‘Best New Hip Hop Artist’ while rap sensation Saweetie took home ‘Hustler of the Year.” Music icon Missy Elliott was voted ‘Video Director of the Year’ and ‘Lyricist of the Year’ went to J. Cole. UK rapper Little Simz took home the ‘Best International Flow’ award. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SQeFvp4rY0&feature=youtu.be Tesla must pay $137 million to a Black employee who sued for racial discrimination. A San Francisco federal court has awarded former Tesla worker, Owen Diaz, about $137 million after he endured racist abuse working as an elevator operator. CNBC writes, “the case was only able to move forward because Diaz had not signed one of Tesla’s mandatory arbitration agreements which the company uses to force employees to resolve disputes without a public trial.” Diaz was awarded more than attorneys asked for their client, $130 million in punitive damages and $6.9 million for emotional distress, per the report. https://youtu.be/vmz3_gfpttw Dave Chappelle is catching heat from the LGBTQ community for remarks made in his newest comedy special. “Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on earth. That is a fact,” Chappelle said in “The Closer.” “Now, I am not saying that to say trans women aren’t women, I am just saying that those p—ies that they got… you know what I mean? I’m not saying it’s not p—y, but it’s Beyond P—y or Impossible P—y. It tastes like p—y, but that’s not quite what it is, is it? That’s not blood,” he said. “That’s beet juice.” https://youtu.be/i1UEj_6T1RE Nick Cannon and his new daytime talk show could replace Wendy Williams’ timeslot amid her continued health issues. Show execs are said to be considering Cannon a “backup plan” since the season 13 premiere has been delayed several times. An insider revealed to Page Six, “The executives have been talking. They are keeping a close eye on [Williams’] recovery and hoping for the best. But they have pushed back [her] show premiere several times, so they are already thinking of a backup plan.” The source claims Nick is the top choice due to his popularity. The planned “L.A. Law” continuation has just inched closer toward becoming a reality, as ABC has given a pilot green light to the updated version of Steven Bochco’s legal drama. The reboot, which had been in the works at the network since December, is headlined by Blair Underwood, reprising his role as attorney Jonathan Rollins in addition to executive producing along with Anthony Hemingway, who will also direct. https://youtu.be/tAXa0wzwVKs Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired the North American rights to up and coming director, Maya Cozier’s “She Paradise.” The Soca dance drama stars Onessa Nestor, Kimberly Crichton (“Home Again”), Denisia Latchman, Michael Cherrie (“The Rise and Fall of John Tesoro”), Kern Mollineau, and Chelsey Rampersad. https://youtu.be/ArhKGfi0MI8 Late “60 Minutes” journalist Ed Bradley was honored in Fairmount Park Thursday with a Pennsylvania historical marker. Per The Philadelphia Tribune, throughout his career, the Philly native received dozens of prestigious awards in journalism, including Emmys, Duponts and Peabodys. “I think he’d be genuinely surprised,” said Patricia Blanchet, widow of Ed Bradley. “He never forgot that he was from this place called The Bottom, known as the Black Bottom at one point in time,” said Blanchet. “When I learned of his history here (in Philadelphia), it was much more than a place where he was from, but a place that shaped him into the man he’d become,” Blanchet said. On the heels of a visual teaser for her first new music in six years, Adele is reportedly shopping Las Vegas hotels for a planned residency in lieu of touring behind her impending new album. Billboard is reporting that the hotel search has narrowed down to two possibilities: the Park Theater at the Park MGM Las Vegas and the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, both run by Live Nation. Both have maximum capacities just shy of 7,000, Billboard reports. https://youtu.be/RB9sXKVUa_s Following the third installment of Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show, the singer is giving her lingerie and loungewear brand the storefront treatment next year. As reported by The Root, Savage X Fenty’s co-president and chief merchandising and design officer Christiane Pendarvis made the announcement during an interview for Bloomberg’s Black in Focus Twitter series. "Retail is an important part of our growth strategy. You’ll absolutely see some stores in 2022,” Pendarvis explained, adding that the stores will be standalones as opposed to a “store within a store.” https://youtu.be/FG8UWWCjrT8 New Baltimore recording artist, Jamaal Miller comes out with a song of encouragement in these times with a song that let's you know that It ain't gonna be "LIKE THIS" always. This song is blessing many around the world.https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i8dbktc9su2fdsw/AABMMFTBo6ngjFmSBbSFEWcAa?dl=0&preview=Like+This+.mp3 Kerry Douglas Presents to the world his brand new artist with a big sound LaShá Knox. Her oily anointed & highly impressive vocals is a perfect combination for the remake of "Surrounded (Fight My Battles)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xI5jOhC7Ac Grammy Nominated & Stellar Award Winning Gospel Hit-Maker REV. LUTHER BARNES Continues To Make Moves On The Charts......https://soundcloud.com/shanachie-1/luther-barnes-you-kept-me-radio/s-PByjBLNTaD1 Rhonda Towns (Dawn Records) has announced the release of the "Walking In Your Wonderful Light" official music video. Corresponding with the April 2021 single release, the long-awaited visual is an uplifting and inspiring complement to the tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxXdmbbwFtc Singer Tia Rachelle is on a mission to make her mark on the world. She drops "Sufficient Grace." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4lNT9CjPd4 At least four people were injured Wednesday morning during a shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas. Police said that a fight between students on the second floor of the school escalated when one of the students pulled out a gun and began firing. Video of the moment shots rang out has been circulating on the Internet. A total of four people were hurt, including three students and one adult. Three of the victims were transported to nearby hospitals and the fourth person had minor injuries and was treated and released on the scene. Syleena Johnson is sharing her thoughts on the latest concerning R. Kelly – and she doesn’t believe he should be in jail. On a recent episode of Cocktails With Queens, the co-hosts spoke on recent reports that R. Kelly was allegedly working with prosecutors to get a reduced sentence, by providing information on other celebrities who have been with minors. Syleena Johnson shared her thoughts and said, “I’m not gonna cry. I think he has really been misjudged here. I don’t think he needs to be in jail. I think he needs to be in an insane asylum. Real talk.” “Don’t get it twisted. I think he needs to be in a straight jacket. I think some of the behavior that has been going`down has been erratic, and I think that a lot of Black men in jail have been misjudged.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CUp51RaFKv4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Aaron Benson, an inmate at California State Prison in Lancaster, has just taken a step toward changing his life. He was among the inmates on Tuesday who participated in the first ever Cal State graduation ceremony held inside a state prison. “None of us thought this would be possible and we faced a lot of adversity in our lives and in here,” he told ABC7. “I’m so proud of everybody.” Benson joined 22 fellow classmates – all in cap and gowns – to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies through an educational partnership with Cal State L.A. Prison inmate and graduate Jason Keaton said he can’t believe it really happened. He said he has plans for the future. https://abc7.com/prison-inmates-college-degree-cal-state-la-lancaster/11086787/ “It’s a Ghana term,” said Mint Condition lead vocalist Stokley Williams about the title to his sophomore solo album “Sankofa” (Perspective Records) featuring Snoop Dogg, H.E. R., Wale, The Bonfyre and his father African Studies Professor Mahmoud El-Kati. “There’s even a symbol for it, a bird looking back while moving forward.” The “Sankofa” project is distributed on the newly re-activated imprint of music living legends Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Flyte Time/Janet Jackson), home of Mint Condition and Sounds of Blackness. The Stokley project features songwriting assistance from Carvin Haggins (Jill Scott), S.Dot (Mary J Blige), and Shakespeare! (Justin Bieber). Kailand Morris, the son of music icon Stevie Wonder, spoke out earlier this year about designing his own capsule collection with Italian sportswear label Iceberg. Morris, 20, interned with Dior last winter, and the young model often shares via his Instagram his work with brands like Balmain, Dior, Lacoste and Dolce & Banana – with whom he made his runway debut in 2018, as reported by Black Enterprise. He established House of KOM, which last summer released a fundraising T-shirt benefitting Black Lives Matter. https://www.instagram.com/kailandmorris/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b7dfbf1d-b231-457e-99f6-f340593305b7 Global street dance competition Red Bull Dance Your Style will make its debut in Memphis on Sunday, October 10th at Railgarten. Per press release, the event will bring together the best in hip-hop, house, waacking, popping, krumping, locking, jookin, and more, the event will celebrate the vibrant dance scene of Memphis and the artists, movers, and creators who have contributed to the city’s legacy within street dance. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUqUv2ghYwg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Oprah Winfrey is keeping her circle small! The media mogul explained in a recent interview why she only has three close friends. She opened up about her close friendships while on the Making Space with Hoda Kotb podcast Monday (Oct. 4). She first detailed her longtime friendship with Maria Shriver, who she’s been friends with for more than four decades. She went on to say other than Maria Shriver, her infamous 42-year friendship with Gayle King, and her close relationship with journalist Bob Greene, she doesn’t have very many friends. https://www.instagram.com/thejasminebrand/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2441aed6-da4b-4f4c-bda7-71a5ec9562a5 With this week’s upcoming season premiere of ABC’s Shark Tank, history will be made as a Black woman will occupy a seat on the stage of the popular unscripted show. According to ABC, Emma Grede, the CEO of fashion juggernaut Good American and founding partner of SKIMS, will be making history when she appears on stage with the others as the first Black female guest Shark. The regular cast of Sharks, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary, will be making their usual appearances for the 13th season of Shark Tank. Bubba Wallace has made history by becoming the second Black driver to win at NASCAR’s top Cup Series race on Monday at Talladega Superspeedway. “This is for all the kids out there that want to have an opportunity and whatever they want to achieve, and be the best at what they want to do,” Wallace said as he choked back tears, NPR reports. “You’re going to go through a lot of (BS). But you always got to stick true to your path and not let the nonsense get to you. https://youtu.be/u7ro994dTKA Four new hip hop couples face the music on a brand-new season of “Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition,” premiering Thursday, October 7 on WE tv. https://youtu.be/JfAS30kLZto Howard University and Netflix are honoring late alumnus Chadwick Boseman with a $5.4 million scholarship benefiting incoming students of the historically Black university. The Chadwick A. Boseman Memorial Scholarship will provide a four-year scholarship covering the entire cost of tuition to students attending the College Of Fine Arts, according to a press release. The scholarship will first be distributed to a student from each class in the Fall of 2021, before being granted to incoming freshmen every year. Former Ozy Media staffers say they are definitely not returning to the job amid reports that the company is closing following a scathing New York Times exposé about a conference call gone wrong. The incident prompted a review of Ozy’s leadership, and despite the company’s announcement last week that it would be closing, Carlos Watson, co-founder of the disgraced digital-media venture, went on TV Monday morning to say that Ozy Media is not going away anytime soon. There does not appear to be a plan. Carlos has gone completely rogue,” one former staffer tells TheWrap. “The entire editorial staff is done with him — who would possibly go back? Who the hell is going to want to go on ‘The Carlos Watson Show’ now?” “We are all sick of the roller coaster,” another former employee said. Someone vandalized a statue of George Floyd in New York’s Union Square with paint. The incident occurred not even 48 hours after it was unveiled to the public in an emotional ceremony. The statue is one of 3 — including Breonna Taylor and John Lewis. It was smeared with what appears to be grey paint. As it turns out, the culprit behind the attack was caught on camera doing the deed. https://youtu.be/LpsBKlO0I-g The Texas board of pardons and parolees said that should be pardoned for a 2004 drug conviction based on a charge by former Houston police officer Gerald Goines, who is currently facing charges tied to the botched Harding Street drug raid, reports ABC13. Goines was charged last year with murder over a deadly botched narcotics raid in 2019 at a home that killed Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas. An investigation into the raid by prosecutors found that multiple people, including Floyd, may have been convicted based on the false evidence presented by Goines. WCCO has uncovered disturbing new details about why a Minnesota high school canceled its football season. School leaders and police in Proctor won’t talk specifics, but multiple students told WCCO about a locker room assault and the video that spread on social media. “Everyone’s just super stressed. It’s just hard,” Phoenix Koski told us. Multiple students told us two football players held down another player as a third, older teammate used an item to sodomize that player held on the ground. https://cbsloc.al/3A4jZCJ Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren pleaded guilty on Monday and agreed to resign shortly before her term ends as part of a deal to settle charges she violated campaign finance rules during her 2017 reelection campaign. Warren, 44, was scheduled to go on trial Monday on felony charges she and two assistants took steps to evade contribution limits. Instead, Warren, the first female and second black mayor of Rochester, pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor charge of accepting campaign contributions that exceeded legal limits, according to the Monroe County district attorney’s office. Her two co-defendants, Rosiland Brooks-Harris, political action committee treasurer and Rochester finance director, and Warren’s campaign treasurer, Albert Jones Jr., have also pleaded guilty to the same charge. On THE REAL airing Tuesday, October 5th, professional dancer, model, actress and body positivity influencer Amanda LaCount opens up about her journey to dancing, revealing some of the struggles she faced trying to break the stereotype in the dance community to ultimately working with music superstars Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lizzo and Lady Gaga. https://youtu.be/9UKUvSyORF4 ; President Joe Biden has lifted a ban on federally funded family planning clinics giving abortion referrals. Monday’s action by the Department of Health and Human Services lifts a Trump-era restriction as political and legal battles over abortion grow sharper from Texas to the U.S. Supreme Court. Groups representing the clinics say they hope the rule reversal leads to the return of 1,300 service providers that left the program merely to protest the Trump policy. The Department of Health and Human Services said it’s returning the federal family planning program to the way it ran under the Obama administration. Planned Parenthood said on Twitter its health centers look forward to returning. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com A married black couple who fled to the UK to escape slavery in the US, have had their former London home honored with a blue plaque by English Heritage. Ellen and William Craft lived at 26 Cambridge Grove, a mid-Victorian house in Hammersmith, after fleeing the US to embark on a dangerous 1,000 mile journey in the mid-19th century. Ellen, who was the child of a mixed-race slave raped by her white owner, was a fair-skinned house servant to her half-sister and worked as a seamstress, while her husband William worked as a carpenter for his slaveholder. Adele has announced that her comeback single Easy On Me will be released next week. The pop superstar shared a short video on Twitter containing the opening bars of the piano-led track and confirmed it will arrive on Friday October 15. In the black and white clip, the 33-year-old is seen inserting a cassette into a car stereo and driving down a country lane while pieces of paper fly out of the windows of her car. Aretha Franklin was given her propers Monday (Oct. 4) when a post office in her hometown of Detroit was renamed for the late legend. Members of Franklin’s family as well as postal and elected officials visited the former Fox Creek post office to mark the occasion. Aretha Franklin was given her propers Monday (Oct. 4) when a post office in her hometown of Detroit was renamed for the late legend. Members of Franklin’s family as well as postal and elected officials visited the former Fox Creek post office to mark the occasion. https://youtu.be/JsTRhCxYf4o Having your thoughts narrated by Morgan Freeman, aka the Voice of God, is a rare occurrence that Dave Chappelle is lucky enough to have in his latest promo for standup special “The Closer,” which premiered at midnight on Netflix. Sadly, for Freeman, Chappelle just wasn’t in the mood for Freeman’s dramatics. As the comic drove along a country road, with Freeman’s voice narrating his state of mind, Chappelle slams on the breaks, and Freeman is revealed to be riding shotgun. “Will you shut the f**k up, Morgan Freeman!” Chappelle shouts. https://youtu.be/i1UEj_6T1RE Hip-hop legends KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane will reportedly face off for the next Verzuz battle. The virtual show will take place on Sunday, October 17th at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center. The news follows reports that Dru Hill has challenged Boyz II Men, 112 and Jagged Edge to a Verzuz battle. Dru Hill posted a video on social media requesting a virtual face-off between popular R&B boy groups of the 90s. Will Downing is bringing NEW MUSIC to fans! Downing outlined the track list for his upcoming album, Sophisticated Soul set to release November 2. Will Downing continues to serve his fan base through his own Sophisticated Soul Record label. The 8 songs on Will Downing – Sophisticated Soul track list includes: Baby I’m Yours, Come With Me, Let’s Go, Love Language, Never Wanted Anyone, Old School Love, Warmth of You and When I First Saw You. Chris and Roberta Holmes founded The Black Home Shopping Channel streaming on Exposure Network TV, and now the couple is expanding their talents to other major streamers. The Holmes will create a new channel for Amazon, Roku and Apple TV, Black Enterprise reports. FOX SOUL, the Black community’s premiere free streaming platform serving unapologetically Black, consumable by all content 365 days a year, has forged strategic partnerships with several top media and entertainment companies, including: The For Us By Us Network, Stellar TV, Black Enterprise, Dame Dash Studios, among others, to release an exciting lineup of new shows this Fall. Available now on YouTubeTV and YouTube, as well as the FOX SOUL app and website, Samsung TV, ROKU and Tubi, the streaming platform and its strategic partners are bringing a mix of original talk, reality, faith and informational series featuring cultural icons in music, entertainment and sports. Tyler Perry and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse are joining forces on a new thriller titled “Help.” The pair shared the news Friday at the second annual BlumFest, Deadline reports. The plot details haven’t been revealed. The movie will begin filming at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta next year. ESPN sports anchor Sage Steele is trending following Wednesday taping of the podcast, “Uncut,” where she made a few shocking comments. During Jay Cutler’s show, the former footballer called Steele the “Candace Owens of ESPN” after the two discussed the criticism she has gotten for her anti-vaccine stance. Steele said ESPN’s vaccine mandates are “sick” and “scary,” but got it to keep her job: “I respect a lot of Candace Owens,” said Steele about the controversial Black commentator who is also not a fan of COVID vaccine mandates. On Sunday, another clip from the show was picked up and went viral. Cutler and Steele had a conversation about the Black identity and former President Barack Obama when discussing how Steele would fill out the census. Steele said that she told a friend that said Barack Obama chose Black as his race on the Census because bi-racial is not an option. “Congratulations to the President, that’s his thing.” She added, “I think that’s fascinating considering his black dad is nowhere to be found but his white mom and grandma raised him, but okay. You do you. I’m gonna do me.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CUnCMn1FTL9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again In the latest episode of Spotify’s “Jemele Hill is Unbothered,” Comedian, actress and author Phoebe Robinson joins Jemele to discuss her new book, “Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes.” Phoebe also discusses what it was like to tour with former First Lady Michelle Obama on her book tour, how she found her voice in comedy, and how it feels to have her first stand-up comedy special debuting on HBO Max. Also, Jemele has some advice for the loud and wrong. https://open.spotify.com/episode/763TxIekdcL4ZxOhesGMWV?go=1&sp_cid=d8f3404834cb0a4e638c1ad03aa1e03c&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&dl_branch=1&nd=1 Netflix has unveiled its list of entertaining shows and films for the month of October. Fans of the streaming giant’s hit series “You,” will be thrilled to know that the third season debuts this month. A prequel to Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead “titled “Army of Thieves” will also drop as well as Colin Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay’s “Colin in Black & White” series. https://youtu.be/yqJFWS81Mf4 Treasure Thompson is bringing it to your doorsteps with Nu Energy Spa. The traveling spa provides a plethora of services from teeth whitening, Yoni steaming, ionic full-body detoxification, silicone cupping – to skip the bruising – and a pink Himalayan salt room, vaginal masks, and cool mist chromotherapy. “I fell in love helping others after having to take care of my grandmother at a young age. Which led me here,” shared Thompson to the crowd at the grand opening last Saturday at a laid-back location in Downtown LA. Family and friends gathered for brunch and mimosa’s to watch the purple ribbon-cutting ceremony. The DJ was playing hit after hit and there was a spinning wheel to win raffle tickets for free services. Catch Aaron Moses of Maverick City Musica on THE REAL with the #1 Single "Nadie Como Tu" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc_JZI3E4kw The Rise and Shine: Ladies Who Brunch event created and curated by actress, producer and creator Malinda Williams took place over the weekend at the 1 Hotel in West Hollywood. The afternoon brunch gathered dynamic and accomplished women from all genres and influence in entertainment, executives and small business owners to network and celebrate black excellence. VIP guests in attendance included Niecy Nash, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Koshie Mills, Monique Coleman, Alexis Kerr and more! The 2nd annual event was a hybrid, inclusive of an in-person brunch and a virtual experience hosted by Porsha Monique. Malinda's co-hosts of the Rise and Shine event were powerhouse celebrity publicist and TV Personality Kita Williams and best-selling author, transformational speaker and Editor-In-Chief of Cheryl Magazine, Cheryl P. Williamson. The women in attendance understood the assignment of celebrating sisterhood and female empowerment. A new pilot program at several U.S. Postal Service locations tests the potential for a new future of financial services. The program is limited to postal customers in select areas in Falls Church, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Bronx, New York; and Washington, D.C. NBC News reported that customers could cash payroll or government checks of $500 or less. Customers will also have ATM access, bill payment, and expanded money orders and wire transfers. Citing a May 2021 study from the University of Michigan, NBC News reported approximately 60 million people live in a census tract with a retail post office but not a community bank. Researchers pointed to the need to expand access to financial services to build back from the pandemic. With the entire Facebook network of social media sites down for most of the day Monday, social media users have scrambled to get their news, information, and laughs. The cause of the outages remained unknown as of Monday afternoon. But the impact could be felt as individuals and companies alike were rethinking contingency plans for moments like this. Facebook’s several-hour outage could also be an opening for other social networking sites. Entertainment journalist Gary Hamilton tweeted that while all the other sites were struggling, BlackPlanet was still going strong. Video of a Missouri man who pulled a driver from a burning car – instead of whipping out his phone to merely film his apparent doom, as many onlookers did – has gone viral. eilen Robinson, 23, was driving on Interstate 70 in St. Louis on a Tuesday evening when he crashed into the cement median, was knocked unconscious and became trapped inside of his vehicle, which quickly burst into flames, according to Fox News. Antonio Morgan, also driving along I-70 in St. Louis on a Tuesday evening, saw the accident, noted the driver trapped inside, saw the car burst into flames and decided to pull over to help. https://youtu.be/MLAbO94NP5w Barack Obama and Michelle Obama shared touching tributes on social media over the weekend to mark their 29th wedding anniversary. The former first lady posted a throwback of her and the former president lounging on a couch together along with another shot of them cuddled on a different couch. “How it started vs. how it’s going,” wrote Michelle on Instagram on Sunday. “Happy anniversary, Barack—love you! ????.” He was the first basketball player in two decades to bypass college altogether and enter the NBA out of high school. “Anything is Possible,” the apt title of a documentary spotlighting the remarkable rise and reign of Kevin Garnett, hits Showtime beginning Friday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. The film explores how Garnett’s decision to become eligible for the NBA draft out of high school changed the face of the NBA and ushered in a phenomenon that reverberated beyond the league and even the sport. In addition to Garnett, the film features a range of dynamic voices and characters including Snoop Dogg, Sam Cassell, Pau Gasol and more. https://youtu.be/RErHyWLzTN8 Paying attention to LeBron James’s comment is veteran center Enes Kanter who was asked if he was surprised by James’ stance. Kanter admitted that he was disappointed by James’ lack of encouragement for those around him. https://twitter.com/i/status/1444656879041454080 William Shatner, the "Star Trek" actor who found fame by pretending a Hollywood soundstage was a spaceship exploring the galaxy, will be launched to the edge of space for real next week in a rocket built by Blue Origin, billionaire Jeff Bezos' space company. Shatner, best known as Captain Kirk in the original "Star Trek" television series, will be part of a four-person crew aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard launch vehicle on the flight scheduled for the morning of Oct. 12, the company said on Monday. "I've heard about space for a long time now," Shatner, 90, said in a statement released by Blue Origin."I'm taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle." When famed Motown singer Tammi Terrell was 17 years old, she reportedly dated music icon James Brown who was age 30 at the time. Before she found success as a singer best known for her duet with Marvin Gaye, “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing,” Terrell was Brown’s backup vocalist. According to Tammi’s sister, Ludie Montgomery, their Mother once found Brown sleeping in Tammi’s bed in an NYC hotel suite. According to Tammi Terrell’s sister (Ludie), James Brown enticed the impressionable 17-year-old Tammi with lavish gifts and luxuries when she toured with the James Brown Review. James also bought her many presents which included furs, jewelry and gorgeous ensembles; the next outfit was more beautiful than the last. Singer Gene Chandler previously revealed that Brown was abusive to Terrell. “I witnessed the situation and she came to me for help, then I called her parents,” said Chandler. After Terrell and Brown called it quits she reportedly dated another alleged abuser of women, Temptations lead singer, David Ruffin. https://youtu.be/IC5PL0XImjw Usher’s ex-wife Tameka Foster opens up about their marriage in her new memoir titled “Here I Stand… in a Beautiful State,” which is now available to purchase. Foster tells Page Six that one of the biggest misconceptions is that she married the global superstar for his money. “The truth is, I really, really loved my husband,” Foster said. “It wasn’t bull****. It wasn’t gold-digging. I always said that I took a pay cut when I married him.” Throughout their relationship, Foster was labeled a gold digger, she was criticized for being eight years older than the singer and there were rumors that she didn’t get along with Usher’s mother. Page Six writes, Usher canceled “their wedding when his mother told him Foster was five years older than she actually was.” Last month, Foster promoted her book on the “Tamron Hall” show and shared how she coped with the tragic loss of her son, Kile Glover, almost 10 years ago. The child died from head injuries he suffered in a jet skiing accident. https://youtu.be/JJSwYARrAOA In July Keyshia Cole lost her biological mother, Frankie Lons, to a drug overdose. Her autopsy shows she died of multiple drug intoxication, according to TMZ. The Alameda County Coroner’s Office told the site that Frankie’s official cause of death ‘was determined during her autopsy, which also revealed her manner of death as an accidental overdose.’ She passed on her birthday after battling addiction for years. She was 61. As reported by Deadline, when the hit series kicks off production in the fall, stars Raven Symoné and Isaac Ryan Brown will film on a new set along with several major changes in front and behind the camera. Season 5 welcomes back series regular Rondell Sheridan and joining the upcoming season are Mykal-Michelle Harris, Felix Avitia and Emmy Liu-Wang. If you’re trying to access Facebook, Instagram and other associated apps and functions, but CAN’T … it’s because the company suffered a major outage across several countries on Monday. The issues began around 11:45am ET on Monday, according to user reports on Downdetector. They appeared to affect users in many countries around the world. In a tweet addressing the outage, Facebook said, “We’re aware that some people are having trouble accessing our apps and products. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, and we apologize for any inconvenience.” Instagram also addressed the outage on Twitter, saying, “Instagram and friends are having a little bit of a hard time right now, and you may be having issues using them. Bear with us, we’re on it! #instagramdown.” Carlos Watson’s Ozy Media is reportedly closing its doors following a scathing New York Times exposé about a conference call gone wrong. The closure comes after a co-founder of the company impersonated a YouTube executive during a funding call with a Goldman Sachs banker while attempting to raise $40 million from the investment bank. “We’re going to open for business,” Watson told “Today” show anchor Craig Melvin. “This is our Lazarus moment, if you will. This is our Tylenol moment. Last week was traumatic. It was difficult, heartbreaking in many ways.” Per CNN, “The company has already, in effect, dissolved. Three of the five board members resigned in the wake of The New York Times’ Ben Smith exposé about Ozy’s misrepresentations,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/ZmzKJ4YJDgg CNN’s Don Lemon recently spoke with a Black woman in Virginia who says her racist neighbor in a Salem Lakes cul de sac taunts her with racist recordings and monkey noises. Jannique Martinez and her family moved into their home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, five years ago, a property Martinez describes as “everything I envisioned for my family and for raising my kids in a nice, quiet neighborhood,” she tells CNN. But her happy home was disrupted by a racist neighbor’s music, racial slurs, blinking lights and monkey sounds directed at her daily. “I’m not going to lie, if I had any imagination it would be like this, we would have not bought this house. I would never sign up for this,” she said. https://youtu.be/uLBwZ2lTUno Deontay Wilder will stop Tyson Fury in the first half of their third fight on Oct. 9, according to Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel. Wilder will “conclusively” regain his WBC heavyweight title from Fury said Finkel, who considers “The Bronze Bomber” to be “on that level” with four other champions he’s guided — Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson and the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali. “I believe Deontay is going to knock him out in under six rounds,” said Finkel, 77. “There won’t be any reason for a fourth fight. I think you’re going to see a very dominant performance from Deontay, and I think he will end the fight conclusively, and then we can move on.” On Thursday, (Sept. 30), boxer Claressa Shields called out Jake Paul and challenged him to a match. Notably, Claressa Shields is the only boxer in history to simultaneously hold four major world titles in two different weight classes. She also has two Olympic gold medals. Claressa Shields called out Jake Paul by stating: “Jake Paul gets inside a boxing ring with me, he’s getting his a** whooped! And look, Jake Paul is gonna say a lot of stuff. He’s gonna say ‘Oh, she’s a woman, I would never fight a girl. It’s a lose-lose because if I beat her I’m a woman beater’–that’s what he gon’ say. Well look, this is the truth: I am a decorated female fighter. I’m the motherf**king GWOAT. I saw him make that post today with Amanda Serrano, he needs to know that I’m the GWOAT. “The Jesus Music,” a new documentary depicting the rise of the contemporary Christian music (CCM) genre, releases in theaters Friday (Oct. 1). The documentary features interviews with a wide variety of CCM artists both new and old, including Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Lauren Daigle, TobyMac, Kirk Franklin, Bart Millard and Bill Gaither. The film chronicles the history of contemporary Christian music from its beginnings as the music closely associated with the “Jesus Movement” of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, to its transformation into an industry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht0amareeDI The president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, closed the annual session of his denomination this week with critiques of cultural conflicts and Christian nationalism. “I am pro-life — always have been — but I’m puzzled,” the Rev. Jerry Young said in the presidential address at his denomination’s virtual annual session on Tuesday (Sept. 28). “What is more private than what happens to a lady in her own body? If you can mandate her not to have an abortion, why can’t you mandate her to wear a mask? It seems incongruent to me, and it seems hypocritical on the face of it.” Young’s 45-minute address pointed to recent political turmoil in America, including a controversial Texas abortion ban. The leader of the historically Black denomination preached about the need to “confront our faults” in the church and the country and noted the Jan. 6 insurrection where crowds stormed the Capitol as an example. The baby at the center of Roe vs Wade has spoken out on camera for the first time to say she fears people blame her for abortion being legal and explain why she never met her biological mother Norma McCorvey in person, after speaking to her on the phone once as a teenager and getting the sense she only ever wanted to use her for publicity. Shelley Lynn Thornton, now 51, is the biological daughter of Norma McCorvey – Jane Roe – the Kansas cleaner who fought to win abortion rights for women across America and won the landmark case known as Roe v Wade in 1973. She had already given birth to Shelley and put her up for adoption by the time the case was settled. McCorvey died in 2017, without ever meeting Shelley in person. https://twitter.com/i/status/1444985515904839685 ; Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer has become trending topic on Twitter after a video of a young blonde woman seen trying to grind up on him at a bar became viral on Saturday. In the short clip that only lasts five seconds, married Meyer appears to be sitting on a barstool and wearing white shorts and a pink long-sleeved Ohio State sweatshirt. A blonde woman in jeans can be seen dancing in front of him, as Meyer’s arms interpose between his and the woman’s bodies. The video shared by Twitter account @ChiefSVP has racked up more than 2,000 likes. More pictures of Meyer drinking next to other women at the same bar surfaced shortly after the video became viral. Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has finally received his COVID-19 vaccine and will be eligible to play in home games after running the risk of losing $8.9 million in salary due to a local San Francisco mandate. Warriors coach Steve Kerr made the announcement to reporters Sunday after practice as the team prepared to travel to Portland to play its first preseason game. Wiggins faced the possibility of not being allowed into Golden State’s home building at Chase Center for games starting October 13 when the San Francisco Department of Public Health begins requiring proof of vaccination for large indoor events. A former NASCAR driver has been killed and his estranged wife injured after he went to a house with an axe before being shot dead by an unidentified man, according to a report. John Wes Townley, 31, was shot just before 9pm on Saturday. The house was occupied by Townley’s estranged wife, Laura, and a 32-year-old Dunwoody man, according to local site Classic City News. Townley is then reported to have entered the property armed with an axe where the unidentified man shot him, accidentally hitting Laura Townley with gunfire in the process. The ex-race driver, who is the son of the millionaire co-founder of fried chicken chain Zaxby’s, was rushed to hospital and later died of his injuries. Laura Townley remains in a ‘serious’ condition, the report claimed. Tom Brady brought two decades of touchdown passes, victories and championships to New England. He returned and reminded his former team what they’re missing. Brady rallied the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 19-17 victory over the Patriots on a rainy Sunday night, with Ryan Succop hitting the winning 48-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter. Brady was 22 of 43 for 269 yards with no touchdowns, but engineered the fourth-quarter drive to beat the team he led to six Lombardi trophies. Ronald Jones added an 8-yard scoring run for defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay (3-1). Jabari Johnson offers his newest single to Gospel radio titled "One Touch". Its an infectious and reflective song that recounts the well known biblical story of the woman with an issue of blood. It cleverly tells the story and then draws the listener in to reflect on their own encounter with Jesus. Johnson's powerful and gritty voice accompanied by his guitar deliver a ear grabbing experience and will pierce the hearts and thoughts of those that hear "One Touch." https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0wo0c6qc385zc68/AADeWQUk66MehdCGQxnYgEVoa?dl=0 Black News Channel (BNC), the nation's fastest growing news network, is working in partnership with RCA Inspiration to feature multiple performances from several award-winning artists on the Start Your Day with Sharon and Mike morning show, which airs weekdays on BNC from 6-10 AM ET. Starting today through Thursday within the show’s nine o’clock hour, these special performances from chart-topping gospel artists will provide a captivating close to the network’s inaugural Summer Concert Series Finale. Gospel legend Kirk Franklin joins top industry songwriters and musicians like Jonathan McReynolds, Koryn Hawthorne, Le’Andria Johnson and DOE for a celebration of faith and family at the famed National Museum of African American Music in the heart of Nashville. Monday, October 4 - Jonathan McReynolds and DOE, Tuesday, October 5 - Le’Andria Johnson, Wednesday, October 6 - Koryn Hawthorne, Thursday, October 7 - Kirk Franklin. Organizers and community members warned about right-wing infiltrators during racial justice protests last year. When shots were fired in Minneapolis as the Third Precinct police station burned, people on the ground insisted the gunshots were the result of right-wing agitators. They were right. According to MPR News, Ivan Harrison Hunter traveled to Minneapolis with the express purpose of causing chaos in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. Hunter, from Boerne, Texas, made plans with two other members of the “Boogaloo Bois” to travel to Minneapolis. “We were saying this was going on ALL last summer,” Dr. Jason Johnson, a professor and political commentator, tweeted. “Hunter admitted that he fired 13 rounds from an AK-47-style rifle into the 3rd precinct police station on May 28, 2020,” reported Minnesota Public Radio. Per the sentencing guidelines, he could serve up to 46 months in federal prison for a single count of rioting. As we previously reported, the committee established by the U.S. House of Representatives to investigate the Jan. 6, rebellion at the U.S. Capitol has begun sending out subpoenas for associates of Donald Trump and other Caucasity Coup organizers. Well now, the committee has issued subpoenas for 11 organizers of MAGA Marauders events on Jan. 5, and Jan 6, that preceded the riots. One of those who were subpoenaed is none other than Katrina Pierson, a long-time Trump loyalist. Just days ago, mainstream media was actively rooting for Black women with a steady stream of think pieces noting how the sex abuse conviction of R. Kelly showed the jury that found him guilty believed the Black women who the disgraced singer violated in unthinkable ways. The New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, NBC News, USA Today, the Guardian and, of course, the Chicago Sun-Times — the latter of which broke allegations of Kelly’s pedophilia decades ago — had a fine blend of news reports, analysis and opinion pieces prioritizing Black women in the days following the widely expected guilty verdict. But now, news outlets have decidedly switched that tune — literally and figuratively — after it was announced Thursday that Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige will be joined by Dr. Dre to perform in the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, one of the biggest and most anticipated sporting events on the planet. Absent in the lion’s share of the coverage of the Super Bowl halftime show was any mention of Dre’s abusive past and the tone-deaf irony of announcing his selection days after the criminal conviction of Kelly. The police response to Gabby Petito‘s and overall urgency displayed by law enforcement for that case has been replete with daily press briefings to help spread awareness via the media. But that same energy has reportedly been absent from the investigation into the whereabouts of Daniel Robinson, a 24-year-old geologist who went missing in Arizona in June, months before Petito disappeared. https://youtu.be/rtWlxSygD9k ; Nikkita Brown was walking her dog in a Chicago park when she claims she was attacked ‘for absolutely no reason’ by a police officer. Multiple videos show the officer approaching Brown and engaging in a physical altercation with her, causing her to drop her phone. The officer involved was identified by Brown’s lawyers as Bruce R. Dyker, 51. Attorney Keenan J. Saulter says Dyker has been the subject of 24 allegations of misconduct during his career, which began in 1998. https://youtu.be/VmKWqHYtQMk ; A Black woman is accused of masquerading as a member of the Ku Klux Klan to terrorize her neighbors. Terresha Lucas, 30, is charged with eight counts of making terroristic threats, the Douglasville Police Department in Georgia announced in a news release posted on Facebook. The “racially-charged” notes began to appear in the mailboxes of residents on Manning Drive, in a subdivision called Brookmont, in December, the police department said. The notes claimed to be written by a member of the Ku Klux Klan and threatened to burn down homes and kill people, police said. The notes described the author as “a six-feet-tall white male with a long, red beard who did not live in the neighborhood,” police added. But the police department’s investigation led them to Lucas, a Black woman who lives in Brookmont. NBA player LaMelo Ball is paying it forward by supporting students who aspire to pursue careers in the sports management space. According to Sports Illustrated, the Charlotte Hornets guard recently teamed up with the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at LIU Brooklyn for the creation of a scholarship fund. Ball will award a four-year scholarship to a student who has excelled academically and is determined to chart a path within the realms of sports management or marketing and communications. The NBA star says he wants to use education as a vessel to empower students to drive change within these industries and beyond. “I want to encourage the next generation of sports executives and leaders to follow their dreams just like I did to make it to the NBA,” he said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “I’m fortunate to have the means and public platform to support others, so I want to do my part and create a lane for a student to get a strong education and be in position to make a meaningful impact in the sports industry.” Songstress Ciara and her husband NFL player Russell Wilson are furthering their efforts to uplift youth and for their latest project their using literature as a source of empowerment. The couple recently announced they’re releasing a children’s book that illustrates the beauty of following your dreams, People reported. The book—titled Why Not You?—was created to help youngsters develop self-efficacy and cultivate a strong sense of confidence. The inspiration for the picture book was derived from the Superbowl champion and Grammy award-winning singer’s coming of age journeys and witnessing the paths of their three children unfold. “In this picture book debut, superstars Ciara and Russell Wilson encourage readers to see themselves achieving their dreams, no matter how outrageous they may seem,” read the book’s description. “It’s a lyrical celebration of self-esteem, perseverance, and daring to shoot for the stars.” The book pairs powerful words with vibrant illustrations created by artist Jessica Gibson. Why Not You?—which is being released under Random House Books for Young Readers is slated to hit shelves in March 2022. Nick Cannon has used his platform to amplify the importance of ownership and financial freedom and he’s putting the focus on empowering students at historically Black colleges and universities to take charge of their futures. According to The News & Observer, the television host unveiled a student debt cancellation initiative for HBCU scholars. During a recent segment on his new talk show, the Nick Cannon Show, he highlighted the immeasurable significance that HBCUs hold within the realm of education and beyond. He also brought attention to the financial burdens often faced by students attending these institutions. Although there has been an outpour of fiscal support for HBCUs throughout the country, there are many students dealing with obstacles that stem from socio-economic barriers; ultimately deterring them from pursuing degrees. The United Negro College Fund reported students who attend historically Black colleges and universities borrow student loans at higher rates than those who attend non-HBCUs. Entertainers, Black church leaders and medical professionals are coming together to address continued hesitancy around COVID-19 vaccines. Live-streaming safely from Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in the D.C. metro area, comedian and writer KevOnStage will moderate “We May Be Laughing…But This is Serious.” The event is also part of a larger effort by the Ad Council and the COVID Collaborative time raise greater awareness about the virus and the vaccine. “Humor has a way of helping people through trying times, and so we are thrilled to partner with Ad Council’s COVID Collaborative for this hour of comedy to bring a little laughter to get us through a tough conversation about the pandemic’s disproportionate hit on the Black community,” said Kris Lathan from Walgreens’ COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative. Drake has become the latest famous person to invest in the California-based chicken chain Dave’s Hot Chicken. The self-proclaimed Champagne Papi has shown a penchant for investing in companies. He joins Samuel L. Jackson and Boston Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner as investors in Dave’s Hot Chicken. His portion is a “significant ownership stake” in the Los Angeles-based restaurant chain but will reportedly own less than 50 percent. In a statement, Drake shared, “I tried the food, and it was amazing.” Tyrese Gibson, the 42-year-old singer and star of the Fast & Furious franchise announced on IG that he and girlfriend Zelie Timothy, founder for the eyelash company “The Lash Mansion” are calling it quits or are they. The post, which was a video of the 25-year-old social media influencer – naked – while music played in the background, with the caption: “We had so much potential. We really did,” he wrote. “I wish you well, ending on a good note is a good thing….. [ link in the bio ] I will forever love you @zelietimothy cheers to you!!” https://www.instagram.com/zelietimothy/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1822dc02-f5b1-49f9-a805-4baac8ce86d9 Troy Brown the son of Motorola CEO Greg Brown dropped a cool $3 million for Bruno Mars to sing at his wedding in Cape Cod. Even the wedding planner, Marcy Blum, is considered elite. Her clients have included Billy Joel, Katie Lee, LeBron, Savannah James, socialite Fabiola Beracasa, Jason Beckman, George Soros and Tamiko Bolton, plus members of the Rockefeller family. https://youtu.be/8F_mXKlLGV0 Unfortunately, that didn’t take long. We’The vandalizing of a statue of George Floyd in New York’s Union Square with paint. The incident occurred not even 48 hours after it was unveiled to the public in an emotional ceremony. The statue, by the way, is one of 3 — including Breonna Taylor and John Lewis. It was smeared with what appears to be grey paint. It appears Ice Cube didn’t have a very good day in court after his lawsuit against online trading app Robinhood over misusing his likeness and lyrics in an email marketing campaign was dismissed by a San Francisco federal court. His claim was that Robinhood’s usage of his image, as well as a phrase made famous by his mega-hit song “Check Yo Self” violated his publicity rights under California law. Ice Cube’s attorney Michael Taitelman of Freedman + Taitelman said in an email, The judge is wrong!” “You cannot take people’s lyrics and likeness as an endorsement without permission.” https://youtu.be/hAKP_jjMk3U Chris Webber a newly minted Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer is bringing a $50 million cannabis facility to Detroit, Michigan, according to a TMZ report. This comes after C-Webb already launched a $100 million equity fund with the assistance of JW Asset Management that aims to help minority entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry-which has proven to be very resistant to diversity and equity for minorities and people of color. Now, he’s taking it one step further and building Players Only Holdings— a 180,000 square foot facility featuring a 60,000 square foot cultivation, a dispensary and a cannabis consumption lounge. https://youtu.be/kRHRhJHWgaM Boosie Badazz isn’t fixating on Lil Nas X, he’s usually creating mischief like he did earlier today. Specifically, he and several of his so-called “associates” are said to have damaged property during an Atlanta hip hop concert at State Farm Arena late Friday night/early Saturday morning. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-10-02-100221-boosie-badazz-v2-1261728/ More than 700,000 Americans have now died of coronavirus, a heartbreaking pandemic milestone reached Friday — nearly six months after the COVID-19 vaccine first became widely available. The US averaged more than 2,000 deaths a day during the last week of September, a rate which represents about 60 percent of the peak in fatalities recorded in January. The current level of daily cases is 117,625 a day, down from a mid-September Delta variant-driven peak, but far short of the 10,000 daily cases that White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said are needed to end the pandemic. While the surge from the Delta variant is beginning to slow down, the strain spread rampantly through unvaccinated Americans in the 3 ½ months it took for the country to go from 600,000 to 700,000 deaths. New York City continued to be disproportionately affected by the virus overall, with more than 34,000 deaths — or about 5 percent of total US fatalities — occurring in the boroughs, government data showed. A new experimental COVID-19 antiviral treatment shows promising results as it could prevent more hospitalizations and deaths by half in those who were recently diagnosed with coronavirus. The preliminary results were revealed by pharmaceutical companies Merck and Ridgeback after conducting trials for the drug called molnupiravir. As reported by ABC News, if it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the pill will be the first at-home antiviral pill for people who are dealing with mild or moderate symptoms of the virus. Accounting and consulting firm PwC told Reuters on Thursday it will allow all its 40,000 U.S. client services employees to work virtually and live anywhere they want in perpetuity, making it one of the biggest employers to embrace permanent remote work. The policy is a departure from the accounting industry’s rigid attitudes, known for encouraging people to put in late nights at the office. Other major accounting firms, such as Deloitte and KPMG, have also been giving employees more choice to work remotely in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. PwC’s deputy people leader, Yolanda Seals-Coffield, said in an interview that the firm was the first in its industry to make full-time virtual work available to client services employees. PwC’s support staff and employees in areas such as human resources and legal operations that do not face clients already had the option to work virtually full-time. Biblical archaeologists have claimed to have located the holy mountain where the Bible says God gave Moses two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. They believe features and archaeological remains on the site in Saudi Arabia directly line up with the passage in the holy tome, some of which are fenced off as protected areas by the Saudi theocratic regime. According to the Book of Exodus in the Bible, Moses leads the Israelites to Mount Sinai which is enveloped by fire, smoke and thunder. The prophet then ascends the mountain where he convenes with God to receive the Ten Commandments. For this reason, Mount Sinai is one of the most important sacred places in the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions. Candi Carter, executive producer of the Tamron Hall Show, has quit but is staying at ABC, DailyMail.com can reveal. ABC insiders tell DailyMail.com that Tamron has created a toxic work environment and the show is ‘bleeding staff’. This is the second EP to leave Tamron’s show after Bill Geddie, the TV legend who created The View with Barbara Walters, was pushed out last year. The sources say that Tamron and Candi clashed often. ‘When you work with Tamron, it’s her way or the highway,’ they said. ‘Candi’s now on that highway to a much better job away from the cattiness that is destroying Tamron’s show,’ they added. Rumors of a toxic work environment at the Tamron Hall Show have been buzzing for years. In July 2020, DailyMail.com revealed that 20 employees at the Tamron Hall Show were fired in what was called a ‘giant blood bath’. Grammy award winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin recently addressed a “misconception” that God only exists for the happiness of humanity, instead of drawing them to Himself. “We have this misconception that God is trying to make us happy,” he told The Christian Post in a recent interview. “God is not trying to make us happy. God is trying to make us His. And so whatever process comes from that. Once again, I know that sounds foolish to the world. It sounds foolish to humanism.” “And our natural intelligence doesn’t have the capacity to access and program the spiritual,” he added. “And again, things of the spiritual a lot of times have been abused and manipulated.” For too long, filmmaker Nathan Wilson says, nature documentaries have been a mixed bag for families of faith. Yes, the footage is often stunning and the natural sounds are exquisite. But the accompanying narration, he says, is tainted with a Darwinian-based commentary. And God? Well, He’s never discussed. Netflix has bought video game creator Night School Studio and rolled out five mobile gaming titles in select European markets, the company said on Tuesday, as it looks to diversify revenue sources amid intensifying competition in the streaming space. Night School Studio, the company’s first gaming studio purchase, is best known for its debut game, “Oxenfree”, a supernatural teen thriller with an eerie soundtrack. The studio’s games, which are available on Sony’s (6758.T) PlayStation, Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PCs, will be the first non-mobile titles in the streaming giant’s newly created video game portfolio. “Like our shows and films, these games will all be included as part of your Netflix membership — all with no ads and no in-app purchases,” the company said. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed into law a bill returning land taken from a black family in 1924 to their descendants. The land, purchased in 1912 for $1,250, is now worth around $72 million. Heirs of Charles and Willa Bruce – who fought in court to keep the land, but were forced to sell it under eminent domain – are now free to do what they wish with the prime oceanfront plot. Newsom said he hopes the return of the land to its rightful owners will serve as a ‘catalyst’ for change. The Bruces have not said what they will do with the land. https://youtu.be/d4lD28BVrF8 Vice President Kamala Harris ignited a controversy this week when she responded to a student’s anti-Israel comment by saying, “Your truth cannot be suppressed.” Harris’ office said the vice president remains supportive of Israel, but the comment nevertheless led to concern from Israeli officials and coverage in Israeli media, including in The Jerusalem Post. The vice president’s comments came during a question-and-answer session with students at George Mason University. One of the students raised the issue of American funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, which has been credited with saving countless Israeli lives. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com A familiar face is returning to Foxboro this weekend. Yet when Tom Brady spoke to the media on Thursday afternoon, he did not have a familiar voice. The 44-year-old quarterback gave his weekly press conference for the media in Tampa, and immediately, his raspy voice was startling to hear. Brady has had some on-and-off rasp over the past couple of months, but Thursday certainly sounded like the sickest he’s been. After answering a few questions, Brady was finally asked about the condition of his throat. https://youtu.be/r_w_shAALXA Toni Braxton reportedly signed a deal with Lifetime to star in and executive produce “The Fallen Angels Book Club,” a multi-part movie series. Braxton will play Hollis Morgan, an ex-con turned amateur detective setting out to solves a series of murders at her book club. The seven-time Grammy Award winner does have quite a few IMDB credits and TV Movies to her name. So, it couldn’t hurt to clear to hate, we mean space, in your mind to consider that perhaps she may do a good job. “Toni has a magic touch for making movies that resonate with our audience,” Tanya Lopez, EVP of Scripted Content at Lifetime & LMN, said in a statement. “We’ve seen Toni’s acting range through the years and I can’t imagine anyone else as Hollis. This role was made for Toni.” https://youtu.be/uWpB3aQgin4 If you’re a fan of the recently departed Sarah Dash of LaBelle fame, her memorial service was streaming live from New Jersey. Dash, one of the original members of the group, died on Sept 20 at the age of 76. She remained with LaBelle until they disbanded in the mid to late 70s and all three remaining members, Patti Labelle, Nona Hendrix, and Sarah went their separate ways with recording deals. https://youtu.be/r6NSw9mnTaE Trick Daddy and Trina’s morning show on Miami’s 99JAMZ has been taken off the air, according to reports. The apparently undynamic duo had been together since 2020 but there’s no word on why the plug was pulled last week. They seemed like a perfect match for Miami radio as each has represented Miami hip-hop at varying stages and degrees over the years and had co-starred on “Love & Hip Hop: Miami” and there was even talk of them doing an album together. However, much like their radio show, the record disintegrated without reason as well. Manny Pacquiao, one of the greatest boxers of all time, announced his retirement Tuesday night, three months shy of his 43rd birthday and one month after a decision loss to Yordenis Ugas. The only eight-division champion in boxing history, Pacquiao won his first title at 108 pounds and somehow captured a title at 154 pounds too. He will be best remembered for his 2015 fight with Floyd Mayweather that shattered revenue records; a quartet of thrilling fights with his greatest rival, Juan Manuel Marquez; and a meteoric rise during the 2000s highlighted by spectacular knockouts of notable fighters no matter how high he climbed in weight. “Even me, I’m amazed at what I have done,” Pacquiao, who won 12 world titles, said in the 14-plus-minute retirement video he posted on social media. “The only boxer to hold world titles in four different decades and became the oldest boxer to win a world welterweight title, an amazing accomplishment.” Today, King, a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world, unveiled pop music sensation Doja Cat and national football champion Rob Gronkowski as celebrity competitors in the brand new Candy Crush All Stars U.S. tournament launching today. The duo appears in the brand new campaign film available here which showcases their drive to claim the winning title alongside tournament host Khloe´ Kardashian. Doja Cat, known for dominating the music charts, TikTok trends and red carpets, and Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski, American football tight end and four-time champion, join the millions of players across the U.S. who will compete against one another for the first time ever in order to be crowned the ultimate Candy Crush All Star. The competition kicks off today and is open to any Candy Crush Saga player in the United States. 50 Cent says he would be down with starring in a romantic comedy with fellow Queens native Nicki Minaj. Speaking on Jalen Rose’s Renaissance Man Podcast the athlete asked Fiddy, “Would you ever do a romantic comedy and who would you do a love scene with?” https://youtu.be/tZEdIAkrpEU TMZ is reporting Michael Jordan’s underwear is being sold at Lelands Auction, with an opening bid of $500! Wozniak and Leland are selling other items that Michael Jordan’s former bodyguard accumulated over the years. Try to get bid on Mike’s cashmere coat, used dressed shirts and belts? Wozniak’s auctioning that stuff off as well. By the way the underwear eventually sold for a whopping $2,734! Lenny Kravitz is 57-year-old, last week shared a photo of his chiseled torso onto social media with the caption: “2:37pm. Good morning. All nighter in the studio last night. 3 albums on the horizon. Going back in. Love.” The spirit in which the photo was shared was ambiguous enough. However, the spirit in which it was received was of thirst and envy. It’s not like we’re unused to seeing Lenny do his thing, but actor Channing Tatum jumped in the comments section and all hell broke loose. But not for reasons you might expect. “Good god man! What are you eating or what’s in the water or the genes. It’s not natural. Do you just do abs like all day?” Lenny replied with a hilarious reference to Tatum’s filmography, saying, “Dude, I’m just trying to get in the next Magic Mike. Any connections?” Now, this was all tongue in cheek seeing as though Tatum is currently dating Zoe Kravitz, daughter of Lenny and Lisa Bonet. Once heralded as a leader in vaccinations, West Virginia now has one of the lowest rates in the country. And it’s losing dozens of residents every day to Covid-19. “We’re gonna lose a bunch more people, West Virginia, no question about that,” Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday. The number of Covid-19 patients in ICUs just reached an all-time high — 298, the governor said. “All I can possibly do, with a good conscience, is continue to urge you, in every way, to get vaccinated,” he said. Many doctors are doubling down on pleas for Americans to get vaccinated — especially as the flu season could lead to simultaneous infections of the Delta variant and the flu. And that could be disastrous, not just for a person’s immune system, but also for overwhelmed hospitals. “We’ve been too complacent about the spread of respiratory diseases in the wintertime,” former US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said. "With a twin threat of flu and Covid circulating, we’re not going to be able to enjoy that complacency anymore,” he said. “I think we’re going to have to readjust how we live our lives.” He said that could include optional mask-wearing in the winter or improved air filtration in schools and workplaces. For MercyMe’s Bart Millard, contemporary Christian music is far more than a job that delivers a paycheck. It’s a message of hope. “It’s not just entertainment,” Millard told Christian Headlines. “It’s life-changing. It’s a message that can literally change the trajectory of people’s lives through the Gospel. And so I think that’s the most important music there is.” “God’s Not Dead: We the People” is the latest in the popular Christian movie franchise, and it is only in theaters for three nights next week. The movie deals with America’s ongoing battles over freedom. In this case, there’s a focus on parental rights, including the right to homeschool children. CBN News caught up with one of the film’s stars, Isaiah Washington, to learn more about how he came to play a congressman in the movie, and how he looks to God for guidance in the roles he takes. Rihanna is said to be dropping her entire lawsuit against her father Ronald Fenty, more than two years after accusing him of using her fame for profit in her suit. The songstress, who sued her father for using the family name to promote his venture Fenty Entertainment in 2019, told the court on Tuesday she was dismissing her lawsuit, according to court documents obtained by RadarOnline. The star, 33, and her father were set to appear in court on 22 September, but it has now been reported she decided to reach an agreement behind-the-scenes in order to avert a spectacle around their legal proceedings, according to the site. Rihanna took legal action against her father in 2019, alleging he was seeking profit from her fame alongside a business partner. Britney Spears has celebrated her victory in her conservatorship battle with a series of naked pictures taken on vacation in ‘paradise’ with her fiancé Sam Asghari. The 39-year-old pop star posted a risqué video on Instagram on Thursday of her frolicking topless in the sea, just hours after her dad slammed the judge’s ruling to remove him as her conservator after 13 years. She followed up the video with another post where she shared a montage of nude photos – with carefully placed pink and yellow flowers covering her modesty. Let me start big. The mission of the Claremont Institute is to save Western civilization,” says Ryan Williams, the organization’s president, looking at the camera, in a crisp navy suit. “We’ve always aimed high.” A trumpet blares. America’s founding documents flash across the screen. Welcome to the intellectual home of America’s Trumpist right. As Donald Trump rose to power, the Claremont universe—which sponsors fellowships and publications, including the Claremont Review of Books and The American Mind—rose with him, publishing essays that seemed to capture why the president appealed to so many Americans and attempting to map a political philosophy onto his presidency. Williams and his cohort are on a mission to tear down and remake the right; they believe that America has been riven into two fundamentally different countries, not least because of the rise of secularism. “The Founders were pretty unanimous, with Washington leading the way, that the Constitution is really only fit for a Christian people,” Williams told me. It’s possible that violence lies ahead. “I worry about such a conflict,” Williams told me. “The Civil War was terrible. It should be the thing we try to avoid almost at all costs.” A shocking new poll from the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia reveals that over half of Trump voters surveyed, and 41% of Biden voters, are in favor of blue and/or red states seceding from the union. Yeah, it’s gotten that bad. The idea that the nation’s political divide has become so toxic that we should prepare from some sort of “national divorce” has largely been left to clever thought experiments best left for dinner parties and ironically detached columns. However, we’ve now arrived at a point where more than half of Trump voters “somewhat agree” that the time for secession is nigh. CBN Founder Pat Robertson, America’s longest-running TV host, is stepping down from his role as daily host of The 700 Club. He announced on the 60th anniversary of CBN’s first broadcast that he is moving on to new projects. “Today’s show will be my final as host of The 700 Club,” said Robertson. “My replacement will be my very capable son, Gordon, who will take over as full-time host of the program.” Robertson will turn his efforts to teaching students at Regent University, which he founded in 1977, and will also join in future CBN broadcasts as news warrants. Starting in October, he will appear on a monthly, interactive episode of The 700 Club, to answer viewer emails. He will also remain available for occasional broadcast appearances as a senior consultant on international affairs. Only weeks ago, at Covenant Church in Texas, we lost our Senior pastor Ricky Texada to COVID-19. This pandemic is hitting close to home among people who are strong believers and integral to the church. Today, our nation continues to be in a critical situation with COVID-19. Last year, more than 300,000 people in the U.S. died of COVID — the number three cause of death. People say, “Oh, it’s like the flu.” No, the influenza virus on average kills about 20 to 50,000 people a year, so this is far more than that. This present crisis has tested our nation, especially Christians. Scientific knowledge about this novel coronavirus has evolved over the past year, and there are still many unknowns. That void of knowledge has made way for fear — including doubts about medical science—to direct some people’s outlook. Pew Research recently reported that evangelical Christians are among the least likely to say they have received a COVID-19 vaccine. NBA superstar LeBron James said Tuesday he is vaccinated against COVID-19, but said the decision of whether to take the shots should be left to each individual. “I think everyone has their own choice to do what they feel is right for themselves and their family,” the Los Angeles Lakers player told reporters, according to USA Today. “I know that I was very [skeptical] about it all, but, after doing my research and things of that nature, I felt like it was best suited for not only me but my family and my friends, and that’s why I decided to do it.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1442901996013375494 Justin Simmons is off to yet another strong start for the Denver Broncos. The All-Pro safety has seven solo tackles and one interception in helping the Broncos get off to a 3-0 start. He had the opportunity to talk about his team’s unblemished start to the season following Sunday’s 26-0 win over the New York Jets, doing an on-field interview with Spero Dedes of CBS Sports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1442268585926168580 Imagine trying to release your album three times and the day before the third release date you get a call from your lawyers! #Copyrightinfringement. The album cannot be released because of one song! One song, "Been About It,"ft Lecrae is the hold up!!! A man of the people, Andy Mineo, took to Atlanta's Beltline with his partner- in-rhyme, Lecrae, to find out what the people had to say about the "banned" video, and the legal concerns around this release. The song and video created to pay tribute to hip-hop's icons had delayed the release of the entire album! https://andymineo.com/Never-Land-II JonnyXMali drops video for "Miracle." All we can say is, "Look what the Lord has done." If you've listened to "Miracle," you already know about the tight harmonies and sweet melody. Now we have the live performance video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9i9bXFGqzM Kirk and Lil Baby continue to get shouted out for their "We Win" collab now as BET Hip Hop Awards "Impact Track" nominees! We're grateful for another opportunity to reach more people to inspire positive change in ourselves and our world. Be sure to tune in to the BET Hip Hop Awards on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at 9 pm ET. https://youtu.be/-ISA9_WihqI My daughter is obsessed!! Every day on the way to school “play my favorite song Don’t Worry about It”???????? The emotions that follow that Instagram post speak from a parent grateful that her daughter has a female role model in hip-hop! Wande, the first female hip--hop artist signed to Reach Records has been pushing boundaries since she released her debut song, "Blessed Up," which was hand-selected for Michelle Obama's carefully curated Podcast. The Nigerian born-Texas raised emcee just released a new single, the pop-leaning, Don't Worry Bout It ft. Porsha Love, released on the label's Summer '21 Playlist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxMEp6x7RUk With songs like "I GOT OUT", "ALL BACK", "STEP IN THE NAME", "SUCH A TIME AS THIS" and "I CAN MAKE IT", Bryan Popin continues to impress with his hit songwriting, sing-able melodies, soulful keyboard skills and undeniable music production. 2021 ushered his first No. 1 on both Billboard & Mediabase National Gospel Radio Airplay Chart with “BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR (feat. TASHA).” Most recently, releasing his funky brand new single "SO GOOD 2 ME" featuring Steven J Collins on talkbox with an exclusive LBWM Remix. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5urfc718ie2vby9/AACFgmltvub1tsoXXwqkcUGBa?dl=0 Riding high on the success of her delightful new hit single “I GOT GOD”, the follow-up single to her Top 5 smash "I Love Him" featuring 10-time Grammy nominee & multiple winner Hezekiah Walker, Stellar & Grammy nominee Renee Spearman jumps 7 spots on Billboard this week to #23 with +78 spins! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w32fRkeKytw This summer, Mona released her debut single "Troubles Don't Last Always" via EMG Alliance. Her robust vocal and evangelical delivery of the encouraging lyrics create a powerful song of inspiration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o86-xI-YfiY In emotional testimony at a congressional hearing on reproductive rights Thursday, Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo., Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., got candid with their personal stories about their own abortions. Bush had hers after being raped and becoming pregnant as a teenager. https://youtu.be/txUG5PDywj0 Barbara Lee's emotional testimony at a congressional hearing on reproductive rights...https://youtu.be/yljKKneRXeA Pramila Jayapal's emotional testimony at a congressional hearing on reproductive rights....https://youtu.be/sGKf7Wtfark TNT has announced that the fourth and final season of “Claws” will air on Sunday, Dec. 26 at 9:00pm ET. “Claws” centers on Niecy Nash as Desna Simms, who owns a Florida nail salon. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, Simms and her close-knit staff begin laundering money for mobsters and eventually build their own criminal empire. https://youtu.be/kDY-QGRcaLM NeNe Leakes opens up about her late husband’s final moments before his death in their Atlanta home on Sept. 1. Gregg Leakes died after a four-year battle with colon cancer at age 66. “The last five days before his passing was really beautiful,” she tells PEOPLE. “All of his children were there. His best friends were there. Our closest friends were there. We all sat with him around the clock.” “We talked a lot, and we made peace with what was happening,” she adds. “It’s difficult,” Leakes said in a post update with fans over the summer. “He’s super small,” she added. “If you’ve ever been around somebody who’s had cancer before, he’s different. He’s different.” Nene and Gregg married in 1997 and divorced in 2011, but they reconciled and remarried in June 2013. NeNe shared with PEOPLE Gregg’s last words to her: “I’m not going to leave you. God is going to bless you.” Adds NeNe: “He said he wanted me to move on with my life.” Things got heated on the set of "Grey's Anatomy with Denzel Washington and Ellen Pompeo while he was directing. During Ellen’s podcast called “Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo,” she recalls a time in 2015 when Mr. Washington went “nuts on her” while he was directing. The incident occurred after Ellen wasn’t doing her dialogue correctly and Denzel was getting fed up! “I was like, ‘Look at me when you apologize. Look at me,’” she recalled yelling at another actor during the scene even though it wasn’t in the dialogue. And Denzel went ham on my a**. He was like, ‘I’m the director. Don’t you tell him what to do.’” Ellen came back at Denzel and said, “Listen, motherf***er, this is my show. This is my set. Who are you telling? Like you barely know where the bathroom is.” She continues, “And I have the utmost respect for him as an actor, as a director, as everything, but like, yo, we went at it” Dustin Hice filed the lawsuit against Lemon two years ago, accusing the openly gay CNN host of assault, as reported by Fox News. The incident occurred in the summer of 2018. In the lawsuit, Hice said he met Lemon, 53, at Murf’s Backstreet Tavern, located in the Sag Harbor town of the Hamptons. Hice offered to buy the TV host a vodka drink called a “Lemon Drop” but Lemon declined. Later in the night, Lemon approached him and that’s when the assault took place. “[Lemon] put his hand down the front of his own shorts, and vigorously rubbed his genitalia, removed his hand and shoved his index and middle fingers into Plaintiff’s mustache and under Plaintiff’s nose,” according to the lawsuit, filed Aug. 11, 2019 in Suffolk County Court. A Florida man is currently a viral superstar after he was filmed trapping a hissing alligator Tuesday using his military training … and a garbage bin. Army veteran Eugene Bozzi, 26, posted the viral video on his Instagram with the caption, “Crazy day in Florida.” https://youtu.be/BsXzQOhDvr0 Whoopi Goldberg is teaming with Lifetime for a movie about cyber-stalking. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, “The View” co-host will executive produce “Caught in His Web,” inspired by one of the first “sextortion” cases in the United States. Hannah Cheesman will direct the film from a script by Danielle Iman. Caught in His Web centers on three girls (Thornton, Baker and Tremblay) who are each tormented by a cyberbully known as Blake. After hacking into their computers and phones, the stalker coerces them to send him nude photos, harasses them and tracks them everywhere. The girls later discover they’re not alone and join together, enlisting the help of a police detective (Beauvais) to uncover Blake’s identity and end their ordeal. Garcelle Beauvais, Alison Thornton, Malia Baker, and Emma Tremblay will star in the film, which is slated to premiere in 2022. The premiere of “The Wendy Williams Show” has been delayed once more as the host continues to have health struggles. The show announced the premiere date delay on Instagram, writing: “[Wendy Williams] has been and continues to be under a doctor’s care and is still not ready to return to work. We plan to return to new shows on Oct. 18.” The show also noted now Wendy’s “breakthrough COVID case is no longer an issue and she has tested negative, but she is still dealing with some ongoing medical issues.” “THE WAIT IS OVER! Season 13 starts MONDAY,” the show captioned a short trailer for the upcoming season. “You don’t wanna miss it!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CUckUfurtxR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1cb506c4-5726-474a-8cf1-97801606226f Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have been tapped for Super Bowl 2022’s hip-hop halftime show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022. This lineup of legends was announced Thursday by Pepsi, the NFL and JAY-Z’s Roc Nation. “The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,” Dr. Dre said, as reported by the New York Post. “I’m grateful to Jay-Z, Roc Nation, the NFL, and Pepsi as well as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar for joining me in what will be an unforgettable cultural moment.” Netflix has unveiled data showing its most popular shows and movies. CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos presented two separate metrics during his appearance at Vox Media’s Code Conference, per Variety. Shonda Rhimes’ “Bridgerton” Season 1 scored as the No. 1 series based on both number of Netflix households and time spent viewing (in the initial four-week release), while “Extraction” was the most-viewed film in terms of households and “Bird Box” was the most-watched movie in terms of hours. Per Complex, the French TV series Lupin finished second with 76 million accounts, while Money Heist: Part 4 came in close second with 619 million hours viewed. Angelina Jolie on Thursday saluted and bestowed upon national youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman Variety‘s Power of Women honor. The actress, director and humanitarian arrived at the Beverly Hills event (presented by Lifetime) with daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt in tow, to hand the honor to Gorman — the poet who stole the show during President Joe Biden’s inauguration in January. “The young woman of grace, who stepped fearlessly to the podium on inauguration day. Not just the youngest but the strongest voice we could ask for in that moment. The Amanda we see today might seem as if she leapt into our times, fully formed, to summon our better angels. But there was an Amanda we didn’t see,” Jolie said. “QUEENS” – the new ABC series starring Eve, Naturi Naughton, Nadine Velazquez, and Brandy as four ’90s hip-hop legends, now in their 40s, who reunite for a chance to recapture their fame – gets off to an electrifying start with the release of its first single + video “Nasty Girl” available on all platforms today via Def Jam Recordings. “QUEENS” debuts Tuesday, October 19th (10:01-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. https://youtu.be/H605IhaMdzM Robbie Montgomery of “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” fame is looking fit and fabulous in a new photoshoot by photographer D Gaines Utica. Utica posted some snaps of the 81-year-old former Ikette on Facebook and the images have fans of the former reality TV star going wild. “This is what 81 looks like,” Utica captioned the photos. “Always fun shooting Miss Robbie.” One Facebook user commented under the post, “No excuse for anyone under 81yrs old to look not groomed none!” Another added, “Hello Ms. Robbie, you are the truth! You always look good.” TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with singer, songwriter, actor, and producer Anthony Hamilton on Sunday, October 3rd at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words including acclaimed actress Lynn Whitfield, singer and actress Raven-Symoné and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ8PA4F6voc CLEO TV will premiere popular lifestyle show TIA MOWRY'S QUICK FIX this Friday, October 1 at 9 P.M. EST/8C. The multi-talented actress, producer, author and entrepreneur, Tia Mowry, serves as host of the digital series that TV One and CLEO TV inked in a major syndication deal with Kin earlier this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avufzXkINI8 CLEO TV will air CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Saturday, October 2 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTmTAxYAE5I AI STUDIOS, MARANATHA PRODUCTIONS, and GOLAN RANCH STUDIOS are proud to announce the completion of the production of DAYS OF NOAH, a gripping new film written and directed by Dalton Thomas, starring an all-Israeli cast including Avraham Shishkoff, Mayaan Nestel, Amiad Kalushiner, Marco Moreno, and Dorit Moreno. DAYS OF NOAH is a story of fathers, sons, and consequence—set against the brutal backdrop of the days before the flood prophesied by Noah. Inspired by the 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers® and the opportunity to share the ensemble's rich artistry and cultural significance beyond Nashville, the nonprofit Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) and Nashville Public Television (WNPT), Nashville's independent nonprofit PBS station serving Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky, are partnering to present Walk Together Children: The 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers to PBS member stations across the country. Walk Together Children will premiere in Nashville on NPT at 9 p.m. CT on Oct. 3 in advance of the Fisk Jubilee Singers' "Jubilee Day" celebration on Oct. 6. The national distribution includes broadcasts in 19 states on 33 stations in the month of October and November. Please check your local listings for additional broadcasts and more information. Today BET released the trailer for season two of the basketball drama, Games People Play. The second season of “Games People Play” premieres Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT–Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray “Games Divas Play,” “Games People Play” is a sexy, stylized one-hour drama about the L.A. high life, featuring a cast of characters where everyone plays to win, including a basketball player navigating both his equally rocky personal life and NBA career, a newly appointed team marketing executive who’s got a lot to prove, a tenacious journalist desperately seeking the truth and a struggling actress with a scandalous past. The talented ensemble cast includes Karrueche Tran, Lauren London in a limited role, Sarunas J. Jackson, Karen Obilom, Parker McKenna Posey, Jackie Long, and Kendall Kyndall and Brandi Denise. In addition, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vanessa Simmons, Shaun Robinson, Kevin Jackson, Barry Brewer, and Monti Washington reprise their recurring roles, with Cynthia Bailey, Nazanin Mandi, Ro Parrish, Hitman Holla, Leon, and Calvin Seabrooks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPrUoz-D0aY&feature=youtu.be Red hands is an Ohio made band that brings inspiration through their soulful/funk inspired sound! The band is made up of 6 musicians. Khirye Tyler (keys/vocals) Nate Lewis (vocals) Al Parker (bass) Demetrius Beasley (Guitar/Vocals) Jonathan Fields (Drums) And Gonelcha Askew (drums). They’ve worked with artists such as Jessica Reedy, Tye Tribbett, Myron Butler, Mali Music and many more. They drop "I Can;t Wait" featuring Jonathan McReynolds. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7c8gllu9r5mvpw8/AADX9vBl6yVPrtB85QJuVc96a?dl=0&preview=CANT+WAIT+(RADIO+EDIT)+.mp3 Derrick 'Doc' Person drop "I Surrender All" featuring Merlon Devine. http://hyperurl.co/wj6el1 STRONGER LIFE MUSIC derives from Strong Tower Church located in Fredericksburg, Va. Strong Tower is one of the largest and most influential churches in the Central/Northern Virginia area with a heavy hand in its surrounding community. Stronger Life Music composes songs that represent diverse backgrounds, crossing thru generations to emerge as one body, one sound and one praise. "Waves" features Maurette Brown Clark https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8717421?date=20210928&user_id=668306&signature=zNp6engHHRHRpONGoqp_xUdN05U%3AgNfNojn5 New Line Cinema’s “The Many Saints of Newark” is the highly-anticipated feature film prequel to David Chase’s groundbreaking, award-winning HBO drama series ”The Sopranos.” Young Anthony Soprano is growing up in one of the most tumultuous eras in Newark’s history, becoming a man just as rival gangsters begin to rise up and challenge the all-powerful DiMeo crime family’s hold over the increasingly race-torn city. Caught up in the changing times is the uncle he idolizes, Dickie Moltisanti. A man struggling to manage both his professional and personal responsibilities—and whose influence over his nephew will help make the impressionable teenager into the all-powerful mob boss we’ll later come to know – Tony Soprano. https://youtu.be/d9Em4ckh878 NBA players in New York City and San Francisco who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID will not be paid for missed games. “Any player who elects not to comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for games that he misses,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement. The Association has not made it mandatory for players to be vaccinated, Yahoo reports. As reported by TMZ, Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins — who is in a 5-year, $147,710,050 deal — will reportedly pass up on $15.8 million this season … while Nets guard Kyrie Irving — 4-year, $136,490,600 contract — will forfeit $17.5 million. “I think it’s important we don’t lose sight of the fact that 90% of the league is vaccinated,” NBPA president CJ McCollum tweeted on Monday. https://youtu.be/ouA10ZiIOgo The following day after Trump’s lawsuit against Omarosa ended, it was announced that singer Eddy Grant’s copyright lawsuit against the former president can move forward. Grant, who rose to fame with his 1983 reggae-inflected pop music hit, “Electric Avenue,” sued for using the song’s music in a tweet last year promoting his bid for re-election and also criticizing then-candidate Joe Biden. U.S. District Judge John Koeltl’s ruling denies Trump’s motion to dismiss Grant’s lawsuit in part because “The defendants did not receive a license or Grant’s permission to use the song in connection with the animated video” that, before Trump’s Twitter account was suspended, had been viewed nearly 14 million times, liked more than 350,000 times and retweeted more than 139,000 times. As the world continues to grapple with the news of R Kelly’s about-timely legal demise and his decades-long reign as the Pied Predator, everyone has an opinion and, unfortunately, this includes celebrities who have trash takes and massive platforms to share them on. In today’s episode of Keep It In The Drafts, Bruh!, Public Enemy frontman Chuck D decided to take to Twitter on Tuesday to share one of those annoying, passive-aggressive “I’m not caping for Kells, I’m just caping for Kells” posts that show he’s not above going public as an enemy to common sense and reading the room. Chuck D posted:Abused in his youth… an addict as a adult… Ike Turner served 18 months in prison.. Rick James did similar time. Ike came out a changed positive human being. How long should R Kelly spend in prison -and does a USA system give a man a chance for a man to change his world around? 2:57 PM · Sep 28, 2021 The rhetoric following the stunning failure of any legislative achievements on the police reform front has focused on placing the blame squarely on Democrats, but recent reports suggest those efforts have been misguided, if not flat-out disingenuous and incorrect. The readily accepted narrative around why police reform died in the Senate has been that Democrats eliminated the chance of any bipartisan support by including “defund the police” language in their proposed legislation, the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott has been repeatedly blaming “defund” language on Democrats since he is the only Republican senator who is Black joined Democrats Rep. Karen Bass and Sen. Cory Booker working to secure a purported bipartisan deal on police reform. ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele believes President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for companies with over 100 employees is “sick.” “Well, I got my shot today,” Steele told former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler on his “Uncut With Jay Cutler” podcast on Wednesday. “I just — I didn’t want to do it,” she said. “But I work for a company that mandates it, and I have until Sept. 30 to get it done, or I’m out.” Per NBC News, the Walt Disney Co., which co-owns ESPN, announced in July that all salaried and non-union hourly employees must be vaccinated within 60 days. https://youtu.be/ypw1qZSeYxY ; During a press conference in Bohemia, New York, the family of Gabby Petito urged the news media and the public to give the same energy to all missing people as they did their daughter. Gabby Petito, 22, was reported missing on September 11, after taking a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend, Brian Laundries. Laundries, who is a person of interest in the case, is still in the wind and the Petito family are pleading for him to turn himself in. Her body was found in northwestern Wyoming on Sept 18, a week after she went missing. Once she was reported missing, her story went viral and Gabby became a household name. Her face popped up on Instagram feeds all over the world. Internet sleuths latched onto her story as well trying to piece together what happened to the young women. News outlets continuously ran updates, giving her more attention than the majority of girls who go missing. People of color immediately noticed the difference in coverage, calling it missing “white woman syndrome,” but the Petito Family noticed as well. During the press conference, Joseph Petito, the father of Gabby, thanked everyone who put the spotlight on his daughter’s disappearance but reminded the audience all missing persons deserve the same attention. HBO has dropped the trailer for the fifth and final season of Issa Rae’s hit series “Insecure.” The 10-episode season will debut weekly on HBO beginning Oct. 24, and be available to stream on HBO Max. https://youtu.be/kBb2Pbh20m4 Dave Chappelle has announced his sixth Netflix special, “The Closer” will debut globally on Oct. 5. In a press release, Netflix said: “This stand-up special completes a body of work which includes: ‘The Age of Spin,’ ‘Deep in the Heart of Texas,’ ‘Equanimity,’ ‘The Bird Revelation’ and ‘Sticks & Stones.'” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T59ij-vlNAE CBS MORNINGS co-host Gayle King sat down with Azriel Clary, who testified during the R. Kelly trial as “Jane,” for an exclusive interview airing on CBS MORNINGS tomorrow. Clary, who was a minor when she met Kelly, previously defended him in an interview with King in 2019. This is her first interview since R. Kelly was found guilty of all 9 counts against him, including racketeering and sex trafficking charges. “Rob has been lying to y’all and that’s why we never watched the documentary,” says Azriel Clary. His girlfriend Azriel Clary went live on Instagram and spilled ALL the tea. A physical fight broke out at Kelly’s Trump condo between Clary and Kelly’s other girlfriend, Joycelyn Savage. The whole incident was recorded on Clary’s Instagram live. After the fight was broken up, Clary continued to stay on live and talk about Savage and Kelly. She claims that Kelly has been lying to everyone about sleeping with underage girls. She also claims that she and Savage lied in their interview with Gayle King to protect Kelly. She said, “Rob has been lying to all of y’all. And that’s the sad part about it. He’s been lying to y’all asses and had people like me lying for him. And that’s why we never watched the documentary.” BET's Sunday Best season 9 runner-up Josh Copeland releases his sophomore EP NO FEAR (Anointed Sounds/eOne) today, which is available for download or streaming on all music platforms. Upon its release NO FEAR reached No. 15 on iTunes Christian/Gospel Top 200 Digital Albums chart. The 7-track EP is produced by Stellar Award winning producer Daniel Weatherspoon and executive produced by Neily Dickerson of the ND co. Josh Copeland's official live performance music video for the EP's lead single "All Things Working," is premiering now exclusively on Entertainment OneYouTube channel. Released on June 25, the song landed in the Top 20 (#18 peak) on iTunes Top 200 Christian/Gospel Digital Songs chart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkaBVL9nwrs The FBI is reportedly investigating why officers with the Missouri police department allowed a police dog to repeatedly bite a detained Black man. The disturbing footage shows the suspect with his hands on a squad car when the canine is released and begins biting his foot Monday in the St. Louis County city of Woodson Terrace. After several seconds, two officers take the man to the ground, with the dog still chomping on his right foot, the clip shows. The man then tries to stand up but is taken down by the dog again. “Don’t let the dog bite him,” a woman is heard yelling on the video. “Are you serious? Oh my God. You let him bite him.” The cops appear to handcuff the suspect, whose name has not been released. Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson will not be hosting the Emmy Awards ceremony for news and documentaries on Wednesday, and his exit comes amid a scathing New York Times exposé about a conference call gone wrong. According to the report, the co-founder of Watson’s company impersonated a YouTube executive during a funding call with a Goldman Sachs banker. When YouTube learned that someone had apparently impersonated one of their executives at a business meeting, its security team started an investigation. The inquiry didn’t get far before a name emerged: Within days, Mr. Watson had apologized profusely to Goldman Sachs, saying the voice on the call belonged to Samir Rao, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Ozy, according to the four people. The incident has prompted a review of Ozy’s leadership. A representative for the 42nd News & Documentary Emmy Awards said of Watson’s exit as host: “Carlos Watson has graciously reached out to us and asked to be removed from his hosting duties tomorrow night so as not to distract the focus from the talented nominees in the documentary categories of the 42nd News & Documentary Emmy Awards,” a rep told TheWrap. “As such, we are moving forward with our three presenters who will be sharing the hosting duties throughout the evening.” A Missouri high school homecoming sign bearing racist, anti-Black language and shown off by two white teens is being blamed in part on an “African American boy” by the mother of a student who appeared in the viral photo. Olathe South High School in Kansas City is at the center of racist internet infamy because of the sign that served as both an invitation to homecoming festivities and an indication of attitudes about race at the school. The sign in question, presented by a white boy to a white girl, had printed on it: “If I was Black, I would be picking cotton, but I’m white so I’m picking you” for homecoming. It included checkboxes for yes or no, with the former checked off. The photo quickly went viral, resulting in a swift condemnation from Olathe’s principal in Friday, local news outlet KSHB reported. “I felt it was important to share that we are working to thoroughly investigate the situation and contact all parties involved, including student guardians,” Olathe South Principal Dale Longenecker wrote in a note to parents before adding: “The type of behavior displayed in the social media post does not meet the expectations of our core values. Any behavior like this will be immediately addressed in accordance with our Student Code of Conduct.” The entitled mind of a Karen must be a strange and wonderful place—so much so that white women, who have enjoyed generations of perceived innocence and harmlessness, are having a tough time adjusting to a world where their white nonsense is no longer tolerated and is instead recorded and posted to social media for the world to see and shame them for their behavior. Also, Black people are not allowing themselves to be abused by these pale wild animals in their natural habitats of privilege and completion protection. In a video posted on Reddit on Sunday, one woman of the wild and washcloth-less persuasion can be seen screeching at two Black men on the subway for something apparently having to do with them existing in close proximity to her. Maybe the woman was afraid she was going to catch some kind of negro sickness that would have her craving various spices in her food, uncontrollably clapping on the two and four and finally coming under the realization that skipping leg day is for workouts, not showers. https://www.reddit.com/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/pvha3d/karen_assaults_man_on_subway/?ref=share&ref_source=embed&utm_content=title&utm_medium=post_embed&utm_name=135b15a8b9ab4634ada7af48d2dba188&utm_source=embedly&utm_term=pvha3d The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has released a new sexually-charged video that suggests going vegan will give your sex life a boost. “Can’t put your finger on what’s not working in the bedroom?” reads the caption to the steamy clip, which dropped Tuesday. Two fingers are shown rubbing and stroking the insides of various types of fruits and vegetables. “Want to spice things up in the bedroom?” asks one caption as someone’s index and middle fingers work the inside of a sliced kiwi fruit. An orange is shown being massaged by a hand, then crushed into juice. The caption reads: “A squirt of OJ can increase blood flow to important organs.” A New York arbitrator ruled Monday that former President Donald Trump can not enforce a nondisclosure agreement with his ex-White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman. Per NBC News, the arbitrator noted that the terms of the nondisclosure agreement were “highly problematic” because it did not adhere to typical legal standards, describing it as “vague, indefinite, and therefore void and unenforceable.” “The Agreement effectively imposes on [Manigault Newman] an obligation to never say anything remotely critical of Mr. Trump, his family or his or his family members’ businesses for the rest of her life,” arbitrator, T. Andrew Brown, said in the ruling. At least 10 women were either shot or killed in St. Louis over the last week, and one TikTokker has gone viral with her belief that the cases are racial. TikTok user LamaraIndigo‘s video, which has been viewed more than 420,000 times, said she believes white people are intentionally shooting and killing Black women. She says they are not being assaulted or robbed, just killed. Of the recent shootings and killings in St. Louis City involving women, there were two Black women and one white woman killed, six Black women shot, and one Hispanic woman shot. LamaraIndigo says she thinks people in St. Louis have become desensitized to the violence, and that her TikTok “is me doing something.” “The Wendy Williams Show” confirmed on Tuesday that the talk show will return for season 13 on October 4, with “all new hot topics.” “THE WAIT IS OVER! Season 13 starts MONDAY,” the show captioned a short trailer for the upcoming season. “You don’t wanna miss it!” The season 13 premiere was previously slated to air on Sept. 20 but was pushed back after Wendy Williams tested positive for COVID-19 and was later hospitalized due to alleged psychiatric issues. “While continuing her health evaluations, Wendy has tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19,” a Sept. 15 statement posted on Instagram said. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUXvwulFX-n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Karen Pittman plays Mia Jordan on Apple TV Plus’ “The Morning Show.” In season two, UBA is still reeling from the chaos of season one. Producer Mia has been left to pick up the pieces and salvage the network’s signature news show. The show tackles those gray areas between race and gender that come into play in the workplace. New cast members were also added to this season – Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Hasan Manihaj (Patriot Act). https://youtu.be/-qZWPTsR-Wc The original “Law & Order” is returning to television after more than a decade off the air. According to a statement from series creator Dick Wolf and his Wolf Entertainment, the series will return to NBC for Season 21, and “will continue where the show left off in 2010, with the classic format that explores two separate, yet equally important groups: ‘the police who investigate crimes and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.’ As reported by PEOPLE, the premiere date and casting have not been announced. “There are very few things in life that are literally dreams come true,” Dick Wolf said in the statement. “This is mine.” Megan Thee Stallion and her rapper boyfriend Pardi Fontaine star in a campaign for the collaboration between Coach and apparel company Schott NYC. Per PEOPLE, launching today, the Coach x Schott NYC line features Coach shearling from the brand’s fall 2021 “With Friends” collection. The cozy pieces — inspired by early street style and documentaries of New York City in the late 70s and early 80s — offers an assortment of coats, bags, heels and slides, according to the report. In the campaign, Megan and Fontaine are joined by beauty influencer Queenie, jewelry designer Jae, internet personality Daren and hairstylist Kellon Deryck. https://www.instagram.com/coach/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=21a3ad45-6e02-46e8-9173-3caaba1d0f37 Netflix has released a new trailer for its upcoming western “The Harder They Fall,” starring Regina King as “Treacherous” Trudy Smith, LaKeith Stanfield as Cherokee Bill, Idris Elba as Rufus Buck, Zazie Beetz as Stagecoach Mary and Jonathan Majors as outlaw Nat Love. https://youtu.be/Poc55U2RPMw Get ready to find your voice in Disney’s “Encanto!” The film tells a tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a magical house, in a vibrant town – Encanto. Stephanie Beatriz is set to voice the lead role of Mirabel, an ordinary 15-year-old who’s struggling to find her place in her family – as she is the only child that didn’t receive an unique superpower. When trouble enters Encanto, Mirabel decides she might be her family’s last hope. https://youtu.be/CaimKeDcudo ”Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Porsha Williams previously revealed that she is planning three weddings with her man Simon Guobadia. Most recently, she purchased him an engagement ring from Tiffany & Co. “I said yes and so did he !!!” she shared with her followers in a caption for one of the clips. “Yes we both are professing our love and reminded every time we look down at our left hand that thus [sic] is a promise and love that will last a lifetime !! We will be husband and wife and I can’t freaking wait! Love you Pooh!!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CUWUk7sLi9N/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Hulu’s “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” is back for season two! Fans fell in love with the true origin story of one of the greatest rap groups in history. The new season picks up with all of the soon-to-be Wu-Tang members living their individual lives – some are trying to be solo artists and others are still in the streets. https://youtu.be/UPXYFo8FIpM On the heels of the Black TikTok creators going on strike, a new dance platform called Groovetime is set to become an alternative to TikTok. Launched in Mid-May of 2021, Groovetime is an app that helps people learn to dance and a marketplace where dancers can create, own their work, and monetize their dance moves. Founder of Groovetime, Kwasi Ohene-Adu, who created the app, wants to create a movement that will allow creatives a shot at making a decent living. Born in the United Kingdom but grew in Ghana, Kwasi moved to the United States to attend college on the East coast to study computer science and minored in engineering, with a concentration in A.I. and Computer Vision. After college, he headed out west to Silicon Valley, where he’s been since 2005. Dream Hampton, award-winning filmmaker and executive producer of “Surviving R. Kelly,” writes in Washington Post Opinions: R. Kelly’s predation and abuse of Black girls was an open secret for almost three decades. After he was convicted of nine federal counts of sex trafficking and racketeering on Monday, the self-nicknamed “Pied Piper of R&B” is finally seeing his own bill come due. But while this verdict may make potential future victims safer, it’s not enough. We need to invest in the safety and futures of survivors and whistleblowers. I’ve seen first-hand just how great those needs can be, and how far we have to go in providing them. […]For our Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” I sat for countless hours with women as they opened old wounds and relived their trauma. Many of them said they were teenagers when he began abusing them. Some of them didn’t feel able to sit in front of our cameras, but they spoke to us to corroborate the stories of those who did appear on screen. During an interview with GQ, Will Smith shared why he stayed away from slave roles. “I’ve always avoided making films about slavery,” he explained. “In the early part of my career… I didn’t want to show Black people in that light. I wanted to be a superhero. So I wanted to depict Black excellence alongside my white counterparts. I wanted to play roles that you would give to Tom Cruise. And the first time I considered it was “Django Unchained.” But I didn’t want to make a slavery film about vengeance.” “Emancipation is different. It would be a disservice to think of it as a “slavery movie,” he continued. If you can recall, the role of Django was played by Jamie Foxx. The movie went on to be a favorite for some. However, Will has his own idea of emancipation and doesn’t want to revisit slavery to depict it. “‘King’ came to me in a unique way,” said AJ Wells about his recently released “King” single featuring Shauna Hughes from his upcoming 2022 album “God Songs.” “It speaks about the majesty of our King.” https://youtu.be/HdPm0A9S1Cc The Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind the hit movie Hidden Figures says he hopes his newest project — Netflix’s The Starling — gives viewers a sense of hope no matter what they are facing in life. The film tells the story of a husband and wife grieving the sudden death of their infant child. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYyImx_KXm4 New Yorker Fredrick Joseph said his walk in a Brooklyn park with his pup and fiancée took an ugly turn when a white woman allegedly told them to “stay in your hood” and threatened to call the cops. Joseph, a Black man, said the woman had confused their dog for another, louder one. “At the dog park in Brooklyn with my fiancé and this white woman was threatening to call police and told us to ‘stay in our hood’ because she had our dog confused with another dog who had been barking loudly,” he tweeted. “So, I started recording and she tried to slap the phone out my hand.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1441919836112650242 After a contentious five-hour meeting on Tuesday (Sept. 28), the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee called for a further week of deliberations with a special task force on sexual abuse after failing to agree on the ground rules for a third-party review commissioned to study the denomination’s handling of abuse claims. The call came as the two sides, meeting via Zoom, hit an impasse, unable to agree on the terms of a contract with the investigative firm Guidepost Solutions. At issue is whether the Executive Committee can shield certain communications with its lawyers from Guidepost Solutions’ investigators. Many of the Executive Committee’s 86 members believe they should be able to claim attorney-client privilege, while the majority of the task force wants the committee to waive the right to confidentiality to ensure an honest accounting of the Executive Committee’s actions over the past 20 years. Pope Francis on Wednesday accepted the resignation of the Catholic bishop of Brooklyn, Nicholas DiMarzio, weeks after a Vatican investigation cleared him of sexual abuse allegations, and appointed a native New Yorker to replace him. DiMarzio is 77, two years beyond the normal retirement age for bishops. Francis accepted his resignation and appointed Bishop Robert Brennan of Columbus, Ohio, to take over in Brooklyn, the Vatican said. On Sept. 1, the New York church announced that the Vatican had closed its case against DiMarzio after an investigation concluded that the allegations against him didn’t have “the semblance of truth.” Two men had separately claimed DiMarzio abused them a half century ago, when he was a priest in New Jersey. DiMarzio denied the allegations. The accusers’ lawyer, Mitchell Garabed. In a message to young people attending an event in Italy on the environmental crisis, Pope Francis encouraged activists to promote human relationships and environmental protections by overcoming divisions. “There must be harmony between people — men and women — and the environment,” the pope said in his recorded message at the Youth4Climate event taking place in Milan on Sept. 28-30. “We are not enemies; we are not indifferent. We are part of this cosmic harmony,” he added. Hundreds of young environmental activists from about 190 countries convened in Milan, Italy, this week to discuss the progress — or lack of — toward government action in addressing the climate and energy crisis. Discussions at the climate talks in Italy have been fraught, with young activists decrying the empty promises of political leaders and demanding real action. On Sunday, September 26, STARZ hosted a special Detroit screening and Q&A session for the highly-anticipated new series, “BMF” with members of the cast and creative team including Executive Producer/Director Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and showrunner, executive producer, writer and Detroit native Randy Huggins at the Emagine Royal Oak in Royal Oak, Michigan. “BMF '' was produced in Atlanta and Detroit, where the real-life Black Mafia Family that inspired the series had bases of operation from the 1980-2000s. The night began with guests viewing the first episode of the series, which premiered on STARZ that evening. “BMF” will move to its regular time slot at 8 PM ET/PT starting on Sunday, October 3. https://www.starz.com/us/en/series/bmf/62264 GENE Hoskins about his latest and riveting single, “Make It With Jesus.” He adds, “My hope is that the relief I felt after singing it translates to others and it can be a healing tool in some way.” “Make It With Jesus” initially came out on Hoskins independently released Homecoming in January 2021. https://soundcloud.com/shanachie-1/gene-hoskins-make-it-with-jesus-edit-2/s-61Crjx1H59t?si=f3df3126a9404c23b15a722a4e8db30d Tribl Records, the new premiere recording home for Christian and Gospel music artists, announces the release of the premiere South Asian Worship artist, Maryanne “MJ” George. Affectionally, known as MJ, she will release her debut solo album, Not Just Stories, on her birthday, Friday, October 8th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBNlG_Jkhoc Marica was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia; she started singing at the age of two; while being a member of Big Miller Grove Baptist Church, where she was remained a faithful member until the age of 20. She then went on to become a member of Citadel of Hope COGIC where God began to truly craft her gifting under the direction of the late Maurice Culpepper and embrace her writing skills. In 2012, Marica released her debut album, Simply Worship in which she captured the hearts of many and solidified her presence as the Duchess of Praise. Marica is an in-demand psalmist and worship leader, a licensed minister, and prayer leader. Hear Marica Chisolm in Her Own Words in the Gospel Spotlight!!! http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/maricachisolm_intvw.htm Harold Rayford drops "Without You." https://spaces.hightail.com/space/HQ9SI2rokQ/files/fi-379efbb8-a5da-4596-887d-0ccc25a539b6/fv-0cff596b-0335-4545-8191-995859a84879/Without%20You%20-%20US4Z62104206%20(320).mp3 The 67-year-old politician was named as a potential vice-presidential running mate to President Biden during the 2020 elections. Now Bass’ name is being mentioned as a part of the field competing for a chance to replace the city’s current mayor, Eric Garcetti, who is term-limited. Garcetti was named as Biden’s ambassador to India but has yet to be confirmed. The Los Angeles Times broke the news of Bass’ plans to run for mayor in 2022, but a spokesperson from the congresswoman’s team did not immediately confirm the report. Instead, they shared a brief statement. “Los Angeles is facing a humanitarian crisis in homelessness and a public health crisis in the disproportionate impact that this pandemic has had on Angelenos,” the statement read according to CBS News. “She does not want to see those two issues tear the city apart. Los Angeles has to come together. That’s why the congresswoman is considering a run for mayor.” One of the consensus top-five greatest basketball players of all time had some strong words for the anti-vax athletes in the NBA ahead of the start of the professional hoops league’s upcoming season. Responding to the report of holdouts among NBA players who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke in no uncertain terms about their “arrogance” and what he described as hypocrisy when it comes to following guidance from health professionals. Without singling out players by name — and there are several notable stars he could have called out specifically — Abdul Jabbar said in a new interview that it would behoove the NBA to make its vaccine mandate much more strict. “The NBA should insist that all players and staff are vaccinated or remove them from the team,” Abdul-Jabbar told Rolling Stone. “There is no room for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, the staff and the fans simply because they are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research.” Making the rounds as a part of the weekend news programs, Republican Sen. Tim Scott weighed in on the failure to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act on Face of the Nation Saturday. During the interview, Scott claimed policing reform fell apart because of areas of the proposed bill that “reduced funding” for policing. Host Margaret Brennan seemed either unwilling or not informed enough to challenge Scott on his statement of facts. Subsequently, CBS News ran with a headline claiming Democrats want to “defund police.” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com A group of Minneapolis residents and organizational representatives gathered last week to encourage voters to reject one ballot measure and support two others in the November local election. Focused on creating a city that is more equitable and serving all residents, the group gathered. They spoke in front of the Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services to encourage voters to reject one ballot measure and support two others. Every speaker present stressed residents vote no on a measure that would give the mayor more power than the city council. According to an explainer from Minnesota Public Radio, the strong-mayor measure would expand the mayor’s authority over city agencies. Currently, chartered agencies except for the police department are controlled by the city council. MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross has revealed that she underwent a full hysterectomy to end the “debilitating” pain she suffered from fibroids. As reported by PEOPLE, the host of “Cross Connection” dedicated a portion of her show on Sunday to discuss her experience with the condition where noncancerous growths form on the uterus. https://twitter.com/i/status/1441789735333089283 An anti-mask protest outside of Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles turned violent in Anaheim, California, over the weekend. As reported by CBS San Francisco, video posted to social media showed at least one man being dragged out of the restaurant by several security guards. Officers were called to the scene after reports of a protester being pepper-sprayed, but no one was arrested. https://cbsloc.al/3EYQJkD After decades of claims of sexual misconduct with minors, #RKelly was found guilty of all counts in his sex trafficking trial yesterday.? His ex-wife, #DreaKelly, said that her “heart is in two places,” as a former partner and the mother of his children when it comes to the disgraced singer. Drea, who has three children with Kelly, has previously claimed that the singer “physically and sexually abused” her.? https://www.instagram.com/p/CUYCdZYFXQ0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Kim Kardashian’s 2021 Met Gala outfit is now a Halloween costume. Kardashian attended the star-studded event this month wearing “an all-black, full-coverage Balenciaga getup featuring a face-obscuring mask,” Page Six writes. Per the report, Yandy, the company known for sexy costumes, has released a version of the outfit for Halloween that costs $99.99. “Glimmering gowns had their fashion moment, and we’re here for it, but look who paved the way for statement-making avant-garde!,” the “Mystery Gala Guest” costume’s product page reads. The Metropolitan Opera made Black history on multiple fronts with its season opener Monday, presenting for the first time in its 138-year history an opera by a Black composer. The staging of “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” – by jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, based on the memoir of New York Times columnist Charles Blow – was the Met’s first indoor staged opera performance in 18 months, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. https://youtu.be/pVyGjReLDHE Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back’ Crash To All-Time Low Viewership Of 2.6M. The much-nominated and tremendous Slave Play came up empty-handed and Jagged Little Pill’s Lauren Patten showed exactly what an acceptance speech should be Sunday night as CBS took the Tony Awards to a whole new stage of sorts. Streamlining the ceremony for the 21st century in a manner the Oscars and others would do well to take notes from, Paramount+ and its corporate broadcast network cousin on Sunday night weaved a two-hour livestreamed 74th annual Tony Awards and, immediately following, the two-hour broadcast concert special The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back! Hosted by past Tony and Grammy winner Leslie Odom Jr, who was once in a little production called Hamilton, the two-pronged approach put the spotlight on the best of the 2019-20 theater season just as Broadway itself is finally reopening from the coronavirus pandemic. Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease — a group of disorders that cause nerve damage — which has affected his ability to move and keep balance on stage. In an interview with the “TODAY” show’s Jenna Bush Hager, Jackson, 62, said he inherited the disease from his father, and it has affected several members of his family. He was diagnosed 10 years ago. “It’s been affecting me for years, and it’s getting more and more obvious,” Jackson said. “And I know I’m stumbling around on stage and now I’m having a little trouble balancing even in front of the microphone, and so I just feel very uncomfortable, and I just want people to know that’s why I look like I do.” He said he doesn’t want fans to feel sorry for him, adding that the disease is “not fatal. It’s gonna disable me eventually.” Authorities in Florida are desperately searching for a 19-year-old college student who vanished from her apartment on Friday, leaving behind signs of a violent struggle, including bloodstains on a pillow. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Miya Marcano was last seen at around 5pm on September 24 at the Arden Villas apartments on Arden Villas Boulevard in Orlando, where she lives and works in the leasing office. Marcano’s family said Miya, who attends Valencia College, was scheduled to catch a flight to Fort Lauderdale that night, but she never made it to the airport. A #Florida woman faces federal charges after being accused of plotting to have her ex’s current partner murdered.? 50-year-old #DeAnnaMarieStinson was arrested and booked into the #PinellasCountyJail on Thursday.? Justice Department officials said Stinson made an account on a dark web website that allegedly offers murder-for-hire services. She then submitted an order requesting a hitman kill her ex’s current lover. She provided the person’s name, address, and a photo and even paid over $12,000 in Bitcoin between June and July for the hit.? R. Kelly was found guilty of all nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking by a federal jury on Monday during his sex trafficking trial where prosecutors accused the R&B singer of exploiting his stardom over a quarter-century to lure women and underage girls into his orbit for sex. A jury of seven men and five women reached the verdict after two days of deliberation and a six-week long trial featuring lurid testimony. Prosecutors say Kelly orchestrated a sex crimes ring for nearly three decades. He faces between 10 years and life in prison. The jury began deliberating federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges against the superstar on Friday in Brooklyn, after prosecutors and defense attorneys finished their closing arguments. Robert Sylvester Kelly, 54, was accused of running a Chicago-based criminal enterprise that prosecutors say he used to ‘target, groom and exploit girls, boys and women’ for unwanted sex and mental torment. The witnesses said Kelly subjected them to perverse and sadistic whims when they were underage. He has denied any wrongdoing. Wondering what Bill Cosby thinks of the R. Kelly verdict. Coz thinks Kelly got a raw deal. Andrew Wyatt, Cosby’s spokesperson, is pointing the finger at Gloria Allred and systemic racism. TMZ caught up with him at Avra (restaurant) in Beverly Hills and inquired as to what was Cosby’s reaction to Kelly’s conviction on all 9 counts. “The guy was railroaded,” was his response. And since Gloria Allred repped alleged victims in both Cosby’s case and Kelly’s, the famed attorney is drawing most of Cosby and Wyatt’s ire. As far as Wyatt is concerned, she’s running a familiar playbook. While, Kelly’s looking at 10 years to life when he gets sentenced in May, Wyatt doesn’t think the disgraced singer will actually be sentenced, because an appeals court will overturn the conviction. Wyatt is downright confident Kelly will walk free one day, just like Cosby. But it seems he’s forgetting there’s a huge difference between their cases. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-06-30-063021-bill-cosby-1195577/ The State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM) said dozens of troopers have submitted their resignation papers as a result of the state’s COVID vaccine mandate. The state is requiring all executive department employees to show proof of vaccination by October 17, or risk losing their jobs. About 20% of State Police employees are not vaccinated, the union’s attorney said. Last week, a judge denied a request from the State Police union to put a hold on Baker’s vaccine mandate for troopers. https://cbsloc.al/3zFGca9 When Tom Brady left the New England Patriots, the question was whether he could escape coach Bill Belichick’s shadow. Now the fairer question might be whether Belichick will be able to escape Brady’s. The Super Bowl titles Belichick won without Brady came three decades ago, which might as well be an eternity in the NFL. He had his first losing season in 20 years last year and, at 1-2 and with a rookie quarterback, might well be headed for another this season. Brady, meanwhile, will arrive in New England on Sunday night with all the swagger of that ex you’ve been dreading seeing. The one who, instead of going to pieces in the aftermath of the breakup, is living his best life. The 44-year-old leads the NFL in touchdowns (10), and trails only Derek Carr in yards passing (1,087). He’s got a shiny new Super Bowl ring and, that hiccup Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams aside, seems to be having a blast with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and all the toys they’ve given him. Simone Biles, 24, opened up about her mental health struggles at the Tokyo Olympics in July in a new cover interview with New York Magazine. The gymnast said she should have ‘never made another Olympic team’ after everything she has gone through over the past seven years. Biles admitted she ‘should have quit’ gymnastics long before Tokyo, but she didn’t want Larry Nassar to take that away from her. The Olympian said the trauma of being sexually abused by Nassar and seeing the former USA Gymnastics doctor in the media was ‘too much.’ Comedian Dave Chappelle is opening a comedy club in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. According to reports, Chappelle submitted plans to the Yellow Springs Planning Commission to open a restaurant, Firehouse Eatery, and a comedy club, Live from YS. As reported by Black Enterprise, both will sell food and alcohol and have indoor and outdoor seating. There will be separate seating for live performances. https://youtu.be/3HFn2eZK8LI Jada Pinkett Smith and her daughter Willow Smith are getting honest about plastic surgery they’ve considered. In a teaser for Wednesday’s (Sept. 29) episode of Red Table Talk, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and the actress’ mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris discuss the standards of beauty. Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, says she once thought about getting a Brazilian butt lift (a.k.a. BBL). “I’m glad we’re here talking about this today, the BBLs, because I was considering getting one.” Willow Smith, 20, quickly let Jada Pinkett Smith know she’s not alone, replying: “Me too! I considered getting the tiniest little bit, but then I just got into the gym and got it anyway.” Jada Pinkett Smith said she once told Willow Smith to “build a butt” rather than going the plastic surgery route. She added. Former NFL star Dez Bryant fired shots at Colin Kaepernick in a recent podcast and called out the former NFL quarterback for not creating jobs in urban communities. Bryant said he respects Kaepernick for his activism off the field but feels the controversial athlete hasn’t done enough to fulfill the promises he made. “I respect Colin Kaepernick. But there is one thing that I don’t respect and I said when I get the opportunity and to get on the stage and say it, I would say it. And I love him to death. So there ain’t no hate or nothing like that,” Bryant said. https://youtu.be/yqJFWS81Mf4 R. Kelly is headed to Federal prison. He was found guilty of racketeering in his federal sex crimes trial on Monday (09-27-21), according to a NY Times report. Prosecutors accused the singer Robert Sylvester Kelly of directing his employees to procure women for sex and sexually abused numerous women over the span of nearly 25 years. In opening statements, Assistant US Attorney Maria Cruz Melendez, the lead prosecutor in the case, blasted him as a “predator” who “used his money, his clout, and his public persona to hide his crimes in plain sight.” Over several weeks, prosecutors brought more than 40 witnesses to testify about Kelly. The witnesses included women and men who described how Kelly directed them to have sex with him and each other, and how the singer obsessively took videos of every sexual encounter. https://youtu.be/hSoY8kcVRf8 A University of Utah defensive back from Mesquite is dead after a shooting in Salt Lake City early Sunday morning. Aaron Lowe, 21, a former West Mesquite High School football player, was shot and killed in Salt Lake City’s Sugarhouse neighborhood Saturday, Salt Lake City police said. Police said officers received a noise complaint about a house party just a few hours after the Utes beat Washington State 24-13. Hours later police received another call from a person in the neighborhood regarding a fight involving a weapon, police said. According to police, officers were immediately dispatched to the scene. Police said officers also received a third call from a person who reported hearing gunshots. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Lowe and a second victim, a woman, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, police said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vhOjYwL8rc It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.'s 21st President, Rev. Dr. Timothy Stewart. Dr. Stewart faithfully served the Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) for over 3 decades, making history in 2018. He was the first President from the International Region in Progressive’s 60-year history. Today as we mourn, we remember and celebrate a great Shepherd, Pastor of the Historic Bethel Baptist Church in Nassau, Bahamas, husband, father, family man, visionary leader, counselor, and friend. We grieve not in despair but with the hope that we shall meet again. On behalf of Baptist General Convention Leadership, we extend heartfelt condolences to the family and ask that you pray for his wife, Mrs. Sharon Stewart, their children, Timothy, Michael, and Gardner Calvin, the Bethel Baptist Church family, and the entire PNBC family. On Saturday, September 25th, at 3:30 PM EST, there will be a special wreath-laying ceremony in honor and remembrance of Dr. Stewart. The ceremony will take place at the PNBC Headquarters Washington, DC. Pope Francis has accepted a request from German Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki for a six-month break from his duties as archbishop of the Diocese of Cologne in order to deal with his “grave mistakes” in handling the sexual abuse cases. A statement released by the Holy See on Friday said there is no indication that Woelki acted unlawfully in dealing with cases of sexual abuse, but it said that the cardinal failed in terms of communication and approach, which contributed to “a crisis of confidence” among Catholics that “has disturbed many believers.” The Archdiocese of Cologne, the largest and richest diocese in Germany, has been at the center of a crisis in the German church over bishops’ accountability for clerical abuse scandals. In June, the Vatican commissioned two bishops to investigate Woelki’s response to an abuse scandal that had begun under his predecessor and to get “a comprehensive picture of the complex pastoral situation.” Parts of the U.S. health system “are in dire straits,” as the spread of the Covid-19 delta variant forces some states to prepare for rationed medical care, Rochelle Walensky, head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said. “That means that we are talking about who is going to get a ventilator, who is going to get an ICU bed,” Walensky said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “Those are not easy discussions to have, and that is not a place we want our health care system to ever be.” The East Coast has been told to stay alert to Hurricane Sam as the weather event continues to strengthen. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) has confirmed the “small but ferocious” Category 4 storm currently has maximum sustained winds of 145mph. Despite meteorologists’ confidence the “major” storm will not inflict another direct hit on U.S. shores, they warn Hurricane Sam could still present a danger to life in the region. Hurricane Sam spaghetti models—computer models illustrating potential tropical cyclone paths—suggest the East Coast should monitor the storm. The “formidable” winds can churn up increasingly imposing swells, which are heading towards the East Coast from the hurricane’s current position several hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles. Over the weekend Patti Labelle and Gladys Knight hit the stage at the new state-of-the-art Stockbridge Amphitheater in Georgia. At one point during the show, Labelle spoke about losing close friend Sarah Dash, a member of the Bluebelles in 1962 which changed later to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, she was also in the group "LaBelle." Dash passed away on Sept. 20 at the age of 76. s reported by Black Enterprise, Labelle said Gladys Knight has been helping her grieve the loss. “Gladys has been in the back with me praying. I was with her when she lost members of the Pips,” she said through tears and her voice trembling. “So now we’ve lost a Labelle. God bless Sarah Dash.” Labelle then sang a tribute to Dash. After Jeannie Mai confirmed that she is expecting her first child with rapper Jeezy, her ex-husband, Freddy Harteis, has made clear that he’s not thrilled by the news. As reported by Page Six, when a fan suggested Harteis was “probably biting bricks and screaming” about the news, Harteis, 45, reportedly responded: “Yep. I upgraded from trash to treasure a long time ago,” he wrote, according to Yahoo. “Best decision I ever made. Congratulations. Being truly happy is an amazing feeling. Love my little family.” The comment has since been deleted, but not before @theneighborhoodtalk grabbed a screenshot and posted it to their Instagram account. Mai’s “The Talk” co-host, Loni Love, saw Harteis’ comment and was quick to defend her friend. “We were happy with your children being born so show the same grace to Baby Jenkins,” she clapped back. Mai and Harteis were married for 10 years and had no children together. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com It’s no secret that Will Smith and Jada’s relationship has been gossiped about for decades now. While he didn’t confirm being swingers, during an interview with GQ, Will shared that at one point, he would have been open to having multiple women. Will says during a meeting with an intimacy coach, he expressed that if he could have anything in the world, he’d want multiple girlfriends. Misty Copeland and Halle Berry to be exact. After researching different women that he could add to his team, he ultimately decided against it. “It was okay to think Halle is fine. It doesn’t make me a bad person that I’m married and I think Halle is beautiful. Whereas in my mind, in my Christian upbringing, even my thoughts were sins….I realize that my thoughts were not sins and even acting on an impure thought didn’t make me a piece of sh**” he explained. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com James C. Birdsong, Jr., a member of the renowned famed Birdsong family and award-winning figure in Gospel music and Lillian Lilly, the longtime principal vocalist of the world-renowned GRAMMY®-Award-nominated Mississippi Mass Choir is among the nine honorees for the 7th Annual Antigua Barbuda Gospel Media & Media Awards (ABGMA) on Friday, October 22nd, 2021, at Kentish Pentecostal Church in St. John's, Antigua of the West Indies during an invitation-only event. Birdsong and Lilly will receive their recognition at the Legacy Ball & Media Awards on October 22nd. Due to the COVI9-19 restrictions, they will not be in attendance. Their acceptance speeches will be viewed on video during a live broadcast of the ceremony. The Gospel Spotlight's James C. Birdsong Jr. Hear James C. Birdsong, Jr. In His Own Words.....http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/jamesbirdsong_intvw.htm Actor Malachi Malik (pronounced Mal-lick) makes his debut appearance as a recurring role on season 6 of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network’s critically acclaimed drama series Queen Sugar from creator and executive producer Ava DuVernay. In episode 3, Malachi portrays Theotis “Theo” Jackson, a guy who met Ralph Angel Bordelon (Kofi Siriboe) while in prison. The two reconnect at one of Hollywood’s men’s club meetings where Theo turns out to be a bad influence when he offers his cash-strapped friend a job. Queen Sugar is currently airing every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on OWN. Rihanna is still teasing fans about new music that she has allegedly been working on for the past year. It’s been five years since the singer and make-up mogul released her eighth album “ANTI”. Last year, Rihanna said she started recording new music, which she claims will sound much different than her previous projects. “You’re not going to expect what you hear. Just put that in your mind,” Rihanna said recently before the taping of her “Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3” event, airing on Amazon Prime Video. “Whatever you know of Rihanna is not going to be what you hear,” she added. “I’m really experimenting. Music is like fashion. You should be able to play. I should be able to wear whatever I want. I treat music the same way. So I’m having fun and it’s going to be completely different.” Kelly Price has broken her silence just days after her family members expressed their concerns about her well-being following her recent COVID-19 hospitalization. The 48-year-old singer told TMZ that she was never “missing” despite her family’s initial claims. Price said she was quarantining from family and fans so that she could recover from COVID-19. Price said she’s been battling the disease since August, and that her condition had been progressing “in the wrong direction” for a week prior to her hospitalization. Price’s husband had been working with medical staff virtually to help treat her symptoms, but she said her health took a turn for the worst after she was diagnosed with a fever of over 103 and her breathing became “extremely shallow.” At one point in Price’s harrowing testimony, the singer said she nearly “flatlined” during her hospitalization. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-09-27-092621-kelly-price-1256460/ Migos rapper Offset reportedly helped cover the burial costs of comedian Anthony ‘AJ’ Johnson. Per TMZ, the late actor’s widow, Lexis Jones Mason, shared that … “Anthony’s funeral has now been paid for, with nearly $70,000 in donations pouring in from famous folks and thousands of random donors,” the outlet writes. Offset reportedly chipped in $5,000 for the service, with comedian Lil Rel Howery donating another $4k on the family’s GoFundMe. Michael Blackson also helped raise $10,000, and in addition to donations, Anthony’s widow tells us she received a flurry of calls this week from celebs like Fat Joe, D.L. Hughley, Faizon Love, Michael Colyar, Tommy Davidson, D.C. Young fly, Tyrin Turner and more. Birdman said he had an opportunity to bring Kanye West into the Cash Money fold, but took a pass on the talent. Birdman told the “Big Facts Podcast” that Ye, “was with me before he was Kanye West. I knew he was special. I let him go.” He said that his loyalty to his friend Mannie Fresh, who was already signed, kept him from adding Kanye to the label. “Kanye came to me as a producer and I wasn’t gonna ever disrespect Mannie Fresh ’cause I started with Fresh,” he explained. “I wasn’t gonna play with Fresh ’cause Fresh was my day one.” “I flew him to Roc-A-Fella,” said Birdman. “And we always kept a bond, but he was with me at my house, living with me at my house.” Kanye eventually signed with JAY-Z at Roc-A-Fella and the rest is history. https://youtu.be/kZMLzh_E2PI Sam Cooke’s teenaged sweetheart Barbara Campbell Cooke has died at age 85. Cooke was 18 and Barbara was 13 when they met on the South Side of Chicago. As reported by the New York Times, after Sam’s death in 1964, his widow went on to marry Sam’s protégé singer Bobby Womack. Fans of Sam Cooke were revolted against Bobby and Barbara and Bobby Womack’s career was at a standstill for years. Sam had discovered and helped Bobby and his brothers get a recording deal. They were called the Valentinos. In addition, Bobby had an affair with her daughter Linda Cooke (later Linda Womack) which caused Barbara to shoot Bobby. No charges were filed. Her daughter was in the group Womack and Womack and ended up marrying the late Cecil Womack who was the younger brother of Bobby. Womack died in 2014 at 70. “The Two Killings of Sam Cooke” is streaming on Netflix. https://youtu.be/cEsiSNH2_yU Less than a month after Rachel Nichols was fired from ESPN, as well as her show removed Malika Andrews is slated to step up and replace her a high-profile NBA reporter with her own show, “NBA Today.” She will work alongside panelists analysts Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike, Vince Carter and ESPN Senior Writer Zach Lowe to provide in-depth analysis. “It’s an incredible time to cover the NBA — a league that is full of characters and stories that have resonance far beyond the sports world,” said Andrews, who will continue to do coverage as a sideline reporter for NBA live events. “Our goal every day is to deliver information and analysis to our viewers that can’t be gleaned anywhere else. I’m so excited to showcase the league and the talented reporters, analysts and insiders on our team.” A FedEx driver who went viral with his video admitting his refusal to deliver packages to homes with Black Lives Matter or Biden/Harris flags, has been fired. Vincent Paterno, based in the state of Washington, was fired after posting a TikTok video – in his FedEx uniform – saying, “Just wanted to come on here and let all you know … if you have a Joe Biden, Kamala f–king camel toe posted up in front of your house, Black Lives Matter — I will not deliver your s—.” “I will not deliver your s—. I will bring that back to the station,” he smirked. “And I will keep doing that s—. Have a good day.” The company confirmed to TooFab that he has been fired, adding: “We are appalled by the behavior depicted in this video, which does not reflect the views of FedEx. This individual is no longer providing service on behalf of the company.” https://youtu.be/Hv1Qg74aqps Snoop Dogg recently claimed he is the owner of @CozomoMedici, which is well-known for NFT (Non Fungible Tokens) speculation as well as ownership of more than 140 NFTs. He says he’s the owner of the @CozomoMedici account, which has garnered interest with well-documented NFT speculation and ownership of more than 140 NFTs. “I am @CozomoMedici,” the rapper tweeted Monday (Sept. 20), just five minutes after the user behind the NFT account promised they would imminently reveal their identity. “Shortly, as promised, I will dox from my personal account,” the tweet from @CozomoMedici read. “As my fame is considerable, the tweet will no doubt be discovered. Those who are curious to know my identity will soon know it.” The @CozomoMedici account, which is about a month old, had promised it would reveal is owner just days before Snoop dropped the bomb via Twitter. After years of speculation, Cynthia Bailey says that after 10 seasons, her time on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” has come to an end. Bailey has thought long and hard about it, and has made the “very difficult and heartfelt decision” to not return for the upcoming 14th season of “RHOA.” “After much thought and consideration, I have made the very difficult and heartfelt decision not to return for the next season of Real Housewives of Atlanta,” she wrote on an Instagram post. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr exhibited humility Sunday in deflecting any credit for his team’s undefeated record, saying fame is “fleeting” and adding that his purpose is to “glorify” God no matter what happens. The Raiders defeated Miami in overtime 31-28 to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2002, with Carr completing 26 of 43 passes for 386 yards and two touchdowns. In a postgame Fox interview on national television, Carr refused to take credit. Told that he’s playing like an MVP with confidence and command, the Raiders quarterback responded, “I’ve been through this before when I snapped my ankle with fans chanting MVP and all that kind of stuff.” Georgia Southern Eagles head coach Chad Lunsford expressed his displeasure about beginning the 2021 football season with a 1-2 start and reassured fans that they had every right to be unhappy with the team – while also making clear that pleasing God is his top priority. During a press conference Monday, Lunsford explained that his faith in God’s plan and purpose allows him to look beyond their losses. “I’m a man of faith,” Lunsford told reporters. “I feel that my steps are ordered. I feel that God has a plan for me. God has a plan for my family. So why worry about things that you don’t control? I control how we practice. I control the different things we do at practice. We control the depth chart. We control who plays. I have to focus on the things I do have control over.” He agreed that fans should be unhappy with the outcome because the team is ultimately playing for their audience. https://twitter.com/i/status/1440084456878993410 A Detroit groom has gone viral for his emotional request that took place at the altar. Dontez Williams was in the middle of his Aug. 13 wedding to Myshella Burton when he turned to his bride’s two young daughters and asked if he could adopt them. “I never knew you really do become a man when you have children,” 33-year-old Williams said. “Having someone to teach, protect, provide for them, discipline them, learn from them and support them. For all of these reasons, you’ve helped me become a better person.” “I know that I’m a father figure to you both,” Williams told 9-year-old Abigail and 8-year-old Natalie before getting on one knee and asking the girls if he could adopt them. https://www.instagram.com/p/CTBHOY-J3_v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Nick Cannon’s therapist has advised him to take a break from having children. “I’m not sitting out here planning it. My therapist says I should be celibate,” Cannon, 40, told Entertainment Tonight, adding in jest, “Okay, give me a break bus. I’m [gonna] take a break from having kids.” Cannon continued, “I come from a big family, I have several siblings, [and] being raised in an unorthodox family by my grandparents at times, I’ve experienced such a wide range of upbringing that I have such a love and passion for kids and family. I want a big family too. The Lord has blessed me with what I asked. Ask and you shall receive.” KTVU (San Francisco Bay Area) news anchor Frank Somerville has been removed from air after a disagreement with news director Amber Eikel over coverage of the Gabby Petito homicide case. According to Mercury News, the disagreement apparently happened earlier this week after the body of Gabby was discovered in Wyoming. She had been reported missing earlier this month while on a cross-country camping trip. The FBI has since issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie, Gabby’s 23-year-old fiancé. KTVU was prepared to air a news report detailing the latest developments in the case. Frank wanted to add a brief tagline at the end of the report that questioned the level of media coverage devoted to this particular story. Sources said he wanted to point out that the U.S. media often disproportionately covers tragedies involving young White women, while largely ignoring similar cases involving women of color and Indigenous people. Frank is the adoptive father of a Black teen daughter. He was told that the tagline was inappropriate and apparently pushed back on it. Sources said that Frank was told by station management the next day that he was being suspended. A man was shot and presumably killed this weekend as he squirmed on the ground in front of at least four police officers … a couple of whom opened fire on him at point-blank range. Huntington Beach PD confirmed there was an officer involved shooting Saturday, but didn’t provide any further details … including the status of the man who was gunned down. We’re told this individual was transported to a hospital, but his condition is unknown. The cops also say there is no current public safety threat. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-09-25-092521-huntington-beach-shooting-1256433/ As the first signs of NBA training camp draw near, the Golden State Warriors are concerned about starting small forward Andrew Wiggins missing home games due to his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The Warriors play in San Francisco and that city requires a complete vaccination for indoor entertainment, such as NBA games. Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle states that Wiggins has opted out of the vaccine, which is his right. If Wiggins was counting on the NBA to grant him a religious exemption from getting the vaccine, he can forget, that. https://youtu.be/1lDi4R9zg-A Zeus Network is new to the streaming world but they’re already making big moves and changing the game! Clips from their shows are breaking the internet – from the “Baddies ATL” reunion show blow up to the double homicide comment on “Joseline’s Cabaret.” The streamer will be breaking the internet again with season two of “One Mo Chance.” https://youtu.be/JNixRhVxtHs September 23 was officially declared “Nas Day” in the rapper’s hometown of Queens, New York. The rapper from #Queensbridge was honored with his own day in his hometown and given the key to the borough by the borough’s President Donovan Richards. A spokesperson for Richards’ office announced the honor in a post on Instagram. “Nasir Jones is not only God’s son, but he’s Queens’ son,” spokesperson Franck D. Joseph wrote his caption. “That’s why @drichardsqns presented him with not just a proclamation but also the Key to Queens borough tonight.” Though coming from humble beginnings and being raised in a small town in North Carolina, Kim Person has taken the nation by storm. She has graced major venue platforms (Bobby Jones Gospel & The McDonald's Gospel Superfest) and has been featured with such trailblazers as Donnie McClurkin, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Vickie Winans, Deitrick Haddon, Karen Clark-Sheard, and Yolanda Adams. Kim has toured extensively throughout the country building a fan base network along the way. Kim Person is excited about “Wonderful”and the 5-song EP, “Journey 2.0”, available on all digital download/streaming outlets, including Apple Music, Spotify, and Google Play this Friday 10/1/2021. Today BET announces DOUBLE DIAMOND SELLING SUPERSTAR rapper and entrepreneur Nelly as the “BET Hip Hop Awards” recipient of the 2021 “I Am Hip Hop” Award. From chart-topping hits that include “Hot in Herre,” “Dilemma” (feat. Kelly Rowland), “Country Grammar,” “Ride Wit Me,” and “Cruise” (with Florida Georgia Line), to his popular fashion line Apple Bottoms, to starring in the hit series Real Husbands of Hollywood, and his own reality show Nellyville, the charismatic, multi-platinum music icon will be celebrated for his massive contributions to music and the culture at large. The “BET Hip Hop Awards” premieres Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at 9:00 PM ET/PT. The Weeknd recently choked up as he accepted an award at the 2021 Music in Action Awards in Los Angeles. The Toronto-bred crooner was the recipient of not just any award — he received the esteemed Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award. The ceremony, which was billed as the first annual Music in Action Awards show, honored musicians, music executives, and music businesses that have made the most significant contributions to social justice, change, and/or equity over the preceding year, according to the Black Music Action Coalition that hosted the event. Since the pandemic started, the Weeknd has donated millions of dollars to several causes, such as Black Lives Matter Global Network, the Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative, and National Bail Out. He also donated to MusiCares and sent $1 million for relief efforts in Ethiopia. So, it’s evident why the Starboy singer was selected to receive the honor. Bishop Leonard Scott's newest single Great I Am. Scheduled to hit all major streaming platforms this Friday September 24th. http://smarturl.it/wsnou2?IQid=instagram The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a coalition of 150,000 African American and Latino churches representing 27.7 million members, sadly announced the passing of the honorable Rev. John W. Davis, pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., at the ripe age of 99. He was the oldest living pastor in America. Pastor Davis was the pastor of Rev. Evans. https://youtu.be/PRER64aEr2o The missing granddaughter of former MLB star Darryl Strawberry has been found safe after he pleaded for the public’s help on Instagram. The ex-Mets and Yankees slugger asked his 66,000 followers to help track down his missing 14-year-old granddaughter, MyLisa Reid, who was last seen in Nevada on Wednesday. “This is our granddaughter MyLisa who is missing right now!” Strawberry, 59, wrote in the since-deleted post. “Pray for us as we desperately need your prayers! Thank you!” Strawberry’s post said the teen was last seen early Wednesday and advised anyone with information to contact police in Henderson outside Las Vegas. One of Strawberry’s five children, Diamond Strawberry, who appeared on VH1’s Season 5 of “Love & Hip Hop: New York,” later shared the good news on her account late Thursday that MyLisa was OK. Music students attending Morris Brown College will have the opportunity to participate in a first-of-its-kind hip hop contest for inmates currently incarcerated in select State Department of Corrections facilities across the country. The “Original Hip Hop Track Contest” is hosted by Aventiv Technologies — a tech company that provides communications services and free educational and re-entry resources to correctional facilities. According to a press release, on Monday (Sept. 27) the college students will judge rap songs written by over 500 convicts and narrow them down to 25 finalists. Contest participants were able to write their lyrics and song titles to one of three beats donated by hip hop producer extraordinaire Zaytoven. The tracks, according to the press release, had to be clean to be considered. Songs were allowed to be up to four minutes long, and the lyrics could not contain curse words, gang references, or violence. Lewis Hamilton became the first Formula One driver to win 100 grands prix with a dramatic rain-assisted victory in Russia that sent the Mercedes driver two points clear in the championship on Sunday. Black women face hardships on levels that some of us will never be able to comprehend, and unfortunately, that often includes harassment in the workplace. Surprisingly enough, the strong Black females of the DC Police Department understand that notion more than expected after filing a class action lawsuit against MPDC, citing racial and sexual discrimination that created a hostile workplace and led to a culture of intimidation. CNN reports the suit was filed on Wednesday on behalf of 10 women both past and present that’ve served under the Metropolitan Police Department. Adding strength to their argument, each of them has made rank within the department, from one that was honored as police officer of the year, another that currently serves as assistant police chief and nine in total that has at least 15 years of experience. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is furthering its efforts around the preservation of historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country. The sorority recently raised over $2.1 million for HBCUs. The fundraising effort was part of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s annual HBCU Impact Day; a philanthropic-filled day where the sorority encourages private donors, corporations and local chapters to financially support accredited HBCUs across the nation. Alpha Kappa Alpha set out on a four-year mission to raise $10 million for historically Black institutions as part of the HBCU for Life: A Call to Action initiative. This year—which marks the fourth year of the effort—the sorority hit a milestone, bringing in millions on September 20. An Oklahoma father beat a pastor after he caught him inappropriately touching his nine-year-old son while the dad staked out a school bus stop and recorded the incident, police say. By the time Oklahoma City Police arrived to the scene, Michael Coghill, 33, had been left with a fractured skull and a black eye. Coghill has been charged with indecent act to a child and is detained at Oklahoma City Detention Center after the father showed the recording to police. The boy told his parents that he had seen Coghill jogging in the area several times before and that on Monday he had touched him in a way that made the minor feel uncomfortable. Coghill, a pastor at Lakehoma Church of Christ, did not live in the neighborhood where the school bus stop is located. A Greensboro community is mourning the loss of a church pastor. New Life Ministries of Greensboro’s Pastor Kermit Wilson, Jr., 43, died Friday from COIVD-19, according to his family. Wilson was hospitalized for 41 days in the COVID ICU unit of WakeMed Hospital in Cary. His wife said he was unvaccinated. Wilson attended North Carolina A&T State University. He leaves behind his wife, Miracle King Wilson, and his son and two daughters. A public viewing will be held Friday at Lea Funeral Home from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral will be held on Saturday at noon at New Life Ministries Church of Greensboro. https://youtu.be/ErrPkdzK0FI Gospel singer Kelly Price has gone missing in Georgia, TMZ has learned — and it happened shortly after she was released from the hospital after battling COVID. According to officials in Cobb County … Kelly has been listed as a missing person following a welfare check conducted at her home last Saturday. We’re told the authorities found no evidence of foul play and spoke with Kelly’s boyfriend at the residence, BUT … she’s now listed as missing with the National Crime Information Center. s for what led to this … Kelly posted a video July 29 revealing she had COVID and was struggling with symptoms. According to Kelly’s family … she was admitted to the hospital about a week later and ended up in the ICU because her condition worsened. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-09-24-092421-kelly-price-1256359/ Towards the end of the week Rev. Al Sharpton went to Del Rio, TX to speak out on the harsh treatment that was happening to Haitian asylum seekers who illegally crossed into Texas from Mexico near the Del Rio International Bridge. Whatever Sharpton had planned to say, for the most part we’ll never know because he got unceremoniously shouted down by at least two people assembled with news media reporters. It’s not clear at this time if the two verbal combatants were “journalists” for some right wing blog or who knows. https://youtu.be/OARCO5bLTXc The influencer, whose real name is Bill Omar Carrasquillo, 34, is being charged with conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, tax evasion and fraud for his illegal online streaming service websites. The 69-page, 62-count indictment claims Carrasquillo, who has garnered more than half a million YouTube subscribers, ran an illegal streaming service called Reboot, Gears TV, Reloaded and Gears Reloaded. Billionaire Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk is splitting from his pop star wife Grimes after just three years of marriage. ‘We are semi-separated but still love each other, see each other frequently and are on great terms,’ Musk said. He blamed their split on the distance between them after Musk moved to Texas in December with Grimes staying in LA. The couple was first reported to be dating in May 2018 when they made their public debut at the Met Gala. They recently attended this month’s Met Gala as their last public event together. They welcomed their first child infamously named X Æ A-Xii in May 2020. The gaming industry continues to record phenomenal growth. What are the current trends and what do we expect in the future? Gaming and betting industries have recorded tremendous growth in the recent past. The two industries are being shaped by emerging trends. Gaming has seen the emergence of new games that continue to excite the market. Likewise, betting has seen increased usage of technology, helping improve efficiency and boosting user’s experience. Ecopayz, Paypal, cryptocurrencies are some of the payment options that have been adopted by bookmakers including those that offer best bookmakers in canada as part of providing incentives to the betting fraternity. Two industries are set to continue experiencing growth in similar trajectories, but gaming will be heavily influenced by technological advancement than betting. A new Christian social media platform is scheduled to launch in 2022 and will provide a space that solely houses Christian content for believers around the world. The platform, titled FaithMeet, was created and founded by Godwin Rose Samuel. In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Samuel argued that platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram do not provide sufficient Christian content, so he wanted to create a platform that is catered toward Christians. Coldplay front man Chris Martin admitted he’s ‘having such a hard time due to his religious upbringing’ in a recent interview with Howard Stern. Martin opened up to the Sirius XM host on Thursday and said he is currently struggling due to his evangelical upbringing in southwest England. ‘I am having such a hard time in my life right now. And part of dealing with that is going back to look at all that stuff,’ Martin said. Alicia Keys teamed with YouTube Originals for a four-part docuseries that will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the singer’s struggles with superstardom. All four episodes of “Noted: Alicia Keys The Untold Stories” will premiere for free globally Sept. 30 on Keys’ YouTube Channel. The docuseries is produced by Westbrook Media and directed by TT The Artist. https://youtu.be/5ctFW1629qs BET+ and A. Smith & Co. Productions announce the season two return of the original true crime series “AMERICAN GANGSTER: TRAP QUEENS” – a compilation of chronicles that explore the rise, fall and redemption of some of America’s most infamous female criminals. Narrated by female hip hop icon Lil’ Kim, the season resumes with five all-new episodes that feature the stories of Tonesa Welch, Peggy Fulford, Claudette Hubbard, Catherine Pugh, and Priscilla Echi, whose criminal activity included laundering millions of dollars, narcotics distribution and trafficking, tax evasion and property theft. Season two returns on Thursday, October 7 on BET+, and all episodes will be available to stream Thursday, October 14. Costco wants you to know that if you plan on buying up enough toilet paper, paper towels or bottled water to last 2 or 3 years in one swoop, it aint gonna happen. They are putting limits on how much folks can purchase. The problem is the supply-chain is is getting clogged up because of COVID and the delta variant. Costco chief financial officer Richard Galanti put the blame on supply chain issues such as port delays, container shortages and COVID disruptions for the limits on purchases, during the retailer’s quarterly earnings call Thursday, reports USA Today. https://youtu.be/IkhbP6eEz8g “We got our start with Commissioned. We’re older than we look,” Eric Dawson said with slight laugh about the legacy of Dawkins & Dawkins being among the list of Contemporary Gospel pioneers. Their blend of Soul and R&B with Gospel has provided them with a signature sound. Grammy nominated Eric Dawkins and his brother Anson Dawkins make up the duo Dawkins & Dawkins that recently released a new album titled “Never Gets Old Vol. 2: Faith and Favor” (Legacy Music Group) with “Come By Here (Kumbaya)” single currently at radio. It is the second installment to their “Never Gets Old” series of albums. https://youtu.be/0DxYcTgf2Kg?list=PLnr8PTAI3UZWwp6tuJ69diTNBhhUNnHy0 D Smoke’s new album, “War & Wonders,“ is dropping today! The two time Grammy nominee is back pushing boundaries on this sophomore album. Daniel “D Smoke” Farris catapulted into stardom after winning Netflix’s “Rhythm + Flow,” with judges Cardi B, T.I., and Chance The Rapper. After the competition, he released his debut album, “Black Habits.” The 35-year-old promises his new project will “challenge people’s views” of who he is and is “stepping out of his comfort zone.” https://youtu.be/atLrocrKb0k Providing eyeglasses to Baltimore schoolchildren yielded significant gains in their academic performance, a recent study shows. Among those who showed the greatest improvement were girls, special-education students and kids with the lowest scores. The study, published in JAMA Opthalmology, followed 2,304 children from 2016-2019 who received eyeglasses after a routine vision screening provided by the Baltimore City Health Department. Children in grades three through seven had a boost in their reading and math scores in the first year after receiving glasses — improvement equal to two to four months of extra time in school. Special-education students and pupils in the bottom quartile improved by the equivalent of four to six months of extra instruction, according to the study. Kelly Price’s older sister, Shanrae Price, is disputing reports that she has been found after her attorney released a statement Friday (Sept. 24). Shanrae called into the digital “Larry Reid Live” show and said, “I’m just asking everybody to pray. I understand an attorney has stated that my sister is okay. We don’t know anything until we physically see her…” “My sister is a very visible person,” she continued. “We haven’t heard anything from her in months. She was very sick with COVID. This is unlike her. No one has heard from her. I know everyone has their own opinions. I don’t do stuff like this but I did want to call in. Until we physically see my sister, we don’t know anything. I’m just asking people please pray okay, because she has two children and it’s just she and I. We lost our mother, we lost our sister six years prior — It’s just she and I.” https://youtu.be/kgceuSfp8O8 Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Black-owned businesses were statistically hit hardest and were largely shut out of the early rounds of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) relief. This time last year, many businesses were forced to close their doors, but Black Twitter saw opportunities to open new ones. A viral post that was shared thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter read: “Take $150 from your stimulus and buy a LLC. Now that you’re a business owner, apply for a PPP grant. Now you have 5k and a small business. Do something you love and thank me later.” While this advice may have led some people to unintentionally or intentionally engage in fraud, there were some aspiring entrepreneurs who actually used it as an opportunity to finally take their first step toward business ownership. But now what? In the latest episode of our explainer series Cleared Up, host Tatianna Mott and founder of the iconic FUBU clothing line Daymond John offer up some more in-depth advice about what it takes to start a business. Michael Jordan’s son Jeffrey Jordan was accused of assault Friday after he allegedly attacked the staff at an Arizona hospital who were treating an injury he received at a bar. According to TMZ, Jordan, 32, fell and hit his head while at a bar in Scottsdale, Arizona. He allegedly became agitated toward security and began swinging, forcing police to help escort him to the hospital. Once there, he allegedly became combative toward staff, requiring an aggravated assault report to be filed. Sources close to Jordan told TMZ he was disoriented due to the fall, and has not been arrested or charged with any crimes. The report was filed with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, who will determine whether any charges are warranted. Today, GRAMMY® winning artists Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music released their highly anticipated collaboration album, Jonny x Mali: Live in LA in partnership between Mali’s imprint, K Approved Enterprises, RCA Inspiration, Jonathan’s Life Room Label and eOne Music. The EP, which was recorded live in Los Angeles, features six dynamic odes that showcase Jonathan’s and Mali’s individual voices and prowess as songwriters but meld their talents together in a glorious fashion. Among Jonny x Mali’s tracks is the uplifting hit, “Movin’ On,” which earned Jonathan and Mali a GRAMMY for Best Gospel Song / Performance at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards in March, 2021. Another highlight of Jonny x Mali is the super charged single, “Jump Ship”. The live performance video for “Jump Ship” premiered today in conjunction with the release of the album. In addition to the debut of the album, Jonathan and Mali will co-headline the Jonny x Mali Tour kicking off in Atlanta, GA on September 30th. The multi-city tour will make stops in Charlotte, NC, Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, New Haven, CT, Washington, DC, Chicago, IL and Los Angeles, CA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb35ClmoS6Y NEW PRAISE & WORSHIP POWERHOUSE MARICA CHISOLM RELEASES ELECTRIFYING NEW SINGLE "HIGHER." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY1X1HPrulk Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz has proclaimed Friday, September 24, 2021, as Rance Allen Group Day in the gospel trio’s adopted hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Steve Allen and Tom Allen visited with the city’s chief executive in his office earlier this week when he officially presented them with the proclamation. The front man, Bishop Rance Allen, passed away in October 2021. His widow, Ellen Allen, called in on the speakerphone to thank the mayor for honoring the group. The big day coincides with the Rance Allen Group’s new retro-soul styled track, “Love Makes the World Go Around” (Tyscot), which debuts on all digital music platforms on September 24th too. The song about peace and brotherhood features Rance Allen’s signature squalls alongside the thick harmonies of his brothers, Steve and Tom. Streaming Link: https://smarturl.it/8zosdt It’s time to Celebrate! Brandon Camphor & OneWay want their fans around the world to celebrate life, and the One who gives us life, with their new release, “Celebrate.” “Celebrate”, is a fresh take on Gary Oliver’s “Celebrate Jesus” made popular in the nineties. Brandon Camphor & OneWay, while staying true to their beautifully blended harmonies fans have grown to love and expect, put an unexpected and delightful spin on the gospel favorite. “Celebrate” combines the rich and soulful sounds of Earth, Wind, and Fire as a backdrop to a classic that will have everyone dancing to its updated, yet familiar sound. Whether fans have landed a new job, hit a milestone birthday, or just realized life is worth living, “Celebrate” will be the ideal song for anyone to enjoy for decades to come! https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fl5xpqhrswyn3lw/AADXf9BZhiMZrj7l6NIwkHMna?dl=0&preview=Celebrate-Radio+Edit.mp3 Kirk Franklin is putting a spin on a classic. Now, one thing about Kirk Franklin he ALWAYS sows seeds for the next generation. Listen to "Lean On Me (Worldwide Mix)" by Kirk featuring the Compassion Youth Choir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFbE9uPziZQ Kerry Douglas and TONIGHT, Spotlight Night has Multiple Stellar Award winner JJ Hairston talking about the McDonalds Inspiration Celebration Tour and play catch up with Darius Twyman. Interviews of Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music as they get ready to go on tour and so much more. 7 pm EST Mr. Kerry Douglas on YouTube There are a myriad of words to describe T.D. Jakes: Pastor. Global leader. Best-selling author. Filmmaker. Real estate industrialist. Conference producer. The senior pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Jakes blazed the trail in bringing a message of hope to millions around the world through any mode of communication, never being limited to just the pulpit. He has counseled several U.S. presidents and been the guest of numerous leaders around the world. Jakes will be honored for his 45 years of ministry at a special worship service on Sunday, Sept. 26, at The Potter's House beginning at 9 a.m. CT, set to feature special guests and tributes. Jakes began his ministry in West Virginia at the age of 19. Now 64 years old, Jakes has reached the masses through his various ministries and enterprises. Since starting The Potter's House in Dallas in 1996 with 50 families, more than 30,000 members now attend the megachurch's multiple campuses, with millions more attending online around the world. The Potter's House mission is carried out through global humanitarian outreach, inspirational conference series, media and entertainment venues, and thought leadership forums. Acclaimed singer, actress and now adult beverage connoisseur Tweet has released her newest single, "Neva Gonna Break My Heart Again." The ballad reflects on the heartbreak the songstress has experienced in the past, and how she vows to protect her heart from enduring that same pain again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8nz9J8uX5A A group of Christian artists that came together two years ago to write and record music didn’t anticipate that their songs would catapult them into the spotlight of contemporary Christian music (CCM). Since then, Maverick City Music has released multiple mega-hits that have blown up YouTube and swept into worship services across the country. Maverick City is growing in popularity and continues to cover new ground despite lockdowns and isolation during a global pandemic. Now the group is reaching new heights with the start of a nationwide tour – a feat that no one had expected. Members such as Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine, Dante Bowe, Brandon Lake, Joe L. Barnes, Aaron Moses, Alton Eugene, and others strive to be honest and authentic in their music while staying true to the biblical foundations. In addition to the event of a Lifetime with the Janet Jackson documentary, as well as a new season Married at First Sight airing in January 2022, Lifetime expands its unscripted content with the green-lights of three new series to debut next year. The robust slate includes the life-altering plastic surgery transformation series, My Killer Body with K. Michelle, new dating series Five Guys a Week and family docuseries, Leave it to Geege, following a sassy southern mother from Emmy®-winning World of Wonder. The 2021 “BET HIP HOP AWARDS” is heating up with a newly announced lineup of presenters and performers. Young Thug, Gunna, Bia, Lil Jon, Baby Keem, and Isaiah Rashad are set to perform and blaze the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre stage. Hip Hop powerhouses Trina, Jermaine Dupri, and Remy Ma, alongside R&B superstar Tank, are slated to present. Rap legend Big Daddy Kane joins for a special tribute to the late Biz Markie. Additionally, comedians, actors, hosts of the “85 South Show” podcast, and stars of “Wild N’ Out” - comedy supergroup 85 South (Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly, and Chico Bean) returns to co-host the annual show premiering Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at 9:00 PM ET/PT. “The Masked Singer" on FOX is unmasking the third of what turned out to be an all-Black trio of performers to be voted out off the show first. Pufferfish tried hard the first two episodes to mask her voice and throw people off, but most folks on social media knew it was Toni Braxton. You can’t mask that distinct voice, not even through a Dua Lipa or Doja Cat ditty. https://youtu.be/7F1OSb4UFNE CLEO TV announced today they have inked a deal with entertainment company Kin to bring a brand new original lifestyle series to the network, It’s Me, Julissa with television host and actress Julissa Bermudez. This fall, CLEO TV will air sixteen episodes, which Kin will also make available to viewers on social platforms including Facebook Watch, YouTube, and Instagram. The official cause of actor Michael K. Williams‘ death was due to an overdose of drugs. Specifically, acute intoxication from a deadly mix of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine was what took Williams out of this world, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said. At the end of the day, his death via an overdose was ruled accidental. Williams, 54, best known for his role as Omar Little on “The Wire,” was found dead in his Brooklyn penthouse on Sept. 6. A trial date has been set for Eric Holder, the man accused of killing rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2019. Holder is due to face a jury on January 5th, 2022, a Los Angeles County judge said Wednesday, per Rolling Stone. “He’s nervous, but he knows it’s time to get the case moving to trial,” Holder’s latest lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Aaron Jansen, tells Rolling Stone exclusively. Jansen says Holder was experiencing “a substantial mental health issue” and was “off his medication” the day of the shooting. His attorney claims that his client has a long history of mental illness. “He does have a significant mental health history,” he said of his client. “One of the things affecting him [in March 2019] was that his mother had just passed away. He was pretty despondent.” The Department of Homeland Security has temporarily suspended the use of horse patrols in Del Rio, Texas, following outrage in regards to images that surfaced showing the patrols whipping Haitian migrants. “We have ceased the use of the horse patrol in Del Rio temporarily. We’ll prioritize other methods for identifying individuals who might be in medical distress,” the DHS official said. The US is “working closely with the government of Mexico and our partners in US government to try to pull on that thread and see how we can enhance visibility into those organized movements.” Earlier this week, DHS announced that they would investigate the situation to “define the appropriate disciplinary actions [that need] to be taken.” The department also dispatched extra agents to oversee what was going on at the Texas border. https://www.instagram.com/p/CULSmJhJCVe/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b84b56c4-c96f-4e3a-b28b-b0aa9faf71deCNN anchor Chris Cuomo‘s got a female problem and her name is Shelley Ross. She’s a veteran television producer and the former boss of Cuomo when he was at ABC News. On Friday, she accused him of sexual harassment, saying he grabbed and squeezed her buttock at a party in 2005. The news comes via an opinion essay published in The New York Times in which Ross described how Cuomo “escaped accountability” for his involvement in managing the response to the sexual harassment scandal surrounding his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. In May, Cuomo admitted that he had “inappropriate” strategy conservations with his older brother and promised to steer clear of CNN’s coverage of the scandal. After the governor’s resignation, the broadcaster said in August he urged his brother to resign “when the time came,” but “never attacked nor encouraged anyone to attack any woman who came forward.” https://youtu.be/7sdlX471IxY Missouri cops allowed a police dog to maul a black man they said had threatened to kill officers while being arrested earlier this week. Video shot by a passerby in the St. Louis suburb of Woodson Terrace shows the three white officers standing by while the dog repeatedly bites the man. The footage sparked outrage online and led the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board to compare it to pre-civil rights days in Alabama. Woodson Terrace Police said in a Facebook post that the man, whose name has not been made public, had threatened to kill officers. The post said the man had appeared to be on drugs and had tried to walk away from officers into oncoming traffic. The St. Louis County prosecutor’s office is investigating the incident which happened on Monday morning. Former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin plans to appeal his murder conviction and prison sentence in the George Floyd case. Chauvin was sentenced in June to a little over two decades in prison for the killing of Floyd last May on Memorial Day. He will be 67 years old when he is released from prison. Speaking in court at Chauvin’s sentencing, Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank argued that Chauvin abused his power as a police officer when he killed Floyd. https://youtu.be/CfrMCymSsEA Here’s a tease of Tony nominee Joaquina Kalukango from the Broadway-bound musical Paradise Square , “Welcome Home.” The new musical, currently at Chicago’s James M. Nederlander, will begin performances at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre on February 22, 2022. It follows the denizens of a local saloon called Paradise Square as racial harmony is undone by a country at war with itself, according to Broadway.com. https://youtu.be/Bc3g0nedAoo Janelle Monae linked up with the African American Policy Forum to create a star-studded anthem calling attention to 61 Black women and girls who were killed by law enforcement. The 35-year-old singer and actress is behind the 17-minute “Say Her Name” — a follow up to her 2015 song “Hell You Talmbout.” The song aims to “bring more awareness to what has not been covered and to also allow their families an opportunity to be able to hear people sharing their stories about their daughters as the human beings they were and as the daughters they were,” the artist explained, per People. https://youtu.be/Edvi6lHnSU8 Lifetime has confirmed that K. Michelle’s plastic surgery series will air in 2022. “My Killer Body with K. Michelle” will document the impact plastic surgery complications have had on the reality star’s life, Lifetime said in a press release. K. Michelle has been candid about the health problems she’s suffered from silicone injections. The songstress announced in January she was leaving VH1’s” Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” to focus on the Lifetime series. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has altered its guidance for COVID-19 prevention in schools by removing a section that discussed when to get rid of precautions such as masks. While updates to the CDC’s ‘Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools’ are usually announced at the top of the site, it failed to mention the recent change that was originally set in place on August 5. The full sentence that was removed read: ‘The guidance is intended to help administrators and local health officials select appropriate, layered prevention strategies and understand how to safely transition learning environments out of COVID-19 pandemic precautions as community transmission of COVID-19 reaches low levels or stops.’The CDC also removed sections that asked schools to monitor cases closely should the decide to rollback masking and social distancing, as well as making sure that their masking policies do not conflict with any state laws or regulations. SiriusXM announced today four new, diverse weekly shows led by powerful voices in race relations, culture, business, politics, law, medicine and more. The new programs bolster the Urban View channel’s commitment to featuring dynamic discourse from prominent Black voices across a range of topics. The channel will unveil its new Sunday lineup starting Sunday, September 26. Check out The Qasim Rashid Show, The Dr. Robin Show, The Shelly Bell Show and Shermichael Singleton Show. Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught nine passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns to help the Rams win a 27-24 victory against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. If that was not enough, the 28-year-old became the first Rams player ever with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in the first two games of a season. During a post-game press conference, Kupp revealed that the players trust each other to walk out on the field and give it all they’ve got. Despite having Lee Daniels attached and a star-studded cast, the new Fox drama series “Our Kind of People” debuted Tuesday night with less than stellar ratings. The series premiered in the 9 p.m. hour with 1.62 million viewers, according to Nielsen figures. It aired opposite the season 3 premiere of CBS drama FBI: Most Wanted, which brought in 6.87 million viewers. FBI: Most Wanted was part of a three-show crossover to introduce the new drama FBI: International at 10 p.m., according to TVinsider.com. Also airing in the 9 p.m. timeslot was Supergirl on The CW, with about half a million viewers. Per Deadline, written by and produced by Karin Gist and Lee Daniels, the series is inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s critically praised book “Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class.” https://youtu.be/ZWka8QcNxGA Season two of Apple +‘s “The Morning Show,” picks up in the aftermath of the explosive events from the finale! Alex (Jennifer Aniston) and Bradley’s (Reese Witherspoon) partnership on “The Morning Show” is left hanging, as a new UBA identity starts to form. https://youtu.be/-qZWPTsR-Wc In conjunction with the re-release of 5x Grammy-nominated superstar Aaliyah’s third studio album, ??LIY?H, Blackground Records 2.0, in partnership with Empire, hosted a pop-up event ‘More Than A Woman – The Aaliyah Experience’ in honor of the late icon and her musical legacy that occurred September 14-15, 2021. With production by Six Degrees, the experience brings Aaliyah’s career to life for fans in the form of a multi-set immersive event in New York City, paying homage to her eternal legacy and spirit across music, fashion, art, and culture. Guests were able to view never before seen BTS footage of the making of the “Rock The Boat” music video and a physical re-make of Aaliyah’s dressing room. The bottom floor of the event, sponsored by streaming service Pandora, brought guests into NYC’s subway with posters reminiscent of the “One In A Million” album art, allowing guests to share messages and post them on the walls along with a karaoke machine and a mural honoring Aaliyah and DMX. Several parents visiting the Bronx zoo with their children were left stunned when a gorilla performed oral sex on another. Video of the moment has gone viral. According to TMZ, the encounter took place on Wednesday, and parents can be heard in the clip quickly averting the eyes of their children amid laughter from onlookers. https://nypost.com/2021/09/23/gorillas-shock-onlookers-with-oral-sex-at-bronx-zoo-video/ Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington recently revealed what the Lord has been telling him to do when he prays in this season. Washington was among the featured speakers at “The Better Man Event” hosted by First Baptist Orlando in Florida on Saturday, where he revealed to his spiritual mentor, Pastor A.R. Bernard, the senior pastor of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, New York, the message he’s consistently been hearing from God. “At 66, getting ready to be 67, having just buried my mother, I made a promise to her and to God, not just to do good the right way, but to honor my mother and my father by the way I live my life, the rest of my days on this Earth. I’m here to serve, to help, to provide,” Washington shared at the Christian men’s conference. During the nearly 30-minute sit-down discussion, Washington told Bernard what God has been telling him every time he prays. “In every prayer, all I hear is: ‘Feed my sheep.’ That’s what God wants me to do,” the “Fences” actor shared. Four years after the Washington National Cathedral removed stained-glass windows depicting Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, the cathedral will announce Thursday (Sept. 23) that the windows will be filled with work by multimedia artist Kerry James Marshall honoring African Americans’ struggle for justice. The windows, which are expected to be installed in 2023, will be funded by a more than $1 million contribution from the Mellon Foundation. In a separate development, it was also announced Mellon’s president, the poet Elizabeth Alexander, will contribute new verse to be inscribed in the stone around the windows. The poetry project is funded by actress Kate Capshaw and her husband, Steven Spielberg, through the Hearthland Foundation. A best-selling Christian author and speaker denounced the idea of systemic racism at a national gathering of Christian counselors, saying Black Americans and other minorities were not raised to value hard work or education. Josh McDowell, best known for his book “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” and other books defending the Christian faith, gave a speech Saturday (Sept. 18) at a meeting of the American Association of Christian Counselors. On Wednesday (Sept. 22) McDowell announced that he was stepping back from ministry in the aftermath of his comments at the conference to enter a “season of listening.” ”At a recent conference, I made comments about race, the black family, and minorities that were wrong and hurt many people,” he said. “It breaks my heart to know what deep pain I have caused.” The Rev. Jesse Jackson, 79, credited the COVID vaccine for ‘protect[ing him] from death’ after he was released Wednesday from a Chicago facility a month after he was hospitalized for a breakthrough infection. Jackson, and his wife, 77-year-old Jacqueline, were first hospitalized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital last month. Jackson was vaccinated for COVID-19 – his wife was not. Jacqueline required oxygen and a brief intensive care unit stay before she was released this month. The reverend’s case was less severe, and about a week after he was first hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment, he was transferred to a physical therapy facility. Jackson briefly spoke to reporters Wednesday, along with doctors and therapists who worked with him at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. He said he did not have any respiratory issues, but it did affect his Parkinson’s and his ability to walk and talk. ‘The shot protected me from death,’ he said of the vaccine. Faith leaders representing a broad spectrum of Christian groups will meet with White House officials on Wednesday (Sept. 22) to advocate for voting rights and social programs they say protect the poor and vulnerable. The group, which is organized by the advocacy organization Circle of Protection, includes influential Catholics, leaders of major Black church groups, prominent mainline Christian officials and the heads of evangelical Protestant organizations. The leaders also plan to release a letter signed by 20 religious officials addressed to President Joe Biden and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, urging them to finalize and pass a slate of bills working their way through Congress. The magician who won America’s Got Talent with a sleight of hand and stories of inspiration told Ellen Degeneres Wednesday that his wife, Kari, told him he would be victorious. “Every round I got through, every day, she’s like, ‘I told you [that] you were going to win,” said Dustin Tavella, who won $1 million and a Las Vegas show by winning the NBC talent show. It wasn’t until the final night that he said he thought to himself, “My wife might be right.” Tavella, who is a Christian, made the comments during an appearance on The Ellen Show in which he performed a trick and wowed a stunned Degeneres. He also recounted how he and Kari adopted two boys, Xander and Sylas. Months after Kyle Dixon died, his old house in Lanse, Pennsylvania, is full of reminders of a life cut short. His tent and hiking boots sit on the porch where he last put them. The grass he used to mow has grown tall in his absence. And on the kitchen counter, there are still bottles of the over-the-counter cough medicine he took to try to ease his symptoms at home as covid-19 began to destroy his lungs. Dixon was a guard at a nearby state prison in rural, conservative Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He died of the virus in January at age 27. His older sister Stephanie Rimel was overwhelmed with emotion as she walked through Dixon’s home and talked about him. “I’ll never get to be at his wedding,” Rimel said. “I’ll never see him old.” Her expressions of grief, however, quickly turned to anger. Rimel recounted the misinformation that proliferated last year: Masks don’t work. The virus is a Democratic hoax to win the election. Only old people or people who are already sick are at risk. Rimel said her brother believed some of that. He heard it from other prison guards, from family and friends on Facebook, she said, and from the former president, whom he voted for twice. Falsehoods and conspiracies have fostered a dismissive attitude about the coronavirus among many people in rural Pennsylvania, Rimel said. And, because of the misinformation, her brother didn’t always wear a mask or practice physical distancing. Just in time for Latinx Heritage Month, CLEO TV will air CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Saturday, September 25 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiO-4kHolJk TaMyya J releases a powerful faith-inspiring single "HEAVENLY.” This is a single from her “Love For Your Name" album written and produced by Fred “Uncle Freddie” Jerkins of DarkChild Gospel. The Love For Your Name CD has garnered TaMyya J multiple awards and chart topping positions since its release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpxLDL0x-r4&feature=youtu.be As civic engagement groups gear up for National Voter Registration Day, one group launches a week of action. With voter suppression efforts ramping up and as many as 500 proposed voter suppression bills introduced, the freedom to vote is under attack. When We All Vote’s “Back to the Ballot Box” Week of Action will kick off Thursday with a star-studded line-up featuring remarks from former first lady Michelle Obama, Chris Paul, Regina Hall, and local organizers from several partner organizations. Comedian/actor Anthony “AJ” Johnson‘s death has created a huge financial burden on the family in terms of finding the money to bury him. However, it looks like that particular burden has been lifted. Before things got better financially for the family, his wife, Lexis Jones Mason revealed how they had been getting a lot of what she says is “fake love” in the wake of her husband’s sudden passing. In a heartbreaking interview with TMZ, Mason fights back tears as she explains how the Johnson family had to start a GoFundMe, but for several days prior to the interview, they come up way short of the $20k goal they set to properly bury him … raising less than $800. The family’s effort to raise funds to bury AJ has been realized according to the GoFundMe page. In fact, when checked just prior to publishing this story, it had EXCEEDED the original $20,000 goal. It’s well on it’s way to $30, 000 and more. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-09-21-092121-lexis-jones-mason-1253229/ Linda Evangelista took a tentative step back into the public eye on Wednesday when she blamed her years-long absence on a disfiguring cosmetic procedure. In a statement shared to Instagram, the 56-year-old supermodel claimed she had been ‘permanently deformed’ due to a rare side effect from a cosmetic procedure. According to Evangelista, she had undergone a California-based CoolSculpting procedure to ‘decrease’ her fat cells, but instead the procedure allegedly ‘increased’ her fat cells. Linda’s statement read: ‘Today I took a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself for over five years. To my followers who have wondered why I have not been working while my peers’ careers have been thriving, the reason is that I was brutally disfigured by Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting procedure… ‘[It] did the opposite of what it promised. It increased, not decreased, my fat cells and left me permanently deformed even after undergoing two painful, unsuccessful corrective surgeries. I have been left, as the media described, ‘unrecognizable.” The Rev. Timothy Stewart, the first international president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, has died, his denomination announced. The Bahamas pastor served three years of his four-year term and presided over the virtual annual session of the historically Black religious group in August. He died on Sept. 17 at the age of 64. “Dr. Stewart faithfully served the Progressive National Baptist Convention for over 3 decades, making history in 2018,” the denomination said in a statement. “He was the first President from the International Region in Progressive’s 60 year history.” He was the 21st president of the denomination, which was home to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Dru Hill has challenged Boyz II Men, 112 and Jagged Edge to a Verzuz battle. Dru Hill posted a video on social media requesting a virtual face off between popular R&B boy groups of the 90s. “Whoever wants it, can get it, whether it’s Jodeci, Boyz II Men…” said Sisqó in the 56-second clip. He added, “Maybe 112 and Jagged Edge could combine to one group, and then they might have a chance.” Brilliant and Black: A Jewelry Renaissance at Sotheby’s New York puts a long overdue spotlight on approximately 60 pieces from 21 Black jewelry designers across the United States and Europe. British fine jeweler Thelma West—whose five-carat pear-shaped diamond Rihanna wore to the Met Gala—told Vanity Fair about how the past year has changed the community itself: “Two years ago, if you had asked me to put together a list of the top 10 Black professionals creating fine jewelry, I would have come up short,” she said.. “The fact that our stories were not told and amplified meant that, not only did we not see each other, but it clearly made it impossible for others (media, industry leaders, etc.) to see us or consider our work worthy. We were all stuck in this circular limbo…That has changed in the last year. I’ve exchanged messages with so many Black jewelers expressing how surprised and happy we are to discover each other.” https://youtu.be/dImGkCLHHQE According to the movie synopsis, “American Underdog” is based on the memoir “All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football, and the First Miracle Season,” written by Kurt Warner and Michael Silver. The film is the true story of former Rams star Kurt Warner played by Zachary Levi, who went from a stock boy at a grocery store to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl Champion, and Hall of Fame Quarterback. https://youtu.be/7OyATVvN9oQ Actress Cassandra Peterson, famously known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, released a memoir on Tuesday in which she reveals she’s been in a relationship for 19 years with a woman. Peterson writes in “Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark” that she first met Teresa “T” Wierson while working out at Gold’s Gym in Hollywood. She initially thought Wierson was a man. “Often, when I was doing my preworkout warm-up on the treadmill, I couldn’t help noticing one particular trainer — tan, tattooed, and muscular — stalking across the gym floor, knit cap pulled so low over his long brown hair that it nearly covered his eyes,” she explains via People magazine. “A typical sexy bad boy, he was unaware he was so charismatic that he’d garnered his own unofficial fan club. Watching him from the safety of my treadmill made my heart beat faster and the time pass much more quickly,” she adds in the book. But after a run-in in the ladies room, Peterson realized Wierson was a woman, who she describes as an “incredibly sweet person, despite her tough exterior.” Elsewhere in the memoir, she recalls some of her encounters with male celebrities, such as late basketball star Wilt Chamberlain. The NBA icon revealed in his 1991 memoir “A View From Above” that he slept with 20,000 women. Peterson claims he forced oral sex on her. https://youtu.be/X7E30aEnwuI On a recent episode of “The View,” Sunny Hostin slammed U.S policy amid the Haiti migrant crisis and the government’s brutal history with the island nation. More than 10,000 Haitian migrants have crossed the southern border into Texas, where they are camping out under a bridge that connects Texas and Mexico. Per the New York Post, several government officials have referred to the situation in Del Rio, Texas, as “unprecedented,” the Washington Post writes. The migrants arrive as the president attempts to usher in tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees amid an alleged COVID pandemic. Hostin insisted that “U.S. policy towards Haiti has always been corrupt,” and she called out President Joe Biden for ignoring the crisis. “This is against international law,” she said. “I’m so disappointed — so disappointed — in the Biden administration today.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CUI3xcIFsli/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Common spilled about 10 cups of tea regarding his relationship with Tiffany Haddish during a visit to “Ellen” that aired Wednesday. There to promote his new album, “A Beautiful Revolution (Pt 2),” the rapper was shown a message from Haddish – who was on the show the week prior – that she had written for her man on the dressing room mirror: “Break a leg, but not my favorite one. I need that one tonight.” “Man, she does a lot to that favorite leg,” Common responded, which was met with sustained laughter and Ellen eventually quipping, “Enough said.” https://youtu.be/DqP-uMvBMl0 An all-new episode of WE tv’s new series “Brat Loves Judy” returns Thursday night and the Brat is getting a tattoo to show her commitment to Judy. https://youtu.be/bbBKp6Z6I8U “BMF” is the newest drama airing on Starz September 26! The show tells the background story of the Flenory brothers – Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory – who toke over the drug game in Detroit at a young age and gained infamy in their city. They also became well known in the rap and entertainment industry. Produced by Curtis Jackson, the series features newcomers and familiar faces, like Russell Hornsby (“The Hate U Give”), Snoop Dogg, and brothers Steve Harris and Sherwin David “Wood” Harris. “BMF” is the second time the brothers have worked together. Wood plays a drug kingpin and Steve is a police officer trying to get back control of the city. https://youtu.be/s6_YrWse_S4 Law & Order: Organized Crime” star Christopher Meloni broke the internet with his return as Elliot Stabler earlier this year for the ‘SVU’ spinoff series, but the veteran TV star says that he had no intention of ever reprising the beloved character. After spending 12 years playing Stabler alongside Mariska Hargitay as Oliva Benson, Meloni left “Law&Order: SVU” in 2011 and went on to star in a slew of projects, including HBO’s “True Blood,” the slave series “Underground,” which aired on WGN and SyFy’s “Happy.” Meloni’s big comeback as Stabler was only made possible after series creator Dick Wolf piqued the actor’s interest with how he would approach “Organized Crime” (OC). https://youtu.be/h7-m-BHjydc Jakarta-based rising star, Afgan, has joined forces with Robin Thicke, for the re-release of his original track “Touch Me,” out today. https://youtu.be/eOrZ7kxv1E8 Conor McGregor swapped throwing punches for throwing pitches at Wrigley Field — without much success. The MMA star threw the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Chicago Cubs’ game on Tuesday, only for his attempt to sail high into the air towards the stands. “I cannot stop laughing at this,” fellow UFC fighter Justin Gaethje wrote on Twitter. “Everyw MMA fighter that has represented us doing this has looked terrible but this takes the cake.” https://youtu.be/MYN_sfsqVOU The Wall Street Journal, quoting a top Democratic negotiator, says they have ended with no agreement with lawmakers unable to reach a compromise following nationwide protests sparked by the killings of Black Americans by law-enforcement officers. The report says Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) said Wednesday that he called Sen. Tim Scott (R., S.C.) to tell him the Democrats were done negotiating after Scott didn’t accept their final offer. https://youtu.be/lAxpJYWEUDI Jelani Day’s mother wants the police and media to care about him as if he was a white woman. Day, a Black graduate student at Illinois State University, went missing almost a month ago. News of Gabby Petito’s disappearance and subsequent murder has led to renewed discussions on the missing Black and other people of color who often go unnoticed. Officially the investigation continues, but Day’s family wants to ensure the public doesn’t forget about him. People reported Day’s car was found two days after he was reported missing. Carmen Bolden Day, Jelani’s mother, spoke with Newsy on Monday. She is pleading with law enforcement to continue the search. No parent wants to have to make such a plea. She said there isn’t a lot of substantive information beyond an unidentified body found near a river. Local news reported the body was undergoing forensic testing to identify the remains. Bolden Day says she doesn’t feel like she is getting the help she needs from local authorities. Joel Coen is flying solo with “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” a new take on the Shakespeare classic. While Joel Coen almost always works side-by-side with his brother Ethan, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” has him on his own — although that doesn’t mean the Coen Brothers have had a falling out. “Ethan just didn’t want to make movies anymore,” said longtime Coen collaborator Carter Burwell. “Ethan seems very happy doing what he’s doing, and I’m not sure what Joel will do after this. They also have a ton of scripts they’ve written together that are sitting on various shelves. I hope maybe they get back to those.” “The Tragedy of Macbeth” stars Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington, and hails from A24. https://youtu.be/OZcLLAx30Pw Rebecca Hall makes her feature directorial debut with “Passing,” a slow-burn drama about two very different women living in the 1920s. Both women are Black, but one of them, played by Ruth Negga, “passes” as white in public, while the other woman, played by Tessa Thompson, doesn’t. At least not all the time. These two women are childhood friends who reconnect by chance, setting off a chain of events that will change both of them forever. “Passing” played at the virtual Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and now it’s headed to Netflix this fall. https://youtu.be/trwq3CNCMkU Rapper T.I. and his wife Tiny will not be charged with sexual assault and rape for allegedly drugging and raping a woman in Los Angeles, TMZ reports. The statute of limitations on the alleged crime, 10 years, has expired, prosecutors reportedly said. The alleged victim filed a police report in California earlier this year claiming she met the couple in 2005 at a club, where they put something in her drink and then sexually assaulted her. Another woman filed a similar police report in Las Vegas, alleging the couple committed a similar crime in 2010, which also falls beyond the statute of limitations. Melvin Van Peebles, a legendary and groundbreaking actor and director, best know for 1971’s “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” has passed. He was 89. Van Peebles’ death was confirmed in a statement Wednesday from video distribution company the Criterion Collection on behalf of the Peebles’ family. “We are saddened to announce the passing of a giant of American cinema, Melvin Van Peebles, who died last night, at home with family, at the age of 89. In an unparalleled career, Van Peebles made an indelible mark on the international cultural landscape. He will be deeply missed,” Criterion tweeted. “Dad knew that Black images matter,” Mario Van Peebles also said in that statement from the Criterion Collection. “If a picture is worth a thousand words, what was a movie worth? A date has been set for the trial of a former Fort Worth police officer who was charged with murder after shooting a Black woman through a back window of her home while responding to a call about an open front door in 2019. Aaron Dean’s trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 16, more than two years after he shot 28-year-old Atatiana Jefferson during a late-night wellness check at her mother’s house. His case was among many delayed as the coronavirus pandemic caused courts across the country to postpone jury trials. Dean, now 36, resigned from the city police force two days after shooting Jefferson. He was charged with murder and released on a $200,000 bond. Following the shooting, Fort Worth police released body-camera footage that showed Dean walked around the side of the house, pushed through a gate into the fenced-off backyard and fired through a window a split-second after shouting at Jefferson to show her hands. Police went the house after a neighbor called a non-emergency line to report the front door was ajar. Dean, who is white, was not heard identifying himself as police on the video. Protesters demonstrated outside Carmine’s restaurant in New York City on Monday night after the release of footage of a fight between a hostess and three customers. Initially, Carmine’s said the Sept. 16 rumble happened when the three women refused to show vaccination cards but later said the women did show their cards upon entry. In the video, it appears that as the three women were walking through the restaurant to join a larger party, a hostess—who was Asian—may have said something as she passed by. Whatever the hostess said, it had an effect on the three women. They stopped walking, turned around, and followed the hostess outside to the stand where they surrounded her. A scuffle broke out among the customers, employees, and other people at the restaurant. Witnesses said the incident was racially motivated, and the women said the hostess had used a racial slur when she walked past them, which they took as an assault. An Alabama mom has been jailed after allegedly boarding a school bus and getting into a fight with an 11-year-old she suspected of bullying her kid. AL.com reports Nannatt Waldrop, 37, was hit with assault and trespass charges after the altercation was posted on social media. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department alleged that Waldrop got onto the bus early Tuesday morning then got into a fight with an 11-year-old kid who she believed had been picking on her child. Jefferson County Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin said in a statement: “While this is now a law enforcement matter, let me just say what I saw on that video deeply disturbs me… At no point is any type of violence acceptable, especially violence against students.” He added that school officials are looking into what led up to the fight and are cooperating with authorities. Waldrop was released later Tuesday after posting bonds totaling $10,500. A new variant of COVID-19 with deadly mutations that give it “increased resistance to antibodies” was discovered in a Kentucky nursing home. The variant, called R.1, infected 45 residents and employees in the facility, including some who were fully vaccinated. R.1 originated in Japan, and has now racked up over 10,000 entries in the GISAID SARS-CoV-2 database, which researchers use to record genomic data. Scientist William A. Haseltine writes in Forbes:”R.1 is a variant to watch. It has established a foothold in both Japan and the United States. Kamala Harris will make an in-studio appearance on “The View” this week, ABC said Monday in a press release. Harris and “The View” co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro will discuss the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Afghanistan crisis, immigration, and voting rights, per ABC, as reported by Urban Hollywood 411. https://youtu.be/GsSJbq3JC5Y MSNBC host Joy Reid is catching heat for criticizing the media’s coverage of YouTuber Gabby Petito. While Black, indigenous and women of color go missing or are found dead almost daily, the media only fixates on murdered white women. Joy Reid calls it “missing White woman syndrome.” The FBI confirmed on Tuesday that the remains found Sunday in an area of Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest were those Petito, 22, whose boyfriend is a person of interest in the killing but law enforcement can’t find him as he is on the run. Those on the right say, Petito’s death is being used as a distraction from Biden’s vaccine mandates, the Haitian migrant crisis in Texas, and the quiet ushering of Afghanis into America. During a segment on her show “The ReidOut,” Reid noted that the media doesn’t cover non-White people when they go missing. https://twitter.com/i/status/1440125733821583360 Country music singer Morgan Wallen reportedly hasn’t donated much of the $500K he pledged for using the N-word and later claiming he didn’t know the slur was offensive to Black people. During an appearance on Good Morning America in July, Wallen addressed the controversy and pledge $500,000 to Black organizations and activism groups. https://youtu.be/JO9iFWcK19o Jay-Z's Team Roc organization on Monday sued the Kansas City Police Department over allegations they covered up instances of police misconduct. The lawsuit was filed in Wyandotte County, Kansas's district court, requesting a look at records of investigators with the department, and specifics such as training and supervision, according to ABC News. Team Roc lawyer Alex Spiro told the outlet that previous documents authorities submitted under the Kansas Open Records Act were 'not sufficient.' Dr. Dre has been ordered to pay an additional $1M in legal fees to his estranged wife Nicole Young. The ruling comes amid the former couple’s bitter divorce battle. In the order, the judge in the divorce case ruled this week that the rapper and Beats mogul should pay Nicole another $1.55 million in legal fees and costs — after already forking over $2 million. The judge estimated that Nicole’s reasonable legal fees in the case so far should total $3 million, plus costs. Dre will now have to pay $1 million towards the balance of her fees, plus another $550,000 in costs associated with the case, the judge ruled. The payment would be for fees and costs through July 2, 2021. But it is unclear what the eventual tab will be moving forward in the case. According to the judgment, the music mogul must pay Young monthly installments of $293,306, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael R. Powell ruled in July, per Daily Mail. Dre also must continue to cover expenses for Nicole’s health insurance, security costs, and maintaining her two homes, the judge said. The order shall remain in place “until the party receiving support remarries or enters into a new domestic partnership, death of either party or until further order of the court,” Judge Powell ruled. Young filed for divorce last summer after 24 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. According to a Wendy Williams source, the talk show host is “in need of serious help and was drinking every day” prior to being hospitalized for psychiatric issues. Amid her psychiatric evaluation, the new season of her talk show has also been delayed due to Wendy’s alleged battle with COVID-19. According to The Sun, Williams was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday following a 911 call for someone in need of “psychiatric services” at her New York City apartment building. A Wendy insider said staffers on her daytime talk show have said they would smell the liquor on her. “Everyone is an enabler because they don’t want to lose their job. They see it, they know it, they smelled the liquor,” the source spilled. The first-week sales projections for Lil Nas X’s debut album are in. The rapper’s debut full-length studio LP “Montero” moved 130,000-140,000 first-week units, according to HitsDailyDouble. All Hip Hop notes that the 15-track project is expected to end Drake’s two-week reign atop the Billboard album chart. “Montero” includes guest appearances by Megan Thee Stallion, Jack Harlow, Doja Cat, Elton John and Miley Cyrus. The album features no Black male rappers, as reported by Complex. In a recent interview with The Breakfast Club, the openly gay artist revealed he sent the track “Industry Baby” to his icon Nicki Minaj but she didn’t get back to him. https://youtu.be/RWjnC8HSRdU England’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, and chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, dismissed on Tuesday Nicki Minaj’s bizarre claim that her cousin became impotent after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. While touting vaccines, Johnson admitted he’s “not as familiar with the work of Nicki Minaj as I probably should be.” Minaj, who has not yet been vaccinated, fired back at the U.K. leader hours later, posting an audio message in a fake British accent. “Yes, hello Prime Minister, Boris, it’s Nicki Minaj—I was just calling to tell you that you were so amazing on the news this morning. And I’m actually British. I was born there. I went to university there. I went to Oxford,” she said. “I went to school with Margaret Thatcher. And she told me so many nice things about you. I’d love to send you my portfolio of my work, since you don’t know much about me, I’m a big, big star in the United States.” She went at it with BBC News political editor Laura Kuenssberg and former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan, too. Minaj called Kuenssberg a “dumbo” and embraced Morgan’s description of her as the “rudest little madam” by adding it to her Twitter bio. Anthony Johnson, the actor and comedian best known for his roles in “Friday” and “House Party,” has died. He was 55. His rep, LyNea Bell, confirmed the news to USA TODAY, calling Johnson an “iconic legend of stage and screen.” The date and cause of his death has not yet been released. “The world of comedy has truly been shaken, again,” Bell said. “He has left with us amazing memories of his laughter, dynamic acting skills, but most of all his enormous personality and heart of gold. We will be in constant prayer for his entire family including his wife Lexis, 3 children, brother Edward ‘Peanut’ Smith, sister Sheila, and lifetime manager and friend Mike D. Please give them the time they need to process and grieve such a huge loss.” Johnson, who was also known to fans as A.J. Johnson, appeared in several movie roles including E.Z.E. in 1990’s “House Party” and Ezal in the 1995 Ice Cube-Chris Tucker classic “Friday.” On Saturday, Sadie Robertson Huff’s daughter, Honey, was released from the hospital after battling Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). “YALL WE GET TO GO HOME!!!! (YAY) 4 days in the hospital and this girl is happy to go home!” Robertson Huff told her 4.5 million followers on Instagram. She noted that Honey “is still very congested with a bad cough, but her oxygen was good enough to get better from home.” Over the weekend, 60 minutes Australia released a major exposé on Hillsong Church, shedding light on multiple allegations of sexual abuse and celebrity culture seen across its churches worldwide. The exposé, titled Hillsong Hell, included stories of two women who were reportedly victims of abuse from Hillsong staff and members, The Roys Report reported. One woman, Anna Crenshaw, shared her story of abuse, alleging that she was assaulted by Hillsong worship leader Jason Mays, a married man. In 2018, she reported the assault to Hillsong Church, where May’s father serves as the head of human resources. https://youtu.be/5uHd7auGw64 Polaris, the 100% black-owned television, digital and social media platform, today announced the launch of its first free ad-supported streaming TV channel (FAST), to debut on VIZIO’s (NYSE: VZIO) SmartCast platform. Created by digital media pioneer and legendary journalist, Rahman J. Dukes, Polaris exists to uncover and share stories created by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and authentically share Hip-Hop and Black culture with the world. With guidance from the Polaris board, iconic media personality Sway Calloway (MTV) and music historian Shaheem Reid, Polaris delivers a superior viewing experience through authentic, meaningful content that channels the spirit of African culture, rooted in music. Polaris will officially debut in October exclusively to VIZIO SmartCast users on WatchFree+, VIZIO’s free streaming service. Evangelist Franklin Graham has embarked on the 14-day “God Loves You” tour along the historic Route 66 highway to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Graham, who is the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and the Samaritan’s Purse humanitarian ministry, will travel to eight cities to preach the gospel message of God’s love during the outdoor events. He began the road trip Sunday in Joliet, Illinois where 8,700 people came out to the Chicagoland Speedway to pray and worship together. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been 18 months since Graham has spoken to a crowd at such a large-scale event. The evangelist told those in attendance that the world has changed but God’s love for us is still the same. Students across the country are gearing up for “Bring Your Bible to School Day” on Oct. 7 as a creative way to express their faith. Sponsored by Focus on the Family, the initiative encourages Christian students to speak God’s truth with those around them by bringing their Bible and sharing His Word. Nearly 515,000 students participated in the event last year in over 50,000 U.S. schools. Speaking on behalf of the event, Skillet frontman John Cooper emphasized that the Bible is “the answer the world needs” and students can meet that need by bringing the “transformative law of Jesus” into their schools. Pope Francis has acknowledged his increasingly vocal conservative critics, saying their “nasty comments” were the work of the devil and adding that “some wanted me dead” after his recent intestinal surgery. Francis made the comments during a Sept. 12 private meeting with Slovakian Jesuits soon after he arrived in the Slovak capital of Bratislava during his just-finished visit. A transcript of the encounter was published Tuesday by the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, which often provides after-the-fact accounts of Francis’ closed-door meetings with his fellow Jesuits when he’s on the road. Francis showed his dark sense of humor throughout the encounter, particularly when a priest asked him how he was feeling. The Sept. 12-15 Hungary-Slovakia trip was Francis’ first international outing since undergoing surgery in July to remove a 33-centimeter (13-inch) chunk of his large intestine. “Still alive,” Francis quipped. “Even though some wanted me dead. I know there were even meetings among priests who thought the pope was in worse shape than what was being said. They were preparing the conclave.” “Patience! Thank God I’m well,” he added. Kym Whitley is suing a nursery in Los Angeles over injuries she suffered at the plant shop a few years ago. The comedian filed suit against a place called Green Thumb Nursery in L.A.’s Canoga Park neighborhood. In the docs, Whitley claims she pulled up to the store, parked and then tried strolling through an alleyway adjacent to the facility, before tripping on what she says was a “broken, defective, poorly maintained section of asphalt.” She says the stumble turned into a tumble … making her land face first into the ground, and busting her mug up pretty badly — she claims she broke bones and gushed blood. Whitley claims the nursery staff helped her up, and the manager said, “I told them to fix that!” https://www.instagram.com/p/B224678gG_-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Steph Curry and his wife of ten years Ayesha celebrated their anniversary with a vow renewal ceremony. The Currys shared photos on social media of the event, “with oldest child Riley officiating as the little mistress of ceremonies,” Black Enterprise writes. “A couple of weeks ago @stephencurry30 surprised me with the most beautiful vow renewal ceremony,” wrote Ayesha about the impromptu ceremony on Instagram on Tuesday. “He even picked out my dress for me and had it waiting ??. Our big girl Riley officiated and Ryan and Canon walked me through the grass of our backyard. It’s everything I’ve always dreamed of but didn’t know could be possible in this way. A moment I will never forget. I love you @stephencurry30 .” https://www.instagram.com/ayeshacurry/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a25770fe-d5f6-42df-aa86-80be2621330d Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time NBA All-Star, 37, is speaking out about depression that many professional athletes deal with. Anthony hit up “The Drew Barrymore Show” on Tuesday to discuss his new book, “Where Tomorrows Aren’t Promised: A Memoir of Survival and Hope,” released on Sept. 14. “I think athletes, like, we’re naturally depressed being an athlete,” he told Drew Barrymore, as reported by PEOPLE. “I mean, what we have to go through on a day-to-day basis, dealing with media, competing at the highest level. We spend more time with our teammates than we do with our family during the year, so you miss holidays and so on and so forth. So it’s a lot of things that, you know, the average person [doesn’t] really understand that an athlete has to go through.” “It wasn’t until I actually started writing the book and going through that process where I was able to kind of get the real, true meaning of, kind of, who I am and putting everything into perspective,” he continued. TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with super producer Swizz Beatz on Sunday, September 26th at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words including R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, acclaimed actress Lynn Whitfield, singer and actressRaven-Symoné and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_caRpW5lzAE According to reports, a father-to-be has been arrested for shooting 3 people at a #Pennsylvania baby shower over gifts. The incident occurred when suspect #IsiahHampton, 25, got into a fight with an unidentified lady who wanted him to transport the gifts from the party. The police report stated that the woman hit Hampton, who was allegedly violent, and he then pushed her. When a trio attempted to subdue him, Hampton allegedly fired three rounds from the ground. “Preliminary investigation shows a family argument began that turned physical then the suspect introduced a 9mm semi-automatic handgun,” authorities said, “firing off rounds which resulted in a 23-year-old male, a 19-year-old female, and a 16-year-old male sustaining gunshot wounds.” Hampton told police that one of the victims was shot when the gun accidentally discharged while the men wrestled it away from him. White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded Monday to the disturbing images that show a U.S. Border Patrol agent on horseback using a horse rein as a whip on Haitian migrants. “I have seen some of the footage. I don’t have the full context. I can’t imagine what context would make that appropriate, but I don’t have additional details,” Psaki said, per NBC News. “I don’t think anyone seeing that footage would think it’s acceptable or appropriate.” Under the Joe Biden administration, more than 10,000 Haitian migrants have crossed the southern border into Texas, where they are camping out under a bridge that connects Texas and Mexico. https://youtu.be/BO9vhezCNA8 The search for Brian Laundrie — whose fiancée, Gabrielle Petito, went missing under the most suspicious and tragic of circumstances — embodies white privilege in every way, fashion and form. The FBI said Sunday that remains believed to belong to Petito were found in a camping site in Wyoming. The 22-year-old and 23-year-old Laundrie left New York on July 2 for a monthslong cross-country trip that was interrupted on Aug. 12, when police in Moab, Utah, responded to a report of a “domestic problem” after the couple had “some sort of argument” that resulted in the couple allegedly getting physical with each other, which the cops handled, not by making any arrests, but by separating the two and even putting Laundrie up in a hotel for the night. According to the New York Times, FBI agent Charles Jones said the remains were found in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area, which is located in the Bridger-Teton National Forest on the east boundary of Grand Teton National Park. While Jones added that the forensic investigation to confirm the identity of the remains hadn’t been completed yet, Jones said they were “consistent with a description of Gabrielle Petito.” Oregon teachers and other school staff must be vaccinated by Oct. 18. But an anti-vax special education staffer at an elementary school decided protesting in blackface was the way to protest the change. The NBC affiliate KGW reported the staffer showed up to work in blackface on Friday. The staffer is now on leave from their position at Mable Rush Elementary. They were allegedly trying to protest the enforcement of the school vaccine mandate, the staffer dressed up as civil rights legend Rosa Parks. Somehow in 2021, people are still missing the memo that blackface is not needed to dress up as a Black person. The blackface incident is the third incident in the past two months, showing a lack of cultural competency in the district. A week earlier, it was reported students at the nearby high school took part in a virtual “slave auction.” KGW reported students posted in a group about how much they would pay to buy their Black classmates. The official trailer for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 presented by Amazon Prime Video is here. The extravaganza will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide beginning Friday, September 24. The fashion experience features performances by Nas, Daddy Yankee, BIA, Jazmine Sullivan, Ricky Martin, Normani, and Jade Novah. https://youtu.be/FG8UWWCjrT8 Janet Jackson is reportedly teaming with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on her first album that will arrive next year. According to a KISS 108 report, Jackson’s incoming 12th studio album will also feature collaborations with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Ralph Johnson, “Man In The Mirror” co-writer, Siedah Garret, and others. Additionally, Good Morning America notes the project’s first single will arrive by the end of this year. The still untitled album will serve as a follow-up to Unbreakable, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s albums charts upon release in 2015. Last week Jackson shared the first teaser trailer for her upcoming documentary, “JANET,” which will air over two nights on Lifetime and A&E. https://youtu.be/nJ4OD76xUpA Federal prosecutors have wrapped their case against R. Kelly in Brooklyn. Jurors heard testimony over 20 days from 45 witnesses in Kelly’s racketeering and sex trafficking case. The singer has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denied multiple allegations that he sexually and physically abused women and young girls. During cross-examinations, defense attorneys questioned alleged victims on why many waited years or even decades to report the alleged abuse. The defense began introducing their own witnesses on Monday, New York Times reports. Former Chicago police officer Larry Hood, a childhood friend of Kelly, said he never witnessed Kelly’s alleged inappropriate antics with women or girls. https://youtu.be/4W8ooh6bpRg This Thursday, Liza Koshy and Kimiko Glenn take us on a mission full of misadventure and enchantment in Netflix’s “My Little Pony: A New Generation.“ My Little Pony: A New Generation” soars globally on Netflix September 24. https://youtu.be/J2I5HtYlwrQ Snoop Dogg has joined forces with Beyond Meat which finds the rapper serving up its “bleeding” beef-like burgers via food trucks in select cities. The California-based company became the first vegan meat brand to go public earlier this month, and Snoop is helping the brand celebrate its stock market success. Additionally, to celebrate the kickoff of football season in LA, Snoop Dogg and Chargers Safety Derwin James have teamed up with Beyond Meat to bring free plant-based meals to the LA community in fully tricked out food trucks! https://www.instagram.com/beyondmeat/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e5c010fd-b13a-4e24-9f4f-331485f4f7f9 Kanye West has reportedly dropped $57.25 million on a Malibu house. The New York Post reports the three-story house on Puerco Beach was built on a 0.13-acre beachfront in 2013. It has a large, glass pivot door facing the beach, a garage, four bedrooms and five bathrooms, city records show. And although the 3,665-square-foot, concrete-heavy house is designed by award-winning starchitect Tadao Ando. The property is rumored to be worth $75 million. Diddy has reportedly accepted Jermaine Dupri’s Verzuz Challenge. Dupri challenged Diddy last week to face-off, writing: “Somebody let @Diddy know I’m @thegarden right now ! And he gon need some training for me,” he tweeted. Diddy responded by telling the So So Def founder that he “aiint got enough hits.” He made clear that he’d rather battle Dr. Dre, telling Jermaine, “I’ll smash you with just biggie n Mary . But I do have the upmost respect on you as a musical legend – Dre the only one can get in the ring w me.” Well, it seems the Bad Boy mogul has had a change of heart because All Hip Hop reports that Diddy has accepted Jermaine’s Verzuz challenge. The outlet writes, “However, after hopping on a live with Fat Joe, Snoop Dogg and yes, the So So Def king, Puff Daddy finally said “yes.” https://youtu.be/_8c0dkQLNes Vice President Kamala Harris handled the coin toss before a football game Saturday at her alma mater, Howard University, and of course Fox News had a problem with it. Fox & Friends host Rachel Campos-Duffy got down right racist with her reaction, referring to Harris as “the affirmative action Vice President” and accusing her of shirking her duties as Joe Biden’s so-called “border czar” to flip the coin. Campos-Duffy began her comments by lamenting the crises at the Mexican border, in Afghanistan and in Haiti, framing them as existential dangers to the United States and claiming the VP’s participation in the coin-flipping ceremony detracted from her time working on these problems. After mispronouncing her first name, Campos-Duffy said: “She was at a football game, because you know, as the affirmative action Vice President who was selected because she was a woman and because she was the right color, she likes to go to these things…” https://www.mediamatters.org/media/3970481/embed/embed The Pandemmys are back, and you can cast your votes for the most asinine behavior from the MAGA herd in the past year, including Best Mile High Meltdown, Best Historical Adaptation (equating mask mandates to slavery, Nazi Germany, Segregation, etc), and more.This year’s second annual event from Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” includes Bleach and Ivermectin battling for MAGA’s worst COVID treatment, and Fox News staples Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens facing off over which one knows world history the least. Plus, that duct taped airline passenger is in the running alongside the barking, Biden-dissing passenger and a potpourri of anti-maskers/vaxxers being hauled off planes amid applause or shouting nonsense at county board meetings. “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah broke down the nominees during Monday’s show. https://youtu.be/vJqYgafy_os Last year, Mickey Guyton become the first Black female solo artist to earn a Grammy nomination in a country music category. The singer’s “Black Like Me” song was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance. The Pointer Sisters previously made history with the song, “Live Your Life Before You Die,” when it was nominated in 1976 for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Guyton, 37, is also the first Black female artist to perform at the Academy of Country Music Awards, and the first Black woman to host the ACM Awards ceremony. As she prepares to release her debut full-length album, “Remember Her Name,” the “Black Like Me” singer admits that when she first moved to Nashville in 2011, “I ran away from my Blackness,” Guyton said in a interview with Yahoo Music. https://youtu.be/zPH9hgKSai8 Charlie Wilson coming off of his hit duet with Smokey Robinson, he is now hooking up with veteran singer Donny Osmond. Wilson (68) and Osmond (63) somehow found a way to hook up and the result is “Let’s All Dance,” the first single from Osmond’s new album Start Again. According to Soul Tracks, the two vets co-wrote along with some other writers. https://youtu.be/8hKHTwTBQek During her first TV interview on The Real, Lori Harvey talked about her new skincare line, the great advice her mother has given her, and of course her relationship with boyfriend, Michael B. Jordan. While speaking about her romance with the actor, she revealed all the sweet things her beau does for her: “Honestly, he’s really good at all the big things, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, all that, but it’s the little things, the everyday things that I think really is what makes him special,” she shared. “Like, he just listens to me when I talk.” She went on to say, “Even the other day, I had just been saying I really just wanted to go to a farmer’s market, so he called me one Sunday morning and was like, ‘What are you doing? I’m going to come pick you up.’ And he took me an hour away to this really cute farmer’s market and we had the best day. So, it’s things like that.” Lizzo reportedly has received so much more support from fans than she had previously anticipated, which she is using to power her way forward. “I saw so much support from people on the Internet and it blew my mind. I was not expecting that nor was I looking for that,” she said. “I felt like it was really important for me to express myself that day because the point is people, we need to check ourselves and how we treat people…I just be feeling for the world, like this s**t ain’t right.” The backlash was obviously full of hate at Lizzo’s success, due in part to the song “Rumors” featuring Cardi B. https://youtu.be/4P9XUrniiK4 George Holliday, the man who recorded the LAPD beating of the late Rodney King in 1991, has reportedly died after contracting COVID-19. He was 61. The Los Angeles Times reports that he died Sunday at a hospital in Simi Valley, California. According to TMZ, Holliday was suffering from pneumonia, blood clots and internal bleeding and spent weeks on a ventilator before his death. Holliday’s close friend Robert Wollenweber has reportedly revealed that Holliday was unvaccinated. https://youtu.be/bSeCpFCS32M Daring to be bold, daring to be the only Black woman in the room and not shutter when speaking up for women or civil rights – that was Pauli Murray! Lawyer, writer, author, activist and the first Black woman to be ordained an Episcopal Priest. Some may say her boldness and tenacious personality had to do with wanting to be a beacon of light for the generations proceeding her, who were silenced. “I think most of the people who change the world are trying to heal something that is missing, or something they’ve experienced, some barrier,” said Cinque Northern, the editor and co-writer of the new Amazon Studios original film “I Am Pauli Murray.” https://youtu.be/Uh4r95VBU2Q ; Adele and her boyfriend, LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul attended the wedding of Anthony Davis and Marlen P’s on Saturday in Los Angeles. The British songstress and Paul first sparked dating rumors over the summer and now they have made their relationship Instagram official. Adele posted a black-and-white photo booth picture of her and the sports agent from the lavish wedding. As reported by PEOPLE, Adele and Rich were spotted sitting side-by-side for Game 5 of the NBA Finals in July. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned the couple on The Lowe Post, telling listeners Paul brought “his girlfriend to the game to sit next to LeBron.” “Rich Paul is at the game with Adele. LeBron is watching the game with Adele. This is the first time that they’ve come out in public together,” said Windhorst. https://www.instagram.com/adele/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fd56bc39-346a-4531-a370-d4eff915bf6c Ricky Dillard’s new song "All Of My Help" is out now EVERYWHERE! We hope this song serves as a reminder to you all that our help comes from the Lord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6sZwdOdVR0 Gospel music icon and crossover artist William Becton is premiering the official music video for "Set Me On Fire" exclusively on The Now Network in September. September is Gospel Music Heritage Month. Becton wishes to continue bringing Gospel music to the forefront of music culture. Gospel Music Heritage Month is a time to celebrate Becton and the many before him who have kept the genre thriving by producing and releasing brilliant new songs and classic songs we cherish. catch the "Set Me On Fire" video at 8:30PM Eastern the next three Mondays, September 20, September 27 and October 4. https://www.thenownetwork.org/watch Ashton Sanders has been cast as Bobby Brown in the forthcoming Whitney Houston biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” The film follows Houston’s life and rise to fame. Executive Producer Clive Davis previously said that the project will be a “no holds barred” portrait of the artist, and he won’t sugar-coat anything. However, Stella Meghie is out as director of the biopic and Kasi Lemmons has been tapped to replace her. Lemmons told Deadline: “Early in my writing career I developed two projects for Whitney and I had the opportunity to meet her. She was a tremendous, incomparable artist and her story is as awe-inspiring as it is tragic. I feel privileged to be part of bringing her life story and music to the audience.” British actress Naomi Ackie will portray Houston in the forthcoming Clive Davis/Sony biopic. Ackie is best known for her role on Netflix’s “The End of the F***Ing World.” She’s also starred in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and Steve McQueen’s new anthology series “Small Axe.” Hip-Hop icons The Fugees will reunite to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking album “The Score.” Per Live Nation press release: Ms. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel of legendary hip-hop group Fugees have reunited to announce their first world tour in 25 years and first shows in 15 years to celebrate the anniversary of 1996’s The Score, one of the greatest albums of all time. Presented by Diaspora Calling and produced by Live Nation, the 12-city international tour will kick off tomorrow, September 22nd with an intimate pop-up show in New York City, at an undisclosed location. The rest of the tour will commence November 2nd at United Center in Chicago and will make stops across the globe in Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, Paris, London, and more, before finishing the tour in Africa, with the final shows taking place in Nigeria and Ghana. Fugees charitable fund will partner with Global Citizen to work on philanthropic initiatives around the tour. As a humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border continues to unfold, the Haitian government has asked the United States to put a moratorium on deportations. The New York Times reported the new government expressed dismay at the incoming flights of people removed from the U.S. Jean Negot Bonheur Delva, who leads Haiti’s national migration office, told the New York Times that the country might not have the logistics to manage. “I am asking for a humanitarian moratorium,” Bonheur Delva said to the New York Times. “The situation is very difficult.” Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves couldn’t provide a coherent response when CNN host Jake Tapper asked him how he planned to address the soaring COVID-19 death rate in the Magnolia State. Reeves is a part of a clique of Republican governors who deflect and double down on lousy talking points as people continue to die from the pandemic. At this point, no one is surprised at the incompetence and lack of empathy. But having the governor of the nation’s Blackest state openly contradicting pubic health data is scary. Instead of responding to Tapper when asked what steps he plans to take as governor, Reeves constantly shifts blame to President Joe Biden and at one point claims the new federal vaccine protocol is a distraction from Afghanistan. But Tapper continues to hone in on recent news that Mississippi has the second-highest deaths per capita from COVID-19 in the entire world. If Mississippi were a country, it would rank just behind Peru. https://twitter.com/CNNSotu/status/1439587809124360198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1439615639371632646%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4212854%2Fmississippi-governor-covid-19-deaths%2F The legacy of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks will reverberate for generations to come, and legislators have set out on a mission to ensure that her resiliency and resistance is celebrated through the establishment of a national holiday. According to Atlanta Daily World, legislation has been introduced for the creation of National Rosa Parks Day. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty is leading the charge to have December 1 observed as a commemorative holiday. It marks the day Parks refused to give up her seat for a white man on a Montgomery city bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. Rosa Parks Day is currently observed in five states throughout the country. In Missouri and California it’s celebrated on her birthday, February 4, and in Oregon, Alabama and Ohio it’s observed on December 1. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1439292561508769795/SZ5i8Ket?format=jpg&name=small Throughout her entire career, political powerhouse Stacey Abrams has used civic engagement as an avenue to evoke transformative change and she recently received a major honor for her accomplishments. According to Rolling Out, Abrams was bestowed with an award from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. The CBCF’s Phoenix Awards were given to individuals who have spearheaded efforts centered on advancing racial equity across different spaces. Abrams, a two-time honoree, received the CBCF Body Award for the impactful work she’s led through her national voting rights organization Fair Fight, playing a pivotal role in getting out the vote in Georgia and other key states during the Presidential election and her continued advocacy work around cultivating equitable spaces in the realm of politics. https://twitter.com/BET?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1438963471849250817%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2F4212815%2Fstacey-abrams-awarded-by-the-congressional-black-caucus-foundation%2F The United States’ known death toll from COVID-19 will surpass the number of dead from the Spanish Flu within the next day or two, according to the side-by-side numbers — though a direct comparison between the raw numbers doesn’t give the whole story, medical experts and statisticians say. What is clear is that the sheer numbers, given the modern-day tools that combat such illnesses, are a heavy burden. COVID-related U.S. deaths as of Sunday night are at 673,763, according to Johns Hopkins University data. That’s just over 1,200 fewer than died in the 1918 Spanish Flu, which took an estimated 675,000 lives in the U.S. Viewers have slammed the Emmys after hundreds of celebrities packed into the awards show without masks or social distancing, despite ongoing warnings in LA about the spread of Covid-19. Even Seth Rogen, who presented the first award, seemed taken aback, saying the guests were packed inside a ‘hermetically-sealed tent’ and ‘lied about it being outside.’ While the Emmys was technically considered as an ‘outdoor event,’ the ceremony took place inside an enclosed tent. ‘Good to be here at the Emmy Awards,’ Seth Rogen said. ‘Let me start by saying: there’s way too many of us in this little room. What are we doing? They said this was outdoors—it’s not! They lied to us. ‘We’re in a hermetically-sealed tent right now. I would not have come to this,’ Rogen said. While neither writer/director Peter Jackson nor the original cast are part of Amazon Studios’ The Lord of the Rings series, Deadline hears there may well be an important point of familiarity. Howard Shore, whose work on the Middle Earth trilogy won him three Oscars, is in talks to compose the music for the TV series. This is an important development for a series that carries a reported cost of $465 million for its first season, making it the most expensive TV series of all time. The so-far untitled series based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels, recently wrapped principal photography on Season 1, and is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video Sept. 2, 2022. Season 1 post production will continue in New Zealand through June 2022, and pre-production on Season Two will begin concurrently in the UK right after Jan. 1, 2022. A federal investigation is underway after arson damaged a historic Kansas City, Missouri, church that now serves a congregation predominantly made up of people from the South Sudan. John Ham of the Kansas City office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told the Kansas City Star that authorities have determined that the blaze was intentionally set, making it a federal crime. The church was founded in 1907 as the Harlem Tabernacle Church. It is the last remaining original building of a non-incorporated community known as Harlem. It now serves as a gathering place for the United Christian Fellowship. Nineteen-year-old Anne Wilson loves the stars, the television show “The Walking Dead” and her morning cup of vanilla iced coffee from Dunkin’. “I feel like it’s just straight from God,” she said. “It’s like he blesses that coffee in particular.” More than anything, Wilson says, she loves Jesus — as the teenager from central Kentucky explains in “My Jesus,” her debut recording that recently hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart for Christian music. The bluesy gospel ballad’s success doesn’t end there: The official video has been viewed 6 million times on YouTube. A live version of the song, with co-writer and Christian artist, Matthew West, has been viewed more than 2.5 million times on Facebook. The timing couldn’t have been more challenging for Princell Hair. Last July, he was appointed President and CEO of the Black News Channel, the nation’s first major cable news network with an ambitious mission to provide news and perspective to the country’s Black and brown communities. After years of planning, the Tallahassee-based network launched that February, just five months before Hair’s arrival under the leadership of its co-founders, former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts and then-CEO Bob Brilliante. The operation’s primary investor is billionaire Shahid Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, among other businesses, who invested millions in the operation, including its gleaming headquarters and production center off Killearn Center Boulevard. A best-selling Christian author and speaker denounced the idea of systemic racism at a national gathering of Christian counselors, saying Black Americans and other minorities were not raised to value hard work or education. Josh McDowell, best known for his book “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” and other books defending the Christian faith, gave a speech Saturday (Sept. 18) at a meeting of the American Association of Christian Counselors. The talk, entitled “The Five Greatest Global Epidemics,” identified a series of threats McDowell claims face the Christian church. The first, he said, was critical race theory, an academic field of study on the nature of systemic racism. Known by the acronym CRT, critical race theory has become controversial among Christian conservatives and political conservatives alike. McDowell told Christian counselors that CRT “negates all the biblical teaching” about racism — because it focuses on systems rather than the sins of the human heart and said today’s definition of “social justice” is not biblical. Starting Oct. 1, people wishing to enter Vatican City will have to provide proof they have received the vaccine, recovered from COVID-19 or tested negative for the virus within 72 hours. To enter Vatican City, people will have to present a Green Pass, the certification used in Italy to avoid the spread of the pandemic, or any international equivalent. The decision was announced on Monday (Sept. 20) and signed by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, the president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State. Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis married longtime partner Marlen P over the weekend. Several pictures of the festivities, with LeBron James and Russell Westbrook among those in attendance, were seen floating around social media Saturday. The highlight of the reception appeared to be Davis signing his own rendition of Dru Hill’s “Never Make a Promise”: Davis and Marlen P have been together for several years and have a daughter, Nala. The 2021 Emmy Awards set records for diverse nominations, but when time came for the actual awards, it was White actors and actresses who took home all of the acting awards. Now, #EMMYSSOWHITE is trending. There were several Black solid contenders like the late Michael K. Williams (“Lovecraft Country”), Billy Porter and MJ Rodriguez (“POSE”) and Kenan Thompson (NBC’s “Kenan”), but at the end of the night, Black actors ended up with nada. Meanwhile, civil rights activist Najee Ali, the director of Project Islamic Hope, will call for a meeting with Television Academy CEO Maury McIntyre in response to all white actors sweeping the 2021 Emmy Awards. “What should have been an historic night for diversity, representation and inclusion, ended up being once a major disappointment for all non white actors. Fifty years ago, Richard Appleby, Horace King, Chuck Kinnebrew, Clarence Pope and Larry West walked onto the University of Georgia’s campus with dreams of successful football careers. It was a dream that turned out to be history-making. Known as “The Five”, Appleby, King, Kinnebrew, Pope and West became the first Black players to earn football scholarships to UGA in 1971. Earlier this week, “The Five” reunited for the first time in 50 years at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta and got a tour of the exhibit in their honor filled with artifacts from when they played at UGA. Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen suffered a concussion in a car crash this week after swerving to miss a deer, coach Mike Zimmer said Friday. Griffen, who landed on the injury report because of the concussion, has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals along with Anthony Barr (knee), Christian Darrisaw (groin) and Harrison Hand (hamstring). Griffen, 33, missed Thursday’s practice after entering the concussion protocol. He rejoined the Vikings, with whom he spent his first 10 NFL seasons, after playing for Detroit and Dallas last season. According to a statement from the Minnetrista Public Safety Department, Griffen told officers at the scene that he lost control of the car when he swerved to miss the deer in the road. The car then left the road and crashed into a tree. Olympic gold medalist Madi Wilson has been admitted to hospital while battling Covid-19. Currently in Naples, Italy for the International Swimming League, Ms Wilson was moved into hospital on September 18, explaining doctors wanted to treat her and keep her under observation. A fit and healthy 27-year-old, she won a gold medal in the women’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympics, swimming alongside fellow superstars Bronte Campbell and Meg Harris. The swimming star was fully-vaccinated prior to the Tokyo games in August, but believes the physical and mental effects of a packed year of racing contributed to her infection. Colt Brennan‘s cause of death has been determined four months after the athlete died in May. The former University of Hawaii football star suffered an accidental overdose, caused by a lethal concoction of fentanyl, methamphetamine, amphetamine, and ethanol, a rep for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department tells PEOPLE. Brennan, 37, died Monday, May 10, at Hoag Hospital in Newport, California, after he attempted to check into a detox facility, but was turned away due to a shortage of beds. Colt’s father Terry Brennan said his son was five months into a six-month rehabilitation program when he ingested something laced with fentanyl and lost consciousness. Usain Bolt says American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson should stop trash-talking and focus on training. Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Bolt said Richardson should keep quiet after she was handed a one-month ban for testing positive for cannabis, which cost her a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Bolt explained the trash talk just makes her Jamaican competitors more determined to beat her. He told The Post, “I would tell Sha’Carri to train harder and to be focused and not say too much … If you talk that big talk you have to back it up. “So just train hard and focus on that and try to come back do it and then talk about it.” In her return to the track last month after the ban, Richardson, 21, finished last in the 100-meter dash, which was won by Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, who also took the 100-meter Olympic gold in Tokyo. Socialites, join us in congratulating Jeannie Mai Jenkins who is going to be a first-time mom! That’s right! “The Real” co-host announced the exciting news this Monday that she and her husband Jeezy are expecting their first child together. “Jeezy and I have been kind of saving this and hiding this for five months,” she tells Women’s Health. “So, we’re relieved to finally share the news.” Her co-hosts, Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, and Garcelle Beauvais, had no idea she was expecting before today’s show. Jeannie went on to share that she and Jeezy decided they wanted to start a family nearly a year ago, but struggled to conceive. “It was not easy.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDMXqVMDiU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Chrissy Teigen is getting real about her postpartum body nearly one year after suffering a pregnancy loss. Teigen hit up Instagram recently and shared a selfie along with a candid message about her struggle to get her body “back into fighting shape.” “It’s really weird when you lose a baby and your body gets paused in time,” the former model wrote on Saturday (Sept. 18). “Usually you’d gain your ‘yumyums I’m praaaagnant!’ weight, then put on the weight of your little bebe. Then, ideally, you’d have your baby. And you would feed it from your boobs and your body would know to charge through and do what it does to get you back into fighting shape, whatever that may be, for however long it takes (F—K a snap-back).” Teigen shares daughter Luna, 5, and son Miles, 3, with singer John Legend. Ray J’s former manager Wack 100 claims there is another sex tape of the singer and his ex-girlfriend Kim Kardashian. Wack made the claims on Bootleg Kev’s podcast, but as reported by Page Six, Kim’s attorney has shot down the existence of a second sex tape. “The claim that there is an unreleased sex tape is unequivocally false,” Marty Singer told Page Six. “It is unfortunate that people make these statements to try and get their 15 minutes of fame.” Wack said he is in possession of a second sex tape that is “more graphic and better than” the 2002 video that catapulted Kim to infamy status. Wack says Kim’s estranged husband Kanye West can have the tape to sell it as an NFT. HBCU alumna Agnes Moss is on a mission to increase representation in the film industry by empowering students at historically Black colleges and universities to bring their creativity into the space. According to WTOP, Moss is leading a scholarship competition for aspiring filmmakers at HBCUs. The Washington, D.C. native—who graduated from North Carolina Central University—has dedicated her career to bringing the work of diverse creators to the forefront. She founded the National Black Movie Association; a nonprofit that has a mission rooted in creating opportunities for African Americans in the film industry. The organization supports emerging Black creatives in the film space by aligning them with resources, collects Black movie consumer data and amplifies the work of African American filmmakers so they can reach new audiences. Sarah Dash, the so-called “sexy-one” from the classic R&B trio LaBelle, died today at the age of 76. She remained with LaBelle until they disbanded in the mid to late 70s and all three remaining members, Patti Labelle, Nona Hendrix, and Sarah went their separate ways with recording deals. The trio’s most famous single was “Lady Marmalade.” https://youtu.be/Tn0-6n_dng4 Funnyman Anthony Johnson, AJ Johnson best known for his roles in “House Party” and “Friday” is dead. Johnson’s nephew told TMZ that A.J. was found lifeless in a store earlier this month (September 6) in Los Angeles and was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. So far, no cause of death has been released. https://twitter.com/i/status/1439951066993364995 Chris Rock has revealed that he has tested positive for Covid-19, and even though he’s suffering with the virus after being vaccinated, the comedian/actor is urging others to get the jab. On Sunday, via his verified Twitter account, Rock posted: “Hey guys I just found out I have COVID, trust me you don’t want this. Get vaccinated.” The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member didn’t comment on his condition, and his representatives did not immediately return a request from CNN for further comment. It was back in May that Rock told Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show” that he got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and joked that he used his star status and “skipped the line” in getting it. “I used my celebrity, Jimmy,” Rock said. “I didn’t care. I was like, ‘Hey, step aside Betty White, step aside old people, Judge Judy.'” The Biden administration on Saturday was working on plans to send many of the thousands of Haitian immigrants who have gathered in a Texas border city back to their homeland, a swift response to the huge influx of people who suddenly crossed from Mexico and congregated under and around a bridge. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement it moved about 2,000 migrants out of Del Rio to other locations on Friday for processing and possible removal. https://youtu.be/-ZhCXyBUQDQ The situation with former “Love & Hop: Atlanta” star Maurice "Mo" Fayne was recently sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for PPP load fraud. According to prosecutors, Fayne defrauded the system in the amount of $3.7 million after applying for a PPP loan, citing losses caused by COVID-19. Fayne was ordered to forfeit nearly $100,000 from several of his bank accounts and eight of his 2015 Kenworth T680 trucks. Prosecutors dropped 14 other charges in exchange for a guilty plea. He was supposed to only do 12.5 years but the judge through on another five. https://youtu.be/g8oZxS5Fc-s Chicago Med” is gearing up to revive your Wednesday nights! NBCs medical drama returns for season seven to save fans from season sixes cliffhanger. Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson), Head of Patient and Medical Services, holds the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center together as the emergency department is continuously bombarded by sick and injured patients in need. EUR correspondent, Tifarah Dixon spoke with Merkerson about her characters’ bond with the doctors, her son Michael (Hampton Fluker), and new additions to the cast. Between her personal life, the pandemic, and the doctors’ frequent shenanigans, nobody has a more stressful job than Ms. Goodwin! Can we expect her to have a smoother ride in the upcoming season? Gabrielle Union‘s new book called “You Got Anything Stronger?” was released earlier this week and in it, among other things, she finally addresses the “break baby” situation that occurred when she and husband Dwyane Wade took a “break” from their relationship. Here is an excerpt from the book: “In 2013, before we were married, Dwyane had a baby with another woman,” she wrote. “It should go without saying that we were not in a good place at the time that child was conceived. But we were doing much better when he finally told me about the pregnancy. To say I was devastated is to pick a word on a low shelf for convenience. There are people—strangers I will never meet—who have been upset that I have not previously talked about that trauma. I have not had words, and even after untold amounts of therapy, I am not sure I have them now.” In the book Union gets deeply personal on a number of other topics as well, including the decision to use a surrogate to carry their child Kaavia. She also spoke of how she believes her an her daughter have a disconnect because of the surrogate. Now, there’s being deep and open, then there’s letting people all up in your business. While we’re not entirely certain what category this falls in, we’re leaning toward the latter. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II recently confirmed that he will playing the role of Morpheus, previously played by Laurence Fishburne, in the upcoming Matrix remix, “The Matrix Resurrections,” which will be the fourth film in the franchise. The cast is back together 18 years after the third film and features returning stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, as well as Daniel Bernhardt, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Jada Pinkett Smith, Neil Patrick Harris, Jonathan Groff and Jessica Henwick. https://youtu.be/gzEGBAG8x5U Alfonso Ribeiro stared in the hit Broadway play “The Tap Dance Kid,” in which he was outstanding in the starring role. He can be remembered dancing in the style of Michael Jackson in that old Pepsi commercial from the 80s. But mostly we remember him as Carlton Banks from “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” These days Alfonso is the host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” but ever so often you can tell he believes his career didn’t get the bang for the proverbial buck that one who starred in an all-time hit sitcom after a super successful Broadway run would expect. https://youtu.be/X1cd8uFOfUI Bobby Brown‘s heard the rumors about the possible remake of Whitney Houston‘s “The Bodyguard” and he’s not down with it. One of TMZ’s camera guys caught up to Brown at LAX, and asked him if he thinks remaking such a classic is a bad move, Bobby didn’t hesitate … saying, “Yeah” without a second thought. Tony-nominated playwright Matthew Lopez has reportedly been tapped to write a reimagining of the iconic 1992 romantic drama starring Whitney and Kevin Costner — and much like Bobby, many fans’ reaction to the news was essentially, “That’s a no for me,.” The film was not only a monumental success at the box office with more than $400 million grossed worldwide … but the soundtrack is the bestselling movie soundtrack of all time, featuring classic Whitney hits like, “I Will Always Love You.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-09-17-091721-bobby-brown-1249757/ According to reports, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Jay-Z are near the top of the list of potential buyers for the Denver Broncos. “Jay-Z and Jeff Bezos have emerged as potential investors of the Denver Broncos,” reports The Boardroom. “The team is expected to come under new ownership following this season with a purchase price of an estimated $4B. Bezos was previously in talks to buy a 40% stake in the Washington Football Team.” Jay-Z has been connected to potentially purchasing NFL properties. Just two years ago CBS Sports had to shoot down a rumor that had him purchasing an NFL team. Fans of “Power Book II: Ghost” rejoice as the recent 30-second teaser trailer give us glimpses at a few things to see come to a resolution since last season. However, we’re going to have to wait until November 21 just like everyone else. The sequel shows Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) attempting to appear as if he’s a normal student while simultaneously hustling and trying to meet business obligations to the Tejada Family. The trailer also shows Mary J. Blige — who plays Monet Tejada — getting a gun ready before she walks out of her bedroom. https://youtu.be/vzNvc3yj790 In season two of Apple Plus’ “The Morning Show,” Hasan Minhaj (“The Daily Show,” Netflix’s “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj”) joins the cast as Eric Nomani, a rising anchor at UBA! Picking up after the carnage from season one, with Alex (Jennifer Aniston) and Bradley’s (Reese Witherspoon) explosive on-air revelation that rocked the network, Normani joins “The Morning Show” table. https://youtu.be/-qZWPTsR-Wc It’s to bridge the gap between saved and unsaved,” said Bishop Jason Nelson about his latest album “Close” (Jaelyn Song Music/Tyscot/Fairtrade). “A lot of my music is geared towards the church, this is to everybody. To introduce God or bolster about God.” Close” is Nelson’s sixth full project; his first studio album; his first release on his Jaelyn Song Music label; offers 12 selections, and features R&B’s Chrisette Michele, Jazz bass player John Patitucci, and worship leader Osby Berry. https://youtu.be/wfxXvOCn76c Nene Leakes is sharing how she’s navigating through life without her late husband, Gregg Leakes. Gregg Leakes sadly passed away earlier this month after a battle with colon cancer. The former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star took to her Instagram stories to speak on her “new normal.” She debuted her blonde look and said: “Now that I’m having to adjust to my new life, my new normal, I thought I’d go back blonde. So, hi guys, it’s Nene and I’m back blonde.” She continued, “I’m trying to adjust to this whole new life that I have and my whole new normal. But I’m blonde…” She said friends have been coming to her home daily to keep her busy, adding: “I have good days and bad days. They say it’s normal, so. Some days I’m up, some days I’m down. Today I felt like going to the salon so, that was good. I normally don’t go to the salon I usually let people come to my house. So today I decided to drive to the salon and actually sit in the salon with other women, and that was good, to be around other people. “ Venus Williams was a tennis superstar at a very young age. And at 41 years old it is no doubt that family members have given her the obligatory “When’re you going to have some babies?” question at the cookout and holiday events. I mean, that’s just par for the course of being a woman in America, quite frankly. Recently, during an interview with Cosmopolitan, Venus explained that creating the type of life that she enjoys took time and she’s not any rush to break up that vibe by becoming pregnant. “I have a lot of friends who don’t believe me when I say that I like my life and I don’t want to change it for any reason. I’m not desperate and they don’t believe me,” the tennis champion told the magazine. You might be familiar with Christina Cooper as a producer, actress, and film director (otherwise known for her BET network movie “South Central Love”), but now Cooper is stepping into the streaming network world to compete with platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, etc. She has an amazing team of intelligent women with her on this new business venture. The streaming television company named Cooper Cinema TV named La’Tonda Hardy-Davis as President of the TV network. There have also been more names added to this fantastic team of women. Previously at Lionsgate, Geovana Williams will join the company as Head of Development and Strategy. The platform will also have a TV channel named “Cultvre TV,” which will be available on the Cooper Cinema platform with J’Tasha St.Cyr as the CEO of the Cultvre TV channel network department. According to #Fox5Atlanta, a man repeatedly received a “please hold” recording when he called 911 after being shot for interrupting a crime. The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Kyma restaurant in Buckhead on Sunday evening. The waiter took a quick break outside when he noticed two males attempting to break inside a car. When they noticed the employee, they turned around and shot him. The bullet struck his arm. The two men sped away in their getaway vehicle. https://www.instagram.com/p/CT77rXqjByY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A United States military investigation into a deadly Kabul drone strike on a vehicle in August has found it killed 10 civilians and the driver and that the vehicle targeted was likely not a threat associated with ISIS-K, announced Gen. Frank McKenzie, the top general of US Central Command, at the Pentagon on Friday. McKenzie told reporters that the strike — which he said killed seven children — was a “mistake” and offered an apology. “This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport, but it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology,” he said. McKenzie added that he is “fully responsible for this strike and this tragic outcome.” A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel overwhelmingly voted Friday against giving Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 booster shots to most people on Friday, agreeing only to distribute them to people ages 65 and up as well as those at high risk of severe illness. The unanimous recommendation of boosters for a limited group of Americans was the second vote called by the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, or VRBPAC, during its meeting Friday. The committee of outside experts was first asked whether a third shot of Pfizer’s vaccine would be safe and effective for everyone ages 16 and older. Members overwhelmingly voted against that recommendation, citing concerns about the level of evidence showing the boosters are safe for younger people. French President Emanuel Macron on Friday recalled France’s ambassadors to the U.S. and Australia in protest of Canberra’s announcement this week it would scuttle a 2016 agreement to buy French submarines and will instead receive nuclear submarine technology from the U.S. The move will send Ambassador to the U.S. Philippe Etienne back to Paris for consultations. “This exceptional decision is justified by the exceptional gravity of the announcements made on 15 September by Australia and the United States,” French Foreign Ministry Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement. The French Embassy in Washington, D.C. did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The New York Times first reported the move. Facing criminal charges, Hillsong Church founder and pastor Brian Houston said this week he is stepping down from his role on various church boards in order to allow them to “function to their fullest capacity.” Houston, the senior pastor of the Australia-based congregation, was charged by police last month with concealing child sex offenses and is set to appear in court in October. The incident allegedly took place during the 1970s. Houston said he was “shocked” by the charges and is innocent. Houston, in an email, revealed he is stepping down from the church’s boards. The Roys Report posted a copy. Often attributed to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the quote “justice delayed, is justice denied” is an ancient legal principle. And yet justice continues to be denied for 8-year-old Fanta Bility and other victims of a late August police shooting. Nearly a month after her killing, the community of Sharon Hill, Pa. is left wondering when justice will be served. According to local news outlets, an independent investigation into the killing of eight-year-old Fanta Bility was announced Thursday. Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate reported a former District attorney Kelley Hodge, will oversee the independent review. Sharon Hill Borough Council brought in Hodge in response to the sense of urgency for answers. https://twitter.com/i/status/1436481683998613509 The thousands of Haitian migrants who have assembled near the nation’s southern border in Texas in an effort to seek asylum will be returned to their native land by the federal government, according to a new report. Authorities are expected to begin with the mass expulsion on Sunday, the Associated Press reported, citing government officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made as of Friday night. The news of the government’s plan to expel as many as 14,000 Haitians who have found refuge under a massive bridge in the small town of Del Rio came weeks after the Haitian president was assassinated and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people decimated the island nation that was already reeling from a number of other political crises and natural disasters. A Texas police detective has been suspended for 20 days for dragging a handcuffed Black man down the street after arresting him months ago in a violent encounter recorded on a video that was made public this week. Investigators said Detective David Pantoja and Officer Robert Ferguson, both of the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), handcuffed Joshua Coney then “unnecessarily dragged” him while he pleaded for medical assistance during the arrest on the afternoon of Jan. 30 in San Antonio. Pantoja also issued Coney a citation for failure to show ID during the incident, which, according to officials, is not a citeable offense. https://youtu.be/bcoXUoZxopQ Michigan state Rep. Jewell Jones (D-Inkster), an elected official who appears to be allergic to staying out of legal trouble, was arraigned Wednesday on charges of bringing a weapon into county jail and attempting to escape custody. Jones was originally arrested in April on charges of drunk driving in an incident that allegedly led to his vehicle ending up in a ditch and him threatening the arresting officers with a career-ending call to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Since that arrest, Jones, 26, has been accused of violating the terms of his bond multiple times by, among other things, testing positive for alcohol and tampering with his ankle monitor. According to The Detroit News, Jones was arrested Tuesday and had his bond revoked. After his hearing, he was accused of bringing a handcuff key into the Livingston County jail by taping it to the bottom of his shoe. It appears the whole “blue lives matter” thing doesn’t always apply in the minds of many cops and police union members across the nation. Sure, they’ll go full “back the blue” in the face of protests against police violence or whenever a story pops up about cops being killed in the line of duty. But when it comes to keeping officers safe from a deadly virus during a global pandemic, far too many members of law enforcement are failing to keep that same energy. According to a report published by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the leading cause of death for federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers nationwide isn’t gun violence or accused criminals resisting authority. It’s COVID-19. The report states that 71 officers died of COVID-19-related causes from Jan. 1 to June 30 of this year. That number is higher than the number of officers who have died from firearm- and traffic-related incidents combined, and it’s only getting worse as that number has increased to 133 to date this year, according to the report. https://twitter.com/i/status/1435618977682755593 According to a new Gallup poll, Americans’ approval of interracial marriage has hit an all-time high. Per Gallop, in 1991, 27% of U.S. adults aged 50 and older approved of interracial marriages, compared with 91% today. The poll interviewed 1,007 adults in the U.S. from July 6 to 21. After the Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage in the 1967 Loving v. Virginia case, the approval rating increased to 20 percent, according to the report. Richard and Mildred Loving became the landmark 1960s Supreme Court case known as Loving v. Virginia. https://youtu.be/pb0acs3qoZI #TikTok creator #EthanKeiser put people on to a new get money scheme that reporting people to the #IRS “Whistleblower Office” for not paying taxes can get you 30% of what they owe.?? Keiser reposted #LasVegas dancer Rosalia’s video in which she showed off how much she made in 3 days.??. “What a weekend looks like as a Vegas stripper,” Rosalia said while playing Bia’s “Whole Lotta Money” in the background, she wrote out her grand total on a whiteboard: $33,700 in three days.?? “I just happened to have a really good night on the third night,” she tells Rolling Stone. “So it went viral.”?? Her video garnered 48 million views.?? Eventually, the entertainer began to notice people leaving comments that they would report her to the IRS. Some even said they’d rob her. Nicki Minaj is sparring with a reporter from Trinidad and Tobago who criticized the rapper for her recent comments that her cousin’s friend developed swollen testicles after taking the COVID shot. On Monday, Minaj tweeted “My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding,” she wrote. Minaj also shared that she had recently contracted COVID-19 while working on a music video shoot and is not yet vaccinated. She took to Twitter on Friday to call out a reporter for allegedly harassing her family. Could Jeannie Mai and Jeezy be expecting their first child? Fans seem to think so, and so does Jeannie’s former co-host on “The Real,” Tamar Braxton. The rumors stem from photos taken of the married couple during this year’s New York Fashion Week. When she wasn’t wearing baggy clothes or strategically photographed while holding a purse in front of her stomach, fan seem to think Jeannie was rocking a subtle baby bump in some of her NYFW photos. As seen in a screenshot grabbed by @whisperswithbella, Braxton was one of the many to join in on the speculation. Underneath a photo of Jeannie and Jeezy, the “Love and War” singer wrote, “Y’all are pregnant for sure, love to see it.” https://www.instagram.com/thejeanniemai/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6106f021-f23b-426a-a643-f047bb556b94 Lil Nas X released his debut album, “Montero,” on Friday and his new video from the album — “That’s What I Want” — has already racked up over 2.5 million video views. While promoting the project on The Breakfast Club this week, the rapper responded to the homophobic comments on Twitter and criticism that he’s pushing a “gay agenda” on children. DJ Envy asked Nas X if he feels a responsibility to tone down his provocative visuals because “kids are watching.” The artist jokingly replied, “I feel like I used to, but now it’s just, like, so? Like, f*ck your kids.” He then explained, “We really get one chance to do this [life] at least to my knowledge, I don’t know what, like, happens when we die or whatnot. So it’s like — I’m not about to pander to your kids or you. Or, like, anybody.” https://youtu.be/Ac78kRM85xo This week marks the 20th anniversary of the original series, “The Proud Family” since it first aired on the Disney Channel. In celebration, Disney has released a talent announcement for “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” reboot coming in 2022. New Guest stars will include Lizzo, Tiffany Haddish, Lil Nas X, Chance The Rapper, Lena Waithe, Leslie Odom Jr., Gabrielle Union and more. Per Urban Hollywood 411, the series will feature the voice cast from the original “Proud Family,” including Kyla Pratt (Penny Proud); Cedric the Entertainer (Uncle Bobby Proud); Tommy Davidson (Oscar Proud); Paula Jai Parker (Trudy Proud); Jo Marie Payton (Suga Mama); Karen Malina White (Dijonay Jones); Soleil Moon Frye (Zoey Howzer); and Alisa Reyes (LaCienega Boulevardez). https://youtu.be/UYo5flNwExg Week one of the NFL’s 2021 season just kicked off and all eyes are on one standout player who was recently named the successor to quarterback Drew Brees. New Orleans QB Jameis Winston threw five touchdown passes Sunday, leading the Saints to a 38-3 opening-day blowout against the Green Bay Packers. The match-up was scheduled to take place at the Superdome in New Orleans but was moved to Jacksonville, Florida, due to ongoing recovery efforts in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida. Sunday’s game was the first for the Saints without the team’s longtime quarterback, Drew Brees, who retired in March. Winston gave Brees credit for schooling him on “being efficient” at the game of football, yet the 27-year-old has also acknowledged God for teaching him humility. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson got emotional Thursday while remembering Trevor Moawad, a member of his inner circle who died this week from cancer at age 48. Moawad was Wilson’s longtime mental-conditioning coach, business partner and, in the quarterback’s words, his best friend. Asked about Moawad during his weekly news conference, Wilson paused, cleared his throat and prefaced his answer by telling reporters that the subject may be tough for him to talk about. “When I think about my relationship with Trevor, I think about a man who was humble, I think about a man who always served, who always gave back, who was always dedicated to working and helping everyone,” Wilson said. “And everybody he helped, it seemed that they always got better.” Olympic gymnasts McKayla Maroney and Simone Biles ripped into the FBI and the Justice Department during their Senate testimony on Wednesday over how FBI agents handled abuse allegations brought against their disgraced former coach and pedophile Larry Nassar. A tearful Maroney and Biles blamed USA Gymnastics and the FBI for enabling Nassar’s sexual abuse to dozens of women and girls, as they recounted their own trauma in a hearing over the agency’s failure to promptly investigate allegations against Nassar. Maroney testified that she was interviewed for three hours by FBI agents in the summer of 2015 and revealed the horrendous abuse she suffered at the hands of Nassar, but said they failed to take action. The gymnast, who took home gold and silver medals at the 2012 Olympics, alleged the FBI ‘chose to fabricate’ the narrative to ‘protect a serial child molester and not protect me’. ‘After telling my entire story of abuse to the FBI in the summer of 2015, not only did the FBI not report my abuse, but when they eventually documented my report, 17 months later, they made entirely false claims about what I said,’ she said through tears. Tom Brady‘s 45th birthday is less than 12 months away. Birthday No. 45 was Brady’s self-imposed expiration date regarding his football career. When he said he’d play until he’s 45, we all scoffed, but at 44, he’s still great. Age 45, then, seems like a premature date for him to retire. Why not keep a good thing going, Tom? Good news, Brady fans: He’s thinking about delaying his departure target to 50. “Wow, seems to be a really hot question lately,” Brady said in a response to teammate Rob Gronkowski’s question in the return ofTommy & Gronky. “Can Tom Brady play ’til 50? Like, 50 years old? Fifty. I don’t find it so difficult. Plus, in Florida, it’s kind of a retiree state, so I feel like I can play and then just glide into retirement. I think I can. I think it’s a yes.” Emma Raducanu has not decided how she wants to spend her £1.8million US Open Championship winnings but said she will leave the financials to her parents while she concentrates on her training. The teenage tennis sensation revealed she hasn’t yet opened her bank account to see if the money has arrived since her stunning victory in New York on Saturday. Emma returned to her Kent home yesterday, five days after making sporting history by winning the US Open – the first British woman to win a major title for 44 years since Virginia Wade lifted the Wimbledon trophy in 1977. She is also the first qualifier in history to lift a grand slam. The 18-year-old has banked a cheque for £1.8million ($2.5million) – over eight times her total previous career earnings – for her record-breaking win on Saturday. Agents have now predicted top brands will be ‘knocking down Emma’s door’ with endorsement offers worth tens of millions of pounds. NBA players will not be mandated to get vaccinated against COVID-19, league sources tell ESPN. The NBA and NBPA continue to negotiate aspects of COVID-related protocols and procedures for the upcoming 2021-22 campaign, but the NBPA has refused to budge on its demand that players not be required to take the vaccine, sources say, and any proposal that mandates vaccination remains a “non-starter.” NBA referees and most NBA staff are mandated to be vaccinated. The NBA and NBPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Roughly 85% of players are vaccinated, a league spokesman recently said. NBA star Stephen Curry and his Unanimous Media production label have signed a sweeping, first-of-its-kind talent deal with Comcast NBCUniversal, Variety reports. The multi-year template agreement is billed as the media giant’s first-ever “global talent partnership.” It counts a dizzying number of first-look development opportunities across the company, including: Universal Studio Group for scripted and unscripted TV projects; DreamWorks Animation for kids and family content; creative and on-camera contributions at NBC Sports; opportunities at NBC News Studios, MSNBC and CNBC; Universal Parks and Resorts; and Comcast’s Xfinity brand. Insiders valued the deal in the high eight-figure range with a potential upside from producing fees on greenlit content. The agreement was brokered by Jimmy Horowitz, vice chairman of NBCUniversal business affairs and operations. WME represented Curry and Unanimous. Parys Haralson, who was a “beloved” member of the San Francisco 49ers and later, the New Orleans Saints, died on Monday at age 37, the team confirmed in separate statements. “Parys was a beloved member of our organization that lived life with an extraordinary amount of passion and joy, while leaving an indelible mark on everyone he came across,” the 49ers said. “We extend our condolences to Parys’ family and loved ones.” His cause of death has not yet been released. Kevione Faulk, the daughter of former New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk, has died, Louisiana State University announced on Monday. The 19-year-old was a student worker for the football staff at LSU, where her family has deep ties. Kevin Faulk is the team’s all-time rushing leader and was an All-SEC player for three of his four years at the school. “We are heartbroken with the passing of Kevione Faulk, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Faulk family,” a statement from LSU reads. “She was a part of the LSU family, and we mourn the loss of a daughter, a sister, a friend, a classmate and a colleague.” “We ask that all Tigers keep the Faulks in their prayers and respect their privacy at this difficult time,” they added. A cause of death for Kevione has not been released by the school. As outspoken Black people, we’re often asked: Why make everything about race? It must be an easy question to ask when you’re white and severely limited in the capability of fathoming what marginalization looks and feels like since whiteness is America’s default. So when any given situation arises—whether it be a case of police brutality, a school fight, a crime committed, a lost job, an application rejection or what have you—and Black people wonder out loud how things would be different if the people involved were of a different race, we’re often met with rolled eyes, willful indifference or outright scorn and condemnation for “race-baiting.” Many of you have probably heard about the story of 22-year-old Gabrielle Petito, the woman who left New York on July 2 for a months-long cross-country trip full of sightseeing and camping with her fiancée, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie. On Aug. 12, close to a month and a half after Petito and Laundrie’s trip began, police in Moab, Utah, responded to a report of a “domestic problem” after the couple had “some sort of argument” that turned physical and ended in the two having to be separated with Petito keeping the van they were traveling in while police arranged for Laundrie to stay in a hotel. According to the police report, the couple convinced the authorities to classify the disturbance as a “mental/emotional health ‘break,’” rather than a domestic assault because they were in love and “desperately didn’t wish to see anyone charged with a crime.” (Right now you might be asking yourself, “What if they were Black?” and we’re not even at that part yet.) Laundrie returned to his house in North Port, Fla., on Sept. 1 without Petito, who was reported missing 10 days later. Laundrie is now considered a person of interest in Petito’s disappearance, but not a suspect. Brandice Daniel founded Harlem’s Fashion Row when “less than about 1 to 2 percent of designers that are in major department stores,” were “designers of color.” According to her, that statistic is still true today after 14 years of fighting for equality in fashion. “That hasn’t changed since I started. That same statistic has remained,” she said in a conversation with fragrance master Chris Collins, celebrity stylist Groovy Lew and ESSENCE Deputy Editor Cori Murray at ESSENCE Fashion House. Harlem’s Fashion Row offers education, resources, and opportunities to Black designers. Fe Noel, who has worked with the company, is now sitting on the shelves of Saks Fifth Avenue. “There’s more now but it still hasn’t moved the needle a ton,” added Daniel. Chinese state media has warned Australia will become a ‘potential target for a nuclear strike’ after it acquires nuclear-powered submarines. As part of a new three-way alliance with the UK and US, Australia will be given the technology to build at least eight nuclear-powered – but not nuclear armed – submarines as the West counters China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the ‘AUKUS’ alliance ‘seriously damages regional peace and stability, intensifies the arms race, and undermines the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.’ As a young rapper, Jay-Z once teamed up with Damon Dash to sell CDs of his music out of a car in the Brooklyn projects. Today, the co-founders of Roc-A-Fella Records are embroiled in a legal fight involving one of the most cutting-edge investments: non-fungible tokens. The lawsuit is among a flurry involving NFTs as U.S. courts begin to grapple with the novel legal issues surrounding ownership and regulation of the assets, which have recently exploded in value. More than half a dozen suits citing NFTs have been filed in federal courts alone since the start of 2020, as monthly trading volume in the world’s biggest NFT marketplace, OpenSea, soared from $8 million six months ago to more than $1 billion in August. The dispute began in June, when Roc-A-Fella sued Dash, seeking to stop him from auctioning off the copyright to Jay-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, as an NFT, which represents ownership of a digital object on a blockchain. GRAMMY® Award winning hitmakers Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music have teamed up to co-release a new EP project, Jonny x Mali: Live in LA. Available for pre-order now, the live project contains six songs, including “Adulting,” which is available now as an instant grat track. The EP will be released on Friday, September 24th. A live performance video of “Adulting” was also released today. A co-artist release between the chart toppers, the live project follows on the heels of their GRAMMY®-winning #1 hit song, “Movin’ On.” Featured in a new performance take on the EP, the prolific songwriters and musicians have taken their artistic collaboration further, co-writing all the songs, which also include the tracks “Jump Ship,” “Enough, “Miracle,” and “Everlasting.” The new EP is a co-artist release in partnership between Jonathan’s label Life Room Label, eOne Music, Mali’s imprint K Approved Enterprises, and RCA Inspiration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU1oRNOZ5L4 Pastor Alonzo G. Morris Presents "I Feel Loved" Featuring Jessica Reedy.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmg2NramSko Essential Music Publishing and Provident Entertainment are celebrating Essential Music Publishing songwriter, Ethan Hulse. On September 14th, Nashville Songwriters Association International named Hulse the NSAI Songwriter of the Year at the annual Nashville Songwriter Awards. This is the first time in the organization’s long history that a writer in the genre of Christian music has been recognized with their top honor. Bart Herbison, Executive Director, Nashville Songwriters Association International shares, “Ethan Hulse is the first songwriter in the Christian genre to win the coveted NSAI Songwriter of the Year Award in its 54-year history. Contemporary Soul-Jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside scores her seventh consecutive Billboard Top 10 career record. Her current single, “Off The Cuff,” lands at No. 9 on the Contemporary Jazz chart. Co-written by Whiteside with her husband, noted producer Dennis Johnson, and veteran producer/keyboardist Bob Baldwin, “Off The Cuff” will be featured on her February 2022 yet-to-be-titled album. https://youtu.be/CyfoNrTZzkM Actor Boris Kodjoe has teamed up with Depend and the Prostate Cancer Foundation for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. “It was a very personal decision, because a close friend of mine, who was actually a mentor, experienced prostate cancer,” Kodjoe told BLACK ENTERPRISE about the partnership. “It was a no brainer for me, you know, and the initiative, that’s called Stand Strong for Men’s Health speaks to the taboos really, that we as men, especially Black men have that keep us from talking to each other about these kinds of things.” Kodjoe hopes the initiative motivates more men to have hard conversations about their health. As part of the initiative, for every purchase of select products, Depend will donate up to $350,000 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “This affects 1 in 8 men nationwide,” Kodjoe said. “So there’s a lot of people who are affected.” Detectives are investigating the murders of four friends found dead inside an abandoned SUV in a Wisconsin cornfield. Natasha Flug-Presley, 30, Jasmine Sturm, 30, Matthew Pettus, 26, and Loyace Foreman III, 35 were found shot dead after a night at a bar in downtown St. Paul, as reported by the Daily Mail. The alleged gunman, Darren McWright, 56, was arrested Wednesday night – his son, Antoine Suggs, 38, who is also considered a suspect, remains on the loose in the Minneapolis St. Paul area, according to police. Natasha’s father Damone Presley, 50, told Dailymail.com that he knows suspect McWright personally. “We go way back – I wouldn’t say he was a close family friend but he was a well-known friend of the family,” he said. https://youtu.be/fsxlbrEKJRo The Joe Biden administration has allowed more than 10,000 Haitian migrants to cross the southern border into Texas, where they are camping out under a bridge that connects Texas and Mexico. Per the New York Post, several government officials have referred to the situation in Del Rio, Texas, as “unprecedented,” the Washington Post writes. The migrants arrive as the president attempts to usher in tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees amid an alleged COVID pandemic. “This is a man-made crisis,” Sen. Ted Cruz said. “Eight days ago, on Sept. 8, under that same bridge, there were between 700 and 1,000 people. That was what was coming a day — about 1,000, sometimes 1,100 — but it would range between 700 and 1,100. https://youtu.be/nA8x4lYeYxs The father of a 7-year-old biracial Michigan girl whose hair was cut by a teacher without her parents’ permission has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the school district, a librarian and a teacher’s assistant. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Grand Rapids against Mount Pleasant Public Schools, alleges a violation of the girl’s constitutional rights, racial discrimination, ethnic intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault and battery. https://youtu.be/dnyk1uDEerc According to multiple reports, Wendy Williams was taken to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. This is said to have taken place prior to it being announced that the new season of her show would be delayed due to COVID issues. According to The Sun, a woman matching Wendy Williams’ description was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday following a 911 call for someone in need of “psychiatric services” at her New York City apartment building. The NYPD confirmed to The Sun that cops were called at 8am to the swanky high rise to assist a 57-year-old female. Meanwhile, TMZ reports that she was voluntarily admitted to an NYC hospital Tuesday for a psych evaluation. They report that Wendy has struggled with mental health issues for some time, so this was not a big shock. Wendy does have COVID, but she’s asymptomatic, and doctors continue to monitor her physical health as well ???? Actor Michael K. Williams, who was found dead from a suspected drug overdose on Sept 6, has been laid to rest. Funeral services attended by approximately 150 friends and family members were held on Tuesday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Services for the star of HBO’s “The Wire,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Lovecraft Country” were held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral. The program included a formal church service with hymns and communion as well as remembrances by close family and friends, reports Penn Live. https://youtu.be/RTnQoeG_1W4 Katt Williams recently announced that he’s willing to face off with Kevin Hart in a Verzuz battle. Speaking to Baltimore radio host Perisa Nicole, Williams said the viral showdown would be a walk in the park for him because his only competition is the late-great Richard Pryor. “It’s almost cheating for me. I have over 10 specials,” Williams said, as reported by Complex. “I don’t have to pick but two jokes from each special and I’ve already deaded anyone whose last name isn’t Pryor anyway.” Katt also noted that “comedically beefing” is his “lane.” He challenged Hart to a comedic competition in 2016, suggesting a $5 million battle. Hart didn’t respond to this challenge. https://youtu.be/VGgeyVGDuUc Activist Tarana Burke took to television this week to promote her new memoir, “Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement.” During her appearance on “The View” this week, co-host Whoopi Goldberg brought up her portrayal of Miss Celie in “The Color Purple,” who was famously called “ugly” to her face. “And I remember being really mad,” Whoopi said, explaining that even though the words were part of the script based on Alice Walker’s novel, they still stung on a personal level. “It makes you feel a certain way,” Whoopi continued. “It has a visceral effect on you.’ https://youtu.be/wcyqYXSpArQ BET has launched BET Studios with principal partners Kenya Barris (“Black-ish”), Rashida Jones (“Hot Girls Wanted”) and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (“S.W.A.T.”). “The demand for premium content from Black creators has accelerated dramatically as a result of both the rapidly changing media and social landscapes,” said BET president Scott Mills in a statement, per Variety. “BET, with our 40-year legacy of celebrating Black culture, and the full power of the ViacomCBS ecosystem — is uniquely positioned to service this demand. As a company with its origin in Black entrepreneurship, we are incredibly excited to create the first major studio to provide Black creators with ownership, creative freedom and the unparalleled partnership and support of BET.” The Amplified Virtual Film festival opens September 18 and the first film can be screened for FREE! Fans who crave inspirational and entertaining family friendly content can find it in the documentary “God Chaserz” which shows Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 4:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. “God Chaserz” tells the story of 5 young men who use the power of music, Christian Hip Hop and rap to change everyone in their reach. The film is directed by Brinson Wright and Will Thomas. Redeem your free tickets here....https://bherc.tv/festivals/faith-based-inspirational-film-festival/ Fat Joe came under fire after making comments about Lil Mo and another female rap legend, Vita, during his Tuesday night Verzuz battle with Ja Rule. While the rappers started smack-talking, Fat Joe seemingly referred to the girls as “dusty b*tches” and said Ja must have found them in a “cr**ck house.” Fat Joe later apologized in a tweet that said, “Shout out to the ladies very sorry if i disrespected i love Vida and lil Mo I’m super sorry love my sisters.” That apology wasn’t enough for Mo who asked for a genuine one, which he later gave her. While speaking with TMZ, Mo admitted that he was way outta line and totally insensitive to all people battling addiction. Mo told the outlet that Fat Joe’s comments were just “vile” and “disrespectful” and he should know better than to use those degrading terms, especially in light of recent celeb deaths. “Stop waiting on people and do it yourself.” So says Larry Ulrich, writer/director of “I’m Not Special.” A powerful message of intervention and transformation is presented in “I’m Not Special“ a film by Ulrich Entertainment Group and Films With A Purpose. Representing the disabled community, Julius Jordan stars in the film. He is a first-time actor with down syndrome. His amazing act of courage and his gift of sportsmanship allows him to catch the attention of a coach at a local gym who takes him under his wing and aides him with his athletic development. TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with actress and comedienne Kym Whitley on Sunday, September 19 at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words including super producer Swizz Beatz, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, acclaimed actress Lynn Whitfield, singer and actress Raven-Symoné and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag-6IUwn_Qo Kanan and Marvin’s side hustle goes awry. Raq seeks revenge for the attack on Scrappy. Jukebox suffers a devastating blow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADzSyRvZul0 Just in time for Latinx Heritage Month, CLEO TV will air CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Saturday, September 18 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4WnXcu-Rr8 The Rance Allen Group dropped a new single "Love Makes The World Go Around." https://spaces.hightail.com/space/lg8gYOWiB3/files/fi-d8b2723d-efb2-4977-8ba3-3af28f12da3f/fv-ab04b1e8-f6a5-45aa-a37e-8404ce7e65dd/Love%20Makes%20The%20World%20Go%20Around%20320%20(Radio%20Edit).mp3 NIA SIOUX & SHERRI SHEPHERD SET TO STAR IN IMPERFECT HIGH PREMIERING THIS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 ON LIFETIME https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3SDONew-RQ As torchbearers of the classic 'Philly Choir' sound, Zak & 1A are now releasing an all-new single written by and made popular by iconic Philadelphia songwriter and musician Kevin Pringle (Wilmington Chester Mass Choir, Russell Delegation, GMWA Mass Choir). Zak & 1A have remade the classic choir song "Jehovah Jireh". https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8628415?date=20210914&user_id=668306&signature=U8qTCrqDO4_8LMaMzW041_Kvnbw%3AvFQ5f6NU The Gospel Music Association (GMA) has announced Dove Award-winning Artists Natalie Grant and Jonathan McReynolds will co-host this year's GMA Dove Awards. Also revealed today were the first slate of nominated performers including: Lauren Daigle, Elevation Worship, KB, CeCe Winans and Zach Williams. The 52nd GMA Dove Awards are set to air exclusively on TBN, Friday, October 22nd, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. ET and again at 10:00 p.m. ET. The event will take place live and in person in Nashville, TN, October 19th, 2021. Powerhouse record label, Karew Entertainment, is presenting their newest artist, urban inspirational singer, Marc Jay. Marc Jay joins the Karew roster with label mates The Clark Sisters, Karen Clark Sheard, and Kierra Sheard. When asked about the new addition, Karew Entertainment President J. Drew Sheard II says, “I’m so excited to partner with Marc Jay on his next project. He has been a part of our family for many years, supporting us, writing songs, singing background, and more, and now it’s his time. We are so proud of him!” Marc Jay may be new to the label, but truly not new to the Clark/Sheard dynasty. Prior to releasing his own music, Jay recounts the first time singing background for the legendary Twinkie Clark at a church in Battle Creek, MI, “I was so nervous, but afterwards she said ‘good job son’ and kept using me more! I was so excited!” After ministering with Twinkie Clark, he began singing background for Karen Clark Sheard as well as The Clark Sisters, and then finally Kierra Sheard. “Kierra is like a sister to me,” he says. Dr. Sian Proctor is making history as we speak with her seat on SpaceX’s Inspiration4, currently in a three-day orbit around Planet Earth. The a geoscientist, artist and science communicator, has been a trailblazer in the space sector for decades. Now, years after becoming a finalist in NASA’s astronaut candidate program in 2009, she has finally made it past Earth’s atmosphere with the launch of Inspiration4 Wednesday night. The 51-year-old STEM sis is now the world’s first-ever Black female spacecraft pilot. “I have this opportunity to not only accomplish my dream, but also inspire the next generation of women of color and girls of color,” Proctor said at a pre-flight press conference. Watch Proctor’s childhood dream literally take off as part of the SpaceX Inspiration4 crew – billionaire commerce executive Jared Isaacman, 29-year-old childhood cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux, and 42-year-old Chris Sembroski – aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule (dubbed Resilience) from Cape Canaveral, FL. https://youtu.be/8o4VeLWIYG4 El Debarge previously opened up about his 22-year crack and heroin addiction. But what you may not know is that after he got clean and sober following a two-year prison stint, he almost relapsed and it was rapper 50-Cent who stepped in and saved him. As reported by I Love Old School Music, El Debarge spoke to V103 in Atlanta a while back and revealed the time he almost relapsed in 2012, but was saved by Fiddy and music producer Babyface. Here’s what he had to say: So I called 50 Cent up and I called Babyface up and I said ‘You guys gotta help me man.’ And 50 came to my rescue, he took me over to Babyface, who met me over at Interscope and they sent me to a place called the Harbor House in Jackson, MS. They said get out of L.A. I was there for 6 weeks. […] That’s another reason why you didn’t hear from me, I was in a treatment center.” A woman who recently attended a school committee meeting in suburban Boston has apologized for questioning how a Black mother became a member and suggesting she was unqualified in a presumption that seemed based on nothing more than skin color. Dr. Kenann McKenzie, an adjunct professor and Director of the Aspire Institute at Boston University’s Wheelock College who earned her PhD from Columbia University — an Ivy League school — also happens to be the only Black member of the school committee in Beverly, which is about 23 miles north of Boston. But on Sept. 8, she was apparently nothing more than an unqualified Black woman who had no business being on a school committee, according to one woman at the meeting who did her best “Karen” impression to make it clear to everybody in attendance how privileged and entitled she felt on that fateful day. That was when Donna Loiacano, identified by the Boston Globe as a local resident, voiced her objections to McKenzie being on the school committee and suggested it was only to address the panel’s lacking diversity. Boston voters have pushed the city with a racist reputation closer to electing its first non-white male mayor in its more than 200-year history following Tuesday night’s primary election. But whoever ultimately takes over City Hall next January will not be Black, something that Black Bostonians were lamenting with sentiments that straddled the lines between disappointment and outrage, according to interviews conducted by the Boston Globe once the primary results were announced. Perhaps exacerbating that frustration is the sense that Kim Janey, a Black woman and former city councilor who has been acting mayor since now-former Mayor Marty Walsh was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of Labor in March, may not have been given a full, fair shot at leading the city. Janey became Boston’s first Black acting mayor, but the city still has yet to ever officially elect a Black mayor, a milestone that most major cities in the U.S. have already long crossed. The Minnesota Supreme Court overturned a third-degree murder conviction of Mohamed Noor, the former Minneapolis Police officer who shot and killed Justine Ruszczyk Damond on July 15, 2017. The court agreed with the argument from the defense that the prosecution did not prove Noor acted “without regard for human life.” They also didn’t provide enough evidence to support Noor was targeting Justine Damond. Damond called 911 to report a possible rape in her neighborhood. She believed she heard a woman being assaulted in an ally behind her home. Noor, who was one of the officers responding to the call, thought Damond was armed and in range of his partner. According to his partner’s testimony, Noor shot the woman after she approached their squad car in the ally while the officers were looking for clues and evidence of the reported rape. Trinidad and Tobago’s Health Minister announced to his nation Wednesday that his department “wasted so much time” on Tuesday “running down this false claim” propagated by Nicki Minaj, that the COVID-19 vaccine causes testicular swelling. “As far as we know, at this point in time, there has been no such reported either side effect or adverse event,” said Dr. Terrence Deyalsingh in a press conference. “And what was sad about this is that it wasted our time yesterday, because we take all these claims seriously, whether it’s on social media or mainstream media.” https://youtu.be/bNRvrF9EwSg Controversial commentator Candace Owens is speaking out to defend Nicki Minaj. Owens joined “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Tuesday to support Minaj after the rapper publicly shared why she’s holding off on taking the vaccine. As we previously reported, in a series of tweets, Minaj revealed that she tested positive for COVID-19 and wasn’t able to attend the VMAs or the Met Gala. While explaining that, the entertainer tweeted about her cousin’s friend who allegedly became impotent after receiving the coronavirus vaccine and urged her followers to “pray on it” before jabbing themselves and avoid being “bullied” into it. Despite that, Minaj said she will eventually get vaccinated but only when she’s done enough research. MSNBC host Joy Reid later slammed Minaj’s skepticism on “ReidOut,” saying “she can do better than that.” Owens reacted to all the controversy surrounding Minaj on Tuesday and said she believes the left is trying to silence her. Los Angeles County is following New York City with a requirement that customers as well as employees at indoor bars and nightclubs become vaccinated against COVID-19 as early as next month. The announcement was made by county health officials on Wednesday and the mandate will go in effect on October 7. The official order will be issued by Friday (09-17-21) for the country’s most populous county. https://youtu.be/tkzKo8SYIhs GSN-Social media users are less than impressed with a new show that turns activism into a competition starring celebrities. As reported by the New York Post, CBS’s newest reality series, “The Activist,” has yet to premiere and it is already receiving backlash on social media. According to Deadline, “‘The Activist’ is a competition series that features six inspiring activists teamed with three high-profile public figures working together to bring meaningful change to one of three vitally important world causes: health, education, and environment.” Usher, Priyanka Chopra and Julianne Hough will co-host the Global Citizen-produced series. A billboard hailing former President Donald Trump as the second coming of Jesus Christ has been taken down. The advertisement was spotted near the city of Fort Oglethorpe in Georgia earlier this week by Washington Post political reporter Eugene Scott who posted a picture of it to Twitter. It featured a picture of Trump looking on alongside a misquoted passage from the Bible which read: “Unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders.” The billboard incorrectly claimed that the quote came from Romans 8:17. Twitter users are mocking Harry and Meghan’s ‘awkward’ and ‘airbrushed’ Time magazine cover, with people saying their friend’s gushing tribute about the couple’s ‘struggle’ makes them want to ‘vomit’, after making the 2021 list of the 100 most influential people on the planet. Social media is ablaze with hilarious memes including Oprah Winfrey’s infamous ‘what?’ moment during the Duke and Duchess’ bombshell interview in March, a laughing Ryan Gosling and foul-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsay telling somebody: ‘Oh f*** off’. The US publication released a glossy cover on Harry’s 37th birthday showing the Queen’s grandson stood behind his wife, with his arm on her right shoulder in the ‘icons’ section of the annual line-up – also featuring Dolly Parton, Britney Spears and Alexei Navalny. The photos are accompanied by a ‘sycophantic’ profile written by their friend and chef José Andrés, whose charity World Central Kitchen is loved by the Sussexes and supported financially by their Archewell foundation in India and the Caribbean. A Christian magician who gained popularity with tricks about family, hope and generosity won NBC’s America’s Got Talent and its $1 million prize Wednesday night following a final act in which he urged the audience to be more charitable. Dustin Tavella won the contest in what was the closest vote in the 16-year history of the variety talent show. The winner was determined in a vote by viewers. He also won a show in Las Vegas. With fireworks exploding and confetti falling, Tavella covered his face in disbelief, hugged second-place contestant Aidan Bryant, and thanked his wife, children, parents and fans. Lawrence Brooks celebrated his 112th birthday this past Sunday, making him the nation’s oldest World War II veteran. Brooks was born in Norwood, Louisiana in 1909, then moved to New Orleans in 1929. He was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army in 1940 at 31 years old. Around 1.2 million Black men fought in World War II. Jim Crow still had its claws dug into the south, so Black soldiers were treated like dirt. Black soldiers were also segregated from white soldiers, forced to use separate blood banks, hospitals, gyms, barracks, etc. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Rihanna‘s appearance at the 2021 Met Gala has sparked pregnancy speculation among her fans. The former singer turned entrepreneur attended the star-studded bash with her rapper boyfriend A$AP Rocky. As reported by The YBF, RiRi’s “Balenciaga blanket dress has folks wondering if she’s carrying a mini RiRi or Rocky,” the outlet writes. Rihanna was spotted making her way inside of her hotel prior to the gala wearing an all-black ensemble that appears to show a baby bump. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle grace the cover of TIME100, the magazine announced on Wednesday, September 15. José Andrés, World Central Kitchen founder, wrote the feature on the royal couple as part of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2021. “Springing into action is not the easy choice for a young duke and duchess who have been blessed through birth and talent, and burned by fame. It would be much safer to enjoy their good fortune and stay silent,” Andrés writes. “That’s not what Harry and Meghan do, or who they are. They turn compassion into boots on the ground through their Archewell Foundation. They give voice to the voiceless through media production. Actress Karrueche Tran previously opened up about growing up with a gay father. “I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone this, but my father is gay,” the Emmy-winning actress said in a 2015 interview with MadameNoire. “I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone this because I don’t realize that that is not necessarily normal, you know? I live my life as me and it’s like, ‘oh, that’s just my dad.’ But when I tell people sometimes, they’re like, ‘really?!’ And he’s not [transitioning like Caitlyn Jenner], but he is homosexual, he is gay.” Tran said she was young when she learned of her father’s sexuality. Elsewhere in the interview, Tran explained her frustration with being known as Chris Brown’s ex-girlfriend. “Calling somebody Chris Brown’s girlfriend is rude,” she said. “I am more than just an ex-girlfriend or girlfriend. Now that I’m working more and doing more, people are realizing that I think.” https://youtu.be/IUhlvx1TgHE Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Inc., which launched in 2019, could be acquired by an unnamed media company led by former Disney executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs. Westbrook Studios is behind the film “King Richard” and “Red Table Talk” on Facebook Watch as well as Netflix’s “Cobra Kai.” Mayer and Staggs would have access to the production studio and Westbrook’s digital arm, Westbrook Media. In related news, Will Smith is set to release his memoir called “Will” on Nov. 9. The actor-rapper shared a photo of the book’s cover art on Instagram, and captioned the post: “It’s been a labor of love,” Smith said. Gabrielle Union made several TV appearances this week to promote her new book “You Got Anything Stronger?,” a sequel to her 2017 collection of essays “We’re Going To Need More Wine.” Since her first book, Union became a mother, and her husband Dwyane Wade retired from the NBA. But Union says there were many things she left out of the collection of essays because she wasn’t ready to talk about them yet. It was during the pandemic that she finally decided to share more of her experiences … among them, her fertility struggle. https://youtu.be/B7sT3LQZRvw Keke Palmer may not be invited back to the annual star-studded Met Gala after she posted a photo of her wilted salad as part of her 3-course meal at the event held on Monday night in NYC. The actress captioned the image: “This is why they don’t show y’all the food. I’m just playing.” Per TMZ…Chef Marcus Samuelsson — the restaurateur/chef who helped select the 10 up-and-coming chefs who created the Met Gala menu — defended the menu at the $30,000-$50,000 per ticket Met Gala. An all-new episode of WE tv’s new series “Brat Loves Judy” returns Thursday night and Judy is discussing Brat’s hesitancy to get married and Judy says, her refusal to have “hard conversations with me.” https://youtu.be/i1vPLblzmxM Former LA Laker Kwame Brown has ripped Russell Westbrook after he was photographed with blue hair and wearing a white skirt in New York City. Beta males who are allegedly gay and bisexual, such Kid Cudi and Russell Westbrook, have decided to proudly serve as the new poster boys for America’s never-ending #BuckBreaking agenda. Meanwhile, Brown and several NBA fans are giving the side-eye to Westbrook’s unique style choice. “What hood y’all dudes suppose to be from wearing heel boots & a mini skirt.. what’s wrong with you?” says Brown. https://twitter.com/i/status/1437437901336465415 It’s been a decade since “The Visualiza” has graced us with an album, but Anthony “AZ” Cruz has been teasing fans for years that a sequel to his platinum debut was on the horizon. Now the wait is over. AZ’s “Doe Or Die 2” will be released on Sept. 10, 2021. Those who pre-order, add and favorite AZ’s “Doe or Die 2” will receive “The Wheel” as an instant grat track. This track features Grammy nominate artist Jaheim, produced by Grammy Award-winner Kaygee (Naughty by Nature’s Poverty In Paradise). The album features Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, T-Pain, Alchemist, David East, Pete Rock, Idris Elba, Conway the Machine, and the Heatmakerz. “Doe or Die II is just what the doctor ordered,” AZ said. https://youtu.be/aH-5sfoIO70 Once upon a time NFL tight end Vernon Davis was in the conversation for being one of the greatest ever at his position before suffering a big production drop off in his career. Recently, Davis told TMZ sports about his hopeful comeuppance in the Hollywood arena. Here he talks about working with Morgan Freeman and the advice the veteran actor gave to him on the set of their film “Muti,” which hits theaters in 2022. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-27-082721-vernon-davis-1236266/ Lil Nas X is having a great year! The entertainer has been named in Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2021. Lil Nas X has done a lot this year alone, from making national news over his bold and fearless performances and music videos, to being praised for his efforts to push for LGBTQ acceptance in the hip-hop/ music industry and community. While speaking about Nas X for the Time Magazine feature, fellow rapper Kid Cudi said, “There’s a homophobic cloud over hip-hop, and he’s going to break that sh-t down. We have to stand with him. I’m going to do whatever I have to do to let him know—you have my support. When we do our song together, however trippy the video is, let’s get sexy with it.” He also said, “ Lil Nas X is a new twist on some of the themes I was riding on when I first started out: being true to yourself and not giving a f-ck what anyone says. What he’s doing is what we need right now. To have a gay man in hip-hop doing his thing, crushing records—that is huge for us and for Black excellence.” A 2020 clip has resurfaced of a male professor at Lincoln University babysitting a student’s son during class. The footage shows Dr. Aqeel Dix holding his student Imani Lamarr’s baby. Per MadameNoire, “That day, she had contacted Dix and said she couldn’t come to class because she didn’t have a babysitter. He told her missing class wasn’t an option and that she could bring her infant son along to class,” the outlet writes. “I never thought that it would come to that, and to have somebody who’s there for me…who really cares … it meant a lot,” Lamarr told ABC. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7rA99-lpgH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A college student from the West African nation of Togo has a side hustle that is starting to set fashion trends. Hogoe Elimiera Ivana Kpessou’s luxury womenswear brand HK — named after herself — is “an empire of uno [one]” for now. But the entrepreneur-designer is motivated toward greater success. For her, that means a better life for her family and her country. So far, the traffic to her website has been steadily rising, climbing to the hundred thousands, with total revenue nearing $500,000. She began only last year. Chante Moore drops "Right One." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLKSeyBbdJw Kerry Douglas Presents to the world his brand new artist with a big sound LaShá Knox. Her oily anointed & highly impressive vocals is a perfect combination for the remake of "Surrounded (Fight My Battles)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xI5jOhC7Ac “This is my eight album,” said Blues Guitarist Jules Leyhe about his new project “Your First Rodeo” (Monkey Finger Records) – out September 17, 2021. “I love blues music. I’m rooted as a Blues musician…introducing you to Jazz/Soul.” The “Your First Rodeo” is a melting pot of genres with a cover that is influenced by “one of my favorite Beatles records,” Jules says. “Sgt. Pepper: Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (Beatles 8th studio album)…the Beatles…they didn’t care about who said what, it was about being creative. This is my 8th album…so it’s a little joke. The cover makes you wonder what this is about.” https://youtu.be/oXVCpsjvANg Four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd pleaded not guilty in federal court Tuesday to charges they violated Floyd’s civil rights during his arrest in May 2020. Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao have been charged with violating Floyd’s constitutional rights in ways that “resulted in bodily injury to, and the death of, George Floyd,” according to the federal grand jury indictment. Per CNN, a federal grand jury indicted the ex-cops in May. Thao and Kueng also were charged for failure to intervene while Chauvin used his knee on Floyd’s neck to crush the life out of him. It didn’t happen. The Republican led Recall of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has gone down in flames. Newsom secured a victory in the biggest fight of his political career thus far and protected the Democratic Party from a perilous ripple effect. https://youtu.be/ye0Jz1EGV08 Family members of a woman in Chicago who fatally shot her son claim she loved the boy dearly, but she allegedly suffered from mental issues. Fallon Harris, 37, has been charged with first-degree murder after she allegedly shot 12-year-old son Kaden Ingram in the head over a missing SD memory card. https://youtu.be/k0K8C4_RCss The founder of one of the world’s largest megachurches has died, according to news reports from Korea. The English-language Korean Herald reported that the Rev. Cho Yong-gi died at a Seoul hospital on Tuesday morning (Sept. 14). He was 85. Cho, known in the United States as David Yonggi Cho, was the founder of the Yoido Full Gospel Church, a Pentecostal megachurch whose members number in the hundreds of thousands. The church’s website also carried an announcement of his death. Maya Rudolph will be laughing all through awards season. The “Saturday Night Live” alum, 49, made history on Sunday at the Creative Arts Emmys when she won two awards in the same categories she won in last year — and became the third black woman to win two years in a row. The funnywoman earned a Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series statuette for her “SNL” appearances this past season, and was named Best Character Voice-Over for her work on the animated comedy “Big Mouth.” “Wow, that’s amazing. I feel honored to be part of something like that,” Rudolph told reporters, according to Deadline. “I feel like this Emmy is very fitting, in that it’s for something that feels like such a personal achievement … I feel really honored that I’m part of a legacy as the third woman of color to achieve that.” Comedian Norm Macdonald, a former “Saturday Night Live” writer and performer who was “Weekend Update” host when Bill Clinton and O.J. Simpson provided comic fodder during the 1990s, has died. Macdonald, who was 61, died Tuesday after having cancer for nine years, but keeping it private, according to Brillstein Entertainment Partners, his management firm in Los Angeles. He never reached the same television heights after being fired from “SNL” in 1998, but was an indefatigable stand-up comic and popular talk show guest whose death provoked an outpouring from fellow comedians. “Norm was in a comedy genre of his own,” tweeted Sarah Silverman. “No one like him on this planet. Please do yourself a favor and watch his stuff.” Macdonald, the son of two schoolteachers, was raised in Quebec City, Canada. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau offered his condolences, calling him “a comedic genius and a great Canadian.” The widow of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks is suing the City of Atlanta and the officers for his death. His wife, Tomeka Miller, said that the shooting was “senseless and unjustified” in the lawsuit on behalf of Brooks’ estate. In addition, the lawsuit states that the officers didn’t provide the necessary medical attention that Brooks needed. Officers Garrett Rolfe and Devin Brosnan were named in Miller’s lawsuit. She claimed Brosnan threatened Brooks with a taser without completing a mandatory Taser certification course. Rolfe has been charged in the shooting of Brooks. The lawsuit also implicated the City of Atlanta for failure to enforce that its police department adhere to the adequate training, and lack of supervision of its officers. The son of a Black man killed last year by a Georgia state trooper attempting a traffic stop over a broken tail light said Monday he will march across a stretch of southeast Georgia in hopes of getting federal authorities to take up the case. Brooks Bacon is trying to get renewed attention to the slaying of his father, 60-year-old Julian Lewis, nearly three months after a grand jury in rural Screven County declined to indict the trooper who shot him in the head. “That can’t be left unchallenged,” Bacon told reporters during an online news conference with his attorneys. He added: “In split-second moments, these tragedies happen and too often they get swept aside.” Trooper Jacob G. Thompson was fired by the Georgia State Patrol and jailed on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault soon after Lewis was killed on Aug. 7, 2020, in Screven County. Thompson said Lewis tried to flee a traffic stop for a broken tail light. After a short chase, the trooper forced Lewis’ car into a ditch. Actress Tanya Fear, known for her role on the show “Doctor Who,” was found Monday after she was reported missing in Los Angeles last week, an LAPD spokesperson confirmed to CBS News. Fear, 31, was initially reported missing on September 9, the spokesperson said. The department is not releasing any additional information at this time. Her manager, Alex Cole, said Fear was found safe by officers on Monday. “We understand she is not physically harmed, but as a precaution, is being assessed at a local hospital,” Cole said in a statement to NBC News. Charges have been dropped against three men accused of recording their sexual assault of an incapacitated woman in South Kingstown. The Providence Journal reports state prosecutors notified lawyers for Trent Scuncio, 18, and Montrell Wilson and Jah-Qwin Sekator, both 19, on Friday that the case had been dismissed. Assistant Attorney General Mark Trovato said prosecutors can’t proceed with the case because the woman no longer wished to pursue criminal charges and was unwilling to cooperate. The woman said in a letter to prosecutors that she made the decision after consulting with her attorney. Lawyers for the men said their clients are relieved. The case sparked Black Lives Matter protests and divided the town as the men are Black and the woman is white. “From the beginning, he claimed any encounters were consensual,” Edward Roy Jr., a lawyer for Wilson, told the Journal. “He wants to move on, and today’s dismissal allows him to do that.” A restraining order remains in place barring the men from contacting the woman for three years. The city of Philadelphia will pay $2 million to a Black woman who was pulled from a car, beaten by officers and had her toddler used for social media fodder by the police union, officials said. Nursing aide Rickia Young was headed home in the early morning hours of Oct. 27, 2020, when she unknowingly drove into a large protest over the police killing of Walter Wallace Jr. She tried to make a three-point turn to get away from the tense scene when officers smashed out her windows with their batons, according to her attorneys. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney called the treatment of Young “absolutely appalling” and “inexcusable.” “This terrible incident, which should have never happened to anyone, only further strained the relationship between the” police and community, Kenney said in a statement. An Arizona mother has been named a suspect in her two daughters’ murders after they were found dead in a bed. On Sept. 8, shortly before 6 p.m., Phoenix police received a 911 call from a father reporting that his two daughters were dead, Sgt. Andy Williams said during a press briefing at the scene. Upon arrival, officers found the girls’ bodies in a bed and their mother with self-inflicted stab wounds to her upper body. The girls showed no obvious sign of trauma. Their cause and manner of death remains unknown. Their father was initially detained but released after cooperating with police. The girls have since been identified as 9-year-old Aleyah and her little sister, 4-year-old Royal McIntyre, the Arizona Republic, KSAZ and AZFamily.com report. High pre-infection blood sugar levels have been linked to a greater risk of severe COVID-19 cases, even in non-diabetics, according to a new study. The research, from the Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Israeli health fund Meuhedet, and Hadassah Medical Center, shows that even pre-diabetic patients with high blood sugar levels after fasting, are more likely to develop serious symptoms after catching COVID-19. The standard blood sugar level for an adult is 70-100 mg/dL, after having fasted at least eight hours. In patients diagnosed with diabetes, the highest risk (1 in 4 patients) of contracting severe COVID-19 was found in patients with low sugar values — below 80 mg/dl. The lowest risk (1 in 12) was found in patients with sugar values of 106-125 mg/dl. For patients with no diagnosis of diabetes, the higher the sugar values, the greater the risk of severe COVID-19. Gymnast Nia Dennis had a viral white carpet moment at Met Gala 2021, and it had more to do with her style than drip. The 24-year-old surprised onlookers with a full gymnastics floor routine on the Met Gala steps. As the Brooklyn United Marching Band played Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk,” Dennis flipped and dipped – giving an unexpected twist to “fashion’s biggest night.” https://youtu.be/tWql--GdyMA After being called a “coon” by Nicki Minaj, actress Yvette Nicole Brown is coming to Joy Reid’s defense. The MSNBC host reprimanded the rap star after she publicly shared her take on the COVID-19 vaccine and was accused of spreading “misinformation.” To keep you up to speed, earlier this week, Nicki Minaj announced that she would not be attending this year’s VMAs or the annual Met Gala. She took to Twitter on Monday to explain exactly while she had to sit out for these major events. In a series of tweets, Minaj said that she didn’t want to risk her infant’s health just to be “seen.” Where quarter life crisis meets LA glam, Issa Rae’s new reality series “Sweet Life: Los Angeles” is taking HBO Max by storm. The unscripted, coming-of-age TV show follows a young, Black friend group in pursuit of their dreams. While the friend group may be as close as family, some are relatively new to the clique. Compton, the newest male friend, said the friendships are impactful. “It’s meant a lot to me. I gained new brothers. It’s inspiration at its finest, honestly,” said Compton. One friend whose success is beyond inspiring is Bentley. CEO and founder of the multi million-dollar clothing brand Hypland – a huge achievement at only 24 years old. He’s hoping viewers see more than just his business accolades. Stream all episodes of “Sweet Life: Los Angeles” on HBO Max now. Plus, the season finale drops tomorrow! SHE READY! After months of meticulous work by a team of talented studio artists – actress, comedian, producer and author Tiffany Haddish revealed her new wax figure at the must-see attraction on the Las Vegas Strip, Madame Tussauds. During the reveal, Haddish disguised herself as a ‘Selfie Specialist’ while wearing a Madame Tussauds uniform and interacted with unsuspecting guests as she took pictures of them with the new Haddish wax figure and asked their opinion of it. https://vimeo.com/605694585 Public Enemy frontman Chuck D has responded to Flavor Flav’s claims that Chuck is blocking a group reunion due to contract negotiations. Chuck released a statement through his publicist explaining his side of the story, per Complex. “Come on y’all. This is tired and stupid. Flav and I communicate on our own, so I normally don’t address these things in public, but I’m tired of the circus of airing news that ain’t news and am going to keep it factual here,” Chuck D said in the statement. “Flav sues the folks he works with, so in 2017 he decided it was my turn. He lost when the judge dismissed the suit with prejudice in 2020, which means it’s permanent. Over. He can’t file again. He lost. Even after all of this, even after all the years of Flav giving the situation minimum while always asking for the maximum, I still work with him. But it’s time to change.” “Everybody in the situation can’t be burdened with picking up his slack,” he continued. “The key word in ‘Brothers Gonna Work It Out’ is the word ‘work.’ We’re always gonna be brothers regardless, but Flav’s gotta do the work and there ain’t no getting down without the work. Simple as that.” Over a year ago, Chuck and Flav had a public spat, with Flav reportedly booted from the group by Chuck because he refused to perform at a Bernie Sanders rally. Jermaine Dupri is ready to face off with Diddy for a Verzuz battle. “Somebody let @Diddy know I’m @thegarden right now ! And he gon need some training for me,” Durpi tweeted. Diddy caught wind of the challenge and responded by telling the So So Def founder that he “aiint got enough hits.” Diddy made clear that he’d rather battle Dr. Dre, telling Jermaine, “I’ll smash you with just biggie n Mary . But I do have the upmost respect on you as a musical legend – Dre the only one can get in the ring w me.” Rick Ross gifted his son William Roberts with his own Wingstop branch for his 16th birthday. “Everyone wish my son @mmgbigbank HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY,” Ross wrote on Instagram. “Today he became the owner of his 1st @wingstop franchise. Your now officially a BOSS !!! Keep Going,” he added. In June, Rick Ross revealed that he takes commercial flights and cuts his own grass to save money. The hip-hop star resides on a 235-acre estate in Fayetteville, Georgia that was previously owned by Evander Holyfield. Ross previously explained that he enjoys “connecting with the estate and the animals and the birds and the wildlife.” https://www.instagram.com/richforever/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4e979ca7-081c-4ac4-b197-591702f21d6c Cardi B hopes to postpone her trial with a man who is suing her for using his image on her debut mixtape. The rapper has reached out to a judge asking that the $5 million battle be pushed back as she also has to face off with blogger Tasha K. in a separate court case in Atlanta. Cardi is being sued by a male model who claims she used his photo without permission and made it seem like he was performing oral on her for her mixtape cover. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Kevin Michael Brophy Jr. is a married man with kids who was shocked to discover his photo on the cover of “Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 1,” a mixtape the Cardi released in 2016. According to TMZ, Brophy claims he never met the “Bodak Yellow” rapper but he recognizes his distinct back tattoo of a tiger fighting a snake. Brophy says he was “shocked, outraged, humiliated, and appalled” when he first saw the photo. He claims Cardi used the pic “in a misleading, offensive, humiliating and provocatively sexual way to launch her career in music and entertainment.” As a House select committee investigates the causes of the January 6 Capitol insurrection, a new report released today finds that social media platforms have played a major role in exacerbating political polarization that can lead to such extremist violence. The report, “Fueling the Fire: How Social Media Intensifies U.S. Political Polarization—And What Can Be Done About It,” was released by the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights and also makes recommendations about what the tech industry and government can do to address the problem. he NYU report finds that, while rising levels of polarization in the U.S. predate social media, the platforms have played an instrumental role in exacerbating the trend in recent years, particularly since the 2016 election and Donald Trump’s presidency. Facebook, for one, has disavowed responsibility for partisan hatred. The company’s vice president for global affairs, Nick Clegg, has argued: “What evidence there is simply does not support the idea that social media, or the filter bubbles it supposedly creates, are the unambiguous driver of polarization that many assert.” Tia Mowry once opened up about growing up biracial, having a Black mom and White father. She also compared how racism has affected her life both as a child and now that she has her own family. Tia Mowry and the rest of her siblings grew up in a biracial family, as her dad is White and her mom is Black. The “Sister, Sister” star once opened up about how she noticed the privilege that her father had compared to her mom. TRUE LOVE TRUMPS ALL Luckily for Tia, her parents made her see that racism shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to love. On her channel, she said her parents were full of love and they continued to instill in her that love was greater than all of the negativity around her. https://www.instagram.com/amomama_usa/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bda1ac9f-0116-4bac-8d3c-dce0631c84fe Texas energy company CenterPoint Energy Inc said on Tuesday that about 400,000 homes and businesses in its Houston-area service territory were without power as Tropical Storm Nicholas drenches the city. That represents about 17% of CenterPoint’s power customers in the Houston area. Nicholas was currently located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south-southwest of Houston and could cause life-threatening flash floods across the Deep South during the next couple of days, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Other utilities in Texas reported much fewer outages, counting around 60,000 customers without power so far. Nicki Minaj has revealed she was forced to skip Monday Night’s Met Gala because she is suffering from Covid-19, after being notably absent from the event. The rapper, 38, who also missed the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, told her followers she contracted the virus while preparing for the ceremony. Nicki insisted that she won’t be getting the Covid vaccine until she has ‘done more research’, as she launched into an attack on Met Gala planners for insisting that all guests had to be double jabbed to attend. Nicki also went on to back-up her thoughts with wild claims about her ‘cousin’s friend’ becoming ‘impotent’ after getting the vaccine. The long-delayed Tony Awards have landed two impressive master of ceremonies: Tony- and Grammy-winning singer and actor Leslie Odom Jr. will host a splashy TV special, and the awards will be hosted by Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning actor and singer Audra McDonald. Producers of the telecast announced Monday that Odom will host the two-hour celebration of Broadway’s return on Sept. 26 from 9 p.m. – 11p.m. ET/PT, and McDonald will host the award ceremony from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET/PT The four-hour event will be broadcast live from Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre. Capping the evening will be the awarding of the three top awards: best play, best play revival and best musical. The first trailer for Netflix’s limited series about Colin Kaepernick has arrived. Below is the debut footage of Colin in Black & White, a six-part biographical drama from Ava DuVernay (Selma, When They See Us) about the early years of the NFL quarterback and activist. Jaden Michael stars as Young Colin in the coming-of-age series that follows Kaepernick’s early years, while Kaepernick appears as a narrator in the show. Nick Offerman and Mary-Louise Parker also star as Kaepernick’s “well-meaning parents” Rick and Teresa. https://youtu.be/yqJFWS81Mf4 This week, Apple Original Films revealed that the highly anticipated, star-studded film “Swan Song” will debut in theaters and globally on Apple TV+ Friday, December 17. “Swan Song” stars two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, who also serves as producer; eight-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close; and Academy Award nominee Naomie Harris. Golden Globe Award winner Awkwafina and Golden Globe Award nominee Adam Beach also star in the ensemble cast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nW0vC4iAA Unstable. Criminal. Impoverished. Absentee fathers. Neglectful mothers. “A tangle of pathology,” as the Moynihan Report, a 1965 study on Black poverty, put it. For decades, the Black family has been denigrated as dysfunctional. The evolution of radio, film and television in the 20th century only amplified demeaning images, providing “proof” to white Americans of Black inferiority and a justification for denying them their rights. Today, many of these same tired images persist and continue to feed baseless perceptions. A 2017 study showed that the news media continue to “inaccurately portray Black families as more poor, criminal and unstable than white families.” In 2013, a historian and collector named Frank Morrill, who lives in Charlton, a suburb of Worcester, Massachusetts, discovered over 230 portraits of people of color among the 5,300 glass negatives of photographer William Bullard that he owns. Bullard, a white neighbor of most of the people he photographed in Worcester, made these portraits from 1897 to 1917. Their images defy stereotypes of dysfunction by portraying the vitality of Black family life just a few decades after emancipation. As Bullard was making his portraits, sociologist and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois ought to showcase Black achievement to the rest of the world, and his images featured middle-class and elite Black Americans, often in a studio setting and without specific identification. For more than a decade, suicide rates have been increasing in Black children and adolescents, and a new study says the sharpest rise occurred among young girls. The study, published on Thursday in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, found that just over 1,800 Black children died by suicide between 2003 and 2017, and while most of the deaths were among boys, especially those ages 15 to 17, the gender gap is narrowing. The suicide rate of the girls increased an average of 6.6 percent each year — more than twice the increase for boys, the study said. Nearly 40 percent of the girls were 12 to 14 years old, indicating that this age group may need additional attention or different types of interventions. “That was just like, ‘Whoa’ — what’s going on with our Black girls?” said Arielle H. Sheftall, the lead author of the study. “It caught me a little off guard.” Mortality data shows that suicide rates of U.S. teenagers and young adults remain highest in boys, particularly whites, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. A pair of $1,190 sweatpants from tony fashion house Balenciaga are being slammed on social media as racist and a prime example of cultural appropriation. The “Trompe-L’Oeil” sweatpants come with built-in boxer shorts that are designed to peak out above the waistband — mimicking the style popularized in hip hop culture. “This feels racist. This feels very racist, guys” TikTok user @mr200m__, real name Josiah Hyacinth, said, as another off-screen voice replies: “It is.” Hyacinth is seen probing the trousers, which were displayed at UK-based high-end department store Selfridges. Marquita Gammage, an associate professor of Africana Studies at California State University, Northridge, told CNN she was disturbed by the pants and views it as “Black culture with the hopes of securing major profits.” A North Texas woman took her life from tragedy to triumph and is now trying to help other survivors just like her do the same. Angelina Scott Dunbar is not only a breast cancer survivor but also a domestic violence survivor. She was beaten so badly that she was temporarily blind and didn’t know if she could find the will to live. “I asked God why did he keep me here,” Dunbar said. “What I realized in surviving is that everything in our life is a choice and just like things happen to us that are not our choice, it is our choice to change the trajectory and make sure that we know we have it in us to come out on top.” Dunbar, who is a real estate developer who lives in Dallas, decided the way to do that was to start a nonprofit called My Story Our Journey. The death penalty case of Julius Jones, which has caught the attention of people across the country, including multiple celebrities, was recommended for commutation by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board on Monday. It is now up to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt whether to change Jones’ sentence to something other than death. “I believe in death penalty cases there should be no doubt, and put simply, I have doubts in this case,” board Chairman Adam Luck said. “I cannot ignore those doubts, especially when the stakes are life and death.” The board voted 3-1, with a fifth member recusing himself, in favor of Jones’ commutation. “I don’t have a lot of words, I’m just thanking God,” Antoinette Jones, Julius Jones’ younger sister, said moments after the board’s decision as she and her family headed to their church to pray. A pregnant Harlem woman was fatally shot in the head after her baby shower early Sunday trying to break up a fight between her ex-boyfriend and current lover, police and heartbroken relatives said. Shanice Young, 31, was slain in front of her two children after leaving the shower at a catering hall near her home, witnesses and police said. “I helped her put her gifts in the car and I said, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’” her shocked father Thurman Young, 57, told the Daily News. “She was going to have her baby in five days. She said ‘This baby is coming in five days, Daddy, get ready’. I said ‘I’ll be ready’. That’s the last thing she said to me.” https://cbsloc.al/3k660Yl Jury selection started Monday in the trial of a Tennessee state senator charged with stealing more than $600,000 in federal funds received by a health care school she directed and using the money to pay for her wedding and other personal expenses. State Sen. Katrina Robinson was charged in July 2020 with wire fraud, and theft and embezzlement involving government programs, after the FBI searched the school and her home. She has pleaded not guilty. The Memphis Democrat was elected to the General Assembly in 2018. She was accused of stealing funds from federal grants slated for The Healthcare Institute, which provides training for jobs in the health care field. The Memphis Democrat was elected to the General Assembly in 2018. She was accused of stealing funds from federal grants slated for The Healthcare Institute, which provides training for jobs in the health care field. The Bellaire, Texas, Police Department is investigating threats against Texas Right to Life after police dispatched a bomb squad to the scene Friday amid multiple online and voicemail threats wishing rape and death on the pro-life employees at the organization in the wake of Texas’ abortion law. “We take these kind of threats very seriously,” Bellaire Chief of Police Onesimo Lopez told Fox News on Sunday. “Our Criminal Investigations Division is conducting an investigation into the threats and will follow up on any leads that develop.” “No other information is available at this time,” Lopez added. Erica Parker tells her two daughters, “be Black and proud.” She carefully decorated their rooms with drawings of Black superheroes and placed pillows with the words “Black Girl Magic” and “Black Queen” written across the front on their beds. Erica said all she’s ever wanted to teach her daughters is confidence and self-love. That’s why, she said, she couldn’t hold back her tears as her daughters watched her remove every piece of Black art from their home and turn over the pillows to hide the affirming text on the front. “I was essentially telling them to dull your Blackness when all I’ve ever told them is to be Black and proud. It’s a mixed message to give a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old,” Erica said. What followed was a difficult conversation with her oldest about racial discrimination. A conversation Erica said she didn’t want to have yet. The Eyes of Tammy Faye is exactly what you’d expect from an unimaginative biopic – colourful, energetic and shallow – although Jessica Chastain puts in a dazzling performance, writes Caryn James. There aren’t many screen heroines with the garishly bad taste of Tammy Faye Bakker, brought to flamboyant life by Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. But the real Tammy was also a one-of-a-kind spectacle. In the 1970s and ’80s, comedians mocked her tarantula-like fake eyelashes and crying fits. But she was also embraced by her target audience, viewers of the popular daily talk show she starred in with her husband, Jim Bakker, one of the most successful televangelists of the time. He preached to the converted and asked them for money, and she belted out faith-based songs in a show broadcast on their own flourishing satellite television network. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMMLRnXPPJk Liberty University returned to in-person learning Monday after a two-week “temporary mitigation period” in which the university saw a record number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on campus. According to the school’s COVID-19 dashboard, there are 463 active cases as of Wednesday, Sept. 8. The university updates its dashboard every Wednesday. Earlier this month, Liberty suspended large, indoor gatherings as well. Currently, Liberty does not require students to get the vaccine or wear a mask on campus. Rapper Bill Kahan Kapri, popularly known by his stage name “Kodak Black,” was one of 73 people granted pardons by former President Donald Trump before he left office earlier this year. On Sunday, the rapper announced his acceptance of “Jesus as my Lord and Savior.” The announcement from Kapri comes days after Christian ministers Kevin Louidor and Annia Icart, who both attend King Jesus Universal Ministry, prayed with the artist at a gas station in Florida last Tuesday. On Facebook, Louidor also shared how shortly after they helped the rapper pray, God protected their lives in a grisly crash. “TESTIMONY! GOD SAVES! On our way to our church King Jesus Universal Ministry with my sister in Christ Annia Icart, we went to stop by the gas station and we happen to meet a popular rapper Kodak Black and the Lord used us to minister to him and his crew, and Kodak gave his life to Jesus Christ!” Louidor wrote. “Then after we was done, we started driving to church and the presence of God filled the car, and we [were] praising God and out of nowhere [I] start[ed] speaking in tongues and declare may the angel of protection be with us! And soon as I finished saying that the car lost control and we got [into] a car accident. We know the enemy is not happy of what took place because we brought a soul to kingdom so he retaliated! Victory is won! Jesus is Lord!” he declared. https://www.facebook.com/kevin.louidor/posts/5999524083453382 Leylah Fernandez admitted in the wake of the US Open final that her protests about Emma Raducanu’s medical timeout to treat a bleeding knee were misplaced. Amid high drama inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Raducanu serving for the match at 30-30, the British player grazed herself as she took a fall and went break point down – but there was a delay of several minutes before playing that point due to the treatment. Fernandez later conceded the tension of the occasion contributed to her complaining to officials on court about the treatment. ‘I honestly did not know what was happening with Emma,’ the 19-year-old said. ‘I didn’t know how serious her fall was, that’s why I went to see the official and ask her about it. ‘It just happened in the heat of the moment. It was too bad that it happened in that specific moment with me, with the momentum. But it’s sports, it’s tennis. Just got to move on.’ Spain’s state television on Friday condemned a racist comment made by a guest sports commentator during the presentation of Real Madrid player Eduardo Camavinga. During Wednesday’s presentation of Camavinga, analyst Lorena González was heard off camera saying “this guy is blacker than his suit.” The 18-year-old Camavinga, a French player born in Angola, is Black. Spanish broadcaster RTVE said González’s comments “showed a lack of respect and are inappropriate for a public television channel” while it apologized “to the player and laments and firmly condemns the denigrating comments.” González, a regular guest on RTVE’s sports talk show “Estudio Estadio,” issued a statement on social media “to offer my sincerest apologies to anyone who felt offended.” “My comment, which was made without malice or disrespect toward the player, was however unfortunate,” she wrote. “It was a comparison that I could have made about any person of any color. But I understand and feel that in this sensitive time we are going through, even though I also believe that things are becoming too radicalized and politicized, the media has an even bigger responsibility to help the fight against racism and any form of unjust inequality.” The network said it was investigating the incident “and would take the appropriate action.” Former NBA player Cedric Ceballos, who played for the Dallas Mavericks from 1998 to 2000, said in a tweet Monday he is COVID-19 free but still has bad lingering symptoms. Ceballos, 52, explained in the tweet that he can’t breathe, walk or “function on my own yet.” Last week, Ceballos revealed he was battling COVID-19 while in a hospital’s intensive care unit. He said he had been in the ICU for 10 days at the time of his tweet, which showed him wearing an oxygen mask. In Monday morning’s tweet, he was pictured outside without any healthcare equipment. “I am COVID-19 free, thank you so very much for your prayers and well wishes to help me with that,” he said. “I still CAN NOT breathe, walk or function on my own yet.” TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with actress and comedienne Kym Whitley on Sunday, September 19 at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words including super producer Swizz Beatz, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, acclaimed actress Lynn Whitfield, singer and actress Raven-Symoné and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZXaWFN2Kso&feature=youtu.be Police arrested multiple Black Lives Matter protesters who demonstrated outside of the 75th Met Gala on Monday. Footage shared on Twitter showed New York City police officers yelling and carting away protesters. A flyer spotted at the event read that the protest was organized by an “autonomous group of NYC abolitionists who believe that policing does not protect and serve communities.” https://youtu.be/4NZaiae6fhU It started off with the hyped all-black Brooklyn United Marching Band, which set the tone for a Met Gala evening full of blinding star power that has been pent up for more than a year, due to 2020’s cancellation because of the pandemic. Fashion’s biggest night was held at its usual location – the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City – with the theme “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” That’s also the title of the Costume Institute’s newest exhibition, which opens in the Anna Wintour Costume Center on September 18th. From Rihanna to Saweetee; Serena Williams to Naomi Osaka; Megan Thee Stallion to Iman thee icon, watch “Access Hollywood’s” recap of the white carpet highlights. https://youtu.be/TUmQ6Ab0D7o OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network celebrates Black fatherhood with the inspirational special OWN Spotlight: They Call Me Dad, premiering on Tuesday, September 14. Actors Derek Luke (The Purge, 13 Reasons Why) and Tristan Mack Wilds (The Wire, 90210), gospel singer-songwriter and senior pastor Marvin Sapp and music mogul Master P discuss what it means to be a supportive father, the sacrifices it takes to be a good father, how to take accountability for your actions and how to inspire your children. https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_square_limited_720/images.spreaker.com/original/f1a12f23f1f6ddf6f53ea9091103b682.jpg Stephen A. Smith admits he wanted former “First Take” host Max Kellerman off the show, and his wish was granted. Smith explained his reasoning during an appearance on New York City radio program “Ebro in the Morning.” “The rumors are accurate in terms of me wanting him off the show. Let’s get that out of the way,” Smith said. Smith claims to have a good relationship with Kellerman, but no longer had on-air chemistry. “Sometimes it just stalls,” said Smith. “And the audience lets you know that it is what it is, and you feel the need for something fresh, you feel the need to retool. … It’s not like I wanted the guy to be fired or anything like that. I knew that there were landing spots for him available at this network that would generate just as much, if not more, revenue for him and all of that other stuff. It wasn’t really about asking him to be off the show. It was about the fact that we, together, as far as I was concerned, was not a great partnership anymore, and that was something that needed to change.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1436145662991613960 This month, Apple announced the highly anticipated drama series, “Swagger” from creator and showrunner Reggie Rock Bythewood, NBA superstar Kevin Durant and Imagine’s Brian Grazer, premieres globally on Apple TV+ on October 29, 2021. The ten-episode series is led by an ensemble cast including O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Isaiah Hill, Academy Award-nominee Quvenzhané Wallis, Shinelle Azoroh, Tessa Ferrer, Caleel Harris, James Bingham, Solomon Irama, Ozie Nzeribe and Tristan Mack Wilds. “Red Table Talk” returns to Facebook Watch on Wednesday, Sept. 15, with an episode titled “Jada Goes Bald” that will find hosts Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris sharing their hair experiences. Comedian Tiffany Haddish joins the conversation along with “Insecure” actress Yvonne Orji to dish about why they decided to go bald, Jada debuted her bald head in a July Instagram post. “Willow made me do it because it was time to let go BUT … my 50’s are bout to be Divinely lit with this shed,” she captioned a photo of herself with Willow. https://www.instagram.com/jadapinkettsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=363c3381-8bbf-4045-ac5c-38b2cb34d75a The parents of seven children died within hours of each other after contracting COVID. Both the mother and father were 44 years old. Troy fell ill in mid-August just as he and his family were set to head out on a trip to Florida. While Troy stayed behind, his wife Charletta and their children continued on as planned. But Charletta fell ill and was hospitalized with COVID-19 two days after arriving in Florida, as reported by Fox 2 Detroit. https://youtu.be/VyqM92cYZco Peep the ZEUS Network show, “One Mo Chance.” Watch the season 2 trailer.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNixRhVxtHs&feature=youtu.be On Sept. 8, Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker announced her painful decision to withdraw from this year’s City Council race, a choice she explained was extremely “difficult.” Walker became the city’s first Black female mayor in 2017. “I’ve been struggling since March, with leaving, making an announcement,” Walker said at a press conference on Wednesday, the Washington Post reported. Fighting off tears, the Democrat continued, adding that, “It’s just been a hard term. ” During her tenure, the former social justice advocate fought to implement several changes throughout the city, including affordable housing issues, local government transparency, and addressing racial inequality in the Charlottesville community, which she says “has been a challenge.” “Fighting overt, covert, and internalized racism every day, and feeling really alone while doing that… I still get up, and I do it, I do all my work, and I stay up late fighting with people, and I still stay up late and get my work done. It’s really taken a toll on me and my family. It’s been a really difficult process,” Walker expressed. Three candidates remain in the race, including Democrats Juandiego Wade and Brian Pinkston and independent Yas Washington. The three will face off for Walker’s seat after she and councilwoman Heather Hill step down from their positions. Walker said she would not endorse any of the candidates currently up for election. In May, the mayor talked about the stress of being on the city council, especially as a Black woman helping to spearhead change for the city. Moderna plans to roll out a single-dose booster shot for the flu and COVID-19 vaccines. The shot is currently in development, and no details have been shared about when it will be available, as reported by iHeart.com. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton, as well as former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama; and Joe and Jill Biden gathered on 9/11 for its 20th anniversary Saturday. In an Instagram post, Michelle recalls where she and her daughters were in 2001 when she found out about the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. At the time, the former First Lady was living in Chicago with Barack, and she heard about the attack after dropping daughter Malia off for her first day of nursery school. “I remember taking her photo, dropping her off for the very first time, and feeling those pangs of separation from my baby,” She wrote. “I’d just buckled newborn Sasha into her car seat and was driving back home when I heard the news on the radio—and the uncertainty and anxiety set in almost immediately. What was happening? Had the world just changed? What kind of future were our girls going to enter?” Michelle continued, “For those who lost loved ones, it’s especially painful to relive,” she shared. “My heart goes out to all those for whom this wasn’t just a national tragedy, but a personal one.” Proposed HBCU investments have been slashed in a recent House Education Committee proposal. As part of the upcoming budget reconciliation process, the committee shaped a bill that falls tens of billions of dollars short on promises to HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions made by President Joe Biden. Tasked with bringing Biden’s proposals to reality, the committee shaped a proposal cutting significant funds from HBCUs. Instead of funds set aside for HBCUs, the schools will have to apply for a small pool of competitive grants. Given the lack of support staff and resources compared to other schools, HBCUs could be at a disadvantage. Inside Higher Ed reported the proposed budget includes $1.45 billion in institutional aid from 2022 to 2026 for HBCUs, tribal colleges and minority-serving institutions. While it’s a larger investment than made previously, it’s nowhere near the billions promised to HBCUs alone. Black women are shattering glass ceilings in the nonprofit space. Angela F. Williams was recently appointed to serve as the president and CEO of United Way Worldwide; making history as the first Black woman to sit at the helm of the global organization. Founded in 1887, United Way Worldwide is a nonprofit that’s mission is rooted in evoking change at a grassroots level. The organization—which has a presence in nearly 1,800 communities across the globe—supports initiatives centered on economic mobility, healthcare and the advancement of education. For Williams, a seasoned nonprofit leader with over three decades of experience within the industry, the impactful efforts being led by United Way Worldwide align with her vision to uplift and empower vulnerable communities. The South Carolina native—who holds degrees from the University of Virginia, the University of Texas School of Law and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University—has dedicated her entire career to driving change. Members of the Hebrew Israelites Community of Dimona in southern Israel have been ordered to leave the country by September 23 or face forcible deportation. As someone noted on Twitter, “Israel welcomes white American Jewish immigrants but if you’re black it’s often another story (you may as well be Palestinian)”. Some of the adults “are not eligible for US citizenship or have given it up are stateless and have nowhere to go,” the outlet writes. The community, some 3,000 strong, is not recognized as Jewish by Israel’s religious authorities. Ashriel Moore, 30, the son of one of the community’s founders is an Israeli citizen. He is coordinating the campaign to stop the deportations. GSN-The Brooklyn Federal Court sex trafficking trial of R. Kelly has been a very sad eye-opener for many who once praised Kelly as a music genius. Now, as the sordid details continue to emerge, society is faced yet again with the fruits of its inaction and unresponsiveness. Many of us recall when R. Kelly was getting all sorts of favorable press and benefit of the doubt when he married for years. Accusations of pedophilia and abuse have been bouncing off of him for decades. However, it appears he’s not going to wriggle his way out of this one. During his trial, a woman named Stephanie, now 39, recalls meeting R. Kelly with friends when she was 16 and how he compared himself to late rocker Jerry Lee Lewis, who married his 13-year-old second cousin and was blackballed because of it. Black media outlets are an important part of the news market, especially for making sure our stories are told and represented in a way that’s not only for us but also by us. Unfortunately, the fate of those publications specifically is being threatened by a decline in advertisers, investors, and subscribers. Thankfully, 10 Black newspapers from across the nation have come together to launch Word In Black, a collective platform that will aim to tell stories on the Black experience from different perspectives throughout the country. The veteran publications that’ve come together to make this happen include New York Amsterdam News, Houston Defender, The Washington Informer, The Dallas Weekly, AFRO News out of Baltimore, The Michigan Chronicle, The Seattle Medium, The Sacramento Observer, The St. Louis American, and The Atlanta Voice. Each newspaper will see its content published on Word In Black, including reporting and exclusives using the power of media consolidation. As if former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani‘s reputation post-Sept. 11 wasn’t already shaky enough, a speech he gave Saturday night at a dinner commemorating the 9/11 terror attacks suggested he may have had too much to drink — or even be drunk; very drunk, in fact — according to a video of his address. The video footage was still going viral Sunday morning and Guiliani’s name was a top trending topic on Twitter because he was slurring his words while giving the speech. At one point, he even offered an unprompted impersonation of Queen Elizabeth II while trying to separate himself from accused pedophile Prince Andrew during the event at a Manhattan restaurant meant to mourn the victims of the worst foreign terror attack on American soil. The same filmmakers behind the faith-based hits War Room and Overcomer are set to release their next film on Sept. 10 with a spotlight on a subject at the heart of Scripture: fatherhood. The documentary movie, Show Me the Father (PG), examines the biblical roles of fathers while weaving in biblical truths about the Fatherhood of God – all the while encouraging viewers to think differently about how they view the subject. https://youtu.be/5cSh1GXieFY Wendy Williams is reportedly stepping back from the spotlight as part of her health-related hiatus. Per Page Six, the Sept. 20 premiere of her daytime talk show may not air after Williams canceled all promo events next week. “People are tight-lipped about it, but there are whispers that she won’t be there,” one Wendy source told the publication. “Wendy is dealing with some ongoing health issues and is undergoing further evaluations. She will not be able to complete her promotional activities next week, but can’t wait to be back on her purple chair on Monday, September 20th for the 13th season premiere,” a statement posted on the show’s Instagram read. On Friday, video footage showed Williams arriving at her apartment building wearing blue hospital socks and a robe. Thursday, September 2nd, guests gathered at Exchange LA in Los Angeles to attend Maxie James, black designer to the stars and owner of Ellaè Lisquè’s fashion show. The debut of her “Birthday Collection” was a star-studded event kicked off with Jasmin Brown aka Watch Jazzy as the host and a hit performance by Sevyn Streeter. Showing that this black designer on the rise has carved out her very own lane. But it hasn’t always been this glamorous for Maxie J. who has conquered the challenges in her path including a full-blown physical altercation with fashion designer Michael Costello. British actress Tanya Fear, who starred in the TV series “Doctor Who,” has gone missing just two months after moving to Hollywood. Tanyaradzwa “Tanya” Fear, 31, was also in the movie “Kick-Ass 2,” and had just moved to LA, where she had also started performing stand-up comedy gigs, her manager told Sky News. Her family reported her missing last Thursday — with friends taking to the streets of Hollywood to look for her. They covered the area with missing-person posters, according to a Twitter account set up as part of the hunt. The official fan account for “Doctor Who” was among those tweeting the poster in a huge push to find Fear. https://youtu.be/Ust00-xc_t0 Rapper Trina is engaged! As reported by Love B. Scott, the hip-hop icon shared the exciting news during a FaceTime call with life coach Stormy Wellington on Thursday (Sept. 9). “I had a big night last night,” said Trina in the clip below. While she did not mention her fiance’s name, she is reportedly engaged to her boyfriend of over five years, Raymond Taylor, a 31-year-old Miami rapper who goes by the name Ray Almighty. Beta males who are allegedly gay and bisexual, such Kid Cudi and Russell Westbrook, have decided to proudly serve as the new poster boys for America’s never-ending #BuckBreaking agenda. Both Cudi and Westbrook, who are not Scottish-born, are making headlines for rocking skits and blue hair–with TMZ noting that it could be a “new trend” emerging only among effeminized males. Candace Cameron Bure knows the importance of mental health. The Fuller House star shared how staying active helps her deal with depression as she juggles motherhood and her career. Bure, 45, said that she has loved her fitness journey, expressing, “I feel stronger at 45 than I did when I was 20 years old.” “It’s just every time you get stronger, or I see my muscles from doing more pushups, it keeps me going to want to do more and just keep that up. Really another big part why fitness is important for me is it’s so beneficial to my mental health,” she told The Salvation Army Midland Division. “I juggle, as we all do, a lot of plates. I not only juggle my family but also work in a lot of different capacities. It can get really difficult.” The mother-of-three also touched on becoming an empty nester, as her children — daughter Natasha, 23, and sons Lev, 21, and Maksim, 19 — have all left for school. Rose McGowan said she is no longer a ‘Hollywood democrat,’ at a press conference in which she endorsed Republican attorney and talk-show host running for California Governor Larry Elder, just days after accusing current Governor Gavin Newsom’s wife of bribing her in order to suppress her rape allegations against Harvey Weinstein. ‘So this woman, I don’t know, some blonde lady name with the last name of the Newsom, cold-calls me, and was like, David Boies wants to know what it would take to make you happy,’ McGowan said she was asked by California First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom during a 2017 phone call, which she says she abruptly ended by hanging up. Her comments were first reported by The Washington Post. https://twitter.com/i/status/1437155114557399041 Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show Wendy Williams stepping out of a black SUV wearing a gold and cream robe and blue socks as she walked on the wet New York City pavement Friday. The TV host appeared to look sickly as she was led by hand into her apartment by an unidentified man. The sighting comes a day after her show revealed she’s canceled all promotional events to deal with ‘ongoing health issues’. A statement posted to Instagram Thursday read, ‘Wendy is dealing with some ongoing health issues and is undergoing further evaluations’. There was no mention of what exactly Wendy, 57, was grappling with, but last year she took a break from her daytime show while she battled Graves’ disease. In 2019, DailyMail.com revealed the host had been secretly treated at a sober living residential facility for addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. One of the more memorable performances of Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards in Brooklyn was Normani’s performance of her single “Wild Side,” which featured Teyana Taylor. Normani, 25, sported a silver two-piece set inspired by Aaliyah, who she also sampled for the track. The singer concluded her performance with an homage to Janet Jackson’s “Would You Mind” by bringing out Taylor, 30, strapped to a human-shaped bondage board. https://youtu.be/IckIi0mM5Rg Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory made a name for himself in Detroit after he became a drug dealer in high school. His brother Terry “Southwest T” Flenory also got into the game and made their side hustle a family business. Now their story is coming to Starz. BMF” will show the ups and downs the Flenory brothers went through in the drug business. https://youtu.be/s6_YrWse_S4 The 3rd annual Daytime Beauty Awards, founded by CEO Michele Elyzabeth, took place today, Sunday, September 12 at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles.The award show recognizes science behind beauty and spotlights health and wellness professionals in the fields of dentistry, medicine, health and fitness, aesthetics, skincare, color and styling, cannabis, beauty innovation and more. OmegaXL by Great HealthWorks served as the event’s title sponsor. The award statuette, better known as the ‘Holly,’ was designed by Christopher Guy. Danielle Lauder, actress, entrepreneur and the great-granddaughter of Estée Lauder, officiated as the Ambassador for this year’s Daytime Beauty Awards. The 2021 honorees included: Paula Abdul (Outstanding Achievement in Health), Dr. Moncef Slaoui, former Chief Scientist for the U.S. government’s Covid vaccine development effort (Special Tribute Award), Chris Appleton (Outstanding Achievement in Fitness), Gary Archer (Outstanding Achievement in Dentistry), Dr. Stafford Broumand (Outstanding Achievement in Aesthetics), Dr. Andrew Caster (Outstanding Achievement in Medicine), Tracey Cunningham (Outstanding Achievement in Color and Styling), Michaeline DeJoria for John Paul Mitchell Systems (Brand of the Year), Nancy Duitch and Nicole Kidman for Sera Labs (The Breakthrough Award), Gary Trudell for Custom Comfort Mattress (The Sleeping Beauty Award), Rea Ann Silva for Beautyblender (Tool of the Year), Erica Skynn for Derm7 (The Innovation Award) and Imelda Walavalkar & Tracy Anderson (The Zen Award for Pure Beauty). In the latest episode of Spotify’s “Jemele Hill is Unbothered,” Political talk show host Joy-Ann Reid joins Jemele to discuss the success of her wildly popular nightly political discussion show, “The Reid Out,” what it’s like being the only black woman with a political show in primetime, and why having a previous show cancelled on MSNBC liberated her. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1DThyx2E5EQ3C7N1kCVs96 Gayle King admits she serves as the “third wheeler” on vacations with Oprah Winfrey and her longtime partner Stedman Graham. “I’m a proud third wheeler. I make no apologies for that. I got divorced back in 1994 and I’ve been their third wheel ever since,” said King, as reported by Ace Showbiz. https://youtu.be/EpsKJ6khhVg Former NFL cornerback supreme Deion Sanders is doing his thing for HBCU football as head coach of the Jackson State Jaguars football team. But for his next trick Sanders incorporated the help of NFL legend turned TV star Michael Strahan to assist him with showing his team’s best side to the world. Strahan utilized his relationship with Men’s Wearhouse, for which Strahan has been a spokesperson and model for years. The Texas Southern University was the first person Sanders thought of to assist him with taking his team’s image to Prime Time status. “I know somebody who prides themselves on looking good and feeling good,” Sanders told Insider. “And he lives it. He embodies it. And he is a dear friend. And he has a log of money-Let me pick up a phone and call this guy: Michael Strahan.” When the last mourners departed and funeral director Shawn Troy was left among the headstones, he wept alone. For five decades, the closing words at countless funerals in this town of 4,400 had been delivered by his father, William Penn Troy Sr. Now the elder Troy was gone, one of many Black morticians claimed by a pandemic that has taken an outsized toll on African Americans, after months of burying its victims. And as Shawn Troy stepped forward to speak in place of a man well known beyond his trade — for his work in county politics and advocacy of its Black citizens — the emptiness felt overwhelming. Not just his family, but his community, had lost an anchor. https://youtu.be/0RPVyJ_hVZE Earlier this year, Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders got into it with a reporter after being called “Deion” instead of “Coach.” Sanders was upset at the reporter’s refusal, comparing himself to Nick Saban. “You don’t call Nick Saban, ‘Nick.’ Don’t call me Deion,” Sanders told Nick Suss of the Clarion Ledger. That’s not all Sanders said, as he told reporters that he wants to be treated like all the veteran college football coaches. “If you call Nick [Saban], Nick, you’ll get cussed out on the spot, so don’t do that to me. Treat me like Nick.” Sanders appeared on ESPN’s First Take on Friday. He further addressed why he insists on being called “Coach.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1436425394211725327 Maia Chaka made history on Sunday, becoming the first Black woman to officiate an NFL game. “When I step on the field for the first time as an NFL official, it’s going to be a proud moment,” she said in a video posted online before her first officiated matchup. “It’s a proud moment for myself. It’s a proud moment for my family. It’s a proud moment for my community and my students and coworkers.” Chaka noted that she was proud to be able to represent women of color in one of the most watched sports in the United States. “This historic moment to me is an honor and it’s a privilege that I’ve been chosen to represent women and women of color in the most popular sport in America, proving that I can defy the odds and overcome and pretty much master a craft of a sport that I didn’t really play, but I have a love and a passion for,” Chaka said. The Texans want a lot for quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Texans reportedly could have had a lot for Watson. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports that, before the draft, the Texans could have had three first-round picks and three third-round picks for Watson. The Texans declined. Glazer adds that four teams were interested in Watson, and that most of them have dropped out. Presumably, only the Dolphins remain for now — but they continue to balk at Houston’s demands. GSN-Novak Djokovic said he was going to play this match as if it were the last of his career, that he was going to pour every ounce of his heart and soul into trying to do what few thought could ever be done again. It was not enough. With a startling display of power and creativity, Daniil Medvedev upset Djokovic, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, in the final of the U.S. Open on Sunday, ending Djokovic’s bid to become the first man in 52 years to win all four Grand Slams in a calendar year. It was one last twist in a tournament that overflowed with stunning performances. For at least another year, Rod Laver will remain the lone member of the most exclusive club in modern men’s tennis, and the 2021 U.S. Open will forever belong primarily to an 18-year-old British woman named Emma Raducanu, who went from being the 150th-ranked player to a Grand Slam champion in the most unlikely tennis tale of them all. Brazilian football legend Pele remains in intensive care but is recovering well after surgery to remove a suspected colon tumor. The three-time World Cup winner, 80, has been receiving treatment at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo since August 31. The suspected tumor was detected during routine tests and Pele underwent surgery on it last Saturday. His medical team said he was ‘conscious, conversing actively and is maintaining normal vital signs.’ Pele posted an archive image of himself on his Instagram account on Friday night with a positive update on his health. Evander Holyfield, five weeks shy of his 59th birthday, was stopped on his feet by former UFC champion Vitor Belfort just 1:49 into the opening round Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Belfort, 44, swarmed Holyfield from the opening bell and never let up in the Triller Fight Club main event, as former President Donald Trump watched from the commentary booth. Holyfield, the former heavyweight champion and one of boxing’s all-time greats, showed no resistance in his first fight since 2011. A flurry of punches sent Holyfield to the canvas, and after he beat the count, Belfort let his hands go until the ref wisely stopped the fight, saving Holyfield from further punishment. A political crisis followed by natural disasters have left the Caribbean nation of Haiti — already one of the poorest countries in the world — without stability and crucial resources. Haitians worldwide, including some 2 million in the United States, worry the situation will worsen for their homeland and its 11 million citizens. Following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in his home in the capital Port-au-Prince on July 7, gangs filled the leadership vacuum. As they increased their control of several cities and townships, including the capital, many were afraid to venture out or raise their voices in opposition. Nearly six weeks later, a major 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastated the country, and three days later, Tropical Storm Grace left thousands of Haitians dead, injured or homeless. Another challenge arising from these crises is educating Haiti’s children. Master P while appearing on Allison Kugel’s podcast, simply titled Allison. The interview was meant to be a promotional stop for his upcoming film “#Unknown”, but Pac’s name came up for some reason. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6taNPCIOvKKwSH5waJlooR Films With A Purpose (FWAP), an initiative of Sandra J. Evers-Manly, President and Founder of the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC), is on a mission, a campaign to encourage the public to attend and support the screenings of three formidable, impactful and diverse films by emerging independent filmmakers. FWAP set these Special screenings to allow the opportunity to view the film and meet the filmmakers before public viewings. The first of the three screenings is “PASSAGE.” “PASSAGE” (Short film) David Massey, Writer/Director – This is a story that hasn’t been told before and looks at Africa through a different lens. Set in 1600 West Africa, “PASSAGE” takes you on a journey through the eyes of Gamba, the village leader. It begins one morning as everyone goes about their daily tasks. On one particular day, however, Gamba faces a new challenge that could endanger the existence of the entire village community. Understanding the needs of his people, everyone, especially his family, looks to him for survival. Like most boys growing up, Mitch Marchand said he was a sports fanatic with ‘okay’ street-ball skills, but by age 9 any hoop dreams he might have had were replaced by his love of acting! By the time he worked as an intern on Spike Lee’s ‘Do The Right Thing’ at age 12, Marchand said he was a child actor on his chosen career path. “That was a pivotal moment in my life, and remains a big moment in my life, because it allowed me to see the entire facet of what filmmaking really was,” said the Hollis Queens native. For Marchand that meant he wanted to be known for having the versatility of a Swiss army knife. So, sharpening his skills for behind-the-scenes opportunities, as well as in front of the camera, was a must. https://youtu.be/E1E3knMW72k HBCUs have shaped the growth, development, and culture of America. Some of the most prominent members of the Black community have passed through the halls of an HBCU. To cap off National HBCU Week, the Salute THEM Awards ‘My HBCU Joy’ will launch its inaugural multi-platform broadcast. The inaugural Salute THEM Awards ‘My HBCU Joy’ will honor; actress/comedienne Kym Whitley- Fisk University, Phil Thornton, President/General Manager, RCA Inspiration – Norfolk State University, Dr. Theresa Price, Founder – Black College Expo, Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter, Co-Owner, Milwaukee Bucks – Lincoln University, David Banner, Hip Hop Artist, Actor, Entrepreneur& Activist – Southern University, plus the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the United Negro College Fund. https://youtu.be/B0hLmCjUAlw During a recent interview Ice Cube gets deep about the time he almost made the mistake of a lifetime after a neighbor swindled his mother out of $20. “Somebody I knew and went to school with — who we knew was heavy on drugs — had went around to my house and gave my mother some cockamamie story, so she gave him $20, and I was so mad,” Cube, 52, explained on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger.” “You violated me and my family,” he went on, “because you knew you wasn’t ever going to give that $20 back. So, me and friends was going around the corner to kill him, and he wasn’t home. Thank God.” https://youtu.be/22Vct7fBs50 According to @tmz_tv, a horrific scene has taken place at #PopSmoke’s final resting place. The media outlet shared images obtained earlier today that show Pop Smoke’s spot on the outer mausoleum destroyed. Vandals allegedly cracked and broke the marble plaque listing his full name #BasharBarakahJackson. The alleged disrespect took place at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. This is reportedly where Pop Smoke was buried following his tragic death in 2020. According to TMZ’s eyewitness, there were burned and discarded items, included flowers, in front of the broken plaque. It’s unclear whether Pop Smoke’s casket remains inside or untouched. However, drag marks were allegedly found on the ground in front of the holding place. Apparently, what seems to be a concrete slab and a black, rectangular object was also found across from the mausoleum. Cesar Milian A/K/A “The Dog Whisperer,” is hearing from the legal system loud and clear because his pit bull allegedly attacked Lidia Matiss, a former “star gymnast” as well as Queen Latifah‘s pooch. As far as the gymnast, the attack left her unable to compete, according to a lawsuit that we’re just becoming aware of. Matiss, also claims the dog mauled Queen Latifah’s pooch to death — and that Millan, 52, tried to cover it up, according to TMZ report. https://youtu.be/O_PDcsh3gzk An apple orchard in suburban Boston is offering a suspected hollow apology for a highly probable case of racial profiling during a holiday outing that a Black family said was meant to end the summer on a positive note. Connors Farm, which is located in Danvers, Massachusetts, said it was sorry and vowed to make at least one of the three concessions that married couple Rev. Manikka Bowman, her husband, Jeff Myers, demanded in a blog post published earlier this week bringing attention to their racist ordeal about 21 miles north of Boston. But according to one report, the concession was probably made begrudgingly, if a deleted Facebook comment was any indication. Twenty years after 9/11 and the surveillance apparatus continues to traumatize Black and other communities of color. I remember in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 thinking about the movie “The Siege.” It was a favorite in our household. What Denzel movie isn’t? Released three years before 9/11, Denzel Washington’s “The Siege” painted a picture of what could happen to Black and other Muslims in the tri-state area if another major attack happened on U.S. soil. While 9/11 did not result in the mass internment of Black and other Muslims in New York City, it did usher in a new age of tactics weaponized against our communities. A 2017 article in the Boston Review described the intersection of being Black and Muslim post-9/11. Following his conviction being overturned earlier this summer, the former Cosby Show star is now hoping to get back to his old life with new projects, including a potential return to television if he has his way. Fox News confirmed that Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, revealed his plans to make a comeback, telling the outlet that he’s at home in Massachusetts “spending time on the phone working on a number of projects.” Despite the announcement, Wyatt says he and the rest of Cosby’s team are staying hush on what’s in store, which reportedly has been in talks since he was still incarcerated at SCI Phoenix in Collegeville, PA. In regards to the TV show idea, Wyatt said, “Things are happening. He’s working on a number of projects right now, a number of ideas for a TV show that has him on the phone with producers, working with guys every day,” also adding, “He’s giving his creative ideas and input.” https://youtu.be/vz44GvrYJ4w The significance of historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country spans far beyond the realm of education. The institutions serve as cornerstones of Black culture and have produced scholars who have been at the forefront of transformative change. President Joe Biden’s administration recently unveiled an initiative centered on celebrating the rich legacies of HBCUs. Earlier this week, the White House kicked off National HBCU Week; an observance that featured a myriad of events hosted to illustrate and amplify the importance of historically Black colleges and universities. During the historic week, President Biden signed a proclamation for HBCU Week to be observed September 5 through September 11. He also inked an executive order to establish the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Opportunity, and Excellence through HBCUs in an effort to eradicate obstacles the schools may face when seeking participation in federal programs. The nation forever changed 20 years ago when 3,000 people were killed in New York City, at the Pentagon and in a field in rural Pennsylvania in terror attacks orchestrated by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Ever since then, the horror of it all replays like a bad movie on the anniversary and fresh wounds are reopened. Here, NewsOne remembers some of the unsung heroes who stood on the front lines during the attacks on 9/11. YPD Sgt. Rodney Gillis died in the terror attacks on the World Trade Center while he was saving people. The stories of 12 African-American firefighters — Leon W. Smith Jr., Shawn E. Powell, Vernon Cherry, Andre Fletcher, and Ronnie L Henderson; Gerard Jean Baptiste, Keithroy Maynard, William L. Henry Jr., Karl Joseph, and Tarel Coleman. Keith Glascoe and Vernon Richard — who gave their lives at the World Trade Center site to save others on 9/11 have gone largely untold. Craig Kelly, a former firefighter and a grief counselor who worked with the fallen heroes’ families, was compelled to chronicle the aftermath of their deaths and made his research into a documentary, “All Our Sons–Fallen Heroes of 9/11,” which was released in 2004. The tribute memorializes the fateful day’s heroic lives and what they meant to their communities. https://youtu.be/2UcsS-heeQE More than five years after Philando Castile was killed, the local district attorney is taking action on minor traffic stops. On Wednesday afternoon, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced that his office would no longer prosecute non-public safety stops for things like expired tags and broken tail lights. More than five years after Philando Castile was killed, the local district attorney is taking action on minor traffic stops. On Wednesday afternoon, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced that his office would no longer prosecute non-public safety stops for things like expired tags and broken tail lights. Choi’s office described the new policy as a county-wide change “aimed at fundamentally changing the use of non-public safety traffic stops by police, which typically occurs when a motorist is stopped for an equipment violation to seek evidence of a more serious crime.” Acknowledging these stops disproportionally affect black and brown communities, the county attorney and undermine the trust in the work police do every day to serve and protect the public. On the morning of Dec. 21, 2019, a white man from Colorado walked into an Arby’s restaurant in Ontario, Oregon. He spotted a Black man who he’d never so much as laid eyes on before the moment he decided to walk up behind him and stab him twice in the neck with a knife. The white man told the Arby’s worker who took him down, and later the authorities who arrested him, that he attacked his victim, who survived his wounds, for one reason and one reason alone—because he is Black. According to a press release published Thursday by the Department of Justice, 27-year-old Nolan Levi Strauss pleaded guilty in June after a federal grand jury charged him with a hate crime involving an attempt to kill. He was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison and five years of supervised release. According to Deadline, CBS will be premiering a show with that premise on Friday, Oct. 22. The show is titled The Activist and it’s a five-week series that will be hosted by Usher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough—who I assume we’re all just supposed to forget had herself a little Blackface incident in 2015. Anyway, Deadline reports The Activist “is a competition series that features six inspiring activists teamed with three high-profile public figures working together to bring meaningful change to one of three vitally important world causes: health, education, and environment.” Americans solemnly marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11 on Saturday, remembering the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil just weeks after the fraught end of the Afghanistan war that followed. With a tolling bell and a moment of silence, the anniversary ceremony at ground zero in New York began exactly two decades after the attack started with the first of four hijacked planes crashing into one of the World Trade Center’s twin towers. “It felt like an evil specter had descended on our world, but it was also a time when many people acted above and beyond the ordinary,” said Mike Low, whose daughter, Sara Low, was a flight attendant on that plane. Her family has “known unbearable sorrow and disbelief” in the years since, the father told a crowd that included President Joe Biden and former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. https://youtu.be/RNXLP3WH7KQ LAWYERS for Prince Andrew rape accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre last night told The Sun they have served him with a writ. The bombshell claim came after they got help from a policeman — and a judge appointed by the Queen. Lawyers said they had served him papers for their sex assault lawsuit. T he Duke of York, 61, was served at his Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor last month, according to a document filed yesterday. Jeffrey Epstein sex slave Virginia, now 38, accuses Andrew of abusing her three times when she was under 18. The August 27 summons warns the Duke he has 21 days from a set date to respond or face a default judgment. His lawyers are said to reject the notion that he has been served. Covid shots will not end the pandemic and leaders should prepare to adjust their vaccine strategy to deal with the virus in the long-term, the World Health Organization’s director for Europe has warned. Dr Hans Kluge said new strains of Covid will continue to emerge and the virus will remain with us like the flu. Earlier this year, he said the pandemic would be over once 70 per cent of people were fully immunized. But he admitted today that the situation had now changed, so leaders need to adapt their vaccination strategy. Up to 80 per cent of people in wealthy countries have gotten both shots, but less than 0.1 per cent have received a vaccine in poorer countries. Some experts initially thought that once enough people were vaccinated, the virus would be unable to spread. But while the jabs are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths, they are less effective at stopping transmission, leading officials warn that the world must learn to live with the virus. Seven children in Detroit, aged 10 to 23, have been orphaned after their parents died of COVID-19 on Labor Day weekend. Charletta and Troy Green, both 44, spent their 22nd wedding anniversary in separate ICUs, thousands of miles apart after they caught the virus last month. On September 5, Charletta, who was hooked up to a ventilator in Florida, lost her battle with the disease and died. Just eight hours later, in a hospital in Michigan, Troy died of a heart attack. Neither were vaccinated. Their niece Asha Dumas said the entire family had planned to get vaccinated together but ‘honestly just ran out of time.’ ‘We all got vaccinated shortly after their diagnosis [on August 13],’ she told MailOnline. Jaheim was arrested after ‘more than a dozen dogs were found living in deplorable conditions at his New Jersey home,’ according to People. The 43-year-old R&B singer was ‘charged with third-degree animal cruelty and failure to provide necessary care to an animal,’ according to a news release, posted to Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office‘s Facebook page. His arrest came on on Monday morning after the Hillsborough Township Police Department responded to a call about a ‘puppy in distress.’ Upon canvassing the performer’s property, officers located a total of six dogs in separate animal crates in the driveway of a Chamberlain Drive residence. The disturbing report also noted that a Pitbull terrier mix, who was ‘initially unresponsive in a water filled crate and subsequently had to be euthanized.’ Inside, additional dogs were also found in separate crates ‘partially filled with several inches of water and dog feces.’ Beyoncé and JAY-Z are giving back to artists and creatives of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Tiffany & Co. announced on Thursday that the 40-year-old singer’s foundation BeyGOOD and 51-year-old rapper’s charity the Shawn Carter Foundation collaborated with the jewelry luxury company and pledged $2 million to five small HBCUs. The initiation, as part of their “ABOUT LOVE” campaign, will award the funds to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania; Norfolk State University in Virginia; Bennett College in North Carolina; the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in Arkansas; and Central State University in Ohio. Incoming and active students must qualify for financial aid at their HBCU for eligibility — with priority to those most in need. They also must be pursuing degrees in creative fields such as visual arts, media, performance, and design or degrees in history and communications. The awards will vary per student based on the amount of financial assistance they require. Applications will be available on the websites for the five HBCUs beginning on Friday, Sept. 10 and will close on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 11:59 pm EST. R. Kelly sexually assaulted a woman at his Chicago studio nearly two decades ago, where he locked her up without food and water, the woman testified at the R&B singer’s sex abuse trial on Thursday. The woman, who identified herself as Sonia, told jurors in Brooklyn federal court she was kept at least two days in a locked room at Kelly’s Chocolate Factory studio in 2003. Sonia said that after finally being allowed to eat she became “extremely full” after a few bites and “felt something coming over” before falling asleep. She said Kelly was adjusting his pants when she woke up, and recalled feeling “wet stuff” between her legs and on her thighs. “Made me feel like something happened to me,” Sonia said under questioning by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Cruz Melendez. “I know my body … I was touched sexually.” On cross-examination, Kelly’s lawyer Deveraux Cannick questioned why Sonia did not immediately call police or see a doctor, waiting instead until the 2019 Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” described Kelly’s other alleged abuses. Sonia later told Melendez she did not think anyone would believe her, and that she had been scared of Kelly. English comedian and actor Russell Brand is calling out the news media for its coverage of iconoclastic podcast host Joe Rogan, even claiming reporters “seemed to initially take delight that he had coronavirus” and “wanted him to suffer as a result of it.” In the immediate aftermath of his infection with COVID-19, Rogan announced he had started taking a whole host of antibiotics and therapeutic drugs, including the anti-malaria medication ivermectin. The drug has for years been used to treat parasitic infections in human beings. “What interests me about this story is the politicization of information,” Brand said. “Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised by that as it’s something we witnessed in every single news story for a little while now. Seems there’s very little objectivity, little ability to come together in union. Everything is used as an opportunity to score points.” The 46-year-old celebrity went on to condemn the media for its coverage of the pandemic, stating that — rather than offering such biased commentary — reporters should focus solely on the facts. In a span of three days, from August 23rd to 26th, Lee went from staunchly defending his decision to include so-called “9/11 conspiracy theorists” in his eight-hour HBO docuseries, NYC Epicenters 9/11 ? 2021½, to removing the entire 30 minutes he had devoted to questioning how the Twin Towers and Building 7 fell. The half-hour was part of the final two-hour episode set to air on the night of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Unbeknownst to most people — because only members of the media got to view the episode and declare it unfit for the public to see — the 30 minutes of excised material included far more than just interviews with so-called “fringe architects.” (Actually, there were upwards of 10 architects and engineers, ranging from a San Francisco high-rise architect to a fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers.) There were also interviews with 9/11 family members who believe they have not been told the truth about the murder of their loved ones and with first responders and survivors who witnessed explosions. Along with all those interviews was a wealth of archival footage and radio dispatches from that morning, in which rescuer after rescuer can be heard reporting explosions. (Full disclosure: I was also interviewed for the film.) https://youtu.be/9oVs_94VHk8 20 years ago, Yusef Salaam was released from prison after a judge vacated his conviction, as well as those of his alleged accomplices, in the rape of a white jogger in Central Park The so-called Central Park 5 would later be called the Exonerated 5 by director Ava DuVernay during the run up to her Netflix miniseries When They See Us, which dramatized these events. Some of us still remember how Donald J. Trump pulled out a fool-page ad in the New York Times calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty in the highly racialized case. Kharey Wise, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam had their convictions overturned in 2002 when prison inmate Matias Reyes confessed to the crime and DNA evidence backed him up. According to the New York Daily News, Salaam is running to fill the vacated seat of Harlem state Senator Brian Benjamin, who was nominated to be the next lieutenant governor of New York. Sources close to the matter say the 47-year-old will focus his efforts on criminal justice and prison reform as well as police brutality and the abolition of juvenile solitary confinement. The 30th District seat he looking to fill would represent Harlem, East Harlem and the Upper West Side. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Hershel Walker‘s name has come up dealing with domestic violence. According to AJC, a July 2012 police reports filed by a woman named Myka Dean, now deceased, states that Walker threatened to shoot her in the head then kill himself if she tried to end their relationship. Walker’s spokesperson stated he “emphatically denies these false claims.” In the report, Dean is described by law enforcement as “very reserved” as she spoke. It also reportedly said she was worried how her statement would affect the career of Herschel Walker, who she described as the love of her life. Ms. Dean died in 2019 and her remaining family has been supportive of Walker. They claim they had no clue about these allegations, which is very likely considering many victims of domestic violence go through great lengths to keep it a secret. Especially from family members. On Friday, September 10, “Tamron Hall” closes out its season three premiere week with an inspiring hour dedicated to finding the good in us all. While the country continues to face challenges as a result of the global pandemic and recent natural disasters, Tamron asks viewers to lift each other up with the launch of the Tam Fam Kindness Challenge. Three viewers who were selected to receive $500 empowering them to pay it forward include: Heather Angus, a New York-based nurse, hopes to surprise the man who rescued her lost dog with a trunk-load of gifts. Business owner Marsha and her son Joshua plan to spread kindness to their deserving friends, mother-daughter duo Marjorie and Maisha, by surprising Maisha with a back-to-school shopping spree. Amaurys Grullon, owner of Bronx Native, a shop that sells Bronx-themed apparel, chose to use the money to help support Stephen Ritz, a South Bronx educator and founder of the nonprofit Green Bronx Machine, which helps feed and educate students in need through healthy eating. It seems like the Curry family remains together amid rumors suggesting there might be a gap between them. A couple of weeks ago, it was revealed that Dell and Sonya Curry were getting divorced after 33 years of marriage. This news came as a total surprise for the NBA world since they were always seen cheering for their sons in the arenas, looking like a happy couple. After the news surfaced and fans found out Dell had accused Sonya of cheating on him, the situation got worse. Reports suggested that Stephen Curry was siding with his mother on the issue, and the relationship with his father wasn’t good. Well, it seems like that’s part of the past now or never even happened. The Golden State Warriors superstar recently shared a series of pics of the time he attended the American Century Championship golf tournament with his father Dell and brother Seth. They played the tournament in July, with a bunch of celebrities playing for the title. In the end, former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Vinny del Negro won it, beating many celebrities on his way to the championship. Steph wanted to remember this tournament with some pictures on social media. It’s unclear if this directly responded to the rumors suggesting he wasn’t on speaking terms with his father. Dallas Cowboys starting right tackle La’el Collins has been suspended five games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, the league announced on Friday. Collins’ exact infraction is not clear, however, multiple sources said he did not fail any tests. Nowhere in the policy is five games listed as a potential penalty either. Lawyers for Collins continue to appeal on his behalf, arguing that his violation of the policy allows for a fine but not a suspension, a source told ESPN’s Ed Werder. Collins will be eligible to return to the roster on Oct. 18, the day after the Cowboys play the New England Patriots. Collins has started 62 of the 63 games he has played for the Cowboys since 2015 at left guard or right tackle. He missed 13 games in 2016 because of a toe injury and all of last season because of hip surgery. His appearance in Thursday’s opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was in question the week prior to kickoff because of a stinger issue that knocked him out of two practices. Without Collins, the Cowboys could seek a replacement in a variety of ways. There aren’t really moral victories in the NFL, it’s very much a win or lose league. Still, for Dallas Cowboys fans, Thursday night’s game proved that this bunch can play with anybody. They took the defending champs down to the wire, in Tampa’s house, and came within a missed offensive pass interference penalty from beating them. So even with the loss, there was a lot to like about the game the Cowboys played, Well, at least much of the game. There was the disaster that was the special teams that probably accounted for the loss more than anything. And the defense still has some work to do, especially in their pass rush and at one of the corner positions. But there was also a lot to work with coming out of the game. One thing that stands out is the play of Dak Prescott. For his performance after a comeback from the ankle injury and the strained lat that caused him to miss the preseason, he gets the game ball. Prescott was 42 for 58 and 403 yards with three touchdowns and one interception that was more CeeDee Lamb’s fault than his. It was an impressive performance and he laid to rest any issues about his ankle or not being 100% for the season. He is going to be just fine. One more bite out of the Big Apple and, incredibly, Emma Raducanu is going to be the US Open champion. The 18-year-old from Kent is the first ever qualifier into a Grand Slam final after another performance of extraordinary poise saw her defeat seventeenth seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 in just 84 minutes. Now for the last part of this scarcely believable story. Raducanu will be one half of the first all-teenage championship match at a Major in 22 years when she meets world No 73 Leylah Fernandez, the 19-year-old Canadian. Already the player who began Wimbledon ranked No 338 has earned a minimum £900,000 from the nine matches won here, and now comes the chance to bank a place in sporting history. Staggeringly, she has yet to drop a set. She is the first British woman to reach the US Open final since Virginia Wade in 1968, and the youngest Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004. Donald Trump will host and commentate on a September 11 boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort in Hollywood, Florida alongside his son Donald Trump Jr. The new venture was announced on Tuesday for the former president with the event being called 'The Most Anticipated Heavyweight Fight of The Year.' The fight was originally supposed to take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles featuring Oscar De La Hoya and Belfort. Holyfield stepped in after De La Hoya was infected with COVID and the event was then moved to Hollywood, Florida. Brehanna Daniels says she thinks about how much her life has changed in just five years. During college, the Norfolk State women’s basketball point guard said she never once thought about NASCAR as a sport, let alone a career. But here she is, at 27 years old, on the NASCAR pit road, changing tires on race cars and breaking barriers for women and people of color along the way. “Girl, you are crazy…” she told ABC News about what the person she was at 17 would think about her now, a NASCAR pit crew member. “Especially, you know, a little black girl like myself at that time. [I] definitely was like, I’m never getting into NASCAR. It wasn’t even a thought in my mind,” she said. That was until recruiters from NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program showed up on her college campus in 2016 and introduced her to the sport. Her skills on the court were an easy fit for the fast-paced needs in a NASCAR pit crew. “Brehanna was one of those who embraced it, came through the program, excelled,” said Max Siegel, the manager of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program. Soulja Boy and Rich The Kid recently released a music video to their #1 viral hit “Rick and Morty.” Dale “Rage” Resteghini directed the music video, edited by @CeoQDisney (Qaterryus Williams), produced by J’Tasha St.Cyr (Miss Everything ENT), and co-produced by Christina Cooper. https://youtu.be/Yq0OSpmz8vY Recently the 50-year-old singer took to IG to show these manufactured so-called models “what it do” regarding maintaining a level of confidence, grace, and beauty with time. In the caption to both photos, Mary J. quoted Jay-Z lyrics: “Whole world’s in awe I crash through glass ceilings, I break through closed doors” and “If it wasn’t for these pictures they wouldn’t see me at all.” The lines are pulled from Magna Carta Holy Grail’s “Oceans” featuring Frank Ocean. https://www.instagram.com/therealmaryjblige/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e2b12f09-4b5d-4001-a9d7-1fd10e38aef2 NFL players Richard Sherman and Russell Wilson are caught up in wild cheating rumors on social media. Apparently, a friend of Sherman’s wife Ashley Moss called out IG model Reina Westburg for being Sherman’s side chick and getting pregnant by him. She also claims Reina’s best friend is claiming to be pregnant by Ciara’s hubby, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. The alleged tale is a dizzying hot mess of confusion. “Hey @reinawestberg you care to tell us what married man you were sleeping with to get pregnant? You’re posting all those religious leader quotes. This is unforgivable..God don’t like ugly,” she continued. “Remember what happened to the harlots mentioned in the Bible @reinawestberg. You’re out here ruining homes. And that baby won’t get the love it deserves because you don’t know how to love or respect anything. U think you’re gonna get a bag from this?! You’re not getting sh*t but neglect…You can take my words to the bank you troglodyte @reinawestberg.” Rihanna has dropped a legal case against her father, weeks before they were due to face off in court. Rihanna took legal action against her father after he allegedly used her Fenty brand to line his own pockets. According to The Blast, the singer filed a lawsuit in 2019 against Ronald Fenty and a company called Fenty Entertainment. She claims her father and his business partner, Moses Perkins, created an entertainment company to exploit her name to try and get rich. Rihanna trademarked “Fenty,” which she uses in a number of business ventures, including her Fenty Beauty line. The Bajan beauty made clear that she has nothing to do with Fenty Entertainment, and that “Although Mr. Fenty is Rihanna’s father, he does not have, and never has had, authority to act on Rihanna’s behalf.” She also alleged that her father and Perkins acted as her agents and made tour bookings without her consent. Per the report, their erroneous bookings included a $15 million tour in Latin America and two concerts at Staples Center in Los Angeles and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for $400,000. Michelle Williams belted the National Anthem before the NFL’s first game of the 2021-21 season Thursday night, and the reviews were mixed. Accompanied by Cory Henry on organ, the Destiny’s Child alum took command of the Star Spangled Banner at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, giving the tune a jazzy spin and soaring vocals. For the most part, folks on social media were supportive. https://youtu.be/YjJ7nOr4JPU Netflix has dropped the trailer for Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming film, “The Guilty” starring Jake Gyllenhaal. https://twitter.com/i/status/1435241445888303111 Mexican rapper Dan Sur is making headlines after claiming he’s the “first rapper … in human history” to have gold chains as “hair” hanging from hooks after getting it surgically implanted into his scalp. He said in one of the TikTok videos to 1.9 million followers on the streaming platform: “The truth is that I wanted to do something different because I see that everyone dyes their hair. I hope not everyone copies me now.” “I have it as a hook that is implanted in my head and that hook has hooks and they are all hooked in my skull, under my skin,” Sur said in another viral clip. “This is my hair. Golden hair. The first rapper to have gold hair implanted in human history,” NY Post quotes. #Socialites, are y’all feeling this?????? A law in Florida that was disingenuously presented as being “anti-riot” when it is, in fact, anti-peaceful protester, has been deemed unconstitutional, a federal judge decided on Thursday. The ruling dealt a blow to Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ apparent anti-Black agenda upon which the law passed months ago and decried as “racist” was based. “If this court does not enjoin the statute’s enforcement, the lawless actions of a few rogue individuals could effectively criminalize the protected speech of hundreds, if not thousands, of law-abiding Floridians,” U.S. District Judge Mark Walker wrote in his 90-page decision, the Associated Press reported. Scammers stole the identity of victims who died in the Champlain Towers South condo collapse. They then used the names of the victims to purchase items from high-end retailers like Medusa, Versace and Louboutin, as well as other goods from Target. According to the Miami Herald, Betsy Alexandra Cacho Medina, 30, Rodney Choute, 38, and Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34, were all arrested Wednesday and charged with multiple counts of identity fraud, organized scheme to defraud, as well as a host of other felonies. The three alleged identity thieves stole at least $45,000 from Surfside victims. They tried to make off with another $67,000 but were caught by law enforcement. Officials say the trio popped on their radar after a relative of one of the victims began to see fraudulent charges to the bank account of her sister, who died when the condo collapsed in late June. A woman who was filmed not wearing a mask and coughing on customers at a grocery store is now out of a job. The woman who recorded and posted the video to Reddit said she and her child were grocery shopping in Lincoln, Nebraska (where there is a mask mandate) when this maskless lady approached them asking why they were wearing masks. She posted that the lady then called them “sheep” and started coughing at them. “Two years ago, before everyone started talking about COVID, you were okay going out not knowing if people were sick right?” said the woman. The video was then shared on TikTok and Twitter where it racked up millions of views. Eventually, someone identified the “Coughing Karen” (aka “Anti-Mask Karen”) as Janene Hoskovec from Scottsdale. https://youtu.be/NVidRGGlKkg World Suicide Prevention Day is a hard day to commemorate, especially if you have personally lost someone from suicide. Last year during the pandemic, medical officials worried that COVID-19 would have a serious impact on people’s mental health. With months of isolation, millions of deaths and economic hardship resulting in a heartbreaking number of job losses, experts warned of suicide rates skyrocketing. A recent study conducted by psychiatrist Paul Nestadt proved just that. The company analyzed a group of Maryland residents during the first six months of 2020. Interestingly, at the height of the lockdown during the Spring of 2020, researchers found an “overall decrease in suicides rates compared to the previous three years,” the study notes. However, investigators uncovered some alarming data. While suicides among White Marylanders decreased by 45 percent between early March and May, rates of suicide-related deaths among Black people in the state spiked by 94 percent during the same time period. Black hair has faced scrutiny and discrimination for decades. “This topic has been an issue for over four hundred years, ever since there was colonization,” said Dr. Tameka Ellington, associate professor of fashion design at Kent State University and the co-creator of a new exhibition, “Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair.” https://youtu.be/-rPsqgGu3fo The Nation of Islam believes that COVID-19 vaccines are part of a “death plan” to rid the world of Black people. The group has warned melanated people that the vaccine isn’t safe—and suggests Ivermectin as an alternative treatment for the potentially deadly virus. “The death plan is in motion,” Nation leader Louis Farrakhan said in an online Dec. 12 speech to the National Afrikan/Black Leadership Summit. “Do you believe Satan is concerned with vaccinating you?” Farrakhan asked in his speech. “After all that he has done to destroy us, you trust him! And your trust is sickening because you love your enemy and you hate yourself… How could you allow him to stick a needle into you, saying he’s helping you?”https://youtu.be/IzlQ1S32i1w There’s an old saying that goes: “If conservatives are recommending a medical treatment, it’s probably horrendously bad for you.” OK, that isn’t really a saying, but maybe it should be, because ever since right-wingers like superspreader Alex Jones, Rand Paul and anti-vaxxers across the nation started pushing or at least defending an anti-parasite drug called Ivermectin as a possible treatment for COVID-19, despite the FDA explicitly warning against its use to treat the virus, stories have been popping up that show just how insidious the pro-Ivermectin campaign really is. First of all, several inmates at the Washington County jail in Arkansas recently told CBS News they were administered the experimental and unproven COVID-19 treatment without their consent. The drug was reportedly prescribed to inmates by Dr. Rob Karas, who is now under investigation for it. “They said they were vitamins, steroids, and antibiotics,” Edrick Floreal-Wooten, a Black inmate at the jail, told CBS. “We were running fevers, throwing up, diarrhea…and so we figured that they were here to help us. We never knew that they were running experiments on us, giving us ivermectin. We never knew that.” “It was not consensual,” he continued. “They used us as an experiment like we’re livestock. Just because we wear stripes and we make a few mistakes in life, doesn’t make us less of a human. We got families, we got loved ones out there that love us.” Black residents in South Carolina could be in trouble of losing their homes as the state plans to widen a freeway interchange to help alleviate highway congestion in the area. The $3 billion proposed plan would destroy 33 single-family homes, four apartment buildings with at least 35 units, 11 mobile homes, eight duplexes, two community centers, and at least one church. 94% of the residents in this area of North Charleston are black and brown people and many residents are worried about losing their homes. The proposed highway expansion would widen both interchange I-26 and I-526, which sit between Liberty Park and Highland Terrace. Both interchanges are highly congested and city officials say the project must be done. As the surrounding counties continue to grow the highways can not handle the sheer amount of daily traffic. The population in these surrounding counties has doubled since the 1960’s. Many residents of color say they haven’t been properly informed of their options and have no plan if they are kicked out of their homes. CLEO TV will debut CULTURE KITCHEN, a fun, upbeat lifestyle show hosted by popular Chef Bren Herrera on Saturday, September 11 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. With an infectious personality and Afro-Latina flair, D.C.-native Bren Herrera delights with her bright, flavorful recipes, and stories from her travels abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4WnXcu-Rr8 Florida Rapper Burga released his 2nd installment of “Permanent Scars” the Deluxe Edition today. The 1st edition featured fellow southern cohorts such as Boosie Badazz, Yung Bleu, Derez De’shon, Koly P, Lil Baby’s artist Rylo. The new deluxe edition includes the street approved snapping hit single “Brand New Drip” featuring MoneyBagg Yo. Since its release during the pandemic “Brand New Drip” it has steadily become a fan favorite reaching 1 million views in 1 month. Fast forward 3 million views later, more music fans are noticing the Florida star and his body of work on YouTube page Burga321TV. Now in 2021 the track has taken on a life of its own growing to over 4.1 Million views on YouTube. https://cinqreleas.es/_permanentscars https://www.youtube.com/user/burga321tv Molding young minds is Danyel Nicole Black‘s passion. Furthering education for women in need is her stated purpose. A second-grade teacher at Honey Island Elementary School in Slidell, Louisiana, Black understands the importance of instilling value in her students that can last a lifetime. She also knows that second-graders aren’t the only ones in need of her services. Teenage and adult women are the focus of her Crown Me Foundation, centered on empowering broken women, or women having a hard time finding themselves. The foundation has grown exponentially in a short time, and Black hopes it will develop into a full-service mental and physical help center for women everywhere. If you are a fan of “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” you will be an even bigger fan of “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” that’s now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes every Wednesdays. In an exclusive interview with cast members, they were overwhelmed with excitement to be a part of such an inclusive and extraordinary show. Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman relishes the role of Dr. Charles Zeller. https://youtu.be/GlYxLChVy_0 TONIGHT go behind the scenes for the Gospel Mix Tour 2021 Kickoff. You get access to all of the action and behind the scenes footage along with performances from your favorite artists including JeKalyn Carr, Pastor Mike, Jr., Earnest Pugh, Monica Lisa Stevenson and more. https://www.facebook.com/Gospel-Mix-Radio-102607534464137/?ref=page_internal James Mable, Jr. inaugural single from said album, IT SHALL PASS, is a mid-tempo contemporary quartet juggernaut, and it showcases James’ innate ability to take a song where not many people can and he does it with the charisma and confidence of his mentors, the late Rev. James Moore and the legendary Marvin Winans. IT SHALL PASS is making great waves to be a TOP charting single by year's end and is currently TOP 5! https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8584414?date=20210908&user_id=668306&signature=X9Y61GDDwUKlizfJ_w2Z9bPCrJU%3AgJEw7lx1 This (past Labor Day), the world lost an iconic actor and true legend, Michael K. Williams. It hasn’t even been a week since his passing, so it goes without saying that people are still trying to digest the loss. Many celebrities and fellow actors have taken to social media to share personal stories and show respect to Michael’s legacy, and one person who was asked about the legend’s death was investor and artist Akon. TMZ caught up with Akon to ask about his passing and Akon was respectful, speaking highly of him, but it’s what else he said that left people upset.?According to Akon, rich people actually “struggle more” than poor people. It’s the age-old saying of “more money, more problems,” but even more out of touch. Not only that, we are in the middle of a pandemic, where some members of the middle and the lower class have lost everything. The comment also comes the same week millions are losing unemployment benefits. ? President Biden announced his plan to fight COVID-19 that will include vaccine and mask requirements, a White House official told media outlets. According to Fox News, Biden will sign a new executive order requiring all federal workers to be vaccinated against Covid-19, with no option of being regularly tested to opt-out of the requirement. Federal employees will have about 75 days to get fully vaccinated from the time the executive order is signed, Psaki said. The vaccine requirement will include exemptions for individuals with disabilities and on religious grounds. This week’s episode of the popular Starz series “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” airing September 12. In this episode, Kanan struggles with a harsh truth after word gets back to Raq that he’s behind the bad crack on the streets. Jukebox learns the troubling facts behind Nicole’s death. Lou finds himself caught in the crossfire between Raq and Unique. https://youtu.be/pIX-15KQVao Leslie Odom Jr. is set to star as Harold McBrayer in the upcoming prequel to “The Sopranos” titled “The Many Saints of Newark,” and he says the film shows the truth about racism. n an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Leslie said: “We’ve had years of watching Mob stories malign us in that way. So I’ve learned to look past that, if it’s [about] the truth of the meaning. The thing about art is to show how people are acting in private, to show private moments publicly. While they may be hurtful or lacerating or surprising, that’s the point of it. Anytime Scorsese does it, or David did it, I knew I was in the hands of someone thoughtful, someone who was showing me a truth. It was my choice if I would continue to look at this truth. I knew I could trust the creative; I’ve seen that throughout.” The “Hamilton” star, 40, said his audition for the role was so super-secret that he didn’t know what he was trying out for. https://twitter.com/i/status/1434139683835944964 Our Kind of People” is our kind of TV! Fox’s upcoming drama takes place on Martha’s Vineyard, where the wealthy and powerful Black elite go to play. Yesterday, during the Fox fall Television Critics Association virtual presentation, series executive producer Lee Daniels proclaimed “Our Kind of People” is a different type of rich Black person. https://youtu.be/OWaXgnW2pog Video of a boy’s reaction to being startled by a doorcam voice as he was examining delivered packages at a neighbor’s door has gone viral. The footage begins with the youngin’ walking up the driveway to the front step then bending over to inspect the boxes delivered to the home. Before he could even make physical contact with the cardboard, an electronic whistle sounded, stopping the kid in his tracks. “Camera recording,” warned the mechanical female voice. The boy straightened up, took a moment to grasp what was happening, looked into the camera and said, “I was joking!” http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh5h41j8g7humMf0m0 TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with film and television star Tommy Davidson on Sunday, September 12 at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words including super producer Swizz Beatz, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, acclaimed actress Lynn Whitfield, comedian-actress Kym Whitley, singer and actress Raven-Symoné and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odPDtY4W6nE In honor of Gospel Music Heritage Month, which takes place annually in September, McDonald's is serving inspiration with a side of friendly banter for music fans of all ages. Starting Sept. 19 through Oct. 10, the 15th annual McDonald's Inspiration Celebration® Gospel Tour, a long-standing event that fosters community through the deeply rooted tradition of gospel music, will take place virtually every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on BET Network's YouTube channel and BET.com. Brought to fans by McDonald's Black & Positively Golden movement, award-winning gospel artists hailing from the Gulf Coast, West Coast, Carolinas and DMV regions will showcase their talents to spark debate on which U.S. region produces the greatest gospel hitmakers and hits. Multi-award-winning musician and syndicated radio personality Lonnie Hunter will host the four-part "Gospel City Playlist" series, featuring legendary gospel artists like Tasha Cobbs-Leonard and Israel Houghton, and rising gospel artists like Mali Music and Pastor Mike Jr., among many others. Kevin Lemons & Higher Calling will celebrate 25 years of music and ministry in exuberant fashion befitting the ensemble’s incredible legacy. The anniversary celebration kicks off with a formal gala at Downtown Atlanta’s Southern Exchange Whitehall Ballroom, and continues with a high energy Kevin Lemons and Higher Calling concert at the Stronghold Christian Church on September 11. International Recording Artist Maurice Griffin confirms a new partnership with Anexus Media Enterprises, Inc./441FILMWORKS to produce new music video to his chart-topping single, “Prove Me.” Maurice Griffin’s career took off when he debuted on the second season of Sunday Best. Since that incredible experience Maurice has experienced many highs and some lows. He’s created his own label, World Changing Entertainment and has developed an international platform with his exuberant personality and his melodic voice. Not only is Maurice a singer, songwriter, and producer, but a minister of music, author, and CEO of his own label “World-Changing Entertainment.” Griffin’s humble beginnings started from co-writing and lead singing with Stellar Award Winning, Dove and Grammy nominated group New Direction (Chicago, IL.) A Black city firefighter charges in a federal lawsuit that he was suspended for opposing his boss’ call to turn fire hoses on George Floyd protesters last year — a brutal tactic used on civil rights protesters in the deep South decades earlier. The 13-page Brooklyn Federal Court filing details the alleged retaliation against FDNY veteran Omar Wilks after the May 2020 confrontation with his boss and the firefighter’s continued outspokenness over racism in the department. “These defendants sought to muzzle plaintiff and inhibit his speech,” the court papers charged. “They also retaliated against him for his speech … (and) worked collectively to manufacture false claims against the plaintiff.” The lawsuit, filed against the city, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro and five other department officials, seeks damages for violations of Wilks’ right to free speech and retaliation for his comments. The Emerald Isle has crowned its first Black Miss Ireland. Pamela Uba made history Sunday night by becoming the pageant’s first Black winner since the contest began in 1947. The 26-year-old former asylum seeker came to Ireland from South Africa when she was 7, according to the Irish Times. Uba, the eldest of six siblings, is a part-time model and a medical scientist who has served as a frontline worker during the pandemic. “I cried when I got my Irish passport,” she told the Times on Tuesday. It was Uba’s mother who got weepy Sunday, said the soccer fan and once “nerdy” student. “My mum, she was in absolute tears,” Uba said. More honors for the brainy beauty queen appear to be on the way. Having achieved a medical-science degree in Galway, she is reportedly completing a master’s degree in clinical chemistry from Trinity College Dublin. It is at Galway University Hospital where she has tended to COVID-19 patients. Uba is headed to Puerto Rico in December to represent Ireland at the 70th Miss World competition. A towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was removed in Richmond, Virginia, on Wednesday, adding to a growing list of Confederate symbols that have been taken down across the country since George Floyd’s death sparked a nationwide reckoning with police brutality and racism. The removal of Lee — the last Confederate statue to be pulled from Richmond’s historic Monument Avenue — makes Black tennis legend Arthur Ashe the lone monument still standing on the street. Ashe was born in Richmond and shattered records in the sport and championed civil rights. A statue honoring him was added to the street in 1996. Activists, some of whom gathered Wednesday to watch the Lee statue come down, praised the move, saying it was a step toward progress in the movement for racial equality. Nikkita Brown, the Black woman whose altercation with a Chicago police officer while walking her dog on North Avenue Beach, is speaking exclusively with ABC News about her ordeal. “I thought I was going to die,” she said. “I thought he was going to kill me. I had it in my mind that I was going to be shot.” COPA is investigating the August 28 incident. It began when the officer ordered her to leave the beach, which was closed. “I know that as soon as he got out the car, I’m thinking to myself, how can I kind of deter the situation? How can I deescalate the situation?” she recalled. The cell phone video caught some of what the two said to each other. There is a beep as the officer, who is not wearing a mask, turns on his body camera. “Now understand this,” he begins. “Please don’t,” Brown interrupts. “Please respect my space. It’s COVID. Six feet.” On August 7, 48-year-old Alvin Motley joined the list of unarmed Black people gunned down by white people over a dispute that began over loud music. Motley was fatally shot at a Kroger gas station in Memphis, Tennessee. His alleged killer, Kroger security guard Gregory Livingston, has been charged with second-degree murder and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 28. Surveillance video of the shooting—which Livingston has admitted to carrying out—reportedly shows Livingston pulling his gun and shooting Motley while the victim was armed with nothing but a cigarette and a can of beer. On Tuesday, a judge ruled that video will not be made available to the public or to Motley’s family until after the preliminary hearing. Why would a judge rule that even Motley’s mourning family members can’t have access to the video? Apparently, because the truth might result in bias. According to Memphis Commercial Appeal, General Sessions Judge Louis Montesi ruled that releasing the video prior to the September court date might interfere with the defendant’s right to a fair and impartial preliminary hearing and it could damage public trust. If deaths truly come in threes, then a district attorney in Georgia who “justified” the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery as the case’s lead prosecutor could soon join two other DAs in the state who were recently criminally indicted, effectively killing all of their legal careers. George Barnhill, Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney, took over the case last year after then-Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson recused herself because Gregory McMichael, one of Arbery’s accused murderers, was an investigator in her office until he retired in 2019. In an indication of just how strong the drugs were that likely killed comedian Fuquan Johnson and two other people last week, the one person who survived the overdoses is having problems staying consistently “lucid” following hospitalization, her mother said. Comedian Kate Quigley, who suffered an overdose while using the same batch of fentanyl-laced cocaine that officials suspect led to the overdose deaths of Johnson and the two other people at a party in Los Angeles on Friday, is “stable” but “still isn’t lucid for more than a moment at a time,” her mother, Fran Wyles, wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday. A half-century after one of the worst prison riots in American history, mistrust of the system lingers — especially by Black and brown people — in part because of the lies that the federal government told about the circumstances leading to what later become known as the Attica Prison Uprising. The rebellion began 50 years ago on Sept. 9, 1971, when prisoners took over the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York after years of complaints about the conditions in the prison went unacknowledged. Aside from the inhumane conditions, prisoners alleged that they were subjected to treatment based on race and religion. Fed up with overcrowded prison cells with temperatures that soared during warmer months and froze during wintertime, among other gripes about a basic lack of humane treatment, the disproportionately Black and Hispanic prison population rebelled to take control of the correctional facility for four days. The prisoners took dozens of hostages while they negotiated with officials about their demands. But on Day 4, law enforcement launched a raid of the prison and killed 10 hostages and 29 inmates when they opened fire at will. Dozens of others were injured. Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is determined to increase the recognition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities — HBCUs — through his role as head coach of Jackson State’s football team.After the Tigers’ first game of the season — a 7-6 victory over Florida A&M in Sunday’s Orange Blossom Classic — the NFL legend identified one way to do so within his team’s own Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC): adding players’ names to the backs of their jerseys. “That’s the kind of stuff we take for granted,” Sanders said, per The Mississippi Clarion Ledger. “I don’t. I’m very detailed. That guy worked his butt off, did what he had to do, changed his whole composite of his thought process. We could at least put his darn name on the back of his jersey.” It’s a small change that could have a massive impact for the athletes, who are eligible to cash in on name, image, and likeness as of this season. Increasing individual players’ recognizability on the field by adding their name to their uniform is a fairly straightforward way to increase their marketability. A crowd erupted in cheers and song Wednesday as workers hoisted one of the nation’s largest Confederate monuments off a pedestal where the figure of Gen. Robert E. Lee towered over Virginia’s capital city for more than a century. The statue was lowered to the ground just before 9 a.m., after a construction worker who strapped harnesses around Lee and his horse lifted his arms in the air and counted, “Three, two, one!” to jubilant shouts from hundreds of people. A work crew then began cutting it into pieces. “Any remnant like this that glorifies the lost cause of the Civil War, it needs to come down,” said Gov. Ralph Northam, who called it “hopefully a new day, a new era in Virginia.” The Democrat said the statue represented “more than 400 years of history that we should not be proud of.” Sharon Jennings, an African American woman born and raised in Richmond, said she had mixed feelings seeing it go. “It’s a good day, and it’s a sad day at the same time,” said Jennings, 58. “It doesn’t matter what color you are, if you really like history, and you understand what this street has been your whole life and you’ve grown up this way, you’re thinking, ‘Oh, my God.’ But when you get older, you understand that it does need to come down.” Daily coronavirus cases are four times higher than they were following Labor Day weekend of last year with the number of daily deaths twice as high as they were this time in 2020, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Since the global health crisis emerged in late 2019, the United States has recorded more than 40 million COVID-19 cases, including just 4 million in the last month alone. Health officials noted the biggest difference between this year and last is the delta variant. They blamed the 316% increase over last year’s daily infections on the highly contagious COVID-19 mutation as well as a large number of Americans refusing to become vaccinated against the fast-spreading disease. According to data from Health and Human Services, hospitalization rates are also up 157% compared with Labor Day weekend 2020, leaving medical facilities packed to the brim and their staffs exhausted and overwhelmed. What’s more, intensive care units across several states are inching closer to full capacity, which could force doctors to make life-and-death decisions. Thirteen unvaccinated school workers in one Florida district, including teachers, have died of COVID since the school year started on August 23. According to the Miami-Dade school district’s teachers union, the employees who recently died from virus complications include teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and security monitors. One veteran Florida teacher and her school cafeteria manager daughter both succumbed to COVID-19 at the same hospital just days apart. Teacher Lillian Smith, 67, had taught first grade at Dr. William A. Chapman Elementary School in Naranja, for 30 years. Her daughter Lakisha Williams, 43, a school cafeteria manager, had worked for 17 years at Miami-Dade Public School and had just recently been promoted to a school cafeteria manager. The tragic pair, who were not vaccinated against the virus, were admitted to at Jackson South Medical Center in early August. However, they sadly never got to see their students again on the first day of school as they both died just days apart from complications with COVID-19. “I feel being online…prepared me… my mother works from home and seeing her tackle technical issues…seeing my teacher solving issues…helped us,” said filmmaking prodigy Anthony Michael Hobbs, founder of the “Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Fest,” celebrating its 5th year in 2021, about his recent event held via Zoom because of the pandemic. “Zoom is a lot easier to set up. You don’t have to worry about location…finding a place. It’s professional. Doing it from home, you don’t have to travel, it’s worldwide!” es it is. This is the 2nd year that ILICFF has been held online via Zoom because of the pandemic restrictions, and as a result the film fest’s attendees have been from all over the world. In the year 2019 ILICFF was held at the Eubie Blake Center in Baltimore were attendees were local, however the 2018 ILICFF, held at the Shake & Bake Family Fun Center in Baltimore, had a young filmmaker from New York attend. The 2020 and 2021 ILICFF via Zoom attracted attendees from India, Japan, Australia, Korea and of course the United States. It is National Suicide Prevention Week (September 5th-11th) and two-time Grammy Award-winning artist and New York Times best-selling author, LECRAE, shares that he too has suffered from crippling depression. In this riveting video posted on his YouTube channel, Lecrae, a survivor of sexual, verbal and physical abuse reveals that in 2018, he woke up after a night of binge drinking in a clinical depression. He also shares how he dealt with deep wounds from his childhood and the journey that has led to his personal restoration! Please watch, share, and post these clips; they may resonate with someone. https://youtu.be/Z8YSqUj45z0 Tom Brady feels for you, Naomi Osaka. You too, Simone Biles. The man with a record seven Super Bowl championship rings has surely noticed and on some levels can relate to the high-profile struggles two of the world’s most successful athletes have encountered this summer, which have raised awareness about the challenges of coping with immense pressure. Osaka, 23, withdrew from the French Open in May while citing mental health issues, skipped Wimbledon and, after a third-round upset on Friday in attempting to defend her U.S. Open singles title, tearfully announced that she will take an indefinite break from the sport. Biles, 24, pulled out of four individual finals during the Tokyo Olympics before returning to win a bronze medal in the balance beam final. A seven-time Olympic medalist, Biles hasn’t declared whether she will continue competing. “It’s interesting,” Brady told USA TODAY Sports in August. “I think there are so many young people in sports. Obviously, Naomi’s really young. Simone’s really young. I’m 44. When I was 24, I certainly didn’t have all the answers to all the different pressures and the adversities that you face. I don’t know if we have expectations for people that we should have all the answers, have all things figured out at young ages. The Venice International Film Festival provided a data snapshot of its 78th edition on Tuesday — and the numbers, so far, show what a COVID-19-era comeback can look like for a well-managed A-list event operating under public safety protocols. Organizers said Venice has issued 9,800 accreditations to international guests so far this year, up from 6,908 by the end of the 2020 festival and 12,800 at the end of the pre-COVID 2019 edition. Tickets sold to the public revealed a similar comeback, with 23,713 already issued, compared to just 13,162 for the entire event last year, and 28,741 in 2019. The event hasn’t been without a few hiccups though, as the return to normal ticketing demand has intersected with the realities of COVID safety requirements. Former NBA All-Star Cedric Ceballos announced Tuesday that he has been hospitalized with COVID-19 for more than a week, and is asking for folks to keep him in prayer. “On my 10th day in ICU, COVID-19 is officially kicking my butt, I am asking ALL family, friends, prayer warriors healers for your prayers and well wishes for my recovery,” Ceballos said on Twitter. https://youtu.be/7icF4fLUdaY Former Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and could face up to 10 years in prison. The plea comes a week after a hung jury in Portis’ federal trial on the fraud charges. As part of the plea, signed Friday and obtained by DailyMail.com, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000. He also will make restitution of $99,264 to the Gene Upshaw NFL Players Health Reimbursement Account Plan. Portis will be sentenced in January of 2022, according to court records. Video has surfaced showing officers in Grand Rapids, Michigan arresting a Black man outside of a McDonald’s for a robbery that he reportedly had nothing to do with. The viral video, uploaded to Facebook by “Yfn Jayy” and reposted on TikTok by @alytheeactivist, shows the man – since identified as Isaiah by his mom Misheal Butts on Facebook – in the parking lot outside the McDonald’s. A woman is heard saying to the police that Isaiah works at the restaurant. She tells them he was at work at the time the robbery was reported. “He just came in here to get his check, he’s been in his job for two hours,” says the woman through the window of the store. “And they talk about somebody just robbed the building 30 minutes ago—he’s been in this building for two hours.” Beyond fans returning to stadiums and authentic cheers instead of simulated noise, the NFL is kicking off the 2021 season with something it didn’t have last fall — a pandemic playbook that’s proven. As other leagues staged abbreviated seasons and quarantined their players in hopes of shielding them from COVID-19, the NFL navigated its way through an entire schedule, postponing when necessary, continually adjusting safety protocols, but never canceling a game. “The NFL proved things that I don’t think people thought we could do,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. In multiple interviews with the Los Angeles Times, Goodell and more than two dozen people — league executives, front-office personnel, players and medical professionals — close to the situation reconstructed the fragile process of staging a season amid a pandemic, and the commissioner’s focus to safely complete all 256 regular-season games, the playoffs and Super Bowl without relying on an NBA-style bubble. A New Jersey woman phoned her mother as she struggled to rescue her neighbors in the Hurricane Ida floods – but sadly she drowned and her last words may haunt her mom forever. When the storm hit New Jersey Wednesday, Shakia Garrett, 33, attempted to rescue Jose Torres, 71, his partner Rosa Espinal, 72, and their 38-year-old son Jose. As reported by the UK Mirror, Garrett made a heart-breaking final call to her mom, Sharon who told NJ.com: “That day she called me and told me, ‘I can’t swim, mommy.’ “She was crying. We just couldn’t get to her.” Despite her efforts, all four died in the flooding. The four victims had became trapped in their apartment building and were among 27 who were confirmed dead in New Jersey. Shakia’s mother added: “She was the sweetest girl who got along with everybody. “She had a very good heart.” https://youtu.be/mbkas4MO6-I College football is back and so are the millions of fans who will pack stadiums every Saturday through November. Dr. Anthony Fauci joined Jim Sciutto on CNN’s New Day Tuesday morning and preached the dangers of seeing crowded college football stadiums around the country while Covid outbreaks are on the rise. “We could be stuck in outbreak mode and that’s why I think what you’re going to be seeing is…a lot more local mandates,” Fauci said. Larry Elder spoke with conservative political commentator Candace Owens in 2019 on her Prager University show and discussed giving reparations to the descendants of slave owners. “When people talk about reparations, do they really want to have that conversation? Like it or not, slavery was legal,” he said. He went on to note that if reparations go to the descendants of slaves, the relatives of slave owners should be compensated as well. “Their legal property was taken away from them after the Civil War, so you could make an argument that the people that are owed reparations are not only just Black people, but also the people whose ‘property’ was taken away after the end of the Civil War,” he continued. The conversation began when Owens mentioned that the U.S. was one of the first countries to ban the slave trade. “The U.K. was ahead of us — they were. Did you know the slave owners were compensated? After they lost their ‘property’ the government compensated slave owners,” Elder said. Tamar Braxton is preparing for a legal battle with her former agents at Pantheon Talent Group. As reported by Radar, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, says Pantheon inked an “oral agreement” with Tamar in 2016 in which they would represent the singer and receive 10% of anything she made from television. The agents claim they helped secure her WE tv show Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life! which she was paid $75,000 an episode. They believe they are owed $7,500 from each episode that aired. But Braxton is screwing them over, they claim, by refusing to pay up. Michael K. Williams previously opened up about a fight he had while celebrating his 25th birthday that left him with a scar down his face. The late actor, who was found dead in his apartment on Monday, told National Public Radio that the incident happened during a “popping party” at a bar in Queens, New York Post reports. “I saw that two of my other friends were being surrounded by some dudes who I didn’t know. And it looked like they were about to get jumped,” he recalled during the 2014 interview. “And I said, ‘Yo, I’m ready to leave. Let’s go back. I’m going to go back home now.’” Williams said that “this one dude kept pacing behind me.” “He kept like, you know, like sucking his teeth, and I’m looking — I’m like, ‘Yo — so what’s up dude? Yo bro, what’s your problem?’” he said. “And the dude wiped his hand across his mouth and just — what I thought appeared to be — smacked me, but what he did was he spit a razor.” Williams added, “He was positioning the razor in his mouth to get between his middle finger and his ring finger, and then he just went — swiped me down my face, and this cut my face.” “It was actually the first hit of the fight. So we managed to escape with our lives, barely, that night,” he said. https://youtu.be/Jzyqe0BfzYA Christian comedian Bone Hampton, known for his family-friendly comedy, is battling kidney and congestive heart failure. A recently launched GoFundMe page reveals that the “America’s Got Talent” alum, who is one of comedy’s most in-demand funnymen, is currently in the “fight of his life.” “He goes by so many titles — Christian comedian, actor, friend, son, adviser, confidante — but the most important title of all is dad,” the campaign reads. The Gospel Spotlight's Bone Hampton. Here Bone Hampton In His Own Words....http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/Bone_Hampton_intvw.htm In recent years, Maverick City Music has become a household name in Christian music. But aside from their worship anthems, including “Jireh” and “Promises,” not much is known about the diverse group. The Christian Post caught up with Jonathan Jay, CEO of Tribl Records, who, along with Tony Brown, founded Maverick City Music to get a behind-the-scenes look at the beloved group. Maverick City Music was officially launched in 2018 after the duo spent several years hosting songwriting camps with people from across the United States. Over the years, Jay and his team brought together over 100 Christian artists and songwriters — and that effort birthed hundreds of songs. Kofi Siriboe and Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing star in the MACRO romantic drama “Really Love.” The film tells the story of an emerging Black painter named Isaiah (Siriboe) living in the newly gentrified Washington D.C. on the cusp of a breakout career. He meets Stevie (Wong-Loi-Sing), a law student with ambitions that don’t align with her family’s views of success. The two fall in love and Stevie becomes Isaiah’s muse. But soon, neglect causes problems, leaving the two to question if they have a future together. https://youtu.be/7KKCnadBw7Y After portraying Aretha Franklin in the new feature “Respect” Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson says she’s next ready to play Oprah Winfrey. “That’s my newest dream. I would love to play Oprah! I’ll put it out into the universe, just like I did with Aretha,” she said in an “OWN Spotlight” interview that aired over the summer, the Chicago Tribune reported. Winfrey said: “On the special,” Hudson told me, smiling, “I was waiting for her to ask me who I wanted to play next. And I’d have been, like, ‘You!’ I would’ve loved to see her face. I think that’d be amazing. She’s another great legend in a whole new direction. I know one day we’re going to have ‘The Oprah Story,’ and I’m getting older (Hudson turns 40 on Sept. 12) and this time I don’t want to wait 15 years. So, c’mon now! Here we go!” Howard Stern could care less about the handful of conservative radio hosts who ranted against the coronavirus vaccines, only to end up dying from the disease. On the first day back from a two month vacation, the radio jock came in hot Monday with savagery toward folks who use the “freedom” excuse to refuse taking the vaccine. He called these people “nutjobs” that are trampling on his “freedom to live.” “F— them. F— their freedom. I want my freedom to live,” Stern said. “I want to get out of the house. I want to go next door and play chess. I want to go take some pictures. This is bulls**t.” “The other thing I hate is that all these people with COVID who won’t get vaccinated are in the hospitals clogging it up,” said Stern, referring to them as “imbeciles.” “So like, if you have a heart attack or any kind of problem, you can’t even get into the E.R. And I’m really of mind to say, ‘Look, if you didn’t get vaccinated [and] you got COVID, you don’t get into a hospital.'” Kirk Franklin’s son, 33-year-old Kerrion is back on social media spewing all sorts of wild accusations against his parents. Previously The estranged son of the famed Gospel singer has accused his father of abuse and trying to kill him. Now he’s accusing his mother of abuse. On Sunday, September 5, Kerrion was live-streaming with his family, claiming that he was “protecting” himself. “I’m ’bout to go to my grandmother’s house. I’m being abused right now, I was assaulted by my own mother,” he said. https://www.instagram.com/p/CTdSszipi7M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again An all-new episode of WE tv’s new series “Brat Loves Judy” returns Thursday night and we have an exclusive clip of Brat and Judy’s therapy session — and the rapper ain’t feeling the therapist’s techniques. https://youtu.be/F0jBAZaNcnQ NeNe Leakes gathered with several of her former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” costars to pay tribute to her husband Gregg Leakes one week after his death from colon cancer. Leakes hosted a celebration of life at her Linnethia Lounge in Atlanta on Monday (Sept. 6). Per Entertainment Tonight, she was joined by Lisa Wu, Phaedra Parks, Marlo Hampton, Porsha Williams and Eva Marcille. Keke Wyatt and gospel stars Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell and Le’Andria Johnson performed at the event. “Today we celebrate you Gregg with love, just the way you wanted it,” NeNe captioned an Instagram post on Monday alongside a throwback PDA photo. https://www.instagram.com/neneleakes/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1bbb4b4c-46b8-46c1-b172-fc8e1224f97b After being dropped from ESPN in April, former pro basketball player Paul Pierce said he doesn’t regret being let go from the job. He was an analyst for ESPN’s NBA Countdown and The Jump after retiring from the NBA in 2017. The 43-year-old said that the travel and the network executives were too demanding. He also thought that former NBA rival LeBron James was a topic of discussion too often. He went on to say, “There’s a lot of stuff you can’t say and you have to talk about LeBron all the time.” It seems like Paul Pierce was ready to go before getting penalized by ESPN over a risque Instagram live. The video shows him with women dancing suggestively while he smoked marijuana. He also appeared to be getting massaged. Months after being fired, Paul Pierce still doesn’t regret posting the video and said he feels he shouldn’t have been let go because of it. He said many people in the industry do similar things and they haven’t been fired for it. Bravo has dropped the official photo for the “Real Housewives” spin-off featuring the cast of “Ultimate Girls Trip.” The returning “housewives” are Real Housewives of Atlanta stars Cynthia Bailey and Kenya Moore, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” OG Kyle Richards, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” castmates and sisters-in-law Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga, and “Real Housewives of New York City” icons Luann de Lesseps and Ramona Singer. https://www.instagram.com/p/COVlQBbgaOH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again It appears Jay-Z touched on his long-running beef with Roc-A-Fella associate DeHaven Irby. Apparently, Irby once tried to kill the hip-hop star, according to Jay. As reported by Black Enterprise, on Drake’s latest album “Certified Lover Boy,” appears the track “Love All,” on which Jigga dropped the verse: “N*ggas wanted to kill me and y’all still with ’em. N*gga, y’all chill with ’em, and y’all wonder why we not friends,” Jay-Z rapped. Irby took to his Instagram to spill the tea on what exactly went down between the two men. “I could recall one of the worst positions that Jay put me in, that severed our relationship and our friendship. I had got locked up on a parole violation. And when I was locked up, Jay just pulled a funny ass move, and he violated. And he did that and went behind my back he got caught. It was some small sh*t, but it meant something because his life almost got took behind that sh*t.” Irby, a former cocaine dealer, previously revealed in a 2007 interview with Vulture that the big-baller-drug dealer lifestyle that Jay-Z raps about was never his real life. https://youtu.be/Pnz4wbCblmM After nearly a decade and a half, pop star Britney Spears’ father has filed to end his daughter’s conservatorship, which gave him unilateral control over the 39-year-old entertainer’s purse strings. Jamie Spears filed the requisite paperwork in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “As Mr. Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter,” the legal document states. “If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance.” Before it can move forward, though, Judge Brenda Penny, who oversees the case, will have to sign off on ending the 13-year conservatorship. David Glass, a certified family law attorney not associated with the Spears matter, told Fox News that, given Jamie Spears is asking for “the entire conservatorship to be vacated,” it will put pressure on co-conservator Jodi Montgomery “to either explain how Britney is still mentally ill or go along” with ending the conservatorship entirely. A Letter from Max Lucado: Dear Friends, I want to take a moment to share with you some personal medical news. Recently I was diagnosed with an ascending aortic aneurysm. Because this is a serious condition, I wanted you to hear from me personally. Though surgery is a possibility, none is planned at the moment. The current strategy is to wait, watch, and pray that the aneurysm doesn’t increase any further in size. I am maintaining my normal routines and commitments; my ministry is undisturbed by this news. Here’s the good news: I feel fine. I am under the care of an outstanding medical team, and most of all, I am in the hands of a good God. If there is other news to share, we will post updates at MaxLucado.com. For now, please know that I am fully trusting our heavenly Father. I am grateful for your prayers for me and for my family. God bless you, Max Many families in North Texas treated Monday as a holiday. Labor Day is often met with pools, barbecues, and spirits. Anything else is generally an afterthought. But three years ago, on Sept. 6, Dallas was handed one of its most devastating and controversial moments in some time. On that night, former Dallas officer Amber Guyger entered the apartment of 26-year-old Botham Jean, thinking it was hers. She thought Jean was an intruder and shot him where he stood. In St. Lucia on Monday, where Botham is from, his mother Allie relived those details as she placed a wreath on her son’s tomb with other family members. “We’re trying to make this day as easy as possible, but it is still a very, very painful day,” Allie Jean said. “It’s a day that brings back that phone call we got. A day that changed our lives. Every family member’s life is changed.” The Mu variant of COVID-19- which scientists fear could be more transmissible than Delta – has now been detected in all U.S. states with the exception of Nebraska. Florida and California have reported 384 variant cases- the highest numbers among the 49 infected U.S. states. Los Angeles County reported close to half of the California cases with 167. The new cases however only reflect 0.2 percent of total variant samples from the state of California between June and August. Alaska previously had the highest number of Mu variant cases with 146. That represented four per cent of all cases recorded in the isolated state. Other U.S. states have also shared their Mu numbers, with 42 in Maine, 73 in Connecticut and 39 in Hawaii, according to Newsweek. The Mu variant- which was identified in Colombia in January – has spread to 41 different countries including the United States, and is also feared to potentially be vaccine-resistant. Wendell Pierce wrote a touching tribute to his “The Wire” co-star Michael K. Williams shortly after his death was reported Monday. There’s more where that came from in a resurfaced video of the two being interviewed during a 2014 reunion of “The Wire” cast at PaleyFest. Pierce hailed Williams’ portrayal of gay stickup man Omar Little on the HBO series and described him as “one of the great American actors giving voice and giving flesh to characters most people would not have given the same humanity to.” “It was an honor for me to even share the screen with him,” he added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1434998323329503235 Michael K. Williams was discovered dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday afternoon, and it wasn’t long before 50 Cent came under fire for an insensitive Instagram post about the actor’s passing.. Fiddy used news of Michael’s death to promote his Starz series, “Power Book III: Raising Kanan.” Initial reports claimed Wiliams died from a drug overdose, specifically heroin laced with fentanyl. “Damn if you didn’t see Raising Kanan check it out that fentanyl is no joke, killing the clientele. RIP michael k. williams,” 50 wrote in the deleted post. His caption referenced a New York Post article that mentioned fentanyl could have contributed to Williams’ death, but the article has reportedly since been updated with the drug reference removed. 50 later brought up his past differences with Williams in another since-deleted Instagram post. “Don’t ever try to understand me I’m different,” he explained. “I don’t do all the fake love shit.” Per Complex, 50 and Williams fell out three years ago when 50 claimed music executive James Rosemond, Jr., a.k.a. Jimmy Henchman, was assaulted while in prison. Rosemon is serving a life sentence related to a murder-for-hire plot against 50’s G-Unit affiliate Lowell “Lodi Mack” Fletcher. Williams released a video calling 50’s claim “completely false.” 50 Cent clapped back with a series of posts in which he warned the actor to “mind your business.” He also posted a screenshot of a gay sex scene involving Michael’s character from the hit HBO series “The Wire.” Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio asked for donations ahead of his five-month prison sentence for burning a Black Lives Matter banner from a historic Black church in downtown Washington D.C. and bringing firearms to the Capitol. Tarrio reached a deal with prosecutors in July. He was initially charged with two counts of possessing a “high-capacity” magazine, but authorities reduced the charges to one count. He pleaded guilty before a Washington, D.C., superior court, according to the Washington Post, as reported by MSN. https://youtu.be/zFYXAYSNlck Juney Smith and Rainbow Media Group present “You Look Familiar: Vernée Watson” a spirited documentary about the life and times of Emmy award winning actress Vernée Watson. With over 180 credits on IMDB, her face and amazing talents have been a fixture on television, films and commercials for 40 years in shows such as General Hospital, Bob Hearts Abishola, The Big Bang Theory, The Odd Couple, The Fresh Prince of Belair and many more. Now Vernée finally gets a chance for her story to be told thanks to long time friend and multi-talented colleague Director Juney Smith, Executive Producer Glynn Turman and Rainbow Media Group. Janet Jackson shared the first teaser trailer for her upcoming documentary, “JANET,” which will air over two nights on Lifetime and A&E. A+E Networks ordered a two-night, four-hour documentary event about the life and legacy of the music icon. The project coincides with the 40th anniversary of her debut album. The singer will executive produce the doc with brother Randy Jackson, and promises to offer unprecedented access to her life. https://youtu.be/nJ4OD76xUpA National Football League fans who merely want to watch a football game this year will again have social justice messages as part of the package prominently displayed on the field. While some leagues, notably the National Basketball Association, plan to dial back on politics for their coming season (NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN, “I understand those people who say, ‘I’m on your side. But I want to watch a basketball game’”), the NFL is doubling down on its plans for its upcoming regular season, which starts Sept. 9. That’s even as its television ratings dipped in 2020, the first time in three years the regular season audience was down. Still, the NFL managed to break records when its TV contracts were up for renewal in the off-season, topping the $100 billion mark and adding Amazon to its mix. Sloane Stephens is exhausted — not from the grind of her third-round defeat at the U.S. Open Saturday, but from the abuse and hateful words she received online after her loss. “This isn’t talked about enough, but it really freaking sucks,” Stephens wrote Saturday on her Instagram account. Stephens, the No. 66-ranked women’s tennis player in the world, shared vile messages she received — saying there were more than 2,000 of that ilk following the 28-year-old’s three-set loss to Germany’s Angelique Kerber on Friday. There were messages wishing for her to be raped. There were racist terms. There were threats. “I promise to find you and destroy your leg so hard that you can’t walk anymore,” read one. There were messages wishing for her to be raped. There were racist terms. There were threats. “I promise to find you and destroy your leg so hard that you can’t walk anymore,” read one. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady not only had a scare last year when both of his parents tested positive for COVID-19 — he himself was diagnosed with it too in February. In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times on Saturday, Brady revealed that he tested positive for the virus in February, just after the Bucs’ Super Bowl boat parade. Brady also said that he believes the coronavirus will be even more of a challenge this year, despite the Bucs now having a 100% vaccination rate — becoming just the second NFL team to reach that threshold, behind the Atlanta Falcons. “I actually think it’s going to play more of a factor this year than last year, just because of the way what we’re doing now and what the stadium is going to look like and what the travel is going to look like and the people in the building and the fans,” Brady said. “It’s not like last year, although we’re getting tested like last year. It’s going to be, I definitely think guys are going to be out at different points and we’ve just got to deal with it.” NeNe Leakes hit up social media to honor her late husband Gregg one week after his death from colon cancer. On Monday, the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum shared a sweet photo of her and Gregg kissing. She captioned the image: “Today we celebrate you Gregg with love, just the way you wanted it??.” https://www.instagram.com/neneleakes/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=10255396-8148-437d-b880-bba6f227afcb Drake intensified his yearlong beef with Kanye West by leaking Ye’s André 3000-assisted song “Life of the Party,” which sees West diss Drizzy. 3 Stacks contributed a verse that was a tribute to his late mother, who died in 2013. He addressed Drake’s leak of the song in a statement to Variety, noting that when he initially received the track, Ye’s Drake diss was not on it. In celebration of his latest album, “Certified Lover Boy,” Drake appeared as a guest DJ on SiriusXM’s Sound 42 Saturday and played “Life of the Party” amid his reported feud with West. Per Rolling Stone, “Life of the Party” was first played at a private “Donda” listening party in Las Vegas before it was cut from West’s official “Donda” album. https://twitter.com/i/status/1434238598887493647 Whether in dramatic movie scenes, on the street, or during the Black Lives Matter protests throughout the past year, the phrase “HANDS UP, DON’T SHOOT,” has a powerful meaning that’s recognizable to everyone. We hear those words or see them on a billboard, and know it’s referencing police brutality. This month, a new movie is putting the wildly debated and continuous issues front and center in director Chuck Whitman’s latest feature film “Hands Up.” “It’s a blue thing, it’s a badge thing,” said co-lead Jamal Woolard (“Notorious”). https://youtu.be/vn6QPzOeAdE Paul Schrader’s newest film, “The Card Counter,” redemption and revenge go hand in hand. Ex-military investigator, William Tell (Oscar Isaac), attempts to bury his past traumas with gambling and grows closer to a familiar face, Tiffany Haddish, along the way. Haddish feels “The Card Counter” is an intense and mysterious thriller. Although, the character of La Linda offsets the tone perfectly – which is typical Schrader fashion. “I would describe La Linda as the light,” said Haddish. “She brings a lot of joy but she’s a hustler. So, she’s got a lot of charisma and she’s, you know, scheming and scamming.” https://youtu.be/HUxP619RzPU The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) today announced actor, activist and fashion icon Billy Porter will be honored at The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS fundraising gala on September 17, 2021, joining previously announced honorees Dr. Anthony Fauci, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research and Sandra Thurman. All four will be honored with the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award. Rising singer-songwriter, Jake Wesley Rogers will perform at the event, which will be generously supported by Presenting Sponsor, Gilead Sciences, Inc. Additional sponsors for the event are Diamond Sponsor BVLGARI and American Airlines, ETAF’s official airline. Abby De La Rosa, who just had twins with actor and host Nick Cannon, is already ready for more kids. Nick Cannon, 40, may have several children of his own but Abby De La Rosa also wants more. While doing a Q&A on her Instagram, the international DJ allowed followers to ask anything to which one wanted to know if she wanted more kids. “Okay, you all ask this question a lot. Of course I want more kids, if God permits and if God doesn’t permit, its alright. I got two for one, it was a beautiful jorney. It was a wild journey and we’re here.” Abby De La Rosa and Nick Cannon gave birth to their twins in June 2021. In another video, she told followers that her pregnancy with the Wildn’ Out host was planned and happened because they ‘manifested’ it. De La Rosa explained that she and Cannon began dating in 2019. She revealed that she was pregnant in April 2020 but unfortunately suffered a miscarriage. She further explained her second pregnancy saying, “First pregnancy, April 2020, was definitely not planned, but Nick was such a great friend to me and just so good to me, and then our focus became to have a baby but little did we know we would end up having twins. But yes, it was planned.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CTbJJjXj4bI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Today, Academy Award-winning and four-time Grammy Award-winning R&B artist H.E.R. and partner Live Nation Urban announce the day-to-day lineup of highly-anticipated “Lights On Festival” in Concord, CA. The recently sold-out festival will be taking over the Concord Pavilion on Saturday, September 18 and Sunday, September 19. Once again, H.E.R. curated a legendary lineup, including neo-soul goddess Erykah Badu, Bryson Tiller, Ari Lennox, Ty Dolla $ign, Keyshia Cole, and more. H.E.R. notably headlines with a very special H.E.R. & Friends set where she will be joined by some very special guests. A fight at a bar in Conyers, Georgia late Sunday led to gunfire, and the incident – which played out over Facebook Live – was reportedly over a spilled drink. Three people were injured in the shooting at Sudo Bar and Grill. Owner, Brandt Bester, told CBS46 that one of his three personal security guards patted down the customers at the door, including the man accused of firing the weapon. It’s unknown how the shooter was able to slip his weapon inside. Bar surveillance video shows one guard shot in the leg while trying to jump in and stop the fight, then crawling to the entrance for cover. Meanwhile a customer at the bar was grazed by another bullet. In the bar’s surveillance video, you can see the victim who was in the fight, shot in his arm and leg running away—the shooter following close behind. It’s then, an off-duty Rockdale Sheriff’s Deputy stepped in, grabbed the shooter, took his gun and took the suspect into custody. https://youtu.be/kBpTsdkj2bc Video of a fight at an Atlanta Waffle House has gone viral. The footage, tweeted by @ATLUncensored, shows a man in an orange shirt in some sort of argument with women while seated at the counter inside of the Waffle House on Buford Hwy. At one point, one of the women gives him the hand and says, “Shut the f**k up!” Suddenly, after a jump edit in the video, the man is dragged off of his stool by a Waffle House employee apparently attempting to remove him from the premises – and all hell broke loose. Orange Shirt threw the first punch, and it was on. https://twitter.com/i/status/1434396351303933953 Elder Ivan Louis Cage Sr., father to 7x Stellar Award winner Byron Cage, passed on August 23, 2021 due to health complications. The funeral service will be held in River Rouge, MI at Andrews Funeral Home. The viewing will begin at 11am and the service will begin at 12pm. A flash flood watch has been issued for New Orleans until late Monday night as Louisiana continues its path toward recovery following Hurricane Ida’s disastrous touchdown. Some regions of southern Louisiana could see two to four inches of heavy rain, threatening neighborhoods still picking up the pieces from one of the strongest hurricanes on record to hit the state. Ida killed at least 11 people in Louisiana and initially left almost a million without power as it dumped more than 13 inches of rain in some communities. According to local utility company Entergy, Ida damaged or destroyed more than 14,000 poles, 2,223 transformers and 155 transmission structures. Now, half a million customers remain without electricity more than a week later, according to PowerOutage.us. Expanded unemployment benefits that have kept millions of Americans afloat during the pandemic expired on Monday, setting up an abrupt cutoff of assistance to 7.5 million people as the Delta variant rattles the pandemic recovery. The end of the aid came without objection from President Biden and his top economic advisers, who have become caught in a political fight over the benefits and are now banking on other federal help and an autumn pickup in hiring to keep vulnerable families from foreclosure and food lines. The $1.9 trillion economic aid package Mr. Biden signed in March included extended and expanded benefits for unemployed workers, like a $300-per-week federal supplement to state jobless payments, additional weeks of assistance for the long-term unemployed and the extension of a special program to provide benefits to so-called gig workers who traditionally do not qualify for unemployment benefits. The expiration date reached on Monday means that 7.5 million people will lose their benefits entirely and another three million will lose the $300 weekly supplement. “The Wire’’ actor Michael K. Williams was found dead of a suspected heroin overdose in his Brooklyn penthouse Monday afternoon, law-enforcement sources told The Post. Williams, 54, was discovered unconscious in the dining room of his luxury Williamsburg pad with what appeared to be heroin on the kitchen table, sources said. His nephew found him around 2 p.m., and the acclaimed TV star was officially pronounced dead at 2:12 p.m., source said — adding that it appeared Williams had fatally OD’d. “I found the body,” said a weeping man at the scene, talking into his cell phone. Tears streamed down his face, and the man shook as he sat alone at a table outside the building, barely able to get the words out. The city Medical Examiner’s Office was at the building, and eight NYPD cops, including at least two supervisors, were outside. “No foul play indicated,” a police source said. “No forced entry, the apartment was in order.” The Flatbush native — currently a 2021 Emmy Award nominee as best supporting actor for “Lovecraft Country” — was famous for his role as Omar Little in the gritty TV series “The Wire’’ and as Chalky White in “Boardwalk Empire.’’ A West Tennessee police chief has died of COVID-19 related issues. Newbern Police said Thursday Chief Richard “Red” Barnes died of COVID-related illness and had underlying health issues. Chief Barnes had been with the Newbern Police Department for more than 40 years. He also served as a pastor in the area. “Chief Richard “Red” Barnes will always have a special place in the hearts and minds of the Newbern Police Department and his brothers and sisters in blue,” said Newbern Police in a post on Facebook. “Rest in peace Chief Barnes, Unit 400 is now 10-7. We will take over your watch, Sir.” Thousands of people are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. An Aiken pastor is one of them. Some would say he’s helping to save lives from the pulpit but now, he’s looking for a donor to help save his life. Pastor Michael O’Neal has faced a life of high blood pressure and diabetes and COVID caused a major issue. “My bout with COVID and pneumonia did a number on the kidneys,” he told NewsChannel 6’s Aiken Bureau Chief Shawn Cabbagestalk. “I went to the hospital in reference to kidney stones, it pretty much pulled my kidney percentage down all the way to like 4%. And it was a very much need then for me to seek some type of dialysis treatment to be able to continue functioning,” he recalled. Dialysis treatments are three times a week. While it’s not taxing on his body, O’Neal says, it’s more of a mental challenge. “Right now, I’m trying to get adjusted and trying to keep focused and stay positive.” The deaths of three Miami-Dade County Public School teachers is prompting some difficult and very personal conversations in South Florida’s Black community. Two of the teachers worked in predominantly Black neighborhoods. One of the teachers was Mr. Abe Coleman, who worked at Holmes Elementary. “And generations upon generations knew Mr. Coleman,” Tanya Jackson said. Jackson is a pastor of a church in Liberty City. She remembers Coleman as a friend and colleague. “And he was just a great co-worker and stayed at the school like a monument,” she recalled. We don’t know why he was not vaccinated, but his death has sparked a conversation in Pastor Jackson’s household. “Because he was like a brother to our family, to have the conversation with my son last night and make the decision for him to get the vaccine,” she explained. It’s a conversation that has yet to reach others. Coleman and the losses of Lillian Smith, and Michael Thomas also share another common thread, they were all part of the Black community. https://cbsloc.al/3BPIzZ9 The mother who cops say drowned her baby after declaring that impending COVID-19 death meant everyone needed to be baptized — and stabbed her husband and a daughter as they failed to stop her — officially was charged Saturday in Miami-Dade court. Precious Bland’s first encounter with the criminal justice system will involve one count of murder, two counts of attempted second degree murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse. Bland, 38, received no bond on the murder count, keeping her with Miami-Dade Corrections until her case reaches resolution. Bland had been in Jackson Memorial Hospital until Thursday, recovering from wounds suffered Aug. 23. A 4-year-old boy who was randomly shot in the head died Sunday from his injuries, police said, one of at least eight children and dozens of other people who were wounded in Chicago over a Labor Day weekend punctuated by gun violence. The death of the boy, Mychal Moultry Jr., on Friday evening set off a holiday weekend in which police scrambled to investigate scores of crime scenes across the city. Mychal was getting his hair styled in the front part of a home when two bullets ripped through a window and struck him in the head, said Rahman Muhammad, deputy chief of the Chicago police detective division. Detectives continued to canvass the area and look for witnesses. “We definitely need the help from the public to further this investigation,” Muhammad told reporters Monday. Besides Mychal, at least three other people were killed over the weekend, and at least 53 were injured by gunfire, police said. Kanye West lands his 10th No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as Donda debuts atop the list with the year’s biggest week for any album: 309,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 2, according to MRC Data. It surpasses the year’s previous best week, when Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour started with 295,000 units (on the chart dated June 5). West is now one of only seven artists with at least 10 No. 1 albums in the 65-year history of the Billboard 200 chart. The Beatles have the most No. 1s, with 19. They are followed by Jay-Z (14), Bruce Springsteen (11), Barbra Streisand (11), Eminem (10), Elvis Presley (10) and West. (Waiting in the wings for their 10th No. 1s are the acts with nine leaders: Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Drake, Madonna, The Rolling Stones and Taylor Swift. Of those, two have albums either just released, or on the way: Drake’s Certified Lover Boy dropped on Sept. 3 and Swift’s Red [Taylor’s Version] is due on Nov. 19.) Christian singer Danny Gokey posted a lengthy Twitter thread at the end of August explaining not only why he’s opposed to vaccination mandates but also voicing his concerns the “mark of the beast,” as it’s described in the book of Revelation, could be on the horizon. The “Jesus People” singer — who is vaccinated against COVID-19 — said people shouldn’t be forced to get inoculated against the virus if they don’t want to, calling out many in the government and news media who tout it as “a cure” when it’s not. He also lamented the fact that people no longer have conversations because “the only topic discussed is COVID and the only acceptable thought is vaccination,” a phenomenon he described as “very dangerous.”“The fact that I’m even talking about this comes at a great cost to me,” Gokey wrote. “I could be identified as an extremist and my music get pulled down from radio and other platforms because of this. People are threatening my livelihood, saying they won’t buy my music and won’t stream it. Some want to cancel me for asking questions and are even calling out my Christianity because I post these questions.” Donald Lawrence is a Grammy award-winning songwriter, producer, composer, and choir director. He has had chart-topping albums and hits to his credit over his almost 30-year career. His latest project is titled Goshen, the story of the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt as told in the Bible’s Old Testament. It’s a unique album he produced more than a year ago with plans for a staged music and dance project. But the pandemic put the brakes on those plans. However, a theater tour is coming soon. Just last week, people got a sneak peek at Goshen the musical as a part of the Chicago Dance Theater’s 25th anniversary season celebration in the city’s Millennium Park. Lawrence is a North Carolina native, and there’s a celebration planned next month for his 2020 induction into the Tarheel State’s Music Hall of Fame. https://youtu.be/rzwzFS4rvY4 Morehouse and Spelman colleges are canceling most of their homecoming activities due to the surge in coronavirus infections. The announcements, made Friday, cite the escalating spread of COVID-19 off campus. Morehouse’s homecoming was to occur Oct. 10-17, and will not be rescheduled. But the football game against Fort Valley State University will still be played as planned, on Oct. 16. Spelman will hold all alumnae events for homecoming virtually beginning Thursday, Oct. 14 through Sunday, Oct. 17. A determination is still being made regarding student events, Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell said in a message Friday afternoon. Morehouse and Spelman, historically Black colleges located near downtown Atlanta, required students, faculty and employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine to be on campus this fall, unless they received an exemption. Clark Atlanta University, also adjacent to Morehouse and Spelman, is scheduled to have its homecoming Oct. 24-30. CAU has also mandated vaccinations. With students at historically Black colleges returning to campus after a year of hybrid and remote learning, administrators hope greater access to Covid-19 vaccinations will bring about a traditional campus experience — in-person classes, rip-roaring homecomings and Black Greek life. But interviews with top leaders from several top historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, illustrate that some schools face significant challenges in avoiding major outbreaks. Although Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, Black leaders across the country have encountered both vaccination skepticism and accessibility issues trying to encourage higher inoculation rates. The vast majority of HBCUs are in the South, where Black students were barred from attending majority-white colleges and where vaccination rates remain lower than the national average. Republican leaders in many of those states, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have fought back against mask and vaccination mandates. Congrats to Offset and Cardi B as they are the brand new parents of a healthy baby boy. This is child number two for the couple. Cardi B posted a snap at the hospital of herself and hubby cradling the newborn who was born Saturday morning at a New York area hospital. “We are so overjoyed to finally meet our son. He is already loved so much by family and friends and we can’t wait to introduce him to his other siblings,” the couple said in a statement. Cardi and Offset’s first child, Kulture, was born in 2018. It was back in June of this year that the “Bodak Yellow” and “WAP” rapper made the surprise announcement during a performance at the BET Awards. Cardi performed alongside Offset and the rest of Migos … showing off a revealing outfit that definitely exposed her big ol’ baby bump. Uzi Vert, 26, is letting the world know the precious stone was ripped out of his forehead when he dove into a crowd at Rolling Loud in July. “I had a show at Rolling Loud and I jumped into the crowd and they kind of ripped it out,” he told TMZ at the 18th anniversary of Jay-Z’s 40/40 club last month. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-31-083121-lil-uzi-vert-1238309/ Restaurants and retail companies are looking into recruiting young people to fill vacancies and Daymond John (“Shark Tank”) thinks it’s a good idea. Not only does the entrepreneur and TV personality think its a brilliant concept, he’s got words for those who are sitting on the sidelines and not willing to work. Earlier this week John appeared on “TMZ Live” where he gave a lot of love to business owners who are hiring 14 and 15-year-olds, especially in the food industry. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-09-02-090221-daymond-john-1241245/ The Rolling Stones may have already found a replacement for drummer Charlies Watts, who died recently in the UK. The brother’s name is Steve Jordan. The 64-year-old had been filling in for Watts at the request of the former drummer and was meant to be temporary. Initially Jordan was supposed fill for the band’s 13-stop “Fno Filter” tour. It would’ve been the first time Watts was not with the band on tour since 1963. Authorities in Pennsylvania say the bullets that killed 8-year-old Fanta Bility and wounded her sister outside of a high school football game last week likely were fired by police officers responding to gunfire in their direction. In a statement, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office said that Friday’s tragic events outside Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill are still being investigated. However, “there is a high probability that the responsive gunfire of the Sharon Hill Police Officers struck four victims,” including Fanta and her sister. It was unclear how the other two victims were faring. The statement alleges the shooting happened moments after Academy Park High School’s victory over Pennsbury High School. The district attorney’s office said the incident began soon after there was alleged gunfire “in the direction of three Sharon Hill Police Officers” who were “monitoring the crowd” as the crowd left the game. The initial shot from the crowd allegedly struck a civilian, and the officers responded by firing their weapons. A Mississippi man freed after nearly 23 years in prison filed a lawsuit Friday against the district attorney who prosecuted him six times in the killings of four people at a small-town furniture store. Curtis Flowers was released in December 2019, about six months after the U.S. Supreme Court tossed out the conviction and death sentence from his sixth trial, which took place in 2010. Justices said prosecutors showed an unconstitutional pattern of excluding African American jurors in the trials of Flowers, who is Black. The lawsuit filed Friday also names as defendants three investigators who worked with Montgomery County District Attorney Doug Evans. The county is not named as a defendant. The suit says Evans and the investigators engaged in misconduct, including “pressuring witnesses to fabricate claims about seeing Mr. Flowers in particular locations on the day of the murders” and ignoring other possible suspects. The New Orleans Police Department is searching for a 911 operator after she allegedly “deliberately” hung up on callers. On Thursday, officials announced in a statement on Facebook that they have “obtained an arrest warrant for Precious Stephens on charges of malfeasance in office and interfering with an emergency communication.” The police department revealed the 911 operator was allegedly “disconnecting 911 calls deliberately without obtaining necessary emergency information or relaying such emergencies to the other dispatchers for aid” while working with the Orleans Parish Communications District. Officials say a report was taken on Aug. 23 and as of Thursday, Stephens still remained at large. The intercepted calls occurred during Stephens’ shifts on Aug. 20 and Aug. 21, police told NOLA.com in a statement. She was fired from her job and her superiors reported her to police, according to the outlet. Last month civil rights icon Rev. #JesseJackson and his wife #JacquelineJackson were hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. On Friday, their family provided an update on their condition through a statement. Jacqueline Jackson was released from Northwestern Memorial Hospital and sent home after battling the virus. However, Jesse Jackson is still at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab where he is receiving intensive occupational and physical therapy. Their son Jesse Jackson Jr. shared photos of Jesse Jackson Sr. while he is at the facility, and acknowledged that his father is now COVID negative as he continues his treatment. Our mother is leaving the Northwestern Memorial Hospital and coming home,” Jonathan Jackson said in a written statement. “Our family is grateful to God and the medical team that treated her and that is allowing her body to continue to heal from the Covid-19 virus.”The family’s statement continued to state, “We urge that you continue to keep them in your prayers. Larry Elder smiled the smug smile of a Black conservative who could very well be liberal California’s next governor. As longtime political consultant Kerman Maddox put it: “Larry Elder goes out of his way to be at odds with the leadership in the Black community and at odds with the thinking in the Black community.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CTaRfavFPCI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Funeral director Wayne Bright has seen grief piled upon grief as the more aggressive Delta variant of the coronavirus ravages through Florida. A woman died of the virus, and as her family was planning the funeral, her mother was also struck down. An aunt took over arrangements for the double funeral, only to die of COVID-19 herself two weeks afterward. ‘That was one of the most devastating things ever,’ said Bright, who runs Wilson Funeral Home in Tampa and arranged the funeral of one of his closest friends last week. Florida is in the grip of its deadliest wave of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, a disaster driven by the highly contagious delta variant. Cases have risen ten-fold in the state, from 16,000 in the week of June 25 to 151,000 in the week of August 20, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. Tampa’s Hillsborough County, where 63 percent of the population over 12 is vaccinated, has a case positivity rate of 17 percent for the week of August 27 to September 2, meaning that 17 percent of those tested were positive. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on Twitter that he and his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, have welcomed twins into their family. Pete Buttigieg shared a photo to Twitter of the couple holding the babies, named Penelope Rose and Joseph August. “Chasten and I are beyond thankful for all the kind wishes since first sharing the news that we’re becoming parents,” he said. “We are delighted to welcome Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg to our family.” The couple first announced in mid-August that they were going to become parents but didn’t share any further details at the time. According to The Washington Post, the pair had been trying to adopt a child for a year. Earlier this year, the couple almost adopted a baby from a mother in labor, but then the mother changed her mind about putting the child up for adoption. UNCENSORED: BEBE WINANS AIRS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 AT 10PM ET/9C ON TV ONE. BeBe Winans – With Consistent Love, He Explains How He “Broke A Chain of Hatred” For A Racist Co-Worker https://youtu.be/pKOyw7HW-A8 A batch of fentanyl-laced cocaine killed a comedian and two others, and left the ex-girlfriend of Darius Rucker in a Los Angeles hospital, a report said. Fuquan Johnson, writer for “Comedy Parlour Live,” died after overdosing at a Venice home Friday night, according to TMZ. Two other victims were pronounced dead at the scene, the outlet said. Comedian Kate Quigley, who lives next door to the house and recently dated the Hootie & the Blowfish singer, was hospitalized in critical condition, according to the report. The medical examiner will officially determine what killed Johnson, 42, and the other unnamed victims, but sources tell the outlet all four people were ingesting coke tainted with the super powerful opioid. As Dr. Dre and his ex-wife Nicole Young continue to finalize their divorce settlements, Dre has filed a lawsuit against her over claims she embezzled money. Per The Blast, Dre has alleged that Nicole Young stole money from the bank account of his ‘Recording One’ studio in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. The company 13849 Ventura, LLC was founded in 2015 for the purpose of operating the recording studio, and the documents state that Dre and Young were both listed as heads of “maintenance and control” of the business assets. Legal documents filed by Dre claim that she “decimated” the bank account of the business, withdrawing a total of $353,571.85 after the former couple started their divorce proceedings. While she has since had her access to the business revoked, the lawsuit asserts that Young “egregiously” breached her responsibilities as someone trusted to have access. She has been accused of “embezzling and stealing money from (the company’s) bank account, and using the money for her own, personal obligations.” A notable venture capitalist and board member at the public company behind iconic brands like The North Face and Timberland was dismissive of racism in the U.S. and called Black Lives Matter “the true racists,” according to emails obtained by Axios. Veronica Wu was a co-lead on a fund that it once described as the largest pool of money dedicated to seed startups. She’s also on the board of VF Corporation, one of the world’s biggest apparel companies. A spokesperson for VF Corp. declined to comment and would not comment on Wu’s behalf. Wu did not respond to emails. In June 2020, an office manager at Hone Capital notified Wu that the firm would honor Juneteenth as a company holiday, according to email exchanges reviewed by Axios. Wu responded that she didn’t know about the holiday, which commemorates when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation. After the office manager explained that — and noted other companies were honoring the day because of the country’s renewed focus on racism in the wake of George Floyd’s murder — Wu said she was “particularly not supportive.” “I don’t believe in Black Lives Matter. If anything I think they are the true racists trying to stir up things to make this country going [sic] to socialism or even communism potentially,” Wu wrote in part. Wu also said because the company was owned by CSC Group, the decision about making the day a company holiday wasn’t theirs to make. Jmmy Jam, one half of the legendary Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis production duo, is the brother-in-law of Kevin Garnett. Now, he’s appearing in films and as one of the most captivating storytellers among his post-NBA comrades. Most recently he starred in “Uncut Gems”, starring Adam Sandler. But, according to ILoveOldSchool.com, Garnett is paying $300,000 dollars a month in SPOUSAL support and $46,000 for the babies, 13 and 8 years old. Garnett and Brandi Padillia seemed solid from the outside looking in. They dated for several years before getting married back in 2004 … but obviously the relationship ran its course. Meanwhile, Jimmy Jam and wife Lisa Padilla (Brandi’s sister), are still together after almost 30 years. Mary J. Blige has been in this thing for a minute. Entertainment loves MJB and the Grammy-winner is looking to build on her Oscar-nominated for performance in “Mudbound.” That was only the beginning. However, these days Mary revealed to InStyle magazine via MadameNoire that she’s mostly been in chill-mode. “I’m cool with being still. That’s the thing about me. I know how to just sit,” the 50-year-old Grammy-award-winning artist told InStyle during an interview. https://youtu.be/6C3wlw8WA0A Earlier this year, Anita Baker asked fans not to stream her music due to an ongoing battle of ownership with her label. But on Friday (9/3), the legendary singer gave fans the green light to start streaming again as she apparently resolved the issue. In addition to a photo with her five studio albums, she tweeted, “All My Children Are Coming Home. Impossible Things Happen… Every. Single. Day. Gratefully.” She also told one fan who asked if they were “in the clear” “Yes children, stream on” IZIPHO SOUL are extremely proud to announce our continued partnership with the legendary Rena Scott! Rena delved into her musical vault and retrieved a song which we are thrilled to release on a vinyl 45. “You’re So Far Away” is a tale of the frustrations of a long distance love affair and Rena’s sensuous vocals over this thumping dance tune will surely rattle your woofers! https://youtu.be/ZV3cQNMlXtE Kenneth Petty’s rape victim, Jennifer Hough, has revealed that an associate of his and Nicki Minaj has allegedly threatened her with guns and a disturbing message. Hough said in a new claim against the couple that one of their associates left a disturbing message on her Instagram direct messages and she shortly contacted police after receiving it as reported by The Jasmine Brand. Back in August, Hough filed a lawsuit claiming Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty have been allegedly harassing her after Petty was arrested in California for failing to register as a sex offender once he moved to the state. Crank Lucas can make you laugh and dance at the same time. The Washington, D.C., content creator, who got his start doing comedic rap parodies, is now an established artist and producer. Recently, he started doing videos of viral internet video moments. Amassing 668,000 subscribers on YouTube, Lucas’ brand was elevated when he received his first producer credit on Joyner Lucas’ “Will” track, a song dedicated to legendary rapper/actor Will Smith. Later, Smith remade the song over Lucas’ beat. He recently released a new single, “Up Up,” featuring Ethan Spalding. It’s the perfect upbeat party anthem needed to counter the somber pandemic years of 2019 and 2020. The U.S. is heading into Labor Day weekend with just over four times as many Covid-19 cases and more than twice as many hospitalizations as at this time last year — despite having vaccinated 62% of the American population with at least one dose. The U.S. and the world are nowhere near where health officials hoped, and thought, we would be 20 months into the pandemic — and more than eight months after vaccines that boasted efficacy rates around 95% were rolled out. Though the outbreak is significantly worse by most measures than 2020, setting the U.S. up for a tough fall season, the delta variant, vaccines and open schools make it hard to predict how the pandemic will unfold, doctors and scientists say. “There is a lot more uncertainty right now. The dynamic interplay between variants and vaccine and particularly people unvaccinated, and the sort of game changer of the delta variant leads to a lot of uncertainty in terms of what the fall holds,” said Dr. Barbara Taylor, an assistant dean and infectious disease specialist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The Delta variant has dramatically changed what we once thought was true about the coronavirus. While vaccinated people continue to enjoy much greater protection from infection or serious COVID-19 illness than the unvaccinated, it’s now clear that even those who have gotten their shots can still contract and spread the virus. “One thing is for sure: Vaccinated people can get infected, and they can transmit to other vaccinated people,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday. “Vax-on-vax transmission has happened.” Health officials stress the risk of that happening is much lower than transmission among the unvaccinated, and that the vaccines are effective at staving off the worst health impacts of COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday said U.S. public health officials are “keeping a very close eye” on a new variant of Covid-19 that was first detected in Colombia. Known as B.1.621 or the “Mu variant” according to the World Health Organization nomenclature, it has “a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape,” according to a WHO report released on Monday. “Preliminary data presented to the Virus Evolution Working Group show a reduction in neutralization capacity of convalescent and vaccine sera similar to that seen for the Beta variant, but this needs to be confirmed by further studies.” Today, he Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced the Mu variant, for the first time, has been identified in the region. The numbers are still small; Only 167 Mu variants have been identified in L.A. County thus far. “These specimens were sequenced between June 19 and Augusts 21, with the majority of Mu specimens sequenced in July,” according to a statement from county public health officials. After losing in the third round at the US Open on Friday night, a tearful Naomi Osaka said she wasn’t sure when she will next play a competitive tennis match and will be taking an indefinite break from the sport. In a news conference following the 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4 loss to Leylah Fernandez, Osaka told reporters the sport was no longer bringing her joy. “I feel like for me recently, like, when I win, I don’t feel happy,” Osaka said. “I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don’t think that’s normal.” Osaka, 23, began to cry and the moderator attempted to end the media session, but she said she wanted to continue. “Basically I feel like I’m kind of at this point where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match,” Osaka said. “I think I’m going to take a break from playing for a while.” The news conference was then abruptly finished. https://youtu.be/YHxuYRRYVAY Everyone knows George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, but have you heard the little-known tragic story of Dontrell Stephens? His death this past Sunday draws attention to the lengths some law enforcement officials will go to deter justice, even if it involves an innocent man who was shot and paralyzed by police and prevented from collecting on a $22 million settlement. On Sept. 13, 2013, Dontrell Stephens then-20-year-old was pulled over by Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Adam Lin for a bicycle infraction. Lin got out of his patrol car and within four seconds started shooting at Stephens, who had stepped off his bike with his cellphone in his hand. Stephens complied, but Officer Lin mistook Stephens’ cellphone for a gun and shot at him four times, hitting him once, severing his spinal cord, and leaving him paralyzed. Stephens was unarmed during the entire altercation. Despite the efforts to discredit Stephens, he was ultimately awarded $4.5 million in a trust fund and $1.5 million towards outstanding unpaid medical bills; a far cry from the $22 million he won in federal court. Dontrell Stephens was finally victorious in his fight with the Palm Beach County Police, but it took a serious toll on his body. Stephens, who never walked again died a year after Gov. Ron DeSantis approved his settlement. Buffalo Mayor Myron Brown doesn’t know when to quit. A Trump-appointed judge sided with Brown’s supporters in a recent federal court lawsuit demanding their candidate’s name appear on the November ballot. Local news reported that U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. ordered the Erie County Board of Elections to add Brown’s name to the general election ballot as an independent candidate despite the May deadline. Sinatra determined it posed an undue burden on voters like the plaintiffs not to have their candidate on the ballot. Except Brown has already been on the ballot, and arguably his supporters had an opportunity to vote for him in the June Democratic primary. After the surprising upset by India Walton in the June Primary, the four-term incumbent launched a write-in campaign. Walton received the official endorsement of the Erie County Democratic Party in late August. She announced her plans to appeal the decision. Members of the QAnon cult were involved in the Jan. 6, riot at the U.S. Capitol. According to the Washington Post, a 42-year-old Des Moines man Douglas Jensen was rearrested Thursday after a court supervision officer caught him alone in his garage streaming some right-wing nonsense on his phone. Jensen—who was filmed during the rebellion chasing after hero U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman up two flights of stairs inside the Capitol building while looking for the Senate chamber because he thought members of Congress were going to be arrested. A wrongfully accused Philadelphia man, Curtis Crosland, has been freed after spending more than three decades in prison. He was accused of murdering a man and had been serving time for years until his case was reviewed. He has since been reunited with his fiancée, five kids, and 32 grandkids. Speaking about his newfound freedom, Crosland expressed joy and happiness for finally being heard after “constantly knocking on the door.” Crosland also opened up about how he feels about being with his family, who welcomed him back with open arms. He is glad to still be a father, happy to be wanted and desired by his fiancée. Crosland’s conviction was initially based on testimony from two witnesses who later recanted their statements. The unfair ruling was overturned in June thanks to months of grueling work done by the Philadelphia Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU). In yet another indication that Black America was being left behind by the country’s economic recovery, the jobs report for August showed that the Black unemployment rate last month surged while joblessness for every other group fell. he rising Black unemployment rate nearly wiped out the notable hiring in July, when the jobs report showed that same rate falling a full percentage point. But, as of Friday, the Black unemployment rate stood at 8.8%, evidence that it was trending in the wrong direction following rates of 8.2% in July and 9.2% in June. Meanwhile, the white unemployment rate dropped 0.3% to 4.5%; the Asian unemployment rate dropped 0.7% to 4.6%; and the unemployment rate for Hispanic and Latino workers fell 0.2% to 6.4%. England attacker Raheem Sterling was pelted with cups by Hungary fans who reportedly shouted racist chants at him after he scored the opening goal in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Budapest on Thursday. Sterling opened the scoring in the second half, putting England up 1-0 with a beautiful, simple finish. As he celebrated his goal, Sterling tore off his jersey to reveal a tribute to Steffie Gregg, a 26-year-old Twitch streamer who died from COVID-19 complications earlier in the week. As he celebrated, he was pelted with cups from the crowd. ITV journalist Gabriel Clarke also reported that fans made monkey sounds and gestures at Sterling and 18-year-old England player Jude Bellingham during the match. Former NFL wide receiver David Patten, who won three Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots, was killed in a motorcycle crash Thursday outside Columbia, South Carolina, according to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford. He was 47. According to South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Nick Pye, a motorcycle driver — identified by the coroner as Patten — crossed the median, causing a crash involving two other cars. One of the cars’ drivers was also taken to a hospital with undisclosed injuries. The crash remains under investigation by the highway patrol and the coroner. “I am heartbroken by the news of David’s passing,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “He was a devout Christian who followed his passion following his football career and founded his own ministry. David transitioned from an undersized and understated wide receiver to a powerful and passionate preacher. In New England, he will always be remembered as a three-time Super Bowl Champion.” An 18-year-old boxer is dead after she was knocked unconscious during a match this weekend at IGA Stadium in Montreal. Jeanette Zacarias Zapata sustained injuries to her brain while fighting Canada’s Marie-Pier Houle on Saturday night, according to the Associated Press. Footage from the match showed the 18-year-old Mexican boxer being hit with a flurry of punches near the end of the fourth round, and Zapata appeared to convulse after 31-year-old Houle landed an uppercut that caused her mouthguard to fly out. Zapata was attended to by her partner and trainer, Jovanni Martinez, and a medical team at the stadium took her to a local hospital where she was placed in a medically induced coma, the AP reported. Her death was announced by event promoter Groupe Yvon Michel in a statement on Thursday night. “It is with great sadness and torment that we have learned, from a representative of her family, that Jeannette Zacarias Zapata passed away this afternoon at 3:45 p.m.,” the statement read. Oscar De La Hoya has withdrawn from his upcoming comeback fight after being hospitalized with COVID-19. The 48-year-old revealed his diagnosis on Friday – eight days before he was scheduled to step into the ring to take on former UFC champion Vitor Belfort at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. De La Hoya announced he had contracted the coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated. He shared a video to Twitter from his hospital bed accompanied by a caption which read: ‘I wanted you to hear directly from me that despite being fully vaccinated, I have contracted COVID and am not going to be able to fight next weekend. ‘Preparing for this comeback has been everything to me over the last months, & I want to thank everyone for their tremendous support.’ He added: ‘I am currently in the hospital getting treatment and am confident I will be back in the ring before the year is up. God bless everyone and stay safe.’ Loretta Devine got real on last Sunday’s episode of the autobiographical series “Uncensored,” which aired on TV One. Devine has over 166 credits under her belt and has carved out a career under the guise of mainstream Hollywood approval, which can be quite harsh for a Black woman. https://youtu.be/gkrI37Xvtfg “The Wood” is being remade into a pilot for a new comedy series on Showtime. The pilot itself will be on sister network Paramount Television Studios. Rick Famuyiwa will direct the pilot as well as executive produce the series, while Justin Hillian will write and co-executive produce. https://youtu.be/1GU-D64mVe8 Marvel Studios‘ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” is high on octane. It is not only an awesome display of skill and visuals but shows the importance of roots. No truer words could be spoken by Shang-Chi’s mother, Li (Fala Chen), than those about family: “You are a product of all who came before you.” Sounds familiar? T’Chala (Chadwick Boesman) is a product of his ancestral past. Africa is “the cradle of civilization,” and even though slaves snatched from their homelands were brutalized and sometimes killed if they tried to read, still they rose. [“Still I Rise,” Maya Angelou] https://youtu.be/giWIr7U1deA Former NFL player Akbar Gbajabiamila has joined “The Talk” for season 12 as new host of the Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show, with Sheryl Underwood, Amanda Kloots and Jerry O’Connell. The new season kicks off Monday, Sept. 13. Gbajabiamila appeared as a guest co-host on multiple episodes in June and July. “It’s a new day in daytime for season 12 of THE TALK, and we are thrilled to welcome Akbar to the family. His engaging personality, openness and quick wit really impressed us when he appeared as a guest co-host last season,” said Heather Gray, executive producer and showrunner of THE TALK. Paramount+ is reviving “The Game.“ Tuesday, during the Television Critics Association virtual presentation, production announced two new cast members, Tim Daly (“Madam Secretary”), who will play Colonel Ulysses S. Thatcher, a self-made billionaire, and Toby Sandeman (“Power Book III: Raising Kanan”), who will play Garret Evans, the top football player in the league. The groundbreaking series is bring back Wendy Raquel Robinson (as sports agent Tasha Mack); Hosea Chanchez (as footballer Malik Wright); Brittany Daniel (Kelly Pitts) and Pooch Hall (Derwin Davis) will make special guest appearances. Fans of the hit show, Sistas, are calling out Tyler Perry for the cast’s wigs, and he has a response to the criticism. The BET series, which is currently on hiatus until October, has received tons of negative criticism on social media due to the wigs the actors wear. But Tyler Perry has had enough of the negativity. On an episode of The Tyler Perry Show: After-Show Edition, Tyler Perry said, “I want all of y’all to stop talking about hair to me, please.” He continued, “I swear to you, these are the things I can do – I can run a company, I can build a house, I can go on stage. I do all of this stuff. I know what I do. I don’t know how to do hair. I don’t know nothing about it.” Perry said he hires people to handle wigs and styling for his movies and shows and believes they are doing a good job. He added, “I hire people to do hair. Pay them $65 an hour. You heard that right, $65 an hour. They work 10 to 12 hours a day to make sure the hair is right. That’s their job, so I’m paying them to do their job and they’re doing that. They’re doing a great job.” “I’ve been doing music all my life…an instrumentalist at 7,” said multi-talented performer Jahna Sebastian when I commented on her many skills (singer, songwriter, musician, engineer, videographer, and record label owner). “It came naturally…though I did have some training as well. Learning is a part of life, there is always something to learn. I learned to read music…classical music…and also drawing and painting at 11. Then I decided to make music my main art.” https://youtu.be/Tx2tiAN8smQ According to TMZ, Kodak personally delivered AC units to the housing project to help folks beat the sweltering Florida heat back in July. Now the Housing Authority issued a cease and desist letter last month, which accused Kodak of entering the property twice, causing “disturbances.” The Housing Authority reportedly claimed the rapper caused a disruption by shooting a music video on the property and playing loud music. “Your actions have adversely impacted the Property’s residents’ right to peacefully enjoy the property,” The Housing Authority said. Bradford Cohen, Kodak’s lawyer hit back with a letter saying it was not only sad but also shameful they “wish to stop the assistance to the elderly and underprivileged during a heat wave and 2 year pandemic.” Cohen also noted that Kodak did NOT film any music videos. All there was just some background music that was not loud at all. The new season of WE tv’s “Life After Lockup” has kicked off and we have an exclusive clip of TONIGHT’s all-new episode! https://youtu.be/PZTyJxcxoPg The $5.5 million Atlanta home of Cardi B and Offset fell victim to Hurricane Ida as it traveled through Georgia earlier this week. “Storm is no joke,” the rapper, 28, captioned a video on her Instagram Story Wednesday in which she panned over her wood floors to show that they were covered in water. “This is so f–king wack,” she said she filmed. Cardi showed that her bathroom had been flooded with water, too, before shouting, “Oh, my God, it’s starting to stink.” https://youtu.be/FzF8fMW_tFo #Texans are now able to legally carry guns in public without a permit or training.? Texas has just passed a gun law that would enable a person who is not trained and not licensed with a permit to publicly carry a firearm, despite the rise in gun violence incidents in the state.? According to #CNN, shootings in the state have risen by 14 percent in 2021, with 3,200 more shootings than in 2020. Gun violence has increased by 50 percent in the entire country.? “In Texas, repealing the permit altogether is a radical change,” said Andrew Karwoski, a policy expert at Everytown for Gun Safety. “Just allowing almost anyone to carry a handgun in public, no questions asked, no background check or safety training, is really dangerous.”? A Russian sushi delivery chain was forced to remove ads featuring a Black man after receiving death threats. Yobidoyobi, which has stores in 65 Russian cities, issued an apology on its social media accounts. Per CBS News, the restaurant’s owner Konstantin Zimen said he was bombarded by death threats from a nationalist hate group over the advertisement. The ad features a Black male model surrounded by three white women eating sushi. Zimen said the attacks came from the hate group “Male State.” The movement’s leader, Vladislav Pozdnyakov, previously threatened Russian women with biracial children, LGBTQ and feminist activists, per the report. If last week was about getting new Allen head coach Chad Morris settled into the new gig, then Week 2 was about getting a hard crash course in the expectations that come along with the job. Not that the former SEC coach needed it, but it came anyway as Allen snapped its 84-game regular season winning streak and dropped its first game at home since building Eagle Stadium. It was a 41-20 loss to the seventh ranked team in the state, Humble Atascocita. But a regular season loss at Allen matters regardless of the opponent. “It’s what everyone is talking about. As long you play a game out there, there is probably going to be a game lost out there on the home field,” Morris said. “We had an unbelievable streak going. Do I read too much into it? Look, I hate every game we lose regardless of the streak.” Allen saw the game unravel steadily from the second quarter on. After holding a 10-point lead in the second quarter on a Mike Hawkins 41-yard touchdown pass to Steven Gorski, Atascocita scored 27 unanswered points. A former Georgia prosecutor was indicted Thursday on misconduct charges alleging she used her position to shield the men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery from being charged with crimes immediately after the shootings. A grand jury in coastal Glynn County indicted former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson on charges of violating her oath of office and hindering a law enforcement officer. Arbery was killed on February 23, 2020, after a white father and son, Greg and Travis McMichael, armed themselves and pursued the 25-year-old Black man in a pickup truck after spotting him running in their neighborhood outside the coastal city of Brunswick. A neighbor, William ‘Roddie’ Bryan joined the chase and took cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at close range with a shotgun. The McMichaels said they believed Arbery was a burglar and that he was shot after attacking Travis McMichael with his fists. Police did not charge any of them immediately following the shooting, and the McMichaels and Bryan remained free for more than two months until the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case. All three were charged with murder in May 2020 and face trial this fall. Travis McMichael, his father Greg McMichael and a neighbor, Roddie Bryan, the three white supremacists charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery, are scheduled to stand trial in Brunswick on Oct. 18. Arbery, 25, was called a ““F–king n—-r” by his killer as he lay dying on the pavement after being fatally shot while allegedly jogging through his Georgia neighborhood on February 23, 2020. As reported by the Atlanta Constitution Journal, Arbery had a history of thefts, obstruction, illegal gun possession and entering into homes and businesses, said Jason Sheffield, one of Travis’ lawyers. “Why the judge would now decide that all of his prior motives, his intent, his plan to do these things is not relevant in this case is baffling.” Sheffield added that the jury “will be denied the truth.” Ahmaud’s killers have been indicted on 9 charges, including malicious murder. MSNBC anchor Geoff Bennett had to pause to collect himself Wednesday while reading the last words of Elijah McClain, whose killing in 2019 led to grand jury indictments handed down earlier in the day against police and paramedics in Aurora, Colo. During a segment on “MSNBC Reports,” Bennett discussed McClain’s case with former federal prosecutor Paul Butler and criminal defense attorney David Henderson. He said police shouldn’t have stopped McClain at all, let alone pin him to the ground in a choke hold and deliver a powerful dose of ketamine. “This kid was 5’6" and weighed 140 pounds and they gave him enough sedative that you would give to someone who weighed 220 pounds,” Bennett said. “And his final words are haunting and tragic.” Bennett began to choke up while reading McClain’s final words to officers and paramedics, reciting: “I can’t breathe. I have my ID right here. My name is Elijah McClain. That’s my house. I was just going home. I’m an introvert. I’m just different. That’s all. I’m so sorry. I have no gun. I don’t do that stuff. I don’t do any fighting. Why are you attacking me?” After reading McClain’s words, a visibly teary Bennett asked both Butler and Henderson: “If Elijah McClain isn’t safe, who is?” https://twitter.com/i/status/1433143605795905537 TikTok user @uhdezuh posted a now-deleted clip posted on August 25 of a Verizon Wireless employee talking to her over the phone about slavery and human trafficking. “If she didn’t have my account right in front of her, I would have just hung up,” wrote @uhdezuh in the overlay text on the video. “Slaves have been around since Egypt’s days, Mayan and Incan days,” the employee tells @uhdezuh, as reported by The Daily Dot. “The Aztecs used to enslave the Mayans.” The employee then tells @uhdezuh that the movie “Taken” starring Liam Neeson is “more true than people realize.” “Girls are kidnapped to be sex slaves,” the employee continues. In a follow-up video, @uhdezuh explained that the conversation kicked off when she told the employee she “liked her name,” that’s when the Verizon worker noted that her mother, who chose her name, has an extensive collection of Disney movies. The staffer also explained that her mother is missing one Disney title from her collection, “Song of the South.” “Disney stopped releasing it because it was racist,” the worker said. @uhdezuh asked if she agreed with Disney pulling the movie. The Verizon employee said “slavery is part of our history,” and that it has “happened in other places” outside the U.S., and that there are “white slaves currently.” White House press secretary Jen Psaki questioned by a male Catholic TV reporter on how President Biden squares his abortion views with his faith, telling him: ‘I know you’ve never been pregnant.’ ‘Why does the President support abortion when his own catholic faith teaches it is morally wrong?’ Owen Jensen, reporter for Catholic television network EWTN, asked the press secretary on Thursday afternoon.‘He believes it’s a woman’s right, it’s a woman’s body and it’s her choice. It’s up to a woman to make those decisions and a woman’s decision to make with her doctor.’ https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/09/02/1534744602154517482/636x382_MP4_1534744602154517482.mp4 The wife of Texas gubernatorial candidate Allen West has been cleared of DWI charges following her arrest last month after being pulled over with her three-month-old grandchild in the car. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said toxicology test concluded Angela Graham-West, 61, had no traces of drugs or alcohol in her system and would not pursue the DWI case against her. Her attorney George Milner thanked the District Attorney for rejecting the case after viewing the results. ‘We sincerely appreciate District Attorney John Creuzot’s diligence in this matter,’ Milner said in a statement. ‘This is the right result, and we appreciate that honest justice was swift.’ Graham-West’s husband, who at the time of the arrest was ‘beyond livid’, said he wants police to release the entirety of the body cam footage from the night of his wife’s arrest as well as an apology. A white woman was charged with causing a disturbance after a TikTok video of her hurling racist insults at a family as she whipped around on her motorized scooter went viral. Rabia Zamir was with her family at a park in Canada’s Port Perry when the woman rolled up. Zamir began recording, as she drove around her family and other South Asian people at the park, yelling racist slurs at them. In the three minutes of footage she posted on TikTok, the woman shouts at Zamir, telling her to get out of her way and stop speaking her language. “I’m the Canadian here,” she screamed, as she drove around in circles. “I’ll f—–g speak my language, but f–k you and yours!” Zamir, who is eight months pregnant, wrote that she couldn’t ignore the woman if she tried because she was “driving super-fast back and forth” around her and “posed a risk.” The woman also drove up to Zamir’s husband, who was holding their daughter, and continued her racist barking. https://www.tiktok.com/@_rabioli/video/6997559435086384390?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurweb.com%2F&referer_video_id=6997559435086384390&refer=embed Ricky Texada, beloved senior pastor at Covenant Church in North Texas, died Monday at the age of 57 from COVID-19. Texada had been a pastor at the church since 1997. He served at the Colleyville campus until about a year ago, when he moved to the main campus in Carrollton. Texada’s family declined to say whether he was vaccinated or not, but said he had been hospitalized since Aug. 10. Covenant Church will host a viewing ceremony Friday and a service for Texada on Saturday at the Carrollton campus. The viewing will be from 1-4 p.m. Friday, and the service will start at 11 a.m. Saturday, according to the church’s social media pages. On Wednesday (09-01-21), according to Candace Owens, a private facility in Colorado refused to test her for COVID. Owens posted a screenshot on Twitter of what she said was an email from a Rocky Mountain Labs practitioner: “I’ve just learned of this testing request and as the owner of this business am going to refuse this booking and deny service. We cannot support anyone who has pro-actively worked to make this pandemic worse by spreading misinformation, politicizing and DISCOURAGING the wearing of masks and actively dissuading people from receiving life-saving vaccinations.” “My team and myself have worked overtime, to exhaustion, unpaid and underpaid this past year, spending our own capital to ensure that our community remains protected,” said the screenshotted email. “It would be unfair to them and to the sacrifices we have all made this year to serve you.” Tim Tebow will be joining ESPN’s “First Take” as one of Stephen A. Smith’s new debate foes, the network announced Thursday. The former Heisman Trophy winner will go head-to-head with Smith on Fridays, while Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin will co-host the show with Smith on Mondays. The other days will feature a rotation of ESPN personalities, which includes Mina Kimes and Kendrick Perkins, duking it out with Smith. Molly Qerim will remain on the show as a moderator. The Cowboys have added a quarterback to their roster. Dallas claimed Will Grier, a 2019 third-round draft selection by the Panthers, off waivers on Wednesday. The move came after Dallas cut two quarterbacks Tuesday: veteran journeyman Garrett Gilbert and 2020 seventh-rounder Ben DiNucci, the latter rejoining the team’s practice squad Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the move told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss personnel moves that were not yet official. Cooper Rush remained on the roster as Dak Prescott’s presumed backup—a role Rush held while with the Cowboys from 2017-19. The Cowboys valued Rush’s familiarity with coordinator Kellen Moore’s scheme, an emphasis that could still secure his spot as their second quarterback for the team’s Sept. 9 season opener at Tampa Bay. After a run of prison sentences that spanned two decades — brought on by a gambling addiction that led to financial fraud, theft and shattered an NFL dream — former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Art Schlichter has been released from prison. Court records show Schlichter, 61, became eligible for parole June 13 and was released from the Trumbull Correctional Institution in Leavittsburg, Ohio, the next day. He was serving time for federal fraud charges related to a massive ticket scheme that bilked millions of dollars from his victims. Schlichter’s status is listed by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction as “APA Supervision” for the next five years. That means Schlichter will be supervised by the Adult Parole Authority in Ohio, responsible for adult felony offenders returning to the community. As part of his parole, Schlichter was required to sign a contract agreeing to a number of rules, including not to own guns, use illegal drugs or leave the state without notifying his parole officer. There was nothing in the contract stating that Schlichter cannot gamble. Apple TV+ true crime anthology series “Truth Be Told,” out Friday, September 3. Per press release, the sophomore season of “Truth Be Told” debuted exclusively on Apple TV+ on August 20. The NAACP Image Award-winning drama from acclaimed writer, showrunner and executive producer Nichelle Tramble Spellman, stars executive producer, Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer, along with Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson who joins the second season for her first lead role in a television series. The 10-episode season, which provides a glimpse into America’s obsession with true crime podcasts, returned with the first episode, with new episodes premiering every Friday through October 22. https://youtu.be/dhVd2e0-yFA The return of HAMILTON to the Hollywood Pantages is a welcome reset to nightlife normalcy, sans the fact that delighted audience members must wear masks. Normalcy might not ever be the same and neither will American theater thanks to HAMILTON. The realization that this story can be told with such swag is still intoxicating. Outstanding performance recognition in the LA Company goes to Jamael Westman (Alexander Hamilton), Joanna A. Jones (Eliza Schuyler Hamilton), Nicholas Christopher (Aaron Burr), Sabrina Sloan (Angelica Schuyler), Carvens Lissaint (George Washington), Simon Longnight (Lafayette & Thomas Jefferson) and Taylor Iman Jones (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds). HAMILTON is a production, a performance, a movement and an artistic city within itself. Let not the moment pass, when any moment presents an opportunity to see HAMILTON. It will seep into your very soul. https://youtu.be/iRh-kIGUAPI He’s eagerly awaiting a brand new addition. And Lil Nas X stroked a fake baby bump while announcing he’s ‘pregnant’ with his debut studio album on TikTok. The 22-year-old musician joked that ‘baby Montero is due September 17, 2021’ as he cradled a prosthetic belly while smiling for the camera. Lil Nas — who’s full name is Montero Lamar Hill — stood shirtless in the bathroom for the quick clip shared on social media. ‘I have an announcement,’ he wrote with a slew of celebratory emojis.’ The Old Town Road singer stepped back to show off his growing baby bump as he announced the release date for his first catalog of hits. #HoneyBooBoo, 16, revealed that she is dating a 20-year-old (Black) college student, leaving fans side-eyeing the relationship.? According to a source close to the 16-year-old reality star, whose real name is #AlanaThompson, she has been dating #DralinCarswell for the past six months. The insider claims that the two are “attached at the hip.” Despite the age difference, Thompson’s family approves of the relationship.? Back in March, Carswell changed his Facebook status to “in a relationship.” A private Facebook page for Thompson previously showed a cover photo of the couple together, but it has since been changed.? Despite the couple residing in Georgia, where the legal age of consent is 16, social media slammed the relationship. Fans called for her sister and legal guardian, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon, to intervene. One Twitter user wrote, “Someone arrest honey boo boo boyfriend.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CTU3ZZttigA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Black News Channel (BNC), the nation’s fastest growing news network, announces the launch of BNC GO, an all-new streaming product that will host a slate of unique, all-original content separate from its linear programming offerings. BNC GO is tailored to suit the interests, active lifestyles and consumption patterns of Millennial and Gen Z audiences. Beginning September 13, BNC GO will bring together the latest action, trends and leading voices in the Black community, featuring influencers at the forefront of culture, business, entertainment, travel, food, fashion, sports and finance. BNC GO launches on more than 200 million internet-connected devices via agreements with Amazon Fire TV, Pluto, Roku, Tubi, Samsung, Vizio and more. BNC GO will stream 24/7 and deliver 18 hours of original content every weekday from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. ET. The all-new product provides a dynamic rundown of trending news, interviews with special guests, branded segments and live shots from the hottest events. A solution has been created – The One Club For Creativity. One Club is a non-profit organization recognizing creative excellence in advertising and design. They recently, announced two initiatives to bring awareness to the lack of diversity in advertising. ONE School, a free, online portfolio school with a mission to close the gap for Black creatives within the Advertising space – an industry known for profiting off of Black culture. This initiative recognizes the unconscious bias in the recruiting process and how unaffordable the top portfolio schools – some two year programs can cost up to $40,000. Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Adrienne L. Lucas, is pushing for change as she spearheads the “Where Are All The Black People” initiative. And Dominique Wynne is making history as the first Black woman to become the Head of Atlanta’s One School. Some of your favorites Quartet legends stop by In the Spotlight tonight to celebrate the late great Lee Williams who went home to be with the Lord this week. We have them all together tonight. Harvey Watkins, Jr., Pastor Luther Barnes, Keith Wonderboy Johnson, Lil Roy, Tiffanie Tutu Agee and Pastor Tim Rogers. Going down 7pm ET/6pm CT and you can catch all of the action at: https://www.youtube.com/user/mrkerrydouglas Acclaimed singer Stephanie Summers, releases the new single “Mighty Strong God,” available now at digital music providers. Summers - whose powerful performances garnered top honors as the BET “Sunday Best” Season 10 winner on the hit Gospel competition - has also launched the new track as the first single out to Gospel radio. Showcasing Stephanie Summers’ bright vocal artistry, “Mighty Strong God” creates a buoyant anthem celebrating God’s mighty strength and enduring presence to hold and help us through any personal difficulties. Produced by J.J. Hairston, who is featured on the new song, “Mighty Strong God” is also co-written by Hairston and Kentrell Ragin. The single is the title track to her upcoming full-length album Mighty Strong God, which is slated for release on Friday, October 22nd, 2021. https://StephanieSummers.lnk.to/MightyStrongGodSingle!WW DOE TEAMS UP WITH MATT MAHER. THE BIBLE ENCOURAGES US TO MAKE A "JOYFUL NOISE" AND THAT IS JUST WHAT WE ARE DOING! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oi1G68Iyak "WONDER" BY TRAVIS GREENE, “When my soul looks back and wonders, now I know, it was nobody, nobody but You.” Travis Greene sums it up perfectly. Get caught up in this snippet of “Wonder.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CTGOIWtD6Jh/ Jekalyn Carr releases a brand new single, “My Portion,” with WayNorth Music. The steady and vibrant mid-tempo song, available now, is amplified with Carr’s signature dynamic vocals and reminds us of the Promises of God. “I love the good message of ‘My Portion,’” said Carr. “This song was written so that people can understand what is rightfully theirs and how they must embrace this place. We often don’t understand the true word of God over our lives, and with this song I wanted to remind us that God has already spoken His promises to every person.” https://song.link/OrderMyPortion New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have been hit by severe flooding and dangerous winds as the remnants of Hurricane Ida sweep up to the northeast. The National Weather Service’s office in New York issued a Flash Flood Emergency for New York City for the first time ever, as more than 60 million people throughout the northeast are under flash flood watches while Ida – now a tropical depression – moves its way into the area. ‘This particular warning for NYC is the second time we’ve ever issued a Flash Flood Emergency. (It’s the first one for NYC). The first time we’ve issued a Flash Flood Emergency was for Northeast New Jersey an hour ago,’ the agency tweeted, referring to the highest level flood warning – indicating immediate and significant threats to life and property. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/09/02/1783121981153392162/636x382_MP4_1783121981153392162.mp4 It t looks like the angry white man who charged towards MSNBC correspondent Shaquille Brewster and interrupted his live broadcast on Hurricane Ida from Mississippi is also charging head-first into the consequences of his own actions. The white man in the white pickup was identified Monday by the Gulfport Police Department and, on Tuesday, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Surprising to nobody who is familiar with the thuggery of Caucasians hopped up on their own entitlement, it turns out the man has a criminal past—and it’s as wild as his attack was. According to NBC News, 54-year-old Benjamin Eugene Dagley will be charged with two counts of simple assault, one count of disturbing the peace and one count of violating an emergency curfew. The Wooster, Ohio, resident might also be in violation of the terms of his probation in Cuyahoga County if he wasn’t permitted to travel some 1,000 miles from his home, according to the police. https://twitter.com/i/status/1432880637208236032 Black man was arrested by federal law enforcement and charged for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots in what may be the first non-white person being held accountable for the violent insurrection that left five people dead. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Uliyahu Hayah was arrested on Aug. 26 specifically for allegedly assaulting an officer with the Capitol Police Department. Much like the parade of hundreds of other accused Capitol rioters, Hayah was first spotted on video surveillance footage from inside and around the Capitol before he was ultimately identified, arrested and charged. The hit true crime docu-series ATL HOMICIDE airs on Labor Day, Monday, September 6 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. The explosive season finale focuses on Charles Boyer who becomes an unfortunate victim of a string of gang-committed murders happening all across the city. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CYF84kUn-8 According to NBC News, at least 20 people were killed Wednesday night as remnants of Hurricane Ida hit New York and New Jersey with tornadoes, record rain, and extreme flooding. Videos online showed the results of the storm ripping through different parts of the East Coast. Sadly, four women, three men, and a 2-year-old boy died in five separate flooding incidents in the city, police said. Over in Passaic, New Jersey, firefighters recovered a body from a vehicle that went underwater when it was caught in floodwaters near the Passaic River, the town’s mayor said. A spokesperson for Mayor Christian Bollwage also confirmed to NBC News Thursday that in Elizabeth, New Jersey, five residents at the Oakwood Plaza Apartments complex died. https://www.instagram.com/p/CTUpPJ5nSSX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Black educator in Texas has been suspended amid controversy over a photo of his white wife. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield penned a lengthy Facebook message last month in which he detailed the day the district asked him to remove an intimate photo from his private Facebook page of James and his white wife. He is also catching heat from colleagues and parents for teaching critical race theory, which unpacks the root causes of racism and inequality in America. In his August post, Whitfield recalled a phone call he received on June 27, 2019, about an anniversary photo of him and his wife that he shared on social media. hitfield reluctantly obliged when the administrator asked him to take down the photo, which showed him and his wife, Kerrie, in an intimate pose on the beach. https://youtu.be/ybCr-OXGYoI Shondaland Audio has teamed with spiritual life coach Iyanla Vanzant on a new weekly podcast series set to launch in early 2022. Hosted by Vanzant, The R Spot will offer listeners an opportunity to engage in conversations that will examine, explore, dissect and investigate relationship issues, before and after a crisis, all under the guidance of Vanzant. Topics are not limited only to romantic relationships, rather relationships of all kinds and its commonly-experienced challenges. Listeners will be able to submit their relationship questions directly to Vanzant for the chance to have it featured and addressed in an upcoming episode. https://www.instagram.com/iyanlavanzant/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c83ae223-68e2-41b3-b19a-2b66dcb95ab6 Director Roland Emmerich is back with yet another disaster film, following “The Day After Tomorrow” and “Independence Day,” now get ready for “Moonfall.” The sci-fi apocalyptic film stars Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, Michael Peña, John Bradley and Donald Sutherland. Per press release, in “Moonfall,” a mysterious force knocks the Moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we know it. With mere weeks before impact and the world on the brink of annihilation, NASA executive and former astronaut Jo Fowler (Berry) is convinced she has the key to saving us all – but only one astronaut from her past, Brian Harper (Wilson) and a conspiracy theorist K.C. Houseman (Bradley) believes her. These unlikely heroes will mount an impossible last-ditch mission into space, leaving behind everyone they love, only to find out that our Moon is not what we think it is. https://youtu.be/QRbsmbr4HFM Legendary and award winning actor and activist Danny Glover sits down for an exclusive conversation with radio and TV personality Jazmyn Summers to talk about life, acting and the struggle for justice. The iconic actor has over 42 years in the game. When he started acting, the Lethal Weapon star says he felt awkward about being so tall, having mild dyslexia and epilepsy but he said his activism in social change gave him the fire to keep pushing as an actor. https://player.vimeo.com/video/595110716?h=17c0b8ba48" width="640" KeKe Palmer’s boyfriend called her a “blessing from above,” in a heartfelt birthday message shared on Instagram. “To the birthday girl.. never would’ve expected summer 2021 to turn out the way it did but here we are,” wrote Palmer’s man, Darius Daulton Jackson, in honor of Keke’s 28th. The caption accompanied several photos of the pair together. “You’ve been a blessing from above & i thank you for showing me a lot of feelings i didn’t know i had in me & also seeing me as someone you can finally be yourself to,” he added. ”The Real” is set to return for season 8 on Sept. 20, with hosts Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai Jenkins and Garcelle Beauvais. Telepictures Productions announced Tuesday that the new season will also bring format changes, as reported by urban Hollywood 411. Per the outlet, Tenia L. Watson has been elevated to executive producer and showrunner. https://youtu.be/_fT-BYFSsgI An all-new episode of WE tv’s new series “Brat Loves Judy” returns Thursday night with Judy explaining why she doesn’t want Da Brat to feel pressured into buying a massive bling ring to represent their engagement. Brat doesn’t have a ring for Judy, so inquiring minds want to know when she will go ring shopping? https://youtu.be/QL0jAf3IwWc Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman sat down with ET’s Kevin Frazier to talk about his upcoming nuptials with fiancee, Francie Frane, and that his daughter Bonnie says she wasn’t invited because she supports Black Lives Matter. I have never been a racist,” Dog insists. “I’m 33.5 percent Apache. But because of over 15 years ago, I have an Achilles’ heel because I used the wrong word.” https://youtu.be/RopQ1x31gcw Keefe D recently recounted a run-in he had with Tha Dogg Pound’s Daz Dillinger that nearly ended with rape. In case you didn’t know… Keefe is the uncle of Tupac Shakur’s alleged killer Orlando Anderson. Speaking to The Art of Dialogue, Keefe D explained that while he was in prison, Daz dissed him on a song. After his release, he ran into Daz at a marijuana shop and confronted him about the track. “I ran into him at this weed spot,” he said, as reported by Hip Hop DX. “It was one way in and one way out. I’m like, ‘Man, you don’t know who I am?!’ He like, ‘Nah, dog.’ ‘I’m Keefe D, muthafucka!’ He like, ‘Oh man, I was tripping, man. I was tripping, man. The money had me going crazy.’ “Yeah, you sure the fuck was. And he was on our turf — I could’ve raped him that day.” https://youtu.be/nWJlLovALuA Michael Strahan owns the single-season sack record and played his entire 15-year career with the New York Giants. That, along with his other career accomplishments, will get his No. 92 retired by the team this season. Strahan, currently a co-host on Good Morning America, will have his number retired on Nov. 28 when the Giants host the rival Philadelphia Eagles. It’s currently scheduled to be a 1 p.m. ET game. Strahan was surprised Wednesday morning on GMA by former teammate Eli Manning, who jumped out of a box in a No. 92 Giants jersey to announce the jersey retirement. Former Giants defensive stars Justin Tuck and Jessie Armstead also came out in No. 92 jerseys. Strahan helped the Giants to a Super Bowl XLII triumph over the previously undefeated New England Patriots, was a four-time first-team All Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection and won the NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year award when he set the single-season sack record with 22.5 in 2001. For the second time in a year, an African-American church in Berkeley was targeted in an arson attack that the pastor believes was racially-motivated. This latest attempt was Ebenezer Baptist Church on the corner of Woolsey and Martin Luther King Way. The pastor shared video of the incident with KPIX. In a span of 7 minutes, a woman came back twice to try to set the prominent African American church on fire. The woman in the video was seen pacing around Ebenezer Baptist Church, throwing bricks at the window and pouring lighter fluid on the grass. “By the grace of God the lighter wouldn’t take, it wouldn’t come on full force and nothing was being lit up,” said lead pastor Kevin Craddock II. https://cbsloc.al/3t0jE24 A grand jury has decided to take no action against La Marque Officer Jose Santos, the officer involved in the shooting death of 22-year-old Joshua Feast late last year, according to Galveston County Criminal District Attorney Jack Roady. Feast was shot to death by Santos, a La Marque Police Department officer, on the night of Dec. 9, 2020. Feast later died from his injuries. The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and the Galveston County Criminal District Attorney’s Office conducted an independent investigation into the incident. A grand jury decided to take no action against the officer. On Dec. 21, 2020, officials released five minutes of bodycam footage of the shooting. Bodycam footage shows Santos quickly exit his vehicle, pull out his gun and fire at Feast as he appears to be running away. A Black couple have sued the city of Beverly Hills, alleging their arrest was part of a campaign by its police to arrest Black people for trivial reasons and at disproportionate rates. The couple’s lawyers, Bradley Gage and Benjamin Crump, said the Beverly Hills police last year set up a task force — dubbed “Operation Safe Streets” and the “Rodeo Drive Task Force” — that arrested 106 people, 105 of whom were Black and one of whom was Latino. Gage said the sources of the arrest figures were unidentified retired Beverly Hills police officers who were appalled with the task force’s actions and so shared with him the alleged racial breakdown of who had been arrested. The impetus for the task force, Gage said, was both the protests over the death of George Floyd and what Beverly Hills police believed were transactions at retail stores using suspected proceeds of unemployment benefit fraud. Gage described the Police Department’s approach to rooting out suspected fraud as, “Gee, that’s suspicious — Black people shopping in Beverly Hills.” Virginia Gov. Ralph S. Northam, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser attended a ceremony in Caledon State Park in King George, Va., on Monday to mark the transfer of the first 55 headstones from Virginia to Maryland, officials said. The grave markers will be part of a memorial garden at National Harmony Memorial Park in Prince George’s County, Md., honoring the 37,000 people buried at the original cemetery. The Columbian Harmony Cemetery was established in 1859 and was the most prominent burial site for African-Americans in Washington. Among the people buried there were Elizabeth Keckly, a former slave who became a seamstress and trusted confidante of President Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln; Osborne Perry Anderson, the only African-American survivor of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry in October 1859; Mary Ann Shadd Cary, America’s first African-American female newspaper editor in 1853; and Philip Reid, a foundry worker who helped build the Statue of Freedom at the U.S. Capitol, officials said. Outspoken Christian and former pro athlete Tim Tebow joined Samaritan’s Purse to bring much-needed supplies to those evacuating Afghanistan. Samaritan’s Purse, the Christian humanitarian group led by Franklin Graham, responded to the crisis in Afghanistan by partnering with other organizations to get men, women, and children out of the country. They sponsored flights that carried hundreds to safety. The North Carolina-based organization reported that one of its partners made three trips into Afghanistan and evacuated 700 people in one day. The Christian group also helped to get 80 missionary families out of the country. In an Instagram post, Franklin Graham wrote that team members provided hygiene items, blankets, and other necessities to thousands of people. They even helped deliver a baby. Glenn Beck was aided in his travels last week by televangelist Kenneth Copeland, who lended his private jet to the conservative talk radio host as he worked to rescue endangered Christians in Afghanistan. Beck’s operation, The Nazarene Fund, has resulted in the rescue of more than 5,000 Christian refugees, who have now been relocated in a handful of different countries — a Goliath task he said was accomplished with no help from the U.S. government. Beck, who has been in the Middle East personally, told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that none of his traveling costs have been paid by The Nazarene Fund. Instead, Beck told the anchor, he is paying his own way. In addition, he’s received some personal assistance from Copeland. Staccato Powell touted himself as an innovator who would bring a “new paradigm” after his 2016 election as an African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church bishop, assigned to oversee the western U.S. congregations in the predominantly Black denomination. He was the first to set up a bishop’s residence in the Western Episcopal District, seeking to supervise church affairs and enhance church growth while living in the district, instead of traveling in and out of the six-state region. But was he a pioneer or a swindler? Was he an entrepreneur who, as he said, used “sophisticated financing of church property” to enhance congregations and support their pastors? Or, as the remaining AME Zion bishops said, did he inappropriately use churches’ mortgages in a manner that led some of them to receive foreclosure notices? A month after he was “disrobed” in a church trial as a bishop of the denomination that dates to 1796, the answers depend on whom you ask and whose perspectives you believe. In an interview after the trial, in which Powell was found guilty of 20 counts against him, the former bishop told Religion News Service he intends to continue to use the title of “bishop” though he no longer holds that rank in the denomination of his birth. Get your royal attire ready for the biggest movie of the season as Lifetime is giving fans an inside view on what happened in the royal palace that drove Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to leave with their son Archie in “Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace,” which stars Jordan Dean (“Royal Pains”) who will star as Harry and Sydney Morton (“She’s Gotta Have It”) as Markle. The film will explore the growing isolation and sadness Markle endured during her stay in the palace, Harry’s fear of being incapable of protecting his wife and son, with feeling betrayed by “The Firm” for the lack of protection against the press attacks. https://youtu.be/YCWVDn2Xku8 An alligator got all the smoke, literally, when it had enough of a drone invading its privacy and ate it out of the air, only to be immediately engulfed in thick white smoke. The now-viral video on TikTok shows the gator in Florida’s Everglades being pestered by a drone hovering over its head. Suddenly, the reptile jumps up and gobbles the machinery whole, bringing the snack to the water to chew on the metal. The drone owners were stunned, as white smoke from the devoured craft began swirling around the gator’s head. One woman had named the reptile “George.” “Oh my God, he’s eating it,” she yells. “George, no! Don’t eat that!” “We gotta get out of here,” another unidentified voice says. https://youtu.be/gus5FMGtEok Chrisette Michele was “canceled” after deciding to perform at Donald Trump‘s 2017 inauguration. The decision to perform at his inauguration had serious effects on her career. Kanye West was another artist who publicly supported Donald Trump; however he it didn’t seem to hinder his career. Kanye recently broke Apple Music streaming records with the release of his latest project DONDA, leading some people to call for Chrisette to be “un-canceled.” Chrisette responded to the conversation on Instagram by reposting a tweet that read, “Since our culture is so hyped about Kanye West’s #Donda album; it’s time to UNcancel @ChrisetteM! I hated her singing at 45’s inauguration… But #ChrisetteMichele never disrespected our history/ancestors; didn’t rock a MAGA hat; & never ran a covert campaign to sway an election!” She also added her own message, stating, “I’ve made a choice to stay full of gratitude and master peace, but today, this post has inspired me to allow the energy of comparison to enter my feed. I think most of the comments are well intended and I’m not really attached to the results of the conversation. But it is an interesting topic.” Instagram model and popular OnlyFans creator Miss Mercedes Morr (born Jenae Gagnier) was murdered over the weekend by a crazed fan. Gagnier was strangled and suffered a traumatic concussion, the Fort Bend County Medical Examiner confirmed. Her death has been ruled a homicide. It was Gagnier’s father Mark who discovered her lifeless body on Sunday after he rushed to her home when he couldn’t reach her by phone all weekend. Per NBC News, her body was found along with Kevin Alexander Accorto, 34, who investigators believe killed Gagnier, then himself. https://youtu.be/CdCgT2jb9vE Rose McGowan has called out Oprah Winfrey over her fake support of the #MeToo movement. “I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of @Oprah,” McGowan 47, tweeted Sunday along with an old photo of Oprah alongside convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein. “I wish she were real, but she isn’t.” McGowan, a survivor of sexual assault, continued, “From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmon’s [sic] victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come. #lizard.” The actress is one of the first women to accuse Weinstein’ of rape. After coming under scrutiny for her scoring of a recent match, Gloria Martinez Rizzo has been suspended “indefinitely” by the World Boxing Association for racially insensitive tweets she posted last year and in 2018. The match in question was between Mykal Fox and Gabriel Maestre for the interim WBA welterweight title on Aug. 7 at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When the bell sounded, Fox, a southpaw, felt he had won the bout. After all, the nearly 6-foot-4 Fox out-landed the 5-foot-11 Maestre in overall punches, 157 to 131, and 38-23 in jabs, flooring the Venezuelan-born fighter for the first time in his career with a hard, left-hand counter in the second round. Fox said after the fight that ringside commentator and two-time heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis “Told me he thought I won, 10-2, in rounds,” and trainer and analyst Joe Goossen “Had me winning, 11-1, in rounds.” Lewis and Goossen were ringside for the bout, which was televised on Fox Deportes. Fox was confident of victory when the judges’ scorecards were read: David Singh and John Mariano at 114-113, and 115-112, respectively, and Martinez Rizzo’s at 117-110. But Fox felt even worse at his hotel room later that evening when he discovered a pattern of racist comments by Martinez Rizzo on her @GloriaRizz account. Revealed by BoxingScene.com writer and blow-by-blow commentator Corey Erdman, the statements maligned former First Lady Michelle Obama and NBA star LeBron James. (The tweets are not accessible, as Martinez Rizzo no longer has a Twitter account) Brooklyn’s historic Medgar Evers College (MEC), celebrating over five decades of advancing knowledge, social justice, and excellence, becomes the first City University of New York (CUNY) campus to offer a cannabis minor degree program. Students can now enroll in “Introduction to the World of Cannabis,” a prerequisite course for many of the other cannabis courses in this degree program. In following semesters, students can choose four courses from any of the 13 newly developed courses to earn a cannabis degree minor in one of four different tracks. These courses provide educational opportunities not only to MEC students but to all students at the other 24 CUNY campuses via e-permits. Exemplifying its core mission to provide educational workforce development and opportunities for economic expansion, MEC’s cannabis minor and forthcoming adult education program will feature the skill-building instructional support needed to foster new cannabis leaders in the areas of testing, cultivation, business, and health. DARE Records Artist Shontelle Norman-Beatty’s current single, “Jesus Will Fix It (Trouble In My Way)” lands at No. 1 on the Gospel Airplay chart. The single is also No. 1 on the Gospel Indicator Airplay chart. To listen to her audio video. After 27 weeks of climbing the single charts, and with more than six million streams, Norman-Beatty experienced the devastating loss of her mother and a severe bout of COVID-19 during the early part of the pandemic. She says her journey to number one has been surreal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN3zVyhnRD0 Karima, the Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated recording artist, made a special appearance at Club Quarantine Live with D-Nice, at the sold-out, star-studded live dance party at the world-famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Sunday, August 29th. Karima performed her top-charting single “Redeemer,” which has reached the Top 25 on the Gospel Airplay Songs chart. The concert marked the first time Karima appeared on the Hollywood Bowl stage. Co-hosted by Chris Spencer and Donnie Wahlberg, the line-up included performances by The Isley Brothers, Common, Trey Songz, Sheila E., Deborah Cox, Kiana Ledé, Erica Campbell, Charles Jenkins; and other special guest artists including mega-talent Tank and George Clinton. Stellar Award-winning powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Lucinda Moore announces the official digital release date of her new song "Lord, I Hear You." The song is set to be available for download and streaming on Friday, September 17th via her Nalah Music Group imprint in conjunction with SONY Orchard. A lyric video for the song will simultaneously be released on the same day. Co-written by Moore and Cedric Thompson who also produced the mid-tempo track, "Lord, I Hear You" will impact gospel radio in September. A music video for the song is also slated to premiere in October. "Lord, I Hear You" serves as the lead single from her forthcoming EP. In February, Lisa Bellamy released her WHAT WILL IT TAKE album with a successful Gospel radio single "Nothing But The Spirit". The single reached #1 on the Urban Influencer Gospel Radio chart (week of August 23rd). Lisa is offering a new single, "In This House," that showcases her soulful vocal stylings and mixes blues musicality with a traditional churchy sway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW2SNT5GOBU&feature=youtu.be Turmoil and hardships often cultivate outstanding character. Releasing in theaters Nov. 8-10, Fathom Events’ latest special, “Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years,” tells the powerful true story of Sabina (Oster) Wurmbrand and her husband, Richard. Sabina and Richard Wurmbrand are the co-founders of the nonprofit The Voice of the Martyrs – an interdenominational missions organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. https://www.sabinamovie.com/ “Doobie Powell and Sundays Best, Alexis Spight collaborate to bring hope and joy to the masses. “Everything Will Be Alright” combines a contemporary gospel feel with a Neo Soul vibe that touches the universality of the human experience, and grooves you into a spirit of optimism and resolve.” https://www.dropbox.com/s/w46osfevzkwd7c6/Doobie%20Powell%20%20%20%20%20Everything%20Will%20Be%20Alright%20feat%20Alexis%20Spight.mp3?dl=0 Lena Byrd is one of the most sought-after vocalists in contemporary gospel, Lena’s soulful and extraordinary vocal prowess has caught the attention of musicians and artists alike. Her gift has opened many doors. She has shared the stage with such luminaries as Tye Tribbett, Lalah Hathaway, Deitrick Haddon, Dorinda, John P. Kee, Doobie Powell, the late Thomas “TC" Clay, and more. And she was privileged to sing with the legendary Edwin Hawkins as part of the New Edwin Hawkins Singers—where it all began. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGeWkrP8u2M SAN FRANKLIN is an undeniable force among Gospel music's most noted circle of female Gospel artists. Her debut solo album THE FREE PROJECT has made evident her incredible vocal arranging skill, prolific songwriting ability, and anointed delivery and performance. The album chronicles her trials and triumphs and ambition to inspire and lead people to the freedom and liberty that Christ offers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvToaLXKwPY Nearly 60 thousand attendees experienced Grammy Award winning iconic artist Jody Watley flawlessly sing the National Anthem at the Dodgers Stadium, Saturday, August 21st. The ageless pop and R&B singer, also a huge sports fan performed two of her classics, “Don’t You Want Me” and “Looking For A New Love” for the Los Angeles Dodgers Black Heritage pre-game show. https://youtu.be/HqDrTz5glJw Black Americans will take center stage for the third installment of the critically acclaimed Salute THEM Awards (STA) series. The Salute THEM Awards ‘My HBCU Joy’ broadcast coincides with National HBCU Week, September 7-10, 2021 airing Sunday, September 12 on BNC at 10 p.m. ET and streaming at 7 p.m. ET via the AARP Black Community Facebook page and Café Mocha Radio YouTube channel. Brought to you by Toyota America, AARP, BNC and the Café Mocha Network, this year’s Salute THEM Awards ‘My HBCU Joy’ will ‘salute’ each honoree with a visual vignette that includes their institution as well as feature an array of unique tribute performances from Award-winning artist, actress and entrepreneur Kierra Sheard-Kelly, singer/songwriter Kevin Ross, 2x Stellar Award-nominated Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University and the sounds of Southern University “Human Jukebox” Marching Band. The Supreme Court early Wednesday let a Texas state law take effect that allows private citizens to sue to uphold a ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, potentially creating a new template for states to impose strict restrictions on the procedure. The court’s decision to not act on an emergency petition from Texas abortion clinics comes as the justices prepare to more broadly reconsider the right to an abortion it established almost 50 years ago. In May, justices agreed to review Mississippi’s ban on the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy — a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Those arguments are expected later this year, with a ruling in 2022. “This is a de facto overturning of Roe before the Supreme Court has time to hear the Mississippi case,” said Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson. “And Texas will now go back to being a pre-Roe state, turning the clock back 50 years.” Three cops and two paramedics have been indicted for manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide over the death of Elijah McClain, a 23 year-old black man who died after being arrested. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced charges Wednesday against Aurora Police Officers Nathan Woodyard, Randy Roedema and former officer Jason Rosenblatt. He filed the same charges against paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Lt. Peter Cichuniec on a 32 count indictment, which also includes some additional charges. McClain died in August 2019, six days after he was put in a chokehold and injected with ketamine while being arrested in Aurora. The young man was apprehended by police after a resident called 911 in concern after seeing him wearing a ski mask and waving his arms in the air while walking to a convenience store to buy tea. The Mu COVID-19 variant, which some scientists worry may evade vaccines, has been detected in the vast majority of states in the United States, although it accounts for fewer than 1 percent of total cases in the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) labeled the Mu strain a variant of interest on Monday, the fifth variant to earn the designation. Officials’ concerns about the variant stem from its mutations, which indicate it could have the potential to evade vaccines, and, while cases are low, the WHO noted in a report that they’re consistently increasing in Colombia, where it originated, and Ecuador. All but three states in the U.S.—Nebraska, Vermont and South Dakota—have had reported cases of the Mu variant, according to Outbreak.info, an open source database from Scripps Research. It has been most prevalent in Alaska, where it accounted for about 4 percent of nearly 4,000 samples. Fifteen states—Maine, New Hampshire, West Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, Montana and Oklahoma—have had 10 or fewer cases. Pope Francis has inadvertently quoted Vladimir Putin while criticising the West’s recent involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider’s attempt to impose democracy. During a radio interview aired on Wednesday, the pontiff was asked about the situation in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. and other NATO forces after almost 20 years of war, and the Taliban recapture of the country. The pope said he would answer with a quote, which he attributed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he described as ‘one of the world’s greatest political figures’. ‘It’s necessary to stop the irresponsible policy of enforcing its own values on others and attempts to build democracy in other countries based on outside models without taking into account historic, ethnic and religious issues and fully ignoring other people’s traditions,’ the Pope said, using his own translation into Spanish. Reverend Al Sharpton has made clear that he isn’t interested in running for governor of New York now that impeached Gov. Andrew Cuomo is officially out. “I am not interested in running for office, but I am certainly going to be interested in trying to deal with whoever is governor. They can expect that I will be running for the microphone to be loud and clear on what policies I think they oughta be dealing with,” he told Page Six. Sharpton, who ran for president in 2004, previously revealed that top Democrats in New York hit him up about running for governor in 2022. “It’s going to be very difficult for the governor to stay in, and I think it’s going to open up the primary season early,” Sharpton told The New York Times. https://youtu.be/2yB-7rxmzcI A Kentucky high school teacher has been reassigned to “non-instructional duties” pending an investigation into the physical altercation with a Black male student that was captured on video. The brawl between 16-year-old Jamir Strane and his chemistry teacher, William Bennett, occurred Monday at Marion C. Moore School in Louisville, New York Post reports. The video, filmed by another student, shows Strane beneath Bennett during the melee. Other students can be heard pleading with the teacher to stop. Strane punches the teacher and Bennett yanks the student’s hair. Eventually, another adult intervenes. Strane told WDRB that the fight erupted after Bennett made racially charged comments and criticized his neck gaiter face mask. https://t.co/N9pA0Xri0u?amp=1 Mike Richards is no longer a part of the Jeopardy! family. Variety reports that Sony has fired Richards as the executive producer of “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.” Michael Davies, the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” executive producer, will now take over production duties in the interim. The big news was announced in a memo to staff by Suzanne Prete, executive vice president, business and strategy, “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!”: “I’m writing to let you know that Mike will no longer be serving as EP of Wheel and Jeopardy! effective immediately. We had hoped that when Mike stepped down from the host position at Jeopardy! it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks. That clearly has not happened.” NeNe Leakes’ husband Gregg has died from colon cancer, his publicist and longtime family friend Ernest Dukes confirmed Wednesday. He was 66 years old. “Today the Leakes family is in deep pain with a broken heart. After a long battle with cancer, Gregg Leakes has passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by all of his children, very close loved ones and wife Nene Leakes,” said Dukes. “We ask that you pray for peace and strength over their family & allow them to mourn in private during this very very difficult time.” The update of NBC’s “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” will star newcomer and West Philadelphia local Jabari Banks in the role famously played for six seasons, and Smith broke the news to the young actor himself. “This is Jabari Banks. In 10 seconds his whole life is about to change,” text at the beginning of the video reveals. Then Smith connects with Banks via video link. “From the deepest parts of my heart, I want to say congratulations to you. You have the role of Will on Bel-Air,” Smith tells his replacement. “I’m so ready,” says Banks, whose father had sent him an article about the series and thought he should do it. “This is a dream come true.” https://youtu.be/arjpleZCbFY Never one to bite his tongue or shy away from controversy, Tyrese is opening up about dealing with colorism in Hollywood and he’s naming names. Case in point: fellow actor Terrence Howard. In a new interview with Leah’s Lemonade, the F9 star talked about losing parts to his friend because of his darker complexion. “Terrence Howard has no idea how many roles that I was about to book and they went with him because he’s the lighter-skinned Black man with the green eyes,” said the 42-year-old. “It’s crazy to me, like, I’m No. 1. I’m the star. I’m this blue-Black, you know, all of the things that I was laughed about in the ‘hood. “And then you look at Lupita and the Viola Davises of the world, and there is this kind of, this shift that has happened. I think we should all stay humble because it’s interesting how white people created this kind of colorism. The mixed-race gets to be in the house and the black Blacks get to work in the hot sun and pick cotton.” Sean “Diddy” Combs took to social media on Sunday to gush about his daughters walking in the Dolce & Gabbana 2021 Alta Moda runway show in Venice, Italy. “Words can’t explain. LOVE,” Combs captioned a backstage photo of his daughters, Chance, 15, and twins D’Lila Star and Jessie James, 14. “Thank you Dolce & Gabbana! So happy and honored to be a part of your couture show! GRAZIE MILLE!” Chance wrote on Instagram. “OMGGGG THIS IS LITERALLY A DREAM COME TRUE. We are so excited that we got to walk in the @dolcegabbana fashion show,” the twins wrote on their profile. “Thank you so much for having us join the show in Venice, Italy. And we want to say a HUGE Thank You to our dad and team for helping us get through this amazing show. WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU. we hope to be back soon.” https://www.instagram.com/diddy/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b85e4196-49f3-4e1c-b675-f8d2be463dec Elaine Welteroth is leaving “The Talk” after just one season on the show. A source told us on Tuesday that, “Elaine is out at ‘The Talk.’ They are expected to announce it today.” “The Talk” executive producers subsequently confirmed to Deadline in a statement: “We wish Elaine all the best. We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, and insight she brought to the show daily.” They added, “Her openness and meaningful conversations were attributes we admired and always appreciated.” The move comes after a controversy ousted Sharon Osbourne in March, and Carrie Ann Inaba also recently said she was leaving the daytime talk show. Sources told us that the infamous race row incident that forced Osbourne out the door at the show was a factor in Welteroth’s exit. The New Orleans Saints will “host” the Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville’s TIAA Bank Field on Sept. 12, while the city of New Orleans continues to recover from Hurricane Ida. The NFL announced Jacksonville as the alternate site for the game, which will still kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET as originally scheduled. The Saints had shown interest in playing the game in Dallas, where they have set up temporary operations after evacuating New Orleans last week. But the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium was unavailable because of a concert scheduled in the venue later that week. The NFL prefers that all games be played in NFL stadiums because of the replay requirements and other logistical concerns. But Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said the league always identifies potential locations that could be available each week in case circumstances like these arise. The Saints’ Week 2 and Week 3 games are on the road at Carolina and at New England, respectively. Ideally the Saints could return home to the Caesars Superdome after that. Simone Biles had a special gift for her Olympic teammate Sunisa “Suni” Lee‘s dad after witnessing the father-daughter duo’s sweet relationship. On Wednesday, Today reporter Natalie Morales visited Suni’s father John Lee to present him with a video message and the gift from Biles, 24. “Hi, Mr. Lee, it’s Simone. I love your daughter, Suni, so much and I know how much she loves you,” she said in a video John watched from a tablet. “You have done so much for her so I reached out to my friends at the Today show to see if we could do something special for you. Hope you like it.” Morales, 49, led John down his driveway where his family members held signs that said, “We love you!” and “Thank you!” Next to them stood a man with an electric wheelchair from Quantum Rehab that had a bow on it. https://twitter.com/i/status/1433043156178722818 Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders has signed a name, image and likeness deal with Beats by Dre as a brand ambassador. Sanders is the son of Jackson State coach Deion Sanders and is the first college athlete the brand has signed. “I remember getting my first pair of Beats, so this feels full circle,” Shedeur Sanders said. “I’m excited to be part of a brand that inspires and represents the culture in a positive way; and that’s exactly what I want to do with my career. It’s an honor to be the first college athlete on their roster, and I couldn’t have imagined a better partnership.” Michael Jackson’s brother Tito says new music from the King of Pop could be on the way. “There is more music to release. They have music. He left behind music,” Tito told The Sun. The Jackson family intends to record their first new studio album since 1989, and it may include previously unknown material from MJ, who died in 2009. “It would be so pleasing to be on a record with Michael once again,” said Tito. “Anything that would work we would be willing to give a try and see what happens.” “It’s definitely a brilliant idea. We’re thinking about doing something, so hopefully that will come to fruition,” Tito said. This past Saturday 08-29-31), Angela Yee – award-winning media personality and co-host of “The Breakfast Club,” the most-listened-to hip hop morning show in America – hosted the 3rd annual Angela Yee Day event in partnership with iHeartMedia New York. The free, outdoor community event was hosted at Restoration Plaza in Brooklyn, New York with sounds by DJ Suave and DJ Norie as well as electric live performances from hip-hop and Caribbean artists Adrian Marcel, Alison Hinds, Erick the Architect, HoodCelebrityy, Motto, Naomi Cowan, Noah Powa, Romain Virgo, Shaneil Muir and Young Devyn. The fun-filled day also included games, free haircuts from Mimi’s Braids, an on stage Braid Battle, a U.S. Army career booth, and giveaways from Miss Jessie’s, Supreme Hair, The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop & Rap and more. Steph Curry has allegedly chosen sides in his parents’ messy divorce. Dell Curry says his estranged wife Sonya, cheated on him with Steven Johnson, a former NFLer. Dell also claims Sonya lied about the affair. Sonya, Dell says in the legal docs, “began her extramarital affair with Mr. Johnson during the marriage and prior to the date of separation, and she lied to [Dell] each time she cheated on him.” On top of that, the docs also state that Sonya is actually living with Johnson in Tennessee and because of that, she should not be entitled to alimony. Sonya, 55, via responding paperwork, claims she is NOT living with Johnson. She’s currently living by herself in the Volunteer State because Dell will not allow her to live at their home. As far as her dating status, Sonya does admit that she is in a relationship, but denied cheating on Dell, saying the relationship began “months after” she and Dell agreed to legally separate in March 2020. Soyna is also pointing the cheat finger at Dell, 57, who she claims cheated on her during the marriage; and that he hooked up with different women, and family and close friends knew about it. Damian Lillard is the latest to team with Shaquille O’Neal for a rebrand of The “Shaqnosis,” Shaq’s signature show with Reebok. The original, black and white “Shagnosis” debuted in 1996, and were recently re-released in a variety of colors. The latest is inspired by Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, with a red and black colorway, or “Semi Pursuit Pink/Flash Red-Black,” as it is officially known. The new “Shaqnosis” will be released on Wednesday, Sept. 1, for $150. https://youtu.be/UzSfyXUW6j8 A pair of Michael Jordan “personally worn” boxer shorts are going up for sale by Leland’s auctioneers. The reserve price is $500. The shorts and several of Jordan’s belongings — that the Bulls legend gave to bodyguard John Michael Wozniak — are being auctioned off. Additionally, several items that MJ gave to another bodyguard, Bob Scarpetti, are also on sale. Per the report, they include a 1990 jersey, Jordan’s own Air Jordans, basketballs and signed baseballs. Aaron Boyd claims to be the first player recruited by Bishop Sycamore and he has been exposing the dark secrets of since he left. This is what he told Complex about the program, One of the most fascinating stories in sports right now is Bishop Sycamore’s controversial shady high school football program. Sycamore faced athlete factory IMG Academy in a game Sunday as part of ESPN’s weeklong high school football showcase. Sycamore was touted as a program loaded with Division I talent, but during the 58–0 blowout, it quickly became clear that its players couldn’t hang with IMG. ESPN’s Tom Luginbill, who called the game, said on Twitter afterward that it was a “total scam.” The outlet goes on to note that: Sycamore is not affiliated with the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The address it provides to recruits is for the library of Franklin University. The roster includes postgraduate players who are as old as 20, and coach Roy Johnson was part of a federal fraud investigation. He also has an active bench warrant for failing to appear in a domestic violence case. https://twitter.com/i/status/1432540893169348609 The show currently known as “CBS This Morning” will relaunch next week with all new everything – co-hosts, digs and even a different name and theme song. Beginning Sept. 7, the third place morning show behind “Today” and “Good Morning America,” respectively, will be called “CBS Mornings,” and connect its weekday morning shows together with some of the elements of its long running “CBS Sunday Morning,” which has long topped its time period on weekends. “CBS Mornings” will also borrow from its weekend sibling the sun logo and trumpet music theme, Gottfried Reiche’s “Abblasen.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1432684176134840323 Amanda Wilson, owner and CEO of A+X Puzzles, has become the first Black-owned puzzle company sold in Target. Wilson was inspired to create the brand in 2019 after giving birth to twins Adric and Xola. Her babies were born ten weeks early, and during their NICU stay, Wilson created the sketches of the widely popular Spaceship puzzle, per Because of Them We Can. The bright, colorful puzzles help young children develop fine motor skills and allow them to see themselves positively represented by characters that look like them. Target contacted Wilson in 2020 about the opportunity to sell her puzzles in stores. Hurricane Ida ripped through the Gulf Of Mexico Sunday, leaving New Orleans beaten, battered, and without power. Police have deployed “anti-looting” around the city as a way to deter the looting it saw when Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005. 16 years after Katrina, another record-breaking Ida’s devastation looks to add the stress of many poor folks who couldn’t evacuate. Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm, first hit Port Fourchon, southeast of the state. It then pushed up through New Orleans headed towards Mississippi. With winds pushing above 150 mph, Ida strengthened rapidly and pushed overland with little to slow it down. Pummeling the coast, Ida pulled trees from their roots, flipped cars, tore roofs from their houses, and even knocked over a huge transmission tower into the Mississippi River. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has warned the death toll from Hurricane Ida – which is known to have killed at least person – will ‘go up considerably’. Speaking on MSNBC on Monday, Bel Edwards warned that far more bad news lies ahead search and rescue efforts continued in the wake of Sunday’s Category 4 hurricane. He said: ‘I don’t want to mislead anyone. Robust search and rescue is happening right now and I fully expect that that death count will go up considerably throughout the day.’ The one person confirmed to have died so far is a 60 year-old man. He has not been named and was killed after a tree fell on his home in Prairieville, Louisiana, on Sunday. And Cynthia Lee Cheng – mayor of Jefferson Parish – outlined the horror faced by some of her neighbors currently trapped in attics in the trashed town of Lafitte. She said: ‘This is an area if you want to think of it like swampland, there’s alligators out there.’ An online model who was popular on social media has reportedly died following a suspected murder-suicide at her home in suburban Houston on Sunday afternoon, according to multiple reports. Jenae Gagnier, who was more popularly known by her Instagram handle, Mercedes Morr, was found dead inside her apartment in the city of Richmond, Texas, alongside a man who police suspect killed the 33-year-old model with millions of social media followers before killing himself, according to local news outlet ABC 13. Condolences have been pouring in on social media. https://www.instagram.com/p/CTN4g-TvWDL/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6d093b78-10ae-4366-8c91-c06463868c29 Candace Owens‘ reported absence at an event in Texas because of a “sudden illness” has sparked rumors that the conservative anti-vaccine champion may have come down with COVID-19 after spending more than a year dismissing it as nothing more than a hoax designed to infringe on freedoms enjoyed by Americans. The unconfirmed reports about Owens come as a number of other conservative anti-vaxxers have not only tested positive for COVID-19 but were also being hospitalized with serious symptoms before dying. Owens, who has bragged about traveling internationally for months and sleeping next to her husband after he tested positive for COVID-19 without contracting the coronavirus, has called herself a “scientific miracle” who is “proud” to go unvaccinated and repeatedly questioned the COVID-19 vaccine‘s effectiveness and worth. Twenty-seven-year-old Antwan Gilmore was asleep in his car on Wednesday when he was approached by Washington D.C. police officers, one of whom proved once again that cops—who are celebrated in “back the blue” circles for their bravery and willingness to put their lives on the line—often open fire at the faintest sign of perceived danger, and it’s actually civilians, particularly Black civilians, whose lives end up on the line and in the line of fire. An edited “community briefing” video taken from the body camera of an officer, which was released last Thursday, according to NBC 4 Washington, shows the part of the incident, but it doesn’t produce much clarity as to why the shooting started. Metropolitan Police Department Chief of Police Robert Contee said Gilmore was “awake at some point,” but the ballistic shield being held by the shooter makes it difficult to determine why the currently unidentified officer felt the need to fire. https://youtu.be/xqUnKDDjIVE A judge has taken away a #Chicago mother’s parental rights over her refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19. #RebeccaFirlit appeared virtually in court earlier this month for a child support hearing with her ex-husband. The two have now been divorced for seven years and share custody and parenting time of their 11-year-old son. She told Fox 32 Chicago that Cook County Judge James Shapiro randomly asked her if she had gotten the coronavirus shot. She explained that she had not for health reasons. The judge then ordered Firlit to be stripped of all her parenting time until she gets vaccinated. “I miss my son more than anything. It’s been very difficult. I haven’t seen him since August 10th,” Firlit told the outlet. She has communicated with her son over the phone and through video calls but has not seen him in person. Firlit is appealing the judge’s ruling. Her attorney, Annette Fernholz, says the judge has overstepped his authority. Ricky Texada, senior pastor of Covenant Church—a multisite megachurch in the Dallas, Texas, area with an attendance around 7,000—died on Monday after a weeks-long battle with COVID-19. He was 57 years old. “Our beloved Pastor fought to the very end,” the church stated on Facebook. “At 11:32 this morning, he entered eternity and met his great love, Jesus, face to face. We are honored and grateful for all of you who so faithfully and earnestly fought alongside him.” A multi-ethnic, charismatic church, Covenant has four campuses in the Dallas area and serves as the flagship congregation of Churches in Covenant, a nationwide network of about 50 churches. According to social posts, Texada was admitted to a local hospital during the week of August 15. The church reported he entered the hospital with COVID pneumonia and had been placed on a ventilator in the ICU, as his oxygen levels were “dangerously low.” It was not disclosed if Texada had been vaccinated against COVID-19. On Sunday, John MacArthur acknowledged for the first time that COVID-19 swept through Grace Community Church last winter — a fact he’s failed to admit until now, despite evidence reported months ago by The Roys Report. MacArthur also divulged that he and his wife had COVID last December. Before his Aug. 29 sermon, MacArthur said that “many people contracted COVID . . . it probably went through our church in maybe December or January.” He also said his wife “Patricia and I enjoyed our own bout with COVID for about a week and a half” at the time. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Aug. 31) voted to authorize a $400,000 payment to settle a legal battle with Grace Community Church over lead pastor John MacArthur’s defiance of COVID-19 restrictions in the early months of the pandemic. Under the agreement, which the board unanimously approved without discussion, the state of California will also pay the church $400,000. https://youtu.be/MkDp5yaxShM North Carolina recently restored voting rights for people formerly incarcerated for a felony, leaving advocates to wonder if Kentucky might be next. Two pending lawsuits claim Kentucky maintains a tiered process of restoring voting rights. A Jim Crow relic, felony disenfranchisement disproportionately impacts Black people. After assuming office in 2019, Gov. Andy Beshear issued an executive order restoring voting rights to many, but not all, those formerly incarcerated for a felony. Registering to vote and casting one’s ballot is an important part of full citizenship. For some formerly incarcerated people in states like Kentucky, restoring the right to vote can be complex. Working alongside the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, the Fair Elections Center has improved access to the ballot for all Kentuckians. According to Jon Sherman, Litigation Director, and Senior Counsel at the Fair Elections Center, states govern their own standards for restoring voting rights. A clip of President Biden’s virtual FEMA meeting is going viral, not for any issues related to the devastation brought by Hurricane Ida, but because it appears Biden referred to his Black senior advisor as “boy.” Fox News pundits and conservative outlets pounced with faux outrage, sending out tweets of the clip showing Biden seated next to Cedric Richmond, senior advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, during a FEMA meeting with governors and mayors from states and cities impacted by Hurricane Ida. https://twitter.com/i/status/1432406509481234443 Gov. Ralph Northam granted posthumous pardons Tuesday for a group of Black men executed 70 years ago for allegedly raping a white woman in Martinsville. The pardons do not address the guilt of the group known as the “Martinsville Seven.” Instead, Northam said he issued the pardons “as recognition from the Commonwealth that these men were tried without adequate due process and received a racially-biased death sentence not similarly applied to white defendants.” “This is about righting wrongs,” Northam said in a statement released by his office along with a copy of the pardon. “We all deserve a criminal justice system that is fair, equal, and gets it right—no matter who you are or what you look like. I’m grateful to the advocates and families of the Martinsville Seven for their dedication and perseverance. While we can’t change the past, I hope today’s action brings them some small measure of peace.” The seven men, ranging in age from 18-37 years old, were arrested in 1949 for the reported rape of 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a white woman who lived in Martinsville. Each were tried and sentenced to death within an eight-day period by all-white juries. Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield was put on paid administrative leave Monday, more than a month after he was placed at the center of a critical race theory debate. Kristin Snively, spokesperson for the Grapevine-Colleyville school district, confirmed the move in an email. Snively did not provide information on the reason for the decision or whether the leave is indefinite. She said the district will not comment further on the situation because it’s an ongoing personnel matter. The announcement comes a month after Whitfield was publicly named and accused by Stetson Clark, a former school board candidate, of teaching and promoting critical race theory during a July 26 district board meeting. Clark said he became concerned about Whitfield’s views when he saw a letter the principal sent to parents and students last summer. “In this letter he promotes the conspiracy theory of systemic racism …” Clark said. “He is encouraging the disruption and destruction of our districts.” Last week in support of the campaign to stop the recall of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) organized a ‘Black Leaders Press Conference.’ Ninety influential Black leaders in education, the church, politics, civil rights, and more – as well as members of the California Legislative Black Caucus — attended the meeting last Tuesday via Zoom. ”Candyman” from Universal/MGM/Monkeypaw not only opened this past weekend at the top of the box office $22.2 million, it’ also made Nia DaCosta the first Black female director to debut a film at number one. That’s quite an an accomplishment of course and it also reminds that an other Black female, Ava DuVernay, saw her Disney movie “A Wrinkle In Time” land in the No. 2 spot over the weekend of March 9-11 of 2018 with $33.1 million. By the way, DuVernay was the first Black female to direct a $100M+ production from a major Hollywood studio. https://youtu.be/TPBH3XO8YEU The new romantic drama “Really Love” tells the story of an emerging Black painter named Isaiah (Kofi Siriboe) living in Washington D.C. on the cusp of a breakout career. He meets Stevie (Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing), a law student with ambitions that don’t align with her family’s views of success. The two fall in love and Stevie becomes Isaiah’s muse. But soon, neglect causes problems, leaving the two to question if they have a future together. https://youtu.be/7KKCnadBw7Y Apple unveiled the trailer for their film version of the award-winning Broadway musical, “Come From Away.” “Come From Away” tells the story of 7,000 people stranded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland after all flights into the United States are grounded on September 11, 2001. As the people of Newfoundland graciously welcome the “come from aways” into their community in the aftermath, the passengers and locals alike process what’s happened while finding love, laughter and new hope in the unlikely and lasting bonds that they forge. https://youtu.be/Af77C4zUkjs Looks like Kanye West wanted all the controversial stars to pop out with him at his third Donda listening event in Chicago. Ye had a whole bunch of celebrities show up on stage with him including embattled stars DaBaby and Marilyn Manson. But according to OK! Magazine Ye also wanted Donald Trump to be by his side during the show. “Kanye reached out to Donald Trump’s team to get the former President to make an appearance alongside him and join DaBaby, Marilyn Manson, and Kim Kardashian in Chicago,” an insider confirmed to OK! of West’s hopeful plans. The insider also pointed out that Ye “is not afraid of controversy,” noting: “Why else would he invite DaBaby after he spewed homophobic remarks and Marilyn Manson who has been accused by several women of sexual assault?” Marvin Gaye was fatally shot by his father in 1984 while the music icon attempted to intervene in a fight involving his parents. As reported by I Love Old School Music, Marvin Gaye Jr.’s mother, Alberta, recounted the final moments of her son’s life during an interview with local police. “I was standing about eight feet away from Marvin, when my husband came to the door of the bedroom with his pistol,” she said. “My husband didn’t say anything, he just pointed the gun at Marvin. I screamed but it was very quick. He, my husband, shot – and Marvin screamed. I tried to run. Marvin slid down to the floor after the first shot.” Marvin was rushed to the California Hospital Medical Center where he was pronounced dead one day before his 45th birthday. Marvin Gaye Sr. received a six-year suspended jail sentence for the killing. It was brought out during the trial of Marvin Gaye Sr. that his son, Marvin Jr. reportedly charged at him and attacked him, delivering blows to his body and head. That alleged attack led to what Marvin Sr. had told his attorneys all along- that he had several injuries and bruises on his body as a result of Marvin Jr. being the aggressive force during the attack… https://youtu.be/Wp_dzNfAYYU Jeneba Barrie, founder of Jeneba Barrie Footwear, a Black woman-owned diverse and inclusive luxury skin-tone shoe line, is celebrating 3 years of business this August. Jeneba originally launched in 2019 after running a successful Kickstarter campaign. The company is dedicated to redefining the meaning of “nude” shoes from one or two shades of beige to colors that actually matches the wearer’s skin tone. The traditional definition of nude has been restrictive. By redefining the meaning, the company is including segments of the population that have been overwhelmingly excluded — women of color. The brand has since launched its Ama Loafer Collection and the Black Collection 2020, after its initial classic pump collection. TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED continues with six-time Grammy Award-winning icon Bebe Winans on Sunday, September 5 at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words including super producer Swizz Beatz, standup comedian-actor Tommy Davidson, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, acclaimed actress Lynn Whitfield, comedian-actress Kym Whitley and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgV8EjEQj_Q Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Lecrae, has partnered with Experian North America, a leading information services company, to present, “Protect The Bag,” a six-part web series, that provides viewers with a blueprint for building a financial legacy. The video series produced by Lecrae’s production company, 3 Strand Films, premieres Fall 2021, and guides audiences through the ins and outs of financial health. Through short sketches and the help of some high-profile special guests, Lecrae will break down the basics of financial literacy and credit education to help viewers understand how to balance their financial needs of today, with those of tomorrow. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxuwb_eErNh6okiCGhIf7ww Services at an influential Nashville-area megachurch were disrupted Sunday (Aug. 29) after the wife of the church’s founding pastor stood up and accused his successor of conspiring against him. During a 9:00 a.m. service at Grace Chapel in Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville, pastor Rob Rogers apologized to the congregation for an ongoing conflict with the Rev. Steve Berger, Grace Chapel’s founder. Berger, who nearly three decades ago founded the church — whose members include Tennessee Governor Bill Lee — stepped down as lead pastor at the church in January in order to start a discipleship program for influencers in Washington, D.C. But according to Rogers on Sunday, the transition between pastors had not gone well, and news of the conflict between the two men had spread through the church in recent weeks. A Rockford pastor is resigning as allegations of sexual misconduct surrounding the church are mounting. Over the weekend, Doug Stodola with North Love Baptist Church announced Pastor Paul Kingsbury’s decision to resign from the ministry. The announcement came in a video posted to the church’s Facebook page that was later taken down. “The deacons are fully aware and take serious the allegations being made against Pastor Kingsbury and North Love Baptist Church,” Stodola said in the video. “The deacons are united and looking into these matters. Please give us time and have patience as we seek the truth in Christ.” During the same video broadcast, Ron Haese, the current interim pastor of the church. Former child star Matthew Mindler’s death has been ruled a suicide. The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office made the “manner of death” ruling Monday, though the exact cause of Mindler’s death is still pending the toxicology screen, TMZ reports. Mindler, 19, was found dead on Aug. 28, just three days after the college freshman was reported missing. His college, Millersville University, announced the news to the student body Saturday. “It is with a grieving heart that I let you know of the death of 19-year-old Matthew Mindler from Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a first-year student at Millersville University. A search had been underway for Matthew since Thursday, after he was reported missing,” the announcement read. Sharon Stone is mourning the loss of her 11-month-old nephew River after he tragically died from total organ failure on Monday. Stone, 63, posted a heartbreaking video of little River to her Instagram to honor his memory. “River William Stone Sept. 8, 2020 – Aug. 30, 2021,” she captioned the post on Monday. The tiny tot was seen smiling and laughing in the video while wearing a diaper and a cute floral-print shirt. Eric Clapton’s song, “Tears In Heaven” — written about the death of his own son — played as the soundtrack to the short clip. Dennis Rodman’s infamous 48-hour bender in Las Vegas during the 1998 NBA Finals is set to become a feature film from Lionsgate and Lord Miller. Rodman, then a star player for the Chicago Bulls, asked his coach Phil Jackson if he could take a 48-hour vacation in Las Vegas in the middle of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. Even though the Bulls were on the cusp of their second three-peat championship in eight years, Jackson consented, and a sports legend was born. While Rodman and his teammate Michael Jordan detailed these events in the ESPN docuseries “The Last Dance,” the movie will take its own path with the story.“48 Hours in Vegas” will follow Rodman on his journey, as the player and his anxious assistant GM develop an unexpected friendship amid the player’s Sin City revelry. Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood will produce for Lord Miller, and Ari Lubet, Will Allegra and Rodman will executive produce. Jordan VanDina (Hulu’s “The Binge”) will write the screenplay. No actors have been attached. Kanye West’s second gospel-themed hip-hop album soared to No. 1 Monday on multiple mainstream charts, including on Amazon and iTunes, where it was the best-selling album barely 24 hours after its release. The album, named Donda after his late mom, was dropped Sunday and includes multiple tracks that spotlight his Christian faith, including “Praise God,” “Heaven and Hell,” “Lord I Need You” and “Jesus Lord.” Also on the album is the tune “No Child Left Behind,” which was featured in an Olympics-themed television commercial in July with U.S. track star Sha’carri Richardson. The album on Monday was No. 1 on Amazon and iTunes. Perhaps even more impressive, the album’s songs also were dominating the chart, with 19 of the top 20 songs on Apple Music’s Global Top 100 coming from Donda. Additionally, music from the album was No. 1 on nation-specific charts in the U.S., Canada, Kenya, New Zealand, Romania and the United Arab Emirates, among others. Forget about Chris Brown disses and awkward Marilyn Manson cameos — Kanye West is embroiled in yet another blazing-hot controversy after being accused of ripping off the logo of his “Donda” album merch. The 44-year-old allegedly stole the logo design from the black-owned business, according to Randy Dawkins, creative director of the fashion line Infinity G8ds. Dawkins told the Daily Beast that West’s merch features a direct copy of the design featured on his brand’s T-shirts and hoodies. “It’s disappointing,” Dawkins told the outlet. “We don’t have any bad vibes or bad feelings toward him, we actually like the dude. But how he handled business? Well, that’s another story.” The $100 T-shirts in question were sold at West’s Aug. 5 “Donda” album listening party at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz stadium. The tees were beige in color and featured a long black Star of David with a thin cross etched in the middle. Underneath the the design read the record’s name as well as the event date. Ye’s personal executive chef Willie Wallace first contacted Infinity G8ds in late July, Dawkins claimed. The two men were friends, he alleged, who crossed paths through another one of the “Jesus Walks” rapper’s chefs, Travis Reece. The Erwin brothers are inspiring audiences once again with the release of their latest film, “American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story.” Its nationwide debut is scheduled for Christmas Day. The movie is based on the true story of Kurt Warner (Zachary Levi) and his humble beginnings, moving up from a stock boy at a grocery store to a Super Bowl MVP and a Pro Football Hall of Fame champion. Warner’s aspirations seemed impossible but with the support of his wife, Brenda (Anna Paquin) and the encouragement of his family, coaches and teammates, Warner pressed ahead. Andrew and Jon Erwin, creators of “I Can Only Imagine” and “I Still Believe” said Warner’s commitment to being a success motivated them to make the movie with Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company. https://youtu.be/ONvryehEExk Such a proud husband. Jay-Z raved over his wife, Beyoncé, when reflecting on working together. “She’s super detail-oriented, obviously, as you can see from her work,” the rapper, 51, told Entertainment Tonight at the 18th anniversary of the 40/40 Club on Saturday, August 28. “She’s an incredibly hard worker, super talented, very inspiring.” The couple, who have collaborated multiple times over the years, tied the knot in 2008. The “Halo” singer, 39, and Jay-Z share children Blue Ivy, 9, and twins Sir and Rumi, 3. “Feeling loved is the most important thing a child needs, you know?” he told The Sunday Times in April. “Not ‘Here’s this business that I’m going to hand over to you, that I’m creating for you.’ What if my child doesn’t want to be in music or sports? I have no idea, right? But as long as your child feels supported and feels loved, I think anything is possible.” The New York native also noted that he and the 28-time Grammy winner look at themselves as “guides” to their little ones. Political commentator Van Jones says rumors that he and Kim Kardashian dated are “absurd.” Jones, a regular face on CNN since 2013, was linked to Kardashian after she filed for divorce from Kanye West in February because he was said to have been a mentor in her studies to become a lawyer. Jones, however, exclusively told Page Six at the reopening of Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club Saturday, “I never made any comments about the rumors of me and Kim Kardashian dating as I found it absurd.” He added, “It was flattering for me, but it probably wasn’t flattering for her.” Stars including Meek Mill, Megan Thee Stallion, The-Dream, Fabolous, J Balvin and Victor Cruz were also in attendance at Jay-Z’s event Saturday. Former Bad Boy rapper Moses Michael “Shyne” Levi Barrow was there too, but he said he had no intention of performing any of his hits — even if Jay-Z, 51, requested it — because he is now a political representative in Belize. In a stunning move, the New England Patriots released veteran quarterback Cam Newton on Tuesday, turning things over to rookie Mac Jones as the starter. Coach Bill Belichick had said repeatedly that Newton was the team’s starting quarterback, but that he had to reestablish that position, or someone would have to play better than him. Jones has done that, in Belichick’s view. Jones finished the preseason 36-of-52 for 389 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions, playing 107 snaps, easily the highest total among Patriots quarterbacks. Newton had started every preseason game but didn’t play as much overall (39 snaps). He finished the preseason 14-of-21 for 162 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Jason Payne has been hired by the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, making him the only Black head coach in North American professional hockey next season. Payne, 45, was promoted from assistant coach after Cyclones head coach Matt Thomas was hired by the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Payne, who grew up in Toronto, had a 14-year pro career as a player, making it as far as the AHL. Payne said “there weren’t many Black coaches as I was coming up, but when there were, you took notice.” Payne hopes his hiring will help inspire others. “It’s important for younger players to see familiar faces, saying, ‘Yeah, maybe I can be the guy behind the bench, maybe I can be someone in hockey operations, maybe I can be a video coach,'” Payne told ESPN. “The more you see the faces the more it sheds light on the opportunities that are possible.” There’s more adversity brewing for the New Orleans Saints. On Tuesday, Saints coach Sean Payton shared his team’s early plans for managing their evacuation away from Hurricane Ida, saying that they plan to be away from their homes for a month to be safe — with hopes of cutting that exodus short once it’s safe to return to New Orleans. Right now, widespread power outages and lack of running water are providing serious public safety hazards to the city. But that means working from the road for the first three or four weeks of the regular season. The Saints are scheduled for two home games in that span at the Caesars Superdome, hosting the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 and the New York Giants in Week 4. While the Superdome and the Saints training facility received only minor damage, more serious issues throughout New Orleans may prevent the Saints from returning home just yet. An arrest warrant was reportedly issued for Youngstown (Ohio) Cardinal Mooney High School head football coach Carl Pelini on Monday, according to a report by 21 WFMJ-TV in Youngstown, Ohio. Pelini is being charged with domestic violence. He is not currently in custody. According to a police report, officers responded to a 911 call in Youngstown, Ohio about a domestic dispute. Police that arrived on the scene found Pelini’s wife, Julie, who said that her husband struck her during an argument. Julie Pelini had a black eye and officers found blood in the kitchen in the house, per the report. She reportedly declined medical attention and refused to sign a written statement at the scene. Carl Pelini had already fled the home and has not been apprehended, per reports. The last US military planes in Afghanistan departed Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul early on Tuesday local time, marking an end to America’s presence in the country after roughly two decades of war, reports Insider. “I’m here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of our military mission to evacuate American citizens, third country nationals, and vulnerable Afghans,” US Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, confirmed Monday. “The last C-17 lifted off from Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 30 at 3:29 pm East Coast time.” https://youtu.be/0FGJoxI8794 Around a million people are without power in southern Mississippi and Louisiana as Hurricane Ida tore through the region on Sunday, knocking out electricity to all of New Orleans while whipping up sustained winds of more than 150mph and tearing the roof off buildings. Authorities late Sunday announced the first death as a Louisiana resident, a 60-year-old man, died from a fallen tree in Ascension Parish – even as the storm was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/08/29/6098430081400260628/636x382_MP4_6098430081400260628.mp4 On the 16th anniversary of the arrival of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida made landfall as an extremely dangerous 4 hurricane near Port Fourchon, Louisiana’s southernmost port, located on the southern tip of the Gulf of Mexico. The eye of Ida arrived just before 12 Noon CDT, with maximum sustained winds estimated to be 150 mph. Ida hitting Port Fourchon is of great concern as it is called by some as an important offshore oil and gas service port in the U.S. Some 15% of the country’s oil comes in via this port. Described as a catastrophic, life-changing event, Ida is now the strongest hurricane to hit in Louisiana history. One hour after reaching land, Ida’s strength remained at 150 mph. Hurricane Ida reached New Orleans Sunday evening as a Category 3 storm and knocked out power to the entire city. The city’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness said on Twitter that energy company Entergy confirmed that New Orleans had no power, and the only power in the city was coming from generators. https://youtu.be/yDhRFKNprKE Veteran meteorologist Al Roker has clapped back at critics claiming that at age 67, he’s too old to report live from New Orleans covering the Category 4 storm that hit in Louisiana on Sunday. “Al Roker is almost 70 years old, why is this necessary?” one person tweeted amid Roker’s live coverage of Hurricane Ida, per PEOPLE. Another commented, “Maybe let’s not. A 70-year-old in the eye of the hurricane isn’t that much fun to see.” “I volunteered to come out here,” the Today co-host responded to his critics. “This is what I do. I’ve done this for 40 years. We all make sure we’re safe, we’re not going to do something that’s gonna put ourselves in harm’s way. As much as l love weather and I love NBC, I’m not gonna risk my life for it.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1432009349912743936 Thousands of protesters rallied in Washington and other U.S. cities on Saturday to demand protections for voting rights, aiming to pressure lawmakers to pass legislation to counter a wave of ballot restrictions in Republican-led states. Held on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 March on Washington, organizers of the “March On For Washington And Voting Rights” stressed that the moves to curb voting access would disproportionately affect people of color. In Washington, protesters holding “Black Lives Matter” flags and signs calling for federal legislation marched from McPherson Square to the final meeting point at the National Mall, where a series of civil rights leaders delivered remarks not far from where King gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech 58 years ago. More than 20,000 people participated in the march, the Rev. Al Sharpton estimated in a Twitter post. Rallies also took place in Phoenix, Miami and dozens of other cities. The seven-day average for COVID deaths has surged by 11 per cent in a week, while the number of cases and hospitalizations are also up, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC’s weekly update showed the daily average cases increased to 142,006 in the week to Friday, up 2.8 per cent on the week before, amid the continued alarming rise of the Delta variant. The average cases is 1,117.9 per cent higher than the lowest value observed on June 18, 2021. The seven-day moving average for coronavirus deaths increased 11 per cent from 779 to 864 on Friday, according to the CDC. That average was 354.5 per cent higher than July 10 – when the seven-day average for daily deaths hit a low of 190. On Sunday alone, the CDC reported 176,742 new COVID cases and 1,329 new deaths in the United States. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has claimed that people living in the state are ‘less scared’ of COVID-19 because they believe in ‘eternal life’ – despite a surge in new infections and hospitalizations. Reeves delivered his remarks to a group of Republicans at a fundraiser event in Eads, Tennessee, last Thursday, according to the Daily Memphian. ‘I’m often asked by some of my friends on the other side of the aisle about COVID … and why does it seem like folks in Mississippi and maybe in the Mid-South are a little less scared, shall we say,’ Reeves said. ‘When you believe in eternal life — when you believe that living on this earth is but a blip on the screen, then you don’t have to be so scared of things,’ he said. Reeves added, ‘God also tells us to take necessary precautions. And we all have opportunities and abilities to do that and we should all do that. I encourage everyone to do so.’ Veteran actor Ed Asner — who starred as the hard-driving but loveable TV newsman Lou Grant on TV’s classic sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and then in his own more serious “Lou Grant” spinoff — has died, his family said. He was 91. “We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully,” Asner’s official account tweeted Sunday afternoon. “Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.” The longtime actor died of natural causes at home in Tarzana, his publicist said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Asner won five Emmy Awards for his role as Grant, along with two more for his work in “Rich Man, Poor Man” and “Roots” — more than any other male actor in history. Legendary reggae producer and performer Lee “Scratch” Perry—who worked with everyone from Bob Marley to the Beastie Boys—has died in Jamaica at the age of 85. No cause of death was given for Perry, who was such an important figure that the prime minister tweeted his condolences. The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards once called Perry—a pioneer of dub who won a Grammy in 2003—the “Salvador Dali of music.” For years he operated out of a studio he built in his backyard, nicknamed the Black Ark, that he later burned to the ground because he thought it was possessed by evil spirits. The episode did not slow him down creatively and he continued his prolific output into the next millennium. Veteran gospel singer Lee Williams, the founder, and leader of the group Lee Williams & the Spiritual QC's died on August 30 in Tupelo, Mississippi. The group announced his death via a Facebook post on Monday with their 137K fans. The post has already garnered some 2.5K comments and over 5K reactions and Williams is trending on Twitter after many fans took to the platform in disbelief, shock, and grief over his passing. Williams is survived by his wife Annie with whom he completed fifty years of marriage at the beginning of this month. 90s R&B singer Sam Salter has died. No official date or cause of death has been reported by his family. “We are saddened to share the news that R&B singer Sam Salter recently passed away at age 46,” You Know I Got Soul tweeted. “Confirmed in posts by his family. A special and often overlooked talent gone too soon.” CNN recently raised thousands of dollars online to help Dasha Kelly, who claimed to be the mother of three young children and was facing eviction amid the federal eviction moratorium. After an interview with the North Las Vegas woman, it turned out she wasn’t the mother of the girls after all. Now Dasha is facing a lawsuit. The children are reportedly cared for by their mother, Shadia Hilo, and their father, David Allison, who is Kelly’s boyfriend. Hilo has filed a lawsuit against Kelly for putting her children on TV without their mother’s consent. Per the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “Hilo wants the GoFundMe proceeds placed into a trust for her kids, who are 5, 6 and 8 years old,” the publication writes. https://youtu.be/fspdc7G27Qk Kanye West is said to be telling friends that he and Kim Kardashian are back together — but according to reports, nobody believes it — and no one really cares at this point. The pair performed some sort of ritual at Ye’s “Donda” listening party in Chicago on Thursday. Kim joined the rapper during his PR stunt at Soldier Field, where they held a faux wedding ceremony. The event also saw Kanye light himself on fire and ascend to the heavens. Per Page Six, “music insiders say that West is putting on a big show of “performance art” in a bid to propel his album sales past those of his nemesis Drake,” the outlet writes. One music insider said, “Kanye has been telling other rappers that he and Kim are back together, but everybody knows that isn’t true. “The real story is that Kanye wants to beat Drake in record sales, and he is putting on a big show of performance art to grab all the media attention.” Ohio’s correctional agency terminated seven employees Friday after officials say prison guards used excessive and unjustified force against a Black inmate before he died in custody in February. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction sent a notice of removal to five corrections officers, a supervisor and a licensed nurse following an investigation into the in-custody death of 55-year-old Michael McDaniel. Security footage released by the agency in July showed McDaniel collapsing on his own and being taken down to the floor by prison guards at least 16 times before he died at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, a Columbus suburb, on Feb. 6. “We’re responsible for what happened in that video,” director Annette Chambers-Smith told reporters in July, after releasing surveillance footage of the incident. “There is no question about that.” A white father and son in Mississippi have each been sentenced to four years in prison for convictions related to chasing and shooting at two Black teenagers who were riding all-terrain vehicles on a country road. Some of the charges were prosecuted as hate crimes, which strengthened the punishment. Wade Oscar Twiner, 49, of Yazoo City, and his son, Lane Irvine Twiner, 23, of Jackson, were sentenced Friday in Yazoo County. Jurors on Wednesday convicted each man of two counts of simple assault and one count of malicious mischief. The district attorney’s office said the penalty for each simple assault conviction was increased because the men’s actions were deemed hate crimes under Mississippi law, which allows stronger penalties for crimes motivated by the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, national origin or gender. A Black man who was left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot in the back by a white police officer in Wisconsin expects to be walking soon, an accomplishment he says is tempered by fears of it happening again. Jacob Blake Jr. was shot seven times by a Kenosha police officer in August 2020, three months after George Floyd was killed by police in Minnesota. Blake’s shooting set off days of violent protests in the city of about 100,000 people located midway between Chicago and Milwaukee. Blake tells CNN he was able to take a few steps during his son’s birthday celebration this past week, which he compared to sliding his legs through a woodchipper. Although he was “so geeked” by the moment that followed months of physical rehabilitation, he is not claiming victory. A conservative radio host has become the third who publicly criticized the coronavirus vaccine to die from Covid-19 after battling the disease for weeks. It was announced that Marc Barnier, 65, who was a long-serving talk-radio host in Daytona, Florida, had died on Saturday night by WNDB, the radio station he had worked with for three decades. Barnier called himself ‘Mr Anti-Vax’, telling a guest in December: ‘I’m not taking it … Are you kidding me? Mr Anti-Vax? Jeepers.’ ‘It’s with great sadness that WNDB and Southern Stone Communications announce the passing of Marc Bernier, who informed and entertained listeners on WNDB for over 30 years,’ WNDB wrote on Twitter. ‘We kindly ask that privacy is given to Marc’s family during this time of grief.’ The death of Mr Barnier follows those of Dick Farrel on August 4 and Phil Valentine last week – both of whom were also conservative radio hosts who questioned and criticized the coronavirus vaccine. Spike Lee came under fire last week after he decided to tell white people his TRUE feelings about a controversial issue while being in the public eye. Apparently, he doesn’t take the official explanation of what happened on 9-11 for face value and it has been reported by the New York Times that there are remarks from “conspiracy theorists” embedded therein. “I’m Back In The Editing Room And Looking At The Eighth And Final Chapter Of NYC EPICENTERS 9/11?2021½,” Lee said in a Wednesday statement, The Wrap reported. “I Respectfully Ask You To Hold Your Judgement Until You See The FINAL CUT. I Thank You, Spike Lee.” “I mean, I got questions — and I hope that maybe the legacy of this documentary is that Congress holds a hearing, a congressional hearing about 9/11,” he told the Times, going on to rant about the notorious jet fuel can’t melt steel beams conspiracy theory. https://youtu.be/gQ866ljcevY Go on an adventure with Disney Plus’ favorite pup in “Dug Days,” the upcoming Pixar Animation Studios’ SparkShorts which follows the events of its predecessor – the Oscar winning feature film “Up!” Fans will tag along with the golden retriever misfit Dug – whose high-tech collar translates his thoughts into speech, on his everyday backyard misadventures. The cast includes writer Bob Peterson, reprising his role as the lovable canine and the short director. The late Ed Asner also returns as the voice of Carl Fredricksen the retired salesman and widower. https://youtu.be/JeuoUHn9Cfg In the newly released preview video for the upcoming ABC series “Queens,” Natuti Naughton and her co-stars Nadine Velazquez, Brandy and Eve discuss bringing back their now-defunct 1990s hip-hop group the Nasty Bitches. https://youtu.be/JWZpXJgsAEw Sources tell lovebscott.com exclusively that “P-Valley” star Ty Lepley called it quits with longtime girlfriend / ICM agent April King last year. He has moved on with his “P-Valley” season 2 love interest Miracle Watts. It’s unclear why exactly his relationship with April ended, but according to our sources he told April that he did not want to be in a relationship with her any longer and that he was moving out. She’s the mother of both of his children — one of whom’s just 8-months old. To our understanding, Ty, even though he was engaged, had a bachelor pad in Circa LA in downtown, Los Angeles, but he also shared a home with April and their two kids in Sherman Oaks. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CSrfdM4H9Ns/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7bd5e66f-006c-4e8d-a4a3-989cd8c52e78 Remember the Victory Tour of 1984, it was going to be the biggest things in the history of tours. It was announced all over the radio, there were television commercials, contests to win tickets and all sorts of marketing campaigns to keep that tour top of mind. Now, Margaret Maldonado-Jackson, the former common law wife of Jermaine Jackson, is yet another former Jackson associate who is looking to make money off the family name. In her new book called “Jackson Family Values,” Maldonado has quite a few stories to tell. Including the “true” story about why Jackie Jackson wasn’t on the Victory Tour back in the day. Jackie Jackson was at the peak of popularity and married with a beautiful wife, the late Enid Jackson. At the time, Paula Abdul was a dancer for the Los Angeles Lakers. Maldonado says Jackie was quite flagrant with it, and that Enid was a “take no sh*t” type of sister, too. Marlon’s wife, Carol, found out about it and told Enid and that’s when the heat got turned up. She goes on to say, Enid drove to the theater and located Jackie and Paula and dragged Abdul out of the Range Rover and across the theater lot. Jackie was trying to help Paula when Enid got into her car and put it in reverse and ran into Jackie’s leg and broke it. The broken leg kept Jackie from performing on the first half of the massive “Victory Tour.” Three years later, he and Enid divorced. https://youtu.be/zrcLMTY7iLs Chicago’s police oversight agency is investigating a white officer’s struggle with a Black woman who was walking her dog in a lakefront park, an encounter the woman’s attorneys allege became violent and was “an obvious case of racial profiling,” reports the Associated Press. Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability opened its investigation Sunday of the officer’s interaction with the woman. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday she was “deeply concerned” by video of the incident that has been widely shared on social media, and Chicago’s police superintendent asked the public for patience as the incident is investigated. https://youtu.be/TQnsrqrmjWQ MSNBC correspondent Shaquille Brewster not only had to face down Hurricane Ida as part of his workload Monday, but also an agitated white man who jumped out of a white pickup truck during his live shot and ran toward him shouting. Brewster was reporting from Gulfport, MS, when the man interrupted his on-air report. Shaq tried to reorient the crew away from the situation, telling host Craig Melvin, “I am going to turn this way, because we deal with some people every once in while.” He then went on with his live shot, but then said he would throw it back to Melvin as the man continued shouting. The man then got back into the frame and confronted Brewster face to face. “Hey, hey, hey, hey,” Melvin responded, telling viewers, ‘We’re going to check back in with Shaq Brewster just to make sure all is well. There’s a lot of crazy out there. A lot of crazy.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1432369554676752386 Oprah Winfrey has been recruited to help Broadway get back in full swing after the 18-month COVID-19 shutdown. The Broadway League has tapped Winfrey to narrate a short film for its new “This Is Broadway” initiative, which aims to welcome theater lovers back to Times Square. It brings together unprecedented partnerships between theater owners, behind-the-scenes professionals, and industry competitors to create a unified comeback campaign. https://youtu.be/vFIvsNJShYQ A marketplace highlighting Black-owned businesses in south DeKalb County delayed its grand opening, citing the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases. The New Black Wall Street Market, which is named after the Oklahoma business district that was the site of a massacre a century ago, will hold its grand opening Oct. 30 and 31. The developer was previously aiming for Labor Day weekend. Philanthropist and businessman Lecester “Bill” Allen, the project’s owner and developer, said he envisions the property becoming a thriving marketplace comparable to Ponce City Market or Krog Street Market. The ambitious development aims to foster more than 100 minority- and women-owned businesses in its 125,000-square-foot building, which is located near the Mall at Stonecrest. In a Facebook post, Allen said he delayed the grand opening due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, primarily spurred by the proliferation of the Delta variant. The DeKalb Board of Health reported a 31% increase in cases during the first two weeks of August. About 47% of DeKalb residents have been fully vaccinated. Whoopi Goldberg is being sued for $50 million in a New Jersey development dispute. Goldberg’s company, Whoopi Inc., is accused in a Garden State lawsuit of helping to plot to oust the longtime developer of a plan to revitalize downtown West Orange. Prism Capital Partners was selected to help redevelop the community’s downtown in 2006, but the project, which incorporates 21 acres on Main Street in suburban Essex County, has languished. Its mission was to “revamp the historic Thomas Edison Battery Building and surrounding grounds with thousands of square feet of retail space and hundreds of units of housing,” according to a report in New Jersey Patch. In May, the township declared Prism in default of its agreement, which was terminated in June. Now Prism claims skyrocketing property values during the pandemic prompted town officials to give their company the boot, in a bid to rezone the property and sell it to a different development group, which includes Whoopi Inc., according to court papers. #NeNeLeakes, has unfortunately, revealed that her husband, #GreggLeakes’ health is declining as he battles cancer. A customer at her lounge shared a video while she gave an update and stated, “When you see me, you see my son give us a lot of love okay, my husband is transitioning to the other side.” In the video NeNe addressed being called rude for not telling one of her customers happy birthday, and when she got on the mic, she shared that Gregg’s health condition is declining. We spoke with the woman who recorded the video and she shared that she and her friends did not ask NeNe for a birthday shoutout, nor did they call her rude. She said, “I think that a stranger may have told her that it was my friend’s birthday and asked her to send a shout out to her.” Although she was shocked about NeNe’s announcement she said, “If you listen to my voice in the video, you will not hear hostility. We respect NeNe and Greg and were saddened by the news.” Last year, an 11-year-old drummer went viral after she hit up Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl with a request for a drum battle. A year later, it has finally happened. Nandi Bushell, from Ipswich, UK, posted a cover of the band’s song “Everlong” to YouTube in August 2020, in which she playfully called out the former Nirvana drummer. Responding to the challenge, Grohl said he had received “at least 100 texts from people all over the world” about Nandi’s video request. https://youtu.be/jsDgrKdczAE “The Ms. Pat Show,” starring rising comedy queen Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams and executive produced by Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels features Theodore. The series is one of the few sitcoms featuring a Black mom as a lead tracking as far back into the 90s and has become an instant fan-favorite for BET+. Per the network, the series follows a fictionalized version of Ms. Pat’s life’s journey. From turning her life around as a convicted felon to becoming a suburban mom, the show is full of wisdom, unfiltered honesty and outrageous, in-your-face humor that’s reminiscent of an old-school sitcom, complete with a live audience. Theodore shines as Junebug, Williams’ youngest son who brings all the real, relatable teenage comedy. https://youtu.be/59m14njFKqI The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama has a superstar cop in the department that bears an uncanny resemblance to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The sheriff’s office posted a photo of Patrol Lieutenant Eric Fields on Facebook last week after a local Walmart worker had to see it for himself. “This gentlemen recently ran into Sgt. Mason and informed him he wanted to meet our Deputy that people say looks like “The Rock.” Sgt. Mason passed that along and Lieutenant Fields was happy to swing by the Hartselle Wal-mart to see him. Tyler is one of their many hardworkers and it was great to meet him and some of his coworkers!” “I just learned last year who Shirley Chisolm was. And Ida B. Wells.” Kamryn Whitley just graduated from Lakeland High School in Suffolk. During her senior year, she took a new elective class on African American history that claims to expand cultural awareness in Virginia high schools. “It allowed me to go back and look [at] exactly where I came from, who my ancestors were, who my family was,” said Whitley. Jamal Jackson, now a senior at King’s Fork High School in Suffolk, said the class was eye-opening. “It’s a lot that is in the dark that we don’t know about,” said Jackson. “And this course, it sheds a light into a whole lot of it.” Suffolk teachers Carlotta Boone and Lawren Lee virtually introduced the course in their high schools, and they said it challenged students’ understanding of the Black experience in America. “As you go through the history of the United States of America, African Americans are a vital part of the success of this country,” said Lee, a teacher at Lakeland High School. “The kids have studied basically from the beginnings — which is the human origins, all the way up to today,” said Boone, a teacher at King’s Fork High School. Suffolk was one of a handful of local school districts, including Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News, to pilot the course last year. A Vermont city is planning to erect a monument to Vermont’s first known black sheriff and chief of police. The city of Vergennes is planning to unveil and dedicate the monument to former Sheriff Stephen Bates on Oct. 3. Bates was first elected sheriff and chief of police in Vergennes in 1879. Bates had been formerly enslaved in Virginia. He gained his freedom and served Union soldiers during the Civil War. He first came to Vergennes in 1866 with Vermont U.S. Rep. Frederick E. Woodbridge. Bates served as sheriff of Vergennes for 25 years. He raised a family in Vergennes before his death in 1907, and some of his descendants will be attending the event. A local team of historians and others spent the past year researching Bates’ life and rediscovering his story in Vergennes. A newlywed couple was so upset at guests who no-showed for their wedding that they sent them an invoice for $240. According to the #NYPost, a copy of the bill sent to guests who RSVPed but didn’t show went viral on #Twitter and sparked debate on whether or not the newlyweds were rightfully justified or just plain petty. The Post tracked down the couple, Doug and Dedra Simmons of Chicago, and the groom admitted the no-shows at his wedding “made me feel some kind of way.” Doug originally posted the final bill for his wedding on Facebook, with a caption that read, “This invoice is being sent to you because you confirmed seat(s) at the wedding reception during the Final Headcount.” Rebecca Desir had her eyes set on one goal since her adolescent years: She wanted to be a teacher. Jokingly, Desir says growing up the daughter of Haitian immigrants, her parents expected her to become a doctor or an engineer. While she didn’t choose those specific career paths, her current work aligns with both health and education. Desir graduated from Florida International University in Miami with a Master’s Degree in Public Health. She recalls a project presented by one of her professors that tasked her class with breaking down a public health issue of their choice. She said many of her peers chose prominent issues like HIV/AIDS. Desir, however, chose to go in a different direction for her presentation. Living in Miami, she noticed a trend of plastic surgery, specifically Brazilian Butt Lifts. She says while it’s a popular procedure and gained major attention on social media, many may not realize that it can kill you, especially if done wrong. Adding, the implications of trends like this should be discussed regularly. Her professor said she had a unique way of looking at healthcare. Church leaders and those at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary are taking precautionary steps as Hurricane Ida develops into a projected Category 3 and possible Category 4 storm. “We are recommending at this point that we evacuate the campus,” NOBTS President Jamie Dew announced in a video earlier today. “This is not mandatory. The city has not mandated that or anything like that. But with a Category 3 or Category 4 [hurricane] we certainly want to recommend that you get your family … and perhaps this is a good weekend to go visit some out-of-town family members in other parts of the country.” A Miami-Dade County Public Schools teacher and her daughter, a school cafeteria manager, died of complications with COVID-19 at Jackson South Medical Center. Two teenagers are grieving their mother, Lakisha Williams, and their grandmother, Lillian Smith, a first-grade teacher at Dr. William A. Chapman Elementary School in Miami-Dade County’s Naranja neighborhood. Williams’ husband, Jermaine Williams, said she and Smith were not vaccinated against COVID-19 and were admitted to the hospital in early August. Williams had recently been promoted. “I was so proud when she got her degree to be this manager, and my wife only did this — not even a month,” the grieving widower said through tears. Jermaine Williams described Smith, his mother-in-law, as “a wonderful lady” who loved her students as “her babies.” Oliver Family Charities is keeping the memory of Dallas basketball player Andre Emmett alive. Emmett was shot and killed in September 2019 while being robbed near his home in Old East Dallas. The charity, established by Emmett’s mother, hosted a youth basketball camp that honors his legacy. The day-long camp happened at the Moorland Branch YMCA in Oak Cliff for boys and girls age 8 to 13. Emmett played college basketball for Texas Tech, where he remains the all-time leading scorer. https://cbsloc.al/3mEImE3 Wendell Scott’s grandson stood on his tip toes, leaned over and kissed the trophy that was nearly 60 years in the making. NASCAR presented Scott’s family a custom trophy commemorating his historic 1963 victory prior to Saturday’s Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Scott was the first and remains the only Black driver to win a race at NASCAR’s top level. NASCAR President Steve Phelps gave Scott’s son, Frank Scott, the trophy on stage following a pre-race concert and just before driver introductions. Driver Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s lone full-time Black driver, joined several of Scott’s family members on stage for the ceremony. As they started to leave the dais, Warrick Scott got his chance to pose with the trophy. Instead of holding or hoisting it, he decided to kiss it. It was maybe the most telling scene of what this meant to the family. Wendell Scott passed Richard Petty with 25 laps remaining at Speedway Park in Jacksonville on Dec. 1, 1963, in the Jacksonville 200. But Buck Baker, who actually finished second, was declared the winner and received the trophy in victory lane. It was her first civil rights demonstration. Shirley Green-Reese was 13 when she challenged segregation outside the Martin Theater in Americus, Ga., in July 1963. She tried to buy tickets at the front of the theater instead of entering from the back alley. That’s when the police arrived. “We were just children. We didn’t think nothing could happen to us,” said Green-Reese, now 72, of the moments before she was arrested. “We just didn’t know the danger of it.” She had gone to the protest without her parents’ knowledge and figured she could make it back home before they did. She wouldn’t. Instead she was transported from cell to cell in rural southwest Georgia before finally ending up in a stockade in Leesburg, where she was among 15 girls imprisoned for at least 45 days without ever being charged with a crime. The children, who ranged in age from 12 to 15, eventually became known as the Leesburg Stockade Girls. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on Friday released video footage of an incident involving NBA player Jaxson Hayes in which an officer used a stun gun on the New Orleans Pelicans center as he gasped for air, saying “I can’t breathe.” The incident occurred at a residence in LA’s Woodland Hills neighborhood on July 28 after police received a call from a cousin of Hayes’s girlfriend reporting a domestic dispute, according to The Associated Press. After police arrived and started to question Hayes about his girlfriend, the player states in the video that the couple “were just having a little argument” and says “she was throwing some stuff at me.” Police then indicate they want to speak with Hayes’s girlfriend and ask him to stand outside. The player can be heard in the edited video asking if the police have a warrant to enter the home, with officers responding that they don’t need one. The situation quickly escalates after officers grab Hayes’s arms, with multiple officers then attempting to subdue him. H.E.R. has signed on for her first major acting role, landing the part of Squeak in Blitz Bazawule’s forthcoming adaptation of “The Color Purple” for Warner Bros. H.E.R. is already an Oscar winner, earning the best original song trophy in April for her song “Fight For You,” from Warner Bros.’ “Judas and the Black Messiah.” The singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist also has won four Grammys. In her Variety cover story, the 23-year-old songstress expressed her desire to become a top musician and a top actor. “There is so much I want to do. People don’t really get to see my comedic and fun side, except for when I’m impersonating my aunt,” she said, with a laugh. “But I definitely want to do a lot more voice-overs, and comedy, but also some serious roles.” Catching herself, she continued: “I’m trying to do it all, I know. Whatever it is, one thing at a time. I’m gonna get there.” Joining the cast of Warner Bros.’ adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, which is itself an adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, definitely qualifies as “serious.” “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum NeNe Leakes was recently recorded telling patrons of her Atlanta lounge, The Linnethia, that husband Gregg Leakes could possibly be losing his battle with cancer. In footage obtained by It’s OnSite, Leakes, 53, is seen addressing customers who called her “rude” for not acknowledging a birthday in the crowd, leading the reality star to share her personal pain. “My husband is transitioning to the other side,” she told the room before turning to acknowledge those who called her out. “You don’t know what we’re dealing with right now. We walked in this lounge because we had to walk in this lounge because this is our business. So, when people approach and say, ‘you’re rude because you don’t want to say happy birthday,’ my husband is at home dying. I don’t want to say ‘happy birthday,’ okay?” Gregg, 67, was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018, but it went into remission after treatment. In June, however, NeNe confirmed that his cancer returned. https://www.instagram.com/p/CTKl3vAglng/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading There’s still hope for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. The estranged couple have considered putting their divorce on hold to work “on rebuilding the foundation of their relationship,” a source close to the couple shared with TMZ. Kardashian, 40, is considering withdrawing her divorce petition from West, 44, though no decisions have been made yet, according to the report. One thing keeping Kimye on the path to reconciliation is that they both want what is best for their four children — North, 8, Saint, 5, Chicago, 3, and their youngest, Psalm, 2. Rumors of a reconciliation blew up after Kardashian made a surprise appearance wearing a wedding dress to “remarry” West at his “Donda” listening event in Chicago on Friday. The couple came face-to-face while “No Child Left Behind” played for the scene. While severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 are still considered rare among children, those of color have been disproportionally sickened. And with cases climbing as the contagious delta variant rips through the unvaccinated, health experts fear what’s to come. The COVID-19 vaccines aren’t yet available for children younger than 12, and with schools reopening more kids are getting infected. In Florida, where new cases lead the nation and Gov. Ron DeSantis has banned school districts from mandating masks, children make up roughly 10% of cases since the start of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. A Lexington pastor, hospitalized with COVID-19, has died. Tim Parsons was the lead pastor at Center Point Church. He tested positive a little more than two weeks ago. Church members say Parsons died Thursday morning. In a statement, the church says Parsons leaves behind an impactful legacy in the lives of thousands of people: In light of everything going on in the life of our church, we will not be doing phone calls or interviews at this time. Here is a brief statement from our church: We are saddened by the loss of our beloved Lead Pastor, Tim Parsons. He was loved by many and he leaves an impactful legacy in the lives of thousands of people. We are grateful that he is now in the presence of the Savior he loved so deeply and proclaimed so passionately. Thank you for your prayers and for respecting the privacy of the family in this difficult time. CBN’s Operation Blessing helps people recover from natural disasters around the world. The international disaster relief team delivered 70 food kits to those in need in a remote area of Haiti, following the recent deadly earthquake in that country that killed more than 2,200 people and destroyed 50,000 homes. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton has been a broadcaster on MSNBC for ten years and Sharpton recently celebrated 10 years on “PoliticsNation,” which premiered in 2011. “I’ve lasted longer than most TV hosts of shows,” he told the New York Post’s Page Six. “I’ve never missed a show in ten years! I might be the only host who’s never missed a show,” he added. Ari Melber, Tiffany Cross, Joy Reid, former president Phil Griffin and current president Rashida Jones, a trailblazer in her own right as the first black woman to head a cable news network, were among the guests who came out to give a shoutout. https://youtu.be/RNeLgzr8Png A three-judge panel unanimously affirmed a trial judge’s finding that Dylan Roof was competent enough to stand trial. “No cold record or careful parsing of statutes and precedents can capture the full horror of what Roof did,” the judges wrote in an unsigned opinion. “His crimes qualify him for the harshest penalty that a just society can impose.” Roof’s defense team is expected to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. Many people who came across the latest update felt that the ruling was fair given the horrific crime that occurred. However, activist and (Black News Channel) TV personality Marc Lamont Hill said that he is against the death penalty and explained why on Black News Tonight. https://www.instagram.com/p/CTFmTi5nZLy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Venus Williams has partnered with BetterHelp and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to provide one month of free therapy through BetterHelp. “The challenge of taking care of our mental health through the ups and downs of life is something that all of us, no matter our background, can relate to,” Williams said in a statement. “Now more than ever, we need to create an accepting and open environment to seek professional mental health therapy, which is why I am so excited to partner with BetterHelp and the WTA to provide access to free therapy and help raise awareness,” she added. https://www.instagram.com/venuswilliams/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0fcd3256-f43c-44d3-a15d-d13687dcdb05 Texas State House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) on Thursday banned the word “racism” in the chamber after tensions flared while debating the headline-making voting rights bill, ABC 13 reported. In mid-July, numerous House Democrats broke quorum and left Texas in an attempt to block the legislation. Now that enough members have returned, the House regrouped to debate and vote for the first time since May. Lawmakers proposed nearly 70 amendments, a majority of them by Democrats. The debate reportedly lasted 90 minutes, according to the ABC affiliate. The Speaker’s move came after the controversial bill was brought to the floor for a vote. During debate, the word “racism” came into play, prompting Phelan to ban the word. Delta Airlines employees will be hit with a $200 monthly surcharge for refusing to take the COVID vaccine shot. In a memo released on August 24, the company’s CEO Ed Bastian announced that unvaccinated employees would face health care premium hikes beginning Nov. 1. https://youtu.be/AT6h6qxyoS8 American Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin is engaged to former National Football League player Andre Levrone Jr. McLaughlin, the 22-year-old hurdler who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, posted pictures of her sunset proposal on Instagram. “Till this day I still can’t comprehend how someone who possesses everything I’ve prayed for, has finally come into my life,” her post read. “Our growth together exceeds what the dates on a calendar show. I fall in love with you more and more each day off of the strength of your faith.” “May we never love one another cautiously, but instead always be eager to love one another extravagantly, in the manner that Christ loved the Church,” her 26-year-old fiancé, who has played for the Baltimore Ravens, wrote on his Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/sydneymclaughlin16/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=409379b2-9b0d-4086-9c62-d2201d140cb5 The National Basketball Association (NBA) will require referees working games during the coming season to be vaccinated against coronavirus, the league said on Saturday. The announcement comes after the league and the National Basketball Referees Association reached an agreement, which will not enforce the requirement for referees with religious or medical exemptions. The referees have also agreed to take any recommended booster shots. "Any referee who does not get vaccinated and is not exempt will be ineligible to work games," the league said in a statement. Manchester United capped a day of high-transfer drama by agreeing a deal for Cristiano Ronaldo to return to the club, after rivals Manchester City had a reported change of heart. The transfer is subject to the agreement of personal terms, visa and a medical, but the 36-year-old appears set to leave Juventus to re-join the club where he won eight major trophies between 2003-2009. Fan favorite Ronaldo's return generated so much excitement that United's website crashed shortly after they announced the deal, while the club's share price rose nearly 7% to $18.47. Stephen Curry is helping women’s sports make strides toward equity. On Thursday, the 33-year-old NBA player announced that he and his wife, Ayesha Curry, are establishing the Curry Family Women’s Athletics Initiative at his alma mater, Davidson College, in North Carolina. The Golden State Warriors star said the initiative will be “aimed at helping close the inequity gap in women’s sports,” as the couple donates to the school and encourages others to do the same. “Davidson College is where it all started for me, and it no doubt prepared me for leadership and service. I’m forever grateful for the unwavering support from the entire Davidson community,” the father of three said in a video on social media. “The reason I am who I am today is also because of strong, powerful women that have poured into my life all these years,” he continued, noting the initiative “hits home” because of his daughters, Riley, 9, and 6-year-old Ryan. Stephen and Ayesha are also parents to 3-year-old son Canon. Model Winnie Harlow and new Washington Wizards small forward Kyle Kuzma have decided to call it quits after he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers, according to TMZ. The celebrity couple was dating for over a year, according to sources, and they broke up just weeks after the trade was announced. TMZ reports that the couple is still friends and there are not any hard feelings. Kyle Kuzma was living the dream not that long ago. He was the young gun that was allowed to remain with the Lakers after Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram were shipped out to make room for Anthony Davis. He even got a ring out of the deal. However, after the Lakers early departure from the playoffs last season, the brass in LA decided they needed a more definitive offensive punch on the perimeter. Enter: former MVP Russell Westbrook. Super Turnt” the movie, is the sequel to the popular action film “Turnt.” The action packed movie is produced by the legendary Mann Robinson and Torrei Hart and is premiering in September at his Mann Robinson Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. The cast includes Robinson, Hart, Harry Lennix, Jamal Woolard, E. Roger Mitchell & many more! The film currently has a lot of buzz and has been featured in Variety magazine, as well as many other industry blogs. The film follows Rilla, a highly feared street lord and rapper, who’s been released from prison and is faced with navigating changes in his immediate world. Ty James, daughter of legendary singer-songwriter Rick James and Sacha Jenkins, filmmaker and director the documentary “Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James” joined SiriusXM Urban View’s “The Mike Muse Show” to talk about the new documentary surrounding James’ life and legacy, his struggles with addiction, the trauma the James’ family endured, and his “genuine,” funny relationship with Dave Chappelle. https://youtu.be/H86RQvyMXDU Yesterday, the “Candyman” returned to terrorize theaters in the thrilling sequel to the 1992 film and at his time Saturday (08-28-21) it was winning the weekend box office race with $21 million. This “Candyman” follows a young couple living in the heavily gentrified Cabrini Green of Chicago, Illinois. In symmetry with the first film, our protagonists Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris), stumble across the legend of the Candyman while in pursuit of inspiration for their artwork. https://youtu.be/TPBH3XO8YEU Following the epic success of romantic drama” Never and Again,” Percy “Master P” Miller, Romeo Miller and LazRael Lison have partnered again to bring audiences “#Unknown.” A psychological suspense film, releasing October 1st on Amazon Prime. Years after a series of random murders took place in 2017, book author Michael Lane (played by Hal Ozsan) suddenly begins receiving haunting calls from the #Unknown. Instead of focusing on the encore to his successful debut book, he becomes obsessed with this mystery and spirals out of control as he unravels each victim caught in the web of a sadistic killer. https://www.instagram.com/masterp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b587d0a2-f11e-45c2-b342-3c36e529c603 Anthony Mackie has entered into a deal to star in a fourth installment of the Captain America film franchise. The Disney+ series “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” focused on the moral implications incumbent upon one who wields the shield, but this upcoming “Captain America 4” film will likely show Sam Wilson already acclimated to the role. Malcolm Spellman garnered a great deal of praise on the manner in which he incorporated a writers room that was nearly all-Black (unheard of even on “Black” movies). For Captain America 4, Malcolm Spellman will reportedly pen the script along with Dalan Musson, who also wrote for the Disney Plus series as well. “It’s been incredible, I feel alive again,” laughed Scott Tournet, lead man of Dance/Rock band Elektric Voodoo, about touring again to support the launch of their new album “Telescope.” The “Telescope” tour ends Sunday, August 29, 2021 at Rams Head on Stage. https://youtu.be/3CzrEnXrCiU Shaq revealed during a podcast that he turned away a $40 million five-year deal with Reebok after a woman confronted him about his expensive shoes during a game. On Thursday’s episode of the “Full Send” podcast, O’Neal recalled the moment he ended his deal with Reebok during his NBA career after a woman confronted him about the shoe’s prices at the time. He said the woman called him a “motherf*cker” for charging too much for sneakers that were targeted for children and should make the shoes more affordable. The NBA champion noted that the moment inspired him to make his own brand and launched a partnership with Walmart to launch the sneakers. “I said keep the money… this ain’t right. I’ll still wear the shoes I wear during the season, but I’ll be looking to do my own thing. So, I started the Shaq brand. I went to my favorite store, Walmart, and we did a deal. I was in all stores and my price point for the shoes was $29-$19 and since then we have sold over 400 million pairs. It’s not kids that don’t want to wear $20 shoes, they don’t want to wear shoes that look like they cost $20.” An Indian man has died after he used epoxy adhesive to have sex instead of a condom. Epoxy adhesive is typically used to bind construction elements together or protect underlying surfaces from dirt and moisture. Instead of a condom, a 25-year-old man used the product before engaging in sex. An investigator in the case told the Times of India that the man “used the adhesive to avoid pregnancy.” The man, identified as Salman Mirza, died suddenly after using the adhesive on June 22. At the time, he was at a hotel in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with his ex-fiancé. “Several witnesses said that Mirza, along with his former fiancée, both of whom were addicted to drugs, had gone to a hotel in Juhapura. There, they applied an epoxy adhesive on his private parts as they were not carrying any protection,” explained a senior police official. Epoxy adhesive is typically used to bind construction elements together or protect underlying surfaces from dirt and moisture. Instead of a condom, a 25-year-old man used the product before engaging in sex. An investigator in the case told the Times of India that the man “used the adhesive to avoid pregnancy.” The man, identified as Salman Mirza, died suddenly after using the adhesive on June 22. At the time, he was at a hotel in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with his ex-fiancé. “Several witnesses said that Mirza, along with his former fiancée, both of whom were addicted to drugs, had gone to a hotel in Juhapura. There, they applied an epoxy adhesive on his private parts as they were not carrying any protection,” explained a senior police official. Rising Christian & Gospel artist Jonathan Traylor invites us all to “The Table” on his worshipful new single, reminding you that you belong and you are loved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN7bsNPy2gs Cynthia Jones stepped into music with her breakthrough debut album GOTTA SOUL in 2008, which introduced her authentically expressive savviness as a singer with true soul. It has been a decade since her last album, JOURNEY OF SOUL. Cynthia now emerges with a renewed spirit and a fresh creative spark to her signature voice. Cynthia offers her brand new single “Ain’t No Half Steppin." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ijHyVWkfU&feature=youtu.be All Nations Music just released a new EP! If you're ready to listen to Sanctuary...be prepared to clear your schedule to worship! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf_zSJkCQDo Angela Moss Poole brings a fresh sound to contemporary Christian/Gospel music. She is a nationally acclaimed songwriter whose songs are being translated and shared all over the world. Angela teams up with powerhouse vocalist Micah Stampley to deliver "My Help." https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/7074765?date=20210402&user_id=668306&signature=CNk6BTienXBV1PeRU6-wGA-yDbk%3AjNbzrOXd Cheering turns deadly with the mysterious death of Emma (Claire Tablizo) and Kate (Alexis Samone) begins to suspect that Anna (Sofia Masson), the newly appointed captain of her cheer squad, is responsible. As Kate searches for the truth behind Emma’s death, she soon becomes a target for Anna who is out to destroy her life. The Wrong Cheer Captain also stars Vivica A. Fox and Jackée Harry and is produced by Hybrid, LLC. The Wrong Cheer Captain premieres Sunday, August 29th at 8PM ET/PT on Lifetime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkPyoUHdUXo It’s an exciting time for the Tankard family as they get ready to kick off Season 4 of their hit reality show, Thicker Than Water: The Tankards. The show had a very successful three-season run with the Bravo TV Network; however, this time around, they are branching out as Executive producers and owners of their own show under the CJC Network. The new season of the fun-loving family docu-series begins on Sunday, August 29th at 8:00 P.M. and 11 P.M. on the CJC Network. https://t.e2ma.net/click/ovvv5h/smf04b/4fmenac Atlanta-based media company Empower Media Group (EMG) held the 2021 Black Media Honors™? on Sunday, August 22. The annual awards honors broadcasting, public relations, media, mass communication and journalism icons who have influenced and made significant contributions to the media industry. Celebrated strategic public-relations agency, CR8 Agency, was awarded "Agency of The Year" at the inaugural event. The Black Media Honors, slated to air on FOX SOUL was hosted by Actress Brely Evans and Pastor Anthony Murray. RuPaul continues to slay his guest hosting stint on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Last night, he turned a plain clothes fashion show featuring show staffers into an extravaganza worthy of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and had a sit-down with his close friend, Thandiwe Newton, that got real personal. https://youtu.be/izcpzltXTi8 The veteran U.S. Capitol police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt as she and hundreds of other MAGA rioters tried to force their way into the lobby of the House of Representatives chamber defended his actions Thursday in an interview with NBC Nightly News. “I tried to wait as long as I could,” Lt. Michael Byrd told host Lester Holt. “I hoped and prayed no one tried to enter through those doors. But their failure to comply required me to take the appropriate action to save the lives of members of Congress and myself and my fellow officers.” On Jan. 6, Byrd and several other officers used furniture to barricade a set of doors leading to the lobby where about 60 to 80 House members and staffers were sitting ducks. https://youtu.be/MuByQ7Pp5Gg A mother and father in Florida have been arrested after their child died from fentanyl and cocaine intoxication. Charquez Giles, 26, and Latonia Clemons, 36, are accused of third-degree felony murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child and neglect of a child after their 1-year-old daughter died on July 10. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the child’s paternal aunt found the girl on her doorstep in a car seat with no one else around after receiving a knock at her front door. The aunt said she received a call from family members advising that the girl needed medical attention. The aunt drove the girl to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. A medical examiner later determined that the cause of death to be fentanyl and cocaine intoxication. Police said the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death are still being investigated. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation from Riviera Beach police and arrested the pair on Thursday. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the U.S., blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. The vote was split 6-3 between the court’s conservative and liberal justices, with John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett voting to end the eviction moratorium, and Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan voting to keep it. Justices said in an unsigned opinion Thursday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reimplemented the moratorium on August 3, lacked the authority to do so under federal law without explicit congressional authorization. ‘It would be one thing if Congress had specifically authorized the action that the CDC has taken,’ the court wrote. ‘But that has not happened. Instead, the CDC has imposed a nationwide moratorium on evictions in reliance on a decades-old statute that authorizes it to implement measures like fumigation and pest extermination. It strains credulity to believe that this statute grants the CDC the sweeping authority that it asserts.’ Real estate groups in Georgia and Alabama had argued this point and told the high court that the moratorium caused property owners across the nation significant financial hardships, USA Today reports. Liberty University announced a temporary campus-wide quarantine Thursday amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. The quarantine is set to begin Monday and last until Sept. 10, news outlets report. The university has about 15,000 students and 5,000 faculty or staff on campus. There were 159 known active cases among students, faculty and staff as of Wednesday, according to the university’s online COVID-19 dashboard. Of those cases, 124 cases were among students. It is a sharp increase from last week when 40 students and staff tested positive as students were welcomed back to campus. It also surpasses the highest confirmed active caseload last September, when at least 141 people on campus tested positive and nearly 1,200 people were quarantined. As the university began its fall semester this week, the university, which doesn’t require vaccination, lifted building capacity restrictions and distancing and masking requirements. The university changed its protocol late Thursday to enact the campus-wide quarantine, moving classes online and suspending large indoor gatherings. The Rev. Jesse Jackson has been transferred to a hospital focused on physical rehabilitation after receiving treatment for a breakthrough COVID-19 infection while his wife, Jacqueline, has been moved to an intensive care unit, according to a family statement released Friday. Jonathan Jackson, one of the couple’s five children, said that his father’s COVID-19 symptoms are abating. Jackson has Parkinson’s disease and Jonathan Jackson said he will receive “intensive occupational and physical therapy” at The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Jacqueline Jackson is not on a ventilator but is receiving increased oxygen in the ICU at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Jonathan Jackson said. “Both of our parents are continuing to receive excellent medical care,” he said. “We urge that you continue to keep them in your prayers because we know this is a serious disease.” People were outraged Thursday afternoon when PlayStation announced a new gaming experience on Fortnite that features the greatest orator in American history, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. According to PlayStation’s blog, the new experience, “March Through Time in Fortnite” will teleport players nearly 60 years in the past to a re-imagined Washington, D.C., called D.C. 63. They will get to explore the Lincoln Memorial and the United States National Mall where Dr. King made his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. The feature is presented by TIME Studios and was developed by members of the Fortnite Creative Community. It will also feature museum-inspired points of interest and quests you can complete with other players. Completing the quests will unlock unique accessories for the game. https://twitter.com/i/status/1430916152667017217 Right-wing attorney John Pierce a lawyer who once represented Kenosha shooter and conservative sweetheart, Kyle Rittenhouse, and is now representing 17 members of the Jan. 6, white people rebellion, the Capitol riot, is a staunch conservative who, for months, had been using his Twitter account as a hub for anti-vaccine nonsense. Now, he’s a COVID-19 carrier who is hospitalized and on a ventilator, according to one of his colleagues. Newsweek reported that Wednesday, Pierce was due in court for a hearing for alleged Capitol rioter Shane Jenkins. When he didn’t show up, Pierce’s legal partner, Ryan Marshall told the judge, “Mr. Pierce is in the hospital, we believe, with COVID-19, on a ventilator, non-responsive." Just over a week ago, Pierce tweeted, “All I know is the entire 82nd Airborne couldn’t make me get an experimental government vaccine stuck in my arm.” Sidney Powell, the pro-Trump attorney who joined fellow Donald Trump stooge Rudy Giuliani in spreading “stop the steal” propaganda involving sentient voting machines going full Skynet and changing Trump votes to Biden votes costing the Trump to lose his bid for re-election? Wednesday, a federal judge ordered sanctions on Powell and several other lawyers of the Trump cult over their support of the “big lie” that eventually led to the Caucasian Can’t-Coup-Right rebellion at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. According to CNN, U.S. District Judge Linda Parker, of the Eastern District of Michigan, said the team of attorneys “engaged in litigation practices” that were “abusive and, in turn, sanctionable,” so now Powell and the rest of the voter suppression brigade are required to reimburse the lawyer fees Detroit and Michigan officials paid in seeking the sanctions. They’re also required to take legal education classes, which one can only assume is the ultimate insult for people who have supposedly already been through law school. Many pioneers, celebrities and tastemakers have used their platforms to raise awareness of the LGBTQIA+ community its contributions art, culture, industry, civil rights, and social justice. Bridge Philanthropic Consulting is highlighting 12 members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the company’s newest Iconic Impact Initiative paper, “Our Pride Won’t Stop: Highlighting Pioneers and Champions of the LGBTQIA+ Movement.” The paper features LGBTQIA+ leaders and their professional and social change journeys, including Robin Roberts, Alphonso David, Don Lemon, RuPaul, Wanda Sykes, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Frank Ocean, Marsha P. Johnson, an activist drag queen at the 1969 Stonewall uprising, and Bayard Rustin, who was arrested in 1953 for having consensual sex with two men but later became a leader in social movements for civil rights, gay rights, equality, and nonviolence. Jalen rose says, we all know my “Renaissance Man” guest as Ice Cube or O’Shea Jackson Sr. But initially before he went Hollywood in “Boyz n the Hood,” he wasn’t so certain the name Doughboy would be forever linked to his body of work. Late great director John Singleton approached him because he wanted to make a movie about the NWA lifestyle and ethos. “He was just adamant about the group, NWA, the kind of music that we were doing. And, you know, his whole thing was like ‘the film version of what you are doing and, you know, nobody is showing that,’” Ice Cube told me of Singleton. “They got, the East Coast versions of what this is, you know, but nobody’s done our version like our ‘Do the Right Thing.’ So he just kept saying, ‘Man, you Doughboy, you Doughboy, man. I could see it.’ … I’m listening because I’m very interested. You know, John is an interesting cat, but I’m thinking he going to hire somebody else, whatever actor that was popping … But he was adamant that, ‘It’s you.’ … So he believed in me before I did because I thought you had to be trained to act and by the time this movie come out, you gonna hire Todd Bridges or something. https://play.acast.com/s/5ac23cd2-7cf4-542c-a68e-d6559d0d7d38/17a78420-01ca-47e4-8b18-52c91b3a2283 Fine dining and great entertainment go hand in hand but rarely does it evoke the traditions of yesteryear in such grand style. Well thanks to Paul and Kara Coury, of Kansas City’s downtown Ambassador Hotel, Lonnie McFadden now has a permanent home to razzle, dazzle and mesmerize the crowd with his spirited performance in Lonnie’s Reno Club. Lonnie is a quadruple threat. He sings like Lonnie, that’s his name, but his voice is tinged with the velvet fibers of Billy Eckstein, Nat King Cole and Jimmy Scott. https://youtu.be/f1vqttc4wM4 Lil Nas X is calling out a double standard over skateboarding legend Tony Hawk’s new skateboards. The Old Town Road rapper took to Twitter yesterday (Aug. 25th), to point out the difference between the public’s reaction to his controversial Nike bloody shoes and Tony Hawk‘s bloody skateboards. Tony Hawk announced that he is an ambassador with Liquid Death, a canned water company known for its famous tagline, “Murder Your Thirst.” Under his partnership, he’s releasing a line of limited-edition skateboards that include his own blood. According to reports, Tony gave two vials of blood, which were mixed into the paint used on the skateboards. Netflix’s “Lupin” is a must-have to add to your must-watch list. Omar Sy stars as Arsène Lupin, a contemporary retelling of the French classic story about the titular gentleman thief and master of disguise. The series is directed by Ludovic Bernard and Hugo Gélin and is produced by the oldest film company in the world, Gaumont Télévision (Isabelle Degeorges, Nathan Franck). https://youtu.be/ga0iTWXCGa0 Roy Wood Jr.’s recurring “Daily Show” character Leo Deblin is back, and this time he’s addressing the real life issue of home appraisers placing higher values on the homes of white owners. The issue came to light this year when a Black homeowner removed her home’s Black identifiers and had a white, male friend stand in during a second appraisal on her home, and was quoted a higher amount than what was given during the first appraisal that she attended, with her Black photos and books in place. https://youtu.be/NEKYqsIZMn8 On the new episode of Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert’s reality series, “We Got Love Teyana & Iman, ” Taylor, 30, opened up about a recent health scare. The singer revealed that she underwent emergency surgery in Miami after finding lumps in her breasts. Dr. Altman, her physician, performed a biopsy to further determine what was going on. From there, she learned that the results came back fine — even despite the doctor describing it as a “complicated” procedure. https://youtu.be/4l90BuelxZM An ex-drug lord from New York City is suing 50 Cent, claiming the rapper stole his life story and turned it into the hit “Power” series on Starz. Per AllHipHop, Cory “Ghost” Holland Sr. filed the ten-figure lawsuit against 50 Cent, Courtney Kemp, Starz, claiming “Power” is based on his life as a New York drug kingpin. According to Holland, he produced a cautionary tale about his life as a drug-lord in 2007, put it on CD, and distributed it to at-risk children. Holland claims he met with Courtney Kemp’s father in the early 1990s to discuss his life story as he attempted to exit the drug trade. In 2007, Holland said he mailed a copy of his CD to Kemp’s dad. The CD had an autobiographical song where he raps about being a “druglord,” falling in love with his “teen crush” (who is Puerto Rican) and finding out from his white, best friend/drug trafficking partner that his teen crush now works in law enforcement. Holland claimed he also rapped about leaving his wife, who is a Black woman, for his Puerto-Rican love interest. At the end of the song, someone tries to murder Holland. Kim Kardashian wore a wedding dress and veil as she dramatically joined her estranged husband Kanye West on stage at his Donda listening party on Thursday evening. The reality star wore a Balenciaga Couture dress while walking out onto the stage at Soldier Field in Chicago for the final song of the show, No Child Left Behind, which caused a frenzy at the stadium. Despite the appearance, insiders say Kim and Kanye are not back together, however are ‘forever family.’ https://twitter.com/i/status/1431168223454633986 Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav chopped it up with Steve-O on his Wild Ride! podcast and spilled details about Dr. Dre’s hotly-anticipated “Detox” album. “I was just over Dre’s house a week and a half ago,” he said. “One of the best people in the world, man. Not only that, but I’m honored for him to have me record something at his house for his upcoming album that’s getting ready to come out. That’s big to me, man. C’mon. Flavor Flav on a Dr. Dre album? Man. Word. That’s big to me, bro.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CTAdf9TogPS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Beyonce is said to be ‘disappointed and angry’ at unknowingly modeling a ‘blood diamond’ in her new Tiffany & Co. campaign after facing furious online backlash. The singer, 39, wore the famed 128.54 carat Tiffany Diamond, in a photoshoot with her husband Jay Z, which debuted last week – becoming just the fourth female – and the first black woman – to ever wear the gem. However the chart-topper and the luxury jewelry brand have come under furious fire over the decision to showcase the controversial diamond, with many social media users calling attention to its contentious history and the circumstances under which it was mined. The diamond was discovered in a colonial mine in Kimberley, South Africa, in 1877 – at a time when the country, and its mines, were under British colonial rule – and when predominantly black migrant workers were subjected to horrific conditions while receiving paltry, and sometimes no, pay in return. According to a source close to Beyonce, the singer was unaware of the diamond’s controversial history, and has been left outraged over the fact that she was not given more information about the gem’s background. ‘Beyonce is aware of the criticism and is disappointed and angry that she wasn’t made aware of questions about its history,’ an unnamed insider told The Sun. In 1963, my grandfather gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington. He wasn’t painting the picture of a utopia, but one of a country where we could live without constant crisis. He wanted an end to racism and a beginning to civil rights in the United States. Today, 58 years later, my grandfather’s dream is still not a reality. Racism is alive and well in our country. Here’s how I know: This year, 400 anti-voting bills have been snaking their way through states — and 30 have already been passed into law. Think about that: Lawmakers have passed 30 bills to stop people from voting. Thirty bills that silence the voices of Black and brown people, immigrants, and young voters. The worst of these bills make it illegal to give food and water to voters waiting in line and prevent people from having a say in the direction of our country. Two Black men in their 50s are suing Walmart, alleging that the retailer falsely accused them of stealing when they tried to return a TV. The plaintiffs Dennis Stewart, a former police officer, and Terence Richardson, a pastor, were handcuffed by the police at a Walmart in the Houston suburb of Conroe, Texas, after trying to return a $300 TV last September, the lawsuit said. Stewart bought the TV earlier in the day but said it wasn’t working properly, and so wanted to return it, the lawsuit said. The two men said that when they went to return the TV, a white employee at the customer-service counter accused them of stealing it and refused to acknowledge their receipt as proof of purchase. They said the associate called the police. The lawsuit said the police arrived, handcuffed them, and took them to the loss-prevention office, where Stewart was said to have broken down in tears. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Courthouse News was first to report it. The police later released Stewart and Richardson, but the lawsuit said the store manager asked the pair to sign a paper confirming they would be arrested if they returned to the store. Eleven US Marines and one Navy medic were among those killed in a series of suicide bomb attacks on Kabul airport on Thursday, the first American lives to be lost since Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan evacuation effort began on August 14. An official death toll has not yet been given but according to those on the ground including a New York Times reporter who counted 40 dead bodies. The Wall Street Journal said 60 Afghans had died. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby released a statement saying a ‘number’ had died, but he wouldn’t give any additional details. Other troops are feared to have been injured. Biden’s meetings were canceled on Thursday immediately after the attack while he spoke with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley. Newly-surfaced video from 2019 shows a Louisiana police officer beating a Black man, Aaron Larry Bowman, 18 times with a flashlight, as he is heard screaming, “I’m not resisting! I’m not resisting!” Bowman was left with a broken jaw, three fractured ribs, a broken wrist and a gash to his head that required six staples to close, according to the Associated Press, which obtained the bodycam video. The officer, who was white, defended the beating by saying it was “pain compliance” to get Bowman into handcuffs. The officer, Jacob Brown, was arrested in February on charges of aggravated second-degree battery and malfeasance in office in connection with the assault, the New York Times reports. Brown had been involved in 23 incidents that involved use of force, and 19 of those incidents were against Black people, the Times notes. Brown resigned from the Louisiana State Police in March. https://youtu.be/lbTPmclwf1I Sadistic white supremacist Dylan Roof had his sentence upheld by the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals after he tried to appeal it numerous times. The unanimous three-judge panel rejected all arguments that Roof should have been ruled incompetent to stand trial. Roof claimed he committed the horrific massacre because he had schizophrenia and suffered from psychological disorders. He was convicted of shooting nine innocent people inside Emanuel AME Church in Charleston during a Bible study on June 17, 2015. “Dylann Roof murdered African Americans at their church, during their Bible-study and worship. They had welcomed him. He slaughtered them,” the 149-page opinion writes. https://youtu.be/Hvw3AC6uMhA Day five of R. Kelly’s Trial is underway and more shocking revelation’s are coming to light, including the circumstances in which Gayle King’s explosive CBS interview with R. Kelly and his girlfriends took place. The Associated Press reported, a woman identified as Jane Doe testified in court that Kelly had complete control of the 2019 interview for CBS. The woman claims the singer would cough to direct the women to back up his claims that he didn’t sexually assault them. “‘He did a cough that he usually does so everyone knows he is there. Letting us know that he was in the room with us.” the woman testified. Neighbors knew something wasn’t right when police arrived at their apartment complex in southwest Baltimore Tuesday afternoon but never imagined it’d lead to the discovery of two dead children. Even more shocking, police say their mother confessed to the killings. Jameirra Hall, 28, is facing murder charges. Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison announced Wednesday the mother confessed to killing her son Davin Thomas, 8, and daughter Da’Neira, 6. She was arrested one day after police discovered the children deceased and decomposing in their apartment at the Coventry Homes in southwest Baltimore Tuesday afternoon. The Commissioner said why and how she killed her children remains under investigation. The homegoing service for five siblings who died in a St. Louis apartment fire was held on Saturday, a week after the tragic incident. Sabrina Dunigan’s five children: Loy-el Dunigan, 2, Jabari Johnson, 4, 8-year-old twins Heaven and Neveah Dunigan, and Deontae Davis, 9, were buried in custom caskets, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. https://youtu.be/kRcLxd-W4Jg Rachel Nichols has been pulled from all of ESPN’s NBA programming following her controversial comments about colleague Maria Taylor. Nichols has been in the hot seat ever since her private comments were leaked about the network’s decision to have Taylor, who is Black, host the NBA Finals, as reported by Black Enterprise. In the conversation, Nichols, who is white, expressed frustration that Taylor had been chosen over her to host “NBA Countdown” during last year’s NBA Finals, suggesting that the network made the decision because it was “feeling pressure” on diversity. Shortly after audio of the conversation hit the Internet, Nichols issued a public apology and the network removed her from NBA Finals coverage. Per Sports Business Journal, Nicholas has been taken off of NBA coverage and her weekday afternoon show The Jump will be canceled. Nichols is still under contract with ESPN, but she will not host the remaining episodes of “The Jump.” Stephen A. Smith was a guest on a BIG U x WSHH Presents: CHECC’N-IN, and told the story of how he transitioned from playing basketball at Winston Salem State University, to joining the school newspaper – and how that led to an article so offensive to his former coach that the school wanted him expelled. Smith’s coach was the legendary Clarence Edward “Big House” Gaines Sr., who coached at the school for 47 years. Smith, in his new role on the school paper, decided to write an opinion piece about why his coach should retire. It didn’t go over well with the coach, or the school, to put it mildly. But it set the tone for the type of fearless opinion journalism that would become his signature, and eventually earn him the title of highest paid personality on ESPN. https://youtu.be/EKM-Ru9RqHU Whoopi Goldberg recently shared her thoughts on ‘cancel culture,’ and this current climate where “all somebody has to do is say you said” something and you are subjected to harassment and threats. “I feel like the truth doesn’t seem to matter as much these days,” Goldberg said, as reported by Variety. “Because there is cancel culture, people will call or text and say ‘I’m not buying your product. This is who you have talking about your product, me and my five million followers — if you keep her — we’re not going to buy your car, or we’re not going to buy your shampoo or we’re not going to buy your toothbrush or we’re not going to buy your Pampers,” Goldberg said. https://youtu.be/hX3iProgd3A ”Jeopardy!” producers are said to be bending over backward to accommodate Mayim Bialik’s schedule, as they really want her as the sole host of the beloved game show. TMZ reports, Sony production sources tell us … execs for the game show are doing everything possible to work around Mayim’s schedule in order to bank as many episodes with her hosting the daily syndicated version, with the ultimate goal of her taking over full-time. Our sources say Sony bosses have even offered up the possibility of shooting on weekends and normal hiatus weeks to squeeze in more shows with Mayim. She’s already locked in for 15 episodes. https://youtu.be/-aS_fxPzKSg An all-new episode of WE tv’s new series “Brat Loves Judy” returns Thursday night with Judy getting ready for a major event and she’s incredibly nervous. Meanwhile, Da Brat is worried she can’t serve up the sexy like her lady-love can. Will everything go as planned? https://youtu.be/-XX9N2Hnqgk Kanye West has applied to change his legal name from to simply Ye. In the documents, obtained by PEOPLE, the hip-hop star cites “personal reasons” for the change. A judge in California will now need to sign off on the petition. Following the release of his “Ye” album in 2018, West announced he would be changing his stage name. “I believe ‘ye’ is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible, it means ‘you,'” West said at the time of the album’s title. “So I’m you, I’m us, it’s us. It went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye — just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confusion, everything. The album is more of a reflection of who we are.” https://youtu.be/TZGRhXw3GaA Actor Kofi Siriboe, best known for his role of Ralph Angel in Ava Duvernay and Oprah Winfrey’s drama series “Queen Sugar,” takes the lead in the new romantic drama “Really Love,” premiering on Netflix today, August 25th. The Black love story set in gentrifying Washington D.C. features Siriboe as Isaiah Maxwell, a young painter at a crossroads in his life, searching for his artistic voice. While attending the exhibition of his colleague Yusef Davis (Michael Ealy), he meets Stevie (Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing). It is then that his entire world changes as he struggles between breaking into a competitive art world, while balancing a whirlwind romance he never expected. https://youtu.be/znz0rHCDeWY Mekhi Phifer currently stars in Apple TV Plus’ anthology drama “Truth Be Told.” Season two follows investigative reporter turned true-crime pod-caster Poppy Parnell (Octavia Spencer) on a new case involving her childhood friend, media mogul Micah Keith (Kate Hudson). Series regulars Ron Cephas Jones and Tami Roman also also return this season. https://youtu.be/w3B7tMyBXDc “Tamron Hall” returns for a third season on Monday, Sept. 6, and she’s got a bright, shiny new promo to let everyone know. Decked in sunshine yellow, the Daytime Emmy winner is shown in the spot handing out yellow promo balloons to random folks in New York City’s Central Park. Directed by Kevin Bray (“black-ish,” “Succession”), the visual is anchored by a rousing gospel version of Andrew Gold’s 1978 hit “Thank You for Being a Friend,” famously remade by Cynthia Fee as the theme song for NBC’s “Golden Girls.” A choir in church robes eventually falls in behind Hall as she engages with the people, and there’s even a quick cameo appearance by her 2-year-old son Moses. https://youtu.be/RvVNUw7G-Jw Filmmaker Sacha Jenkins this week attended the screening of his documentary “Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James” at the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival ahead of its premiere on Showtime on Friday, Sept. 3. “Bitchin'” follows the legendary funkster’s extraordinary and tumultuous life, times and musical legacy. Showtime says. It’s “an intimate yet propulsive look at Rick James, one of rock, funk and R&B’s most legendary and often underappreciated figures. https://youtu.be/b1d6_uSlbo4 “Black Panther” star Letitia Wright is being treated in a hospital after sustaining minor injuries on the Boston set of “Wakanda Forever.” A Marvel spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday that the incident happened while filming a stunt for the sequel. Wright is expected to be released from the hospital soon. Wright is reprising her role as Shuri in “Wakanda Forever,” which is being directed by Ryan Coogler. The 27-year-old British actor was a breakout in the first film as the science-minded sister of the late Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. Her injuries are not expected to delay production on the sequel, which is slated to be released in July 2022. The entertainment trade website Deadline first reported the news. U.S. Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin shared an emotional video this week that was taped following her success at the Olympic trials, opening up about what she calls a “test of faith.” Days after setting the world record time in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field 400-meter hurdles trials in Eugene, Oregon, in June, the then-21-year-old filmed a video where she candidly shared how hurt she was by the feedback she received after fulfilling one of her lifelong dreams. According to the post, the video was filmed on June 30. https://www.instagram.com/sydneymclaughlin16/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6d87f2dd-adac-46e7-95b6-c96bf909132c The hit true crime docu-series ATL HOMICIDE airs Monday, August 30 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This episode highlights the suspected suicide ruled homicide of Jose Greer. He appeared to jump to his death, however security footage showed men breaking into Greer’s apartment. With the flurry of surveillance footage and tips coming into the precinct, Detectives Quinn and Velazquez follow leads from all over the country to nab the perpetrators. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3q9_BoVtkY&feature=youtu.be Candace Owens has been hit with a $20 million defamation lawsuit by former Maryland GOP congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik. Klacik is coming for the right-wing provocateur after Owens posted a video to social media in June accusing Kimberly of being a strip club “madame” who laundered money and used campaign funds to buy and snort cocaine. Owens responded to the lawsuit on Twitter, writing “Kimberly Klacik is a former stripper fraud who has me blocked on EVERY social media account since I exposed her shady FEC filings. She then called the lawsuit “frivolous” and an attempt “to distract/avoid questions about her FEC filings.” Their beef reportedly began after Owens said Dr. Anthony Fauci should go to prison. She also mocked Naomi Osaka’s mental health struggles and slammed Biden’s decision to make Juneteenth a holiday. The New York Jets made a roster move on Tuesday that ended veteran defensive end Vinny Curry’s season. Now it’s clear why. Curry announced Wednesday on social media that he had his spleen removed in July after the Jets diagnosed him with a rare blood disorder. During his recovery from the operation, Curry developed blood clots, requiring him to go on blood thinners and avoid contact for three-to-six months and miss the season. “While I am incredibly disappointed that I will not be able to play with my teammates this year, I am thankful that the doctors identified my condition in time,” Curry said. “They have informed me that I am expected to make a full recovery.” It was a scary situation for the 33-year-old, who played eight of his first nine NFL seasons with the Eagles before signing with the Jets this offseason. Serena Williams added herself to the list of big-name withdrawals from the US Open on Wednesday, pulling out of the year’s last Grand Slam tournament because of a torn hamstring. Williams hasn’t competed since injuring her right leg in the first set of her first-round match at Wimbledon in late June. The American, who turns 40 next month, announced her decision to sit out the US Open via a social media post. She joins Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem in sitting out the competition in Flushing Meadows, where play begins next Monday, raising questions about what the future of tennis might look like without them. The draw for the tournament is Thursday. This will be the first major tournament since 1997 without any of Williams, Federer or Nadal in the singles brackets. Williams made her Grand Slam debut at the 1998 Australian Open; Federer made his the following year; Nadal in 2003. The New England Patriots gathered for practice Tuesday in Foxborough, Mass., without quarterback Cam Newton, who is barred from in-person team activities for much of this week because of what the team called a “misunderstanding” about testing and the NFL’s coronavirus protocols. Coach Bill Belichick provided few details about Newton’s situation. But Belichick acknowledged that the circumstances created an on-field opportunity for Newton’s rookie understudy, Mac Jones, while representing a competitive disadvantage for Newton. “Yeah, of course,” Belichick said at a news conference. “If we couldn’t gain anything by practicing, then why do we practice?” As the NFL season nears, the competitive implications of a team having an unvaccinated quarterback have been underscored. Minnesota Vikings starter Kirk Cousins was quarantined early in training camp as a high-risk close contact. Lamar Jackson, the former league MVP for the Baltimore Ravens, was sidelined while in isolation after testing positive for the virus for a second time. Newton will miss two joint practices with the New York Giants before he’s eligible to return to the Patriots’ facility Thursday. A Rutgers University football player announced Tuesday that he is transferring from the school over its COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Peyton Powell, a defensive end who joined the team in December 2019, said in a tweet that the vaccine mandate left him with “no other choice but to enter my name into the transfer portal.” A Texas native, Powell began in Baylor’s 2019 recruiting class, NorthJersey.com reported, before transferring to Rutgers, where he never got any playing time. On a sharp, stony outcropping above the place where the churning waters of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers meet, African-American entrepreneur Thomas Lovett made a vow in 1888: “Here, where the martyrdom of John Brown took place, I will build my hotel.” He was standing less than a mile from the federal armory in Harpers Ferry, where abolitionist John Brown and his 21 followers, including some escaped slaves, were captured in a shootout with federal troops in 1859. That showdown set the stage for the U.S. civil war. Lovett had lived through the bloody civil war and the violent “Jim Crow” era and he wasn’t going to be derailed. He opened the Hill Top House Hotel in 1888 and operated it until the Great Depression forced him to sell in 1935. In those years he welcomed U.S. presidents Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge, and American icons including inventor Alexander Graham Bell, author Mark Twain and W.E.B. Du Bois, who came to Harpers Ferry to launch the Niagara Movement for civil rights. https://youtu.be/_9PGyMZCmqU Since 2004, Montee Tayion Holland has done away with the drab, while sidelining the mono-color dark gray and navy-blue drudgery of formal-wear and business attire. Having launched his Tayion Collection earlier this year into 50 Macy’s locations and 25 Men’s Wearhouse doors, which is set to double to 50 Men’s Wearhouse stores in spring 2022, his creative and innovative designs are now hitting all the major markets. The Tayion line of high-end, iconic men’s suits, formalwear and separates bring bold colors and striking patterns into the modern day dressing, whether on the job or after hours. The creative dexterity in the designs and materials strike a purposeful, wearable statement to every event in any environment. Holland‘s flagship collection has been available across America in thousands of specialty stores since 2004, generating millions of dollars annually. A new Christian, Gospel record label, WayNorth Music, debuts this week with new music from chart-topper Jekalyn Carr. The label headed by industry veterans Lindsay Bless and Paul Wright will be home to several new artists and ‘surprise recordings.’ With the goal to increase awareness of new and emerging artists, WayNorth Music will offer quality music and expand the next generation of gospel artists and music ministers. WayNorth Music will announce a slate of artist signings over the next few weeks as the label prepares for their inaugural release from top-selling Gospel artist Jekalyn Carr next week. Chicago Gospel Legend Calvin Bridges, Stellar Award Winner, Grammy nominated singer and songwriter and international gospel artist has thrilled us for years with I Can Go To God in Prayer, Spread the Word, Chosen and much more. Calvin blows the dust off this classic, changes the tempo, calls on the phenomenal Ann Bridges and delivers the goods to get us in gear and ready to run this race with VICTORY in sight, declaring I'm Not Tired Yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQmrPIwF6Gc&feature=youtu.be Jason Hendrickson is a powerful Pastor/Teacher, Author, Entrepreneur, Singer/Songwriter and Celebrated Musician. After two decades playing with Bishop Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship, he has come into his own as a well rounded singer, songwriter and recording artist. Great Things is presented with anticipation that we are what we say by the power that God has invested in us. Its a daily affirmation with an infectious hook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERRdap0PT8cH B Charles, Jr. is a powerful preacher and teacher of the Gospel. He penned this song and its reach continues to impact people daily. "Thank You for It All" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysTS1mTTTC4 On Monday, the New York Times reported that Spike Lee devotes a significant amount of time in his new four-part HBO documentary series, NYC Epicenters 9/11–2021½, to the group Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, which promotes the conspiracy theory that the Twin Towers were brought down by a controlled demolition as part of an inside job. Richard Gage is responsible for peddling some of the most pernicious and long-running lies about the 9/11 attacks. Lee devotes 30 minutes near the very end of his series to relitigating arguments that have been debunked a thousand times. Specifically, he presents about a dozen conspiracy theorists and members of Gage’s group, including Gage himself, in a back-and-forth with three credible scientists who investigated the 9/11 attacks in a teach the controversy–style format that presents the truth behind 9/11 as an open debate between two equally valid sides. https://youtu.be/gQ866ljcevY The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80. The London-born drummer joined the then-fledgling band in January 1963 after meeting Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones while playing in rhythm and blues clubs. Along with Jagger and Richards, Watts featured on every one of the band’s studio albums. Watts was due to tour the US with the band later this year. But it was announced earlier this month he would not feature due to a recent emergency surgery. His London publicist, Bernard Doherty, said in a statement this evening: ‘It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family. Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of The Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation. We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.’ https://youtu.be/mTYn83G89-Q Don Everly, the last of the silken-voiced Everly Brothers music duo known for their harmonies, has died, according to an announcement on the group’s official Instagram. He was 84 years old. Everly died Saturday. Don and his younger brother, Phil Everly, became pop idols in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, starting in the late 1950s, with chart-topping hits like “Bye Bye Love,” “All I Have to Do is Dream,” and “Wake Up Little Susie.” The brothers were called the “most important vocal duo in rock” by Rolling Stone, as they influenced the likes of music giants the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and many others. Former NHL star Jimmy Hayes – best known for playing for the Boston Bruins – has been found dead at his home aged just 31. Emergency responders were called to the married father-of-two’s home in Milton, a suburb of Boston, on Monday morning, and Hayes was pronounced dead at the scene. A law enforcement official told the Boston Globe that the professional sportsman’s death is not being treated as suspicious, although no further information on a cause of death has been released. There is no indication that Hayes had been ill in the hours before he died. He and his wife Kristen had been celebrating their son Beau’s second birthday Sunday, and Kristen had shared an Instagram post around midnight showing them playing arcade games. Legendary Stellar Award and NAACP Award-winning radio announcer Connie Denell Cato-Dickerson was the pride of Nashville. The daughter of radio legend Evelyn Cato, the first black female disc-jockey in the Southeast, Denell started as a sports reporter for her school newspaper while attending Riverside High School in Chattanooga, TN. She worked for two local Chattanooga radio stations, WNOO AM and WNTP, hosting the Quiet Storm shows before attending the famed Morris-Brown College, a historically black college in Atlanta, GA. Denell went on to attend Georgia State University and worked at the local Atlanta radio station WAOK FM on the campus of Clark-Atlanta University. In 1983, Denell worked as the Morning Show Host for 92.1 WQQK FM and news reporter for WVOL AM in Nashville. By 2000, she made the shift from R&B to Gospel, launching 92Q’s hugely popular radio show, Gospel Inspirations, which aired Sunday mornings and earned her the beloved title of “The Gospel Diva.” Gospel Inspirations quickly became one of the most listened to radio shows in the Music City, thereby accrediting her with laying the blueprint for Black Gospel in Nashville. She retired from 92Q in December 2017, after 37 years with the company. Three people have been arrested in connection with the killing of Glennville historian Bobby Kicklighter on Saturday, January 30, 2021. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Christopher Reginald Sumlin, 31, of Newton; Aerial De Shay Murphy, 23, of Vidalia; and Keisha Janae Jones, 34, of Ludowici have been arrested after obtaining arrest warrants in late July. Sumlin was held in Clayton County on unrelated charges. Murphy was arrested in Detroit, Michigan and has been extradited to Georgia. Jones was arrested in Long County. All three are being held at Tattnall County Jail, according to GBI. GBI is continuing their investigation and expects additional arrests. The legal team representing embattled 19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar said it wants its client’s child pornography charges dropped because the government failed to preserve evidence that might have exonerated the celebrity. Moreover, his lawyers said in an August 20 court filing that other people had access to Duggar’s used car sales lot, where one admitted to watching porn. The Springdale, Arkansas, business was previously the target of Department of Homeland Security investigators (HSI), who searched the electronic devices of people who had access to the wireless internet at Wholesale Motorcars. About a month after executing its first search warrant at the car lot, investigators learned that one person had on ‘several occasions’ slept overnight at Wholesale Motorcars, where he entertained himself with adult content, the court filing said. ‘[The witness] admitted to viewing adult pornography through websites he accessed through the internet on his cellular phone and, when asked by federal agents, denied viewing child pornography,’ the court document said. ‘Based on HIS’s official report, the cellular telephone was examined for evidence of child pornography… with negative results.’ Iraan, a small oilfield town of 1,200 people in west Texas, has been struck so hard by the coronavirus pandemic that the entire town has essentially shut down, including the school district and local businesses. “We had had COVID before, but never to this magnitude,” resident Vicky Zapata told CNN. According to Iraan General Hospital CEO Jason Rybolt, 119 people were tested for the virus and 50 tested positive during a two week August span – a 42% positivity rate. Iraan Mayor Darren Brown told CNN, “This is very serious.” Rybolt said he’s “very concerned for the community and “very concerned for trying to make sure that they have the health care that they need.” Rybolt added that at least one Iraan resident has been airlifted for out-of-state care because of a lack of available ICU beds in Texas. He said: “It could be 12 hours (for coronavirus-stricken people to receive a bed). It could be 36 hours. You just never know how long it’s going to take.” Back from recess, the House of Representatives voted to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill passed 219-212, with no Republicans crossing over to support voting rights. First introduced in 2019, the bill was renamed for John Lewis shortly after his passing. The earlier version of the bill passed in December 2019 with a vote of 228-187 with one Republican voting with Democrats. The law took on renewed Importance post-2020 election, with false claims of non-existent voter fraud and other unfounded claims spurring hundreds of voter suppression laws being introduced across the country. Introduced in Congress as H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is considered a part of a package of democracy reforms being promoted by advocates. A marriage that's coming to a brutal end. Steph Curry’s parents Sonya Curry and Dell Curry are reportedly both accusing each other of stepping out on their 33-year-long relationship. According to TMZ, the former couple —who share children Steph, 33, Seth, 31, and Sydel, 26— are reportedly making strong accusations about each other via court filings with Sonya citing “marital misconduct” and Dell citing that the mother of his children allegedly committed “acts of illicit sexual misconduct” while they were married. The 55-year-old educator officially filed for divorce in North Carolina on June 14 of this year after the two reportedly separated in March of 2020. The couple had been together since 1988. Within the 57-year-old’s filing, he alleged that his estranged wife had been having affairs and then not being truthful when confronted about the alleged relationships. Dell also went on to claim that Sonya should not be allowed to receive alimony because according to him, she is now living with a new boyfriend. Former football great and brand new Georgia resident Herschel Walker has officially declared himself a candidate in the Peach State’s U.S. Senate election next year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Apparently, the sunken place has sunken all the way down to Georgia as the Trump-humping Republican and former University of Georgia football star officially moved back to his native state earlier this month after living in Texas for decades—a move that many accurately speculated was all about him planning to run for Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock‘s seat in the U.S. Senate in 2022. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Walker registered to vote in Georgia on Aug. 17, listing an Atlanta home owned by his wife, Julie Blanchard—who has been accused of voting in Georgia’s 2020 election while not being a permanent resident there—as his place of residence. Friday, August 27 at 10 a.m. EST the Blank Slate: Hope For a New America sculpture will be unveiled at The King Center in Atlanta, to celebrate the 58th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the 1963 March on Washington, DC. The unveiling ceremony will kick-off commemorative marches being held Saturday, August 28th in key U.S. cities including Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Phoenix and Washington, DC. The 2021 marches will focus on voters’ rights, voter education and registration. The unveiling ceremony will be accompanied by a voter education, voter registration, Beloved Community Virtual Town Hall, in partnership with the King Center and Association for the Study of African American Life and History. The statue will remain on public display at the King Center from August 27 through September 5, 2021 to ignite a dialogue on hope and healing for our nation and our world. Busta Rhymes agrees with Republican governors on mask mandates. In the middle of a pandemic, with the Delta variant overpowering hospitals across the country, the New York rapper thinks it’s the protocols that are the issue. The power and influence of celebrities are undeniable. To disregard that influence and recklessly attack mask mandates and pandemic protocols in the middle of a new variant surge only reinforces counterproductive ideas about public health and safety. Chuck D once called rap music the CNN of the Black community. A 1993 Chicago Tribune article quoted the Public Enemy frontman as saying rappers are correspondents. Well, Busta’s little anti-mask tirade is more like Fox News. It’s like he wants to bring us Extinction Level Event III sooner rather than later. But real talk, COVID-19 is no joke. Black doctors, nurses, and other public health officials have been fighting for months to get good information out to Black communities about this disease and the ongoing nature of the pandemic. Several Black celebrities, journalists, and influencers have worked with Black doctors and scientists to get good information about the pandemic, wearing masks and vaccinations. In March, the host of United Shades of America, W. Kamau Bell, did a video with a group of Black doctors asking real questions about the pandemic and the vaccine. https://youtu.be/qp6S4C6zG_M TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED returns with a star-studded, new season premiering on Sunday, August 29 at 10 PM ET/9C. This season, some of today's most notable personalities tell their story in their own words including super producer Swizz Beatz, classically trained actress-singer Loretta Devine, standup comedian-actor Tommy Davidson, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, Grammy Award-Winning vocalist BeBe Winans, comedian-actress Kym Whitley and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgV8EjEQj_Q The NCAA on Tuesday ruled former two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith eligible to play golf at North Carolina A&T. The ruling comes a day after Smith officially began classes at the school, located in Greensboro, N.C. “It was probably one of the most exciting feelings I’ve had in a while,” Smith told The Undefeated on Tuesday. “I really didn’t know how it was going to go. … But to be able to actually call myself a student-athlete is a great feeling.” Smith went straight from high school in New Jersey into the NBA draft. The freshman, who turns 36 next month, joined the A&T golf team as a walk-on. Smith, who says he has a 5 handicap, will pursue a liberal studies degree. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com It was previously reported that LeBron James is now the only active NBA player to become a billionaire, according to Forbes. “Since being drafted in 2003, James has earned $330 million in playing salary—net of recent escrow deductions—and another $700 million off the court from endorsements, merchandise, licensing and his media business. Current endorsement partners AT&T, Beats, Blaze Pizza, GMC, Nike, PepsiCo, Rimowa and Walmart help James earn more than $100 million annually. The latest addition is Epic Games, where Fortnite players will have access to a pair of James-themed outfits or “skins.” James is the first player in a U.S. team sport to hit the three-comma club,” reported Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico. However, a new Forbes report on James’ wealth notes that the four-time league MVP has yet to hit billionaire status. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Grammy-nominated singer Eric Benet hits amazing high note singing! On August 22, 2021, at the Gardena Jazz Festival, Benet showcased his singing skills. https://youtu.be/BU7nQdWsWuA Jada Pinkett Smith’s EMMY Award-winning talk show “Red Table Talk” has inked an overall deal with iHeartMedia to launch the Red Table Talk Audio Network. As reported by Radio Facts, the upcoming slate of projects will include two audio series: “Red Table Talk,” hosted by Jada, her daughter Willow Smith and Jada’s mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris; and “Positively Gam,” a podcast hosted by Banfield-Norris. The Red Table Talk Audio Network will launch five original series over the next two years –to be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network. The projects will be available on iHeartRadio and most podcast platforms. Yvonne Orji is starring in Hulu’s “Vacation Friends” alongside Lil Rel Howery, John Cena, and Meredith Hagner. In this raw and raunchy comedy, straight-laced Marcus (Howery) and Emily (Orji) are befriended by wild, thrill-seeking partiers Ron (Cena) and Kyla (Hagner) at a resort in Mexico. Living in the moment, the usually level-headed couple lets loose to enjoy a week of uninhibited fun and debauchery with their new “vacation friends.” https://youtu.be/rUqwLtFUx7w Sanaa Lathan has revealed that she almost turned down the role of Monica in 2000’s “Love & Basketball.” During an interview on Jemele Hill’s Jemele Hill is Unbothered podcast, the actress noted that she never played the sport, which she found quite challenging to pull off for the role. MadameNoire reports, For the basketball players, they had to do the scenes and then do a basketball audition. Same with me. I’d do the scenes, then we would walk across the street, and I’d tribble the ball, looking crazy, because I had never picked up a ball.” https://youtu.be/Ur83i6_BjbE Last week Andy Mineo celebrated a few milestones in his career! First, his single, "Coming In Hot," featuring Lecrae was certified GOLD by the RIAA selling over 500,000 copies and boasting over 80 million streams. "MPJ Freestyle," a new song released as a sneak preview to warm fans up for the album, was premiered on Facebook with an astounding 1.6 million views within 24 hours and 4.7 million by the end of last week. Not surprising for an artist whose single, "Coming In Hot," is already over 80 million streams! With all these amazing moments, Mineo, motivated by fan response, dropped another track, "It Could Be Worse," the first official single from Never Land II. "MPJ Freestyle" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMfg2UOBWUg This adorable little girl has gone viral for her reaction to experiencing cotton candy for the first time. Seated in what looks like an office chair, the toddler was handed a piece of the fluffy stuff. She immediately rubbed the softness against her cheek, and appeared content with that alone. You hear laughter from adults in the background, and someone tells the child that she can eat it. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=964455637464894 Along with making music and headlining festivals this year, Run The Jewels have been expanding into the beverage industry. The duo made up of Killer Mike and EL-P recently hopped on the hard seltzer trend with their Pink Lemonade drink. Now, Run The Jewels are partnering with several Black-owned breweries for a new line of craft beer. The line of beers includes the recently released rice lager Never Look Back brewed at Green Bench Brewing Co. in Florida, the molasses and corn grits ale All Due Respect brewed in collaboration with Proximity Brewing and Spaceway Brewing, and Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1, an IPA brewed at Brew Gentleman Brewery in Braddock, PA and made with cannabis terpenes. Each of Run The Jewels’ beers benefit various nonprofits. A portion of proceeds earned from their Never Look Back beer is slated to benefit Beer Kulture, an organization that works to advance and create opportunities that foster diversity, equity and inclusion within the craft beverage space. It’s been one year since Jacob Blake was shot seven times and paralyzed from the waist down by a Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer, sparking a new round of demonstrations in the sea of protests and uprisings against police violence that took place in 2020. The shooter, Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey, hasn’t been charged or even disciplined for shooting Blake, but that hasn’t stopped the victim’s family and other community members from continuing to speak out and seek justice. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, dozens of people joined Blake’s family Saturday at Kenosha’s Civic Center Park for an event organized by Leaders of Kenosha, an organization that has put together more than 70 events aimed at justice for Blake, according to Executive Director Tanya McLean. Police officers are choosing violence on and off social media. Early Monday, the official Houston Police Department Twitter account celebrated several police officers involved in a 1917 race massacre. It took nearly six hours before the Houston Police Department finally deleted the racist tweet. The account used the hashtag #NeverForget to commemorate several white officers leaving out the context of the Black men killed by police or resulting from police actions in 1917. Four years before the Tulsa Race Massacre, Houston police instigated a standoff with Black soldiers responding in defense of the Black community. The centennial commemoration of Tulsa sparked discussion of other forgotten incidents. On the anniversary of Tulsa, University of Houston Professor Gerald Horne spoke with KHOU-11 about the Houston incident. https://youtu.be/f_sbvW_etho United Mega Care, the humanitarian group of The Potter's House, is teaming up with New York-area Perfecting Faith Church and Tabernacle of Glory in Miami to provide relief to 25,000 families affected by the recent earthquake and tropical storm in Haiti. More than 1.5 million households in the Caribbean nation have been affected by the Aug. 14 earthquake, which killed more than 2,000 people, and injured thousands more. The 7.2-magnitude earthquake also toppled thousands of buildings, knocked out power and crippled access to fresh water. A tropical storm followed two days later, triggering mudslides that have made many roads impassable. The three organizations are forming a partnership to provide food, water, tents, shelter and medical assistance to affected households. Tabernacle of Glory has already deployed personnel to affected areas in Haiti to aid 1,000 households and is looking forward to doing much more. Apostle H. Daniel Wilson, Pastor of Valley Kingdom Ministries International (VKMI) in Chicago, and founder of the platinum-selling group, Shekinah Glory Ministry, has launched a year-long transition that will welcome Ray Bady as the 5,000-member church’s new leader in 2022. “I am not retiring,” says Apostle Wilson who has been the church’s pastor for 37 years. “So many only see two paths for pastors, either dying or retiring. Neither of these are on my radar just now. I will not take these gifts of God to the grave. This is not my end. I'm just getting started. Through Kingdom Entertainment Group, I’ll be creating film and entertainment projects. There are more books to write, more nations to minister in, and more revelations to release to the world.” Sunday, September 5th, Atlanta's Piedmont Park will welcome the 9th Pure Heat Community Festival; also known as a free “day of unity.” The free cultural event is equipped with market and food vendors, live celebrity and local performers, entertainment, educational forums, prizes & giveaways - all designed to bring together the spirit of community, pride, and vision. In partnership with The Vision Community Foundation, a portion of proceeds from the weekend’s festivities are used to benefit homeless LGBTQ+ youth and those impacted from HIV/AIDS. This year’s festival will honor veteran hip-hop artist and two-time GRAMMY Award-nominee, Da Brat, and her fiance Jesseca “Judy” Dupart, the multi-millionaire business owner and CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products. Hosted by Bishop Oliver Clyde Allen III, Rashad Burgess, Melissa “DJ M” Scott and Julius "JuJu" James, the Pure Heat Community Festival is a front seat into a spectacular gathering of minority LGBTQ people and their allies in the heart of Atlanta. BIN: Black Information Network, the 24/7 comprehensive national audio news network dedicated to providing an objective, accurate and trusted source of continual news with a Black voice and perspective, announced today plans to expand local news coverage in all 32 affiliate markets beginning January 2022 ,offering listeners even more extensive reporting important issues that impact the local communities it serves. BIN: The Black Information Network launched in June 2020 as the first-of-its-kind 24/7 national and local all-news audio network. BIN is focused on service to the Black community and providing an information window for those outside the community to help foster communication, accountability and a deeper understanding. Since its launch, BIN has quickly expanded to 32 affiliate markets and can currently be heard in Atlanta, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and many more. BIN is also distributed nationally through the iHeartRadio app, available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices. As reported by ABC Channel 7 Denver an African-American man by the name of Shawn Bauck went into Cousin Pat’s Pub & Grill in Estes Park for food and drink, but instead received a heaping portion of Jim Crow. The environmental science major was told by the Trump-supporting waitress that although he seemed “educated” and “different” that the majority of black people were “thugs, wife beaters and gangsters.” Amidst the recent killing of 23 year old Elijah McClain who died in police custody, the server sympathized with the police and justified racism on the basis of daily encounters with the black community. Even more alarming, the waitress felt comfortable using the “n” word in front of Bauck and his girlfriend. When Mr. Bauck took the appropriate measure of lodging a formal complaint with the owner in the restaurant for the use of derogatory language; the owner smirked and did nothing. The owner (Patrick Beard) simply replied “well in what context was it used?” Bauck filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant and the matter is currently before the Colorado Civil Rights Division. Bauck said “It’s really sad I have to file this lawsuit in 2021. Apparently some people in Colorado have totally forgotten all about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which has only been on the books as federal law for like I don’t know 57 years.” Afghan pop star Aryana Sayeed and her fiancé, Hasib Sayed, fled the war-torn country on a U.S. military evacuation flight after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Aryana captured some of her experience and shared it with her social media followers. Access Hollywood’s Zuri Hall spoke with Aryana, who is now safely in Los Angeles, for her first on-air interview since her harrowing journey. Part 1 of the interview airs tonight, August 23rd, on “Access Hollywood” with part 2 airing tomorrow, August 24th. https://youtu.be/nHkFdFcLP1Q A judge has increased Tory Lanez’s bail for violating a protective order granted to Megan Thee Stallion. The move comes after the Canadian-born rapper appeared on the Rolling Loud stage in Miami last month shortly after Meg’s performance. His bail has been increased from $190,000 to $250,000. The judge also modified his bail conditions to specifically prohibit Tory from attending events where his alleged victim, Megan, will be present. The judge also said if this issue comes up again … he will be remanded into custody. So, this was clearly his last warning. Earlier this year, a judge denied Lanez’s request for permission to speak publicly about the assault case. Lanez desperately wants to spill the tea about what really went down July 12 when he allegedly fired several shots at Megan’s feet and wounded her during an argument in Hollywood Hills. He previously took to Twitter to speak out about the charges, noting that the truth will come to light. BET+ has given a series order to Kingdom Business, a music-driven drama executive produced by DeVon Franklin (Miracles From Heaven), Holly Carter (The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel), multi-Grammy-award-winner Kirk Franklin and Michael Van Dyck. The eight-episode series explores the gospel music industry through the lenses of family, faith, love and the redemptive power of music. Written by John Sakmar and Kerry Lenhart, co-creators of the Mr. & Mrs. Smith series, Kingdom Business is centered around the reigning Queen of Gospel Denita Jordan, and her ex-producer/songwriter/lover, Caesar, who created her sound and launched her career. Denita, who also runs an in-house record label and megachurch, is determined to guard her family and its many secrets at all costs to retain her place on the throne. Things seem to be unfolding in Denita’s favor until an unsuspecting young woman on the rise with a checkered past enters the scene. Destined and anointed to challenge gospel music conventions, Rbel, also a former exotic dancer, will see if her new-found voice can carry her to the top of the gospel kingdom. Boosie uploaded a video of himself on Instagram last month where he defended DaBaby after he got “canceled” over his homophobic Rolling Loud comments. He recently appeared on the Breakfast Club and said he doesn’t feel bad about threatening Lil Nas X. “I just be feeling like sometimes I gotta speak up because, as far as straight people in the world, you don’t have any opinion. … If you say anything, ‘I’m straight, I like women,’ it’s vulgar,” he said. “You can’t brag on really smashing or your sexuality anymore.” Charlamagne and his co-hosts told Boosie they disagree and pointed to the lyrical content of many tracks. Boosie then elaborated on his views on Lil Nas X, sharing that his concerns over X stripping onstage were for “strong, young Black men.” https://www.instagram.com/breakfastclubam/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d48c506f-0d15-455e-b615-0b7abc29bdf6 A 19-year-old from California is facing multiple murder charges in connection to a car crash that killed comedian Tony Baker’s son, Cerain Baker, as well as two others. Hamlet Arseni Aghajanyan was arrested and charged on Thursday with three counts of murder and one count of reckless driving for his alleged involvement in the fatal incident, according to a press release from the Burbank Police Department. A 17-year-old minor was also taken into custody at a juvenile detention center on the same charges, pending a review of the case by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, authorities said. “This tragic and avoidable event was caused by subjects racing vehicles and driving recklessly at very high rates of speed,” police said in a statement. Cerain, 21, Jaiden Johnson, 20, and Natalee Moghaddam, 19, died on Aug. 3 after their silver Volkswagen was involved in a traffic collision with a gray Kia and a black Mercedes Benz. Joseph “Taheim” Bryan, a writer and producer on the Ice-T film Equal Standard, was fatally shot Thursday night in New York City. The New York Police Department confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that a unit had responded to a 911 call outside an apartment complex on Jackson Avenue in Long Island City. Bryan, 50, was identified with multiple gunshot wounds to the arm and torso. He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing. Ice-T tweeted on Friday: “MFs Killed my friend last night. I’m not in a good place behind this. Taheim was a GOOD dude making Positive moves. He wrote & we made the film EqualStandard together. He leaves a Wife & Daughter. Dirty MFs followed him home and Murdered him.” Receiver CeeDee Lamb is among three more Dallas Cowboys players in COVID-19 protocols, making it five players and coaches sidelined by coronavirus concerns as the club switched to virtual meetings as a precaution. Lamb and safeties Malik Hooker and Israel Mukuamu joined defensive tackle Carlos Watkins and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who were sent home from the stadium before Saturday’s 20-14 preseason loss to Houston. Coach Mike McCarthy said his staff met virtually Sunday, and the club decided to do the same with players Monday in an effort to get closer to 72 hours removed from the game before bringing everybody back to the team’s facility. McCarthy said the Cowboys still planned to practice Tuesday and Wednesday leading into Sunday’s preseason finale at home against Jacksonville. Barry Sanders has tested positive for COVID-19. The former Detroit Lions star and NFL Hall of Famer, 53, revealed on Twitter Friday that he contracted a breakthrough case of COVID-19 and is asymptomatic. Sanders said he’d stay quarantined until doctors cleared him, and that he expects to be back to normal and rooting for the Lions as a team ambassador at the Sept. 12 game against the San Francisco 49ers. “Despite being double vaccinated, wearing a mask, and taking all the precautions I could… I tested positive for COVID,” he tweeted. “I don’t have any symptoms, but am staying in until I get the green light from the Docs. I will be ready to go for @49ers on 9/12 @Lions @NFL.” The Vision Community Foundation is set to hold its Annual Black Tie Gala at Atlanta’s historic Biltmore Ballrooms on Friday, September 3rd at 8PM. The gala, themed, “Salute to Fashion” will be hosted by iconic actress Vivica A. Fox and actor and TV Personality Miss Lawrence. The exclusive gala will honor an elite group of individuals and organizations that have made outstanding achievements in the arts, media, ministry, community service and government arenas throughout their lifetime. Hosted by Vivica A. Fox and Miss Lawrence, this year’s honorees include: “POSE” on FX star Ryan Jamaal Swain; TV/radio personality Gary with da Tea; actor/comedian Sampson McCormick, celebrated hair stylist/TV Personality Derek J; Speak Out USA’s Antonio Driver, iElevate TV VP, Onyx Keesha and OWN TV “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” producer Melody S. Holt; Sean John Co-Founder Jeffrey Tweedy; Director Nathan Hale Williams; Abounding Prosperity Inc founder Kirk Myers and Gilead Sciences. During the night of fashion, singer Travis Malloy, will perform and acclaimed Alvin Ailey principal dancer Maurice Renaldo will perform. 10-year-old rap phenom Caiden The Crownholder is set to release new single “All Summer Long” in celebration of summer this Friday August 27th. Produced by Grammy Award winning producer BongoByTheWay (Pop Smoke, Ty Dolla $ign, Fat Joe) this single follows the success of Caiden’s recently released a viral video intitled Reese’s Puffs which HotNewHipHop said was “??????.” As well as previously released single “All The Drip” that was released as part of a partnership between DroppTV and Caiden’s record label 192 Records. West Coast soul singer with southern roots, DJON THE ARTIST releases his new debut single “AMAZING GOD” AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR STREAMING PLATFORMS now. “Amazing God” - https://youtu.be/knX56xPNHmI R. Kelly’s sex crimes trial in a Brooklyn courtroom continues to get underway with bombshell testimony from witnesses and accusers. One of R. Kelly’s alleged victims broke down on the stand Monday as she recalled the abuse she endured during their five-year relationship, The Daily Beast reports. The woman, identified as “Jane,” was 17-years-old when she met Kelly after one of his concerts in Orlando, Florida. During their relationship, she lived with the singer and his girlfriends in Atlanta and Chicago, and was subjected to punishment whenever she violated his “rules.” The woman described how Kelly forced her to get an abortion in 2017, made her eat feces and gave her herpes. “This man purposely gave me something he knew he had had. That he could have controlled,” Jane said on the stand, as Kelly sat emotionless, per the report. https://youtu.be/jH8I8ulAtWU Louisiana universities will mandate COVID-19 vaccines following Pfizer the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Gov. John Bel Edwards will also mandate state workers undergo regular COVID-19 testing if they do not get vaccinated, per PEOPLE. “We need to fully review the approval from the FDA, but plan to implement the mandate on campus,” Louisiana State University spokesperson Ernie Ballard told the AP. Ballard added that details “should be finalized soon.” Students attending Louisiana State University, University of Louisiana and Southern University will soon be required to receive the vaccine, The Associated Press reports. Tim Stokely, CEO and founder of OnlyFans, is speaking out about the controversial decision to ban sexually explicit conduct from the platform. In an interview with Financial Times, Stokely said banks have refused to work with the company due to users who sell explicit content. “The change in policy, we had no choice — the short answer is banks,” Stokely said. “This decision was made to safeguard [our users’] funds and subscriptions from increasingly unfair actions by banks and media companies — we obviously do not want to lose our most loyal creators,” Stokely told the Financial Times. The policy change will go into effect on Oct. 1. MC Lyte talks about the new series “Partners in Rhyme.” As reported by Deadline, the scripted original series comes from MC Lyte and The Jamie Foxx Show executive producer Bentley Kyle Evans, and stars actress Precious Way. Way plays Luscious T in the series, which follows an up-and-coming teen rapper and social media sensation who thinks she is the hottest emcee in the game. MC Lyte also stars in the sitcom as a label executive charged with helping Luscious T navigate the industry. When asked during the TCA panel how the male-dominated rap industry has changed over the years, MC Lyte noted that “hip hop has become a stepping stone to the many things that artists would love to be able to do.” Tracee Ellis Ross, up for her fifth Emmy this year for her role as Bow Johnson on ABC’s “black-ish,” credits co-star Anthony Anderson for helping her to overcome her COVID shooting fears. “It was very challenging at first. I, in particular, was frightened,” Ross tells TheWrap. Production on season 7 shut down at the height of the pandemic, but once it picked back up, Ross said the set was “like military precision, in terms of our COVID safety.” She continued, “With a group that has known each other this long, and that is such a well-oiled machine, we picked up the new COVID safety protocols really quickly. And by about the fifth episode, we were back in the swing.” Ross and Anderson reportedly have very little personal interaction outside of work, but their on-set chemistry is magical. Could The Fugees and The Roots be gearing up for a Verzus battle? According to a flyer posted over at All Hip Hop, it certainly appeared as if the two iconic hip-hop groups are preparing to face-off. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith did a bit of moonlighting last night on the sports network’s corporate cousin ABC. The bombastic host of “First Take” expanded his hosting resume to include the late night audience of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” His monologue included his thoughts on human beings taking medicine meant for livestock to combat COVID-19, and expressed sheer incredulity over Tik Tok’s Milk Crate Challenge, saying these “milk crate idiots” are drinking the milk to build strong bones only to break them in hopes of going viral. https://youtu.be/p8tDXY2UMBo Nicholas Perkins has become the first Black American to have total ownership of a national burger chain. Earlier this summer, Perkins’ Black Titan Franchise Systems LLC reached a deal with Luby’s to take over ownership of the Fuddruckers brand from Houston-based Luby’s, Essence reports. “We’re excited to be purchasing Fuddruckers and look forward to working with Fuddruckers’ many dedicated, highly capable franchisees to further build this brand,” Perkins said. “As a Fuddruckers franchisee, I have a vested interest in ensuring that all Fuddruckers franchisees have the resources, infrastructure, and operational and marketing support they need to maximize their return on investment. This strategic alignment, when combined with the fact that we sell the ‘World’s Greatest Hamburgers’™, will ensure the long-term success of the brand and our franchisees.” After a nationwide search that brought forth the country’s most talented and exuberant young performers, Celina Smith has landed the title role of Annie in NBC’s upcoming holiday production of “Annie Live!” Already a triple threat at the age of 12, Smith will light up center stage with an all-star ensemble that includes Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace and Tituss Burgess as Rooster. The live musical event will air Thursday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. The Atlanta ingénue will perform some of musical theater’s most beloved numbers, including “Maybe,” “Tomorrow” and “It’s a Hard Knock Life. ”Smith began her career as Young Nala in the national touring company of “The Lion King” and can also be seen on the series “Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan.” Beyonce and Jay-Z are facing some criticism after posing with a never-before-seen Jean-Michel Basquiat painting. The power couple are the new faces of the new Tiffany & Co. “ABOUT LOVE” campaign. The painting comes from a private collection of the late Jean-Michel Basquiat entitled Equals Pi. The campaign will reportedly debut on September 2nd. A shocking video surfaced online this week showing a Louisiana man and two others shot dead while filming TikTok’s viral Milk Crate Challenge. 19-year-old Paris King was among the victims killed during a drive-by shooting Sunday outside Linwood Public Charter School in Shreveport, Louisiana. Perkins acquired the Fuddruckers franchise for an estimated $18.5 million dollars, making him the largest franchise owner. “Get my gun, get my gun!” one man shouted. Another man shouted, “Where my baby?” It is unclear if the man doing the crate challenge survived the shooting. It is unclear whether the man seen in the clip walking over the crates was the one who was shot. https://twitter.com/i/status/1429591793033641984 The Fort Jackson drill sergeant who was captured on video assaulting a black man who simply walking through their neighborhood in South Carolina has been found guilty. The Fort Jackson drill sergeant who was captured on video assaulting a black man who simply walking through their neighborhood in South Carolina has been found guilty. https://youtu.be/yXqBS324QTM The vaccine made by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE was granted a full approval by U.S. regulators. The Pentagon is now set to require all service members to get vaccinated. New York City is requiring vaccines for public school teachers and staff. U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh sees the delta variant’s aggressive path shaking his expectations for a rapidly recovering labor market. The seven-day average death toll in the U.S. topped 1,000 on two straight days for the first time since March. The U.K. ordered 35 million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be delivered in the second half of 2022. German Health Minister Jens Spahn said the country is likely to offer booster shots to the whole population heading into the fall and winter. Iceland started vaccinating 12-to-15 year-olds. China reported no new locally transmitted daily Covid-19 infections. New Zealand extended its nationwide lockdown. A Virginia senator was exploring his newly purchased farm along the Potomac River with his wife when she noticed some strange rocks on the shoreline that looked out of place. They weren’t rocks. Sen. Richard Stuart and his wife said they gasped upon realizing that they were tombstones. Further research revealed that his land was the dumping ground for thousands of historic Black gravestones from the Columbian Harmony Cemetery in Washington, D.C. From 1859 to 1960, the D.C. cemetery was the final resting place for more than 37,000 African American residents in and around the nation’s capital. Among them were two sons of abolitionist Frederick Douglas, Phillip Reid—who helped create the Statue of Freedom atop the U.S. Capitol, many Black Union Army veterans, and one of D.C.’s first Black policemen. In 1960, the land was sold. Most of the remains were relocated to National Harmony Park in Landover, Md. But the original tombstones were discarded. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation that seeks to better protect historic black cemeteries. The Bill cited that African American burial grounds often failed to receive the type of maintenance and record-keeping that predominantly White burial grounds enjoyed. In a moment of racial reckoning, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser joined descendants Monday to begin the process of honoring their family members by returning 55 gravestones to a proper memorial site at National Harmony Memorial Park in Landover, Md. https://youtu.be/RfT2OG9wT58 The role of HBCUs in shaping the growth, development and culture of Black Americans will take center stage for the third installment of the critically acclaimed Salute THEM Awards (STA) series. The Salute THEM Awards ‘My HBCU Joy’ broadcast coincides with National HBCU Week, September 7-10, 2021 airing Sunday, September 12 on BNC.TV at 10 p.m. ET and streaming at 7 p.m.ET via the AARP Black Community Facebook page and Café Mocha Radio YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbIIIS-G3Q0 Celebrating 21 years of marriage, music’s inspirational power couple Teddy and Tina Campbell have announced a new single, “21,” set to be released Saturday, August 21st. The single was preceded by a worldwide video premiere on Friday, August 20th on the couple’s Facebook page. The new ballad, the first in a planned schedule of releases from the couple, is a passionate expression of love and dedication. The couple’s marriage was a centerpiece of the WE tv series Mary Mary — co-created and produced by Tina — for 6 seasons, as millions of fans watched as the couple worked through challenges, found the grace to forgive, and came out the other side with an even stronger union. The pair’s follow-up web series 10 Minutes With Teddy and Tina continued to encourage and inspire countless viewers online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-tp3aMWLxQ Twitter corrected the New York Times Sunday afternoon after the outlet tweeted out a profile of a young British rapper who goes by the stage name Jimothy. The profile wasn’t the problem. It was a tweet framing all of rap music as being focused only on sex, drugs, and expensive cars. Twitter corrected the New York Times Sunday afternoon after the outlet tweeted out a profile of a young British rapper who goes by the stage name Jimothy. The profile wasn’t the problem. It was a tweet framing all of rap music as being focused only on sex, drugs, and expensive cars. The tweet lead some to question whether there was anyone Black on the social or digital team. But reading the article reveals an even more problematic truth. The controversial tweet paraphrased the article. “He either rejects the tropes of rap entirely or subverts them playfully,” wrote Sirin Kale. “While other rappers brag about sex, drugs, and expensive cars, Jimothy raps about his ambition to one day earn enough money to shop at upmarket supermarkets and listening to his mother’s advice.” Those two lines, along with the tweet, were not only unnecessary but completely dismissed an entire genre with several decades under its belt. A genre that thrives across communities and continents. After questioning the ridiculous tweet, hip-hop radio vet Jay Smooth dropped a link to Slick Rick’s classic “Hey Young World” in response. https://t.co/lYyzUNgreL?amp=1 Larry Elder, the Black, conservative radio talk show host-turned Republican running for political office in California who may or may not have pulled a gun on his ex-fiancee while high on marijuana, now finds himself beset by confirmed allegations that he downplayed his finances when declaring his candidacy. Elder is campaigning ahead of California’s upcoming special election to determine whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat. But Elder’s frontrunner candidacy got shaken up barely a month after he announced he was running when it was reported that his ex-fiancee made several claims about him, including how he allegedly once threatened her with a gun. Now, it’s being reported that Elder is the subject of an investigation being conducted by California’s Fair Political Practices Commission regarding the candidate’s disclosures (or lack thereof) about finances tied to his income sources. Josephine Baker became an iconic symbol during the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties for her groundbreaking acting career. The legendary dancer and civil rights activist was the first Black woman to star in a major studio production in the 1927 silent film “Siren of the Tropics.” She portrayed a West Indian girl named Papitou who falls in love with a French man. Looking to escape the racism and segregation she endured in the United States, Baker made her big break into the entertainment world upon moving to France. She later married her husband, French industrialist Jean Lion in 1937. Now Josephine will posthumously make history once again. Her remains are scheduled to be reinterred at the Panthéon monument in Paris– making her the first Black woman to receive the country’s coveted distinction, noted the Associated Press. Baker’s notable praise comes in honor of her service with the French military (Deuxième Bureau) during World War II as a correspondent in 1939. A popular megachurch pastor, TV and radio personality from Oregon has taken a leave of absence from ministry following recent allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse. According to The Roys Report, 33-year-old Ben Courson of Applegate Christian Fellowship near Medford is accused by three female former church members for initiating sexual relationships with them. Applegate elders were made aware of two of the women’s accounts following an elder’s meeting in June. The third woman, however, told The Roys Report that she did not report the allegation to the church yet as she had only recently learned of the other women. Regarding Courson, she had previously characterized their relationship as a serious dating relationship. Xavier Brasseur, pastor of The Story Ashland in Ashland, Oregon, told the outlet that his church is helping the three women get professional counseling. Steph Curry’s parents are going their separate ways … TMZ Sports has learned Sonya Curry has filed for divorce from Dell Curry. 55-year-old Sonya put in the paperwork back on June 14 in North Carolina … according to court records. A court official tells us the divorce is still ongoing. Details surrounding the reason for the split are unclear — we’re working on it. The couple — whose other son, Seth, plays for the Philadelphia 76ers — dated for decades and were officially married way back in 1988. The two have been spotted cheering on Steph and Seth from the stands at NBA games for years … famously wearing gear featuring both the Warriors and Trail Blazers logos when their two sons faced off against each other in the 2019 NBA playoffs. 57-year-old Dell and Sonya first met when they were student-athletes at Virginia Tech … and gave birth to Steph years later in 1988. The couple then had Seth in 1990, and daughter Sydel in 1994. Bachelor is known to millions of fans on social media as “King Bach.” Having amassed over 11 million followers on social media, transitioning to TV and film was inevitable. In “Vacation Friends,” he plays Emily’s younger brother Gabe. In this role, we see a different side of his comedic acting, one where he is often the straight man to Rel’s comedy. https://youtu.be/oCnGO-GsEcE Michael Jordan and LeBron James will forever be etched in history. The two are arguably among the best ever to play this game. Jordan dominated the 80s and the 90s, whereas LeBron James has been doing the same during the 2000s, 2010s, and now aiming to do so in the 2020s. Between them, the two players have won 10 NBA Championships. In fact, Between 1990 to 2020, Jordan and LeBron James were involved in half of the NBA Finals, with Jordan going to 6, and LeBron going to 10. The two have dominated the NBA landscape throughout their respective careers. LeBron grew up watching and idolizing Jordan. LeBron was born just a few months after Michael Jordan made his debut in the NBA. By the time LeBron James was 6, Jordan won his first NBA championship. The two met when Jordan and the Wizards came to Cleveland in 2003 to play the Cavaliers. Jordan arrived sporting his signature suits. LeBron was in the hallways and greeted Jordan very well. Despite knowing each other on a casual level, both greeted each other like they had known each other for a long time. The NFL awkwardly alluded to Deshaun Watson’s sexual assault allegations during a video celebrating the quarterback’s status as of one of the league’s top players. Watson, who is currently facing 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints from massage therapists alleging sexual assault, was voted No. 18 on the league’s annual Top 100 Players list as voted on by the players. “Nobody knows when Deshaun Watson will take the field again,” the narrator says while highlights of the 25-year-old from the 2020 season are shown. “His future is uncertain, but his talent is unquestioned,” the 87-second video continues, ending with, “The skill is no mystery, almost everything else is.” The video didn’t feature standard player interviews from peers and teammates. CNN’s Abby Phillip has welcomed her first baby, daughter Naomi Angelina Richardson, with husband Marcus Richardson. Baby Naomi arrived “10 days fashionably late,” weighing 7 lbs., 6 oz., and measuring 20.5 inches, Phillip tells PEOPLE in a statement. “Marcus and I are so happy to announce that the Naomi Angelina Richardson arrived bright and early on Monday morning perfectly happy, healthy and ready to eat. Mom and baby are feeling great,” she says. “Her first name means ‘pleasant one’ and she is already living up to it and spoiling her mom and dad as a blissfully calm baby. Her middle name Angelina is a tribute to my beloved maternal grandmother who passed away in 2014.” https://www.instagram.com/abbydphillip/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0b90a6d0-28b4-4e6e-9df6-c4b74f9106ed Luther Wardlaw has a distinguished voice that has been heard as part of the Chart-topping, Dove and Stellar Award-nominated Contemporary Gospel group The Wardlaw Brothers. He has provided the leading vocals to their radio hits "Right Now Lord", "God Has Kept Me" and "Come Through", and is the primary songwriter and producer behind The Wardlaw Brothers' successful albums. Luther is now taking the lead mic for his debut solo project and has released the first single "On The Way". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl5rgAOJzyo Grammy Award winning, legendary Hip-Hop group Naughty By Nature are set to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of their self-titled album released in 1991. Few bands in music can boast about an almost 30 year career that has been both consistent and history making. Naughty By Nature, initially called New Style, began performing at talent shows and were discovered by fellow New Jersey native and then emerging Hip-Hop artist, Queen Latifah. Eventually signing the group to her management company Flavor Unit Management, Latifah helped them land a deal with Tommy Boy Records. Following the release of their self-titled debut album in 1991, Naughty By Nature quickly assaulted the music charts with the instant classic #1 hit “O.P.P.” The group quickly became crossover stars, bridging the gap between their Hip-Hop roots and the mainstream music world. Reverend Jesse Jackson and his wife Jacqueline, remain hospitalized with COVID-19 Monday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Their son, Jonathan Jackson, shared an update on his parents’ condition Sunday with Chicago’s ABC7. “She had been real lethargic with flu-like symptoms [and] went to the hospital Friday,” he said. “Then it was diagnosed that she and my dad both had contracted COVID.” According to the family, the couple is now resting comfortably and responding positively to treatment. “She is having some oxygen, but is able to function and breathe on her own without a respirator,” Jonathan said. “Nothing severe. Because of her age and her current health, it is more challenging.” Chadwick Boseman’s widow performed a touching rendition of “I’ll Be Seeing You” in honor of her late husband during the Stand Up to Cancer televised event on Saturday evening. Boseman died from colon cancer in August 2020 at age 43. His wife, Simone Ledward Boseman, was introduced ahead of her performance by Anthony Anderson, who, per PEOPLE, gave a touching tribute to the “Black Panther” star. https://youtu.be/e21kVFauAD8 Beyoncé and her hubby JAY-Z star in Tiffany & Co.’s 2021 “ABOUT LOVE” campaign, which launches globally on Sept. 2. “Love is the diamond that the jewelry and art decorate,” the couple said in a statement. https://www.instagram.com/beyonce/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=24030a98-0cab-4cc2-bd74-7152291b8ab7 Pittsburgh police say they’re investigating a brawl that broke out in the stands at Heinz Field and went viral. Video shows a man and woman arguing when suddenly, the woman yells, “shut up and get the f*** out!” The man tells her “don’t touch me” and swipes her hand away. The woman then hauls off and slaps him. Fisticuffs ensue. A man seated next to her jumps to her defense, only to be punched repeatedly and eventually knocked out cold by the slapped man. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-22-082221-steelers-knockout-1231889/ A white couple was captured on camera arguing at a gas station somewhere in America, and the moment was filmed by a Black couple. According to TMZ, what prompted the husband to berate his wife in public remains a mystery but apparently, his wife had been harassing the Black couple. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-21-082121-gas-station-karen-pt2-1231856/ Newly appointed “Jeopardy!” host Mike Richards stepped down amid controversy over past disparaging comments he made about women. He is now out as the new host of “Jeopardy!” after just one taping day, CNN reports. Fans of the long-running game show are now calling on actress Mayim Bialik, who was hired to host the show and specials, to step down. Bialik, known for her roles on “Blossom” and “The Big Bang Theory,” is catching heat for her past remarks about vaccines. Per Newsweek, in 2012, Bialik wrote a book on parenting called “Beyond the Sling.” In it, she wrote, “We made an informed decision not to vaccinate our children, but this is a very personal decision that should be made only after sufficient research, which today is within reach of every parent who seeks to learn about their child’s health regardless of their medical knowledge or educational status.” Last week, Bialik set the record straight on her vaccination status. “She has been fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus and is not at all an anti-vaxxer,” her rep confirmed. Misha Green and Jurnee Smollett are reuniting once more for a DC movie project featuring heroine Black Canary. The duo has worked on WGN’s former slave series “Underground,” and HBO’s “Lovecraft Country,” and now Green has been tapped to pen the script for a spinoff from Warner Bros.’s 2020 DC movie Birds of Prey which featured characters Harley Quinn, the Huntress, Cassandra Cain and Canary, played by Smollett, per Hollywood Reporter. #Aaliyah’s sophomore album #OneInAMillion made its debut on streaming platforms Friday after nearly two decades since the singer passed away in a plane crash. The singer’s uncle, #BarryHankerson, posted a statement to #Instagram about the re-release, including the reason why it took so long for his niece’s music to be available, thanking and apologizing to her fans. “Thank you to all of her many fans for keeping her music alive. I’m sorry it took so long, but when you lose a family member so unexpectedly, it takes time to deal with that type of grief. I decided to release Aaliyah’s music in order to keep her legacy alive,” Hankerson wrote. He also included a thank you to Aaliyah’s parents, who also served as her managers. Wendy Williams has apparently found love again with a white man who accompanied the talk show host to her son’s birthday party on Saturday. Wendy shared a snap with her man in the car captioned: “My son’s 21st birthday party on the yacht in #Miami was everything he wanted! Even my boyfriend.” https://www.instagram.com/wendyshow/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4d43a7e2-e65e-4049-a735-b3591af26082 The salaries of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have been revealed. As reported by Variety, the list was compiled based on profits made off films released this year. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson came in the number 2 spot on the list, raking in a total of $50 million for his upcoming role in Red One. He was listed just behind Daniel Craig, who earned $100 million for his part in the Knives Out sequels. Will Smith is right behind Dwayne Johnson with a $40 million dollar profit for his role as Venus & Serna Williams‘ father in King Richard, which is expected this November. Denzel Washington similarly earned $40 million for taking part in The Little Things. Finally, Michael B. Jordan brought in a total of $15 million for his lead part in Amazon Prime Video’s Without Remorse. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, who respectively earned $20 million and $13 million for “Bullet Train” and “Top Gun:Maverick,” the outlet reports. https://youtu.be/e-rw2cxFVLg Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson surprised some fans on a celebrity tour bus in his Southern California neighborhood, reports LA’s ABC7. Johnson pulled up alongside the celebrity tour bus, rolled down his windows and asked them if they knew where he could find The Rock. The tourists screamed in delight and surprise and immediately began taking selfies. The video has been viewed more than 8 million times. Johnson said it was a fun way to start off his Saturday. Lizzo wants you to know that she has stopped wearing deodorant, just like Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. “Ok… I’m w him on this one. I stopped using deodorant and I smell BETTER,” Lizzo shared to her Instagram stories Thursday. In case you missed it, McConaughey previously shared with that People that he hasn’t “worn deodorant in 20 years.” Lizzo and Matthew are the latest celebrities to share their hygiene habits. We previously reported, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis dished with Dax Shepard on his “Armchair Expert” podcast and revealed that they only bathe their kids when they see dirt on them. Ashton and Mila, who are part-time bathers themselves, agreed with Dax that using soap every day rids the body of natural oils. The wife of Texas governor candidate Allen West was arrested Friday night in Dallas for DWI with a child in her vehicle, which her husband said was her grandchild. Angela West was booked into jail after being charged with driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years of age. According to Dallas police, an officer with the DWI Squad stopped the 61-year-old’s vehicle for a traffic violation on the W. Northwest Highway. The officer believed the driver may be intoxicated and performed a field sobriety test, which police said led to her arrest for DWI. A blood specimen was obtained after she was taken into custody. Police said the child in her vehicle was released to the child’s father. https://twitter.com/i/status/1429057549895094274 Just weeks into the school year, over 23,000 students and staff are in quarantine at metro Atlanta schools. Those numbers are just a fraction of how many students are likely quarantined: Only a select few districts release quarantine numbers. The data includes positive cases as well as students/staff in quarantine. Each district has its own quarantine protocols, so the numbers are fluid. Of those districts that do report quarantined students and staff, Fulton County Schools are reporting 6,233 students who are either quarantined or have tested positive. Gwinnett County, the largest school district in the state, has 2,337 students and staff in quarantine. Atlanta Public Schools has 2,035 students and staff in quarantine. On Friday, Lamar County Schools announced they are shutting down for two weeks due to skyrocketing COVID-19 cases. Students will return to virtual learning until October. Grammy-nominated Christian artist Jeremy Camp has a new album coming out next month, and it was inspired by what God taught him throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Camp’s initial reaction to the pandemic, like millions of Americans, was to get it over with. “I remember that feeling I had — ‘I just want to get through this. I can’t wait to get through this,’” he told The Christian Post. However, the 43-year-old singer revealed what God told him in that moment that would change his mindset: “Jeremy, I want to get through to you during this. I want to teach you things during this. You have to be willing to listen and not just try to get through it.” “It was kind of a shift of mindset for me,” Camp explained. “It really was such a beautiful picture of allowing God to do the deep work in our hearts that we all need to do. I know that I need some deep work in my heart.” The Bible-based series The Chosen is no longer simply a streaming hit. Two years after it first launched, The Chosen is now a worldwide streaming ministry. Season one, which premiered in 2019, includes subtitles in more than 90 languages, including seven languages (Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, among them) in audio dubbing. Season two, which debuted on Easter, is available with subtitles in more than 30 languages – with dozens more on the way. Just as impressive: The series has been streamed more than 250 million times from viewers all over the world, including from such diverse nations as India, New Zealand, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. Derral Eves, executive producer of the series, said the goal is to have more than 1 billion people view it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLHm92GtRqA A Marion man who burned a cross on the front yard of an African American family in June 2020 following a civil rights protest earlier in the day was sentenced Friday to 18 months in federal prison, according to a press release issued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia. James Brown, 41, pleaded guilty in April to criminal interference with federally protected housing rights based upon the victim’s race. “When Brown burned a cross in the victim’s front yard, he carried out a despicable act of intimidation, interfered with a federally protected housing right, and broke a serious federal law,” acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Bubar stated Friday. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that such threatening acts of hatred will be swiftly investigated and prosecuted. We thank the FBI and state partners for their hard work on this important case.” Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams agreed Monday to settle a wrongful conviction lawsuit filed by a freed Angola lifer for $2 million, the latest step toward wrapping up lingering misconduct claims from earlier administrations. The DA’s Office said it will pay former state prisoner Robert Jones in annual installments of $342,000 until 2026. Meanwhile, it has agreed to new policies for turning over evidence to defendants ahead of trial. Jones, now 48, waged a 23-year battle from prison to overturn his convictions in a string of crimes in the French Quarter. He was released in 2015, prosecutors dropped their bid to retry him in 2017 and he filed a lawsuit against the office in 2018. “I welcome this measure of justice after so many years,” Jones said in a brief statement. The first Black-owned and operated birth center in Louisiana is now open and it’s in Lafayette. Baby Catcher Birth Center officially opened at the end of July. Owner and Lafayette native Shatamia Webb told KATC in May that she’s always wanted to work with babies and is passionate about educating future parents. Webb, a midwife, said she’s done around 130 births so far, and is ready to plant her roots here in Acadiana. “This isn’t my first rodeo, it’s just a permanent spot for me. I’m usually doing home births and traveling all over the state to do births, but now I have my own place to come.” Benefits of using the center include more individualized care, a different approach, and mothers are able to have as many people as they want with them when giving birth. Webb is ready and excited to work with parents in Acadiana. DC Police have identified the 15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death outside Kipp DC College Preparatory Wednesday afternoon as Kemon Payne. Payne was allegedly stabbed by a fellow student, who is 16 years old, outside his charter school in NE DC near Galludet University’s campus around 3:11 p.m. It was just after students were let out of school for the day. In a statement, KIPP DC said Payne was a “wonderful student, a tremendous person, and will be deeply missed.” Payne had just started attending the college prep high school as a 9th grader, school officials said. The first day of school was on Monday. Officials said officers were assisting with the program called “Safe Passage” – which is aimed at getting students safely home from school – at the time the stabbing happened close to a Metrobus stop inNE outside the school. Ryan Reynolds has thrown his support behind LeVar Burton’s ongoing campaign to host Jeopardy!, following EP Mike Richards’ exit from the podium. The actor said as much—albeit in oblique fashion—in a post published to Twitter on Friday. In it, he shared how he relates to Burton’s experience, given the time he himself spent as an underdog, relentlessly pursuing his dream project. “Pretty consistently from 2013 to 2015, Deadpool would explode on Twitter with fans wanting me to play him. It was awkward, because I agreed with them. But the studio didn’t see it,” he wrote. “Ultimately, the fans won, and the rest is glorious history. I’m forever grateful. Hi @levarburton.” Burton has been vying to host Jeopardy! for years, most recently serving as one of a number of celebrity guest hosts, following the passing of longtime host Alex Trebek. Asian, Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely to say colleges and universities reflect white people’s views, while white Americans — especially Republicans — are more likely to say these institutions favor liberal beliefs, according to a new Axios/Ipsos poll on inequity in higher education. The big picture: Everybody sees the necessity of a college education in today’s world. But fewer than one in 10 thinks a four-year degree is affordable, and six in 10 think it should be free for all U.S. citizens. The life of activist and Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton came to a tragic end 32 years ago on this day at the hands of a member of a similar Black Nationalist organization who considered him an enemy. Newton was said to have fallen on hard times after his ascent to the top of the Panthers’ ranks alongside Bobby Seale, but other details surrounding his death remain murky. During a recent interview with TheYBF.com, the ladies of “BET Presents: The Encore” spoke from the heart about the overall arc of the “drama” in the house, how the often complained about editing of reality TV is made to show a particular narrative and the biggest misconceptions among them. “BET Presents: The Encore” is a reality television show featuring ladies from once hot but long forgotten girl groups Total, 702, 3LW, Blaque, Danity Kane and Cherish. https://youtu.be/JMLNnOUiqbA Omar Epps has put in a lot of work in various roles throughout his career. Perhaps it is because of his “familiar” face that he’s finds himself in a ridiculous circumstance. According to legal documents, Epps has been forced to respond to a petition for a restraining order from a Los Angeles man who claims Epps broke into his jail cell and sat on his lap. “(This man) is a complete stranger to me. I have never met him. I have never spoken to him. I have never had any direct or indirect contact with him. I have never previously written about him. I had never even heard of (him) until I was served with his application for a restraining order,” the actor stated. “I have no intention or desire whatsoever to make contact with, associate with, or communicate with (him) in any way, Epps added. “I am a fairly visible public figure, and mostly known for my work as an actor. I believe (the man) may know of me only because of my professional work.” https://youtu.be/-dA9fz9g-2k Cynthia Erivo recently hooked up with Adobe software in a move highlighting rollerskating culture in the Black community. Using the hashtag #StoriesonSkates, Adobe dropped a digital collection featuring six types of roller skates designed in a joint effort with Substance Painter, Adobe’s new 3D feature. The six elements of skate culture being; music, choreography, empowerment, style, legacy and community. “I was so excited to work with Adobe on Stories on Skates to showcase Black skating culture, especially as an expression of Black joy and creativity,” Erivo said in a press release. “This project brings to life stories from the rink that are inspiring, important, and deserve to be remembered. My hope is that Stories on Skates is a fitting tribute to skating and Black culture while celebrating its rich history in music, movement, style, empowerment, community, and legacy. ”https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZzHpLlr7S/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d17cfaae-df09-4977-870e-84b7facfa024 Jay Z’s name and image have been synonymous with the Empire State almost since its advent of his image on Hawaiian Sofie. Now comes news, via a declaration in his suit with photographer Jonathan Mannion, that he’s officially a resident of California, which is where his wife and babies Blue Ivy, Sir and Rumi all reside. So, it only makes since. Home ain’t where the head is, it’s where the heart is. “I intend to keep my primary residence in Los Angeles, California, and do not intend to move my primary residence to another state. I pay California state taxes. In light of these facts, I consider myself to be domiciled in Los Angeles, California,” Jay-Z confirmed. In said lawsuit Jay Z aka Shawn Carter is reportedly suing Mannion for using his name, image and likeness without permission. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com There’s a city buried under Lake Lanier (Georgia’s biggest lake), and submerged with it is a secret: An American horror story filled with terror, death, genocide, and ghosts. If you spend any time in or around Atlanta, you’ve heard tales of Lake Lanier. There are the eerie accounts of fishermen seeing ghostly kayaks floating on the water, or women with no hands roaming the Jerry D. Jackson bridge. Every so often, someone loses their life at the lake and leaves behind stories of good swimmers being snatched under the water, unexplainable boating accidents, or vehicles crashing into the lake without cause. Many folks who live close by will tell you straight up, “Don’t go to Lake Lanier.” And its death toll certainly validates their point. There have been well over 500 deaths since the lake’s inception and more than 200 since 1994. Whether the lake is cursed or not is entirely up to you. But, one thing’s for certain, its horrifying past adds a much-needed perspective to understanding its haunting present. Patti LaBelle wears many titles comfortably; she is a famous singer and excellent pastry chef; however, her favorite titles include “grandmother.” Make that “doting grandmother” because she spends an insane amount of time in the company of her granddaughters Gia and Leyla. Gia came along first which means she has spent the most time with her grandmother. In that time, Patti grew so fond of the tot; she would post pictures of her dressed sharply on her Instagram page. ? After seeing how much fans appeared to like the photos, an Instagram page was created in her name; it holds tons of pictures that feature Gia and boasts of more than seven thousand followers. https://www.instagram.com/gia_edwards/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ba51fcfd-4a2e-4519-b4ee-f2d797b50d8f The New York Post is reporting that a woman named Kathleen Roberts claims that Michael Jackson possesses her body to “dance, sing and eat cookies.” Furthermore, she says Mike proposed to her clairvoyantly and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr officiated their nuptials. But, claims Roberts, Michael kept the marriage certificate. Nope, you CANNOT make this ish up. “So he comes to the restroom with me and calls these special bonding moments ‘toiletries.’ He stays possessed in me (relaxed not channeling and just enjoying living through me and communicating with me as a husband).” https://vimeo.com/430866408 The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife Jacqueline Jackson have been hospitalized in Chicago after testing positive for COVID-19, according to a statement, the NY Post reported on Saturday. The world renown political/civil rights activist and minister, 79, contracted the virus despite being vaccinated back in January, in a publicity blitz meant to encourage black people to get the shot. A month after his vaccination, Jackson, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, underwent gallbladder surgery. https://youtu.be/e65jrfaS_mU Sha’Carri Richardson obviously wasn’t ready to back her talk of beating the Olympic-winning Jamaican sprinters in her return to the race track. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-21-082121-shacarri-richardson-1231858/ The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport because of ‘security threats’ outside its gates – reportedly coming from ISIS – a day after President Joe Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home. U.S. officials said the most serious threat to the airport is Afghanistan’s branch of the Islamic State, which would hurt Americans in the country and challenge the Taliban’s control, The New York Times and Associated Press reported. ‘Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,’ the Embassy warning says. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/08/21/6106165691937828953/636x382_MP4_6106165691937828953.mp4 A group of Taliban fighters released a collection of propaganda footage, including a photo where they mocked the famed World War II picture of soldiers raising the American flag on Iwo Jima. In the original 1945 photograph, a group of six Marines are depicted hosting the flag on Mount Suribachi. The Taliban’s Badri 313 Battalion recreated the image this week. In their version, a group of soldiers is seen hoisting the Taliban flag in a similar fashion while sporting U.S. weapons and gear that was likely stolen from allied militaries during patrols of Kabul. The Badri 313 is a special unit of Taliban fighters that dress like U.S. soldiers by wearing camouflage, combat boots and body armor. The soldiers drive armored Humvees and carries M4 carbines. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has been slammed as racist after he blamed the recent Covid surge in his state on unvaccinated black people. The Republican governor made the claim on Fox News on Thursday, saying: ‘The Covid is spreading… and the Democrats like to blame Republicans on that. ‘Well, the biggest group in most states are African Americans who have not been vaccinated. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/08/21/3031749779715868211/636x382_MP4_3031749779715868211.mp4 The United States reported a record-high number of coronavirus cases on Friday as Florida recorded more than 150,000 cases in this week’s data dump and the number of deaths surged 300 percent in a single day. According to figures compiled by the widely-respected Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. reported 319,456 new COVID cases, raising the overall count of nationwide cases to more than 37.7 million. Nearly half of those cases were reported in Florida, which is seeing a 19.8 percent positivity rate among tested individuals. The state, which only releases COVID data once a week, reported 150,118 cases. The U.S. reported 2,677 new deaths on Friday, after reporting only 908 deaths on Thursday. Florida accounted for 346 of those deaths. Demetrius Smith, R. Kelly’s former tour manager, points out his former client during his testimony about bribing a government worker with $500 to get a fake ID for Aaliyah after Kelly thought he got her pregnant when she was 15. This was back in 1994, when Kelly was 24. Kelly and Aaliyah’s marriage was annulled after six months. Aaliyah tragically died in a plane crash in 2001. Smith’s testimony followed testimony from R. Kelly’s former doctor, who prescribed him herpes medication so often that he memorized Kelly’s number. Community members gathered Thursday at the Texas African American Museum to learn about the history of the Piney Woods School and the opportunities it offers students. The school was founded in 1909 by Laurence Clifton Jones after he learned about the high illiteracy rate in rural Rankin County, Mississippi. His goal was to help educate the children of impoverished black sharecroppers. The Piney Woods School, located in Mississippi, is the only African-American Boarding School in the country. It is a historic African-American institution that offers students a unique opportunity to grow academically and personally. Currently, the school has grades eight through 12. Will Levi Crossley Jr., President and head of school at the institution, came out to speak on the opportunities the school offers Black children. “We are the longest serving African-American learning community in the country, we were started over a century ago to educate essentially the direct descendants of slaves,” Crossley said. “We have continued to serve students of African descent, other people of color and others in rural Mississippi since that time.” Another of Montgomery’s civil rights-era legends has died, according to her family. Lucille Times passed away late Monday evening, her nephew Daniel Nichols confirmed. She was 100. Six months before Rosa Parks took her seat on a Montgomery bus in 1955, there was Times, who got into a fist fight with the same bus driver of the racially segregated bus line that June. She claimed he tried to run her car off the road, and she confronted him. Times wasn’t arrested, but the ordeal prompted her to begin her own boycott of the buses, and she made it her mission to change things. When the Montgomery Bus Boycott later got started, she continued what she’d been doing for months; picking up waiting Black passengers she saw at bus stops. Parks’ arrest that December would catapult her into history, making her name synonymous with the civil rights struggle. But Times would remain relatively obscure to the masses for more than half a century, though locally she was well known. Times and her husband Charlie took part in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March and let 18 people of all races, from around the country, stay in their home afterward. The couple were longtime Montgomery business owners and stayed involved in the community. #TMobile is now facing a class-action lawsuit for their latest data breach after hackers were able to steal data on at least 47 million current, former, and prospective customers, including their #SocialSecurityNumbers.? The class-action suit filed in a Washington court explains that plaintiffs in this lawsuit fear their identities “are now at considerable risk because of Defendant’s [T-Mobile’s] negligent conduct since the Private Information that T-Mobile collected and maintained is now in the hands of data thieves.”? The suit also explains that those affected by the breach may now have to face further inconvenience while dealing with the fallout of their personal information being compromised.? While T-Mobile has offered victims free credit monitoring services that they have to sign up for, the suit claims this gesture isn’t enough.? Recently, singer turned reality television star Kandi Burress opened up about a deeply personal surgical procedure that tens of thousands of women throughout the country can relate to: breast reduction surgery. The Xscape star discussed it in detail on “Real Housewives of Atlanta.“ “The reason why I started thinking about this is because I guess it’s been six, close to six, weeks… I decided to get my breasts reduced,” she shared in a recent episode of “Speak On It,” her YouTube series. “For me, it was a whole thing of trying to figure out who I was going to go to to reduce my breasts, was I going to go out of town to do it, was I going to stay in Atlanta to do it, was I going to go to a doctor who was close to Atlanta to do it, trying to find the time to do it.” https://youtu.be/htPvcpn2T7s Soulja Boy, DeAndre Cortez Way, announced he is the new owner of #Atari. The iconic company was founded back in 1972, and it was a pioneer in the development of various early video game consoles and arcade games. #SouljaBoy claims the company reached out to him due to the success of his video game console, SouljaGame. He made the big announcement on Instagram Live, saying: “They signed me to a deal to Atari. Big shoutout to Atari, to the whole staff. I’m about to revamp the company. We gon take Atari to the next level. Everybody go follow @Atari. I am now the owner of Atari. I own the video game company Atari. They was real proud of me and what I did with the Souja Boy Game console. I blew Soulja Boy Game up. We about to sell the company, I think Imma get $140 million. I’m finna get $140 million from Soulja Boy Game, so Atari reached out and I just signed a deal with Atari. I signed two deals with Atari. First rapper to own a video game company.” However, despite Soulja Boy‘s claims of owning Atari, the brand has come out to seemingly say otherwise. In a statement made through its official Twitter account, Atari representatives wrote: “We know that CEO of Atari is a dream job, but that honor belongs to Wade Rosen.” Ronald Isley tied the knot with (Kandy Johnson) the love of his life sixteen years ago, and they celebrated the milestone recently with pictures that were shared via their respective Instagram pages. The picture Kandy shared on her page was an old one taken from their wedding day. They both looked happy and gorgeous as they stood close together with their hands clasped. He wore a stylish black tux while Kandy looked beautiful in her sleeveless ensemble. In her caption, she thanked God for giving them the opportunity to celebrate another year of blissful marriage. Then, she posted the picture again on her story and edited it with a track from Nat King Cole titled “L–O–V–E.” Ronald shared a more recent picture of him with his wife; it featured the lovely couple dressed for an important outing. They both wore all-black outfits, and the love between both was palpable. Mo’Nique the 53-year-old comedian/actress has signed a deal with Endemol Shine North America that will see her producing a slate of unscripted TV projects in conjunction with Hicks Media-her husband Sidney Hick’s production company, Madamenoire reports. Monique previously worked with Endemol Shine 15 years ago for VH1’s wildly successful “Charm School,” produced by Chris Abrego’s 51 Minds company. Monique was on the show from 2007 to 2009. Recently the rapper with the name (Wack 100) took to Clubhouse to diss Meek Mill, powered by the battery place in his back by Tekashi and his supporters, he used an expletive when discussing the leader of the Nation of Islam Honorable Louis Farrakhan, who has historically acted as a mediator and peacemaker in hip-hop. “Y’all don’t see what the n#### do? For the last five days, the n#### put up a post that said that Wack is misleading the youth,” Wack said Meek wrote. “He needs the young homies for protection.” “First of all,” Wack said, “Me and you, n####,” he corrected. “I ain’t said the ‘Pirus and you.’ I ain’t say the ‘West Coast and you.’ I said ‘Me and you.” “Then you reach and say, ‘Farrakhan, can you arrange a sit down. N#### f### all that! I eat pork,” he stated defiantly. “Ain’t no Farrakhan (unrecognized). F### out of here, n####.” https://youtu.be/s6wiQ98BX-A Nivea, the 39-year-old singer recently felt the need to release text messages from sa man name Darrell Patterson. It appears Mr. Patterson denied dating the singer. So, she felt the need to broadcast via Instagram Story her personal messages with this Darrell fella, who can be seen in a February message saying “Thinking about you. Well been thinking about you.” “Wyd sexy? Going to bed?,” Nivea also wrote via another image. In response, Darrell replied, “Love you so much.” Alongside the screenshot, she penned, “Wasn’t interested huh @iamtherealdp. Don’t play with me man.” Though it is said that the singer released these damning “documents” in an attempt to defend her honor against a man who is now revealed to be in a relationship of his own and is backtracking. He’s moving under the guise that he was “just trying to help” Nivea out. Mint Condition’s lead singer Stokley Williams revealed in a 2017 interview with VLAD TV that the group was not too pleased when keyboardist Keri Lewis wed singer Toni Braxton in 2001. Keri and Toni’s marriage lasted for 13 years, but they separated by the 8-year mark in 2009, as reported by I Love Old School Music. The ex-couple made their divorce official in 2013. Years later, tea was spilled about why Keri’s group members were left distraught when he tied the knot with Toni. https://youtu.be/8913RO6aLqc Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Alice Ripley has apologized to her young fans for ‘misinterpretations’ of the interactions they had with her. Four women came forward with accusations against Ripley, 57, this week. It started with a viral TikTok video in which a woman named Brie Lynn, top right, now 25, claimed Ripley ‘groomed’ her as a child. At least three other women, another seen bottom right, have since said they too had inappropriate relationships with the stage star. Accusers describe Ripley’s fan base as a ‘cult’ of underage queer girls. Ripley earned a Tony Award for her portrayal of bipolar character Diana Goodman in the show Next to Normal in 2009. She had also denied the allegations against her in an earlier statement saying: ‘There’s absolutely no validity to any of it’. In a candid new memoir, All In, King, now 77, also discloses how she was sexually assaulted as a teenager, suffered a debilitating eating disorder and blames, in part, her own homophobia for the decades in which she denied her true sexuality. During a 27-year career, the American player won 39 Grand Slam titles but became arguably more famous for her off-court life – her campaigning feminism and the long-rumored lesbianism which she only finally acknowledged in 1987 when she divorced Larry to be with her former doubles partner Ilana Kloss. In her autobiography – which is due out in the UK next month but was published in the U.S. this week – King also discusses the abuse she endured over her looks and the humiliating ordeal she suffered when she had an abortion in 1971. The famously bespectacled King was the leading light of a new breed of female player: fiercely ambitious, hard-hitting on court and determined not to put up with the sexism of a sport that paid them far less in money and respect than the men. In his most revealing comments about his playing future, former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said he doesn’t have a desire to get back on a field at the moment. During an interview on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Go,” the 11-time Pro Bowler was asked if he was going to be a radio broadcaster or play again. “For now, I’ll be a radio broadcaster,” said Fitzgerald, who appears on the radio show with Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback Tom Brady and Jim Gray. “To be honest with you, I just don’t have the urge to play right now. I don’t know how I’ll feel in September, October, November moving forward, but I just, today, I just don’t have the urge. Police are responding to a claim of an explosive device in a truck near the US Capitol, according to law enforcement sources, and multiple buildings nearby are being evacuated. “This is an active bomb threat investigation,” the US Capitol Police wrote on Twitter Thursday. Authorities on the scene are negotiating with the suspect, according to two law enforcement sources. The pickup truck the man drove to the scene does not have license plates, sources say. Two Library of Congress buildings — the Jefferson and the Madison — and the Cannon House Office Building are being evacuated due to a suspicious vehicle in the vicinity, according to alerts sent to staffers viewed by CNN. https://youtu.be/F1UQKO8jqME A Black couple out of Michigan have a heart full of forgiveness for the 25-year-old white male who shot at their home over a Black Lives Matter sign. Michael John Frederick Jr. will serve a 4-to-10-year prison sentence for the crime, after entering no contest pleas in the case as well as a second case in which he reportedly vandalized a white Joe Biden supporter’s home, as reported by Law and Crime. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/black-family-targeted-for-black-lives-matter-sign-with-home-and-cars-vandalized-in-warren Halle Berry is being sued by MMA fighter Cat Zingano over the star’s upcoming film “Bruised.” Berry is starring in and making her directorial debut with the project, about a mixed martial arts fighter struggling to rebuild her life. Cat ultimately turned down the fight, but then the UFC released her from her contract. Zingano says Berry “cut off communication” following the incident. She is now suing for damages. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the film, Berry said the biggest challenge was working with two broken ribs. As reported earlier, during the filming of “Bruised,” the global superstar was injured while filming in a Newark, New Jersey gym. “I didn’t want to stop because I had prepared for so long,“ she said. “We had rehearsed; we were ready. I’m going to will myself through it. And so we did.” Here is a sneak peek of the latest episode of the Peacock Original Series HART TO HEART, where Kevin Hart invites A-list talent to sit back, have a glass of wine, and engage in an unfiltered conversation. New episodes dropped today and Nick Cannon is one of this week’s guests. The clip finds Hart revealing how envious he used to be of Cannon, and the duo dish about Nick’s casting in the 2002 hit film “Drumline.” https://youtu.be/wctujHbtSfc Starz’s upcoming drama, “BMF” is inspired by the true story of two brothers – Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest” Flenory – from Detroit who birthed one of the most influential crime families in America. Today at the Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour, “Black Mafia Family” executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson informed journalist Jeanne Wolf the eight episode series isn’t about glorifying drug dealers. “We love to watch the guys with the guns, jewelry and clothes…but they’re drug dealers. Are we creating heroes young people can follow…or are we sending them on the wrong track?” Wolf questioned. https://youtu.be/RipiwMg_ofA STARZ has released the official trailer and key art today for the highly anticipated Detroit-based family drama “BMF.” The new STARZ original series will premiere worldwide on Sunday, September 26 across all STARZ platforms, including at 9 PM ET/PT on STARZ in the U.S. and Canada, and will air day and date internationally on the STARZPLAY premium streaming platform across its complete footprint in Europe, Latin America and Japan. https://preview-g.starz.com/p/promos/new/vers01826021_bmf1_official_hero_trailer___grandson___licensed_org_28655_21_169___no_bug___series_premier_2000k.mp4 Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak has pushed back the release of their debut album, which will now arrive in January 2022. Tat’s not what fans of the new duo want to hear, but they’ll just have deal wit it. The pair, known as Silk Sonic, dropped their debut single “Leave the Door Open” in March and followed it up with “Skate” last month. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak has pushed back the release of their debut album, which will now arrive in January 2022. Tat’s not what fans of the new duo want to hear, but they’ll just have deal wit it. The pair, known as Silk Sonic, dropped their debut single “Leave the Door Open” in March and followed it up with “Skate” last month. https://youtu.be/CEw-7cMnBDY Nas dropped his latest studio LP, “King’s Disease II” on Aug. 6, earning his fifth Top 10 entry on the Billboard 200. “King’s Disease II” debuted at #3 on the latest Billboard album chart, giving Nas his highest-charting project since 2012’s Life Is Good which opened at #1. The original King’s Disease peaked at #5 in 2020. Nas’s King’s Disease II earned 56,000 first-week units. The set also amassed more than 47 million on-demand streams and 19,000 pure album sales in its initial week of release. As reported by Pop Sugar, featured artists on the album include Lauryn Hill, Eminem and EMPD, Charlie Wilson, Hit-Boy, Blxst, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, and YG. Keyshia Cole says the death of her mother Frankie Lons “Still doesn’t seem real.” “But it very much is .. dammit man,” Cole wrote in response to a concerned fan on social media, Revolt reports. Lons passed away on July 18 from a reported drug overdose while celebrating her 60th birthday. Shortly after news of her passing, Cole shared to her Instagram a slideshow of photos of her mother. “This is so hard man,” Cole began in the caption of the post. “Can’t really even find the words. SMH.” The NBA’s Summer League basketball, by its nature, was tailor made for insane dunks. And this season did not disappoint. As Yahoo Sports points out, the teams are “thrown together a week or so before it starts, having three or four practices before games start,” so summer league “tends to be a glorified pickup game. It’s wide open. That’s good for aggressive, shoot-first players who have the ball in their hands and it’s good for the very best athletes.” NBA Summer League 2021 took place between Aug. 8 and 17 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. All 30 NBA teams played five games each during the season, culminating in a best-of-four playoff series between the top two teams. The Sacramento Kings became the first team to win multiple Summer League titles after topping the Boston Celtics 100-67 at Thomas & Mack Center on Aug. 17. https://youtu.be/3LbTddDLwHY Washington D.C.’s Capitol Police found themselves in a tense standoff on Thursday afternoon around as a man with a pickup truck threatened to bomb places at and around the U.S. Capitol. He was apprehended parked outside the Library Of Congress after uploading a video to Facebook under the name Ray Roseberry. Floyd Ray Roseberry is a resident of Grover, a small town located in Cleveland County, North Carolina. Authorities say he had propane tanks in his vehicle and he posted a live video on Facebook demanding to speak with President Joe Biden or he would set off bombs he had placed in the truck. Facebook has since deleted the video and his account. In the video he ranted about his freedoms being taken away and that he was willing to die for the cause, as shown by a video tweeted by HuffPost reporter Ryan J. Reilly. https://twitter.com/i/status/1428395576157249541 Ahead of the 20th anniversary of her passing, Aaliyah’s second studio album, One In a Million will be officially on Spotify tonight at midnight ET. Earlier this year, it was announced that the late singer’s full catalog would be coming to streaming after being unavailable digitally to fans for over a decade. To commemorate her lasting legacy, Spotify will be releasing the entirety of Aaliyah’s catalog over the next few weeks, starting with One In A Million. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO0dQxq0 As ugly and sexist comments made by newly appointed “Jeopardy!” host Mike Richards have recently surfaced, many of the show’s fans have reignited anger that CNN legal analyst and lifelong admirer of the show Laura Coates was passed over for the gig — and a guest opportunity. Coates, who Alex Trebek had hand-picked as a potential successor back in 2018, wasn’t given the opportunity to guest host during the interim, which many fans recently discovered upon the Richards scandal. “I didn’t know this and now I’m MAD,” one Twitter user wrote in hostility. Dr. Tara L. Conley, a media studies professor at Montclair State, wrote that Coates would have had a “mesmerizing” presence on the game show. “She probably would’ve been an excellent Jeopardy host. Alex knew,” Conley tweeted. “How is everyone forgetting this fact?? Alex wanted Laura Coates,” added another user, who cited remarks made by Trebek before his passing. Out of curiosity as a student at Alabama A&M University, Adam Harris took the 6 1/2-mile drive across town to the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and he was bewildered by the glaring differences in the two campuses. “They had new and newly renovated buildings,” Harris recalled. “The library had longer operating hours and a more extensive collection. Potholes had been filled — if they’d ever been there. And very few of the students I saw that day were Black, which was interesting for a regional school because Huntsville is roughly 30 percent Black. But just 10 percent of UAH’s campus was Black.” Those differences sparked a question: Why? Why were the facilities superior at the predominately white school founded in 1950 than the historically Black university founded 75 years earlier, in 1875? That fundamental question Harris pondered for a decade became the impetus for his newly released book, “The State Must Provide: Why America’s Colleges Have Always Been Unequal—and How to Set Them Right.” Antoinette Jackson, the head of the USF anthropology department, is also the driving force behind a new national center for information on African American cemeteries that were covered over by buildings or parking lots. “I don’t know if it’s shock or indignation that this would happen to your family member,” Jackson said. The Bay Area has become an epicenter for such graveyards in recent years, with several cemeteries containing countless graves discovered in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. But Jackson says it didn’t start or end here. “This is a real systemic problem and it’s not isolated to one community, one state, one city, and dignity needs to be brought to this conversation,” she commented. Jackson and her team launched the Black Cemetery Network and its website has grown with more and more lost cemeteries being reported across the country. A trio of Black former Kraft Heinz (KHC) factory workers are suing the company for $30 million over what they claim was routine racist harassment from former co-workers and supervisors. The plaintiffs claim their former coworkers left notes in their lockers calling them the N-word and once threatened to kill them if they didn’t quit their jobs. Attorneys working for former Kraft Heinz employees Alex Horn, Lance Aytman, and Keith Hooker filed their lawsuit in the US Eastern District Court of California on Thursday. The complaint alleges the three men were subjected to “a pattern of harassing and discriminatory behavior based upon their race” over the course of several years along with other Black employees who worked with them at a dairy facility run by Kraft Heinz Foods. The factory is based in Tulare, California, a predominantly Hispanic and White community located 52 miles southeast of Fresno. The plaintiffs say their coworkers drew swastikas on the lockers of multiple black employees and sent a note that said, “no n*****s as coordinators” during one purported incident. Additional notes said “quit or die n****r” during another incident, according to the complaint, which includes photographs of the alleged notes. East Lansing Council Member Dana Watson was appointed to the vacant mayor pro tem position at Thursday nights special council meeting making her the first Black person and Black woman to hold the position. Watson was nominated by Council Member Ron Bacon. No other nominations were offered and council members voted 4-0 in favor of Watson’s new appointment. “I’ve been in review of the charter for what the responsibilities are for the mayor pro tem, I counted the number of weeks until a new mayor pro tem will come, and I looked at my time off that I had at my job,” Watson said. “So I am more than ready to be prepared to step in, and I’m happy to serve in this way for these final 10 weeks.” Mayor Jessy Gregg was also officially sworn in as the new mayor after former Mayor Aaron Stephens resigned last week. Natalia Bryant is starting her freshman year of college! On Thursday, Vanessa Bryant shared a selfie she took with Natalia, 18, and daughters Bianka, 4, and Capri, 2, dropping off her oldest at the University of Southern California. The family was all smiles for move-in day, and Bianka even sported a USC shirt. “Today was rough,” Vanessa, 39, admitted. “This was before the tears came down.” She added, “Missing forever,” presumably referring to her late daughter Gianna and husband Kobe Bryant, who died in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020. “I love you @nataliabryant BE EPIC and FIGHT ON,” the proud mom said. Philadelphia based next-gen R&B singer-songwriter Julian King released his new single “Gone Do” today following an exclusive premiere yesterday with Wonderland Magazine. This single follows King’s 2019 debut album, “Made in China,” which blazed the scene with streaming favorites “Seasons,” “Safe” and “Always You”. https://soundcloud.com/itsjulianking Wednesday marked the first day of the federal trial in New York for disgraced R&B icon R. Kelly, who faces racketeering and sex trafficking charges and could be looking at decades in prison if he’s convicted. One of the unique things about this trial—besides the fact that it involves an embattled singer who once had many of us stepping in the name of love and is now a financially struggling accused serial predator—is that the presiding judge, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly, ruled that the jurors selected for the trial would be the only members of the public allowed in the courtroom and that the press wouldn’t be allowed either, which is an unusual ruling for a trial of this magnitude, according to CBS 58. Clearly, Donnelly is looking to keep this trial as private as possible, and one person who may not have gotten that memo is Kelly attorney Thomas Farinella, who prosecutors said violated Donnelly’s ruling, Local Rule 23.1, Court TV reported Thursday. “They welcomed me to the play. It’s a wonderful cast and director,” said legendary multi-Stellar Award nominated vocalist Shirley Murdock (“As We Lay,” “Computer Love”) about starring in the long running stage play “Serenity House: From Addiction to Deliverance,” by award winning Baltimore Playwright Ursula V. Battle (Battle Stage Plays). The “Serenity House” stage play stars Shirley Murdock, Randy Roberts (The Choir Boyz), Malvilyn Statham (Clara Ward Sisters), Serenity and Peggy Carmichael. It runs Friday – Sunday, August 27-29, 2021 at the Huber Community Life Center in Baltimore. “The storyline…people going through the process of being whole again.” Kylie Jenner is expecting her second baby with Travis Scott. “Kylie is a few months along. She has a cute bump. She is beyond excited,” an insider confirmed to PEOPLE. Kylie and Travis are already parents to 3-year-old daughter Stormi. The family of a slain #bartender is one step closer to justice as authorities have officially charged her killer with murder.? In the early morning hours (of Friday, 08-13-21), #MariamAbdulrab had returned home after finishing her shift at Revery VR bar in midtown Atlanta. Around 5:00 a.m., her boyfriend, Jerry Antoine, called 911 to report that he’d witnessed Abdulrab being forced into a vehicle by a man wearing a security uniform. As law enforcement frantically investigated the kidnapping, another 911 call came in around 6:00 a.m. reporting gunshots. It was not until nearly four hours later when police found Abdulrab’s body facedown on the ground.? Friday afternoon, #DeMarcusBrinkley was identified as a person of interest in the case. The man was previously hospitalized for crashing his car while fleeing from police. He was released after being treated and booked into the Fulton County Jail, charged with murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of or attempt of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and false imprisonment. Today a former ice cream shop owner in New York has been ordered to pay $4,500 after being accused of calling the police on peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters and falsely claiming they threatened him with violence. n today’s episode of When Keeping It Racist Goes Wrong, a former ice cream shop owner in New York has been ordered to pay $4,500 after being accused of calling the police on peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters and falsely claiming they threatened him with violence. College football players have taken advantage of numerous deals to profit off their name, image and likeness of late, but none offered the level of synergy as the one between an Alabama football player and a flavored drink company announced on Wednesday. Freshman defensive back Ga’Quincy McKinstry, who goes by the nickname “Kool-Aid” and is listed as such on Alabama’s official roster, said on Twitter that he’s entered into a partnership with the popular drink company Kool-Aid. McKinstry even included the Kool-Aid mascot’s catchphrase, “OHH YEAH!” In honor of the deal, Kool-Aid changed the name on its official Twitter account. It looks like NBA legend Ray Allen is preparing to embark on a new career path within basketball. Allen was reportedly named the head coach at Gulliver Prep in Florida on Thursday. The Raiders struggled to a 5-16 record last season after winning 23 games in 2019-20. Widely considered to be one of, if not the, greatest shooter of all-time, Allen made 10 NBA All-Star teams and earned two All-NBA selections during his illustrious career. He also won two championships with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and the Miami Heat in 2013. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has debuted a new online method of communicating with coworkers. The company announced on Thursday that it’s launching a virtual office platform that could be useful for people working from home amid the pandemic. Per Complex, the new software is available as a free app for Oculus Quest 2 VR headset owners and will be called Horizon Workrooms. The system allows you to interact with coworkers as an avatar of yourself. The Biden administration rolled out its plan Wednesday for giving booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, saying most people in the US will be offered another dose about eight months after their initial vaccination to bolster their protection. The decision comes as the Delta variant fuels a coronavirus surge in the US, with the daily average of new cases over the past week exceeding 140,000 — the highest levels since February. Hospitalizations and deaths have also increased, especially in the South, though the vast majority are occurring among people who aren’t vaccinated. The booster-shot campaign will begin September 20 for people who received Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, government officials said. There’s drama among Black council members in Missouri’s St. Louis County after they joined Republicans to kill a law mandating masks. Two councilwomen are under fire from some other Black north county leaders because of their opposition to the mandate. St. Louis Council Chairwoman Rita Days and Councilwoman Shalonda Webb joined Republicans on the council in defeating the mandates. Later, they linked with supporters at the government center in Clayton to defend themselves against County Executive Sam Page and the Black north county legislators who joined him in supporting the mask mandate. The two councilwomen were surrounded by some north county mayors, clergy, and citizens. Harsh words were exchanged, to put it nicely. #LilWayne has always been very vocal about the #NewOrleans officer he calls “Uncle Bob,” who once saved his life after his suicide attempt at the age of 12.? Since then, Wayne has expressed that whatever “Uncle Bob” needs, he got his back.? Now Wayne is still trying to reward Bob all these years later.? According to TMZ, “Uncle Bob,” whose real name is Robert Hoobler, saw Wayne at a radio show in 2019 and that the rapper offered him financial support whenever he needed it.? This isn’t the first time Wayne has tried to pay back Uncle Bob; on his 2015 track “London Roads,” the rapper spoke about him saving his life.? Bob says that he did not accept Wayne’s generous offer yet, but he has been thinking about joining the rapper’s team in an administrative capacity sometime shortly. In January of this year, the sheriff’s department in Osceola County, Florida, began an investigation into an incident in which a Black teenager was body-slammed and knocked unconscious by a school resource officer at Liberty High School in the city of Kissimmee. It was the kind of incident that serves as a reminder of why many Black people are uncomfortable with the very idea of police officers being called to schools to deal with altercations involving Black youth—because as study after study has shown, cops are simply more aggressive when dealing with Black people and Black bodies. Unfortunately, that aggression doesn’t always constitute a violation of policy. On Tuesday, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell told reporters that Deputy Ethan Fournier will not be charged criminally for his treatment of 16-year-old Taylor Bracey, according to the Orlando Sentinel. People, we are far too deep into this global pandemic to still be spreading COVID-19 misinformation, thumbing our noses at scientific consensus and pretending the opinions of the Team “Do Your Own Research” are equal to that of medical experts who actually know things. Laila Ali, the retired world champion boxer and daughter of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, may have been an expert at throwing hands in the ring, but she’s currently being beaten up across Twitter over a social media post in which she smugly demonstrated that there are things she is no expert in, such as medical science regarding how highly contagious viruses work. “People don’t seem to understand that just [because] some folks don’t wear masks, don’t want the shot, don’t listen to media or live in fear…it doesn’t mean they don’t ‘believe’ the virus is real or think they can’t get it!” Ali posted. “They know it was created to harm humanity.” Listen: It’s a simple thing to point out that the CDC has spent the last year and a half debunking unsubstantiated claims that coronavirus was intentionally created to “harm humanity,” but when you’re a platitude-driven conspiracy theorist who doesn’t “listen to media” but rather treats far-fetched conjecture as fact, it’s not likely you’re going to be convinced of anything that contradicts your “truth.” Comedian Tony Baker is bringing attention to an online petition calling for an end to illegal street racing in the southern California city where his son and two others died earlier this month in a fiery crash caused by two other cars racing each other. Cerain Anthony Raekwon Baker, 21, was killed along with fellow passengers 20-year-old Jaiden Johnson and 19-year-old Natalee Moghaddam when they were struck by another driver who had been street racing around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 3 in Burbank. The silver Volkswagen in which the three were traveling was split in half and they were ejected from the vehicle. According to the New York Post, cops are on the hunt for an MTA subway driver who allegedly let his girlfriend get behind the wheel of a train, and now his next stop could possibly be jail!! Cops have identified the MTA worker as Terrell Harris. They claim his girlfriend Dominique Belgrave posted an Instagram story showing her and her boo holding hands over the train’s controls as they drove through the 50th Street, 55th Street, and 62nd Street stations. In one video shared to her account which has since been set to private, Belgrave says, “Yes, this is me operating the train right now,” the New York Post quotes. The MTA said the operator (Harris) has been removed from service and will no longer be allowed to control a train. MTV Entertainment Studios has partnered with Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance on a new docu-series entitled “One Thousand Years of Slavery.” Per press release, each episode in this remarkable four-part series spotlights powerful stories of notable individuals courageously sharing their deeply personal Black experiences. It’s the 1,000-year story of how slavery stained the past, shaped the present, and continues to re-write our future. https://youtu.be/JabhpahI1zc Pioneering journalist Glen Ford, founder of the news site Black Agenda Report, died on July 28 at age 71. A cause of death was not given. According to The New York Daily News, Ford was known as a trailblazer and proponent of Black journalism and perspective. That extended to his criticism of former President Barack Obama, whose merits he famously debated with author Michael Eric Dyson on “Democracy Now!” in 2012. Ford accused No. 44 of expanding the use of drones in war, preventive detention and policies of austerity. https://youtu.be/3K0iEAWRkT4 Eminem has been tapped to play White Boy Rick in the newest Starz drama, “BMF” (“Black Mafia Family”). Eminem will star in one episode of the series, according to The Wrap. Eminem has been tapped to play White Boy Rick in the newest Starz drama, “BMF” (“Black Mafia Family”). Eminem will star in one episode of the series, according to The Wrap. Nicole Ari Parker has joined the cast of the forthcoming HBO Max series “And Just Like That,” the 10-part reboot of “Sex and the City.” Series star Sarah Jessica Parker shared photos from the set featuring her longtime costars Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis along with Nicole. “Oh so fine. I’d sing along to 70’s love songs with this trio deep into any night,” the actress captioned a photo on Instagram of the cast, along with the hashtag #MemoriesMonday. “I’ll see you ladies tomorrow!” Those footsteps in the dark you hear are indeed the Isley Bros performing for NPR Music’s latest Tiny Desk (home) concert. Not only did Ronald and his brother Ernie stand front and center performing “Footsteps in the Dark,” they kicked it off with “That Lady” and ran through such hits as “Between the Sheets” (giving a nod to Notorious B.I.G.’s sample in “Big Poppa”) and “For the Love of You.” https://youtu.be/uQvdcfosF5A Anderson .Paak has gotten new ink that makes clear he doesn’t want any of his unreleased tunes to reach the masses after he dies. Paak, 35, shared a photo of his new tattoo on Instagram Monday. “When I’m gone, please don’t release any posthumous albums or songs with my name attached. Those were just demos and never intended to be heard by the public,” the tattoo states. The R&B crooner is gearing up to release a collaborative album with Bruno Mars. He also has a solo album coming soon with Dr. Dre attached, per New York Post. Four-year-old Verity Ofori-Kuragu was honored with the ‘Gymnast of the Week” in her gymnastics class and decided to dedicated it to her idol, Simone Biles. The United Kingdom native by way of Ghana started doing handstands when she was just 2 years old and fell in love with the sport after seeing British gymnast Joe Fraser showing off some of his skills. “I assured Verity that when she turned 3 [in March 2020], we would enroll her to start doing gymnastics,” Verity’s mother Britta Ofori-Kuragu told Because Of Them We Can. But after the pandemic put a halt on Verity’s gymnastics classes, she was introduced to The GOAT via YouTube and instantly realized how the US Olympian “looked like [her],” Britta said. https://youtu.be/APJfrnCa3fg Larry West was a mergers and acquisitions specialist when he happened upon an article in The New York Post in 1975 that said antique photographs were on the verge of becoming the next big collectible. Now, an important segment of his collection, most of which has never been on public view, has been purchased by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) in Washington, D.C., an event that Stephanie Stebich, the museum’s director, called “a coup.” The museum said the purchase price was in the mid-six figures. The group of 286 objects, dating from the 1840s to the mid-1920s, includes a cache of 40 daguerreotypes made by three of the most prominent Black photographers of the 19th century, James P. Ball, Glenalvin Goodridge and Augustus Washington, making SAAM’s the largest collection of such work in the country, and surpassing the 26 daguerreotypes by these photographers at the Library of Congress, the museum said. Baseball Hall of Famer Jack Morris has been suspended indefinitely by Bally Sports Detroit for a racist comment he made during Tuesday’s telecast. Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese-born pitcher and hitter who started this year’s All-Star Game, was about to step to the plate in the sixth inning. Play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard asked Morris, who won 254 games in his 18-year major league career and was a four-time All-Star with the Tigers, what the strategy should be against Ohtani. Morris replied in an accent mocking Asians: “Be very, very careful.” https://youtu.be/ecB05x11Re4 When Marcus Washington’s football career ended at Mississippi State University in 2009 his new life was just getting started. Washington became a father when he was a college freshman, so he learned how to prioritize things as a young parent/student-athlete. However, he struggled to figure out what to do with his life after football once the NFL didn’t come calling. He eventually figured it out: He is assistant coach at his alma mater, Fort Bend Marshall High School in Missouri City, Texas; he founded Motiv8 U, where he works as a student success coach; and he recently released his first e-book, “Success Is My Only Option: The Official Handbook for the Modern Student.” Now that he’s found his purpose, he plans to share his path with as many student-athletes as possible. Discovery Plus is ripping the velvet curtain off an iconic exotic troupe – and I’m here for it! FRONT ROW! The astonishing new tale, “Curse of the Chippendales,” reveals the story of how the famous dance ensemble took the Los Angeles nightclub scene by storm and ended with international fame, untold wealth, bizarre murder plots and multiple deaths trapped in their legacy. Their brand became a multi-million-dollar global venture, successful beyond their wildest dreams. Of the three unlikely dreamers – who were there at the beginning – only one would make it out alive! A family is mourning after COVID-19 caused a mother and daughter to lose their lives just one day apart. A routine pregnancy checkup for 21-year-old Lacresanna Williams took a turn when she tested positive for COVID-19. “The next day we got a call saying she had to have an emergency C-section and she passed,” said Cassandra Martin, Lacressana’s aunt. The family says they have not been able to see the newborn baby. Lacressana is also the mother of a 1-year-old. Martin says her sister, and Lacresanna’s mother, 42-year-old Victoria Williams, went into an immediate panic after hearing the news. Little did the family know, but Victoria had also contracted COVID-19. She passed away one day later. Earlie Williams is now mourning the loss of a daughter and granddaughter. Texas is facing a tipping point in the state’s battle with COVID-19. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who is fully vaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19 this week as deaths in his state from the coronavirus have more than doubled in the last two weeks and hospitals have reached capacity. While Abbott suffered a relatively rare breakthrough infection, less than half the state’s total population is fully vaccinated against the virus, putting them at heavy risk of getting COVID-19. https://youtu.be/uWGTC6oW0Ic Drake was one of the millions of people who contracted COVID-19 in the last year — and he’s still dealing with some lingering side effects. The rapper, 34, revealed that he had the virus and it led to hair loss, which is finally improving now. Drake shared the news on a fan’s Instagram post, where they had made fun of his hairline. “That heart is stressed ,” the fan wrote, referring to a small heart that Drake has shaved into the top left of his head. “I had COVID that s— grew in weird I had to start again ,” Drake responded. “It’s coming back don’t diss,” he added. R. Kelly forced a 16-year-old virgin to go three days without using the bathroom and demanded she dress like a Girl Scout and wear her hair in pigtails during sex, the alleged victim told a New York court on day two of the star’s federal sex abuse trial. Jerhonda Pace, now 28, took the stand in Brooklyn’s Federal District Court again Thursday to testify about the six months of alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of Kelly, now 54. Pace, named in court as ‘Jane Doe No. 4’, said Kelly would often film their sexual encounters after they started having sex in 2009, when she was just 16 and he was 42. The alleged victim had testified Wednesday that Kelly lured her to his mansion and was happy to learn she was a virgin because he wanted to ‘train’ her to please him sexually. She told the court how he controlled her with his so-called ‘Rob’s rules’, denying her from eating or using the bathroom without his permission, making her call him ‘daddy’ and – in one violent incident – choking her until she passed out when she failed to submit to his demands. Pace provided further details of this alleged abuse Thursday, telling the court that if she was ‘on his bad side’, it could be up to three days before he would allow her to use the bathroom. Naomi Osaka is in a state of reflection about her tennis career amid the recent devastating events in Haiti and Afghanistan. The four-time Grand Slam winner, 23, took a break from a press conference on Monday after she began to cry during the pre-match interview at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Returning on Wednesday after winning her match against Coco Gauff, the 23-year-old explained why her relationship with the press and viewpoint on tennis has recently evolved. “I guess seeing the state of the world, how everything is in Haiti, how everything is in Afghanistan right now is definitely really crazy,” she told reporters on Wednesday, ABC News reported. Hansel Emmanuel Donato, the 6-foot-5 internet sensation who plays basketball with one arm, received a scholarship offer from Tennessee State University on Thursday. Donato, who was part of a SportsCenter featured presentation earlier this summer, didn’t have any NCAA Division I offers prior to getting one from the HBCU. He wrote “blessed to receive my first DI offer Thursday night from Tennessee State University” on Instagram, where he has more than 600,000 followers. Breakthrough and Miracles From Heaven producer DeVon Franklin and his Franklin Entertainment are developing a feature film based on Michael Todd’s New York Times bestseller Relationship Goals: How to Win at Dating, Marriage, and Sex with Amazon Studios. Michael Elliot (Brown Sugar) and Cory Tynan (Woman Thou Art Loosed) will write the script. Relationship Goals is a candid, inspiring guide to finding lasting love and sustaining a healthy relationship that encourages readers to get real about their goals. The book is based on Todd’s viral, multimillion-view sermon series about dating, marriage and sex. Relationship Goals spent 13 straight weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list and debuted at No. 1 on Amazon. The musical single “Relationship Goals (Revelation)” reached No. 10 on Billboard’s R&B chart. Franklin is producing the project under his Franklin Entertainment. Katarina Hicks will oversee for the project for the company. Franklin has a first-look deal at Paramount Pictures. The Franklin Entertainment president and CEO is currently in production on Flamin’ Hot for Searchlight, being directed by Eva Longoria. His 2019 faith-based feature Breakthrough starring Chrissy Metz grossed more than $50 million worldwide on a $14M production cost, while Miracles From Heaven grossed over $73M WW off a $13M production budget. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier star Anthony Mackie has been tapped to star in Disney/Marvel’s Captain America 4, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Mackie already took his Avengers character, Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, from big screen to small for Disney+, with creator/writer Malcolm Spellman and director Kari Skogland at the helm. Now he’s set to board Captain America 4, with Spellman to pen the script with Dalan Musson, a staff writer on the Disney+ Marvel series. In April, THR broke the news that Spellman is developing the fourth installment of the Captain America film franchise for Marvel Studios. Up until this point, Chris Evans has played Captain America via the Steve Rogers character, appearing in a trio of solo movies, Avengers outings and assorted other Marvel films. The question of who is entitled to carry the shield or be Captain America after Rogers was a central theme of the Disney+ series. Now, the feature will continue the story of Mackie’s Wilson, the current wielder of the shield. California’s attorney general said Tuesday that his office will conduct its own review of a transit officer’s involvement in the shooting death of a 22-year-old Black man at a San Francisco Bay Area train station in 2009. The decision by Rob Bonta comes after Nancy O’Malley, Alameda County’s district attorney, announced in January that her office would not file a murder charge against former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer Anthony Pirone in the death of Oscar Grant on New Year’s Day. She said that while his conduct that night was unacceptable, he did not fire the gun that killed Grant. Instead, Pirone hauled Grant out of a train car and pinned a knee to his neck and back in a manner similar to that used in the death of George Floyd last year in Minneapolis. The BART officer who shot Grant in the back while he was on the ground, Johannes Mehserle, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and served 11 months. Grant’s family has sought criminal charges against Pirone for years and petitioned Bonta’s office after O’Malley declined to go forward. The office pledged a “thorough and independent review” of the role played by Pirone. New York Attorney General Letitia James has been lauded for leading an intensive inquiry that led to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation Tuesday. Now questions are being raised about whether she was equally diligent in pursuing the case against police involved in the death of a Black man in their custody last year in Rochester. This month, James’ office released a 165-page report documenting sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo from 11 women. Cuomo has denied improper conduct. The report and the fallout have put a spotlight on James and renewed criticism of her office’s investigation into the death in March 2020 of Daniel Prude, a Black man who died a week after he was held down by Rochester police on a city street on a frigid night during a mental health episode. James’ office did not persuade a grand jury to charge the officers who put a spit hood over Prude’s head and pressed his naked body against the street. His death touched off weeks of protests of police treatment of Black people. A student at Grambling State University (GSU) has been chosen as one of 86 HBCU Scholars across the country. It’s part of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Jordan Braithwaite, a sophomore at GSU, is being recognized for her achievements in academics, leadership, civic engagement, and more. “The students who hold this honor are committed to creating a more just and equitable society through their civic engagement,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “They are leaders and change-makers in their communities, and I cannot wait to learn from them as they serve as ambassadors both for the White House Initiative and their institutions of higher education.” The White House’s initiative provides scholars with info about the value of education and a number of networking opportunities. Scholars also maintain relationships with community organizations and public and private partners. Grambling State University has announced its first female drum major in nearly 70 years. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of this band,” said senior Candace Hawthorne, a double major studying engineering technology and music. Gibson, a native of Dallas, Texas, is one of the three students named as drum majors Thursday for the upcoming season. Grambling says Hawthorne will be the second female drum major to take the field since Patricia Patterson took on the role and served through 1952. https://www.arklatexhomepage.com/sports/local-sports/gmennation/grambling-state-university-names-first-female-drum-major-in-nearly-70-years/ Pamela McGee and JaVale McGee — the first mother-son duo to win gold medals in Olympics history — are opening up about what it means to come full circle. “Now my running gag is that I’m the only Olympian basketball player to birth an Olympian!” Pamela said on the 3rd Hour of TODAY Wednesday. Pamela, a two-time basketball hall-of-famer, was a member of the 1984 squad that defeated South Korea 85-55. Thirty-seven years later, JaVale, 33, secured a gold medal at the Tokyo Games, when the United States beat France 87-82 on Saturday. Former Golden State Warriors teammates Kevin Durant and Draymond Green both blamed the team’s coach Steve Kerr and president/general manager Bob Myers for mishandling the fallout from the players’ argument that ultimately blew up the team, causing KD to leave following the 2018-19 season. https://youtu.be/3x6DjeJNd64 “Love After Lockup” finale episode airing this Friday night which finds Daonte demanding that Nicolle delete the photos with her exes on social media. Will she do it? https://youtu.be/ny36bMjMssA Last Thursday (08-12-21), the largest Spanish freestyle rap battle in the world, Red Bull Batalla held an unprecedented virtual battle qualifier event that saw 36 of America’s greatest Spanish freestyle rappers going head-to-head in an exciting evening of one-on-one battles and after the dust settled from dynamic night of quick-wit, flow and versatility, Red Bull Batalla judges narrowed the field of 36 down to a top group of 16, all of whom now claim a spot to compete in the U.S. Finals taking place September 18 in Los Angeles. Bank of America today announced that it is providing $1.35 million in grants to support mental health initiatives for young people of color. Funding will be distributed to three national organizations, One Mind, RADical Hope and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), to expand mental health resources for communities of color. While rates of mental illness among young people of color are similar with those of the general population, vast disparities exist in terms of access to mental health services and quality of care. The white woman behind an Instagram account with almost three million followers has apologized for the “harm” she caused to bestselling black author Ijeoma Oluo. Oluo’s examination of race in America, So You Want to Talk About Race, was published in 2018, and hit the bestseller charts in the wake of the killing of George Floyd last summer. Jessica Natale’s similarly-named Instagram account @soyouwanttotalkabout was launched in February 2020, tackling topics such as voting rights, gun reform and the sentencing of Derek Chauvin, laying out information in a series of slide-shows in muted tones. By April this year, Natale had landed a book deal with Little, Brown, and revealed her previously-concealed identity. Oluo had said that Natale’s decision to name her Instagram account @soyouwanttotalkabout was “duplicitous and shady”, describing her as a “white woman that is capitalizing off of the work of other people of color and otther marginalized populations”. Martin and Trina Daniel, married for over 20 years, both died of COVID-19 within hours of each other, leaving behind two teenage children facing an unimaginable loss. The Daniels met at Savannah State University in the 1990s before Martin Daniel headed to Tuskegee University in Alabama for graduate school, their nephew, Cornelius Daniel, told ABC News. The couple settled in Savannah, Georgia, where they raised two children: Miles, now 18, and Marina, 15. Trina was a stay-at-home mom who loved supporting her immediate and extended family while Martin worked as a chemist, Cornelius Daniel said. “He loved being a chemist,” he said. “One of the reasons I went to Tuskegee was because he went there.” The Daniels’ niece, Quintella Daniel, added that she went to Savannah State because of her uncle. “He was just a very motivational person,” she said. A 13-year-old Georgia boy is in custody and charged with murder after police allege he fatally shot his mother, a 37-year-old Navy veteran, and then called 911. The relationship between the victim and the alleged killer was confirmed by Warner Robins police. The victim, Dominique Bowers, was found dead by officers in a Warner Robins home at about 1:30 p.m. Friday. At the time officers were sent to the scene, they were also told that a 911 dispatcher was on the phone “with the possible suspect” concerning a report about shots fired, Warner Robins police said in a news release posted to the department’s Facebook page. Police located and arrested the 13-year-old away from the home where the victim was found. The NYPD is mourning another detective who lost her battle with COVID-19. Det. Shantay Neal-Baker, a veteran officer assigned to the Risk Mitigation Division, succumbed to coronavirus complications on Saturday, department brass said. The 42-year-old detective “faithfully served the people of NYC for 20 years,” Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to her friends & family — and we vow to #NeverForget Shantay.” Neal-Baker got her start as a Police Communications Technician, before becoming an officer in the Brownsville and Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn, the top cop wrote in an internal memo obtained by The Post. Former rapper Shyne has turned his focus to Bizean politics and he is set to visit U.S. lawmakers to discuss strengthening the development of his native country. “Good evening everyone, I departed Belize for an official visit to the United States today,” he shared in an Instagram post on Sunday. “I’ll be meeting with Members of the U.S. Congress as well as State Senators and House Members to strengthen relationships and establish new relationships to further the development of Belize.” Shyne, Jamal Michael Barrow, 42, is best known as Sean “P. Diddy” Combs‘ protégé when he was an artist on Bad Boy Records label. He served ten years in prison for his involvement in the 1999 Club New York nightclub shooting that injured three people. Barrow was released from prison in 2009 and deported back to his native country as a noncitizen felon. Kenya Moore has reportedly shut down her estranged husband’s attempt to block their daughter from appearing on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”. According to court documents obtained by Radar, the decision was reached back in June when a judge ruled that Moore had the final say when it comes to her daughter Brooklyn appearing on the show. However, she must inform her ex-hubby Marc Daily about all production days that the child is filming, and the two-year-old can only appear in “age appropriate” scenes. Kenya filed for divorce from Marc in May after years of trying to make her long-distance marriage work. MCU welcomes its newest super hero to the screen! Last night, stars celebrated Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings,“ by walking the red carpet at the world premiere in Hollywood. Film lead Simu Liu (Shang-Chi) – must confront the past he thought he left behind after he’s drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization – and Awkwafina (Katy, Shang-Chi’s friend) were all smiles on the carpet. Surprise guest Sir Ben Kingsley attended the frete along with cast members Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Ronny Chieng, Benedict Wong, Dallas Liu, Andy Le, Jayden Zhang, Harmonie He and Jodi Long joined director/writer Destin Daniel Cretton, producers Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Charles Newirth, and writers Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham. The movie also stars Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan, Tony Leung as Xu Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father; Florian Munteanu, Yuen Wah and Zach Cherry. Disgraced Gov. Andrew Cuomo is not featured in Spike Lee’s new four-part documentary, “NYC EPICENTERS 9/11?2021½,” sparking speculation that he was cut from the project. Lee’s star-studded doc focuses on the 20-year aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks, with Page Six noting the following celebrities speak out in the piece: Busta Rhymes, Rosie Perez, Jon Stewart, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Van Jones, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Mayor Bill de Blasio — — but no Cuomo. Page Six writes that “Cuomo may have been interviewed for the doc, only to be dropped at the last minute before the HBO release on Aug. 22.” https://youtu.be/kMgEupbTsus Nichelle Nichols, the 88-year-old actress who played Lt. Uhura in the original “Star Trek” series, is spending her sunset years trapped in an ugly conservatorship battle involving her only child and current conservator, Kyle Johnson; her former manager Gilbert Bell; and her friend and actress Angelique Fawcette, according to a new report by the Los Angeles Times. After successfully petitioning for his mother’s conservatorship in 2018, Johnson has had a tumultuous time running it, and he and Bell have filed lawsuits accusing the other of various aggressions and controlling actions. Fawcette, whom Nichols named as her successor, meanwhile, believes that — despite her dementia — Nichols is capable of living independently, without a conservator. She also alleges that Bell, who in 2018 tried to marry Nichols, allowed her home to fall into “a state of disrepair” while he was caring for her. Amid the fight for control of the actress’ life, she has continued working and is moving forward with what the Los Angeles Times says some are calling a “farewell tour” organized by Johnson and agent Sky Conway. Jim Jones and the rest of Dipset participated in an epic Verzuz battle against The LOX earlier this month. Held at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City, the packed event provided an evening of powerful nostalgia as both veteran groups ran through their biggest hits. But it looks like Jones paid for it with his health. According to a recent Instagram video, the 45-year-old rapper previously tested positive for COVID-19 and is urging everyone to take the pandemic seriously. “I was contemplating whether I should do this or keep my business to myself, but I think it’s more important for me to do this,” he said. “I urge everybody to stay safe out there. COVID is real. I was runnin’ ’round here thinking I was Superman and COVID knocked the socks off Superman. “So I urge and encourage everybody to please continue to mask up, please continue with hand sanitizer, social distance as much as you can, try to stay away from as many packed and crowded places. This shit is no joke. I really felt it and I don’t want nobody to feel like how I felt.” Squeak, a DJ and producer for the influential Saba-led Chicago hip-hop collective Pivot Gang, has died. The artist, also known as SqueakPIVOT, was 26. Although no official cause of death has been announced, representatives for the Pivot Gang have confirmed his passing, according to Pitchfork. Windy City music outlet The Triibe reported that the artist often hailed as a “genius” in the rap community was involved in a fatal shooting on Monday evening. The Chicago Police Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for confirmation of this report. Meanwhile, Squeak’s death follows the passing of fellow Pivot Gang member John Walt, 23, who was stabbed to death during a street fight on the West Side of Chicago in 2017. Squeak revealed in an interview the same year how he entered the professional music industry. Fashion critic André Leon Talley has added his voice to the chorus of critics taking aim at Barack Obama for hosting a birthday party amid the COVID pandemic. Tally compares Barack and Michelle Obama to infamous French queen Marie-Antoinette in a political op-ed piece in the NY Times, written by Maureen Dowd. “I think the nouveaux riches Obamas are seriously tone-deaf,” said Talley, as reported by MTO. “We all love Beyoncé. But people have so many things to worry about with Covid, voting rights, climate warming. People are afraid of being evicted from their homes. And the Obamas are in Marie-Antoinette, tacky, let-them-eat-cake mode. They need to remember their humble roots.” “The Obamas are hosting a party to celebrate President Obama’s 60th birthday with family, friends, and former staff,” a source told PEOPLE ahead of the bash. “This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with COVID safeguards in place,” said Hannah Hankins, a spokeswoman for the Obamas. “Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends.” “He’s appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon,” Hankins added in her statement. Ludacris is one generation removed from the folks currently taking mumble rap to the bank, and has just premiered in a new TV ad that pokes fun at hip hop’s sub-genre. The Atlanta rapper, born Christopher Bridges, is back with a new single “Butter ATL,” which is an ode to his coincidental love for Jif peanut butter. That single dropped last week, and on Monday, the peanut butter brand took full advantage, releasing an ad with Luda based on the song. The spot has him in the studio trying to nail the pacing of his bars in the current style, but not quite getting it — until he decides a spoon full of Jif peanut butter might snap him into the right rhythm. https://youtu.be/0Bk2U0hp5wY Kyrie Irving was left a bit perplexed back in 2015 when a reporter asked if he considered LeBron James to be a father figure. As reported by Fadeaway World, the relationship between the two NBA stars “wasn’t the smoothest,” the outlet writes, noting that James and Irving “spent three years together in Cleveland, winning one NBA championship in three Finals trips.” Six years ago, Irving was asked by a reporter how James became a father for him and the team. “The other day after the Bulls game Tristan called LeBron a great father. What type of parental role has LeBron played for you and your teammates?” the reporter stated. Kyrie replied, “Parental role? I don’t know if I can really answer that question. He’s been a great leader for us. I have one father, it’s my dad Drederick Irving. But for us, in terms of learning the nuances of the game and how to win, how to carry ourselves on and off the court, he’s been a really great influence in that role.” https://youtu.be/Ry9CqOz5aOo Home Depot used threats and punishments to try to stop employees from expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement and organizing among workers, according to a complaint filed by an official with the National Labor Relations Board. The filing from an NLRB regional director alleges that the home improvement retailer “selectively and disparately” enforced its dress code to target workers who wore Black Lives Matter or “BLM” apparel. One employee who was trying to address racial discrimination and harassment issues at a Home Depot location in Minneapolis was illegally suspended and told to stop their activism efforts or find another job, according to the complaint. Management at the retailer also threatened employees in person and over a video call “with unspecified consequences” if they protested policies at the store, the complaint says. The NLRB regional director who issued the complaint, Jennifer Hadsall, said in a statement to Huff Post that Home Depot’s alleged actions violated the National Labor Relations Act, which protects workers’ right to organize. America’s beloved Bible Prophecy Teacher Dr. Jimmy DeYoung Sr. passed away early Sunday morning, according to his wife Judy. Dr. DeYoung had been admitted to Memorial Hospital on Aug. 7. His wife had requested prayer for her husband a short time after he was diagnosed with COVID. He had preached at the Church of the Highlands in Harrison on Aug. 1. That was his last known speaking engagement. Dr. DeYoung hosted a daily radio program, “Prophecy Today”, that was heard on several hundred radio stations including WDYN, the station he signed on the air in 1968. Dr. DeYoung traveled the world teaching Bible Prophecy. He was a frequent guest on the John Ankerberg Show and Day of Discovery. His lessons are heard on the Bible Broadcasting Network, Moody Radio Network and VCY America among others. Dr. DeYoung was a credentialed journalist. He reported from Israel for 23 years. Dr. DeYoung and his wife Judy witnessed the scud missile attacks on Israel in 1991. The season finale of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs Thursday, August 19 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, experts recount the brutal murder of Oakland, California journalist Chauncey Bailey. Various investigators, community leaders and family members provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFzPi66p2CA Lifetime announces the new movie, Imperfect High, starring Nia Sioux (Dance Moms) and Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias), following the substance abuse realities facing teens today and how it can become a family’s worst nightmare. The movie is a follow up to the 2015 hit Perfect High which starred Bella Thorne. Imperfect High premieres Saturday, September 18th at 8/7c. https://aenetworks.app.box.com/s/75715ltrbwp76f55xj3zdkoqh76jm740 The Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association (MMCA) is pleased to partner with STARZ to host the inaugural Media Diversity Excellence Awards Reception on Thursday, August 19 from 6:00 -7:00 pm EST (3:00 -4:00 pm PST) during NABJ’s signature annual convention. In keeping with MMCA’s other signature events including their Multicultural Media and Correspondents Dinner (MMCDTM) and inaugural Sheroes in Media Awards Gala, this reception is designed to honor Black media excellence and highlight the need for increased media diversity. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s gathering will again be hosted in a virtual setting. This year’s honorees for the inaugural Media Diversity Excellence Awards Reception include “Newsmaker” Award recipient Karine Jean-Pierre (White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary) and “Impact Journalist” Award recipient Trymaine Lee (Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award Winning Journalist, MSNBC Columnist “Into America,” Podcast Host). In addition to the presentation of the “Newsmaker” and “Impact Journalist” Awards, the reception will feature a moderated discussion with STARZ talent regarding the network’s #TakeTheLead initiative. R&B/Soul Singer-Songwriter Diquan Julius is extending the summer vibes with the release of his newest single, “Let’s Dance.” The song will be available for streaming and download on all major digital platforms this Friday, August 20. The feel-good dance record is the premiere release following Julius’ recent signing to Return Records, the D.M.V.-based independent artist-driven imprint distributed by The Orchard/Sony Music Entertainment. Produced by UK-based Greenlight Production’s Andrew Napoleon, “Let’s Dance” is a high-energy follow-up to Julius’ most recent single, “Soap Box.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9HjRiReWP4&feature=youtu.be When you read the Gospels, do you try to visualize the scenes: Jesus healing the lepers, feeding the five thousand, preaching the Sermon on the Mount and walking across the Sea of Galilee. This November, you are invited to experience the sights and sounds of Jesus’ ministry across the Holy Land, but in a far more accessible way through the movie JOURNEY WITH JESUS—in theaters November 15-17. Dr. Tony Evans and his daughters, Chrystal Evans Hurst and Priscilla Shirer, on a walking tour of historical sites with personal insights, teaching, and biblical context for each location our Savior also visited. https://clicks.fanbridge.com/l.php?cid=1581056&sid=186365419&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D82JsYUPYxa8 People who made donations to an online crowdfunding effort started by a woman to stave off her pending eviction have been refunded more than $67,000 in contributions after it was revealed she misrepresented herself in a plea for help keeping her home. The online fundraising was frozen weeks after Dasha Kelly started the GoFundMe campaign last month asking for $2,000 to help keep a roof over the heads of herself and her “3 daughters” In Nevada. https://youtu.be/fspdc7G27Qk Candace Owens has single-handedly redefined what it means to be guilty by association. Previously damned for her undying devotion to all-things anti-Black and Donald Trump, Owens — who once notably had sympathetic words about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler — outdid herself on Tuesday by co-signing the Taliban criticizing freedom of speech in the U.S., of all things. In doing so, Owens offered similar criticism of the “Big Tech” platforms that her existence relies upon so dearly, exposing the hypocrisy behind both her blind allegiance to the Republican Party and her agreeing with the Taliban. The unfortunate situation unfolded after a spokesperson for the Taliban answered a question about the restrictions of freedom of speech in Afghanistan during a press conference that was live-streamed online. The Taliban spokesperson responded by blaming the U.S. and one major social media company, in particular. When journalist Alexis Johnson sued her former employer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette underestimated defending its actions in court. But Johnson has made it through at least one preliminary hurdle on her road to recovery. A federal judge denied a motion to dismiss filed by PG Publishing, according to Law360. PG Publishing, the operator of the Post-Gazette, has tried to argue that a decision to prohibit Johnson from covering racial justice protests last summer was purely an “editorial” decision. Law 360 reported that in denying the motion to dismiss, U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan found the publisher did not maintain an absolute discretion vis-a-vis the First Amendment in “any and all discriminatory personnel decisions.” Amber Rose hit up social media on Wednesday to put her baby daddy on blast for cheating. The former stripper turned Slutwalk founder claims her boyfriend of nearly three years, Alexander “AE” Edwards, has been cheating on her with at least 12 women. “I’m tired of getting cheated on and being embarrassed behind the scenes,” she wrote in a series of Instagram Stories Wednesday. “All 12 of y’all bums (The ones that I know of there’s probably more) can have him. Y’all very much knew he was in a relationship with a baby and y’all decided to f–k him anyway.” “I saw all the texts and DM’s. Y’all were well aware but y’all don’t owe me any loyalty so it’s whatever,” she added. Rose went on to say that she will not expose the women who are cheating with her man. “I can’t be the only one fighting for my family anymore. I’ve been so loyal and transparent but I haven’t gotten the same energy in return. I’ll never say the girls’ names because I’m not in the business of ruining lives but y’all know who you are.” “As for him… The lack of loyalty and the disrespect is ridiculous and I’m done,” she went on, implying that the couple has split. American Idol” alum Syesha Mercado is at the center of a controversial child custody battle with the state of Florida. The singer and her partner Tyron Deener have had both of their two young children, 18-month-old son Amen’Ra and 2-week-old daughter Ast, taken by the state amid allegations of abuse, which the couple vehemently deny. Both the children were taken from the parents within a six months span, and are now in the care of Child Protective Services. Per PEOPLE, in a virtual press conference on Tuesday, Mercado, 34, broke down in tears as she reflected on the situation. “I am a first-time mom and I’ve been deprived of holding my babies, and feeding my babies,” she tearfully said. “I didn’t get to see Ra say mama for the first time. I didn’t get to see my babies meet for the first time. I didn’t get to see that and I can’t go back and redo that moment. I will never be able to go back and redo that moment.” A Chicago-based pharmacist has been arrested for allegedly illegally selling more than 100 COVID vaccine cards on eBay. According to the Justice Department, 34-year-old Tangtang Zhao sold 125 authentic vaccine cards online for about $10 a card. The transactions occurred between March 25 and April 11, with sales totaling more than $1,000, per Forbes. Zhao has been charged with theft of government property and is facing up to 120 years in prison, as each of the 12 counts he’s charged with carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Zhao has been charged with theft of government property and is facing up to 120 years in prison, as each of the 12 counts he’s charged with carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. A viral video confirming that not only did former President Donald Trump order the military withdrawal from Afghanistan but was also proud of doing so stands in stark contrast to the revisionist history provided by right-wing trolls in a disingenuous narrative meant to blame President Joe Biden for what’s become a debacle. As of Monday morning, the Taliban militant group of Islamic extremists had taken over every part of the Middle Eastern country, including the capital city of Kabul, from where the president had fled days earlier. It was all a response to the expedited withdrawal of U.S. military troops, a decision that had not only already been made by Trump before Biden took office but also one that had been negotiated with the Taliban by the former president at Camp David, all places, Biden said. The first photos have emerged of crammed US cargo jets with hundreds of terrified Afghan refugees on board after they ran onto the aircraft before military personnel could close ramps on them on Sunday in their escape of the Taliban. The US has so far flown at least two C-17 cargo jets out of Kabul and more flights are expected throughout Monday night and later this week despite chaos on the ground on Monday which involved eight people dying and flights being halted. On Sunday, one of the first flights out was the US Air Force C-17 numbered RCH 871, which flew from Kabul to Qatar. As it was preparing to take off on Sunday, hundreds of terrified Afghan nationals ran onto the plane, up the ramp, and settled on board. A photo obtained by Defense One shows them all lined up, sitting on the floor of the plane that is fitted to carry 150 soldiers comfortably, but can take 171,000lbs of cargo. The trials and tribulations of the island nation of Haiti are a catalog of calamity, both human and natural. Centuries of unrest and pain, a noble and strong Haitian population is forced to deal with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021. According to reports, it was a group of men made up of 26 Colombians nationals as well as two Haitian-Americans with ties to South Florida. According to The Guardian, authorities are still searching for five other men, including those who ordered the hit. Hunger, mob rule and violent protests wracked the country throughout the presidency of Mr. Moise. https://youtu.be/hOjDlzubAmE Rep. Cori Bush is a master communicator, exemplifying compassion and leadership in a mere 240-character tweet. Over the weekend, Bush put out a simple message framing her work and her colleagues as saving lives. With news reports of crises affecting Afghanistan, Haiti, and Lebanon, Bush and others have called for the United States to have a pro-refugee approach. Bush focused more specifically on Haiti Monday afternoon in a tweet from her official House account. Acknowledging that recovery for Haiti involves a deeper commitment to the economic and political well-being of the island nation, Bush expressed hope that the U.S. would support the full recovery of Haiti. As the dust settles from the political downfall of Andrew Cuomo — who announced his resignation last week amid fallout from sexual misconduct allegations from nearly a dozen women — a growing number of reports are lending further credence to questions about the disgraced New York governor’s character. One, in particular, came on Sunday when Cuomo’s predecessor shared an anecdote that underscored allegations of ruthless political behavior. David Paterson, New York’s first-ever Black governor whose decision against seeking election set the stage for Cuomo’s election, said during a radio interview that he “was always pretty leery” of Cuomo before explaining why, the New York Post reported. Paterson told John Catsimatidis on the WABC 770 show, “The Cats Roundtable,” that Cuomo tried to sabotage his political ambitions in 2006 when then-gubernatorial candidate elect Eliot Spitzer was looking for a running mate to be his lieutenant governor. It was a position that Spitzer — who was famously felled by his own personal misgivings involving women — ultimately chose Paterson for, apparently to the chagrin of Cuomo, who, at the time, was running for New York attorney general. Fake vaccination cards are starting to circulate throughout the United States and a new black market is on the rise. COVID-19 is once again on the uptick in the United States, proof of vaccination has become a hot topic amongst lawmakers and business owners. Many states have already mandated that government workers be vaccinated or tested weekly, now the private sector is following suit. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently signed an order that would require proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, gyms, and other public places in the Big Apple. California has mandated vaccines or testing for all teachers and school employees. Businesses have also taken it upon themselves to give mandates. Police in Norfolk, Virginia say they’ve solved the decade-old slaying of a college student who was a nephew of the late Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings. WAVY-TV reports that Norfolk police announced Thursday that they have made four arrests in the killing. Christopher Cummings, 20, was a student at Old Dominion University in 2011 and had just finished his junior year when he was shot and killed in his home. His roommate also was shot but survived. Police say four men from the nearby city of Newport News have been indicted on 15 charges each, including murder. Police identified the men as Kwaume Edwards, 32; Javon Doyle, 31; Ahmad Watson, 30; and Rashad Dooley, 28. They have been jailed without bond, police said. It’s not known if any of them has hired an attorney who could comment on the case. A 7-year-old girl is dead and her 6-year-old sister was wounded in a shooting Sunday afternoon in the Belmont Central community. The girls were identified by their grandmother as Serenity and Aubrey Broughton. Serenity died at the hospital, while Aubrey had been moved out of the ICU Sunday night – but had a pierced lung. Chicago Police Chief of Patrol Brian McDermott said, police were called for a ShotSpotter alert. At the scene, officers found the two little girls, who had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, in a vehicle parked on the street. The officers rendered first aid until Chicago Fire Department paramedics came and took the girls to the hospital. Serenity was shot in the chest and torso, and was pronounced dead at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. https://cbsloc.al/3g6Kpwn Syracuse police officer Brandon Hanks, who is alleging the police department cultivated a “Jim Crow culture,” filed his federal lawsuit Monday and added a current deputy chief to his legal action. Brandon Hanks, who is from Syracuse and is known for playing basketball with kids while on duty, alleges that an internal department memo written by a Capt. Tim Gay said Hanks is affiliated with gang members to deny him a promotion to the gang violence unit. Hanks alleges the department used his listening to rap music, among other allegations, to justify its belief that he has ties to gang members. The officer also added deputy chief Richard Trudell to the lawsuit over his use of the N-word. Trudell admitted using the word in a deposition seven years ago that stemmed from a previous lawsuit filed against the department. Trudell was part of a lawsuit filed by community service officer Sonia Dotson alleging the department discriminated and retaliated against her. Trudell was eventually removed from the lawsuit by a federal judge. Bob Kendrick sees the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum as a haven of social justice. Kendrick, the museum’s president, doesn’t want the accomplishments of baseball’s segregated pastime to be remembered just for the struggles that period entailed. Instead, he hopes that it becomes a temple to overcoming the adversity of the times and not a place that merely chronicles the era of racism during which black baseball players were denied access to equal opportunities to compete on the same playing field. “At its crux [NLBM] is a civil rights and social justice museum; it’s just seen through the lens of baseball,” said Kendrick. “It’s a story of triumph over adversity, and it’s important for people to see more than just the downtrodden part of our journey in this country.” Major League Baseball and the NLBM have launched the Negro Leagues 101 initiative, which is an interactive, social media platform that is designed to create greater awareness of black baseball through 101 trinkets of knowledge for baseball and fans of black history. Olympic gymnast and silver medalist Jordan Chiles joined Access Daily’s Kit Hoover and Scott Evans and reflected on her time at the Tokyo Games. Jordan talked about her recent celebrity social media encounters and was overcome with emotion when Normani surprised her with an epic congratulatory video message on-air. https://youtu.be/8G5Hba-JZb0 Yvonne Page came from Chicago to help get her son Brandon moved into his dorm room at Clark Atlanta University. When they showed up, they found out that would not be happening. “Hundreds of in-state and out-of-state college students [have] no dorm or residency,” she said. FOX 5’s viewer tip email address was flooded with parents who said the same thing. Clark Atlanta’s Heritage Commons was still under renovation on Friday, leaving students that arrived from all over the country displaced. “It’s an error that Clark made, and they need to own it,” said Tewana Nelson, who drove from North Carolina. “They never gave us the indication that the building that the dorms they were supposed to stay in actually we’re under renovation.” More than a hundred families piled into an auditorium to await word from university officials as to where they could go. The parents wished they had known of the renovation delays before they showed up with moving boxes. Toward the end of another video, originally posted on Weibo and later uploaded to Twitter and YouTube, shows several doors being sealed and a recording being broadcast to residents, declaring that people must not go out. As soon as they are caught, their entries will be locked. Twitter users claim one controversial video shows a young girl dancing in front of workers in hazmat suits moments before she is locked in. A video uploaded by the Twitter account “Things China Doesn’t Want You To Know” alleged that if anyone in the apartment tests positive or is found to be a contact of a confirmed case, the entire building will be sealed for two to three weeks and potentially longer. Lizzo last week turned-extreme exhibitionist announcing that rapper Cardi B was the special guest on her latest single “Rumors.” The news was accompanied by a video of Lizzo saying “OHHH GAHDAM?????… I WAS TRYIN TO GIVE YALL A TEASER OF ‘RUMORS’ BUT I ENDED UP JUST BEIN A TEASE ??????.” Lizzo responded in a nearly 13-minute video posted on Instagram Live on Sunday (August 15) — which has since been deleted. “On the days when I should feel the happiest, it just… I feel so down,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like the world just don’t love me back. It’s like it doesn’t matter how much positive energy you put into the world, you’re still gonna have people who have something mean to say about you.” https://www.instagram.com/lizzobeeating/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e6801054-c5ea-4968-bccc-dbcf94a5349d Legendary singer and songwriter Bob Dylan plied a 12-year-old girl with drugs and alcohol before sexually abusing her at his Chelsea Hotel apartment in 1965, an explosive new lawsuit alleges. The “Blowin’ in the Wind” musician allegedly used his star status to groom, gain the trust of and control the victim “as part of his plan to sexually molest and abuse” her, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court papers, which only identify the plaintiff as “J.C.” “Bob Dylan, over a six-week period between April and May of 1965 befriended and established an emotional connection with the plaintiff,” say the papers, which were filed late Friday on behalf of J.C., now a 68-year-old woman in Greenwich, Conn. The suit alleges that Dylan, Robert Allen Zimmerman, established the “connection” to “lower [J.C.’s] inhibitions with the object of sexually abusing her, which he did, coupled with the provision of drugs, alcohol and threats of physical violence, leaving her emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged to this day.” The alleged abuse by the now-81-year-old Dylan occurred multiple times, and some of the incidents took place at the famed Chelsea Hotel, the suit claims. As the Alabama church where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was elected to his first leadership position in the civil rights movement marks its 155th anniversary, work has begun to make a museum out of the crumbling building where that vote was taken. King was 26 when the Montgomery Improvement Association met at Mt. Zion AME Church on Dec. 5, 1955, the first day of what turned out to be a yearlong bus boycott that ushered in the civil rights movement. In his 1958 memoir about the boycott, King wrote that his election “happened so quickly that I did not even have time to think it through. It is probable that if I had, I would have declined the nomination.” The church, which marked its 155th anniversary Sunday, moved to another building in 1990, so the 19th century structure is now an annex. It became known as “the fall-down church” after an interstate project split the neighborhoods around it, the Montgomery Advertiser reported. Now the Central Alabama Community Foundation has begun work under a $500,000 grant to renovate the church and turn it into a museum. A North Side family is outraged after someone apparently working for the city went onto their property and turned their Black Lives Matter sign face down. They shared the story with CBS 2’s Tim McNicholas who is live now in the North Park neighborhood. “I was livid when I saw the video.” Dimitri Hepburn’s security video shows a man with a vest walk onto this property, yank up a Black Lives Matter sign, and then turn it face down after it lands on its side. https://cbsloc.al/37FdTga A newborn girl in Mississippi is now an orphan after her parents died of COVID-19. Ochsner Health System CEO Wilson Thomas said the baby’s 32-year-old mother was 32 weeks into her pregnancy when she was admitted to a hospital with COVID-19 symptoms. Despite having “very few health conditions,” the mother didn’t make it out of the ER alive, as reported by MadameNore. Thomas recently shared the child’s story with members of the Gulf Coast Business Council via Zoom. According to Birmingham’s WBRC, Thomas said “it can’t get much worse” than the newborn’s story. “What unfortunately I think we are seeing is that it’s very difficult to convince anybody, until it’s too late, to get the vaccine,” he said to the group of about 300 people. The child is now under state custody, and “doing fine.” https://youtu.be/ESgWLBcPkcw Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into a law a bill that bars hair discrimination in schools, saying it will help ensure that students statewide feel “comfortable and confident in their own skin.” But the mother whose son was an inspiration for the law — a 4-year-old Black child who was told his braids were a violation of school dress codes — said the moment “is bigger than just hair.” “Our hair is an extension of who we are as a race and is deeply connected with our cultural identity,” said Ida Nelson, who had a front row seat at the bill signing, holding son Gus “Jett” Hawkins in her lap. “This is one huge step towards improving the mental health outcomes for our children, as it ensures that they will be in healthier learning environments,” she said. https://cbsloc.al/3xLm3yf In a pathbreaking decision, the Rev. Gina Stewart has been elected as the first woman president of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society, marking the first time a female has been chosen for the highest post of a Black Baptist organization. Stewart, the senior pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, has previously served in vice presidential roles of the missions organization for six years, three as second vice president and three as first vice president. She was elected Aug. 12 to a three-year term as president, succeeding the Rev. Gregory Jackson to lead the society, which dates to 1897. The organization is named after the Rev. Lott Carey, a formerly enslaved African American man who purchased his freedom and established the first Baptist mission work in Liberia in 1822. “I’m honored, first of all, for the privilege to lead and to serve,” Stewart told Religion News Service in an interview on Monday (Aug. 16). “I think it’s significant that this organization, that is Baptist by heritage but ecumenical in its practice and its commitment, is taking the step, a courageous step, to elect a woman to serve in a titular leadership position.” A well-known San Diego Rock Church pastor is asking for the public’s prayers. Pastor Miles McPherson shared that his wife, Debbie, is suffering from COVID-19. Pastor McPherson is not only a pastor, but also a former defensive back for the San Diego Chargers, author, motivational speaker and founder of DoSomethingChurch.org. He has helped lead prayers for thousands and now he needs prayers for his wife Debbie. https://youtu.be/Hr3SjhNldWw A pastor deposed as the leader of an influential Baltimore megachurch defended himself at a town hall meeting he organized, telling attendees that his dismissal from Empowerment Temple AME Church was the result of disagreements over the filing of documents, and was not due to any financial issues. Rev. GJ Barnes II, who took over as senior pastor of the Empowerment Temple AME Church in February 2019, said Wednesday night that the church’s leaders fired him a week ago because he was late filing 2020 and 2021 audit reports required by the church’s mortgage lender. Though he acknowledged the lateness of the reports, Barnes said he chose not to meet the deadlines “out of my concern to be thorough and complete, not rushed.” He said the church — which he said made its mortgage payment on time every month during his tenure for the first time in years - is in better financial shape than when he arrived. Josh Duggar had a photo of his wife Anna and their six children as a screensaver on the computer he allegedly used to download child pornography. Josh, 33, was arrested and charged with possessing and receiving child pornography in April 2021. In July, Josh’s legal team filed a Motion to Compel requesting the government provide them with discovery, which is evidence to be used at trial, including “an undated screen shot” and “all law enforcement reports and related discovery prepared by the Little Rock Police Department.” In the state’s response, they provided more details of the investigation that led to Josh’s arrest. Police found two downloads were made at an IP address in May 2019. One download was of 65 child pornography images of one prepubescent female approximately seven to nine years old and the second was of a two-minute, 11-second video of two prepubescent females approximately seven to nine years old with an adult male. The Lifetime original movie Highway to Heaven, starring Grammy® Award winner Jill Scott and Barry Watson, is set to premiere on Saturday, November 6 at 8/7c. A “first look” trailer for the film has been released by the network in anticipation of the upcoming premiere. A contemporary take on Michael Landon’s iconic 80s television series Highway to Heaven, the new movie follows Angela Stewart (Jill Scott), an angel who is sent back to earth to help others in need. In the premiere movie, Angela takes on the role of a temporary school counselor and finds herself working alongside junior high school principal Bruce Banks (Barry Watson) as she intervenes in the lives of a troubled student Cody (Ben Daon), his father Jeff (Robert Moloney) and his aunt Vanessa (Victoria Bidewell), who are grieving the tragic loss of Cody's mother, Melissa (Ashley Ross). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpI9fZFY2Ng Pastor Mike, Jr. covers the highs, lows and in between of the single life on his brand new disc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qwDShUoTTs&feature=youtu.be After alerting his fans that he's finished recording his new album, Andy Mineo, dropped "MPJ Freestyle," a sneak preview to warm fans up for the release of his fourth studio album, Never Land II, a follow-up to his Never Land EP which was released in 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LeR1dbEn30 BET Plus’ roar out loud comedy, “The Ms. Pat Show,” is the freshly funny family sitcom we’ve been thirsty for! The show’s producing team – Lee Daniels (executive producer), Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams (star/creator/executive producer), and Jordan E. Cooper (creator/executive producer) – appeared Monday during the Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour and discussed securing the right team and why they’re not afraid of cancel culture. The actress wanted writes who listened and wouldn’t sugar-coat the script. “Yeah, because a lot of these writers have been sort of beaten down by the networks and the studios,” expressed the director. “[They’re told] this is how you’re supposed to do it. It’s supposed to be A, B, and C equals D.’ So I really wanted someone that was going to be unafraid to challenge the system — and Jordan still challenges us. He challenges Pat. He challenges me. He challenges BET+. We need that.” https://youtu.be/59m14njFKqI Stevie Wonder and rapper Common will team up for a performance at the seventh Stand Up to Cancer telethon. The TV special will be hosted by Anthony Anderson, Sofia Vergara and Ken Jeong, and featuring A-listers such as Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Tony Hale, and Jaime Camil. The fundraiser, which will be produced by Reese Witherspoon and her husband, Jim Toth, airs on August 21. https://youtu.be/gfkNxfRmSL8 Jay-Z has joined forces with sports apparel giant Fanatics on its latest venture to expand into gaming, tickets and media and sports betting. According to the documents filed with the New York State Gaming Commission, Jay-Z will serve as vice chairman and be on the board of directors of a new Fanatics Betting & Gaming entity. Michael Rubin, founder of Fanatics, will serve as the new chief executive. Jay-Z is the only Black American investor to appear on the gaming licenses submitted to the state, per the report. He was recently part of a $325 million funding round for Fanatics, per MSN. T he Tim Tebow experiment at tight end is over in Jacksonville. The former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback was cut this morning after just one preseason game…and by his old college coach, Urban Meyer, who now heads the Jaguars. The 34-year-old leaves in the wake of embarrassing video showing him attempting to make a block. Instead, he gently leans his body against his opponent, spins for no reason and quickly falls to the turf like he did something. https://youtu.be/QYFOuN9ZpSA A Utah family was enjoying a child’s birthday party at a local reptile facility when an alligator had enough of feeling like a zoo animal and decided to be the alligator that it is. While its handler was showing it off to the kiddies and their parents behind protective glass, the gator snapped and clamped down on her hand. The handler tried in vain to break free. Either she got into the cage to get better leverage, or the gator pulled her in. Either way, the gator ended up thrashing her about. The kids and parents looked confused, as to whether or not this was part of the presentation. The alligator went into death spiral mode … that swirl that reptiles do with pray in their mouths. One of the dads jumped in and jumped on the gator’s back, trying to keep him from thrashing/spiraling. Suddenly, parents began snatching their kids away from the site. Dad kept straddling the gator until it finally loosened its clamp on the handler’s gloved hand and she was able to get out of the tank. https://youtu.be/Fu61ZNLRCIo The death toll from Haiti‘s latest earthquake was growing as photos and video from the destruction began showing the extent of the devastation, injuries and hopelessness inflicted on a nation already reeling from natural and political disasters. As of Monday morning, there were at least 1,297 people who had died from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck two days earlier — exponentially more than the early estimate of 304 people. That number is expected to continue growing as rescue and recovery operations persist. Haitians were already experiencing instability from both earthquakes in 2010 and 2018 as well as last month’s assassination of Haiti’s president. https://twitter.com/i/status/1426661422277214215 Naomi Osaka has announced that she will donate the prize money from an upcoming tournament to help relief efforts in Haiti following Saturday’s 7.2-magnitude earthquake. “Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can’t catch a break,” Osaka, 23, wrote on social media Saturday. The father of the tennis star is from the island nation. Photos and video footage showed dozens of white people rioting Saturday at a rally in Los Angeles protesting against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in a violent demonstration that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is being accused of allowing to happen. Video journalist Andrew Kimmel tweeted footage showing the violence erupting, including alleged Proud Boys members throwing punches and kicks at anybody near them — presumably counterprotesters — as the rally descended into chaos. The video also showed one person with their face concealed appearing to repeatedly stab people with a short knife or some other sharp object. https://twitter.com/i/status/1426659835102121986 President Joe Biden is furthering his efforts to increase representation at the highest levels within the criminal justice system. He recently announced eight new nominees to serve as U.S. Attorneys throughout the country; two of whom are Black New York City leaders who are power players in the realm of law. Amongst the list of nominees is Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton partner Breon S. Peace. Peace—a University of California, Berkeley alum who earned his J.D. from the New York University School of Law—has dedicated his entire career to civil litigation, white-collar defense and matters concerning regulatory enforcement. Another individual who received a nomination was Damian Williams who has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for nine years. Many people across the world are still very confused as to whether or not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. From far-fetched conspiracy theories to straight-up distrust in the medicine itself, those who remain unvaccinated or are deemed “anti-vaxxers” are definitely at a crossroads at the moment. Now, with newly-mandated vaccine requirements that will make it virtually impossible to move around freely, that statement will ring true more than ever. The real question is, are Black people at an even higher risk for being ostracized from our communities yet again? Take New York City for example. Beginning Monday, Aug. 16, The Big Apple will be first in a move that many other states will presumably adapt to enact a citywide mandate requiring anyone looking to enter businesses to show proof of at least one shot of a vaccine. However, The New York Times recently reported that only 27% – 28% of young Black New Yorkers are actually vaccinated. While that’s sure to cause an interruption in various areas of city life. From Issa Rae to Ava DuVernay, Black women are letting their brilliance and creativity shine in the realm of entertainment and they’re making power moves in the process. One of the latest innovators to land a major production deal is Power creator Courtney Kemp who recently inked a partnership with Netflix, Deadline reported. Throughout her entire career Kemp has tapped into the power of storytelling, whether it was penning pieces for Mademoiselle and GQ as a former journalist or writing for The Bernie Mac Show, The Good Wife and Justice. In 2014, Power—a television series that she teamed up with Curtis Jackson to create—made its debut and went on to become one of Starz’s most successful shows. As part of the eight-figure, four-year deal with Netflix, Kemp will develop an array of projects under her End of Episode imprint. She will still provide creative direction for the critically acclaimed Power franchise. True-crime viewers can tune into ATL HOMICIDE which airs tonight on Monday, August 16 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Watch as thirty-year Atlanta PD veteran detectives David Quinn and Vince Velazquez dive into some of Atlanta's grittiest cases. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Co2sp02OZws “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Marlo Hampton recently underwent surgery and she’s now opening up about her experience with fans and updating them on how she’s doing. The reality star took to social media to let fans know that she got the surgery last Thursday. She showed her bruised face to the camera and let her viewers know that she’s still pretty swollen. While doing that, she also let fans know that she spent thousands of dollars for the procedure but it was all “worth it” at the end. Hampton said it may take up to a year for her to see the full effects of the hair transplant. Hmm, like the old saw says, “beauty costs.” But that’s a heck of a price to pay for it as far as we’re concerned. And on top of that, some say they don’t believe the swelling is the result of a hair transplant. The Gospel Spotlight's Marlo Hampton In Her Own Words......http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/marlohampton_intvw.htm Lil Wayne has opened up about his mental health issues and attempted suicide when he was a kid. In a new interview with Emmanuel Acho on his Uncomfortable Conversations series, the hip-hop star gets candid about wanting to take his own life when he was 12. As reported by Complex, he was going to use his mother’s gun to take his life. “I picked up the phone, I called the police,” Wayne said, as reported by HipHop-N-More. “Yes I knew where she put her gun and it was in her bedroom. And so I went in her bedroom, grabbed the gun. I already made the phone call, looked in the mirror.” Wayne pointed the gun to his head but “got a little too scared.” HBCU career service leaders and officials say recruitment of their graduates by major companies has skyrocketed since the death of George Floyd. The nation and worldwide outrage after Floyd’s death combined with the call for racial equity last summer has pushed a bevy of Fortune 500 companies to do more, including increasing the number of Black Americans working on corporate boards and offices. Additionally, HBCU schools were flooded with millions in donations from MacKenzie Scott, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. HBCU administrators say it’s too soon to determine how many more Black college graduates and students are being hired by major companies, but they’ve seen a substantial rise in the number of internships and interviews they’re getting. Austin-based wine connoisseur Lindsay Perry was recently selected as a new employee of Murphy-Goode Winery. The 28-year-old will move to California this fall to pursue her dream job. As a contest winner, she will receive a salary of $10,000 per month and live rent free for a year while indulging in some of the best wines. Perry participated in the company’s “A Really Goode Job” viral competition. According to Inside Edition, Perry beat out over 7,200 other applicants who submitted videos for the Sonoma-based Murphy Goode Winery wine competition. On August 4, the winery announced that Perry was one of two wine-industry newcomers chosen for the opportunity. Yesterday, Perry shared a flashback Friday memory on her Instagram page. She shared with her growing followers her 2015 college graduate cap. Perry’s cap included a quote that read: “I may have wined a lot but I did it.” The cap was also adorned with wine glasses and bottles, representing her love for the fermented beverage. Courage, confidence, and honesty are the operating values that govern the life and business of La’Ticia Nicole Beatty, a Durham, North Carolina resident who is originally from Detroit. La’Ticia’s message to women business owners is to not shrink back. She is fearless because of her faith in God. Recognizing it’s easier said than done, she has created programs and products to empower her women to be courageous. On her own journey of manifesting the abundance of her life, La’Ticia saw firsthand the challenges women experience in building a business. She saw the core of what was needed and stated: “I found that helping women business owners shift their mindset to believe in themselves led them to have the courage and confidence to joyfully live in their purpose.” http://www.gospel-spotlight.com A Southwest Airlines flight attendant who was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has died from the virus, according to his mother. As written by Daily Mail, Maurice ‘Reggie’ Shepperson, 36, died at Henderson Hospital in Las Vegas on Tuesday, nearly two months after he tested positive for the virus following a trip to Hawaii. Shepperson had been a flight attendant since 2007 and worked for Southwest for nine years. He checked into the hospital on July 7, weeks after testing COVID positive. Shepperson took his mother Dawn on one of his last work trips to Hawaii before he fell ill. He wrote in a Facebook post from the trip: “Took mommy on my work trip to Hawaii I’ll be back to get her tomorrow lol love this woman with all my heart.” https://youtu.be/miHOqprNJhc A Los Angeles Police Department officer has been suspended after a viral video showed him punching a car jacking suspect who was handcuffed to an ambulance gurney. LAPD says the incident happened late Saturday afternoon (Aug. 14) after two suspects were arrested in San Fernando for an alleged carjacking that took place in the Mission area. LAPD Chief Michel Moore said in a statement: “The images in the video are deeply disturbing and while we must wait for the investigation to be completed, the Department will act swiftly in any instance of excessive or unnecessary force.” https://worldstarhiphop.com/embed/170721 Backdoor Entertainment LLC, LA PhiLA Productions and R.D.J.A DES LLC have announced today that, The Sweetest Girl, a compelling, a true crime thriller suspenseful and provocative short film from Samuel Ladouceur (“A Great Day in Harlem,” “Power,” “Boardwalk Empire”) has been awarded Best Short Film at The New Jersey Film Awards for The Sweetest Girl.’ The Sweetest Girl was recently selected by the the Hip Hop Film Festival. https://youtu.be/QOU3MqSLMFU Future’s ex #BrittniMealy, who is one of the mothers of his kids, shared audio of someone who seemingly sounds like Future speaking on his ex #JoieChavis. Joie and Future previously dated and also share a child together. In the audio Brittni posted on her Instagram story, Future says he never loved Joie. “I don’t look at Joie like I look at you. Me and Joie always been friends, super cool. Like [inaudible] don’t even know that me and her was just always been super cool to the point where we still could be cool right now.” “I don’t look at her like someone I love, I never loved her like that. She know that. I never loved her, I never been like, told her ‘I love you’. You know what I’m sayin’? I never told this girl, I never told Joie ‘I love you’ but we had a good a** friendship. You know what I mean? I ain’t never tell her I love her [inaudible]. I love you.” BET brought together the hottest names in gospel music for an unforgettable night of dynamic performances and soul-stirring tributes at the annual celebration, the “Stellar Gospel Music Awards.” The “Stellar Awards” was the #1 program for the night on all TV for Black viewers P2+ excluding sports with, 867 K Total Viewers during premiere night (Live+3, simulcast across BET and BET Her on 8/1/21). On BET alone the “Stellar Awards” scored a .243 P18-49 rating, and 798 K total viewers P2+, up 104% year-over-year.** The telecast grew +18% in Live + 3 (Adults 18-49, BET Alone). BET now has the Top 3 Cable award shows of 2021 for Black viewers: “BET Awards” (#1), “NAACP Image Awards” (#2), and “Stellar Awards” (#3) excluding sports. h GRAMMY® Award winning producer, recording artist, and composer, Donald Lawrence, contributes music to a 45-minute preview performance of a new concept musical, GOSHEN, as a part of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s 25th anniversary season, on August 25 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium Park. GOSHEN, is based on the Biblical story of the Exodus. It’s a collaborative fusion of historical narrative, dance theater, and spiritually inspired music that explores the trials and triumphs of the human spirit. Lawrence first introduced some of the music in the Donald Lawrence Presents the Tri-City Singers’ best-selling 2019 album, GOSHEN. It featured Le’Andria Johnson leading the heart-wrenching ballad, “Deliver Me,” which spent five weeks in the No. 1 spot on the Gospel Airplay chart. Johnson joins the principal soloists of The Tri-City Singers; cutting edge gospel act, Zeke Locke & The NuXperience; and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, to bring GOSHEN to life. Breakout urban inspirational star, Pastor Mike Jr. (PMJ), who is known for hits including “Big” and “I Got It” (currently in Top 20 on R&B charts), has just released his sophomore album, I Got It: Singles Ministry which takes a direct look at relationship issues that both churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike can all identify with. “I wanted to take a risk with this album…” he says. “There’s a demographic in all of our ministries that goes undervalued and overlooked, and that’s singles. With everybody pursuing ‘relationship goals’ and everybody pursuing the altar, there’s an unsaid narrative that’s being created that ‘to be single is to be a failure…’” He continues, “So I wanted to create some inspirational music that spoke to this demographic letting them know that ‘you’re not alone’ and ‘you can be single and embracing your single season.’” This urban inspirational trap music stands in a category of its own and is sure to receive a wide array of critical acclaim. Jason Hendrickson is a powerful Pastor/Teacher, Author, Entrepreneur, Singer/Songwriter and Celebrated Musician. After two decades playing with Bishop Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship, he has come into his own as a well rounded singer, songwriter and recording artist. Great Things is presented with anticipation that we are what we say by the power that God has invested in us. Its a daily affirmation with an infectious hook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERRdap0PT8c Ryan Vincent Ford Honors the Legacy of the Father of Contemporary Gospel Music, Edwin Hawkins with a twist on a classic, Someday. Someday speaks to the relevance of striving for peace in the midst of troubled times and Ryan and his group do a wonderful job of recreating this masterpiece. https://rgmc-impact.disco.ac/playlist-new/8342486?date=20210809&user_id=885555&signature=dZWHvWnsU8O-yCIQs1o3WrL742E%3AexDhPFSE Naomi Osaka broke down at her first press conference since pulling out of the French Open over mental health issues, a move that followed her controversial decision to forgo press conferences at the event. During Monday’s Zoom presser ahead of her appearance at the Western & Southern Open in Ohio, Osaka took several questions without incident, until journalist Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer entered the fray. Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times, who was present in the room, tweeted: “Someone from Cincinnati Enquirer asked her a fairly aggressively toned question about how she benefits from a high-media profile but doesn’t like talking to media. Osaka tried to engage, but after her answer began crying.” Rothenberg said Osaka left the podium for several minutes, then returned to answer the question and finish the presser. Rothenberg later mentioned Dougherty’s tone ruined the flow of the press conference altogether, and defended her against haters on Twitter. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-16-081621-naomi-osaka-1226827/ Sha’Carri Richardson’s Olympic dreams hit a wall when she tested positive for marijuana and was slapped with a one-month suspension for violating the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code. She later said she got high after her biological mother died. Now, Richardson will race against Team Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson. Kanye West’s new track “No Child Left Behind” is featured in a new Beats ad that dropped during the 2021 NBA Finals on July 20 and features footage of the sprinter. https://youtu.be/q9lFaCkFN7I Fans attending the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Charges game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood were fighting like it was a playoff game in December. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-15-081521-rams-fight-1225861/ One of Haiti’s most famous sons was speaking out after a mammoth earthquake struck the Caribbean nation on Saturday morning, bringing more devastation to a country and region still reeling from previous earthquakes and political instability. Wyclef Jean, the musician and one-time candidate to be president of Haiti, took to his Instagram account and delivered a somber plea for people to help his homeland, where at least 1300 people were killed, according to the country’s civil protection agency. This is the country’s third earthquake in recent years, including the 7.0 magnitude earthquake of 2010 that killed more than 100,000 people. Saturday’s earthquake was a 7.2 magnitude, even stronger than the one in 2010. The death toll has climbed to more than 1300 after a powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti Saturday, injuring at least 1300 people. Rescuers continue to sort through the rubble in an effort to find survivors. Churches, schools, and houses were leveled by the quake. Multiple hospitals are inundated when patients and in need of supplies. The epicenter of the quake was about 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of the capital of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Families in the devastated town of Les Cayes shifted through debris while looking for any salvageable belongings. Residents arrived at the local market early on Sunday to buy the few items that were available such as bananas, avocados and water. Some thank God for protecting them during the earthquake while others went to the city’s church, which appeared untouched from the disturbance. Taliban fighters have entered Kabul and are seeking a ‘peaceful transfer of power’ with gunfire heard near the presidential palace as the extremists seized huge swathes of Afghanistan which is on the brink of collapse. The militants were seen in the districts of Kalakan, Qarabagh and Paghman hours after taking control of Jalalabad, the most recent major Afghan city to fall to the insurgents as they make huge gains across Afghanistan. The US evacuated diplomats from its embassy by helicopter as a Taliban spokesman said they were looking for a ‘peaceful surrender’ of the capital after meeting little resistance, while the British ambassador moved to a safe place to prepare for an evacuation. Foreigners in Kabul have been told they should either leave or register their presence with Taliban administrators, while RAF planes were scrambled to evacuate 6,000 British diplomats, citizens and Afghan translators. Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against a 71-year-old man who allegedly sent Rep. Maxine Waters a death threat that included a racist slur and was signed on behalf of the Ku Klux Klan terrorist group, court records show. Michael Anthony Gallagher was charged Wednesday with mailing threatening communications, a federal offense that carries up to 10 years in prison. The charging records allege Gallagher sent a postcard to Waters, D-Los Angeles, on Jan. 8, 2019 that contained a death threat. The criminal complaint against Gallagher, filed last January, is still sealed seven months later. Details of Gallagher’s alleged death threat were only made public via Wednesday’s court filing. In his latest push, President Joe Biden wants people to believe in the promise of his Build Back Better Agenda. On Wednesday, the president promoted the plan highlighting benefits like free community college, reduced prescription costs, and the child tax credit. A mix of programs, Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda covers a wide range of investments thought to uplift everyone across the board. According to the president, his plan is more expansive than the bipartisan infrastructure agreement making its way through Congress, with something for everyone. The administration released a new explainer Friday, breaking down the direct benefit for Black communities. White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement Trey Baker says his job is making sure Black people understand how the proposal could improve their lives. The NBA is putting the focus on furthering its efforts to advance racial equity. The league recently announced it would donate $6 million towards organizations centered on empowering Black youth. The endowment was announced to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the NBA Foundation. Launched in 2020, the foundation was created to use economic advancement opportunities as a means to empower the Black community. Amongst those on the board are current and retired players and corporate leaders including Michael Jordan, Tobias Harris, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts. As part of the initiative, 22 nonprofits centered on aligning Black youth with career and employment opportunities will receive grants. Among this round of grant recipients are the tech education-focused nonprofit All Star Code, Black Girl Ventures, the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, SGA Youth & Family Services and YouthForce NOLA. Actress Taraji P. Henson has been dedicated to eradicating the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community and eliminating the barriers standing in the way of support. The D.C. native recently received a major boost from Kevin Hart to advance her mission. Hart donated $100,000 to Henson’s mental wellness-focused nonprofit organization. Hart and Henson recently sat down for a candid discussion on his new show Hart to Heart that was centered on her rise in the entertainment industry and how she has used her nonprofit the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation as an avenue to further her mental health advocacy efforts. Henson’s inspiration for the organization was derived from her personal experiences. While growing up she witnessed her father battle with psychological trauma that stemmed from serving in the Vietnam War. She has also been open about her struggles with depression and anxiety. Tennis powerhouse Serena Williams’ impact and influence goes far beyond the realm of sports, she is using her platform to uplift and empower women who are charting paths in entrepreneurship. According to CNBC, Williams is amongst a group of investors that has funded a Black-owned healthcare. The company—dubbed HUED—was founded in 2018 by Kimberly Wilson. Through her own experiences with discrimination and inequities that exist within the healthcare system, the entrepreneur discovered there was a need to make culturally competent healthcare accessible for communities of color and was determined to fill that void. HUED was cultivated to align Black and Brown patients with medical professionals who deliver their services through a culturally sensitive lens. Purdue University has renamed two of its residence halls after sisters who graduated in the 1940s. Griffin North and South dorms were initially named after a mythical creature. But the dormitories now honor Frieda and Winifred Parker, the first two buildings named after African American women on the Purdue campus. It’s part of Purdue’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Parker sisters were inseparable, so it’s only fitting that two adjoining buildings be named after them. It’s equally if not more significant that the buildings honoring them are residence halls, since the sisters were the first to integrate them. https://youtu.be/ST_Qm-CPrbo Florida is home to dozens of African American museums and state lawmakers say they realized those museums could use some financial help. With help from Senator Rudolph Bracey, Senator Daryl Rouson secured $30 million in funding for African American museums in the state. “They can receive an outright grant up to 500 thousand dollars or up to one million dollars by showing a 50 percent match. So it’s significant funding. $500 thousand is a great shot in the arm for a lot of institutions that have been struggling to find adequate funding to tell the story of African American history,” Rouson said. A Mississippi eighth-grader died who was killed by COVID-19 on Saturday – just a day after she tested positive for the virus – has been identified by her school. Described as the ‘perfect student,’ Mkayla Robinson attended classes at Raleigh Junior High School most of last week, including on Wednesday, before reportedly testing positive for COVID-19 on Friday, according to multiple sources. A social media post indicated her health started to quickly decline after she started having trouble breathing Saturday morning and died on the way to the hospital, but this could not be verified. Mkayla died the day after Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves sought to downplay the severity of the virus among children, saying most would only suffer an illness akin to ‘the sniffles.’ Mkayla’s vaccination status is yet to be known, and it also remains unclear if she has any underlying health conditions which could have worsened her COVID infection. She is survived by her military mother, Mykel Robinson and her younger brother, MJ. Steve Gaines, the MC known as Baba Zumbi from Bay Area hip-hop group Zion I, has died. KQED spoke with Zumbi’s family and confirmed his death on Friday afternoon. The family shared a statement with KQED Friday evening: It is with utter disbelief and great sadness that the Gaines family shares the news of the passing of Steve “Zumbi” Gaines on Friday, August 13, 2021. Gaines, 49 and the MC of the critically acclaimed hip-hop group Zion I, passed away at Alta Bates Hospital today in the early morning from unknown causes. The family requests privacy in this very challenging time while they await further details. Neither Zumbi’s family nor his publicist would confirm that he died from complications related to COVID, as reported to KQED by close friends. Zumbi was said to be hesitant about receiving the COVID vaccine. Chris Tucker is one of America’s famous actors and comedians. He is known worldwide for his starring role as Detective James Carter in the “Rush Hour” film series, where he starred alongside Jackie Chan. In 1997, the actor married casting director Azja Pryor. They welcomed their son Destin Christopher Tucker in 1998. However, Chris and Pryor divorced in 2003. After the divorce, the couple co-parented their son. Chris and Pryor have done well to co-parent their son effectively. Both parents have been in their son’s lives and watched him grow into the man he is today. In 2017, Destin moved to Atlanta to study film at Morehouse College. It was a proud moment for Chris, who believed his son’s decision to go to Morehouse made all the sense in the world. The nation’s premier inspiration station, Praise 102.5 (WPZE-FM) presents the 16th Annual Praise in the Park concert on October 2nd, live from Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood. Since launching in October 2001, Atlanta’s Inspiration Station, Praise 102.5 has made a notable impact in Atlanta and across the country. Praise in the Park is one of the largest annual outdoor concerts celebrating Gospel music in the nation. Previous years have featured artists such as CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Karen Clark-Sheard, BeBe Winans, Mary Mary and many more. The return of Praise in the Park is set to be an unforgettable event. GRAMMY® and Stellar Award winning recording artist, songwriter, actress and entrepreneur Kierra Sheard-Kelly headlines the concert with a live recording of an upcoming project, “Kierra Sheard-Kelly & Friends Live at Praise in the Park Atlanta”. No stranger to Praise in the Park, Sheard-Kelly, on behalf of Karew Records and RCA Inspiration, will bring a unique, creative, and original vibe to the nation’s ultimate praise party. He’s set to make his grand return as John James ‘Mr. Big’ Preston in the much-awaited Sex and the City reboot, titled And Just Like That, which started shooting last month. And away from his character’s often tumultuous relationship with lead character Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), actor Chris Noth lives an idyllic home life with his family in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. The film star, 66, lives with Canadian actress wife Tara Wilson, 39, and their two sons Orion, 13, and 18-month-old Keats and often shares glimpses of their lives on Instagram. Chris met wife Tara, who is 27 years his junior, in 2002, when she was working at The Cutting Room – a New York City bar that the actor co-owns. Two African American survivors of a century-old massacre in the United States were in Ghana Sunday with their grandchildren at the start of a visit to connect with their “motherland.” Viola Fletcher, 107, known as ‘Mother Fletcher’, and her brother Hughes Van Ellis, 100, known as ‘Uncle Red’, are from the district of Greenwood in the Oklahoma city of Tulsa that was devastated in 1921 by a mob of armed white people. Up to 300 African Americans were killed in the attack on the area nicknamed “Black Wall Street” and some 10,000 left homeless when the district was set ablaze, leaving a vibrant economy in ruins. Fletcher and Ellis were accompanied by their grandchildren on a week-long trip to the West African nation, as part of a government campaign to attract people of African heritage abroad ‘back home’. Talent obviously runs in Aretha Franklin’s family — and Grace Franklin proved it by delivering a stunning rendition of her grandma’s favorite song. The late music icon’s 15-year-old granddaughter joined Jennifer Hudson at the “Respect” premiere Wednesday — where the duo stunned onlookers by singing their hearts out. The Oscar winner, 39, is playing the Queen of Soul in the biopic out Friday. Hudson shared a clip on Instagram of herself and Grace singing on the red carpet while both rocked gorgeous sequined gowns. https://nypost.com/2021/08/12/aretha-franklins-granddaughter-sings-with-jennifer-hudson/ The rap superstar Nicki Minaj and her husband, Kenneth Petty, have been sued by a woman he attempted to rape in 1994 after allegedly harassing her to recant her story. The woman, now 43, alleged she was attacked at knifepoint by a 16-year-old in Queens, New York City, by Petty. He was arrested on suspicion of rape and pleaded guilty to attempted rape, serving four and a half years in prison. The victim has filed a lawsuit alleging Minaj and Petty, who have an 11-month-old son, have been harassing and intimidating her to force her to recant her story. Minaj, 38, is accused of contacting the victim’s family and lying to her social media followers about the incident. The lawsuit, filed in the US district court for the eastern district of New York, claims Minaj offered her $500,000 (£360,000) to drop the story. Wearing a pair of white-and-black trunks his grandfather gifted to him, Muhammad Ali’s grandson Nico Ali Walsh made his pro boxing debut Saturday night with a first-round TKO of Jordan Weeks. Ali Walsh, 21, displayed the kind of flair for the dramatic Ali would surely be proud of, whipping the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino crowd into a frenzy with his right hand as the referee administered a 10-count following the knockdown. The middleweight followed up with a barrage of punches, bloodying Weeks’ face, before the referee stopped the mismatch. “I think me and him made a little bit of history tonight,” said Ali Walsh, who is trained by SugarHill Steward, the same man who guides heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. “This lived up completely to my expectations,” he added. “It’s been an emotional journey. … Obviously my grandfather, I’ve been thinking of him so much. I miss him.” A Happy Valley man has been arrested after he allegedly spray-painted a large swastika on an Oregon City sidewalk next to a memorial for someone who recently died while he was in custody at the Clackamas County Jail. On Tuesday police say someone vandalized a memorial set up at the corner of Beavercreek Road and Library Court. The memorial was for Jermelle Madison, a Black man who died on June 28 after he was found unresponsive in a Clackamas County Jail cell. The memorial had been left after a vigil that happened on August 6. The suspect also knocked over candles and broke picture frames with photos of Madison. Detectives were able to find the suspect’s vehicle in surveillance video in the area of the crime at the time it happened. They also got a subpoena for banking information related to the purchase of the spray paint. Recently, during an interview with the New York Times, Snoop Dogg spoke his piece regarding an ongoing phenomenon when speaking of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry investing in start ups. “Like, why don’t we have an owner in an NFL? That’s just racist. Period, point blank,” he said of the century-old football league that currently has two minority co-owners — Pakistani American Shahid Kahn of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Asian American Kim Pegula of the Buffalo Bills — but which has never had a team fully owned by a Black businessperson. “We need to own an NFL team. We got one half-owner in the NBA, Michael Jordan. But the whole league is 90 percent Black. So we still the slaves and they still the masters.” https://youtu.be/XsE3iwO44Kc Charles Barkley is opening up about his friendship with Michael Jordan, as well as why it ended. As you may recall, former NBA stars Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan formed a close friendship during their time on the court. Both players were drafted back in 1984, and they were both part of the 1992 U.S. “Dream Team” that participated at the Barcelona Olympics. However, Charles Barkley recently opened up about a falling out the pair had some years ago. During a recent interview on the newly-revived Back on the Record with Bob Costas, Charles Barkley revealed he and Michael Jordan fell out due to some comments he made. After Bob Costas inquired about whether the pair were still friends, Charles Barkley stated: “We’re not. And I take some responsibility for that. I criticized [him]–he was one of my best friends, and I definitely love him and miss him, to be honest with you, but I, Bob, I have to do my job. I said, at the time, and we can debate whether I should have said it, but I was asked a question, and I’m told always be honest at my job. I said, ‘I don’t know if Michael’s ever going to be successful [running the Charlotte Hornets] because I don’t know if he got enough strong people around him.’” UrbanHollywood411 reports that 50 Cent is up to 50 Cent things on the Insta-webs. The man also known as Curtis Jackson, and the conceptual mind behind the Power Universe, took to Instagram with a musing regarding “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” star Patina Miller… comparing Miller with the character Cookie, played by Taraji P. Henson on Lee Daniel’s “Empire.” https://youtu.be/IGFcMCxFBKg Marlon Wayans wants to make a sequel to the hit movie “White Chicks” and he believes the best time to do it is now! The actor recently spoke with Variety and explained why White Chicks 2 should happen: “I think White Chicks 2 is necessary,” he told the outlet. “I think we’ve tightened up so much that we need to loosen our ties a bit and laugh a little bit. I don’t think Hollywood understands what a juggernaut White Chicks 2 would be. And the world just keeps giving us more [ideas]. White Chicks 2 is writing itself.” Denzel Washington has never been one to go back on his word. So, it’s no shock to us that he’s revisiting a promise he made in 2007 to the Wiley College debate team. Wiley College, an HBCU located in (Marshall) Texas, recently received the fourth $100,000 installment of the $1 million initially promised by the Washington’s Family Foundation. Washington first donated $1 million to the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in 2007 to support the re-establishment of its debate program, which had been inactive since the early 1900s, when it was led by famed English professor and poet, Melvin B. Tolson. Washington starred in and directed the film, “The Great Debaters,” which chronicled the history of the school’s debate team under Tolson’s mentoring and coaching. The funds will be earmarked to cover debate team expenses as well as scholarships, reports Black Enterprise. https://twitter.com/i/status/1358188276532842501 Over 1300 people were killed when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was rushing aid to affected areas, where some towns were destroyed and hospitals were overwhelmed with wounded people. The epicenter of the quake was about 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of the capital of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and widespread damage was reported. https://youtu.be/N_mKW-kVb_I An earthquake of magnitude 7 struck the Alaska peninsula, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said on Saturday. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said there was no tsunami warning after the quake. The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), EMSC said. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon is not impressed with the latest pandemic-related effort from Gov. Ron DeSantis. In a brief Twitter thread, the Jacksonville-based legislator called out the governor’s team for allegedly ignoring requests around vaccine access. DeSantis was in Jacksonville Thursday to launch a new effort to treat COVID-19 cases. But instead of launching a robust public health plan to combat the latest pandemic surge, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing the drug Regeneron. Nixon, clearly fed up with the governor’s antics, called his announcement a farce. She sees the latest push as happening at the expense of preventative measures. The shooting death of an unarmed Black man in Tennessee by a security guard at a gas station is the latest instance of an apparently growing trend of deadly disputes over loud music in which the gunmen are seemingly disproportionately white. Alvin Motley was gunned down Saturday night at a gas station in Memphis after when a security guard, Gregory Livingston, confronted the 48-year-old man to complain about the volume of the music from his car. After Motley reportedly told Livingston he wanted to “talk like men,” the security guard pulled out his gun and shot Motley at point-blank range. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Motley was holding a beer can and a lit cigarette, suggesting he was not a threat to Livingston, who was obviously armed with a deadly weapon. Livingston, 54, admitted to police that he shot and killed Motley and was on Sunday arrested and charged with second-degree murder and held on a $1.8 million bond. Erykah Badu has issued a public apology to Barack and Michelle Obama for posting a video of the former president dancing at his private birthday party in Martha’s Vineyard last week. Badu, a guest at Obama’s 60th birthday party held on Aug. 7 at his family’s mansion on the Massachusetts island, apparently violated terms of her invitation when she not only recorded a selfie video with the ex-president in the background but also posted it to her Instagram stories where her 5 million followers could see it. The video was taken down hours later. https://twitter.com/i/status/1424368455680249856 The pending resignation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over damning sexual harassment allegations has not only paved the way for the state to have its first Black woman serving as acting lieutenant governor, but it also means it will be the first time the state is led by two women. New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins will leave her post to become acting lieutenant governor once the current Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul assumes her new leadership position in Albany — the first time the Empire State will have a woman governor. Stewart-Cousins called Cuomo’s resignation “a somber day for the state of New York” but said it also “opens the door to a restorative future.” Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. violated Illinois anti-bias law by denying a transgender woman employee access to the women’s bathroom, a state appellate court ruled in a case of first impression. Meggan Sommerville’s sex is “unquestionably female” and Hobby Lobby unlawfully discriminated against her based on her gender identity, the Illinois Second District Appellate Court said in its Friday ruling. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. violated Illinois anti-bias law by denying a transgender woman employee access to the women’s bathroom, a state appellate court ruled in a case of first impression. Meggan Sommerville’s sex is “unquestionably female” and Hobby Lobby unlawfully discriminated against her based on her gender identity, the Illinois Second District Appellate Court said in its Friday ruling. “Sommerville is female, just like the women who are permitted to use the women’s bathroom,” the court said. “The only reason that Sommerville is barred from using the women’s bathroom is that she is a transgender woman, unlike the other women (at least, as far as Hobby Lobby knows.)” A 7-month-old baby girl is unharmed after a family dog pulled her by her diaper to safety during a complex fire. A pit bull in California is about to get a whole lotta treats after being named a hero for saving a 7-month-old girl. The girl’s family lives in Stockton, Calif., with their beloved pit bull Sasha. Fox News reports that when flames coming from the complex building, Sasha “began to bang on the back door.” At the time, Sasha was outside. “I open it and she runs in and starts barking at me like crazy, and I was like, ‘OK, this is weird. This is not like her,’” said Nana Chaichanhda, the mother of the baby girl. When Chaichanhdasaw the fire, she immediately went to her daughter’s room to get her. However, Sasha was already on the job, pulling her by her diaper to get her to safety. “She had already had my baby by the diaper and was dragging her off the bed,” she told FOX40. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what are you doing?’” Unfortunately, the family’s home was left unlivable, but the entire family came out unharmed. Marlon Wayans says he wants viewers of the new movie “Respect” to know that “God gets you through” times of struggle — a concept the actor and comedian believes the film’s subject, Aretha Franklin, discovered throughout her life. “God gets you through,” Wayans told The Christian Post. “There is nothing that you can go through that you cannot get through. If you have God on your heart and you’re in His hands, just know that He’s protecting you.” “Respect,” which hits theaters this weekend, tells the story of Franklin, often dubbed the “Queen of Soul,” and her journey to finding her voice. The film shows how Franklin’s life “began in the Church and ended in the Church,” according to director Liesl Tommy. Erykah Badu apologized to the Obamas after posting a video to social media from former President Barack Obama’s 60th birthday party. The 50-year-old singer-songwriter expressed contrition in a tweet on Thursday for being the one to provide the world a look at Obama dancing without a face covering at the Hawaiian luau-themed celebration in his luxury home in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, which was scaled back due to COVID-19. “Mr. And Mrs. Obama , Please forgive me 4 being the ‘terrible guest’ at such a sacred event for your family. I was so inconsiderate, Thank you for all your love. What an example of ‘how NOT’ to be …… erica,” she said. The 44th president was captured in now-deleted Instagram footage grooving beside other maskless attendees on what appeared to be a stage while loud music blared on Saturday. Obama, in white jeans, was seen embracing a woman in front of a crowd in the footage. Bill Cosby will go to trial for a civil lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted an underage girl at the Playboy Mansion in 1974, it has been reported less than two months after he was released from a Pennsylvania prison. Judy Huth alleged in a lawsuit filed in 2014 that Cosby sexually assaulted her at the famed mansion when she was just 15 years old and he was 37, but legal proceedings related to the lawsuit moved slowly amid his criminal proceedings and conviction. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan lifted a stay stopping the case from moving along Friday and set the trial for a tentative date of April 18, 2022, the New York Daily News reported. Both parties will return to court as early as September 30. Reporters are expected to remain neutral as they uncover the facts of a story even when their biases or details they discover pull them in particular directions. Jasmyne Cannick, who is an activist, journalist, and political strategist in Los Angeles, says getting the criminal justice system to investigate the mysterious deaths of two Black men in the home of an influential White Democratic Party donor required a bitter fight and balancing act. She had to rely on her uncompromising sense of right and wrong, her unbending commitment to social justice, particularly for Black people, as well as investigative reporting instincts she has acquired over the years. https://youtu.be/Yg0vb_mAZrQ Los Angeles police arrested a 16-year-old male connected with Wednesday’s fatal shooting outside #ShoePalace, which started over a sneaker raffle dispute. The teen suspect was arrested Thursday for the murder of the 26-year-old, #JaydenBradford, outside of the shoe store. Witnesses explained that a dispute about a shoe raffle amongst a group of people in front of the store quickly escalated to gun violence. Bradford, who worked at the Shoe Palace, arrived just as things got heated and tried to intervene when he was fatally shot. Cellphone video captured the altercation and showed the moments when Bradford stepped in, and the group of people seemed to turn on him before someone in the crowd opened fire. As civil litigation against Houston Texans star Deshaun Watson crawls forward, two sources have confirmed the Harris County District Attorney’s office has launched a grand jury investigation into the quarterback. The sources confirmed a report from the Fox 26 affiliate in Houston that subpoenas were in the process of being issued by the adult sex crimes and trafficking division of the Harris County prosecutor’s office. One source described the subpoenas as seeking the testimony of a “small handful” of women who have recently filed sexual misconduct complaints against Watson with the Houston Police Department. There was no timeline given for the witness testimony or grand jury proceedings. Shaquille O’Neal has minority ownership in the Sacramento Kings and the Diesel is selling his stake in the franchise in order to take part in another endeavor. He will be featured prominently in WynnBET’s advertising campaigns across TV, digital and print. O’Neal will also attend in-person events, create original content with WynnBET and interact as a guest with company media partners such as Blue Wire Podcasts, Cumulus Media and Minute Media. O’Neal will also be launching ‘ShaqPot,’ a Free To Play (FTP) game housed inside the WynnBET app. according to MSN News. “Shaquille O’Neal has been a great friend of Wynn Las Vegas for many years, and we are thrilled to expand our relationship with him through a partnership with WynnBET,” Wynn Interactive CEO Craig Billings said. https://youtu.be/1yvLYJ2Fe_c Saturday night, Gary Antonio Russell (18–0) looks for his next win while also seeking the interim World Boxing Association title. Looking to derail those plans is former International Boxing Federation bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez (19–2) with 12 knockouts. Russell will have to put his entire set of skills on display to bring that title back to his residence, the nation’s capital. The highly anticipated bantamweight bout can be seen live on Showtime. “I started building robots in the 3rd grade,” said Marylander Maria Raquel Thomas, when asked about all the projects she’s into, which robotics is one. “I was introduced to robotics when my parents brought me a robotics kit. I joined a robotics club. This year I built a huge rollercoaster in the back yard.” Aside from robotics, this 15 year-old prodigy has also gone through a self-confidence journey that ended with her as a finalist in the 2021 Miss Maryland Teen USA pageant. https://youtu.be/MiKrWAtGdoQ An online crowdfunding effort has been paused over suspicions a Black woman seeking financial assistance to avoid eviction misrepresented herself in a plea for donations. Dasha Kelly posted on the GoFundMe website earlier this month asking for $2,000 to help keep a roof over the heads of herself and her “3 daughters” In Nevada. “We owe $1,900 for rent alone not including utilities. I will figure out utilities by pawning a few things. As you all know it is entirely still to [sic] hot to be homeless,” Kelly wrote. “My daughter’s [sic] are aged 5, 6, and 8. Please help with anything you can.” The GoFundMe , entitled, “Help My Girls & I avoid eviction, quickly went viral after CNN interviewed Kelly and generated nearly 10 times the amount the 32-year-old was seeking. As of Thursday morning, the GoFundMe page had raised $191,925, as generous donors rushed to help make sure Kelly and the children did not lose their home. During the interview, Kelly wept with happiness. https://youtu.be/nyANSxDisHg A toddler accidentally killed his mother with a shot to the head after finding a loaded handgun in their apartment and firing it at her while she was on a work related video call, according to police in Florida. A colleague who was speaking to 21-year-old Shamaya Lynn heard a loud bang and then saw the mother fall backwards and fail to return back on the screen. The co-worker dialled 911 and told dispatchers she believed Lynn had been shot. Detectives said Lynn’s toddler discovered an unlocked pistol which belonged to his father and shot his mother in the head at their home in Altamonte Springs on the outskirts of Orlando. The U.S. 2020 census report was released this week and the data shows that the white population is declining for the first time ever. “Our analysis of the 2020 Census results show that the U.S. population is much more multiracial, and more racially and ethnically diverse than what we measured in the past,” Nicholas Jones, director and senior advisor of race and ethnic research and outreach in the U.S. Census Bureau’s population division, told CNN. https://youtu.be/AduGg08DFpE A collective side eye toward the medical establishment among Black Americans is rooted in history, but some are aiming to change minds amid COVID vaccine hesitancy. Descendants of the Tuskegee Study, a 40-year experiment where hundreds of Black men living with syphilis were denied treatment, are speaking out and encouraging people to get vaccinated in a new documentary. https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/tuskegee-study-descendants-speak-out-about-importance-of-covid-vaccine-118428229673 The judge overseeing Britney Spears’ case is facing online death threats and racial slurs after ruling not to suspend her father from conservatorship immediately. This week, Judge Brenda Penny denied the 39-year-old singer’s request to expedite a forthcoming hearing in an effort to remove Jamie Spears, 68, from a role in directing the legal arrangement, as petitioned by her lawyer. Judge Penny was also the one to deny Ms Spears’ request to immediately suspend Jamie Spears, 68, as her conservator following hearings in June and July. The unexpected death of Cameron Burrell, a former champion sprinter at University of Houston and the son of Olympic gold medal-winning parents, has been ruled a suicide. According to the medical examiner’s report, Cameron’s death occurred in a Houston parking garage. The school’s athletics department said Cameron passed away on Monday. He was 26. Leroy Burrell, who serves as the Cougars’ head track coach, said earlier in the week that his family is “profoundly grief stricken.” Funeral arrangements are pending. UH will announce details at a later time. The Television Academy said Thursday that Debbie Allen will receive the 2021 Governors Award, bestowed on the dancer-choreographer-actress-writer-producer-director “for her unprecedented achievements in television and her commitment to inspire and engage marginalized youth through dance, theater arts and mentorship.” Allen will be recognized during the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast September 19 on CBS and Paramount+. The award honors an individual or organization whose achievement is so exceptional and universal in nature that it goes beyond the scope of annual Emmy Awards recognition, the academy said. Mild spoilers ahead. In Respect’s final scene, an apprehensive Aretha Franklin (Jennifer Hudson) stands alone at the pulpit of New Temple Missionary Baptist Church. The pews are packed with people sitting shoulder to shoulder. Franklin takes a breath and breaks the silence as she sings the beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace.” In this moment, the most powerful woman in soul music bares her soul, the trials and tribulations of her life, in the lyrics, “I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was blind but now I see.” And after Franklin’s long quest for “hits,” Amazing Grace goes on to be her most successful album with more than 2 million copies sold upon release. Porsha Williams has announced that she is leaving Dish Nation. “Goodbyes are never easy, and this one is especially hard. For the past eight years, I’ve worked on one of the most fun, collaborative, exciting, and best produced shows on television. But as I continuously start new chapters in my life, it means I have to close others,” she wrote Wednesday on Instagram. The reality TV star is departing the radio show after eight years. Her last day will be August 27. “Since 2013, everybody at Dish has been like family to me. There’s a lot of people I’ve met along this journey that I am incredibly thankful for,” Williams continued. “Whether it was on air or behind the scenes, they’ve endlessly supported my career and more importantly, my happiness.” Actress Racquel Bailey wanted to get Tyler Perry’s attention so she purchased a billboard in Atlanta two years ago in hopes of starring in one of his productions. The stunt ultimately paid off because Perry’s team reached out and asked her to submit an audition tape. They must have been quite impressed with what they saw because she landed a role on his TV show “Sistas.” Now she’s set to star in Perry’s new drama “All the Queen’s Men,” based on the popular book “Ladies Night,” created by Christian Keyes, who also serves as a writer for the series, The one-hour drama centers around the life of “Marilyn ‘Madam’ DeVille,” played by Eva Marcille. Madam is a fierce businesswoman who is at the top of her game in the nightclub industry and surrounded by a band of trusted employees who are down to make sure that she is successful. Actress Una Stubbs who starred in Sherlock, EastEnders and Till Death Us Do Part has died aged 84. The Hertfordshire-born star, who was also known for her roles in Sir Cliff Richard’s film Summer Holiday as well as Worzel Gummidge and In Sickness And In Health, died at home in Edinburgh surrounded by her family. Stubbs, who was best known in recent years for playing Sherlock’s landlady Mrs Hudson in the BBC show from 2010 to 2017 with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, had suffered from an illness for a few months. The Internet was split down the middle as to whether that awkward, but the hilarious, exchange between Kevin Hart and Don Cheadle – about the “Black Monday” star’s age – was real. Turns out, it was all staged, with the two celebs in on the joke, a rep for Cheadle confirmed Friday afternoon. Viral video of the interview from Hart’s Peacock streaming show “Hart to Heart” showed the exchange taking a hard left turn when Cheadle mentions that he’s 56-years-old. “Damn!” said Hart, interrupting. Cheadle stopped speaking, taking apparent offense at Hart’s reaction that suggested he’s old AF. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry because it was a thought…” “I don’t care,” Cheadle said, waving him off. “It was a thought, and I blurted it out. I did not mean it that way.” “We’ll take a poll on how you meant it with people here later after the show’s over,” Don said, with sudden edge in his tone. “I can sit up here and honestly say, buddy, that that was from a place of love,” Kevin said calmly, before imitating the way he said “Damn” earlier, but with less bite in the tone. https://youtu.be/0ugn_vsZ9pQ Simone Biles hasn’t had the easiest summer and, unfortunately, she’s now dealing with another health issue: The gymnastics GOAT was bitten by a dog. Simone, 24, didn’t share a lot of details about her freaky injury in her Instagram Stories but said, “here’s an update on my finger that the dog bit me,” before showing her wounds. “This dog at the farm just said NOT TODAY,” Simone joked. So, she said, she had to go to the doctor to get a tetanus shot. In the video, you can see intense gashes taken out of the side and top of her pointer finger. “German Shepherds don’t play,” she wrote over top, noting that she’s been around the breed her whole life and has never been bitten. Pop artist Justin Bieber and Chandler Moore of the Maverick City Music Collective released a worship video together Wednesday. The duo have performed several songs together recently including, “Where Do I Fit In?” and “How He Loves Us” at venues located in Washington and California. The musicians appear to connect emotionally and spiritually to the central theme of the song, God’s love. Jehovah-jireh is found in Genesis, when God instructed Abraham to offer up his son Isaac for an offering. After God told him to stop and provided a ram for the offering instead, Abraham named the location Jehovah-jireh. https://youtu.be/M11PBJbFApw Hip-hop icon DJ Grandmaster Flash claims Dr. Dre’s new music will “change the game.” Flash and Dre recently linked up in LA, where the famed music producer played some new music that will apparently have a huge impact on the culture. Grandmaster Flash recently shared a photo of himself with Dr. Dre on Instagram, and added the caption: “GRANDMASTER FLASH & DR. DRE,” he wrote in the caption. “Here in LA doing the Disco Oasis with Nile Rogers tonite, I get a call from one of my heroes he invites me to the CRIB. “He takes me down to the STUDIO he played me a project that will change the game!! Totally incredible, we top off the day for 2hrs talkin about Music, Family Health and Life thanks for the Invite Dr Dre.” Rapper Future allegedly sent his 8-year-old son disturbing text messages about the boy’s mother Brittni Mealy. As reported by MadameNoire, on Tuesday, Mealy uploaded screenshots of a conversation between her son and Future, and it read: Future: Tell your mom, Son: Tell my mom what Future: Buy you some clothes, Son: Dad, Future: You’re mother is a h**! https://www.instagram.com/theshaderoom/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=45104b0e-b317-4531-9624-f307dbb4a5fc Lou’s new artist showcase becomes the nexus of the rivalry between Raq and Unique. At the same time, Kanan cooks up a drug-selling scheme with Marvin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADzSyRvZul0 The 3rd annual Daytime Beauty Awards, founded by CEO Michele Elyzabeth, will take place on Sunday, September 12 at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles. The award show recognizes science behind beauty and spotlights health and wellness professionals in the fields of dentistry, medicine, health and fitness, aesthetics, skincare, color and styling, cannabis, beauty innovation and more. OmegaXL by Great HealthWorks will serve as the event’s title sponsor. Danielle Lauder, actress, entrepreneur and the great-granddaughter of Estée Lauder, will officiate as the Ambassador for this year’s Daytime Beauty Awards. Lauder received The Breakthrough Award at the 2020 Hollywood Beauty Awards. LOVE THEORY GOES GOLD. Kirk Franklin penned another hit! The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) took to Twitter to share that "Love Theory" went GOLD! Just one week away from Travis Greene's release party for Oil + Water! Join in person in Greenville, SC or stream online to listen and celebrate. The line up is HEAVY, so be prepared! https://www.facebook.com/events/211218177617841/ Starz September 26 premiere of the network’s highly-anticipated new series BMF (Black Mafia Family). https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cgkutkyyucxc7b2/AABJUxBEFrgO7zAED1sjck14a?dl=0&preview=vers01913012_bmf1_av_teaser___grandson___licensed_org_30185_21_169_series_premiere_sun_sep_2_prores.mov Multiple award-winner Jekalyn Carr adds to a long list of accolades by receiving two more GMA Dove Award nominations, announced earlier this week. Carr was recognized for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year for her Number 1 album “Changing Your Story,” and Traditional Gospel Song of the Year for the album’s title track. This is Carr’s fifth consecutive year receiving recognition from the GMA Dove Awards. Jekalyn previously won the 2018 Traditional Gospel Album of the Year for her breakthrough LP “One Nation Under God.” Carr recently launched her new beauty brand, JEKALYN BEAUTY, and the debut fragrance ‘Jekalyn for Her’ sold out in just one week. Charlotte Hornets player PJ Washington has responded to wild rumors about child support payments to ex Brittany Renner. Washington the #12 pick in the 2019 Draft and Renner first made headlines when he seemingly shot his shot at the Instagram model after she attended his game at Kentucky in 2019. The couple went official in 2020 … and in May 2021, Washington confirmed they welcomed a baby boy together. But, things appeared to go sour just a few months later … with Washington tweeting — and later deleting — a cryptic message about someone “faking it all along.” According to the latest social media rumors, Washington has to shell out $200k a month in child support. Washington addressed the rumor on Wednesday … tweeting “Stop the cap” … (cap = lying). Brittany has yet to speak out on the situation. CBS This Morning” has tapped former football star and “Extra” correspondent Nate Burleson to replace veteran journalist Anthony Mason, and now critics are accusing the network of copying rival “Good Morning America.” ”They’re basically copying ‘GMA.’ They’re moving to Times Square, hiring a [Michael] Strahan. What’s next? Cooking segments? They’re clearly in trouble,” one industry source said. The move comes as ratings for NBC’s “Today” — once the top of the morning show heap — continue to lose ground to “GMA.” This season-to-date, “GMA” is reportedly the most-watched morning show for the 9th consecutive year, and has this year increased its lead over “Today” to its biggest in four years. “CBS This Morning” remains at the bottom. Nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winning icons and one of the best-selling artists of all time Earth, Wind & Fire signed a global agreement with Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) that will result in the band returning to the studio for a new project with 12-time GRAMMY® Award winner Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds as producer and are set to release a reimagined version of their classic hit “Can’t Hide Love” titled “You Want My Love” with 4-time GRAMMY® Award nominee Lucky Daye on August 20th. https://youtu.be/mZ8lo472RlI Ludacris and his wife Eudoxie welcomed their second child in July, a baby girl they named Chance Oyali. The bouncing new bundle of joy is named after Eudoxie’s late grandmother, according to PageSix. Luda, a father of four, has two daughters from previous relationships. He tells the publication that he is a proud “girl dad” who has trouble saying “no” to his daughters. Best-selling author and award-winning voiceover artist Cayman Kelly proudly announced he had renewed his contract to serve as the promo voice for the nation’s fastest-growing network designed for African American audiences. Nationally syndicated with a wide variety of stations, Cayman Kelly has already secured his reputation as a leading broad-ranging radio voiceover expert, but finds his work with Bounce to be of especial importance. Kelly has a long history of working with Bounce, whose founders include Martin Luther King III and Ambassador Andrew Young. Kentucky’s attorney general, already a reviled figure for the way he handled the investigation into the killing of Breonna Taylor, is now trying to overturn the governor’s mandate for children to wear masks in schools as the COVID-19 delta variant ravishes the state. The logic followed by Daniel Cameron, a Republican who was famously called a “sellout” by activist Tamika Mallory, suggests he’s prioritizing politics over the health of students, including and especially the youngest ones who are not old enough to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday instituted the mask mandate for schools via an executive order that Cameron called “unlawful.” The news that the popular TV trivia game show “Jeopardy!” decided against selecting actor LeVar Burton as its next host was met with almost as much outrage as the fact that he was passed over for someone with an alleged history of harassing and discriminating against women. The show had been looking for a permanent replacement for Alex Trebek after the longtime host died in November. Instead of Burton, the show chose to go with Mike Richards, who is already the executive producer of “Jeopardy!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1425505571432665092 HARRY & MEGHAN: ESCAPING THE PALACE explores what really happened inside the palace that drove Harry (Dean) and Meghan (Morton) to leave everything behind in order to make a future for themselves and their son Archie. The movie will detail Meghan's growing isolation and sadness, their disappointment that "The Firm" was not defending them against the press's attacks and Harry’s fear that history would repeat itself and he would not be able to protect his wife and son from the same forces that may have contributed to his mother’s untimely death. HARRY & MEGHAN: ESCAPING THE PALACE will examine the dynamics between Will (Whalen) and Harry, Kate (Mitchell) and Meghan, and Harry with Will and Charles (Coulter), that lead to the ultimate break from the royal ties. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCWVDn2Xku8 RCA Inspiration celebrates over ten nominations for song and album releases at the upcoming 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. The nominations span artist releases in eight categories, with hit artists Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Travis Greene, Koryn Hawthorne, Mali Music, Kelontae Gavin, DOE, Melvin Crispell, III and All Nations Music garnering nods in artist, song, and album categories. Top categories include Song of the Year nominations for two songs performed by Koryn Hawthorne and Marvin Sapp, and two Gospel Artist of the Year nominations, for Kirk Franklin and Travis Greene. The remaining nominations span the genres of Contemporary Gospel, Traditional Gospel, and Gospel Worship. Separately, Kirk Franklin also garnered a Song of the Year nomination and a Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year nomination as a writer on the track he recorded with for King & Country, “Together” (feat. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly), as well as a Songwriter of the Year (Artist) nomination. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com TV One and CLEO TV announced today that they have inked a significant deal with Kin, to bring one of its flagship digital series, “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix,” to cable television for the first time on TV One’s sister network CLEO TV. Beginning in October, CLEO TV plans to roll out 80 episodes in a multi-year deal of the hit YouTube digital series which has accrued more than 3 million subscribers across social platforms. “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix” is Kin’s fastest growing channel to date. The deal gives the franchise an opportunity for expansion by reaching a new audience with a vastly growing network. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Bradie Frink & Ordinary People drops new music "Into this Place." https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/7100812?date=20210408&user_id=668306&signature=bWaOAEtCnj0FUKqOIXOhK0ntstQ%3AWEyxEChc AJ Evans is a part of the new crop of young people that is on the battlefield. AJ is an honor roll student who serves on the praise team at his home church in Philadelphia. He penned this song and is hoping he can touch the world with its powerful message. "Hooked" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnOUiUNMvdk Tyscot Records –affiliated artists have racked up five nominations in the upcoming 52nd annual Dove Awards that going down October 19th at Nashville, TN’s Allen Arena. R&B star, PJ Morton, snagged two nominations for his first faith-music album, Gospel According to PJ. The Maroon 5 keyboardist earned nods in the categories of Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year and Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for the ballad “Repay You,” which is led by J Moss. Anthony Brown & group therAPy earned a nomination for Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year, “Help,” which is No. 1 on this week’s Gospel Airplay chart. Hitmaker, VaShawn Mitchell, earned a nomination for the twelve-track set, VaShawn Mitchell Presents Africa Worship, in the category of Gospel Worship Album of the Year. Kelontae Gavin earned a thumbs-up for his RCA Inspirational debut project, The N.O.W. Experience. Brittany Jones is a glory carrier. She is in love with God, his bride the church, and the lost. Brittany seeks to point to the beauty, holiness, and splendor of God with her thoughts, actions, and ultimately her life. She drops new music "Great Is The Lord." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8REOkyu6Kn0&feature=youtu.be Christiana Bell has done it again. Her 2nd single featuring Fred Hammond "Still Faithful" hit Top 100 this week, #90 and trending at #83 today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zuqTksnBQY Atlanta-based media company Empower Media Group (EMG) announced the 2021 Black Media Honors™? – the annual awards that honors broadcasting, public relations, media, mass communication, journalism icons who have influenced and made significant contributions to the media industry. Hosted by Actress Brely Evans and Pastor Anthony Murray, the awards weekend is set to begin August 21, 2021, through Sunday, August 22, 2021, in Atlanta. The official awards weekend is taking place at Twelve Midtown Conference Center and will now be filmed for post airing on FoxSoulTV. Some of this year’s confirmed for the 2021 Black Media Honors™? include Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant, Karen Civil, Kimberly Chapman, Jeff Johnson, Dr. Rashad Richey, James DuBose, Michelle Rice, Melissa Ingram, Y'anna Crawley, Tasha Page-Lockhart, Dayvsnn, Mali Music, Anthony Hamilton, Lamar Odom, Karlie Redd, Darlene McCoy, Kenny Burns, Christina Bell and more. The new documentary “Untold: Malice at the Palace” takes a thorough look back at the historic, violent, unprecedented brawl that broke out between players on the Indiana Pacers, and fans inside The Palace at Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Pistons. The film goes through the biographical backgrounds of involved Pacers players Ron Artest, Jermaine O’Neal and Stephen Jackson as it takes us meticulously through the pivotal moments leading up to the brawl, points out the racial aspects of its aftermath and how the brawl ended up changing the league, the fans, the players – and the path forward for the Pacers. https://youtu.be/IqoESUUdrA0 Eminem’s ex-wife Kim Scott was hospitalized following a suicide attempt on July 30, reports TMZ . Police and emergency workers are said to have responded to a call of a suicidal person at 46-year-old Kim’s Michigan home, with Kim restrained by deputies due to being so ‘combative and violent’ that medics were unable to assess her. It was claimed Kim was taken to hospital to undergo a medical and psychological evaluation, but is now at home recovering. Kim and Eminem married in 1999, only to proceed with a nasty divorce two years later during their famously stormy romance. They remarried in January 2006 but had broken up again by April. They share biological daughter Hailie Jade, 25. The mother of two siblings who were charged with killing a Chicago cop and wounding her partner was arrested after she attempted to visit her son in the hospital. Evalena Flores, 41, was arrested during a confrontation with Chicago police at Christ Medical Center where her son Emonte Morgan, 21, is being treated for gunshot wounds. Morgan was shot multiple times during a scuffle with Chicago Officer Carlos Yanez following a traffic stop on Saturday night. Officer Ella French was fatally shot during the confrontation and Yanez was critically injured and continues to fight for his life at the hospital. Emonte is facing one count of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. His brother, Eric Morgan, 22, faces charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice. https://youtu.be/2QE9zpkz8_4 The Obamas didn’t invite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Barack’s 60th birthday party because ‘they will go towards William’ amid the family’s rift, Prince Harry’s biographer has claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not attend the lavish do thrown by the former US president at his seven-bedroom £8million holiday home in Martha’s Vineyard on Saturday. It included John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Meghan’s friend CBS This Morning host Gayle King, George Clooney and Jay-Z and Beyoncé. And according to royal expert and author Angela Levin, who wrote Harry: Biography of a Prince, it is thought that Barack and Michelle, 57, wanted to take a ‘step back’ from the couple out of respect for the Queen. Here’s your first look at Michael B. Jordan in the upcoming Denzel Washington-directed romantic drama “A Journal for Jordan,” based on the memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Canedy. Due in theaters this Christmas, the real-life story follows First Sergeant Charles Monroe King (Jordan), who writes letters to his newborn son, also named Jordan, while he’s overseas. King was killed in Iraq in 2006, when his son was just seven months old, but his wife Canedy, played in the movie by Chanté Adams, keeps all the poignant letters in a book for their son. https://youtu.be/D3PbH8xYQY8 The trailer for Issa Rae’s new unscripted series “Sweet Life: Los Angels” has dropped, which centers on seven young, ambitious Black men and women in South LA. The show “gives an honest and unique look into what it means to be young, Black, and in constant pursuit of one’s dreams in the heart of South Los Angeles,” per its official description, as reported by TheWrap. “The series follows a group of young, strong-willed, ambitious Black friends showcasing their relatable, authentic and sometimes stumbling mid-20s moments as they embrace the joy and struggles of love and family, while building their careers as tastemakers and influencers in the city where they grew up.” The new 10-episode series premieres on HBO Max Thursday, Aug. 19, with its first three episodes. Three additional episodes will premiere each Thursday for the following two weeks, with the first season wrapping with a reunion special that launches Sept. 9. https://youtu.be/Djfe5K_ohsk The Television Academy has announced that next month’s Emmys ceremony will go down outside on the Event Deck at L.A. Live, next to the Microsoft Theater. The event is being held outdoors amid the alleged surge of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles. “The health and safety of our nominees is of paramount importance,” the Academy said in a statement, Variety reports. “Conversations are ongoing, and we will provide further information as it is available. The Television Academy appreciates everyone’s understanding as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 Delta variant.” Common is set to executive produce a new documentary series for OWN titled “Justice, USA.” Slated to premiere in 2022 on discovery+, “Justice, USA” is a comprehensive insider 360-degree view of the criminal justice system, per press release. “We knew from the start that ‘Justice, USA’ is a series that must be made and brought to viewers,” said OWN president Tina Perry. “What Mike, Common, Tamara, and Marshall are creating is a compelling and shockingly honest documentary that lays bare the often-ugly and unfortunate truth about the treatment of those most vulnerable by a complex and overburdened system that fails more than it succeeds.” A Black hair care company owned by two women has raised over a million dollars in funding that was backed by Google. Rachael Twumasi-Corson and Joycelyn Mate launched Afrocenchix in 2011 to deal with their hair issues — specifically alopecia. As reported by Black Enterprise, “the two women built Afrocenchix from the ground up, establishing themselves with their small customer base with products including its sulfate-free shampoo and a silicone-free conditioner,” the outlet writes. In June, after a decade of hard work, Afrocenchix raised $1.2 million in funding through Google’s Black Founders Fund. Additionally, Afrocenchix is the first Black-owned haircare company to have its products sold in Whole Foods UK. A Las Vegas “mother” who claimed she was facing eviction — prompting donors to pony up more than $200,000 — is just the babysitter of the three kids she identified as her children in a CNN report. Dasha Kelly, 32, ended up copping to CNN on Monday that she’s not the biological mother of the girls, ages 5, 6 and 8, who were featured alongside her in a segment last week on the federal eviction moratorium that had ended days earlier. CNN said Kelly’s story “generated a lot of interest” after its initial report, which featured video footage of her and the girls inside her home after the network found her online fundraiser seeking $1,900 to pay back rent. A black couple from Pennsylvania who adopted twin boys who are white have been accused of kidnapping their own kids — including by a woman who threatened to call the cops when their sons had a tantrum at a playground, according to a report. Jennifer McDuffie-Moore, 43, and her husband, Harry Moore, 37, took in 3-year-olds Brayden and Trevor as foster children after they were separated at birth from their biological mother, who suffered from drug addiction. Two years later, the Collingdale couple officially adopted the twins, who joined the couple’s biological children, Joy, 21, and Kourtney, 11, and their adoptive kids, Keenan, 10, and Sanchez, 8. A Black former shift supervisor at a Starbucks in Connecticut has sued the chain, claiming that it failed to protect him from a customer who attacked him with racial slurs. Dayshawn Rodriguez said in his complaint in the District of Connecticut court, first filed in May but revised in July, that he was repeatedly verbally harassed by a customer who called him a ‘n—–.’ Rodriguez said he worked at Starbucks for about five years. He said in his complaint that the customer was in the restroom for “quite some time” after he closed the store in Westport, Connecticut, on October 7, 2019. He said he knocked on the door to check on the customer and she came out, poked him in the chest, and said “don’t rush me n—–,” per the complaint. Rodriguez said he informed the store manager, who said that she would inform the district manager, but that “they did nothing to stop or address the conduct.” Veteran technology executive and Detroit native Stacy Brown-Philpot has joined the board of StockX LLC, one of the fastest growing tech companies in her hometown. Brown-Philpot, who last year stepped down from running San Francisco gig economy company TaskRabbit Inc., becomes the first female board member of StockX, an e-commerce reseller of sneakers, luxury goods and other lifestyle items. The company has been raking in venture capital largesse and is seen as a likely candidate for going public in the coming months. News of Brown-Philpot joining the StockX board was first reported Tuesday by Business Insider. That report, citing anonymous sources, said StockX will likely be going public early next year. A request to the United States Army for a correction to the military record of United States Colored Soldier Thomas Fraction, who fought for the Union during the Civil War, was granted on July 7th, 2021. Thomas was a Civil War soldier who fought alongside his brother Othello Fraction for the 40th U. S. Colored Infantry out of Tennessee after escaping from slavery in Blacksburg, Virginia. The brothers were two of at least four individuals enslaved on the Smithfield plantation who would escape to fight for the Union during the Civil War to gain their freedom. During his service, Thomas Fraction would grow in rank from Private to Sergeant (a rarity for Black soldiers and especially enslaved peoples at that time). During their service, Thomas and his brother were granted a 30-day furlough at which time they returned to the Smithfield plantation despite threats from their enslaver. Upon their return, Thomas was shot by his former enslaver, Confederate soldier Robert Preston, and then jailed. After learning of the events that happened to Thomas, the Union Army demoted Thomas from Sergeant to Private and dishonorably discharged him. Thomas would attempt to have his record corrected up until his death in Salem, Virginia in 1892. Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs (More Than a Fraction Foundation) petitioned the U.S. Army to review Thomas’ case and recognized the injustice that he experienced, and posthumously correct Thomas’ military records. Dr. Moseley-Hobbs is the 4th great-grand daughter of Thomas Fraction. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com A picture is worth a thousand words, but this could be summed up with one. “Freedom,” said Gabrielle Faisal. Meet 9-year-old Gabrielle Faisal, the artist behind the picture that won The White House History Association’s National Student Art Competition. “The Black hands holding The White House, that means the enslaved Africans built the White House,” said Gabrielle Faisal. The young Detroiter explained the symbolism of her sketch starting with shackled hands and the red stripes representing the fight for freedom from enslavement. “The white stripes represent the purity of the struggle,” she said. “The blue means justice, and the white stars represent unity for all people.” Gabrielle was the first place winner in her age bracket. More than 500 students from across the country submitted their artwork that was judged for originality, interpretation and historical relevancy. A mother-daughter duo has taken their bond to the next level as they both serve in the Navy on the same ship with the same specialty. Master Chief Logistics Specialist Tonya McCray recently got the chance of a lifetime when her daughter, Logistics Specialist Seaman Racquel McCray, spent four weeks training aboard her ship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, according to Good Morning America. It was a special moment that had been years in the making, ever since Racquel, 25, decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps, GMA reported. “It was a great experience for me, even though it only lasted four weeks,” Racquel told the outlet. “I would have liked for it to be a little bit longer, but it was really nice to be able to see the benefits of all of [my mom’s] hard work, how people looked up to her and respected her.” “I was a proud mother,” added Tonya. “It just felt great to be able to share that experience with her, and also, just to see her hard work.” Growing up with two parents enlisted in the Navy, Racquel said she decided to also join the service when she turned 18, according to GMA. Former NBA standout JR Smith has enrolled at North Carolina A&T and intends to join the historically Black university’s men’s golf team if he gets cleared by the NCAA, the university confirmed on Wednesday. North Carolina A&T athletics spokesman Brian Holloway told ESPN that Smith is officially enrolled in the school and has petitioned the NCAA to be eligible to play. Smith’s clock to compete as a collegiate athlete has not yet started because he went to the NBA after high school. Athletes, in most cases, get five years to complete four years of eligibility. At the pro-am at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, Smith told reporters Wednesday he decided to go back to school after a conversation with Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen. Ky’Wuan Dukes, a freshman wide receiver for Johnson C. Smith University, has become the first HBCU athlete to sign an endorsement deal, inking a deal with Bojangles. The redshirt freshman and a bevy of other college athletes are benefitting from the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) ruling to allow student-athletes to profit off their names, images, and likeness (NIL). The ruling, which went into effect July 1, allows student-athletes to hire agents and sign endorsement deals with a host of companies to profit off their abilities while playing sports in college. Before this rule change, the NCAA constantly made the argument that a free education was enough. Dukes told Afrotech the rule gives student-athletes a chance to start their futures, which may not include pro sports. “It’s already hard for us as it is,” Dukes said about being an HBCU student-athlete. “I’m glad we get that rule because… we are able to promote ourselves for marketing and be introduced to things we’ve never really seen.” Jeopardy! producer Mike Richards and former “Big Bang Theory” star Mayim Bialik have been named the hosts of the long-running game show.? Richards will be the full-time host of the weekday syndicated version of the show, while Bialik will host special primetime editions. ?“We took this decision incredibly seriously. A tremendous amount of work and deliberation has gone into it, perhaps more than has ever gone into the selection of hosts for a show – deservedly so because it’s ‘Jeopardy!’ and we are following the incomparable Alex Trebek,” Ravi Ahuja, Chairman of Sony Pictures added. Journalist and activist Shaun King on Wednesday announced his plans to start a new fashion company and offered his millions of Instagram followers the chance to buy exclusive merchandise when it officially launches next month. But even though King said the fashion company had been something that had been in the works for a while now, the announcement was immediately met with skepticism as a chorus of people calling the endeavor a “scam” rippled across social media timelines. Without providing an image to show what the t-shirts and hoodies King was advertising might look like, he asked his nearly 4 million followers to also follow the new Instagram account of the new fashion company, A Real One, which is scheduled to debut on Sept. 8. Respect” hits theaters on Friday, and anticipation for the large-scale biopic of Aretha Franklin’s life is high. From the fabulous furs Aretha was known to wear to the songs that shifted the culture and the talented ensemble cast, we have high hopes for the musical drama. The cast of “Respect” consists of extraordinary actors and actresses. Academy Award-winner singer-turned-actress Jennifer Hudson plays Aretha Franklin herself. If you’ve followed Jennifer’s career, you would know that it stands on the foundation of Aretha’s work. Jennifer has expressed many times how obsessed she is with Aretha Franklin and to play the Queen of Soul in a movie will probably be one of the highlights of her career. Also starring in Respect is Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, and Mary J. Blige to name a few. I got the exciting chance to chat with Marlon Wayans on his crucial role as Aretha’s first husband and manager, Ted White. As portrayed in the film, Ted White was an abusive and controlling man who wanted to dictate Aretha’s career – and this is a far cry from the comedic roles Marlon is known for playing. As music festivals, concerts and other large gatherings planned for the fall begin to get canceled over concerns about the COVID-19 delta variant spreading, the infamous FreakNik event is still expected to go on as scheduled in Atlanta. The annual gathering that invites historically Black college and university (HBCU) students to party in Atlanta over the course of several days rose in popularity — and notoriety — in the 1990s and quickly gained a reputation for its salacious revelers whose exploits correlated with the derivative of the event’s name (even though “freak” is supposed to be an acronym for “fearlessly reliving & embracing Atlanta’s kulture”). As of Wednesday, tickets remained on sale for this year’s FreakNik, which is scheduled to be held on the campus of Morris Brown College — an HBCU — from Oct. 8 to 10. August 12, 2021 - The season finale of CLEO TV's popular home design series LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ concludes with an amazing episode this Saturday, August 14th at 9 p.m. ET/8C. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcHqPiIuvfo Chicago Police officers gave Mayor Lori Lightfoot the cold shoulder when she approached them in a hospital following the shooting of two officers on Saturday night. About 30 Chicago police officers reportedly turned their backs on Lightfoot when she stepped off the elevator to greet them at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The CPD is grieving the loss of Officer Ella French, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Saturday night. Her partner was critically injured and he continues to fight for his life at the hospital. When Lightfoot approached the officers on the 7th floor of the hospital hours after the shooting, they “did the about-face,” the Chicago Sun-Times reports. “It looked like it had been choreographed,” a source told the newspaper. Senator Cory Booker jolted everyone awake on the Senate floor Tuesday when he literally shouted a deliberately over-the-top endorsement of a GOP proposal against defunding the police, attempting to “put to bed” their insistence that all Democrats want to abolish all police departments. He then urged his fellow senators to “sashay” down to vote for Tuberville’s non-binding amendment, which will “put to rest the lies.” He added that he was “sure I will see no political ads attacking anybody here over defund the police.” Booker continued: “I would ask unanimous consent to add something else to this obvious bill. Can we add also that every senator here wants to defund the police, believes in God, country and apple pie?” https://twitter.com/i/status/1425248064177115137 Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones has made clear that she is not down with a tech startup firm that is financially backed by Jay-Z and Will Smith. Landis Technologies, founded by Cyril Berdugo and Tom Petit, aims to help low-income renters own a home. Bloomberg writes, “The company purchases a house and rents it to the client until they can qualify for a mortgage. The client can buy it back at a predetermined price up to two years after the initial acquisition.” Hannah-Jones views the startup firm as “predatory.” “Credit counseling is not what will take low-income renters to homeowners, wealth will,” Hannah-Jones said in a tweet posted earlier this month. She added, “All this program does is charge struggling people additional fees for being poor, which is what every other predatory lender does.” The family of the Brooklyn mother who was killed by a female shooter in a heinous act that was caught-on-video says the murderer was a family friend. A NYC surveillance video shows the disturbing footage of the victim being executed on a crowded street in Crown Heights. A woman quickly approached the victim, identified as Delia Johnson, and then shot her in the back of the head and again in her leg as she collapsed. The shooter quickly ran for cover and left the scene in a white SUV. Police believe the murder was premeditated, as an unreleased extended video shows the suspect hanging around the area long before the shooting and her being handed something by a male behind her back before Delia’s slaying. Reverend Al Sharpton has revealed that top Democrats in New York have hit him up about running for governor in 2022 amid Governor Andrew Cuomo’s sexual misconduct controversy. “It’s going to be very difficult for the governor to stay in, and I think it’s going to open up the primary season early,” Sharpton told The New York Times. According to the report, Sharpton has been approached by associates of state Attorney General Letitia James, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Rep. Thomas Suozzi to run in next year’s race. Cuomo will leave office on August 24, 2021. https://youtu.be/79jy3hJmv9A Incarcerated rapper Corey Miller — known as C-Murder — has added civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump to his legal team. Miller is serving life in prison for the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Steve Thomas in 2009. He appealed after one of the jurors, Mary Jacob, revealed she (and other jurors) received “brutal” pressure to vote guilty. But his murder conviction was upheld by the court. Kenneth Jordan, a key witness in trial, filed a sworn affidavit, in 2018 stating, “I know the individual that I saw shoot the gun was not Corey Miller.” Jordan says Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives pressured him to lie under oath, or else he would face a 10-year sentence on unrelated criminal charges. Kenya Moore has officially filed for divorce from Marc Daly after years of trying to make her long-distance marriage work. The “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star, 50, filed to end her marriage in Fulton County, Georgia, in May, PEOPLE reports. In the filing, Moore said that the marriage is “irretrievably broken” and that she and Daly had been living in a “bonafide state of separation” since September 2019, according to court documents obtained by Radar Online. Moore wants sole physical and legal custody of their daughter 2-year-old Brooklyn. The reality star also claimed “the parties have acquired other joint personal property as a result of their marriage by way of gifts or joint purchases which must be equitably divided as well as marital debt which must be equitably divided,” per Radar. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine, showed reporters his reaction to finding out that he caught the deadly virus twice in eight months. He also revealed that his stance on the vaccine has not changed, and that he’s still researching the particulars. “I just got off the COVID list,” Jackson said after Monday’s practice when asked if he would get the vaccine. “I got to talk to my team about this and see how they feel about it. Keep learning as much as I can about it. We’ll go from there.” Does that mean he’s thinking about getting vaccinated? “We’ll see,” Jackson said. “Talking to the doctors. We’ll see.” Los Angeles Clippers have officially announced the signing of rookie guard Brandon Boston Jr. Boston has signed his first professional contract, which is reportedly a two-year deal worth $2.5 of guaranteed money, as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal also includes a third-year team option. Boston inking a guaranteed second-round deal is huge, as these deals typically have very little guaranteed money, if any at all. It appears that the cancel culture movement has decided DaBaby’s career is over after he went on a homophobic rant at Rolling Loud music festival in Miami last month. After being dropped from a series of festivals, the rapper Jonathan Kirk, issued a formal apology to the LGBTQ community that he posted to his IG page last week –now that statement had been deleted. DaBaby caught major heat after spewing anti-HIV and anti-LGBT+ comments, causing him to lose lucrative gigs including the Governors Ball, Parklife, Day N Vegas, ACL Fest, and the iHeartRadio Music Festival, among others. The beloved Chadwick Boseman, whose untimely death left his fans devastated, will be heard in his last performance as Black Panther (T’Challa) beginning August 11 on Disney+. Boseman’s final performance as T’Challa can be seen in Marvel Studios’ animated series “What If…?”, directed by Bryan Andrews. Boseman recorded his lines for the series before his passing last year. He was among the first actors to sign onto the series featuring the voices of more than 50 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) cast members. https://youtu.be/x9D0uUKJ5KI Lizzo briefly ditched her music career and turned into an extreme exhibitionist during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it seems she’s ready to return to her roots. Lizzo briefly ditched her music career and turned into an extreme exhibitionist during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it seems she’s ready to return to her roots. https://youtu.be/omLfVJ_GemU Due to the COVID pandemic, the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame Foundation will not host a live induction ceremony honoring its 2021 class. In a statement, Founder/CEO LaMont Robinson said, “the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame will replace the live annual induction ceremony with a special online salute posthumously honoring 21 R&B Music Icons on its official website @ www.rbhof.com.” The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame 21 Inductees For The Class of 2021: Luther Vandross-Singer , Natalie Cole-Singer , Barry White-Singer, Bobby “Blue” Bland-Blues Singer, Ben E. King-Singer, Teddy Pendergrass-Singer, Billy Stewart-Singer, Percy Sledge-Singer, Norman Whitfield-Songwriter Producer, Danny Ray-MC, Johnny Lee Hooker-Blues Singer, Lou Rawls-Singer, Nina Simone-Singer, Dobie Gray-Singer, Donny Hathaway-Singer, Big Joe Turner-Singer, Little Walter-Blues Musician, Johnny “Guitar” Watson-Singer, Donna Summer-Singer, Dewey Phillips-Radio Personality and Harold Leonard-Radio Personality. The drama between Erica Mena and Safaree Samuels doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon. Safaree Samuels filed legal documents back in May alleging that Erica Mena damaged numerous expensive items while in a fit of rage. Safaree Samuels claims Erica Mena destroyed $30,000 worth of custom sneakers when she was 8 months pregnant with their second child together. Additionally, he says she severely damaged three of his motorbikes by pouring paint all over them–including within the exhaust pipes. As a result, he wants her to reimburse him about $50,000. An all-new episode of WE tv’s new series “Brat Loves Judy” returns this week with Da rat and Judy visiting Judy’s new warehouse! Elsewhere in the week’s episode, Brat and Judy’s relationship begins to crack when Brat’s friends Montana and Rhonda face divorce. Brat plans a surprise, and Judy drops a bomb that Deja’s moving in. With a secret proposal underway, Judy worries she bit off more than she can chew. https://youtu.be/BlpyFe35GtI Carl Black (Mike Epps) is about to face off with the neighbor from hell (Katt Williams) in The House Next Door. Carl has only ever wanted the best for his family, but after surviving the events that led to his (not-so-)bestselling book, he’s moving everyone to his childhood home, where’s he’ll contend not only with his wife Lorene (Zulay Henao) and kids Allie (Bresha Webb) and Carl Jr. (Alex Henderson) but everyone who drives him crazy: Cronut (Lil Duval), Freezee (Andrew Bachelor), Rico (Tyrin Turner), and an entire neighborhood of characters who seem to attract strange activity after dark. And nothing could be freakier than his new neighbor Dr. Mamuwalde (Williams), who may or may not be a vampire. From co-writer/director Deon Taylor (Fatale, The Intruder), as the Meet the Blacks universe expands, it will be up to Carl to figure out what his neighbor is up to in the middle of the night before it’s too late for him and his family. https://youtu.be/hb8rhSzSxRs Hulu has dropped the first trailer for the upcoming drama “Dopesick,” which deep dives into America’s opioid epidemic. Michael Keaton stars in the series, and also serves as executive producer. The teaser trailer premiered Friday during the Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour. As reported by PEOPLE, the eight-episode miniseries, created by Danny Strong, is based on the book “Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1423738839634485253 Batman’s sidekick Tim Drake, aka Robin, came out as bisexual in the latest comic series, “Batman: Urban Legends,” and DC Comics fans are celebrating online. As Yahoo News notes, Drake first appeared in comics in 1989 and is the third character to assume the role of Batman’s partner Robin. Although the character has been shown dating women before, in the sixth installment of the comic book that dropped Tuesday, it was confirmed that he is also open to dating men. The story ended with Tim saying yes to going on a date with a guy named Bernard Dowd. Following the big news, fans took to social media to react. One comic fan wrote, “Crazy thing, I saw Tim DRAKE coming out, years ago.. congrats to DC for making it a reality.” Socialites, are you here for this too? Idris Elba will be joining the Sonic The Hedgehog film sequel as he is listed to play Knuckles. Knuckles, the red Echidna who guarded the Master Emerald in the video games franchise, will be joining Sonic on a new adventure in the film’s sequel. The news was officially confirmed by Elba on an Instagram post with a picture of Knuckle’s infamous spiked glove with the caption “Knock Knock… #SonicMovie2 #Knuckles.” According to Deadline, Elba will be joining as the latest cast member to the film with Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz,James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally, and Natasha Rothwell. The film is expected to be released on April 20, 2022. Quentin Tarantino made a childhood promise to himself that once he made it big in Hollywood, he wouldn’t give a penny of his fortune to his mother. Speaking to The Moment podcast with “Billions” co-creator Brian Koppelman, the “Pulp Fiction” director noted that his mother tried to crush filmmaking aspirations at a young age, per Yahoo News. Tarantino said he was often reprimanded by teachers for writing scripts in class, and when his mother found out about it, she snapped. “My mom always had a hard time about my scholastic non-ability,” he told Koppelman, adding that his mom “was bitching at me about [writing screenplays]… and then in the middle of her little tirade, she said, ‘Oh, and by the way, this little ‘writing career,’ with the finger quotes and everything. This little ‘writing career’ that you’re doing? That s— is over.'” He continued, “When she said that to me in that sarcastic way, I go, ‘Okay lady, when I become a successful writer, you will never see one penny one from my success. There will be no house for you. There’s no vacation for you, no Elvis Cadillac for mommy. You get nothing. Because you said that.’ “ Tarantino went on to say that the only time he helped his mother out financially was when she got into a jam with the IRS. Heavy flash-flooding after a storm in Omaha, Neb., led to a horrifying moment for one group of people that got stuck in a flooded elevator at the city’s Old Market Lofts. Out of nowhere, water rushed inside, and the three people inside became trapped as the water rose to their necks. Thankfully, they were able to call for help. Some other tenants in the building rushed to their aid, pried the elevator’s door open and let the water rush out. There were no injuries. Tony Luu, one of the three people in the elevator, spoke with Inside Edition about the ordeal. https://youtu.be/r42Lvvx85Xg Lionel Messi joined star-packed Paris St Germain on Tuesday after leaving Barcelona, the club where he had begun and expected to end his career. Paris St.-Germain, the French soccer powerhouse bankrolled by the state of Qatar, has agreed to sign Lionel Messi, the Argentine star who is one of the best players of his or any generation. The agreement, for two seasons plus an option year, comes days after Messi bid a tearful farewell to F.C. Barcelona, the club where he had spent his entire professional career. It concluded a brief and exclusive bidding war for Messi and added unmatched star power to the roster of P.S.G., a superteam that has become a fixture in the late stages of Europe’s Champions League, the world’s richest soccer competition. Omarosa Manigault Newman is set to return to reality TV when she appears on “Big Brother VIP” later this year. Omarosa is allegedly being paid $450,000 for her participation, per The Jasmine Brand. The former Trump aide “will appear at the Big Brother house as an intruder, arriving later than the other contestants,” the outlet writes. Omarosa’s “Big Brother VIP” co-star Caitlyn Jenner is reportedly being paid $500,000 to appear on the popular series. In early 2000, Netflix founders offered to sell the company to Blockbuster for $50 million. The heads of Blockbuster turned them down. Eventually, Netflix triumphed over Blockbuster. Now in 2021, Amazon’s refusal to purchase a Black run digital publishing platform, SMS Novel Interactive, seems to be making a similar mistake. But unlike Blockbuster, Amazon far from the threat of extinction, with the non-move, is quickly becoming more irrelevant in the economic arena of racial equality for Black entrepreneurs. And now some Black authors are considering pulling their books from the platform. Most small businesses now accept that Amazon will always be a competitor to their business. But the savvy owners have sought to make use of the platform by taking advantage of its drop shipping, merchant accounts, and near-instant delivery. But there is a growing segment of small businesses that believe that Amazon could do more as it comes to accepting Black businesses with the goal of racial equality. “I do bands and solo,” said Rock/Pop singer/guitarist Lisa Bouchelle about her solo release “Jump In,” hitting stores August 27, 2021. “It has an empowering and uplifting vibe.” Lisa said the content of “Jump In” says, “Life is not perfect, but will work out.” She added, “I watched that from my parents. They did not have a lot of money, but things worked out. They made lemonade from lemons.” Bouchelle is a veteran musician, acoustic guitar, on the New Jersey circuit. Though considered a Rock/Pop artist Lisa is known for her soulful vocals. As a musician, she has shared the stage with Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Meat Loaf. https://youtu.be/iT6JWzSDJY8 An all-new episode of WE tv’s “Love After Lockup” returns this week with Nicolle getting drinks with her ex Tia. What will she get herself into? Elsewhere in the week’s episode, Nicolle risks all with a sexy night out behind Daonte’s back. Jeff’s spending spree shocks Anissa, but a secret changes everything. Doug’s surprise stuns Rachel. Lisa’s big demand sparks tension with Stan. Ray’s family grills Britney. https://youtu.be/gXxWkHWUakI Halle Berry broke 2 ribs while filming her directorial debut “Bruised,” but refused to halt production. Berry is starring in and making her directorial debut with the project, about a mixed martial arts fighter struggling to rebuild her life, PEOPLE reported. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the film, Berry said the biggest challenge was working with two broken ribs. “[It was] kind of a crazy injury,” said choreographer and stunt coordinator Eric Brown.”But that was just her intensity… Halle’s a special case. I’ve worked with tons of actors, and almost none of them have that kind of work ethic.” https://t.co/t2Ieg3Jpxv?amp=1 Beyoncé shares her struggles with insomnia, dieting, and the importance of mental and physical health for Harper’s Bazaar’s September 2021 issue. “I think like many women, I have felt the pressure of being the backbone of my family and my company and didn’t realize how much that takes a toll on my mental and physical well-being,” she tells the publication. “I have not always made myself a priority.” Bey, who turns 40 next month, continued, “I’ve personally struggled with insomnia from touring for more than half of my life. Years of wear and tear on my muscles from dancing in heels. The stress on my hair and skin, from sprays and dyes to the heat of a curling iron and wearing heavy makeup while sweating on stage.” The global superstar told Harper’s Bazaar that she used to struggle with her body image. Just shortly after Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher admitted they wait until they see “dirt” on their kids before bathing, another big star, Kristen Bell, is also revealing why she too does not bathe her kids regularly. Bell joined her husband Dax Shepard on The View last week, where the couple shared that they’re not big fans of bathing their kids every night. Bell explained that she’s “a big fan of waiting for the stink. Once you catch a whiff, that’s biology’s way of letting you know you need to clean it up. There’s a red flag. Honestly, it’s just bacteria; once you get bacteria you gotta be like, ‘Get in the tub or the shower.’” Shepard told The View hosts that they used to bathe their 6 and 8-year-old daily as part of a nighttime routine, but then that shifted. Brian Courtney Wilson, renowned singer-songwriter, adds to his list of accolades receiving a GMA Dove Award nomination for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year announced today. Wilson earns a nomination this year for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year for his acclaimed album STILL. This is Wilson's sixth GMA Dove Award nomination, and he previously won in 2015 for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year for his breakthrough LP "Worth Fighting For." Fortunately for New York and the nation, Andrew Cuomo is no Donald Trump, even though he tried to be. The bottom line is that on Tuesday, the governor of New York announced plans to resign. That’s something Trump would have never done. “My resignation will be effective in 14 days,” Cuomo said in a livestream. Interestingly, Cuomo’s speech started out with another denial of the allegations against him, but he apologized for offending women with his “outdated” behavior. The governor’s decision to step down comes after independent investigators for the state’s attorney general office found that he sexually harassed multiple female members of his staff. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced her office’s findings last Tuesday. https://youtu.be/79jy3hJmv9A Rumored to be the new Republican dark horse, Sen. Tim Scott could be making a play for the party’s top slot in 2024. According to Politico, GOP mega-donors could be eye-ing Scott as a potential investment. With 2022 midterms around the corner, there’s no guarantee Scott is even considering a presidential run. But the junior Senator from South Carolina is lining up donors that could signal a power play in the future. As much as southern Republicans like to fearmonger about out-of-state liberal money, they have no problem chasing out-of-state donors of their own. Scott reportedly met with Larry Ellison in Hawaii. The billionaire co-founder of Oracle, Ellison, has donated millions to a Super PAC supporting Scott’s interest. Another billionaire donor, Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn, donated $1 million to the Scott Super PAC. News sources are reporting that the baseball fan at a Colorado Rockies game on Sunday accused of repeatedly yelling the N-word to a Black player at-bat was instead actually shouting out the name of the team mascot. It was a strange twist of fate following widespread outrage by everybody from the sports announcers calling the game to viewers alike who all swore they heard the fan say the N-word. Repeated listens to the audio sounds very similar to hearing the N-word. The issue became a top trending topic on Twitter Sunday afternoon after what seemed to be a shameless example of anti-Black racism displayed during a Major League Baseball (MLB) game. It came weeks after MLB’s decision-makers announced the leagues’ new plan to attract more Black players. The incident during the game between the Marlins and the Rockies came in the 9th inning as Brinson was batting at Coors Field in Denver. As a hush fell over the crowd, one voice rose above to repeatedly shout the N-word; or, so what seemed like everybody thought. https://youtu.be/DPSxq37-j7s Critical Race Theory has become a heated topic across the U.S. in the last year. Three states including Oklahoma, Tennessee and Idaho have officially banned the controversial curriculum from public schools. Why is it causing such a stir and what is Critical Race Theory (CRT) anyway? One summer school program is looking to dive deeper into the history of the academic movement. The African American Policy Forum is scheduled to host a five-day course on Critical Race Theory that will feature a number of critical race experts from law, policy, and community organizing backgrounds who will present a foray of different ideas on the topic. The program aims to open up a constructive dialogue on how the movement can help shape a more multi-cultural democracy within the United States social justice system. Leading CRT scholar Kimberle Crenshaw took to Twitter on Thursday to announce her excitement for the course. It’s been a little over a month since news quietly broke of Alexi McCammond rejoining Axios as a national political reporter. And she is making the most of her second act as a political journalist covering the progressive movement and, more broadly, the 2022 midterm election. An internal memo obtained by The Washingtonian framed the re-hiring of McCammond as welcoming a valued colleague back to the team. Axios editor-in-chief Nick Johnston said there were no excusing McCammond’s old tweets but put them in the context of her time at Axios. According to Johnston, the controversial tweets first surfaced in 2019 after McCammond challenged Charles Barkley, saying his misogynistic commentary was not funny. “In response, online trolls dredged up some racist tweets by Lexi from when she was in college,” Johnston explained. “Lexi apologized, in public and in person, during a news meeting, and individually to colleagues. She proved in her words and actions to be a thoughtful colleague.” But those tweets resurfaced again when McCammond was announced as the new head of Teen Vogue amid reports of rising acts of violence against Asians. Only the Teen Vogue staff, Condé Nast management, and McCammond know what happened in those tense moments. Ericka Lotts waited three months for a jury to tell her what she always believed — that her first-born child, Derontae Martin, did not fatally shoot himself at a house party in rural Missouri. On April 25, her son was found unconscious in an attic closet, dead from a gunshot wound to his left temple. Martin was at the home of a white man who has posted racist memes on social media, which NBC News has viewed. Lotts, 37, said authorities concluded the 19-year-old Black man died by suicide and repeatedly told her she was in denial about the nature of her son’s death. Lotts felt publicly vindicated on July 30 after a jury of six ruled during a coroner’s inquest hearing that Martin was killed by violence. “I already knew he was killed violently; it wasn’t a shock to me,” Lotts said last Thursday. “I was just happy they let it be known that somebody needs to speak up and let these people pay for what they did.” A man was sentenced Monday to up to 10 years in prison for shooting into a car full of Black teenage girls following an Iowa rally for then-President Donald Trump, injuring one girl. Michael McKinney, 26, of St. Charles, pleaded guilty in June to intimidation with a dangerous weapon and willful injury in the Dec. 6 shooting after a rally in Des Moines near the state Capitol, reports The Associated Press. https://youtu.be/N5VqLNMOiTo The Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report for July, released last week, showed a continuation of the steady economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for most demographic groups in the U.S.—but not Black teenagers, for whom the unemployment rate increased from 9.3% in June to 13.3% in July. Nationally, 943,000 jobs were added last month, and the unemployment rate declined by 0.5 percentage points, to 5.4%. While July’s job increase is promising, the number of people who are not in the labor force but who currently want a job is at 6.5 million—up from 6.4 million in June and 1.5 million higher than in February 2020. These people are not counted in the unemployment rate because they had not actively looked for work within the last four weeks or were unavailable to take a job. As the recovery continues, we would expect the labor force participation rate to increase. Juvenile justice reform is one of the hottest topics in America today, and no piece of the puzzle is less understood than the work of the professional probation officers who supervise and rehabilitate kids who have lost their way. “In Their Own Words,” an original documentary short, features former probation clients who reflect upon how their probation officers helped to change their lives. The landmark film premiered virtually on July 13, 2021, and it included a panel discussion with former probation clients and the officers who have committed their lives to helping them. https://youtu.be/QQgsiybwQaQ?list=PLEnJPTWSmKAhSituyiV-LBGDCLDIeCem1 Four Virginia State University buildings originally named for white men with ties to the Confederacy and Jim Crow have been renamed for Black women, ending a process of examination that began five months ago when the university took down the original titles. VSU announced the new names on Friday, in the latest move by a Virginia college to rid itself of references to slavery and segregation. Earlier this year, James Madison University and the College of William & Mary chose new names for buildings whose eponyms were supporters of the Confederacy. At the University of Richmond, a committee has been assembled to review the names of two campus buildings that honor an enslaver and a supporter of segregation. The university initially decided to keep the names standing, but protests from faculty and students led UR to revise its decision. When VSU decided it wanted its new names to recognize Black women, it quickly found four worth honoring. The co-founder and senior pastor of the global megachurch Hillsong has been charged by the Australian police with concealing the crimes of his father. Brian Houston, 67, is said to have remained mum about the child sexual abuse carried out by his father, Frank Houston, in the 1970s. Australian police alleged that Houston, who is usually based in Sydney, “knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring that information to the attention of police.” Houston has denied the accusations, and an email statement from his church said: “These charges have come as a shock to me given how transparent I’ve always been about this matter. I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight.” The Grammy® Award nominated gospel act, Anthony Brown & group therAPy, has scored their fourth No. 1 Gospel Airplay hit with the heart-wrenching ballad, “Help” from their digital EP, Stuck in the House: The Pandemic Project. The song tops the chart for the week ending August 14, 2021, and it also holds the top spot on the Mediabase Gospel Airplay charts too. the Gospel Spotlight's Anthony Brown In His Own Words....http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/anthonybrown_intvw.htm Carl “Chucky” Thompson, a music producer who helmed hits for artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige, has died. He was 53. Thompson’s publicist Tamar Juda confirmed the news in a statement to USA TODAY on Monday. She did not disclose his cause of death. “It is with a very heavy heart that I can confirm the passing of Chucky Thompson,” she wrote. “To anyone in his orbit, you know how generous he was with his energy, creativity and love. Both the music industry, and the world has lost a titan.” Audio engineer Gimel Androus Keaton, better known by his stage name Young Guru, mourned Thompson on Instagram Monday. “There is nothing I can write that will take away this pain,” Keaton wrote, along with a photo of him with Thompson. “I have to say RIP to my mentor, my big brother, the man who changed my life forever.” Former America’s Got Talent contestant Nightbirde, who earned a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell before dropping out of the competition show due to her battle with cancer, has updated fans on the ‘devastating’ news she received about her health and her deteriorating condition. Jane Marczewski, who goes by the stage name Nightbirde, amazed the America’s Got Talent judges and viewers alike when she performed a poignant original song for her audition in June — but less than two months later, she stunned everyone again by announcing that she had to quit because her cancer had ‘taken a turn for the worse.’ Now speaking to CNN‘s Chris Cuomo, Marczewski revealed that her liver is now ‘more cancer than liver’ and admitted she’s had a ‘bad, bad month’ since she got the news. https://youtu.be/cWzTmYjZQtE Capturing the story of Kevin Young, Olympian and World Record Holder of the Men’s 400 Meter hurdles for nearly 29 years is quite typical of an American story where a guy from the neighborhood works hard, pushes his limits and becomes a world champ. The 46.78 Olympic record set on August 6, 1992 in Barcelona, Spain, which shattered Edwin Moses’ long standing record of 47.02 has now been shadowed by the outstanding performances of Karsten Warholm from Norway at 45.94, Rai Benjamin from the USA at 46.17 and Alison dos Santos from Brazil at 46.72. Then there was the breaking of the world record on July 1st by Warholm at the Bislettt Stadium in Oslo, Norway when he finished the hurdles event at 46.70. The champion from the USA who has held the throne of the 400 meter hurdles for so long now takes another rank in history. Of course Kevin Young’s story is not an anomaly, records are made to be broken and on August 2nd 2021 during the XXXII Olympiad Warhlom hurdled to victory. This was Kevin Young’s first response: “I had a great run. I have no regrets.” An impromptu moment between a street performer and member of the crowd has gone viral on TikTok with over 2 million views as of Monday morning. The clip begins with a Black musician plucking out a blues tune on guitar, with a white teen standing next to him, awkwardly trying to figure out when to begin singing. “I’m waiting on you,” the musician said before giving him the first line to sing. The teen delivered the line with as much blue-eyed soul as he could muster, shocking the musician and everyone within earshot. https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, August 12 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, experts recount the brutal murder of community activist Shawntray Grant. Various investigators, community leaders and family members provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/embed/2uE2w5TMN7Y TV One’s original, autobiographical series UNCENSORED returns for a star-studded, new season premiering on Sunday, August 29 at 10 PM ET/9C. The edgy, docu-series explores the private lives of some of today's most notable personalities including super producer Swizz Beatz, classically trained actress-singer Loretta Devine, standup comedian-actor Tommy Davidson, Grammy Award-Winning vocalist BeBe Winans, comedian-actress Kym Whitley and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkgilcMbbjA “High on the Hog” has been renewed for a second season at Netflix. Netflix has ordered a second season of “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America,” the critically acclaimed series that celebrates the courage, artistry and resourcefulness of African Americans that helped define the American kitchen. The series is based on the foundational book of the same name by food historian Jessica B. Harris. The first season, now streaming on Netflix is a four-part series that travels to Benin, West Africa, as well as around the United States, from South Carolina to Texas, Philadelphia and New York. In doing so, the show reveals stories behind the food of the African American table and its relationship to Black history. Sommelier Stephen Satterfield hosts. Shelly Bell’s company was hatched in an ordinary home in southeast Washington, D.C., five years ago, when friends contemplated the lack of opportunity and access for Black female entrepreneurs. After deciding to pitch ideas for businesses to one another, they threw their cash in a pot and voted for the winning idea by placing marbles in coffee mugs. Black Girl Ventures was the winner that evening, and it has been supporting business enterprises by Black women with money, resources, community connections and other means to launch and succeed. On Friday, Bell’s company was on the receiving end, as it was among 22 organizations that split $6 million in grants from the NBA Foundation, started a year ago to support businesses that focus on creating jobs and driving economic empowerment for Black youth and business owners. “This is a situation where the NBA is putting its money where its mouth is,” said Bell, whose company funds and assists businesses owned by Black women that have generated under $1 million. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. plans to invest $100 million into Black and African American communities in an effort to address inequality and the racial wealth gap. Northwestern Mutual said Tuesday it has created a new $100 million impact investing fund through its initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. The new fund will direct investments in the Milwaukee area and nationally with a focus on three areas: physical and social infrastructure, access to capital for individuals and businesses, and healthy sustainable neighborhoods and communities. The idea is to use the company’s investment expertise and scale to address inequality, said Ray Manista, executive vice president and chief legal and compliance officer at Northwestern Mutual. “We don’t believe that impact investing and positive returns for our policy owners are mutually exclusive,” Manista said. “We believe that those things can coexist.” “Bear with me. I’ll be with you in a minute,” Sharon Freshwater, co-owner of Freshwaters Restaurant, said as new customers walked through the door. As a pandemic-related labor shortage drags on, Freshwater and her husband, Cliff Freshwater, are working as a two-person staff to keep their business afloat. While Sharon serves customers in the dining room, her husband cooks food in the kitchen. At Lulu’s Maryland Style Chicken and Seafood, known for its signature crab cakes, co-owner Joseph “Jay” Davis is wrestling with another pandemic-related problem — sporadic shortages of meat. “We don’t have a lot of what our most recognizable dishes are because we don’t know when crab meat is going to come in and when we are going to have it,” he said. In addition to struggling with food and labor shortages, some owners, like Sharon and Cliff Freshwater, said customers have been slow to return. The longtime leader of Utah’s most prominent Black Lives Matter group resigned Sunday and has moved to another state because of death threats. Lex Scott began protesting as part of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2014, after Michael Brown was killed by police in Ferguson, Mo. She helped bring that movement to Utah, she said in an emotional goodbye video on a Black Lives Matter Facebook page. “I gave it 110 [percent], guys. I gave it 110,” Scott said through tears. “I gave it everything.” But, she said in a statement about her departure, “over the last month you know that I received death threats like a flood.” Scott and her group were targeted after she said the American flag was “symbol of hatred” and anyone who flies it “a racist.” It's one of those buildings we pass by, but don’t necessarily see, history is quietly simmering. “Long time coming,” Minneapolis firefighter Charles Rucker says, emerging from his car in his dress uniform. Rucker joins a dozen other Black firefighters who will walk the halls and climb the old staircases of the building at 45th Street and Hiawatha Avenue. “That’s all original,” the building’s owner, John Bean, repeatedly says during the tour. More than a century has passed since the building the firefighters are seeing for the first time, opened as Minneapolis’ first, and ultimately only, all-Black fire station. https://www.kare11.com/video/features/firefighters-emotional-after-touring-largely-forgotten-all-black-minneapolis-fire-station/89-d6f34568-ac2a-4fe3-837b-d44f42d520e5?jwsource=cl The predominantly Black neighborhood of Black Bottom in Detroit was demolished in the late 1950s to 1960s, later replaced with the Lafayette Park residential district and Interstate 375. More than half a century after its demise, the neighborhood’s rich history has been immortalized with a new historical marker. “Every long-time family in the city has heard from their parents about Black Bottom, about Paradise Valley, about the history of this city and their family. So much of what we have today came this area,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. Shevrin Jones, a Florida state senator who represents South Broward, said a baggage issue Monday resulted in racist treatment from a Delta Air Lines employee at Orlando International Airport. Jones, a Democrat, is Black. He said the Delta employee is white. “So, here’s my thing: I try my best not to automatically jump to the extreme of calling anybody a racist or all that other stuff,” Jones said Monday afternoon in a telephone interview. “But the unfortunate part here is given the nature of how she responded to me at the moment, it was blatant,” Jones said. “No one should be treated in that manner. Nobody.” Jones posted about the incident on Twitter. He said he didn’t have any video or pictures of what transpired, though he said in hindsight he “should have recorded” what was occurring. He said a Delta supervisor, after hearing his explanation of what happened, apologized. “The supervisor put her head down and said, ‘Oh my God. Unbelievable.’” Paul McLemore’s phone rang at about 2 a.m. on July 14, 1967, jolting him and his wife from sleep. A voice tore through the line: You’re going to Newark. Bring your riot gear. A few hours later, McLemore, the first Black state trooper in New Jersey history, was crammed into the back of a black-and-white, charging up the New Jersey Turnpike in a convoy of police cruisers carrying men who meant to end the chaos that had engulfed the state’s largest city. The other troopers — all white — were giddy with excitement, he recalled decades later. They thought they were heading to war. McLemore felt something else as he gazed out the window and watched an orange glow rise from the torched city, a modern Troy along the Passaic River. Fear. “I was saying to myself, ‘Oh [expletive], what are we getting into here?” McLemore said. “I was praying.” That was just over 54 years ago. But McLemore, now an 83-year-old retired municipal judge, can recall every minute of the Brick City odyssey that changed his life. When he finally returned to his West Trenton home 10 days later — “dirty, stinking, unshaven and angry” — he was irrevocably changed. The Denver Broncos have named their season-long diversity coaching internship the Marlin Briscoe Diversity Coaching Fellowship, the team announced Tuesday. “I feel very humbled,” Briscoe said. “It’s a great honor to be recognized after all these years.” Briscoe made pro football history in 1968 when he became the first Black quarterback in the Super Bowl era. Nicknamed “the Magician,” Briscoe was drafted in the 14th round by the Broncos and switched positions from defensive back to quarterback where he played 11 games that season. In five starts he threw for 1,589 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for 308 yards and three touchdowns. After his only season with the Broncos, Briscoe went on to play eight seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver with Buffalo, Miami, Detroit, New England and San Diego. He won two Super Bowls with the Dolphins, including being a part of the 1972 Dolphins team which finished with perfect 17-0 record. The Senate dropped a Saturday surprise by confirming Eunice Lee to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Confirmed in a 50-47 vote, Lee will be the second Black woman to serve on the court. She is also the first former federal public defender to join the roster of judges. According to Ballotpedia, approximately two dozen judges await advancement in the nomination process ranging from initial hearing to full Senate vote. Often, the excitement of a candidate stops at the historic nature of a nomination. But as a federal public defender from New York, Lee brings a rich perspective to the bench along with needed representation. One of 11 women referenced in New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ report alleging New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and violated state and federal law, revealed her identity Monday in an interview with “CBS This Morning.” https://youtu.be/SbqHaVEP_ss Students at Virginia State University have officially joined a wave of other HBCU scholars who have had their student debt cleared. The Petersburg-based university announced it would cover outstanding balances for students who enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The debt elimination effort was financed through the CARES Act. For scholars who attended the institution during 2020 and spring 2021, all debt owed to the school will be erased. Donald Palm, Ph.D., who serves as Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, says the effort will play a pivotal role in shaping their financial futures. He also mentioned students should be solely focused on learning without feeling the burden of unaffordability. “We care about our students and their academic success and want to provide them the privilege of moving forward with a zero balance,” he said in a statement. “We believe that relieving them from these balances will provide much-needed relief that will allow our scholars to focus more intently on their academics and degree completion.” August marks the birthday of Marcus Garvey, known as one of history’s, most prolific Black leaders. In the early 1900s, Garvey called for the unification of the African diaspora and the financial independence of Black people worldwide. This month, in memory of Marcus Garvey, “The Black Power Hour” hosted by Black Power attorney Nkechi Taifa, celebrates Garvey’s influence over the culture at large. In this exciting episode of “The Black Power Hour,” viewers are treated to insightful repartee from a contingent of ‘Garveyites’ demanding justice for Marcus Garvey. Many believe the patriot who cried out against the systemic inequalities and atrocities Black people suffered at the hands of white Americans and Europeans, was unfairly targeted by J. Edgar Hoover’s predecessor FBI. https://youtu.be/R-XjloOKl60 The University of Wisconsin is getting rid of the 70-ton boulder from its Madison campus at the request of Black students who view the rock as a symbol of racism. According to a news release from UW spokesperson Meredith McGlone, Chamberlin Rock is a two-billion year-old glacial erratic, rare in nature. It’s named after Thomas Crowder Chamberlin, a geologist who worked as university president from 1887 to 1892. According to ABC News, Chamberlain Rock was referred to in the 1920’s, by a derogatory term for black people. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the term “n***erhead” was commonly used in that era to describe any large dark rock. The Black Student Union called for the rock to be removed last summer, saying it represents the campus’ racist past. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=269832774481951 The name Alvin Ailey is synonymous with the artful celebration through dance of the struggles and triumphs of Black Life – in America and abroad. The New York-based company and its feverishly busy internationally traveling troupe have successfully walked the tightrope of being a repository of classic pieces that still speak – make that shout – a piercing relevance to now, while also embracing new works that speak to our reminiscent spirt and our vision of the future. https://youtu.be/e14XoL2D99c In Washington D.C., Black residents fill the city’s coffers with fines and fees collected through traffic enforcement. A new analysis from The Washington Post found that 62 percent of all fines were from majority Black neighborhoods with an average median income of less than $50,000. Metro Database Reporter John D. Harden searched through millions of records over a five-year period from 2016 to 2020. According to the report, the disparity remains even through the pandemic period of March 2020 to June 2021. In a Twitter thread, Harden laid out some facts about the cycle of debt that can trap some drivers in the District. Harden’s reporting also illustrates the importance of data in exposing inequality. Data analyzed revealed that two-thirds of drivers ticketed by police since 2019 were Black. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a traffic ticket amnesty program in the Spring, which runs through September. During the amnesty period, the city has waived all additional penalties and fees for drivers who can pay the initial obligation. Bill Bellamy coined the term “booty call” when he was on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, but the 56-year-old comedian says he regrets not trademarking the phrase. “At the time I wasn’t thinking of it like that,” said Bellamy on this week’s episode of PEOPLE in the ’90s, with co-hosts Andrea Lavinthal and Jason Sheeler. “I was just thinking of my joke. I didn’t realize the phrase would catch on to become, like you said, a normal word that people know what it is now. Booty call was just a clever way to say you’re trying to get a girl to come by.” during the interview, Bellamy addressed rumors about his relationship with Janet Jackson. “You have no idea how huge Janet Jackson was in this span of 10 years. And so I am in awe of this stuff, right,” he said. “And I couldn’t believe that she was a fan of me, but it came out awkwardly. Everybody used to be like, ‘What’s going on with Janet and Bill?’ People was doing this when they was watching TV.” “There was an attraction, I’ll be honest with you,” he continue. “There was something. There was something going on. It was weird because it was like she was shy about it but [showed in] her flirty ways that she dug me more than just a little. It was crazy.” The former MTV V-jay said Janet would sometimes invite him out. https://youtu.be/Gc6M79pE4dI Former President Barack Obama just turned 60, and although he and his family had planned a big celebration with supposedly hundreds of people invited, the coronavirus’ Delta variant made them rethink things. Initially, it was reported that high-profile celebrities like George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey were invited to the party on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Even current POTUS Joe Biden was on the guest list, but he reportedly had no plans to attend. Unfortunately, the US has identified a rise in infections for coronavirus, so the Obamas decided to celebrate Barack’s birthday only with close friends and family members. A growing number of right-wing trolls are expressing fake outrage as a stream of photos and videos has been posted to social media following former President Barack Obama’s birthday party on Martha’s Vineyard on Saturday night. One image in particular — a screenshot from a video recorded by singer Erykah Badu — has gone from celebrating Obama’s joy to being politically manipulated in a disingenuous effort to prove a point that simply does not exist — that the party, which hosted hundreds of people, flouted public health guidelines. https://twitter.com/i/status/1424368455680249856 The new MGM film “Respect,” starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, follows the rise of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. The story shows Franklin on a quest for stardom and independence from the controlling men in her life. It starts at the early beginnings of her career as a child singing in her father’s choir to her international superstardom. “It’s important to me for fans to know who Aretha was as a person,” said Hudson. “And definitely, her faith…That was most crucial to me. And for me to personally make sure that was always ever-present throughout the film. No matter what she was going through in her journey, no matter what genre of music she may have been singing, we had to make sure her faith and the gospel were in it through it all.” https://youtu.be/qTtxoz3OIlU The Arkansas Department of Health really filmed a PSA featuring a street “entrepreneur” explaining why hustlers like him need to be vaccinated. Richard Johnson. Get it? Dick Johnson? “You have to understand. I’m a hustler. I’m a legit entrepreneur. I sell things,” he begins. “I come in contact with people all the time. I have to stay safe. I didn’t have the choice but to trust the vaccine,” he continues. “If you live the lifestyle I live and you out here in these streets and you hustlin’. An entrepreneur like me? Why not do it safely?” https://youtu.be/tQh2up5JKow Mexico is suing several U.S.-based gun manufacturers for “actively facilitating the unlawful trafficking of their guns to drug cartels,” NBC News reports. The lawsuit alleges that units of Smith & Wesson, Barrett Firearms, Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Glock Inc, Sturm, Ruger & Co and others knew their business practices had encouraged illegal arms trafficking into Mexico. The lawsuit cites weapons that had entered Mexico used in notorious shootings, noting that Colt’s .38-caliber “Emiliano Zapata 1911” pistol is engraved with the image of the Mexican revolutionary, and is a status symbol coveted by drug cartels. https://youtu.be/5ygAtrcLZr4 An FBI agent in Puerto Rico is reportedly the first Black woman selected to train for the bureau’s SWAT teams. “I’m one of those people where I have a task at hand and I just focus on that task,” she said in the release. “I don’t really think about people looking at me.” https://youtu.be/mdZkmZG3T6I Princeton University is offering a Black Lives Matter class to students that promise to explore the “historical roots and growth of the Black Lives Matter social movement.” “This seminar traces the historical roots and growth of the Black Lives Matter social movement in the United States and comparative global contexts,” the course description said. According to reports, the course will be offered to students starting this Fall semester. The BLM course features readings from former Black Panther member Angela Davis. The course describes the Black Lives Matter movement as being “committed to resisting, unveiling, and undoing histories of state sanctioned violence against Black and Brown bodies.” “The course seeks to document the forms of dispossession that Black Americans face, and offers a critical examination of the prison industrial complex, police brutality, urban poverty, and white supremacy in the US,” the description reads. Tisha Campbell Martin was shopping in her local Ralph’s grocery store in Porter Ranch, California when she came across a bear that was roaming the aisles. She posted video of the little bear on her Instagram page. In the video, a customer says to the bear, “Hi baby.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CSR5GI4FQ4d/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Colorado woman was arrested last week after being caught on video forcing her 5-year-old son into the trunk of her car. The incident reportedly went down Thursday evening in Pueblo, KOAA 5 reports. A bystander filmed Chelsea-Rae Trujillo, 33, seemingly abusing the kid and calls her out on it. The boy cries after being taken out of the trunk and his mother argues with the person filming over her actions. https://youtu.be/9YvV-JM0jc8 Disturbing footage has been released by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department of a rookie’s overdose while examining synthetic Fentanyl. As reported by Complex, the bodycam footage was captured on July 3 and shows Deputy David Faiivae in a parking lot testing a white substance believed to be fentanyl or cocaine. Corporal Scott Crane is heard warning Faiivae to be careful while handling the substance. https://vimeo.com/583169640 The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced that Norman Lear would receive the AAFCA TV Honors’ Legend Award as part of its Special Achievement Honoree class during the 3rd annual affair. Lear is a television pioneer who truly helped change the landscape with such classic series as Maude, All in the Family and One Day At A Time, as well as Good Times, The Jeffersons, and Sanford and Son — Black cast shows that remain epic reminders of the long-lasting impact diversity and inclusion has on the culture at large. The virtual ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 21st at 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET. Tichina Arnold has finally pulled the plug on her marriage following their split in 2016 amid his sex tape scandal. As written by TMZ, according to new legal docs… “The Neighborhood” and “Martin” star filed for divorce from Rico Hines this week, citing irreconcilable differences. Arnold lists the separation date as January 12, 2016 … about 3-and-a-half years after they wed in 2012. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRMJj6cJHN3/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b1796c5d-63c3-4264-af60-532e27610d2d Nick Cannon has reacted to criticism about him fathering seven children with four different women. Appearing on The Breakfast Club on Monday, the 40-year-old was first asked why he had so many kids, before addressing critics who question the number of women with whom he shares them. “I’ve learned so much just from my children. I really just love being around my kids,” he said Monday on The Breakfast Club, as reported by TooFab. “That youthful energy, it feels like you get to relive every time.” When the “different baby mothers” were mentioned, Cannon explained why that doesn’t matter. https://youtu.be/ASzgwsjKh9Q Talib Kweli took to Instagram on Saturday to confirm that hip-hop trio De La Soul finally owns the rights to their music. “Ladies and gentlemen I spoke to @djmaseo from the legendary @wearedelasoul today and it’s official,” Kweli wrote in a post. “After years of being taken advantage by the recording industry in the worst possible ways, De La Soul now owns all the rights to their masters and is in full control of the amazing music they have created. Let’s salute Plugs 1, 2 and 3 for sticking to their guns and showing us that we can all beat the system if we come together as a community. Let’s hear it for black ownership of black art! Congratulations fellas.” Step into the ring every Sunday – Starz is bringing the SmackDown with their new series “Heels!“ The show follows two brothers vying against each other to own their late father’s family-owned wrestling business. The series stars Stephen Amell (“Arrow”) and Alexander Ludwig (“Bad Boys For Life”). https://youtu.be/dKFfSSXavYc BlackFilmandTV editor Wilson Morales secured an exclusive on “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever!“ According to the site, Isaach de Bankolé will be reprising his role as one of the elders from the River Tribe. The Marvel film has started production at Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios and is based off Ryan Coogler’s (director) screenplay co-written with Joe Robert Cole. Also returning are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett. Cast newcomers include Tenoch Huerta and Michaela Coel. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is scheduled for release in the United States on July 8, 2022. Grammy Award-winning singer Tamela Mann released her latest album, Overcomer, this month and said despite her great success in Hollywood and gospel music, her primary goal is to honor God until the day she dies. The singer, who’s also an NAACP Image Award-winning actress, songwriter and producer, birthed her new Tillymann Music album after a trying few years in which she developed her strength and focused on her purpose. It was also the first time Mann used her voice, songwriting and production skills to create an album. Wearing multiple hats, Mann, along with being a gospel singer, is known for her roles in Tyler Perry’s “Assisted Living,” “Madea” plays, films and the hit TV series “Meet The Browns.” She and her husband, David, have been together for over 30 years and often share their love story to inspire others. The couple released their first book and joint album, Us Against the World, in 2018. Mann also recently launched her own successful athleisure apparel line, the Tamela Mann Collection. But despite all of her accomplishments, she wants her work, especially her new album, to draw people closer to faith in God. Hillsong founder Brian Houston says he’s ‘devastated’ by allegations that he concealed his father’s child sex abuse as member of parliament calls him an ‘ungrateful twat’ for flying to Mexico while a 12-year-old girl in his parish took her own life. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/08/08/2313202843353302630/636x382_MP4_2313202843353302630.mp4 The senior pastor of an influential Chicagoland megachurch has tested positive for COVID-19. Dave Dummitt was supposed to preach this weekend at Willow Creek Community Church but had to bow out after receiving a positive COVID test Saturday (August 7). “Just so you know, he is feeling fine, just mild symptoms,” Shawn Williams, pastor of Willow Creek’s South Barrington campus told worshipers, according to a live stream of church services. Dummit, who became Willow Creek’s senior pastor in 2020, was tested for COVID after learning that a family member had tested positive for the virus. He informed church leadership and is now isolating at home, Willow Creek executive pastor Tim Stevens told Religion News Service in an email. The church has informed staff and others who may have had close contact with Dummitt. To everything there's a time and a season and after many years of evolution and change in her life, GRAMMY®, Dove, and Stellar Award-winning singer-songwriter, pastor, and independent recording artist Martha Munizzi, who's known as one of the most respected female voices in gospel music, is set to release her first album in 10 years, Best Days, on Friday, August 27th. Fans can pre-order the project now and receive two songs instantly. Munizzi's current radio single "Fight For Me," which is the 2nd single off of her forthcoming album release continues to gain traction at gospel radio and was the 3rd Most Added song on the gospel airplay format last week. "Fight For Me" is available now on all digital platforms. The Gospel spotlight's Martha Munizzi In Her Own Words....http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/martha_munizzi.intvw.htm When a Black real estate agent glanced out the window of a house he was showing and saw a police officer circling the property with his gun drawn, he was afraid there was a fugitive in the yard. “This is kind of a nice house, but there’s a criminal outside,” Eric Brown said he thought to himself when he saw the officer. At the time, he was giving Roy Thorne and the man’s 15-year-old son, Sammy, a tour of a Wyoming, Michigan, home. “He’s not going to buy this house now,” Brown worried. However, he said he grew less concerned with making a sale and more concerned with staying safe when he noticed a second officer “behind a tree making hand gestures.” https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/wyoming-police-release-video-of-officers-cuffing-realtor/ An #NYC surveillance video shows the disturbing footage of the victim being executed on a crowded street in #CrownHeights. A woman quickly approached the victim, identified as #DeliaJohnson, and then shot her in the back of the head and again in her leg as she collapsed. The shooter quickly ran for cover and left the scene in a white SUV. Police believe the murder was premeditated, as an unreleased extended video shows the suspect hanging around the area long before the shooting and her being handed something by a male behind her back before Delia’s slaying. “She was at a funeral earlier in the evening for an old neighborhood friend to pay her respects, and then this happened,” said Delia’s brother, Mathis Johnson. “It was horrible. That lady executed my sister.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CSSu0GYHu8m/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Families of two men from a South Los Angeles neighborhood blame the reckless actions of the LAPD for their deaths. A local ABC affiliate reported that Auzie Houchins and Ramon Reyes died after the LAPD detonated a large quantity of explosive materials in the neighborhoods. While the two men did not die in the blast itself, family and community accounts suggest the blast’s aftermath combined with being displaced from their homes exacerbated both men’s health. Reyes had possibly been injured during the blast when his roof collapsed on him. Houchins had diabetes, and heart attack was listed among the causes of death. His stepdaughter suggested that the blast and its aftermath strained his health, including being removed from his childhood home and into a hotel without even a kitchen. “I can’t say that the blast contributed to his death,” Marie Staples told KTLA. “But I can certainly say that since he was uprooted from the blast and then went over there, he just was not the same. He was born in that house.” Staples mother Lorna Hairston had been with Houchins for 20 years. Earlier this week she launched a gofundme to raise money for permanent housing and related expenses. On the same day voting rights groups commemorated the 56th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, news broke that some Georgia voters would receive a no-contact notice. WXGA News in middle Georgia reported the notices were the last step before officials label a voter inactive. The outlet reported Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger ordered local agencies to send notices to 185,666 voters. Approximately two hours south of Atlanta, WXGA reported Macon-Bibb County could lose the largest share of voters. Fair Fight Action released a statement alleging targeted voters were disproportionately voters of color. The organization found that approximately 53 percent were voters of color, and 44 percent of all voters receiving such notices were Black. Accused of multiple accounts of sexual harassment, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is doubling down. Days after an independent investigation corroborated evidence supporting the allegations, Cuomo’s attorneys tried to throw shade at the attorney general’s office. During a press conference Friday afternoon, Cuomo’s attorneys accused the New York attorney general and her staff of pursuing an agenda instead of the facts. Fabien Levy, press secretary and senior advisor to the attorney general, responded to the Cuomo team’s claims in a brief statement. Cuomo’s disrespect of women could be seen in his attempt to pass off a picture of New York state senate leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins among the governor’s supporters in his slideshow earlier in the week. Except the Black woman pictured was not Stewart-Cousins. Stewart-Cousins has been steady in her call for Cuomo to resign. Speaking to New York NOW, Stewart-Cousins praised Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, as a temporary replacement for Cuomo. “We understand what’s important,” Stewart-Cousins said. “And what’s important is keeping our focus on making sure that New Yorkers are doing well.” Learning from the eviction moratorium crisis, the Biden administration got a jump on the federal student loan repayment pause. The Department of Education announced this final extension of the repayment pause would extend through January 31, 2022. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona issued a statement explaining the final extension gave “borrowers the time they need to plan for restart and ensure a smooth pathway back to repayment.” Sen. Chuck Schumer joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley in calling for the extension as a stopgap on the way to canceling student loan debt outright. Bobby Bowden, who became one of the winningest college football coaches of all time during his 34 years at Florida State University and helped transform his adopted state into a gridiron powerhouse, liked to recall where it all began: at 13, bedridden with rheumatic fever, listening to news about World War II on the family radio in Birmingham, Ala. “Rommel was a great tactician — he knew how to think in surprises,” Mr. Bowden once said, referring to the World War II German field marshal dubbed “the Desert Fox.” “He could do more with less than any of the great generals. They all demonstrate discipline and that you need reserves so if you’re getting annihilated on one front, you can attack somewhere else.” Analogies between football and battlefields have become cliched, but to Mr. Bowden, who died Aug. 8 at 91, the link was vital and defining part of his Hall of Fame career. Mr. Bowden died at his home in Tallahasse, Fla. His death was announced by Florida State. In July, Mr. Bowden announced that he was terminally ill. His son Terry later told reporters that his father had pancreatic cancer. Co-founding #Kool & TheGang member and saxophonist Dennis #DeeTee Thomas passed away Saturday at the age of 70.? ? No cause of death was announced, only that he passed away in his sleep in New Jersey. Following Thomas’ death, only two of the band’s founding members remain Ronald “Kool” Bell and drummer-keyboardist George Brown.? “An original member of Kool & The Gang, Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back demeanor,” a spokesperson for the group wrote in a statement. “A huge personality while also an extremely private person, Dennis was the alto saxophone player, flutist, percussionist, as well as master of ceremonies at the band’s shows.” Thomas also served as stylist for the group, according to the announcement. He was also tasked with keeping watch of the band’s earnings, carrying them around in a bag stored in the bell of his horn.? SHOWTIME® has released a trailer for BITCHIN’: THE SOUND AND FURY OF RICK JAMES, directed by Emmy®-nominee Sacha Jenkins. BITCHIN’ is an intimate yet propulsive look at Rick James, one of rock, funk and R&B’s most legendary and often underappreciated figures. Featuring rare footage of James’ incredible live shows, never-before-seen home video, original interviews with legendary artists, collaborators and friends, and a treasure trove of recorded interviews with James (who died in 2004), the documentary presents a full picture of James’ dramatic rise and fall, focusing in on the “Punk-Funk” music he left behind. The film, which screened at the Tribeca Festival® in June, will premiere on Friday, September 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. https://youtu.be/YV0tMF9Ue8g Sanaa Lathan has been sober for three years and she’s now opening up about what made her put the bottle down. While speaking with PEOPLE Magazine, the veteran Hollywood actress who is beloved for roles in The Best Man and Love & Basketball but was also strangely accused of biting Beyoncé in 2018, explained that she simply wanted to prioritize her mental and physical wellbeing. “I stopped drinking about three years ago,” Lathan said. “Alcohol was not going well with me physically. Just, it was not working anymore. It affects everything, and that’s part of the reason why I stopped, because even if you’re going out a couple of times a week and you’re drinking, it was starting to affect me throughout the week. It wouldn’t be necessarily a hangover, but it definitely dimmed my energy. I didn’t feel as good. It was affecting anxiety.” She added, “You don’t realize how over time it gets your brain out of balance as well.” About 30 kilometres into the men's marathon in Sapporo on Sunday, Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge pulled away from the pack and began running his own race, chasing immortality. Kipchoge looked like a man determined to run towards his legacy of greatness. He took a peek behind him at one point and there was no one there. He was all alone - the greatest marathon runner in history and one of the greatest Olympians. "I wanted to create a space to show the world that this is a beautiful race," Kipchoge said after winning gold. Holy Land Experience Ministries Inc., a 14-acre entity on Vineland Road just off I-4 in Orlando, Florida, and related to California-based theme park operator and landowner Trinity Broadcasting Network, has been sold to Central Florida health care giant AdventHealth for $32 million, according to documents filed by Orange County, Florida. WFTV.com in Orlando reported that the deal closed Aug. 2. Orlandoweekly.com reported that the properties, at the time of the sale, had an assessed value of $70.6 million. Bible-based theme park The Holy Land Experience closed early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened for two days in April for free admission days, but has been closed ever since. Vashti Cunningham tied for sixth in the Olympic women’s high jump Saturday, clearing 1.96 meters (6 feet, 4.3 inches). The 23-year-old has become a world-class jumper, winning national championships and an indoor world title. She’s coached by her father, former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, who is also senior pastor for Remnant Ministries in Las Vegas. Randall was known for his unique, elusive skills that earned him two league MVPs during his 16-year career. Darnelle Beckford was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 2 and has been fighting the disease’s effects all his life. How he’s choosing to deal with it can serve as an inspiration to others. He refuses to let the seizure-causing malady beat him. Setting his sights on graduating from college — and going in with a bit of a chip on his shoulder — Beckford surpassed even his doctors’ expectations. He made Berkeley College’s Dean’s List last year. And earlier this year, he released an inspirational and motivational book “Let’s Be Realistic: Battling Epilepsy and Other Limitations,” which details how he coped with the numerous doctor visits and overload of medications following his diagnosis. Keith "Wonderboy" Johnson returns with "It Was You." https://rgmc-impact.disco.ac/playlist-new/8287283?date=20210806&user_id=885555&signature=hhfls00oAz7zUyoqiyKQBRFggpM%3Ap2ZttHAY James Johnson is an award winning singer and songwriter and AGREE is the song that makes a statement on believing in the power of God in spite of the odds. James delivers a powerful Gospel message based on his own life experiences to encourage and uplift the hearts and minds of people everywhere to trust God and AGREE with what the Word of God has already said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYQXJvjp7e4 Rumors have been swirling about Michael B. Jordan developing a new Superman project in which he was also supposed to star for quite sometime now. Initially things were so vague that nobody knew what to make of it. Now things are beginning to come into focus just a bit more. The HBO Max project will be based, not on the familiar Kal-El, but on Val-Zod. Like the familiar Kal-El and cousin Kara-El, aka Supergirl, Val-Zod comes to earth from a doomed Krypton. He is in hiding for his entire life until he is drawn out to fight a Superman who’d been brainwashed. https://etcanada.com/embed/rd/2e7966e0-81cf-11eb-afa2-0242ac110006/?jwsource=cl On Thursday, August 5, Nas released his King’s Disease II album–almost a full year following his release of King’s Disease. Despite dropping the entire album, fans immediately gravitated towards the album’s ninth track, “Nobody”–and for good reason, too! Lauryn Hill was actually featured on the song, and many listeners were excited to hear her rap alongside Nas. While her entire verse on the track is being well-received, many appear to be focusing on a specific few lines. Some of Lauryn Hill‘s most talked about lyrics on “Nobody” appear to be: “Now let me give it to you balanced and with clarity. I don’t need to turn myself into a parody. I don’t–I don’t do the shit you do for popularity. They clearly didn’t understand when I said “I Get Out” apparently. My awareness like Keanu in The Matrix. I’m savin’ souls and y’all complainin’ ’bout my lateness. Now it’s illegal for someone to walk in greatness.” Last month, the United States Senate passed made it official with a resolution announcing August 11 as National Hip Hop Celebration Day, which also made August “Hip Hop Recognition Month” and November “Hip Hop History Month,” reports Uproxx. The news recently broke via a tweet from the official page of Senate Periodicals. The vote was unanimous. This is the very first time the U.S. Senate has recognized Hip-Hop in any manner. The origins of Hip-Hop can be traced back to August 11, 1973 when DJ Kool Herc, then known as Clive Campbell, through a back to school party along with his sister, Cindy Campbell at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx. “I’m just in this space in life that I’m the happiest I’ve ever been and I give all praise to God,” said Lea (Leanetta) Robinson about her new R&B single “Blessed.” “Everything I’ve prayed for is coming true. I’m so grateful and blessed.” Lea was also a reality show personality on Bravo TV’s “First Family of Hip-Hop” and is the granddaughter to Sylvia Robinson (“Love is Strange”). Sylvia is credited for producing “Rapper’s Delight,” the first successful rap record in 1979 for the Sugar Hill Gang, which made Hip-Hop commercially valuable. Sylvia then launched Sugar Hill Records with her husband Joe Robinson, and signed Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (“The Message”). The single “Blessed” simplifies writer, producer and engineer Lea Robinson’s realization of that legacy created and nurtured by her grandmother. “When I was younger I didn’t know this was my family. Touring was a normal life,” she said. “I’m just seeing now how many people they (Sugar Hill Records) have effected. I’ve come full circle.” https://youtu.be/t7-qf34JkkE Isis Djata is an exceptional woman. Now, saying a Black woman is exceptional is akin to calling water wet these days. But we’ll give you the rundown nonetheless. Djata is considered something of a phenomenon after joining Clubhouse, a social media audio app, back in December. Now she has over 60,000 followers-reportedly gaining a following of 40,000 plus in only eight weeks, by joining rooms and engaging in conversations with others.She was also able to use her Clubhouse account to grow her other social media accounts, such as Instagram. “When I first started going into rooms, I sat in the audience and listened,” Djata told Entrepreneur magazine. “Then, I slowly started getting on the stage and becoming active in conversations.” NBA superstar and former MVP James Harden is in the midst of filing a lawsuit to get back a $2 million investment, plus promised profits, over a failed boxing tournament that was to put TikTok celebrities versus YouTube celebrities, according to the NY Post. The boxing event was organized by YouTuber Austin McBroom and was dubbed “Social Gloves: Battle of the Platforms.” McBroom was slated to fight TikTok celebrity Bryce Hall as the main event, with social media personalities Tayler Holden, Vinnie Hacker and Deji getting in the ring. There were also performances by DJ Khaled, Migos and Lil Baby. According to Billboard, the event resulted in a loss of $10 million. O.J. Simpson recently spoke with Tim Graham of TheAthletic.com and revealed why he still has “trouble with L.A” and avoids going there. While claiming his innocence again in the killing of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, which happened 27 years ago, Simpson explained that “people may think this is self-serving, but I might be sitting next to whoever did it. I really don’t know who did this.” Suggesting that the “real” suspect behind the crime may still be out there, the 74-year-old added, “I figured eventually somebody would confess to something, you know? I had one suspect I told my lawyers to look at. I still think he might be involved, but I can’t talk about it.” Amirah O’Neal, daughter of former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal, has decided to leave her father’s alma mater to attend Texas Southern University, but it’s gotta be rough trying to follow in the same footsteps as a parent, especially one as accomplished as Shaq. Earlier this week, Amirah announced via Instagram that she has decided to attend the HBCU in south Texas. “I see the doubt in they faces, they didn’t think I would make it, ????” she wrote in the celebratory post. The 19-year-old freshman attended Crossroads High School for three years and averaged 17 points per game as a junior while earning honors for being a three-time All Gold Coast League, three-time All-CIF Team and a 2019 Maxpreps California All-State Girls Team honorable mention selection. In James Gunn’s superhero action adventure “The Suicide Squad,” it features the “worst Super-Villains, most degenerate delinquents in the DC Comics lineup” (Warner Bros.’ words, not mine) to be assembled for a super-secret, super-shady Task Force X mission. The malcontents are incarcerated at Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the USA. The prisoners will do anything to get out, including taking on a do-or-die assignment to the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. There, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission. Their boss, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and her government techies are in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). https://youtu.be/eg5ciqQzmK0 A simple Google search will reveal that it is a scientific consensus that most men stop growing between the ages of 17 and 20. But, according to 33-year-old rapper Big Sean, he just grew two inches taller, as reported by People. His secret? Well, first off, he didn’t really grow but according to him, going to the chiropractor is why he’s standing taller than ever. According to experts at The Body of Beverly Hills Wellness Center, chiropractors can’t “actually make you a few inches taller,” but that patients “can notice a change in your height after a few sessions.”“The secret lies in the spinal adjustment and posture changes that occur with chiropractic care,” according to The Body of Beverly Hills Wellness center. Whether he realizes it or not, Joe Biden is challenging Republicans to keep the same negative and selective energy they had when President Barack Obama wore a tan suit nearly seven years ago. Biden wore a similarly tan suit on Friday while he delivered an address from the White House in a near mirror of what happened on Aug. 28, 2014, when Obama also addressed the media while wearing a tan suit. Both presidents were conveying important messages to the American public while wearing their tans suits. On Friday, Biden spoke about the economy shortly after the July jobs report was released and hailed as being “strong.” https://youtu.be/WrTf6CaTTc0 R. Kelly is feeling the weight of his ongoing sex trafficking case, both literally and figuratively. One of his lawyers said in court this week that Kelly’s once-heavy pockets have become considerably lighter since he’s been in jail. But, they added, while his pockets have flattened, being behind bars has had the opposite effect on the disgraced singer’s ballooning physique. The two factors are linked because it means not only that Kelly needs to be measured for new clothing to wear during his upcoming trial in New York City, but he also now cannot even afford to pay for court transcripts, his lawyer, Devereaux Cannick, said at a hearing on Tuesday. Cannick said Kelly has run out of money to pay for his remaining legal fees as he hasn’t been able to perform in nearly two years. Accused of multiple accounts of sexual harassment, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is doubling down. Days after an independent investigation corroborated evidence supporting the allegations, Cuomo’s attorneys tried to throw shade at the attorney general’s office. During a press conference Friday afternoon, Cuomo’s attorneys accused the New York attorney general and her staff of pursuing an agenda instead of the facts. Fabien Levy, press secretary and senior advisor to the attorney general, responded to the Cuomo team’s claims in a brief statement. “The independent investigators selected are widely respected professionals, recognized for their legal and investigatory ability,” read the statement. “To attack this investigation and attempt to undermine and politicize this process takes away from the bravery displayed by these women.” New York Attorney General Letitia James and her staff have handled many high-profile investigations in the past year alone. Taking on the NRA, right-wing trolls trying to disenfranchise Black voters, and the NYPD. Pastor George Davis of Impact Church in Jacksonville, Florida Says That in the Last 10 Days, SIX Members of His Church Have Died of the Coronavirus Plague, FOUR of Them Were Under the Age of 35, All of Them Were Healthy, and the Only Thing They Had in Common Was They Were Not Vaccinated. He Also Said That FIFTEEN to TWENTY Members Are Now in the Hospital, Another TEN Are at Home With the Virus and THREE to FIVE Vaccinated Members Also Tested Positive. Now the church is pushing to get as many people vaccinated as possible. https://youtu.be/8DubQ3HYUxQ Two North Texas Hospitals are forced to temporarily close their Emergency Rooms due to the critical Coronavirus plague surge. Pointing to the dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases, two hospital systems on Friday announced the closure of emergency rooms at facilities in Rockwall and Commerce in order to redirect staff to other campuses. The Texas Health hospital system said its north Rockwall ER on Lakeshore Drive would close at midnight Friday. Staff members are being sent to the system’s main campus on Horizon Road to help care for COVID-19 Paige Hilken, wife of pastor Christopher Hilken and with whom she had five children, has died by suicide, North Coast Church pastor Larry Osborne revealed in a sermon broadcast on Sunday. “Hey, North Coast family. I’m sure by now that most of you have heard the terrible news that Paige Hilken, Christopher Hilken’s wife, took her life earlier today,” Osborne announced in a message recorded Saturday, July 31, and published to YouTube the following day. Osborne said Pastor Hilken had taken time off in the past several months “to focus on helping Paige through the sudden onslaught of mental and emotional pain that she was battling.” https://youtu.be/nm58eunZkxs The Rev. Raphael Warnock urged the Progressive National Baptist Convention to keep fighting to protect voting rights as the historically Black denomination held its annual meeting. “If we don’t check what they’re doing in Georgia, they’ll be able to nullify the votes and the voices of the people after they have already been cast,” Warnock, Georgia’s first Black U.S senator, said in a Wednesday (Aug. 4) keynote banquet speech at the virtual 60th annual gathering. “This is the delta variant of Jim Crow voting laws. The only inoculation is federal legislation and the only way that happens is for God’s people to stand up. So thank you, Progressive, for standing up. Thank you for bearing witness to God’s love and God’s justice in the world.” The PNBC is considered the “spiritual home” of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and formed as a breakaway group from the National Baptist Convention in 1961 after the NBC opposed sit-ins and other civil rights protests. Warnock also is pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, a prominent Atlanta church where King once was a co-pastor. A controversial Alabama creationist preacher who recently sued the federal government for half a billion dollars was arrested in late July in a domestic assault case. An arrest warrant dated July 19 alleges that the Rev. Kent Hovind, known as “Dr. Dino,” intentionally threw his estranged wife, Cindi Lincoln, to the ground, causing bodily harm. The same day the arrest warrant was filed, Lincoln also filed a petition for a protective order against Hovind in Conecuh County, Alabama. The petition alleges one of Hovind’s associates threatened Lincoln with a gun in January 2021. The alleged domestic assault occurred in October 2020, according to the petition. Reached by telephone, Hovind, who is out on bail, told Religion News Service he could not comment in detail on the arrest, saying the matter would be resolved in court and that there was “nothing to it.” After speaking with RNS, Hovind streamed a video on YouTube addressing the charges, saying he had been falsely accused. “It’s going to be fine, it’s going to be fine,” he said. “I’m squeaky clean.” Arkadelphia leaders announced plans to build a $2.5 million community park honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “This project may be the most significant addition to making Arkadelphia the community we all have envisioned it could be,” Arkadelphia Mayor Scott Byrd said. The park will feature a quarter-mile walking path with educational kiosks that tell the story of the civil rights movement and the life of King. Kanye West‘s album listening party offered his fans more than just the chance to hear his music. On Thursday night, the 44-year-old rapper held a second listening event for his forthcoming tenth studio album, Donda. During the event, the rapper and Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted a pop-up clinic where attendees were able to get vaccinated. Prior to the event, Mercedes-Benz Stadium announced on Twitter that COVID-19 vaccines would be available to attendees. “We are offering Pfizer vaccines to fans attending tonight’s listening party. Vaccines will be offered in sections 340-347 until 9:30pm,” the venue’s official account wrote. The pop-up vaccination clinic came after West previously voiced his concern over the vaccination rollout in the United States. “It’s so many of our children that are being vaccinated and paralyzed… So when they say the way we’re going to fix COVID is with a vaccine, I’m extremely cautious,” he told Forbes in 2020. “They want to put chips inside of us, they want to do all kinds of things, to make it where we can’t cross the gates of heaven.” Two minors are behind bars after Stuttgart police say they killed a teen boy. According to authorities, Omarion Bones, 18, was shot multiple times. “I’m hurt, I’m sad, I’m angry,” Sherby Fitzpatrick said, who is Bones’ aunt. Fitzpatrick says Bones was found dead in the street early Sunday morning and that this has been the most difficult week of her life. “It’s been rough, one minute you’re ok and then the next minute you’re looking at pictures and it starts all over again,” Fitzpatrick said. Stuttgart police say they have two minors in custody for his death and they are being held without bond in a juvenile correction facility. https://www.kark.com/crime/teen-shot-and-killed-in-stuttgart-weeks-before-heading-to-college/ Turns out that first major championship was just a start for Nelly Korda. Now she’s an Olympic champion, and she left little doubt Saturday about who’s the best in women’s golf. Korda held her nerve during a chaotic chase for medals and a one-hour storm delay at the end, calmly taking two putts from just inside 30 feet for a one-shot victory. The 23-year-old Korda gave the Americans a sweep of gold medals in golf. Xander Schauffele won the men’s competition Sunday. Jessica Korda, Nelly’s 28-year-old sister who posted a 64 for the low score of the final round, ran out to the green, and the sisters hugged and shimmied in celebration. Nelly is the first player, man or woman, to win a major and the Olympic gold medal in the same year. She also won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June and has won three of the past four individual tournaments. The U.S. women’s team dominated the 4×400-meter relay to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, giving Allyson Felix the most medals for any American track athlete ever. Felix ran the second leg along with Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad and Athing Mu to finish in 3 minutes, 16.85 seconds and win by nearly 4 seconds over Poland (3:20.53). Jamaica (3:21.24) took bronze. “For me, I just really came out at peace and I wanted to soak it in completely,” Felix said. Minutes later, the U.S. men also claimed their first gold in a track race at these Games in the final event on the Olympic oval with a victory in the 4×400-meter relay. There were no bad exchanges this time. The U.S. men didn’t reach the final of the 4×100-meter relay, but the 4×400 team of Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon and Rai Benjamin was never really in trouble while completing four laps of the Olympic oval in 2:55.70. It was a fifth gold for the U.S. men in the 4×400 since 1996. Felix’s 11th career Olympic medal broke a tie with Carl Lewis for the U.S. record. Paavo Nurmi of Finland holds the world mark with 12 medals from 1920 to 1928. The U.S. men’s track and field team heard all the criticism back home. Questions about if this is the worst U.S. men’s team of all time and their lack of gold medals. Some even claimed the U.S. runners choked. However, in the last track and field event of the Tokyo Olympics, Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon and Rai Benjamin got redemption in the finale. The men’s 4×400 relay team featuring Cherry, Norman, Deadmon and Benjamin cruised to a relatively comfortable victory to earn a gold medal. Their winning time was a season-best 2:55.70. The gold medal was just the second one earned by the U.S. men’s track and field team in what’s been a frustrating nine days for many of its top athletes. Benjamin placed second in the 400 hurdles despite running a world-record time, Cherry narrowly missed a spot on the podium in the 400 and Norman failed to place in the 400 even though he was a medal favorite coming into the Olympics. Orion Jean is a young man on a mission, sharing the gift of reading with hundreds of thousands of kids. He may be only 10 years old, but the number on his mind is 500,000. That’s how many books the Texas boy hopes will be donated by the end of the month. “I want to be able to share my love of literacy with as many people as possible,” he told CBS News. In 2020, Jean won a student kindness contest where he displayed his own campaign of compassion. “Kindness is a virtue we can all possess. If we are willing to,” he said. “So why not start today. Because right now, it’s what we need more than ever.” Jean told CBS News that winning that content “was really just the catalyst to something so much bigger. It started out as an idea but here we are today, the race to kindness was born.” With his $500 prize, Jean donated toys to a Dallas Children’s hospital. Next, through food drives and partnering with a relief group, he helped collect 100,000 meals for Texas families. There have been more dominant, more talented and more celebrated Team USA squads than the group that came together for the Tokyo Olympics. But no national team has ever overcome as much adversity to win. That will be the lasting memory of this group, and it will be a good one for American basketball as the U.S. men’s team finished with a gold medal after a 87-82 win over France on Saturday. The record books will show it was the fourth consecutive gold for Team USA, but it was hardly routine. As the Americans celebrated after the final buzzer, wrapping themselves in flags and one another in hugs, it wasn’t just because they’d won the biggest prize but because they knew what led up to it. No one had more perspective on it than Kevin Durant, who added a glorious chapter to his Olympic career by scoring 29 points to finish off a brilliant tournament. This was his third gold to go with three NBA titles. A few hours before the game, he agreed to a new $198 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. There are some things track fans are used to: Nobody stops the Jamaican women at these Olympics and the tireless Sifan Hassan is a contender for a medal in every distance race she enters. Other things might take some getting used to: Italy is a sprint power. It now owns the gold medal in the men’s 4×100-meter relay to go with the shocking 100-meter gold that Marcell Jacobs won. The Italian relay team made Jacobs a double Olympic champion Friday, as the country pulled off a stunner to equal Jacobs’ solo triumph five nights earlier. Jacobs ran the second leg of Italy’s 37.5-second trip around the track, and Filippo Tortu outraced Britain’s Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake to the line. Tortu, who was slightly behind at the changeover, dipped first for a .01-second victory. “We are four Ferraris,” Tortu said. The triumph set off a second bout of Italian sprint celebrations on the track at the Olympic Stadium — two more than anyone expected when these Games opened. Gable Steveson is known by many in the wrestling world not just for what he does during a competition, but also for what he does when he wins – and on Friday, he won big. Steveson said he would only do his signature victory move if he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, and win he did. Steveson was seconds away form losing to Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili. But a literal last-second push saw Steveson secure a two-point takedown as the clock ticked down to zero to come from behind and win the gold. Then came the celebration – an epic backflip. Fans of Steveson are no stranger to his trademark victory backflip, but this one was extra special.“Should I gold medal match,” he told NBC Chicago before the Games. “I hope I get to that point. If I wrestle my best, I know I can get there. When and if I can win, put on a good show for America, that flip is coming.” U.S. pole-vaulter Katie Nageotte’s gold medal win on Thursday came after a year full of hurdles. The 30-year-old Ohio native experienced a nasty case of COVID-19 and had to battle through side effects that lasted long after the virus had left her body. Nageotte’s first Olympics were off to a rocky start, as a tight quad muscle impacted her on the runway, causing her to miss two of her three attempts at the opening height — the shortest and thus the easiest to clear. Once she successfully cleared the first height, Nageotte continued to clear the increasingly higher bar until she was the last woman standing after clearing 16 feet, 1 inch. Athletes from the Russian Olympic Committee and Great Britain won silver and bronze, respectively. If this was the last game at a major international tournament for Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd, they sure made it one to remember. Rapinoe scored twice – including the rare olimpico – and Lloyd set the U.S. women’s record for most career Olympic goals as the U.S. women beat Australia 4-3 on Thursday to win the bronze medal at the Tokyo Games. Lloyd’s goals, in stoppage time in the first half and in the 51st, gave her 10 total at the Olympics, passing Abby Wambach. The Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have an agreement. But it’s not in writing. Which means it’s not worth the paper it’s not written on. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports that the Packers have verbally agreed to trade Rodgers if he still wants out after the 2021 season. That said, it’s not in writing; it’s a handshake deal. Both Paul Allen of KFAN and Chris Simms of NBC have said that Rodgers believed the Packers had agreed to trade Rodgers during the most recent offseason, and that the team reneged. If accurate, why trust them again? Throw in the fact that Rodgers’s reworked contract still allows them to pursue $11.5 million in unearned signing bonus money, and the Packers can dig in again, like they did this year. Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III is making a career change after an eight-year career as a pro. Griffin will join ESPN as an NFL and college football analyst on a multi-year contract. He still wants to play in the NFL, but will take on this new role for the time being. Griffin will call a weekly ESPN/ABC college game, and contribute to ESPN’s coverage of the College Football Playoff, Super Bowl and other major events. “Robert has been on our radar for a while and we expect him to make an immediate impact on our college and NFL coverage,” ESPN senior vice president of production Lee Fitting said in a statement. “His knowledge of the game, his fresh-off-the-field insights and his charisma make him uniquely positioned to move into this new role, and we are particularly excited to have him call a big college game every week.” J.R. Richard, a two-time National League strikeout champion with the Houston Astros whose career was cut short in 1980 by a stroke, died Thursday at the age of 71, the team announced. The Astros did not provide further details. In 10 seasons with the Astros, Richard was 107-71 with a 3.15 ERA and 1,493 strikeouts — including 313 in 1979, which stood as the team’s single-season record until Gerrit Cole surpassed it in 2019. He still ranks tied for second in team history for career ERA, third in strikeouts — behind only Nolan Ryan and Roy Oswalt — and fifth in wins and shutouts (19). “Today is a sad day for the Houston Astros as we mourn the loss of one of our franchise icons, J.R. Richard,” the team said in a statement. “J.R. will forever be remembered as an intimidating figure on the mound and as one of the greatest pitchers in club history. He stood shoulder to shoulder with club icons Larry Dierker, Joe Niekro and Nolan Ryan, to form a few of the best rotations in club history.” Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, the La Liga club said on Thursday, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of the deal. Alex Chisolm was already having a good birthday, but it became the best one ever when the person he wanted most to see in the world walked through the door. Chisolm, a disc jockey, was having the normal office birthday celebration, and had to be pressured to even come to work that day instead of taking his birthday off. Why? Because his co-workers had a huge surprise. His son, Petty Officer 2nd Class Zay Chisholm, is stationed Japan, but secretly flew in for his dad’s special day. As Alex’s co-workers were singing “Happy Birthday,” Zay just sauntered into the room without fanfare, causing his dad to do a double take. https://youtu.be/Qy3Ifh2zXWo The cause of death of Fetty Wap’s four-year-old child Lauren Maxwell has been revealed. The child passed away on June 24 from “a fatal cardiac arrhythmia due to complications of congenital cardiac anomalies”, TMZ reports. Lauren had suffered from a heart defect since birth. Her death was only revealed earlier this week. Turquoise Miami, Lauren’s mother, shared the heartbreaking news in an Instagram post on Saturday. “This is my amazing, beautiful, funny, vibrant, loving, talented, smart and hardheaded princess mermaid Aquarius,” she wrote alongside a video of Lauren playing in a swimming pool. She has also asked the public to be “more compassionate” toward Fetty as he deals with the death of his child, Page Six reports. Comedian, actor, producer Deon Cole and an extraordinary newcomer Kelley Kali,star in new film “I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking).” The film drops on BET Her this Saturday (08-07-21). The story follows a recently widowed mother who becomes homeless. She convinces her 8-year-old daughter that they are only camping for fun while working to get them off the streets. Heartwarming and heartbreaking, the must-see original movie delves in to the harsh reality of homelessness amid the COVID-19 epidemic. Kelley wrote, directed, starred in and executive produced the movie along with Cole and Capella Fahoome. https://youtu.be/5DsFvNFL2oc Jennifer Hudson is showing off her dynamic vocals for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the upcoming biopic, “Respect.” “Jennifer Hudson, Audra MacDonald, Titus Burgess – everybody on-set have been on Broadway and are Tony-nominated. I know the power of singing live, so it was important. This is a movie that the songs [were] made — not in the studio — but on set,” director Liesl Tommy told Page Six. “I have done a lot of musicals for Broadway, and I knew the songs needed to be sung live,” Tommy said. Tommy previously said this of Hudson, “Jennifer may be one of the most talented people I’ve ever worked with,” she says. Adding, “we were both so humbled by the task that we just agreed that there would be no ego in the process and that Aretha would be the diva in the room at all times, not us.” “Respect,” is slated to hit theaters nationwide on August 13. A&E Network’s iconic and acclaimed original true crime classic series “Cold Case Files®” and “American Justice®” return this summer exploring shocking stories of cold cases and gripping court room trials. Both produced by Category 6 Media™ group, “Cold Case Files” premieres Friday, August 20 at 9pm ET/PT followed by “American Justice” at 10pm ET/PT. https://youtu.be/8eexPvwLHHQ Justin Bieber has apologized for supporting Morgan Wallen’s album, as well as for the “hurtful racist jokes” he told when he was younger. In a series of Instagram stories, the singer told his fans he was sorry for promoting Wallen’s album, Dangerous: The Double Album, saying he “had no idea” about the incident earlier this year when Wallen used a racial slur. “I had no idea that the guy’s music I posted was recently found saying racist comments,” Bieber wrote, after deleting his post about how he loved Dangerous: The Double Album. “As you know I don’t support or tolerate any sort of racism or discrimination. I had no idea, I sincerely apologize to anyone I offended.” Bieber took the opportunity to reflect on his own failings, including when he was filmed telling racist jokes as a young teenager in videos that leaked in 2014. “When I was a kid, I was incredibly ignorant and said some very hurtful racist jokes that were clearly not funny,” the singer wrote. “I hurt a lot of people especially the Black people in my life but was fortunate enough to have had them educate me on the horrifying origin of the N-word. This brings those painful memories back up, I will always take ownership for my ignorance and my past because I know I am not that person.” Fresh from her role in single-handedly getting the White House to suddenly find a way to extend the eviction moratorium, Missouri’s freshman Congresswoman Cori Bush shifted her attention to the pardon of Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the white St. Louis couple who waved firearms at Black Lives Matter protesters last summer from their front lawn, as they marched through the gated community toward a rally outside the home of Mayor Lyda Krewson. Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson made good on his promise and pardoned the McCloskeys on Tuesday, prompting a fed-up, fiery response from Rep. Bush during an interview on CNN. “It was absolutely unbelievable,” she said. “They pointed their guns totally recklessly to a group of non-violent protesters walking down a street that had no clue that they lived there. Didn’t care that they lived there, didn’t know them, and didn’t want to know them.” https://youtu.be/ZXB4nqoNxPo A Texas appeals court on Thursday upheld the murder conviction of a former Dallas police officer who was sentenced to prison for fatally shooting her neighbor in his home. A panel of three state judges ruled that a Dallas County jury had sufficient evidence to convict Amber Guyger of murder in the 2018 shooting of Botham Jean. The decision by the 5th Texas Court of Appeals in Dallas means Guyger, who turns 33 on Monday, will continue to serve her 10-year prison sentence and largely dashes her hopes of having the 2019 conviction overturned. She will become eligible for parole in 2024, under her current sentence. The ruling comes in a case that drew national attention because of the strange circumstances and because it was one in a string of shootings of Black men by white police officers. Tesla Inc. has paid more than $1 million to a Black former employee who won a ruling that the company failed to stop his supervisors from calling him the “N-word” at the electric-car maker’s Northern California plant. The rare discrimination award by an arbitrator to Melvin Berry, which followed a closed-door proceeding, caps years of complaints from Black workers that Tesla turned a blind eye to the commonplace use of racial slurs on the assembly line and was slow to clean up graffiti with swastikas and other hate symbols scrawled in common areas. It ends a years-long and emotionally grueling fight launched by Berry, who was hired by the company as a materials handler in 2015 and quit less than 18 months later. Berry claimed that when he confronted a supervisor for calling him the “N-word,” he was forced to work longer hours and push a heavier cart. “I hope the world knows that an arbitrator found Tesla treats its employees like this,” Berry, 47, told Bloomberg News in a phone interview Wednesday. He said he’s now taking time off to focus on his mental health as he still hasn’t “gotten over the healing process.” A medical student in Nigeria is speaking out about the day he was horrified to see his friend’s body on the dissection table during anatomy class. The incident occurred seven years ago at the University of Calabar. As reported by Blavity, Enya Egbe was tasked with dissecting a cadaver and one of the three bodies belonged to his friend, Divine. “We used to go clubbing together,” Egbe, 26, told BBC. “There were two bullet holes on the right side of his chest.” Divine’s family had been searching for him after he went missing, according to Egbe. Per the report, Divine and three friends were detained by security agents while walking home after a night out. It was Egbe who contacted the family to inform them of the whereabouts of Devine’s remains. Los Angeles Police Department chief Michel Moore said Tuesday that a use of force investigation is underway into the arrest of New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes. The 6 ft 11 in center was arrested last week in L.A. after an alleged altercation with officers who responded to a report of a domestic dispute, reports Sports Illustrated. The excessive force investigation revolves around “the possibility of force being applied to the suspect’s neck during the use of force in taking him into custody.” During the arrest, Hayes “was complaining of having trouble breathing, saying that he could not breathe,” Moore noted. According to a 37-second cellphone video released Wednesday by TMZ, Hayes appeared to be tased in the chest by police last week. In the video, a friend of Hayes—while holding the camera—says Hayes is choking. “Stop,” the friend says. “Stop. Get your hands off him now. I’ve seen him choking.” Hayes, in turn, told one of the officers, “I want your badge number.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-08-03-080321-jaxson-hayes-v2-1217362/ When LeBron James won his first NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2012, a reporter asked, “How do you feel?” James answered, “It’s about damn time.”hose same words could well have been uttered more recently by Bob “The Greyhound” Dandridge. The former Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Bullets [now Wizards] great had to wait three decades before finally being elected last month to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. His resume was sterling: He won NBA titles in Milwaukee and Washington, and he played with four previous greats whom he helped earn their first or only championships. “It’s a shame that it took 30 years for Bob Dandridge to be voted into the hall of fame,” said Charlie Neal, the longtime signature voice of Historically Black Colleges and Universities sports for Black Entertainment Television (BET) and ESPN. “I’m glad the veterans committee made up for the sportswriters’ mistakes.” https://youtu.be/785Az4n90X4 Cerain Anthony Raekwon Baker, the 21-year-old son of comedian Tony Baker, was killed along with two others in a fiery three-car crash caused by a street race in which he was not a part of in Southern California late Tuesday night. Cerain was in a vehicle along with 20-year-old Jaiden Johnson and 19-year-old Natalee Moghaddam when they were struck by another driver who had been street racing. The silver Volkswagen in which the three were traveling was split in half and they were ejected from the vehicle. Criminal charges may be filed in connection with the crash, according to NBC 4. According to a preliminary report, a driver behind the wheel of a gray Kia was racing with a driver in a black Mercedes Benz when the driver of the silver Volkswagen carrying Baker attempted to make a left turn. That resulted in a vicious collision. It was not immediately reported who was driving the Volkswagen. Urban One is beaming with pride after two of the Black-owned media company’s top talents have received prestigious nominations for awards recognizing their work in radio broadcasting. D.L. Hughley and Rickey Smiley have each been nominated for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year for their eponymous radio shows as part of the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2021 Marconi Radio Awards. “I couldn’t be prouder to announce that two of Reach’s talents. D.L. Hughley and Rickey Smiley are each among the five final nominees selected in Radio for Network Syndicated Personality of the Year,” David Kantor, CEO, Urban One Radio Division & Reach Media, said in a brief statement on Thursday. “This is our industry’s highest honor. Both continue the legacy of my retired co-founder, and previous nominee and winner, Tom Joyner. They are entertaining, engaging, and totally committed to their audiences. Congratulations to both.” The nominees were announced on Wednesday. Smiley won the award back in 2017. Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues built a career shattering stereotypes. Bogues earned the respect of the entire NBA through his tenacity and no-quit high level of play, while standing only 5-foot-3 inches. To this day, he is the shortest player to ever lace up a pair of sneakers in the league. After enjoying a 14-season career of pro-ball, Bogues is now a podcaster, crushing it with fellow former ballers Charles Oakley and Earl Cureton for their “3 League OGs” podcast. Ashley Stroehlein, a sports anchor and reporter in Charlotte, North Carolina, has the task of keeping the trio on track as the moderator. She serves as the perfect balance as the hoopsters chop it up with A-list athletes and celebrities. Disney has unveiled a brief tailor for its Star Wars-themed hotel that will launch next year. Per Complex, the Galactic Starcruiser will be a two-night “adventure” that has been promoted by Disney World as “part live immersive theater, part themed environment, part culinary extravaganza, part real-life role-playing game.” https://youtu.be/D0e8v2G6Lzo High Tales, a video series introduced by Shawn ‘JAY-Z’ Carter’s cannabis brand MONOGRAM, just dropped its season one finale featuring Chika. In this episode, the ‘Best New Artist’ Grammy nominee owns up to some experimentation with photoshop involving Beyonce and Blue Ivy, talks cannabis and social justice, and recalls a time when her blunt was passed around to Wale and Chris Rock while attending the Savage x Fenty 2019 fashion show, earning her the self-proclaimed title: “Facilitator of Vibes.” https://youtu.be/LvsvV-qcT-w Announced today, the 35th annual Miss Black USA Pageant, will be broadcast live on FOX SOUL August 8th, 2021. FOX SOUL is a free streaming platform serving unapologetically black, consumable by all entertainment. Karen Arrington is the Founder and CEO of Miss Black USA, a national scholarship pageant that celebrates the achievements of young women of color through the awarding of scholarships each year. A Black educator in Texas is speaking out about the racist attacks he has experienced over the years. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield penned a lengthy Facebook message on Saturday in which he detailed the day the district asked him to remove an intimate photo from his private Facebook page of James and his white wife. He is also catching heat from colleagues and parents for teaching critical race theory, which unpacks the root causes of racism and inequality in America. Jason Nelson, best-known for his No. 1 gospel ballads “Forever” and “I Am,” will emerge from a three-year recording hiatus on 8/6 with the release of his sixth album, Close. “First, it’s a studio record [his past sets have been live sessions]. Secondly, I delve into music that helped to nurture my sound as a singer. It pays homage to Dawkins & Dawkins, Fred Hammond, Commissioned. The first album I ever purchased was by Jaco Pastorious (a legendary bassist known for his work with jazz fusion band, Weather Report). All of them played a major role in my musical journey.” With hints of Jazz, R&B, and Pop flavors, Nelson is flexing new musical muscles on Close. Joining him for this sonic workout are luminaries such as R&B singer, Chrisette Michele; jazz bassist, John Patitucci; and Cross Worship leader, Osby Berry. Although, the set breaks new musical ground for Nelson; it’s still an album that solidly delivers the heartfelt, Jesus-centered songs of faith that Nelson’s core fans have come to love. The first radio single, “Residue,” has already racked a million streams and charted in the Top 20 on the Gospel Airplay chart. There’s no stopping the outstanding performance of CeCe Winans’ current album, “Believe For It.” Prior to street date, the record began to acquire a buzz throughout the Christian and gospel industry, which heightened the anticipation of hearing new music from the celebrated voice of Winans. The live recording featuring 12 heart-felt songs of worship quickly rose to the top of the charts, claiming the number one spot on four different Gospel Charts with the album remaining in the number slot for seven consecutive weeks. Winans is now making her mark at key Christian radio stations and networks like: K-Love, KLTY (Dallas), KSBJ (Houston), The Fish (Atlanta and Los Angeles), WONU (Chicago), Sirius XM, The Message and many more. The single, “Believe For It,” holds a Top 10 presence on the Christian Charts chiming in at #7 on the Christian Airplay Chart, #9 on the Monitored Chart, #7 on the Christian Digital Song Sales Chart and #9 on the Mediabase Christian AC Chart. The album is currently at #4 on the Top Christian/Gospel Album chart and has been in the top 10 every week since its release 20 weeks ago. The US On-Demand streams for “Believe For It” has surpassed the 13 million cyber count and the album is over 41 million and increasing daily. Chilling new polls show that significant numbers of Americans have ended friendships over disagreements about COVID-19 — and an even greater number have lost a friend or family member who died from the disease. Respondents to the Economist/YouGov poll were asked “Do you personally know anyone who has died due to complications from covid-19?” Eleven percent responded “Yes, a family member,” and another 18 percent said “Yes, a close friend.” Among Democrats, a combined 40 percent said they’ve lost a close friend or family member to the disease, while a combined 26 percent of Republicans said the same. The acrimony around Covid figures to get worse before it gets better, as public health officials have increasingly laid the spread and worsening of the pandemic at the feet of those who refuse to be vaccinated, and warn that unvaccinated people could allow the disease to mutate into something even more harmful than the Delta variant. Following a directive by President Joe Biden to explore the matter, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is leaning toward requiring all U.S. troops to get vaccinated for the coronavirus. The Pentagon chief has been examining the issue as the Biden administration looks for ways to boost vaccination nationwide, while protecting military personnel who must content with viral variants even as they carry out their duties of providing for the national defense. Austin’s ‘inclination is towards making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory’ for active-duty troops, CNN citing a Defense official. The signal on his reported posture comes after Biden as commander-in-chief can issue the vaccine order for the the troops made his own preference known, without going so far as to call for it. Last week in a speech on boosting vaccination, Biden asked the military ‘to look into how and when they will add COVID-19’ to to the list of mandatory vaccinations service members already must get. Education Sec. Miguel Cardona on Thursday warned Americans not to let adult politics get in the way of schools reopening safely and remaining open without disruption, specifically expressing concern about states that are preventing schools from instating mask mandates. “The tools are there, it’s just – are we following the mitigation strategies?” Cardona told reporters during the White House press briefing. “You know what I’m worried about? The adult actions getting in the way of schools safely reopening. Let our educators educate. Let our school leaders lead. And we can get our schools reopened safely. Another thing I’m worried about that I want to share is complacency. Let’s not go back to the school system of March 2020.” Those “adult actions,” he suggested, include policies that “go against what (US Centers for Disease Control an Prevention) recommendations are.” Cardona warned that those policies, like others that prevent schools from imposing masking requirements, could lead to school disruptions. “I’m worried that the decisions that are being made that are not putting students at the center and student health and safety at the center is going to be why schools may be disrupted. So we know what to do. And, you know, don’t be the reason why schools are disrupted, because of the politicization of this effort to reopen schools. We know what works. We have to keep our students safe. We have to keep our educators safe,” he said. Right-wing pastor Greg Locke out of Nashville has gone viral for condemning the U.S. government’s attempt to force all Americans to take the vaccine. Pastor Locke of Global Vision Bible Church has called the Delta variant nonsense and is urging his congregation to “not get vaccinated.” He previously made clear that if his church members show “up with masks and all this nonsense, I will ask you to leave.” “The Delta variant was nonsense then, it is nonsense now,” Locke screams in a viral video. “You will not wear masks in this church. I’m telling you right now. Do not get vaccinated, do not get vaccinated. I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t need your money. I don’t need your hand clap. I don’t need more people on social media to follow me.” He added that “Joe Biden’s days are numbered” and that the only people denying the 2020 election was stolen are “crack-smoking, demon-possessed leftists.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1421886805427867654 The month of August is a month of acknowledgment and commemoration of the countless organizers, activists and freedom fighters who sacrificed their freedom and lives in the struggle for Black liberation. During the month of Black August, organizers and activists take this time to honor freedom fighters and political prisoners who put their lives on the line, risking social and economic security to defend the self-determination of Black communities. August is a celebration of many people including James Baldwin, a novelist, playwright, essayist, poet and activist. August is a revolutionary month that demands to be acknowledged with discipline, reflection and rebellion. https://youtu.be/ZNmJaU6Cn_c A local chapter of the NAACP has launched an investigation into an act loaded with the racial implications of lynchings that happened last month at a summer camp in Martha’s Vineyard. That was where two white boys at the camp in the Massachusetts island’s town of Chilmark intentionally placed tent straps around the neck of a Black boy, leaving the 8-year-old camper with “an abrasion,” the Boston Globe reported. The NAACP’s investigation is working to determine if the act on July 29 by the 8- and 9-year-old white boys was motivated by racism. Its president said regardless of the investigation’s outcome, the incident dispels the narrative that Martha’s Vineyard is truly a place of racial inclusiveness. “Incidents like this cannot be ignored,” NAACP chapter President Arthur Hardy-Doubleday said in a statement. “This event reminds us that while the island may have a reputation as a racial utopia, we are far from it.” The idyllic island destination near Cape Cod is popular with African Americans and has an important place in the annals of Black history dating back centuries. A fully vaccinated sheriff in Mississippi was found dead in his home nearly two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19, underscoring the strength of the coronavirus delta variant for which public health officials have been amplifying concerns. Hinds County Sheriff Lee Vance’s death was apparently an exception to what’s been advertised as all but a rule that getting vaccinated will protect against COVID-19 hospitalization and deaths. The proliferation of the delta variant has begun to challenge that narrative. Vance, who is Black, was the former chief of police in Jackson, Mississippi, who also worked for more than 30 years as a police officer with the department. His body was discovered on Wednesday while he was quarantining at his home after testing positive for COVID-19 on July 23. He was 63 years old. An Atlanta police sergeant has been fired a little more than a week after a viral video showed him kicking a handcuffed woman in the face as she lay on the ground in front of him. Sgt. Marc Theodule, who was identified as the police officer who kicked the woman in her head, was fired Monday, the Atlanta Police Department (APD) announced in a press release. “Based on a review of all the facts, it was determined Sgt. Marc Theodule’s actions violated department policy and he acted outside of APD standards and training,” the press release says. But in a stunning turn of events, the officer who was working alongside Theodule — identified as Bridget Citizen — and placed on administrative duty has returned to work unpunished after APD determined she did not violate its policy of failing to intervene and stop the police brutality. Amy Cooper, the woman known as “Central Park Karen,” is speaking out about her infamous encounter with Christian Cooper (no relation)—a Black bird-watcher whom she accused of threatening her and her dog in Central Park last May. “I don’t know that as a woman alone in a park that I had another option,” she said in Tuesday’s episode of Bari Weiss’ Honestly podcast.“I’m trying to figure out, you know, what does that mean? Is that a physical attack on me? Is that to my dog? Like, what is he about to do?” Cooper’s case made national headlines when she had a confrontation on May 25, 2020, with bird-watcher Christian over her dog being off-leash dog in Central Park. In her first call to 911, Amy said an “African American man” was threatening her and her dog. In a second call to 911, she alleged Christian “tried to assault” her. https://youtu.be/EZwPL1F4PJQ Two-time Grammy winner Lil Nas X now admits he was ‘terrified’ before flamboyantly performing his hit song Montero (Call Me by Your Name) at the 21st BET Awards on June 27. ‘Going to this place with all these overly masculine rappers and you’re [going to] be in there throwing a little a** every now and then, touching on dudes and hugging them and kissing them,’ the 22-year-old rapper-singer – who came out as gay in 2019 – recalled in his Out cover story. ‘At some points I was like, “Should I even do this? I don’t feel like they’re going to love me like that.” … I was in rehearsals like, “Oh my god, I have to do my absolute f***ing best with this performance because of s*** like this.”‘ Dr Dre’s eldest daughter is reportedly homeless and doing odd jobs to stay afloat, and reportedly lives in her rental car. LaTanya Young, 38, reveals she has been doing DoorDash, Uber, and even works at a warehouse as an assembler, however, that is not enough to even get her an apartment in California. Her children currently stay with friends. The Single Mother of Four spoke to DailyMail.com about how her allowance from her father ended 18-months ago. She also claims her children have never met him, and she hasn’t seen him in 18-years. La Tanya is the daughter of Dr. Dre and Lisa Johnson. The couple broke up when she was just 5. Paul Johnson, a pioneering house music star DJ whose releases made him a legend in his hometown of Chicago, died Wednesday (Aug. 4) at the age of 50. His cause of death was reported as complications from COVID-19. Johnson’s death was announced via his Facebook page and accompanied by a video of Johnson speaking. “Our greatness passed away this morning at 9am the house music legend we all know as PJ aka PAUL JOHNSON has passed away in this day of AUGUST 4th 2021,” the Facebook post said. “Rest In Heaven Paul.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=259729828990879 Singer Jennifer Hudson, who performed an Aretha Franklin song when she auditioned for “American Idol,” is now set to portray in a movie the woman whose career in some ways is mirrored by Hudson’s own. One aspect of that reflection is a commitment to faith — which plays its own pivotal role in “Respect,” the star-studded movie set to release Aug. 13 that tells the story of the “Queen of Soul,” who died at age 76 in 2018. “I could so relate to that, being born in a church and then her career taking her elsewhere,” said Hudson, “but her still staying true to her roots and coming home to that, although it never really fully left her. But it was what carried her.” https://youtu.be/9uop3gOncRE Prosper suddenly has a daughter, Ralph Angel flirts unsuccessfully with the streets to feed his growing family, and Nova literally has a bulls-eye on her head in the new Season 6 trailer for “Queen Sugar,” returning this fall. Oprah Winfrey Network announced Wednesday that its popular drama series, created and executive produced by filmmaker Ava DuVernay (“When They See Us,” “Cherish the Day”), will return on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. https://youtu.be/iBMtFTXrI6U On Wednesday, Variety reported that the game show’s executive producer Mike Richards is in “advanced negotiations” to fill the slot left empty following Alex Trebek’s passing in November 2020. It was said that Richards, who has hosted the series “Divided” and “The Pyramid,” was among several guest hosts. However, sources with knowledge of the process say it is now effectively a done deal, though it may not be announced until later in August. Meanwhile, fans of the legendary game show Jeopardy! don’t think the possible move will be fair as LeVar Burton had been trying to secure the spot. Despite that, he still tried to keep things positive and tweeted on Thursday: “I have said many times over these past weeks that no matter the outcome, I’ve won. The outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and fans alike has been incredible! If love is the ultimate blessing and I believe that it is, I am truly blessed beyond measure. ????” This week on Two Guys from Hollywood Podcast, the hosts had the luxury of speaking with the one and only Eva Marcille. Eva was a former cast member on the Real Housewives of Atlanta and since leaving, has made an incredible name for herself. Eva has been busy since her departure from the Real Housewives of Atlanta. She’s landed a lead role in the upcoming Tyler Perry TV series, All the Queens Men, has her own podcast, The Undressing Room and is co-host of the incredibly popular Rickey Smiley Morning Show. https://megaphone.link/HSW9673330988 An all-new episode of WE tv’s “Love After Lockup” returns this week with Britney revealing that her parents don’t know her felon bae Ray is out of prison. Elsewhere in the week’s episode, Daonte is stunned when he catches Nicolle with her ex. Rachel freaks when Doug shows his true colors. A former prison guard confronts her lover. Stan’s apology brings on a sexy reunion. Jeff reveals a secret that could crush Anissa. https://youtu.be/GOj0E0lfHA8 Aaliyah’s estate released a statement on Wednesday in response to the shady tactics being used in an attempt to release unauthorized projects associated with the late singer. “… For 20 years we have battled behind the scenes, enduring shadowy tactics of deception with unauthorized projects targeted to tarnish,” the statement read, as reported by Complex. “We have always been confused as to why there is such a tenacity in causing more pain alongside what we already have to cope with for the rest of our lives. “Now, in this 20th year, this unscrupulous endeavor to release Aaliyah’s music without any transparency or full accounting to the estate compels our hearts to express a word – forgiveness. Although we will continue to defend ourselves and her legacy lawfully and justly, we want to preempt the inevitable attacks on our character by all the individuals who have emerged from the shadows to leech off of Aaliyah’s life’s work.” https://youtu.be/pAbxS-6XsMY Lil Baby was arrested last month in Paris while in the city for fashion week. As reported earlier, videos emerged online of the rapper and NBA star James Harden being stopped by a few cops. The Brooklyn Nets superstar can be heard saying he doesn’t understand what’s going on as cops begin to search him. In another clip, you can see a confused Lil Baby in the back of a police car, appearing to ask questions to an officer. There were allegedly 20 grams of weed discovered, TMZ reports. Lil Baby was arrested/fined over the incident, while the cops let Harden go. The rapper was released the following day. https://youtu.be/hyxMSBvQHi8 Hip-hop star Tyga has long been shrouded in rumors that he prefers trans women, and earlier this week, his baby mama Blac Chyna appeared to confirm that. “Tyga loves Trans, me 2 [red lips emoji,” so read the tweet posted on Chyna’s social media accounts, per Ace Showbiz. “Tell the truth @Tyga !!!!!,” she continued. Many on social media took issue with Black Chyna possibly outing the rapper. After Chyna was accused of being transphobic for outing her ex on Twitter, the former stripper fired back with claims that her account was hacked. On Monday, a rep for Chyna said she never wrote the shocking comments about Tyga, claiming her account was hacked. “Unfortunately, Blac Chyna’s Twitter account was hacked yesterday as she would not purposely speak negatively about Tyga online,” Chyna’s rep told The Shade Room. “ After winning the gold medal and setting a world record Tuesday night in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics, U.S. track star Sydney McLaughlin has responded via social media to her many fans in the United States and around the world by thanking God. In a post to Instagram on Thursday, the devout Christian wrote a message of “submission and obedience to God,” and included an image showing her draped in an American flag after her victory. “Let me start off by saying, what an honor it is to be able to represent not only my country but also the kingdom of God,” McLaughlin wrote. “What I have in Christ is far greater than what I have or don’t have in life. I pray my journey may be a clear depiction of submission and obedience to God.” She pointed out that the heavenly Father “will make a way out of no way.” Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles revealed Tuesday that her aunt died during the Tokyo Olympic Games. Biles won a bronze medal on the balance beam on Tuesday, and she revealed the tragic news about her aunt while speaking to reporters afterward. “At the end of the day, people don’t understand what we are going through,” said Biles. “Two days ago, I woke up and my aunt unexpectedly passed, and it wasn’t any easier being here at the Olympic Games.” “People have to realize that, at the end of the day, we’re humans, we’re not just entertainment,” she added. “There are things going on behind the scenes that people have no idea about.” Team USA‘s embarrassing sixth-place performance in a men’s 4X100 relay heat was slammed on Thursday by nine-time gold medalist Carl Lewis, who took aim at the American sprinters and their coaches for their failure to qualify for the final. ‘It was a total embarrassment,’ tweeted the 60-year-old track and field legend. The US boasted several top 100-meter sprinters, including Tokyo 2020 finalists Fred Kerley and Ronnie Baker, as well as Trayvon Bromell and Cravon Gillespie. Unfortunately for the Americans, a botched second baton exchange killed the team’s momentum, and Gillespe’s final leg failed to close the gap. Initially Baker inadvertently grabbed Kerley’s jersey while reaching for the baton before whiffing and ultimately hauling it in. ‘The USA team did everything wrong in the men’s relay,’ Lewis wrote on Twitter. ‘The passing system is wrong, athletes running the wrong legs, and it was clear that there was no leadership. It was a total embarrassment, and completely unacceptable for a USA team to look worse than the AAU kids I saw.’ The Washington Football Team has further distanced itself from its former nickname, the Redskins, by banning Native American-inspired face paint and headdresses at home games this season. ‘We are excited to welcome everyone back wearing their Burgundy & Gold,’ read Wednesday’s announcement. ‘However, Native American inspired ceremonial headdresses or face paint may no longer be worn into the stadium.’ Team owner Dan Snyder finally dropped ‘Redskins’ last year following decades of criticism from Native American groups, who felt that it was racist. The current placeholder, The Washington Football Team, will remain in use this season, but is expected to be changed at a later date. The WFT did not welcome fans due to the pandemic in 2020, so there were no issues with fans wearing headdresses or Native American face paint — two things that were commonly seen at FedEx Field in earlier years. The seven-day average of daily coronavirus cases in the U.S. surpassed the peak seen last summer when the nation didn’t have an authorized Covid-19 vaccine, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday, citing data published over the weekend. U.S. Covid cases, based on a seven-day moving average, reached 72,790 on Friday, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s higher than the peak in average daily cases seen last summer, when the country was reporting about 68,700 new cases per day, according to the CDC. The daily average in Covid cases has since dropped, however, falling to 68,326 new cases per day on Saturday and 63,250 new cases per day on Sunday, according to the agency. President Joe Biden on Tuesday joined a number of congressional Democrats and Republicans in calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York to resign. “Yes,” Biden said when asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins if Cuomo should step down in light of the investigation released earlier on Tuesday by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office, which found that the governor sexually harassed 11 women. The president stopped short of weighing in on an impeachment for Cuomo, saying: “Let’s take one thing at a time here. I think he should resign.” Biden added that he hadn’t spoken with Cuomo or read the 165-page report but that he knew the “end result.” https://youtu.be/5n2qOxOjA9E Simone Biles officially returned to the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday morning, and she made her comeback count. The superstar gymnast took home the bronze medal after competing in the balance beam finals, the fifth and final individual medal event for women’s gymnastics. It marked the seventh time Biles has medaled at the Olympics and may have even resulted in her winning the gold had she not performed what the Associated Press called “a slightly watered-down version of her usual routine.” Even though Biles had not competed in a week, she still medaled, backing up her reputation as the winningest gymnast of all time. All Biles needed was a double-pike dismount — a move that was named after her had she twisted — to register a score of 14.000, allowing her to finish in third place behind two Chinese gymnasts who won the gold and silver medals, respectively. Jade Carey traveled the world for a spot in the Olympics. Germany. Qatar. Azerbaijan. Australia. A lot of long flights. A little bit of jet lag. One unrelenting vision of what could be possible. She wasn’t going to let a little thing like a sticky patch of carpet get in her way. The 21-year-old American gymnast soared to gold in the women’s floor exercise Monday night, her powerful and precise routine capping a roller-coaster 24 hours in which she narrowly avoided serious injury during the vault finals when her right foot caught just as she was preparing her entry. Carey’s score of 14.366 gave the U.S. women’s team its fifth medal of the Games and assured that each of the six athletes who came to Tokyo — Carey, Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum and MyKayla Skinner — will be checking some serious bling in customs when they return home. Elaine Thompson-Herah just became the first woman to win a “double-double” in Olympic track and field’s fastest races. The Jamaican sprinter nabbed gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races in Tokyo, repeating her two wins in the same contests at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Thompson-Herah, 29, clinched the title after trouncing the competition during the 200-meter sprint on Tuesday. “It feels amazing to win two golds again. I have had a rough week. I haven’t slept after the 100m final,” Thompson-Herah said after the race. “I am so, so happy. Oh my God, it’s amazing that I have ever seen this day. That I could complete another double. I can’t believe it,” she added. Allyson Felix is one of the most decorated female Olympians in track and field history with nine medals, including six gold and three silver. She will compete Monday in the women’s 400m at the Tokyo Olympics. Felix, 35, told USA Today Sports that it’s been an incredible experience, however, this will be her last Olympics. In an Instagram post, Felix wrote that she is thankful for the opportunities granted by God. “It might sound cliché, but getting to that starting line is an incredible victory for me. I’ve experienced the hardest years of my life in this journey and by God’s grace I’m here. With a heart full of gratitude I’m taking space to remember all it took to get here.” At just 19-years-old, Athing Mu is a gold medal winner. The Trenton, NJ native made history while finishing the race in 1:55.21 – a U.S. record, breaking a mark set by Ajee Wilson. Mu also became the first American woman to win a gold medal in the 800-meter race in more than a half-century. Madeline Manning-Mims was the last, winning the race at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics 53 years ago. Ayesha Curry is celebrating 10 years of marriage with her husband, NBA player Stephen Curry. The actress and cookbook author, 32, penned a sweet tribute to her husband on Instagram, sharing a carousel of photos to celebrate the decade that’s passed since their very first wedding day. “My love! my adventure partner! My best friend! My confidant! My baby daddaaaay! My everything! 10 years married y’all,” Ayesha wrote. “It has felt like the blink of an eye. @stephencurry30 is by far, hands down the most amazing being I know.” She added, “I can’t wait to see what the next 50 has in store for us. Happy day happy day! We’ve been doing the most celebrating the past couple of days. July 30,2011 to infinity and beyonnnnnnd.” Artem Dolgopyat and the country he represents will never forget this day. He became just the second Israeli athlete to ever win an Olympic gold medal, and the first to medal in gymnastics after finishing first in the men’s floor exercise in the Tokyo Games on Sunday. “I don’t really have the words, I am still in heaven,” he said afterwards. “I want to say thank you to everyone, I love everyone.” Dolgopyat edged Rayderley Zapata of Spain. They both actually had the same score of 14.933, but Dolgopyat had 0.100 more in terms of difficulty, and as a result won the gold. Florida A&M University students got a welcome surprise when the university announced it would be paying off student financial balances for the 2020-2021 school year. President Larry Robinson broke the news at the commencement for 2020 graduates Saturday. “This is an indication of our commitment to student success and our hope that your time on the ‘Hill’ has been transformative as you take on the challenges of the day, go out and make a difference,” Robinson told the graduates. The historically Black university used more than $16 million of funding from the federal CARES Act, which was passed in March 2020, to cover the fees, tuition and unpaid student account balances, according to a news release from the school. Big Sean has been a fierce advocate for youth empowerment and he’s pushing his efforts to inspire youngsters to follow their dreams forward. The music artist—whose real name is Sean Anderson—has invested in a new workforce and entrepreneurship program at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. The initiative, dubbed The Industry Club, was created to introduce Detroit teenagers to an array of career paths that sit at the intersection of technology, sports and entertainment. As part of the immersive program, nearly 200 teenagers will learn about the different facets of these industries while earning money for their participation. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is the first chapter to lead a sports and entertainment entrepreneurship-focused program. The program supports BGCSM’s greater mission of using economic mobility to eradicate poverty. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) became the third member of Congress to be arrested during nonviolent protests aimed at rallying support for federal voting legislation that activists say are necessary to push back against new restrictive state laws. “We must pass the Voting Rights Act because my people in Texas are suffering, my people in Mississippi are suffering, my people in Georgia are suffering,” Jackson Lee said shortly before Capitol Police officers prepared to arrest her and six others who blocked the entrance to the Hart Senate Office Building. “We are here to say that voting rights is a fundamental constitutional right. … We will not be moved.” Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) was arrested at the Hart Senate Office Building last week. The week before, Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was cuffed with zip ties and briefly detained. Five Florida police officers have been charged with battery connected to the violent arrests of two Black men last week, prosecutors announced Monday. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle held a news conference to announce the first-degree misdemeanor charges against Miami Beach police Sgt. Jose Perez, Officer Kevin Perez, Officer Robert Sabater, Officer David Rivas and Officer Steven Serrano. The officers had previously been suspended, and Fernandez Rundle said additional charges might follow. All five officers turned themselves in earlier Monday. Surveillance video shows an officer chase Dalonta Crudup, 24, into the lobby of the Royal Palm Hotel in South Beach in the early morning hours of July 26. The officer orders Crudup onto the ground at gunpoint, and Crudup complies. Moments later, more than a dozen other officers run into the lobby and surround Crudup, who can be seen on the ground with his hands behind his back. Fernandez Rundle said body camera footage shows Sgt. Jose Perez kick a handcuffed Crudup three times, while Officer Kevin Perez kicked Crudup at least four times. Khalid Vaughn, 28, using a cellphone to record Crudup’s arrest from about 12 feet (4 meters) away. Body camera footage shows Vaughn backing away at the instruction of an officer when Sabater tackles Vaughn to the floor and repeatedly punches him. Fernandez Rundle said Rivas and Serrano also struck Vaughn. An all too familiar phrase, routine traffic stops are often anything but for Black drivers. A new study from the American Psychological Association found that police are more hostile when speaking to Black men than their white counterparts. Researchers examined the tone and intonation in a speech during traffic stops using body camera footage and audio clips. Building on prior studies showing police having a more respectful tone toward white people in various institutional settings. Researchers described using footage from an unnamed medium-sized U.S. city to put together a composite sketch of interactions during traffic stops. NBC News reported another study focusing on Oakland showed Black residents were 61 percent more likely to be told to put their hands on the wheel during a traffic stop than white residents. For Black drivers, this isn’t news, but documenting the pattern of behavior toward Black drivers could help address policies going further. But police interactions during traffic stops continue to be a source of concern, with some leading to fatal outcomes. Trailblazing Chesapeake native Lora Hinton is headlining Louisiana State University’s Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Hinton, who starred at Great Bridge High School, was the first ever Black football player for LSU. He arrived at LSU in 1971 as a running back but was hampered by a knee injury. However, he would go on to letter from 1973-75 and contributed heavily through mentoring other Black students trying to navigate life after desegregation. “His courageous decision to attend LSU as an 18-year-old has helped to pave the way for thousands of Black student-athletes to play football at the university,” LSU said in a statement. Hinton now works as a volunteer for several non-profits in the Baton Rouge area, with a focus on workforce development for adults in historically underserved areas. A Black man who said a group of white men assaulted him and threatened to “get a noose” at a southern Indiana lake is facing criminal charges more than a year after the confrontation that earlier led to charges against two of the alleged attackers. Vauhxx Booker, a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, was charged with misdemeanor trespass and felony battery for his involvement in last year’s Fourth of July incident at Lake Monroe, according to court documents filed Friday by a special prosecutor in the case. Booker condemned the decision, calling it an “outrageous act of punitive retaliation and prosecutorial vindictiveness.” The Monroe County Branch of the NAACP demanded that the charges against Booker be dropped immediately and called for the special prosecutor, Sonia Leerkamp, to resign. According to sources, a groom suspected his new wife had an affair with his friend and on the wedding day the groom took matters into his own hands. Devin Jose Jones was heading home after the wedding with his bride and his friend. Traffic began to get heavy, while they were waiting, Jones began to accuse his wife and friend of an affair. Jones got extremely upset and got out the car and shot in the vehicle hitting his friend in the leg. Then he also let off a shot at a car passing by on the road, striking one person in the hand. Jones’ wife, meanwhile, stopped an ambulance and told personnel her husband was trying to kill her before barricading herself inside, police said. Jones is currently being charged with attempted first degree murder, aggravated second degree battery, and two counts of aggravated primal damage to property according to authorities. Former President Barack Obama is said to be gearing up to host his 60th birthday party at Martha’s Vineyard amid a surge in COVID cases across the U.S. The party will reportedly take place on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, next weekend. AXIOS reports that all attendees must be tested for COVID and be fully vaccinated. Several Twitter users have criticized Obama over the event, calling for him to cancel his birthday bash amid the Delta variant surge. https://twitter.com/i/status/1420855063401177088 Netflix has become the first major Hollywood studio to require talent and most staff and crew in the U.S. to show proof of vaccination. Exceptions to the policy could include medical, religious, and age reasons. Netflix’s decision comes amid a fourth COVID wave in the U.S. fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant, which brought COVID safety on set back to the spotlight. While vaccination is not a silver bullet — there have been breakthrough infections for fully vaccinated people — it is considered a crucial safeguard alongside existing safety protocols including regular testing, PPE and social distancing. The vaccine mandate is the strongest measure Netflix could enforce under the current return-to-work protocols. There have been calls to expand the vaccination requirement beyond Zone A. Actor Michael Jai White has shared the horrible news that his 38-year-old son has passed away from COVID-19. During an interview with VladTV, White was discussing the amount of children he has in both his current and previous marriages. When Vlad attempted to count Michael’s total number of children, the actor told him to subtract one as his 38-year-old son had passed away a few months ago. https://youtu.be/Wl6pudr-Nio Charles Connor, best known as a drummer for Little Richard in his 1950s heyday, and decades later a familiar sight to L.A. radio veterans as a security guard at KROQ, died Saturday at age 86, reports Variety. His daughter, Queenie Connor Sonnefeld, told the Associated Press he died peacefully in his sleep while under hospice care for normal pressure hydrocephalus in Glendale, Calif. Connor established the “choo choo” style of drumming heard throughout Lil Richard’s “Keep a Knockin’,” one of the most instrumentally influential songs in rock history. https://youtu.be/rYr7I4gOSXk Rapper Nelly and his longtime girlfriend Shantel Jackson have called it quits. Jackson revealed in a brief statement over the weekend that she and Nelly are “Just friends. Per MSN, Nelly and Jackson started dating in 2014. Three years later, when she appeared on the E! reality show “The Platinum Life,” Jackson gushed about the hip-hop star. “The best part about being with Nelly is that he always likes to have fun,” she said at the time. “I don’t wanna be a baby momma, I want, you know, the horse and carriage, the wedding, the ring before I have a baby. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.” Randy Wilson was rummaging around a local flea market when he stumbled across a pristine yearbook from his old Indianapolis high school. From there, he started a collection that became a trove of history on Arsenal Technical High School and its graduates. It was in the pages of one of those yearbooks that Wilson, 69, learned about Bessie Alethia Anderson Speights, who he believes was the first Black woman to graduate from Tech in 1916, just four years after the school opened. She went on to teach in Indianapolis Public Schools for 35 years. “For her to do what she did was really a big accomplishment,” Wilson said. “She had to have some determination.” Speights’ story gained attention this spring because Wilson spearheaded a campaign to place a headstone on her grave, which had been unmarked since her death in 1982. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Meet Kristy Alexander, an entrepreneur from Atlanta, Georgia, whose company Apple Rose Beauty provides support for survivors of human trafficking through the sale of her skincare products. The goal is to provide them with a sustainable living wage and help them get back on their feet after being rescued. Skincare is a multi-billion dollar industry, and Black-owned skincare companies have worked hard to increase their market share over the past 10 years. In fact, there are more Black women now than ever who are owners of skincare brands, and many of them are giving back to various causes that empower women worldwide. Coco Austin recently spoke with Us Weekly and explained the reason why she still breastfeeds her adorable 5-year-old daughter, Chanel, and why she won’t stop nursing her until her daughter (with her husband, rapper/actor Ice-T) decides she doesn’t want to anymore. “Chanel still likes my boobs,” Austin told Us Weekly on Saturday. “It’s a big bonding moment for a mother and your child.” “Why take that away from her? … If she doesn’t want it, all right, that’s where you stop it,” the 42-year-old said. “But I’m not just going to say no.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFEX1ZswEm/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a52be054-dd49-49f8-97e0-1b1df89b1ca3 “Will Smith is playing Richard Williams????????????????????? Also, why is this film about Richard Williams?????????????????????” asked the comedian,” as reported by The Blast. Amanda Seales finds it odd that Richard is getting the biopic treatment and not his very successful tennis pro daughters. Several of her followers seemed to think that Seales was talking about race (with Richard being darker than Smith) but the actress made clear that was not the case. “I said what I wanna see. Lol TF y’all debatin??? I can have my opinion and you can stan Will,” she added. “There is ZERO issue here other than the one y’all are making over someone having a contrasting POV about A MOVIE!!!!!!!” Lil Wayne has reportedly dropped $15.4 million on a newly built Los Angeles estate. The property is located next door to Kylie Jenner in Hidden Hills, the upscale, guard-gated San Fernando Valley, per New York Post. The neighborhood reportedly boasts celebrity residents including Drake, Lori Loughlin, Jessica Simpson, John Stamos and members of the Kardashian family. Wayne closed the sale on March 17, months after former president Donald Trump granted him clemency in his December 2020 case related to a federal firearms charge. TV One today announces the final chapter to the Coins trilogy with production underway in Atlanta, GA for its new original film COINS FOREVER. Returning to the Coins franchise includes Essence Atkins ("Ambitions," "Marlon"), Stephen Bishop ("Imposters," "Being Mary Jane"), TC Carson ("Living Single"), Kendrick Cross ("Ambitions") with newly added cast members Golden Brooks (“Girlfriends,” “Hollywood Divas”) and Demetria McKinney (“Saints & Sinners,” “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”). Coming this Fall, COINS FOREVER follows after Coins For Christmas and Coins For Love which follows the complicated relationship of Madison (Atkins) and Alec (Bishop). Terrian is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader from Memphis, TN who has a heart for mentoring young girls through music and she has a heart for God. She is a member of TobyMac's Diverse City band and has been featured on songs with Matt Maher, Stu G, Jordan Feliz, and Gotee Records label-mates Aaron Cole and Jon Reddick, but over the last few years, she has developed her own unique style and infectious sound. Her 2021 debut project GENESIS OF TERRIAN is a 6-song EP produced by Kyle Williams and Darren Mulligan of We Are Messengers. It features her #1 Billboard Christian Hot AC/CHR single "Light It Up”, "I'm In Love" featuring Ian Alxndr, and "Stayed On Him (Isaiah 26:3)" being released to Gospel radio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2I0Al8rhmk FELICA WELCH is a Chicago native where she embraced the gift of music singing in church as a young girl. as well as well as singing with her family “The Brackenridge Singers." In 1980, she was introduced to The Voices for Christ under the leadership of Percy Gray, Jr. In early 1981 she joined and her gift developed. Felica began her professional singing career as a member of Grayboyz Productions which afforded her to sing with recording artists such as Stellar Award Winners – New Direction, Praise II, The Power Choir and Chapter Ministry Singers all under the leadership of Grayboyz Productions. Felicia remains a loyal member of Grayboyz and has become a mentor to many young gifted singers. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/7590850?date=20210518&user_id=668306&signature=Y2YGsb57IFKytx6YHVhz52xKwEs%3ATwwObhsc Mary Katherine (MK) Backstrom is a blogger who became a viral sensation after her “Christmas magic” mess-up video was viewed 80 million times across social media and led to appearances on The Ellen Show, The Today Show, and New York Times. Given her newfound notoriety, MK used her uplifting voice to become an inspiring award-winning author. Releasing on August 3rd, through her newest book “Holy Hot Mess,” she reveals her raw honesty and humor and her insightful perspectives on family, faith, mental illness, and other various topics that often plague the hearts of believers. Her mission is to allow readers to celebrate wherever they are in their journey with God and to rest in the assurance that He uses each “mess” in our lives to bring us closer to Him and shape us in His likeness. Millennial single mother Ellie Diop is speaking out about how she used her $1,200 stimulus check to start a million-dollar coaching business. Ellie, 28, decided to invest in herself after getting laid off from her six-figure job and going through a divorce. As written by Black Enterprise, a year later, she has accumulated 230,000 followers on her “Ellie Talks Money” Instagram page, where she shares business and money knowledge. Ellie has been able to generate over $2 million in revenue, Business Insider reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1402295443548258304 Video of a streetballer taking a hookah toke and then hooping like LeBron immediately afterward has gone viral. Twitter was done. One user, named @BrownHawkDown, gave him the nickname Hookah Doncic, a play on the Slovenian NBA superstar and current NBA 2K22 cover athlete Luka Doncic. https://twitter.com/i/status/1422219372366606336 News of a bipartisan agreement on anything in Congress may come as a surprise to some, but the Senate continued hammering out the details of an infrastructure agreement Saturday. The Biden Administration sees the deal as a step forward in achieving the president’s comprehensive vision in March. Cedric Richmond, the senior advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, recently said the new deal represents a historic investment in Black and other communities of color. He said they crafted the agreement through a racial equity lens, listing several included priorities that disproportionately impact Black and other communities of color. “When we designed this bill, we wanted to do it in a way that delivered real, tangible results,” Richmond explained during a phone call last week. “Everything from removing the 10 million lead pipes that deliver water to people’s homes, the 400,000 lead pipes that lead service lines that deliver water to schools disproportionately schools and homes are for people of color.” Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that the latest COVID-19 surge is “going to get worse” — but the nation is not expected to shut down again. “Things are going to get worse,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC co-anchor Jonathan Karl on “This Week.” “I don’t think we’re gonna see lockdowns. I think we have enough of the percentage of people in the country — not enough to crush the outbreak — but I believe enough to not allow us to get into the situation we were in last winter,” Fauci said. Amid the rising war against the unvaccinated, Fauci claims Americans who refuse to get the vaccination are to blame for the latest outbreak of the potentially fatal virus. https://youtu.be/Jeyb4qoMrv4 There’s some really good news coming out of the Olympic concerning gymnast Simone Biles. As you know, previously withdrew from the all-around competition and three event finals. However, on Monday, it was announced that Biles will be competing in Tuesday’s balance beam final at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. “We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow — Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!!” USA Gymnastics tweeted. “Can’t wait to watch you both!” http://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/31941928 In a catalogue that runs deep with hits, “I Will Always Love You” stands as one of Dolly Parton’s most successful songwriting credits, a tune that became a global phenomenon when it was covered by Whitney Houston for the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.” Parton, who is estimated to have earned millions of dollars in royalties for writing the song in 1973, revealed this week how she spent her money from the songwriting credit for Houston, who died in 2012: She invested in a building located in a historically Black Nashville neighborhood. “I bought my big office complex down in Nashville, and so I thought, ‘Well, this is a wonderful place to be,’ ” Parton said Thursday during a wide-ranging interview on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.” https://youtu.be/SZD5k_8ZBvA Country legend and weed connoisseur Willie Nelson joined the fight against restrictive voting laws in Texas that would largely affect people of color. He and his fans made a statement at the Texas Capitol Saturday when they sang his “Vote ‘Em Out” song in reference to the GOP legislators behind the bills. Former U.S. Congressman Beto O’Rourke, Rev. William J. Barber, Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis and other activists were among more than a thousand spectators present at the “Moral March for Democracy” rally, which was sponsored by the Poor People’s Campaign. Protestors marched 27 miles for four days from Georgetown to Austin to oppose the voting bills, and their rally concluded at the state capitol Saturday. “If you don’t like who’s in there, vote ‘em out,” Nelson sang with the crowd, which came directly from the 2018 single he released for the Texas Senate election that year. Fetty Wap’s 4-year-old daughter Lauren Maxwell has died, her heartbroken mother revealed on Sunday. The tragic tot’s mother, Turquoise Miami, made her death public in an Instagram post that remembered the young girl as “vibrant” and “funny.” “This is my amazing, beautiful, funny, vibrant, loving, talented, smart and hardheaded princess mermaid Aquarius,” she wrote. “If you see this post scrolling by with her comment or just say to yourself ‘i love you LAUREN’ because they say that souls can feel your love #rip,” the devastated mother wrote. The mom included a video of her smiling daughter bouncing up and down in a pool. The giant white elephant statues at the Hollywood and Highland Center, a popular tourists’ destination in Los Angeles, are in the process of being taken down this weekend. The Los Angeles Times reports that the statues, which overlook a plaza of the center featuring many shops and restaurants, are being taken down because of their association with “Birth of a Nation” filmmaker D.W. Griffith. The statues are part of the center’s tribute to the Babylon set from the director’s 1916 film “Intolerance,” which Griffith made in part in response to criticisms over the racist stereotypes depicted in “Birth.” “All of the faux Mesopotamian elements will be taken out or altered in favor of a design developers hope will be more timeless as part of a $100-million makeover of the mall announced last year that is set for completion next summer,” the LA Times reports. Los Angelinos have previously called upon the center to remove the elephants because of their homage to Griffith. Protesters gathered outside an Oklahoma cemetery on Friday to decry the reburial of remains exhumed earlier this summer that could be linked to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The remains of 19 people exhumed from Oaklawn Cemetery in Tulsa were reinterred Friday in the same place they were found. The remains were exhumed as a part of a city effort to find unmarked burials from the violent event — which happened 100 years ago — when a white mob stormed the Greenwood District of Tulsa, a predominantly Black area dubbed “Black Wall Street” on May 31, 1921. The mob destroyed and burned 35 city blocks of the thriving Black neighborhood to the ground. Oklahoma originally recorded 36 deaths in the brazen attack, but a 2001 commission reported the number was as high as 300. However, dozens of protesters had gathered to denounce the Friday reburial without a proper funeral ceremony. The burial process was closed to the public. Hillsong Church says a newly released BBC documentary about the church that involved two years of filming at its locations on three continents is “grossly out of context” and refutes accusations made by former members about its culture, finances and ministry. A newly released documentary by BBC offers a look into Hillsong Church, a globally recognized megachurch, which has endured a string of controversies within the past year, including the church’s celebrity culture, as well as sexual and financial misconduct. According to The Roys Report, the film titled “Hillsong Church: God Goes Viral” first aired on July 21 on BBC Four’s Storyville documentary series. In one revealing portion of the film, a Hillsong London youth minister and his team of college leaders travel to a tattoo parlor where they get matching “70×7” tattoos. They said that the ink pays tribute to the gospel’s message on forgiveness. “It is finished!”, one of the guys jokingly remarks after the tattoo artist finishes her work. Monday marks what would have been the 97th birthday of renowned Harlem writer James Baldwin. Among the many great Black writers in canons of Black literature, Baldwin etched his mark in history with his candid and brilliant words on Black America and systemic oppression. https://youtu.be/L0L5fciA6AU Throughout history Black athletes have instrumentally shaped the landscape of hockey, but their contributions have often gone overlooked. A new documentary being produced by LeBron James and Drake will bring the narratives of these unsung Black hockey trailblazers to the forefront, Deadline reported. The film—dubbed Black Ice—will examine the history of racism within the sport and document the harrowing experiences Black players have endured both on and off the ice. Sitting at the intersection of sports and activism, it will capture how Black players used their careers to break racial barriers for generations of athletes who would go on to carve their own paths on the ice. Black Ice will also delve into the history behind the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes and shine a light on the continued fight for representation in the NHL. The documentary is being created under the SpringHill Company, Uninterrupted Canada and DreamCrew Entertainment. James, Drake, Maverick Carter and Adel “Future” Nur will serve as executive producers. Clark Atlanta University and Spelman College are the latest institutions in a wave of HBCUs that have launched efforts to erase student debt. The Atlanta-based schools recently announced they would clear outstanding student balances for the 2020 and 2021 academic years, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The global health crisis has exacerbated financial strain for many HBCU students causing them to pause their studies or drop out of school due to the lack of affordability. This alarming issue prompted schools to step in and provide relief for scholars in need. “The past two academic years have been emotionally and financially challenging for you and your families due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Clark Atlanta President George T. French Jr. wrote in a letter addressed to students, according to the news outlet. “I understand. That is why I am personally thankful for your resilience, perseverance, and ‘find a way or make one’ attitudes.” Mary Schmidt Campbell, who serves as president of Spelman College echoed French’s remarks noting the past year has been difficult for students to navigate. Spelman College is utilizing federal funds to wipe away the student debt and will also provide a tuition discount for students during the 2020-2021 academic year. Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said he suspects he has long COVID, after suffering dizziness and fatigue in the aftermath of a hard-fought Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday. “Everything got a bit blurry on the podium,” said the 36-year-old, who had to be looked over by his Mercedes team doctor after a flat-out charge from last to third around the twisting Hungaroring. “I’ve been fighting all year, really, with staying healthy after what happened at the end of last year. “It’s still a battle.” Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to miss last year’s penultimate Sakhir Grand Prix in December. The Briton was back in action at the final race in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 13, where he finished third after testing negative but reported feeling the after-effects of the disease. On Sunday, he said those effects had lingered. She launched herself off the vault, stuck the landing and saluted, then MyKayla Skinner heard the roar from her teammates watching in the stands. One voice seemed louder than the rest — Simone Biles, rooting for Skinner in what would become a silver-medal winning performance. “I knew she was going to be the loudest one in there tonight,” Skinner said. Skinner had always dreamed of competing at the Olympics, and described the unexpected, 11th-hour opportunity as a “one in a million” chance that she was not going to waste. She was not supposed to be there, competing on vault in the women’s event finals Sunday. She had the fourth-highest score during qualifications. But the rules allow each country a maximum of two athletes in the finals. Biles and Jade Carey finished first and second, pushing Skinner from the competition. She was devastated that her Olympics — and her gymnastics career — appeared to have ended at qualification. She was preparing to get on a plane to fly home. U.S. gymnast Sunisa Lee has taken bronze in the uneven bars event final at the Tokyo Olympics, adding another medal to her hugely successful Games. Belgium’s Nina Derwael took gold and Anastasiia Iliankova with the team from Russia took silver. Lee, an 18-year-old from Minnesota, became the U.S.’s best hope for gold in the individual all-around competition when Simone Biles withdrew to focus on her mental health. Lee delivered strong routines in every apparatus, snagging the top award in individual gymnastics. The uneven bars is her best event. Skinner, 24, posted a farewell online. U.S. golfer Xander Schauffele won the Olympic men’s individual stroke play competition Sunday. Schauffele sank key putts near the end of the final round while Japan’s top golfer faded out of medal contention. The 27-year-old clinched what he called the biggest win of his career with two pressure putts. On the 17th green, he sank a six-footer for birdie to break a tie with Rory Sabbatini, representing Slovakia. On the final green, Schauffele sank a 4-foot par putt to give him a one shot victory over Sabbatini. Schauffele’s German-born father dreamed of being an Olympic decathlete but was injured in a car crash as a young man and never realized the dream. After winning Sunday, Xander said he was happy to deliver the gold medal to his dad. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was near the lead but couldn’t deliver a medal for his golf-crazed nation, after missing several key putts down the stretch. Taiwan’s CT Pan won the bronze. Silver medal-winning shot putter Raven Saunders raised her arms in an “X” formation over her head in symbolic protest while posing for photographers with her co-medalists on Sunday — in violation of the Olympic ban on medal ceremony protests. Saunders, 25, of Charleston, South Carolina, told the Associated Press the gesture was a nod to “the intersection where all people who are oppressed meet.” The self-proclaimed “Hulk” of track-and-field is black and openly gay and has been vocal about her struggles with depression. She said she hoped to honor “people all around the world who are fighting and don’t have the platform to speak up for themselves,” the BBC said. Saunders, a three-time college champion during her time at Ole Miss, made her protest after stepping off the podium during the medal ceremony — in violation of the the International Olympic Committee’s “Rule 50” prohibition on medal ceremony protests. Coming into the Olympic semifinal against Canada, no one knew which U.S. women’s national team was going to show up. Was it going to be the one that showed exuberance and tenacity against the Netherlands to win a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw? Or was it going to be the team that got walloped 3-0 by Sweden to open the tournament? Unfortunately for American fans who woke up early Monday to watch, it was the latter, and the U.S. lost 1-0. It shouldn’t have been a surprise, though: This subpar version of the USWNT is the one that has appeared for nearly the entire tournament. With the exception of breakout performances by Lynn Williams and Alyssa Naeher against the Netherlands, the USWNT never looked remotely like the team that won a World Cup just two years ago. Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday and will be away from the team while it continues its series against the New York Yankees. The 60-year-old Mattingly experienced mild symptoms when he arrived at the park for the game. The former Yankees star was vaccinated in mid-April. Mattingly’s case is isolated, the team said. The remainder of the coaching staff and players underwent rapid antigen testing and all tested negative. Bench coach James Rowson will manage the club during Mattingly’s absence. The Marlins were one of the teams deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic last season. An outbreak during the first week of the 60-game schedule caused 19 positive cases with players and coaches quarantined for six days. The outbreak resulted in nine days without games. Lifetime‘s new film “The Wrong Cheer Captain” is scheduled to drop at the end of this month (Aug. 28) and will star Vivica A. Fox, who will also executive produce, Jackée Harry, Claire Tablizo and Sofia Masson in a thrilling mystery when the death of a cheerleader leads to a list of suspects, including the new cheer captain. Also on the horizon for Lifetime is another addition to its “Fear the Cheer” film anthology. https://youtu.be/dQNaWhFCvWY Imitation is usually considered the greatest form of flattery. But when imitation trends toward co-opting, it can come across as stealing another’s ideas. Virginia-based political strategist Atima Omara noticed a striking similarity between Republican Glenn Youngkin’s recent ad entitled “Focused” and an ad from Sen. Reverend Raphael Warnock. Warnock’s puppy ad was a clever attempt to cut through some of the noise coming from former Sen. Kelly Loeffler and her supporters. It’s kind of hard to paint someone as an “evil radical liberal” when they have such a cute puppy in tow. The Warnock ad was also a viral sensation ahead of the Senate runoff election, with millions of views. Trevor Southerland responded to Omara with the OG puppy commercial from former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. https://youtu.be/I5D8YiXTPHw More than 30 years after the debut of the World Wide Web, internet use, broadband adoption and smartphone ownership have grown rapidly for all Americans – including those who are less well-off financially. However, the digital lives of Americans with lower and higher incomes remain markedly different, according to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 25-Feb. 8, 2021. In fact, the shares of Americans in each income tier who have home broadband or a smartphone have not significantly changed from 2019 to 2021. Roughly a quarter of adults with household incomes below $30,000 a year (24%) say they don’t own a smartphone. About four-in-ten adults with lower incomes do not have home broadband services (43%) or a desktop or laptop computer (41%). And a majority of Americans with lower incomes are not tablet owners. By comparison, each of these technologies is nearly ubiquitous among adults in households earning $100,000 or more a year. https://youtu.be/aMi3ky04XqY Focusing on social equity, a black woman whose business certifies residents for Connecticut’s medical marijuana card is taking advantage of measures in a new state law that target the issue most important to her. Kebra Smith-Bolden, a former nurse and founder of CannaHealth, aims to provide security for people in her community who consume or medicate with cannabis. A groundbreaking part of the new law, which went into effect July 1, is social equity. It requires half of all licenses for entry into the state’s marijuana business be reserved for social-equity applicants, those from areas disproportionately affected by the war on drugs, according to the U.S. Census. For Smith-Bolden, the new law means “righting the wrongs.” Kathy Griffin, known for her crass brand of comedy, revealed Monday she’s undergoing surgery after being diagnosed with lung cancer. The comedian’s doctors said they are optimistic she “should be up and running around as usual in a month or less,” Griffin wrote on Instagram. “I’ve got to tell you guys something,” she explained. “I have cancer. I’m about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed. Yes, I have lung cancer even though I’ve never smoked! The doctors are very optimistic as it is stage one and contained to my left lung. Hopefully no chemo or radiation after this and I should have normal function with my breathing.” “It’s been a [expletive] four years, trying to get back to work, making you guys laugh and entertaining you, but I’m gonna be just fine,” Griffin continued. “[P]lease stay up to date on your medical check ups. It’ll save your life.” “America’s Got Talent” breakout star Jane Marczewski — the Zanesville, Ohio-based singer who earned a golden buzzer from an emotional Simon Cowell — has left the competition. Marczewski, who goes by the stage name Nightbirde, announced the news in an Instagram post published Monday morning. “Since my audition,” she wrote, “my health has taken a turn for the worse and the fight with cancer is demanding all of my energy and attention. I am so sad to announce that I won’t be able to continue forward on this season of ‘AGT.’ Life doesn’t always give breaks to those that deserve it — but we knew that already.” “I’m planning my future, not my legacy,” the 30-year-old singer added. “Pretty beat up, but I’ve still got dreams.” Jonathan Lotz — the grandson of the late evangelist Billy Graham — has been discharged from the hospital after battling a severe COVID-19 infection. Anne Graham Lotz, Jonathan’s mother, announced the good news Sunday evening. “Today, he was discharged from the hospital!” Graham Lotz wrote in a Facebook post alongside a picture of herself hugging Jonathan. “God has heard and answered your prayers for my son!” TV One's hit true-crime show ATL HOMICIDE airs this Monday, August 2 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Viewers will dive into some of Atlanta's grittiest cases solved by thirty-year Atlanta PD veteran Detectives David Quinn and Vince Velazquez. The dynamic duo recounts their past homicide investigations and reminisce on their quest to put heinous murderers behind bars. Real-life interviews are paired with dramatic re-enactments from actors Angelo Diaz who portrays David Quinn and Christopher Diaz as Vince Velazquez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55DCu0h2OHc The Tuskegee study made some Black Americans hesitant to take the vaccine, says Timothy Moore, who decided to get vaccinated after his brother died of Covid-19. “I still get nervous about the long-term effects … But what I am sure of is we’re burying people right now.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3130101093926524 GRAMMY® and Stellar Award winner, Jonathan McReynolds, continues his reign in gospel music by adding another #1 single to his resume. The single, “Grace” (lifted from the PEOPLE EP), has earned #1 status on the Gospel Airplay chart. Along with this milestone, McReynolds celebrates winning 3 Stellar Awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Producer of the Year and Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, during the 36th Stellar Gospel Music Awards telecast. Jonathan McReynolds current EP, PEOPLE, is available wherever music is sold and streamed now. Beginning September 30, Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music will take their GRAMMY® winning collaboration on the road, embarking on a multi-city tour simply titled Jonny x Mali. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXEl7A-VcV4&feature=youtu.be eOne celebrated a powerful night of faith and music at the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which aired on BET on Sunday, August 1st. The Stellar Awards, which taped live on July 10th at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN, featured several of eOne’s chart-topping artists during its broadcast including Jonathan McReynolds, JJ Hairston and Latice Crawford. Amongst the 5 Stellar Award wins, eOne cemented the major categories Male Vocalist of the Year and Choir of the Year. Looks like DaBaby's concert appearance money is starting to dry up after his now infamous homophobic rant. Still not taking complete blame for his actions, the rapper says that he’s a victim of high-speed social media. “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate, and learn from your mistakes. As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me — knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance — has been challenging.” He went on to thank those who came to him “with kindness, who reached out to me privately to offer wisdom, education, and resources. That’s what I needed and it was received.” https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-07-26-072621-dababy-1211631/ Madonna and Questlove are the latest celebrities to call out DaBaby following his homophobic comments about gays and HIV. She continued, “After decades of hard won scientific research— there are life saving medicines available to children born with HIV, to people who contract HIV through blood transfusions, dirty needles or exchange of bodily fluids. These new ARV’s can keep a person with AIDS alive for the rest of their lives!!! AID’s is not transmitted by standing next to someone in a crowd.” “I want to put my cellphone lighter up and pray for your ignorance, No one dies of AIDS in 2 or 3 weeks anymore. Thank God ??” the music icon added. “If you’re going to make hateful remarks to the LGBTQ+ community about HIV/AIDS then know your facts,” Madonna wrote on Instagram alongside a video of DaBaby’s comments. “Our Kind of People” is executive produced by Karin Gist and Lee Daniels and stars Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn. Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s provocative, critically acclaimed book, “Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class,” the series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite have come to play for over 50 years. https://youtu.be/tD4dEWkXJ6c Earlier this year, activist Shaun King reportedly moved out of Brooklyn and into a five-bedroom, 3,000 square foot home in North Brunswick, New Jersey. ing, a father of five, began his activist career when he launched the Justice Together coalition in 2015 to help raise awareness of police brutality. After he abandoned the group, members called him out in an open letter published in “Medium,” citing his “lack of accountability.” Most recently King came under fire for sharing details about a conversation he had with the mother of Tamir Rice. https://youtu.be/_fgEWOQfZOA Little women, big new nights! Lifetime’s Little Women: Atlanta series returns with six all-new mega-sized episodes beginning on Thursday, August 26 at 8pm/7c with two 90-minute episodes every Thursday throughout September. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juc3TgSE6ts Florida Rapper Burga is set to release his 2nd installment of “Permanent Scars” the Deluxe Edition. The 1st edition featured fellow southern cohorts such as Boosie Badazz, Yung Bleu, Derez De’shon, Koly P, Lil Baby’s artist Rylo. The new deluxe edition includes the street approved snapping hit single “Brand New Drip” featuring MoneyBagg Yo. Since its release during the pandemic “Brand New Drip” has steadily become a fan favorite reaching 1 million views in 1 month. Fast forward 3 million views later, more music fans are noticing the Florida star and his body of work on YouTube page Burga321TV. A video captured on an American Airlines flight from New Orleans to Austin shows passengers scrapping in the aisle Sunday, reportedly over a seat that didn’t come out of recline mode. The passenger who filmed the video told KXAN that the two people involved were detained shortly after the incident, but Austin Police said no one was arrested. A statement from the airline confirmed “law enforcement were requested” after the plane arrived to Austin “due to an altercation between passengers,” but gave no other information. https://wgno.com/news/viral/video-fist-fight-breaks-out-between-passengers-on-flight-to-austin-from-new-orleans/ Dr. Frederick Haynes, III social justice activist and senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, former U.S. Senate Beto O’Rourke, civil rights activist, Rev. William Barber, and the voter mobilization group and the Poor People’s Campaign started a four-day Selma-style march in Texas on Wednesday to condemn proposed state voting legislation and call for federal voting protections. https://youtu.be/SpK6clJi3SU Veteran Nollywood actress Rachael Oniga, a legendary presence in the Nigerian movie industry, died Friday, according to reports. She was 64 years old. It was not immediately clear how Oniga died. Reports on social media varied, with the cause of Oniga’s death in some cases being attributed to complications from COVID-19. However, Oniga’s family reportedly has pushed back against that assertion and claims it is false. The Nigerian Tribune reported that Oniga’s son confirmed his mother tested positive for malaria, not COVID-19, and was also being treated for typhoid. Neither claim could be immediately verified. https://twitter.com/i/status/1421373144506552321 From spearheading initiatives centered on closing the digital divide to providing financial support for organizations dedicated to eradicating food insecurity, several NBA players have taken their leadership beyond the court to uplift and empower disenfranchised communities. Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry is furthering his philanthropic efforts by teaming up with the nonprofit NinetyToZero to close the racial wealth gap, CNBC reported. Launched in April 2021, the organization is on a mission to address the systemic barriers faced by the Black community when it comes to building wealth. NinetyToZero developed an action plan for corporations to diversify their workforces and to ensure that there are venture capital pathways for Black-owned businesses. The nonprofit’s partners include the Children’s Defense Fund, the ACLU, American Express, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Lord Abbett, Green Thumb, Starbucks and the Robin Hood Foundation. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania are also partners of the organization. Actress and producer Marsai Martin is on a mission to ensure Gen Z is equipped with the knowledge to cultivate a solid foundation for financial success. According to AfroTech, Martin has launched a digital series centered on the fundamentals of money management. The new project—dubbed Money with Marsai Martin—was created in partnership with Verizon Media’s In the Know platform. The site—which features content that sits at the intersection of culture and commerce—harbors an array of news and lifestyle videos designed for Gen Z. Martin’s new series features conversations with influential individuals—who have charted paths in different industries—about the importance of financial literacy and steps to take at a young age to start building wealth. Whether it’s through his artistry on-screen or his philanthropic efforts, award-winning actor Denzel Washington has used his platform to evoke transformative change in the lives of others. One of the social good initiatives he’s leading with his family is centered on empowering HBCU students. Wiley College recently announced its debate team received a $100,000 endowment from the Denzel Washington Family Foundation. The generous gift is part of a larger $1 million commitment that the Washington family made in 2007 to coincide with the release of the film The Great Debaters. The movie chronicles the journey of the Texas-based institution’s debate team which was founded by poet and educator Melvin B. Tolson during the 1930s. In the film, the students went on to become the first Black debate team to compete against the nation’s most prestigious schools and broke racial barriers within the space. The team was dismantled in 1947 after Tolson’s departure from Wiley College. LeVar Burton’s evolution as a cultural icon is undeniable. But watching him host “Jeopardy!” is pure joy. After what seems like an eternity, the man who nurtured a generation’s love of reading temporarily took the helm this week of one of the country’s most popular games shows. The excitement around his guest slot on “Jeopardy!” reached new heights as social media users shared their delight with Burton’s hosting skills. Burton has blessed generations of Americans with the gift of his wit and brilliance. Some fans reminisced about learning how to read from Burton’s “Reading Rainbow” or exploring space with him as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Literally a fixture of the millennial childhood, Burton even voiced Kwame on “Captain Planet.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1419626355843502081 In the latest evidence that police reform is sorely needed, a defense lawyer in Georgia says his client was detained by cops while he was having a mental health crisis when they sicced a dog on the unarmed, handcuffed Black man, resulting in gruesome injuries. This past Sunday, Travis Moya “was having a mental health crisis and awaiting an ambulance” at his home in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, according to his lawyer, L. Chris Stewart. But when the police showed up, “A K-9 was set loose” and attacked Moya, who Stewart said “was unarmed, non violent, and was not resisting arrest.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1420840346364387330 In honor of Whitney Young’s 100th birthday, the Central Florida Urban League is taking his legacy to the next level empowering local youth and adults. For years, adults have had the opportunity to upskill themselves through various programs offered by the CFUL. Currently, the organization offers a dedicated Microsoft Office Specialist program which prepares adult learners for careers in Finance or IT. Graduates tend to earn $16,000 more annually when compared to their uncertified peers. Furthermore, thanks to a partnership with Foundry College, later in 2021, the CFUL will also offer courses in Sales Force and Project Management. Finally, beginning on August 9, the CFUL will be launching Whitney M. Young Academy: a series of K-12 Micro-Schools. Prince was more than rock royalty. He was an activist for artist rights. So, if the Prince that we knew for decades was around now, we feel like it’s a pretty safe bet that he wouldn’t like what’s about to go down. According to the Star Tribune, Omarr Baker, the youngest of Prince’s six siblings, sold his entire share of the estate to a New York based company called Primary Wave. The company also acquired 90 percent of sister Tyka Nelson’s stake as well as 100 percent of Alfred Jackson Sr’s share. Jackson died in 2019 and was also a sibling of Prince. Whitney Houston, the beloved New Jersey native and world-renowned superstar, died in 2012 due to a drug overdose. In 2019, her estate announced plans to do a light show in her memory with holographic technology. The “concert” series (residency) will run from October 26 through April 2022 at Harrah’s Las Vegas. Each show will feature a live band, backup singers and dancers, as well as Houston’s voice and likeness. https://youtu.be/t86w18eM64w Grammy-winning rapper Drake is the latest among a group of celebrities — including actors Robert Downey Jr., Leonardo DiCaprio and Orlando Bloom — teaming up with California-based Aspiration to find ways to reduce the large carbon footprint that comes with being an international superstar. The environmentally friendly financial services company will audit Drake’s schedule, events and travel to calculate his carbon footprint. Part of Aspiration’s approach includes a reforestation program that plants millions of trees around the country to offset carbon overload. For Drake, who had 31 concert dates in 2019 spanning Los Angeles to Rio de Janeiro and London to Paris, his private jet — dubbed “Air Drake”— the impact of his carbon footprint takes some calculating. U.S. Olympian Sydney McLaughlin delivered another stellar performance Saturday morning at the Tokyo Olympics, winning the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 54.65. Despite a false start due to another runner, McLaughlin kept her focus; she was nearly 10 paces down the track when a second gun went off, signaling the false start. “It’s always an adjustment, just mentally, having to refocus and regroup,” McLaughlin said. “It’s just one of those things. You can’t always control what happens, but mentally you can control how you respond to it.” And her response to the competition garners just as much attention as her performance. McLaughlin broke the world record last month during the U.S. Olympic track and field trials with a recorded time of 51.90 seconds, becoming the first woman to run the event in under 52 seconds. After achieving the best time, the 21-year-old gave all the glory to God. Coaches for the U.S. men’s team looked at the times of their swimmers before Sunday and knew a world record in the 4×100 men’s medley relay was within reach. And then Ryan Murphy, Michael Andrew, Caeleb Dressel and Zach Apple delivered, swimming in 3:26.78 at the Tokyo Olympics to break the 12-year-old record by .50 seconds. The victory continued the Americans’ dominance in the event, having never lost the men’s medley relay at the Olympics. The only time they have not won gold was in 1980 when the entire team boycotted the Moscow Games. And it also capped a remarkable Games for Dressel who won his fifth gold medal. He won gold in the 50-meter freestyle earlier in the day. American BMX racer Connor Fields has been moved out of intensive care after crashing during the semifinals at the Tokyo Games, USA Cycling said. Fields, 28, suffered a brain hemorrhage in the frightening crash Friday, the sport’s national governing body said in a statement. “After a night in the ICU, the doctors are pleased to report that there has been no additional bleeding, and no new injuries were found,” USA Cycling said. “Fields has been moved out of the critical care unit and will remain in the hospital until cleared.” Fields’ father, Mike Fields, told USA Today that the results seemed positive so far. “Cognitively, he’s doing well,” he told the newspaper. “He knows where he is. He knows his birthday. He recognizes people.’’ Fields left the course on a stretcher after crashing in the first turn in the semifinals. Make it four gold medals for swimmer Caeleb Dressel at the Tokyo Olympics. Dressel cruised to a relatively easy victory in the frenetic dash from one end of the pool to the other, touching in an Olympic record of 21.07 seconds. France’s Florent Manaudou repeated as the Olympic silver medalist in 21.57, and Brazil’s Bruno Fratus claimed the bronze in 21.57, edging out American Michael Andrew for the final spot on the podium. Dressel has one more shot at a gold in the 4×100 medley relay, an event the United States has never lost at the Olympics. He’ll swim the butterfly leg in a race that caps nine days of swimming competition at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Dressel entered the day with golds in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly, in which he set the world record. Kelly Price Sings Whitney Houston, Talks Being Raised In the Church, Being Fat Shamed, & Biggest Lessons Mariah Carey Taught Her in New Interview on ‘The Terrell Show’ https://youtu.be/qCanZc8bUY8 After posting up in the Mercedes Benz Stadium for a week in a cot that resembles those at the Olympic Village, Kanye West has announced yet another listening party/release party for his long-awaited album, Donda. The release, which was creative-directed by Demna Gvasalia, will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a.k.a. Ye’s new home, on Thursday, August 5 at 9:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale Monday, August 2 at 10:00 a.m. EST at Ticketmaster.com. West originally premiered the record — which features Lil Baby, Pusha T, Don Toliver, and more — on July 22nd at the stadium ahead of what was supposed to be a release that Friday. Anyone familiar with Kanye knows, though, that he’s a tinkerer; instead of dropping the album, he posted up at Mercedes Benz to make the final adjustments. It’s now due out on August 6th. The album reportedly includes several references to Kanye’s impending divorce from Kim Kardashian and a new collaboration with Jay-Z. In early July, restaurateur Victoria Tyson opened her Philadelphia eatery, Victoria’s Kitchen, for the first time since the first days of COVID-19. As she cut a ceremonial ribbon in front of a crowd of reporters and well-wishers, she announced that she planned to overcome a lack of capital and staffing — the obstacles that had kept her from re-opening sooner — by investing in e-commerce technology and recruitment and retention training. How would she do it? With a $10,000 grant from the brand-new Black Restaurant Accelerator Program, a partnership between the PepsiCo PEP Foundation and the National Urban League (NUL) to give 500 black restaurant owners a total of $10 million over the next five years. Three weeks later, she’s already put her money to work. “This program and grant even out the playing ground for Black business owners,” she says. “It also means me and people like me are given a fighting chance.” Former president and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama will be going on a five-city museum tour that started earlier this summer. Actually, Barack and Michelle themselves won’t be touring, but their famous portraits will be. Painted by Kehine Wiley and Amy Sherald, respectively, the tour’s first stop is at the Art Institute of Chicago until mid-August. Then the portraits will travel to Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston. The tour will last through May 2022. Educational workshops, audio-visual media and curated presentations will included along with the Obama portraits to enhance the viewing experience. Complex reports that the 2022 lineup of the Lovers & Friends festival/concert has already been announced, and will feature Usher, Lauryn Hill, TLC, Brandy, Monica, and many more and festival will take place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. Next year will be the festival’s actual inaugural year, with it taking place on May 14, 2022 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. The lineup will also include Ciara, Nelly, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Ashanti, Trey Songz, and is presented by Live Nation, Snoop Dog, and Bobby Dee. Hollywood filmmaker David Wendell Boykins is a great storyteller. He is making quite a name for himself as a producer and director in ‘tinsel town.” Known for creating powerful works of art and projects that connect with ‘movie-lovers,’ Boykins latest film, “Mama’s Song,” is receiving rave reviews as a top download favorite streaming on Amazon. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Nelly is apparently not welcome in the Idaho panhandle! This past Tuesday, KVPI–a news station in Northern Idaho–revealed that they received an email chain from residents of Kootenai County, Idaho. The emails were centered on blasting the decision to schedule Nelly (real name Cornell Haynes Jr.) to perform at the North Idaho State Fair. Many claimed the community was trying to generate out-of-state revenue by sacrificing their conservative values, resulting in: “[Locals feeling] appalled by the actions of the fair board in selecting rapper entertainment for the fair.” “We are not oldsters that deny changing times. We are serious, responsible citizens with moral character who recognize filth and the increasing depravity of our youth stimulated when we see it. Nelly is no Elvis Presley…He is glorifying the Pimp lifestyle.” Towards the end of the email in question, the resident explicitly says: “Please think about the message he is sending… Make him go to Portland/Seattle where he will be welcomed, not Idaho.” Despite the residents’ concerns, ticket sales indicate that many others are excited about Nelly‘s anticipated performance. “The Wire” actor Gbenga Akinnagbe filed criminal charges accusing his ex girlfriend (a journalist) of sexually abusing him by touching his buttocks?! Let Lola Adesioye (the defendant) tell it, they were in a relationship. And its proven within many text messages (three binders worth since 2019), between the two. Plus, photos of them poising like a happy couple of lovers. https://youtu.be/SymLKZ-m9nI Angelo & Veronica say, “Back to the Gospel album is about us getting back to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. What we endeavored was for each song to present an aspect of the gospel. The gospel being that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. This is the only gospel, when received will change the hearts of men and save their souls. This is our most significant work yet. Because it’s more than songs or music, but a presentation of the gospel with an opportunity for people to respond. We lead people into a prayer of salvation at the end of the album. Back to the Gospel album was inspired by our online ministry, Higher Place Church. We're excited see others experience true salvation and use this music to share the gospel with others. https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/angeloandveronica/back-to-the-gospel A doomsday new Covid variant that could kill up to one in three people is a ‘realistic possibility’, according to the Government’s top scientists. Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) today warned a future strain could be as deadly as MERS — which which has a case fatality rate of 35 per cent — could be on the way. No10’s expert panel It said the likelihood of the virus mutating is highest when it is most prevalent — as is currently the case in Britain. And a downside of Britain’s hugely successful vaccine drive, it appears the country’s greater levels of immunity could help speed up the process. Scientists said Britain should bring in booster vaccine doses over the winter, minimise new variants coming from abroad and consider culling animals — including minks and even cats, which can harbour the virus — to prevent the mutant strain occurring. House Democrats scrambled on Friday to scrape up the votes needed to extend the federal eviction moratorium through the end of the year — a long shot bid to keep the freeze from expiring on Saturday — as leaders vented frustration with President Biden for punting the issue to them. “We would like the C.D.C. to expand the moratorium, that’s where it can be done,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol, referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal agency that imposed the moratorium last fall. “The fact is, almost $50 billion was allocated — $46 billion. Less than 10 percent of that has been spent, around $3 billion,” she said. “Why should the renters be punished for the fact that the system did not put money in their pockets to pay the rent to the landlords? Health officials in the United States will on Friday explain the science behind their U-turn on face masks, as Republicans express skepticism over the decision – which appears to have stemmed from research into a July 4 outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday announced that they were updating their previous guidance to now recommend that vaccinated people wear face masks once more, when indoors and in parts of the country with substantial COVID-19 transmission. They did not explain their reason for the shift in policy – which has sparked fevered debate – and merely said it was due to new data on the highly contagious Delta variant. On May 13 the American public was told they no longer needed to wear masks indoors if vaccinated. An internal federal health document obtained by The Washington Post claimed that the Delta variant was as infectious as chickenpox or Ebola – with each infected person passing the virus to eight or nine others, on average. That infectivity is known as R0. The original lineage was about as transmissible as the common cold, with each infected person passing it to about two others, on average. Jennifer King never set out to be the “first” of anything. She just always wanted to be the best. That motivation and hustle took her all the way to the NFL when she joined as assistant coach for the Washington Football team, making her the first African American female assistant position coach in the league’s history. King is also only the second female assistant position coach in the NFL behind Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust. Though it seems almost impossible that we’re still witnessing so many diversity “firsts” in major league sports, King is confident that this is only the tip of the iceberg. The Reidsville, North Carolina, native’s rise to prominence is a classic lesson in persistence. After graduating with a degree in sports management, King got an assistant coaching position for the Greensboro College basketball team, where she spent nine years. She also played football herself during that time for several Women’s Football Alliance teams, which only deepened her love for the sport. She eventually obtained a head coaching position for the Johnson & Wales University women’s basketball team in Charlotte. She was coaching there when she was introduced to then-Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, to whom she expressed her desire to coach football. It was Juneteenth weekend in St. Louis, and the new mayor was leading the celebrations: She hopscotched from cookouts to charity runs, grooved to classic R&B songs and proclaimed that her city would be among the nation’s first to pay reparations to the descendants of enslaved people. Two weeks later, Tishaura Jones spent a quiet weekend with her family. In the process, she became the first St. Louis mayor in decades to skip the city’s Fourth of July parade, an event long sponsored by a group with a dubious racial record. St. Louis would need to have some “tough conversations,” Jones said, before she felt comfortable joining the party. The tale of the two weekends in many ways encapsulates the young tenure of St. Louis’s history-making mayor: The 49-year-old unapologetically embraces her Black identity, champions progressive policy ideas long dismissed as fringe and doesn’t seem to mind who she might alienate along the way. It takes commitment to a cause and that’s what Missouri congresswoman Cori Bush Has. She spent the night sleeping on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to protest the end of the COVID eviction moratorium. The night was spent with several other members of Congress (including Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar) to highlight the impending struggle of millions of people who will be evicted from their homes unless Congress extends the eviction moratorium. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-07-31-073121-cori-bush-1215402/ Academy Award and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson portrays the late music icon Aretha Franklin in the new film “Respect,” set to hit theaters August 13. It’s a role Hudson was handpicked to play by Franklin, long before she died in 2018. Hudson opens up about her friendship with Franklin, how she portrayed the legend and how she drew on her own life to enrich the performances in an interview with Kelefa Sanneh for CBS SUNDAY MORNING to be broadcast Sunday, August 1 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network. https://twitter.com/i/status/1421157473235439619 Vivica A. Fox has been added to the ensemble cast of “Holiday Hideaway” which begins production in August. Starring Camille Winbush and Victor Sho. “Hideaway” follows Carly Stewart (Winbush) a quirky writer and expert holiday lover who is obsessed with being the keeper of all of her family’s traditions, celebrations and sit-down smorgasbords. But when her over-the-top personality causes an epic blow up with her family and boyfriend Brandon (Sho), Carly shocks everyone by taking on a work assignment that not only helps her to escape her annual holiday duties, but also leads her on an unexpected zany adventure to find the true meaning of family, love and the reason for the season. LaKeith Stanfield and Tiffany Haddish are in talks to star in Disney’s new “Haunted Mansion” movie. Justin Simien will reportedly helm the project with Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich producing through their Rideback banner. Nick Reynolds of Rideback will exec produce, per Deadline. The film is based on The Haunted Mansion ride which debuted in 1969 and currently appears at both Disneyland and Disney World. Disney adapted the ride into a 2003 movie starring Eddie Murphy. https://youtu.be/U32Law7K-b8 Alfonso Ribeiro has opened up about feeling like an outsider with the Black community. In his interview, the actor spoke on how he feels judged by and ousted from the Black community because he is married to a white woman, Angela Ribeiro. Alfonso Ribeiro stated: “I am in a mixed relationship. And I get things and looks and comments constantly. And I find it very interesting because you see a lot of things on social media where people say things and people have positions and perspectives. And it’s not easy to make that choice, because you’re not at home in any home. I’m never going to be white and I’m never going to be fully supported in the Black house. So I’m in my own little world with support from almost no one, to be in love with someone I’ve fallen in love with. How does that make sense? It doesn’t.” Biz Markie of the Juice Crew, and one of the most beloved emcees to ever touch the mic. Now it’s been revealed that his home-going service will be held on Monday, August 2nd in NYC. According to sources, the eulogy will be given by Al Sharpton, with a veritable mixtape of respectful remembrances from LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Fat Joe, Papoose and many others. From TMZ comes the rumor that Biz will be draped in a custom outfit from none other than legendary clothier Dapper Dan. Dapper Dan and Biz crossed paths frequently when both their burgeoning careers were in their infant stages. Reports indicate a family viewing will be held Monday, August 2nd, from 11am to 1pm Eastern. The funeral service is slated to commence at 1:30 and end around 3:30 pm, according to reports. Both BET and TMZ will live stream his services. Biz Markie, Marcel Theo Hall, died July 16, 2001 after battling a multitude of complications from diabetes. Last year in April, Biz was hospitalized due to severe complications from the ailment that took his life. He eventually suffered a stroke and fell into a diabetic coma in December 2020. https://youtu.be/9aofoBrFNdg Lamar Odom has reportedly been ordered to shell out a huge chunk of money to his “Basketball Wives” ex-girlfriend over child support. ccording to Page Six, Liza Morales sued the ex-Los Angeles Lakers back in May, claiming the former NBA star hasn’t been honoring their 2015 settlement agreement over their now-adult children. Not only did she alleged that he has been backed up on child support, but also college costs and tuition, as well as rent for the Lower Manhattan apartment where she lives with their kids’ Destiny, 23, and Lamar Jr., 19, prompting an eviction case against her, the news site notes. Following last month’s court appearance where Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Matthew Cooper granted Morales’ request for a default judgment against Odom, Cooper signed his judgment ordering Odom to cough up $380,549 in child support, rent arrears, college costs, and her legal fees in the case. This was all made public this Thursday, Page Six reports. The first trailer for the hotly anticipated crime drama “House of Gucci” has finally arrived starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto, Salma Hayek, Reeve Carney and Jack Huston. Directed by Ridley Scott, the story centers on the head of the Gucci fashion house, Maurizio Gucci (Driver) and his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga), who hired a hitman to kill him in 1995. https://twitter.com/i/status/1420900751170224128 Elaine Thompson-Herah broke Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old Olympic record in the women’s 100 meters, pointing at the scoreboard even before crossing the line in 10.61 seconds Saturday to defend her title and lead a Jamaican sweep of the medals. Griffith Joyner set the old record of 10.62 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Thompson-Herah beat her top rival, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, by .13 seconds. Shericka Jackson, who moved to the shorter sprints for the Tokyo Olympics, won bronze in 10.76. No Olympic champion had broken 10.7 since FloJo. Thompson-Herah wasn’t sure she would do it either as she approached the finish. But “I knew that I won,” she said. A little boy is getting a second chance after enduring unimaginable heartbreak — all thanks to the detective who responded to the call on the night his world changed forever. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Detective Mike Blair and his wife Danyel said they knew they had to take in Ronnie Oneal IV and give him a new life after his traumatic experience in 2018, according to a video from HCSO. “He knows he has a story that has been written for him,” Blair, a father of five, said in the video. “But he also knows he doesn’t want to be defined by that story.” According to the sheriff’s department, Ronnie was just 8 years old when his mother and 9-year-old sister were brutally murdered by his dad, Ronnie Oneal III. A white male sheriff’s deputy in Texas is on administrative leave pending an investigation after video of him lying on top of a crying Black teen went viral as she said “I can’t breathe,” went viral. According to reports, the Kaufman County, Texas sheriff’s department received a call that 18-year-old Nekia Trigg of Fourney was jumping in front of cars in traffic. When the seven-minute video begins, an officer, identified as Kaufman County Deputy Conner Martin, is laying on top of Trigg as women around try to diffuse the situation. Trigg’s mother, 41-year-old Antanique Ray, tells Martin, “You don’t have to ever hit her, okay? She will stay down.” Martin tells Ray, “You need to back up. You need to back up.” As Ray touches Martin’s hand, gripping her daughter’s wrist, Martin starts screaming, “Do not touch me! Back up! Back up!” Atlanta news anchor Jovita Moore has been diagnosed with an incurable form of brain cancer, her station, Channel 2 Action News, shared Thursday. The 53-year-old Moore has glioblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer that can affect the brain or spinal cord. Her doctors have said that there is no cure, but she will undergo radiation and chemotherapy to slow down the cancer’s progress. Moore, a mom to three kids, had shared in April that she was undergoing surgery after doctors discovered two masses on her brain, which they now know are cancer. Channel 2 Action News said that Moore “has felt the love and prayers” that she’s received in the last few months after sharing her ordeal, and “is grateful for all the support and asks that you stay positive as she continues to focus on her health, her treatments and her family.”A tragedy to triumph on the track. One day after their ability to participate in the 4x400m mixed relay was left in question, the U.S. track team proved victorious on Saturday, securing the bronze medal. The U.S. finished with a time of 3:10.22 behind the Dominican Republic with the silver, and Poland, who won gold while setting an Olympic record. Team USA was made up of Trevor Stewart, Kendall Ellis, Vernon Norwood and Kaylin Whitney. American gymnast Simone Biles has pulled out of the individual competitions in vault and uneven bars, according to USA Gymnastics. Biles was a heavy favorite in the vault event final coming into the Olympics. “Today, after further consultation with medical staff, Simone Biles has decided to withdraw from the event finals for vault and the uneven bars,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. “She will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether to compete in the finals for floor exercise and balance beam. MyKayla Skinner, who had the fourth highest score in vault during qualifications, will compete in vault finals for the U.S. alongside Jade Carey, who finished with the second highest score.” The American, who won the gold medal in the vault in Rio 2016, pulled out of the team all-around competition on Tuesday after she said she got lost in the air during a vault on the opening rotation. USA Gymnastics later said in a statement that she would withdraw to focus on her mental health. The Detroit Pistons selected Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, making him the school’s first top overall pick in program history. He’s the fourth top-10 pick in school history. Cunningham, an Arlington native, drew plenty of national attention during his freshman season with Oklahoma State last year. He averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 44% from the floor and 40% from 3-point range. He won the Wayman Tisdale Award as the top freshman in college basketball. Terrence Clarke, the former Kentucky guard who died in a car accident while preparing for the NBA draft, was recognized Thursday in a ceremony midway through the first round. NBA commissioner Adam Silver introduced Clarke’s mother, brother and sister. “It is my honor to now announce that with the next pick in the 2021 NBA draft, the NBA selects Terrence Clarke from the University of Kentucky,” Silver said as Clarke’s family members went up to the stage and put on NBA hats. Silver embraced each of Clarke’s family members as the crowd chanted “Terrence! Terrence!” Clarke had declared for the draft after playing one season at Kentucky. He died April 22 at the age of 19 following a car accident in Los Angeles. Tatjana Schoenmaker — an Olympic swimmer from South Africa — set a new record Wednesday in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke, and she’s using her success to point others to God. The swimmer finished the preliminary round with a time of 2:19.16. The 24-year-old Olympian broke another record in the preliminary rounds for the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:04.82. She ended up claiming the silver medal in the Monday event, Sportsnet reported. This is a group I founded in the 80s with Kenny G…,” said six-time Grammy nominated Jazz pianist Jeff Lorber about his Grammy winning Jeff Lorber Fusion Trio (“Prototype,” 2018), which just release a new album titled “Space-Time” (Shanachie Entertainment). “I also have a band with Paul Jackson, Jr., but this isn’t that. I picked it (the trio) up again…Fusion is me, but a band.” The Jeff Lorber Fusion Trio consists of Lorber, Gary Novak (drummer) and Jimmy Haslip (bass). The “Space-Time” album features living legends Hubert Laws (sax and flute), Bob Mintzer (sax), Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar) and Gerald Albright (sax). The first single from the “Space-Time” album is “Back Room.” https://youtu.be/w3Ib_-jzuj4 Johnny Britt the legendary singer and trumpet player has released his timely and much-anticipated song, “Peace Officer.” The socially conscious anthem song, featuring Malcolm Jamal Warner is written, produced, arranged, mixed and performed by Britt. With civil unrest in the nation and all over the world, Britt has written a song for this moment in history. In these unprecedented times of police shootings and injustice, Johnny looks through the eyes of the police officer behind the trigger… Britt and Warner, an Emmy-nominated, spoken word artist as well as actor and musician, have collaborated on a timeless classic in “Peace Officer.” Also on the track, Britt is joined by Marcus Williams on drums, Dean Mark on bass, and Keith Henderson on guitar. #Atlanta rapper #WakaFlocka is taking up a new interest in learning how to farm. He posted two videos on #TikTok of him in the beginning stages of his farming journey.? During his first video post, he shared bundles of hay he had to feed his cows. He then showed himself after shopping in #HomeDepot, getting more supplies that he needed. He said, “I told myself I’mma learn how to farm, bruh.” He captioned the video, “Just a good o day.”? The second video he posted to TikTok of his farming journey shows him preparing some space on his land to grow tomatoes by mowing the grass, getting rid of weeds, breaking the soil, and planting tomato seeds.? Rashanna James-Frison was 4 when her mother was killed, her father was shot and left paralyzed before she was born, and she was shuttled through the foster-care system. Luckily for the young teen, a tribe of loved ones helped lift her up along her painful journey, and this year she rose to be valedictorian of her class. “So many odds were against her, but she pulled through with the support of family,” said Allison James-Frison, her adoptive mother and biological aunt. Rashanna’s mother, Nakisha Burks, was found dead 10 years ago in an abandoned apartment in New Jersey. She had been badly beaten, and her death was ruled a homicide. Four years earlier, Spencer James Jr., Rashanna’s father, was shot. He required long-term care and lived in a facility affected by COVID-19. He died last year. When Rashanna learned what a valedictorian was, she set her mind on claiming the honor. She submitted extra-credit work, studied every day, and even wrote a valedictory speech before learning she had earned the honor. Months later, Rashanna’s principal came to her house to formally announce that she was the valedictorian. “I believe ‘proud’ to [mean] ‘I wasn’t expecting you to do that,’ so I don’t like the word ‘proud’,” said Rashanna’s mentor, Asia Norton, a school board member. “No, she earned that.” Blogger Chanté Burkett is urging others to advocate for their health after doctors “brushed off” her stomach growth that turned out to be a 13-lb. ovarian tumor. In December, the 33-year-old noticed that her stomach had become “semi-hard,” and she was dealing with “severe pelvic pain” and vomiting. Burkett initially thought she had eaten something that wasn’t sitting well with her, but the symptoms persisted for weeks. Over the next six months, Burkett went to her doctor three times in search of a diagnosis, but again and again her symptoms were dismissed, without ever running any tests. After she was brushed off again on her third visit in July, Burkett decided to go to an urgent care center, where a CT scan showed a large mass. She was directed to a specialist, but two days before her appointment the pain worsened to the point “where I couldn’t walk anymore.” Burkett went to the emergency room, and doctors said she needed emergency surgery. According to a #Yahoo report, a #Pennsylvania mom was handcuffed while trying to enjoy a pool day with her two daughters.? #StephanieCrute was with her children at Tamaqua’s Bungalow Pool when she was approached by officers responding to a disturbance call.? Police were called to the scene after Crute and her girls refused to leave the pool when asked, according to Tamaqua Police Chief Michael Hobbs. Staff was reportedly concerned by her loud music, but especially by the uncensored version of “WAP,” a sultry duet between Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, which contained obscene language.? Officers came on the scene and told Crute and her daughters to leave, but the woman refused, resulting in a violent arrest.? Crute allegedly pushed an officer who was looking away from her, resisted being detained, and began punching cops and other pool visitors. Her 11-year-old daughter is accused of defending her mother by hitting a cop from behind in an attempt to prevent him from detaining her. https://www.instagram.com/p F2tcaM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law and Christopher Seeger of Seeger Weiss today announced that they have been retained by the family of Henrietta Lacks to pursue justice concerning the unauthorized use of her cells for medical research. Lacks died at the age of 31 from an aggressive case of cervical cancer. Before her death 70 years ago, doctors from Johns Hopkins Hospital took samples of her cancerous cells and gave them to researchers without her or her family members’ knowledge or consent. Lacks’ cells – now commonly known as HeLa – were discovered to have an amazing property not seen before: they could be grown continuously in laboratory conditions. Lacks’ immortal cells went on to be the first human cells to be successfully cloned and have since been used continually for research into vaccines, cancer treatments, AIDS treatments, in vitro fertilization, and many other groundbreaking advances in medicine that generously line the pockets of pharmaceutical companies and executives. Candace Owens has suggested Simone Biles is a coward for pulling out of the Olympics. Biles withdrew from Thursday’s individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Games to focus on her mental well-being. The announcement came a day after she stumbled on the vault and pulled out of Tuesday’s team final. Owens commented on a tweet by The Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon, who criticized Simone’s decision to pull out of the summer games in Tokyo. His tweet read, “Simone Biles just said sitting out the big competitions shows how strong you really are. That’s like saying soldiers who run away from battle are courageous. Cowardice is not courage; weakness is not strength. Great athletes understand this.” Owens sarcastically fired back with, “Doing nothing is courage. Anyone who disagrees is a white supremacist. Welcome to 2021.” https://youtu.be/FD_ZrFeBzzU American artistic gymnastics treasure Simone Biles stunned hopefuls when she pulled out of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics finals as of late. She cited “fighting demons” for her exit. Michelle Obama, Hoda Kotb, and more emotionally responded to Simone Biles’ withdrawal from Tokyo Olympics final. Sportswriter Ian Herbert shared Biles’ press conference on Twitter and tweeted about the main reason for her decision. “One of the most remarkable mixed zone press conferences I’ve known. In which Simone Biles described pulling out of tonight’s team event because she had to put her mental health first,” he wrote. Herbert explained the youngster revealed that tennis star Naomi Osaka among others, inspired her. He also shared a video of Biles further explaining her choice: “To focus on my well-being. There’s more to life than just gymnastics, and it is unfortunate that it had to happen at this stage, but I have to take it one day at a time, and we will see how the rest goes.” n a retweet by Herbert on the same post, he shared the 24-year-old’s mindset on the Olympic Games as she revealed she was not having as much fun. She wanted to be herself but felt as if she was doing it for other people and that it hurts to feel that way.?https://www.instagram.com/p/CR34eZ0l4gJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d90d821b-c22f-40da-bbe6-e2cfb9a7ec16 Responses to Simone Biles‘ decision to step away from Olympic competition to prioritize her mental health have seemingly been largely supportive, with most of the people gaslighting the greatest gymnast of all time revealing themselves to be of the MAGA variety. But that line of thinking was all but upended on Thursday when it was reported that SNL star and comedian Michael Che posted comments on social media mocking Biles that evoked anger from her fans and supporters. Che is accused of first posting to his Instagram Stories about the apparent urge he was feeling to “make fun of simone biles.” Che also allegedly posted that he had “like 3 minutes of simone biles jokes” and planned to perform them by himself in an apparent test run before engaging with and co-signing some of his followers who took his lead to make their own distasteful one-liners about the Olympic gold medalist. There was even a so-called Simone Biles joke about Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who was since been convicted of sexually abusing gymnasts, including Biles. The racist vitriol spewed during the MAGA riot at the Capitol was detailed and officially placed in the Congressional Record Tuesday with the testimony of Black Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, one of four in law enforcement to speak to the House select committee on the Jan. 6 attack. While all of the officers were violently attacked, Black officers were also hit with racial slurs. Olga Skabeeva, the host of Kremlin-funded TV program “60 Minutes,” mocked Dunn’s testimony, saying: “The long-awaited first hearing in the United States was a total farce.” Skabeeva continued, “Imagine that, a huge dark-skinned policeman, his name is Harry Dunn, got teary-eyed like a boy, because the protesters called him the N-word.” Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Greene described the white domestic terrorists who stormed the Capitol on January 6 as “political prisoners of war.” Russian state TV added: “The so-called terrorists are actually political prisoners,” Skabeeva said Wednesday. She also accused the Capitol police of being “talented actors.” Skabeeva claimed that the insurrectionists were simply touring the building, “but the ticket counter was closed at the time,” so they just went in. “No big deal,” Skabeeva said, “There was no need for the police officers to cry!” She then called on human rights organizations to defend America’s “political prisoners.” https://youtu.be/_AyO-0FP7MQ CNN’s Don Lemon and the ladies of “The View” had thoughts on the man who confronted Tucker Carlson in a Montana fly fishing shop over his anti-vax rhetoric. Video of the encounter, which went viral this week, shows a man identified on Instagram as Dan Bailey saying to Fox News’ most watched TV host, “You are the worst human being known to man.” When Tucker told the man that he’s with his daughter in the store, Bailey said, “I don’t care.” Bailey posted the video with the caption, “It’s not every day you get to tell someone they are the worst person in the world and really mean it! What an a**hole!” https://youtu.be/utOvFIxn-rA On Thursday, GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz (FL), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), and Louie Gohmert (TX) attempted to get publicity by showing up unannounced at a correctional facility housing MAGA rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6., only to be denied entry. Perhaps, it’s exactly what they wanted to happen, as a way to fire up their collective MAGA base. https://youtu.be/sfA5NkHKfn4 The Brotherhood Crusade received a landmark grant for $800,000 from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The funds from the Hilton Foundation will assist Brotherhood Crusade in providing services and programs that will directly impact youth by preparing and readying them to thrive in middle-wage, highly compensated careers and entrepreneurship opportunities. Brotherhood Crusade community services and programs are designed to change the trajectory and narrative of young adults of color and provide them with the requisite skills to excel in life and make a positive impact in their respective communities. Conrad Hilton said “Love one another, for that is the whole law; so our fellow men deserve to be loved and encouraged – never to be abandoned to wander alone in poverty and darkness.” In response to the news that Kim Kardashian’s Kimsaprincess Inc. is launching her new SKKN and SKKN BY KIM lines, Cydnie Lunsford, a 28-year-old entrepreneur/aesthetician of Beauty Concepts LLC and owner of the SKKN+ brand (@skknplus), has decided to publicize the unauthorized use of her brand name. Cydnie Lunsford’s SKKN+ was established in July 2018 in Washington, DC, and since then has expanded to New York City. For the past three years, Lunsford has been consistently building her SKKN+ brand name by posting SKKN+ content and developing her clientele. SKKN+ was born out of Lunsford’s deep commitment and appreciation for the body aesthetic. “I have painstakingly built my successful small business with my own sweat equity, hard work, and research,” says Lunsford. “It’s clear that I established my brand first. As a young black woman, my mission with SKKN+ is to provide quality skincare and curated full body experiences to enhance each client’s self-care regimen. The (+) represents a hands-on transformative aesthetic experience that elevates the body, mind, and spirit.” NFL players Julio Jones and Roddy White are being sued by a cannabis company that alleges the men illegally sold hundreds of pounds of cannabis on the black market. Jones and White allegedly colluded with John Van Beek and his son, Shaun Van Beek, to run a black-market cannabis operation, according to the report. “The scope of said defendants’ theft, black-market sales, money laundering, and diversion of assets and expenses without documentation or approval, is staggering and has caused, and is causing, Genetixs substantial and irreparable harm and damage,” the 26-page lawsuit states. Universal is reportedly dropping $400 million to start a new “Exorcist” trilogy starring Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn. Burstyn appeared in the 1973 original film and will reprise her role as Chris MacNeil. Odom will play a father who turns to MacNeil for help after his child becomes possessed. David Gordon Green is directing the upcoming “Exorcist” franchise, with Blumhouse producing. Per Variety, the first of three planned movies will hit theaters on Oct. 13, 2023, and subsequent installments will stream on Peacock. https://youtu.be/PjD42P7BAaA Ike Turner’s daughter, Twanna Turner, shares her support for a play that is telling what’s described as her late dad’s story. Ike Turner was a famous musician/songwriter who was an early pioneer of 1950s rock and roll. He was well known for his work with his then-wife, singer Tina Turner, during the 60s/70s. It’s no secret that Ike Turner and Tina Turner had a rocky work and personal relationship during their time together. The 1993 Tina Turner biopic ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ details some of the alleged abuse Tina Turner endured from Ike during their marriage. Recently Twanna Turner took to her Facebook page and backed a play that claims it’s telling Ike Turner’s side of events. The play entitled ‘Taking Back My Name: The Ike Turner Story’ was written by playwright John L. Ruffin. Twanna Turner shared a flyer for the play online that reads, “You’ve heard her side of the story…now hear his.” A prominent African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church leader has been removed from the ranks of bishop after being found guilty in a church trial for mishandling millions of dollars in transactions related to congregations. Staccato Powell, who was the bishop of the denomination’s Western Episcopal District, had been suspended until the time of his trial, which was held on Wednesday (July 28) during the first day of the AME Zion Church’s hybrid General Conference in Atlanta. According to the single page of official minutes from the trial proceedings, which were held in executive session, Powell is no longer a bishop. “The jury found Bishop Staccato Powell guilty on all 20 counts,” the minutes read. “The Trial Committee recommended Bishop Staccato Powell be disrobed, meaning Bishop Staccato Powell would no longer be recognized as consecrated to the office of Bishop, and would be remanded to the Central North Carolina Conference as only an ordained Elder.” Bershan Shaw recently dished with theJasmineBRAND about appearing on the 13th season of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” and representing Black culture on the Bravo reality show. “I think, as a Black woman on a white show, there’s always teachable moments where people can learn from us. Because I am ready for diversity in television… So it’s time that we support each other on these shows. Tweet about us. You know, Instagram–show that you’re supporting us. Because they really don’t get to hear our voices. And so I felt like it was time to show that we are entertaining. We are fun. We’re successful. We’re millionaires–we have money! C’mon baby, it ain’t just white women… They need to know that we are boss women too.” https://youtu.be/CTB73UFe7Ts Elton John has clapped back at DaBaby over his anti-gay rant at Rolling Loud. As reported by TMZ, at one point during his performance, the rapper encouraged the crowd to put their cell phone lights up, “If you didn’t show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that’ll make you die in 2-3 weeks” and “Fellas, if you didn’t suck a n**** d*** in the parking lot.” Elton John took to Instagram to criticize the rapper for adding to “stigma and discrimination”. “We’ve been shocked to read about the HIV misinformation and homophobic statements made at a recent DaBaby show,” he wrote on Instagram. “This fuels stigma and discrimination and is the opposite of what our world needs to fight the AIDS epidemic,” the singer added. “HIV misinformation and homophobia have no place in the music industry. We must break down the stigma around HIV and not spread it. As musicians, it’s our job to bring people together.” Boosie Badazz has come to DaBaby’s defense amid backlash over his homophobic comments. Boosie took to Instagram Live on Wednesday to slam the cancel culture for taking aim at DaBaby. In a video addressing the controversy, Boosie called out openly gay rapper Lil Nas X and noted that trolls within the LGBTQP+ community can not force everyone to celebrate same-sex relations. “Everybody not with their nephew sucking dick. Everybody not with that shit. You just can’t just put that shit on everybody and expect it to be cool,” Boosie said on IG. “Nas X say he wanna perform naked onstage for charity. You don’t fuck with him like you fuck with DaBaby. You know, be even-sided, man, be even-sided. You don’t feel that disrespect? Going [to] dance naked? You don’t think that’s disrespect in front of boys who tryna be straight? It’s totally disrespect.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CR4L16GgLHC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Tamela Mann, is set to release her new Tillymann Music album, “Overcomer,” through The Orchard Distribution on Friday, August 6. Propelled by her newfound voice as a songwriter, each of the 12 tracks was conceived “to bring healing and hope to a world resetting after a tumultuous chapter in its history,” notes a press release. “I poured my experiences into the lyrics, putting my heart and soul into the words on this album,” Tamela says. “It’s me looking at my life and the things I was dealing with, trying to learn from those things, and doing what I can to overcome them.” The album was executive produced by Tamela and her husband, actor/comedian, David Mann. Special guests include Kirk Franklin and Wyclef Jean on “Hello God.” https://youtu.be/uE7qIuNnVcQ WE tv’s hit series “Beyond the Pole” returns this week with an all-new episode. This season on “Beyond the Pole,” per press release, Ms. Dime, Angel Kake, Empress, Lyric, Virgo, Gigi Maguire, Ya Ya, Treasure, and Milk Marie “Pinky” are dealing with a world that is changing along with their businesses. Everyone is feeling the stress of quarantine, staying masked-up, healthy, and keeping the bills paid in this new COVID reality. Now that the city of Atlanta has reopened, the women face these challenges as well as the pressure on their friendships, relationships and professional lives. https://youtu.be/n3ApMEcL1n8 Young Thug was the latest artist to perform as part of NPR’s Tiny Desk series, which has moved from the cramped office set in NPR’s office to remote “home” locations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recorded at the Houdini Estate in Los Angeles, the rapper performed four new songs — “Die Slow,” “Droppin Jewels,” “Hate the Game” and “Tick Tock,” each with a punk-rock feel thanks to the backing band Damnage Gooods and drummer Tosh Peterson. Travis Barker took the drum set for the Thug’s rendition of his final track of the set, “Ski.” Barker closed out the song and the show with an impressive drum solo. Throughout the performance, Young Thug teased his upcoming second studio album, “PUNK,” and revealed the Oct. 15 release date on the back of his T-shirt. https://youtu.be/SAROJPnd_s8 The Breakfast Club Radio Host Angela Yee is taking on the coffee industry with the release of her Coffee Uplifts People (CUP) brand. The 42-year-old media maven said that her idea for CUP sparked upon researching about the discrimination that marginalized people of color often face in countries where coffee beans are harvested and manufactured. CUP will outsource beans from Black farmers and Yee along with her business partners Tony Forte and LaRon Batchelor are also contracting Black-owned and local minority businesses to help construct CUP’s first brick-and-mortar shop that’s set to open in Bedstuy Brooklyn come August. The sustainable coffee brand boasts flavors including Honey Mocha Berry Java, Peruvian Decaf, and Cocoa Espresso. Nigerian social media star who flaunted a luxurious lifestyle that international authorities say was obtained through illicit means has pleaded guilty to scamming and defrauding a businessman and others out of tens of millions of dollars. The federal indictment against Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, also known more popularly on Instagram as “Hushpuppi” or “Ray Hushpuppi,” details an effort to steal more than $1 million from a businessman based in the Middle East. Abbas and five others were named in the indictment, but as of Thursday, he was the only one to plead guilty. The Department of Justice (DOJ) described Abbas, 37, as being “among the most high-profile money launderers in the world” who used his “celebrity status” to help his grifting reach multiple nations. Pastor Mike Jr. in just a short time has admonished people from all walks of life to follow their passions and dream BIG, that was followed with the 'nu school" hymn of affirmation and actualization I Got It, today the 2021 Stellar Awards Artist of the Year echoes his awe inspiring Stellar Awards performance with the release of "AMAZING." https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/8096502?date=20210730&user_id=668306&signature=yQL43KwNIpb7KKHYs06RjRnuubo%3AOiTZbJhM It's here! The official music video for "We Win" by Kirk and Lil Baby dropped this week and they've raised the bar. We loved seeing them open the BET Awards with this hit last month, and this creative collaboration just keeps getting better! Watch the full movie "Space Jam: A New Legacy" with LeBron James and enjoy the high-energy music video, "We Win." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ISA9_WihqI Travis Greene is at it again with the beautiful "Love Song" music video featuring Madison Binion. You can enjoy this song and more from Travis' upcoming album "Oil+Water." https://travisgreene.lnk.to/LoveSongFA!TG BISHOP HEZEKIAH WALKER X GMA3 was on ABC’s GMA3 today at 1pm ET! With a show highlighting a range of incredible human voices, Bishop Hezekiah fits right in with his life mission and is always ready with an on-time word. Hez House Entertainment, in partnership with RCA Inspiration has a new release! Catch the latest single, "Now Cry Holy" by Chicago's own Mark Hubbard & the Voices. https://markhubbard.lnk.to/NowCryHoly!RCAI In 2020 the pandemic was a rough year for everyone but personally traumatic for me. I lost my brother to Covid-19 and this song HE KEPT ME means more to me now than it ever did. Most can relate that God has kept some from it, and brought some through it; not only physically but mentally. God is and will forever be A Keeper! https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/6657860?date=20210224&user_id=668306&signature=xl-Loafg1LBx8y1PqTwuo4KJtwQ%3AuB9jgNkL For a rare time in modern history, one single version of a song has bridged the gap, blurred the lines, and brought unity between the Gospel and CCM formats. That bridge builder is “Joyful” by Dante Bowe of Bethel Music. “Joyful” is the first single to have the same version of the song to appear on both of Top 30 National Airplay Charts - Gospel at #23 and CCM at #14, and we’re overjoyed, to say the least. There has been a unified cry over the past couple of years within our God-blessed country for true equality and justice among all races, sexes, and classes. Not only that, but we encountered a global pandemic that worked hard at destroying hope in everyone’s lives. This left most Americans in a continued state of desperation and exasperation and was the exact climate when Dante’s “Joyful” hit the airwaves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwvSKPOaQVg Sebi’s Daughters Present “The Honduran Experience” on August 7, 2021 from 1-6pm EST in Atlanta, GA at the Sebi’s Daughters Wellness Center. In addition to this interactive experience, Sebi’s Daughters will launch a new line of products including Sebi Sicles, a wellness popsicle, and Candy Butter, a hair and body moisturizer. The Honduran Experience will kick off on August 6th with a private pre-launch celebration featuring a special performance by 9x Grammy nominated artist TANK, followed by the Sebi’s Daughters grand opening on August 7th , welcoming the public to enjoy this experience. There is enough probable cause to criminally charge a trigger-happy Wisconsin police officer with a history of killing suspects for fatally shooting a Black man in 2016, a judge ruled on Wednesday after revisiting the case at the urging of one of the victim’s family. Milwaukee County Judge Glenn Yamahiro has recommended the appointment of a special prosecutor to handle the case against Waukesha County Police Officer Joseph Mensah for killing Jay Anderson Jr. under questionable circumstances. That means the arrest of Mensah, who is also Black, is imminent. He is likely to be charged with committing a crime of homicide by a dangerous weapon. Mensah killed Anderson Jr., a 25-year-old who was found sleeping in his car in the city of Wauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee. Mensah, who at the time was working as an officer with the Wauwatosa Police Department, shot Anderson Jr. to death for allegedly reaching for a gun. Anderson is among three people of color who Mensah has killed since 2015. Mensah has never faced discipline for his killings and was just last year cleared of wrongdoing in the shooting death of 17-year-old Alvin Cole in 2016, which came one year after he killed Antonio Gonzales. Despite the existence of video evidence, a teenager who was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a horse in suburban Boston has pleaded not guilty to bestiality charges and his lawyer insists he is not the culprit. Jackson Z. Kelley, 19, who has been charged with making sexual contact with an animal, cruelty to animals and nighttime breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, was released from jail on Friday after being held without bail for three nights ahead of a “dangerousness hearing.” The terms of Kelley’s release include wearing a GPS ankle bracelet, undergoing a mental health assessment and perhaps most importantly, staying away from stables and horses. Glen Ford, a veteran broadcast, print and digital journalist who hosted the first nationally syndicated Black news interview program on TV before going on to found the Black Agenda Report website, has died, according to reports. He was 71 years old. Ford’s cause of death was not immediately reported. Several sources announced his death late Wednesday morning, including Margaret Kimberley, an editor and columnist at Black Agenda Report, the weekly news magazine that offers commentary and analysis from a Black perspective which Ford launched and served as its executive editor. To call Ford a career journalist is a vast understatement. According to his bio on the Black Agenda Report website, Ford was reporting the news live on the radio as early as 11-years-old and went on to enjoy a career in journalism for more than 40 years that included working as a Washington bureau chief as well as a correspondent covering the White House, Capitol Hill and State Department. At least two cops have been punished in recent days for their decisions against intervening when their fellow officers were viciously brutalizing restrained suspects, suggesting that there could be a growing semblance of accountability on the city and state levels for members of law enforcement who don’t de-escalate and use police brutality as a first resort. It also seemed to suggest that more cops are being punished — or, at least they will be — for standing by and watching fellow officers use excessive force on suspects who don’t pose a threat, effectively making them guilty of aiding and abetting. Most recently, two police officers in Colorado were arrested for their roles in beating a man who is shown on bodycam video refuting allegations there was a warrant for his arrest before one cop responds with force that appeared to be unnecessary. The officers work out of a police department that has been saddled with allegations of unabated brutality for the past few years, including the controversial and still-unresolved death of pedestrian Elijah McClain. Hallmark’s Mahogany card line is coming to television, with a quarterly slate of original movies targeted to Black audiences coming to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in early 2022, reports Variety. Crown Media Family Networks president and CEO Wonya Lucas says Hallmark was “uniquely positioned” for the endeavor thanks to the strong “emotional core” that exists between the company and its consumers. “Mahogany is a 34-year-old brand that has been an important part of the portfolio since its existence,” Lucas tells Variety. “So for us, it’s not an initiative; it’s bringing something to life through storytelling.” Talks to translate Mahogany to TV began in early 2021, as Lucas approached former TV One colleague Toni Judkins about spearheading the project. https://youtu.be/AL30UWCvtCI The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced the winners for its COVID-compliant edition of its 3rd Annual AAFCA TV Honors. Held virtually last year, AAFCA TV Honors led the way in incorporating first responders in a celebration that included Viola Davis and Sterling K. Brown. This year, AAFCA is pleased to honor a number of outstanding shows, creators, and performers, including CBS’s “The Equalizer” starring Queen Latifah as Best New Show and Robin Thede’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” on HBO as Best Comedy. HBO’s critically acclaimed “Lovecraft Country” stars Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors will be honored as Best Actress and Best Actor. HBO and Raoul Peck’s “Exterminate All the Brutes” and Netflix’s “High On the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America” take top docuseries honors. He’s wisecracking skipper and she’s a determined British scientist! Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are taking fans on an adventure of a lifetime down the Amazon this Friday in Disney’s “Jungle Cruise.“ https://youtu.be/X7ARsW3bKRc DaBaby has just been dropped from his partnership with BoohooMan following his controversial performance at Rolling Loud. The clothing brand announced today that it “condemns the use of homophobic language and confirm we will no longer be working with DaBaby.” The company noted that it stands “by and supports the LGBTQ community.” Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis dished with Dax Shepard on his “Armchair Expert” podcast and revealed that they only bathe their kids when they see dirt on them. Ashton and Mila, who are part-time bathers themselves, agreed with Dax that using soap every day rids the body of natural oils. Dax’s co-host Monica Padman asked Mila, “Who taught you to not wash?” Mila replied “I didn’t have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn’t shower very much anyway. I wasn’t that parent that bathed my newborns, ever. A day of celebration as Lifeline Education Charter School presented its Summer Bridge Program Graduation and Outdoor Products Backpack Giveaway recently in Compton, CA. The Lifeline Charter School (LESC) Summer Bridge Program presented graduates with Outdoor Products’ versatile, top quality, multipurpose backpacks filled with social and emotional items, such as a stress ball, colored pencil, scissors, an emotional bracelet and journal. Mrs. Paula DeGroat, executive director of LESC said, “This graduation is great, as the students learn and understand the process of how to get to the next level of education, and bonded with the staff.” A child who fled war-torn Liberia is now a successful businesswoman in the United States. At age 21, Adenah Bayoh bought a three-family home and at 26, she bought her first International House of Pancakes franchise in New Jersey. NJBiz called her a “one-woman economic engine” when it named her among New Jersey’s Top 50 Women in Business for 2014. Her journey has been one of grit and enterprise. The highly anticipated gospel event of the year, the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, is set to return to television this Sunday, August 1st, at 8 pm ET / PT, only on BET. Hosted by recording artists Jekalyn Carr and Tye Tribbett, this year’s celebration is set to wow audiences worldwide with an eclectic mix of performances by industry legends and chart-topping millennial artists who are spreading the gospel in new ways. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDJWZnF10pQ&feature=youtu.be TV One's hit true-crime show ATL HOMICIDE airs this Monday, August 2 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Viewers will dive into some of Atlanta's grittiest cases solved by thirty-year Atlanta PD veteran Detectives David Quinn and Vince Velazquez. The dynamic duo recounts their past homicide investigations and reminisce on their quest to put heinous murderers behind bars. Real-life interviews are paired with dramatic re-enactments from actors Angelo Diaz who portrays David Quinn and Christopher Diaz as Vince Velazquez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55DCu0h2OHc Settle in with a hearty serving of tea and scones as Lifetime celebrates the end of summer with a day of programming devoted to the royals. Kicking things off on Labor Day, Monday, September 6 at 8pm ET/PT is the world premiere of Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace, starring Jordan Dean (The Punisher) and Sydney Morton (She’s Gotta Have It) as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCWVDn2Xku8 Jonathan McReynolds' 2nd and final single at radio from his chart topping EP 'People" hit the Gospel Airplay Chart at #2 this week and on the final stretch to #1!! "Grace" was a standout track from the EP and has now garnered 2.8 million streams, 21.6 million audience to date at radio. It came in at #43 on the Adult R&B chart this week, jumping from #83 the prior week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0gEcAmKUU8 Ben Tankard has been giving us music to vibe to for over three decades. His catalog of hits is vast and has earned the Stellar Award Honors Hall of Fame inductee an astonishing wall of awards and platinum-selling records. He is the godfather of Gospel Jazz and invited fans to RISE! in 2018 with his hit record. This year, he encouraged us to SHINE! to an album that continues to prove why Tankard is a quintessential artist! SHINE! was #1 on Amazon Hot New Releases and includes epic songs that cross cultures and demographics. Tankard remakes "How Deep Is Your Love", the Bee Gee, and Kirk Franklin's "Melodies From Heaven". Tankard has reached #1 again on the Smooth Jazz National Airplay Chart this week with his soulful rendition of Marvin Gaye's "Just Like Music". https://vimeo.com/579630479 David and Tiffany Spencer are Gospel music's newest singing due who are making an impact in the genre with their dynamic vocal compatibility. They released their "We Are One" single earlier this year that has risen to #7 on the BDS Gospel Internet Radio Chart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co4XCAF79rk The U.S. has reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the world over the last seven days, according to the World Health Organization. The U.S. saw 500,332 new cases (a 131% increase) the week ending July 25 compared to the previous week, the WHO said. The world at large saw 3.8 million new cases (an 8% increase) over the same time period. More troublingly, the number of COVID-related deaths (over 69,000) represented a 21% jump. “An average of around 540 000 cases were reported each day over the past week as compared to 490 000 cases reported daily the week before. This increasing trend is largely attributed to substantial increases in the Region of the Americas and the Western Pacific Region,” the WHO’s report reads. Brazil, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and India rounded out the top five of countries with most new cases. “If these trends continue, it is expected that the cumulative number of cases reported globally could exceed 200 million in the next two weeks,” the WHO said. After a turbulent few years, Sunisa Lee can now call herself an Olympic gold medalist. The American gymnast won the women’s all-around title in Tokyo on Thursday ahead of Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade in second and the Russian Olympic Committee’s Angelina Melnikova in third. Lee, who extends the USA’s run of Olympic gold medals in the event to five, scored 57.433 as teammate and 2016 all-around champion Simone Biles watched on from the stands. Given what Lee has experienced over the past two years, no wonder the word she twice landed on to describe her victory was “surreal.” In 2019, she won gold on uneven bars at the US Championships shortly after her father had fallen off a ladder and become paralyzed from the chest down, while last year she lost her aunt and uncle to Covid-19. Lee, who turned 18 in March, has also overcome a spate of injuries, including a broken bone in her foot and an Achilles tendon injury last year. A Costa Rican gymnast appeared to find a loophole in the Olympic rules that bar political statements, when she made a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement during the artistic part of her floor routine. Luciana Alvarado, 18, wrapped up her performance in the Olympic qualifying rounds in Tokyo on Sunday by kneeling on the floor and looking up to the sky with a raised fist in the air. She later said the choreographed gesture was specifically meant to honor the BLM movement and draw attention to the importance of equality for all people. “Because we’re all the same,” she explained. “We’re all beautiful and amazing.” There will soon be a day without the reminder that every day, when you’re walking down the street, everybody that you meet has an original point of view. But hey (hey!), Arthur had a good, long run. The much beloved animated kids show is coming to an end in early 2022, after its 25th and final season. “Arthur is the longest-running kids animated series in history and is known for teaching kindness, empathy and inclusion through many groundbreaking moments to generations of viewers,” said the show’s executive producer, Carol Greenwald, in a statement. She added that the show will continue to be available on PBS KIDS for years to come. Kelly Clarkson has been ordered to pay nearly $200,000 in support to her estranged husband Brandon Blackstock, US Weekly reports. A Los Angeles County court ordered that, beginning on April 1st, Clarkson is obligated to pay Blackstock a whopping $150,000 per month in spousal support. The documents also order Clarkson to pay $45,601 a month to Blackstock as child assistance to “benefit” their children, River, 7, and Remington, 5. For those keeping score, that adds up to $195,601 per month that the American Idol alum must pay Blackstock. For context, the source says Clarkson earns $1.9 million a month. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will not bring charges in the death of a woman at an adult slumber party, the Macon Telegraph reports. Tamla Horsford, 40, attended the event with at least 11 other adults in 2018 when she allegedly fell from the back deck of the house and died. The agency turned over its reports to the Forsyth County District Attorney’s Office for review. “The DA review determined the facts and investigative findings do not support pursuit and prosecution of criminal charges,” a GBI spokesperson told the paper. It comes a year after the investigation was re-opened by the GBI after gaining renewed interest during the 2020 protests over racial justice. Questions have swirled as to how Horsford ended up face-down in the backyard, with family members suggesting the investigation was not handled properly. They cited the GBI’s reported mishandlings of killings of civilians by police, and a lawyer for Horsford’s widower has said evidence could show Horsford was in a struggle before her death. As of Tuesday, 85 percent of NFL players have reportedly received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, but a hesitancy lingers among the remaining 15 percent. While some players such as the Buffalo Bills Cole Beasley are still refusing the jab, others like Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill acknowledged he gave in to league pressure to get vaccinated. “I’m currently in the process right now [of being vaccinated],” Tannehill told reporters during his Wednesday press conference at Titans training camp. “The NFL has kind of made it clear what they want to happen. If you don’t fall in line, they’re gonna to make your life miserable with all the protocols.” NFL protocols for those who refuse the jab will include wearing masks, travel restrictions, and potentially being forced to forfeit a game and paycheck if an outbreak occurs among unvaccinated players. Liberty Athletics and ESPN have reached a new five-year extension for the exclusive media rights to Liberty’s home football games, beginning with the 2021 season through 2025. Liberty inked its first football media rights agreement with ESPN in 2018 during the Flames’ first season at the FBS level. This new agreement ensures that all Liberty home football games will air on an ESPN platform while guaranteeing that one game each year will air on an ESPN linear network. ESPN also has the right to choose a non-traditional day (non-Saturday) for a second linear network telecast, with all remaining games distributed on an ESPN digital platform. Anybody doubting the racist motivations behind the Jan. 6 insurrection hasn’t heard from U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn. He was among four police officers who testified Tuesday morning as the congressional committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol convened with a hearing to formally kick off its probe to determine why the riot took place and how to prevent something like that from ever happening again. Dunn, who is Black, offered moving testimony about his experience responding to the Capitol rioters. He described it as being largely racist in nature. He testified that “no one had ever, ever called me ni**er while wearing the uniform of a Capitol Police Officer” until Jan. 6. https://youtu.be/_AyO-0FP7MQ After leaving the door open for a possible return to the Olympics, Simone Biles on Wednesday extended her break from competition in Tokyo in an effort to prioritize her mental health. The update came about 24 hours after it was first reported that Biles was withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics to cope with what a USA women’s gymnastics team coach referred to as a “mental issue.” Biles and Team USA originally hinted she could be back competing in the all-around final on Thursday before officially deciding against it, the Washington Post reported. However, there is still a chance she could return to competing at the Olympics. It’s just unclear when that would be. Three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes still maintains her focus and dedication to what’s important in life — including laughter. During her performances, Dawes says she rarely smiled. But today, as a wife, mother of four young children and owner of a gymnastics academy, she encourages the girls she trains to express emotions that would not have been acceptable during her career. It’s part of a shift in the cutthroat culture of American gymnastics that was brought to the fore at the Tokyo Olympics by the decision of Simone Biles — considered the “Greatest of All Time” in the sport — to pull out of the team event final due to mental exhaustion. “She needs to do what is best for Simone.” https://youtu.be/X3PKTUyCAo0 Ed Buck, a wealthy political donor in California, has been found guilty on all nine counts in a case that accused him of trading drugs for sex — efforts that left at least two Black men dead in his home within 18 months of each other in recent years. Buck, 66, could spend the rest of his life in prison when he is sentenced. The guilty verdict came on the four-year anniversary of Gemmel Moore, one of Buck’s victims. Moore, 26, was found dead in Buck’s West Hollywood home. Buck was accused of supplying Moore and Timothy Dean with drugs in exchange for sex. At least one other Black man also overdosed in Buck’s home, but that unidentified man survived. Moore’s mother, who is suing Buck, told the Associated Press that she was both happy and sad with the verdict. “Today is bittersweet,” LaTisha Nixon said. “We got victory today.” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has reportedly defended her controversial decision to grant interview requests only to minority journalists — calling the number of non-whites covering her “unacceptable.” “I would absolutely do it again. I’m unapologetic about it because it spurred a very important conversation, a conversation that needed to happen, that should have happened a long time ago,” Lightfoot told the New York Times’ “Sway” host Kara Swisher on Monday of the temporary May declaration. As she marked her two-year anniversary in office in May, the Democrat — whose city is in the midst of a plague of gun violence and is on track to surpass last year’s total of 48 mass shootings — assailed the “overwhelming whiteness” of the Windy City’s media and announced that she’d grant one-on-one interviews only to minority members, Fox News reported. A Corsicana pastor says his fight against COVID-19 has changed his perspective on getting the vaccine. The North Texas pastor has been battling the virus for more than 20 days. He admits he was not vaccinated but now plans to after his near-death experience. Danny Reeves is used to teaching the word of God every Sunday at First Baptist Church in Corsicana. But over the last few weeks, he says he’s been the one learning. “God puts us through these moments to teach us the lessons,” he said. “I didn’t mean to be cavalier. I didn’t mean to be overconfident. But there’s a lot of people just like me that haven’t gotten the vaccine.” Reeves says he started feeling body aches and other symptoms in early July and tested positive for COVID-19 a few days later. https://youtu.be/IwPpHdW7DoE President Joe Biden will announce on Thursday a requirement that all federal employees and contractors be vaccinated against Covid-19, or be required to submit to regular testing and mitigation requirements, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. The announcement will come in remarks where Biden is also expected to lay out a series of new steps, including incentives, in an attempt to spur new vaccinations as the Delta variant spreads rapidly throughout the country. It will also follow the decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to require its frontline health care workers to be vaccinated over the course of the next two months. Biden alluded to the looming announcement on Tuesday. “That’s under consideration right now,” Biden said, when asked if he would impose a vaccination mandate on federal workers. A black couple from Georgia died of COVID-19 after refusing to get vaccinated because of lack of trust – due, in part, to a past racist medical experiment in which black men from Alabama were denied treatment for syphilis. Martin, 53, and Trina Daniel, 49, of Savannah succumbed to the virus within three hours of each other. They died July 6. The couple, married for 22 years, are survived by their two children, a 15-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son. Services for the couple were held on Saturday. Their deaths were first reported by WSB-TV in Atlanta. Family members said the two were fearful of getting vaccinated because they distrusted the medical establishment after the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. Minneapolis municipal elections occur in November, and voters will decide whether the city reimagines its approach to public safety. Last week, the Minneapolis City Council approved a ballot question whether to amend the city’s charter by disbanding the police department and creating a new Department of Public Safety. If approved, the measure would remove control of policing and public safety from the mayor. A commissioner nominated by the mayor and approved by the city council would lead the new department. The proposed public safety approach would include licensed peace officers (police officers) as needed. But the difference is the department would also consider other alternatives as a core part of providing services to city residents. New artist John Cable has taken one of his favorite scriptures and written "Seek Yee First", his affirming and uplifting debut Gospel single. "Seek Yee First" is a powerful and joyful reminder of what Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." This is a very familiar promise in scripture, but you've never heard it like this - inspiring lyrics of hope, wrapped in an enthusiastic upbeat rhythm that induces anticipation, gratitude, and praise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9bRhubSlaY Comedian Jay Pharoah and Sinqua Walls let loose in the new romantic comedy film “Resort To Love,” produced by Alicia Keys, which follows an aspiring singer (Christina Milian) whose big break is halted after a popular singer cancels his final album.With the help of a friend, she lands a singing gig on a resort and ends up getting booked to sing at her ex-fiancée’s wedding (Pharoah). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyJbG7WMfG8 In the bigger/stronger/faster era in professional sports, selecting the right trainer is a must. That’s where James Banks earns his keep. An elite performance coach who specializes in position-specific training with a focus on speed and agility, Banks works with one of the top young safeties in the NFL: the New Orleans Saints’ Ceedy Duce. Banks’ Forward Performance Athletes works with a lot of the top-tier talent coming out of Louisiana, and the results speak for themselves. https://youtu.be/H8Ha4kLwH3Y Robert #DonPooh Cummins @donpoohmusic , the former executive vice president of #MCARecords, is expanding his #BrooklynChopHouse empire with the launch of a massive new restaurant in the heart of #TimesSquare. The music exec turned restaurateur is gearing up to open a 25,000 square foot Brooklyn Chop House later this year in the lively area of New York City. The new lavish establishment will be the biggest black-owned restaurant of its kind in NYC, boasting 600 seats, with 150 located on the rooftop under a retractable roof. The Time Square Brooklyn Chop House is the latest addition to Cummins’ extensive portfolio. Cummins and his partners recently launched its sister brand, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, in NYC. The brand has already sold over 50 franchised units and it is currently franchising worldwide. Applications can be found at fransmart.com. https://www.instagram.com/p/CR2EiYpK0o1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again “I am a non-commissioned officer,” said Kristen Mather de Andrade about her role in West Point’s Army Special Band as a clarinetist. Kristen just released a solo Jazz album titled “Clarao (Of Course)” where she showcases her skills as a clarinetist and vocalist. “There is a special band in all the services. People audition for them. I won and was commissioned.” https://youtu.be/9x7Cfa6HYCc An all-new episode of CLEO TV's popular home design series LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ continues this Saturday, July 31st at 9 p.m. ET/8C. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lWnOOJsby8&feature=youtu.be Barack and Michelle Obama joined forces with Chris Nee, the “Doc McStuffins” creator, to produce a new animated preschool series for Netflix. And, the first-look trailer has dropped. Check out the trailer for “Ada Twist, Scientist.” https://youtu.be/iTCORhleUWQ The trailer has dropped for Will Smith’s upcoming film “King Richard,” in which he stars as Richard Williams, father of legendary athletes Venus and Serena Williams. Based on the true story that will inspire the world, “King Richard” follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard has a plan that will take Venus and Serena Williams from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage as legendary icons. “King Richard” is a profoundly moving film that shows the power of family, perseverance and unwavering belief as a means to achieve the impossible and impact the world. https://youtu.be/BKP_0z52ZAw Mika Morrow drops first single, "Survivor." Mika Morrow says "You have conquered all your fears. Through it all you are a "SURVIVOR." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwIlAdGYUHE Top-selling singer-songwriter Jekalyn Carr announces the launch of JEKALYN BEAUTY with the introduction of "Jekalyn For Her," a fresh new fragrance for women. Available this Friday exclusively online at jekalynbeauty.com "Jekalyn For Her" will be the first product launch under the singer's Black-owned JEKALYN BEAUTY brand. "Jekalyn For Her" is a romantic and feminine scent that exudes confidence and strength. Perfect for any woman, "Jekalyn For Her," can be worn from the boardroom to the red carpet. The head-turning, show-stopping aromatic elegance is presented in this bold new fragrance for all seasons and for any occasion. A guy who ordered a slice at a Brooklyn pizza shop had to wait longer than usual after a vicious fight broke out between the employees behind the counter and some other customers. It all went down on July 17th at Joe’s Pizza on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. Staff members told cops that some male customers were harassing a woman when an employee told them to stop. That’s when punches were thrown. Other workers join in, with one employee hitting someone over the head repeatedly with a pizza peel and another brandishing a ladle. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRmBb7liJS-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again R. Kelly’s legal team has slammed new allegations that he sexually abused a male minor whom he reportedly met at a McDonald’s. “This is nothing more than a veiled effort to pile on to further shape the public’s perception in this case ignoring that Mr. Kelly is presumed innocent until proven otherwise,” Nicole Blank Becker, one of Kelly’s attorneys, tells TMZ. Kelly’s defense tells the outlet it will “vigorously oppose” the prosecution’s request to enter new evidence, adding … “As the trial nears were are looking forward to the truth prevailing.” A new study has confirmed what many Black women have known for years — that lye-based hair relaxers may cause serious health effects, including breast cancer. A 2020 study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that women who used permanent hair dye or chemical straighteners were at higher risk of developing breast cancer. https://youtu.be/Y_1e7Bj-PNw Barack Obama has announced that through his foundation, he is partnering with NBA Africa to “help advance the league’s social responsibility efforts across the continent.” As reported by PEOPLE, the initiatives will include Jr. NBA, Basketball Without Borders Africa and NBA Academy Africa, as well as several family-based social programs. “For me, basketball has always been more than a game. My first basketball was a gift from my father when I was 10 years old,” Obama said in a video message (see below). “Later on, my grandmother told me she could always tell when I was coming home for dinner because she could hear me bouncing the ball down the sidewalk from her apartment, 10 stories up.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1420128995971158017 Singer Dua Lipa responded to Dababy’s homophobic rant on Tuesday, saying she doesn’t “recognize this as the person I worked with.” The rapper is featured on Lipa’s hit “Levitating,” and he has caused quite a stir with the homophobic rant he served up during his set at Rolling Loud over the weekend. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-07-26-072621-dababy-ig-1211710/ Bodycam video of a 2020 confrontation between a white Las Vegas police officer and a Black woman who was simply studying alone in a public park has gone viral. The officer is shown approaching the college student as she sits alone under a covered area. He tells her that she will not be allowed to return to the park next week unless she brings a child along. The woman, taken aback at the sudden and seemingly ridiculous intrusion, questions the officer on the park rules, and says she’s being harassed for simply studying. The woman also begins filming him with her phone. https://youtu.be/brniQFydvbo Despite owning 100 vehicles, Rick Ross is only now getting his Driver’s License. In a video posted to his social media, the rapper said he owns “100 cars and don’t have a driver’s license.” He also joked about being an organ donor, saying, “Don’t let me die just to take my good heart.” In June, Rick Ross revealed that he flies commercial and cuts his own grass to save money. The hip-hop star resides on a 235-acre estate in Fayetteville, Georgia that was previously owned by Evander Holyfield. Ross previously explained that he enjoys “connecting with the estate and the animals and the birds and the wildlife.” Lizzo took to Instagram Live to remind fans to respect her personal space because she doesn’t want to contract the delta variant of COVID-19. “I don’t care who you are. You could be the nicest person. You could be vaccinated. You could be quadruple vaccinated. If you see me, please give me 6 feet,” Lizzo said in an Instagram Live, via People. “This s— is coming back. COVID. And people being real sloppy with personal space.” According to the CDC, COVID cases in the U.S. have recently increased by 170%, with nearly all allegedly caused by the delta variant. Piers Morgan is catching it again. He is chastising … Simone Biles. In other words, folks online ain’t havin’ it and they’re basically making Morgan eat his own words by turning his own history and criticism against him. It all went down right after Biles dropped out of the gymnastics team finals at the Tokyo Games on Tuesday to focus on her mental health. Morgan apparently took Biles’ action personally and tweeted his disgust, saying “admit you did badly, made mistakes, and will strive to do better next time.” He wasn’t through. He came Wednesday morning and doubled down with more. “Sorry Simone Biles, but there’s nothing heroic or brave about quitting because you’re not having ‘fun’ – you let down your team-mates, your fans and your country.” Four men have been arrested for the killing of a 13-year-old girl in a drive-by shooting on Saturday in Monroe, N.C. According to reports, Loyalti Allah, 13, and her friends were sitting at an outside picnic table awaiting a DoorDash delivery when a black Ford Freestyle SUV drove by and someone inside the vehicle began shooting before speeding away. Loyalti was struck and was transported to a local hospital by police where she was pronounced dead. There were no other victims. “I’m sorry for her loss. It didn’t mean [it] to go down that way,” 20-year-old Javon Demontre Robinson, one of four suspects arrested in the shooting, said as he was taken into custody, reports WBTV. https://youtu.be/sKp-l1_lC-s GRAMMY® Award nominated singer, songwriter, and producer, VaShawn Mitchell, has marked a new milestone in his career. He claims the top spot on the Gospel Airplay chart for the week ending July 31, 2021, with the joyous, self-penned, “Lifted Up.” Ironically, the song displaced last week’s No. 1 hit, “I’m Not Ashamed” by Monica Lisa Stevenson and Paul Porter, which was also written by Mitchell. “I’ve always prayed to God that He would allow me to write, produce, and sing songs that can live a long time and reach the heart and soul of the listeners, so I’m really humbled that both of these songs are resonating with the gospel audience,” he says. https://vashawnmitchell.com One of Gospel music’s most successful female groups makes its triumphant return to the genre with much fanfare. YES! RiZen, including group members Adriann , Ashley, Aundrea, and Kanika is back! Known for their unique harmonies and choreography, these young ladies are ready to take the stage again with the same excitement and determination as they let the world know about Jesus! During their down time, the ladies focused more on family, selfcare and growth as they grew their families with marriages, children, finishing up degrees and more self-discovery. Additional as the country starts to slowly open back up, plans are now being finalized for the official reunion concert and recording, now set to take place in Nashville at Tabernacle Baptist church on November 27th. The Gospel Spotlight's RiZen! Here RiZen In Their Own Words....http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/rizen.mp3 FRESH FIRE from EARNEST PUGH on the heels of the success of his latest #1 single “God Wants To Heal You” the Gentleman of Gospel—Earnest Pugh's latest single entitled “Thank You So Much.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhCvRNOKJOw&feature=youtu.be Christina Milian may sing at your wedding – as long as you’re not an ex! Milian is back on the Netflix screen playing the lead role of aspiring pop star Erica Wilson – who lands a gig at her ex-fiancée’s wedding (Jay Pharoah) at a luxurious hotel. While trying to keep their past a secret from her ex’s future wife, Beverly (Christiani Pitts), things heat up on the resort as her ex-fiancée’s brother Caleb (Sinqua Walls) begins to fall for her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fcnG6-L4Cc Simone Biles is out of the team competition in women’s gymnastics. “Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. “She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.” Biles left the competition floor moments after she struggled to land a vault that is usually comes easily to her. On the team’s first event, she bailed on an Amanar – one of her more difficult vaults – and just barely landed a one-and-a-half. Visibly upset, Biles talked with one of her personal coaches and the team doctor, then put on her grips to prepare for uneven bars next. But suddenly, she left the competition floor. When she returned, she took off her grips and put on her warm-ups. In team finals, countries compete with three gymnasts and count all three scores, but have flexibility of who competes on each apparatus with four women on each team. Biles’ exit means it’s up to the team’s three remaining gymnasts – Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee. https://www.today.com/video/simone-biles-out-of-team-competition-117443141638 The Wisconsin police department has responded to a viral cell phone video that appears to show an officer planting drugs in a Black man’s car. The Chief of Police, Christopher Botsch, said body cam video showing the incident from a different angle proves that an officer from the Village of Caledonia Police Department did not try to “plant evidence” in the back seat of the vehicle. According to reports, the incident happened Wednesday at about 3:22 p.m. when officers conducted a traffic stop. Police say the rear passengers weren’t wearing seat belts — so they were removed from the car after the cops decided to conduct a search. The driver was identified by his driver’s license, but police say the front passenger, GlockBoy Savoo, lawfully declined to identify himself. He recorded a video on his cell phone that was later posted to social media with the caption, “Cop caught in 4K planting evidence.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CRudvO0DfA1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The getaway driver involved in the shooting death of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton has been sentenced to 35 years in prison. Pendleton’s 2013 killing in Chicago drew the attention of then-President Barack Obama. As reported by NBC News, Hadiya had just taken her final exams at the King College Prep High School, and was walking home from when she and another classmate took cover from the rain at a nearby park. That’s where prosecutors said, Micheail Ward, got out of a car driven by Kenneth Williams and opened fire at who he thought were rival gang members. https://youtu.be/gZO8a3t0fKM A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, July 29 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, experts recount the unexpected death of former heavyweight champion boxer Sonny Liston. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWf3_HCVQGc A gymnast has gone viral with her 11-second, last place performance on the uneven bars in Tokyo Sunday, because she was determined to live out her lifelong Olympic dream despite competing with a torn ACL. Danusia Francis, who competed as a gymnast at UCLA, is representing Jamaica in Tokyo. But she suffered the torn ACL during training, which took her out of contention in Tokyo. But she refused to let that stop her making the trip and fulfilling her lifelong dream of competing in the Olympics. To celebrate how much the vegan movement has grown in 20 years since Shania Twain was crowned the winner of its inaugural contest in 2001, PETA is ushering in a new wave of compassionate icons and naming 20 stars the Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities of 2021, including Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Anderson .Paak, and Chloe x Halle. Kravitz credits vegan eating with maintaining his physique, explaining that it’s “the right thing for yourself and for the planet and animals.” Eilish, who has been vegan for seven years, says, “I just can’t go on in my life knowing what’s going on in the animal world and not doing anything about it.” .Paak and Lizzo leave the door open for fans to discover good as hell vegan recipes on their Instagram stories and TikTok videos, and Chloe x Halle say being vegan helps them keep their stunning voices in tiptop shape. Tameka Foster Raymond wants to set the record straight in her soon-to-be-released memoir Here I Stand . . . in a Beautiful State. Music fans might recognize the title as part of her ex-husband Usher’s 2008 album but make no mistake. Tameka is her own woman with a message. When life tries to bring you down, take a breath and keep moving forward. Raymond’s memoir has been over a decade in the making and has presented her with the opportunity to clear up misconceptions about her career, her marriage, and her son’s death in 2012. After several years of contemplating writing about her life, she decided to write a book after having a conversation with three women on a beach in Bali. As they spoke, they learned who Raymond’s ex-husband was and they were insistent there was no way she could be who she said she was because his wife had died. They were referring to her near-death experience in Brazil, which has been grossly misreported in media. After that hilarious and memorable conversation on the beach, Raymond knew she had to write a book. It was time to clear up all the rumors and outright lies about her fashion career, her marriage, and her parenting. Here I Stand . . . in a Beautiful State makes two things crystal clear – Raymond is very much alive and a woman who has persevered. https://player.vimeo.com/video/577274097 Snoop Dogg is feeling the love. The rapper, 49, thanked fans for their prayers and well-wishes for his mother Beverly Tate as he shared a health update on her behalf amid her hospitalization on Instagram Sunday. “Happy Sunday me and my brothers went to c mama today and she opened up her eyes to c us and let us know she still fighting,” Snoop wrote, posting a photo of himself gently touching Tate’s forehead as she laid in a hospital bed, while his siblings watched on. “God is good thanks for all the prayers 1 day at a time,” he added. A TikToker who says he’s works at a movie theatre concession stand has gone viral with a TikTok video that appears to expose a scam involving popcorn sizes. TikToker @thatcoolguy.25597 revealed that people who purchase the medium sized popcorn are really paying a medium price for the same amount of popcorn in the small size. In the viral clip, which has been viewed 6.3 million times, the TikTok user pretends to be a customer ordering the popcorn, showing a large bucket, a regular bucket (medium) and a junior bag (small). He pretends to order the junior bag for $7.35 because the medium bucket is “too much.” But, upon receiving the bag of popcorn, he pretends to change his mind and asks for the medium size. Demonstrating why the sizes are a scam, the concessions worker empties the small bag of popcorn into the medium bucket, filling it to the top and charging $8.44 – an extra $1.09 – for the same amount of food. Describing insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol as “terrorists” who “perceived themselves to be Christians,” District of Columbia police officer Daniel Hodges told a congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection on Tuesday (July 27) that the crowd massing on the building’s West Terrace brandished banners steeped in Christian symbolism along with those bearing the name Trump. Hodges’ emotional remarks came in testimony offered alongside three other officers who rushed to the Capitol that day to defend it from an unsuccessful attempt by supporters of then-President Donald Trump to stop the certification of 2020 election results. “It was clear the terrorists perceived themselves to be Christians,” Hodges said. “I saw the Christian flag directly to my front. Another read, ‘Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president.’ Another: ‘Jesus is king.’ … Another had crossed rifles beneath a skull, emblazoned with the pattern of the American flag.” It’s an emotional first day of testimony at the committee hearing on the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Tuesday’s focus was on the law enforcement officers who were attacked and beaten as the rioters broke into the building — an effort to put a human face on the violence of the day. The police officers who are testifying endured some of the worst of the brutality. NBC Washington reported, “They were punched, trampled, crushed and sprayed with chemical irritants. They were called racial slurs and threatened with their own weapons as the mob of then-President Donald Trump’s supporters overwhelmed them, broke through windows and doors and interrupted the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential win.” https://youtu.be/fKZWlbm4BA8 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Tuesday that fully vaccinated people begin wearing masks indoors again in places with high Covid-19 transmission rates. The agency is also recommending kids wear masks in schools this fall. Federal health officials still believe fully vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmission. Still, some vaccinated people could be carrying higher levels of the virus than previously understood and potentially transmit it to others. “This pandemic continues to pose a serious threat to the health of all Americans,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters on a call. “Today, we have new science related to the delta variant that requires us to update the guidance regarding what you can do when you are fully vaccinated.” The updated guidance comes ahead of the fall season, when the highly contagious delta variant is expected to cause another surge in new coronavirus cases and many large employers plan to bring workers back to the office. In mid-May, the CDC said fully vaccinated people didn’t need to wear masks in most settings, whether indoors or outdoors. Fifty-six years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led thousands of clergy and laypeople on a 54-mile voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, the state capital of Alabama. On Wednesday (July 28), the Rev. William J. Barber II will lead a similar contingent on a four-day, 27-mile march from Georgetown to Austin, Texas — also for voting rights. The symbolism is intentional. The Moral March for Democracy is purposely invoking that earlier trek in an all-out effort to demand the U.S. Senate end the filibuster and vote on a bill that would restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “The similarity today is that there has to be federal action,” said Barber, the prominent pastor, civil rights activist and co-leader of the Poor People’s Campaign, which is sponsoring the march. “What we see happening in these statehouses is to roll back voting rights, to take away from people processes that allow more people to vote — early voting, same-day registration, mail-in ballots. We have to have federal action.” Joey Jordison, who was a founding member of the band Slipknot and shot to fame as their drummer, has died. His family announced in a statement quoted by Rolling Stone that he passed on in his sleep this Monday at the age of 46. The cause of death has not been announced and the statement included a request for ‘privacy and peace at this incredibly difficult time.’ ‘Joey’s death has left us with empty hearts and feelings of indescribable sorrow. To those that knew Joey, understood his quick wit, his gentle personality, giant heart, and his love for all things family and music,’ the statement said. A dull silence filled the room when Cardinal Angelo Becciu, shoulders hunched and eyebrows furrowed, walked in for the first day of a historic Vatican trial, in which he is one of 10 facing a wide range of charges for their part in a real estate deal using Catholic Church funds. Becciu is the lone cardinal — likely in history — to be brought to trial by the Holy See, in this case charged with bribery and embezzlement. Speaking to reporters at the end of the day’s session, he framed his appearance in the courtroom as a personal obligation. Pope Francis “wanted me to come to the trial and I’m coming to the trial,” Becciu said. “I am serene, and my conscience is clear,” Becciu added, placing his hope in the Vatican judges to “recognize my innocence.” Naomi Osaka’s Olympics have come to an end. The tennis superstar fell to the Czech player Marketa Vondrousova in the third round of the Tokyo Olympics women’s tennis tournament. Osaka had been representing the host nation, Japan, at the postponed 2020 games, which undoubtedly contributed to her disappointment following the straight-set loss on Tuesday. “I’m disappointed in every loss, but I feel like this one sucks more than the others,” Osaka said, per the Associated Press. “I’m not saying that I did bad right now, but I do know that my expectations were a lot higher,” she added. She wasn’t alone in harboring sky-high expectations. All eyes were locked on Osaka as she sought to capture gold for the host country. She even had the massive honor of lighting the Olympic flame on Friday to official kick off the Olympics. The weight of the world was seemingly on the 24-year-old’s shoulders. In the biggest upset for the United States at the Tokyo Games, Simone Biles withdrew from the gymnastics team competition after it had started on Tuesday, handing Russia’s squad a path to the gold medal and ending American domination of the event for more than a decade. Biles, Team U.S.A.’s star, pulled out of the event “due to a medical issue,” according to a statement from U.S.A. Gymnastics, the national governing body of the sport. “She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions,” the statement said. Russia finished with a total score of 169.528, more than 3 points ahead of the United States, which won silver, at 166.096. Britain won the bronze medal with a score of 164.096. The Russian team had surprised the Americans in qualifying on Sunday, raising the pressure even higher for the U.S. team to maintain its unchallenged success in the sport. The Americans were aware of their impressive winning streak, which included Biles and the team known as “the Final Five” at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and Gabby Douglas and “the Fierce Five” at the 2012 London Games. There is more trouble in paradise. Team USA basketball players are “grumbling” about running head coach Gregg Popovich’s San Antonio Spurs-style offense at the Olympic Games, according to a report from The Athletic. Joe Vardon’s report comes after Popovich’s squad lost their group stage opener 83-76 to France — a team led by Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier — on Sunday. It was the Americans’ first Olympic loss in 6,176 days, since being upset by Argentina in the 2004 semifinals. The report states “the players are frustrated, too, grumbling on their way back to the locker room about ‘running the San Antonio offense’ when apparently they feel like there are better ideas.” Popovich’s Tokyo roster includes NBA All-Stars Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Jrue Holiday, Zach LaVine, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Jayson Tatum. Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorneys Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law and Paul Napoli of Napoli Shkolnik today announced the filing of a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson on behalf of members of the National Council of Negro Women, citing the company’s specific marketing of talcum-based baby powder to Black women, despite links to ovarian cancers. The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) leads, advocates for, and empowers women of African descent, their families, and their communities, connecting more than 2 million women and men. NCNW has a large portion of members who have used Johnson & Johnson’s powder products, believing they were safe, and is ideally positioned to inform women about their risks. “This lawsuit is about the lives of our grandmothers, our mothers, our wives, sisters and daughters — all of whom were cynically targeted by Johnson and Johnson,” Crump said. “All the while, company executives knew the risk of ovarian cancer from talc.” An Atlanta Police Department sergeant and another officer are on unpaid leave Tuesday after a video surfaced on social media showing what police describe as the “sergeant kicking a woman in her head” while she was handcuffed on her stomach. The department said Chief Rodney Bryant and other commanders became aware of the video Monday and took immediate action to address it. “Upon reviewing the video, the actions of the sergeant appear to be unacceptable and we are also concerned with the apparent lack of reaction from another officer present during the incident,” a statement from the APD reads in part. “The decision was made to immediately relieve the sergeant and the officer from duty and place the sergeant on unpaid suspension.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CRzTG9RgpeG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A Black woman from Colorado is speaking out against Frontier Airlines after she was racially profiled and falsely accused of trafficking her white four-year-old sister. As reported by Denver 7, Lakeyjanay Bailey, 21, was traveling from Denver to Dallas with her four-year-old adoptive sister Olivia. Once they arrived at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, authorities were waiting to speak with Bailey. One of the officers asked Olivia “if she knows me and what am I to her, and he asked what my mom was to her,” said Bailey. Law enforcement had been called after a passenger voiced concern to an employee of Frontier Airlines that the child could be a victim of human trafficking. https://youtu.be/sI1AaKsra8A Lester Holt has been dubbed “The Anchor for America” by NBC News, as he is featured in a 15-second commercial that aired during NBC’s live coverage of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony Friday morning. “The full 60-second spot opens with video of Holt walking toward a story, cameras in tow, followed by quick cuts of text and video.” https://youtu.be/3RAon5V6VUI DaBaby went on a homophobic rant during his set at Rolling Loud over the weekend. As reported by TMZ, at one point during his performance, the rapper encouraged the crowd to put their cell phone lights up, “If you didn’t show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that’ll make you die in 2-3 weeks” and “Fellas, if you didn’t suck a n**** d*** in the parking lot.” After catching backlash for his comments, the hip-hop star attempted to defend his comments, saying his gay fans don’t have HIV/AIDS because they’re not “nasty gay n****s” or “junkies.” Following the outrage, DaBaby further addressed the situation on his Instagram Story. “I’ma address this weak-ass internet shit one time and then I’ma get back to giving my love to my fans,” he said. “What me and my fans do at the live show, it don’t concern you n***as on the internet, or you bitter bitches on the internet. It’s not your business… What I do at a live show is for the audience at the live show, it’ll never translate correctly to someone looking a little five-six second clip from they goddamn crib on they phone. It just don’t work like that.” https://youtu.be/Hl9CJufLPYM Falynn Guobadia says she is officially divorced from Simon Guobadia, Porsha Williams’ fiancé. Guobadia previously maintained that he did not cheat on Falynn, and offered $50,000 to anyone with receipts proving otherwise. Asked about Williams, Falynn insists the reality tv star had no role in the breakup of her marriage. “No one has that power over my life, my husband’s life, and our marriage,” Falynn said, as reported by PEOPLE. “Simon and I were the ones who were married to one another. We’re the ones who created a family together and built a life with one another. I blame the both of us. He is to blame, I am to blame, and that is all. Whatever came after that — not saying it was right, not saying it was wrong — but no, no one has that power.” The owners of Country Mill Farms in Michigan, who were banned from their local farmers market in 2016 over their biblical viewpoint on marriage, are having their case heard in a federal court this week. Steve and Bridget Tennes operate their orchard in Charlotte, and they host weddings on their farm. The Christian family used to set up a booth at the East Lansing Farmer’s Market to sell their produce, they felt officials decided to punish them because they believe marriage is between a man and a woman. Attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) say city officials in East Lansing have been targeting the Tennes family after they made a comment about marriage in a Facebook post. CBN News reported that the family fought back in 2017 and a federal judge issued a preliminary order forcing the city to allow the Tennes family to participate in the farmers market. The judge also said the city most likely violated their religious and free speech rights. Yasiin Bey — formally known as rapper Mos Def — has decided that he wants no part of a new Thelonious Monk biopic after learning the estate of the late jazz artist disapproves of the project. As reported by Ace Showbiz, Bey was attached to the film when producer Peter Lord Moreland announced on Wednesday that production will begin next summer. Bey was tapped to portray the iconic jazz pianist in the film simply titled, Thelonious. The story will center on Monk’s artistry, struggles with mental illness, and a “spiritual love triangle between his wife Nellie and one of the world’s richest women Nica Rothschild.” https://youtu.be/KshrtLXBdl8 Kanye West has become a real life Phantom of the Opera after reportedly moving into Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium to work on his upcoming “Donda” album, and refusing to leave until it’s complete. West unveiled “Donda,” named after his late mother, in front of a sold-out crowd at the venue two days after announcing the event. He barely spoke while introducing his new music during the unveiling, which drew such audience members as Rick Ross, Khloe Kardashian and his estranged wife Kim Kardashian, who showed up in a red jumpsuit with their kids. West’s new project is a follow-up to his 2019 gospel-themed album “Jesus Is King,” which won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian album. The Breakfast Club thoughts on the matter. https://youtu.be/JTYtJvWrOGA A viral video shows a local news reporter from Rochester, New York’s Spectrum News 1, being harassed by a man as she and her crew set up to go live on the air. Brianna Hamblin posted a video of her encounter with “disgusting” male hecklers who comment on Hamblin’s appearance. She appears to be mixed-race, light skin with light-colored eyes. https://twitter.com/i/status/1418615799259045898 An Army ranger was caught on camera choking a security guard until she died last Sunday. Authorities said the man was intoxicated when he committed the act. Patrick Byrne, 26, is currently facing murder charges after he was accused of killing 41-year-old Denise Smith, a newly hired security guard who was patrolling an office building in Tacoma, Washington. Court documents state that Smith was brutally beaten until she was unrecognizable and her body was found by a co-worker around 6 a.m. Prior to the murder, Byrne was involved in another altercation and was punched in the face at a bar. An Iowa race track has fired an announcer following his racist rant against Black people who kneel during the playing of the national anthem. The Kossuth County Speedway released a statement confirming that the comments were made by a “fill-in track announcer” and that the track “will no longer be employing the individual who made those comments.” During the disturbing incident, the announcer proudly took to the loudspeaker to complain about “darker-toned” people kneeling during the national anthem. He also called out the NFL for choosing to play the Black national anthem. As reported by Black Enterprise, several people in the crowd are heard cheering him on. https://youtu.be/5GeJkeXW6pI A Southern California Lyft driver fell asleep at the wheel, killing his 70-year-old passenger. Now the driver is facing charges of vehicular manslaughter. The driver, Andy Van Pham, is being held on $10,000 bail in Orange County, California, after being arrested on July 21, months after the crash, PEOPLE reports. “After an extensive investigation by the Tustin Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team, it was determined the driver, 30-year-old Andy Van Pham was driving with negligence, resulting in the death of the victim,” police said in a statement. Pham appeared in court on Friday, and pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, possession of drug paraphernalia, providing false information to a police officer, and making an unsafe turn or lane change, according to the East Bay Times. Lyft said Pham has been permanently deactivated as a driver. Pham’s next court hearing is on Aug. 9. https://youtu.be/neC93lycLz8 Positive COVID-19 tests knocked Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau out of the Olympic golf tournament Sunday, in a pair of surprises that reinforced the tenuous nature of holding a massive sports event during a global pandemic. Word of Rahm’s positive test came from the Spanish Olympic committee about four hours after USA Golf delivered the same news about DeChambeau. They are among the best-known of the some 11,000 athletes descending on Japan for the 17-day sports festival at which negative COVID tests — but not vaccinations — are required to participate. Spain’s Olympic federation explained that Rahm had two negative tests after leaving England, where he played in the British Open earlier this month. But a third test that was also required came back positive. UREEQA, a blockchain-based platform for protecting, managing and monetizing creative work, announced today the onboarding of music and entertainment legend Harvey Mason jr. as a Board Advisor. UREEQA strives to modernize the systems currently in place for copyright, patent, industrial design, and trademark law by minting validated NFTs that represent creative rights. With Mason Jr.’s expertise in the creative and business sectors of the music industry, UREEQA will be able to further ensure the success of music Creators. Mason jr. is an award-winning music and film producer as well as an established entrepreneur, bringing expert analysis and insight to helping Creators on the platform. He has worked with various world-renowned artists including Michael Jackson, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and many others in writing and producing iconic music. Mason jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, will serve in a personal capacity as an Advisor to UREEQA. Robert “Bob” Moses inspired generations of organizers, engaging with them around the importance of collective action and respecting local knowledge. As news broke of his passing Sunday, his legacy and impact could be felt across the internet. He was 86. From the stories and anecdotes, one can glimpse the impact Moses had on the lives of countless organizers and educators alike. A young math teacher from Harlem, Moses would travel to Mississippi in the summer of 1960 and change history. As an organizer with the Southern Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and under the guidance of Ella Baker, Moses worked alongside communities in rural Mississippi. In many ways, his work paved the way for contemporary organizing around voter registration and civic engagement. Whoopi Goldberg is slated to star as Emmett Till’s grandmother in an upcoming feature drama about the racially charged killing of the teenager in 1955. Variety reported, Danielle Deadwyler will star in Chinonye Chukwu’s upcoming film “Till,” about Mamie Till-Mobley’s fight for justice for her 14-year-old son. Deadwyler will portray Mamie Till-Mobley, while Goldberg is set to play Alma Carthan. She will also serve as a producer on the project alongside Keith Beauchamp, Barbara Broccoli, Thomas K. Levine, Michael JP Reilly and Frederick Zollo. “We have waited a very long time to bring this historically necessary important film to people,” Goldberg said. “And as we watch the repression of American History when it comes to people of color it makes it even that more important. I couldn’t be with better people: Fred, Barbara, Chinonye, Keith, Michael and Danielle.” Deadwyler added, “It is a gift to learn the legacy and intimacies of our ancestors, those familial and communal, as is the life of Mamie Till-Mobley, a public leader and mother of the movement.” Pam Grier has been tapped to star in the prequel to Paramount’s 2019 horror film “Pet Sematary.” Variety reported, Grier joins a cast that includes Jackson White (“Mrs. Fletcher”), Forrest Goodluck (” The Revenant”), Jack Mulhern (“Mare of Easttown”), Natalie Alyn Lind (” The Goldbergs”) and Isabella Star LeBlanc. The upcoming “Pet Sematary” will serve as an origin story to the popular Stephen King novel. The untitled movie begins shooting in August and will debut exclusively on Paramount Plus. Back in 2019, King recalled writing the novel and hating the final results. https://youtu.be/zK0LNzU2TQI Ava DuVernay’s Peabody Award-winning arts and social impact collective ARRAY announced their inaugural masterclass with celebrated Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima. Applications are now being accepted until August 9 for the Los Angeles-based intensive workshop, being led by the legendary figure of the L.A. Rebellion film movement. Applications are open to storytellers (experienced or emerging) working across all mediums, not just film. Artists who would like a deeper understanding of connecting their personal roots to narrative story development are encouraged to apply at arraynow.com/masterclass. Showtime Documentary Films has acquired the rights to “The One and Only Dick Gregory,” the feature-length documentary about the late comedian and civil rights activist. The documentary features Dick Gregory’s life and career from the various angles he contributed to the stand-up comic, activist and pop-culture industries. With the help of archival footage and interviews with Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart, Wanda Sykes, and more, Gregory’s story is authentically conveyed, reports TVOne. The creation and production team includes a stellar combination of seasoned producers including Andre Gaine’s as this is his directorial debut and will be executive produced by Hart and Bryan Smiley of Hartbeat Productions alongside several others. https://youtu.be/cnx6j1UfjW8 It’s an all-hands moment for Democracy, with the fight to protect and expand voting rights front and center. The stakes are high, and Black leaders from the grassroots and legacy civil rights organizations are not letting up President Biden and the Senate. Harvard Professor and former NAACP National President Cornell Brooks previously spoke about the primacy of the right to vote. He explained that all other rights depended on the right to vote, thus increasing its importance. Calling contemporary voter suppression efforts Machiavellian, Brooks drew a direct parallel with elected officials advocating voter suppression laws and the questionable ethics of the 16th-century Italian philosopher. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is speaking out about his decision to not pull his upcoming superhero movie “Black Adam” out of Georgia after the state passed controversial new voting laws. Speaking to THR, Johnson noted that “Black Adam” was beginning production amid the conversation about Black Georgians voting rights, and his crew was already “committed” to the state at the time. “You start to feel pressure from a lot of different sides that you should stand up for something and you should leave if you don’t agree with the voting laws,” Johnson said. “I was adamant and clear that ‘Black Adam’ was not going anywhere. We had committed to the state of Georgia and to the people here in Georgia. And this is a place that we had filmed multiple movies over the years. And when you commit to our hardworking locals and their families, the last thing you want to do is just pick up and move. So we weren’t going anywhere. We [the film’s producers] had the conversation. It was heated for about a week.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1418616937404407811 A Minnesota woman who contracted COVID-19 after getting vaccinated had to have both of her legs amputated, and will soon have her hands amputated as well. Jummai Nache, a medical assistant from Minneapolis, received the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on February 1. A few days later on February 6, her husband, Philip, took her to urgent care after she felt chest pains. A day later, she tested positive for COVID-19, and her condition quickly deteriorated, leading to hospitalization and eventual amputation. Philip is now searching for answers to the true cause of his wife’s condition. ‘Jummai and I were shocked when we received the result that she was Covid-19 positive because she had not manifested any symptom before taking the shot,’ Philip wrote in a letter attached to a GoFundMe for the couple. Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham, asked for prayers over the weekend after her son, Jonathan Lotz, was hospitalized with COVID in critical condition. “Fifty years ago I could hold my son in my arms. Now I have placed him in the arms of Jesus. He has been hospitalized with COVID and is in critical condition,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “The verses last night in the Daily Light were perfect: ‘Brethren, pray for us’ 1 Thessalonians 5:25. And James 5.16– ‘Pray for one another that you may be healed.’ I am asking you to please pray for Jonathan’s swift healing and recovery. For the glory of God’s great name. Thank you.” Later, the evangelist and founder of AnGeL Ministries in Raleigh followed up with another post saying Jonathan had been moved to the ICU. The late singer, actress, and songwriter Phyllis Hyman was a powerful and inspiring performer whose artistry left an indelible impression on fans. Now, some 26 years since her passing, a majority of Hyman’s studio recordings, plus several bonus tracks, have been compiled for the nine-CD set “Old Friend: The Deluxe Collection 1976-1998,” due August 6, 2021, on Soul Music Records, distributed by Cherry Red Records. To celebrate Phyllis Hyman’s 72nd birthday as well as the release Phyllis fans were treated to “A Special Tribute To Phyllis Hyman,” that is available the The Simply Phyllis Hyman FaceBook page and the Philadelphia International Records / SONY Music YouTube Channel. https://youtu.be/aovKQpbHHR0 This is such a sweet moment; a short love story suggesting there’s hope for strong-romantic love after the 20s and 30s. And maybe even better than ever. 42-year-old Jeannie Mai Jenkins is in love with her husband. And admits a shift happened after their March interracial-marriage and the actress found herself immersed, at last, in perhaps the love of her life. In an interview with PEOPLE, “The Real” host thought about her marriage with 43-year-old rapper, Jeezy, and how things deepened after the pair settled into their lives (once the wedding bells were packed away). She spoke of her gratitude after having arrived to such a space in love. Of the shift, “The Real” star said: “That shift marked a moment that I’ve never felt before in my life.” https://youtu.be/VTqcUViEj0Y From the 1992 Spike Lee film Malcolm X to the Netflix docuseries Who Killed Malcolm X?, several television and film projects have delved into the life experiences that shaped the activist who left an indelible influence on the world. The latest project to focus on the legacy of Malcolm X is being led by one of his children. According to Variety, his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz is working on a television series about her father. Pulling inspiration from the books X: A Novel and The Awakening of Malcolm X—which Shabazz co-authored with writers Kekla Magoon and Tiffany D. Jackson—the series will capture Malcolm X’s coming of age story. It will show how he navigated grief following the murder of his father and the institutionalization of his mother. It will also show how he turned to a life of crime during his teenage years and after being incarcerated in his early 20s, tapped into the power of faith to lead him towards his purpose and ultimately change the trajectory of his path. Clark Atlanta University has used education as a vessel to empower generations of changemakers and the institution is furthering its efforts to increase representation in entrepreneurship through a newly fostered partnership. The Atlanta-based HBCU announced it is joining Operation HOPE’s national One Million Black Business Initiative. Founded in 2020 by Operation HOPE—a nonprofit organization that uses financial literacy and economic education as avenues to eradicate poverty—the One Million Black Business Initiative was created to address the hurdles often faced by Black founders when stepping into business ownership. In partnership with Shopify, the nonprofit provides an array of business education-focused programs, tech resources and access to venture capital opportunities in an effort to help businesses thrive. The organization is on a mission to help create and support 1 million Black-owned businesses by 2030. As part of the initiative, Clark Atlanta University will provide resources for students, alumni and faculty to help bring their venture ideas to fruition. The school will work to support 1,000 businesses within the next nine years. Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman has admitted that she is still struggling to come to terms with her new-found celebrity status after shooting to fame with her history-making performance at Joe Biden’s ceremony in January. In the months since the inauguration, Amanda, 23, has inked a major deal with Gigi Hadid’s modeling agency, IMG, landed her first Vogue cover – and received an invitation from Anna Wintour to chair this year’s Met Gala, arguably one of the fashion industry’s most prestigious honors. However, the Harvard graduate – who overcame a lifelong speech impediment in order to perform her poetry publicly – says that she is still suffering from imposter syndrome, noting that she feels ‘like a freshman at a party with seniors’ when compared to her co-chairs, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka and Timothée Chalamet. ‘My life has changed quite recently and they are all at the top of their game, and so I’m just absorbing what it means to be able to stand beside their greatness.’ Issa Rae is a married woman! The Insecure star, 36, revealed that she married longtime beau Louis Diame on Sunday, July 25, sharing glamorous photos from her destination wedding on Instagram. She tagged the post’s location as Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, which is a commune in the South of France. In the wedding photos, Rae smiles in her custom Vera Wang gown, as well as in romantic snapshots with her new husband, who wore a red Dolce & Gabbana suit. Christian artist Lecrae will be going on tour with Maverick City for their Welcome to New Maverick City tour and recently revealed that while he’s gone from deconstructing to reconstructing his faith, he’s still “not churchy.” https://youtu.be/sBpd1ZYInkM In a normal box office, down periods are common. Some weekends will bring films with little mainstream interest or weak word-of-mouth while theaters simply wait for the next big franchise blockbuster to get business going again. But in a theatrical market still wrestling with the effects of COVID-19, the low points are getting lower. We saw it last month when Warner Bros.’ “In the Heights” failed to become the hit many industry observers had hoped, and we’re seeing it again this weekend with the sub-$20 million debut for Universal’s “Old” and Paramount’s “Snake Eyes” while many overseas markets faced renewed pandemic regulations. Expectations had been relatively low for both M. Night Shyamalan’s “Old” — which opened to a record-low $16.5 million for the director — while the “G.I. Joe” spinoff “Snake Eyes” managed only $13.3 million, less than half the opening weekend of the last film in the toy-based action franchise, 2013’s “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.” Iggy Azalea has grown tired of social media trolls targeting her infant son, so she announced Thursday on Twitter that she’s not posting any more photos of her 15-month-old Onyx Kelly. “I’ve decided I won’t be posting about Onyx or sharing images online anymore,” Azalea wrote in the tweet. “Y’all not about to be out here playing with my baby on my watch, nope!” Iggy, 31, welcomed her first child last April with ex Playboi Carti and not soon after that they called it quits. “I don’t play about my baby. At ALLLLLLL,” she recently wrote in one tweet. Simone Biles and the US women’s gymnastics team unexpectedly struggled in Sunday’s qualifiers — and the four-time gold medalist is beginning to feel the pressure. “It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it,” Biles wrote in an Instagram post Monday morning. “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The Olympics is no joke!” The Americans entered the Games as odds-on favorites, touted as perhaps the best gymnastics team in history. Yet by posting a 170.562, the US squad only managed the second-best cumulative score in qualifying, with the team representing the Russian Olympic Committee finishing more than a point ahead at 171.629. For Deshaun Watson, no news is good news as the NFL has opted against suspending the Houston Texans quarterback before training camp while he continues to face sexual misconduct lawsuits from 22 different women. The NFL has been investigating Watson, 25, since March, when the first of 23 women came forward with allegations ranging from harassment and indecent exposure to sexual assault (one plaintiff has since dropped her lawsuit). The plaintiffs, most of who work as massage therapists or in other similar professions, filed separate lawsuits as Jane Does in March and April, but have since revealed their identities following a court order. Through his attorney, Watson has called the allegations ‘false’ and is insisting that all sexual contact between himself and the accusers was consensual. No criminal charges have been filed in the case. A Florida man will serve life in prison without parole plus 60 years to run consecutively for the 2018 slayings of his girlfriend and their young special-needs daughter. #RonnieOneal III represented himself during his trial, where testimony and evidence showed he viciously beat and shot his girlfriend, Kenyatta Barron, and then used a hatchet to kill their 9-year-old autistic daughter, who also had cerebral palsy. Oneal also attempted to kill his 8-year-old son, stabbing him repeatedly before setting fire to the family home. Judge Michelle Sisco sentenced the 32-year-old to three life terms, plus 90 years in Hillsborough County court Friday, saying she had rarely encountered such a horrible case. “Nineteen years I’ve been in this job,” Sisco said. “I’ve seen human beings killed by the hands of others in every way imaginable. This is the worst case I have ever seen. I know I will be haunted for the rest of my life,” she told the courtroom. THE brutal shooting death of KTS Dre earlier this month added the rapper’s name to a growing list of stars wiped out by gun violence. His death – along with the killings of Indian Red Boy, MO3 and Pop Smoke – has thrust the industry into the spotlight, with insiders saying “bullets fly around” and loved ones claiming many stars struggle to escape their pasts. Taylor Maglin, owner of hip hop news outlet The Daily Loud, told The Sun: “It all stems from the neighborhoods they are bought up in. “They are war zones, they are vicious, people join gangs and the cycle continues.” More than a dozen talented rap artists lost their lives in 2020. More still have died in 2021, including Indian Red Boy and KTS Dre. Lasha' Knox drops Surrounded "Fight My Battles" ft. James Fortune..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xI5jOhC7Ac Roxè is also known as Roosevelt. He is a Singer, Writer, Rapper, Dancer, and lighting up the Gospel stage with Anointed Dance and Unique Songs that the world has yet to see. Roxè's debut album entitled "Roxe, The One'" is currently in production and will be released in the coming new year, February 2022. Roxe's album will feature 10 singles including his highly anticipated Global Hit, "JESUS (Kingdom of Love)," the Powerful and Melodic song and groundbreaking video that has spearheaded Roxe`’s Incredible Global Movement, The “No Hate No Violence” Movement, that fights for the protection and unity for ALL RACES across the World. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bENfbjU7FqU&feature=youtu.be TV One's hit true-crime show ATL HOMICIDE returns with new episodes on Monday, July 26 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Viewers will dive into some of Atlanat's grittiest casses solved by thirty-year Atlanta PD veteran Detectives David Quinn and Vince Velazquez. The dynamic duo recounts their past homicide investigations and reminisce on their quest to put heinous murderers behind bars. Real-life interviews are paired with dramatic recreations from actors Angelo Diaz as David Quinn and Christopher Diaz as Vince Velazquez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqQUcfFvyrQ DENITA GIBBS drops new single is entitled, “Redeemed.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiEjKJ4J1QE Known just as much for her bold sense of style as she is her singing, Lucinda Moore is back where she belongs, behind a microphone. Her Top Ten hit single “Pressure Into Praise” help but her on the ma.. Since her debut, Moore has traveled the world, became a persevering entrepreneur, been the recipient of major awards and released Billboard topping albums and singles. Moore, who made a huge fashion statement at this year’s Stellar Awards with a custom gold jump suit (styled by Teaira Blount), also made appearances throughout Gospel’s biggest weekend at various events, including Hezekiah Walker’s ChoirFest. Lucinda Moore is back with all things new; new look, new sound and new label partner, as one of Gospel music’s favorite soprano’s has inked a distribution deal with New Day/SONY Orchard in, conjunction with her Nalah Music Group imprint. The project is available for streaming and digital download Friday, August 20, 2021 on New Day/SONY Orchard. Curtis Young, the son of Dr. Dre, is set to star opposite Swizz Beatz’s son Nasir Dean, and Snoop Dogg’s son Julian Broadus in the coming-of-age drama titled “Charge It to the Game.” AceShowbiz reports, about the project, Curtis told the outlet, “This is my first movie and I wanted to get into acting… I always loved the art.” He added, “It’s just an art form I’ve always loved.” “I’m playing a role, Kong, which is a gentleman named Hardtime – it’s Julian Broadus, which is Snoop’s son – I’m playing his older brother,” he explained. “So, I’ve been reading the script, just preparing, getting motivated, behind it and getting engaged with it.” The founder of the multinational Hillsong Church told CNN that Covid-19 vaccines are a “personal decision for each individual to make with the counsel of medical professionals” after a congregant who publicly refused inoculation died of complications from the disease. Hillsong Church global senior pastor Brian Houston had announced the death of Stephen Harmon, who attended Hillsong in California, on social media this week. Harmon had said on social media that he would not receive the vaccine, even when he was fighting Covid-19 in a hospital this month.Unvaccinated nursing instructor in Missouri is hospitalized with Covid-19 and urging everyone to get the vaccine “Stephen was just a young man in his early 30s,” Houston wrote, announcing Harmon’s death on social media. “He was one of the most generous people I know and he had so much in front of him.” The late civil rights icon Emmett Louis Till’s 80th birthday is Sunday, July 25th and to commemorate it, Eric J. Chambers, host of The Jazzspel, a jazz and gospel radio show on Smooth Jazz 98.1 KIFM in San Diego, presents a radio musical tribute on Sunday morning, July 25, 2021 from 8am – 10am PST on KIFM.com. Till is the black Chicago teen who was brutally murdered by white racists Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam in Money, Mississippi on August 28, 1955. It launched a new era in the modern civil rights movement. The musical tribute includes archived interviews Chambers did with Till Mobley. The show includes the music of Howard Hewett, Anita Baker, Tina Turner, India.Arie, The Winans, Dionne Farris, Seal and Soul Tempo and more to help set the birthday scene. This weekend in Chicago, a 3-day celebration is going on that includes graveside remembrances at Till’s and his mother’s graves. Several collegiate institutions throughout the country are leading efforts to help eliminate student debt and the latest school to follow suit is South Carolina State University. The Orangeburg-based HBCU recently announced it would cancel $9.8 million in debt for students. The move will eliminate account balances for nearly 2,500 students. Aware of the exacerbated financial burdens stemming from the global health crisis coupled with the student debt disparities that disproportionately impact students at historically Black colleges and universities, the institution wanted to step up and provide relief for those in need. Many of the students who will receive the financial support have been unable to register for classes due to outstanding balances. Remember when boys used to try to live up to a girl’s parents’ expectations, get nervous, buy flowers and say yes, sir and yes, ma’am. But, these days if a boy gets nervous about a girl’s dad he’s likely to pack a gun. And now a 14-year-old’s, 34-year-old dad, Dezmond Hamilton is dead. Apparently, Hamilton caught his daughter’s boyfriend, 17-year-old, Nicholas McQuirter climbing a ladder into his daughters second floor bedroom, a move he had successfully made before. According to the Zachary, LA Police Chief, David McDavid, it was an ongoing issue and dad was trying to stop it from happening. So, this time he invited the teen downstairs to the living room, they talked a bit, but once the pair started talking about Hamilton’s daughter, things got ugly quickly and an argument ensued about the 14-year-old, shots were fired.” https://youtu.be/clg3zj4vIXI A man of many talents, Winston Duke is back on the big screen in the new supernatural drama film “Nine Days!“ Duke plays the role of Will – an arbiter that spends his days in a remote outpost watching the live point-of-view of people on TV going about their day and interviewing unborn soul candidates for the opportunity to be born again on earth. Will is met with a challenge as the free-spirited Emma (Zazie Beetz) – a candidate unlike the others – forces Will to deal with his tumultuous past. The film made its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and is scheduled to be released by Sony Pictures Classics Friday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3HOrNROn18 Patina Renea Miller has been putting in work portraying black women in charge. From the leader of District 8 rebels in the 2014, “Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1,” to the president of Panem’s freer world in the same film (Part 2), and then to her role as Daisy, president Elizabeth McCord’s right-hand woman in “Madam Secretary,” Miller is no newcomer to playing strong and powerful women. These days she’s taking it back to the streets in her role playing a bad-assed drug-kingpin who doubles as mama (inspired by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson‘s late, real-life mom) to Kanan Stark (“Power Book III: Raising Kanan.”) https://youtu.be/MBfEnRIny3U From her poignant lyrics to the powerful roles she’s brought to life on the silver screen, Queen Latifah is a masterful storyteller. With her next venture, she will continue to capture interesting narratives through audio content. According to Variety, Latifah, Dana Owens, recently inked a first-look deal with Audible. As part of the multi-project development deal—which was made through Owens and Shakim Compere’s Flavor Unit imprint—the production company will release an array of audio-only content including memoirs and interviews with individuals who are driving change in their communities. On the slate is an audiobook by writer and producer Michael Elliot dubbed Streets, Rhymes & Sugar: A Hip-Hop Memoir that captures his journey from being homeless in Philadelphia to garnering success as a screenwriter in Hollywood. It’s slated to make its debut on August 5. Owens will also release a series that features candid conversations with activists who are dedicated to empowering underserved communities. LeVar Burton will have all the answers on Monday when he debuts as guest host on “Jeopardy!” The beloved former “Reading Rainbow” host and producer, who’s known for his roles as Geordi La Forge in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Kunta Kinte in “Roots,” will be behind the lectern through July 30, according to the show’s website. The popular game show announced that Burton would be a guest host in April after about 250,000 fans signed a petition urging producers to make him the next host. “I have been a fan of ‘Jeopardy!’ for all of my life and when this opportunity came by, I could not pass it up,” Burton said in a video posted on the “Jeopardy!” YouTube page. “Jeopardy!” has brought in a series of guest hosts since Alex Trebek died last November from pancreatic cancer. The 80-year-old star hosted more than 8,200 episodes of the show over 37 seasons. Simone Biles had a rare off day on Sunday as Team USA failed to win a qualifying round for the first time since 2010 and finished second behind Russia. Biles was left long faced after a shaky performance which saw her penalised on both floor and vault as her team finished on 170.526, behind their rivals on 171.629. Yet she remains on track to win six Olympic golds after successfully qualifying across all individual and team competitions, despite taking a backwards tumble after a botched dismount on the uneven bars. Team USA’s medal haul now stands at 10 after the swimmers bagged six in their best ever first day in an Olympic finals, putting them third in the medals table behind China and Japan. Golds went to sharpshooter Will Shaner, fencer Lee Kiefer and Anastasija Zolotic in taekwondo. Meanwhile, Chase Kalisz triumphed in the men’s 400-meter individual medley. Lee Kiefer won the third gold medal for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics and the third fencing gold in the country’s history by beating defending champion Inna Deriglazova of the Russian Olympic Committee team 15-13 in the women’s foil final. Mariel Zagunis is the only other U.S fencer to earn gold, winning the saber events at the 2004 and 2008 Games. The U.S. men’s basketball team suffered a shock 83-76 defeat at the hands of France on Sunday, losing at the Olympics for the first time since 2004 and for just the sixth time in the history of the tournament. The French had upset the U.S. men when they last met in the 2019 FIBA World Cup quarter-finals and they had their number again on the first day of group play at the Saitama Super Arena, powered by a game-high 28 points from Evan Fournier. The U.S. had won 25 consecutive Olympic games, last losing at the Athens Games 17 years ago and settling for a bronze medal there. Keeping with its commitment to equity across the federal government, the Biden administration released new guidance for the Justice40 Initiative this week. Established in the first few weeks of the Biden presidency, the Justice40 Initiative aims “to deliver at least 40 percent of the overall benefits from Federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities.” Chaired by Brenda Mallory, the Council on Environmental Quality was tasked with leading this interagency effort. Speaking with NewsOne, Mallory explained that the program is also a mechanism for integrating Environmental Justice across all the federal government’s work. The Vatican has released information on its real estate holdings for the first time, revealing it owns more than 5,000 properties, as part of its most detailed financial disclosures ever. The information released on Saturday was contained in two documents – a consolidated financial statement for 2020 for the Holy See and the first ever public budget for the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (Apsa). Apsa, a sort of general accounting office, manages real estate and investments, pays salaries, and acts as a purchasing office and human resources department. Raven Saunders was riding high after the 2016 Rio Olympics. She placed fifth in the women’s shot put, and upon her return, her hometown, Charleston, South Carolina, held a parade celebrating “Raven Saunders Day” in her honor. She returned to the University of Mississippi for her senior year, feeling unstoppable, but the high was short-lived. She faced a series of post-Olympics setbacks during the 2017 collegiate season, and placed 10th at the Athletics World Championships that year. “In 2018, I had my breakdown,” Saunders said, adding that navigating life as a Black, queer woman only added to the stress. She entered a period of depression, and suicide ideation. Saunders, now 25, is part of a generation of elite Black athletes who have taken their mental health into their own hands and spoken openly about their struggles. Tennis star Naomi Osaka, 23, stepped away from the French Open and Wimbledon this year for the sake of her mental health. Superstar gymnast Simone Biles, 24, opened up about seeing a psychologist and taking anxiety medication. Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles, 24, has been a vocal advocate of mental health care, sharing on Twitter that he takes anti-depressants and sees both a sports and a personal therapist. Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Simone Manuel, 24, spoke openly about taking a break after being diagnosed with overtraining syndrome this year, as she suffered from depression, anxiety, insomnia and loss of appetite. A statue of George Floyd that was defaced in Brooklyn has been cleaned and is headed for Manhattan’s Union Square. The artwork was unveiled on the Juneteenth holiday in a spot on Flatbush Avenue. Five days later on June 24, it was vandalized with black paint and marked with the logo of a white supremacist group. But members of the group that installed the statue painstakingly cleaned it, and local residents and one of Floyd’s brothers gathered around it this week to bid farewell ahead of its long-planned move to Union Square as part of an exhibition in September. “I heard the news about the vandalism. I was so proud that I got word that Flatbush held it down. They really supported us, looked out for the statue, looked out for the spirit of my brother,” Terrence Floyd said at the gathering. He added to news reporters: ”You try to stop us, but you can’t stop us. And we still gonna continue, with love.” Andrew Cohen of Confront Art, the group behind the statue, said people spent hours cleaning off the paint with toothbrushes and hands. The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame is officially slated to open next summer. The future-walkway is currently a pile of gravel in front of the The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center. Plans for the interactive park and star-studded path were unveiled Saturday during an induction ceremony. Well over 100 audience members were packed into the theater before the event began. While some audience members were seated, many were standing, dancing and clapping along with the band. The first four inductees to receive stars on the Walk of Fame will be Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bootsy Collins, King Records icon Otis Williams, and Grammy Winners The Isley Brothers and the late Gospel great Dr. Charles Fold. Move over, LeBron — retired basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal is also venturing into the filmed animation space. O’Neal will make his debut as a co-screenwriter and producer on the short “Headnoise,” mounted through his company Jersey Legends Productions. The film examines the internal and external pressure to succeed, as told through childhood friends Rashaun and Damon, two talented basketball players from the same inner-city neighborhood. Both are NBA hopefuls, but Rashaun is the more coveted pick among college recruitment scouts. Secretly, however, Rashaun’s passion is sculpting — and while his journey to follow his dream is plagued with systemic disadvantages, he is determined to be undefeated by his internal head noise. A 15-year legal battle over the estate of James Brown has come to an end, as the late singer’s family has reached a settlement in the case, according to the Associated Press. David Black, an attorney representing Brown’s estate, told the AP that an agreement was reached on July 9, but details of the settlement were not made public. The Godfather of Soul’s estate, estimated to be worth anywhere from $5 million to more than $100 million, has been embroiled in litigation since his death on Christmas Day 2006, with more than a dozen lawsuits filed over the years. One of the central figures in the proceedings was Brown’s former partner Tomi Rae Hynie, who has claimed to be his fourth and last wife. Hynie, who is the mother of one of Brown’s children, was not named in the singer’s will, and has long argued she is entitled to a portion of the estate due to their marriage. Gary Antuanne Russell is increasingly a force to be reckoned with in boxing’s junior welterweight division. Russell scored a knockout win over Jovanie Santiago in their match on May 29 that announced him as a force to contend with. His latest fight makes it 14 straight wins, all by knockout, for the 25-year-old. The bout, which took place in Carson, California, was only his second win away from the East Coast. Russell comes from a boxing family that incudes a number of undefeated stars and potential stars. Gary Antuanne Russell made his professional debut in 2017 on a card that also featured two of his older brothers, Gary Allen Russell Jr. and Gary Antonio Russell. The 28-year-old Gary Antonio is undefeated in 18 fights in the bantamweight division, while Gary Allen Jr., 33, has held the WBC featherweight title since 2015. https://youtu.be/IBJB9JA4Ci0 “We do have to remember we are faith people,” said Lee Hawkins, who recently released “Gospel Songs by Lee Hawkins Vol. 1” (Devine Jamz). Hawkins was dealing with the lost of his father and said the new album, “Helped me in my grieving process. Songwriting is diffidently a way of storytelling.” Lee is also a journalist at The Wall Street Journal, as well as a producer, arranger and composer. The 11 track project features Ryan Whyte Maloney (“The Voice”) on “The Kingdom’s Come” track. Other tracks include the remix “We’ve Come to Praise Him (Gospel House),” which is dedicated to Lee Hawkins’ late grandfather and father, and “Washed in the Blood.” The first single from the album is the remix “We’ve Come to Praise Him,” which is accompanied by a music video. www.www.DevineJamz.net The “Bee-TV Network” started with a little serendipitous magic; an HBCU grad’s intention to do something with her college degree and a chance opportunity to cover a local shooting. With meager resources the story unfolds and April Ross is the new business owner of a whole network, reports Black Enterprise. Apparently, Ross was considering a career change and favored using her communications degree. But all she had was a cellphone and a dream. Still, times were changing and social media provided a way to practice skills she learned in college. Facebook Live broadcasting seemed promising and so the Alabama State University grad jumped right in, putting her skills to use. To make permanent change in our lives we must embody a new behavior and belief system. New behaviors are introduced to the mind by changing our perspective and establishing hope that our current undesired situation can improve. Reinforcing this idea into the subconscious mind through repetition – repeating an action on a consistent basis for a certain amount of time or in perpetuity – is what creates the new healthy automatic behavior. In hypnotherapy, Repetition is one of the 5 Dominate Laws of Suggestibility, meaning how we take in information and learn the world around us. To learn more about the 5 Dominate Laws of Suggestibility, We recommend reading The Professional Hypnotism Manual by Dr. John Kappas for more info. https://youtu.be/HGokC12_cv8 The State of Mississippi filed a brief with the Supreme Court on Thursday defending the state’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy and asking the court to overturn Roe v. Wade when it hears arguments on the case in the fall, raising the stakes of what was already set to be the term’s biggest reproductive rights case. “The national fever on abortion can break only when this Court returns abortion policy to the states,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch writes in the brief, arguing that the country has changed so much since Roe was decided that the court needs to reopen the issue. “In 1973, there was little support for women who wanted a full family life and a successful career,” she wrote. “Maternity leave was rare. Paternity leave was unheard of. The gold standard for professional success was a 9-to-5 with a corner office. The flexibility of the gig economy was a fairy tale.” ‘The look in her eyes was frightening,’ Amy says, her voice quiet but assertive. ‘She leered at me before lunging forward and grabbing my breasts hard. She squeezed them and I cried out in pain. I was terrified she would rape me.’ The prisoner who sexually assaulted Amy — we cannot legally identify her, so we shall call her J — is a transgender woman, with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), and therefore referred to by the female pronoun, but still had male genitalia. Amy was equally well aware that J still had male genitalia because she often intimidated her and fellow female prisoners at HMP Bronzefield in Ashford, Middlesex, by exposing them. Moreover, J was serving time for a serious sexual assault on a child and was clearly a danger to other inmates. Yet she had secured a coveted job as a cleaner at the prison gym where Amy also worked. And it was while she was in the gym’s lavatory block that J assaulted her in 2017. In a judgment handed down by email, Lord Justice Holroyde accepted there were real concerns raised by Amy, and that ‘a substantial proportion of women prisoners have been the victims of sexual assaults and/or domestic violence’. Between 2016 and 2019, 97 sexual assaults were recorded in women’s prisons, the judgment said. The curse on Hillsong: Hillsong church member and graduate Stephen Harmon, who in an over-the-top fashion mocked the coronavirus vaccine with much gung-ho foolish faith talk, and who tweeted ‘I got 99 problems but a vax ain’t one’ dies after month-long severe battle with the coronavirus plague. Stephen Harmon, 34, died on Wednesday at the Corona Regional Medical Center outside Los Angeles where he was being treated for COVID and pneumonia. Harmon, who was a Hillsong College graduate, had made several jokes on social media in recent weeks about not having the COVID-19 vaccine, including when he was in the hospital being treated for the virus. He also documented his illness and treatment publicly on Instagram and Twitter ever since being hospitalized last month. Hillsong founder Brian Houston confirmed news of his death in a tweet on Thursday. It’s a voice that Lightning fans have come to know and love. Recently, there is not as much air behind it as there normally is as retired Air Force sergeant Sonya Bryson-Kirksey – who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few years ago – continues to battle COVID-19. Because of the immunocompromised disease, she will remain hospitalized for at least two weeks as a precaution. “She’s feeling OK. She has her problems with the breathing. She’s not on a ventilator, not in critical condition,” her husband, Jimmie Kirksey Jr., told FOX 13. He revealed Thursday that Sonya was previously vaccinated and has the highly contagious delta variant. It’s believed she was exposed to the virus during the Stanley Cup championship celebrations. https://youtu.be/K0cw2wMg7bY A white woman who was charged with a hate crime after being caught on video spitting on a Black woman during a protest in Connecticut was allowed to enter a special probation program Wednesday that could leave her with no criminal record. Yuliya Gilshteyn, 45, was granted accelerated rehabilitation, a special probation program for first-time offenders, and ordered to complete 100 hours of anti-hate curriculum over the next two years. If she successfully completes the classes and fulfills the other terms of the program, all charges will be dismissed. In addition to the hate crimes charge of deprivation of rights, she also was charged with third-degree attempt to commit assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a child. The spitting occurred during large protests outside the state Capitol on Jan. 6, the same day as the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Video shows Gilshteyn, who opposes mandatory childhood vaccinations, spitting on Keren Prescott, a Black Lives Matter activist. Several groups rallied for various causes that day, the first of the new legislative session. Fox News host Tucker Carlson is catching heat after he took aim at a Black police officer who said he was called the N-word while defending the Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6. Carlson called the man an “angry, left-wing political activist” during his show on Wednesday. As reported by Revolt, Carlson attacked Officer Harry Dunn on his Fox News segment. Dunn is set to testify next Tuesday (July 27) before the House of Representatives committee that will investigate the Capitol riot. Dunn will pretend to speak for the country’s law enforcement community, but it turns out Dunn has very little in common with your average cop. Dunn is an angry, left-wing political activist,” Carlson said before linking the cop to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Dunn’s legal team fired off a lengthy statement in response to Carlson. “Tonight Fox News allowed its host Tucker Carlson, who has not served a day in uniform, whether military or law enforcement, to criticize the heroism and service of African-American U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn,” attorneys David H. Laufman and Mark S. Zaid wrote in a statement shared on Twitter. https://twitter.com/i/status/1418009659143856132 Chef Adrian Lipscombe was startled last spring when the unsolicited donations began arriving at her Wisconsin cafe and bakery. Just days had passed since the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, and checks and envelopes containing cash started showing up. “People were sending me money, and it wasn’t for anything,” Lipscombe told Yahoo News. Accompanying nationwide calls for an end to police brutality against African Americans, a trend was underway to support Black-owned businesses, including Lipscombe’s restaurant, the Uptowne Café & Bakery. The donations started with a mysterious $100 check in the mail and then more donations through Venmo began pouring in. But instead of frivolously spending the steadily accumulating funds on herself, the Texas native decided to put the money toward what she sees as a decades-old debt to the nation’s Black farmers. So in June of last year, Lipscombe launched the “40 Acres & a Mule Project,” a reference to the broken promise of reparations for American slaves following the Civil War. The project’s goal was to buy 40 acres of land to develop “a safe haven to secure the legacy” of Black agricultural heritage, according to its website. In foster care since she was 16, Kelisha Williams is closer to her dream of becoming a lawyer and going into politics as she readies to start classes at Harvard University this fall on a full scholarship. She aspires to attend law school, attain a high political office — and pay it forward by working to improve the foster care system. https://youtu.be/9BLrrJq-sxA Kim Kardashian just filed a new trademark for SKKN in a rebranding move. It’s a way to keep others from taking ideas and marketing them without you. A relaunch is planned, but not until after the KKW Beauty brands hiatus beginning Aug 1. Reports say Kardashian will come back using a completely new name with new formulas. https://youtu.be/PCCnNZdnjqI Over the weekend, singer and rapper Kanye West previewed his upcoming album, Donda, at a Las Vegas church. According to The Christian Post, the exclusive album listening party was held at Church LV, which is led by Pastor Benny Perez, on Sunday. During the event, which was only open to guests who registered beforehand, West reportedly played the entire album from his computer while wearing a ski mask. Attendees also said that West did not speak for the duration of the event. “Yeah, it was a different experience for sure. It was a listening party for his new album and not a performance,” one unnamed source told Rapzilla. “Opened up with four piano players, kids, playing a musical intro. Then Kanye came up, opened his laptop and played the songs from there. Didn’t speak. Different but really cool.” In his first interview with a news outlet since his racial-slur scandal broke six months ago, country superstar Morgan Wallen told “Good Morning America” co-host Michael Strahan that his use of the N-word was the result of being in a drunken climate with friends where they “say dumb stuff together,” and was not meant “in any derogatory manner at all.” He said that in the wake of the furor, he spent 30 days in rehab and has donated $500,000 to Black charities. https://youtu.be/p0H4HKaC5go Famed guitarist Eric Clapton announced this week he won’t play at venues requiring attendees to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The 76-year-old entertainer said in a statement he “reserves the right to cancel the show,” referring to performances in spaces mandating guests prove they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Clapton made the announcement after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson put in place an order mandating large indoor gathering spaces — such as concert halls and event venues — obtain proof visitors have been inoculated, according to Rolling Stone. Tommy Dorfman — an actor known for starring in the Netflix drama “13 Reasons Why” — came out this week as a transgender female. Dorfman, who revealed the transition during an interview with Time, has been using the pronouns “she” and “her” over the past year. “I view today as a reintroduction to me as a woman, having made a transition medically,” the actor said. “Coming out is always viewed as this grand reveal, but I was never not out. Today is about clarity: I am a trans woman.” Michael B. Jordan and his production company Outlier Society are developing their own Black Superman project for HBO Max that centers on the Val-Zod incarnation of the character, Collider has exclusively learned. Sources say that Outlier Society has hired a writer who is currently working on the script, though we were unable to ascertain their identity. Though it was initially unclear whether the Val-Zod project would be a movie or a limited series, sources have since reached out to clarify that as of right now, it is, in fact, being written as a limited series that Jordan will produce and possibly even star in, though he has yet to officially commit on the latter front. J.J. Abrams and his company Bad Robot are set to produce a Black Superman movie for Warner Bros. that is expected to follow the Kal-El/Clark Kent version of the character. Though Clark Kent is traditionally depicted as white in the DC comics, the character will be played by a Black actor in the Bad Robot movie, which will likely be directed by a Black filmmaker, as Abrams is simply expected to produce. Author and cultural critic Ta-Nehisi Coates is already hard at work on the script for that project. The Cleveland Indians are changing their name next season to the Cleveland Guardians, the Major League Baseball club announced Friday morning, after the current moniker drew criticism for decades from Native Americans. “You see, there’s always been a Cleveland — that’s the best part of our name,” actor Tom Hanks says in a video announcement he narrated for the team, which posted it on Twitter. “And now it’s time to unite as one family, one community, to build the next era for this team and this city.” The move is part of a larger cultural shift across the US as corporate brands reexamine their use of racist caricatures and stereotypical names. https://twitter.com/i/status/1418565355472101378 Fresh off ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ opening to $31 million at the box office, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James‘ pockets just got a lot deeper, as the four-time champion was just announced as the first player in NBA history to make $1 billion in career earnings while still playing, per Sportico. That’s no small feat, and it’s a testament to the diversity in projects and endorsements James has his hands in off the court. According to the Sportico, LeBron has earned $330 million in playing salary since getting drafted in 2003, while bringing in a whopping $700 million through endorsements, merchandise, licensing and media. His endorsements with AT&T, Beats, Blaze Pizza, GMC, PepsiCo, Rimowa and Walmart bring in over $100 million annually alone. That’s on top of the gobs of money he makes through his partnership with Nike, with which he signed a lifetime deal back in 2016 that brings in $30 million annually on its own. On Thursday, the master funkateer himself, George Clinton, celebrated his 80th birthday in Los Angeles. The man who created the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic (or Parliament-Funkadelic, if you will) got his groove on with a “small intimate crowd of friends and family” including some of his band members, as well as Snoop Dogg, actor-singer Craig Robinson, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, pop star Kesha and New York nightlife mayor Ariel Palitz. “It was so unexpected to see Kesha. She had a huge oversized fedora and was rocking on the dance floor with everybody,” a source told Page Six. “It was at some outdoor, almost backyard vibe — very George. It was a very eclectic, diverse crowd, ‘one nation under a groove,’” the source also added. Clinton and Crump arrived at the grounds near Culver City on a private jet from Florida. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRoMsucl9Ah/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again New allegations from federal prosecutors claim the singer/producer sexually abused a male minor … whom he’s said to have met at a McDonald’s. the feds are also claiming Kelly’s so-called crisis manager bribed a Cook County clerk after the documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.” CBS Chicago is reporting the allegations include abuse involving at least 10 more girls in Chicago, dating back to 1991 as well as videos of Kelly physically and verbally abusing women. 2006 court court papers show Kelly met a John Doe #1 then asked the boy “what he was willing to do to succeed in the music business and clarified he wanted John Doe #1 to engage in sexual contact with Kelly.” https://cbsloc.al/2V5IBMz “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” does not disappoint in giving audiences what they expect, non-stop sword play and clan clashes. Henry Golding is “Snake Eyes,” the tenacious loner who is welcomed into an ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage after saving the life of their heir apparent, Storm Shadow (Andrew Koji). When Snake Eyes arrives in Japan, the Arashikage teach him the ways of the ninja warrior while also providing something he’s been longing for: a home. But, when secrets from his past are revealed, Snake Eyes’ honor and allegiance will be tested—even if that means losing the trust of those closest to him. https://youtu.be/qsDYh3mcf34 Rapper Saweetie has a new song coming out. It’s sort of an in your face anthem celebrating exotic beauty (her own), and it’s called “Pretty B!tch Music.” Arguably, perfect for a culture that (perhaps above all else) values beauty and wealth. https://youtu.be/Xv6Ds99h8c4 Jamie Foxx is clearly well established now, but in the earlier days of his career, he allegedly borrowed $50 from Sherri Shepherd and has yet to pay her back. The former The View co-host shared the story on PEOPLE in the 90s podcast and said, “He might deny it to this day. He might act like he don’t. Oh, he might have little memory blasts, but, yes, he does owe me $50.” She continued, “I think it was the final call back or something for In Living Color, it was some audition he was going for, and he didn’t have any money. And it was one of those days where his girlfriend had put him out.” She explained the drama with Jamie Foxx’s then-girlfriend and said, “He used to date this girl […] She made him sign a contract that if he made it big, she was going to take like 75% of everything he made. But he needed a place to stay, so he signed it. So he was with this girl. […] and every time she came to the comedy club, ooh, she was jealous of every dag-gone body. She would come to the comedy club [and] Jamie would go out the back room.” Kevin Hart pulled off a hilarious prank on Nick Cannon by broadcasting Cannon’s cell phone number on a huge billboard in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York. The sign reads “For any advice on fatherhood? Call my best friend Nick Cannon.” On his Instagram Story, Cannon appeared to take calls from strangers who dialed the number listed on Hart’s billboard. The rapper and TV host said his phone “won’t stop ringing.” Cannon pranked Hart for his birthday earlier this month by purchasing him a llama. In a video on his Instagram at the time, Hart called it “childish.” The message Cannon sent with the gift read: “Since I’m having all these new kids, I thought I would bless you with a new one as well. Save the drama for your llama. Happy birthday. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRo8YzqrdW3/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=06850b4d-c946-4720-927d-c99a1c782b78 Warner Bros. new film “The Suicide Squad” takes you on an epic comic book adventure into the DC Universe! The Suicide Squad” was written and directed by James Gunn, hits HBO Max and theaters nationwide August 6, 2021. https://youtu.be/eg5ciqQzmK0 Earlier this week at Southwestern Athletic Conference media days in Birmingham, Alabama, Jackson State coach Deion Sanders grabbed all the headlines for his abrupt end to an interview. Coach Prime was upset that a reporter called him by his name, Deion, as he asked the Jackson State skipper a question. Now, there’s been no shortage of media spotlight on the team, and no shortage of bombast around Coach Prime’s rebuilding efforts. Add his son, JSU’s presumptive starting quarterback, to the list of those firing the pre-season volleys. Shedeur Sanders said when the Tigers’ offense has success in practice against the defense, he knows what it’s going to mean on the football field in the fall. https://twitter.com/i/status/1418599597446815750 The fate of the Big 12 is hanging in the balance as a source tells CBS Sports that the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners could announce their intent to leave the conference within “24-48 hours.” Katie Johnston reports. https://youtu.be/Rh6l94hC5mU After refusing to receive a vaccine for COVID-19, Rick Dennison is out as a Minnesota Vikings assistant coach, sources told ESPN on Friday. Dennison had served as the Vikings’ offensive line coach/run game coordinator the past two seasons. In a statement Friday, the Vikings said they were still in discussions with Dennison about the league’s COVID-19 protocols. Another coach in the league, New England Patriots co-offensive line coach Cole Popovich, also won’t be with his team in 2021 in a decision related to the COVID-19 vaccine and NFL guidelines, league sources confirmed to ESPN. The vaccine is required for all Tier 1 staff, including coaches, front-office executives, equipment managers and scouts. Players are not required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine but will face strict protocols during training camp and throughout the season that vaccinated players will be able to forgo. Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, desperately wants to see his grandchildren. Thomas told photographers hanging outside his Rosarito, Mexico home that he was ready to take the matter to court in an effort to see his daughter’s children, Archie Harrison and Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. “We shouldn’t be punishing [Lili] for Meghan and Harry’s bad behavior,” said Thomas “Archie and Lili are small children. They’re not politics. They’re not pawns. They’re not part of the game. And they’re also royal and entitled to the same rights as any other royal.” “… I will be petitioning the California courts for the rights to see my grandchildren in the very near future,” Thomas added. In June, Vin Diesel gave an interview with Men’s Health where he claimed that his feud with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was the result of “a lot of tough love.” Johnson has shared his thoughts on the comments – calling the remarks laughable. “I laughed and I laughed hard,” he said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I think everyone had a laugh at that. And I’ll leave it at that. And that I’ve wished them well. I wish them well on ‘Fast 9.’ And I wish them the best of luck on ‘Fast 10’ and ‘Fast 11’ and the rest of the ‘Fast & Furious’ movies they do that will be without me.” Johnson and Diesel have been feuding since wrapping production of “The Fate of the Furious” in 2016. While filming, Johnson referred to several of his male co-stars as “candy asses.” “Some conduct themselves as stand-up men and true professionals, while others don’t,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “The ones that don’t are too chicken s–t to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses. When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling — you’re right.” Johnson is said to have been referring to Diesel for being difficult to work with. Diesel told Men’s Health that his harsh criticism of his co-stars acting skills was part of his method as an actor/producer. VH1 is rebooting “The Surreal Life,” a reality series about a group of celebs living together for two weeks in a Hollywood mansion. According to reports, the all-star cast includes Tamar Braxton, Dennis Rodman and August Alsina. The Wrap reports that the revival will also feature professional wrestler CJ Perry, actors Frankie Muniz and Kim Coles, YouTuber Manny MUA and adult film star Stormy Daniels. “The Surreal Life is known for bringing together some of the biggest names in pop culture and creating many unforgettable moments in reality television,” Nina L. Diaz, president of content and chief creative officer of MTV Entertainment Group, said in a statement to the news outlet. “We are excited to see how this stellar celebrity cast will make captivating television for audiences everywhere.” “The Surreal Life” premiered on the WB in 2003 and ran for two seasons before it moved to VH1 for four more seasons. Keyshia Cole hit up Instagram on Thursday to pay tribute to her late mother Frankie Lons. The songstress shared to her Instagram a slideshow of photos featuring Frankie, who died earlier this week from a reported drug overdose while celebrating her birthday. “This is so hard man,” Cole began in the caption. “Can’t really even find the words. SMH.” “I honestly don’t even know how to feel,” she continued. “You can never prepare for something like this… Ever!!! but you will be missed.” Cole went on to say that her mother’s “humor was unmatched.” “Naturally so funny, that’s what I loved about your personality…. we all did,” Cole wrote. “I created this post to show my love and appreciation for your life and I would like to thank my fans + supporters, shooot your supporters and fans, for being here with us during these hard times, and the love that you all have for us…..the love for all your children was definitely felt.” Cole concluded her post by promising to bring all of Lons’ children “IN ONE PLACE, AT ONE TIME.” “Even through our differences …. WE LOVE YOU,” she added. “I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!” New Angelo & Veronica’s single, “Knockin on your Door” (Remix) from their upcoming album, Back to the Gospel coming July 30th. "Knockin on Your Door", written by Angelo & Veronica, is originally from their 1992 Higher Place debut. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/krxkeoz9gxvf6r3/AAD4eB2_QFJy3sJt-TvN_NaPa?dl=0 Juanita Francis drops new music "Surrounded." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpd12nQ82vw Chart-topper Travis Greene continues to deliver the unexpected, as he gears up for the release of his latest album Oil + Water. Greene releases a new song for the title track “Oil & Water” (feat. Anthony Hamilton), which is available as an instant grat track with album pre-order now. Two other tracks, “Hold On Me” (feat. Kirk Franklin and John P. Kee) and “Easter” (feat. Todd Dulaney), are also available instantly with album pre-order at digital music providers. Releasing the official video for “Oil & Water” in a juke joint-inspired performance with Hamilton, Travis Greene celebrates God’s never-ending love, like an outpouring of oil and flowing like water, on the guitar-driven title track. Scheduled to be released Friday, August 20th, the musical trailblazer’s new album Oil + Water comprises ten songs. Crafting a refreshing mix of modern sounds and rich harmonies, his album includes additional featured appearances from Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Le’Andria Johnson, Mali Music, Darrel Walls, D’Nar, and Madison Binion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=garhGYR-W5E The inaugural Legends of Dance Workshop presented by award-winning Studio T Arts & Entertainment and sponsored by Red Bull North America paid tribute to dance legend Popin’ Pete in Sacramento’s McClatchy Park on Saturday. Kicked off by welcoming remarks from Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, the outdoor workshop featured instructional segments led by Popin’ Pete, Baltimore dance champion TSU Terry, and renowned dance prodigy Sarah “Lil’ Mini” Phoenix. Community members of all ages and ethnicities gathered in unity under the summer sun to honor the dance icon and celebrate the launch of his student-designed website, PopinPete.com, and his Patreon training platform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBI45Ca0xSc Up-tempo choir groove "Oh Give Thanks” marks the second single from the multiple Stellar Award-nominated group, off of their upcomingLive in Chicago album, which will also mark their first full-length release under the Hez House Entertainment label, distributed exclusively by RCA Inspiration. The first artist signed to the new label by two-time GRAMMY winner Hezekiah Walker, Vincent Bohanan & SOV (the Sound of Victory Fellowship Choir) mark a new level of ongoing music collaboration with Walker, a fellow Brooklynite and longtime family friend. https://www.dropbox.com/s/h4mdjw30usxzfl9/OH%20GIVE%20THANKS.mp4?dl=0 TV One's hit true-crime show ATL HOMICIDE returns with new episodes on Monday, July 26 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. Viewers will dive into some of Atlanat's grittiest casses solved by thirty-year Atlanta PD veteran Detectives David Quinn and Vince Velazquez. The dynamic duo recounts their past homicide investigations and reminisce on their quest to put heinous murderers behind bars. Real-life interviews are paired with dramatic recreations from actors Angelo Diaz as David Quinn and Christopher Diaz as Vince Velazquez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqQUcfFvyrQ Tribl Records, the new leading premiere recording home for Christian and Gospel artists, unveils its debut installment of its award-winning artists gathering on an album filled with spirited-vertical worship. The new album, Tribl 1, recorded live in Atlanta, is available now wherever music is sold and streamed. Tribl 1 features notable voices from Maverick City Music: Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine, Brandon Lake, Joe L Barnes and Aaron Moses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-8KlXeRKSA&feature=youtu.be Recording artist Nikea Marie was a special guest Friday July 23rd on nationally syndicated radio show Get Up Mornings With Erica Campell. The Baltimore based artist has received major buzz from her recently released single "I Believe In Me" and has received rave reviews globally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-WIXISO4wM With summer underway and back to school just around the corner, Lifetime is tumbling into action with six new movies that reveal the chilling side of cheerleading in the network's annual Fear the Cheer movie slate, with new films premiering every Saturday and Sunday beginning August 28 through September 5th at 8pm EST/PST. Denise Richards and Thomas Calabro kick off the slate, starring in Killer Cheer Mom on August 28, while Vivica A. Fox stars in the newest title of The Wrong Movie Franchise, The Wrong Cheer Captain on August 29, which she also executive produces. The Poor People’s Campaign and its partners will launch a Selma-to-Montgomery type march next week in Texas, the state that’s the epicenter of the fight for the right to vote. Bishop William J. Barber II. DMin, and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, provided details of the 27-mile trek from Georgetown to Austin during an online news conference Wednesday. The march will launch Tuesday, July 27, in Georgetown with a news conference and marchers will walk for three days to Austin starting July 29. The march will culminate at 10 a.m. CT Saturday, July 31, at the state Capitol in Austin, with a mass rally that will include hearses and caskets to symbolize, among other things, the loss of voting rights. https://youtu.be/LQXURqMlbtE On Tuesday, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) led introduction of a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize July as Muslim American Heritage Month, honoring their contributions throughout our country’s history. The legislation was introduced after a constituent and local Los Angeles community organizer raised the idea of such a designation. Following introduction, the primary authors joined in issuing statements in support of the resolution. “I’m proud to join my House colleagues in introducing this legislation to acknowledge and appreciate the numerous contributions and achievements of Muslim Americans – both throughout history and today,” said Rep Bass. “We must also recognize and address the persistent discrimination and bigotry Muslim Americans have faced and continue to face in this country. This July, and all year long, we commit ourselves to combating prejudice and doing all we can to support Muslim American communities in California and across our nation. Earlier this week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to return a stretch of beachfront land in Southern California to the descendants of a Black couple who purchased the land 97 years ago. https://youtu.be/6EpUuR7ejy8 The 44th class of Kennedy Center honorees are here! On Wednesday, Bette Milder, Lorne Michaels and Berry Gordy were announced as awardees for their lifetime achievements in the creative arts. This year’s class will receive the prestigious prize at the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, Dec. 5, each to be honored with a medallion and personalized tribute, per tradition. Opera singer Justino Diaz and folk music legend Joni Mitchell will also be honored at the event.The 43rd Kennedy Center Honors class was delayed multiple times due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was eventually held in May at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House, rather than its typical venue at the State Department in Washington, D.C.Deborah Rutter, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, said that organizers are expect to host the event at full capacity, according to the Associated Press. All attendees will be required to wear masks. Dr. Dre’s the 56-year-old music mogul was ordered to pay his estranged wife, Nicole Young, $293,306 per month in spousal support beginning on Aug. 1, according to court documents obtained by Page Six on Thursday. The former NWA member will have to keep paying the massive amount to Young until she remarries or enters into a domestic partnership — or unless the court orders otherwise at a later date. Dre was also ordered to continue paying expenses for the Malibu and Pacific Palisades homes that the couple once shared, which makes sense as a source familiar with the case told Page Six that he owns these homes outright. The source also said the spousal support figure is consistent with what he’s been paying already and is a fraction of the $2 million per month that Young asked the court for in September 2020. The medical talk show “The Doctors” has been hit with more racism allegations. On Monday, ex-host Dr. Ian Smith, who is black, filed an unlawful termination complaint against distributor ViacomCBS, production company Stage 29 Productions, Dr. Phil’s son Jay McGraw, who heads the firm, and the show’s executive producer Patty Ciano. Dr. Smith, who also alleges Ciano sexually harassed him, was hired to co-host the show in 2013 for its sixth season. But the suit claims he wasn’t invited back for the seventh season after he “voiced complaints regarding discrimination which he experienced and observed.” In the suit, he complained, among other things, that “African-American hosts were on fewer shows than white hosts. African-American hosts were paid less than white hosts. African-American hosts were not in as many integration segments as white hosts. There were not enough African-American producers.” A Massachusetts police department that previously decried racism has rehired one of its former cops who retired following attention to his racist social media posts that encouraged police brutality against protesters and wished harm to immigrants. Specifically, Michael Wilk posted about his desire for police officers to shoot people looting in New York City, shared an image of a purported immigrant being hurt by razor wire while crossing the border and seemingly supported the idea of police officers kneeling on suspects in a misguided comparison between to Colin Kaepernick‘s kneeling protest of the national anthem and Derek Chauvin murdering George Floyd, according to MassLive. It was in that context that the Chicopee Police Department not only decided Wilk was worthy of being rehired, but Chicopee’s mayor — who moved to remove Wilk from his job as department spokesperson in June of last year — inexplicably defended the decision to put the disgraced, likely racist cop back on the payroll. The family of a woman who recently died in police custody has retained the services of the attorneys who represented the family of Breonna Taylor. It was the latest development in the questionable circumstances under which Ta’Neasha Chappell, a 23-year-old mother from Louisville, died Friday after spending more than a month in an Indiana jail. Chappell, who was being held for charges from an alleged robbery and high-speed chase, was taken to a local hospital on Friday. But it was unclear how she died and her family is demanding answers. Sam Aguiar, a Louisville-based attorney who was part of the legal team that helped secure Taylor’s family a record police settlement, announced Wednesday on Facebook that he, another Louisville lawyer Lonita Baker and civil rights attorney Ben Crump were all working on Chappell’s case. “Our team has been given the privilege of seeking truth and justice for the family of Ta’Neasha Chappell,” Aguiar wrote. “More to come ASAP.” A teenage girl has died after drowning at an Ohio water park on Tuesday. Deputies responded to reports of a juvenile drowning at Land of Illusion’s Aqua Adventures Waterpark in Middletown on Tuesday, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. When they arrived, the park’s staff was attempting to find 14-year-old Mykiara Jones after she had disappeared under the water. About 30 minutes after she went down, a lifeguard was able to pull her from the water, according to authorities. https://youtu.be/Zf7m-vyVfok Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles’ mother will be able to watch her daughter compete in Tokyo from the comfort of her own home after a judge agreed to delay the start of her prison sentence on Wednesday. Jordan’s mother, Gina Chiles, was scheduled to report to prison on July 27 for a one-year sentence for embezzlement — the same day that Jordan, 20, will compete in the women’s gymnastics team final at the Olympic Games. But a federal judge in Portland with her lawyer’s plea to postpone the start of her sentence by one month to give her the chance ‘to support her daughter throughout the Olympics’ and ‘give Mrs. Chiles’ daughter at least some additional time to have her mother’s emotional support and guidance during such a monumental time in her young life.’ https://youtu.be/z1WuDNAkT6s Duke Slater was so good the NFL couldn’t keep him out. For a Black player in the 1920s and ’30s, that was a remarkable achievement. And now Slater is going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The pioneering two-way lineman was part of the centennial class announced in 2020 to celebrate the NFL’s 100th season. He was recognized by the hall in April, and will be included in induction festivities Aug. 7-8 after they were postponed last year due to the pandemic. Slater tackled bigotry head-on, and blocked it, too. He was the NFL’s first African-American lineman, and often the only Black player on the field. After retiring, he broke down more racial barriers to become a Chicago judge. An All-American at the University of Iowa, Slater created running room in the NFL for such stars as Ernie Nevers and Jim Thorpe, and was chosen All-Pro three times. George Halas called him the Rock of Gibraltar. Brisbane was picked Wednesday to host the 2032 Olympics, the inevitable winner of a one-city race steered by the IOC to avoid rival bids. The Games will go back to Australia 32 years after the popular 2000 Sydney Olympics. Melbourne hosted in 1956. “We know what it takes to deliver a successful Games in Australia,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told International Olympic Committee voters in an 11-minute live video link from his office. Brisbane follows 2028 host Los Angeles in getting 11 years to prepare for hosting the Games. Paris will host in 2024. The 2032 deal for the Australian east coast city looked done even months before the formal decision by IOC members at their meeting ahead of the Tokyo Games, which open Friday. In a partnership with the Nigerian Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Morgan State University will host 85 doctoral or postdoctoral students from Nigeria starting the Fall 2021 semester. The five-year agreement was “designed to create a pathway for students to pursue disciplines relevant to the developmental needs of Nigeria,” according to the news release. “The leadership team of Morgan State University extends its thanks to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Executive Secretary Suleiman Bogoro and the TETFund for this unique and historic opportunity to achieve our common goals in social advancement, economic development and most important the academic exchange and advanced degree attainment within the African continent,” David Wilson, Morgan State University’s president said. The 70 Nigerian doctoral students and more than 15 Nigerian postdoctoral students attending surpassed “original projections” when more than 600 students applied for the program. Michael Blackson and girlfriend Mizz Rada just got engaged! The comedian popped the big question during his recent appearance on The Breakfast Club. Blackson was in the middle of praising his girlfriend for having his back when he decided to make the big move. He also noted that she’s “loving and never wanted anything” from him: “Nothing at all. She don’t want presents, money, she don’t want nothing at all,” he said. From there, DJ Envy asked him if he would ever get married. After explaining why marriage is important to him, he asked Rada to come close and then took a ring out of his bag. He then got on his knee and asked the big question to which she said “yes.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CRoScLXpLCa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The DiscOasis is a music-driven interactive theatrical experience that invites guests into a fantastical garden of pure rhythm and celebration. The DiscOasis is a timed-entry, 90-120 minute walk through theatrical journey that unites art, light, disco, dance, live performances, roller skating, and good times within the South Coast Botanic Garden. Upon arrival, guests enjoy a walk through the garden’s natural paradise before being transported into The DiscOasis through the voice of The Groovemaster, the disco and funk legend Nile Rodgers. You can rock to Groovemaster Nile Rodgers, Performer DJ Cassidy, Co-Hosts Jimmy Iovine & Liberty Ross, Additional Special Guests including Adam Lambert, Allen Hughes, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, Bruce Bozzi, Clare Vivier, Dita von Teese, Fortune Feimster, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Jeremy Scott, Joey Zauzig, John Taylor, Jon Huertas, Kat Graham, Lexi Underwood, Lola Star, Nancy Hunt (We Are Family Foundation), Russell Peters, Stacey Sher, Tess Holliday, Will.I.Am., and more. Today, rising Toronto rap star Smiley unites with one of his city’s greats, Drake, for his new single “Over the Top.” The song is a taste of Smiley’s forthcoming project, and it’s the perfect track to show off his one-of-a-kind wordplay and his uncanny, otherworldly flows. https://youtu.be/qaqvwkhelS8 Andrea René Williams' Performance for the City of Gaithersburg's Jubilation Day? https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=999107020842484 In the reoccurring awakening of the social justice movement and repercussions of COVID-19 hitting the U.S., Black Americans across the diaspora became more interested in financial literacy. Whether it was paying closer attention to their paystubs, stocks, and even the irregular financial aid distributed by the government, it is evident that Urban One launched their newest endeavor, a financial service, ONE VIP, at no better time. ONE VIP is a prepaid Visa debit card accompanied by a loyalty program and mobile app with the Black and Brown consumer in mind. Cardholders can access their account information by desktop or ONE VIP’s mobile app. Both platforms allow the cardholder to view, manage, and track their everyday spending. Cardholders can also set up direct deposits for their jobs and pensions and transfer funds from other accounts to their ONE VIP account. Veteran actress Marla Gibbs received her long-awaited star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California on Tuesday morning after a slight medical scare. The former maid known as “Florence” on “The Jeffersons” and “Mary” on “227” was in the middle of giving her remarks when she stopped speaking and appeared to doze off to sleep while standing. She was dehydrated and experienced a heat spell as the temperature was 88 degrees at 11:30am in Hollywood. Family and aides rushed to keep her from falling and eventually ushered her into a secure, cool area near the entrance of the Jimmy Kimmel Show. There, paramedics treated her for heat exhaustion. And after a delay of about a half-hour, the ceremony continued with the unveiling of the 2698th star presented by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Before the incident, the 90-year-old great grandmother and five-time Emmy nominated actress thanked her presenters, fellow actress Tisha Campbell, calling her “a daughter from another mother,” Norman Lear, the legendary producer of “The Jeffersons,” “Good Times,” “All In The Family” and other sitcoms. She said to him, “Without you, nobody would know my name.” The people applauded as she smiled brightly. On Saturday, August 28, Americans who believe in the power of democracy and free elections will embark on a historic "March On for Voting Rights" to demand that legislatures across the country end their push for restrictive voting laws and that Congress pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Restoration Act, which will ensure free, fair access to the ballot for every American voter. Marches will be held in Atlanta, Houston, Miami and Phoenix, where voting rights are under attack, and in Washington, D.C., where Congress is debating voting rights legislation. The march is co-sponsored by March On, SEIU, National Action Network and the Drum Major Institute, an organization founded by Martin Luther King, Jr., and dedicated to the King legacy of addressing racism through peaceful solutions. March On for Voting Rights is a mass mobilization that will take place on the 58th anniversary of Dr. King's peaceful and historic March On Washington—this time, to demand that King's "I Have a Dream" vision be deferred no longer. Since January, 48 states have introduced 389 bills that would restrict voting access, largely in response to record turnout in the 2020 election. As the white-washing of American history continues in Texas, the Republican-led Senate has passed a bill that removes requirements for public school teachers to instruct students that the Klu Klux Klan is “morally wrong.” According to Complex, as reported by The Hill, “the measure also drops several other requirements, including those involving “I Have a Dream” speech, Cesar Chavez, Susan B. Anthony and the women’s suffragist movement, and Native American history,” the outlet writes. The bill includes provisions about teaching “the history and importance of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964,” as well as the “Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.” https://youtu.be/06P-hwPB5T0 Actor Laz Alonso took to his Instagram account recently to condemn the official Black Lives Matter organization for its “unethical,” “tone deaf,” and “willfully ignorant” statement on the unrest in Cuba. Late last week, Black Lives Matter posted a statement on social media, calling for the U.S. government to end its embargo on Cuba, claiming the “cruel and inhumane” American policy — rather than the country’s corrupt communist regime — “is at the heart of Cuba’s current crisis.” Alonso, known for his role in the Amazon Prime series “The Boys,” explained in a lengthy video posted to Instagram that the freedom protests taking place in Havana and other cities across Cuba have nothing to do with the decades-old embargo. https://www.instagram.com/lazofficial/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=853c431a-0b05-43ef-aa4e-d92161716fa2 An Alabama city councilman who sparked outrage this week by referring to a colleague as a “house n—-r” said Wednesday that he will not apologize for his remark, and he might even run for mayor. Tarrant, Alabama city councilman Tommy Bryant was caught on camera making the racial slur at a Monday night city council meeting, saying, “Do we have a house n—-r in here? Do we? Do we? Will she please stand up.” In video footage, Bryant gestured towards fellow city council member Veronica Freeman, who is Black. https://youtu.be/tGmjvQju1Fc The leader of the far-right Proud Boys pleaded guilty Monday to burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a historic Black church during a demonstration in December. Enrique Tarrio, 37, of Miami, was arrested Jan. 3 in Washington, D.C., on a warrant stemming from the Dec. 12 incident. The Proud Boys and other groups marched in a raucous pro-Trump rally through downtown Washington. The banner was stolen from the Asbury United Methodist Church, one of the oldest Black churches in the area. On top of the destruction of property charge, he also pleaded guilty to attempting to possess a high-capacity gun magazine, which is illegal in the city. Both charges are misdemeanors, punishable by up to six months in jail. He will be sentenced next month. A Black man has filed a $10 million civil rights lawsuit against a suburban Detroit police department and one of its officers, alleging the officer, who is white, wrongfully detained him as he took an early morning walk along a commercial street. Brian Chaney, 48, said in the complaint that Keego Harbor Officer Richard Lindquist called him a “dog” and detained him for more than 20 minutes at about 6 a.m. on July 14. Chaney said Lindquist only released him after he asked: “What are you going to do next, put your knee into my neck?” “I would hope that it was a reality check for those officers,” Chaney told reporters Wednesday. “I hate that I had to say that, though. I went from being scared and upset at that point to just really angry. I’m cuffed like an animal for walking, drinking my coffee.” Salt Lake City’s mayor has adopted a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis and committing to dismantling racist policies. Mayor Erin Mendenhall and the Salt Lake City Council adopted a joint resolution on Tuesday acknowledging that racism has harmful impacts on the mental and physical health of communities of color. Salt Lake City joins at least 70 other cities that have declared racism a public health crisis since 2019, according to the American Public Health Association. “This is an important declaration for us to make as a city,” Mendenhall said in a statement. “Not only are we publicly acknowledging the existence of a grave inequity that many in our community have known and experienced for so long, we are also committing ourselves to the creation of policies and ordinances that are anti-racist.” Giannis Antetokounmpo is living his best life. The 26-year-old Milwaukee Bucks superstar on Tuesday won his first NBA championship, the Finals MVP, and gave the city its first crown since Kareem Abdul Jabbar brought it home 50 years ago. The morning after, Antetokounmpo went on Facebook Live to film his Chick-Fil-A run, where he ordered precisely 50 chicken minis. “Not 51, not 49, chicken minis, 50,” he told the server, who took his order curbside as fans looked on and cheered in disbelief. He drove to the spot cradling both the team’s Larry O’Brien trophy and his Finals MVP trophy. https://youtu.be/PQocYtIATxA Stan McKenzie, the first male episcopal supervisor of missionary work in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the husband of Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, has died. The Christian Recorder, the official publication of the denomination, announced his death, which occurred on Wednesday (July 21). Stan McKenzie, 76, died in Dallas after a brief illness, John Thomas III, the publication’s editor, told Religion News Service. The bishop said she, in turn, supported her husband’s career when he was an NBA player for teams that included the Baltimore Bullets, the Phoenix Suns and the Portland Trail Blazers. His basketball career concluded with the Houston Rockets and he holds a more-than-50-year record for the most free throws attempted in one quarter. After he retired from the NBA in the 1970s, McKenzie was employed for more than 20 years in the personnel services and human resources fields. A five-year-old Georgia boy with no underlying health conditions has died from complications of COVID-19, his family has said. Wyatt Gary Gibson of Calhoun, whose entire family contracted the coronavirus, succumbed on Friday to what loved ones called an extreme case of pneumonia and a stroke. Wyatt died while being treated at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is survived by his parents, Whitfield County Sheriff’s Deputy Wes Gibson and his wife, Alexis Gibson, and a nine-month-old sister, Alyssa. All three tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It is unclear if the parents had been vaccinated. Johnson is a dramedy that focuses on life-long best friends, all of whom share the same last name, centering around their intriguing and sometimes complicated journey of love, friendship, heartbreak, and personal growth in a world we all recognize. The series is being produced in partnership with Eric C. Rhone and Cedric The Entertainer A Bird & A Bear Entertainment and Deji LaRay (The show’s creator), and Thomas Q. Jones' Midnight Train Productions. Johnson’s ensemble cast is led by D.L. Hughley, LaRay (Bosch, Greenleaf), Jones (P. Valley, Luke Cage), Philip Smithey (Switched At Birth, The Rookie), and Derrex Brady (NCIS, First). https://www.bouncetv.com/show/johnson/54026/54145/ The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced the Special Achievement Honorees for the 3rd annual AAFCA TV Honors. The 2021 ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 21st at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, CA. Individual winners will be announced at a later date. Director Steve McQueen will receive the 2021 AAFCA TV Honors Special Achievement Game Changer Award for “Small Axe,” Comedian/Actress Wanda Sykes will receive the 2021 AAFCA TV Honors Special Achievement Salute to Excellence Award, Actress Naomi Ackie will receive the 2021 AAFCA TV Honors Special Achievement Horizon Award, Multi-hyphenated creative Michaela Coel is the recipient of the 2021 AAFCA TV Honors Special Achievement Breakout Creative Award, “Lupin,” nabs 2021 AAFCA TV Honors Special Achievement Best International Production Award, “Queen Sugar” is the recipient of the 2021 AAFCA TV Honor’s Impact Award and HBO/HBO MAX rounds out the honorees earning the 2021 AAFCA TV Honors Special Achievement Inclusion Award. Arsenio Hall has one unforgettable face. He could and did spend almost 14 years away from the spotlight, and yet, his popularity never waned. When he came back from his self-induced hiatus, the audience was where he left it. “THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW” Hall’s show brought several iconic moments, like President Bill Clinton playing the saxophone, or Magic Johnson’s first interview after revealing his AIDS diagnosis, or Michael Jackson’s surprise appearance to present Eddie Murphy with an award, and more. The show went on for five years before its cancellation in 1994. For Hall, it was also the perfect opportunity to take a step back and search for balance in his life, as he explained years later to CBS: “When you have that feeling of ‘There’s something else for me to do, and this is occupying your life 24/7,’ wrong or right, you need to go.” Hall virtually disappeared from the entertainment scene for a few years, and in 1999, he became a father when he welcomed son Arsenio Hall Jr. with his then-girlfriend. Sadly, Hall’s relationship with his son’s mom didn’t last long, but he didn’t let that step in the way of the relationship he wanted to have with the boy. For the first time in the history of the Harvard Debate Council, two Black girls from Atlanta have made history as the first Black female duo to win the annual summer debate competition at Harvard University. Jayla Jackson, 16, is a rising junior at Holy Innocence Episcopal School. Emani Stanton, 17, is a rising senior at North Atlanta High School. Both girls are current members of the Atlanta-based Harvard Diversity Project, an initiative founded by Harvard’s award- winning debate coach and author Brandon P. Fleming. In 2017, Harvard accepted Fleming’s proposal to establish the Diversity Project as a means to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. A California TJ Maxx became the latest target of shoplifters who brazenly and leisurely steal items and walk out of the store unchecked. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, two unidentified suspects entered the Granada Hills store on Monday and grabbed dozens of items each. They was captured on bystander video leaving the store without paying and the LAPD later said that the pair “refused to pay.” https://youtu.be/qQD-wcyYuKc Marcus Jordan drops new music "I Will Bless Your Name." https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/7806816?date=20210622&user_id=668306&signature=O86ihRtT_WZYQXyetsfn8uPXDbw%3AgoML9WV8 A new report out of Alabama underscores the levels of ignorance about COVID-19 and the vaccine that are alarmingly abounding around the country at a time when public health experts are renewing calls for awareness and vigilance. Dr. Brytney Cobia, who works at Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham, penned an impassioned Facebook post over the weekend to bring attention to some of the common misconceptions about the pandemic and getting vaccinated that she says have proven deadly for some of the patients she’s treated. At one point in her Facebook post, Cobia suggested her patients were influenced by race and assumed they could never test positive for the virus, let alone suffer from it. National outrage at Republican attempts to hinder access to the ballot has taken attention away from attacks on election administration. During testimony at Monday’s Senate field hearing, the leader of an Atlanta-based nonprofit that advocates for voting rights testified about the importance of election officials committed to process over partisanship. “The reconstitution of county boards of election to ensure majority party control and the takeover provisions under SB 202, allowing for the majority party in the legislature to dictate policy by the state election board to take over the day-to-day administration of county boards of elections and remove county supervisors of elections raises the specter that the goal will be to nullify the lawful vote of Georgia voters when the majority party is not satisfied with the outcome of an election,” Helen Butler, executive director of the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, testified. https://twitter.com/i/status/1417136306258423818 The Milwaukee Bucks may have won the NBA championship on Tuesday night, but sideline reporter Malika Andrews emerged as the real MVP for her ability to seamlessly conduct post-game interviews amid a wild celebration. Andrews’ performance stood in stark contrast to that of Rachel Nichols, who was famously demoted by ESPN for expressing frustration over the success experienced by one of her Black colleagues. But more on that later. Andrews, who at just 26 is the youngest NBA reporter to host the NBA Finals trophy ceremony, was praised widely for interviewing NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo , his coach, Mike Budenholzer, and even some unexpected interlopers reveling in Milwaukee’s victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. https://twitter.com/i/status/1417720324678840323 Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor wants you to know he’s been preparing for running tough races his whole life. That’s why Mandela Barnes said he’s has decided to joins a lineup of Democrats vying for the chance to take down Republican incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson in next year’s midterm election. In his opening pitch, Barnes launched his campaign Tuesday morning with a video that touched on the struggles of working families who work hard and positioned himself as a partner instead of a savior. “Instead of changing our dreams,” says Barnes, 34, “we gotta change the game. That is America at its core.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1417470806372782088 The atrocious murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others sparked a meteoric rise in the fight against racial injustice over the past year. Peaceful protests, billion-dollar donations and more have followed in their wake. While these are steps in the right direction, there is still much to be done for everyone in the Black community to overcome the lingering and generational barriers we’ve encountered. One group too often forgotten are Black seniors. These champions face disgraceful and long-standing disparities that have hindered them from living fulfilling lives. The time to help these brothers and sisters is long overdue. We must advocate for them now! Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced on Friday that the Anti-Violence Advisory Council she created has submitted recommendations for how to combat the current wave of violent crime sweeping the city. The Council is comprised of community members and partners who “developed the recommendations by reviewing existing anti-violence efforts already underway by the administration and the Atlanta Police Department,” Atlanta In Town reports. https://youtu.be/vpQaWvmGSec R. Kelly has been slapped with a $2 million dollar tax lien for allegedly failing to pay taxes in 2008. As reported by Radar, the Internal Revenue Service filed a lien against Kelly’s former Illinois mansion after refused to pay $1,935,034.88 for the year 2008. If he doesn’t pay up, the agency will begin seizing his assets and property. Last year, Kelly was hit with a separate federal tax lien, as the IRS said he owed $1.8 million for the years 2013 and 2016. https://youtu.be/R5yz-Ydj-fQ Ariana Grande and The Weeknd teamed up for the track “Off the Table,” and it now has a video. The lush visual is the fifth of Grande’s live “Positions” collaborations with Vevo and follows renditions of “POV,” “Safety Net” (which featured an appearance from Ty Dolla $ign), “My Hair” and most recently, “34+35.” Their Positions track “Off the Table” dropped Wednesday (July 21) on YouTube. https://youtu.be/F6OOVNethn8 WE tv’s hit series “Beyond the Pole” returns this week with an all-new episode. This season on “Beyond the Pole,” Ms. Dime, Angel Kake, Empress, Lyric, Virgo, Gigi Maguire, Ya Ya, Treasure and Milk Marie “Pinky” are dealing with a world that is changing along with their businesses. https://youtu.be/li6z8oJfRaM Wednesday night during the NHL expansion draft the new Seattle Kraken added some players to their roster, including first pick, Calle Jarnkrok. Marshawn Lynch had trouble figuring out the pronunciation. The way Lynch skated around even attempting to say it has tickled the internet. https://youtu.be/K1hvoqN6LdI She has a sexy young lover but is battling breast cancer and trying to keep her son strong through it all. That’s the story line for Jada, played by the incredible Yolonda Ross in Lena Waithe’s Showtime series, “The Chi.” The actress also rocked out as Whitney Houston’s alleged lover, Robyn Crawford, in the Lifetime movie “Whitney.” “I love this season as an actor. It’s something to really sink your teeth in. How many times do you see Black women going through this (dealing with cancer)? You see the pain and the vulnerability. Black women being tired of being strong all the time. Its just real talk. I appreciate being able to bring these women to life." Her relationship with her son Emmett, played by Jacob Latimore, is a central part of the story line. Viola Davis has joined forces with Ebony magazine to release her memoir “Finding Me” which will hit shelves next year. MadameNoire, the book will detail Davis’s rise to fame beginning with her humble roots in Rhode Island to her award-winning career in Hollywood. In 2017, Davis revealed to PEOPLE the hardships she experienced growing up in poverty and how she struggled to make friends. “I was one of those people that everyone knew, but I didn’t have a lot of friends. I didn’t date or do any of that stuff. I was overweight and very, very shy,” Davis explained. “I was definitely not a snazzy dresser and definitely didn’t wear make-up. I would jump in trash bins with maggots looking for food, and I would steal from the corner store because I was hungry.” NBA and NFL analyst/host Maria Taylor have decided to part ways, the network announced Wednesday. ESPN had reportedly offered Taylor a lucrative contract worth $3 million per year, but both parties failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Taylor’s final assignment was Tuesday night’s coverage of Game 6 of the NBA Finals. “Maria’s remarkable success speaks directly to her abilities and work ethic,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “There is no doubt we will miss Maria, but we remain determined to continue to build a deep and skilled talent roster that thoroughly reflects the athletes we cover and the fans we serve. While she chose to pursue a new opportunity, we are proud of the work we’ve done together.” A former Louisville, Kentucky school bus driver has been slapped with a lawsuit after a video showed her dragging a 6-year-old girl who got stuck in the doors of the bus. The video shows that driver Melinda Sanders failed to realize that the six-year-old was being dragged while hanging from the school bus doors by her backpack. Once Sanders realized what was unfolding, she can be heard saying; “Oh my God, Oh my God”. Eight years ago, a skinny teenager stood between his parents on the court inside Bradley Center here and gazed up at the rafters, where the retired jerseys for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson hung in the rafters. “Maybe in 15 years, 20 years,” the young man said, “maybe my name is up there next to Kareem, Oscar Robertson. “I hope I’m there.” That young man was Giannis Antetokounmpo, fresh off being drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2013 NBA draft. And Tuesday night, with more than 80,000 people crammed in and around Fiserv Forum, Antetokounmpo capped off a spectacular NBA Finals with a legendary performance to do what, until now, only Abdul-Jabbar and Robertson had ever done: Lead the Bucks to an NBA title. https://youtu.be/7PR9jEmGzjM Leave it to small-town Louisiana to know how to throw a party for one of their own. The community of Harvey, Louisiana threw a well-deserved parade for 14-year-old Zaila Avant-Garde, in celebration of her historic win at the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The party stretched all the way from New Orleans to Avant-Garde’s hometown of Harvey on Sunday. “It felt kind of surreal,” said Avant-Garde. “I wouldn’t think so many people would be so excited”. https://youtu.be/zRL9iFhQrgc French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday awarded U.S. civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson the Legion d’Honneur, one of France’s highest honors, in recognition of what he called “a long walk towards emancipation and justice”. A political activist, minister, and former shadow U.S. senator for the District of Columbia representing the Democratic party, Jackson has been involved in civil rights activism since the 1960s, when he worked alongside Martin Luther King. Jackson, 79, was appointed commander of the Legion d’Honneur, one of the highest ranks in the distinction. Last month, longtime NASA veteran Vanessa Wyche made history when she was named director of Johnson Space Center, becoming the first Black woman ever to lead one of the space agency’s centers. “I’m humbled and honored to be chosen to lead the more than 10,000 employees at Johnson Space Center, who work each day to enhance scientific and technological knowledge via space exploration to benefit all of humankind,” Wyche said in a statement. “I look forward to working with everyone as we push forward to the Moon and inspire a new generation of explorers to reach for the stars.” A native of South Carolina, Wyche has worked at NASA for 31 years, serving as JSC’s assistant center director and director of the its Exploration Integration and Science Directorate. A mother spoke on Tuesday about the horror of losing her three daughters to a house fire in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, the previous day. Jayla Brown, Nyjae Meade and Najahari Meade were killed in the overnight blaze in their home. They were 9, 6 and 1. The sisters’ mother, Janise Creek, said in an interview that she felt numb. “I never thought in a million years that I would have to live this tragedy for the rest of my life,” she said. A mother spoke on Tuesday about the horror of losing her three daughters to a house fire in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, the previous day. Jayla Brown, Nyjae Meade and Najahari Meade were killed in the overnight blaze in their home. They were 9, 6 and 1. The sisters’ mother, Janise Creek, said in an interview that she felt numb. “I never thought in a million years that I would have to live this tragedy for the rest of my life,” she said. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/heartbreaking-three-girls-under-age-12-die-in-overnight-fire/2734590/ A 6-year-old girl was killed and five adults were shot Friday in what officials called a drive-by shooting in Southeast D.C. after gunfire erupted outside a liquor store and convenience store. Officers heard shots about 11 p.m. at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X avenues SE and saw people rushing toward them, Executive Assistant Police Chief Ashan Benedict said. The child, who officials identified as Nyiah Courtney, two women and three men were shot, police said. Nyiah was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead. The adults were treated for their wounds and expected to recover, police said. Their identities were not released because they are considered witnesses in the case, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said. Police believe the shooter fled in a gray or silver four-door sedan and are investigating whether there were multiple gunmen. They released video Saturday of the suspect vehicle. VH1 has tapped Remy Ma to host the network’s new crime series, “My True Crime Story.” Remy took to Instagram on July 16 to announce the show, writing “Crimes. Headlines. Redemption. Hear the REAL story from the masterminds themselves! @mytruecrimestory premieres Monday, August 2nd at 10/9c on @vh1 Narrated by Me!” she wrote. “Sidebar: It’s like watching true crime shows in my living room with me while I’m commentating. Double Sidebar: I try to keep the ‘are you dumb’s’ to a minimum.” https://youtu.be/zwxNYkgdg7A “Home Before Dark” is back on Apple TV+ for season two and each episode continues to reel you in! The show follows young investigative journalist, Hilde Lisko (Brooklynn Prince), who moves from Brooklyn to a small town with her family. Hilde begins to discover shocking secrets and truths about a cold case the town and her father desperately tried to hide. Aziza Scott plays Mackenzie “Trip” Johnson, who was recently promoted to sheriff – to much dismay from her white subordinates. This season, Trip will have to learn how to balance her friendship with Hilde and proving herself in her newfound position. 50 Cent and Teairra Mari’s court battle continues. According to Radar Online, 50 Cent is demanding the Love & Hip Hop star hand over an additional $6,000 for allegedly playing “dirty legal games” in their never-ending case. To keep you up to speed, 50 Cent has been trying to collect the money owed by Mari for (years). As we previously reported, back in 2019, Mari sued the rapper along with her ex-boyfriend Akbar Abdul-Ahad for alleged revenge porn. At the time, Mari said 50 Cent reposted the photo on his social for his millions of followers to see. He captioned the post, “get the strap” which she felt was a threat. The judge ended up siding with 50 who claimed her allegations were BS and was later awarded $30,000 in attorney fees. Kanye West is setting aside thousands of free tickets to his “Donda” listening party to several Atlanta-area HBCUs, Page Six can exclusively reveal. The “Jesus Walks” rapper, 44, is hosting the listening event on Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 8 p.m. and has donated 5,000 tickets to faculty, staff and students of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Spelman College, Morris Brown College and ITC. Fans will also get to hear music from “Donda” during a Beats commercial airing Tuesday night during Game Six of the NBA Finals. We’re told the ad is an “emotional tribute” to runner Sha’Carri Richardson. The highly anticipated album was first revealed to be completed — and ready for release — over the weekend when West hosted a secret listening party in Las Vegas. “It’s my own interpretation of good music, sexy music,” said beat-maker King Mydas (aka Jeremy “J. Allen” Thomas) about his R&B instrumental album “Beats You Can FK to Vol. 1” off his own imprint TraxStar Music Group (TMG). “It’s catered towards the bedroom…about love.” King Mydas took a leap-of-faith and launched his own imprint TMG to “partner” with artists to produce their music and help them obtain major label representation. The Charlotte, NC native is influenced by R&B and Pop music, is known for making R&B, Hip-Hop and Pop tracks. He has even worked with Country artists. Sleep deprivation is just one of the many sacrifices Kenneth Glenn makes for his family, coaches and fire department. Following a lengthy stint in the army, Glenn went 3-2 as a professional boxer, 9-7 as a mixed martial artist, he’s earned a black belt in jiu jitsu, he teaches kids that martial art and serves as a captain of the Minneapolis Fire Department. A husband and father of three (soon to be four), Glenn has perfected prioritizing his schedule while learning the discipline of balance. Taking the many lessons learned in the army and applying them to his hectic schedule lightens the load, as well. The family of a Birmingham woman pleaded to the community for help finding her in Europe after she left the United States with a man she met online and stopped communicating with them. Nicole Denise Jackson was 21 years old in the summer of 2018 when she left Birmingham for Munich, Germany, to pursue love and her music career. The family said they had very little information about the man Jackson left with. He had not been identified or deemed a person of interest at the time this article was written. Jackson’s family said the communication began to decline and ultimately stop a few months after she left. Ela Vaughn, Jackson’s sister, said she spoke to her 2 years ago. “Last time I heard her voice was around Christmas of 2018,” Vaughn recalled. Americans and people around the world have lived with COVID for at least 18 months. Even though everyone from 8 to 80 had to readjust to a new normal, parents of adolescents have had to make more sacrifices for the sake of their children. Mainstream media often told us children in general were having a hard time adjusting to distance learning, because the socialization of traditional education was key their scholastic success. Maybe that was true for White kids. But last month a new study by a Los Angeles-based parent advocacy group, Speak Up, has revealed that when it comes to parents of Black children in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the pandemic gave parents a voice they hadn’t had before. https://youtu.be/x5NTFqhlj9o An anti-racist group of members of the European Parliament have accused the global sports community, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), of having “institutional structures and rules that exclude people of color and Black women specifically.” In a letter to Thomas Bach and Sebastian Coe, presidents of the IOC and World Athletics, the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup of the European Parliament said that the International Swimming Federation’s (FINA) effective banning of the Soul Cap at international tournaments, including the Olympics, “reflects stigmatization of Black hair and leads to institutional inequalities, especially targeting Black women.” Soul Cap, a UK-based brand, said that FINA refused to approve the swim caps designed for “thick, curly, and voluminous hair” because they do not “follow the natural form of the head,” the company told the BBC. Alabama football coach Nick Saban hasn’t officially named Bryce Young the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback, and yet Saban says that Young is already approaching $1 million in endorsement deals. According to reports, Saban told the Texas High School Coaches Association’s convention on Tuesday that Young, a sophomore, is due to make “ungodly numbers.” While Saban wouldn’t divulge the specifics of the deals Young has signed, Saban said the total compensation is “almost seven figures.” “And it’s like, the guy hasn’t even played yet,” Saban said, according to The Athletic. “But that’s because of our brand.” Asked at SEC Media Days about Young’s potential compensation, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said, “That number just blew me away. “He’s made $1 million, and he hasn’t started a game yet. Wow.” Amid heightened concerns over COVID-19, the US women’s gymnastics team has elected to stay in a hotel rather than board in Tokyo’s Olympic Village. “It was also a decision that we all made together, we know it isn’t ideal for the Olympic experience but nothing is ideal during a pandemic,” Cecile Landi, the coach for both Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, wrote on Twitter on Sunday. “We feel like we can control the athletes and our safety better in a hotel setting!” On Monday, Kara Eaker, an alternate on the team, became the first known COVID-19 case among US Olympians. Eaker, who is vaccinated, tested positive in an Olympic training camp in Narita, Japan. She is currently in quarantine, as is Leanne Wong, a fellow alternate and training mate who was deemed a close contact. Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders wants to be treated like Alabama coach and six-time national champion Nick Saban. The Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback and second-year coach demanded that reporters shouldn’t call him by his first name before walking out of a SWAC Media Day event at the Sheraton-Birmingham on Tuesday. “You don’t call Nick Saban, ‘Nick.’ Don’t call me Deion,” Sanders told Nick Suss from the Clarion Ledger. “If you call Nick (Saban), Nick, you’ll get cussed out on the spot, so don’t do that to me,” Sanders later added. “Treat me like Nick.” Sanders, who went 4-3 in his first year as college coach, walked out after being referred to by his first name a second time. For some fans, their team is enough to keep living for. At least this was the case for Chicago resident Scott Morrow, who was shot in the back last month as he walked down the street. As he rode in an ambulance to the hospital, he kept holding on for the thought of Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields, who he believes will be the best Chicago quarterback he’s ever seen. “Within a couple moments, I thought well, I’m 41, pretty much all of Chicago has gone our whole lives without even having great prospects for a franchise quarterback, I can’t die before seeing Justin Fields take the field,” Morrow said on 670 The Score. “I don’t plan to die before he’s a Hall of Famer.” HBO Documentary Films has announced a new three-part documentary series OBAMA: IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION, which is slated to premiere this summer around Obama’s 60th birthday. The doc debuts August 3rd (9:00-10:40 p.m. ET/PT), with additional parts airing August 3rd and 4th. https://youtu.be/L15IUc0A6fo Jeff Bezos completed his boyhood dream Tuesday morning as his rocket company’s first flight with people on board flew into space for several weightless minutes, then landed safely back on earth. As reported earlier, Jeff Bezos completed his boyhood dream Tuesday morning as his rocket company’s first flight with people on board flew into space for several weightless minutes, then landed safely back on earth. https://youtu.be/Rli9ZRvemh0 An all-new episode of CLEO TV's popular home design series LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ airs this Saturday, July 24th at 9 p.m. ET/8C. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSkf7XHnLNE&feature=youtu.be JOIN CHEF SUNNY ANDERSON AS SHE SHARES GERMAN-INSPIRED DISHES ON COOKING FOR REAL WITH SUNNY ANDERSON, ?AIRING MONDAYS AT 9 P.M. ET/8C A Boston man has been arrested and held without bail for the alleged offense of sexually abusing a horse in Massachusetts. Jackson Z. Kelley, 19, is accused of making sexual contact with an animal, cruelty to animals and nighttime breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony. He turned himself in to authorities Tuesday morning. The owner said she got an electronic alert that there was a breach at her stable and claimed she saw Kelley having sex with one of the horses via a surveillance camera in the early morning hours of this past Friday. The owner provided police with a screenshot of a person who resembles Kelley very much with his pants around his ankles and standing on a step ladder. After police made the photo public, a tipster helped identify Kelley as the alleged culprit. Every surveillance camera in the stable was deactivated by Kelley except for one, the owner said. Authorities have collected DNA samples for further proof. Kelley, who, judging by his mug shot, appears to be a Black man, was identified by the owner of a stable that he is accused of breaking into in Norfolk, which is about 32 miles southwest of Boston. The president of a historically Black university (HBCU) in Kentucky has abruptly tendered his resignation because of concerns about the school’s financial status. Kentucky State University President M. Christopher Brown II on Tuesday resigned immediately during a meeting specifically held because an external auditor had been appointed to assess the university’s finances. It was the second time in nearly eight years that Brown resigned from an HBCU because its finances were being audited. The Kentucky State University Board of Regents accepted Brown’s resignation on Tuesday and named the university’s senior vice president for brand identity and university relations to be the acting president. “As the Kentucky State University community comes together, with a renewed appreciation for our collegiate campus atmosphere and a commitment to our core mission and values, I am humbled and energized by the opportunity to serve our students and community following what has certainly been a time of unprecedented change,” Kentucky State University’s new acting President Clara Ross Stamps said in a statement following Brown’s resignation. “I pledge to labor with our faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters, and will be accessible, transparent, accountable, and communicative, so together we can positively impact the lives of our students and society while advancing Kentucky State onward and upward.” Fresh off of losing the NBA Finals to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul is already answering questions about his future. Paul helped turn the Suns into a contender following a terrible season last year, leading his team to a record season before losing in Game 6 of the Finals Tuesday night in Milwaukee. And while the box score will reflect that Paul had some impressive statistics in Game 6, he had a couple of costly turnovers late in the last two games that arguably contributed to those losses. Taken in their totality, it might seem that perhaps Paul, who hasn’t had the most success in the playoffs over the course of his 16 seasons in the NBA, could be contemplating retiring from the game. Not so, according to Marc Spears, senior NBA reporter for the Undefeated. He tweeted that Paul told him he’s coming back for his 17th season. “I ain’t retiring,” Paul told Spears. “Back to work.” Usher is speaking out about the joys of fatherhood as he is set to welcome his fourth child and his second with his current partner Jenn Goicoechea. The R&B singer has sons Usher V, 13, and Naviyd, 12, with ex-wife Tameka Foster and nine-month-old daughter Sovereign with Jenn. He told ‘Good Morning America’: “I’m definitely enjoying this little baby boom of ours. “This new addition to the family has just been exciting.” He then joked that he wished his kids were more into his songs. Comedy Central has revealed that multi-media mogul, Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey, is teaming up with late night veteran Stephen Colbert – returning to the networkl for the first time since The Colbert Report ended in 2014 – to create and produce Tha God’s Honest Truth with Lenard ‘Charlamagne’ McKelvey. https://youtu.be/QZ1psSLIu4Y LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul is rumored to be dating British singer Adele and two have been together for “a few months.” As reported by PEOPLE, the new couple were spotted sitting side-by-side for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, where the Bucks bested the Suns 123-119. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned the couple on The Lowe Post, telling listeners Paul brought “his girlfriend to the game to sit next to LeBron.” On ESPN’s “Get Up” this morning, an exchange between analysts Kendrick Perkins and Jalen Rose went off the rails and into viral infamy. What started as a conversation about the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night to win the NBA Championship, somehow devolved into personal jabs about Perk’s outfit, which Rose referred to as “Pastor’s suit” and Rose’s age and hairline, which Perk said was “spray-painted” on. The two went back and forth, got loud and yelled over each other, as host Mike Greenberg just kept his head lowered in embarrassment. Twitter has banned the Nation of Islam’s official account for criticizing mRNA vaccines. NOI’s Abdul Qiyam Muhammad tweeted: “Unsurprisingly, Twitter,Inc. has suspended The Nation of Islam’s official account: @OfficialNOI.” https://youtu.be/tXDvs934FIM Technologies used to assist in law enforcement continue to draw scrutiny. From facial recognition software to ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system, communities remain concerned about its effectiveness. ShotSpotter, which can cost upwards of more than $10 million annually, has gained a particular reputation for unnecessarily deploying police into neighborhoods. But a new Motherboard investigation found the service is almost exclusively used in non-white communities. Examining data from four cities, Motherboard found ShotSpotter sensors were located in predominantly Black and Brown communities. The investigation also raised concerns about investing heavily in such technologies, particularly in communities with the greatest lack of overall investment. Motherboard pointed to a study from the MacArthur Justice Center and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Reviewing data of ShotSpotter deployments between July 1, 2019, and April 14, 2021, the center found that 89% of the time, there was no gun-related crime, and 86% showed no crime. International gospel artist Maurice Griffin celebrates his chart topping single “Love Peace Happiness” which is available across all digital outlets. Released third quarter last year, this single has steadily climbed the charts and is currently #13 on the Gospel Indicators Chart. Beyond his own music, Maurice Griffin is also the owner of World Changing Entertainment. His goal is to help create opportunities for creative minorities. Whether it’s through his songs or his company, Griffin actively promotes much-needed positivity to empower people to live their dreams to the fullest. The Gospel Spotlight's Maurice Griffin In His Own words....http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/mauricegriffin_intvw.htm Monica Lisa Stevenson an independent artist for almost two decades with marginal radio hits “He’s The One,” “So Glad He Saved Me” and “Testimony” has her first Billboard chart No. 1 hit, “I’m Not Ashamed,” featuring Paul Porter. VaShawn Mitchell, originally wrote the song for gospel legend, Shirley Caesar. “I’ve always prayed that God would allow me to write, to produce and to sing songs that can live longer than I will,” he says. “I wrote this song with Pastor Caesar in mind, and I offered it to her, but she didn’t feel that it was right for her and passed on it.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yBkcI-A1_8 Jeff Bezos completed his boyhood dream Tuesday morning as his rocket company’s first flight with people on board flew into space for several weightless minutes, then landed safely back on earth. https://youtu.be/ERLTF1xV-dY Black academic leaders are making historic moves in the realm of higher education. Dr. M. Brian Blake has been appointed to serve as the president of Georgia State University; making him the first Black person in the school’s 108-year history to take on the position. Dr. Blake—a Georgia Tech alum who holds degrees from Mercer University and George Mason University—has dedicated his career to advancing education and cultivating learning environments in which scholars can thrive. He stepped into the education space nearly 22 years ago as an educator at Georgetown University. During his tenure at the Washington, D.C.-based institution, he served as the chair of the Department of Computer Science and the director of the school’s computer science-focused graduate studies programs. Throughout his career, he’s taken on leadership roles at institutions that include the University of Notre Dame, the University of Miami and Drexel University. Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics have refused to rule out cancelling the event just three days before it is due to start amid concern over rising Covid cases. Toshiro Muto, head of the organising committee, was asked directly at a press conference on Tuesday whether the showpiece event – which has cost Japan some £12billion – could still be called off, and refused to rule it out. It comes as the number of Covid cases linked to the Games rose to 71 with infections in Athletes’ Village, and three more sponsors announced they will not be sending representatives to the Opening Ceremony due to anger at the event going ahead. A Virginia sheriff’s deputy accused of firing on an unarmed Black man after the officer allegedly mistook a phone in the man’s hand for a gun has been charged with a felony crime. The victim, 32-year-old Isiah Brown, “did nothing wrong and was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when [the deputy] recklessly shot him eight times,” Brown’s attorney David Haynes said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. He previously said Brown had been struck 10 times. In the hours prior to the shooting that occurred after 3 a.m. on April 21, that same officer, identified in the indictment as Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s deputy David Turbyfill, had given Brown a ride home from his stalled car, according to NBC News. “The shooting resulted in significant injuries to Mr. Brown which will undoubtedly impact him for the rest of his life,” Haynes said. Before his death in July 2020, John Lewis wrote touching tributes to the people who impacted him the most — including his wife, Lillian Miles Lewis, and his mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “She was warm and giving, she was a beautiful mother—and I miss her,” Lewis wrote of his wife, who died in December 2012. The longtime congressman’s book, Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation, published posthumously last week. As much as Lewis treasured their time together, he admits that a romantic relationship wasn’t always his priority. “For the early part of my life, I was married to the movement, and I didn’t have time to take my personal life into consideration,” Lewis wrote of his role as a leader in the civil rights movement that resulted in his name appearing in history books and in the minds of Black Lives Matter activists, many of whom consider him an inspiration and a role model. He added, “We were too busy trying to survive.” Three adults have been arrested in Atlanta for allegedly assaulting a 12-year-old boy because of his sexuality. A 12-year-old Georgia boy named Tyler was removed from his home in June and placed in DFCS after a disturbing video went viral showing him being abused because he’s allegedly gay. His abusers even shaved the word “gay” into his scalp. The boy is seen in the video “getting abused and beaten by at least four people towering over him while another person films the Instagram live.” Social media expressed outrage before someone notified the authorities. A number of Atlanta residents helped police locate the boy and he was immediately removed from the home. According to reports, the boy was relocated to a temporary new home. Complex reported, 19-year-old Lorkeyla Jamia Spencer, 35-year-old Brittney Monique Mills and 18-year-old Jordan Jarrode Richards-Nwankwo have been charged with cruelty to a child after the footage was shared online, as reported by NBC News. Spencer and Mills are currently jailed in Fulton County, while Richards-Nwankwo was released after posting a $50,000 bond. Video of a young girl saying that the shooting outside of the Washington Nationals game last weekend “was her second” has gone viral. Faris Nunn, at 8-years-old, has already experienced two shootings in her brief time on earth, and thus sees them as a normal part of life. “It was my second shooting. So I was kind of prepared … I always am expecting something to happen,” she told a reporter. “I just saw people looking that way, and I didn’t know what was going on until I heard someone say, ‘Get down,’ so I just started going under the seats.” The Nationals were in the 6th inning of a game against the San Diego Padres when shots were fired between two vehicles outside of the third base gate, causing panic inside the stadium. Three people were injured in the gun exchange, including a fan who had attended the game and was waiting outside for her Uber. Video of Nunn’s interview was posted on Twitter with the caption: “This is America.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1417143254227689475 The Milwaukee Bucks are paying it forward by supporting organizations that are driving change within the city. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the team joined forces with NBA Cares to renovate a local community center. The facility is run by Running Rebels; a nonprofit that uses community engagement as a vessel to help at-risk youth change the trajectory of their lives. Its founder Victor Barnett merged education and sports to teach teenagers and young adults valuable life lessons that would be instrumental in cultivating a solid foundation for success. The organization offers an array of programs including ones that are centered on violence prevention, mentorship, higher education, workforce development and athletics. Running Rebels serves nearly 2,500 youth annually. Megyn Kelly is back in the news again for all the wrong reasons. The one-time TV host-turned disgraced, conservative social media troll has already been outed as all but a white supremacist, what with her privileged views on blackface. But now, Kelly has turned her clear anti-Black agenda in the direction of Naomi Osaka by mocking the young tennis star’s stated issues with anxiety to supposedly catch her in some nonexistent double standard about the media. Osaka, ever the ready, returned Kelly’s weak serve with a monster forehand of a response that legitimately questioned Kelly’s journalistic acumen in field she’s worked in for nearly 20 years. “Seeing as you’re a journalist I would’ve assumed you would take the time to research what the lead times are for magazines, if you did that you would’ve found out I shot all of my covers last year,” Osaka said in a since-deleted tweet. “Instead your first reaction is to hop on here and spew negativity, do better Megan.” Megyn Kelly has finally been silenced on social media after tennis star Naomi Osaka blocked the disgraced former TV anchor from following her on Twitter. The deliberate action came after Kelly, who once openly questioned on national TV why blackface is wrong, attacked Osaka for being featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue. By Kelly’s clearly misguided logic, Osaka — who in May decided against playing in the French Open because appearing at press conferences triggers her anxiety — should never have posed for the magazine’s cover if interactions with the media are truly as stressful as she says they are. Of course, it’s no one’s business — especially not Kelly’s — how Osaka chooses to showcase herself, whether on the tennis court or on a magazine cover. Still, Kelly, bordering on cyber-bullying Osaka, insisted without proof that the tennis star had an anti-media agenda and wanted to avoid being asked anything. “Truth is she just doesn’t like Qs she can’t control,” Kelly tweeted without any evidence of her claims. “Admit it.” The first person to be sentenced to prison for their role in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has gotten decidedly less time than prosecutors asked for and what guidelines recommend, suggesting leniency will be shown to the hundreds of other Capitol rioters facing similar charges from that fateful day. The sentencing hearing for Paul Hodgkins bore all the familiar hallmarks of white privilege, including delaying the start of his sentence following his guilty plea for obstructing a joint session of Congress, a felony. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss sentenced Hodgkins to just eight months in prison, nearly one full year less than what prosecutors were seeking and about seven to 13 months less than sentencing guidelines estimate should be given considering the nature of the crime. Hodgkins’ lawyer asked Moss for no prison time for his client at all. A teenage star Taekwondo fighter who used to compete with Team USA says she is being blocked from fighting in the Tokyo Olympics because she represents Haiti now. Aliyah Shipman, 18, claims that U.S. Olympic officials are trying to sabotage her “dream” of fighting at the Olympics by questioning her eligibility under false pretenses. The Florida resident whose great-grandfather was born in Haiti also suggested U.S. Taekwondo officials are extorting their Haitian counterparts in an effort to prevent her from fighting. In an online petition, Shipman explains that she has been fighting with the Haitian team for the better part of the past two years. Shipman said she won medals fighting for the Haitian Taekwondo Federation and even competed for Haiti in an event that was organized by the United States Taekwondo Federation, which she says is also trying to stop her from competing in the Olympics. Shipman said the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) had no objections to her fighting for Haiti until she qualified for the Olympics. https://twitter.com/i/status/1417213569956032516 Tech tycoon John McAfee was reportedly broke when he died last month. The antivirus software founder reportedly blew millions on luxury mansions located around the world, the Daily Mail reports. “He had his money in very safe investments, but he built houses, absolutely bizarre properties,” Eglinton said, according to the Mail. “Some of them, he never slept a night in the property.” Eglinton also said that McAfee reportedly told him that the $100 million he got from selling his software security company, McAfee Associates, in 1994 “goes very quickly,” the Mail reported. McAfee reportedly died by suicide in a Spanish prison on June 23. https://youtu.be/poVqZzpL0wk “The Talk’s” Elaine Welteroth is speaking out after audio was leaked of her consoling former co-host Sharon Osbourne following her on-air racially-charged debate with Sheryl Underwood. In a report published by the Daily Mail on Thursday, Welteroth is heard talking with Osbourne immediately after the March 10 episode, during which Sharon defended friend Piers Morgan against his seemingly racist comments about Meghan Markle. “I thought we had closed the painful, public chapter of the controversy related to the March 10th show,” Welteroth said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “Today, however, I learned that my private comments made moments after the incident from a place of compassion to a then-colleague (the most senior level co-host on The Talk) were recorded —without my consent or knowledge—and shared with the media.” Safaree recently made an appearance on @streetz945atl and chopped it up with fellow “Love & Hip-Hop” star Yung Joc. While there, he discussed his wild but fun Jamaica trip, his relationship, fatherhood, and more. During the show, Safaree also took some questions out of a hat. He tried to read one that said, “Have you ever listened to a Nicki Minaj song while having sex?” Safaree couldn’t even read the entire question and had to pass it along to Joc who later revealed that an intern came up with it. Safaree then replied “that’s not a good question. That woman is married with a brand new baby…God Bless, ok!” However, he did try to answer another question about Minaj regarding her latest mixtape. Eddie Murphy once opened up about his love for the late comedian, Redd Foxx, and how he paid for his funeral after he died moneyless. Often, bad things happen to people who have worked hard all their lives. Sometimes it might be ignorance, and other times, it might be a stroke of bad luck, but whatever the case, it is often sad to see someone who has struggled die moneyless. Known for his raunchy and scatological style of comedy, Redd Foxx, was one comedian to watch out for back in the ’80s and ‘90s. But with a series of unfortunate events befalling him, Eddie Murphy had to pay for his funeral. Mike Tyson stars in the latest ad for Roberto Cavalli’s first menswear collection under the creative direction of Fausto Puglisi. The campaign, directed by Tommaso Ottomano, highlights the Andy Warhol-inspired pieces – including bold animal prints. “Mike Tyson is one of the last living pop icons and beyond being a boxing champion, he is also a stylish man, with a very personal and eccentric taste,” Puglisi said in a press release on Monday. “But more than the undisputed boxing champion and American icon, his personal story is also a tale of survival, struggle, and resilience. He embodies America in both the American Dream and all the possibilities it holds, but also its reverse.” https://youtu.be/pG6ctrAGTU0 Shaun King also made his Instagram private this week, noting that he’s taking a social media break for the rest of the month. Twitter had a field day. Activist Shaun King has temporarily deactivated his Twitter account, and he made his Instagram private this week, noting that he’s taking a social media break for the rest of the month. He wrote on Facebook earlier in July that he was deactivating his account to spend time with his family. King’s disappearance from the Twitterverse prompted some strong reactions online. “Grifting fraud propagandist Shaun King has deactivated his account on Twitter. I’ll drink to that,” one user wrote. “Shaun King deleted? Someone must have gotten their hands on his 23andMe results,” writer Clarkeisha Kent tweeted. “Something has to be going down for Shaun King to deactivate his account,” writer Morgan Jerkins added. “We’ll know soon enough what that something is.” Idris Elba is calling on social media platforms to give all users that coveted blue check in an effort to curb racists and bullies. “People in the public eye get verified on social media,” he wrote in a statement shared by The Shade Room, “the process of verification requires them to prove their IDENTITY, so everyone knows WHO is speaking.” He then wrote in all caps, “SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES SHOULD MAKE THIS MANDATORY FOR ALL USERS.” The British hunk compared private accounts on social media to “boarding a plane and not having to show I.D.” “If cowards are being supported by a veil of privacy and secrecy, then social media is not a safe place. It’s an aeroplane that allows travelers to wear balaclavas.” JAY-Z recently scored a legal victory when a judge blocked Damon Dash’s attempt to sell his stake in Roc-A-Fella Records. The company is suing Dash for trying to auction off Jay-Z‘s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ album as an NFT. TMZ reported, Roc-A-Fella claims they own the project, so they’re going after Dash for allegedly trying to sell the album to the highest bidder. In the suit, the label accuses Dash of “frantically scouting for another venue to make the sale.” https://youtu.be/wc-y7ATnEY8 Oklahoma police tracked down a suspect on their “Most Wanted” list — after she asked about reward money in a reply to their Facebook post about her alleged crime, authorities said. Lorraine Graves was busted on a charge of accessory to murder after she commented on a Tulsa Police Department post on Wednesday that listed her as the force’s “Weekly Most Wanted.” Graves replied to the post, saying, “where’s the reward money at?,” a screenshot of her post shows. Detectives arrested her Thursday in north Tulsa, according to the department. Her bond is set at $500,000, cops said. Authorities were asking for tips about Graves’ whereabouts in relation to the March murder of Eric Graves, a 30-year-old who was found shot dead inside an apartment. Fans of Tyler Perry are not pleased over his writing skills after one of his actors said he wants his prostate ticked during a recent episode of “Sistas.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1415133633392873477 This is the year of the Black woman and the ladies on “David Makes Man” are showing us why Black women continue to dominate in all fields, especially onscreen! The coming-of-age drama is back for a second season on OWN with newcomers Zsané Jhé and Brandi Huzzie joining the cast as Adult Sheila (Jhé) and JG’s girlfriend Tricia (Huzzie). You can watch the ladies of “David Makes Man” Tuesdays at 9/8c on OWN. Olympic officials are said to be concerned about athletes having sex and spreading disease during the summer games in Tokyo, which is why competitors will sleep on cardboard beds. Page Six reported, Olympic officials have set up 18,000 cardboard beds in Olympic Village, known to be a hot spot for hanky pinky. The outlet writes…“They are distributing a cache of condoms to the athletes, as they have at every Olympic Games since 1988. This year, the condom tally is 160,000. Still, that’s a far cry from the 450,000 doled out for the last summer Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.” The pendulum of justice can swing fairly, even for Black-Americans. And thank goodness it landed on the right side for Luther Hall earlier this week. The St. Louis Federal Courthouse said former St Louis police officer Randy Hays is guilty for his role in beating the mess out of Hall, an undercover cop posing as a protestor, during the Stockley uprisings back in 2017. It was a mess: The confusion of four cops twisting their stories one against the other can explain why the trial lasted four weeks, and why it took two days for the jury to come to a decision, and why there was a hung jury at first. https://youtu.be/PVIr-nZWqOQ Sunday marked Nelson Mandela‘s birthday, a holiday also known worldwide as Nelson Mandela Day and meant to celebrate all-things “Madiba,” one of several nicknames bestowed upon the anti-apartheid icon who has been described as the “father” of the South African nation. Mandela would have turned 103 years old this year. Sadly, the former political prisoner and South Africa’s first Black president died in 2013 after being hospitalized with a lung infection. Entrepreneur Justin Turk knew his start-up was special, but a $1 million prize from Grammy award-winning singer and producer Pharrell Williams came as a shock. On Tuesday, Williams announced the winners of his Black Ambition prize competition — and Turk and his business partner, Andre Davis, are in the national spotlight. Williams’ non-profit was founded in December to help Black and Latino business owners close the wealth gap through entrepreneurship. Turk and Davis, co-founders of Livegistics, took home the top prize of $1 million. The Detroit-based entrepreneurs run a cloud-based material management software company, which eliminates paperwork in heavy civil construction and demolition. The company also provides data and metrics that construction experts can use for efficiency. Major League Baseball (MLB) says they’re ready to let Blacks in. And maybe it’s not just talk because they say they want to shell out $150 Million towards making it work. Over a 10 year period, MLB will improve their investment to get Black players. This sounds interesting. Moving forward, MLB will start funding programs in 2023, according to sources. Particularly those designed to eliminate barriers for Black youth. If all goes well, an up surge of Blacks will have easier access to participate in the game at any level. And in that regard Major League Baseball pledged $150 Million to Players Alliance who joins forces with MLB on the mission. “Major League Baseball’s commitment to support the Players Alliance is a monumental turning point in the history of our game. [The commitment establishes] a pathway to progress for equity and access for the Black community,” former All-Star Curtis Granderson said. https://youtu.be/dxcgmRNMt7Q The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has named the first African American chief of its law enforcement bureau. The state agency was founded in 1932. Col. Jerry Carter, a U.S. Army veteran, will oversee the work of 160 officers statewide. Carter began his career with the department in 1988 as a conservation officer assigned to his home area of Leflore County. Carter has served in many roles in the department, moving through the ranks as a boater and hunter education administrator, coordinator of communications, commander of the honor guard, emergency management coordinator and commander of the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Region. Charles “Charlie” Wiggins, the most famous African American race car driver of the 1920s and 1930s, is to be the subject of a new biopic, whose producing partners will include racing staples IndyCar and Firestone. Set in the roaring 20s and depression era 30s, Eraced will chronicle the triumphs and struggles of the once-legendary-now-little-known Charlie “Speed King” Wiggins, who worked his way from shoe shine to mechanic to star racer despite the inequities of segregation and Jim Crow laws. After being barred repeatedly from whites-only racing events, Wiggins became a leading light of the parallel Colored Speedway Association and won the prestigious annual Gold and Glory Sweep-stakes four times between 1926 and 1935. Despite his remarkable achievements, Wiggins died almost penniless thanks to crippling medical bills which he had to pay for decades after suffering a career-ending injury in 1936. The pioneering sportsman will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame next week in Detroit. A woman whose achievements shaped an Iowa county recently received a posthumous honor. According to NPR, Johnson County was renamed after Black educator and historian Lulu Merle Johnson. Johnson—a native of southwestern Iowa—came from a lineage of trailblazers. Her father Richard, who was born into slavery, stepped into the world of entrepreneurship after being freed. He owned land and a barbershop. Her family rose to prominence in the farming industry. Johnson evolved into a leader in her own right. In 1925, she enrolled at the University of Iowa where she was one of less than 20 Black women students. While navigating her collegiate journey she endured discriminatory experiences that stemmed from segregation, but she bravely and boldly fought against the injustices. Her and other Black students would sit in seats assigned for white students. She also fought to ensure that Black students could participate in swimming tests and later spearheaded an effort to have campus residence halls desegregated. The money must be drying up for Candace Owens, who is going full-fledged grifter with her newest endeavor: the so-called Freedom Phone, a device that she is disingenuously billing as the next coming in cellphones when, according to reports, it’s actually an iPhone knockoff. The keyword there is “billing,” as the Freedom Phone carries a price tag of $500 and was described by the Daily Beast as “a phone preloaded with apps like Parler and Rumble that appears to be a vastly more expensive version of a phone made in China.” A news article bringing attention to Owens’ latest scam said the Freedom Phone was being pushed by “MAGA Influencers.” Spike Lee gave away the name of the Palme D’Or winner by accident ahead of time– “Titane,” directed by Julia Ducournau. The second woman to ever win. https://twitter.com/i/status/1416459886339272714 Sanaa Lathan is Star's in the upcoming Netflix series “Hit & Run.” Lathan plays an investigative reporter and ex-lover to actor Lior Raz who plays a grief-stricken husband Segev Azulai. Lathan is the supportive and top-skilled journalist he runs to, as he is desperate to solve perhaps the greatest equation of his life. And because Lior Raz is handsome and masculine this foretells of powerful, grief-driven love scenes. “Hit & Run” is set in Tel Aviv, Israel and in New York; Azulai flees Tel Aviv and contacts Lathan in the Big Apple and together they embark on a thrilling and action filled mission for answers. https://youtu.be/AyF-EQVs9mU Christie Brinkley, who has been gracing magazine covers for nearly five decades, is often asked about her beauty secrets. But Brinkley, 67, says her best tip isn’t about beauty and has nothing to with products or special diets. It’s about all gratitude, she says. “Every day, I count my blessings,” Brinkley tells CNBC Make It. “Because some days can be better days than others but by the time I finish counting my blessings, I feel like it’s a pretty good day.” Taking time each day to practice gratitude gives her added health, energy and productivity, she says. “I always tell my kids to do [it] because it really does move away the clutter and give you focus.” “Space Jam 2” has blown past projections and Marvel’s “Black Widow” to easily take the No. 1 spot at the box office with $13 million grossed from 3,965 screens on Friday and an estimated $32 million opening weekend. Before it debuted, the LeBron James movie had been expected to open to around $20 million. That would’ve been behind “Black Widow” at the box office and definitely behind the $27.5 million that the original “Space Jam,” starring Michael Jordan, brought in back in 1996. It seems millennials nostalgic for “Space Jam” had something to say about that. TheWrap noted that while families played a key role with 32% of the audience in CinemaScore polls being under the age of 18, on the other hand, 40% were in the 18-35 demographic. https://youtu.be/e6x97iMfsKg The 5th annual Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Festival (ILICFF) has announced the selection of a series of short films made by kids and for kids to be screened on Saturday, August 7, 2021 from 1-3pm EST via Zoom. Presented by the Eubie Blake Center and The Baltimore Times Foundation, Times Community Services, Inc., the film festival will award films in four categories – will be presented -Best Films Made BY Kids, Best Film Made FOR Kids, Film Festival Choice, and the Most Uplifting Film. An attorney (Whose name happens to be Chris Brown) has been taking various cases against Damon Dash. This time, Brown saw to it that Dash has to pay $300,000 to a Black woman, E.W. Brooks, who says the music mogul stole her dream. Damon Dash claims to help African-American women while stealing from me and my family. He stole my dream and took my ‘Mafietta’ brand as his own without consent or any credit to me, its creator,” said Brooks. “I am glad that the Second Circuit was not fooled by the misinformation and misdirection Damon Dash offered them in the appeal. It’s time to move past this and for payment.” Turns out Dash lost twice to Brooks. This time Dash appealed the first order to pay up when author E.W. Brooks asked the judge to make things right claiming Dash secretly marketed and sold a film about her intellectual property; a four-part “Mafietta” book series. She found out about Dash’s alleged deceit when her project couldn’t move forward. Ray McFarland and his wife, Leslie, have mastered the art of pivoting. They have “remixed” the business model of their 21st Century Expo Group three times since 2001. When 9/11, the 2008 stock market crash and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic struck, the McFarlands altered their company to change with the times. That’s just one of many lessons they’ve passed on to their daughter, Iman. Though she is a talented basketball player who could have played in the WNBA, she wanted to be a doctor. But her father saw a corporate superstar within. She is now chief operating officer and general manager of The Campus DMV, an athletic training and media production conglomerate that she co-owns with her parents. Based in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Capitol Heights, Maryland, the minority-owned business has positioned itself as a multifaceted academic, athletic and wellness facility. The new enterprise is building a full TV studio and production facility to accompany a sports complex that features a state-of-the-art sound stage. https://youtu.be/twkcllZWnZw Arkansas Razorbacks relief pitcher Kevin Kopps was named winner of the 43rd Golden Spikes Award. It’s given annually to the best college baseball player in the country. During an interview with ESPN, Kopps attributed his achievement to God, along with those who have consistently stood by him. “It feels surreal,” Kopps said about the award he received Thursday. “I think it’s an incredible blessing by God. I couldn’t have been here without Him, my parents, coaches, teammates. But honestly, I still feel like Kevin. I don’t feel any different.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1415809882666590208 Jay Williams announced on Friday that he won’t be covering the remainder of the 2021 NBA Finals for after testing positive for COVID-19. The ESPN analyst is fully vaccinated and will need to quarantine in his hotel room over the next 10 days. Williams took to Twitter to post a video announcing the positive test and asking people to be safe and careful. https://twitter.com/i/status/1416115033097089029 Deborah Roberts grew up in a family of gun owners. But it wasn’t until March this year that the 68-year-old finally pulled the trigger and purchased her own firearm, CNN (via MSN News) reports. “I think the rhetoric and how things are stirred up in the country just made me feel like, if not now, then when?” Roberts told CNN on Sunday morning at the South River Gun Club in Covington, Georgia with gunshots ringing close by. That same day also happened to be “Ladies Day” at the gun range, where women, mostly Black women, came out to the range to get proper training and education on how to operate a firearm, and they enjoyed every bit of it. https://youtu.be/i61CxIxMrYk In a way, their tribe got its start in Jamaica. Jillian Baker and Sinora Allwood, longtime friends, traveled there, to Montego Bay, for a vacation to celebrate Baker’s 40th birthday. “We were just catching up on life,” Allwood explained. “And we discovered that Jill and I had both suffered from infertility. We were like, ‘Wow, how didn’t we know this about each other? We could have been each other’s support system.’” The friends stayed close over the years. Allwood studied to become a registered nurse and health coach, and Baker, now an associate professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, earned a doctorate in public health from Drexel. They’d been quiet, as many parents are, about their struggles getting pregnant before they had their children. Both women were well aware of stark disparities that Black parents experience. Black women are more likely to experience infertility, more likely to have pregnancy-related complications, and more likely to die pregnancy-related deaths, while a racist notions persists, contrary to evidence, that Black women are more fertile. In Philadelphia, non-Hispanic Black women account for 43 percent of births, but 73 percent of pregnancy-related deaths, according to city data. The podcasters spoke to The Inquirer about the series and the tribe they’ve been gathering— a community of Black parents facing these issues. This interview has been edited and condensed for length. COVID-19 continues to have an impact on big get-togethers. Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame President Michelle Corrales-Lewis recently made the tough decision to postpone this year’s Hall of Fame induction weekend and gala. Due to COVID, the 2020 class will now be inducted with the 2021 class in 2022. Combining the classes is a first for the nonprofit and Corrales-Lewis says it’s not the only impact of the pandemic: The 2021 class is expected to be fewer in number. Nevertheless, Corrales-Lewis promises to deliver a great event for these legendary boxing figures in 2022. In 2019, the last time the event was held, the inductees were: Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ronald “Winky” Wright, Terry Norris and Vinny Pazienza. When Adrian Miller was writing his first, award-winning book “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine One Plate at a Time,” he originally planned to include a chapter on barbecue. In soul food restaurants, barbecued pork is often an option among entrees of oxtails, catfish and fried chicken. And even if the meat has technically been baked and varnished with a sweet tomato glaze rather than smoked over indirect heat, Miller considered barbecue to be as part of the lexicon. The more he researched and ate, though, he realized the subject of African American barbecue demanded a book of its own. His resolve was steeled after watching a Paula Deen special on the Food Network in 2004. It was dedicated to barbecue, but it didn’t spotlight a single Black expert. As Miller writes in the introduction of “Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue,” “I saw shots of Black people in the background doing the actual work, but they were anonymous and voiceless. … I recall thinking, as I turned off the television, ‘Is this what Black barbecuers have become? They’re just B-roll footage now?’ ” According to Mental Health America, seven million Black people in the US reported a mental illness this past year. But that number is continuing to increase. ABC 27 found out the new initiatives being done in Tallahassee to help break the stigma and get people the help they need. Calvin Bryant said he learned this at a young age and it inspired him to be an advocate for others. “I’m very prideful. As a man,” said Bryant, owner of 40 Caliber Fitness. “I grew up in this environment where you had to suppress your feelings and you just had to handle business.” This attitude caused him to bottle up his feelings to a breaking point. “On the outside, everybody sees one thing, but when I go back into the house, it’s a totally different story,” said Bryant. ”The dumbest criminal of all” is how a Detroit businesswoman describes a teenager who stole her Mercedes Benz. The woman spent 3 days tracking down the scofflaw and then physically went at him inside a hair salon/barbershop. https://youtu.be/dPN9vJf92Fs Joyce Beatty, the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and Representative for Ohio’s 3rd Congressional District, called into SiriusXM Urban View’s The Joe Madison Show to describe how she was arrested while demanding action on voting rights at the U.S. Capitol. https://www.siriusxm.com/clips/clip/0469a9b1-fd7d-4257-ab28-f76acc8fa2aa/37960a7e-89a9-472f-bfa3-c999ac7c1b80 Gloria Richardson, an influential yet largely unsung civil rights pioneer whose determination not to back down while protesting racial inequality was captured in a photograph as she pushed away the bayonet of a National Guardsman, has died. She was 99. Joe Orange, her son-in-law, said Richardson died Thursday in New York. “She was not ill. She died peacefully in her apartment in New York in her sleep,” said Orange, who is married to Richardson’s daughter, Donna. Richardson was the first woman to lead a prolonged grassroots civil rights movement outside the Deep South. In 1962, she helped organized and led the Cambridge Movement on Maryland’s Eastern Shore with sit-ins to desegregate restaurants, bowling alleys and movie theaters in protests that marked an early part of the Black Power movement. Bobby Roundtree, the former Illinois defensive end whose football dreams came to an end when he was paralyzed in a diving accident two years ago, died Friday in the Tampa Bay area. He was 23. The Illinois football program announced Roundtree’s death Friday afternoon. The cause of death was not immediately known. Roundtree, a star on the Fighting Illini defense for two seasons, had his life changed May 18, 2019, when he suffered a severe spinal injury while jumping off a boat in the Intercoastal Waterway near his home in Largo, Florida. He was left an incomplete quadriplegic, with considerable use of his upper body but not of his legs or fingers. R. Kelly now officially has a new defense team–less than a month before his trial’s scheduled to begin– and one of his lawyers is already getting attention. Two of R. Kelly‘s longtime attorneys–Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard–filed to withdraw from the singer’s case last month. It appears as though the filing was done in response to tensions within the larger legal team, as Steve Greenberg tweeted: “We refused to try a case with lawyers who don’t have the appropriate level of experience and skill because that is not in the client’s best interest. It is a shame that lawyers can’t suppress their own egos or self interest and do or act in the client’s best interest.” Now, a judge has officially granted the lawyers’ request to get off the case. Yesterday (Thursday, July 15th), U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly approved Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard‘s request to withdraw. As such, they are officially no longer part of R. Kelly‘s defense team. R. Kelly‘s case had already been essentially taken over by his new attorneys–Thomas Farinella, Nicole Blank Becker, and Deveraux Cannick. This new defense team recently accused R. Kelly‘s now-former attorneys of withholding paperwork and denying the singer access to mental health services. However, Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard vehemently denied these allegations–causing the internal feud to rage on. According to the #NYPD, on July 6 at the 116th Street station in #Harlem, bystanders captured the moment when police tased a black man on the subway for allowing another rider into the station for free. The man was identified as 29-year-old #DavidCrowell. Police say that Crowell got into an altercation with authorities after opening an emergency gate to let another rider inside the station without paying. While the individual Crowell let into the station went on to pay for his ride when confronted by officials, Crowell got into a heated dispute with the police. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRZkm2cnA2H/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano aim to knock each other out on Saturday in a clash that could produce the first four-belt unification champion in the history of the 154-pound division. “It’s dangerous to walk into my shots,” said “Iron Man” Charlo. “Most opponents I’ve faced who’ve done that, I’ve put them out.” As for “El Boxi” Castano, the Argentinian said: “I’m ready for war. If Charlo wants to brawl, then by all means I will welcome that.” Charlo, of Houston, Texas, fights for family and legacy. Castano, of Buenos Aires, is in it for glory and country. The 31-year-olds will battle for Charlo’s IBF, WBA and WBC crowns and the Castano’s WBO title in a Premier Boxing Champions headliner from San Antonio, Texas. It will air on Showtime at 9 p.m. EDT. Tokyo Olympics organisers said on Saturday a person has tested positive for COVID-19 at the athletes’ village, the first case at a site where most competitors will be staying, raising new doubts over promises of a “safe and secure” Games. Britain’s 5,000 meters runner Andrew Butchart will compete in the Tokyo Olympics after UK Athletics handed him a suspended ban for saying he had changed the date on a COVID-19 test result to return to Britain from a meet before clarifying his remarks. In a now-deleted episode of The Sunday Plodcast, Butchart had said there was a delay in getting his PCR test result before his flight home from the United States and he had changed the date on an old test as he prepared for check-in, the Times newspaper had reported. Usain Bolt is disappointed with how Jamaican men’s sprinting has developed since he retired and predicts his compatriots will find it tough in Tokyo after his glorious domination of the last three Olympics. With Bolt leading the way in his own inimitable style, Jamaica won all nine men’s track sprint finals in Beijing, London and Rio — although they later lost their 2008 4x100m gold medals after Nesta Carter failed a dope test. While Jamaica’s women look very strong going into their Tokyo campaign, triple 100m and 200m Olympic champion Bolt thinks the men will struggle. “Well, it’s really disappointing to see this,” Bolt told Reuters. Australian basketball star Liz Cambage has broken her silence on her bombshell withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics with an explosive Instagram rant. Cambage, 29, vanished from the Opals camp in Las Vegas on Friday and teammates and officials did not know where she was. On Friday afternoon, Cambage confirmed via her social media she won’t be on the plane to Tokyo. Early on Saturday morning she told fans she was at ‘breaking point’ and confirmed reports she was involved in an altercation during the Opals’ warm-up game against Nigeria. But she slammed the ‘fake news and lies’ when addressing allegations she was partying in Las Vegas. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2021/07/16/9080780638429005125/1024x576_MP4_9080780638429005125.mp4?_=1 Kalabrya Gondrezick-Haskins, wife of Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Dwayne Haskins, was reportedly arrested in Las Vegas back on July 3. She was charged with a domestic violence charge after allegedly striking her husband. Per the arrest report, police responded to a call from the Cosmopolitan at around 2:30 a.m. Blood and part of a tooth was reportedly found in the room. Haskins reportedly told hotel security that his wife punched him and cut his lip open after an argument, and said “I want her out of my room.” She faces a charge of felony domestic violence with substantial bodily harm, and is due in court on Aug. 3. Dwayne Haskins has not yet opened up about the incident, but based on his social media activity, he is downplaying what happened and supporting his wife. On his Instagram story, he posted this, lyrics from Drake’s song “9” with it playing in the background. In a weekend of dire releases—“Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions”—the good, the bad, and the ugly can all be seen onscreen. “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” directed by Malcolm D. Lee, must be credited for its positive portrayal, although sometimes contentious, of a father and son’s relationship. LeBron James worked extremely hard to make a name for himself and he wants nothing less for his son, Dom (Cedric Joe). https://youtu.be/RCsEKvz2mxs Madonna and her alter-ego Madame X will begin streaming on Paramount+ this fall. The queen of pop announced her concert documentary “Madame X” is coming to the streamer on Oct. 8. In a statement, the singer said: “Sharing my vision with global audiences has been profoundly meaningful to me. The opportunity to bring its message and the incandescent artistry of all involved to an even wider audience comes at a time when music is so deeply needed to remind us of the sacred bond of our shared humanity.” https://youtu.be/65mi28Lp7jw Aoki Lee, 18, appears all grown-up following in mom Kimora Lee Simmons’ footsteps down the runway she goes sporting a smooth baby-hair style reminiscent of the 1930s beauty icon Betty Boop. And just like Betty Boop Aoki’s not smiling but her look says everything and there’s a story she helps to tell. Aoki’s runway debut, staged at the Madam C.J. Walker estate in Irvington, NY., is an historical one and a salute from Pyer Moss’ Paris Couture Fashion Week last Saturday featuring 35-year-old Haitian American designer Kerby Jean-Raymond’s collection. The fashion pieces pay homage to everyday American items traced back to Black inventors whose contributions were patented or co-opted by others and erased from history. Creations like refrigerators, peanut butter and Aoki Lee rocked a cool checkerboard suit that had chess pieces affixed. https://youtu.be/_ZYFFkWtJQk “When the book was being adapted I made the short list,” said Adrian Miller about his appearance on the Netflix “High on the Hog” four-part docu-series based off the book “High On the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America” by James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award winning author Dr. Jessica B. Harris (2011). The book speaks on African-American cuisine in America. “It (the book) was published 10 years-ago. The “High on the Hog” series is hosted by Stephen Satterfield, a chef, magazine publisher and producer, and Dr. Harris. Adrian, among many things, is a Chef. Aside from him appearing on the docu-series there is Chef BJ Dennis, Chef Valerie Vinakpon, Dr. Leni Sorensen (culinary historian), and Michael Twitty (historian/author) – to name a few. https://youtu.be/7wsEdxt1Ico Apple TV+ debuted its new musical series “Schmigadoon!,” starring Emmy Award-nominee Cecily Strong and Emmy Award-winner Keegan-Michael Key. The six-episode musical comedy series executive produced by Lorne Michaels launched July 16, with a new episode dropping weekly every Friday. The comedy is “a parody of iconic Golden Age musicals” with Strong and Key playing a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship who discover a magical town living in a 1940s musical, per press release. They then learn that they can’t leave until they find “true love.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1416051386865782792 Octavia E. Butler’s classic sci-fi novel “Kindred” is about to become a series at FX, with “Zola” helmer Janicza Bravo as director and an executive producer, and newcomer Mallori Johnson in the lead role of Dana, a young woman who finds herself pulled back and forth in time. Kindred follows Dana, an aspiring writer who has uprooted her life of familial obligation and moved to Los Angeles to claim a future that for once feels all her own. Before she can get settled into her new home, however, she finds herself being violently pulled back and forth in time to a 19th century plantation with which she and her family are most surprisingly and intimately linked. An interracial romance threads through her past and present, and the clock is ticking as she struggles to confront the secrets she never knew ran through her blood. https://youtu.be/5T-11M7XLFg Willow Smith has dropped her new album titled “lately I feel EVERYTHING,” her first punk-rock project after the albums “THE ANXIETY,” “WILLOW” and “The 1st.” The singer spoke to Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe about feeling a lot of pressure when it comes to carving her own identity as the daughter of Jada Pinkett and Will Smith. “I always just wanted to do right by my parents, and do right by the beauty that they have put in the world, and continue to uplift that beauty and to uphold that beauty,” she told Lowe. “And I felt a lot of pressure. And, because I’m not a minor anymore.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CRZmzMZDBzw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again MTV is bringing back “Cribs” after more than 20 years since its debut. MTV announced the revival of the series on Wednesday. Back in the day, the show was accused of renting lavish homes and hiring celebrities to pretend they live in the homes, offering fans a glimpse of their baller life. It remains to be seen how authentic the revival show will be. The new series will follow the same format as the original, viewers will get a full tour of celebrity homes. https://youtu.be/6ix3twBu17Y “Power” creator Courtney A. Kemp is taking the “Power” franchise to another level. She likes to refer to the show as the power universe, similar to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) – where you have break out stories about the most popular characters. Fans were introduced to the extension of “Power” with “Power Book II: Ghost.” The next story line is about to hit your TV screens, “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” tells the back story of the chaotic and ruthless character Kanan, previously played by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in “Power.” Fans will get a look into Kanan’s past and a better understanding of his character. The story takes place during Kanan’s teenage years, and viewers will be introduced to more than just his past. With a new show comes new characters and new characters bring new drama! Benzino is clapping hard at Lil Naz X for that certain The details surrounding Richard Sherman‘s arrest Wednesday morning near Seattle are indeed disturbing, but not as disturbing as they could be since he is alive to tell about it. The full picture hasn’t been painted yet of what exactly happened when the free-agent cornerback was taken into custody by officers with the Redmond Police Department, but what has been reported so far suggests he may have been suffering from a mental health crisis or depression. Sherman was allegedly trying to break into the home of his wife’s parents following a reported single-vehicle accident in which he was involved that may have been caused because he was drunk. But been before that, according to a 911 call from his wife, Sherman was acting suicidal and threatening to harm himself verbally as well as in text messages to friends. Police have said Sherman resisted arrest when they arrived at his in-laws’ home, prompting them to sic a police dog on him. The bottom line is that Richard Sherman is lucky the police didn’t kill him. Well, it seems controversial talk radio host Larry Elder didn’t have to think too long. This week, he announced his decision to enter the state’s September 14 recall election. Entry into the race for Elder—dubbed the “Sage from South Central”—did not come without a measure of reluctance, before giving way to an encouraging group of supporters that included fellow conservative radio host, Dennis Prager and concern that several critical issues were spiraling out of control. “My top issues are rising crime, the rising cost of housing; homelessness; Gavin Newsom’s dictatorial and anti-science coronavirus lockdown; and the poor quality of many urban public schools, K through 12,” Elder told L.A. Focus. Thanks to the new, expanded child tax credit, millions of American families woke up Thursday morning to find up to $300 for each of their young children directly deposited into their bank accounts. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service estimated that nearly 60 million children would benefit from the expanded child tax credit, which President Joe Biden signed into law to benefit working families with children 17 and younger. Many of those families will on Thursday begin receiving the first of 12-scheduled monthly payments as part of the American Rescue Plan. https://twitter.com/i/status/1415632826934992896 Barrier-breaking baseball legend Jackie Robinson left behind a legacy that will echo for generations to come and the foundation founded in his honor recently received a major donation to further its mission of empowering youth from disenfranchised communities to become the changemakers of tomorrow. The Hess Corporation awarded the Jackie Robinson Foundation with a $1.4 million grant. Founded in 1973—a year after Robinson’s death—the nonprofit was designed to level the playing field in higher education by addressing the socio-economic barriers faced by youth from marginalized communities. Since its inception, the organization has awarded several scholarships and cultivated learning environments to help students thrive as they work towards advancing their education and building a solid foundation for their careers. The NFL announced plans to perform or play the black national anthem, before games during the beginning of this year’s season, ESPN reports. ‘Lift Ev’ry Voice And Sing,’ traditionally referred to as the black national anthem, will be performed before ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ during the season opener on September 10, when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans. The NFL, in collaboration with the NFL Players Association, is also considering featuring names of victims who suffered police brutality on uniforms, helmets or patches on jerseys. The decision comes as the league hopes to demonstrate ‘a genuine commitment to the public, players and coaches and that player voices continue to be heard,’ the source wrote in a text message. ‘This is key to educating fans, and becoming a prominent voice in the fight to end racism.’ Veteran NBA referee Tony Brown has opened up about how his pancreatic cancer diagnosis changed his course a year ago. “I was considered one of the best referees in the world,” Brown tells The Undefeated. “When this season began, my goal was to experience that exhilarating moment again. But life threw me a curveball. Pancreatic cancer. Stage 4. Honestly, I don’t know what’s in store for me,” he said. “But with the love of my wife, my kids, my NBA family and my friends in the trenches alongside me, I’m well armed for this battle for my life,” Brown added. Rich Eisen announced on social media Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing symptoms despite being vaccinated. The NFL Network anchor had a message for his followers: “Get vaccinated.” “Double-vaxxed. COVID+. It’s possible, folks. As someone sitting Day 4 in quarantine fighting off symptoms, I can personally attest you still need to be careful and, most importantly, get vaccinated,” Eisen wrote on Instagram. While the U.S. statistically has fewer cases and deaths than it did in January, coronavirus cases have been ticking up lately due to the virulent Delta variant. Eisen received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine in February and said that he is now experiencing symptoms from the virus, though he did not describe which. However, he emphasized that his symptoms would be far worse if he had not gotten vaccinated. A judge has dismissed blogger Latasha K’s complaint against rapper Cardi B, ruling that she failed to provide evidence for any of her claims of threats, emotional distress, and assault. TMZ reported, “Instead, [Latasha] has only made allegations that others who may be associated with [Cardi] made these threats,” the judge ruled, “… and has failed to demonstrate here that the threats … were directed by [Cardi].” The legal battle began last year when Taska K claimed Cardi lied about her on social media, which led to death threats from her fans. According to the court documents, Latasha K hit the Bronx rapper with a $1million lawsuit in federal court, and it came months after Cardi sued the popular blogger for defamation. DaBaby is catching heat on Twitter for reprimanding candy-selling kids for overcharging him while he was in New York for the ESPY Awards. Sharing the video to his Instagram Story Sunday, DaBaby apparently intended to teach the kids a lesson in fair business ethics after they tried to charge him $200 for a box of Gushers. The boys told the rapper that their rate was $2 for each individual bag of candy but DaBaby noted that the boxes only contained 34 bags, prompting a quick math tutorial. “What’s 34 multiplied by two, my boy?” he presses them. “It ain’t $200! It’s not even $100. It’s $68.”One Twitter user who shared the clip wrote, “Shorties missed out on their blessing after tryna finesse DaBaby.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1414344791924477956 Casting for season 14 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” season 14 is said to be in shambles as production on the reality show gets underway. Sources exclusively tell lovebscott.com that production “has no idea who they want to round out the cast and why.” According to the report, Porsha Williams is currently filming her 8-episode spinoff showcasing her family, her life, and her new relationship with Simon Guobadia. As for her future on RHOA, “we hear she’s ‘seriously considering’ not returning for season 14,” the outlet writes. Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena are currently tied up in a bitter divorce and according to an updated report, it looks like things are getting worse! TMZ reports that Safaree recently filed docs asking the judge to hold his estranged wife in contempt for violating their domestic relations standing order which prohibits them from harassing each other or destroying each other’s property during the divorce. However, in the docs obtained by the news site, Safaree says Erica destroyed some of his stuff on May 23, just 2 days after she filed for divorce. David Price known professionally as KVNG DAVID is a multifaceted talent with a list of credits that include rapper, actor, chef, and model. When asked what is his “first” love, KVNG DAVID says, if I had to choose one that supersedes all the others, it is music. His latest album, “Interspace,” out now is a brilliant, well-seasoned hip-hop and rap 15 track masterpiece! It’s bold, lyrically-tight tracks are defined by incredible complexity, and inventiveness in a revolutionary yet spiritual way. KVNG DAVID’s vocal delivery is on par with many of the most influential hip hop artists of all time from Jay-Z to Busta Rhymes to Kendrick Lamar. Nivea appeared on a recent episode of Kandi Burruss’ YouTube series “On That Note,” and opened up about why her career stalled as well as her relationships with Lil Wayne and ex-husband The Dream. Nivea also dished about having an intimate relationship with her manager when she was 16-years-old. “I worked with him from 14 years old to 21, and he was at least 20 or 30 years older,” Nivea said, as reported by Urban Hollywood 411. “I was clearly a child and he was clearly almost a grandaddy.” During the conversation, the singer revealed that she was raped by one of her manager’s friends when she was a teenager. The most shocking part of the conversation came when she confessed that her ex/baby daddy Lil Wayne convinced her to quit the music business and promised he would financially take care of her. “He said, ‘Come be with me. I got you,’” Nivea told Burruss. When Deniz Saypinar was confronted by an American Airlines gate agent last Thursday at Dallas Airport, she thought the agent was joking. “They said, ‘Hey, you can’t go to the plane, because you’re naked,’” she recalled. Saypinar, a bodybuilder from Turkey who was headed to Miami for Swim Week wearing short shorts and a crop top, said the agent told her that her outfit would be offensive to families. Saypinar documented the experience to her million Instagram followers. “I was shaking, because I thought, ‘It’s not real what’s happening. I felt so panicked.’” https://cbsloc.al/3AYVQiD Chicago Sky star Candace Parker has earned a variety of accolades over her 14-year WNBA career. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year can now add an appearance on the cover of NBA 2K22 to the list. By gracing this year’s cover of the hoops video game, which will be released on Sept. 10, Parker is recognized as the first woman to receive the honor. Parker’s version will be for the WNBA’s 25th anniversary special edition. “I think it’s a benchmark of women’s basketball for sure,” Parker told the Associated Press about her NBA 2K opportunity. “I think most importantly it speaks to visibility and how important it is and how important the WNBA is…Now more than ever, fans want to follow the athlete. Through social media, through video games, it’s adding and benefiting the WNBA.” Calvin Gary, better known as Joonie, calls his latest project his “third masterpiece.” Titled “Yellow Dust,” it reaches a broad fan base because of the diverse sound and attention to detail. (His other two albums are “Acoustic Love” and “No vacancy in our legacy.”) An avid fan of his own music and sound, Joonie understands the importance of him connecting with his music before putting it out for public consumption. In fact, when he created the song, “Love You More,” it literally saved his career. At a time when he thought about walking away from music, creating that tune not only kept him engaged, it also anchored his first album. A talented music manager, Kasual Kas has always had an amazing ear for music. For years he used those talents to propel others, but now, as CEO of Big Wins Only, Kas stands to reap the benefits of his hard work and create the type of atmosphere for his artists that is conducive to sustained success. Though solidly rooted in music, Big Wins Only plans to branch out into several entertainment fields as well as sports. With Matt Patterson and Fredrick Green and a silent partner, the quartet plans to create great artists, but even better human beings. A family atmosphere and high expectations are the company’s core values. Learning to treat every win as a big win is the key to their anticipated success. CCM Magazine is hosting the exclusive premiere for the lyric video to Mickey Bell's hilarious song, "One Pound At A Time." The song release last week on all digital outlets. Mickey wrote the song as a funny and motivating tune. Mickey says: "People are always looking for motivation to lose weight. There’s just not a good song that will help you with a herbal cleanse, ha! So, I created one. I hope it “moves” people, ha!" https://youtu.be/nE89CUi7jNA It has been a privilege to honor Kirk Franklin over the years, and now we celebrate him selling 500,000 copies of his single “Love Theory”! Kirk was surprised during our official Stellar Awards Afterparty and presented with a RIAA Certified Gold plaque for “Love Theory”. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRMg4_xnBPX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=dd75b5f7-bd1d-4f00-aab7-1ba6b7bec76d Kelontae Gavin knows how to shift an atmosphere! Experience his rendition of “Victory” during his Positive Vibes Only performance made possible by The Recording Academy. https://www.grammy.com/grammys/videos/2021-positive-vibes-only-watch-kelontae-gavin-perform-celebratory-victory-gospel We know Kierra Sheard comes from greatness and we were beyond excited to celebrate her family at the Stellars as she, her mother, and her aunts (who make up the legendary group The Clark Sisters) performed some classics and took home the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award! From Kierra’s courses and book, “Big, Bold and Beautiful” to her concerts, music and videos full of gems, be sure to keep up with Kierra and get ready for what’s next! https://www.liinks.co/kierrasheardkelly Bishop Leonard Scott, has done it again! It was an eventful weekend in Nashville Tennessee at the Stellars Awards. This year Bishop was awarded the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award! "Hymns In Times Like These," Bishop's Newest Album, an Hymns project bridging together generations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kak_R1-66_U Robyn McGhee drops new song "Come On Jesus." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr_0qobBbF0 KEVINA LOVE drops "Premeditated." https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/7957733?date=20210710&user_id=668306&signature=CUOg6WwIFSNeafmEM40zCrbuOGw%3AgknTznUc A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, July 15 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, experts analyze the killing of a local gospel singer. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UioXQ1al78 International Gathering of Champions Conference w/guest Artist Anthony Brown August 25-29, 2021. The Smollett sibling duo continue to bring their keen design flavor to CLEO TV this Saturday, July 17th at 9 p.m. ET/8C on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FOH3MXXIqM Lorenzen Wright’s ex-wife has been charged with murder in his death following an investigation authorities called Operation Rebound, officials said Saturday in an announcement that came seven years after the former NBA player’s slaying. Sherra Wright, 46, has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, Memphis police Director Michael Rallings said. Federal marshals arrested her late Friday in California and she was being held in Riverside County. Billy R. Turner was arrested in Memphis on Tuesday and the 46-year old was charged with first-degree murder. Wright’s death had been a mystery since his body was discovered in the woods outside Memphis on July 28, 2010, 10 days after he was reported missing. He was 34. A gun believed to have been used in Wright’s murder was found last month in a lake near Walnut, Mississippi and considered a major break in the case. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1222101498261630 Baltimore City Police officer Eric Banks Jr. has been charged for the killing of his 15-year-old stepson Dasan Jones. His arrest comes after the medical examiner’s finding the death was a homicide by asphyxiation, CBS reports. “This is an absolutely heartbreaking, traumatic and horrific case. Our hearts ache for his grieving mother and his siblings,” Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said. https://youtu.be/Vv9urTAhtIg Four-year-old Kash Coullier is just like any other kid— he likes Spider-Man, playing with racecars, and wants to be the Green Goblin when he grows up. That’s if his music career doesn’t work out, as Coullier also has a passion for rapping. He’s the son of local musician, Carlos “CraftyLos” Coullier. Kash fell in love with music after hearing himself on a song in a studio session with his dad. “Kashmania” has been releasing music since he was three, but it’s his latest music video that’s spreading a powerful message as he speaks out against gun violence in his city. https://youtu.be/puFo7tgyNKA Months after announcing his intentions to run for Texas attorney general, civil rights lawyer Lee Merritt is making good on his promise and officially launched his campaign on Tuesday. Merritt, running as a Democrat, is also an activist who has played instrumental roles in seeking justice for victims of gun and police violence by notably representing the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Botham Jean and Atatiana Jefferson, said he is confident he can beat the incumbent Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — whom he has called “associate of white supremacy and tool of voter suppression” — in a general election. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2911513872449356 The oldest civil rights organization in the United States is stepping up to protect any of the Texas House Democrats who might get arrested for effectively blocking the state’s racist proposed election bill from being enacted into law. Rachel Scott of ABC News reported that the NAACP said it would uphold the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis’ concept of “good trouble” by offering to bail out any of the dozens of House Democrats in Texas who walked out of the legislature’s chamber on Monday to prevent a vote on election restrictions from taking place. “War has been declared on democracy, and we will support anyone who stands up to defend it,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said. “We are fully invested in good trouble.” Tuesday marked the sixth year since Sandra Bland was found dead in police custody following a questionable traffic stop-turned violent by the arresting officer in Texas. The 28-year-old was driving from her native Illinois to begin a new job at Prairie View A&M University when she was pulled over for a minor moving violation. But what should have been a routine ticketing experience quickly devolved into brutality when State Trooper Brian Encinia failed to de-escalate the encounter, which resulted in Bland being charged with assault. Dashcam video from Encinia’s cruiser suggested he was the aggressor. Three days later, on July 13, 2015, Bland’s body was found hanging from her jail cell, where she had been remanded because of an inability to afford a $5,000 bond. Even though Bland’s death was ruled a suicide, suspicion of officers in the Waller County Jail has lingered as no one has ever been held accountable. The criminal trial against a wealthy and white Democratic donor who had two Black men die from drug overdoses within 18 months of each other at his California home has officially begun. Ed Buck is accused of supplying the men with drugs in exchange for sex in West Hollywood. At least one other Black man also overdosed in Buck’s home, but that unidentified man survived. Opening statements were scheduled to begin in the downtown Los Angeles federal courthouse on Wednesday, one day after the 12 jurors selected to serve on the trial were sworn in. Buck, 66, was arrested in September 2019 after a third man overdosed in his home. He was charged with one felony count each of battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house. https://twitter.com/i/status/1174181424037076992 The U.S. government had a stern warning in no uncertain terms for any Haitians considering trying to flee and seek asylum in the U.S. following the assassination of the island nation’s president: Don’t do it. It was the latest episode in the ongoing immigration crisis facing the U.S. But critics might not take too kindly to the broader sentiment to Haitians from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who on Tuesday discussed the consequences for those who try to make the journey to the U.S. Mayorkas stated that Haitians trying to travel to the U.S. “will die” and discouraged any “migration by sea,” the Washington Post reported. He later added: “Allow me to be clear, if you take to the sea, you will not come to the United States.” Police work can be one of the best-paid professions in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2020 median salary for a police officer was $67,290 – more than one-third higher than the national median of $48,769 for all occupations. Many officers probably earn much more, because the bureau’s analysis is based on hourly wages for a typical work year of 2,080 hours and does not include overtime – one of the factors that can drive an officer’s yearly income even higher. Although there is a great deal of variation across the nation’s roughly 18,000 police departments, the agency also reports that salaries for police have largely climbed in the past five years – from an 8.8% increase in Mississippi, the state that overall pays its police the least, to a 21% increase in Hawaii, one of the best-paying states. The National Urban League’s 2021 State of Black America® report, “The New Normal: Diverse, Equitable & Inclusive,” charts a path forward as the nation emerges from these “three pandemics.” “The United States finds itself at crossroads of racial reckoning,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “One path leads backward, toward the “old normal:” a return to the marginalization, discrimination, and segregation that left Black and Brown Americans exceptionally vulnerable to a deadly virus and economic desperation. The other path leads toward a nation where police approach the communities they serve as allies and collaborators, and not hostile combatants; where every citizen has equal access to the ballot box, where fatal complications in pregnancy are just as rare for Black mothers as for as white mothers, where the value of a home is not determined by the race of its owner.” https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/national-urban-league-releases-its-state-of-black-america-2021-report-116813381794 A George Floyd mural was destroyed after it was allegedly hit by lightning on Tuesday in Toledo, Ohio. Donald Trump Jr. said the destruction might be a sign from God. Trump wrote in a post on Instagram. “I mean you have to wonder if someone, like a higher power, is telling us something here?!?” The mural was painted on the side of a building on the corner of Summit and LaGrange. Witnesses confirm it was struck by lightning before the old wall collapsed. “Obviously what happened to George Floyd should never happen anywhere!!!” Trump Jr. continued. “That said, objectively speaking, given his history I’m not sure turning him into a deity and a role model for our children is exactly the right idea either.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1415167032228814848 The wife of Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Dwayne Haskins is charged with domestic battery after allegedly knocking out one of his teeth when she punched him during a disagreement, according to an arrest report obtained by 8NewsNow Las Vegas. A piece of his tooth was found on the floor of a room at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, where the alleged incident took place on July 3. Kalabrya Gondrezick-Haskins, 23, told Metro police officers that she and her husband have had verbal arguments in the past, but nothing physical. “I want her out of my room,” Haskins told a security officer at The Cosmopolitan. “She hit me and cut my lip open.” According to Dwayne’s Instagram and several news articles, the couple was recently engaged at TAO Asian Bistro & Nightclub at The Venetian. https://www.8newsnow.com/sports/local-sports/steelers-qb-haskins-loses-a-tooth-wife-arrested-after-dispute-at-the-cosmopolitan/ Luby’s, Inc., the parent company that operates Luby’s, Fuddruckers, Koo Koo Roo, and Cheeseburger in Paradise, in June announced an agreement to sell its Fuddruckers franchise business operations to Black Titan Franchise Systems LLC, owned by Nicholas Perkins in a deal valued at $18.5 million. Months earlier, Perkins became one of the largest Fuddruckers franchisees when Luby’s sold him 13 of the company-owned restaurants. Now, he owns all 92, making him the first African American to own a national burger franchise system. https://youtu.be/DHeZZmHg1yY Amazon Prime Video and IMDb TV, Amazon’s premium free streaming service, have inked a licensing deal with Sony Pictures Television that will add classic television shows from legendary producer Norman Lear, reports Deadline. The series, including “All in the Family,” “Good Times,” “Maude,” “One Day at a Time,” “227,” “Diff’rent Strokes,” “The Jeffersons,” “Sanford” and “Sanford & Son,” represent the largest collection of Lear shows and the highest number of episodes ever available to stream at one time, according to the companies. Some of the series will be available on SVOD platform Prime Video, the others on ad-supported IMDb TV. There will be no overlap as the two platforms do not share programming, with Amazon making the decision about which shows goes where. “227” and “Diff’rent Strokes” will launch on Prime Video today, July 15. “The Jeffersons,” “Sanford & Son,” and “Sanford” will launch on the SVOD service later in 2021. “All in the Family,” “Good Times,” “Maude,” and “”One Day at a Time” will also launch July 15 but on IMDb TV. https://youtu.be/WfT6nmQeebQ Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, will create and executive produce the animated series “Pearl” for Netflix. The projects hail from Markle and Prince Harry’s Archewell Productions. Per Deadline, the series centers on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration in a variety of influential women throughout history. The show is part of Harry and Meghan’s multi-year deal with the streaming giant. Chrissy Teigen has hit up social media to whine about the cancel culture movement after her brand was nearly annihilated following her bullying scandal. To recap, last month, the former model issued an apology after Bloomingdale’s canceled a promotional deal with the cookbook author “at the 11th hour because of her explosive cyberbullying scandal,” with Courtney Stodden, Page Six reported. Macy’s also dropped Teigen’s “Cravings by Chrissy” cookware line from its website. The fallout began after Stodden, now 26, revealed that the former model encouraged her to kill herself in private Twitter messages when she was 16 years old. Teigen also apologized in May, writing on Twitter, “Not a lot of people are lucky enough to be held accountable for all their past bulls–t in front of the entire world. I’m mortified and sad at who I used to be.” She added, “I was an insecure, attention-seeking troll. I am ashamed and completely embarrassed at my behavior but that… is nothing compared to how I made Courtney feel.” Teigen wrote a long Instagram post on Wednesday about her unhealthy mental state since multiple allegations of bullying surfaced in the past few months. Colin Kaepernick will release a series of books through the children’s publisher Scholastic, starting with a picture story scheduled for next year. “I Color Myself Different” will come out in April, according to an announcement Thursday by Scholastic and Kaepernick Publishing, which the former NFL quarterback founded last year. Kaepernick, who was a member of the San Francisco 49ers, has not played in the NFL since 2016, after he knelt at games during “The Star Spangled Banner” to protest racial injustice and police treatment of Black people. Kaepernick, 33, was adopted by a white family and his picture book is based on a kindergarten memory when he used a yellow crayon to draw his family, then a brown one to draw himself. An injection of funding has been approved and allocated toward preserving 40 Black American historical sites, a donation made through the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The organization announced on Friday that more than $3 million in grants have been awarded to its African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. This specific branch of the agency works to preserve historical sites and locations that are significant to Black American history. With this grant funding, locations including Emmett Till’s funeral home in Chicago, the National Negro Opera Company in Pittsburgh, the Mount Zion Baptist Church in Ohio, and the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center in Denver are some of the sites that will receive funding for historic preservation. Tennis phenom Naomi Osaka has scored an ace off the court, with a Barbie doll figure of herself that’s flying off the shelves. The posable toy — which features the four-time Grand Slam winner in her outfit from the 2020 Australian Open — sold out in just hours after it dropped on Monday for $29.99 a box, the maker, Mattel, said. “I hope every child is reminded that they can be and do anything,” Osaka tweeted on Monday after announcing the release of the toy. The newest plastic-version of Osaka, which comes complete with a replica of her Yonex racket, is a part of the Barbie Role Model series. The Barbie website has limited sales of the 13-inch-high doll to two per customer. Actress Marla Gibbs is movin’ on up — to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gibbs, 90, who played maid Florence Johnston in 207 episodes of the 1970s sitcom “The Jeffersons,” announced on Instagram that she would be receiving the star on July 20. In a four-photograph-video slide, Gibbs makes the comparison to longtime actress Betty White. “Hello, Marla Gibbs here. I understand you were asked why didn’t you celebrate me the way you celebrate Betty White?” Gibbs says in the Instagram video. “Well, guess what? You do celebrate me and you love me and you support me. And that’s why I am getting a star on Hollywood Boulevard, child, on July 20 at 11:30 a.m. Yes, because of you.” Kraft has partnered with New York-based company Van Leeuwen to develop Macaroni-and-Cheese flavored ice cream. According to reports, the limited-edition product was made with no artificial flavors, preservatives, or dyes. The ice cream launched on Wednesday and is already sold out, said Kraft. https://kstp.com/business/kraft-creates-mac-and-cheese-flavored-ice-cream/6171955/ #1 Billboard artist, three-time Stellar Award ® nominated and recipient of a 2018 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award, Bryan Popin is just that... Popin! Bryan drops "So Good @ Me." https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/7965770?date=20210713&user_id=668306&signature=GqGg4qU2FnBOtC87ZcnnXrEPL1A%3A1myzVQ4i Potential Music is a contemporary Christian worship ministry from Potential Church in Miami, Florida. They have now released their debut single "Into The Deep", a passionate and powerful contemporary song that pushes the atmosphere to an apex of pure worship. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1776909379175737 The COVID-19 curve in the U.S. is rising again after months of decline, with the number of new cases per day doubling over the past three weeks, driven by the fast-spreading delta variant, lagging vaccination rates and Fourth of July gatherings. Confirmed infections climbed to an average of about 23,600 a day on Monday, up from 11,300 on June 23, according to Johns Hopkins University data. And all but two states — Maine and South Dakota — reported that case numbers have gone up over the past two weeks. “It is certainly no coincidence that we are looking at exactly the time that we would expect cases to be occurring after the July Fourth weekend,” said Dr. Bill Powderly, co-director of the infectious-disease division at Washington University’s School of Medicine in St. Louis. At the same time, parts of the country are running up against deep vaccine resistance, while the highly contagious mutant version of the coronavirus that was first detected in India is accounting for an ever-larger share of infections. The five states with the biggest two-week jump in cases per capita all had lower vaccination rates: Missouri, 45.9%; Arkansas, 43%; Nevada, 50.9%; Louisiana, 39.2%; and Utah, 49.5%. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Washington DC Statehood has been something that its longtime congressional representative Eleanor Holmes Norton has spent decades trying to achieve. During her appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Wednesday, she even brought along an American flag with 51 stars to show how it would look. “When you add one star, you can’t tell the difference,” she said, laughing. ‘The only people who can tell the difference are the people who live in that state, and I can tell you we can’t wait to tell the difference.” https://youtu.be/B4glpu49NYA Major League Baseball honored the late Henry “Hank” Aaron just before the start of Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Denver’s Coors Field. The 25-time All-Star Atlanta Braves right fielder died on Jan. 22 at age 86. His widow Billye, the first African-American woman in the Southeast to co-host a daily talk show, was accompanied to home plate by the Braves’ Freddie Freeman and the Yankees’ Aaron Judge. https://youtu.be/QlB4pfehXcY LeBron James stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday, where talk show legend Arsenio Hall is pinch-hitting for the week. The focus at one point turned to Kimmel’s on-set better half, Guillermo, who James said did a lot to help him focus during his multitude of NBA playoff runs. https://youtu.be/nXd2IQvtrHs The Coca-Cola Company has pledged to almost double its ad spending with minority-owned media, the latest in a wave of major companies responding to pressure — and a $10 billion lawsuit — over how they allocate such dollars. Atlanta-based Coca-Cola North America said in June its ad spending with such companies will be five times higher than in 2020, with 8 percent of its total annual media budget will be allocated to black, Hispanic and Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned media by 2024. Other major corporations have made similar pledges in recent weeks. Twenty companies — including Uber, General Mills, Adidas, Tyson Foods and Target — signed on to GroupM’s Media Inclusion Initiative, pledging in June to commit 2 percent or more of their total annual media budgets to black-owned media. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Cornel West, the eccentric professor, public intellectual and progressive activist, resigned from Harvard after a tenure dispute and accused the university of “spiritual rot” in a letter posted to his Twitter on Monday. “How sad it is to see our beloved Harvard Divinity School in such decline and decay,” he wrote in the letter. “The disarray of a scattered curriculum, the disenchantment of talented yet deferential faculty, and the disorientation of precious students loom large.” His resignation comes after he said Harvard denied him an opportunity to receive tenure, the indefinite academic appointment that makes it extremely difficult to remove professors. Harvard University and Harvard Divinity School both declined comment. CNN has reached out to West and has not heard back. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman was entertaining suicidal thoughts, according to a 911 call, before he was arrested and jailed in the Seattle suburb of Redmond, Wash., early Wednesday morning on three charges, including felony domestic violence residential burglary. The arrest ended a night that included what police suspect was an alcohol-induced crash rendering his SUV not drivable, and subsequent threats to hang himself, according to audio of a 911 call Sherman’s wife, Ashley Moss, made and which was obtained and publicized by KIRO Radio. Sherman, who is an unsigned free agent, also was booked for resisting arrest and malicious mischief for damage caused to a door while trying to force entry into his in-laws’ home shortly before 2 a.m., Redmond police chief Darrell Lowe said during an afternoon news conference. https://youtu.be/o6OZqXumrg8 Jaquan Yulee, a former linebacker at Marshall University in West Virginia, died in a car crash on Tuesday night, school officials have confirmed. “A sad day for all who knew Jaquan Yulee,” former Marshall football coach John “Doc” Holliday wrote on Twitter of Yulee’s death. “He is one of the toughest and most resilient football players I’ve ever been around. But more, he was beloved by coaches and teammates because of the type of person he was. He will be missed.” According to WVEC, the 24-year-old was involved in a single-vehicle accident in Virginia. Yulee’s car flipped onto its roof, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Former Denver Broncos offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, a key part of the staff that helped the Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowls in the late 1990s, has died, the team announced. He was 80 years old. The team said Gibbs died from complications from a stroke and was surrounded by his family in Phoenix. Gibbs’ zone-blocking scheme helped Denver develop a dominant running game behind Hall of Famer Terrell Davis that helped head coach Mike Shanahan and the Broncos win Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only Black battalion of women to serve in Europe during World War II, was credited with solving a growing mail crisis during its stint in England and, upon their return, serving as a role model to generations of Black women who joined the military. But for decades, the exploits of the 855 members were never widely recognized — until now. The Senate passed legislation that would award members of the battalion, affectionately known as the Six Triple Eight, with the Congressional Gold Medal. The bill is awaiting action in the House. There are believed to be only seven surviving members of the 6888th, including Maj. Fannie Griffin McClendon, who has met with her local congressman to press for passage of the bill. https://youtu.be/CPagbfkTIDs One 9-year-old is getting an early start in the medical field. When Angelica Gunn, 30, from Belton, Missouri, started having intense contractions on June 28, her husband was at work. A week before her expected due date of July 9, and having gone into false labor just a couple days prior, Gunn wasn’t sure if this time was the real deal. “Then midday the contractions just kicked in really hard,” Gunn told “Good Morning America.” “I felt the urge to push all of a sudden.” With no one home but her daughter Aakayla, 9, and her son Caleb, Jr., 4, Gunn knew she would have to ask for Aakayla’s help in delivering the baby. “I just screamed for my daughter to come in,” she said. “I was like, ‘Something’s happening, you’re going to have to look and tell me what’s going on because I don’t know.’ I kind of just felt intense pressure and like [the baby’s] head was coming out.” Initially, Gunn was worried about having her daughter help at a young age, but knew the baby was coming no matter what and that she would need assistance to deliver safely. Carl Thomas, Dave Hollister, and Donell Jones, three of the biggest names in R&B music in the 90s and 00s, are forming a “supergroup.” The Chicago natives announced that they are forming a new singing outfit called The Chi. In a post shared on Facebook, Jones said: “New R&B Group ‘The Chi’ @carlthomasnow, @davehollister @donnelljonesforever. Yesssss it’s happening! The level of music and songwriting will be impeccable and you already know the voices! It’s only right for us to come together and represent Chicago and R&B to the fullest.” Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and his wife Nicole Pantenburg are divorcing after 7 years of marriage. “After much thought and with great sadness, we have decided to end our marriage. We continue to care and have respect for one another and share eternal love for our daughter and her well-being,” the couple said in a statement to TMZ. “We ask for personal privacy for ourselves and our daughter as we navigate these new steps as a family.“ Edmonds and Pantenburg got hitched back in 2014 and share one daughter, 12-year-old Peyton Nicole. It’s unclear what led to the split. Babyface was previously married to Tracey Edmonds from 1992 to 2005 … and they share two sons, Brandon and Dylan. https://youtu.be/jBWXgndOMZo Rihanna is renting out her 5-bedroom, 7,628-square-foot mansion in Beverly Hills for $80,000 per month. Rihanna scooped up the mansion for $13.8 million, according to the report. Olympian Simone Biles covers the Wall Street Journal’s July digital issue! The wide-ranging profile explores how the most powerful woman in gymnastics has survived abuse, endured a harrowing family ordeal, and overcome self-doubt to get to Tokyo, and found love along the way. The profile includes candid interviews with Simone, her mother Nellie, and her coach Cecile Landi. “I feel like for all these years I’ve kind of let gymnastics do the talking, and I’ve kind of stamped my position there,” said Biles on her place in gymnastics. “So at the end of the day, I can say I’ve done it all, and more.” Stephen A. Smith is under fire for comments he made on ESPN about the Nigerian men’s basketball team. On Monday’s edition of “First Take,” Smith appeared to mock the players as he called out Team USA for losing to Nigeria in an exhibition game over the weekend, as reported by Fade Away World. Many took to Twitter to slam Smith for appearing to mispronounce the names of several Nigerian players. “There’s no excuse to lose to Nigeria… [To lose to] some dude Gabe Nnamdi, who goes by Gabe Vincent and plays for the Miami Heat. Or Caleb Agada. Or Nma… however the hell you pronounce his name,” Smith declared. “You give up 60 points on 3’s? Excuse me, you can do better than that.” Several players clapped back on Twitter, telling Smith to show some respect when speaking about the team. https://youtu.be/IHBsdObZLcg A white woman had an epic meltdown inside a Victoria’s Secret location in New Jersey after she tried to attack a Black female shopper who filmed the confrontation. https://youtu.be/u5g9K0xY0-g CBS and the Television Academy have tapped The Neighborhood star Cedric the Entertainer to host the 2021 Emmy Awards. The awards will return to their usual home at the Microsoft Theatre in downtown L.A. for the Sept. 19 ceremony. The show will also feature a limited in-person audience of nominees and their guests after last year’s virtual affair. The executive producers of last year’s well-reviewed show (which aired on ABC), Reginald Hudlin and Ian Stewart, and director Hamish Hamilton will return for the 2021 Emmys. Done + Dusted and Hudlin Entertainment will produce. Gayle King revealed during an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci on CBS This Morning that her unvaccinated family members will not be welcome on her annual Thanksgiving vacation. “I don’t know how many more times you can say to people, ‘Listen, it will save your life,’ ” she told Fauci. “I have this problem with some members of my own family, which I’m now going to ban for Thanksgiving vacation. That’s how strongly I’m taking what you’re saying.” https://youtu.be/NXL7-4Mrm5c TV host Catt Sadler has revealed that she tested positive for COVID-19, despite being fully vaccinated, while issuing a warning to others about the ongoing need for safety precautions amid surging cases of the ‘relentless’ Delta variant. The 46-year-old former E! News host, who lives in Los Angeles, posted a selfie from her sick bed on Tuesday and explained she contracted the coronavirus while ‘caring for someone who contracted COVID’ and who was not vaccinated. ‘I’m telling you this so that you understand that the pandemic is very much NOT over. Delta is relentless and highly contagious and grabbed ahold of me even after getting vaccinated,’ she wrote on Instagram. Sadler, who did not share when she received the COVID shot, admitted that she ‘assumed she would be fine’ because she herself was fully vaccinated, insisting that she also wore a face mask during the time that she was in contact with the person she was caring for. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com They have built a business empire together and recently celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary. And throughout their journey, Chip and Joanna Gaines, are in agreement about one thing; quitting is not option for them. The couple talked about the key to their long-lasting relationship in an interview with Access Hollywood on Monday, revealing that they have never considered splitting up. https://youtu.be/m4x-ALQfcnk “I like spitting some of my own,” said Dylan Gilmer, who stars in season-two of the comedy series “Young Dylan” on Nickelodeon, when asked if he got to rap on season-one. “On season-one I got to rap but it wasn’t my own.” The Tyler Perry produced series, “Young Dylan,” is slightly based on the life of Dylan who came to fame rapping on Youtube. The high views landed him on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” then performing at “NBA All Star Weekend” events, to performing on “America’s Got Talent.” He was scouted by Perry for the comedian series. The Annapolis, Maryland native is currently 12 years-old and sounding so excited about his journey thus far. https://youtu.be/2an3Q0oizVM US director Oliver Stone returned to one of his favourite themes as he presented his latest movie at Cannes on Tuesday, claiming that president John F Kennedy was assassinated by the CIA because he stood up to the American military. Stone, whose new documentary on the killing was premiering at the Cannes film festival, also told reporters that he thought it was fear of being bumped off that kept Barack Obama from challenging the military and intelligence agencies during his time in office. “Obama, one of his biggest concerns when he was president, was being assassinated because he was the first black president,” Stone told reporters. “I think he had fears. I don’t know this, I’m just assuming this from his behaviour: don’t offend anybody, be moderate in all things.” Stone’s new documentary, “JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass”, pulls together evidence gathered in the three decades since his classic drama “JFK” — much of it released because of the furore triggered by that film. Wearing a wedding dress has been a lifelong dream for Martha Mae Ophelia Moon Tucker of Birmingham. KXAN reports that the 94-year-old got married in 1952 when her late husband said he would take her to the movies, and instead they ended up eloping. Moon Tucker never had a traditional wedding — but she at least got to try on dresses over the weekend surrounded by her family. The first dress she tried on was her favorite, making her feel like a queen, she said. “I felt like I was getting married,” Tucker said. “I looked at myself and said, ‘Who is that?’ Yeah, I enjoyed that dress.” Tucker, whose husband passed away in 1975, said she can’t thank her grandchildren enough for creating this special day for her. https://youtu.be/nxMEKXL40-M The late Natalie Cole opened up about her family’s colorism issues in her book, “Angel on My Shoulder: An Autobiography by Natalie Cole.” In the book, the music icon recalls moments when anti-Black racism isolated her from other Black Americans during childhood while growing up in Los Angeles’ exclusive Hancock Park section, as reported by I Love Old School Music. The Coles were the only Black residents in the neighborhood. “When I got friendly with the Black people who worked for us, MY MOTHER was appalled. She wanted us to interact with a different society-outside the house,” Cole wrote. Natalie’s famous father Nat King Cole married her light-skinned mother, Maria Cole, much to the disapproval of her family. “For a dark-skinned man such as my father to acquire a light-skinned woman such as my mother was a real important prize.Your status moved up. That doesn’t mean that her family was all that happy about her marrying my father. He was too Black for them,” wrote Natalie Cole. https://youtu.be/vl0obEOM1os Justin Glaze and Andrew Spencer, two of the Black men competing on the current season of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” are the latest in the franchise to be haunted by their racially-insensitive social media posts from the past. When Glaze was a teenager, he insulted dark-skinned Black women and used homophobic slurs in his offensive tweets from 2009-2011, four of which surfaced on Reddit. Justin regularly used the word gay slur “f*g.” One tweet states how he can never date a girl “if she dark as @FlavorFlav” or has a “body big enough to be an avatar.” He also shares his opinion that, instead of TV shows and movies featuring a “well spoken caucasian cashier, they need to have a rude black b**** as a cashier once.” Glaze owned up to the posts during the latest episode of the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast with Becca Kufrin and guest co-host Tayshia Adams. https://youtu.be/DnurAkXnYxs A video of rapper Trick Daddy getting into a verbal altercation with a woman has surfaced online. Hot97 reported, the incident took place outside of a Miami nightclub, and in the video, Trick and the woman appear to be arguing and getting a little physical before the video cuts off. According to the report, witnesses claim the hip-hop star paid for the woman and her friends to get into the club, and when they decided not to hang out with him afterward, he got upset. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRMZ_o2hher/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again While Lamar Odom reportedly doesn’t want any problems with Tristan Thompson, he still reportedly wants Khloé Kardashian back. Lamar Odom, who was married to Khloé Kardashian from 2009 to 2016, sparked drama with Tristan Thompson when he made a remark under one of the reality star’s photos. Lamar wrote, “Hottie.” Tristan Thompson, who has been off and on with Khloé Kardashian since 2016 and shares daughter True Thompson with her, told Lamar, “God brought you back the first time. Play if you want, different results”. It looks like Tristan was referencing Lamar’s near-death experience when he was found unconscious in a brothel due to an alleged cocaine overdose back in 2015. Either way, Khloé didn’t publicly respond to either of them. Now, an insider has said that Lamar didn’t mean to disrespect Tristan, and was under the impression Tristan and Khloé were no longer together. While reports have swirled that the Good American owner and Tristan split weeks ago, they haven’t confirmed or denied rumors. ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith apologized Tuesday after receiving backlash for his remarks about Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani’s use of an interpreter. “I want to express my sincere apologies to the Asian community and the Asian American community,” Smith said in his opening remarks on ESPN’s morning talk show “First Take.” “I am a Black man. I religiously go off about minorities being marginalized in this nation.” Smith’s monologue came after the ESPN commentator offered an apology late Monday, saying: “As an African-American, keenly aware of the damage stereotyping has done to many in this country, it should’ve elevated my sensitivities even more.” “I screwed up,” he added. “In this day and age, with all the violence being perpetrated against the Asian Community, my comments — albeit unintentional — were clearly insensitive and regrettable.” Team USA might indeed win its fourth consecutive Olympic gold next month in Tokyo. But if the Americans do, it will be a story of overcoming adversity. They lost their second consecutive exhibition Monday, this time bested by Australia 91-83 in Las Vegas. Dating to the 2019 World Cup, where they finished seventh, Team USA has lost four of its past five games. It also has lost two in a row now to Australia, a team expected to contend for the gold in Japan. It was a better showing than the loss to Nigeria on Saturday, but just reading those words is a little mind-boggling considering the pedigree of this roster and coaching staff. Their chemistry and execution, particularly in late-game situations, is holding the Americans back in their early stages of defending their title. All of England had been captivated at the prospect of being crowned European soccer champions for the first time, and the national team’s wrenching defeat on Sunday tore a collective wound — in more ways than one. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka were among the five England players who braved the pressures of the penalty shootout at the end of the championship. But they all missed the mark, unleashing a surge of racist abuse on social media against the players, all of whom are young Black men. In the early hours of Monday, Manchester police were called to Withington, in the south of the city, where Mr. Rashford was born, after receiving reports that racist graffiti had been scrawled on a monochrome mural of the soccer star. WE tv’s hit series “Beyond the Pole” returns this week with an all-new episode. This season on “Beyond the Pole,” Ms. Dime, Angel Kake, Empress, Lyric, Virgo, Gigi Maguire, Ya Ya, Treasure, and Milk Marie “Pinky” are dealing with a world that is changing along with their businesses. Everyone is feeling the stress of quarantine, staying masked-up, healthy, and keeping the bills paid in this new COVID reality. Now that the city of Atlanta has reopened, the women face these challenges as well as the pressure on their friendships, relationships and professional lives. https://youtu.be/kbsugGn0OlY Some albums are destined for a certain time. After several years of evolution and change in her life, Grammy® Award-Winning Artist, NAACP Image® Award-Winning Actress, Songwriter, and Producer, Tamela Mann, is set to release her new Tillymann Music album, Overcomer, through The Orchard Distribution on Friday, August 6. There is a new sense of authority and urgency in Tamela’s music now; she has lived these songs and is ready to share the strength and purpose she has found. Propelled by the singer’s strong, passionate vocals, and her newfound voice as a songwriter, each of the 12 tracks on Overcomer was conceived to bring healing and hope to a world resetting after a tumultuous chapter in its history. There is plenty to unpack from a lyrical standpoint, and Tamela is at the writing helm on most of the songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE7qIuNnVcQ Congratulations to Maverick City Music, who took home New Artist Of The Year and Album Of The Year at the 2021 Stellar Awards for the 2020 release of Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1. Between Maverick City Music and all of its artists, the Billboard No.1 collective garnered 11 Stellar Award nominations. The gospel event of the year, the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, will air on BET on Sunday, August 1st, at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT. Gospel legend Tye Tribbett and multiple Stellar Award winner Jekalyn Carr will host the highly-anticipated event, which will feature inspirational performances from the genre’s most celebrated artists. When Rep. Jim Clyburn speaks, he expects Democrats, including the president, to listen. The elder statesman sees a filibuster exception as the only way to move forward with election reform. In an interview with Politico, Clyburn said President Joe Biden needs to get aggressive with action on the filibuster. Clyburn stopped short of demanding a complete abolition of the procedure. But he thinks there should be action taken where the legislation involves constitutional rights. The White House has suggested it supports a “talking” filibuster, but the Biden Administration remains reluctant to support even the exception suggested by Clyburn. Clyburn isn’t the first to suggest tweaking the filibuster. Voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams previously suggested relaxing the filibuster. Four months ago, Abrams wrote an op-ed calling for the filibuster exception. From pioneering democratic presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm to political powerhouse Stacey Abrams, Black women have historically been instrumental in shaping the landscape of politics. Rosa Franklin—a woman who broke racial and gender barriers in Washington state’s political sphere—is being celebrated by the city of Tacoma by having a park renamed in her honor, KING 5 News reported. Franklin’s contributions will forever be embedded in the fabric of Washington’s history. The South Carolina native was the first Black woman to serve as a Washington state senator. The former nurse-turned-politician stepped into the realm of politics during the early 90s and has dedicated her career to advancing public service. In 1990, she was elected to the Washington State Legislature and was re-elected two years later. Two months after her reelection, the individual serving as State Senator of the 29th District passed away and she was appointed to replace him. After winning the election for the seat the following year, she had three consecutive reelections; serving in the role through 2010. Franklin’s work was rooted in addressing healthcare inequities, housing disparities and social injustice. She paved the way for other Black women who strived to use civic engagement as a means for evoking change in their communities and beyond. Prince William probably should have thought twice after tweeting he rebuked the racist cyberbullying attacks against three Black soccer players who missed penalty kicks in a high stakes game against Italy in the European Championship final on Sunday. “I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match. It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behavior,” Prince William tweeted from the official Duke and Duchess of Cambridge account. “It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable.” While anyone with a sense of intelligence and decency would agree with Prince William statement of support towards players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka, it seems interesting given account that the Duke nor the Duchess weighed that same energy towards their own family members, specifically his sister-in-law Meghan Markle. When it comes to police brutality it’s not just racist White cops who beat and lie on Black people. Other people of color can be racist too. It happened in Rock Hill, South Carolina last month when Jonathan Moreno beat up an innocent man in the line of duty then lied about it on the police report. It turned out to be one lie too many. https://youtu.be/tOrY9ctpvwI Charlie Robinson, the ubiquitous character actor of the stage and screen who played an untold number of roles that were all memorable, including a clerk on the hit 1980s sitcom, “Night Court,” has died at the age of 75. Variety reported that Robinson died Sunday (July 11) following complications from cardiac arrest and cancer. https://youtu.be/4TiaIBx56bw A 12-year-old girl died Saturday following her birthday celebration with family after the car she was traveling in was swept off of a roadway in St. Louis, Missouri. The devastating news of Aaleya Carter’s death was confirmed by a Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) spokesperson after her body was recovered Saturday afternoon. The family was traveling home on Interstate 70 when they came across floodwaters. Cpl. Juston Wheetley told KTVI the car attempted a U-turn to avoid the flooded roadway when Aaleya was swept into a concrete drain opening. “She was fatally injured as a result of being swept in the drain,” Wheetley said. “This was a fluke thing. This is not something we’ve seen before.” “She was out this morning with her mom and brother, and sister enjoying her birthday,” Tanya Carter, Aaleya’s grandmother told KTVI. Clear Creek Community Church cancelled services again on Sunday, July 11, and Wednesday, July 14 at all campuses. In addition, there will be no Revive and Restore Forum on July 11. Other gatherings for the week have been canceled or postponed. Here’s why. The COVID outbreak at Student Ministry Camp came in two waves. The first wave happened at camp, the second wave happened when people brought the virus home to their families on June 27. The Galveston County Health District advised us to close for a second Sunday. We believe that’s the wisest choice to quell further transmission of the virus. https://youtu.be/MyMj-odD23Q Four new bishops were elected to the African Methodist Episcopal Church on Saturday (July 10), the final day of the denomination’s General Conference in Orlando, Florida. Four general officers and two judicial council members were also elected. The Rev. Francine A. Brookins is the first biracial bishop to be elected, and Advocate Thabile M. Ngubeni is the first African lay person elected by the General Conference to hold any office. Also elected bishop was the Rev. Dr. Silvester Scott Beaman, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Delaware, who delivered the benediction at President Biden’s inauguration. He will serve the 15th Episcopal District, which includes Western South Africa, Namibia and Angola. The other bishops elected are the Rev. Marvin Clyde Zanders II, pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Rev. Dr. Frederick A. Wright Sr., pastor of Quinn Chapel in Cincinnati, Ohio. They will serve the 16th District (Caribbean, South America and Europe) and the 20th District (Malawi, Zimbabwe and Uganda), respectively. Londre Sylvester, a 31-year old Chicago rapper, was shot 64 times Saturday night just after his release from a Cook County jail, the Chicago Tribune reports. Sylvester, who goes by the stage name KTS Dre, was walking towards a waiting vehicle when several suspects emerged from two vehicles and fired multiple rounds at him, according to police. The suspects then got back in the cars and fled the scene. Sylvester was walking with a 60-year old woman who suffered a bullet wound in the leg. The rapper had been behind bars since April due to a felony gun charge, NBC Chicago reports. None of the suspects involved have been arrested. Disney and Marvel’s superhero adventure “Black Widow” captured a massive $80 million in its first weekend, crushing the benchmark for the biggest box office debut since the pandemic. The film, starring Scarlett Johansson, is the first from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to open simultaneously in movie theaters and on Disney Plus, where subscribers can rent “Black Widow” for an extra $30. Disney reported that “Black Widow” generated more than $60 million “in Disney Plus Premier Access consumer spend globally,” marking the rare occasion in which a studio disclosed the profits made from streaming. Model Winnie Harlow joins the judges’ table on the second season of Amazon Prime’s “Making the Cut!“ Last season Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn returned to televsion with a new fashion designer competition show. The show features 10 contestants in hope of becoming the next global brand. Each week the designers compete and showcase their creative design talents to the judges in hopes of making the final cut! Harlow is no stranger to this form of competition – in 2014 she was a contestant on the 21st season of “America’s Next Top Model.” She knows all about the pressure to perform and the stress of hoping one isn’t eliminated from week to week. We spoke with Harlow about her experience from the other side of the table. She credits Klum and Jeremy Scott (designer) for helping her become comfortable enough to step into the role of judge – while still being new to the fashion industry. Tuesday’s episode of “America’s Got Talent” will feature a familiar face. Ray Singleton, the husband who went viral for singing to his wife, Roslyn, as she battled brain cancer for the second time, will take the stage in hopes of moving forward in the NBC talent show, airing at 8 p.m. tonight. The Charlotte, North Carolina couple’s emotional story caught the ears of Ellen DeGeneres and led to an appearance on her talk show. Now, with Roslyn again cancer free, “AGT” is next on their slate. https://youtu.be/iYL1vSxmVoE Joy Black knew that her life would one day change the moment she held a violin for the first time at age 13. She was a girl in the 8th grade who was routinely bullied for being skinny and for being different. In fact, the teasing was so excessive, that at one point it drove her to developing an eating disorder. However, on one fateful night, an unexpected dream completely altered her life – paving the way for a musician who would eventually work with major corporations and some of the biggest stars in entertainment. “In my dream I saw myself on stage in front of thousands of people. It felt so real and it gave me a sense of hope and something to strive for,” said Black. “I had never even seen or heard of a black woman playing the violin, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The violin is literally the reason I made it through high school, because my orchestra class was at the end of the day. No matter what I had to endure during the rest of school, I wanted to be there. That was my escape.” Fast forward to present-day, and the 24-year old has performed at events for Ford, Gatorade, CBS, the New England Patriots, Essence and many other companies. https://youtu.be/iZZv2BDtP50 Joe Brown says that in the eyes of the USA, Bill Cosby is innocent. Joe Brown says women need to take responsibility for their “groupie” behavior. Women know what men want. They know what the prime rib and the walk in the park and the going back to the apartment is about. Joe Brown says that what is wrong with America is this: everybody gets a prize for losing. Joe Brown also said that what is wrong in America is a lack of manhood and masculinity. https://youtu.be/6nBDNsNSga4 One of New York City’s most popular comedy clubs has refused to allow Bill Cosby to book the venue to make his return to stand-up comedy. Cosby is plotting a tour on the heels of his prison release, and his camp says several promoters and comedy clubs are interested — but the famed Comedy Cellar in NYC’s Greenwich Village is definitely not. Owner Noam Dworman tells TMZ … his venue’s not the slightest bit interested, and he doesn’t want Bill to even step foot inside his club. While the Comedy Cellar is known for allowing comics and content that make audiences super uncomfortable, it sounds like Cosby is off-limits. It’s worth noting the club did allow Louis C.K. and Aziz Ansari on its stage in 2018 after both were accused of sexual misconduct. https://youtu.be/qQXpMhtlzeQ What started as a random role in FORREST GUMP became one of actor Gary Sinise’s calling cards. Sinise, who played Lt. Dan in the popular movie, now travels with a band of the same name and gives back to military families, according to an article by Movieguide® Staff at www.movieguide.org. Movieguide® says Sinise has brought the Lt. Dan Band to major war zones to inspire American troops, and it makes the actor all the more grateful for American freedom. “I’ve stood on the border between North and South Korea several times,” Sinise said in an interview with Fox News. When probably most of us saw Jeremy Suarez for the first time, he was a six-year-old boy working next to Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Regina King in “Jerry Maguire.” Today (July 12, 2021), Suarez, a married man already, is (now) 31. Jeremy Suarez, best known as Jordan on the “Bernie Mac Show,” talked about working with late comedian Bernie Mac, transitioning from a child to adult actor, and dealing with anxiety during the lockdown. He described Bernie Mac as a great teacher and mentor who had a joke for everything and would constantly let young actors try their ad-libs and push jokes father than what was on the script. The late comedian gave them room to get better at their craft and develop their styles. Jeremy Suarez added: “Even more astounding was [Mac’s] heart of gold and his ability to be so down to earth and personable with everybody he met. Honestly, that’s what’s sticks with me the most.” If they’re lucky, every artist has an album that is a game-changer — a body of work that propels their career to a new level. For Amy Grant, that album was Heart in Motion. The six-time Grammy winner is celebrating the 30th anniversary of that iconic album with a special double-disc out Friday via Capitol Christian Music Group that features previously unreleased tracks and updated remixes. Sitting in the kitchen of her Nashville home, Grant — who had open heart surgery last year — doesn’t look old enough to be celebrating such a milestone. But then, throughout her career, Grant has maintained the same youthful glow she had when she began as a guitar-wielding, songwriting teen looking to follow in the footsteps of influences like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Carole King. Only 44 percent of American employers asked their workers what their preferences were for returning to the office, a new study by executive coaching organization Vistage has found. The majority of firms with workers who had gone remote because of COVID-19 restrictions came up with policies about what to do when the rules were relaxed without asking their workers, it found. The finding comes as the issue of workforces returning to offices— or not— becomes a more widespread question for C-suites. About 50 percent of American jobs cannot be completed remotely, said Robert Pozen, senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and co-author of “Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work… Wherever You Are.” StarNews Mobile, the leading mobile video network helping content creators, celebrities and brands monetize their content in Africa, today announced its partnership with Culture Genesis, the largest black-owned digital platform with over 15 million fans and 500 million monthly views, to distribute All Def Comedy and Music channels to over 430 million mobile subscribers via Orange and MTN in Africa. Initially, All Def’s “Dad Jokes,” “Great Taste,” “Roast Me” comedy shows and “Arts & Raps” and “Bar Exam” music shows will be shared in Nigeria—the largest mobile user market in Africa with 150 million mobile subscribers—as well as in South Africa with 80 million mobile subscribers. Plans for further expansion will be announced in the coming weeks. https://youtu.be/iEWBUhT7a-U Some albums are destined for a certain time. After several years of evolution and change in her life, Grammy® Award-Winning Artist, NAACP Image® Award-Winning Actress, Songwriter, and Producer, Tamela Mann, is set to release her new Tillymann Music album, Overcomer, through The Orchard Distribution on Friday, August 6. There is a new sense of authority and urgency in Tamela’s music now; she has lived these songs and is ready to share the strength and purpose she has found. Propelled by the singer’s strong, passionate vocals, and her newfound voice as a songwriter, each of the 12 tracks on Overcomer was conceived to bring healing and hope to a world resetting after a tumultuous chapter in its history. There is plenty to unpack from a lyrical standpoint, and Tamela is at the writing helm on most of the songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE7qIuNnVcQ Congratulations to Maverick City Music, who took home New Artist Of The Year and Album Of The Year at the 2021 Stellar Awards for the 2020 release of Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1. Between Maverick City Music and all of its artists, the Billboard No.1 collective garnered 11 Stellar Award nominations. The gospel event of the year, the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, will air on BET on Sunday, August 1st, at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT. Gospel legend Tye Tribbett and multiple Stellar Award winner Jekalyn Carr will host the highly-anticipated event, which will feature inspirational performances from the genre’s most celebrated artists. When Rep. Jim Clyburn speaks, he expects Democrats, including the president, to listen. The elder statesman sees a filibuster exception as the only way to move forward with election reform. In an interview with Politico, Clyburn said President Joe Biden needs to get aggressive with action on the filibuster. Clyburn stopped short of demanding a complete abolition of the procedure. But he thinks there should be action taken where the legislation involves constitutional rights. The White House has suggested it supports a “talking” filibuster, but the Biden Administration remains reluctant to support even the exception suggested by Clyburn. Clyburn isn’t the first to suggest tweaking the filibuster. Voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams previously suggested relaxing the filibuster. Four months ago, Abrams wrote an op-ed calling for the filibuster exception. From pioneering democratic presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm to political powerhouse Stacey Abrams, Black women have historically been instrumental in shaping the landscape of politics. Rosa Franklin—a woman who broke racial and gender barriers in Washington state’s political sphere—is being celebrated by the city of Tacoma by having a park renamed in her honor, KING 5 News reported. Franklin’s contributions will forever be embedded in the fabric of Washington’s history. The South Carolina native was the first Black woman to serve as a Washington state senator. The former nurse-turned-politician stepped into the realm of politics during the early 90s and has dedicated her career to advancing public service. In 1990, she was elected to the Washington State Legislature and was re-elected two years later. Two months after her reelection, the individual serving as State Senator of the 29th District passed away and she was appointed to replace him. After winning the election for the seat the following year, she had three consecutive reelections; serving in the role through 2010. Franklin’s work was rooted in addressing healthcare inequities, housing disparities and social injustice. She paved the way for other Black women who strived to use civic engagement as a means for evoking change in their communities and beyond. Prince William probably should have thought twice after tweeting he rebuked the racist cyberbullying attacks against three Black soccer players who missed penalty kicks in a high stakes game against Italy in the European Championship final on Sunday. “I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match. It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behavior,” Prince William tweeted from the official Duke and Duchess of Cambridge account. “It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable.” While anyone with a sense of intelligence and decency would agree with Prince William statement of support towards players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka, it seems interesting given account that the Duke nor the Duchess weighed that same energy towards their own family members, specifically his sister-in-law Meghan Markle. When it comes to police brutality it’s not just racist White cops who beat and lie on Black people. Other people of color can be racist too. It happened in Rock Hill, South Carolina last month when Jonathan Moreno beat up an innocent man in the line of duty then lied about it on the police report. It turned out to be one lie too many. https://youtu.be/tOrY9ctpvwI Charlie Robinson, the ubiquitous character actor of the stage and screen who played an untold number of roles that were all memorable, including a clerk on the hit 1980s sitcom, “Night Court,” has died at the age of 75. Variety reported that Robinson died Sunday (July 11) following complications from cardiac arrest and cancer. https://youtu.be/4TiaIBx56bw A 12-year-old girl died Saturday following her birthday celebration with family after the car she was traveling in was swept off of a roadway in St. Louis, Missouri. The devastating news of Aaleya Carter’s death was confirmed by a Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) spokesperson after her body was recovered Saturday afternoon. The family was traveling home on Interstate 70 when they came across floodwaters. Cpl. Juston Wheetley told KTVI the car attempted a U-turn to avoid the flooded roadway when Aaleya was swept into a concrete drain opening. “She was fatally injured as a result of being swept in the drain,” Wheetley said. “This was a fluke thing. This is not something we’ve seen before.” “She was out this morning with her mom and brother, and sister enjoying her birthday,” Tanya Carter, Aaleya’s grandmother told KTVI. Clear Creek Community Church cancelled services again on Sunday, July 11, and Wednesday, July 14 at all campuses. In addition, there will be no Revive and Restore Forum on July 11. Other gatherings for the week have been canceled or postponed. Here’s why. The COVID outbreak at Student Ministry Camp came in two waves. The first wave happened at camp, the second wave happened when people brought the virus home to their families on June 27. The Galveston County Health District advised us to close for a second Sunday. We believe that’s the wisest choice to quell further transmission of the virus. https://youtu.be/MyMj-odD23Q Four new bishops were elected to the African Methodist Episcopal Church on Saturday (July 10), the final day of the denomination’s General Conference in Orlando, Florida. Four general officers and two judicial council members were also elected. The Rev. Francine A. Brookins is the first biracial bishop to be elected, and Advocate Thabile M. Ngubeni is the first African lay person elected by the General Conference to hold any office. Also elected bishop was the Rev. Dr. Silvester Scott Beaman, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Delaware, who delivered the benediction at President Biden’s inauguration. He will serve the 15th Episcopal District, which includes Western South Africa, Namibia and Angola. The other bishops elected are the Rev. Marvin Clyde Zanders II, pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Rev. Dr. Frederick A. Wright Sr., pastor of Quinn Chapel in Cincinnati, Ohio. They will serve the 16th District (Caribbean, South America and Europe) and the 20th District (Malawi, Zimbabwe and Uganda), respectively. Londre Sylvester, a 31-year old Chicago rapper, was shot 64 times Saturday night just after his release from a Cook County jail, the Chicago Tribune reports. Sylvester, who goes by the stage name KTS Dre, was walking towards a waiting vehicle when several suspects emerged from two vehicles and fired multiple rounds at him, according to police. The suspects then got back in the cars and fled the scene. Sylvester was walking with a 60-year old woman who suffered a bullet wound in the leg. The rapper had been behind bars since April due to a felony gun charge, NBC Chicago reports. None of the suspects involved have been arrested. Disney and Marvel’s superhero adventure “Black Widow” captured a massive $80 million in its first weekend, crushing the benchmark for the biggest box office debut since the pandemic. The film, starring Scarlett Johansson, is the first from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to open simultaneously in movie theaters and on Disney Plus, where subscribers can rent “Black Widow” for an extra $30. Disney reported that “Black Widow” generated more than $60 million “in Disney Plus Premier Access consumer spend globally,” marking the rare occasion in which a studio disclosed the profits made from streaming. Model Winnie Harlow joins the judges’ table on the second season of Amazon Prime’s “Making the Cut!“ Last season Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn returned to televsion with a new fashion designer competition show. The show features 10 contestants in hope of becoming the next global brand. Each week the designers compete and showcase their creative design talents to the judges in hopes of making the final cut! Harlow is no stranger to this form of competition – in 2014 she was a contestant on the 21st season of “America’s Next Top Model.” She knows all about the pressure to perform and the stress of hoping one isn’t eliminated from week to week. We spoke with Harlow about her experience from the other side of the table. She credits Klum and Jeremy Scott (designer) for helping her become comfortable enough to step into the role of judge – while still being new to the fashion industry. Tuesday’s episode of “America’s Got Talent” will feature a familiar face. Ray Singleton, the husband who went viral for singing to his wife, Roslyn, as she battled brain cancer for the second time, will take the stage in hopes of moving forward in the NBC talent show, airing at 8 p.m. tonight. The Charlotte, North Carolina couple’s emotional story caught the ears of Ellen DeGeneres and led to an appearance on her talk show. Now, with Roslyn again cancer free, “AGT” is next on their slate. https://youtu.be/iYL1vSxmVoE Joy Black knew that her life would one day change the moment she held a violin for the first time at age 13. She was a girl in the 8th grade who was routinely bullied for being skinny and for being different. In fact, the teasing was so excessive, that at one point it drove her to developing an eating disorder. However, on one fateful night, an unexpected dream completely altered her life – paving the way for a musician who would eventually work with major corporations and some of the biggest stars in entertainment. “In my dream I saw myself on stage in front of thousands of people. It felt so real and it gave me a sense of hope and something to strive for,” said Black. “I had never even seen or heard of a black woman playing the violin, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The violin is literally the reason I made it through high school, because my orchestra class was at the end of the day. No matter what I had to endure during the rest of school, I wanted to be there. That was my escape.” Fast forward to present-day, and the 24-year old has performed at events for Ford, Gatorade, CBS, the New England Patriots, Essence and many other companies. https://youtu.be/iZZv2BDtP50 Joe Brown says that in the eyes of the USA, Bill Cosby is innocent. Joe Brown says women need to take responsibility for their “groupie” behavior. Women know what men want. They know what the prime rib and the walk in the park and the going back to the apartment is about. Joe Brown says that what is wrong with America is this: everybody gets a prize for losing. Joe Brown also said that what is wrong in America is a lack of manhood and masculinity. https://youtu.be/6nBDNsNSga4 One of New York City’s most popular comedy clubs has refused to allow Bill Cosby to book the venue to make his return to stand-up comedy. Cosby is plotting a tour on the heels of his prison release, and his camp says several promoters and comedy clubs are interested — but the famed Comedy Cellar in NYC’s Greenwich Village is definitely not. Owner Noam Dworman tells TMZ … his venue’s not the slightest bit interested, and he doesn’t want Bill to even step foot inside his club. While the Comedy Cellar is known for allowing comics and content that make audiences super uncomfortable, it sounds like Cosby is off-limits. It’s worth noting the club did allow Louis C.K. and Aziz Ansari on its stage in 2018 after both were accused of sexual misconduct. https://youtu.be/qQXpMhtlzeQ What started as a random role in FORREST GUMP became one of actor Gary Sinise’s calling cards. Sinise, who played Lt. Dan in the popular movie, now travels with a band of the same name and gives back to military families, according to an article by Movieguide® Staff at www.movieguide.org. Movieguide® says Sinise has brought the Lt. Dan Band to major war zones to inspire American troops, and it makes the actor all the more grateful for American freedom. “I’ve stood on the border between North and South Korea several times,” Sinise said in an interview with Fox News. When probably most of us saw Jeremy Suarez for the first time, he was a six-year-old boy working next to Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Regina King in “Jerry Maguire.” Today (July 12, 2021), Suarez, a married man already, is (now) 31. Jeremy Suarez, best known as Jordan on the “Bernie Mac Show,” talked about working with late comedian Bernie Mac, transitioning from a child to adult actor, and dealing with anxiety during the lockdown. He described Bernie Mac as a great teacher and mentor who had a joke for everything and would constantly let young actors try their ad-libs and push jokes father than what was on the script. The late comedian gave them room to get better at their craft and develop their styles. Jeremy Suarez added: “Even more astounding was [Mac’s] heart of gold and his ability to be so down to earth and personable with everybody he met. Honestly, that’s what’s sticks with me the most.” If they’re lucky, every artist has an album that is a game-changer — a body of work that propels their career to a new level. For Amy Grant, that album was Heart in Motion. The six-time Grammy winner is celebrating the 30th anniversary of that iconic album with a special double-disc out Friday via Capitol Christian Music Group that features previously unreleased tracks and updated remixes. Sitting in the kitchen of her Nashville home, Grant — who had open heart surgery last year — doesn’t look old enough to be celebrating such a milestone. But then, throughout her career, Grant has maintained the same youthful glow she had when she began as a guitar-wielding, songwriting teen looking to follow in the footsteps of influences like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Carole King. Only 44 percent of American employers asked their workers what their preferences were for returning to the office, a new study by executive coaching organization Vistage has found. The majority of firms with workers who had gone remote because of COVID-19 restrictions came up with policies about what to do when the rules were relaxed without asking their workers, it found. The finding comes as the issue of workforces returning to offices— or not— becomes a more widespread question for C-suites. About 50 percent of American jobs cannot be completed remotely, said Robert Pozen, senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and co-author of “Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work… Wherever You Are.” StarNews Mobile, the leading mobile video network helping content creators, celebrities and brands monetize their content in Africa, today announced its partnership with Culture Genesis, the largest black-owned digital platform with over 15 million fans and 500 million monthly views, to distribute All Def Comedy and Music channels to over 430 million mobile subscribers via Orange and MTN in Africa. Initially, All Def’s “Dad Jokes,” “Great Taste,” “Roast Me” comedy shows and “Arts & Raps” and “Bar Exam” music shows will be shared in Nigeria—the largest mobile user market in Africa with 150 million mobile subscribers—as well as in South Africa with 80 million mobile subscribers. Plans for further expansion will be announced in the coming weeks. https://youtu.be/iEWBUhT7a-U Everybody has priorities. It just so happens that for the vast majority of humans, going to space is probably not at the top of their lists. Instead, there are basic human needs that warrant much more immediate attention, what with the scourges of poverty, homelessness, unemployment, education, oh, and a little something called the COVID-19 pandemic — to name but a few urgent matters — refusing to budge from their evil perches across the world. It was in that context that Gil Scott-Heron in 1970 penned and performed his iconic poem-song, “Whitey On The Moon,” which was a nod to the privileges enjoyed by non-Black people that allowed them to pursue their prideful pet projects that did not necessarily make the world a better place for most Americans. It may have also been in that same context that some cynics viewed Sir Richard Branson‘s flight launch on Sunday to the “upper sky” (© Michael Harriot). The mega-billionaire had the news cycle in a stranglehold after billing his Virgin Galactic company’s sleek new space aircraft launch as all but the Second Coming for the aerospace industry, flying just 50 miles above the earth with a crew of civilians over a New Mexico desert. https://youtu.be/goh2x_G0ct4 Come November, Black men could hold two of the most powerful positions in New York City. While the general election is months away, Alvin Bragg and Eric Adams — who recently won their primary elections — will likely win, given the city’s Democratic-leaning voting tendencies. On track to be Manhattan’s first Black district attorney, Bragg joined Adams — who is poised to be New York Citys second-ever Black mayor — and the Rev. Al Sharpton on stage Saturday for a National Action Network rally. The historic nature of the two men’s ascension to these positions is more than an interesting footnote. As the Manhattan district attorney, Bragg will take over one of the nation’s highest-profile cases. Outgoing District Attorney Cy Vance will hand over the investigation and prosecution of the Trump Organization case to his successor. Black women are shattering glass ceilings and changing the narrative surrounding representation when it comes to leadership in medicine. Dr. KMarie King was recently appointed to serve as the chair of the Department of Surgery and Chief of Surgery at Albany Medical Center, making her the first Black woman to sit at the helm of a surgery division at an Academic Health Sciences Center in the United States. Dr. King—who currently serves as chief of surgery and medical director for surgical quality at Grady Memorial Hospital and a professor at Morehouse School of Medicine—has dedicated her career to advancing medical research surrounding pancreatic and liver cancers. The Washington University alum, who served in the United States Army, did her residency training in general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and earned a master’s degree in biomedical science at the Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic where she also completed her fellowship training. The first Black American female transplant surgeon has called out the racial biased that permeates the organ donation system. Velma Scantlebury told Zenger that Black Americans continue to face unique disadvantages with the organ donation process compared to whites. Scantlebury, who has worked in the industry since 1989, said what Black Americans need most is greater awareness about the need for more organ donors. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp officially launched his re-election campaign. Complete with a softball interview with the Associated Press, Kemp positioned his tenure positively with a moderated approach toward success for all Georgians. Reading more like a conversation between old friends at the local good ol’ boys club than an interview with a sitting elected official, the Associated Press article allows Kemp to mischaracterize his record. Kemp knows that the 2022 election will no doubt be a fight to the finish. And while he tries to present himself as a balanced, effective leader, Kemp has leaned into hyperpartisan arguments to the detriment of Georgians as a whole. Here are five ways Kemp put party and political ambition over the public good in the past year alone. Kemp Fed Into Trump’s False Claims About the Georgia Election, Misleading on Critical Race Theory While Georgia Schools Remain Underfunded, Advocating for Bad Waiver Plan To Avoid Medicaid Expansion, Botched Pandemic Response and Ended Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Early. The Aurora, Colorado police officer who was captured on camera last year harassing a Black family that he thought had stolen a car has again caused controversy after announcing he’s running for sheriff. Brittany Gilliam said she was scrolling through her phone to find another nail salon when an Aurora police officer approached her car. She said, “He proceeded to handcuff me and I saw him handcuff the kids, so I started getting angry. ‘Why are you handcuffing kids for?’” Her 12-year-old sister and 17-year-old niece were handcuffed while lying on the parking lot asphalt. Her 6-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old niece were also obeying police commands to lay on the ground. https://youtu.be/MZeaTN50W2k From Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-Georges to Florence Price, there have been several barrier-breaking Black composers throughout history who have used their artistry to shape the genre of classical music. Their legacies live on through new generations of musicians who are changing the narrative surrounding representation. According to Harlem World Magazine, the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra is slated to make history as the first all-Black classical symphony orchestra to perform at Carnegie Hall. Founded in 1993 by pianist and music professor Armenta Adams Hummings Dumisa, the Gateways Music Orchestra was cultivated to connect Black musicians with a shared passion for classical music. It was also developed as a safe space for Black musicians who were often marginalized when seeking work. Since its inception, the collective of musicians—who have been a part of prestigious orchestras that include the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonics—has grown to 125 people. A man suspected of executing a father after a fender bender during Puerto Rican Parade celebrations in Chicago’s Humboldt Park was arrested in San Diego and charged with murder in the crime that was caught on video and went viral for its shocking brutality. Anthony Lorenzi, 34, was arrested Friday by the U.S. Marshals in a parking lot of an apartment complex in San Diego, where he had fled the day after shooting Gyovanny Arzuaga, 24, twice in his head, officials said Saturday. A memorial featuring 200 photos of Black people whose lives were lost due to racial injustice or police brutality was unveiled Saturday at the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art. The “Say Their Names” exhibit, free to the public, is a nationwide, grass-roots initiative that began in Portland, Oregon, and will be open and accessible in San Diego daily through July 25. The exhibit was sparked by the protests that began nationwide in 2020 after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. San Diego will specifically remember the life of Demetrius DuBose, a former NFL player who was shot 12 times, five in the back, and killed by two San Diego Police Department officers in Pacific Beach on July 24, 1999, after an attempted arrest. https://youtu.be/aNCTcS8sdKE British police are investigating the racist abuse of three Black players who missed penalty kicks in England’s shootout loss to Italy Sunday in the European Championship final. The Metropolitan Police condemned the “unacceptable” abuse of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, and said they will be investigating the “offensive and racist” social media posts published soon after Italy won Sunday’s shootout 3-2 after the match ended 1-1. The English Football Association said it was “appalled” by the “disgusting behavior,” adding that social media companies should take action to make their platforms free from this “abhorrent” abuse. https://youtu.be/1TVZ5JJWL0g Ben Carson did his usual Ben Carson thing during an appearance at this weekend’s CPAC conference, this time suggesting that the Black family unit was more in tact and stronger under slavery than under federal assistance policies such as welfare. Donald Trump’s former HUD Secretary remarked: “When you look at what the Black community has been through, go all the way back to slavery. It was the family, the strong family units and the faith in God that got people through that, that got people through Jim Crow, through severe segregation, through all the difficulties.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1414290035696877572 Sha’Carri Richardson was banned from competing in the 2021 Olympics because of a ruling by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. That decision has become very unpopular with the majority of athletes chiming in with an opinion. However, one of them, a fellow Black female Olympic athlete, doesn’t have a problem with it. Three-time Olympic gold medalist, Dominique Dawes, told CNN that Richardson’s disqualification after testing positive for marijuana on June 19 was fair, during a recent appearance. Last Wednesday (07-07-21), Dawes, 44, told CNN’s Chris Cuomo that the rules should be enforced, even if that means disqualifying a noteworthy competitor like Richardson who was expected to challenge for gold. https://youtu.be/-IBOPLNeiHM RCA Inspiration celebrated four wins and a night of powerful performances as the 36th Annual Stellar Awards returned big with a live show taped in Nashville, TN on July 10th. Hailed as the greatest night in Gospel music, this year’s Stellar Awards brought together a luminous, joyful evening of inspiration, with four wins announced for hit releases from Kierra Sheard-Kelly and Donnie McClurkin. The Stellar Awards weekend also featured appearances from Hezekiah Walker, Kirk Franklin, Mali Music, and DOE. Kierra Sheard-Kelly took the stage for two performances, as well as garnering multiple honors for Contemporary Album of the Year, while the hit song “Something Has to Break (Live) ft. Tasha Cobbs Leonard” won Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year (Dir: James Hairston IV). In addition to her solo performance of “Something Has to Break,” Kierra joined her mother and aunts, the legendary The Clark Sisters, in their stunning performance of their classic hits, and celebrated their family’s special night at the Stellars, who honored The Clark Sisters with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. Donnie McClurkin won Traditional Male Artist of the Year for his hit album A DIFFERENT SONG and appeared as a presenter. Kirk Franklin was also a presenter and Hezekiah Walker performed. Mali Music joined Jonathan McReynolds in performing their hit duet “Movin’ On.” Mali also joined DOE in hosting the Stellar Awards Chairman’s Nominee Reception and Pre-Show Awards on July 9th. Multiple award winner Jekalyn Carr took the stage last Friday at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, wowing the crowd with custom couture as she co-hosted the 36th Annual Stellar Awards for the first time. Carr, who stunned the audience in five custom looks styled by celebrity stylist J.Bolin, is the youngest host in Stellar Awards history. She won two trophies, adding to her expanding collection, for Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year for "Changing Your Story." The two Stellar Awards wins come on the heels of Carr's recent induction into the Women's Songwriters Hall of Fame and earning her fifth #1 single. The song "Jehovah Jireh." Ahmir Thompson, better known as the DJ and producer Questlove, takes Wall Street Journal inside his “post-pandemic mode,” and getting his health on the right track. “It’s not lost to me that people in my field, especially in my occupation, tend to die at this age. I’ve had a scare or two where a heart tremor might have been the seed of a cardiac arrest or that sort of thing. I don’t want to be the next rapper to die of a stroke at 54, 55,” the tells the publication. Earlier this month the musician dropped his directorial debut titled “Summer of Soul,’ which is now streaming on Hulu. The project, per press release, is a transcendent music documentary and cultural artifact with never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more. https://youtu.be/U1Eg-vtSABE A&E Network has announced the return of its two acclaimed documentary series in August. Season two of “Accused: Guilty or Innocent?” will premiere on Thursday, August 19 at 10pm ET/PT. https://youtu.be/kyr4ozxZbb4 A&E Network has announced the return of its two acclaimed documentary series in August. Season 2 of “Kids Behind Bars: Life or Parole” premieres Thursday, August 26 at 9pm ET/PT. https://youtu.be/xydL6Gp-rg8 The Real Housewives of the Potomac” star Wendy Osefo is speaking out about being “blindsided” by the messy actions of co-star Gizelle Bryant. “There were a lot of dynamic shifts, so there’s people who I didn’t think I would be besties with, who I’m besties with,” she told “Entertainment Tonight.” “And there’s people who I thought I’ll be besties with that I’m not.” https://youtu.be/40gicmdyxfw Wendy Williams is catching heat from the mother of TikTok star Matima ‘Swavy’ Miller after the talk show host commented about the death of the 19-year-old on her shot last week. Williams appeared to make light of Swavy’s death on her daytime talk show and now his mother and brother want her to apologize. We spoke with Swavy’s mom and older sibling — Chanell Clark and Rahkim Clark, respectively — about the segment Wendy did earlier this week on-camera … where she introduced Swavy to her audience by comparing social media followers, and throwing up a not-so-flattering photo of him — this before getting to the lede … namely, him being killed. Rahkim takes the lead on explaining why Wendy’s words were so hurtful. As he points out — this isn’t just another celebrity news gossip story she may normally cover in her day-to-day lineup … this is their own flesh and blood, and it’s real life for them. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-07-11-071121-rahkim-1200995/ After an eight-year stint in corporate America, media personality WeezyWTF left office life for a career focused on showcasing sex-positive stories and conversations as co-host of the popular podcast, Whoreible Decisions. Now she’s hosting a provocative new series on Fuse called “Sex Sells” that explores the different ways people have built businesses around sex — without having it — by celebrating and spotlighting how sex can be entrepreneurial and empowering. Eddie Murphy’s son and Martin Lawrence’s daughter are reportedly dating. On Saturday, Martin’s daughter Jasmin Lawrence took to social media to wish Eddie’s son Eric Murphy a happy birthday on Instagram. “Happy birthday, my love! I’m so incredibly blessed to know you, to love you, and to have you by my side,” Jasmin, 25, wrote alongside two photographs of the pair, confirming that they are indeed a couple. “Cheers to many more blessings, laughs, and beautiful memories! I love you so much!!” she added. A TikTok video featuring a Brooklyn native commenting on how New Yorkers handled the flooding from Tropical Storm Elsa has gone viral with over 7 million views. “It’s bad out here folks. People out here with the Missy Elliot garbage bags trying to make it to the train,” says Katherine G. Mendoza over footage of a man stepping in a trash bag through a subway in waist deep in water. Mendoza, from Williamsburg, gave her hilarious take on what she calls the “New York determination.” “I would never do that. Let me tell you why,” she said. “I understand that some people live really far – so they got to do what they got to do, but I’m not about to drown in a New York City subway in dirty garbage water.” https://youtu.be/8up66_Lelxo “After a challenging 2020, we were thrilled to return to the mainstage in one of the music epicenters of the world, Nashville, TN, for the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards,” said Don Jackson, Founder of the Stellar Awards and Chairman of Central City Productions. “With a theme of ‘Lighting the Way with Our Faith, Music and Family,’ we were delighted to deliver an evening of inspiration and celebration, led by the incomparable Tye Tribbett and Jekalyn Carr, who brought high energy and excitement to the evening.” “I'm so hyped to return to the Stellar stage this year as a host alongside my sis, Jekalyn Carr,” said Tribbett. “This is the biggest night in gospel!” Here is the complete winners list. https://orethapedia.com/2021/07/11/2021-stellar-awards-winners/ It’s now history. the highly-anticipated launch of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane carrying billionaire Richard Branson and his crew. It happened Sunday morning and thus created new chapter into space: commercial tourism. The Unity 22 mission had a full crew of two pilots and four mission specialists, including Branson. The crew included Sirisha Bandla, vice president of government affairs and research operations at Virgin Galactic; Colin Bennett, lead operations engineer; Beth Moses, chief astronaut instructor at Virgin Galactic; and Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci, the primary pilots. Unity 22’s carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, launched from Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic’s homeport near the city of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Weather issues on Sunday had earlier prompted a slight delay from its originally scheduled launch time of 9 a.m. ET until around 10:40 a.m. https://youtu.be/VuqK8zJaREM The Biden administration held a closed-door West Wing meeting with leaders from some of the prominent civil rights and social justice organizations on Thursday, at the urging of movement leaders and congressional Democrats who are concerned about the recent attempts to disenfranchise Black voters and marginalized groups, especially in light of the upcoming 2022 midterms elections. Thursday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris sat down with leaders from the NAACP, the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, the National Council of Negro Women, the Leadership Conference for Civil & Human Rights, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the National Urban League and the National Action Network. The group also reportedly discussed the importance of police reform across the country amid the repeated killings of Black community members at the hands of law enforcement. Tuesday the Ohio Supreme Court withdrew any chances for Timothy Loehmann‘s reentry into the Cleveland Police Department after fatally shooting Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old Black child in November 2014. The high court’s ruling to reject Loehmann’s appeal advocating for his reinstatement to the force upheld the city of Cleveland’s termination decision from 2017 after it was discovered that he lied on his police application, with no consideration for Rice’s untimely death. “I am glad that Loehmann will never have a badge and gun in Cleveland again,” Tamir’s mother, Samaria Rice, said in a statement through attorney Subodh Chandra according to Cleveland.com. The latest shocking encounter between a police officer and POC has once again gone viral in what continues to be an ongoing issue due to disturbing excessive force. An upstate New York police officer was officially placed on administrative leave after bodycam footage was released showing him punching a Black woman in the throat during a recent arrest at a local Walmart. https://youtu.be/LuvdhrjQMv0 The online fundraising effort to help the family of a popular teenage social media personality who was killed earlier this week has exceeded its goal after talk show host Wendy Williams controversially addressed his death with her audience. Matima Miller, a 19-year-old who was better known to his nearly 3 million followers on TikTok as “Swavy,” died Monday morning from a gunshot wound in Wilmington, Delaware. The circumstances of the shooting were not immediately known as local news outlets have reported that their questions about Swavy’s death have gone unanswered. But a GoFundMe account that was started on Wednesday reached and then exceeded its goal of $20,000 by Friday morning, one day after a video of Williams went viral for the way she spoke about Swavy’s killing on her show. https://twitter.com/i/status/1412945070802841607 Less than a year after Stacey Abrams helped flip the state of Georgia blue for the first time in decades, that state’s Republican governor apparently thinks attacking her will somehow translate to his re-election. At least, that was the indication based on Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp‘s first ad for his re-election campaign. The family of Leneal Frazier and their attorney Jeff Storms held a news conference on Friday to discuss the loss of their loved one as well as call for due process in Frazier’s death after he was killed earlier this week when a Minneapolis police vehicle stuck his car while pursuing another vehicle in a high-speed chase. Frazier, 40, was the uncle of Darnella Frazier, the 18-year-old teen who recorded the death of George Floyd. Frazier’s death again shook the foundation of Black communities in the city who are still reeling from the repeated killings of Black community members and just months from the killing of Daunte Wright and the Derek Chauvin verdict. https://youtu.be/O9yitKTnnbU A group of police officers in Northern California sued the city where they work, claiming that a Black Lives Matter mural featuring an image of Assata Shakur, who was controversially convicted of killing a state trooper decades ago, amounts to discrimination. The officers from the Palo Alto Police Department especially took issue with a quote featured on the mural that reads, “We must love each other and support each other,” and claim the combination was harassment. Atlanta Falcons linebacker Barkevious Mingo was arrested Thursday for alleged sexual misconduct with a child in Arlington, Texas. The NFL player turned himself in to authorities Thursday evening after consulting with his attorney but was later released on a $25,000 bond. After receiving news of Mingo’s arrest, the Atlanta Falcons said in a statement early Sunday morning that they will be terminating his contract. “After being made aware today of allegations involving Barkevious Mingo and gathering information on the matter, the Atlanta Falcons have terminated his contract,” the statement reads. he Arlington Police Department said the incident was a part of an ongoing investigation and due to the victim’s age, they cannot release any further info in relation to Mingo’s arrest. Mingo’s attorneys have called the case “baseless” and added that the allegations were made two years ago. During Friday’s Conservative Political Action Conference, Caitlyn Jenner was hit with transphobic comments by a heckler who called her Bruce and branded her a “sick freak.” A video posted to Twitter on Saturday by the page @PatriotTakes shows the moment it all went down. The heckler started the verbal attack as the aspiring California governor chatted with fans in the lobby of the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. The man can be heard shouting: “Hey Bruce. Bruce. What do you think of the stuff they’re teaching in schools regarding the LGBTQ? Bout Jesus Christ Bruce, don’t forget about Jesus.” He then added: “Look at that sick freak.” Jenner did not acknowledge or entertain the man and even pretended not to notice the heckler as she walked through the lobby and into a waiting SUV. https://twitter.com/i/status/1413869155594297350 Get ready for the teaser trailer to “The Harder They Fall..” Directed by Jaymes Samuel and produced by Jay-Z, the cast includes Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr., Deon Cole with Regina King and Idris Elba. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQgMYVRgoI-/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=16cd7b8f-169d-4e20-b72e-00157bb8e8f3 From the first day Jesus of Nazareth pierced into the earth over 2,000 years ago, supernatural phenomena faithfully trail the dust of his heels. Without a doubt, once His name is brought up in conversations, or if He is the topic of books, movies, or television shows, He evokes an innate reaction in both believers and non-believers alike. The immense success of the first-ever multi-season television show “The Chosen” rides the waves of the brilliance of Christ, and it is evident that people really dig the Nazarene. The show is the number one highest crowd-funded project of all time, raising $10 million from over 19,000 investors. The Producers translated the show into over 50 languages, and viewers have watched the episodes over 200 million times using the show’s downloadable app and watching seasons one and two online for free. https://youtu.be/8tZ7cg4D_z8 The gospel event of the year, the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, will air on BET on Sunday, August 1st, at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT. Gospel legend Tye Tribbett and multiple Stellar Award winner Jekalyn Carr will host the highly-anticipated event, which will feature inspirational performances from the genre’s most celebrated artists.Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard and Avery*Sunshine have been added to this year’s list of dynamic performers who will hit the Stellar stage at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN. Viewers can also expect moving performances from gospel superstars Jonathan McReynolds, J.J. Hairston, Maverick City Music, Pastor Mike Jr., Tamela Mann, Jason Clayborn, Hezekiah Walker, CeCe Winans and hosts, Tribbett and Carr. The Clark Sisters, who will receive the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award presented by AT&T, will deliver a moving performance at this year’s ceremony. The American R&B group New Edition returns. Six members, who started the band in 1978, Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, including Johnny Gill (who joined the crew in 87) will vibe together again next year on tour. Photos of the whole crew and T-shirts (naming each member) are surfacing, according to sources New Edition inked a deal with Creative Arts Agency, and a 30-city tour (plus a residency in Las Vegas) is planned. Decades later the music still sounds sweet. So no surprise about young/new fans showing for the group’s return. https://youtu.be/RZUq6N7Gx1c When it comes to Southeast’s largest 2-day urban (progressive) music festival Live Nation Urban and ONE Musicfest have formed a partnership. They plan to have headliners that include H.E.R., Lil Wayne and the Isley Brothers performing tis year. “The partnership with Live Nation Urban allows us to give the culture the amplified platform that it deserves. ONE Musicfest 2021 will be historic!” Yep, and then Live Nation Urban’s chief executive Shawn Gee confirmed the partnership and histrionic plans and said: “We are excited to add One Musicfest to our portfolio of festivals and events. We will provide the capital and infrastructure to further fuel the vision.” https://youtu.be/nk1cGoJOo9E Kool & The Gang’s “Pursuit of Happiness” video is about change; love and inclusion, world-peace and happiness. It’s about Kool & The Gang’s new album Perfect Union, out August 20, 2021 on Omnivore Recordings. https://youtu.be/_-2k9pi6hUk There is a program that is always running in the background that sends us messages that can either keep us bound in pain and mediocrity or propel us into freedom. We leak our energy when we allow ourselves to get consumed by the things that are happening in the World around us and the ruminating thoughts in our mind. We become ragged, tired, and drained when the mind is stayed on something that is not for us and is not of our nature.This is a sign of an untrained mind. A mind that is easy to bend. Strengthening our ability to stay focused on the things that we want to be successful at can help to redirect our energy in a more healthy and beneficial way. https://youtu.be/xgtzu0gE2l8 The (semi-post COVID) resurgence has some popping heads into landmarks thrilled but hesitantly looking both ways checking – is it OK to enter this place unmasked? And then there is the sneaky-relief when no body says anything. For play goers, the consensus is yes, just like movie theaters, Broadway Theater is re-welcoming Americans too and with a (Black Lives Matter type) surprise. Same deal for the mask though – enter at your own comfort or peril. Right off the top, there’s talk about the The Great White Way (a nickname for Broadway in a section of Midtown New York) looking a little different. Ok, maybe a lot different. For Fall 2021 Black Playwrights exclusively dominate new productions. More specifically, all seven of the total new Broadway productions feature Black playwrights of which five are Black debut writers and four are Black women. https://youtu.be/zWtY4nNDFbU When the Covid-19 pandemic devastated Kenya’s tourism industry, a group of Maasai women in Narok County, who, for decades, depended on selling beadwork and trinkets to tourists for income, discovered an unlikely alternative way to survive: making soap from elephant dung. “When the first case of Covid-19 was reported, followed by travel restrictions, our businesses dropped, and in no time, we were recording zero sales,” Joyce Monika, the chair lady of Sikinani Women Group in Narok West Sub-County, told Zenger News. “Luckily, a benefactor held our hands in our time of need and empowered us with skills for this soap project. We don’t know how we might have pulled through the Covid-19 pandemic.” The project is the brainchild of Nelson Ole Reyia, the chief executive officer of Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, neighboring the Maasai Mara National Reserve.After collecting the elephant excreta, the women dry it in the sun, grind it into a fine powder, and mix it with water and olive oil. They then add coloring powder to the liquid soap. Crowds cheered as workers removed statue of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday morning following a contentious four year legal battle. The 26-foot tall bronze monument to Gen. Lee – which has stood in the city’s Emancipation Park since 1924 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 – was the first to be taken down, shortly after 8am. Meanwhile, the bronze statue of Gen. Jackson – completed in 1921 by renowned sculptor Charles Keck – was hoisted off it base in nearby Jackson Park around 10am. In the nineteenth century, Harriet Beecher Stowe was the most important woman in the United States. It is reported that during the American Civil War, when she was introduced to President Lincoln, he said, ‘So this is the little woman who gave us this great war.’ Harriet was born in New England into the Beecher family, a distinguished American dynasty. Her father was a famed Christian preacher and Harriet grew up in a godly family that promoted progressive social causes, such as the abolition of slavery and the education of women. Harriet, intelligent and well educated, underwent a conversion experience in her teens that was to affect who she was for the rest of her life. When Harriet was twenty-one, her family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where she became a teacher. Although Ohio banned the holding of slaves, it bordered Kentucky where slavery was legal, and in Cincinnati, Harriet encountered many escaped slaves. Harriet’s objections to slavery deepened when, visiting Kentucky, she saw families being broken up and sold at slave auctions. Her loathing of slavery was supported by her faith: after all, if a slave was a child of God, what right did anyone have to buy or sell them? The Tulane University School of Medicine graduate medical program, which trains newly-minted doctors during their residencies at hospitals across New Orleans, was put on probation by a national oversight panel last week. The panel did not state the reason for probation. But the rare step was taken after allegations of racial and gender discrimination erupted within the institution earlier this year. Tulane drew national attention after the dismissal of Dr. Princess Dennar, a Black female doctor, four months after she filed a discrimination lawsuit against the school. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or ACGME, notified Tulane of its decision on July 2. Tulane is one of six medical training institutions currently on probation out of 865 regulated by the ACGME. Khalid has announced that he will be performing a brand-new song for the Virgin Galactic Spaceflight launch on Sunday, July 11th. Although the song, titled “New Normal,” won’t be officially released until July 21st, the singer will debut the track on stage following the Unity 22 crew’s landing of the 22nd flight test for VSS Unity. It will be the company’s fourth crewed spaceflight and the first to carry a full crew of two pilots and four mission specialists in the cabin, including Virgin Galactic’s founder, Sir Richard Branson, who will be testing the private astronaut experience. When it comes to the track’s inspiration, Khalid tells Rolling Stone: “Around this time last year, I was super fascinated and gravitated toward space. I was watching this comet by the name of Neowise last year, and space travel is something that I’ve always been interested in as well. And I’ve been going through the motions of understanding this new, postmodern future that’s coming together, especially when it comes down to technology — it’s something that really excites me.” A lawsuit claims that Kentucky police are withholding body cam footage from the night that EMT Breonna Taylor was killed in her home. WDRB reports that the suit filed against LMPD in Jefferson Circuit Court notes that the LMPD are allegedly hiding public records that might indicate whether there is more footage from the night she died. While the LMPD claims there was no footage because some of the officers did not turn their cameras on, a lawyer for the Taylor family claims they may have turned on automatically, and thus the police are hiding it. Taylor was fatally shot by police on March 13, 2020, after officers executed a no-knock warrant at her apartment as part of a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found in the home, her family said in a previous lawsuit that was settled with the city for $12 million. Authorities say a suspect has been apprehended and charged with murder in a triple homicide at a country club outside #Atlanta last week, following a statewide search.? The #CobbCounty Sheriff’s Office stated #BryanRhoden, 23, was captured in #Chamblee, Georgia, roughly a half-hour from the murder scene, on Thursday evening in connection with the shootings with the help of the US Marshals Service.? Cobb County Chief Tim Fox announced during a press conference Thursday night that he was charged with three charges of murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of kidnapping.? Rhoden, who has ties to the metro Atlanta area, was recognized as a suspect in the days following the event at the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw. Monty Williams, the head coach of Phoenix Suns, which will play against Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals Game 3 Sunday night, is known for speaking publicly about his faith in Jesus, and recently shared how it enables him to help his players reach their potential and got him through a personal tragedy. “The essence of my coaching is to serve,” Williams said at a press conference after his team beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Finals, according to Sports Spectrum. “As a believer in Christ, that’s what I’m here for. And I tell (my players) all the time, if I get on you, I’m not calling you out; I’m calling you up. You have potential, and I have to work my tail off to help you reach that potential,” the 49-year-old coach continued. If you want to buy a piece of American religious history, then — as Billy Graham might have said — the time is now. A North Carolina cottage that the famed evangelist and his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, once called home is for sale. The Grahams bought the four-bedroom house at 198 Mississippi Road in the 1940s to be close to Ruth’s parents. The house, which has two bathrooms and is listed for $599,000, is not far from the Montreat Conference Center, a famed Presbyterian retreat — Ruth Bell Graham’s parents were Presbyterian missionaries, and she remained a Presbyterian after marrying her Baptist husband. She died in 2007. Her husband died in 2018. An online listing for the house in Montreat, North Carolina, includes photos of the cottage’s large fireplace, outdoor patio, wood floors and paneled interior. The cottage also includes “original furnishings, books, photos and mementos.” Former Casting Crowns drummer Andy Williams has died after suffering multiple injuries from a motorcycle accident that occurred while on his way to church for a Sunday worship service. Casting Crowns frontman Mark Hall took to Instagram on Friday to officially share that after much prayer for a miracle, the band’s former drummer “went to be with Jesus” and is “more alive today than he has ever been.” “Early this morning, around 1 a.m., Andy Williams went to be with Jesus. He fought a great fight, but the injuries that he suffered took a toll on his physical body,” Hall wrote. Students, family and faculty at Florida A&M University gathered around the memorial built in honor of Dr. Frederick S. Humphries on Thursday for a vigil in his honor. Dr. Humphries died in Orlando on June 24 at the age of 85. https://youtu.be/nqlmJRZy1tU Good bye reality! Would you choose a role playing a vulnerable mess or rather the boss running things? For some, including Eva Marcille, that’s a no-brainer. The mom of three jumped ship and hopped right into character for Tyler Perry’s 10-episode male-strip-club drama “All The Queen’s Men.” The 36-year-old former model has no qualms about ditching “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” “She’s a completely different woman; she’s a boss, a pioneer. And she’s building an empire in the city of Atlanta (where it’s the men who are usually on top) but in this town they’re at my feet and I love it,” Eva Marcille said of her character Marilyn Deville – at Sunday’s BET Awards, reports Urban Hollywood 411. https://youtu.be/0yM6QcnbrP8 On the Monday, July 12 edition of “Tamron Hall,” legendary singer, actress and businesswoman Patti LaBelle joins Tamron to celebrate the special 20th anniversary edition of her cookbook, LaBelle Cuisine. https://youtu.be/EaYw73alJCc The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science welcomed Andra Day, Clarke Peters, and Janet Jackson among 395 esteemed peers on a mission to advance the arts and sciences of motion pictures. Other notables invited to this year’s class include: music score winner Jon Batiste, H.E.R. and from “Judas and the Black Messiah” – the writers of the Oscar-winning song “Fight For You.” In light of a movement worth mentioning: the plight for equality and fairness to all people, in a press release officials spoke of the Academy’s member diversity. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which is the organization behind the Oscars, boasts life like representations of women (46 percent), minorities (39 percent) and also its branch-wide inclusion of international members (53 percent). Of their respective divisions, nominees are chosen for their important contributions. California Wildfire Creates Huge Firenado as Death Valley Hits 130F – the Hottest Temperature Earth Has Recorded in Nearly 100 Years – and Golden State Braces for Power and Water Outages: Daniel Whyte III Says God Can Destroy America, God Should Destroy America, And as He Has Stated Many Times Before, He Believes That God Is Mercifully, Lovingly, and Slow-Rollingly in the Process of Dismantling America, and He Believes That God Will Eventually Destroy America in Light of What He Did to Sodom and Gomorrah Because of Their Abominations and Sins That Led Them to the Point of Men With Men and Women With Women and in Light of the Fact That No Country in the History of the World Has Been Blessed More Than America Outside of Israel, and Yet, America Has Exceeded the Abominations and Sins of Sodom and Gomorrah; for Even in the Days of Sodom and Gomorrah They Didn’t Even Think of Same-sex Marriage and the Unrepentant Laodicean Church of Today Is at Fault and Is the Reason We Are in the Mess We Are in Today With God. So in Light of All These Things Happening to America All at the Same Time, His Advice Is to Get Ready. If You Are Not a Believer in Jesus Christ Here Is How to Get Ready Today and if You Are Already a Believer in Jesus Christ Here Is How You Can Get Ready Today. A federal court on Thursday ruled that three central Brooklyn homeowners of color can move forward with a class action civil rights lawsuit to recover their wealth lost through the city’s Third Party Transfer program. The case stems from alleged illegal seizures of homes taken in “in rem” foreclosure proceedings under the Third Party Transfer program. The seizures were first uncovered and reported on in a lengthy series in Kings County Politics, now PoliticsNY. “Our clients, working families, had their only generational wealth, their homes, snatched from them by the City of New York under its Third Party Transfer Program. They were not given any compensation for these illegal and unconstitutional takings and even though the city tried to get our lawsuit tossed, the court has now acknowledged that our suit should continue to move forward,” said Matthew L. Berman, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys with the law firm Valli Kane & Vagnini LLP. Actor Keke Palmer, who captivated audiences as national spelling bee champion Akeelah Anderson in the film “Akeelah and the Bee,” has joined thousands in celebrating Zaila Avant-garde, who recently became the first Black American to win the coveted title in real life. “THE REAL LIFE AKEELAH YOU GUYS!! The real life one,” Palmer wrote Thursday on Instagram. “I’m so happy in my heart. A couple of weeks ago I sent in a video encouraging all the contestants and for this to happen just feels so spiritual! I am so happy.” In 2006, a young Palmer drew rave reviews for her breakout performance as an 11-year-old spelling prodigy from South Los Angeles in Doug Atchinson’s “Akeelah and the Bee.” With help from her coach, played by Laurence Fishburne, and her mother, played by Angela Bassett, Palmer’s Akeelah rose above her more privileged competitors to make her mark on the Scripps National Spelling Bee stage in Washington, D.C. World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty became the first Australian woman to win the Wimbledon singles title in 41 years on Saturday when she defeated Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-7(4) 6-3 in the final. The 25-year-old Barty, who won her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2019, emulated her idol Evonne Goolagong, who claimed the second of her All England Club titles in 1980. “I hope I made Evonne proud,” Barty said on court after the trophy presentation. “This is incredible.” One of Team USA’s premier swimmers is heading to the Tokyo Olympics without being vaccinated. Michael Andrew, the 2016 world champion in the 100-meter individual medley who recently flirted with the 200-meter world record last month, has not received the COVID-19 vaccine. During a USA Swimming media call on Thursday, Andrew, 22, conceded that he will not be vaccinated in the “distant future.” “My reason behind it is, for one, it was kind of a last moment, I didn’t want to put anything in my body that I didn’t know how I would potentially react to,” Andrew said. “As an athlete on the elite level, everything you do is very calculated and understood. For me, in the training cycle, especially leading up to trials, I didn’t want to risk any days out. There were periods where, you take a vaccine, you have to deal with some days off.” The International Swimming Federation says it will revisit its decision barring a swimming cap designed specifically for natural Black hair from being used in competition. The makers of the Soul Cap, a product tailor-made so that swimmers with voluminous, Afro-textured hair can protect their hair while in the water, said on Instagram last week that the sport’s governing body had denied their application for certification. The decision effectively ensured that the cap would not be in use when the Olympic Games begin this month. The news drew considerable backlash, prompting the International Swimming Federation, also known as FINA, to release a statement on Friday acknowledging the public response and announcing that it was “reviewing” the situation. It’s through the power of hip hop that rising Lexington high school freshman, Javin Hausley, is expressing her lived experience as a Black woman in America. She’s channeling her message through “The Black Girl Project” which aims to amplify the voices of Black women. Activist and hip-hop artist Devine Carama started it, and he said it was inspired by Black women like Amanda Gorman, Stacey Abrams, Breonna Taylor, and more. “When it comes to the contributions and voices of Black women, when some of the inequities we see were highlighted in regard to health, COVID, who was on the front lines of the social unrest, it was Black women putting it on the line,” Carama said. “And when you think back on our history, they’ve always put it on the line. Always. So, I wanted to do a project that highlighted black women. Period. Black girls growing and maturing into black women. The pressures that they feel. The double standards that they deal with.” Hausley shared the mic with five other young women to write and record an album as part of “The Black Girl Project.” Gabby Goodwin of Columbia received a $200,000 investment from television personalities Marcus Lemonis and Gayle King on a podcast episode of “One Hundred Percent with Marcus Lemonis” that aired Wednesday. Goodwin is the 14-year-old CEO of GaBBY Bows, a hair product line that she started with her mom at just 7 years old when they had a problem getting hair clips to stay in Goodwin’s hair. “I’m so excited about your business and what you’re doing,” King told Goodwin in the podcast, adding how she would’ve used GaBBY Bows as a young, Black girl. GaBBY Bows started an innovative, two-sided hair clip designed to stay put in braids and now includes shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, scalp pomade and more. Netflix hired N’Jeri Eaton, previously head of content for Apple Podcasts, to lead podcasting for the streaming giant’s marketing division. Eaton is joining Netflix as director of podcast programming, according to a spokesperson. She will be part of the company’s editorial and publishing team, which will be headed by Michelle Lee, former editor in chief of Allure who is joining the company this month. Lee reports to Netflix CMO Bozoma Saint John, the marketing veteran whose past stints include Apple Music, Endeavor and Uber hired by the company a year ago. “I’m thrilled to join @netflix as the Head of Podcasts,” Eaton tweeted Thursday. “16 years ago, I watched three DVDs from Netflix a day while working the late night lab shift at a university. My obsession for storytelling has taken me all kinds of places but this is truly a dream!” Spike Lee once watched Michael Jordan play and yelled, “It’s gotta be the shoes!” When NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball drives downcourt, don’t be surprised if you hear “It’s gotta be the gloves!” Shooting baskets is only half the game. Just as important? Ball handling—moving and dribbling with total mastery and control. In 2019, the Charlotte Hornets star player improved his “handles” with the help of weighted, anti-grip training gloves made by Powerhandz. Impressed, Ball looked into Powerhandz to see how he could be a part of the business. Now he’s all in—with the startup, its new merger, and the company’s Power to Give foundation. Ball did things in the NBA this season that make you wonder. Besides winning rookie of the year, he became the only NBA player in the last 60 years to lead all rookies in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals at the All-Star break. So his partnership with Powerhandz is a huge win for the Frisco-based company. Ball will serve it as a general partner and brand ambassador. The company also announced a merger with the newly formed PH Innovation Holdings to help it scale its business and raise more capital. When we marvel at female athletes beating world records at the Olympics, few of us stop to ask: Who’s watching their kids right now? Allyson Felix, the most decorated track and field Olympian in history, knows exactly what it’s like to be worried about childcare while she’s training and competing. So this week, she announced a partnership with her primary sponsor, Athleta, and the Women’s Sports Foundation to launch a $200,000 grant aimed at covering childcare costs for professional athletes competing during 2021. Nine athletes have already been chosen, including Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry and Olympic saber fencer Mariel Zagunis, each of whom will receive $10,000. A father and his 12-year-old son were in shambles last month after they had a surprise reunion in Maryland. Jonathan Stewart, who filmed the moment, told Storyful that his brother, Coach Joe, had just been released from prison. Joe and his son, TayRon, had kept in close contact, with Joe even helping out with homework over the jail phone. However, they hadn’t seen each other since Joe’s imprisonment. On June 16, in Forestville, TayRon had no idea that the wait was finally over. https://youtu.be/ZHUtqstVWTg After his recent thrust into Black (political) leadership, it looks like the American entertainer Ice Cube is still striving to make bombastic moves. This time, check out his courage in a feud with Warner Bros studios. It’s all about the latest installment of the “Friday” Franchise. In the thick of script and property right riffs, Warner Bros told Ice Cube try again – it ain’t funny and it don’t quite hit the mark. Ice Cube said that’s just the old ‘holding off’ productions trick. Perhaps a little frustrated and suspicious Ice Cube turned the discussion up a notch. Ice Cube wants a little more than just getting the production started, he wants the movie rights. Not just to the “Friday” Franchise but also to “All About the Benjamins”, and “The Players Club” too. https://youtu.be/OYdXFhDgzTY It looks like Tristan Thompson seemingly threaten Lamar Odom in the comments section of their mutual ex Khloé Kardashian’s Instagram? Odom made a “Hottie” comment along with a string of emojis under a pic that Kardashian, 37, posted where she’s seen preening for the camera in an outdoor shower. Thompson, 30, apparently couldn’t handle it and wrote, “God brought you back the first time. Play if you want, different results.” He followed it up with a more restrained “????????” in a separate comment. Odom later appeared to delete his comment on the post, which Khloé’s sister Kim and a number of other celebs commented on. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRIFDbOt549/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=3cc5dbed-c748-4b21-8ab3-d5f43052c1f7 Kevin Hunter appears to have shaded his ex-wife Wendy Williams after she slammed him recently during a segment on her talk show. Hunter’s cryptic post came after Williams weighed in on Tabitha Brown’s announcement that her TikTok fame has allowed her to retire her husband after he’s worked 18 years in the Los Angeles Police Department. Wendy reacted to this on her show, warning Brown that her plan may not be a good idea for the family in the long run. Per MadameNoire, the day after, Hunter posted on his Instagram stories: “I’m coming to realize that being ungrateful is a disease that only God can heal… That’s why you receive blessings regardless of a person’s actions…He doesn’t forget nothing!!!” Thursday, Lil Wayne hopped on Instagram Live to catch up with Nicki Minaj. While chopping it up with the “I’m Legit” rapper, Wayne clarified some details about his relationship with girlfriend Denise Bidot. As it was previously reported, back in April, Wayne had shared a tweet which prompted fans to believe he and his girlfriend got married: “Happiest man alive! Today is the beginning of our forever. Forever?? Forever, ever?? FOREVER EVER!!!!! The Carters,” he said at the time. Despite rumors, Wayne didn’t shut any of them down, until now. During the Live Minaj explained, “The other day it was some tweets going on, and I was like, ‘Oh, what’s going on?’ and I texted you and I was like, ‘Oh, Congratulations. I can tell you’ve been in a good mood,’” Minaj told Weezy during the Livestream. “And I said, ‘Congratulations,’ because I thought you had gotten married.” Wayne explained that the tweet had nothing to do with his love life and he was actually talking about his children: “I said ‘The Carters,’ and girl, that’s my damn sons, that’s my sons’ little name of their little group,” Wayne said while laughing. Morgan Carey sued his famous sister for defamation in March over claims made about him in her 2020 memoir, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey.” According to TMZ, Morgan says his reputation has been damaged over Mariah’s allegations that he’s a brute. In her book, she recalls an alleged fight that he had with his father and hinted he was violent towards their mother. In an affidavit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday, Morgan slammed Mariah’s response, calling it “particularly ironic.” “This is coming from someone whose public behavior includes glamorizing her excessive drinking, and coining the now popular term ‘splash’, as well as other behaviors which would be in poor taste to mention here,” Morgan wrote, as reported by PEOPLE. Morgan also finds it odd that his sister failed to mention his childhood struggles with “Cerebral Palsy, Grand Mal Epilepsy and a two-inch leg disparity.” “This detail is conspicuously absent, which makes it clear that ‘inspiration’ was not on the agenda,” he wrote. “Mariah’s agenda merely focused on book sales and her image, all at my expense with no regard to the truth or my well-being during this world crisis.” Rapper Wale hit up Instagram and revealed he’s been “out of commission” due to an unknown illness. In a message shared via his Instagram story, he wrote: “I am out of commission. I been extremely sick since Saturday,” Wale shared. “I’ve missed many calls and texts.. Thank you to everybody who called wit genuine concern. I ain’t sure how long I’ll be down but this shit ain’t slight… Soon as I can come back strong I’ll be back strong. As for now management will run my socials. Much love, see y’all soon,” he added. The drama between Kel Mitchell and his ex-wife, Tyisha Hampton, continues. Tyisha Hampton is claiming that her ex, former Nickelodeon star Kel Mitchell, has filed a falsified domestic suit against her in hopes of not having to pay the alleged large sum of money he owes in unpaid child support and tax debt. The actress recently took to her TikTok and shared a video asking for advice that can assist with her battle against Kel Mitchell. She also seemingly accused Kel Mitchell of being the abuser in their relationship. Tyisha Hampton says in the video, “We’re all familiar with domestic violence.” Black members of Walmart’s senior management team have revealed that they would never recommend friends and family members to work at the retail giant. n a survey of 56 Black supervisors and directors at Walmart, eight senior managers all gave the lowest possible score when asked whether they would encourage friends and family to work there, Bloomberg reported. Survey respondents said they feel Walmart does not equally offer career and growth opportunities to Black and white employees, and Black senior leaders feel pressure to perform at an exceptional level to maintain their position. Black and Latino people account for 39% of hourly workers at Walmart, but just 14% of US executives, according to an April diversity report. The majority of Walmart employees are white, making up 74.5% of executives and 52.3% of hourly workers. “I have been here 10 years and I have never recommended Walmart to a person of color. I have recommended others to leave,” one Black director said in the survey, according to Bloomberg. “Pay, benefits, not bad – but recommend? NEVER. EVER.” Black managers say they don’t have support from their colleagues. Koryn Hawthorne releases the new music video for her song “Sunday,” out now. Featured from her chart-topping album I AM, the two-time GRAMMY® nominee, Billboard Music Award, NAACP Image Award, Dove and Stellar Award-winner creates a celebratory summertime vibe on this new video. Giving thanks and praise on the soulful track, “Sunday” is co-written by Hawthorne along with Kasey Sims, Anthony Wyley, Daniel Breland, and Connor J. Little. The music video had a broadcast premiere airing on BET Soul. The young music phenom also recently released an EP of worship ballads, “The Worship Project,” and launched a business, owning the dessert shop The Peach Cobbler Factory in her hometown of Abbeville, Louisiana. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Lwwk-Z3mw 3x Grammy nominee Brian Courtney Wilson releases the Still (Deluxe) digital album today. The updated album features all of the popular tracks from the original 2020 version and two newly recorded duets. The new singles are the reimagining of the black love classic "Be Real Black For Me," featuring Ledisi, and the retooled "Fear Is Not Welcome" with Lady A’s Hillary Scott. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scbLZVTp0Ds Jonathan Traylor – “Lifted” (Live At Elevation Church) (Performance Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOzjluJjFp4 Thank you for virtually joining Sunday’s “Get Lifted” showcase at the Essence Fest with a lineup of legends; Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, and Travis Greene! It really felt like we were all in the room. If you missed it or want to press replay, we have you covered. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjz63sDIBQM Tamar Braxton continues to live her extraordinary life, and we can’t wait for you to hear the new music she will be releasing. Check out her latest PEOPLE Magazine interview and get the full story on her recovery and upcoming release. https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/jumpstartpure/image?url=https://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/416418724/55820bc3-e2b6-465e-804d-f042edff57d4/0f4cff9d-166d-4eb8-858a-17d4360f7495/1280x720/match/image.jpg&w=1280&h=720&q=90&c=cc Bold and original, Jor'Dan brings together Gospel music and culture in his new video "My God," available on his official VEVO channel. The banger is a perfect and seamless crossover from powerful gospel music to upbeat R&B, and only Jor'Dan Armstrong makes it all work together. Jor'Dan makes a song that feels like the world but is not of it with his catchy hip-hop beats and intelligently thought-out rhymes as he proudly brags about his God. The influence of '90s hip-hop and R&B can be heard throughout this track. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD5DfQfDRMM Zaila Avant-garde won the Scripps National Spelling Bee late Thursday by successfully spelling out the word “murraya,” becoming the competition’s first African-American champion. Her winning word refers to “a genus of Asiatic and Australian tropical trees having pinnate leaves and flowers with imbricated petals,” according to competition officials. Chaitra Thummala and Bhavana Madini took second and third place. Avant-garde, 14 years old and a basketball player, hails from New Orleans and holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for most basketballs dribbled simultaneously, six for a total of 30 seconds. The competition was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and was held this year in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The first Black winner of the bee was Jody-Anne Maxwell of Jamaica, who won the contest in 1998. https://twitter.com/i/status/1413315794079993857 Civil rights leaders said they informed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris activists would be ‘getting back into the streets’ as voting rights legislation has stalled on Capitol Hill. https://youtu.be/Bzl8jIPHWng The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) has completed its review of the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, but the victim’s family say they’re concerned the probe wasn’t thorough. The report is now in the hands of the prosecutor’s office and set to go to a grand jury. Bryant was shot by Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon, 20 minutes before a guilty verdict was announced against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in the death of George Floyd last May. Less than six hours after the Bryant shooting that occurred in April 2021, Columbus police released body camera footage, showing the teen with a knife as she lunged at an adult woman who allegedly bullied the teenager. https://youtu.be/IbZpWxgn4cs A cocaine-induced heart attack is ultimately to blame for rapper DMX’s death, Vulture reports. A source at the Westchester Country medical examiner’s office told the outlet that cocaine was found in the rapper’s urine. “It was cardiac arrest for a period of time, so there was no circulation to the brain,” the source said. An autopsy wasn’t performed as his cause of death was determined from documents by medical professionals and the police. On April 2, the rapper, Earl Simmons, was rushed to the hospital, where doctors attempted to revive him. But his brain was already dead by the time he got help. He was officially pronounced dead on April 9. “His death literally happened immediately because the brain was dead,” a source told Vulture. Simmons started performing in the underground rap scene in the mid-80s, releasing his first album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, in May 1998, and it debuted at the top of the Billboard 200. His eighth album, Exodus, was released one month after his death. Two weeks before the event’s commencement, government officials on July 7 said Tokyo Olympics are likely to be held without spectators due to a sudden spike in coronavirus cases. Japan can declare another Covid-19 state of emergency for Tokyo, possibly until August 22. The government and the four organizing bodies of the Summer Games, including the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, are expected to meet later this week to discuss a new policy regarding spectators living in Japan, having already barred overseas fans in a bid to improve the safety of the games. “If the decision is made to have no spectators at venues in Tokyo, the organizers may allow governors of nearby prefectures to choose whether to follow suit,” a government official said. Volunteers gathered here on June 26 to clean a rundown burial ground for black Civil War veterans — the first step in a local community campaign to turn the site into a historical landmark and help restore the legacy of soldiers who fought to end slavery in America. More than 50 participants, including the young, old, and people from different races, spent their Saturday clearing away overgrown weeds, fallen trees and debris from the Squirrel Town Historical Cemetery, where an estimated 35 black Civil War veterans lay in rest. Led by the Bethel AME Church, which owns the property, the massive clean-up became a community event to honor the heroes who helped secure the Union victory in May 1865. What does it feel like to be one of the best tennis players in the world? An intimate look inside the life of one of the most gifted and complex athletes of her generation offers insight into the tough decisions and ecstatic triumphs that shape Naomi Osaka as both an elite global superstar and a young woman navigating a pressure-filled world. From Director Garrett Bradley: “The series is about Naomi’s journey, within a snapshot of her life, but it’s also about life’s purpose, about personal worth, about the courage that it takes to allow one’s personal values to inform their work and vice versa. More than anything, I’d hope people can feel the power of empathy and to feel encouraged to take chances in life, perhaps especially in moments where the stakes can feel impossibly high.” https://youtu.be/yZRls7B7uzY Life is a journey. In the past few weeks, my journey took an unexpected path but one that has taught me so much and helped me grow. I learned a couple of key lessons. Lesson one: you can never please everyone. The world is as divided now as I can remember in my short 23 years. Issues that are so obvious to me at face value, like wearing a mask in a pandemic or kneeling to show support for anti-racism, are ferociously contested. I mean, wow. So, when I said I needed to miss French Open press conferences to take care of myself mentally, I should have been prepared for what unfolded. Lesson two was perhaps more enriching. It has become apparent to me that literally everyone either suffers from issues related to their mental health or knows someone who does. The number of messages I received from such a vast cross section of people confirms that. I think we can almost universally agree that each of us is a human being and subject to feelings and emotions. Perhaps my actions were confusing to some because there are two slightly different issues at play. In my mind they overlap, and that’s why I spoke about them together, but let’s separate them for the sake of discussion. Commissioner Adam Silver showed support for ESPN’s NBA personality Rachel Nichols in her feud with colleague Maria Taylor, saying the whole episode is “disheartening’’ and appearing angry the issue has festered this long. ESPN banned Nichols from doing sideline coverage of the NBA Finals as a result of a secret tape recording one year ago in which she stated that Taylor’s promotion to the “NBA Countdown” shows was likely based on race. Taylor is black. Nichols, who is white, is still doing her regular NBA show, “The Jump.’’ Silver said he doesn’t believe Nichols’ future with the network should be in jeopardy over her comment. The World Champions Centre in Houston features a majority Black elite team, a rarity in gymnastics, but a change Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles want to continue to see in the sport. https://twitter.com/i/status/1408138102795800579 Today, Gage Growth Corp. (“Gage” or the “Company”) (CSE: GAGE), a leading high-quality premium cannabis brand and operator in Michigan, announced their exclusive partnership agreement with multi-platinum-selling, GRAMMY® Award and Golden Globe® Award-nominated recording artist Wiz Khalifa’s brand, Khalifa Kush (“KK”), to develop and launch a line of premium cannabis products in the state of Michigan. Through this partnership, Gage will be the exclusive producer, processor and retailer of KK branded products in Michigan. Gage and KK will work to develop and commercialize a product lineup that includes flower, pre-rolls, extracts, and concentrates that will be sold at Gage provisioning centers. https://youtu.be/Z02uj7-P8pI NBA star James Harden and rapper Lil Baby have been out-and-about in Paris for Fashion Week, but the two recently ended up in some problems with the police. Videos that have been circulating online show the two being stopped by a few cops. The Brooklyn Nets superstar can be heard saying he doesn’t understand what’s going on as cops begin to search him. In another clip, you can see a confused Lil Baby in the back of a police car, appearing to ask questions to an officer. Some reports say he was among 3 people arrested for some sort of marijuana-related charge. However, the report said the vehicle the men were traveling in was pulled over and officers could smell marijuana. There were allegedly 20 grams of weed discovered, TMZ reports. James Harden and Lil Baby reacting to paparazzi during Paris Fashion Week. https://youtu.be/wYAVD9SEbRs Kanye West’s choice of head covering allowed him to slip past awaiting paparazzi completely undetected. https://youtu.be/MU8PLYzB_Dg According to author Adam White (Motown: The Sound of Young America) Barbara Dozier, the wife of Motown singer, songwriter and producer Lamont Dozier, has passed away. “Condolences to Lamont Dozier and his family on the tragic death of his wife Barbara. Always a powerhouse on his behalf. May she rest in peace,” is what White tweeted on Monday of this week. Barbara Dozier, whose maiden named was Ullman, was instrumental in the post-Motown success of her husband, and the continuing relevance of his work. Barbara and Lamont were married for over 4 decades. Together, the couple ran his publishing company as well as Hithouse Records, reports Soul Tracks. https://youtu.be/8kvV47pshmk Bridgerton author Julia Quinn has suffered a double tragedy after her father and younger sister were killed by a drunk driver in an horrific car accident. The 51-year-old American novelist announced the shocking news to fans in a heart-rending Facebook post, telling them: ‘I have lost my father and my sister. Because a catering company did not secure their load and canvas bags spilled onto the highway. ‘Because a pickup driver thought nothing of driving while his blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit. ‘I have lost my father, and I don’t have my sister with whom to grieve.’ Ms Quinn, Julia Pottinge, said her father, Steve Cotler, 77, and cartoonist sister Violet Charles, 37, Ariana Elise Cotler, died on June 29 in the crash in Utah, along with Violet’s dog Michelle. It’s rare that a trailer feels so touching and existential. Disney+ dropped the official trailer for Marvel Studios’ animated series, “What If…?” on Thursday, and the two-minute clip is surprisingly emotional in multiple ways. Not only does it explore a “multiverse of unlimited possibilities,” but it features the late Chadwick Boseman voicing his final Marvel Cinematic Universe role. https://youtu.be/x9D0uUKJ5KI Madonna lent her voice to the growing chorus of support for Britney Spears in the latter’s legal battles late Thursday. Spears has been engaged in a longstanding battle with her father over a conservatorship she says has exerted a punishing degree of control over her life since 2008. The “B*tch I’m Madonna” singer wrote, “Give this woman her life back. Slavery was abolished so long ago! Death to the greedy patriarchy that has been doing this to women for centuries. This is a violation of human rights! Britney we coming to get you out of jail!” https://etcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screenshot-43.png?w=489 Queens Borough President Donovan Richards was declared victory in the tight Democratic primary contest to hold on to his title, and he wasted no time to accuse rival Elizabeth Crowley of racism. “We won!!!!,” Richards said in a tweet. “We beat your racist ass,” Richards said of Crowley in a tweet Tuesday night. Richards also said in a tweet directed at Crowley, “@ElizCrowleyNYC told me she would win, because BLM [Black Lives Matter] would die? What’s good now?” He also claimed Crowley hit him up for a job as deputy borough president. “You couldn’t force me to make you a deb bp. I stand on principle,” Richards said, using the hashtags #southeast Queens, #four more years, #QBP and #Southside. Delaware State University (DSU) has become the first HBCU to acquire another college. As reported by Black enterprise, “DSU has purchased Wesley College and will take over the 50-acre campus in Dover as well as capital assets worth about $32 million,” the outlet writes. The package deal comes with 14 new academic programs, according to the report. No money was exchanged in the sale, which “was made possible by several financial boosts in the past year,” according to The College Post. Lifetime has dropped a teaser trailer for the network’s third film about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s romance. This time, the project will explore the couple’s exit from life as working royals in “Escaping the Palace.” Per PEOPLE, Harry (Jordan Dean) kicks off the 30-second spot which shows vowing to protect his wife, saying “I will do everything in my power to keep my wife and son safe.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CQbUSoThagF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Stephanie Mills has just dropped a new single “Let’s Do the Right Thing.” She hasn’t released any new recordings in well over a decade and a half https://youtu.be/L63PN4ROQ5o Shohei Ohtani fouled a 2-2 pitch off his ankle in the fifth inning. He fouled the next pitch off his leg, just above his knee. The Los Angeles Angels slugger shook off the pain, stepped back in and immediately hit a 433-foot homer that gave him a new place in Japanese baseball history. “That’s how tough he is,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “He stayed in there, got himself right and hit a homer.” Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer and broke the single-season major league record for homers by a Japanese player during the Angels’ 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox on another landmark day for Los Angeles’ two-way superstar. Shaunie O’Neal has confirmed she’s dating Keion Henderson–a pastor based in Houston, Texas. As reported by thejasminebrand.com, the ex-wife of NBA star Shaquille O’Neal shared a heartfelt birthday post for her man on Tuesday. She wrote: “Happy birthday to my best friend and partner in life, Keion. Today many will celebrate you for the impact that you have made in their lives, the love you’ve shown to perfect strangers, and the comfort you’ve provided sharing the word of God. Today I celebrate you because as our friendship has blossomed, you’ve become my safe place where I can authentically grow without judgement. You are my soundboard, you’ve taught me so much thus far, and you love me and my children unconditionally.” O’Neal added, “During a time where I had given up on finding a soulmate, God sent you. Thank you for being my friend first, yet being intentional with my time and heart. Happiest Birthday to the man that has made me The Happiest Girl In The World!” Nick Cannon is speaking out about why he’s on a mission to impregnate as many women as possible. Cannon, 40, explained on his Power 106 Los Angeles radio show Wednesday that he’s been “having these kids on purpose” after City Girls rapper JT advised him to slow down on the breeding and “wrap it up.” “I don’t have no accident,” said Cannon, who is the father of seven. “Trust me there’s a lot of people that I could’ve gotten pregnant that I didn’t,” he continued. “The ones that got pregnant are the ones that were supposed to get pregnant.” https://youtu.be/cWmgZ1roIN8 The LGBTQIAP+ agenda to encourage the nation to celebrate non-procreative sex appears to be making progress. While Lil Nas X triggered online criticism for kissing a male dancer during his performance at the BET Awards, the FCC only received 3 complaints about it, according to TMZ. One viewer from the Bronx wrote to the FCC around 1 AM … “I was very disturbed to see 2 men practically having sexual in the stage when the awards show is supposed to be a family show. It’s ridiculous and children and adults are being forced to endure this. Unacceptable and I will be unsubscribing from BET network. DISGUSTING AND DISTURBING!!!!!!!!” Another pissed off viewer wrote, “During a performance 2 gay men kissed. Why are you showing this on tv. It is disgusting and wrong for kids to see because it’s unnatural.” #Ugh. The third complaint reportedly came from a guy in Philly who took issue with the rapper promoting satanism. https://youtu.be/fgfsn1vOoNQ Suzzane Douglas, a stage, TV and movie actress who always played roles of strong Black women, has died, multiple news outlets reported on Wednesday (July 8). She was 64 years old. The cause of her death was not immediately reported. Douglas’ representative confirmed her death with the Hollywood Reporter. “The industry has lost a truly talented artist with the passing of Suzzanne Douglas. She touched everyone who knew her and was lovely in every sense of the word. The family appreciates your support and asks for their privacy during this difficult time,” the representative said in a statement. The New York Times reported that Douglas died at her home in Martha’s Vineyard. Douglas’ husband, Roy Jonathan Cobb, told the time his wife died of cancer, though he did not specify which form she suffered from. However, he did say she had been sick for more than two years. Perhaps known most for her performance in the sitcom “The Parent ‘Hood,” Douglas thrived in each role she played in a career that spanned nearly five decades. Robert Downey Sr., director of the countercultural satire “Putney Swope” and the father of actor Robert Downey Jr., died Wednesday in New York. He was 85. Downey Jr. posted about his father on Instagram, writing “Last night, dad passed peacefully in his sleep after years of enduring the ravages of Parkinson’s…he was a true maverick filmmaker.” Downey Sr. also acted, and directed several other films that gained a cult following. But 1969’s “Putney Swope” was given a mainstream release and thus exposed his work to a wider audience, which was shocked (even appalled) by much of what they saw at the time. The devastating satire of Madison Avenue follows what happens when an African American activist is given a free hand at an ad agency. Downey Sr. acted, in films including “Boogie Nights” (1997), “Magnolia” (1999) and “The Family Man” (2000). The University of North Carolina’s decision to initially deny Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure, reverberated in an instant rebuke from the school’s Black students and faculty, who waged their collective voices against the establishment in order to evoke change. While Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and former alumnae of UNC will instead begin a tenured venture at Howard University, she thanked her extended family of Black students and faculty who aided her in a fight that will serve as a watershed moment in higher education where Black students and intellectuals are often tolerated and overlooked. On Wednesday a coalition group comprised of the UNC Black Student Movement, the Carolina Black Caucus, and the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association pressed on in their years-long fight to create a more equitable campus for Black and minority students by presenting the university with a list of demands during a news conference. News that President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti was assassinated on Wednesday induced feelings of uncertainty, anguish, and fear among natives after enduring political and environmental turmoil, especially over the last 11 years. While Moïse’s presidential term was riddled with criticism and controversy, the loss of the nation’s leader invites valid questions regarding the country’s future amid fears of rising gang and police violence as well as political instability. “The Haitian diaspora is upset and searching for answers. Although Jovenel Moïse was wildly unpopular with several calls for him to step down, there’s still a feeling of disappointment given what this indicates for the state of the country,” Haitian Times Publisher Vania Andre said in a statement. ” Folks are scared about what’s to come next, and there are very real fears about whether or not violence in the streets will ensue.” Haiti’s police chief said late Wednesday night that four people suspected of being involved in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse were killed by police in a gun battle. Two others were arrested, he said. Léon Charles, the police chief, said three police officers who were held hostage had been freed. “The police are engaged in a battle with the assailants,” he said at a news conference. “We are pursuing them so that, in a gunfight, they meet their fate or in gunfight they die, or we apprehend them.” Moïse was shot and killed at about 1 a.m. local time Wednesday by a group of armed assailants in his home. https://youtu.be/v0xFkbSjNl8 Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his own home in Port Au-Prince in the early morning hours Wednesday. His wife, Martine Moïse, was shot multiple times in the incident and was flown to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, arriving at approximately 3:30 p.m. Arrangements were made for her to be taken to Miami for treatment at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Officials said her vitals are stable but critical. She was flown to South Florida by Trinity Air Ambulance. https://youtu.be/1XumbmLxoYI More than a year since the country first shutdown, and the pandemic rages on. Concerns about the spread of the new delta variant prompt a renewed push to boost vaccination rates. Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, chair of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, emphasizes how much the new variant has become a concern because it is easier to transmit and more aggressive than prior versions of the coronavirus. Although some businesses and public offices maintain mask mandates and social distancing protocols, many local and state governments have removed protections. The rush to open could give the misconception that the pandemic is over. “The pandemic isn’t over; the pandemic is shifting,” Nunez-Smith said during an interview Tuesday. “And so it is becoming more and more urgent to be vaccinated to be protected from the delta variant and other variants.” Today, award-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones announced that she has declined an offer of tenure from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). In her first extensive comments since the UNC Board of Trustees voted on her tenure, Ms. Hannah-Jones released the following statement: “I have loved the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since I was a child watching Tar Heels basketball on television. Two decades ago, in 2001, I learned that not only had I been accepted into the master’s program at the journalism school at UNC, but that I had received a full-tuition Park Fellowship. I cried from joy. I could not believe how lucky I was to get the chance to learn journalism at a place I had so long revered. https://youtu.be/RRRs6iEyBHY Katie Couric’s upcoming 11-city tour will be in-person. She will be promoting her memoir “Going There.” Couric’s tour begins October 28th two days after her book’s release with her first stop being at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre. She is set to stop at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan, the Atlanta Symphony Hall, and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Special guests will join her at each venue. Eager to return to somewhat of a pre-pandemic world, Couric says, “Given the challenging period we’ve been through, I’m so excited to be out in the world, creating a sense of community and a place where we can all get together for meaningful conversations, and have some fun, too.” Steven Spielberg has cut a deal with Netflix through his production company Amblin Partners to make multiple feature films per year for Netflix. The deal does not specifically include movies to be directed by Spielberg. Amblin currently has a separate deal with Universal Pictures for theatrical releases. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, has long sought after this partnership as this will bring Amblin Partners more directly and more officially into the streaming fold. In an exclusive interview, original Braxton party girl, Trina Braxton tells radio and TV personality Jazmyn Summers that the reports of sis Towanda Braxton losing her home to foreclosure and going broke are totally false. Near the end of the “Braxton Family Values” 2011 season, Towanda, her two children and Andre Carter were evicted after their home went into foreclosure. They moved in with Towanda’s older sister, Toni. Recently rumors arose that she was going through that again. Not true says Trina dreading that rumor. “I was just at her house the other day and she’s doing good. I saw her beautiful house myself,” Trina tells Jazmyn. There were no boxes being packed. As for the other sisters, she’s loving Toni’s new look with the bald head. “She’s in her 50s. I’m in my 40s. I got to get my diet on. I can’t blame this weight on menopause.” She tells the Spotlight that Toni thought the bald head might be a little too much, but Trina strongly encouraged her. A statue of Martin Luther King Jr. in Southern California was vandalized with a swastika and other “horrific” graffiti that police are investigating as a hate crime, officials said. Officers from the Long Beach Police Department were called to King Park on Friday following reports the statue was vandalized with “hate/bias-motivated graffiti,” police said. Officers discovered the graffiti covering the front of the statue, Long Beach police spokesman Richard Mejia said in a statement. Police did not share a photo of the graffiti but an image posted on Twitter showed a black swastika spray-painted on the statue’s chest and SS bolts on a leg. The SS bolts are “a common white supremacist/neo-Nazi symbol derived from Schutzstaffel (SS) of Nazi Germany,” according to the Anti-Defamation League. Swastikas are hate symbols associated with Nazis. Willingboro, N.J.’s Carl Lewis, one of the most decorated Olympians of all time, picked up a new endorsement deal as the 2021 Tokyo Games approach. Lewis is joining the “Silk Team Protein Initiative.” Silk is a popular producer of soy milk. Silk is excited to introduce gold medal-winning athlete Carl Lewis as the newest face of the Silk® soy milk portfolio and member of Team Protein. Carl is featured on Original and Unsweet Silk Soy milk cartons, available on grocery store shelves now! To celebrate the new partnership, Carl and Silk Soy milk are passing the torch to the next generation of athletes through the ”Silk Team Protein” initiative, a new initiative for HBCU* track & field teams that is designed to help promote top talent, on and off the field, through a total of $50,000 in donations. A beloved college quarterback was killed last week after 50 shots were fired into his car while he was driving on a busy road in the Florida Panhandle. Ladarius Clardy, 18, a quarterback at Kennesaw State University, had just left a friend’s house and was driving on a main road in Pensacola when his car was hit with a spray of bullets, Sheriff Chip Simmons said at a press conference. “Someone fired over 50 rounds into the car, most of them into the car door, the driver’s door,” Simmons said. Deputies found a black Honda Accord that had crashed in a ravine in a wooded area. Inside, they found Clardy and an unidentified male passenger, 19, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Clardy was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger was transported to a local hospital. As many employers begin to make a push to return to the office following the July 4 holiday, a number of Black Americans may not be in support of that move. According to a new study from Future Forum, only 3% of white-collar, Black professionals want to return to the office full-time following the pandemic. According to mental health experts, trauma from civil unrest in the Summer of 2020 and fears of microaggressions post-pandemic have caused Black Americans to prioritize their mental health more than ever. “Following the murder of George Floyd and the racial traumas of the last year with COVID-19, more Black Americans are choosing to prioritize their mental health,” said Veronda Bellamy, therapist, and owner of The Relevancy Factor. “Particularly in settings where there are fewer Black Americans, the return to work can signal anxiety,” she continued. “In this case, many are choosing to manage their anxiety – and their overall mental health – by opting for a hybrid return to work model or a full work-from-home plan that allows them to avoid those sticky situations.” Racial disparities in cervical cancer are real and alarming. Take this startling statistic as an example: Black women are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer than white women — and cervical cancer is considered a preventable disease. According to Jessica A. Shepherd, MD, MBA, a board-certified ob-gyn who is working to raise awareness about cervical cancer, the reasoning behind the data doesn’t have to do with anything biological or genetic, yet instead a lack of access and education. “Unconscious bias and discrimination play a large role in in-equal access, less accurate diagnoses, decreased treatment options, less pain management and poor clinical outcomes,” Dr. Shepherd says. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQa6uh0Hydg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again CATCH “GMA3” WITH H.E.R. AND TAUREN WELLS LIVE CHAT ON FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021 Watch platinum hit makers H.E.R. (MBK/RCA) and Tauren Wells live chat about their hit song “Hold Us Together (Hope Mix)” on “GMA3: What You Need To Know” Friday, July 9th, 2021 at 1 pm ET / 12 pm CT and PT on ABC https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/video/gma3 Atlanta-based media company Empower Media Group (EMG) announced the 2021 Black Media Honors™? – the annual awards show that honors broadcasting, public relations, media, mass communication and journalism icons who have influenced and made significant contributions to the media industry. Hosted by Actress Brely Evans and Pastor Anthony Murray August 21, through August 22, in Atlanta. The official awards going down at Twelve Midtown Conference Center. This year’s honorees include Karen Civil, Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant, Kimberly Chapman, Jeff Johnson, Randy Fling, Dr. Rashad Richey, Michelle Rice, Morgan Debaun, Nadia C. Fischer and The Georgia Entertainment Caucus. Performances by Stellar Award Winning Gospel Singer Y'anna Crawley, Tasha Page-Lockhart and Ignatious Carmouche. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Norman Gyamfi of The Icho Group (Columbia, SC), and Walter Thomas of Agency22 Music & Entertainment (Chicago, IL), have merged their respective enterprises to create a dynamic new entertainment firm, Undivided. The novel union now represents some of the biggest headliners in the Christian-Gospel music genre such as GRAMMY® Award winner, Jonathan McReynolds; worship leader, Todd Dulaney; platinum-selling recording artist, Erica Campbell of Mary Mary fame and Chandler Moore of the Gen Z worship collective, Maverick City, among others. In 2020 the pandemic was a rough year for everyone but personally traumatic for me. I lost my brother to Covid-19 and this song HE KEPT ME means more to me now than it ever did. Most can relate that God has kept some from it, and brought some through it; not only physically but mentally. God is and will forever be A Keeper! check out new music from Lamont Sanders. https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/6657860?date=20210224&user_id=668306&signature=CFxveLxm9Gj4MyGuqsUH8yiscyo%3AeLNed9Op Lionel & Leslie drops video "Grateful." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSU7laKY9Fo On Tuesday, the U.S. track and field federation announced Sha' Carri Richardson will NOT run in the Tokyo Olympics. Her suspension for marijuana use would have benched Richardson for at least part of the Tokyo Olympics, the sprinter will now be completely barred from competing in the Olympics. Period. “While USATF fully agrees that the merit of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules related to THC should be reevaluated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field if USATF amended its policies following competition, only weeks before the Olympic Games,” the statement from USA Track & Field said. The president of Haiti was assassinated overnight by a group of gunmen in his private residence, Haiti’s interim prime minister said in a short statement Wednesday, sparking concern about worsening upheaval in the Caribbean country beset by political instability and growing gang violence. President Jovenel Moïse was killed and his wife wounded by unidentified assailants, some of whom spoke Spanish, according to interim prime minister Claude Joseph. Joseph called the attack “odious, inhuman and barbaric” and said Haiti’s security situation was under the control of the country’s armed forces and police. The Canadian Embassy in Haiti confirmed the assassination in a statement and described the attackers as “mercenaries.” The neighboring Dominican Republic, meanwhile, announced the closure of border crossings between the two countries. The second teen involved in the killing of Uber Eats food delivery driver Mohammad Anwar, 66, was sentenced this week to juvenile detention until she turns 21. Per NBC News, the second carjacker, a 15-year-old girl, pleaded guilty to felony murder in May and was also sentenced to juvenile detention until she turns 21. https://youtu.be/bj4eD4Octj4 Five years ago, on July 7, 2016, a concerned mother of two Black sons gave birth to twin organizations: Moms of Black Boys United, Inc. (M.O.B.B. United) and M.O.B.B United for Social Change, Inc. Depelsha Thomas McGruder founded these nonprofits in the wake of the brutal police killings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and many others who came before them. Fed up, frustrated and filled with despair, she took to her computer to do something about it. A heartfelt social media post began a journey for McGruder and a dedicated cohort of moms that led to the formation of M.O.B.B. United; two organizations dedicated to influencing policies and perceptions that impact how Black boys and men are viewed and treated by law enforcement and other authority figures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUKkgnJGaNI&feature=youtu.be Darnella Frazier, the teenager who filmed Derek Chauvin murder George Floyd last year, has revealed that Minneapolis police killed her uncle, who was an innocent driver during a high-speed chase conducted under questionable circumstances. While police did not immediately identify the victim of the apparent collateral damage, Frazier said the man who was inside a car that was hit by a police cruiser in pursuit of an alleged carjacking and robbery suspect early Tuesday morning was her uncle, Leneal Lamont Frazier. New York City moved closer to electing its second-ever Black mayor after Eric Adams was on Tuesday night declared the winner of last month’s Democratic primary. If Adams wins the general election in November, something that is all but a given in the Democratic-heavy five boroughs, he will be New York City’s first Black mayor in more than 30 years. He declared victory in part by saying “the results are clear” and looking to the general election. Juvenile has updated his 1999 classic “Back That Thang Up” as “Vax That Thang Up” as part of a new campaign by the dating app BLK to encourage folks to get inoculated against COVID-19. The reboot, featuring fellow Cash Money great Mannie Fresh (who appeared on the original) and No Limit legend Mia X, marks the first time the two New Orleans labels have linked for a project. https://youtu.be/pa_gk3X5UEE Kevin Hart’s trainer doesn’t not appreciate anyone talking about his kids, not even his famous client, who got a playful reminder of his trainer’s wrath – and strength as punishment. In video that has gone viral, fitness trainer Ron Everline is shown roughhousing in the pool with Hart and their families. It was all fun and games, but Everline had Hart in a serious headlock and repeatedly dunked him under the water. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQoMVVBp5yR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again WE tv’s hit series “Beyond the Pole” returns this week with an all-new episode, and we have an exclusive clip of what’s to come! This season on “Beyond the Pole,” per press release, Ms. Dime, Angel Kake, Empress, Lyric, Virgo, Gigi Maguire, Ya Ya, Treasure, and Milk Marie “Pinky” are dealing with a world that is changing along with their businesses. Everyone is feeling the stress of quarantine, staying masked-up, healthy, and keeping the bills paid in this new COVID reality. Now that the city of Atlanta has reopened, the women face these challenges as well as the pressure on their friendships, relationships and professional lives. https://youtu.be/b09maQY-L0I Inspired by 400 years of systemic injustice, inequality, and inhumanity, Sounds of Blackness Singers & Band express the perpetual pain and rage of Black people, who never received their “40 Acres And A Mule” despite the Centuries of free labor, exploitation, brutality, and dehumanization. Sounds of Blackness’ own Andrea Macklin & Yulanda are featured on ”Time For Reparations.” The song (written and produced by Sounds Music Director Gary Hines), was recorded at Atomic K Studios and Winterland Studios Minneapolis and, BabyHoney Studio Kansas City, MO. https://youtu.be/KBG3Uc_D5ac Last month, in celebration of Juneteenth, Billboard Music Award-winning music collective Maverick City Music released their newest project, Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition. The new album is a dual-side feature consisting of a live produced gospel A-Side and a Rap/R&B/Pop produced B-Side. Jubilee features a wide range of guest artists, including heavy-hitters from gospel, R&B, Pop and Rap: Ciara, Rapsody, Tamar Braxton, Jonathan McReynolds, Israel Houghton, Jekalyn Carr, and more. As with other Maverick City Music releases, the collective continues to impress as the new album Peaked at #1 on Apple iTunes. The collective currently claims 4 No.1 spots on the Christian/Gospel charts – Gospel Digital Song Sales, Top Christian Albums, Gospel Streaming Songs, Top Gospel Albums, Christian/Gospel charts – solidifying Maverick City Music’s impact on the music industry. G.I. Member Branden Anderson recently announced on social media the start of a new chapter in his life. After 20 years of recording, touring and charting with one of Gospel’s most beloved and celebrated urban contemporary male groups, he is launching his solo career. The announcement was met with much excitement and anticipation for his forthcoming single “God Did It Again” produced by Daniel Bryant (G.I., Tamela Mann, Chris Brown, Chante Moore). Branden is the President and CEO of the Stellar-Award Nominated Record Label BGA Music Group G.I. Former ‘Smallville’ actress Allison Mack is speaking out about her co-ringleader position in a sex cult called NXIVM. The cult’s leader and Mack’s alleged lover, Keith Raniere, used NXIVM as a self-help workshop to force over a dozen women and teen girls to have sex with him. His alleged crimes are documented in the HBO series “The Vow,” which was picked up for a second season. Mack allegedly manipulated women into becoming sex slaves for Raniere. Raniere was found guilty of federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges in June 2019, and sentenced to 120 years in prison, PEOPLE reported. Mack was arrested in 2018 and charged with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy. She pleaded guilty to the charges. Last month a federal judge sentenced her to 3 years in prison, along with a $20,000 fine. The apparent white supremacist at the center of a viral video in which he repeatedly calls his Black neighbor in south New Jersey the N-word and other racial slurs while trying to physically intimidate him won’t own up to his racism despite clear evidence to the contrary. Edward Cagney Mathews was arrested on Monday evening — more than two days after he attacked his neighbor on Friday with racial epithets — and said in an interview afterward that he just happened to have too much to drink and offered an apology to the unidentified Black man he was caught on video racially harassing for no apparent reason other than the color of his skin. “I certainly wasn’t expecting an encounter like that and certainly wasn’t expecting to disrespect anybody,” Mathews told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Let me be clear: That is no excuse for what I said, but I lost my temper.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1412113378005327873 Nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, co-counsel Devon Jacob, Reverend Al Sharpton, and the family of Hunter Brittain have released details regarding the public memorial service for Hunter Brittain, which will be held on Tuesday, July 6 at 12:30 p.m. CT. Reverend Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy and attorney Ben Crump will deliver special remarks. During the early morning of June 23, Officer Michael Davis shot and killed unarmed 17-year-old Hunter Brittain during a traffic stop. According to witnesses, Davis’s vehicle would not shift into park, so he exited the vehicle to put a large bright blue plastic bottle of antifreeze behind the wheel to prevent the vehicle from rolling towards the deputy’s vehicle. Inexplicably, Davis shot him three times. In violation of department policy and training, Deputy Davis did not activate his body camera until after the shooting. https://youtu.be/iFvIRezbMzk Over the holiday Bill Cosby released a message regarding the backlash against Phylicia Rashad, his former TV wife, received after she voiced her support once the court vacated Cosby’s sexual assault charge last week. Rashad, an incoming dean at Howard’s College of Fine Arts, has issued two apologies to survivors and Howard University community members, but Cosby decided to jump into the fray to condemn the media over the usage of free speech as well as placing blame on the media for the insurrectionists who illegally stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. “Howard University you must support ones Freedom of Speech (Ms. Rashad), which is taught or suppose to be taught everyday at that renowned law school, which resides on your campus,” he said in a statement sent by his spokesperson Andrew Wyatt, obtained by Deadline. The topic of respectability politics arose again this weekend after a popular soul food restaurant in Houston, Texas, unveiled a dress code policy that spurred anti-Black accusations aimed at Black patrons. Turkey Leg Hut became one of the hottest spots in the city, offering different enticing varieties of turkey legs doused in different dressings like crawfish macaroni, along with an atmosphere of club vibes, music and fun, including dish offerings of flavorful cocktails, desserts and hookah. But after a good run in the city’s Third Ward community, things turned sour when the restaurant released a strict dress code via a message on social media on Friday. In the post the restaurant demands patrons refrain from wearing “excessively revealing clothing,” “no house attire,” and prohibits baggy clothes and swimsuits. Winner of two top prizes at Sundance, “Summer of Soul” takes viewers into the forgotten Harlem concert series in 1969. Over the course of six weeks, thousands gathered for the Harlem Culture Festival featuring many of the decade’s hottest acts. Directed and executive produced by “Questlove,” aka Ahmir Thompson of The Roots, the “Summer of Soul” is not your average documentary. Now in theaters and streaming on Hulu, the two-hour documentary channels the energy and power of a critical moment in American culture. To call the “Summer of Soul,” an emotional experience is an understatement. Forty hours of footage are distilled into a two-hour exploration into the festival, with commentary from attendees and some musicians themselves. https://www.instagram.com/questlove/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=14f4e4af-8a9f-41e4-a8a4-0f552d7a1ca6 The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has partnered with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings to produce the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap to be released Aug. 20. This first-of-its-kind collection chronicles hip-hop’s growth and impact from the parks of the Bronx to the broadest areas of the American experience and worldwide influence. A track list and additional information about the anthology are available, including images from the set. “Born in Bronx and raised across the American West and South, hip-hop is one of the most influential genres of music in the modern era,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of NMAAHC. “Through beats, dynamic rhymes and pointed lyricism, hip-hop has provided a platform for communities and generations to voice their ongoing struggles and has changed society and culture around the world.” https://youtu.be/RjDaZuMpvxg Independence Day tends to make Americans reflect on their constitutional rights. When it comes to the 2nd Amendment more African-Americans have realized they too, have the right to bear arms. Even though just 19 percent of registered gun owners are African-American, they are more likely to be victims of crimes where guns are used against them. That could explain why more than half of new gun sales were to Black people in the year between March 2020 and March 2021. The growing number of Black registered gun owners is one of the reasons the National African-American Gun Association (NAAGA) was created in 2015. The NAAGA website lists education, gun safety, self-defense and advocacy as its objectives. In less than six years membership has risen to more than 60,000. https://youtu.be/_s-M_2yFSWA Nick Cannon at 40, has announced his new daytime talk show to reportedly air soon, right after the Wendy William’s Show. However, there’s a twist, the tea is that Cannon’s talk show will be replacing “The Real.” Radar Online says they have a source who confirms that the time slot currently occupied by “The Real” is going to be given to Cannon, according to Bossip. Insiders say that “The Wendy Williams Show” and Cannon’s highly anticipated talk show were meant to complement one another, as they both share the same producers, Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury. https://www.instagram.com/nickcannon/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d9c536ff-5d34-4216-9912-3e06ccb50bd4 Today, TV One and CLEO TV announced that Charnelle Anderson has joined the company as SVP of Marketing & Creatives Services to oversee the strategic development and implementation of all marketing initiatives. With over two decades of industry experience, Anderson will play a critical role in driving brand awareness and creating cohesive marketing programs that amplify both network's content offerings across digital, linear and non-linear television platforms. Proving to be a true success story at Gospel radio with repeated Number 1 songs, Jekalyn Carr reaches the Number 1 slot on both the Billboard Gospel Songs Chart. Mediabase Gospel Airplay Chart this week with "Jehovah Jireh." The powerful and robust "Jehovah Jireh" is Carr's fifth Number 1 song and follows her previous Number 1 song from her current album, the title track "Changing Your Story." SAN FRANKLIN is an undeniable force among Gospel music's most noted circle of female Gospel artists. Her debut solo album THE FREE PROJECT has made evident her incredible vocal arranging skill, prolific songwriting ability, and anointed delivery and performance. The album chronicles her trials and triumphs and ambition to inspire and lead people to the freedom and liberty that Christ offers. "I CHOOSE FREE" is a defining song that she conveys with both passion and power. "I CHOOSE FREE" is an anthem and an emblem of liberty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvToaLXKwPY A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, July 8 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, experts recount the infamous sins of the D.C. Sniper. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z82BLjd41hE&feature=youtu.be Less than a week after trustees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill belatedly voted to grant tenure to New York Times reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones, Howard University announced Hannah-Jones will instead be joining its faculty. Howard, the prestigious historically Black university in Washington, D.C., also announced it is hiring writer and Howard alumnus Ta-Nehisi Coates, author of Between the World and Me. Their positions were funded by nearly $20 million in donations from the Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation as well as an anonymous donor. The funding establishes the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism, a tenured position to be held by Hannah-Jones. Hannah-Jones, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her “1619 Project,” will also establish the Center for Journalism and Democracy, which the university says will train aspiring journalists in “the investigative skills and historical and analytical expertise needed to cover the crisis our democracy is facing.” Galveston County Health officials are investigating whether a COVID-19 outbreak at a church-sponsored summer camp was caused by the Delta variant of the virus. Services at Clear Creek Community Church in League City were suspended Sunday. It’s believed that more than 100 kids contracted COVID-19 from a church-sponsored summer camp they attended in Giddings last week. Health officials suspect the kids may be infected with the Delta variant. https://youtu.be/e0q98DEMsuw Expectations regarding ESPN’s coverage of the 2020 NBA Finals landed Rachel Nichols in hot water within her own network. Those comments, made public in a New York Times report published Sunday, have now led to a change in assignment for her at the 2021 finals. Nichols will not be the sideline reporter for the Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks series, ESPN announced Tuesday. Malika Andrews will assume the role, while Nichols will continue hosting her daily NBA show, “The Jump.” “We believe this is best decision for all concerned in order to keep the focus on the NBA Finals,” ESPN said in a statement. An earlier report noted that last month, attorneys Steven Greenberg and Michael Leonard — who’ve been with R. Kelly for years — filed documents requesting to withdraw from the singer’s federal case, per TMZ. Their alleged reason for wanting to pull out is all about a clash with other members of Kelly’s legal team regarding inadequate experience with Kelly’s type of case. “We refused to try a case with lawyers who don’t have the appropriate level of experience and skill because that is not in the client’s best interest. It is a shame that lawyers can’t suppress their egos or self-interest and do or act in the client’s best interest,” Greenberg and Leonard told TMZ. Thomas Farinella and Nicole Blank Becker have taken over the case. According to the report, they filed a motion for R. Kelly‘s release from a Chicago jail on July 1. The outlet writes, “In the filing, claims that Greenberg withheld paperwork from the singer were made, as well as an allegation of Leonard not allowing R. Kelly to seek help from a mental health professional.” As reported by thejasminebrand.com, a judge has not yet officially signed off on the paperwork to withdraw, so Greenberg and Leonard are still part of the singer’s defense team. https://youtu.be/V1SD-wPRDlY Market Fridays where students can shop from local Black vendors. Hump Wednesdays featuring popup concert performances. The long-awaited family reunion at homecoming. All are quintessential parts of life in the AUC — Atlanta University Center Consortium — home to four Historically Black Colleges & Universities. Yet these experiences haven’t been televised as frequently as those of affluent white students: Reflecting the lack of diversity among Hollywood writers, protagonists in teen movies and TV shows tend to aspire to Yale University, not Spelman or Morehouse . Enter “All American: Homecoming,” which joins the much smaller number of films and series — including “School Daze,” “Drumline,” “Stomp the Yard,” “A Different World” and most recently BET’s two-season drama “The Quad” — to choose HBCUs as their backdrop. Premiering Monday on The CW, the pilot of “Homecoming,” a spinoff of the L.A.-set high school drama “All American,” stars Clark Atlanta University alumna Geffri Maya and “The Quad’s” Peyton Alex Smith, who briefly attended Florida A&M University, in a story set at the fictional Bringston University in Atlanta. Spike Lee, the first Black president of the Cannes Film Festival jury, spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon in the south of France, touching on such topics as Netflix, George Floyd, his beloved New York Knicks and more. Spike Lee is making history at Cannes Film Festival. The Oscar-winning director is the first Black president of the jury, where he’ll head the nine artists and actors — including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tahar Rahim and Song Kang-ho — tasked with voting on the prestigious Palm d’Or. “Cannes is the world’s greatest film festival,” Lee said on Tuesday afternoon in the South of France. “No disrespecting other film festivals.” https://youtu.be/BRpxW_-0M4I On Monday afternoon, Olivia Wilson had arrived from her home in Tennessee to the Cannes Film Festival, where she’ll be working as an intern at the American Pavilion. But before she got to enjoy the flashiest film festival in the world, she had to spit over and over again in a plastic tube to make sure she didn’t have COVID-19. In Cannes, the saliva test will be the preferred method of checking for COVID by Biogroup, the laboratory hired to fight the spread of the virus that has killed 4 million people around the world. But while the process didn’t involve sticking a swab up her nostrils, it wasn’t so easy. “It was difficult for me,” Wilson says. “I couldn’t produce enough saliva.” She estimated that she had to spit “more than 15 times” before she’d collected enough of a sample. Former Casting Crowns drummer Andy Williams — who remains on a ventilator — underwent surgery last week to have one of his legs amputated “above the knee” after being hit by a vehicle as he was riding his motorcycle to church. Although the prognosis remains unclear, Williams’ church, Grace Chapel Church in Fairview, Tennessee, is asking for continued prayers “for complete and total healing for this amazing husband, father, and music teacher.” The church has started a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising at least $250,000 to cover medical bills for Williams’ care. At the time this article was published, the campaign has raised more than $22,000. Tyrese Gibson is promoting “F9: The Fast Saga,” by giving Architectural Digest a tour of his Atlanta mansion. The 1980s series “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” was an inspiration for the Los Angeles native. “My first instinct was like, I can’t believe human beings can actually own Rolls-Royces and castles!” Gibson said. “But eventually that TV show gave me the audacity to believe that it was possible to have these things, to break the cycle of poverty.” https://youtu.be/RjVfU9WcPxE Kei’Yonna Gumbs of Texas City, Texas shared video of her three-month-old daughter, Myla, shockingly covered head to toe in body hair. “Never have I ever, and this is my fourth kid, had a baby with so much hair,” Kei’Yonna said in the video. https://youtu.be/fl65XcY3EeU Kodak Black fans have questions after he posted footage of himself throwing stacks of $100 bills into the ocean and flushing several more down the toilet. In two now-deleted social media posts that were widely reposted and trending, Black disposed of large amounts of money, which some fans estimated to be $100,000. Others said they’re not so sure it was that much, but most agreed it was careless. In the first video posted on Tuesday, June 29, Black is on a boat nonchalantly throwing money into the sea while being recorded. He is saying something, but the video has no sound so viewers cannot discern his dialogue. Black captioned the video: “I Broke You Off When Dem F**k Ni**as Wouldn’t Give You A Dime !!! I Ain’t Owe You Sh*t Ni**a I Just Wanted To See You Shine!!! Yeen Never Gave Me Sh*t Ni**a I Had My Own Grind!!!” As a holiday, Independence Day, like many aspects of America’s folklore, represents an expression of ideas that have yet to come to pass. Posting a rendition of Frederick Douglass’ speech “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July’” has become as much an Independence Day tradition for Black people as the family cookout. The words of another great elder ring true on this day. Ida B. Wells-Barnett once wrote that extending the right to vote, without limitation, to Black people was critical to ending lynching and the dehumanization of Black life. Wells-Barnett understood that the act of voting alone would not make lynchings disappear, but without the right Black people could continue to be treated as subhuman and undeserving of process. It’s been 245 years since the founders declared independence for themselves, and the fight for freedom and liberation from tyranny continues. A new monument honoring the life and legacy of abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman is coming to the city of Newark, CBS News reported. The statue—which will stand in Downtown Newark’s Washington Park—will serve as an ode to Tubman’s bravery, resiliency and the sacrifices she made on the journey towards freedom. The structure will replace a statue of Christopher Columbus that was removed following the uprising in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. In October 2020, the City of Newark unveiled plans to not only replace the statue but to change Washington Park’s name to Tubman Square. The maternal health crisis has disproportionately impacted Black women and Morehouse School of Medicine is putting the focus on reversing this alarming trend through the creation of a new research effort. The Atlanta-based institution recently announced the launch of an initiative centered on exploring the origins of racial health inequities and their impact on the pregnancy journeys of Black women. As part of the effort being led by MSM’s Center for Maternal Health Equity, which was established in 2019, African American mothers in Louisiana, Georgia, the District of Columbia and New Jersey—which have the highest rates of Black maternal mortality—will candidly share their experiences surrounding Maternal Near Misses (MNM); an occurrence when a woman nearly loses her life during her pregnancy, childbirth or after the termination of a pregnancy. Researchers will also delve into how the maternal health crisis has impacted women who are incarcerated. The Domino Sugar Factory a staple in the city of Baltimore and for the first time in its 99-year history, a Black woman will sit at its helm. According to The Baltimore Sun, Coricka White was appointed to serve as the refinery’s manager. For decades, the factory’s iconic neon sign that adorns Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has been synonymous with the city’s industrial history. The refinery is the second-largest sugar factory in the United States and the last remaining sugar production facility in Baltimore. Nearly 6.5 million pounds of sugar is processed there daily. For White—a University of Virginia alum who earned a master’s degree from the Florida Institute of Technology—her connection to the company runs deep. She started working there as an engineer nearly two decades ago and has served in several senior leadership roles throughout her career. In her new position, she is responsible for managing $20 million installations of refined sugar silos which equates to nearly 14 million pounds of storing capacity. Disney‘s highly anticipated “Black Widow” hits theaters and Disney+ on July 9. The film stars Scarlett Johansson reprising her role as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow. In addition, audiences will get a deeper look into the character who joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2010s “Iron Man 2.” The film’s timeline is after 2016s “Captain America: Civil War” and 2018s “Avengers: Infinity War.” Natasha is on the run after helping Captain America escape and turning her back on Tony Stark. With nowhere left to go, Natasha returns to her birth country with the help of her friend “Mason” (O.T. Fagbenle) https://youtu.be/Fp9pNPdNwjI Terron Brooks is a talented singer/songwriter who has performed alongside such music royalty as Smokey Robinson, Stephanie Mills and Michael Jackson. His time on Broadway — highlighted by his roles as Simba in “The Lion King” and Seaweed in “Hairspray”— set the stage for what would become his largest role to date, his portrayal of Motown legend Eddie Kendricks in “The Temptations.” That NBC miniseries depicted the life and times of the talented but troubled group. Brooks has also released five studio albums, with a sixth to be released this fall. The research team at Delamere Health have uncovered the top artists making the most references to sex within their music. The findings revealed that Usher is one of the most provocative artists. The Atlanta rapper landed in fifth place on the ranking, with 29 sexual references. This is unsurprising as the HR&B singer is recognized for his hyper-sexual tunes, this is present in “This Ain’t Sex” and “Nice & Slow.” However, Nicki Minaj topped the list as the raunchiest singer/rapper. The Hip Hop artist has made a total of 43 references to sex within her lyrics, crowning the singer-songwriter the most provocative artist. Megan Thee Stallion, landed in third place, with 34 sexual mentions, this artist ranking is unsurprising with Megan’s hit single Sex Talk. After three days of repeated power outages at his aunt’s Dallas home during February’s arctic storm, Steven Brown noticed something was very wrong with his legs. “My feet had swelled up on me,” he recalled. “I couldn’t walk normal. My ankles locked up to the point where I couldn’t bend my knees or stand up no more.” A relative took the 23-year-old to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where Brown learned he had suffered frostbite to his legs and had a blood infection. After three days of hospitalization, he was presented with two choices – either a long, complicated recovery filled with many uncertainties or amputation. “Either I had an option that I could keep [my legs] and deal with whatever comes with it or the second option was I had to get both of my limbs amputated so I chose that one,” Brown said. “Other people would probably be like, dang, I lost my legs. They’d probably have a hard time coping and dealing with it. … But I can deal with it. It’s just a different way of living.” https://cbsloc.al/3jrzPCz Former NBA star Reggie Theus is expected to be named the athletic director and men’s head basketball coach at Bethune-Cookman University next week, sources told ESPN’s The Undefeated. Theus replaces Ryan Ridder as Bethune-Cookman’s men’s basketball coach. Ridder left for the same position at University of Tennessee-Martin on March 30. Theus has previously coached at New Mexico State from 2005-07, compiling a 41-23 record and earning one NCAA tournament bid. He was 94-128 while coaching at Cal State Northridge Matadors from 2013-18. The two-time NBA All-Star has also been a head coach with the Sacramento Kings and the G League Los Angeles D-Fenders. Theus also coaches in the Big3 and is expected to continue coaching this upcoming season. A 13-year-old from Michigan has died in his sleep three days after receiving his second coronavirus vaccine, prompting an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control. Jacob Clynick, a healthy boy with no underlying conditions, received his second shot of the Pfizer vaccine at Walgreens in Zilwaukee on June 13, according to his aunt Tammy Burages. She told The Detroit Free Press that the only side effects Jacob had experienced from the vaccine were fatigue and fever, which are considered normal. He complained of a stomach ache on June 15 and went to bed, where he died in his sleep, Burages said. An autopsy was performed but Jacob’s official cause of death has yet to be determined. Songs Of Praise star Aled Jones said his Twitter was hacked after a very rude photo was posted on his account. The singer, 50, apologized to fans after a close up picture of a man’s crotch in black Calvin Klein boxer shorts was posted on Sunday. The image was posted as a Fleet, content that disappears 24 hours after it is shared, similar to an Instagram Story. Writing on Twitter, Aled said: “I’ve been hacked sorry everyone! Jeez xxx.” He claimed he didn’t even know what a Fleet was, adding: “Never heard of it!” Vice-President Kamala Harris was recently accused of not celebrating Juneteenth with a room full of White female-senators (at her side) while people of color (the help) minded the dinner-table. USA Today jumped to Harris’ aid with a fact check – made possible by a grant from Facebook – that said: Nope, it’s just not true. The news organization reached out to the Facebook user (who made the claim, wrongly criticizing four official photos) and told them so. The accusations were false. The slammed photos were shot at an annual event held for 24 female senators – comprised of 16 Democrats and eight Republicans. The affair in question, a yearly tradition, is meant to foster good relationships among the bipartisan women. Plus, it didn’t happen on June 19. The episode took place at Harris’ Washington home a few days before Biden even signed the bill – that made Juneteenth a federal holiday. And it turns out – when the time came – the first Black-female vice-president of the United States did in fact commemorate the holiday. On June 19 she tweeted: “We have come far. And we have far to go. But today is a day of celebration. Happy Juneteenth, everybody!” Harris said. “Happy Juneteenth y’all.” https://youtu.be/TwGxu27bZjI As recent, audio surfaced ESPN’s Rachel Nichols discussing how she could prevent Maria Taylor, a Black woman and Nichol’s colleague, from being assigned her job during the NBA Finals. Not surprisingly, Nichols caught a lot of incoming for her comments in the conversation with LeBron James’ publicist Adam Mendelsohn. And now Mendelsohn is no doubt regretting being a party to Nichols’ beef. He’s specifically catching it for comments he made about James’ Black Lives Matter support in that same conversation. When responding to Nichols, Mendelsohn brought up his agitation with James’ push for social justice, specifically with the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements. “I’m exhausted. Between Me Too and Black Lives Matter, I got nothing left,” Mendelsohn said in his conversation with Nichols. https://youtu.be/mm1xHq1NiIc Jalen Rose, who reportedly made racist comments about Kevin Love and Twitter got involved in it. Things got heated. ESPN sports analyst Jalen Rose doesn’t seem to think Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love (a white athlete) is worth his salt. As least as far as the USA men’s basketball is concerned. “Anybody that watched the league this year knows Kevin Love did not have a stellar season, was not the best player on his team and did not necessarily deserve to be on this squad,” Jalen Rose said. “Kevin Love is on the team because of tokenism. Don’t be scared to make an all-Black team representing the United States of America.” Jalen Rose said that on his Jalen & Jacoby podcast last week and has since apologized. https://youtu.be/GXoihU9bPwc Nine-time Grammy winner, Mary J. Blige, is a singing legend that has found success on many avenues in the entertainment industry. She has recorded eight multi-platinum albums and has been nominated twice for academy awards and Golden Globe honors. Yet, many of her fans asked the question: Why did Mary J. Blige have suicidal thoughts with so much to live for? Mary sets the record straight in a documentary released on Amazon Prime, titled “My Life.” The documentary marks the 25th anniversary of Mary’s second album, “My Life.” https://youtu.be/7yQqqu1qr3A Rachel Nichols had a conversation in 2020 with Lebron James’ PR person, Adam Mendelsohn, that leaked and went viral because of what Nichols said in regard to how she could prevent Maria Taylor, a Black ESPN anchor/reporter, from taking over her job during the NBA Finals last year. Nichols, of course, has been catching a lot of flack for her comments and now, for whatever reason, former NBAer and current podcaster, Stephen Jackson, has put his two cents into the mix. He’s basically agreeing with Nichols, saying if it had happened to him, he’d be pissed and calling out the network, too. He initially posted a video saying “F**k ESPN” and called himself “Team Maria.” Jackson deleted the video and shared another one in which he defended Nichols. He said ESPN gave Taylor a “sympathy job” due to the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd. https://youtu.be/7vvJt6f9p8U American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson who won the women’s 100-meter at the U.S. trials last month, has reportedly tested positive for cannabis, as a result, she’s been disqualified as the gold medal contender from a chance to challenge for the Olympic 100 metres title in Tokyo later this month. Richardson, who’s vibrant energy won America over and is hailed as the most exciting sprint star since Usain Bolt was aiming to become the first American woman to win the Olympic 100m title since 1996. The suspension length as currently stands is for 30 days. https://youtu.be/ENOHzuAarK0 A 23-year-old boxer who looks just like Muhammad Ali won a spectacular knockout Saturday in America. Meet Michel Rivera, a Dominican lightweight who is building a considerable name for himself because of his unbeaten run, 21-fight winning streak, and La Zarza Ali nickname. With his high-fade haircut, slender athletic build, and white shorts with black trim, fight fans would be forgiven for thinking they’ve gone back in time to see a late-1960s Ali. A medical examiner in Michigan says an autopsy has determined that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died of chest trauma from an errant fireworks mortar blast, and not a fall, as authorities previously reported. Police in Novi, Michigan, said the mortar-style firework tilted slightly and started to fire toward people nearby Sunday night. The 24-year-old Kivlenieks was in a hot tub and tried to get clear with several other people, police Lt. Jason Meier said. Meier said that the fire department and EMTs arrived at a private home on Sunday. Responders took 4 minutes and 38 seconds to arrive after receiving a 911 call. Kivlenieks was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s office reported preliminary autopsy results Monday afternoon. Prior to the autopsy, police said Kivlenieks was believed to have slipped and hit his head on concrete while running from a malfunctioning firework. LeBron James a four-time NBA MVP caused a scene at his son Bronny’s prep basketball game on Saturday, interrupting the game to yell at the PA announcer over a comment he didn’t appreciate. During the final minutes of the game – which took place at LeBron’s alma mater St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School, at the aptly named LeBron James Arena – the Lakers star took issue after a PA announcer said Bronny got a foul call because he was playing in a gym with his father’s name on it, according to the broadcast. Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome on Sunday afternoon for scheduled surgery on his large intestine, the Vatican said. The news came just three hours after Francis had cheerfully greeted the public in St. Peter’s Square and told them he will go to Hungary and Slovakia in September. It was the pope’s first known hospitalization since he was elected to the papacy in 2013. The brief statement from the Holy See’s press office promised a medical update after the surgery was complete at Gemelli Polyclinic, a Catholic teaching hospital. The Vatican didn’t say when the surgery would begin, only indicating it would take place later in the day. A white Ohio police chief resigned Tuesday over a deeply troubling racial incident where he was caught on surveillance video placing a Ku Klux Klan sign on the desk of a Black officer. On Friday Anthony Campo, a 33-year veteran of the Sheffield Lake Police Department was captured placing a piece of paper emblazoned with “Ku Klux Klan” on the desk of another officer. The officer, who is Black, had been with the department for less than a year. Campo, who is white, places the paper on a yellow robe, used to look like the robes worn by members of the white supremacist group. https://youtu.be/C7e8A9wVDYs On June 22nd, Britney Spears’s management team started getting nervous. Spears, who is thirty-nine, has spent the past thirteen years living under a conservatorship, a legal structure in which a person’s personal, economic, and legal decision-making power is ceded to others. Called a guardianship in most states, the arrangement is intended for people who cannot take care of themselves. Since the establishment of Spears’s conservatorship, she has released four albums, headlined a global tour that grossed a hundred and thirty-one million dollars, and performed for four years in a hit Las Vegas residency. Yet her conservators, who include her father, Jamie Spears, have controlled her spending, communications, and personal decisions. Members of Spears’s team, most of whom have had little or no direct contact with her for years, didn’t expect drastic changes to result. Two years earlier, in the midst of health struggles and pressure from Spears, Jamie had stepped down from his duties overseeing her personal life, and now the team thought that perhaps she wanted to remove him as the conservator of her financial affairs. Some of the team told reporters that they believed Spears liked the conservatorship arrangement, as long as her father wasn’t involved. ESPN is in turmoil after one of its star reporters, who is white, was heard on a hot mic criticizing the network’s decision to tap a black female colleague to host its NBA coverage last year. Rachel Nichols was overheard last year in a phone conversation saying that she was passed over in favor of a black woman, Maria Taylor, because ESPN was ‘feeling pressure’ to have more on-air diversity. In her conversation with Adam Mendelsohn, Nichols is heard complaining about being passed over to host the network’s marquee pre- and post-game shows during the NBA playoffs and finals last year. An audio excerpt of the phone call was obtained by The New York Times. https://twitter.com/i/status/1411679837505347584 The mother of a Black man who was fatally shot while he was running away from a white Nashville police officer begged a judge on Friday not to accept a plea deal that would send the former officer to jail for only three years.The mother, Vickie Hambrick, cried and screamed as she pounded and knocked over a courtroom lectern, saying she had not been consulted before prosecutors agreed to allow the former officer, Andrew Delke, to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter for shooting her son, Daniel Hambrick, 25, in the back on July 26, 2018. Mr. Delke, 27, had been facing trial on a first-degree murder charge that could have resulted in a life sentence. “I can’t believe this, Judge, I can’t believe this,” Ms. Hambrick said in Nashville criminal court. “What if it was your child instead of my child? It would have been a different story.” The father of twin sisters who are Internet famous for their twerking videos was shot dead by a man during an argument with his daughters. The incident led to the death of an elderly man in what police in Mobile, Ala. say was a case of mistaken identity. In all, two men are dead and a woman is in critical condition. “The preliminary investigation indicates Mr. Walters produced a firearm,” Hodge said. “The other individual produced his firearm and shot Mr. Walters in what appears to be self-defense, based on the information that we have so far.” Police said the man fired at Walters three times, and a 23-year-old woman at the house was also wounded. She is in critical condition. Merrill is the boyfriend of the woman. He was not at the house at the time of the shooting but when he found out about it, he went to the Pathways Apartments on Florida Street and kicked in the wrong door in an act of revenge. He fired multiple shots, hitting James Jones, who died during the gunfire. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently balked about unfair and confusing federal policies that entrap and won’t give tax relief to marijuana-business owners – even though they need to perform business practices just like everybody else. When the IRS refused to give a Colorado marijuana dispensary the same federal tax breaks due to other businesses, the owners gathered paperwork and asked for a Supreme Court hearing – and it was denied. That’s when Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas weighed in to say it just ain’t right. More specifically he said Federal Marijuana laws may not be necessary given how they are greatly undermined anyway, according to an NBC News report. https://youtu.be/Vf7yZLSxKCg Sha’Carri Richardson is getting a lot of love and support from a lot of people including some of the country’s top athletes. The U.S. Olympic sprinter has been in the spotlight the last several days because of after testing positive for marijuana a month before the Tokyo Games. The good news is that while Richardson’s suspension won’t allow her to run the 100 meters in the Tokyo Olympics, there’s an outside chance she will be able to run in the 4×100 relay. On Friday (07-02-21) Richardson admitted to Savannah Guthrie on the “Today Show” that she turned to marijuana to cope with the death of her biological mother, news of which was broken to her by a reporter she called a “total stranger.” https://youtu.be/7Ls2rFH8mMg Yara Shahidi has a very fashionable new gig – as Dior’s new global brand ambassador. The 21-year-old actress and activist will be the face of the brand’s women’s fashion and cosmetics, showcasing the work of creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri and image director of make-up Peter Philips. Shahidi has already previously partnered with the fashion house while simultaneously demonstrating her passion for activism, through her work with Dior for International Women’s Day. She appeared in the Dior Stands With Women female-led education and empowerment initiative, in which she talked about her own personal journey with activism. She’s also currently studying at Harvard University for a degree in Social Studies and African-American studies. Barack Obama says his daughters Sasha and Malia don’t fear him nearly as much as they do their mother, Michelle Obama. “They know that I’m all bark and no real bite,” Obama told Dax Shepard on the actor’s latest Armchair Expert podcast. “Michelle, she’s the top dog ’cause they’re scared of her,” he joked. “Michelle says that you have to always have at least one parent who the kids think is a little bit crazy and might actually kill you.” During the episode, the former president said “I am generally the brunt of every joke in the household.” He added that “at the dinner table, the three of them just mock me constantly about my big ears or my weird habits or fashion sense or if I mispronounce the name of some hip-hop star that Sasha’s been listening to.” “They all go, ‘What an idiot,’ ” Obama he said, laughing. “So that’s basically the vibe at my house.” https://youtu.be/VOlDfHSbG8A Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina Dhowre opened up about their seemingly tumultuous marriage on a recent episode of their new podcast series. During the conversation, the actor confessed that he has an explosive temper that often negatively impacts their relationship. https://twitter.com/i/status/1408461935390216193 In the world of reality television, sexual promiscuity is not only prevalent but more often than not promoted. Such is not the case for Bachelorette contestant Mike Planeta, who said in a recent podcast interview that his virginity is of the highest value and importance. He believes that God placed a hedge of protection around him in this area so as to keep him out of trouble. “If you truly are convicted in something like this—and for me, I’m convicted, … [but] I believe wholeheartedly God grabs the most rotten ones the earliest,” said the 31-year-old. “I was one of the most rotten ones when I was born. [God] was like, ‘You do not get to experience a lot of these things because you’re going to get in trouble.'” “Knowing that about myself, it was almost like a layer of protection, where it was like, ‘No, you don’t get to do this.'” Misha Green’s “Lovecraft Country,” will not be getting a second installment. “We will not be moving forward with a second season of ‘Lovecraft Country,’” HBO said in a statement to Deadline. “We are grateful for the dedication and artistry of the gifted cast and crew, and to Misha Green, who crafted this groundbreaking series. And to the fans, thank you for joining us on this journey.” With its unique blend of horror, fictional period drama, real historical figures, fantasy, sci-fi and social commentary, the empowering “Lovecraft Country” took pop culture by storm in August and helped advance the social conversation ignited by the death of George Floyd. https://youtu.be/VH7YEY0GWZk The Next One Up program provides highly individualized, wrap-around support that empowers young Black men in Baltimore City to become the city’s next generation of leaders. The program struggled for years to find sufficient space. Then in 2019, the Gilman School gave it a home on Sundays and five weeks in the summer. Dominic Crawford, 16, has been part of Next One Up since the seventh grade. “It has helped me because I built a brotherhood and built strong bonds with people, and came across many different people from different communities. It’s helped me with getting into schools, different jobs and doing different things to help my community,” Crawford said. The young men are all student athletes and come from neighborhoods and schools throughout the city. Over 45 different middle and high schools are represented, although the young men may face significant challenges in their homes, neighborhoods or schools, Next One Up provides the long-term mentoring and coaching that will make a lasting difference in their lives. Chosen Witness, the animated retelling of Jesus’ ministry, death and Resurrection through the eyes of Mary Magdalene, has been translated to 38 languages since its April release. Cru, formerly Campus Crusade for Christ, launched the project over Easter weekend 2021, and it was an immediate success, reaching 250,000 views internationally in the first three weeks alone. The hope is for it to be translated to over 250 languages in the near future. https://youtu.be/Z2-hqr0VE8c “The Boss Baby 2” in the sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s “Boss Baby,” the Templeton brothers—Boss Baby Tim (James Marsden) and his Boss Baby little brother Ted (Alec Baldwin)—have become adults and drifted away from each other. Tim is now a married stay-at-home dad, and Ted is a hedge fund CEO. Enter a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach and a can-do attitude, who sets new heights. She is about to bring the brothers together again. That reunion will inspire a new family business. Check out the trailer https://youtu.be/Os-wfB8qXoc Stars of “The Forever Purge,” Ana de la Reguera (Adela) and husband Tenoch Huerta (Juan) are immigrants who reach America through a tunnel that connects Mexico and Texas. They live in Texas. Adela works at a meat processing plant and Juan is a ranch hand for the wealthy Tucker family. Everyone settles in for the annual Purge and waits for the 12 hours of human carnage to be over. But this year is different. Fueled by the rhetoric of racists who aren’t taught that they are colonists who came from other countries, killed the indigenous people they didn’t put on reservations, continue to murder. https://youtu.be/RLJE_EX6ebc It has been confirmed that Naomi Osaka will be representing Japan in the 2021 Summer Olympics. Osaka, who was born in Japan and raised in the United States, has dual citizenship. She will relinquish her US citizenship in order to represent Japan. She spoke about the upcoming event, “It’s definitely going to be very special. I think there’s no other place that I’d rather play my first Olympics of course.” In 2018, Osaka became a national name after defeating Serena Williams during the Grand Slam singles tournament. She recently made headlines after she decided to pull out of the French Open to take care of her mental health. She also withdrew from Wimbledon in mid-June. The Olympics will begin on July 23rd. President Joe Biden praised sports’ ability to heal and bring a nation together in a time of crisis as he hosted the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Friday. The Dodgers, who captured the title by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays last October, were the first team to be honored at the White House since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the first since Biden took office. “I think what we discovered is that we need sports more than we ever realized,” said Biden, who praised baseball an important totem of normalcy in “one of the most challenging years” in the nation’s history. The president saluted the Dodgers as “a lot more than a baseball club; they are a pillar of American culture.” He also praised the team for using its stadium as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site. Kamala Harris' chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, appears to be keeping some of the VP’s longtime political and business world allies away from Harris with her high-level position. According to White House sources, Harris has not been returning phone calls from certain people who once were in her inner circle, even donors or individuals who backed her in her successful runs to the Senate and White House. t appears that Flournoy, as a gatekeeper, makes time for obvious people to see and meet with Harris, including President Joe Biden, Harris’ family, and a small group of friends and advisors. Flournoy’s reputation is quickly growing as a strong blocker that separates well-wishers from Harris, MSN News reports. https://youtu.be/H43Ov7y0CU4 The NFL has fined the Washington Football Team $10 million as a result of the league’s investigation into the team’s workplace culture. The money “will be used to support organizations committed to character education, anti-bullying, healthy relationships and related topics,” the league said. In addition, Tanya Snyder, who was named the team’s co-CEO this week, will take over the day-to-day duties and represent the franchise at league functions for the next several months. Her husband, Dan Snyder, will focus “on a new stadium plan and other matters,” the NFL said. The family of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs filed two lawsuits against the club and two former employees, claiming negligence over his drug-related death two years ago, attorneys announced Tuesday morning. Skaggs’ widow, Carli, filed in Fort Worth, Texas, in the same county where Skaggs died, and Skaggs’ parents, Darrell Skaggs and Debbie Hetman, filed in Los Angeles. Both lawsuits were filed in state courts and do not specify how much money they are seeking. Under the states’ laws, the deadline to file the lawsuits is Thursday, the second anniversary of Skaggs’ death. In addition to the Angels as an organization, the family is suing former team communications director Eric Kay, who told authorities that he regularly purchased drugs for Skaggs, and Kay’s former boss, Tim Mead. The crux of the lawsuit is that the Angels were negligent in allowing Kay, a longtime opioid abuser, to have access to players and that Mead failed to properly supervise him. Chauncey Billups just signed a five-year deal to head-up the Blazers, according to ESPN, fans were hissing at Lillard for supporting the decision to hire Billups. But Lillard said he doesn’t support sexual assault and he didn’t even know anything about it. Billups, (who back then, played for the Boston Celtics) and his teammate Ron Mercer were accused of sexual misconduct back in 1997. The pair settled the saga with their accuser financially and there were no criminal charges made. “Really?” Lillard said. “I was asked what coaches I like out of the names I ‘heard’ and I named them. Sorry, I wasn’t aware of their history. I didn’t read the news when I was 7/8yrs old, he said.” https://youtu.be/HxPKER7GxMs Coco Gauff is the headliner on the U.S. Olympic tennis team for Tokyo after the top two women and top three men declined spots. Gauff, 17, is joined by Jennifer Brady, Jessica Pegula and Alison Riske in singles, which is maximum four per country based on world rankings after the French Open. Nicole Melichar and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, a Rio Olympic gold medalist with Jack Sock, were the discretionary doubles-only picks. Sofia Kenin and Serena Williams qualified in the spring but chose not to play. Madison Keys could have also taken a spot but declined. Swimming caps designed for natural black hair created by a black-owned brand will not be allowed at the Olympics. The hats, made by Soul Cap, which previously partnered with Alice Dearing, who last week qualified to become the first black female swimmer to represent Team GB at the Olympics, have been rejected by the International Swimming Federation (Fina). Swimming caps designed for natural black hair created by a black-owned brand will not be allowed at the Olympics. The hats, made by Soul Cap, which previously partnered with Alice Dearing, who last week qualified to become the first black female swimmer to represent Team GB at the Olympics, have been rejected by the International Swimming Federation (Fina). The body said the caps did not fit “the natural form of the head” and to their “best knowledge the athletes competing at the international events never used, neither require … caps of such size and configuration.” Danielle Obe, the founding member of the Black Swimming Association, told the Guardian the ruling underlined the inherent systemic and institutional inequalities around the sport. “We believe that it confirms a lack of diversity in (the sport),” she said. “Aquatic swimming must do better.”The original swimming cap, designed by Speedo 50, was created to prevent Caucasian hair from flowing into the face when swimming. Obe said the caps did not work for afro hair, which “grows up and defies gravity”. Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin says he was robbed of a diamond chain with significant sentimental value at a hotel in Miami. “I have to come out of this depression. So I am sharing with ALL,” Irvin posted on Instagram. “This is my necklace that was in my bag. I designed it as a first down chain, holding an all diamond football, which is holding an all diamond cross.” “On each end of the cross are diamonds I acquired at the birth of my children Myesha, Chelsea, Michael and Elijah. It was a piece I built over my life that represents. Faith, Family and Football and my own sentimental way of praying to GOD please always protect my babies. I am so hurt [it’s] gone.” On a day when college athletes were officially granted rights to profit off their names, images and likenesses, former USC running back Reggie Bush made it clear he believes the Heisman Trophy he won in 2005 should be returned and his college statistics reinstated. “It is my strong belief that I won the Heisman trophy ‘solely’ due to my hard work and dedication on the football field and it is also my firm belief that my records should be reinstated,” Bush said in a statement. Bush returned his Heisman Trophy after a four-year extra-benefits investigation determined that he and family members, while he was a student-athlete, accepted cash, travel expenses and a home in the San Diego area where Bush’s parents lived rent-free for more than a year and were provided $10,000 to furnish. Hours after college athletes across the country were officially able to profit off their name and likeness, Jackson State defensive end Antwan Owens made NCAA history. Owens on Thursday — just after midnight — became the first athlete to sign an endorsement deal. As first reported by Sports Illustrated, the Georgia Tech graduate transfer inked a deal with 3 Kings Grooming, a Black-owned hair product business. “Somebody pinch me!” Owens said. “This is something that’s going to be life-changing, generationally life-changing.” The website also reported that the company signed at least four other Jackson State athletes. After many years of fighting for their right to profit off their name, image and likeness, the way has now been cleared for college athletes to begin a new era of NIL deals and endorsements. According to a report by Front Office Sports, a rising Tennessee State point guard, who will begin playing for the Tigers this fall, already has a lucrative endorsement already in his back pocket. Hercy Miller, the son of rapper and former NBA player Master P, has signed a $2 million deal to become a brand ambassador for Web Apps America, a tech company specializing in web, mobile and software solutions. Miller’s endorsement deal ties into the company’s commitment to supporting HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) in the United States. Actor OT Fagbenle who stars in Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the new film “Black Widow” which hits theaters Friday, July 9 and Showtime’s “The First Lady” joined SiriusXM Urban View’s The Karen Hunter Show. During the interview the actor spoke to host Karen Hunter and co-hosts about turning down a previous opportunity to play an African-American icon, but taking on the role as Barack Obama in the Showtime series “The First Lady”, was because he felt he could relate to Obama’s character personally, and spoke about working with Viola Davis who plays Michelle Obama. https://youtu.be/gwwpg4gtMiA The former “Flavor Of Love” reality star went Live late Thursday night to shut down reports that she was found unresponsive at home and died. While speaking to her 49K followers, Saaphyri explained that she was hacked. The fake post of Saaphyri’s passing read: “It is with a heavy heart that we say that Saaphyri has passed away. She was found today in her home responsive,” the statement read. “Please send your prayers. She’s now assuring her followers that she well and alive. “I don’t know who hacked into my phone and why THATS what they would want to put on there but it happens, it happens to everybody… first time it happens to me.” She went on to say that she’s not usually on her phone but realized what was going on after a friend came to her house to check on her. Despite all of this, she thanked her fans for “even caring about me.” “I’ve been always recording…now I feel is the right time because of how prepared I am – my age,” said Toronto singer/songwriter Meshae about releasing a single, “Kick It,” off of the G7 Records label in preparation for her upcoming album. “I understand more, so my (song) writing has gotten better – the moment is now.” Meshae comes from a musical family. As a native of Canada her neighborhood was filled with Hip-Hop and R&B influences. Her father, Ontario rapper Kwajo Cinqo, had Meshae in the recording studio with him at the tender age of nine. By ten years old Meshae was showing her musical talents in local talent shows and church choirs. After high school she enrolled in college to pursue Marketing. Currently 19 years-old, Meshae has decided to also go all-in as a singer/songwriter. https://youtu.be/juJ0z5yKlFM Lamar Odom took to Instagram to clap back at claims made by his ex Liza Morales who claims he’s a deadbeat dad. “Back in the news on some BS!! truliza4u (I’m blocked),” he wrote alongside a screenshot of a headline of him allegedly “skipping out on child support despite boxing match.” “I never air out my personal business because it’s personal but I have had enough,” the former NBA said, as reported by Ace Showbiz. “I was never married to my kids mother. I took care of her from the second she became pregnant and even after I was married I still paid her bills. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE for a GROWN A** WOMAN!! Once my children became adults my duties were done! I told her to GO TO WORK! MOVE into an affordable home, she didn’t listen and that is NOT on ME!” U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was set for a star turn at the Tokyo Olympics this month, could miss the games after testing positive for marijuana. Richardson, 21, won the women’s 100-meter race at the U.S. track and field trials in Oregon last month, but her positive test automatically invalidated her result in that marquee event. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the positive test result Friday morning and said that Richardson had accepted a suspension of one month, starting June 28. That could clear her in time to run in the 4×100 meter relay that takes place later in the games — if she is named to the U.S. team. The Essence Festival is your favorite "party with a purpose"! Enjoy the virtual experience from home and be sure to get your free pass and tune in on the final day, Sunday, July 4th, to catch Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, and Travis Greene for the Get Lifted™ Gospel Sunday Celebration! https://click.emails.sonymusicfans.com/?qs=28e223109d946e81d2f2b5f7767a6c57ea4030606fa167374c8a8a24f9d3c3aec5d137350917bf47d4334a2387511ee1f673cc7350a49f98 The late singer, actress, and songwriter Phyllis Hyman was a powerful and inspiring performer whose artistry left an indelible impression on fans. Now, some 26 years since her passing, a majority of Hyman’s studio recordings, plus several bonus tracks, have been compiled for the nine-CD set "Old Friend: The Deluxe Collection 1976-1978," due August 6, 2021, on Soul Music Records, distributed by Cherry Red Records. To celebrate Phyllis Hyman’s 72nd birthday as well as the release of this expansive new retrospective, fans can tune in to “A Special Tribute To Phyllis Hyman,” a special online event set for Tuesday, July 6, 2021, starting at 7 p.m. ET, to be streamed live on The Simply Phyllis Hyman FaceBook page and YouTube. The Gospel Spotlight's Latrice Crawford. She is best known for using her three-octave, contralto vocal range of to finish third on the second season of the competitive gospel singing television show Sunday Best on Black Entertainment Television. Her new EP is "The Cure." Tank's new single “Can’t Let It Show” has conquered the coveted #1 spot on R&B radio after 18 weeks on the charts. Written and produced by Tank, “Can’t Let It Show” brought forth a fresh iteration sparking nostalgia and is on track to be an R&B classic. Fans have gravitated towards the song as it is ripe with passion and arouses intense emotions and vulnerability. “Can’t Let It Show” is Tank’s fourth consecutive #1 smash hit that includes songs “When We,” “Dirty,” and “I Don’t Think You’re Ready.” https://youtu.be/tyqmxKxjF4Y Pattie Labelle is playing a “bad mother-in-law” in the new Old Spice commercial featuring actor/comedians Deon Cole and Gabrielle Dennis. Cole and Dennis reprise their husband/wife roles for the TV spot. Per press release, the campaign is an over-the-top episodic series where Old Spice products fuel relationship drama and the latest spots highlight the comical tensions of cohabitation, hilariously showcasing how the little things become big things. The new ad is more timely now than ever before given everyone’s close-quarter living during the last 18 months. https://youtu.be/m2c5iSM0jOM Don Cheadle appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” Wednesday and revealed to guest host Wanda Sykes that he and his longtime love, Bridgid Coulter, got married during the pandemic. Sykes thought the couple was already married, so when Don texted her earlier this year to share the exciting news, her response was less than enthusiastic. https://youtu.be/8KRxy9iLNYI Kelontae continues to perform music from his latest release, The N.O.W. Experience. The singer just took over the Gospel Music Association’s Instagram account to deliver a virtual performance. From "Great" and "Hold Me Close" to "Overflow," let the songs from this album minister to your heart. https://click.emails.sonymusicfans.com/?qs=28e223109d946e81e2b54e737435d2c3f4a98b67b2c8c1e55a523292875dc6dee3529e8353a30baabcac19ab654e2123f1f9045ad72d503d Cosby Show’ star Phylicia Rashad is facing tough opposition in her upcoming latest gig as dean of the Howard University College of Arts after she tweeted support for her former TV husband Bill Cosby in a now-deleted social media post. Hours after the abrupt statement Rashad doubled back, sharing that she supports survivors of sexual violence. “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing,” Rashad wrote. Regardless of Rashad’s second tweet, Howard issued a statement issuing distance between Rashad’s statement and the university’s commitment to honoring survivors. According to TMZ disgraced comedian and entertainer Bill Cosby is reportedly examining legal options available in response to his release from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction on Wednesday. Cosby and his wife Camille have conferenced with their lawyers and are possibly weighing the option to file a lawsuit against Montgomery County, the county in Pennsylvania where he stood trial. TMZ says that sources claim Cosby could option a lawsuit for abuse of process, among other unnamed considerations. Cosby and his wife Camille have conferenced with their lawyers and are possibly weighing the option to file a lawsuit against Montgomery County, the county in Pennsylvania where he stood trial. TMZ says that sources claim Cosby could option a lawsuit for abuse of process, among other unnamed considerations. Cosby was released on Wednesday in a stunning twist, due to a nonprosecution agreement between Cosby and former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor, where Cosby waived his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination by testifying in a separate civil case brought by Andrea Constand, one of his many accusers. The high court argued that Cosby did so with the expectation that he would not face criminal charges. The ruling also cemented the fact that Cosby is immune from further prosecution in the case. Cosby was released on Wednesday in a stunning twist, due to a nonprosecution agreement between Cosby and former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor, where Cosby waived his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination by testifying in a separate civil case brought by Andrea Constand, one of his many accusers. The high court argued that Cosby did so with the expectation that he would not face criminal charges. The ruling also cemented the fact that Cosby is immune from further prosecution in the case. Geraldo Rivera is catching heat for painting Bill Cosby as the real victim during his Fox News segment on Wednesday. His remarks came following Cosby’s release from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction. The court agreed to review two aspects of Cosby’s case. The first involved the judge’s decision to let prosecutors call five other accusers. The other examined Cosby’s argument that he had an agreement with a former prosecutor that he’d never be charged, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Appearing on Fox News to discuss the ruling, Rivera felt the judge overseeing Cosby’s case went “way over the line in allowing unrelated victims’ testimony” during the trial, Rivera exclaimed: “What they did to this guy was mob justice!” https://youtu.be/oujCUI-_RdY Last Friday at the Sheffield Lake Police department, Police Chief Anthony Campo went to the department’s copier machine, printed out a small note that included the words “Ku Klux Klan,” then placed it on a raincoat set aside for a black officer, just before that officer entered the room. Surveillance video of the act was posted online and Campo has just announced his retirement – immediately after he was placed on administrative leave. https://youtu.be/C7e8A9wVDYs Meghan McCain, the lone conservative on the panel of the award-winning talk show “The View” announced Thursday that she’s exiting the show. “I am here to tell all of you … that this is going to be my last season here at the ‘The View,’” McCain told the audience. “This was not an easy decision. COVID has changed the world for all of us. And it changed the way I’m living my life.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1410618808616751108 Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is reprotedly under federal investigation for allegedly using campaign funds to make personal purchases. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution took a deep dive into the matter, comparing details disclosed in a recent court ruling with Reed’scampaign disclosure reports. Attorney Scott Grubman confirmed this week that Berry was questioned by federal authorities. https://youtu.be/YTLenoTncPE Gabrielle Union has jumped on the pro-vaccine bandwagon and she’s calling on everyone who has not yet taken the jabbed to “listen to the science.” “Now is the most important time to get back on track,” says Union of the “Don’t Skip” campaign, which, per PEOPLE, encourages families to stay current with recommended vaccines. https://youtu.be/xCfTnNpgfdw Marcus Baskerville from San Antonio crafted a beer called ‘Black is Beautiful’ that has gone viral and raised millions of dollars around the world. The 10% ABV stout, which uses flaked oats, dark chocolate and black malts, is meant to showcase different shades of black. Baskerville, 36, came up with the idea and recipe for Black Is Beautiful stout last in May 2020 to increase awareness of racial injustice. Last summer, Weathered Souls published its Black Is Beautiful recipe so that other brewers could produce the stout, so long as a portion of their proceeds support social-justice initiatives in their communities. https://youtu.be/J-TTK9dvgAw Miya Ponsetto is back in the news again after pleading not guilty to felony hate crime charges related to a deeply disturbing December incident where she assaulted a Black teen after falsely accusing him of stealing her phone. The 22-year-old woman earned the moniker “SoHo Karen” when she was captured violently attacking Keyon Harrold Jr., 15 — the son of jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold — after accusing him of stealing her cell phone in the lobby of the Arlo Soho Hotel on Dec. 26. Her phone was later returned by an Uber driver after leaving it in their vehicle. Ponsetto was indicted by a grand jury on charges of unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and endangering the welfare of a child on Wednesday. She’s currently under supervised release in relation to the case. Manhattan District Attorney asked the judge to maintain Ponsetto’s current status, while the judge warned Ponsetto that she will face consequences if she skips her next scheduled in-person court date on Oct. 20. The case has largely been handled via video conference due to coronavirus restrictions. Megan Thee Stallion has partnered with Cash App to give away $1 million as part of her “Investing for Hotties” initiative. “I feel like it is important to invest because you want to see your money grow in other ways. I think it is cool to put your money into something and watch it grow and take it in and out as you want to,” the rapper tells PEOPLE. “That is why I worked with Cash App to create these Investing for Hotties educational videos. Cash App is simple to use and anyone can invest with as little as one dollar.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1409907161002483714 After Bubba Wallace and the 23XI Racing team finished in fifth place at Pocono on Sunday, team co-owner Michael Jordan has set new expectations for the stock car racing driver. According to a report by Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, Wallace shared that both Jordan and 23XI investor Curtis Polk were “ecstatic and pumped up” after the team’s performance at Pocono. “Now he expects a Top 10 every week,” Wallace said of Jordan. “So now we have to put our foot down and keep digging.” “Everyone talks about how he’s a winner, he’s a champion, yeah, but he’s also a realistic person,” Wallace said about MJ in a report by Dustin Albino of Jayski.com. “He wants to win, but he knows what it will take for us to get there. It’s more from me, it’s from the team, it’s a more group effort.” “UNC-Chapel Hill trustees voted to approve tenure for distinguished journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones at a meeting Wednesday afternoon, bringing a resolution to the national controversy that has ensued over her hire,” Kate Murphy and Martha Quillin reported for the News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. “Hannah-Jones, who is a Black woman, is to join the UNC-CH faculty Thursday as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. However, she and her legal team had said she would not begin the job without tenure. https://youtu.be/cMOHvXHLNeM The town of Clayton is mourning the loss of its first Black police officer. Sergeant Alexander Harlee Jr. died earlier this week. He was 80 years old. Harlee served in the town’s police department starting in the 1960s. Harlee also became the first in the town to use radar to monitor streets. Harlee eventually became the department’s first Black officer to earn the rank of sergeant. A memorial service is planned for this Saturday morning at 11. A Houston mom was shot and killed while visiting Maryland to drop off her son at the U.S. Naval Academy, police said. Michelle Cummings, 57, was sitting on a hotel patio, enjoying the breeze, when she was shot multiple times just after midnight on Tuesday, Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson said. Cummings was with her husband and another couple at the time, police said. “It is believed that the shots were fired on Pleasant Street and traveled a short distance shooting the victim,” Jackson said at a news conference Tuesday. Cummings didn’t appear to be the intended target, police said. Cummings and her husband were in Annapolis to bring their son, a football prospect, to the U.S. Naval Academy, Jackson said. Kyle is facing one count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes, after a girl alleged he’d sent her numerous inappropriate messages including a pic of his penis between 2018 and 2019. Although she initially attempted to sue him, she just recently went to law enforcement, TMZ reports. Although Kyle had previously claimed he was being extorted, he hasn’t responded to the newest filing by Washington State authorities. Amid these heavy allegations, Kyle Massey is already being dropped by a company that he had partnered with. TMZ reports the vaping company Dr. Dabber dropped him Monday as an ambassador of the brand. A rep for DD explained, “We are ending our relationship with Kyle Massey. We have been working with him on a trial basis for a month. The company added: “Today, we let his team know we will be cutting ties and requested all public content with our brand to be deleted from his social media.” The judge overseeing Britney Spears’ conservatorship has denied her request to remove her father’s control – despite the singer’s passionate plea last week. Judge Brenda Penny (inset), presiding over the case before Los Angeles Superior Court, on Wednesday signed into effect a new ruling, maintaining Jamie Spears’ control. On June 23 the 39-year-old singer made headlines worldwide with her request to resume control of her finances and life, after 13 years under a conservatorship. Her lawyer, Sam Ingham (left), was expected to file a petition to remove Spears’ conservatorship, and Judge Penny said that she would make space in her diary for the hearing at which it could be lifted. Yet on June 25 Ingham filed documents which actually appointed Jamie Spears and the independent Bessemer Trust co-conservators. Britney’s request to remove her father, first made in November, was denied. Biz Markie was a top trending topic early Thursday morning after false reports of his death flooded social media timelines across the internet. A couple of media outlets even went so far as to publish their own news article declaring the rap legend had died at around the same time journalists were reporting he was alive. HipHopWired later reported that “Biz Markie Is NOT Dead.” The false reports were so widespread that Biz Markie’s wife was compelled to speak out and confirm that her husband had not died while also acknowledging the pain that such reports can cause. However, it wasn’t all good news about the pioneering hip-hopper. He’s been battling health problems following complications from diabetes since at least last year. Now, it’s being reported that the 57-year-old is in hospice care, suggesting his death was imminent. WebMD defines hospice care as “end-of-life care” that “simply focuses on the quality of your life instead of trying to cure a disease.” Apple Studios has secured the rights to Donald Spivey’s non-fiction book, If You Were Only White: The Life of Leroy ‘Satchel’ Paige, for drama development with an eye toward a series order. The high-profile Negro League Baseball project comes from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Mandalay’s Peter Guber, and Oscar nominee Ron Shelton, who is behind such sports film classics as Bull Durham and White Men Can’t Jump. Apple Studios co-produces with Kapital Entertainment, which is also behind the upcoming ABC Emmett Till limited series Women Of the Movement. The Apple series will explore the epic and remarkable story of Negro League Baseball using the life and legacy of the legendary athlete and showman Leroy “Satchel” Paige, one of baseball’s greatest pitchers and star of Negro Leagues for many years. LeVar Barton recently opened up to The New York Times about his campaign to be the next host of Jeopardy! after the late Alex Trebek. Burton is set to guest host the long-running game in July and he’s hoping it turns into a full-time gig. “It will hurt. I’m not going to lie,” Burton told the publication. “But if that happens, I will get over it. I will be fine. Remember: Everything happens perfectly and for a reason. That is my default. It’s all going to be OK. Because it always is.” Fans of the former Reading Rainbow star have launched an online campaign calling on the game show’s producers to hire Burton to take over Jeopardy! In the Season 3 premiere episode of Spotify’s “Jemele Hill is Unbothered,” R&B icon Mary J. Blige joins Jemele to discuss her new documentary, “My Life,” which takes a deeply personal look at the singer’s signature album. Mary also discusses her upcoming acting roles, including her role as Dinah Washington in Aretha Franklin’s biopic, “Respect.” She also discusses how she dealt with insecurity and self-esteem issues, and whether she’s open to being married again. Plus, Jemele debuts her new segment, “I Got A Story To Tell,” and offers her thoughts on the discord between Meg Thee Stallion and DaBaby. OZY has signed a talent deal with Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, producer Jody Watley. The powerhouse artist will work with OZY to develop a scripted biopic following her illustrious multifaceted career and astonishing life. For the awarded OZY Studios, this deal marks the first celebrity talent deal coming on the heels of the major partnership with the A + E Networks and past relationships with Hulu, OWN, PBS and more. Torn From Her Arms, OZY’s first scripted feature length film airs on Lifetime this fall. Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have responded to past claims of racism and homophobia, as they promote their new TV network Magnolia which will be more diverse than their hit HGTV show. In 2016, the show caught backlash for featuring a local pastor who had openly denounced LGBTQ rights, as well as never having featured any same-sex couples throughout the series. Then, in May this year, Chip and Joanna were attacked online for donating $1,000 to his sister’s hardline anti-critical race theory school board election campaign. Holding back tears, Joanna told the publication: ‘Sometimes I’m like, “Can I just make a statement?”… the accusations that get thrown at you, like you’re a racist or you don’t like people in the LGBTQ community, that’s the stuff that really eats my lunch – because it’s so far from who we really are. That’s the stuff that keeps me up.’ However, the former HGTV megastars had previously stayed silent on both matters. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has reworked the greeting for its fireworks show at Magic Kingdom in order to be more inclusive. For many years, ahead of the nightly fireworks show — which returns Thursday after being on a lengthy hiatus due to the pandemic — an announcer issued this greeting: “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, dreamers of all ages…” It was revealed Tuesday night, when Disney cast members were given a preview of the new fireworks show, that the theme park nixed the first part of the announcement and will now just be greeting “dreamers of all ages.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1410224113537458187 FOX 5 DC’s Jeannette Reyes is already a viral sensation for her TikTok that shows her treating her return home from work as a news event, narrating the scene in her anchor voice as her unsuspecting husband shakes his head and looks annoyed. https://youtu.be/6eR2rZBiIgI One of the most anticipated films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to theaters and Disney+ on July 9th! “Black Widow” finally gives fans a look into the life of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). The film’s events occur before the 2019 Avengers film, “Endgame,” and after “Captain America: Civil War.” Natasha returns to her roots, where she was a member of a secret Russian organization named the Red Room. The program turns girls into assassins. https://youtu.be/ybji16u608U The first trailer for “Don’t Breathe 2” has dropped and comes 5 years after the blockbuster thriller bagged nearly $160 million worldwide in 2016. “Don’t Breathe 2" is set in the years following the initial deadly home invasion, where Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang) lives in quiet solace until his past sins catch up to him. https://youtu.be/cx3g-V4AHv0 Menelik Shabazz, the impactful British filmmaker, has died at 67. The news has been widely circulated on social media, with numerous people who worked closely with the director confirming his passing and adding tributes today. According to arts website alt-africa, he died in Zimbabwe on June 28. No cause of death was given. Born in Barbados in 1954, Shabazz moved to the UK at age 6. He began experimenting with filmmaking while at college in London and made his first step into his career with the 1976 short Step Forward Youth, a 30-minute documentary about Black youths in London. Kevin Hart and his group of friends, known as the Plastic Cup Boyz, have changed the arena from comedy to cars. MotorTrend follows the pals throughout their classic car journey in, “Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew.” Hart, John Clausell, Ron “Boss” Everline, Will “Spank” Horton, Harry Ratchford and Joey Wells talks about what fans can expect. The series may be new to us but the love of these cars isn’t new to them. Clausell, considered the classic car vet of the group, talked about the root of his interest. “Being born and raised in Los Angeles, California…I’ve had old school cars for quite some time. It just so happened that I hit a rough patch in my life and I had to sell them. But I had a great, gracious friend by the name of Kevin Hart that was able to gift me [and the brothers] a new car so we were all able to get back into it together,” said Clausell. The Jordan Brand recently announced that eight WNBA athletes have signed onto its roster. “The world needs female voices, and we can’t ignore that or else we’re not growing,” Michael Jordan said in a statement for Nike. “The Jordan Brand is committed to giving women a platform to amplify their voices, which influence, inspire, and push culture forward.” The endorsement group was announced on Twitter and features Maya Moore, Kia Nurse, Asia Durr, Satou Sabally, Chelsea Dungee, Aerial Powers, Crystal Dangerfield, Arella Karin Guirantes, Te’a Cooper, Dearica Hamby and Jordin Canada. An artist is speaking out after Columbia, South Carolina police officers handcuffed him on Monday, believing he was an intruder at an arts center. In fact, he is an “artist-in-residence,” and the facility allows the artist to sleep and work there while his art is being displayed. According to a statement from the Columbia Police Department, officers noticed the main door into the building was propped open at 2 a.m. Police say the patrol officer was joined by other officers before conducting a search in the building to check for crimes in progress or anyone in distress. Following the department’s protocols, the officers entered the building with guns drawn. “I saw lights in the window. I’m thinking-they’re coming from outside,” Sims said. “I’m thinking they’re protesters, confederate, neo-Nazi’s, white supremacists coming in the space, responding to my work, coming to my show.” The theme of Sims’ latest project is political activism. He has created art that displays different designs of confederate flags, and the flags hanging from a noose. https://youtu.be/E2EcisOBA74 For the past four years, Black Content Factory has been working hard behind-the-scenes to erect an economic wall around the dollars of Black women and Black Content Creators. The level of Content Theft taking place by mainstream media, big tech companies and others is astounding, according to DC Livers, Founder and CEO of The Black Content Factory which fights economic racism through entrepreneurship. “I’lll never forget when I ran my ideas and the name of the new project past an ally who immediately said the name was horrible. That actually made me know immediately that it was perfect. Black Content Factory has been working closely with Black professional athletes, Black coaches and others to help reshape the future of technology and lessen the ability for people to encroach upon it and steal it. We’ve been working with a legal group and are considering a Class Action lawsuit against Big Tech companies like Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok and others stop the practice non-Black people call “Liquid Money,” a term they came up with to say they feel that African Americans born in the United States are free money. https://soundcloud.com/user-703120208/blackcontentfactory-a-space-just-for-us?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fuser-703120208%252Fblackcontentfactory-a-space-just-for-us Apple is continuing to roll out new projects as part of their $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) to help dismantle systemic barriers to opportunity and combat injustices faced by communities of color. James Chapman, founder of the app Plain Sight (a mobile application helping people make quality connections wherever they go; available in the App Store) will serve as a mentor in Apple’s first U.S. Developer Academy in Detroit – one of several REJI projects underway. The program will support tech education for students and empower young Black entrepreneurs, creators, and coders. Courses will be open to all learners across Wayne County, regardless of academic background or coding experience. https://youtu.be/bSrFgEU7apc In the wake of last summer’s unrest, giant financial institutions rushed to make commitments to racial justice—in several cases breaking an industry-wide silence, releasing statistics that exposed the paucity of minorities in their workforces. (Black people make up 13 percent of the US workforce, but they occupy only 2.9 percent of financial adviser jobs.) The Nation’s investigation, in partnership with Type Investigations, found that financial firms go to great lengths to keep complaints of racial discrimination quiet and push complainers out the door. Companies often play hardball with those who complain—we documented several serving written warnings to the victim rather than to the perpetrators. And Black people who are forced to use Wall Street’s arbitration system face bleak prospects: Our analysis of over three decades of data shows that among Black people who filed racism complaints, one settled and only two prevailed. H.B. Charles Jr. says, “I believe that good theology ought to lead to high doxology,” Charles said. “Truth and praise go together. … Colossians 3:16 says that songs, hymns and spiritual songs should be an extension of the Word in the life of the church. It is a way to help the Word dwell richly in the saints. “Biblical worship is important not just for the pulpit, but also for the music.” Charles released his second solo album June 11. “The Lord Bless You” is a CD of 11 original songs and melodies, the latest among many he has written over the past 10 years, often during his spiritual quiet times. His first solo album, “Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs,” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Top 10 in November 2018. Jabari Johnson is an emerging artist that continues to gain followers and fans with his passion, commitment to the Gospel message, and powerful vocal gift. Johnson was awarded the 2019 "New Artist Of The Year" stellar award for his breakout album, "Day of Redemption". "Fixed Fight" the newest release from Jabari Johnson. Jabari called on songstress Krystal Peters to assist in delivering a powerful message to listeners and followers of Christ, it's #1 this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQMn301St_s ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, announces its daytime and nighttime schedule for its virtual 2021 ESSENCE Festival of Culture Presented by Coca-Cola—the world’s largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience. It will be broadcast on ESSENCEStudios.com and ESSENCE.com–Friday-Sunday over two weekends, June 25-27 and July 2-4. In addition, for the first time, this year’s Festival will host a live Verzuz battle to remember on Thursday, July 1, with soon to be announced guests. The Festival’s virtual programming will include powerful daytime interactive sessions and star-studded evening concerts and connections. The star-studded lineup will feature performances by: Jazmine Sullivan, DJ Khaled & Friends, Ne-Yo, Amerie, Tank, Kirk Franklin, Davido, Lucky Daye, Carl Thomas, D-Nice and more. The Festival’s powerful interactive sessions will also showcase leading voices throughout the two weekends including: Mary J. Blige, Angela Yee, Michelle Williams, Adrienne Bailon, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Tracy G., Tiana Major9, Big Freedia, Miss Lawrence, Supacent, Shantrelle P. Lewis, Jesseca Dupart and more. On the heels of the acclaimed documentary series 'Covenant and Controversy' and 'Sheep Among Wolves,' FAI STUDIOS' tenth feature film shatters the mold and recreates the Book of Exodus and life of Moses as they have never been seen or heard before: through the imagination of a dying boy and the ballads of his father. BALLADS OF THE EXODUS breaks new ground on several fronts. It is the first Christian film with an entirely Israeli cast and crew, shot exclusively in Israel and Saudi Arabia. This watershed film was produced against the political backdrop of the "Abraham Accords," the normalization of multiple Arab states with Israel, with budding friendships between longtime enemies in the Middle East. The crew was the first group to enter Saudi Arabia weeks after the Saudis opened the country in 2019 to international tourism for the first time in history. BET's Sunday Best season 9 finalist and Maryland native Josh Copeland releases his latest single "All Things Working", which is available now for digital download and streaming on all platforms. The song debuts today in the Top 20 on iTunes Top 200 Christian/Gospel Top Songs chart. A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, June 24 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, viewers will follow the tragedy of local twin brothers and the turning of one against in Columbus, Ohio. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgjZJ54o1kc In celebration of Pride Month, the iElevate Media Group LLC., is excited to officially announce the launch of iELEVATE PLUS TV NETWORK created to celebrate the culture, the ingenuity, the spirituality and the lifestyle of BLACK & BLACK LGBTQIA+ people. This network is positioned to take the lead in producing quality content and curating a bold space illuminating the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity within the black experience! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSyoSZA51AY Chris Mitchell will perform alongside world renown pianist Michael Hobdy. Send your song requests now to hear it during the show. WEDNESDAY, 30TH JUNE 7:00 P.M. CST FOLLOW @CHRISMITCHELLJAZZ ON INSTAGRAM TO WATCH HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/56EEYKFZPJO FELICA WELCH drops new song "Thank you." https://gospelairplaynow.disco.ac/playlist-new/7590850?date=20210518&user_id=668306&signature=yivvvwvdsbJBzHFlsTQNYJmF5xM%3AsI5HqV7o “I have a love for music,” said Pastor Dr. E. Dewey Smith, Jr. (The House of Hope) about the reason behind the launch of his record label Pebble Street Records. “Music was my first love. My mother got me a guitar at three…and I was playing the piano at five. I started preaching at 17 and was pastoring at 19.” Dr. Smith said he has a signed artist, Courtney C. Franklin from Memphis. He released Franklins’ debut single “We Made It” (Pebble Street Records) from his “God Has a Plan” album release. On a roll and not looking back Pastor Dewey released his own solo debut single “Your Presence is a Gift” (Pebble Street Records). The first single from the Morehouse graduate is off of his debut album to be release sometime this year. https://youtu.be/vmTycKdIPmc?list=TLGGuJVg6h-sROMzMDA2MjAyMQ On NBC’s streaming channel Peacock, Amber Ruffin has schooled her audience on “The Secret History of Flooding Black Towns to Make Lakes.” “Dozens of Black towns have been erased off the American map, not by burning them down, but by hiding them under water,” Ruffin began in a segment on “The Amber Ruffin Show” called, “How Did We Get Here?” Ruffin goes on to talk about the history of Oscarville, Ga., a once thriving Black town that is now Lake Lanier in Forsythe County; Kowaliga, Ala., another prosperous Black town – complete with a Black college and the first Black railroad – that is now Lake Martin, and more. https://youtu.be/l3D4hSQcWbk Taraji P. Henson has joined Jennifer Hudson and Pauletta Washington in the star-studded anthology film “Tell It Like a Woman.” Per press release, “Tell It Like a Woman” – a film by women – about women -is comprised of seven segments, making a feature length film. The segments are directed by female directors from different parts of the world, shot in Italy, India, Japan, and USA, and range through different genres, from drama to comedy, through docudrama and animation. Erica Mena and Safaree Samuels have welcomed their second child. Monday, Samuels shared an image of himself cradling his newborn son that he shares with his estranged wife Mena. “MR Straittt Jr is here!! ???? ????????????????,” Samuels captioned the photo.(Straitt refers to his 2020 album). He did not reveal the baby’s name in the birth announcement. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQrmy8nLdWt/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=909b4a26-53bc-4bb9-bdc9-a69192d57c65 NeNe Leakes has revealed that her husband’s cancer has returned. The former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star has shared with fans that Gregg Leakes is back in the hospital and recovering after undergoing surgery. “He’s been in the hospital for a week, tomorrow,” NeNe revealed during an Instagram Live with theJasminebrand.com. “I’m sure he’ll be home in about a week or so. He had to have a surgery.” Gregg was previously diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer a few years ago but was able to bounce back. “It’s difficult,” Leakes said. “He’s been in the hospital for a week, tomorrow,” NeNe revealed during an Instagram Live with theJasminebrand.com. “I’m sure he’ll be home in about a week or so. He had to have a surgery.” Gregg was previously diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer a few years ago but was able to bounce back. “It’s difficult,” Leakes said. Lil Kim says she’s ready to do a Verzuz with Nicki Minaj. The hip-hop legend made the announcement during Sunday’s red carpet at the BET Awards. When asked if she would participate in the popular virtual series Kim quickly responded “yes.” As to who she wants to face off in a battle, she answered “Nicki.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1409294608618696707 Da Brat and her girlfriend Jesseca “Judy” Dupart will take fans inside their relationship with their new WE TV series “Brat Loves Judy.” Brat Loves Judy brings audiences a never-before-seen look into the world of veteran hip-hop artist and two-time Grammy Award-nominee, Da Brat, and her girlfriend Jesseca “Judy” Dupart, the multi-millionaire business owner and CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products, as they navigate their new relationship—from building a new home together and growing their budding careers to couples therapy, dealing with meddling loved ones, and a surprise proposal. The streets have been talking since #LilDuval made an interesting comparison between #Ludacris and #DaBaby, and while some fans thought he had a point, Baby doesn’t seem too sure. In a recent interview with @Billboard, DaBaby clarified that he thinks he and Ludacris are two different artists, but said he has been inspired by many artists of that generation. “I wouldn’t even say we’re one of the same,” Baby said. “I feel like thats too commonly used. I think people use that too lightly. I was inspired by Ludacris’ creativity with his music videos. [I was inspired by] a lot of—click the link in our bio to read more! Now, just in case you missed Lil Duval’s original tweet, he said, “DaBaby is this generation, Ludacris.” That tweet and subsequent others were met with some people who didn’t agree with his comparisons. Lil Nas X has responded to the homophobic comments he’s been receiving since hitting the BET Awards red carpet wearing a dress. He also kissed one of his dancers onstage during his performance of a song about gay sex. The hip-hop star kicked off his rant by responding to an older gay man criticizing his “sexual” performance. “y’all hate yourselves so much. y’all live your lives trying your best to appease straight ppl,” Lil Nas X wrote on Twitter. “y’all are uncomfortable with what i do because y’all are afraid they will be uncomfortable with you. work on yourselves.” “i love who i am and whatever i decide to do,” he added. “get there.” https://youtu.be/fgfsn1vOoNQ Kwame Brown got on his YouTube channel Bust Life to complain about Lil Nas X’s performance at Sunday’s BET Awards, believing the out rapper’s three-man kiss to end his performance Sunday night will influence young children to be gay. “Why the f**k I gotta have my son watching three n**gas kissing on the godd*mn stage?,” he asks at one point. “Yall don’t promote teenage love between boy and girl the way you promoting all this boy-boy group sh*t.” Brown also suggested that BET has lost its Blackness and now has a secret white Zaddy, pushing Lil Nas X as a puppet. https://youtu.be/vWQGuDFaMTU Know Your Meme caught up with Tay Zonday to look back at his viral sensation, “Chocolate Rain,” and what he’s been up to since. The video, with 130 million views and counting, was written and performed by Zonday. The song, with lyrics about as straightforward as you can get, has been heavily parodied, remixed and eventually led to his appearances on a number of talk shows. He was even parodied on “South Park.” https://youtu.be/mnJPC1SnRBQ Multiple award winner, singer-songwriter Jekalyn Carr was honored last week in Washington DC at the Women's Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards. Carr, the first Gospel artist to receive this prestigious induction, was celebrated at an elite event hosted by Jody Watley at the National Museum of Women In Arts. This recognition honors her significant contributions to the gospel genre and Carr's continued ability to inspire and encourage people through her songs. Carr is undoubtedly one of the top young artists in gospel music, reflected by her consistent sales and radio successes. All before the age of 21, Jekalyn amassed six singles in the Top 10 on Billboard's Gospel Airplay chart and has earned four Number 1 singles, including her most recent topper, "Changing Your Story." Jekalyn is a 4x Grammy Nominee and multiple Stellar Award and Dove Award winners. The rising star has also recently tapped to co-host the 36th Annual Stellar Awards with Tye Tribbett. Held on July 10 in Nashville, The Stellar Awards are considered Gospel music's biggest night! New Music from Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music "JIREH" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC-zw0zCCtg RCA Inspiration celebrated the 2021 BET Awards with a powerful night for Gospel, as two #1 hits from Kirk Franklin were lauded at this year’s awards. The sixteen-time GRAMMY®-winning artist, songwriter and producer was honored with the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award for the second consecutive year, winning for his #1 Gospel hit single “Strong God.” Franklin also kicked off the night’s broadcast in an exuberant opening performance with Lil Baby, showcasing their #1 Gospel hit “We Win” (featured from the soundtrack for the highly-anticipated summer movie Space Jam: A New Legacy). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdXW7Nc0RtE After the release of his "Be Encouraged 2020 Remix" in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the iconic hit, Gospel music trend-setter William Becton returns with more soulful music for Black Music Month. He is a two-time Stellar Award-winning producer who has taken his music to #1 on the Top Gospel Albums Chart and has crossed over to the R&B Top 40 Radio charts. Becton's newest offering is a remake of the 1980s classic "Set Me On Fire". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_vEa3smLec Joel Caston’s history-making victory is a part of a powerful narrative for community engagement and self-governance. Elected earlier this month to the Ward 7 Advisory Neighborhood Commission, Caston is the first incarcerated elected official in Washington, D.C. According to the Washington City Paper, this particular commissioner had been vacant since it was created in 2012. The greater Louisville community has been on high alert the past week after the disappearance of writer and organizer Quintez Brown. Missing for over a week, the Courier-Journal reported Brown had a terse interaction with a security guard at the Algonquin Park pool before he went missing. Two reports indicate Brown may have been spotted at a Subway last Sunday and the Franciscan Kitchen shelter on Tuesday. Neither lead has panned out so far. An op-ed columnist for the Courier-Journal, Brown is a psychology major. The Courier-Journal reported that brown was also an MLK scholar at the University of Louisville and very involved in efforts around youth violence prevention and political education. A pair of newly erected George Floyd statues in New York City and New Jersey have been targeted by racist vandals. The incident took place one day before former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for killing Floyd in May 2000. According to the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, four individuals defaced the sculptures with black spray paint and references to a white supremacist, neo-fascist hate group, per Law&Crime. https://twitter.com/i/status/1408102161901309964 A 74-year-old Florida man has been arrested for spray-painting racist graffiti on the van of a Black-owned beauty business. A 74-year-old Florida man has been arrested for spray-painting racist graffiti on the van of a Black-owned beauty business. Police in Ocala, Florida arrested Victor Buttermoore after he spray-painted the letters “KKK” and a noose onto the side of a van belonging to Aniyah Williams, who operates the Fancy Hair Collection beauty service, Newsweek reports. Subway has responded to the New York Times report about its own investigation into the mystery meat used for the tuna sandwiches. According to a lawsuit filed against the fast-food chain, Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin allege Subway’s tuna is a “mixture of various concoctions that do not constitute tuna, yet have been blended together by defendants to imitate the appearance of tuna.” Last week, the New York Times on Sunday published the results: “No amplifiable tuna DNA was present in the sample and so we obtained no amplification products from the DNA. Therefore, we cannot identify the species.” https://youtu.be/ETqb9Umlo8A Speakers Magazine Publisher and Public Relations Master Coach, Pam Perry, announced today the seven emerging media celebrities who will work side-by-side with in a special cohort in The Branding Accelerator Program. “My goal as a publisher and publicist is to find and unearth the best and the brightest gems and train them to shine their light to make their communities better and inspire others to do the same. This cohort consists of entrepreneurial leaders, speakers and writers who have big stories and big hearts. They are ready to take their message to the masses and me and my guest experts will give them the tools and training. Our goal is to take them from being unfamiliar by most to becoming famous by many. When you have a brand, you can command attention – and share your gift with more people,” said Perry, the creator of the program. Ne-Yo and his wife Crystal Renay Smith have welcomed their third child together, a baby girl born on June 25. During her time on the short-lived VH1 series “Atlanta Exes,” Ne-Yo’s other baby mama, Monyetta Shaw, said after she and Ne-Yo had their two kids, they were done. Per MadameNoire, she was to have her tubes tied and burned, which she did, and he was supposed to get a vasectomy, which apparently didn’t happen. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQjSt3jrH8F/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f6a52cfe-9bb4-4872-87b3-41ad76fcf468 Michael Strahan’s ex-wife was arrested for allegedly harassing her former girlfriend. Page Six reports that Jean Strahan, 56, violated an order of protection by allegedly appearing at the Upper West Side home of Marianne Ayer Friday night. Jean has reportedly been charged with criminal contempt for allegedly breaking the order of protection. Now more from Page Six: Ayer, 57, has accused Jean of grand larceny, disorderly conduct, harassment and forcible touching, according to TMZ, which cited court documents filed earlier this month. Ayer also alleged that Jean threatened her with a plastic gun and kicked her German Shepherd, the report said. Sunday night (06-27-21), BET honored an incredible and inspiring lineup of artists, entertainers and cultural icons across more than 20 categories at The “BET AWARDS” 2021. This year’s awards were proclaimed as the “Year of the Black Woman” to celebrate and honor their immense impact on the culture. The ceremony was an unforgettable celebration of Black culture, love, joy, and pride. https://youtu.be/8FpI8QINu3o The Facebook Watch series “Red Table Talk,” won a Daytime Emmy award on Friday in the outstanding informative talk show category. The show, hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, and Willow Smith, won against fellow nominees The 3rd Hour of Today, GMA3: What You Need to Know, Red Table Talk: The Estefans, and Tamron Hall. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQkQzFQnihN/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=efa3ce6d-d00e-4f51-a586-1d3a05204f84 #TheCityGirls lit up the stage last night with their “#Twerkulator” performance for the 2021 #BETAwards, so we would never think rapper #JT, one-half of the group, would be on #Twitter arguing with folks. Not only did JT clap back at folks trolling her over her red carpet wig, but she dragged reality star #RahAli specifically, and we’re going to explain why. ?? In bio to get the full story. Unfortunately, JT started to trend online before the BET Awards show officially started after pulling up to the red carpet with a controversial wig. Folks online joked about its sharp, tinted hairline and judged JT’s entire look overall.? Lil Nas X hit the stage during the 2021 BET Awards on Sunday and decided to close out his performance with a bang! While performing his controversial hit song “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” Lil Nas closed it out with a passionate kiss from one of his backup dancers. Of course his bold move was met with some backlash but was also widely celebrated on social media. Diddy even tweeted to him, “Lil Nas X did that!! Be fearless!!! ????????????.” Big Daddy Kane has tapped Jay-Z, Eminem, Doug E. Fresh and more to star in his upcoming Netflix documentary doc titled “Paragraphs I Manifest.” “I got JAY-Z, Eminem, KRS-One, Doug E. Fresh,” he said during a recent chat with HipHopDX. “I even got some of the battle rappers like Goodz Da Animal and Aye Verb, so it’s coming out real good. I’m supposed to do Common on Monday.” Big Daddy Kane also shared a photo of himself standing alongside Common with the caption, “Much love to @common and the StuyVision crew. We almost done. #paragraphsimanifest.” When a young Black man weighs his options then chooses to sell watches as a start-up business, one might think: Watches? When everyone has iPhones and Androids and they all tell time. Watches? Yep, watches! This is the story Nordstrom department stores say deserves to be told. It’s about William Adoasi’s Vitae London watches, the spirit and forces behind those watches, and a journey that winds-up affecting lives in the dark continent — just like he planned. Founder and CEO of Vitae London, 31-year-old, British-Ghanaian, William Adoasi is celebrating for good reason. His Black owned fashion accessories brand, specializing in high quality watches got an important call. A woman from Nordstom department store; a buyer. https://youtu.be/JJaQ1z3z23U A man allegedly rammed a stolen truck into a house before fatally shooting a retired Black Massachusetts state trooper and a Black Air Force veteran Saturday, according to police. Authorities said they are investigating the incident as a hate crime. The suspect was later killed by police when they tried to apprehend him, investigators said. David L. Green, a 36-year veteran of the force, and Ramona Cooper, 60, lived in Winthrop, Massachusetts, where Saturday afternoon’s incident took place, police said. The suspect, identified by police Sunday as 28-year-old Nathan Allen, allegedly drove a stolen box truck into a home, but there was no one at the house at the time, police said. Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty told reporters when officers arrived at the scene, they found one victim shot half a block away. The second victim “engaged with the suspect” in an alleyway not too far from the crash and was shot. Cooper was shot three times in the back and Green was shot four times in the head and three times in the torso, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a press briefing Sunday. Never-before-seen case files, photographs and other records documenting the investigation into the infamous slayings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi are now open to the public for the first time, 57 years after their deaths. The 1964 killings of civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in Neshoba County sparked national outrage and helped spur passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They later became the subject of the movie “Mississippi Burning.” The previously sealed materials — dating from 1964 to 2007 — were transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from the Mississippi attorney general’s office in 2019. As of last week, they are now available for viewing by the public at William F. Winter Archives and History Building in Jackson. Killeen Independent School District announced the passing of Dr. Ruth Altrac Tomlin on Monday. Since her start in 1970, Dr. Tomlin was the first African American teacher at Killeen High School. Dr. Tomlin was praised for her educational achievements by many organizations and was often referred to as a trailblazer, according to Killeen ISD. She retired in 1994, after serving as a teacher for 14 years and a Killeen ISD counselor for 10 years. A statue of civil rights pioneer Marian Spencer was formally unveiled along Cincinnati’s riverfront Sunday. The pandemic delayed its reveal in Smale Park, but the statue was finally uncovered Sunday evening. The statue stands, circled by a partial wall carved with some of her most famous words: “Be smart, be polite, vote and keep on fighting.” The statue of Spencer is Cincinnati’s very first statue honoring a woman. Spencer was Cincinnati’s first Black female city councilmember and the first Black woman to serve as vice mayor; she was best known for her fight to integrate Coney Island and its swimming pool in the ‘50s and for her fight to desegregate Cincinnati Public Schools. BlackFilmandTV.com has exclusively learned that fresh from her new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, “Coming 2 America” and the sequel to her Oscar earning “Black Panther,” legendary costume designer @therealruthecarter will make her foray into producing with “African/American,” a hip hop drama starring Grammy Nominated Roc Nation artist and activist, @vicmensa. Set during the post apartheid Renaissance period in South Africa, “African/American” chronicles the rise of the South African hip hop scene. Based on the true story of Howard University alumni Sydney Hall aka Syd Money (Mensa) and his collaboration with South African Hip Hop pioneer Linda Mkhize aka ProKid, who would have been 40 years old today. Sadly, ProKid died in 2018 following a seizure. Cardi B is pregnant with her second child with Migos rapper Offset. She revealed a baby bump while performing with the group at the BET Awards on Sunday, and announced the news on social media during the performance. The rapper revealed that she was pregnant with her first child, daughter Kulture, on Saturday Night Live in 2018, Billboard reported. She filed for divorce from Offset last fall amid swirling cheating rumors but canceled the process in early November after the couple apparently resolved disagreements within the marriage, the BBC reported. Cardi B won video of the year at the awards show Sunday night for “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion. John Langley, the creator of the long-running TV show Cops, passed away Saturday from an apparent heart attack at the age of 78 while in Baja, Mexico. Langley was competing in the Coast to Coast Ensenada-San Felipe 250 off-road race, Variety reported. Cops ran for 32 seasons and over 1,000 episodes from 1989 until last year when it was canceled in the wake of protests around the murder of George Floyd. Langley produced many other series, such as Inside American Jail and Las Vegas Jailhouse, both with his son Morgan. He is survived by his wife Maggie, his four children, and seven grandchildren. Skid Row frontman Johnny Solinger has died at the age of 55, just a month after telling fans he had liver failure. The musician’s bandmates confirmed the sad news that the 55-year-old singer had died in a Facebook post today. ‘We are saddened to hear the news of our brother Johnny Solinger,’ it read. ‘Our thoughts are with his family, friends and fans. Godspeed Singo. Say hello to Scrappy for us. Calvin Richardson did not immediately reap the rewards of pursuing his passion. However, his remarkable voice, belief in himself and his work ethic eventually produced the success he was seeking. Richardson always bet on himself and eventually it paid off. A hit-maker in every sense of the word, he seems to get better with time. He has lived up to his “Prince of Soul” moniker by continuously providing heartfelt music that led to three Grammy nominations. His voice gracefully spans several genres, and his fan base includes all ages. He has released eight solo projects in his 20-year career and is currently working on his next effort. His old-school delivery is not by accident: Richardson looked up to some of the greats, including Sam Cooke, Bobby Womack and Marvin Gaye, for inspiration. The Austin African American Book Festival marks its 15th year Saturday with a virtual program dedicated to lessons from the past and inspiration for the future. New York Times columnist and author Charles Blow headlines the event, centered on the theme “I Am a Revolutionary: Stories of Resistance and Resilience.” “In our world culture, Black people have a long history of revolutionary acts. We wanted to hold our resistance and resilience up to this light and gain strength from seeing our ancestors and ourselves in this way,” explained Rosalind Oliphant Jones, the festival’s founder. Paradise starts as a dream when six young American adults win an all expenses getaway to stay at an ultra-luxury resort in Belize. Starring talented fresh faces Gui DaSilva (Marvels, “Winter Soldier”), Jhone Y. Lucas (“The Gen Zone”), Nate Walker (“Shameless”), Ian James (”Stranger Things Experience”), Kayla Stukleberger (“Vicious”) and introducing the young New York theater sensation, Summer Arroyo. Produced by Damien Douglas (Fatal) and producing partner Clifford Reid (Don’t Fear). Producer Dale Stelly, (Comptons Finest) puts on his directors’ hat for the chilling suspense thriller. A day after a former Minneapolis police officer was sentenced to more than two decades in prison for killing George Floyd, locals and tourists gathered at the site of his death to mourn and look to the future. https://youtu.be/YjuIHuPwaCg The consequences of showing blind loyalty to former President Donald Trump continue to reveal themselves in the most amazing of ways for Rudy Giuliani. The latest indication that the proverbial chickens have come home to roost for the former New York City mayor-turned Trump lawyer defending “the big lie” is the suspension of his law license in New York state. In a 33-page ruling, the New York State Supreme Court announced its decision to “immediately” suspend the law license of the former Associate Attorney General in the Reagan administration and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for making “demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump’s failed effort at reelection in 2020.” An Indiana woman who happily participated in the parade of clowns that stormed the U.S. Capitol evaded punishment on Wednesday after a judge sentenced her to three years of probation, $500 in restitution, and 40 hours of community service as part of a plea. Anna Morgan-Lloyd, a 49-year-old grandmother of five, got off essentially scot-free in the case after verbalizing that viewing the movies “Schindler’s List” and “Just Mercy” encouraged her to revisit her archaic frame of thinking. With almost 500 arrests related to the insurrection at the Capitol, Morgan-Lloyd’s case exemplifies an exit route for many of the attendees who face similar charges. Prior to her sentencing Morgan-Lloyd pled guilty in federal court to one charge of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building, USA Today reports. But as we know, white women’s tears are often all that’s needed for those in power positions to look the other way. Janelle Monáe is making boss moves in the music industry. According to Variety, the visionary recently inked a global deal with Sony Music Publishing. The new deal encompasses the music artist’s existing catalog and projects she will create in the future. Monáe—whose real name is Janelle Monáe Robinson—founded the Wondaland Arts Society; a label she has used as an avenue for creative expression through different mediums including music and film. Innovator will.i.am is furthering his efforts to use tech education as a vessel to empower youth. He has teamed up with the Los Angeles Unified School District for the creation of a robotics program for children in underserved communities. The initiative is being led by the i.am Angel Foundation; an organization founded by will.i.am 12 years ago that was designed to provide STEAM education-centered programs for youth in the Boyle Heights neighborhood who come from impoverished households. The foundation offers after-school programs and coding workshops to introduce students to the different facets of science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. Through the extended partnership, the Los Angeles Unified School District—which is the largest public school system in California—and the i.am Angel Foundation will create robotics clubs for 12,000 middle and high school students. Ciara is on a mission to empower Black women to take charge of their health. The Grammy award-winning star is leading a campaign that was launched to spread awareness about cervical cancer and its disproportionate impact on African American women. The campaign—dubbed “Cerving Confidence”—is a collaborative effort being led by Ciara, the Black Women’s Health Imperative and Project Health Equality. Research revealed Black women within the United States are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer than white women. They are also more likely to develop advanced cervical cancer at a higher rate than other racial groups. The socioeconomic barriers surrounding access to care have been exacerbated by the pandemic. A New Jersey education official apologized for a foul Facebook comment about Vice President Kamala Harris. Nearly three weeks after his offensive post, Gregory Martucci is trying to save face after getting called out for labeling Harris a “street walker.” Martucci, a Linden Board of Education member, responded to a Facebook post with his derogatory, unhinged commentary. He told a New York NBC affiliate that his comment was not a reflection of who he really was or what he thought. By entering the comment section of a post by a pro-Trump comedian attacking the vice president, Martucci clearly thought he was in a safe space. According to NJ.com, the comment had been edited twice since Martucci first posted on June 8, with the language becoming more inflammatory with each edit. Each version of Martucci’s post included the phrase “street walker” and the pejorative “wingnut.” Linden School Board President Carlos Rivas denounced Martucci’s posts in a statement to NJ.com. In a “stunning” victory, India Walton won the Democratic primary election against four-term incumbent Byron Brown in Buffalo, New York, on Tuesday. Walton, the candidate unlikey to win, was considered the underdog because of a lack of experience in politics and her past experiences with life. Walton knows firsthand what it is to be a young single mom, who lived in a group home, did not complete high school and survived domestic abuse. “I’m India from down the way, little poor Black girl who, statistically speaking, shouldn’t have amounted to much, yet here I am,” Walton told the New York Times. “This is proof that Black women and women belong everywhere in positions of power and positions of leadership, and I’m just super-excited.” https://youtu.be/F8Y-FgPsjb8 Earlier this year Black farmers felt a form of reparations was possible as the federal government rolled out a $4 billion loan forgiveness program included in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, titled the American Rescue Plan Act that passed Congress in March. But weeks later, five white farmers sued the USDA, claiming the loan forgiveness program discriminated against them because they were white. With the backing of Republican players in Congress and conservative voices with large public platforms, the case became a microcosm of the reparations movement and how those in opposition often claim false equivalences, contributing to the systemic racism that Black people routinely face. A North Carolina mother has been charged with murder and child abuse after she allegedly made her 13-year-old daughter help bury her slain younger sister in the family’s backyard in Charlotte. Malikah Bennett, 31, faces a litany of felony charges over the death of her 4-year-old daughter Miegellic “Jelli” Young, who was last seen alive Aug. 2020. Her body was discovered this May, reported the Charlotte Observer. Court documents show that the toddler’s older sister described the sickening events that led to Miegellic’s death to investigators, claiming Bennett cruelly made Miegellic stand in the laundry room for three days straight as a punishment for having an accident in her pants. By the third day, Miegellic’s breathing “was on and off” and due to the exhaustion of not sitting for 72 hours, she fell out the back door, smashing her head on the ground. Although her sister tried to perform CPR, the little girl was dead, the 13-year-old told police. “No physician is racist, so how can there be structural racism in health care?” wrote the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in a tweet promoting its podcast in early March 2020. In the podcast, Dr. Ed. Livingston, a white male surgeon and JAMA Deputy Editor, dismissed the concept of structural racism, protesting, “many of us (physicians) are offended by the concept that we are racist.” Backlash to the since-deleted tweet and the podcast was so swift that Livingston subsequently resigned from his post. Livingston’s sentiments naively suggest that a medical degree inoculates physicians from racism. It clings to the mistaken notion that racism only harms Black patients when actively schemed. This view flies in the face of countless studies, many appearing in JAMA itself, demonstrating widespread barriers to health care for Black patients from basic preventive services to cutting-edge treatments. Worst of all, it obscures how stubborn racist legacies reinvent themselves. Indeed, even today, modern-day segregation within hospitals kills Black patients, as statistics have shown. A newborn baby girl (Kyanni’ Williams) received 13 stitches after she was cut in the face during an emergency C-section in Denver, Colorado. Kyanni’s parents, Reazjahana and Damarqus Williams were expected their baby girl to make her arrival via vaginal birth but their plans were changed after doctors were not able to find her heartbeat. Reazjhana underwent an emergency C-section and was told by doctors that the baby girl was too close to the placenta wall during the surgery. However, they told the couple that she had a “scratch” on her face. The cut on Kyanni’s left cheek went from her nose to her ear and Reazjhana added that a plastic surgeon had to give their daughter 13 stitches to close it.“I tried to be understanding about what happened, but on top of the fact her face got cut and a plastic surgeon had to come to do it, there’s just a lot of things I’m not understanding with the C-section. I’ve never heard of anybody having to deal with their baby’s face looking like this after a C-section,” she added. Attorneys Steven Greenberg and Michael Leonard who’ve been with Kelly for years have filed documents requesting to withdraw from the singer’s federal case, reports TMZ. Their alleged reason for wanting to pull out is all about a clash with other members of Kelly’s legal team regarding inadequate experience with Kelly’s type of case. “We refused to try a case with lawyers who don’t have the appropriate level of experience and skill because that is not in the client’s best interest. It is a shame that lawyers can’t suppress their egos or self-interest and do or act in the client’s best interest,” Greenberg and Leonard told TMZ. https://youtu.be/V1SD-wPRDlY Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison.. CBC Chairwoman Joyce Beatty offered the following quote: “We were hoping to see the most severe sentencing option in this case, but the CBC acknowledges the significance of this sentence. It is the reason why the CBC will continue to speak out, support protests across the country, and stand alongside our community leaders. We will continue to demand accountability and transparency in policing because too many lives depend on it. Although George Floyd is no longer with us, we honor his legacy and his family, his beautiful daughter, who will be one of the next extraordinary change makers that this country needs. https://youtu.be/edlPf-Ltl60 French Montana stopped by the #BETAwards Radio Room to discuss what the celebration means to him and what he’s looking forward to on #CulturesBiggestNight. While sitting down with host Big Tigger, French Montana expressed how the awards celebrate those who are not acknowledged by other mainstream outlets and a night “to celebrate our people.” “It’s to see all the people that everybody saying they can’t together…together. Having fun, enjoying life, receiving all the blessings, receiving the award that they deserve,” he added. “You know they work hard and basically it’s a platform for our people so we can celebrate our people….we don’t get celebrated on a lot of platforms so we’re thankful for the BET Awards.” Ludacris the three-time Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor posted a video on Instagram of himself flying a plane! “Who am I to correct the internet?,” Ludacris said to Ellen DeGeneres, after he posted a video of himself flying a plane, which led his followers to believe he got his pilot’s license, according to People. “The internet just ran with the fact that I have an official pilot’s license when they saw this video,” Ludacris continued. “I never said that, but who am I to correct the internet? The internet believes what they want to believe.” https://youtu.be/_s8iwxy58Fw Serena Williams will not be travelling to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, the 23-times Grand Slam singles tennis champion said on Sunday without giving the reasons behind her decision. Williams, who will turn 40 in September, won the singles title at the London Olympics in 2012 and she has also picked up three gold medals in doubles with sister Venus — in Sydney (2000), Beijing (2008) and London. “Yeah, I’m actually not on the Olympic list, so… Not that I’m aware of. If so, then I shouldn’t be on it,” Williams told reporters on the eve of the Wimbledon Grand Slam. Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes says the new docuseries ‘Golden: The Journey of USA’s Elite Gymnasts’ lifts the curtain on the pressures to make the U.S. Olympic team. Dawes, the first African-American gymnast to win an individual event medal, also discusses the rise of Black athletes in the sport. https://youtu.be/R-uRRUjC2cU This weekend’s Steve Harvey’s “Celebrity Family Feud” features JoJo Siwa vs. The D’Amelio Family and Ross Mathews vs. Loni Love. It’s the definition of pop culture clash as dancer JoJo Siwa and her family also compete against viral social media stars the D’Amelio family to win money for their respective charities, reports Bossip. https://youtu.be/cDNTrZu35Ns Qatari sprinter Abdalelah Haroun, who won bronze in the 400m at the 2017 World Athletic Championships, has died aged 24, according to the Qatar Olympic Committee. “Team Qatar sprinter and world 400m bronze medalist Abdalelah Haroun died today”, shared the Committee on Saturday on social media. The Sudan-born runner first represented Qatar in the 2015 Asian and Arab Athletic Championships, becoming the world’s junior 400m champion in 2016. He ran at the Rio Olympics in the same year, reaching the semifinals and won silver in the 2016 IAAFF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon. Haroun’s crowning achievement came at the World Championships in London in 2017, finishing third behind Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa and Bahamian Steven Gardiner to win the bronze medal as a 20-year-old. For the past week, the national anthem has played one time per evening at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. On Saturday, the song happened to start while outspoken activist Gwen Berry was standing on the podium after receiving her bronze medal in the hammer throw. While the music played, Berry placed her left hand on her hip and fidgeted. She took a quarter turn, so she was facing the stands, not the flag. Toward the end, she plucked up her black T-shirt with the words “Activist Athlete” emblazoned on the front, and draped it over her head. “I feel like it was a setup, and they did it on purpose,” Berry said of the timing of the anthem. “I was pissed, to be honest.” After 17 years as a college head coach, Urban Meyer is faced with a new “reality” with the Jaguars in his first foray into the NFL, one that directly impacts Tim Tebow’s chances of getting back on the football field. And that is the limitations of a 53-man roster, every spot so precious that they must be reserved for the best possible players, meaning Tebow’s tight end experiment will likely be brief. “So to me, he’s one of 90. He’s a guy that’s — you know, what’s the difference between him and the other 40 guys trying to make the team? To me it’s all the same. This is their livelihood. This is a job. This is a way to make a living. And the reality is that a good percentage of your roster’s gonna get cut or transition out of here — which, to me, that’s completely new. In college, you’ve got your 85, 95 guys and you fit them in and you put the puzzle together. It’s much different here.” All fears serve a great purpose. In fact, there is not one emotion, thought, idea or behavior that does not. Sometimes fear paralyzes us and keeps us from going after what we desire. A great way for you to move your fears out of your path is by creating a container for them. In doing so we can continue moving towards our goals despite fear. https://youtu.be/RRgqKd_Mj-M During a sermon on Sunday, Transformation Church Pastor Michael Todd gave away $200,000 checks in reparations towards the three of the only living survivors of the Tulsa Massacre, one of the deadliest race riots in U.S. history. The Tulsa Race Massacre, which happened 100 years ago this month, is considered to be one of the deadliest race riots in history. In 1921, a white mob attacked a black Tulsa neighborhood over a period of 18 hours from May 31 to June 1, leaving hundreds dead and thousands homeless. https://youtu.be/Vt6_zZW_dew Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas hosted a drag queen show last week in order to demonstrate its commitment to “diversity and inclusion.” A spokesperson for Nellis told Newsweek the base “is committed to providing and championing an environment that is characterized by equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion,” adding that “base leaders remain supportive of events and initiatives that reinforce the Air Force’s emphasis on diversity and inclusion toward recognizing the value every one of our airmen brings to the team.” The “Drag-u-Nellis” show, hosted last Thursday, was planned by the base’s Pride committee and featured well-known drag stars from the Vegas strip. On the flyer for the event, it said the show as intended to help attendees “discover the significance of drag in the LGBT+ community.” The 12-story Miami condo had been flagged for ‘major structural damage’ to the pool deck area and underground parking garage in a damning report almost three years before it collapsed early Thursday, killing at least four and leaving 159 still missing. A consultant engineer warned back in October 2018 that the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Miami Beach, was in need of numerous repairs around the base of the structure ‘in a timely fashion.’ The structural field survey report specifically raised concerns about the pool deck area, in which the waterproofing was failing, and the underground parking garage which was riddled with ‘abundant’ cracking. Despite the apparent urgency of some of the recommendations, an attorney for the resident-led condo association told the New York Times this week that repairs were only about to begin – more than two and a half years after the inspection. On a history-making 53-40 vote — with only three Republicans crossing the aisle — the Senate confirmed Candace Jackson-Akiwumi on Thursday for a seat on the Chicago-based 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. She will be only the second Black judge to serve on a court dominated by white men since the 7th Circuit held its first session on June 16, 1891. Once sworn-in — no date is announced — Jackson-Akiwumi will be the only person of color and the first federal public defender on the court. Jackson-Akiwumi is part of the first wave of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees — picked to reflect diversity in race, gender and, in the case of tapping public defenders, life experience. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday that the U.S. Justice Department is suing the state of Georgia over its new voting law, saying that the controversial measure is intended to restrict ballot access to Black voters. “Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgia’s election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act,” Garland said at a news conference. The nation’s first police academy at a historically Black college and university graduated its first class of officers Friday. Nine students in total graduated June 25 from Lincoln University Law Enforcement Training Academy, marking a historic moment for policing and higher education. LU Interim President John Moseley said he was excited to recognize the first class of graduates as it is a significant milestone for the program and the students. “It is my honor and pleasure to speak to you this evening as you not only reach one of your goals, but also make history in the process,” Moseley told the graduates. He said each of the nine graduates have the potential to make significant change as they embark on their upcoming career amid a time when public confidence in law enforcement is on the decline. One person is dead and several are injured after three suspects allegedly followed a Rolls Royce shepherding Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian to his Hollywood Hills home and tried to rob two men when they got out of the car, TMZ reports. When the Rolls Royce came to a stop outside Saghian’s home, the suspects allegedly forced the two men to the ground and stole jewelry from them. Saghian reportedly made it inside, but his security guard came out, and that’s when gunfire erupted. The guard, a retired sheriff’s deputy, was shot in the stomach and fired back, hitting two of the suspects, one of whom died, TMZ reports. Los Angeles Police Department officers caught up with the suspects in Beverly Hills. The rapid influx of violence seemingly grows stronger and stronger as the days go on. The community sense of responsibility people used to have back in the day of keeping adult matters private from children or keeping street matters away from home, clearly doesn’t exist nowadays. Micheal Lopez, 27 was taken into custody early Friday morning by the NYPD, after opening fire in The Bronx on 24-year-old Hassan Wright in broad daylight on June, 17. Police say Lopez is a member of the notorious “Make it Happen Boyz” street gang in Harlem and has outstanding warrants for attempted murder, armed robbery, and revenge porn for distributing graphic images of a woman, Sandra Rose reports. Surveillance video, and witnesses from their apartment windows, caught the entire incident as Lopez chased Wright and opened fire as Wright stumbled over two children, 13-year-old Mia Toribio and her 5-year-old brother Christian Toribio. https://youtu.be/XSG2dLIvtAc Tamir Rice’s mom slammed Shaun King in a scathing social media post, calling him a self-centered person who can’t be trusted – and “a white man acting black.” Samaria Rice was apparently set off by King publishing details of a conversation they had, after she previously blasted King and others, accusing them of benefitting from the death of her 12-year-old son, who was shot by Cleveland police while playing with a toy gun. “Why do you think its so important to tell folks we had a conversation,” Rice wrote in an Instagram post addressed to King. “Well we talked and everything that was said was very toxic and uncomfortable for me to hear that you raised additional money and then say you did not want to bother me. Personally I don’t understand how you sleep at night,” she wrote. An Iowa teacher’s TikTok videos defending Critical Race Theory after the governor banned it from being taught has gone viral. Megan Geha, a special education teacher at Des Moines East High School, calls on her fellow teachers to fight back. “So, teachers, in the past, we’ve been activists, and after this s***show of last year, we really need to stand up and do what’s right for our kids right now,” Geha said on TikTok. “This is a call to action, teachers. We really need to stand up and fight for our kids.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1407760951554805760 Rapper Gift of Gab, also one half of the famed Bay Area duo “Blackalicious,” passed away in his sleep. Gab, whose actual name is Timothy J. Parker, transitioned last Friday according to the hip-hop collective Quannum Projects. “Tim peacefully departed this earth to be with our ancestors on Friday, June 18, 2021.” The collective also added, “He is survived by two brothers, one sister, many nieces and nephews, countless friends, and fans across the globe. We ask that the family’s privacy is respected as we mourn the tremendous loss of our dear brother.” Gab had battled kidney failure in 2014 caused by type 1 diabetes … forcing him to undergo dialysis several times a week. He reportedly got a kidney transplant in January 2020, reports TMZ. https://youtu.be/aKdV5FvXLuI “He is the head of a gang,” said Bill Duke (“The Oval”), a legendary actor (Commando, Predator) and director (“Fame”, “Hillstreet Blues”), about his new role in the Warner Bros Picture presentation No Sudden Move, premiering on HBO Max July 1, 2021. “He’s competing with other gangs – that’s big in Detroit. He is one of many gang leaders.” https://youtu.be/J-2icxJjilw The “#MarriedToMedicine” reunion is on the way; there’s still lots to unpack when it comes to a certain couple, naked pictures, and a “secret” life coach. As previously reported, #DrContessa and #DrScott’s marriage has been strained amid news that Scott’s been secretly seeing a life coach for “7 or 8 months.”?Scott confessed to secretly meeting with the coach, an unnamed woman he “found on the Internet,” while Contessa was openly meeting with her own coach. He added that he “hasn’t paid the coach a dime” even though the woman’s been giving him help. Later, Dr. Contessa’s daughters joked that Scott had a “girlfriend,” which fueled speculation that the life coach was actually a mistress.?Later, however, during the “Married To Medicine” finale, Scott switched up his story and said that his female life coach is actually a MAN named Kevin Johnson.? Former Destiny’s Child member Farrah Franklin is calling out actress Alexis Fields and accusing her of being a homewrecker after she posted an old viral video clip of her and Kiely Williams. Recently Alexis Fields, who is the sister of actress Kim Fields and daughter of Good Times star Chip Fields, shared a video to her Instagram page of an interaction Farrah Franklin and Kiely Williams had during a pilot of a reality TV show that seemingly wasn’t picked up by a network. In the clip, which is reportedly more than seven years old, Farrah and Kiely Williams are having a standoff as they compare their musical accolades and who had the most success in the famous girl groups they were once in. In the short video, Kiely Williams mentions that she was in 3LW and The Cheetah Girls. “I’ve been in two multi-platinum, successful groups and they weren’t disbanded.” Farrah Franklin responded, “And I’ve been in the biggest one and they’re still together.” Kiely fired back, “I know, but you weren’t in it!” Recently, “The View’s” Sunny Hostin, boldly stated that “White Supremacy is the reason that Black Americans are rapidly buying guns.” “If you listen to the FBI’s statistics, we had FBI Director [Christopher] Wray testify that the greatest threat in the United States is white supremacy, and who are the victims of white supremacy? Generally, they are African Americans, and so I really believe that that is why you are seeing African Americans now buying guns and arming themselves and protecting themselves,” the former federal prosecutor said this past Wednesday. “The Second Amendment is for everyone,” Hostin said on the “The View.” https://youtu.be/8TYMnV3vf0E Tennessee State University is exploring the idea of introducing ice hockey to their campus. If they choose to incorporate the game, it would be the first time that a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), has offered ice hockey and would be the first varsity hockey program in the entire state. “The idea of establishing a collegiate hockey program at TSU is a tremendous opportunity as the nation’s first HBCU to take on this endeavor,” President Glenda Glover said to CNN, according to Black Enterprise. “This allows us to expand the sport, increase diversity, and introduce a new fan base.” https://youtu.be/vq6mYBlpX1E Chicken & Biscuits, a new comedy written by Black playwright Douglas Lyons, with a largely Black cast and directed by Zhailon Levingston, who at 27 becomes the youngest Black director in Broadway history, will have its Broadway premiere this Fall. Beginning previews at Circle in the Square Theatre on Thursday, September 23, Chicken & Biscuits – which was playing Off Broadway at the time of the Covid shutdown – will officially open Sunday, October 10. The limited engagement runs through Sunday, January 2, 2022. The full cast will be announced in coming weeks, but producers today confirmed the casting of Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess, Da 5 Bloods) and Michael Urie (Torch Song, Ugly Betty). In July, vegan actress and TikTok influencer Tabitha Brown will launch a new, limited-edition Sunshine All Purpose Seasoning in partnership with spice brand McCormick. The spice mix—which features her face on the label—blends ingredients such as garlic (Tabitha’s favorite), along with allspice, thyme, turmeric, cayenne pepper, mango, and pineapple. The salt-free, Caribbean-influenced spice blend is bright and warm and is suitable for a number of recipes and uses. As part of the partnership with McCormick, Brown created three recipes using the new spice blend: Sunshine Shick’n (shiitake mushroom-based vegan chicken stir-fry coated with a sweet and savory sauce); Maple Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges; and Chicky Farro Bowl (farro bowl topped with roasted chickpeas coated in Sunshine Seasoning). Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck tells his ‘powerful story’ in the inspiring and emotional documentary, ‘Wolfgang.’ https://youtu.be/uKntR9x3iWw Mary J. Blige Speaks On Healing, Realizing Her Worth, New Documentary, New Music + More. https://youtu.be/7yQqqu1qr3A In this week’s episode of Celebrity Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey, Steve embracing his inner, talkative stripper. Harvey kicked off the sixth season with some of his celebrity friends, along with their immediate family members or their extended TV families, going head-to-head in a contest to name the most popular responses to survey-type questions posed to 100 people for a chance to win money for a charity of their choice. https://youtu.be/63D0AnSlqsE The out of this world “F9” has Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) and Roman (Tyrese Gibson) are launched into outer space. Hey, whatever it takes to save the world, I’m all for it. “F9” begins with Dom (Vin Diesel) chillin’ at his cozy crib with baby boy Brian when he is brought the news that a world-shattering plot, led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered, is about to take place. The master mind behind the plan is Dom’s pouting brother, Jakob (John Cena). Dom leaves his son and joins his crew to put pedal to the medal and kick ass. Along the way, audiences witness some of the most ridiculous antics ever seen on screen. https://youtu.be/aSiDu3Ywi8E ; Just a few months ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars ran to the table to select former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick. He was expected to come in right away and contribute to a team that desperately needs quality quarterback play. Lawrence dealt with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder early in Jaguars’ camp and wasn’t able to get going. If Urban Meyer‘s latest comments are to be believed, the rookie quarterback still has a ways to go to be ready for the NFL. And yet, that’s just fine for Meyer because the 2021 season hasn’t started yet. The Rev. Jesse Jackson and Poor People’s Campaign co-chair the Rev. William Barber II were among several civil rights and religious activists arrested at a protest outside the U.S. Senate on Wednesday (June 23), where demonstrators demanded West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and other lawmakers abolish the filibuster and pass voting rights legislation. Shortly before his arrest for blocking the street, Barber stood in the middle of Constitution Avenue as hundreds of demonstrators marched behind him along the sidewalk outside the Hart Senate Office Building. As police began to encircle Barber and others huddled behind a banner that read “Manchin, stop hurting West Virginia: Stop the filibuster,” the pastor explained he was willing to be arrested to protect voting rights. “It took this to win it, it’s going to take this to keep it,” Barber said. Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of “The 1619 Project,” will not join UNC-Chapel Hill without tenure. According to Policy Watch, Hannah-Jones, is scheduled to begin her position as the university’s Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism on July 1, but the board has not offered her tenure for the position, which previous Knight Chairs at UNC-CH have received. A letter from her legal team to the university notes that Hannah-Jones has not withdrawn her application for tenure — and does not plan to. https://youtu.be/cMOHvXHLNeM A coalition of Los Angeles civil rights leaders held a Wednesday morning (06-23-21) press conference before a throng of media at the National Action Network Los Angeles (NAN LA) chapter office in response to the brutal beating of Christopher Bailey by six Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies in May of 2020. Craig Hodges a former NBA star with the Chicago Bulls who played alongside Michael Jordan winning 2 world championships and later as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers won 2 more world championships spoke passionately about the love he has for Chris saying, “he’s a nephew to me and one of the best young men you’ll ever meet. His beating by deputy’s was totally uncalled for.” https://youtu.be/17k0nhadHrA Georgia’s assault on democracy isn’t over by a long shot. After the Republican-led state legislature earlier this year forced through new laws severely restricting the ability to cast a ballot — laws that disproportionately affect Black voters, in particular — the man who oversees elections in Georgia is now threatening to purge more than 100,000 registered voters from the rolls just weeks ahead of special runoff elections to fill a vacant State House seat. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Friday made the names public of about 102,000 registered voters who he said have moved or haven’t voted in recent elections, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Both factors are reasons to remove their names from the voting rolls, Raffensperger threatened. Candace Owens recently reneged on a previous agreement to appear at an event on Juneteenth for a Republican group so that she could instead attend a birthday party for the wife of a country music singer who once wore blackface for Halloween while purportedly dressing up as a rapper. She blamed it all on being the mother of an infant, but a closer look into the details suggests there may be much more to it. According to local news outlet the Spectrum, Owens — who announced she gave birth to a boy in January — contractually agreed in February to be paid $30,000 to speak at a fundraiser that was held by the Washington County Republican Party (WCRP) this past Saturday in St. George, Utah. Both sides had been negotiating the terms for a full year. https://twitter.com/i/status/1406744456381059077 Kirbyjon Caldwell, the former United Methodist megachurch pastor and presidential adviser who was found guilty of being involved in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme, has begun his six-year prison sentence. Caldwell, who had been scheduled to arrive in prison on Tuesday (June 22), is listed on the Bureau of Prisons website as an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Beaumont, a low security facility in Eastern Texas with more than 1,500 inmates. Caldwell, 67, was sentenced in January but the judge deferred his report date by about five months. At the time of sentencing, the former pastor’s lawyer requested that Caldwell serve his time in home confinement because his client was at high risk for COVID-19 complications because of his hypertension and prostate cancer. The former senior pastor of Houston’s Windsor Village United Methodist Church appeared at Washington National Cathedral inaugural prayer services for President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush. Caldwell was among key faith leaders Obama turned to for prayer and discussions about politics and religion. And Caldwell officiated the wedding of Jenna Bush and called her father “Brother President.” A Florida family is demanding answers after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper tased a biracial teen who was sitting on his girlfriend’s porch. Trooper George Smyrnios was caught on surveillance video tasing 16-year-old Jack Rodeman more than once on the back deck of the teen’s girlfriend’s home, where he had permission to be. The surveillance video shows Jack outside of his girlfriend’s San Carlos Park home waiting for her to answer the door after texting her. According to the report Trooper Smyrnios tased him after “he failed to comply.” https://www.winknews.com/2021/06/21/mother-outraged-after-teenage-son-was-tased-and-arrested-by-an-fhp-trooper/ Democratic U.S. Senator who is accused of belonging to an “all-white” beach club in Rhode Island is both denying the claim and defending his membership in a local racial controversy that is making national news. When confronted and questioned on Friday about his membership to Bailey’s Beach Club in Newport, Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse all but confirmed that the establishment with which his wife “is one of the largest shareholders” doesn’t have any “minority members,” as Kate Nagle, the journalist who interviewed him, said. “I think the people who are running the place are still working on that and I’m sorry it hasn’t happened yet,” Whitehouse said in response to being asked if there was any traction to have a more racially diverse membership. Gun violence is a major problem in the U.S. This much has been established time and time again. But another scourge on society seems to be the apparent increasing desensitized reactions to that gun violence, as exemplified in a new viral video showing a large group of young people twerking and otherwise partying it up next to and on top of multiple emergency vehicles that were reportedly responding to a deadly shooting this past weekend in Northern California. https://twitter.com/i/status/1406897114639175681 Monday marked the first-ever Child Tax Credit Awareness Day as the federal government looked to tout and draw attention to the financial relief President Joe Biden signed into law to benefit working families. In just about a month, families with children 17 and younger will begin receiving the first of 12-scheduled monthly payments as par of the American Rescue Plan. Tens of millions of American families are expected to benefit from the new, expanded child tax credit, which will likely provide an outsized boost to the Black and brown households disproportionately affected by the coronavirus and subsequent economic fallout from the pandemic. Monthly payments of up to $300 per child 17 and younger will be paid to about 39 million families beginning on July 15. That’s about 88% of the children in America, according to the Treasury Department. Consuewella Dotson Africa, a matriarch of the MOVE Black liberation group whose headquarters was the target of a city-sponsored bombing by local law enforcement in Philadelphia decades ago, has died. Africa, the mother of two children who were killed in the 1985 bombing that eventually burned down 61 houses, killed 11 people (including three other children) and injured dozens of others, died June 16 at the age of 67. Africa’s death was announced on MOVE’s website and confirmed by MOVE member Janine Africa. The 65-year-old actor Lisa Banes died ten days at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital after being hit by a scooter or motorcycle by a hit-and-run driver. The incident took place in New York City while Banes was crossing Amsterdam Avenue on the way to visit the Juilliard School, her alma mater. Banes has appeared in numerous movies including “Gone Girl” in 2014 and “Cocktail” with Tom Cruise in 1988. Her television shows include “Nashville,” “Madam Secretary,” “Masters of Sex” and “NCIS.” Banes also appeared in several Broadway hits such as the Neil Simon play “Rumors” in 1988; the musical “High Society” in 1998; the Noel Coward play “Present Laughter” in 2010. Friends and colleagues continue to mourn her death. As of yet, no arrests have been made. Michael Griswold, teen pastor at Macedonia Baptist Church in Kansas City, died of COVID-19 earlier this month after being hospitalized since January. He was 39 years old. With his magnetic personality — and bright blue eyeglasses — Griswold was credited with bringing kids into the church by the hundreds. His unconventional preaching drew in youth, church leaders said. But so too did his way with people — what some called the “it” factor. Senior Pastor John L. Brooks said Griswold, or “Grizzy,” was the Michael Jordan of his calling. “Grizzy’s impact was so magnanimous that I’m telling you 20 years from now, this church will remember Grizzy,” Brooks said. “I’m telling you, older people and younger people.” Televangelist Jim Bakker and his Missouri church will have to pay back $156,000 to followers to settle a lawsuit that accused him of selling a fake COVID-19 cure called Silver Solution for $125 each. The settlement agreement, which was filed in a Missouri court on Tuesday, calls for the 81-year-old TV pastor to refund people who paid money or gave contributions to obtain Silver Solution in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bakker and his Morningside Church Productions Inc. were sued by Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt in March last year after he claimed on-air that the health supplement could cure COVID. The settlement prohibits Bakker and Morningside from advertising or selling Silver Solution ‘to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure any disease or illness’. Bakker, in the agreement, does not admit wrongdoing. The families of Kobe Bryant and others who died in a 2020 helicopter crash reached a settlement Tuesday in a lawsuit targeting the late pilot’s estate and the company that owned and operated the helicopter. Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, was among those suing the estate of pilot Ara Zobayan as well as Island Express Helicopters filed a notice in court that read, “Plaintiffs and Defendants jointly report that they have agreed to settle their claims in the above-entitled action,” multiple media outlets reported. No details of the settlement were revealed. The court still must approve the proposed agreement. For actress, author and singer Kathie Lee Gifford, broadcasting her faith is a priority and a joy. Gifford is candid about the many ups and downs of her life and career but, through it all, faith remains her foundation, according to an article by Movieguide® Staff. “Our neighbors in Connecticut must think we’re a bunch of nuts,” Gifford wrote in 1996. “In the morning when two-year-old Cassidy comes up to me saying, ‘Hosanna, Mommy, hosanna,’ I say, ‘Okay.’ And out we traipse onto our deck where we march around singing, ‘This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Hosanna! Hosanna!’ I’m sure people all the way in New Jersey hear us. “But I don’t care what they think,” she added. “I believe worship should be fun and exciting so children can embrace it. After all, David leaped and danced before the Lord with all his might, and sang out with joy.” Actor Anthony Mackie will host ESPYS on its return to New York next month. ESPY honors top athletes and sports moments for the current year. Taking the coronavirus pandemic into play, the show will follow return-to-work guidelines as well as relevant protocols of the city and state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Los Angeles was its venue for eighteen years. Its first seven editions were held in New York at Madison Square Gardens or Radio City Music Hall. The show will air July 10 live on ABC from The Rooftop at Pier 17 at the Seaport. A new trailer has dropped for the highly anticipated “Candyman” thriller from director Nia DaCosta, co-written and produced by Jordan Peele. Based on the short story “The Forbidden” by Clive Barker, the original film followed a graduate student in Chicago completing a thesis on urban legends, which led her to the legend of “Candyman,” the ghost of an artist and son of a slave who was murdered in the late 19th century. https://youtu.be/TPBH3XO8YEU The third season of WE tv’s “Love After Lockup,” has kicked off with an ALL-NEW group of couples and cons, and we have an exclusive clip of this week’s episode. https://youtu.be/4qCGtN_cdc4 The month of June continues to give way to numerous Pride events, both in-person and virtual. In recent years, formal Pride marches and celebrations have incurred critique for giving way to corporate influence. Disney has announced that it will broadcast an all-star Pride concert via its Disney+ YouTube and Facebook channels. (Given the platform, Disney+ non-subscribers will be able to tune in if curious.) The event will take place on June 27, and will assemble a wide array of talent. Nina West, formidable RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, will host the event. Mary J. Blige opens up about her mental health struggles in the new documentary titled “My Life.” The music icon told Extra that she decided to open up about her suicidal thoughts, addiction, and abuse because “it was extremely important” for her to do so, as reported by AceShowbiz. “It’s what I was living, what I was going through, what I’ve been through since I was a 5-year-old little girl… just so much hell,” said Blige. “I had to show people where all this pain came from that was in the ‘My Life’ album in the first place, and how can I get it out… and why it’s not coming out.” https://youtu.be/EeaCZt31hVA Ludacris revealed some lofty goals during an appearance on “Ellen” that aired Tuesday. The rapper and actor will soon add pilot to his resume, he revealed. Although, he had to set the record straight about rumors that he had already gotten his license and was able to fly planes on his own. That viral clip of him in a cockpit last spring during training fueled the chatter. https://youtu.be/j2UmR8BU9jg WE tv’s hit series “Beyond the Pole” returns this week with an all-new episode! This season on “Beyond the Pole,” per press release, Ms. Dime, Angel Kake, Empress, Lyric, Virgo, Gigi Maguire, Ya Ya, Treasure, and Milk Marie “Pinky” are dealing with a world that is changing along with their businesses. Everyone is feeling the stress of quarantine, staying masked-up, healthy, and keeping the bills paid in this new COVID reality. Now that the city of Atlanta has reopened, the women face these challenges as well as the pressure on their friendships, relationships and professional lives. https://youtu.be/tVSUeXvfuvw Tuesday a federal judge temporarily blocked Damon Dash from selling an NFT of Jay-Z’s debut rap album “Reasonable Doubt." Manhattan federal Judge John Cronan issued a temporary restraining order that prohibits Dash from selling the album as a non-fungible token — a digital art form traded in an online marketplace — after Roc-A-Fella Records sued Dash over his plan last Friday. “If the plaintiff’s allegations prove true … the plaintiff is likely to suffer irreparable injuries,” Cronan said of the suit, which alleges Dash is attempting to sell what he does not own. Another hearing in the matter has been scheduled for next Thursday, according to the report. Trick Daddy and Love & Hip-Hop star received a lot of heat this week for hopping on Clubhouse and claiming Beyonce´ is someone who could “can barely sing” and doesn’t write her own songs. Although it was his personal opinion, Beyonce fans were just not having it. Trick later hopped on radio to explain why he felt that way. He explained, “What I said was I don’t think Beyonce´ can sing and Beyonce´ is to R&B what JAY-Z is to the state of hip-hop in New York at the time when JAY-Z considered himself as the king of hip-hop,” said Trick Daddy. “Which is my opinion. And opinions are like buttholes: without ’em, you’d be full of doodoo.” He continued to explain himself, saying he was sharing an “unpopular opinion.” Fanbase, the subscription-based social platform just closed its $3.5 Million Dollar seed round, and empowers any user to monetize their content, unveiled today plans to roll out a new, short form video and music editor function in tandem with the formation and launch of its “The Future Of Fanbase” Creative Advisory Board to support development. In response to the current Black TikTok creator strike coupled with disparities pervading the entire creator economy, Fanbase is calling on all creatives – especially Black creatives – to weigh in on the design of the new video function through the creation of its new advisory board. From “Betcha By Golly, Wow” to “Backstabbers,” the lasting lure of Philly Soul will be front and center when the Urban Guerilla Orchestra (UGO) presents live a tribute to TSOP – The Sound of Philadelphia. The PPV concert scheduled for Sunday July 11th will celebrate the rise of Philadelphia’s music scene with a concert of back to back hits popularized by The Stylistics, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, The O’Jays and others. After much backlash from the Caribbean community, including Nicki Minaj, actor/entrepreneur Michael B. Jordan apologizes for naming his rum “J’Ouvert” and reveals that he’s looking to rename the brand. A couple days ago, PEOPLE’s 2020 Sexiest Man Alive revealed his new liquor brand, J’Ouvert, and it caused tons of controversy — especially because it’s the same name of the traditional celebratory festival born in Trinidad and Tobago many many years ago. The history of the celebration is sacred and because of that, Jordan was immediately placed under fire for cultural appropriation and more. The Smollett sibling duo continue to bring their keen design flavor to CLEO TV this Saturday, June 26th at 9 p.m. ET/8C on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. This week on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ , LeAnne is busy and needs to liven up her studio. Jazz adds great furniture and Jake installs wall art panels. For the reveal, Jake makes Brown Butter NY Strip Steaks and Smoked Gouda Twice Baked Potatoes! Jazz assembles Strawberry Shortcake Trifles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K59EH4jw2I Rapper Lil Baby is named ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, an honor most recently held by Cardi B, Quavo and Gucci Mane, for his songs including "Baby," "The Bigger Picture," "Emotionally Scarred," "For the Night" and more. The Grammy-nominated songwriter and artist has been one of the most dominant and critically-acclaimed names in rap since his first release in 2017. His 2020 solo album My Turn debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Lil Baby was also named to Time Magazine's 2021 "100 Next" List and earlier this month released a collaborative album The Voice of the Heroes with Lil Durk. Grammy-winning songwriter-producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz; and rapper and DJ D-Nice will receive ASCAP's Voice of the Culture Award, presented to ASCAP members who have had a major influence on music and culture. The Top Gospel Song goes to Kanye West's "Follow God," co-written by Bryant "XCELENCE" Bell and Jahmal "BoogzDaBeast" Gwin. The song, from West's ninth album Jesus Is King, debuted at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. The ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards wrap up on Thursday June 24 with an in memoriam segment celebrating the life and legacy of rapper DMX; an @ASCAPUrban Real Sounds Deconstructed session with jetsonmade; and a tour of the SoSo Def studio led by megaproducer Jermaine Dupri. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® today launches its new Care It Forward initiative to amplify care and connection as the country emerges from a year of social isolation. Rooted in the company's history of caring for employees and guests like family, the effort aims to both demonstrate and inspire acts of care. Cracker Barrel will lead by example with both small and large acts of care, ranging from in-store surprises for guests throughout the summer to a special musical content series featuring pairings of musical artists from diverse backgrounds, genres and viewpoints. Cracker Barrel has paired GRAMMY Award-winning musicians and songwriters Shane McAnally, Jennifer Nettles and CeCe Winans with aspiring artists to help coach, mentor and support them in the next steps of their careers after a year where nearly two-thirds of artists and creative workers surveyed by Americans for the Arts reported being fully unemployed because of COVID-19. Cracker Barrel is encouraging fans to use #CareItForward on social media to share their own acts of care and keep the positive momentum going. From Color of Change -- We Will Never Forget is the featured track from LeBron James’ Springhill Company and CNN Documentary film, Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street, premiering on CNN on the centennial anniversary of the Black Wall Street Massacre May 31, 2021. This soul stirring song honors the families and descendants of the 1921 Greenwood District massacre in Tulsa, and is the leading anthem for the social justice movement to end systemic racism and racially motivated violence. Proceeds from the single benefit social change grassroots organizations in partnership with the ‘68 Project (P68) and the official music video platform partner, Color of Change. We Will Never Forget Featuring Omarion, Lalah Hathaway, and Kierra Sheard Written and Produced by Greg Curtis Executive Producer Michelle Le Fleur (P) Omarion Worldwide 2021. Stand with Justice for Greenwood! Demand that the Centennial Commission and City of Tulsa give 80% of the $30 million raised to the survivors and descendants of the Tulsa Race Massacre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_P8ivAa-AA To help raise awareness and drive tune-in for this year's Essence Festival of Culture “Live Loud” Virtual Experience, Coca-Cola is teaming with journalist, author and media entrepreneur Roland S. Martin to promote the virtual event across his #ROLANDMARTINUNFILTERED platforms now through July 5. An Essence Fest mainstay, Martin will re-release original content captured over a decade during numerous appearances at the annual event. In addition, Martin will post recaps of this year's Essence Fest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdZ3HdRR3O0&feature=youtu.be After almost two decades of fighting for the right to control their marketing and revenue-generating potential as undergraduate student-athletes, the ball is about to favorably bounce into the players’ court. The NCAA’s landmark name, image and likeness (NIL) rules take effect July 1, marking the first time college players will be able to get paid for their personal-brand attributes without penalty. However, the rule has a staggered launch, and it’s up to the individual states to implement it as the NCAA works to fine tune it. The father of Pharrell Williams’ late cousin filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit Monday after his son was fatally shot by police in Virginia. Wayne Lynch claimed his 25-year-old son, Donovan, was a “young, innocent, black man” who was shot “unlawfully and without warning” in March by a cop responding to a shooting that did not involve him. The suit, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, is against the City of Virginia Beach as well as city cop Solomon Simmons III, who had not previously been identified as the shooter. Earlier this year, as Officer Russell Ellis neared the end of his late shift at the University of Washington’s campus police department, one of his superiors offered him an energy drink. The sergeant was laughing, Mr. Ellis said, noting that the beverage was flavored like watermelon. “I thought all you guys like watermelon and Popeyes chicken,” the senior officer said, according to Mr. Ellis, who is Black. A second Black officer described a nearly identical encounter with the same sergeant two years earlier. Mr. Ellis, 49, said the exchange left him stewing privately with anger and humiliation. But he said it was far from the first time he had faced racial disparagement or discrimination during his years at the university, a sprawling lakeside campus in Seattle that touts diversity goals to the public, shares antiracism resources with the student body and shapes the ideals of one of the nation’s most progressive — and one of the whitest — big cities. A 9-year-old girl’s complaints to her Minnesota school board about Black Lives Matter posters staying up despite there being “no politics” allowed in school is gaining her national attention, after she told the school board: “I do not care or look at the color of skin, but you make me think of it.” The unidentified female student, who referred to herself as “Novalee,” pointed out the double standard at her school to the Lakeville Area School Board during a June 8 meeting, though video of the speech only began making the rounds this week. The child began by telling the school board that she initially saw the posters while walking down the hall at Lakeview Elementary School to give a teacher a going away present. “I looked up onto the wall and saw a BLM poster and an Amanda Gorman poster,” she continued, referencing the Nobel laureate poet who spoke at President Biden’s inauguration in January. Seeing the posters, the girl said, made her “so mad.” “I was told two weeks ago at this very meeting spot: No politics in school,” she continued, adding that she “believed what you said at this meeting.” After seeing the posters, she went to the principal and demanded they be taken down. https://blackchristiannews.com/ Martin Luther King III and the Rev. Al Sharpton will hold a nationwide march against voter suppression on Aug. 28 — the 58th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. The event, dubbed “March On for Voting Rights,” comes as legislatures across the country move to tighten up voting rules. Just under 390 bills have been introduced across 48 states aimed at restricting voting access in some form in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, the march’s organizer, March On, said in a statement. King in a statement said his father, Martin Luther King Jr., would be “greatly disappointed in where we are at this particular moment, but he would not give up on the nation.” Prosecutors in Arkansas are objecting to a request by accused pedophile Josh Duggar to delay his child pornography trial to next year. On Monday, prosecutors told the court they would agree to a ‘reasonable continuance’ of three months but said postponing the trial to next year ‘would result in unnecessary delay.’ The prosecution also denied allegations by the defense that the Government had not turned over all the evidence it has in the case. In Monday’s filing, according to People, prosecutors stated that there has been ‘timely and complete disclosure of all discovery material’. Josh, 33, was charged in May with receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material, including some that Homeland Security special agent Gerald Faulkner described as ‘in the top five of the worst of the worst that I’ve ever had to examine.’ “I came up with a song that brags on how good God is to me, that glorifies God,” said Hip-Hop Gospel artist Jor’Dan Armstrong about his new single “My God” (Im Blessed Bro). “It came from Social Media. Social Media is about showing off what you have, what you look like…I do it too. So I came up with a song that brags on…God.” “My God” is an R&B flavored ballad, but Jor’Dan is known for his up-tempo Hip-Hop tracks, such as “You Should Know” and “I Got 2.” He even delivers Pop flavored Gospel tracks like “Where You Are,” but on the “My God” single he is all R&B. “You have to meet them where they are,” Jor’Dan said about his music ministry. “I’ve been in the industry for a while now. Every time I put out a new song people think I’m new.” https://youtu.be/6eKXorX_Iyg A heads up that Adrian Marcel is soon announcing his upcoming EP “Marcel” coming out this Fall. With almost 10 years in the music business and known for his buttery vocals and authentic r&b sound combined with a charming yet rugged appeal, Adrian has created a lane in the genre that differentiates him from his peers. His musical role models include Ginuwine, Al Green, D’Angelo, Maxwell and more. https://youtu.be/z-pzjyOZ6pU Erica Mena and Safaree are currently expecting their second child together. But, unfortunately, they’re going through a divorce at the same time. While both parties have remained fairly quiet about the behind-the-scenes unraveling's that led to their relationship’s demise, it seems like Erica isn’t afraid to admit that other folks saw this coming the whole time. During a recent visit to The Wendy Williams Show, one of Mena’s fellow Love & Hip-Hop cast members, Spice, let Wendy know that Erica had a message for her.? In response, Wendy went on to explain that she encouraged Erica to divorce Safaree and not allow him in the room for the birth of their second child. This follows claims from Safaree recently, who says he was afraid that his estranged wife won’t allow him to be present for the birth of their second child, so he wants to take his fight to court. He has also refused to give her full custody of their daughter and their unborn child.?http://www.gospel-spotlight.com What a difference two years and a global pandemic make. Steven Spielberg, who a couple of years ago was quoted — his camp maintains he never said it or anything he might have said was severely taken out of context — drawing a clear line between theatrically released films and streamer films, has berthed his Amblin Partners into a partnership with Netflix that will cover multiple new feature films per year. It shows once again the Netflix-led progress toward dissolving the lines between streamed and theatrical films and symbolically it is a big deal for Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Scott Stuber. The Netflix deal will co-exist side by side with the one Spielberg and Amblin have at Universal Pictures. Neither will have first shot at Amblin properties; Spielberg will make some films for Universal, and others to be made for Netflix. The New York Mets have fired two executives and say they are rebuilding their human-resources and legal departments in the latest fallout from sexual harassment allegations against former manager Mickey Callaway. The moves come after new owner Steve Cohen brought in a law firm for a review of the team’s policies and culture. Major League Baseball has banned Callaway through 2022 because of accusations of sexual misconduct from his time with the Mets and two other teams. Two other Mets employees have also been fired because of sexual misconduct claims against them. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Simone Biles is preparing to show the world once again why she’s the GOAT. The five-time Olympic medalist, 24, shared a photo of herself gazing at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, where she recently arrived for the U.S. Gymnastics Olympic trials. “Hi St. Louis,” Biles wrote in the caption. “Can’t believe this week I’ll be competing in my second Olympic Trials. What a dream.” The gymnastics Olympic Trials kick off on June 24 with Men’s Day 1, followed by Women’s Day 1 on June 25. June 26 and 27 will see Men’s Day 2 and Women’s Day 2, respectively. As she prepares for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Biles is looking forward to the inevitable energy of the Games. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee announced he’s retiring after 11 seasons in the NFL. The two-time Pro Bowler and 2016 All-Pro veteran dealt with injuries throughout his career. He missed 21 games because of injuries over the past four seasons. He missed 58 total games in his career. Much of the reaction of the news lamented Lee’s injuries while others predicted coaching in his future. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown’s probation was terminated one year early, and the criminal matter stemming from his altercation with a moving truck driver was finalized on Tuesday, Brown’s attorney Sean Burstyn told ESPN. Brown was charged with assaulting driver Anton Tumanov on Jan. 21, 2020, while Tumanov delivered items to his home. Brown pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years of probation for a felony burglary charge, one year for a battery charge — a misdemeanor — and six months for a criminal mischief charge. Instead, Brown’s probation ends after just one year. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Vashti Cunningham showcased why she’s the best women’s high jumper in the country in May when she leaped a personal best of 6 feet, 7½ inches at the Chula Vista Field Fest. Days leading up to the U.S. Olympic track and field trials, Cunningham envisioned jumping a new personal record. Cunningham didn’t eclipse her personal best, but a gold medal and trip to Tokyo is a more than worthy consolation prize. The 23-year-old won the women’s high jump at 6-5 to qualify for her second Olympics. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com After breaking up with Nike in 2019 and landing a sponsorship deal with Gap’s Athleta, the brand’s first, track and field star Allyson Felix is launching her own shoe business. On Wednesday, Felix debuted Saysh, which she pitches as a lifestyle brand designed with women in mind. Saysh’s first product, the Saysh One sneaker, retails for $150 and is currently available for preorder in three colors. Other products are in the works, according to the company’s website. Customers are also able to buy membership to the “Saysh Collective,” which comes with workout videos and occasional interactions with Felix. An annual membership costs $150, while a monthly pass goes for $10. The announcement comes after Felix finished second in the 400 meter at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials this past weekend, clinching her spot in the Tokyo Olympics. Felix is the most decorated female track and field star in U.S. history. S he did it again. Katie Ledecky won the 200-meter freestyle (a sprint of 4 laps) and the 1,500 free (30 laps) about 70 minutes apart at the U.S. Olympic trials Wednesday. This places her in good standing for the Tokyo Olympic games. Her short time between races was planned as “The goal was to get in the warm-down pool as quickly as I could,” she said. This would keep her warmed up for the 1,500. Ledecky touched the wall far ahead of everyone else with a winning time of 15:40.50 seconds. Even though this was well off her 2018 world record of 15:20.48, it was the fastest in the world this year. She looks forward the women’s 1,500 free stating it’s about time as it will be making its Olympic debut for the women in Tokyo. “The men have had the mile in the Olympics since 1908,” Ledecky pointed out. “It’s 2021, and we finally got one.” The 200 free was one of four gold medals that Ledecky won at the Rio Games. She will get a chance to defend that title after winning in 1:55.11. Gospel singer Tamela Mann said it best in her song “Take Me To The King”: Truth is, I’m tired. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic where we’re fighting for racial and social justice-with unemployment rates for Black people higher in comparison to our white counterparts and a lack of health care access disproportionately affecting Black individuals-the Black community has been driven to exhaustion. Whether we’re justice leaders in our local Black Lives Matter chapter or full-time students balancing life as a BIPOC citizen, being a Black person in this country has been overwhelmingly draining. Rest is needed for our people: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Doctors, sleep specialists, and nap advocacy groups are making the case that Black people need to prioritize their rest right now-here’s why, and how we can start doing that. A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, June 24 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, viewers will follow the tragic story of a young father succumbing to the ever-present crime scene of Baltimore. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GHr-NPomDM NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson shattered racial and gender barriers in the realm of STEM and the late legendary trailblazer recently received another special honor for her contributions. According to USA Today, a Virginia-based middle school has been renamed to pay homage to Johnson. For nearly six decades the school—which is located in the city of Fairfax—bared the name of Sidney Lanier. Lanier was a musician and author who had ties to the confederacy which prompted individuals within the local community to reexamine the school’s name; ultimately leading to the decision to change it. After hundreds of suggestions for the educational facility’s new namesake were submitted, in November 2020 the school district landed on Katherine Johnson Middle School. Johnson played an integral role in sending astronauts to the moon and helping them return to earth. Her contributions, and those of other Black women mathematicians, were pivotal in furthering spatial research. Black women are making strides in academic leadership and challenging the status quo in the process. Dr. Cindy Crusto recently made history by becoming the first Black woman professor in Yale School of Medicine’s psychiatry department. Crusto’s work sits at the intersection of clinical psychology and community. She examines how socioeconomic barriers have an impact on the well-being of families from marginalized groups. Her journey at Yale began over two decades ago with a doctoral internship in Clinical & Community Psychology and from there she charted a path towards examining diversity within clinical work and the importance of community-focused research. Dr. Crusto has been a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion. In celebration of Pride Month, the iElevate Media Group LLC., is excited to officially announce the launch of iELEVATE PLUS TV NETWORK created to celebrate the culture, the ingenuity, the spirituality and the lifestyle of BLACK & BLACK LGBTQIA+ people. This network is positioned to take the lead in producing quality content and curating a bold space illuminating the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity within the black experience! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSyoSZA51AY&feature=youtu.be Chris Brown’s name is in the headlines once again for allegedly abusing a woman.?According to reports from #TMZ, this past weekend, police were called to the singer’s home, where a woman claimed she was battered by the singer.?It’s the second time in as many months cops were called to Chris’ pad … the first being his massive birthday bash in May, which LAPD broke up early in the AM, says TMZ. Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigned from her role as executive director of the foundation last month. The move came amid criticism that she used funds from the organization to buy several multi-million dollar homes. Now she’s catching heat once more for allegedly failing to inform the IRS about the nearly $200K in donations that her Dignity and Power Now organization received. Cullors launched the company back in 2013 to assist black and minority inmates. Multiple arrests have been made after 2-year-old Brison Christian, the nephew of a Detroit police officer, was gunned down on an interstate, authorities said. Brison and his family were traveling on Interstate 75 in Detroit when shots were fired Thursday, Michigan State Police said. Brison’s father, Brian Christian, said he saw a man holding a gun in a passing car, according to ABC Detroit affiliate WXYZ. Brison’s parents pulled over and noticed both of their children were shot, police said. Brison, who loved SpongeBob and Oreos, was “bleeding from his head with his head down,” Christian told WXYZ. Brison was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. https://abcn.ws/3zKJQAA On May 4, 2020, one of the bloodiest and cruelest beatings by law enforcement of a Black citizen took place. Mr. Christopher Bailey was driving home from work. He worked for a private company that sorts mail for the U.S. Postal Service and therefore he was an essential worker, permitted to be out after curfew during the pandemic. A letter from his employer sits on his dashboard, identifying Mr. Bailey, 37, as an essential worker and gainfully employed. He was wearing his work uniform. LA County Sheriff deputies Kevin Walker and Shawn Groves pulled Mr. Bailey over supposedly for speeding and straddling the lane. Mr. Bailey complied with all deputy directives and stepped out of the vehicle. After exiting his vehicle and according to deputy Walker’s own police report, deputy Walker struck Mr. Bailey’s face with a closed fist at least 27-32 times, supposedly because Mr. Bailey elbowed him and began resisting. The Emmy Awards have announced stars nominated for a trophy in the Actor or Actress categories can now request to be recognized as ‘Performer’ at future ceremonies. The new change, which begins with the 2021 Emmy Awards Season, will see the ‘Performer’ title reflected in both the nomination certificate and trophy. The announcement follows other entertainment awards shows scraping separate prizes for men and women in favor of gender neutral awards. Cast member Nina introduced her brother and his husband, as well as their daughter, to Elmo and his friends as they celebrated Family Day on the decades-old children’s show. https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2021/06/20/sesame-street-gay-dads-family-pride-month-eg-orig.cnn/video/playlists/atv-trending-videos/ Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand announced Monday a partnership with 11 emerging WNBA players, the largest group of Jumpman endorsees in the women’s game. “These amazing athletes are defining a lot of things about Jordan Brand and leading a true conversation that’s impacting culture and our communities across the globe,” said Jordan in statement released by Nike. The endorsement group was announced on Twitter and features Maya Moore, Kia Nurse, Asia Durr, Satou Sabally, Chelsea Dungee, Aerial Powers, Crystal Dangerfield, Arella Karin Guirantes, Te’a Cooper, Dearica Hamby and Jordin Canada. Black Americans hold a disproportionate burden of the $1.7 trillion student debt crisis, and it’s limiting their abilities to own a home. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge told Axios in a Sunday interview that student debt is hindering homeownership for Black people. On Friday, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced in a press release it is updating its student loan monthly payment calculations in an effort to “remove barriers and provide more access to affordable single family FHA-insured mortgage financing for creditworthy individuals with student loan debt, which has a disproportionate impact on people of color.” Fudge said the disproportionately low rate of Black homeownership had driven HUD to reassess student loan calculation policies when determining homeowner assistance, which will increase homeownership access for communities of color. Today, leading Black-owned multi-media platform Revolt announced its new exclusive sermon series, Kingdom Culture with T.D. Jakes. The weekly service of evangelistic sermons and conversations will be hosted by global Christian leader, Bishop T.D. Jakes and will be broadcasted from The Potter's House Church in Dallas. Launched on Sunday, June 20, Kingdom Culture featured the visionary trailblazer's weekly Sunday service, preaching about topics such as vision, leadership, growth, power, love and more, allowing him to reach mass audiences through REVOLT. Bishop Jakes' powerful words of inspiration have reached millions of people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, races, nationalities, and creeds. With the addition of this show, the platform aims to amplify the sermons, garnering attention from hip-hop and culture fans nationwide. "This partnership is a landmark moment for REVOLT, expanding into the faith space to create a program that will inspire millions around the world to have hope and walk in their power," said Sean "Diddy" Combs, Chairman of REVOLT. "Bishop Jakes is one of the most transformational leaders of our time who has made a profound impact on my life, so we're honored for him to join the REVOLT family and use his gift to empower the culture." Ex-Chicago Cubs star Ben Zobrist has accused his wife of having an affair with their Tennessee pastor who, at one point, had given the couple marriage counseling, according to a lawsuit. The 40-year-old, who has since retired from the MLB, alleged in a lawsuit filed last month that his wife Julianna had a year-long affair with Bryon Yawn back in 2019 while he was their pastor in Nashville. Zobrist first filed for separation from his Christian singer wife back in May 2019 after alleging that Julianna had engaged in ‘inappropriate marital conduct’ while their marriage was breaking down. The 2016 World Series MVP took leave from the Cubs at the time to deal with his marital issues. He and Julianna both filed for divorce that month and the matter is still ongoing. A diverse group of American evangelicals congratulated Naftali Bennett on becoming the new prime minister of Israel and successfully forming a coalition government, offering reassurance on to Israelis concerned about Christian support after Benjamin Netanyahu’s departure. “We pray that God grants you wisdom and strength as you make hard decisions that will affect the lives of millions, and we trust that He will answer those prayers,” wrote more than 80 religious leaders, organized by the Philos Project, a group promoting “positive Christian engagement” with Israel and pluralism in the Middle East. Da Baby was known for his friendly relationship with rap superstar #MeganTheeStallion, but after a heated exchange Saturday, that’s all over. The relationship already seemed strained when Meg appeared to unfollow DaBaby on Instagram following last week’s announcement of his new song “Skat” with baldheaded scallywag #ToryLanez. Unfollowing is a mild response for releasing a song and video with Tory after he allegedly shot Meg twice last July. In the year since the incident, Tory also continued to harass her about it both online and offline until Meg had to repeatedly defend herself in the public. Then DaBaby retweeted a disrespectful comment joking about his and Torey’s shared history of getting away with violence and shootings.? Jokia is coming off her #1 single "Yahweh" and drops a new song "Let Him In." https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffiles.constantcontact.com%2F9b7e4b9b701%2Feeb20dba-29fd-4d8d-8cd7-448dc8997ad3.jpg&t=1624361720&ymreqid=578bcfd1-325e-b178-2f2c-5a0012017d00&sig=UNvRSh8S6cR6zwBwxI9DVQ--~D Singer and songwriter Tori Kelly said in a new interview that her faith and her “identity” in Christ keep her grounded when she’s tempted to rely on her fame. Kelly made the comments in an interview with fellow singer and songwriter Ally Brooke as part of Brooke’s podcast, The Ally Brooke Show. Brooke, like Kelly, is a professing Christian. The two are friends. Brooke called Kelly “different” from “any other artist” and asked how she has stayed humble and “true to who you are.” The Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt has become a father to twin boys, Thunder Bolt and Saint Leo Bolt. Bolt, 34, and his partner, Kasi Bennett, announced the news in a Father’s Day Instagram post, with a lightning bolt emoji next to each of their three children’s names. The couple have a daughter, Olympia Lightning, aged one. While Thunder Bolt is a clear play on words, Saint Leo is the middle name of the Jamaican athlete considered the greatest sprinter of all time. After Quanera Hayes and Allyson Felix finished their 400-meter final qualifying race for the U.S. Olympic team in first and second place, respectively, Hayes secured her spot as the U.S. national champion with a 49.78-second time, with Felix, a four-time Olympian, not far behind at 50.02. At the finish line the two women shared a moment when Hayes thanked Felix for all the work she’s done to advocate for better maternity care for Black women and in the fight for proper maternity benefits for professional track and field athletes. https://youtu.be/TEVDp48gsfo James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets has told the U.S. men’s national basketball team that he’s committed to playing at the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games, the AP reports. The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo has also reportedly told USA Basketball that he intends to play for the team. Harden’s status is still up in the air as he suffered a “grade 2 hamstring strain” during the NBA playoffs. If his leg continues to heal without any issue, he can play in Tokyo. “I think our guys have been through this enough to realize what’s best for them, what’s best for their body and what their ultimate goal is,” said Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks. “It’s very difficult to turn down playing for your country and having the opportunity to go out there, and having a heck of a summer and win an Olympic gold medal.” One potential player did turn down an invitation to join the team, however. Because of offseason commitments, Golden State’s Stephen Curry won’t be playing in Tokyo this summer. Guards Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi have been named to the U.S. women’s basketball Olympic team for the fifth time, while there are six first-time Olympians on the squad. The 12-member U.S. team announced Monday morning will compete in the Tokyo Olympics — to be held July 23-Aug. 8 — in pursuit of the Americans’ seventh consecutive gold medal in the sport. South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, a player on the 1996 team that started this streak of gold medals for the U.S. women, is the Olympic team coach. One of her former Gamecocks stars, forward A’ja Wilson, is among the first-time Olympians. Wilson was the WNBA MVP in 2020 for Las Vegas. When Pape Ndiaye first arrived in Charlotte in 1997, the Juneteenth celebration was nowhere to be found in the city. So he started the Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas on Thomas Avenue – which he calls the birthplace of all Juneteenth celebrations in the Carolinas. Ndiaye runs the House of Africa gallery in Plaza Midwood, where he held the festival for the first seven years and returned a few years ago after moving it to Independence Park. For over two decades, the festival has brought artists, musicians, and vendors from around the world to Charlotte. To Ndiaye, that speaks to the significance of Juneteenth: a time for the community to share with each other in the spirit of freedom, unity and togetherness. “My grandmother used to say that when you travel, you need to get the direction,” Ndiaye said. “Culture and heritage are the only directions that can help you move forward.” More than 1.4 million people watch Alexis Nikole Nelson, the “Black Forager”, eat weeds on TikTok. The 29-year-old romps through forests and hedgerows in Columbus, Ohio, featuring extreme closeups on her grin as she eats “coral fungus” or “dandelion coffee”, while teaching people how to avoid the “Tommy, no-nos!” (Alexis’s term for “poisonous”). Earlier this month her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show making violet lemonade prompted the New Yorker to rave that she was “building an army of florivores”. Foo Fighters played the first full-capacity crowd show at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, and those who attended were required to show proof of their vaccination. Dave Chappelle made a surprise appearance and performed a cover of Radiohead’s hit single “Creep” — peep the performance. https://youtu.be/t-6StBXMl58 Motown icon Marvin Gaye had a street named after him in Detroit. More than one hundred people gathered for the unveiling during an event hosted by Motown Museum and Detroit City Councilman Roy McCalister, Variety reported. According to The Detroit News, a portion of Outer Drive at Monica Street on the city’s northwest side was renamed Marvin Gaye Drive. The intersection is near the home Gaye shared with his first wife, Anna, for seven years. The location is also where the album art for “What’s Going On” was taken, the Detroit Free Press reported. https://youtu.be/Xr5D1T-Zb5w ”Bad things happen to people who don’t comply,” says the racist, entitled white woman who terrorizes her new Black neighbors in BET’s thriller “Karen,” coming this fall by director Coke Daniels. “Orange is the New Black” alum Taryn Manning plays Karen Drexler, who makes it her mission to get rid of the new Black family that moved into her neighborhood by any means necessary. The Black family, supporters of Black Lives Matter, are played by Cory Hardrict and Jasmine Burke. https://youtu.be/BIJPrAm4vR8 Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib wants you to know that he’s gay, becoming the first active NFL player to come out. Nassib, 28, joined the Raiders in 2020 on a three-year, $25 million free-agent deal. He made his coming-out announcement in an Instagram post on Monday. “What’s up people?” Nassib posted. “I’m at my house here in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I just want to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay. I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life, I’ve got the best family, friends and job a guy could ask for.” Kevin Hart has been an open book lately, and now he’s sharing how he told his daughter about his cheating scandal. In 2017, the comedian and actor posted a video apologizing to his wife #EnikoHart, and his children, for being unfaithful. At the time, he said the woman he cheated with was trying to extort him. Eniko Hart was also eight months pregnant with their first child together. Now, he’s opening up about telling his daughter, Heaven, 16, about his actions. Kevin Hart shares daughter Heaven and son Hendrix, 13, with his ex-wife Torrei Hart. Former NBA Chicago Bulls star Craig Hodges, a teammate of NBA legend Michael Jordan and member of three NBA championship teams, is the Uncle of Christopher Bailey who was beat viciously by *six Sheriff deputies. Hodges will join a coalition of Los Angeles civil rights and civic organizations are calling for California Attorney General Rob Bonta to launch a civil rights criminal investigation that will seek to determine whether Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies violated the civil rights of Bailey, a 37 year old unarmed African American man, who was beat viciously by six deputies on May 20, 2020 over a traffic violation. Nick Cannon recently welcomed twin boys with DJ Abby De La Rosa, and now he’s expecting his 7th child by his 4th baby mama. Last week, Cannon and Abby announced the birth of their sons Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir. Soon after, former Wild ‘N Out model Alyssa Scott confirmed she is expecting Nick’s baby. She shared a photo on her Instagram story of her maternity shoot with Nick. He is seen embracing her growing baby bump. Scott posted the pic (see above) on Father’s Day along with the caption: “Celebrating you today [heart emoji].” Jazmine Sullivan took to Instagram recently to recount the racist experience she had at Macy’s. As reported by Ace Showbiz, the singer noted in her IG Story that the incident occurred on Juneteeth. “Wow to look racism in the eye, and especially on Juneteenth was a wakeup call,” Jazmine wrote. “Mary King at Willowgrove Macy’s look of disgust while ringing up my boyfriend’s mother will forever be etched in my mind.” “An honest mistake (the store’s mistake btw) should’ve been met with understanding and kindness,” she continued. “But if you’re prejudice and prejudge people as soon as they walk up to the register then that’s obviously too much to ask. Newsflash Mary…Black people got money, good jobs and ain’t tryna get over on your boy cut frumpy looking racist a**.” Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers is facing major criticism from some NBA icons following his performance in the Eastern Conference second-round playoff series on Sunday. According to reports, the former No. 1 overall pick “passed up an open dunk under the basket with 3 minutes, 29 seconds to play” against the Atlanta Hawks. He was even taken out of the game late in Game 7. In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers’ were eliminated and Atlanta is headed to the Eastern Conference finals. Shaquille O’Neal wasted no time in calling out Simmons for not playing well. “If he was in my locker room I would have knocked his ass out. I don’t want to hear that, get out of my face with that,” O’Neal said during the post-game show on TNT. T-Pain has revealed that a conversation with Usher on a plane in 2013 left him depressed after the “You Got It Bad” singer told him he “f*cked up” the music industry when he used Auto-Tune. T-Pain made the audio manipulation software popular with his hit songs in the early 2000s. “Usher was my friend,” T-Pain said in a new clip from the Netflix series “This Is Pop.” “I really respect Usher. And he said, ‘I’m gonna tell you something, man. You kinda f*cked up music.’” Usher added, “‘Yeah man you really fucked up music for real singers.’ I was like, ‘What did I do? I came out and I used Auto-Tune.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, you fucked it up.’ I’m like, ‘But I used it, I didn’t tell everybody else to start using it.’” T-Pain said the remarks left him depressed for 4 years. Prince Charles is reportedly estranged from his son Prince Harry and his daughter-in-law Meghan Markle after the couple told Oprah that Buckingham Palace was a racist “Firm” that refused to pay for their son Archie’s security. Prior to his birth, senior members of the royal family also noted their concern about Archie’s skin color, according to Meghan and Harry. TMZ is now reporting that Prince Charles is allegedly refusing to make his grandson a prince once Charles ascends to the throne. ”The View” co-host Meghan McCain’s two cents on Joe Biden’s support for a women’s right to choose went viral Monday, after she suggested that the President will have to answer to God “when the time comes.” “I don’t try to proselytize my spirituality on other people,” she said before doing just that. The “Hot Topic” at hand was the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voting to move forward with a process that could deny Biden and other politicians communion for their stance on abortion. On Friday, it was announced that the bishops voted 168-55 in favor of drafting “a formal statement on the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church.” https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/16228/snapshot/808712.png O.J. Simpson intends to appeal the $60 million judgment against him over the deaths of his former wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. Simpson’s attorney Malcolm LaVergne has reportedly asked the Nevada Supreme Court to overturn the settlements owed to Ron’s father Fred Goldman, and Paul Dorsey, who owns the rights to the money owed to Sharon Rufo, Ron’s mother, Newsweek reports. “I will be appealing both of those,” LaVergne said on Friday, “and there will be more motions at the trial level.” Taniyah Pilgrim and her boyfriend, Messiah Young, were tased and arrested by a group of aggressive police officers in Atlanta last summer. Now they’re suing the mayor and the city. “The anxiety that night brings me every day — the nightmares that I still have to experience every single night — it’s like life took a total turn, for something that we didn’t ask to be involved with,” Pilgrim said. https://youtu.be/WUGTmEFTgLY Attorneys representing the family of a Honolulu man killed by police are speaking out after doorbell camera video contradicts the official report by law enforcement. The video was made public by lawyers representing the family of Lindani Myeni, who was fatally shot by police in April after he mistakenly entered the wrong home, as reported by ABC News. According to the report, the footage shows that when Myeni entered the home he quickly left after he startled the couple inside the residence. He repeatedly apologized to them. https://twitter.com/i/status/1405576725065441283 As part of the state’s ongoing efforts to make COVID-19 vaccines more convenient for Californians, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today announced a new partnership under its Vaccinate ALL 58 effort with McDonald’s Franchisees to set up pop-up clinics at more than 70 locations across the state. Some restaurants will hold one-day clinics while others will offer multiple clinic dates starting the week of June 21. Two California women have filed a lawsuit against Subway, claiming its tuna contains no tuna or any fish. According to a lawsuit filed against the fast-food chain, Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin allege Subway’s tuna is a “mixture of various concoctions that do not constitute tuna, yet have been blended together by defendants to imitate the appearance of tuna.” Dhanowa and Amin believe they “were tricked into buying food items that wholly lacked the ingredients they reasonably thought they were purchasing,” based on its labeling, according to the lawsuit filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, CBS reported. Amid the lawsuit, The New York Times did its own analysis. The New York Times on Sunday published the results: “No amplifiable tuna DNA was present in the sample and so we obtained no amplification products from the DNA. Therefore, we cannot identify the species.” https://youtu.be/kFUKRYQeKnA Questlove is speaking out about his directorial debut with “Summer of Soul,” a documentary about the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969. Per press release, the documentary explores the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which celebrated African American music and culture and promoted black pride and unity. It was announced today that the film has been selected for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and will premiere on day one of the festival and has also been chosen to screen in the esteemed Documentary Competition category. The Sundance Film Festival will kick off on January 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. https://youtu.be/U1Eg-vtSABE Michelle Williams is extremely open about her struggle with depression, but two of her closest friends and Destiny’s Child group-mates had no clue how bad things were for her during her time in the popular trio. In her new book “Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life – and Can Save Yours,” Michelle opens up about her battle with depression while in Destiny’s Child. She wrote of their friendship, “Our connection is real and it’s brought life to me in some of my darkest moments. And still, even living the absolute dream I was living, with two of the most amazing women as coworkers and best friends, there would be pitch-black dark moments.” Will Smith has revealed the title and cover of his upcoming autobiography titled “WILL” The Hollywood veteran shared the exciting news on Instagram and his website. “It’s been a labor of love,” Smith said in a video posted on social media about the exciting news. “I’ve been working on it for the past two years and it is finally ready.” As reported by PEOPLE, the book is an “inspirational tale of how [Will Smith‘s] true self-knowledge helped to propel him to extraordinary success, and then evolve further to a place of deeper peace – with himself, his loved ones, and the world,” according to the press release announcing the book deal in October 2018. The memoir will be published by Penguin Press on Nov. 9. Just in time for the sentencing of Derek Chauvin this week, a new film about the circumstances surrounding his current detainment in jail is about to be released. “When George Got Murdered,” from producer/director Terrance Tykeem, is based on ” a news story about how guards of color were being prevented from working the block where Chauvin was being kept,” he said in a press release. “The whole thing was a vivid and eye-opening reminder to the world of the unfair treatment and abuse of authority by law enforcement and the criminal justice system currently in place, as it relates to people of color, the poor and disenfranchised.” The film’s stars former talk show host Montel Williams the apparent warden of the jail where Chauvin is being held,” Robert Wuhl of HBO’s “Arliss,” Robert Ri’chard (“Coach Carter”), and Don Most ( Don Most Ralph Malph in the 1970s sitcom “Happy Days”). https://vimeo.com/538198723 The Critics Choice Association (CCA) and nonfiction producers’ organization NPACT unveiled today the winners of the third annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. After a record-breaking near-600 submissions, and a stellar year in reality television, there were three ties among this year’s winner’s pool – “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1) and “The Great British Baking Show” (Netflix) tied for Best Competition Series, “The Masked Singer” (Fox) and “The Voice” (NBC) tied for Best Competition Series: Talent/Variety, and “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (Food Network) and “The Oprah Conversation” (Apple TV+) tied for Best Structured Series. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1) was the only series to take home multiple awards, also winning for Best Ensemble Cast In An Unscripted Series. Desiree Lindstrom, the fiance of DMX has reportedly applied to the court to be legally declared his “common-law wife,” but a judge rejected her request. The move — if it had been approved — would have given Lindstrom, who was engaged to the rapper since 2019 and is the mother to his 5-year-old son, Exodus, immediate seniority over his 14 children to potentially control his estate and all future earnings from his music. Legal sources say an estate must be set up to manage larger expected future earnings from DMX’S music. The first step is for a court to appoint administrators. Singer Macy Gray is catching heat from Republicans for claiming the American flag is “tattered, dated, divisive and incorrect.” In a op-ed she penned for MarketWatch ahead of Juneteenth, Gray wrote: “The Confederate battle flag, which was crafted as a symbol of opposition to the abolishment of slavery, is just recently tired. We don’t see it much anymore. However, on the 6th, when the stormers rained on the nation’s most precious hut, waving Old Glory — the memo was received: the American flag is its replacement.” Tessica Brown tells TMZ … the recent launch of her “Forever Hair” products has been a rousing success with over $25,000 in sales and the early returns have her determined to become a billionaire just like Kylie did with makeup. She previously told TMZ that she got inspiration for “Forever Hair” from her own sticky situation and is selling products including hairspray, edge control, and growth drops for an affordable price. Now, she’s determined to become a billionaire just like Kylie Jenner did with makeup. As for now, Tessica’s already got big plans for her first $25k. She told TMZ that she’s gonna buy a house in Louisiana.?? In a viral video, a Temple, Texas husband gets emotional while surprising his wife’s daughter, surprising her with his last name in a long-awaited adoption process. The elated husband, Michael “Mike” Rousell, has the internet bawling their eyes out while watching him and his wife Sarah surprise her daughter Camryn at school with the big news — something she’s been waiting for since before the couple married in March after being together for five years. It’s reported that the couple have a blended family, each with two children: Mike with Landon and Aubrey, and Sarah with Camryn and Jackson. In 2015 an unknown girl used Twitter to tell the story of a crazy weekend she had with a random gal she just met. Her name is Aziah King but most know her as Zola! What was just her venting turned into a viral Twitter thread. Even celebrities like Ava DuVernay reacted to the thread, saying “she can write! There’s so much untapped talent in the hood.” The thread was its own version of a short story with all of the elements needed for an entertaining and attention-grabbing story. “Zola” writers Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris also came across this story and knew it had to be turned into a visual art form. They tapped into Zola’s writing talent and brought this story to life. BE SURE TO CATCH TV ONE’S ORIGINAL FILM BAD DAD REHAB: THE NEXT SESSION THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 20 (FATHER’S DAY) AT 8 P.M. ET/9C https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=TPuzNV5GOK4 Black leaders in the realm of higher education are changing the narrative surrounding racial diversity in the space. Temple University has appointed Dr. Jason Wingard to serve as its next president; making him the first Black person in the school’s 137-year history to take on the role. Dr. Wingard has dedicated his career to advancing equity in education and cultivating spaces where scholars can build a solid foundation to thrive in their careers. He’s held leadership positions at the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University. Prior to being selected to sit at the helm of the Philadelphia-based university, Dr. Wingard was the dean of the School of Professional Studies at Columbia University where he also served as a professor. The ACLU is good on many issues affecting Black communities, but it may have its own internal issue with equity and diversity. At least that’s what a former Black employee alleges in a recent lawsuit. As reported by VICE, a former Black employee alleged the civil rights organization tried to silence Black employees from addressing internalized oppression within the organization’s ranks. After raising concerns such as a senior staffer posing with former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Suing the ACLU for discrimination and retaliation, Robert Jackson described being demoted and then fired. Before being pushed out of the organization, Jackson’s lawsuit outlined the steps he took alongside other Black staffers. The group not only called out issues in the ACLU but offered strategic steps for improvement. A major cause for concern was the lack of Black leadership within the organization. Jackson is the second Black staffer to sue the organization in the past year. Sarah O. Clifton sued the ACLU last year, alleging retaliation and raising issues with systemic racism within the organization. MacKenzie Scott wants you to know that her platform and wealth is the least interesting thing about her recent donation. In her third round of giving, Scott donated $2.7 billion to 286 “high-impact” organizations, many of which are in historically underrepresented communities. Making good on her pledge to distribute the majority of her wealth “until the safe is empty,” Scott announced the latest round of giving in a Medium post entitled “Seeding by Ceding.” Explaining her thought process for the donations, Scott also emphasized the importance of simply giving without strings attached ”Putting large donors at the center of stories on social progress is a distortion of their role,” wrote Scott. “Me, Dan, a constellation of researchers and administrators and advisors — we are all attempting to give away a fortune that was enabled by systems in need of change.” Now ex-President Donald Trump regretted not taking a harder line against protesters in the wake of the late George Floyd’s death, lamenting that “the Blacks” hated him and would never vote for him anyway. “Trump had staked nearly his entire campaign in 2016 around a law-and-order image, and now groaned that the criminal justice reform that Kushner had persuaded him to support made him look weak and — even worse — hadn’t earned him any goodwill among Black voters. “‘I’ve done all this stuff for the Blacks — it’s always Jared telling me to do this,’ Trump said to one confidante on Father’s Day. ‘And they all f—— hate me, and none of them are going to vote for me.’” In November, 87 percent of voters Trump refers to as “The Blacks,” cast their ballots for now-President Joe Biden, according to exit polls. Rick James’ new documentary series entitled: “Bitchin: The Sound and Fury of Rick James” launched Tuesday night on June 15. The series aired at the TriBeCa Film Festival and was filled with many shocking details about the late musician’s life, reports theJasmineBrand. James, formerly known as James Johnson Jr. was an iconic entertainer, musician, and superstar who acquired the bulk of his fame in the late 70s to mid 80s. Throughout his relatively short-lived career, he was fortunate to have many hits under his belt, including the well-known song “Super Freak,” before his untimely passing in 2004. Though James had much success in his career, it was no secret that he had an ongoing battle with drug abuse. In the documentary, key details about how his addiction devoured his career and livelihood are revealed. One negligent incident in particular, that consisted of James vandalizing the desk of Jay Lasker, the president of Motown Records at the time. Specifically, according to the documentary, James jumped on top of the desk, took his genitals out of his pants, and shoved them into Lasker’s face while yelling: “Sell my g*dd*** record!” https://youtu.be/b1d6_uSlbo4 Netflix has amazingly been one of the leading movie platforms, as they continue to be consistent and relevant with the content they release. According to Insider via MSN News, Netflix released Kevin Hart’s first full drama and HartBeat-produced project, entitled: “Fatherhood” on June 18. Hart has been preparing for an ideal role like this to wholeheartedly embrace the diverse facets of his craft as an actor and entertainer. This project, in particular, symbolizes growth, representation, and diversity that comedians can embody in the acting world. https://youtu.be/iFrTc4ISBB4 In the spirit of love, and wholehearted feelings, actress Rosario Dawson recently spoke with PEOPLE about her recent decision to move in with Sen. Cory Booker and about her “amazing” road trip that she took with her father to start her new life in New Jersey. According to PEOPLE, in their latest issue, the actress, 42, talks about her move to Newark with the New Jersey Senator, 52, and how her father accompanied her on the journey down to the Garden State. “It was an amazing adventure,” The Mandalorian” star tells PEOPLE. “My family are all in New York. It felt really beautiful and good to start a new chapter of my life in the driver’s seat. https://youtu.be/nDR_u3pSCO0 The list of new inductees for the Hollywood Walk of Fame has officially been revealed! Thursday, June 17, the Walk of Fame Selection Panel announced they would be giving 38 honorees stars on the coveted Hollywood Walk of Fame! Out of the 38 honorees, a total of 20 are People of Color. In the Motion Pictures category, the honorees include Salma Hayek, James Hong, Michael B. Jordan, Regina King, Jason Momoa, and Tessa Thompson. When it comes to the Recording category, Ashanti, The Black Eyed Peas, George E. Clinton, Los Huracanes Del Norte, Martha Reeves, and the posthumous Nipsey Hussle are being honored. Honorees in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category include Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. as well as Angelica Vale. Finally, Michael Strahan is being honored with a star in the category of Sports Entertainment. Many of the honorees have expressed their excitement over social media, including Tracee Ellis Ross–whose mother, Diana Ross, was honored with a star back in 1982. Music is the start and finish of many major influencing movements in this life. As an artist, it should be an innate habit for you not only to read the room but also read the world. This can only be achieved by physically entering these spaces, traveling, engaging in uncomfortable conversations, and taking action toward newfound revelations. This is the very thing that New Orleans-born and Oakland-raised singer Ledisi has implemented in her honorable tribute album for the legendary Nina Simone, entitled: “Ledisi Sings Nina.” This meticulously crafted seven-song project incorporates social and intimate elements from Simone’s previous work. “Ledisi Sings Nina,” an authentic collection, respectively encompasses worldwide angles of social injustices and personal experiences, pieces were recorded in Holland, Los Angeles, and New Orleans, thankfully before the pandemic hit. https://youtu.be/QCRYimA7qUU It all started when someone representing the Nina Simone estate tweeted that they weren’t feeling Chloe Bailey’s performance of Simone’s hit “Feeling Good.” After Bailey’s performance on ABC’s “Soul of a Nation,” someone in charge of Simone’s estate’s posted a GIF of the late singer on Twitter saying ‘Eh Girl Sit Down!” It caught the attention of the late legend’s granddaughter RéAnna Simone Kelly who responded to Twitter by clarifying that Simone’s family isn’t in control of her estate and added that she loved the performance, Madamenoire reported. Along with defending Chloe’s performance, Kelly revealed that Vice President Kamala Harris is responsible for the family not being in control of the state anymore. “Nina’s granddaughter here. My family doesn’t run her estate anymore. It was taken away from us & given to white people. Our family name was DRAGGED in the media. We get NO royalties, nothing. Wanna hold someone accountable? Ask Kamala Harris why she came for my family.” On top of that, Kelly went at Bailey’s critics, saying that her late grandmother would’ve loved Bailey’s rendition of “Feeling Good” as well. https://youtu.be/prSmIsof6fU The New York Post has reported that Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the sole living original member of The Four Tops, is working with Broadway producer Paul Lambert on a musical about the iconic quartet, according to SoulTracks. Although the musical is not officially named yet, the tentative name is set to be: “I’ll Be There.” and will hopefully be ready for the 2022 Broadway Season. What is so remarkable about this series is that it will be following extremely successful Broadway plays on Motown and the Tops’ labelmates, The Temptations. https://youtu.be/2rA2CLHLXUc Rapper Azealia Banks is not having it with Candace Owens. After the controversial conservative commentator slammed President Joe Biden’s move to declare June 19 a federal holiday, labeling it as “segregation,” and saying she would be celebrating “July 4th and July 4th only” — Azealia Banks decided to respond with a little message to Miss Owens. In a now-deleted post, Banks said, “According to this logic, on July 4, 1776, you would still be enslaved,” Banks wrote. “Most likely on the verge of starvation due to all of America’s food supply having been prioritized for the war, while you hand sew American flags and struggle to wet nurse some depressed 24-year-old white widow’s sickly child until your nipples are chapped and dry.” She added, “Whereafter, you will be whipped by her 80-year-old uncle for your own malnourishment and inability to produce milk, then sent to toil over a wood-burning stove — blistering your hands while [being] forced to make a pleasant meal of biscuits and gravy.” The UOMA Pride Month & Juneteenth Celebration Launch Event for UOMA by Sharon C for WALMART was produced by CEO, Founder & Creative Director of the black-owned beauty brand, UOMA Beauty, Sharon Chuter, and was attended by hot celebrities and the biggest names in beauty and social media at Hyde Sunset. The event took place on Friday, June 18 and featured a surprise performance by music artist Wiz Khalif. Laura Smalley’s voice crackles and comes to life. It is 1941, and she is talking in her native Hempstead, Texas, to a University of Texas professor, John Henry Faulk, about being enslaved, how she became free on June 19, 1865. That made Smalley, who then estimated she was 85, one of the last living witnesses to the original Juneteenth, although she did not know it was occurring at the time. Her interview is now preserved in the Library of Congress’ collection of recordings, and she was not alone in remembering what happened when Union soldiers made their way through Texas, two months after Confederates surrendered at Appomattox Court House in April 1865. Smalley, Uncle Billy McCrea, and Aunt Harriet Smith were recorded and interviewed in 1940 and 1941 by Faulk, at the time a professor collecting folklore and memories, and later a radio broadcaster and advocate for civil rights. https://youtu.be/MR3WqYI6wco One thing Shay Stone knows about is how to improve yourself. Why? Because as an Author, Life Coach, and Animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios she has done it in her own life over and over again. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Animation at Full Sail University and has been working, professionally, in the film, television and game industry for over 11 years. In the animation industry, Shay is known for her intangible acting skills which relate to her lifetime obsession with human behavior and psychology. Her new book, Be Better Than You, according to Shay, is a “lifestyle that everyone is capable of adopting. It’s a calling to raise the level of competition within yourself. An obsession to be better every day, in every way and in the most obsessive way.” https://youtu.be/CLqlxd6_aQY Diana Ross the Queen of Motown has released her first new music in 15 years! The Troy Miller-produced “Thank You” has the classic Motown vibe of, say, “You’re All I Need to Get By,” with a fresh, hooky refrain that plays well into Ross’s discography as both a solo artist and a member of The Supremes, writes Soul Traks in its review. https://youtu.be/V1eWU5VLCh0 Thursday morning proponents of “Obamacare” got some very good news. The US Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act, saying that red states challenging the law in the case lacked standing. The vote — which leaves the Obama-era health care law intact and preserves healthcare coverage for millions of Americans — was 7-2. California v. Texas was the Supreme Court’s third challenge of the Affordable Care Act. The case, filed by a coalition of states led by Texas, challenged the “individual mandate” provision, in which people faced a tax penalty if they did not buy health insurance. https://youtu.be/ocukZESXito Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will reportedly make an announcement Thursday declaring racism a public health crisis in Chicago. Mayor Lightfoot will be joined by Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady for the declaration, according to ABC7 Chicago. The announcement comes after CDPH released a study earlier this week showing Black Chicagoans have a shorter life expectancy. On average in 2017 Blacks in the city lived 71.4 years, while non-Blacks lived 80.6 years. The report cited the factors as chronic diseases, homicides, infant mortality, HIV, flu and other infections and opioid overdoses. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Hollywood veteran Rita Moreno says she is “disappointed” in herself for defending Lin-Manuel Miranda against criticism over the colorism in the film adaptation of his Tony-winning musical, “In the Heights.”Moreno initially pushed back against critics of the film’s creators for its lack of Afro-Latinx representation in major roles. “You can never do right, it seems,” Moreno said in a Tuesday interview with “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert. “This is the man who literally has brought Latino-ness and Puerto Rican-ness to America. I couldn’t do it. I would love to say I did, but I couldn’t. Lin-Manuel has done that really singlehandedly and I’m thrilled to pieces, and I’m proud that he produced my documentary [Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It].” https://twitter.com/i/status/1404980532069478403 R&B multi-platinum, Grammy award-winning crooner Anthony Hamilton got with radio and TV personality Jazmyn Summers, rockin’ his trademark fedora – at the swimming pool with his kids – to give us an early look into new music dropping in September with co-signers Rick Ross, John Legend and more. “I’m excited about it. It’s a great body of work. Jermaine Dupri came through with a great single” Hamilton says. https://youtu.be/MftuiA56LCM Being the first known transgender person ordained by a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-affiliated congregation, Laura Bethany Buchleiter said she now can live fully into her calling to share the gospel in genuine and counter-cultural ways. “Where I would start is authenticity, and I think Christ models authenticity for us,” said Buchleiter, 49, who was ordained May 23 at University Baptist Church in Bloomington, Ind. “He was authentically divine and authentically human, and he was so authentic it caught everybody around him off guard.” In 2014, CBF-affiliated Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., reaffirmed the ordination of a woman previously ordained as a man, but Buchleiter’s ceremony, which was attended by 40 people including two of her three children, makes her the first known transgender person to be ordained as a minister in a Fellowship church. Messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting approved a broad resolution on the Bible’s sufficiency regarding race and racial reconciliation Tuesday (June 15) but chose not to address specifically the contentious issue of critical race theory. Because of a lack of time, the committee tabled a resolution that would have affirmed the “Christian ideal of citizenship” under the Lordship of Jesus and would have condemned the January invasion of the U.S. Capitol as “inconsistent with faithful Christian citizenship.” The Resolutions Committee chose not to address the issue of critical race theory (CRT) in the first SBC annual meeting since the passage of a 2019 resolution on CRT and intersectionality developed into a divisive point of contention during the last two years. A foul-mouthed Brooklyn bigot, after hurling racial insults at a Black mother of two, dumped red pepper flakes on the face of the woman’s infant daughter during a hate-fueled spree in a local pizzeria, police said Wednesday. The unprovoked white attacker swore at the 35-year-old woman before shaking the pepper into the face of the mom’s 5-month-old daughter. The Black woman, a single mother and licensed realtor, said the unhinged assailant’s vile rant targeted both her kids. She asked that her name not be used out of fear of retaliation. “She said ‘F— your baby, n—-r,’” the woman recounted Wednesday to the Daily News in her Brooklyn apartment. “To my 4-year-old, she called him a n—-r and said ‘Get out of this country.’” New York City is naming 16 parks for prominent Black Americans, and it’s just in time for Juneteenth. As CBS2’s Kiran Dhillon reports, one by one, the names of 16 city parks were unveiled Wednesday. The unveiling is part of an ongoing initiative by the Parks Department that’s meant to honor the Black American experience. “We had to do something to show solidarity with the Black community and really address some of the systemic racism were experienced all of our lives,” said Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver. Born from the collaboration of Amazon’s Black Employee Network and a coalition of strategic partners, the Black Business Accelerator (BBA) wants to build equity and sustainable growth for Black-owned businesses. Specifically, the initiative targets barriers to access such as access to capital, mentorship, and growth opportunities. The BBA will provide financial support, business education and mentorship, and marketing and promotion of their brands and products as third-party sellers on Amazon.com. Amazon has formed strategic partnerships with the Minority Business Development Agency and U.S. Black Chambers Inc. These organizations will support BBA by leading community engagement and helping provide participants with mentorship, business development, training and educational resources to lead them to success. Onovughakpor “Onovu” Otitigbe is living out her wildest dreams – and leaving her mark along the way. At 18 years old, Onovu will graduate at the top of her class from Albany High School, becoming the school’s first Black valedictorian in its 152-year history. Her near-perfect GPA, combined with her impressive list of extracurriculars, helped pave Onovu’s path to Harvard University, where this fall she’ll study biomedical engineering and neuroscience on a pre-med track. The Hampton Roads Community Foundation plans to pay out $1 million to 30 Black-run nonprofits in the region in one of the first acts of its new racial equity fund. Facebook had given the money last year to the Norfolk-based foundation, which was one of 20 nationwide to receive funding through a program set up by the social network. On Wednesday, the foundation announced that 30 local organizations will receive the $1 million through Black Community Partnership Fund grants paid out over two years. The grants range from $5,000 to $50,000 each. A total of 66 organizations had applied. Recipients include Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless, TWP–The Youth Movement, the Southside Boys and Girls Club, the Mosaic Steel Orchestra, Beauty for Ashes Contemporary School of Dance and more. Graves from five erased Black or mostly Black cemeteries have been discovered throughout Tampa Bay in recent years, but the issue is not unique to this area. Such burial grounds have been found throughout the nation. So, a team of University of South Florida professors and doctoral students created the Black Cemetery Network website at blackcemeterynetwork.org to serve as a hub for the movement to bring dignity to those cemeteries. More than five decades after Cleveland became the first, followed by Cincinnati, Detroit and virtually every other major city in the Midwest and Northeast, Pittsburgh is finally poised to join their ranks and make history this fall by electing a Black mayor. The all-but-certain victory of state Rep. Ed Gainey (D) comes as the once-battered former steel town, these days dubbed one of America’s most livable cities, looks hard at the racial inequities that have meant vastly different experiences and opportunities for its African American residents. Gainey’s campaign this spring reflected such soul-searching, especially in the wake of nationwide protests over police force in communities of color. The U.S. Senate passed a bill Tuesday to recognize June 19, or Juneteenth, as an official holiday. It passed with unanimous consent without a roll call vote or objections from the chamber. The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act heads to the House for approval. If it passes and President Joe Biden signs it into law, every federal employee will be granted a day off to commemorate June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, discovered President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved African Americans in rebel states 2½ years earlier. The day is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, reintroduced the bill in February to designate Juneteenth a federal holiday. The House on Wednesday passed a bill to make Juneteenth or June 19th, the date in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, a national holiday. The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday, and now President Joe Biden is set to sign the legislation into law Thursday to make Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday, Chicago Tribune reports. The House voted 415-14 on Wednesday, with all votes against it coming from Republicans. “It has been a long journey,” Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Houston and author of the bill, said on the floor. “This bill and this day is about freedom.” A faith-based nonprofit champion of social justice, holy activism and civil righteousness will commemorate Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19 and, at the same time, shine a light on modern-day slavery. From Ferguson, Missouri to Fredericksburg, Virginia, the nonprofit Civil Righteousness is offering, food, fellowship, music and dance to mark Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of slavery’s end in the United States. A banquet in Ferguson, called Let Freedom Ring, will honor the day that slaves in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom. Another event in Fredericksburg will shine a light on the long road to freedom for victims of sexual exploitation. Filmed in Greece and Turkey in the cities of the original 7 Churches, Times of Fire dives into the intense political, social and philosophical complexities of each city and church in the first century. These highly charged regions propelled the flames of persecution, which took the lives of countless believers and exiled the Apostle John to the island of Patmos. As each city is visited, fascinating connections are made to unlock the mysteries of the text in Revelation, providing clues that are relevant today. Timothy Mahoney of Thinking Man Films and Director of The Patterns of Evidence series will join with Millenium-Production’s Producer and Filmmaker, Christophe Hanauer, for the global release of the documentary feature film, Times of Fire – The 7 Churches of Revelation. Could you forgive someone who murdered your family member? Or was an MIA parent? Absent, neglectful or abusive fathers can leave lifetime scars. The Streets Were My Father depicts three sons who experienced it all, and have turned their corners in dramatic, inspiring ways. Lee Habeeb and Our American Stories produced this moving documentary about journeys from hopelessness to redemption. It releases on SalemNow.com on Father’s Day, June 20. Fatherless homes correlate with numerous societal blights, including poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, crime, behavioral problems, and more. This film’s three male subjects knew it all too well. An Ohio woman has learned one tough lesson in life, you can’t have it your way at McDonald’s. Brian Allen was inside the McDonald’s in Ravenna, Ohio when Cherysse Helena Cleveland became irate after staffers refused to give her a slushie mixed with all the available flavors. https://www.facebook.com/1212524785/videos/10226014349164614/ ”Oh my god. Married life feels 1,000 percent different than when we were dating, in the greatest way,” Jeannie Mai said about being wifed up to rapper Jeezy, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “I loved our dating life because we really spent such concentrated quality time getting to know each other and making sure that we were right for each other,” she added, “And now being married, it’s even more handled with such delicacy and such thoughtfulness, because we’re in our 40s and we both grew up in households that weren’t healthy marriages. We have never seen what that looks like.” PEOPLE reports, the newlyweds, who tied the knot in March, have been embracing the changes in their relationship to foster a healthy marriage. Showtime has dropped a new clip from the forthcoming Rick James documentary titled “Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James.” The Showtime film will take an “intimate yet propulsive look at Rick James, one of rock, funk and R&B’s most legendary and often under-appreciated figures”. https://youtu.be/b1d6_uSlbo4 The banking structure in the United States is decades upon decades old. As a system, it’s designed as much for business profits as it is for storing the nation’s cash. Those profits are partly derived by various fees from customers such as overdrafts, ATM usage, and upcharges on interest rates based on a single late payment. People with less money in the system somehow end up paying even higher fees. However, as a fresh alternative, Fair, a multilingual Neobank and final-spotl ight.comncial services platform, is set to revolutionize the industry. This new fintech banking startup aims to reduce the racial wealth and opportunity gaps that exist. By naming award-winning communications veteran and multicultural engagement strategist, Toni Harrison as its Chief Marketing Officer, Fair introduces a trailblazing African American female as their new C-Suite executive. Harrison is the perfect fit for a company seeking to introduce innovative solutions to an age-old system. Cedric The Entertainer has fired back at accusations that he stole a joke from fellow comedian Katt Williams. Williams recently appeared on The Morning Hustle radio show and revealed how “crushed” he was when Ced used his joke about parking a spaceship Cadillac during the Kings Of Comedy tour in 2000. https://youtu.be/fiTC8GfBFSE Nick Cannon has added two more babies to his growing collection of offspring, as he and DJ Abby De La Rosa have welcomed twin boys. On Wednesday, De La Rosa posted a video to Instagram of herself in a hospital bed cradling the newborns who were born on June 14. “Welcome to the world Zion Mixolydian Cannon & ZIllion Heir Cannon,” she wrote in the post, adding the hashtags “my world” and “twin boys.” https://www.instagram.com/hiabbydelarosa/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e40d81b8-c97a-40fb-9ef8-93091d28e24c Nina Parker, co-host of E!’s “Nightly Pop,” who launched her own clothing line for curvy women in May, has added new pieces to the collection for June. the TV personality’s Nina Parker Collection sells exclusively at Macy’s and includes tops, dusters, dresses and jogging separates, with some designs featuring peek-a-boo shoulders and waist exposures – all available in bright colors, animal prints and sequins. Following the rollout of designs in May and June, several pieces sold out immediately. Parker said that she will add new styles to the line every month beginning in August. Paramount Pictures today announced that on Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021, it will be offering fans of A QUIET PLACE a one-night-only double feature, offering two movies for the price of one regular standard movie ticket. This Double Feature is a chance to relive the original film in select theatres and experience the latest installment, the critically-acclaimed box office hit A QUIET PLACE PART II, in conjunction with the first-ever Cinema Week. Additionally, there will be a special introduction by writer, director and star John Krasinski before the start of the first film. https://youtu.be/WR7cc5t7tv8 Tavis Smiley is set to launch KBLA Talk 1580 on June 19, Juneteenth, dubbed the first “Unapologetically Progressive” Black-owned and operated, talk radio station in Southern California. Starting this Saturday, June 19, to commemorate Juneteenth, it will convert from Spanish-language programming to presumably serve as a talk radio station catering to the Black community — relating to the prominent display of the historic Watts Towers in its logo. However, the word “progressive” suggests Smiley has bigger sights than just African Americans and the bill keeps rolling! http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Commissioner Dale Holness over the weekend issued a proclamation declaring June 11th Kodak Black Day, in honor of the rapper and one-time inmate who was born and raised in Broward County’s Pompano Beach. The proclamation detailed Kodak’s charitable work over the years, as well as a list of his personal accomplishments, which were lobbied to former President Donald Trump in 2020 and led to his clemency. Prior to the announcement, Kodak attended a charity basketball game in Coral Springs that ended up raising $5,000 to benefit the Lippman Youth Shelter. https://youtu.be/sKIpjCczqTQ A Kenyan doctor was awarded a $2.75 million verdict last month by a Florida jury but a week later, a judge vacated the judgment against Adventist Health System hospital, the state’s second-largest employer. Dr. Baiywo Rop sued Adventist for discriminating against him because of his race and national origin. His superiors also falsely accused him of drug abuse, the doctor alleged. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Kevin Hart has fired back at Bill Maher after the TV host slammed him for calling out “white power and white privilege.” The war of words was sparked following Hart’s interview with the NY Times. The comedian touched on white privilege and police brutality, saying “You’re witnessing white power and privilege at an all-time high.” https://youtu.be/fB9KVYAdYwg On any given day there are stories so wild and unbelievable, you have to do a double take to make sure they’re true—and this latest outrageous story involving #Walgreens definitely fits into that category. A local San Francisco Walgreens was the site of a robbery in broad daylight by a man who entered the store on a bicycle with a garbage bag and took whatever he wanted…all while he was being filmed. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQKbxrDhmFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again WE tv’s hit series “Beyond the Pole” returns this week which finds Angel explaining that she wants to quit dancing for the sake of her mental health. https://youtu.be/UsKlZfER8tk It’s #13 now. It went from #15 to #13. May get the #1 spot,” said J. Brown, Billboard Chart-topping R&B singer/songwriter, has a hit on his hands with “Vibe.” “I wanted to do something different…been doing ballads and wanted to take it up a notch…to have fun, instead of the same ole’ same ole’.” https://youtu.be/ZLefxKavF0w On any given day there are stories so wild and unbelievable, you have to do a double take to make sure they’re true—and this latest outrageous story involving #Walgreens definitely fits into that category. A local San Francisco Walgreens was the site of a robbery in broad daylight by a man who entered the store on a bicycle with a garbage bag and took whatever he wanted…all while he was being filmed. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQKbxrDhmFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again The family of a Georgia man killed during a no-knock raid is seeking answers while likening his death to the state-sanctioned death of Breonna Taylor. On December 17, Johnny Bolton, 49, was killed after he was awoken by members of the Marietta Cobb Smyrna Organized Crime Task Force and the Cobb County Sherriff’s Office SWAT team around 4:40 a.m.as they attempted to stage a narcotics raid. The apartment Bolton lived in served as an informal boarding house, according to family members and Zack Greenamyre, one of the family’s lawyers. A woman and her teenage daughter occupied one bedroom in the two-bedroom apartment, while another woman slept in the second bedroom. On the morning of the raid after police burst into the apartment, Bolton raised up from the couch he was sleeping on in the living room of the apartment and held up his hands. He was struck twice in the chest and later died from his injuries. Bolton’s family claims law enforcement officials have been less than forthcoming regarding what led to his untimely death, especially after finding out that Bolton was not among the three people named in the warrant. “For almost six months, we gave them quiet,” Bolton’s sister Daphne Bolton told The Associated Press. “That lets me know that’s not what gets a response.” Certain offenders do not qualify for retroactive re-sentencing under the First Step Act according to a new Supreme Court decision. Released Monday, the unanimous decision found the wording of the statute did not allow for the relief sought by the defendant. Under the decision, certain low-level offenders sentenced for crack-cocaine possession do not qualify for reduced sentencing. The intent of the co-sponsors of the bipartisan may have been for the law to apply to these offenders but the statute does not reflect that intent. According to the Court, as written, the First Step Act’s provision for reduced sentencing only applies to people convicted of an offense that triggers a mandatory minimum. The case Terry v. United States drew bipartisan support in urging the court to make it right. Under the decision, certain low-level offenders sentenced for crack-cocaine possession do not qualify for reduced sentencing. The intent of the co-sponsors of the bipartisan may have been for the law to apply to these offenders but the statute does not reflect that intent. Ed Litton, the relatively unknown senior pastor of Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama, defeated two preeminent rivals to be elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention during a session of the SBC’s annual meeting Tuesday (June 15). Litton has made racial reconciliation a hallmark of his work since at least the 2014 riots after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Litton’s election is considered a defeat for hard right conservatives in the Southern Baptist Convention’s recent battles over race, sexual abuse and gender roles. A judge on Tuesday cleared the way for Harvey Weinstein to be extradited to California from New York to face rape and sexual assault charges, nearly a year after Los Angeles prosecutors first sought to move the convicted former movie producer. Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case in Buffalo, New York, rejected arguments by Weinstein’s legal team that the paperwork for the move had not been done, and that Weinstein, 69, should stay in New York to get needed medical care. Two of the original stars will participate in Broadway’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” starting October 5th. Jeff Daniels and Celia Keenan-Bolger will again play Atticus Finch and his daughter, Scout. The racial theme cited in the show will be even more meaningful considering the outcry against racial and social injustice across the nation stemming from the George Floyd’s death. Keenan-Bolger, referring to the play’s exploration of ingrained racism, says, “I think since I last performed the play, the story of our country has changed. And what a beautiful gift to be a part of something that is interested in continuing to go back and investigate the story of who we are as a country and the story that we choose to believe about ourselves and the story that we need to change for ourselves. I just think it feels like such an opportunity to not only revisit the play, but to revisit the themes that the play and the book we’re trying to examine in the first place.” NBA Hall of Famer and TNT sports analyst Charles Barkley blasted his “bosses” at TNT, which includes CNN president Jeff Zucker, over cancel culture, telling 106.7 The Fan’s “Grant and Danny” show that “you can’t even have fun nowadays” when covering sports. Barkley railed against “politically correct people” during the Monday radio appearance, blaming them for taking the fun out of his show, “Inside the NBA,” and vowed to leave TNT in a few years when he turns 60. The cast and crew of HBO’s “Insecure” has wrapped filming on the final season. As reported by Urban Hollywood 411, on Friday, the series filmed the final scenes for the upcoming fifth season. “Insecure” star and creator Issa Rae shared photos from the set in a tweet that she captioned: “Today is my last day shooting #InsecureHBO,” Rae wrote. “Said goodbye to some of my favorite people on Earth, on and off screen, this past week. Never imagined all the doors this would open. Forever grateful to those who paved the way for us to do us,” she added. Emmy-nominated Issa Rae announced earlier this year that her acclaimed series would end after its upcoming fifth season Zoë Kravitz will make her directorial debut with the thriller “Pussy Island” starring Channing Tatum. According to Deadline, the story centers on a young waitress who infiltrates a philanthropist and tech mogul’s private island, which has more to it than meets the eye. Tatum will portray billionaire tech mogul Slater King. Kravtiz co-wrote the script with E.T. Feigenbaum of “High Fidelity.” Meanwhile, the actress will next star as Catwoman in “The Batman” starring Robert Pattinson, with Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon and Colin Farrell as the Penguin. https://youtu.be/NLOp_6uPccQ Tessica Brown, the woman who made national headlines following her Gorilla Glue hair incident, plans to come out with her very own line of haircare products! According to TMZ, Brown is set to drop her new business this Wednesday. Her new products are called “Forever Hair,” and draws inspiration from her own sticky situation. She reportedly told the outlet that she wanted to create products for folks suffering from hair loss and damage because she knows firsthand how that feels. However, her new $14 hairspray will hold a ponytail like glue, but without the nightmare side effects, she infamously endured, the news site notes. She’s also selling a $13 edge control along with growth drops for $18. On Tuesday a judge dismissed the murder charges against Simone Biles’ brother, Tevin Biles-Thomas. Following the ruling, a woman stood up and rushed toward Biles-Thomas, yelling “you have to be f—— kidding me.” “I’m going to kill you,” she said. The Cuyahoga County Court confirmed in a statement that “a person in the gallery charged toward the defendant” after the ruling and thanked the sheriff’s department for its assistance. The woman was identified as Johnson’s mother by Joseph Patituce, one of Biles-Thomas’ defense attorneys. Chancellor Lee Adams, who was in his mother womb when she was fatally shot by his father, former NFL player Rae Carruth, is now a high school graduate, WBTV News reports. Chancellor’s mother, Cherica Adams, was eight months pregnant with her son on Nov. 16, 1999, when she was shot four times by a gunman hired by Carruth, who did not want Adams to have the baby. Adams managed to survive long enough to call 911, name her killer and give birth to Chancellor before slipping into a coma and passing away one month later. https://youtu.be/hpdaq4kVey4 The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make Juneteenth, or June 19th, the date in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, a national holiday. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to easily pass then on to President Joe Biden for signature into law. “Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a major step forward to recognize the wrongs of the past,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as reported by Yahoo. “But we must continue to work to ensure equal justice and fulfill the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and our Constitution.” https://youtu.be/8mH0zi-hLVU The third season of WE tv’s “Love After Lockup,” which returns this week with an ALL-NEW group of couples and cons, checkout the exclusive clip. https://youtu.be/Lv9mMu35vEI Footage has surfaced of Minneapolis protesters detaining a driver after he plowed his car through the crowd, killing one woman and injuring another on Sunday. The group of people were gathered for a vigil against police brutality after U.S. Marshals fatally shot Winston Boogie Smith Jr., a Black man, earlier this month. The driver steered his car through the crowd at a high rate of speed. http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh68FAAO1tGinr36Q4 Just the mention of slavery evokes a sense of anxiety, unlike many other topics. However, the fact is this ugly institution is woven into the fabric of American History, and to deny its truths and continue to cover up its past would be like making shoes without soles. This is exactly what has been happening in the incomplete history of America for centuries. And now, it has become the forefront of discussion and protest at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Hannah-Jones was awarded the Pulitzer in 2020 for her essay about the topic and it has since faced enormous scrutiny from historians, and conservative politicians alike due to its perceived controversy. Nikole Hannah-Jones is set to begin her new position as a professor with the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill on July 1, 2021, and yet unlike others who have served in the position at the University, she has not been granted tenure. Julien’s Auctions the world-record breaking auction house to the stars’ held an annual three-day music extravaganza on Friday, June 11th, Saturday, June 12th and Sunday, June 13th 2021, attended by a global audience of music fans, investors and collectors bidding live in person, on the phone, and online for over 1,000 coveted pieces of music history at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills and online. A marquee lineup of instruments, memorabilia, wardrobe and personal property owned and used by the greatest 20th and 21st century’s pop culture icons from rock and roll, pop, soul, R&B, rap and beyond dazzled the podium including Prince, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Kurt Cobain, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Cher, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, Bernie Taupin, Tom Petty, Tupac Shakur, Whitney Houston, The Doors, Little Richard, and others. A sensational 1994 blue Cloud guitar made by Andy Beech and commissioned and owned by music titan Prince rocked the stage once again. This iconic instrument whose design is instantly synonymous with the rock royalty of Prince sold for $281,250, nearly five times its original estimate of $60,000 and includes a “Paisley Park” inventory tag on the neck plate, a hard case with a laminated tag that reads: “PRN Productions. Paul Pogba is the latest soccer superstar to overtly snub official sponsors after the France player removed a bottle of Heineken placed in front of him at a Euro 2020 press conference. The move followed soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo removing a bottle of Coke from his presser. Pogba, a devout Muslim, was seen moving the beer bottle from the table directly in front of him as he took questions under media obligations following France’s opening victory over Germany on Tuesday night. For Muslims, alcohol is “haram” or forbidden. https://youtu.be/rRJK8KeQM5E Marla Gibbs, Margaret Theresa Bradley, born June 14, 1931) is an actress, singer, comedian, writer and television producer, whose career spans five decades celebrated her 90th birthday at Peter Georges’ Conference Room Restaurant & Bar in Playa Vista, CA. The party was sponsored by family friend and businessman Henry Woods, founder of HNW International Corporation, an international Consulting/Connector Firm, along with Lemuel Daniels, Peter George, and others. n all-star cast of Marla’s friends and children that attend the birthday celebration included; Beverly Todd, Judy Pace, Earnest Harden, Jr., Kathleen Bradley, Sheila Frazier, former State Senator Diane Watson, Jackee Harry, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Tico Wells, Attorney Frank K. Wheaton, and Marla’s children; Angela, Amil, Dorian, and Jordan Gibbs. A host of politicians presented proclamations and kind words to Marla, present were Mayor James Butts, Councilmember Curren Price, Jr, Senator Sydney Kamlager, along with representatives for Congresswoman Karen Bass, Mayor Eric Garcetti, LA Supervisor Janice Hahn, and Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson. After being accused of mocking George Floyd in videos of a recent traffic stop, YouTuber and rapper CJ So Cool addresses the backlash and tells Black people to be nice and comply with police, and they too can walk unscathed from a traffic stop. Earlier today (June 14), the Youtuber was pulled over for driving 140 miles per hour in a 65-MPH zone with his Lamborghini. While the cop ran his information, CJ filmed himself and pretended to sob, while saying, “Please don’t shoot me bro. I got kids.” After fans caught his video, he went live to address claims of him mocking George Floyd and other Black men and women who’ve been victims of police brutality. Another mysterious in-custody death prompts calls of an investigation after William Harvey, a 60-year-old Savannah, Georgia, Black man was found hanged in a police interrogation room. Five officers were fired on Monday in the wake of Harvey’s death after he was found unconscious with injuries to his neck caused by a pair of Harvey’s shoelaces on April 2. Officers attempted life-saving measures; however, Harvey died as a result of his injuries, according to a statement released by the Savannah Police Department. Harvey was apprehended in relation to an aggravated assault investigation and taken to the SPD interrogation room at their headquarters. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation ruled his death a suicide, but Harvey’s family accuses law enforcement of foul play. Their suspicions grew after they were told no video evidence existed of Harvey’s alone time in the interrogation room. The standout couple from Netflix’s dating series “Love Is Blind” share their love advice for the modern world, the ups and downs they’ve experienced during their first years of marriage, and exclusive behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the pods in their new book, “Leap of Faith.” When Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed locked eyes for the first time, they were already engaged. That’s how the show works. They had no idea what to expect, having fallen in love across the divider of their pods on the unconventional reality show. While they never expected to find their life partner through the experiment, Lauren and Cameron became living proof that love is indeed blind. NBA fans were losing their minds on social media on Wednesday morning as they digested the surprise news that star point guard Chris Paul would miss his team’s crucial upcoming playoffs games “indefinitely” because he’s been placed in the league’s COVID-19 protocol. That means that the Phoenix Suns’ starting point guard was somehow exposed to COVID-19 at some point between sweeping the Denver Nuggets during a pivotal Game 4 on Sunday and Wednesday morning when Shams Charania of the Athletic broke the news. Questions about the development flooded social media timelines: How did he come to be exposed? Was it when he jumped in the stands and hugged his family after winning Game 4? If so, shouldn’t his teammates and coaches also be placed on the same protocol since Paul was exposed to them? But one question, in particular, stood out: Is Chris Paul vaccinated? According to Baxter Holmes of ESPN, the NBA has loosened its COVID-19 restrictions for players, coaches and team staff who have been fully vaccinated. TV One's highly anticipated film, BAD DAD REHAB: THE NEXT SESSION, premieres this Sunday, June 20 at 8 P.M. ET/7C. Building off of the success of the franchise's first production, Bad Dad Rehab, The film features a brand-new cast that includes legendary rapper Antonio “Big Daddy Kane” Hardy (Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap, Dead Heist) as Owen, Lamman Rucker (“Greenleaf”, “Why Did I Get Married”) as Mr. Arnold, Blue Kimble (“Monogamy,” “Ruthless”) as Chauncey, Onyekwere Eme-Akwari (“Queen of the South”) as Marshall, Carlo Mendez (“90210,” “Parks and Recreation”) as Hosea, Chrystale Wilson (“The Rich and the Ruthless”) as Marjory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBCDArI20-o A first-of-its-kind tribute to the trailblazing artists, iconic entertainers, and legendary luminaries who have impacted both Black culture and the community at large, the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (BMEWOF) will officially induct its inaugural class of honorees this June, during Black Music Month. The formal induction ceremony will take place in Atlanta, GA on June 17, 2021. The inaugural class of inductees were selected from the BMEWOF's list of 38 nominees in the categories of Foundational Inductees, Legacy Artists, Mainstream Mogul, Gospel Female, Gospel Male, HipHop Female, HipHop Male, Mainstream Female and Mainstream Male. The BMEWOF Foundational Inductees are James Brown, Otis Redding, Quincy D. Jones, and Stevie Wonder. They will be joined by Michael Jackson (Legacy Artists), Sean Love Combs (Mainstream Mogul), Shirley Caesar (Gospel Female), Kirk Franklin (Gospel Male), Missy Elliott (Hip Hop Female), Outkast (Hip Hop Male), Beyoncé (Mainstream Female), and Usher Raymond IV (Mainstream Male). The 6th Annual Black Music Honors special airs nationally on Saturday, June 19 at 1:00pm EST on Bounce TV and will commemorate Juneteenth, an annual holiday that honors the end of slavery in the United States. The awards ceremony is in national broadcast syndication across the country and airs during Black Music Month. Viewers can see the exciting special in key markets such as Los Angeles at 10am PT on KABC (ABC), in Atlanta at 5pm ET on WATL (MNT), in Philadelphia at 2pm ET on WPSG (CW), and in Chicago on Sunday, June 20 at 7pm CT on WGN (IND), among others. Emmy® Award-winning talk show host, comedienne and author Loni Love hosts the star-studded two-hour special which will honor artists and musicians who have influenced and made significant contributions to American music. Performers include Cece Winans, Montell Jordan, Jacquees, After 7, Syleena Johnson, Pleasure P, Stokley, Avery*Sunshine, J. Moss, Q Parker, Bahamadia, Chrisette Michele, Jac Ross, Mumu Fresh, Kevin Ross, Theresa Tha Songbird, and Zacardi Cortez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ1m7gXwrXA In a society where taking the perfect selfie is almost as important as healthcare, Marketing & Brand Strategist Mary Seats (famously known as Mz. Skittlez) has opened a selfie museum in the heart of Atlanta. The 19 station museum is a haven for the everyday creative to capture unique content, purchase fly gear, generate new business ideas, or simply flick it up! The Gurl Mobb Museum is located in Optimist Lofts (2115 Piedmont Rd NE, Suite 1202, Atlanta, GA 30324) and is open Wednesday through Saturday 11AM to 9PM, and Sundays from 11AM to 6PM. NeNe Leakes recently dished with blogger Michelle “ATLien” Brown about her relationship with former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast members and ongoing rumors surrounding the reality TV series. She also revealed that none of the RHOA cast showed up at the grand opening of her new lounge called Linnethia Lounge, which is located in upscale Duluth, Ga., about 15 minutes northeast of Atlanta. https://youtu.be/ezK6D6Prnk0 Monday, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the co-creator of the film “In The Heights,” took to Twitter to address criticism of the film’s casting. In particular, it’s been noted that only light-skinned actors were cast in the roles of the musical’s main Latinx characters. “I hear that, without sufficient dark-skinned Afro-Latino representation, the world feels extractive of the community we wanted so much to represent with pride and joy,” Miranda replied. “In trying to paint a mosaic of this community, we fell short. I’m truly sorry.”The film, which had a disappointing debut at the box office this past weekend, is a version of the very successful Broadway musical. It of course is set in NYC’s Washington Heights neighborhood, but only includes Afro-Latinx performers in background and dance roles. https://youtu.be/U0CL-ZSuCrQ A biopic about late-great comedian Bernie Mac is in the works, as it was recently announced at the 2021 Tribeca Festival. Je’Niece McCullough, Mac’s daughter, has shared who she thinks should portray her father in the film. Speaking to TMZ, McCullough said John Legend‘s production company, Get Lifted, and Mac’s estate will head the project. The first is Aldis Hodge — known for his roles on “Leverage” and in “Hidden Figures” — because Je’Niece says he’s a great actor with a similar complexion to Bernie. He also played MC Ren in “Straight Outta Compton” and more recently, NFL legend Jim Brown in “One Night in Miami.” She also has an out-of-the-box option if producers want to portray Bernie in his younger years, and he’s a YouTube star. His name is Mark Phillips, and Je’Niece tells us her daughter loves him, and always says how much he reminds her of Bernie. Rapper T-Pain revealed in a recent interview with “The 85 South Show,” that he wanted to work with Nicki Minaj in 2007 when she was an up-and-coming artist but she turned him down. “She was like, ‘Hey, I’m an artist too and I’m working on my sh*t, so ya know, baby chill,’” he said. T-Pain goes on to admit that he may have been all up in his feelings at the moment. “Maybe I was in love with Nicki Minaj,” T-Pain confessed. Minaj saw the interview posted on The Shade Room and she responded in the comments. “I don’t remember this AT ALL but it DEF sound like smthn I would say. omg what was I thinking? He was already a rlly big artist. I was still underground. Chileeeeee I used to b buggin yo I was under so much pressure to deliver,” she wrote. Chrissy Teigen has issued yet another apology for being a Twitter troll and a cyberbully. This apology comes nearly a month after Bloomingdale’s canceled a promotional deal with the cookbook author “at the 11th hour because of her explosive cyberbullying scandal,” with Courtney Stodden, Page Six reported. Macy’s also dropped Teigen’s “Cravings by Chrissy” cookware line from its website. The fallout began after Stodden, now 26, revealed that the former model encouraged her to kill herself in private Twitter messages when she was 16 years old. Teigen apologized in May, writing on Twitter, “Not a lot of people are lucky enough to be held accountable for all their past bulls–t in front of the entire world. I’m mortified and sad at who I used to be.” She added, “I was an insecure, attention-seeking troll. I am ashamed and completely embarrassed at my behavior but that… is nothing compared to how I made Courtney feel.” A reporter with Houston’s Fox News affiliate said during a live broadcast Monday that “Fox Corp.” was muzzling her — and announced that she would be going to far-right group Project Veritas with behind-the-scenes recordings. “I want to let you the viewers know that Fox Corp. has been muzzling me to keep certain information from you,” said Ivory Hecker, a 32-year-old general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor with Fox 26 Houston. “From what I am gathering, I am not the only reporter being subjected to this. I am going to be releasing some recordings about what goes on behind the scenes at Fox, because it applies to you, the viewers.” https://youtu.be/htaIFQELqaM It’s never about how many times you fall, or how many try to keep you down, or even the reason why you feel more than it’s about your relentless rebound to prevail regardless of your past. Talk host, Travis Smiley is a perfect example of what it means to do this, as he buys Arthur Liu’s Multicultural Radio Broadcasting. According to RBR, Smiley was ordered to pay PBS $2.6 million for allegedly violating a morals clause in multiple sexual harassment cases last August. He was also fired by BET earlier in his career which ignited him becoming a household name. RBR reports that the deal is valued at $7.15 million. A $357,500 escrow deposit has been made and is being held by Patrick Communications, the buyer’s representative. A 2013 video of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has resurfaced showing him flirting with a Latina reporter. Orlando Silva of Fadeaway World writes, “Just like he’s savage with some of his takes, the 53-year-old is wild when he flirts.” He goes on to note that Smith was “ready to risk it all” while talking to host Brhitney Decamps. https://youtu.be/VbEVWas9_p4 The owners of a Washington, D.C., bar said they have “terminated, with immediate effect, the independent security vendor hired to protect our guests during Pride Week.” The move comes after a video surfaced showing security at Nellie’s Sports Bar dragging a Black woman down a flight of stairs by her hair. A protest was held outside the establishment located in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington D.C. We previously reported, the demonstration, which began around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, included dozens of people shouting and holding signs outside the popular LGBTQ+ bar. Keisha Young, 22, of Maryland, told WUSA9 that she was the woman seen being dragged out of Nellie’s in that viral video on Instagram. https://youtu.be/27ZZ1QtIRfI The Indianapolis police officer who shot and killed Dreasjon Reed last year is suing the National Football League over its campaign intended to “honor victims of systemic racism, victims of police misconduct, and social justice heroes.” MPD officer De’Joure Mercer’s complaint, filed Monday in the federal Southern District of Indiana, targets website posts and video produced by the NFL that highlight Reed and other civil rights figures killed by police. Mercer’s lawyers take issue with that language, writing in the complaint: “The (v)ideo gives rise to the inference, implication, and imputation that Mercer committed occupational misconduct and even criminal acts during the May 6 (e)ncounter with Reed, similar to that which were inflicted upon George Floyd. This inference, implication, and imputation is false because Mercer committed no such acts.” The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Three Republicans — Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voted with Democrats to confirm with a 53-44 vote. Graham conceded that although Jackson has “a different philosophy” than him, “I think she’s qualified for the job.” For the second year in a row, ESSENCE Studios presents Dear Black Men—an all-male summit that salutes the contributions of our brothers who speak vulnerably about their respective experiences as family men, community advocates and leaders of this generation. Through a series of candid conversations and engaging dialogue with some of today’s leading voices, Dear Black Men will uplift and inspire viewers during this virtual gathering that will put a spotlight on the impactful work of men within their homes, industries and organizations. It will all take place on Father’s Day weekend, Friday, June 18th, and will stream on ESSENCEStudios.com from 7-9 PM (ET). During the virtual summit, a variety of topics will be addressed including wealth building, emotional and physical wellness and more. Celebrate good times this summer as Robert ‘Kool’ Bell, founder of the Grammy Award winning Kool & the Gang will host the second annual Kool Kids Foundation Golf Tournament. The event will take place on Tuesday, July 13th 2021 at the Cedar Hill Golf & Country Club, located at 100 Walnut Street in Livingston, NJ. Celebrity athletes and entertainers will be attending this star-studded golf outing – John Starks, Charles Oakley, Ken Griffey, Sr., Hisham Tawfiq (from NBC-TV’S “The Blacklist”), OJ Anderson, Anthony Avent, Jeff Nelson, Stephane Matteau, Howard Cross, Rodney Hampton, Stephen Baker, Lewis Tillman, George Rogers, Brian Kelly and Mark Bavaro. More than 66 years after Brown vs. the Board of Education mandated the desegregation of public schools, some Black students in Mississippi still are fighting Jim Crow era practices by school administrators. At least four families claimed their high school seniors have been cheated out of valedictorian and salutatorian honors. The latest incident happened at West Point High School where Layla Temple and Ikeria Washington were forced to share their respective Val and Sal status with two White students after their parents complained and bullied educators into a questionable grade point average recount. https://youtu.be/Isc36QC9Zss Love and Hip-Hop star Erica Mena filed for divorce last month from Safaree Samuels, but her estranged husband is putting up a big fight over child custody. Just recently, Safaree claimed that he was afraid Erica Mena won’t allow him to be present for the birth of their second child so he wants to take his fight to court. He has also refused to give her full custody of their daughter and unborn child. According to TMZ, Erica Mena now claims that all this drama surrounding their divorce is at least part of the reason she’s landed in the hospital during her pregnancy. Erica noted that Safaree has “failed to be involved in her care or to visit her at the hospital during her most recent stay, where she remained overnight for many days related to her pregnancy.” In docs, obtained by TMZ, Erica also claims Safaree’s latest request for shared custody of their children is only being done “in hopes of obtaining ‘good publicity’ and painting [Erica] as the instigator, while in actuality, [Erica’s] the only parent ensuring the parties’ children’s safety and acting in their best interest.” Southern Baptists in Nashville for the denomination’s 2021 annual meeting heard a strong plea for gospel unity from Dallas pastor Tony Evans. The author of several books focused on God’s kingdom kicked off the 2-day Send Conference held prior to the business meeting. The conference, sponsored by the North American and International Mission Boards, also featured worship artists CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, and Crowder. Evans started with message with an extended football metaphor, explaining that there are three teams on the field during a game—the two competing against each other, and the team of officials charged with governing the game. https://twitter.com/i/status/1404291401869824000 In Kwame Kilpatrick’s first public event since his release from prison, the former mayor of Detroit preached to the crowd Sunday at the Historic Little Rock Baptist Church. Kilpatrick spoke to the building of Christ’s church, second chances, the beginning of his own ministry and being from the “real Detroit.” https://youtu.be/YZHoJmBAIM0 Brandy Fisher-Blood has joined Walt Disney Animation Studios as the head of Diversity & Inclusion Strategies and will report to Walt Disney Animation Studios President Clark Spencer. Fisher-Blood will be responsible for overseeing diversity and inclusion efforts across Walt Disney Studios and will serve as the primary strategic consultant to Walt Disney’s business leaders, HR partners, and creative leaders including directors, producers, and production leadership. She will also provide expertise on best inclusion practices and help enhance Walt Disney’s inclusion commitment both inside and outside the company. Fisher-Blood said the appointment is a dream come true to work for the company that had its first Black princess when she was eight years old. Black CPAs across the country are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants (NSBCPA). Chartered on June 8th, NSBCPA was organized to increase the number of Black CPAs and provide resources for members to thrive in the profession. According to the organization’s website, Black CPAs are the most underrepresented group within the CPA profession. Surveys have shown that less than 1% of CPAs are Black. Also, there are less than 3% of Black staff at public accounting firms. A Black woman, for the first time, will become a chief federal judge in Mississippi. The state has two federal court districts — northern and southern. Court officials say U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown will become the chief judge of the northern district during a ceremony Friday in Greenville. She will receive the gavel from U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock, who remains on the federal bench but is ending a seven-year term in the top spot in the district. Brown was nominated to the federal bench in 2013 by then-President Barack Obama. Minnesota’s first Black-owned juice bar was broken into overnight, forcing it to close just days after its grand opening. Catiesha Pierson, the owner of The Dripping Root, had to do what no small business owner wants to do on Friday, sending customers away as she focused on cleaning up after an early morning break in. “I’m not going to let something like that ruin my shine or happiness for the amazing thing that’s been built and surrounded by community,” Pierson told FOX 9. The Dripping Root’s security camera captured video of the vandalism in progress. Two suspects, apparently targeting cash, shattered the juice bar’s front glass window, making a mess. Since the juice bar is cashless, the thieves did not get away with much before police arrived. It was a little more than three years ago that Brennan Walker was nearly killed asking for directions to high school. “It doesn’t mentally impact me as much as it used to, but I think about the events every day,” he said. Brennan will walk Saturday as a graduate entering young adulthood – and he admitted he’s a little nervous about it. Those nerves are a far cry compared to what he experienced when he was 14 years old. That was when Jeff Zeigler, who is white, fired at him with a shotgun, assuming he was a burglar. The case made national news. Zeigler was sentenced to four to 10 years in prison. The Brooklyn mother who allegedly threw her two young children — including a newborn baby who is now in grave condition — out of her second-floor window is facing attempted murder charges, police said. Dejhanay Jarrell, 24, was charged on Saturday with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault, two counts of reckless endangerment and acting in a manner dangerous to a child younger than 17, according to police. Jarrell allegedly tossed her naked kids from the fire escape of her Rockaway Parkway apartment at about 11 a.m. Saturday, before jumping to the ground and continuing to harm the newborn girl, according to police and witnesses. Carl Chin, who lives in a row house adjoining the apartment building’s courtyard, rushed to wrestle the baby out of the mother’s arms. “She grabbed hold of the two kids and proceeded to hurt them more,” Chin told The Post on Saturday. Hollywood fashion expert, VIP personal shopper and commentator Joseph “Joe” Katz brings you in-depth interviews with celebrities and influencers about their style and personal experiences on his Podcast and Vodcast (video podcast) program called The Katz Walk. He also shares the best beauty and lifestyle tips and tricks to help you look and feel your best. In this episode of The Katz Walk, Joseph takes you inside the world of Grammy winner and artist Lecrae. In this episode you can listen to Lecrae talk honestly and truthfully in this very heartfelt interview about his music career, rise to music success and of course his fashion. https://youtu.be/ws-Ss5fLIMY Artist-producer-entrepreneur Andre “Dr. Dre” Young and music producer and entrepreneur Jimmy Iovine joined Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner Monday to announce a joint effort to launch a new high school in South Los Angeles. A release from the LAUSD said the school’s curriculum will build on USC Iovine and Young Academy’s groundbreaking approach — which combines design, business and technology with hands-on, real-world learning to help develop young leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. The school, known as Regional High School #1 until the official naming process is completed, will be co-located on the Audubon Middle School campus and serve up to 124 students when it opens in Fall 2022, the LAUSD said. As 2021 Pride Month continues, history has officially been made by our current Vice President #KamalaHarris. During a recent appearance at Capital Pride in Washington, D.C. accompanied by her husband, Kamala Harris made history as the first sitting U.S. Vice President to ever march at a pride event! NBC Washington reports, Vice President Kamala Harris, a long and openly supportive ally for the LGBTQ+ community, surprised those in attendance at the Capital Pride March in Washington, D.C. earlier today. However, her appearance wasn’t just one of support, it was also historic—as VP Harris has now become the very first sitting U.S. Vice President in history to ever march at a pride event. Wearing a bright pink blazer, jeans and a T-shirt that read “love is love,” VP Harris (along with her husband Doug Emhoff) marched alongside the crowd waving and cheering “Happy Pride” as the marchers headed to Freedom Plaza Opponents to critical race theory in public schools aren’t just pushing policy changes. Some are going after Black elected officials and community leaders for supporting equity in public education. The Chandler Unified School District, in the southeastern section of the Phoenix metropolitan area, is among the latest districts caught in the middle of the battle over critical race theory. Whipped up into a frenzy, “concerned” citizens and parents submitted comments objecting to critical race theory ahead of a board meeting Thursday. The Arizona Mirror chronicled the right-wing influence running through both the anti-mask and critical race theory opposition across several school districts. Led by Steven Tyler Daniels, a member of the Patriot Party and the Purple for Parents group, school districts in the surrounding area have been under siege with hype about a made-up problem. https://youtu.be/XG8wOMUU7hw A new decision from a federal judge could jeopardize historic debt relief for Black farmers and other farmers of color. Judge William Griesbach of Wisconsin’s Eastern District issued a temporary restraining order Thursday, preventing the Biden administration from releasing long-awaited funds. Griesbach found in favor of the plaintiffs stating the challenge had a likelihood of succeeding on the claim’s merits. A conservative law firm, known for exploiting technicalities to the detriment of historically disenfranchised communities, represents the white farmers. Challenges to affirmative action policies often use similar logic. From their viewpoint, it doesn’t matter that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has an established history of denying Black and other farmers of color the same equal protection for generations. As a person of color in America, it is not a surprise that at any given time and in any given space you can go from being an innocent, uninvolved citizen to a criminal suspect almost instantaneously. From random and unnecessary stop and frisk that are disproportionately administered to Black and Latino people, to the racial profiling that happens anywhere a non-person of color thinks you don’t belong it can get exhausting trying to prove your innocence. Despite the fact that Senator Cory Booker went to school in a wealthy area of Northern California where mostly white people reside called Palo Alto, he was still victim to the prejudice. According to Black Enterprise, Booker recalls a time where he was essentially held at gunpoint with the negligent misconception that he’d stolen the car that was registered in his name. “It seemed like half the police force came out and they kept me, sitting in my car, screaming at me commands,” the New Jersey senator shared. “And ultimately, the only excuse they gave me was that I fit the description of somebody that they were looking for.” Throughout her entire career actress Sanaa Lathan has brought powerful and memorable characters to life on the silver screen and she will continue to use her artistry to tell poignant stories from the director’s chair. According to Deadline, Lathan will direct a film adaptation for one of author Angie Thomas’ novels. The film—which will be the first feature film that Lathan has directed—is inspired by Thomas’ book On the Come Up. The novel captures the coming of age story of a 16-year-old aspiring rapper named Bri. It delves into her journey as she navigates grief following the loss of her father and deals with a flawed school system and financial burdens. The National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations on behalf of our affiliate groups proclaim our unwavering support of our Native American brethren by supporting the passage of the Remove the Stain Act. The Act pursues rescinding Medals of Honor awarded to those American soldiers who perpetrated the act of massacring 200 noncombatant young men, women, and children of the Lakota Tribe at Wounded Knee Creek. The Act would serve as a step in recognizing the tragedy of the Era with truth serving as the foundation toward Peace and Justice.https://youtu.be/BtkRjKbMO08 Rapstress Megan Thee Stallion is investing in the futures of the next generation of innovators and visionaries. According to KPRC 2 Houston, the Houston native will provide a student with a full-ride scholarship to Long Island University’s Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment. The Grammy award-winning music artist, Megan Pete, took to Instagram to share that she is covering four years of education-related expenses for an individual aspiring to pursue their degree. She hopes to help them cultivate a solid foundation for success. “I’m helping my hotties pursue their dreams,” she wrote in a post. “Education has always been important to me so I’ll be funding a full-ride scholarship for the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at LIU. All four years – PAID!” The deadline for scholarship submissions is July 15. Malcolm-Jamal Warner now owns the rights to Russell Duncan’s novel “Freedom Shore: Tunis Campbell and Georgia Freedmen” reports Deadline via MSN News. Warner is set to star and produce this marvelous project. However, no writer has been assigned, just yet. A little back story of the novel: “Freedom’s Shore“ vividly depicts the incredible story of Tunis Campbell, a Northern abolitionist minister who became Senator and Vice President of the Republican Party of Georgia after the Civil War to help freed slaves transition to free men and women. In a rare interview (with Bustle), #LoriHarvey is opening up about her love life, and why she’s so public with her relationship with actor Michael B. Jordan. She first reflected on her previous engagement with soccer player Memphis Depay, who she was engaged to in 2017 before calling it quits the following year. She said of their romance, “I grew up a lot and I learned a lot from that relationship. And so, I think just as I’ve gotten older and developed as a woman, I’ve taken that knowledge with me: learning what I like, what I don’t like, and just applying that to where I’m at now.” Since then, she’s been linked to the likes of Diddy, Trey Songz, Future, and her current boyfriend Michael B. Jordan, who she went public with earlier this year. She gushed about their relationship and said, We met actually a few years ago. We had some mutual friends. I think we met out, just in passing.” When asked about her first impression of him she giggled and said, “I was like, ‘He’s cute!’” After a year of reckoning since the brutal murder of George Floyd low recruitment and increased retirement rates continue to uptick across police departments in the United States. In May MPR News reported that 105 officers left the Minneapolis Police Department last year, twice as many as normal. But a report by KSMP-TV found that the MPD swore in 632 officers, down 25 percent from 845 in 2020. A study by the Police Executive Research Forum obtained by the Associated Press shows the rate of retirement rose 45 percent at some law enforcement departments while hiring slowed by 5 percent in comparison to the previous year. 200 law enforcement agencies were surveyed in the study. Alton Sterling‘s children accepted a $4.5 million settlement from the city of Baton Rouge, almost five years after their loved one was killed by law enforcement during the origins of the Black Lives Matter movement. In February council members voted to approve the settlement amount after months of deadlock over the settlement amount. The money will be allocated from the East Baton Rouge Parish’s insurance reserve funds, beginning with an initial payment of $1 million. The remaining monies will be distributed in equal installments over four years. LeBron James had enough. During the press conference after Game 1 of the 2018 NBA finals, James was questioned repeatedly by about the mental state of J.R. Smith, whose final-seconds rebounding blunder contributed to a Cleveland Cavaliers overtime loss. Over 70 seconds and four questions, Schwartz probed for the inner workings of Smith’s mind, before James finally stood up, put on sunglasses, grabbed his briefcase and walked out through the gathered press corps. He uttered a single sentence: “Be better tomorrow.” It was not the first verbal tangle between reporter and sports star, and it will not be the last. Recently tennis star Naomi Osaka left the French Open for mental health issues exacerbated, she said, by facing questions at the tournament-required press conferences. These examples represent a fundamental struggle between athletes and those who cover them: interviews contested in a press room forum that feel more like a mixed-martial-arts octagon than Oprah’s couch. https://youtu.be/RWywq1yCtCs Holding the number one spot on Billboard Magazine’s Gospel Charts for seven consecutive weeks, the Believe For It album takes on a second wind with the announcement of the “Believe For It Sunday” Campaign. The celebrated gospel singer, CeCe Winans, partners with Loop Community for a campaign designed to bring churches together to help spread the message of hope and encouragement. The goal of the campaign is to reach as many churches as possible with an invitation to participate in this unity driven event that will ignite great expectations for the future with the power of worship. The vision is to have worship teams inspire the masses with their rendition of “Believe For It” by recording the track from their churches, posting it to their social media pages and tagging #BFISunday and tag @CeCeWinans. Guns are not toys and they never have been. How many more “accidental” incidents have to occur for the light bulb to finally click? It is the utmost heart breaking to report deaths that could have been avoided by common care, concern, and common sense, that is not common at all. According to TooFab, 24 year old Taniyria Holt, is facing possible manslaughter charges as she carelessly recorded herself parading a loaded gun that she did not own, and passing the gun to her sister, not knowing it was loaded, shot her in the face. This incident shut down a section of the Interstate 195 on Sunday evening, Miami Beach police initially believed the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Yet, somewhat responsibly Holt waived her right to silence and explained what really happened. https://youtu.be/uapm9ArI7Qk The horrible neighbor who allegedly shot a 6-year-old boy is back in police custody following a massive outcry over his initial release on a $10k cash bond. 6-year-old Coby was nearly killed when his neighbor Ryan Le-Nguyen allegedly opened fire as the kid picked up his bike from the sidewalk. Ryan Le-Nguyen, was reportedly pissed Coby and a friend had left their bikes in front of his home. The neighbor allegedly chased him with a sledgehammer, and then fired a gun, hitting him in the arm. Nguyen was arrested but then released after bonding out. The incident went down over the weekend in Ypsilanti, Michigan — about 35 miles outside Detroit. Prosecuting attorney Eli Savit told TMZ that the boy could have easily been killed in the incident and breaks down the argument he made Thursday in court to get bail increased to $100,000. Demands for political loyalty. Disputes about racism. A fight between conservatives and ultraconservatives. It sounds like current debates within the Republican Party, but on Tuesday, thousands of Southern Baptists will gather in Nashville to vote on issues that will shape the massive denomination’s future, including the choice of its next president. More than 16,000 people are expected to attend the denomination’s annual meeting, probably the largest religious gathering since the pandemic, as well as the biggest Baptist meeting in decades. What is especially unusual about the meeting is infighting at the highest levels of leadership that has become public in recent weeks. New details released to news media outlets have shined a light on the backroom dealings of several of its high-profile leaders. Chief Sheryl Victorian has made history in Waco as not only the first female, but also the first African American chief of police. We caught up with Victorian as she visited the Waco Police Museum. She stood admiring photos of those who served before her, opening the door for women like her to work for the department. She is pretty much living history herself, but that is not what brought her here. “So when I accepted the position with the Waco Police Department, I didn’t come here with the goal of making history as the first African American or the first female chief of police for this city. I came because the goals and the values of the agency of the city represent many of my own and for my aspirations of becoming a police chief.” said Chief Victorian. Darnella Frazier, who was 17 when she recorded George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis last year, was awarded a special citation by the Pulitzer Board on Friday. The video played a major role in igniting a global protest movement against police violence, and was used as evidence in the trial of Floyd’s killer. Committee officials who give out the prestigious prize in journalism and the arts said Frazier’s recording highlighted “the crucial role of citizens in journalists’ quests for truth and justice.” Frazier, who is Black, recently said she was proud of herself for recording Floyd’s murder even though it became a “traumatic life-changing experience” for her in the aftermath. Her video showed former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Chauvin held his knee there for nine minutes and 29 seconds. The father of a black teen shot dead by police has joined-in demands to know what Black Lives Matter’s $90 million funds have been used for after its co-founder’s $3 million property portfolio was exposed. Michael Brown Sr – whose 18 year-old son Michael Brown was shot dead by a cop in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, added his name to the BLM 10 Plus movement. It is comprised of the original 10 Black Lives Matter chapters, and is seeking transparency and accountability from BLM about how its cash has been used. Co-founder Patrice Cullors resigned last month after her $3 million property portfolio was revealed, although those houses were bought with cash Cullors earned through public speaking and books she has written. The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected a million-dollar libel lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Lubbock, finding in favor of religious organizations’ First Amendment rights. Former Deacon Jesus Guerrero sued the diocese for defamation in 2019 after it published his name on a list of members of the church who were credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. After hearing arguments in the case in January, the state high court ruled Friday that Guerrero lacked jurisdiction to bring the case. USA Gymnastics announced Friday that Dianne Durham will be inducted into the 2021 Hall of Fame. Thirty-eight years ago, she became the first Black gymnast to win the senior national championship. Sadly, Durham died in February at the age of 52. Durham will be inducted alongside the 2004 U.S. men’s Olympic team and four individuals, including six-time world medalist Rebecca Bross, on June 26 in St. Louis. https://youtu.be/yowt3YfwIsU Minister Robert Perkins has been a community leader for nearly 30 years. Now he is ready to take a seat at the political table: he is running for District Leader of the 61st Assembly District. Minister Perkins is in a contest against incumbent, Daniel Lavelle, who has held the position since 2013. In his press release announcing his candidacy, Perkins mentioned that he is the first African-American male District Leader candidate. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com The 32nd annual New Orleans Film Festival will be held in-person this year. The event is scheduled for Nov. 5-21 at venues across the New Orleans area and will also include a virtual cinema. The virtual cinema will be accessible globally. This announcement was made by the New Orleans Film Society on Wednesday. Helen Hunt celebrated the 25th anniversary of Jan de Bont’s massive 1996 disaster blockbuster “Twister” by revealing a sequel she pitched that never got made. During a recent episode of “Watch What Happens Live” hosted by Andy Cohen, Hunt said she showed interest in directing a sequel in June of 2020, right around the time a reboot was announced as in the works at Universal Pictures. (Via Insider.) Hunt, who currently stars on the upcoming Starz series “Blindspotting,” said she wanted to make a film with a multiracial cast, but that an unnamed studio rejected the idea. “I tried to get it made,” the “Mad About You” star told Cohen. “With Daveed [Diggs] and Rafael [Casal] and me writing it, and all Black and brown storm chasers, and they wouldn’t do it. I was going to direct it.” John Legend’s production company, Get Lifted, has partnered with the Bernie Mac estate to make a biopic about the late comedian, Legend’s producing partner Mike Jackson revealed during a panel discussion at the 2021 Tribeca Festival. “We just partnered with Bernie Mac’s estate to cover Bernie Mac’s story,” Jackson said, seemingly surprising Legend as he said the info was “something that John doesn’t know about yet” and that he was “very excited about” the deal, which “just happened today.” “Look at you breaking news over here,” Legend said in response. “Springsteen on Broadway” will return to Broadway beginning this summer. Bruce Springsteen’s one-man show will have a limited run at the St. James Theatre beginning June 26th with a tentative ending date for Sept. 4th. “Springsteen on Broadway” includes 15 songs and stories of his growing up in New Jersey. Some of his stories can be found in his autobiography. His one-man show debuted in 2017 but closed in late 2018. A filmed version can be found on Netflix. To be a part of the audience, one will be required to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Chris Harrison the original host of “The Bachelor” is leaving. He was on hiatus from the franchise before his permanent departure was confirmed. Harrison has had a few run-ins but his biggest being the backlash he faced after he voiced support for Kirkconnell during an “Extra” interview last February with Rachel Lindsay. He apologized stating that he realized he had caused harm by “speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism.” Warner Horizon and ABC Entertainment in a joint statement, expressed their thanks to Harrison for his “many contributions over the past 20 years and [we] wish him all the best on his new journey.” The current season of “The Bachelorette” is being hosted by former cast members Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe. As for his replacement, the producer and the network had no further comments. She did it again. Carrie Underwood, who now has 23 CMT Awards, graciously accepted the honor bestowed upon her once again as the most decorated artist in the history of the CMT Awards. Thanks to her song “Hallelujah” which she collaborated with John Legend. Underwood gave credit to Legend for sending her the song which first appeared on her album “My Gift.” Underwood also performed with rock band NEEDTOBREATHE and other female stars. Other performers included: Grammy-winning R&B star H.E.R. and fellow guitar slayer Chris Stapleton; Gladys Knight with Mickey Guyton; Guyton with BRELAND. Linda Martell, who did not attend the show was honored as well. Lady A kicked off the show with Carly Pearce and Lindsay Ell, Ingrid Andress sang with pop singer-songwriter JP Saxe, while Miranda Lambert performed with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall. Hosts Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini also performed onstage and won awards. Phyllis Hyman is one of the all-time brightest classic soul stars of the ’80s & 90s. Her authentic rhythm, flow, and divine connection to the people will finally be appropriately recognized on July 31. According to Soul Tracks, Soul Music Records will be honoring her with a deluxe 9-disc retrospective of her career titled Phyllis Hyman – Old Friend: The Deluxe Collection 1976-1998. https://youtu.be/dhCf2L2-jww “It’s been short and fast,” said Paris born Contemporary Jazz guitarist Marc Antoine about his 25 year marriage to Rebecca, which is the motivation behind the release of his new album “Something About Her” (Shanachie Entertainment). “When everything goes well it doesn’t feel like 25 years. It’s like it just happened.” Throughout his career he has worked with three-time Grammy nominated saxophonist Sting, Cher, three-time Grammy nominated saxophonist Dave Koz and Rick Braun. His music can be heard in feature films, such as Get Shorty. https://youtu.be/t1SNaMBs91E According to actor/producer/comedian Chris Rock, he has fired staffers who have had a problem listening to and being directed by women. “I was like, ‘How come he’s not doing… And then I realize, ‘Oh, [it’s because a woman asked him to do it],” he told Nicole Kidman, who was interviewing him for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series. As far Rock is concerned, it was women who helped him in the early stages of his career, and when Kidman asked why he thinks it’s important to listen to women, his response was: “I don’t know, maybe my mother. When I started out as a comedian, women like Joy Behar and Susie Essman put me under their wing.” “I don’t know,” he added, “I have just always been around powerful women. If you’re familiar with Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena then you know the couple is going through a difficult time in their very tenuous relationship. It was only a month ago they were spreading the news of a second child together, but more recently we learned that they are ending their marriage. Although the couple has been on and off, this time around could be different. On May 25, TMZ reported that Erica filed for divorce. Allegedly, Safaree was caught on camera dancing inappropriately with another woman. It’s now alleged that Samuels got another woman pregnant. He has supposedly impregnated another woman while his estranged wife carries their second child. As reported on Madamenoire a source close to the couple confirmed the news. However, so far, neither Safaree or Erica has addressed the claims. One of legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler’s sons and two of his former players described in detail Thursday how they were molested by the team’s longtime doctor and how Schembechler turned a blind eye when they told him about the alleged abuse, telling one to “toughen up” and punching his son in anger. Matt Schembechler, 62, and former Wolverines players Daniel Kwiatkowski and Gilvanni Johnson told similar stories about how Dr. Robert E. Anderson, who died in 2008, molested and digitally penetrated them during physical exams decades ago. They also talked about how Bo Schembechler, a Michigan icon whose statue stands outside a university building that bears his name, refused to protect them and allowed Anderson to continue abusing players and other patients for years. Anderson “was supported by a culture that placed the reputation of the university above the health and safety of the students,” Matt Schembechler said during a news conference in the Detroit suburb of Novi. “That is the culture that made my father a legend and placed his statue in front of Schembechler Hall. Simone Biles fans will get the chance to see her record-breaking gymnastic skills in person! The 24-year-old Olympian will be headlining the Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour, also presented by MagicSpace Entertainment and AEG, and tickets went on sale Friday. The 35-city tour kicks off in Tucson, Arizona, on Sept. 21, with stops along the way in Denver, Colorado, Los Angeles, California, Anaheim, California, Houston, Texas, Chicago, Illinois, Detroit, Michigan, Columbus, Ohio, Atlanta, Georgia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Newark, New Jersey, and Brooklyn, New York. It concludes in Boston, Massachusetts, on Nov. 7. Biles, who claimed her seventh all-around title at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, setting a new record for the most all-around titles ever for an American woman, might just be as excited as her fans for the tour, which is also sponsored by GK Elite and SPIETH America. Novak Djokovic came from a set down in a spellbinding French Open semi-final to inflict only a third ever defeat on the Parisian clay for Rafa Nadal, moving through 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2 in front of mesmerised crowd on Friday. The two warriors produced superhuman tennis as the 58th duel between them arguably rivalled anything they had conjured against each other since they first locked horns in 2006. Nadal, bidding for a record-extending 14th French Open title, won the first five games and looked on course to repeat his drubbing of the Serb in last year’s final. But world number one Djokovic seized the momentum, winning the second set and then edging a pulsating 97-minute third set on a tiebreak, having saved a set point. Shaquille O’Neal is a big man with a bigger heart. He has demonstrated this repeatedly, having incredible gestures with strangers who can’t believe this man just helped them get something they struggled to have. A couple of months ago, he helped a young man get an engagement ring. Prior to that, he had told the story of when he bought furniture for a lady whose house was burned down and more. https://fadeawayworld.net/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MTgxNjU3OTUyMjA4Mjk5Nzg5/shaq-burger.webp The 69-year-old coach Nick Saban, college football’s highest paid coach, has agreed to a 3-year extended contract to run through the 2029 season with Alabama. The contract includes an $800,000 “contract completion benefit” after each contract year from 2022-25. He signed a new 8-year deal in 2018 worth at least $74.4 million, including $400,000 annual raises and three payments of $800,000 for completing contract years. That propelled him to the top as college football’s highest paid coach. Saban was scheduled to make $9.3 million last year, which placed him again at the top, according to USA Today’s database of college football salaries. Naomi Osaka said she would not participate in the standard post-match news conferences during Roland Garros, citing her decision as a mental health matter because media questions can create self-doubt. Serena Williams says she can identify with Osaka and the anxiety one feels when dealing with news conference scrutiny. She admits to having experienced it frequently after matches. But, Williams says, media scrutiny has “made me stronger.” In responding to Osaka’s decision to withdraw and her admittance to struggling with long bouts of depression since winning a tumultuous final against Williams in the 2018 U.S. Open, Williams says, “I feel for Naomi. Not everyone is the same. I’m thick. Other people are thin. Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently. You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to and the best way she thinks she can. That’s the only thing I can say: I think she is doing the best she can.” How does Williams handle the media spotlight? Williams says when the glare becomes too intense, it is important to reach out for support. Talk to people and get things off your chest. When you can’t necessarily talk to family have someone you can talk to. You have to take the first step and let people know you need help. According to CBS News via MSN, customers banking with the online bank: Ally, will no longer be charged a $25 overdraft fee no matter what type of account they hold, the company recently announced. In addition to the new policy, Ally said fees for insufficient funds disproportionately harm low-income households living paycheck to paycheck, especially in Black and Hispanic families. https://youtu.be/gcDjSDX2wcI Eva Marcille is addressing a controversial moment in her final season of Bravo’s The Real #Housewives of Atlanta. The model and reality star appeared in seasons 10-12 of the popular Bravo series. During a phone call with star Cynthia Bailey in the 12th season, she referred to Kenya Moore and #PorshaWilliams as “nappy-headed,” sparking colorist accusations against her. Now, she has defended the term in an interview with Hello Beautiful saying: “Nappy head is something I say that I have and my daughter also has until we comb it out. I’m a Black woman and it is a colloquialism that we have used. You will not dictate, because your skin is a little darker than mine, what colloquialisms I can or cannot use.” Two teenage brothers have been arrested for their involvement in a Memorial Day shootout that left toddler Ja’Tyri Brown and two others dead, WBRZ reports. David Williams, 19, and his 15-year-old brother were the latest suspects to be taken into custody, the Baton Rouge Police Department said. Two adults and another 15-year-old have already been apprehended. CCTV showed the suspects going into the pool area of an apartment complex, where they appeared to brawl with two males who were relaxing in lounge chairs. The two males were then shot. 18-month-old girl Ja’Tyri was fatally hit by a stray bullet, according to an arrest affidavit. Her grandmother, Hope Provost, told The Advocate: “I feel like my soul and world has been ripped out of my body. My grandbaby was my world. Everything I did was for my grandbaby.” As the world economy awakens from the 15-month slumber caused by the pandemic, Deutsche Bank has launched a series of research articles to spark debate and discussion about pressing post-pandemic economic issues. On June 7, Deutsche Bank issued its first report of the new series, titled “Inflation: The defining macro story of this decade.” According to the report, “US macro policy and, indeed, the very role of government in the economy, is undergoing its biggest shift in direction in 40 years. In turn we are concerned that it will bring about uncomfortable levels of inflation.” That could be deemed an understatement considering that the U.S. economy is already experiencing “uncomfortable” inflation. CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin was known for many things prior to being caught masturbating on zoom during a work call with his former colleagues at The New Yorker.The analyst was once an assistant attorney for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn and rose to fame for his legal coverage at The New Yorker and a subsequent book detailing the O.J. Simpson trial. The book was later turned into the award-winning FX series, “The People vs. O.J. Simpson.” He joined CNN in the early 2000s where he later became the network’s chief legal analyst. But in an awkward and embarrassing turn of events, his respect and notoriety were overshadowed last October after news broke of the exposed zoom call. The events that followed included his termination from The New Yorker, a publication he worked at for 27 years, and an eight-month leave from CNN. “I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers,” Toobin said last year. “I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video.” Then, on Thursday, Toobin was welcomed back to CNN with open arms. appearring alongside anchor Alisyn Camerota on “CNN Newsroom.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1403061093824708611 The newly released autopsy report from an official medical examiner in North Carolina not only contradicts the “false” police narrative surrounding the deadly shooting of a Black man last month but also supports claims from his family that he was “executed,” civil rights lawyers representing his family said Thursday. The North Carolina State Medical Examiner’s Officer determined in a report released Thursday that Andrew Brown Jr. died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head while driving away from police officers in Elizabeth City on April 21 — the same conclusion previously reached following an independent autopsy commissioned by the attorneys representing his family. And though Brown’s family attorneys didn’t say so, the state autopsy’s findings also seemingly demonstrate the orchestration of a massive coverup that involved levels of law enforcement from the police on up to Pasquotank County District Attorney Andrew Womble’s office and possibly even the judge presiding over the case. “The autopsy results prove what we’ve always known to be true: Pasquotank County deputies executed Andrew Brown Jr. with a kill shot to the back of the head. The false narrative that DA Womble has attempted to weave is completely discredited by this autopsy report,” civil rights attorneys Ben Crump, Bakari Sellers, Harry Daniels and Chantel Cherry-Lassiter said in a statement. A monument in an Oregon public park commemorating the only Black member of the Lewis and Clark expedition has been vandalized for the second time in three months. The most recent time took place Tuesday was captured on video by a witness who said she came upon a white woman spray-painting the monument’s base with unintelligible words. The monument in Mount Tabor Park in Portland features a bust of a slave named York who is credited with helping explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traverse the U.S. beginning in 1804. A biker took photos of the white woman holding cans of spray paint with which she was vandalizing the bust. https://youtu.be/Cjh9Tw7ycVU Louisiana State Police unit faces an internal investigation regarding the death of Ronald Greene, a Black motorist who was brutally assaulted and tased during his 2019 arrest. A secret panel of investigators will determine if officers are targeting Black motorists in the state, according to the Associated Press. Greene’s untimely death which catapulted into the national spotlight last month after the bodycam footage was released, is one of four incidents involving Black men that the panel will investigate. Another incident involves a motorist who was assaulted, tased, and hoisted by his braids, another was beaten while handcuffed and another sustained being hit 18 times with a flashlight. As many as a dozen white troopers from the Louisiana State Police Troop F unit face investigation, four of which were involved in Greene’s arrest. The unit has a documented history of excessive force and brutality accusations. Timing regarding how long the investigation will take is not yet known, but the panel began their review a few weeks ago, after the release of Greene’s arrest video. Martha White, a freedom fighter of the last century died on June 5 at the age of 99, the Associated Press reports. White’s refusal to give up her seat on a crowded Baton Rouge, Lousisiana, bus after a hard day of work in 1953 helped launch a mass bus boycott in the capital city. White was later joined by another Black woman domestic worker and civil rights activist Rev. T.J. Jemison, who helped reinforce that White was within her legal right due to a recently passed ordinance that desegregated buses. A high school principal in High Point, North Carolina is enjoying sudden fame after video of him surprising the graduating class with an acapella rendition of “I Will Always Love You” went viral. Seniors at T. Wingate Andrews High School in High Point appeared to have no idea that their principal, Marcus Gause, was about to break out in song. The clip begins with Gause near the end of the Dolly Parton classic made famous by Whitney Houston. “And I hope you have all you dream of,” he belted, as students and their guests cheered him on. https://youtu.be/9OlTs-oW8c0 A Kenyan innovator, Kenneth Guantai, who has developed electric tuk-tuk (auto-rickshaws) and handcarts, hopes to mass-produce them in December 2021, after receiving orders from several East African countries. “I have received proposals from business people in countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo who want me to set up assembly lines,” Guantai told Zenger News. Six years since he first assembled his inventions, he says has done an in-depth market analysis that will change the perception of using hand-pulled carts and petrol-powered tuk-tuks. Dr. Dre is officially single again, TMZ reports. A judge on Thursday finalized his divorce from Nicole Young, ending their 24-year marriage. The two will now go into legal battle over their prenup as they begin to sort out their finances. Young wants the judge to make the prenup void, and has claimed that Dre agreed with her. However, Dre, who is worth at least $800 million, said he never said any such thing and that the prenup remains in effect. So far, he has had to give Young $2 million a month in temporary spousal support. Young first filed for divorce in June 2020 and since then she has alleged that Dre abused her, which the rapper denied, according to Complex. “Friday Night Vibes™,” a new 52-week movie destination that spotlights feel-good comedies, action-packed blockbusters and culturally significant storytelling inclusive of diverse voices, kicks off on Friday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on TBS with its first in-studio guest Snoop Dogg and the broadcast of “Creed” and “Creed 2.” The Doggfather will join hosts Tiffany Haddish (“The Last O.G.,” “Girls Trip”) and Deon Cole (“Black-ish,” “Grown-ish”) to launch the year-round celebration of all things for the culture, as well as commemorate and honor Juneteenth and Father’s Day. Laugh Out Loud, the multi-platform comedy brand founded by Kevin Hart, and Wheelhouse Entertainment has announced the launch of new comedy competition series LYFT COMICS. Produced by LOL Studios and Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios in partnership with Lyft Entertainment, the six-episode season will debut across LOL’s OTT Network and partner channels. In LYFT COMICS, up-and-coming comedians go head-to-head in a competition that takes the comedy show on the road. In each episode, two comics—undercover as Lyft drivers (in separate cars)—try out their material on unsuspecting passengers, seeing whose set can bring in the most laughs from the back seat. With just three rides each, the comedians compete to see who can get the most laughs—and best star ratings—while en route to their final destinations. At the end of each episode, the comedian with the highest cumulative rating is crowned winner by Kevin Hart. https://youtu.be/527fh_DUeeo Fifty years ago, Roberta Flack released her third studio album, Quiet Fire, just six months after Marvin Gaye’s groundbreaking masterpiece, What’s Going On came out in May 1971. At the time, the nation’s emotions were heated and raw with the Vietnam War raging and the Civil Rights movement bringing racial injustice, societal inequality and the ugly truth behind police brutality to the forefront of the American consciousness. While recording Quiet Fire, a studio engineer quietly captured Flack and her band in a moment of inspiration as they reflected on Gaye’s still-true-to-life hit. This never-before-released track appears on Songs for You, Vol. 1 which becomes available on Record Store Day’s first drop date, Saturday, June 12, at participating independent record stores across the United States. Songs for You, Vol. 2 will be available on July 17. To find a record store near you, visit recordstoreday.com. Migos debuted their new song “Avalanche” during a virtual visit to “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Wednesday. The track, which channels the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” is off their new album “Culture III,” released today (June 11). In honor of the song’s inspiration, Quavo, Offset and Takeoff all donned Temptations-like black suits and hats for the performance, which was recorded remotely in an undisclosed studio and featured a full live band. https://youtu.be/n4LTSXaNVlE Snoop Dogg has announced the official appointment of Shante Broadus to his executive team as his official manager. As a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, Shante oversees Boss Lady Entertainment (BLE) and began her career by managing the early part of her husband, Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., aka Snoop Dogg’s career. In her new role, Shante will bring her vast, multi-dimensional expertise to expand Snoop Dogg’s existing ventures, as well as cultivate and fortify all upcoming partnership deals across the cannabis, spirits, gaming, music, brand partnerships, touring, licensing and TV/film space. Additionally, Shante will oversee the media arm of Snoop Dogg’s empire, diGGital doGG – home to exclusive mobile apps, video games and a proprietary animation pipeline. Shock G (of Digital Underground) was found dead in a hotel room in Tampa back in April. At the time, the cause of death was unclear but Shock’s father said authorities were going to conduct an autopsy. Shock G, was the lead artist for the pioneering hip-hop group Digital Underground. He was best known for his alter ego, “Humpty Hump,” in the group’s famous 1989 song and dance. He was only 57 years old. According to the latest update by TMZ, a Hillsborough County inspector general has revealed the cause of death — sharing that he died from a deadly mixture of drugs and alcohol. (Fentanyl and Meth) According to police report based on an eyewitness account and that of the car driver, actor Kevin Clark was hit by a car while riding his bicycle east along Logan Boulevard in Chicago. When emergency first responders got to the scene of the accident, they found Clark pinned under his car. He was rushed to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where he died shortly after. Fellow actor Jack Black who starred with Clark in the 2003 movie “School of Rock,” expressed his condolences via tweet stating how devastating and unexpected Clark’s death was: “Sending love to his family and the whole School of Rock community,” he tweeted. Gina Prince-Bythewood has been tapped to direct MGM’s sci-fi thriller “Exoplanet” after the studio secured the rights to adapt Minnie Schedeen’s short story into a feature. Deadline reports, Matt Tolmach (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Venom, Morbius) and David Manpearl are attached to produce for Matt Tolmach Productions. Schedeen will adapt her short story for the screen. According to the report, the logline is being kept under wraps. “I am so thrilled to be reuniting again with Gina Prince-Bythewood. The opportunity to work with her on Love and Basketball was an incredible experience and to have a chance to work with her again is hugely exciting,” said Michael De Luca, MGM’s Film Group chairman. The Academy Awards is getting down to some serious business “as usual.” Plans are in place for hosting the 94th Oscars on March 27, 2022. The show will return to the Dolby Theatre for its ABC broadcast. Extras such as the Governors Awards and the Nominees Luncheon which were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic plague are back on the schedule. The Governors Award is set for January 15th and the Nominees Luncheon for March 7th. Nominations are set to be announced February 8th. Why so late in the year? Because other major events such as the 2022 Olympics and the Super Bowl are scheduled for February. Also, NBC has announced it will not air the Golden Globes in 2022 and this is good for the Oscars as the Golden Globes has taken some of the spotlight away from the Oscars. Ray J recently appeared on Respectfully Justin, co-hosted by Justin LaBoy & Justin Dior Combs. While there, he opened up about how he had Princess Love wait six months before he had sex with her. And yes, you read that right–he claims he made her wait! Justin LaBoy kicked off the interaction with a question: “Truth or shot: you ever flew a girl out and she didn’t let you hit? Imma start with Ray [J].” In response, Ray J claimed: “[When] I was in my situation with my beautiful wife, I didn’t want to hit on the first night. I wanted to stretch it, just because it’s different. Six, seven months–’til they can’t take it no more.” Former American sports journalist Jason Whitlock believes Americans have the capacity to be abolitionists of fear. And that’s why he returned to the reporting world to start “Fearless”: a platform that will showcase his podcast of the same name, and eventually, a writing vertical. In an op-ed published on The Blaze, Whitlock wrote, “On the surface, Fearless will look a little different from the rest of the Blaze Media family. But our love of country will be just as strong, our appreciation for this nation’s founding documents just as sincere, and our search for liberating truths just as intense.” To bolster the Fearless announcement, the op-ed focused on the ways in which fear has embedded itself into everyday life of Americans—most notable in social media, the recent unraveling of racial climate and cancel culture. A top Australian swimmer will skip out on the Tokyo Olympics because she says she’s had enough of “misogynistic perverts” in her sport. Maddie Groves, a 26-year-old who won two silver medals at the 2016 Rio Games, had been due to compete in Australia’s Olympic trials this weekend. She announced her decision to pull out on Instagram, followed by a full-on Twitter blast: “Let this be a lesson to all misogynistic perverts in sport and their boot lickers—You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time’s UP.” Groves said in a tweet last December that she’d complained several years ago about a man in the sport who’d creeped her out by staring at her in her swimsuit. Reacting to the latest news, Swimming Australia said it had “reached out to Maddie” after that tweet but she’d refused to provide details. “Nor do we have any previous complaints on record from Maddie,” the governing body added. Activists in Minneapolis are calling for Ramona Dohman to step down as head of the U.S. Marshals Service in the state over the handling of the fatal police shooting of Winston Smith Jr., a father of three. Smith’s death has sparked several days of protests and backlash over the marshals not wearing body cameras during the encounter. As reported by The Root, “investigators said there is no video evidence available to determine what led up to the shooting. Not only were the task force members not wearing body-cams, but they aren’t allowed to wear them,” the outlet writes. https://youtu.be/SFLHQOHGhEs Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden embarked on their first foreign trips this week, in order to cultivate relationships with allies around the world. Travel was delayed for the Biden-Harris administration for obvious reasons, as the pandemic continues to affect everyday life for not just Americans, but citizens across the globe. In Africa specifically, citizens are suffering due to a shortage of around 700 million doses. Over the last week, the issue has become more pressing as the World Health Organization disseminated the dire news regarding the shortage. “It is extremely concerning and at times frustrating,” Africa CDC Director Dr. John Nkengasong told the Associated Press on Wednesday. Former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed just moved the needle to enter the city’s closely watched mayoral race after Keisha Lance Bottoms announced she would not seek reelection. On Tuesday Reed filed official paperwork to enter the field of candidates which includes City Councilman Antonio Brown, Atlanta attorney Sharon Gay, and Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore. Georgia faith leaders have not backed down in the fight for voting rights. Gathering Tuesday steps from the state capitol, faith leaders and legislators called for action. Joined by members of the Georgia Legislative Black caucus, faith leaders led those gathered Tuesday in prayer and a call to action on both the For the People Act and the John Lewis Advancement Act in Liberty Plaza, across the street from the state capitol on Tuesday. Among them, Rev. Dr. Bernice King, daughter of Coretta Scott King and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., spoke about the fight’s urgency in 2021. “My father reminds us that power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice,” King said. “And justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” King challenged the Senate to find a “win-win pathway” to passing proposed democracy reforms and undoing new voter suppression laws. There could be a new senator in Florida. And her name is Val Demings. Marco Rubio immediately lashed out at Demings in apparent fear after the Democratic Congresswoman formally announced on Wednesday that she’s coming for the Republican’s seat in the U.S. Senate next year. Demings released an expertly produced campaign video that explained why a sitting Congresswoman is running for Senate. Without mentioning Rubio’s name once, Demings clearly got under his skin by contrasting her self-described energetic passion for serving the people with what she called weariness and fatigue displayed by the Republican Senator. No longer burdened by keeping up the pretense of bipartisanship, former President Barack Obama says that some right-wing media feed off fear. In an interview Monday with Anderson Cooper, Obama discussed the topic of race and the difficulty some white Americans seem to have with reconciling their pride in America and immoral acts done in its name. He also said part of the problem is certain right-wing media outlets that fan the flames and cause confusion. MediaCo Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: MDIA), owner of HOT 97, WBLS, and Fairway Outdoor, announced today that Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay has been named Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2021. Mr. Lindsay most recently served as Executive Vice President, Urban One. He brings over twenty years of successful leadership experience across media, television, and advertising to MediaCo. As CEO, Lindsay will be responsible for setting MediaCo's overall strategic vision and expanding its radio and outdoor divisions with an emphasis on transforming the digital business. ANTHONY ONEAL AND KIERRA SHEARD-KELLY ON THE TABLE Sis said, "If you don't know how to spend or budget your money [and time], people will know how to spend both of them very well for you." You do not want to miss the "6 Ways to Secure the Bag" episode on The Table with Anthony ONeal and Kierra Sheard-Kelly! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deyjh46VFW4 Praise and Worship hit Anthem writer and GRAMMY-nominated artist Todd Dulaney returns with all-new music inspired spontaneously by the written word of God through his highly anticipated live album Anthems & Glory available where music is sold and streamed digitally on Friday, June 11th. Recorded live at All Nations Worship Assembly in Chicago, this new body of music finds Dulaney leading listeners literally back to the scriptures for hope, comfort, answers, instructions, and everything to live life according to the Bible. Anthems & Glory features a collective of 17 tracks and a stellar line-up of special guests that include Kierra Sheard, David Wilford, Todd Galberth, Smokie Norful, Tamela Mann, Apostle Matthew Stevenson and Tim Bush. Hear Todd Dulaney in His Own Words In The Gospel Spotlight...... http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/todddulaney_intvw.htm Tasha Cobbs Leonard's "In Spite Of Me" Goes #1! “Huge Thank you to My amazing husband for producing the sound of Royalty! To my label for always believing in me and working tirelessly to make things happen. To my radio team for believing in what I’ve been chosen to carry and helping me take it to the world! To ???????????? ?????????? for working so hard to keep GOSPEL MUSIC alive!!!” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard Look Up! Clearwater Music Festival is back for its fourth year this Saturday, June 12, after taking a year off in 2020. This year’s return christens Clearwater’s newly revamped Crest Lake Park. This year’s festival has a packed lineup and features special guest three-time Grammy Award-winning gospel artist and talk show host Evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole. Jor'Dan Armstrong, Gospel music's freshest voice, drops his new song today, June 11 to all digital platforms. "My God," which premiered just last month on Radio One, was immediately catapulted to Billboard's Most Added Chart. Gary Owen hit up the “Wendy Show” to promote his latest film “The House Next Door: Meet The Blacks 2,” and at one point during the conversation, he dropped a bombshell about his divorce from Kenya Duke. https://youtu.be/_RhVmBpH1z4 Fox Soul and Black Enterprise have joined forces to roll out a slate of original programming highlighting Black creatives. BlackFilm.com reports, the first original series from the new partnership is the Economic Equity and Racial Justice Town Hall, One Year After George Floyd: Has Corporate America Made Good on its Economic Equity Pledges?, which is set to premiere June 10 on the Fox Soul platform. Hosted by Manulife, panelists will include CNN Political Commentator Bakari Sellers, Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, Vice President of Talent Management at Manulife Tara John, Founder of Black Executive CMO Alliance Jerri DeVard, Infor Chairman Charles Phillips, and President & CEO Executive Leadership Council Michael C. Hyter, according to the report. Tyra Myricks, the daughter of hip-hop icon Jam Master Jay, has joined forces with the daughter of the late Biggie Smalls to bring New York-style pizza to the West Coast. Tyra appeared on Thursday’s “TMZ Live,” and revealed their secret ingredient — real NY water in their dough. The eatery is also planning to have a members-only cannabis lounge in the back, according to the report. “The more I thought about how to bring that New York theme to Los Angeles, I felt, who represents New York more than Biggie Smalls?,” Myricks told Business Insider. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-06-10-061021-tyra-myricks-1136593/ Halle Berry recently responded to a Twitter user who asked how she felt about being referenced in “damn near every rap song.” The actress retweeted the user’s post and added the caption “I love it.” As noted by Complex, everyone from Kanye West (“New Workout Plan”) to J. Cole (“Higher”) to Kendrick Lamar (“Money Trees”) have mentioned Berry in their songs. The Hollywood veteran recently shared a clip of her appearance on Hot Ones where she was asked about her favorite artist/rap song in which she is mentioned. “I think of these references, like my children, in a way,” she responded. “There’s no way I could pick one. I love all these artists. I’m always flattered when any one of them include me, and that they still remember me, or even know who I am. So, to pick one would be like picking my daughter over my son. I love them all.” Comedian Danny Rouhier, who is a co-host with Grant Paulsen on 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C., has gone viral over a video on Twitter showing his impression of Charles Barkley. His impersonation of Barkley breaking down the first half of the Nuggets-Blazers game is spot on, and the best part is the way he keeps butchering the names of players. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5HSBQqlUW0 Did Kanye West really move on from Kim Kardashian with supermodel Irina Shayk? The rapper was seen with Irina Shayk in Provence, France as he celebrated his 44th birthday yesterday (June 9th). They were spotted smiling and walking together near a luxury boutique hotel (in France) with friends. They were also alone in some moments, appearing to look like a couple, according to a TMZ report. “Kanye West is now secretly dating Irina Shayk aka Bradley Cooper’s baby mama.” The gossip site replied back and alluded that the pair aren’t officially a couple but there’s still something going on between them. The site has confirmed reports that they’re together, but it’s not clear how serious they are. Taraji P. Henson has joined the cast of “Annie Live!” as orphanage boss Miss Hannigan. “Carol Burnett, who brought Miss Hannigan to life in the classic 1982 movie, is someone I have studied and idolized as far back as I can remember,” said Henson. “So when the opportunity came to me to join NBC and this incredible group of producers, I jumped! Carol, I hope to do you proud!” Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, added: “When we decided to bring back NBC’s holiday musical tradition, we were looking for something that was critically acclaimed and universally beloved — and while that’s definitely the case with ‘Annie,’ it absolutely applies to Taraji as well.” “Watching her take on this iconic role will be a thrill that has all the makings of must-watch television.” Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) and Laugh Out Loud, the multi-platform comedy brand, today announced Kevin Hart’s comedy action series, ‘Die Hart,’ will return to The Roku Channel for a second season titled, ‘Die Harter.’ Following the series premiere on May 20, the greenlight is the first Roku Original renewal for The Roku Channel. ‘Die Hart’ had a spectacular weekend debut, with a record number of households streaming the series. https://youtu.be/UU5YWgLZK-k Keke Palmer is showcasing the range of her dynamic acting skills on the Facebook Watch series “Turnt Up with the Taylors.” Per The Hollywood Reporter, the series is “a satirical take on the reality genre about a family navigating the future of their Taylor Time reality show after daughter Chelsea “Barbie” Taylor (a character Palmer created on Instagram) decides to break free for solo fame,” the outlet writes. Palmer plays all five parts in addition to co-creating, co-writing and producing the eight-episode shortform comedy series. The actress recently opened up to THR about playing multiple roles on the show and which character is her personal favorite. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPtdLRVAO0I/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Mariah Carey reportedly parted ways with JAY-Z’s Roc Nation because she wants to work with a smaller team of managers. TMZ reports that we’re told at Roc, artists like Mariah could have 20 or more people working on her team in various departments — marketing, social media, music, merchandise, etc. — and she simply felt it was time to pare down to a more intimate team. Our sources say there was no “explosive argument” between the 2 music legends as reported by some outlets — something Mariah shot down on Twitter. The Smollett sibling duo continue to bring their keen design flavor to CLEO TV this Saturday, June 12th at 9 p.m. ET/8C on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6uFnXmv__4 Tituss Burgess has come to the defense of his “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” co-star Ellie Kemper after she caught major heat for participating in a debutante ball as a teen that was hosted by an organization with an “unquestionably racist, sexist, and elitist past.” Kemper was named the queen of the ball with ties to white supremacy. The Broadway star, 42, publicly apologized this week on Instagram after photos surfaced of her being crowned at the St. Louis’ Veiled Prophet Ball in 1999. The “Office” alum said that she didn’t know the history of the debutante ball at the time. “I was old enough to have educated myself before getting involved,” she said. “I unequivocally deplore, denounce, and reject white supremacy. At the same time, I acknowledge that because of my race and my privilege, I am the beneficiary of a system that has dispensed unequal justice and unequal rewards.” Burgess told Page Six that he has spoken to Kemper, saying “My Ellie is doing wonderful. Ellie’s great.” He reposted Kemper’s apology on his Instagram account, writing alongside it: “I love my Ellie. Oh, & P.S. Next time, just ask me, I’ll tell ya what to do.” Logan Paul has responded to the theory that Floyd Mayweather Jr. held him up after knocking him out during their exhibition fight on Sunday night. “Make no mistake, he got a lot of good punches in. I got f—ed up (with) a couple of shots,” Paul added. “I didn’t know my face could make that shape. But I never rocked, never blacked out, never got knocked out. He didn’t hold me up. He tried to take me out and he couldn’t.” https://youtu.be/aONT7atzqfw Following four years of border crackdowns, endless legal fights and racially charged rhetoric by President Trump, immigration advocates had hopes that the new Democratic administration would bring a more compassionate and open-armed approach to immigration, particularly toward asylum seekers fleeing troubled Central America. But when Vice President Kamala Harris gave a high-profile speech Monday in Guatemala, in which she told would-be immigrants from Central America “do not come” to the United States, her words instantly provoked ripples of anger and concern among immigrant rights groups and progressives. Many took to social media and the airwaves condemning Harris’ blunt rhetoric as “disappointing” and “tone-deaf.” Among the critics was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who defended the rights of asylum seekers and lambasted decades of U.S. foreign policy for “contributing to regime change and destabilization in Latin America.” https://youtu.be/rGZXW97Euxw Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is expected to preach a message of redemption at the city’s Historic Little Rock Baptist Church on Sunday. Kilpatrick, 51, said he “dropped to his knees” in January when he learned former President Donald Trump was freeing him after serving seven years of a 28-year sentence for corruption. “I dropped to my knees, I thanked God, and I promised Him that I would stay faithful to Him,” he told Deadline Detroit. “And I went to sleep.” https://youtu.be/4iw1_Ej4OC4 President Joe Biden’s son Hunter repeatedly called his white attorney the N-word in a series of texts in 2018 and 2019. The newly unearthed messages were reportedly lifted from Hunter’s abandoned laptop and first reported by Daily Mail.com. New York Post reports, in an exchange on Dec. 13, 2018, Hunter asked Chicago-based corporate attorney George Mesires, who is white, “How much money do I owe you” before adding “Becaause [sic] n—a you better not be charging me Hennessy rates” “That made me snarf my coffee,” replied Mesires. “I just made that phrase up, by the way,” Hunter responded, adding, “I should have [h]ad your lineage.” “Apparently you do,” answered Mesires, before Hunter responded: “That’s what I’m saying ni …” Chicago police are investigating after video of three women twerking atop a moving Chicago police SUV went viral over the weekend. The clip showed the squad vehicle inching through a crowd of people on the street as three women climbed onto the hood and roof. They then began twerking to the screams and delight of the crowd gathered around. The video showed one woman on her hands and knees on the hood with her rear facing the windshield while another stood on the hood directly in front of the windshield, bent over and holding onto the roof. A third woman was doing her thing while on her hands and knees on the roof. https://youtu.be/cWD3ZD35YE0 Life coach Diosa Chiqui went viral last week for the way she taught her two daughters about the lasting effects of bullying. The TikTok video begins with Chiqui holding up a sheet of paper in front of her daughters Alayn and Neelia. “Say mean things to this paper,” she tells them in the video, posted on April 15. “You’re ugly,” says one of her daughters. “You don’t have no friends,” says the other. “You’re fat!” continues the first. “That’s why your mom doesn’t love you,” and “You smell like dog food!” were other insults they chose to hurl at the paper. With each insult, Chiqui crumpled the paper a little more, until it was in a ball. She then asked them to apologize to the paper. When both girls said, “I’m sorry,” Chiqui unraveled the paper and held up the wrinkled sheet. “Is it fixed?” she asked her children. When they responded, “No,” she then told them, “This is why you don’t bully.” The video quickly amassed 2.8 million likes on TikTok. https://www.instagram.com/p/CObQrwMg2Aq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A youth pastor and Christian camp director who was accused of inappropriately touching 21 girls is suing the Amherst megachurch that hired a lawyer to investigate the allegations. Wayne S. Aarum, who runs the Circle C Ranch in Delevan, claimed in a defamation lawsuit filed this week that The Chapel and its executive pastor, John Camardo, engaged in a “sustained campaign of … false and malicious accusations” against Aarum that hurt his reputation. Aarum is seeking $3.1 million in damages. An internal investigation earlier this year by Texas attorney Kimberlee Norris found 21 women who alleged Aarum touched them inappropriately when they were teenagers or young women. The inappropriate behavior included stroking legs and touching clothed breasts and genital areas, according to a letter Norris sent to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. The parents of an 8-year-old girl who was shot and killed near the site where Rayshard Brooks had been shot several weeks earlier filed a lawsuit Monday against the city of Atlanta and others. Secoriea Turner was slain on July 4, 2020, while riding in an SUV with her mother and a friend of her mother, near the Wendy’s restaurant where Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man, was killed by a white police officer on June 12. The lawsuit filed by Charmaine Turner and Secoriey Williamson says city leaders showed negligence in failing to remove armed vigilantes who gathered at the site along with peaceful protesters, which created a dangerous situation that led to Secoriea’s death. “Secoriea should be here. None of what we’re doing will ever bring our baby back. Her life is priceless,” Turner said during a news conference Monday. “We deserve justice. Someone needs to be held accountable.” The filming of Mission: Impossible 7 has been shut down after one or more members of the production team in the United Kingdom tested positive for COVID-19. The temporary halt to filming of the latest installment of the Tom Cruise franchise comes six months after audio of the star berating the crew for not wearing masks leaked out. The Hollywood Reporter says work on the movie is stopped for 14 days while those affected go into quarantine. Tyler Perry is not bidding farewell to Madea after all. The prolific creator and producer is bringing his iconic character to Netflix. Perry is planning a 12th installment of the film franchise, A Madea Homecoming, for a 2022 debut on the streaming service. The feature will be shot at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, where the multihyphenate films most of his projects. The character of Madea was first introduced onstage in the 1999 play I Can Do Bad All by Myself. Since then, she’s been at the center of other theater productions and dozens of films, TV shows and even a book. In 2019, Perry, then 49 years of age, talked about retiring the Madea character as he premiered A Madea Family Funeral. “I don’t want to be her age playing her, so it was time to shut it down and move on. I’ve got some other things I want to do, and in this next 50, I’m going to do something different,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. Linda Martell, one of the pioneers for Black acts in country music and the first Black woman to perform solo at the Grand Ole Opry, will be honored at the 2021 CMT Music Awards. The 86-year-old will receive the CMT Equal Play Award at Wednesday night’s show. Mickey Guyton, who this year became the first solo Black woman nominated for a country Grammy Award, will present the honor to Martell, while Black artists including Darius Rucker, Rissi Palmer and Rhiannon Giddens will congratulate the legend in a video package highlighting her career. Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Nettles, last year’s CMT Equal Play Award recipient, will also honor Martell. Former #RHOP star #MoniqueSamuels is calling out Bravo for the alleged ill-treatment the network put her through. Samuels previously announced that she would not be returning to RHOP for any upcoming seasons. Her decision seemingly came after she got into a physical altercation with co-star Candiace Dillard Bassett on the most recently aired season (season 5). During a recent interview, Monique Samuels alleged that Bravo has tried to ban her from doing press following her fight with her former co-star and exit from the show. She said. WE tv’s hit series “Beyond the Pole” returns this week and we have an exclusive clip of the new episode — which finds the girls sharing their craziest stripping stories. https://youtu.be/XLCZZHgog80 The California man accused of murdering his wife and then propping up her dead body on a couch as their kids opened Christmas presents, was convicted in April of second-degree murder. On Friday, William Wallace was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the 2011 death of 26-year-old Za’Zell Preston. He was reportedly given credit for the nine years he has already served. The Mercury News reported, Wallace, 39, allegedly killed his wife during an argument on Christmas Eve 2011. Wallace had a history of violence against Preston and he threatened to kill her on multiple occasions. The victim was studying to become a domestic violence counselor at the time of her death. https://youtu.be/CIKiR_RYqwA Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has won the NBA regular-season MVP, a person with knowledge of the voting confirmed to USA TODAY Sports, marking the first time in 21 years that a definitive center won the award. “I’m not objective certainly, but he’s having an historical year,” Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly told USA TODAY Sports in late April. “I’ve never seen a more difficult player to guard. He’s the best passer in the NBA. He has an ability to step out and consistently make 3s. He’s got 15 moves in the post. You never know what he’s going to pull out.” The Nuggets touted Jokic’s credentials all season long for numerous reasons. They have considered Jokic to be the NBA’s best passing big man. Jim Fassel, whose bold guarantee of a playoff bid late in the 2000 season seemingly catapulted the New York Giants to a spot in the Super Bowl, has died. He was 71. The Giants said Tuesday that family friends informed them of his death. Son John Fassel, special teams coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, confirmed the death to the Los Angeles Times. He told the newspaper his father was taken to a Las Vegas hospital with chest pains and died while being treated Monday. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are not expected to play for Team USA in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to “their terrible seasons of injuries,” according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. The two Los Angeles Lakers superstars each missed significant time during the 2020-21 NBA season. James sat out of 20 straight games after suffering a high ankle sprain on March 20 against the Atlanta Hawks, while Davis only appeared in 36 regular-season games as he dealt with calf and Achilles injuries. Then in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs, Davis suffered a groin strain, which caused him to miss one game and knocked him out of two others, as the defending-champion Lakers were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns. GHESKIO, a leading Haitian public health nonprofit, has named Haitian-born actor Jimmy Jean-Louis as its first Ambassador. Since 1982, GHESKIO has provided health and social support services for hundreds of thousands of Haitians, all at no cost. Best known for its treatment and care for people with HIV and tuberculosis, GHESKIO’s groundbreaking research has influenced public health policies worldwide, including those of the World Health Organization and the United Nations. It started with a beat and then new inspiration. That’s what marked the return to music for Central Ohio’s own Mekka Don, the former Buckeye, turned rapper, turned entrepreneur. That beat evolved into his new single and video, out Tuesday, “Still Dope.” “When somethings in your heart, it kind of comes to you naturally, especially as a writer,” Mekka Don said. https://youtu.be/gV2OmkDV_9s In a final vote of 66-63, the Senate confirmed Julien Xavier Neals on Tuesday, securing his transition to a judicial position in the federal courts. Neals, 56, currently serves as County Counsel and Acting County Administrator for Bergen County, New Jersey, and was the first judicial nominee of President Joe Biden’s administration. With the vote passage Neals will preside on the bench of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey for the rest of his lifetime. The phrase “guilty by association” was hard to ignore after a high school principal in Colorado decided to quit weeks after a photo of several of her students re-enacting the horrific murder of George Floyd went viral last month. Mead High School Principal Rachael Ayers would not provide a reason when asked by the Boulder Daily Camera whether her resignation was prompted by the racist photo scandal. The photo, which was first posted to Snapchat, showed three unidentified students, including one person wearing Blackface lying on the ground with another individual kneeling on his neck. The photo was captioned with the words, “Bye bye seniors.” A school official in Boston has stepped down from her position on a powerful committee after text messages about “white racists” were made public more than a year after they were sent. The text messages were exchanged during a committee meeting and were made in reference to white parents of students in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. Lorna Rivera, who is a professor of women’s studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston, was a member of the Boston Schools Committee until she recently learned that the text messages she exchanged with another committee member had been leaked. The meeting in question lasted for more than nine hours and has previously prompted another committee member to step down over his own racial controversy. “Best school committee meeting ever,” Oliver-Dávila texted to Rivera. She added, “I’m trying not to cry,” because of what the Globe called “the outpouring of support” for a proposal to eliminate the requirement of standardized testing for admission to the city’s schools. That’s when Rivera replied: “Wait until the white racists start yelling at us.” Oliver-Dávila responded with, “Whatever. They’re delusional.” She later texted, “I hate WR,” referring to West Roxbury, which is among the top wealthiest neighborhoods in Boston. Rivera all but replied that she did, too. “Sick of Westie whites,” Rivera texted back. “Me too. I really feel like saying that,” Oliver-Dávila agreed. Both Rivera and Oliver-Dávila have apologized, and Rivera told the Globe she “was never seeking any political power.” Following that same meeting in which the text messages were exchanged, then-Boston Schools Committee Chairman Michael Loconto abruptly resigned after he was caught on a hot mic making fun of the way Asian names sound. As the school year comes to a close across the country, marking the end of a difficult transition period for many students who had to return to the classroom after months of distance learning, racist encounters in classrooms have continued to peak. One such instance pertains to 14-year-old twins Emzayia and Zyeshauwne Feazell, in Spokane, Washington, who say they were subjugated to humiliation after their social studies teacher required their class to clean cotton for a class project while learning about the cotton gin. Administration officials have launched an investigation into the matter which occurred at Sacajawea Middle School on May 3. “I was shocked that a teacher would bring a box of cotton into a class and tell them to pick it clean so she could teach us how slaves were back then,” Emzayia told KXLY. The girls went home that day defeated and reported their experience to their mother Brandi Feazell who sprung into action immediately. Brandi told the outlet that after she scheduled a meeting with the school’s assistant principal to discuss her concerns, her concerns only grew larger. Brandi claims the assistant principal Taylor Skidmore, suggested that the girls be “segregated” from the other students. She said she felt Skidmore downplayed her complaint and incredulously defended the actions of the teacher. Instead, Brandi withdrew her children from the school in order to preserve what sense of peace they had left. ”It’s my first role as feature film director,” said Elaine Bogan, a DreamWorks director that started at DreamWorks Animation in 2005 as a storyboard artist (Riders of Berk). The feature film Elaine is talking about is the animation Spirit Untamed – in theatres via Universal Pictures. “There were so many challenges, a massive amount of people. We were halfway through and received the message to work from home. We had to do it in our living rooms. But through separation we came together.” https://youtu.be/9jG1nnQGpdI Pharrell Williams is giving back to his home state in a major way. The award-winning artist and producer announced that he will be opening multiple private schools in Virginia, according to The Virginian Pilot. The first school, Yellowhab, is scheduled to open its doors in Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood this fall. It’s the namesake of the Virginia Beach native’s nonprofit organization YELLOW” paired with “Hab”, which is a nod to the Mars habitat in The Martian film. This location was selected after multiple families were displaced because of housing segregation and the upcoming redevelopment of three local public housing areas. The exclusive clip from the upcoming action thriller “Rogue Hostage,” starring Tyrese Gibson, John Malkovich, Michael Jai White, Christopher Backus, Luna Lauren Velez, and Holly Taylor. The film centers on single father and former Marine Kyle Snowden (Gibson) who must save his daughter and other hostages from a dangerous criminal who has trapped them inside a neighborhood store owned by Kyle’s polarizing stepfather, Congressman Sam Nelson (Malkovich). https://youtu.be/XpGwijVm4wU The 2021 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) runs June 9-20th. It kicks off with “In the Heights” as its opening movie. The TFF will close with the world premiere of an untitled Dave Chappelle-produced documentary exploring the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and the revival of the Black Lives Matter movement last summer through the lens of a small Ohio community. The Juneteenth Immersive Program that uses technology to make one think about societal issues through an entirely different lens. A stand-out piece within Immersive will be Breonna’s Garden, an AR experience created in collaboration with Ju’Niyah Palmer to honor the life of her sister, Breonna Taylor. An inaugural presentation of The Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award. The first recipient of this award will be Stacey Abrams, honored for her outstanding leadership, service, and commitment to fighting social injustice. https://youtu.be/bRD1xr-dmfQ Teyana Taylor has made history as the first Black woman to top Maxim’s Hot 100 list. On Monday, the model and singer shared a few photos from the publication’s July/August cover shoot, writing, “Somebody pinch me!!!!” The 30-year-old mother and wife to NBA star Iman Shumpert said “Stepping back in front of the lens has been a journey of self-reflection and self-confidence,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “Living up to [the] name and title of this shoot wholeheartedly made me nervous.” Taylor added, “As an entrepreneur, wife, a busy mother of two & working behind the lens in my director bag I tend to hide behind my sweats & vintage tees, My “Spike Tey” glasses, and whatever hairstyle I’ve mustered up that day,” she said. “So as you can see I don’t have much time to be and feel sexy. This particular day was dope because it made me see another side of myself.” Katt Williams is accusing fellow comedian Cedric the Entertainer of stealing his material. During a recent interview with The Morning Hustle radio show Katt Williams, 49, revealed how “crushed” he was when his joke was allegedly stolen by Cedric the Entertainer, 57, who was more known at the time, for the Kings Of Comedy tour. “When it initially happen to me it crushed me just because the comedian was already bigger and more famous than me and he took my closing joke and made it his closing joke on Kings Of Comedy.” He continued, “The reason it hit so bad was that I was in the theater. I paid my money to go see Kings Of Comedy and to see my joke being there and not me was about as disrespectful as it gets in our craft. I really took it really personally with Cedric the Entertainer at that time.” Al Roker’s eldest daughter Courtney married actor Wesley Laga on Friday, June 4 at The Ashford Estate in New Jersey. “Last night was beyond anything I could ever imagine,” Courtney captioned a few portraits of their wedding on Instagram. “I celebrated my love for my husband, and felt the love from everyone. My heart is filled with happiness and filled with joy. And I gotta say my husbands dance moves aint to shabby. Now on to the honeymoon.” Roker also shared a series of photos from the event on his Instagram feed. “A perfect magical evening being there for the marriage of my first princess @ouichefroker and @djweslaga with @debrobertsabc and #maidofhonor @cleilapatra and #groomsman @nick.roker155,” he wrote in the caption. The god of mischief is making waves with the upcoming release of Disney Plus‘ new series, “Loki!“ The six episode series, based on Thor’s brother, is not a prequel, but more of a variant of the character’s history. social media is buzzing ahead of Wednesday's premiere. Virginia Union University (VUU) will launch the Hezekiah Walker Center for Gospel Music at Virginia Union University. The academic Center is the first of its kind in the United States. It will provide education and resources to help musicians and budding gospel artists to learn the cultural and business aspects of gospel music and the industry. Courses will be available to all VUU students and a variety of certification courses related to work in the industry will also be available to the general public. Walker, a second-year student of the Virginia Union University’s Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology said, “the strong theological training I’ve received here at Virginia Union during the past two years has helped to shape my ministry.” He continued, “My goal is to give back to the school that has poured so much into me, by helping emerging gospel artists learn the business, as well as theological aspects of the gospel music industry.” Water Pollution Control Authority and Inland Wetlands Agency and Conservation Commission member Steven King Jr. is set to be sworn in tonight as the first Black to serve on the Town Council, local officials said. Democrats at tonight’s council meeting are expected to nominate King to serve out the remainder of Councilwoman Mary Justine Hockenberry’s term. Hockenberry resigned on May 3 because she hopes to open her own seamstress business next month. The full council must vote to approve his appointment. Mayor Andrew Paterna said with King on the council it's a critical step in increasing diversity in the town. Tara McKennie on Saturday was promoted to brigadier general in the Alabama Air National Guard. McKennie is both the first woman to be a general in the Alabama Air National Guard and the first Black woman to be a general officer in either component of the Alabama National Guard. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey attended the ceremony on Saturday and praised McKennie on Twitter: “Congratulations Brigadier General Tara McKennie on your promotion! You have truly made history being both the first female and first African American General Officer for the Alabama National Guard. Thank you for your service to sweet home Alabama. Flag of United States #GuardItAL@AlabamaNG.” O’Neil Rowe went viral on TikTok a little over a year ago. Now, he’s a full-time content creator. Rowe created a dance challenge that about 1 million people imitated on TikTok, a social media platform with more than 100 million monthly U.S. users where people share stories and remake each other’s dances and audio clips. As he gained followers, the 20 year old realized he could cash in on his popularity, as more brands flock to TikTok. Around the same time, Atlanta social media manager Keith Dorsey was creating a TikTok house he calls The Collab Crib where creators can live together and make video content. TikTok houses have become a trend on the West Coast, matching social media influencers with brands looking to advertise on the platform. Racial disparities plaguing the healthcare community are spilling over into the hospice and palliative care segments. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) recently updated its “Black and African-American Outreach Guide” for the first time in 14 years. It did so after finding the number of Black Medicare beneficiaries receiving hospice has been static over the past few years. In 2018, 8.2% of the 1.49 million Medicare beneficiaries who received hospice care were Black, according to a study by NHPCO. The percentage remained static in 2020, even though the number of beneficiaries receiving hospice care increased to 1.55 million. Naomi Osaka has officially withdrawn from the bett1open grass court tournament next week in Berlin, an event she had intended to compete in as a warm-up before Wimbledon. Her absence reflects uncertainty about whether she will compete at Wimbledon this month. “We have received notification Naomi Osaka cannot start in Berlin,” the tournament organisers said. “After consulting her management, she will take a break.” Osaka has returned home to the US since she withdrew from the French Open last week due to the effect on her mental health following the firestorm around her decision not to conduct media duties at the tournament. It is believed she will decide whether or not to compete at Wimbledon in the coming days. Rookie cornerback Cameron Kinley‘s request to delay his U.S. Navy commission to play in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been denied. Kinley is being required by the Navy to commission as an ensign and is not permitted to appeal the decision, which was not explained, Divine Sports and Entertainment, which represents Kinley, said in a statement. Kinley, a team captain at Navy and class president, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buccaneers and participated in the team’s rookie minicamp, with the Navy’s permission. YouTuber Logan Paul somehow survived and went the distance – that’s the entire eight rounds – with Floyd Mayweather Sunday night in a special exhibition bout at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Mayweather landed the majority of a combined 73 punches thrown. Once the larger Paul realized that Mayweather was to quick for him to land a punch, his strategy shifted to tying Mayweather up for the eight rounds. At one point, it appeared that Mayweather knocked out Paul, but kept him upright so that he could go the distance. That clip went viral. Sunday, the 24-year-old gymnast won her seventh-straight all-around title at the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas. With this seventh win, the athlete remains undefeated at the nationals since 2013. This now makes her the first American woman to win the title seven times! According to @nbcsports, Simone has won every all-around competition she has entered dating back to 2013. She was previously tied with Clara Schroth Lomady, who won her titles between 1945 and 1952. Now she is tied with Alfred Jochim, for most wins by any American. Kevin Hart is taking fans behind the scenes of the world of muscle cars, with his new series that premiered Friday, July 2 only on the MotorTrend App. The series titled “Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew,” is an automotive-themed adventure show that will follow Kevin Hart and The Plastic Cup Boyz as they experience America’s classic car culture. Learning along the way from the nation’s best car builders and attending car shows/events from local ones in small towns to the most popular ones like SEMA in Las Vegas. The group will try to upgrade, repair, or restore their cars to make them the best they can be. Today, Def Jam announced that Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., professionally known as Snoop Dogg, a global superstar, entrepreneur, and cultural icon, is joining the label as Executive Creative and Strategic Consultant, a new role that will allow him to strategically work across the label’s executive team and artist roster. With an immediate focus on A&R and creative development, Snoop Dogg is joining Def Jam as a senior strategic advisor, based in Los Angeles and reporting to Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO Sir Lucian Grainge and Def Jam interim Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Harleston. Steffanie Rivers on (CRT). Critical Race Theory (CRT) is gaining traction in diversity training classes among school districts, colleges and in corporate America. CRT is the idea that American institutions are inherently designed to maintain economic, political and social inequalities. These inequities propel and protect White people at the expense of everyone else, especially African-Americans. Some detractors are against CRT being publicly discussed, because the best way for the theory to go unchallenged is to ignore that it exists. Those who don’t want critical race theory included in course curriculums claim they don’t want people to develop White guilt. GOD forbid White people get confronted with their White privilege hypocrisies! Critical race theory doesn’t have to be proven with examples that are decades old. CRT can be proven as reality with examples from last week! Coming off of her heartfelt popular song “Don’t Take My Life,” Aya Ito is bringing “Something New.” Her latest single on SmashTown Records, was written with the anticipation of being able to travel again after more than a year of having to stay home, virtual events, rescheduling or canceling family/friend gatherings, etc. https://soundcloud.com/ayaitothealbum/something-new?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fayaitothealbum%252Fsomething-new PJ Nilaja Patterson, a 43-year-old Florida man who beat an iguana to death, now faces 5 years in prison after a judge rejected his defense of the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law — a rule adopted 16 years ago that allows a person who is under attack and reasonably fears death or great bodily harm to use deadly force, even if they could retreat to safety. However, in Patterson’s case the recipient of deadly force was an animal. It’s reported that on September 2, 2020, Patterson was arrested in Lake Worth after allegedly beating, dragging and kicking a 3-foot iguana and killing it. In his felony animal cruelty case, Patterson claimed self-defense, citing that he feared for his life when the animal attacked him. It should be noted that under state law, people are allowed to kill iguanas, an invasive species, in a quick and humane manner. However, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Gillen rejected Patterson’s “Stand Your Ground” claim after prosecutors stated he savagely beat, tormented, tortured, and killed” the 3-foot iguana in a half-hour attack caught on surveillance video. They say the iguana never “posed any real threat” and that Patterson “was not justified in his actions when he kicked this defenseless animal at least 17 times causing its death.” Now, Patterson faces up to 5 years in prison if convicted. Bishop Leonard Scott drop "Great I Am."https://spaces.hightail.com/space/WFBXD8wEWX/files/fi-587f9d3d-8eb2-4012-a071-3e576b84f69f/fv-2ed895a2-0e66-47b1-8908-df99115ea82b/Great%20I%20Am_RADIO%20EDIT%202%20(320).mp3 Buzzing recording artist Nikea Marie announces the highly anticipated release of her single "I Believe In Me" scheduled for June 18th. The Arlington VA based artist recently landed a distribution deal with IndieBlu Music Digital Distribution, apart of the Entertainment One Music Nashville. "I Believe In Me" presents the listener with a new sound that feels like a burst of fresh air. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-WIXISO4wM Ajahni Perrin has released his first single "Of Thee I Sing" which is not only a dynamic musical masterwork but is a lyrical expression of the heart of a man who desires the holistic well-being of God's people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEaxbEt5oAw A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, June 10 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, the series recounts the brutal murder of a beloved NBA player. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ytG0FzGH1o THOMAS WARREN JR current single, "Expected End," is a self-penned affirmation that explains God’s intention for his people to reach their destiny. This song is taken from his debut project, "Brand New." Warren’s debut project was released after more than 25 years in the industry. "Brand New" is both a declaration and a proclamation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuHwF5ntXo0 Gospel Artist and Instrumentalist Andrea René Williams releases her first EP, Soul Oasis: The Instrumentals. A collection of uplifting and reflective tunes, the four-song EP is currently available on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify and everywhere where music is streamed or sold online. The Gospel Spotlight's Andrea Rene' Williams In Her Own Words...http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/andrearenewilliams_intvw.htm TaMyya J releases a powerful faith-inspiring single "HEAVENLY.” This is a single from her “Love For Your Name" album written and produced by Fred “Uncle Freddie” Jerkins of DarkChild Gospel. The Love For Your Name CD has garnered TaMyya J multiple awards and chart topping positions since its release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpxLDL0x-r4 Billboard Music Award winners, Dove Award winners and 12x Stellar nominees Maverick City Music embark on their first-ever tour this fall, with eclectic shows that will feature electrifying performances with collective members Dante Bowe, Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine, Joe L. Barnes, Aaron Moses and more. CDC-suggested Covid-related protocols will be observed. Due to popular demand, new arena dates and cities have been added, with select dates set to feature GRAMMY® winner Lecrae. In the two years since releasing their debut EP, Maverick City Vol. 1, the group has already notched multiple Billboard No. 1 albums and singles, earned a pair of Dove Award nominations, racked up more than 300 million streams across platforms, and amassed more than a million subscribers on YouTube. An anti-Trump PAC said it placed a $185,000 ad buy with Fox News for its minute-long Spot that shows the Capitol Police and DC’s Metropolitan Police talking to the media and testifying before Congress about the events of Jan. 6, including how they were doused with bear spray and called “traitors.” Fox News refused to air it. But it found a new home Monday night with MSNBC’s Brian Williams, who played it during his show “The 11th Hour” … for free. https://twitter.com/i/status/1402118426307350528 Journalist Jemele Hill slammed Sen. Joe Manchin on Monday over his refusal to support the ‘For the People Act’ or ending the filibuster. NBC News writes, “At issue is the fate of the House-passed For the People Act that would remake American elections from start to finish. It would force states to offer at least 15 days of early voting, universal access to mail-in voting and same-day registration for federal races. It’d make Election Day a national holiday, too.” Sen. Manchin, D-W.Va., said Sunday that he will not vote for the bill primarily because the GOP disapproves of it. He noted the reasons for his opposition in an op-ed published over the weekend in the Charleston Gazette-Mail. As thousands of fans around the world are wishing Kanye West a happy 44th birthday, his estranged wife (Kim Kardashian) has also decided to do the same despite their pending divorce. The “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” star took to Instagram Tuesday morning to share a short but sweet message to her husband of nearly seven years. She said over a photo of her and Kanye with their kids: “Happy Birthday. Love U for life!” The numerous tributes to West speak to their amiability since Kim officially filed for divorce in February, though Page Six broke the news in early January that the marriage had dissolved beyond repair. Kim Kardashian says she feels like a “failure” after her third marriage to Kanye West turned out to not have the happily-ever-after ending she had hoped for. Kim and Kanye announced they were calling it quits in February. According to the legal docs obtained by PEOPLE, West is requesting joint legal and physical custody of their four children: daughters North, 7, and Chicago, 3, and sons Saint, 5, and Psalm, who turns 2 in May. The hip-hop star also wants spousal support for either person to be terminated. Sources tell HollywoodLife that Ye was slow to respond to the filing because he wanted to fix the marriage. https://youtu.be/0lEBV3M_dww Tiffany Haddish is reportedly being offered between $2 million and $3 million for the follow-up book to her 2017 best-seller, “The Last Black Unicorn.” In the new book, sources said there are some hilarious showbiz stories — including an alleged incident when Haddish “drank marijuana tea with Sharon Stone.” But when Stone tried to convince Haddish to join Jane Fonda’s climate protest on the steps of the Capitol at the time, Haddish told Stone that she couldn’t because “they’ll never let me out of jail.” Aja Naomi King is celebrating her post-childbirth body in a series of photos she posted on social media. The “How to Get Away with Murder” actress, 36, took to Instagram Sunday to share a backyard photoshoot. “No, this is not a pregnancy Before picture,” she wrote in the caption of herself in a two-piece body revealing outfit. Aja shared her pregnancy news in March, writing “I really can’t begin to express the fullness of our immense joy to be welcoming a baby into our family,” she wrote on Instagram at the time, referring to the unborn child as her “beautiful little rainbow baby.” https://www.instagram.com/ajanaomi_king/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a38326c3-4840-4cdd-a6e9-d2c13fe56bc5 The newest season of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Potomac” is set to air on July 11 but in the meantime, Candiace Dillard-Bassett has shared her belief that fans of the show don’t criticize fellow castmate Ashely Darby because she’s light-skinned. As reported by MadameNoire, it all started June 6 when Instagram’s @alltruetea posted a video recap of some of RHOP’s wildest arguments. IG user @1classyladydc commented underneath the post, “This reel shows how reckless Ashley’s mouth has been and still is. Yet Candiace was the villain and ganged up on by so many fans. It’s crazy how Ashley was in my opinion worse but people want to ignore that. I wonder why?????? ” Dillard replied to the comment, claiming she receives more backlash from viewers than Ashley due to colorism. She wrote, “Because she’s light-skinned. There. It was said. I said it. Now, let’s see how fast it gets around.” Tina Lawson has responded to the overanalyzing of her son-in-law JAY-Z rubbing Beyoncé’s legs courtside at basketball games. As reported by MadameNoire, the fan account @hova_bey.carter posted the initial image of Jay grabbing his wife’s legs in public. The outlet writes, “Instead of folks recognizing the pattern, taking it for what it is and moving on, a few people attempted to theorize about why he might be doing that. A few people suggested that Beyoncé has social anxiety and these leg grabs are Jay Z’s way of calming her down.” Bey’s mother Tina weighed in on that theory when she re-shared the collage of images along with the following statement: “When you love someone and like them you just want to touch them ! Me and Richard are always touching even if it’s just our feet ! Yeah!! That’s what you do !? For those of you who don’t understand , Try it sometimes it works !! Human Touch is how you stay connected!!? So comical people saying she has anxiety in public and that’s why he touches her ! Lord people !!!! Yal can turn something good and healthy into something That it’s not !!! Stop that!!!!! ?. BTW if someone has anxiety then it is great for their partner to touch them to calm and reassure them. That’s a beautiful thing . It just happens to be not the case here. ?” https://www.instagram.com/mstinalawson/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8054f507-fd4a-408a-a628-1e855ca8b22e Megan Thee Stallion has been on a brief break from social media but returned on Monday to tease the upcoming release of her new single, “Thot Sh*t,” which arrives Friday, June 11. Uproxx reports, the rapper spent the last two months on a social media hiatus, calling it a “period of regeneration.” In a tweet announcing the break, she wrote “Megan Thee Stallion is recharging! Due to the demands of the Hot Girl lifestyle has now entered a period of regeneration to prepare for what’s next. ….In her absence; mgmt will manage all social posting on behalf of Thee Hot Girl Coach. [[Thee Hotties]] lead a brave //RESISTANCE in anticipation for the return of their Fearless Captain,” the post read. https://www.instagram.com/theestallion/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2bb9696e-e4cd-47c9-967c-dd5144af681c BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) is proud to celebrate the 2021 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, honoring some of today’s legendary and rising Gospel music luminaries. The Gospel Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the 20 most-performed songs of the previous year were announced today on BMI.com and across the company’s social media platforms. “Deliver Me (This Is My Exodus),” written by Donald Lawrence and Sir the Baptist, was awarded Song of the Year. Kanye West was named Songwriter of the Year for penning three of the award-winning Gospel songs “Hands On,” “On God” and “Selah” from his highly celebrated ninth studio album "Jesus Is King." Publisher of the Year went to Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing for representing three of BMI’s 20 most-performed Gospel songs including “I Made It Out,” written and performed by Pastor John P. Kee, featuring Zacardi Cortez, “Keep The Faith,” written and performed by Charles Jenkins and “Won’t Let Go,” written and performed by Travis Greene. BMI also paid homage to the 20 Most Performed Gospel Songs of the Year (2020). This year’s talented group of songwriters includes 19 first-time Trailblazer Award winners including Zacardi Cortez, Cydel C. Young, Renee Spearman, Terrence “Pusha T” Thorton, Natalie Lauren Simms, Allison Jeffrey LaValley, and more. BET “Sunday Best” alum Latice Crawford’s new EP, THE CURE, is available now. The transparent and motivational EP is concrete proof of Latice's ability to deliver melodic and soulful messages to listeners and followers of Christ. THE CURE is available now on all major digital retail and streaming outlets. "This new music I'm releasing is all about our common symptoms (our temptations, struggles, stumbling blocks on our journey, those pills we use to maintain or fill our voids.) My hope is that my music will simply help us identify our stuff, see that we all have the same issues, and that we all use a variation of the same resources. I hope that we can judge less, and come together to see, and ultimately find our common source, the cure, Jesus Christ," Latice Crawford shares. Highlighting of the 11 panelists confirmed for the 22nd annual Los Angeles “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference via Zoom from 1-3pmPT continues with Jazz saxophonist Dr. Marion Meadows, currently promoting his latest album release “Twice as Nice” (Shanachie) featuring Grammy winning Paul Brown, keyboardists Jeff Lorber and Chris “Big Dog” Davis. Meadows will be part of the Professional Industry Panel that will be available to speak to attendees about the entertainment business during the conference’s “Q&A Session.” https://youtu.be/6RU0zBjDuVk Clarence Williams III, who’s best known for his role as “Linc Hayes” of ‘The Mod Squad,’ and roles in ‘Half Baked,’ ‘Tales From The Hood,’ ‘Purple Rain,’ and ‘I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,’ has sadly passed away at 81 of colon caner. The actor would go on to star in the aforementioned roles, plus: ’52 Pick-Up,’ ‘Reindeer Games,’ ‘Sugar Hill,’ ‘The Legend of 1900,’ and more. T.B. Joshua, an influential and controversial evangelist, has died. He was 57. The Nigerian preacher died shortly after conducting a live broadcast on Saturday, according to his official Facebook page. “God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home – as it should be by divine will,” a post on the page read. “His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God. This is what he was born for, lived for and died for.” His death reportedly came hours after speaking at a meeting for Emmanuel TV, the broadcast arm of the church he founded—Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN). A Benedict College football player has died in a crash on Interstate 77, the school confirmed. The college issued a statement Sunday saying that Marlon Black died early Sunday morning, adding that the Benedict College family was “heartbroken.” In the statement, the school said Black was a defensive tackle for the Tigers football team and wore jersey number 55. He was a sophomore transfer student from Tennessee State University and played in a scrimmage game against North Greenville. The school said he was majoring in sports management. Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner has come a long way since starring as Theo Huxtable, the likable and quick-witted kid on the long-running classic television series “The Cosby Show.” The show aired for eight consecutive seasons on NBC beginning in 1984. Following “The Cosby Show,” Warner’s career has taken some interesting pathways in Hollywood. In addition to securing an array of acting roles, he has also procured opportunities as a director, producer, musician, and poet. On the personal side, he is a relatively new father. Warner currently stars as cardiothoracic surgeon AJ Austin on the medical drama “The Resident.” The Fox series follows the lives and duties of Austin and other staff members at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital. Filmed in Atlanta, the show is now in its fourth season. https://youtu.be/6C5K4xuRK9M Gary Owen’s estranged wife Kenya Duke took to social media to blast the comedian after he uploaded a photo of himself in a t-shirt that read “bread-winner.” As reported by MadameNoire, Duke posted a lengthy response under the post, noting that she was more of the breadwinner throughout their 23 years together. She also claims Gary has not provided any emotional or financial support to their family since April. Katt Williams has shared his thoughts on audiences being too sensitive for comedy these days, and he takes issue with comedians being canceled. Speaking to Joe Budden on his June 4 podcast, Williams dished about his upcoming film, “The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2,” before the conversation turned to comedy’s relationship with the internet, TMZ reports. “Where do you stand on comics’ ability to be comics without judgment and repercussions from cancel culture?” Budden asked Williams. “Some of these things are for the benefit of everything. Nobody likes the speed limit, but it’s necessary. Nobody likes the shoulder of the road, but it’s there for a reason,” Williams said. “My point is, [people] weren’t all that extremely funny back when they could say whatever they wanted to say. At the end of the day, there’s no cancel culture. Cancellation doesn’t have its own culture.” Jazmine Bonnett, owner of Blossom Bathhouse in Sacramento, is speaking out about her violent encounter with a racist white male who vandalized her store. CBS 13 Sacramento reports that Bonnett walking to her car to pay the parking meter when she was confronted by Ross Wolfer, 55, who called her the N-word, prompting the woman to ran back to her store for safety in an effort to get away from him. https://youtu.be/srt92oeN19E Detroit police officers were injured and multiple people were arrested following a brawl outside Greektown Casino this weekend. A video posted on social media showed complete chaos as cops attempted to break up a fight involving dozens of people. Vastly outnumbered, law enforcement in the fight can be seen wrestling with several people. Some officers who were spotted handcuffing suspects in the video were still being swarmed by other people. https://youtu.be/4__NFyeAg1o A Florida man threw a 2-month-old boy in the direction of police at the end of a wild vehicle chase near Vero Beach. A deputy caught the boy, who was unharmed, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, according to NBC News. John Henry James III was in jail with no bail Saturday booked on multiple charges, including battery on an officer and child abuse, according to inmate records. One allegation, aggravated battery on a pregnant woman, means his bail has been revoked, the records indicate. https://youtu.be/i_NeQecrYjs A Texas mom was arrested for allegedly posing as her 13-year-old daughter during a nearly entire day of middle school, all in an attempt to expose the school’s lax security. Casey Garcia, 30, dressed as the teen – complete with a hoodie, backpack and facemask – and blended in with students at the unnamed school in San Elizario. Footage showed that no one appeared to notice that she wasn’t her daughter, Julie, until seventh period at the end of the school day, Garcia said in the videos, which were reported by Insider. “I’ve been here all day, face-to-face with teachers,” she said in one of the videos. “Do I look like a seventh-grader? No? Cool. Awesome.” https://youtu.be/cKoP9UieGDw Former NFL player Herschel Walker, whom former President Trump has encouraged to mount a Senate bid in Georgia, skipped the state GOP’s convention over the weekend, punting on a key opportunity to lay the groundwork for a campaign. Walker’s absence from the gathering, which was reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is likely to raise some eyebrows. He’s already said publicly that he is considering a Senate run in 2022, when Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) will be back on the ballot. And Trump has already suggested that Walker would have his endorsement should he get into the race. The Georgia Senate race, which is expected to be among the most competitive of the 2022 midterm cycle, has already drawn several candidates. This year’s Fortune 500 list was a record-breaking affair for female CEOs, with 41 woman-run companies making the cut. The annual list, which ranks America’s largest companies, also made history as two African American female CEOs made the list for the first time — Rosalind Brewer of Walgreens Boots Alliance and Thasunda Brown Duckett of TIAA. Prior to Brewer and Duckett, the only other African American woman to run a Fortune 500 company, on a permanent basis, was Ursula Burns, the former CEO of Xerox who stepped down in 2017. Burns, now the chairwoman of VEON and a member of Uber’s board of directors, became a trailblazer throughout her career as the first African American woman to run an S&P 500 company. On a patch of hard land, steps from an aging one-room schoolhouse, a white gravestone spells the name of the man who never left. Randolph C. Snead Sr., Dec 8 1939 Mar 22 2021. Decades before his death, Snead sat inside the 20-by-30-foot Cornland School learning math and other subjects. His aunt, Ethel, buried a few rows down from him in the family plot, also attended. The sturdy structure still stands on his family’s property. For years, the pre-Rosenwald school built for the education of African Americans sat vacant, but a push by Snead’s wife, local historians, community members, a city councilwoman, state delegates and congressmen has breathed new life into the building. This summer, the school will be uprooted from its historic perch, put on a truck and hauled to the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp. It will become a museum and the centerpiece of a $9 million historic center that will showcase exhibits on the underground railroad and maroon communities and an outdoor classroom. The city council unanimously voted to accept a $3 million grant last week from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources that will help build a visitor center, parking and exhibits. The city set aside $400,000 last year for the school’s relocation. At the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, two enterprising African-American women saw an opportunity to capitalize on their passion for stylish glasses and created their company from scratch. Tracey Vontelle Green and Nancey Harris of Brooklyn, New York, chose to venture into unchartered waters of the eyewear manufacturing industry during a time when most companies were shutting down. They launched Vontélle in October 2020, hoping to bring a unique style to the marketplace. Before this venture, they did extensive research to gain an understanding of what their target consumer was looking for in urban contemporary eyewear. https://youtu.be/qNLL_SDCkGg Kevon Chisholm and his 14-year old son, Kamari, are back for the second year to teach an online summer camp that helps young African Americans, ages 12-21, learn about investing in the stock market, cryptocurrency, real estate, and more. The camp, Junior WallStreeters: Empowering Youth with Financial Wellness, will teach students life-long financial education skills and discipline through 10 lessons with an emphasis on African American history and culture. Kevon, who is Executive Director of Junior Wallstreeters, Inc, comments: “In addition to topics like budgeting, banking, and investing in the stock market, our camp goes beyond others by exploring community wealth building through investment clubs. Simply put, our goal is to teach financial knowledge to eliminate the wealth gap by showing young people how to properly use money as a tool.” Black Restaurant Week started in Northeastern states last week on June 4. Pittsburgh is joining the “No Crumb Left Behind” campaign. The nationwide tour is hoping to drive attention to those Black-owned businesses impacted by the pandemic. It runs through next Sunday, June 13. https://cbsloc.al/2Rt9Mzr Gov. John Bel Edwards has created a new award to commemorate Louisiana‘s only Black governor and to acknowledge the contributions of African American leaders in the state. The Democratic governor and the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus held the first P.B.S. Pinchback breakfast Thursday and gave the P.B.S. Legacy Award to retired Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Johnson, the first Black person and second woman to hold that position. The event was created to mark the legacy of Pinchback, a Black man who briefly served as Louisiana’s governor during Reconstruction. This year is the 100th anniversary of Pinchback’s death. “The recognition of Gov. Pinchback’s importance in history is long overdue,” Edwards said in a statement calling it “an honor” to give Johnson the first P.B.S. Legacy Award. Ex-FLOTUS Michelle Obama shared her graduation photo of herself online. In a long congratulatory caption, commending the class of 2021 for their achievements during a challenging year spent indoors.?Obama eloquently opened up about her time as a graduate. She expressed that although she looked forward to the future, there were always lingering doubts. Obama spoke about education one more… expanding on her experience as a woman of color attending Princeton. Of course, as is well known, Obama did and continues to keep collecting many achievements under her belt. However, she emphasized that this road wasn’t easy, empathizing with the class of 2021. https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/3001373/times-square-new-york-city/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=be125394-7f06-485d-a086-9aa57f4eacac Portia Twidt Said She Would Rather Quit her job Than Return to the Office and 49% of Millennials and Gen Zers Say the Same: She Says Not to Let Boomers Pull a Power Play and Make You Come Into the Office for Something that is not necessary; She Was Called Into the Office for a 6-minute Meeting and She Spent More Time to Get Ready for the Meeting Than She Spent at the Office. A six-minute meeting drove Portia Twidt to quit her job. While companies from Google to Ford Motor Co. and Citigroup Inc. have promised greater flexibility, many chief executives have publicly extolled the importance of being in offices. Some have lamented the perils of remote work, saying it diminishes collaboration and company culture. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Jamie Dimon said at a recent conference that it doesn’t work “for those who want to hustle.” It’s still early to say how the post-pandemic work environment will look. Only about 28% of U.S. office workers are back at their buildings, according to an index of 10 metro areas compiled by security company Kastle Systems. Many employers are still being lenient with policies as the virus lingers, vaccinations continue to roll out and childcare situations remain erratic. Nickelodeon, owned by ViacomCBS, has cast its first openly transgender teenage actor to star in a live-action kids’ series. The 13-year-old Sasha Cohen, who was born female but now identifies as male, will appear in the June 19 episode of “Danger Force,” according to Variety. Cohen also co-wrote and directed the episode. Cohen’s appearance in the series comes less than two years after actor Michael D. Cohen — no relation — came out as transgender. Born female, Cohen transitioned to identifying as male some 20 years ago. “I had never felt comfortable about who I am, and I always thoughts that I would never play a transgender role,” said Sasha Cohen. “But there are so many kids out there who need to see someone like them — a role model who has the ability to put themselves out there.” The younger Cohen landed the gig after participating in the Trans Youth Acting Challenge, which Michael D. Cohen launched in December. Britney Spears has made no secret of the fact that she believes in the healing powers of crystals in many of her quirky Instagram posts over the past year. However, on Friday, the 39-year-old pop star really went deep into the subject as she posted a lengthy caption claiming rocks ‘have a lot of intellect we don’t know about’ while revealing that crystals have brought her comfort during ‘difficult times.’ Britney posted a snap featuring a collection of rocks that she said had been assembled by singer Hilary Duff’s children, which prompted her musings on the subject. ‘OK, so @hilaryduff’s kids did this,’ the singer began. ‘I think it’s way cool… I always collected crystals… as a small child and my parents honestly thought it was weird that I’d disappear and they’d find me looking for rocks and crystals in people’s driveways!’ Serena Williams turns 40 in September, and no one knows how many more French Open appearances she will make, as this year’s tournament ended for her on Sunday. Williams fell way behind and could not put together a comeback against a much younger and less-experienced opponent in the fourth round at Roland Garros, losing 6-3, 7-5 to Elena Rybakina — who wasn’t even born when the American made her tournament debut in 1998. DJ Nicholas drops "Earth Lord." Album drops July 10! #abnormaldecibels https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOaXBF44ia4 CELEBRATE ANTHEMS & GLORY ALBUM RELEASE WITH TODD DULANEY ON FRIDAY, JUNE 11TH AT FREEDOM HILLSIDE CHURCH IN CHICAGO http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/todddulaney_intvw.htm Vice President Kamala Harris has become the highest-ranking Black woman government official in U.S. history to make a foreign trip. Guatemala literally rolled out the red carpet as the first woman and first Black vice president of the United States touched down on Sunday for her maiden trip abroad for President Joe Biden‘s administration to address the immigration crisis at America’s southern border. The trip is part of Harris’ duties as assigned by Biden to figure out how to effectively — and humanely — handle the influx of migrants seeking citizenship following the massive failure in that arena by President Donald Trump and his administration, which separated families at the border, caged the children and deported the adults. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin doesn’t believe in progress if Republicans won’t support it. At least that’s what he says in his latest op-ed for his hometown paper. Claiming that voting in favor of the For the People Act is to support a “partisan” effort, Manchin spits in the face of voters who fought hard to protect the remnants of American Democracy. Protecting the right to vote should be a bipartisan effort, and yet here we are with one party actively working to block access to the ballot. Also, Manchin denying the concerted effort of Republicans to undermine voting rights doesn’t make it any less of a reality. Reporting from Mother Jones showed the executive director of Heritage Action, the sister organization of the Heritage Foundation, bragging about working with Republican legislators to pass anti-voting rights laws. The Hampton NAACP is holding a meeting Monday to introduce new Police Chief Mark Talbot, the city’s first ever Black police chief. The Zoom meeting starts at 7 p.m. Talbot, who’s coming from Norristown, Pennsylvania, will officially start on July 6. He was the “top choice after each round of the comprehensive interview process, which included more than 35 community leaders and staff,” said Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting. Filmmaker Ben Proudfoot, fresh from an Academy Award nomination, is heading to the Tribeca Film Festival with his latest short documentary, The Queen of Basketball, the remarkable story of Lusia “Lucy” Harris. Harris’s name may not be familiar, but Proudfoot describes her as “one of the most important American athletes of the 20th century.” She attended Delta State University in her native Mississippi, leading the women’s basketball team to three national titles from 1975-1977. And she scored the first basket in women’s Olympic basketball competition at the 1976 games in Montreal. But her greatest athletic distinction undoubtedly must be this: In 1977 Harris became the first and only woman officially drafted by the NBA, when the New Orleans Jazz selected her for their team. The road ahead of triathlete Sika Henry hadn’t been an easy one. She suffered a serious bike crash in 2019. The pandemic put races on hold. But on May 2, the 37-year-old Montclair native made history — becoming the first Black woman in the United States to achieve pro status, earning her USA Triathlon Elite license. She follows in the steps of Max Fennell of Pennsylvania, who in 2014 became the first African-American triathlete to get his pro card. African Americans make up just a tiny percentage of triathletes, according to professional associations. Of the 12,293 respondents to USA Triathlon’s 2016 membership survey, just 120 described themselves as African American. The overwhelming majority, 10,379, were white. Hopewell Township Police Officer Sara Erwin created the Facebook post that would get her fired on June 1, 2020. George Floyd was killed one week earlier in Minneapolis, prompting protests across the country. The issue of American policing was again at the forefront of the nation, and so was the Black Lives Matter movement. Erwin called Black Lives Matter protesters, “terrorists.” Her supervisor in the patrol unit, Sgt. Mandy Grey, liked the post with the “love” button the same day, and made a similar post later on June 1, in which she called Black Lives Matter a “terrorist group.” It was not until June 8 that an internal affairs investigation commenced against Grey and Erwin, spurred by an old fashioned tip: an anonymous letter sent to the police chief with a printed copy of Erwin’s post. It said the officer’s post could be a violation of departmental policies. Black families may be reluctant to send their children back to Los Angeles Unified schools, after more than a year of coronavirus-induced virtual learning, because they feel the nation’s second largest school district is plagued by systemic racism, according to a new report from an educational advocacy group. Speak UP, a parent group that advocates for improved and equitable public education, released a report Monday, June 7, about how racial bias affects Black students at LAUSD. The report took into account responses from focus groups, analyses of district data and surveys, and the results from its own survey of 500 LAUSD parents, including 96 Black parents. Nearly two-thirds of Black parents said they did not want to send their children back to school. Mega-church Pastor Rick Warren, who has led Saddleback Church for 42 years, announced Sunday he is retiring and a search is launching this week for a successor to lead the church that serves a global audience of more than 40,000 people. Warren, 67, told his congregation on Sunday, June 6, the search is not the end but the “beginning of the beginning.” He will serve as lead pastor until a successor is settled in place. “That’s always been my goal, to serve God’s Purpose in my generation,” Warren said in a video to his congregation. “God has given me the privilege to serve multiple generations.” Warren said his successor will take the lead role and he will step back into a less “visible position as founding pastor.” Russell Moore, who recently resigned as the Southern Baptist Convention’s chief ethicist, has also moved on from the nation’s largest Protestant denomination personally, attending a Tennessee church that is not affiliated with the SBC. T.J. Tims, lead pastor of Immanuel Nashville, announced Tuesday (June 1) on social media that Moore is now the church’s minister in residence. The parents of an 8-year-old Ohio boy who killed himself after being bullied repeatedly at school reached a tentative $3 million settlement that calls for anti-bullying reforms in the school district. Third-grader Gabriel Taye was a student at Carson Elementary school, where his parents claim he was subjected to repeated bullying. The relentless harassment prompted the boy to take his own life on Jan. 26, 2017. He was found dead two days after being knocked unconscious by fellow classmates, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his family against Cincinnati Public Schools in 2017, ABC News reports. Lil Durk‘s older brother, OTF DThang, was fatally shot this weekend outside a club in Chicago. Lil Durk, 28, founder of the Only the Family record label, is known for songs such as “Still Trappin’” and “Should’ve Ducked.” He has worked with hip hop artists including Future, Kevin Gates and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. Durk has lost a handful of friends and loved ones recently, including his labelmate King Von, who was shot and killed last year in Atlanta. Additionally, a producer he often collaborated with called Turn Me Up Josh died last week. Earlier it was reported that Mariah Carey split with her management team at Roc Nation after an “explosive meeting” with Jay-Z. According to The Sun, the stars had a “huge fight” about the future of Carey’s career, which reportedly led her to seek new management. However, it appears the two remain on good terms despite the rumors. Madame Carey took to Twitter on Monday to shut down claims of a fallout while sharing a video clip from her 1999 collabo with Jay-Z, “Heartbreaker.” “The only ‘explosive’ situation I’d ever ‘get into’ with Hov is a creative tangent, such as our #1 song ‘Heartbreaker’!!” tweeted Carey before referencing Jay-Z’s “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” lyric. “To the people who make up these lies I say ‘Poof! –Vamoose, sonofa*****’!” https://twitter.com/i/status/1401925854389751809 Monday marks what would have been the 63rd birthday of Prince, the performer who preferred purple and paisley and left behind decades of chart-topping, timeless musical hits before his untimely demise more than five years ago. Sadly, as the world celebrates Prince’s life, many of his fans are also likely mourning the life of Clarence Williams III, the ubiquitous character actor whose portrayal of Prince’s father in the 1984 movie, “Purple Rain.” Williams died Friday, just days before Prince’s birthday, further linking them together. The musical genius passed away on April 21, 2016, but he certainly has not left the world of pop culture. He’s had a number of posthumous awards bestowed upon him, including receiving a major honor from the University of Minnesota in 2019. The institution—which is based in his hometown—awarded him with an honorary degree for his contributions to the music industry and the city of Minneapolis. In honor of Black Music Appreciation Month and Juneteenth, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is rolling out a series of special events and digital content. “The Rock Hall brings together and gives voice to people of all backgrounds and beliefs through music year-round,” said Greg Harris, CEO & President, Rock Hall. “Find your voice with us through our June programming as we celebrate Black musical trailblazers.” Reckoning & Requiem: LaVern Baker & Cultural Appropriation: Tune into the Rock Hall’s YouTube channel on June 17 at 7 p.m. EST. Juneteenth Celebrations: Saturday, June 19 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Rock Hall plaza. t’s Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope & Empowerment”: Music can create change, inspire, and sustain revolutions and movements. The Rock Hall’s inspiring exhibit shares the stories behind songs and artists that were at the center of movements and Black liberation, including What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye, Fight The Power by Public Enemy, to Freedom by Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have done it again. They are now parents to a new baby. This time it’s a girl to be a sister to baby Archie. “It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world,” read a statement from the couple Sunday. “Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA.” The baby girl weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces, and is named after Queen Elizabeth II and the late Princess Diana, according to a press secretary for the Meghan and Harry. https://youtu.be/JFMmREAoRLo One of the teens involved in a high-profile carjacking that claimed the life of a Washington, D.C. food delivery driver received sentencing on Friday and will be committed to the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services until she turns 21, FOX 5 DC reports. A judge handed down the punishment after the girl, who recently turned 16, pleaded guilty to felony murder. A 13-year-old who assisted the girl during the March incident plead guilty to second-degree murder on Thursday and will face sentencing in July. She could also face the same maximum sentence as her counterpart. Prosecutors from the D.C. attorney general’s office worked to drop other charges associated with the case in return for a plea deal. The man responsible for Monday’s attack on an Asian American woman has been charged for his crime. The suspect identified as Alexander Wright has been arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime and other counts, CBS New York reports. Investigators say Wright was found with what looks like the drug K2 when they detained him. They also believe the 48-year-old, who has been arrested 17 times — eight this year — lives in a homeless shelter. Facebook broke the head-scratching news on Friday that it will suspend Donald Trump‘s accounts until early 2023, citing that it was punishment for his insistence in stoking the fires that led to a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol earlier this year. The timeline is in response to the platform’s Oversight Board announcing t it would determine a specific amount of time for Trump’s ban. In response to the Facebook news, Trump released two absurd statements on Friday. “Facebook’s ruling is an insult to the record-setting 75m people, plus many others, who voted for us,” he said in a statement issued from his Save America political action committee, “They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing, and ultimately, we will win. Our country can’t take this abuse anymore!” The latter declared he will not invite Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to any friend-oriented White House dinners, confirming he believes the White House is within his grasp for a second time. A Black Republican and former U.S. Congressman who is among the QAnon conspiracy theorists who believe Donald Trump was the victim of election fraud is set to leave his post of leading the GOP in Texas to reportedly consider a run for governor next year. Allen West, who represented Florida in Congress for one term and unsuccessfully tried to get the first Black president impeached, will be stepping down as chairman of the Texas Republican Party on Friday, less than a year after assuming the position. He said it was his “distinct honor to serve as Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.” F. Lee Bailey the high-profile celebrity lawyer who died Thursday at the age of 87 was part of the Dream Team of lawyers defending O.J. Simpson against murder charges for allegedly killing his estranged wife and her lover in Southern California 27 years ago in what was at the time billed as “The Trial of the Century.” Simpson offered condolences upon hearing news of Bailey’s death. https://twitter.com/i/status/1400524646068326402 The hits keep on coming for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As UNC continues to process the national blowback for denying tenure to award-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Black professor and highly sought chemist declined a position with the university. Citing the Board of Trustees’ treatment of Hannah-Jones, professor Lisa Jones removed her name from consideration. Inside Higher Ed reported Jones found the decision to defer tenure for Hannah Jones “disheartening.” She also took aim at the UNC’s alleged commitment to diversity. “It does not seem in line with a school that says it is interested in diversity,” wrote Jones. “Although I know this decision may not reflect the view of the school’s faculty, I will say that I cannot see myself accepting a position at a university where this decision stands. Reports show the chemistry department tried to lure Jones away from her current position as associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. The chemistry faculty alerted the UNC chancellor to the negative impact on faculty recruitment. From films and television shows to initiatives that sit at the intersection of the arts and social justice, filmmaker Ava DuVernay has been dedicated to amplifying the voices and stories of marginalized communities and she is taking her efforts further. According to Deadline, DuVernay has joined forces with Google for the creation of a grant centered on empowering underrepresented creatives. The $500,000 fund—dubbed the Array + Google Feature Film Grant—will financially support recipients as they embark on a journey of creating a full-length feature project. The initiative was cultivated as part of a larger effort by DuVernay’s Array imprint to drive inclusivity within the arts and entertainment space forward. In this social media age, we’re more likely to hear the typical rumors and/ or “he say, she say” narratives more often than not. Yet, these most recent allegations about Martin Lawrence from actor/comedian Chris Williams were much more on the believable side of things. Williams, the younger brother of actress Vanessa Williams took social media on a whirlwind of a journey as he expressed great regret and disappointment with his first guest star role on the show Martin. His detailed Instagram post, including video of a specific scene, quickly turned into viral reposts on Twitter after his vivid accounts of the disrespect and unprofessionalism on set from Lawrence, caught the public’s attention. https://www.instagram.com/p/CLYPBIfJ1j9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Twenty-year-old breakout Christian artist Cade Thompson drew inspiration for his new single “New Normal” from his experiencing fear when a potential active shooter was at his high school in 2018 in his senior. Undoubtedly, panic rippled through the hearts of all the students, especially Cade, who could not reach his parents to alert them of the threat. Thankfully, the situation proved to be a false alarm, and he was able to go home safely, yet, the event triggered Cade’s deep-seated anxiety. https://youtu.be/o_nC3pUNFv0 Embracing the NFT World with not one but Fifteen unique collectible NFT’s for auction providing comedic content crafted directly from the acclaimed diabolical dark comedy “Stealing Chaplin” featuring Mr. Las Vegas Himself Wayne Newton. Very much poised to launch as a bidding frenzy in the vein of the “Charlie Bit My Finger” today as these fifteen NFT’s pulled directly from this new independent gem go live. The groundbreaking “Stealing Chaplin” NFT auction offering fifteen NFT’s crafted from this comedy hit is unheard of in the film world and will be the first of its kind to cross into the astronomically successful financial NFT space. https://youtu.be/d8RgXf8b4zg Home to the largest Confederate memorial in the country, the state of Georgia took another leap in whitewashing history. The majority-white Georgia Board of Education passed a resolution declaring slavery and racism are inconsistent with America. Calling an emergency meeting, the state board of education met Thursday to weigh in on critical race theory. A manufactured crisis of conservative origin, K-12 public school students are not learning critical race theory. YouTube comments during the meeting questioned the validity of the so-called emergency. The resolution adopted similar language as proposals in Republican-controlled legislatures across the country. The late legendary musician Muddy Waters played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of blues music and efforts to preserve an integral piece of his story are moving forward. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, his former residence has been given preliminary landmark status. The historic home—which is nestled in the heart of South Side’s North Kenwood community—was constructed in 1891. Waters, whose real name is McKinley Morganfield, moved from Mississippi to Chicago during the Great Migration and began to lay the foundation for his storied career. Morganfield went from playing music at house parties to becoming a fixture in the Chicago club scene. The release of songs like “I Feel Like Going Home” catapulted him to success and in the 50s and 60s he solidified himself as a power player in the music industry. He moved into the home located at 4339 S. Lake Park Ave. in 1954 and resided there with his family for 19 years. The residence served as a backdrop for significant parts of his journey. It was in this home where he raised generations of his family. The house was also a gathering place for other influential musicians including Chuck Berry and Otis Spann. Serena Williams has quietly been inching closer to making tennis history amid all the drama surrounding Naomi Osaka‘s withdrawal from the French Open. While much of the discussion surrounding the French Open has been about players’ mental health and the mandatory media duties that have played a role in the former for Osaka – and rightfully so — one aspect that has seemingly been overlooked is that winning the tournament would give Williams an equal number of the record 24 Grand Slam victories that’s been held for decades. Music icon Jody Watley, one of the architects of 21st century pop stopped by The Tamron Hall Show to talk about her iconic looks everyone has come to know and love, her expanding signature home line, complete with candles and fragrances, “The Jody Watley Experience” display coming to the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville and more! https://youtu.be/fL7Za5waqls Amid backlash from the Courtney Stodden bullying controversy, it’s reported that Chrissy Teigen, 35, has exited Mindy Kaling‘s Netflix show “Never Have I Ever,” a comedy following a first-generation Indian American teen, Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). In the show, Teigen was set to voice a role in one episode on the series’ second season. Reports emphasize that Teigen did not get fired, but peacefully dropped out of her planned voice role. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com On the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Tom Hanks is encouraging people to educate themselves on the dark event that he says is commonly ignored and “too often left out” of American history. The Oklahoma Historical Society refers to it as “the single worst incident of racial violence in American history.” Hanks, who considers himself a “lay historian” through his education, personal research and work in “historically based entertainment,” said he “never read a page of any school history book” on the massacre. That changed nearly a century later when the prolific actor came across a 2020 New York Times article following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. “My experience was common: History was mostly written by white people about white people like me, while the history of Black people — including the horrors of Tulsa — was too often left out,” Hanks, 64, wrote in a guest essay for the Times Friday. “Until relatively recently, the entertainment industry, which helps shape what is history and what is forgotten, did the same. That includes projects of mine.” A New York City gallery that was founded to pay tribute to the 1921 Oklahoma race massacre was vandalized multiple times this week — including on May 31, the deadly event’s 100-year anniversary. At a press conference on Thursday, the owner of the Black Wall Street Gallery said its logo was smeared with white paint, which was discovered by a security guard on Monday morning. The next day, graffiti was discovered on a window. “We are neither shocked nor surprised that merely three days after opening on 26 Mercer Street, in celebration of our ancestors, that we would find a literal whitewashing of Black Wall Street on our front window,” owner and director Ricco Wright said on Thursday. In a Facebook post, the gallery said the New York Police Department initially claimed that the incident did not constitute hate speech despite the fact that this occurred on the centennial anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The upcoming annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention promises to be a reckoning for the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Data released in May shows it has lost 2.3 million members since 2006. Despite efforts to beef up evangelism, a drop in membership of 2% in 2018-2019 represents the largest single-year decline in more than a century. This year’s meeting, the first in the post-Trump era, will also be the first since some headline-making departures from the denomination. Last month, its chief ethicist, Russell Moore, resigned. In March, bestselling author and speaker Beth Moore made waves by denouncing her membership and cutting her ties with the SBC’s publishing arm, Lifeway Christian Resources. The Rev. Dwight McKissic, a prominent Texas pastor, seems to be standing on the threshold. In her March 5 interview with Religion News Service, Beth Moore was blunt: “I am still a Baptist, but I can no longer identify with Southern Baptists.” Moore is no liberal renegade. She has described herself as “pro-life from conception to grave.” And she has operated within the SBC’s restrictions on women serving in the role of pastors, despite being one of its most sought-after speakers. One night in 1858, Carter Dowling, an enslaved Black man forced to work without pay at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Northern Virginia, made the brave decision to escape. He made it to Philadelphia, where he met the famed abolitionist William Still. He then continued north to Canada and, after the Civil War, returned to Washington, D.C., where he was able to open a bank account for his children. He eventually went on to work as a labor organizer in Buffalo. To this day, Mr. Dowling’s family line continues. And, most likely for one of the first times in American history, his descendants could receive cash payments for his forced labor. In February, the Virginia Theological Seminary began handing out cash payments to the descendants of Black Americans who were forced to work there during the time of slavery and Jim Crow. The program is among the first of its kind. Though other institutions have created atonement programs, such as scholarships and housing vouchers for Black people, few, if any, have provided cash. A Milwaukee woman accused of killing a man who allegedly sexually assaulted her and other underage girls is entitled to an appeal using a certain type of defense strategy, a Wisconsin court ruled this week. Chrystul Kizer, who was 17 when prosecutors say she killed Randall Volar III and set fire to his home in 2018, may be able to employ a state law adopted in 2008 and known as “affirmative defense,” which means what she is accused of doing was a “direct result” of being a human trafficking victim. Kizer was charged with five felonies, including first-degree intentional homicide. She was underage when she said Volar, 34, sexually assaulted her. Kizer, now 20, came forward publicly in a 2019 Washington Post interview from jail and said she acted in self-defense. “I didn’t intentionally try to do this,” she said. Kizer is awaiting trial following her release from the Kenosha County Jail last June after the case drew interest from community groups and celebrities, and supporters helped raise her $400,000 bail, which was lowered from $1 million. Her situation also drew comparisons to that of Cyntoia Brown, who was convicted as a teenager of murdering a man she said had hired her for sex and was released from prison in 2019 after then-Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam commuted her life sentence. A Worcester Police officer and a 14-year-old boy drowned in Green Hill Pond on Friday afternoon. The police officer, 38-year-old Enmanuel “Manny” Familia, was attempting to save the boy. Police responded to the pond after 911 callers reported three children struggling in the water. Five officers immediately jumped into the pond. “Two kids were in the water trying to hold onto each other in the water when I got here, screaming that they couldn’t swim and that there was somebody else under,” witness Sheryl Lamonda told WBZ. One officer came out of the water with two kids he had rescued. They were transported to the hospital. Lamonda said another officer was in the water and people on shore were directing him to where the missing boy was. “He just went right under,” Lamonda said. A dive team pulled Officer Familia from the pond and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The search continued for the missing teen for hours until a dive team finally recovered his body. He has not been identified. When she suited up in cap and gown to accept her diploma from Calvin University last month, Claire Murashima felt proud of her bachelor’s degree in marketing management. But to Murashima and to many of her fellow graduates, her more singular and unexpected achievement was having navigated her senior year while serving as the first openly gay student body president in the history of the landmark Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The raven-haired 22-year-old, who grew up attending evangelical churches in California and North Carolina and identifies as queer or bisexual, filled her post at the 145-year-old school by taking principled stands about her sexual orientation, while maintaining — or at least seeking — the respect of her mostly straight peers and elders. Tampa State Rep. Fentrice Driskell is making history as the first Black woman elected to lead the Florida House Democrats. She will take the reins in the 2024-2026 term. Driskell won Tampa’s District 63 in 2018 by about 5,000 votes. And her current term expires in 2022, which means she’d need to win reelection in the swing district to become leader. But at 42, the Winter Haven-born lawyer is a rising star in state politics. She said becoming leader-designate is an honor and shows the world is paying more attention to Black women and the role they play in politics. Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti had been searching for a way to properly salute Ozzie Newsome since he stepped down as the team’s general manager three years ago. Bisciotti came up with an idea that not only impacts the lives of Baltimore students but also touches on Newsome’s childhood. Bisciotti told ESPN that he and his wife are making a $4 million gift in Newsome’s name to Maryland’s historically Black colleges and universities. The Ozzie Newsome Scholars Program will fund scholarships for Baltimore City Public Schools graduates who attend an HBCU in Maryland. “It gives me this great feeling for the next 30 years that I’m going to be running into accomplished people all over Baltimore and Maryland and they’re going to introduce themselves as Ozzie Newsome Scholars,’ Bisciotti told ESPN. “It’s like I’m planting a seed that will flourish.” The Senior Bowl and the NFL will hold a pre-draft combine for top prospects from historically Black colleges and universities next January. The inaugural HBCU combine, scheduled for Jan. 28-29 in 2022, will be similar to the NFL combine with interviews and on-field and medical evaluations. It will be held at the University of South Alabama and feature select players from four HBCU conferences — the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference — and other HBCU institutions. The first scheduled HBCU combine was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott‘s Rottweiler dog has been acting up again; someone new is claiming the animal violently attacked them. In a new lawsuit Brandon Williams an employee of Bliss Pet Resort says Elliott’s Rottweiler viciously bit him on March 25, 2021. Williams says he was working for the pet resort in Prosper, Texas when he encountered the three dogs Elliott had boarded. Williams says he was taking the Rottweiler and two pit bulls out because nature was calling for them when out of nowhere, Elliott’s Rottweiler attacked. Williams says the dog seized his right arm, clamped down, and threw him to the ground. Williams claims the bite was so ferocious, he needed stitches and was “seriously injured.” Williams is now suing Elliott and Bliss Pet Resort … seeking more than $250,000, but less than $1 million. In response to the lawsuit, Elliott’s attorney,Frank Salzano, sent this statement to TMZ Sports: “Mr. Elliott and his representatives were very surprised to learn of Mr. Williams’ complaint, particularly given that Bliss Pet Spa indicated at the time of the incident that this was not uncommon and was being handled under standard spa protocol. Mr. Elliott will address this matter accordingly.” Actor, writer, producer, director and executive Issa Rae can now add superhero to her resume. The “Insecure” star and industry multi-hyphenate has joined the cast of the sequel to 2018’s Oscar-winning animated feature “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” as Jessica Drew, better known as Spider-Woman. Rae joins returning voice actors Shameik Moore (as main hero Miles Morales) and Hailee Steinfeld (as Gwen Stacy, a.k.a. Spider-Gwen). In April, Variety reported exclusively that Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson will be directing the feature, with producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller also credited as writers on the screenplay, along with David Callaham. Premier Productions reveals the worship event of the summer as Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe and Bethel Music featuring Brian and Jenn Johnson and Jonathan and Melissa Helser and more share the stage on tour for the first time ever in summer 2021. Dante Bowe and Brandon Lake of Bethel Music will join the tour for select dates, as well as Josh Baldwin, David Funk and Emmy Rose of Bethel Music. https://youtu.be/zMCPn_HZq30 Us Again,” Disney’s newest animated short, is a seven-minute movie with no dialogue but tons of meaning. The story of an aged couple finding their youth again is told through music, dance and animation! “Us Again,” Disney’s newest animated short, is a seven-minute movie with no dialogue but tons of meaning. The story of an aged couple finding their youth again is told through music, dance and animation! The main characters, an African-American woman named Dot and her Japanese-American husband, Art, share a love that transcends time. Composer Pinar Toprak shared how she hoped her score communicated that. Vanessa Bryant’s eldest daughter just hit a major academic milestone! On Friday, Vanessa shared photos and videos from her 18-year-old daughter Natalia Bryant‘s high school graduation, writing on Instagram that her family is “so proud” of the teen. “Yay! Congratulations Natalia!!!! ” Vanessa, 39, captioned a photo of her daughter in her graduation robe and cap. In another post, Vanessa showed a close-up of Natalia’s graduation cap, which had been decorated with in the colors of the University of Southern California, where Natalia is headed in the fall. It’s an effort to expand access to coronavirus vaccines: provide shots at the barbershop. As part of a White House initiative, the National Association of County and City Health Officials is planning to help train Black-owned barbershops and hair salons to provide accurate vaccination information and even provide vaccines where possible, Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of NACCHO, told CNN on Wednesday. The Biden administration said Wednesday it is teaming up with several organizations — the Black Coalition Against COVID, the University of Maryland Center for Health Equity and the SheaMoisture company — to launch an initiative called “Shots at the Shop” to engage Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons nationwide in efforts to promote vaccine education and outreach on a local level. The White House said throughout the month of June, each participating shop will help share information about vaccines with customers, display educational materials, and some will even host on-site vaccination events in partnership with local providers. Vanessa Bryant took to social media this week to call out Nike for producing a sneaker that she designed for her late daughter Gianna without her consent. In an Instagram statement posted on Thursday Vanessa said she “worked hard” on the black-and-white “MAMBACITA” sneakers, which, as reported by PEOPLE, are an exclusive colorway of Kobe’s iconic design. “It was going to be called the MAMBACITA shoe as an exclusive black and white colorway on her daddy’s shoes,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday. “I picked the colors in honor of her uniform, the inside pattern, Kobe and Gigi on the back in gold instead of Kobe’s signature, the inside shoe details (butterfly, wings, halo), etc.” “The MAMBACITA shoes are NOT approved for sale,” Vanessa continued, noting that Nike has not sent her any pairs of the shoes. Christopher Walker’s defense attorney made the announcement Thursday after the family requested that they speak with the family of Pop Smoke. Attorney Christopher Darden added that Pop Smoke’s family may not be ready to meet with Walker’s family due to the sensitive nature involving both of their sons. “The Walker family has asked me to contact the victim’s family so that they might speak privately. I hope to reach out to the family soon. They might need time. I will also understand if the family is not inclined to have that conversation. Everything we have done and said has been done and said while keeping in mind the great respect we have for the victim and the victim’s family.” Darden told the New York Daily News. The slain rapper’s mother, Audrey Jackson, said in response that she doesn’t have time to make a decision due to her career obligations as a teacher as the school year is coming to a close “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Phaedra Parks revealed on Instagram that her car was broken into — allegedly by “2 guys” who stole multiple items from inside the vehicle! While sharing a photo of herself posing beside the damaged car on Wednesday, she asked that her followers message her if they “have any info” on the situation. Before that she explained, “Tonight at exactly 7:02 pm during daylight, someone (2 guys) broke into my car on Miami Circle exactly 11 minutes after I got out to drop off an item,” she captioned her post. The 47-year-old revealed that among the items that were stolen was a gift from RHOA star Porsha Williams. “They jumped through the passenger window and broke my glove compartment, which was empty, and he took the gold glitter backpack @porsha4real gave to me for my birthday, which had my Canon camera in it with my sons’ recent graduation pictures on the memory card,” she continued. “You can’t see in my car. I have 360 limo tint, the items they took are sentimental to me,” she added. A little over a year has passed since the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in a Georgia town shocked the nation, and rocked his loved ones to their core. But even in the midst of grappling with the tragedy and fighting to secure justice, Arbery’s big sister, Jasmine Arbery, managed to secure a victory for them both. In May the mother of one celebrated reaching her second collegiate milestone after earning her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Albany State University. Jasmine, who previously completed her bachelor’s degree at ASU, was ranked at the top of the psychology department. With a series of photos posted to Instagram, Jasmine shared how arduous the journey to her second degree had truly been. She is a mother of five and a grandmother of four, but people can’t believe it when they see Ellen Ector these days, especially if she’s in a bikini at age 68! Those who have known Ector for more than 12 years remember her as an overweight social worker. Ector agrees. “I had five children, and I was overweight,” she admits. “I took a pic of myself and I looked horrible. I had all gut and butt. “But after five children, what do you expect.” Ector did what others didn’t expect; she changed her eating habits, started to exercise, and watched the weight begin to come off. She said she started feeling more energetic, as well. Ector ultimately left her job as a social worker and pursued serious fitness training in 2009, reports Black Doctor.org. After her eye-popping transformation, Ector wanted to pass her exercise and eating regimen to other women, especially African Americans. What followed was a new career for Ector and Lana, her daughter and business partner. The two now have a series of DVDs for women called “Black Girls Workout Too!” “The DVDs,” said Ector, “is for all women who want to lose weight. After the emergence of Alex Haley’s Roots, many Black families dug deep in search of their own lost family trees. Author Jean Perry’s family was no different, and she was all ears to the stories that were unearthed. By sitting and listening to the stories told by her elders, Perry was able to craft a retelling of her grandfather’s history as an enslaved person who ended up serving as a valet to the plantation owner’s son. “Mozay of Pepperwick” is a quick but fulfilling read, appropriate for middle school students but easily enjoyed by readers of all ages. It is not only a homage to Perry’s family history, but also contains many historically accurate accounts as well as characters who existed in real life. “My grandfather, Mose Perry, was a slave in South Carolina, and was assigned as a valet and companion to the plantation owner’s son. Because he was in that position, he was given seven years of education. During lessons, my grandfather often knew the answer when the planter’s son didn’t, but he was not allowed to raise his hand. Once I heard that story, my imagination just took off,” Perry relates. Readers will be interested to note that Perry originally created many of the African parables found within the story, which serve as metaphoric and sometimes metaphysical plot points throughout Mozay’s journey. Her original pieces add an additional layer of authenticity to her historical fiction, but her writing remains approachable, making it a classic read that is an easy first pick for instructors looking for books on the topic. The 6th Annual Black Music Honors will be televised in national broadcast syndication in key markets such as New York on June 5, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET on WPIX and in Baltimore on June 6, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET on WBFF this weekend. This year’s presentation kicks off Black Music Month and commemorates Juneteenth and airs Saturday, June 19 at 1:00 PM ET on Bounce TV. The honorees for this year’s Black Music Honors includes multiple Grammy® Award-nominated R&B legend Angie Stone, Ginuwine, Marvin Sapp and Ramsey Lewis. The National Museum of African American Music will be honored with the Legacy Award.Performers include Cece Winans, Montell Jordan, Jacquees, After 7, Syleena Johnson, Pleasure P, Stokley, Avery Sunshine, J. Moss, Q Parker, Bahamadia, Chrisette Michele, Jac Ross, Mumu Fresh, Kevin Ross, Theresa Tha Songbird, and Zacardi Cortez. Each June, music fans around the world come together to celebrate the indelible influence that Black musicians have made on culture with Black Music Month. To mark the month, Amazon Music has worked to put together a brand-new slate of content that honors the legacy of the Black artists whose music soundtracks our lives and defines our culture. Today, a new performance from two-time GRAMMY-nominee Koryn Hawthorne, "Falling in Love with Jesus," an Amazon Original song with Koryn's soulful take on the Jonathan Butler classic, has kicked off Amazon Music's new series of releases that honors Black Music Month. The song is available now on their Gospel Now playlist. Koryn Hawthorne-"Falling in Love with Jesus" http://amzn.to/KorynHawthorne In celebration of Juneteenth, the team at Apple Music put together a collection of songs that honor the experiences of Black people of the past, the present and the future. The major outlet tapped the Gospel GOAT Kirk Franklin to release "Overcome 2021”. https://music.apple.com/fj/album/overcome-2021/1567241777 The Smollett sibling duo continue to bring their keen design flavor to CLEO TV this Saturday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJIUftwFZR4 JOIN CHEF SUNNY ANDERSON AS SHE SHARES GERMAN-INSPIRED DISHES ON COOKING FOR REAL WITH SUNNY ANDERSON, AIRING MONDAYS AT 9 P.M. ET/8C Stellar Award winning and Grammy nominated siblings, The Walls Group, are this generation’s most culturally relevant gospel crew. Members Darrel, Rhea, Alic and Ahjah have been making a major impact in the music industry for over a decade and are still discovering new and bold ways to use their voice. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i6lc9gj58cxa0xd/AACBYK4zVaFdPR3O5QLF2IGBa?dl=0 Black Writers Weekend’s hybrid experience will stream online and take place in the Sweet Auburn District in Atlanta, GA from Thursday, June 10th to Sunday, June 13th, 2021. The festival which is powered by AAMBC Inc has amplified black creative voices for over 13 years through literacy programs and events furthermore contributing to the elevation of Black excellence. BET “Sunday Best” alum Latice Crawford’s new EP, THE CURE, is available now. The transparent and motivational EP is concrete proof of Latice's ability to deliver melodic and soulful messages to listeners and followers of Christ. THE CURE is available now on all major digital retail and streaming outlets. Something Something from Latice Crawford... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW6YvZz5_xQ The Black College Expo and the Los Angeles Urban League will award over $100,000.00 to high school students during the “2021 Black High School Graduation: Rites of Passage” Virtual Ceremony on Friday, June 4, 2021, at 4 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST). The celebration will showcase academic achievers and obstacle-overcomers who are “stars” of the Black community. Students, nationwide, will share their high school achievements and receive financial awards during this virtual ceremony. Yo-Yo, Uzo Aduba, Kel Mitchell, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Marcus Scribner and Shaun Robinson will join a stellar list of celebrities who’ll be empowering and inspiring Black High School students during their one-of- a-kind Rites Of Passage celebration. Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Monica joined SiriusXM Urban View’s “The Mike Muse Show” to discuss her new series “Infamy; When Fame Turns Deadly” which premieres June 7 on VH1. During the interview the star spoke with host Mike Muse about living in a hotel room for ten months after her divorce, and realizing the importance of “space and solace” for her and her kids once the pandemic hit. https://youtu.be/quhRE-lV9Qg The court accepts the existence of God every time a witness swears to tell the truth,” says Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) in defense of Arne Johnson (Ruairi O’Connor) in “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” Warren went on to say, “I think it’s about time [the court] accepts the existence of the devil.” Hell yeah! I believe. And why I scurried out of the dark theater after “The Conjuring” not knowing what or who could be lurking in the dark. Although it was a private screening, the few of us who attended were inside a huge multi-plex where any demon could have slipped past security. https://youtu.be/tLFnRAzcaEc Former Destiny’s Child member LeToya Luckett has joined the cast of Lee Daniels’ upcoming Fox drama “Our Kind of People.” The singer is set to star opposite “Chicago Med” alum Yaya DaCosta and Morris Chestnut. Actress, director, producer, and acting coach, Tasha Smith has been tapped to direct the pilot and second episode of the upcoming FOX drama, which is inspired by the book by Laurence Otis Graham. It appears as though Cuba Gooding Jr. decided to ignore a civil lawsuit against him–and lost as a result! Back in late 2019, bartender Natasha Ashworth sued the actor for allegedly attempting to grope her repeatedly while working at TAO Downtown Nightclub in Manhattan. However, Cuba Gooding Jr. never went about hiring a civil defense attorney or filing any court paperwork. Due to his failure to respond, Natasha Ashworth requested a default judgement back in January 2021. For context, a default judgement is when the court decides on a ruling without the non-cooperating party’s input. On Wednesday (June 2nd), Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Alexander Tisch granted Natasha Ashworth‘s default judgement request for her assault and battery accusation. Resultingly, a civil trial to determine what Ashworth should be awarded for her ordeals with Cuba Gooding Jr. is the next step. In response to the default judgement, Cuba Gooding Jr.‘s criminal defense attorney–who was not working this civil case–commented … “The claim is baseless and the judgment is worthless.” A 1990 interview between Whitney Houston and Byron Allen has resurfaced, during which the late singer revealed that Hollywood legend Robert De Niro once tried to shoot his shot. De’Niro has long had a thing for Black women. He is also a father of six children from three different women, all of them are Black women. https://youtu.be/hmL9O5Lz6a0 An earlier report noted that Michael B. Jordan will make his directorial debut with “Creed III” for MGM. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan will reprise his role as Adonis “Donnie” Johnson Creed and also produce the film. He shared the exciting news on his Instagram Stories, writing “Excited is an understatement!” So who will be Adonis Creed’s opponent in the ring? According to Deadline, it could be actor Jonathan Majors. https://youtu.be/LAnn29j8F1w Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish will produce and star in a game 1 biopic about 3x Olympic Gold-winning track and field athlete Florence Griffith Joyner (“Flo-Jo”), which was one of the actress’ heroes growing up. Haddish will play Flo-Jo, in a feature that tells the story of the Olympian’s remarkable life and untimely death, showcasing her historic feats, but also her enduring impact on the entire world of sports and in the communities that needed her help and inspiration the most. Therese Andrews, EVP of Production at game1, is spearheading the entire project. For King & Country, the Grammy-winning band led by Australian brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, and Monarch Media are teaming for two movies projects. The feature documentary Return to Sydney: The For King & Country Journey will chronicle the Australian brothers and their sister, singer-songwriter Rebecca St. James, returning home after conquering the music world and earning a dozen honors, including Grammys and Billboard Music Awards. Minneapolis supporters of George Floyd were outraged, shocked, and concerned Thursday after city crews enacted orders to remove large portions of the memorial commemorating Floyd in order to reopen street traffic. The decision to move barricades at the corner of 38th and Chicago occurs one week after Floyd’s death anniversary and one day after Derek Chauvin, the cop who murdered Floyd, proposed probation and prison time equal to time already served prior to his sentencing hearing on June 25. Friday, Facebook said it will suspend former President Donald Trump‘s account for at least two years. The firm plans to suspend Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts two years, beginning on the initial suspension date of January 7, 2021. They made the official decision after concluding that he [allegedly] stoked violence ahead of the deadly Jan.6 insurrection. They noted that it will only be reinstated “if conditions permit,” Nick Clegg, Facebook’s vice president of global affairs, wrote in a blog post Friday, “We are today announcing new enforcement protocols to be applied in exceptional cases such as this, and we are confirming the time-bound penalty consistent with those protocols which we are applying to Mr. Trump’s accounts.” Buckingham Palace has responded to reports that ethnic minorities and foreigners were barred from office jobs during the 1960s. The Guardian reported Thursday, citing documents in Britain’s National Archives, that heads of staff were prejudiced in hiring practices. According to the report, up until the 1960’s, Buckingham Palace banned people of color from holding certain positions within Queen Elizabeth II’s royal household. Even today, the queen’s house remains exempt from U.K. laws that prevent race and sex discrimination. https://youtu.be/7jQmUcLrbjU Mo’Nique is not backing down from comments she made on social media last week, in which she noted her frustration with seeing Black women wearing pajamas and bonnets in public. After stirring up debate, the Oscar-winning actress returned to Instagram to explain why she was compelled to deliver the message in the first place. “The post that I did Friday in reference to us being the best us that we can be, it rubbed some people wrong, but I want to share this with yall,” Mo began in a video posted Tuesday. “There were two people in my life that had I taken a different attitude, I could have felt they was rubbing me wrong. But I’m glad I took the attitude of appreciation and gratitude because they tapped me. And that was Patti LaBelle and Margaret Avery.” She went on to say, “I’m glad those two women love me enough that they would go out of their way to talk to me in a way that aunties, mommas, big sisters talk to their little sisters, nieces, grandbabies, [and] daughters. I was grateful for that because it allowed me to [feel] about things differently. Never once did I think those women were trying to be offensive, nasty, or mean. I thought it was nothing but love.” Video showing “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Widow Von’Du’s recent domestic violence arrest, where she takes an offered vape from a bystander while handcuffed, has gone viral. Von’Du was booked for first and second degree domestic assault after allegedly knocking her partner out cold, leaving him in need of 14 stitches in his face and head. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-06-02-060221-widow-von-du-1132719/ The 25th Anniversary of the WNBA couldn’t be off to a better start. Viewership is up 74% on ABC and ESPN this season. This season the Los Angeles Sparks are bringing a different look to the court. The team has been almost completely revamped from the 2020 season. For wing/guard Brittney Sykes entering her fifth year in the W, that means new challenges and personal goals. Sykes came to the Sparks in a trade before the 2020 season from the Atlanta Dream. https://youtu.be/HZqmkxIOPuA TV One has announced its slate of programming for Black Music Month, which includes encore episodes of its documentary series “Unsung.” Urban Hollywood 411 reports, the cable network will bring back episodes of Unsung featuring Shanice, Lloyd, Hezekiah Walker, Marvin Sapp, Chanté Moore and others. The June lineup will also feature performances from Alicia Keys: Live in LA; Black Star Live At The Vienne Jazz Festival, and Gregory Porter Live at Nice Jazz Festival. A dancer caught fire at a birthday party that Sean “Diddy” Combs hosted for Quality Control Music CEO Pierre “Pee” Thomas at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre on Wednesday night. “There were dancers on tables wearing feathered skirts, and one dropped down to get her eagle on and caught on fire from a candle,” a spy told Page Six. “Nothing was left but her string thong. She was panicking and quickly extinguished.” Guests included Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Angela Simmons, Bow Wow, Ray J Marlo Hampton, T.I. and Tiny and Pee’s girl group, City Girls, performed. https://youtu.be/9GsP2TcfPsY Prosecutors are seeking a 30-year sentence for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in April of the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin, a white man, was found guilty on April 20 on all counts of murdering Floyd, a Black man, in Minneapolis on May 25 2020 by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes until he died. A jury convicted Chauvin of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Last month, his attorney filed court documents seeking a new trial. Defense Attorney Eric Nelson has asked for less than the 15-year maximum in state sentencing guidelines or probation. Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter spoke at a Memorial Day event in Hudson, Ohio, but the mic went out during a very specific segment of his address. He thought a technical glitch had caused his mic to stop working as he explained the role Black people played in establishing Memorial Day. But no. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, organizers cut his mic on purpose because they didn’t want him talking about that at their event. https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/veterans-microphone-cut-off-while-speaking-about-black-history-of-memorial-day/2021/06/02/d9bd3a5b-5805-4419-9b04-787487e90849_video.html Kylee D. Allen an 11-year-old actress dish about her breakthrough role in Amazon’s “The Underground Railroad,” series directed by Barry Jenkins. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, the historical fiction narrative is about a woman’s journey escaping slavery. Kylee portrays ‘Molly,’ one of the three children featured in this powerful story which was adapted by Academy Award-winning producer/director Barry Jenkins. https://player.vimeo.com/video/557796219 Evelyn Lozada has announced that she’s quitting “Basketball Wives” after nine seasons. Lozada has starred in every season of the hit VH1 show since it debuted in 2010. “I think that it’s time for me to open up the universe to other things,” she told E!’s “Just the Sip” podcast, as reported by Page Six. “It’s been a hard decision because I could [continue to appear on the show] with my eyes closed.” “But at the same time I think it’s so difficult and it takes so much energy and it’s not the most positive energy and I just open up to the universe to allow other things to flow in,” she added. Anthony Mackie began trending Wednesday night shortly after popping up to introduce Captain America at the opening ceremony for Marvel’s new AVENGERS CAMPUS, which officially opens for visitors today at Disney California Adventure. Mackie, who went from playing Sam Wilson, to Falcon, to Captain America in the Marvel universe, thrilled fans watching online when he appeared on stage carrying Captain America’s shield……unsheathed it, and then handed the shield to the theme park’s Captain America – a moment that quickly went viral. Since the birth of this nation, no Black woman has ever served as governor in the United States. But South Carolina Democratic state Sen. Mia McLeod believes she will be the first, despite the fact that Democrats haven’t been elected to a statewide office there in 15 years. https://youtu.be/TyBHSDbAjsE Black Lives Matter activist Bree Newsome called out white Americans whose families stole land and property from Black Americans post-slavery. “Amazing how white people commit atrocities in one generation & then they just disappear from existence,” she said in a series of tweets calling for reparations. “No descendants, no names, no current wealth or land holdings that can be identified as a result of the atrocity. Only Black survivors exist with living memory, apparently,” Newsome added. “White violence has driven Black migration across the country and led to significant loss of land and wealth, but we can’t identify to whose hands specific plots of land and subsequent wealth was transferred? The current class of wealthy white people have no connection? Hmm,” she wrote in a second tweet. Newsome famously scaled a flagpole to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state capital in Columbia. ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, announces its stellar talent line-up for its 2021 ESSENCE Festival of Culture Presented by Coca-Cola—the world’s largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience. Incorporating virtual for the second year in light of the pandemic, this year’s event will live up to its theme of “Live Loud” by featuring exciting content across all of its stages centered around culture, equity and celebration. The star-studded lineup will feature performances by: Jazmine Sullivan, DJ Khaled & Friends, Ne-Yo, Tank, Michelle Williams, Kirk Franklin, Davido and D-Nice. The Festival’s powerful interactive sessions will also showcase Mary J. Blige, Angela Yee, Adrienne Bailon, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Tracy G., Tiana Major9, Big Freedia, Miss Lawrence, Supacent, Shantrelle P. Lewis, Jesseca Dupart and more. The Festival will stream on ESSENCEStudios.com and ESSENCE.com—Friday-Sunday over two weekends, June 25-27 and July 2-4. Lady Voncile Belcher's Volume 2 release drops on June 18th, 2021. Be on the Lookout. British media personality Piers Morgan is catching heat for calling tennis champion Naomi Osaka a “spoiled brat” over her decision to withdraw from the French Open on Sunday. “Ms Osaka is also an arrogant spoiled brat whose fame and fortune appears to have inflated her ego to gigantic proportions,” Morgan wrote in his May 31 column for the Daily Mail. “What’s not meaningless is her frankly contemptible attempt to avoid legitimate media scrutiny by weaponizing mental health to justify her boycott.” Morgan then reminded everyone of his obsession with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle by comparing Osaka to the royal couple. A resurfaced clip of Venus Williams’ father calling out a reporter during an interview when she was a teenager has gone viral after Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open. https://twitter.com/i/status/1399449008599441416 When Venus was recently asked for her thoughts on Osaka’s withdrawal, she explained how she and her sister Serena Williams have dealt with media scrutiny. https://twitter.com/i/status/1399973962009001989 Brad Stevens got promoted from head coach of the Boston Celtics to president of basketball operations for the team even despite having no front-office experience in his basketball career, CBS reports. While some sports fans were here for the new change, some people were not, including ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPqQqQMBpa2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Dreezy has responded to the fan reaction over a video of her boyfriend attacking a man during their trip to Mexico. The viral clip shows R&B singer Jacquees attacking a man, and it was filmed by a fan watching from a balcony. As reported by Uproxx, Chicago rapper Dreezy quickly logged onto Instagram to explain the situation on Live. She claims Jacquees was defending her after an altercation between the two men escalated. WE tv’s jaw-dropping series “Beyond the Pole” returns for an explosive season two set to premiere Thursday, June 3 at 10 PM ET, and we have an exclusive clip of the new episode — which finds Gigi talking about her start as a dancer. . https://youtu.be/q2bk59IYDy4 ”Before killing George Floyd, Derek Chauvin evaded accountability for at least 17 complaints, thanks to the egregious protections in his police union contract,” said Robert Reich, the Democratic former Labor Secretary under President Clinton and current co-founder of Inequality Media. “Let’s get one thing straight: This is not what unions were created to do.” https://youtu.be/uBurfrfdSFM Darren Bryant, 29, was sworn in on May 11 in the Cook County village just outside Chicago – home to celebrities such as Dwyane Wade and Keke Palmer – and in doing so became not just the youngest African American mayor to hold office in Robbins, but the entire state of Illinois. “It’s a surreal moment,” Bryant told “Good Morning America.” “This is the people’s victory more so than mine and I think ‘humbling’ is the best word to describe how I feel right now.” https://youtu.be/YMAu34iMgqA Jason Mitchell is not letting his legal woes slow him down. Mitchell is set to star in and executive produce the upcoming feature film “Everything is Both” from Endure Films & Media, Urban Hollywood 411 reports. Mitchell and his former “The Chi” co-star Barton Fitzpatrick will star in the film alongside actress Stakiah Washington, who is making her feature film debut on the project. Urban Hollywood 411 reports, the movie tells the story of a young woman named Dysha, played by Washington, who finds herself on the run and is forced to put her trust in a mysterious stranger to escape danger and pull off the biggest score of her life. Sugar Ray Leonard has listed his custom-built Pacific Palisades estate and it could be yours for $46.5 million. As reported by the New York Post, the retired boxer and his wife, Bernadette Leonard, built the 16,773 square foot home over 20 years ago. It was first listed in 2019 for $52 million. The estate boasts seven bedrooms in the main house, a two-story guest house, scenic mountain views, a two-story family room, formal living room and dining room, a gym, screening room, gourmet kitchen and solarium, according to the report. The Critics Choice Association (CCA) and nonfiction producers’ organization NPACT unveiled today the nominees for the third annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Alex Trebek will be honored posthumously with this year’s Impact Award, which recognizes an outstanding individual for career excellence and the positive impact they have made on the world of nonfiction content. Mr. Trebek and his legacy epitomize what the Impact Award was created to honor. The prosecutors who led and secured Derek Chauvin’s murder conviction will also cover the case against Kim Potter, the former police officer who killed Daunte Wright. In a statement released by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, he confirmed that he will be taking over the prosecution of the former Brooklyn Center police officer. Potter was charged with fatally shooting Wright after she mistook her gun for a taser during a routine traffic stop in April. Tuesday during the first meeting of the state’s task force to study proposals for reparations for African Americans, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that his state is moving forward with efforts to create “a more equitable and inclusive future for all.” As The Hill reported, just last year the democratic governor signed a bill approving the task force that will consider paying reparations for slavery. The statute requires a task force to make recommendations for lawmakers to address the findings by July 2023. It is expected to include details on what form of compensation lawmakers should authorize, as well as who should receive those funds, the news site notes. When Texas Democrats walked out on a sham vote on voting rights over the Memorial Day weekend, they issued a challenge to their federal counterparts. As reported by The Washington Post, progressive Texas legislators see a national response as necessary in order to combat current attacks at the state level. Responding to the call to action, President Joe Biden announced Vice President Kamala Harris would take on the voting rights fight. Biden has previously stated Harris will focus on the urgent needs of the moment in her role as vice president. One of the main focus points in the tragic death of Ma’Khia Bryant,16, pinpointed how the foster care system failed to protect her prior to the fatal police shooting on the premises of her foster home. Since that time, Ma’Khia’s family and supporters have urged Ohio officials to launch a probe into the state’s foster care system, specifically in regards to her experience. Three U.S. lawmakers penned a letter backing the family’s request by asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate Ma’Khia’s time as a ward of the state under the jurisdiction of Franklin County Children Services. The president of an NBA franchise long associated with being the whitest team in the league has abruptly stepped down just one week after making questionable comments on the topic of racism. While the decision for Danny Ainge to retire from his lofty post with the Boston Celtics is not necessarily linked to his recent and inexplicable insistence that he never heard players talk about racism in Boston, the timing of his departure can’t be overlooked, even in the hours after the team ended a season that fell well short of expectations. Candace Owens is moving full steam ahead with her weekly foolery and pretentious, anti-Black outbursts, this time taking aim at tennis champion Naomi Osaka. On Memorial Day, a day which was supposed to be housed in reverence, Owens used her Twitter platform to lash out at Osaka over her decision to prioritize her mental health and withdraw from the French Open after voicing that the press demands inhibited her wellness. However, in a matter of hours, Owens quickly reversed her sentiments, largely due to the incessant Twitter dragging she received. The optics didn’t go over and many resorted to giving Owens the same energy that she inflicts on others especially when she should have used the moment to support another young Black woman who was suffering from mental illness and exhaustion. Earlier this spring, the city of Evanston, Illinois, become a symbol of hope during a long storied effort to ensure the federal government disseminates reparations to the descendants of chattel slavery. Bolstered by the first $10 million in revenue from the city’s cannabis tax, Evanston became the first city in the United States to enact reparations, signaling interest from other cities like Asheville, North Carolina, and Amherst, Massachusetts. The reparations rollout included several phases, the first of which would provide $25,000 to Black residents who were victims of housing discrimination. The funds would be allocated towards home improvement costs, down payments, closing cost assistance, and mortgage payments. President Joe Biden is expected to lay out a series of ventures aimed towards reversing the wealth gap between Black and white Americans on Tuesday during a speech to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. He is also expected to visit the historic site and spend time with survivors and descendants. Biden is the first sitting president to visit the Greenwood, Oklahoma, neighborhood, home to the descendants of Black Americans who were slaughtered in one of the largest race-fueled hate crimes, claiming the lives of over 300 Black community members while also abolishing a prosperous economic Black business district. Tuesday Biden’s address coverd several initiatives which include redirecting federal purchasing power to distribute aid to minority-owned businesses, allocating $10 billion to help rebuild disenfranchised communities which often house majority Black populations. Biden also plans to direct $15 billion to help boost transportation in areas that have historically faced difficulty with access to public transit. A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, the series spotlights an unexpected robbery ring involving a local Dallas football team. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85jFCch8xc0 Celebrated singer-songwriter Brian Courtney Wilson earns second Billboard Number 1 song with the compelling ballad "Still." The song topped both the Billboard Gospel Songs chart and Mediabase Gospel Airplay chart, this week. The title track to Wilson's well-received fifth album has connected to audiences with a timeless and necessary, and reassuring message about God's continued presence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS8S8ztVDmU&feature=youtu.be On Tuesday (06-01-21), at the site of the worst destruction in American history, of a Black community, a bustling economy and its people, President Joe Biden marked the commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. It was 100 years ago this week that White mobs killed hundreds of Black citizens, injured thousands more and destroyed a once-thriving business district and neighborhoods. https://youtu.be/UhaSURuTEvQ ESPN has added popular broadcaster Brian Custer as the new SportsCenter host, and he will also call college football and basketball for the network. MSN reports, Emmy-winning Custer, 49, most recently worked at Fox Sports after a 10-year stint at SNY. He spent time in Dallas covering the Cowboys and Mavericks, and also serves as host for Showtime Championship Boxing, which he will continue after his move to ESPN. When Wendy Williams dropped in at Caroline’s comedy club Thursday, comedian Miss Jones and radio personality Angela Yee were also in the house — and per Page Six, both wanted to “take the opportunity to memorialize the chance meeting of three queens of the airwaves,” the outlet writes. According to sources, however, Williams wasn’t having it. Miss Jones took out her phone and asked comic Donnell Rawling if they could step onstage for a moment to take the photo. “Come on, Donnell,” she said. “I want to take a picture with the ladies of radio.” But onlookers were stunned when Williams refused to leave her seat. But Yee and Jones climbed onstage for the shot, where they warmly embraced each other. The night was Caroline’s first event in months after being shut down because of COVID. A U.S. Airman stationed at Hurlburt Field in Okaloosa County, Florida, allegedly used a dating app to connect with an 11-year-old girl and then traveled to Alabama where he raped her. Keith Williams, 25, has been charged with first-degree rape, traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act and electronic solicitation of a child, PEOPLE reports. The Northwest Florida Daily News reports that an investigation was launched after the victim’s father intercepted a friend request from Williams to his daughter. The father, pretending to be his daughter, responded with “Do I know you?” he wrote on Feb. 12, according to the affidavit. Williams responded with “(Name redacted) from Badoo?” He then detailed what the victim was wearing the day they allegedly had sex in her backyard in Decatur. “Ima definitely marry you in the future lol,” Williams wrote. When confronted by her parents, she admitted that the encounter happened in October 2020. Authorities believe Williams “traveled to Decatur and engaged in an unlawful sex act with the child.” He was arrested in Florida on April 20 and extradited to Decatur. He was released on a $60,000 bond at the end of May. Williams was reportedly placed in the custody of the Air Force and has been barred from leaving Alabama, according to the report. Sabrina Peterson, the woman who inspired a slew of women to come forward with allegations that T.I. and his wife Tiny (Tameka Cottle) drugged and raped them, has reacted to the rapper playing down her apology request. Sabrina, who used to be a family friend of T.I and Tiny, revealed that she’s willing to drop her lawsuit against the couple, whom she also accused of sexual assault, if they apologize to her. However, Tip has made it clear that she’ll be waiting until hell freezes over for his apology. The hip-hop star took to Instagram to post a picture of himself laughing while at Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ party, along with the caption “An Apology???? -Drako voice #WhatItsComeTo.” Raven-Symoné is sharing her weight loss journey with her fans and followers on social media and she recently posted a clip on Instagram in which she proudly celebrates losing 28 pounds. Yahoo reports, while her announcement was met with support from her fans, the former Disney star did catch a bit of heat from people who prefer that she embraces being big. “Just so you guys know, I am 28 lbs. down. I lost a s— ton of weight,” Raven stated in the video, in which she is seen riding in a car alongside her wife, Miranda Pearman-Maday. “Pounds down, pounds down. Check out the chin,” she added. “You see that chin? If you all watch ‘Raven’s Home’ literally right now, and then come on this live and see this joint, I got a whole different face going on. It’s a whole pounds down journey.” https://www.instagram.com/ravensymone/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=94d22936-82c9-4d97-8adf-eddf62c324e1 An exclusive clip from the upcoming drama feature “Under The Stadium Lights,” starring Milo Gibson, Abigail Hawk, Acoryé White, Carter Redwood, Germain Arroyo, Adrian Favela, Eddie George, Glenn Morshower – with Noel G. and Laurence Fishburne. The film is a true story about the ’09 Abilene High School Football team. It is based on the nonfiction book “Brother’s Keeper” by Al Pickett and Chad Mitchell. https://youtu.be/N0BLGvkn8lw The first trailer for Mary J. Blige’s long-awaited documentary is here. “Mary J. Blige’s My Life” – arriving June 25 on Amazon Prime, from Oscar-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth – reveals the demons and blessings that inspired Blige’s heartbreaking 1994 masterpiece, “My Life,” a collection of powerful confessionals about her battles with abuse, depression and addiction that forged a profound and enduring connection with millions of fans around the globe. https://youtu.be/EeaCZt31hVA During Tuesday night’s episode of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Luann de Lesseps asked new cast member Eboni K. Williams to leave her house after a heated exchange got racial. Their argument started amid Ramona Singer and Leah McSweeney’s ongoing dispute over whether it’s proper to discuss sex candidly with friends. Luann said that using vulgar words did not align with their conservative values. Eboni countered: “I don’t subscribe to the fact that to use those words means you’re unclassy or not a lady.” “It has nothing to do with class, it has to do with education,” Luann, 56, replied. Eboni, the show’s first Black Housewife, declared that she had “more education than anybody at this table” and that she was the “most educated person in this group” yet felt perfectly fine discussing sex. Luann became offended. Alexis Sims, founder and CEO of Leaf Me, an online houseplant boutique, has announced her biggest accomplishment yet since she launched back in March 2020. Her company has just released the first-ever Black-owned plant fertilizer brand. It’s called The Growth Elixir. Leaf Me began as an answer to a social barrier that prevents many individuals in low-income communities of color from seeking help, specifically where mental health is in need. Through a horticultural lens, Alexis has provided a basis where those who are struggling during such a trying time in history can find guidance and stability through plants. Her online plant boutique provides a range of tropical plants that can be delivered directly to your home [if you live in the tri-county area near Detroit], plant lover clothing, and a variety of accessories to help you care for your green friends. Oregon lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday to recognize Juneteenth, a day recognizing the Emancipation Proclamation, as a state holiday every June 19, starting in 2022. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were told President Abraham Lincoln had freed people held in bondage in rebel states two years earlier. The passage of the bill, introduced by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown earlier this year, falls on the same day as the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, when hundreds of Black residents of Tulsa, Oklahoma were attacked or killed by a white mob. Barack and Michelle Obama have a new series coming to Netflix aimed at educating children on United States civics lessons. Titled “We the People,” the 10-episode series will feature three-minute music videos “that covers a range of basic U.S. civics lessons in not-so-basic ways,” according to the press release. https://youtu.be/MLomtcM4-j4 Motherhood is seriously calling for Tiffany Haddish. Speaking with “Entertainment Tonight,” the actress said that she has completed the parenting classes required to go through the adoption process. “I really wanted to be a foster parent, but because I’m at a certain level of success, my lawyer suggested that it’s probably best to just adopt, and I’m on that process now,” the 41-year-old comedian told ET’s Kevin Frazier. “I want to get somebody that’s five and up. You know, already knows how to use the restroom, already knows how to talk, already knows how to communicate. All I want to do is pour knowledge in … get them ready for the big, bad world. That’s what I want to do.” https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best/mpx/2704722219/2021_06/1622637033393_tdy_pop_8a_haddish_adopting_210602_1920x1080.jpg Lady Gaga divulged horrific details about a rape by a predator producer at 19 that left her pregnant and led her to suffer a “total psychotic break” years later. The Manhattan-born pop superstar revealed the hell she suffered as a young artist in the first episode of “The Me You Can’t See,” Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry’s new Apple TV+ series that debuted Friday. During the emotional interview, the 35-year-old Oscar and Grammy-winning artist recalled when a male music producer, whom she did not name, told her to take her clothes off. B.J. Thomas, Grammy Hall of Fame inductee and award-winning country, pop and gospel singer behind hits including “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head” and “Hooked on a Feeling,” died on May 29, 2021, at his home in Arlington, Texas, representatives confirm. He was 78 and died of complications of stage 4 lung cancer, diagnosed in March. A former NASA space shuttle commander indicted on reckless murder charges in the traffic deaths of two girls pleaded guilty to reduced charges Thursday nearly five years after the crash. James Halsell Jr., 64, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty to two manslaughter and two assault charges during a hearing in which relatives of the victims wore shirts emblazoned with images of 11-year-old Niomi Deona James and 13-year-old Jayla Latrick Parler, killed when a car driven by Halsell slammed into one driven by their father in rural Tuscaloosa County. While Halsell could have received 20 years for each manslaughter charge and 10 years for each assault charge, a judge agreed to probation and ordered him to spend four years in prison without early release followed by 10 years on supervised release. A Mississippi high school was blasted on social media after word got out on the two sets of students claiming the valedictorian and salutatorian titles. On May 24, Ikeria Washington and Layla Temple were named the valedictorian and salutatorian of West Point Consolidated School District, according to BNC TV. However, shortly after the two Black female students were set to be awarded for their academic achievements, the school decided to change its ranking and recognize both with the highest Quality Point Average (QPA) and Grade Point Average (GPA). While Washington and Temple have the two highest QPAs in the graduating class, two other White students had the highest GPAs, resulting in four students being recognized by the school as valedictorian and salutatorian. A high school senior in Louisiana was able to walk across the graduation stage to receive his diploma thanks to the generosity of a quick-thinking teacher. Daverius Peters was almost barred from his high school’s graduation ceremony on May 19 for wearing sneakers instead of the school’s mandated dress shoes, the Washington Post reported. Outside the convention center, a nervous Peters reportedly spotted a familiar, friendly face: John Butler, a paraeducator at the school and a popular staff member among the students. His daughter, Jaelyn, was also graduating from Hahnville. Peters quickly approached Butler and asked for help. The Philadelphia 76ers announced Wednesday that superstar center Joel Embiid has a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee after taking an awkward fall during Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Washington Wizards on Monday night. The Sixers said the injury will be treated not with surgery but with a physical therapy and treatment program. Embiid will not play in Game 5 on Wednesday night and is day-to-day going forward. The Sixers lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that managing potential swelling and pain in the knee will play a significant part in how soon Embiid will be able to return to the floor. Music icon Babyface has dropped new music under his young alter ego called “Lil BayFace.” The singer shared a first look at the computer-generation photo that accompanies the release of his early demo work as a rising songwriter. https://www.instagram.com/babyface/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d19b545e-5b13-42c9-bd68-c3304b97d6d0 RCA Inspiration has garnered two nominations for the upcoming 2021 BET Awards in the category for the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel / Inspirational Award. Sixteen-time GRAMMY® award-winning artist, songwriter and producer Kirk Franklin is nominated for his powerful song “Strong God” (Fo Yo Soul/RCA), and multiple award-winning Gospel superstar Marvin Sapp is nominated for his poignant single “Thank You for It All.” MBK/RCA artist and platinum hitmaker H.E.R. is also nominated in the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel / Inspirational Award category for her empowering hit "Hold Us Together," which was featured on the soundtrack of the Disney+ film Safety. An uplifting duet version recorded by H.E.R. and platinum Christian artist Tauren Wells called “Hold Us Together (Hope Mix)” (RCA/Provident Entertainment), has been released to Christian Hot AC/CHR radio and Christian AC radio. The BET Awards will be holding its ceremony live at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday June 27th, airing on BET at 8 pm/7c, and will simulcast internationally on BET Africa and MTV Brazil. Nikole Hannah-Jones, the creator of The New York Times’ controversial “1619 Project,” is considering legal action against the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill after losing her tenure offer. “I had no desire to bring turmoil or a political firestorm to the university that I love, but I am obligated to fight back against a wave of anti-democratic suppression that seeks to prohibit the free exchange of ideas, silence Black voices and chill free speech,” Hannah-Jones said in a statement Friday, HuffPost reports. https://youtu.be/EgBo1aBaKvU Hundreds gathered outside the historic Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church in Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood on Monday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. https://youtu.be/D-_YNuW6pEc After that mass shooting in Miami over the Memorial Day Weekend that left at least two people dead and more than 20 others injured, authorities are offering $130,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. “This is unacceptable,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters. “We should be remembering those who are lost, who’ve served our country, and instead, here we are standing, once again, for a terrible tragedy. https://youtu.be/BRqDIVjxoLw Mo’Nique hit up social media to deliver a message to Black women who choose to look a hot mess in public. The Oscar-winning actress says she is sick of seeing Black women wearing pajamas and bonnets in public, and I co-sign her message. The “Precious” star was compelled to address this troubling trend after seeing young Black women at the airport looking trifling. ”As we began to walk through the airport, I saw so many – actually too many to count and too many for me to tap – but, I saw so many of our young sistas in head bonnets, scarves, slippers, pajamas, blankets wrapped around them…and this is how they are showing up to the airport,” she said. https://youtu.be/I9EkzcjVKFU A former Southwest Airlines pilot has been sentenced to one year of probation after he allegedly watched porn and exposed his genitals to a female officer on a flight. The incident occurred on August 10, 2020, during a flight from Philadelphia to Orlando. Federal prosecutors said Michael Haak, 60, “disrobed” once the plane reached cruising altitude, and got out of the pilot’s seat and began watching porno on a laptop computer in the cockpit, the New York Post reported. “This is not the kind of aberrant behavior that anyone should accept,” the prosecutor added. Haak, who retired after the incident, was charged in April and pleaded guilty to committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place. Houston-area hospital is being sued by more than 100 employees for requiring all staff to get vaccinated for COVID-19. According to ABC News, 117 employees joined a lawsuit that was filed on Friday in Montgomery County. The suit alleges the Houston Methodist hospital is “illegally requiring its employees to be injected with an experimental vaccine as a condition of employment.” The network, which has more than 26,000 employees across eight hospitals, gave workers a deadline of June 7 to get the vaccine, according to the report. Staffers who refuse to voluntarily take the drug risk suspension and termination. https://twitter.com/i/status/1395778918737580033 “Real Housewives of Potomac” star Gizelle Bryant has revealed that the thrill is finally gone between her and her pastor ex Jamal Bryant. Gazelle made the announcement during an appearance on The Breakfast Club, along with her RHOP co-star Robyn Dixon. The Bryants divorced in 2009 over Jamal’s alleged infidelity, and there were whispers that the two reunited to rekindle the love only for the sake of the RHOP reality series. “We were working on us getting back to together … but he lives in Atlanta [and] I live in Maryland … with the pandemic we just realized it’s not the right time,” Gizelle revealed, adding “it’s just not going to work.” https://youtu.be/zDL8vrVzwQg Tessica Brown, aka “Gorilla Glue Girl,” has sent cease and desist letters to several people over a viral song called “Bad Idea (Gorilla Glue Girl Remix),” which uses her voice on the song. TMZ reports that the track has been taken off social media and streaming platforms amid her dispute with the individuals/entities using her likeness. https://youtu.be/CUaZkn0KmFI Dallas rapper Lil Loaded, best known for the 2019 viral track “6locc 6a6y” that just last week went gold, has died at the age of 20. Ashkan Mehryari, attorney for Lil Loaded, Dashawn Robertson, confirmed the rapper’s passing in an email to Billboard on Monday night (May 31). He said the death was a result of suicide. Lil Loaded released his latest music through Epic Records. Upon hearing about “6locc 6a6y” being certified gold by the RIAA, he proudly shared the news on Instagram May 27 and wrote, “dopest fanbase on earth. https://youtu.be/H3c0F3oGZ4I Jay Z has revealed that his mother was not down with him rapping about her sexuality on the track “Smile” off his studio album 4:44. Gloria Carter allegedly begged her famous son not to release the song. She eventually changed her mind and responded to the track with a poem she wrote that Jigga included on the record. “It changed the dynamic of our relationship,” Jay said during an appearance on The Shop: Uninterrupted, with host LeBron James and guest Bad Bunny. https://youtu.be/SSumXG5_rs8 Sony will be opening the Kendrick Brothers’ new documentary Show Me the Father on Sept. 10, while the studio has dated a 10th anniversary re-release of the filmmakers’ Courageous for Oct. 15. Show Me the Father explores the fatherhood of God. “Everyone has a father story, but not everyone has learned how to redeem it for their own good and the good of others,” said executive producer Stephen Kendrick. “Even though fatherlessness is directly connected to so much brokenness in today’s world, we wanted to go beyond traditional documentaries and show how God is the perfect Father and can amazingly provide the love and healing to anyone at any stage in life.” OneOf is a new green NFT platform built specifically for the music community. With an aim to break down economic barriers to entry, the platform serves to connect fans and collectors of any level with their favorite artists. Built on the Tezos blockchain protocol, one of the longest-running Proof of Stake protocols, OneOf’s mission is to be a long-term marketplace that offers crucial solutions for artists and fans eager to explore the exploding world of NFTs. OneOf has been designed to be extremely easy to use and environmentally sustainable: minting an NFT on OneOf using the Tezos blockchain uses over 2 million times less energy than other networks such as Ethereum, and requires the same energy as sending out a tweet. Deeply committed to a sustainable blockchain future, OneOf will also donate a percentage of its platform revenue from every sale to either a charity of the artist’s choice, or an environmental cause partner. A woman faces charges of public intoxication after she allegedly entered a restricted area of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and had a meltdown at the gate. The viral footage, shared by Kevin Durio, shows the white woman angrily demanding to speak to “the manager of the airport” after she was denied boarding on a flight. She rants and raves around the gate, pointing at an officer who was trying to escort her out and asking other passengers, “Who saw him choke me to the ground?” https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/7e843488-bf07-11eb-be30-0242ac110007/?jwsource=cl One hundred years ago this week, one of the worst incidents of white violence in American history led to the death of as many as 300 Black people in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and an unfathomable amount of property destruction with intergenerational consequences. White anger over the false accusation of a Black teenager led to a violent mob destroying over 35 blocks of the Greenwood neighborhood otherwise known as “Black Wall Street,” leaving thousands of people homeless and numerous businesses destroyed over an 18-hour period from May 31 to June 1 of 1921. It’s estimated that $1.8M of economic damage was caused, as entire blocks were razed that contained Black businesses from law offices to cabarets. One might learn about this history and see it as a momentary tragedy. But this underestimates the full story, which was the destruction of massive intergenerational wealth and opportunity. By 2021, this $1.8M would’ve grown to $45B. Simone Gordon doesn’t have to worry about a byzantine legislative process to get Covid-19 relief to families she sees struggling. She has Facebook and Instagram. Since March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the country, Gordon, a single mother from New Jersey, has turned the social media groups she once relied on for help herself into a multistate operation that targets needs large and small. She has marshaled hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and dozens of volunteers to fill in the gaps of Covid-19 government assistance while granting “wish lists” for holidays and paying off tuition bills. And for that, she earned the nickname she used for her new nonprofit: “the Black Fairy Godmother.” The turning point for Marcus Baskerville came one morning when he was driving down the highway, and heard on the radio about the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor. Joining a street protest wasn’t his style, but what could he, as one of the few Black brewers in America, do to make a statement? His answer? Create a beer called Black is Beautiful and share the recipe with brewers across the country. It’s a call to breweries within the United States to participate in a collaborative effort. They would brew a stout, [then] release 100% of those proceeds to local organizations, charities, foundations that support equality, inclusion and social justice reform,” he says. With that high-minded genesis, Baskerville thought it would have limited appeal among his fellow brewers. But at last count, nearly 1,200 breweries in all states are making Black is Beautiful, as well as brewers in 22 different countries, such as Japan, China, Germany, Guatemala and Rwanda. And Walmart recently announced that it is selling Black is Beautiful beer in 300 stores nationwide. J.B. Stradford was a pillar of Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood in 1921. He owned several businesses and his Stradford Hotel was one of the largest Black-owned hotels in the United States. It all vanished in the space of a couple of days. Today, Stradford’s great grandson is a well known Black investor in the modern Wall Street, and he remembers the emotional – and financial – impact the riots had on his family. “Over time, we think it would have compounded to over $100 million,” says John W. Rogers Jr., who is co-CEO of Ariel Investments, reflecting on the wealth that his family could have accrued. Black Wall Street was a commercial center, with restaurants, movie theaters, and barber shops, and according to Rogers, “Every profession was represented there.” What made Greenwood so special is the money stayed in the community. Everyone did business with each other. In 2017 Fawn Weaver began bottling Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey as a passion project to honor Nearest Green, the formerly enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. Four years later, her bourbon has sold nearly 1.5 million bottles, according to a recent report in The Spirits Business. Uncle Nearest is now the nation’s fastest-growing whiskey brand, according to the drinks-market analysis firm IWSR. It’s a testament not just to the quality, but also to the power of an inclusive brand with a compelling story. Tuesday, Ms. Weaver, the company’s founder and chief executive, went a step further toward diversifying an industry long dominated by white men, as the company announced the creation of a $50 million investment fund aimed at helping minority-owned spirits businesses grow. The announcement was timed to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, apologized on Monday for the city’s role in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which is marking its 100th anniversary. The rioting killed 37 and left 35 city blocks burnt down and more than 800 injured. Historians believe around 300 Black residents may have actually been killed, after a violent mob of white residents ransacked the city’s Greenwood District, a booming Black business community then known as “Black Wall Street.” This week, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum called it “the worst moment in our city’s history” and in a statement he apologized for the city’s role and its failure to make amends with the victims and their families over the last century. Stars across the sports world are standing behind Naomi Osaka. Monday, the reigning U.S. Open and Australian Open singles champion announced she was withdrawing from the French Open. Ahead of the tennis tournament’s start, Osaka announced she wouldn’t be doing press during the championship in an effort to preserve her mental health. On Sunday, Osaka picked up her first win and a $15,000 fine for not participating in media requirements. In the wake of her announcement, Osaka’s famous friends and fans showed her their support. Serena Williams spoke out during a post-match news conference on Monday. “I feel for Naomi. Not everyone is the same. I’m thick. Other people are thin. Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently. You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to and the best way she thinks she can. That’s the only thing I can say: I think she is doing the best she can,” she said, according to the Associated Press. Naomi Osaka received support from her country Japan, her sponsors, leading sporting figures and tennis fans on Tuesday after the world number two withdrew from the French Open in a row about media duties, saying she had been suffering from depression and anxiety. One of the biggest names in sport, Osaka stunned the tennis world when she pulled out of the Grand Slam on Monday after being fined and threatened with expulsion for declining to face the media after her first-round match on Sunday. Nike is standing behind Naomi Osaka. The sportswear giant, which sponsors the tennis star, 23, reacted in a statement to Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the 2021 French Open after being fined for not participating in post-match interviews during the Grand Slam tournament. Nike told PEOPLE, “Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience.” Ahead of the tennis tournament’s start, Osaka announced she wouldn’t be doing press during the championship in an effort to preserve her mental health. On Sunday, Osaka picked up her first win and a $15,000 fine for not participating in media requirements. Miami Dade police are investigating a deadly mass shooting that left more than 20 people injured in what detectives described as a “targeted act of violence.” Authorities said two people have died as a result of their injuries. “This is a despicable act of gun violence,” said Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez. “A cowardly act.” According to police, the shooting took place after a birthday party for a local rapper. Victims were rushed to several hospitals in Miami Dade and Broward counties, some in their personal vehicles, according to police. https://youtu.be/EgUDTypGEvM Eric Riddick spent nearly 30 years behind bars for a murder he says he did not commit. But on Friday, he walked free. “I feel great, I feel great,” Riddick, 51, said as he left a Philadelphia courthouse. “They say it takes a village to raise a child. I guess it takes a village to raise justice, too,” he went on to say, adding that the rush of emotions was “overwhelming.” In recent years, his case attracted greater national attention and several key people advocated for his release, including a prominent hip-hop artist and a sympathetic city councilman. In the summer of 1992, Riddick was convicted of murdering his childhood friend William Catlett based on the testimony of a single eyewitness, and was sentenced to life in prison. His case was first brought to the attention of NBC News by the rapper and activist Meek Mill, who says he met Riddick when he was sent to the same prison for probation violations. Riddick’s mother, Christine, has fought for her son for years, knocking on doors at City Hall and fiercely advocating for his release since virtually the day he was convicted. With Memorial Day upon us, there may not be any better time to salute the memorials and monuments that were erected across the nation to specifically commemorate the contributions of Black troops that served in the American military. Friday, a memorial to one of the most renowned Black troops in American history was put back on public display following a multi-million dollar renovation that was completed just in time for this year’s Memorial Day. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment — which movie fans may remember was immortalized on the big screen in the Academy Award-nominated film, “Glory,” starring Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman — can now be appreciated in person with visits to the Boston Common public park in Boston. Having to explain senseless, horrific events to a child is one of the most daunting prospects a parent ever has to experience in their lifetimes. To explain the inexplicable, to explain to a child the inhumane acts committed by a segment of one population on another, while in many ways personally processing the effects of those acts, which continue to present day, is a nightmare much of world’s population will never experience. Dr. Tamecca Rogers has attempted to tackle this nearly impossible prospect in her writings with her son Keith Ross. It’s called: “A Promise Deferred, The Massacre of Black Wall Street.” The book, crafted for children, presents, with illustrations by Arushan Art, a vivid picture of the senseless tragedy that took place in 18 hours between May 31st and June 1st in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Naomi Osaka was fined $15,000 by Grand Slam organizers for skipping a news conference following her first-round win at the French Open on Sunday, and was also warned of possible expulsion from Roland Garros and future majors if she fails to meet her media commitments. In the run up to the claycourt major, the world number two announced she would boycott news conferences while in Paris to raise awareness of players’ mental well-being, saying the nature of questions from journalists is like “kicking a person when they are down”. All Nations International Founder Floyd Lee McClung Jr., global missions leader, bestselling author and international speaker, died on Saturday, May 29, in Cape Town, South Africa. He had battled an extended illness since 2016, which had left him incapacitated, hospitalized and unable to speak for more than five years. He was 75. Patrisse Cullors, who co-founded Black Lives Matter and has served as its executive director, will be stepping down from that position, the group announced Thursday. At the same time, Black Lives Matter introduced the appointments of two new senior executives who will be serving in an interim capacity following Cullors’ departure. As Cullors steps down, Makani Themba, Chief Strategist at Higher Ground Change Strategies, and Monifa Bandele, Chief Operating Officer at Time’s Up Foundation, will be stepping up during the period of transition “until the organization finds a new permanent team,” Black Lives Matter said. Themba said she is eager to get started. Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna was arrested Saturday after Sandy Springs officers reported seeing him choke his wife, throw her against a wall and strike her with the cast on his broken fingers. A 911 caller requested officers at a Windsor Cove home due to an assault in progress, Sgt. Salvador Ortega said late Saturday. When officers arrived at the home, they heard screaming from inside the home and the front door was open, Ortega said. “Officers entered the residence through the open door and witnessed the suspect grabbing the victim by the neck and throwing her against a wall,” Ortega said in an emailed statement. “Officers were able to immediately take the suspect into custody without further incident. In addition to the strangulation attempts, the suspect also struck the victim with his arm which has a cast from a previous injury.” Police charged Ozuna, 30, with aggravated assault by strangulation and family violence, jail records showed. He was being held without bond Sunday at the Fulton County jail. Ozuna is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday. Meet Dalen Spratt, Juwan Mass and Marcus Harvey. They are the hosts of Discovery +’s new series “Ghost Brothers: Lights Out” and they’re changing the face of paranormal investigative shows. Spratt, Mass and Harvey are the first Black paranormal investigators on TV. They are stepping into a new realm, pun intended, in Black content. Just days ahead of a widely promoted commemorative event surrounding the Tulsa Race Massacre‘s 100-year anniversary, the Tulsa Race Commission announced the cancellation of its “Rise and Remember” centennial celebration. Local news reported the commission provided little explanation for the cancellation, citing unexpected circumstances in fulfilling the commission’s “high expectations” for the commemorative event. https://youtu.be/ccxnot7R73s Swiss Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier was airlifted to hospital following a three-bike crash during qualifying. Dupasquier, 19, was struck by another bike after falling and slid along the track in an incident that saw the session at Mugello, Italy red flagged. He was still being attended to by medics on the circuit over half an hour after the incident, before being flown to hospital. Organisers said that he was “taken to hospital in Florence to undergo tests.” The mother of a shooting victim who became paralyzed in 2019 is now suing the estate of Daunte Wright claiming he was the shooter. Two years before Daunte Wright was shot and killed during a traffic stop, a lawsuit claims that he was involving in the shooting of 16-year-old Caleb Livingston. The lawsuit filed by Livingston’s mother says he was shot in the head at a Minneapolis gas station on May 14, 2019, and it has left him with permanent physical and mental disabilities. However, Wright was not criminally charged for the shooting but civil court documentations allege that all “evidence generated to date reveals that the perpetrator of this crime was Daunte Wright. Wright and Livingston were childhood friends and the lawsuit added that the pair had a physical altercation in which Wright lost the fight in front of other people which allegedly was a motive for the shooting. Discovered harmonizing on the streets of New York by legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Solo is thankful for its Motown-like intro into the music industry. Live instrumentation and focus on vocals and songwriting makes it more suited for the golden era of R&B. They released their self-titled album in 1995 that went gold, thanks to hits such as “Heaven,” “Where Do You Want Me To Put It,” and a cover of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” https://youtu.be/_C5zv6j4HP0 Mississippi police have sparked outrage after four of their white police officers and dogs posed for a picture with a Black suspect that they had just caught. The Prentiss Police Department cops took the picture after they arrested Eric Boykin for bank robbery. He can be seen smiling in the image. Killed nearly three months before the world learned George Floyd‘s name, Manuel Ellis’ case finally moves forward. On Thursday, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced his office filed felony charges against the officers. The Tacoma News Tribune reported that of the five officers with reported involvement in Ellis’ killing, only three were charged. Officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins face second-degree murder charges. Ferguson also charged Timothy Rankine with first-degree manslaughter. The three officers previously served in the Army. And all five Tacoma officers remain on paid administrative leave. Video shows officers restraining Ellis, 33, with a chokehold, prompting him to repeat, “I can’t breathe.” The chokehold was applied with a knee, similar to Floyd’s murder. He died in police custody on March 3, 2020. The public has finally learned what Falynn Guobadia can expect to get from her divorce settlement. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Falynn Guobadia and her soon-to-be ex-husband Simon Guobadia publicly announced their split back in April. Then, a couple of weeks following their April announcement, Simon Guobadia and Porsha Williams revealed that they were engaged after only one month of dating. Shortly thereafter, Simon Guobadia put the home he shared with Falynn Guobadia on the market for just under $5 million. Reportedly, Falynn had until Friday, May 28 to vacate the premises. Now, it looks like the exes have come to a mutual agreement regarding their divorce settlement. Their final settlement wound up enforcing their prenuptial agreement and waived Falynn‘s rights to alimony. Per their agreement, Falynn is reportedly entitled to a portion of the proceeds from a property she and Simon Guobadia shared. It’s unclear how much the property in question was sold for, but Simon ultimately coughed up $153,725.34. Additionally, Simon paid Falynn $50,000 in an equitable division payment. Gavin MacLeod, the veteran supporting actor who achieved fame as sardonic TV news writer Murray Slaughter on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and stardom playing cheerful Capt. Stubing on “The Love Boat,” has died. He was 90. MacLeod died early Saturday at his home in Palm Desert, California, said Stephanie Steele Zalin, his stepdaughter. She attributed his death to his age, saying he had been well until very recently. “He had one of the most amazing, fun blasts of a life of anybody I know. He enjoyed every minute of it,” Steele Zalin said. “I don’t even think in his wildest dreams he dreamt of the life that he ended up having and creating.” She called him the “best, sweetest, purest guy.” Ed Asner, who played opposite MacLeod on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” said on Twitter that “my heart is broken. Gavin was my brother, my partner in crime (and food) and my comic conspirator.” Home renovation stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have come under fire online for a donation the couple made toward a family member’s campaign for a local school board. Chip donated $1,000 to his sister, Shannon Braun, to support her run for a spot on the board of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District, per The Dallas Morning News. When media got wind of the gift, critics sounded off against the Christian couple, alleging the monetary donation directly supported Braun’s views on critical race theory (the idea that racism is a social construct embedded in systems and policies). In a recent campaign post, Braun condemned the theory, saying the focus will be instead on a return of teaching “academics.” https://www.facebook.com/ShannonBraunForGCISD/photos/a.142482884556370/157954996342492/?type=3 In London, police have charged Cameron Deriggs, 18, over the shooting of Sasha Johnson, a Black Lives Matter activist, who as of Friday, was still in critical condition. Johnson, 27, was shot in the head at a house party in South London last Sunday. Police don’t believe she was specifically targeted. Meanwhile, London’s Metropolitan Police said Deriggs has been charged with conspiracy to murder in connection with the shooting. Deriggs was among five men arrested Wednesday on suspicion of attempted murder in the case. He and two others were also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs. A 17-year-old, was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. The fifth man, 25, was arrested on suspicion of affray (fighting in public) and failing to stop for police. https://youtu.be/ftK0K3vNLdA A Baton Rouge family will receive a one-time settlement of $35,000 after officers strip-searched a teenager during a traffic stop. https://youtu.be/nBtmXaAxs-8 A Georgia man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for firing an assault-style rifle at a Georgia State Patrol trooper. Timothy Carruth, 25, was fleeing a traffic stop on Jan. 22, 2020, in Ga. As reported by the Altana Journal-Constitution, a GSP trooper used his patrol car to disable Carruth’s Toyota Camry when he sped away. His vehicle became stuck in a ditch following the PIT maneuver, according to the report. When the trooper tried to get Carruth to exit the vehicle he emerged with an AK-47 and opened fire, officials said. He then ran into a nearby pasture and disappeared into some woods. https://youtu.be/XftrRwui1x0 Ava DuVernay is adding the title “Dr” to her name. The award-winning director was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree from Yale University. She is now considered to be a Doctor of Fine Arts. Yale released a statement as a tribute to DuVernay. “Creator and critic, you portray the richness and variety of human experience from all angles. By elevating others, you bring new stories into focus and amplify voices we need to hear.” The statement continued, “Hollywood maverick, for challenging us to reckon with our past and our present, and for working to change both industry and society, Yale is pleased to confer on you this Doctor of Fine Arts degree.” The queen of hip-hop soul Mary J. Blige has landed a spot on the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame. As CBS2’s Natalie Duddridge reported, there was some “real love” for nine-time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige as she was inducted into the Apollo Walk of Fame Friday morning. “My very first time performing here at the Apollo, I was not on stage as myself. I was on stage singing background for Jeff Redd. And from there on, it was all history,” Blige said. https://cbsloc.al/2ToGumi In “A Quiet Place Part II,” actors Djimon Hounsou and Millicent Simmonds both seek survival in a world inhabited by deadly aliens. In the real world, Hounsou and Simmonds share similar social sensibilities. Since “Amistad,” Hounsou has always been on a quest to try and reshape the universal visual representation of Africa in onscreen. The Benin native told me five years ago he had established his own production company, Fanaticus Entertainment, to create content on a global scale to counteract the demonization of Black people. Last year Simmonds established her own line of face masks. The Millie Smile Mask collection includes a unique style of mask. https://youtu.be/BpdDN9d9Jio ESPN’s Stephen A Smith is the latest to be pulled into Kwame Brown’s orbit. During Thursday’s episode of his ESPN+ show “Stephen A.’s World,” Smith first made it clear that he was coming for Brown “the player,” not Brown “the man.” He then defended Brown’s targets – Gilbert Arenas, Matt Barnes, Dr. Boyce Watkins, Charlamagne tha God and ESPN colleague Michael Wilbon – saying they all were also critical of Brown’s skills on the court, not his personal life. https://youtu.be/YnCnxA-whqI Jodie Turner-Smith is speaking out about the backlash over being cast as former Queen of England, Anne Boleyn. he “Queen & Slim” star plays Anne Boleyn in a three-part drama that will air on the ViacomCBS-backed U.K. broadcaster Channel 5 U.K. Directed by Lynsey Miller and penned by Eve Hedderwick Turner, the psychological series will detail the final months of the life of King Henry VIII’s second wife. https://youtu.be/-r4A9dVwIjQ Flute-playing soul-jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside has releasesed a brand-new single titled “Off The Cuff” on the Randis Music label (scroll down to HEAR it). The flirty new groove, co-written by Whiteside with her husband, noted producer Dennis Johnson, and veteran producer/keyboardist Bob Baldwin, is from her yet-to-be-titled 2022 album. “Off The Cuff” is available on all digital download and streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes Store, Tidal, Deezer, YouTube, Pandora, and more. https://youtu.be/CyfoNrTZzkM The names Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff are iconic and this year are celebrating the founding of their label 50 years ago. The music that Gamble and Huff masterminded at Philadelphia International Records, beginning in 1971, is legendary. Fifty years later, Gamble and Huff can bask in the fact that while the music was created and recorded in Philadelphia, the Sound of Philadelphia became the music heard worldwide. The artists signed to the legendary label are too many to name. However, the shortlist includes “The O’Jays,” “Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes,” “Patti LaBelle,” Phyllis Hyman, Teddy Pendergrass, Billy Paul, “The Intruders,” and dozens and dozens of others. To commemorate the 50-year anniversary of Philadelphia International Records, both Deluxe CD and LP Box sets will be released this year. During Black Music Month in June, there will be a focus on the recordings of the women of Philadelphia International, including Phyllis Hyman, “The Jones Girls,” and “Three Degrees.” https://youtu.be/pUKblOmUMx0 “I fell in love with it…love the chords,” said Ashley Pater about her single “Stuck on You.” The Canadian Contemporary Pop singer, songwriter and pianist give credit to her parents for encouraging her to make those chords into a song. I agree with them, it’s a musically powerful piece. “The first verse is soft,” Pater said. She continued on about the “Stuck on You” single, relating the soft beginning of the song and its powerful rolling ending to living a simple life that is interrupted by the rolling challenges of the pandemic. https://youtu.be/L7oHeahzjiU Regé-Jean Page is opening up about his mega-popular role in #Bridgerton, and speculation that he’s taking on a role in the upcoming Black Panther sequel. The breakout star of Netflix’s Bridgerton, played Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. The record-breaking series aired in 82 million households around the world when it debuted. Media pandemonium occurred when it was announced that the 31-year-old British-Zimbabwean wouldn’t be returning to the show. After the announcement of his departure from the well-loved show, #Regé-Jean Page took to Instagram with a message: “The ride of a lifetime. It’s been an absolute pleasure and a privilege to be your Duke. h Pastor Robert Booth was a man of faith with a gift for music that he used to serve others. “He was a great man of God who just had a heart for all people. It did not matter who you are,” Dwayne Waden Jr. said. Booth started Hood Holiness Church a few months ago with the goal of ending violence. Waden Jr. served as his associate pastor. The two men used Christian rap music and street ministry to spread the gospel. Just last week, Booth officially became ordained as a pastor and proposed to his girlfriend during the ceremony. The future of the ministry seemed bright until days later. Pastor Booth was shot and killed outside his home on Tuesday night. “We started talking about wedding planning on Sunday, and here we go. His family is having to plan a funeral a few days later,” Brandon Smith said. Smith is a longtime friend who said the pastor walked up to some young people wearing black ski masks in his neighborhood. “He probably looked at those boys and saw himself,” Waden Jr. said. “He wasn’t encouraging gang violence. He wasn’t selling dope. He was preaching the word of God. That’s it. And they just took his life.” High Point Police are searching for two suspects and a burgundy SUV. A beloved White House butler who has served 10 presidential administrations during his career is retiring after 47 years. William “Buddy” Carter is wrapping up nearly five decades of working at the Blair House and the White House at the end of this week, according to CNN. Former first lady Michelle Obama thanked Carter for all his service by sharing a photo on Instagram Friday of her and former President Barack Obama with Carter from their eight-year stint in the White House. The current occupants of the White House, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, also thanked Carter for his service. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPbDfQ0rPde/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=27845d9e-8e04-4e10-a621-138f917ae8d5 A bill that would limit hair discrimination in schools is now headed to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk. Senate Bill 817 focuses on students of color whose hairstyles have been discriminated against in the past. It would protect the right of students to wear their hair in styles “historically associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture including braids, dreadlocks, and twists.” There has been much debate about the impact on private schools and how this could affect their traditions. This bill only addresses school dress codes, not regulations for school sports based on safety. Diamond Robinson, as Fox 2 Detroit, reported, was using her phone on Thursday (05- 27-21) in her neighborhood of Eastpointe and as she walked up and down her block, a new resident – a white woman – asked her to lower her voice or end the call altogether. Robinson’s response was tell the person to “get out of my face” and continued with her call. And yep, Well, the new neighbor called the cops. https://youtu.be/u1EM2gQZm-Q If you live in Cali and missed the news, here it is. On Thursday, California launched a $116.5 million lottery to incentivize residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. With this move, the USA’s largest and wealthiest state joins a slew of others offering cash prizes to residents to encourage them to get the vaccine. California’s governor, Gov. Gavin Newsom dubbed the program, “Vax for the Win.” With the announcement, the Golden State is now offering the largest jackpot out of all states that have employed such a program. Following the release of additional bodycam footage showing the last moments of Matthew Zadok Williams, a 35-year-old Georgia man who was fatally shot by police on April 12, his family is again refuting claims that officers acted lawfully in the moments leading up to and following his death. “We’re living in a nightmare,” said Williams’ sister, Hahnah. “Never would I have thought that my brother would be a hashtag,” she said. Williams’ sister’s statement comes after the family met with DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston on Wednesday morning, urging for transparency and accountability. They believe he was suffering from a mental health crisis and was falsely identified as a dangerous, homeless person prior to officers responding to the scene. “We are very hopeful after our meeting with Sherry Boston and we really appreciate her taking this meeting with us…but our family wants justice,” Hahnah continued. “He was murdered. We want to be clear about that and we want justice.” Bill Cosby‘s petition for parole was denied earlier this month, a result that his spokesperson said was expected because the disgraced comedian refuses to admit guilt for the sex crime he has been convicted of. The Pennsylvania Parole Board confirmed the denial of Cosby’s petition happened on May 11 and said in a statement that the prisoner did not comply with requirements that are part of the pre-parole-petitioning process. In particular, Cosby did not participate in therapy for people convicted of violent sexual crimes. In fact, the Pennsylvania Parole Board said, if Cosby wants to be considered for parole again, he needs to complete therapy, Reuters reported. Tennis champ Naomi Osaka has made clear that will not take part in any press conferences during the French Open. Four-time Grand Slam winner and No. 2-ranked women’s tennis player announced her decision on social media saying she wanted to focus on her mental health, TMZ reports. “I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” the 23-year-old wrote. “We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I’m not just going to subject myself to people that doubt me.” Connecticut Sun head coach and general manager Curt Miller was fined $10,000 and suspended for one game after his “inappropriate and offensive” comment toward Las Vegas Aces star Liz Cambage during a game on Sunday. Following the Sun’s 76-65 win over the Aces, Cambage took to social media to call out Miller in a video for criticizing her weight. During Sunday’s game, Miller complained to a WNBA official about a call, saying Cambage weighs “300 pounds.” Cambage noted in her video that she’s 6 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighs 235 pounds. “I will never let a man disrespect me, ever, ever, ever, especially a little White one,” she said. “Don’t ever try to disrespect me or another woman in the league,” the Australian player said. Miller apologized in a statement on Monday. Wednesday night, things got a little out of control after a fan threw popcorn at Wizards guard Russell Westbrook. In a clip shared by multiple outlets, during Game 2, won by the Sixers, a fan poured the snack at Westbrook, who was leaving the game with an ankle injury. Westbrook was extremely upset and even had to be restrained by Wizards staff. Many people called out the fan on Twitter on Wednesday night for his childish move including LeBron James. He tweeted, “By the way, WE AS THE PLAYERS wanna see who threw that popcorn on Russ while he was leaving the game tonight with a injury!! There’s cameras all over arenas so there’s no excuse!” LeBron said. Tiger Woods is in a familiar place: extensive rehabilitation. That was the gist of his comments in a brief interview with Golf Digest, the first he has done since being involved in a serious one-car crash in Southern California on Feb. 23 that left him hospitalized for nearly a month. “This has been an entirely different animal,” Woods said of his crash injuries. “I understand more of the rehab processes because of my past injuries, but this was more painful than anything I have ever experienced.” Woods declined to answer a question about whether he hoped to play golf again. Adam Vinatieri was an NFL kicker for 24 seasons, and the 48-year-old will not add to that figure, as he announced his retirement Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show. https://twitter.com/i/status/1397626787501330432 While there are plenty of fans who want to see Tim Tebow have success in Jacksonville, there are also some people questioning why the Jaguars would even bring him in at this stage in his career. NBA legend Charles Barkley happens to be one of those critics. Barkley spoke about Tebow’s comeback story this week during an appearance on ESPN Chicago show ‘Waddle and Silvy.’ He just doesn’t see the Heisman Trophy winner picking up a new position at 33 years old. “To think he can just come pick up another position. I just think, I think you’re just being disrespectful to jocks, saying ‘Oh, I haven’t been playing football, but I can come and be a pro at it.’ I just think that’s impossible personally,” Barkley said, via Saturday Down South. In highlighting the 11 panelists confirmed for the 22nd annual Los Angeles “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference via Zoom from 1-3pmPT, Judge Dedra Davis, a 22-year veteran entertainment attorney now serving Houston as a judge of its 270th District Court will take part. Judge Davis will be part of the Professional Industry Panel that will be available to speak to attendees during the conference’s “Q&A Session.” The Professional Industry Panel will also judge the conference’s “National Talent Competition.” Los Angeles civil rights leaders will hold a press conference and protest at the home of Greg Geiser, the multi-millionaire CEO of Wedgewood Inc., in Manhattan Beach. The company seeks to foreclose on the Inglewood home of Marie Riggins, an elderly 82 year old widow an African-American homeowner. The foreclosure grab is part of a continuing pattern by white corporate real estate companies to oust distressed Black homeowners from their homes in Inglewood and South L.A. “Corporate real estate firms continue to grab homes of distressed Black homeowners such as Mrs Riggins in Inglewood and South L.A. at fire sale prices,” says Najee Ali, President Project Islamic Hope. “They have refused to negotiate or accept offers from the homeowners. Their predatory practice further shrinks an already shrunken and costly home market for African-Americans.” The Smollett sibling duo continue to bring their keen design flavor to CLEO TV this Saturday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. As they perform to revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. This week on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ , Stefany and Fredrick want to separate kid's toys from the adult space. Jake builds a storage bench, and Jazz decorates the fireplace and living space. For the reveal, Jake makes vegan Fajita Mexican Pizzas, and Jazz fry’s Vegan Sweet Potato Churros. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJIUftwFZR4 JOIN CHEF SUNNY ANDERSON AS SHE SHARES GERMAN-INSPIRED DISHES ON COOKING FOR REAL WITH SUNNY ANDERSON, AIRING MONDAYS AT 9 P.M. ET/8C A "singers-singer," Jor'Dan Armstrong, a multi-hyphenate talent, catapulted to popularity in 2018 with a series of BLSD EP releases, will release new music this summer. He will kick off an audacious summer release schedule with the world premiere of "My God," today on the nationally syndicated Willie Moore Jr. Show. https://lnk.to/MyGodSingle Start your weekend with this NEW electrifying Praise & Worship song, “Come A Little Closer,” by Todd Dulaney featuring Kierra Sheard. https://soundcloud.com/lightrecords-1/todd-dulaney-come-a-little-closer-ft-kierra-sheard CR8 Agency Publicist Kri Peck is taking a break from building his client's brands, to building his very own. Today, he launched his luxury skin care line titled, KRI SKIN. The four product line is dedicated to eradicating acne, hyperpigmentation, and acne scars. Having struggled with insecurities with his own skin, Kri was motivated to finding a solution and helping others to do the same. KRI SKIN is available exclusively at www.kriskin.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq_-sXBw60g Travis Greene and DOE. Good And Loved hit #1 on the Gospel Airplay Chart and Mediabase’s Gospel Chart this week! Watch their video from the 2020 Stellar Gospel Music Awards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07LBkbGlfM WATCH BLUE MIRACLE NOW ON NETFLIX The movie tells the incredible true story of Casa Hogar, the Mexican boys’ home that entered the world's biggest fishing tournament to rescue their orphanage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXHCBnT3d4k&feature=youtu.be The musician who provided the vocals for the late 1980s R&B group, Milli Vanilli, which was fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus has passed.T he Real Milli Vanilli singer John Davis who sang on notorious pop duo’s hit “Girl You Know It’s True” dies from COVID aged 66. The legendary Master P has officially received an honorary doctorate degree from Lincoln University. Percy Miller, known professionally as Master P, can officially add another accomplishment to the list. The legendary business mogul recently received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Lincoln University, alongside 400 graduates. In addition to Miller, JAY-Z’s mother Gloria Carter also received an honorary degree, as did author/professor Michael Eric Dyson and professor Charles V. Hamilton. Thirteen years after securing the historic papers of Martin Luther King Jr., Morehouse College has scored another important trove that chronicles the civil rights movement. On Wednesday, the college announced that the family of Joseph and Evelyn Lowery has donated their official and personal papers, photographs, documents, writings, speeches, notes, travel diaries and other mementos to the Atlanta historic Black college and university. While the full extent of the collection isn’t known yet, it could be monumental. The Lowerys, who were married for 63 years, started several civil and human rights organizations and were each instrumental in several major initiatives. Three Nigerian students who once were kidnapped or had a family member killed by Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria have graduated from American universities this spring. Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu recently earned degrees from Southeastern University in Florida, while Zion Faye earned a master’s degree from Keck Graduate Institute in California. These educational achievements represent a new milestone in the life of the Nigerians whose future seemed all but shattered not long ago when Boko Haram terrorists — who have an avowed hatred for Western education and a desire to create a caliphate in Northern Nigeria — stormed the residence and school of the girls and left their trademark sorrow, tears and blood on their trail. Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand have announced their latest grants to three institutions at the forefront of cultivating the Black experience to the wider public: the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture ($3 million over three years), Morehouse College ($1 million over two years) and the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting ($1 million over two years). https://youtu.be/DcGTywW-QzU A conservative media outlet filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Mayor Lori Lightfoot over her decision this month to grant interviews only to reporters of color to mark her two-year anniversary in office. Judicial Watch, another conservative organization, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Daily Caller News Foundation and reporter Thomas Catenacci, who covers labor, the economy and politics. Lightfoot announced last week that she would only grant interview requests from reporters of color “on the occasion of the two-year anniversary” of her inauguration. The Daily Caller’s lawsuit wrongly suggests Lightfoot had announced an ongoing policy. The complaint alleges that Lightfoot has since granted at least one interview request from a self-identified Latino reporter but denied or failed to respond to interview requests from white reporters, including Catenacci. Israel rejected outright a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution creating a commission of inquiry in response to accusations of war crimes. It’s the first time the UNHRC created a permanent fact-finding commission against a UN member state. “Today’s shameful decision is yet another example of the UN Human Rights Council’s blatant anti-Israel obsession. Once again, an immoral automatic majority at the Council whitewashes a genocidal terrorist organization that deliberately targets Israeli civilians while turning Gaza’s civilians into human shields,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “This while depicting as the ‘guilty party’ a democracy acting legitimately to protect its citizens from thousands of indiscriminate rocket attacks. This travesty makes a mockery of international law and encourages terrorists worldwide,” Netanyahu added. Brittany Bowens — the mother of slain 4-year-old Maleah Davis — took her time to say how Derion Vence was at the root of her grief. She looked at him, clad in an orange Harris County Jail jumpsuit, and cried in silence Thursday as a bailiff in the 180th District Court fetched her a box of tissues. And then, for the first time in public since her daughter’s heart-wrenching 2019 disappearance, she spoke. Destroyed were future memories of prom nights, dates and weddings, Bowens said. “I will never forgive you,” were the words that Bowens aimed at her former fiance. “You have taken away the purest love I have ever known.” Bowens begged of him one thing: To know the truth of what happened to her child. “I deserve to know,” she continued. Vence said nothing. Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors is stepping down as executive director of the organization amid controversy over her $3 million property portfolio. Cullors, who has been at the helm of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation for nearly six years, announced the news on Thursday. The 37-year-old activist told The Associated Press that she is leaving to focus on other projects, including the upcoming release of her second book and a multi-year TV development deal with Warner Bros. ‘I’ve created the infrastructure and the support, and the necessary bones and foundation, so that I can leave,’ Cullors stated. ‘It feels like the time is right.’ However, her departure comes after it was revealed last month that she has amassed a $3 million property portfolio, despite describing herself as a trained Marxist”. CNN’s chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju had an unwelcome guest appear in his live shot on Thursday while filming a stand-up at the US Capitol. Raju tweeted a clip showing the moment he gets bugged out by a very large cicada. The insect can be seen crawling up his suit and onto the back of his neck. He doesn’t seem to notice until a few seconds later. It’s not clear if someone in his earpiece told him that he had a bug on him, but shortly after he reacts and flicks the insect out of his hair while screaming out in profanity. “Do I have more on me?” Raju asks. “Are they in my hair?,” he asks, before punctuating the exchange with more profanity, which was bleeped out. “Where the f*** are the cicadas coming from?!” Raju added.” Judge Joe Brown appearing on Kwame Brown’s YouTube channel “Bust Life,” got really candid, really quickly. The 73-year-old former TV judge had thoughts on everyone from Cardi B to Lizzo, to Charlamagne tha God and The Breakfast Club, to CNN, which he referred to as the “Negro Network.” https://youtu.be/6y2wBX7WrHg Award-winning artist, actress and entrepreneur Kierra Sheard-Kelly has teamed up with contemporary Worship group Red Rocks Worship and Essential Worship, to co-release their new performance of “Something Has to Break (Live).” Delivering an ascending worship experience of her #1 hit single, Kierra paired up to create this new powerful live performance together with the worship group, whose ministry is based out of the Denver, Colorado-based Red Rocks Church. Releasing the digital single and live video of their performance, “Something Has to Break (Live)” is available via all major digital providers on Friday May 28th, with the video also available via Essential Worship’s YouTube channel. Kierra Sheard-Kelly + Red Rocks Worship: “Something Has to Break (Live)” [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6Q1ZwYSkDw A suspected white supremacist on trial for fraud in Tennessee has claimed without proof that the Black judge presiding over his trial is a so-called reverse racist and must recuse himself because of that alleged bias against people suspected of white-collar crimes. Mark Hazelwood, the former head of a major fuel and trucking company based out of Knoxville, is gearing up for his retrial on charges he conspired to defraud other trucking firms out of millions of dollars. The retrial was granted after the U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier allowed audio recordings of Hazelwood using racist slurs with other executives at the Pilot Co. when he worked there. Juan Williams, the longtime liberal co-host of Fox News’ late-afternoon panel show The Five, announced on-air Wednesday that he was leaving the program. According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, one major driver of Williams’ sudden departure from the highly-rated opinion show was his run-ins with colleague Greg Gutfeld, who had wanted The Five to return to studio and felt Williams was the main reason they were filming remotely. A Fox News spokesperson denied that “Gutfeld had anything to do with the move whatsoever” and referred to a statement from the showrunner Megan Albano who explained that Juan wanted to stay in D.C. Kelly Clarkson will be taking over Ellen DeGeneres’ coveted time slot after the veteran host’s talk show comes to an end next year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Kelly Clarkson Show premiered in 2019 and has been steadily growing in popularity, having already secured a renewal with NBCUniversal Syndication Studios through 2023. Clarkson will now take over DeGeneres’ daytime slot in fall of 2022, which would likely mark her fourth season. The 39-year-old, who got her start on American Idol, has impressive ratings for a new show, thanks to a rotating roster of celebrity guests and Clarkson pulling out all the stops for her audience by singing. Iyanla Vanzant is set to end her popular “Fix My Life” series after ten seasons on OWN. The network aired a special finale with Vanzant speaking about some of her most memorable episodes, including one featuring a grandmother who challenged her daughter’s mothering skills. It was the first episode that aired and Vanzant said it stands out because the family dynamic mirrored her own, as reported by MadameNoire. https://youtu.be/PnhGyiAQ67w After a nearly five-year legal battle, a judge has decided to grant Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie equal custody over their children, Page Six reports. Judge John Ouderkirk, a private judge hired to manage the case, made his decision after hearing witness testimonies and interviews between social workers and the couple’s children, a source familiar with the matter told Page Six. “Brad was just trying to have more time with his kids—and it has been clear that Angie has done everything possible to prevent this,” they said. “This trial lasted for several months and there were a f–k ton of witnesses, experts, therapists and other people who have been with the kids and around them, and the decision was based on this.” Leading the 21st BET Awards with seven nominations each are Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby. The BET Awards 2021 will air live on Sunday, June 27 on BET at 8pm E/P. The show was a virtual event last year during the pandemic, but this year it will be presented in front of a live but VACCINATED audience. A teacher in Oklahoma is disappointed with Gov. Kevin Stitt after one of her summer classes was canceled due to the state’s House Bill 1775, which bans educators from teaching certain concepts of race and racism. Melissa Smith told KOCO 5 that she’s taught classes on race for six years, but House Bill 1775 has caused her to lose a class she was supposed to teach this summer at Oklahoma City Community College. The recently signed legislation restricts what can be taught about racial divisions through history in Oklahoma classrooms. https://youtu.be/bsoH-eMPVpY Porsha Williams says she is planning three weddings with Simon Guobadia. The “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star shared the news during an episode of “Dish Nation,” noting that the first wedding ceremony will be a native law and custom ceremony, as reported by MadameNoire. They are also planning a traditional American wedding and one at a home Guobadia owns in another country. “He’s African so we will have our native law and custom ceremony and a regular wedding, and then we’ll have another wedding at one of the houses that are out of the country,” Williams told her co-hosts. When Williams and Guobadia announced their engagement, her fans had many questions as he is still married to his estranged wife/Williams’ RHOA co-star Falynn Guobadia. This week’s episode of WE tv’s “Growing Up Hip Hop,” finds Angela Simmons moving out to LA and her brother Jo Jo questioning her motives for buying property on the West Coast. While JoJo thinks it has to do with her new love interest, Angela makes clear that her new man is not the only reason why she wants to soak up the sun in the City of Angels. Meanwhile, Jo Jo reveals he is planning a big surprise for his wife Tanice. https://youtu.be/DrX6e1xwcuk A Philadelphia 76ers fan added insult to injury Wednesday night during their team’s playoff matchup against the Washington Wizards, dumping popcorn on the Wizards’ Russell Westbrook as he walked off the court to seek treatment. The former NBA MVP appeared incensed at the gesture, but coaching staff stopped him from going into the stands. Others in the crowd pointed to the offending fan, according to video of the incident. While it may be an unpopular opinion among players around the league, Trevor Lawrence is happy to see Tim Tebow rejoin the NFL ranks. Tebow’s roster spot isn’t guaranteed, but he’s already earned the approval of this year’s No. 1 overall pick. “He looks great,” Lawrence said on the AP Pro Football Podcast, per ESPN. “He’s just a guy that you want to be around. Character is awesome. Had a few conversations with him and I can already tell, and [he’s] just a hard worker. No one is going to work harder than him. Those are the kind of guys you want in your locker room and you want to be around every day. And then I’m excited to see what he can do on the field as well. We got in a few days and he looks great. He’s in awesome shape.” Kyrie Irving’s recent comments about racism in Boston have fans of the NBA’s Celtics extra resentful despite their adamant refusal to accept the reality that, yes, in case anyone thought otherwise, anti-Black racism is still very much a thing in that city. Irving, who played in Boston for two unremarkable seasons, and his Brooklyn Nets teammates are set to play the Celtics on Friday night in Game 3 of their first-round playoffs series. The Nets easily routed the Celtics in the first two games. After the second game Tuesday night, though, Irving — when asked — publicly expressed hope that his return to Boston isn’t tainted by fans being racist. And the response by Bostonians and local media has been very telling. TV One celebrates Black Music Month with original programming and musical performances. Its original documentary, THE BEAT DON'T STOP, will kick off the month of greatness on Thursday, June 3 at 8 P.M. ET/7C, followed by UNSUNG: Dru Hill and UNSUNG: Xscape at 10 P.M. ET/9C. Additionally, during Black Music Month, TV One will feature more highlights from its acclaimed signature series, UNSUNG, as well as musical performances such as Alicia Keys: Live in LA, Black Star Live At The Vienne Jazz Festival and Gregory Porter Live at Nice Jazz Festival. Grammy Nominated & Stellar Award Winning Gospel Hit-Maker REV. LUTHER BARNES Scores Three Stellar Nominations: Choir Of The Year, Traditional Male Artist Of The Year and Traditional Choir Of The Year. Hear Luther Barnes In His Own Words In The Gospel Spotlight..... http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/Luther_Barnes_intvw.htm Hillsong Atlanta launches after several months of successful worship events that have drawn 2,200 in-person attendance and more than 30,000 people online, setting the church up for a major launch weekend on June 6 at the Atlanta Events Center with special guests and Hillsong Global Senior Pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston. Artists like Lecrae, Mack Brock, Natalie Grant, Andy Mineo, Todd Galberth, Chante Cann and more have been part of the widely popular pre-launch worship nights, setting the tone for the diverse world-class worship music that will be a hallmark of Hillsong Atlanta. In fact, diversity and multiculturalism is at the heart of Hillsong Atlanta in every way. Lead Pastor of Hillsong Atlanta Sam Collier is partnering with Facebook and the online website Lightworkers to augment and transcend the traditional church model. After a year of virtual services as a stopgap method for some churches, Collier’s embrace of a simultaneous fully digital and fully physical approach, with major outside partnerships, is a first. More information is coming out about the life and loss of iconic rapper #DMX. Earl Simmons, didn’t leave behind enough money to care for his 15 children — some of whom are still minors. Here’s the deal: After selling more than 74 million albums and appearing in multiple movies through the span of his career, DMX’s estate could be less than $1 million; possibly less than $50,000, court documents filed by his children allege, according to Yahoo! News. Five of DMX’s 15 children filed separate court documents. His daughters Sasha Simmons and Jada Oden first filed documents on May 10, alleging his estate is worth less than $50,000. His sons Xavier, Tacoma, and Sean Simmons then filed documents on May 21, claiming his estate is worth less than $1 million. Both sides are hoping to be named administrators in the late rapper’s estate. Jada Pinkett Smith and her daughter Willow got matching tattoos on Red Table Talk this week. Mom and daughter were joined by Jada’s mother/co-host Adrienne Banfield-Norris who also got inked up by iconic tattoo artist Dr. Woo. As reported by PEOPLE, during the session, Willow, 20, recalled how her father, Will Smith, reacted when she got her first tattoo. “He was actually the one that I was most nervous about,” Willow said. “I showed my mom the art for my half-sleeve three weeks before I got it. But I didn’t tell my dad.” When she eventually showed Will her new ink, he responded: “I showed it to him and he said, ‘Everything is in divine order. Your path is your path and I love you,'” Willow shared. https://twitter.com/i/status/1397584250673586180 The internet is currently intrigued with Amber Rose because she reached out to a woman to confirm whether she used to have a relationship with Amber’s baby daddy Alexander “AE” Edwards. As reported by AceShowbiz, Amber reached out to the woman in a private message before deleting it. “Hey boo just came across ur message but can’t see it,” Amber told the woman, who later shared the conversation on TikTok. Denying Amber’s claims, the woman said, “Hey i don’t recall sending you any message.” Amber replied, “You did you must’ve deleted it. All good.” She went on to say, “I know you talked to Alex before. I’m not trippin babe. I didn’t recognize you by your profile picture until you opened up your page. I was being nosy and looked through his blocked list on his phone. You came up. Then I found ur page and saw that you sent me a message. Didn’t know if you were trying to tell me something?” City leaders and local artists launched LA for All, a multilingual PSA campaign led by the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights) to share resources for reporting hate crimes and hate incidents, as well as celebrate diversity, belonging and inclusion in Los Angeles. “LA for All reaffirms what Los Angeles is and can be at our best: a place where everybody belongs and where no one should face discrimination, bigotry, or violence because of who they are, what they look like, who they love, or what they believe,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. ”Jersey Mike’s Karen” is going viral for her violent meltdown in a Southern California shop when an employee got her order wrong. https://youtu.be/uZ4tFts3Wno “Black artists were not allowed to sing operatic solos at the MET (Metropolitan Opera House)…it wasn’t until (Leontyne) Price was a prominent Soprano Prima Donna…the 60’s…not that long ago,” said Broadway soprano operatic vocalist Cheryl Warfield about the Classical music industry and the reason why she developed the “Dynamic Divas” series that highlights three women of color Prima Donna operatic vocalists and her “Fachs & Figures: A Retrospective of the Careers of Cheryl Warfield” project – the next dated March 31st (Eventbrite.com). The last mentioned is a live-stream fundraiser to benefit the Goddard Riverside students of the Performing Arts Conservatory for the under-privileged kids of Upper-Westside, New York. Charleston County has agreed to pay $10 million to the family of Jamal Sutherland, who died after being pepper-sprayed and tasered by police in January, The New York Times reports. Sutherland had initially been at a mental health facility, Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health, but was arrested and taken to Al Cannon Detention Center after he allegedly assaulted a staff worker. One day after his arrest, officers tried to get him out of his cell for a court hearing, but when Sutherland did not want to leave his cell, the officers pepper-sprayed him. He told the officers “I can’t breathe,” but they continued to Taser him anyway, and an officer even put a knee on his back, a video of the incident shows. The settlement comes on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death, and follows other major settlements, including a $10 million settlement for Andre Hill, a Black man who was killed by a police officer last year. The officers involved in Sutherland’s death, Sgt. Lindsay Fickett and Detention Deputy Brian Houle, have been fired but a pending investigation will determine whether the two should face criminal charges. Travis Greene garners his fifth #1 hit single at Gospel radio, with “Good and Loved” feat. DOE hitting #1 on two Gospel radio charts. The radio track hits #1 on the latest charts for Billboard’s Gospel Airplay Chart and the MediaBase Gospel Chart. Originally featured on his chart-topping album Broken Record, Greene recorded a new version on this radio track for “Good and Loved,” which he taped for the 2020 Stellar Awards in a duet with DOE. In their duet performance, the two multi-GRAMMY® nominated singers also displayed their instrumental skills playing guitars and piano. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07LBkbGlfM To kick off Black Music Month, Café Mocha, the #1 nationally syndicated radio show for ‘women of color,’ presents the Salute THEM Awards ‘soundtrack of our lives’ broadcasting Sunday, June 6 at 10:00 P.M ET on BNC.TV from the new National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville. The awards event, sponsored by AARP and Toyota with musical alliances NMAAM, Essence Festival and Living Legends Foundation, will be co-hosted by Café Mocha Gracie Award Winners Loni Love, Yo-Yo and “Ain’t Too Proud” Broadway star Saint Aubyn. https://facebook.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=03270e5fb8d65204361e530a2&id=be11158404&e=136c74e292 Author Terry McMillan shut down her Twitter account after being bullied by members of the LGBTQ community for commenting on the way celebrities come out. McMillian famously sued her young Jamaican husband Jonathan Plummer in 2007 for fraud after he came out as gay. Over the weekend Terry deactivated her Twitter after being harassed for writing: “I don’t understand why celebrities have to announce their sexuality. Just be who you are.” And with that, the bullies within the LGBTQ community began until she quit social media altogether, Rhymes With Snitch reports. One reader commented, “Girl stfu and just eat your food. You got a Waiting to Exhale tv series about to take off, please dont fck up your bag.” https://youtu.be/kKgnbmDpsy0 Ray J reportedly won $17,000 playing a penny-slot game called “Buffalo” at a San Miguel casino in L.A. According to TMZ, the “Wait A Minute” singer spent $100 on the digital game. The outlet writes, “He played the slots because he considers himself an old man now, and that’s what old folks do. BTW … he’s 40.” “Ray has retired his days as a big gambler on table games, particularly roulette … and his most recent lucky streak is probably a sign that’s a good idea.” It’s not like he needs money … Ray’s Raycon earbuds have reportedly earned him a fortune. T-Pain has inked a deal with LiveXLive Media’s podcast platform PodcastOne, and the rapper will soon launch Nappy Boy Radio, a podcast and video podcast series. Deadline reports, the series, which will launch on June 3, will feature conversations between T-Pain and some of his celebrity/influencer pals, including Peyton List, Xolo Maridueña, Jacob Bertrand, and Joe Seo from Cobra Kai, Mike Tyson, Lil Jon, Steve-O, Jazzy Pha and Slim Jxmmi. Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa Pippen has joined OnlyFans amid her drama with ex-lover Malik Beasley. As reported by Page Six, “The “Real Housewives of Miami” alum, 46, posted a promotional video to Instagram on Monday showing her in some of the sexy shots that she plans to share on the NSFW subscription-based platform. https://twitter.com/i/status/1396950311504424963 Vivica A. Fox chopped it up with VladTV this week and opened up about why her marriage to Christopher “Sixx-Nine” Harvest ended in 2002. The veteran actress said she curbed Harvest after his music career took a deep dive and she became the sole financial provider in the household. “Everyone was having their Cinderella day and I just wanted one too to be very honest with you. Why the marriage didn’t last a long time is ’cause I didn’t take the time to get to know him. I felt peer pressure.” Vivica and Harvest dated when he was a member of an R&B group. Tuesday, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley publicly apologized to his estranged wife Montana Yao for cutting out on her and their 2-year-old son while he dated Larsa Pippen last year. Yao filed for divorce amid the cheating scandal but she accepted her hubby’s apology this week and the couple is said to be working on mending their marriage. Meanwhile, Pippen and Yao got into a heated exchange on social media following Beasley’s apology message, which he shared on his Instagram account. Tuesday, an Ohio judge declared a mistrial in the murder case of Tevin Biles-Thomas, the brother of famed Olympian Simone Biles. According to The Associated Press, the move came after jurors received copies of legal briefs they were not supposed to see. The evidence included a motion discussing whether Tevin acted in self-defense when he shot three people at a New Year’s Eve party in 2018. An earlier report noted that Biles-Thomas was charged with multiple counts of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felonious assault, along with one count of perjury for the fatal shooting at an Airbnb rental property that left three men dead and two others injured, MSN reported. Law enforcement officials in London arrested five men Tuesday on suspicion of attempted murder of Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson. The suspects include a 17-year-old who was detained on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and possession with the intent to supply drugs; three men aged 18, 19, and 28, who were arrested on suspicion of group fighting and possession with intent to sell; and a 25-year-old man who was arrested after a car chase for group fighting and failing to stop for police, CNN reports. Saniyya Dennis, a 19-year-old honor student at Buffalo State College in New York has been missing since April, but her family is not resigned to giving up on finding her and bringing her home. In early May Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced his office believed Saniyya died of apparent suicide near Niagara Falls after reviewing text exchanges phone records, surveillance footage and interviewing friends she reportedly contacted who said she expressed thoughts of self-harm. “An exhaustive search and review of the evidence has been done and it appears that this poor girl took her own life,” Flynn told reporters. “Without a body, without an autopsy being done, we’re never going to definitively know. All I can do is present you with what I have and what I presented … everything that I had … to her parents.” However Saniyya’s family refuses to give up their fight and challenge the evidence and claims Flynn made during his announcement. A former college basketball star has been arrested on suspicion of killing an elderly relative of his over the weekend in Detroit. Keith Appling, who was a four-year member of the Michigan State University men’s basketball team from 2010-2014, was taken into custody on Monday after a manhunt following what police described as a family dispute turned deadly. The Detroit News reported that one of Appling’s relatives told police that he shot a different relative — an unidentified 66-year-old-man — after the two of them had a verbal altercation early Saturday night. Appling reportedly shot the relative dead at the victim’s home in Detroit and dropped the gun after another relative forced it out of his hand. He then fled in a car before being arrested Monday morning about 57 miles west of Detroit in the town of Chelsea. The Detroit Free Press reported that a gun was recovered during the arrest. Prince Harry will “go deeper” into his mental health struggles in yet another collaborative project with Oprah Winfrey. The redheaded royal, 39, announced on his Archewell site on Wednesday that he’ll follow up his and Winfrey’s Apple TV+ series, “The Me You Can’t See,” with a town hall discussion titled “The Me You Can’t See: A Path Forward.” Harry said the follow-up program, which premieres Friday, will “go deeper” into the stories of the initial docuseries’ subjects and feature experts issuing guidance, so “together they begin to answer the critical question: Where do we go from here?” Chadwick Boseman was best known to audiences for his work onscreen, playing iconic figures like Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and the Black Panther. But offscreen, he was known as a proud Howard Bison. Howard University announced today that the newly re-established college of fine arts, led by Dean Phylicia Rashad, will be named the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts in honor of the late actor and distinguished alumnus. Samuel E. Wright, the actor who voiced Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid,” has died. He was 74. The news of his death was confirmed in a Facebook post on Tuesday by his hometown Montgomery, N.Y. It did not confirm his cause of death. James Bond has a new home: Amazon and MGM announced a definitive merger agreement under which Amazon will acquire MGM for $8.45 billion. MGM, founded in 1924, complements Amazon Studios, which has primarily focused on producing TV programming, the companies said. Amazon will help “preserve MGM’s heritage and catalog of films” and provide customers with greater access to these existing works, the companies added. A Los Angeles toddler has been accepted into Mensa — the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. Kashe Quest is just two years old, going on three, and has an IQ of 146, while the average IQ in America is 100. Currently, Quest is the youngest member of American Mensa. “We started to notice her memory was really great. She just picked up things really fast and she was really interested in learning. At about 17, 18 months, she had recognized all the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes,” said Sukhjit Athwal, Kashe’s mother. Kashe can also identify all 50 states by shape and location on a map. She is learning Spanish, knows over 50 signs in sign language, can count to 100, can identify elements on the periodic table by their symbols and is even learning to read. Broadway has long known that Black professionals are underrepresented backstage and in leadership positions in the commercial theater industry — but now a new initiative from a group of Broadway producers, the Theatre Leadership Project, aims to change that. “There seems to be this notion that if you are a Black person or a person of color working in the theater field, then the commercial world is not for you. You are forced to go into the nonprofit arena,” said Travis LeMont Ballenger, one of the founding members of TTLP. He spoke on the latest episode of Variety‘s theater podcast, “Stagecraft,” appearing with Leah Harris, the new project’s program manager, to discuss the current state of representation on Broadway and how TTLP is hoping to change things. An employee opened fire Wednesday at a California rail yard serving Silicon Valley, killing eight people before ending his own life, authorities said. The suspect was an employee of the Valley Transportation Authority, which provides bus, light rail and other transit services throughout Santa Clara County, the largest county in the Bay Area, Santa Clara County sheriff’s authorities said. The attacker was identified as 57-year-old Sam Cassidy, according to two law enforcement officials. Investigators offered no immediate word on a possible motive. The Great One is headed to TNT, The Post has learned. Wayne Gretzky will be a lead analyst on Turner’s premier studio show after agreeing to a contract that will pay him in the neighborhood of $3 million per season, according to sources. The 60-year-old announced Tuesday he was stepping down as vice chairman of the Edmonton Oilers after the Jets swept them out of the Stanley Cup playoffs Monday. History was made inside of the White House briefing room today as principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stepped to the podium and delivered her first official press briefing. In doing so, she becomes the first-ever openly gay woman and the second Black woman to address the White House press corp. https://youtu.be/FU0HrIrvzWU Kim Kardashian has always been transparent about her life which is why it comes as no surprise that she’s revealing that she failed her first year bar exam. In a sneak peek of Thursday’s episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians, ” Kim, 40, opens up about her exam to her sisters and admits that her latest defeat is taking a toll on her dreams of being a lawyer. Dylann Roof, the white supremacist convicted of murdering nine members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston in 2015, is appealing to have his sentence overturned. Roof’s defense attorneys are playing the “he’s mentally ill” card, and, per New York Daily News, have asked that his sentence be suspended until a “proper competency evaluation” can be conducted. They argue that Roof should not have been sentenced to death due to his “mental illness”. https://youtu.be/mxu06fz7ucg Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing 22 civil cases stemming from sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct allegations. One of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL, the 25-year-old Watson now faces an uncertain future in the league months after he requested a trade from the Texans. Recent reports suggest that Watson is facing a “multi-game suspension” for the 2021 season regardless of what happens in the court of law. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the NFL has an ability to suspend players even in the absence of criminal charges being filed or a guilty verdict. Compton Mayor Aja Brown, members of the city council, city attorney, and residents of Compton will hold a press conference Wed., May 26 at 11 a.m. at city hall to announce the filing of a Claim for Damages against LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, Compton Station Captain LaTonya Clark, and unknown Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Deputies and personnel employed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department and County of Los Angeles. The 16th Annual Gamma Zeta Boulé Foundation L.A.M.P. Mentor Program Scholarship Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 29, 2021 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, in a VIRTUAL environment. Eight African American male high school graduating seniors will be awarded scholarships to assist in their college matriculation. his year history was made as three seniors were named Boulé Scholars, the country’s highest level of distinction awarded by the oldest Black Greek-lettered fraternal organization, Sigma Pi Phi (The Boulé). The aftermath of being in jail and continuing to prove innocence to maintain freedom creates eye opening experiences that we as an audience often overlook. As reported in the Sybil Wilkes February 15 What You Need To Know newsletter, Diamonds Ford shot at what was believed to be an intruder then called 911 when officers serving a warrant failed to properly identify themselves. Ford and her now husband Anthony Gantt are still facing charges from the September 2020 incident. https://youtu.be/r11n8johAnQ Last Wednesday (May 19th), LeBron James squared off against the Golden State Warriors for a standard game. However, two days before, LeBron James hosted an event for his tequila brand–Lobos 1707–that was attended by numerous stars, including Drake and Michael B. Jordan. Ultimately, this caused speculation regarding whether the NBA star would be suspended for this COVID violation. Discussing the incident with ESPN on Friday (May 21st), a league spokesperson stated: “It’s a violation of the agreed upon protocols, and, as we have in other comparable instances around the league, it has been addressed with the team.” Shortly thereafter, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that sources claimed LeBron would not be suspended for the violation because the event was not deemed a COVID risk. Thus, the NBA allowed LeBron to play in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns this past Sunday (May 23rd). “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” will put viewers ringside for the main event that will chronicle the former champion’s climb, crash and comeback, from his difficult childhood to becoming undisputed world champion to his 1992 rape conviction and his personal struggles. Through the lens of his life’s extreme highs and lows, the two-part primetime event will examine some of the most pressing questions about resilience and reinvention. https://youtu.be/vxXVEfQLWEM Tracee Ellis Ross is speaking out about the societal pressure for women to get married and have children — especially if they are women of a certain age. In a new interview with Marie Claire, the actress talked about feeling pressured to find a man and settle down. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E1mSNuLVIAIj5UA?format=jpg&name=small On the one-year anniversary marking the day that their loved one was killed in a harrowing act of police violence, George Floyd‘s family met with President Joe Biden and congressional leaders to mark the solemn moment. According to family attorney Ben Crump spoke with NBC News, the day begin with the family sitting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prior to visiting the White House. The visit comes amidst another push for meaningful law enforcement reform as it stalls in the Senate. Earlier this year President Biden urged lawmakers to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act prior to Floyd’s death anniversary, a move that advocacy organization and some activists believe made a first step towards abolishing law enforcement practices and policies which seek to prevent accountability when Black community members are routinely targeted and often killed by those who vow to serve and protect. As the world begins easing out of the most stressful time of our lives, Family Federation for World Peace and Unification USA invites you to join us for the Peace Starts With Me: Peace & Blessing virtual celebration June 5, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Let the Blessing revive your life, your family, and the world. Experience the grandeur of a stadium show from the comfort of your home. Featuring performances by Grammy award-winning talent including Gospel star Hezekiah Walker, Yolanda Adams, Israel Haughton, Joann Rosario Condrey, The Soul Children of Chicago and Kim Burrell. With words of inspiration from Bishop Noel Jones of the City of Refuge Church and The Mother of Peace, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. The Marriage Blessing is a worldwide tradition where couples dedicate, or re-dedicate, their marriage to a greater purpose and God. In response to the breakdown of traditional marriage, the Marriage Blessing offers a way to build a world of stronger marriages and healthier families. Rededicate, celebrate and receive the anointing of God upon your couple and family. SAN FRANKLIN has been described as a vocal powerhouse and an anointed force in music and ministry. Her debut solo album THE FREE PROJECT is her musical ambition to inspire and lead people to freedom and liberty. What is undeniable is that with every opportunity she is impacting people and culture by shifting atmospheres and changing lives. Her current single "I Choose Free" is a defining song that she conveys with both passion and power. "I Choose Free" is an anthem of expectation and an emblem of emancipation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvToaLXKwPY&feature=youtu.be In a case of questionable timing at best, the top prosecutor in Louisville announced on Tuesday that his office would not bring charges against the police officers and members of the military who gunned down a Black man attending a demonstration peacefully protesting against George Floyd‘s murder. The announcement came as the nation paused to observe the one-year anniversary of the heinous police murder of Floyd in Minneapolis. Jefferson Commonwealth Attorney Thomas B. Wine confirmed that the Louisville police officers and Kentucky National Guardsmen who killed David “YaYa” McAtee nearly one year ago would not be facing any kind of criminal charges for their roles in a shooting that can only be described as questionable. The shooting was described as justified. McAtee, 53, was a barbecue chef and restaurant owner in Louisville who had come to be known in part for serving police officers free meals. When he was shot on June 1, none of the body cameras worn by the officers involved were turned on. McAtee’s body reportedly lay in the street for 12 hours. Darnella Frazier, the teenager who filmed former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s fatal encounter with George Floyd last May, reflected on the tragedy on Tuesday, the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s death. Darnella Frazier, the teenager who filmed former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s fatal encounter with George Floyd last May, reflected on the tragedy on Tuesday, the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s death. “I didn’t know this man from a can of paint, but I knew his life mattered. I knew that he was in pain. I knew that he was another black man in danger with no power. I was only 17 at the time, just a normal day for me walking my 9-year-old cousin to the corner store, not even prepared for what I was about to see, not even knowing my life was going to change on this exact day in those exact moments… it did. It changed me. It changed how I viewed life. It made me realize how dangerous it is to be Black in America … A part of my childhood was taken from me,” she continued. Frazier also indicated she has no regrets about sharing her cellphone footage with the world. Doc Rivers’ emotional reaction to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, just three months after the gruesome police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, went viral and represented the frustrations of those who watched video of both incidents, and countless others showing unarmed black people being killed by white police officers. https://youtu.be/aQ78YoIXI5o OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today a special one-hour programming event presented by Procter & Gamble as a part of its 'Widen the Screen' initiative, "OWN and P&G Present: Widen The Screen - A Fuller View of Black Life" premiering on Tuesday, May 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. This special presentation is hosted by Oprah Winfrey and features short films and new content by Black creators that celebrate Black stories and the expansiveness of Black life, while honoring the anniversary of the tragic murder of George Floyd. The program will include a special airing of Tangled Roots, Ballet After Dark, and Gloves Off from the Queen Collective documentary film series, followed by a sneak preview of the four new Queen Collective films that will premiere in June 2021 during the Tribeca Film Festival. Atlanta Hawks vice president and former NBAer Dominique Wilkins says he was turned away from a popular Buckhead restaurant due to racism. It happened at Le Bilboquet, a French bistro in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. “In my many years in the world, I’ve eaten at some of the greatest restaurants in the world, but never have I felt prejudice or been turned away because of the color of my skin, until today,” he wrote on Twitter. Wilkins said staff at Le Bilboquet refused him service over his designer casual clothing. “We sincerely apologize to Dominique Wilkins for the events that occurred on May 22,” the restaurant said in a statement. “No patron of our restaurants should be made to feel unwelcome or less than, and for that we are deeply sorry. It was never our intention to make Mr. Wilkins – or anyone else for that matter – feel that way at our restaurant.” Management says staffers will be re-trained and changes will be made to the dress code policy. The reconciliation between Erica Mena and Safaree Samuels was short-lived because the reality TV star has revealed that she’s raising their child alone, and is expected to do the same with the baby she’s currently carrying. TMZ reports that on Friday, Mena filed for divorce after less than 2 years of marriage. According to the outlet, “Erica is asking for primary physical custody of their 1-year-old daughter, Safire, but she’s willing to share joint legal custody with Safaree. She’s also indicated she wants child support, plus … exclusive use of the home they currently share,” TMZ writes. Earlier this month, Safaree and his estranged wife announced that they are expecting baby #2! The “Love & Hip Hop” stars shared the exciting news via an Instagram post showing off Mena’s baby bump. The second season of Tyler Perry’s “Assisted Living” kicks off TONIGHT (May 25) at 9 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. The comedy is the #1 new scripted series for African Americans P18-49, P25-54, and P2+ on cable for broadcast season 20-21. Fans have shown so much love for the show that BET has green-lit “Assisted Living” for a third season. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has hinted that he has no plans on staying with the team. When asked if he’s going back to the Falcons during the “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” show on FS1, Jones said, “I’m out of there.” Jones was reportedly spotted wearing a Dallas Cowboys T-shirt but made clear that he doesn’t want to play for the team, 11 Alive reports. “I ain’t going to Dallas, I never thought of going to Dallas,” Jones said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1396855165450342410 Executive Chef Liz Rogers has launched her own ice cream brand called Creamalicious, making hers the only Black-owned ice cream company in mass production. Some of the flavors are named after Rogers’ family members with recipes rooted in Black culture. “The desserts have history that people don’t know about, like the red velvet cake,” Rogers said. “It was considered the celebration cake when African Americans got their freedom back. You have the white cake which is a white southern cake that was considered a peace offering. Each flavor has a story.” Walmart says an “external bad actor” is responsible for a number of fake accounts that generated emails using the company’s domain that addressed recipients with a racial slur. According to CBS News, those behind the attack created new accounts for people whose emails were not previously identified by the company as belonging to Walmart customers, automatically sending a “Welcome to Walmart, N**ger” email. The company’s internal systems were not breached, and the retailer said it was able to stop more of the emails from being sent. https://youtu.be/7ghhFtNr710 Atlanta police are searching for a man who reportedly stole rapper Akon’s vehicle Tuesday from an Atlanta gas station. Police say the artist was pumping gas at the QuikTrip on Sidney Marcus Boulevard in Buckhead just after midnight. Moments later, a man hopped into Akon’s Range Rover and sped off. https://youtu.be/VViBl554Z8A ”Cruella” is the new Disney live-action film exploring Cruella del Vil – the villain from the animated classic “101 Dalmatians” origin story. Emma Stone (“La La Land”) stars in the leading role – set in 1970s London during the punk rock revolution, a young grifter named Estella is trying to break into the fashion industry. She builds a life on the London streets with the help of two young thieves, Joel Fry (Jasper) and Paul Walter Hauser (Horace), who appreciate her appetite for mischief. Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of fashion legend Baroness von Hellman, played by two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson (“Howards End,” “Sense & Sensibility”). But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable, and revenge-bent Cruella. Luther Campbell a.k.a. Uncle Luke of 2 Live Crew fame is speaking out about being snubbed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The hip-hop icon took to his social media accounts to address the fact that his group was not among the 2021 class that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced earlier this month. The Miami rapper wrote over the weekend, “S**t another year of not getting inducted to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.” Ace Showbiz reports, “to be able to be considered for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an artist or act must be 25 years removed from their first recording,” the outlet writes. 2 Live Crew is definitely eligible as their debut album” The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are” was released in 1986. It appears Chuck D and Flavor Flav remain at odds because the leader of famed hip-hop group Public Enemy is ready to squash the beef and get back to work. Chuck D addressed the issue further during his chat with Talib Kweli on the People’s Party podcast. https://youtu.be/uMmTTbWpL9c BET will assemble an R&B supergroup on the upcoming reality series “BET Presents The Encore.” The network said the competition series will feature familiar faces from the R&B world, as reported by Urban Hollywood 411. BET.com reports, among those involved include Shamari DeVoe of Blaque, Irish Grinstead and LeMisha Grinstead from 702, Nivea Nash and Felisha King of Cherish, Fallon King and Pamela Long from the group Total, Aubrey O’ Day from Danity Kane, and Kiely Williams of 3LW have signed for the show. The outlet describes the series as “a one-of-a-kind music experiment” featuring “solo female artists and groups from the 1990s and 2000s to form the ultimate R&B supergroup. Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard tripled down on his “Logo Lillard” nickname and then some Monday night during his team’s playoff game against the Denver Nuggets. First the numbers. Lillard earned his second 30-point first half of his playoff career on Monday and became the only player with multiple 30-point first halves in the playoffs over the last 15 seasons. He had 8 triples at halftime, tying Vince Carter’s all-time NBA Playoffs record for threes in a half. One of the 3-pointers, this one from deep inside the Nuggets logo, went viral. https://youtu.be/xFHjeFswasE Former NBA star and Atlanta-area resident Shaquille O’Neal has been known to help out his neighbors from time to time, even spontaneously. The NBA Hall-of-Famer showed generosity Friday in the form of providing kids in Henry County with new shoes. Soles4Souls partnered with The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and Reebok to distribute 500 new pairs of shoes to kids. Shaq visited Wesley Lakes Elementary School, a McDonough Title I school, saying he is happy to put a smile on kids’ faces at the end of the school year. “It’s all about the kids,” O’Neal said. “The two things that really hurt me this year were seeing 40 million people out of work, and I hate seeing kids who don’t have what they need.” Singer and actress Darlene Love—who has hit songs like “He’s A Rebel” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and contributions to tunes by Dionne Warwick and Marvin Gaye—talks with Sisters From AARP about her life, the importance of family, and how we can embrace aging. At 79, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee also is preparing to accept honors from the Salute THEM Awards on June 6 (presented by AARP and Toyota North America), which celebrates Black creatives. RSVP, and share your comments on aging well and family connections! Moms of Black Boys United for Social Change, Inc. (M.O.B.B. United for Social Change), an online community of nearly 200,000 moms with 15 local chapters nationwide advocating for fair and just treatment of Black boys and men in American society, remains on the front lines of the fight against racial injustice. Today, M.O.B.B. United remembers George Floyd, whose tragic murder at the hands of Minnesota police one year ago ignited a worldwide outcry against police brutality of Blacks in America, and the organization continues to forge ahead in the fight for justice and police reform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUKkgnJGaNI&feature=youtu.be A new episode of the true crime docu-series Sins of The City airs this Thursday, May 27 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. This week, Atlanta's Dekalb County Sheriff Department stands the trial of public opinion in the murder of veteran officer and Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t5jyHnv-C4 Kristen Clarke on Tuesday became the first Black woman and first woman overall to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division since its creation in 1957. Clarke was confirmed following a drawn-out process that stalled for months. Clarke’s nomination advanced on May 13 following a Senate Judiciary Committee vote to get her to this point. Committee members split the vote 11-11 to advance the process to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote. Supporters of Clarke expect another uphill battle during the final stage of the process. Much of Clarke’s confirmation process has been mired in stonewalling orchestrated mainly by Senate Republicans who believe Clarke is too radical to lead the division which oversees law enforcement policies and procedures. Their numerous attempts to invalidate and disqualify her experiences stems form Clarke’s history as a transformative social justice lawyer and leader. After the committee vote earlier this month, civil rights leaders hailed Clarke’s experience and urged the Senate to move in the right direction. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump called into SiriusXM’s The Joe Madison Show on May 25, 2021, one year to the day after George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, to renew the call for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and detail the Floyd family’s plans to meet with President Biden and other leaders in Washington, DC. Drake brought his three-year-old son Adonis onstage as the Canadian superstar was named artist of the decade at the Billboard Music Awards, and people are thanking Pusha T for the precious father/son moment. In 2018, Pusha T revealed during their rap beef that Drake had fathered a child with French artist Sophie Brussaux and the Toronto-born star later confirmed the news on his album Scorpion. Many folks online thought Drake was forced to finally acknowledge his son publicly only after being outed by his rival. https://lnkd.in/epCbmmu Central City Productions revealed the nominees in 28 categories for the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which will be taped on Saturday, July 10, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN. "We're extremely pleased and proud to present our 36th annual Stellar Awards, appropriately themed 'Lighting the Way with Our Faith, Music and Family," remarked Don Jackson, Founder of the Stellar Awards and Chairman of Central City Productions, Inc. . This year's recipient of the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement is The Clark Sisters. Lady Tramaine Hawkins will be honored with the Aretha Franklin Icon Award, Pastor Shirley Caesar will receive the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award, Bishop Dr. Leonard Scott is tapped to receive the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award and Black Smoke Music Founder Kerry Douglas, Skip Barrett and Teresa Hairston will be inducted into the Stellar Honors Hall of Fame. Millennial Gospel superstar Jonathan McReynolds, co-host of the 35th Annual Stellar Awards, tops the list of nominees this year with eight nominations. Grammy-nominated singers and songwriters Juan Winans and Lisa Winans, along with actress-singer Deborah Joy Winans are making big moves in music and entertainment, a natural as a third-generation member of the world-renowned Winans Family. This week, Juan and Lisa Winans’ No. 1 Billboard gospel single, “It Belongs To Me,” was nominated for New Artist Of The Year and Duo/Chorus Group Of The Year by the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards. The DARE Records release, recorded by Juan and his wife, Lisa also features his uncle, Marvin L. Winans, and remains in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Gospel Recurrent chart. And just this week, the brand-new DARE Records urban inspirational single, “Never On My Own” by Juan Winans featuring his sister, Deborah Joy Winans, is off to a great start at national streaming and broadcast outlets. After a record year of BIG wins and unforgettable performances, Alabama singer, songwriter and megachurch leader Pastor Mike Jr. returns to this year's Stellar Awards with seven nominations including Rap Hip Hop Gospel Album, Album of the Year, Urban Inspirational Performance and the coveted Artist of the Year nominations. "This should be no surprise to any of us", says Blacksmoke Music Worldwide CEO Kerry Douglas with humility. Pastor Mike, Jr. dared to show us that God still does BIG things, he kept telling us God is about to blow your minds. That song resonated with people all over this country. He went to the Stellars and won Best New Artist. We released Freedom Session, I Got It was the follow up, and it not only hit number one on the Gospel radio charts, it is making its way up the urban charts. Pastor Mike, Jr. lives out loud and bold, he takes God at his word, This is his season and his moment and we are just running over with joy. A white Red Cross worker who was filmed hugging an African migrant says she’s being harassed by racists online over the imagery. Luna Reyes, 20, was forced to set her social media accounts to private after video/photos of her and the migrant sparked a wave of racist and sexist abuse, per MSN. According to reports, the migrant swam from Morocco to Ceuta last week. When Reyes approached the exhausted Senegalese man and offered him a bottle of water, he broke down and clung to her. Charlamagne Tha God caught major heat over the weekend from veteran NBA player Kwane Brown after the popular radio DJ shared some harsh truths about Brown’s family on The Breakfast Club. https://twitter.com/i/status/1395151812034957313 Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee’s divorce was finalized more than a decade ago, but they may have to face each other in court once again. The music executive, 63, sued the model, 46, and her husband, Tim Leissner, last week for allegedly attempting to fraudulently transfer Simmons’ nearly four million Celsius shares to their accounts to help pay for Leissner’s legal and bail fees stemming from a 2018 money laundering case, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court documents obtained by Page Six on Friday. https://youtu.be/1ZPuBGevQLo DJ Funkmaster Flex recently made time to remind folks that Power 105.1 radio personality Charlamagne tha God got away with raping a 15-year-old girl when he was in his ’20s. MadameNoire reports, on his show last week, Funk Flex played an audio clip of a woman saying that Charlamagne raped her daughter Jessica Reid in 2001 and that he was “getting away with it.” “If he was going to be a friend to us he came to us and said don’t worry nothing is going to happen to her and I’ll make sure she’ll be safe,” the distraught mother said in a 2018 interview on The Star Report. “He alluded us to believe and trust in him and then he turns around and violates my daughter by raping and drugging her and then…he gets away with it.” Reid said she didn’t allow her daughter to testify in the trial against Charlamagne because she didn’t want her to relive the trauma. https://youtu.be/kCjm8a9ixeA Jamie Masada, the owner and founder of the iconic Laugh Factory comedy club in Hollywood, tells TMZ that several A-listers are set to honor Paul Mooney with a special show on Thursday at 3 PM. Eddie Murphy and Kevin Hart are among the many who have been contacted to attend. We’re told Tiffany Haddish is not able to attend because of work but will send in a special video tribute to be played during the event. Paul’s twin sons — comedians Dwayne and Daryl — will also be there … with the list of special guests expected only to grow. Jamie says he envisions guests doing a little stand-up (duh), sharing their best Paul Mooney stories and more. Paul was a regular at the famed Hollywood location. In fact … Jamie tells us he still remembers Paul being one of the very first comedians on opening night in 1979. https://youtu.be/cRFlgrMzWP8 CNN host Van Jones weighed in on Kim Kardashian’s future as a fellow attorney now that she is three years into her pursuit of becoming a lawyer. During an interview on the Ellen Degeneres show, Jones said, “She’s doing amazing. I think she has used her platform to help people behind bars.” He added, “Her dad was a lawyer and she always wanted to be a lawyer,” he explained. “Once she got a taste of what she could do using her platform, using her brain, she hasn’t let up, so I think she’s going to be an unbelievable attorney. She’s already I think one of the best advocates that we have in criminal justice.” Jones, 52, and Kardashian, 40, have previously worked together on criminal justice reform. Actress Samira Wiley is opening up about the challenges of motherhood. The “Handmaid’s Tale” star and her wife Lauren Morelli announced the birth of their daughter George Elizabeth on Mother’s Day. The couple announced on social media that the child was born on April 11, 2021. Wiley dished with CBS This Morning about some of her scarier moments of parenting so far, admitting that she is “so tired” and “terrified” in her new role, per MSN. https://youtu.be/MVhW5-rFEv0 The global health crisis has exacerbated financial woes for many individuals and Delaware State University is on a mission to ensure the school’s recent graduates aren’t burdened by the weight of debt. According to People, the Dover-based HBCU recently announced it would eliminate the student loan debt for students who were significantly impacted by the pandemic. DSU will cancel over $700,000 in student loans for over 220 students through the American Rescue Plan Act that was enacted by President Joe Biden and his administration. Under the $1.9 trillion plan, funds were allotted for student debt cancellation, grants and scholarships. Renowned playwright and activist Lorraine Hansberry’s contributions to the arts will forever be embedded in the fabric of history and an effort to preserve a significant element of her journey has moved forward. According to Broadway World, the visionary’s former New York City residence has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The home—where Hansberry dwelled between the years of 1953 and 1960—is located at 337 Bleecker Street; in the heart of the Greenwich Village neighborhood. The residence served as the backdrop for Hansberry’s evolution as a pivotal figure. Her time there was one of both professional and personal progression as she made triumphs in her career and explored and embraced her homosexuality. In the space, she penned A Raisin in the Sun which made it to the Ethel Barrymore Theater stage, making her the first African American woman playwright to have her work performed on Broadway. She used the proceeds she earned from the play to acquire the residential building in 1960. The Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) has announced that networking giant Cisco will give $150 million in order to aid historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The aid will take the form of $100 million in networking, security, and collaboration technologies, including ongoing technical support with help from cloud security services provider American Virtual Cloud (AVC) Technologies, in order to facilitate advancements to HBCU technology infrastructure and cybersecurity systems. The remaining $50 million will act as an anchor investment to support the Student Freedom Initiative over the next four years. That $50 million investment will allow for the financing of the college educations of 500 HBCU students every year. According to the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks star is furthering his efforts to support small Black-owned businesses and nonprofits throughout the country. Last year Holiday announced he would donate a portion of his 2019-2020 season salary to grassroots nonprofit organizations centered on social justice, HBCUs and businesses created by Black entrepreneurs. He and his wife Olympic gold medalist Lauren Holiday created the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Impact Fund; an initiative designed to provide funding and support for foundations and businesses in underserved communities within the Greater Milwaukee area, New Orleans, Indianapolis and Los Angeles. After witnessing the fund’s impact the Holidays announced they’re opening a second round of funding. As part of the next round, they are distributing up to $1 million in grants. Morgan and Bode Miller are expecting a baby girl! On Sunday, the couple hosted a fiesta-themed party to reveal the sex of their baby on the way at their home in Orange County, California, with close family and friends. And on Monday, they announced the big reveal on the Today show. “We are so excited,” the Millers tell PEOPLE after finding out they will be welcoming a daughter this fall. In early May, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced at a news conference that she would not seek a second term. Her announcement was a surprise to many. “This has been my highest honor to serve as mayor of this city,” she said. “It is abundantly clear to me that it is time to pass the baton on to someone else.” https://youtu.be/mNtH_J6j2ms Holly Robinson Peete returns as Billie Blessing for another installment from the “Morning Show Mysteries” titled “Murder Ever After,” airing Sunday night (May 23) on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. https://youtu.be/Q7EWUMGv890 Imagine being in the situation an Illinois man found himself when police allegedly mistook the ashes of the grieving dad’s 2-year-old daughter for drugs and basically dumped them, according to reports. “No, no, no, bro, that’s my daughter!” Dartavius Barnes said on video from a Springfield police bodycam, obtained by WICS, the Springfield ABC affiliate. Barnes was pulled over last year, and is now suing the Springfield police department and the Illinois city. https://youtu.be/VTI_sbYXnA0 Tuesday, President Joe Biden will host the family of George Floyd at the White House to mark the one-year anniversary of his death at the hands of police. White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the news of Friday but didn’t offer further details on his plans. Biden first met with the Floyd family back in June 2020 in Houston to offer condolences ahead of George Floyd’s funeral. The President has spoken to members of the family over the past year, and recently talked with George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, after a jury convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing. The divorce proceedings between comedian Gary Owen and his estranged wife, Kenya Duke, are heating up. Reports claim that Gary Owen has stopped all communications with his-soon-to-be ex-wife and isn’t answering her texts regarding their finances. According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Kenya Duke writes that Gary Owen won’t respond to her messages, “to try and work out an arrangement for the payment of our household debt.” She continues, “While I was hoping to come to an amicable agreement with my husband … he has unfortunately left me with no choice but to file this RFO for Support. Gary and I have been married for over seventeen years. Twenty-three years ago, I left my promising career as an account manager to solely support Gary and his career.” It seems that Houston doctors are trying to figure out why a handful of people hospitalized with COVID-19 develop massively enlarged tongues. The condition is called macroglossia. It makes it impossible for patients to eat and talk. Fortunately, Dr. James Melville with the UTHealth School of Dentistry has become a specialist in dealing with the condition. He has performed surgeries to help patients regain use of their tongues. https://youtu.be/SyC2bpXFnMk Black culture will never be erased with a docu-series like this! According to their press release, Netflix is taking you on a journey to learn how African American cuisine shaped America in “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America,” which is adapted from food historian Jessica B Harris’ book of the same name. https://youtu.be/7wsEdxt1Ico Mayor Bill de Blasio, Hip Hop legends Nas, LL Cool J, Fat Joe, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, City Council Member Diana Ayala, numerous city agencies, and hip hop luminaries took part in the official groundbreaking event for the first phase of Bronx Point. Bronx Point’s first phase will deliver 542 units of permanently affordable housing to the Lower Concourse neighborhood, along with approximately 2.8 acres of public open space. Additionally, the project will deliver an array of cultural and community-focused programming, including the permanent home of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, Glasses Malone new single “‘6 ‘N the Mornin’,” has the West Coast buzzing because it has put two legends on the same track who ironically never collaborated before — Ice-T and Snoop Dogg — along with the future of West Coast music, Ty Dolla $ign. https://youtu.be/gjPqltOrNjY “Take Out Girl” is about a young Tera Wong, who is a victim of her circumstances. She wants a better life for herself and her family, but she, like many minorities, is stuck just trying to survive her day to day life. Weighed down with stereotypes, financial woes, trying to maintain a family business and trying to find her place in the world, Tera makes some choices that drastically change the course of her life and the life of her family. https://youtu.be/N2fUk1qvnhY In early April, “The Ohio Players” were honored when a former stretch of Hillcrest Avenue in Dayton, Ohio, was renamed “Ohio Players Way.” According to WHIO TV 7 in Dayton, fans, family, and friends were on hand for the event, as surviving members of one of the world’s funkiest groups were honored with the name change. https://youtu.be/wbcOSpx0xDI Historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country are making significant strides when it comes to fundraising this year. Fisk University recently received a multi million-dollar donation, marking the largest gift in the institution’s 155-year history. The $2.5 million endowment—which was provided by philanthropists Amy and Frank Garrison—will go towards the creation of a scholarship fund and an endowed chair at Fisk’s John Lewis Center for Social Justice that honors the legacy of activist and former Fisk student Diane Nash. Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam has been dedicated to leveling the playing field for women of color in the realm of entrepreneurship and she’s teaming up with Mielle Organics to empower the next generation of women founders. According to AfroTech, the Newark native has been appointed to serve as the organic haircare brand’s Global Education Ambassador. The Black-owned brand—which recently celebrated its 7-year anniversary—has been putting the focus on transcending its impact beyond the hair industry. The company has joined forces with the Newark Business Hub and Rutgers University for the creation of the Global Certificate Program scholarship fund which is designed to use education and entrepreneurship as vessels to empower Black women. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead the investigation into the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, a Black motorist who was shot and killed in Brooklyn Center by a white officer, Kim Potter, at the height of racial tension surrounding the Derek Chauvin murder trial. Activists have pushed for either an independent prosecutor or Ellison’s office to overtake the investigation after the conviction of Chauvin, a case Ellison spearheaded as attorney general. The sister of Atatiana Jefferson, a 28-year-old Fort Worth, Texas woman who was fatally shot by police in 2019, filed a $10M wrongful death lawsuit, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Ashley Carr filed the suit on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas – Fort Worth Division. It names the city of Fort Worth, as well as Mayor Betsy Price, former police chief Ed Krauss, and Aaron Dean, the officer who took her life, as complicit figures in her sister’s death. The suit is separate from a federal wrongful death suit filed by the Jefferson side of Atatiana’s family last fall. Dean was indicted on murder charges in December 2019 and is scheduled to face trial in August over the fatal shooting due to COVID-19 delays. A crowd of protesters gathered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Thursday in a solidarity protest over the tenure denial of Pulitzer prize-winning investigative journalist, Nikole Hannah-Jones. The group was organized by the Chapel Hill – Carrboro NAACP chapter along with the Carolina Black Caucus. Demonstrators including students, faculty and community members, gathered prior to the Board of Trustee’s meeting with signs of support which read, “1619…2021 Same Struggle,” and “I can give you 1,169 reasons why Hannah-Jones should be tenured.” Much of the misogynoir aimed at Hannah-Jones stems from her riveting investigative work, The 1619 Project, which delved further into the origins of America’s dark foundation, chattel slavery. The capital city of Virginia this week got one step closer to making the country’s first Black-owned casino a reality. Richmond recommended the ONE Casino + Resort to advance to a referendum on casino gaming during Election Day on Nov. 2, the city announced Thursday. The ONE Casino & Resort was proposed by Urban One Inc., a Black-owned business that runs media organizations across the country and is a licensed casino operator in the state of Maryland. Urban One ventured into a partnership with Peninsula Pacific Entertainment to propose a $517 million casino resort in South Richmond. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said he agreed with the city’s Resort Casino Evaluation Panel recommendation for ONE Casino + Resort to advance in the gaming process. Olympic champion Lee Evans, who set a world record while winning the gold medal running for the 400-meter race in the infamous 1968 Summer Olympic Games, has died. Evans died May 19 at a hospital in Nigeria at the age of 74, the Washington Post reported. Evans reportedly suffered a stroke the week before he died. Evans excelled during the height of the civil rights movement and about six months after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. While he was accepting his medal, Evans wore a black beret to match his black socks and raised his fist. Candace Owens has had her card pulled yet again. With her 15 minutes of hateful infamy quickly dwindling, the sunken conservative white supremacist who typically jumps at the chance to spew her anti-Black venom has selectively set her spiteful sights on Chrissy Teigen, who has come under fire over a cyberbullying scandal that involves a person dying by suicide. As a result — and to Owens’ despicable delight — Teigan has lost a series of lucrative endorsement deals. But, Owens wants everybody to believe, she would be “happier” if Teigan apologized for her words. Owens’ goal is always self-promotion in hopes of maintaining her loosening grasp on the few remaining shreds of relevancy she’s been swinging from since her beloved Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. Marlow Stern, the senior entertainment editor for the Daily Beast, has tweeted evidence of — yep, you guessed it — Candace Owens mocking Meghan Markle for having suicidal thoughts and calling Kurt Cobain “stupid” for taking his own life. Owens also had some choice words about Anthony Bourdain’s suicide. Now, we can finally see the brutality for ourselves because the body cam footage of Ronald Greene‘s fatal arrest in Louisiana has been released. It shows him screaming for mercy as he gets kicked, dragged and tased. https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best/mpx/2704722219/2021_05/1621643805623_nn_bal_ronald_greene_new_body_cam_footage_210521_1920x1080.jpg Officer, Chris Hollingsworth, was also recorded admitting at least 3 other cops were restraining Greene while they mercilessly beat him. Hours after finding out he was going to be suspended, Hollingsworth died in a fatal car crash. The Greene family’s filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit, and the Dept. of Justice was conducting its own investigation of the incident. https://twitter.com/i/status/1311782531163881474 In early May, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced at a news conference that she would not seek a second term. Her announcement was a surprise to many. “This has been my highest honor to serve as mayor of this city,” she said. “It is abundantly clear to me that it is time to pass the baton on to someone else.” https://youtu.be/mNtH_J6j2ms Prince Harry is getting real about what he experienced in the days after his mother, Princess Diana’s tragic passing. He opened up about it with Oprah Winfrey during their wide-ranging interview for their Apple TV+ docuseries, “The Me You Can’t See,” which aims to remove stereotypes about mental health. https://youtu.be/N6y3_aVzqeY Prince Harry opens up about his experience with the media as a senior member of the British royal family in the new Apple TV+ series “The Me You Can’t See.” The Duke of Sussex says he and his wife, Meghan Markle, were constantly being attacked and harassed by the U.K. press, and when he went to his family for help dealing with the stress of it all, his pleas were “met with total silence.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1395761294649790466 BET will honor the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death with a three-night event of news specials that will highlight the impact his case had on American society. The 3-part series will kick off Tuesday, May 25, with the “Bars and Ballads for George Floyd” event featuring Jon Batiste, Nas, former U.N. ambassador Andrew Young, singer and Anthony Hamilton, Civil Rights leader and Color of Change President Rashad Robinson, actor Michael K. Williams, rapper Bun B, rapper/activist Trae tha Truth and others. https://twitter.com/i/status/1393914304320221189 After officially signing his contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, the quarterback-turned-tight-end continued to be a hot topic, with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith saying his return after a six year absence (when Colin Kaepernick has yet to be brought back for a tryout) is an example of “white privilege.” “We see someone of a different ilk, a different ethnicity getting opportunities that we know we would never get. That’s where the words white privilege come in,” Smith said Thursday on “First Take.” ” … There’s no way to eradicate white privilege without white individuals giving up some of their privilege.” https://youtu.be/Phx20gHhYsg The National Association of Black Journalists released a statement Thursday in response to Nikole Hannah-Jones, the founder of the 1619 Project, losing her tenure offer at her alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The university previously announced Hannah-Jones would teach in the Knight Chair position, which comes with the expectation of tenure. The reversal came after racist conservatives whined about the “1619 Project,” which is an examination of slavery in America and how it shaped nearly all aspects of society. According to NC Policy Watch, the University of North Carolina’s board of trustees decided not to approve Hannah-Jones’ tenure. She is instead under consideration for a fixed five-year contract as a professor of practice, according to reports. https://youtu.be/7xzNyrFhzew Rap Life, Apple Music’s industry leading hip-hop playlist, presents Rap Life Live Atlanta available May 21st at 2:00p PST, only on Apple Music. The second installment of the essential series will feature exclusive performances by chart-topping artists Moneybagg Yo, Saweetie, and Lil Durk. https://youtu.be/1RHY_qrQU58 Quincy Jones is known for working with greats in the music industry. But one person he refused to collaborate with was late singer Elvis Presley. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter for its “THR Icons” series, Quincy Jones was asked if he ever worked with Elvis Presley. He said, “No. I wouldn’t work with him.” As for why not, Quincy Jones explained, “I was writing for [orchestra leader] Tommy Dorsey, oh God, back then in the ’50s. And Elvis came in, and Tommy said, ‘I don’t want to play with him.’ He was a racist mother — I’m going to shut up now. But every time I saw Elvis, he was being coached by [“Don’t Be Cruel” songwriter] Otis Blackwell, telling him how to sing.” Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott are back together but apparently, it’s not an “exclusive” relationship. Sources close to the couple tell TMZ that they are dating again but both have agreed they can date other people. Kylie and Travis were together celebrating his 30th birthday in Miami back in April. They were kissing and hugging while partying at a Miami nightclub. Just recently, the couple took their daughter, Stormi, to Disneyland Tuesday, and just before that, they even did a triple date night with the Biebers and Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker, adding to all the recent signs they’re together again. With both agreeing to get back together but with a non-exclusive couple arrangement, the source says both are 100% cool with that. Kimora Lee has responded to her ex-husband Russell Simmons’ lawsuit against her and her husband Tim Leissner. Simmons is suing the couple for allegedly using some of Simmons’ shares of his Celsius Energy Drink company to pay for Leissner’s attorney fees in his fraud case. “Kimora and her children are shocked by the extortive harassment coming from her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, who has decided to sue her for shares and dividends of Celsius stock in which Kimora and Tim Leissner invested millions of dollars,” Kimora’s legal team tells PEOPLE in a statement. “This is an ill-advised attempt by Russell to use the legal system to access funds he is in no way entitled to, and which his own legal team confirms Russell did not pay for.” Simone Biles, in all of her GOATness, just stuck a landing on the vault that no female gymnast has ever managed to do during a competition. And she landed it twice. During a practice session for Saturday’s U.S. Classic in Indianapolis, the 24-year-old USA gymnastics standout nailed the Yurchenko double pike, an insanely challenging move named after Soviet gymnast Natalia Yurchenko, who introduced the concept of a round-off back handspring entry onto the vault before performing a series of twists and flips off of it. The Yurchenko double pike that Biles nailed starts with the roundoff back handspring to the vault, then doing a double pike (2 straight-legged flips) off the vault. https://youtu.be/qHTNO9ZPE0s Jill Biden reportedly slammed Kamala Harris after a tense 2019 debate between the former Senator and Joe Biden. According to the new book “Battle for the Soul,” Jill Biden vented “Go f— yourself” while on a call with supporters after Harris questioned Biden’s record on race during a June 2019 Democratic presidential debate. “With what he cares about, what he fights for, what he’s committed to, you get up there and call him a racist without basis?” Biden said on a call with “close supporters” about a week after the debate, according to an excerpt of The Atlantic’s Edward-Isaac Dovere’s forthcoming book. “Go f— yourself,” Jill Biden added. “Many books will be written on the 2020 campaign, with countless retellings of events — some accurate, some inaccurate,” first lady’s press secretary, Michael LaRosa told Politico Playbook in a statement. “The First Lady and her team do not plan to comment on any of them.” https://youtu.be/ykHmWb7Kvys Big Sean’s 7-bedroom Mediterranean estate is decorated with intention. Thanks to Architectural Digest, we got the grand tour of the sleek and spacious Beverly Hills home, which includes a music studio, soaring ceilings, and a resort-style backyard outfitted with a limestone swimming pool, heated spa, and a fireplace. The rap artist was sure to provide each space with items that bring about peace, reflection and creativity. https://youtu.be/r2utu87JDC4 The luxury property in Los Angeles, dubbed “The One.” is the latest spec mansion from movie producer turned real estate developer Nile Niami. The home sits on five acres and is surrounded on three sides by a moat. “The One” has 21 bedrooms and 42 bathrooms. It is made up of four separate structures. The main house is 74,000 square feet. The master suite is 5,500 square feet and reportedly has several bathrooms, two walk-in closets, and its own infinity pool. The garage can house 30 cars. The home also has a four-lane bowling alley, a movie theatre that seats 30, a private nightclub, and a philanthropy wing designed to host charity galas for up to 200 people. There’s also a 10,000-square-foot sky deck and five swimming pools. https://youtu.be/bz1mG7S6HH0 “I love fashion,’ said model/actress Erin Emanii Cain. Also a business woman who owns a record label and beauty/retail shop, Erin returns to her modeling and acting career after a nine year absence for her family. “I missed it…my kids said, ‘you should go back and do it again.’ Especially with the pandemic, there is nothing else to do.” So Erin built a team, found representation and went back at it, but this time with experience to help direct her path. Soon after, Cain secured the cover of BX25 Magazine and a feature in GEI Magazine’s Swimsuit and Lingerie Edition. She was also cast as an actress in a soon to be released 2021 film project titled Eloise. During an emotional intro to her new Apple TV+ series “The Me You Can’t See,” co-created by Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey opens up about her childhood trauma. In the new docuseries, which began streaming yesterday (05-21-21), explores mental health through testimonials by a number of people from different walks of life, including superstar Lady Gaga and Glenn Close. In the first episode, Oprah opens up about being raped for years as a child by an older cousin: “At nine and 10 and 11 and 12 years old, I was raped by my 19-year-old cousin,” Winfrey said. “I didn’t know what rape was, I certainly wasn’t aware of the word. I had no idea what sex was, I had no idea where babies came from. I didn’t even know what was happening to me, and I kept that secret.” She went on to say: “It’s just something that I accepted, that a girl-child isn’t safe in a world full of men.” Newly released bodycam footage shows a black suspect scream ‘I’m your brother, I’m scared!’ while being beaten, tasered and dragged by his feet by white troopers in a arrest that ended in his death. The clip, of Ronald Greene’s May 2019 arrest in Monroe County, Louisiana, depicts what happened when state troopers pulled Greene over after the 49-year-old barber led them on a 115 mile-per-hour chase. He died in an ambulance after suffering a cardiac during the arrest. https://youtu.be/mIBmT8JU1LM On the first Wednesday in May, as the centennial of the Tulsa massacre approached, the Rev. Robert R.A. Turner stood outside Tulsa City Hall with his megaphone, as he does every week. “Tulsa, you will reap what you sow and that which you have done unto the least of these my children, Jesus said, you have done also unto me,” said Turner, 38, the pastor of Historic Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church, captured on a video posted on Facebook. “We come here to say, for your own benefit, you ought to do reparations not tomorrow, not even next week, not next month, not next year, but we demand reparations now!” Turner’s Vernon AME is one of the plaintiffs in a suit filed in September that calls for the city of Tulsa and other defendants to pay reparations to relatives of victims and survivors of the May 31, 1921, massacre that destroyed a part of town known as “Black Wall Street.” *Viola Fletcher, who at 107 is the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, testified Wednesday before a House subcommittee studying legal remedies to atone for the damage that a white violent mob did to a thriving Black Tulsa neighborhood then known as “Black Wall Street.” https://youtu.be/i3L1e90L9cE Hillsong founder Brian Houston said cheating pastor Carl Lentz was ‘narcissistic’ but admits he created a culture in the church where there is ‘one rule for celebrities’ and one for everyone else. Houston spoke to Savannah Guthrie for the Today show on Wednesday in his first interview since a wave of scandals hit the celebrity-adored megachurch. Among them are Carl’s affair with a Brooklyn woman and a series of claims from former staffers and parishioners that the church fostered an environment where they were bullied and exploited, Houston said. https://twitter.com/i/status/1394996255030382600 Cornell Students 4 Black Lives, a student-led organization that last year formed a diverse coalition of more than 290 social, cultural and professional organizations, was awarded the 26th annual James A. Perkins Prize for Interracial and Intercultural Peace and Harmony during a virtual ceremony May 6. Each year, the Perkins Prize is awarded to a Cornell program, organization or event making the most significant contribution to furthering the ideal of the university community while respecting values of diversity. The NAACP has launched an initiative that works to limit pandemic and systemic disparities among the Black community within the United States. According to the NAACP, federal data shows that African Americans have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and in addition to health implications, their community is also hit hard by economic and social implications. The “COVID. KNOW MORE.” campaign is designed to offer up-to-date research, resources, and impactful stories that help Black Americans navigate the pandemic and protect their loved ones from infection as public health mandates are loosened. Russell Moore, the embattled Southern Baptist ethicist and “Never Trumper,” is resigning as president of his denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Religion News Service has learned. Moore will be joining the staff of Christianity Today — the leading evangelical magazine, founded by the late evangelist Billy Graham — as a public theologian. In his new role, Moore will help launch a Public Theology Project and will serve as its leader, said Tim Dalrymple, president and CEO of Christianity Today. That project will host events and gatherings about public theology and publish content, including Moore’s writing and his Signposts podcast. The University of Texas has hired the first Black director of the Longhorn marching band one month after it announced the band will be required to perform “The Eyes of Texas” school song that has drawn sharp criticism over racist elements in its past. Cliff Croomes, assistant director of bands at LSU, will take over the Longhorn Band at his alma mater starting June 1, Texas announced Wednesday. He replaces Scott Hanna, who had been in the role since 2015. Croomes is the 15th director of the band that was founded in 1900. The Baylor University Board of Regents approved guiding principles for the university’s treatment of LGBTQ students Friday and tasked President Linda Livingstone and the administration with providing the students with more support, which might include a new student group. The regents met this week, approving the measure along with plans to renovate dorms and start construction on a large welcome center. Last year energized a movement that demands the United States to recognize the pervasive social injustices against the African American community. It also provided underrepresented communities with an opportunity to tell their own stories and reclaim their place in American history. For food writer and sommelier Stephen Satterfield, the founder of Whetstone, a print magazine and media company dedicated to food origins and culture, that meant telling the origin story of African American food. https://youtu.be/7wsEdxt1Ico Twitter Inc’s (TWTR.N) image-cropping algorithm has a problematic bias toward excluding Black people and men, the company said in new research on Wednesday, adding that “how to crop an image is a decision best made by people.” The study by three of its machine learning researchers was conducted after user criticism last year about image previews in posts excluding Black people’s faces. It found an 8% difference from demographic parity in favor of women, and a 4% favor toward white individuals. A Black judge will replace the white 18th Judicial District judge who was censured by the Colorado Supreme Court in April and resigned after she used a racial slur while on the job. Three Black candidates have been named as finalists for Judge Natalie Chase’s job. Gov. Jared Polis will select one to fill the vacancy on the bench. The Colorado Judicial Department on Wednesday named Arapahoe County Court Judge Cheryl Ann Rowles-Stokes and attorneys Marques Ivey and Cajardo Lindsey as finalists for the judgeship. Nikole Hannah-Jones, the founder of the 1619 Project, has lost her alma mater’s offer for tenure and is instead under consideration for a fixed five-year contract as a professor of practice. NC Policy Watch reported on the change Wednesday amid a wave of criticism of her work. According to the outlet, the University of North Carolina’s board of trustees decided not to approve Hannah-Jones’ tenure – which effectively translates into a career-long appointment – despite support from faculty. Susan King, dean of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, reportedly called the decision “disappointing” and said she was afraid it would create a “chilling effect.” The Biden administration’s efforts to provide $4 billion in debt relief to minority farmers is encountering stiff resistance from banks, which are complaining that the government initiative to pay off the loans of borrowers who have faced decades of financial discrimination will cut into their profits and hurt investors. The debt relief was approved as part of the $1.9 trillion stimulus package that Congress passed in March and was intended to make amends for the discrimination that Black and other nonwhite farmers have faced from lenders and the United States Department of Agriculture over the years. But no money has yet gone out the door. Ietef Vita had planned to spend most of 2020 on the road, promoting Biomimicz, the album he had released on his #plantbasedrecords label in January. But the pandemic cut those plans short, says Vita, known to his fans as “DJ Cavem Moetavation” and “Chef Ietef.” He was playing in Berkeley, Calif., on Feb. 29, and “literally got out of town right before they shut the whole country down,” recalls the 34-year-old vegan rapper, who has performed for the Obamas and is known as the father of eco-hip-hop. “It was scary.” Suddenly sidelined at his metro Denver home with his wife, Alkemia Earth, a plant-based lifestyle coach, and three daughters, Vita struggled to pivot. Eventually, he accepted that he would need to stay put and, as the saying goes, bloom where he was planted. A week that’s been chock full of musical movie trailers just hit a high note. The first official trailer for Respect, the highly anticipated Aretha Franklin biopic from MGM starring American Idol finalist and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, just dropped. https://youtu.be/qTtxoz3OIlU Salma Hayek is opening up about her battle with COVID-19, revealing she didn’t think she’d survive it. The 54-year-old actress is featured on the latest cover of Variety where she shared that over the past year she’s been recovering after testing positive for the virus fairly early on in the pandemic. She told the outlet that she decided to keep her battle with COVID a secret until now. Hayek said that her condition escalated to a point where she was put on oxygen and spent about seven weeks isolated in a room of her house. “My doctor begged me to go to the hospital because it was so bad,” she explained. “I said, ‘No, thank you. I’d rather die at home.'” Charles Barkley has given $1,000 apiece to the more than 200 employees of a city school system in his native Alabama. The former Auburn and NBA basketball star graduated from Leeds High School in 1981. The monetary gifts are going to each Leeds City School system employee. The announcement was made Tuesday on Facebook. The Leeds City Schools page says it’s the latest show of support from Barkley. According to the post, Barkley has provided more than $3 million in scholarships to Leeds graduates over the past 30 years. “We are humbled and wish to express our sincere gratitude to Charles Barkley for providing a $1,000 gift to each and every Leeds City Schools employee for going the extra mile this school year,” the Facebook post said. “Being a school employee is tough, but driving a bus, teaching, coaching, or working in the cafeteria, all while maintaining safety protocols, has been a daunting task during a worldwide pandemic.” Taraji P. Henson is expanding on her mission to connect Black Americans with the mental health resources they need with a new campaign to help Black students combat racial bias in the classroom. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the actress announced the launch of The Unspoken Curriculum, a mental health campaign that provides a safe place for children to discuss mental health issues in the schools and aid them in combating distress in classrooms from racial bias. The inspiration for the six-week program came to the actress from the devastating events of the past year — ongoing instances of police brutality, the mounting number of racist attacks, and COVID-19’s tragic impact on Black communities Tears flowed from both Billy Porter and Tamron Hall Wednesday as the two chatted about the actor’s private 14-year battle with HIV, which he revealed late Tuesday in a Hollywood Reporter feature. https://youtu.be/w-mQc7gknmI Tiffany Haddish makes her return to TBS this summer as the host of “Friday Night Vibes,” a weekly movie showcase that will feature wrap-around segments with the comedian, a DJ and surprise guests. The new 52-week double feature destination will spotlight “feel-good comedies, action-packed blockbusters and culturally significant storytelling inclusive of diverse voices,” notes TBS. It kicks off on Friday, June 18 at 7:30pm ET/PT. https://youtu.be/INRyZIlaMNY Morgan and Bode Miller are expanding their family. PEOPLE exclusively announces that the couple, who wed in 2012, are expecting a baby. “We’re finally on our last pregnancy,” Bode says as Morgan, who is due in November and plans to have a home birth, adds: “We’re at the finish line.” They are parents to sons Nash, 6, Easton, 2, 18-month-old twins Asher and Aksel, and daughter Emeline, who drowned at 19 months old in June 2018. Bode is also dad to daughter Dace, 13, and son Nate, 8, from two previous relationships. Rockabye Baby will release ‘Lullaby Renditions of What’s Going On’ on May 21st, the 50th anniversary (down to the day) of Marvin Gaye’s trailblazing album. https://youtu.be/2Yzij8HoM3U President Joe Biden has nominated Catherine Lhamon to lead the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, according to a White House official. Lhamon held the same position in the Obama administration.https://youtu.be/3EccEbSyWL0 The Indian Covid variant has spread to 48 countries and every continent except Antarctica despite travel restrictions being in place, it has been revealed. The ‘variant of concern’ – B.1.617.2, which is believed to be more infectious than previous strains, has been ‘confirmed’ in 44 countries and ‘detected’ in four more, UK heath security chief Dr Jenny Harries said Tuesday. Data from genetic sequencing libraries show the variant is now widespread across Europe and is spreading in North America as well as parts of east Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Some 2,915 cases of the variant have now been identified in the UK — up from the 2,323 declared on Monday – which is the highest figure in the world, including India. A young woman targeted by a married Hillsong Church leader who sent her photos of his bulging manhood claims church officials were aware of his lecherous behavior but didn’t acknowledge it until the scandal became public. ‘They already knew about it,’ Lezeth, 30, a former Hillsong member who wished to be identified by her first name only, told DailyMail.com in her first interview since the story broke last month. ‘I think they were just waiting to see if it got out. If it didn’t, they’d just keep going on as if nothing happened – which is what we’re finding to be a common thing with Hillsong.’ Darnell Barrett, 32, resigned as creative director of Hillsong’s New Jersey chapter on April 27, citing ‘infidelities’ in his marriage. It was the same day DailyMail.com had approached him for comment at the West Orange, New Jersey home he shares with his wife. Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law the so-called “heartbeat ban” abortion bill which stops abortions at the onset of a fetal heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy. While speaking about this new law, Mr. Abbott said, “Our creator endowed us with the right to life and yet millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion.” He added: “In Texas, we work to save those lives. And that’s exactly what the Texas legislature did this session,” CNN quotes. Florida Rep. Val Demings is planning to run for the U.S. Senate, taking on Republican Sen. Marco Rubio next year. “I would’ve supported her running for governor, but this is the right fit for her and for us,” said former Florida chief financial officer Alex Sink. “She’s going to draw a contrast between who she is and how she represents Florida vs. Marco Rubio, who a lot of people where I live never see him.” Russell Simmons is suing his ex-wife Kimora Lee Simmons and her husband, Tim Leissner, for allegedly using some of Simmons’ shares of his Celsius Energy Drink company to pay for Leissner’s attorney fees. Leissner is currently facing a series of federal charges, including conspiracy to launder money in a separate case. “Tim Leissner was chairman of Goldman Sachs’ Southeast Asia business, but he resigned in 2016 and was subsequently subpoenaed by the U.S. Justice Department as part of a probe into the disappearance of billions of dollars from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB that was designed to boost the country’s economy and for which he helped raise money” the outlet writes. Braxton Family Values” star Towanda Braxton is speaking out about co-parenting with her ex-husband Andre Carter and the status of her engagement to her new boo-thang, Sean Hall. Braxton and Carter married in 2004 and called it quits in 2017. The highs and lows of their marriage were documented on the Braxton family’s reality show and now that their union is over, Towanda claims her ex is currently a non-factor in the lives of their children. She refers to Andre as her “wasband.” Braxton opened up about her personal life with Tami Roman on her new show, “Get Into It With Tami Roman.”https://youtu.be/zBlBqu8i7JU Millionaire pastor Joel Osteen is catching her over his appearance on Monday’s “Today” episode, during which he encouraged people who are less fortunate than him to be grateful for all the things they have, rather than what they lack. TheWrap, reported when asked by “Today” hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb about how he maintains a peaceful state of mind each day, Osteen stated that it all comes down to showing gratitude. “I think you need to have some time to just come back to a place of peace where you’re grateful,” Osteen said. “Think about what’s right, not what’s wrong. Focus on what you do have, not what you don’t have.” A new documentary will explore the disturbing case of suspected white supremacists Jennifer Hart and Sarah Hart, a married couple who abused and killed their six adopted Black children via murder-suicide. arkis Hart, 19, and Jeremiah and Abigail Hart, both 14. Devonte Hart, 15, Hannah Hart, 16, and Sierra Hart, 12, died when Jennifer drove their SUV off a cliff March 26, 2018, on the Pacific Coast Highway in California. An image of Devonte Hart went viral in 2014 when a photographer snapped him hugging a police officer with tears streaming down his face during a protest in Portland, Oregon, over the police killing of Michael Brown. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) is catching heat from local journalists over her decision to grant one-on-one media interviews only to people of color to cover her two-year anniversary in office. Mary Ann Ahern, who is white and a political reporter for NBC 5 Chicago, tweeted about the move on Tuesday. “Absolutely, they told me only Black and brown journalists are getting one-on-one interviews,” she told The Hill. Lightfoot confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that she is “exclusively providing one-on-one interviews with journalists of color.” “I have been struck since my first day on the campaign trail in 2018 by the overwhelming whiteness and maleness of Chicago media outlets, editorial boards, the political press corps, and yes, the City Hall press corps specifically,” Lightfoot wrote. Michelle Williams appeared on “Good Morning America” Thursday morning to promote her new book and she also opened up about her mental health journey. The 41-year-old singer, best known as a member of Destiny’s Child, spoke candidly about how she wasn’t officially diagnosed with depression until later in life. When GMA co-host Robin Roberts asked what prompted her to seek professional help, Williams said, “I found help when my responses — just the anger and the irritability and the bitterness — was just out of character for me.” “And I just sought some help and that’s when I got a diagnosis in my 30s that it was in fact depression,” she continued. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0pddHKWEAYRNkB?format=jpg&name=small Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated their third wedding anniversary on May 19 and they marked the milestone by paying it forward. In a statement shared on their Archewell website on Wednesday, the couple announced plans to build a Community Relief Center in Mumbai, India, as the country is reportedly being ravished by the coronavirus. As reported by PEOPLE, the effort is through their partnership with World Central Kitchen, which is run by celebrity chef José Andrés. The non-profit feeds those in need during times of crisis. A vicious beatdown occurred at a Little Caesars pizzeria in Augusta, GA Monday and the only person who tried to intervene was the victim’s presumed toddler daughter, who was pulled away to safety by bystanders so that the fighting could continue. https://twitter.com/i/status/1394484509509185539 Provident Entertainment celebrates 23 nominations for the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, with 10 artists nominated in 17 categories, including the major categories of Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year, Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, New Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year. Releases from Kierra Sheard, Mali Music, Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin, All Nations Music, Travis Greene, Le’Andria Johnson, Koryn Hawthorne, Melvin Crispell, III, and KB all garnered nominations for the upcoming awards, covering the range of Contemporary and Traditional Gospel, as well as Urban/Inspirational, and Rap Hip Hop categories. The season finale of TV One’s original, docu-series' UNSUNG is slated to air this Sunday, May 23. UNSUNG will tell the tale of The Jones Girls at 9 p.m. ET/8C.The R&B sister Shirley Jones shares the story of success and how their legacy lives on to present day. This season, fans were treated to a sneak-peek look at episodes with the new digital series, Unwind with Syleena Johnson. Each episode was published on TVOne.TV and TV One’s social media platforms. Syleena reacted to clips, shared anecdotes, and provided cocktail recipes for viewers to unwind to as they watched both UNSUNG and UNCENSORED. Each episode was ended with her reminding viewers of their chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri0N1Q__26I Bryan Popin’s "Beautiful Savior" Featuring Tasha Page Lockhart is the #1 Gospel Song On Billboard’s Gospel Airplay and Mediabase Gospel Radio Charts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJLd8IqQ4Z0 During Covid-19 we've all had to pivot, change directions, and set on a different course. For Lecrae, that change of direction took him back to where he began with Reach Records. In this exclusive with Variety and candid video, Lecrae reveals the inspiration behind why he chose to return to his indie roots and shares valuable advice that aspiring or even established artist should consider. For the multi Grammy Award-winning platinum selling artist, success and reaching #1 on the charts actually happened before he signed with a major! Lecrae released Anomaly, his 7th studio album (Sept 2014) on Reach Records. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Top 200 Charts and simultaneously at No. 1 on the Top Gospel Album chart, marking the first time that any artist had ever topped both the 200 and Gospel charts. Anomaly won Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the 2015 GMA Dove Awards and Rap, Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year at the 2015 Stellar Awards. His freestyle at BET Cypher in 2011 was one of the first times the music industry took notice. Now a New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, speaker, thought leader, philanthropist, and Co-Owner/President of Reach Records, Lecrae has evolved into being a catalyst for restoration in faith, music, and popular culture. Producer / Songwriter Derrick ‘Doc’ Pearson and his music has become a staple at the top of the charts! His success began in 1989 with his Billboard # 1 R&B single composition ‘Have You Had Your Love Today’ for the OJays. Later, he continued his Billboard chart success with 3 consecutive Billboard Top 10 Gospel Album chart projects (his 2014 ‘It’s Alright featuring Al Johnson’, 2015 ‘No Greater Love’, and 2017 ‘I Still Do: Songs for A Biblical Marriage’). The first single, “A Family Man”, is a funky foot stomping instrumental musical romp featuring ‘Doc’ Pearson’s classic base and keyboard stylings. “A Family Man’ is complimented by an entertaining animated music video, ‘A Family Man’ (The Family Version), which is wrapping up production and soon to be released for viewing and streaming on YouTube, Vevo and other TV and video platforms. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com/derrick_doc_pearson_intvw.htm Melrose Media announced today that they are event producing the six-time Grammy award winning genre bending pioneers Black Eyed Peas who are set for an exclusive 4K interactive streaming experience June 11th on BEPLIVE.COM. This show will be the Black Eyed Peas first show in support of their 2020 platinum selling album Translation, which even during the pandemic found success in a series of chart-topping singles, collectively winning numerous award nominations, as well as gold, platinum, and diamond certifications globally and sparking viral TikTok challenges. The concert will not only feature Black Eyed Peas original members will.i.am, Taboo, apl.de.ap in their first live performance with an audience since Covid-19, but will also feature some unique surprises that fans will not want to miss. Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) today announced it will debut “Roku Originals” on The Roku Channel on May 20, in celebration of Streaming Day. The Roku Originals launch lineup, which features 30 titles, includes award-winning and scripted series, such as “Die Hart,” “#FreeRayshawn” and “Reno 911!,” documentaries, such as “Blackballed” and “Big Rad Wolf,” and alternative and reality programming, including “Punk’d” and “Chrissy’s Court.” Roku Originals will be available exclusively on The Roku Channel in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. https://youtu.be/QuMIPIGN7Ug What does season 14 of The Real #Housewives of #Atlanta have in store for audiences? Looks like the RHOA fans’ demands appear to have been heard, as the series is allegedly getting a cast shake-up for their next season! A source says that this shake-up is in response to the show’s drop in ratings. “The ratings weren’t the best this past season, so they need to do something to help get more viewers.” This is the chilling moment four-year-old Cash Gernon was snatched from his bed early Saturday morning just two hours before he was found stabbed to death and dumped on a street in Dallas, Texas. Home surveillance footage obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com shows suspect Darriynn Brown, 18, allegedly breaking into the home just before 5am and making off with the toddler as he slept alongside his twin brother Carter. DailyMail.com can also reveal Brown was captured on camera a second time as he returned to the scene at sunrise in an apparent attempt to kidnap the other boy. https://cbsloc.al/3tSC9Ex F9 is the ninth chapter in the Fast & Furious Saga, which has endured for two decades and has earned more than $5 billion around the world. Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena, the upcoming The Suicide Squad). https://youtu.be/72SMEK7auUE It’s reported that the manslaughter case for Kim Potter, 48, the ex-officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota who murdered Daunte Wright, 20, is headed to trial before the end of this year in December. Potter is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge for the fatal shooting of the young Black man she killed during a traffic stop on April 11, 2021. Although Potter believed she wielded her taser and yelled out, “Taser! Taser! Taser!” during the incident, she pulled her gun and fired a single shot, fatally striking Wright. Potter resigned days after the fatal encounter, was eventually arrested, and was later released on $100,000 bond. Two Black men with intellectual disabilities have been awarded $75 million by a jury in North Carolina due to their wrongful conviction and death sentence for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in 1983. The Raleigh News & Observer, reports brothers Henry McCollum and Leon Brown each spent 31 years in jail for a crime they did not commit. Both men will now collect $31 million each, $1 million for every year they spent in prison, according to the report. https://youtu.be/-HjySqLiLIU FAMLI, Inc presented Walk a Mile for Malcolm in the hopes of honoring the legacy of human rights advocate Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz), by adding his name to a 5-mile stretch of LA’s Crenshaw Blvd. Torrence Brannon-Reese, Founding Director and Board Member, FAMLI Inc, was joined by a broad coalition of local businesses, leaders, property owners, educators and residents for a Press Conference to urge Los Angeles City Councilmembers to join them in adding Malcolm X Blvd. to a five mile stretch of Crenshaw Blvd. With the countdown to when Fantasia Barrino gives birth to her and husband Kendall Taylor‘s first child together, they held a baby shower for their unborn child on Sunday (05-16-21). The baby shower had everything from pink outfits to cute baby gifts, pink cakes, friends, family, love, and laughter. Fantasia ensured her fans were not left out of the event as she shared proceedings and moments with them on Instagram. WE tv’s “Growing Up Hip Hop,” finds Vanessa Simmons concerned that her sister Angela might be moving too fast with her new love interest, Daniel. And with the ongoing COVID pandemic making it challenging for the family to meet him, Vanessa understandably has questions. https://youtu.be/T029b4r5ezo The present initiative by Republican legislatures across the nation to restrict the teaching of race issues – particularly black American history – is a blatant attempt to rewrite history. This attempt to rewrite history is an initiative by certain Americans to avoid responsibility for pain, suffering, and damage done to black Americans through slavery and government authorized segregation, discrimination, and systemic racism. The fact that this assault on the true history of race in America is a coordinated effort by Republican controlled state legislatures is extremely troubling. This thinly veiled attempt to rewrite history is a slap in the face of truth, justice, and equality. A deeper understanding of the motives of these state legislatures is revealed in Solving The Race Issue In America” by H. J. Harris. Billy Porter takes a long deep breath. “I have to start in 2007,” he says, having settled in across the table. He’s here, at Little Owl in the West Village, to get something off his chest — something that’s been shrouded in secrecy so long, he can barely remember life before.“In June of that year,” he continues, a ball of nerves, even if the performer in him refuses to let on, “I was diagnosed HIV-positive.” In the 14 years since, the Emmy-winning star of Pose has told next to no one, fearing marginalization and retaliation in an industry that hasn’t always been kind to him. Instead, the 51-year-old, who has cultivated a fervent fan base in recent years on the basis of his talent and authenticity, says he’s been using Pray Tell, his HIV-positive character on the FX series, as his proxy. “I was able to say everything that I wanted to say through a surrogate,” he reveals, acknowledging that nobody involved with the show had any idea he was drawing from his own life. New York Attorney General Letitia James is joining the Manhattan district attorney’s office in a criminal investigation of the Trump Organization, her office announced Tuesday. The AG office’s investigation into the Trump Organization, which began in 2019, will also continue as a civil probe, but the office recently informed Trump Organization officials of the criminal component. https://youtu.be/YKNXxWlHIpk The St. Louis attorney who ran out onto his front lawn last summer to point guns at Black Lives Matter protesters who were simply marching through the neighborhood is now running for a U.S. Senate seat. Mark McCloskey, who brandished a rifle at protesters alongside his handgun toting wife outside of their Central West End mansion, announced his run to represent Missouri in the U.S. Senate Tuesday on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program. https://youtu.be/CIpGHDCzpns Michelle Obama’s former secret service agent Evy Poumpouras says an upsetting part of her previous job was not being able to protect the former first lady from racial slurs or signs while on duty. “As the first Black First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Obama had to withstand certain kinds of disparagement that none of her predecessors ever faced,” Poumpouras wrote in her 2020 memoir Becoming Bulletproof. “I was on her protective detail when we were driving to a school to deliver a speech; we passed someone on a bridge holding up a shockingly racist sign directed at her.” “I remember feeling outraged – after all, it was part of our job to protect the first family mentally as well as physically. But if the First Lady saw the sign, she gave no indication of it,” she added. https://youtu.be/k0BewQjOhNM According to journalist/vlogger Roland Martin’s post on Instagram, comedic legend Paul Mooney has transitioned: “His cousin, Rudy Ealy, just called me from Paul’s phone and said he passed away two hours ago after suffering a heart attack at his home in Oakland. He was 79. Rudy Ealy told me that Paul had been suffering with dementia for some time and had been living with him. Rudy said Oakland paramedics valiantly tried to save him after suffering a heart attack this AM. We will pay tribute to him tonight on #RolandMartinUnfiltered at 6 pm EST”New York Attorney General Letitia James is joining the Manhattan district attorney’s office in a criminal investigation of the Trump Organization, her office announced Tuesday. The AG office’s investigation into the Trump Organization, which began in 2019, will also continue as a civil probe, but the office recently informed Trump Organization officials of the criminal component. https://youtu.be/YKNXxWlHIpk The St. Louis attorney who ran out onto his front lawn last summer to point guns at Black Lives Matter protesters who were simply marching through the neighborhood is now running for a U.S. Senate seat. Mark McCloskey, who brandished a rifle at protesters alongside his handgun toting wife outside of their Central West End mansion, announced his run to represent Missouri in the U.S. Senate Tuesday on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program. https://youtu.be/CIpGHDCzpns Michelle Obama’s former secret service agent Evy Poumpouras says an upsetting part of her previous job was not being able to protect the former first lady from racial slurs or signs while on duty. “As the first Black First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Obama had to withstand certain kinds of disparagement that none of her predecessors ever faced,” Poumpouras wrote in her 2020 memoir Becoming Bulletproof. “I was on her protective detail when we were driving to a school to deliver a speech; we passed someone on a bridge holding up a shockingly racist sign directed at her.” “I remember feeling outraged – after all, it was part of our job to protect the first family mentally as well as physically. But if the First Lady saw the sign, she gave no indication of it,” she added. https://youtu.be/k0BewQjOhNM Lil Jon has landed his own home renovation series on HGTV. The show titled “Lil Jon Wants To Do What?” is slated to air this summer and will follow the Atlanta rapper as he “offers skeptical homeowners startlingly unconventional renovation ideas that seem impossible to execute,” according to a release. Jon and his co-host Anitra Mecadon of the DIY Network show, “Mega Dens” are reportedly shooting this month around Atlanta, Page Six reports. Attorneys for Los Angeles County claim Vanessa Bryant is going too far in her lawsuit filed over the four LA County Sheriff’s deputies who allegedly shared graphic images of the helicopter crash site where her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianni and seven others died in January 2020. The Los Angeles Times reports, U.S. District Judge John F. Walter ruled in March that Vanessa could obtain the deputies’ names and add them to her lawsuit against the sheriff’s department and county over the handling of Kobe’s crash investigation. The L.A. County lawyers pushed to keep the names sealed to protect the deputies from online threats and harassment. The names were eventually released as part of Vanessa’s amended lawsuit. Sci-fi fans will be thrilled to know that John Boyega is officially on board for a sequel to his hit alien feature “Attack the Block.” “Attack The Block 2” has been announced with original writer/director Joe Cornish, and the news comes a decade after the 2011 sci-fi film turned out to be a surprise hit. The plot remains under wraps, but what we do know is that Boyega is said to return as ‘Moses’—who battled aliens in the first film to protect South London from an invasion. The actor will co-produce through his UpperRoom Productions. https://youtu.be/m0ntk1o4V3k Rapper Mulatto appears to have officially changed her stage name after catching heat for using a rap name that was once used to define mixed-race children from the slave era when Black people were treated like livestock and raped by their white slave owners. The family of George Floyd and Floyd family attorney, Ben Crump, is calling for the termination of a Los Angeles Police officer who mocked the death of George Floyd. They also want to publicly thank and commend Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore who has no objection to that officer being fired for allegedly sharing a Valentine-style meme of George Floyd’s face and the line, “You take my breath away.” Ben Crump, an attorney for Floyd’s family praised Moore’s recommendation, saying the officer had demonstrated unacceptable biases by sharing the image. The 5th annual “Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Festival” (ILICFF) to be held Saturday, August 7, 2021 from 1-3pm EST where accepted short film entries will be screened and compete to be one of four award winners – “Best Films Made BY Kids,” “Best Film Made FOR Kids,” “Film Festival Choice,” and the “Most Uplifting Film.” Sunday evening, TV One hosted the third annual URBAN ONE HONORS award show, we have the highlights. https://youtu.be/pAJdanqJeQ0 Sunday evening, TV One hosted the third annual URBAN ONE HONORS award show, we have the highlights. https://youtu.be/0GbF9Mq-uvs Chrissy Teigen’s cookware line had already been dropped by Target following her bullying scandal. Now, it appears that another big company is following suit. According to Page Six citing The Sun, it appears Macy’s has also scrubbed the former supermodel’s Cravings by Chrissy Teigen line as it was marked “unavailable” on the company’s website by early Sunday. Now, although the Cravings line still registers in the search box, the news site notes that it appeared to be completely offline, with a message telling shoppers, “We couldn’t find a match for your search.” This all comes as Teigen issued an “apology” for her attacks on fellow model Courtney Stodden, who accused her of encouraging suicide. On Monday (May 17) Dana Walden, chairman of Entertainment, Walt Disney Television, announced Onyx Collective, a new content brand on Hulu designed to curate a slate of premium entertainment by creators of color and underrepresented voices. Onyx Collective will be led by Tara Duncan, who has been spearheading this effort since it was announced last year, while also continuing her role as president of Freeform. A Video of a young Palestinian teen rapping original bars over Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet” while walking through the ruins of his neighborhood has gone viral. https://youtu.be/L75dal6w2FA The Social Gloves: Battle of the Platforms is a one-of-a-kind, unprecedented live Pay Per View global entertainment event featuring a boxing competition with Austin McBroom (founder of The ACE Family) and Bryce Hall, with other top social stars on the fight card, including DDG, Deji, FaZe Jarvis, Michael Le, Nate Wyatt, Tanner Fox, Tayler Holder and a lineup of A-List music artists. Grammy-nominated pop soul singer & actor MAJOR. celebrates the 5-year anniversary of his chart-topping hit single, Why I Love You. A trailblazer in his own lane, MAJOR. will be celebrating the milestone with his fans and music peers on Thursday, May 20th for Why I Love. In recognition of the song, a special commemoration from hometown Houston Mayor, Sylvester Turner, will be presented to MAJOR., making May 20th“MAJOR. Why I Love You” Day. h The killing of Andrew Brown Jr. to be justified, the Pasquotank County, North Carolina district attorney announced on Tuesday. Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Brown on April 21 in Elizabeth City when they tried to serve him with an arrest warrant on felony drug charges. An independent autopsy released by Brown’s family revealed that he died from a gunshot wound to the back of his head. https://youtu.be/VXueZ88pFZk T.I. and Tiny’s sex trafficking controversy has taken yet another interesting turn, as the rapper is now at the center of an LAPD probe. One of the accusers said she was “drugged, forced to take tons of molly and X, and sex-trafficked in three states” including Nevada and Florida. “There is an active investigation into Clifford Harris,” Officer William Cooper of the LAPD told Deadline. The outlet notes that the LAPD would not confirm whether Tiny Harris was also being investigated. The LAPD probe has been underway for the past several weeks, according to the report. Congratulations to Naomi Campbell , she is the mother of a baby girl according to reports! Via Instagram, the world-renowned supermodel/actress, 50, welcomed her first baby, sharing a pic of her hand holding the infant’s feet. “A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother,” Campbell captioned the Tuesday post. “So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CPA-OI0JwBp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a1c80ef1-5bdc-4551-b36a-320e5b739325 Chris Rock is speaking out about the often annoying cancel culture movement and how it’s “disrespectful” to artists and fans. Speaking with The Breakfast Club, Rock explained to hosts Angela Yee and DJ Envy why “canceling” a comedian is not a good look. “It’s weird when you’re a comedian because when your audience doesn’t laugh, we get the message. Like you don’t have to cancel us. … They’re not laughing,” Rock said. “Our feelings hurt. … I don’t understand why people feel the need to go beyond that.” https://youtu.be/oizF7SREEaI Snoop Dogg has teamed with NBCUniversal to develop a pair series that the hip-hop icon will star in for its streaming service Peacock. Deadline reports, one of the show’s centers on the world’s dumbest criminals, and is currently in development. The news was revealed at NBCUniversal’s Upfronts presentation by Kevin Hart, who called the rapper “the man, the myth and the legend.” The comedian also revealed that he and Snoop will also be hosting a comedy sports news show that is also in development, according to the report. Hart said he is “working on some more hilarious content that will be coming to you soon,” as part of a multi-year deal he inked with the Peacock last year. The NYPD has been banned from the New York City Pride parade until at least 2025. The organization says prohibiting law enforcement will make participants feel safer. “Give the mic back. Hand it over to the people that started this movement, and that’s trans people of color who started this. And we have to give them that space back and that space has to be safe for them,” said David Correa, the interim executive director of NYC Pride, as reported by Complex. Former Navy Lt. Ryan Graves is yet another government official speaking out about the existence of UFOs. Speaking to 60 Minutes, Graves said he has seen unidentified flying objects in restricted airspace near Virginia Beach almost every day for two years. These are the same UFOs that the Pentagon confirmed in April are the real deal. “I am worried, frankly. You know, if these were tactical jets from another country that were hanging out up there, it would be a massive issue,” Graves said. “But because it looks slightly different, we’re not willing to actually look at the problem in the face. We’re happy to just ignore the fact that these are out there, watching us every day.” Graves also noted that some of the unidentified aircrafts could be highly advanced tech from Russia or China. A month after Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors caught major heat for dropping $3 million on several posh homes in the U.S., she’s speaking out about racism in the housing market — saying black homeowners help “disrupt white supremacy.” Saturday, Khan-Cullors shared to her Instagram page an NPR story addressing the “racist architecture of homeownership” writing: “Thank you @npr for highlighting the history of racism inside of the housing market and why Black homeownership has always been a way to disrupt white supremacy.” Saturday, the late Kobe Bryant was Posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame by his widow, Vanessa Bryant with a very emotional speech about her beloved husband’s career. Ace Showbiz, reports on Sunday (May 16), a woman named Anansa, who says she's a best friend of Kobe's sister Shaya, shared a lengthy statement by Shaya about her brother’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction. In the comment section, she responded to a user who said Kobe’s parents chose not to attend the ceremony. “His parents didn’t just chose not to go to the HOF. His parents were totally disrespected at his memorial,” Anansa replied. She claims Kobe’s father Joe Bryant and mother Pamela Cox Bryant were not invited by Vanessa to attend the event. “They weren’t personally invited to the HOF,” she said. The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., Dr. Jerry Young, president is pleased to announce a national education awareness campaign entitled “Turn Obesity Around” focused on educating our member congregations and communities we serve about the adverse impact of obesity and diabetes on the quality and quantity of their lives. We are delighted to partner with Novo Nordisk, a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company. We look forward to a great partnership and in expanding our health efforts in a larger capacity as we journey together. A Louisiana megachurch has been accused of forcing teenagers who attended their $5,000 Christian leadership program to exercise until they were sick or soiled themselves. The ‘220i’ leadership scheme, run by Bethany Church between 2005 and 2013, is also said to have staged fight nights between attendees and allowed homophobic and racist slurs. Other accusations leveled at the 10 month long camp include the fat shaming of interns with regular weigh ins and those deemed overweight being ‘called out publicly and put on restricted diets’. Marvel superhero Black Panther went on display at Madame Tussauds in London on Friday, the latest addition at the wax figure museum ahead of its re-opening next week. The king of the fictional Wakanda is dressed in his distinctive Black Panther suit, with an inbuilt “vibranium effect” which makes the outfit light up in purple when visitors touch it. Vibranium is the metal mined in Wakanda in the Marvel comic. The figure joins the “Marvel’s Hall of Heroes” at the attraction, which re-opens its doors on Monday as England eases into the next phase out of lockdown. On Thursday, the museum said it has moved waxwork models of Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who left their royal duties last year and moved to Los Angeles, to its new Awards Party zone. The figures previously stood with other members of the royal family. Richard Montañez, 62, has made a career from his remarkable story – writing two books, giving $50,000-a-time motivational speeches, and selling the rights of his book for a biopic. Yet on Sunday The Los Angles Times reported that his story is not what it seems. They found inconsistencies with the timeline, and spoke to people who worked on the product at the time, and denied Montañez’s role. Frito Lays held an investigation in 2018, and concluded that the ‘urban legend’ is not the whole story. The evangelical indie rock scene of the 1990s can be difficult to explain. A rebellious, unhinged underground movement that emerged from megachurch basements and religious colleges? A generation of musicians who broke ties with conservative Christianity but maintained a fan base built through youth groups and Young Life? You kind of had to be there. Each year, millions of Americans deal with the reality of mental illness and this year with the ongoing pandemic, focusing on mental health is needed now more than ever. Provident Entertainment is leaning into Mental Health Awareness Month by partnering with Vibrant Emotional Health for a "Band Together" special virtual event to raise awareness around the struggles of mental health and the help that is available for everyone. The online concert will premiere on May 20th at 7:30 PM Central on YouTube, simultaneously streaming across the artists and label channels. Artists involved in "Band Together" include Provident Entertainment's CAIN, Casting Crowns, DOE, I AM THEY, Koryn Hawthorne, Lydia Laird, Matt Maher, Matthew West and Zach Williams, as well as Adarga Entertainment Group artist Twice Música and RECORDS artist Lathan Warlick. Damon Weaver, the student reporter who gained national attention when he interviewed President Barack Obama at the White House in 2009, has died at the age of 23. Weaver’s family shared the news and revealed that died of natural causes on May 1. Further details were not released but his sister, Candace Hardy, told the Palm Beach Post that he had been studying communications at Albany State University in Georgia. The Rev. Franklin Graham says a potential 2024 presidential bid by Donald Trump would “be a very tough thing to do,” the prominent Christian leader told “Axios on HBO." Why it matters: Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, was among Trump’s earliest and most prominent evangelical defenders. Graham told “Axios on HBO” that a Trump comeback would be difficult because of his advancing age and eating habits. When former Dallas County prosecutor Richard E. Jackson put two homeless Black men on trial in 2000 for the murder of a local pastor, he allegedly withheld evidence that could have cleared them. Witnesses couldn’t pick the suspects out of a lineup, neither of the men matched descriptions provided to investigators, and prosecutors had brokered secret deals with jailhouse informants for favorable testimony, appeals court papers would later show. In separate trials, jurors heard none of it. Jackson got his convictions, and Dennis Allen and Stanley Mozee were sentenced to life in prison. Only after the Innocence Project and Jackson’s successors were the men exonerated, 14 years later. Now, after two decades of legal wrangling, Jackson has been disbarred from practicing law in Texas. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face meetings were halted and conducting business virtually became the new normal. Tel Aviv-based VidiPlus created a solution. It just came out with cross-platform, virtual presentation software to make video conferencing more compelling, offering 3D visuals, slideshows, web browsers and videos appearing in real time next to the presenter in the same frame. https://youtu.be/JAWMo23oQGA Rafa Nadal warmed up for the French Open with a battling 7-5 1-6 6-3 win over world number one Novak Djokovic as the Spaniard claimed a record-extending 10th Italian Open title in Rome on Sunday in the latest chapter of their rivalry. After a mid-match wobble, Nadal turned up the heat in the decisive moments of his 57th meeting with top seed Djokovic – the pair’s ninth in Rome – to secure the victory over the defending champion in two hours and 49 minutes. Reach Records has signed on to executive produce the soundtrack for the new Netflix film, Blue Miracle, set to debut globally on the streaming platform starting May 27, 2021. The soundtrack features original music from Reach Records artists including LECRAE, GAWVI, WHATUPRG, and more and will release across DSPs the same day as the film. The feature film stars Dennis Quaid, Jimmy Gonzales, Anthony Gonzalez, Raymond Cruz, Nathan Arenas, Miguel Angel Garcia, Isaac Arellanes, Steve Gutierrez, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Fernanda Urrejola, Silverio Palacios with Bruce McGill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXHCBnT3d4k Apple TV+ today unveiled the official trailer for “The Me You Can’t See,” from co-creators and executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex. The film offering a glimpse into the diverse stories of mental health and emotional well-being in the new documentary series, premiering this Friday, May 21 on Apple TV+. https://youtu.be/dWevopoBmAE Social justice activist Tamika Mallory believes society prefers to ignore Black women, which is why the police killings of Breonna Taylor and Ma’Khia Bryant received a negative public reaction. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3666773203428989 Hip-hop producer Mally Mall has been busted for allegedly running a prostitution business in Las Vegas, and now he’s facing 33 months in prison. Mall, 45, (real name Jamal Rashid) has famously worked with Snoop Dogg, Nick Cannon and Chris Brown and was featured on “Love and Hip Hop: Hollywood”. The FBI investigated him in 2014 after learning he “persuaded, induced, enticed and caused” hundreds of women to engage in prostitution across state lines, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Kim Kardashian marked Janet Jackson’s 55th birthday on Sunday by plunking down $25,000 to buy the singer’s iconic outfit from her 1993 music video for “If.” Kardashian’s winning bid amount was confirmed by a tweet from Julien’s Auctions, who partnered with Jackson for the sale, titled ““Iconic Treasures From the Legendary Career and Life of Janet Jackson.” More than 1000 of her personal items were on the block, including the custom-made “If” ensemble featuring a custom-made cropped suede top with artificial bone detailing, along with black lace-up front pants. https://youtu.be/BTSd4vqnMwo Nicki Minaj claims she has never used drugs, despite some fans accusing her of acting a tad bit crackheadish over the years. During a recent livestream, fans of the hip-hop star noted her continuous sniffling and called her out about rumors of cocaine abuse. Minaj responded to the chatter hours after the stream ended and made clear that she is not a druggie. “I don’t know if it’s just me, but I wouldn’t be embarrassed about any f*ckin drugs I did, that’s why I talk about the motherf*ckin drugs I do in my motherf*ckin music,” she said. “Always have, always f*ckin will. If I’m off em, I’m off em [child], but I want to make this clear so open everybody’s ears, clear your ears out. I have never, ever in my life with my hands on Jesus Christ, and y’all know how I feel about my Lord and savior. Never in my life, ever, not even once sniffed coke. Ever.” About a decade ago, Samantha Ofole-Prince got a message from a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Ofole-Prince, who is Black, grew up in the United Kingdom, and had been writing entertainment stories from Los Angeles for publications in the U.K., Africa and the Caribbean. The HFPA member — whom Ofole-Prince declined to identify in order to protect her from controversy — wanted to meet. At the meeting, the woman said the group was looking to recruit Black members, and asked Ofole-Prince if she would be interested in joining. “How many do you have?” Ofole-Prince asked. “We don’t have any at the moment, unfortunately,” the member replied. “It’s very embarrassing for us.” The organization’s failure to recruit Black members now threatens its existence. A coalition of publicists has organized a boycott campaign, and Netflix, WarnerMedia, Amazon, and other entertainment companies are refusing to work with the group. Tatyana Ali is sharing details about how her first pregnancy was quite a traumatic experience. Speaking to SheKnows for its Fourth Trimester digital issue, Ali recalls the emergency c-section she had for the birth of her now-4-year-old son Edward “Aszi” in September 2016. Aszi spent a week in the NICU. The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum, 42, said it was a “very traumatic” process and was her first experience with the “institutional bias” that Black women often encounter, as reported by PEOPLE. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Lakeith Stanfield is speaking out once more about the backlash over him moderating a Clubhouse room in which users allegedly engaged in anti-Semitic rhetoric. Complex reports, Stanfield served as moderator during a discussion on Clubhouse earlier this month, where participants reportedly compared Jewish people to Satanists and termites. Some users also praised Hitler and noted that Jews financed the slave trade. Stanfield told the Daily Beast that he was not familiar with the teachings of Farrakhan (who the dominant society considers anti-Semitic), so the actor was intrigued by the clubhouse chatroom. “I was curious to kind of educate myself more on the topic,” he said. Rapper Tee Grizzley took to social media recently to encourage fellow artists to get life insurance to protect their families and assets. “So look, right. As rappers, as successful Black men from the trenches, bro. We the number one target and we the least prepared, you feel me? So, I feel like everybody should have life insurance. I need everybody to go get life insurance if you ain’t got it. If you got kids, I need you to get a will set up, bro, for your kids, bro,” he stated in an Instagram Live session, as reported by Love B. Scott. Grizzley’s message to rappers to invest in life insurance follows the release of his new album “Built for Whatever,” which featured an appearance from the late King Von. Kwame Brown came for fellow NBA vets Gilbert Arenas, Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes for talking bad about him on a podcast. Brown went after the trio one by one in response to Arenas’ recent appearance on Barnes and Jackson’s podcast, All the Smoke, where Arenas – who played with Brown on the Washington Wizards – said Michael Jordan (Wizards vice president of basketball operations and minority owner at the time) broke Brown’s confidence and turned him into a bust. Brown started off by recalling anecdotes about Arenas running afoul of “real DC n**gas” in local clubs, then went on to question his blackness. https://youtu.be/Ei6WE7GL82U Sunday evening, TV One hosted the third annual URBAN ONE HONORS award show, which was simulcasted for the first time on its sister network CLEO TV. Celebrating the exemplary accomplishments of African American women, the special was hosted by Grammy-Award-winning gospel artist Erica Campbell and award-winning journalist, author, and syndicated columnist Roland Martin. Honorees included Stacey Abrams, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Dr. Ala Stanford, Rosalind Brewer and Robin Rue Simmons. https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZJ8Tg7edTk A senior Palestinian militant commander has been killed in an Israeli airstrike, the country’s air force has claimed, following a night of heavy bombardment that saw more than a hundred bombs dropped on Gaza. Hussam Abu Harbid, commander of the Northern Division of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), was killed in a strike on Monday, according to the Israeli air force as airstrikes continued into Monday afternoon. Harbid was behind rocket attacks against Israel including several launched on the first day of the most-recent clashes, the Israeli air force said, and had been a commander within PIJ for at least 15 years. News of Harbid’s death – which has not been confirmed by PIJ – was followed by a flurry of rocket fire from inside Gaza at cities in southern Israel, which left at least eight people wounded. The global pandemic isn’t over yet despite high Covid vaccination rates in some countries, the head of the World Health Organization warned on Monday, days after the CDC told fully vaccinated Americans they can go without masks in most places. “There is a huge disconnect growing where in some countries with the highest vaccination rates, there appears to be a mindset that the pandemic is over, while others are experiencing huge waves of infections,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news conference from the agency’s Geneva headquarters. “The pandemic is a long way far from over,” he warned. “It will not be over anywhere until it’s over everywhere.” The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear arguments in a major abortion case from Mississippi that could roll back limits on abortion laws cemented by the landmark reproductive rights case Roe v. Wade. The case will be the first major abortion dispute to test all three of former President Donald Trump’s appointees to the top court, including its newest member, Justice Amy Coney Barrett.The top court announced in an order that it will hear the dispute, Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 19-1392. The court will hear the case in its term beginning in October and a decision is likely to come by June 2022. The Rev. Olu Brown of Fulton County’s prominent Impact Church announced on Sunday that he plans to retire as lead pastor. His retirement from the progressive church takes effect in June 2022. Brown, a native of Lufkin, Texas, said he is leaving to pursue entrepreneurial and consulting opportunities full time with churches, businesses and nonprofits. Brown, 43, founded the Sylvan Road church in East Point 14 years ago with an initial 25 “Impacters.” Currently, Impact has a weekly attendance of 5,000. Apart from holding in-person commencement ceremonies for the USC classes of 2020 and 2021, the university on Friday also marked a unique moment in its history. Among those graduating was Tianna Shaw-Wakeman, who became the university’s first Black valedictorian, according to a tweet from USC After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Shaw-Wakeman is now also graduating with her master’s in social entrepreneurship from the USC Marshall School of Business. Speaking before the graduating class, she expressed what her accomplishment meant. “This revelation stands as a testament, albeit small, to both how far we’ve come as an institution, as a country … and how far we have to go,” she said. When George Floyd was murdered nearly one year ago, how society talked about race shifted. For many engineers and educators, it was the first time the terms “racial bias” and “racial inequities” were openly discussed on university campuses. During the Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Diversity Committee event “Fostering Diversity: Lessons from Recent Events and Making Change Happen,” a panel of some of the most prominent Black engineers and educators in the nation discussed how Floyd’s murder sparked urgent societal conversations about racial inequity. The panelists, reflecting on stark demographic disparities that exist within engineering, said STEM educators must support and expand diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field. Russ Joseph, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of computer science, moderated the panel. A plane from Honolulu landed in Johannesburg earlier this month and offloaded a plastic-wrapped coffin carrying the body of Lindani Myeni, a South African rugby player, aspiring singer and father. In the airport’s cargo terminal, a youth contingent from the African National Congress party waved a “Black Lives Matter” banner emblazoned with his smiling face. His widow, Lindsay Myeni, a white American from Hawaii, cradled their 6-month-old daughter and kept watch over their 2-year-old son, while Mr. Myeni’s South African family held onto one another in grief. Mr. Myeni, 29, died in Honolulu after he was shot in a confrontation with the police outside a suburban house he had inexplicably entered, and then left, on the night of April 14. Unarmed, he was wearing a traditional Zulu headband with a tuft of fur at the forehead and, his wife later discovered, he had left his shoes in his car. Sen. LaTonya Johnson first learned about the Wisconsin Capitol’s small, temporary exhibit on Black history when a Republican leader of the state’s powerful budget committee referenced it Thursday as he justified excluding extra funding for the Black Historical Society from the budget. Now, the display represents something bigger to Johnson, the only Black lawmaker on the Legislature’s 16-member Joint Finance Committee. “They equate us, our issues, the struggles that we have in the state, with being small enough — or not important enough — to fit into a small glass display,” the Milwaukee Democrat said in an interview Thursday. Her comments came after finance committee members in their second round of budget votes this week declined to move forward with a $169,000 increase over the next two years for the Black Historical Society, which operates a Milwaukee museum. Less than half of the gas stations in metro Atlanta were dry Monday as the Colonial Pipeline continued to ramp up from a shutdown forced by a ransomware attack. Unfortunately, it looks as if it’s gonna take a few more more days, and possibly up to a week, for tanker trucks to replenish the stations, according to analyst Allison Mac, an analyst with GasBuddy. "We’re talking about only 27% of stations in the area having fuel as of last Thursday, Mac said." Snoop Dogg’s daughter, Cori Broadus, took to Instagram over the weekend to speak out about her mental health struggles. She even admitted to once trying to take her own life. “The last few weeks my mental has not been so great at one point I tried to end my life but you & my family really give me a purpose to live & helped me realize Iife is much more than materialistic things & you gotta just keep pushing through the bullshit,” she wrote. The “you” she is referring to is boyfriend, Wayne Deuce, who is seen in several pictures she posted on social media. Cori’s message comes during Mental Health Awareness Month, and the theme this year is “You Are Not Alone.” The Clubhouse audio app is being sued for trademark infringement by an Arizona company running “TheClubhouse.” Alpha Exploration Co., which launched Clubhouse, reportedly hasn’t trademarked the name, and the complaint seeks to prohibit the company from using the name for its app. “It is interesting that Clubhouse, a company valued at $4 billion, has no registered trademark and appears not to have even applied for registration in the US,” said Christine Haight Farley, a professor at American University Washington College of Law, as reported by MSN. Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. appeared in Miami earlier this month to help promote his upcoming pay-per-view boxing match against Logan Paul. While speaking to reporters, Paul’s young brother, Jake Paul, confronted Mayweather and snatched his hat off his head. Mayweather became so irate with the YouTuber that he chased Jake down and repeatedly threatened to kill him. Jake later took to social media to note that he intended to take Floyd’s cap to get under his skin. https://twitter.com/i/status/1390409292830973954 Israel claims to have shared ‘smoking gun’ evidence with the US that Hamas used the destroyed building that housed The Associated Press and Al Jazeera in Gaza City, as news organizations demand answers. Government officials said the Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu shared a ‘smoking gun’ with US President Joe Biden in their phone call on Saturday. A source close to Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said: ‘We showed them the smoking gun proving Hamas worked out of that building’. He added Biden had ‘found the explanation satisfactory’, without providing details of the evidence. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Sunday defended her agency’s abrupt reversal on face mask wearing but did little to clear up lingering confusing caused by the change in policy. She also said those who are not vaccinated must still wear face coverings and it would be done on the ‘honor system.’ ‘The honor system is to be honest with yourself. If you are vaccinated, we are saying you are safe, you can take off your mask, and you are not at risk of severe disease or hospitalization from COVID-19. If you are not vaccinated, you are not safe. Please go get vaccinated or continue to wear your mask,’ she said on Fox News Sunday. Walensky said the order change came because the science has ‘really just evolved’ regarding how protected vaccinated people are from getting COVID-19. Families of victims from the decades-old deadly police bombing of a Black liberation group’s headquarters in Philadelphia experienced a whirlwind this week with reports of a new injustice from the city-sanctioned violence. Partial human remains from the bombing against the MOVE organization discovered a few years earlier have were destroyed by a city official, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced on Thursday. But in a turn of events, a city employee said they defied the order to destroy the remains. Late Friday evening it was revealed the remains thought to be destroyed by the Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley were actually still intact. Earlier in the day, the Associated Press reported that Farley learned of the remains in 2017. According to a city statement, Farley claims to have acted without the knowledge of any other city leadership. Rapper and actor Jaden Smith is furthering his efforts to combat food insecurity. According to Variety, he’s opening an eatery that will provide free food for the homeless. Two years ago, the “Icon” music artist tapped into the power of paying it forward for his 21st birthday and brought a pop-up vegan food truck to Downtown Los Angeles that distributed free nutritious meals to individuals battling homelessness and food scarcity. His new venture is an extension of his I Love You Restaurant initiative; a movement designed to provide sustainable meal options for underserved communities. Two San Diego police officers are under investigation after cellphone video captured them repeatedly punching a Black man during an arrest in the La Jolla neighborhood this week. The investigation was announced late Wednesday hours after Jesse Evans, 34, allegedly urinated in public, according to the San Diego Police Department. A woman who recorded the incident, Nicole Bansal, told the The Washington Post that the officers’ response to the situation, which saw police punching him in his face, head and legs, appeared to be “excessive and unnecessary” for a man she believes to be homeless. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/05/15/san-diego-police-punch-homeless/ Vancouver police have apologized after five officers wrongly handcuffed and detained a retired black judge while he was out on his morning walk. Selwyn Romilly – who made history as the first black judge appointed to British Columbia’s Supreme Court back in 1995 – was strolling along the Stanley Park foreshore on Friday morning when cops pounced. They claimed Romilly matched the appearance of a dark-skinned assault suspect aged between 40 and 50 who was lurking in the area. Romilly is 81 years old. The death of a Black man after police used pepper spray and Tasers on him in a South Carolina jail has stirred outrage as well as widespread calls for changes to the treatment of people in custody suffering from mental illness. Video footage released late on Thursday shows sheriff’s deputies in Charleston County extracting the man, Jamal Sutherland, from his jail cell on Jan. 5, first using pepper spray on him, and then Tasers while he screams out in pain. He was declared dead soon after, and the graphic video spurred denunciations on Friday of the officers’ response. On Friday at the end of his show, “CNN Tonight with Don Lemon,” the host shocked and surprised his audience by announcing that the program was ending. Here’s the deal. He’s getting his own branded show. “CNN Tonight with Don Lemon” is now “Don Lemon Tonight.” https://youtu.be/vmYlw_X2BGM It’s almost over for ABC’s “Black-ish.” It’s been renewed for one more season, it’s 8th, then it’s history. The news of the show’s future was announced Friday morning by it’s creator and executive producer Kenya Barris on social media. “This show has changed my life in so many ways and I am so proud of the conversations we’ve started along the way, Barris posted” https://www.instagram.com/p/CO2-5RBH0Za/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Actress/director/comedian and television host Aisha Tyler is helming tonight’s (May 16) season finale episode of “Fear The Walking Dead.” https://youtu.be/z3MmAxiIQjk As Israel sends air and ground troops into Gaza in violation of international law, more people in the United States, from members of Congress to Jewish American organizations, are speaking out against it. Constituencies whom the Israeli state has traditionally looked to for support are in rebellion. Trever Noah https://youtu.be/NeZ4yXyzUG0 Lil’ Kim has a story to tell about her life, and this fall, the world will have an opportunity to read about it in the icon’s forthcoming book, titled “The Queen Bee.” News of the book, which will be released on Nov. 2, was announced recently by the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop legend. https://www.instagram.com/lilkimthequeenbee/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d1ee0139-b40c-4439-a0a8-398a8dfc0cef STARZ is airing a brand new comedy series called “Run The World” with an exciting all-black cast. After such success with “P-Valley” and “Power,” it definitely makes sense. The series will debut this Sunday, May 16 on STARZ so make sure you tune in. I know we will be. Last but not least, Tosin Morohunfola had his own words of advice for healthy relationships in your life. After pledging to invest in minority enterprises, Constellation Brands made its first move, taking a stake in a Black-owned rosé company. Constellation, through its venture capital arm, is now backing La Fête du Rosé as part of its push to support Black, Latinx and minority-owned firms with $100 million by 2030. The company’s goal is to grow the reach of rosé, which is popular among women, La Fête du Rosé founder Donae Burston told CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday. Black-led nonprofits that work to enrich the lives of predominantly Black communities. The Black Community Leaders Fund will launch with $1.8 million, which includes a $1 million contribution from Facebook. The tech giant has committed $20 million to 20 organizations around the country as part of an effort to support Black communities and selected Philadelphia Foundation as one of its recipients. In the United States, an astounding 17% of Black women are in the process of starting or running new businesses. That’s compared to just 10% of white women, and 15% of white men. Yet despite this early lead, only 3% of Black women are running mature businesses. To understand why this steep drop off occurs, and how to combat it, we analyzed data from interviews with more than 12,000 people, nearly 1,700 of whom identified as entrepreneurs and nearly 1,200 of whom own established businesses. The research was part of our work with the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, an annual comprehensive survey of entrepreneurship rates and attributes, conducted in more than 120 economies since 1999. The large-scale survey is administered by academic research teams in each economy; we represent the U.S. team. Why is Broadway selling tickets now but will not open until the fall? Selling tickets now allows producers to gauge interest in their shows. The number of tickets sold reflects the interest of movie-goers as the coronavirus pandemic is still looming out there. Once producers get the number of tickets sold, they can better plan. Those shows that are low in ticket number may need more advertising. Producers are hoping that by the fall the number of tourists visiting New York and thus, the number visiting the theaters, will have increased as Broadway thrives on tourists. Tourists made up two-thirds of the people visiting before the coronavirus pandemic. Candace Owens is continuing her takedown of Chrissy Teigen, labeling her a Hollywood ‘predator’ similar to Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein who has publicly victimized women for years. Owens tweeted (insets) on Friday that Teigen has been able to get away with ‘victimizing’ people for years because she was ‘protected by Hollywood.’ Owens, 32, has recently unearthed vile tweets Teigen, 35, made in the past as she accused the model of ‘hypocrisy’ after apologizing to Courtney Stodden. Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was inducted posthumously to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, as the class of 2020 was enshrined after months of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The five-time NBA champion died last year aged 41 in a helicopter crash alongside his daughter and seven others. Bryant’s widow Vanessa, who started dating Kobe when she was 17, offered an acceptance on his behalf as presenter Michael Jordan stood nearby. “Dear Kobe, thank you for being the best husband and father you could possibly be,” she said. “Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for all of your hard work.” https://youtu.be/TTA7RCxP1mU Israeli troops were fighting on three fronts on Friday night into Saturday as West Bank protests saw their first fatalities, the death toll in Gaza rose past 130, and a Hezbollah fighter from Lebanon was shot dead by IDF forces. Turmoil from the battle between Israel and Hamas spilled over into the West Bank on Friday, sparking the most widespread Palestinian protests in years as hundreds of young demonstrators in multiple towns clashed with Israeli troops, who shot and killed at least 11 people. The family of an unarmed Black man who was fatally shot within seconds of being seen by a white police officer will receive the largest settlement in the history of Columbus, Ohio. Andre Hill‘s family will be paid $10 million by the city of Columbus, which has a notorious police department that’s been under heavy scrutiny following a spate of controversial killings of Black people in recent months. As part of the settlement, the city will rename a local gym after Hill that he used to frequent. The Associated Press reported that Columbus officials acknowledged, “No amount of money will ever bring Andre Hill back to his family.” The lawyers representing Hill’s family welcomed the settlement as a step toward receiving justice for the shooting. Defense lawyers are fighting to keep certain phone calls made in jail by Ahmaud Arbery‘s accused killer from being used as evidence in the upcoming murder trial in Brunswick, Georgia. Gregory McMichael his son, Travis and friend William “Roddie” Bryan, are accused of murdering Arbery. “You’ve heard the saying that no good deed goes unpunished?” Gregory McMichael asked, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reported there are “thousands of hours of jailhouse phone calls” his lawyer is trying to exclude from the case. “Yeah, that’s the shining example right there,” Gregory McMichael’s brother affirms. Gregory McMichael’s lawyer tried his best to spin the “good deed” comment while in court Thursday. “The state believes he is saying the good deed was killing Ahmaud Arbery, but that is not what he meant,” attorney Franklin Hogue argued about Gregory McMichael’s words. “He meant the good deed was patrolling his neighborhood and the punishment is him now being in jail charged with his death.” Attorney Benjamin Crump has represented the families and victims of some of the most prominent civil rights cases in the country, ranging from the shooting of Trayvon Martin to the murder of George Floyd. Those cases, and his strategy of bringing those stories to the media, have resulted in death threats, which he takes seriously, he tells senior contributor Ted Koppel in an interview for “CBS Sunday Morning” to be broadcast May 16. “I never take the death threats for granted. When we get them, we report them to the FBI,” Crump told Koppel. https://twitter.com/i/status/1392902752821448706 Spelman College will name its Performing Arts Center after alumna LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who credits the Atlanta school with launching her acclaimed acting career, and her movie star husband, Samuel L. Jackson. https://youtu.be/vFEwOJSmcJA Freshman U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock announced nearly $85 million in funding that they’ve secured for Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This funding was made through the American Rescue Plan and at least half of the funds must go directly to student aid. The money will go towards helping students and families battle the economic distress due to the pandemic.https://youtu.be/j4t7VZZPGIM Actress, director, producer and acting coach, Tasha Smith has been tapped to direct the pilot and second episode of the upcoming FOX drama, “Our Kind of People,” inspired by the book by Laurence Otis Graham. Deadline reports, written by and produced by Karin Gist and Lee Daniels, the series is inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s critically praised book “Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class.” Deadline writes that the show follows “strong-willed, single mom Angela Vaughn as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1291727459893690373 Gary Owen‘s soon to be ex-wife, Kenya Duke, is letting it known that she expects a steady check every month ’cause she claims he is Mr. Money Man and and she wants what’s she thinks is rightful share. Duke recently filed legal docs asking for spousal support from Gary … and she’s looking to get PAID … every month. In court documents, Kenya Duke has filed for $44,000 a month in spousal support … she claims it’s the amount Gary Owen would normally deposit in her account to pay credit cards and finance her personal spending. https://youtu.be/MzBGDkWS6JI A new business is opening soon in Lafayette with the goal of helping and informing expectant parents in the area. Baby Catcher Birth Center is set to officially open at the end of July, and when it does it will be the first Black-owned freestanding birth center in the state. Owner Shatamia Webb, a Lafayette native, says one of her biggest fears when giving birth was going to a hospital and not coming out. She decided to have both of her children at home, and then made it her mission to help all future parents feel more informed about birth and their options. She’s been a midwife and doing home births for four years. Relentless Church will celebrate its three-year anniversary with a special Sunday service on May 16, 2021.The service will include a moment of pastoral appreciation for Pastors John and Aventer Gray and award-winning songwriter, Rich Tolbert Jr., will be featured as the special guest worship artist. In 2018, on Mother’s Day, Relentless Church held its first service at its home campus on Haywood Road. Sunday’s service will celebrate and recognize the Church’s commitment to serving the spiritual livelihoods of Greenville community and beyond. Dr. Debbye Turner Bell was crowned Miss America in 1990. However, there is more to her story than what may meet the eye. According to a press release, her inspirational memoir called Courageous Faith: A Lifelong Pursuit of Faith Over Fear will be released on Aug. 3, 2021. Turner Bell reportedly shares some brow-raising details from her life, in addition to 10 factors for success and faith-based life lessons. According to the book’s synopsis, Lifelong Pursuit of Faith Over Fear is not just an inspirational memoir, but a self-help guide on persevering in the face of adversity. Chief Executive magazine today announced that Ken Frazier, Chairman and CEO of Merck, has been named 2021 Chief Executive of the Year by his peer CEOs. Frazier was selected by an independent committee that recognized his exceptional long-term leadership: a decade of unprecedented transformation and growth at Merck—with powerful results for shareholders, patients and society. The NFL is coming under growing pressure from critics who say its landmark concussion settlement treats ex-players differently based on race, making it more difficult for Black retirees to get payouts. Critics argue the settlement amounts to a form of systemic racism because it uses race-based criteria for neuropsychologists to assess whether Black and white former players have valid dementia-related claims stemming from their professional football careers. The concept of using different statistical curves based on race, known as “race-norming,” is inherently controversial. It is also the subject of a lawsuit by two ex-players, Kevin Henry, a lineman for eight seasons in the NFL, and Najeh Davenport, a running back for seven seasons, who sued the league last year for race discrimination. Any new music from the legendary Isley Brothers or Earth, Wind & Fire is nothing short of amazing. Both R&B musical units have been around for decades: The Isley Brothers since 1954 and Earth, Wind & Fire since 1969. While something new musically from either group would be special, something collaboratively would be super-incredible. The iconic groups are recording new music –together. The idea came to fruition after both groups matched up recently on “Verzuz” in a musical duel of songs and performances. https://youtu.be/QE3GI_cxs5U Nicki Minaj is finally speaking out about the death of her father, who was killed in a hit-and-run in February. Robert Maraj, 64, died after being struck by a driver who fled the scene without calling for emergency help or aiding the victim. Less than a week later, Charles Polevich turned himself in to authorities and was charged with killing Maraj. Sharing a lengthy letter to fans on her website Friday, Nicki Minaj admitted that her father’s passing “has been the most devastating loss of my life.” “Tho I can’t really bring myself to discuss the passing of my father as yet; I can say it has been the most devastating loss of my life,” she wrote, as reported by PEOPLE. “I find myself wanting to call him all the time. More so now that he’s gone. Life is funny that way.” https://youtu.be/Z5sjRbtqTcI Rapper J. Cole dropped the track “Let Go My Hand” from his newly released album The Off-Season where he addressed his rumored 2013 altercation with Diddy at a MTV Video Music Awards after-party in New York City. Rumor has it that Diddy tried to throw a drink on Kendrick Lamar after hearing his controversial “King of New York” line on Big Sean’s “Control.” Cole tried to intervene and got into a scuffle with Puff. It was said that Cole was allegedly kicked out of the party after the incident. Don Lemon‘s announcement that Friday night was the “last night” of him hosting “CNN Tonight,” the show he’s helmed since 2014. However, in a later Twitter video, he clarified that he was not leaving the network. https://twitter.com/i/status/1393404393408679937 P.D. Blackmon’s family-friendly brand has expanded its catalog into a collection of designer companion books. The Land of Boo ‘Brand Boo’ series continues its fantastic character-driven journey with 3 additional books that include ‘OCEAN BLUE’ Notebook, ‘LAND OF BOO FANTASY’ Characters Journal, and the ‘LAND OF BOO LOST GIRLS’ Collection Notebook. The notebooks and journal are unique keepsakes featuring ZeaZoo & The Land of Boo characters – The Lost Girls, Queen of Soul, Bubbles the Whale, Magnolia Butterfly, and the beloved King Fish. ‘Ocean Blue’ has a delightful day at the beach theme on every page creating a personal stationery look and feel. The diary-designed, ‘Land of Boo Fantasy’ journal allows the reader to jump in and write about their favorite characters or meaningful parts of The Land of Boo story. Capitalizing on a year with huge audience drivers, including two Olympics and the Super Bowl, NBC heads into the 2021-22 season with a winning year-round programming strategy that highlights dominant dramas in the fall, doubles down on comedies in midseason and pairs powerhouse unscripted shows with big tentpole event programming. “Our program strategy for NBC is singularly focused on driving growth by capturing audiences with can’t-miss event television and keeping them on the network with immersive scripted series,” said Frances Berwick, Chairman, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “We are leaning into pieces of the legacy that work, but not being precious about experimenting with things that can benefit from a change.” “When I first saw it, I thought it was hilarious,” said actor Steven Littles about “Miss Dee’s Kitchen” – a stage-play turned comedy series. “There’s a character named Jody. I said I want to be him! I want to stretch my comedic muscles.” The “Miss Dee’s Kitchen” production is the creation of Katrina Walker – executive producer of the series. It was a successful stage play that is taking a natural progression onto the screen in a television production – currently being shot. “Miss Dee was my mama (Demetria),” said Katrina, a native of Ohio. Walker said her mother’s kitchen was always full with people from the neighborhood needing Miss Dee. She continued, “I grew up in a close-knit community. She was that go-to woman. If you bust your head, she would fit it…sew it up. Everyone was welcome. The door was always unlocked. She filled a lot of shoes. She’d even take your blood pressure.” Frank McCrae may not have been a household name, but the character actor had so many roles on TV and film that his face was seemingly ubiquitous — especially to Black folks. Unfortunately, his daughter announced his death to Variety and said he suffered a heart attack before he died last month at his home in California. He was 80 years old. https://twitter.com/i/status/1390663799565389828 The Smollett sibling duo continue to bring their keen design flavor to CLEO TV this Saturday, May 15 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. As they perform revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orngn3-Sn54 OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today a new episode of the Emmy award-winning OWN Spotlight series “Black Women OWN The Conversation” premiering on Tuesday, May 25 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Per press release, the special episode features an audience of Black women in an in-depth conversation regarding mental health and trauma impacting the Black community led by Oprah Winfrey, Adrienne Bankert and Jotaka Eaddy featuring special guests California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris and Activist and Educator Dr. Dena Simmons. https://youtu.be/1ETeYocrlww This week’s episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher” has been scrapped by HBO after the host tested positive for COVID-19. According to Deadline, Bill Maher, who is vaccinated and asymptomatic, tested positive during the network’s weekly PCR testing ahead of the show. Prince Harry has dropped another bombshell about his relationship with Prince Charles and how his father raised him. Speaking on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast this week, Harry claimed Charles handed down to him a “cycle” of “genetic pain and suffering,” as reported by Page Six. https://youtu.be/HdwlF1P6Vno Dr. Steve Perry on Iyanla Vanzant’s “Fix My Life.” https://youtu.be/IjIPH0v9c54 A street in New Jersey will be renamed after The Isley Brothers this summer. WHUR, Teaneck Street in New Jersey was the home to Ron and Rudolph Isley and was the namesake for their record label, “T-Neck Records.” On June 24, the street will be renamed after the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. Charles Barkley has been known to cramp up while working on “Inside the NBA,” but Thursday night’s attack may have been the first since Shaquille O’Neal joined the panel. The analysts were in a commercial break when the cramps suddenly hit. Barkley stood up, to try stretching them out. That’s when the 7 foot 4 retired NBA center sprung into action. Shaq walked over to his colleague, put his hands under Chuck’s butt and began punching at the left upper-thigh cramp, and trying to massage out the one in his right upper-thigh. The taped footage was played twice for the viewing audience after the commercial break, and host Ernie Johnson could barely contain himself while giving the play by play each time. Mel B has teamed up with charity Women’s Aid for a new project, which is titled “Love Should Not Hurt” by classical composer Fabio D’Andrea — a powerful yet harrowing short film to highlight the reality of domestic violence. In the video, released on Friday, the Spice Girls singer plays the role of a woman seemingly living a wonderful charmed life in a mansion but behind closed doors, she’s being battered and held captive by her partner who is played by Sam Mackay. At the end of the short film, Mel’s character is shown all bruised up as she attempts to flee. As TMZ notes, the film has some people drawing connections to the singer’s past. Eric Holder, the alleged killer of Nipsey Hussle, has reportedly been appointed a new defense attorney, Aaron Jansen, who made his first appearance in court this week. Holder refused to leave his cell for the May 11 hearing, “prompting the judge in his case to further push back his pre-trial hearing,” the outlet writes. Jansen reportedly informed the judge that he hasn’t had the chance to talk to his client but noted that Holder will be ready before the end of the year. Judge Jacke made clear that Holder will be forcibly removed from his cell to attend his hearing. Global spiritual leader, thought provoker and celebrated author, GRAMMY®-recognized, Stellar Award-winning artist Charles Jenkins, was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity from the historic Beulah Heights University in Atlanta, GA for his innovative leadership, and comprehensive impact, not just in the community of believers, but beyond the church. Beulah Heights University is proud to honor Dr. Jenkins for his unprecedented work and is equally excited to announce a leadership program that will focus on Succession & Transition beginning Fall 2021. The Certificate Program has been developed by Dr. Jenkins in partnership with the academic leadership of Beulah Heights. The program will equip leaders, students, churches, nonprofit organizations, and beyond with knowledge, ability, and strategy necessary to navigate organizational transitions, and succession planning which will increase the sustainability and success of organizations. Jenkins’ latest book Seasons is a guide for leaders and organizations considering transition and succession. The book will also serve as a textbook for the coursework for the program launching in the Fall of this year. The expected signing of a white former NFL player who hasn’t played pro football in nearly a decade and was widely regarded as a failure during his time in the league has renewed outrage sparked over the apparent refusal to give Colin Kaepernick a second chance on the gridiron. Tim Tebow, who hasn’t competed in an NFL regular-season game since the 2012 season — four years longer than when Kaepernick last played — is reportedly going to sign a one-year contract with his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars to play tight end, a position he has never played before on any level of competition. Nearly five years have elapsed since quarterback Colin Kaepernick was last on an NFL roster, and many have voiced their desire for the signal-caller to ultimately strike a new deal with a team despite his ongoing absence. Add Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner to that list, who said during an interview with TMZ on Wednesday that he believes that Kaepernick should have another shot in the league given his resume. “I think that he should have an opportunity,” Warner told the publication when encountered at Los Angeles International Airport. “”When he got out of the game, he was as good as a lot of quarterbacks in this league. And, that’s the bottom line.” Republicans are more focused on not feeling bad about being racist than just not being racist. Claims that discussions about racism, sexism and other forms of oppression are divisive or make people feel bad have nothing to do with education. Following this national trend, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a new law that prioritizes feelings over progress. House Bill 1775 relies on a distorted framing of Critical Race Theory to prevent “mandatory gender or sexual diversity training or counseling” in higher education institutions. The bill also prohibits teaching on race or sex as inherently superior traits. How did Billy Graham become the most famous evangelist in America? Does he deserve blame for paving the way for the religious right? How should we see his place in America’s political and spiritual history? The PBS series “American Experience” explores these questions in a fascinating two-hour documentary premiering Monday (May 17), offering an authoritative look at Graham’s life and ministry, from his beginnings as a dairy farmer’s son from Charlotte, North Carolina, to his death in February 2018 at age 99. Eight members of the New York Yankees — seven coaches and support staffers, plus shortstop Gleyber Torres — have tested positive for the coronavirus over the past three days, even though all of them were fully vaccinated. The news came as the Centers for Disease Control said Thursday that fully vaccinated Americans no longer have to wear masks indoors or outdoors in most cases. “With regard to the Yankees, we obviously need to learn more about that situation. My understanding is that six of the seven infections were indeed asymptomatic infections, and we will look to more data from that report to understand what happened there,” CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky said at a news conference. Disney is revamping its 20-year-old animated series “The Proud Family” and the reboot will center on two multiethnic, gay dads and their adopted teenage daughter, who is a racial activist. The entertainment brand announced the show, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” via social media Wednesday. The fathers, Barry and Randall Leibowitz-Jenkins, will be voiced by Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto — both of whom are gay — while the daughter, Maya, will be voiced by Keke Palmer. “It’s so nice to hear children’s voices in here again,” said Richard Stewart, immersed in a field trip of about 20 kids standing in his home on Pocahontas Island. Stewart’s house doubles as a Black History Museum that chronicles the island’s history as the “oldest Black community in the United States.” It was the home of free Blacks as early as the 1800s, achieving prosperity and esteem. About 700 historical pieces are packed within the house’s walls. Children filed through hallways piled to the ceiling in artifacts and old news clippings showing the island’s past – old steel shackles, a replica slave ship and information on historical figures like Gabriel Prosser, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, and John Rolfe. The field trippers from Cultural Roots Cooperative are visiting Stewart for the third time since 2018. This time they have a special gift – a check for $3,500, the largest donation Stewart says anyone has ever given for the Black History Museum. A Bartlesville woman who is believed to be the oldest survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre observed a birthday Monday, with several celebrities and public figures pitching in to help her celebrate. Viola Fletcher, who turned 107, was greeted with a series of personal video messages, including from actors Danny Glover and Piper Perabo, musician Michael Stipe and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, among others. “For you showing strength, letting the world know of truths that tried to be buried — today we celebrate your love and your light,” Booker said. “You are touching generations not yet born.” “We love you,” Glover said. “We are your children who will continue the fight with you, alongside you.” As a native of South Carolina, Joseph M. Grant recalls the memory of living through segregation and surviving to thrive throughout his higher education journey and career. Now, at age 70, he is proud to be graduating from Howard University as part of the Class of 2021 with his doctorate in political science with a focus on American government and Black politics. To put it in terms he himself would not use, reading is LeVar Burton‘s brand. It’s been almost 40 years since he started introducing young viewers to the joys of books as the host of Reading Rainbow, and he’s still reading aloud to anyone who will listen (including many who grew up on the PBS show). When the pandemic shutdown began, he hosted thrice-weekly livestreams reading stories to his Twitter followers and has done the same on his podcast LeVar Burton Reads since 2017. To talk to him about reading is, in many ways, to talk to him about himself. So perhaps the most surprising thing about his new book club is that it hasn’t existed until now. The LeVar Burton Book Club launches Tuesday via the “social reading app” Fable, with selections handpicked by the actor. Nail polish brand Àuda.B recently launched at luxury department store chain Nordstrom. This is the first Black-owned vegan nail polish brand to partner with the department store. The gel-like nail lacquer is also 10-free, gluten-free, and PETA-certified. Nordstrom carries 17 of Àuda.B’s best-selling colors ($18 each) curated specifically for Nordstrom, with color names such as #Blackgirlmagic, Bad Girls Shut It Down, Front Row, and Rich Boss Lady. The brand also offers its Jetsetter Nail Polish Top Coat ($20) and Glam Nail Care Kit ($125) featuring five essential polishes including the top coat, base coat, cuticle oil, and two neutral polish colors. At St. Charles West High School, one of the best teachers may just be a student. “He just has a heart for people,” said Yolanda Curry, the school counselor. Joshua Nelson, 18, is getting ready to graduate. “I plan to go to Southeast Missouri State and go into their pre-optometry program. I’ll be majoring in bio-medical sciences,” he said. What Josh didn’t say is that SEMO offered him a scholarship. That will happen when you’re an excellent student, a three-year varsity basketball player and president of the school’s Multi-Cultural Achievement Committee. Josh saved up more than $1,000 for college but since he earned a scholarship, he’s decided to use his savings to help another student go to college. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Adrienne Bailon weighed in on the controversy surrounding Porsha Williams’ engagement to Simon Guobadia — the ex-husband of her RHOA costar Falynn Guobadia. During a new episode of “The Real”, Bailon defended Porsha’s right to love who she chooses. “This is my take on the whole situation: if Falynn doesn’t have a problem with it, why should we?” Adrienne told the other co-hosts, as reported by Ace Showbiz. She then noted Falynn’s alleged infidelity, adding “If Falynn has moved on, his ex-wife has moved on, and she’s doing her thing, then let’s move on.” T.I. and Tiny’s sex trafficking controversy has taken an interesting turn, as rapper Nelly has now been dragged into the scandal. An earlier report noted that the number of alleged victims accusing T.I. and Tiny of allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting them continues to grow. One of them said she was “drugged, forced to take tons of molly and X, and sex-trafficked in three states” including Nevada and Florida. Per Ace Showbiz, in an audio post detailing the alleged sexual abuse done by the couple, one of the accusers claimed she was forced to have sex with Nelly, back in 2014. Judah Band drops new single "I Will Praise"......https://www.dropbox.com/sh/43j1t90ejv87jys/AAC4fDkLXO9h3pzz7p7zenYba?dl=0 Evana is a San Francisco based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Through all her musical experiences, Evana has found a connection to God through music and aims to express this connection and strengthen the fight against evil in her new single “Spiritual Weapons of War.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nbph79Oxlg TV One is slated to premiere a new true crime docu-series Sins of The City this Thursday, May 13 at 9 p.m. ET/8C. The season lead-in will discuss the execution of George Floyd and the impact his death had on the city of Minneapolis. Various experts, community leaders, family members, and the like, provide real-life perspective and insight into the cities profiled this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miL0Lvc_sHE Be sure to catch Le’Andria performing at the Urban One Honors this Sunday on TV ONE & Cleo TV! This year's theme is “Women Leading the Change'' and it will be hosted by Roland Martin and Erica Campbell. We are excited to celebrate Black women and organizations whose work significantly impacts society and culture. Watch it this Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 9P/8C TV One honors the late icon DMX this Sunday night, with a special episode of its hit autobiographical series UNCENSORED featuring the late rappers final interview on Sunday, May 16 at 8 p.m. ET/7C; followed by the annual URBAN ONE HONORS hosted by Erica Campbell and Roland Martin at 9 p.m. ET/8C. In a tribute UNCENSORED SPECIAL: DMX THE ICON, airing Monday, May 17th at 10/9c on TV One, friends and family of DMX reflect on his legacy. With chart topping music and iconic performances across film and television, DMX made a lasting impact on the lives of everyone who experienced his genius. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWo0F9UYeI8 In celebration of Black Music Month, BNC and Café Mocha, the #1 nationally syndicated radio show for ‘women of color,’ announced today the Salute THEM Awards ‘soundtrack of our lives’ will broadcast on BNC Sunday, June 6 at 10:00 P.M. ET. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUjb8Li-KLk The star-studded Season 1 of The Good Words with Kirk Franklin Podcast gave us candid conversations with many guests including Kelly Rowland, H.E.R., Steve Harvey, and Tabitha Brown. https://link.chtbl.com/R_lzTd-m Thursday the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination of Kristen Clarke, in hopes she will be confirmed to become the first woman and first Black woman to formally lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division since its creation in 1957. Committee members split the vote 11-11 to advance the process to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote. Supporters of Clarke expect another uphill battle during the final stage of the process. Several first responders are going to be held accountable for taking and distributing pictures from the horrific crash site where Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others died. So far, two firefighters are set to be fired for their actions. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Vanessa Bryant’s legal team says they received paperwork from the fire department’s own internal investigation and found that they’d sent 2 firefighters “intention to discharge” letters because they’d taken pics at the scene. It was noted that one of the firefighters, according to the docs, was just a safety officer there to secure the scene that day, but took graphic shots of the victims’ remains. Attorneys and supporters of Pamela Turner, a Black woman who was shot by a Texas officer during a May 2019 fatal encounter, are gathering on Thursday to reinvigorate justice efforts around her wrongful death. Turner’s advocates which include her family, their lawyers Ben Crump and Devon M. Jacob, along with the families of of Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland, Robbie Taylor, Joshua Feast, George Floyd, and Jacob Blake Jr., will gather in Baytown on the second anniversary of her death. A Black man has been charged with manslaughter for fatally punching an elderly man 50 years his senior who used a racist slur that prompted the violence earlier this month in central Florida. Corey Pujols, who is Black, was working as a store manager at a Dunkin Donuts in Tampa on May 4 when the unidentified 77-year-old customer reportedly took umbrage at the quality of service in the drive-thru. After employees refused the customer service and asked him to leave, he parked his car and, according to Fox 29 in Tampa, went inside the establishment and called “called Pujols a racial slur and repeated the phrase after Pujols challenged him to do so.” Police claim Pujols, 27, reacted by punching the man in the jaw, knocking him to the floor, on which he banged his head. Emergency responders found him bleeding from the head and took him to the hospital. The elderly man died two days later and police arrested Pujols on Tuesday and charged him with aggravated manslaughter of an elderly adult, a felony. Pujols has since been released on $2,000 bail. Prosecutors dropped the charges against a Black woman who was forcibly removed from her car during a March 6 traffic stop in Alexandria, Virginia, according to NBC News. Juanisha Brooks, the victim, was on her way home from celebrating her sister’s 37th birthday when she was pulled over on I-495 by Virginia State Trooper Robert G. Hindenlang. During the encounter captured on dash cam video, Hindenlang asks Brooks to exit the vehicle multiple times without informing her of the offense. After Brooks inquires about the stop one last time, Hindenlang says, “Can you step outside and I’ll show you.” In response, Brooks tells Hindenlang that she does not want to exit her vehicle, to which the officer unlocks her car door, drags her from the vehicle and handcuffs her. She attempts to reach for her cell phone in order to record the moment, but it falls to the ground. On April 16 Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano dropped the charges after Brooks’ attorney showed him video of the dash cam footage. Descano concluded that the State Troopers conducted the stop “without proper legal bias,” and called for an internal investigation into the incident. The deadline is near for families to file taxes in time to receive additional financial benefits for their children under an expanded child tax credit. And there’s a special hitch this year — tax filing services are being offered for free by the federal government. But only if you do so by Monday. The expanded child tax credit was enacted with the passage of the American Rescue Plan in February. Udonis Haslem got a standing ovation in Miami as he took the court for the first time this season, his 18th with the Heat. Less than three minutes later, he was ejected, possibly ending his regular season run before it could really get going. Haslem, 40, checked in during the second quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers. He managed to shoot 2 of 2 from the field and grab a rebound before an altercation with Dwight Howard led to two technical fouls and his ejection, with just two minutes and forty seconds played in his season debut. https://youtu.be/wDn3dd3kDUU Amplify Africa, a leading entertainment and media company in the U.S. whose mission is to amplify Africa and the African diaspora through global community, storytelling, and digital innovation, and The Africa Channel, a cable and streaming channel focusing on travel, lifestyle, and culture documentaries, series and movies, has announced AFRICON 2021, a conference to showcase the excellence, culture, talent and innovation the continent and its diaspora has to offer. It goes down May 21st – 23rd (Friday – Sunday). After Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refused to acknowledge right wing colleague Marjorie Taylor Greene when she repeatedly screamed her name outside the House floor Wednesday (hoping to debate AOC on her Green New Deal), the Q’Anon-supporter filmed a video for her supporters spinning AOC’s disregard as a “refusal to debate me.” Two Washington Post reporters witnessed the whole spectacle. They said AOC left the House chamber late Wednesday afternoon ahead of Greene, who shouted “Hey Alexandria” twice to get her attention. The reporters said AOC “did not stop.” But Greene caught up with her, began shouting at her and asking why she supports far-left activist group antifa and Black Lives Matter, falsely labeling them “terrorist” groups. Sunday Hinton is suing a D.C. jail for failing to acknowledge her as a transgender woman by keeping her in the men’s detention unit. MSN reports, Hinton has been in custody at D.C. Jail since April 26, charged with unarmed burglary with the intent to steal $20. According to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of D.C. and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, “despite informing DOC (Department of Corrections) officials of her gender identity and requesting to be transferred to the women’s unit, she remains incarcerated in a men’s unit more than two weeks later.” https://youtu.be/jVpDeT22nPg Terry Crews is speaking out once again about his porn addiction and how it almost destroyed his family. Crews dishes in detail about his fame and marital struggles in the upcoming audio memoir “Stronger Together” co-authored with his wife of 30 years, Rebecca King-Crews. “Success is the warmest place to hide,” Terry told People while discussing the new book. “Fame made it worse! Hollywood didn’t care. It still doesn’t care if you lose your family. It happens every day.” Rebecca said she and Terry decided to take fans inside their personal lives in an effort to help others who may be dealing with some of the same challenges. Last September, Mars Food announced it would finally change the name and image of its Uncle Ben’s rice products because it was rooted in racial stereotypes. The rebranded rice has just become available in stores nationwide as Ben’s Original. The new packaging keeps the same orange color and blue font but ditches the image of Uncle Ben. The name was borrowed from a well-known Texas rice farmer of the same name, according to an archived web page about the rice brand’s origins. The man who posed for image that has appeared on the packaging for decades was Frank Brown, the head waiter of an exclusive Chicago restaurant, the archive web page stated. Israel called up 7,000 reservists to bolster its forces today as it deployed troops to the Gaza border in preparation for a possible ground invasion. Relentless air strikes continued to decimate Hamas strongholds in the Strip this afternoon as their brigades held funerals for slain commanders, including the terror boss of Gaza City and their intelligence chief. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing the prospect of a war on two fronts as internal rioting by Jewish and Arab mobs descended into ‘lynchings’ last night in the worst civil unrest for decades. Hamas requested a ceasefire on a ‘mutual basis’ late on Wednesday after firing more than 1,600 rockets into densely populated Israeli neighborhoods, killing seven civilians including a five-year-old boy. Colonial Pipeline paid off the Russia-linked hacking group DarkSide to restore access to the key fuel pipeline that was paralyzed in a ransomware attack, according to a new report. The pipeline operator paid the hackers nearly $5 million in untraceable cryptocurrency, contradicting earlier reports that the company had no intention of meeting the criminal gang’s extortion demands, two people familiar with the transaction told Bloomberg. The ransom was paid off just hours after the attack commenced last week, the people said, yet the pipeline remained offline for another six days, triggering severe gas shortages, panic buying and chaos across the South. The crowd that thronged U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock as he arrived in Middle Georgia represented a cross section of the state’s agriculture industry: They harvested cotton and corn, tended pecan trees and timberland, raised chickens and cows. But two things tied the dozens gathered amid the tidy rows of crops at Jibb’s Vineyards on a cool recent morning. They were all Black farmers trying to navigate the pandemic-stricken landscape. And they were all tired of waiting for long-promised federal aid to ease generations of systemic inequality. Lucius Abrams said as much as he spoke to the gathering of growers from all corners of the state. They have heard the vows before from other politicians and bureaucrats about federal aid that never came. Simply put, the Waynesboro farmer said, they had good reason to feel snake-bitten An outside investigation into the death of a Black doctor while she battled COVID-19 has found that the treatment she received at a suburban Indianapolis hospital did not contribute to her death, its parent organization said Wednesday. However, the review by a panel of six outside experts concluded Dr. Susan Moore suffered from a lack of cultural competence on the part of those treating her at IU Health North in Carmel, parent IU Health said. IU Health in its statement acknowledged a “lack of empathy and compassion” was shown in the delivery of her care. Moore, 52, a family medicine physician who had practiced in Indiana since 2009, died Dec. 20, about two weeks after she was released from IU Health North and then admitted to a different hospital. A Hennepin County district judge delayed until March the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter when they helped Derek Chauvin restrain George Floyd. The three men involved in the May 25, 2020 killing of Mr. Floyd include Thomas Lane, who held down Mr. Floyd’s legs, J. Alexander Kueng, who knelt on Mr. Floyd’s back, and Tou Thao, who kept onlookers at bay. Mr. Chauvin, who was convicted April 20 of second-degree murder and manslaughter, kneeled on Mr. Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. The men had previously been scheduled to go on trial in August but the judge said he chose to delay the trial so that a federal case could go first. A federal grand jury indicted all four former officers on charges of violating Mr. Floyd’s constitutional rights. Memorial Park Cemetery looks better tended without an active owner than when it had one. The century-old, segregation-era Black cemetery’s former owner, John Robinson, cared for the 20 acres on his own, a job he admitted was difficult. Overgrown tree branches dipped to the ground and covered sections of graves. Burial records were a mess. He died in July 2019 and willed to the family the cemetery that is the final resting place to more than 6,000, including historic figures. But the heirs didn’t want it and divested themselves of Memorial Park, located at 2225 E. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The city immediately took on the maintenance but refused long-term responsibility, filing lawsuits against Robinson’s estate to recoup expenses and stop the divestment. Lionsgate and Millennium Media have dropped the official full trailer for “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” starring Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, and Ryan Reynolds. https://youtu.be/9C0l31YcahQ While Steph Curry has carried the Golden State Warriors to the play-in tournament, he is doing something truly incredible this season from beyond the arc. Curry is shooting a crazy 56 percent from 25 feet or more out on his step-back attempts. For context, other elite 3-point shooters such as James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers are shooting 36 percent and 33 percent on this same range of shots, respectively. What was an awful shot for most is now money for sharpshooters like Curry. He is why Golden State can be a dangerous first-round matchup in the NBA Playoffs. Paramount+, the streaming service from ViacomCBS, today announced that its revival of THE GAME has been ordered to series with original cast members Wendy Raquel Robinson (“Insecure”) and Hosea Chanchez (“Black Lightning”) reprising their roles as sports agent Tasha Mack and footballer Malik Wright, respectively, with several other legacy cast members making special appearances. Yaya DaCosta and her “Chicago med” co-star Torrey DeVitto are leaving their longtime roles on the series, with both announcing their departures via Instagram. “It has been such an honor and pure joy to bring Dr. Natalie Manning to life for all of you on Chicago Med for the past 6 seasons,” DeVitto wrote. “But it is now time for her and me to bow out and say goodbye.” She added, “Thank you to all you loyal watchers who adored her as much as I did. I can’t wait to share what’s to come with all of you. New adventures await!” DaCosta shared several photos of her with the cast along with a video thanking the crew and her co-stars. Nina Parker’s new fashion line for Macy’s drops on May 14, making her the first Black woman-owned brand to design a plus-size collection exclusively for the retail giant. “It’s kind of crazy to have that title, but it’s really dope to be honest,” Parker tells PEOPLE. Parker, the host of E!’s “Nightly Pop,” said she was inspired to create the clothing line because fashion choices for her body type were “limited.” Instagram users can now utilize a new feature that allows them to add their preferred pronouns to their profile. “Add pronouns to your profile,” Instagram announced on Twitter Tuesday. “The new field is available in a few countries, with plans for more.” The company said the new pronoun feature is currently only available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. People reports, “the new feature allows users to add up to four pronouns from the app’s list by going to “Edit Profile” and clicking on “Pronouns” then typing in the search tool,” the outlier writes. While appearing on SiriusXM’s “Radio Andy” on Wednesday, Janet Jackson’s brothers Tito, Jackie, and Marlon thanked Justin Timberlake for finally apologizing to her for their 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. following the release of “Framing Britney Spears,” which shined a light on his mistreatment of Spears following their 2002 breakup, Timberlake was urged to apologize to both Britney and Janet, which the 40-year-old later did: “I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right,” Timberlake wrote. “I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism.” He added, “I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed,” he continued. “I also feel compelled to respond, in part, because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly, because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part of and grow from.” Joe Budden is catching heat after audio leaked online Wednesday of him firing his podcast co-hosts Rory Farrell and Jamil “Mal” Clay. “From this point forward, you are fired and you’re not welcome back,” Budden said during a since-deleted episode that reportedly aired this week. “Y’all take that f–king dark energy, that arrogance and that entitlement somewhere else.” As reported by the New York Post, after fans reacted to leaks of the audio that appeared on social media, Budden responded by seemingly announcing the end of the award-winning broadcast after six years. “Helluva run!! God bless,” he said, telling fans to “Take care.” The mother of an “American Idol” finalist who left the show Wednesday after a Snapchat video surfaced showing him next to someone in an apparent KKK hood claims we have it all wrong, and that her son “doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.” Anita Guy, the mother of country hopeful Caleb Kennedy, told the Herald-Journal that the video was taken when Kennedy was 12, after watching the 2018 film “The Strangers: Prey at Night,” in which a character wears a hood over his head. Tiffany Haddish could be tapped to take over Ellen DeGeneres’ TV spot now that the host is quitting her show after 19 seasons. As reported by Page Six, Haddish frequently filled in for Ellen, and a senior NBCUniversal source shared with the outlet: “Tiffany is a favorite, she has humor and empathy in spades. She’s top of the list to get a daytime show – she’s a fresh voice.” During a recent conversation with Stephen Colbert, Michelle Obama spoke about dealing with “low-grade depression” and shared tips on how she copes with it. The former first lady admitted that she’s been dealing with “some form of low-grade depression” since last August, saying it was triggered by the COVID pandemic, racial inequality, and Trump’s presidency. https://youtu.be/GNCWIFesc4E Dakari Davis, an African American police officer with the DART Police Department in Dallas, received a reprimand from a lieutenant after being told that his cornrows are “unprofessional.” Davis, who’s been in law enforcement in 2019, says he couldn’t believe it when one of his superiors judged his ability to do his job based on his hair. He said a particular lieutenant “felt that it was unprofessional for male police officers to wear cornrows and contacted the Chief of Police and eventually filed a formal complaint against my hairstyle,” according to WFAA. https://youtu.be/x2NlmO8oHh8 “Seeing Nichelle Nichols as Uhura (Star Trek) totally stuck with me,” said Jenny Lumet, granddaughter to the iconic Lena Horne who executive produces “Star Trek: Discovery” on CBS, about why she got involved with the Star Trek franchise. “Nothing worked without her. Communications in the universe was channeled through her. So a black woman saved the universe. So I’m a fan of her.” CBS gave the New York native a four year deal. She is co-creator and executive producer of the series “Clarice;” executive producer of “Star Trek: Discovery;” co-creator, writer and executive producer of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds;” she co-wrote an episode titled “Runaway” for the Emmy nominated “Star Trek: Short Treks” mini-series and she is the creator, writer and executive producer of Showtime’s “Blackbird: Lena Horne and America” series. “Star Trek…is about family,” she added. According to Page Six, citing The Sun, Wendy Williams and Mike Esterman have reportedly called it quits. Wendy met the real estate executive and celebrity booker Mike, who lives in Maryland back in February when he participated in a dating segment on her show, as she was looking for help in finding love again after a big messy divorce with Kevin Hunter. While Wendy told her audience during a follow-up show that they’ve been having a good time together so far, it seems like it just ultimately wasn’t meant to be for the pair, who haven’t seen each other in weeks after she reportedly visited his home. “Spiral: From the Book of Saw,“ the ninth edition of the “Saw” horror series – and one of the highest-grossing film franchises to date. The Lionsgate feature pairs Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock for the first time on the big screen. https://youtu.be/tnwGD_SmWc4 Oprah Winfrey has teamed with Sterling K. Brown to celebrate Black fatherhood for a special set to air on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The two-hour event is titled “Honoring Our Kings: OWN Celebrates Black Fatherhood” and will be hosted by Winfrey and Brown, the network announced in a press release, Urban Hollywood 411 reports. “We want to honor the Black Kings who stand firm and proud in their role as a father, and celebrate the love and joy they bring to their families and communities,” Winfrey said in a statement. In a recent interview with CBS News, Michelle Obama spoke about the fears many Black Americans feel under continued systemic racism in the country. Candace Owens mocked her on Monday as playing the “victim.” https://youtu.be/gGabcWoXT_4 For Haddish, the role was super fun but challenging. The aspect she found most difficult was crying on screen. I’m going to be honest with you; I’ve spent 40 years of my life trying not to cry. Suppressing the tears until I get in the shower, and then you let it all out on the weekends. That’s just the journey of my people and me. And when I say my people, I’m talking about the people that live in here (points to her head) so when Billy was like, ‘you gotta cry,’ I was like ‘what? Billy, not in front of the crew. Can’t I just make the crying face? I can do the face.’ And he said ‘no, you have to let it out.’ So now, I’m able to cry at the drop of a dime. I learned so much from Billy. https://youtu.be/U3v8n_8-QqA Niecy Nash wants the creators of the hit Starz series “P-Valley” to know that she’s ready to make a guest appearance on the show. The acclaimed drama follows the employees at a strip club in the Mississippi Delta. “P-Valley” season 1 released on July 12, 2020, and Starz ordered a second season only two weeks after the first season premiered. “I would love to be on ‘P-Valley,’ I think it’s a great show,” Nash told Page Six. “I don’t necessarily have to be a stripper. For my significant other, it is her favorite show, so I would like to be on it just because of that.” Nash, who wed singer Jessica Betts in August 2020, also told the outlet that the first thing she wants to do after the pandemic ends is travel and “make love all around the world.” Can you think of ANYONE in this whole wide world who would create a brand, design its first products, only to GIVE IT AWAY free of charge–especially to the global Black community? This is what Keith Anderson, creator of BLACQUITY.net has done. “Our people have never been compensated for the horrific wrongs committed against us. Plus, we are disrespected as a race because we don’t own and control a significant portion of the world’s industry and commerce. Some of us have to serve as angels, offering our people our generosity to kick-start Black Economic Rise, ” says Anderson. Anderson, a Black Activist, believes the only way the Black populace can gain true freedom and high esteem is to control its own means of production and then use those financial and physical resources to plot its own course of existence. https://youtu.be/s55MOIRVA2U The controversy surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association appears to have rocked Tom Cruise to his core, as the Hollywood legend has reportedly returned all three of his Golden Globe trophies after NBC canceled the awards broadcast for 2022. Cruise previously bagged awards for best actor in “Born on the Fourth of July” (1990) and “Jerry Maguire” (1997) and for best-supporting actor in “Magnolia” (2000). Deadline first reported that the actor shipped his trophies back to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association following NBC’s announcement that the network won’t air the 2022 Golden Globes. A Black woman in Indianapolis, Indiana, has filed a discrimination lawsuit after her home received a higher appraisal only after she got rid of anything that identified her blackness, and had a white man stand in for her during the appraisal visit. https://fox59.com/news/indianapolis-homeowner-files-discrimination-complaint-after-removal-of-black-identifiers-leads-to-100000-appraisal-increase/ Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to ‘inflict blows that Hamas has not dreamed of’ prompting Hamas to retaliate with 130 rockets of its own, as the deadly fighting in the middle east continued on Wednesday. Israeli strikes killed several of the Islamist group’s top commanders on Wednesday, and destroyed another multi-storey building in Gaza City, as the U.N. warned of a ‘full scale war’ in the region. Israeli fighter jets dropped two bombs on the 14-storey Al-Sharouk tower, which housed the bureau of the Al-Aqsa television channel, and is the third tallest structure in Gaza City levelled since the bombing campaign began Monday. Parents in America’s wealthiest suburb have released a commerical to promote a group it formed to oust members of a Virginia school district board after it pledged to push Critical Race Theory onto their children, and even one black parent has slammed CRT as a ‘Nazi tactic which is racist and abusive’. Loudon County in Virginia has now become ‘ground zero’ in the national debate about incorporating critical race theory into the curriculum. Tuesday, ‘Fight for Our Schools’ – a group made up of dozens of parents from the wealthy enclave, where the median household income is $142,299 – released the commercial on Twitter. https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/05/12/6453750122150473937/636x382_MP4_6453750122150473937.mp4 Accused Capitol rioter Anthony Antonio tells CNN’s Chris Cuomo what motivated him to attend the Capitol riot on January 6. https://youtu.be/5AUMCQGfMTw While there was a slight increase in the overall number of confirmed and suspected opioid-related drug overdose deaths in Massachusetts in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, overdose deaths among Black men soared by almost 70%, state health officials said Wednesday. There were 2,104 confirmed and suspected opioid-related overdose deaths in the state last year, a 5% increase over the prior year, according to a report from the Department of Public Health. Among Black non-Hispanic males, the confirmed opioid-related overdose death rate increased 69%, from 32.6 to 55.1 per 100,000 people, the highest increase of any ethnic or racial group in 2020. The Tampa Bay Lightning started three black forwards in their regular-season finale against the Florida Panthers on Monday night, a rarity in NHL history – if not an absolute first. Canadian forwards Daniel Walcott, Mathieu Joseph and Gemel Smith were out together for the opening face-off and didn’t know they would be starting together until just minutes before game time. ‘First of all, they’re all in the NHL for a reason,’ Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. ‘They deserve to be here and have worked their tails off. To have them all together, they had a little chemistry. Moving forward in the league, you hope it isn’t a story anymore and will be the norm. It was a pretty cool moment for all those guys.’ Florida won the game, 4-0. Tanitoluwa Adewumi, a 10-year-old in New York, just became the country’s newest national chess master. At the Fairfield County Chess Club Championship tournament in Connecticut on May 1, Adewumi won all four of his matches, bumping his chess rating up to 2223 and making him the 28th youngest person to become a chess master, according to US Chess. “I was very happy that I won and that I got the title,” he says, “I really love that I finally got it.” In February of 2020, 25-year old Ahmaud Arbery was jogging through a neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia. He was pursued by three white men in a pickup truck who thought the young black man had stolen something from a construction site. In a fight to free himself, Arbery was shot and killed. Prosecutors say he had not stolen anything. Now in a move to protect other “Arberys,” the state of Georgia has repealed a law passed during the Civil War that allowed citizens to pursue and stop someone suspected of committing a crime. Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said she was “very thankful,” that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed House bill 479 which says bystanders can no longer make an arrest in Georgia if a crime is committed in their presence. Maryland’s governor posthumously pardoned 34 victims of racial lynching in the state dating between 1854 and 1933, saying they were denied legal due process against the allegations they faced. It was a first-of-its-kind pardon by a governor of a U.S. state. Governor Larry Hogan signed the order at an event Saturday honoring Howard Cooper, a 15-year-old who was dragged from a jailhouse and hanged from a tree by a mob of white men in 1885 before his attorneys could file an appeal of a rape conviction that an all-white jury reached within minutes. Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas is seeking assistance from a state appeals court in their relentless pursuit to discontinue providing life-sustaining treatment to toddler Tinslee Lewis. https://youtu.be/tlJMqM7hqUY Colton Underwood didn’t plan on ever telling the world that he was gay. After all, he’d starred as “The Bachelor” in 2019 to scout for a wife. The television personality was convinced he’d spend his entire life pretending to be a straight man. But last month, Underwood made headlines by coming out to Robin Roberts in a bombshell “Good Morning America” interview, shattering the heteronormative conventions of ABC’s top-rated reality dating juggernaut franchise. After hiding his attraction to men since his early teens, the 29-year-old former NFL player initially disclosed his sexuality to someone else a year ago: his publicist. The confession was prompted not by liberation but out of fear. “I’ll just say it,” Underwood reveals on a recent afternoon, still adjusting to his new life as an openly gay man. “I, at one point, during my rock bottom and spiral, was getting blackmailed. Nobody knows I was blackmailed.” The Hollywood community is mourning a legend as actor and filmmaker Norman Lloyd has passed away at 106 years of age. The beloved star of St. Elsewhere, Dead Poets Society, and, most recently, the 2015 comedy Trainwreck, passed away in his sleep on Monday, a family friend confirmed to Deadline on Tuesday. Lloyd worked with legendary filmmakers such as Orson Welles and Stanley Kubrick while starring alongside Charlie Chaplin and so many more in a career that spanned decades. Former standout college quarterback Colt Brennan died this week in a California hospital, his family confirmed to CNN. “He had been in a long-term rehab facility,” Brennan’s sister, Carrera Shea, told CNN on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, he relapsed.” Brennan, 37, was pronounced dead at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, according to the Orange County coroner. The Costa Mesa Police Department told CNN that Brennan was taken to the hospital due to an overdose. Stacey Abrams’ latest novel, “While Justice Sleeps,” will be adapted for a series by Working Title Television, part of NBCUniversal International Studios. The announcement comes after a high-stakes bidding war for the former member of the Georgia House of Representatives and fervent voting activist’s new legal thriller. The Universal Studios Group division prevailed and won the rights to the book, which is out Tuesday from Penguin Random House. Patrick C. Graham, Ph.D., who currently serves as a Senior Policy Advisor for the City of Richmond and Executive Advisor for ReWork Richmond, penned the following Op-Ed outlining his perspective on criminal justice reform. The revelation last week by the Innocence Project and American Civil Liberties Union that DNA and fingerprint evidence did not match Ledell Lee, a Black man executed in 2017 for the murder of a white woman, is part of a larger issue that we rarely discuss. Too many Black men face false accusations without true redemption or justice. With all the protests for police and judicial reform, the rising issue of false accusations is buried in our conversations and focus on addressing blue bravado and the immunities afforded to prosecutors, judges, and clerks of the court. We must provide protection under the law for a group of victims that are truly voiceless, the falsely accused. Wednesday morning, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced which of this year’s nominees will be inducted at the 2021 ceremony on Oct. 30 in Cleveland, Ohio. Superstar Jay-Z, Foo Fighters and the Go-Go’s were elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, making this their first time on the ballot. The class also includes legendary singer Tina Turner, Carole King and Todd Rundgren. The hall will also welcome LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads with musical excellence awards. Kraftwerk, Gil Scott Heron and Charley Patton will be honored as early influencers. Organizers are calling it “the most diverse list of Inductees in the history of the organization.” Russell Wilson and Ciara have inked a deal with Amazon Studios to develop and produce scripted series and films via their Why Not You Productions. We’re so excited and honored to work with Amazon Studios,” said the couple in a statement. “They’ve quickly become one of the most exciting studios in entertainment and have shown a strong belief in our vision to bring inspiring stories to the world. We can’t wait to begin our work together.” “Russell and Ciara are a true powerhouse producing duo – both with extraordinary success in their respective careers on the field and the stage, their business ventures, and shared dedication to philanthropy,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. Ellen DeGeneres has announced that her daytime talk show, which debuted in 2003, will wrap up in 2022. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the former stand-up comic said she needs “something new to challenge me.” https://youtu.be/DU6An7mwluc Porsha Williams is taking fans deep inside her personal life with a three-part special on Bravo. “The series was greenlit several months ago and is set to begin production over the summer. The special will focus on Porsha’s life and her family,” a source tells PEOPLE. The announcement coincides with Porsha’s shocking reveal that she is engaged to Simon Guobadia — the ex-husband of her RHOA costar Falynn Guobadia. Grammy-winning R&B singer Monica serves as host of a new true-crime series for VH1 titled “Infamy: When Fame Turns Deadly.” TheWrap reported, the eight-episode series “explores celebrity cases where notoriety and fame turn fatal,” according to the network’s description. “Each episode unravels the mystery and the motives behind the crimes, revealing a dark side to being in the public eye when betrayal, jealousy and greed lead to tragedy.” https://youtu.be/_ehod3HY4WU Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is set to release an anthology of essays calling for abolition of the police and prisons. “Today, I’m excited to share that we at @KaepernickPublishing will be releasing our first title, ABOLITION FOR THE PEOPLE: THE MOVEMENT FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT POLICING & PRISONS, on 10/12/21,” the former San Francisco 49er posted on Instagram. “This anthology builds on decades of organizing and writing against policing & prisons & features the work of over 30 contributors plus a reader’s guide, infographics, & cover art by Emory Douglas.” Michael Jordan is speaking out about his last text message exchange with the late Kobe Bryant. Speaking to ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, Jordan said the conversation took place on Dec. 8, 2019, during which Bryant complimented Jordan on his Cincoro Tequila. They also talked about their families and Kobe’s passion for coaching. Per Complex, here’s the portion of the interview via ESPN: “This tequila is awesome,” Kobe texted, referring to Jordan’s Cincoro Tequila, a bottle of which was sent to Bryant at the launch. “Thank you, my brother,” Jordan responded. The Atlanta Dream has announced that an all-Black female broadcast team will call home games for the 2021 WNBA season. Per Bleacher Report, LaChina Robinson and Tabitha Turner will work as color analysts, with Angel Gray and Autumn Johnson filling out the group. If the number of awards and honors that a film receives at national and international film festivals is indicative of the success the movie will achieve when it’s ultimately released to theaters or other film platforms, then the motion picture “Therapy” is on course to be a blockbuster. To date, “Therapy” has garnered 63 awards – and counting – at many of the world’s best and most respected film festivals. Yet, with so many prestigious awards and honors being racked up in record fashion since the film entered the film festival circuit in 2019, inquiring minds want to know what’s taking so long for the film to be released to the general public? https://youtu.be/bJhtqMS6jvA Prior to taking on the role of Billie Holiday, Andra Day claims she suffered from a porn and sex addiction that she feared would affect her performance in the Hulu feature. “I didn’t want any element of sexualization,” she said in her cover story for InStyle of her award-winning performance playing the jazz singer in “The United States vs. Billy Holiday.” “I had come out of something in my own life — dealing with porn addiction, sex addiction,” Day added. “’m being very, very candid with you because I’m not the only one. But I knew I wanted all of that very much gone.” Day’s performance earned her the Best Actress award at the 2021 Golden Globes and she also received an Oscar nomination for the role. In celebration of Black Music Month, the Black News Channel (BNC) and Café Mocha, the #1 nationally syndicated radio show for ‘women of color,’ announced today the Salute THEM Awards ‘soundtrack of our lives' will broadcast on BNC from the new National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville Sunday, June 6 at 10 P.M. ET/9CT. Carlos Kelly is pastor of a spirited and thriving ministry in Macon and Byron, GA called Beulahland Bible Church. The first single from the forthcoming BUILT 4 THIS album features Pastor Carlos Kelly in a soulful song for quartet fans. "Made It Without You" embodies the full swagger and drive of traditional Gospel Quartet at its best. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFbd0_XiHSg Kerry Douglas Presents to the world his brand new artist with a big sound LaShá Knox. Her oily anointed & highly impressive vocals is a perfect combination for the remake of "Surrounded (Fight My Battles)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xI5jOhC7Ac&feature=youtu.be As the world begins easing out of the most stressful time of our lives, Family Federation for World Peace and Unification USA invites you to join us for the Peace Starts With Me: Peace & Blessing virtual celebration June 5, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Let the Blessing revive your life, your family, and the world. Experience the grandeur of a stadium show from the comfort of your home. Featuring performances by Grammy award-winning talent including Gospel star Hezekiah Walker, Yolanda Adams, Israel Haughton, Joann Rosario Condrey, The Soul Children of Chicago and Kim Burrell. With words of inspiration from Bishop Noel Jones of the City of Refuge Church and The Mother of Peace, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. Last year over 10,000 families participated in the inaugural National Backyard Concert and Campout. This year, on May 21, families across the country will gather in their backyards, at their churches and in parks and campgrounds to participate in the second annual National Backyard Concert and Campout, led by Trail Life USA. Trail Life USA is the premier national character development organization for young men which produces godly and responsible husbands, fathers and citizens. Their mission is to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others and experience outdoor adventure. NBC will not air the Golden Globes next year, the network announced in a statement Monday. The move comes amid intense criticism of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that puts on the ceremony. The group has drawn scrutiny in recent months for a lack of racial diversity among its voting members and various ethical concerns. The organization is said to have no Black voting members. The twin brother of Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen was found dead at a North Carolina electrical substation on Sunday, authorities said. Tyrell Antar Cohen is believed to have died by electrocution while trying to climb power equipment, according to Wake County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Eric Curry. WE tv’s “Growing Up Hip Hop,” that finds Grammy Award-winning producer Stevie J and his daughter Savannah bumping heads over her messiness. https://youtu.be/tCsWmAGWHaI A new TV series tells the story of Livia Drusilla, who became the most powerful woman in the world as the wife of the first Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar. As viewers might expect from a show set in Ancient Rome, Domina, offers up plenty of sex, violence and political backstabbing. Just in time for Pride Month 2021, a brand new Rainbow Disney collection is here. The company unveiled its latest offerings on Monday and it includes a bright, beautiful array of everything from apparel to accessories. This year’s lineup of offerings has Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars characters and other Disney icons for the first time. The latest Rainbow Disney collection also features all-star characters such as Mickey Mouse designed on everything from protective face masks to hoodies. Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), announced Thursday that it ordained three women as pastors. The church shared the news in a Facebook post, proclaiming that it was a “historic night.” It looks as if Tim Tebow is finally going to be playing for his hometown team. Just not as a quarterback. The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to sign Tebow, 33, to a one-year contract later this week or next week to play tight end, a position he never played in high school, college or his previous three-year NFL career, a source confirmed to ESPN. A deal has not been agreed upon at this time. Once he signs, he will be reunited with Jaguars coach Urban Meyer, who coached Tebow at Florida and won a pair of national championships with the Gators. Evangelical pastor Jeff Jansen, a self-described “prophet,” has been asked to step down from the ministry he co-founded and has chosen to leave his wife and family to “pursue his own desires,” according to emails sent out this week by his ministry’s leadership team and his wife. Jansen, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and co-founder of Global Fire Ministries International in Tennessee, predicted in March that Trump would be back in office with the support of the military by the end of April. Despite that prophecy failing to come true, the pastor this week published videos on his official Facebook page saying he was “tripling” and “quadrupling” down on his prediction that the ex-president would return to the White House. A 23-year-old filmmaker JAMAL SHAKIR will join civil rights attorney CARL DOUGLAS and Black Lives Matter Los Angeles co-founder DR. MELINA ABDULLAH announced a new lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and Shakir’s uncle LAPD POLICE OFFICER II ERIC ANDERSON after the latter ordered his nephew shot with projectiles during a protest in downtown Los Angeles last summer. https://youtu.be/WqhqeGnboqQ An internal probe into the death of Breonna Taylor was conducted by two investigators who determined that the three Louisville Metro Police Department officers involved, should not have fired shots into her apartment on March 13, 2020. ABC News obtained documents that said Sgt. Andrew Meyer from the department’s Professional Standards Unit determined that the three officers should have held their fire after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot. Meyer’s report was supported by Lt. Jeff Artman: “They took a total of thirty-two shots when the provided circumstances made it unsafe to take a single shot. This is how the wrong person was shot and killed,” Meyer wrote in his report. He added that the officers involved in the raid that resulted in Taylor’s death – Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove – violated the department’s use-of-force policy when they ignored the risk of hitting someone who did not pose a threat, ABC reported. Meyer said deadly force should have only been used against Walker after he fired a shot. A Florida State’s Attorney found no wrongdoing relating to a disturbing viral video which showed an elementary school principal paddling a six-year-old child. The video, taken by the child’s mother, shows an April 13 incident where Central Elementary School Principal Melissa Carter, with the aid of a staff member Celia Self, stuck a child on her buttocks several times. The young girl was accused of accumulating $50 worth of damage on a school computer. Outlets have not released the name of the mother or the child because of the girl’s age and for safety reasons. According to CNN, who obtained a memo released to the Clewiston Police Department, Florida Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Abraham R. Thornburg concluded that Carter committed no crime. Naomi Osaka may have taken a short break from tennis, but that does not mean she is slowing down. The tennis star recently announced she is expanding her tennis academy to #Haiti and #LosAngeles. The Play Academy with #Nike and Laureus Sport for Good kicked off in #Japan last summer, but now the tennis champion is expanding to other locations close to her heart. Osaka hails from Japan, but her father is Haitian. She currently resides and trains in Los Angeles. The Play Academy is a collaboration with Nike and Laureus Sport for Good and the objective of the program is to provide capacity-building training and grants with community organizations in hopes of encouraging girl’s participation in sports. US racing has been plunged into another high-profile medication scandal after Medina Spirit returned a post-race blood sample for the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone after his win in the Kentucky Derby, which his trainer Bob Baffert labelled “the biggest gut-punch I’ve had.” Baffert was immediately suspended from being able to make entries at Churchill Downs “given the seriousness of the alleged offence” and, in a statement, the racecourse added it “will not tolerate” failure to comply with rules and medication protocols. FOX SOUL, the Black community’s premiere free streaming platform serving UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK, CONSUMABLE BY ALL entertainment 365 days a year, expands their programming slate and adds a new series to their current streaming schedule. With over 44M viewers, FOX SOUL celebrates black culture and deals with real topics that impact the everyday lives of the black community through frank and insightful dialogue with local and national influencers. FOX SOUL provides a platform and programming that speaks directly to the community where they can be seen and heard, yet enjoyed by everyone. Newark Symphony Hall (NSH), New Jersey’s largest Black-led arts and entertainment venue, today unveiled designs for its exterior renovation – part of a five-year, three-phase $50 million project set to wrap on the venue’s 100th birthday in 2025. The design, from Trenton, N.J.-based architectural firm Clarke Caton Hintz (CCH), includes a new marquee and streetscape. Design upgrades make Broad Street – a gateway into the state’s largest city – a distinct visual marker highlighting Newark’s creativity and ingenuity. NSH was built in 1925 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. In addition to restoring the building’s façade, the renovation will reimagine the city block – adding bike lanes, improved curbing, a central island and transportation access. John Oliver made it clear that he, as a white man, has no business discussing the topic of Black hair, and that the discussion “doesn’t belong to white people, doesn’t affect white people, and white people don’t really need to have an opinion on it.” The sentiment came after the host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” and his Emmy-winning research/writing team (which includes Black writers) did an extremely informative and enlightening 24-minute deep dive into the politics of Black hair, including all the ways that white people in power have used it as yet another form of racial discrimination – from stores keeping only its Black hair care products locked up, to Black people being made to cut their dreadlocks for school or work. https://youtu.be/Uf1c0tEGfrU Talib Kweli and rapper Noname had a tense exchange on social media on Saturday, after he defended himself against the harassment allegations that got him kicked off Twitter last year. Talib was permanently banned from Twitter following “repeated violations,” a spokesperson for the social media site confirmed. The Brooklyn rapper was suspended after allegedly launching a harassment campaign against 24-year-old activist Maya A. Moody. His beef with her began after a Twitter user posted a list of rappers who are married to Black women. Kweli was on the list. Moody responded by noting: “Literally almost all of them are married to lightskinned women but that’s a conversation for another day.” And with that… Talib popped off. Stellar and Dove Award Nominated artist G.I. has released their much anticipated new single “Heal The Land.”G.I. has always been known for bringing fresh, relative content to the industry and that hasn’t changed with their latest offering. “Heal The Land” embodies a song that is laced with infectious beats just in time for spring and summer, as well as a message current to the times. The song beckons for God to bring healing, peace, and restoration during today’s challenging and difficult times. “Heal The Land” was recently serviced to radio and it has already been Billboard’s Most Added Song. G.I. is back! https://orcd.co/healtheland-single Real Talk with Vashawn Mitchell as he and guest talk Covid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiVZUh5lMso UNCENSORED | DMX on Sun, May 16 at 8pm ET + Uncensored Special: DMX the Icon Mon, May 17 at 10 pm ET https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWo0F9UYeI8 A woman was killed and a person was critically wounded in Rishon Lezion after terrorists in the Gaza Strip fired a barrage of rockets in the direction of Tel Aviv late Tuesday night setting off sirens throughout the center of the country. The barrage came hours after Hamas warned Israel that it would fire missiles into Tel Aviv if the IDF continued to strike buildings in the Gaza Strip. Another rocket struck a bus in Holon, just south of Tel Aviv. Four people were injured in Holon including the driver of the bus who was critically injured. Another three people were in moderate condition after being injured in the attack, including a five-year-old child. https://twitter.com/i/status/1392184942801653775 San Francisco will divert $3.75 million from its law enforcement budget to programs assisting the city’s Black-owned businesses. As reported by The Washington Examiner, The Office of Economic and Workforce Development will distribute funding to 17 community organizations. The goal of the initiative is to preserve small businesses in historically black neighborhoods. https://youtu.be/MV4Nq1GaIAA The Bengal tiger that went viral after it was filmed roaming around a Houston neighborhood unchecked is now missing. The exotic cat, complete with a collar around its neck, jumped over a backyard fence Sunday evening and went for a stroll through the grassy front lawns along the block, alarming neighbors. Bystanders took pictures and videos of the animal while an off-duty sheriff’s deputy arrived on the scene and tried to corral the animal at gunpoint. https://youtu.be/BVlUyBupmL8 This weekend, Saddleback Church celebrated the ordination of their “first three women pastors” in what they called “a historic night” for the church. Unsurprisingly, this has led to a lot of discussion over the past few days about the role of women in the church and the future of complementarianism. While I have long respected Saddleback’s ministry impact and heart for getting the gospel to the nations, I disagree with their decision to take this step, and would even say I find it disappointing. As Pastor James Merritt noted, we can affirm both (1) that God calls men and women to vital ministry in the church and (2) that God’s Word clearly reserves the office of pastor/elder/overseer for qualified men. 1 Timothy 3:1–7, Titus 1:6–9, and 1 Peter 5:1–5. Robin Roberts and LeBron James have announced their new Disney+ celebrity interview show titled “Turning the Tables With Robin Roberts.” Roberts will host and executive produce the four-episode series featuring conversations with female celebrities, Disney+ announced in a press release. “This project is very personal to me, and I’m proud to bring it to Disney+,” Roberts said in a statement. “The guests we’ve assembled are an amazing group of women who have all achieved great success in their various careers. Although they represent different age groups and backgrounds, they were all willing to open up and share their unique stories with honesty and humor.” https://youtu.be/2XIyF6SHnm0 Laverne Cox has been named host of E!’s long-running red carpet award show coverage starting in 2022. E! announced Monday (May 10) that Cox is replacing Giuliana Rancic as host of “Live from E!”. Rancic announced last week that she was parting ways with the network after 20 years as she has inked a new development deal with E!’s parent company, NBCUniversal. The Emmy-nominated actress and activist will also host a series of celebrity-based interview specials spotlighting Hollywood influencers. Snoop Dogg hit up his Instagram account recently to ask for prayers for his mother, Beverly Tate. In a post on Friday, the hip-hop icon shared a photo of his mother along with the caption: “I need all my prayer warriors for momma right now please and thank you.” Snoop didn’t share details about his mother’s health status, leaving fans to inquire about it in the comments. In another post, he wrote, “Mama thank u for having me could of gave me up but u raised a family.” Prior to the “prayer warriors” post, he shared a throwback of the two tagged to Jamaica with the caption: “A mother’s love is precious ???? Rita.” Porsha Williams has announced she is engaged to Simon Guobadia — the ex-husband of her RHOA costar Falynn Guobadia. In an Instagram post on Monday, the reality TV star posted a selfie with Simon along with the caption: “Our relationship began a month ago—yes we are crazy in love,” Williams wrote. “I know it’s fast but we are living life each day to its fullest. I choose happiness every morning and every night. Tuning out all negative energy and only focused on positive wishes. He makes me so happy and to me, that is what matters most.” Simon later confirmed the pair were engaged after a month of dating. “I asked her to marry me because we checked ALL of each other’s boxes, and then some,” he wrote on Instagram. A Twitter user is catching it after accusing Phylicia Rashad’s “Cosby Show” character, Clair Huxtable of being “an enabler” of disgraced television star Bill Cosby. “Claire Huxtable was an enabler of the longest and most prolific drug rape predator In US history, Bill Cosby,” Twitter user Talmadge wrote. “Everyone on set knew he was a sadistic predator. Everyone. 75 women drugged and raped by Cosby and he got away with it because of enablers.” Black Twitter was quick to cancel Talmadge while defending Rashad, noting she nor Claire Huxtable are responsible for the accusations against Cosby. “Neither Claire Huxtable or Phylicia Rashad are responsible for Bill Cosby’s actions,” one user wrote. “She was his co worker and employee, not his supervisor or co conspirator in his crimes.” Rashad previously came to Cosby’s defense in a 2015 interview with ABC News. The actress described the sexual assault accusations against him as an “obliteration of legacy.” It was like watching someone fall in love before our very eyes. On “The Wendy Williams Show” Monday, her wax figure from Madame Tussauds was revealed.. It was an emotional moment, as Williams stared at the details of her likeness – from the wig, to the bling, to the Gucci sneakers, to the makeup and lashes. https://youtu.be/xj3Ns87EOHc Moonlight“ director Barry Jenkins is bringing his talents to the Amazon Prime Video screen to direct and produce the new limited series “The Underground Railroad,” which is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead. The ten episode show tells the story of a slave named Cora Randall (Thuso Mbedu) who escapes a Georgia plantation through the Underground Railroad. Randall discovers the path isn’t exactly what she expected, instead it’s an actual railroad full of engineers, conductors, and a secret network of tracks and tunnels underneath the Southern ground. https://youtu.be/_Pq5Usc_JDA Whats up ya’ll. Bowlegged Lou here. Just wanted to give kudo’s to DJ Cassidy for spearheading another great “Pass The Mic” event on BET. 13 great legendary acts doing the damn thing on the platform of DJ Cassidy’s brainchild dedicated to Mothers Day on BET. This Lineup was epic incredible with performances by Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, Vanessa Williams, Karyn White, Kelly Rowland, Al B Sure, Johnny Gill, Howard Hewett,Force Mds,Valerie Simpson, Keni Burke, Mtume With Tawatha & Shirley Jones of The Jones Girls. https://youtu.be/m_uinBdESU8 Clubhouse has announced that the app is no longer available for iPhones only. Android users in the U.S. can download the app starting immediately. The app release comes after iPhone downloads took a dip down in April. Android users can download the app but they still need an invite to access it. The mother of model Natalia Harris, who passed away last year, received a heartwarming surprise when she was greeted by a Delta ad of her late daughter while catching a flight. First time flying, since my baby @iamnataliaharris transitioned,” Harris’ mother, Egli Colo´n Stephens, wrote in an Instagram post in March. “Just when I thought I was not going to see her ad from her @delta campaign, there she was. BOOM! Two posters on the corridor, right before boarding the plane. This “SEE YOU SOON” means more now than ever. I can’t wait to hold her in my arms and never, ever let her go.” Stephens spotted the campaign poster again in the Delta Airlines skybridge during her return flight from Florida to New York City. The poster reads “This Is What See You Soon Looks Like.” Russell Westbrook is the NBA’s new triple-double king, and it happened with a rebound Tuesday night in Atlanta. https://youtu.be/Q3ZGFtuhbuo Sunday was the first Mother’s Day that ESPN analyst Jalen Rose had to spend without his mother Jeanne, who was so instrumental in guiding her son toward a life in basketball, first at the University of Michigan as part of the “Fab Five,” and eventually in the NBA. https://youtu.be/ogSjyMt9l4Q A jury has convicted a Milwaukee man of murder for the 2019 death of his 5-year-old son, who he fatally punched over a piece of cheesecake on Father’s Day. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 30-year-old Travis Stackhouse pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree reckless homicide, child abuse, and child neglect in the death of his son, Sir Amer Stackhouse. He is facing nearly 40 years behind bars. https://youtu.be/YgJ-VsxB2lw Trey Songz is caught up in more legal drama after reportedly hitting a woman’s car and her hand following an argument. According to TMZ, the singer and the woman got into an argument while each were in their own car Thursday. At some point, Trey bumped his car into hers and that’s when she got out to confront him. Trey and the woman reportedly did not have a prior relationship, and it’s unclear what they were arguing about, according to the report. A source close to Trey’s camp tells TMZ that the woman’s allegations are false. Meanwhile, the singer got sued last week for allegedly punching a bartender working at a Cardi B concert in 2019. Most recently it was reported that Trey will not face criminal charges for his violent altercation with cops earlier this year at an NFL playoff game. Pop Smoke was fatally shot on Feb. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles, during a home invasion robbery. It was later reported that his death was a targeted attack. Thursday (May 6), LAPD detective Christian Carrasco gave testimony at the preliminary hearing for Corey Walker, 20, the only adult in the case, that Pop Smoke was killed by a 15-year-old teen. Three men and two teen boys were arrested in connection with the slaying of Pop Smoke in California. The 15-year-old reportedly “admitted that he shot the victim three times with a Baretta 9 [mm.],” Camacho said. According to the New York Daily News, the detective revealed that the group of suspects broke into the LA mansion that the raper was renting at the time to steal his Cuban link chain. They only managed to get away with a diamond-studded Rolex watch, which they later sold for $2,000. https://youtu.be/HwI6fYVlsBU Netflix has joined the slew of Hollywood organizations that claim to be outraged over the lack of diversity and favoritism within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Netflix’s co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos has fired off a letter to the HFPA, noting that the streaming giant is “stopping any activities” with the organization behind the Golden Globes, “until more meaningful changes are made” to the group’s demographics and ethics policies, per The Hollywood Reporter. https://youtu.be/kRM5R0uLTkI Jacob Artist (“Glee”) is jumping for love in “The Get Together!” The new film centers around four mid-twenty year-olds dealing with ultimatums at a wild house party. Artist plays Damien, who is in town with his girlfriend Betsy, (Johanna Brady), and plans on proposing to her at a surprise party, set up by her dad. Before heading to her father’s house, the couple stops at a party to see old friends. https://youtu.be/Zn6O5jf-Dls Actress Vivica A. Fox has recalled a seemingly racist moment she had with Ivanka Trump during the filming of “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2015. Speaking to host Andy Cohen on “For Real: The Story of Reality TV,” Fox recounted the offensive comments Ivanka made after team projects were completed. As reported by thejasminebrand.com, Fox noted that during a board meeting, Ivanka complimented Fox and actress Keisha Knight Pulliam for their group’s presentation. She said: “You’re certainly an articulate group.” https://youtu.be/1UJp6WjTOJw Last month, it was announced that poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou and NASA astronaut Sally Ride will be the first two women featured on the tail of quarters as part of the American Women Quarters program. The US Mint has released a first look at the coins, and Angelou’s will come in seven different designs to honor her contribution to American history. https://youtu.be/sPAVWStF37U Last October during the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic and its rippling economic downturns, a key federal financial regulator adopted a rule that blesses the “rent-a-bank” scheme where predatory lenders partner with banks to evade state interest rate limits. Known as the “True Lender” rule, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) gave a green light to predatory lenders. It effectively overrides a string of state laws in almost every state enacted to end abusive payday, car-title, and installment loans with explosive interest rates of more than 100%. Known for playing diverse characters, Rhonda Morman is one of the ‘shining’ stars in Hollywood. Full of talent, charisma, and resilience, Morman will be seen in a new holiday Hallmark movie directed by Sean McNamara which also stars Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Ashley Williams, Jacob Buster, and Logan Donovan, to be released later this year. The Hallmark movie is about two sisters and a holiday adventure to remember. Hollywood is already buzzing about the electrifying performance of Rhonda Morman as “Nina” in the romantic sure-to-be classic movie. Amazon Prime Video released the official trailer today for the highly anticipated Amazon Original anthology series “Solos,” created by David Weil and starring Academy Award-winning actors Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway and Helen Mirren, Emmy Award-winning actor Uzo Aduba, Nicole Beharie, Anthony Mackie, Dan Stevens, and Constance Wu. https://youtu.be/zbIAIE8BBHE This spring, multiple disciplinary artist Sanford Biggers will transform Rockefeller Center with several public art exhibitions, including the highly anticipated monumental Oracle sculpture. Presented by ART PRODUCTION FUND and ROCKEFELLER CENTER, in partnership with MARIANNE BOESKY GALLERY, and several years in the making, Biggers will be the first artist invited by Rockefeller Center for a multimedia survey exhibition campus-wide from May 5 to June 29, 2021. A Bengal tiger was spotted roaming around a neighborhood in Houston. Houston police said the exotic cat was reported at about 8 p.m. at a home on Ivy Wall Drive, near the intersection of Highway 6 and Memorial Drive. It was wearing a collar, and its owner eventually emerged to coax the animal back home. https://youtu.be/BVlUyBupmL8 In an emotional new TikTok video, Lizzo opens up to fans about “feeling sad” while confessing that she also feels “like a burden to everyone.” The 33-year-old entertainer tearfully explained, “You know that part of sadness where you feel like a burden on everyone, and annoying, and nobody cares about you?” she asked aloud before letting out a sigh. “Can we get rid of that part? It’s like, ‘Yo, I’m already sad,’” she continued. “Gotta add insult to injury that I have no one to talk to about it. It’s crazy. Like, why do we feel this way? Why do we feel this way when we get sad?” LaKeith Stanfield has responded to backlash over moderating a Clubhouse room in which users allegedly engaged in anti-Semitic rhetoric. While the actor himself never said anything hateful about Jewish people, he still caught heat for not shutting down the conversation. Stanfield served as moderator during a discussion on Clubhouse last Wednesday night, during which participants reportedly compared Jewish people to Satanists and termites. According to the Daily Beast, Stanfield never said anything considered anti-Semitic but following criticism for joining the chat, he appeared in another Clubhouse session moderated by a panel of Jewish educators and addressed the backlash he’s received. A husband from Georgia shot dead his wife before turning the gun on himself leaving their three children heartbroken over their parents’ death and the rest of their family struggling to understand what happened. Timothy Price called police on Tuesday morning around 9am to tell them he had shot his wife of 11 years, 36-year-old Katherine, and needed help. By the time police reached the couple’s home in Centerville, Georgia, there was no answer at the door. https://www.13wmaz.com/video/news/local/family-mourns-loss-of-centerville-couple-found-dead-at-home/93-0fd0b093-822e-4005-902d-1040b5d9e5f6?jwsource=cl Returning to the pulpit after a COVID-19 outbreak infected him, his wife and 72 members of their congregation, the senior pastor of an Oregon church said Sunday that he will not kowtow to pressure to close the doors to the house of worship. Pastor Scott Erickson of the Peoples Church in Salem, Oregon, began his Mother’s Day sermon by addressing the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in his church and throughout the state. “In the last several days, it is apparent that voices in our community and region want the church of Jesus Christ to be quiet and to be closed,” Erickson told those in attendance at the church and others watching a livestream online broadcast. “Not us, not here, not now. That’s not what we’re doing.” Naomi Osaka is conflicted over whether the Tokyo Olympics should be held amid the coronavirus pandemic. The second-ranked tennis player, who represents Japan, was asked about the games at the Italian Open on Sunday. “Of course I would say I want the Olympics to happen, because I’m an athlete and that’s sort of what I’ve been waiting for my entire life,” she said. “But I think that there’s so much important stuff going on, and especially the past year,” Osaka added. “I think a lot of unexpected things have happened and if it’s putting people at risk, and if it’s making people very uncomfortable, then it definitely should be a discussion, which I think it is as of right now.” The 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, failed a drug test after the race, putting a new stain on a sport troubled by doping problems and placing thoroughbred horse racing’s most recognizable personality, the Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, under uncomfortable scrutiny. If he is disqualified, Medina Spirit will be stripped of the Derby title and its winning purse, and become only the third horse in the 147-year history of the race to receive such a penalty after finishing first. The colt cannot be disqualified until a second sample, collected at the same time as the first, confirms the result in a test expected in the coming weeks. Mr. Baffert will then have an opportunity to appeal. The “Without Remorse” star tells Access Hollywood’s Zuri Hall that he’d like to have “a couple” of kids in the next seven years – but will he name any of them after himself? The reigning Sexiest Man Alive also shares his thoughts on taking home this year’s title and jokes that his family bought every issue available! https://youtu.be/TEw6_pYD5d0 Actress, writer and producer Natasha Rothwell is making boss moves in the realm of entertainment. According to Deadline, she recently inked a production deal with ABC Signature. Through the deal—which was made through Rothwell’s production company Big Hattie Productions—she will lead the creation and development of television projects for the entertainment company. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1389250951307927554/_ql2aKJC?format=jpg&name=small An Akron entrepreneur is turning pain into purpose by using his business as a vessel to honor his late mother. According to WKYC, Lavar Jacobs recently opened a breast cancer center to pay homage to his mom who succumbed to the disease 12 years ago. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1391216155117953025/8oEG2Ap9?format=jpg&name=small From historic enrollment milestones to re-accreditations that will ensure longevity, historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country have made significant strides this year. One of the latest institutions to have a breakthrough achievement is North Carolina A&T State University which recently logged a recording-breaking accomplishment in terms of fundraising. Within the past year, the Greensboro-based school has raised $88 million which is nearly six times what the institution raises annually. That number is expected to grow as North Carolina A&T’s fiscal year has not come to a close yet. Many of the donations the school has received have come from corporate and individual donors amid the uprising for social justice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Serena Williams has shown to be a superstar both on and off the court as she is seen spending quality time with her family in recent pictures shared on Instagram. A popular saying goes that the memories we make with our family are everything. Alexis Ohanian lived out that saying in the adorable pictures he shared on his Instagram story. The snapshots featured him, his wife, Serena Williams, his daughter, Olympia, and his parents having a swell time as a big happy family. https://www.instagram.com/amomama_usa/?utm_source=ig_embed DK Metcalf did not run fast enough in the 100 meters Sunday to advance to the finals in his professional track debut. But the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver fared better than some expected for an NFL player competing against some of the world’s top sprinters. With an official time of 10.37 seconds, Metcalf finished last among the nine in his heat and 15th among the 17 who competed in the USA Track and Field Golden Games and Distance Open in Walnut, California. “These are world-class athletes,” Metcalf said afterward on NBC streaming service Peacock, which broadcast the event, when asked whether he learned anything by competing in the event. “They do this for a living. It’s very different from football speed, from what I just realized. So, like I said, just excited to be out here.” A farmer who owns a celebrity rooster has had to cancel a world tour after Turkey went into lockdown. The rooster is popular for its routine of crowing so long that it runs out of breath and faints. https://youtu.be/jHWY6TlsGqo Rev. Ernest Angley passed away on Friday at the age of 99, according to an announcement shared through his ministry. “Pastor, evangelist, and author Rev. Ernest Angley has gone to Heaven to be with His Lord and Master at 99,” read a statement on the website of Ernest Angley Ministries. “He touched multitudes of souls worldwide with the pure Word of God confirmed with signs, wonders, miracles, and healings. He truly pleased God in all things.” The televangelist led Grace Cathedral church in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, in the Cleveland-Akron area for several decades. A champion for Milwaukee, Pastor Jerome Smith was remembered Friday, May 7 after losing his fight with COVID-19. He died at the age of 49 on April 27. Smith co-founded the Joseph Project with U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s office. “This has been rough and tough for us,” said Orlando Owens, a Joseph Project volunteer. “We will miss him but we will do the work in his memory.” The program has provided job opportunities and transportation to hundreds facing obstacles, many of whom were incarcerated. A Canadian pastor who went viral last month for ordering out police who showed up to his church on Easter weekend was arrested Saturday for violating COVID-19 limits on gatherings set by a new court order. Pastor Artur Pawlowski, the head of Calgary’s Street Church in Alberta, and his brother, Dawid Pawlowski, were arrested and charged with “organizing an illegal in-person gathering,” the Calgary Police Service said in a statement. Video capturing the arrests showed several police vehicles parked on the street as officers carried the handcuffed brothers, who appeared to refuse to walk on their own. An onlooker can be heard telling the officers, “Shame on you guys, this is not Communist China. Don’t you have family and kids? Whatever happened to ‘Canada, God keep our land glorious and free’?” Pastors and denominational leaders representing tens of thousands of parishioners posted demands to the courthouse door regarding the investigation of the killing of Andrew Brown Jr., an unarmed Black man who was shot in the back of the head by North Carolina deputies who wore tactical gear to serve warrants. Led by Bishop William J. Barber II, president of Repairers of the Breach, and Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, former president of the N.C. Council of Churches, about 100 pastors marched to the Pasquotank County Courthouse on Saturday, then posted the demands on the courthouse door and signed them, along with members of the public. The 42-year-old Brown, a father of seven, was killed April 21 by Pasquotank County deputies serving warrants for nonviolent drug crimes. No weapons or drugs were found on Brown, whose family and attorneys have described his killing as an execution. Miami-Dade Police lieutenant John Jenkins, who was also a top union official until he quit last week, was arrested on Friday on sexual battery charges. The Miami Herald reports that the alleged rape happened two weeks ago while Jenkins was in Palm Beach for a black tie police union gala at Trump National Jupiter Golf Club. The South Florida PBA said the incident didn’t take place on the Trump property but happened some time during the three-day event, which included golf and dinner at different locations. Jenkins was booked into Palm Beach County jail late Friday. No further details about the alleged rape were released. Lisa Wright always knew she was adopted, but had no idea her biological mother was a star on one of her favorite television shows. Now Wright is sharing the story of having been reunited with actress Lynne Moody after 50 years in what reads like the perfect Hollywood ending, according to NBC’s “Today.” “I grew up watching my mother on TV and didn’t even know it,” Wright told the morning show. “‘That’s My Mama’ — that was our must-see TV. We all sat down and watched ‘That’s My Mama’ every week, and who knew? No idea. … And that’s my mama!” The series ran for two seasons on ABC from 1974-75. Wright said she knew very little about Moody, who was 18 when she gave birth, and had a closed adoption. The Obamas have bid a sad farewell to their family pet Bo who passed away Saturday from cancer. The Portuguese Water Dog, a gift from the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, a key supporter of Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign who became close to the family. The dog was adopted by the First Family early in 2009 and joined them for both terms in the White House. Bo helped Obama keep a promise to daughters Malia and Sasha that they could get a dog after winning the election in 2008. On Saturday, the former president posted a series of pictures of his pet alongside a moving message describing Bo as a ‘true friend and loyal companion.’ ‘Today our family lost a true friend and loyal companion. For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives—happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between. The next Superman movie might be one for the history books. According to reports, Warner Bros. is searching for a black actor to play the lead role of Superman for their upcoming film. In addition to that, reports also claim that the production company is looking for a black director for the project as well. Well-known journalist/author Ta-Nehisi Coates has signed on to write the screenplay and J.J. Abrams will be producing the project. Currently, the lead role and director spot for the film hasn’t been locked in yet, but many are speculating on who will eventually get those positions. It was reported back in 2018 that Michael B. Jordan might take on the role. Solid 21, Inc., owned by jeweler-to-the-stars Chris Aire aka “The King of Bling,” a Nigerian-born American, is currently litigating against Breitling, a Swiss company with its US operations headquartered in CT, due to their alleged trademark infringement of its RED GOLD® brand. Solid 21’s RED GOLD® brand has become known for its celebrity associations, with Solid 21 partnering up with celebrities such as the late Muhammad Ali for RED GOLD® co-promotions and ensuring that famous celebrities such as Naomi Campbell modeled RED GOLD® pieces in runway shows. https://youtu.be/t4kbdFRFfHg First, there will never be another Phyllis Hyman. died from suicide in 1995, possessed a signature voice that was deep, sultry, unique, pure, passionate, brilliant, and sassy when necessary. There maybe a second coming of Phyllis Hyman, sSngstress Whittington Still may be the one well on the way. Whittington is a talented vocalist who powerfully unleashes on her newly released ballad “Missing You.” https://youtu.be/zbRFqGy_Qvk Was there fairness across the board in how equitably money flows in the “billions of dollars” music industry? To address such questions – and many others – the Black Music Action Coalition was formed. The Coalition is comprised of managers, lawyers, and other stakeholders, tasked with the mission to hold the mammoth music industry accountable for its fairness. Major recording artists, including The Weeknd, BTS, Erykah Badu, and Kelis, donated money to support social justice and economic reforms in the music industry. While it appears changes have been made since last summer, the proof will be learned in June of 2021, when a comprehensive “report card” is issued. The report card will show if music entities have made good on their promises and commitments to equality and equity to Black artists and other African Americans employed in the music industry. Be part of the history-making documentary, “Artfully United” produced by The Rayloc Group, Mike Norice, Moses Stovall and Pastor Kevin Person. Join legendary comedian and actor Michael Colyar, alongside artist Mike Norice on Saturday, May 15th, for an incredible mural tour experience through some of the most violent and dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The incredible mural tour will visit 9 locations throughout the Los Angeles area and explore how art places in these areas help to inspire, motivate and bring change in what many view as hopeless communities. Several speakers appeared at a Collin County Commissioners Court meeting Monday to voice complaints about the inaction of law enforcement during recent protests across the county in response to the in-custody death of Marvin Scott III. The family and friends of Scott have organized nightly sit-ins at the county jail and other protests and are demanding further repercussions, including the arrests of the detention officers involved in his death, which the medical examiner’s office ruled a homicide last week. Ohio mom of two Shanika Bogan, 31, (left) was murdered in her apartment while her kids were in the next room. Kendall Beasley, 28, (right), was charged with murder less than a month after he finished a six-year prison stint for aggravated burglary and intimidating a victim, who was a woman, according to court records. Her mom, Tracie Berry and brother William said she was a ‘sweetheart.’ Tyler Perry has tapped 8 actors to round out the cast for his new Netflix film “A Jazzman’s Blues.” THR reports, Amirah Vann, Austin Scott, Milauna Jackson, Brent Antonello, Brad Benedict, Kario Marcel, Lana Young and Ryan Eggold are set to star alongside previously announced castmembers Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer. Perry penned the script for “A Jazzman’s Blues” 26 years ago, and the story “unravels forty years of secrets and lies in a tale of forbidden love and family drama soundtracked by juke joint blues in the deep South.” Two Hollywood notables are teaming up to tackle a new biopic, STU, according to Movieguide®. Actors Mark Wahlberg and famed Hollywood director Mel Gibson are collaborating on a new project. Wahlberg wanted to make a movie to honor the life and faith of boxer-turned-minister Father Stuart Long after the priest died on June 9, 2014. He was just 50 years old. Before Long became a priest, he was a self-described “anti-Christian” and passionate about sports like football and boxing–not about faith. The legendary R&B singer Aaron Neville is officially retiring from touring. He announced on his official website and on social media that the idea of touring no longer appeals to him. Hunkering down at home since March of 2020 when the pandemic forced most singers and other artists to stay home, Neville said that year taught him that “life is short” and he aims to be less hurried. If you enjoyed Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight when they participated in a Verzuz event last fall, you’ll be thrilled to know they are reuniting for DJ Cassidy‘s Mother’s Day special set of “Pass the Mic” to air on BET tomorrow, Sunday 9pm Eastern. “I’ve been wanting to ask Patti LaBelle to do [‘Pass the Mic’], and I’ve always had this dream of having a Mother’s Day episode, so I saved that call, and I’m so happy I did. If you’re having Patti LaBelle, it’s only right that you have Gladys Knight,” says Cassidy. https://youtu.be/BqFq0tWLfu0 Duck Dynasty star and Dancing With the Stars runner-up Sadie Robertson Huff has signed a deal with Dumb and Dumber and The Princess Switch producer Brad Krevoy to adapt her novel, Life Just Got Real, into a scripted series. The series will mark Robertson Huff’s debut as a producer and follows the lives of two high school girls, both with drastically different backgrounds, who join a reality TV show only to realize that “life is messy, love is hard, and second chances don’t come around every day.” Lloyd Price, the ‘50s R&B vocalist whose early singles were among the first to attract attention from the nascent rock ‘n’ roll audience, died Thursday. He was 88. Maxwell Entertainment owner Rickey Poppell posted the news on Facebook, saying, “My friend and Lloyd Price’s manager, Tom Trapani, just called to let me know that our friend, Lloyd, passed away last night. Those of us close to Lloyd have been keeping his declining health issues to our selves for the past five years, while Tom kept me up to date along the way. Lloyd was one of the sweetest, caring and kindest man I’ve ever known, I’ll miss him. My prayers go out to his lovely wife, Jackie.” A confidential lawsuit settlement had been reached between Chris Cornell’s family and a doctor who they claim over-prescribed him drugs before his death. The Cornell family alleged in the lawsuit filed in 2018 in Los Angeles Superior Court that the medication, especially the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam, prescribed by Dr. Robert Koblin led to erratic behavior in Cornell before his death in Detroit in 2017 at age 52. Along with lorazepam better known by its brand name Ativan tests revealed the presence of barbiturates and the anti-opioid drug naloxone in Cornell’s system. However, the coroner did not list them as contributing to his death. According to court documents, Koblin and his attorney denied any wrongdoing or responsibility for Cornell’s death. While appearing on “CBS This Morning,” the former First Lady (Michelle Obama) shared her reaction to Derek Chauvin’s trial and shared why she and President Barack Obama issued a rare statement on the verdict. “The goal is to let leaders lead. But in certain times, people, you know, look to us often. ‘Well, what do you think? How do you feel?'” Mrs. Obama told CBS‘ Gayle King when asked about the verdict. The Obamas released a statement after the verdict saying the Minnesota jury “did the right thing” in convicting Chauvin, but added that “true justice is about much more than a single verdict in a single trial.” Mrs. Obama went on to say, “We know that while we’re all breathing a sigh of relief over the verdict, there’s still work to be done. And so we, we can’t sort of say, ‘Great. That happened. Let’s move on,'” she told King. “I know that people in the Black community don’t feel that way because many of us still live in fear.” Actor LaKeith Stanfield is seriously catching it because he was involved in a Clubhouse discussion about Louis Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism that devolved into a cesspool of hateful conspiracy theories and comments about Jewish people. he recently Oscar-nominated actor (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) was a moderator for a discussion on the Clubhouse app Wednesday night, and although he’s not accused of spewing any anti-Semitic speech himself … many are outraged he did nothing to speak out against it either. Stanfield confessed that he lacked knowledge about “the origins of Judaism in Jewishness,” but suggested he enjoys Clubhouse because he learns a lot from it. Thursday (May 6), an LAPD detective, Christian Carrasco, gave a testimony at the preliminary hearing for Corey Walker, a 20-year-old man charged with murder and robbery in the Feb. 19, 2020 slaying of Pop Smoke. During, the hearing Det. Carrasco revealed that the Canarsie, Brooklyn rapper was showering when home invaders entered his AirBnB and noted that he was later kicked after being shot. Det. Carrasco says on the fateful day of his murder, Pop, Bashar Barakah Jackson, was taking a shower in his Hollywood Hills rental when masked men stormed through the curtains of a second-story balcony. While one of the men allegedly held a black semiautomatic weapon to a woman’s forehead in the bedroom, yelling “Shut the f**k up. Do you want to die?,” the others ran to an adjoining bathroom to find the 20-year-old rapper. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned athletes from wearing Black Lives Matter apparel or kneeling at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Revolt reports, the ruling is part of a long-standing ban on “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda.” Athletes will be permitted to wear “Black Lives Matter” slogans during some parts of the Olympics, including press conferences, interviews and team meetings, according to the report. They say that big things come in small packages. That’s an accurate description of New Orleans Youth Coalition founder Brideisha Harness-Parker. Her small stature is matched with a big heart, determination and commitment to the youth of New Orleans. She works daily in high-crime areas to save as many kids as she can from becoming a statistic. During a phone interview, she was robbed at a local ATM. But nothing derails her mission. She has partnered with the Save Our Youth Nola organization to create job opportunities and a place of refuge for New Orleans kids. Harness-Taylor is also doing a door-to-door dollar drive, working on a “Save Our Youth” rally, as well as lining up basketball tournaments statewide. Zenger News caught up with this neighborhood “she-ro” to discuss the challenges she faces the importance of securing a building for her organization and much more. https://youtu.be/NuCvGVOEiaE “Everyone has an inner light, a unique offering to the world. Life experiences can diminish the light,” said singer/songwriter Naomi Cowan about the meaning of her single titled “Energy.” “When things happen to you, you forget who you are. You loose your focus…what’s next.” https://youtu.be/KnR6wQKeYf8 Madonna and Snoop Dogg in a project? That's what's happening. In the rapper’s video for “Gang Signs” that dropped at midnight, Madonna pops up out of left field in a cameo. Sporting platinum blonde hair, the 62-year-old drags on what appears to be a blunt in director 4 rAx’s visual for the track. The video was shot in a green screen studio with a pair of cars as props. “Was so much fun to show up in Snoop Dogg video for his new song Gang Signs!,” Madonna tweeted early Friday morning, along with two goat emojis. In the song, Snoop namechecks both Madonna as well as his ride-or-die Martha Stewart. https://youtu.be/uv8uB90Tl4Q A new social media trend is emerging where people are reportedly eating raw meat as another way to get high. Several people who have expertise in eating raw meat are encouraging others to at least wait a year or more to feel a “euphoric” effect after consuming it. According to Newsweek, some people have described rotten meat as having a “cheesy” taste and they enjoy how tender it is. The trend gained curiosity among Twitter after a user said that a friend convinced them to eat raw rotten meat aka “high meat” and they said they felt great from the experience. https://www.instagram.com/p/COmBaPAh5fl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Federal prosecutors have now charged Derek Chauvin and three other ex-Minneapolis cops of civil rights violations tied to Floyd’s May, 2020 death. The other three officers named in the federal indictment are J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. The civil rights charges against Chauvin, Kueng, Lane and Thao include violating Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure and excessive force. All four officers were also charged for their failure to provide Floyd with medical care. On top of those charges, Chauvin also faces a second indictment stemming from his actions in the violent 2017 arrest of a 14-year-old boy. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that prosecutors are accusing Chauvin of striking a Black teenager in the head with a flashlight and placing him in a prone position for 17 minutes, ignoring the boy’s pleas that he couldn’t breathe. https://youtu.be/7FWLQY35xVQ The Minneapolis Police Department has reportedly refused to enter the “Free State of George Floyd” zone to respond to crimes. The Minnesota Sun reports on the case of a woman who was pushed out of a window during a domestic dispute on April 29, on the corner of East 38th Street and Elliot Avenue. The victim sustained multiple injuries, but when she called 911 for help, police refused to come because she was inside George Floyd Square, a four-block autonomous zone that is designated as “cop-free.” “Is it possible to have her move at least a block away, maybe [to] 38 and 10th?” a responding police officer can be heard asking dispatch in a recorded radio conversation. “She is bleeding and cut everywhere, but we’ll call her back and ask her to move a block away,” the dispatcher responded. U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., an Illinois Black Panther Party co-founder, is calling for the FBI to release the secret files related to the murder of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in 1969. “It is high time that the American people know about the odious and inhumane legacy of [Former FBI Director] J. Edgar Hoover’s COINTELPRO operation and its assault on our nation’s civil liberties,” he wrote in a statement, as reported by Revolt. “COINTELPRO was spying on American citizens. Anyone who took a political position against the status quo, anyone who wanted to make America better was subject to being penalized, investigated — and in the case of my friend Fred Hampton, assassinated — by the official legal arm of the federal government.” According to the report, Rep. Rush also fired off a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland asking him to “release unclassified and unredacted versions of any files or papers in the possession of the U.S. Department of Justice or the FBI pertaining to this assassination.” https://youtu.be/j6dAHemXGFk Erica Mena has threatened to beat Wendy Williams’ for talking about her pregnancy and marriage in a new episode of her talk show. Taking to her Twitter account, the “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” star made clear that she’s ready to serve a beat down to the TV host down. On Wednesday (May 5), Erica wrote, “At this point, let’s link up so I can beat your a**.” She added, “Your ex husband didn’t do a good enough job.” Mena’s tweet was in response to Williams noting how Erica and her hubby Safaree Samuels are always “fighting and threatening divorce.” https://youtu.be/n8E_NfcKg6E Childish Gambino (AKA Donald Glover) is being sued over his 2018 single “This Is America,” by an artist who claims the track is a rip-off of his own song titled “Made in America.” TMZ reports, Emelike Nwosuocha—a rapper who performs under the name Kidd Wes—claims he created his track on SoundCloud in September 2016 and later released it on YouTube. He registered the song with the U.S Copyright Office in May 2017. According to the court docs … Kidd Wes claims the chorus, or hook, of “This is America” is “unmistakably substantially similar, if not practically identical” to “Made in America.” https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY Activist and former Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is set to re-release the first three romance novels she penned under an assumed name. Before she ran for governor of Georgia and became a voting rights activist, Abrams wrote romance novels. Abrams, who was the first Black female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the history of the United States, previously explained that she wrote romance novels —several of which can still be purchased on Amazon—under a pseudonym because she thought her own name was “boring” and didn’t want it associated with fictitious sexually malnourished housewives when folks googled her. The Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors made history in the Southeastern Conference Thursday when it voted to hire Dr. William Tate as the university’s next president. Tate will be the first African American to hold the position at LSU and in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The vote was 15-0. https://youtu.be/JeBUz2uB1Gg D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said that the city plans to make Black Lives Matter Plaza “a permanent art installation in the District.” In a live discussion with Jonathan Capehart of The Washington Post Thursday, Bowser spoke about the groundbreaking plaza on 16th Street NW, painted in huge yellow lettering on June 5 – less than two weeks after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis – and given its own street sign. https://youtu.be/Q5xcgW_2wrE Educating Young Minds (EYM), a leader in supplemental education in the greater Los Angeles area for more than 33 years, is now expanding its online platform Access/No Excuse (ANE) nationally thanks to a $175,000 grant from Amazon Studios. With the onset of COVID-19 and subsequent shutdowns, EYM had to transition its full suite of services to a virtual model, now offering tutoring, computer tech programs, early learner’ interactive curriculum, counseling, mentoring and community resources for at-risk youth and families in need. Dr. Jackson Avery is saying goodbye to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Jesse Williams, who has played the plastic surgeon since season 6 on “Grey’s Anatomy,” will appear in his final episode, titled “Tradition,” on May 20, ABC announced Thursday. “I will forever be grateful for the boundless opportunities provided me by Shonda, the network, studio, fellow castmates, our incredible crew, Williams, 39, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, referring to creator Shonda Rhimes. “As an actor, director and person, I have been obscenely lucky to learn so much from so many and I thank our beautiful fans, who breathe so much energy and appreciation into our shared worlds,” continued Williams. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Dr. Ian Smith of TV’s “The Doctors” recently called out a Black talk show host who he says avoids having Black experts on her show because she doesn’t want white folks to think of it as a “Black show.” In a recent radio interview to promote his new book “Fast Burn,” Dr. Brown said, “There is a talk show with an African-American host, with an African-American executive producer, that has said to publicists, ‘Do not pitch us your Black clients. We are not a Black show. Pitch us your white clients. We don’t wanna be looked at as a Black show.’” https://youtu.be/cAwSyHR4wCQ Fox News host Brian Kilmeade acted more like a 12-year-old than the 6th graders he was interviewing Wednesday morning for a segment on “Fox & Friends.” When one 6th grade boy credited President Joe Biden’s pandemic response, Kilmeade couldn’t let it go without clapping back in a touchy tone crediting former president Donald Trump instead. https://youtu.be/mkXIIIUtn0E Thursday afternoon, the Miami Dolphins announced the team signed the son of a Hall of Fame football player. Jibri Blount, the son of Pittsburgh Steelers legend Mel Blount, signed an undrafted free agent deal with the team. “Thank you Lord and thank you Miami Dolphins. Ready to get to work!” Blount said on Twitter. The NFL offseason got going with a rip-roaring start after Houston Texans franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson requested a trade from the struggling organization. As the offseason continued, rumors of a Watson trade gave in to allegations from north of 20 women claiming sexual assault and/or misconduct on the part of last year’s NFL passing leader. While the legal situation has yet to be settled in civil court, the Houston Police Department has opened up a criminal investigation into the allegations. Meanwhile, Roger Goodell and the NFL has opened its own investigation under the guise of the personal conduct policy. https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/754200_s_1618013610853.png Shocking news, Thursday evening Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that she will NOT seek a second term. Bottoms revealed that she will not seek a second term as Atlanta’s 60th mayor during a private call with friends, staffers and allies, according to two people who were on the call and several others who were told about it. https://youtu.be/CaDvp7AOMQ8 Florida continues its attack on democracy with a newly passed anti-voting rights bill. Passed almost entirely along party lines, the bill awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature. A response to record turnout last year, SB 90 is another bill created from the twin sins of lying about voter fraud and fear of multiracial coalitions. Black Democratic lawmakers have been particularly vocal in sounding the alarm about the dangers of SB 90 since its introduction. https://twitter.com/i/status/1387935802294951936 The Chicago police oversight agency found “significant deficiencies” in policy and training and nearly 100 allegations of police misconduct while investigating the raid on the home of Anjanette Young. Chicago police burst into Young’s apartment with guns drawn, handcuffed her and forced her to stand naked as an all-male team of mostly white cops searched the home in 2019. As it turned out, the cops raided the wrong house — a common occurrence in the city. https://youtu.be/ZITzpu836gQ A distinguished New Jersey doctor considered a “giant in the field of infectious diseases” has died of COVID-19. Dr. Rajendra Kapila was a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and was a founding member of the New Jersey Infectious Disease Society. The 81-year-old died in India on April 28, nearly three weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, according to the Hindustan Times. Kapila’s ex-wife, Dr. Bina Kapila, said he went to India — where the pandemic is raging — to help care for his family and had planned for it to be a brief trip, according to ABC New York station WABC. A new study estimates that the number of people who have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. is more than 900,000, a number 57% higher than official figures. Worldwide, the study’s authors say, the COVID-19 death count is nearing 7 million, more than double the reported number of 3.24 million. The analysis comes from researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, who looked at excess mortality from March 2020 through May 3, 2021, compared it with what would be expected in a typical nonpandemic year, then adjusted those figures to account for a handful of other pandemic-related factors. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced today that Google will become a WNBA Changemaker through a new multiyear partnership that will drive engagement during many key moments throughout the year. As part of the partnership, Google will serve as Presenting Partner of the WNBA Playoffs and as an Associate Partner of WNBA All-Star on ESPN and the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. “Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, we know her as this legend but there is a story to everyone. Her life had so much depth to it, and it came through the music.” Jennifer Hudson “My dream for the film — and for Aretha and her legacy — was to create a piece of cinema that feels like a classic you have to see in the movie theater. You have to see it on a big screen because her life was so big it deserves that." https://youtu.be/PBfVR_u_lGQ Hidden Empire Film Group announced today that they will release the highly-anticipated horror comedy The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2, the follow-up to the 2016 indie hit Meet The Blacks, in theaters on Friday, June 11th. Lionsgate will partner with Hidden Empire to release the film on demand and on blu-ray/DVD later this summer. https://youtu.be/TgtBmFn4r7Y The uplifting, new film WALKING WITH HERB takes audiences on an 18-hole rollercoaster ride as one man discovers how the impossible can become possible through faith, family and second chances . . . and with the help of God’s motorcycle-riding messenger. In theaters nationwide on May 7, WALKING WITH HERB will inspire and entertain audiences. WALKING WITH HERB features global star Edward James Olmos and comedy legend George Lopez. https://walkingwithherbmovie.com/ Shedrick Mitchell can easily be described as a musical wonder. The highly revered and celebrated musician has poured pure essence into the heart of the music he has played for over two decades with a venerable list of who’s who across genres including Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and more. Never one to rest on his laurels, Mitchell exudes the same passion in the presentation of his own instrumental disc of hymns and sacred songs simply entitled, Time, Reflections, Distance, releasing on May 7th. Back in April, we reported that Quavo and Saweetie were being investigated for their big fight that went down last year. The video which made its rounds on social media showed Saweetie swinging on her now ex-boyfriend Quavo before he throws her to the ground. Cops wanted to meet with both parties, separately, to discuss what went down. At the time, sources said their elevator fight could’ve been considered an instance of domestic violence, where both parties are in the wrong. But cops were looking to determine what happened before and after the elevator fight,TMZ notes. According to the updated report by the news site, neither of them will face criminal charges for their elevator altercation. Actor Kirk Cameron and the filmmaker brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick have reunited for a new feature film based on a true story. It’s the first time they’ve come together since the success of “Fireproof.” “It’s been 14 years since we shot the movie ‘Fireproof,’” filmmaker and actor Alex Kendrick shared on Instagram. We’re excited to be working with Kirk Cameron again on this new feature!” Gabourey Sidibe is set to make her directorial debut with the thriller “Pale Horses,” based on a story by Chris Courtney Martin. PEOPLE reports, the story is set in the Pacific Northwest and follows Naia, a reclusive African American YA book author who has Multiple sclerosis. Naia’s life changes when she agrees to shelter a man who escaped captivity with her missing brother. A Texas housewife who butchered her close friend with an axe in a fit of rage on Friday the 13th after having an affair with her husband is the subject of not one but two upcoming true crime series. Candy Montgomery killed her friend Betty Gore on June 13, 1980, shocking the small town of Wylie. She left her friend-turned-foe with 41 axe wounds but was shockingly found not guilty of the crime. Both Elizabeth Olsen and Elisabeth Moss have signed on to play the axe murderer in two different limited series. Olsen, 32, has been cast as the lead in HBO Max’s ‘Love and Death,’ while Moss, 38, will star in the upcoming Hulu series ‘Candy.’ Philip Bailey, the lead singer of Earth, Wind & Fire, and founder of the Music Is Unity Foundation, is kicking off National Foster Care Month with a campaign to raise $500,000 for foster youth, reports the Washington Informer. The #FosterChallenge encourages everyone to donate just one buck to help raise awareness of foster children’s plight throughout the country. In the hours after the Angels’ loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, general manager Perry Minasian and team President John Carpino held a meeting with Albert Pujols. During the season’s first month, Pujols had played almost every day as the Angels first baseman. He’d hit five home runs in his first 18 games. But his performances had also dropped off in recent days, the 41-year-old slugger returning to the underwhelming form that had come to define much of his time with the Angels. Wednesday night, they pulled the trigger, informing Pujols he would be designated for assignment on Thursday and ultimately released, ending his Angels tenure in the last season of a 10-year, $240 million contract. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill on Thursday that would allow college athletes to receive pay when their “name, image, or likeness” is used. The legislation, H.B. 617, states that “participation in intercollegiate athletics should not infringe upon the rights of student-athletes to have control over” their own names and any profit that is incurred from them. The funding will be placed in an escrow account and will not be available for use until the athlete departs from college. Texas linebacker Jake Ehlinger, the 20-year-old younger brother of former Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger, was found dead on Thursday, according to police in Austin, Texas. The Austin Police Department said it received a call and responded to a residential area just to the west of the Texas campus, and identified the individual as Jake Ehlinger, who was a redshirt sophomore. No cause of death was released and police said it was not considered suspicious. June 16-18 , Indie Go Inspire and Merge Music Group are hosting the Power Up! Virtual Music Conference, which serves as a 3-night interactive workshop catered towards equipping indie artists with empowering knowledge to become successful. Partners Patrice DeLisser (Indie Go Inspire), Roderick Jemison and Sherri Y. Johnson (Merge Music Group) are excited to join forces again. During quarantine last year the trio successfully held virtual concerts and in person outreaches. The Smollett sibling duo continue to bring their keen design flavor to CLEO TV this Saturday, May 6 at 9 p.m. ET/8C on LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ. As they perform revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU2lRNLj-lk&feature=youtu.be JOIN CHEF SUNNY ANDERSON AS SHE TAKES VIEWERS TO THE BAYOU WITH DELICIOUS NEW ORLEANS CUISINE ON COOKING FOR REAL WITH SUNNY ANDERSON, AIRING MONDAYS AT 9 P.M. ET/8C "FAVORITE SON"? Brothers in a gospel group struggle to find balance of life, love, faith and religion, while under the strict rule of their father, a megachurch reverend. Inspired by Tiffany L. Warren’s novel of the same name. The film stars Jonathan McReynolds, Rotimi, Keke Wyatt, Serayah, Roger Mitchell & more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l5JIOwDvos Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex has announced that her first children’s book will explore the bond between fathers and sons. Set to be published this summer, Meghan said the book, titled “The Bench,” was inspired by a Father’s Day poem she wrote for her husband, Prince Harry. “The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born,” Meghan said in the press release from publisher Random House Children’s Books, PEOPLE reports. “That poem became this story.” Tiffany Haddish has revealed that when she “was 21 I was really hard up for some money and I gave up a bunch of eggs.” Speaking to E!’s Daily Pop, Haddish recalled being desperate for money before the fame, so she donated eggs, PEOPLE reports. https://twitter.com/i/status/1389987489402654720 The Los Angeles Times on Monday announced that Kevin Merida will be its new executive editor. erida, 64, has built a lengthy career in newspapers, including 22 years at the Washington Post before joining ESPN in 2015 to lead the sports culture show “The Undefeated.” He also worked at the Dallas Morning News and Milwaukee Journal. Seychelles, which has fully vaccinated more of its population against the coronavirus than any other country, has closed schools and canceled sporting activities for two weeks as infections surge. The measures, which include bans on the intermingling of households and the early closure of bars, come even as the country has fully vaccinated more than 60% of its adult population with two doses of Covid-19 vaccines. The curbs are similar to those last imposed at the end of 2020. “Despite of all the exceptional efforts we are making, the Covid-19 situation in our country is critical right now, with many daily cases reported last week,” Peggy Vidot, the nation’s health minister, said at a press conference Tuesday A Texas city has withdrawn its eminent domain request to take property owned by a local predominantly African American congregation as part of an effort to build a new fire station. In the Dallas suburbs, the city of Duncanville garnered headlines last year when it filed a petition to seize a vacant lot owned by Canaan Baptist Church. The city’s attorney Robert Hager confirmed to The Christian Post Wednesday that the town had filed a request to withdraw the eminent domain petition. Two pastors have offered practical advice for combating smartphone addiction — an issue they said is permeating the Church at an unprecedented rate. Smartphone addiction is one of the “major pastoral issues” of today, Joe Rigney, an author, seminary professor, and pastor at Cities Church, said in a video posted on the Gospel Coalition website, yet it only emerged in recent years. https://youtu.be/XVASRI39NCE Tina Turner thought she was ready to retire in 2000. She launched a farewell trek that year dubbed “Twenty-Four-Seven Tour.” It was that year’s highest grossing tour in North America with $80.2 million banked, according to Pollstar, and at the time was the fifth highest grossing tour ever in North America. But eight years later, at 69-years-young, Turner decided to hit the road again to mark her five decades in music. The “50th Anniversary Tour” featured all of the hits from her career, compete with choreography, hi-tech lighting and a ton of background dancers. Turns out this really would be her farewell tour, a 90-show trek that started in Missouri, where she first performed with Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm. https://youtu.be/_KixcBbE7q8 A stock market trading platform has analysed data on the world’s hottest music artists to calculate which are the biggest and most successful in 2021 according to the numbers. Using different analysis metrics including; streaming data, awards won, Billboard Hot 100 entries, brand deals and social media following, Stake was able to rank each musician and determine their theoretical ‘stock’ price. Canadian musician Drake topped the list, with singer songwriter Taylor Swift and fellow Canadian Justin Bieber rounding out the top three. https://youtu.be/JFm7YDVlqnI Rapper Silento best known for his hit song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” is requesting bond in his felony murder case and insisting he’s not a flight risk! According to TMZ, Silento filed legal docs in DeKalb County, GA requesting the court set his bond at $25k. In the docs obtained by the news site, Silento says he’s “not an extraordinary bail risk and will not jeopardize the safety of the community if released on bail.” The rap star was arrested back in February for his alleged role in the death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks. Silento was charged with felony murder. A viral video shows a Spirit Airlines passenger beating the brakes off a fellow passenger inside Detroit Metro Airport. The two were just four gates down from a TSA checkpoint on April 30 when they began going at it. They scrapped for about a minute before other passengers finally stepped in to break it up. An airport spokesperson said an issue on a flight led to the fight once the plane landed. https://youtu.be/PBZXunt_Dbs Alveda King and Kathie Lee Gifford have teamed up for the inspirational new single, “Your Way Yahweh,” available today from Radiate Music. The inspirational song, written by King, was produced by Ian Eskelin. https://youtu.be/d2_jlZFAQxY At age 18, Kathy Ireland was a lonely up-and-coming model living in an old French apartment at the end of a dark hallway nicknamed “the dungeon” with her housemates. But it was during this time that the now entrepreneur developed a new relationship with God. “I was living in Paris and it was really a hard time,” the 58-year-old told Fox News. “I know it might sound glamorous, but I was alone modeling. It wasn’t my plan, but I recognized it as an opportunity. I could save money for college or start a business. I just barely finished high school and I had no technology or distractions.” During one night in 1981, the former cover girl was going through her suitcase when she discovered that her mom had secretly packed a Bible for her. Former Ole Miss wide receiver DK Metcalf is testing his speed against the fastest men in the country, and possibly the world. Metcalf is slated to participate in the USA Track and Field Golden Games on Sunday in the 100-meter dash. The Seattle Seahawks wide receiver has not competed in a track meet since his days at Oxford High School, but his 4.33-second 40-yard time at the 2019 NFL Combine and his reputation as one of the fastest straight-ahead runners in the NFL attracted the attention of USA Track and Field. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in May 2020, Oliver Kellman’s heart and kidney failed. He required two transplants to survive. When he went to the hospital on May 14, thinking he would probably need dialysis, he was told he needed a heart transplant within the next two or three weeks — or “you won’t make it in the middle of COVID,” Kellman, an attorney and lobbyist, recalled. For Kellman, a 6-foot-4-inch-tall black man, the odds of finding a donor organ match were slim. The number of African Americans in need of organ transplants outpaces the number of black donors. The number of organ transplants performed on black/African Americans in 2019 was 25.8 percent of the number of black/African Americans waiting for a transplant, data from the Office of Minority Health shows. The number of transplants performed on white Americans was 47.6 percent of those waiting. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many observances of the annual National Day of Prayer to go virtual, with a focus on praying for those who were sickened or died. A year later, as the 70th observance occurs on Thursday (May 6), pandemic prayers continue and, in some cases, are being coupled with petitions for racial justice. In New York, Black clergy plan to join other faith and political leaders to call for houses of worship to be deemed essential as they continue to provide aid to communities of color disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. In North Carolina, a council of churches is praying for courage after the deaths of Black people in police shootings. And across the nation, a virtual broadcast of the National Day of Prayer Task Force will include an apology to Native Americans, who have lost land and lives as a result of U.S. policies. Yamiche Alcindor, White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, has been tapped to take over as the new moderator of “Washington Week,” the PBS public affairs show. Alcindor will succeed Robert Costa at a program that is best known as the longtime home of the anchor Gwen Ifill. Costa departed the show in January after moderating since 2017. Alcindor has served as guest moderator since then, Deadline reports. LeBron James is speaking out about the controversial tweet he posted last month regarding the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. James caught major heat for posting a photo of Nicholas Reardon, the Columbus police officer who fatally shot Bryant, and captioning the image “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY,” along with an hourglass emoji. His post was in reference to former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin being found guilty on three counts in the murder of George Floyd. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1388470789809266689/P7mqls54?format=jpg&name=small Although the claim has been debunked a multitude of times, Republican lawmakers in recent days have given new voice to the notion that the clause in the Constitution counting slaves as three-fifths of a human was actually a step toward ending slavery. The most recent example came from Tennessee state Rep. Justin Lafferty as part of a debate over whether schools should be restricted in how they teach about systemic racism in American history. His remarks even sparked applause from the GOP-controlled House while shocking many Black lawmakers and activists. https://youtu.be/jkygbScntwg A 16-year-old named Mikayla Miller was found by a jogger tied to a tree on Sunday, April 18, in Hopington, Massachusetts. It is believed that the teen got into a dispute with a group of other teenagers the night before. Her mother asked for her death to be investigated due to the suspicious circumstances, however, the DA claimed there was no foul play. “My daughter was jumped by a group of kids on Saturday April 17th, 2021, and was then murdered hours later in Hopkinton, tied to a tree and left,” read the statement allegedly left by Miller’s mother. Members of Atlanta’s renowned Morehouse College Speech and Debate Team, who were competing earlier this month for possibly another national championship, suddenly pulled out of the tournament, in protest. According to 11Alive, the tournament was on Zoom, and the Black debaters could see and hear white debaters from other colleges mocking them, and using racist gestures and comments. They say the judges and organizers did nothing to stop it. https://youtu.be/e3CE6-9RRNw A married couple with a long history of service to their SouthSide community were the victims of a horrific attack over the weekend. Now friends are rallying to support the couple many say would “give you the shirts off their backs.” Even in this violent city, what happened to Timothy and Renee Johnson is inconceivable. “It’s like a page out of a horror movie,” said their daughter, Destinee Johnson. https://cbsloc.al/2RuwK8U This is the clean-cut Christian couple who have agreed to take in accused pedophile Josh Duggar while he awaits trial on federal child pornography charges, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. Duggar will be released from jail today to live with designated third-party custodians, LaCount Reber and his wife Maria, at their home in Lafayette, Arkansas. The pair – close friends with the Duggar family – agreed to house the father-of-six despite authorities revealing this week that he kept a sickening trove of 200 child porn images on his computer. Social media users are calling on TLC to cancel Counting On and pull all Duggar family programming from its website and streaming services in the wake of Josh Duggar’s arrest on charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse images. Josh, 33, has not appeared on TLC since 2015, when the public learned through an unearthed police report that Josh had molested five minors — including four of his younger sisters — when he was a teenager. The scandal led TLC to cancel 19 Kids and Counting, which they replaced months later with a new family show, Counting On. Fighting for her justice for nearly 24 years, Pamela Smith continues to tell her story of survival and perseverance from the alleged abuse she endured while an inmate at the Department of Corrections in Oklahoma. A Black woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ms. Smith alleges she was taken advantage of in her past during her time on a work-release program while incarcerated. From 1997-1998, over a period of 8 months, while stationed for housekeeping duties at the Department of Public Safety in Tulsa, Smith says that she was repeatedly raped and sexually tortured by the state employee Donald Reed Cochran, a state driver’s license examiner at the time. She tried to report the abuse several times, but all the authority figures she went to did not take her seriously and ignored her pleas. Smith has now taken her case to the highest court in the land for herself, and as a voice for other female victims. With a stroke of luck in reaching out to several legal entities outside of the state of Oklahoma, including a federal judge in New York City, Ms. Smith was able to finally get her writ submitted to the Supreme Court on February 11, 2021. Her writ had been docketed on February 22, 2021. Case No. 20-1146. Ms. Smith held a press conference in Washington, D.C. on March 15, and will be holding a press conference in her native Tulsa on May 14. A 2015 cold case in California has been solved after police authorities charged two men in connection with the racially motivated killing of Charles Warren Neazer, a 51-year-old Black man. “Neazer was a resident of the City of Banning and while walking home on November 7, 2015 at approximately at 12:20 a.m., William Armendariz Jr. and Samuel Vasquez drove up next to Neazer, who was crossing the street at 5th Street and Williams Street, exited a vehicle, produced firearms and cowardly shot Neazer to death,” the police press release states. Neazer died at the scene. The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo began its rollout in the midst of a pandemic which has intersected with a racial reckoning like no other. Last summer, several corporations submitted their support around the Black Lives Matter movement sparked out of the routine and heartbreaking state sanctioned deaths of Black people. Despite that, the International Olympic Committee reissued their stance on barring political speech or silent acts of protest at the games, with a specific reference to the phrase “Black Lives Matter. Participating athletes will be banned from wearing apparel or any forms of merchandise with the movement phrase, along with taking a knee or raising a fist. Instead the committee will allow words like “peace,” “respect,” “solidarity,” “inclusion” and “equality” to be worn on athlete apparel. The 2021 NFL draft did not include a single player from a Historically Black College and University and Jackson State Coach Deion Sanders is beyond angry about that. “There were 259 picks in the 2021 #NFLDraft – not a single draft pick featured a player from an HBCU,” The Undefeated wrote on Twitter. “We have the Audacity to Hate on one another while our kids are being NEGLECTED & REJECTED,” Sanders wrote on his Instagram. “I witnessed a multitude of kids that we played against that were more than qualified to be drafted. My prayers are that This won’t EVER happen again. Get yo knife out my back and fight with me not against me!” MSN reports, several players from HBCUs have signed as undrafted free agents. The second season of HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” is upon us, and its creator, Robin Thede, visited “Late Night With Seth Meyers” on Wednesday to talk all about it. https://youtu.be/z-o4Mj9hGj8 Willow Smith brought her mom Jada Pinkett Smith to tears when she surprised her with the ultimate Mother’s Day gift. Willow Smith brought her mom Jada Pinkett Smith to tears when she surprised her with the ultimate Mother’s Day gift. https://www.instagram.com/jadapinkettsmith/?utm_source=ig_embed All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series’ “UNSUNG” and “UNCENSORED” continue this Sunday, May 9. UNSUNG leads the night with R&B singer Lyfe Jennings at 9 p.m. ET/8C, immediately followed by “UNCENSORED” with comedic actor Jaleel White at 10 p.m. ET/9C. White is best known for his beloved Steve Urkel character on “Family Matters,” which ran for nine seasons. However, the 44-year-old actor says in his “UNCENSORED” episode that the original main cast didn’t welcome him with open arms. “I was not welcomed to the cast at all. They know what it was,” White said in his interview on TVOne’s Uncensored. “I didn’t think anything of it, being cast to be on Family Matters, because it was supposed to be a guest spot, one and done.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1389973170074103817 Safaree Samuels and his wife Erica Mena have announced that they are expecting baby #2! The “Love & Hip Hop” star shared the exciting news on Monday via an Instagram post showing off Mena’s baby bump. The couple is already parents to 15-month-old daughter Safire. https://www.instagram.com/p/CObWOIXhxI3/?utm_source=ig_embed Paramount Pictures has dropped the final trailer for the hotly anticipated “A Quiet Place II,” the sequel to the 2018 smash hit “A Quiet Place.” https://youtu.be/BpdDN9d9Jio DMX reflected on his life and legacy in a special episode of TV One’s “Uncensored” airing May 16. Ahead of the premiere, TV One has shared a glimpse at what the hip-hop legend had to say. “I’m going to look back on my life, just before I go, and thank God for every moment,” he said. “It’s those moments, when they come together, that you see the beauty in who you are and why you are.” The interview was shot “just three week[s] before his passing and is confirmed to be his final and most transparent to date.” The hip-hop icon suffered a heart attack on April 2, leaving him in the hospital on life support. He died April 9 at the age of 50. https://twitter.com/i/status/1389746672029294596 While promoting his Amazon Prime film Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse in late April, Michael B. Jordan put a Kryptonite pin in any rumors that he might suit up as Warner Bros.’ next Superman. “I’m flattered that people have me in that conversation,” Jordan told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s definitely a compliment, but I’m just watching on this one.” With that, a whole new guessing game has kicked off centered on who will play the Man of Steel. And arguably more pressing: Who will direct? Sources say J.J. Abrams, who is producing the film, is not among the many possibilities being considered. LeBar Burton appeared on Monday’s episode of “The View,” where he and Meghan McCain dished about the controversy over Dr. Seuss and how the cancel culture movement pushed to have six of the popular children’s books banned due to racist imagery. “What do you think of that decision and about the cancel culture surrounding works of art or artists that are controversial?” McCain asked. https://youtu.be/fxh0yG5ouRg Black women represent the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States, and many new entrepreneurs are launching their businesses alongside corporate careers. The “side hustle” represents the future of business, and it underscores the need to support Black entrepreneurs with education and resources as more women venture into the world of owning a business. https://vimeo.com/535545416 A first-of-its-kind tribute to the trailblazing artists, iconic entertainers, and legendary luminaries who have impacted both Black culture and the community at large, the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (BMEWOF) will officially induct its inaugural class of honorees this June, during Black Music Month. The formal induction ceremony will take place in Atlanta, GA on June 17, 2021. The BMEWOF Foundational Inductees are James Brown, Otis Redding, Quincy D. Jones, and Stevie Wonder. They will be joined by Michael Jackson (Legacy Artists), Sean Love Combs (Mainstream Mogul), Shirley Caesar (Gospel Female), Kirk Franklin (Gospel Male), Missy Elliott (Hip Hop Female), Outkast (Hip Hop Male), Beyoncé (Mainstream Female), and Usher Raymond IV (Mainstream Male). Garrett Rolfe, the fired Atlanta cop who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks last summer, has been reinstated by the Atlanta Civil Service Board. So much for being fired by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Wednesday, the board released its decision, stating: “Due to the City’s failure to comply with several provisions of the Code and the information received during witnesses’ testimony, the Board concludes the Appellant was not afforded his right to due process. Therefore, the Board GRANTS the Appeal of Garrett Rolfe and revokes his dismissal as an employee of the APD.” Rolfe, who still faces murder charges in the killing of Brooks that are currently stuck in a kind of legal limbo, sought last month to have his firing reversed in a hearing before the board. A Missouri woman who smuggled a loaded gun into a county jail by hiding it in her vagina has been sentenced to a decade in jail. Miss Amy Wilhite, 39, pleaded guilty to sneaking the 4-inch revolver into Boone County jail on Feb. 14. It was said that the firearm was loaded with five rounds when Wilhite brought it into the lockup! According to the report, police and jail guards somehow failed to detect the gun, which was eventually found by authorities 17 days after Wilhite was sent to jail on separate gun and narcotics charges, the report said. Wilhite eventually admitted to having the gun during questioning. However, she claimed she was actually holding it for another inmate. A New Jersey high school teacher has been suspended for calling George Floyd a criminal in a profane rant that was caught on video. Howard Zlotkin, 61, at William L. Dickinson High School was going off inside a classroom about Floyd and Black Lives Matter. The incident occurred on April 28. https://youtu.be/dgg3Bmnbt14 Video footage from the scene of a fatal police shooting has been posted to social media, providing a unique vantage point moments before officers opened fire early Tuesday morning at an apartment complex in Mesquite, Texas. The footage shows multiple officers with their guns drawn yelling multiple times, “don’t do it!”, before the gunfire that ultimately killed Ashton Pinke could be heard. https://twitter.com/i/status/1389765978410659841 Laura Lentz, the wife of former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz, is marking their wedding anniversary by speaking out for the first time since her husband’s cheating scandal. Laura posted to Instagram on Wednesday for the first time since October, breaking her silence on the day that the couple is celebrating 18 years of marriage. The post featured a photo of a blue sky and several palm trees — and while the caption did not explicitly reference Carl’s scandal, which made headlines in November, it made multiple allusions to familial strife and resilience. Earlier this year the world breathed a sigh of relief after Trump was banned from numerous social media platforms, beginning with Twitter, followed by Facebook and YouTube. The last straw resulted from Trump’s consistent violent language which eventually helped steer action towards the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Wednesday Facebook’s 20-member Oversight Board ruled that the social networking app was justified in indefinitely banning the former president, but would need to put parameters on how long the ban would take place, according to The Washington Post. In six months Facebook will be required to complete a review on the length of suspension. Fixated on defending the indefensible, Republicans like Justin Lafferty continue to make a mockery of history. A Tennessee state representative, Lafferty, made headlines Tuesday for claiming the Three-Fifths Compromise was enacted to ensure slavery didn’t spread. https://twitter.com/i/status/1389627527187021834 Netflix has dropped the trailer for the upcoming four-part docu-series “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America,” which features food writer Stephen Satterfield embarking on a vibrant and powerful culinary journey alongside chefs, historians, and activists that celebrates the courage, artistry, and resourcefulness of the African. https://youtu.be/7wsEdxt1Ico HBO Max’s “Sex and the City” revival is in the works with the title “And Just Like That…”, and three women of color are reportedly joining the original cast. Harper’s Bazaar, reports Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis are set to return but Kim Cattrall won’t reprise her role as Samantha Jones. Harper’s Bazaar writes, “The SATC reboot writers are “dramatically expanding Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte’s social circle” with about half a dozen new characters” According to TVLine, three of them will be women of color, all series regulars. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ4c3MDpU1f/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Lamar Odom took to Instagram on Monday to share a touching post about his father Joe Odom, who died last month. “I appreciate every single one of you for sending me good energy,” Odom wrote in an Instagram post. “Life is not promised. My pops and I had our differences but at the end of the day I knew he loved me and I loved him and that’s really all that matters.” The former NBA star and his father reportedly patched up their strained relationship before Joe’s passing. Page Six reports, the Odom men reportedly had a fallout when Lamar’s ex-wife Khloé Kardashian, allegedly kicked him out of his home and refused to keep paying his rent following Odom’s overdose at a Las Vegas brothel in 2015. https://www.instagram.com/p/CObmQfdHlJm/?utm_source=ig_embed Lil Nas X has revealed it used to concern him that his sexuality and gay lyrics would “alienate” his straight fans. But now he could care less if folks are offended by his artistry. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the “Old Town Road” rapper opened up about his fear of not being accepted by heterosexual fans before he released his homoerotic Satan-themed “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” song. “At first I was really afraid of alienating any of my straight fans,” he said. “But then it was kind of like, if they feel offended, they were never really here for me. They were here for whatever version of myself they made up in their head.” The 21-year-old hip-hop star said he is not here to please everyone. Kandi Burruss loves to overshare details about her sex life with her husband Todd Tucker, and she didn’t hold back recently while discussing sexual pleasure with Tami Roman on her show “Get Into It." Roman asked Kandi about her and Todd’s bedroom antics, specifically if Todd ever asks her to do “unrealistic” things in the bedroom. ”No. He’s never asked me to do anything that was unrealistic,” the XSCAPE singer said. “But for me, I’m open to pretty much try anything in the bedroom that’s…legal! [laughs] As long as I’m not hurting anybody, I’m down with it,” she added. Kandi also explained that she has no issue with inviting other women to join in on her and Todd’s bedroom antics. Actress Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut dishes about Freeform’s new psychological mystery series “Cruel Summer,” which premiered with a two-hour event on April 20. From executive producer Jessica Biel (“The Sinner”), “Cruel Summer” follows two young women: Kate Wallis, the popular girl with a charmed life who one day goes missing, and Jeanette Turner, the nerdy wannabe who is accused of being connected to Kate’s disappearance. All signs point to Jeanette’s guilt, but is Kate really who she seems to be? Set over three summers and told through shifting points of view, the series challenges perception and follows how one girl can go from being a sweet outlier to the most despised person in America. https://vimeo.com/video/544656216 Damian Austin was shopping at the Kroger’s when he heard a woman screaming from inside a bathroom at the store. “It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck because it wasn’t a normal yell,” he told Savannah’s WSAV, adding, “A lady behind me just said ‘he raped that girl in the bathroom.’ Once she said that, there was nothing else for me to do besides go out the door after him.” https://www.cbs42.com/news/u-s-world/man-hailed-hero-for-taking-down-rape-suspect-outside-georgia-store/ One of the jurors who convicted Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd is defending his attendance at the 2020 March on Washington following online speculation about his motives for serving on the jury and whether it might be grounds for appeal. A photo, posted on social media, shows Brandon Mitchell, who is Black, attending the Aug. 28 event to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington. Floyd’s brother and sister, Philonise and Bridgett Floyd, and relatives of others who have been shot by police were also in attendance and spoke to the crowd. https://youtu.be/MpqqvBklNG4 Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris is averaging nearly 20 points per game this season, and although his skills show on the court, he wants the world to see the light that comes from within him as a follower of Jesus Christ. The professional basketball player played one season of college basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers before declaring for the 2011 NBA draft, where he was drafted 19th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats. A member of the 76ers for the past three seasons, he is gaining a reputation for his gifts on the court as well as his humanitarian work off of the court. His work off the court consists of community outreach for underprivileged youth nationwide and in Philadelphia. A hybrid platform has been announced for the 2021 Lifeway Black Church Leadership and Family Conference July 19-23 at Ridgecrest Conference Center. “This past year has drastically impacted our lives and the life of the church,” said conference host Mark Croston, national director of Black Church Ministries for Lifeway Christian Resources. Given the widespread availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for adults, Croston said, “we feel we can move forward with both the onsite and online events. The onsite conference location allows us to spend a lot of time outdoors and to maintain social distancing indoors.” Themed “No Doubt,” based on 1 John 5:13, the conference is designed for the entire family, melding education, mentorship, networking, exhortation, worship, fellowship, a FUGE camp, quality family time and recreation. The Rev. Ruth M. Woodliff-Stanley on May 1 became the 15th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina during a Special Meeting of Convention held for the purposes of the election. Once consecrated in October, Bishop-elect Woodliff-Stanley will be the first female to serve as bishop in the more than 200-year history of the historic diocese. Woodliff-Stanley, who currently serves as canon for strategic change for the Dioceses of Northwestern Pennsylvania & Western New York, and the senior vice president for strategic change with the Episcopal Church Building Fund, was elected on the second ballot in an election that was fully conducted on Zoom due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On the latest episode of The Message podcast on Apple Music 1, Ebro Darden is joined by CNN commentator Van Jones to discuss his The Message playlist, the need for prison reform, how artists like Bob Marley, Public Enemy, and Spike Lee helped inform his politics, his early days working with Prince, the impact and lessons to be learned by the Derek Chauvin verdict, Madonna’s influence, and much more. https://music.apple.com/us/post/1565276166 According to WSB-TV, YFN Lucci is among a dozen suspects indicted in a 75-page, 105 count racketeering indictment focused on factions within the Bloods street gang. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told Channel 2 that “This indictment is unprecedented. Period. In Georgia. There’s been a huge spike in violent crime,” Willis said. “I made a commitment to bring the best and the brightest minds here, many of which you see sitting here right now so that we could deal with this issue of this violent crime.” Meanwhile, Lucci’s lawyer, Drew Findling, told the news site that his client is not guilty of all charges and made it very clear that the rapper is “not a gang member. The young Florida student who was left with bruises and marks after being spanked by her principal is now seeking professional help. A lawyer for the 6-year-old and her mother explained to TMZ that the little girl can’t even sleep, cries constantly, and feels generally terrorized by what happened. Brent Probinsky, the family’s lawyer, also tells TMZ that the girl’s mother calls him twice a day in distress about the school beating that happened on April 13. The girls are so riddled up from the incident that they even had to get a therapist and their first appointment should be this week. Elaine Flake might have become the woman pastor with the largest congregation in the United States after being appointed lead pastor of the more than 23,000-member Greater Allen Cathedral of New York at 72 on Sunday. She is taking over the position formerly held by her husband, the Rev. Floyd Flake, 76, who also spent 11 years in Congress fighting to improve life for constituents in his church community in Jamaica, Queens. The announcement was made during the 199th Session of the New York Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, who told Elaine Flake that “it’s a lot of work on you with your family.” Recording artist The Weeknd will continue to boycott the Grammy Awards even after rule changes announced Friday by the Recording Academy, Variety reported. The new system will do away with the “secret” nomination committees that iced The Weeknd out of the 2021 awards, even though he had the year’s most-streamed single. “The trust has been broken for so long between the Grammy organization and artists that it would be unwise to raise a victory flag,” the wildly successful Canadian singer told Variety, describing the Grammys as “corrupt.” “I think the industry and public alike need to see the transparent system truly at play for the win to be celebrated, but it’s an important start,” he continues. “I remain uninterested in being a part of the Grammys, especially with their own admission of corruption for all these decades. I will not be submitting in the future.” For his next project, Will Smith is inviting a camera crew to document his weight loss and fitness journey. Smith is starring in an unscripted YouTube series titled, “Best Shape of My Life.” The six-part unscripted fitness docuseries, Best Shape of My Life, will follow “Smith challenging himself to improve every aspect of his fitness, from agility to power to recovery and more, teaming up with guests including pro athletes, scientists and experts, and top YouTube creators,” according to a release. Tuesday, the 52-year-old actor took to Instagram to share a shot of him posing in a pair of short shorts. “This is the body that carried me through an entire pandemic and countless days grazing thru the pantry,” he captioned the post. “I love this body, but I wanna FEEL better. No more midnight muffins…this is it! Imma get in the BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE!!!!!” Vivica A. Fox is urging Khloe Kardashian to stop being a doormat for her baby daddy Tristan Thompson following reports that he is cheating on her again. “It’s time for Khloé to stop being a damn doormat for Tristan,” Fox said in a new episode of her Cocktails with Queens series. “First of all, you are a Kardashian, girl. I’m sure it’s plenty of brothers lining up. They all just wanna take a trip, you know what I mean. … At this point, do you really want this kind of man to be a parental father figure to your children? The fact that he can’t even respect mama? What foundation are you on, period?” Fox also said Khloé is “dickmatized.” https://youtu.be/q8Ze_MkcNPA A Cypress College professor is on leave after a Zoom video of her irritable response to a student who called police “heroes” went viral. The exchange happened during a recorded online session and began after student Braden Ellis gave a presentation on cancel culture and police for a class on verbal communications. The subject matter appeared to be a trigger for the professor, who challenged him repeatedly as he attempted to explain his support of law enforcement. https://youtu.be/ex2gl3VvXfQ Rolling Stone reports on the story of Joey Cassanova, a retired MMA fighter who, on April 7th, 2021, uploaded a video to his TikTok page with the message, “If you only knew what I’ve been through.” He filmed himself pretending to be riddled by bullets that symbolized his past trauma: child abuse, foster care, being molested, depression, PTSD, the murder of his ex-wife, the loss of his father two months ago, three heart attacks. “Somehow I’m still here,” the message at the end of the video says as Cassanova stares defiantly at the viewer, arms folded. When he checked TikTok just a few hours later, he couldn’t believe it had drawn more than 1.2 million views (it now has nearly 10 million), and that people were using the audio to make their own clips with the same format. The new Netflix film, MONSTER, centers around 17 year-old Steve Harmon; a young kid from Harlem whose life gets turned upside down when he goes from studying film to being charged with felony murder. Inspired by Walter Dean Myers 1990s novel and initially released in 2018 at the Sundance Film Festival, audiences everywhere will finally have the chance to take in this story on Friday. MONSTERS’ star-studded cast and crew include, Rakim “ASAP Rocky” Mayers, Jennifer Hudson, Nasir “Nas” Jones (also an executive producer). And Kelvin Harrison Jr., who plays Harmon, described an important lesson he learned from Nas’ character in the film. “I hyped my way into your music,” said San Diego rapper Lil’ Hyste as to the meaning of his stage name. Born Hasan McDuffie, Lil’ Hyste just released a new single titled “Pandemic.” He performed the offering recently at the 22nd annual Baltimore “ULMII” Entertainment Conference, with a flow of a seasoned MC, a delivery like a seasoned entertainer and a sound system backing him that gave a clear and booming experience for all. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chavin's lawyers have filed a motion for a new trial after he was convicted of second degree unintentional murder, second degree manslaughter, and third degree murder. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=chavin+trial&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dchavin%2btrial%26cvid%3d667338e559e64bd89934de87843b1959%26aqs%3dedge.0.0j69i57j0l5.12251j0j4%26FORM%3dANAB01%26PC%3dHCTS&mmscn=vwrc&view=detail&mid=DF2E28514E40CCF88106DF2E28514E40CCF88106&rvsmid=E68489CFC96DC00811E7E68489CFC96DC00811E7&FORM=VDRVRV All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series' UNSUNG and UNCENSORED continue this Sunday, May 9. UNSUNG leads the night with R&B singer Lyfe Jennings at 9 p.m. ET/8C, immediately followed by UNCENSORED with comedic actor Jaleel White at 10 p.m. ET/9C. Following UNCENSORED, fans are treated to a sneak-peek look at episodes with the new digital series, Unwind with Syleena Johnson. Each episode will be published on TVOne.TV and TV One’s social media platforms. Syleena will react to clips, share anecdotes, and provide cocktail recipes for viewers to unwind to as they watch both UNSUNG and UNCENSORED. She’ll end each episode reminding viewers of their chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar6TG2qTQFE&feature=youtu.be “Baddies: ATL” is the newest series from ZEUS starring the original bad girls of reality tv Executive Producers Natalie Nunn & Tanisha Thomas along with Janelle Shanks, Seven Craft, Sarah Oliver, Christina Salgado, Judi Jai, Mehgan James and introducing Sidney Starr. “Baddies: ATL” premieres Sunday, May 16th on Zeus. Zeus is available on Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Fire TV and Chromecast – subscribe by visiting TheZeusNetwork.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sA-X3lcpqY&feature=youtu.be CeCe Winans continues to blaze the trail in the gospel music industry with her latest chart-topping release, Believe For It. After occupying the #1 slot for seven consecutive weeks on the Gospel charts for best album, the single, “Never Lost” makes its way to the # 1 spot at Gospel Radio on both the Mediabase Gospel Chart and the Gospel Airplay Chart. This accomplishment marks Winans’ first #1 single in 15 years since her 2006 hit single, “Pray” dominated the charts. The debut track, “Never Lost” was the most added song for three weeks straight. All this on the heels of racking up four #1 slots on the Billboard Gospel Charts: #1 Top Gospel album, #1 Total Current Gospel Album, #1 Gospel Digital Song and #1 Top Christian/Gospel Album less than two weeks after street date. Late Monday night, a Mexico City metro train overpass collapsed onto a road, killing at least 23 people, including children, authorities said. Dozens more were injured. The incident occurred in the southeast section of the capital on Metro Line 12, a branch that has long been dogged by complaints of poor construction, the Los Angeles Times reports. Videos and photos obtained by ABC News showed train cars hanging from the crumbled overpass as rescue personnel searched for victims while transporting others away from the scene on stretchers. GOP Senator Tim Scott and VP Kamala Harris caused quite a stir when they both announced that America is not a racist country… while also admitting that racism exists. In his response to President Joe Biden’s “first address to Congress,” Scott noted his belief that America is not a racist nation. In response to Harris, Seales said in a video shared on social media, “Okay so everybody on some bulls–t, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. That was dumb and embarrassingly and she embarrassed everyone who supported her.” In the caption to the post, she added, “D*mn, Kamala. https://www.instagram.com/p/COT1XoXhu_4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again A woman, supposedly Black (her face is obscured in the video for some reason), was caught on video going off on an LA County sheriff’s deputy who pulled her over for using a cellphone while driving. What came out of her mouth, basically a racist tirade, wasn’t nice. You’re always going to be a Mexican. You’ll never be white, you know that, right?” the woman is heard telling the deputy after he pulled her Mercedes over, according to a report via KABC. “You’ll never be white, which is what you really want to be,” the woman adds after signing a citation. “You want to be white.” The traffic stop began when the deputy approached the woman, who was recording the interaction with her cellphone. Yes, I started to record because you’re a murderer,” she tells him. https://twitter.com/i/status/1389345964658348032 Don Lemon had a viral moment on CNN Monday night during an exchange with Chris Cuomo about their conservative co-worker Rick Santorum, who made headlines last week for suggesting that Native Americans were not culturally relevant in the founding of America. https://twitter.com/i/status/1389402315359199233 As a TV news reporter and a Church of God in Christ (COGIC) pastor, Loran Mann tried to keep his two jobs separate. But once in the 1980s, he was first to the scene of a standoff where an armed fugitive on the run after murdering his wife was cornered by police. The man decided he would surrender—but only to the locally famous newsman and man of God. “I got an exclusive,” Mann said. “But the best part is he became a committed Christian.” Mann, a groundbreaking Black broadcast reporter and a COGIC bishop who rose to the top level of leadership in the nation’s fifth largest Christian denomination, died in Pittsburgh on Sunday at the age of 74. Monday he was mourned throughout the city and celebrated by local religious leaders and broadcast professionals. Veteran broadcast journalist Bob Abernethy, who founded the PBS program “Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly,” has died at the age of 93. He died on Sunday (May 2) in Brunswick, Maine, his daughter Jane Montgomery Abernethy announced in a Facebook post. She said her father died of natural causes. Abernethy was a correspondent for NBC News for more than four decades. Working in Washington, Los Angeles, London and Moscow, he covered the fledgling U.S. space program, Congress and the Soviet Union’s collapse. Singer and songwriter Kandi Burruss was recently pressed by Eddie Levert of the O’Jays about who was the most difficult artist she collaborated with in the studio. The “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star recalled being “disrespected” by Boyz II Men back in the day, and one of the group members has now responded. Boyz II Men member Wanya Morris has responded to Kandi’s comments and said their fallout was over a disagreement about who would be given credit for the song they were working on at the time. “We’ve been taught you write [a song] and you split [songwriting credits] down the middle that way there’s no discrepancies,” Morris said of Boyz II Men. “We finish the song, and once we finish the song she started talking about splits. Now the song wasn’t actually finished but she started talking about splits.” Michelle Obama hosted a virtual star-studded special on Saturday for high school seniors whose in-person learning was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the event was to provide a space for these students to celebrate their college choices. “Happy #CollegeSigningDay!”Obama wrote in a tweet. “I’m so excited to celebrate all of you who are taking this next step on your journeys and pursuing higher education. Whether you’re going to a community college, trade school, university or joining the military, I could not be more proud of you!” The event saw Amanda Gorman, Stephen Curry and his wife Ayesha Curry, The Weeknd, Conan O’Brien and many more A-listers turn out to support the students The Hollywood Foreign Press Assoc. has announced plans to admit 20 new members this year, mostly Black, with a goal of increasing membership by 50 percent over the next two years. The news comes after the organization’s diversity and inclusion adviser Phillip Berk was curbed after he sent out a racist email to members over the weekend. The email came hours after NBC released a statement expressing concern about the future of the Golden Globes if the HFPA didn’t handle Berk, who served eight terms as HFPA president. Apple TV+ has ordered “Big Man on Campus,” a new documentary series that will tell the coming-of-age story of basketball phenom Makur Maker as he navigates the highs and lows of his freshman year college experience against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement and the global pandemic. The series is directed and executive produced by Seth Gordon, producer of “Undefeated” which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and will be produced for Apple by Exhibit A, Boardwalk Pictures and Sony Pictures Television. John Legend has joined forces with gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles and SK-II on a film series about how to handle online criticism — specifically, addressing the hate many women face due to superficial reasons. PEOPLE, the project features the stories of six Olympians, with Legend penning the empowering anthem “Take a Look” to accompany Biles’ short film series “VS Trolls.” https://youtu.be/QK1ZRLbnStE Blair Underwood has announced that he will direct and star in the upcoming independent feature “Viral,” written by Joe McClean, who will produce the film. Deadline reports, Underwood stars as Andrew, who falls into paranoia after his wife goes missing. The only way out of the self-destructive cycle seems to be through his new girlfriend Emilia, but she has her own psychological trauma to deal with. Are they strong enough to get past their own nightmares and mental illnesses to find true happiness together? Missy Elliott took to Twitter recently to recall the honorary degree she received from Berklee College of Music and the graduation speech she delivered in 2019. While working on some new music in the studio, the hip-hop legend revealed that the engineer mixing her tracks, who goes by the name Cool-T, was a student at Berklee College of Music at the time. As reported by Revolt, Missy took to Twitter to reflect on the full-circle moment. “I was in the studio a few days ago working & this engineer engineering my music was very quiet but on the last day he said, ‘Hey I was at the graduation when you got your doctorates and I remembered your speech about NOT QUITTING & now look, I’m here mixing your music,’” she captioned a photo of Cool-T. https://youtu.be/bQShxaLnc0E Sean “Diddy” Combs announced Monday that he has changed his middle name from “John” to “Love,” and shared an image of his new driver’s license on Instagram to prove it. “Look what I just got in the mail today… ???????,” he captioned the photo of the Florida ID. “IT’S OFFICIAL!!! WELCOME TO THE LOVE ERA.” https://www.instagram.com/p/COarAzuHGFt/?utm_source=ig_embed The parents of an Asian American teen who was recorded being assaulted during an Amateur Athletic Union tournament game is speaking out about how the staff failed to intervene. The AAU game between the South Bay Snipers and the San Francisco Generals took place in Oakland, California on Saturday (May 1). The now-viral video appears to show an unidentified Black kid from another team punching his opponent Evan during a match. The media is using the incident to further push its anti-Black agenda by claiming the “attack” is another example of Black on Asian hate crime.” https://youtu.be/Pa9ABMfnsvU Dr. Kanika Bowen-Jallow – who went through college, medical school and a residency in her home state of Texas, said it was eight years into her journey toward becoming a pediatric surgeon before she met a doctor who looked like her – Black and female. Now, Dr. Bowen-Jallow, a pediatric surgeon at Cook Children’s Pediatric Surgery Center in Prosper, Texas, is a trailblazer in her own right as only the ninth Black female pediatric surgeon in the United States, according to the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA). https://youtu.be/idoczdK35lE 4.4 million workers who rely on physical tips to earn a living – two thirds of which are women – may be impacted by a recent drop in cash use, data shows. Global Payment Trends reveals the financial and societal impact of ceasing to use cash, which has been accelerated as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The latest data shows that the use of cash as payment for online orders has dropped by 75% in the last year, now accounting for just 1% of all transactions. 12.2 million workers in the US are in food service jobs that rely on tips to make ends meet, with the tipped minimum wage falling under $5 an hour in 36 states. New research shows that up to 4.4 million service workers who rely on cash tips to earn a living could struggle to make ends meet after the pandemic due to digital exclusion. A toddler appeared to channel the cinematic “Damien” when he said “mama” for the first time. Footage captured by Maiken Woll Eide on May 2 shows her 16-month-old son Aiden James (or AJ) happily munching berries in his dad’s lap in Wicklow, Ireland. She asks him if he can say “mama” and his response was something out of “The Exorcist.” https://youtu.be/ALG6q4tEpKw As Americans continue to take steps toward normal life, India and several other countries are dealing with an explosion of new coronavirus infections likely to delay the world’s recovery from the deadly crisis, health authorities warned Monday. The number of COVID-19 cases reported around the world in the last two weeks was higher than the total of confirmed infections in the first six months of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. India and Brazil, which are going through their worst days since the pandemic began, account for more than half of last week’s cases, the agency said. WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said many other countries also face “a very fragile situation” and are running out of basic hospital supplies. The father of a college student who’s been missing for over a week has criticized authorities for acting too slowly during the search operation. Saniyya Dennis, 19, a Buffalo State College sophomore, was last seen leaving her college campus on April 24. Her phone signal was later tracked to a cell tower near Goat Island in Niagara Falls the following morning. Since then, officers say no one has heard from Saniyya and there’s been no activity in her phone or bank accounts. Her family have since criticized the police for not moving fast enough with the investigation. Calvin Byrd, Dennis’ father, criticized the police for failing to get hold of security footage of his daughter sooner. Danica Dillon, the former porn star who has accused Josh Duggar of rape, says she’s “not shocked” by the news that the 33-year-old reality TV star is now facing child porn charges. In an interview with Daily MailTV, Dillon, 34, called Duggar a “disgusting man,” adding that she hopes he’s imprisoned “for the rest of his life.” Dillon, whose real name is Ashley Johnston, had sued Duggar for allegedly raping her in 2015. In the graphic interview, Dillon described the “terrifying” assault, saying that Duggar’s eyes “went black,” and that she feared for her life. After she went public with her story, Dillon said fans of Duggar’s show, 19 Kids and Counting, came after her. “I had so many people emailing me, threatening me,” she said. Dillon says she didn’t have the money to go to court with the Duggar family, and the lawsuit was eventually dropped. On Friday, Josh Duggar pleaded not guilty to two charges of possessing child porn. Bobby Unser, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and part of the only pair of brothers to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” has died. He was 87. He died Sunday at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, of natural causes, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said Monday. Unser won the Indy 500 in 1968, 1975 and 1981. “He is part of the Mount Rushmore of Indy,” said Dario Franchitti, another three-time Indy 500 winner. Over the weekend the 2021 NFL draft took center stage from Cleveland, Ohio as over 250 players heard their names called. While the draft was the main football highlight this weekend, it wasn’t the only football-related activity. Also taking place was an incredible cause for charity that benefited cancer research at St. Jude. NFL Network host Rich Eisen has done his “Run Rich Run” campaign for several years in order to raise money for a great cause. He received a little help this weekend from NFL legends like Jerry Rice and Ray Lewis. The former NFL stars took the field to a run a 40-yard dash in hopes of raising money. One of the athletes taking part was former Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick. At 40 years old – nearly 41 – Vick dusted the field with a blazing 4.72. https://twitter.com/i/status/1388610183803199490 The lowest point of Urban Meyer’s first NFL draft came courtesy of the New York Giants. Meyer told ESPN’s College GameDay on Friday that it “broke his heart” when a team selected a player he was targeting with the 25th overall pick. Meyer reluctantly admitted on Saturday that the player was former Florida receiver Kadarius Toney, whom the New York Giants took with the 20th pick. “I’ve gotten to know him over the last couple weeks and obviously my connection with [Gators] coach [Dan] Mullen and those guys,” Meyer said. “You watch [Toney] play, he’s a human highlight reel.” With Toney gone, Meyer and the Jaguars opted for Clemson running back Travis Etienne. Hall of Fame gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and his wife, Martha, face fresh allegations of physical and psychological abuse of young female athletes dating to the 1960s in a newly published book, according to the Daily Mail. Romanian author Stejarel Olaru wrote in “Nadia si Securitatea” that Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci — the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympics, in 1976 — is among the victims who were starved to the point of developing eating disorders, slapped, and denied medical treatment, according to the report. Comaneci was Bela Karolyi’s first prodigy and his gateway to defecting to America in 1981. Iconic model #NaomiCampbell, the timeless beauty and slayer of fashions, recently opened up about racism in the fashion industry. During a candid sit-down, Naomi Campell revealed instances of being stereotyped because of her race. Naomi Campbell’s career has spanned more than 30 years after being discovered by a model scout in London’s Covent Garden. She’s graced the covers of more than 500 publications and has landed campaigns with Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Prada, just to name a few. Although Campbell took the fashion industry by storm, it was not without hurdles to jump and hills to climb. Iyanla Vanzant chopped it up with MadameNoire about the last season of “Iyanla Fix My Life” and what she will do next. Vanzant announced in October that season 7 of her long-running series “Fix My Life” will be the last. “This is my last season. This is my legacy season, I’m out. We out. 2020,” she announced during a virtual press conference at the time. During an interview with Danielle Young, Vanzant further explained her decision to quit her popular life coaching series, and the reason may surprise you. https://twitter.com/i/status/1389248387153678337 We reported yesterday, a white restaurant manager in Conway, South Carolina has been ordered by a court to pay back twice the restitution owed to the Black man he enslaved for five years. John Christopher Smith, a Black man with an intellectual disability, was forced to work for five years without pay at the J&J Cafeteria managed by 56-year-old Bobby Paul Edwards. A court ruled on April 21 that Edwards, who is in prison for the crime, will pay Smith double for unpaid wages and overtime. https://youtu.be/K9hFyZObL8g DJ Envy has responded to the heat he’s catching for defending the police shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. While talking to school psychologist Dr. Umar Johnson on ‘The Breakfast Club' last month, the two shared their opposing views on the Columbus police officer who fatally shot Ma’Khia. https://youtu.be/2_lGRkSpugw Cell phone video led to a hate crime charge for a Berkeley woman who accused a delivery driver of speeding. She and her boyfriend then followed him, yelling racial slurs. https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/berkeley-police-arrest-suspect-in-hate-crime-investigation/ A Florida elementary school principal is under investigation after she repeatedly beat one of her students with a paddle, citing it as punishment over a damaged computer. Video of the disturbing event circulated on social media which showed Melissa Carter, head of Central Elementary School in Clewiston, bending a child over and hitting her with a wooden paddle. https://twitter.com/i/status/1388753368030617600 Bill and Melinda Gates have announced that they are ending their marriage after 27 years. In a tweet on Monday from Bill Gates’ account, and signed by the couple, the Gates's said that the decision came after a “great deal of thought and work.” “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” Bill Gates said in a tweet. “Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.” However, the couple no longer believes they can grow together as a couple in this “next phase” of their lives. http://www.gospel-spotlight.com Jeannie Mai has revealed the reason why she couldn’t invite her to fellow co-hosts from “The Real” to her wedding to rapper Jeezy — and it all comes down to the pandemic. https://youtu.be/3zGqOBlLWhM Chart-topping Christian hip-hop artist KB has released the official music video for his song “Masterpiece,” debuting the video on his YouTube channel. Garnering eager anticipation from fans in advance of its YouTube release, the empowering song has already garnered praise among fans and critics, which was written by KB and Quinten Coblentz, and is featured off of KB’s acclaimed album His Glory Alone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ8Tqe68QaY Marvel Studios has announced that the official title for the sequel to “Black Panther” is “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Marvel Studios made the pronouncement via a promo video welcoming movie fans back to theaters after a year of closures because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The promo includes the message: “The world may change and evolve, but the one thing that will never change: we’re all part of one big family.” Close to the end of the three-minute video, a graphic appears saying “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 8, 2022. https://youtu.be/QdpxoFcdORI An ex-Pentagon official claims aliens/UFOs are real and flying over the US and the military doesn’t know how to stop them. Luis Elizondo, who headed up the secretive Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), claims the government refuses to publicly acknowledge the “unidentified aerial phenomena” due to “religious objections, concerns over tarnishing its own reputation and fears of inciting public panic.” https://youtu.be/emn6jozxHxU Watch live coverage as mourners gather in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, for Andrew Brown Jr.’s funeral after he was fatally shot by a police. https://youtu.be/kV8NkwRoFgk Early in the pandemic, when vaccines for the coronavirus were still just a glimmer on the horizon, the term “herd immunity” came to signify the endgame: the point when enough Americans would be protected from the virus so we could be rid of the pathogen and reclaim our lives. Now, more than half of adults in the United States have been inoculated with at least one dose of a vaccine. But daily vaccination rates are slipping, and there is widespread consensus among scientists and public health experts that the herd immunity threshold is not attainable — at least not in the foreseeable future, and perhaps not ever. President Joe Biden spoke about the COVID-19 vaccination being safe, Prince Harry urged for the vaccine distribution everywhere and Jennifer Lopez embraced her fully-vaccinated mother on stage during one of the largest concert gatherings in Southern California since the pandemic rocked the world more than a year ago. Celebrities and political leaders gathered Sunday night to talk about the importance of vaccine equity at Global Citizen’s “Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World” at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The taped fundraising event will air May 8 on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube and iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations. In an increasingly divided society, Bishop T.D. Jakes has warned that “tribalism” permeates even the Church of Jesus Christ and is causing it to become “deaf” to the plight of those beyond its four walls. “I think the first thing we need to do is go on an expedition and go beyond the borders of the safety of our sanctuaries and finally fulfill the Matthew 28:19 commission to go into all the world,” Jakes, leader of The Potter’s House megachurch based in Dallas, Texas, said on “The Edifi Podcast With Billy Hallowell.” In an increasingly divided society, Bishop T.D. Jakes has warned that “tribalism” permeates even the Church of Jesus Christ and is causing it to become “deaf” to the plight of those beyond its four walls. He is a wearer of many hats, among them, Worship Leader, Psalmist, Author, and recently added Pastor and Bishop Designee, but to most he will always be The Gentleman of Gospel, EARNEST PUGH —Emmy Award Winning -3x #1 Billboard Charting Artist on May 7th will honor the request of the Rochester, NY community to do The Outpour Experience 2.0, sponsored by Earnest Pugh and Ikenrock. The evening boasts of a live videotaping and recording just in time for Mother’s Day. Joining in the festivities is vocal powerhouse and Sunday Best Season 1 Winner Crystal Aikin. According to Pugh, “Prior to release of “The Outpour Experience” (1st quarter of 2020) I had already planned a release concert at the home church of one of the writers Rufus McGee, who wrote the opening song “Your Glory” on the CD. Out of an abundance of caution and to comply with CDC Guidelines due to the global pandemic we postponed the concert with hopes of revisiting the idea once the Covid-19 Virus’ positivity rate decreased.” Emerging artist and fan favorite Robert Copeland extends a personal invitation for some good old fashioned soul replenishment at The Well. The Well is the latest single headed to radio from Copeland’s sophomore project That Jesus Feelin. “Robert Copeland is a natural talent song stylist”, says Garland Miche Waller, VP of Enon Music Group. “This record showcases his artistry as well as his passion. The Well offers up added depth to his musicality, and Robert always rises to the occasion to deliver the goods. This will be another song that people will easily gravitate towards. “ A Black man with intellectual disabilities who was enslaved for five years at a restaurant in Conway, S.C., should be awarded double the amount of restitution from the White man now imprisoned for the crime, according to a recent court ruling. As part of his 2019 guilty plea to a forced labor charge, Bobby Paul Edwards, 56, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered by a court to pay back John Christopher Smith $273,000 in unpaid wages and overtime compensation at J&J Cafeteria. The Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled on April 21 that the previous amount decided by a district court “had erred” in not accounting for federal labor laws entitling him to $546,000, or double the amount he was owed from his imprisonment between 2009 and 2014. Through physical violence, threats and intimidation, Edwards coerced Smith, 43, into working more than 100 hours per week without pay, The Washington Post reported. Michael B. Jordan has addressed the possibility that he could reprise the villainous role of Erik Killmonger for “Black Panther 2.” Killmonger died at the end of Marvel’s 2018 blockbuster but writer/director Ryan Coogler could bring him back to life. MSN reported, speaking to Jess Cagle on Sirius XM radio show, Jordan was asked how likely fans will see him return to the franchise on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being very likely… “I’m gonna go with a solid two,” Jordan said. “I didn’t want to go zero! Never say never. I can’t predict the future. Two sounds good, I guess,” he added. https://youtu.be/Hk1S8b8wIo0 The company behind the acclaimed “Framing Britney Spears” documentary is working on a project about Janet Jackson’s infamous 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. Per Page Six, Left/Right TV is the production company behind the forthcoming doc, and a source said, “It’s going to be all about the fallout and the suits who f–ked over Janet [at] Viacom.” The stylist who worked with Jackson for her infamous 2004 Super Bowl appearance with Justin Timberlake has revealed that it was Timberlake who pushed for the “wardrobe malfunction” that made international headlines. H.E.R. is an amazing songstress that continues to raise the bar in the world of R&B music. And when the Grammy-winning H.E.R. is teamed with Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown, sensational things are bound to happen – musically speaking. On H.E.R.’s new single, “Come Through,” featuring Brown, the two singers’ voices blend like magic. https://youtu.be/0T3fZiE7Feg Senator Tim Scott has praised President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for agreeing with him that America is ‘not a racist country,’ after critics attacked Scott with racial slurs over his rebuttal to Biden’s joint address to Congress. Scott, a South Carolina Republican, told CBS’ Face The Nation on Sunday that he stood by his assessment that America is not racist, despite being pulled over 18 times for ‘driving while black.’ https://youtu.be/RXs9_fNoRY8 A New Jersey police chief will be demoted after it was discovered that he offered a promotion to a cop in exchange to have sex with the officer’s wife and underaged daughter. The announcement was made during an administrative disciplinary hearing last week where officials found Rudolph Beu guilty of several offenses during his time as a police officer for the Vineland Police Department. He was accused of failure to perform duties, conduct unbecoming a public employee and neglect of duty and he was already suspended from his position with pay since last February. Beu faced several allegations which included one incident in 2017 where he promised a promotion for a cop in exchange for sex with the officer’s wife or daughter who was underage. He was also accused of nepotism for allegedly trying to promote his daughter and not properly disciplining his son-in-law at the department as reported. Former “19 Kids and Counting” star Josh Duggar has been indicted on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. A federal grand jury in the Western District of Arkansas indicted Duggar, alleging that in 2019 he “knowingly” received images of children under the age of 12. The former TLC star has been charged on two counts pertaining to child pornography. Duggar’s parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar released a joint statement on their family website. “The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner,” they wrote. “We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family.” Former NASCAR driver Eric McClure passed away at the age of 42 on Sunday, according to family members. McClure, who last raced in 2006, had ended his career due to health issues. The Virginia native had experienced multiple concussions, which left him suffering neurological symptoms like headaches, nausea, and depression. In recent years, McClure had suffered from kidney problems. He was diagnosed with acute renal failure in 2013 and announced in 2019 that he was being treated for double kidney failure. Last October, McClure pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge against his wife, Miranda McClure, who said he beat and choked her in front of their young children. Eric McClure had been sentenced to 12 months of probation, as well as substance abuse counseling. In a statement, his family thanked “everyone for their prayers and support during this very difficult time.” While no cause of death was given, officials say his body was transported to Roanoke for an autopsy. Mentally haunting: The tragic Los Angeles, Metrolink (Blue Line) train death of 27-year-old aspiring model, dancer and music artist Assata Olugbala Jones is a true urban tale; untold until now. Jones’ story represents a quiet phenomenon — whispering under the radar and creeping through communities. Seemingly normal, everyday people are going mad. Assata Jones is seen deteriorating most rapidly during a four-month period and during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, last year. https://youtu.be/juOrPLrsCXw A collective of Black and brown-owned businesses have teamed up to combat food insecurity in Chicago. According to the Block Chicago Club, they’ve come together for the creation of an initiative dubbed ChiMeals, which is designed to provide meals for underserved communities throughout the city. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1387395333752303619/90-yB9G9?format=jpg&name=small Representation matters and Shoreline-based health professional Dr. Margaret Towolawi is breaking racial barriers within her industry. According to K5, Dr. Towolawi is the woman behind the first Black-owned direct primary care clinic in the state of Washington. Her practice—dubbed the Nurture Well Center—takes a holistic approach to providing treatment for common illnesses. The inspiration for the creation of her health care facility was derived from the desire to make a career shift amid the pandemic. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1387468628212125699/ufkLR6eh?format=jpg&name=small Najee Harris has amassed success in the realm of football but no matter how far the sport has taken him, the California native has always stayed true to his roots. According to CBS News, hours before being drafted, the newly minted Pittsburgh Steelers player hosted a party at the homeless shelter where he and his family once lived. https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1388181478568341508/uYn_4iXa?format=jpg&name=small The little engine that was never suppose to start, "Who Is Gatsby Randolph" keeps going and picks up momentum "down-under" with a red carpet gala premiere of the documentary, movie opened in Australia in-theaters, Friday. Radio Active Films teamed with Caroline Russo Enterprises to acquire the theatrical rights to release "Who Is Gatsby Randolph" in Australia and New Zealand. Last week, a capacity house of nearly 200 attendees got the first big screen glimpse of the doc when it screened at the Dendy Portside Cinema Hamilton Brisbane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J96Kpq4-sQk Caitlyn Jenner, the 71-year-old former Olympian previously known as Bruce Jenner, has weighed in on the legislation that would prohibit transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams. Jenner told TMZ over the weekend that she fully supports these bans. https://youtu.be/2VBaFEmKa68 After catching heat for comments he made about DMX’s death, Irv Gotti has issued an apology for claiming the rapper died from crack cocaine and fentanyl overdose. On Saturday, Irv responded to the backlash in an Instagram post featuring a #throwback photo of him and DMX. “Now Everything I said had already been reported in the media …” Irv wrote. “Everything I said had been out there already. I did not break anything I said. But you know what, I understand. No one wanted to hear it from me. And for that I am truly sorry. To ever make people think. I don’t love my n***a X.” The Recording Academy announced on Friday that it has eliminated the “secret” nomination review committees including the Big Four categories:Album, Record, and Song of the Year, as well as Best New Artist. The move comes after The Weeknd aired his grievances with the Grammy Awards and slammed the Recording Academy for being corrupt. https://youtu.be/dhFegWaSK7c A new Mike Tyson documentary series from ABC News will explore the famed boxer’s rise to fame and what life has been like since he stepped back from the spotlight. “Mike is a complicated individual,” a voiceover says in the first trailer for the four-hour series “Mike Tyson: The Knockout.” The first half of “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” premieres on May 25, at 8 p.m. EST, with the second installment airing June 1 on ABC. The series will also be available on demand and on Hulu. HBO Max will debut the new six-episode Max Original comedy series “That Damn Michael Che,” starring the “Saturday Night Live” cast member in sketches and vignettes that illustrate what it feels like to experience various every-day situations including racial profiling, unemployment, falling in love and more, from his perspective. https://youtu.be/UbtNbtWqrx4 A Black woman used social media to rant against the anti-racist stance of Alyssa Milano, telling the actress, “You’re not helping. You’re making things worse.” In a TikTok video, Savannah Edwards of thisissavvy responds to a clip of Milano’s podcast Sorry Not Sorry in which she tells non-Black people to imagine being a Black man. https://youtu.be/otbjvHJaseM Following the announcement of two federal probes into the Minneapolis and Louisville police departments, the mayor of Columbus, Ohio, announced he welcomed a similar inquiry following the shooting death of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. “This is not about one particular officer, policy, or incident; rather, this is about reforming the entire institution of policing in Columbus,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and City Attorney Zach Klein wrote in a letter addressed to the Department of Justice. “Simply put: We need to change the culture of the Columbus Division of Police.” In a letter to the DOJ, Ginther and Klein expressed the city needed oversight to combat the “fierce opposition” to reform in the police department. Whether it’s donning the creations of Black designers in her visual albums or launching a fund to provide grants for small Black-owned businesses, songstress Beyoncé has been dedicated to supporting Black entrepreneurs and amplifying their work. According to WSFA12, her latest effort is centered on empowering the next generation of Black jewelers. The Houston native joined forces with bespoke jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz for the creation of scholarships for aspiring gemologists to attend the Gemological Institute of America. The institute offers courses that cover the different facets of jewelry manufacturing and how to evaluate diamonds, pearls and stones. As part of the initiative, the students received $20,000 scholarships that will cover the costs of equipment, lab courses and other fees. Among the recipients were Alabama native Audriana Osborne, Kulla Jatani from Seattle and Shelton Bradford from California. Rapper Big Sean has been forthright about his bouts with depression and anxiety, and he is continuing to use his wellness journey to empower and inspire others who can identify with his experiences. According to the Detroit Free Press, the music artist, Sean Anderson, is launching a video series for Mental Health Awareness Month. The series—which will be featured across his Sean Anderson Foundation’s digital channels—will include candid conversations between him and his mother Myra Anderson about an array of wellness practices including sleeping methods, healthy eating habits, the power of shifting your mindset and meditation. The “Deep Reverence” rapper says he wanted to create a safe space where individuals can gain insight and tips to help cultivate a solid foundation for wellness. Songstress Ciara and her husband Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson have been fierce advocates for education. The couple’s latest initiative was centered on using financial literacy as an avenue to empower youth. According to The Seattle Times, the Wilsons recently surprised a group of Seattle-based middle school students with money management tips and a gift for them to start building a foundation for financial success. Through their nonprofit organization the Why Not You Foundation, the Wilsons teamed up with Goalsetter—a digital money management platform—and the NFL Players Association to virtually visit nearly 900 students at the Denny International Middle School. In observance of Financial Literacy Month, the two shared tips about the importance of saving and investing. They also made a $35,000 donation so every student in the public school could start a savings account with $40, that they won’t be able to manage until they’re 18. “It was definitely a testing year,” says Pastor Alvin Love III. As of January 2021, Love is the lead pastor of Nashville Life Church (NLC) in Nashville, Tenn. The church was co-founded by his parents, Alvin Love II and gospel legend CeCe Winans. Prior to assuming the role of lead pastor, Love served as executive pastor at the church. Many pastors and churches had a difficult time in 2020, a year notable for its political, social, and racial unrest. Complicating the challenges that Love faced is the fact that the racial makeup of his congregation is about half Black and half white. This is something NLC is proud of, said Love, but the events of the past year “really challenged the unity of our church.” In a February interview with ChurchLeaders, the pastor explained, “This is the first time that one of our greatest assets ended up becoming one of our greatest challenges.” Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis has died in her New York apartment, at age 89, according to her brother, Apollo. He wrote on Facebook on Saturday: “After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her [husband] Louis [Zorich].” Dukakis is best known for her work on Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias, and she won several awards, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe. She appeared on dozens of TV shows and films, and devoted 40 years of her life to theater, working on-stage at a theater business that she founded and later teaching drama classes at New York University. She once said, “I did not become an actor in order to become famous or rich. I became an actor so I could play the great parts.” Comedian-actor Leslie Jones will take the stage as host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards next month. The network announced Wednesday that Jones will host the awards, which will air live on May 16 from Los Angeles. The awards show celebrates the best moments in movies and television over the past year. Stokley Williams, known professionally as just “Stokley,” is raising eyebrows as a soloist. In January of 2021, Stokley released “Cascade,” which reached No. 1. The song is an up-tempo dance tune with deep lyrics about not letting a proven love get away after making a mistake one night with another woman. Stokely has masterfully revamped “Cascade” into a new “Lovers Quarrel Mix.” The unique mix is now a ballad. https://youtu.be/Wtuccru58Gg Minnesota’s Star Tribune reports, the Department of Justice (DOJ) had planned and was fully prepared to arrest Derek Chauvin on civil rights charges if he was found not guilty in the killing of George Floyd, or if the case had been ruled a mistrial. It’s reported that if Chauvin was not found guilty, the DOJ planned to have him arrested via a criminal complaint and would have pursued an indictment from a grand jury. Despite his guilty conviction, the DOJ is said to still be bringing charges against Chauvin, but will do so through a grand jury indictment. Over the years, routine traffic stops have produced some unexpected, life-altering results. Recent encounters with law enforcement recorded on cell phones and police officers’ body cams have become public and, in some cases, viral moments. Naji Mujahid Fenwick was accustomed to routine traffic stops. He was a petty criminal who had been arrested 25 times. But one particular stop changed his life. An encounter with a hot-headed cop didn’t sit well with Fenwick. So, he took drastic measures to assure he wouldn’t be on the wrong end of police interaction again. He enrolled in law school. The lifelong defendant then became a public defender and eventually a defense attorney. Sitting on the other side of the table, defending citizens in a position he knew well, Fenwick defined changing the narrative. https://youtu.be/Y5kzkRYyzYs Music exec/producer Irv Gotti is in the proverbial hot seat over his telling the world that DMX died from a “bad dose of crack” mixed with fentanyl. An official toxicology report has yet to be released to the public. Gotti, Irving Lorenzo Jr., told Chicago’s 107.5 WGCI’s morning show that the late rapper died from smoking fentanyl-laced crack cocaine. “They said it was a bad dose of crack, and they said some drug fentanyl was mixed in with the crack and that’s what made him overdose,” the 50-year-old told the show’s hosts. “Then when he got to the hospital, he got diagnosed with COVID and he couldn’t breathe — you know that COVID messes with your respiratory system — so that’s why he had to get hooked up to the ventilator.” Jinger Duggar has spoken out against brother Josh after the father-of-six was arrested this week and charged with receiving and possessing child pornography. Jinger, who goes by her married name Vuolo on social media, posted a statement on behalf of her and husband Jeremy Vuolo, after news of Josh’s arrest made headlines. ‘We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh. While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice.’ her message read. The little engine that was never suppose to start, "Who Is Gatsby Randolph" keeps going and picks up momentum "down-under" with a red carpet gala premiere of the documentary, movie opened in Australia in-theaters, Friday. Radio Active Films teamed with Caroline Russo Enterprises to acquire the theatrical rights to release "Who Is Gatsby Randolph" in Australia and New Zealand. Last week, a capacity house of nearly 200 attendees got the first big screen glimpse of the doc when it screened at the Dendy Portside Cinema Hamilton Brisbane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J96Kpq4-sQk Following the announcement of two federal probes into the Minneapolis and Louisville police departments, the mayor of Columbus, Ohio, announced he welcomed a similar inquiry following the shooting death of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. “This is not about one particular officer, policy, or incident; rather, this is about reforming the entire institution of policing in Columbus,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and City Attorney Zach Klein wrote in a letter addressed to the Department of Justice. “Simply put: We need to change the culture of the Columbus Division of Police.” In a letter to the DOJ, Ginther and Klein expressed the city needed oversight to combat the “fierce opposition” to reform in the police department. Whether it’s donning the creations of Black designers in her visual albums or launching a fund to provide grants for small Black-owned businesses, songstress Beyoncé has been dedicated to supporting Black entrepreneurs and amplifying their work. According to WSFA12, her latest effort is centered on empowering the next generation of Black jewelers. The Houston native joined forces with bespoke jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz for the creation of scholarships for aspiring gemologists to attend the Gemological Institute of America. The institute offers courses that cover the different facets of jewelry manufacturing and how to evaluate diamonds, pearls and stones. As part of the initiative, the students received $20,000 scholarships that will cover the costs of equipment, lab courses and other fees. Among the recipients were Alabama native Audriana Osborne, Kulla Jatani from Seattle and Shelton Bradford from California. Rapper Big Sean has been forthright about his bouts with depression and anxiety, and he is continuing to use his wellness journey to empower and inspire others who can identify with his experiences. According to the Detroit Free Press, the music artist, Sean Anderson, is launching a video series for Mental Health Awareness Month. The series—which will be featured across his Sean Anderson Foundation’s digital channels—will include candid conversations between him and his mother Myra Anderson about an array of wellness practices including sleeping methods, healthy eating habits, the power of shifting your mindset and meditation. The “Deep Reverence” rapper says he wanted to create a safe space where individuals can gain insight and tips to help cultivate a solid foundation for wellness. Songstress Ciara and her husband Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson have been fierce advocates for education. The couple’s latest initiative was centered on using financial literacy as an avenue to empower youth. According to The Seattle Times, the Wilsons recently surprised a group of Seattle-based middle school students with money management tips and a gift for them to start building a foundation for financial success. Through their nonprofit organization the Why Not You Foundation, the Wilsons teamed up with Goalsetter—a digital money management platform—and the NFL Players Association to virtually visit nearly 900 students at the Denny International Middle School. In observance of Financial Literacy Month, the two shared tips about the importance of saving and investing. They also made a $35,000 donation so every student in the public school could start a savings account with $40, that they won’t be able to manage until they’re 18. “It was definitely a testing year,” says Pastor Alvin Love III. As of January 2021, Love is the lead pastor of Nashville Life Church (NLC) in Nashville, Tenn. The church was co-founded by his parents, Alvin Love II and gospel legend CeCe Winans. Prior to assuming the role of lead pastor, Love served as executive pastor at the church. Many pastors and churches had a difficult time in 2020, a year notable for its political, social, and racial unrest. Complicating the challenges that Love faced is the fact that the racial makeup of his congregation is about half Black and half white. This is something NLC is proud of, said Love, but the events of the past year “really challenged the unity of our church.” In a February interview with ChurchLeaders, the pastor explained, “This is the first time that one of our greatest assets ended up becoming one of our greatest challenges.” Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis has died in her New York apartment, at age 89, according to her brother, Apollo. He wrote on Facebook on Saturday: “After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her [husband] Louis [Zorich].” Dukakis is best known for her work on Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias, and she won several awards, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe. She appeared on dozens of TV shows and films, and devoted 40 years of her life to theater, working on-stage at a theater business that she founded and later teaching drama classes at New York University. She once said, “I did not become an actor in order to become famous or rich. I became an actor so I could play the great parts.” Comedian-actor Leslie Jones will take the stage as host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards next month. The network announced Wednesday that Jones will host the awards, which will air live on May 16 from Los Angeles. The awards show celebrates the best moments in movies and television over the past year. Stokley Williams, known professionally as just “Stokley,” is raising eyebrows as a soloist. In January of 2021, Stokley released “Cascade,” which reached No. 1. The song is an up-tempo dance tune with deep lyrics about not letting a proven love get away after making a mistake one night with another woman. Stokely has masterfully revamped “Cascade” into a new “Lovers Quarrel Mix.” The unique mix is now a ballad. https://youtu.be/Wtuccru58Gg Minnesota’s Star Tribune reports, the Department of Justice (DOJ) had planned and was fully prepared to arrest Derek Chauvin on civil rights charges if he was found not guilty in the killing of George Floyd, or if the case had been ruled a mistrial. It’s reported that if Chauvin was not found guilty, the DOJ planned to have him arrested via a criminal complaint and would have pursued an indictment from a grand jury. Despite his guilty conviction, the DOJ is said to still be bringing charges against Chauvin, but will do so through a grand jury indictment. Over the years, routine traffic stops have produced some unexpected, life-altering results. Recent encounters with law enforcement recorded on cell phones and police officers’ body cams have become public and, in some cases, viral moments. Naji Mujahid Fenwick was accustomed to routine traffic stops. He was a petty criminal who had been arrested 25 times. But one particular stop changed his life. An encounter with a hot-headed cop didn’t sit well with Fenwick. So, he took drastic measures to assure he wouldn’t be on the wrong end of police interaction again. He enrolled in law school. The lifelong defendant then became a public defender and eventually a defense attorney. Sitting on the other side of the table, defending citizens in a position he knew well, Fenwick defined changing the narrative. https://youtu.be/Y5kzkRYyzYs Music exec/producer Irv Gotti is in the proverbial hot seat over his telling the world that DMX died from a “bad dose of crack” mixed with fentanyl. An official toxicology report has yet to be released to the public. Gotti, Irving Lorenzo Jr., told Chicago’s 107.5 WGCI’s morning show that the late rapper died from smoking fentanyl-laced crack cocaine. “They said it was a bad dose of crack, and they said some drug fentanyl was mixed in with the crack and that’s what made him overdose,” the 50-year-old told the show’s hosts. “Then when he got to the hospital, he got diagnosed with COVID and he couldn’t breathe — you know that COVID messes with your respiratory system — so that’s why he had to get hooked up to the ventilator.” Jinger Duggar has spoken out against brother Josh after the father-of-six was arrested this week and charged with receiving and possessing child pornography. Jinger, who goes by her married name Vuolo on social media, posted a statement on behalf of her and husband Jeremy Vuolo, after news of Josh’s arrest made headlines. ‘We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh. While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice.’ her message read. Former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., who left the school last year in the wake of multiple scandals, made an appearance at a gathering that included students over the weekend where he invited attendees to the “real Liberty graduation” at his own house next month. Religion News Service has obtained footage of the moment that matches a shorter video circulating on Twitter claiming to show Falwell’s invitation. In the videos, Falwell can be seen standing on an outdoor stage beneath handmade signs that include a cross, as a crowd attending what several people have identified as a comedy show look on. Holding a microphone, Falwell invites seniors to an event at “our farm” on May 8, saying, “We’re going to have the real Liberty graduation.” Echoing the words of Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Thursday night that any claim of “systemic racism” in America’s institutions is “a bunch of horse manure.” “Give me a break,” he said during an appearance on a Fox News town hall moderated by Laura Ingraham. “This country has had more opportunity for more people than any country in the history of the world, and it doesn’t matter where you trace your ancestry from.” “We’ve had people that have been able to succeed and all,” the governor continued. “Here’s the problem with things like critical race theory that they’re peddling: they’re basically saying all our institutions are bankrupt and they’re — they’re illegitimate. How do you have a society if everything in your society is illegitimate?” Keith Ellison, the Minnesota Attorney General is concerned, Minnesota’s guidelines for locking up criminals does not go far enough for the heinous crime that Derek Chauvin perpetrated on George Floyd. He describes what the ex-cop did to Floyd as “particular cruelty.” Ellison filed docs asking Peter A. Cahill to impose a stiffer sentence than he otherwise might under state sentencing guidelines, which recommend just 12.5 years. The reality is that Cahill has the authority to throw the book at Chauvin and could give him the max of 40 years. If Cahill does go along with the AG and give Chauvin more that n the 12.5 years recommended by the guidelines, he would have to find evidence of aggravating factors in the case. Ellison says, that’s not a problem. https://youtu.be/RGr6WOIkHyw The conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, in Minnesota, is a step in the right direction, but the murder of another unarmed, innocent Black man, also in Minnesota, 20-year-old Daunte Wright, due to an inexplicable mix up between a gun and a taser from the officer that killed him, is also garnering the media spotlight. A paradigm shift is in urgent need to be implemented, and traffic stops and law enforcement, particularly involving Black men and women are in urgent need of examination. Force and violence against men of color by law enforcement seems to have become the norm, woven into the fabric of US culture, and it appears that numbers bear that out. America has a policing problem. All over the country, men of color are being arrested and are in harm’s way, not from crime, not from criminals, but from law enforcement, the very entity that should protect and serve the public. Yes, there seemingly has been a resurgence in the murders of men of color by the police in recent years, but many would argue that these killings have always been a part of the paradigm of America’s makeup. A now-deleted Facebook post created by a volunteer fire chief has caused a major backlash after he told police to stop responding to black neighborhoods. Francis Butch Ghent made the following statement on Facebook a day after the shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He writes, “Dear Police, stop responding to these black neighborhoods. They will eventually kill each other and the fake news won’t have a story.” Ghent works as a volunteer fire chief at the McDonald Green Volunteer Fire Department Station 12 in Lancaster, South Carolina. After the backlash, Ghent recanted his statement and claimed he didn’t mean for it to be “racially insensitive” after Lancaster officials caught wind of the post. “I guess it was racially insensitive. I did not mean it that way, I sincerely apologize to the people of Lancaster.” An Irving, Texas wife and mother went missing after going out for her morning walk two days ago, today officials in the city have recovered a body. Beauty queen Lashun Massey, wearing a black hoodie and checkered pajama pants, was last seen near Lago de Claire — a small lake in the Las Colinas — on April 27. There has been no confirmation that the body found is Massey’s. At a late morning press conference Irving PD Public Information Officer Robert Reeves confirmed a body was found submerged in the water. https://cbsloc.al/3aRzPqG Weinstein was pictured on a virtual hearing on Friday morning in New York, during which Erie County Judge Kenneth Case indicated he would be sent to Los Angeles in 30 days – on May 30, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyMBFKzfaIU[/emed] Today (05-01-21) is the official launch of “ZeaZoo & Land Of Boo” and the reviews are already rolling. It’s a small world! ZeaZoo & Land Of Boo “An Urban Fairytale” the award-winning animation/motion picture screenplay has been transformed into an amazing graphic novel, ebook and paperback limited edition. This ground-breaking, family friendly, graphic novel, enters uncharted waters in the lucrative elusive children’s animation, comics and Fantasy book categories. Targeting boys and girls ages: 7 -17. Perfect for kids summer-time lounging and personal adventures. The scary television show “Them” is raising lots of eyebrows. Since the show’s premiere on April 9 (2021), the horror drama and terrifying anthology on Amazon Prime Video has created a stunning buzz. Set in 1953, “Them” is about a Black family that moves to an all-white neighborhood in Los Angeles in Jim Crow times. The Black family’s new home quickly mutates into a place for evil forces. There are also violent acts and racist experiences at the hands of White people that become nightmarish and threaten to destroy the Emory family. https://youtu.be/TFmiaKEFqdc Mourners have gathered at a church in Tampa, Florida to remember the late rapper and producer Shock G whose real name was Gregory Jacobs. He was 57. Hip hop fans of course knew Shock G/Jacobs as “Humpty Hump. ” He was found unresponsive at a Tampa hotel on Thursday, April 22. Authorities said an autopsy was being performed, and his cause of death was currently unknown. “He was an internationally known rapper, musician, actor, vocalist and was the creator of the hip hop group, Digital Underground,” Jacobs’ obituary says. “Gregory was a consummate giver of love to all, and he will be missed. The obituary did not mention the specifics of the service. COVID-19 restrictions and attendance limitations are expected to keep the event more private. The service was live-streamed by the church. On the heels of its monumental Academy Award win for best animated feature, Disney and Pixar’s SOUL kicks off new interview series from Disney+. As part of an ongoing commitment to amplify Black stories, culture and community beyond just the 28 days of February, Disney+ continues its #BlackHistoryAlways content with a new interview series Disney+ Voices in which Black creatives connect for an open conversation about their process and passions through the lens of the Black experience. https://youtu.be/mVKU766NKMY In the latest episode of Spotify’s “Jemele Hill is Unbothered,” Questlove joins Jemele to discuss his evolution from front man of The Roots to author, curator and podcaster. He shares the origin story behind The Roots’ legendary jam sessions, and why he decided to play the drums. He also shares his memorable first encounter with Prince, who became a close friend. Plus, Jemele gave her thoughts on the Derek Chauvin verdict. https://open.spotify.com/show/1SXD1U55jqbK9HHoPvdbsw?si=be212ecc10a84858 “They are all friends of mine,” said Contemporary Jazz saxophonist Dr. Marion Meadows about the featured artists on his latest solo project titled “Twice as Nice” (Shanachie), who include Grammy winning guitarist Paul Brown and keyboardists Jeff Lorber and Chris “Big Dog” Davis – to name a few. “Jeff Lorber, he and I have been exchanging ideas for many years…it was close at times…never really happened. It so happens to be one of the hottest tunes on the record. Paul Brown, I hadn’t worked with him, but had known of him. He has the bulk of the songs on the record. Chris ‘Big Dog’, we’ve done many songs. He’s like an electric car, you get in there and it goes. It’s a win win situation for me.” https://youtu.be/oT70O7wtuHU “Pose” executive producer Janet Mock reportedly served up a fiery speech at the season 3 premiere party on Thursday night, during which she slammed Hollywood snd admitted to cheating on her boyfriend. “F*ck Hollywood,” Mock began her 15-minute speech. “This makes you uncomfortable? It should. It should make you fucking shake in your motherfucking boots. This is speaking the truth. This is what Pose is. ”The event took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the room reportedly fell silent during Mock’s emotional rant. “Why am I making $40,000 an episode? Huh?” she said, Page Six reports. “I am angry!” Mock then slammed the male writers on “Pose” before calling on her boyfriend Angel Bismark Curiel to “stand up … right now!” “Let me tell you something about love,” Mock told the socially distanced audience. “Today, I was gonna let [Angel] go,” she said. “I was gonna let you go, right, but what did I do? I f–ked someone on the crew, right?” She continued, “Angel, Angel. I’m not losing you. You hear me? You are f–king important to me,” Mock said. “I don’t want to live in a house alone. I want you. You motherf–ker. Right there. That’s who I want. I’m getting what’s mine.” Mock then apologized to composer and series producer Our Lady J for treating her like crap to “make myself bigger.” “I f–ked up, y’all. I forgot who the f–k I was. They want me to come up here and pretend,” Mock said. “I don’t need Hollywood, honey. You know why? Cuz I’m f–king free.” Shane Bieber struck out 11, setting a major league record in the process and pitching the Cleveland Indians past the Chicago White Sox 5-3 on Friday night. Bieber (3-2) fanned at least eight in his 18th straight game, breaking a tie for the mark set by Hall of Famer Randy Johnson in 1999-2000. Bieber gave up three runs and seven hits, walking one in six innings. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has fanned 68 in six starts this year — he’s struck out at least 11 in five of those games. José Ramirez homered and drove in three runs for Cleveland. Urban One Founder and Chairwoman Cathy Hughes announced TV One will air a special episode of its hit autobiographical series UNCENSORED featuring the late rapper DMX. Hughes made the exclusive announcement on the URBAN ONE HONORS: Virtual Press Conference on Wednesday, April 28. The special is slated to air on Sunday, May 16 at 8 p.m. ET/7C, immediately followed by the annual URBAN ONE HONORS hosted by Erica Campbell and Roland Martin at 9 p.m. ET/8C. It will feature an interview with DMX just three weeks before his passing and is confirmed to be his final and most transparent to date. This week, the Smollett sibling duo return to CLEO TV for the second season of LIVING BY DESIGN WITH JAKE AND JAZZ on Saturday, May 1, at 9 p.m. ET/8C. As they perform revitalize homes, they also celebrate their trendy renovations with delectable recipes from the Smollett family. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YudXSaGELM CLEO TV's season finale of CLEO SPEAKS airing Sunday, May 3 at 9 P.M./8C. The groundbreaking and candid series showcases some of the most powerful and influential women of color in the country to tell their story and speak their truth in an intimate setting. In this episode, CLEO SPEAKS highlights Jasmyne Cannick and her unique entry into the political realm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SzA7q4yeXY JOIN CHEF SUNNY ANDERSON AS SHE SPICES UP THE NIGHT WITH FUN TEX-MEX RECIPES ON COOKING FOR REAL WITH SUNNY ANDERSON, AIRING MONDAYS AT 9 P.M. ET/8C Ann Golden drops "You" In the Gospel Spotlight....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HojVBZSc_GE Today, two-time GRAMMY® nominated inspirational artist, Koryn Hawthorne, released a heart-rending EP, The Worship Project, featuring six worship ballads, including “How Great” and “Know You” (featuring Steffany Gretzinger) from her #1 album I Am. In addition to the six tracks, a bonus video “How Great (Essential Worship Song Session)” is available for Apple A/V bundle subscribers. https://korynhawthornemusic.lnk.to/TheWorshipEP!W&W JudahBand returns with a new single "I Will Praise". It's Judah Band's interpretation of praise and worship. With it's catchy chorus "I Will Praise" offers an opportunity to experience the many talents of Randy Weston and Judah Band. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/43j1t90ejv87jys/AAC4fDkLXO9h3pzz7p7zenYba?dl=0 All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series UNCENSORED continue this Sunday, May 2. The hit series UNCENSORED continues with Lisa Leslie at 10 p.m. ET/9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynq1uD7VguE Epic Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, today has released the second wave of expanded digital editions of essential titles in The Jacksons catalog: Triumph (1980), Victory (1984), and 2300 Jackson Street (1989). In addition to The Jacksons X MLK remix released on March 19, the Triumph re-release includes two additional new remixes of The Jacksons’ “Can You Feel It”: The Kirk Franklin Remix and The Island Remix featuring David Sanborn. https://youtu.be/zFwiwLO0zhg ”Bulletproof” and “Doctor Who” star Noel Clarke has been suspended by BAFTA and Sky after 20 women came forward with accusations of sexual misconduct and bullying. According to The Guardian, Clark has a slew of actresses, producers and other entertainment professionals taking aim at him with claims of unwanted sexual touching and harassment, sending unwanted sexual content, and bullying on set, Complex reported. He has reportedly denied all accusations. https://youtu.be/U76ROYHmLFo A former Georgia sheriff’s deputy arrested on multiple gun charges boasted in private texts that he would charge Black people with felonies to prevent them from voting, and once boasted that his beating of a Black man was “sweet stress relief.” “The ex-Wilkinson County deputy, Cody Richard Griggers, of Montrose, was fired last November after the FBI contacted the sheriff there about an investigation into illegal guns and their alleged ties to a California man said to have made violent political statements on Facebook,” reported the Belleville News-Democrat. The former Marine, “pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Macon to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm, a crime the authorities discovered in their probe, which began last summer. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in July.” https://youtu.be/DlJLykHjvqw Over 400 former ‘Jeopardy!’ contestants are requesting an apology after a recent winner allegedly flashed a white supremacist hand gesture during the players’ introduction. The group penned an open letter published to Medium on Wednesday condemning contestant Kelly Donohue for throwing up an upsidedown “OK” sign on the game show. The symbol is an alleged white power salute, and viewers have taken to social media to call out the show’s producers for not catching it in the moment and editing it out before the show aired. https://youtu.be/9ET15AOp-6Q Five suspects have been arrested in the shooting and robbery of Lady Gaga’s dogwalker in Los Angeles. The attack happened in February. Lady Gaga’s two French bulldogs Koji and Gustav, were stolen and luckily both were recovered unharmed days later. The singer offered a reward of $500,000 to anyone who found her two beloved pets — no questions asked. A woman believed to be a Good Samaritan reportedly found dogs tied to a pole miles from where they were snatched, Los Angeles police told AP. https://youtu.be/mxZTojdsEgk Gayle King has announced that she’s going to be a grandmother! Speaking with Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show Wednesday, King dished about her daughter Kirby Bumpus’ wedding to husband Virgil Miller before revealing that Kirby is pregnant. https://youtu.be/BldB15ayvzQ A Las Vegas news anchor was arrested last month after being found naked and passed out in her car. Feven Kiflegiorgis, a Fox 5 Las Vegas reporter told cops she does not remember how she got to the location where police found her nude and asleep behind the wheel of her Audi March 20, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Officers noted that Kiflegiorgis reeked of alcohol but she declined to submit to blood testing. https://youtu.be/lDvyb-_EFiY Josh Duggar has been arrested and is being held without bond in an Arkansas jail. The former 19 Kids and Counting star was arrested by Homeland Security on Thursday, a representative for the U.S. Marshals Service confirms to PEOPLE. Online jail records do not indicate what charges he was arrested on when he was booked. Representatives for Josh and for TLC did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment. Macy Gray has been inspired to co-design a line of sneakers aimed to raise awareness about police brutality. Women’s Wear Daily reports, through the nonprofit My Good, the Grammy winner has joined forces with French footwear brand Twins for Peace to introduce the limited-edition collection, and proceeds will go toward helping victims of police violence. ”Police shootings — as much as we talk about them — some people don’t really care. And that’s the reality. Through the connection with Twins for Peace and through other efforts that My Good is setting up, the group is trying to engage more people,” Gray said in an interview with WWD.“…just liking our shoes, whether they care or not, helps a family. They just help someone heal. That’s why we have partnered with Nana.” Vanessa Bryant is continuing to honor the memory of her late daughter, Gianna. On Friday, Kobe Bryant’s widow announced that she will launch a Mambacita clothing line on May 1, which would have been Gianna’s 15th birthday. Bryant, 38, and daughters Natalia, 18, Bianka, 4, and Capri, 21 months, modeled the collection’s tie-dye sweatsuits on Instagram; along with Gianna’s nickname (a play on Kobe’s moniker), the pieces are adorned with her jersey number inside of a heart, along with a small winged star. A 19-year-old girl who thought she had just aged out of the adoption system has a family to call her own, thanks to her caseworker, who is taking on the role of a mom. https://youtu.be/ge5Z4XWbbLQ Rapper T.I. caught a bit of heat this week after he hit up social media to shout out his “white, NON RACIST friends,” thanking them for their support during the rising social unrest in the country. “To my white, NON RACIST friends, I love y’all !” so he wrote on the image that he posted on his page. “Don’t get it twisted. Me loving and protecting my race does not mean I hate or fault you. We know exactly who our enemies are, they’re no longer hiding it. Thank you for standing with us.” Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first woman of color to hold that office. Now she’s about to be the first vice president to be honored by Madame Tussauds wax museum in New York City. The museum traditionally creates a wax figure for presidents but decided to give Harris “an honor that has never-before been extended to a vice president,” according to a news release. https://twitter.com/i/status/1387466297450041359 Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 50 points to go along with 11 assists Thursday night, becoming the youngest player ever to log a 50-point double-double with assists. The performance helped the Houston Rockets snap a five-game losing streak, as they beat the Milwaukee Bucks 143-136. Porter, 20, beat his previous career best of 30 points in the second half alone, scoring 32 with 17 in the fourth quarter. He also joined LeBron James, Brandon Jennings and Devin Booker as the only players to score 50 points in a game before turning 21. Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers is so disgruntled with the Green Bay Packers that he has told some within the organization that he does not want to return to the team, league and team sources told ESPN on Thursday. The Packers are aware of his feelings, concerned about them and have had team president Mark Murphy, general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur each fly out on separate trips to meet with Rodgers at various points this offseason, sources told ESPN. RCA Inspiration celebrates seven nominations across the Gospel categories for the upcoming 2021 Billboard Music Awards. Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Koryn Hawthorne, Kierra Sheard and Mali Music. Separately, Kirk Franklin is a finalist in Top Christian Song as a featured performer on the For King & Country song “Together” ft. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly. Finalists and winners are selected via key fan music interactions, including album and digital song digital sales, streaming, radio airplay, and social engagement tracked by Billboard and its data partners, from the chart period spanning March 21, 2020 to April 3, 2021. Tune in to see the winners announced on the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, airing live from Los Angeles on Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on NBC. Congratulations to H.E.R. and Tauren Wells on this beautiful song that keeps us grounded. The duo hit Access Hollywood last night and will premiere a new video exclusively on BET Gospel, BET Soul, and BET Her beginning today at 6am ET. If you miss it, head over to YouTube/Vevo later today. https://www.instagram.com/p/COQgk55JAGG/ LaTocha is an award-winning R&B singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. She is best known as the vocal spotlight of the multi-platinum selling R&B group Xscape who rose to popularity in the 1990s. Xscape exploded onto the music scene and emerged as one of the most prolific female R&B groups of all time. LaTocha drops "Full Time Love." https://themasteringpalace.app.box.com/s/63y8yktreq8hnllyz0x0y18hgnwd5jfe Silence the Shame, Inc. (STS), a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and educating communities on mental health and wellness, will present their inaugural “A Brilliant Mind Gala,” to be held virtually on Silence the Shame Day, May 5, 2021, at 8pm EST. Hosted by Atlanta radio personality and culture curator Kenny Burns, the virtual gala and fundraiser will honor nationally syndicated radio host Charlamagne tha God, award-winning DJ D-Nice, psychologist & licensed professional counselor Dr. Spirit, and Grammy Award-winning singer Michelle Williams who are being recognized for making a difference in mental health and wellness. The event also features special appearances by Atlanta’s Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Georgia Senator Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, Common, Lecrae, singer/actress Keri Hilson, Ronnie DeVoe, and clothing designer Kenneth Cole. A highlight of the gala is a special performance from soul music icon, Anthony Hamilton, and a special 15-minute Club Quarantine set by DJ D-Nice. In recognition and celebration of Black Music Month Central City Productions will present the 2021 Black Music Honors in commemoration of Juneteenth which is officially celebrated on June 19th. The evening of celebrations and special moments will be pre-taped at the City Winery in Nashville, Tennessee, and televised in syndication starting June 5 to July 4, 2021 and on Saturday, June 19 at 1:00 p.m. EST on Bounce TV. Loni Love will host. The honorees includes Angie Stone tapped to receive the Soul Music Icon Award, Ginuwine will receive the Urban Music Icon Award, Marvin Sapp will receive the Gospel Music Icon Award and Ramsey Lewis will receive the Legends Award. The National Museum of African American Music will be honored with the Legacy Award. On June 6, Café Mocha Radio will stream their 2021 Salute THEM Awards show. The ceremony will honor individuals selected by Café Mocha in the areas of music, television, film, fashion and dance. The honorees are Sly Stone, June Ambrose, Jamal Josef, Earth, Wind & Fire, Bille Woodruff, Dr. Bobby Jones, Patrice Rushen, Ludacris and Darlene Love. The Salute THEM Awards will be co-hosted by Yo-Yo, Café Mocha Radio host and Grammy-nominated rapper, and Broadway actor Saint Aubyn (Ain't Too Proud). It will stream from the new National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville, taking attendees on a historical journey of Black music curated by the museum. During an appearance on “Extra” Thursday, Glenn Close recalled her viral moment at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony when she was asked about her knowledge of EU’s “Da Butt,” then gave the audience a little taste of the dance. “Extra’s” Jenn Lahmers brought up the reaction of Spike Lee, whose film “School Daze” featured “Da Butt” song and dance. Close said the filmmaker called her up and told her: “I have a lifelong sister card now, which is probably better than an Oscar.” https://youtu.be/j_YLXukCq-0 On May 9, Janus Adams launches the Mother’s Day gift that keeps on giving: The SISTER DAYS MOTHER/DAUGHTER* BOOK CLUB — a timely, life-affirming, leadership-building, intergenerational conversation-starter rooted in her book Sister Days: 365 Inspired Moments in African American Women’s History. “What’s the best advice your mother ever gave you? Your sister? Sisterfriend? Now imagine centuries of foremothers, their sisters, and sisterfriends enfolding you in their love, time-tested strategies, and wisdom. That’s what this is about,” says Janus Adams. It’s an idea born of needs expressed by Adams’ podcast listeners and readers of her work. Minnesotans from all walks of life were interviewed by a YouTube journalist during protests before and celebrations after the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd. https://youtu.be/GGWNX1GNzJo Michael B. Jordan weighed in Thursday on the Oscar snub felt around the world. “There’s no win that’s gonna have any impact on that legacy,” the “Without Remorse” star said on “The View” Thursday regarding his “Black Panther” co-star Chadwick Boseman, whose performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” lost in the best actor category Sunday to Sir Anthony Hopkins of “The Father.” https://youtu.be/u-A9HDAcypA Actors Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish open up about making movies, dementia, and a bat mitzvah in an interview with Tracy Smith for CBS SUNDAY MORNING to be broadcast May 2 (9:00 AM ET) on the CBS Television Network. Smith caught up with Crystal and Tiffany Haddish to talk about their new film “Here Today,” which is co-written, directed and produced by Crystal. In the film, Crystal plays an aging comedy writer in the early stages of dementia who meets a young street singer played by Haddish when she wins a lunch with him in a charity raffle. The film will open only in theaters on May 7, which to Crystal is essential. https://youtu.be/msamXa8bNMw “Wrath of Man” is the new United Artists action thriller starring Jason Statham, Scott Eastwood, Las Alonso, and rapper Post Malone. The film re-teams Statham with Guy Ritchie. The director who started off Stratham’s acting career by casting him in his first role, the 1998 movie “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” https://youtu.be/EFYEni2gsK0 Ty Dolla $ign is back with a music video for his bouncy women’s freedom anthem “By Yourself” featuring Jhené Aiko, Bryson Tiller, Mustard, and starring comedian Tiffany Haddish. https://youtu.be/LFNhwwfrKn4 Over four months after his passing, Tommy “Tiny” Lister‘s cause of death has been revealed. Lister died in December 2020 at the age of 62, and at the time, he was reportedly battling coronavirus symptoms. The L.A. County Medical Examiner, per TMZ, concluded that the star of “Friday” died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Lister also tested positive for COVID-19, but heart disease was the cause of death, according to the report. T-Pain posted a hilarious video showing that he just found out his Instagram account has a requests folder for direct messages. When he opened it for the first time, he had two years’ worth of unread messages from a slew of celebrities and influencers. “I swear!! I’m just now seeing all these messages and mentions TODAY!!!!” he captioned a video of him scrolling through the messages. “How do I super apologize? Press conference? Town hall meeting? I’m dumb.” T-Pain shows messages from Pia Mia, Diplo, Kway, Nate Robinson, Tyler Cameron, YBN Nahmir, Viola Davis, Keri Hilson, Fergie and dozens of others. “I’ve been accidentally straight up ignoring all these people for like 2 years. I thought DM’s are supposed to just show up in the normal folder and you don’t have to go digging for all these,” T-Pain captioned the video of him showing all the messages piled up in his IG inbox. “Yup……. I’m stupid,” he admitted. https://www.instagram.com/p/COO3xFfBFzv/?utm_source=ig_embed What does “Está Rico,” by Marc Anthony, Will Smith and Bad Bunny have in common with “Made For Now,” from Janet Jackson and Daddy Yankee? Both songs used Afrobeats without truly giving the genre its credit. Directed and produced by Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi, Bakosó: Afrobeats of Cuba seeks to explore the growing influence of the modern sounds emerging from Africa as it introduces audiences to “bakosó,” a new musical genre from Cuba that is rooted in Afro-Cuban music as well as contemporary sounds from the African continent including Nigeria’s Afrobeats and Angola’s kuduro music. https://youtu.be/mQJ0iTauFhk Seattle rapper Lil Mosey, born Lathan Moses Echols, 19, was recently hit with a second-degree rape charge in Washington State, and now he’s pleading not guilty. Last week, the rapper was charged in an alleged incident that happened on January 6, 2020 in Randle. It was reported that Mosey and another man, a co-defendant identified as 19-year-old Francisco Prater of Silver Creek, sexually assaulted a woman who met up with them. The woman alleges on a car ride to their final destination, Mosey exposed himself and she consented to sex. However, during their ride, she says she blacked out and later woke up to the rapper and Prater forcibly having sex with her. While Prater has yet to appear in court, with an active $50,000 warrant out for his arrest, Mosey appeared in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday (Apr. 27) where he plead not guilty. A judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Michael Jackson’s companies, saying they had no legal obligation to protect boys from sexual abuse. A Los Angeles judge ruled on Monday that Wade Robson, who is featured in the 2019 HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland,” cannot sue Jackson’s businesses, MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, over the childhood sexual abuse he allegedly suffered at the hands of the singer for seven years. https://youtu.be/zLhX5ETjs1g As a 20-year physical therapist in Washington, D.C., Dr. Jason Henderson has worked with many disabled people. But there is another reason why shaking Henderson’s hand feels like squeezing a brick. In a Southeast Washington church, twice a week, Henderson becomes the Sensei for a group of young men. There, he uses martial arts to help them cope with autism. “Love reaches out. My love reaches out!” sang Henderson during a recent demonstration he held with some of his students. “I play that song because it is featured in my new film about how martial arts can benefit kids with autism. And how important it is for me, as the CEO of a health-care company, to give back to the community.” https://youtu.be/L7z_ZeDyCqY Acclaimed filmmaker and video game creative/artistic director Matty Rich teams up with CLU (The Center for Learning Unlimited) for the pilot educational project Writing and Developing Video Games. Rich serves as creator and lead instructor of the new endeavor. Course participants are neurodiverse adults enrolled in CLU’s 3-year animation career training program. Metro Detroiters who were corralled for a news story reacted in disbelief when shown viral video footage of people joy riding on the roof of an SUV on a local freeway. The woman who took the video said she saw the vehicle heading westbound on I-96 near I-94 after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday and started recording. Two people can be seen riding on the roof while two other people were hanging out of side windows. The SUV then exited I-96 onto I-94. The witness, who did not call police, said that the vehicle she was riding in was traveling about 60 mph trying to catch up with the SUV, showing how fast it was going while people clung to the roof. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/video-captures-2-riding-on-roof-of-suv-on-i-96-in-detroit-while-others-hang-out-of-windows Brandon Mitchell, one of the jurors in the murder trial against Derek Chauvin is speaking out about the deliberations that led to the three guilty verdicts against the former Minneapolis police officer. Chauvin, a white man, was found guilty on all counts of murdering George Floyd, a Black man, in Minneapolis on May 25 2020 by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes until he died. In video footage of the incident, Floyd can be heard repeating, “I can’t breathe. https://youtu.be/MpqqvBklNG4 Facebook posts by the judge who blocked the public release of bodycam video footage from Andrew Brown Jr.‘s police killing last week suggest he harbors pro-police bias. A review of activity on the social network by North Carolina Superior Court Judge Jeffery Foster shows that he once even had some kind words about George Zimmerman, the vigilante killer of an unarmed Black teenager in Florida. The years-old posts may provide a glimpse into the mind of a man who was adamant about only having Brown’s family and their attorneys see the bodycam footage — a move that in the short term seems to provide protection and cover for the police department at the center of the shooting. Ahmaud Arbery‘s family became one of the families who belong to the legions of Black community members who lost a loved one to police. Last year, prior to saying the names of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery’s death at the hands of three white men in a Georgia suburb reinvigorated the Black Lives Matter movement and calls for justice. It was not a place that any Black family seeks to earn, but is a painful reality of the Black plight in America. On Wednesday the family received news that the three men accused of murdering their son, Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan, would also face federal hate crime charges. “They did the investigation properly and they came out with those indictments. So, my family and I were pleased,” said Ahmaud’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones in an interview with CNN. She said the move signals their family is “one step closer to justice.” “Today is yet another step in the right direction as we seek justice for Ahmaud Arbery and his grieving family by holding those responsible for his death accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” family attorney Ben Crump said in a statement. The chickens might be coming home to roost for embattled Trump crony Rudy Giuliani sooner than expected. Over the last six months alone the proof remains in the pudding. Wednesday federal investigators executed search warrants at the New York City home and office of Trump’s personal lawyer in connection to an ongoing probe into Giuliani’s involvement in Ukraine. The search reportedly took place around 6 a.m. where federal agents seized his electronic devices. While Giuliani has not released a statement his lawyer Robert J. Costello told The New York Times he felt the search went to far because his client had agreed to speak with prosecutors regarding the probe. His only restriction were questions regarding his client privileged conversations with Trump. President Joe Biden is reportedly planning to ban menthol cigarettes in an effort to save Black Americans from the tobacco industry, but the ACLU says the move could have major “racial justice implications.” SandraRose, reports a recent study showed that 85% of Black people smoke menthol cigarettes compared to 29% of white people. “A menthol cigarette ban would disproportionately impact communities of color, result in criminalization of the market, and exacerbate mass incarceration,” the ACLU wrote in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. A local successful Charlotte Black business is claiming discrimination by a local Wells Fargo Branch in the Tega Clay area near Fort Mill, South Carolina just months after the national bank settled similar race-related discrimination charges. Santone and Tara Allen own the Southeastern Services of the Carolinas, L.L.C. business in the Queen city. They claim that representatives of the bank repeatedly harassed them for hours in denying their right to take money from a bank account. This news comes on the heels of Wells Fargo settling several multi-million dollar claims of discrimination by customers, employees, financial advisors and others. “We were repeatedly told at the branch that we did not have the right to take money we earned from our own account,” said Santone Allen, who says of his experience with the specific branch located near Tega Cay. “I then sat for hours in a branch waiting for someone to explain the problem and still do not have answers.” “Then when a white person went in the branch with the very same request, they allowed him to get the funds out in minutes,” Mr. Allen added. A white Virginia woman has been fired from her job at the Chesterfield Food Bank after she was caught on camera telling her Black neighbor that she’s “not the right color.” The neighbor has been identified by the Daily Mail as Laquetta Good. In footage of the incident, Good is seen standing on her porch in Colonial Heights as the racist white woman — who was wearing a nametag with “Hilary” written on it, confronted her. “You are not the right color, honey,” the white woman yells. When Good asks “I’m a n****r?,” the white woman can be heard yelling back “Yes, you are.” https://youtu.be/bRFdrmhsrKc Lil Kim has announced that she’s dropping a “candid” memoir later this year titled “The Queen Bee,” with Kathy Iandoli, via Hachette Books. “I’m excited to finally get to tell my story after all this time,” Lil’ Kim tells PEOPLE. “Many people have thought they knew the story of Lil’ Kim, but they have no idea.” According to the report, The Queen Bee will chronicle Lil’ Kim’s nearly 30-year career in the hip-hop game — and the obstacles she had to overcome — including her stint in prison. https://twitter.com/i/status/13874503690017546 Naomi Osaka has taken to social media to model her new signature swimwear line. The 23-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion shared images of her collaboration with Frankies Bikini, adding the caption of her Instagram post: “Happy to say that I’ve been working on a collection with @frankiesbikinis and it’s coming out soon #NaomiXFrankies.” Wendy Williams and Joseline Hernandez had a tense on-air exchange Wednesday over how the talk show host treats women of color. Williams kicked things off with a compliment that Hernandez deemed shady. “For some reason, I wouldn’t recognize you if I saw you — you look different every time I see you — in a good way,” Wendy said, but Joseleine wasn’t haven’t it, TooFab reports. Miss Wendy I just must say this to you first — I hope you’re going to give me my flowers today,” Joseline said. “I hope you’re going to honor how much work I put out there. I hope you’re going to, you know, not kind of throw this off outside of everything that I’ve done. I’m an accomplished woman. And I just feel like every time I come to your show, you don’t give me those flowers. And Wendy — you’re 35 years, my senior, I should get those flowers.” The same studio that brought you much-loved animated features like Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Cars, is now casting for its first transgender character. Screenrant reports Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, put out a casting notice in March on Twitter. The notice said Pixar was conducting a casting search for a youth voice-over role for an upcoming animated project. “The character, Jess, is a 14-year-old transgender girl,” the notice read. “She’s compassionate, funny, and always has your back.” The announcement was confirmed by a San Francisco transgender group which spoke with the casting director. The unnamed animated project will be the first to feature a transgender character. Police bodycam video surfaced on Tuesday showing Houston Rockets guard Sterling Brown bloodied in the aftermath of the attack that took place outside a Miami strip club. In the footage obtained by TMZ, Brown is seen standing next to teammate Kevin Porter Jr. and holding his shirt over his bloodied face while being questioned by police over the assault. According to The Athletic, the attack occurred on April 19 when Brown accidentally entered the wrong sprinter van after leaving the Booby Trap on the River strip club, and the occupants hit him over the head with a bottle. Porter Jr. was also “roughed up” during the fracas when he intervened to defend Brown. https://www.tmz.com/videos/2021-04-28-042821-sterling-brown-bodycam-1074188/ The 67-year-old media mogul had detailed the trauma of her upbringing in her new book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. She spent the first six years of her life in rural Mississippi with her grandma, Hattie Mae, who regularly beat her for the ‘slightest reasons.’ Once, it was so bad that ‘one of the welts from my back opened up and bloodied the dress’ she was wearing. The mogul said the beatings, and how she’d have to smile after, turned her into a ‘people pleaser’ who had trouble setting boundaries well into adulthood. When she moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother at age six, the boarding house owner refused to let her sleep in the house, and her mother didn’t argue. Oprah said she ‘rarely felt loved’ growing up and called her mother, Vernita Lee, ‘cold’ and ‘distant.’ Previously, the star has discussed that she was raped and abused by family friends and gave birth to a baby at 14 who died a week later. Teddy Bridgewater is on the move again. The Carolina Panthers traded the quarterback to the Denver Broncos on Wednesday for a sixth-round pick, Bridgewater’s agent, Kennard McGuire, confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. It will mark Bridgewater’s fifth NFL stop since he was drafted out of Louisville by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 with the 32nd pick of the first round. Bridgewater, 28, made a remarkable comeback after suffering a career-threatening knee injury in 2016. He went undefeated in five starts with the New Orleans Saints in 2019 while subbing for an injured Drew Brees, which led to a free agent move to Carolina in 2020. An exclusive clip from the premiere of the upcoming ALLBLK series “Notorious Queens,” which centers on a group of women in LA who became infamous due to their former flames. https://youtu.be/TL7tnrC0pl4 This man went from being caught slipping to caught sleeping in a span of two months. Senator Ted Cruz, who abandoned his state and fled to Cancun during a severe snowstorm in February that knocked out a power grid, was caught on camera in a dope nod during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech Wednesday night. The Texas Republican appeared to be fast asleep when the camera cut to him. He opened his eyes to half mast, then nodded off again before the camera finally cut away. Sen. Tim Scott said Wednesday night that America is no longer “a racist country.” “Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country. It’s backwards to fight discrimination with different discrimination. And it’s wrong to try to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present,” the Senate’s lone Black Republican declared during his party’s official response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in the House of Representatives. “Original sin is never the end of the story. Not in our souls and not for our nation. The real story is always redemption,” Scott continued. https://youtu.be/GCqbzQYIBQI The Alameda Police Department released body camera footage showing officers kneeling on 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez for more than five minutes before he lost consciousness and later died, a death his family says mirrors what happened to George Floyd. https://youtu.be/ksgyG1TMcdE ESPN’s iconic sports commentator Stephen A. Smith chopped it up with radio and TV personality Jazmyn Summers for the new EURweb Spotlight video interview show about his innovative new series “Stephen A.’s World” on ESPN+ “I get to step away from the debate format bring levity and different characters, celebrating the people I bring on. The biggest thing for me is I’m not just a host but executive producer. This is me venturing into a different realm,” says Stephen A. The show airs four times a week and dives into pop culture, social injustice and sports with guests ranging from Jamie Foxx and Ice Cube to CNN’s Don Lemon and comedians Desus and Mero. https://player.vimeo.com/video/541695522 The Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center, announced today the launch of its new program “Careers in Hollywood Panel Series.” Designed to demystify the process of pursuing a career in entertainment as well as to spotlight Black executives in entertainment, this new program takes place online at www.bherc.org and launches Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 12:00 Noon (PST). Offered free to the public, attendees must register at www.bherc.org as space is limited. A&E’s podcast, THE TABLE IS OURS drops new episodes every Wednesday (Apple Spotify Stitcher) to explore Black identity, vulnerability and achievement through in-depth, meaningful conversations with influential voices in the Black community. This week’s episode features a conversation with the original Hot Girl, Jackée Harry! Thought you may like to share some highlights with your audience. She discusses topics like: career longevity, being type-cast, her lesson from Maya Angelou, embracing social media and so much more! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jack%C3%A9e-harry-the-original-hot-girl/id1551426618?i=1000518982187? A Washington D.C. pastor is facing 20 years in prison after he allegedly used the Paycheck Protection Loan to make fraudulent purchases which included 39 cars. he U.S. Justice Department wrote in a press release stating 45-year-old Pastor Rudolf Brooks Jr. was arrested in early April after he allegedly used the PPP loan to make luxury purchases. The release says he received $1.5 million from the program and he also stashed away $2.2 million in various bank accounts. Officers said he purchased multiple luxury vehicles which included a 2018 Tesla Model 3, a 2014 GMC Yukon XL, two 2017 Infiniti Q50s, a 2005 Bentley Continental, and others as reported by The Christian Post. Brooks is the owner of a car dealership under the name Cars Direct By Gavawn HWD Bob’s Motors and was listed on Oct. 2010 by the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation. “I really want to sing,” said 10 year-old singer/songwriter London (Babineaux) about her artistic abilities that also include rapping and dancing. London just released her debut single “Yeah, That’s Me” and as with most of the R&B singers of today she has that Hip-Hop flavor. In the music video for the single you can see that London also has “tons” of personality. “I’m an R&B singer. I started singing when I was six years-old.” https://youtu.be/4c_KZRFoLq8 WATCH AN ALL-NEW ADVENTURE DRAMA THE WATER MAN IN THEATERS ON FRIDAY, MAY 7. A FILM BY DAVID OYELOWO STARRING DAVID OYELOWO, ROSARIO DAWSON, LONNIE CHAVIS, AMIAH MILLER, ALFRED MOLINA, & MARIA BELLO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu8IcplAr4M Rich Nation Entertainment celebrates its premiere worship leader signee, Nia Allen, claiming #1 on Billboard’s National Gospel Airplay Chart with her debut single, “Wait;” additionally, “Wait” has reached top 50 on Billboard’s Urban AC Chart. “Wait” is lifted from Nia Allen’s six-track EP, Every Nation, is available now at all major digital retailers. EP track, “Wait,” is a simple song of worship reminding all to wait on God during the current political time of social unrest and know that God is with us and will implement change. In only 21-weeks as an independent artist Nia Allen’s “Wait” (co-written with her father, Milton Ruffin) reached #1 status, giving her reason to be declared a top artist of 2021. "It's a song I've had to live out. I am currently single and waiting patiently for my husband to find me. I'm also still waiting on the full manifestation of certain things that I believe God has spoken to my heart,” shares Nia Allen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FHb25BzHBs&feature=youtu.be Lauren London is speaking out about her decision to return to work months after the death of Nipsey Hussle, the father of her 4-year-old son Kross Ermias. he rapper, real name Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was age 33 when he was fatally shot on March 31, 2019, outside of his clothing store in Los Angeles. London’s acting career was put on hold following the death of her longtime partner. But when Michael B. Jordan reached out months later and asked if she wanted to play his wife in the upcoming Amazon Prime Video actioner, “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse,” Lauren decided she was ready to get back to it for the sake of her kids. Video of Steve Harvey explaining in 2010 why it’s impossible for him to have female friends is going viral after it was posted on TikTok. https://youtu.be/cuzrWMjdEhU California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), the Dymally Institute and its festival partner, Rainbow Promotions, are pleased to host an evening of jazz and art, April 30 at 7pm Pacific / 10pm Eastern with a live streamed jazz performance, featuring South African jazz guitarist, Jonathan Butler, saxophonist Michael Lington (with special guest vocalist, Howard Hewett) and the Darryl Williams jazz ensemble. You are in for a SPECIAL treat. This concert is being streamed FREE to the public on www.Concerts.Cafe/Live/ as well as on Facebook and Instagram social media platforms at @ConcertsCafeLive. Emerging artist Reggie Boone is getting lots of attention for his new social conscious jam “No More.” He was inspired by the song after he sat in his living room watching the news about George Floyd, another black man, a human being’s life being taken and it scared people. Boone, who was discovered by Steve Harvey, says he writes lyrics to promote the message of equality, ending police brutality and the power behind genuinely getting to know each other beyond our skin color. https://www.facebook.com/michaelbaisdenlive/videos/313311076646905/?t=10 Streaming tickets are now on sale at https://2020summerfest.frontgatetickets.com/ for God’s House of Hip Hop 20/20 Summer Fest happening Friday, September 17, and Saturday, September 18, at the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. In-person tickets will go on sale Friday, April 30. During a virtual press conference, Emcee N.I.C.E. and three of the headliners, Angie Rose, Bizzle and Canton Jones, explained what attendees can expect from their shows. Capitol Christian Music Group recording artist Angie Rose says her set will showcase a variety of styles. In John 14 verses 12 to 14, a resurrected Jesus spoke with his disciples encouraging them whoever believes in Him would do the works He has done and even greater; that whatever a person asks He will do it according to His name. “The Girl Who Believes in Miracles” exemplifies this particular teaching of Christ as the premise for the movie, the faith-based film managed a remarkable theatrical release in the face of our nation grappling with a pandemic. The film stars Mira Sorvino, Austyn Johnson, Paul-Mikél Williams, Kevin Sorbo and Peter Coyote. https://youtu.be/aH6b6P18D34 Nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Bakari Sellers, Harry Daniels, and Chantel Cherry-Lassiter released the following statement in response to the announcement of an FBI investigation, as well as leaked video of the police approaching the home of Andrew Brown Jr. https://youtu.be/9NIQQPQHbvs Fox News is attempting to assassinate Brown’s character in death. Fox News reported that the warrant said an informant allegedly bought illegal drugs from Brown for more than a year. Brown has “a criminal rap sheet over 180 pages long and dating back to May 1988,” Fox News wrote. But, of course, whether true or not, that information is irrelevant and certainly did not pose or create a threat to the lives of the officers who shot at a man who was reportedly only holding a steering wheel at the time he was killed. Not to mention, there were no reports of drugs — or guns — being found in Brown’s car, making Fox News’ report the very definition of irrelevant. In fact, if there was anything illegal being done by Brown or on his person or in his car, the Fox News article would have prominently mentioned it. So would the cops. But in a telling sign nearly a week after the shooting, that has not happened. Never mind the fact that fleeing from law enforcement is not a legal justification for using lethal a nonviolent suspect. Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger appealed her 2019 conviction in the murder of Botham Jean on Tuesday. Local news reported that her defense team planned to argue that the convicted murderer who shot and killed the 26-year-old unarmed Black man inside his own apartment should have been charged with criminally negligent homicide. Guyger’s attorneys filed a notice to file an appeal shortly after her conviction. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Guyger could be released from prison if the appeal is decided in her favor. Jean’s mother recently told CNN in an interview that Guyger should serve out her sentence and pay the consequences for her actions. Jerel Jay Wilson, a 29-year-old Union City, Georgia man, has been slapped with 20 years in prison after setting fire to the car and home of a woman who rejected his unwanted advances. Recently, a Cobb County jury found Wilson guilty of simple battery and first- and second-degree arson in the attacks, which began Sept. 11, 2018. Prosecutors say On September 11, 2018, Wilson broke into the woman’s apartment, stole her television then set fire to her bedroom, destroying her entire apartment. Weeks later, the woman accidentally dialed Wilson as she was driving a friend to the InTown Suites on Highlands Parkway. Subsequently, Wilson tracked her down and attacked her, then set her car on fire. Trey Songz will not face criminal charges for his violent altercation with cops earlier this year at an NFL playoff game. Trey Songz was reportedly arrested in January during a KC Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium. The singer was taken into custody after allegedly getting into an altercation with a police officer. https://youtu.be/4bBtAnVnUuI During a session of the Louisiana House of Representatives Tuesday (April 27), GOP lawmaker Ray Garofalo raised some eyebrows when he suggested that schools should teach the “good” aspects of slavery as well as the bad. The issue was raised during an Education Committee hearing, when he suggested that students in Louisiana should be given a “broader course of academic instruction,” and fellow GOP Rep. Stephanie Hilferty asked him to clarify what he meant. “If you’re teaching — if you’re having a discussion on whatever the case may be, on slavery, then you could talk about everything dealing with slavery. The good, the bad, and the ugly,” said Garofalo. “The whole—” “There’s no good to slavery, though,” interrupted Hilferty, as pockets of laughter erupted around the chamber. “Well, whatever the case may be,” said Garofalo, who then tried to walk back his comments. https://youtu.be/ovtO6KofC3E One of the most compelling aspects of any NFL draft is the wheeling and dealing. The annual “Player Selection Meeting” typically entails dozens of trades, some remnants from previous years but the bulk taking place over the course of the three-day, seven-round event. Some clubs are historically active, others have a reputation for eschewing such maneuvering. Yet, leading up to Day 1, nearly every general manager will profess a willingness to take all phone calls and explore the merits of moving up or down. “If you move back, it’s because you feel like you have a bunch of guys that are the same value – and you’d be really happy getting one and getting the extra volume from that pick,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said last week. “If you move up, it’s because your board kind of drops off at that point. And if you select, it’s because you feel like it’s the last player in that sort of range.” The 49ers are set to take a new quarterback with the third overall pick in this week’s draft and that player will be on the roster come the start of the regular season. It’s less clear whether Jimmy Garoppolo will be joining him. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said at a Monday press conference that the incumbent starter’s issues staying healthy contributed to the 49ers’ decision to trade up with the Dolphins and that he thinks that the team would be “fortunate” to have Garoppolo on hand while adding a rookie. He wouldn’t come close to guaranteeing the rookie and Garoppolo will be teammates, however. “I can’t guarantee that anybody in the world will be alive on Sunday, so I can’t guarantee who will be on our roster on Sunday,” Shanahan said. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Sean Culkin announced on Twitter that he plans to convert his entire salary for the 2021 NFL season — $920,000 — to Bitcoin. He’ll become the first NFL player to do so; former Panthers left tackle Russell Okung converted half of his $13 million salary for last season to Bitcoin. Speaking with CoinDesk’s Danny Nelson, Culkin said the Chiefs are aware of his plans and that his salary is still paid in dollars. Culkin, who signed a reserve/future deal with Kansas City back in February, will use an app called Strike to convert his salary to Bitcoin, according to CoinDesk. This is the same service used by Okung in 2020. JAY-Z, through his venture capitalist firm Marcy Venture Partners, has invested in Los Angeles-based fitness company LIT Method. Founded by Justin and Taylor Norris, PEOPLE writes that LIT Method “specializes in low impact, high-intensity training using their Strength Machine.” The outlet also notes that “the machine is an all-in-one water rower, Pilates reformer, and resistance band training system that offers more than 500 low-impact exercises including rowing, barre, strength training, physical therapy, and Pilates.” https://www.instagram.com/litmethod/?utm_source=ig_embed A Los Angeles police officer who has worked in the city’s Skid Row area for two decades has invited LeBron James to have a discussion about policing following the NBA star’s controversial reaction to the latest police-involved shooting. Over the weekend, Deon Joseph, a 24-year veteran of the LAPD, posted a letter to his Facebook page addressed to James where he called his stance on policing “off base and extreme.” Officer Joseph said in his post, “Your tweet that targeted a police officer in Ohio who saved a young woman’s life was irresponsible and disturbing,” Joseph wrote. “It showed a complete lack of understanding of the challenge of our job in the heat of a moment. You basically put a target on the back of a human being who had to make a split-second decision to save a life from a deadly attack.” He went on to invite James for a sit-down. A Bay Area school is under fire for encouraging a “white student support circle” in the wake of the Derek Chauvin verdict. Randall Brooker, Superintendent of the Piedmont Unified School District has called an email the school sent to students about the whites-only support group “a poor choice of words.” The email, sent by assistant superintendent Cheryl Wozniak, read: “We are offering a restorative community circle next Thursday, April 29, from 3:30-4:30 to support White students who would like to discuss how the trial, verdict, and experiences related to the George Floyd murder are impacting you. https://youtu.be/NmYArRsFlq4 DJ Envy is catching heat for referring to himself as a “coon” for supporting the police shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. While talking to school psychologist Dr. Umar Johnson on ‘The Breakfast Club,’ the two men shared their opposing views on the Columbus police officer who fatally shot Ma’Khia. While Umar presented a valid argument against police brutality, Envy fired back with… “I’m not gonna lie, I must be a coon, coz I don’t agree with you on this.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1385671020309270531 The white Cleveland police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice has filed an appeal with the Ohio Supreme Court to get his job back. The city fired Timothy Loehmann in 2017 not for his fatal shooting of a child but for providing false information on his employment application, per CBS News. An arbitrator and a county judge upheld his dismissal. Loehmann shot Tamir within seconds of their encounter in 2014. Rice was playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center at the time of the killing. A state appellate court earlier this year dismissed Loehmann’s appeal on a technicality. A police union is seeking to have the Supreme Court overturn that ruling, NBC News reports. https://youtu.be/gKk6gCsy7xA A private elementary school in Miami will not employ anyone who has gotten the experimental COVID vaccine, citing misinformation about the risks of the drug cocktail. CBS Miami reports that the Centner Academy has also asked its employees to not get the vaccine, and those who have received the shot(s), will not be able to retain employment. The academy’s co-founder Leila Centner sent a letter to parents and staff asking that they hold off on getting vaccinated until the school year is over. https://youtu.be/3CaTtP07o00 “Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star Drew Sidora has fired back at Kenya Moore’s accusation of “cultural appropriation” for dressing “as an Indian for Halloween” in the past. Sidora addressed the issue with Page Six, sharing personal photos with the outlet that show her family honoring their Native American heritage. https://youtu.be/-xauokjcUe8 OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today that it will premiere the final episodes of its long running series, “The Haves and the Have Nots,” on Tuesday, June 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The Tyler Perry drama which chronicles the scandalous lives of the Cryer, Harrington and Young families living in Savannah, Georgia, will conclude after eight seasons and 196 episodes. https://youtu.be/194uMgpcQPo During a recent appearance on “Posted Up” with Chris Haynes, NBA Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving made it clear that LeBron James wouldn’t make the cut on one of his all-time teams. Haynes asked the Hall of Famer to put together his all-time NBA first and second teams. MSN reports, the first team featured Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell and Jerry West. The second team included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Karl Malone. https://twitter.com/i/status/1386847194242699265 Carmelo Anthony’s life story includes a great deal besides basketball. The 10-time NBA All-Star has a memoir coming out Sept. 14 that publisher Gallery Books is calling “raw and inspirational,” tracing his rise from housing projects in New York City and Baltimore to becoming an Olympic gold medalist and one of professional basketball’s top scorers. The book is called “Where Tomorrows Aren’t Promised” and is co-written by D. Watkins. “I’m a Black kid from the bottom,” the 37-year-old Anthony writes in an excerpt of the book shared Wednesday by Gallery. “I had to fight through some of the roughest housing projects in America. How did I, a kid who’d had so many hopes, dreams and expectations beat out of him, make it here at all?” A former Holiday Inn employee who was recorded having a meltdown in front of a customer has received overwhelming financial support online. Caleb is the autistic man seen having a mental breakdown in a viral video recorded by an irate Holiday Inn customer. https://twitter.com/i/status/1386455776936427522 Florence Welch is ditching the machine for musicals. The Grammy-nominated leader of Florence + The Machine is supplying the lyrics and co-writing music for a stage musical adaptation of “The Great Gatsby,” it was announced Wednesday. No cast or premiere venue was announced. Welch will collaborate on the music with Thomas Bartlett — who earned a Grammy nomination for best song written for visual media in 2019 for “Mystery of Love” by Sufjan Stevens — and story writer Martyna Majok, who was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for drama for “Cost of Living.” The musical will be directed by Olivier Award nominee Rebecca Frecknall. Willow Smith has dropped a new single that celebrates her love of punk. Transparent Soul,” featuring driving percussion by Travis Barker of the 90s pop-punkers Blink-182, has Smith calling out fakes and liars. “I knew a boy just like you/He’s a snake just like you/Such a fake just like you/But I can see the truth,” she sneers on the track. The accompanying visual features Smith clad in full punk attire. https://youtu.be/eG9KzyVO638 Kerry Washington has partnered with luxury jewelry brand Aurate to launch her second capsule collection. The actress and entrepreneur announced her new Birth Of Mother Collection with a campaign featuring her mother, and it comes right on time for Mother’s Day. Not only is she a designer with Aurate co-founders Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Ezzahraoui, Washington is also an investor in the company. Attorney Roy Miller from Mason, Georgia has devoted his life to justice, racial equality, and music. He has succeeded in all three roles. In fact, through his efforts, he has even succeeded in having the infamous n-word slur against Black people stricken from a major dictionary published by Funk & Wagnalls. His young niece was the impetus for his fight against the company. He comments, “Around Christmas of 1993, my sister purchased the new edition of Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary for my 13-year old niece at a grocery store in Macon, Georgia. I visited my niece on March 6, 1994, and she appeared sad and depressed. My niece told me she no longer wanted the books.” “Knowing how excited she was when she first got them, I was puzzled at the change in her attitude and asked why. She told me and I immediately understood,” he recalls. A high school student in Minnesota was not only racist with his promposal, but uninspired after tapping an approach that has been done at least twice before. The image of two students holding a sign “If I was Black I’d be picking cotton, but I’m white so I’m picking you. Prom?” has gone viral on social media. The pic was reported to have been taken in Big Lake, and different from two nearly identical promposals that caused problems in 2018 and 2019. The Big Lake School District said on its website that it was made aware of the proposal and is “taking this report very seriously.” The district added that due to state and federal data privacy laws, it’s prohibited from sharing further information, including the names of the students allegedly involved. Another married Hillsong East Coast pastor has left the megachurch following a sex scandal. Darnell Barrett — the creative director of Hillsong’s Montclair, New Jersey, chapter — resigned Tuesday after allegedly sharing a revealing post-workout selfie with a church volunteer and trying to play it off as a mistake, the Daily Mail reported. “Hey! I think I might’ve added you to my close friends list by accident. I’m so sorry. Trying to figure out how the hell to edit it,” Barrett, 32, a married father of two, texted the volunteer after purportedly sending the lewd photo of himself in front of a mirror, wearing only white Nike Pro tights. Barrett also supposedly posted two photos from the underwear selfie shoot to his “close friends” Instagram Story in February. A high school teacher in Ohio has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old male student in the back of her car at a deserted fairground. Corissa McCalister, 21, who is a Spanish teacher, head cross country coach and assistant track coach at Catholic Central High School, was taken into custody last week after the mother of the alleged victim informed staff about an incident that occurred in March. Authorities said McCalister drove the teenager home from a track meet at Edison Local School on March 30. Police said McCalister parked at the Harrison County Fairground in Cadiz, Ohio, where they had sex in the back of her car. A three-year-old boy has been shot and killed at his own birthday party in Miami’s Golden Glades neighborhood. Elijah LaFrance was killed on Saturday night, according to Miami-Dade police, who said a 21-year-old woman had also been shot but is expected to survive her injuries. An altercation happened outside an Airbnb. Shortly afterwards, shots were fired and the shooter fled the scene. Police were alerted to the shooting Saturday night by a system that detects and tracks gunshots. When they arrived at the home, officers found the toddler suffering from a gunshot wound and took him to a hospital where he died. India’s Covid second wave is being driven by a ‘far more infectious and probably far more deadly’ strain of virus that has pushed hospitals ‘beyond crisis point’ in just a matter of weeks, a top medic has warned. Dr Zarir Udwadia, a physician in hard-hit Mumbai and a government advisor, said India is now ‘in the stranglehold’ of a variant that has sent cases and deaths soaring and has already spread overseas, including to the UK. Christians are being urged to pray for India as more than 300,000 cases of COVID-19 were reported for the fifth consecutive day Monday, taking the total number of infections to over 17.3 million amid the Indian government’s lack of preparedness as hospitals turn away patients. The country of 1.3 billion people recorded over 350,000 new infections in the last 24 hours for the first time, Hindustan Times reported Monday, adding that 2,812 people died from COVID-19 in a single day, taking the total number of deaths to 195,123. Ram Gidoomal, who is of Indian origin and chair of the Christian charity South Asian Concern, described the situation as a “meltdown.” Finally. For those concerned about wearing a mask outdoors, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidance on the issue for fully vaccinated Americans. The bottom line is that fully vaccinated people can unmask outdoors if they are walking, running, hiking or biking alone or with members of their household. The fully vaccinated can also go mask free while dining at an outdoor restaurant with friends from multiple households. A coalition of Los Angeles civil rights leaders are calling for U.S. Attorney General Garland to open a Justice Department probe into the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department. The coalition of activists want a Justice Department investigation to determine if the Sherriff's department “engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force along with violations of the Constitution or federal law. There has been several controversial shootings of Black and brown residents in recent years by LA County Sheriff deputy’s resulting in the deaths of Andre’s Guardado , Djion Kizzee and Fred Williams Jr. There are also reports of LA Deputy Sheriff’s belonging to and forming gangs within the department. Louisville Police Chief Erika Shields responded to the news that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was launching an investigation into her department. After the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the DOJ would probe a “pattern or practice” at the Louisville Metro Police Department, Shields seemed very welcoming of the move. https://youtu.be/mjg7uS6KGEY School psychologist Dr. Umar Johnson visited the Breakfast Club on Monday morning and talked about a number of topics dealing with education, not least of which had to do with his school for Black boys in Delaware. https://youtu.be/2_lGRkSpugw In a rare interview with The Sunday Times to promote his Puma partnership, Jay-Z talked about many things including fame, fortune, race, lockdown life with Beyoncé and their kids, and even some of his proudest moments. While speaking with the outlet about his decades-long career and extensive portfolio, the 51-year-old rap star and business mogul was asked how he would like to be remembered. He honestly answered, “I have no idea. I’m not beyond ego, right? Hopefully, they speak of me [with] the names of Bob Marley and all the greats. But that’s not for me to say.” During the interview, he was also asked what he was proud of. On that, he said, “I’m most proud of overcoming my circumstances and providing opportunity for people who look like me and who came from the same situation that I’ve come from.” Oscar winners Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe won for their Best Live Action Short Film “Two Distant Strangers.” Free is the first Black person to win in this category – since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science (AMPAS) started handing out the art deco statuses in 1929. The Compton native wrote and co-directed the Netflix film with Roe. https://youtu.be/CBjw84_mSyo Oscar winners H.E.R. (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson), Tiara Thomas and Dernst Emile II (D’Mile) won for their Best Original Song “Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah.“ Wilson and Thomas are the second and third Black women to win in this category – in 38 years. Irene Cara was the first in 1983 for “Flashdance…What a Feeling” from the film “Flashdace.” H.E.R. co-wrote the song with Tiara Thomas, and co-composed and co-produced with D’Mile. https://youtu.be/F-1QUYQu4ds All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series' UNSUNG and UNCENSORED continue this Sunday, May 2. UNSUNG leads the night with R&B singer Bobby V at 9 p.m. ET/8C, immediately followed by UNCENSORED with Lisa Leslie at 10 p.m. ET/9C. Following UNCENSORED, fans are treated to a sneak-peek look at episodes with the new digital series, Unwind with Syleena Johnson. Each episode will be published on TVOne. TV and TV One’s social media platforms. Syleena will react to clips, share anecdotes, and provide cocktail recipes for viewers to unwind to as they watch both UNSUNG and UNCENSORED. She’ll end each episode reminding viewers of their chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2InH5ekuy8&feature=youtu.be Led by Senior Pastor Shane B. Scott from Macedonia Baptist Church and Bishop Craig Worsham from The Agape Church of Los Angeles, six south Los Angeles-based pastors will hold a press conference at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, April 27th in downtown Los Angeles. During the press conference, the pastors will be calling for policy change on issues that affect the Black and Brown communities and will also show their support for Congresswoman Waters who has received criticism for her support of the people she represents. Scott said, "Congresswoman Waters has always been on the side of the marginalized; she has been for the people because she is of the people. Her legislative agenda has not been partisan, although as a proud progressive, and regardless of race, sexual orientation, criminal background, educational attainments, or socio-economics, Congresswoman Waters has sought to create a just and equitable society for everyone." Maurice Griffin drops "Love Peace Happiness" a song about living better when feeling your worst. We all can agree life dealings can have you in a different headspace. This song is for everyone who dealt with rejection. Do yourself a favor...listen, like, comment, share, and learn to have a sense of self "Love Peace Happiness." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6BfEytlVI4&feature=youtu.be WATCH JOSELINE HERNANDEZ ON THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haM1Ffb_2Fk The lawyers for the family of Andrew Brown Jr., the man shot and killed by law enforcement last Wednesday in Elizabeth City, say he died of a “kill shot” to the back of the head from law enforcement, according to an independent autopsy report. Brown was struck by four bullets in the arm before the fatal shot to the back of the head, the autopsy found. Lawyers and members of Brown’s family said they were shown 20-seconds of footage from a deputy’s body camera on Monday. The video, which hasn’t been shared publicly, showed Brown’s hands were on the steering wheel before deputies started firing, lawyers said. Lawyers also said Brown was driving away, only after law enforcement started firing, because he feared for his life.https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ez_VrlbXIAUGefA?format=jpg&name=small Attorneys Ben Crump, Bakari Sellers, and Harry Daniels hold a news conference prior to the family’s viewing of body camera footage in the Andrew Brown Jr. case. https://youtu.be/y7-qvvbSwqs Police in Colorado were caught on camera joking and laughing at their violent arrest of a 73-year-old woman with dementia, whose family has since filed a civil rights lawsuit against the department. https://youtu.be/SmtxTWTTdC4 Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold have shot down any hope of a “Martin” reboot series. Campbell and Arnold appeared on the “Tamron Hall Show” and said that beloved comedy probably won’t be making a return to the small screen following the 2016 death of co-star Thomas Mikal Ford. https://youtu.be/ADm9iFUlPJ0 Tyrese Gibson is shaving his 25-year-old girlfriend’s pubic hair in a video shared online. Sunday, the singer’s new lady love, Zelie Timothy, shared a video of Tyrese, 42, shaving her pubic area on her Instagram Story. She captioned the post: “I will never let go of my King. But does your man shave you though?” https://youtu.be/Af6exMiE3Kk A member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has responded to the backlash over mistaking British actor Daniel Kaluuya for Lesle Odom Jr. After his Best Supporting Oscar win on Sunday for his performance in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” Kaluuya hit up the press room to dish with reporters and that’s when South African journalist Margaret Gardiner asked him what it was like working with director Regina King on “One Night in Miami.” King directed the Netflix film starring Odom Jr. as Sam Cooke, while Kaluuya played Fred Hampton, the Chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, in “Judas and the Black Messiah” directed by Shaka King. Both Daniel and Leslie were nominated for roles at this year’s Academy Awards. https://twitter.com/i/status/1386723341365616643 The stars showed up and showed out for Oscar Sunday – but six feet apart tho! The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony was held virtually from both Union Station and the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. …And the Oscar winners are Mia Neal, Jamika Wilson and Sergio Lopez-Rivera for Best Makeup and Hairstyling in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Interestingly, Neal and Wilson are the first Black people to ever win in this category. Atlanta rappers Young Thug and Gunna came to the aid of several inmates at the Fulton County Jail on Saturday. The artists posted bonds for 30 men and women who were being held on minor offenses, but couldn’t get out because they didn’t have the money. “We just woke up and went to the jail with the lawyer, DA’s and the prosecutors, the bonding companies and just got as many people as we can out,” Young Thug, Jeffrey Williams, told Atlanta’s WSB Channel 2. https://youtu.be/xV8jmdCuq8w Starz has unveiled a new trailer and premiere date for “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” one of the “Power” spinoff series featuring Mary J. Blige, Method Man and Omar Epps. https://youtu.be/huwZi90poSI Netflix has dropped a new trailer for the upcoming anime series “Yasuke,” with LaKeith Stanfield voicing the first African samurai. The six-episode series “is set in a war-torn feudal Japan filled with mechs and magic, [where] the greatest ronin never known, Yasuke, struggles to maintain a peaceful existence after a past life of violence. But when a local village becomes the center of social upheaval between warring daimyo, Yasuke must take up his sword and transport a mysterious child who is the target of dark forces and bloodthirsty warlords.” https://youtu.be/ijKAtzQY1wc The popular social media app Clubhouse has teamed with the National Football League to bring users the NFL draft and a lineup of original programming around the event. Beginning April 26, the NFL will host a series of rooms where Clubhouse users can talk about the live draft picks and listen to discussions with athletes and coaches. https://youtu.be/QS7cYX7ByWw Maya Rudolph, Yvette Nicole Brown and Jayma Mays have been tapped for Disney+’s “Enchanted” sequel titled “Disenchanted,” starring Amy Adams, Idina Menzel and James Marsden. The movie is reportedly currently in production with director Adam Shankman. Plot details are on the low at the moment, but according to “Disenchanted’s” logline, “ten years after her Happily Ever After, Giselle questions her happiness, inadvertently turning the lives of those in the real world and Andalasia upside down in the process.” Disney Channel is teaming up with modern media company Tastemade for “Disney’s Magic Bake-Off,” a competitive series for kids 6-14 that combines the wonder of baking with the ingenuity of young pastry chefs. Multitalented stars Dara Reneé (“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”) and Issac Ryan Brown (“Raven’s Home”) will co-host the 13-episode series and, along with Disneyland resort pastry chef Graciela Gomez, will guide kid contestants through a series of challenges and surprises as they create the most extraordinary cakes inspired by the magic of Disney. Our Authors Study Club (OASC) and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Sigma Sigma Alumnae Chapter is proud to announce winners for the 2021 Oratorical Contest. Mia Moore, a 9th grader from Glendale, California won 1st Place for her excellent exhortation of the topic The Black Family: Representation, Identity & Diversity. Coming in 2nd Place was 9th grader Hunter Young, a student at Branded Genius Academy and a member of Boy Scout Troop 848 in Los Angeles. 11th grader Jeremiah Davis placed 3rd from St. John Basco in Bellflower, CA and he also represented the Gamma Zeta Boule’ Foundation. An honorable mention was awarded to Ryshaun Brown, a 9th grader from Blue Ridge Academy in Santa Clarita, CA. In an increasingly polarized society, Bishop T.D. Jakes has encouraged Christians to use discretion when posting on social media, stressing the power of content that “sheds light rather than generates heat.” “When you’re broaching a sensitive subject, a controversial subject, a subject where you have an opinion … but may not have necessarily done your research on, I think it’s better to start a conversation with a trusted friend and almost use him as a focus group to make sure that you’re looking at it holistically, and not just narrowly through the lens of your own point of view, so that when you make a statement, it sheds light rather than generates heat,” Jakes, founder of The Potter’s House, told The Christian Post on Thursday when asked about “best practices” when it comes to posting on social media. Former NFL linebacker Geno Hayes has passed away after a battle with liver disease at age 33, according to WCTV in Tallahassee, Fla. Hayes was placed in hospice care last week as part of his two-year fight against the disease. He’d been hospitalized over 20 times and lost 70 pounds in the last year as the disease progressed. https://youtu.be/Dvra8D0v05E A young Amish woman has been laid to rest more than 10 months after she went missing while walking home from a church service in Pennsylvania, after which authorities say she was strangled and stabbed. LNP newspaper reports that 69 horse-drawn buggies and a handful of vans and sport utility vehicles brought more than 100 people together Monday afternoon at the Myers Cemetery burial grounds, not far from where police say 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos was abducted. The remains of Stoltzfoos were found last week buried along railroad tracks in the small town of Gap along Route 41 behind a business where 35-year-old Justo Smoker had worked, authorities said. Smoker was arrested shortly after her June 2020 disappearance and charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment, and later with homicide. The Lancaster County coroner used dental records to positively identify the remains as those of Stoltzfoos, concluding that she died of asphyxia from strangulation, along with suffocation, with the stab wound as a contributing factor in her death. A year after the COVID-19 pandemic jumbled the Triple Crown calendar, the sport will once again bask in the national spotlight on the first Saturday in May with the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby. But as the nation’s top trainers take center stage at Churchill Downs, it’s in stark contrast to 12 months earlier when racing’s most prominent figures were taking full advantage of the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program. According to public records examined by the Asbury Park Press, some 14 trainers in this year’s Kentucky Derby received a combined $7.369 million from the program, which provided taxpayer-funded forgivable loans designed to help struggling small businesses retain workers. The family of Andrew Brown Jr. are upset about police bodycam footage of him being shot by deputies, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Monday. Brown Jr, 42, was killed in his car last Wednesday morning in the North Carolina city, while officers were serving a search warrant. https://youtu.be/71JeFXehOHM Tyler Perry was honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 93rd Oscars on Sunday, and during his acceptance speech he urged viewers to “refuse hate.” “I refuse to hate someone because they are Mexican, Black or White, or because they are a police officer, I refuse to hate someone because they are Asian,” Perry said, per PEOPLE. “I would hope that we would refuse hate.” https://youtu.be/pZVvH3HvyNk Monday, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Department of Justice will open an investigation into the practices of the Louisville, Ky., Police Department. Today’s announcement comes days after the AG said the department will investigate the Minneapolis Police Department following Derek Chauvin’s conviction for the murder of George Floyd. Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was killed by police in Louisville last year who entered her apartment with a no-knock warrant and fired 32 bullets. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot at officers who he has said he believed to be intruders. Chicago police have arrested a man in connection to the fatal shooting of Jaslyn Adams, the seven-year-old girl who was killed while waiting in a McDonald’s drive-thru with her father. According to CBS Chicago, 18-year-old Marion Lewis stayed in a car on April 18 while the two other men with him got out and opened fire on the vehicle the little girl was a passenger in. Her father, Jontae Adams, was shot in the torso, but survived. https://youtu.be/Q3A89Fwmh-s The month of April is annually observed as Fair Housing Month, the reality for Black America and other people of color is that housing has not significantly changed since the 1968 federal enactment of the Fair Housing Act. Its enactment came seven days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who had strongly advocated fair and open housing. What makes this year’s observance more hopeful are renewed efforts by both President Biden and Congress to correct decades’ long denials of full access to the American Dream. For the first time in more than four years, the nation’s President committed his Administration to the active pursuit of fair housing. Beginning with a memorandum coinciding with his inauguration in January, President Biden directed the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to “as soon as practicable, take all steps necessary to examine the effects of” the Trump Administration’s 2020 repeal of two key housing rules issued by the Obama Administration: the 2013 Disparate Impact Standard and the 2015 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing. Oprah Winfrey has addressed the public’s reaction to her explosive interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Speaking to Nancy O’Dell on her new series held on TalkShopLive, Oprah said she “had no idea that it would have the reverberating impact that it has had and continues to have. https://youtu.be/q5WczphnCWw A two-hour memorial service for DMX was held Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Fans of the late rapper were able to watch a livestream of the service on YouTube channel, which saw DMX’s close family and celebrity friends come together to honor the hip-hop icon. There was also a performance from Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir, who raised $1 million for DMX’s family from his Balenciaga shirt profits. https://youtu.be/fNS2Mx8VqX0 The pastor leading DMX’s funeral service Sunday had to interrupt remarks from one of the mourners after he grabbed the microphone and began talking about his long friendship with the late rapper. The man, who called himself “Jungle,” commandeered the service Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and got about two minutes into his remarks before the pastor, AR Bernard, had to step in. “First of all, there’s order. There’s respect. You violated order, you violated respect,” Bernard said gently, as the crowd applauded the pastor’s move. https://youtu.be/9C141rYxWEs Sheila E. recently paid tribute to the late-great Prince and made a huge blunder in the process. In an Instagram post shared on Wednesday, the singer commemorated the fifth anniversary of Prince’s death by posting several photos of the hitmaker. But fans were quick to point out that one of the images was not of the “Purple Rain” star. Instead, she mistakenly posted a 2017 picture of singer Mandy Romao. In the caption of the image, the famed drummer recalled how Prince disliked “eating in front of people.” “But u could throw down when u wanted (to),” Sheila E wrote, adding that he used to cook eggs for her, and “I made the pancakes.” The winners of the 93rd annual Academy Awards were revealed Sunday after the ceremony was delayed by two months due to the ongoing pandemic. The red carpet event was held primarily at Los Angeles’ historic Union Station with COVID-19 protocols in place. There were a few snubs, such as Chadwick Boseman losing to Anthony Hopkins for “The Father,” and some major surprises, with H.E.R. winning for her song “Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah,” and Glenn Close doing “Da Butt” dance in honor of Spike Lee. https://youtu.be/EUJOgD9tsA8 In the opening moments of the Oscars, a time that in more normal years is filled with monologue jokes and lighthearted musical moments, Regina King spoke of suffering and racial injustice. She was one of several people during Sunday’s telecast who made it clear this was not a normal year. “We are mourning the loss of so many, and I have to be honest, if things had gone differently this past week in Minneapolis, I might have traded in my heels for marching boots,” the Oscar-winning actor and “One Night in Miami” director said in her role as de facto host to open the show. In addition to her reaction to the guilty verdict at Derek Chauvin’s trial in the killing of George Floyd, King noted the personal effect recent news cycles have had on her. Daniel Kaluuya used a lead role to win a best supporting actor Oscar. He’ll take it. Kaluuya won his first Academy Award on Sunday night for playing one of the two title roles in “Judas and the Black Messiah.” In a quirk of the nominating process, LaKeith Stanfield, who played the “Judas” of the title — William O’Neal who betrayed Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton to the FBI — competed in the same category. “I share this honor with the gift that is LaKeith Stanfield,” Kaluuya told the small audience gathered at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. In a surprise win, Anthony Hopkins took home the best actor statue at the Oscars on Sunday for his work in The Father. Going into the ceremony, the late Chadwick Boseman was the heavy favorite to win for his final film role as Levee in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Sir Anthony Hopkins appeared genuinely shocked that he won the Best Actor Oscar over fellow nominee Chadwick Boseman. https://youtu.be/Y111jltWqoo Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a wistful portrait of itinerant lives on open roads across the American West, won best picture Sunday at the 93rd Academy Awards, where the China-born Zhao also became just the second woman to win best director, and the first woman of color. Youn Yuh-jung, the feisty grandmom in “Minari,” captured more than her movie grandson’s heart. Youn, a prominent film and TV actor in her home country of South Korea, won the best supporting actress award at Sunday’s Oscars. She’s the second Asian actress to triumph in the category, more than six decades after Japanese-born Miyoshi Umeki earned the trophy for 1957’s “Sayonara.” In her acceptance speech, Youn was as charmingly candid as her character in “Minari.” Pixar’s “Soul” has won the heart of Oscar voters, continuing the Disney division’s dominance in the best animated feature category. Sunday night’s victory gave Pixar 11 wins in the 20 years since the category was established. Directed by Pete Docter and featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, “Soul” follows a middle school band teacher who dreams of being a jazz musician and tries to escape the afterlife to do it. A new Oscar tradition has started with the Academy finally allowing new movie trailers to debut during the telecast, with the first being Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. https://youtu.be/CbUM27qw6a8 After his film “Another Round” won the best international feature Oscar, director Thomas Vinterberg wiped away tears while dedicating part of his acceptance speech to his late daughter who died a couple years ago. “We ended up making this movie for her, as her monument,” a tearful Vinterberg said from the stage at Union Station in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Vinterberg said his daughter, Ida, died in a highway accident four days into the project. “My Octopus Teacher,” the tale of an eight-limbed creature and her human companion, has won the Oscar for best documentary. Ten years in the making, “My Octopus Teacher” began as a personal video project by South African filmmaker Craig Foster to rekindle his connection with nature by observing an inquisitive female mollusk while free-diving near Cape Town. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT: Chris Weidman suffered a massive leg injury on his first kick of the night in his fight against Uriah Hall just seconds after the start of their match at UFC 261. Shocking video shows Weidman, 36, kicking Hall in the shin with his right leg as it jarringly snaps – the sound of which is picked up on camera. Weidman then steps back on it appearing to not realize his injury, falling to the ground as his lower leg flops to the side. https://youtu.be/A69NeNgPd7A Glenn Close may have lost out on a record-setting eighth Oscar nomination on Sunday, but she won the night with her knowledge of “Da Butt,” including its D.C. go-go origins and a performance of the dance. https://youtu.be/pDdK3fNUQzQ Fans have taken to Twitter to mock Jorge Masvidal over his knockout defeat to Kamaru Usman at UFC 261. Usman overcame Masvidal by unanimous decision when the pair faced-off at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi last July. However, it is last night’s knockout that has caught the fans attention. The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ stunned Masvidal with a straight right hand in the second round, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in. Dean ended the fight to see Usman successfully defend the welterweight title for the fourth time. Fans were quick to take to social media to mock Masvidal for laughing at Usman just second before being knocked out. One fan Tweeted saying: ‘Masvidal went from laughing to dreaming very fast.’ Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford tested positive for the coronavirus and will hand the reins over to assistant coach Tyrone Corbin for “multiple” games, according to the Associated Press. Clifford first tested positive Thursday night, then tested negative twice on Friday. However, a test on Saturday afternoon came back positive, followed by a subsequent test that confirmed Clifford’s infection. There is no date set for Clifford’s return, but others have been out for at least 10 days before being cleared to return under the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols. New funding for the federal Medicaid program could lead to an alternative for some people instead of calling the police. According to the Associated Press, a provision in the recent COVID-19 relief bill set aside $1 billion over 10 years, encouraging states to establish mobile crisis units. Titled “State Option To Provide Qualifying Community-based Mobile Crisis Intervention Services,” Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden introduced the provision last August. The CAHOOTS program in Eugene, Oregon, served as a model for the legislation. Barry Jenkins—the visionary behind films like If Beale Street Could Talk and Moonlight—will expand his imprint by bringing more powerful stories to the small screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaker has inked a production deal with HBO and HBO Max. Under the two-year pact—which he made through his production company Pastel—the Oscar-winning producer will team up with the entertainment company A24 for the creation of an array of projects. Jenkins has used Pastel as a vessel to amplify the work of underrepresented creators and provide a platform where they can bring their diverse perspectives to the table. Kim Kardashian and CNN reporter Van Jones are at the center of dating rumors, just two months after she filed for divorce from her estranged husband Kanye West. While the pair have been pals for years, fans speculate their friendship may have turned romantic during her four-year law apprenticeship with his Oakland-based nonpartisan organization. Sources close to Kardashian, however, are shooting down speculation of a romance, saying the pair have a long working relationship together and a shared interest in criminal justice reform. The owner of a Cincinnati bar refuses to allow customers to watch the NBA game until Los Angles Lakers star and Ohio native, LeBron James is expelled from the league for “divisive” comments he made on Twitter. Fox News reports, Linne’s Pub in Delhi Township made the announcement on Facebook the same day James called out the Columbus police officer who fatally shot 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. “If anyone wants to watch an NBA game, don’t come to Linnie’s Pub,” the Facebook post read. “We will not air them until LeBron James has been expelled from the NBA.” The bar’s owner, Jay Linneman, wants James to stick to sports. “They just need to play the game and that’s it,” he said. “Their opinion doesn’t really matter. They’re using their position to push their opinions, and that’s just not right.” When James saw the message he replied with his own tweet, writing: “Aww Damn! I was headed there to watch our game tonight and have a drink! Welp.” The official teaser for Questlove’s documentary “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” has dropped, about 1969’s Harlem Cultural Festival, also known as the Black Woodstock. The film will be available July 2 in theaters via Searchlight Pictures and on Hulu. Complex reports that it also streams internationally on Star with a release date forthcoming. https://youtu.be/U1Eg-vtSABE Whoopi Goldberg, in all of her EGOTness, graces the cover of Variety magazine in honor of the 30th anniversary since her Academy Award win for “Ghost.” hursday, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin and Meghan McCain gave props to their co-host and discussed some of the revelations from her interview with the magazine. Even more buzzy were her stunning images from the feature, which began trending upon their release Wednesday by Variety. https://youtu.be/CBKM8LQxVdQ Black women are shattering glass ceilings in the art world. According to the Chicago Tribune, Denise Gardner was recently appointed to serve at the helm of The Art Institute of Chicago’s board; making her the first Black woman to assume the position in the institution’s 142-year history. Mastercard is putting the focus on furthering its efforts to level the playing field for Black women when it comes to securing venture capital funding. The company recently announced it would make a multi-million dollar investment in the Fearless Fund, a VC firm that was launched to support the entrepreneurial endeavors of women of color. Founded in 2019 by Keshia Knight Pulliam and Arian Simone, the Fearless Fund was cultivated to eliminate the barriers that women of color face when trying to secure VC funding for their businesses. Journalist, author, and CEO Roland S. Martin’s Nu Vision Media is executive producing a groundbreaking new digital series on Facebook Watch, "Roland S. Martin Presents We Got Next: An Intergenerational Dialogue." Premiering today, Monday, April 26, the series is part of the Facebook Watch ‘We the Culture’ programming initiative aimed at amplifying the voices of Black content creators. The family of Andrew Brown Jr. and their lawyers were finally able to view the body cam video of his fatal shooting at the hands of law enforcement in North Carolina. Even though they were only shown 20 seconds of one deputy’s body cam, the family describe it as an “execution.” https://youtu.be/rouF_p7ZPZ4 Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison raised a few eyebrows Sunday night by comments made about Derek Chauvin during a “60 Minutes” interview. Ellison said that after the guilty verdict, he “felt a little bad” for the former Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd. “I spent 16 years as a criminal defense lawyer, so I will say I felt a little bad for the defendant,” Ellison said during an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday evening. “I think he deserved to be convicted, but he’s a human being.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1386456531391107087 Daunte Wright’s family attorney said they have received threats and racist messages following the death of the 20-year-old. “There are concerns as far as safety for the family that we’re addressing,” attorney Thomas Bowers said at a press conference. Daunte was fatally shot by former Minnesota police officer Kimberly Potter during a traffic stop earlier this month. Potter, 48, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter a day after she resigned from the Brooklyn Center Police Department. The fatal shooting of Wright set off protests in the Minneapolis suburb. https://youtu.be/5KBVWD5Y4zQ More than a week after being paused by regulators, use of Johnson & Johnson‘s COVID-19 vaccine will be restarted after being investigated due to reports that it caused users to develop blood clots as aside effect. https://youtu.be/BZUIuDJi1ss A black man killed while driving away from sheriff’s deputies was ‘shot in the back’ as he tried to drive away, newly released audio has revealed. Emergency dispatch audio recorded after the shooting of Andrew Brown, 42, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina on Wednesday morning included a dispatcher saying: ‘We do have a subject that was hit…‘Be advised EMS has one male, 42 years of age, gunshot to the back.’ https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/04/24/1388402153973432472/636x382_MP4_1388402153973432472.mp4 Demetria Williams, an eyewitness to the shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr. in North Carolina, describes the incident, saying, “it was inhumane and it was sickening to me … it was overkill. They murdered him.” https://youtu.be/xCmI-PluJYU Elizabeth City Mayor Bettie Parker gave her first public statement Friday about the deadly deputy-involved shooting that has garnered national attention. Saturday morning, along with other city officials, she held a press conference to discuss the case further. https://youtu.be/XhRKrd7fIts After a recent police killing in North Carolina, city manager Montre Freeman anxiously awaits the release of bodycam footage. “My daddy would say all the time, ‘You can only sing and dance but for so long before you’re going to have to perform.’ So what I need is a performance.'” https://youtu.be/3h8aaYiT4Ps Nationally renowned civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Bakari Sellers will join attorney Harry Daniels in representing the family of Andrew Brown Jr., a 42-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by Pasquotank County deputies on April 21. It has been alleged that deputies shot Brown in the back as he drove away from them while they were attempting to execute a search warrant. Few details and no bodycam footage have been released by police. Seven Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies have been put on leave following Brown’s death. https://youtu.be/PRigkgnFJc0 The family of Jaslyn Adams breathed a small sigh of relief after their heartbreaking week, following the shooting death of the seven-year-old in a McDonald’s drive-thru. Thursday Chicago police officers captured a suspect in the deadly shooting after a high-speed chase that resulted in a car crash. Police were surveying the suspect in the western suburbs prior to the chase, according to NBC Chicago. During the confrontation he was shot in the arm by police and rushed to a nearby hospital where his condition is unknown. “I’m just so overwhelmed,” Jaslyn’s grandmother Lawanda McMullen says. “I’ve been trying to call detectives (all day). It’s a bittersweet feeling. I don’t know how to feel right now.” Ma’Khia Bryant‘s family seeks to remember her the way they’ve always seen her, as a bright, affectionate girl with lots of vivacity and promise. “I want the world to know that Ma’Khia Bryant was a very loving 16-year-old girl. She was my daughter, my baby. I loved her. She was very talented and smart. She was funny. Her favorite color was blue,” Paula Bryant, Ma’Khia’s mother, told CNN’s Chris Cuomo. https://twitter.com/i/status/1384718275020345351 NBC News chief White House correspondent Kristen Welker and her husband, John Hughes, announced on “Today” Friday that they’re expecting their first child together in June, following a long, emotional fertility journey that tested the couple’s resilience. “After years and years of trying, I’m having a baby girl with John and we are so excited,” Welker, 44, told the “Today” hosts. “It’s with the help of a surrogate.” https://www.today.com/video/kristen-welker-announces-she-s-having-a-baby-with-help-from-a-surrogate-110725189511 The United States should follow the example of Los Angeles County and ‘make amends’ with black Americans by returning land which was owned by their ancestors and taken from them, the county supervisor has said. Janice Hahn on April 9 announced a historic first for the nation, giving back land wrongfully taken from black owners to their descendants. The land in question, a beachfront plot in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles, was taken from the owners under eminent domain, or forced sale, in 1924. It is now worth an estimated $72 million. Hahn on Friday told TMZ that other local governments should follow her lead. One of three men charged in the 2015 fatal shooting of Amanda Blackburn has been sentenced to 29 years in prison for his part in the killing, according to court records. Jalen E. Watson, who in 2017 pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and two counts of burglary in the killing of the Indianapolis pastor’s wife, was sentenced last month to serve 29 years for the robbery charge and 20 combined years for the burglary charges, the records show. The sentences will be served concurrently. Watson’s guilty plea was part of a deal in which seven other charges, including murder and auto theft, were dismissed. Two other men, Larry Taylor Jr. and Diano Gordon, were also charged in connection to the killing. Milva, one of Italy’s most popular singers in the ’60s and ’70s who was also beloved by many fans abroad, died Saturday at her home in Milan. She was 81. In announcing her death, Italy’s Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said Milva’s versatile voice “stirred deep emotions in entire generations.” No cause of death was given. Milva also starred as a stage actress, with a repertoire heavily based on the works of German playwright Bertolt Brecht. She often worked with Milan theater director Giorgio Strehler, who directed her in one of Brecht’s signature works, “The Threepenny Opera,” a musical drama. Hip hop music exec Irv Gotti told Kendra G on “The WGCI Morning Show” that the late rapper had COVID-19 and that he overdosed on fentanyl mixed with crack. In the shocking interview, Gotti says he got the call in the hours following the rapper’s overdose: “They said it was a bad dose of crack and they said some drug fentanyl was mixed in with the crack and that’s what made him overdose.” https://youtu.be/IHit62pB1WI The estranged father of actor Lindsay Lohan was arrested Friday on charges that he illegally took kickbacks for referring patients to a substance abuse treatment center. Michael Lohan, 60, was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on five counts of patient brokering and one count of conspiracy to commit patient brokering, The Palm Beach Post reported. Authorities said a Delray Beach-area drug treatment center called Pride Recovery paid more than $27,000 in kickbacks to either Lohan directly or to a business he was associated with, Lola Recovery Ventures of Palm Beach Gardens. New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban has been diagnosed with coronavirus, he announced on social media Friday. ‘Alright Subbanator here, in one for a couple days,’ he said in the 30-second clip. ‘This COVID raked my kitchen. Just wanted to say ‘thank you’ to everybody for gifts, well wishes, get well soon. I appreciate it. Love you guys so much. ‘This COVID thing hit me pretty hard but just battling through it, working through it. Just remember to take care of yourselves, stay healthy, I love you guys. I definitely will be back in the mix soon,’ he continued. Tiger Woods has shared his first photo following his devastating car crash in February, showing him smiling on crutches alongside one of his faithful dogs. The PGA legend posed outside his $40 million mansion in Jupiter, Florida on his four-hole backyard practice course, which is undergoing major renovations as he recovers from serious leg injuries. ‘My course is coming along faster than I am,’ he wrote on Instagram on Friday. ‘But it’s nice to have a faithful rehab partner, man’s best friend.’ Woods has two dogs at home, a Border Collie-Springer Spaniel mix named Bugs, who was seen in the photo, as well as an Australian Shepherd named Lola. Simone Biles is moving on from her multi-year deal with Nike to hook up with Athleta because the women’s activewear brand owned by Gap, more closely aligns with her values. “I felt like it wasn’t just about my achievements; it’s what I stood for and how they were going to help me use my voice and also be a voice for females and kids,” she told the Wall Street Journal. “I feel like they also support me, not just as an athlete, but just as an individual outside of the gym and the change that I want to create, which is so refreshing. Biles will create her own performance wear line, which will include gym and other apparel, under the partnership. She added that Athleta will give her a platform to encourage “honest conversations” with women and girls: “… I also feel like Athleta is committed to diversity and inclusion, of all women, backgrounds, ages, sizes, abilities and races.” Bernice Gibb Rhoades, 56, known to friends and family as Beri, was found unconscious in bed at her home in Las Vegas by her husband Chino on Thursday, April 15. LeBron James saw hate coming his way after he tweeted about police officer Nicholas Reardon who fatally shot 16-year-old Ma’khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. The now deleted post read: “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY.” As we reported earlier, conservatives, including Donald Trump, sent hate LeBron’s way for the tweet, with many accusing him of inciting violence. https://www.instagram.com/p/COA6cuZgHCO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again Former President Donald Trump has dropped a bomb on NBA super star LeBron James for an inflammatory tweet about the Ohio cop who shot and killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. LeBron James should focus on basketball rather than presiding over the destruction of the NBA,” Trump said Thursday in a statement to D.C. reporter Ben Jacobs, who shared it on the social media platform. “His RACIST rants are divisive, nasty, insulting, and demeaning,” the statement said. “He may be a great basketball player, but he is doing nothing to bring our Country together!” He added: “LeBron James should focus on basketball rather than presiding over the destruction of the NBA, which has just recorded the lowest television RATINGS, by far, in the belong and distinguished history of the League.” Former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Steve McMichael revealed he’s been diagnosed with ALS on Friday, in interviews with several Chicago media outlets. McMichael, a key member of the Bears’ Super Bowl XX team, said he was diagnosed in January with 36-month onset ALS – also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease – the progressive nervous system disease that disrupts the brain’s ability to harmonize with muscles. McMichael is now using a wheelchair, having lost the use of his arms and hands. His wife, Misty, has been his caretaker. “I’m not going to be out in the public any more…you’re not going to see me out doing appearances, hell I can’t even sign my name any more, and everybody’s going to be speculating ‘Where’s McMichael, what’s wrong with him?” McMichael told WGN News. “I’m here to tell everyone I’ve been diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, so I’m not going to be a public figure any more.” Most television dramas have always been scripted but were meant to present a real sense of actuality to viewers. However, a 2018 clip of an episode of CBS’s “The Good Fight” – now in its fourth season – took script-writing and acting to a new level. The resurfaced clip, which has recently gone viral, depicts a bold verbal exchange between a White newscaster and attorney and television panelist Adrian Boseman, played by Delroy Lindo. The newscaster speaks to the panel on-air about there being a double standard when it comes to who can use the n-word. https://youtu.be/wrB5iWT4Uew Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is set to star in and executive produce “Free Agents,” a sports heist thriller that Deon Taylor will direct for Lionsgate. https://youtu.be/PrS0HK-uuYQ 50 Cent joined forces with #LaLaAnthony and #SantaSierra to bring #CyntoiaBrown-Long‘s story to our television screens as ‘The Case of Cyntoia Brown.’ @deadline reported that the project will be a limited drama series based on Cyntoia’s book ‘Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System.’ Paris Jackson, the only daughter of late singer Michael Jackson, has landed a role on the 10th season of the FX anthology series “American Horror Story: Double Feature.” According to TMZ, Jackson, 23, will appear in at least one episode of the long-running hit show from creator Ryan Murphy. Series franchise star Sarah Paulson and Paris’ alleged godfather Macaulay Culkin are also confirmed for “Double Feature,” along with returning franchise fan favorites Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Finn Wittrock, Angelica Ross, Leslie Grossman and Billie Lourd. “I was one of the people that questioned God,” said Pastor DeWayne Harvey when we talked about “what the Lord allows,” which is the name of his new solo single. “What the Lord Allows” (Innovative Records) features Grammy, Dove and Stellar Award winning Fred Hammond. “Things happen and you question God asking why…why a pandemic. I was on my way to church and opened the door and I heard the song.” https://youtu.be/sNrHzOzbrk8 A Florida couple attempted to hold their dream wedding at a lavish mansion without permission — but the event was shut down when the owner of the estate showed up. Courtney Wilson and Shenita Jones invited family and friends to witness them tie the knot on April 17, and sent out invites to “their” lavish $5.7million home, according to the Sun-Sentinel. When the couple arrived to set up their big day, they were greeted by the property owner, IHOP franchise heir Nathan Finkel, who called 911 to report there were strangers at his gate demanding to be let inside for a wedding. https://youtu.be/WRqmHpSZhZI Shara Prophet, C.Ht. is a speaker, expert lecturer, Certified Hypnotherapist, Mystic and author of The B.E.M.A.G.I.C. Manifestation Workbook. She specializes in personal development and behaviour modification, is the founder of Open Door Hypnosis and The Mind Magic Institute. Shara created The Mind Magic Minute column to teach people “cheat codes” to living a more healthy, peaceful, and prosperous life. She was recently featured on OWN in the Dark Girl’s 2 Documentary. https://youtu.be/eFbouofUqO0 March marked one year since Breonna Taylor came home one night, got into bed, and did not live to see the next day. That night, Breonna was killed by members of the Louisville Police Department; there has been no accountability for the officers who entered the wrong home and murdered a sleeping Black woman. And now, minutes before we saw jurors in Minnesota deliver a guilty verdict from an unredeemable and racist legal system for George Floyd’s murder, police shot and killed yet another Black person, Ma’Khia Bryant, a sixteen year-old child murdered within 22 seconds of police arriving on the scene. The current criminal legal system will never deliver justice, broad accountability, or keep our communities safe. Our elected leaders clapped and cheered for accountability and quickly called it justice while pushing for legislation that doesn’t address the root causes of our pain. Recently passed by the House of Representatives, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act offers investments in the same police departments that are killing Black people and reforms that have failed time and time again to protect us. To honor the lives of Freddie Gray, Breonna Taylor, Ahmuad Arbery, Tony McDade, and so many more, we need to urgently rethink current approaches to public safety while enacting new laws that support Black people and protect our lives. A 66-year-old librarian is suing police in North Carolina for allegedly using excessive force during a 2019 traffic stop in which she says she was thrown to the ground. The woman, Stephanie Bottom of Atlanta, was on her way to a funeral, driving 80 in a 70 mph zone, when police tried to pull her over. She said when she stopped her vehicle, police approached her with guns in position before pulling her out of her car, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court. Bottom said she suffered a torn rotator cuff from the incident and was unable to work for eight months as a result of officers from the Salisbury Police Department and Rowan County Sheriff’s office throwing her to the ground. One of the cops involved in the incident allegedly “bragged about ‘grabbing a handful of dreads,’ and said ‘at that point she earned it,’’ according to the lawsuit. Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, is headed to appeal her 10-year sentence for killing #BothamJean in 2018 next week. Amber was found guilty of shooting and killing Botham after she got off the elevator on the wrong floor and walked into his apartment, and mistook him as an intruder. According to reports from @cbsdfw , Amber’s former Attorney Toby Shook advised she will be arguing in front of a three-judge panel that she made a mistake killing Botham and that her conviction should have been a lesser offense of criminally negligent homicide instead of murder. An earlier report noted that Garrett Rolfe, former Atlanta Police Department officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy’s parking lot, sued Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to get his job back. Rolfe filed a lawsuit against the mayor and the city interim police chief Rodney Bryant. He claims his June 13th firing violated his constitutional right to due process. The ex-officer feels officials violated a law that states there should be an investigation, notice, and a hearing before firing him. https://youtu.be/EtISsq9ll4Y A series of viral TikTok videos show Orlando Police Department officers drawing their guns on a pair of Black men riding bicycles, detaining the men, then apologizing to them after realizing they had the wrong guys. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the men were riding their bikes on April 19 after a trip to 7-11. They were about to pass a parked police cruiser with flashing lights when officers standing around the squad car suddenly pulled out their guns and ordered them to get off their bikes and onto the ground. One of the men just happened to be wearing a GoPro camera, which captured the entire ordeal. “Woah, what? What happened,” the man with the GoPro yelled. “We ain’t do nothing. … I’m saying you got your guns drawn and we ain’t do nothing.” Once on the ground, officers instructed the other man to crawl toward them. Video showed the men on the ground and handcuffed surrounded by five or six officers. Tony Collins was removed from his position on the Greensboro, North Carolina zoning commission after refusing to address Carrie Rosario by her doctoral title during a public meeting. Carrie Rosario, is an associate professor at UNC-Greensboro who holds a doctorate in public health. In a brief year that’s already seen a number of historic firsts for Black people, the country’s racist Confederate legacy is now getting in on the act. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has named a Black person to be chairman of the board of directors that governs Stone Mountain Park, home to the world’s largest Confederate monument that also pays tribute to the Ku Klux Klan. The Rev. Abraham Mosley will be the first person who is not a white man to lead the Stone Mountain Memorial Association Board of Directors when he is sworn in. Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis says he was the one who sparked criticism by posting “I can breathe” on the team’s verified Twitter account in the wake of the guilty verdict against the former Minneapolis cop who killed George Floyd. Despite backlash for what some saw as a tone deaf tweet, Davis said he would not delete the post. “That’s my tweet,” Davis told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I take full responsibility for that,” he said, explaining that he’d heard George Floyd’s brother, Philonise, speaking on the radio after the verdict came in. “And he said, ‘Today, we are able to breathe again.’ I took my lead from him. In my mind, that was all I needed to say—‘I can breathe,’” Davis said. Taking a knee during the Tokyo Olympics or lifting a fist in support of racial equality will be punished as the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday maintained its ban on athletes' protests inside stadiums, at ceremonies and on podiums. The IOC's Rule 50 forbids any kind of 'demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda' in venues and any other Olympic area and the Games body concluded the rule should be maintained following an athlete consultation. Against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement protesting racial injustice, calls have increased in recent months for a change to that rule that would allow athletes to protest. Four Black Army soldiers just trying to leave an IHOP in Lorton, VA after enjoying a meal were harassed by a white woman who hurled racial slurs at them and began ranting randomly about Black Lives Matter and Antifa. Two viral TikTok videos of the April 19th incident show soldiers from nearby Fort Belvoir about to leave the restaurant after a white woman offered to pay for their meal. The woman apparently left cash on their table but then moments later came back and accused them of stealing the money. Video shows the woman sitting down at their table and addressing them as “sh*tbags,” while appearing to block them from leaving.” For some unknown reason, the woman continues cursing at the soldiers as they ask her to leave them alone. In a second video, a non-uniformed white male customer, who was identified in the video as a retired airman, confronts the woman demanding that she leave. The woman then threatens him, saying saying, “I will f—— drop you. You wanna go? You wanna go?” “Oh? Drop me? Really?” the man responded. https://youtu.be/qSaUQnrGQzA As Derek Chauvin was en route to a conviction Tuesday, and Stacey Abrams was handling GOP senators over their new Jim Crow voting laws, Democratic Rep. Val Demings was in the House (literally and figuratively) standing her ground against Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, the congressman from Ohio who went viral last week for relentlessly berating Dr. Anthony Fauci over mask mandates, even though the infectious disease expert has nothing to do with setting them. https://youtu.be/f5odeCKjgaM The Billie Holiday Theatre is proud to announce the return of its renowned monologue showcase series – 50in50 – with a special fifth anniversary edition of the show – 50in50: Shattering the Glass Ceiling. In recognition of the historic 2020 election which saw the country elect its first female and first Black Vice-President and in response to MacArthur “Genius” Dominique Morisseau’s curatorial statement, 50in50 will center around the concept of women “shattering the glass ceiling” and what it means to defy, to shatter the glass and to reach beyond barriers. The show will have its virtual premiere via The Billie’s Facebook Live platform on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 7pm. Hollywood superstar Kimberly Elise took to social media earlier this week to share that she celebrated her 54th birthday with a baptism as she rededicated her life to Christ. “Today is my birthday. I mean that literally, 54 years ago, my mother gave birth to me after a long, hard labor (thank you Mom). And spiritually, YHWH has given me a new birth. Though I was first baptized when I was 16 years old, and it was beautiful and powerful as the Holy Spirit filled me, there is something extraordinarily profound to so consciously give one’s life to the Lord at my age,” she wrote on Instagram along with photos of her emotional baptism. David will look a bit older when the Peabody Award-winning drama “David Makes Man” returns for its second season on June 22nd at 9p ET/PT on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The lead character is now in his 30s (now played by Kwame Patterson, “Snowfall,” “The Wire”), and a rising businessman facing an opportunity that will change him and his community forever. The mounting pressure forces David to choose between the instincts that helped him survive or finding a new way to truly live. Young David, played by Akili McDowell, will still be featured in flashbacks. https://youtu.be/97qiZMadPmg The pandemic shutdown has made standup comic David A. Arnold a little stir crazy, missing the road and gigging in front of a live audience. Still, that hasn’t stopped the prolific funny man from telling jokes! As a triple threat of comedy, the standup comedian, writer, producer has been keeping his comedic prowess sharp in the writers’ room. #TripleThreatofComedy. Arnold has teamed up with record-breaking über producer Will Packer (Little, Ride Along) and Will Packer Media (Bigger) for a new Nickelodeon comedy, titled “That Girl Lay Lay” (working title), a new comedy series starring teen sensation and hip-hop artist Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High. The news of Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict in the murder of George Floyd has caused many to reflect on the seemingly endless challenges—and endless hope, fight and resilience—that the Black community has experienced and demonstrated, particularly over the past year. Chronicling “the year that changed the world,” ESSENCE—the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities—today debuted its May/June 2021 issue cover as a striking visual interpretation that juxtaposes the challenges and triumphs of a community after an unprecedented year of heightened social and political unrest, police brutality, economic and health inequities, COVID-19 and more. Shock G, the man known for the silly but funky hip hop jam, “The Humpty Dance,” has died. He was 57. Shock was also recognized for his work with Tupac Shakur. The rap legend, according to a TMZ report, was found dead Thursday in a hotel room in Tampa … according to his father, Edward Racker. The cause of death is unclear but there were no signs of trauma. Shock’s father says authorities will conduct and autopsy. https://youtu.be/PBsjggc5jHM There will be two memorial services rapper Earl “DMX” Simmons this weekend; one on Saturday, April 24 at 4 pm ET and a Homegoing Celebration on Sunday, April 25 at 2:30 pm ET. https://youtu.be/hTruoc1KaC8 Bobby Brown is speaking out about his surprising performance on “The Masked Singer,” as he was revealed to be the crab on Wednesday night’s episode. “I did have so much fun, and it wasn’t about a competition to me,” Brown, 52, tells PEOPLE. “It was about strictly having fun. Being able to perform as the Crab really, really, really made me feel good.” https://youtu.be/AR4l-vZ66y8 “Bigger” follows the lives of thirty something Black professionals maneuvering through major life changes and decisions. Show creator, executive producer, and showrunner Felischa Marye, said the inspiration behind the series, was based on a major life pivot she made in her mid-thirties, that landed her in a position of success. Her goal was to tell stories embodying the narrative – it’s never too late to follow your dreams. https://youtu.be/laQtVTrXEQA In honor of Earth Day (April 22) Disney+ is teaming with influential plant-enthusiast Christopher Griffin, aka Plant Kween, for a creative collaboration of plants inspired by his favorite Disney films – “Coco,” “The Aristocats,” “Aladdin and Jungle Book” – while paying homage to the role that plants and nature play in bringing these beloved, imaginative tales to life. Join Guest Speaker Dr. Colleen Hawthorne for IC3 Church Growth & Development Conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nermuwg1v0 Nigerian Artist/Producer IceBeatChillz (Ice) premieres the music video for his new single “Bad & Naughty” today. https://youtu.be/qii6_xl3fyM A new study reveals that Queen Elizabeth II is a bigger global brand than Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Oprah, and Nike. The data was founded by company Statista who claimed there were a number of factors that considered Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family a huge global brand. According to the Daily Mail, one of the factors was the number of news articles that references her as ‘The Queen’ and said her personal brand is 16 times bigger than Beyoncé and six times bigger than Kim Kardashian and Bill Gates combined. Statista also compared the Royal Family’s brand to major corporations such as Coca Cola, Nike, and others. As of today, their corporate brand is worth more than 71 billion pounds and Queen Elizabeth’s sole worth is 35 billion pounds. All-new episodes of TV One’s original, docu-series' UNSUNG and UNCENSORED continue this Sunday, April 25. UNSUNG leads the night with Syleena Johnson at 9 p.m. ET/8C, immediately followed by UNCENSORED with Marsha Ambrosius at 10 p.m. ET/9C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoTowjLsi6Y Acclaimed Harlem Chef JJ heats things up on the season finale episode of JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ airing on Saturday, April 24 at 9 P.M. ET/8C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tsGGr1ErZk&feature=youtu.be CLEO TV highlights a new episode of CLEO SPEAKS airing Sunday, April 25 at 9 P.M./8C. The groundbreaking and candid series showcases some of the most powerful and influential women of color in the country to tell their story and speak their truth in an intimate setting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmS6P162BhU JOIN CHEF SUNNY ANDERSON AS SHE GIVES VIEWERS THE ULTIMATE "BISTRO NIGHT IN" MENU THIS WEEK ON COOKING FOR REAL WITH SUNNY ANDERSON, AIRING MONDAYS AT 9 P.M. ET/8C NBA draft prospect and former University of Kentucky guard Terrence Clarke has been killed in car crash in Los Angeles, with video showing him running a red light at speed before clipping a truck and slamming into a wall at an intersection. The crash occurred on Thursday after Clarke, 19, had gone through a workout with his former Wildcats teammate and fellow NBA hopeful Brandon Boston Jr. in anticipation of the upcoming draft. Clarke was driving his 2021 Hyundai Genesis when he ran a red light, hit a car that was turning left and failed to stop before hitting a pole and a wall, LAPD said. It is not yet known if Clarke intentionally ran the light or if his vehicle had suffered a mechanical failure. The funeral for Daunte Wright, one of the most recent victims of preventable police violence against unarmed Black people, was held Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis. The service at Shiloh Temple International Ministries featured emotional addresses from members of Wright’s family as well as civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered a moving eulogy. The funeral united the family members of past victims of police violence, including relatives of George Floyd, Philando Castile, Oscar Grant and Jamar Clark. One portion of the funeral included a moving trumpet performance by jazz musician Keyon Harrold Sr., whose son was falsely accused of stealing an iPhone late last year in New York City in a viral moment that luckily did not end in any violence. https://twitter.com/i/status/1385295592033763328 A Sheriff’s deputy in Pasquotank County, North Carolina shot and killed 42-year-old Andrew Brown Jr. while serving a search warrant Wednesday, sparking more protests and the immediate release of body camera footage. Authorities wouldn’t provide further details, but eyewitnesses said that Brown was shot while trying to drive away, and that deputies fired at him multiple times. The car skidded out of Brown’s yard and eventually hit a tree, said Demetria Williams, who lives on the same street and ran out of her house when she heard the gunshots. “When they opened the door (to the car) he was already dead,” Williams told The Associated Press. “He was slumped over.” She said officers tried to perform chest compressions on him. The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s deputy was placed on leave pending a review by the State Bureau of Investigation, Sheriff Tommy Wooten II said at a news conference. https://youtu.be/MUl_-_OpP2o Surrounded by family, friends and colleagues like the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. and Pastor Jamal Bryant, longtime civil rights leader, the Rev. Al Sharpton, praised God and revealed that he broke down in tears moments after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd Tuesday. “We want to pray and thank God. Somehow God made a way. He had mercy. We believe in a God that can even get through the cracks of the jury room and bring conscience and bring truth.” Sharpton said shortly after a jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for Floyd’s death. Thursday, O.J. Simpson gave LeBron James advice on talking about people getting stabbed and murdered. The former football player told James to wait for the facts before running online and dividing our country more. https://twitter.com/i/status/1385268007203602433 A Black Kansas City firefighter was subjected to racial discrimination then fired in retaliation for his complaints, a federal jury found Thursday in a trial that highlighted systemic racism in the department. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, was ordered to pay Jyan Harris more than $2.43 million for back pay, future pay and compensatory damages for his discrimination and retaliation claims, the Kansas City Star reported. After being annihilated on Twitter for calling racial equity “another kind of racism” in an op-ed for The Washington Post, Ben Carson ran to Fox News Wednesday to defend his rationale, even dragging Dr. Martin Luther King into his explanation. https://youtu.be/9OK7Eyfgi4w After urging athletes to stay out of politics, NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre weighed in on the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial — saying he didn’t believe the former Minneapolis cop meant to kill George Floyd. “I find it hard to believe, and I’m not defending Derek Chauvin in any way, I find it hard to believe, first of all, that he intentionally meant to kill George Floyd,” he said Wednesday on his “Balling with Favre” podcast. Former NFL linebacker Geno Hayes is under hospice care for liver complications and “fighting for his life,” his high school football coach told USA TODAY. Hayes, 33, played for the Buccaneers, Bears and Jaguars during a seven-year NFL career that ended after the 2014 season. He was a sixth-round draft pick out of Florida State and replaced Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks as the Buccaneers’ starting weakside linebacker in 2009, when he had the best season of his career. “Geno’s in need of prayers. He’s fighting for his life,” high school coach Frankie Carroll said after visiting Hayes at his mother’s home in Valdosta, Ga. last Sunday. “It’s tough. Geno’s a fun-loving guy.” Antoine Fuqua will direct and produce a new film adaptation of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning book, with an all-Black cast. Fuqua’s new film is based on a 2008 Broadway production from producers Stephen C. Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey that also featured an all-Black American cast, Variety reports. The show was directed by Debbie Allen and featured Terrence Howard, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad and James Earl Jones. Fuqua will join forces with Byrd and Jones-Harvey for his film that “will combine elements of the play with new storylines and weave them together to bring the production to the big screen.” Paisley Park, where Prince lived and worked, welcomed back select fans Wednesday to mark the fifth anniversary of his death from inside his creative sanctuary. Some wore custom Prince clothes and shoes and left flowers and other mementos as tributes to the late superstar. The sprawling studio’s atrium opened to 1,400 people who were able to snag free reservations, while other fans paid their respects in front of a statue erected outside the front doors in the shape of his famous purple Love Symbol. British music’s leading prize night next month will feature an audience of 4,000 people, in what will be the first major indoor music event in the country to welcome back a live audience since the coronavirus pandemic erupted more than a year ago. The Brit Awards said Thursday that the May 11 event at London’s 02 Arena has been picked to be part of the government’s easing of coronavirus restrictions following a sharp drop in new cases in the U.K. Pretty Ricky rapper and “Love and Hip Hop” star Baby Blue, Diamond Smith, was shot along with another individual while in the parking lot of a bowling alley Monday. According to reports, the two suspects attempted to steal a gold chain, shooting Baby Blue in the process, police said. He was transported to the local hospital in critical condition after being injured outside of SPAREZ Bowling Alley in Davie, Florida. The artist and his companion were standing by their cars “when two unknown armed male suspects approached,” according to the Davie Police Department. PEOPLE writes, “a physical altercation ensued as the suspects attempted to steal a gold chain necklace from one of the victims. One of the suspects’ firearms discharged, hitting Baby Blue in the left shoulder.” The thugs fled the scene after the shooting. After fans of LeVar Burton pushed for him to guest host of “Jeopardy,” the long-running quiz show announced Wednesday that the “Star Trek” star will close out the current 37th season. Back in November, Burton fans created a Change.org petition calling for ABC to hire him as the new host of the network’s long-running game show. “Between hosting 21 seasons of the educational Reading Rainbow, playing the brainiac engineer Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: the Next Generation, and filling the roll of Kunta Kinte in the ever important mini-series Roots, LeVar Burton has inspired and shaped the minds of several generations of trivia-loving nerds,” the petition states. Fans of Lil Wayne suspect he has tied the knot with girlfriend Denise Bidot. On Tuesday, the rapper (born Dwayne Carter) shared a tweet that said he’s the “Happiest man alive” because “Today is the beginning of our forever,” he wrote. “Forever?? Forever, ever?? FOREVER EVER!!!!! The Carters.” The message prompted fans to concluded that the hip-hop star is off the market. Last week, Weezy and Denise expressed their love for each other on social media. https://www.instagram.com/liltunechi/?utm_source=ig_embed Swizz Beatz, a longtime friend of DMX, has asked Kanye West to participate in the upcoming memorial service for the late rapper. Fans can join the memorial service by watching a live stream of the event on YouTube this Saturday. The event is being held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with streaming set to begin at 4 p.m. EDT. Additionally, a private funeral will be held at the New York City church Sunday, which will also broadcast live on BET at 2:30 p.m. EDT. According to reports, attendance for both events will be limited to family and close friends due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LeBron James is catching heat for posting a photo of Nicholas Reardon, the Columbus police officer who fatally shot 16-year-old Ma’khia Bryant on Tuesday, and captioning the image “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY,” along with an hourglass emoji. His post was in reference to former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin being found guilty on three counts in the murder of George Floyd. Candace Owens, responded by calling the Lakers star a “loser” and Reardon a “hero.” “If America was a country that believed in justice, Lebron James would be stripped of all of his sponsorships,” Owens tweeted, noting her support of the cancel culture movement. Bravo is set to shake up the cast of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” to boost ratings next season, and former star Phaedra Parks could return to the show. After series OG NeNe Leakes departed the series, the RHOA reportedly saw a drop in viewership last season. “RHOA was once Bravo’s highest-rated housewives show but has lost its superiority over other shows in the franchise.” “There’s going to be a big cast shake-up next season and some producers are mulling over asking Phaedra Parks to return. “Many insiders believe NeNe would help drive ratings, but her feud with producers seems to show no signs of letting up. “Fans were shocked when she left and there has been a question mark over whether she’ll ever return, and it looks unlikely. https://youtu.be/oZ7mxCYzql8 When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) meets New York singer Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish), they form an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust. That’s what HERE TODAY is about. https://youtu.be/U3v8n_8-QqA Keke Palmer has sparked a debate on social media about relationship status after she made clear that she’s going to remain “single until marriage.” Guys be like, ‘I want you to be my girlfriend,’” Palmer said in a Tik Tok video before continuing, “But are you going to marry me? Are we ready to take it somewhere out of kid world? Because I’m not trying to be locked into nothing unless you gon lock me in for life — cause we can just kick it and be friends until you’re ready to go.” In the caption of the clip, she added, “I don’t believe in girlfriend and boyfriend. I’m single till I’m married. Let’s just kick it love.” Stellar-nominated gospel artist Kenny Lewis and One Voice’s new single, “He’s Been Good” has now hit over 2 million views on Facebook! “He’s Been Good” is the newest single from the hit choir leader and incorporates a special feature from the gospel veteran, Charles Jenkins. https://youtu.be/sYLughPvH1M Malcolm X said, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman,” he said. “The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” It was true then and it’s true now. The ongoing violence against Black women has hit an all-time high with the publishing of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors home address in an effort to call attention to her purchase of several homes. Patrisse is more than just one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter. Long before BLM came into existence she was an artist, an organizer, and a student. Moms of Black Boys United for Social Change, Inc. (M.O.B.B. United for Social Change), an online community of nearly 200,000 moms with 15 local chapters nationwide advocating for fair and just treatment of Black boys and men in American society, remains on the front lines of the fight against racial injustice. Today, M.O.B.B. United has issued the following statement regarding the historic verdict in the Chauvin murder trial: For the last year we all have been under arrest with emotion over the incredible injustice done to George Floyd and many others harassed and killed by law enforcement. Yesterday, we witnessed justice being served. We have finally seen accountability where there hasn’t been before. We are thankful for the change in tide, but understand that you cannot erase 400 years of hate with one verdict. This is just the beginning of the road to accountability. We need true social transformation that does more than hold law enforcement accountable, but stops them in their tracks and makes them think twice before they act. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUKkgnJGaNI In the latest Spotlight interview, the beautiful woke Erika Alexander dishes the dirt on the racism she encountered filming the popular show “Living Single.” She says they shot on a lot where only the Black shows were produced. “We called it the ghetto.” Her new podcast Reparations: The Big Payback, part of Charlamagne tha God’s Black Effect Series, Erika focuses on reparations and support for a 30-year-old bill in Congress to begin the conversation on compensating Black people for slavery and centuries of oppression and discrimination. https://player.vimeo.com/video/533357856" Comedic actor Eric Andre has leveled racism claims against Georgia’s Clayton County Police department after he says officers racially profiled him during a random drug search Wednesday afternoon at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Andre described the incident at the Delta terminal in a series of tweets. He first tweeted at the Atlanta Police Dept, saying: “They stopped me on the way down the bridge to the plane for a ‘random’ search and asked they could search me for drugs. I told them no. Be careful.” Officials in Columbus urged calm Wednesday as more details and bodycam footage were released in the fatal shooting of a Black teenager by a Columbus police officer, who has now been identified as Nicholas Reardon. He’s been with the department since 2019 and is now placed on leave, after fueling renewed outrage over police-involved deaths. His victim, 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, was shot 20 minutes before a guilty verdict was announced against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in the death of George Floyd last May. The state’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation will pass its findings in the case to a prosecutor – either the attorney general’s office or the Franklin County prosecutor – for consideration before a grand jury. Nine critically endangered Rothschild’s giraffes have been rescued after they were isolated by heavy rains that turned their home into a sinking island. Water levels in Lake Baringo in Kenya have been rising for some time, but in 2020, the rate increased — flooding lakeshore homes, businesses and threatening the lives of the small group of Rothschild’s giraffe on Longicharo Island in Ruko Community Conservancy. https://youtu.be/yBmQ5Em2qTg After much backlash on social media, it appears things behind the scenes were all good as Diddy is reportedly paying for the funeral costs for former Bad Boy rapper Black Rob, who recently passed at 51 from a myriad of health issues, including kidney failure. According to Page Six, Sean “Diddy” Combs will be contributing to the funeral costs for his former artist and friend Black Rob. Apparently, the two reconnected prior to Rob’s passing. The publication says a source claimed Diddy referred to Rob as “one of a kind,” and confirmed he reached out to Rob at the hospital before he expired. Gabriel DeWitt Wilson, the 30-year-old suspect accused of killing one and injuring two other grocery store employees in Long Island, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon. Authorities discovered Wilson two miles from the shooting at an apartment complex in Hempstead, Long Island. On Wednesday he was charged with one count of murder in the second degree and four counts of attempted murder. As the silver handcuffs were placed on Derek Chauvin‘s wrists complimenting his gray suit, the former Minneapolis officer was quietly walked out of the courtroom to cheers and exclamations outside of the courtroom. Chauvin is currently imprisoned at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights located in Stillwater, Minnesota until his sentencing, CNN reports. The facility is about 25 miles east of Minneapolis. Chauvin is housed in a unit that is segregated from the general population. “He is on ‘administrative segregation’ status for his safety,” Minnesota Department of Corrections spokesperson Sarah Fitzgerald told CNN. “Administrative segregation is used when someone’s presence in the general population is a safety concern.” According to NBC New York, he could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James posted and later deleted a tweet on Wednesday about the fatal police shooting of Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl in Columbus, Ohio. In a series of tweets, James explained why he deleted the post. http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=31306953 The official teaser trailer and poster of the hilarious whodunnit horror/thriller WEREWOLVES WITHIN is out. The film is based on the virtual reality video game by Ubisoft. https://youtu.be/mjH5sGOTJuI This Friday, April 23, is World Book Day — an annual worldwide event by UNESCO to celebrate books and reading. In observance of this day, BET+ is highlighting their originals that are derived from books along with a few screen adaptations that are coming soon to the streaming platform. Book to film adaptations are often the driving force behind sparking the interest of classic novels. In fact, nearly 70% of the world’s top 20 grossing films are based on books. Today Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Floyd family attorney Ben Crump were both guests on SiriusXM’s “The Joe Madison Show” to discuss yesterday’s verdict and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. https://youtu.be/UStx0NAorow Today (04-21-21) it was announced that the Justice Department is opening a sweeping investigation into policing practices in Minneapolis after a former officer was convicted in the killing of George Floyd there. Attorney General Merrick Garland made the announcement and stated that “Yesterday’s verdict in the state criminal trial does not address potentially systemic policing issues in Minneapolis,” Garland said. The probe “will assess whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, including during protests,” Garland said at a news conference. A new documentary from BBC One Panorama, “Is The Church Racist?,” explores the racism that allegedly runs deep within the Church of England. Complex reports, Dr. Elizabeth Henry, who resigned from her post as the CoE’s race adviser last year, claims that ethnic clergy and staff who complained of racism in the CoE were paid off to “buy their silence.” They were also made to sign non-disclosure agreements. https://youtu.be/JAsEZuDgjS8 Dave Chappelle has announced that he’s joining forces with the Luminary subscription podcast network to launch “The Midnight Miracle” with co-hosts Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey. Complex, reports the trio will host thoughtful conversations with some of their close celebrity friends and cultural icons. https://www.instagram.com/davechappelle/?utm_source=ig_embed Zoe Kravitz and actress Taylour Paige have sparked romance rumors after posting a photo on Instagram showing them hugged up together. On Saturday (April 17), Kravitz shared the snap of the pair on her IG account, along with the message,, “so…. this is a thing. @taylour.” Zoe and Taylour have yet to clarify what they meant by “a thing.” The duo have yet to elaborate on what “a thing” means. Members of the LGBTQP community seem to be thrilled by their possible coupling. An Ohio police officer was captured on video shouting “blue lives matter” to a group of bystanders at the scene where another officer shot and killed a Black teenage girl in Columbus. One of the neighbors responds: “Blue lives matter? Crazy. That’s an insult, especially at this place right now.” The Washington Post also reported Tuesday that another cop on the scene was wearing a “blue lives matter” face mask. https://twitter.com/i/status/1384684653022416897 Darnella Frazier, the teenager who filmed former police officer Derek Chauvin’s fatal encounter with George Floyd last May, is speaking out about Tuesday’s verdict in Chauvin’s murder case. “I just cried so hard,” Frazier, 18, wrote in a social media post following the verdict. “This last hour my heart was beating so fast, I was so anxious, anxiety bussing through the roof. But to know GUILTY ON ALL 3 CHARGES !!! THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU” She continued, “George Floyd we did it!! justice has been served” “Although no amount of charges will bring back a loved one, justice was served and his murderer will pay the price,” she said. While the world was watching Derek Chauvin being hauled to jail in handcuffs Tuesday, Stacey Abrams was quietly, remotely and hilariously fending off attack after attack by GOP lawmakers during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on voting laws. The committee’s usual suspects – Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, John Kennedy, Tom Cotton and others – lined up to take their shots at the Georgia voting rights activist, whose organizing efforts were largely responsible for Donald Trump’s White House exit and the election of two Democratic Georgia senators in 2020 to level the playing field in the U.S. Senate. Abrams calmly and artfully swatting away each GOP Senator’s attempt to gaslight her about the existence of “racial animus” and voter suppression – in Georgia and beyond – was a thing of beauty to behold. https://youtu.be/mZ4SRr--SZU The Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC), which includes Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College will require all students, faculty members, and staff to be vaccinated for the upcoming 2021 fall semester. https://youtu.be/MwSpAvesL9o The NBA on TNT Tuesday crew reacted to the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and Candace Parker all shared their thoughts Tuesday night, several hours after Chauvin was found guilty on all three murder counts stemming from his prolonged kneeling on Floyd’s neck. https://youtu.be/Bhx0LaL1qk4 Hospitalizations linked to COVID-19 have jumped about 20% in less than two weeks in Alabama, a trend that health officials said Tuesday they were monitoring but don’t consider a sign of another coming crisis in the pandemic. Statistics from the Alabama Department of Public Health showed 362 people were hospitalized Monday for the illness caused by the new coronavirus. Though up from the 301 patients just 10 days earlier, the total was still just a fraction of the 3,070 patients who pushed the state’s intensive care wards to near capacity in mid-January. Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Lauren Daigle was invited back on the “American Idol” stage Monday night for a special performance of her song “Look Up Child,” a decade after she was cut from the competition. Daigle was featured as a guest performer on the show’s “Comeback” episode that also included 10 finalists from last season, two of which performed the Gospel songs, “Voice of God” and “Say Yes.” Legendary musician and former judge, Harry Connick Jr., also appeared in the episode and performed a medley of music from his latest Christian release, Alone With My Faith. The episode featured a lot of faith-filled content. Whoopi Goldberg is writing a superhero tale about an old Black woman who saves earth. “Since I was a little kid, I’ve been obsessed with superheroes,” Goldberg revealed to Variety. “They’re all saving the Earth all the time.” She added, “But do you know who’s really going to save the Earth? Old Black women.” Goldberg says her a superhero movie about an older Black woman who gets powers and has to learn to use them. The actress and “The View” co-host is also gearing up to reprise her role as Deloris Van Cartier in “Sister Act 3" for Disney+. The Hollywood Foreign Press Assoc. has announced its diversity and inclusion adviser Phillip Berk is no longer a member of the organization after he sent out a racist email to members over the weekend. Berks’ exit also comes in the wake of Ava DuVernay and several publicists calling out the “systemic’ challenges in the group. In the email, Berk criticized Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, calling her “the self-proclaimed ‘trained Marxist.’” He also called BLM a “racist hate movement.” https://youtu.be/-RGSi67Q3SM Adrian B. King and Reverence demonstrate their high energy and incredible anointing on their newest album release ESSENTIAL PRAISE. The album is comprised of eight Contemporary Gospel, intimate worship, exuberant praise, and traditional churchy tracks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwIzJgXz91I A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy was serving a search warrant on Wednesday morning when he shot and killed a black man who family members say was driving away from the scene. The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office confirmed one of its officers shot the man, but has released few details, including whether or not the victim was armed at the time of the incident. During a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, officials remained tight-lipped and refused to answer most questions about the incident, citing an ongoing investigation. Donald Williams was all of us calling Derek Chauvin a “bum,” as he and other bystanders watched the former officer slowly murder George Floyd. The mixed martial artist, who testified for the prosecution in Chauvin’s trial, spoke to TODAY’s Craig Melvin in Minneapolis Wednesday about his reaction to the guilty verdict. “I don’t wanna say joy, because there’s a lot of work still to be done, but it was a lot of relief off of my shoulders,” Williams said. https://www.today.com/video/witness-in-chauvin-trial-reacts-to-guilty-verdicts-weight-off-my-shoulders-110583877517 Apple Original Films has announced “Number One on the Call Sheet,” two documentary features from Jamie Foxx, Kevin Hart, producer Datari Turner and Academy Award-winner Dan Cogan. The project will explore what it takes for Black actors to find success in Hollywood. SEASON TWO OF WILL PACKER’S PROVOCATIVE COMEDY “BIGGER” RETURNS THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 22, EXCLUSIVELY ON BET+......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laQtVTrXEQA President Joe Biden spoke to the nation on Tuesday night after a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in the murder of George Floyd. “No one should be above the law,” Biden said. “And today’s verdict sends that message. But it’s not enough. ”https://youtu.be/9iVdsRiFnRc Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF), released the following statement in reaction to the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial: “In these types of trials, the criminal justice system has historically failed Black families, further permeating and validating white supremacy within institutions. Today, however, there is a small incremental step toward accountability. We hope this guilty verdict begins to show that white supremacy will not win. White supremacy has no place in democracy, especially one that is supposed to guarantee us our freedom to live. But let us also be clear that this still does not bring our loved ones back. We do not get George Floyd back. His daughter and family have to grow up without him. His family continues his legacy through the George Floyd Memorial Foundation. Police shot and killed a Black teenage girl Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio moments before former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in the death of George Floyd. In an unprecedented move, Columbus police later released body camera footage of the officer shooting 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant as she appeared to attempt to stab two people with a knife. The officer is shown approaching a driveway where a group of young people were standing. In the video, it appears that Bryant pushes or swings at a person who falls to the ground. As the footage continues, she then appears to swing a knife at a girl who is on the hood of a car, and the officer fires his weapon what sounds like four times, striking the girl. https://youtu.be/xOK3QNcpqns Georgia faith leaders representing over 1,000 Georgia churches have called for a nationwide boycott of Home Depot, accusing the largest company based in the Peach State of standing on the sidelines in the voting rights battle playing out not just in Georgia, but across the country. “A boycott is not something we wanted to do, but now it is something that we must do,” Bishop Reginald T. Jackson said in a statement read during a press conference Tuesday. “They have simply refused to respond, not only to our request to meet, but to their other corporate partners. They believe their silence is appropriate, but not on the issue of voting rights. Blacks and people of color, like others, are also their customers and they benefit from our dollars … we believe they should oppose any effort to suppress our votes.” A Georgia hairdresser who divorced her husband and is now in a relationship with another woman has been told by her church that she must repent for her ‘sinful behavior’ or else be publicly denounced and excommunicated. Krystal Cox was informed in writing by the elders of Woodstock Church of Christ that they were concerned about ‘the condition of your soul’. Cox, who has been attending the church in Woodstock, 30 miles north of downtown Atlanta, for around five years, told her local news channel she was deeply hurt by the letter. The sister of a young Black man who was found hanging from a tree in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1986 has called for a new look into his death for years. Recently, Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Reimer joined her. Thirty-five years ago, police found the body of 19-year-old Keith Warren in a wooded area that has since been developed. His death was ruled a suicide, but his family doesn’t believe he took his own life. Sherri Warren said there were inconsistencies with the investigation, a rush to judgment and no autopsy. The family wants the case to be reclassified as an undetermined death. Sending their support. Jinger Duggar and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, are hopeful that Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard reunite with the family soon — but on their own terms. The Duggars: A Comprehensive Guide to the Famous Family The 19 Kids and Counting alum, 27, and the retired soccer star, 33, recently told Us Weekly exclusively that they’ve “connected” with Jill, 29, and her husband, 31, who have distanced themselves from the reality TV family in recent years. A popular Nigerian televangelist has urged his followers to “pray for YouTube” for shutting down his account after he posted videos on his channel claiming to ‘cure’ gay members of his congregation of their sexuality. “I got to know what happened to YouTube when I saw the viewers complaining… I want you to help me pray for YouTube… Don’t see them the other way around; see them as friends. We need to be strong,” T.B. Joshua said in a sermon posted on the ministry’s Facebook page at the weekend. The YouTube channel of The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) — run by Joshua — was deactivated last week and can no longer be viewed by its nearly two million subscribers. “The producer and I were talking about the